In the Shadow of No 6

by White Eevee

No. 6 is no utopia. After twelve years suffocating under the city's constant surveillance, Nezumi is determined to escape. But just when he manages to crawl out from under No. 6's watchful eye, he finds himself the captive of a West Block terrorist group. AU, rated T for language and violence.

10. The Resistance

Tick. Tock.

Nezumi's head hit the table with such a loud thunk that the mice he was reading to squeaked in fear. "I can't do this anymore…" he muttered to the open air. "This is torture."

He picked himself off the floor, snatched The Happy Prince up and shoved it back into its place on the shelf. Even though tidiness had never been a priority of his in the past, he had adopted the diligent habit in the last week. He had no desire to repeat the experience of having to pick up and reshelf all of the books he left spread out on the floor.

He had read a good number of the novels in this bookcase. Shakespeare was his favorite author so far, and he had almost finished the entirety of his collection of plays. But Shakespeare and the contents of this bookcase were only a fraction of the books in the room. He wanted to read them all, and planned to do so, but he couldn't go on only reading day by day.

I almost regret kicking Shion out earlier.

He groaned, knowing he really must've been in a bad way if he was regretting the other boy's absence. It was true that Nezumi was never bored when he was around, but that was only because he was too busy feeling annoyed or dumbfounded to feel anything else. But he had to give Shion some credit, because he kept his promise. Whenever Nezumi told him to get out or leave him alone, he left the room and didn't return for at least a few hours. According to the clock on the wall, it had been a little more than two hours since he had banished Shion. He glared at it, but the pendulum continued to twinkle and swing dutifully.

Maybe I'll go take a shower.

He had already taken one that morning, but the bathroom was as much of a change of scenery as he could get, and it was also the quietest place in the house. He was still contemplating his life's direction when the door cracked open behind him. Nezumi watched as Shion stepped back into the room.

"It started raining," Shion said without prompting.

Sure enough, Nezumi could hear the soft patter of rain. It was strange, but the only outside noise one could hear inside the room were the sounds of the wind and rain. Nezumi wasn't used to hearing the elements, since every home and building in No. 6 was soundproofed, but he didn't dislike it.

He crossed his arms and faced Shion. The other boy took in his defensive posture and sighed, crossing the room to his bed. He pulled the towel from the end of it and mussed his lightly dampened hair. After he'd finished, he looked at Nezumi.

"Why are you glaring at me? I'm not going to stay out in the rain. You've had enough time to cool down, haven't you?"

"I want to go outside."

"Huh?"

"I've been in here for five days, and honestly, I have no idea why I am still here, because I've been angry and miserable for the majority of it. But I've hit my limit. There isn't a single thing to do."

"There are hundreds of books in here. Read one of those."

"There are only so many stories a person can read before they go insane, and I've been flirting with that limit for the past three days. And that," he pointed at the clock above the bed, "is not helping." Shion smiled. "You can laugh all you want, but I'm dead serious. If something doesn't change soon, the next time you go out, I won't be here when you get back."

Shion frowned. "Okay, I see your point. But I don't know what I can do to help you."

"Get me out of this room."

"Nezumi…" Shion scratched the back of his neck and then bent down to pick up the mouse running circles around his feet. "We've talked about this. You know I can't just let you out. You're supposed to be keeping a low profile. It's for your own protection."

"Isn't it for your protection? Or for your group's protection, more like. I don't remember asking for your help."

"No. 6 has satellites looking for you."

"Yeah, about that. If No. 6 really wanted me back, I have no doubt that they'd already be tearing West Block apart searching for me. But they aren't, so I have no choice but to conclude that they're not planning to fetch me anytime soon."

Shion stopped petting the light brown mouse in his hand. "That… That doesn't make sense. You were important to the city, they should definitely be looking for you."

"Then why haven't they stormed down here to reclaim me?"

This question appeared to vex Shion. He placed the mouse on his bedspread, but then looked like he was at a loss for what to do with his hands now that he had nothing to occupy them. He settled for crossing his arms in a mirror of Nezumi.

"Maybe they're afraid? Or not afraid, per se, but worried about showing their hand so early. I mean, think about it. If they did come down here they'd have to go through us, and they know we have weapons and explosives, so they'd have to bring at least part of their army to ensure their success. But by doing so, they'd be revealing to the world that they have an army."

"How are you so sure No. 6 has an army?"

Shion looked confused for a moment. "I've seen it," he said slowly.

This was news to Nezumi. Although after letting it sink in, he found that it didn't much surprise him to discover that No. 6 apparently had an army. Armies, weapons, and even talk of violence of any kind were forbidden, technically. In the aftermath of widespread warfare, it was agreed between the six remaining city-states that, in order to preserve the last vestiges of the motherland and humanity itself, they would sign a peace treaty to ensure only harmony and prosperity going forward. Every school child in No. 6 knew this. The treaty was called the Babylon Treaty, after the castle it was signed in.

Every city was expected to honor this agreement and follow the decree to the letter, but it had become abundantly obvious to him over the years that No. 6 had been deviating from it. Although its veneer of perfection seemed to be constructed well enough that the other cities had yet to suspect anything was amiss. It even managed to earn the title of Holy City for its pristine design and utopian atmosphere.

"Anyway," Shion continued, "now that I think about it, what we're supposing could very likely be the case."

"Great. Then if we don't have to worry about retaliation from No. 6, there's no reason why I can't go outside."

"Nezumi, it's not that easy. Even without the immediate threat of No. 6, it'd still be a problem for you to be seen. No one but the people that were involved in rescuing you know you're here."

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't glorify my kidnapping by calling it a 'rescue.'"

"People would ask questions," Shion said, smoothly ignoring the jab, as well as the scowl that followed once Nezumi realized he was ignored. "I'd have to talk to Yoming before I can promise you anything."

"Of course you do," scoffed Nezumi. "Naturally."

