So sorry, comrades, but I'm a little spent for time right now- which is why I haven't been able to update until now, even though I've been back for about two weeks (so sorry about that, by the way!)- so I can't afford my customary greetings and the like- just this cheap little form greeting that I'm gonna put in the header of all my updates today, damn me. I will return to you all as soon as I can- probably sometime this weekend, hopefully, or maybe even tomorrow night- but until then, please enjoy this update.

Hiei sat, wide awake. He hadn't thought himself capable of falling asleep, given where he was; however, he nearly had earlier, until an ear-splitting scream had jerked him back to consciousness. The first scream was followed by more, too numerous to count, progressively growing more hellish, agonized, so terrifying even to listen to. He knew not how much time had elapsed- as his wrists were bound behind the chair- between the first and final shrieks, or how long he sat in silence until he heard the creaking of the door opening.

"Did you miss me?" purred the soft alto voice of the Yoko.

"I was enjoying myself just fine until you showed up," he replied, staring straight ahead at the wall.

"Surely you must have been bored?" the redhead pressed, his tone resembling a pout.

"The noise upstairs was entertaining enough."

"Oh, so you heard that, did you?"

"I pity the one who made those sounds."

From behind the chair, the cross dresser smirked. "I wouldn't if I were you. They helped kidnap you. They were fools, every last one of them."

"Were?" Hiei asked, noting the use of past tense.

The next thing he knew, the Yoko sat straddled on Hiei's lap, his face barely an inch away. "Were," he repeated, a twisted, evil little smile on his face.

Hiei scowled. "What did they do that you had to kill them?"

"They messed up," he replied nonchalantly. "I instructed that they leave no witnesses, no evidence. Yet now I've heard that the news channels are recounting the events of your abduction, as they claim witnesses described."

"Witnesses?"

"Don't get too hopeful. This is but a minor setback, one I plan to remedy soon." He took a deep breath. "Now then," he muttered absently, leaning against Hiei, wrapping his arms around him. Hiei squirmed; if he hadn't believed that the gangster was a man before, he did now- he could feel it. He watched the Yoko's arms move, and widened his eyes when he saw a knife slip out from the top of the long leather boot.

"What-?" He stood up and yanked Hiei to his feet.

"Don't move," he ordered. He knelt down onto his knees in front of Hiei. The billionaire's body stiffened, unsure of what the Yoko was going to do. He glanced down; the cross-dresser was cutting the rope around his ankles. He rose and spun Hiei around; he could feel the coarseness of more rope being knotted around his wrists. "Walk," the Yoko commanded. Hiei felt the cold blade of the knife brush against his neck, and immediately obeyed.

"Where am I going?" he asked.

"Karasu's right, you are bold, especially considering how I'm holding a knife to your throat. Right against your jugular- if I pressed too hard, it'd sink through your skin, right into the life-vein…" he trailed off. "I'm taking you to another room; we need a nice cool place to store the bodies until they can be properly disposed of." Hiei shuddered a little.

The Yoko marched him upstairs, up to the first floor, into a mass of gangsters. Incomprehensive shouts and taunts were thrown his way, but he ignored it.

"Oh my, you're certainly cuter than your pictures in the papers," one of them crooned. This one's voice was higher than the others. He looked around and spotted another scantily-clad redhead, very feminine in appearance. 'Don't make assumptions,' he cautioned himself. This one could be another transvestite, or a transsexual, now that he noticed its chest. The Yoko's chest was flat; this one, on the other hand….

"Why, I think he's checking me out," the soprano voice giggled. "Tell me, Mr. Billionaire, do you like what you see?"

Hiei grimaced as he felt the Yoko's grip on his shoulder tighten. "Actually, I was trying to determine you sex," he said flatly. "You see, I've been fooled once already today-" His face whipped to the side as this new redhead slapped him.

"That's enough, Ruka," the Yoko said firmly. "By the way, where were you today?"

Ruka donned a defiant look. "Out," she said crisply.

"I see…." he murmured.

"Well now, are we introducing our guest to everyone?" Hiei narrowed his eyes; Karasu approached. Look around, Mr. Jaganshi. What you see before you is the inner circle of the Youkai."

"Should I be impressed?" Hiei asked, bored.

"We decide your fate; you tell me."

