As the van came to a stop, the side door opened and Liz all but launched herself across the hospital parking lot.
"Hold up!" Noriko called. "You don't even know what room they're in!"
Liz stopped, but tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for the woman to exit the vehicle.
"I suggest you all get something from the cafeteria," Noriko called to the four still in the car as she hurried to catch up to Liz.
Nagisa and Karma exchange concerned glances as Fia stepped out of the car and stretched her arms over her head. She turned back to her companions with a hesitant smile. "Should we stretch our legs and get something to eat then?"
Karma deftly jumped out. "Anything to get out of this van," he grimaced.
Following their lead, Nagisa turned to leave when he spotted Haven sitting still in the back. "Haven, are you coming?"
Obsidian eyes avoided azure ones. "No, I'm not hungry."
Fia frowned and stepped forward to object. "But, Haven-"
Haven opened her laptop and began typing diligently, leaving no room to negotiate. Fia sighed and shook her head, but Karma placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Just let it go. We can update her later."
Fia stole a glance at Karma and managed a nod with a small smile. "I'll just bring her back something then. Think she'd like pudding?"
Jelavic watched the pair amble through the parking lot below, and tapped a finger lightly over the van in the windowpane. "Do you think it was her?"
"I don't know. She certainly has the connections." Karasuma replied, leaning against a nearby counter, his hands in his pockets.
"I don't doubt she's connected, but even we didn't know they would be using that safe house." Classified rebutted.
"Let's check in with Shiota just in case."
"While you do that, I'll go tell the others about the situation. Should I clue them in on your suspect?" Classified asked as he turned to leave.
"No."
Liz whirled around the door frame and into the room Noriko told her. Inside, Koopa Kid sat in a wheelchair, his leg in a cast and Rosalina was laying in the bed, hooked up to various machines. Crimson eyes scrunched up as she tried not to cry.
"R-R-Rosalina!" Liz cried and ran to the bed, throwing herself onto the woman.
"Mind the ribs," Rosalina gently hissed as she embraced the teenager sobbing into her shoulder.
"Hey there, Princess," Koopa called from his chair. Liz ran around the bed and flung herself at him as well. "Oof, the nurses will yell at me if I ruin the stitches. I've already pulled them twice." He patted the girl on the back.
After hugging him for a few moments, she backed away. "Where… where's Mario?" Liz looked around. Rosalina and Koopa Kid exchanged a glance.
"Well…" Koopa Kid began, "He got pretty beat up. And he isn't really combat oriented…"
"He's in the ICU," Noriko said from the doorway. "That's what the nurse said anyways."
"You're kidding…" Liz went slack. Noriko rushed forward to catch the girl from falling to the ground.
"Hey now, don't collapse on me! He's stable enough for visitors at the moment," Noriko explained to the girl in her arms.
"But, but how did this happen?"
"An ambush," Classified called from the doorway. He was sporting a light bruise on his right cheek and his wrist was in a brace. "Someone put traps in the safe house and then attacked when they were set off."
Noriko's gaze snapped to her mentor, "So we have a traitor."
"Looks like it," Classified began slowly before focusing on the girl still clinging to Noriko. "What are you going to do Liz? Sit the rest of the mission out with the rest of your team? Or join ours and see it out to the bitter end?"
Fia and Karma sat in the back of the hospital's main lobby as they waited for Noriko - or any one of their senior agents, really - to call on them. Staring blankly at the blue linoleum floors, Fia leaned on Karma's shoulder while chewing slowly on a flaky strawberry danish. As the shoulder she laid on deflated with a sigh, Fia lifted her head and lowered her pastry. "Karma…?"
The taller redhead placed his empty coffee cup on the floor and leaned forward, his elbows propped up on his knees. "Fia, I think we should talk about what happened." He paused and brought his gaze to hers. "Before the charity event."
"Is this about what happened at the pastry shop?" Fia asked quietly.
"Well, yes, but it's also about what went down between you and Liz." Karma ran his hand through his hair with an exasperated sigh. "What was that back there, Fia?"
"I-" The Italian's face contorted as she struggled to find the words. "I was fed up."
"Fia, we all know Liz was trying to get under your skin."
