Spy Beat: The Magnificent Espionage Challenge

by Vivian Verbose

A botched kidnapping has landed Kyoko in the most brilliant undercover spy network that Japan has never known. The LME unit can be anyone, anywhere – all with a little make-up and brilliant acting. Kyoko is faced with a choice: use her new skills to get revenge on a certain billionaire hotel heir or join forces with LME's best agent, Tsuruga Ren, to save all of Japan. AU COMPLETE

48. Last Time on SPY BEAT

Hello loyal readers,

How many years has it been? Between working on the COVID front-lines in the emergency room to becoming pregnant to becoming a mom, the years have flown by. I have had "Edit and submit Chapter 48" on my To Do list for YEARS. In truth, Chapter 48 had been mostly written around 2 years ago, but somehow, I just wasn't satisfied with the 3rd or 4th or 5th iteration of it. Eventually, the busyness of life flooded out all my writing.

I would like to thank you, loyal readers, for hanging in there - and we've gained a few since then! Several months ago, I read a new comment that mentioned this fic was "on hiatus". I thought to myself, "Silly reader, this fic isn't on hiatus!" Then I saw my last posting date and immediately had to admit, "This fic is on hiatus." That was a depressing thought.

But no more! I have a Chapter 48 in the wings and an epilogue in the works that I'm planning to post over the next few weeks. No more years-long wait! Promise!

But since so much time has passed since I've posted the beginning, I figured most of you wouldn't want to go back and re-read everything. I've compiled a Recap Chapter of the most important plot points, so you can be refreshed to read the end of this behemoth of a story! Or you can go back and read from the beginning! Up to you!

Much love! I'm back from the dead!

-x-

Last Time on SPY BEAT:

"The FBI of Japan is a wolf with no teeth," the public often said about the Public Security Intelligence Agency. After World War II, anti-military sentiment and a popular demand for governmental accountability emasculated the then newly-formed PSIA. Eventually, Japanese civilians began to pride themselves in the idea that Japan was the only prominent first-world nation with no need for the dirty subterfuge of an intelligence bureau.

Therefore, fifteen stories below the gently sloping hills and meandering, manicured forest of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, the headquarters of the LME unit was a well-kept secret.

Due to its secrecy, as well as the high cost of real estate within the greater Tokyo area, when the PSIA Director-General commissioned Lory Takarada to form an elite undercover spy unit, the decision was made to build downward.

However, hiding out of sight was not exactly Takarada's style. His professional belief and the modus operandi of the LME unit was that hiding in plain sight with a flashy disguise was the best way to hide. People often remembered the flashy disguise – not the men and women underneath.

-x-

Mitaka, Japan

"Not …so fast…"

Both agents whirled around. The would-be kidnapper was rising shakily to his feet, gun in hand. The partners raised their hands slowly and backed away.

Agent T muttered to Agent M, "You didn't search him for weapons and tie him up?"

M mumbled back, "I was about to, but then Mimori and that stupid Sho burst in–"

Their backs hit the wall of the bedroom. Agent M was closest to the door, and she felt something small and plastic digging into her back. She made brief eye contact with Agent T, and he gave her a nearly imperceptible nod.

The masked man was continuing forward unsteadily, night vision goggles perched crookedly on his nose, his gun shifting between the two agents.

"Now! You are going to give me the Nanokura girl and let us leave, and I won't have to kill anyone…"

Agent T waited until the man's gun was pointed at him, then tapped his foot on the ground. At his cue, Agent M flicked on the light switch as she dove to the floor.

Blinded by the sudden light, especially with the night vision goggles, the assailant yelled and shot twice in the taller operative's direction. Distracted by his burning retinas, the masked man failed to see the fist that made hard contact with his nose, adding to his facial fracture count and knocking him out cold.

-x-

Somewhere in a Tokyo back alley

Even though every rational thought told Kijima that he had the upper hand as he passed the kidnapper over to the PSIA interrogation team, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

The captured man slurred, "Scum? Me?! YOU all are the real scum – the obedient dogs who lick the feet of your government masters!"

"Oh yeah?" Kijima called back. The PSIA agents paused from stuffing their prisoner into the back seat of their vehicle. "Who's your master then, you bottom-feeder lackey?"

For a moment, the man was silent, but Kijima could see him moving his mouth. Gooseflesh popped out over Kijima's arms, and his body automatically shifted to lower his center of gravity. Itsumi, picking up on the tense atmosphere, took a step back and slid one hand toward her weapon's holster.

"Tell Lory Takarada," the man mumbled smugly, "that Delta says hello."

He bit down on something in his mouth.

A fiery explosion rocked the dark, Tokyo morning.

-x-

The intermittent sizzle of static echoed through the large, dark room. The only source of light was the flickering TV screen situated in front of two men.

"SIGNAL LOST" flashed in a muted red in the upper left corner of the screen.

The two men, who had been watching the screen intently only moments before, now sat back in their tall black chairs. One man glanced at the other, who was still staring fixedly at the screen before them. His stare was unwavering, but his fingers came up to steeple together, his mind obviously deep in thought.

"So? We lost Upsilon. What now?" The first man asked impatiently, running a hand through curly brown-blonde hair.

His dark-haired companion continued to stare at the screen. As he finally turned, glasses glinted on his nose in the screen's flickering light.

"It is a sad reality that every just cause requires a few martyrs," the dark-haired man murmured.

The first man seemed put-off. He growled, "Was Upsilon's sacrifice within your predictions? It looks like Takarada has acquired more talent than we calculated."

"Worry not, old friend. Today was merely a declaration." Under his glasses, a cold smile slid over the other man's face. "A declaration of war."

With that, he reached forward and clicked off the television, enveloping the room in darkness.

-x-

One and a half years prior, Fuwa mansion

"Kyoko means nothing to me. Why do you think I asked her to cover for you today? If she were snatched, no one would care about such a plain, boring girl…"

The kidnappers weren't there for Sho… They were there for Mimori. And Sho had asked her to pretend to be Mimori during dinner…

Her prince, her fairytale, everything she had hoped and sacrificed for... were a lie. Useless. Worthless.

Something inside Kyoko snapped.

"SHOTAROOOO!" Without hesitation, the infuriated young woman threw open the door with a loud metal bang.

Sho had one arm slung carelessly around Mimori's head, pulling her to his chest. At the interruption, Mimori jerked her head away in surprise. Sho's eyes widened.

"Kyoko?!"

"You… You liar!" Absolutely livid, Kyoko stood in the doorway, her kimono ripped and disheveled. Her black wig was a messy halo framing the pure fury on her face. "You used me! You knew I loved you! And you told me–"

Sho quickly glanced down at Mimori, then sneered at his childhood friend. "Well, it's not my fault. Who told you to go fall in love with me? No one asked you to be so damn gullible."

"…Gullible…?" Kyoko dropped her head, trembling.

Seeing her apparently wounded, the proud heir scoffed, "What? Are you going to cry now? Geez, how annoying–"

Shocked, Sho stepped back. Mimori whimpered as a cold, unearthly pall swirled about the small room.

"What an absolute fool I was…" Wiping a mirthful tear from her eye, Kyoko lips twisted into a sadistic smile. Her head slowly rose. "But you were merely taking advantage of my affection… Playing around with my life…"

Sho took an uncertain step back.

"Prepare yourself, Fuwa Shotaro!" The golden-eyed fury declared brazenly and placed a hand on her chest. The hair of her dark wig swirled behind her, driven by some unknown, evil current.

"I am going to get revenge on you!"

Shocked, Sho hesitated a moment, trying to process. Then, per usual, he buried his apprehension in cockiness and smirked. "How do you think you're going to do that, you stupid girl? I'm untouchable! I'm rich and powerful – and you're nothing, a nobody!"

Kyoko opened her mouth to retort.

What she failed to notice were Mimori's eyes widening in terror, then Sho's horrified look as his mouth gaped open. But she did notice a large, black-gloved hand had appeared on her right, and oh, there was another one on her left. The arms connected to someone behind her… Kyoko made to turn around.

"Who–?"

The large hands snatched Kyoko, and in an instant, swept her into the darkness behind. She never even had time to scream.

-x-

One and a half years prior, LME HQ

"There's no use hiding it from us, Nanokura-san," Agent T said evenly. His smile grew brighter and his grip strength only increased when Kyoko tried to wrestle her wrist from his grasp. "You are the daughter of Nanokura Daiichi, famous gravure idol, and fiancé of Fuwa Shotaro, are you not?"

Until his last statement, Kyoko had been contemplating biting the man's hand. However, upon hearing Sho's name, she immediately lashed back.

"HAH!" Kyoko snarled, "As if anyone would want to marry that jerk! His only useful function in life would be to serve as my throw rug, so every day for the rest of my life, I could walk all over his smug, lying, self-absorbed face!"

Taken aback by her ferocity, Agent T's smile slid neatly off his face.

To drive her point home, Kyoko used her free hand to wrench the long, black wig from her head, tearing out the many clips that had been holding it in place.

"My name is Mogami Kyoko, not Nanokura Mimori–!" For emphasis, she hurled the wig to the floor. Her glare pierced the man in front of her. "And one day, I will get revenge on Fuwa Sho – even if it's the last thing I do!"

-x-

Prime Minister Ogata's Birthday Gala

"I can't believe you fell in love..."

As much as Ren hated to admit that anything Fuwa said was correct, his hammering, panicky heartbeat agreed fully. Never had Ren run so fast in his life as he dashed through the empty halls of the Kantei.

Five minutes of him frantically searching for Kyoko. Two minutes since Yashiro had broken radio silence, informing him of Kyoko's dangerous predicament. The longest one hundred and twenty seconds of his life.

But Ren knew that this feeling, this fear hanging heavily on his chest, was a liability. Already, he'd broken cover, bumping into more than one of the PM's birthday guests. His mission to guard the PM and to patrol the Grand Hall was in jeopardy.

All because he loved her.

Ren knew that if he continued in this way, sloppy with uncontrollable emotion, he would never return to America. Rick's killer would never be brought to justice. And Ren would never get his revenge.

And that would not do.

-x-

"What am I doing here?" Clutching the red handprint on his cheek, Sho stumbled to his feet. "I'm saving your ass, that's what! Who is this creep?"

The poisoning Delta agent! Kyoko whipped around to see a huddled mass on the floor. The man's silver hair hung down around his face as he bent, doubled over and clutching his stomach.

"Hm." Kyoko raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "So you actually did learn something from those self-defense classes your father put you through."

"What!" Sho ground out, "Is that all the thanks I get after saving you from this pervert?"

Livid, Kyoko whirled on him and swept a hand through the air for emphasis. "I will never thank you. As long as I live, I live to bring you kicking and screaming down to the depths of Hell along with me! All your hopes and dreams in this life are mine to destroy!"

"Hmm? It turns out you're not such a boring little girl after all."

The two whipped around. Having straightened up while they bickered, the silver-haired man was reclining against the conference room's wall. He was still breathing heavily, but he smiled at Kyoko, a cold and cruel smirk. To her shame, her body instinctively took a small step back.

"Your aura is so deliciously dark and thick with rage," the trained assassin murmured sensuously as he used the wall to stand to his feet. "The name is Reino. It's a pleasure to meet you."

