Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on January 24, 2006.
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-June 8th-
Entry at 12:21AM
I pressed against the locked door in a futile attempt to open it, earning myself nothing but the ability to hear the voice from the other side a tiny bit better.
"Oh and don't worry dear Leader. I'm sure someone will be around to pick up the pieces after you fall apart," The smug voice intoned, followed by a deep-haunting laugh that echoed off the warehouse's metallic and concrete walls and floors.
Bankotsu's fist impacted beside me against the doorframe. "What the hell do you want from me?" He seethed, his voice sounding so furious it was foreign to my ears.
"The heirloom, the money, the satisfaction of seeing your face in agonizing pain- any of those would suit me fine. Then again, so would finding your burnt dead body on the other side of this door along with that bitch of a detective."
I took a deep breath, smoke beginning to cause my eyes to tear and my lungs to struggle in their normal task. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that Musou was working with Kyoukotsu and Suikotsu in trying to pry the other door open as the flames poured in from the air vent above us. Mukotsu stood below Bankotsu and I, slowly trying to wedge the bolts from the door-hinges.
It was then that I noticed Musou walk up behind me.
"What is it?" I asked.
"They got the other door blocked as well. It's a trap, all around."
I frowned, trying to think of something...anything that we could do to get out.
"What do you have against me and Jakotsu?" Bankotsu's angered voice demanded, drawing my attention back to the locked door.
"You're a reckless little boy, Bankotsu. A boy, who should never get as much power as he has and should know when he's out of his league. It was right time that someone came along and knocked you back down a few notches. Power's for those that know how to use it, not some sentimental brat," The voice sneered.
"You bastard! Why are you doing this to me?" His body had begun to shake, and I knew it wasn't from the smoke and flames. If I was correct in my deduction, I knew who was the one outside that door, even though I couldn't explain how they got there; and knowing that explained Bankotsu's condition completely.
"You're an obstacle to me. It's that simple. You see..." The voice paused, and then I could make out the sound of his fleeting footsteps. Apparently something or someone had caused him to leave in haste.
At the thought that another person was out there, my hand drifted to the dog-whistle that hung around my neck.
"Well, it might be him; if he followed us. Then again, it could be Naraku or Kagura or someone else," I shrugged, unless it was Inuyasha, no one would hear the whistle anyways, so it's not like it would hurt to try; and given the situation, it was about the only option we had left.
I lifted the whistle to my lips and blew, hoping that it was Inuyasha and that he had some way to get us out before the flames claimed the entire room and us with it.
As I waited for any sign of him, I noticed Musou frantically dialing his cell phone.
"Kagura? Kagura- we're in the room but someone trapped us in here and set fire to it. He what? Just now?"
"What's going on?" I asked seeing the perplexed look on Musou's face.
He coughed a bit, the smoke getting thicker, before replying, "Naraku just dropped to his knees and grabbed his head. Started screaming "Stop it" out of nowhere."
I was about to say something in return, when I heard a pounding on the door and a familiar voice from the other side.
"Kagome! Are you in there? Kagome!"
I rushed over and yelled back, "Inuyasha? Is that you?"
"Yeah, give me a damn second; I've almost got this stupid thing out of the way of the door," He replied, obviously trying to move whatever it was that blocked our escape.
I covered my mouth with my hand, the heat and smoke were taking their toll on my body and I'm sure the others were feeling just as lightheaded as I.
"Kagome, I said I was coming, just calm down," Inuyasha yelled at me.
"I know that," I replied, wondering why he seemed to snap at me suddenly like that.
"He's back now? Are you sure?" I heard Musou question Kagura over the phone
"Kyoukotsu, come over here and help," Mukotsu called back to the towering figure.
He nodded simply and walked over to help the shorter gang member with the door.
"Okay, call back in a bit. Bye Kagura."
After putting the phone back in his pocket, Musou joined Kyoukotsu, Mukotsu and Suikotsu in the attempt to push on the inside of the door. I helped as best I could and with Inuyasha apparently pulling on the outside, the door finally snapped open.
