Disclaimers: Nothing new... If you really want to read about how I don't own Weiss, then re-read a previous disclaimer. I still haven't cemented the pairings yet, so yeah...

There is an insinuated/implied rape scene, but I don't get graphic... sorry...

Oh, for all of those who cared why I haven't updated in about, oh, 4 months, computers frickin' hate me. They really do.

(blah) – the other end of (Silver Fox) Ailín's communicator.

blah - English

"blah" - Japanese

'blah' – Gaelic

/blah/ - telepathy, thoughts

APOTHEOSIS:

Chapter Three: Bitter Prophecy

Humming the "Lucky" song by Brittany Spears, and clicking and sliding his tongue barbell across and between his teeth, Ailín slowly approached the warehouse under the cover of night. Motorcycle abandoned four blocks away in a well-lit hotel parking lot; Ailín walked the remaining distance. A block away from the warehouse and down near the docks, Ailín clipped the ear microphone into place, and turned it on.

Murmuring softly, "Red Fox, stage on."

A voice replied in his earpiece, (Silver Fox, stage is set.)

"All right." Ailín turned down the headset; he didn't need the noise from the home base interfering on this mission. Looking at the warehouse, Ailín muttered, "Nobility, Honor, Justice; these before all else." When a large formation of clouds slid across the night sky, Ailín slunk across the darkened street and slipped undetected into the building.

Easily padding through the vast building through the use of his knowingness, Ailín found himself outside the secondary servant door for the receiving office. Face twitching in disgust at the though of the types of goods Ichida usually received, Ailín crouched down before the door. Pulling two tools from one of the many pockets lining the underside of his sleeveless, long jacket, Ailín quickly used then to unlock the door.

Once in the room, Ailín shut the door and relocked it. Turning the volume of his ear-set back up, he said softly, "Red Fox, stage is lit and ready for the show. I'm in the receiving office, and I know the information is in here."

Ailín first went through a thorough search of the office, pocketing paperwork, file photos and other incriminating evidence. Although useful, it was not what this specific client wanted. "I found some useful info, but not what I came here for... I'll have to do a search of the hard drive."

(Hmm. Get anything that shows who supports Ichida, who uses his services, where he gets...)

Ailín cut him off. "I already have all that, what I'm missing is information on Maryssa. She's mainly the reason why I'm here."

(Right. Be quick and careful. Apparently Ichida and his bodyguards have returned to the building. I'll let you know if there's any other movement. Keep the headset on.)

"Right." Sitting down in front of the computer, Ailín was annoyed. His knowingness should have been working. Hell, it was working, so why didn't he know that Ichida and his goons returned? Shrugging those thoughts off to mull over later, Ailín turned on the computer system, and slowly and methodically began searching for any information on the missing girl.

Ailín rubbed his eyes, doing computer searching without his knowingness to help, was very painful and hard.

(Red Fox.)

Ailín blinked, "Yeah?"

(Somebody hacked into the security systems and four more people entered the building.)

"Visual?"

(Yes, but no one you will recognize. I'll send it over.)

Pulling down the goggles from where they were perched at the top of his head, Ailín looked at the pictures flashing on the screen that was the right lens. /Hmm... They must be around my age. /Seeing the redhead's sword, Ailín grinned, /Definitely assassins. Well, they can have Ichida when I'm done with him./

(Red Fox, status on the new four. They have engaged three out of four of Ichida's bodyguards.)

Ailín frowned, and dropped his goggles to hang from around his neck by their strap. "Silver Fox, where is Ichida and the fourth bodyguard?/

(The bodyguard is still in his original position, and Ichida is...)

The side door was unlocked; then opened. With a flick of a switch, harsh white light filled the room, momentarily blinding Ailín. Blinking his eyes, he remarked, "Ichida is with me." Ailín stood up and let his presence be known to Ichida, "May as well get the info straight from the horses' mouth. Red Fox, out."

00000

"Who are you?!" Ichida demanded.

Ailín grinned, causing dimples to appear, "Well... My name really shouldn't concern you..." Ailín walked out from behind the desk, "... what you should be concerned about is the location of Maryssa Kensington."

"Mah-ree-sah Ken-siin-tonne? Sounds like a foreigner. Why should I be concerned about her?"

Ailín's grinned widened. "Maybe because it was your slave/prostitution ring that kidnapped her...?"

Ichida sneered. "Why should I care about one girl?"

