SourPop1004: Wassup people! I hope you enjoy this chapter and leave lots of awesome reviews. See you at the bottom.

The Salsa Dancer

By: Moi!

Tomoyo quietly read a magazine, but her mind was elsewhere. She jumped a bit when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Daidouji, it's alright, they'll be fine." Eriol reassured her.

Tomoyo smiled. "Yeah… and you can call me Tomoyo. There's no need to be formal." She stared back at her magazine. The large black letters in an article read, "U.S. Under Seize." There was a blurry picture of Fang in the corner. In a couple of hours, when they would arrive in Houston, Texas, Sakura and Syaoran would drop them a word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sakura sat in Syaoran's kitchen table. She looked up at him.

"I can't believe I'm doing this but are you ready?" Syaoran asked as he ran his hand through his hair.

"Life's crazy ain't it? I can't believe it either. You helping me steal-" Sakura was cut off by Syaoran.

"Borrow…" He corrected with a smile.

"Fine, anyway, I can't believe you're helping me borrow something from the CIA." Sakura smiled flamboyantly. "But it is funny…"

"You take pleasure in everything that's wrong and twisted…" Syaoran raised an eyebrow.

"What can I say? I'm strange." Sakura laughed.

"Anyway, you know what to do?" He made sure, looking at the woman seated in front of him. Sakura pushed up the square black glasses in front of her brown eyes and adjusted her bushy brown hair, which was gathered with a black scrunchie. Clad in a regular black suit, she smoothed out her skirt.

"Do I look like her enough?" Sakura asked.

"Yup. That's Miranda alright." Syaoran conformed. "Ok, so anyway, the real Miranda always checks in at 7:35 a.m., which is exactly twenty minutes from now. I'll come in about the same time to help you get through the security checkpoint. From there, remember, this is critical. You don't do this in order, they'll suspect something. Ok, after clearance, you directly go the lounge and get a cup of coffee. Make your way to your desk, which is in the far-left corner next to Yoritomo's office. Sit down, take a sip and skim through the files on the desk. Check your watch, at exactly 7:51 a.m., you'll have clearance to go into the main computer in a room labeled System Prep. Miranda's the only person that has access to that room to check for any disorders in the main computer system. You will have exactly five minutes to download the Scrambler onto a disk. After that, get out and go back to your desk. Just fiddle with your files for ten more minutes. Then get up and ask Derryl, the man next to your desk if he wants his usual and get out. I'll meet you outside at the Starbucks on Oak Pine and Millford. Is this all clear?"

"Yeah, yeah. We went over it like a bazillion times. Don't fret. You know I won't screw up. You just worry about your cover story." Sakura pointed out before getting up. "This Miranda is so routine…" She mumbled to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They had safely gotten through the security checkpoint. Sakura was ready for her show. She felt the tingle of excitement course through her just like before every mission. Let's do this…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sakura sat impatiently drumming her slender fingers on the round glass coffee table. She took up her cup and took a sip of hot steaming tea. She looked up to see a college boy walk by and give her a wink. It was surprising that the coffee shop was packed with people during times like these.

By now she had lost her disguise and was back into something more relaxing: a pair of ultra low-rise jeans, a pair of Adidas (no Nikes for now…sigh…), a white halter top since the weather had gotten much more humid, and a white quarter-sleeve zip-up jacket to match the halter top. She flashed back a bright smile at the boy with sunglasses and a black cap put back wards on his head. The guy sat across the room and kept staring at her direction all the while he chatted away with his friends. Sakura mentally smirked as she sat clutching a thin flat disk case. She glanced at her watch. Where are you… Her thoughts were interrupted when a waitress came to her table with a note on a napkin.

"The gentleman over there sent this over." The waitress put down the napkin in front of Sakura and left.

Hey, I couldn't help noticing that you were alone. You want to maybe catch a movie or something later… or maybe some other "things"… you look like you need some more fun in your life. Send me a reply.

John

She gave it a thought. It was true she needed more fun in her life, I mean, with the whole terrorist thing and save the world, blah, blah. Sakura smiled and heard the table across the room crack up with howls and hoots. Was this some sort of joke or was this how college guys picked up girls now a days? Never the less, she couldn't resist the fun. She turned the napkin over and called over the waitress. Sakura borrowed a pen and scribbled something on it. She sent the waitress on her way and saw Syaoran walk into the busy coffee shot. He spotted her and made his way through. He was about to sit down when Sakura popped up. She caught them looking at her from the corner of her eyes. She threw her arms around Syaroan neck and gave him a deep passionate kiss. She pulled away and grabbed his hand.

