Wow it's been so long since I updated my most popular story! I am so sorry! But as I have been saying, my personal life prevents me from updating as often as I would like. Just do me a favor and keep reading, k? thanks a lot!
xoxo
-vQ
"They teach us about war and make us sit in rooms alone for hours while they swing a pendant back and forth for hours, talking about the order of Kanma. 'We must maintain the order of Kanma. We are the cleansers. We are the operators of the system.'" Sesshomaru told his mother in a robotic tone.
"Sesshomaru…want…for…"
"Hello? Mother? I can't hear you! The phone keeps breaking up."
Sesshomaru jumped when he heard a door slam behind him.
"Mr. Taisho. You know you are not allowed to discuss the curriculum with outsiders. I thought we had an agreement." A man in a white coat said.
Sesshomaru backed up towards the window of his room. He let out a growl and bore his claws as the man took out a syringe.
"D-don't come towards me with that thing! I don't need any more of those shots! They hurt my arms!"
"Oh but you do! Trust me, it will help…calm you down." The man cajoled as he continued to approach.
The young demon's eyes turned blood red as he lunged at the man and began to tear him to pieces.
He stood over the lifeless carcass huffing and panting, his eyes glued to the blood on his claws.
A group of men, also wearing white coats pulled him out of the room and towards the shower.
"Well done." The suspicious man with the crazed smiled whispered to him as he pat him on the back.
Sesshomaru could feel his heart sinking into his stomach. He knew each day he was there, was another day of his mind deteriorating.
The last thing he ever wanted to be was a part of the operation.
"Taisho!" The prison guard shouted. "Quit holding up the line!"
Sesshomaru shook his head and moved forward with his lunch tray. He couldn't figure out why he continually spaced out. It wasn't like him at all to lose focus.
As the cafeteria staff finished filling his tray with slop, the prison warden tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned sharply to see an elderly man with a crazed smile and crooked glasses on his face.
"Come with me." He said kindly.
Sesshomaru looked around then apprehensively followed the warden. As they headed down the tunnels, and up a flight of steps, he began to see less dirt and more furnished hallway.
He looked over at the man, eyeing the dangling pendant on his neck. It was a lion's head. He couldn't help but feel like he knew this man from somewhere.
The man opened a door and gestured for Sesshomaru to head inside.
"This…is where the boy lives?" Inumira asked in disgust as a rat scurried past her feet.
Inuyasha nodded as he banged on the young boy's door.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome admonished. "Don't bang so hard! He'll think we're the police!"
The boy opened his door with the chain still on and stared at the group of people in the hallway.
"Mr and Mrs. Taisho? Doing a home visit together? Whatever it is, I didn't do it!" He shouted.
"Just open the door. It's not about that." Inuyasha said simply.
Shippo sighed and opened the door, letting the adults into his apartment.
"Well. It is far neater than the hallway that leads to the apartment." Inumira noted as she stood by the door.
"Who's that?" The young fox demon asked as his tail swayed to the right.
"She's my brother's mother's sister."
"So…she's your aunt?"
"No." Inuyasha and Inumira said simultaneously.
"Oookay…" Shippo replied as he rolled his eyes. "What about that other man and woman?" He asked, looking up at Rin and Miroku. "Are they feds?" He whispered to Kagome.
"Actually, Miroku is a government agent and Rin is—"
"Government agent?!" Shippo bolted to his back room and locked the door with a skeleton key. "You guys sold me out?!" He shouted with his arms in the air.
Inuyasha let out an annoyed grunt and hit Shippo on the top of his head.
"Ouch!" The young fox whined.
"What an uncouth way to discipline your students, Inuyasha. Did you learn that from your mother?"
"Don't you talk about my mother, you bit—"
"Excuse me!" Rin spoke loudly. "Can we please tell this young man why we've come here? We're obviously disturbing him. I smell food burning."
"Oh damn it!" The boy exclaimed as he ran into the kitchen. "Aww man, it's ruined! I can't afford to replace that. I guess I'm eating ramen…again." He said with a sigh.
Inumira walked into the kitchen to see Shippo sulking as he stared down at a burnt fish in a pan.
She crossed her arms and shook her head. "You're just a harmless child who likes to fiddle around with technology."