Ailín shrugged, then whipped out his gun and pointed it at Ichida's head. Tilting his head to the side, he grinned, "Bee-cause, her father can afford to hire me to find her; that, and the gun." Ailín pursed his lips, "The gun mostly."

00000

"How many assassins does this city have!?!"

Ailín looked towards the main door and cursed. Standing seven feet in front of him, and two feet behind his target was the kid he saved that afternoon from being splattered by a car, and his unusual family. His knowingness had been acting up that afternoon and the entire time he was here, ...he'd have to look into that later. But Ailín didn't need to know why there were here. He could read it from their hardening expressions; they were here to stop him, at all costs.

Seeing something move out of the corner of his eye, Ailín whipped his head back to Ichida to see him lunging for his gun. Ailín stepped aside and spun as he watched Ichida fall forward to the floor at the feet of his bodyguards. When his "albino-lock" fell in front of his right eye, Ailín blew at it to try to move it.

"Ay-kun!"

Ailín looked up and cursed.

Not only did the kid, Nagi, recognize him, that Crawford guy was pointing a gun at him. /Great. This is going well.../

(Red Fox, the assassins are moving...)

"Yeah... That would have been helpful a couple of minutes ago. How long is the delay on the surveillance systems?"

(Thirty seconds.)

"You may want to look into fixing that..."

00000

"Are you done, or should we give you a few more minutes?"

Ailín looked at the smirking Schuldig, and raised his eyebrows. "You know, if you wanted to be polite, then you really shouldn't use that snarky tone."

Schuldig sneered. "I wasn't trying to be polite."

"Yeah... politeness is one of the first qualities lost with inbreeding..."

Schuldig spluttered in indignation, while Silver Fox admonished Ailín over the com link. Sighing, Ailín tucked the white strand behind his ear, and whipped out a second gun; pointing one at Crawford, the other kept on Ichida.

"Moving on, you," Ailín indicated Crawford, "...get back. And you," Ailín indicated Ichida, "where is Maryssa?"

Ichida starting making demands at Crawford and Ailín, while still sprawled on the floor; causing Ailín to raise one eyebrow. Ailín cocked the trigger on his gun and shot Ichida's knee. Ichida screamed.

Pulling back the trigger again, Ailín pointed the gun at Ichida's other knee. "I asked you a question. Where. Is. Maryssa?"

Ichida began wailing and babbling in too fast Japanese, making it very hard to understand. Rolling his eyes, he shot Ichida's other knee. When Crawford moved slightly, Ailín raised his brow, "Ye-ah, I highly advise against that."

Looking down at the moaning and bleeding Ichida, Ailín sighed, "If you don't be quiet, I will shoot you. If you don't tell me where Maryssa is, in understandable Japanese, I will shoot you."

Ichida blubbered out, "She's in Yokohama, with Tatsuyo!"

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it? Yo, SF, didja get that?"

(Yokohama, Tatsuyo. I'm sending agents now.)

"Thanks. I'll let Kensington know." Ailín tucked his revolver back into his jacket, and keeping the automatic on Crawford, he awkwardly managed to turn on the two-way communicator at his wrist, and began speaking into it.

Mr. Kensington, we now have the location for Maryssa.

Is she all right, is she...

It's too early to tell.

Is Ichida there?

Ye-e-s...

I want to see him.

Umm... that's highly frowned upon...

Do you think I care? Ailín raised an eyebrow. I pay you for results, not for opinions.

O-kay... I'll activate the live video feed. Ailín pressed on of the buttons on his goggles, activating the camera.

I want him dead.

Mr. Kensington, I really advise against that.

This bastard destroyed my family's life when he stole Maryssa. I want him dead and anyone who helped him take Maryssa.

Umm... I'm not really...

You will take care of him.

Ailín rubbed at the bridge of his nose, It doesn't work like...

No. This is your job, and it will be done. It would not be honorable if you did not.

Ailín rolled his eyes, and sighed. Fine. Whatever. Taking the automatic off Crawford, Ailín pointed it at Ichida, and pulled the trigger. Ichida's body slumped lifelessly backwards.

Happy now?

I will be happy when Maryssa is returned to me.

Right, right.

00000

Ailín looked at the now employer-less bodyguards, and the four assassins hovering near the door. Seeing the incredulous looks on their faces, he shrugged. "It's not like he wasn't going to get killed tonight. I just... sped things up a little..."

"You were hit by a car five hours ago."

Ailín looked at the slightly ruffled looking Nagi. "Yes, and four hours ago I had about 200 cc's of Morphine pumped into me."

