Killings: Search and Rescue
Sailormoon (Haruka) fanfiction
immo -
rating: R
If I'm not mistaken, we're very close to the end. Long series are not my writing style. Cuz my grammer goes, my spelling goes, holy shit... I dunno what else, but everything intelligent and story-worthy goes. So thank god its the end, right? Liked how chapter 6 came out so quick, huh? Well... lets hope I get this chapter out just as quick.
Oh, and russian phrases used in here will have translations at the bottom. I hope they're right. Forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm trying my best.
and this chapter just didn't come out soon enough, right? LoL. Well, for those who have reviewed me... well, there ya go. When people ask, I just gotta give. :D I'm so big-hearted, eh?
"I can't believe it." Slobodianik looked at the likeness of Serge, drawn on the napkin.
"Unless you've asked him to deal with Bungario, and I didn't know of it, then..." Haruka trailed off. They were walking in a park together. Children were screaming around the playground, and some of Slobodianik's men paced along the perimeters of the park, guarding their boss. "My source might be wrong... however, I've noted that only Serge and Gary would be privy to some of the information leaked out in the past couple of while, that Bungario seems to have some third-eye knowledge to. Like in stocks, he has been able to follow you quite closely. You keep Gary close, but Serge has always been closest."
"I suspected him too. But I... didn't want it to be him." Sacha shook his head sadly. "He was like a son to me, Haruka."
"And he showed he did not feel the same way, sir." Haruka pointed out. "You have let Serge handle everything of yours. What else has he let out? Has he told Bungario of what kind of security you have? What happens if he has?"
Sacha sighed, and looked up into the blinding sun, as if it could give him the answers.
"Give me the word, sir." Haruka stood there, attentively. When Slobodianik's head finally dipped down in a nod, Haruka bowed her head once in respect, then left Slobodianik's side.
"What have you been doing?" Haruka was back in her apartment. Rei was sitting in front of the fireplace again, concentrating hard, silvery strands of Usagi's hair twined around her fingers.
"I'm doing a locating spell." Rei was in full Shinto priestess regalia. Which made Haruka question the girl's sanity. "I haven't done it in a long time, but I think it'll work."
Rei broke from her trance when she heard the sound of guns being checked and loaded. "What are you doing?"
"I have to get rid of a rat." Haruka said firmly. Four guns. Two in shoulder holsters, two at her hip.
Enough ammunition on her belt to take out an elephant.
"Could I come along?" Rei got up from her seat on the floor. "Right after this, I would like to see if the locating spell works."
Haruka looked at the priestess cautiously. "How does your locating spell work?"
"We just drive around." Rei said matter-of-factly. "And when we're near her, her hair glows."
"Riiiight. Okay. I think you need some fresh air anyways."
It was time for a routine check of the factories. Gary, Serge and Haruka would go. At least, that's what Slobodianik would tell Serge. The last factory they would check would be a newly bought one, with no employees in it yet. Even the heavy machinery hadn't been brought in yet. The way it was set up, it would not raise Serge's suspicion whatsoever. Serge and Gary usually did checks like these before, to make sure everything was running to Slobodianik's satisfaction. Haruka had accompanied them on one of these expeditions only once before.
"You just don't say anything, and stay in the car." Haruka shook her finger at Rei.
The first few factory inspections went without a hitch, and then the last one came along. They had to make sure there were no squatters, that was the main concern. While Gary and Serge inspected a part of the building,
Haruka had walked off on the excuse to find a washroom.
"Looks about okay," Serge smiled at them. "Lets go. We could grab a bite to eat before reporting to the Sacha."
Gary shook his head sadly, and unholstered his gun, pointing it at Serge before he could blink.
"Gary?" Serge held his hands up in the air. "What's up, man?"
"Don't play stupid, Serge." Haruka came back with a chair and some rope. "Lets get whatever weapons you're holding and sit you down for a little chat."
"Why'd you have to do it, Sergei?" Gary asked, weapon still pointed at Serge as Haruka tied up the man.
"You've been with Sacha for how long? How could you? Did you think we wouldn't know?"
Serge's face went from pleading, to stony in a second. "I don't know what you're fucking talking about."
"See," Haruka had just finished tying up Serge and she stood up, taking out her gun. "That's what I fucking hate. Playing innocent when you know you're guilty."
Haruka shot out Serge's kneecap, smiling pleasantly. It had been a while since she'd heard a man scream in such beautiful pain. The killer in her was positively dancing with glee.
"Promudobliadskaja pizdoprojebina!" Serge screamed, rocking his chair so hard that he fell to his side,
causing another round of swearing.
"When men cry, it gets me right here." Haruka wiped away a mock tear. "Now since we already know you've been leaking information to the Bungarios, like our unfortunate associate Carl, I'm hoping you might be a bit more useful than Mr Carl. I want to know if you know where Tsukino Usagi is."
"Hooy tebe v zhopu!"
"See, I don't understand what you're saying." Haruka punched the guy across the head. "You tell me where Usagi is, and, I'm not going to lie to you, you're gonna die anyways. Just much faster."
"You fucking whore!" Serge spat out.
"Ah, words I understand." Haruka punched him in the gut. "Bad words, but still words I understand."
"You think these things haven't happened in Russia?" Serge spat out. "Do your worse!"
"These things do happen in mother Russia, as you say." Haruka cocked her head to one side. "But have they ever happened to you?" Serge's stunned silence confirmed it, as if he had just realized it himself. "No. I guess not. Let me tell you something, Serge. Men bigger than you, who have suffered more than you, will crack within an hour. Only the best refuse to give in."
"Haruka." Gary and Haruka both spun around, guns cocked. Rei had entered the building, attracted by the gunshots.
"Ha!" Serge laughed again. "To think, the two of you, trying to find Tsukino Usagi? You two cannot find her if she was right in front of you!"
Rei's eyes narrowed to angry slits. She stormed forward and grabbed Haruka's gun, taking out Serge's other kneecap.
"Much better." Rei sighed.
