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The snow came down slowly. Sango stumbled through the pitch black night. Nothing on the street moved, as if she were the only thing alive that night. She was.. she was the only one still alive.. her brother.. her father.. both gone..
The air bit at her. With each breath the December air cut at her lungs. She focused on the cold, on her numbing hands, anything but her memories.
The snow was beginning to build. The lawns and side walks were a pure uniform white. The world was dark except were lit by Christmas lights. The windows were dark, inside people slept, safe and warm, with thier famlies. Like she would be if her family wasn't.. if she hadn't let her brother come along.. if she hadn't of had that job..
She still wore the blood stained uniform she had been shot in. The cold streamed in through a ragged hole in her shirt, where it had been ripped apart by a bullet. The biting cold penatred the thin cloth of the bandages, into the wound, chilling her heart.
The houses loomed over her, ominous and forboding. Her family was gone. She was completely alone in the world. Not one person in those houses knew or cared she existed, if she froze to death here, no one would cry.
She was alone, an outcast. She had no where to return to, no one to greet her when she got there. The houses, with there loving familes inside, seemed to reject her. She had no family, no where she belonged, nothing. She was a professional killer, a justified murder. She had no skills, no education, just the torn and bloody clothes on her back and a gun. She could never fit in society, never be accepted. Not now, not after what had been done to her. Well fuck society.
The lonliness of the street and the biting cold of the snow that whipped into her face comforted her, seemed to understand her. The twisted barren branches of the trees hid nothing, the world was an ugly place, any one who who thought other wise was to scared to see the world for what it was.
She stopped and look striaght into the wind, barely blinking as snow whipped into her eyes. Where was this place? It was familar, but some how she didn't want to know.. She looked to her right. She had lived only a couple of days ago. The sight of the house that once filled her with the fondness of happy memories instead filled her with bitter hatred. She hated the sight of it. Damn you house.. damn you for making me remember.
She forced her self to walk up to the deserted house and open the door. The inside of the house was cold too. She made her self step inside. Light from out side filtered in through the window and played off the wood floors. Every object in the room hung in shadows. The hour hand on the large clock her father had rescued from the dump was somewhere past midnight.
She glided over the floor like a ghost, never makeing a noise. she climbed slowly up the stiars and walked into her room. She let her gaze focus on nothing, pretending it was a bare room, not needing reminders of her former life. She changed clothes and descendead the stairs.
She wiped the tears from her face as she stepped onto the cold concrete of the garage. She slammed her palm agaist the automatic door open and climbed on to the BMW F 650 CS. Through the fog in her head one thought came through, kill the son-of-a-bitch who did this.
The F 650 passed through town like a ghost, it's sound and image blanked by the fall of snow. Sango had no clue where she was going, how to find out who did it. But she couldn't stay here, not in this town. She had to run, had to out run her memories.
Her brother had been just a kid.. he was nervous about going on the mission.. he had always been a little bit of coward, but he went anyway. He went anyway to prove he could do it. He had told her, before they left, he had said he was scared.. and she had told him it was alright.. she told him nothing would happen, she PROMISED him. And now... now he was dead..
HEr feet stopped moving. Sango looked up. She had stopped in the middle of the road. Why was she here? She looked around. She had driven to Divine Providance on the out skirts of town. Well, at least she could do something for the deceased. She pulled into the parking lot across from another motorcycle. Who the hell was here at this hour?
She walked in to the lobby and headed for the chapel. Before entering she looked inside. The large room was dimly lit by lights hidden in the celing. The windows showed noting but darkness and snow. The other parishiner was seated in the pews. It was a young man with his hair tied back in a pony tail. She took a seat across the aisle from him. He looked deep in thought.
Silently she offered up her prayers for her father, brother, everyone who died that night. Also prayed that she would be forgiven for what she had to do.
The man across from her stood up to leave. He pulled a worn looking suit case and a black hat from under his pew and walked towards the door past her. As he passed Sango got a good look at his face.
