"Wakey, wakey, Takun..."
Naota's eyes fluttered open. He moaned softly through the tape as he became aware of the throbbing in his head. Wait...tape? His eyes now bulged open, and he came to realize that there was a strip of duct tape over his mouth. He looked around, and found that more tape held his arms and ankles to the frame of a bed.
And at the foot of the bed stood Haruko. She was pulling her pants on. She then reached for her shirt. Naota's eyes went even larger as ideas of why she had even been undressed to begin with began to flood his eyes. Haruko turned to face him, her bare breasts jiggling a little with the movement. Naota tried not to watch, but could not help but gawk a little. Haruko came to the side of the bed and tore the tape away from his mouth, ignoring his yelp of pain.
"You drugged me and violated me, didn't you, you sick freak?" Naota groaned, tilting his head back.
"Relax Taku-er, Naota. I didn't do anything...yet." She smiled wickedly and winked. "I was just taking a shower."
"Where are we? And why am I tied up?" he demanded, trying his best to sound impressive, considering his present position.
"I got us a hotel room. I hope you don't mind, I had to use you're credit card." Naota rolled his eyes and groaned. "You're here to keep you safe," Haruko went on. "I can't have you running around while Jakun is out there, and while you can't use you're N-O."
"He was right!" Naota yelled accusingly at her. "You never wanted me, just my head!"
Haruko sat down on the bed next to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, nuzzling her face against his. "Oh, I want your head..." she lowered her hand and gave his groin a squeeze, eliciting a groan from him, "And I want THIS head."
"What are you talking about now?" he said, his anger rising. She silenced him by pressing her lips to his. The kiss left him more confused than inspired. Haruko placed her hand on his cheek, gazing softly into his eyes.
"Don't you see, Naota? We're perfect for each other! I can teach you how to use you're N-O, and then we can be together, forever!" she gave him a tight squeeze that Naota thought for sure would crush him alive.
"You're just trying to use me again" he said, turning his face away from hers.
"Now don't be like that" Haruko said, laying down on top of him, her breasts rubbing against his chest, only adding to his discomfort. "All great relationships start with a little distance. But before you know it, we'll be chasing stars together! After we destroy Medical Mechanica..." she muttered the last part.
"What?!" Naota shouted, his voice cracking.
"Oops, look's like I've said too much!" She stood up and pasted on her best innocent look. She resumed dressing.
"What are you doing!" he shouted when he saw her reach for her bass.

"I'm going to finish with Jakun" she said, matter of factly, "Then I'm going to finish the IIB, and then I'm going to get us off this planet. We'll go somewhere quiet where I can teach you to use you're N-O." She wrapped her scarf around her neck and pulled her riding goggles on while she spoke. She waived gaily to him as she made for the door. "You just stay here now, and I'll be back before you know it!"
Naota screamed as the door shut.

"Subject is leaving the hotel and heading North" the voice over the speaker crackled. "Do you want us to pursue?"
"No. Just stay where you are and keep us updated." Kitsurubami cupped her hands in front of her face, analyzing the situation. Naota had not left with Haruko, which meant he was either still in there, or they had finally split. She tried to consider what to do next.
"Why don't you want them to follow her?" one of the other officers asked.
"We have units all over, another of the is bound to spot her. Besides, we have to find that kid. He's the only one who can match up to those two."
"What makes you so sure we can trust him? He isn't affiliated with us in any way, really."
"I just...have a feeling." She stood up from the desk and started for the exit.
"Where are you going, Ma'am?"
"For a walk. It'll help me think." She exchanged salutes with the other officers, and then left.

Eri and Mamimi both took deep gulps of air when the ropes fell from around their bodies. Their chests had been constricted, and their breathing had been hard ever since he had tied them up. The air flooded their lungs with cold sharpness.
"Get up, both of you" he ordered. They both stood, as told. He placed his hands on their shoulders and started guiding them. They felt a rush of cool air and the distinct sounds of outdoors.
"Where are we going?" Eri asked between tears.
"We're going for a ride."

Naota gave a laugh of triumph as he managed to get his hand free. His laugh turned to a groan, and he kissed his hand, hoping it would somehow soothe the pain it had taken to tip it out from the mound of duct tape that held it. When his lips touched his own skin, he was struck by how smooth it seemed, and then groaned when he realize the tape had torn all the hair from his hand and wrist.
He hastily went to work on his other hand, using the free one to help peel away the layers of the sticky, gray stuff. He had to stop Haruko and Jakun both before they destroyed the whole city, if not the whole planet. And he had to save Mamimi and Eri, above all. Thoughts raced through his mind so fast he could scarcely keep up with them.
There! With both hands free, he attacked his ankles. He had no idea where Haruko had run off to, but he doubted she would be hard to find, she tended to stand out. And if she was going off to confront Jakun, he would just have to follow the trail of chaos. And what had happened to Amarao and Kitsurubami? He struggled with these thoughts and with the tape.
Finally free! He hurriedly jumped up. Haruko had brought the bag he had packed with them, and he was grateful for it now. He quickly found some fresh clothes, his currents ones having been soaked through with sweat as he freed himself. As he laced up his sneakers, more thoughts buzzed him. Maybe he should just let the two of them destroy each other, and then his problems would be over. But if he did, what would happen to Mamimi and Eri? What if Jakun had already killed them? If they died while Haruko was fighting him, he swore, he'd...he didn't know what he would do. For a moment, he felt like breaking down into tears, but he swallowed it all down. He hurriedly raced out the door, down the hall, down the stairs, out the building. The people in the lobby threw him curios glances as he stormed out.
He went out into the street and paused, trying to think of what to do next. How would he find Haruko?
"Going somewhere?" The voice made Naota jump. He spun around, not sure what to expect. He felt relieved when he saw Kitsurubami leaning against the outer wall of the building.
"Yeah, you could say that."
"Maybe we should talk about what you're going to do first."

Hey peoples! Sorry this chapter took so long for me to get up, but I suffered an injury at the workplace that left me unable to type for a bit. I'm almost totally healed now, and back at work! I also want to take this moment to give a cheap plug for two other works in progress of mine, a fic entitled "Enter Damian" for BIG O, and "Evil Darkstalkers," a crossover of the Darkstalkers anime and the Evil Dead movies. Be sure to check em out, or I'll be sad! Till the next update!