Chapter 12

The halls were momentarily devoid of human activity. Being nine o'clock in the morning, it was unusual to have such lack of bustling about in the Shinomori household. The sound of an automatic door sliding open broke the silence. Someone rushed into the hallway, the feet thumping loudly against the wooden panels of the floor. Raven hair freed from the confines of a tie flowed behind the woman it belonged to. She came to an abrupt stop, gasping as she slid across the ground before coming to a halt. Her light blue eyes regarded the door to her right; her breathing heavy and her hear thudding from anxiousness.

She placed her hand on the identifier, waiting for its approval. The previously red light just below the contraption turned green and the doors slid open. She hurried inside and looked around, biting her lip as she did.

"Aoshi-nii?" she called out. "Dokoni iru? I need to ask you about something."

There was a grunt from the confines of the living room and she walked over to where she heard the sound, finding her brother there. He was seated in the middle of the room, facing the blue-tinted window. Upon her appearance, he turned and regarded her with a warm look. There was rarely a smile upon his face, so one had to watch his eyes. This was one of those occasions, however, that he chose to allow such mirth to show upon his lips.

"Kaoru-chan," he greeted almost teasingly as he neared her and gave her a brotherly hug. "Nan dai?"

"Is he coming?" she asked in a faint voice, looking up at her older sibling's face.

"Aa."

To see his only sister's eyes light up with joy was one of the greatest gifts he could ask for. After Megumi gave up her life, he dedicated his entire existence to the welfare of his immediate family. Their father hadn't been too immersed in the business to really care about his family. The only time he would notice was when they were threatening his reputation… like the time that Megumi confronted them with the two year old boy…

Now that Shinomori Senior was gone, Aoshi was able to do exactly what he pleased – and that was to keep his siblings and his mother happy and the business flourishing. Kaoru, just over twenty-two had a smile of joy on her face at that moment and he in turn felt the happiness surge within him as well.

"Oh, Aoshi-nii, that's so wonderful! Why aren't we getting ready for his arrival? Come on; call on everyone to fix the place up!" She began to fuss when he placed a placating hand on her shoulder. "Nani?"

"Relax, ne-chan," he replied with an amused voice. "He's coming later – five this afternoon."

Her posture slumped and she gave him a sheepish smile. "Gomene, you know I tend to get a bit too enthusiastic about things." Her eyes shined once again. "Oh, but the boy, Remy… he's actually coming! This is so – indescribably – I don't have any words to show you my happiness."

"Just that look on your face is enough to tell me. There is no need for words that you need to say."

Patting her on the cheek, he walked by her to have some tea. Kaoru, needing something to do to keep the urge of over-preparing for Remy's coming, followed her big brother. She smiled to herself and repressed the little giggle that was bubbling in side. Her nephew was coming… and was finally going to meet his real family.

Misao, walked stiffly to Luthor's office. The staff rarely got called upon for anything other than fixing dinner, driving somewhere. She wasn't sure what to expect from the man. She knew that she had been acting exactly the way any normal staff member would act. She made it a point to look inconspicuous. She never slipped up… not on an important assignment. And to Aoshi-sama, this was important.

As she neared the room, she inhaled a shuddering breath of air. There was only one way to find out what this was about. Somewhat hesitantly, she knocked on the door, waiting for the verbal consent muffled on the other side. Upon entering, and poking her head in, the bald man at the desk smirked.

"Ah, Mimi; please, step inside," he invited motioning his hand to the empty seat across him.

She didn't like the look he gave her. There was arrogance there, though it was hidden behind a veil of aloofness that he placed between him and the rest of the world. She silently wondered if he would always be like this – forever trapped; a solitary being against the universe. Misao blinked with her brown-contacts eyes regarding him in what she hoped seemed like mild curiosity. In truth, she was actually fearful. Sure, she had an idea of how sedated the man could be, but his wrath was horrific. She heard talk amongst the rest of the staff when they though she wasn't listening.

"You know," the man's noted – slicing through her thoughts. "Remy and Chloe are quite close to you, I've noticed. They aren't really like that to the rest of the staff. Why is that?"

Casting her eyes down, she tried to look sheepish. "Well, I – I guess it's because I look more approachable than the others, sir."

The cluck that responded had Misao frowning. "I think there's more to you than you're telling me… no, I know there's more… Makimachi-san."

Here eyes widened and flew up to his in disbelief. The steely gaze that stared back at her had her pursing her lips. Well, no use in holding the whole façade. She brought a finger to her eye and carefully removed the contact to reveal the angry blue that was hidden the whole time. She saw as a muscle worked at his jaw. She gave him a fake smile as she flicked the soft cover to the side. "Well, then, you've found me out. Am I allowed to ask how?"

