Memories of Light (Chapter Two)
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.
A/N: Wow, lots of positive feedback on this fic. To address the only concern I received, yes, I plan on finishing this fic. I've got it all planned out in my head.
Anyway, this chapter mostly concerns Ruki. In the next one, she and the narrator will meet up.
In a small quiet alley located within the New York district known as Hell's Kitchen, a shaft of white light appeared. It broadened and expanded and Ruki stepped out of it. Surveying her surroundings, she walked towards the head of the alley. The sound of cars passing on the street beyond and the general chatter of people echoed strangely in the alley. Pausing at the head, she looked up at the sky. There was about five hours of daylight left.
Reaching into the pocket of her jacket, she withdrew her Digivice. The readings told her that she was in the right dimension and in the place where she had intended to open the portal. However, the screen did not show any signs that Ryo was in the city. Sighing, she pocketed the item. She had not really expected it to work anyway. It made her job harder though. Whatever mission Ryo was on had to be highly sensitive. She would have to be very careful in her prying or she could end up putting his life as well as her own in danger. She would have to be extremely careful.
Pulling her jacket tighter around herself, she began walking. As she was passing a news stall, a headline caught her eye. Stopping, she picked up the newspaper. The story talked about a truck exploding in the middle of Times Square. The picture showed smoking wreckage and there was talk from witnesses about a man exiting the truck just before it had exploded. The one detail that caught her eye was the fact that cameras in that area had suffered some type of technical malfunction and so there weren't any photos to document the incident. That sounded very much like the work of the IDCF. It was a long shot but she had precious little to go on at the moment.
"Hey lady, you gonna buy that or what?"
The gruff voice of the stall keeper pulled her out of her thoughts. Lowering the newspaper, she asked, "How much?"
"Fifty cents." The man replied.
Moments later, his eyes widened as she withdrew a roll of bills. Picking carefully between them, she took out a one-dollar bill and handed it to him while pocketing the rest. It was fortunate that she had studied up on New York City in the Twentieth Century before coming here. There was a look of greed in the stall keeper's eyes as he handed her three quarters in change. Smiling inwardly, Ruki moved on. Flaunting her apparent wealth in a rundown neighborhood like this was going to attract the attention of just the type of people she needed to talk to.
Sticking mostly to semi-deserted areas, Ruki made her way towards the waterfront. Fifteen minutes after leaving the news stall, she spotted three men shadowing her. They had taken the bait; now all she had to do was force a confrontation on her terms. A few moments later, she found the perfect spot. It was a tight deserted alley, halfway to the waterfront. Walking calmly into it, she jumped and grabbed a hold of both side walls with her hands and feet. Shimmying up, she stopped when she had reached a height of ten feet. Now, all she had to do was wait. It did not take very long.
Scarcely a second later, the three men following her rushed into the alley and stopped when they discovered that she wasn't there. She didn't give them a chance to recover from the feeling of surprise. Dropping down, she kicked one man in the head, sending him sprawling backwards into one of his friends. The remaining thug grunted a curse and charged her. He was a large, heavyset man and hard to avoid in the alley. She let him grab her and push her against the wall. He was unprepared when she rammed her knee into his groin. She pushed him away as he groaned in pain and started slumping against her. An uppercut to the chin sent him rocking back and the back of his head collided hard with the wall of the alley. He slumped down, out cold.
Not wasting a breath, Ruki turned to the other two thugs. One of them was rising but the other was slumped on the floor. The pool of blood by his head told its own story. Withdrawing a knife concealed in the sleeve of her jacket, she quickly stepped forward and pressed it under the man's chin.
"Get up very slowly," she said coldly, pressing the point of the knife just a little. He practically sprang in the air at the sensation.
She gave him a once over as he stood in front of her. Her kick hadn't damaged his jaw which was a relief. She needed him to be able to speak.
"Uh, lady," he said, swallowing nervously.
"Quiet," Ruki hissed, pressing the knife under his chin until a thin trickle of blood ran down the blade. "I need information about this place. Tell me where to go if I want information about the crime that occurs in this city."
The guy swallowed nervously again. "There's a bar near the waterfront. The guy there has contacts."
"What about the man at the news stall?"
"You mean Leo. Naw, he knows nothing'. All he does is contact me for jobs."
Ruki nodded. "Give me the address of the bar."
