Within the Shadows- Sano's Adventure in London
Disclaimer: All characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki and all affiliates.
Thanks go to a.k.a Arashi for beta-reading this chapter.
Many thanks to all who reviewed. I really appreciate all of your comments.
Chapter Seven
The streets were wet and the air actually smelled fresh, something only a rain shower could do for an area like White Chapel. One could still feel the thickness in the air signaling the chance of more rain. Sano would normally stand outside and enjoy the semblance of cleanliness but he had something important to take care of. He stalked his way down the street, checking alleyways as he walked the route to Mary's room. They couldn't have gotten that far, and even if they did his long legs would catch up to them in no time. He didn't care if he promised to stay away from them. He was determined to save Mary from Trevor.
Sano had no time to reflect on his last thought. As he turned a corner he caught sight of someone who made him stop dead in his pursuit. He never expected to see this man again, and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with him right now. He debated whether to turn back and go down another block but the man had already sensed his presence and now looked over his shoulder to see who had joined him. An unmistakable scowl formed on his face as he turned around fully, and made his way over to the ex-gangster. Sano sighed.
"I thought I said I didn't want to see you again."
Despite his haste Sano couldn't resist a smirk and nodded a hello to Detective Inspector Reid. "No, you said hoped you didn't see me again. You probably figured I'd cause trouble but I'm behaving myself," Sano assured the policeman who was glaring at him with contempt.
Inspector Reid quirked an eyebrow. "Is that so?" He gave Sano the once over, taking satisfactory note of the trousers he wore when suddenly his eyebrows shot straight up. He scrutinized something at Sano's feet for a few moments before his gaze traveled slowly back up to stare the gangster square in the eye. Sano felt an accusation coming his way.
"Something wrong?" he asked suppressing the urge to take a step back as Inspector Reid leaned in close.
"Those are nice boots. Beautifully crafted leather with impeccable shine." His stare turned into another glare. "They look expensive."
Sano felt a sinking feeling in his stomach again as he realized what the policeman was implying. The cop sure seemed to have it in for him.
"I wouldn't know. I borrowed them." And Sano realized too late how bad that sounded. The minute the words were out of his mouth he knew they were the wrong ones to say to the cop. He cursed inwardly as Inspector Reid's lips curled into a wry smile. The policeman raised his head now to look down his nose at the gangster.
"Really? And from where exactly did you borrow these shoes? You know, there have been reports of robberies in the Western part of London. I've seen you in the area. Do you know anything about that?"
Sano wondered if it was against the law to deck a cop in England. It was in Japan and in America. With that he felt it was safe to conclude that the same applied here as well. Shucks. He matched the annoying cops gaze. "Not a thing. I said I borrowed them. From a friend. Now why are you following me around?"
"What I do on the job is none of your concern. Now, which friend are you referring to? Mary Kelly? I assure you that she does not have the resources to afford such fine footwear." Inspector Reid took a step forward, getting too close for Sano's comfort. The policeman was beyond trying to get this out of a ruffian the civilized way. He leaned in closer so that he peered squarely into the gangster's face. "Where did you get them?"
Sano finally took that step back his foot unconsciously falling into his fighting stance. That slight gesture put his entire body on guard and he watched the policeman closely, waiting for anything that signaled a brawl. Reid observed this with interest taking note of the change in demeanor. He also noticed that they now drew a small crowd of curious on-lookers. Where the hell did they come from at this time of night?
"Are you going to make this difficult?"
Sano narrowed his eyes and slipped his hands into his pockets, also conscious of the people who observed them. "I don't owe you an explanation. I'm minding my own business here so leave me the hell alone."
"You know I can't do that, especially now that you seem on the verge of becoming quite belligerent. You'll have to come with me now."
Sano glared at the officer through slits. Reid stared hard at the gangster. "Your footsteps were rather hurried earlier. Where you chasing someone?"
"None of your damn business!" Sano flared, "I've got someone to meet so if you don't mind-"
"Unfortunately for you I mind very much. A stranger pursuing his own vendetta in my part of town is my business indeed. Now I shall not ask you again, sir!"
