Chapter 20

It was near midnight according to Kagome's watch. Lord Modo Kai was asleep in the corner. Kimora was snuggled into Kagome's chest. The room was dark, save for a little light seeping through the ripped newspaper covering the window from the streetlights. Kagome thought about Samara and Sesshomaru and hoped they were okay. It pained her not knowing if they were alright, or if they were worried with panic over their whereabouts. As strong as Sesshomaru appeared to be in front of everyone, she knew he harbored a very vulnerable side. Over the years, he depended on her emotionally, and needed her emotional strength to overcome many obstacles. He now had to rely on his own emotional strength for himself, Samara and his clan.

She prayed that Kimora would get out of this situation unharmed. Hearing footsteps by the door, she looked up and noticed a massive silhouette coming in. The large person in front of her stopped at the doorway, staring at her through a white mask.

"Sweet Kagome…" he said, tilting his head side to side. "You're still very beautiful."

"Please…" she whispered, not wanting to wake Kimora up. "Please tell me what you want." She couldn't stop the tears from running down her cheeks. "Just let my daughter go please."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." He said, walking quietly and slowly toward their cell. "You see, having your sweet little daughter here gives me more leverage. I need to ensure that he will come. I know he will regardless, but it doesn't hurt to have a wild card."

Kagome tried to stop herself from crying but looking down at her daughter, she just couldn't. She was so afraid. A parent's sole job is to protect their child and if she couldn't do that, she wouldn't be able to live with herself.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Do you remember my voice, Sweet Kagome?" he said.

Kagome tried, she really did but she couldn't. She hesitated for a bit, afraid she would anger him for not remembering. He gave an incredulous laugh.

"No…you don't. That's okay…it's been a really long time." He sighed, slowly pulling off his mask. He came into the light to reveal part of his face and she focused as hard as she could.

His rugged face was scarred up, like he got into many fights. His dark brown eyes met hers and she shook her head at him. He was very tall, and massively built, his shoulders were wide, and his biceps stretched the sleeve of his shirt. She was so annoyed with herself for not even having a clue and feared how detrimental it would be to the consequences of not knowing.

"I'm sorry…I really don't remember you."

He laughed again. "I suppose I look very different from the boyish lean appearance I once had. But I put all that modeling in the past. Wasn't in the cards for me I guess."

Kagome blinked a few times, searching her memory from what he said. Modeling? Whoever he was, he looked nothing like anyone she's met before. Sweet Kagome? Wait…

"Shinji?"

He smiled. "Remember when I warned you that the modeling world is rough? That people could be mean and spiteful?"

"I don't understand…" Kagome said.

"Of course you wouldn't…" he said, pacing quietly, with a limp, around the cell, his face would disappear into the darkness and reappear in the light. He paused in front of the cell, the light casting over his body. She could see him a lot more clearly. He didn't look as she remembered at all. The Shinji she knew was beautiful, his face was clean and smooth, and he was very lean and clean cut with his pastel crewnecks and slacks. This man in front of her was ripped, his muscles had muscles and his face was anything but smooth. If she saw him on the street, she would have just assumed he was a typical hoodlum up to no good.

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing happened to me." He said, through gritted teeth. "Because of him, nothing happened to me!"

Oh great, another person that felt wronged by Sesshomaru. Kagome tried to refrain from rolling her eyes.

"What has Sesshomaru done to you?"

"You must think I'm a lunatic for holding in this kind of resentment, but if you understood, my life would have been different if he weren't in the picture. I was supposed to be the male lover for Valentino and Marquis's project. You were supposed to be by my side in Italy, you should have ended up marrying me and having human children!"

"Uh…Shinji? We went on one date." Kagome said, and then wondered if that was the right call. Too late now. "I'd say that statement is a little presumptuous."

"Sesshomaru never had any interest in modeling. He never had any interest in you either. It was just a challenge for him. He needs to get his way all the time. It was never his lifelong dream! It was my dream and he took it, because he's entitled, he could have anything he wanted even if he didn't want it. Why didn't you stay with me after he abandoned you in Italy? I was there for you!"

"Shinji, I'm sorry…I just didn't have feelings for you."

"No! You did! It was just because of him!"

Oh my god, Kagome thought. Her capturers were a conglomeration of rejects hell bent to place blame on Sesshomaru for the series of unfortunate events that has become their lives. Shinji was basically having a bad case of the 'Mantrums' but she wasn't going to say that. She had to think wisely, for Kimora's safety was in her hands.

"Shinji…" she started but he interrupted her.

