A/N Hey all-I know it has been ages since I updated, but I am back-at least for now.
DISCLAIMER; I do not own Kaichou wa Maid-Sama! I only own my own original characters and the writing in this story.
Chapter 26; Silent
He lets out a growl of frustration, his worry making him short-tempered. "I don't have time to explain! Kailey is in danger, and I need your help! Just hurry up and get your asses over here." He hangs up the phone with a snarl, clenching his fists as he is overwhelmed by emotion. They would come, he knew that. Takumi and Misaki both cared about Kailey, he knew that, too. After taking a few deep breaths, he pulls out his own phone and shoots a text to Maki. 'Get to the house now. -T' After only a few moments, he gets a response back. 'On my way.' Tora stayed seated at the counter, both phones placed beside him as he waited for the search party he had formed to gather.
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Kailey paced around her prison-blood dripping down her clenched fists as she thought. How was she going to get out this? It seemed hopeless-even after her years of training, she still wasn't strong enough to beat him. 'Pathetic.' She spat the word in her mind, falling into a cycle of self-deprecation at her own seeming ineptitude. She didn't know how she was going to get out of this mess-but wait, hadn't Gabriel said something about Tora being in love with her? She shook her head in frustration, No! That had obviously just been a ploy to throw her off-the Igarashi heir was nothing more than a womanizing boy seeking his next trophy. Deep down, she knew that wasn't true. It might have been in the beginning, but now...It seemed like the tiger may actually have feelings for her. The thought scared her, though-the people she cared most for tended to be torn away. And now, it seemed she was being used to hurt others, as well. Gabriel wasn't just torturing her for his own sick amusement anymore-it was also a means to an end. She sighed, pushing those thoughts aside. There was no point worrying about such things right now-she needed to focus on what she was going to do next. She wasn't a weak 14 year old anymore-she was stronger, damnit! But there was still a small voice in her head that revealed her doubt.
A look of determination crosses her face, as she strode towards the door to investigate it again-surely there was a way to open it from the inside? She ran her hands all around the door again, hoping against hope that she would find something she had somehow missed before, even when she knew she wouldn't find a thing. She straightened up again, looking around the room for something-anything she could use. There were the ropes on the floor that had bound her before, but nothing else. It seemed like Gabriel had really thought of everything this time-even to the point of finding a place in advance. He had planned for this since the beginning, hadn't he? Her coming to his room that night hadn't changed anything-she had played right into his hands. And she hadn't told Takumi that Gabriel was even here-if she couldn't get herself out, there was no one else who could come to save her, was there?
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Tora paced around his living room, waiting impatiently for Usui, Altea, and Misaki to arrive. Maki stood slightly behind him, his face twisted in concern for both his friend and the heiress. Mineko stood in the doorway, watching her son while she contemplated what to do. She turned and went back to where her husband was still talking on the phone in a cool, calm voice, leaving her son to talk to his friends while she tried to help behind the scenes.
Suezo Igarashi spoke into his phone with a cold voice, keeping his emotions in check. His wife had been right about the man named Gabriel. He never would have allowed such a creature to come into his home if it hadn't been a specific request from the head of the Silvermorthnone family. Before, when his wife had noticed the tensions between the three, his hands had been tied. Yet now that the Fortin boy had struck against the heiress-and so blatantly-he no longer had to stand by and do nothing. It would no longer be baseless accusations, as the boy had left a clear message behind showing it was his doing. Suezo was calling on his underlings to organize a full search-as well as organizing a task team to apprehend Gabriel Fortin. If things went well, they would be able to find them before the night was done. Suezo had plans to confront Dremore Silvermorthnone, but that would have to wait for now. While the situation was far from ideal, Suezo knew how to tip it into his family's favour if they could just find the heiress. While he cared for the happiness of his wife and son, he was ever the business man and thought of the future and how his actions could help or hurt his name. Yet even he was willing to go farther than specifically necessary in this situation.
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Tora looked up from his pacing, a collection of footsteps approaching him. Takumi Usui strode up to him, his face like a storm cloud. Before the Igarashi heir could even utter a word, Takumi grabbed his collar and got into his face. "You were supposed to protect her, damn you!" Tora fought back the urge to snap back-he already blamed himself, and felt he didn't have the right to argue back.
Before Takumi could explode even more, Misaki stopped him. "Yelling will not help us find her! We need to work together." Takumi paused, turning to look at his partner, before turning back to Tora like he had more to say, before letting him go and stepping back beside Misaki-anger still covering his face.
