Disclaimer: Standard, you know.

AN: Not much to report except that GTA: SA and work have been eating up my spare time a lot lately, I'm sorry for the delay and on with the show.

Get Backers Once More

Chapter Three: The First Return (Part One)

Kuro stroked his forehead out of exasperation for what felt like the thirty second time that day as he peered through his binoculars towards the target: a pretty standard looking oil tanker, barreling down the express way. However, what made this truck important, important enough for a retrieval was the fact that-

"Takeshi-San, you still haven't told me what we will be retrieving!" Emiko pouted in the passenger seat of Kuros two seat Ford. Kuro looked at his "partner" and sighed again, flashing back to that morning…

0000000000

"So, this is it?" Kuro asked, adjusting his cigarette between his lips.

"Yeah, this is the target, apparently Mr. Kido witnessed some kind of sour goings on within his company, so, to keep him quiet, his daughter was kidnapped and put on a truck with other "expendables" to be…used…as well…" HEVN stammered, not quite sure how to describe the rest of the synopsis that "Mr. Kido" had given her as his handwriting was quite bad.

"'Genetic Varietic Purification', body whoring and homicide in one nice little sense." Ban finished, snatching the crumpled notebook paper from the coordinators hand.

"I see, and he mailed this to you through the post office rather than by e-mail to avoid any chance of being tracked." Kuro said, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"I'm retrieving Ms. Kido, right? From the tanker, doesn't seem that hard."

"I'll bet Bans used to men and women saying that, anyway, yes, that is the mission in summation." HEVN smiled, while Ban fumed enough to steam the early morning air around him. Baring his hands, Ban looked like he was about to "make a grab for paradise" until Kuro stepped between the two.

"Jeez, Ban, how old are you? I'll take the job." Ban mumbled something as he kicked some dirt up, seeing an opening, HEVN pressed her advantage.

"Oh, Kuro-Kun, you're certainly more a man than Ban ever was." HEVN said with much theatric effect while slinking her arm around Kuros. A vein seemed to just be "discovered" on Bans forehead upon witnessing this. Kuro raised an eyebrow and took another drag from his cigarette.

"Sure I'm legal HEVN?" Kuro said with a grin more befitting Ban at his most snake. Ban lightened up at this.

"BURN!" he yelled out loud at the top of his lungs as he patted Kuros shoulder at light speed like an older brother while pointing at the embarrassed target. HEVN smirked away her blush in response.

"Oh, Kuro-Kun, I was hoping you hadn't learned Bans sense of humor, oh well, maybe your new partner will knock some sense into you." The blond woman said with a few drops of malice.

"No suspense Miss Angel, who is my partner? Snake Bastard, Amano-San-"Kuro was cut off by Ban.

"Hey! Why are you so formal with Ginji and not even close to nice with me?!" Kuro directed his emerald eyes towards his apparent snake mentor.

"Because I respect Amano-San." Ban nearly toppled over with what looked like a heart attack at that. HEVN giggled at that as she led Kuro by the hand back to the doors of the Honky Tonk.

"Your back in my good graces Kuro-Kun, but anyway, your partner is going to be-"

"Me, I guess." Emiko said, holding back the fear in her voice at this new venture, Ginji though…

"HEVN-San, no! Absolutely not! Natsumi would kill me two hundred times over if she found out; I'd want to kill myself to! I can't let this happen!" Ginji yelled, darting between Kuro and Emiko.

"Her, as my partner? Is she good?" Kuro asked HEVN, paying no mind to the sparking Ginji. HEVN responded with a wink.

"Oh, she's got something alright, cute too hmm, you like blonds Kuro-Kun?" HEVN feigned a pout at this.

"Wha?! Emi-Chan with…with…Kuro-Chan!? But he's evil, he's like Ban!" Ginji yelled, practically crying at the prospect of Kuro being his son in law.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean limp dick!" Ban screamed, bursting through the doors, damaging their hinges much to Paul's chagrin.

"Relax Ginji; I only meant that Kuro would be comfortable working with Emiko, the off spring of the former Lightning Lord of Shinjuku. Who I'm sure you have trained, right Ginji?" HEVN asked Ginji, whose resolve faltered a bit at this.

"Yeah, dad gave me some self defense lessons; I remember it was right after mom taught me to cook." Emiko said with a finger to her chin, not realizing the implications of what she was saying.

"Emiko? You don't really want to…do this? Do you?" Ginji asked almost pleadingly towards his so far only child. Emiko looked at her fathers big brown eyes, and didn't quite know how to respond, it was dangerous sure but…

"Auntie HEVN, you said some one was in trouble right? A girl being kidnapped?" HEVN nodded at this. "Dad, I want to help, I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing some girl, a girl who could have been me or mom or anyone else…be in danger, isn't that what you and Uncle Ban-Chan thought when you became retrievers?" Emiko responded, her violet eyes focused yet almost tearing.

"And besides, it could be fun!" she added, almost causing a collective collapse around the room. Ban adjusted his purple lenses with a reptilian grin plastered on his face.

"The girls got it." Kuro heard the whisper and looked back, raising an eyebrow. He then made a glance, making sure Ban would remember the terms of this agreement, the man of the Jagan responded with a slightly more somber smile and a nod. Suddenly, Ban leaped behind Kuro and shoved him forward towards Emiko.

"Kuro Takeshi, meet your fellow GetBacker…"

"Emiko Amano, who you'd better protect Kuro-Chan." Ginji said with a smile that spoke volumes. Kuro nearly flinched as he remembered not only the legends of "The Lightning Lord Ginji Amano" but also of the actual stories Ban had told him.

"Dad, I'm sure me and Takeshi-San will get along just fine." Emiko said, standing up and gently pulling her father back.

"No No No No! No "San" in this business my dear, from now on you depend on him, as he does you, call him "Chan" or "Kun", he is your partner, like a brother, like another half like-"

"Quit embarrassing us both you idiot." Kuro deadpanned as everyone, even the usually aloof Paul, burst into fits of laughter.

0000000000

"That was pretty funny, wasn't it Takeshi-San?" Emiko said, as if reading his thoughts. Snapped out of his reconnaissance, Kuro looked over.

"Yeah, sometimes the snake is just too easy." Emiko smiled and then ventured a guess.

"You two, you and Ban are close, are you related?" Emiko asked, silencing the question in her mind as to why Ban and Kuro look so much alike. The grip on the binoculars tightened slightly.

"We're not related, and as to why we look so much alike…that's a matter of opinion."

"I'm sorry Takeshi-San." Emiko muttered, looking down with a blush. Seeing this, Kuro put down the binoculars.

"Don't worry about it, and call me Kuro, everyone else does no matter what I tell them."

"Okay, oh…wait, you mean Kuro is not your real name?" before Kuro could respond he started the car.

"Later Miss. Raitei, lets get to work." Kuro said, flashing a calm smile towards Emiko who looked surprised and then smiled herself.

To Be Continued

AN: I promise the next chapter will have action in it, stick around, you know you want to! Later.