Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on January 24, 2006.
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-June 6th-
Entry at 5:19PM
We all waited in silence as the sound of footsteps made their way up the stairs to the office. I could make out three distinct voices speaking
"Are you certain we can trust them?" The older female voice spoke.
"If we want the current information, this is where we must turn," said the distinctly calm and serious voice of Inuyasha's elder half-brother in reply.
I could hear the little girl speak next, "Sesshoumaru, I'm hungry. Can I have some candy or something?"
"Here."
"Yay!"
"Sesshoumaru, won't that make her hyper?"
"We'll manage"
The footsteps came to a halt, and a light knock sounded on the door. I looked around, to see if anyone else intended on answering it, but Inuyasha had already stormed over to the door.
"Sesshoumaru, what in the hel---"
"Inuyasha!"
Before he could finish his statement, the young girl had launched herself at him, and was now sitting on top of a very disgruntled Inuyasha.
"I've missed you Inuyasha! I wanted to show you a picture I drew of you yesterday night, but Sesshoumaru said you were sulking in your room because your detective agency is bad and you never have any good cases and that you probably spent the day rummaging through a trash can. So I drew a pretty picture of you with a happy sunshine and a happy face!" The girl said producing a tattered and wrinkled piece of paper from her dress pocket and shoving it into Inuyasha's face.
"Wonderful. Now get off me, kid."
"But Inuyasha!" She pouted.
"Rin," Sesshoumaru stated simply causing the girl to get off and scramble up to his side.
I started walking over towards my angry partner, when I noticed Miroku and Sango nodding and pointing towards the woman next to Sesshoumaru. Pausing, I looked at her, and realized that she definitely matched the description they had given to me a few minutes before.
"Inuyasha, we need to talk."
He jumped up and glared at his elder brother, "What the hell do you want? And why do you have some bitch that works for Naraku with you?"
"Hey asshole, stop jumping to conclusions- it's no wonder your agency's a piece of shit if you handle situations like this," The woman said stepping forward almost protectively in front of Sesshoumaru.
"At least I haven't stooped to helping to the enemy!"
"Like hell we're helping Naraku!"
"They saw you there, so you can't deny it," Inuyasha noted, gesturing back to Miroku and Sango.
"Well if you gave us a damn chance to explain."
"What the hell should we do that for?"
"Kagura. Calm down." Sesshoumaru said grabbing onto her arm and pulling her a slight bit away from Inuyasha.
"And we thought Inuyasha's language was something," I could hear Sango commenting to Miroku.
"Inuyasha, we are just here to retrieve your case file from the dealings with the Kotsu gang you had last week."
I decided this might be a good time to step in before Inuyasha got more upset, "Case files? What would you need those for?"
"The police said your agency had the most up-to-date files on them." He replied, producing a police summary of their information on the gang, pointing to the bottom line, which read, 'Gang's dealings with Naraku group and the Hakushin theft- Files still being processed.'
"So you came to ask us. Well why don't you ask Naraku himself, since you're so friendly with his associate?" Inuyasha remarked crossing his arms and standing beside me.
"If I was friends with that guy, do you think I'd do this?" The woman said pulling out a hand-held tape recorder, and pressing play. I heard voices come over the crackling tape.
"I told you, I need that heirloom now! It's invaluable."
"Sir, but who can we get to deal with that gang again? The leader seems adamantly against dealing with you any further," I heard the woman's voice on the tape ask.
"We will make them led us right to it. I don't care if I have to kill off all six of the others, as long as it'll make that leader talk."
The tape was stopped with a flick of a finger, and I snapped my head around to locate Bankotsu, knowing he was still in the room. Glaring from his place by the window, he obviously was beginning to connect the same thing I was- Jakotsu was missing, and Naraku had just threatened to kill off the other gang members if Bankotsu wouldn't talk. Right now, things weren't looking good for Jakotsu at all.
"So, do you believe me now?" She asked, causing me to turn back towards her.
"I'm still unsure as to the details, but if explained to us, I'm sure we can supply those files you need and perhaps…" I glanced back at Bankotsu, "If you help us with our newest case, we might be able to help you get some more exclusive inside information on that heist."