"After you chose him, my life just ended, with everything. I didn't get any more calls for modeling. I lost my condo, my car. I got into massive debt that I had to become a server out in Chinatown just to pay my rent. I was mugged three times in the same month walking the streets late at night from a night shift, so I joined the Angelos for protection. I kept to myself, worked my way up the chain of command and when the last Archangel before me passed, I took over and led them down a different path. A path more righteous than just robbing cars and recruiting 13 year olds to steal from small Chinatown businesses. No, we had a goal. It was time to take down the demons. It's in the bible." He laughed. "And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever….. Revelation 20:10" Shinji smiled. "It is up to the Angelos, to restore the world from its impurities and cast the demons back to where they belong."

Oh man, he has lost his mind, Kagome thought. "Shinji, you speak of the demons being monsters but I've heard of the cases against the Angelos, they are anything but pure. They murder, they kill innocent people, kids, both human and demons. You are not doing any good. I sympathize that life hasn't been kind to you, but in the end, we are the ones in control. Placing blame on others will only keep you in the hole you're digging for yourself. You're becoming the monster you think he is and I can assure you, he is not a monster."

Shinji growled. "You're under his mind control. He's turned you into his little demon minion. You are human, don't you remember that? You're not one of them and you never will be. I don't care if your DNA changed in some way because of your daughters, you are not a demon! You need to wake up, and choose me! Choose humanity!"

"How do you know my DNA changed?"

"I kept tabs on your visits with Dr. Paulovich, I feared you were with child again with that abomination. How heartbroken I was to find out you became tainted with his blood, much worse than harboring a demon offspring."

Kimora shifted around, murmuring under her breath. Shinji peered down at her, his lips curled in disgust.

"Shinji, she's just a kid." Kagome pleaded.

"She's a demon, Kagome. They're all the same."

"If you feel that way, why are you working with Yura and Shurran."

"Sometimes to reach a goal, you have to make exceptions to get quicker results. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get close to him unless I had demon accomplices. Hiten and Yura's restaurant was struggling, I saw an opportunity to partner up, save their business and turn it to Halo, a demon club. It was perfect. I had many demons at my disposal, it was only a matter of time that I would come across someone that was close to the all mighty Lord Sesshomaru. And then it did, enter Naraku Onigumo. His lecherous and over privileged slivered in with his bad intentions, preying on vulnerable human women. I figured if I killed Mr. Onigumo, he would comply and leave you but no, killing his best friend didn't affect him at all, you know why? Because he's a cold hearted, ruthless monster. His heart is black and empty."

Kagome shook her head. She knew Sesshomaru better than anyone. Sure he could be hard to read at times but he wasn't as cold as everyone thought he was. Naraku's death affected him deeply. He just didn't show that side to anyone. No one could ever convince her against that.

"You're sick. You need help."

Shinji just ignored her as he limped back and forth alongside the cell, continuing his long overdue monologue.

"Yura was hard to convince." He continued. "She really does care for you. But once I threatened to pull out of the business, the only income she and Hiten depended on, their business would plummet. They came from wealth, you know, but once Sesshomaru sentenced their father to prison along with this heathen Lord Modo Kai, well, it didn't take much convincing to get them on board to take him down. Did you know Sesshomaru sentenced their father to life in prison? Did you know Sesshomaru had Shurran's father executed? Do you even know what this man is capable of? He doesn't care, Kagome. It's all just a power trip for him. He does it because he can and he must be stopped!"

Sesshomaru never really spoke about work. She had no idea who and why he sentenced to jail but one thing she was very positive about, he did it with a good conscious and those who were sentenced deserved it.

"If you aren't going to offer some type of negotiating where it includes the safety of my daughter, then you can just limp right out of here and mull over life's woes like the immature man that you are."

"Not very nice to poke fun at someone's disability…your perfect husband's doing. Lousy shot, he is."

"Sesshomaru shot you?"

"I really didn't want it to come to this, my sweet Kagome. I was trying to get him out of the picture in Austria, a normal person would die after their car nose dived off a bridge but no, not him. He just had to make things complicated."

The thought of Sesshomaru in that kind of accident made her cringe. What he held back from her to protect her, the children. How wounded he must have been and she had no clue. She was too busy threatening him with divorce and causing him more grief.

"So now what?" Kagome asked, looking down at Kimora and glancing over at Lord Modo Kai.

"Well, Shurran, Yura and Hiten have their own agenda." Shinji shrugged. "I don't want a lot. Just you. Initially what I was hoping was you and him would get divorced, and he would take the kids because demons need to be with their kind, and you would be alone…and I'd come to save you from that loneliness and you and I will be happily together, like a fairytale." He winked.