"No, no, not like that. I just-" Fia ran her hands frustratedly over her face. "I just feel like I finally, finally, have some freedom to be myself, especially away from my family, and it was like Liz was trying to shove me back into the same box. It just hit a little too close to home," she grimaced.
They sat quietly for a few moments, taking in the din of the hospital lobby, before Karma turned to Fia again. He took in her face, how her gaze met his and how she chewed on her bottom lip nervously. "Now about that kiss at the bakery?"
"Yes…?"
"Fia, you," Karma started with a sigh. "You shouldn't have asked me to kiss you. I asked you if we could stay friends, and that put me in a really awkward position." He ran his hand through his hair. "I mean, I could have said no but-"
Fia held up a hand. "But I shouldn't have put you in that situation to begin with… I understand, and I really am sorry."
Karma gave his companion a lopsided smirk. "Hey, don't look that disappointed. I thought you did a pretty convincing job and I don't need that baker to hunt me down for his cake back."
Smacking his arm, Fia giggled. "Okay, but you got into it too!" She grinned. "I can almost hear him, actually. That will be 15 dollars… and a kiss!" she announced dramatically. "WONDERFUL~!"
"You're a great actress, but your impressions are terrible!"
The two laughed and fell into a comfortable silence together. Karma smiled at Fia and bumped his shoulder against hers.
"Well, what do we have here? Glad I ran into you!" Classified grinned at the pair as they quickly jumped to their feet. He glanced around for onlookers before putting an arm around each of them and leading them into a quieter hall. "Koopa and Rosalina are going to be just fine and Mario- well, he's stable for now."
"That's a relief." Fia's shoulders visibly relaxed; However, Karma's expression darkened besides her.
"I don't know how these guys knew where the safe house would be."
"Well," Classified paused as he scanned the area again before dropping his voice. "We think there has to be someone on the inside feeding the enemy information." He paused to take in their scrupulous expressions and pressed on. "It's really the only logical conclusion." Classified shrugged before narrowing his gaze. "Do either of you have any idea who it could have been?"
Karma gave him a knowing look. "Have you spoken with Mr. Karasuma?"
"Indeed, I have. He doesn't have any leads for me."
Fia pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Has anyone been in contact with Red Baron's team? Maybe they've found something."
"We'll look into that. In the meantime, we need to finish up some work here. Why don't you kiddos head to the hotel. We'll all debrief there," Classified let the two go and walked into the elevator in front of them.
"Also, do try to make up your minds on your relationship. I don't mean to rush you, but personally, I think Noriko can't stand the indecision more than she can't stand coworker romances. You should have read her latest report." He grinned as he turned back around to face them.
Karma's cheeks darkened and he glowered as Classified waved cheerfully, chuckling as the elevator doors slid to a close.
"That guy really ticks me off," he growled before throwing Fia a mischievous smirk under glinting eyes. "After our job is done, he shouldn't be surprised if he wakes up to a mustard trap or two." He grinned as she shook her head with a smile. Finally, he conceded, "He has a point though."
Curious peridot eyes peered at him under auburn lashes. The taller redhead leaned against the wall with a soft thump.
"So, friends?" Fia offered.
"Friends," Karma nodded, then threw his hands up in mock defeat. "But you have to stop flirting with me all the time, Timo."
"Me?!" She shot him an incredulous look. "You're the one who's been flirting with me!"
"Is that so?"
Fia playfully shoved him. "Yes, cazzo. You started it! Back in Chicago!" She took in his bemused look, but something wasn't quite right. "What is it?"
"We keep doing this," he said flatly, gesturing between them, to which Fia nodded slowly.
"Well," she began, leaning against the wall next to him, "Just because we agreed to be friends doesn't mean our feelings suddenly disappeared overnight. I still like you, that hasn't changed. And I'm still willing to give us a chance if you are," she added softly.
Karma gazed down at her. "I don't know if I'll even stay here, Fia. The job I really want to do is ahead of me in Japan, no spare time to be wasted here after this mission is finished." He ran a hand frustratedly down his face, coming to rest thoughtfully at his chin.
"I know the future is really uncertain right now, and I know that you have things you need to figure out first."
"And there's still what I did to hurt you," he said derisively.
"Karma."
"Am I wrong?"
