-Haruka-
She had just said goodbye to Hotaru, who then was taken by Akira and Hiroshi back to the Tomoes to return to her usual routine and was returning to the vault to complete her preparation for her upcoming mission. Haruka took a deep breath while the elevator descended. She knew that there was no other way than to not just cut the snake's head but to slice it opened from the tip of its tail to the tip of its tongue. The four families who had sworn their blood oath to keep the peace had paid for long enough with blood that was their own and with a lot of blood that was sacrificed in their stead. It was time for it all to end and Haruka knew exactly where to start.
She straightened her back, put on her father's glasses and gripped the cane in her left hand stronger as the doors of the elevator's doors opened to the vault level and as soon as she had stepped out of the elevator, an oversized humanoid charged at her. Nimble, she avoided the humanoid smoothly and waited for her glasses to analyse the weaknesses of the humanoid while blocking further attacks with her cane. Finally, a green target was lighting up at the lower back of her opponent and Haruka gripped the cane half way of its length and pushed the cane hard onto the floor until she heard a click that indicated for her that the scabbard was disengaged. With a swift move she removed the hidden sword with her right hand and charged for opponent's weak spot. As soon as the sword was buried past the shell and the cables, the humanoid stopped twitching.
"Well done." Came Yuuko's voice from inside of Haruka's head which made her cringe.
"Thanks." Haruka managed to mutter in return. She still had to get used to having an actual voice in her head rather than getting it through an ear piece.
"Come inside. Kakyuu is already here and I am showing her all the ropes." Yuuko informed the blonde and Haruka bristled for a moment at the thought to having to enter the vault. So many old memories that were made there, that Haruka wanted but couldn't forget. She entered it nonetheless and was immediately greeted by the hologram of her mother.
"Haruka, Yuuko-sensei is just down this way." The hologram informed her and walked ahead of her. The voice, the look, the demeanour. All like she remembered her mother by perfectly simulated.
It was like walking behind the ghost of her mother, who wasn't her mother and Haruka just sighed. Haruto had befriended himself with the hologram when they had found the vault and Haruka had let him, for his amusement, but she herself couldn't fathom the idea that only the mere image and the voice of their mother was all that was left for them here. For her it was not enough to be comforting and yet too much to forget about her and to simply let go of her loss.
Tomo led Haruka into well-hidden control centre where Yuuko, Kakyuu and Yaten were already waiting for her.
"So Haruka can really hear your voice just through those glasses?" Kakyuu asked the professor astounded.
"Haruki was a very talented engineer and he created these glasses because he had one weakness, facial recognition." Yuuko explained. "Usually Tomoko would go with him on missions to offset that, because she had an extremely good memory, but once the twins were born, that was not an option anymore. So how to have his wife around as his eyes if not by having these glasses that function via transmitting tiny vibrations into the head bone that can be interpreted as voice in your head. That is how Haruki had Tomoko always by his side, even if they were apart." Yuuko explained.
"How romantic." Kakyuu couldn't help herself and Haruka rolled her eyes.
"I believe mum made adjustments to them several times." Haruka noted as she took the glasses off.
"Yes, she removed the battery and made the wearer the source of power, so the blood flow in your temple is keeping them active. The moment you take them off, they turn into very normal glasses to the inattentive observer." Yuuko confirmed.
"Awesome, so since I 'll be the voice in your head, literally." Kakyuu grinned slyly.
"We will take turns." Yuuko dampened Kakyuu's spirits.
"Yaten make sure to get a one-way feed from this database to the one that you are using and make sure that facial recognition is up to date." Yuuko instructed the young man without even looking at him.
Yaten in turn just nodded and left the vault.
Haruka was surprised at the clipped tone that Yuuko used on Yaten. Yuuko was not known to be warm and fuzzy, but by no means was she ever cold, at least not as far as Haruka could recall, but that didn't have to mean much.
"Thanks, Yaten." Haruka added before the younger man was out of ear shot and Yaten just nodded understandingly.
"I would prefer for Kakyuu to stay home here with you, Yuuko-bachan." Haruka voiced her concerns about taking the whole group with her onto this mission.
"Nonsense. I am fine here without any supervision. I have Tomo here and Akira will make sure that I do not forget to eat." Yuuko waved off Haruka's concerns but Haruka knew better than to trust Yuuko to herself.
As a true scientist, she was all too known to get lost in her work and not to be seen for days, and with serious Tenoh-Tech at her fingertips, she might never emerge again to see some real sunlight.
"Stop looking at me like that. Satomi has her own access code and she will come in to check on me if she has not heard from me in less than 24 hours." Yuuko reminded Haruka and Haruka just nodded.
The silent voice of Haruto came to her mind 'You can't control everyone and everything' is what he used to tell her when she went all protective on Kakyuu or anyone else for that matter that usually earned her some trouble with her friend and doctor.
"You are worse than your father." Yuuko chuckled and then waved Haruka to lean down to her eye level.
Haruka obediently leaned down and got her hair ruffled.
"Remember how you promised me that you look after me when you got bigger than me?" Yuuko asked with a wide grin and Haruka grinned in return.
"I do." Haruka grin grew wider. "I just don't want anything to happen to you, now what I have you back in my life." Haruka admitted earnest.
"Well, I promised your mum that I look after you no matter how big you get, so be assured, with Kakyuu by your side is nearly as good as having me there. She will make sure to monitor your health for me and she will be able to make better judgment calls than you will." Yuuko chuckled as she gave Kakyuu the set of glasses that she was wearing.
