"Mika!" Raizo slammed the phone down several times as if trying to punish the object for his stupidity. Throwing the receiver back into its archaic cradle he got up and began pacing restlessly around the room. Ideally he would go and work out his anger in the training room, but that would require going up the mountain, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with all of the traps set by the Black Sand, and those he added himself since being there. No, he was left with taking out his anger on the wooden floorboards of the inn. He moved to the window over looking the ancient streets, and for a split second he allowed his self-control to slip. Openly seething at the predicament he found himself in. Mika had said she wanted him. Not only wanted him but loved him. He had been so stunned that he hadn't known what to say. No one loved ninja, especially ninja with as much blood on his hands as he had. It was ridiculous to even think it was possible. But it was. Mika did, and he had sat there saying nothing.
The single most wonderful moment of his life, and he had lain there unsure of what to say like a child who was sent to the corner. A sound punch into the window's frame only made him feel marginally better. He had to come up with a plan. If he didn't Mika would be lost to him forever. He wouldn't allow it, and possibly couldn't survive it. Well he could probably survive it, but he would be the shadow that the other ninjas spoke of. Just passing through life wondering what it would be like to have her in his arms.
Spinning on his heel he walked back over to the phone burying the anger for the time being. He paid for another long distance call, and this time had to take a few minutes to meditate before the receiver was picked up on the other end. He knew Ryan would not be over joyed to hear from him. He had long suspected that Ryan was into his woman, but when Mika had told Ryan she wasn't interested the subject had been closed. At least as far as Raizo had been concerned anyway. It was a show of the absolute trust that he placed in Mika. He not only trusted her with his life, but his heart as well. He never doubted her word, and planned to make sure that she would never have any doubts about his or his feelings for her.
The phone rang about two times before Ryan picked up. The amusement in his voice made Raizo want to cut him, but if he were going to get Mika back he would have to deal with him. ""Uho1 A call from darkness himself! Something must be wrong in the pagoda of paradise you and Mika find yourselves in!"
"Mika is angry at me, and I want to make it up to her." Raizo's voice was short and clipped. He tried to remain calm, and polite, but he was losing the battle. He only needed one thing from Ryan, and he would get it the agent wanted to remain alive. He wasn't about to spend a lot of time on obstacles in pursuit of Mika.
"Oh? Why would I help you with that? Maybe now that the bloom is off the rose so to speak. She'll stop mooning over you all day and I can put her back into the field." Ryan's superior and smug voice had Raizo suppressing that familiar quake in his body whenever he started to get angry. Mika would not approve of him hurting the man.
"Because I am going to take her anyway. I just don't want a lot of your agents getting in the way or getting hurt before we've had the chance to talk. If she is done with me then I will bring her back, and disappear like I never existed." Raizo hated even saying the words, but as always he was a slave to Mika's whims. She just didn't realize it. He would spend the rest of their lives showing her.
"You'll go? Never to darkn her door with your ghost, or make these ridiculous once every few week phone calls? Stop making her believe she has a chance, so that she's constantly thinking about you? The slightly angry tone in Ryan's voice had Raizo's eyes drop in shame. He had no ide that he was hurting Mika with the infrequency of his calls.
Raizo was silent for a few moments. A deep breath was taken before he responded. "She owns my soul. She will always have a chance, but it will be of her choice to take it after this."
"Fine, you have one week. If you hurt her I will hunt you down mate." Raizo could hear the smile in Ryan's voice, but he could also hear the sincerity. Ryan would find a way to make Raizo's life difficult. Probably would have had it not been for Mika.
"If she is hurt it s because I died and could not protect her." Raizo meant ever word. He would never purposefully hurt Mika.
"Yeah, all well and lovely, but who is going to save her from you?" The phone went dead with a sound click, and that was the second time this night Raizo had been hung up on. Though Ryan hanging up was unpleasant he left it alone. He only cared about getting to Mika.
Replacing the receiver he stood and stretched. Allowing all of his muscles to loosen and pop to get rid of the irritation that stiffened him. Something behind him made him turn sharply, and it was a good thing he had. A katana was now where his nose had been, and where there was one ninja there was now two. He shifted back, and his hands automatically moved to disarm the ninja that off center to his left. Bringing his elbow back into the center of his chest before bringing his fist back into the man's face. They were almost the same height, but Raizo had a few inches on him. While the man's arm was extended, Raizo grabbed his wrist placing his thumb between his lower two fingers and twisted. The motion had the other ninja dropping the katana.