-x-

"While you were busy running around," the Fuwa bastard crooned smugly, "who do you think saved her from the hand of the devil, huh?"

Kyoko was silent, unable to refute the truth of the situation. She looked up at Ren with wide, fearful eyes. She reached a hand out. "T-san… I—"

Ren whipped back around, out the door.

"Back in character," Agent T ordered coldly without turning around. "And stay here. I… need to be alone for a while…"

He stayed fixed forward, head bowed. He didn't want her to see the ugly jealousy mingled with self-loathing written plainly across his face.

However, as Ren turned to walk down the hall, one of the doors closest to the elevator opened and five or six men in suits walked out and toward the elevator.

Then two more occupants emerged from the room. One was a man of average build with wire-rimmed glasses and a small widow's peak beneath his black, slicked-back hair. He held the door open.

A middle-aged woman stepped through the threshold into the hallway. The first thing Ren noted about her was that, objectively, she was quite attractive. Except… the strict way she held herself, the severe black bun pulled up without a single stray hair, and the coldness in her eyes – Ren felt himself unconsciously stiffen under her scrutinizing gaze.

Though the woman's face remained smooth and impassive, Ren had a feeling that she did not like what she was seeing.

Then her gaze shifted behind him. Immediately, her brow creased down the center, forming a deep furrow. Displeasure radiated from her face, and she turned away, walking briskly next to her companion to the awaiting elevator.

Only once she was in the elevator and the doors began to close did the woman look up again. Her stare was unwavering, the frown still etched deeply onto her brow.

The doors closed and the elevator car began to descend.

Ren heard a small, broken whimper from behind him.

"O…Okaa-san…?"

-x-

"I got ignored again…" Kyoko stated in a too-wistful voice as she tried to look up. Her short laugh was thin with broken irony, and her plastered-on smile twisted into a grimace. "I had hoped after so many years… maybe she… might…"

Kyoko's voice faded. Pinpricks of tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as her hands dropped to clutch the front of her dress, her knuckles a deathly white.

"Corn! Today, Okaa-san…" The broken weeping of a small girl by a stream echoed through Ren's memories. His resolve melted.

Without thinking, he rose and swiftly pulled Kyoko in a hug.

The shock must have propelled Kyoko over her emotional edge, and the tears came.

The normally reserved young woman muffled her loud, choking sobs in the front of Ren's suit jacket. To his surprise, she didn't try to push him away, but instead clung to him desperately, her hands fisted tightly in his lapels. He felt her body shaking violently with the force of her cries.

It was in that moment, as he felt his hands curl protectively around her small shoulders, that Ren knew. He loved this woman, and even with all the logic in the world, he could not will himself to stop loving her.

But Ren also knew that at the end of the day, he could only choose one: his revenge or Kyoko. Having both was not an option.

And he knew that if she ever got close enough to see the darkness in his past, in his heart— he would never have her at all.

-x-

LME HQ, the next day

"Have any of Tsuruga-san's previous partners had any…" Kyoko paused, searching for the right word as the three exited the elevator. "…problems with him?"

"Hm… Not really." Yashiro stopped to think just outside the elevator. "Well, I suppose there is the occasional female operative who has difficulty separating Ren's romantic acting from his actual feelings—"

"Yeah! Those creepy women need to get a grip," Maria chimed in, small arms crossed over her chest. "Especially, that one lady who…"

Kyoko was no longer listening to her two companions as the duo continued down the hall without her. Her open hand unconsciously found its way to her chest, over her heart. A breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, finally escaped.

The young woman smiled. She was safe.

'So it's normal...' Kyoko mused to herself with a small shake of her head. 'What a scary, masterful actor. I had decided never to let my pulse race over a man ever again…'

-x-

"That guy – Tsuruga Ren, was it?" Sho sneered down at Kyoko. "Eats little ugly, boring girls like you like bite-sized appetizers. He doesn't take you seriously – as his partner or as a woman!"

"That my respected senpai does not consider me an equal in the field," Kyoko growled, "I don't need to be hearing from the likes of you! Let alone the fact that he has no romantic interest in me at all—!"

"Hah!" Sho crossed his arms and leaned toward her, trying to intimidate the auburn-haired woman with his height. "Like I'm supposed to believe you're not going to fall for his stupid harem-recruiting tricks."

"Are you calling me an idiot?" Kyoko snapped back, her voice rising. "Or perhaps you're calling me insane? What kind of sane person repeats the same mistakes and expects a better result?"

"You know, Kyoko." Sho grinned. "There's a saying in English – 'Fool you once, shame on me; fool you twice, shame on you–.'"

"So if I get fooled again, the blame will be on me?" The young woman's eyes sparked with righteous fury. "If that's the case, and if god-forbid, some day I become such a fool, I'll… I'll go back and work as a maid in your father's house again!"

-x-

LME HQ, Basement

"Are you ready?" Agent T asked and offered her an earpiece while screwing his own into one ear. Kyoko knew that the President would be in the next room to give question prompts and orders if necessary. "You've never conducted an interrogation before, right?"

The auburn-haired woman stuck the piece into her ear, ensuring it was firmly fixed by giving her head a slight shake. "No. Have you?"

She glanced up when Ren took a heartbeat too long to answer. Kyoko was just in time to see him clear a frown from his face.

Her senpai looked down at her and quirked a very even, calculated smile. "Well… Let's just see how it goes."

-x-

"A fairy-?" Reino almost yelped. "More like a devil! That rock is basically a curse. Its former owner has imbued it with so much sorrow and hatred. You could almost say that the former owner himself was cursed! Cursed to be trapped as a helpless, useless shadow. A walking embodiment of misfortune for all whom he loved–"

A flesh-colored blur cut swiftly through the air. Kyoko jolted back on instinct as Ren's hand shot forward.

The normally composed agent fisted the front of Reino's crumpled dress shirt so tightly that the collar of the shirt gathered together to choke the assassin. Kyoko watched in alarm as Ren's knuckles whitened along with Reino's already pale face.

"T-T-san!" She yelped in a panic.

"Enough." Ren's voice was hard, laced with anger. His eyes narrowed. Fueling Kyoko's growing fright, she noticed that he didn't bother to hide his emotions. Was this an act?

"Ren," barked the President via earpiece. "Let him go. This is not how the LME unit conducts its business. Mogami-kun will take over for now."

Ignoring Kyoko's confusion and concern, Ren avoided her eyes as he let go of Reino's shirtfront. Although Agent T attempted to hide it, Kyoko's sharp eyes noted that her partner's hand was trembling slightly. He stood from the chair and retreated to a back corner of the room.

"Reino," Kyoko started, trying to sound less hesitant than she felt. "What is Delta?"

"Delta," the shaken poison-expert said, trying to straighten his shirt with unsteady hands, "is not so much a 'what' as a 'who.' The leader. No one really knows who he is – just a handful of stories. Most of us were just going about our daily lives when we got an invitation to join him."

"'We?'"

Reino shrugged, gradually regaining his disinterested affect. "Just your average rag-tag band of mercenaries, smugglers, assassins, hackers – the usual."

At a prompt from the President, Kyoko asked, "What does he want?"

Reino paused, thinking. "Why do you think the boss's tag is 'delta'? It's not alpha or even beta. The symbol for delta–" He traced a triangle on the metal table in front of him. "—is often used in chemistry for 'change'. And that's what he wants."

"Change…" mused Kyoko.

"If you haven't noticed yet, my dear Kyoko, this world is rotten," Reino intoned flippantly with a small wave of his hand. "The evil prosper and the good, innocent people get trampled underfoot."

The image of an infuriating blonde man flashed through Kyoko's mind. She grit her teeth.

"You're not exactly an angel yourself, Vie Ghoul," Agent T called from across the room as he leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

Reino held his hands up, in mock defense. "I never said I was on board with the boss's philosophy."

"Then why are you helping him?"

"It was something to do," the assassin said simply with a careless wave of his hand. "And because drenching the world even deeper into blackness appeals to me."

-x-

Edo Land, Ferris wheel

"Tsuruga-san…" Her amber eyes flashed up, filled with concern but also a great measure of fear. There was a pregnant pause. "What… happened during the interrogation?"

Ren's voice seemed to die in his throat. He heavily considered lying.

'It was merely a tactic. A calculated move. Don't worry, Mogami-san. Your senpai, as usual, had everything perfectly under control.'

He should lie – push her away. Keep her away from his tainted past and his assuredly blood-stained future.

"Actually… It's shameful to say… but I lost control of myself." As soon as the truth left his mouth, Ren inwardly cursed himself. But his regret was mingled with relief.

Kyoko looked surprised as she sat back up. "But… why?"

Ren paused again, his fear of her rejection too strong to allow him to continue in anything but half-truths.

"The type of person Reino was describing – he reminded me of… an old acquaintance. We used to be friends, but then I realized how toxic it was to be around him. So I… I left."

The young woman was silent for several moments, a pained expression creeping gradually over her features.

"If that's the case, then maybe it was the same with Corn… The way that Beagle described him... Maybe all of Corn's friends left him too," she finally said, her voice low with melancholy. "I certainly wasn't much help. I never knew how much he was suffering on the inside."

Before he could catch himself, Ren leaned forward, his knees knocking into hers across the small gap between the seats. Kyoko stiffened at the physical contact, then froze when her senpai's hand cupped her chin.

"Was Corn a precious person in your life?" Ren asked her kindly.

"Yes," Kyoko squeaked, her eyes darting to the side. A blush crept over her cheeks. "He was irreplaceable! But –"

"Then I'm sure it was enough for him. I'm sure he knows," he interrupted, almost sternly, trying to block out her self-doubt with the force of his words. His thumb lightly stroked Kyoko's cheek. "I'm sure that wherever he is right now, he treasures you as well."

-x-

Somewhere in Tokyo

Only after Shoko had stuffed him into the back seat of the car, did she release the talon-like grip that she had on his arm. Slamming the car door shut behind her, the assistant rapped sharply on the tinted glass separating the back of the car from the front. The driver gunned the engine, pulling the car out into traffic.

"What the hell is this!" Sho demanded, trying not to sound as frightened as he felt. "Who's driving? Where are we going?"

He watched as his usually unflappable assistant placed a shaking hand over her mouth. She took several deep, calming breaths.

"Shoko-san…?"

"I just got a call from your father," Shoko said, her voice a veneer of calm over a quavering core. "The LME unit has discovered that the same organization trying to kidnap Mimori has just put out a hit out on you."

-x-

Yokohama, Cain and Setsu Heel's apartment

A small, white envelope sat unassumingly on the small dining room table. Ren was very certain that the envelope had not been there when he and Kyoko had left this morning.

Flipping the envelope over in his hands, Ren felt his heart begin to beat faster. Printed on the front in nondescript typeface was a simple, "To Mr. Cain Heel."

Quickly, he glanced up, eyes darting around the kitchen. Nothing was out of place. But a professional could come and go without leaving a trace. At least not a visible trace. But hidden listening bugs and cameras were definitely fair game.

Good thing the President had anticipated this possibility and had insisted that the two agents continue their stay in Yokohama in-character. Lory Takarada's scary intuition had proven correct, yet again.

Unembellished, white stationary with a thick, high quality paper – Cain noted. On it, in plain typeface, the note read:

"Hello Heel-san… Or should I say, the man masquerading as Black Jack."

