Chapter 8
In fifteen minutes she was by Relena's side in Relena's private study.
"Syria you didn't need to come today. It's Sunday." Relena said.
"You never know when something could happen." Keiko replied.
Relena looked around, suddenly concerned and settled her gaze on her bodyguard once more.
"Something's happened hasn't it? You're expecting something bad to happen soon, aren't you?" Relena asked, worried. She was a little frightened now, but she'd also be more alert than usual too.
"I'm a bodyguard. I'm paid well to be cautious and find problems before they become problems. And yes, I'm expecting someone to try for you. That is why I'm here." Keiko replied in a soft tone. Her face was serious as she spoke; she knew that someone would make an attempt on Relena. But wasn't sure when they'd start coming.
"Relena! We will be late for our meeting if we don't leave now." Pierre said, coming into Relena's private study.
Keiko silently stepped to one side as she looked at the man. She would act like the obedient employee.
Pierre glanced at Keiko, who gave him a blank look, as Relena slid her arm into his. They walked out, Keiko following behind being alert and watchful. She heard distant commotion from the kitchen across the first story of the mansion. Her right hand slid into the pocket of the jacket where she kept her second gun.
Relena sensed a sudden tension from behind her and glanced back. Keiko's face was so carefully blank, yet serious all the same made Relena and Pierre stop. Pierre also caught sight of Keiko and was slightly puzzled. But he didn't miss that Keiko had drawn an air of deadliness around her.
Someone was half running through the hall, coming towards the three.
"Get back here and do the job you were hired to do!" a cook yelled, waving a rolling pin in the air. Her white apron had spots of a red sauce on it and there was either flour or powered sugar on her arms and on one cheek.
Keiko saw a small form rushing from the direction of the kitchen, one hand in a pocket of a pair of baggy pants. Instantly Keiko knew this person was drawing a gun.
"Get down now!" Keiko said forcefully.
At once Pierre pulled his wife into his protective embrace and pulled her down to the ground. He also put his back to where the person was coming from. He had been a soldier once.
Keiko's gun was pointed and cocked, ready to fire. Her gun was aimed at the young man coming towards them. His gun was now out and stopped short five feet in front of Keiko. He glanced at her quickly, knowing at once that she was dangerous, but didn't know how much. He didn't know that his target had acquired a bodyguard. Why wasn't he told! He hesitated, his gun's muzzle lowering ever so slightly.
"That's right, lower your weapon. I don't want to shoot you." Keiko said in a cool, emotionless voice.
The assailant's eyes flicked back to the one with the gun, after looking at his target. For just an instant he looked at his target, cowering in her husband's arms. But his gaze always went back to the woman with the gun.
By now the cook had watched what was going on and stopped about twenty feet from the "kitchen helper". She stared at Ms. Relena's bodyguard, her eyes wide. Her rolling pin had already long been lowered to her side.
"Now put the gun on the floor." Keiko said, her gun following the assassin's every movement. He wouldn't be able to pull any tricks in front of this bodyguard. "Nice and easy. Don't make any sudden moves."
The young man slowly set his gun on the floor.
"Slowly take out all other weapons and place them next to the gun." She continued. Her own gun arm was getting tired. One-armed positions were no fun when kept up for an extended amount of time. Her arm was getting really tired so she wrapped her other hand around her right one. Her finger was also still on the trigger and starting to feel a little cramped but did not move it.
The young assassin looked up at the bodyguard, eyes wide with surprise. How did this mere bodyguard know he had more weapons?
"Yes, I know you have more and if you do as I say without a fuss I will tell you how I know." Keiko said, gun never wavering.
Relena and Pierre just stared at the two, never moving or saying anything. The cook was still watching with a thoughtful look on her face.
The young man slowly took another gun from his pants, two wrist sheaths with daggers from his long sleeves and another dagger from his left leg.
"Now stand and step back. Don't try anything or you won't live to see another day." Keiko said. She watched him rise and then slowly and carefully went to the weapons herself. Sinking down on one knee, her gun never strayed from the one in front of her. With one hand she scooped up the weapons the best she could and rose back up. She could feel his gaze on her as she finally lowered her gun to cradle the other weapons as she walked to Pierre and her employer.
"Here. I want you to put these in a large envelope and have someone put them in my car." Keiko handed them to the man, who now stood.
Pierre took the weapons and Keiko's keys, which she dug out of the jacket pocket and left with Relena trailing behind him.
"And don't leave the house without me. Even if you are late, Ms. Relena." Keiko called after them.
"Yes Syria, we won't." Relena called back.
Keiko turned towards the cook now, "Now you Mrs. Cook. Just go about your business as usual. Just don't hire anyone new until I can look through people's records. I don't want another new staff member being an assassin." She said.
"Yes'um." The cook said as she turned and went back to the kitchen.
Keiko turned back to the young man who had not moved but to follow Keiko with his eyes. Slipping her gun into her pocket she said, "Come and take a walk with me. Don't worry I won't harm you."
Cautiously he moved to Keiko's side as she started walking. They were headed towards the front entryway of the mansion. He remained silent, but knew the woman was still watching him like a hawk.
