"Sum of the Parts"
Disclaimer : Don't own the lovely Ban, Ginji and Kazuki. I do own the dirty old lech in this chapter, unfortunately.
A.N. : Berry long chapter, so again, I divided it. So this whole "With Strings Attached" club sequence is now in 3 parts. Sorry,hehe. As for the Ban & Kazuki interaction, I tried to see how far I could run with it without entering yaoi territory. Hope I had it under control. :D For those of you who are wondering why I've heaped so much abuse on Ginji, I actually don't know why. I guess the adage is true. You really do hurt the ones you love, hee! As always, please keep those reviews coming because I really do love to hear from you! Thanks for tuning in!
ENJOY!
Chapter 8 : With Strings Attached (Part 2)
Kazuki heard a faint ringing / buzzing sound coming from Ban's chest.
Startled, Ban jumped slightly. "Shit! I forgot I turned on the vibration alert." As Kazuki watched in disgust, he unzipped his top, groped his "breasts" and quickly felt around his bra for his cell phone, which was not as easy as it seemed since Ban also crammed in his car keys, cigarette pack, lighter and I.D. scanner inside.
"Could you please be a little more… discreet?" Kazuki chided in hushed tones.
"How can I?" he spat. "This dress has a million zippers and no frigging pockets!" Finally, he found his phone. Clearing his throat, Ban flipped it open and answered.
"Moshi, moshi! Ah, Kojio-san! You're here already. Why are you so late? I've been so lonely sitting here at the bar…" he whined in his irritating screech.
Kazuki winced.
"… an extra 25,000 for my time? Um, okay, but only for you because you seem like a sweet, nice man, tee-hee! Uh-huh… Of course, I brought him… You'll see. He's very cute… I promise you a good time… I'll meet you at the entrance, all right? Bye-bye!"
Ban put the phone back into his bra and zipped up.
"I think my ears are bleeding," the Fuchouin heir mumbled.
"Your ears?" Ban retched. "Me, I need to wash my mouth out with acid!"
"Why was he late?"
"Didn't say. But it sounds to me like he had another date – with the bottle." Ban sighed. This was going to be more trouble than he thought. He shook Ginji awake.
"Wha- Did I fall asleep?" Bleary-eyed and foggy-headed, Ginji felt as drunk as before. That was some soda, he thought.
"Kojio's here. Go over to the front doors and wait for him," his partner ordered.
"Mm. And you?"
"Right behind you," he said, without adding, I have someone to deal with first.
As Ginji walked zombie-like towards the entrance, Ban jerked his head towards his long-haired rival, eyes glowing like pure blue flame.
"So…"
Kazuki stood up and raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.
"… you still want to go through with this?"
"What have I got to lose? Besides, it would be nice, for once, to beat you," he replied with a smile.
"Suit yourself. But don't regret it," Ban sneered wickedly.
As Kazuki glided down the stairs on his light steps, the Get Backer casually slid out a foot and tripped the string master, sending him tumbling down a few flights and finally landing at the foot of the stairs in a cloud of beads, chestnut hair and red and orange silk.
Chortling, Ban sprang over the heap on the floor. As he scampered away, he looked back and razzed. "Tsk. Tsk. Ito no Kazuki... So ungraceful for a Fuchouin."
"Why, you dirty – " Kazuki growled as he slowly pulled himself up.
As Ban gave a jaunty backhand wave …
Whoosh! WHAP!
THUD! … He fell down splat on the floor.
"What the – " Ban rolled over on his side and found his ankles tightly bound.
With bells in his skillful hand, Kazuki stood over him angrily. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't wrap you up like a mummy right now!"
"This!" Ban gripped the informer's ankle with his Snake Bite.
"Let go!" He tried to kick off his hand.
The stunned crowd parted like the Red Sea as Kazuki dragged the clinging Get Backer towards the club's doors.
"You stop! Or else I might break your leg!"
"You won't dare!"
"Try me!"