"I said I'd talk to him about it. What more do you want?"

"Shut up. You're getting on my nerves again."

Shion immediately stopped talking. Nezumi's scowl lessened a bit as he took in the abrupt change in his demeanor. Why is he looking at me like that?

In the quietude, Nezumi could hear that during the course of their conversation, the patter of rain had turned into a rush and the wind had picked up. The weather outside had turned for the worse rather quickly. Shion was lucky to have returned when he did, or—

A slow smile crept across his lips.

"Shion," he said sweetly. The other boy flinched. "You're not thinking that I'd be so heartless as to send you out into the pouring rain, are you? Really, you wouldn't think just because I didn't get my way, that I'm going to take such a childish vengeance, would you?"

Shion plastered a strained smile onto his own face. "No, of course not. I wouldn't do you the injustice…"

"Mm-hm."

"Because I know you realize how lenient I've been this past week, and how kind it is of me to offer to talk to Yoming for you."

The angelic smile slipped from Nezumi's face. "Shion—"

"I'm getting in the shower!" he blurted, bolting toward the bathroom, and very nearly slamming the door behind him.

XXXXX

"You want me to do what?"

"Talk to Yoming for me. Please?" Shion repeated, meeting his hands in front of him in a pleading gesture.

"I don't see why you can't talk to him yourself." Safu kept her slouch against the windowsill, but she shifted a little to face him. Her cheek rested against her knuckle and she was watching him with an expression as bored as her posture. "Why do I have to do it for you?"

Thankfully, the storm abated after one night of furious rain, but the next morning was back to its usual dishwater grey skies. Shion had gone out in search of his friend. It was both of their days off, so he had been hoping to find her free and accommodating. Safu wasn't one to spend her off days near any of the group's haunts, but neither was she a sit-at-home type, so he took a chance and went to the small ramshackle building on the outskirts of town. When they were young, Safu had become enamored of a clump of wildflowers out front of it, and claimed the house as their secret play area. The years of neglect had not treated it kindly, but even now it felt to them like a sanctuary of sorts.

"He'll say no if I ask him, but he'd be more willing to listen to you."

"Hmph." She flicked a wooden splinter out of a fist-sized hole in the windowpane.

So much for catching her in a good mood.

"Safu, are you alright? You seem a little angry. Did I do something?"

Safu didn't answer immediately, and he became suddenly nervous that he had actually done something to upset her. But I don't remember doing anything. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. The wind outside picked up and the house groaned in protest. He wondered fleetingly how long the hideaway would last before it finally gave in and crumbled.

"You've been spending a lot of time with me lately."

Shion's eyebrows shot up. "You're mad at me because I spend too much time with you?"

He had been hanging out with Safu more recently. There weren't exactly tons of things to do in the West Block besides go to work and shop, if you had the funds to do so. There were other forms of entertainment like the hotel or the playhouse, but Shion usually stayed away from the former on principle, and he forewent the latter because it made him miserable. He had tried the playhouse in the past, and still went once in a while with feeble hopes of its improvement, but it was not to be. The actors weren't exactly top tier, and subsequently the performances were painful to watch. He almost shuddered at the memory of their rendition of Romeo and Juliet. The play had always been among his least favorite of Shakespeare's, but even he felt a twinge of sadness watching it being butchered on stage.

He would choose being with Safu over any other activity that the West Block had to offer. She was good company and he enjoyed being with her. But if I'm getting on her nerves…

"Do you… want me to leave you alone for a while?"

Safu sighed. "I love spending time with you," she insisted. "But I'm mad because you're only doing it because you're letting that elite bully you."

Shion's stomach fluttered. He hadn't thought Safu knew about that. He had been careful not to mention the arrangement he made with Nezumi to her because he knew she wouldn't approve. I don't think I was acting suspiciously, but did she figure it out because I've been spending more time with her? His shoulders sagged.

"He's not bullying me," Shion conceded. "We made a deal."

"What do you get out of it?"

"…I get to see you during the day, instead of being cooped up with him." He offered her a smile.

"Aren't you smooth," she commented dryly. But she straightened up and turned to look at him again, and this, at least, was encouraging.

"Look, Safu, I know you don't like Nezumi very much, but talking to Yoming about letting him get out of the room every once in a while would be beneficial for all involved."

"What benefit would it have for Yoming? Because that's all that matters. If he doesn't get something worthwhile out of it, he'll never agree. And that goes doubly because he already hates the elite, and he'll suspect you put me up to asking. Just those points may be enough to shut the conversation down before it starts."

"Well…"

Shion wracked his brain for an attractive lure with which to bait Yoming. His first thought was of Nezumi's aptitude for machines, but he reluctantly dismissed it. Even though mentioning it to Yoming might do the trick, Nezumi had firmly rejected his offer of recruitment, and he didn't want to break what little trust he had managed to build between them. He looked up to find that Safu was studying his face, her own expressing a bewildering sadness.

"I'll think of something," he said earnestly.

"Shion," Safu sighed. Shion's heart sank. She sighed more frequently lately, and he couldn't help but think he was the cause. "Why are you bending over backwards for that guy?"

Shion experienced a swell of discontent at the insinuation. He didn't think what he was asking for was too much.

"I'm just trying to do what's right. I was the one who brought him into this mess, after all. We chose to be in the Resistance, but Nezumi didn't choose any of this. I feel in some way… responsible. And a little guilty. I want to help him if I can."

"You've already helped him. You saved his life. If it hadn't been for you, he would've been carted off to the Correctional Facility, and then who knows what would've happened to him. He should be paying you back, if anything."

Shion pondered her words for a moment. "Wait, that's it! The Correctional Facility! Doesn't Yoming have maps of the building? Nezumi lived in No. 6, so maybe he can provide information or insight on them that we missed. If we approached Yoming with that, he'd be more likely to agree, right? Since the—" He caught himself out of habit and corrected his wording, "Since he has an interest in the Correctional Facility."