"Good! Glad to hear that." Sano took another step back and pivoted on his heel away from the angry cop to take off down the street. Or so that was the plan. He never imagined this cop had the skill to read his enemy's intentions. No sooner had Sano turned around than Inspector Reid raised his club and bought it down across the back of Sano's shoulders with one quick swoop. The strike felled the fighter immediately sending him crashing face first onto the ground. It shocked him so badly that he had no sense to break the fall, and so he landed with his full weight the impact of the ground against his body knocking the air out of him.
He cursed inwardly as he struggled to push himself over onto his back. He refused to let a wooden stick wielded by this damned cop affect him. This was just a bump. There was no way that a hit by this policeman could injure him so badly. He moved to slide his arms underneath him and push himself up, but someone grabbed his left wrist and attempted to twist it behind him. He dropped and rolled to the right bringing the person over and down onto the ground with him. The hand still grasped his wrist and Sano turned it and reversed the grip so that he had hold now. He didn't want to do too much damage to this cop but he had somewhere to go and the fool had insisted on getting in his way. So with that, Sano readied himself for the task of dislocating Inspector Reid's shoulder. In one move he planned to rise on one knee and strike with his free hand- but the sound of a whistle made him freeze. No, not just one whistle; several whistles could be heard urgently crying into the night and Sano knew this couldn't be good. He felt the wrist snatch free from his hand and he rolled away from Reid just as he raised his club once again. Instead of looking angry the policeman seemed to be enjoying this.
"You're quite a handful. I'm sorry to see this end but I do have a killer to search for." As he said those words a group of policemen pushed through the crowd and surrounded them. Now the presence of the onlookers began to bother Sano. What the hell were these people here for if they were just going to watch him get arrested? As the officers moved in he realized now that it may be time for him to move on from London and see what the next destination had for him. He just needed to take care of a few things and he could be on his way, but he knew that the policemen had something else in mind. He had to think of something fast. An officer made a grab for his arm but he pivoted and easily avoiding the hand. Another officer went for a more direct approach and raised his club. Sano moved away and avoided that blow as well.
Shit, this is getting complicated, he thought as he surveyed the policemen around him. Itwas the last thought to go through his mind as he felt something strike the back of his neck. His limbs went numb and he didn't feel the concrete this time as his body crashed down onto it.
Mary heard the whistles scream through the darkness and wondered what sort of trouble had occurred. Trevor stopped as did she and they turned to look in the direction from where the shrill noises came. She noted that she and Trevor had come from that very direction and a new sense of uneasiness came over her. She hoped that Sano was still safely back at the bar gambling away whatever money he had accumulated. She wasn't sure why that thought came to mind but she prayed that he was all right.
Her grip on Trevor's arm must have gotten tight for he suddenly turned to look curiously down at her. The streetlights illuminated his features in a way that made Mary think that he leered down at her. She quickly looked away, her heart pounding, and then turned to him again to ensure that she had imagined what she had seen in his eyes. What she now saw were his eyebrows raised in question.
"Is everything all right, Mary?"
She nodded quickly, perhaps a little too quickly, and loosened her grip on him.
"Why of course. Don't you worry love. I've cleared my entire night just for you. Whenever you're ready we can head back to my room."
Trevor raised just one eyebrow this time and gave her a playful smirk. "We'll go there soon enough. Since we have the entire night I want to savor every moment with you. Let's walk for a bit and enjoy the nighttime air." And with that he turned to look ahead and continue on with her.
Mary was relieved at the momentary stall to her quarters. She really was in no rush. Out in the street, although deserted, it was still a public area where anyone could show up at anytime. Maybe a certain foreigner would come around the corner any minute to ensure her that he had ignored their agreement and was indeed out and about keeping an eye on her. But instead a stout older gentleman appeared, stopping in his tracks at the sight of them. Mary felt as if she recognized him, but she couldn't remember from where. As they approached the man she noticed him smile and nod a greeting toward her. His manner told her that he was interested in more than just a greeting back and normally she would have taken advantage of the opening, but Trevor's presence seemed to stop her from being a proper prostitute. She merely offered a stiff nod back and refrained from glancing back at him as they passed him by. She sighed inwardly. He would have been a nice distraction.
"Don't you ever tire of that?"