Kagome tried to contain a grimace forming. She cleared her throat and looked away.

"I'm really not that much of a monster." He continued. "Yes, I tried to kill him, but when I realized it wouldn't be that easy, I started the threats to keep him from you in hopes you would end it. When you didn't…" he glowered. "I told Yura to set up a little outing so I can get my hands on you. I didn't know your daughter would be involved. Again, I just wanted you. I don't care about him anymore. Shurran and Hiten can have him. If you agree to come with me, I'll let your daughter go, how's that for negotiating?"

Kagome thought about it but at the same time, she just couldn't trust him. She needed to buy time while she figured out how they could get out. As she held Kimora in her arms, she couldn't help compare her small frame to the width of the bars.

"Archangel," a man walked in, wearing a white mask. "Shurran, Hiten and the others are ready to head to the DDC. The sentry is very light given they are all at the manor protecting the clans. Now is the time to head there. Are you coming?"

"Kagome? What is your answer?" Shinji ignored him.

"I…I need time to think this through" She said. "You're giving an ultimatum where I may never see my daughters again. That…requires time."

Shinji's face twitched. "Fine."

He turned on his heel and walked over to the man. He leaned in to whisper but thanks to Kagome's sensitive senses, she was able to hear him.

"The gasoline is out on the fire escape. If we are not back by sunrise, burn the place down…with them in it."

Shinji turned around to face Kagome. "If I can't have you…no one can. Have your answer by sunrise."

He said and left. The other man walked passed the cell toward the end of the room. There was a door that she didn't see before because it was covered in newspaper. He opened it and pulled two jug heads of gasoline inside. When he set it down, the loud thump awoke Kimora.

"Mommy…" she said, quietly. Looking around for a moment in confusion, then recalling where they were. "Mom, what are we going to do?"

"Shh…" she said, waiting for the guy to leave. Once he did, he closed the door and she heard him lock it.

Lord Modo Kai whimpered as he turned around in his sleep. When he did, blood poured out of the side of his head. Kimora searched the inside pocket of her school blazer. Their capturers had taken their bags but didn't search her completely. She pulled out a small jar of lip balm and a pack of gum.

"The gum will help with the dehydration." She handed one to her mother and put one into her mouth. She grabbed her mother's bloody cardigan beside Lord Modo Kai and pressed it against the cut on his forehead. "It's not too deep but we need to get the bleeding to stop. The wax from the lip balm will help a little. Mom, what's the plan?"

Kagome was in tears as she looked at Kimora with proud eyes. The bravery, the intellect, the patience. She definitely didn't have any of that when she was ten.

She watched as Kimora grabbed a clump of lip balm into her fingertip and pressed it against Lord Modo Kai's forehead. He opened his eyes and forced a smile.

"Kimora, you think you can squeeze through these bars?"

Kimora snorted. "I'm not that skinny, mom. My body can probably go through, but not this cranium of mine."

"What if we put lip balm around your face to lubricate and maybe you can squeeze through? There is a fire escape in that corner of the room, you can get out and go get help."

"Oh, you're serious? I'm not leaving you." Kimora looked at the bars and shook her head.

"Kimora, we don't have a lot of time and we don't have a lot of options. I definitely won't fit."

"I don't know, mom. What if I get stuck?"

"Maybe go in legs first?"

Kimora studied the bars. "I don't know…"

"Listen," Kagome whispered tersely. "When you get out, try and look at the cross streets and run as fast as you can. Do not, I repeat, do not come back for me. You go and find a cop, not just any person, and call your father."

"Mom…" Kimora's voice wavered. "I just can't leave you alone."

"You need to, please. You'll understand when you're a mom one day. I need you to be okay, that is the only thing that matters."

Kimora pouted her lips as tears ran down her cheek.

"Listen to me, I am so proud of you. You are so brave. I love you very much, always remember that."

"Mom, why are you talking like I won't ever see you again?"

"Tomorrow is never promised, Kimmy. You must remember that when you part ways from loved ones. But we will see each other again," Kagome forced out, trying to keep positive herself.

Kimora forced a smile. "You will see me again, mom, that's a promise."

They both hugged each other and took deep breaths. Kagome grabbed some of the lip balm and rubbed it on the side of Kimora's face and ears. She tied Kimora's hair into a long pony tail and removed her blazer. Kimora bent down, looked over at her mother and Lord Modo Kai, who was now awake and wondering what the hell was going on.

Taking a deep breath, Kimora placed her hands on the two bars and gently pushed her head. Kagome was beside her, looking over to see if it would work. Her head slightly went through and it stopped at her cheekbones.

