Chapter 6: Captured

Renji awoke to a muffled scream. He hopped up, grabbing Zabimaru and kicking open his door. The hallway was empty and he couldn't sense any Reiatsu. It had sounded like Orihime, but he wasn't sure. It'd better not be her… He ran to his lover's room, kicking the door open, only to be blown back by a small weight cannon-balling his gut. He hit the wall and the small girl slumped to the side, a pool of blood forming around her.

"Karin!" Orihime's shrill voice called. Renji's eyes widened and he turned Karin over. Needles penetrated nearly every part of her abdomen and the landing had only driven them deeper. If he pulled them out now, he'd only rupture her organs and injure her further; maybe even kill her. Growling, Renji leapt over her and swung Zabimaru at Orihime's attacker's head. Blood spurted as the intruder failed to dodge, but another leapt out, swinging at Renji's neck. He blocked, seeing that the blade was of bright red and deep black metal and had a serrated look to it. Orihime was bound in reiatsu-sucking chains as she struggled, trying to inch her way to Karin.

"Don't move, Orihime! Those chains could kill you if you do too much! I'll get you both out, okay? I promise…" Where the hell is Chad when you need him? Damnit! Renji raised his zanpakuto to call his shikai. "Roar! Zabimaru!" He commanded, wrapping the chain-like blades around the shadowy figure. It teleports out of the way before Renji can cut it in half. Shocked, he turned, but that's when it happened. Renji's blood seemingly went cold and he faintly heard Orihime screaming as he collapsed. Was he wet? All of his senses were out of whack, and he was freezing. He couldn't think or see straight; couldn't move. A tender hand touched his cheek and it felt like it was beginning to sprinkle, but just on his face. Why is the rain so warm…? Orihime? He couldn't speak. There was shrieking, the sound of dragging feet, and a slamming sliding door. What the hell just happened…? The thought ran in his mind over and over before the world finally disappeared into inky blackness.

o0o

"They seem to be coming to," Renji recognized Isane's smooth, quiet voice. She was bustling around the IV things while talking to Ichigo.

Renji's eyes snapped open as he recognized Chad's reiatsu, and he sat up despite his wounds and his dizziness. "WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH?!" Renji bellowed. "YOUR DAMN COMRADES WERE INJURED AND ONE WAS CAPTURED! WE NEEDED YOU!"

"Abarai Taicho, don't! You'll tear your wounds!" Isane scolded, gently pushing Renji back to lay down.

"LET ME GO! I WANT ANSWERS, DAMNIT!" Renji struggled, growling angrily and like a mad man.

Chad looked away guiltily. "I…I was investigating in the library…I was trying to find out what that red bomb thing that Karin and Orihime described could have been…"

"We tried to get to the scene, Renji. We really did," Rukia spoke up, standing between Ichigo and Chad. "But by the time we got there, you and Karin were on the verge of death, and there was no sign of Orihime…I can't express how sorry we are…" The last expression was spoken in a soft, grieving whisper.

Renji looked away, shaking with rage, despair, and he didn't know what the hell else. Perhaps his wounds, but it didn't matter. Orihime was in danger, and Renji couldn't heal fast enough. "Do you have anyone going after her?"

"We're trying to track the reiatsu…Komamura Taicho is on the case as we speak, so are the Special Forces. Even Yachiru and Kenpachi are out looking," Ichigo provided. Renji nodded, sighing.

"Put me out there too."

"Not until you're healed!" Isane snapped. She'd been a lot less patient ever since Retsu Unohana had died.

"I'm sitting up, aren't I!"

"Only because of your adrenaline, and in about five minutes, you're going to be back in the pillows in agony, so lay down before you make it worse!"

Renji grumbled, doing as she said. As soon as she and the others turned their backs, however, he had Zabimaru in his hand and was out the window.

"BAKA!" Rukia screamed from the window. "COME BACK BEFORE YOU GET YOURSELF KILLED!" Renji flipped her off. Like he was gonna' get killed when Orihime needed him. Aizen had already taken her. Whoever this prick was that had her now was going to fucking die. I've had enough of people going after Orihime just because they think she's too weak to use her powers or whatever shit's going through their heads…

Renji went to Orihime's room, picking up the trail. No one seemed to be present at the moment, so he investigated further. Why was the reiatsu trail so much stronger in here than out there? There were no signs of a disturbance the senkaimon would cause, so there must be another explanation.

Renji followed the trail to where it was strongest; the closet. What the hell? This took monsters in the closet to a whole new level…

Renji looked around, opening the door. It was freezing in there, but when he stepped in it completely, it suddenly turned hotter than Hell. Renji gripped Zabimaru tighter as he began to feel the sting of his wounds. He glanced around, seeing a blue, glowing orb. He lightly touched it, letting out a shamefully unmanly yelp as the floor disappeared beneath his feet, closing over his head as he fell. He really hated these guys; whoever they were…

o0o

Orihime turned away from the Aizen look-alike. He wasn't exactly like Aizen, he had pale skin, red eyes, and black hair, but the face was there, as was the build, and the sociopathic arrogant expression on his face.