Cain quirked a brow. Well, well. His intruder was very well informed.

"This is an invitation to an audition. Midnight tonight, Yokohama Port, Minami Honmoku Pier. There's going to be a smuggler there; I want information from him, but his associates need to think him dead. I'll be in touch."

Ren knew that this envelope and stationary were familiar. In fact, an identical set was hidden in a secret compartment of his desk back at HQ. An informant from another mission had slipped the white envelope to Ren, hidden among other documents. The envelope that time had been addressed to "Agent T, LME Unit," and the contents had sent Ren's mind reeling.

According to the mysterious letter, the man behind Rick's death was part of a group trying to kidnap a certain heiress from the Fuwa estate. A time and date were given.

Before Ren could even begin an internet search on Fuwa manor, the President had messaged Agent T, asking him if he would be interested in a solo mission on a personal request from Fuwa Daisuke, the hotel mogul.

Apparently, someone had threatened to kidnap his son's fiancé if Fuwa-sama didn't perform some political favor. The mission was to ensure the girl's safety and to even capture her first if that secured her.

Ren had taken the solo job with no further questions. After all, the man he had been searching for all of these years was finally within his reach.

But who had sent the original tip-off? Was there a traitor within Delta's organization? Was it the same person who had sent this letter now?

-x-

Yokohama Port, Minami Honmoku Pier, cargo ship

Kyoko's earpiece squawked to life. It was Agent T. He had made contact with his mark and was transmitting audio. At first static, then…

"You the smuggler I'm looking for?" Her partner's deep baritone came over the speaker with the gruffness of Cain Heel.

"Hm? Depends on who's asking." It was another man's voice, sarcastic and playful, but with a sharp, dangerous undertone, like a hidden knife. "Oh… I recognize you. So the infamous Cain Heel has come to take me away, huh?"

Apparently, the bounty hunter found it unnecessary to respond verbally. Instead, Kyoko heard the weighty telltale click of Cain's pistol being cocked.

"Turning to violence so soon?" The smuggler jabbed smugly. "How about we bargain first? What do you like? Guns? Drugs? Women? I have a knack for getting things few others can…"

But Cain was having none of it. "On your knees. Hands in the air."

Agent M heard no movement. Instead, she heard the other man chuckle.

"Material goods don't interest you? How about information? I have the good stuff too. For instance, perhaps, the true identity of a particular bounty hunter who goes by the name… Cain Heel. Ever heard of him?"

Kyoko couldn't breathe. All of the air left her body. All she could do was think – 'A trap. This is a trap. Agent T is in danger… Tsuruga-san… REN!'

In an absolute panic, Setsu's mask nearly discarded, Kyoko whirled around toward the ship.

As the smuggler spoke again, she heard the words with her ears, but her mind, racing as fast as her feet, could hardly make any sense of them.

"You damned foreigner. You're really just a bloodthirsty murderer. A devil hiding behind an indifferent mask. Well, I know your true identity behind that mask…"

Kyoko missed her partner's next words, but if she had heard them, though she would not have fully understood, her blood would still have run cold from the sheer unrecognizable sadism in his dark tone.

"You… I've finally found you."

-x-

Kyoko felt winded from the continual sprinting, but a fearful desperation drove her forward, faster and faster.

'Tsuruga-san is not Cain… Is this the character he's created for BJ? But no… Who… Who is he now?'

But then she suddenly came to a dead end. She looked up. Several floors up, the man wearing Cain Heel's clothes and her senpai's face stalked his prey.

Ren's knuckles whitening as he held the Vie Ghoul assassin aloft.

His face looked so similar to that time... Furiously angry, but also... A spark of enjoyment from deep within. If he hadn't been wearing the same outfit as Cain Heel, Kyoko had no confidence that she would have been able to even recognize him.

However…

On the ferris wheel, what seemed like a decade ago now, Ren had asked for her support on this mission. She could still remember his reflection in the gondola's window – his eyes held such deep sorrow and pain. "I lost control."

She was going to trust Ren. The President had warned her that this mission might be dangerous for him. Her senpai himself had asked for her help. She wasn't going to give up on him so easily!

"Nii-san! You mustn't kill!"

-x-

"Henshin?" Cain narrowed his eyes.

"Ah! Yes," the Director's voice took on a wistful quality. "Though we are but a meager, rag-tag bunch who don't always play on the right side of the law, our leader Delta has brought us together to help us redeem ourselves by changing society for the better and reforming the corrupt within it."

Setsu crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes narrowing. "And how the hell are we supposed to reform society with what Nii-san does?"

Konoe rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "That information, unfortunately, is classified. However, you can be assured that Delta has a thorough plan to use every single one of you to your utmost abilities. And pay you handsomely for your troubles."

After a pause and a curt nod from his sister, the bounty hunter leaned forward to grasp the Director's hand in a firm shake.

-x-

Yokohama, back alley

"Well, well… I come to kill Fuwa Sho, but I get a great surprise! If it isn't Agent T…" The young woman smirked coyly at Ren. "Replaced me with a new partner already?"

Kyoko stiffened. "New partner?"

She had heard from Yashiro and Maria that Ren had only had one permanent partner before her and that the partnership had ended poorly. Kyoko took a chance and stole a glance at her senpai. He seemed to be frozen in shock.

"How ironic, T-san." The other girl laughed wryly, "Your new partner is an M-san as well?"

"As well?" Kyoko couldn't help but parrot in confusion.

"Oh? Agent T never told you?" Finally acknowledging Kyoko's questions, the mysterious brunette turned back to her, a malicious smirk on her face. "I am the original Agent M."

Kyoko felt as if all the air had left her body.

Beside her, she heard gravel crunch on the pavement as Agent T shifted into a fighting stance.

"Morizumi Kimiko…" Ren growled in his deep baritone, his voice flat and cold. Kyoko glanced up at him again. Gentleman persona discarded, he was glaring openly at the girl across the alley. "I thought that Yamashita's assassin seemed familiar. What happened to retiring from field work to become a nice housewife?"

"Actually, Ren-kun," the other girl said casually, but settled her stance a little lower, just in case Agent T tried something, "I go by the name Kappa now –"

Kyoko felt her eyes widen. Kappa – that was a Greek letter, right? Did that mean this girl was a part of Henshin?

"But really, Ren-kun, did you honestly expect me to sit quietly and get married to a nice, boring salaryman?" Kappa gave a longing sigh. "You've ruined me for life. Who else could possibly measure up to you? As a boyfriend? ...As a lover?"

If Kyoko had chosen to look up at Ren at that moment, she would have seen the wide-eyed look of panic he shot down at his current kouhai.

From some far-removed part of her mind, Kyoko heard Ren snap sharply – much more sharply than usual for him – "You know those were just cover stories, Morizumi-san. Nothing more. We never did anything."

"Are you sure they were?" Kimiko replied, voice coy. "I could have sworn you felt something back…"

Kyoko resurfaced from her thoughts just in time to hear Agent T say sternly, "Enough. It's time for you to come with us, Morizumi-san."

Kappa barked a short, bitter laugh. "I don't think so."

Narrowing her eyes and sliding her hand to the back of her belt to reach for her gun, Kyoko silently prepared herself for action.

Instead Kimiko just winked and blew Ren a kiss. "I'll catch you some day, Ren-kun. Don't forget... I always get what I want."

With a malicious grin and a flick of her wrist, Kappa threw something at the ground. A bright light and a loud noise assaulted Kyoko's senses.

When the dancing spots across her vision and the ringing in her ears cleared, Kyoko saw to her frustration that the ex-LME agent was gone.

-x-

Kyoko had been helping Sho up, but now she seemed to be struggling away from her childhood friend. The blonde had a tight grip on her forearms and despite wobbling slightly on an unsteady left foot, that was still bleeding from Kimiko's assassination attempt, he seemed determined to hold on. His gaze remained stubbornly fixed on the ground, avoiding eye contact with Kyoko.

"Baka-Shotaro…" Agent M growled threateningly. "Let me go!"

Scowling, Ren was about to step forward when Sho spoke.

"NO!" Sho yelled loudly, still glaring at the ground. Kyoko was silent, shocked at his vehemence. The blonde repeated in a barely audible mutter, "No… I'm not going to lose you again."

At this pronouncement, Kyoko snapped out of her reverie and began struggling anew. "Lose me! You never had me to begin with! You think I'm your possession or something?"

"Kyoko. I… I think I love you."

All the air seemed to instantly vacate the alley. Ren's heart dropped like a stone.

On her end, Kyoko was again shocked into silence. Eyes wide, she didn't respond. In the dead silence, Sho's voice echoed, broken.

"These past few months have been shit," Sho admitted grudgingly, still glaring at the floor between them. "You're the only thing I worry about. Even when my life is in danger, all I can think about is you. I… I need you."

From some cognizant part of his mind, Ren watched Sho's knuckles whiten as the young man tightened his grip on Kyoko's arms.

"I was always… too proud to say it," Sho ground out. Then with slumping shoulders, he said, "I'm sorry."

Kyoko's face crumpled.

"No…" Tears welled in her eyes. Before Sho could get another word in, Kyoko's eyes flashed up, full to the brim with furious tears.

"The Kyoko who would let you walk all over her–," she shouted, her voice cracking with raw emotion as she tried anew to twist herself out of his grip, "–And the Kyoko who could love – She's GONE, Shotaro."

"Please!" Shell of pride completely discarded in his desperation, Sho tried again, insistently, "Kyoko, I need you."

Finally, Kyoko wrenched her arms free from him. He stumbled, only to catch himself on the alley's brick wall at the last moment. Kyoko's breathing was heavy and ragged, as if she had just swum a mile or run a marathon. She tried to meet Sho's pained gaze, but her eyes immediately darted back down, like a frightened animal. She scowled at the ground and spoke, her voice raw and vicious.

"You threw me away like trash. You betrayed me. You don't get to just sweep all that under the rug."

"Kyoko—"

"I will get my revenge on you, Shotaro," Kyoko spat out venomously. Her fists curled into tight, angry wads at her sides.

Suddenly without any warning, she deflated, looking lost and sorrowful and thoroughly exhausted. She whispered hoarsely, "You said it yourself, Sho. Fool me twice, shame on me."

-x-

…It wasn't fair.

It felt like a hit-and-run accident where the driver had gotten away scot-free, and she was left, crushed and bleeding on the pavement. How could Sho walk away, untouched and unfettered, as she still lived trapped, ball and chain, bound to her grudge against him?

But if she were honest with herself, she knew.

She knew that vengeance had been an increasingly distant thought the past few months. She knew that her hateful thoughts toward Sho had been losing out to thoughts about someone else.

She knew that the real reason she was sobbing on the bathroom floor, character completely cast aside, was due to Ren.

The jealousy she had experienced with Manaka was just a small ripple compared to the tidal wave of envious rage she now felt toward Kimiko.

It scared her.

Kyoko had suspected but now, she knew for certain. She was just the same as every single one of Ren's old partners. Unwanted, unrequited feelings. A pest. Somewhere along the line, despite her high wall of defense and an ample warning, she had been duped.

A bitter chuckle escaped her as she hastily ground her tears away with the heels of her palms. It was just the same old story, wasn't it? No matter who she fell in love with, it would always be one-sided.