"Japanese women are fucking crazy." Gary muttered to himself, as he rested his arm a bit. The pain had pushed Slobodianik's right hand man into unconsciousness. Haruka slapped Serge a few times to wake him up.
"Now. I'm going to ask you again. WHERE. IS. USAGI?" Haruka watched Serge's reaction. The man remained sullenly silent. "Okay. Did I tell you before I hate these games?"
Haruka leaned forward and took hold of Serge's right hand's middle finger. "Your loss." With that, she bent it all the way back quickly, and the crack of bone echoed in the empty warehouse, followed by Serge's pained howlings.
"Are you going to talk?" Leaving no room for an answer, Haruka's fist came down on the man's already destroyed finger, smashing fragile bones. "Serge, I can go on all night."
Two more fingers were snapped back in quick succession, before Haruka paused in her cruelty. "Now. What are you going to say for yourself, Sergei?"
"I tell you... what..." Serge grinned through the pain. "If I die... Bungario knows the gig... is up. He will kill... the blonde brat.. ARGH!"
Rei rested the hilt of the smoking gun on her thigh. "I didn't know people can still feel their feet after their kneecaps are shot out."
"Yeah, they can. See." Haruka stomped down on Serge's foot several times, listening to the man's screaming cries change to mewing whimpers. "See?"
"I see." Rei nodded. "Interesting."
"Its a learning experience."
"So... do you know where Tsukino Usagi is?" Haruka asked again. Serge remained silent, sobbing against his ropes, and swearing softly in russian under his breath.
"We don't have time for this." Rei said impatiently. Haruka cracked a blow across Serge's face with the butt of her gun, almost playfully.
"Yeah. You're right." Haruka took out her cellphone and dialled a number. The call went through, and Haruka held out the phone to Serge, a smile on her face. "Its your fiancee. Would you like to say hello?"
Serge's already pale face grew paler at the blubbering words of his fiancee.
"Stacy?" Serge called softly.
"Sergei, what is happening?" Stacy hiccuped. "I'm scared, Sergei. Where are you?"
"There's a man standing right next to her right now." Haruka explained, placed the receiver against her ear.
"Well, there he is on the phone now. Hello, sir. How are you tonight? I'm quite well, thank you."
"What do you need to know?" Serge asked, defeated.
"Seventeen minutes. My, how time flies." Haruka smiled. "That was how long you took to break. Now tell me,
where is Tsukino Usagi?"
"I... I don't know." Serge admitted. Haruka's lips tightened into a grimace. "Wait! I... I... last time I was with Bungario... I heard him talking to one of them... they said they were getting take-out near... their new hideout. A chinese place near... Liberty and Previews. Liberty and Previews... Please."
"And is that all you know?" Haruka asked. Serge nodded. "Are you absolutely certain. Because I would hate to have to visit Stacy if this information you are giving me does not help in rescuing Tsukino Usagi."
"Yes... please.." Serge begged, a fresh wave of tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please, Stacy..."
"I hate it when I have to seperate loved ones from each other." Haruka nodded understandingly. She put the phone back to her ear. "Kill her."
"No!"
The shot was loud enough to be heard by Gary, Rei, and most importantly, Serge.
"I'm sorry Sergei, but you've disappointed Mr Slobodianik quite a bit. And you know how he feels about that."
"You BITCH! I'll kill you!" Serge screamed. "My Stacy! My beautiful Stacy!"
"Goodbye, Sergei." Haruka said emotionlessly, and put a bullet through the man's head.
"You didn't have to kill him." Rei looked at the gun in her hand, and handed it back to Haruka, feeling sick and disgusted with herself.
"Don't waste your energy on feeling guilty." Haruka emptied another bullet into the dead man's skull. Again,
Haruka was overzealous with her work. "Just remember, he was part of what took Usagi away from you."
Rei nodded, not sure, but feeling a bit more at ease with that thought.
"Clean up, Gary." Haruka ordered. "Rei and I, we have to do a little search and rescue."
"Look!" Rei held up her hand, where Usagi's hair had remained twined around her fingers. "Told you!"
"Well, damn!" Haruka blinked in surprise. In the dark interior of her car, the blonde strands of hair were glowing. "We don't know where the house is, but we can drive around Liberty and Previews. It'll stop us from having to run through all the small streets. And when I get close enough to her, I'll know so we can pinpoint the house when the glow becomes too bright."
"Good thing this Shinto priestess comes with a Usagi navigation system!" Haruka joked.
Rei didn't reply, and sat silently, concentrating. After a few minutes, Rei cleared her throat.
"Yes?" Haruka took out two guns and placed them on Rei's lap. "While you're at it, take out a few clips of ammo from my belt. Good thing I came prepared."
"Thanks." Rei took the inventory of weapons and ammo, slipping them into the mysterious recesses of her ceremonial garb. "Haruka... how... how do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Kill?"
"Its easy." Haruka smiled at Rei. "Very easy for me, actually. Terrifyingly easy."
"Why?"
Because. I've learned that, no matter what, its either killed or be killed. That's why its so easy for me,
Rei."
"Did something happen?"
Haruka remained silent for a long time, the glow of Usagi's hair guiding her.
"Yes." Finally, Haruka replied. "Something did happen. Someone I loved very much got killed."
There was another long silence, as Haruka continued driving. The glow from Usagi's hair got brighter as the blonde turned a street.
"Why?"
Haruka smiled bitterly. "Because she tried to kill me."
Another long silence.
"Aren't you going to ask the 'who'?"
"...who killed her?"
"Me. I did."
"Stop the car. We're near." Rei hid the glowing strands of hair in the glovebox. Rei would just be a great big glowing target with it. "I'm going to make a call to Mr Tsukino."
"And I guess I should make one to Sacha." Haruka and Rei both went on their cellphones for a second, then left the communication devices in the car.
"You ready?" Haruka grinned at Rei.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm going into a shootout with a Shinto priestess in her ceremonial dress, that's what."
"Shut up." Rei gave Haruka a small smile to show the blonde she wasn't serious.
