Hi sorry for the late update. I got really sick and am only now starting to feel better. I hope this chapter will make up for it though. I did kind of tweak this story by combining the first three chapters into the first one, because I thought it would flow better. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites. Please review and let me know you care about this story :-D
I do not own Sekaiichi Hatsukoi.
The doors to the hotel room burst open and two men in wheel chairs entered. One was in wheeling himself in while the other was wheeled in by a man with glasses. After the man in glasses shut the hotel door, he turned around and dumped the man he wheeled in onto the floor.
"We should tie his hands to one of the legs of the bed," said the man still remaining in his wheelchair.
"Yah, zip ties are in the bag attached to the back of your chair," answered the be-speckled man. The man in the wheelchair nodded his head and reached behind him while the be-speckled man started to pat down the man he had dumped on the floor, feeling for weapons or anything that could possibly cut the zip ties.
"Kay, the zip ties ready," said the man in the wheel chair. The be-speckled man began to drag the man on the floor to the leg of the bed. Once the two men had the man's hands ties to the leg of the bed, the be-speckled man reached into the bag attached to the back of the wheelchair. The be-speckled man pulled out what appeared to be a small TV from the bag. "How much longer will the drug keep him out," asked the wheelchair man.
"About twenty more minutes, but we have another problem."
"What?" The be-speckled man turned the little TV to show the wheelchair man. "Ahh, Shade agents."
The be-speckled man turned around the TV to look again, "It also appears that an old friend of yours is here as well."
The wheelchair man looked again at the TV, "Takano san," he breathed.
"This could pose a major problem. If Shade is here, they could completely undo the mission," the be-speckled man stated.
"It could," answered the wheelchair man thoughtfully. "But, perhaps this could work to our advantage. After all I did want to send them a message, they just have no idea what's next. Did you bring those two toys I asked you to?"
"Ye...yes but those are only prototypes!"
"Well… the only way prototypes get out of the testing phase is… by testing them out," smiled the wheelchair man. "This could be entirely the situation we've been waiting for."
As soon as Takano was off the plane, he was on his cell talking to a Shade agent who was already in the area.
"What do you mean you haven't seen him anywhere at the hotel," Takano practically screeched into the phone.
"I mean I've checked his apartment, went to the embassy, and trolled all sixteen god damn floors of this mother fucking hotel and I haven't found him," seethed Kitazawa Reiji, the agent Takano was speaking to.
"Have you checked the international student UN convention type thingy?"
"That's part of the hotel check, so yes I have!"
"Haa," sighed Takano, "Have you checked the hotel security videos? I just got off the plane and am getting into a cab now, so I'll be there in twenty minutes to review them with you."
"On it," replied Reiji.
Takano sighed again as he put his phone away while walking towards the exit. He hadn't taken a commercial flight to England; so luckily, there were no customs lines to deal with. On the flight over he had reviewed the files of the six other murders as well as the file on their handler Hotaru Shuusei. From what Takano had read, Hotaru san was a combination of himself and Ritsu with his skills in languages, grifting, and getting the job done. As much as Takano loathed the man, Takano wished he could have talked to Haitani before leaving so he could get an even better idea of what Hotaru san was like. The six assets who were killed all got their assigned jobs done efficiently and effectively with little interference done by Hotaru san. It seemed to Takano he mostly gave them their assignments and then payments, but he knew from running his own assets that it required a lot more than just that. Takano found himself sighing again. "There's still so much I don't know or understand," he thought.
"I just started scanning through the security videos but I haven't seen him anywhere on the videos," Reiji stated as Takano entered the security office of the hotel. Takano nodded as he examined the date planner Reiji had picked up at Cross's flat when he was looking for him.
"According to his planner, he had a meeting with the international student UN planning committee a half hour ago," Takano said.
"Hmm, I checked that but he never showed up to the meeting," Reiji replied.
"Assuming he made it to the hotel and wasn't taken en route, he would have entered the lobby at the earliest thirty minutes before the meeting. Check the footage from the hotel lobby from that time onwards." Reiji nodded and moved the video to that time period. Both men watched closely as the video played.
"There," cried Reiji a few minutes later as he saw Cross enter the lobby. They continued to watch as Cross made his way to the ball room where the international student UN was being held, but then Cross walked out of frame. Cross seemed to be of medium stature. He seemed to be very fit; Takano estimated he was between 60 to 65 kilograms and he walked with immense purpose. That was why both Takano and Reiji were surprise to see Cross stumble into the ball room as if he was drunk when they found him in the following frame.