We all staggered out, taking in breaths of air that had yet to fall victim to the smoke. I looked about, realizing that Bankotsu hadn't seemed present for a few moments. Gazing back into the dark, flame engulfed room; I spotted him crouching in the corner where Musou had seen something earlier.
"Bankotsu! Bankotsu come on!" Suikotsu yelled back to him.
Against my body's cries of protest, I ran back into the flames towards the figure.
"Kagome! What in the hell are you doing?" I heard Inuyasha yell from behind me as I quickly made my way around the fallen beams and smoldering boxes.
Coughing as my lungs heaved for air, I noticed Bankotsu holding something wadded in a ball in his hands.
"Bankotsu, we need to get out of here," I managed to stammer out.
"It's his shirt. Jakotsu's purple shirt- covered in blood. ... his blood," The quiet and shaky voice murmured.
I tugged at his arm, "Please, Bankotsu. We need to get out of here."
I knew he was hurting, badly; but sitting in here and burning to death wasn't going to help anything.
He looked up at me, his eyes looking so lost that it simply tore at my heart.
I didn't know what to say or do, but the feeling of the fire beginning to prick my skin brought the realization of where we were back in full force.
Another futile tug at his arm produced no results and I was just about to call for help when I felt two arms wrap around me from behind.
"Kagome, I'm getting you out of this even if I have to carry you, damnit," Inuyasha stated firmly as he picked me up into his arms.
"Wait, we can't leave Bankotsu!" I said, trying to get him to release me.
"I'll take care of him."
I looked up to see Musou standing there, clothing hanging about him in shreds due to the fire's lashes at it.
"Go on detectives, I'll handle him," He added flashing a grin and stooping to lift the disoriented gang leader into his arms.
I squinted against the sparks, as the entire room seemed to collapse about us. Figuring the place was all doomed to destruction, all of us made our way back outside and a few alleys away for safety.
"That was just too close," Mukotsu sighed.
Kyoukotsu nodded in agreement as he munched on some unknown object.
As Inuyasha sat me down, I could feel the grime of the ashes all over my hands. After seeing how much ash was on my arms alone, I dreaded to see what the rest of me looked like. Then again, everyone else seemed to be in similar conditions.
The ringing of Musou's cell phone drew my attention in his direction, and I instantly regretted it. Apparently between there and here, what remained of Musou's clothing had almost all burned off, leaving just a few scraps of what used to be his shorts.
He answered the phone as if his lack of attire was commonplace, but I could tell he was clutching what seemed to be something silver in a brown wallet in his left hand somewhat protectively. I tried to get a better look, but hearing his conversation stopped me for the moment.
"Hello? Oh, he's back to normal? Okay. What? The sprinkler system had been shut off? Figures. Did you get it back on? Good, so it's getting the fire out? I understand I'll get back there once I work out a few things here. Bye."
"Bankotsu? Bankotsu are you all right?" Suikotsu questioned, kneeling beside the huddled figure.
I was about to walk over and attempt to talk to him as well, when Inuyasha grabbed my upper arm.
"What?" I said, trying to sound innocent. His expression read like a book and I knew he was upset about what had happened.
"One, don't run off without me, got that? Two, I told you it would be dangerous, so there. And three, when you blow the damned whistle- you only have to blow it once, okay?"
I was about to defend myself in regards to the first two statements, but the third caught me off guard, "But...I only blew it once, Inuyasha. What are you talking about?"
"Don't you give me that; I heard it twice- clearly. About a minute apart. I was already at the door; you knew that so there was no reason to blow it again."
I blinked, "I didn't blow it twice, I swear."
"Kagome, who else would be in that warehouse that would be blowing a dog whistle?"
"I...I don't know."
The whole group went silent for a while, until Inuyasha spoke again.
"Hmph, well if you don't go off and make me worry like that then it won't be a problem. Jeez, Kagome- that had to be one of the stupidest things you could do. I mean infiltrating Naraku's place with one of his employees and some gang members isn't the best thing for a detective to do, you know."