"Front or back?"
"Back."
"There might be boobytraps." Haruka warned. "One of the three is very techno-savvy."
"Sixth-sense." Rei tapped her head. "My spider sense tingles when I sense danger. So its even better that I'm in the back."
"Take care of yourself." Haruka squeezed Rei's shoulder.
Rei nodded, before pointing to an unassuming house. "That one."
"You sure?"
"I love her too much to be wrong."
"Guess you are."
"You don't know how good it felt to say that."
An image of Michiru came to mind. "I could imagine. I'll give you ten minutes. Got a watch?"
"Yes."
"Good. Synchronized? Great. Lets go."
There were people in the house, that much Haruka knew. She waited quietly, counting down the minutes. Soon,
there was only ten seconds left. She hoped Rei was at the back already, because she wasn't waiting.
10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2.
Haruka kicked open the door, and immediately met Yaten, who had rolled out of the kitchen, gun poised, at Rei.
"Yaten, no!" Haruka called out, just in time. Well-trained to Haruka's voice, Yaten reacted instinctively and pulled up her gun. Rei, astonished, did the same thing.
"Haruka?" Yaten turned around hopefully.
"Yaten." Haruka stood in the doorway, and threw the light-haired young woman a smirk. "You've grown."
Yaten replied with a series of gunshots.
"Fuck!" Haruka peeked into the house again, and retreated quickly when she felt the heat of a bullet pass way too close to her face for comfort. "Yaten, stop shooting!"
"You bitch, you said you'd come back for me and then you left!" Yaten screamed, shooting until she ran out of bullets. By now, Taiki had joined Yaten, and kept a gun trained on the back door.
"Yaten, you alright?" Taiki asked.
"Taiki?"
"Haruka?"
"She found us." Yaten confirmed. "I'm going to put her head on a fucking pike!"
"Just because she dumped you--"
"Fuck you, Taiki!" Yaten screamed.
Haruka glanced around, looking for something... anything that would give her the upperhand. Taiki and Yaten were almost on par with her. Together, they were near invincible. But she trained them... she knew their weaknesses.
Yaten was too emotional. Taiki's weakness was her sisters, surprising enough. Especially Yaten, since she saw the young assassin's lack of control in the emotional department as a major weakness. And Seiya... Seiya would be a problem.
"Yaten, don't shoot, I'm coming in!"
There were a few warning shots, then Haruka took a deep breath and stood in the open space of the door.
"You..." Yaten's eyes filled with tears. "You think your lying ass is stepping foot into this house? Think again!"
"I didn't want to leave you, Yaten." Haruka said calmly, taking a step inside the house. The shot Yaten fired nicked Haruka's pants. "You know I wanted to take you, but... you know how I am. I wouldn't have been able to take care of you right."
"You lie! You could have!" Yaten shot again, this time making Haruka bleed as a bullet stung her side.
"SHOOT HER!" Taiki grinded out between her teeth.
"No, Yaten, I'm not lying to you."
"But... you did before!"
"SHOOT HER, DUMBASS!"
"So I'm sorry."
"That's not good enough!"
"Well, what can I do to make it all better?" Haruka was within five feet of the girl, who's gunhand was faltering.
"Well," Yaten had a smile on her face. "Take me out. On a date."
"WHAT?!" Taiki turned around, an incredulous look on her face. "Haruka, you fucking DARE, that's JAILBAIT!"
"I'm fully fucking legal!" Yaten was this close to throwing a hissy fit.
"Well now... legal, hm?" Haruka allowed a smirk to pull her lips up. "Nothing's stopping me from taking you on a date now."
"Oh, I'm stopping you--" Taiki turned her attention away from the backdoor to level her gun at Haruka.
"Taiki, no!" Yaten pushed Taiki's arm away, ruining her aim, as Rei rushed up and knocked Yaten unconscious,
while Haruka did the same for Taiki.
"Ah, a kidnapper's home." Haruka picked up some ducttape lying on the table, and taped up Taiki and Yaten,
then took their guns with her, sliding them into her empty holsters.
"Downstairs." Haruka pointed to a door that was slightly opened that showed a set of stairs that lead down.
"I'll go first."
Haruka crept down the stairs quietly, stopping when she heard any stairs creaking. Finally, she reached the bottom, and motioned for Rei to come down. There were only two rooms. The basement was barely finished.
Haruka approached one room, knocked open the door and swept inside quickly. Nothing.
"This one." Rei was almost quivering with anticipation. Haruka pushed the door, and it swung open slowly.
revealing Seiya, Usagi and Hotaru. Seiya had her gun pointed at Usagi's head, another at Haruka, while Hotaru clutched on to Usagi fearfully.
"Rei! Haruka!" Usagi's face was one of joy. "You're here! I knew you'd come get me!"
"Shut up, stupid!" Rei shouted back in relief. "You're not rescued yet!"
"I am so, idiot!" Usagi argued back happily.
"Good evening." Seiya smiled, looking slightly confused.
"Hey, Seiya."
Rei glanced from Haruka to Seiya, then back to Usagi. "How do you know one another, Haruka?"
"I trained them." Haruka replied evenly. "They were my best students."
"You knew they were in town?"
"Only after Usagi was kidnapped."
Rei paused for a second. "That's when you placed a trace on one of them."
"On me, actually." Seiya laughed. "Smart girl. You catch on quick. I like your outfit."
"Taught her to have a smart mouth too?" Rei glared at Haruka.
"Oh no, that she had before she came to me."
"I'm blaming you for that anyways. And your ass is grass when we're out of here."
"Concentrate." Seiya commanded. "Me. good. Now, I would like the two of you to get out of my way so I could make my escape."
"And why should we do that?" Rei hissed, anger in her eyes.
"All we did was watch her, ma'am." Seiya said honestly. "Course, Yaten did give her a mean haircut and smacked her around a bit..."
Rei squinted, and noticed the fadings of a black eye. "Usagi, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine!"