"What the hell? He seemed just fine in the previous frame," Takano said shocked.
"Hold up," Reiji cut in, "someone's approaching him." They watch as a man with glasses seemed to be asking if Cross was okay, but then, out of nowhere produced a wheel chair for Cross to sit in and wheeled him away.
"We need to find this man."
"Just give me a second to see if he left the hotel," Reiji answered.
"Can you print me a copy of his picture so I can show it to the hotel staff and see if he's staying here?" Reiji nodded and handed the photo to Takano.
"Oh yah, I saw him," the receptionist smiled at Takano as he showed her the photo. "His name is Nico Blanc. Why do you need to know?"
"My sister had a few to many beers a few nights ago, and ended up marrying him. She never got his name and unfortunately, that what you need to get the marriage annulled," Takano answered.
"Oh," laughed the receptionist, "that's like the Vegas wake up call."
"Can you tell me what room he's staying in," Takano asked flashing his best 'women shall all melt before me smile.'
"Well… normally I can't but…"
"But you'll make an exception for the guy who wants his baby sister to be happy and in love and married to the right guy?"
The receptionist nodded and smiled as she typed into her computer. "You know I'm kind of surprised that Mr. Blanc married your sister," she commented.
"Why's that?"
"Well he checked in with another man and he seemed remarkably close to him, for just being a friend. I actually thought they were gay."
"What did the other man look like?"
"I'm good at recognizing faces, not remembering them. The one thing I do remember about him was that he was in a wheel chair."
Takano's eyes widen at this, "Sumashi Akito died in a wheel chair! This can't be a coincidence."
"Can I ask you for one thing," asked the receptionist.
"What's that?"
"Can you not make a scene? We've got this international student meeting thingy and these kids are going to be coming down here to the lobby from all the floors any minute and, well its big business for our hotel…"
"And it would be better if the little, what twelve to fifteen year olds, didn't see two men fighting and report that to the chaperones here," Takano finished. "Don't worry I will be discreet."
The receptionist smiled again, "Okay, the room number is 1116."
"Thank you so much," Takano flashed his melting smiling, just as a group of Chinese students passed by and the elevator dinged to bring even more students to the ball room.
As Takano stared at the door of room 1116 he drew his gun and held it at his side. On the way up to the room he had contemplated between simply knocking or just kicking the door down. "Well, subtlety has never been my strong suit," Takano decided.
With this in mind Takano raised his foot and kicked in the door. He carefully entered the room and quietly shut the hotel door. Takano then heard thumping and muffle noises. He quickly entered the room and saw Alex Cross with his hands zip tied to one of the legs of the bed and with a piece of cloth wrapped around his mouth.
"Mr. Cross," Takano cried as he put his gun away quickly walked over to where Cross was, and pulled out his knife to cut away the ties, before removing the gag.
"It's a trap," yelled Cross.
"What," questioned Takano.
"He's referring to me, Takano san," came a familiar voice.
Takano's eyes widened as he slowly turned around, "Ritsu?"
Onodera simply smiled, "Hello, Takano san," as he pointed a gun at both Takano and Cross.
"What are you," Takano was then cut off.
"Ah, ah, ah, slide your gun over to me and the knife." Takano gazed at Onodera with shocked eyes. Onodera looked better than the last time Takano had seen him. His arms and torso seemed to be even more well-toned than two years ago. He seemed completely relaxed in his wheelchair. His hair was slightly longer as well, his bangs seemingly passing his eyes. However, Takano noted that Onodera had a very pale pallor and looked tired. He wore a well fitted green turtle neck that seemed to have an overly-large neck for plenty of layers. Takano could feel a lump forming in his throat as he removed his gun and knife setting them on the floor before kicking them towards Onodera. Takano could feel a torrent of emotions rushing through his body, the most prevalent being effervescent happiness, shock, and extreme sadness.
Onodera's hand holding the gun did not even seem to waver as the gun clattered against the wheel of his wheel chair. Takano debated whether or not to pull out his spare knife that was in the small of his back that his hand had brushed when he removed his gun. "Onodera… what are you doing," Takano asked
"What's it look like, I'm holding you at gun point. Not really smart, you know, not checking the rest of the room before rushing towards your asset," Onodera's smile seemed to widen ever so slightly.
"What the hell do you want," yelled Cross.
"Haa, my, my, my, do you even know how to speak without yelling? I mean ever word you've said thus far has been yelled," Onodera replied.
"It was you, wasn't it," asked Takano.
"'It was me,' what," asked Onodera.
