Warning: A bit of a lemony chapter!

Chapter Fourteen: Seitarou's Number One Motive

That same evening around the time that Kyo left Haru's house to go home for dinner, Souichirou wandered into the Nakagami kitchen where he found Seitarou by the counter placing Stephanie's dinner on her tray with a sly smile on his face.

"You seem awful satisfied with yourself" he observed.

"I've figured out the perfect way to get Sohma."

" Huh? But I thought that you're just after the girl?"

Seitarou chuckled and turned around holding onto the tray.

"You're such an idiot. Of course I'm after her. This is just the way I am going to get her. But originally I took this job because of an added bonus. She wasn't even in the equation at the time. But she is now" he sighed contently.

"I don't get why you don't have your way with her anyway?"

"Because I don't do things like you and father. Besides I only want Sohma and her to think that I've done something like that. That's where the elixir comes in."

"Elixir?"

"Look the less you know the better" Seitarou frowned, "You just concentrate on your next role in the deal. Ushida will be sending four men tomorrow."

"Okay" Souichirou nodded, "But why so many? I can handle it on my own."

"If I know Sohma" Seitarou replied as he opened the door, "He'll be bringing people along with him instead of coming alone. He's not that stupid. My guess is that either one or most of them have some martial art talent, so you have to be prepared for anything."

Souichirou nodded again.

"You're right brother. You're so smart. You think of everything," he said in admiration.

"Naturally. I'm the one with the brains and you're the one with the brawn. Good night Souichirou" he added, "I'll see you tomorrow" he departed for his room.

He placed the tray in his room onto his desk where he always did and then left because he spotted Stephanie on the balcony once more avoiding him.

About an hour later he returned and found that she was lying on the bed completely passed out. He smiled, walked over to the video camera, and pressed the record button.

"Show time" he said to himself as he walked over to the bed and hovered dangerously over the unaware girl.

(Next Scene)

The next day Sakura made another attempt at trying to contact Stephen. She was more successful this time and said he would be over right away. When he arrived Sakura led him to Katsuya's room and closed the door behind them.

"Hey Katsuya" he replied gently.

"Hi Stephen" he answered back with a smile.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing much better now. Thanks for asking. Look Stephen, the reason we called you over here was to let you know that we've located where Stephanie is."

"You have?" Stephen began to talk all at once in relief, "Where is she? Is she all right?"

"I think she's all right" Kaye said uncertain, "I'm not really sure."

"Well who did this? Whose behind this?" he demanded.

"Well that's just it. The person who is behind this has to do with the Ushidas."

"Oh" Stephen eyes became somber and he calmed down at once, "Then it has to do with you Sohmas after all" he looked over at Sakura who nodded sadly.

"Apparently so" Kaye nodded, "And I can't express how sorry I am that, that is the case. But I can promise you that I am gonna get her back a day from now. I've accepted his challenge and I am gonna rescue her without fail."

"Katsuya, I would like to accompany you?"

Kaye sighed and shook his head.

"I was afraid you were going to say that, but I can't let you."

"Let me? What do you mean let me?" Stephen replied angrily, "She's my little sister. I can't just sit idly by at home while she is still out there. Not when I can do something."

"Sakura" Kaye said.

"Hmm?" she looked up.

"Would you give us a moment?"

"Sure" she nodded as Stephen turned to look at her, "I'll go check on mom."

Stephen turned his head back to Katsuya who was now sighing heavily.

"Okay" Kaye began, "Before you say anything more I need you to listen to what I have to say. I think it's a wonderful thing that you want to help me, and I know you feel somewhat like it's your responsibility to rescue her too because you have done it in the past, but considering that this is a Sohma matter, I don't think it would be wise. And it is gonna be dangerous."

"I don't care about that. Why are you being so stubborn? I can help you."

"I'm not being stubborn, I'm being realistic. You've never dealt with something like this before. If I were being stubborn I wouldn't have asked anyone to come along with me. I even asked my father to come."

"Really?" Stephen said surprised.

"Yea. I love your sister and I feel that as a man, I have to do this on my own."

"Yea, but."

"Look let me put it this way. What if it were Sakura?"

"Hmm?"

"If it were Sakura in Stephanie's place and you were challenged. You personally. Wouldn't you feel more compelled to rescue her on your own because you love her so much and not have to rely on the help of her brother? Making you feel somewhat inferior to him?"

"Well, when you put it that way" Stephen nodded, "I guess I would want to rescue her myself. Otherwise I wouldn't feel like I was a man" he realized with wide eyes, "Or worthy of her."

"Exactly."

"I see. Okay. I understand now" he sighed, "I leave it to you to save her Katsuya and bring her home."

"Thanks" Kaye smiled, "But it's not like I don't want you to do anything though."

"Well what? Tell me what I can do to help?"

"One you can keep your stepfather and the police on the track that they're still on. They came to question me earlier but I didn'tgive them any more information concerning her then what they already had. And if it seems like they're getting close to the truth of it, change their minds."

"Okay. I can do that. Anything else?"

"Yes. But this is more important then the other thing" Kaye said seriously.

"All right" he nodded.

"Look after your family. The people who are left behind. Your mother. Brother and younger sister. Especially look after Sophie."

"Okay, but why?"

"Just trust me. Call it a hunch. But I have a feeling that if you leave them alone, they could end up in the same predicament."

"I don't see how, but I'll do as you request."

"Good."

"When do you go and get her again?"

"A day from now."

"I see. Well, I'd better get back home. Good luck to you Katsuya" he shook his hand, "And please, bring her home."

"I will" Kaye nodded, "I promise."