Tora smoothed out his shirt, and looked up to make eye contact with the pair, rage filling his amber eyes. "I know, alright? I didn't expect something to happen so soon." He looked away, fists clenched at his sides, "That doesn't matter right now-all that matters is finding her and getting her away from that bastard." Raising his head, Tora stares directly at Takumi, the anger mixed with determination and worry.
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Kailey paced around the room-there was nothing she could use in here. What was she going to do? She moved back to stand beside the door-striking fast and hard was her best bet of escape. As if on cue, a noise came from outside the door, and she readied herself, even as unease settled in her stomach. As the door 'clicked', she tensed, and lunged as the door swung open with a swish. A large man held the door, and startled at her sudden appearance. 'I guess he is working with someone...' The pit in her stomach was growing, but she wouldn't focus on it now, instead sending her knee into the stomach of the guard, throwing him backwards out of the doorway. She didn't give him time to recover, swiftly moving to smash her elbow into the mans' face and sending him to the ground. He groaned, but didn't move, having lost consciousness. Kailey rose slowly, caution marking her movements as she searched around this new location. Only one guard..? It made sense that that man would underestimate her-but she would have no problem taking out riff raff like these guards-they didn't scare her. Where was Gabriel, though? She needed to avoid him-she wouldn't make the mistake of confronting him directly again-she needed a better plan. Looking around, she doesn't see anyone else. Strange... Sending a silent prayer of thanks for this chance, she drags the unconscious man into her previous prison and closes the door behind her. Now, she just had to find the exit...
After walking through the halls for some time, Kailey's sense of unease and dread was only growing. Something was off about this entire situation-it was all seeming too easy. For having seemed to plan everything so carefully, Gabriel had only had that one guard? The layout of the building was also incredibly straightforward-it felt like she was being led along to a pre-set destination. There hadn't been many off-shots from where her room had been, but she couldn't just sit and wait for something to happen, could she?
She kept walking, caution marking her movements and slowing her down, but she couldn't take any chances. Hope was beginning to fill her mind, and the rooms and halls she moved through were starting to grow lighter. Could she be nearing her freedom? It looks like sunlight up ahead-that had to be an exit! Throwing caution away, she picked up her pace and, before long, she was running towards the light of her purposed freedom. The fear was lifting from her mind as she ran into the large room ahead of her. There! There was an exit here! She was almost free. But wait...What was that? Oh.
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Takumi, Misaki, and Maki sat at a table in the Igarashi mansion, all watching Tora as he paced around the room while thinking of a plan. Tora let out a frustrated sigh, stopping and facing the group before him. Where the hell was that Kunisada girl? It had been hours since he had called her, yet she was still nowhere to be seen. The sun had already risen, and they had no progress to show. His princess had been in the hands of that monster for much too long, and he grew nauseated at the thought of what had already been done to her. His father had already sent a search party out within the first hour of Kailey being abducted, yet nothing had turned up yet. How far could Gabriel have even gotten her? They had nothing to go off of, and the time just continued to cruelly tick on.
Tora looked up as the slight form of the Kunisada heiress, and stormed towards her. "What took you so damn long to get here? Don't you care-" He stopped abruptly, her expression warning him against finishing his accusation. But still, he was angry and she had taken her sweet time to get here.
"Do not mistake my late arrival as a lack of care for Huā Láng, Igarashi-san." Her voice was icy, and it was clear that she was angry. "Have you been able to find anything out?"
Tora shook his head, his fear making his anger flare. "No. We have no idea where he could have taken her." He took up pacing again, a frustrated snarl pushing its way from his throat. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails bit into the palms of his hands, drawing blood.
"I thought that might be the case." The small woman crossed her arms over her chest, and looked around the room at those closest to Kailey. "We cannot just sit here and wait for others to find her. Let us take matters into our own hands." Without another word, Altea turned on her heel and strode back towards the door.
Tora and the others turned to look at each other, startled at her abruptness, before Takumi and Misaki rose to follow after the strange woman. Tora scowled momentarily, but pushed his thoughts away-all that mattered to him right now was finding Kailey. He looked towards his trusted servant, "Let's go Maki." The black-haired male stood, bowing to Tora and following dutifully behind him.
Tora stepped out into the light of the sun, joining the rest of his rag-tag rescue group. "Let's start-" His phone chimes, a call incoming. With a growl, he pulls it out and sees it is an unknown caller. His eyes narrowing, he answers.
"Are you there, mangy tiger?" The voice on the other end of the line was unmistakable.