"It's a hobby." He said indignantly.
"It's illegal."
"Oh yeah? And what are you, a lawyer or something?" He spat.
"Yes."
Shippo sighed as he tossed his burnt dinner into the garbage.
"Here." He turned to see Inumira holding money in her hand. "Get yourself something to eat."
Shippo apprehensively reached out his hand and took the cash. "You sure I can have this?"
She nodded. "I would have nightmares if I walked away knowing you made high sodium packaged noodles a part of your livelihood and did not make an effort to spare you from hypertension."
Shippo smirked at Inumira. "Thank you Ms…"
"I am Inumira Tono."
"Ah. Thank you Ms. Tono."
The two left the kitchen together to find Inuyasha and Kagome arguing.
"I told you to eat before we left the house!"
"I did! But what do you expect when I'm eating for two!"
"You act like you're eating for four, you fat pig!"
"Who are you calling a fat pig? You're the one always eating everything in the house!"
"Ahem!" Rin cleared her throat loudly.
The two stopped arguing and looked down shamefully.
"Miroku, why don't you tell Shippo why we're here?" Rin suggested.
Miroku sighed. "I need an encrypted copy of my ID card so my work activity is untraceable. I need to access some extremely sensitive data at the office."
Shippo held out his hand "Let me see your ID card."
Miroku handed him the card and Shippo studied it intently.
"Hmm…well it won't look the same but it will do exactly what you need it to do."
"That's fine. As long as I don't get caught."
Shippo looked around with a cheeky smile on his face. "You guys are doing something criminal. What is it?"
"We can't tell you everything. I'm sorry, Shippo. B-but we really do need your help." Kagome replied.
He paused and continued to stare everyone down. "So who's gonna pay me?"
"Pay?!" Kagome and Inuyasha said in unison.
"Look, you little squirrel I've kept you from getting expelled time and time again." Inuyasha said angrily as he grabbed his collar.
"Mrs. Taisho, tell him to let go!" Shippo whined.
Inumira slapped Inuyasha's hand away and pushed him back.
"How about a better place to stay? Rent free and housekeeping included." She suggested.
He pondered it over as a rat burrowed through the wall and ran into his kitchen. "I guess that's payment enough. I'll be done in a few hours."
Back at Kanma…
"Your lawyer made a deal to grant you two phone calls a day. This is the telephone room. You are free to call whoever you'd like. One call in the day, and one before lights out." The warden patted him on the back and walked out the room.
Sesshomaru stood still for a moment until he could shake the eerie feelings overcoming him. He sat down at one of the booths and dialed Rin's number immediately.
Rin looked down at her phone in confusion as the unknown number showed up on the screen. She stepped off to the side and answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Rin. It's nice to hear your voice."
Rin bit her lip as tears began to fall from her nearly bulging eyes. "Se…sho…ma…ru?"
"I wanted to check on you and see how you were faring."
"Well I'm doing alright. The pregnancy is still going well. I just…don't get out much." She said with a sniffle.
"The air is good for you, Rin. You should make an effort to get out and about. Are my brother and Kagome not keeping you company these days?"
"It's not that it's just…" She began to sob. "Everyone is…so mean…and judgmental. They stare and whisper in the stores. I can't even look at baby clothes without getting looks of disgust."
"Rin, try to remain calm." Sesshomaru said to her in a calm tone as her cries in his ear shot through the phone like bullets. It was killing him to hear her sound so distraught.
"They—they say horrible things about me…and to me!" She sobbed. "I try to keep these things to myself around Kagome and the others but it hurts! It really, really does."
"What a mere mortal says about you is not enough to determine your place in the universe."
Rin stood silently and her crying immediately ceased. "Y-you're absolutely right."
He paused for a moment of relief as his beloved stopped crying. "Rin there's something I want you to know."
"What is it?"
"I have not felt like myself lately. I often space out and get odd feelings while in this prison."
"That isn't like you at all!" Rin said in shock.
"I know. Something is peculiar about this place. And…somehow…familiar."
"Really? That's weird."
The two heard a beeping sound on each end of the phone.
"I'm going to assume that beeping sound means it is time for me to end my call."
"Oh, I see." Rin sighed disappointedly.
