Stepping out of the hotel Beyond sighed and shielded his eyes from the sun, "Yeah… I don't miss this."
Sakura smiled as she put her sunglasses on, "Where to begin?"
Beyond sighed as he pulled his phone out to answer it, "Food would be nice…" He pulled his phone to his ear, "If you don't solve the case on your own…"
Sakura rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand dragging him through the crowds of people. She laughed at the idea of the great murderer providing a psychological profile to the unknown caller, but tried not to eavesdrop. They drew closer towards one of the districts known for the culinary exploits.
"Aww, M, you know you're my favorite… Just… Don't tell N or C that."
Sakura stopped for a moment trying to decide where to eat, 'N? C? How many of them are there, when Naomi told me about them there was only L…' She had finally decided, when Beyond's laughter startled her from her thoughts, though pleasant, still sent chills through her spine.
She glanced back at him when he squeezed her hand, "I guess I have a thing for blondes." Sakura blushed deeply glancing at her bright blonde hair that rested on her shoulder. He shut his phone and dragged her towards a large crowd, he stared at her, "What? Hurry up, I think if we pay attention to the activists in the area we'll stumble upon something… That's who seems to be made victim."
Sakura's cheeks were a distinct hue that she was trying to brush off, he stopped abruptly causing her to walk into the back of him, "Oh! Sorry!"
He just stared at her, serving only to deepen her blush, "What's your problem?"
The activist on the stage then shouted, "These acts against humanity cannot go ignored!" Beyond snapped his attention to the speaker, "We cannot allow these kind of discriminations to go unnoticed by the masses!"
"Birthday… I thought they executed you…" A deep voice purred to the right of them.
Beyond's shift was hardly noticeable, but he pulled Sakura behind him, and stared daggers at a young man with platinum blonde hair and striking green eyes, "Well, if it isn't the lord of the underworld, come off your throne to visit the commoners?"
The young man gave a sharp laugh, "Guess they couldn't hold you after killing you… How'd you manage to come back? Impressive, perhaps you truly are the devil."
Beyond bit his lower lip, "What do you want, Jacob?"
"No. What do you want? The failed execution wasn't enough? Come back to rub it in our faces?" His tone was short.
Beyond gave a bone chilling smile, "No, I've always considered L.A to be my second home."
Sakura tried to become as small as she could, she then noticed Beyond's hand was trembling slightly, 'Who is this guy? Is he this worked up… Or… Could it be possible? Beyond is afraid of this guy?'
Jacob leaned over to see Sakura, "She's pretty, since when do you hang out with pretty girls listening to this hippy garbage? Is that the effects of death?"
Sakura couldn't handle this anymore, she'll deal with any backlash from Beyond later, "For the record, you sir, are rude as hell!"
Jacob smiled, she glanced over to Beyond who was looking at her from the corner of his eye with a tiny smirk, "Oh, she's fiery, I like her, she's too good for you… I'll take her off your hand –" Before he could finish Beyond had laid a strong right hook on his cheek.
"Shut up! Daddy can't buy you everything. As for this? Maybe I'm interested in… You!" He pointed to the activist, "What the hell are you even talking about?"
The activist stammered for words, "Uh, the ethical treatment of the homeless…"
"Yeah, sure, that, maybe I'm actually interested in that… Wait… Seriously?" Beyond shook his head softly rubbing his temple with his fingertips, "Maybe if your dad did half the listening, that he did of spending, this city wouldn't be in outcry for her people."
Jacob glared at Beyond through his fingers, "Oh, you'll regret that."
Sakura widened her eyes, 'It fits now! That's Jacob Marshal… The Mayor's son… Oh god… He just decked the Mayor's son!' "Beyond, we should go… Now." Sakura yanked him away from the crowd and into a nearing restaurant before Jacob could recover and give them more grief. "What the hell were you thinking?!" Beyond glanced away from her. "B! What. Were. You. Thinking?! Do you know how hard this just got?"
Beyond snarled and landed a menacing stare at her, "Do you know what his reputation is aside from the good son?" He grabbed her wrist tightly, "I'm a saint next to him." His words were deep and laced with cruelty.
She stared at her wrist in shock, 'He's really strong.' "B… You're hurting me…" She started to wince.
He released her wrist, "Sorry… Why would he be there…" Beyond sat brooding for a long time ignoring the world around him, "I have to get back to my computer, as fast as possible. But, I am hungry… And, I won't rush you. I have much I need to research."
Sakura held her wrist, "I'll just get the food to go… Are you listening to me?" Beyond stared at the table intensely. "B… You're going to burn a hole into the table…"
He looked up and looked outside, Sakura continued to talk, before she could comprehend, she was being yanked to the floor and a hailstorm of bullets shattered the glass of the window next to where they were. "Shut up and follow me!" He yanked her by the arm out of the dining room and through the kitchen.
"B! There are people hurt! I have to help them!" She shouted while dodging kitchen equipment and the occasional cook.
"You'll help them by getting away from here!" He yanked her out of the back door of the restaurant setting the alarm off. He took off down the alleyway behind the restaurant with Sakura in tow. "I think it's safe to know whose our murderer."
Sakura struggled to keep up with him, "We can't know that for sure! He could just hate you!" She gasped when she was yanked down a sharp corner marginally dodging more incoming fire. He ducked into an empty run down building and pressed his hand against her mouth pinning her against the wall. Sakura watched his crimson eyes, 'R sent him for a reason… That's what his email told me… It wasn't for the tragically humorous irony of the situation, his email stated that Beyond was well connected before he was incarcerated, that he knew the area better than most born and raised locals… I thought that those would be good things…'
Beyond sighed and slid himself down the wall holding his upper arm, "Ah, fuck…"
Sakura glanced at him and realized his shoulder was scratched, "You okay?"
