Chapter 8
Seven people crowded around a solid oak table. Grau awaited further orders from their employer. Why were things so slow? Kohlson rarely kept them without a target. This was supposed to be a dangerous mission, not a vacation that they weren't allowed to spend time outside.
Tom, the jet black haired, cobalt blue eyed, leader, sat at the head of the table observing his teammates. It was too early, he could agree. Six-thirty a.m. was not a great time to work with these people, for any one. He looked from member to member. The people he controlled.
Csaza and Dymetrio were playing tic-tac-toe on a pad of paper. Alex was sleeping and drooling on her notepad. Erika and Dyllan were playing word games for some strange reason. Dom was drawing on her note pad like she always did, usually of chibi characters depicting the mission given to them.
Look at this group, he thought. They were really just a bunch of teenagers, all of them, their hopes and dreams ruined. Sometimes he wished they could have more. Csaza and Dymetrio could get married and both could be male models, they were good looking men. Dyllan could have been an automechanic, he was very good with cars, or even a cook would be good for him. Alex would definitely have a job in game designing or computer technology. Erika was so pretty that modeling would definitely be good for her. Dom was very pretty and was a great artist, and good with computers.
But this was his group. They were his responsibility. He may be a jerk to them, but he always made sure they all returned from every mission they went on. Never was anyone to die while he was in charge.
"What's taking him so long? WE got up so freakin' early and he's not even here." Dom sighed, setting her pen down on her notepad.
"He'll be here. Get some patience, it's a virtue." Tom said, with a bored look.
Dom rolled her eyes. "Well, once I manage to fill an entire 70 page notepad with comic strips I think my patience has run a little slim. And seeing as how it's virtue, that's why I'm lacking in it."
"Ooh! Comics, can I read?" Erika asked. Dom slid the notebook to her and Alex's out from under her face. She flipped past the drool covered pages and began a sequel to the first set of comics.
Another bored silence took over the room again. Finally, the big wooden door flew open and a man dressed in a grey jacket, black slacks, and a white business looking shirt entered. Everyone rose to their feet, Dom nudged Alex who fell off the chair, but jumped up to proper posture.
"Sit down." The man ordered. Hard, angry eyes stared at the seven young teenagers. This was their employer, Kohlson, his hair was mostly a mousy brown, but graying at the temples. He was in his late 40's, but didn't look to old.
Grau took their seats again and carefully watched their employer move around the table. He paused to glare at Alex, "Mission report." He demanded.
Alex cleared her throat and said, "All targets completed. Mission successful." She sat back down and fought back a yawn.
Kohlson glared angrily. "The mission statement says that you were seen. Dom, tell me, what happened after you were seen?"
Dom took a breath before saying in a smooth and trained tone, "We delivered their last wish." It was a lie, of course, but it would keep them in the clear.
Seeming fairly satisfied with that answer he threw down a folder and said, "You're new mission. Take care of it." With all said and done Kohlson marched over to the door and said his parting words, "Screw up again, and you'll all be dead." He abruptly slammed the door as he exited.
Everyone returned to their bored looks and stared at Tom for the mission briefing. Tom took the manila folder that was surprisingly thicker than usual. Opening it, he scanned over several sheets of paper.
"The mission, please?" Alex asked in a bored tone.
Tome barely spared her a glance. "Two targets this time. Prime Minister Candidate Reiji Takatori and Police Commissioner Shuichi Takatori," Tom flipped through a few more pages. "These are schedules and meetings that they will be attending." Tom read of a few more sentences before saying, "The candidate has body guards, apparently a group of four travel with him every where there is at least one with him at all times."
"Are there photos?" Erika asked.
Tom nodded and passed the two photos of the men around the table. Each person studied the colored pictures, soaking in the features of each man. This mission would be a little more difficult, but easily accomplished. They would move tonight.
"You've has vision, Braddy Bear?" Scheldich asked the American.
Crawford glared at the German from behind his glasses.
"God, Crawly-kins, you really ought to talk to your optometrist about that glare off your glasses. It's quite blinding." Scheldich said, coving her eyes with one hand.
Crawford chuckled, "But then I couldn't blind you into going away." Then the stern look returned to his face. "Yes, I did have a vision. Grau will be paying us a little visit tonight."
"Oh, goody. I love playing with the little lovelies." Scheldich laughed.
"Do we all go then?" Nagi asked.
"Yes." Crawford nodded. "I didn't see how many were there, so it's safest for everyone to go. Dress nicely, we will be accompanying Mr. Takatori tonight." With that said, he walked out of the room and down to his office connected to his bedroom by a single door.
He sat down in his rolling chair at a rather large oak desk. Picking up the phone, he hit sped dial number one, the phone automatically dialed, connecting to Takatori's personal line.
"Yes, Crawford?" Reiji Takatori answered.
"Sir, I believe that it is no longer safe for you to attend that dinner party with the accompaniment of Schwarz." Crawford informed him.
"Very well." The line went dead as Takatori hung up the phone without so much as a thank you to saving his life in the future to the Oracle.