"I will call you again soon. I love you."
"I love you too."
Rin held the phone to her ear until she heard the click. She hung her head down sadly and wiped the tears from her eyes.
As she regrouped with the others, Inumira looked at her knowingly and gestured for her to come closer.
The two chatted for a moment about Sesshomaru's welfare at Kanma and Inumira did not like what she had heard.
"It sounds like something is going on down there. I do know it isn't an ordinary prison, but I don't know what exactly goes on there. Perhaps I should take a trip there."
"Don't forget you need Government clearance to walk that pathway. Sorry, that's over my head." Miroku mentioned.
Inumira scoffed in annoyance. "What a pain in the ass."
Two days later, Kanma Prison
"What do you mean I cannot see my client?!" Inumira questioned as she slammed her fists on the warden's desk. "I had to wait a day and a half for Government clearance just to walk on the grounds only to find out you will not allow me to see him?!"
"He's in the seclusion hole. No visitors can go down there." The man said calmly as he spun his executive chair to the side.
"He is also my nephew. Isn't there some kind of special allowance for family members?"
"Ma'am, the seclusion hole is a 10 foot trench. The liability form you signed on Mr. Taisho's behalf does not apply to you as well. We cannot risk the lives of outsiders."
"But you can risk the life of my nephew?"
The warden stood slowly, clutching his lion's head necklace.
Inumira glanced at the odd insignia, as she recalled seeing it somewhere once before.
"Your nephew is a dangerous criminal. He has committed a dangerous crime and has brought his behavior into my prison. We have zero tolerance for disorderly conduct. You see," He moved closer to Inumira and grinned, "the order of Kanma is my top priority. But alas, fear not. He has…company. I'm sure the two of them have plenty to discuss."
Three hours earlier…
Sesshomaru was woken up by the sound of a blaring siren and his cell door opening. He rubbed the dirt out of his eyes and groaned. It was disgusting being imprisoned underground. Even after a shower, you would only get dirty once more.
"Line up! Single file!" The prison guard ordered as each inmate lined up in front of the cells.
The prison guard pointed to his left and they began marching towards the metal steps. "Left, right, left, right! Wakey, wakey, you worthless animals! Today you'll get your nutritious breakfast! Eat every damn bite because the warden's gonna have you doing a little excavating today!
They marched to the dining hall and lined up for their breakfast. Sesshomaru shuddered in disgust as he watched the cafeteria staff dump pale, awful smelling oatmeal into bowls for each prisoner.
"What is this?" The inmate in front of him asked.
"It's porridge with pureed broccoli, wheat barley, spinach, carrots, beets and banana." The cafeteria worker said as he dumped it into the bowl. "Eat up! Got work to be done today."
The man groaned as he continued towards a table.
The cafeteria staff glared at Sesshomaru as he took the bowl. Despite only waking up moments ago, Sesshomaru was prepared for the challenge and scowled right back.
"Move it, hound. Go sniff around somewhere else." The prisoner behind him sneered.
Sesshomaru turned sharply and swung the bowl of oatmeal at his fellow inmate.
The man began swinging his arms wildly to fight Sesshomaru off, but it was pointless as Sesshomaru's punches landed perfectly in the man's face.
The young fellow waved his arms helplessly as his teeth were being knocked into his throat by Sesshomaru's harsh blows.
Six prison guards pulled Sesshomaru off the man and beat him with their nightsticks until he was moderately defenseless.
One of the guards blew a whistle and two other guards came rushing in moments later with hands full of chains.
'Not this again.' He thought to himself.
The chains were wrapped around his chest with his arms behind his back. They pulled them tightly and dragged him out of the cafeteria.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" One guard said through his teeth as he hit him on his head with a nightstick. "You have to follow the order here!"
"To hell with your order." Sesshomaru spat.
The men stopped walking when they noticed the warden standing in their path.
"Good morning, all. What has Mr. Taisho done today?"
"He beat up a 19 year old prisoner, sir." The guard responded, respectfully.
"Tsk tsk tsk." The warden shook his head disappointedly. "Take him to the hole for a few days.
"Yes sir." The guards obliged as the pulled him down a flight of steps.
