Author's Notes: This chapter was revised on January 24, 2006.

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-June 8th-

Entry at 8:12PM

"Are we ready for this?" My voice spoke up, not sounding quite as confident as I would have liked.

The four figures stood shadowed in the alleyway, but I easily made out the familiar faces.

"Hey there, Kinpa!" Musou called out, once again in the habit of not getting my name correct.

I just sighed, figuring it was a lost cause.

"Keh!" Inuyasha grumbled behind me.

The sun was beginning its descent on the horizon; and remembering Bankotsu's earlier mention of the deadline of sunset, I figured I'd cut the chit-chat and get straight to work.

"I sent Miroku and Sango on ahead. They're going to call me once the police are out of the way. Then we can head in."

The group nodded their silent acknowledgements of what I'd said, and I bit my lip, trying to think of how to possibly ease the tension.

The young nurse, Kikyou, was standing close to Suikotsu's side, and he had his hand protectively on her shoulder. As a member of the Kotsu gang, I'm certain he was a little more used to this than she was, yet- his worry over the situation seemed to outweigh her nervousness.

Then again, I shifted my eyes to Bankotsu; with his friend in that condition I could understand the worry.

Bankotsu's whole body seemed tense, his eyes cold and trying to hide his fears behind the façade of anger. Like me, he had already figured out this was a trap- yet his pride wouldn't let him ask for help or risk the chance that Jakotsu could be hurt if someone else did step in. I saw him wince, and restrain from punching the nearby brick wall.

"He knows, Jakotsu might be…" I paused my thoughts, hanging my head.

Hearing a noise behind me, I turned and noticed that Inuyasha was tapping his foot impatiently.

I opened my mouth, just about to tell him to 'Be patient' when another voice cut in.

"You know you can't follow us, right?" Bankotsu said shakily.

Turning to regard him, I sighed lightly.

"As much as I hate to agree, yes…I know. I'm just a detective, and from what clues I've picked up- it sounds like you've either got to go in their alone or Jakotsu's life is even more at risk than it already is. You hired us to help find him, but…" I paused, offering an optimistic smile, "But it looks like it's up to you to save him. Just please, be careful."

"Hmph," He shrugged, "I'm the leader of a well known gang around here. I think I can handle it."

It was clear he was trying to maintain his manly demeanor throughout this situation, and if I deducted properly, it was also a means of reassuring himself that he was strong enough to handle what might await him in that room.

"Okay, but if I hear gunshots, it's my job to investigate. I can't keep my word if that happens, all right?" I explained. Wanting to make sure he knew I wasn't just going to let him go in there without someone watching his back.

"Give it three shots."

"What? Bankotsu don't be…" Suikotsu began, only to halt as the braided-man held up a hand.

"I might have to use some dummy shots to scare someone into working with me. I don't want you to barge in after those and screw things up," He stated plainly, and I began to see why the Kotsu gang had been so successful in all their heists. As child-like and emotional as he might get, Bankotsu had the mindset of a leader. And in a high-risk situation like this, he was way ahead of me in thinking possible problems through.

"On the fourth shot, Inuyasha and I will come then."

He nodded, almost noncommittally, but I brushed it aside. We all had a lot of things on our minds, and I'm certain he was hoping that it wouldn't come to four gunshots…at least not in the case where he'd be needing help, I noted with a frown.

Throughout this case, I suppose I'd been a bit lenient of the fact we were working hand in hand with some of the well known gang members of the Kotsu gang. But, as I'd told Inuyasha in the beginning- we were detectives and it was our jobs to take cases, no matter who from. I just never guessed that we'd end up in so deep.

Before my thoughts could continue wandering, my cell phone rang, and I quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Kagome. We've got the police moving out with us, move in now," Sango's voice came over the line in a rush.

"Gotcha. Keep in touch."

"You too."

With that, our brief conversation ended and it was back to business. Pocking the cell phone, I looked to our misfit group and sighed.

"This is it. Let's go."

It seemed like seconds after I'd said those words, and we were all running towards the warehouse. Making it around the backside, we avoided the eyes and ears of the remaining police force with ease thanks to Sango and Miroku tipping them off about possible break ins. But the only 'break-in' that was going to happen on their watch was our last ditch effort to retrieve a missing member of the Kotsu gang.

"Kalika, I'll take things from here," Musou said as he punched in a code that he'd written on his arm.

The doorway opened and we entered into the dark, cold world of the warehouse. Slowly, we made our way down some hallways, the previous 'employee' of Naraku turning on a few lights as we went.

Then I realized what could pose a possible problem, "Um Musou, please tell me that you remembered to make a note of which of those corridors you thought Jakotsu was in."

The brown haired man grinned sheepishly, before pausing and beginning to look at the scribbles on his arms and legs.

"Ah, here it is!" He said, pointing to something on his upper left arm, "Bankotsu and I can take it from here. You might consider moving out towards the entrance in case the police get nosy. Suikotsu, you and the lady can stay here at this junction in the hallway. I'll come get you if we need your doctoring expertise."

I looked at the fork in the hallways, and then back towards the door we came from. Musou had left on just a few lights, but they acted like beacons to guide us back towards the door with ease.

My brows creased in thought, "That seemed a little too well thought out for Musou. It's as if he wants us out of here as soon as possible. Does he, know something that we don't?" I questioned, thinking back over all my misgivings on the man and his strange nature.

Not wanting him, whether he was trustworthy or not, to find our actions suspicious, I played along.

"Okay, Inuyasha. We can head back to the doorway and keep an eye out for the police. This is the only door that enters to this part of the warehouse, right?"

Musou shrugged, "Unless you count a sky-light in two rooms over and a back fire-exit. No, that's it."

