Chapter 10
Twenty minutes later, food bag in one hand Keiko dug the keys back out of her pocket when she approached her apartment door. She inserted the key in the door just as she heard, "Syria, are you just getting home?"
Keiko turned her head, taking her hand from her keys and doorknob. She found Trowa walking towards her, another male walking behind him, so she couldn't make out what he looked like yet.
"Trowa!" she exclaimed, "Yes, I just got here. I was coming from elsewhere when I called. Then I picked up dinner." She said lifting the bag a few inches.
"Well, Heero agreed and came." Trowa said, stepping aside to reveal his companion.
The cobalt-eyed brunet stood mutely beside Trowa, his attention on the girl.
Keiko looked at the shorter of the two, surprise written all over her face. She had no idea that one of Relena's friends was an unmatched-in-skill computer hacker.
Heero smirked at the girl, but then his expression went back to impassive. His hands were in his pockets and his body language said he was at ease.
Keiko shook of out of her surprise as she heard a noise come from inside her apartment. She stopped dead still. She sharply turned her head to the door, her attitude went deadly and her body was tense.
The sudden change in the girl did not escape the two men. Trowa reached out and took the bag of food from her. She jerkily glanced at him, but turned back to her door. Her right hand already grasped her gun in the pocket and drawing it out she took the safety off. Her left hand was on the doorknob and standing to the left side of the door she turned the knob and pushed the door open slowly.
Trowa and Heero watched the girl silently and let her do what she was doing. They both knew that she knew exactly what she was doing and that she could wield her gun accurately; Trowa knew because of the fact that she was an assassin, but Heero figured it from the way she held it and her body language.
Keiko's gun was aimed into the front room, searching for motion and listening for more noises. Cautiously she slid into the room, her back to the wall, her gun never wavering.
A lamp turned on and a redhead at the end of Keiko's barrel stared at the assassin, her eyes wide.
Keiko felt her adrenaline plummet the instant she recognized her friend and lowered her gun.
"Damn it all!" Keiko shouted.
"Damn Syria! You could've shot me!" Starlight cried in retort.
Keiko felt the two men at her back in the doorway, but her anger was sparked. So she switched to Gaelic.
"What the HELL are you doing here!"
Starlight glanced back at the men before too, switching to Gaelic.
"I heard from Nightowl Assassin that there was an attempt on your blonde ex-target by Trishot Assassin." Starlight said, purposely not giving out Relena's name. It didn't translate over and this conversation was too private to let any slip-ups.
"When was this? It happened no more than four or so hours ago." Keiko said, clicking the safety back on. She still held her gun and was dimly aware that the apartment door was now shut.
Trowa held the girl's key and then made a wide berth around Keiko, taking the food into the kitchen. He set the bag on the table, placing the keys next to it. Then he returned to Heero's side, still watching the girls.
It was one thing to see two women arguing in a foreign language, but an entirely different thing to see two beautiful women arguing in a foreign language.
"I went to HQ to accept a couple of new assignments at about three o'clock. Nightowl chatted with me and then told me about earlier." Starlight replied. She moved slowly to sit on the couch, her gaze still on her friend.
Keiko took a few steps until she stood in the center of the room.
"And how did Nightowl find out?" Keiko demanded.
"She was one of Trishot's teachers. He went to her after he left the home of the ex-target. He told her what had happened and asked to help put out the rumor that you the great assassin is the bodyguard of this woman." Starlight said.
Keiko let out a very small sigh. "Fine, but why are you here!"
Starlight looked a bit exasperated that Keiko couldn't figure it out.
"I was worried about you!" Starlight said.
That made Keiko stop and think. "But I've been an assassin for years now. Why is this assignment different?" she asked softly.
"You are not killing anyone outright. This is not an assignment that can be totally completed and forgotten within an hour or so. This will take so much longer. And I know for a fact that there will be more attempts. People will want to test themselves against you and you know that." Starlight said.
"But no one was hurt today. No bullets flew." Keiko replied simply.
"Yeah, but anyway," Starlight switching out of Gaelic mode said, "I just came to check up on you."
Keiko too, stopped using the language of Scotland, "Okay mother, now you've done your duty. And I will repeat, no one was hurt."
Starlight let out a sigh, knowing better than to add "yet" out loud. "Fine. But I need to go. I've got an assignment to fill tonight."
Keiko moved aside as Starlight gracefully rose and walked past her friend to the doorway. The redhead opened it, stepping over the threshold. Before she closed it all the way she popped her head back in and said in Gaelic, "By the way, I'll want to hear all about tonight's activities."
A blade flew through the air and embedded itself in the wall next to the door.
Starlight blinked, grinned and then closed the door.
"Where did that dagger come from?" Trowa asked lightly.
Keiko turned her slanted green eyes towards him.
"Arm sheaths." She said simply. Then sighed, "I'm sorry about what just occurred. It's just that it's not often someone I know comes in here without me knowing." She said.