"Hi love, I thought we were meeting at Cindy's daycare." She emphasized the words 'Cindy's daycare' so it was loud enough for the table across the room to hear. With that she pulled him out of the shop and burst out laughing. She looked into the wide clear window and found the guy reading her reply. She laughed even harder when she saw his expression turn from angry to something like he just drank down a gallon of sour milk.

On the other side of the napkin:

That sounds like fun… maybe when you're older.

Sakura turned away with a satisfied grin. She knew she was only a year or two older than the guy in the shop, but maturity and experience-of-life-wise, she was way ahead of the game. She and Syaroan started walking towards Syaroan's car, when she found him staring at her.

"What was that all about? 'Cause I know you never kiss me unless you need to escape or you have decided that the world has done you wrong and you need to beat the crap out of me. And also for the fact that 'Cindy' isn't at the daycare." He informed her with a boyish grin.

"Don't ask. But it was a hell lot of fun." She smiled and walked faster, reaching his car.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ok, so now are we headed 'home'?" Sakura questioned as she sat up in her seat on the airplane. She looked at her seat partner; a man dressed in a business suit with slicked back blonde hair.

"Yeah. We'll meet Tomoyo and Eriol there." He looked at Sakura who was quietly sitting in a business suit as well with short curly blonde hair.

"So is it possible for us to decode Josh's security system on the laptop?" She questioned tucked a loose hair behind her ear.

"We'll have to see. The scrambler we got from the CIA consists of hundreds of the most known decoder systems. But I'm not sure if it'll be able to crack the wall. We'll just have to see." He assured her. There was a moment of silence.

"When this all ends, what…do you think will happen…to me?" She asked timidly.

"I don't know. Even though you're helping us, I'm pretty sure that they'll still come up with millions of offenses. But I guarantee you that your sentence will be lighter." He looked at her sadly for the first time. She always seemed so strong and unshaken by the law, but now here she was asking of what was to come of her.

Right…I'll be stuck behind bars for the rest of my life if I don't get the death penalty. Damn… life sucks… I've got only two ways to go. Die or disappear… death sounds far easier than the latter…

Sakura got up and excused herself to the bathroom. She walked down the tight aisles and waited for the occupied sign to turn green.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomoyo sat on swing of the dark shaded porch in the backyard of the huge ranch house. As it swung back and forth in a melodic manner, she couldn't help but think of all the craziness in her life as of now. Like any other time she needed to think, she began to sing. She figured no one was home and she doubted anyone could hear her except the cattle, but she even doubted that since the fields were dark and gray with rain. The song started as a slow hum, but she found herself shouting out the words with all the force. Even through the pain, there was no strain in her melodious voice as she closed her eyes and sang. She simply felt like crying, just like the sky.

The black clouds and the dark wet ground seemed to blur along the line of earth and sky. When she heard a light knocking sound behind her, she stopped singing and turned around to see Eriol leaning against the doorway.

"You didn't tell me you sang so well Miss Daidouji." He complimented with a smile.

Tomoyo was surprised at herself for not blushing like a madwoman. "Thank you. It's just a hobby."

"Doesn't seem like it. Have you ever sung professionally? You should…"

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed a bit but the look disappeared.

"Why don't you sing me something? Something more bright?" He suggested as he walked closer.

"How could I? The sky's so dark… just like everything else right now." She quietly continued to stare out. She seemed to stare at things constantly now a days.

"That's understandable." He replied curtly. He walked to the banister around the porch and leaned against it. "Things will get better. They always do."

"Yeah…" Tomoyo whispered in a tiny voice. She found herself focused on something other than the dark outskirts of the ranch. Her mind seemed to concentrate on the man in front of her. With his smooth British tongue, she found herself feeling strange things. Perhaps a crush.

The last time she had been with anyone was the one mistake she'd regret forever. Jason Torimi. The name struck a chord of hatred through her. She was never a person of hate, but this man was an exception. She had just graduated from college when she met him. He was a few years older than she was, but that didn't matter. He was polite, intelligent, honest, or so it seemed. She had been going out with him for about a year. He told her he was part of a big producing company and that he wanted to sign her up a contract. She was thrilled, but that soon changed when everything went wrong. At one point in their relationship, he began to put her off and only start contacting her when he needed money to pay off some debts. She was naïve and helped out the man a couple of times. Push came to shove and the rest was history. Because of that one man, she never sang again. Not professionally anyway. And to think this was only a few years ago.

