Chapter Two: Out of Character?
Walking through the streets of Tokyo in the business district, Gabriel felt pretty conspicuous walking around in his light blue button down, indigo jeans and Doc's compared to the throng of neutral colored business suits. The fact that he was taller than most of them didn't help. Especially when you factor in the blazing shade of his red-orange hair, and his pale skin. Blah, I stick out like a sore thumb, a big swollen one… Feeling a shiver run up his spine, Gabriel shivered and looked around. Man, it totally feels like someone has been watching me ever since I got here…
Looking down at the notepad in his hand with several addresses scrawled across the page, he looked back up to match the address on the page to the address on the building. This looks like the place…
As he was walking up the steps, a man bumped into him, sending him stumbling forward. Grabbing up his dropped notebook, Gabriel then checked the bag strapped to his back. Zipping open the case, and relieved to find his violin still in one piece, Gabriel sighed out in relief.
"Daijoubu-ka?"
"Umm, yeah. I'm fine, no damage done."
"That is good to hear. I am very sorry for bumping into you."
Gabriel smiled outwardly at him but frowned on the inside. Why is he acting soo… nice? I've been getting the "gajin treatment" ever since I got here. Why the change? "Nah, don't be. Accidents happen, right?"
"Yes, I suppose they do. And I am sorry."
Gabriel smiled again and discreetly glanced down at his watch. Still got time, but this is getting weird… "My ring! Dammit, I lost my ring!" Looking back up at the European -odd, that- Gabriel apologized. "I'm sorry, but I lost my ring. I have to go find it."
"I'll help you look. Can you describe it?"
"A Borgia ring, silver, with a purple amethyst in the center…" Gabriel answered distractedly as he searched the stone steps.
"Could this be it?"Gabriel spun around and looked at the ring the man was holding up. "Yes, that's exactly it! Thank You!" As Gabriel reached for the ring, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and it felt almost as if time was slowing down. As his fingers brushed the ring, he felt himself being engulfed in a white light, and then he found himself standing in a white void with only the European who found his ring for company.
"Oh-Kay… this is unexpected. Where am I?" Looking at the only other person there, he frowned. The guy didn't even look like he was breathing, almost as if he was frozen in stone. "Hey, buddy, you okay?"
"Ahh!" Clutching both hands at his head as a sudden pain lanced through his brain, Gabriel looked up to see people staring at him. Especially the European who was still holding out the ring. Gabriel grinned, weakly. "Migraine, sorry." Holding out his hand, the man dropped the ring into his palm. And holding the ring in his hand, he saw the strangest pictures in his mind. Men falling into the sea from a crumbling building; the search for four of them; how the European thought he was one of them and how the European purposely bumped into him to find out.
Gabriel blinked and the disconcerting images/thought/emotions stopped. "Ahh, thanks. Have a good day!" Gabriel had to forcibly stop himself from running from that man as he walked into the building. Looking at the ring sitting on the palm of his hand, he stared at it to figure out what had just happened. Shaking his head, he slipped the ring back onto his finger and strode over towards the elevator. Pressing the up button, he waited for the elevator, lost in thought.
00000
Across town, a Japanese teen sat bent over his laptop. Fingers dancing across the keys, he paused to take another bite of his croissant. Leaning back and reviewing what he had wrote, his pale hand reached out to take a sip from his Starbuck's mocha frappuccino. Frowning, one hand went back to typing as he continued to sip at his drink. With the shrill sound of a ringing cell phone pierced the quiet, the teen glanced down and his cell phone floated into his free hand.
"Hello?""Nagi, you need to come home."
Nagi frowned slightly, "What's wrong, Crawford? Did you See something?"
"We'll discuss this further when you get home."
"Okay, Crawford. I'm leaving…" Nagi looked back at his laptop when it started to sound. Programs started opening up, and the screen was soon filled with a number of new windows. Nagi smiled.
"Nagi?"
"Sorry Crawford. But it looks like there has been some 'activity' within the system. Give me a few minutes to get it all sorted out, and I'll come straight home."
Nagi ended the call, and he placed the phone back into his bag. Closing some of the new windows, and saving some of the others, Nagi finally found what he was looking for. Smiling to himself, he began decoding the encrypted word file. Good thing I hacked and altered the systems when I got the chance. Now when anything important occurs, I'll know.
Typing for a few more minutes, the file finally became readable. Skimming through the report, Nagi's eyes widened. Crawford will be happy to hear about this… Except, why didn't he tell us he was back in town? But, what was he doing in that part of town, and why was he so out of character?"