"I will be your eyes and ears as well." Kakyuu chuckled as she put them on and was registered by the system.
"Oh, how I look forward to that." Haruka said sarcastically.
"You will need all the assistance that you can get when you go out." Yuuko reminded her and Haruka had no rebuttal lined up.
"I know." She eventually conceded and pulled off the glasses that she was wearing to rub the bridge of her nose.
"Your dad might have put a burden on your shoulder that is bigger than you, but you are not alone little bear. We are all here to help you to get it done." Yuuko consoled her and Haruka bit back her real thoughts.
There was no way that she would expose them all to the reality that she would be facing, but to be sure that no one would get into her way, she needed to learn to keep her own thoughts to herself. Haruto was not around anymore to bounce ideas off and none of the people present would let her go through with her plans if they knew about it.
"I know. Thanks, Yuuko-ba-chan." Haruka just smiled and put the glasses back on.
"Everything is prepared for departure." Taiki announced as he joined them in the vault and Yuuko grabbed Haruka by the sleeve of the shirt.
"You come home. Your daughter is waiting for you here." The professor said stern and Haruka nodded.
"I will come home." Haruka confirmed.
-Yumi-
She watched how Haruka's equipment was loaded into the small private jet and how the blonde was double checking all their inventory. The glasses that she was wearing made her look more mature, sterner and more distant, but by no means any less attractive to Yumi.
Haruka was always tense before any new mission and this was by far one of the more dangerous ones that she was embarking on.
Earlier when they were alone and she had hugged Haruka tight, she noticed how clean shaven the blonde's neck was when she was running her thumb along the hairline. The last time Haruka had had her hair cut like that, she was gone for months and lost in Siberia for most of them.
Yumi couldn't shake the feeling that this would be no different. Another mission that would return Haruka as someone different than she would leave as.
Now that they were standing on the dark tarmac of the secluded section of the airport, Yumi knew that she could not stop time any more than she could turn it back. Haruka had made her mind up about facing danger straight on and nothing could change her mind.
"Come inside, it is cold out there." Haruka addressed her as the blonde led her by the small of her back into the hangar.
"I was just enjoying the fresh breeze." Yumi explained her choice of location and Haruka took off her leather jacket and put it across her shoulders.
"Too fresh and you will get sick. Can't have you coughing into people's teas." The blonde chuckled before she returned to the task at hand and signed off the last papers needed before take-off.
"Will you be alright here?" Kakyuu asked Yumi as she joined the tea master in the spot that Haruka had led Yumi to.
"I am always alright." Yumi noted without emotions attached to her words.
"I will make sure that she stays alright as well." Kakyuu said determined and Yumi looked over to the other with a mixture of envy and pity. Both knew too that no one could keep Haruka safe, especially from herself and that it would be a tall order to ask of anyone, but she had to hand it to Kakyuu, if anyone would be able to keep Haruka alive, then she would have the best odds of doing so.
"You know how to find me if you need a lifeline to come back here." Yumi just reminded the other and Kakyuu nodded.
"Ok ladies. Enough with the chit chat. We have no time to spare." Haruka called as she came closer.
Yumi took off the leather jacket and handed it back to Haruka.
"You will need it more than I do." Yumi said after she handed the heavy jacket over and Haruka just put it on smoothly.
"I trust you to stay safe at home." Haruka looked over to Shinobu who was standing in the shadows and nodded.
There were too many people around for one last hug or any overt sign of affection and so Yumi just gave Haruka an acknowledging nod while Haruka gave her one of her trademark smirks in return.
Haruka and the rest of the team quickly embarked the small plane and Yumi watched with mixed feelings how it took off and disappeared in the dark sky.
-Ami-
It was the last day on which she could take it easy at work and so she left a bit earlier to go shopping for something in return for Makoto's gift to her for her birthday. Walking through the busy streets of Ginza she made her way to an old and respected jewellery store. She wanted to get something special, yet subtle. Before arriving at her destination, a big new store opening was happening right opposite to the store that she wanted to go to. The other store was a jewellery store as well and was brightly lit with plenty of specials as well discounts advertised in its storefront. For a moment Ami was caught by all the flashing lights and noise that came from it and before she could react, a young man with blonde hair started to talk to her.
"Are you looking for something special for yourself or a loved one? We just opened and we have got really good deals on the latest designs as well as gemstones." The young man said with a charming smile that never reached his cold eyes.
"I.." Ami had no chance to respond as another tall man with wavy long brown hair joined them.
"Higashi, get back inside, Nishi is calling for you." The man said without any regard to Ami's presence.
"I don't want to deal with that …" the younger man seemed to not have forgotten about Ami and quickly changed from his dismissive tone to the salesman tone that he had used on her "..person right now. I have a potential client right here." He gestured towards Ami who started to retreat.
"I apologise for my rudeness." The brunette switched to salesman mode himself and flashed Ami a toothpaste commercial smile that could compete with the lighting. "Let me help you in my colleague's stead." the brunette offered.
"I am actually on my way to an appointment." Ami excused herself and the brunette nodded understandingly.
"Please take my card and ask for me in case you change your mind. I will make sure to show you all our specials personally and to make sure that you will get the best possible service from us." The man handed Ami a business card and Ami thanked him for it before she got back on her way.
As she walked away, she noticed how both men reengaged in an animated confrontation that they moved to inside of the store.
