Disclaimer: I own nothing. I have nothing. Now get off my case.
Author's Notes: Wow...I'm surprised...No on has reacted violently to the news that Back Through Time is on a temporary hiatus.
Chapter One: File 1012
==Tokyo, Japan, 2 years after Fujitaka's discovery==
Blank, soulless amber eyes surveyed the snowy screen in front of him impassively. The screen read:
TARGET: Kinomoto Fujitaka
LOCATION: Tomoeda University, College of Archeology
ORDERS: Seek and destroy
A mirthless smile spread over the stoic features of the young man as he expertly maneuvered the mouse, slowly scrolling down the pertinent information concerning his latest 'project'. It seems to him that the Dean of the College of Archeology at Tomoeda has gotten himself into a very tight fix. Too bad. The forty-two year old father(1) of two will soon find out that his 'discovery' would also be the very reason for his retirement from his profession.
Permanently.
Clicking on the 'Print' button, the young assassin's gaze flickered towards the open window, his mouth twitching slightly at the sight of a little blue bird sitting quietly on his window sill.
Tranquility.
It has been so long since he last felt like that little bird. Calm, at peace, without a care in the world.
His gaze shifted back to his computer, and upon catching sight of his latest orders, the almost wistful expression on the amber-eyed young man's face hardened into its usual blank facade.
'Another day, another life to take. Hn.'
He had been a veteran to his profession for years, ever since he 'graduated' from training school when he was only ten. (2) After hiding away for five years--a record since no graduate from training school could ever shake off the persistent force of the Federation--he was brought back and employed, killing people needed by the Federation to be eliminated.
It was a damned job, he knew, but it was his life.
It was the only thing he knew how to do.
He was a professional killer, a cold-blooded hitman...
An assassin.
And probably the best there is, for the Federation had seen to that.
Noticing that his printer had ceased humming noisily, he shifted from his perch and ripped the finished papers out, mechanically stuffing everything into a clear green folder. Standing up, he grabbed the coat hanging haphazardly over the chair's back and headed for the door, the butt of a shiny silver Beretta barely visible from an inter-pants holster.
It was time for him to kill again.
*****
"Come on, sweetie! That's it, you can do it! Come on, come on!"
Kinomoto Xiaran's (3) small, boyish face all but glowed with excitement as his little arms stretched forward and caught the huge yellow and red beach ball his aunt had gently thrown his way. Laughing, the two year old boy ran towards his aunt, squealing, "Got ball, 'ba-chan! See, see? Got ball!"
Kinomoto Sakura knelt down and threw her arms around her older brother's youngest son, hugging him fiercely. "Yes, you did it! Little Xiaran caught the ball!" She cried out proudly. Her nephew gave her a big smile before running off, his small hands still carrying the beach ball. Sakura watched him toss the ball around for a few more minutes before she absently happened to glance at her wristwatch. "HOEEEE!!!" She shrieked in panic, "I have to go to work!" Looking around her slowly darkening surroundings, she held out an arm and called her nephew, saying, "Come along now, Xiaran. Mommy and daddy are still out, and 'ba-chan has to go to work. Let's go inside and see if Grampops (4) can look after you while I get ready."
The small boy ran over and took her hand obediently, and together the two disappeared within the house. They found 'Grampops'busy talking on the phone in his study, his slight frame almost lost under the huge pile of papers cluttering his mahogany desk. Fujitaka's usually cheerful face was haggard, and, for the first time in the two years that her father had become involved in this particular work, Sakura noticed the wrinkled lines of worry surrounding the tired professor's eyes.
He didn't even look up when Sakura and Xiaran came to stand in front of his desk.
"When did it happen?" Kinomoto Fujitaka's voice was tinged with worry and fear as he huddled behind the mess on his desk, completely oblivious of his daughter's and grandson's presence. "Christ, General! Daiki-san is the fifth man from my team to die this year! What's goin--" His words died in his throat when he heard Sakura cough discreetly to get his attention. "I'll call you later." He mumbled. Slamming the receiver back on its cradle, Fujitaka schooled his features into that of false cheer and held out his arms to his grandson. "Hello there, li'l buddy! Come to hear all about Egypt again?" He greeted warmly.
Xiaran took a running start and leaped on his grandfather's lap. "'ba-chan go work. Grampops en' La-lan play!" He cried out happily.
Fujitaka glanced at the clock. "Oh, dear. It completely slipped my mind that you're on the night shift at the hotel tonight, honey. I'm sorry."