Kazuki was quite strong to have lugged that dead weight a few metres. To his chagrin, he realized they were making a spectacular scene. But no way was he going to let the snake bastard get the better of him.
Meanwhile, Ban currently functioned as a human mop as he and his black gown were swept across the floor. He knew he could release his hold and easily untie his binds, but no way was he going to let that bobbin head get away.
A perplexed Ginji appeared before his ridiculous-looking friends to break the stalemate.
"Where were you? And – why are you on the floor, Ban-chan?"
Ban rapidly broke through the string around his ankles, stood up and huffily brushed off his dress.
Kazuki crossed his arms. "That was despicably low, even for you, Mido Ban."
Staring at each other scaldingly, they flipped their mussed-up hair away from their faces and grunted. "Hmph!"
"Hey! That's Kojio over there, isn't it?" Kazuki exclaimed. He started off again towards the doors.
"You think I'm stupid? I'm not falling for –" Ban shouted.
Ginji interrupted him. "No, it really is him." He followed Kazuki into the crowd.
"Wait! Where?" Ban struggled to see over the raucous mob. Pushing and shoving his way through, he tried to catch up with the girly-man and his traitorous best friend.
Kojio was standing near the entry accompanied by the club's burly bouncer. Just as he had told Natsumi, Kojio was wearing a dark blue suit with a gray kerchief in his coat pocket. Even from a distance, Ban noticed he had a highly-strung look about him, with sweat dripping in rivulets down the sides of his face, plastering sparsely combed-over hair damply against the balding top of his head.
To Ban's dismay, the bag man was also wearing dark glasses.
First to catch Kojio's attention, Kazuki waved. "Hello! Excuse me, but you must be Ko-"
"Kojio-san, I presume?" Ban roughly cut in front of Kazuki. Kojio nodded, his lips slowly curling into a salacious grin.
The brunette Get Backer bowed. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Midori and I'll be your company tonight." He pulled Ginji next to him. "And as promised, I brought a friend."
Kojio peered closely at Ginji's face. "Are you really a boy? You don't look like one. Whash your name?"
Inhaling the toxic fumes from the man's sake-saturated breath threatened to raise Ginji's blood alcohol level a percentage point. "Ginji," he replied lamely, swatting his hand in front of his nose.
Ban kicked his partner on the leg. "You mean 'Kazuki'."
The 'real' Kazuki narrowed his eyes.
"But Kazu-chan is right here." Ginji glanced at the annaiya.
Confused for merely a second, Kazuki read the situation and covered for his Raitei. "Kazuki Ginji. And I'm Kazuki – Keiko. I'm his … sister." He put a protective arm around the blond.
"Ah, yesh! I can shee the reshemblance," Kojio nodded leeringly. "Such fine looking siblings. But – " He faced Kazuki. "Did I ask for you, too? I don't remember …"
"Er… Not really," he stammered. "I'm here to … help my brother."
Damn! What a stupid answer. What was I supposed to say? I want to crash your threesome? He cringed.
Kojio cocked his head. "You approve of your brother doing –"
"They need the money," Ban interjected. "They're very poor."
Kazuki threw the snake a murderous glance.
Kojio was unmoved. "Oh well, the more the merrier, right?" He laughed.
The three laughed half-heartedly with him.
"Shall I lead you to your table, sir?" the bouncer asked.
"Mmm," Kojio hummed, taking Ginji's arm for support. The Get Backer looked at his friends pleadingly.
Ban and Kazuki followed a little ways behind. "Kojio's getting the VIP treatment," the string-style master whispered. "Connected to the Yakuza, you think?"
"Aa." Ban cursed inwardly. A drunken racketeer with Yakuza protection? Shit! The parts could be anywhere.
The bouncer took them to a well appointed semi-circular booth located near the dance floor. It was currently occupied by some office clerks and their weasely boyfriends. He jerked a thumb out at them.
"You! Move out!"
Grumbling and cursing, the group obeyed. They were well-versed in the gangland hierarchy drill.