It was better to convince herself that she could do without love than to try and nourish it. If Ren ever found out, he would think that Mogami Kyoko was just as weak and easily fooled as the first Agent M.

-x-

Somewhere in Tokyo, Saena Mogami's campaign car

"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?"

Saena stiffened, caught mid-thought. Amused, Toudou emphatically pointed to his own forehead. Instantly, Saena forced herself to relax, trying to smooth the frown from her face as best she could.

This infuriating man was still able to read her like a book after all these years…

Instead of gloating like she thought he would, Toudou leaned back in his seat and cocked his head to the side, observing her. "You're not planning to find her, are you?"

Saena felt her frown immediately crawl back into place. "Not now…"

"If things don't go according to your predictions," he pointed out gravely, "that might become 'not ever.'"

Growing silent, Saena turned back to the papers in her lap. "I know."

"Mogami-san," Toudou asked abruptly, "What have all these years been for?"

Unease crept with heavy weight over her heart. Saena didn't like that probing tone. She didn't like it, because she herself didn't know the answer to his question. After all these years and all this hard work, she still didn't know.

Was it for self-satisfaction? Revenge? The truth?

Unable to stop herself from heaving a heavy sigh, she turned to look out the car window as the Tokyo cityscape rushed by.

"I don't know…"

-x-

Tokyo, Prime Minister Ogata's office

"We won," Kanae repeated, almost in ecstatic disbelief. It had been a difficult campaign road and a nail-biting race against Mogami Saena and her New Change Party up until the very end. But they had done it!

Well. Almost. But their victory was essentially won! With the current layout of the Diet, Ogata would still maintain the majority of the votes in the House of Representatives. The ten days for the Upper and Lower House to wait out their stalemate was merely a formality. If none of the politicians changed their votes, the gridlock would resolve in Ogata's favor. There had been five such splits in all of Japan's democratic history, and none of them had ever gone to the party favored by the House of Councillors.

"Prime Minister Ogata," Kanae turned from Asami to face her interim boss. However, as she saw his expression, the joy began to seep from her body, replaced by a dreadful, heavy ice.

Hand clutched to her chest, Asami stepped forward. "Hiroaki, you're acting quite strange. You should be celebrating, right? It's essentially your victory…"

At this, Ogata uttered a short, uneasy laugh. "I-Is that so…?"

"We've been over the statistics, Prime Minister," Kanae said with a frown, the weight of anxiety settling around her breastbone. "Historically, the Diet will either continue on in this stalemate or the Upper House will agree with the Lower… The record has always been quite consistent…"

Ogata paused, the haunted look looming back over his features. It looked, to Kanae, like the smile of a condemned man who has come to terms with his sentence. As the two women exchanged concerned looks, Ogata dropped his gaze to the floor.

"While that may be true," he said, his voice small and forlorn, "Unfortunately, the only consistency in life is that it's inconsistent."

-x-

Tokyo, Delta's hideout

Delta leaned against the front of his desk. He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I realize that I have been rude and have asked you to do many things on my behalf without any context."

Cain's grip on Setsu's hand tightened.

"Your work without context ends tonight." Delta gazed at them evenly. "You've shown yourselves to be trustworthy and industrious. I'm bringing you into the inner circle of Henshin."

Kyoko felt her heartbeat quicken. This was it. The culmination of all their missions for Henshin so far…

Ren's grip simply grew tighter.

Delta paced back around to the front of the room, facing the wall with the windows. He seemed to stare out into the nightlights of the city. He suddenly asked, "Tell me. Why do good people suffer while the rich and powerful always manage to get off scot-free?

Then Kyoko noticed. Her partner's grip on her hand was getting immensely painful. Alarmed, Kyoko glanced up at Ren.

"Those in power, those with wealth, those who use and abuse the fortune of fate's blessing. We will get revenge for all those who have been mere stepping stones for the successes of others."

As Delta continued on, Kyoko looked up in horror at the murderous anger that had contorted her senpai's features. The man's gaze, fixed in the center of Delta's back –so dark and fierce and feral –sent a heavy jolt of fear shooting down Kyoko's spine.

Ren holding Reino aloft by his shirt collar. Ren chasing Murasame over the cargo containers. Ren coming home and locking himself away for hours.

Ren at the top of the Edo Land ferris wheel frowning and murmuring, "I lost control of myself."

A cold finger of terror curled around her heart.

'Why now? Why here?'

Desperate to reset him, Agent M summoned Setsu and muttered, "Nii-san. Are you paying attention?"

For a moment, Kyoko felt a sliver of hope as Ren's hand relaxed his grip. Then, he dropped her hand entirely, moving his deathly tight grip to his left wrist over his watch.

The furious glare on his face began to morph into a manic, bloodthirsty grimace.

Beyond her fear, Kyoko began to panic. If Delta turned around like this, while Agent T was so wildly out of character–!

"–Our first goal is to infiltrate Japan's government and root out all the filth–"

Kyoko could tell Delta was winding down in his speech. Her heart racing, she glanced back and forth between Ren and Delta.

Ren's hand trembled as he continued to clutch at his left wrist, his grip so tight that it caused the muscles in his neck to stand out. A vein pulsated in his forehead, as if with a concentrated effort to hold himself back from whatever violent actions the rest of his body wished to perpetrate.

That's when the thought struck her. Ren was losing. Whatever darkness, whatever demons plagued his heart – he was losing to them.

'NO!'

Before her logical mind and wounded heart could rationalize away such a course of action, Setsu had snatched her brother's hand back with one hand. With the other, she swiftly grabbed Cain by the collar of his coat, dragging him down to face her.

As his murderous rage turned on her, Kyoko felt a small shiver of fear race through her. But beyond that, she felt an absolute conviction. Ren should not be losing to whatever darkness had possessed him. He was Agent T. He was her partner. He was her… friend. He was better than this!

So she brought her hand up and flicked him as hard as she could right in the center of his forehead.

"Baka Nii-san," Setsu hissed. "Nii-san has a weird look on his face again."

To her relief as she let go and he straightened, a small flicker of clarity cut through her partner's eyes.

"–And that is how we are close to swaying the necessary votes in the Diet to get our chosen member elected," Delta said as he turned from the window. He looked pointedly between the two siblings. "And you two, Chi and Sigma, will help us to obtain the last votes."

Not daring to remove her eyes from Delta to check on Ren, Kyoko watched as Delta strode around his desk again to stand before them. The man cocked his head to the side and smiled.

"So, will you two join me as we strive to build a society without corruption or abuse? Will you help me get revenge on those who have secretly destroyed so many innocent lives?"

For a heartbeat, there was silence.

Hiding her nervousness, Kyoko as Setsu tilted her head to look up at Cain. "Well Nii-san… How about it?"

To her relief, Cain emanated from Ren's features. However, as he spoke, the cold sheen of malice in his eyes was not entirely from Cain.

"Sure. Why not," Ren said slowly, holding Delta's steady gaze. "After all. I am in the business of revenge."

-x-

Yokohama, Heel Siblings Apartment

Kyoko looked up at him sharply, spluttering out desperately, "T-san… What's going on?"

Expression instantly furious, Ren looked off to the side.

"It's nothing." His voice was the dangerous kind of quiet.

Kyoko bit her lip. Bowing deeply in her chair, hands clutched in her lap, Kyoko squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out, "Please forgive my impertinence, but that, back there with Delta. That was not 'nothing'! This is not 'nothing'–!"

"Then, it's nothing you have to concern yourself with, Junior Agent M."

Frozen in shocked horror, Kyoko could not raise her head. She could only feel her heart break bit by bit as he stormed out of the room.

Her eyes slowly opened, but she did not lift her head. The threat of tears prickled at the corners of her eyes.

Rejection… It was so familiar, like a heavy stone that had been carved to slip right into its usual slot in her heart. Her mother… Shotaro… and now…

But she couldn't let her own insecurities scare her into abandoning him when he needed her the most.

"No…" Kyoko murmured. As she followed him out of the room and zcontinued to speak, her voice grew stronger, more confident. Her eyes flashed up, and she met Ren, glare for glare. "I may not be a senior agent. I may just be a newbie… But I am not a fool!"

Apparently shocked at this new, disobedient version of Kyoko, Agent T seemed almost startled, taking a step back. Pressing her advantage, Kyoko stomped forward a step, poking a thin finger into his chest.

"I may not be much, but after being your partner, I know you the best!" She snapped, "I can see that something is destroying you from the inside out! And I demand to know what is going on!"

Kyoko was out of breath, panting as if she had just run a marathon. Tears prickled unshed at the corners of her eyes. Ren stared at her, frozen.

"I… I don't…" Ren took a deep, shaky breath in and out. "Where would I even begin?"

"Well…" Kyoko prompted gently, "At the beginning, I guess…"

After another long, heavy pause, Ren uttered a dry, ironic laugh. "Oh, what the hell… I suppose that you're right."

The two agents settled into seats on the floor, backs up against the wall. Then, he took a deep breath and began.

"My real name is Kuon Hizuri. I was born in America to two of the most famous agents in the CIA..."

-x-

Many years ago, Los Angeles, California

As Kuon neared the door, he heard Tina hiss, "You can't be serious, letting this brat tag along."

Rick responded, "C'mon Tina. We both owe it to Kuu–"

"Kuu is one thing. But his son? Have you seen his record? He's just a time bomb waiting to go off in our faces."

Then Rick spoke. "No, Tina."

"What?"

"This kid – no, Kuon – he's got good potential. Just because he's gotten himself in some trouble doesn't mean he's a hopeless case. I mean, if I had to constantly live in the Hizuri shadow, I'd probably crack a little too. We all would."

At Rick's words, Kuon felt the knot in his stomach loosen.

"Rick…"

"Tina, it's just for a couple of months. Let the guy spread his wings a little."

A pause, then Tina sighed, resigned. "Fine. I… I just worry about you sometimes, Rick."

Kuon peeked out the door long enough to catch sight of Rick gathering Tina into his arms and planting a passionate kiss on her lips. The agent grinned into the kiss. "When do I ever give you anything to worry about?"

Tina grinned back, swatting Rick in the shoulder. "All the damn time, you fool."

-x-

Construction yard, human traffickers' hide out

As the two walked in heavy silence, nearing the gate, Kuon spied another body on the ground. This one had also been shot. It reminded him of the body buried in the back of the complex under an enormous cement pipe, blood pooling in the dirt. A single hand peeked out from underneath the pipe.

Kuon felt a swell of nausea.

"It was just self-defense… right?" He asked suddenly, his voice quavering.

"It was." Rick nodded but added gravely, "But that doesn't mean you are allowed to go around murdering people willy-nilly. These guys still had friends… family."

Kuon winced. Now he really felt sick.

"In this job, it's not 'if' you'll take a life. It's a matter of 'when.'" Rick's solemn tone made the teen turn to meet his eyes again. "But you must never grow calloused. Every time you mourn over an enemy, you're reminding yourself of your own humanity. If you ever lose that sense of regret… well, you might as well not be human anymore."

The Hizuri swallowed hard. "Even if we're the right ones?"

"Kuon…" Rick chuckled – a dark, tired sound. "Everyone thinks they're the right ones."

