Hi, I'm back again. (dodge all the rotten tomatoes and eggs) It was a dry
spell for me, the last six months. Except for one or two chapters on 'The
Mirror', I didn't write at all. But I'm back again and I'll try updating
more regularly (now, why does that sound so familiar?) Ok, ok, guess I used
up all the trust invested in me. But seriously, real life does intrude and
sometimes, I find it quite hard to squeeze out the time to write.
If you recall, I said in earlier chapters that this story is based on one that I've read. But after so long, this story has become mine and it's taking a totally different bend from what I originally had in mind. I shall labor on although it may be at the speed of a plodding tortoise. Yeah...well...anyway, on a more upbeat note, it's been a year and a half since I started writing fanfic so to commemorate, I shall include a short summary of each chapter! Yay!!!
PS. The more discerning readers and the friends who know me well will know that this is just an excuse to refresh my own memory. Ooops...
Summaries
Chapter1
Kaoru and Tsubame were adopted by Usui of Kobe yakuza. Kaoru trained in the ways of the traids. They were sold to Jineh of Shinzuku and Tsubame was shot and held as hostage for Kaoru's compliance. As adopted daughter of Jineh, Kaoru was given two bodyguards, Megumi and Aoshi.
Chapter2
Kaoru was sent to America for further training. Her goal: To amass power. 8 years later, in Hong Kong and Italy, her old companions, Kenshin, Sano and Soujiro had climbed up the ranks of the traids and mafia. The three of them received an invitation to Japan for Jineh's birthday celebration.
Chapter3
Kaoru met with Enishi. Discussed ways to get together because she was suspicious about their past. Brought him to see Tsubame, whom she later killed to release her from her sufferings.
Chapter4
In a few words, Kaoru flexed her muscles. During the birthday celebration, she killed Jineh and seized control of Shinzuku. A classic 'eyes met across the room' scene between her and Kenshin. Recognized each other for the predators they were. Hmmm...rephrase. They recognized each other from their shared childhood.
Chapter5
Kenshin revealed to the rest of the gang that Kaoru was one of their old friends from the orphanage. Their godfather, Shishio plot for an alliance of Shinzuku and HongXing through marriage between Kaoru and Kenshin.
Chapter6
Kaoru flew to Hong Kong and met with the gang. Raised some questions about their shared fate of being adopted by the triads. In order to defeat Usui, they agreed to a marriage which was not going to be just a business alliance. Go figure.
Chapter7
Kaoru was back in Japan. Usui went to look for her and the gauntlet was thrown. Of course, Usui slunk away like the dog he was. Misao made her appearance as a police officer.
Chapter8
Misao was told to go undercover for Kaoru and Kenshin's wedding. She was also instructed not to make things difficult for Shinzuku. It was revealed by the superintendent, Okina, that there was an informant in Shinzuku. Usui called a mystery man for help but was brushed off. He vowed to take revenge on Kaoru.
Chapter9
Kenshin had set spies on his Godfather, Shishio. It turned out that Shishio was the man Usui called to ask for help. He extended an invitation to a friend for his wedding. After meeting Kaoru at the Narita airport, they realized that they had been followed. They managed to get rid of those people.
Chapter10
Misao went undercover as a choir girl. Kaoru found out from Megumi that the assassins who followed her and Kenshin were ordered by Usui. He had sold off all that he owned but they did not find out what he planned to do with the money. At the wedding, Usui suddenly appeared.
Chapter11
Usui had employed Lupus, an infamous assassin to kill Kenshin. But he had been fooled. The shock of losing everything was too much and he lost his mind. He was taken away by the police and the wedding carried on. At the end of the ceremony, someone held a gun to Kenshin.
Chapter12
2 weeks ago, Enishi received a strange call. It seemed to be the reason why he suddenly viewed Kenshin as an obstacle to be removed. Kenshin was shot but before Enishi could deal out the coup de grace, he was stopped by the priest who turned out to be Lupus/ Saitoh/ mystery man/ Kenshin's friend.
I think that says it all for what happened previously. Now it's on to chapter 13!