Only after he had amended his sentence did he realize it hadn't been necessary; Safu hadn't lost anyone in the Hunt, so she wouldn't have been upset if he mentioned it.

The girl shook her head. "But he doesn't know anything. He was quite clear about that the last time we grilled him."

"It's worth a shot, though. He was kind of in shock the first time, maybe he can remember more now that there isn't so much pressure on him. We could ask him again. In the meantime, you could say you need to look at the maps for your research on the Elyurias thing, and you think that Nezumi's perspective would be helpful. How are you doing with that project, by the way? Did you find any hints about what Elyurias might be?"

"No, nothing," she said with a disgruntled scowl. "I told the girls to listen for it, but so far no one has heard or mentioned anything. There is talk of some kind of illness going around. Apparently, the officials are beside themselves. You'd think the world was ending the way they carry on." She rolled her eyes. "But, yeah, nothing about any Elyurias. Whatever it is, it's top secret. Just like everything else that happens in the Correctional Facility."

"But Nezumi knew about it, so it's possible he might know more. He's our only connection to No. 6, so if anyone could give us clues about the Facility, he'd be our best chance. And even if he doesn't know anything, it's not like any harm would be done."

"Try telling that to Yoming…" But Shion could hear a note of resignation in her voice. He perked up at it. Safu took one look at him and groaned. "That's not fair. You're playing dirty."

"Please, Safu? You know I wouldn't ask you if I could do it myself, but he won't listen to me. You're my only hope."

She slumped over onto the windowsill. "Alright, fine. You win. I'll talk to him."

"Thank you! You're the best."

"Yeah, yeah…" She turned away and rested her cheek against her hand. "I know."

XXXXX

Nezumi placed the pot over the kerosene heater and waited for it to boil. What he really wanted was a cold glass of water, but there was none in the room and Shion insisted that he boil all the impurities out of the water from the tap before he drank it. Like he needed to be told to do so. The only coldish water around came from a stream somewhere outside, and since he wasn't allowed to go out there, and Shion was out, it was impossible to have his wish fulfilled.

Why am I being so obedient? I should just go out there and get my water, orders be damned. In fact, I've been here long enough. It's already been two days since I gave Shion that ultimatum. That's more than enough time. He eyed the door and then the water started gurgling. He cut the switch on the heater and settled in for the second round of tedious boredom, in which he waited for the water to cool. I'll give it one more day. After that…

He considered his options. He hadn't dreamed about or spoken to Her since his botched escape attempt. He had tried calling out several times, but She would not be summoned. He supposed She would only answer any questions he had on Her own time.

He had just transferred the lukewarm water into a cup when Shion burst into the room.

"Nezumi! Nezumi, I did it. You have permission to go outside." He beamed at him.

Nezumi raised his eyebrows. The other boy didn't appear to be joking. "Explain."

"…Why aren't you excited? You don't even look surprised."

"I assure you, I'm very excited. Especially to hear what kind of things you promised your boss I'd do for him, in exchange for this once in a lifetime opportunity."

"There's no need to be so suspicious. Safu talked to Yoming and he agreed on one condition."

Nezumi sniffed. "Thought so."

"It's nothing bad. You just have to look at a map for us and give us any information you have about it. And… it's only for tonight." Shion's enthusiasm curbed a little, but he regained his momentum. "Sorry about that, but that was the best we could do. But it's something, right? He still agreed, so you'll get to go out. And if you turn out to have a lot of information, we could probably convince Yoming to give you more free time."

He makes it sound like I'm some pet that needs walking. But Nezumi withheld his annoyance to consider the information he was offered. Only one night wasn't exactly ideal, but it was a start. He didn't like to admit it, but the need to be somewhere other than that room was nearly overpowering.

Shion was watching him with an aura of accomplishment. It reminded him vaguely of the looks Kaoru's dog used to give him. Nezumi narrowed his eyes. What? Does he want a pat on the head?

He opened his mouth to speak. He had many questions, but there was one in particular on the tip of his tongue. He fixed Shion with his most depreciating look.

"Hold on. You said Safu talked to Yoming? You mean you made your girlfriend do all the dirty work for you?" He whistled. "That's pretty low. I'm sorry, but I can't compliment you for that."

Shion swallowed. "Well… It's…" He kept his mouth open in case anything intelligible decided to work its way out, but after a moment of struggle, his face clouded over and he became suddenly fascinated with the sleeve of his coat.

Nezumi smirked at the boy's pantomime of shame. Shion was entirely too easy to read. "What's this map I'm supposed to look at?" he asked, granting the boy a reprieve. "Something about No. 6?"

"I can't tell you that," he mumbled. "We need to go to headquarters. Yoming will explain everything to you."

"Ugh. Of course that guy will be there." The water sloshed in his cup when he shifted. He had forgotten he was holding it. He downed it and placed the cup aside. "You said we're doing this thing tonight? When do we leave?"

"Uh, right now, if you're ready."

"I've been ready for more than a week. Let's go."

Shion opened the door and held it as he approached. Nezumi suppressed a laugh.

"Well, someone's mother raised him to be a gentleman," he remarked as he passed. "Are you going to offer me your arm as we walk as well?"

"That'll hardly be necessary, I think." Shion turned to shut and lock the door.

A rush of wind blew through the underground corridor, and Nezumi relished the feel of it on his skin. He didn't bother waiting for Shion as he mounted the stairs to the world above. The wind was stronger in the open where there was nothing to block it. It blew through the trees and plucked the colored leaves from their branches. They rustled as they danced along the dirt.

He drew in the first breath of fresh air he'd had in a week. It had an earthy scent that stuck in his throat on its way into his lungs: a concoction of dirt and dust, with just an edge of winter in it. It was nothing like the clean, crisp air of No. 6.

It was delicious.