Grudgingly passing Ban / Midori and Kazuki / Keiko on their way out, the women whispered loudly enough for them to hear.
"Yuck! How can those girls stand being with that dirty old man?"
"The blonde must be his jail-bait girlfriend…"
"I'm sure the long-haired one is the mistress…"
"And that witch is definitely a whore."
The women cackled an evil and boisterous laugh.
As the bouncer hailed a waiter to clear the table, Ban grappled Kazuki's arm. "This is so unfair!" he sulked with a bratty pout. "Why are you a mistress and I'm a whore?"
"For crying out loud!" Kazuki sighed, shaking Ban's hand off.
Kojio motioned for his three beauties to sit next to him. Ban and Kazuki took their places on each side of him, while Ginji sat next to his partner, near the edge of the bench.
To his deep consternation, Ban realized Ginji would be of little use in his current state.
As Kojio ordered iced teas for everyone and a scotch for himself, the dark-haired Get Backer signaled to Kazuki not to let Kojio get more boozed up than he already was.
I know, the string master mouthed.
"Kojio-san… About your being late, you promised…" Ban wheedled like a little girl asking for candy. He wasted no time in collecting the man's I.O.U.
"I didn't forget, shweetheart," he mumbled while reaching into his coat for his wallet. "Um. How much did I say, again?"
"40,000," he lied. Hey, it wasn't his fault the guy couldn't remember it was actually twenty-five.
"Really? Well, okay. But only becosh you've bewitched me… Get it? Bewitch?" Kojio chuckled as he handed Ban a couple of crisp notes under the table. Kazuki scowled with extreme disapproval.
"Thank you!" he gushed, smiling sweetly. Tucking the bills into his bra, Ban thought that maybe Kojio wasn't such an ogre after all.
Then a hand squeezed his thigh.
I take that back.
"You two are very tall girls," Kojio observed as he put his arms around each of their waists. A waiter brought their drinks.
"We're models… " Ban recited his 'What do you do for a living?' spiel. Squirming, he and Kazuki looked at each other, eyes dueling for the right to refuse taking the man's drink.
"Ah, that's why you look familiar. For a while, I thought you were that actress 'Sadako'." Kojio fumbled for his scotch.
Sighing, Kazuki took action. Darn! I hate whisky. Holding his breath, he grabbed the glass and gulped down the contents in one go. "And I'm… working my way – ack! – through… college," he coughed.
"Keiko-san… Waah… You prefer yours, hard." The sweaty lech slurred suggestively. "Hehe. I like that in a woman."
"Waiter! Another scotch! And make it a double." His attention turned to Ginji.
"And you? What do you do aside from … this?"
Ginji finished his iced tea. Dribbling, he replied, "I'm a Get – Oww!"
Ban stomped on his foot. "He's getting his degree in – Physics. He may be penniless, but he's actually a genius. Right, boyfriend?"
The snake man smiled sheepishly as Ginji and Kazuki did a double-take.
He wasn't quite sure yet why he said that.
"Your boyfriend? Okay. I see." A sleazy grin crept up Kojio's face.
"Enough about us," Ban quickly changed the subject. He patted the client's leathery hand. "You seem like a very successful man. I bet I can tell your line of work just by touching and looking at your hand."
Ban wanted to hurl. He felt so dirty he could just scrub himself raw with sandpaper sitting so close to this slimeball.
He gingerly played with Kojio's hand. "Rough, yet strong and nimble. Hmm… Your hands are your livelihood. You must be a designer. A sculptor maybe?
"Amazhing. How did you know?"
"It's a special talent," Ban warbled perkily. "Do I get a reward for a correct answer?" Maybe if he was charming enough he could milk this guy dry.
"Later, dear." Kojio placed his sweaty, grubby paws on the Get Backer's cheeks.
Arrgghh! Not the face! Ban was positive he was going to break out in zits the next morning.