The question caught her off guard. A loose string from her skirt got caught underneath her shoe and she found herself stumbling forward. She knew all along that it was loose and she had successfully avoided stepping on it until Trevor threw that odd and rather intrusive question at her. She had the immediate urge to tell him it was none of his damned business. But that certainly wouldn't help in her quest to earn her rent so she held her tongue until her anger fizzled and she could offer him a more dignified response.
"Whatever do you mean, love?"
He shot her a knowing glance. "Come now, Mary. The gentleman we just passed wanted to be one of your clients. A man can sense things like that from other men," he said pointedly his lips pursing into a grim line before he added, "And therefore we tend to become protective of what is ours."
Mary made no attempt to control her reaction this time. "What bloody concern is that of yours? Get this straight, Trevor. We're on a date, and yes I did agree to be yours for the night, but don't go thinking that this means we're going to make this a habit. If you haven't realized it yet, then allow me to enlighten you. I'm a whore! If I have the opportunity to secure future gents, do keep in mind that this date with you will not stop me from doing so. Do you understand all of this, sir?"
Trevor's complexion had grown pale, or at least as pale as she could notice underneath the glow of the streetlights. He obviously hadn't expected this outburst, but then again he knew of her reputation and should have known better than to make such a ridiculous comment. He had without a doubt, asked for it. His momentary shock faded quickly as he straightened himself, squared his shoulders and to her surprise, bowed his head.
"I do, my lady." Then he shifted his head so that he could look up at her through his lashes. "I'm sorry."
Mary was caught off guard again, her eyes following Trevor as he moved now to stand upright. She took note of his gaze, which was fixed on something behind her so she turned her head slightly to see what had caught his attention. She saw no one. She turned back to him perplexed.
"Darling, are you all right?" She asked, noting his gaze darken on what his eyes focused on. She dared another look behind her and wondered what had him so transfixed. When she turned back to him she met his eyes and immediately felt a change come over him. His empty gaze was fixed on hers, bearing so hard into her that she felt like he was trying to peep directly into her head. She felt as if she was being invaded and she looked away.
"Trevor, whatever is the matter?" she asked making sure not to let her voice shake.
She felt his hand on her chin, pulling her back to face him. "I just want to tell you how very pretty you look tonight." He then took her hand in between both of his.
"Oh. Well thank you. I'm certainly pleased that you noticed. Shall we," she asked, gesturing that they continue on their way by claiming her hand back and taking hold of his elbow. He slipped out of her grip and took her hands again.
"We shall, however I remember that there's something that I should have seen to before I went out tonight. I will have to go back home to take care of some business before I can begin my night with you. I'm sorry Mary, but I will have to leave you here. I won't be long. We'll meet in your room. You'll wait for me, won't you?" he asked hopefully, lifting her hand to his lips.
What could she say? Her time with him was being postponed and cut short. God was being very nice to her tonight. She simply nodded, tolerated another kiss on her hand and watched as he dashed away, quickly disappearing within the shadows to leave her in the street all by herself.
Mary was relieved to be rid of him for the moment. She really hadn't been looking forward to this job and anything that delayed it was most welcome. Enjoying her freedom for the time she turned to look at her surroundings and saw the gentleman whom they had passed earlier standing by the streetlamp. He had his eyes fixed on her and when he saw that she noticed him he immediately moved from his spot and made his way over to her. Mary gave him a broad smile and held her hand out as soon as he was at her side. He took it and raised it to his lips.
"Good evening, miss."
Mary took her hand back and gave him a nod. "And a good evening to you, sir. What might I do for you?"
The man's eyes glittered underneath the lamplight showing that he had been drinking. That was a plus for Mary for she could appreciate a good drink. She liked his pleasant demeanor and she liked his face. It was definitely the face of a man who liked to have a good time and she hoped that he had plans to ask her to join him one night. He held a bag in one hand and he shifted it from one to the other before focusing on her again.
"You might allow me to walk you back to your quarters. A woman shouldn't be walking alone so late at night. You know how dangerous these streets are, don't you?"
"You're very kind to offer, sir. I would love it if you accompanied me to my room. If my friend isn't back by then would you like to stay for a bit? I have some potatoes and some lovely fish. I can make you a nice stew if you haven't already eaten?"
The man looked hesitant, and glanced at her with uncertainty. "Are you not taken for the night? I wouldn't want to move in on another man's time with you."
