Writer's Note:  Sorry about the delay.  Had a few notes I had to double check before posting this.  (dialogue stuff.)  So, here it is in all its glory!  Chapter 3!!!  Sorry, it's a bit slow.  It's still intro to a few characters.  Soon, the real stuff begins.  ^_^

MIBU SAINTS!!!  (Yes.  A Leila Winters Production. :P)

The Next Day

Trashed Alleyway

Crime Scene

            Detective Myojin took a spray of binaca in the mouth and continued with his story.  "See, these guys were all drunk from Mardi Gras last night and decided to go strolling down an alley.  Wrong fucken alley.  Because these two huge mother fuckers are just waitin' for 'em."  At Myojin's feet are two familiar bodies from last night.  One has bandages across his head and the other on his ass.  Both are dead.  "So these guys crush these poor sonuvabitches to death and leave the crime scene."

            Detective Myojin.  Rookie.  Police Force.

            Two men stare at Myojin suspiciously.  "That's pretty thin."

            "Very thin."

            Meanwhile, a car pulls up and a man in a dark suit and shocking red hair gets out.

            Special Agent Kenshin Himura.  FBI Criminal Division.

            "Okay.  So say they don't even know the huge guy.  These two are just walking around when this huge fucken giant pops up outta nowhere.  But see, he's smart.  He goes after the guy with the bandages on his head because he knows the guy with the bandages around his ass ain't goin' fucken nowhere.  Where you goin'?  Nowhere."

            Unenthusiastic clapping could be heard from one man.  Yahiko turns to see a red-head smiling at him.  "Top notch, Detective.  So now we have a serial crushers theory and a huge guy theory."

            "Who the fuck are you?  Chief, who the fuck is this?"

            Deftly, the man whips out his wallet, revealing FBI in huge letters.  "That's who I am."

            "Shit."

            Chief Hijikata places a hand on the young officer's shoulders.  "See, Myojin, I ran a few samples in and it turns out these two are with the Chinese mob, which makes this a federal matter.  Say hello to your new boss."

            Kenshin smiled.  "Agent Himura.  Say, Detective, you wouldn't mind getting me a cup of coffee, would you?  Latte with a twist of lemon?  Honey?  Sweet n' Low?  Thank you so much."

            Yahiko looked at the agent for a few moments before storming off.  "Goddammit."

            Agent Himura walked calmly to the first body, bandages on the rear end and closest to the dumpster.  He surveyed the dubris and slipped on a pair of latex gloves.  Pushing play on his walkman, he stuck earplugs in his ears while opera music boomed through the earpieces.

            Strolling to the second body, a few drops of a clear liquid was placed on the skin, turning it a dark purple.  He contemplated this for a moment and noticed that the alley had a perpendicular alleyway to it not far from the body.  Swaying to the music in his ears, he made his way to the end of the alleyway and inspected the brick wall around him.  Turning back around, he practically skipped his way back to the men looking at him curiously.

            Taking out the earphones, he smiled easily at the other officers.  "You sir, I want you to talk to the landlords around here.  See if anyone has been complaining of water leaks."

            "Yes, sir."

            "And you, come over here.  I want you to get me the shells to run by ballistics.  And tell them they're going to have t o dig a slug out of a brick wall and dumpster."

            "Yes, sir."

            Chief Hijikata gave Kenshin a good slap on the back.  "That was fast.  How'd you get all that?"

            Himura beamed with pride.  "It was nothing at all, sir.  The second body tested positive for liquid paraffin.  And bullet holes are usually a big clue, that they are."

            An officer came up to the redhead, her long black ponytail bobbing with her movements.  "Agent Himura.  There's a bar called Kina's Sake not far from here.  There was a bar fight last night.  There's a good chance these guys were involved.

            Kenshin put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to blush.  "Thank you…" (glances at nametag) "Detective Kamiya.  But I'll check it out myself."

            "Uh…Agent Himura?  I can't find the other shell," an officer said.

            "Check beneath the body."

            The officer shifted the second body's shoulder aside.  "Oh yeah…there it is."

            A wide grin spread across the agent's face.  Another officer ran up to him, still panting for breath.  "Sir, there was a lady on the fourth floor complaining of water leaking through her roof just this morning."

            Kenshin nodded.  "Then we're going to the fifth."

