Disclaimer: slowly I´m running out of ways to say that those aren't mine without repeating myself....as everyone knows I´m just owning this idea and the bad grammar´`.´`....but sorrowfully none of the boys
Author ramblings: Having twelve hours school a day plus homework to do plus tests to learn for PLUS pesky acting teachers should be forbidden by law! No wonder that I got ill@.@* ...And I wanted to write faster ´`´`* Gomen again, I'll try to do better next time. ´`´` Hope you like it!
Please review. Pretty pretty pleeaaze, yes?´`´`
What he certainly hadn't planned
Chapter 8
For a moment Yohji just sat on the bed next to Crawford and stared at the photography in his hand, his mind simply denying what he was seeing. When he finally had convinced himself that it wasn't just some liquor-indicated nightmare he started cursing.
Crawford watched as he quickly checked the room for any possibilities to spy on them and, having found none, began pacing up and down in front of him, the whole time displaying an amazing -and very imaginative- vocabulary of Japanese curses. Seemingly having reached a decision the blonde suddenly stopped in front of Crawford pointing a finger in his direction.
"You!" He looked at Crawford as if he'd see him for the first time. Obviously he'd finally figured out that Brad really was ´Brad´. Crawford glided unobtrusive into a position from where he could change into a fighting stance within seconds.
Yohji still stared at him. "You!" he repeated, " will not move from this spot until I´m back! It might be that you're in great danger so do what I say, ´kay?"
Not even waiting for an answer he dashed out of the room.
Crawford nearly facefaulted. He'd really thought that the lanky playboy had figured out his true identity right then and there. Casting an irritated look after the departed blonde he wondered how long he'd still be able to keep this masquerade up.
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Within not even ten minutes Yohji had not only managed to gather the rest of Weiß again in the basement room, but also to get them wide awake and ready. The photo had worked wonders in the second part.
Though it'd been a little difficulty in the task to get them all down there. When Yohji had left it'd been pretty late in the night (once again), and so the most of them were more or less asleep. Omi and Ken hadn't been very problematic, Yohji just having to bang onto their doors until they opened, but Aya…
Aya was sleeping like a rock. One could place a stereo system right next to his bed and turn the volume on max. while at the same time a thunderstorm was raging like crazy, and he wouldn't even stir.
But if Aya wasn't sleeping he could get pretty pissed off when somebody was too loud. Yohji had to risk a dangerous encounter of the Katana-wielding sort to get the redhead out of his room.
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"Do you remember that woman who'd left this package for Brad? Look what was in it."
Yohji stopped long enough in his pacing to hand Omi the photo. Bright blue eyes widened at the sight of it's motive and a shocked expression replaced the concerned one he'd been wearing since Yotan had called them down there. Seeing their team-mate's reaction Aya and Ken moved closer. Getting a better look at the picture their expressions also darkened.
"Was that the only content?" Surprisingly it was Aya who spoke first. Yohji shook his head. He was far too nervous to stay calm enough to sit down like the others, so he kept moving instead. "Ie. There was also some sort of Tarot-game in it. Brad found the picture in the sticking inside of the cover." Ken looked up questionally "A Tarot-game? Don't you use that to see into the future? Why would somebody send something like that?"
Omi shrugged helplessly "Maybe it's some sort of threat or hint." "About who'd sent it ." "Mm-hmm. Or why." Yohji gestured widely with his hands. "Just why do always we have to put up with all the psychos? Don't they have somebody else to screw with?!" He pointed an accusing finger at his team-mates. "Okay, spill it! Who's hiding the lunatic-magnet in his closet?"
"…"
Green eyes twinkled in amusement. "Come on! I know one of you does!" Aya scowled at him. "This is not the time to crack jokes; Kudou." Finally flopping down on the couch Yohji sighed. Giving the cold redhead a tired grin, he retorted "I know. But it's just a little much don't you think? First Schwarz with all their powers, then this strange riddle-packet. I wouldn't be surprised anymore to find a real demon sleeping in the fridge."