That comment stirred up some rebellion in her. "Nonsense. I belong to no one, and my friend is well aware of that! Come along, darling. You can eat, relax, and then I'll take good care of you. How does that sound?" She had a hold of his hand by then and she started for the direction of her room, pulling him along with her.
"That sounds nice," she heard him say and she felt his hand give hers a gentle squeeze. She glanced back at him and smiled, her gaze falling to see what he held in his other hand.
"That's a lovely bag. Are you a doctor of some sort?" She met his eyes again and he smiled back.
"Of some sort, yes. Are you sure this will be all right with that gentleman I saw you with earlier?" Mary noticed that he didn't sound worried at all. She really liked this man.
"It will be fine, darling now come along." And they continued on to her room, turning the corner of Dorset Street and entering Miller's Court. For a moment Mary felt as if she was being watched and she stopped to look over her shoulder and scan her surroundings. She realized now how much she really wanted Sanosuke to be near. Knowing that he was somewhere in the shadows would have given her some peace of mind, but all she saw were some of her neighbors pass by. Yet she still felt eyes on her and then an unsettling feeling came over her. Could they be the eyes of someone who wanted to hurt her, or could they be those of the killer everyone whispered about? A shudder ran through her and she turned hastily to her door and fumbled with her keys. Her companion noticed her nervous behavior.
"Are you all right?"
To her relief she quickly had the door unlocked and pushed it open so that her client could enter. She glanced at him as he passed by, not a trace of the agitation she felt at the moment revealing itself in her gaze. Her smile looked genuine and once he was inside she followed him and with much alleviation shut the door on whatever it was that made her shake with fear.
Something was familiar about the hard surface he laid on. Sanosuke felt the coldness of concrete as he awoke to a throbbing pain in his skull. The pain shot up from the back of his neck and made him stumble and buckle down to his knees when he made an attempt to stand. He moved his head lightly from one side to the other, felt the painful stiffness of his bruised muscles give way to allow his bones to click into place, and then vehemently cursed the cop who was to blame for all of this.
"Fucking bastard…" The words came out in a raspy whisper meant only for him to hear. A soft chuckle told him that someone else had been privy to his comment.
"Ah, those filthy words tell me that you're awake. Did you have pleasant dreams, Mr. Sagara?"
Sano turned his head slightly to the direction of the voice and spotted the shadow of Inspector Reid standing just a few feet from him. Boy did he wish the actual man were in the cell with him. He would pick up where they had left off in the street and make sure the cop's shoulder was beyond repair. The gangster moved his head again so that he could look directly at the policeman. The light in the hallway shone brightly behind Reid making him look more like a silhouette than a man. If his injury had screwed him up in any way he would think that he was looking at a spirit.
"Shut yer cakehole and let me out of here," Sano demanded making use of the handy phrase he picked up from the guys he had played cards with earlier that evening. The silhouette of Reid pulled back as if he had been insulted.
"I beg your pardon, but I most certainly will not! You sir, are a menace and I shall keep you locked up until the next cargo ship sets sail from the docks. By tomorrow morning you will be on your way back to America, and sailing far away from here. Now I suggest you rest up, for you've a long trip ahead of you."
With that Inspector Reid turned and was about to start down the hallway when the sound of creaking metal made him stop abruptly and turn slowly back to look inside of the cell. He had the gangster shackled in chains to ensure that he wouldn't cause any trouble during the night. What the policeman saw now absolutely stunned him.
The shackles were attached to the wall, and Sanosuke grasped the long chain with both hands, focused all of his strength and gave it one hard yank pulling it free from the wall and bringing bits of brick along with it. He then focused on the cuffs and pulled his arms outward to free his bound wrists from one connecting chain, and then he planted his left leg into the floor and kicked up with his right to free his bound ankles from another. He stood in the middle of the cell in a mess of chains that lay littered among brick and slipped his wrists and ankles out of the cuffs to add them to the pile. His neck hurt like hell, and he lifted a hand to massage the tender area. Then he looked up and glared through the bars of the cell at Inspector Reid.
"That blow to my neck could have killed me, you know. A little harder and you wouldn't have needed the chains." He dropped his hand. "By the way, what made you think that chaining me up like a dog would do you any good? I have something to take care of before I leave and there's nothing that you can do to keep me in here. So just give it up and let me go do what I have to do."