A gust of wind sent a handful of leaves scurrying against his boots. He fixed his bangs, which had been mussed by the force, and ignored the chill creeping across his skin. He realized he should've put on or asked for more substantial clothing before he went out: he was wearing only a long-sleeved shirt and old cargo pants.

I need a jacket, he mused as his eyes swept the expanse. They fell upon the massive wall of No. 6. It was late afternoon and the wall shined pearly white in the rays of the sun. Its ability to sparkle in the light was attributed to the special alloy from which it was constructed. He had heard many call the sight godly, but looking at it looming over the spires of the West Block slums, it appeared to him like an aberration. It leeched all the light from its surroundings, leaving everything else to drown in darkness. It seemed that he was destined to live forever in the shadow of No. 6.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" said Shion from behind him.

"What is?"

"The wall. No. 6." Nezumi turned. Shion was staring at the wall with a troubled countenance. "I often wonder how something that beautiful could be so cruel."

Shion's words were just another whisper in the dry soundtrack of wind and leaves. Then he blinked, and the expression was wiped cleanly away. He flashed Nezumi a quiet smile.

"Put this on and pull it over your head."

He tossed something at him. It was the superfibre cloth that he had been given as a blanket the first night. Shion had since purchased an actual blanket for his nighttime use, and he hadn't seen the cloth since. Nezumi did as instructed.

"Shall we go?"

"Yeah. Sure…"

Shion began walking, and Nezumi drew up beside him. He cast a sidelong glance at the other teen. He looked casual enough, ambling toward town with his hands shoved into his coat pockets, but he was frowning slightly and there was a strange, somehow unapproachable atmosphere about him.

I wonder what's gotten him into such a brooding mood… But Nezumi wasn't one for prying into people's personal business, so he left it alone. After several minutes, Shion snapped out of it.

"So," he chirped. "Before we get to headquarters, there are some things I think you should know. First and foremost, don't make Yoming angry. Over the past week, I've noticed you aren't very good at controlling your anger and dislike for people, so I won't bother asking you to be polite."

Nezumi waffled between amusement and offense at this statement. Shion continued without a breath, "But keep the sarcastic remarks to a minimum, if at all possible. You may not like him, but he is the boss, and it's because of him that you're able to leave the room. Which reminds me, you should thank Safu for convincing him."

"You should thank her."

"I did already, but I'll do it again, and then you can take that opportunity to thank her after, so you don't feel awkward."

"You know, I don't appreciate this picture of social ineptitude you keep projecting onto me. I'm perfectly capable of being gracious and civil. It's only that I don't feel you're deserving of that respect."

"Is this the part where you bring up, yet again, how I kidnapped you and held you against your will?"

That wasn't what he was going to say, but it pissed him off nonetheless.

"It's the part where I tell you that you have to earn my respect, and right now you aren't off to a good start."

Shion didn't reply immediately, so he knew he understood his meaning.

"Another thing you should know," Shion began tentatively after a bit. "There are going to be other members at headquarters—not many, but enough. And they might… No, he'll definitely ask who you are and why you're here... Yamase—he's the man whose basement we used—he won't pry, and we can trust him not to say anything about what goes on, but the other member on duty tonight… He's loyal and Yoming approved him, so he can be trusted. He's just a little excitable, is all."

Nezumi didn't really care about the politics of the group, but he was experiencing a return of the contentment that came when he first stepped out of the bunker into the open air. His mood had improved enough that Shion's inane chatter wasn't as annoying as it usually was, so he allowed him to prattle on, only half listening.

"We call him Kaze, although that's not his real name, and even 'Kaze' is a shortened form of a nickname."

"What's his nickname?"

Shion smiled broadly, and Nezumi had a feeling that he had been hoping he'd ask that question. "Kamikaze."

Nezumi cocked an eyebrow. "How'd he get a name like that?"

"He's our main weapons guy. He builds the explosives."

Ah. That explains a lot. You'd have to be suicidal to work that job, especially in West Block. Since the world was supposed to have sworn off violence, he didn't imagine there were many bombs or how-to manuals lying around, and in slums like these, the supplies were likely scarce. You'd essentially have to build the explosives by trial and error, except in that line of work, when an experiment blew up in your face it had literal and lethal consequences.

"If you really want to put him in a good mood, call him by his full title, but otherwise just call him Kaze."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Hm… Is there anything else…?"

They had made their way into the town, although Nezumi noticed that Shion avoided any main streets in favor of back passages. There were still quite a few people leaning against the walls of the alleys in shady-looking groups, and there were a few dirty children rooting through the dumpsters. A little girl picking out a discarded apple core looked up when they approached and gave a small wave. Shion returned it, but neither he nor the girl stopped to chat.

At last they let out of the side streets and walked down a brief stretch. They were heading toward a building at the end of it. It looked like it once had a cupola atop it, but the structure had broken down into a splintered stump. It had a gray pallor, and although the building wasn't remarkable in any way, there was something about its construction that struck him as odd. A man was waiting for them at the door. Nezumi recognized him as the nervous basement owner.

"Good afternoon, Yamase," Shion said when they had reached him. "This is Nezumi."

The man greeted him politely, as though he had never seen him bound and battered on his doorstep, and Nezumi responded in turn. They all entered the building together. The interior was open, with wood floors and pasty white stucco. There were a couple of long benches against the walls on either side and a medium-sized wooden table placed in the center of the room. It was much cleaner and less threatening than he imagined a terrorist hideout would be. At the far end of the room was an alcove. There were stacks of boxes in it, but what caught his attention was the cross, mounted on the wall above them.

"This used to be a church," a voice said from behind him. He knew it was Safu before he turned around, which he did eventually do after consideration.

"Hey, Safu," Shion chirped. "Thanks again for setting this up."

"I just hope we get something out of it."

Both she and Shion looked purposefully at Nezumi, though they may have had different reasons for doing so. Regardless, they felt the same sense of disapproval when he didn't respond.