She pulled herself out of the thought and kept watching Eriol with curiosity and wonder. If she was ever to find anyone meaningful, she decided it to be Eriol Hiragizawa.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Sakura tapped her foot in wait. Whoever was in there was obviously having digesting problems or having a major make-out session. She heard an announcement come over the intercom.

"We'll be arriving shortly."

Sakura groaned as the door still stayed locked. Losing her patient, she knocked on the door with rage. Fuck… When her knuckles came in contact with the door quite hardly, the door popped open. What she saw inside was not what she was expecting. Fuck…again…

She quietly shut the door and left the red occupied sign on and made her way to her seat.

Syaroan looked up. "Where were you? Was the bathroom line that long?"

Sakura made a face at him. "We have a little problem."

"Wha-" Syaoran was cut off by Sakura sudden jerk of his hand. She pulled him up out of his seat and yanked him towards the bathroom. She swung open the door and Syaoran's objections and questions ceased immediately. There in the toilet seat, a gray metal box was duct-taped to the bowl. The blinking clock flashed ugly red numbers that were counting down. 00:34:12…00:34:11…00:34:10… Syaoran shot her a look of panic.

"Fuck? Got that right. Why do I feel like we're in deep doodoo?" She asked with the same look.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eriol turned around so he was facing Tomoyo as he leaned on the rail. Tomoyo was dressed in a pair of jeans and a loose T-shirt, yet she still looked radiant. He always found himself in a trance when around her. Was this some sort of sign of love? He quickly brushed the thought away. He had given up in loving anyone a long ago. With his parents gone and no means of relatives, he was alone, as always.

He had met Nade in London after he had graduated Oxford University a couple years back. He was top of his class with a major in law. Of course, that didn't mean he wasn't into the computer gizmos he's already so an expert today. She had come to him with a job offer. Of course, he had no clue what he was getting himself into. He had only been a clueless nerd, you could say. He had a second choice. To join a respected law firm that had invited him to come work for them. If that faithful day so many years ago he had decided to join the firm, history might have been different. But he looked back and only reasoned that if he hadn't joined Nade, Sakura Kinomoto would be screwed over big time like the rest of the world. Fate was a strange thing. It was intricate and complex. If all the courses of actions did not cross and intersect at the right time and place, the universe wouldn't be turning the way it was now.

"Is something on my face?" Tomoyo asked curiously as she touched her face.

"No. I'm sorry for rudely staring." He apologized with his English accent.

Tomoyo just smiled and said it was okay. He was such a gentlemen, she found herself thinking.

The two just stayed there in silence for a few seconds. Just then, Eriol broke the silence.

"Miss Daido-, I mean Tomoyo, I would like to ask you a favor, if you don't mind."

Tomoyo looked up. "Sure. I don't mind."

"If this 'situation' comes to a favorable end, promise me that you'll at least try to get a record deal. I think you sing beautifully. For that talent to go to waste working for the CIA, it's not worth it. This country has enough people to serve it. Never hurts to have another artist though."

Tomoyo gave a gentle smile. "I'll think about it, but I like the way it sounds." Eriol returned the smile with an equally bright one.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sakura pulled Syaoran into the bathroom where they were squished into the tiny space.

"Ok, now how do we get out of this?" Sakura asked angrily with a hint of sarcasm.

"We have to disconnect it…somehow…" Syaoran trailed off. "We don't have any wiring kits do we?" He asked with equal terror and excitement.

"Gee, sorry. I left all my spy stuff at home. Of course I don't! Would I be standing here if I did?" Sakura shot back sarcastically.

"Ok, ok. Think. No more fighting. It's only going to get us blown up faster. We have 31 minutes to disconnect the bomb or we're not even going to have a 'doodoo' to begin with.

"Can't we ask around the plane for any wiring kits, or even maybe the cockpit?" Sakura suggested trying to think.

"Yeah, why don't we do that. Excuse me sir, would you by any chance be carrying a wiring kit advanced enough to help us out? You do? Thank you so much. Now we can go and try to disconnect the bomb in the next thirty minutes or we'll all die. Have a nice day. I don't think so. But the cockpit might. Only if we don't get everyone worked up." He replied.

"But that means we're going to have to tell them who we are, and last time I checked, I don't think they'll let a terrorist's henchman walk away from a U.S. plane. And I don't think you're supposed to be going to Texas when you're supposed to stay in LA. So now tell me. Is anything wrong with the plan?" Sarcasm made her calm. To a certain extent anyway.