A picture leaped into her mind. A picture in a file she had seen in the station. She had forgotten his name, but that guy was a hitman! Suddenly a plan came to her mind. She stood up and quietly exited after him.
She followed him in to the night, he didn't even her behind him. sango drew the P229 concealed in her coat. He walked to the curb and paused to light a cigarette. Sango pressed the end of the silencer agaist the base of his neck.
For a moment they didn't move. "Alright.." he finally mubled around his cigarette "You have my attention." "You work for the Mob." he seemed suprised to learn she was a woman "Used to, I quit." "Doesn't matter, I need information. About a week ago some one ordered a hit on a team of cops. Who?" "What makes you think I'll know?" "You don't have a choice." The man considered his options. "I know a guy who would know. I'll take you to him." "You pull something and I'll fucking kill you."
The man lead her onto the highway. The quickly built houses immedatly fell away to farm land. Sango followed the tail lights of the other motorcycle, all the while figuring out the best way to kill him if she had to.
The lights pulled into the parking lot of a run down bar on the side of town. The man dismounted and walked around back to a metal staircase that lead up to a the second story. The man smiled and held the door. The look Sango gave him killed the smile instantly.
Inside was a dark room furnished only by a desk and a chair. A large one way mirror gave it a covert over view of the bar. It was a security room, and for a bar this size, it ment something besides drinking went on here. A lean middle aged man was watching over things and turned around as the door opened and adressed the man.
"Hey there Miroku, after the women agai-" Sango cut him off. "Shut up. I need some information and I need it fucking now." The guard was taken back by the venom in her voice. "Okay, what can I do for you young lady?" "Don't fucking call me that! Some one killed a bunch of cops recently and I want to know who."
The guard thought a minute. "Well, I can't just go around telling" "Who damn it?" "I would lose trust among" "I'm losing my patiance, FUCKING WHO?" "If they foudn out they would kill me!" Sango whipped her hand into her jacket and aimed the pistol at the man's head, rage flaring up in her eyes. "I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU MY SELF IF YOU DON'T START TALKING!"
The gaurd hesitated for a moment, looked over at Miroku, then back at Sango. "Alright.. the guy who ordered it.. his name was Naraku." Miroku's eyes snapped to the gaurd. "What did you say?" He asked. "Naraku." He seemed to take a vested intrest. "Where is he?" he asked lowly, saving Sango her breath. "He operates out of mansion out side of town. The guy's paranoid, he's got security everywhere.." He trailed off. The room was empty.
Out side the two headed for there bikes. "Where the hell are you going?" Sango asked angrily. "Same palce you are." Miroku coldly replied. "No way, he's mine." "I got my issuies with this guy, I'm going." "The fuck you are! To hell with your 'issuies' this asshole murdered my family! I'm going alone." "You think your the only one who deserves revenge? My father and grandfather were both slowly poisnened by him, and in another year I'm going to be dead too. I'm going." Again Sango drew aim her pistol at him. "I'm going alone. That's fucking final."
Miroku's right hand balled up tightly in a fist. Sango blinked and he was gone. "You couldn't if you tried." Sango turned around in shock. He was behind her! How the hell! He walked back to his bike and climbed on with out a second glance. Sango had no choice but to reluctantly follow him on to the high way.
Sango followed Miroku along the road. The wind turned her face and hands raw. She didn't care. She was going to kill this son of a bitch. Fucking kill him, and if Miroku even fucking thought about getting in her way he won't have time to pull his teleporting shit.
She kept her mind blank as they sped back through town. Once again the houses seemed to close in on her. And once again the houses made her feel unwelcome. She hated them for not understand what she was going through.
As the manison grew into view Sango made a point of speeding ahead of him and pulling up to the curb first. She looked inside the gate at the the snow covered garden leading up to the doors of the mansion. Through the windows she could see several men with rifles lounging about, and the uniformity of the snow was marred by foot prints.