Once again, I studied him. His actions and his knowledge seeming a little more than just a gang-member from a rival gang spying on Naraku. He knew too much, and in the game of detective, knowing too much meant one of two things- you were guilty or you were about to get killed by the guilty party.

The problem was, I still couldn't place what was up with Musou. I just knew he wasn't from here locally, he seemed to have a bad case of absent-mindedness about ninety percent of the time, and yet… he knew every entrance and exit in this warehouse complex. Things just weren't adding up.

As much as I would have loved to have sat down and fully analyzed the mystery of Musou at that moment, both the situation at hand and the sound of my ringing cell phone in that stark quiet warehouse snapped me to attention.

After fumbling for a second due to being caught a bit off guard, I managed to hit the right button and the familiar female voice spoke over the line.

"Well, we're in Okugi City. How goes things there?" Kagura asked casually, as if this was a daily jaunt in life.

"We got Bankotsu in. They're about to go look for Jakotsu. Miroku and Sango went to keep the police outside but…"

"But?"

I frowned on realizing that while I talked, I had subconsciously began to walk towards the door we'd come in from. I was playing the cards just like Musou wanted me to, and like usual, Inuyasha despite his grumbling, followed.

"Musou's acting a bit strange. He seems to know too much. Can you shed any light on that, Kagura?" I whispered it harshly. Hoping the concrete walls and floor didn't carry my message back to the one I spoke of.

"Hmm well…"

Kagura's opinion on the matter was interrupted, very loudly might I add, as I heard their car's tires squeal and Sesshoumaru's calm voice muttering in the background.

"It looks like he sent someone out to great us," The elder brother remarked as the sound of a gunshot ricocheting off their car's metal frame echoed over the receiver.

"Kagura?" I questioned, wanting to know what was going on.

"We're okay. It seems that Onigumo sent some lackeys out to meet us. Some well armed lackeys. "

I swallowed hard, and tensed at the sudden hand on my shoulder.

"What?" I snapped, turning to see the somewhat strange expression of Inuyasha behind me.

"What's going on?" He questioned, trying to hide his concern for his elder brother as best as he could.

"I'm not sure," was the only reply I could offer, "Kagura, are you two okay?" I questioned over the silent line.

"Yeah, the bastards just got one of our tires," I heard a car door slam, "We're moving in on foot now."

"Is that really such a good idea if they're armed and after you?"

She laughed lightly, "It's not like we really have much of a choice. We'd be sitting ducks if we tried to change the tire out to a spare and even if we succeeded in that they'd just shoot out another tire. So yah…" Her voice grew soft. "All we can do now is just suck it up and deal with it."

"Phone," I heard Sesshoumaru's quiet demand in the background and the sounds of the receiver being handed over.

"I wish to speak to my half-brother," He addressed me bluntly.

"Um…okay," I paused in the hallway, and turned to Inuyasha, "Sesshoumaru wants to speak to you."

"Keh! This had better be good."

Snatching the cell phone from my hand, he glared at the wall as he spoke.

"What do you want?" A pause, and his eyebrows furrowed in thought at whatever his brother had said, "Don't tell me shit like that just…" He paused, and I could see him balling his fist at his side. "Do you want us to come out there? Okay. Fine. Keh, just don't get in trouble so bad we have to bail you out."

Without a word more, he ended the call and handed the phone back.

"They'll call back once they're to a safer location," Inuyasha said distantly.

I frowned, "What did Sesshoumaru want to talk to you about?"

He diverted his eyes, leaning against the doorframe and looking out towards the street.

"Nothing."

Hesitating, I finally found myself reaching out, wrapping my arms around him from behind.

"He'll be okay. We're all going to be okay."

A half-hearted 'Keh' was all I got in reply.

After a moment's silence, he spoke up.

"Kagome…"

"Hmm?"

I felt the gentle brush of his hand coming to lay over where mine was on his chest.

"If something happened to me you'd…keh…" He cut himself off, his cheeks beginning to show signs of a light blush.

Sighing lightly, I answered the question I knew he was trying to ask.

"If something happened, well, I don't know what I'd do. It's hard to think of how things would be without you around."

It pacified him a little to know that, his muscles slowly relaxing.

"Sesshoumaru. He said if things get too bad, we've got to go get Kagura out of there."

I smiled, "He doesn't want anyone else to die if it can be avoided."

"Just like my Father…" Inuyasha trailed off, and I gently squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"But Sesshoumaru won't die that easily. He might not be as loud as you, but he's just as stubborn."

"Keh!" My white-haired partner protested, and I had to withhold a laugh.

Things fell back to silence, the only noises being the light rumbling of thunder in the distance and the sounds of the police off on the other end of the warehouse. I found my eyes glancing up at the skyline, able to pick out the orange and red hues of sunset peaking through the threatening thunder clouds overhead.

"Kagome…" His soft voice caught my attention, but he continued before I could reply.

"After this whole stupid thing is over I'd…I'd like it if you…."

Before another word could come out of his mouth, the two of us snapped to attention at the sounds of gunshots coming from inside the warehouse.

Eyes wide, we looked to each other before beginning to dash back towards where we'd parted with the others.

Another shot rang out, the bullet ricocheting off one of the concrete walls before hitting something solid. Something, I prayed wasn't a person.

We each drew our guns and kept running, a third gunshot making its sound heard clearly down the corridors.

"That was three. Oh god, please- please let everyone be all right."

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Preview for Chapter 28-

After hearing three gunshots Kagome and Inuyasha rush to where they left the others, but with the involvement of Onigumo's men, the mystery behind Musou's strange behavior and the nagging question in Kagome's mind about what Inuyasha was going to say to her, are all going to play their part in this part of the mystery.