Sakura, who had been standing quietly, gave a start. "Uh, yeah, dad. 'Nii-chan must still be at work, and Keisha-chan did tell me that she and Colin would be a bit late, so I was wondering if La-lan could hang out with you while I'm at work." She hesitated suddenly, eyeing the mounting piles of papers crammed on her father's desk. "Though I don't think that's a good idea, considering all the work you still have to do." She bit her lip in thought for a while, then, struck with a sudden idea, pulled out her celphone. "Perhaps I should call Eriol to babysit for a while."
Fujitaka paused from tickling Xiaran long enough to glance up at his daughter, who already had her phone by her ear. "That would be great, but won't Eriol mind?" He asked uncertainly. Xiaran playfully swatted the distracted man's glasses askew, and Fujitaka laughed before dropping down on the carpet and pretending to wrestle the little boy.
Sakura was already waiting for Eriol to pick up. "Hi, honey! (5) Are you busy? I was wondering--" She paused long enough to shush both her father and her nephew, who completely ignored her. Shaking her head, she riveted her attention back to the phone. "Yes. I was just wondering if you could come over and babysit for a few hours?"
"Sure." Hiiragizawa Eriol replied easily from the other end. "That is, if Xiaran and your father won't mind me bringing a few documents over. I still have some things to read through for work tomorrow."
"Nah, they won't mind." Sakura winced as Xiaran let out a blodcurdling scream as he succesfully managed to overthrow the irresisting professor off their wrestling match. "Besides, Xiaran's going to be too tired tonight to make mischief. We spent the entire aftrenoon playing stupid running games in the yard, and right now he and dad are practically killing each other." She smiled as her nephew pranced around the room shouting while her father pretended to lie dead on the carpet.
Eriol gave a husky laugh at her narration. "That's good news for me, then. I'll be there in twenty. Don't leave 'til I get there, ok?"
"Sure." Sakura clicked the 'off' button on her phone. "Hey, dad?" She called out as she headed for the door. "Eriol's on his way. You macho men just hang around here and punch each other's brains out while I go and get ready for another infuriating night at the front desk."
She left the room hearing Xiaran screaming "Victo-wy" over and over again.
*****
Eriol placed the receiver back on its cradle and leaned back against his chair, his handsome face completely impassive. Booting his laptop on, he quickly retrieved the file he had been browsing through before Sakura called and stared at it with growing worry. For two years he and the European Intelligence Unit (6) had been receiving news that members of the Kinomoto expedition had been dying out in several suspicious accidents soon after the discovery they made two years ago. Two of the men were found dead inside their car for carbon monoxide poisoning, one was killed when he was hit by a train, the other one was shot while holding one of his classes at the University, while the latest, Hijiiro Daiki, Kinomoto Fujitaka's right-hand man, was found with a bullet hole in his head after allegedly finding his wife in bed with another man. His wife was found dead in their house a few days later. All the deaths were just too much of a coincidence for the EIU, that is why Eriol was sent to probe into the situation.
"As they always say in the Academy." Eriol muttered absently to himself as he studied the file, the creases on his forehead visible as he tried to establish a pattern from the deaths, "First time's coincidence, second time's a happenstance, and third time's a conspiracy." (7)
There was no question that the killer's next target was the head of the expedition himself:
Kinomoto Fujitaka.
Eriol knew that he had to find the killer before it's too late, since it wouldn't just be the EIU's loss if the professor did get eliminated.
It would be Sakura's loss as well.
Sighing internally, the young secret agent shut down his computer and packed it in a small leather bag, grabbed his coat and a random folder from his countless collection of files ("My props," he had said while chuckling dryly) and headed out the door. It was a good thing that Sakura chose that night to ask him to babysit for Xiaran again.
Eriol knew that if he wanted to save the professor's life, he'd have to watch the older man's back more closely from now on.
==TBC==
So, what can you guys say so far? I've already read the first three chapters to Shinrai, and she said this was going to be another GOOD one. What do you think?
R&R, or Syaoran's going to be after your tail NEXT!
FOOTNOTES:
1. While typing this chapter, I realized that Fujitaka seems to be a bit too young to actually father a full-grown man, and in the series he seems to be a tad older than my Fujitaka here. For consistency measures in my fic, let us all just assume that the professor and Nadeshiko-san had Touya before they reached their 20s.
2. This would be expounded on at a later chapter.
3. *grins* Sounds kinda familiar, eh? What can I say? I love the name!
4. A little endearmnent a friend of mine used to call her grandfather.
5. There would be a detailed explanation to this in the later chapters. But don't worry too much. This fic would be S+S all the way!
6. It's a little bit similar to the US' CIA, and the French's Interpole. The only difference is that the EIU doesn't exist. ^-^
7. Nope, not from MY mind. You'll have to thank Katsu no Miko for this. Man...that person really does make the BEST fics!