Kazuki grabbed the crook's left hand. "I know palmistry," he lied. Actually, he didn't know what on earth he was talking about, but he couldn't allow the snake the upper hand. He traced the lines on Kojio's palm. "Your life line and heart line indicate increasing good fortune. You are to make a lot of money soon, am I right? You will be very lucky."
"I'd say I'm very lucky right now, hyuk-hyuk," the old geezer gurgled, squeezing his 'girls'. Ban and Kazuki rolled their eyes in unison.
Ginji leaned over and tried to find what the fuss was all about. "Hey, why can't I see anything?" he asked a little enviously. "All I see are brown spots."
"Ginji, shut up!" his partner warned through clenched teeth.
Feeling very pleased with himself, Kojio boasted. "I work in Hollywood. In moviesh. In fact…" He turned to Kazuki. "I shink you're beeyootiful enough to become a movie shtar."
"You really think so?" The long-haired looker chirped a bit too brightly. He was genuinely flattered someone thought he could pass for a Tinseltown leading lady.
"I'm a partner at a film production company. I bet you could give Lucy Liu a run for her money."
Darn right, I could, Kazuki thought, then recoiled. Wait. Why am I –
Oh great. He's Lucy Liu while I'm 'Sadako'. Ban pursed his lips. "So you're a movie producer?"
"Among other things," Kojio replied proudly.
"And what movies do you specialize in?" The Get Backer took a sip of iced tea.
"Art films."
Ban spit out his drink and stifled a guffaw. "Porn?"
"Ish not porn. Ish tasteful, sensual romantic drama," the dirtbag insisted.
Kazuki wrinkled his nose in repugnance, his very, very brief illusions of Hollywood stardom came crashing down to earth.
"What do you say? Come to L.A. and I'll help you get an audition." Kojio leaned so close Kazuki's face was practically scorched by his steamy, fire-breathing mug.
Audition, my foot. "Um, no thanks," he mumbled, using a hand to shield himself.
"Hee-hee," Ban gloated quietly. Keiko Kazuki, porn star. Had a nice ring to it.
A waitress arrived and placed Kojio's order of double scotch on the table. Kazuki pressed into the seat and whispered behind their victim to Ban.
"Your turn." He pointed.
"Are you crazy?" the Jagan master mouthed back. "That's a straight double!"
They viewed the lush helplessly as he swallowed half of the whisky in an instant.
Aw, shit. Ban knew he had to act fast and get as much out of Kojio before it was too late. There was no point in interrogating a babbling fool or using the Evil Eye on a guy whose brain was reduced to oatmeal.
Kazuki had the same idea as his placid, indomitable façade became overcast with impatience.
"You're in Tokyo for business then?"
"Whoo! That'sh a good whisky." Kojio fell into the back cushions ecstatically. "Aa. Business. I'm here to close a deal on some technology that will revolutionize, hic!... the movie industry."
Now we're getting somewhere. Ban's expression lit up. "Oh! Oh! And did you close the deal?"
"Yep! Sure did," Kojio belched in a happy daze. He reached his arms up to the ceiling and drew an imaginary rectangle in the air with his fingers. "The next Hollywood blockbuster might as well have a marquee that reads, 'Animatronics courtesy of the brilliant Kojio Kiyoshi'… burrrrrpppp!"
Ban restrained himself from jumping in his seat. His eyes burned laser blue. The drop must've already been made. All he and Ginji needed now was a location.
"Wow, Kojio-san! That's great!" Kazuki gushed as he put his hands on the man's arm and shoulder. Ban raised an eyebrow. It unnerved him to see the string-style master acting so – girlishly perky. Apparently, Kazuki wasn't handling his glass of whisky very well.
"That's why we should shelebrate!" Kojio shouted victoriously as he downed the rest of his drink. "Another scotch, please!" He held up the empty glass to a passing waitress and clamped his arms around Ban and Kazuki's necks, smooshing their heads into his sopping wet one.
Kazuki grimaced. Ewwww…. He terribly wanted this to end ASAP.