Sango pulled her self over the fence and silently dropped to the ground. She crouched low and moved quietly towards the maze like hedges. Behind her she heard Miroku drop to the ground.
The sound of the snow being crushed under her foot was barely audible even to her. Once inside the safety of the hedges she stood up. No one could see her here.
She pulled the pistol from her pocket. Behind her a pair of footsteps followed her. She was content to let them be nothing more there a sound that followed her.
Sango noticed her shoulders were covered in snow. She also realized her shoulders had been cold for a while now. She didn't care.
An exit to the hedges came into view. Sango looked out. There was a reflecting pool in front of the front door. Two guards stood at the door and another walked the edge of the pool. A path ran around back.
Waiting untill the guard at the pool was facing the other direction she set of in a crouched run towards the back of the house. As soon as she reached the house she sarted hugging the wall, trying to blend in with the dark bricks. The path lead up to the garage.
She reached the corner and stuck her head around the corner. A lone guard leaned agiast the back door. A single light hung above the door. Good, his eyes weren't adjusted to the dark like hers. There was a low window about five feet farther along the wall then her corner. It was a risk, but it was more of a risk leaving a body lying around.
Slowly she began to move. She always kept her eyes on the guard, in case he spotted her. She kept the P229 always at the ready, hoping to silence him before he made a noise. She reached the window. It was open. She cast one last look at the guard and pulled her self into the house.
She was in a small office room. A large mahogany desk sat in the center of the room, and several books cases lined the wall. The walls were made of dark wood paneling.
Some one else came in through the window. Sango had forgotten she wasn't alone this time. "Got a plan?" Miroku asked quietly, opening up that suitcase he had had in church and pulling out two pistols. "I'll find a staircase, you take the ground floor, I'll take the second, becuase we can cover more ground." She answered. "And becuase the bed room is most likely to be on second floor?" Sango opened the door.
The hall way had the same dark brown paneling, the same dark brown wooden floors. Some where, a cello was playing a low, sad tune. Sango found a small stiar case to her left and climbed up, leaving Miroku to do what ever the hell he wanted.
The second floor wasn't as lived in looking as the first. The hallways were bare, the floor was carpeted, and the walls were plaster. The whole place was dark, save the moon light reflecting off the snow that streamed through the windows.
Sango felt her self drawn farther into the manor, towards the mournful sound of the cello. It matched her mood perfectly. Her mind told her that she might something there, but only after she had made up her mind.
She walked upright, not bothering with trying to conceal her self. The carpet muffled her foot steps, and she had no where to hide.
The light from outside would briefly illuminate her, then she would slip back into darkness. She walked with her hands in the pockets of her jacket, relaxed. Going agiast everything she had been trained to do. She wasn't working for anyone now, wasn't fighting for a cuase. The snow was still on her shoulders, and she willed it not to melt. The winter, the cello, all seemed to belong to her, to exist only to compliment her loss.
This was her mission, her fight. Her December.
The hallway veered left. The windows revealed a courtyard, and on the far side, two large oak doors. Sango opened one of the windows and lowered her self to the snow covered ground. As she landed, a door on the first floor opened and Miroku stepped out.
Sango avoided looking at him. She didn't like him intruding on her fight, but what choice did she have but to let him. Not like he would understand why she didn't want him along. Not like she wanted him to know.
They walked in silence though the courtyard. The snow hung in the air. Sango reached the door and entered silently. She quickly climbed a set of stairs and once again began her seach.
The cello still filled the air. The manor retained the white plaster walls and bare floors from before. Sango walked silently yet confidently further inwards. She was close. So close. This asshole was going to die. A subsonic round to the back of the head. No one will know. Her only regret was that we would die instantly, but hey, hell was worse than anything she could do.
The corridor again turned left. Sango stuck her head around the corner. A guard was walking away from her along the hallway. On her left were two well paneled oaks doors. She had a good feeling about them.