            The elevator doors opened to reveal Agent Himura, Chief Hijikata and Detective Myojin—one of whom was calmly sipping from a steaming styrofoam cup.

            Myojin was looking at Himura incredulously.  "No way.  You know how fucking huge you gotta be to do that?"

            Himura lifted an eyebrow.  "Detective Myojin, I may just be wanting a bagel to go with my coffee, that I might."

            Kenshin stepped out of the elevator as Chief Hijikata fixed Myojin with a look.  "I'm not getting' him no fucken bagel."

            They followed Himura out of the elevator, the door to the apartment was already open.  Next to the doorframe, two rosaries hung on nails against the wall…and beneath the doorway stood Himura in the lead with the other officers behind him.  He smiled.

            "We can start the ass kissing with you," he said, pointed at Yahiko, "that we can."

Missionary Corridor

Same Morning

Day-After Mardi Gras Blues

            A sickly little boy sat up in his bed, IV still attached to him.  Seemingly abandoned in this hallway, three nuns hovered together in the corner, and leaning against the boy's bed were Aoshi and Hajime in dirty robes.

            Aoshi coaxed the boy to give him both his hands.  "Now close your eyes.  You'll feel the angels' touch as though they were flesh."

            Using quick as lightning reflexes, Hajime's hand shot out and slapped the boy's hand before returning to its original position.  The boy's eyes opened in awe.

            Aoshi smiled at him.  "There.  So quick, you could hardly even feel it, huh?"

            The three of them laughed together as Okina came down the corridor.

            "What the fuck happened to you guys?  Some FBI agent came snooping around the place.  Didn't tell him anything, but he gave me his card."

            Aoshi parted from the boy with a slight inclination of his head.  "We need you to hold onto a few things for us."

            "Of course.  FUCK!!  ASS!!!"

            The nuns all gasped in horror.

            Hajime handed Okina a short paper bag with handles.  "Don't answer any questions.  We'll be over to pick that stuff up later."

            "Where you boys headed?"

            "The police station," Hajime followed Okina as he began making his way down the corridor.

            Aoshi looked to the boy who had been cowering slightly from the old man.  "He's not angry.  He has a condition up here," he said, pointing to his temple, "that makes him say things like that."

            "FUCK!!  ASS!!!"

Police Department Headquarters

General Work Area

Still Day After Mardi Gras

            Kenshin Himura glared at the local police officers sitting around their desks and casually drinking their coffee.  "Which one of you lowly public servants leaked this to the press?" he asked, his voice low.  When no one replied, he continued.  "Now we have people claiming to know the two men, calling them—get this—'saints'…sent here to do good.  'Angels,' even.  But angels don't kill.  They're just two ordinary men put in an extraordinary situation.  They are to be considered dangerous."

            Detective Myojin swung his legs onto his desk.  "C'mon now, Agent Himura.  They're long gone by now.  We might as well tie a jelly bun on a string and say 'thanks for comin' out!'"

            "Actually, you'd probably have more luck with sake," a voice said.

            There was a noticeable hush in the room and all eyes turned to see two men in bloodied robes—the one with spidery bangs supporting the weight of his companion.

            "Let's go over what happened," Kenshin said, passing a cigarette case to the two men sitting at the table.  The blinds were drawn and the lighting was crappy—a single lamp hanging over the interrogation table, very typical.  "This conversation is going to be recorded.  Just answer the questions honestly and you'll be fine."

            But before he could hit the "record" button, Aoshi reached out a hand and covered it.  "Please."

            Kenshin sat back and gave them a moment.

            Aoshi leaned closer to his brother and asked in a French whisper, "What do we tell him about the guns and money?"

            Hajime gave a nonchalant shrug.  The French rolled easily off his tongue.  [subtitle] "We got scared, ran off and someone else must have picked 'em off the bodies."

            His brother nodded.  Taking his hand away from the recorder, he said, "We're ready."

End notes:  (Mario music:  Dadadada DA…da!)  Yes…not overly exciting and a bit confusing, I know.  Believe me, the movie is hard to follow at times.  (but OH SO juicy!)  Next chapter is what REALLY happened the night of Mardi Gras after Sano got punched in the face.  ^_^  It's pretty interesting.  Will be posted within a week.  (no need to do checking up, it's just typing.)