Thank you to, Dumbrat, my beta! You should all check her out; she's working on a Yu Yu Hakusho fic of her own.

Chapter 2

The observation period was over. Subject D-74 was lead to the examining table. She was perfect, the perfect specimen. Wispy and light, with blue hair sinking down her pale back. Perfect. Lips full and eyes intensely red. Yet, it was her eyes that startled these men of science. They were dull and unfocused, that of a corpse. Although she held her head high as she was lead to the gleaming examination table, her eyes suggested surrender.

They removed her outer garments, replacing them with leather bands around her neck, wrists, and ankles. Each band had a metal loop which they secured to the appropriate latches on the table.

Her breaths were even, perfect. The men surrounded her, dripped blinding solution into those dulled eyes, inserted thin shimmering needles into her arms and abdomen. Yet, her chest rose and fell in a steady pace.

The overweight man in the background could only imagine what her focus was. Perhaps she had given up all hope? Little could he know that she was envisioning her rescue again and again.

A tall man loomed over her stretched figure. Had she wished to read it, his name tag hung a inch from her nose. Camden.

"D-74," he said coldly, "open your mouth."

She complied. Two tubes, one the circumference of a human thumb and the other no wider than a pipe cleaner, were forced down her throat. She gagged once, arching her back as best she could, then lay still again.

"Oxygen and sedative," Camden explained to the newer members of the crowd. A chorus of heads nodded in understanding.

Next it was sampling. A sample of hair, a sample of skin, a sample of urine- collected in a flexible semi-sphere they wedged between her legs-, a sample of saliva, and even a sample of toenail. Bright lights were shone into her eyes and there seemed to be a never ending supply of needles. The sedative kept her from any natural struggles her body would have commanded and the liquid from before kept her from seeing when anything was coming. She was helpless as a caterpillar right below a boot.

This could have gone on for hours, and it probably did. Next was the interview.

Kurama concentrated on a clover between his fingers. He rubbed it, feeling the velvety petals, drawing comfort in the reality of it all. By some miracle, Hiei's plan did not involve killing. Kurama was pleasantly surprised at the well-thought plan, a strength that was normally his. The clover grew within the demon's hand, wrapping spindly roots through his finger tips and around his wrist. He thought back to the conversation, trying to think how he let himself get pulled into this.

Hiei's idea was remarkably simple. One of them would apply in person to work in the new S.O.K. building. "Humans are greedy by nature, no one will suspect one searing for work." From there, the group would have an inside connection or at least some more information and would be able to further plan an effective rescue. The decision to pick Kurama was an interesting one.

Kuwabara had ready volunteered. "Allow me to be the man in this situation! Yukina, my love, I will come for you!"

Yusuke had butted in. "Hell, no! Why don't I just go in there and blast those bastards?" He accentuated this by forming his hand into a gun, pretending to shoot it around the room.

A soft growl was heard from the corner. Hiei was not impressed by the teenagers' displays. "Who would hire either of you morons?"

Genkai stepped forward, folding her hands behind her back. The old woman looked surprisingly frail and… well, old, when she stood that way. And yet her authority was felt stronger than ever. "Hiei makes a valid point," at this the boys glared at her but remained silent, "neither of you have the best permanent records. I believe our good friend, Shuichi, would be the best candidate."

Kurama was taken aback. "Me?"

So now he sat in a stiff plastic chair, awaiting his interviewer. The clover started to wind up his arm when a small click alerted him to the opening door. Quickly hiding his plant in his sleeve, he stood up. The chair scraped against the vinyl floor obnoxiously. Ignoring it to the best of his ability, Kurama bit his cheek, extended his hand, and said to the man in a lab coat, "Greetings, my name is Shuichi Minamino."