Omi smiled slightly at the taller blondes comparison. Still, he had to agree with him. Since their first meeting with Schwarz their lives had gotten more and more weird. Things like supernatural powers had gotten to daily routine, not surprising them anymore where others wouldn't even be able to believe it. Omi had thought that those things would vanish from their live with the other assassin team just like they had come with them, but apparently he'd been wrong. Or they'd never been really gone. ´Seeing the future through cards…´ Crawford's gift had been/was clairvoyance, making Schwarz's leader to one of the most mean opponents to fight. Omi decided to voice that thought.
"I doubt that you'll have to bee afraid of that Yohji-kun." The young blonde smiled from his seat at the other, then becoming serious again he added, "But if it's a hint it could mean oracle from Schwarz."
Yohji and Aya nodded. Since they'd heard about their nemesis resurfacing none of them really believed in the ´they all died back then´-theory Kritiker had told them more or less anymore. Of course Kritiker hadn't really told them that they had died, but they had been reassuring them more than once that there were no chance of them surviving. Maybe too often.
"So you think that it's one of Schwarz's mind-games again?" Omi shrugged helplessly. He really hadn't any hint of idea about that. "Maybe."
Yohji nodded slowly. It would make sense. If Schwarz was up again and furthermore working for a head of a child trading ring or something like that, it would make sense. Yohji was quite sure that Brad was involved with something like that. The boy had been knowing definitely too much about something and therefore, had been tried to be reduced to silence. Probably after being tormented. That and the boy's persistent inability to remember would make perfect sense.
"I don't think so!"
Everyone stared wide-eyed at Ken who'd been unnaturally silent until now. "Really? And why not Kenken?" Starting to squirm under his team-mates inquiring gazes Ken shrugged sheepishly. "I mean, just think about it! Since when does Schwarz send us greeting cards when they're planning something? Normally they just clash on us durin´ missions or somethin´ like that."
Omi nodded slowly, getting what the brunette was trying to say. "Ken-kun´s right. Like when Schuldig approached me about Ouka. Until now they were always approaching us personally when they thought that it was time to."
"They'd showed us often enough that they didn't think of us as a real treat."
That growled statement came from Aya. Ken nodded excited at that. "Exactly! Just what I mean!" Aya and Yohji glared at him. Ken had enough decency to sweatdrop. "Err… I mean that they were always showing them openly!" Both of the older man nodded.
Trying to find the right words Ken gestured widely. "Well, what I actually mean is…is… Oh, I don't know! It's just not like them!"
"Right. Once you were cooperating in thoughts, Kenken." Pause "Where's my calendar? I have to mark this date." "Hey!" Ken faked a punch in Yohji´s direction.
"So who do you think is it then?" Both men stopped playing at that question. Ken sweatdropped again. "Anou.., I really don't know….Hey! How ´bout this women anyway? You now, the one who'd brought it?"
Yohji nodded approvingly. "Kenken, you could be really right for once. Something's not right with that lady, I can tell you. …What?" Noticing that he was caught goggling Omi blushed slightly. "You mean, it wasn't just some joke? You really didn't try to hit on her?" Seeing the younger blondes wide stare, Yohji humped in slight annoyance. Really, just because he once hadn't been trying to get into some girl's pants… just what were they thinking about him? That he was a notorious playboy who was hunting about every (good looking) skirt (which was in the right age)?!
"Honestly, Omittchi. Do I have to race after every well built lady, I see?" Omi was now openly gaping at him, Ken suitly following his example and even Aya had rose an questioning eyebrow at him.
Yohji sighed in defeat. They were just knowing him too good sometimes. "Alright, normally I would, but there was something about her, I dunno, as if she was radiating danger." They kept looking at him. "Hmm, how should I explain this to you? You know this strange felling one gets around berserk? Just like that. You're not going voluntary near to somebody like that!"