"And we did feed her. Which, I say, I should be reimbursed for. I swear to god she eats like a whale!"
"Hey!" Usagi turned around to look at Seiya indignantly.
"Sorry, but that's the truth." Seiya said kindly. "Now, we've been very nice to her. I'm very fond of her myself. But I'm afraid I'll have to shoot her somewhere if you do not let me go."
"Rei!" Usagi's eyes widened, as Seiya pulled the hammer on his gun back, to show that he meant business.
"Seiya." Haruka growled. "You don't want to do that."
"No?" Seiya laughed sadly. "Of course I do. Remember? You taught me this lesson."
"Let her go, you don't want to be like me." Haruka spoke steadily, hoping to get to a part of Seiya she knew had died in herself a long time ago.
"I like Usagi a lot." Seiya continued sadly.
"I like you too, Seiya." Usagi's fear was mixed with confusion. "Why are you doing this?"
"She's really funny." Seiya laughed. "She doesn't understand... well... Usagi, I'm doing this because I have to live."
"Oh." Usagi was still a child at heart. Protected from the outside world by her father, she didn't know a life of violence, she didn't know hardship. Didn't know hate. Didn't know most of the bad things in life can't be helped, and this was what it would always be for some people. So whenever she saw any of these things she didn't like, she tried to make things a bit happier. In a way, she was naive about how the world worked and had developed her own answer to problems.
"Well... Rei, why can't we let him go this time? He's really a great person."
Rei stared at Usagi, mouth agape. "N-no!"
Haruka coughed. "He's a she."
"Oh. OH!" Usagi turned around and looked at Seiya sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Its okay." Seiya turned pleading eyes to Haruka. "Just add it on the tab of how much I owe you, buddy. I know when I can't win. And I still have my sisters to drag me down when I try to get out of here. Give me a way out,
Haruka."
Haruka let out a long sigh. The history between Seiya and her went deep. Very deep.
"Sorry, Rei." Haruka hit the priestess on the back of her skull with the butt of her gun. Rei fell bonelessly to the ground.
"Rei!"
"She'll be okay." Haruka holstered her guns. "Get going, Seiya. Your sisters are tied up upstairs. Might take a while to untie them."
"I'll be alright." Seiya got off the bed. "Thanks, Haruka. We all owe you."
"Thanks later. Your contract's up. Call me in a few days and we'll go out for coffee." Haruka grinned.
"Hurry."
"Rei!" Usagi ran to Rei's side as soon as Seiya was out the door. Haruka looked at Hotaru curiously, and finally knelt down in front of the girl and picked her up.
"Hey there. What's your name?"
"The girl's name is Hotaru," Usagi informed. Hotaru clung to Haruka shivering a bit. "She's sick. I think we should get her to a doctor."
"Tomoe... Hotaru?" Haruka looked down at the dark-eyed girl. "She's still alive?"
"Of course she is." Usagi scoffed.
"We stopped searching for her... soon as her father--" Haruka stopped. "Come on, we're getting out of here."
Haruka tried to pass Hotaru over to Usagi, but the little girl clung fast to the tall assassin.
"Okay then," Haruka helped Rei up, who was slowly coming to, but was still a bit groggy. "I've gotcha."
"You... wouldn't need to if... you didn't hit.. me. bitch..." Rei managed a sluggish punch. "Wait... my guns... I'm okay."
Rei picked up her weapons, shook her head a few times, and lead the way. By the time they made it outside,
several cars had pulled up, and Mr Tsukino stepped out of one of them.
"Usagi-chan!" He held his arms open to his only daughter.
"Papa!" Breaking past Rei, she hugged him tightly and cried into his shoulder. "Papa... I missed you so so so so so much!"
The old man was too moved to speak, and just hugged his daughter all the closer.
"Why did you let them leave?" Rei leaned over to whisper to Haruka.
"Because." Haruka shifted her hold on Hotaru. "They said find Tsukino Usagi. Killing the kidnappers wasn't mentioned much, but was obviously second to Tsukino Usagi's well-being."
"Rei!" Mr Tsukino was calling. "Haruka, please, join me!"
Haruka and Rei walked over to the jubilant man. The police were just arriving at the scene.
"You have my... undying gratitude. Both of you." Mr Tsukino clapped the two on the shoulder. "Rei, you have proven yourself again and again. I can't give you more than I already have."
"Of course." Rei bowed her head low. Then she stumbled and grabbed a hold of Haruka's arm to steady herself.
"Rei?" Usagi's eyes widened in fear. "Rei?"
"Usako..." Rei fell against Haruka, who held her up the best she could. The physically trying experience had pushed the priestess past her limits.
"Get an ambulance, quickly!" Mr Tsukino barked out the order.
In the pandemonium, Haruka felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Sacha looking down at her.
"Did you do it?"
"Yessir." Haruka nodded. "Your vermin problem has been taken care of."
"Did you learn any more names?" Slobodianik asked.
"No." Haruka shook her head. "I killed him before I could question him further. But I am good at sniffing out rats, Mr Slobodianik. Leave it to me."
"Of course." Sacha smiled at Haruka apologetically. "I'm sorry. I almost doubted you and your unorthodox ways of dealing with things."
"Its understandable. Nobody trusts a loose cannon."
Sacha looked down and finally noticed the small girl clinging to the front of Haruka's shirt. "And who do we have here?"
"This?" Haruka rubbed the dark-eyed girl's head affectionately. "This is the late Tomoe's daughter."
"Haruka--"
"She's suffered enough, Mr Slobodianik." Haruka kept her voice respectful. But tonight... tonight she didn't want to kill. Having a gunfight with the people who were closest to her... that had taken the taste out of her work this evening.
"No." Sacha shook his head ruefully. "I'm not that merciless. The child can live. But she's bleeding all over your leg."
Promudobliadskaja pizdoprojebina!Fucking bitch!
Hooy tebe v zhopu!Prick up your ass! (refusal to a person)yo, don't ask me. Russians have weird ass swearwords.
