The phone rang at the Sohma residence around eleven o'clock so Sakura left the living room to answer it.
"Hello Sohma residence. Oh hello Sam. Katsuya? No I haven't heard from him in hours. Actually I was starting to get worried. Maybe they're just having a good time. But I'll let you know if I hear from them. Okay. Goodbye" she replied as Takara came into the hall and saw her expression.
"What's wrong Sakura?" Takara asked.
"It's Kaye" Sakura replied, "I'm starting to get worried. He should have been home by now. He said he'd be home at ten."
"I know" Takara nodded.
"Well" Sakura sighed, "I'm going to wait for another hour and then see what happens" she moved back into the sitting room along with Takara.
But when another hour had passed as well as thirty minutes and there was still no sign of her brother, Sakura grew even more concerned, considering she received another call from the Kamiya residence asking for Stephanie. Finally after talking to Sam briefly once more she hung up the phone and dialed another number. The person on the other end picked up quite surprised.
"Cherry" Reiji replied, "What's the matter? Why are you calling here?"
"Something's wrong Reiji" Sakura said, "Katsuya should have been home hours ago. I'm gonnago look for him, will you come with me?"
"Do you even know where he was last at?"
"Yes. He told me where he was taking her before he left."
"Okay. Don't worry. I'll be right over" Reiji said in a reassuring tone as he hung up.
He grabbed his car keys and ran out the door past his stunned father.
"Reiji!" Haru called out surprised as he chased him out the door.
But his son had already started the engine of the car and was out the gates. Haru scratched the back of his head.
"What on earth is going on with that boy?" Haru thought walking back inside.
Reiji quickly drove over to Sakura's house where she was waiting at the curb and immediately jumped into the car.
"Okay" she replied after buckling up her seatbelt, "Head for the temple district."
"You got it" he nodded turning the wheel and heading as fast as he could in that direction.
(Next Scene)
At the same time Stephanie was still staring stunned at Seitarou who remained in the same position as the candlelight flickered. Finally finding her voice she spoke up.
"What is the meaning of this?" she asked frowning slightly.
"Ah yes I imagine you're quite confused at this point."
"Quite" she nodded, "Why did you bring me here?"
"I brought you here because it seems like the most plausible way for me to get the information I am seeking."
"Information? What information?"
"The information I came all the way from Tokyo for. The information" he added sitting down in his chair as she moved closer into the room, "I have been trying to get for the past five months. The problem is, it's not accessible information unless you're someone on the inside."
"I don't understand."
"It's simple. I want you to give me the information I need Miss Kamiya. Once you've done that, I'll set you free."
"What makes you think that I have this information?"
"Oh I am certain. You're the only one who could possibly have the info who's on the outside and the inside. And I really do need that info for my employer. My employer is not a very patient person."
"Your employer? You mean someone sent you down here?"
"Not sent, as much as asked" he stood up bringing over a clipboard and handing it to her, "I came voluntarily."
"What's this?" she asked confused.
"That's the information I want from you" he replied simply walking away placing his hands behind his back as she looked at the list.
"What is this?" she said aloud as she read it. It said:
ZODIAC MEMBERS:
CAT -
RAT-
DOG-
HORSE-
ROOSTER-
TIGER-
SHEEP-
SNAKE-
RABBIT-
COW-MONKEY-
BOAR-
DRAGON-
HEAD OF THE ZODIAC -Yamato Sohma- age 17
Son of Jinto and Kagura
Blond hair, Dark brown eyes
"I just need you to fill in the blanks" he replied at her stunned expression.
"This is impossible" she replied shaking her head, "There is no way you could" she stopped herself.
"There's no way I could what?" he said turning around.
"There's no way" she replied, "How could you possibly know anything about this?"
He smiled.
"That is the question isn't it? You see for many generations my family has been known as information gatherers. It's what we do best. The truth is that I am down here in Kyoto to get that information, not to go to school. My brain is way beyond the capacity for High school. Oh admit I lied about the school thing, but as for being a genius, that was the complete truth."