"I've already forgiven you for that," Fia insisted. "Unless… You haven't?" He avoided her gaze. "Look, Karma, it's not up to you to decide who I think is worthy of my time," Fia clapped back. "You're confident, ambitious, intelligent, and, yeah, sometimes your pranks go a little too far, but you're fun!" she beamed.
"Fia…"
"And maybe you're a bit full of it, but when you care about your friends, you can be so sweet~" she continued, volume increasing. "And then there's the way your hair gets fluffy when you sleep," she gushed, "and you're obviously cute to boot too. I mean, those girls you brought back to the apartment must have thought so-"
Karma began to glow red under the sudden attention Fia was bringing the pair. Just in time for the tips of his ears to turn tomato red, Karma pushed Fia into an open elevator. "Geez, I get it already! Just… Let me work some things out first, okay?"
"Okay." Smiling fondly, Fia pressed the elevator button to Rosalina's floor and waved as they swept to a close.
Nagisa watched the retreating figures of Karma and Fia and closed the van door before turning to Haven. Attempting a casual smile, he called "Haven?"
The pale girl didn't respond, continuing to type away on her computer as if she were the only one in the car.
"Haven-" Nagisa extended his hand towards Haven's, and she slapped it away, not bothering to break eye contact with the glowing screen in front of her. Stunned, Nagisa let his hand hang there for a moment, then let it fall away. He sighed heavily and stepped out of the van, into the hot afternoon sun. "Well, if you want to talk, I'll be inside." And with that, he closed the door.
Walking through the lobby doors, Nagisa looked around for any sign of Karma and Fia. Spotting a sign and making his way towards the cafeteria, Nagisa fiddled anxiously with one of the hair ties on his wrist when he was suddenly grabbed by the wrist and yanked around the corner. He stumbled into Jelavic, who released him and stood next to a tired Karasuma. Both were scuffed, but neither looked too worse for wear.
"So, have you seduced her yet?" Jelavic asked the bluenette bluntly. She scowled. "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter now that you've actually fallen for her. Have you learned anything from Haven at least?"
He sweatdropped as a sheepish look crossed his face. "No."
"Are we sure it's actually her?" Karasuma asked. "It's been a few months and nothing new has come up."
"She's not that easy to talk to… There's this huge distance between us," Nagisa explained.
"Oh, come on! Just use some of the tricks I taught you!" Jelavic flicked the bluenette squarely on the forehead.
"She's not interested in that, Ms. Jelavic!" Nagisa insisted. "I've tried the tamer techniques, but they just confuse her, and she has no idea what to do."
"Well… damn." Jelavic crossed her arms.
Karasuma furrowed his brow in thought. "What else have you learned from her?"
"That's the thing," Nagisa grabbed at his hair in frustration. "It's almost like she's putting more distance between us now."
"Has she been acting any differently?" Jelavic exchanged wary looks with Karasuma.
"Not really. She's still extremely secretive about her laptop, and she still puts her all into everything she actually tries to do. Well, I guess she gets a really particular expression when she's completely focused on something. It's really cute, but I haven't seen it for a while."
"Are you sure you haven't gotten in too deep?" Jelavic asked, realizing things between them were getting more complicated than they had planned for.
Nagisa walked by the waiting room and noticed a certain redhead.
"Where's Fia?" Nagisa asked as he took the seat beside Karma.
"Still checking on Rosalina and Koopa," Karma leaned back in the chair, hands behind his head.
"Have you heard?"
"You don't think it's her, do you?" Karma gave Nagisa a guarded look.
"I doubt it. I hope the higher ups aren't suspicious of us though. We've done everything they've asked of us."
"And fell for our targets."
The two boys fell silent for a moment.
Karma ran his hand through his hair. "To think doing you a favor two years ago would lead to this."
"I really didn't mean to side track you..." Nagisa replied sheepishly. "I know you were planning on graduating a year early. You'd be starting your career right now..."
"It's not that big of an issue," the redhead shrugged. "Who knows, the other bureaucrats might not have taken me seriously if I was too young."
"I know it took a toll on you during the school year," Nagisa began. Karma gave him an irritated look. "I may be one-track minded, but I'll still notice when my friend takes his frustration out in old ways."
"In my defense, I'm trying to protect Fia. I'm… I'm not good enough for her."