Chapter 13
A tall, solitary figure stood in front of the newly erected tombstone. The air was still. Although the sun was staring from overhead, it seemed that a shadow surrounded him. This was the most peaceful spot in the garden. In the morning, the trees would cast their shade protectively over the grave. In the coming summer, flowers would bloom in profusion. The wonders of nature that she missed while she was alive would accompany her in her sleep now. All of a sudden, there was a whisper among the trees. A gentle breeze rose and it teased out the slightest of movement from the motionless figure. It ruffled his hair. As if a spell had been broken, the man moved at last. He got down on one knee and laid a bouquet of white lilies against the tombstone. Reaching out, he brushed away the wilted leaves that rested on the black marble. His hand came to rest on the photo of a smiling face.
The face that was getting married today. The same face but such different fate. He remembered the first time he saw her in Shinzuku. She was lying in a pool of blood, her face pale and lifeless. Yet standing over her, he saw her mirror image, tight and drawn with fury and fear. Still alive. His own emotions then were tumultous. Anger, despair and pain. While Megumi followed Kaoru to America, he stayed behind on her orders. He was to protect Tsubame, take care of her. But he had already failed.
In the five years after, when he stayed in Shinzuku, he was a virtual shadow. He stayed by her side taking care of all her needs, doing penance for his failure to keep her safe. If he had been stronger, he would have spared Kaoru the pain of removing the life support. He should have done it himself. But he could not bring himself to do it. Gazing intently into the photo, he realized that he had never seen a real smile on either face since ...so long ago. But recently, Kaoru seemed more animated. He knew it was because of Himura Kenshin. Perhaps he would be good for her. For now, he reserved his judgment.
Taking one last look at the photo, he stood up and walked away. He had been away long enough. He was sent here, overtly, to inform Tsubame that Kaoru was getting married. But he knew that was just an excuse. He did not mind. He had other ways of knowing what happened when he was not there.
Heading for the garage at the side of the mansion, he saw four cars speeding down the driveway. He tensed and narrowed his eyes, his steps slowing. The cars screeched to a halt near the porch. Kaoru stepped out of the car and she was helping Himura down. Upon seeing that, he lengthened his strides. Something was wrong.
Sensing his approach, Kaoru called out, "Aoshi, quick!"
He was beside her in a few steps, stretching out his arms to take the weight of Himura from her but she refused to let go. He shifted his position and drew Himura's arms over his shoulder. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Sagara helping an unconscious Enishi out of another car. Beside him was a man he had not seen before. Filing his face away in his memory, Aoshi hurried up the steps amidst the tense, taut atmosphere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enishi's shoulder wound was not serious. But he did not wake up. It seemed that the blow to his head when was the cause. After dressing his wound, they retreated to Kenshin's room leaving Enishi with Hoshin and a trusted servant. Kaoru had refused to let the doctor see to Kenshin's wound, allowing only Megumi near. As was his custom, Aoshi stood near the door. For such a tall man, he had the uncanny knack of blending into the surrounding such that no one noticed his presence. He learnt the stranger's name and studied him with a deceptively casual eye. He was next to the window, leaning against the wall, the lines of his body relaxed. Light streamed in but instead of illuminating his position, it cast him into deeper shadows.
Sanosuke, Kaoru and Megumi had left Kenshin's side and were heading for the seats beside the window. Their expressions were grim.
Kaoru tossed a rust-red, sticky object on the table. It landed with a wet smack, splattering the table with red droplets. An almost empty bag of artificial blood. Then she turned to glare at Saitoh.
"Kenshin's unconscious. So you answer. The two of you were prepared for Enishi, weren't you? " Kaoru bit out the words coldly.
"We knew what he was going to do," he turned to look at Kenshin who was lying motionless in bed, "But we underestimated the threat that he posed."
"Kenshin was going to fake his injury, wasn't he? Except that now he doesn't have to pretend! The bullet almost blew his brains out. He could have died!"
Unable to control his anger and confusion, Sanosuke strode over to the window and grabbed Saitoh's black lapel robes.
"Explain yourself! How do know what Enishi was going to do? And why weren't we told?" he paused, "Who are you anyway? How are you connected to this?"
Saitoh's eyes were calm and collected. In the face of Sanosuke's rage, he shook off his hold with a twist of his hand leaving Sanosuke holding air.
"Nothing can be done or clarified if you insist on behaving like a puppy not yet housebroken. I don't have to explain myself. Not to anybody." Saitoh stepped away from Sanosuke and approached Kaoru. "You look like you have got more sense. Perhaps we can talk." There was no doubt that the last statement was not a request.