Author's Notes: Wow...I'm surprised...No on has reacted violently to the news that Back Through Time is on a temporary hiatus.
Chapter One: File 1012
==Tokyo, Japan, 2 years after Fujitaka's discovery==
Blank, soulless amber eyes surveyed the snowy screen in front of him impassively. The screen read:
TARGET: Kinomoto Fujitaka
LOCATION: Tomoeda University, College of Archeology
ORDERS: Seek and destroy
A mirthless smile spread over the stoic features of the young man as he expertly maneuvered the mouse, slowly scrolling down the pertinent information concerning his latest 'project'. It seems to him that the Dean of the College of Archeology at Tomoeda has gotten himself into a very tight fix. Too bad. The forty-two year old father(1) of two will soon find out that his 'discovery' would also be the very reason for his retirement from his profession.
Permanently.
Clicking on the 'Print' button, the young assassin's gaze flickered towards the open window, his mouth twitching slightly at the sight of a little blue bird sitting quietly on his window sill.
Tranquility.
It has been so long since he last felt like that little bird. Calm, at peace, without a care in the world.
His gaze shifted back to his computer, and upon catching sight of his latest orders, the almost wistful expression on the amber-eyed young man's face hardened into its usual blank facade.
'Another day, another life to take. Hn.'
He had been a veteran to his profession for years, ever since he 'graduated' from training school when he was only ten. (2) After hiding away for five years--a record since no graduate from training school could ever shake off the persistent force of the Federation--he was brought back and employed, killing people needed by the Federation to be eliminated.
It was a damned job, he knew, but it was his life.
It was the only thing he knew how to do.
He was a professional killer, a cold-blooded hitman...
An assassin.
And probably the best there is, for the Federation had seen to that.
Noticing that his printer had ceased humming noisily, he shifted from his perch and ripped the finished papers out, mechanically stuffing everything into a clear green folder. Standing up, he grabbed the coat hanging haphazardly over the chair's back and headed for the door, the butt of a shiny silver Beretta barely visible from an inter-pants holster.
It was time for him to kill again.
*****
"Come on, sweetie! That's it, you can do it! Come on, come on!"
Kinomoto Xiaran's (3) small, boyish face all but glowed with excitement as his little arms stretched forward and caught the huge yellow and red beach ball his aunt had gently thrown his way. Laughing, the two year old boy ran towards his aunt, squealing, "Got ball, 'ba-chan! See, see? Got ball!"
Kinomoto Sakura knelt down and threw her arms around her older brother's youngest son, hugging him fiercely. "Yes, you did it! Little Xiaran caught the ball!" She cried out proudly. Her nephew gave her a big smile before running off, his small hands still carrying the beach ball. Sakura watched him toss the ball around for a few more minutes before she absently happened to glance at her wristwatch. "HOEEEE!!!" She shrieked in panic, "I have to go to work!" Looking around her slowly darkening surroundings, she held out an arm and called her nephew, saying, "Come along now, Xiaran. Mommy and daddy are still out, and 'ba-chan has to go to work. Let's go inside and see if Grampops (4) can look after you while I get ready."
The small boy ran over and took her hand obediently, and together the two disappeared within the house. They found 'Grampops'busy talking on the phone in his study, his slight frame almost lost under the huge pile of papers cluttering his mahogany desk. Fujitaka's usually cheerful face was haggard, and, for the first time in the two years that her father had become involved in this particular work, Sakura noticed the wrinkled lines of worry surrounding the tired professor's eyes.
He didn't even look up when Sakura and Xiaran came to stand in front of his desk.
"When did it happen?" Kinomoto Fujitaka's voice was tinged with worry and fear as he huddled behind the mess on his desk, completely oblivious of his daughter's and grandson's presence. "Christ, General! Daiki-san is the fifth man from my team to die this year! What's goin--" His words died in his throat when he heard Sakura cough discreetly to get his attention. "I'll call you later." He mumbled. Slamming the receiver back on its cradle, Fujitaka schooled his features into that of false cheer and held out his arms to his grandson. "Hello there, li'l buddy! Come to hear all about Egypt again?" He greeted warmly.
Xiaran took a running start and leaped on his grandfather's lap. "'ba-chan go work. Grampops en' La-lan play!" He cried out happily.
Fujitaka glanced at the clock. "Oh, dear. It completely slipped my mind that you're on the night shift at the hotel tonight, honey. I'm sorry."