If it hadn't been for the fact that I caught that little tinge of worry in his spiel, I would have been upset at him for not trusting me, but I figured Inuyasha accidentally admitting he was worried would satisfy me for the moment.
"Come on kid, pull yourself together," I heard Musou's voice say quietly, causing me to divert my attention to the group that now stood about Bankotsu's form.
I slowly walked over and stood beside the others.
"Bankotsu, come on, let's at least get you somewhere inside," Suikotsu said, noting the building storm clouds overhead.
The only reply from the huddled figure was a very quiet, "Why him?"
"Bankotsu..." The brown-haired man started, only to be cut off as the young leader turned and flung his arms around him; burying his face in his chest.
"Why Suikotsu? Why did they have to hurt him? Why?" He stammered, tears making their way down his face.
It was then that I caught a better glimpse of the wadded shirt that he'd been holding. I walked over and slowly unwrapped what seemed to be something inside it.
The sight, made my heart sink.
The purple tank top had been ripped and shredded badly, explaining those pieces we'd seen on the floor. Bloodstains were all over it, some fairly fresh, but that wasn't the worst part.
Inside, there was a tattered photograph- that had been torn in half. One side was of Bankotsu, and it was merely wadded up... but the other, the other side... was of Jakotsu, and wrapped in that piece was a bloody knife.
Musou knelt beside me and looked at the items closely as well.
"There's not enough blood on the blade for it to have been used to kill him directly, but other than that, this isn't good," He said loud enough for just me to hear him.
"Is there even a small chance that he's still alive?" I whispered.
"A very small one and with all those wounds, unless found soon- he's got no chance at all."
I hung my head, knowing how true that was.
"My guess is we have until the end of today to find him," Musou said quietly, looking off towards the building.
My gaze shifted over to Suikotsu, who was still holding the distraught Bankotsu in his arms. Mukotsu and Kyoukotsu stood to either side, looking on with visible concern for their young leader.
Then, I noticed that Bankotsu was trying to force himself to stand, being steadied by the other three as he managed to find his balance.
"We're going," He said simply.
"But Bankotsu," Suikotsu began.
"We're gonna go find out how the hell Renkotsu got out of that room and then we're going to make him tell me where the hell Jakotsu is. Got that?" He said sharply, his eyes in a piercing, deadly-gaze that I'd never seen on his face before.
The three other gang members nodded mutely as they followed the staggering form.
He paused momentarily and gathered the shirt into his arms.
"You can keep the rest for evidence, but I'd like to take this with me."
I nodded in reply, not able to find anything that seemed fitting to say.
The four-gang members slowly walked off down the street, Bankotsu occasionally leaning on one of the others for support.
Part of me said that I should have gone with him to find out about Renkotsu, but at the same time, matters here needed to be dealt with as well.
"Kagome, let's go back to the office and work some things out," Inuyasha said looking off after the four others.
"But, we really need to get in there to try and find Jakotsu," I replied.
"That's what I'm going to go do now," Musou said, turning to go back to the building.
"Musou?"
"Keh, get some clothes while you're at it," Inuyasha said crossing his arms.
"Don't worry Kaname, I'll call you if I find out anything. Kagura has the number right?"
"Her name's Kagome," My partner muttered.
"Kagome? Oh yeah. Kagura has her number as well."
I dragged a hand down my face, "Okay Musou. Please contact us soon."
"Sure will," He replied, running back towards the warehouse.
Inuyasha and I were just about to walk back out of the alley ourselves, when a car turned the corner; its lights shining right in our eyes.
I recognized the car right away, and we waited as the tall white-haired figure stepped out.
"Sesshoumaru, what are you doing down here?" Inuyasha asked with a glare.
"Kagura called. Said things are getting desperate and that she's going to try and take Naraku down tonight."
"She's what?" Inuyasha balked.
"We're taking him down and finding that missing young man tonight," Sesshoumaru stated simply, yet with an edge of determination I knew not to question.
I could only hope that it worked in time- for everyone's sake.
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Preview for Chapter 15-
Kagura has a plan to take down Naraku, but can they manage to capture him and find Jakotsu before it's too late to save him?