"That's enough to kill a person."

Ailín shrugged at Crawford, "And yet, here I am, lucid and not dead."

Schuldig sneered, "Not dead, but for how long?"

"Well, if you're trying to imply that you're going to kill me, you are highly mistaken. As a matter of fact, seeing how my job is now done, I am leaving. Buh-bye."

"You won't get through us. Stop him, Naggles."

"Naggles?" Ailín asked. Shaking his head, "Whatever. Either way, I wasn't planning on using the door."

"Then how are you going to leave?" Nagi had to ask.

Ailín looked at the window. Shooting the glass out, he walked towards it.

"You can't be serious."

"He is serious, maybe it's the Morphine?" Nagi glanced at Schuldig, then back at Ailín. He was standing on the windowsill.

He waggled his fingers at the ex-bodyguards. "Once again, buh-bye." And Ailín fell upper body first out the window.

"Ack! There's no buh-bye in suicide!" Nagi rushed towards the window, to find Schuldig there already, watching Ailín fall to his death on the pavement below... Or, to flip 180 degrees and almost float down to the ground, left leg extended, to land on the ground. When his right foot touched down, he hopped around on his left foot, "Ow ow ow!"

00000

Watching this all, Yohji turned to Ken. "I think they forgot about us. I don't know whether to feel insulted that we were forgotten, or happy that the mission was finished without us having to do much."

Ken thought for a couple seconds, "If we're done, that means we can go home."

Yohji perked up. "Yay, going clubbing. Bye."

Before Aya could snap at Yohji, and before Yohji could accidentally abandon them there, Omi and Ken herded both Aya and Yohji out to the Seven.

00000

Passing the small electronic device in front of the red button, it beeped and turned green, unlocking the front doors. Pulling the door open, Ailín limped in to the apartment lobby and up to the elevators. Pressing the up bottom, the doors pinged open. After the doors shut, Ailín opened a hidden panel and swiped the same electronic device in front of it. The panel blinked several times and made a slight noise. Closing the panel, Ailín leaned back against the walls of the elevator as it made its slow descent up to the lavish penthouse on the top floor.

The doors opened to reveal a short hallway, ten feet in length, with a single door at the end. Limping to the door, Ailín raised a key and unlocked a hidden panel under the peephole. He placed his hand on the scanner, letting it scan his fingerprints and then leaned forwards so the retinal scan could do its job. Once finished, the highly advanced security systems determined that he really did belong there, and the locks on the door were deactivated and the security system disarmed.

Walking inside, he was gifted with a gorgeous view of Tokyo at night through the twelve-foot high glass windows that made up this penthouse. Ignoring it, however, Ailín tossed his mission gear down on the leather couch and began stripping out of his mission clothes on the way to the shower, the clothing leaving a trail after him. Standing under the shower's stream of water, Ailín closed his eyes and tilted back his head. Letting the water pour over him and cleanse him, he allowed his mind to water.

Startled back to this plane by the loud ringing of his phone, Ailín turned off the water and walked naked and dripping out of the bathroom and into the main living room. Answering the phone, he asked in a tired voice, "'Yello?"

'Did anyone ever tell you you need to work on your phone manners?'

Ailín sighed and looked at his ghostly reflection that hovered along the Tokyo skyline. Sighing, and rubbing the bridge of his nose, Ailín answered, 'As a matter of fact, my manners are impeccable. ...When I choose to use them.'

'You know, it's that kind of attitude that prevents people from assuming who you truly are.'

Sighing softly and walking towards his reflection, he raised his free hand, and ran it down his reflection's face. Fisting his hand, he turned away from the glass and himself. 'That's what I want. I lost that part of myself a long time ago.'

'No matter how you may wish it, you cannot lose who or what you are. You can ignore it, but not forever.'

Smiling softly and wistfully, Ailín murmured, 'But I can try.'

'You may try, but will never succeed. I won't let you.'

'And for that I am thankful.'

There was a short pause on the other end of the line, and then the speaker sighed. 'Ailín, I tried calling you all night. Do I even want to know what it was that you were doing?'

'Seras, I'm positive that you would not like to know...'

'Hnn... The word back here is that a certain Lord Kensington hired a certain little red fox to find his daughter. I wonder if you have anything to do with that?'

Scowling at the sound of Kensington's name, Ailín growled out, 'That Bastard! How could he...'

'He did not let anything slip.'

'Then, how is... how did...'

'Methinks your little organization has a leak... '

'Apparently. But, thank you. For looking out for me.'