"And you really felt that around her? I didn't feel anything at all!" Yohji gave Ken a exhausted look. "Of course not. No offence Ken, but for something like that you need sensitiveness and experience about women and you don't have anything of that at all."
Omi nodded thoughtfully. That would make quite sense. Suddenly remembering something, he started to speak when Aya all of a sudden made a hasty gesture, abruptly quietening the others.
In the following silence they could hear the soft tapping of somebody coming down the spiral staircase. The footsteps were soft, nearly inaudible, and muffled as if the person coming down was trying to evade being noticed by them. In one single swift move Aya was up and by the door.
The same second the invader had reached the bottom end of the stairs, Aya lunged.
Unfortunately he'd aimed for an fully grown-up person and that failed miserably to hit something else than vain air. Instead he stumbled into Brad, nearly knocking the boy down in process.
"Brad!"
All four assassins sweatdropped. Out of some reason they'd expected that strange woman to appear as on clue, not the dark-haired teen. Of course it also wasn't that good to have him finding them like that. Omi looked surprised at the slightly dazed boy. "Brad! What are you making down here?" Brad countered with a slight scowl. "I could ask you the same. First Yohji´s dashing off like chased by the devil after seeing the photo, shouting something about me being in danger and then I´m finding you down here, hiding like some assassins planning their next coup. What's going on?!"
Yohji grinned sheepishly. "Ah, gomen ´bout that. Simply forgot that you were waiting. Angry, Chibi?"
Brad gave him a irritated look then sighed and shook his head. "Not if you're finally going to tell me what's going on."
Yohji sweatdropped. "What's going on? Nothing's go…Oh! You mean the photo! Just some bad joke, nothing to worry yourself at all! Hahaha! I really fell for it. Guess I overreacted. Sorry ´bout that." Rubbing his head in a sheepish manner he glanced at Brad to see if the boy was buying his little act. Obviously not.
Sneaking a sidelong glance at him Ken whispered "Really great, Yohji. Even I could have done better than that!" "Then why you haven't?!" Yohji glaring returned in the same volume.
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"Aya?"
Seeing that he wouldn't get any further, Brad had turned his attention at the silent redhead. Hearing his name Aya flinched ever so slightly. Since he'd nearly tackled Brad he'd been busy avoiding to let anybody notice the slight blush which had crept over his face.
´Damn, why is it irritating me so much?! It's not like I haven't touched anybody before!´ That had already been the second more or less full-body contact he'd made with the boy in a very short space of time. Sure, Aya wasn't liking to be touched (or touch) at all, but that it was affecting him that much…That simply wasn't normal. Especially since it had been accidentally both times, not like something planned. ´Maybe it's that. Neither Brad nor me was having any intentions in it.´ The girls in the shop were groping them all the time and Aya just thought it as annoying, but this time…something had been different there. And it had already happened twice. `Or it wasn't because what, but who had done it.´ Sneaking a glace at Brad out of the corner of his eye, Aya couldn't other than to notice once again how much Brad looked like Crawford.
That was nonsense of course. No one could shrink humans, or make them younger or something like that! And even if, Crawford wouldn't have acted like that. The Schwarz leader would have attacked them at sight and anyway, he and Brad were having two totally different characters. Where the oracle was simply cold and bad, so stupid it sounded, Brad was having a real character. Though he also carried an air of aloofness around himself, it was from a different, more protecting than anything else, nature.
O yeah, Aya knew that the boy wasn't having amnesia.
He was finding himself much too good around to have lost any memories. But he also knew that look in his eyes. That look in those amber-browns was flickering with emotions when he thought himself unobserved. Anger, insecurity and hurt laid in them, desperately trying to be hidden away. Somehow resembling his owns…Maybe that was the reason why Aya hadn't given him away by now.