Sesshomaru watched as the corridors grew smaller and darker as they descended another two flights of steps.
They finally stopped once they reached what appeared to be the bottom of Kanma. One of the guards opened a hatch and jumped inside.
"Alright, toss him in."
The men pushed Sesshomaru down the hatch where he landed face first in the dirt.
The guard inside used a very dim flashlight to help him find the cuffs. He tied Sesshomaru's chains to a metal bar sticking out of the wall and put his hands in cuffs that were nailed to a metal base in the ground.
"You will spend three days here. No food, no water, no sunlight, no visitors." The guard grabbed him by his hair and shone the flashlight in his eyes. "You. Will. Learn. The order." He spoke in a threatening tone as he ascended out of the hole and closed the latch once more.
Sesshomaru couldn't see anything. The pitch darkness was unsettling. He wrinkled his nose incessantly to try and get some of the dirt off of his face.
Suddenly, the sound of moving chains and an even more unsettling scent made Sesshomaru's blood boil.
He shook the chains relentlessly and tugged at the cuffs as hard as he could. Unfortunately, not even the strongest of demons could break free.
"This hole was designed for demons." A voice said from across the dark trench.
"Then why the hell are you here?" He questioned furiously.
"Because I won't die. You should know that better than anyone, my friend."
"Do not refer to me as your friend."
"I was merely trying to pass the time here amicably. Believe me, I hardly consider you as such."
"Why are you here?" Sesshomaru questioned again.
"The same reason you're here, Sesshomaru." There was a long drawn out silence as the faint sound of moving chains echoed through the ditch. "I…am a monster just like you."
At the Tokyo Central Government Building
Miroku nervously made his way through the building to the resource room, filled with books, archives and desktop computers. He timed every employee's movements and work schedule perfectly to find the opportunity when he could be alone in there.
He sat down at one of the computers and swiped the keycard Shippo made.
He stared at the screen impatiently, wondering if that kid really knew what he was doing.
ACCESS GRANTED
"Not even a prompt for login? I'll be damned. This kid is the real deal."
Miroku began researching the monarch project.
In 1970, The U.S. CIA broke ground with the Monarch Project. It was a method of ruling the mind and unlocking the individual's full potential. The Monarch gave the controller the ability to tap into 85% of the person's brain, even splitting it into alternates, which can be triggered at anytime by specific codes, objects or individuals.
In 1973, the Japanese Government began experimenting with the Project…
"I don't believe this. Is this what they really wanted him for?"
Miroku printed out the pages of information he found and tossed them into a bag. He quickly rushed out of the resource room, bumping into a colleague.
"Morning, Miroku. In a rush today?"
He chuckled nervously. "Forgot I have a lunch date with an old friend."
The woman smiled and nodded. "Working here can really fog up your brain." She said with a giggle.
'Tell me about it.' He thought to himself. "Well I will see you later on today."
She nodded and waved as he rushed towards his car.
Miroku let out a loud sigh as he slumped in the seat. He checked the rendezvous address where he promised to meet Inuyasha and began driving.
He got out the car and met Inuyasha outside an old comic book store where the two of them used to hang out during their younger days.
"Were you followed?" He asked as he blew out the tobacco smoke into the frosty air and flicked his cigarette butt into the snow.
Miroku looked back and shook his head. "No." He paused and looked at the still burning cigarette butt on the ground. "I didn't know you smoked."
"Neither did I, but it's helping me cope with the stress. Don't tell my old lady, alright?"
Miroku chuckled lightly and nodded. "Of course I won't." He promised as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a thick envelope. "Here's the information you asked me to get. Took me two days to go through the classified database. I could lose my job for something like this."
Inuyasha snatched the envelope and grinned. "Yet, you did it anyway, right?"
Miroku grinned as well. "You're damn right I did." He responded as the two of them walked into the store.
"Remember when we used to sit on the floor pillows upstairs and read all the comics that had women with huge breasts in them?"
"Uh…Miroku? Only you did that. I actually read the comics."
The two chuckled as they headed upstairs. They sat down on the floor pillows and Inuyasha opened the envelope.
"I have to warn you…what I read was actually a bit disturbing."
Inuyasha read through the papers and his eyes widened. "This is crazy! Why…why are they doing this?!"