If I'm not mistaken, we're very close to the end. Long series are not my writing style. Cuz my grammer goes, my spelling goes, holy shit... I dunno what else, but everything intelligent and story-worthy goes. So thank god its the end, right? Liked how chapter 6 came out so quick, huh? Well... lets hope I get this chapter out just as quick.
Oh, and russian phrases used in here will have translations at the bottom. I hope they're right. Forgive me if I'm wrong, I'm trying my best.
and this chapter just didn't come out soon enough, right? LoL. Well, for those who have reviewed me... well, there ya go. When people ask, I just gotta give. :D I'm so big-hearted, eh?
"I can't believe it." Slobodianik looked at the likeness of Serge, drawn on the napkin.
"Unless you've asked him to deal with Bungario, and I didn't know of it, then..." Haruka trailed off. They were walking in a park together. Children were screaming around the playground, and some of Slobodianik's men paced along the perimeters of the park, guarding their boss. "My source might be wrong... however, I've noted that only Serge and Gary would be privy to some of the information leaked out in the past couple of while, that Bungario seems to have some third-eye knowledge to. Like in stocks, he has been able to follow you quite closely. You keep Gary close, but Serge has always been closest."
"I suspected him too. But I... didn't want it to be him." Sacha shook his head sadly. "He was like a son to me, Haruka."
"And he showed he did not feel the same way, sir." Haruka pointed out. "You have let Serge handle everything of yours. What else has he let out? Has he told Bungario of what kind of security you have? What happens if he has?"
Sacha sighed, and looked up into the blinding sun, as if it could give him the answers.
"Give me the word, sir." Haruka stood there, attentively. When Slobodianik's head finally dipped down in a nod, Haruka bowed her head once in respect, then left Slobodianik's side.
"What have you been doing?" Haruka was back in her apartment. Rei was sitting in front of the fireplace again, concentrating hard, silvery strands of Usagi's hair twined around her fingers.
"I'm doing a locating spell." Rei was in full Shinto priestess regalia. Which made Haruka question the girl's sanity. "I haven't done it in a long time, but I think it'll work."
Rei broke from her trance when she heard the sound of guns being checked and loaded. "What are you doing?"
"I have to get rid of a rat." Haruka said firmly. Four guns. Two in shoulder holsters, two at her hip.
Enough ammunition on her belt to take out an elephant.
"Could I come along?" Rei got up from her seat on the floor. "Right after this, I would like to see if the locating spell works."
Haruka looked at the priestess cautiously. "How does your locating spell work?"
"We just drive around." Rei said matter-of-factly. "And when we're near her, her hair glows."
"Riiiight. Okay. I think you need some fresh air anyways."
It was time for a routine check of the factories. Gary, Serge and Haruka would go. At least, that's what Slobodianik would tell Serge. The last factory they would check would be a newly bought one, with no employees in it yet. Even the heavy machinery hadn't been brought in yet. The way it was set up, it would not raise Serge's suspicion whatsoever. Serge and Gary usually did checks like these before, to make sure everything was running to Slobodianik's satisfaction. Haruka had accompanied them on one of these expeditions only once before.
"You just don't say anything, and stay in the car." Haruka shook her finger at Rei.
The first few factory inspections went without a hitch, and then the last one came along. They had to make sure there were no squatters, that was the main concern. While Gary and Serge inspected a part of the building,
Haruka had walked off on the excuse to find a washroom.
"Looks about okay," Serge smiled at them. "Lets go. We could grab a bite to eat before reporting to the Sacha."
Gary shook his head sadly, and unholstered his gun, pointing it at Serge before he could blink.
"Gary?" Serge held his hands up in the air. "What's up, man?"
"Don't play stupid, Serge." Haruka came back with a chair and some rope. "Lets get whatever weapons you're holding and sit you down for a little chat."
"Why'd you have to do it, Sergei?" Gary asked, weapon still pointed at Serge as Haruka tied up the man.
"You've been with Sacha for how long? How could you? Did you think we wouldn't know?"
Serge's face went from pleading, to stony in a second. "I don't know what you're fucking talking about."
"See," Haruka had just finished tying up Serge and she stood up, taking out her gun. "That's what I fucking hate. Playing innocent when you know you're guilty."
Haruka shot out Serge's kneecap, smiling pleasantly. It had been a while since she'd heard a man scream in such beautiful pain. The killer in her was positively dancing with glee.
"Promudobliadskaja pizdoprojebina!" Serge screamed, rocking his chair so hard that he fell to his side,
causing another round of swearing.
"When men cry, it gets me right here." Haruka wiped away a mock tear. "Now since we already know you've been leaking information to the Bungarios, like our unfortunate associate Carl, I'm hoping you might be a bit more useful than Mr Carl. I want to know if you know where Tsukino Usagi is."
"Hooy tebe v zhopu!"
"See, I don't understand what you're saying." Haruka punched the guy across the head. "You tell me where Usagi is, and, I'm not going to lie to you, you're gonna die anyways. Just much faster."
"You fucking whore!" Serge spat out.
"Ah, words I understand." Haruka punched him in the gut. "Bad words, but still words I understand."
"You think these things haven't happened in Russia?" Serge spat out. "Do your worse!"
"These things do happen in mother Russia, as you say." Haruka cocked her head to one side. "But have they ever happened to you?" Serge's stunned silence confirmed it, as if he had just realized it himself. "No. I guess not. Let me tell you something, Serge. Men bigger than you, who have suffered more than you, will crack within an hour. Only the best refuse to give in."
"Haruka." Gary and Haruka both spun around, guns cocked. Rei had entered the building, attracted by the gunshots.
"Ha!" Serge laughed again. "To think, the two of you, trying to find Tsukino Usagi? You two cannot find her if she was right in front of you!"
Rei's eyes narrowed to angry slits. She stormed forward and grabbed Haruka's gun, taking out Serge's other kneecap.
"Much better." Rei sighed.