Stephen smiled and then left the room. Sakura walked with him outside and said goodbye to him at the gate.

"So you're not going either?" he asked surprised by what she told him.

"No. Kaye asked me to stay home with mom. Besides he said he wanted to do it on his own or he wouldn't feel like a real man or something silly like that."

"Yea" Stephen nodded kissing her forehead before leaving and winking, "I understand just how he feels."

"Huh? Boys" she shook her head, "Still, I wonder how she really is doing? My good friend" she frowned as she walked back inside.

(Next Scene)

The next two days flew by rather quickly. Soon the day of the rescue arrived and Seitarou was prepared to pull off the final piece of his motive. Once more he was sitting in his chair as she sat across from him still refusing, as he thought, to fill out the information.

"I don't have to do what you demand anymore" she retorted, "Kaye's coming for me tonight and then I can finally leave here."

"You think so. I hate to disappoint you sweetheart, but your boyfriend isn't going to succeed tonight. You're still gonna have to give me that information and you're still gonna be stuck here with me. Which reminds me, I'll have to get you some more clothes. You've been inthe three pairsI got for you earlier for a week now."

"I don't want your presents! And I am not going to give you your information."

"Oh yes you are" he nodded determinedly.

"I am gonna say this one last time. No! I will not" she stood up and crossed her arms turning her back on him.

He smiled happily to himself as he stood from his chair and walked over to her, stopping right behind her back.

"You sure you won't reconsider?"

"Ooh" she growled frustrated, "No!"

"All right then. You leave me no choice. I'm gonna have to pull out the big guns."

"I don't care."

"Oh you will care when I tell you what I have in mind. You see every person has a weakness" he began as she listened, "All you do is penetrate the weakness and that person will crumble" he moved away, "But the question is" he walked around and stood in front of her so that they were face to face, "What is your weakness?" she turned her face with a frown and closed her eyes, "I know. I think I know the perfect weakness for you. After all she is rather young" he replied cryptically.

She opened her eyes abruptly astonished.

"Small too. I hate for something like that to happen to her. What is she ten? Eleven?"

"Who are you talking about?" her voice quavered terrified.

"Why your little sister of course. Sophie. The cute one with the braids."

She gasped as he smiled menacingly and then she took a step backward.

"You wouldn't? She's only twelve years old."

"Oh, twelve even better. My brother likes them young."

"Your brother?" she took another step back as he walked slowly towards her.

"Mhm. How do you think she would feel under the same tortures as you have been through? Only I think my brother is worse."

"Tortures? What tortures?"

"Oh that's right. You don't know" he chuckled slightly as he stopped, "Well for the past two nights you and I have been quite intimate."

"I don't remember anything like that."

"Of course you don't. You weren't awake."

Her eyes became extremely wide as he continued.

"It was very easy. Almost too easy."

"Did you?" she began not being able to breathe or finish.

"What do you think?"

"You, you monster!" she exclaimed taking two more steps back and clenching her fists.

"Monster? Funny you mentioned that. I wonder how he would feel about all this if he knew? Would he be angry?"

"Huh?"

"He would wouldn't he? If his own mother was taken advantage ofin that way I can only imagine how he'll react if the woman he loves was treated in the same manner. He'll probably be very pissed off" he grinned and chuckled menacingly.

"What? What are you? Wait a minute. Why are you smiling about that? Unless. No" she shook her head, "It can't be that you really want him to."

"Transform? Why that's precisely what I am looking forward to."

"Why?"

"I'm curious. I want to see it. When I heard from Tai Ushida abouthis last encounter with him what can I say? I came obsessed with finding out the truth."

"So you've been taking advantage of me in order for him to transform? Is that your real motive for having me here?" she replied angrily.

"I've been recording it," he pointed to the camera, "Ever since that night I first laid with you. He's gonna explode. He'll transform for sure when he sees it" he turned back to her.

The next instant he wasn't really sure what happened. One minute he was standing there and then he felt her hand go across his face, knocking his glasses slightly askew. Stunned he turned his face to her as she breathed hard, seething in front of him.

"How dare you!" she spat, "How dare you use me in such a way! You're despicable! I can't stand the sight of you anymore!"

Seitarou's smile instantly turned to a grimace as he straightened his glasses and turned back to her his eyes looking more like icicles then they ever did.

"You're going to pay for that" he replied softly, "But it couldn't have come at a better time" he grabbed her arm.

"Let me go!" she pulled back, "Let go!" she shouted as he yanked her over to the pole and took out some hard rope from his pocket.

He threw her into the pole and then began to tie to it as she struggled.

"What are you doing? Release me!" she demanded, "Let me go right now!"

"To quote your favorite word," he said staring at her his eyebrows furrowed, "No. I don't think I will. The monster is coming for you tonight and I don't have much time."

"You're the monster, not him" she replied through gritted teeth.

"Whatever. I still have to put the final touch onto my video."

"What?" she suddenly became silent as he walked over to the camera to push record.

"It's the most important part" he said coming back over and standing behind the small pole reaching around her neck, "With this piece, he'll be absolutely livid" he whispered in her ear as he unbuttoned the top buttons of her blouse.

"No" she gasped, "Stop."

"Just relax" he hissed, "It'll be over soon" he started kissing her neck and reached down the blouse as the video camera recorded each and every detail, even the tears that were now falling slowly down her face.

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Hey guys! Two more to go! I'll see you tomorrow for the last two chapters!

Next Chapter: At Any Cost

Kaye and the others head for the Nakagami manor. But there are several obstacles in the way including a top-notch security system, a confusingmaze, and a gaggle of guards. Not to mention Seitarou's real motive coming into play. See what happens next time!