Crawford placed the receiver back in its cradle and leaned back in his chair, the leather squeaking slightly at his weight. Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he pulls out a file and begins reading the information gather by Eszett on Grau. They were a formidable enemy, to be able to elude Schwarz and Weiss both at the same time was an accomplishment worth congratulations. But not all accomplishments are met with a reward. It would not be easy to escape Schwarz's grasp a second time and walk away unharmed in a physical or mental way.
Schwarz arrived with Takatori in tote. Crawford dressed in his usual crème colored suit, tie at full mast, and his glasses set perfectly across the bridge of his nose. The rest of Schwarz was dressed uniformly in crème suits as well, but not to the absolute perfection that Crawford demanded upon himself.
"Scheldich, perhaps you should retrieve a drink for Mr. Takatori-san." Crawford said aloud to the telepath. But to him mentally he added, 'Keep an eye out for anyone who looks like the ones from Grau."
'No problem, Bradi-kins,' Scheldich replied before saying aloud, "Of course. Back in a flash." And walked towards the refreshments table. He watched carefully for any familiar faces, but three young women simultaneously caught his eye. Looking back to his leader and employer, he shrugged. They can wait, he thought to himself.
Licking his lips, he strolls up to the three women in his 'I'm too sexy' stride. One had shoulder length red hair, pulled back half way with bangs slanted sideways across her face hiding her left eye, which he assumed was as green as the right. She wore a casual dress that had a halter-top and layered down her chest, it was an emerald color green setting off her eyes.
The second girl had black hair pulled up into a coiffure. Her eyes were a cobalt blue that made them stand out against the dark hair and pale skin. She wore a party styled dress that reached mid-thigh and was made of a black material that clung nicely to her shapely curves.
The last girl had deep violet hair that hung in a long French braid. Her eyes were a dark brown and framed in small silver glasses. She wore a pain suit made of a dark purple, almost black color.
Scheldich casually approached them and cleared his throat to gain their attention. The three women stopped chatting to turn to him, casual smiles played on all their faces, each held a Champaign glass in hand.
"Hello." Scheldich greeted warmly.
"Hi." The three said simultaneously. A trait he assumed came with all women in the world when they were in their 'close circle.'
"My name is Scheldich and I couldn't help but noticed that you lovely ladies were over here all by yourselves. So what brings you to a shindig like this?"
Hearing these ridiculous lines at parties before they answered plainly, " My father is a CEO of a mainstream programming company," says the purple haired women. "My name is Murasaki."
"Dad's Vice President of the same company as Murasaki's parents," says the black haired one in a slightly bored tone. "I'm Kaily."
"My parents are the treasurers of the same company. I'm Shawna." Says the red-head."
"So you all must know each other fairly well." Scheldich flashed them a handsome smirk before he decided to scan their minds. Let's start with Murasaki, he thought. Upon entering her mind he could hear strange noises that seemed like she was fighting something in her head. 'Okay, so this vampire killed me using telekinesis so if I make enough kills and gain about six levels then I can get the advantage rays and knock him off the list. Yes, yes, that should work well. I wonder if Daddy has the cheat codes…' she thinks.
Leaving her mind as silently as he entered only slightly disappointed he moved on to Shawna's. 'Sugar,' he hears, 'sugar…. That's what I need…. Sugar…my God is sugar!'
Even more disappointed, he moves on to Kaily's. ' These parties suck ass…What kind of layout should I do for my site next week? Hmmm… Hey, that waiter's kind of cute…' Exiting again, three times the disappointment ever.
"Pardon me, ladies. It has occurred to me that I should return to my companions. Guten nacht." The orange haired assassin waked away from the three very disappointing American women. And I though American women had less morals, he thinks.
Dom sipper her Champaign and said, "Mountain Dew is so much better than this." She swirled the liquid in her glass. The other two agree. "To the powder room, ladies?" she said, think in a British accent mimicked so well.
"Of course, mate." Alex and Erika reply with the same accent.
They entered the women's bath chamber and made sure no one had been in there. Alex had closed the door and locking it from the inside. Erika hopped up and sat on the counter, yawning loudly. A lack of sugar always made her so tired.
"This is so boring." She said with a sigh.
"We're definitely about to make things slightly more interesting." Dom said, pulling a small vile from within her cleavage.
"Dude, you can hide anything in there!" Alex exclaimed.
"Not anything. Just mast small objects. " Dom giggled.
"Nah. Anything. It's surprising you didn't lose it." Alex teased.
Dom laughed sarcastically before showing the vile to them. "Dyllan made this, it'll put everyone in the building into a sweet, deep sleep." She closed her hand around the small glass tube. "Of course we won't be affected by it. Dyllan already subjected the whole group to it. We need someone to cause a scene." The two look to Erika.
"Ooh! Ooh! I wanna cause the scene!" Erika said emphatically.
Dom nodded in acknowledgement confirming her own thoughts. She looked to Alex, "I'm not good at distracting men, Dom. That's your area." She pointed to Dom's chest. "You're boobs are A LOT bigger than mine."
The currently black haired girl simply rolled her eyes. "Ya know, not all guys pay attention to me."
Alex and Erika both broke ou in laughter. "Yeah, whatever Dom."