"Japanese women are fucking crazy." Gary muttered to himself, as he rested his arm a bit. The pain had pushed Slobodianik's right hand man into unconsciousness. Haruka slapped Serge a few times to wake him up.
"Now. I'm going to ask you again. WHERE. IS. USAGI?" Haruka watched Serge's reaction. The man remained sullenly silent. "Okay. Did I tell you before I hate these games?"
Haruka leaned forward and took hold of Serge's right hand's middle finger. "Your loss." With that, she bent it all the way back quickly, and the crack of bone echoed in the empty warehouse, followed by Serge's pained howlings.
"Are you going to talk?" Leaving no room for an answer, Haruka's fist came down on the man's already destroyed finger, smashing fragile bones. "Serge, I can go on all night."
Two more fingers were snapped back in quick succession, before Haruka paused in her cruelty. "Now. What are you going to say for yourself, Sergei?"
"I tell you... what..." Serge grinned through the pain. "If I die... Bungario knows the gig... is up. He will kill... the blonde brat.. ARGH!"
Rei rested the hilt of the smoking gun on her thigh. "I didn't know people can still feel their feet after their kneecaps are shot out."
"Yeah, they can. See." Haruka stomped down on Serge's foot several times, listening to the man's screaming cries change to mewing whimpers. "See?"
"I see." Rei nodded. "Interesting."
"Its a learning experience."
"So... do you know where Tsukino Usagi is?" Haruka asked again. Serge remained silent, sobbing against his ropes, and swearing softly in russian under his breath.
"We don't have time for this." Rei said impatiently. Haruka cracked a blow across Serge's face with the butt of her gun, almost playfully.
"Yeah. You're right." Haruka took out her cellphone and dialled a number. The call went through, and Haruka held out the phone to Serge, a smile on her face. "Its your fiancee. Would you like to say hello?"
Serge's already pale face grew paler at the blubbering words of his fiancee.
"Stacy?" Serge called softly.
"Sergei, what is happening?" Stacy hiccuped. "I'm scared, Sergei. Where are you?"
"There's a man standing right next to her right now." Haruka explained, placed the receiver against her ear.
"Well, there he is on the phone now. Hello, sir. How are you tonight? I'm quite well, thank you."
"What do you need to know?" Serge asked, defeated.
"Seventeen minutes. My, how time flies." Haruka smiled. "That was how long you took to break. Now tell me,
where is Tsukino Usagi?"
"I... I don't know." Serge admitted. Haruka's lips tightened into a grimace. "Wait! I... I... last time I was with Bungario... I heard him talking to one of them... they said they were getting take-out near... their new hideout. A chinese place near... Liberty and Previews. Liberty and Previews... Please."
"And is that all you know?" Haruka asked. Serge nodded. "Are you absolutely certain. Because I would hate to have to visit Stacy if this information you are giving me does not help in rescuing Tsukino Usagi."
"Yes... please.." Serge begged, a fresh wave of tears streaming down his cheeks. "Please, Stacy..."
"I hate it when I have to seperate loved ones from each other." Haruka nodded understandingly. She put the phone back to her ear. "Kill her."
"No!"
The shot was loud enough to be heard by Gary, Rei, and most importantly, Serge.
"I'm sorry Sergei, but you've disappointed Mr Slobodianik quite a bit. And you know how he feels about that."
"You BITCH! I'll kill you!" Serge screamed. "My Stacy! My beautiful Stacy!"
"Goodbye, Sergei." Haruka said emotionlessly, and put a bullet through the man's head.
"You didn't have to kill him." Rei looked at the gun in her hand, and handed it back to Haruka, feeling sick and disgusted with herself.
"Don't waste your energy on feeling guilty." Haruka emptied another bullet into the dead man's skull. Again,
Haruka was overzealous with her work. "Just remember, he was part of what took Usagi away from you."
Rei nodded, not sure, but feeling a bit more at ease with that thought.
"Clean up, Gary." Haruka ordered. "Rei and I, we have to do a little search and rescue."
"Look!" Rei held up her hand, where Usagi's hair had remained twined around her fingers. "Told you!"
"Well, damn!" Haruka blinked in surprise. In the dark interior of her car, the blonde strands of hair were glowing. "We don't know where the house is, but we can drive around Liberty and Previews. It'll stop us from having to run through all the small streets. And when I get close enough to her, I'll know so we can pinpoint the house when the glow becomes too bright."
"Good thing this Shinto priestess comes with a Usagi navigation system!" Haruka joked.
Rei didn't reply, and sat silently, concentrating. After a few minutes, Rei cleared her throat.
"Yes?" Haruka took out two guns and placed them on Rei's lap. "While you're at it, take out a few clips of ammo from my belt. Good thing I came prepared."
"Thanks." Rei took the inventory of weapons and ammo, slipping them into the mysterious recesses of her ceremonial garb. "Haruka... how... how do you do it?"
"Do what?"
"Kill?"
"Its easy." Haruka smiled at Rei. "Very easy for me, actually. Terrifyingly easy."
"Why?"
Because. I've learned that, no matter what, its either killed or be killed. That's why its so easy for me,
Rei."
"Did something happen?"
Haruka remained silent for a long time, the glow of Usagi's hair guiding her.
"Yes." Finally, Haruka replied. "Something did happen. Someone I loved very much got killed."
There was another long silence, as Haruka continued driving. The glow from Usagi's hair got brighter as the blonde turned a street.
"Why?"
Haruka smiled bitterly. "Because she tried to kill me."
Another long silence.
"Aren't you going to ask the 'who'?"
"...who killed her?"
"Me. I did."
"Stop the car. We're near." Rei hid the glowing strands of hair in the glovebox. Rei would just be a great big glowing target with it. "I'm going to make a call to Mr Tsukino."
"And I guess I should make one to Sacha." Haruka and Rei both went on their cellphones for a second, then left the communication devices in the car.
"You ready?" Haruka grinned at Rei.
"What's so funny?"
"I'm going into a shootout with a Shinto priestess in her ceremonial dress, that's what."
"Shut up." Rei gave Haruka a small smile to show the blonde she wasn't serious.