"We?" the Yoko asked. "Sakyo and I decide his fate. The rest of you have no voice."

Karasu narrowed his eyes. "Of course." He blinked, and turned his head to the side. "Well, you'll probably take a while, correct? Shall we save you some dinner? The usual portions, I take it? Or perhaps that's not such a good idea? After all, with what you normally pack away, I'm surprised that pretty little skirt of yours hasn't ripped yet." He glanced at the redhead's rear. "It's getting fairly tight."

Ruka giggled; the other gangsters' expressions ranged from amusement to terror. Hiei winced as the Yoko's fingers dug deeper into his shoulder, like claws. "I appreciate your open concern for my health, Karasu," he snarled. "But perhaps it has caused you to lose concentration on more important things; for example, your own health?" He adjusted the knife he held ever so slightly, so that it almost appeared to be pointing at Karasu. "Also, I suggest you remove this 'inner circle,' as you call it, from my house." He paused a moment. "Except for Ruka," he amended. The female redhead's smirk quickly vanished, and she began to pale. "I'll return in a bit," he continued, steering Hiei toward another flight of stairs.

Hiei detected movement out of the corner of his eye; the largest man he had ever seen was walking alongside them. "I'm sorry, Kurama," the giant said.

"For what?" the Yoko asked. Hiei furrowed his brow, but then it occurred to him that the transvestite had to have a name other than 'the Yoko.' 'Kurama,' he thought to himself.

"I should have stayed and made sure there were no witnesses."

The Yoko laughed. Hiei blinked- it was a very melodious laugh, pretty even. "Toguro, just because your shoulders are broader than most does not give the rest of us ground to dump unnecessary weight on them. You had your duties, and they had theirs. They failed; failure is not an option if we expect to get through this intact. One must prune weak branches for the rest of the tree to survive."

"I appreciate your reassurances, but there's still witnesses out there."

"Yes," the Yoko said thoughtfully. "And even though you were cloaked, a man of your build may find it difficult to hide outside of our borders…. No worries, though. It'll be taken care of. In the meantime, grab some people and make sure there isn't any evidence left that could incriminate us, if you're able to make it past the crime scene."

"What about Ruka?"

"Leave her here," he answered frigidly. "She was told to go with you today. Perhaps the witnesses would have been noticed if everyone was there doing their job. Why? Do you care what happens to her?"

"Not in particular."

"That's good," the redhead replied dryly. "Go make sure that Karasu has gotten rid of his little friends." They had reached a door; the Yoko opened it and pulled Hiei in after him, and then shut it. "He's here."

Hiei looked over and saw a young man sitting at a table. Unlike the gangsters, this one was donned in a business suit. He had black hair like Hiei, but his was long and sleek, obedient to the tools of hair grooming. Blue eyes, one slightly distorted by a scar that ran over it, looked up and examined him with scrutiny. The man chuckled softly. "He's much shorter in person." Hiei bristled.

"You forget, Sakyo," the Yoko said, "that in the past there have been very powerful men with not so powerful stature. Look at Napoleon. Or Hitler."

"Ah yes, I did forget." He donned a wry smile. "Well then, Mr. Jaganshi, it would appear that you've wandered into Russia, now wouldn't it?"

"At least Russia has the Kremlin," Hiei muttered. "Sakyo, was it?"

"Correct."

"Your name sounds familiar."

"Perhaps you've heard it before. Like yourself, I'm a rather wealthy individual; however, I made my fortune more privately than co-heading a corporation. I specialize in stocks, gambling- those sorts of activities." He sipped his drink. "Naturally though, my wealth's nowhere near as vast as yours. It must be nice, dabbling in the only known stock hold of Hiruseki stones."

"I suppose," he said reservedly.

Sakyo drained his glass. "Where are my manners? Mr. Jaganshi, have a seat. You too, Kurama- this is your house, after all."

The Yoko pushed Hiei into a chair, and then took the chair between his and Sakyo's. "What do you want?" Hiei asked the businessman.

"That's simple enough. I want your corporation. Your Hiruseki stones are to this new world even more valuable than the entirety of gold, spice, and slaves were to the old world. The one who holds the stones possesses the potential for great power, power that even you don't realize you could have. That, Mr. Jaganshi, is what I want."

