Lupin III
Fan - Series I
Episode IIV: Twisted Deceptions

All characters (c) their specific owners

As Yuma was suiting up for her first job, she felt her slight paranoia slowly rising. They were going to break into the museum in the middle of the night. While this was supposed to be "nothing to worry about," as Lupin put it, something inside her told her that tonight was going to be a real doozy. She sighed out of stress as she put on her boots and walked out of her room.

"There you are!" Lupin grinned, "I thought you weren't going to show up!" He looked her over, and said, "Hey! Don't worry! You're going to do just fine."

"I don't know, Lupin," she said, "Any other night, fine, but somehow, tonight, I think we're walking into uncharted territory."

"Why do you say that?" asked Lupin, curious.

"I don't know, I ... I got this kinda ... feeling that things are going to go awry, you know? Like something isn't right."

"Well, if you want to stay here," Lupin shrugged, "that's fine by me, but you need the experience. I mean, ya' gotta start somewhere."

"I never said I wasn't going," she looked at the floor, "I ... just be careful, Lupin. That goes for the rest of you, as well. I already know you guys are professionals, and everything, but-"

"Look, kid," said Jigen reassuringly, "quit being so pessimistic. You're going to do fine. You've just got the chills because this is your first job. Trust me, you'll do fine. If you screw up, then that's just part of life. It's okay for first jobs, because nobody expects you to be perfect, and with time, you'll gain experience. Believe me, you'll be alright. I mean, come on, you've got a trained professional here to work with, and you can't go wrong with that, now can ya'?"

"No, I guess not," she looked up, with a nervous little smile, "Okay, I'm game."

"Good," said Jigen, "Now let's get out of here."

The moment they hit the site, Lupin hid the car in a back alley by the museum, and everyone got to work. It was Lupin's job to partner with Jigen (as always), Goemon was guarding the front entrance, and Fujiko was working with Yuma (much to Jigen's disdaine). As soon as they got inside, everyone got to work on their particular assigned area.

"Okay, kid," said Fujiko, "this is what we gotta do. You and me are supposed to hit the jewel boxes. If you get caught by the guards, try to seduce them. If you can't do that, run back here. And if that doesn't work, you shoot 'em. Got it?"

"Got it."

"Oh, and Yuma," Fujiko finished.

"What?"

"One more thing: only shoot if it's your last option. Otherwise this job's gonna be a bust." Yuma gave Fujiko an annoyed look.

"You know," she whispered under her breath, "just because I come from off the street doesn't mean I'm stupid."

"What was that?"

"It was nothing, really. Just don't assume that I'm so naive as to do a thing like that."

'What an attitude!' thought Fujiko, 'Wonder how Lupin's going to teach her to be a lady, when she's being like that?'

"I'm sorry," Yuma cut into Fujiko's thinking, "I'm just nervous. I mean, this ain't my first job, but I'm still not quite as experienced as you are yet."

"I can see where you're coming from, honey," said Fujiko with a smile, "Still, it's not a wise idea to piss off your upper class-men. They can get really cruel, you know? And we don't need that kind of trouble."

"Okay," said Yuma, "Well, we'd better get to it."

"Not so fast," sneered a voice from behind them, "Thought you'd escape me, huh, bitch? Well, looks like you thought wrong this time."

"Who are you?" asked Fujiko, insulted, "And why on earth are you in here?"

"That girl isn't all that she seems, babe," he looked at her with a glint in his eye that Fujiko didn't like. She knew that look. The look of a man hunting his prey. The only man she tolerated with that look was Lupin. At least Lupin wouldn't do anything crazy, like trying to tie her to a bed.

"And just what do you mean by that, bud?" she countered angrilly.

"You don't have to look twice to know what she is. You know ..."

As Jeno continued on, Lupin listened from around the corner. 'This just might get interesting,' he thought.

"... so you see, honey, she's a robot. A very realistic one, but a robot, none the less!"

"What the Hell are you talking about?" Fujiko all but screeched, "None of this is right, is it, Yuma? It's all one big, sick joke. He's just crazy, right?"

"Yeah," Yuma said softly, "he is."

"Now that's strange," said Lupin to Jigen.

"What? You mean the way she reacted?" asked Jigen, "Yeah, it is kinda weird. Like she had something to hide. Question is, what? Unless what the son of a bitch says is true, we don't know a damned thing."

"Right," said Lupin, "She was trying to tell me something yesterday, but she never finished what she'd been saying. That's curious, alright."

"Well, in any case, we'd better step in, before somebody gets hurt," said Jigen, turning around the corner with Lupin right behind him, "Alright, party's over. You! Get away from Yuma. Yuma, come'ere, honey."

Yuma was about to walk over when the guard finally came around from down the hall, "Freeze! You're all under arrest for trespassing! All of you, down on the floor! Now!" All of the Lupin gang scurried out of there, leaving Jeno with the cop. All, except Yuma. Pulling out her gun, Yuma shot Jeno point blank in the head. Then, running as fast as she could, she caught up with the rest of them as Fujiko got away on her bike and the rest crammed into Lupin's car.

"Yuma," asked Lupin, "What did you just do?"

"That guy knew some personal information of mine that he had no business knowing," she said indignantly, "I had to silence him, and that's the best way I know how."

"Why?" asked Lupin with a slightly baffled voice, "You said that none of it was true, didn't you?"

"I ... no, none of it is," she found the words, inwardly thanking any diety that might be out there, "It's just that he knew some other rather embarrassing things, and I don't think that's anyone else's business but mine." She sounded slightly shaken at the fact that she had to kill someone that evening.

"Yeah, but didja have ta' shoot 'em?" asked Lupin, somewhat angry.

"They were more than embarressing," Yuma replied firmly, "Those secrets could have cost me my life. And I wasn't about to tell you in front of a cop. I didn't want to kill him, you know. I had to!"

"Okay," said Lupin in exasperation, "I give up. Let's just try to get home in one piece without blowing everyone up, okay?"

"Done," she agreed.

End of Episode III