He complied, giving her exact directions to the place as well as the name of the person she wanted to talk to. Afterward, she slipped the knife back up her sleeve, holding his eyes with her own. He was a few inches taller then her but she wanted him to completely understand who was in control of the situation. As he was turning around to leave, she elbowed him in the back of the head, knocking him out cold. Stepping over the last body, she continued on her way.
There were times when he dreamed.
They were dreams of happier times: flying through the air although he did not know how that was possible, a woman with a fiery heart and haunting eyes that always seemed to gaze into his soul. Did he even have a soul anymore?
They had tortured him in their own primitive way. But he had held out and had not given them any information. But then, they had begun their experiments and now... everything... was changed. He had been infected by the virus and then given the antidote.
He could hear them now, his resolve weakened and his memories gradually slipping away. Humanity did not want peace and harmony. They would always contend and always war with each other. He could bring an ending to it all. The virus they had so carelessly thought to use against him would be what he used to bring true, lasting peace to all the worlds out there.
But, there was the girl. Her image haunted him still although he had forgotten about everybody else. There had to be a reason why she caused such disquiet within him.
Gazing out of the window of the apartment building, Ryo Akiyama smiled as a familiar car pulled up to the curb outside.
The bar was dirty and smelly and filled with sailors. She had already had to persuade some of the more stubborn ones that she did not want to be disturbed. Thankfully, since fights were such a common occurrence in the establishment, she had not drawn much attention. Well, no more then usual. What she had done to the last man was likely to discourage any more boisterous attempts in her direction.
And all that had happened in the first five minutes.
Right now, she was sitting at a table in one corner of the dark, smoky room. She had bought a drink but had no intentions of drinking it. Appearing to take a sip, she surveyed the room once again. The barkeep had disappeared shortly after giving her the drink. Which meant one of two things: either the enquiry she had discreetly made had scared him or he was watching her right now, trying to ascertain his position. She would bet on the latter option. From what she had seen of the man, he did not appear to be the type that ran away. At the very least, he would be curious and that was the hook she was hoping would bait him.
For the moment though, all she could do was sit and wait.
Nearly two hours later, the man finally made an appearance.
Taking a seat calmly at her table, he said, "You are persistent. Not many would have waited this long without trying to escalate the matter."
She regarded him calmly. "I am not easily discouraged."
"A fine trait in a woman," he said with a smile. "I admit to being a little intrigued at all this. What is it that you want?"
"Information."
"What type of information?"
Ruki took a small sip from her drink. "How about you begin talking and I'll let you know when I've heard enough."
The man blinked uncertainly. "You want everything I know? That is not a request I can grant, Miss."
"You will have to," Ruki said softly, adding a hint of menace in her voice. "Or, you won't be leaving this table alive."
He smirked at her. "Threatening me in my own bar is a mistake. I can have my men here in seconds."
"Feel free to call them any time you want. Just remember you'll be sealing your own fate when you do. Because when I'm through with them, I'm going to come for you." She flicked her wrist and the knife twirled into her hand. "I'll get the information I want either way. You can either choose to give it to me freely or I can torture you until you tell me. If I have to do the latter, it will only end in your death." She twirled the knife again and it disappeared up her sleeve.
Three hours later, she left with a single name: Gen-U-Tech.
Ryo opened the door to his apartment and ushered in a small, nervous looking man carrying a suitcase. In the days when his memories had been a little more complete, he had enlisted the help of the man. He was a contact of his from the old days and had done everything asked of him. Including the manufacture of the virus in large supplies.
"It's done, man," he burst out nervously, stepping into the apartment. "I want my money now and want to disappear."
Ryo took the suitcase from him and opened it on the table. There were a half dozen vials inside. Taking one out he put it on the table.
"Wha... what're you doing man?" His contact stammered nervously.
"Tell me," he said slowly, "have you said your prayers yet?" Picking up the small cylindrical vial, he twirled it around in his fingers.
"Be careful with that." The man snapped nervously. "What has gotten into you?"
"Life is a fragile thing. A dream you cannot wake from, an endless nightmare. I will grant you that release." He set down the vial on the table and withdrew a gun. Pointing it at the vial, he said, "Make your peace with whatever god you worship."
The man's eyes widened and he began to rush forward.
Ryo pulled the trigger.
Ok, go ahead and review.