She quickly darted into the shadows of the corner. The gaurd turned around and headed up a parallel hallway. Sango waited. He came back and began to head her way. he was about fifteen feet away. Sango pressed her back agaist the wall and bent her knees. Ten feet. Her hand closed around the grip of her pistol. Five feet. Sango's muscles tensed. He passed her and turned the corner.
It was over in a second. Sango's hand closed over his mouth and pulled him into the shadows. She felt his body go limp as she shot him clean through the temple. She lowered him silently down in to the shadows and there was nothing visable but the blood on the carpet.
A second gaurd turned the corner into the hallway as she stepped into the light. Sango fumbled despertaly in her pocket for the SIG. Too late. He raised a radio.
His head promptly exploded agaist the far wall noislessly. Miroku wandered into the hallway at his own pace, making note to twirl one of the pistols in his hand. That fucker had sunglasses on too. At night. When he was supposed to be sneaking around in the dark. How the hell did this idoit manage to survive as long as he did?
That wasn't her concern. They eached slowly pushed open one of the doors. Inside a man sat in front of a small TV, watching a video of a man and young woman walking though a warehouse. There were large windows over looking the courtyard, but Sango could only focus on the back of the man's head. They advanced upon their prey, silent, even if it was unecessary. If he made one move either of them didn't like, well he was doomed anyway, so does it matter.
They got within three feet of him and stoped. Silently they both raised a pistol to his head. For a second they stood perfectly still. Sango's finger began to tighten around the trigger. Miroku lips were moving as if he was speaking, but he was silent. sango's thoughts turned to her family. Father, Kohaku, they would be avenged. The pistol jerked savagly up and to the right. Two bullets collided with the back his head almost simtanouly.
Collied and stopped. Sango stared in amazment. The man stood up. Stood up! What the hell! Had her gun misfired? had she somehow missed? How the hell is he still alive! The man spoke, smooth and huantingly. "I must thank you. I was looking for a chance to test the power of the Sacred Jewel." Miroku swore out loud. Sango began to back away. Sacred Jewel, what the hell? The man turned on her and began to advance. Sango raised the P229 and fired again. His shoulder jerked back. She fired again. He grunted as the bullet slamed into his chest with a dull thud. He kept coming.
Sango tripped and fell backwards. Naraku kept coming. A small crack filled the air. Then another. Naraku jerked backwards a step. Sango looked up. Miroku was standing over her, firing both pistols. Naraku was slowly being forced back wards. He was almost to the window. The pistols landed on each side of Sango's head, both slides locked back on empty magazines. Sango lookd up in time to see a large revolver five feet above her head, pointed striaght at Naraku.
The whole room shook. Sango was pushed downward by the force of the .44 slug leaving the barrel. Her ears were filled with an horrendous explosion. The windows shattered as Naraku was blown into the courtyard. Snow began to drift in.
Sango pushed her self to her feet, still rattled from the .44 being fired directly above her. She walked uneasly to the shattered window and looked downwards. There was an imprint in the snow where he had landed... then nothing. He had just dissapered.
She leaned into the night air, proping her self up on the wall. Damn.. damn... he had gotten away.. DAMN IT! Her legs almost gave way. She was exuashted. But she would find him again. And she would find a way to kill him. Or die trying.
"We've stirred up every guard in the place." Miroku said matter-of-factly. Sango only nodded. "Yeah, time to fly." She stared out at the snow coverd courtyard a bit longer. It really was quite pretty. She looked back over her shoulder. Miroku was staring at a clip board in his hand. "What's that?" Miroku didn't bother looking up. "A list of all this guys operations. We may of missed 'em today, but we'll find him again. Cmon, before the guards grow some balls and swarm this place"
Sango looked back over the courtyard. The snow came down gently through the night. Nothing stirred below. It was really quite peaceful. Sango took one last look at the scene and turned to leave.
------------------------THE END--------------------------
Sorry it took so freaking long (Blame Crystal, all her fualt. Damn her.)