Ami looked at the card. 'Nangyoku, Hisui, Acquisitions manager of Kihekyoku corp.' was what was written on it. A name that seemed vaguely familiar to Ami, but before she could spend another minute thinking about it, she arrived at her original destination and put the card into her handbag.
The store was subtle and if Ami hadn't known, she would have never recognised it as such. She entered through the elegant wooden doors and was welcomed by a bubbly blonde.
"Ami!" Usagi greeted her. "What are you doing here?"
"Minako recommended me this store if I am looking for special and custom-made jewellery." Ami responded earnest and Usagi pulled her excitedly deeper into the store.
"Let me call my mum. She is the one with the magic hands that creates all these beauties." Usagi gestured to the various displays that had were showcasing an array of delicate crafted jewellery.
Usagi disappeared deeper inside of the store for a moment and was followed by an elegant looking older woman with long flowing silver hair.
"You must be Satomi's daughter Ami." The woman greeted Ami.
"You have an incredible memory, Tsukino-san" Ami replied with respectful bow.
"Sumiko is fine. I am good friends with your mother after all. How is your mother doing? I have not had the chance to catch up with her lately. She is such a busy woman." Usagi's mother enquired.
"Yes, she is. I have just recently talked to her and she has apparently taken on a new project that has taken up all of her free time." Ami informed her counterpart.
"That sounds so typical of Satomi." Sumiko chuckled. "But I am sure you are not just here to talk about your mother. How can I help you Ami-chan?"
"I was looking for a special present for a friend. A kind of thank you gift." Ami explained.
"And does this friend have any special interests or preferences?" Sumiko asked.
"Her hobbies are flowers and cooking." Ami replied factual.
"Is it for Makoto?" Usagi butted into the conversation and Ami blushed deeply.
"How did you know?" Ami asked slightly flustered.
"Hehe, the power of deduction." Usagi exclaimed triumphantly.
"Not really." Sumiko chided her daughter lightly. "Makoto-chan was just here a few weeks back and was looking for something special for a doctor friend of hers. I must say, the necklace compliments your earrings and looks very good on you." Sumiko commented and Ami didn't think that she could manage to blush any further.
Sumiko smiled understandingly and walked over to one of the showcases and pulled out a set of rose shaped earrings where the petals were made of delicate rose gold.
"I have just finished these last week because I knew that Makoto-chan has been looking for an update on her current ones." Sumiko winked.
-Michiru-
They had just arrived in Venice and Michiru was getting ready to supervise the positioning of her paintings when Elsa came towards her with a huge grin.
"Look at what came before we even arrived." Elsa made a point to exaggerate the size of the flowers that were sent to the hotel and Michiru had to chuckle at her friend's antics.
"You have definitely caught someone's eye." Riko noted with a smirk and reached for the small white card that the flowers came with and handed it to Michiru.
'Congratulations on such a successful return to the art world. D.' was all that the card said.
"Seems so." Michiru just shrugged.
"The article about your opening in Rome has over a million clicks already." Elsa showed them proudly and Michiru couldn't suppress a giggle.
"So, I have to thank you for all this exposure." Michiru chuckled.
"Indeed. The daily blog about the exhibition is getting nearly as much exposure as my newspaper and magazine articles on you." Elsa grinned broadly.
"That is great. That means that your art is increasing in value. You might even want to reconsider my offer to produce an album with your violin pieces." Riko reminded Michiru and Michiru just nodded in acknowledgement.
"We need to celebrate. Let's go and eat!" Elsa suggested just before Riko's phone rang.
"You girls go ahead and find a nice place for lunch. I will join you as soon as I can, still have to make a few arrangements." Riko winked before she left the living room of their apartment suite and retreated to her room.
"What do you feel like having?" Michiru asked Elsa.
"Anything but finger food. One more of those hors d'oeuvres and I will wring the waiter who is bringing them." Elsa said dramatically.
"Ok, let's go and find something with real food. I miss having real fish dish." Michiru laughed at the antics of her friends and reached for the phone to ask the concierge for recommendations.
-Kakashi-
They had been stuck in the underground bunker for a week now, and while the supplies had not run out yet, Seiya's health didn't look too good. The fever came and went in waves and the young man kept mumbling dangerous things in his sleep.
He knew that the young man was bugged, but without the right scanning equipment, it was dangerous to remove it. He couldn't be sure that it wasn't poisoned or who had implanted it. Down here, he could only be sure that it did not transmit anything, but that was a double-edged sword. Either they could contact the outside drones and keep an eye on everything that was going on, or keep Seiya's location secret for now.
It got noisy upstairs again. Caine had reached the house and was making efforts in taking it apart to find the technology hidden in it, but Kakashi had taken all precautions to keep it all hidden, for now.
He looked down on his watch. It was going to be evening and soon it would be Kenji's turn to stand guard, but Kakashi felt too restless to think about rest or even sleep. Instead he strained his ears to hear what Caine and his men were up to. Caine barked some orders and from the shuffling he could only assume that they were going through the kitchen at this stage when suddenly the main door burst open with a big bang and suddenly everything was completely quiet.
Kakashi held his breath, he could hear his own heartbeat in his ears and any pin falling those few metres above him would be no issue to notice for his ears which went to high alert.
"Har…Tenoh." Caine grunted with a hint of surprise.
"Hey there Caine." Haruka's amused voice was so loud and clear to him, followed by the familiar click of a high precision rifle being readied, that Kakashi allowed himself to exhale.
