11. Plan.

T: Still nothing witty to say about the chapter or the story in general so strait onto the boring bit…warnings remain the same and I still own only Orito and the plot line.

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His father is clearly displeased by whatever the kidnapper has been saying while he has been fetching the two other occupants of the house for there is a frown clear on his forehead.

The expression fades into a fixed smile as Hokuto-san enters the room and after informing the kidnapper of the situation he switches the phone output onto the speaker.

"I am pleased to see that you have taken my threat seriously and that you have not attempted anything foolish.

"I would ask, before we get to the 'meat' of the situation, that you do not let that intelligence go…it would be such a shame to spoilt such a good beginning, after all.

"I wish to make you an offer, one that I am certain you will not refuse…I will return the child to you unscathed if the Sakurazukamori will submit willingly to my command.

"I will give the details for the exchange of 'prisoners' in a moment, but first I believe you require some assurance that your child is unharmed." There is a brief moment of silence and then Kamui's voice enquires,

"Mama?"

"I'm here sweet!"

"It's very cold here mama and it smells nasty…"

"We'll get you out soon pet, I promise."

There is another brief moment of silence and then they are hearing again the kidnapper's brusque tone.

"I believe that is enough to satisfy you. At midnight tonight there will be an unmarked white van waiting outside the Shinjuku high rises to pick the Sakurazukamori up.

"Once we have him in our care we shall return the child to you."

"What guarantee do we have?"

"You shall have to trust me, Kizuki-san and yet if you feel that you can not do that…"

"I did not mean to sound suspicious, please forgive me."

"I am glad that you retain still your intelligence, Kizuki-san, for it means that there shall be no need to make this matter overly complicated. It means also that I should not have to explain to you what will happen should you decide to turn this offer down…" The line dies and, a moment later, Hokuto-san looses her composure.

"How can he be so calm? How can he listen to the terror in Kamui's voice and talk about him as though he is merely and object to be traded?"

"Years of carefully practice." There is an odd note in his father's voice that he does not quite comprehend but that Hokuto-san responds to by pulling the elder Sakurazuka into a tight hug.

"You are not like him, Sei-chan…" his father opens his mouth to object and Hokuto-san cuts him off by saying, "You have always done things in as direct a manner as possible…have always faced the risks of your profession head on…that man is little more than a coward who has taken Kamui because it was the easiest path to his goal."

"As to that goal…"

"I will not give him what he wants."

"But if you deny him your son's life will be forfeited."

"We shall find another way, Sei-chan."

"I will go."

All eyes turn to him and there is a long, uncomfortable, moment of silence before Hokuto-san remarks,

"He asked for the Sakurazukamori Orito-kun."

"I can wrap myself into an illusion that shall make me look like father both physically and magically…"

"Yet to make such an illusion convincing you would need more power than is currently within your grasp."

"Tree-san shall lend me a little of its strength."

"But of what use would such a deception be?" Hokuto-san enquires.

"They are overly confident in their power, something that we can manipulate now to our advantage, for I am assured that, because of that confidence, they will come in force to greet their captive.

"Thus all I need do is keep them 'occupied' long enough for father to find Kamui, break the spell that holds him and bring him home."

"Yet we do not know precisely where the child is being hidden."

"Something I can amend fairly swiftly." The last is Sumeragi-san and the elder Sakurazuka has but to look at him for the other to remark, "There are enough clues in Orito's 'vision' that I can deduce that Kamui is being kept somewhere in the North of Tokyo and with a quick 'sweep' of that section I should be able to narrow that down to within a one mile radius of Kamui's location."

"How did your reach that conclusion then?"

"Orito heard the very specific rhythm of a subway train which means the kidnappers could only be located near where the lines run above ground.

"A subterranean room along with the music he heard would suggest a night club or a bar and the wine would suggest a more sophisticated pallet.

"There is a collection of 'up market' bars to the North of the city that would match all these Criteria and that would not turn down the opportunity to make a little money on the side."

"I can not allow you to risk yourself, Orito-kun…"

"There is not a great risk attached to this idea, Hokuto-san and even if there were I would undertake it gladly if it means Kamui's safety could be assured."

Hokuto-san smiles and, leasing his father at last, she crosses over to him and, standing on tip toes, she places a kiss to his forehead.

"If you feel like that then I shall not argue with you any further, I have, after all, learned such a thing is pointless when your opponent is a stubborn Sakurazuka."

…………………………………………………………………………….

Orito and Hokuto had secreted themselves away in Hokuto's workroom with the intent of making the illusion 'more convincing; and Subaru had shut himself into the guest bedroom in order to cleanse his mind before he conducted his 'sweep'.

He had spend this unexpected alone time examining the objects dotted about Hokuto's living room and plotting his rescue mission in as precise a manner as possible with such limited intelligence.

Subaru is the first to return to the living room, the toll of the spell he had preformed showing clear in his face.

"You shall not have taxed yourself."

"I will recover swiftly enough and it has been worth it."

"Then you have him?"

"I have it down to the square mile that I had predicted and I could have gotten it even closer but…"

"You fear detection?"

"Precisely."

"Where am I looking?"

"I'll show you on a map just before you leave." He remarks before he settles himself down onto the sofa.

Seishiro has just claimed the empty space at Subaru's side when the door to Hokuto's study clicks open and its occupants immerge.

Hokuto has decked Orito out in a suit that is, cut for cut and fabric for fabric, a perfect replica of the one he is currently wearing and his son has adjusted the pace of his gate in order to better match his own. The illusion is completed by a complex spell that has made his child's features as a mirror to his own.

"How do I look?" his son enquires, his voice also dipped to mimic his own.

"I feel as though there should be a sheet of reflective glass between us."

"Have you managed to narrow the search area down, Sumeragi-san?"

"I have indeed."

"Then let's get this over with, shall we?"

He can not quite shake the dread that balls into his stomach as Orito steps from the apartment and, not even the Tree's insistence of:: He'll be fine, Seishiro-sama…: can not quite shake this apprehension.

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T: forgive the cliff hanger! Next update Tuesday until then R+R