Hello everyone! I'm back with chapter six! I know it's been a while so I have to ask you to fogive me. I'll try to have chapter seven up as soon asI can. Until then plz read and review!
Ch.6 Illusions in Tokyo
The next morning the police called Michael to inform the STN-J that Amon was found hanging in the doorway of one of the rooms in a local hotel. Oddly Michael thought when he hung up the phone; it was the same room in the same hotel the letter had directed them to. When they arrived there they were led up to the room where Amon's limp body still hung with a noose around his neck. Michael, Doujima and Sakaki went pale on sight and Karasuma started to cry. "Oh, not Amon too!" She pleaded.
After a few moments Karasuma bit her lip and found her resolve. She feebly reached out and touched Amon's hand and then quickly withdrew it. She had noticed something that made her tears seem worthless. There was no emotional residue coming from the body it was all coming from the area around the blood stains on the carpet. There was only one explanation for that. "Guys, something happened here that involved Amon but he may still be alive" Karasuma pointed to the body "That's nothing but an extremely well made illusion."
"What? Are you serious?" Doujima demanded.
"Yes, I can't feel the presence of emotional residue from that body but I can feel plenty of Amon's coming from over there." Karasuma explained.
The group went to work examining the real crime scene. Through Karasuma they learned the blood was Amon's and that he's met with something that had confused and terrified him and his last moments of consciousness had been spent in pain. After that Karasuma could tell them no more.
They left in dismay unsure as to the fate of their former leader. As they were on their way to Raven's Flat Michael's cell went off. "Is this Mr. Michael Lee?" Inquired a female voice on the other end.
"Yes. This is he. What do you want?"
"This is the Tokyo Hospital calling. We understand that you're the contact for a Miss Robin Sena."
"Yes I am. What's wrong? Has something happened to her?"
"We believe she was spooked by something last night. She been highly distressed and defensive all morning and has managed to burn several staff members. We were hoping that you could come down and help us get her to relax and figure out what wrong."
"I see. Sure I'll be there as soon as I can."
Michael clicked that phone shut and turned to the others. As quickly as he could he explained the situation to them. It was instantly unanimous that they should head over right away and Dojima spun the car around. Ten minuets later they entered the hospital and were escorted to Robin's room. Inside Robin sat curled in al protective ball in her bed. She was twisting her hands rapidly and casting nervous glances around the room. "Robin. Are you okay?" Dojima asked gently.
Robin looked up and a flash of relief crossed face. "I'm okay. Don't worry."
"You sure? You don't look so good." Sakaki commented.
After a moment Robin nodded slowly. "Yes. I'm fine. I've just been seeing old ghosts and scaring myself silly."
Karasuma gave Robin serious look that said she didn't believe her then slowly moved towards her. "Do you believe that?" She asked.
Robin didn't reply. Gently so as not to scare her further, Karasuma picked up Robin's hand. For an instant she saw an image of a young dark haired girl surrounded by a roaring fire. She was screaming for help but no one could save her. Her screams were echoing everywhere until they dominated Karsuma's every sense. Then Karasuma found herself kneeling next to Robin's bed. She sat down hard, trembling and gasping for breath. Her stomach felt queasy and the screams were so fresh in her mind it was almost like she was there. The intensity of what she had seen surprised even her. Gradually, by degrees, she got control over herself and looked up at Robin. "Who was she?" Karasuma demanded.
"The ghost. It was her that visited me last night." Robin declared.
"She died, burned to death in the fire, didn't she?"
Robin nodded. "At least I thought she had, until last night. It doesn't make sense; I saw her charred remains with my own eyes when they pulled her from the wreckage but there she was laughing at me and talking like nothing had happened."
"It must be an impostor. What was her name? If you tell me we should be able to track down her remains and prove she died."
Robin looked Karasuma in the eyes and in a barely audible whisper stammered. "Raven. Her name was Raven Yukito."
"It's got to be a coincidence. There's no way the new girl and Robin's dead childhood companion are one in the same. You heard Robin herself. She saw the body with her own eyes." Exclaimed Sakaki.
"But Robin also said that it was impossible in her mind for the visitor from last night was anyone but her." Karasuma explained.
"Well, I'm of the opinion that Robin saw a cleverly made illusion of her deceased friend. We seem to have someone quiet skilled in that art in Tokyo these days. First the fake Robin with the letter, then Amon's dead body in the hotel and now probably Robin's friend." Michael suggested.
"Yeah, but why? What's the connection? Why would someone be going around making these illusions?" Demanded Dojima.
"I don't know. The first one was obvious. Someone wanted us to have that letter but was afraid to deliver it himself or herself. The other two I'm not sure about. Why would someone want us to believe Amon's dead and Robin's dead friend has been resurrected?" Michael explained.
Sakai made mummy moans from the back and Michael hit him on the head. Sakaki rubbed his head in annoyance. "It all just sounds fishy to me. I don't like it. I wish Amon would hurry up and show himself. He's at least behind the letter one since Robin said it was he that dropped her off at the hospital." He fumed.
"I'm in agreement with you Sakaki. It's quite likely that Amon was behind the letter. As for the others, who knows?"
"Can we quite discussing this already. It's clear we don't know much but we won't be able to do anything until we get back." An enraged Dojima interjected.
