Chapter 8: The Plan

Kaoru's POV

The target in front of me bobbed and weaved, causing me to shift my gun slightly for better aim. The target, a little yellow plaster duck moved by wires and electronics, was the last one I had to shoot from the menagerie of animals at the accuracy training program at HARM.

It felt like ages because I had spent whole nights beside Kenshin's resting form in the infirmary and whole days watching him train and rehabilitate for the upcoming mission. Sometimes Misao or Sano would help me watch him at night but most of the time I stayed alone by his bed, listening to Kenshin's soft snores and watching the little movements he made during REM of sleep.

On top of all this, that annoying kid Yahiko keeps provoking me, trying to get me to fight him. He wants to prove to Aoishi that he's strong enough for his first mission.

He's defiantly not.

The duck flipped on to another wire and had begun moving down a different path. I woke up from my thoughts and squeezed the griped black trigger of my MK-47. My bullet struck the duck soundly on its head, causing it to flip over. All the wires slowly pulled back into collapsible slots in the walls and the lights in the arena brightened, announcing the end of the training session.

Suddenly, the room started to swirl into a kaleidoscope of colors and a small picture began to enlarge in my mind.

I saw a dining table with a plate of steaming pasta in front of me. I took a big bite of pasta, trying to stick all that was wound up on my fork into my too-little mouth. "Now Kaoru, don't eat it all at once dear!" I looked up from my plate and saw a handsome smile down at me across the oak dining table. "Hai Daddy," my lips and mouth involuntarily said. I looked around and saw other people smiling at me but two of them stuck out more than the others. A woman beside my father, wearing her long black hair in a twisted knot behind her head, making her look beautiful and a boy with a shock of white hair sat beside me, both wearing bright smiles on their faces. I felt…so happy seeing them smile…

The world went blank white for a second then darkness. I opened my eyes, and I saw a huge pair of emerald eyes peering into mine.

"Yo! Kaoru? You alright?"

I blinked trying to shake off that "day-dream" and saw Misao in front of me.

"Yeah, just kind of phased out," I muttered.

"Good."

Without warning, Misao grabbed my hand and began hauling/leading me outside the room.

"Where are you taking me now, Misao?"

"Kenshin has been officially been deemed healthy by Megumi so Aoishi asked me to bring you to his office to go over the mission he has planned for you guys."

Misao led me to a pair of smoked glass doors with "Leader Aoishi Shinomori" engraved in large letters. Under that, in slightly smaller font, said "Lieutenant and Assistant Leader Misao Makimachi"

"You're assistant leader?" I asked stunned that such a childish girl could hold that much political power.

Misao grinned toothily at me before shoving me into the room in front of the smoked glass doors. Inside, crowded around the mahogany center desk, were Kenshin, Sano, and Megumi. Sitting behind the huge desk was Aoishi in a huge high backed bleach leather chair.

Aoishi looked at Misao then to me and then motioned us to enter. Sano gave me a "Yo!" while Megumi bowed slightly in greeting. But my eyes quickly shifted to Kenshin. Sure I've seen him practicing daily in excruciating exercises and rehabilitating from his injuries, but I never say him as powerful as he looked now. He stood there, his muscled body dressed in designer faded jeans and an unbuttoned black dress shirt, his hair swept up in a high ponytail with a few loose strands of the crimson stuff cradling his attractive face, and his back leaning against Aoishi's desk with his lean arms entwined about his chest. His amber eyes caught mine and turned slightly purple in recognition. He smiled warmly at me, his purple eyes hidden in his long luxuriant red eyelashes.

I walked over to the desk and faced Aoishi. Aoishi cleared his throat and placed a file on his desk in front of us. He snapped his fingers and a hologram popped up on his desk.

"Here is your assignment. You are to infiltrate NOIR HQ and download all files pertaining to Kaoru from the Archives section of NOIR. The infiltration team consists of three members: Kaoru, Battousai, and the idiot…-ahem- I mean Zanza. Supporting you in a mobile base situated outside the perimeter of the NOIR HQ in a HumV is Misao and Ms. Takani. The infiltrations of the three members will take place simultaneously however your actions will be done consecutively. The Battousai will first set off an alarm in the west wing of the HQ and distract as many guards as possible." A blinking red light lit up on the left side of the hologram. "Then, at Misao's timing, Zanza will set off the alarm in the east wing of the HQ." Another blinking red light lit up but on the right side. "While all this commotion is going on and as many guards occupied as possible, Kaoru, who will have already infiltrated the main hall of the HQ will enter in her chameleon mode and get into the archives room to download the data. Misao and Megumi will be communicating with you throughout this mission. Zanza and Kenshin will have to implant a hacking device into the alarm systems so Misao can get some information on the layout of the HQ. After the mission, retreat back to the HumV and receive medical assistance from Megumi if needed."

"Kaoru," Aoshi said turning to me sharply. "Remember that you must not be detected. Kenshin and Zanza will hopefully take the enemies' eyes off of you. Any questions?"