Sanosuke's words were cocky and taunting. Inspector Reid, who was now over his shock wanted to get into the cell and knock the smug look from his face. "You, with your brute strength and unpredictable actions? A man like you is very dangerous to the order that I have worked very hard to keep in White Chapel. I can't have you going about doing whatever you damn well please. I don't want you picking fights with innocent people."
Sano felt like laughing. This Reid guy sure knew nothing about the fight he wanted to pick. And he sure knows nothing about me, Sano mused as he tested his balance and took one step forward. A wave of dizziness overcame him and he momentarily thought his plans for freedom were over, but he managed to stay on his feet staring steadily at Reid until his head cleared. He hated the helpless feeling this gave him. He hated the fact that he had allowed them to get a shot at him from behind. He was once again crippled by his own bad judgment and he was afraid that this time it would have deadly consequences. Mary came to mind and he couldn't stop himself from worrying about her. He narrowed his eyes at Reid, grabbing the officer's full attention.
"If you keep me in here my friend will be in danger. This Ripper guy is going to kill again."
Inspector Reid raised his eyebrows at that. "Is that so? And are you implying that my setting you free will somehow prevent that? This lovely bond you have with Mary Kelly is very charming, but you're a damned fool if you think I'm going to let you out of here. You are in my way, Mr. Sagara and I intend to make sure that you stay in here and out of my way at whatever cost. Perhaps a harder hit to your neck should take care of that. However I would like to avoid the trouble of having to explain to my superiors why you died in my care, so instead of that I ask that you forget about your friend and make yourself comfortable. Choose wisely, young man. My next move is entirely up to you."
A surge of anger seemed to knock the dizziness out of the gangster, yet it was then followed by a stab of remorse at what he had in mind at that moment. He knew he had vowed not to cause any trouble in this city for it was obviously suffering its share, but this cop was in his way and he had truly wasted all of his time. He felt bad that it had to come to this again. He looked at all of the metal that lay on the floor and then he looked toward the far wall, out the window that overlooked the back property of the police station, and at the back road that lay beyond. He hoped his training paid off.
"Do your cops a favor and don't waste time looking for me. Just deal with your case and let me do my thing." He looked to Reid who now wore an expression of alarm on his face. "Look, I told her that I would protect her. Sorry, but I have to do this. Maybe you'll get what you want and we won't see each other again." And with that he grabbed the long chain off the floor and swung it toward the wall. He remembered Anji the Fallen Monk had done a similar move during their battle long ago, and Sano was happy to have the same result. The bricks exploded beneath the metal and he rushed forward through the burning dust to the fresher air outside and sprinted down the back road before the Metropolitan Police Department could figure out what had happened.
Sano couldn't remember if he had ever run as fast as he did at that moment. He covered a lot of ground and pushed himself through the dizziness that returned and the fatigue that hit him to keep going. He didn't have time to feel bad about what he had done to Reid. He had lost so much time, time that should have been spent watching over Mary. He grinded his teeth together, disappointed in himself for failing her once again and he pumped his legs harder as he sped down the road and into city streets, taking the now familiar route to Mary's room at Miller's Court. He hoped that she was all right. His encounter with Trevor that morning had really shaken him into believing that he wasn't the gentleman he made himself out to be.
It started to rain again and he knew running around in damp clothes would affect him later on. His head hurt badly now but he had no time to think about it. With all that pain he had to guess that he had been unconscious for an hour or so. An hour where Mary was left alone with that creep. He didn't want to think about what might have happened. He hoped she was okay. He finally came to Dorset Street and turned into the entrance of Miller's Court. He spotted Mary's room immediately and hurled himself at the door, finding it open and charging through to enter her room. Her empty room.
Sano hesitated for a second unsure of what to do. He hadn't expected this. He scanned the room briefly with his eyes and with his ki. He saw no one and sensed no one. But someone had recently been here. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The fireplace burned and cast an orange glow in the room. A small pot sat on the edge and Sano saw the remains of what looked like stew. He looked over at the bed and noted that the sheets were rumpled. Everything indicated that she had been in the room. But where did she go? Sano ran a hand through his hair hoping that would help clear his head. He could swear that Mary said she would be with Trevor all night. So if they were no longer here, then he could have taken her to his part of town. The problem with that was Sano had no idea where Trevor lived. How in hell was he going to find Mary?