"You just had to take after me with those mean apples, huh?" Kagome added and Kimora giggled.

"Mom, don't make me laugh."

"Sorry…if you can't push through, just stop."

"No." Kimora said, determined as she kept pushing. The bars were crushing her cheeks and jaw. Her skin pulled back, her teeth peered out as she continued to push through, ignoring the pressure her jaw was feeling. The lip balm helped a lot, she could feel her skin gliding through with more ease.

"I think it's working." Kimora said, still pushing through. The bars made it past her cheeks, now she felt it pull at her ears as she continued with force. The bar caught at her cartilage and it started to hurt. Kagome could see the struggle and tried to help press her ear down with more lip balm. Fighting through the pain, she gave it another force and her head popped on the other side. For a moment, she panicked when her shoulders couldn't go through.

"Wait, turn on your side. I'm going to tilt you over and slide you through, just take more deep breaths. You're almost there."

"Ok..." Kimora tried to sound calm. As soon as her mother tilted her, she felt her body slid out with more ease. "Oh my god, it's working." She added as her hips slipped through and finally her legs. She was out of the cell. She scrambled to her feet and looked back at her mother and Lord Modo Kai.

"We did it." Kimora squealed quietly.

"Good girl." Kagome said and pointed to the corner of the room. "There is a door over there, under the newspaper. I saw him open it earlier. Just go down the fire escape."

Kimora abided her mother's instructions and followed that direction. She felt the wall of newspapers and could see out into the street through the windows. She spotted the door knob and opened the door. She looked out into the fire escape and scanned the area.

"There's a park across the street." She whispered.

"Battery park." Kagome whispered back. "We are not that far from Governor's Island. Follow the path of the park but don't go inside the park now. It's too dangerous. Stay on the street. Follow that to the ferry, they usually have NYPD trailers nearby. Find a cop. Have them call your father and tell them where we are."

"Ok…" Kimora said, shooting one last look at her mother. She took a deep breath and closed the door behind her.

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It's not that she didn't want to listen to her mother. She just had to know what they were up against. She got on all fours and crawled the sides of the fire escape to stay clear of the windows she passed. She stopped to peek through each one, taking note of how many of their capturers were in the building. She didn't see Shurran or Yura anywhere. Just a bunch of men in white masks. She counted five in one room, two in another. She reached the second level but it was dark, quiet and didn't seem occupied at all. Reaching to the first level, she stopped and held her breath, hoping the two men who just walked out of the building didn't look up.

"I don't know, man. This is some serious mission. You think they're going to be able to release all those prisoners? I don't trust the demons, man. I think they're using us. Once they free their demon pals from the DDC they won't need us anymore. I'm telling you, Archangel shouldn't have made a deal with the devil, I mean, literally, he's made a deal with this demon bitch."

"Look, I don't care that they're trying to overrule the General with this Jade Order business. They promised us the money and that's all we care about. Archangel just wants that woman upstairs, I don't really see the big deal. She's alright."

"Well, hopefully they succeed because if he doesn't, we'll have to burn this place down with that lady and her daughter up there, and we will get nothing out of this. It will all be a waste of time…and then we will have to watch our backs for the rest of our lives. I heard about this Lord Sesshomaru…he's ruthless. They all fear him."

"Whatever, I'm going to get something to eat. It's almost 1am. You want anything?"

"Nah, man I'm good." The other replied. The other guy got on his motorcycle and drove away. Kimora studied the man below her, he was heavily build, ginger hair with a tattoo on his forearm. The sword impaling the moon, just like she'd envisioned. The ginger pulled out a cigarette, lit it and took a few pulls. "Fuck…" he said, taking one final pull of his cigarette and going back inside.

Kimora didn't waste any more time. She released the latch holding the ladder and letting it fall down slowly. She winced every time the rusty bars creaked. Finally, when the latter reached its end, she made her way down and jumped onto the sidewalk.

She looked back up to the third floor of the building and scanned the building for a number. Quickly scoping the crossing street signs, she made a mental note. 750 Battery place. She ran across the street and took off down the block beside the park.

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Inutaisho, Saya, Sasuke and a few other elders were in the Great room. All of the clans had settled into other rooms. Lady Luciana and Lord Hideko sat at a round table drinking tea with Lord Tsuyoi and Lady Ariana.

"Saya, please…anything will help." Inutaisho said. "I know you're ashamed of the past but I also know how far you've come to redeem yourself."

Saya lowered her head. "I told you everything. I really don't know anything else. Everyone went their separate ways when Tsuyoko was executed. Once Sesshomaru took reign of your clan, everyone I knew either was incarcerated or just simply vanished."