Shion scanned the room. "Where's Yoming?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen him since this morning."

"That's strange..."

Suddenly, a large crow swooped down from the rafters and alighted on Shion's shoulder. He started, but then sighed and reached up to scratch its neck.

"Hey, boy."

Nezumi frowned. The bird was somehow familiar. Hadn't a crow crashed into the Bureau car that day?

The crow received Shion's attentions for a moment and then glided off to sit on the table. It made a guttural squawk at them and began preening.

"Oy, Shion! Long time no see."

Another man came out of a door in the back of the room and strode over. Nezumi noted the gold bandana folded and tied around his bicep like an armband. The man gave Shion a lopsided smile before turning his attention to Nezumi.

"Who's the kid?"

"This is Nezumi. Nezumi, Kaze."

"Pleased to meet ya."

"Yeah. You too."

Nezumi hadn't given much thought to what a weapons and explosives specialist might look like, but Kaze was simultaneously what he expected and not. He guessed he was in his early to mid-twenties, because his face still had a boyish aspect to it, but the stubble on his chin made him seem older. He had the shortest hair out of every person he had met in the West Block, which Nezumi thought was strange, because out of all the people he had met, he thought this man would have the most need for longer hair—he had no eyebrows. He was tanned, so there was a faint outline of where the eyebrows were supposed to be, but they appeared to have been singed off. If that wasn't enough to make one uncomfortable, there was also a huge gun strapped to his chest, resting in its leather holster for all to see, like he was daring someone to pick a fight.

Kaze extended a hand for him to shake. Reluctantly, Nezumi did so, and he was met with an odd sensation against his palm. He masked his surprise and glanced down at Kaze's hand as he pulled it away. He was missing his entire pinkie finger and two of the knuckles of his ring finger.

Kaze looked a little disappointed when he released his hand and Nezumi had yet to gawk or ask what had happened to it. "So why's your name 'Nezumi,' by the way? You don't really look like a rat... Your parents hate you or something? Or is it a nickname?"

And I thought Shion talked a lot. Speaking of Shion… The other boy and Safu were watching Kaze's verbal assault with varying degrees of amusement. Bastards.

"It's my name, as far as everyone here is concerned."

"Oh, touchy. Nickname then, huh? It's fine if you don't want people to know your real name. There are all sorts here. My real name sucks, so I go by a nickname, too." He paused in his rant and smiled at Nezumi in a suggestive manner. This time Nezumi was sure he was waiting for him to ask for more information.

I didn't think it was possible, but this guy is even more transparent than Shion. And ten times more annoying.

Kaze actually pouted when Nezumi refused to take the bait for the second time. "Kaze is short for Kamikaze," he huffed. Nezumi gave an uninterested "Mm" in response to this revelation, and Kaze moved on to his next question. "Where'd you come from, anyway? I've never seen you around before."

Shion finally stepped in on his behalf. "He's a contact from No. 6. Yoming brought him in."

"No. 6?" Kaze's brow twitched, and if he had eyebrows, Nezumi was certain one would be raised in question. He appraised Nezumi anew. "Explains why you're so fancy."

Safu smirked. Nezumi wasn't sure how to take this comment.

Kaze leered at him. "What'd you do?"

"Come again?"

"You're a criminal, right? That's the only way you can get out of No. 6. Or so I've heard. So, what'd you do? Must be pretty bad for them to kick you out. What're you, like, fifteen?"

"Sixteen," Nezumi bit out in spite of himself.

"Uh, Kaze, that's a bit…" Shion started to say, but Nezumi spoke over him.

"I wouldn't say the pledge," he deadpanned.

"Huh? Pledge?"

"To announce my undying loyalty to the city. I refused to say it and they arrested me."

Kaze glanced from one person to another before settling back on Nezumi. "You're shitting me. They threw you out because you wouldn't say some pledge?"

Nezumi shrugged ruefully. "Came to get me at the crack of dawn and everything. My grandmother begged them not to take me, but they wouldn't listen. If I hadn't escaped when I did, I'd likely be rotting in the Correctional Facility right now."

"Fuck, man. That's harsh. And I thought Yoming was exaggerating about how crazy No. 6 is... Hey," Kaze drawled with a note of realization. He turned to Shion. "Is that why Yoming needed that bomb? To bust this guy out?"

"Kaze!" Yamase shouted. "You can't talk about that!"

The outburst seemed to surprise even Shion and Safu, so Nezumi guessed either the older man wasn't prone to shouting, or that they had forgotten Yamase was there, just as he had.

Kaze chuckled. "It's fine, Yoming isn't even here. Where is he, do you know, Safu? He should be here already. This map thing is his deal." He gestured at the table. There were papers spread out on it, which Nezumi hadn't noticed before, but now did, because the crow was picking at the corners of them.

"Hey!"

Kaze half-ran toward the bird, waving his hands. The crow cawed irritably at him and fluttered in the air for a moment before flapping over to the boxes in the alcove.

"Damn bird," Kaze muttered under his breath as he inspected the papers for damage.

"Do you think it's a bad idea to start without him?" Shion whispered to Safu. "He is late, and he hasn't sent any messages."

Safu pressed her lips together and shrugged.

"Someone's coming," Yamase announced. He was peeking out the window near the front door. "It's not Yoming, though… It's Getsuyaku."

In response to this information, the entirety of the room looked confused.

"I take it he's not the most popular member of the group," Nezumi said aloud.

"He's Yoming's brother-in-law," Shion provided.

"He's not a bad guy or anything," Kaze added with a shrug. "He's just kind of a dud."

Yamase shook his head and glared reprovingly at Kaze, just as another man walked in. He was middle-aged, with grey streaked hair and a gaunt face. He was carrying a tube of paper under his arm, which he brought to the table in the center while murmuring his greetings. He tried to place the papers down, but a few sheets slipped out of the middle of the bundle and crashed to the floor.