"All I desire is a bit of your power. I can use it much more than my brother could. After you serve my purposes, you may leave."

"I'm not serving you anything! I'm not the same girl I was back then! I died and lived again. Besides, I can't use my powers the same way. But that shouldn't matter because even if I could, I'm not helping you! End of story!"

"Is this because we killed your lover?"

"It's because you're evil! I know it! Now take me back and leave me alone, you stupid monster!"

"I'm not stupid, and I'm not a monster. You have clearly misunderstood the situation."

"I understand enough. Now Let. Me. Go." Orihime crossed her arms. Her reiatsu was almost restored. A few more minutes, she could try and fight her way out like she'd seen Renji, Ichigo, Rukia, and everyone else do so many times. It was Orihime's time to be strong. She had to believe that Renji and Karin were still alive. Just because they were dying doesn't mean they were dead yet. She had to have faith.

"Are you willing to kill?" Shune's stern voice echoed.

"Yes…I have to be…" Orihime mentally whispered. She didn't really know if she was capable of ending someone's life. In school, when she'd joined the debate team, she'd always condemned the death penalty and abortion as wrong. She hadn't wanted the shinigami to kill the Quincies after the war. But now, she would have to be prepared to kill if she wanted to return to Renji's side. It was a hard pill to swallow, but there was no other choice. Orihime needed to escape by any means possible.

She shivered as a hand brushed her cheek and neck. "Now what's going on in that pretty little head of yours, hmmmm?"

Orihime slapped his hand off. "Don't touch me!" She practically snarled. That was unlike her…She was beginning to scare herself, but she couldn't show it. Not now. She couldn't afford to be sweet. This man had almost killed her Ji-kun. Her Ji-kun. He'd almost killed Karin, too. Karin could handle her own usually, but she was still young…and there was no Chad…Where had he been? Chad, who was always there…

"You're much more aggressive than I thought…" He mused.

"Because you hurt those close to me! You took me away from your home! You're just like your bro_"

He slammed her against the wall, his blood red eyes boring into her, his face twisted in ugly rage as he gripped her arms. "I'm not like my brother," He snarled.

"You're right…" Orihime conceded, seemingly meekly. "I'd rather your brother!" She kneed him between his legs, shoving him off and running, a hand over the hilt of her zanpakuto. Her reiatsu was completely restored, so it was time to get the heck outta' dodge. She let out a squeak as she ran into something or someone.

"Sh_ ORIHIME!"

"RENJI?!" Orihime touched his face, her eyes falling on his still slightly bleeding wound. "You're alive!"

"Yeah. Do you know how hard I am to kill? Come on, I know the way out!" He grabbed her hand, getting up, but he winced, leaning against the wall.

"Renji…Come on, I'll help you…just tell me the way to go…"

Shune appeared, his face still stern. He slung Renji over his shoulder. "Hey! Bastard! Put me down, will ya'?! How the hell am I supposed to see?!"

Rolling his eyes, Shune shifted Renji around to where he was riding piggy-back style. "Better?"

"Do you even know how gay this looks?"

Orihime heard yelling and the sound of running footsteps. "Not our problem. Go! Hurry!"

"Okay, okay! Go down this hall, it's the first left," Renji muttered.

They begin running to where he pointed, but ran into an invisible wall. "Damnit Renji!" Shune growled.

"It was this way! It's like facing that damn Szayel all over again! The crazy fruitcake…"

"Concentrate, Renji! Try to find your reiatsu!" Shune snapped. Orihime sighed.

"Let's just pick somewhere else, don't even worry about it! We need to hide, okay?" She took off running the opposite direction, and Shune followed with Renji.

"There's no trace of my reiatsu…"

"Why don't you bring some string, next time? Or maybe some bread crumbs. If all else fails, let's make scratch marks in the wall," Shune muttered in the most obvious sarcasm that Orihime had ever heard. This was unlike him… Concentrate, Orihime…which way next?

o0o

Minori watched the security cameras in boredom, not even bothering to look for the escapees. She didn't care anymore. Why should she? She worked her ass off for Aoi, but damnit, he didn't give two fucks. She slaved for him, trying to think of strategies, guiding that damn student to where the sunset haired girl's room was, even giving the kid the stats, but who gets the glory? That damn kid!

Minori shoved her chair back, standing. Well whatever. She'd just capture the girl and kill the men and then Aoi would have to notice how she practically groveled at his feet! Risking her neck just to see him smile, even though it was more of a grimace than a smile, it was still something.

I'll show them! I'll show them all that I'm Aoi's best soldier! He'll have to see that I'm the only one he should put his trust and affections in! You three are in for it.

A/N: Sooooo sorry guys! I had to change my product, my mom was in the hospital, my insane grandmother made my life miserable, I missed a bunch of days, and was eye-ball deep in work. I've spent this whole week sick, and then when I got better, I had to book bind poetry that I wrote. I'm letting the books dry, so I found time to write this. Again. SOOOOOO sorry! Anyway, I hope you like the chapter, and I hope I delivered compensation for the long wait. Again, really sorry. Well, ta~