Seras laughed, 'Just repaying the debt I owe you.'

Ailín rolled his eyes, 'Please, that was years ago. Consider it repaid.'

'Hn. You helped me when I needed it most, but I failed you at your greatest moment of need. It takes a long time to repay something like that.'

At the heavy silence on the other end, Seras panicked slightly, 'Ailín, I...'

'I'm fine, just thinking...'

'About the past?'

'The past, the future, what I'm going to do right now about this leak...'

'The leak is not as bad as I made it seem. I added the part about the little red fox. And I only know because you told me, sort of.'

'No matter how small, a leak can grow to devastating proportions. This needs to be dealt with, but for the how... I don't know.'

'Pad softly, little fox. This information made it's way here from the States. This could be bigger than what you can handle.'

'I rather doubt that. I handled having my family murdered, first in front of my eyes, and then when my back was turned. I am positive that I can deal with a few traitors, I will cut them down like I do anything else that dares to stand before me.'

'Arrogant.'

'Nobility, Honor, Justice: These before all else.'

'Ailín, a word of caution; not everyone shares your ideals.'

'Yes, that is why it is my job to prevent their cancerous attitude from spreading. Nice talking to you Seras. May the fields always be green...'

'...And the sun always at your back. Be careful.'

00000

Hanging up the phone, Ailín padded naked back towards his bathroom. Grabbing the robe hanging on the door, he wrapped it around himself and walked towards his office. Turning on the desk lamp, he opened the lid of his laptop and started up the system. Accessing the folders that held his night job, he doubled clicked on one folder that read reports. Opening the folder, he began typing up the events that occurred that night.

00000

At a relatively seeded club across town, Yohji was enjoying himself, basically "slutting-it-up" on the dance floor. Dressed in tight, black leather low-rise pants that showed off hid well-defined abs and a shimmery dark blue shirt that revealed more than it concealed, Yohji was happy. This is a lot more fun than strangling the dark demons.

Grinding and swaying to the music, Yohji surveyed the crowd, choosing a partner for the activities later that night. Spotting a very possible possibility, Yohji began weaving his way towards her when he felt strong arms circle his waist and pull him up against a well-muscled male body.

/Mmmm... I could go uke tonight.../

Raising his arms behind his head, he wrapped them around his partners' neck and began dancing with him. Losing himself in the music, Yohji practically began purring when the other man began nipping and biting at that spot at the base of his neck.

Closing his eyes in pleasure, Yohji turned around in his partner's arms and whispered in his ear, "Let's get out of here. I know a place that's not too far away..."

/Do you, Kudoh?/

Yohji's eyes snapped open, and he tried to pull away from Schuldig but was trapped by the evil Schwarz's arms.

/Ouch, Kudoh. That's a little harsh... my arms aren't evil.../

Yohji hissed, "What do you want, Schwarz?"

Schuldig smirked at the little kitten trapped in his arms. /We-e-ell... I was going to just enjoy myself tonight, seeing how my contract was abruptly terminated. But then, a little kitten practically threw himself at me and.../

"THAT'S A LIE!"

Schuldig smirked further, /Indoor voice, Kudoh. Or do you want to attract attention?/

Kudoh glanced around at the club, if he kept this up, he would attract attention. The bad kind of attention.

/Very good, Kudoh. Now, what was that about a place not too far from here?/

Yohji sputtered in his outrage. Hissing out in a low voice, "Not with you, Schwarz! ...And get out of my head!"

"Aww... Kudoh, you're no fun... Now, how am I supposed to entertain my self now?"

Kudoh narrowed his eyes, shifting his hands slightly he was about to pull out his wire when Schuldig stopped him. In a bored tone, Schu remarked, "I wouldn't do that if I were you... Starting a fight in here, with all these innocent bystanders... Somebody might get hurt."

"What do you want, Schuldig?"

The German smiled evilly, "Oh, I think you know."

Yohji swallowed nervously, "And why should I?"

Schuldig shrugged, "Well, you don't have to play with me... Not when there's a room full of people for me to play with."

"You sadistic bast..."

Schuldig shrugged and interrupted him, "Yeah, yeah. Schuldig, the evil sadistic bastard who loves to play with all the little humans... I get it. So, will it be you, or them?"

Shaking with barely suppressed anger and disgust at the man in front of him, Yohji ground out, "You knew the answer to that before you walked in here."

Laughing at the Weiss kitty, Schuldig murmured, "I'm not the precog, Crawford is. Now, I believe you mentioned something about a place not too far from here?"