She smiled then, and offered a hand, "The name's Kagura, I work for Sesshoumaru here as an undercover agent and personal assistant."
The young girl walked up alongside Kagura, and smiled too, "I'm Rin. I stay with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha when I'm not at the office. But sometimes Sesshoumaru makes me go home because him and Kagura have 'business to attend to that isn't appropriate for children.'"
Miroku grinned, "Is that what they are calling that now?"
Sesshoumaru frowned slightly, "And I assume you would allow her to sit in on murder and rape cases then?"
Miroku shrunk back behind Sango then, "Oh...eheh..."
"Pervert," Sango muttered.
"So, about the files?" Kagura inquired.
"Oh, they're in my desk. But first, aside from Naraku wanting to get back at the leader for some reason, what do you need the files for? It seems pretty self explanatory to me- it's just for some item they have."
"Two of the members from the gang are directly involved with him right now," Sesshoumaru stated simply.
I blinked, "They are?"
Kagura nodded, "One I never did catch the name of, but Naraku did mention to me one named Jakotsu."
"Jakotsu?" I heard the shocked voice of Bankotsu stammer out seconds before he was right in Kagura's face.
"Tell me where the hell Naraku is this instant, and what he did to Jakotsu!"
She stepped back, a puzzled look upon her face, "What's with your associate?"
Then I realized it would probably be best to explain that the leader of the group they wanted information on was the one currently in Kagura's face.
"Well you see that newest case I was talking about- is with him. This is Bankotsu, leader of the Kotsu gang. He contacted us on the fifth when Jakotsu turned up missing."
He stepped back a little then as Kagura examined him, "Oh, so you're the one that Naraku's other little pawn has had the pleasure of dealing with these last weeks."
"Where is Jakotsu?" He demanded; eyes in a deadly glare.
"Now calm down, I'll explain in a moment."
I heard the distinct creaking noise that my desk chair always makes when you sit in it, and turned to find Inuyasha leaning back with his feet on the desk.
"Great. Case solved, Jakotsu's somewhere with Naraku, so all we have to do is go in, kick Naraku's ass, get Jakotsu out of there and we can go back to our normal lives."
"Wait a minute, Inuyasha. Kagura, didn't you say there was another gang member involved?"
"From all I can tell there was. I never saw him or heard him talk though, but I'm sure his voice is somewhere on one of these tapes I recovered from that night. I've got that whole damn warehouse rigged up," She said producing several tapes from her purse.
Sesshoumaru walked up beside her then, and raised an eyebrow, "This might take some time."
"But I know what's on a few tapes already, there's only the one from the main room and a side room we haven't gone over yet."
"Knowing the circumstances that most likely occur when Naraku interrogates people, Rin should be sent out in the hall."
"Oh, of course Sesshoumaru. Rin, you brought your crayons and a notebook didn't you?" Kagura asked bending down to the child's level.
"Yes, I brought lots of pretty colors to draw with," She replied grinning.
"Good girl. Sesshoumaru, we should probably send someone out with her."
"Anyone but that letch then."
"What?" Miroku asked blinking.
Sango sighed, "I'll watch the little girl. She seems close to the age of my little brother, so I can handle her."
Sesshoumaru nodded his consent, and gestured to Rin that she was to go with Sango.
Rin smiled, "I'll make sure to draw a pretty picture of Sesshoumaru and Miss Kagura hard at work for you while you are doing 'business.'"
Kagura patted her on the head, "Sure kid. Draw what you want."
The little girl scurried out the door, her blue dress swishing behind her, as Sango followed. Miroku started to follow as well, but Sesshoumaru stopped him with a glare.
"You weren't asked."
"Eheh…I was going to go and uh…"
"Watch Sango, right?" Inuyasha said rolling his eyes.
"Yeah! That's it I was going to go and watch Sango…err…wait a minute…"
All but Sesshoumaru laughed then at Miroku's misfortune, but I did notice that he indeed went on out into the hallway.
