". . . so while this started out as a simple case of a few missing commoners, the target has now become the wealthy – specifically, wealthy women such as yourself, Tatamisu-san."

The officer droned on further, explaining to Kijou why she should worry about something that was not a problem at all, and Kijou tried very hard to keep a civil expression on her face. Katsu's medicine would most certainly have worn off by now – he might be too injured to move, thanks to his impertinence, but still.

The sound of running feet drew her attention like honey draws flies, and Kijou tensed. She looked sharply at the officer, noticing how his posture had changed from agreeable and petty to wary, and spoke in her most imperious voice.

"What have my guards found that interests them so, Officer-san – they have been trained to respond so only to threats and intruders."

He smirked – smirked! – at her, and produced a piece of paper. Kijou snatched it out of his hand, and staggered when she read what was in it.

"A-an arrest warrant?!?"

"How you train your guards is no business of mine, Tatamisu-san," the officer said smoothly, his amber eyes hard and harsh like she had never seen before. "It soon will not be yours, either."

Kijou stepped back, her eyes blazing. "How dare you?"

"Aku soku zan," the officer smirked. "Of course, there is still the legal aspect to be done at your imprisonment, but . . ." He raised an eyebrow, the arrogance on his face unmatched by anything she had ever seen (but only because the vision she saw and the face the mirror reflected were rather different). "One can always hope."

"Oh really?" She stepped back one more, and smiled viciously. "I'm afraid it will not work out like that, Officer." A discreet signal, and her five best guards stepped out from all around the officer, swords unsheathed. "There will be a legal aspect to clarify, of course," she sneered, "but surely the police office will understand, a pretty, frail woman, her dedicated guards, a crazed policeman . . . why, none of the blame could possibly fall on me. Guards!" She snapped, "kill him! And, Officer-san," she called, as her five best closed in on him, "I'll see you in Hell!"

Kijou turned to walk out the door, but the sound of numerous bodies hitting the floor stopped her in her tracks – and if that hadn't, the blue-clad wolf that appeared between her and the door would have. The officer smiled, and Kijou felt her blood run cold.

"Undoubtedly you will," came the smooth response, "but it will not be today." The officer held his bloody sword out, further emphasizing the barrier between her and escape. "Now, you are under arrest. I will escort you to the police station peacefully, or I will do so by force. It is entirely you choice."

Kijou growled at him, and the arrogant tone in his voice, and the prospect of imprisonment. Even if they did not convict her (of course they wouldn't), her reputation would be ruined.

She would be ruined.

An idea came to her, and a slow, cruel smile spread over Kijou's lips. "I shall come with you, Officer," she said, stepping forward, "not at all!"

She charged forward, and, over the short distance, and with the element of surprise, it was too late for the officer to do anything. Before he could react, Kijou had impaled herself on his sword, her eyes blazing.

"What do you say now, Officer?" She hissed at him, her breath coming in short gasps due to pain, but her victory smirk still in place. Gut wounds took awhile to die from . . . she would have time to say what she needed to say. "What do you say now, now that you have killed an unarmed woman? What will your superiors say?"

I win¸ Kijou thought with a mad joy. This disgrace will surely haunt him for the rest of his life . . . I win.

He gazed at her dispassionately, and she snarled at him for not reacting suitably. When he sighed, and opened his mouth to speak, her eyes glowed to hear the lament that would surely come out – briefly, then she gasped with pain as the sword was turned within her body and jerked up through her torso.

"Aku."

His golden eyes glowed as he wrenched his sword out of her body, and she fell to her knees, overcome with pain.

"Soku."

She struggled to look up, and managed to lift her head just in time to see a silver arc descending slowly – after all, what reason did he have to hurry? – and then the sword bit into her neck, and she knew no more.

Saitou watched the severed head roll across the floor for a moment, before fishing out a piece of cloth and cleaning his blade. Once it was sheathed, he took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one, taking a long drag and exhaling.

"Zan," he said, to nothing in particular. Then, shaking out the match and tossing it on the floor, he grumbled a bit to himself. "Damn ahou."

He closed the heavy European-style door behind him when he left.

Okay, who else is loving this chapter as much as I am? Don't be shy now. :D Okay, yes, yay, my account is unfrozen again. I'd ask the person who reported me who they are and why they did it but a) it doesn't really matter and b) as they haven't yet, I doubt they have the moral integrity to do so. Anyways. As of now, HBT is officially done. Not that this is the last chapter, but all the chapters are written, and I am now in the process of rewriting it. The next two chapters will go up over the next two days, and hopefully by then it will also be rewritten, and my site will be up. Be happy.

blah: Oh, so that's why you've been gone for so long. :D I almost thought you had stopped reading. And all is fair in love, war, and writing fanfic. :P