"Is it really up to you to decide if you're good enough? You can try to protect her as you say, but you're both getting hurt like this, don't you agree?"
Karma mulled over this, just as Fia popped into view. She waved at them both with a friendly smile. "Koopa and Rosalina seem to be doing better. Noriko said we should be prepared to leave soon."
"Now?" Nagisa stood, taking a moment to stretch.
"We just need to wait for Liz; She's visiting Mario in the ICU."
Liz walked down to the ICU alone. Behind the frosted glass door that had three letters printed on it, the hospital was less clinical. Linoleum flooring became fake wood, the grey walls were now a pale orange, the chairs had a bit more cushioning, there were even a few potted plants in the corners. It was quieter here. Liz went to the nurse's station and requested the room number. She hated the look of sympathy the nurse gave her along with the answer she sought.
Liz entered the darkened room slowly. She heard the soft beeps of medical equipment and the gentle wheezing of breathing.
"They say you're in a medically induced coma," Liz whispered as she walked to the figure lying in bed. She looked at Mario for a few moments. He looked smaller than usual, even his hair lacked its usual volume, laying close to his head. She went to run a hand through it before pulling back. Disregarding the splotches of blue and purple, he was paler too.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were dead." Her bottom lip quivered as she tried not to cry. "A broken leg, a collapsed lung, and an extremely serious concussion… What happened? What couldn't I protect you from?"
"I can't have you die on me too," she shook as she clenched the side of the medical bed, her knuckles turning white. She stood there in silent tears for who knows how long.
After checking in at a nearby hotel, the team, all nine of them, piled into one of their rooms.
"So, what are we going to do about the mole?"
"Not much we can do at the moment," Classified shrugged. "We don't have enough information. I'll talk with Red Barron about it, but I don't expect much. Instead, we'll be finishing up what Koopa's team was doing here."
"Koopa Kid and his team were looking into a casino Corp X uses for money laundering." Noriko explained to the rest of the group. "We'll be looking for evidence of said laundering or at least of a connection between this casino and Corp X."
"So, why is Corp X doing this, again?" Jelavic asked.
"If there's a market for it, why not provide it? If there's an illegal market, all the better for profits," Liz shrugged. "That's how they think."
"And how do you know that?" Nagisa asked.
"Because my parents were part of the higher management, not legally, but they helped run it from behind the scenes."
"Wow, you're an heiress of stolen money," Noriko commented.
"It's not like I was raised knowing that my life was being paid for in blood money! I only found that out when I met Rosalina, who was my father's mistress at the time. But that's not the issue here… They've hurt my family, my current family, and I can't let them get away with that," Liz bit her lip and balled up her hands. "But can I… can I keep fighting by your side?" Liz looked away, brow furrowed.
After looking at his team members, Nagisa replied, "Yeah, of course."
"I mean, I can understand why you wouldn't… wait, what?"
"Yes," he repeated.
"You-you'll let me stay? I've been a pest, a down right brat at times, are you..." Liz looked at the group in shock.
"Don't go trying to convince us to abandon you," Karma remarked with a grin.
Liz rubbed her eyes with the sleeves of her black hoodie.
"Hey now, no need to cry," Noriko looked at the girl with mild alarm.
"I'm not crying." Liz sniffled.
Fia smiled tentatively and slipped Liz a tissue. "We're glad to have you, really."
Haven sat in the corner, typing on her computer. She paused to look at the group, her expression unreadable.
Left Brain: KIIIILLLLLL MEEEEEEE… KEEPING THIS STORY ON ANY TYPE OF RAILS IS PAINFUL! THIS STARTED AS A CRACK FIC!
Noriko: Left Brain, what's up? You're not usually this emotive.
Left Brain: Sorry sorry, I'm being salty about trying to drive the plot forward as well as try to put us on a release schedule while living 1000 miles (1,609.34 km) apart in different time zones. Speaking of, I think we'll be releasing on Mondays. Not every Monday (we don't have enough time for that), but if we update a certain week, it'll probably be on Monday.
Right Brain: And we're sorry if it's short! We have a huge amount of the plot planned out that we're trying to set up for! I hope you'll be as excited about it as we are- That being said, thanks for sticking with us so far (,,U w U,,)
Narrator: Next time, place bets on who teams up in the casino.