Kaoru nodded, her mind racing with questions. Although she still hungered to know about Enishi's sudden change, she needed to know more about this man who turned out of nowhere and who knew so much. What was his role exactly?
"A few months back, Himura got in touch with me. He needed to keep surveillance on his foster father and I was the obvious choice so..."
"Wait a minute. Why you? What do you mean when you say that you are the 'obvious choice'? How do you know each other?" Sanosuke blurted out. Kaoru leaned slightly forward in anticipation of the answer. She would not have asked straight out like Sano but she was very curious too.
Saitoh cocked an eyebrow. "We are ...," he deliberated, "...acquainted."
Sanosuke threw himself onto the couch and blew at his fringe in a gesture of exasperation. He knew he would not get a straight answer. Surprisingly, Megumi commented, "That's a very unsatisfactory answer."
With a smirk, Saitoh answered, "Yes, I know." Without missing a beat, he went back to the original track, "My team and I kept a twenty-four hour surveillance for months. We recorded every call he received and every call he made. Two weeks ago, he received a call from Usui. It confirmed Himura's suspicions. Shishio Makoto was behind the scheme of sending the lot of you to different triads in the world in the gamble of gaining control eventually."
Kaoru had pondered over this matter. She had similar suspicions before but there was the one big overwhelming obstacle that she could not reconcile with and she could not see how Shishio Makoto maneuver his way around the odds.
"Isn't the element of chance that Shishio counted on too big? He managed to lay out his chess pieces on the positions he wanted on the board but how can he be assured that we would go the way he wanted us to? How can he control or predict how it will turn out?" Kaoru closed her eyes, her brains working frantically to search for loopholes and possibilities.
The room was taut with suspense and tension. Saitoh sat quietly, studying the woman in front of him intently. He did not question Hayashi Kaoru's intellect. She would come by the answer eventually but would she dare face it? Leaning back, he felt the weight of a measuring gaze. It came from the man standing by the door. Aoshi Shinomori. Interesting. He was protective of Hayashi Kaoru. The way, he would check on her every few minutes. He doubted that protectiveness was conscious. Does Kenshin know? Hmm...
The silence was broken by Sanosuke. "What if he has the means to control us? Look at Enishi. We all agree that Enishi will not betray us so how do we explain his actions in the church except that he did not know what he was doing? That he was somehow being ...manipulated?"
So he has a brain after all, Saitoh mused. How fortunate for him.
Kaoru did not say anything. This thought had already crossed her mind but she was still struggling with its implications. If that was indeed the case, how did Shishio Makoto do it? And it meant that all of them are probably under some form of control that they were not aware of. When this control is triggered, they would have absolutely no idea of what they had done. Nor could they help themselves, judging from Enishi's actions. Kaoru could feel a cold chill encasing her heart.
"All these were speculations up till a week ago. We recorded a phone call which gave us the clue to unravel this riddle." Saitoh took out a cassette tape from a pocket. Without a word, Aoshi walked out of the room. He was back within a few minutes with a cassette player. Slipping the tape in, they waited with bated breath for it to start. The twin wheels spun and from the speaker, there was a harsh static sound. When the voice sounded, they were all startled.
"Who's this?... Answer me!"
"He came home from work one day, A mask upon his face, Kissed his wife and held his babe, The shadow beneath lay in wait, And then it pounced knife in hand, Buried it in his wife's breast.
Her blood was hot and scalded his face, He wiped it off without a trace, He left the body where it fell, Accompanied by the innocent child.
He went to the bathroom to wash up, And saw in the mirror a smear of red, His eyes cleared and the mask fell off, He rushed out to the front door.
There he saw what he dreaded, The knife upright, deeply embedded, He knelt down and removed the blade, Unheeding of the crying babe
Perhaps the shadow struck again, Perhaps he did it without its aid, The wilful murder of his wife, Maybe it caused him to end his life.
Two lives were lost, And we could never tell, What he was thinking, When the knife fell."
".......Yes."
"Trigger, 'You may kiss the bride.' Mission, kill Himura Kenshin. Repeat."
"Trigger, 'You may kiss the bride.' Mission, kill Himura Kenshin."
"You will remember nothing of this. At the count of five, you will put down the phone."
"Yes."