"Well said, old friend." A smooth voice penetrated their pensive silence.

Kuon perked up. Shizumino Kaiso stood in jeans and a black peacoat, leaning against the gate. Striding forward, the PSIA agent tucked an arm under Rick's free one to help him hobble along.

"Thanks Kaiso," Rick grunted and winced as the Japanese man unintentionally jostled some unseen wound.

"No problem, but… You two really have to stop working me overtime," Kaiso remarked light-heartedly, his voice slightly strained under the extra weight. The trio laughed together.

-x-

Rick leaned over behind Tina, beckoning to Kuon. The dark-haired man tossed a small square box to the teen.

Confused, Kuon barely caught the box. Rick shot him a wink.

"Open it!"

Inside the white cardstock box on a padded bed of crushed red velvet lay a simple yet elegant watch with a brown leather wrist strap. Kuon immediately recognized it as the one that Rick always wore.

"My mentor at the CIA gave me this watch on the day I graduated from the new recruit program," Rick noted with a far-off smile. "He sucked me into this work. Saved my life more than a few times. Taught me everything I know. And now, it's yours."

In wonderment at this momentous gift, Kuon turned the timepiece over and over in his hands, smoothing his fingers over the worn glass of the watch face. Each scratch undoubtedly held a tale, a story of bravery and skill and adventure. Then he paused and slowly lowered the watch back into the box, closing the lid.

"Thank you, but… It's not right Rick." Kuon turned away. "I'm not even in the training program. Who knows if I'll ever get in…"

"Kuon."

"What?"

"You start Monday."

The words took a second to register. Kuon's head snapped up so fast, his hair went flying out of his face.

"What!"

Stunned, the Hizuri could only listen as Rick continued on smugly, "Someone must've put in very good word for you. Wonder who it could've been…"

Tina leaned back into their conversation to tap her fiancé brusquely on the shoulder, the new diamond sparkly on her ring finger. "Hey! You weren't the only one… Stop trying to take all the credit!"

"Tina?" The blonde teen's eyes widened. "You too?"

"I believe Albright-san's words were, 'brave and reliable under-fire, and a credit to his upbringing,'" Kaiso shared, hiding a small smile from behind his champagne glass. Kuon felt something almost like tears prick at the corners of his eyes. A wobbly smile passed over his face.

As Rick tried to prevent a blushing Tina from pummeling the Japanese man, Kaiso turned to Kuon as well and bowed slightly in his seat. "I too have put in the appropriate commendation with the PSIA and U.S. government."

Kuon bowed back in his seat as deeply as he could before launching himself up to surprise the man with a hug. Kaiso was only taken aback for a moment before chuckling and somewhat awkwardly returning the very American gesture.

"Do not forget that you will have a friend and ally on the other side of the Pacific," Kaiso remarked as Kuon released him. "Maybe we will see each other again one day."

"Sure," Kuon replied, a bit more misty-eyed than he would have wanted. "Let's meet again some day."

"Hey!" Rick shouted in the background. "What about me? I did 80% of the paperwork! C'mon, Kuon!"

As the other three agents bickered light-heartedly, Kuon opened the box and strapped the watch to his wrist. In the reflection of the glass, he could see his bright smile shining back at him.

-x-

Months later, CIA Training Academy, Los Angeles

Resisting the urge to fidget, Kuon hedged, "To be honest, the classes are– They're–"

"Making you uncomfortable?" Marcus filled in the rest of Kuon's fragmented thought. The trainer sighed. "The killing part, I'm guessing."

He reached forward and patted Kuon's shoulder, the man's hand coming to rest there.

"Don't worry so much, kid," he said with a reassuring smile. "They're just bad guys, after all. An enemy is an enemy. They're not going to show you any mercy. Why should you?"

"But…" But Rick had said…

"Hey." Marcus stepped forward and leaned in slightly. The hand resting on Kuon's shoulder gave a tight squeeze that felt the briefest bit painful before the man relaxed his hold. "Don't worry your silly little head about things like that. You want to become a CIA agent or not? You want to make your parents proud or what?"

Feeling a dagger ghost violently through his heart, Kuon averted his gaze. His parents... "Yes sir."

"Marcus!"

The familiar male voice echoed down the hall. Kuon glanced up sharply. It couldn't be, but–!

But there was Rick striding down the white tiled floors toward them, back from South America. Kuon felt a large grin cross his face. "Rick?"

"Well, well…" Marcus stepped up next to Kuon, a smirk on his lips. "If it isn't my big bro!"

"Big bro?" Kuon glanced between the two men, confused. In his confusion, Kuon missed it as the dark-haired CIA agent took that last step forward and took a heavy swing at his trainer.

Rick didn't give Marcus a chance to recover. He was instantly fisting the front of the trainer's shirt, pulling so hard that the brunette's feet barely brushed against the ground.

"Don't bother with your damn excuses, Marcus," Rick snarled, his lip curling in disgust. "You enrolled Kuu's son in your disgusting little program, didn't you!"

Marcus was more smug than surprised. "Of course. Who could resist? Just think of that Hizuri blood being pushed to greater heights."

"Greater heights?" Rick snapped back. "You call being a child assassin, 'greater heights'?"

"What?" Kuon froze. Assassin? Did Rick mean… Kuon felt a wave of nausea crest over him. Yes, it all made sense. The accelerated course wasn't just a faster program for skilled young recruits. They were teaching him a whole different set of skills than the standard class.

"And you!" Shoving his apparent brother away, Rick turned on Kuon, dark eyes flashing. "I thought I taught you better. How could you go along with this bastard all this time!"

"What!" Kuon repeated, incredulously. "Rick, I didn't know–!"

"You didn't know?" The dark haired agent snarled as he stepped toward the teen. "Don't give me that bullshit. You're smarter than that, Kuon. I expected the son of Kuu Hizuri to have some damn common sense."

Because Kuu Hizuri would have been able to understand. Because Kuu Hizuri wouldn't have been duped. Because Kuu Hizuri wouldn't have been trained as an assassin.

In an instant, his fear flashed and evaporated into raw, familiar rage. Stomping a step forward, Kuon glared up at his former mentor and snapped, "You know what? Screw you! What the hell do you know about me, Rick?"

Not waiting for an answer, Kuon spun on his heel and stormed off.

-x-

Warehouse in Long Beach, California

A sharp, metallic shniiik rang out next to his ear. His breath hitching, Kuon's gaze shot to the side. The porcelain-masked man had drawn a long hunting knife from a sheath on his waist.

The dark eyeholes of the white mask regarded him. "Escape attempts will not be tolerated, Kuon Hizuri."

Kuon's breath caught again. The kidnapping hadn't been random.

"There's no one who knows where you are. No one will be coming to rescue you," the man continued, sinking his boot deeper into the teen's spine.

It was at that moment that the explosion rocked the concrete floor. Scared and surprised, the Hizuri yelped as small pieces of debris crumbled down from the ceiling onto his prone body. Another, smaller explosion rippled across the floor underneath him, followed by a peppering of gunfire and shouts.

"Typical Americans." The masked man sighed, and Kuon's heart leapt to his throat in hope as his assailant stepped from his back and sheathed his knife. "Always so rude and noisy. Please excuse me."

-x-

As Kuon quickly lay himself flat on the ground to minimize movement and error, he set the scope of his rifle on the fight, and he knew. If he got an open shot, he was taking it. His last CIA training lesson had been on long-distance precision shooting. Assassin's training or not – hell if he wasn't going to put it to good use.

Finally, Rick landed a grazing hit against his attacker's face. Kuon saw a flash of white as the mask pinwheeled off and away from the kidnapper. And that was when Rick froze.

"You–!"

"Yes, Richard." His back still to Kuon, the man spoke. He straightened, brushing dirt off the shoulder of his black trench coat. "Can you please wipe that shocked look off your face? It is quite unbecoming of a CIA agent."

Unaltered with the voice modulator gone, the man's voice seemed familiar.

Through the scope, Kuon watched as Rick grimaced and shifted back a step.

"Why?" Rick snarled, his hands curling once again into fists. "I thought we were allies! We've been on so many missions together! Did they mean nothing to you?"

There was a low, bitter chuckle. The man cocked his head to the side. "You of all people know how this works, Rick. We are only friends until someone in our governments decides we are not. Then all bets are off."

"Bullshit!" Swiping his hand through the air, Rick stepped forward again, thoroughly enraged. Kuon could almost see his mentor's fist trembling. "We're men! We are not just tools."

"That is just the way the system works." The man's voice was flat.

Rick took another step forward, stabbing a finger in the other man's direction. "Then change the system!"

The man cocked the gun. His voice lifted up at the edges, beginning to sound desperate. "It's too late, Richard. Back. Down."

Through the scope, Kuon saw the man's hand trembling at the trigger.

"Rick!"

Kuon didn't remember yelling, but he must have because Rick glanced up directly at the catwalk. The kidnapper also turned to look.

It was Kaiso's face.

It was Kaiso's eyes widening as he saw Kuon on the catwalk.

It was Kaiso turning back, gun raised to shoot Rick.

Kuon pulled the trigger.

Then suddenly, inexplicably, irrevocably, it was no longer Kaiso's head in the crosshairs of his scope. It was Rick's.

Kaiso stood – Kuon saw from some part that wasn't staring at Rick's bloodied body on the ground – he stood and raised his pistol at the catwalk. Kuon could only stare back, arms too heavy to defend. Legs too leaden to flee. And heart too numb to care, beyond a small, deep hope that maybe Kaiso would pull the trigger and end the nightmare.

Then Kaiso glanced behind him and looked back at Kuon one more time before lowering his pistol and running away.

Still numb, Kuon saw a blonde woman rushing forward.

Then suddenly, the world rushed back into focus.

There was screaming. Tina was cradling Rick's body, trying futilely to stop the bleeding.

Then she turned and looked up at the catwalk, directly at Kuon. Her grief flashed and transformed into rage.

Murderer! You're a murderer!

-x-

Present Day, Yokohama, Heels' apartment

"So Delta is this Shizumino Kaiso guy?"

Ren's voice hardened, the bittersweet smile slipping from his face. "Yes."

"Now that you've found him…" Kyoko tried searching for the right words. "What… are you planning to do?"

Ren was silent, his glance sliding off to the side. Kaiso… Delta… They shared responsibility for Rick's death. If Ren gave up on revenge now, it felt as if he were absolving Kaiso of his part. Ren felt a stab of fear in his gut. He felt like a man trapped under a boulder; if he gave up on chasing Kaiso, it would be like snapping the only other support holding the boulder up from crushing him completely.

Kyoko's eyes widened in realization. "You're going to kill him. Is this really what Rick would have wanted?"

His hand drifted down to brush against the brown leather watch on his wrist. Ren didn't respond, but his frown deepened, and Kyoko again had her answer.

"You have to stop."

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Ren raised his eyes again and turned back to her.

"Mogami-san. I can't stop."

Then, as Ren turned to leave, her sense of disappointment morphed into panic, and on fear-driven instinct, Kyoko caught him by the hem of his shirt. Uncertain but determined, she gingerly held the smooth fabric between her fingers, willing herself not to let go this time. He stopped, his hand on the doorknob of the bedroom, but didn't turn.