Everyone nodded in consent and the hunter's fell into silence for the rest of the ride. Karasuma said nothing but she was beginning to get an uneasy feeling about this. She suspected that what Robin had seen was what she thought it was. The problem was how was this Raven girl still alive eleven years after she had allegedly burned to death? A strange thought suddenly came to her; she must have never died at all. Then who did? Karasuma knew she would have to wait until the DNA test came back to answer that.
Karasuma and the others were to be greatly disappointed. When the DNA test came back two weeks later the results were irrefutable; Raven Yukito was dead and buried in her grave and had been for the last eleven years. In the mind of the STN-J that meant it had to be an impostor with intimate knowledge of Robin's childhood or an illusion. Mostly likely it was an illusion than a real person, they thought.
There was also more bad news. Amon was still missing and despite redoubled efforts by everyone at the STNJ including Dojima no one had seen hide or hair of him since he disappeared into the hotel elevator two weeks ago. No one was ready to say it but they all where beginning to fear he was dead. Worst of all though was that Robin was picking up on their anxiety and demanding answers. She was getting counseling and finally able to start talking about Raven and what had happened to her after the collapse of the factory. They were afraid that telling her the truth would cause her to freak out and break her fragile control over her emotions.
Karasuma hoped to be able to clear up at least part of the mystery. She wanted to know what the person who'd visited Robin looked like. So that afternoon she went to see Robin at the hospital. She was looking much better since the last visit and the doctor's said she could go home in about another week or two if her injuries continued to heal as well as they were.
Robin smiled when she saw the older woman enter, "Hello. Karasuma. Why are you here today?" She asked brightly.
"I wanted to ask you about the person who visited you. You know the one you thought was Raven? What did she look like?"
Robin nodded slowly, "She looked kind like me with black hair and violet eyes. I didn't know it was her at first but when she made the glass move. That's when I knew. That was her power. She could move things with her mind."
"A psychic?"
"Yes. She was a craft user with powers of the psychic nature."
Karasuma pulled out a picture of the new huntress and set it face down in front of Robin. "When I turn this over I want you to tell me honestly if this is her."
Robin nodded and focused her gaze on the picture. Karasuma turned it over and Robin gasped. "Raven! Where did you get this picture?"
"This is a picture of our new hunter. She came in to pick up some of the slack for us about six months ago. Are you sure it's her?"
"Yes, I'm positive. That's Raven. There's no mistake."
Karasuma looked hard in Robin's green eyes praying to find some trace that showed she was lying or being deceitful but there was none. Robin was dead serious. "I don't know what to say. We verified that her remain are in the grave." Karasuma stammered.
"I don't know either . . ." Whispered Robin.
Karasuma hurried back to the STN-J. She had some serious questions to ask the new girl. If what Robin said was true. She was a walking ghost. When she got up to the office Michael was the only one there. He sat in from of his computer typing away as he stuffed a hastily made lunch of instant soup and a bag of chips in his mouth. "Where's Raven?" Karasuma demanded.
Michael looked up stunned by the interruption. "I don't know she went out with Dojima and Sakaki to check out a lead on the orbo bullet case about an hour ago. Why?"
"She's the one. Robin wasn't seeing an illusion. She and Robin's dead friend are one in the same."
"What how do you know?"
"Robin told me. I just saw her at the hospital. I wanted her to describe what the person she saw looked like. She described Raven perfectly and when I showed her a picture of Raven she said hat was her."
"No way! What about Raven's powers? Did she mention those too?"
Karasuma nodded. "She described them perfectly as well."
Michael sighed and leaned back in his chair. "This is bizarre. If what Robin says is true we could be in deep trouble."
"For that matter so could Amon."
"Right. I'll call them back in right now."
"Guy's I'm ordering you all back to HQ. It's an emergency meeting."
"Copy that." Replied Sakai and Dojima in unison.
Raven's answer took a little longer in coming. "I'll be there." She said slowly.
However Raven never showed up. Dojima said they had had to split up and she hadn't been with them when the call came in. Michael cursed and slammed his fist on his desk in frustration. She was on to them and they had let her disappear. "Dam it all!" He exclaimed.
They were all mad. She was right under their nosed and they had been so close to the truth and Amon as well. So close but now she had slipped through their fingers.
Michael composed himself and straightened his glasses so they rested properly on his face. "We can't give up. We're going to catch her if it's the last thing we do." He declared with intensified resolve.
The other nodded. She had just made this mission even more personal and they were going to end it.
Amon: "hmpf" "Well, at least you didn't kill me but what's with the lame hanging corpse scene? Come on already! Give me a good part! I'm the one they all want to see!"
Me: "You will, you will. I'm just trying to keep the audience in suspense."
Amon: "Right. More like trying to kill my fan base . . .grmble grumble grumble . . .'
Me: "Hey, I resent that! If you really don't like my style so much I can just write you out!"
Amon:" You wouldn't dare."
Me: "I'm the author! I can do what I want! Mwhahahahahaha!"
Amon: "I think I'll send my agent over to sue you."
Me: "Eeeeeeeeep! Okay, okay! I give you'll get something good in the next chapter, I promise!"
Always fear the Geatones' agent!