"We could get a knife from the kitchen or something." Syaoran suggested thoughtfully.

"Is it safe to use a plain knife? Whatever, I'll be right back." Sakura exited the stuffy bathroom. She made her way to where a woman was standing flipping through a magazine. She looked up and smiled.

"Yes? How may I help you?"

"Do you have a knife, like a real one, not the plastic kind. And also, do you have a pair of sharp scissors?" Sakura asked hopefully. She tried to ignore the fact that she sounded like some psychopath trying to get her hands on something sharp.

"Wha-?" The woman was cut off.

"Please, don't ask. I really need it. And I'm sure you'll be needing too, so could just give it to me and ask questions later?" Sakura tried to sound as sane as possible.

"I'm sorry, but I must know what it's for since lunch hasn't been served yet." The woman was getting concerned and defensive.

"Ok," Sakura took a deep breath. "I REALLY don't have time for this. You don't give me the damn knife or you can kiss your ass good-bye. Knife please." Sakura was getting mad. She understood the woman was only doing her job but there's a bomb in the plane. She figured protocol was not something to get clingy too.

"What are you talking about?" She was getting mad too. Who wouldn't?

"Just give me the knife please." Sakura was getting impatient.

"Bu-" The woman was cut off again.

"Ok, I had it." Sakura threw a light karate chop at her neck. It was still affective. The woman dropped to the floor. Sakura stepped over her and looked around the small space. She went through drawer after drawer until she finally pulled out a sharp knife triumphantly. She smiled but frowned when she saw the woman on the floor. Sakura thought for a minute and then came up with an idea. She grabbed a wine bottle from a cabinet and opened the top and poured half the content down the little metal sink making sure there was no trail in the sink. She put the bottle down on the counter after pouring a bit of wine into a clear class. Sakura dragged the body of the woman over to the wall and made her lean against it. She pressed the glass against the woman's lips a couple of times in different areas, leaving violet prints all around the cup. She placed the glass in the woman's loose grip. Sakura stood back and observed the scene. Perfect. The woman looked like she had passed out from too much drinking.

"How'd it go?" Syaoran asked as he looked up from his position. He was crouching down to examine the explosive.

"Let's just say the nice lady who gives us peanuts is a dead drunk. Anyway, I did get the knife." Sakura handed Syaoran the knife.

"Ok... Keep watch from outside. I'll call if I need something."

Sakura went out and shut the door again. She leaned on the wall across from the bathroom, which was like a foot and a half of space. Sakura wandered up and down the aisles but not enough for people to get suspicious. She finally poked her head into the bathroom to see how he was doing.

"I'm almost there. Help me. The wiring is really complex." Sakura stepped into the bathroom. The red clock flashed 00:11:54

~~~~~~~~~~~

Tomoyo and Eriol had come back into the house. While Tomoyo made herself and Eriol some tea, Eriol was in another room. He sat in front of his laptop as he spoke into his cell.

"Nade, I picked up something on the satellite. The plane Syaoran and Sakura are supposed to be in is rigged. I switched the radar to Infer Red and it picked up something. Want me to call?" Eriol listened intently.

Tomoyo had finished making her tea and was waiting for Eriol. She didn't want to call out so she made her way to the room he was in, which was upstairs. She quietly walked up the stairs and stopped in front of the door. She was about to knock when she heard something and stopped dead cold.

"Are you finished with your business in Moscow?" He was silent for a few seconds as he listened. "Ok, I'll see you in a couple of hours, and I'll call Syaoran." Silence. "Are we still going with the plan? All right, after I get the Scrambler from Syaoran, he'll be gone. But what are you going to do about Sakura?" Silence. "Fine. If you think she won't turn on us…" Silence. "Oh yes. Touya. I'll contact him immediately." Silence. "What about Tomoyo?" Silence. "Fine." He hung up on Nade and dialed up Syaoran's cell number.

Tomoyo stepped away from the room. What was Eriol talking about? Syaoran, gone? Something was up, and she didn't like it. She would have to contact Syaoran right away. And didn't Eriol say Nade was in D.C. talking to General Houston and the President. What was she doing in Moscow? This was getting too twisted.

SourPop1004: Hi. I know I ended in a cliffy, but I want the second half to go into the next chapter. So, just hang tight. Um… the plot really REALLY gets screwy from now on. My head's like starting to hurt from the craziness. Haha… anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please leave your wonderful little presents. (reviews.) Ja~