"Tsuruga-san… Please…" Kyoko couldn't raise her head, fearful of facing her senpai's rejection for the second time in one night. Her heart beat in her ears, thunderous in the quiet room. "Can't you just… give this up?"

"What about you?" Ren finally spoke. Kyoko perked up, looking at her senpai questioningly as he turned slightly to face her. His handsome face was marred by a resigned frown. "Are you going to just give up?"

Kyoko couldn't speak, her thoughts turning to Sho. As the silence stretched on, she realized that she was unable to answer Ren. Feeling as if a lifeline were slipping through her fingers, she let go of the hem of his shirt.

"Then we understand each other." His words were final. Kyoko watched as Ren turned and walked away to the bedroom, shutting the door gently behind him.

-x-

Chiba Sports Arena, Parking Garage

It was finally time.

Remembering to adopt the looming intimidation of Cain Heel, Ren started forward, his black trench coat billowing behind him. He strode indifferently across the pavement as if his destiny did not lie before him, as if he had not been dreaming of this very moment for years and years.

"Welcome, Chi." Delta's smooth tenor echoed slightly in the empty garage. "I have a target for you. This assignment is a very delicate one that only you can accomplish."

The mastermind produced a small photograph, offering it face down. Ren took the photo and flipped it over, only giving it half a glance.

Then he looked again. As his eyes confirmed what they had seen at first, his heart dropped instantly to the bottom of his stomach.

Her hair was lighter and shorter now, but the smile in the school portrait was the same.

He swallowed hard. He couldn't let this show on his face or in his voice.

Desperately pulling on every scrap and ounce of acting experience in his repertoire, Ren assumed a bored affect and asked, "Who is she?"

Delta clasped his hands behind his back and turned his back to Ren. "She's Fuwa Shotaro's childhood friend…"

The lid to his panic box now flown wide open, Ren hand drifted toward the gun hidden in the waistband of his pants. He had to end this NOW before Delta learned the truth about the girl sitting in the car only meters away.

"She's also Mogami Saena's hidden daughter…"

Ren fingers wrapped around the stock of his gun.

"And mine…"

-x-

Chiba, highway off-ramp

Ren sprinted for the back of the car. The rear door was bent on its hinges and resisted. Between tugs, Ren tried to look into the back, beyond a small triangle in the mangled metal. The interior of the car was dark and silent.

Finally, Ren wrenched the door open.

"Kyoko!"

But the back was empty.

"S-She's not here?" Bewildered, Ren spun around, already sprinting for his own car. "Yashiro! I need that last SUV!"

"I'm sorry, Ren."

As the sound of frantic keyboard strokes filled the silence, Ren's heart sank. His breath, already short from the adrenaline, began to come in tight, panicky gulps.

"I lost him," Yashiro reported miserably. "Agent M's homing beacon is also still not broadcasting."

Turning around, oblivious to the sirens wailing through the frigid night, Ren gazed in disbelieving horror at the SUV's empty back seat. Kyoko was gone.

As Ren sank to the asphalt of the road, crushed by the impossibly heavy weight of despair, Delta's mouthed words of parting seemed to mock him.

"Until next time, Kuon-kun."

-x-

Several days later, LME HQ

"Momose-san contacted us today. Turns out Fuwa Sho got a phone call today from Delta."

Ren felt a sinking feeling in his gut. "He has the votes then."

"Yes." Yashiro removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes with the heel of his palm. "Apparently over the years, Fuwa Daisuke has been paying a great deal of Representative Takemura's campaigning costs. Reports are that Takemura and his loyal cohort are going to shift from Ogata to Saena in three days."

"What have I done…" Ren whispered to himself. It was all his fault. Kyoko – the girl he cared for – was in the enemy's clutches, alone, afraid. Every moment, her life was in jeopardy. Kuon had been willing to sacrifice everything for his revenge. He hadn't considered that 'everything' could include Kyoko.

-x-

Somewhere in Tokyo, Delta's private office

"Mogami Saena…" Delta mused, clasping his hands behind his back. "Quite a unique name. Did the government pick it for you or did you get to choose when you entered the Witness Protection Program?"

Ignoring the mastermind's question, Saena glared at him. "Why me? You must have known that I was trying to find you."

At her forwardness, Delta chuckled mirthfully, and Saena caught another glimpse of the happy, tender man who had gently broken down every single one of her defenses so many years ago.

"Why you for the keystone piece? The crowning jewel of my plans?" Delta stood and walked around his desk. Saena stood stock still as he approached her, drawing uncomfortably near. Yet her heart turned traitor and began to beat a ragged rhythm in her chest.

"Because you are worthy, my dear."

Misonoi raised a gentle hand to brush a stray piece of hair out of her face, his hand barely skimming across her skin. A feeling of self-loathing began to percolate in her gut as she felt her cheeks flush.

"And maybe a small part of me had always hoped that we would be reunited one day." He sat back at his desk and picked up an envelope from his desk. As he spoke, he emptied a small, thin cylinder into his palm before closing his fist. "Under better circumstances."

"Better circumstances?" Saena closed her eyes and breathed out a shuddering sigh. "You mean when you aren't seducing me to steal my company's secrets and frame me for corporate negligence and murder?"

-x-

LME HQ, Situation Room

"Kyoko-chan's beacon is back online, and I hate to rain on everyone's parade, but what are we going to do about the revote?" Yashiro inquired. He pointed to the giant timer on the screen at the front of the room. It read a countdown of two hours and fifty-five minutes. "We need to get Kyoko out so that Delta doesn't have a hostage, but are we going to make it in time?"

"Delta's agents have already been spotted guarding the periphery of the Diet," Lory mused.

"At this point, Delta's men will just slaughter anyone who tries to stand in his way," Yashiro noted grimly.

"And if we cancel the vote now, Mogami-san will be the first one in danger," Ren pointed out the bleak situation. He frowned pensively at the floor. "But we can stall it until we can get Mogami-san out."

"The PSIA has already worked every angle – against my advisement because all their plans jeopardize Mogami-kun's safety," Lory growled. "Every agent we send in there will be eliminated by Delta's forces with extreme prejudice."

"But well-known public figures and the public itself, he can't touch. He can't risk antagonizing the masses until the vote is done." Ren responded thoughtfully.

-x-

"Tsuruga-Bastard," Sho said with narrowed eyes. "If you haven't gotten Kyoko back yet, why the hell are we talking?"

"We know where she is right now," Ren shared. "As much as it pains me to admit it, we need your help to get her back…"

On screen, Sho was silent, a speechless mixture of perplexed and thoughtful.

Ren sighed. "Fuwa… Come on."

"Fine," Sho finally managed. He added with narrowed eyes. "But for Kyoko. Not for you…"

-x-

In front of the Diet building

"What are you doing?" The harried police officer yelled over the screeches of the crowd. "You have to move your vans! You're blocking the entrance to the Diet!"

But before the stagehands could feign ignorance, the masses of screaming humanity had pushed past the officer, surrounding him and shoving him away.

From inside the van, Sho could hear Mimori outside on her microphone, her voice cutesy and pert. "Hello everyone~! I'm so excited to see you all! As I promised, I have a hu~ge surprise for you! Are you ready?"

There was a thunderous roar of applause and screams from the audience. Sho reached for his guitar. He stopped. His hand was shaking.

"He's a very, very good friend of mine–!"

"Stop it!" Sho hissed, rubbing his hands together and trying to ignore his hammering heart. He could hear the thousands of people clamoring outside. "Why the hell are you nervous now?"

"So make sure you give him a big~ warm~ welcome~!"

"I can do this…"

"He's the best – the coolest – the most drop-dead gorgeous musician I've ever met!"

Kyoko beamed up at him, her eyes brimming with confidence. 'Of course I'll go to Tokyo with you, Sho-chan! You're the most talented musician I've ever heard! You'll make it in Show Biz for sure!'

"I can do this." Clenching his hands into fists, Sho let out a soothing breath. His eyes flashed open and he reached for his guitar, hand steady. "I'm fucking Fuwa Sho, baby."

"He's Fuwa~ Sho~!"

The musician stood up and confidently strode over to the electric lift to the roof of the van. His eyes narrowed as he assumed his Cool-Guy expression. "It's Sho time…"

-x-

A skyscraper in Tokyo, Delta's hide out

"Ouch…" Kyoko whimpered after a moment of stunned silence. She just lay there in shock, letting the aches and pains wash over her. Glancing up, she saw the traitorous duct, dangling at its fractured joint around two or three meters off the ground of what appeared to be a medium-sized warehouse. Luckily, it seemed that several stacks of wooden crates had broken her fall, otherwise she could have hurt more than just her dignity.

"Who's there?" A deep voice growled. Kyoko froze. There was a guard in the room. Of course there was! The guards were nearly swarming the building looking for their escaped prisoner.

Scrambling as quietly as she could, she rolled to her feet. She paused, listening for his footsteps. Though he was clearly trying to muffle the brunt of his step, he sounded heavy – a soft metal snick sounded as a gun's safety got switched off – and armed.

Behind her hiding spot, Kyoko scanned the room. There was an exit in front of her, but the door was closed, locked with an electronic keypad.

Slowly, she peeked around the corner. Across the warehouse was a large industrial door, its horizontal metal panels rolled up in the open position. The guard was between her and the only available exit.

"I know you're there. Show yourself!" The male voice demanded. Agent M's heart skipped a beat. The man was definitely a pro. His last series of steps, she hadn't even heard! He was right behind her stack of crates now. Kyoko tried to quiet her panicked breathing.

Moving slowly and silently, Kyoko crouched, lowering her center of gravity and minimizing the target of her body. She would only have one shot at this.

The gun appeared around the corner of her hiding place. Then the guard's hand.

'NOW!' Agent M sprang upward, her legs powering her strike. The heel of her hand shot up, knocking the stock of the pistol upward just as a shot rang out. Gripping the pistol barrel with a hand that jammed the slide, she pulled the gun off to the side, trying to jerk the man's solar plexus down to meet her knee strike.

The gun went skittering across the floor behind the guard. Kyoko's hands flew up almost on instinct to block the punch to her chest and she dove to the side. With a shout, the man almost tripped, but righted himself at the last moment and used that forward momentum to try and roundhouse kick her in the side of the head.

A chance! Kyoko dropped to the ground, slid under the kick behind the man, somersaulted across the floor, grabbed the gun, spun around while cocking it and –

The barrel of another pistol stared back at her.

'Oh. He had two guns,' Kyoko thought belatedly. However the majority of her mental processing power was focused farther up.

For holding the second gun, a stunned expression on his handsome face, was not a guard but Tsuruga Ren.

-x-

"M-san," Ren murmured softly. "How can I ever apologize to you for the mess I've gotten you into?"

In protest, Kyoko opened her mouth, but closed it when he held up a hand, his eyes sad.

"The only one to blame here is myself," the dark-haired agent said gravely. "My selfishness drove me to make the decisions I did, and you suffered for it in the end."

Unwilling to interrupt him, Kyoko watched the pain and tumult cross his dark eyes.

"That's why, I swore to myself, if I ever saw you again, I would make it right. There would be no more hiding…" Ren locked eyes with her, his gaze boring into hers. "Mogami-san, I have a confession to make."