"What was your motive back then? Could they be trying to carry out your legacy?"

Saya shrugged. "My only goal was to have Sesshomaru lead our clan to follow old traditions. I did come across a few people, Tsuyoko included, with goals to dethrone you. I never pushed for murder or anything of that sort. I don't care if you don't believe me."

"I believe you, Saya." Inutaisho said. "I would never have married someone I thought could possess that trait."

"There are about a thousand Jade Order members in the registry." Sasuke tapped away at his laptop. "Over five hundred members denounced its loyalty to follow Sesshomaru. The other 400 or so…are in DDC custody on Governor's Island. If there were any left, at least according to the registry, we are talking about less than 5 members. They are a powerless clan."

"They probably sought out the Angelos because of that." Inutaisho added. "They needed the manpower."

Saya nodded and then frowned. "I do remember something. 'Everything in darkness soon comes into light. The Jade Order will survive and one day reunite. Shurran told me that once the last time I saw her. What if there's more than one motive here? What if kidnapping Lord Modo Kai, Kagome and Kimora was a ploy to get all of the clans together."

"For what?" Sasuke asked.

"An attack?" Saya shrugged and waved her hands taking a wild guess.

"That's just silly." Inutaisho scoffed. "Who would be dumb enough to come and attack a heavily guarded manor of elite clan members?"

Saya's eyes widened. "It's a decoy. They're going to the DDC. They know that during a state of emergency, our tactic is to unite the clans under one roof and use up 95% of our sentry to protect the clans' royals'. The DDC is now vulnerable, we have the bare minimum of manpower. I think they're going to break out the rest of the members."

Inutaisho ran his fingers through his hair. "I just sent our son right into an ambush! Mudama!"

The tall, barrel chested guard appeared within a second, standing erect with his head straight. "Sir?"

"We need to send men back to the DDC."

"Sir, the laws state the men have to stay here and guard the royals?"

"and the leader of these royals, is unguarded! Screw the laws! Sesshomaru and Koga are by themselves. How many men do you have patrolling the DDC at this moment?"

Mudama hesitated and bowed his head, shamefully. "Twenty men."

"We have twenty men guarding the treasury and penitentiary?"

"I assure you these are my strongest men." Mudama uttered forcefully.

"How many do we have here?" Inutaisho sighed.

"Two hundred and fifty in house, one hundred and fifteen out, fifty watching the north bridge, seventy on south. I also have five snipers on each of the four towers surrounding the manor, sir."

Inutaisho sighed. "I'm going in. Give me a hundred men."

"You can't." Saya stepped forward. "You have to be here, in case…" she stopped.

"Saya, I have to go. Our son is alone."

"Sir…" Mudama tried to contest.

"Haji," Inutaisho ordered, ignoring Mudama. "Bring me gear. We are heading to the DDC now. I want a hundred men within the next ten minutes, get the vans ready."

"I'm going with you, sir." Sasuke took a step forward and bowed. "I wish to be of help."

Han Hideko snapped his neck and took a step toward Sasuke. He pressed his hand up to stop him.

"It is my honor to fight by your side." Sasuke added, ignoring the glares from his father.

"Noble sir." Inutaisho bowed back. "Thank you."

"I'm going with you too." Said a voice he had not expected. He looked up at Lady Ariyana. "You weren't the only one who had special training. I recall doing a nice number on you when we were fifteen."

Lady Ariyana served at the DDC and retired as Inutaisho's lieutenant. She was also one hell of a sniper.

He sighed. "Ariyana, your tribe needs you here."

"They will be fine. Don't let these wrinkles fool you, I can still straight shoot three thousand meters away in my sleep."

He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere with her so he acceded and continued giving orders to Mudama.

Samara and Arahim were watching the whole thing from the hallway. Samara turned on her heels toward the entrance but Arahim grabbed her arm.

"Samara…what are you doing?"

"My father's in trouble. I'm not going to just wait here feeling useless."

"Samara…that's just insane."

"Why?"

"Because you're ten years old?" he scoffed.

"Really? That's your reasoning?" she rolled her eyes.

"I'd say that statement was justifiable." Arahim threw his hands into the air.

"Arahim, we are not just your average ten year olds. We've trained for this since we were five."

"Samara…please?" he grabbed her arm.

"Arahim, either you come with me or get out of my way, please and thank you." She said, sticking her nose up in the air as she tugged her arm away from him.

"Oh my god…" he sighed as he watched her sneak out the side of the entrance. He lowered his head and started to follow her. "This is not a good idea."

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Author's note:

Thanks again for your patience. As I've mentioned, trying to get this long overdue story finished.

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