Although his visual resemblance to his most hated enemy (and part-timely even sharing of his name) Brad was too much like him and his beloved imouto to be hated. For what he was able to make out of the situation he was in, Aya felt compassion for him. The same time Brad was trying to be strong and unfazeable, he was still weakened and not able to protect himself, like Aya-chan had been. ´So much like myself after Aya-chan had fallen into that coma.´ Aya- RAN wanted to prevent Brad from following his path. To spare him from being stained with blood for the rest of his life like him.
Maybe that was the reason that the stoic redhead found himself caring that much for the fragile looking boy. That he was somehow seeing a second chance for himself in him.
Still…Why the hell had he to blush like that?!
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Brad rose a slim eyebrow at Aya, seeing that the redhead wasn't going to answer anytime soon, and turned to the last member of Weiß. Omi gulped. He didn't like the thoughtful look he was been given.
No, not at all. It definitely meant that Brad was up for something. And Omi wasn't sure at all that they would be able to talk their way out of it. "Omi." The young blonde started at the use of his name. "Hai?"
Looking him directly into his eyes, Brad continued "On our way back from the cemetery…You said we're friends." Omi nodded. What was he trying to get to?
"Hai."
"Then why do you keep lying at me? I know that you're hiding something, it's obvious. You four are miraculously always going out at the same time, coming back with scratches and other injuries. And if I ask, you keep telling me some dumb story about how you stumbled and whatever else. I´m no fool Omi, just because I´m not asking doesn't mean that I´m not noticing it."
A dead-silence had spread over them as Brad stopped speaking. Then…
"So?"
Though it had been again Aya who asked, it could have been everyone of them. Brad looked at each one of them and continued just after he'd made eye contact with all of the four.
"So? I´m already knowing that Omi´s a hacker. I don't know what the rest of you three's making, but it has to be something dangerous. And please don't tell me that crap about being florists, that won't work. You four are earning far too much for that. So? Will you tell me now, or not?"
For a moment everyone in the room was looking at Aya. Just after a nearly invisible nod of him Omi cleared his throat and started explaining. "You're right Brad. The flower shop's really just a cover. I, Yohji-kun, Ken-kun and Aya-kun are members of a group called Weiß. We're working for a group called ´Kritiker´. It's our job to stop those criminals, whose are finding a loophole in the law, from their activities." Clear blue eyes looked straight into amber-browns. "Mostly it's just data retrieving though."
That was a downright lie. Out of knowledge Omi had left the part about the killing, not wanting to trouble the other boy with it. "Like some withe knights also?" Like expected, Brad's face didn't give any hint about what he was thinking of this revealings.
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Crawford watched Omi wincing at his question. Personally, he hoped that he'd been able to keep the sarcastic edge out of his voice.
Yeah, maybe this whole action was really just mean, but hey, they were the enemy team and Crawford needed all information he could get. Alright, maybe seeing Weiß squirming like that was also amusing him in some sadistic way. However…
Seeing that Omi was most to answer him honestly, he focused his questions at him. "You are knowing more about this, don't you?" He gestured to the photography Ken was holding currently. Omi nodded. "And I take it that it was more than some dumb joke?"
"Hai."
"And you're knowing the person who's behind it."
"Anou, we think we do."
Brad rose a eyebrow. "You think?"
"We're not sure. There are two possibilities.", Omi started " First the woman who'd brought the package. It is possible that she's out of some reason after you. Probably the same which had left you in the alley like that."
"Unfortunately we don't know anything about her. Neither if she's working alone nor if it's just a personal grudge or something more serious." He paused. " The second one is that it is Schwarz. That'd be more awful."
Crawford nearly did a double-take facefault. Schwarz? Were they trying to be hilarious?!
Seeing the surprised look on Crawford's face and totally mistaking it as confusion Yohji continued Omi´s speech. "They're another team, similar to us. But in their way they're totally different the same time. –Brad, you must not tell anybody about all of this. It's top-secret, do you understand?"
Still dazed Crawford nodded.
Steadying himself Yohji started again. ´How to explain a fifteen-years old that he was maybe targeted by a group of professional killers?´ He'd have to be careful to keep the boy from freaking out. "Schwarz, or black, as they call themselves is like us a group of professionals. but they're also uhm…"
"They are assassins."