"Why don't we bring this celebration elsewhere? Somewhere more – private?" The Fuchouin heir heaved. "I know I'm not part of the package – " He paused. "But if you're a good boy, you won't have to pay me a cent."
Kazuki batted his eyes suggestively.
Un-freakin-believable. Ban snorted. Simpering, he couldn't help but add, "That's right Kojio-san. You can have the three of us. Buy two, get one free."
The annaiya gnashed his teeth, reached behind Kojio's back and flicked the tip of Ban's pert, snobby nose.
"Ow!" he cried, covering his smarting schnozz with his hand.
"Girls, girls! What's the rush? I have money, don't worry. We have alllll night." Kojio prattled on cheerfully.
That's what I'm afraid of. Kazuki looked up and sighed heavily, the gust of his breath blowing his bangs away from his forehead. Standing up, he announced. "Midori and I need to use the little girls' room." Kazuki's dark, resolute eyes locked onto Ban's and then he jerked his head towards the restrooms.
Ban stared at the long-haired man quizzically and scowled. Reluctantly, he, too, stood up.
"We'll be back soon. Don't start the party without us, okay?" Kazuki sang charmingly while pinching Kojio's cheek.
Ban clambered over his partner. "Oi, Ginji. You still alive?" He snapped his fingers repeatedly.
Ginji blinked and shook his head hard. "Uh, yeah. Sure." Realizing Ban was leaving, his eyes filled with dread. "Where are you going?"
"Thread Spool wants a quick one," he joked.
The blond drew a blank.
Why Ban even bothered using double-entendres with Ginji was beyond reason. "Keep an eye on Kojio," he whispered. "And don't let him drink another drop of that whisky, got that?"
Ginji watched nervously as his best friend shuffled off. Alone finally with the boy, Kojio scooted next to him.
"I can't believe you're not female." The racketeer's sly and narrow lizard eyes met Ginji's big, tender doe ones. "You sheem like an innocent, vulnerable girl in every way. A big, tall girl, but a girl nonetheless."
Kojio twisted his mouth into a crooked, tar-stain toothed grin. "Perfect. I'm sure we'll have a lot of fun later."
Ginji shirked away. He didn't understand the implications, but the old coot's promise rolled off his tongue smooth, yet stickily – like the slow, steady engulfing threat of molten lava.
Kojio exuded the same creepy, predatory vibe he always felt from Akabane Kuroudo – control and corruption.
The bag man chuckled stealthily to himself and reached for the third glass of scotch the waitress just brought. Even in his anxiety and drunken confusion, Ginji remembered what Ban had told him.
He and Kojio grabbed the glass at the same time. In wordless surprise, they both struggled with the drink, pulling it to and fro between them until a crackle of static held the tumbler in place and began emitting a light.
"What's this?" Kojio mumbled, his eyes transfixed with fascination at the golden glow of mahogany sea sloshing about in the middle of a miniature electrical storm of blues and greens. It looked like a living liquid paper weight.
Out of the brilliant microcosm, a vein of current shot off in a tendril that struck Kojio's finger with a jolt.
"Ilk!" Convulsing slightly, the man released his hold on the glass and limply fainted against the backseat.
With the scotch his for the taking, Ginji let the glow in the glass die off. Then, unwittingly, he did what Kazuki did with his drink and poured the hot potion down his throat.
"Hah! Heee! Gaaackk!" Ginji wheezed, gargled and gagged as the oily substance burned a path down his stomach.
Even as he clutched his throat and tried to get rid of the bad taste in his mouth, a warm sensation swam up into his nerves. As the house lights dimmed and the music grew louder, Ginji looked hazily up at the lanterns on the ceiling and saw their colors melt into each other. Gradually, his impressionable brain abandoned itself to the chemical spell and reacted only to the hypnotic flash of lights, the primal thumping of sounds, and the frenetic illusions projected by his own wishful thinking.