He sighed and nodded, "It's just a scratch… Hopefully, you're right. However, if you are, you'll be doing most of the foot work on your own… but if that activist dies tonight or the near future, I was right. Either way, as of now we have no evidence." He looked up and groaned.
"What's the matter?" Sakura glanced around and felt uncomfortable once she realized where they were, it was his first victims old apartment building.
"I need to get to my computer…" He hugged his knees and rested his forehead on them.
"Let's go." Sakura started to check to see if the coast was clear.
"No. We wait until dark."
She blinked a couple of times, "Why?"
Beyond didn't move, "I blend into the darkness much better…" He stood slowly and pulled a pocket knife from his back pocket, grabbed her hair and made a single lightning paced slice.
Sakura stood completely still in a state of shock, "What…"
Beyond tossed the large handful of hair to the ground, "It's a liability… That… And they're looking for a woman with long blonde hair…"
Sakura grasped for her hair that was no longer. Her hair length no longer than a bob cut. "I hate you."
Beyond nodded silently and returned to his crouching position, "I'm sorry… It'll grow back, but for now, it's for your own good."
She groaned and dropped to the floor next to him, "Sorry… You're right, it's just hair…"
They sat in silence for a while as the sun started to set. "I think it's best if you stay with me until this case is finished…"
Sakura nodded silently before glancing at Beyond's ring, "That's a beautiful gem."
Beyond looked up, "Alexandrite, the stone of change." Beyond stared at the wedding band that had three of the gems set in it. He smiled shallowly, "He'd kill me if he knew about this…"
As the sun made its final descent over the horizon they slipped out of the back of the building quietly sneaking back to Beyond's hotel.
Sakura walked quietly behind him, "He?"
Beyond nodded silently with his hands in his pockets, "When you asked if I was married, I am. He's also a detective."
Sakura smiled happily, 'Guess this means he trusts me a little more.' She followed him in silence, 'I shouldn't push the matter, he'll tell me when he wants to…' She glanced up, "Um, Beyond?"
He waved her off, "Yeah, I know, that way would have been faster, but it's also more populated."
She glanced at her watch, 'Great. It'll be a couple hours if we avoid every populated area of L.A.'
Beyond unlocked his room and Sakura tiredly walked in, Beyond set his key down on the nightstand and sat at his computer, "Go ahead and sleep. I won't do anything creepy, I promise."
Sakura flopped on the bed and groaned, dragging herself up to the pillow, "B? What's he like?"
He turned to give her an irritated stare but sighed instead while pulling the covers over her, he sat himself on the edge of the bed and sighed, "Well… He's the strong silent type." He laughed a little when Sakura rolled her eyes, "He's a detective for the same agency." She nodded, fighting to keep her eyes open, 'So he must be N or C.' He smirked, "He's patient, but not always kind, you have to mess up pretty bad to piss him off though. But, when he does finally get mad, he has this vein the pops out of his neck, I've often wondered if he'd pass out if I held it down." Sakura smiled and finally closed her eyes.
Sakura opened her eyes to see Beyond staring at his computer and talking, 'Who..?' She got up and leaned over to peek over his shoulder.
He pushed her head back with a good shove, "Mind your own business, Sakura."
She smiled softly, 'That couldn't be him… I don't think… He said he had a thing for blondes, leading me to believe his husband is a blonde.' She started making coffee before he startled her into dropping the coffee packet, "Screw you guys! Too many meds, remember?" She looked over to see Beyond had crossed his legs and arms. She blinked a couple of times, 'Meds? He's medicated? Eesh, how safe am I really?' She bent over and picked up the packet, 'Angel of Death? Pits of hell and despair? So… If they think… So, C must be his husband… Asshole won't use my deductive abilities in the case, so I'll just solve the great mystery of my detective then!' Sakura clamped her hands into fists and smiled determinedly.
"You're the youngest and haven't committed a crime." Sakura looked up, 'I get it. They aren't just his coworkers, they're his family…'
"I don't think we were supposed to read this at all… Please don't kill me, W…"
Sakura looked down, 'So… We're dealing with more than just my case, more than just an ordinary spree killer… We're dealing with… Syndicate, great an organization that never actually officially existed. It explains why they've gotten away with so much.' She glanced up to see Beyond rubbing his temples, a bandage over his scratch, "You didn't tell them?"
Beyond sighed, "It would only make them worry, the more they worry the less they observe and solve. If I died, it would just be that, the other agents wouldn't be privileged to that information until after the cases they're currently on… The only one who'd ever know is W… Or the new Watari. J would probably figure it out… Hell… They all probably would."
She sighed, "What about me? The case? What would happen, if you died?"
Beyond glanced back at her, "You would get a new detective, why do you think I'm so pushy when it comes to getting to my computer? I've updated them with every detail, the only one who knows I was injured is W…"
"Wait, you called her S yesterday."
"Perceptive. We're in the process of training and recruiting others in between cases, she has resigned the letter S and taken W in Watari's stead."
Sakura nodded, "Well. Don't die. I'll make sure to keep you alive so you can go home to C." She smirked slyly.
He stared at her before cracking a smile, "You're smarter than you look."
She puffed her cheeks in irritation, "I only look dumb because of my hair! That you so rudely cut!"
Beyond gave a long deep yawn, "I told you I was sorry… Make sure you're paying attention to your phone, W said she'd relay any information to either my terminal or directly to your cell phone." Beyond yawned again and lifted himself from the computer and dropped himself on the bed. "I suspect you're more capable than Naomi was, make sure to keep an eye out… No, I don't care if you go through files, all the ones you don't have the authorization to read are password protected, so don't get any weird ideas."
Sakura smiled as he pulled himself into a ball and snuggled under the covers.