"Front or back?"
"Back."
"There might be boobytraps." Haruka warned. "One of the three is very techno-savvy."
"Sixth-sense." Rei tapped her head. "My spider sense tingles when I sense danger. So its even better that I'm in the back."
"Take care of yourself." Haruka squeezed Rei's shoulder.
Rei nodded, before pointing to an unassuming house. "That one."
"You sure?"
"I love her too much to be wrong."
"Guess you are."
"You don't know how good it felt to say that."
An image of Michiru came to mind. "I could imagine. I'll give you ten minutes. Got a watch?"
"Yes."
"Good. Synchronized? Great. Lets go."
There were people in the house, that much Haruka knew. She waited quietly, counting down the minutes. Soon,
there was only ten seconds left. She hoped Rei was at the back already, because she wasn't waiting.
10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2.
Haruka kicked open the door, and immediately met Yaten, who had rolled out of the kitchen, gun poised, at Rei.
"Yaten, no!" Haruka called out, just in time. Well-trained to Haruka's voice, Yaten reacted instinctively and pulled up her gun. Rei, astonished, did the same thing.
"Haruka?" Yaten turned around hopefully.
"Yaten." Haruka stood in the doorway, and threw the light-haired young woman a smirk. "You've grown."
Yaten replied with a series of gunshots.
"Fuck!" Haruka peeked into the house again, and retreated quickly when she felt the heat of a bullet pass way too close to her face for comfort. "Yaten, stop shooting!"
"You bitch, you said you'd come back for me and then you left!" Yaten screamed, shooting until she ran out of bullets. By now, Taiki had joined Yaten, and kept a gun trained on the back door.
"Yaten, you alright?" Taiki asked.
"Taiki?"
"Haruka?"
"She found us." Yaten confirmed. "I'm going to put her head on a fucking pike!"
"Just because she dumped you--"
"Fuck you, Taiki!" Yaten screamed.
Haruka glanced around, looking for something... anything that would give her the upperhand. Taiki and Yaten were almost on par with her. Together, they were near invincible. But she trained them... she knew their weaknesses.
Yaten was too emotional. Taiki's weakness was her sisters, surprising enough. Especially Yaten, since she saw the young assassin's lack of control in the emotional department as a major weakness. And Seiya... Seiya would be a problem.
"Yaten, don't shoot, I'm coming in!"
There were a few warning shots, then Haruka took a deep breath and stood in the open space of the door.
"You..." Yaten's eyes filled with tears. "You think your lying ass is stepping foot into this house? Think again!"
"I didn't want to leave you, Yaten." Haruka said calmly, taking a step inside the house. The shot Yaten fired nicked Haruka's pants. "You know I wanted to take you, but... you know how I am. I wouldn't have been able to take care of you right."
"You lie! You could have!" Yaten shot again, this time making Haruka bleed as a bullet stung her side.
"SHOOT HER!" Taiki grinded out between her teeth.
"No, Yaten, I'm not lying to you."
"But... you did before!"
"SHOOT HER, DUMBASS!"
"So I'm sorry."
"That's not good enough!"
"Well, what can I do to make it all better?" Haruka was within five feet of the girl, who's gunhand was faltering.
"Well," Yaten had a smile on her face. "Take me out. On a date."
"WHAT?!" Taiki turned around, an incredulous look on her face. "Haruka, you fucking DARE, that's JAILBAIT!"
"I'm fully fucking legal!" Yaten was this close to throwing a hissy fit.
"Well now... legal, hm?" Haruka allowed a smirk to pull her lips up. "Nothing's stopping me from taking you on a date now."
"Oh, I'm stopping you--" Taiki turned her attention away from the backdoor to level her gun at Haruka.
"Taiki, no!" Yaten pushed Taiki's arm away, ruining her aim, as Rei rushed up and knocked Yaten unconscious,
while Haruka did the same for Taiki.
"Ah, a kidnapper's home." Haruka picked up some ducttape lying on the table, and taped up Taiki and Yaten,
then took their guns with her, sliding them into her empty holsters.
"Downstairs." Haruka pointed to a door that was slightly opened that showed a set of stairs that lead down.
"I'll go first."
Haruka crept down the stairs quietly, stopping when she heard any stairs creaking. Finally, she reached the bottom, and motioned for Rei to come down. There were only two rooms. The basement was barely finished.
Haruka approached one room, knocked open the door and swept inside quickly. Nothing.
"This one." Rei was almost quivering with anticipation. Haruka pushed the door, and it swung open slowly.
revealing Seiya, Usagi and Hotaru. Seiya had her gun pointed at Usagi's head, another at Haruka, while Hotaru clutched on to Usagi fearfully.
"Rei! Haruka!" Usagi's face was one of joy. "You're here! I knew you'd come get me!"
"Shut up, stupid!" Rei shouted back in relief. "You're not rescued yet!"
"I am so, idiot!" Usagi argued back happily.
"Good evening." Seiya smiled, looking slightly confused.
"Hey, Seiya."
Rei glanced from Haruka to Seiya, then back to Usagi. "How do you know one another, Haruka?"
"I trained them." Haruka replied evenly. "They were my best students."
"You knew they were in town?"
"Only after Usagi was kidnapped."
Rei paused for a second. "That's when you placed a trace on one of them."
"On me, actually." Seiya laughed. "Smart girl. You catch on quick. I like your outfit."
"Taught her to have a smart mouth too?" Rei glared at Haruka.
"Oh no, that she had before she came to me."
"I'm blaming you for that anyways. And your ass is grass when we're out of here."
"Concentrate." Seiya commanded. "Me. good. Now, I would like the two of you to get out of my way so I could make my escape."
"And why should we do that?" Rei hissed, anger in her eyes.
"All we did was watch her, ma'am." Seiya said honestly. "Course, Yaten did give her a mean haircut and smacked her around a bit..."
Rei squinted, and noticed the fadings of a black eye. "Usagi, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine!"