"I take it my grandfather wants to talk to me." Haruka commented calm.
"Indeed, but you should put down the rifle. It is rude to aim at your guests." Ernest replied grumpily.
"Respectable guests don't usually barge into my house and make a mess in my absence, so how about you call back your hounds and tell them to wait outside." Haruka suggested with no space for discussions and not soon after heavy steps made their way outside of the cabin.
"I was looking for you." Ernest stated the obvious.
"Well, you found me." Haruka replied nonchalant.
"Something wrong with your eyes?" Ernest continued to ask.
"Age. I am not that young anymore." Haruka replied casual.
"Your grandfather requests your presence for New Year's." Ernest relayed the message he apparently came for.
"I see. I will try my best to come, as I do every year." Haruka replied cold.
"Good." Ernest replied and Kakashi could hear the scraping of a chair moving. "Dinner is at 8pm and breakfast is at 9 am." Ernest informed Haruka before he left the cabin and Haruka replied something that Kakashi couldn't decipher.
Only moments later, the secret door to the underground bunker opened and Haruka descended.
If Kakashi hadn't known better, he would have thought that the ghost of Haruki was visiting and that he had most likely crossed to the afterlife.
Haruka was still covered in a thick layer of snow on her snow suit and the rifle was ready in her hands. Her hair was very short, the thick rimmed glasses securely seated on her nose and her eyes trained sharp on her surroundings.
"Good to see that you held up the fort just fine without me." Haruka chuckled.
"There is smoked moose in the back." Kakashi joked.
"Great. I am starving." Haruka grinned.
-Michiru-
She was getting ready for tonight's opening and was putting on one of favourite dresses. The flowers that Daniel had sent were standing prominently in the common space and Michiru had not paid them any further attention once she had made sure that it contained no bugs or similar surveillance devices. Michiru had been busy smiling and holding back her true thoughts so much in the last few days that she was painfully reminded on why she didn't enjoy these sorts of events as much as she should. Being cordial and friendly with everyone that she met as well as staying alert to everything that was going on was very tiring, adding a very observant friend to the mix and it got downright exhausting. Michiru rubbed her stiff neck and her sore cheeks from all the smiling and nodding and wondered to herself if her aunt got whatever she needed to get done done. Riko had not joined them for lunch as she had told them but only got some room service delivered for herself, judging from the tray that was standing in the living room, instead.
Her aunt had been very busy since they had arrived in Italy and had been pulling all sorts of strings to make sure that Michiru's art was featured adequately along other famous pieces of art and they had not much time to discuss strategy, but with her by Michiru's side, Michiru had to admit that she felt a lot more at ease.
"Michiru, there is someone here for you." Elsa suddenly called and Michiru exited her room to see who it would be.
"Daniel…"Michiru said with surprise as she reached Elsa, who was holding the door open.
-Michiru-
"Michiru, I thought I come by and give you a lift to your opening." Daniel said with a wide charming smile.
"What a surprise, I thought we are not going to meet up until Paris. Come in and have a seat." Michiru replied with an equally charming smile that did not come from her heart but could fool even her own mother.
She knew that she would be meeting him eventually, but this was just a bit too far ahead of schedule.
"I just happen to be in town and since I read that you would be opening tonight with a small Q on your works here, I thought I ask personally if there is still a spot free for me to attend." Daniel explained his presence as he sat down on the living room couch.
"I will have to check with my manager." Michiru winked and continued. "By the way, I see you have met Elsa, she one of my best friends and an amazing journalist."
"Oh, I am not that great." Elsa waved off.
"I didn't say great, I said amazing." Michiru chuckled. "I go and ask my aunt if there is any space left in the gallery tour that I am holding. You two behave in the meanwhile."
Michiru left the two behind in the living room and headed towards her aunt's room and knocked before she entered.
"Riko-ba" Michiru called into the room just as her aunt exited the bathroom.
"Yes Mi-chan?" Riko replied with her towel still over her head.
"Daniel is already here." She informed her aunt.
"Well that young man seems pretty eager." Riko chuckled as she dried her hair.
"Yeah." Michiru was less enthusiastic in comparison to her aunt, but she knew that there was no other way around it.
"I take it he wants into your exclusive Q session." Riko smirked.
"Please tell me it is completely sold out and there is just no way of anyone else taking part in it." Michiru was close to begging for that to be the truth.
"There, there Michiru-chan. We had it advertised as a charity event, so of course it sold out, but there is always space for another donor. Think of the poor kids in those war torn areas." Riko reminded her.
"Of course. You are right." Michiru sighed.
"Don't worry, I will be by your side all the way. Nothing bad will happen to you ever again." Riko said reassuringly.
-Kakyuu-
She was covered in blood and sweat as she removed the tracker that was in Seiya's trapezius muscle and dropped it in a small metal bowl before sowing up her patient.
Taiki was by her side and wiped the sweat off her forehead as she stitched Seiya back up. While this was by no means a complicated procedure, Seiya was in no real condition to be operated on. He still had to survive the night on all the medications that she was going to inject him with, but before that she had to make sure that the tacker contained no poison that could interfere the healing process.
Yaten took the small tracker away for tests and analysis while Haruka was going over details of what had happened here in her absence with Kakashi and Kenji.