"One.. two.. three.. four..five." Click.
The whole conversation took place in less than five minutes but it felt a lot longer. The temperature in the room seemed to have fallen by several degrees.
"That was..."Kaoru looked lost for words.
"Yes. Enishi and Shishio Makoto,"Saitoh paused. "As far as we were able to determine, it seems like a case of hypnotism."
"But that's impossible!" Megumi pointed out, her tone uncertain, "Hypnotism only works in close proximity when the subject could not escape the control. And even then, the mind must be susceptible to suggestions. What was asked of Enishi must be in direct conflict with his will and he would surely have fought against that!" Saitoh nodded in apparent agreement. "What you said matches with the research and information that we found in the time we had. But after talking with Himura, I discovered that all of you have a part of your memory blocked. What if that part of your memory contains the key to Shishio's control over Enishi? A child's mind is more malleable and vulnerable. Who knows what Shishio might have done in that time?"
"His control over us is hidden then. The key to open our mind to him is words," Kaoru worked through the problem quickly. "He needed to awaken our obedience with passwords." A sudden thought crossed her mind. "If it's just words, why didn't he use a shorter, simpler password? Why did he recite such a long verse to Enishi to trigger his obedience?"
"Isn't it obvious? If it's too short and ordinary, someone may say it by pure chance and the game will be up," Sano snorted. His brain was still fumbling with the idea of mind-control that he did not think too deeply into a seemingly irrelevant issue.
Saitoh got up from his seat and wandered back to the open window. Where he went, the light seemed to dampen. "To Shishio, it is a game. The password or key that Shishio chose does have a special significance." He bent over slightly to light his cigarette and the flare of the lighter brought out a strange gleam in his amber eyes. "Following the lead in the ... password, as you call it, we checked out recent cases of domestic violence involving deaths of married couples. It took some time but we finally found one particular case that matches all the details related in the verse."
Kaoru felt the world spin beneath her. After a whole series of revelations, it appeared that the shocks were not coming to an end. She learnt that her mind was not totally her own. Her husband kept important secrets from her. Her forgotten past may hold the key to her present predicament. And now, a strange verse that may affect all their life. Holding on tightly to the arm- rest, she braced herself for new shocks.
Ok, this is the end of chapter 13. Hope it answers some questions. I tried to get this chapter out by last week but I missed the deadline I set myself. Sorry, Lesly.
If you recall, I said in earlier chapters that this story is based on one that I've read. But after so long, this story has become mine and it's taking a totally different bend from what I originally had in mind. I shall labor on although it may be at the speed of a plodding tortoise. Yeah...well...anyway, on a more upbeat note, it's been a year and a half since I started writing fanfic so to commemorate, I shall include a short summary of each chapter! Yay!!!
PS. The more discerning readers and the friends who know me well will know that this is just an excuse to refresh my own memory. Ooops...
Summaries
Chapter1
Kaoru and Tsubame were adopted by Usui of Kobe yakuza. Kaoru trained in the ways of the traids. They were sold to Jineh of Shinzuku and Tsubame was shot and held as hostage for Kaoru's compliance. As adopted daughter of Jineh, Kaoru was given two bodyguards, Megumi and Aoshi.
Chapter2
Kaoru was sent to America for further training. Her goal: To amass power. 8 years later, in Hong Kong and Italy, her old companions, Kenshin, Sano and Soujiro had climbed up the ranks of the traids and mafia. The three of them received an invitation to Japan for Jineh's birthday celebration.
Chapter3
Kaoru met with Enishi. Discussed ways to get together because she was suspicious about their past. Brought him to see Tsubame, whom she later killed to release her from her sufferings.
Chapter4
In a few words, Kaoru flexed her muscles. During the birthday celebration, she killed Jineh and seized control of Shinzuku. A classic 'eyes met across the room' scene between her and Kenshin. Recognized each other for the predators they were. Hmmm...rephrase. They recognized each other from their shared childhood.
Chapter5
Kenshin revealed to the rest of the gang that Kaoru was one of their old friends from the orphanage. Their godfather, Shishio plot for an alliance of Shinzuku and HongXing through marriage between Kaoru and Kenshin.
Chapter6
Kaoru flew to Hong Kong and met with the gang. Raised some questions about their shared fate of being adopted by the triads. In order to defeat Usui, they agreed to a marriage which was not going to be just a business alliance. Go figure.