He headed back out in the rain closing the door behind him. The wind began to pick-up and it blew the wet leaves up to whirl up and down the alleyways. Sano watched them move, listened to the air howl around him, and wondered if he should take a chance and follow the wind again. He knew he couldn't stay there for long. He had to keep moving in his search for Mary, but he also had to avoid being anywhere Inspector Reid might find him. He had a feeling the damned cops would be looking for him and he knew they would be even more aggressive with him this time around. Another gust whipped past, spraying water into his face and Sano started to move with it, allowing the unseen force of nature to once again to lead him to somewhere unknown.
When the wind died Sano found himself a few blocks from the Ten Bells Pub. His gut told him there was nothing there for him. He turned around and faced the street heading in the opposite direction and went that way instead. If he remembered the route he would soon come upon a street of public houses, and find the one in particular where he had met Trevor and his gang a few nights ago. If Trevor wasn't there, his gang would certainly be and they would know where their boss had gone. He instantly began to feel better as he quickly reached the building and went inside. He clenched his fists as he eyed each and every person who had turned to see who had come in. He expected Trevor had mentioned their morning confrontation and he was prepared once again to face an angry gang.
"Hey, Sano you look like a wet rooster! Come on in and dry up."
Goddamn, was that rooster analogy going to follow him everywhere? He loosened his fists, his hard expression softening as he scanned the crowd warily. This he did not expect. He moved cautiously inside and headed for a table where one of Trevor's guards made room for him to sit. Everyone's voices buzzed excitedly around him and he wondered what had them so wound up.
"You're an amazing bloke, you know that?" The guard named Roger said as he patted the seat beside him and set a pint of gin in front of him. Sano settled slowly down into the seat and wondered what he did to deserve this nice welcome.
"We heard Detective Reid is looking for you. Word has it that he's going to make you pay an awful amount, for that hole you put in the station wall. I just don't believe it? How did you do it?"
Sano had to refrain from letting out yet another sigh and from letting his shoulders sag in bewilderment. Word got around way too quickly in London's underworld. He took the mug offered to him, thanked Roger for it and downed half of its contents. He wasn't in the habit of trading battle secrets. "I don't know. It happened so fast. One minute I was in jail, and the next minute I was outside running for my life. I'm looking for Trevor. Any of you know where he might be?" He figured he'd get right to the point, or else they would have him endlessly recounting his encounter with the cops.
Roger looked steadily at him. "Inspector Reid can be a real prick, aye? He should be out looking for that killer instead of bothering honest working folks like us. That'll be that fool policeman's downfall, I can tell you that much." The older man paused, waiting for Sano to respond. The entire room had grown eerily quiet as if they all waited for a response as well. Sanosuke took another gulp of drink and set the empty mug down with a firm thud. Then he turned his head slowly to face Roger. No light banter was going to come out of this gangster.
Roger finally realized that and pursed his lips. "Trevor is out for the evening. If you need something you can talk to me."
Sano raised his eyebrows inquiringly. "You running things now?"
Roger shook his head. "Just for tonight. Trevor's busy, so what can I do for you?"
"You can tell me where Trevor is."
Roger shook his head. "Can't do that. He's not to be disturbed." He leaned in and winked at the gangster. "He's getting his jollies on with Mary."
Sano's hand clenched. He hoped that was all that was happening with Trevor and Mary but he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that came over him. He didn't have time for this.
"They're not in her room, so my guess is that they're at his place. Where does he live?" Sano's tone brought a hush over the entire table. He sat back in his chair and met Roger's gaze. The other man pulled back abruptly his expression immediately becoming dark.
"You've got a lot of nerve asking that, foreigner. Our chat is over. You better leave."
The rest of the room gradually quieted down to observe the exchange, although Sano knew better than that. He knew they were really on their guard and waiting for orders, should that become necessary. Sano felt his blood rush through his veins.
"I'll leave when I know where to find Mary. Her date with Trevor is over."
Roger laughed at him, and he laughed loud. A small group of higher-level gangsters laughed with him and gathered around the guard, ready for anything. "Really? And who the hell are you, her pimp? You've got no business with them and you certainly have no more business with us. Now, get out of here."