Bankotsu was still on edge as to it all, obviously wanting information about Jakotsu and his whereabouts right this instant.
I placed a hand on his shoulder, "We'll know soon, sorry detective work goes so slow."
He crossed his arms, and hastily sat down on the couch. Kagura was still looking at a few of the tapes, when she stuck one in.
"This should have something with either Jakotsu or the other member on it; it's from early on the morning of the fifth."
After a few more crackling noises, the tape started up immediately.
"Tell me where it is!" The stern voice of what I had concluded from before was Naraku yelled.
"I told you, I don't know. He never told me anything about that."
Bankotsu froze then, his lips mouthing out the name of the one who had just spoken on the tape, "Jakotsu…"
"He has too, you liar!" A hit was heard, and what I assumed was Jakotsu hitting the floor. I cringed, as the tape continued.
"I don't know anything about it. Damnit, I swear I don't," Jakotsu's voice retaliated.
"Come on boy, you're his little slut aren't you! So tell me you damn fag!"
I looked to see Bankotsu flinching, and then the sound of another hit and another fall.
"Bankotsu never told me anything about anything like that," He said defiantly. It seemed that no matter how much Naraku tried to force it from him, Jakotsu was remaining strong.
Either way, Bankotsu looked like he was on the verge of crying or going and ripping Naraku's head off.
Kagura stopped the tape then, and sighed, "I think that's enough of that. Shit Naraku's a screwed up bastard- can't ever seem to get what he wants without abusing and killing people."
"Killing…people?" Bankotsu dropped the hairpin then as his mind drifted to darker thoughts. It rolled a bit before stopping and he got up to retrieve it.
"If they don't talk he'll…" Kagura paused then and smiled a bit as Bankotsu bent over to pick up the hairpin, "Jakotsu's right, you do have a nice body."
He blinked, "You talked to Jakotsu?"
"Have been quite a bit lately. He's fine, a little bruised and shaken, but- he's alive if that's what you are worried about."
"Thank goodness!" He said hugging a surprised Kagura.
"Watch it there buddy, I wouldn't want to tell Jakotsu that you were hitting on me."
"So he is alive and safe?" I asked as shocked as the rest of our agency was at the moment.
She nodded, "Safe as one can be in Naraku's midst. Don't worry, I'm keeping an eye out for him," A frown crossed her face as she realized Bankotsu was still hugging her, "Okay, I know you are happy, but this is getting annoying."
He pulled back, and nervously scratched the back of his head, "Sorry, I've just been so worried about Jakotsu lately and now I at least know he's alive. I guess I got a little emotional."
"It's okay- I figured you'd be worried from the way Jakotsu talked about you. But, we'd better crack this case smoothly soon, or I can't guarantee he'll stay that way."
Bankotsu nodded, "Give me a few hours and me and the guys can go in and take care of getting Jakotsu out of there."
"Err…I wouldn't try that if I were you. Naraku knows you're really close to Jakotsu, and he's going to use that entirely to his advantage. Trying anything might endanger his life even more so."
"But…" He stopped as his cell phone started ringing. He answered it quickly, "Hello? Mukotsu, what in the…? He got shot? How? Naraku shot Renkotsu? What the hell for? He was trying to what? Jakotsu? Shit! Not now, damnit!"
I walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, "Bankotsu, what happened?"
"Just a second Mukotsu," He covered the phone, and looked up with apprehension towards us; "Renkotsu had found out about where Jakotsu was and tried to get him out. Renkotsu's okay, just a bullet wound but he heard gunshots from inside the warehouse as he was leaving. From the area he said he thought Jakotsu was at."
"Oh no…" I managed to stammer out. Things had gone from good to really bad in a matter of seconds.
Kagura just frowned, "I'll look for Jakotsu tomorrow, I promise. Even if I risk my cover, I'll try to find him."
Bankotsu bit his lip and looked to the recovered hairpin, "Please Jakotsu, hang in there."
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Preview for Chapter 6: Jakotsu is being held by Naraku in an attempt to get Bankotsu to talk, but is he still alive or not? And will Sesshoumaru and Kagura be able to help them find out for sure?