Chapter7
Kaoru was back in Japan. Usui went to look for her and the gauntlet was thrown. Of course, Usui slunk away like the dog he was. Misao made her appearance as a police officer.
Chapter8
Misao was told to go undercover for Kaoru and Kenshin's wedding. She was also instructed not to make things difficult for Shinzuku. It was revealed by the superintendent, Okina, that there was an informant in Shinzuku. Usui called a mystery man for help but was brushed off. He vowed to take revenge on Kaoru.
Chapter9
Kenshin had set spies on his Godfather, Shishio. It turned out that Shishio was the man Usui called to ask for help. He extended an invitation to a friend for his wedding. After meeting Kaoru at the Narita airport, they realized that they had been followed. They managed to get rid of those people.
Chapter10
Misao went undercover as a choir girl. Kaoru found out from Megumi that the assassins who followed her and Kenshin were ordered by Usui. He had sold off all that he owned but they did not find out what he planned to do with the money. At the wedding, Usui suddenly appeared.
Chapter11
Usui had employed Lupus, an infamous assassin to kill Kenshin. But he had been fooled. The shock of losing everything was too much and he lost his mind. He was taken away by the police and the wedding carried on. At the end of the ceremony, someone held a gun to Kenshin.
Chapter12
2 weeks ago, Enishi received a strange call. It seemed to be the reason why he suddenly viewed Kenshin as an obstacle to be removed. Kenshin was shot but before Enishi could deal out the coup de grace, he was stopped by the priest who turned out to be Lupus/ Saitoh/ mystery man/ Kenshin's friend.
I think that says it all for what happened previously. Now it's on to chapter 13!
Chapter 13
A tall, solitary figure stood in front of the newly erected tombstone. The air was still. Although the sun was staring from overhead, it seemed that a shadow surrounded him. This was the most peaceful spot in the garden. In the morning, the trees would cast their shade protectively over the grave. In the coming summer, flowers would bloom in profusion. The wonders of nature that she missed while she was alive would accompany her in her sleep now. All of a sudden, there was a whisper among the trees. A gentle breeze rose and it teased out the slightest of movement from the motionless figure. It ruffled his hair. As if a spell had been broken, the man moved at last. He got down on one knee and laid a bouquet of white lilies against the tombstone. Reaching out, he brushed away the wilted leaves that rested on the black marble. His hand came to rest on the photo of a smiling face.
The face that was getting married today. The same face but such different fate. He remembered the first time he saw her in Shinzuku. She was lying in a pool of blood, her face pale and lifeless. Yet standing over her, he saw her mirror image, tight and drawn with fury and fear. Still alive. His own emotions then were tumultous. Anger, despair and pain. While Megumi followed Kaoru to America, he stayed behind on her orders. He was to protect Tsubame, take care of her. But he had already failed.
In the five years after, when he stayed in Shinzuku, he was a virtual shadow. He stayed by her side taking care of all her needs, doing penance for his failure to keep her safe. If he had been stronger, he would have spared Kaoru the pain of removing the life support. He should have done it himself. But he could not bring himself to do it. Gazing intently into the photo, he realized that he had never seen a real smile on either face since ...so long ago. But recently, Kaoru seemed more animated. He knew it was because of Himura Kenshin. Perhaps he would be good for her. For now, he reserved his judgment.
Taking one last look at the photo, he stood up and walked away. He had been away long enough. He was sent here, overtly, to inform Tsubame that Kaoru was getting married. But he knew that was just an excuse. He did not mind. He had other ways of knowing what happened when he was not there.
Heading for the garage at the side of the mansion, he saw four cars speeding down the driveway. He tensed and narrowed his eyes, his steps slowing. The cars screeched to a halt near the porch. Kaoru stepped out of the car and she was helping Himura down. Upon seeing that, he lengthened his strides. Something was wrong.
Sensing his approach, Kaoru called out, "Aoshi, quick!"