He blinked, and shook his head. "It's true then," Hiei said, smiling subtly. "People desire what it is they cannot have the most."

"That is where you're wrong," Sakyo said. "Why do you think you're here? The correct documents shall be obtained, and you'll sign Makai Enterprises over to me."

Hiei laughed. "It's not mine to give," he said. "You'd need both our signatures for that."

The Yoko looked slightly puzzled, but Sakyo remained unfazed. "By both, Kurama, I believe he refers to himself and his business partner. Mr. Jaganshi, if you fear signing without your partner, there's no need to worry. I assure you, his absence shall be cured soon enough. If you want to wait until then, that's fine by me. I'm sure that my affiliate here has nothing against lodging you until then." Sakyo rose. "Well then, gentlemen- you aren't' offended if I refer to you as a gentleman, correct, Kurama?- I'm sure we're all tired, what with Mr. Jaganshi's kidnapping and Kurama and myself having to plan it. I'll leave you two to retire; Kurama, I'll contact you tomorrow." Sakyo showed himself out.

"You're stubborn," the Yoko remarked.

"Why aid him? Won't that mean I'll die sooner?"

"Who said anything about dying?" He smirked. "Perhaps I'll just lock you away until one of us dies." He pulled Hiei to his feet, dragging him into the hall, escorting him to another room. This one had a bed; the Yoko pushed him onto it. Hiei thrashed when the redhead yanked off his boots and reached for his belts.

"Get off me!" he growled.

The Yoko ignored him. "Why the hell does one need more than one-? Ouch! Don't bite me!"

"Get off me!" Hiei repeated angrily.

"You don't even know what I'm doing!" he protested.

"I can guess!"

He rolled his eyes, and in one fluid motion removed the belts and slid Hiei's pants off of him. Hiei stared, amazed and enraged at the same time. The Yoko shrugged. "I've had practice," he said simply.

Hiei glared and drew his knees up to his chest, locking them together tightly. "Stay away," he hissed.

He shook his head. "I'm not after that," he told him, amused. "You flatter yourself too much."

"Then why did you-?"

"Because I don't feel like staying up all night making sure you don't try escaping. And believe me- running around without these," he held up Hiei's pants, "would be most unwise." He didn't have to elaborate; Hiei understood what he meant. "Sweet dreams, Mr. Jaganshi." The Yoko turned off the light and closed the door behind him, leaving Hiei in the dark feeling very vulnerable and alone.

Karasu watched Kurama brush out his hair. "Do you feel better about yourself now that you've killed her?" he asked snidely.

"What do you mean? Am I supposed to?"

"Well, she was younger than you, prettier than you…." He paused. "Thinner than you."

"Aesthetic appeal is nothing more than the bias of the individual's mind. I'm satisfied with my appearance."

"You could put the fork down once in a while," Karasu muttered.

Kurama glared at him. "My weight's exactly where it should be," he said crisply. "I know it might please you in many ways to see me grow sick and anorexic, but your taunts won't make it happen." He bent over and messed with his fishnets.

Karasu made a disgusted face. "Ugh! Put that away! I may as well make love to a big old saggy pillow."

"That does it," Kurama growled, spinning around. "First of all, Ruka died because she was useless and a burden, not out of jealousy. Second, you never 'make love' to anything- to you it's only about our own damn pleasure. Third, if you'd really prefer to go at it with a bit old saggy pillow than me, by all means, I'm not going to stop you. Or, better still, since you liked stupid, pretty little Ruka so much, why don't you go see her? I pus her corpse in the basement."

"Maybe I will," Karasu said hotly, standing up. "Oh, by the way," he continued as he passed Kurama. "At least Ruka had a nice rack. Even dead, she's still an actual woman, unlike you." He bent down, wrapped a hand around the redhead's throat, and whispered into his ear. "You like dressing up and being another man's plaything, but maybe everyone would buy the act much better if you went out and bought yourself some nice big breasts, Suichi."

The last word came out in a high-pitched hiss. Kurama bristled, his vision growing blurry. Karasu snickered, squeezed the redhead's butt (making rude comments under his breath), and left.

Kurama clenched his teeth and hurled the brush at the door, not caring when the brush broke in two. He slumped into a chair and concealed his face with one hand, body wracked with dry sobs.