Kaze jumped. "Ey, watch it! Those weren't easy to get." He helped the man pick them up and smirked when he caught Nezumi's curious gaze. "A guy died for these. Thankfully not one of ours."

"He's joking," Shion said immediately, shooting the other man a baleful look. Nezumi wasn't so sure he believed Kaze was.

Getsuyaku spent an impossible amount of time straightening the papers, while the rest of the room waited in anxious silence.

It was Safu who finally asked the question everyone was thinking. "Where's Yoming?"

"He got caught up in some trouble downtown. But he asked me to bring the map and keep watch over everything." He offered the room a small smile. "Don't mind me."

Hm. This turned out better than I could've hoped for. Now I don't have to deal with that nutcase.

"Well I, for one, am happy to have you," said Nezumi, smiling at Getsuyaku full force.

The man looked shocked, as though he had never received a kind look or word in his life. "Y-yes. You're welcome?"

"Alright, let's get this over with."

Nezumi slunk to the table, making sure to stand as far from Kaze as possible. Getsuyaku stepped back a little, but he could feel the man hovering just behind his shoulder. He resisted the urge to click his tongue. Shion and Safu, too, joined him at the table, but Yamase remained by the window to act as look out.

The map was crudely rendered, and it was only after a moment that Nezumi realized that it had been hand drawn. If he hadn't already suspected Kaze's comment was not a joke, this would have caused him to doubt. The map depicted a huge building with several levels. The first schematic held the plans for two floors with at least fifty rooms between them, and there were five sheets spread on the table. He read the title in the top left-hand corner: Correctional Facility.

"What do you want me to do with these?"

Safu tapped the map. "Look at them and tell us if you know anything that could help."

"Oh, well if that's all, I'd be happy to. I don't know anything."

Safu's glare could corrode metal.

"Come on, Nezumi, you barely looked at them," Shion intervened.

"I don't need more than a look to know I can't help you. The government doesn't exactly hand out pamphlets detailing the inner workings of their top-secret buildings. If you wanted information on the Correctional Facility, you should've waited until I got the grand tour before you 'rescued' me."

"I knew it," Safu seethed. "This is a waste of time. We never should've done this."

"For once, I'd have to agree with you."

"Uh…" The three teens turned to face Kaze. "I don't know what's going on, but Yoming's going to be pissed if we pulled these things out for no reason. They don't exactly bring up good memories."

Safu shot him a dangerous look and Shion glanced nervously at Getsuyaku.

Nezumi frowned down at the piece of paper. "I don't know what you expected. And besides, even if I did know something, I don't see any reason why I should tell you. I may hate No. 6, but that doesn't mean that I'm willing to throw my lot in with a bunch of terrorists."

Kaze laughed. "So we're the terrorists, huh? I don't remember the last time we charged into No. 6 and blew hundreds of people away."

The room went eerily quiet. Nezumi scanned the faces of those around him, but everyone except for Kaze refused to make eye contact. Even Kaze seemed to understand he'd said something wrong after a moment and looked abashed.

Why do I get the feeling I'm missing something crucial? His eyes settled at last on Shion, as he was his surest bet for an answer.

Shion shrank under his gaze, but eventually he said in a small, uncertain voice, "The Hunt?"

"What's the Hunt?"

Kaze blinked at him. "You don't know? Seriously?" Nezumi shook his head, a little angry at the hesitant atmosphere. Kaze made a face. "Well, fuck me. Yoming made it sound like it's a sporting event to you people."

"Is anyone going to tell me what you're talking about?" He turned to Shion again.

The boy cleared his throat and finally looked Nezumi in the eye. "I told you before how I know No. 6 has an army because I saw it. Well…" His confidence gave out and his voice dropped so that it was barely above a whisper. "Every couple years the army comes down here without warning and… takes people."

"'Takes' people?" Nezumi's eyes flicked to Kaze. "Hundreds of people?"

"We don't know the numbers and we don't know what they're doing with them," said Safu. "The only thing we do know is that they're taken to the Correctional Facility, and not one person has returned."

"That's what the Resistance is," Kaze cut in. "We're building an army of our own, so that the next time they come down here, we'll be ready. We're going to put an end to the Hunt. We're the good guys, you're the terrorists. Or at least your city is."

Nezumi felt ill. This was a little too much to process all at once.

"Nezumi—"

Shion reached a hand toward him, but he slapped it away. He didn't bother acknowledging his or anyone's reactions before he crossed the room to the benches against the wall and sat. He leaned forward on his knees and tried to make sense of the information.

How the hell am I supposed to react to that? I knew No. 6 was no utopia, but that's just…

Nezumi knew from personal experience that the city wasn't above using violence to get its way, but it could never be so overt about it within the city walls; No. 6 had a reputation to uphold. But no one was looking at the West Block. People didn't like to talk about the place, but the unspoken opinion of all was that it was a topic better left undiscussed. Which was why he could believe that if No. 6 did decide to charge into the West Block and abduct a few—or a few hundred—no one inside the walls would be the wiser. Some might even outright ignore it. How many people had No. 6 erased while its citizens lived on in ignorance?

They should have let you die with your parents.

Nezumi inhaled sharply as the words resurfaced from the depths of his memory. That officer—Rashi—had admitted the city murdered his family. Part of him wanted to dismiss it, wanted to believe that the man had made it up to get a rise out of him, but the evidence to the contrary was more convincing than hope.

He felt stupid for not considering the possibility that their deaths were not accidental more seriously. Fires in No. 6 were rare, and in a city lauded for its progressivism, the notion of a family perishing from one seemed antiquated. He had thought this and suspected his parents' deaths came about because of the government's negligence.

No. 6 wasn't a big city; the fire department and ambulances should have had more than enough time to get to the house and rescue the people trapped inside, and yet his parents had not been saved in time. Despite the city's claims to equality, there was a very clear hierarchy, and as his parents were of Lost Town, they were afforded less importance. He had convinced himself that his parents died because No. 6 didn't consider them worthy of immediate attention.