He was beside her in a few steps, stretching out his arms to take the weight of Himura from her but she refused to let go. He shifted his position and drew Himura's arms over his shoulder. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Sagara helping an unconscious Enishi out of another car. Beside him was a man he had not seen before. Filing his face away in his memory, Aoshi hurried up the steps amidst the tense, taut atmosphere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Enishi's shoulder wound was not serious. But he did not wake up. It seemed that the blow to his head when was the cause. After dressing his wound, they retreated to Kenshin's room leaving Enishi with Hoshin and a trusted servant. Kaoru had refused to let the doctor see to Kenshin's wound, allowing only Megumi near. As was his custom, Aoshi stood near the door. For such a tall man, he had the uncanny knack of blending into the surrounding such that no one noticed his presence. He learnt the stranger's name and studied him with a deceptively casual eye. He was next to the window, leaning against the wall, the lines of his body relaxed. Light streamed in but instead of illuminating his position, it cast him into deeper shadows.
Sanosuke, Kaoru and Megumi had left Kenshin's side and were heading for the seats beside the window. Their expressions were grim.
Kaoru tossed a rust-red, sticky object on the table. It landed with a wet smack, splattering the table with red droplets. An almost empty bag of artificial blood. Then she turned to glare at Saitoh.
"Kenshin's unconscious. So you answer. The two of you were prepared for Enishi, weren't you? " Kaoru bit out the words coldly.
"We knew what he was going to do," he turned to look at Kenshin who was lying motionless in bed, "But we underestimated the threat that he posed."
"Kenshin was going to fake his injury, wasn't he? Except that now he doesn't have to pretend! The bullet almost blew his brains out. He could have died!"
Unable to control his anger and confusion, Sanosuke strode over to the window and grabbed Saitoh's black lapel robes.
"Explain yourself! How do know what Enishi was going to do? And why weren't we told?" he paused, "Who are you anyway? How are you connected to this?"
Saitoh's eyes were calm and collected. In the face of Sanosuke's rage, he shook off his hold with a twist of his hand leaving Sanosuke holding air.
"Nothing can be done or clarified if you insist on behaving like a puppy not yet housebroken. I don't have to explain myself. Not to anybody." Saitoh stepped away from Sanosuke and approached Kaoru. "You look like you have got more sense. Perhaps we can talk." There was no doubt that the last statement was not a request.
Kaoru nodded, her mind racing with questions. Although she still hungered to know about Enishi's sudden change, she needed to know more about this man who turned out of nowhere and who knew so much. What was his role exactly?
"A few months back, Himura got in touch with me. He needed to keep surveillance on his foster father and I was the obvious choice so..."
"Wait a minute. Why you? What do you mean when you say that you are the 'obvious choice'? How do you know each other?" Sanosuke blurted out. Kaoru leaned slightly forward in anticipation of the answer. She would not have asked straight out like Sano but she was very curious too.
Saitoh cocked an eyebrow. "We are ...," he deliberated, "...acquainted."
Sanosuke threw himself onto the couch and blew at his fringe in a gesture of exasperation. He knew he would not get a straight answer. Surprisingly, Megumi commented, "That's a very unsatisfactory answer."
With a smirk, Saitoh answered, "Yes, I know." Without missing a beat, he went back to the original track, "My team and I kept a twenty-four hour surveillance for months. We recorded every call he received and every call he made. Two weeks ago, he received a call from Usui. It confirmed Himura's suspicions. Shishio Makoto was behind the scheme of sending the lot of you to different triads in the world in the gamble of gaining control eventually."
Kaoru had pondered over this matter. She had similar suspicions before but there was the one big overwhelming obstacle that she could not reconcile with and she could not see how Shishio Makoto maneuver his way around the odds.
"Isn't the element of chance that Shishio counted on too big? He managed to lay out his chess pieces on the positions he wanted on the board but how can he be assured that we would go the way he wanted us to? How can he control or predict how it will turn out?" Kaoru closed her eyes, her brains working frantically to search for loopholes and possibilities.
The room was taut with suspense and tension. Saitoh sat quietly, studying the woman in front of him intently. He did not question Hayashi Kaoru's intellect. She would come by the answer eventually but would she dare face it? Leaning back, he felt the weight of a measuring gaze. It came from the man standing by the door. Aoshi Shinomori. Interesting. He was protective of Hayashi Kaoru. The way, he would check on her every few minutes. He doubted that protectiveness was conscious. Does Kenshin know? Hmm...
The silence was broken by Sanosuke. "What if he has the means to control us? Look at Enishi. We all agree that Enishi will not betray us so how do we explain his actions in the church except that he did not know what he was doing? That he was somehow being ...manipulated?"