"Gabriel-" Tora's voice was a low growl, bordering on a snarl. Altea and Takumi jerk to look at Tora at the utterance of the name, and Altea steps towards Tora. Before the group can say anything, a scream crackles across the call and the line goes dead. Tora shakes with rage, but before he can say anything, a text message pops up on his screen.
Want to see your Princess?
Gabriel was taunting him, damnit! Another message pops up on his screen, and the live video feed embedded starts playing before he can react, much to his horror.
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The room that was supposed to lead to her freedom betrayed her-just a cruel joke laid out by Gabriel. Before she had had time to react, the barbed wire across the doorway had taken her legs out from under her, mercilessly gouging into her skin as she screamed out in pain. She grimaced, gripping her wounded legs as the shadow of a ginger-haired man walks into the room with two large men on either side of him. He hands one a camera, before sauntering towards her. With a start, the blonde looks up at him, fear leeching back into her mind. Unseen to her, the guard held up the camera and started the live broadcast.
Pushing back the fear and pain, Kailey launched towards Gabriel with clawed hands. Gabriel let out a cruel laugh, and backhanded her back to the ground. She turned to glare at him, but he put his booted foot on her throat and pushed down, a sadistic grin on his face that sent a chill down her entire body. "You didn't think it would be that easy, now did you, little flower?" He took his foot off her throat, leaning over and grabbing her roughly by the shirt and dragging her up.
Kailey still forced her fear away, spitting in Gabriel's face as she swung her leg around to kick him in an attempt get away again. His face darkened in anger as her spit hit him dead on, and he spun around, using the momentum to fling her towards the two guards, fabric ripping under the abuse. The blonde let out a cry of pain, landing harshly in front of the guards. She looks up with a glare, only to notice the camera pointed at her. She began to pale at the implications, before turning to watch Gabriel's approach with unease.
"O~h, did you notice my friends? Do you want to say something to your love?" Malice filled his voice at the end, and the ginger lunged towards her, grabbing her chin roughly, dragging her up onto her knees, and pressing his face up beside hers as he looked into the camera. "What do you think, tiger boy? What should I do to her first?"
Kailey stares into the camera, realizing he was talking to Tora. Anger crosses her face, and she jerks her chin back, biting down hard on Gabriel's fingers. The man lets out a snarl of pain and rage, and grabs her by the throat, pulling her up off of her feet. She digs her nails into his arm, struggling to free herself. He pulls something out of his pocket, and she stops struggling at the sound of a blade flying open. Gabriel grins cruelly, drawing the blade close to her face, before sliding it under the fabric of her top and slicing downwards. She starts to struggle again now, as her shirt falls open and the lack of oxygen makes her dizzy. She kicks towards Gabriel, but feels the sharp pain of the knife press into the side of her ribs and stops fighting again, her mind flinging images of the last time.
Gabriel drops her to the ground, placing one of his feet on her stomach and pushing down slightly. As she struggles underneath him, he turns to stare at the camera with the knife held up beside him. "See this, tiger? It's not the first time this blade has kissed the delicate flesh of this little flower." Kailey looks at the camera again, and her determination returns, refusing to be used as a tool to hurt Tora. Suddenly, she wraps her legs around Gabriel's and twists away from the camera, causing him to fall backwards. The fabric of her pants were torn and bloodied, and the wounds from the barbed wire were still weeping blood. Not only that, but her shirt no longer covered her-Gabriel had made certain of that. The orange-haired monster snarled, pulling himself up from where she had knocked him over, and her blood drained at the look of anger on his face. She starts to scramble backwards, before the second guard reached over and grabbed her arms, pinning them behind her back. Gabriel stood fully and stared into the camera, rage and malice dripping from every part of him, "Stay by your phone, Igarashi-I'll be sure to send pictures of the pieces." He turns to glare down at Kailey, and she shudders at the new anger there. It seems she had made things worse for herself.
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Tora gripped his phone tightly, the video feed going black. Everyone was silent, before Tora looked up and started moving towards a waiting limousine. Altea reaches out and grabs his arm as he passes, stopping him. He turns rage-filled eyes on her, "Let me go, I am going to find her!"
His snarl doesn't phase her, and he sees the icy fury in her eyes. "Not alone." She held up her other hand, and before anyone else could move, a group of people dressed in all black appeared, all bearing the insignia of the Kunisada clan. She then released his arm, stepping back to stand in front of her small army of meticulously trained ninja.
He nodded, before storming towards the limousine again. "Let's save her."