Taiki took over to clean his brother up after Kakyuu had bandaged the wounds. Kakyuu stepped back and went to clean her hands. It had not been a full three hours since Haruka had kicked Ernest out of her cabin and just over one day since they had left Japan and Haruka was already fully back in work mode. The blonde was focused, stern and quiet. Besides nodding and occasionally asking a question, she let her uncle do all the talking. Kakyuu turned her focus back to cleaning her hands and as soon her hands were clean, Yaten was by her side with the cleaned up tracker.
"I have run it through our database and it's an unknown model, though the design suggests that it could be actually something domestic but neither from Sora Industries or Umi-Tech." Yaten informed her.
"How about Tomoe-Inc or even an agency exclusive?" Kakyuu asked the younger man.
"I have sent a picture of it to Kazuko-nee, but she has not responded yet." Yaten replied.
"Any chemicals on it?" Kakyuu asked, slightly fearing the answer.
"Yes, but the compartment that contains it seems to be intact." Yaten answered and Kakyuu let out an audible sigh of relief.
"Good, and the blood test?" Kakyuu proceeded to walk over to her medicine bag and to prepare a few injections.
"Nothing of the unexpected." Yaten informed her as he walked behind her.
"Good. Seal that little bugger up, we will take it apart when we get home." Kakyuu decided and Yaten nodded in agreement.
"What will we be doing when we get home?" Haruka joined the conversation.
"The tracker had a chemical compartment, that seems to be dysfunctional, since I did not trigger it during removal, so I think it would be best to take it apart and analyse it as soon as we get back home." Kakyuu summarised for Haruka.
"How long until Seiya can fly and be back in action?" Haruka asked undeterred.
"He just has the flu, so I think with the new serum, he should be ready to fly in ten hours, back in action maybe in two days." Kakyuu replied confidently.
Haruka stayed silent for a moment and looked outside of the window, where she could still see how Ernest Caiden was still retreating.
"Ok, we will be out of here in ten hours then. That thing is coming with us and is not going to enter the Tenoh-Tower. We will analyse it in a different lab." Haruka decided and Yaten just nodded again and started to get their equipment ready to fly out.
"Where will we be going?" Kakyuu asked as she filled the syringes that she would use on Seiya.
"London. I have a few things that I need to confirm." Haruka informed her and Kakyuu just sighed.
"We are not going home for a while, are we?" Kakyuu asked rhetorically.
"I did ask you to pack a few days' worth of clothes, but I am more than happy to pay for whatever else you might have forgotten." Haruka winked and Kakyuu rolled her eyes.
-Setsuna-
She had just received a message and while it was just one sentence, it meant the world to her.
'See you in Dublin.' Is all that it said from an obscure number and she sighed with relief.
Suddenly there was a knock at her office door and Rei came in.
"Minako just informed me that we are all set for Dublin." Rei informed her.
"Good. I will make some discretionary changes, but all will proceed as planned otherwise." Setsuna replied.
"Got good news?" Rei asked her suddenly.
"Why you ask?" Setsuna played ignorant.
"You haven't smiled in weeks, but just now you did." Rei replied.
"Just glad that we are getting all of this finally on its way." Setsuna just replied calm.
-Haruka-
Taiki and Kenji were on the first round of guard duty while everyone else was sleeping. Haruka pulled out her phone and saw another five news alerts that she hadn't gotten around to reading yet. All were about the painter named Michiru Kaioh and her return to the art world after a break. Haruka didn't know why it made her heart beat faster when she read about this person, may it be her mission or training reports, which were impressive by all measures and standards, or even just these articles that were written about her. Haruka was not the type of person to spend much time or had much interest in other people's life. If she had the option, she would tune out the rest of the world and just live unencumbered by it on an abandoned island, as long it had WIFI and electricity along with all other first world comforts.
Haruka scrolled through the article that reported about the opening and closing the mini exhibition in Rome and perused the blog entries of E. Grey about Kaioh-san's daily life outside of the gallery attendance. Suddenly she bumped into a picture of Michiru Kaioh, that was not shown to her by Hotaru, or were in the professional files on Michiru Kaioh.
It was a very simple picture of her in which she was having a cappuccino. There was something in the other person's eyes that Haruka couldn't place. It wasn't the happy and relaxed that she had seen in the Hokkaido pictures, nor the professional steel focus that was in the work related one. It was something else. Something melancholic, something yearning, something that she observed in Yumi once in a while, but not to this extend.
Maybe Haruka was reading too much into this. It was 2am after all and she had been up beyond 24h so far. Suddenly another news alert came thorough. The gallery opening in Milan. Haruka was by now beyond tired, but she knew that she would not get any shut eye until she had finished reading this article as well and so she willed her eyes to stay open and focused on the screen of her phone to drink in any new information that she could get her hands on, on Michiru Kaioh, the painter that seemed to have captured all of her spare attention, despite never having seen any of her works, or at least not remembering any.
-Elsa-
She had just posted the latest article on Michiru online and stretched herself on the couch in the living room.
"You are still up?" Michiru asked surprised as she came out of her room.
"You know, international news means 24/7 work. Also, I could ask you the same." Elsa chuckled.
"I don't think that my art is news worthy. I just wanted to get a glass of water. Want something, too?" Michiru offered as she headed to the kitchen.
"I would prefer something stronger, but water sounds good." Elsa grinned and Michiru nodded.
Suddenly she saw how the counter on her article went up by one.
"You might not think that this is news worthy, but someone else seems to. Look, someone is already reading my article, and I would bet my house on it if I had one that his name starts with a D." Elsa raised her laptop for Michiru to see the counter.
