Chapter 2: Julio-Claudian
Doujima glanced cautiously at her partner, her small fingers tightening around her Beretta M9 9mm standard military issue pistol. A small squeak caused her to turn around, gun drawn and loaded. Yellow eyes stared up at her as the rat decided to mock her. Sakaki sighed and shook his head, pushing his co-worker's hand down.
"It's just a rat, Doujima." The said girl glared sourly at her partner and then at the rat's scurrying form.
"It's just a rat, Doujima." She repeated, raising her voice an octave to mock Sakaki. He rolled his eyes, glancing back at the door. Flipping out the communicator, he hushed his--anxious partner.
"Amon, what's going on?" The two heard a muttered curse, a concerned mummer, and a soft whimper. Sakaki and Doujima exchanged glances. Two of the voices were recognizable and the other…
"Amon?" Again, there was a rough grumble before the answer. "What?"
Doujima tore the communicator from Sakaki's hands.
"What do you mean "what", Amon? We heard three voices. What's going on?" The blonde demanded quietly, her eyes scanning for any danger. Sakaki wisely kept his weapon raised, glancing back once when there was no answer but a soft electrical scramble. Doujima yipped slightly, dropping the phone.
"Dammit!" Sakaki glared back at her, motioning for her to be silent.
"Shut up. I hear something."
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Karasuma look dubiously around the dank hallway. Her low pump heels made soft scratching sounds against the broken and rough cement as she walked, her gun drawn and at her side. A soft wind sifted through her short chocolate brown hair, sending shivers down her spine. Slowly, she turned to watch the breeze lift the dust that covered everything in a heavy film, watching it travel down the dim lit hall. She froze, letting the silence of the wind fill her ears. When hearing nothing other than her own shallow breathing, she turned back. But when she had turned back she gasped. Written all over the walls were wheels, spells, curses, and promises all written in Latin.
Karasuma stumbled back, catching herself from falling to the dirty floor. She almost screamed when she discovered the marks of chalk written all over the floor as well. Her breaths came out spasmodic, her whole body becoming numb as adrenaline pumped through her bloodstream, allowing her mind go back to its primitive stage of flight or fight. She took slow and carefully measured breathes to calm herself, her hand resting gently on top of her now fast beating heart. When finally in control of herself and the adrenaline no longer hindering her ability to do her job, she did what she was supposed to do.
Trembling, she let her hand inch towards the floor. Dread filled her as she let her fingers glide over the marks cautiously, steadying herself for images of death, blood, and other horrid things but nothing came; no vision, no startling revelation. When nothing came, she new the situation relied on her knowledge instead of her ever weakening craft. She froze, letting the archaic words slowly register with her brain as she fished out her communicator, cursing herself for not attaching the ear piece earlier.
As she furiously pushed the buttons on the communicator, an unseen intruder invaded the hallway. The scent of jasmines filled the hall, unnoticeable at first before becoming overpowering. Karasuma felt her head become fuzzy, her vision failing, and her mind screaming "Oh God" all before she succumbed to the attacker.
With a sigh, she collapsed on top of herself, the communicator flinging from her hands. The sound of it skidding across the uneven cement echoed throughout the empty corridor before it was abruptly stopped. One shadow disentangled itself from the wall and lifted the electronic device into its hands, a small predatory smile forming across its wraithlike face, its eyes filling with dark glee. Come and play, little bird. There's no one to warn you about the cage you are in. Come my pretty bird, come.
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Robin glanced between the child in her arms and her stoic companion, who seemed to have made it his life's mission in the last five minutes to not acknowledge the boy Lucan. The six-year old's tears had dried up, but the salt remained as he dutifully sucked his thumb, keeping quiet like he had been told. Every so often, he would feel Robin's petite hand gently rub his back in soothing circles, but she remained completely silent as well.
The sudden shrill ringing of her communicator disrupted the silence, causing Amon to whip around gun drawn. Robin gasped and quickly shielded the boy from the gun. Amon froze, Robin's slender back becoming the only thing in his target range. His hand twitched against the grip of the gun before his hand loosened its grasp on the firearm. The witch looked over her shoulder cautiously, her emerald green eyes holding a flash of something. Amon could not pinpoint the emotion; it was so raw and primitive that it didn't suit her. It was something akin to rage and hatred but interlaced was fear and compassion. So odd.
Amon quickly stowed away his pistol, his hands remaining at his sides. When deeming the situation "safe" Robin turned and slowly deposited the boy into the hunter's arms. She made every motion as slow and deliberate as possible due to the fact that he was probably on the highest alert possible. If only she knew he was doing the same.
Amon looked flabbergasted for a moment as the child was placed into his arms before it faded behind his mask. The child glanced warily up at the hunter, fear blatantly apparent in his eyes.
"Hai?" Robin answered her voice soft and curt. There was a muffled silence from the other end before she could hear soft breathing.
