Prisoner of War

Part Eight: Follow


"Let's go over this again," Kurama said, closing the door to the center room. He returned to the table rubbing his temples wearily. "A human prisoner of Mukuro's shows up here telling us that Hiei told her where we are."

"Just sounds like we're screwed to me," Yusuke said bluntly. "If Hiei knows where we are then Mukuro does to. And if Mukuro knows where we are…."

Kurama sighed. "I can't say that I disagree."

"If Hiei knows where we are, why hasn't he come here yet?" Kuwabara asked. "How easy would it be for someone like him to take us out of the picture?"

"Probably pretty damn easy." Yusuke drummed his fingers on the table. "I think we need to just assume that Mukuro's armies are going to be on our doorstep any minute. What do we do when that happens?"

"Good question," Kurama said. "No answer."

"Maybe we should just leave," Kuwabara suggested. "You know, find a new place."

"You wanna tell all of them that?" Yusuke said, pointing to the door of the room. "They're not going to want to have to pick up and go again. They came here to avoid that. Besides, how are we supposed to move so many people on such short notice?"

"Alright, alright," Kuwabara sighed. "So we can't leave. We've gotta do something."

Silence hung in the air as each of the three men wrestled with their thoughts.

"It doesn't quite make sense," Kurama said finally. "If Hiei knew where we are and wanted to get rid of us, why didn't he come himself? Why send Calai?"

Yusuke shrugged. "Distraction, maybe? Or maybe she just overheard him saying where we are?"

"I don't think so. The way she said it… it sounded like he told her where to go," Kurama frowned. "We should be prepared for anything. There's no telling what the plan is."

"You think Calai might know what's going on?" Kuwabara asked.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Maybe. Why?"

"She's been listening at the door," Kuwabara said. "Maybe knows something about all this."

Yusuke and Kurama shared a look of surprise; Kuwabara rose to his feet and ambled to the door. He pulled the door open to reveal Calai standing, just as he had said, behind it with the look of someone who'd been caught in the act.

"Um… hi," was her witty response.

Kurama grinned. "Nice to see you again. I don't suppose you need to be filled in on the conversation, do you?"

"I guess not," Calai said.

The grin fell from Kurama's face and was replaced by an expression of seriousness. "Would you tell us what you know of Hiei's intentions?"

Calai shrugged. "I don't really know." She entered the room, brushing past Kuwabara and taking a seat at the table where Kurama and Yusuke sat. "It didn't seem like he had any. He just kind of… told me to come here."

"That doesn't help much," Yusuke sighed.

"I know that what I think may not mean all that much to you," Calai said, "but I don't think he's going to attack you. I don't think he wants to."

"Listen lady," Kuwabara said, "maybe you don't get this. Hiei is a yokai. And a vicious one."

The girl looked away from the three men. "I know that. But… still, I don't think he's going to come after you. I couldn't say why, but…. Well, that's just what I think."

Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke exchanged glances. Either Hiei had turned a new leaf or this girl was completely out of her mind.

And both options had distinct probability.

A pounding on the door of the room pulled all four of them out of their silence.

"Come in," Kurama called, watching Calai out of the corner of his eye.

The door creaked open and a small boy peeked inside.

"Sorry," the little boy said. "Mommy sent me. She said to tell you that there's some man that just came. She said he's hurt pretty bad."

The four of them charged out to the main room of the house.

Half of the house's occupants had rushed to see what had happened. Blood was smeared on the floor. The little boy pointed to the corner of the room where the blood trail led; the man that he had mentioned seemed to be sitting there trying to catch his breath.

Whispers were spreading through the occupants, who were now steadily backing away from the man in the corner.

A woman snuck over to Kurama and tugged on his sleeve. When he looked to her, she whispered to him, "He's a yokai, Kurama-san. I know it; he has to be."

"We'll see if his is, miss," Kurama replied, making his way over to the man in the corner. Yusuke, Kuwabara and Calai followed him.

Calai was the first to recognize him. "Oh my God." She fell to her knees beside him, inspecting his injuries.

Kurama was next, and a sharp intake of breath from him told Yusuke and Kuwabara the identity of the man in the corner.

"Hiei," Yusuke breathed. "What the hell are you doing here?"


End Part Eight