At the sound of his deep voice all of them turned to Aya. It didn't happen often that their cold leader was talking out of himself. Yohji gritted his teeth. ´Great. As subtle as possible, like always!´
"A team of assassins who're working for everyone who's having the money to pay them." Aya went on. Unfazed by the reproachful look he got from the other, he added. "If we are going to tell him about them, we should tell him all of it."
Omi nodded in approval. "Aya-kun´s right. If we're wanting to have a chance he needs to know everything." Turning to Crawford "Brad, what you're going to hear now will sound ridiculous, but you have to believe us. It's the truth, and only the truth."
Crawford crooked an eyebrow. ´Might sound ridiculous? If they'd just know how ridiculous this already is!´
"Go on."
"Alright. Schwarz is an assassin team, but not a normal one. They're all having …special gifts. Supernatural powers." Crawford nodded. "Like us, there are four of them. First there is prodigy. A fifteen year old boy with brown hair and telekinetic powers. He's the only Japanese out of them – the rest are gaijin.
He's not very likely to attack you, contrary to mastermind and berserk. Those two are both not very heavy to recognize. Mastermind's having long flaming orange-red hair and is also quite tall – nearly as big as Aya-kun. A German, I believe, and a mind-reader. He's a sadistic bastard who loves to toy with his victims, so be careful.
He's very dangerous but berserk's even more. He's a white-haired psychopath with only one eye, many scars and a weakness for knifes and other sharp objects. He loves to torture and kill to ´hurt god´ and is incapable to feel any pain himself."
"If you meet him your live´s in real danger, so call us immediately." The sandy-blonde paused shortly. "That applies to all of them. Just you never try something alone against one of them! You wouldn't stand a glimpse of a chance to survive." ´They seem to be honestly worried about me´ Crawford noted with surprise.
Yohji cleaned his throat. "Don't forget Oracle, Omittchi." "No, no, I won't." Turning to the supposedly younger boy Omi took a deep breath and continued on the last unnamed member of Schwarz.
"Last but no least there is also Oracle. He's the leader of the group. His gift is to see the future. I know, that doesn't sound much compared to the others, but he's not to be underestimated. He's wearing glasses, but aside from that he's bearing a eerie resemblance to you. He's also American."
Crawford had to keep himself from laughing out loud. `Eerily similar?! You don't know how much I am exactly resembling him! One could even say that we're one and the same person.`
Instead he asked, keeping a neutral face "He's the one you named me after, isn't he?"
Omi nodded. "Yes. Yohji-kun thought that it was a good joke." The bigger blonde smiled lazily.
"It is. Think about it. It might be that we'll have to protect Brad from Schwarz. That _IS_ a joke."
Ignoring the interference Omi went on in his explanation. "His real name is Brad Crawford. Like prodigy your chances to meet him are not very high, but if you do it's high probably already too late."
"Yeah." Ken piped up. "He's somehow a little like those final bosses in computer games."
"He's not much to fight you directly. It's more like he has already arranged your death and is watching your struggles superciliously."
"Gee, great thanks" Crawford mumbled.
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Crawford had returned to his room after this ´revelation´ pretending that that all was a little much for him at once.
In truth he just wanted to think things over.
The theory that Schwarz out of all things, was after him was just as ridiculous as the whole situation he was currently in. No, it was certainly nobody of Schwarz. The whole thing literally reeked after somebody else he knew. ´Estet.´ That was it. Just the right setting for one of their little intrigues.
Silently Crawford cursed himself in his mind. It was so obvious, if one thought over it. The coincidence in which he got separated from the rest of his team. The state he'd woken in the next time. The fact that he wasn't getting any connections with the others. Some high-ranked airhead was playing his scheme again and he was caught up in it. Oh the joy. Flopping on the bed Crawford asked himself just why he hadn't seen any of this. The answer was clear. ´If I'd known about this I'd never let it happen.´ But that was the problem of his gift. His visions were limited in time to the near immediate future. Visions which went over this limit were series of dishevelled, interlocked pictures, impressions and feelings, heavy to read and so seldom that Crawford could count them down on his fingers.