Sakura, who had been standing quietly, gave a start. "Uh, yeah, dad. 'Nii-chan must still be at work, and Keisha-chan did tell me that she and Colin would be a bit late, so I was wondering if La-lan could hang out with you while I'm at work." She hesitated suddenly, eyeing the mounting piles of papers crammed on her father's desk. "Though I don't think that's a good idea, considering all the work you still have to do." She bit her lip in thought for a while, then, struck with a sudden idea, pulled out her celphone. "Perhaps I should call Eriol to babysit for a while."
Fujitaka paused from tickling Xiaran long enough to glance up at his daughter, who already had her phone by her ear. "That would be great, but won't Eriol mind?" He asked uncertainly. Xiaran playfully swatted the distracted man's glasses askew, and Fujitaka laughed before dropping down on the carpet and pretending to wrestle the little boy.
Sakura was already waiting for Eriol to pick up. "Hi, honey! (5) Are you busy? I was wondering--" She paused long enough to shush both her father and her nephew, who completely ignored her. Shaking her head, she riveted her attention back to the phone. "Yes. I was just wondering if you could come over and babysit for a few hours?"
"Sure." Hiiragizawa Eriol replied easily from the other end. "That is, if Xiaran and your father won't mind me bringing a few documents over. I still have some things to read through for work tomorrow."
"Nah, they won't mind." Sakura winced as Xiaran let out a blodcurdling scream as he succesfully managed to overthrow the irresisting professor off their wrestling match. "Besides, Xiaran's going to be too tired tonight to make mischief. We spent the entire aftrenoon playing stupid running games in the yard, and right now he and dad are practically killing each other." She smiled as her nephew pranced around the room shouting while her father pretended to lie dead on the carpet.
Eriol gave a husky laugh at her narration. "That's good news for me, then. I'll be there in twenty. Don't leave 'til I get there, ok?"
"Sure." Sakura clicked the 'off' button on her phone. "Hey, dad?" She called out as she headed for the door. "Eriol's on his way. You macho men just hang around here and punch each other's brains out while I go and get ready for another infuriating night at the front desk."
She left the room hearing Xiaran screaming "Victo-wy" over and over again.
*****
Eriol placed the receiver back on its cradle and leaned back against his chair, his handsome face completely impassive. Booting his laptop on, he quickly retrieved the file he had been browsing through before Sakura called and stared at it with growing worry. For two years he and the European Intelligence Unit (6) had been receiving news that members of the Kinomoto expedition had been dying out in several suspicious accidents soon after the discovery they made two years ago. Two of the men were found dead inside their car for carbon monoxide poisoning, one was killed when he was hit by a train, the other one was shot while holding one of his classes at the University, while the latest, Hijiiro Daiki, Kinomoto Fujitaka's right-hand man, was found with a bullet hole in his head after allegedly finding his wife in bed with another man. His wife was found dead in their house a few days later. All the deaths were just too much of a coincidence for the EIU, that is why Eriol was sent to probe into the situation.
"As they always say in the Academy." Eriol muttered absently to himself as he studied the file, the creases on his forehead visible as he tried to establish a pattern from the deaths, "First time's coincidence, second time's a happenstance, and third time's a conspiracy." (7)
There was no question that the killer's next target was the head of the expedition himself:
Kinomoto Fujitaka.
Eriol knew that he had to find the killer before it's too late, since it wouldn't just be the EIU's loss if the professor did get eliminated.
It would be Sakura's loss as well.
Sighing internally, the young secret agent shut down his computer and packed it in a small leather bag, grabbed his coat and a random folder from his countless collection of files ("My props," he had said while chuckling dryly) and headed out the door. It was a good thing that Sakura chose that night to ask him to babysit for Xiaran again.
Eriol knew that if he wanted to save the professor's life, he'd have to watch the older man's back more closely from now on.
==TBC==
So, what can you guys say so far? I've already read the first three chapters to Shinrai, and she said this was going to be another GOOD one. What do you think?
R&R, or Syaoran's going to be after your tail NEXT!
FOOTNOTES:
1. While typing this chapter, I realized that Fujitaka seems to be a bit too young to actually father a full-grown man, and in the series he seems to be a tad older than my Fujitaka here. For consistency measures in my fic, let us all just assume that the professor and Nadeshiko-san had Touya before they reached their 20s.
2. This would be expounded on at a later chapter.
3. *grins* Sounds kinda familiar, eh? What can I say? I love the name!
4. A little endearmnent a friend of mine used to call her grandfather.
5. There would be a detailed explanation to this in the later chapters. But don't worry too much. This fic would be S+S all the way!
6. It's a little bit similar to the US' CIA, and the French's Interpole. The only difference is that the EIU doesn't exist. ^-^
7. Nope, not from MY mind. You'll have to thank Katsu no Miko for this. Man...that person really does make the BEST fics!