"I doubt that it is Daniel. He should be on the last flight to Paris at this time." Michiru laughed lightly as she passed Elsa a glass of fresh crisp water.
"Didn't say that it would be Daniel, it could also be this Denton guy who seemed so keen to know all there was to know about your paintings." Elsa chuckled.
"Oh, yea, of course you meant Mr. Denton. He might be a bit odd, but his interest in my works was very genuine." Michiru smirked.
"Very interesting indeed." Elsa mocked imitated Denton with his heavy British accent and Michiru laughed.
"You seemed to have gotten along with Daniel a lot better than I was." Michiru poked back.
"Do I hear jealousy? His eyes were all over you the whole time. For all he cared, I could have been wearing a Llama suit and I would have not looked out of place for him the way he was focused on you." Now Elsa laughed.
"I don't know about that. You two seemed to talk a lot while I was busy answering questions." Michiru chuckled.
"We just talked politics, but as the true politician that he is, he was so vague with his responses and way too distracted by you to reply anything useful." Elsa waved off.
"Ever the journalist." Michiru smirked.
-Taiki-
They had just arrived in London stowed the private jet in a special hangar.
Kakyuu was less than happy to not be heading back Japan, but Haruka assured him that she would be whistling a different tune after a hot bath and a stroll through the London high street.
Haruka had been rather docile towards Kakyuu, so that was at least something that added to the doctor's wellbeing.
As they unloaded the essentials and Yaten enabled all the sensors that would report any foul play on the jet, if anyone dared to even touch it, Taiki headed to office in which Haruka had disappeared a short while ago with Kakashi.
"I won't be staying long, so I want the jet to be fuelled and ready at any given time." Haruka informed the man behind the desk.
"Understood." The old man with greying hair and neatly trimmed moustache replied efficiently and reached out with his hand.
"I knew that I can always rely on you Bob." Haruka reached for his hand and both exchanged a firm handshake.
"Just put in a good word for me with Belinda. Being in her bad books is nerve wrecking in its own ways." Bob replied.
"Will do." Haruka assured him before she shifted her attention to Taiki.
"The cars are ready." He informed her.
"I will be on my way then. Say hi to the rest of the crew for me." Haruka took her leave and they exited the small office.
"I take the first car with Kakashi and Yaten. You take Kakyuu, Kenji and Seiya with you in the second and follow me closely." Haruka instructed him and he nodded in acknowledgement.
They exited the hangar and drove towards one of the more affluent areas of London.
The streets were clean despite the autumn foliage falling everywhere and the quiet was typical for the afternoon.
Haruka pulled up to an inconspicuous gate and the gate opened to a small double garage straight away. Haruka waved for Taiki to park right next to her in the spacious double garage and to turn off the engine.
As soon as the garage door was closed, the floor descended and they were taken to a hidden underground level.
Haruka exited the car along with Kakashi and Yaten was greeted by tall, strong built, square faced man with a resting grump face who was accompanied by another two, big, burly built men.
"Hey there Trevor." Haruka greeted him.
"Welcome back Tenoh." He replied with a deep voice. "The mistress is at the moment with a client. I am supposed to take you to your residence in the meantime. David and Stephen here will help you with all your luggage." He waved for the two brunettes to step up.
"Great. I think David and Stephen can take my crew to the residence. I join them later, I need to go to the laboratory first." Haruka informed Trevor and Trevor pulled his greying eyebrows into an even deeper frown but nodded.
Haruka looked back as Taiki exited the car and helped Kenji with Seiya, who was still unstable on his feet.
"You all just rest up. Especially you Kakashi-ji." Haruka instructed and was met with a solemn nod from the older man. Kakyuu immediately took it onto herself to tell David and Stephen what she needed and how she wanted it to get done and Haruka followed Trevor out of the underground garage.
-Makoto-
They had the small plane loaded with all of their equipment and Makoto was double checking everything that Minako had ordered to be done.
There was no hiding that she was nervous. It was the first time that she was in charge of something alone, and it was by no means something trivial.
"Hey there." Ami greeted her from behind, making her jump of surprise.
"Hey." Makoto greeted back.
Ami looked at her with a look that she could not define, but before she could ask how she could help the other, Ami stepped closer and zipped the jacket that Makoto was wearing all the way up.
"It is getting colder." Ami just commented. "You need to look after yourself, too, while you take care of everything else. Can't have you be sick, right?" Ami asked rhetorically and Makoto blushed.
"Yea, of course. Thanks." Makoto stammered. This was not supposed to be so hard. She talked to Ami every day. She just needed to keep her head in the right place and all would be good, is what she told herself.
"How bold Amy." Minako chuckled behind them and suddenly Ami's blush rose as fast as Makoto's.
"You have come to pick this up for Setsuna, right?" Minako handed Ami a folder.
"Oh, yes. Thank you." Ami thanked and took the folder out of Minako's hands.
"Everything is going smoothly and running on schedule, so we'll be leaving on time." Minako informed Ami and Ami nodded. "Please make sure that Setsuna-san authorises the two permits attached to the back. I have amended them as requested." Minako added.
"That is very good. I will inform Setsuna-san and Rei-san." Ami stated before she walked away again.
"Earth to Makoto, breath." Minako chuckled and Makoto just then noticed that she had been holding her breath.
"I know that Ami is incredibly adorable, but remember, we are in charge of security. We need to stay vigilant." Minako noted.