"And we did feed her. Which, I say, I should be reimbursed for. I swear to god she eats like a whale!"
"Hey!" Usagi turned around to look at Seiya indignantly.
"Sorry, but that's the truth." Seiya said kindly. "Now, we've been very nice to her. I'm very fond of her myself. But I'm afraid I'll have to shoot her somewhere if you do not let me go."
"Rei!" Usagi's eyes widened, as Seiya pulled the hammer on his gun back, to show that he meant business.
"Seiya." Haruka growled. "You don't want to do that."
"No?" Seiya laughed sadly. "Of course I do. Remember? You taught me this lesson."
"Let her go, you don't want to be like me." Haruka spoke steadily, hoping to get to a part of Seiya she knew had died in herself a long time ago.
"I like Usagi a lot." Seiya continued sadly.
"I like you too, Seiya." Usagi's fear was mixed with confusion. "Why are you doing this?"
"She's really funny." Seiya laughed. "She doesn't understand... well... Usagi, I'm doing this because I have to live."
"Oh." Usagi was still a child at heart. Protected from the outside world by her father, she didn't know a life of violence, she didn't know hardship. Didn't know hate. Didn't know most of the bad things in life can't be helped, and this was what it would always be for some people. So whenever she saw any of these things she didn't like, she tried to make things a bit happier. In a way, she was naive about how the world worked and had developed her own answer to problems.
"Well... Rei, why can't we let him go this time? He's really a great person."
Rei stared at Usagi, mouth agape. "N-no!"
Haruka coughed. "He's a she."
"Oh. OH!" Usagi turned around and looked at Seiya sheepishly. "Sorry."
"Its okay." Seiya turned pleading eyes to Haruka. "Just add it on the tab of how much I owe you, buddy. I know when I can't win. And I still have my sisters to drag me down when I try to get out of here. Give me a way out,
Haruka."
Haruka let out a long sigh. The history between Seiya and her went deep. Very deep.
"Sorry, Rei." Haruka hit the priestess on the back of her skull with the butt of her gun. Rei fell bonelessly to the ground.
"Rei!"
"She'll be okay." Haruka holstered her guns. "Get going, Seiya. Your sisters are tied up upstairs. Might take a while to untie them."
"I'll be alright." Seiya got off the bed. "Thanks, Haruka. We all owe you."
"Thanks later. Your contract's up. Call me in a few days and we'll go out for coffee." Haruka grinned.
"Hurry."
"Rei!" Usagi ran to Rei's side as soon as Seiya was out the door. Haruka looked at Hotaru curiously, and finally knelt down in front of the girl and picked her up.
"Hey there. What's your name?"
"The girl's name is Hotaru," Usagi informed. Hotaru clung to Haruka shivering a bit. "She's sick. I think we should get her to a doctor."
"Tomoe... Hotaru?" Haruka looked down at the dark-eyed girl. "She's still alive?"
"Of course she is." Usagi scoffed.
"We stopped searching for her... soon as her father--" Haruka stopped. "Come on, we're getting out of here."
Haruka tried to pass Hotaru over to Usagi, but the little girl clung fast to the tall assassin.
"Okay then," Haruka helped Rei up, who was slowly coming to, but was still a bit groggy. "I've gotcha."
"You... wouldn't need to if... you didn't hit.. me. bitch..." Rei managed a sluggish punch. "Wait... my guns... I'm okay."
Rei picked up her weapons, shook her head a few times, and lead the way. By the time they made it outside,
several cars had pulled up, and Mr Tsukino stepped out of one of them.
"Usagi-chan!" He held his arms open to his only daughter.
"Papa!" Breaking past Rei, she hugged him tightly and cried into his shoulder. "Papa... I missed you so so so so so much!"
The old man was too moved to speak, and just hugged his daughter all the closer.
"Why did you let them leave?" Rei leaned over to whisper to Haruka.
"Because." Haruka shifted her hold on Hotaru. "They said find Tsukino Usagi. Killing the kidnappers wasn't mentioned much, but was obviously second to Tsukino Usagi's well-being."
"Rei!" Mr Tsukino was calling. "Haruka, please, join me!"
Haruka and Rei walked over to the jubilant man. The police were just arriving at the scene.
"You have my... undying gratitude. Both of you." Mr Tsukino clapped the two on the shoulder. "Rei, you have proven yourself again and again. I can't give you more than I already have."
"Of course." Rei bowed her head low. Then she stumbled and grabbed a hold of Haruka's arm to steady herself.
"Rei?" Usagi's eyes widened in fear. "Rei?"
"Usako..." Rei fell against Haruka, who held her up the best she could. The physically trying experience had pushed the priestess past her limits.
"Get an ambulance, quickly!" Mr Tsukino barked out the order.
In the pandemonium, Haruka felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Sacha looking down at her.
"Did you do it?"
"Yessir." Haruka nodded. "Your vermin problem has been taken care of."
"Did you learn any more names?" Slobodianik asked.
"No." Haruka shook her head. "I killed him before I could question him further. But I am good at sniffing out rats, Mr Slobodianik. Leave it to me."
"Of course." Sacha smiled at Haruka apologetically. "I'm sorry. I almost doubted you and your unorthodox ways of dealing with things."
"Its understandable. Nobody trusts a loose cannon."
Sacha looked down and finally noticed the small girl clinging to the front of Haruka's shirt. "And who do we have here?"
"This?" Haruka rubbed the dark-eyed girl's head affectionately. "This is the late Tomoe's daughter."
"Haruka--"
"She's suffered enough, Mr Slobodianik." Haruka kept her voice respectful. But tonight... tonight she didn't want to kill. Having a gunfight with the people who were closest to her... that had taken the taste out of her work this evening.
"No." Sacha shook his head ruefully. "I'm not that merciless. The child can live. But she's bleeding all over your leg."
Promudobliadskaja pizdoprojebina!Fucking bitch!
Hooy tebe v zhopu!Prick up your ass! (refusal to a person)yo, don't ask me. Russians have weird ass swearwords.