"You will get your weapons back from assassin head quarters. But I need your name." Keiko said. She held open the front door and they both walked out, the young man in front.
He stared at her as they walked out to the driveway and stopped. No one was around anywhere so this was as much privacy as they were likely going to get.
But how did this bodyguard assume she knew where the assassination HQ was! But then he realized, what if this "bodyguard" was also an assassin? He looked at her in a whole new light.
"You've figured that I'm one too?" she asked. There was a tiny hint of a smile on her lips. He nodded, not saying anything. "Then tell your client that this target will not be an assassin's target any longer. I will personally take out any other assassin that tries for this life." Keiko said firmly.
"Who are you?" he asked.
Keiko leaned in a little closer, "I am Keiko Assassin." She leaned back as the other's jaw dropped and eyes wide in astonishment. "Now do you see why it's useless to send assassins here?" she asked.
"Yes, but can you prove that you're Keiko? You never know when someone could impersonate you." He said, a very cautious look on his face, yet suspicious too.
Sighing inwardly she flexed an arm and felt a dagger fall into her hand hilt first. She offered her hand to him to take the dagger. He took it and closely examined the hilt, finding the elaborate K on the custom designed hilt.
"Nobody could con this. You are Keiko." He said, handing the dagger back.
Since she couldn't put the dagger back in the sheath without cutting her arm at the moment, she just held her dagger.
"I thank you for seeing that. Now, like I told you, go to your client and tell him that you can't complete your assignment because I'm here. Let word around that I'm here, put the rumor out." Keiko told him.
"I will," he nodded.
"I still need your name." Keiko said.
"My assassin name?" he asked. Keiko nodded. "It's Trishot."
"Okay Trishot, tell the assassin world that Keiko is protecting Relena Peacecraft James. But NOT my alias name, since you probably know it." She said.
"I won't tell. But our people will still make attempts. Some may not because of your reputation. But the ones that do will want to test themselves against you or even just try to slip by you to prove that someone can." Trishot warned.
"I know they will and some may die for their test of skills against me. But I'll worry about that when the time comes." She replied.
Trishot bowed a little to her, not saying anything. There wasn't anything to say.
"Now, go. Your weapons will be returned to you through HQ. Now leave and don't return for anything. Not even to warn me of a next attempt." Keiko said. "The only time I will ever want to see you is One—we pass one another at chance, Two—we have some assassin convention, Three—we work together on some assignment and Four—I come to you for information in the future. Those will be the only times I'll ever want to see you, got it?" she said, a firm tone in her voice.
Trishot bowed his head. Keiko bowed in return and watched him leave. When he was out of sight Keiko turned to go back inside to find Relena.
Relena and Pierre were waiting in front of the main staircase.
"Is he taken care of?" Pierre asked. He assumed that Syria would harm him, or threaten him with his life or something of the sorts; maybe even maim or kill him.
Keiko nodded. "Yes. He won't ever attempt on Ms. Relena again. He's not stupid enough to try again." She replied, clearly stating that he was still alive.
Relena knew that the assassin would never return because he knew who exactly her bodyguard was. He wasn't stupid enough to go up against the Ultimate Assassin. Her eyes went to the dagger her bodyguard was unconsciously playing with in her hands and hoped that she didn't hurt herself. But then knew that Keiko wouldn't. She dragged her gaze to Keiko's face after about a minute of two of watching the metal dance around with skin.
"So we're safe for now?" Relena asked.
"You're safe for now. They're only after you Ms. Relena." Keiko replied.
Pierre was curious about why people were after his wife, but did not ask. He knew he would also be safer if he didn't know.
"Now, we can leave." Keiko said.
"Would you please put your dagger away first?" Pierre asked, pointedly looking at Keiko's hands. Keiko looked down and holding the metal with one had she slipped off one jacket sleeve. Quickly sheathing her dagger she made sure it would stay and pulled the jacket back on properly.
"Okay, now we're really going to be late. Let's leave now." Pierre said, leading the two women to a waiting car outside in the back.
A driver waited by the car, lounging against it, but immediately came to attention when he spotted his employers.
"Good morning Mr. James, Ms. Relena." He tipped his non-existent hat at them politely. Keiko gave him a nod in greeting, which he returned and held the door open for the couple. But Pierre took the seat in front with the driver, allowing Relena and Keiko to take the back to themselves. The driver shut the door and took his seat and began driving as Pierre gave directions.
The two women had been silent as they pulled out of the driveway and away form the house. Relena's gaze roved over her bodyguard sitting beside her and casually asked, "Isn't that Trowa's jacket?"
Keiko's cheeks went a little pink and she replied, "Yes. He forgot it when he left this morning. So I decided to wear it." She purposely gave the older woman more information to signify that the assassin was dating.
Relena's eyebrows went up. She hadn't expected for Keiko and Trowa to move so fast. But that was what matchmaking did. And the two made such a lovely couple.
"Don't worry. I won't tease you…much." Relena said grinning.
Keiko rolled her eyes, "No, but Starlight will." She grumbled. That prompted giggles out of the blonde.
TBC