The group moved in closer, and stood imposingly over the gangster. They looked as if they meant to help him outside, and Sano wasn't going to have that.
"I told you I'm not leaving until I know where Mary is. If you admire that hole I put in the police station wall imagine what I'll do to one of your guys." He wasn't sure how far he would go if the men decided to attack him but he was fully prepared to do a lot of human damage if it came to that. He stared hard at Roger who didn't look quite as threatening now. He looked up at the men who surrounded them and gestured for them to leave. They all shot him looks of uncertainty.
"Sir, are you sure?" One man asked, hesitating along with the others. Roger nodded and without further argument they all dispersed to various tables nearby. Sano was impressed with the result, and he shot Roger a wry smile.
"Glad you see this my way, sir."
Roger winked at him again. "Actually, I don't. But I don't want them involved since the only person who might know of Trevor's whereabouts would be me. Since he's so rich he has many homes, and I'm the only one here who knows where they are located. So if you have any problems you can take them out on me, because I'm not telling you a damned thing."
Sano wasn't sure what to do now. He had counted on being attacked by a mob. Facing one man who was obviously weaker than him wasn't his idea of a fair fight. He was impressed with Roger. He was willing to risk himself to keep his boss and his subordinates safe. It was an honorable move. But it was also a very cunning one. Sano wasn't sure that the gangsters nearby would just sit and watch him pound their elder member into the floor, so maybe Roger counted on the fact that Sano wouldn't be the type to pick on a weaker opponent.
It was a smart move on Roger's part because Sano had no intention of doing anything. His honor as a fighter didn't allow him to be a bully, so he couldn't go any further with them. He really hated this. Damn Kenshin and that warrior's honor! He knew if he hung around the samurai long enough that honor crap would rub off on him.
Sano knew there was nothing else for him to do now but leave, and so he turned away from Roger and stood up. He felt everyone's eyes watch his every move. He hated this too. The idea of walking away when he knew he could get what he wanted really pissed him off. He was no closer to finding Mary, and that fact pushed all the anger aside and made him sick. How the hell was he going to find her now?
"You know you worry too much about her."
Those words made Sanosuke stop and turn to look at Roger. The older man looked oddly sympathetic and that just made the gangster want to cringe. He had to stop letting his emotions show.
"Mary's quite capable of taking care of herself. She has to be in her line of work. Besides, she's with Trevor so there's no reason to worry. He's become very fond of her. He won't hurt her."
Sano wasn't so sure about that but there was no use explaining. The men in this room would never understand. He made a move to turn away again but Roger stopped him.
"Do you plan to search all of London for them? It'll be a waste of time and you'll catch yourself a deadly cold. Why don't you stay and join us? There's a long night ahead and plenty of gin to drink. We'd love it if you stayed."
He knew Roger wasn't lying about that. All of the gangsters were back to their previous excitement again, eager to pounce on him with questions about what he did in jail and probably how he learned how to cause that kind of damage. Sano actually would have liked to stick around. He knew he'd have a lot of fun with these guys. But he shook his head and turned to leave. No one called him back, and no one followed him out.
Underneath a doorframe outside he stood and contemplated his next move. The rain poured down and chased all signs of life indoors where it was warm and dry. Mary had to be inside of some place. She wouldn't be out in the rain, and she wouldn't want him to be out in it either, not at this late hour. He felt his head ache again and he nestled closer against the door. The murkiness that overcame him now was new to him. He had never felt this helpless before. He had never felt this lost. They were feelings he wasn't used to and he was afraid to dwell too much on them. He knew it would be trouble if he gave in to the temptation to give up.
Give up? What the hell am I thinking? Even if it takes all night…
He stepped into the rain again and into the darkness of the cold, wet streets. He wouldn't stop until he knew. Until she was screaming and cursing at him for ruining business for her, he would keep looking for her. Anywhere.
As the gangster went on his search, the rain continued to pelt against roofs and windows. The only other sign of conscious life besides the gangly foreigner walking the streets came that night from Miller's Court. Among the sleeping tenants a faint cry proclaimed the discovery of something that had become all too common in White Chapel. A cry of two familiar words uttered by a quavering voice,
"Oh, murder!"