"But how could You possibly know about this Mr. Naoki? There is not many people who do" she demanded.
"Well that's true. My family just happens to be some of the few people that do though."
"What?"
"You haven't figured it out yet have you? So I might as well tell you. Naoki is only an alias I use. It's not even my real last name."
Her eyes became wide as he continued.
"My real name is Seitarou Nakagami."
(Next Scene)
Meanwhile Reiji and Sakura arrived at Daigoji temple, quickly jumped out of the car, and headed for the stairs.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Reiji asked.
"This is where he said he was taking her" Sakura nodded.
"Okay. Let's split up and find them" he said when they reached the top of the stairs.
Sakura went in the direction of the water and it wasn't long till she saw some tire tracks.
"That's odd" she frowned as she examined them, "Tire tracks in a temple?" she looked up and then spotted her brother's unconscious body lying on the ground, "Oh my gosh" she gasped her eyes wide, "Katsuya!" she shouted as she ran over to him, "Reiji! Come quick!"
"Huh?" he heard her shout and ran in the direction of it till he saw her leaning over Kaye, "Kaye!" he shouted as he ran over, "Sakura. Is he all right?"
"I can't move him," she cried.
"Looks like someone really did a number on him. Look at all those bruises."
"But who could have done this?"
"I don't know" Reiji replied seriously, "But we have got to get him to the main house so Hatori can treat him. Huh?" he said spotting the ring nearby and picking it up, "What's this?"
"That's the promise ring" Sakura replied taking it gently into her hands, "It's the ring that Kaye was going to give to Stephanie tonight. Oh" she realized, "Speaking of which, where is she?"
"It looks like she was taken. I'm afraid we're not going to know until Kaye awakens. Come on help me, help him up" he lifted Kaye's left arm.
"Okay" she nodded as they lifted him onto their shoulders, "I'll have to call the Kamiya residence and let them know."
"Let them know what?"
"Well, I have to let them know something" she insisted.
"Okay maybe. They'll probably send in their own investigation. Her stepfather being the mayor and all."
"Exactly" she nodded as they moved slowly towards the stairs.
"Come on" he said shouldering his cousin the best he could, "Let's get Kaye home."
"And the sooner the better."
(Next Scene)
"Nakagami?" Stephanie replied slowly, "As in?"
"Correct. My family has been serving the Ushida family for thousands of generations."
"But that's not possible."
"What did you think that Nakagami didn't have any heirs is that it?"
"You mean Nakagami had children? The one who was murdered a few months ago in Tokyo?"
Seitarou chuckled and Stephanie frowned at his lack of sympathy for his own father.
"Murdered indeed? Is that what you truly think? I hate to disappoint you or the Sohmas but there was only one murder in that incident."
"What?"
"My father didn't die. Not really. The only person who did was Jinto Tikeda. The so called murder of my father was just a cover-up for the other murder."
"Oh I see" she nodded angrily, "So no one would suspect Ushida. If two people of his died it would look like someone did it as revenge against Ushida instead of him being blamed for the death of Jinto Tikeda."
"That's right. One of my better ideas I might add."
"Your idea?"
"Tikeda was getting far to talkative. He had to go. So Ushida had him bumped off. Faked my father's death too, with my help. About time. He was ready to retire anyway. So now his sons can take on his glorious work," he replied a bit sarcastically which surprised her, "Personally I don't really give a damn about the Ushida family. The only reason that I am down here is because I am getting well paid for it. Otherwise it wouldn't be worth my time."
"What?" she seethed with anger as he sat down once more.
"There is only one person I care about in the whole world and that is myself. I am a selfish being and I really don't care."
"So you planned this whole elaborate scheme? Everything you said was a lie?"
"Not everything. But I did warn you after all."
"What?"
"I told you to watch out for spiders. But you didn't listen."
"People like spiders" she repeated, "You were warning me against you. Why?"
"It's just another trick of a spider. They do it to gain the trust of another person. Like a spider I lured you into my web. I kept spinning itand spinning it and gained your confidence by admitting how lonely I was and all that nonsense" he replied with a smug grin, "Even the Sohmas fell for it, well minus one. And of course you fell for it" he added as she frowned even more, "Surprisingly, for someone who was so determined that it would never happen again since she changed her old image."