As it turned out, he had only been partially correct. The time discrepancy wasn't an accident; neither was the fire.

What was it for? So they could get their hands on me? Why? No. 6… What is that place up to?

Nezumi ran his hand over his face. No one had followed him to the bench, though he could hear whispers coming from the group around the table. Even Getsuyaku had moved forward to take part in the hushed conversation. Nezumi pushed himself up and strode back to the table. The looks he received varied from uninterested to anxious, but he ignored them all.

"Hey, man, uh… About before." Kaze scratched his chin and looked off to the side. "Sorry if I… You know."

Nezumi waved it off and glared down at the maps on the table. "It's fine. I already knew No. 6 was underhanded, I just didn't realize how depraved it actually was. I'll live. How many floors does the Correctional Facility have?"

"Ten," Shion answered immediately. "Technically, only nine, but there's a large blank space underneath the Facility that no one can figure out the purpose of." Shion pulled out the paper on the bottom and spread it out for Nezumi to see.

"Fabulous. Let's start there."

"There isn't much to work with," Safu said. "Nothing is labeled on it. Except for a door."

"It has to serve some purpose, otherwise it wouldn't be on the plans."

"Some of the guys think there's an incinerator down there," Kaze volunteered. He continued after he realized he'd captured everyone's attention. "I mean, they take tons of people, but the Facility isn't big enough to hold everyone. And no one ever comes back, so they gotta be doing something with them, right? So, some of the guys were saying that they kill everyone and then burn them so no one has proof that the Hunt ever happened."

Shion shook his head. "That's just a rumor. I don't think there's an incinerator down there. It wouldn't make sense."

Nezumi nodded. "If their only goal was to kill off part of the population, it'd be a waste of time and resources to take them to the Correctional Facility to do it. It'd be a lot easier just to shoot a bunch of people in the middle of the street. It'd only take a couple of minutes, and then they can be back over the wall and home in time for dinner. There must be another reason why they kidnap them." Safu mumbled something which Nezumi thought he caught, but hoped he'd heard wrong. "You say something?"

She looked startled, but gathered herself quickly and stated in a clear voice, "Carbon fuel. That's why I think they take them. Think about it: The world is a mess. There's hardly any livable land left and natural resources are scarce. No. 6 is a big city, and there are five other city-states just like it, so how do they sustain their standard of living? Carbon fuel. It makes sense."

She waited for a response, but no one said a word. Kaze and Shion stared in mute horror, while Getsuyaku shook his head at her, frowning intensely.

"No. 6 runs on solar power," Nezumi sneered.

Safu crossed her arms and looked away. "That's what they tell you," she muttered under her breath.

"Any other bright ideas?"

"Why don't you come up with something?" growled Safu.

He studied the blank space on the page. The only thing marked on it was a door labeled Point X, which led into the basement of the Correctional Facility. There were no other doors or windows to the outside on either floor plan. What did they need such an area for?

He didn't know any specifics about the building, but if he worked backwards from what he learned from the officer who arrested him, it was possible that he could come up with some kind of theory. He knew No. 6 had been raising him for something, and that something was supposed to culminate in the Correctional Facility. I know they eliminated my family for some reason, and they've been watching me since, but why? What else is there?

He recalled the numerous times the old woman dragged him into the doctor's for check ups, even when he insisted he wasn't ill. He often felt worse after he'd been prodded, pricked, and assailed with a million questions about how his body felt and whether he was remembering to eat healthy. These appointments decreased as he got older, but they remained an unpleasant memory. Why did they care so much about his health?

Then there was how he'd been placed in Chronos and forced through the Gifted Curriculum. That officer said it was to make him a "more favorable subject," and that they had invested a lot of time and money into his development. At the time, he thought that he meant they were trying to turn him into a good citizen, but the way he said it, and the way he spoke of him as merchandise that they were delivering to someone at the Correctional Facility, hinted at something more. It made it seem like all his life he was being conditioned to serve a specific purpose, like he was some kind of… Lab rat.

He swallowed and glared at the empty space on the page. Droves of people taken from the West Block and transported to a facility that couldn't possibly hold them all; an unmarked floor that was separated from the upper levels and completely sealed off from the outside world. I don't want to believe it, but if I'm right...

"Nezumi?" Shion leaned over to look at his face. "Something wrong?"

"What if they're doing experiments?" he said slowly.

"Like tests? On the people from the Hunt?" Kaze asked. Nezumi nodded. "In that room?"

"Yes," Nezumi said. "In that room. Maybe in other parts of the building, too, if there isn't enough space."

"What would No. 6 need human test subjects for?" Safu asked.

"Beats me."

Shion frowned. "Even if they are doing experiments and they're spreading the people throughout the facility, there's still not enough room. We have to keep in mind that there are also personnel working in the Correctional Facility, and I doubt many of them are trusted with confidential information. They would have to control all the variables, the amount of people and place especially, because they couldn't risk people who don't know seeing what they're doing. So if there are experiments going on, they aren't using everyone."

"Then why do they take so many?" Safu asked with an edge of disgust. No one in the room liked the direction the conversation was going, least of all the West Block residents.

If they wanted to use me for something like experiments, then they put a lot of effort into controlling what I could and couldn't do, so maybe there are specific criteria?

"Maybe even though they only need a few, they need a particular type of person. I don't imagine the officers are willing to hang around the West Block long enough to be choosy, so they just stuff a bunch into a car and hope for the best, and then once they get to the Correctional Facility they sort out the ones they need, and the ones they don't… Well, they don't return, so maybe there is an incinerator after all."

A heavy silence lay over the room as everyone tried to work out what such a conclusion could mean. Nezumi suddenly felt a giddy feeling bubbling up in his chest, and he clenched his jaw shut to stop a fit of laughter from escaping his lips. I can't believe I'm even considering this. Maybe the Correctional Facility isn't running human experiments; maybe it was just me they wanted to experiment on. Maybe I'm wrong about that, too.