"You killed those seven assets, didn't you? You," Takano stopped talking as he felt his spare knife being pulled from the small of his back, and Cross rushed toward Onodera with it.
"You're dead you son of a bitch," Cross screamed as Takano stood in shocked horror. However, as Cross reached Onodera, Onodera moved his arms so fast that Takano blinked and almost missed it. Onodera raised his left arm and jabbed Cross in his shoulder, dislocating it, while Onodera used his right hand to simply grabbed Cross's hand that was holding the knife.
"You know, I've been in a wheel chair for two years, and even before then I was remarkably strong. Now… I'm pretty sure it would take a body builder to beat me in an arm wrestling match," Onodera half smiled before striking Cross in the gut with left fist and yanking the knife out of Cross's hand.
Cross crumpled to the ground coughing and clutching his stomach. Onodera simply sighed as he glanced back up at Takano and grabbed the gun he had dropped into his lap in order to block Cross. "I thought I told you to throw down your weapons. Seen as how you are so dishonest Takano san, take off your jacket and pants to prove to me you don't have anymore," Onodera stated calmly. At the mention of pants though, Cross looked up at Onodera with a mixed look of disgust and rage.
Takano continued to look at Onodera as he slowly removed his jacket, trying to see any weaknesses he could use that might help get Cross away from Onodera without actually hurting Ritsu. "Dammit, I really should have brought some back up with me," Takano thought. That was when Takano noticed that Onodera was eyeing the knife he had grabbed. Takano cautiously took a step forward.
"And just what do you think you're doing," Onodera questioned as he raised his eyes and furrowed his brow at Takano. "Didn't I tell you to also take off your pant?"
"That sounds like a line for seduction you idiot," Takano blurted out.
"Funny, you used to want me to try and talk dirty. Pants… off… now." Takano sighed as he unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants. "Cross, hands away from the gun and other knife," Onodera's voice cut through the silences like a samurai sword in the hands of a master. Takano looked up to see that Cross's hand was mere inches from the gun he had previously slid over to Onodera.
"Onodera, please, you don't have to do this! I know you're angry about being in a wheelchair and because Shade did not give you the justice you deserved, but killing assets with similar backgrounds as Haitani is not the answer!"
"You think that this is about what happened two years ago? Takano san I thought you were smart," Onodera's mouth quirked in a half smile again. "How wrong was I?" Takano finished taking off his pants then.
"Then what is this all about? This is not you?" Onodera simply smiled again. "Dammit, Onodera, you're really starting to piss me off!"
Onodera took a deep breath as he started looking at the knife he was still holding. "Beautiful blade. Actually, it's ideal for what's next."
"What's next," Takano asked cautiously.
Onodera's eyes took on a dangerously glint, before he leaned over and stabbed Cross in the side.
":AHHHHHHHH," screamed Cross.
"Ritsu," Takano took a step forward.
"Stay where you are," Onodera cried as Cross continued to whimper. Takano narrowed his eyes but was unable to see what happened next. However, Takano was shocked when Onodera dropped the gun and reached behind his wheelchair and seemed to pull out a car cigarette lighter before bringing forward and towards Cross's abdomen.
"AHHH, ahh, ahh, oh god, please," cried Cross as he fell backwards clinging to his side where he had been stabbed.
"Mr. Cross, please before you pass out, explain to Takano san what I just did to you," Onodera said coldly. Cross didn't answer as tears streamed down his face and he continued to moan. "Mr. Cross! Explain what just happened!"
"Ahh, ahh, he… he just stabbed me! And… oh god… he put something in me… when he took out the knife… oh god," Cross half cried, half screamed.
"What else," asked Onodera.
"Please… he used the… the cigarette lighter to… ahh oh god… to burn the wound!"
"Thank you Mr. Cross. Now Takano san, you have a very important decision to make. You see, the device I put in him, is a mini bomb with a timer. Now you could reopen the wound I sealed with that lighter, and remove the bomb, but that would result in a dire consequence. You see, in this hotel, in the boiler room in fact, there is an identical, but much bigger bomb there. Both bombs will detonate at the exact same time. You only have enough time to deactivate one of them. So Takano san, the chose you have to make is who will you save? Your asset," Onodera looked down at Cross, "or the hundreds of children down in the ball room," Onodera said as he rolled his wheelchair out of the room.
Yes, Onodera is still a major bad ass even in a wheelchair :-D And oh no, what is Takano going to do? Tune in next time. Review if you have any ideas or things you want me to try and I'll do my best to work it in :-D Keep being awesome guys!