The job… Ban… was the last thing on his fading mind.
"Ginji-san… Ginji-san! You're still here?" A delicate hand caressed his cheek. "Are you okay?"
Ginji fluttered his eyes open and thought he saw angels talking to him in slo-mo against a smoky, fast flickering background. He found it funny that instead of wings and halos, they wore sailor uniforms and had candy-coloured hair.
"Is that loser with you?" Sailor Moon Maya pointed with disdain at the sloppily sprawled man beside him. Ginji shook his head.
"Then he won't mind if we ask you to dance with us," the redhead sailor exclaimed over the noise. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
"Yeah. They're starting the foam party soon," the violet-haired one announced excitedly as she pulled the submissive Get Backer off the bench and led him towards the dance floor.
Ginji knew he had soared with these guardian angels before. But a nagging feeling told him he better get ready for a fall.
Something made Ban turn his head towards the direction of the table where he had just left Ginji and Kojio.
Ignoring it, he caught up with Kazuki at the restroom corridor.
"Don't start the party without us, okay?" Ban mimicked in the girlish sing-song voice Kazuki had used. He continued to heckle with a grin. "You slut. You've done this before, haven't you?"
"Shut up, Rudolph!" Kazuki snapped, referring to the Get Backer's still red nose courtesy of his skillful fingers. "I don't think Kojio is going to willingly give up the location of the androids. We might have to resort to our techniques to get it out of him."
"What do you mean 'we'? Who made you boss?" Ban waved his index finger between them. Pointing it in his rival's face, he backed him into a corner. "There is no 'we' here, only you and the Get Backers."
Kazuki stood his ground. "Correction. You and me," he coolly retaliated. "If you haven't noticed, Ginji's a basket case. I doubt he'll be of much help to you right now."
"I can handle Kojio by myself."
"Maybe. But are you sure you want to spend the rest of the night with Kojio slobbering all over you and lapping at your face? I sure don't." The annaiya shivered.
"Tch! I see your point. You didn't have to burn that image into my brain." Ban curled his lip in revulsion and dishearteningly leaned into the wall. He had to admit he pretty much lost his partner on this leg of the mission.
"I propose, that under the circumstances, we help each other out and whoever makes Kojio cough up the location first gets dibs on the parts." Kazuki crossed his arms. He meant business. "No dirty tricks. Just your Jagan against my strings."
"No dirty tricks?" the snake boy complained. "But that's what makes this whole thing fun. Man, you drive a hard bargain…"
Bells jingled loudly in protest.
"Fine. Fine. What. Ever." He put up a hand and sighed.
Kazuki narrowed his eyes, a tiny gleam of distrust still in them. "Of course, I always play fair so you don't have to worry about me. And just so you know, I actually don't mind if you win this one."
"Conceding defeat, then?" Ban smirked.
"No. Not at all. I just hate seeing Ginji and you starve to death."
He bit his lip. 'You'? Where did that 'you' come from?
Ban raised a very amused eyebrow. "Who-ahh, Kazuki. I didn't know you cared so much!" He teasingly embraced the string master from the side – complete with raised leg.
"Knock it off, you clown!" He grumbled sheepishly, elbowing Ban away. "Unlike you, I'm satisfied with my haul. Right now, I'm not doing this for the money. You, however, need a lesson in humility."
"Who needs humility when you're me – Mido Ban-sama?" he sniffed.
"Sheesh…" Kazuki drew his hand to his forehead. "All right. So, who gets first shot at Kojio?"
"'Rock, Paper, Scissors' good enough for you?" The Get Backer suggested.
"Sure." The two reached out their hands. "Ready? Rock, paper, scissors. Shoot!"
Ban held out his fist while Kazuki pointed two fingers.
Somehow, that result was unsurprising.
Ban proceeded to walk back to their table. He glanced at Kazuki behind him with a devilish smile and eyes ablaze. "You might as well go home now. Or do you care to watch the master at work?"
"I'll watch," he smiled confidently.