"Hey YOU TWO! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

-x-

Overhead, a Klaxon siren began to sound. A voice over the loudspeakers shrilled repeatedly, "Lockdown initiated, Warehouse 2. Lockdown initiated, Warehouse 2–"

A loud rumble sounded behind the agents.

Alarmed, Kyoko whirled around. The only exit – the industrial shutter door that she had previously been attempting to reach – was slowly closing, the heavy metal slats rolling down from the ceiling. "T-san!"

Ren yelled, "I'll hold. You go first. I'll be right after you."

Straining, Ren gripped the bottom of the door, partially slowing its descent. Kyoko ducked double and quickly ran underneath the shutter.

Not a moment too soon. Ren gave a sudden cry and the shutter abruptly dropped an arm's length. Kyoko whirled back, alarmed. The metal door continued its slow inevitable descent, but behind it, Kyoko could see that Ren had dropped to one knee, clutching his side.

His hand came away crimson and wet.

"T-san!" Kyoko yelped and tried to grip the bottom of the heavy metal door and strained with all her might. The mechanism continued to push the door down and down and down. Abandoning her fruitless efforts, Kyoko crouched to her forearms and belly. "T-san, hurry up! I can't stop the door."

In response, Ren grimaced and fished around in his pocket, tossing her two objects that skittered across the floor. Her hands caught them, brain briefly registering them as a smart watch and a comm link.

"Rendezvous point with Agents A and K is on the watch. Go!"

"No…" Her heart sinking as she caught his intent, Kyoko just stared at him. The shots rang closer and closer.

Agent T winced and turned, shooting twice with his pistol. One of the oncoming guards dropped to the floor. "There's no other option."

"Don't do this! Please!" Kyoko wailed, now straining to see him from under the crack in the door. As if ignoring her, Ren continued on.

"I almost forgot what I wanted to tell you." Ren called out, a small laugh in his voice before he disappeared entirely behind the shutter. "Mogami Kyoko, I love you."

The metal scrolling door closed with a heavy, ominous CLANG.

-x-

Delta's hide out, a random office

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but practically speaking, we're back to square one– rescuing a captive from enemy territory with only three operatives…" Chiori paused to think, then listed off on her fingers. "Actually, we're at square negative five. We have no comms, no back-up, no intel, no invincible Agent T, no time – the vote is going to be in half an hour. Are we seriously going to take on the entirety of Henshin by ourselves?"

The room sank into silence. Chiori was speaking sense, but… But since when did the LoveMe group ever operate on common sense?

"Shut up! We are the LoveMe division!" Kanae leapt to her feet and tossed her long hair over one shoulder dramatically. "The most resilient trio! Despite being totally scorned and underestimated and stepped on by everyone, we still persist and survive–"

With flat eyes, Chiori looked at the tall operative striking an inspiring pose. Chiori muttered, "Agent K… is describing cockroaches."

"Mou!" Kanae shot the junior agent a frustrated glare and stamped her foot petulantly. "I'm no good at this motivation thing! Whatever! You know what I mean! He's definitely alive, and we'll get him back, no matter what!"

Unable to help herself, Kyoko chuckled a little, wiping the tears from her eyes. "You guys are right… Agent T wouldn't be killed off so easily."

-x-

From the glass viewing booth above the operating room, the smooth, deft movements of the surgeons and medical staff appeared more like a dance than the harried, life-saving battle that it probably was.

"I really do wonder about you, Delta-san…" The dark-haired politician intoned as he stepped up to the window. "You've ruined so many innocent peoples' lives and probably didn't bat an eyelash… But the one man who is actively hunting you down to try and kill you, you step in and save."

Delta replied wryly, "I really do wonder about you as well, Councillor Toudou. Shouldn't you be at the Diet? I hear there's a very important vote happening today."

There was a small movement in the reflection of the glass as Toudou lifted a hand to push his glasses up. "I hear that the outcome of the vote has already been pre-arranged, so one or two missing Councillors isn't going to affect anything."

"Why are you here, Councillor Toudou?"

Saena's colleague cocked his head to the side, regarding the mastermind carefully behind thin-rimmed glasses. He said slowly, "I am here to reassure myself that you are aware of your goal and mindful of the sacrifices necessary in order to achieve it."

Delta chuckled mirthlessly. "And no doubt, to reassure yourself that my sacrifices are not in conflict with the things you are trying to protect."

"Indeed."

Delta tilted his head and gave a tight-lipped smile. "Be reassured, Councillor Toudou. At least in that regard, we are not enemies."

The dark-haired mastermind strode for the exit. As he passed Toudou, something made Delta pause. The words he murmured as he brushed past the politician toward the exit made Toudou's eyes widen behind his glasses. However, before Toudou could respond, Delta had swept out the door and was gone.

-x-

Knocked off-balance and sent scrambling again, Kyoko found herself desperately blocking the last attack, swords locked in an X, stopping Kimiko's longer sword from above. With a scream of rage, Kappa pushed Kyoko backward, and Agent M found herself caged in, her back blocked by the metal guardrail.

Gritting her teeth, Kyoko pushed back, every fiber of muscle in her body straining. She ground out, "Tsuruga-san may have hurt you on accident…"

Kyoko's grip on her katana tightened as she felt the nodachi's blade slip out of her shoulder. She continued, her voice growing stronger, "But the way you react is your own responsibility."

Centimeter by centimeter, Kyoko pushed her swords up, giving her space as she grunted out, "It's always easier to hate than to forgive."

"Sh-shut up!" Kimiko cried. Kyoko was given the impression that if Kappa's hands hadn't been occupied, they would've flown up to cover her ears.

With a small, pitying smile, Kyoko regarded the proud girl. She said simply, "You're just a coward."

In one lightning-quick motion, Agent M brought her left hand back and with a battle cry, brought it smashing down onto the nearly imperceptible notch and widening spiderweb crack on Kimiko's long sword. The Japanese steel creaked, groaned, and finally with a metallic scream, shattered mid-blade.

"The only difference between you and me is that HE chose you!" Kappa spat out.

This finally caused Kyoko to pause. As she gazed down at the dark-haired girl, Kyoko had a bizarre feeling as if she were looking into a parallel universe and seeing a clouded image of a not-so-distant future. She didn't like what she saw.

For all that Sho's selfish arrogance had cost her, deep down inside, Kyoko knew that she had ended up net positive. After all, his fake love helped start her down the road to realize what true love looked like.

"The difference between us is that I turned my poison into a strength," Kyoko gave the dark-haired assassin a small, sad smile. "But you let it eat you alive."

-x-

Taking a couple deep breaths to solidify himself, Ren sat up, feet dangling over the side of the bed. Pausing again to clutch his side in hopes of soothing the shooting agony, Agent T had two brief thoughts.

One: who treated his gunshot wound?

And two: how the hell was he going to get out of this cell when he could barely get himself out of bed?

There was a muffled shout from behind the door. Ren's ears perked up. The shouting crescendoed, punctuated by a smattering of gunfire. Not wanting to be caught unawares, Agent T struggled to his feet.

Just then, the door burst open, bright light pouring into his cell from the outside. Unprepared, Ren shied away, raising an arm against the sudden brightness, but he could see a feminine figure silhouetted in the doorway.

As his eyes adjusted to the light, Ren's eyes widened at her unexpected appearance.

"M-Mogami–?"

The woman in the doorway staggered into the room, gun limp in her hands. Ren could see the bodies of two guardsmen behind her as she slammed the door shut.

Her hands – shaking, he noticed – dropped the semiautomatic rifle with a clatter to the cement floor. Breathing heavily, she stumbled but as she tripped, Ren was able to step forward in time to catch her.

"What are you doing here?" Frowning, Agent T gently lowered the woman to the floor. "…Councillor Mogami."

-x-

"Hello, Kyoko. It's so nice to finally meet my daughter after so many years."

The words rang, echoing in the empty room. A violent protest rose up from within her — it was all a ploy, a lie! But she could see it — from the amber flecks in his brown eyes, to the echo of familiarity in his mannerisms, to the gentle slope of his nose and cheekbones, features she surely did not inherit from her sharp-angled mother — he was telling the truth.

"My apologies, what a rude way to introduce myself." Contrary to all expectations, the man before her broke into a sheepish grin. "My name is Misonoi Kazushi. It is very nice to finally meet you, Mogami Kyoko."

Her mouth felt full of cotton, and when she swallowed, her throat was sandpaper. The only thing her brain could manage to produce was a weak protest. "T-san said your name was Shizumino Kaiso."

"This is also true..." Delta heaved a sigh. "Thanks to the Japanese government, I have been many different people... Sometimes I have a hard time keeping track of it all... Because of this cursed government, I've also killed many people – some bad people, some good people, some people I don't remember..." The man – Kaiso, Kazushi, Delta – stared at the floor intently, his gaze lost momentarily in the past. "But Rick... Rick, I could never forget."

-x-

Saena just looked at her hands, empty. Her voice was strained. "I had brought the documents for the munitions shipment home to authorize them. I was supposed to ensure the ammunition didn't violate any international treaties. I was given the authority to finalize and change the order if need-be…"

"You were the scapegoat..." Aghast, Ren finished the leap in logic. "He framed you for treason and murder."

"That night… I found a ring in his pocket." Her voice sounded weary and aged, as if she'd spent a lifetime and a half going over it in her mind. "I ignored my suspicions, because I wanted to believe in him. I wanted to trust him."

Moisture glistening in the corners of her lids, Saena closed her eyes, the frown etched deeply on her brow.

"I was a fool."

-x-

The older man in the spectacles and three piece suit scrambled up, clutching at Kanae's shoes, his words pouring out like a flood, "Oh dear, oh dear, please don't hurt me, I can't stand pain, I really can't–"

Recoiling a step, Kanae and Chiori shared a look. This man very clearly looked out of place among all the hardened criminals in the room.

Seeming to take their uncertainty to mean, 'We're uncertain as to whether we should also pummel you,' the older gentleman began pleading, "Please don't hurt me. I'm actually the Operations Director of Henshin! I can be useful to you!"

The girls' eyes widened. Now they were interested.

Stooping down to grab a fistful of the man's shirtfront, Kanae hoisted him to eye level. Her brown eyes narrowed at him as she demanded, "Name?"

"K-K-Konoe Tomohiko at y-your service," the director managed as he fumbled to place his broken spectacles more squarely on his nose.

Kanae continued, "Director Konoe, do you know how to get out of here?"

Konoe nodded his head enthusiastically, pointing at a wall behind himself. "There's a secret exit here I was trying to access when I –uh – ran into you two lovely ladies–"

"And I'm assuming as Operations Director, you have the authority to give orders to Henshin field operatives?"

"Oh yes, absolutely! There's even a communications center only a short distance away–"

Chiori grinned as Agent K released their new prisoner. With a small, malicious smile that wouldn't have been out of place on her best friend's Natsu character, Kanae crooned lowly, "Perfect… Please lead the way, Director Konoe."

-x-

"Please… Please save my daughter. 'What right does she have to ask this?' – you're probably thinking," Saena had murmured, her brow carved into a deep, conflicted furrow. "I, her own mother, abandoned her after all… Years ago, when I resolved to throw myself into a life hell-bent on vengeance, I couldn't stop Toudou-san from tagging along, but that girl…"

When Saena looked to the side, Ren could see the tears flash in her eyes. "The best thing – only thing – I could do for that girl was to leave her behind. And never look back.