"Hello? Karasuma?" She tried again, glancing at Amon who looked on curiously. The breathing became more erratic, more disturbing making the hairs on the back of Robin's neck stand at attention.
"Hello?" Robin practically screamed into the communicator before it was torn from her hands. It appeared in Amon's left hand, his right arm holding the boy to him.
"Karasuma," Came the command for an answer. Silence permeated the air. Green eyes met grey as they stared in bewilderment.
"Hello."
A sharp cry of horror emitted from Lucan as he buried his face into Amon's shoulder and tried to block out the sounds from the communicator. Practically dragging the boy from Amon, Robin cradled him to her and ran her hand through his hair as she whispered soothingly. Anger, an emotion he had never allowed interfere with hunts, filled the hunter like adrenaline when he heard the boys cries.
"Who is this?" He gritted out through his clenched teeth, his hand tightening against the phone.
"Where did the little bird go now, ne?" Robin gasped as the snakelike voice hissed for her. As if the man was in the very area, Amon pushed the two against the wall, pressing his back to them as a shield while his eyes quickly scanned the hall.
"What the hell do you want?" He demanded, his gun suddenly appearing in his hand. Robin clasped his shoulder tightly, fear causing a fine trembling to go through her whole body. Lucan's sobs returned, his own fright causing him to try and bury further into Robin's dress.
"The boy…and of course, my pretty, little, fire bird…" A sudden electrical surge brightened the overhead lights to the point shatter. Robin was pushed to the ground, her partner covering her from the falling glass. His hands, suddenly absent of the gun, shielded her face. She could feel his breath tingling across her neck as he leaned his head against her shoulder. Lucan screamed slightly, tightening his arms around the Eve.
Darkness filled the hall with a power of its own seemingly. The shadows crept slowly; almost with a dance-like grace along the walls, their ragged forms consuming what had once been in light like ravenous wolves. Their long talon's stretched for all in their path, convulsing as they pierced every form. With their final legs, the claws elongated in an attempt to reach the trio, but they were repelled. A soft, glowing light kept them at bay.
The tiny flame danced at the end of the splintered board some two feet away. Somehow Robin's powers had searched for the closest flammable item and set it aflame. Amon lifted his head slowly, one hand keeping the pair to floor incase for more danger. Carefully shaking out the glass from his hair, he groped for his gun. A tap on his shoulder made him turn and meet her eyes. By the flame's light, it barely illuminated the new graze above her eyebrow, a tiny bead of blood forming the tiny scrape. She handed him his gun and she pushed up her glasses.
Robin gasped as she felt Amon's cool touch on her forehead. He gently wiped the blood from her face, letting his finger trace over her brow. The witch kept perfectly still, suddenly afraid to breathe as his eyes flickered across her face. His fingers deftly glided down her temple, checking for more wounds. He pressed his palm to her cheek, Robin's eyes drifting closed as she leaned into his touch, a soft sigh escaping her pale lips. Amon quickly pulled his hand away, eyes slightly wider as he realized what had just transpired. He turned from the two and began gathering his emotions. A disappointed sigh sounded from behind him before he heard his partner's soft voice question the boy.
"Are you okay Lucan?" A soft mumble answered her. She gently ran a hand through his hair and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "There there, it'll be ok…" Robin glanced up at her warden, only to be rewarded by the back of his head. He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and clicked it. Nothing happened.
"Whatever Noa did right now knocked out the flashlight." Amon bent to pick up the smoldering board. Examining it, he did not notice Robin move forward.
"Amon, look." He whipped his gaze up to find her a few feet ahead of her, pointing down the stairs. He latched onto her wrist and pulled her behind him.
"Stay behind me, Robin." But even as he reprimanded her, he was curiously gazing down the steps. An all too familiar green glow emitted from the floors below. It flicked like the flame at the end of the makeshift torch in his hands. He quickly transferred the torch into his left hand as he drew his gun with his right. Robin pushed her glasses farther up the bridge of her nose with her index finger, her eyes never leaving the stairs.
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Thank you so much for reading guys. Please review!
Review Responses:
Aelyaniara: Thank you so much for your comment and being my first reviewer. I hope you like the newest installment.
Wendyghost: Thanks and here you go!
FyodorD: I tried to make it realistic. I hope this chapter kept up!
Kingmaker: I always assured myself that they were brown until I really looked him and they're grey!
Jenny: Thanks jen for being as supportive as usual. Can you make me a Lucan doll too?
Sakuran: Yes, yes, yes, my Amon can never live up to your Amon and this probably has proved it even more. But I believe you know how this story goes so please try not to flame-, I mean constructively criticize me too much. Love you chica!
Fairie Mistress: Thanks and here you go!
Sparky 16: Would you like a Lucan doll as well? My friend just loves to make them! wink!