"Yes, of course." Makoto agreed.
-Haruka-
Haruka went ahead with Tevor to the laboratories while the rest unloaded and were led to the resting quarters.
Walking through a handful of security doors that Trevor all unlocked with an Iris scan, they finally arrived in the laboratory, where Haruka was greeted by an enthusiastically smiling blonde in a lab coat.
"Long time no see, Haruka." She greeted Haruka and Haruka returned the hug that she received.
"Good to see you, too, Sam." Haruka smiled.
"What's with the cane?" Sam asked her as she let go of the taller blonde and they walked into the laboratory, leaving Trevor by the door.
"Dinged my leg." Haruka replied easily and Sam just shook her head.
"You got to be more careful on your fishing expeditions." Sam scolded her friend lightly.
"So the news of my fishing vacation made it even to here." Haruka chuckled.
"As long as we know that we know that you were in Sweden, we got the impression you were looking for Moby Dick himself. You rarely go up there that long." Sam informed Haruka.
"Yea well, I didn't find Moby, so I had to settle for some salmon and moose." Haruka had to chuckle.
"You sure about that?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Who knows. If I find Moby dick on my expeditions, you will be one of the first to know." Haruka smirked.
"Well, it is part of my business to know. So what brings you here instead of heading straight to Belinda." Sam asked Haruka.
"I got this, and I would like a full analysis on where it was made and what poison it contains." Haruka pulled out a small metal box in which the tracker that they had removed from Seiya was contained and Sam reached for it eagerly.
"I knew that I could rely on you for something new to play with." Sam said excited.
"Be careful. I think it is damaged or a malfunctioning unit, considering that we had no major complications while removing it." Haruka cautioned the other.
"As if I am ever not careful." Sam huffed indignant before she put it in an air sealed laboratory box in which robot hands reached for the box and sealed it again with a loud bang.
The robotic arms opened the small box and a camera immediately zoomed into the object that was contained.
"Interesting." Sam murmured as she had a look on the screen.
"How so?" Haruka asked curiously.
"It is already the second one that I have seen this month that looks like that.
"And where is the first?" Haruka asked immediately.
"In a corpse in the morgue where Scotland yard keeps their unsolved cases." Sam replied serious.
"Any idea who the carrier was?" Haruka asked grave.
"Not the slightest clue. My connection there was actually the one that came to me with it and asked me if I knew where it came from. I suspected that it contained poison, but the other one had the poison compartment already broken and the traces were too little to make any real tests or determinations on what it could be." Sam explained as the robotic arms tuned the small device around skilfully to record every detail of the device.
"Well, there should be plenty in there now for you to test." Haruka pointed out the obvious. "How did the other die and are you sure that it was due to the poison." Haruka asked to make sure that she got all the important information right.
"Unless Darth Vader is roaming the streets of outer London, I don't see how someone healthy in their early thirties could die of suffocation in the middle of the road while clutching their throat violently, if it had not been by a poison." Sam explained and Haruka looked at that little device a bit closer.
The amount of poison in there was miniscule, how could that set off such a reaction, she asked herself and made a mental note to not tell the others just yet.
"Can you engineer me an antidote?" Haruka asked Sam.
"If I can get the molecular structure of it, I suppose I can, but that is not happening by tomorrow." Sam replied realistically.
"Just be careful when you do all the analysis. It has an inbuilt GPS and voice tracker." Haruka pointed on the screen.
"Yea, amazing isn't it? I have not seen such small designs for that yet. Good thing we are too far underground and shielded for anyone to pick up any signals." Sam reminded Haruka reassuringly. "Speaking of shielded, when was the last time you had a good night's sleep? Your eyes look tired, even behind those fancy glasses." Sam noted.
"I have slept enough for the rest of the year if you ask me." Haruka just waved off nonchalant.
"That is why I am not asking you but I am asking your body. You cannot really make up for lost sleep or sleep in advance that much for you to avoid exhaustion." Sam replied stern.
"Says the one who stays for up days when she has a new puzzle to solve and then crashes for just as many." Haruka chuckled.
"See, I am speaking from experience. Anyway, whoever designed this had no good intentions, you need to stay vigilant and a tired mind makes mistakes. Go have a hot shower and a nap. I keep you updated with my progress even when you are not here." Sam insisted and led Haruka out of the laboratory, where Trevor was waiting for her but not alone.
A slender woman with long flowing dark auburn hair had joined him and was getting updated by Trevor.
"Welcome back Haruka." The women greeted Haruka with her trademark seductive smile.
"It is good to be back Belinda." Haruka greeted the other back and was hugged tightly.
"You have hardly changed." Belinda commented.
"As if you did in any way." Haruka replied with chuckle. "You still look the same way as the first time we've met." Haruka replied with a smirk.
"Oh, you charmer." Belinda pinched Haruka's cheek. "Just like your father." She added and Haruka grinned unashamedly.
"Have you eaten yet?" Belinda asked motherly and Haruka shook her head.
"Sam, I am taking baby Tenoh up for a snack before dinner upstairs. Don't join us too late ok?" Belinda informed the other blonde before she gave her a quick peck on the cheek.
"Yes dear. I will be right up as soon as I start a few tests on what Haruka has brought to us." Sam wrapped an arm around Belinda's waist and kissed the taller woman gently on the lips.
"Ok, don't be too long." Belinda reminded Sam again.
"Yea, well, if you get mad at me, you can let it out on your clients." Sam just chuckled
"Not the same." The auburn haired pouted before she wiggled free from the other's embrace.