"Just once, for that girl –" the older woman murmured, her eyes too proud to meet Ren's with tears threatening to spill over. "Just once, I would like to do something that can be called, 'motherly.'"

Chest heaving up and down, Ren contemplated the door. He had promised himself that he would give up his revenge after Kyoko had gotten kidnapped, but now that he was standing on the precipice, the man who had ruined Kuon's life and had stolen Rick's was just a few meters away. The temptation was as palpable as the heavy rifle in his hand.

And Ren could relate to Saena. Delta – Kaiso – Misonoi – had caused tragic ruin in each of their lives… And both he and the Councillor had had a choice: pursue revenge or move on.

Both had chosen vengeance.

And both had, at one point or another, sacrificed Kyoko in a single-minded pursuit of that vengeance.

Suddenly, it all seemed so clear. Ren closed his eyes, understanding. With one deep sigh, the weight on his chest dissipated.

Forgiveness… Running forward toward the future – a future with Kyoko – meant that he had to stop selfishly chasing the past. It meant sacrificing himself – his hurt and regret and pride – to ensure her safety and happiness. If he truly loved her, sacrificing more of himself for her sake was a small price to pay.

Murmuring a small apology into the air, Ren quietly begged Rick to forgive him for letting Kaiso off so easily. But somewhere, in the lightness of Ren's heart and the dissolution of his burden, he felt that this was the right answer. This was what Rick truly would have wanted.

-x-

"Will I help you?" Kyoko echoed.

"Yes!" Kazushi enthused. "Father and daughter – and with your mother's help – we could do it together. As a family!"

"A… family…?" The word felt foreign on Kyoko's tongue, rough around the edges from disuse, but almost instantly, she felt the idea warm her heart. Then above Delta, the projector screen at the front of the room – which Kyoko had almost forgotten was there – flickered to life. As the projector's light bulb warmed into focus, she noticed that it was the live feed from the Diet Chamber in downtown Tokyo. Almost every seat for the hundreds of representatives and councillors was filled, but a few more politicians trickled up through the aisles to sit. It was almost time for the revote.

"You mean…" The reality struck her. Agent M frowned, looking up at her father. "Take control of Japan from the shadows…"

"I have dedicated my life to this government. Thrown it away – for what? For corrupt political leaders to just hand power off to one another?"

Kyoko swallowed hard and offered, "Surely, there is some good–"

"None of them are good! One government faction made me assassinate your mother's character and livelihood," the master spy snapped angrily. "Another – their opposition – had me assassinate a good friend. All for some far-reaching foreign policy machinations with consequences that never came to fruition."

As if sensing her indecision, Misonoi continued on solemnly, "If you help me to achieve my goals, I can help you achieve yours."

"My goals?" The auburn-haired woman murmured, finally looking up, puzzled.

"Justice for yourself and hundreds of other victims…" Delta said, his voice almost coy. "Victims of the Fuwa family."

Kyoko glanced up as he offered something else. Her father held a smartphone open to an email draft and several attachments. The recipients read names like, "Tokyo TV" and "Nippon News" and "NHK Japan". The "Send" button glowed a soft, ominous blue on the screen.

Delta continued as he offered her the touchscreen. "One press of a button, and the Fuwa hotel empire will be so smeared by the media and damaged in the eyes of the public, that Fuwa Daisuke and Shotaro will shudder in horror if ever they hear the name, 'Mogami Kyoko.'"

Sho had been selfish. His betrayal had unarguably altered the trajectory of her life. But her life had changed for the better. If it hadn't been for that fateful night, Kyoko would never have even known about the LME unit. She would have never met Maria or President Takarada or Muse-sama or Chiori or Yashiro or Kanae or…

Ren. Kyoko blinked at that. In some bizarre way, she would never have met Ren if it hadn't been for Sho.

"I used to think something was missing… that I was… broken or deficient…" Kyoko narrowed her eyes and murmured, "But I know now that the journey – pain and all – are what made me who I am today. And I like where I've come. I like who I've become."

Delta merely stood before her, unspeaking.

"I'm sorry, O-Otou-san," Kyoko stumbled over the unfamiliar word for father. But she grit her teeth and raised the gun again, leveling it at his chest. "Please, just surrender quietly, and we'll stop the vote. There's still some time before all the votes are counted."

Misonoi stood silent, staring at the floor as the light from the projector reflected off his thick glasses.

"I'm sorry to hear you feel that way…"

With one fast, overpowering movement, Delta had thrust his hand at the butt of her gun, shoving it toward the ceiling. Trying to recover, Kyoko moved quickly to step back and away but found her hand to be suddenly empty.

In a lightning-fast maneuver born of great experience and repetition, Delta had twisted her wrist, forcing her to drop the weapon. He now stood before her, the metal of the pistol's cold barrel resting squarely in the center of her forehead.

Kyoko froze.

"You were right," her father said simply. "It is revenge I want."

Agent M's breath hitched, eyes wide.

"The weight of guilt that I feel on my soul for your mother… for Rick… for Kuon and for you, Kyoko–" Misonoi broke off, swallowing hard. "Revenge is the only way I can redeem myself now. I've done so much wrong that if I go back, it'll all be meaningless. I can't let it be meaningless."

A shot rang out. Kyoko startled, expecting the room to go dark as she died. But instead of her blood on the ground, she saw her father's feet as he stumbled forward. The hand holding her pistol drifted downward to the floor until he dropped the gun completely. It clattered to the tile, hollowly. His hand instead came up, slowly, to clutch at the hole in his abdomen. The hole was quickly becoming black with darkening red as the wound profusely wept blood.

And as Misonoi Kazushi fell to his knees, his blood dripping heavily to the tiled floor below, Kyoko watched in horror as a tall, grinning stranger – a foreigner – with wavy, light brown hair stepped out of the shadows, a smoking pistol in his hand.

With a grimace of pain and rage, Misonoi snarled up at the man a bitter greeting.

"Alpha…"

-x-

"How long have you been planning to betray me?" Misonoi growled up at Marcus. "From the very beginning?"

"Of course. From before the beginning!" The American scoffed and twirled his pistol expertly in his hand. The hand of a virtuoso flawlessly manipulating its most familiar instrument.

"I thought it was the North Koreans who wanted Kuon," Kyoko's father choked out. "They sent their forces to abduct him."

Marcus clicked his tongue and wagged a finger, a teacher disapproving of a slow pupil. "The North Koreans provided the muscle, but they aren't very handy at silent infiltration and extraction. We had to outsource that service… all the way from Japan, as it turned out."

A dark shadow crossed Delta's face.

"But it was lucky, really," the scheming assassin mused with mock thoughtfulness. "There just happened to be a PSIA agent in Los Angeles who had experience not only with the CIA's LA branch but who also knew Kuon Hizuri personally. All it took was one dirty PSIA supervisor – a quick phone call – and we had a mission directive to that PSIA agent in the field."

"And you lured Rick back from South America," her father ground out behind clenched teeth, rage quickly sprouting from the disbelief that had shaken him.

Marcus shrugged again. "A little rumor that his precious mentee had been recruited into my program, and he came running! Like a rat into a trap."

"He was your brother!"

"Half-brother." Marcus' spare hand waving the fact away like an invisible airborne pest.

Kyoko felt her father's grip again on her hand. He was tugging her away. From some far corner of her mind, she could hear him shouting, "RUN! RUN!"

Then at almost the same time – Kyoko would be hard-pressed to say which came first – two things happened. A dark figure burst from the shadows, practically tackling the assassin. And a shot rang out, the assassin's shoulder exploding in a spray of blood.

Kyoko saw the bun, hair escaping every which way and the formerly white, crisp ironed blouse now untucked and bloodied. For a long, terrible moment, Kyoko watched her mother struggle with the trained CIA agent, playing a deadly game of tug-of-war with the gun's muzzle. Agent M leapt forward to help.

But she was too late. It was a foregone conclusion, after all. A petite Japanese policy-maker against a six-foot-tall American killer. In the struggle, Marcus fired the gun. Saena stumbled backward, clutching the bullet wound on the right side of her chest.

However now that Saena was clear, another shot rang out from across the room. A bullet zipped by, grazing Marcus' cheek. His injured side's hand hung limply at his side. He cursed, shot back blindly into the darkness and turned on his heel to flee.

-x-

"You…" Saena hardly seemed to know how to address her own daughter. Her sharp eyes darted wildly over Kyoko's face and body as her chest heaved, trying to gather breath. "You're not hurt?"

Kyoko's amber eyes filled with tears. She shook her head. "No…"

The frown lifted off Saena's face. Stark relief and a small smile replaced her trademark expression. Saena managed to muster a soft, "I'm glad."

In the deepest of buried hopes, long forgotten, a light flickered. Her mother cared.

But it was all too late, Kyoko knew.

"M-san. I have to go after him." Ren was saying, his voice soft but urgent. Kyoko felt dizzy, near hysterics. But deep down, she knew he had to.

She felt another presence at her other side. How her father had managed to muster the strength to move halfway across the room, she did not know.

Saena coughed and grimaced as a third set of hands applied pressure at the wound site. Blood expelled from her lungs splattered on the collar of her white blouse.

Misonoi looked up at Ren. Kyoko watched their wordless but heavy exchange. Finally, Ren nodded, and a weight seemed to leave the older spy's shoulders.

"Kuon. I'm sorry to be so irresponsible to ask you this, but… Go get that son-of-a-bitch." Misonoi grunted, his face ashen. "I'm leaving the rest up to you."

A warm, lingering hand on Kyoko's shoulder begged a question, and Kyoko nodded her agreement. The large hand squeezed gently, then with a respectful, "Yessir," directed at Misonoi, Agent T had slung a rifle strap over his shoulder and sprinted from the room, hot on Marcus' heels.

Saena's other hand wandered to find Misonoi's clasped over her wound. As she held both their hands, she turned upward to face Kyoko again and smiled. She spoke in halting pants, the fluid in her lungs robbing her of air. "We couldn't… let go of the past… to run after our future… We are so sorry," Saena addressed her daughter, squeezing her hand. "Our future."

The loud, angry sound of gunshots and shouts echoed from the next room over. Kyoko turned back to her parents, unsure. But they already knew what she had to do.

"I can't…" The young woman swallowed roughly, her voice breaking. "I can't just leave you two–"

Misonoi shook his head and gave a wry smile. "Go protect your future. And stop mourning what is past."

Saena nodded weakly, her face like a sheet. She squeezed her daughter's hand once more before letting go. For what felt like the last time, Kyoko saw her mother smile at her. "Thank you, Kyoko. Our daughter."

She almost didn't leave after that. But she knew what had to be done. She and Ren, they had to finish this. Stumbling to her feet, Kyoko nodded silently at her parents, and after one last backward glance, she started forward, at first a slow jog and then a trained sprint, swiping the tears from her eyes as her feet flew over the tile.

Behind her, as she ran, she thought she might have heard her father murmur to her mother that he finally, maybe, perhaps understood why Rick had stepped in front of that bullet for him all those years ago.

Then Kyoko passed through the threshold into the next room. And behind her, everything was still.

-x-

-x-

Much love until next week! Chapter 48 is going to be out or else I owe everyone a donut.