"How good are you with a gun?" Heero asked, his deep voice slightly vibrating through the air.
She looked at him, "I am an assassin-trained bodyguard. Does that answer your question?"
Heero gave a sharp nod and then asked, "Got a laptop somewhere?"
"Yes. It's in the room down the hall across from the bathroom. I think you may have to unplug it. I haven't used it in a few weeks; it should still be hooked up to the wall." She replied with the wave of a hand.
He went off in the direction she indicated, leaving the two alone.
Keiko stared at Trowa not knowing what to do. Sure she was his lover but she'd only met him not even a couple of weeks ago.
The awkward silence that hung between them was broken when Trowa arched an eyebrow at her and said, "Did I leave that here?"
Keiko was a tiny bit startled and then confused but a minute later realized he was talking about the jacket.
"Oh, well yes," she was starting to feel flustered and it didn't help any when Trowa strode to stand in front of her. She looked up into his visible green eye. He stared down into her face and lowering his head placed a quick kiss on her lips. She closed her eyes briefly and opening them she leaned her body forward to give him a hug.
When they pulled away Keiko blushed upon hearing her stomach growl. Trowa smirked at her, taking her arm and pulling her towards the kitchen.
"You need to eat," he said.
As they pulled out the packets and cartons of food, Heero came in carrying a black laptop with a couple of wires connected to it.
"Any where I can plug this in?" he asked looking around the kitchen.
Keiko put down the carton of rice she was holding and moved around the table to the wall. She moved aside a chair and revealed an outlet. Heero moved to set the laptop on the table by the plug as Keiko returned her attention to the food.
Fifteen minutes later the three had already eaten some of their food. Sitting around the table Heero was on one side and Keiko sat beside Trowa on the other.
"So what exactly do you want hacked into?" Heero asked after taking a drink of green tea.
"The computer files of Relena James' servant staff." She said. "I'm her bodyguard and there was an attempt today." She added when he raised an eyebrow. "I need to know if anyone else is actually an assassin in disguise."
"How would you know if someone was an assassin if the files come up with nothing to point them out?" Heero asked carefully.
Trowa looked over at the girl, wondering how she'd respond.
Keiko was silent as she pondered on his question. She didn't know how exactly to answer it. She looked back up into his blue eyes and replied, "I'm occasionally an assassin myself. Besides that I have high connections."
Heero's eyebrow went even higher as he stared at her. He knew that there was something she wasn't telling. But he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut.
"I see," Heero said. "I will still hack into the files if you are worried about that."
"Thank you." She said.
Heero turned to the laptop and began typing. A few minutes later he paused, looking at the two. "I think I found one."
Keiko and Trowa both went to stand behind the other one. A picture was up, next to a resume. But there was also another window of information that only a computer hacker would be able to drudge up.
Keiko looked at the picture, saying, "That one has already been outed. He tried for Relena earlier."
Heero had to turn in his seat to look into her face, "Is he dead?"
"No." Keiko replied simply.
Heero turned back to the screen, "When a bodyguard protects with force, people, usually those who attacked, end up dead." He said in a monotone.
"That's true and in my line of work, always. But there was no need to kill him. He's young, younger than I am and he knows who I am in our world and that it would have been meaningless for him to continue with his actions there." she said. She wasn't sure if she should have said that last part, but it was said and she couldn't take it back.
Heero looked back at her and she knew Trowa was watching her too. She steeled herself and refused to answer the questions that hung between them.
Without another word Heero went back to his hacking. Keiko turned away from him, finding that Trowa still watched her closely. She looked up into his face, unsure if he would say something. He reached out to her and slowly wrapped a hand around hers. He pulled her into the living room where he gave her a hug.
But while she was pressed against him he felt the sheaths of her knives even through the thick denim material. He also felt a bulge lower down on her legs. When he released her from his embrace his long fingers strayed up to the top of the jacket. Keiko watched him and slightly shuddered when he lightly brushed against her neck. She closed her eyes, but opened them when she felt him slowly slide and pull the jacket from her arms. She stood still and let him do all the work of taking it off, but momentarily had to help him work the sleeves over her dagger sheaths.
When he finished, he lay the jacket on the couch and watched as Keiko took her sheaths off, setting them on the end table close to her. Then smirked evilly when she hiked up her dress to take off her thigh holster. When she let the cloth settle back down she glanced up at Trowa, who still smirked with evil thoughts. She turned her face up to him and with one hand grabbed at his shirt, pulling him to her. Their lips met in a passionate kiss.
Keiko slid her arm up around his neck, slightly going up on tiptoe. Trowa wrapped his arms around her middle, successfully bringing her against his tall hard body. The kiss deepened in a matter of seconds but jerkily broken off when the phone rang.
Heero never looked up from his work except to eat his food. But Keiko and Trowa were a little breathless and dazed as they looked around for the phone. Keiko quickly answered it when she found it in its cradle.
"Hello?" she said.
"Hello Keiko." The voice of her client said evenly.
TBC