Of course Crawford hadn't been that blue-eyed to think that they could kill the elders and went by unnoticed with it. ´But so soon´
It had all happened immediately after their stroke and that quick as if it had been the cue for a long-prepared action. ´As if somebody was already knowing what we were up for.´ That was nonsense. He'd taken good care that nothing leaked out, not even letting the other members of Schwarz know about his real intentions. So how? Another precog? But where? And who?
There weren't that much clairvoyants working for Estet and even scarce which were high in rank enough for such an action. Crawford gritted his teeth.
If another clairvoyant was involved things were getting a lot more complicated than thought. He'd have to plan carefully. When he'd left Omi had been trying to tell them about some mysterious e-mail he'd received shortly before the system had crashed. That was directly after he'd found out that Schuldig was lured to where? –Hamburg? Munich? doesn't matter, somewhere in Germany. Anyway, it could be directly involved with that it was taking the redhead that long to return. Over a week had passed and not even the troublesome German could dawdle away that much time without any reasons.
And then the fact that it was far too quiet for having someone like Farfarello running around freely…
Naturally Nagi could be taking care of him, but what if not? As much as Crawford disliked it he had to face that he was caring for the three of them very much. Having them spread out in history of humankind and not knowing if they were still alive or not like that wasn't pleasing him at all.
´God, Schuldig! Just where the hell are you?!´
Being troubled with thoughts like that Crawford had a hard time finding any rest that night.
´… Since when am I calling Weiß at their first names anyway?´
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Schuldig grinned broadly as he watched one of his pursuers through a mirroring showcase. One should really think that they've figured out that their mental shields weren't working against him after that disaster in Munich. But no, there they were, in some cheap fast-food restaurant at the airport of Moscow, still playing the same game.
The man in question was failing miserably at his try to hide his gun while pretending to read newspaper. Briefly Schuldig wondered if he was even noticing that he was holding it the wrong way.
Then he stopped short ´Christ, he's even poked peepholes into it!´
All the German could do was not to laugh out loud. Those beginners were really acting more foolish than should be allowed. To think that they were sent to catch him – one could as well send mice to hunt a tiger.
´Here we go.´
The redhead watched amusedly the approaching man and went to leave the shop just in time to ruin the other attempts to charge. Chuckling at the guy's mental curses he rounded a corner –and barely evaded to crash into a waitress. Following a spontaneous inspiration Schu quickly sent a mental order to her while pushing by.
Moments later he heard a shriek followed by a smacking sound.
Casting a quick glance back Schuldig left the restaurant laughing. The waitress was still busy smacking her tray on the poor guy's head, shouting something about criminals. /
//Attention! Attention! J-Airways requests all passengers to Tokyo, Japan to check-in immediately!// Ah, perfect timing. If the others would just know how much fun they were missing!
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End chapter 8
AR the second (you didn't really believe I'd spare you that, did you?´`´`): Huge thanks and group bear-glomps to all who have reviewed the last chapter! Soo much reactions! Over fourteen reviews! Thanks minna you're simply great!´`_´`
BlackWind, Akeru (sorry for not answering your mail, my server's somehow screwed ´`´`*), yue, Lei-chan, Malefici, Enna Namo, Blume, Snickerdoodle, pink bunny, Ryuke-chan, Green Jello, Yami no Tenshi (thanks for drawing my attention to that, must have overlooked it´`´`*), Kyra (see I didn't forget it´`´`) and Draco Aries.
Ahem, I've also decided that another member of Schwarz is going to show up by Weiß in the next chapter. Guess who? ´`.´`
See the button down there? Click on it.
No, not the ´report abuse´! The other! Yeah, right there. The ´submit review´.
Click it. Please? ´`.´`