"Shinomori seemed to know a lot about what was happening around the house… and let's just say that you were easy to spot as the 'not' after a bit of observing." He leaned forward and cast a glowering look at her. "What have you told him? I want the truth or so help me, I will make sure that your life becomes a hellhole."

The woman across from him raised an amused brow. "Oh, really? Do you think you can actually accomplish such a feat?"

To prove him wrong, she jumped out of her seat and reached beneath her skirt and unsheathed eight kunai – small daggers, but deadly and effective. Each one was nestled in the space between two curled fingers – difficult to do; showing her experience with the weapons. Her lips changed into an angry sneer as she deliberately threw the four on one hand at him. Lex, who was not able to react quickly enough, felt the rush of air and heard the pointed blades stab into the back of his chair with a precise snikt sound. Her eyes – fired with anger and triumph at the same time – flashed at him in a deadly blue.

"You underestimate my abilities, Luthor," she growled. "I can very well kill you now."

However, to her irritation, he didn't look phased. Misao felt her anger grow a rise up a notch when she saw the small smirk lift the sides of his lips. "You wish." That was the last straw. Letting out a war cry she threw her remaining kunai straight at his face – and watched disbelievingly as it passed right through him and into the padded chair. Her breathing grew erratic and her eyes flew around the room. "You cowardly bastard!" she yelled furiously, her bangs thrashing around her face at her jerky movements.

The image of Lex laughed. "You, in turn, underestimate my abilities as well, Makimachi-san. You think I'm ignorant enough to believe you don't know some form of defence?" The illusion of him sat back and the kunai moved so that it seemed to be nestled comfortably in his head. "Now, tell me how much you know and what you told Shinomori… and I will let you go freely. No strings attached… except for the ones that Shinomori has placed."

The room was dead of sound, save for the laboured breaths that came from Misao. Pursing her lips together, she righted herself, stiff and formidable as she stared stonily ahead; looking at the mirage of Lex Luthor – powerful and untouchable. "You must keep your word. I will personally make it a point to kill you if you do otherwise, Luthor. Don't doubt it."

"You have my word."

There was a heartbeat of a pause before she chose to speak, her voice sounding sullen and monotone. "I was sent here to keep a close eye on Remy. That is all that I know and he is all was willing to keep track of. Aoshi-sama didn't want me physically closer to you than that. His father had done that to his daughter and that got her killed. If you question me any further on the subject I will be thoroughly insulted."

"Well," the mirage said after a moment. "I still have one question, but it it's in regards to your stay here. I suppose that you'll take your leave after our conversation?"

"No."

"No?" he asked. "So you still want to work here?"

"I didn't say that. I just said that I won't be leaving. However, considering my cover has been blown, I will stay, not as a servant –" the word was spat out leaving a funny aftertaste in her mouth (she really hated the word.) "– but as a guest of sorts. I still don't trust you with the boy… or Chloe. You are still dangerous in many rights. To have them at such close proximity to you would be stupid for anyone to do."

"I assure you, Makimachi-san, that I am in no mental instability that will put them in any danger. I have gotten over my temporary insanity – which I'm sure most of the world refers it to as now – and that the two are in great care. I will see to it that they are protected."

"It isn't you, personally, that I believe you are dangerous for," she replied in a dead-panned tone. "It is that, which follows you around that is the threat."

The sudden clap of a closing book behind her caused her to turn away from the desk. There, walking towards her was Lex Luthor holding a thick hard-bound book. His eyes were narrowed on her in their hard grey hue.

"I'm aware that people are trying to kill me," he informed her in an icy voice. "But they are rookies; all of them. I won't allow people I'm – responsible for get hurt." He wasn't about to say care. No; no, he wasn't.

The woman before him shook her head. "There is a force out there that is far more powerful than you can ever imagine. And it's growing – even now; its forces are building to new heights. No one – but Aoshi-sama and Himura-san – can stop him."

"You make this all sound like some apocalyptic war is about to happen. How do you know so much?" he raised a sceptical brow at her and held the book in one hand at his side. The Art of War, it read on the spine.

"I have my sources," she answered aloofly, moving away from him and towards the now static illusion of Lex where, on his chair her beloved kunai were impaled. Expertly, she retrieved them and placed them in their small leather sheaths underneath her ridiculous uniform. "I am not in a position to disclose information on that to anyone other than those I work for."

"When it concerns the safety of Remy and Chloe, it very damn well will be given to me," he growled.