"Huh?" she said surprised, "How do you?"
"I know as much about you as you know about the Sohmas. When I first discovered that you were one of their girlfriends I targeted you. So I did research. I took me awhile but I found out quite a lot about you, and the rest I just guessed."
"How is that possible? I lived in another country?"
"Never underestimate a Nakagami. When it comes to information, we're the best in the business. We always get the information we seek. And now" he paused, "You're going to help me get the information that I came all this way for."
"I think you overestimate your chances with me" she replied angrily.
"Excuse me?" he frowned slightly.
"What makes you think that I will even remotely help you? Especially when it is That information that you want?" she threw down the clipboard and he watched it fall with his eyes, "Well I'll tell you right now. I won't help you. I don't care what happens to me. Because I made a promise that I would never tell. And Iintend to keep it. There's no way I will help anyone to hurt them."
"Well" he sighed, "I admit I didn't think you'd give in right away. What fun would that be?" he removed himself from the chair, "However I do believe in time I will wear you down. A few more days in my place" he moved to the door, "You'll change your mind."
"Never!" she threw a nearby pillow at him and he ducked just in time as it hit the door.
"Well, I'll let you sleep it off" he smiled taking a hold of the doorknob, "This is my bedroom. You can stay in it while you're here. I will be sleeping in the guest room."
"I won't be here for long. He'll come for me."
"Oh I certainly hope so" he said menacingly, "In fact I'm counting on it. That's why I didn't let my brother rough him up so much."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You'll see. Goodnight Miss Kamiya" he opened the door, "Pleasant dreams, oh and Happy Birthday" he replied as he closed the door with another sinister smile and chuckle.
She ran over to the door and noticed out of frustration that he had locked it once he had left. So she hit the door hard and then sank to the floor, placing her head onto her knees.
"Now what am I going to do?" she thought, "Kaye, I hope you're all right" she placed her head face down in her lap.
(Next Scene)
At Sohma house Tohru and Kyo stood outside the room with Aoko and Shigure waiting expectantly for Hatori's news about Katsuya. Sakura and Reiji also stood close by and moved forward as Hatori finally appeared.
"Hatori" Kyo replied, "How is he?"
"He's still unconscious" Hatori said, "But other than that he seems to be all right, minus the bruises."
"Oh thank goodness" Tohru cried, "So he's gonna be all right then, after he wakes up?"
"Well we shall see. You know Tohru, you really shouldn't be here in your condition."
"I'm all right. He's my son after all."
"True but you probably could use a cup of tea Tohru" Shigure replied, "Hari's got everything under control here I'm sure."
"He's right honey" Kyo nodded, "You go with him and Aoko. Sakura and I will take care of Kaye."
"Okay" she agreed as Sakura nodded.
"Come on sweetie" Aoko replied gently as she and Shigure led Tohru away from the scene and Kyo talked some more with Hatori.
Sakura took the opportunity to walk into her brother's room. She walked over to the bed and took his hand sadly.
"Kaye. I don't know if you can hear me but I hope you wake up soon. Not for your own sake, but for Stephanie's too. You're the only one who can tell us what happened. Her family is really worried about her. They even got the police looking for her now. I wish you would wake up soon, little brother" she cried, "She probably needs you. And I do too" she lowered her head as she caressed his hand.
(Next Scene)
Meanwhile in Chicago, a young man dashed through the airport as fast as he could with a carry on bag. When he arrived at the gate he handed his passport to the lady behind the counter and she stamped it as she saw his ticket.
"Tokyo, huh sir?" she replied with a smile.
"Yea" Stephen nodded out of breath as he took them back, "Family emergency" he added as he ran onto the plane.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! One more tonight and that will be it for this week. The next one is short but I hope you enjoyed both!
Next Chapter:
Chapter Ten: Big Brother's Concern
Stephen comes back into town after hearing of his sister's abduction and implores Sakura to help. Find out what happens!