Glaring into the mocking blue eyes, Yohji snarled out, "Follow me."

00000

Yohji led Schuldig out of the club and down a deserted street, when he passed the light circle under a street lamp; he spun around on Schuldig with the whine of his wire accompanying him.

Rolling his eyes at the stupidity of the blond katschen in front of him, Schuldig sighed and flitted out of the way. Moving and dancing away from the lethal wires, it didn't take him long to get the blonde tangled up in it.

Schuldig couldn't help but snicker at the sorry and sexy sight. Here was the garrote-wielding assassin of the white hunters tangled up in his own weapon, much like a kitten tangled up in a ball of yarn. Ironic, really.

Stalking towards his prey and slowly circling around the mentally cursing Balinese, Schuldig smirked. "Aren't you supposed to catch you enemy in the wires?"

Yohji cursing became vocal.

"Tsk, tsk, Kudoh. You really should learn better language. Although, the picture you present is rather... sexy."

Yohji just glowered at the orange-haired bastard. Carefully tugging at the wires, he tried to free himself or at least cut the wires from his watch, but he was trapped. If the rest of Weiss saw him now...

He felt arms slide around him from behind causing him to tense up. Whispering hotly into his ear, Schuldig purred, "What would they think?"

Sliding one hand down to flutter across the exposed abdomen and one hand moved up to dance across Yohji's chest and then disappeared only to cup Yohji's face.

"Would this be hot enough to cause the little brat to forget about his computer?"

Schuldig's left hand slipped lower to fiddle with the button and the fly at the crotch of his pants. "Would this be hot enough to make the soccer-punk to forget about his little fixation with the model-assassin?"

Schuldig slid his hand into Yohji's open pants to caress the flesh there. "Would this be hot enough to melt that little ice prince's frosty shell?"

Yohji stood perfectly still, eyes closed, wishing himself out of this current predicament. Rubbing up against Yohji's back, pressing his erection into Yohji's tight ass, Schuldig sighed out with heavy-lidded eyes, "Wishing won't get you anywhere Kudoh. You led me here, knowing that this place is deserted. Too bad, what I have planned for you isn't what you intended this place for." And Schuldig squeezed the flesh in his hand.

Yohji's eyes snapped open and he gasped out, "This is rape."

"Yeah, and?"

Yohji practically choked, "Don't you get it? Don't you have any humanity left?"

At Schuldig's lack of an answer, he continued, "This, all of your evil, it will catch up with you one day. And will be visited back on you tenfold!"

Amused at the katschen, Schuldig purred, "Really?"

"And your punishment will reflect the nature of your crimes!"

"Could you be a little more specific as to which ones?"

"All your crimes will eventually cause the destruction of the one person destined for you."

Schuldig laughed, "Kudoh, Kudoh, Kudoh..." Quickly moving his right hand, he yanked Yohji back by his honey blonde hair, causing the two assassins to look each other in the eyes. "I am more likely to kill my "destined" by my own hand, than admit that I have feelings for him."

Looking Schuldig in the eyes, Yohji said softly, "If you believe that, then I pity you."

Schuldig laughed evilly, "Oh really? Will you still pity me once I'm done with you?"

00000

Across town, Ailín's hands were frozen over his keyboard and there was a slight grimace of pain on his face. Slowly moving a slightly shaking hand, he rubbed at his chest. Murmuring softly to the empty apartment, "It's as if my heart suddenly constricted in pain."

Rising up, he slowly staggered away from the computer and flopped down on the leather couch in the living room. Still rubbing at his chest, he bent forward and leaned his arms on his knees. Sighing, he flopped backwards onto the couch and grumbled, "I'm in perfect health and am too young for a heart attack..."

Glancing to his left, he sighed again. Looking at the mission gear, he mustn't forget to check it over then put it away. Slowly rising to his feet, he grumbled about getting old and padded to the kitchen. Taking a bottle down from a cupboard shelf, he popped the top and dry swallowed two pills. Replacing the Advil bottle, he padded back towards his office still rubbing at that sore spot above his heart.

00000

How did you like the new and improved version of chap 3? Is it easier to read now? And for those who care, chapter four is coming along slowly... possibly because I'm more into Oceans Apart right now, especially since it's a hell of a lot shorter... So, why don't you go read what I have for that right now? It will also be updated faster than Apo because the chapters are half as long... But I'll definitely spend some quality time typing out Apo this weekend with my lovely notes to help me! Wish me luck!