She shook her head. "You will have to ask Aoshi-sama for that, Luthor." She turned to go, steering clear of his grabbing range. "I'll transfer my things to the room beside Chloe and Remy's. Ja, Luthor."

Lex's eyes, which had followed her out the door, were trained upon the empty doorway, the frustration burning in their grey depths.

"Chloe, you have been doing that for the past three hours, non-stop. I think it's time that you set that book down and took a break."

Startled, the blonde looked up from her textbook to the towering form of Aoshi who stood before her. Truth be told, she hadn't noticed the time passing. There was barely any time for her to finish reading and writing and making those damned essays that her focus was absolute and on what she needed to concentrate on. She looked about her, noting the scattered many pieces of papers she had used to write her notes down on and raised a brow. She hadn't thought it possible to accomplish so much. She hadn't been interrupted, either. Not once during the time she had been at the Shinomori household had anyone disturbed her.

"Was I really working for that long? It seemed like I just got her a moment ago. Damn, now I've lost my groove."

The Japanese man chuckled. "Well, now that you're roused from your work, I think a meal would be the best. Come, Takeshi – I mean Remy is waiting at the dining room already."

"You gave him a Japanese name?" she asked getting up, slightly wobbly but stretching to get her limbs warmed up.

"Well, I always thought it was appropriated that he had a suitable name and Takeshi was what I came up with. Kaoru-san – my sister and the one that –"

"Yes, the one who watched Remy while he was with my –" she choked slightly "– my dad…"

"Aa," he murmured, walking towards the door to the library she had been escorted to. "She prefers to call him Remy, though. I think it comes from habit; two years of watching the boy being called the same foreign name… well, you know how it is."

She nodded as they walked together. Her mind wandered, unwilling to keep it on the thoughts of her father's death. It was still a sensitive subject. She noted how strange the set-up was; how unlike Lex's the place. The house itself was very large and spacious, like Lex's mansion, but it had a traditional-futuristic feel to it. The doors they passed through slid to the side like a traditional Japanese door, but the entire thing was a blurry glass panel and stainless metal frame instead of paper and wood. The table she had been working at was low and the seat was actually a pillow on which she sat, cross-legged upon, but it was made so that it looked more modern and felt more comfortable than it probably would have been. The art that was wispy and oriental was set on plain white walls.

They made their way through the apparently endless hallways, with their feet shoeless, and finally came to a particular door where Aoshi had his hand scanned. The doors slid open where Remy and another older boy had been squabbling over something. Upon hearing the quiet hiss of the doors opening, the two froze and looked at the two new-comers. Chloe stepped through first (at Aoshi's insistence) and smiled warmly at the two boys. The dining room itself was cosy and small – spacious enough to fit the same amount of bodies that the table needed and for the people to move relatively freely. The window on the wall ran along the entire length and revealed a beautiful Japanese garden that was dimly lit by a few lights. Her eyes settled upon the two boys and noted that the older one, unlike the rest of the Shinomori family, had brown eyes – but they still held the same intensity as the rest of them. His hair was fashioned so that it spiked outwards from his head.

The boy scrambled up to stand and bowed to her respectfully. "Good evening, Miss Sullivan," he greeted in perfect English. "I am Shinomori Yahiko, Aoshi-san's brother."

"Well, I'm very pleased to meet you," she replied, with an impressed look on her face. She was unaccustomed to such manner from a child and to have it happen was very intriguing.

Yahiko righted himself and looked up at her with a smile planted on his face then turned back and sat down at one of the places at the table. Remy had made his way to Chloe and at that moment clung to her leg. She laughed a bit and lifted him into her arms.

She was just about to ask him how everything was when suddenly Aoshi's hand clamped over both their mouths. Yahiko jumped up and ran over to him silently his face alarmed. He removed his hands from Chloe and Remy's mouth and motioned for them to be silent. The room was still for a moment. Not a sound was heard; only the ringing silence. The breaking of glass came unexpectedly and Chloe shielded Remy from any shards that may come in their direction. Aoshi pushed the three out of the door and unsheathed a pair of swords that Chloe hadn't noticed had been at his side until that moment.

Fearfully she called out his name but his eyes were trained on the lone intruder, whom he knew personally: Soujirou Seta. And the door to the dining room hissed closed behind him.

To be continued...

A/N : Vocab time... mehehe

(name)-nii - brother (name)

Dokoni iru - where are you

(name)-chan - like saying little/young (name);

Nan dai - what is it

Aa - Yes (confirmation)

Nani - what

Ne-chan - little sister

Gomene - informal 'sorry'

Ja - (see you) later (informal)

Thank you to all those who have been reviewing! It's been spurring me on to keep writing! :)