"OHHHH ME ME ME!" Misao yelled waving her hand about in the air.

"Go on, Misao," Aoshi said exasperatedly.

"Why can't I just hack into the Archives via the HumV?"

"Because the Archives is probably on its on CPU system and can only be operated and viewed from the room itself. Any other questions?"

"Couldn't Kaoru ask one of her NOIR buddies to let us in?" Sano asked sheepishly.

"I have never met any of the other NOIR members. It's for privacy policy," I said blankly.

"Oh."

Silence.

"Good. That's it for Q&A. Be ready to leave at 11 PM. The mission should begin in front of NOIR at midnight. Good luck."

I got ready, strapping on my favorite weapons and slipping into my traditional assassin gear. I slipped my shamshirs last into its dual sheaths strapped on my back before weeping up my long black hair into a high ponytail. I gazed into the full length mirror beside me, taking in my features in indifference…wait! I stepped closer to the mirror looking at the irises of my eyes; they were no longer black but a deep rich ocean blue. The color of the sapphire drop earrings that hung from my earlobes right now. The ones I wore when Kenshin rudely kidnapped me from my mansion…

They match your eyes…

Where have I heard that before?

I shook my head, trying to straighten my thoughts. Focus on this mission, Kaoru! This is for your past!

"YO UGLY! Hurry up! They're waiting for your lazy ass outside!" Yahiko's annoying voice echoed through my room.

God what an annoying brat!

"Alirght, Yahiko-CHAN!" I said sweetly.

I opened the door.

"Hey don't call me Yahiko-cha.."

I clubbed him hard on his spiky haired head.

"Aaah!" he yelped, rubbing his head.

He's like a little brother…annoying.

I continued down the hallway, but paused to smirk at him briefly before rounding a corner. I heard him yell at my back, "Just finish your damn mission and come back in one piece."

It was exactly 11 PM when I reached the entrance-wasn't late, Yahiko!-and saw the black HumV. Around it stood Kenshin, Sano, Misao and Megumi; all of them geared up in matching black outfits like mine. Kenshin had his dual katanas attached firmly at his waist, Sano shouldering his giant Zanbatou, Misao with a pair of magnums at her belt, and Megumi with a huge metal briefcase. I smiled at them all before slipping into the HumV, closely followed by the others. When we entered the rear of the HumV, there was no plush leather interior to greet up but what seemed be an entire communications system crammed in the back.

"Welcome to Mobile Base T-I. I'll be your hostess along with my partner, Megumi Takani. Please put on you nano chips for field information throughout this mission!" Misao said brightly like the air hostesses on planes.

"Misao! How're we supposed to put these things on?" Sano asked, holding two silver beads at eye level between his finger tips.

"Like this, bakai-mono!" Megumi walked over to Sano, snatched the two beads from him, and stuck one of the beads behind his right ear lobe and the other inside his ear.

"Ouch! The damn things are piercing my ear!"

Megumi smirked at him. "Now you won't lose it. This device will allow you to communicate with us with your thoughts, allowing a very quiet mission. It reads your thoughts so don't be thinking of any perverted things during this mission!" That last statement was directed toward Sano.

"So everyone put them in!" Misao urged.

I looked hesitantly at Sano's ear. It looked like he was wearing a little earring. I looked back at Kenshin apprehensively before picking up a pair of the tiny silver beads. Kenshin, without hesitation, put them on, not showing a hint of pain on his face.

Well I guess I'll give it a try…

It hurt like hell! I felt like someone WAS trying to pierce my ears! But the pain vanished in a few moments.

Misao looked at me before clapping her hands together and hoping into the driver's seat.

"Let's go!" she yelled as she revved up the engine.

"Kaoru?"

"Mmmhmm?"

"Promise me something."

I shifted my attention from the passing dimmed lights outside the tinted windows of the moving vehicle to Kenshin, sitting across from me in the cramped space of Hummer. I could barely see him in his black gear, but I could make out the red shine of his hair and amber glow of his eyes in the dim lights. Sano sat diagonally from me looking out his adjacent window.

"What is it, Kenshin?"

"Promise me that…" and he said in an undertone so no one else could over hear. "…you'll come back after the mission."

I looked at him, blankly.

"You're being silly. Why wouldn't I come back?"

Kenshin's softened into a purple.

"Because you may find out something about your past."

I looked into his beautiful eyes, now a deep purple. His eyes spoke so many emotions but one stood out the most: worry.

"I promise Kenshin." I reached out and gave his arm a small but hopefully comforting squeeze.

hey everyone! Sorry it took me a while to write this chapter. This chapter is kind of boring no? It's bascially the main thing that's going on in the next chapter (intro to it anyways). I have the next 4 chapters written down! I had to spend that much time on them because the climax is coming! Kind of excited! I have to type it up and stuff so hopefully next chapter will be out tomorrow! Also, the reason for the delay is the time consuming trips I've been on! But I'm back home :yay:

Thanks for all the reviews thus far, and i sincerely hope the next few chapters are up to spec!

Please review!

-KishofWings