"I will be upstairs in time for dinner. I promise." Sam agreed and Belinda smiled victoriously before she went ahead of Haruka and Trevor towards the elevator that would take them back above ground.
"Belinda, would it be ok if I borrow Joy later?" Haruka asked Belinda as they stood in the elevator.
"Why would you need Joy?" Belinda asked surprised.
"Well, she is still manning your phones, right? And what I need to get reassessed is something that I believe that no one else besides her can get done." Haruka explained.
"Sure, you can borrow her, but no turning that innocent soul naughty." Belinda reminded her.
"As if I would dare to touch your beloved daughter. After all, I know what her mothers can be like." Haruka chuckled.
They arrived on the second floor, where a maid had just finished setting up the afternoon tea.
Belinda sent Trevor off to take care of his usual duties and they sat down together at the table overlooking the inner garden.
The scenery was serene and if Haruka didn't know better, she would also think that all of Belinda's neighbours would be a very quiet bunch as well. But she knew better. All the other five houses that were in in the vicinity of the one that they were in belonged to Belinda as well and were managed by her under an iron grip. Something that happened here, stayed here.
"So tell me, what have you done with your leg." Belinda asked Haruka as Haruka rested her cane at the side of the table.
"I dinged it." Haruka repeated the explanation that she had already given Sam earlier while Belinda poured each of them a cup of tea.
"And I have a meeting with the Queen in five minutes." Belinda replied, with her heavy British accent emphasising her sarcasm. "That cane is not the best to use to relieve the pressure on a dinged leg." She added on a more serious note as the put the tea pot back down.
"I have decided to make it official." Haruka admitted parts of her plans out loud for the first time.
Belinda looked at her pensively before she proceeded to add milk to their teas.
"You know what that means, right? That is a double-edged sword you are playing with." Belinda eventually commented.
"That is also one of the reasons why I came here. My father has relied on your counsel and I want to do the same. I know you value loyalty above all else and so do I. You know everything about what is going on in the western hemisphere and Thomas is more than wrong to underestimate your true value. I value information, diplomacy and discretion more than brute force." Haruka explained.
Belinda reached for the cane and inspected it carefully.
"You know that the only way to get out of that circle is death." Belinda cautioned Haruka as she traced the silver handle that contained the familiar symbol of a falcon on the hunt with the Tenoh family seal right above it.
"And the only way to get in, is the right birth or the right recommendation. I have the first already, I just want the second to cement my claim for my father's seat at the table." Haruka explained. "You probably already know that I am the mediator, I am protected and it would be useful for me to stay in the loop besides what I hear from the council itself. They do have their set ways." Haruka elaborated and she buttered a warm scone.
"You have me here, if you ever needed to know something from this side of the world, and I hear you are held in high regards by the Myamoto's on the other side. If you wanted to be any more than that in the loop, you would be the loop." Belinda argued as she put the cane back and reached for her tea cup.
"I need access. Just hearing and deciding, isn't enough for me." Haruka replied.
"Access didn't protect your parents." Belinda reminded Haruka before she drank from her cup thoughtfully.
"I know." Haruka replied solemn.
"Ok, fine. You are of luck. The person that will recommend you will arrive here in half an hour for afternoon tea. I just go and get changed for that and when I get back, I want you to have finished those sandwiches, too. Maggie always puts so much effort into them and I would hate for them to go to waste." Belinda said before she got up and left Haruka behind to enjoy the afternoon tea on her own.
-Michiru-
Today they had a day off from work, and since she would not have a chance to roam Florence during the exhibition there since it was a one-day event, Michiru decided to go there now with Riko and Elsa.
Riko had organised them a helicopter to travel faster as well as safer and so they were all sitting in the small charter helicopter, looking down on the beautiful Italian landscapes.
Riko sat in the front with the pilot while Michiru and Elsa sat comfortably in the back. The pilot seemed to know Riko well and didn't say a word besides the usual safety instructions and cautions that were standard to be reiterated.
"This is so awesome" her companion exclaimed, underlining how Elsa was positively excited about this.
"Well, we worked hard, some fun is well deserved." Michiru laughed over the helicopter noise.
They arrived quickly and headed towards the inner city for some sightseeing and lunch.
In the afternoon they visited a traditional artisanal glass shop and were greeted by a dark haired and cleanly bearded man who wore his long hair in a ponytail.
"Riko!" He called out animated as soon as he spotted them coming through the door.
"Good to see you, too, Angelo." Riko smiled as they hugged.
"And who are these two beautiful ladies?" Angelo asked as he opened his arms to hug Elsa and Michiru as well.
"This is my niece Michiru and her friend Elsa." Riko explained.
"Uh huh, friend." Angelo chuckled. "It is nice to meet you two."
Michiru and Elsa returned the sentiment in kind and Angelo took them for a tour of his work shop.
"Do you like the glasses that I made for you?" he asked Riko as they walked to the back of the small gallery to the workshop.
"Hadn't had a chance to see them in person, but the pictures of them look fantastic." Riko commented. "I hope you two didn't have any 'discussions' in my absence." Riko added with a chuckle.
"No, no discussions." Angelo replied with a nervous laugh. "So, welcome to my little kingdom." Angelo addressed the whole group as they got to the workshop. "I have prepared something for you to play with. I thought since you're already here, you might want to make something small out of famous Florentine glass." Angelo grinned broad.
