As per usual, I STILL don't own Cowboy Bebop or Vicious, (except my Vicious Love...as he's purring and sitting with me now). But I do own my OC and various other nontransient ideas that flow through my muddled head.

So...onward.

Chapter 10: The Words We Couldn't Say

Shin thrust open the door of Vicious' office with determination on his face. He didn't care if the man was awake yet or not, he needed to settle this and-- "Vicious. . ." Shin stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the man sitting behind his desk pondering silently. Vicious turned his cold eyes upon him but said nothing. The look was enough. Shin thought he was paralyzed, but he forced his fears back slowly. "I –where's Kahni?"

"Gone."

"What?"

Vicious stood slowly, rising to his full height like a serpent about to strike. "She is gone." He repeated, stonefaced.

"Why? Where'd she?"

"There is nothing I can do for her now." Vicious finished, and walked into his suite closing the door firmly behind him. Shin moved over to the desk and picked up a crumpled piece of paper. He unraveled it and read the words that stopped his heart momentarily.

Kahni drove through the rain, her mind as muddled as the streets. The scream of the car's engine as she tore through the city only echoed the ones in her heart. "You've lived too long, Julia. It's time we've finished this."

Vicious changed into this dark suit and pulled his katana from it's place of honor on the wall. This was his true weapon, not a practice sword. This would be a fight worthy of the blade, this would be the final fight. As he walked slowly up the throne room steps, flashes of Spike ran through his head. He saw the man's egnimatic smile, heard his cocky laugh, felt the remnants of his strength coupled with his calmness. Vicious frowned deeply and sat on the throne to wait. With his katana tucked to his side, he sat to wait for Spike to finally awaken.

Shin ran out of the office not stopping or apologizing as he pushed his way through a crowd of guards. Why? Where would she go? He thought to himself. Sudddenly he heard a commotion downstairs and spun around. An explosion, that was definitely an explosion. People started yelling. "Spike." Shin said quietly to himself and cursed in his head. Not now—why now?? He ran to his quarters and grabbed his weapons.

Spike dropped the second gun and clutched his arm as the blood ran down his hand and dripped from his fingertips. He heard the elevator door behind him before it opened. Spike spun quickly pointing his other gun as the heavy metal doors slid apart, but he didn't fire. "Shin?"

Shin side stepped Spike and fired down the hall catching a man in his chest. The man fell as his semi auto rifle fired blindly. Spike pressed his back against Shin's thankful for the momentary support. "Where's Vicious?"

"One the top floor, this way." Shin took off down a hall and Spike followed stopping shortly to place a time delay bomb on the hall's right wall. Moments later as if by perfect calculation three men entered the hall and the device exploded. As Spike dodged around the corner he saw Shin entering the security code for the top floor and another man coming towards them from the shadows.

"Shin!!" Spike yelled but was too late. Shin turned just in time to catch a bullet in his back. The other man fell from Spikes bullets before Shin hit the floor, a pool of blood forming and spreading beneath him.. "Shin!" Spike said again as he ran to him and knelt down.

"Vicious—he's got to be stopped. I was—waiting for you to come back and take over."

Shin said with his last breaths. Shin closed his eyes. Spike, glared as he pushed himself away from another fallen comrade. There was only one thing on his mind; Vicious.

Kahni hesitated at the foot of the stops. She'd wanted this moment for so long, so why was she suddenly scared? Scared? No, no way. She couldn't be scared of that . . . woman. Kahni pulled a small pistol from inside her jacket and hopped up the stairs two at a time. She reached the top and pointed her gun down the narrow hallway. Just because she was eager, didn't' mean she would be hasty. At last she came to Julia's apartment door. She tried the handle and it was unlocked. Stupid girl, she thought. She opened it slowly and kicked it wide her gun ready, but she barely set a foot inside the apartment before she too was met with a gun to her face.

Vicious opened his eyes. He could feel him. It wasn't the explosions, the building shaking, the screams of guns and men that alerted him. He could feel Spike. He felt his anger and hatred even from atop the tower. He is coming, he is here. The wait has finally ended. Vicious grinned.

"Garret??"

"Miss Kahni? What the—"

"What are you doing here?" Kahni asked him as she looked around the empty apartment. "Where is she?" she continued.

Garret looked at her with a worried expression. "Miss Kahni. . . "

"Don't toy with me, where is she Garret?" Kahni had relaxed only slightly. Garret holstered his gun and sighed lightly.

"Julia is dead."

"What?" Kahni nearly yelled. No, no it cant be true, no it was her job, HERS, no one else. "Dammit!" She raised her gun again and pointed it directly at Garret's face.

"No, no!" Garret waved his hands in surrender and too a step back. "She was already dead when we got here."

"Where is it. Where is she, I have to see it." Kahni said, still not completely believing what the man had told her. Garret cleared his throat, thinking about the consequences of his next words.

"They already took it, to the morgue that is..." He tried not to cringe but his eyes involuntarily shut.

"What? Then, wait—what the hell are you doing here then, Garret?" Kahni asked him, her brilliant eyes flashing.

"Well, I was just—I uh, had been told to" He turned and looked directly at her a thought coming to his mind. "Wait a minute, what are YOU doing here? Vicious said you were not to leave the tower, it was his direct order. It's still too dangerous for you."

"What? What on earth are you talking about?" Kahni put her gun away but she still went around searching the apartment.

"Spike is still alive." Garret waited, he knew the implications of that statement just as well as Kahni did, but she deserved to know. She needed to know. Kahni's faced paled, her blue eyes almost seemed to turn to ice for a moment.

"Vic, no!" she whispered and turned for the door.

"No, wait Miss Kahni!" Garret tried to stop her but was too late. Kahni was already heading down the stairs. He cursed himself and ran after her.

A/N: Sorry that this story is so choppy but it was the only way to do it because so many things were happening at the same time. Hope you like it. This will not be the last chapter do not fret......I have extended the story just a tad. But the ending is coming soon I promise. It is almost completely written out. So updates should come regularly.

Thankyou anymous-chan and Jan-Lee for sticking with me. And Lanse for kicking my arse a million times over to get this story finished. Actually.....it was jealousy...I wanted my pitiful lil story to have at lease 20 reviews......since L's already has over 200. hackcoughitoldyousocoughcough Also I must give credit to a new fav author, Eternity's Angel of Mercy. Her stories spurred me onward to finish this. Thanks.