"That's sick," Safu spat. "Just because we're from West Block, they think it's okay to sort us like garbage? You've got to be kidding me."

"It's screwed up," Kaze agreed in a dark voice. "But it doesn't change anything." He looked around the room. "Our goal is to stop the Hunt, yeah? So if No. 6 uses the Hunt to get people for whatever the hell they do in the Correctional Facility, then the way I see it, we just have to blow the fucker off the map." He flashed his canines in an animalistic sneer.

The corner of Nezumi's mouth twitched. Maybe he had been too quick to judge Kaze.

Safu sighed. "I wouldn't mind if we did, but how? We'd never be able to get close enough, especially now that we're on No. 6's radar. They've probably doubled the security in that place in preparation of an attack. I know I would've."

"And there's already so few holes in their defense. It's practically impossible now," Shion added ruefully.

"What if we attach a bomb to someone's chest and let No. 6 capture them, and then after they're inside the Correctional Facility, we can set it off. That's bound to do some damage to their defenses. I'd do it, if I knew it'd work."

Nezumi blinked. Kamikaze indeed.

"Kaze," Shion said sternly, "you shouldn't throw away your life so recklessly. No one would approve of that plan. And what would happen to Yuichi if you did something like that? You're all he has left."

Kaze grimaced. "I don't need to hear that from you. Yuichi freaks out no matter what I do. It's none of his business what I do with my life. Besides, if I succeeded in blowing up the Correctional Facility, I'd be getting justice for our parents. Even he should be able to respect that."

"And Yuki? What about her?"
Kaze was silent.

Nezumi shook his head. The conversation was getting out of his depth. "The bomb idea wouldn't work," he said, interrupting Shion and Kaze's staring contest.

"Why the hell not?"

"First of all, the Security Bureau would check if you were armed before bringing you in. Secondly, everything in No. 6 is electronically monitored. You need a chip or card clearance if you want to go anywhere or bring something into another zone, and I doubt the Correctional Facility is any different—in fact, I imagine it's ten times worse. If you did manage to sneak a bomb past the Bureau, the minute you stepped into the Correctional Facility and the computer registered a foreign object, you'd be blown sky high."

Kaze deflated. "What other choices do we have, then?"

"I don't think we have any choices," said Safu. "Unless we had an extremely influential contact within the Correctional Facility, I don't think we'd even be able to get our foot in the door before we were shot."

Shion frowned at the floor plan. "And without knowledge of the security system inside we wouldn't get far even if we did get in."

Nezumi nodded. "You'd need both a way in and something to disable the security system to have even half a chance."

"Well, I'm sure I could make something to bust our way in with, but techie stuff like disabling security systems isn't my thing. Unless blowing up the security will do the trick?"

"It requires a little more delicacy than that," Nezumi said dryly. "Blowing it up could cause a lockdown, depending on how the system is constructed. The best way to do it would be to override the computer, but I don't think anyone here has the skill, so the next best option would be to upload a virus to the mainframe."

Safu scoffed. "I don't think anyone here knows how to do that either."

Shion inhaled sharply beside him and Nezumi sent him a silencing glare. The other boy stiffened and ducked his head. Unfortunately, the exchange did not go unnoticed.

"What is it? Did you think of something?" Safu asked.

"No, nothing like that," Shion answered lightly. "I got a chill from the cold."

She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced at Nezumi. "Shion, what are you not telling us?"

Crap. I forgot how perceptive she is. And Shion sucks at lying. Dammit.

"It's nothing, really."

Kaze frowned. "What? You know something, Shion?"

Shion cast a helpless look at Nezumi and then stared down at the ground. Nezumi rolled his eyes. Pathetic. If this went on any longer, he was sure Shion would break under the pressure, and if he didn't end up ratting on Nezumi himself, he'd make it obvious to Safu that Nezumi was withholding information.

But to his surprise, Safu gave up. "Whatever," she said, sighing in exasperation. "It doesn't look like we're going to get any further with this. Getsuyaku, do you mind if we stop for now?"

Getsuyaku looked startled at having been addressed so suddenly, but managed to say, "I'm sure it won't be a problem. But I'll have to report everything that happened to Yoming."

She nodded. "Fine by me. You've got the maps? All right then, I'm heading out. I have to take care of something."

She nearly stomped from the room. Shion frowned at her back and winced when the door slammed behind her.

"Oy, Nezumi." Kaze had walked around the table to stand beside him. "You're kinda a punk, but you're not half-bad for a No. 6 citizen."

Ever the fine conversationalist.

"As far as a person who insists on being called Kamikaze goes, you turned out to be exactly as I expected."

"Oh yeah?" This appeared to cheer him considerably. "I'm gonna go ahead and take that as a compliment. I guess I'll see you around?"

Nezumi smiled blandly. "I doubt it." He tossed a look at Shion, who made another apologetic face.

"Huh? Why not? You're in the Resistance now, aren't you? You're gonna have to see me again some time, whether you like it or not. It's better if we're friends."

"Heh. No, I'm not in the Resistance, nor do I plan to be."

"What're you talking about?" Kaze looked at Shion. "Did Yoming only rent him for a day or something? What gives?"

"Kaze," Yamase snapped from his post by the window. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Kaze made a face at him. "Well, can you blame me? Don't tell me you're not curious." Despite his protest, he relented with a shrug. "Okay then, I guess I won't be seeing you around, for whatever secret reason. It was nice meeting you, anyway."

He clapped Nezumi on the back with such force it took all of his concentration not to wince. Kaze flashed him a goofy grin and went to the window to grumble at Yamase.

"Interesting guy."

"I told you he was blunt. Sorry about that. I was careless."

"You need to work on your lying. It's embarrassing," Nezumi said as he strode to the door.