So he has a brain after all, Saitoh mused. How fortunate for him.
Kaoru did not say anything. This thought had already crossed her mind but she was still struggling with its implications. If that was indeed the case, how did Shishio Makoto do it? And it meant that all of them are probably under some form of control that they were not aware of. When this control is triggered, they would have absolutely no idea of what they had done. Nor could they help themselves, judging from Enishi's actions. Kaoru could feel a cold chill encasing her heart.
"All these were speculations up till a week ago. We recorded a phone call which gave us the clue to unravel this riddle." Saitoh took out a cassette tape from a pocket. Without a word, Aoshi walked out of the room. He was back within a few minutes with a cassette player. Slipping the tape in, they waited with bated breath for it to start. The twin wheels spun and from the speaker, there was a harsh static sound. When the voice sounded, they were all startled.
"Who's this?... Answer me!"
"He came home from work one day, A mask upon his face, Kissed his wife and held his babe, The shadow beneath lay in wait, And then it pounced knife in hand, Buried it in his wife's breast.
Her blood was hot and scalded his face, He wiped it off without a trace, He left the body where it fell, Accompanied by the innocent child.
He went to the bathroom to wash up, And saw in the mirror a smear of red, His eyes cleared and the mask fell off, He rushed out to the front door.
There he saw what he dreaded, The knife upright, deeply embedded, He knelt down and removed the blade, Unheeding of the crying babe
Perhaps the shadow struck again, Perhaps he did it without its aid, The wilful murder of his wife, Maybe it caused him to end his life.
Two lives were lost, And we could never tell, What he was thinking, When the knife fell."
".......Yes."
"Trigger, 'You may kiss the bride.' Mission, kill Himura Kenshin. Repeat."
"Trigger, 'You may kiss the bride.' Mission, kill Himura Kenshin."
"You will remember nothing of this. At the count of five, you will put down the phone."
"Yes."
"One.. two.. three.. four..five." Click.
The whole conversation took place in less than five minutes but it felt a lot longer. The temperature in the room seemed to have fallen by several degrees.
"That was..."Kaoru looked lost for words.
"Yes. Enishi and Shishio Makoto,"Saitoh paused. "As far as we were able to determine, it seems like a case of hypnotism."
"But that's impossible!" Megumi pointed out, her tone uncertain, "Hypnotism only works in close proximity when the subject could not escape the control. And even then, the mind must be susceptible to suggestions. What was asked of Enishi must be in direct conflict with his will and he would surely have fought against that!" Saitoh nodded in apparent agreement. "What you said matches with the research and information that we found in the time we had. But after talking with Himura, I discovered that all of you have a part of your memory blocked. What if that part of your memory contains the key to Shishio's control over Enishi? A child's mind is more malleable and vulnerable. Who knows what Shishio might have done in that time?"
"His control over us is hidden then. The key to open our mind to him is words," Kaoru worked through the problem quickly. "He needed to awaken our obedience with passwords." A sudden thought crossed her mind. "If it's just words, why didn't he use a shorter, simpler password? Why did he recite such a long verse to Enishi to trigger his obedience?"
"Isn't it obvious? If it's too short and ordinary, someone may say it by pure chance and the game will be up," Sano snorted. His brain was still fumbling with the idea of mind-control that he did not think too deeply into a seemingly irrelevant issue.
Saitoh got up from his seat and wandered back to the open window. Where he went, the light seemed to dampen. "To Shishio, it is a game. The password or key that Shishio chose does have a special significance." He bent over slightly to light his cigarette and the flare of the lighter brought out a strange gleam in his amber eyes. "Following the lead in the ... password, as you call it, we checked out recent cases of domestic violence involving deaths of married couples. It took some time but we finally found one particular case that matches all the details related in the verse."
Kaoru felt the world spin beneath her. After a whole series of revelations, it appeared that the shocks were not coming to an end. She learnt that her mind was not totally her own. Her husband kept important secrets from her. Her forgotten past may hold the key to her present predicament. And now, a strange verse that may affect all their life. Holding on tightly to the arm- rest, she braced herself for new shocks.
Ok, this is the end of chapter 13. Hope it answers some questions. I tried to get this chapter out by last week but I missed the deadline I set myself. Sorry, Lesly.