This however caused two problems. The first problem was that now the ninja was unarmed. The second, Raizo had scooped up the katana with his foot. Neither of these however were Raizo's problem. Kicking the katana up soccer ball fashion he grabbed the katana twisted it through his fingers and stabbed the ninja through his neck. The body shook for a few moments before sliding to the floor to its knees.
Raizo watched the man dispassionately and began the mundane task of clearing up the body and any evidence. It was mundane for him anyway. Out of the ordinary would be bringing a girl flowers and taking her to a movie. No, he had bigger things to worry about. If he was being attacked in this backwater then he had to hurry up and get to Mika a soon as possible. The other clans would seek to use her against him, and that was another thing that he was not going to allow to happen. Once he finished disposing of the body he grabbed his coat, and left the hotel. He ignored the curious stairs of the innkeeper, and moved out into the night. Hopefully Mika would be feeling cooperative by the time he got there.
Mika for her part had been kicking herself six ways to Sunday since that night. How could she have been so stupid? Now she would have to wait for the next call to straighten the mess she created out! How was she going to do that? She didn't have a clue, but she was sure she would magically come up with something by the time Raizo called again… she hoped. Wait! She had it! She would just hop on a plane and go see him! She would trek up that mountain, and talk to him. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Outside of the fact that it was dangerous, she didn't know martial arts, and there were probably ninja's other then Raizo crawling about… But never mind that! She would just have to let the ships fall where they would.
Grabbing the phone she called Ryan. She paced a bit in her office until he picked up. His voice sounded a bit tight, so she would have to take this slow. Something told her he was not in the mood to be amendable. "Wow, you sound dreadful. What's happened did a case go bad?"
"Something like that. What you want this late in the day Mika?" Whatever had happened must have been really bad. Ryan was never this irate over the phone.
"I know this is probably a bad time, and I apologize, but I would like to take a leave of absence." Mika counted backwards from 10. She could hear him getting irate through the phone.
"No" Mika blinked a few times, and looked at the phone. She could have sworn he just said no.
"What do you mean no? You've been after me to take some time of forever, and now that I want to take it the answer is no?" By this time her hand had moved to her hip and she had shifted her weight onto one foot. It looked like it was going to be one of those conversations.
"Exactly what I said. No. I am not allowing you to Japan traipse all over some forsaken mountain looking for a ninja of all things!" She could hear Ryan cleaning up his desk as he spoke. A quick look at her clock said it was quitting time.
"How do you know that's where I'm going?" Mika was only slightly put out that she had been that easy to read, but it didn't matter she was going to go find Raizo with our without Ryan's help.
"Women, the lot of you believes you're the only ones that read those bloody romance novels. The answer is no, absolutely no." The final click of his desk drawer may have signaled the last word for him, but for Mika they were just getting started.
"You can't stop me." Mika mentally sighed. She didn't want to have to choose between Raizo and her job, but it was looking like it maybe the only option for her at this point.
"I can and I most certainly will. You will report to work tomorrow, and we will never discuss this again." The sound of Ryan slipping on his jacket and loosening his tie was starting to grate on her nerves. How dare he tell her what she could and couldn't do!
Mika took a deep breath, and leaned back on her desk. It looked like Ryan was in the mood to play hardball today. Why was he making this so hard? "I will resign if I have to."
"You're going to have to." Ryan's words made her blink and look at the phone as if it had grown two heads.
"I will main in my badge and tender my resignation effectively immediately" She hated doing this, but she had a lot to clear out of her head. If Raizo was not the path she was supposed to take, then she wanted him to look her in the eye and tell her so.
"Do you even hear yourself? Mika you are throwing away your career for a ninja! One, I might add with no home, no prospect, no clan, and no future! You think the other clans are just going to pat him on the back and thank him for destroying their way of life? You're life will be in danger every moment!" Ryan was nearly shouting over the phone, and the tone had her wincing. On some level she had thought of the same thing. She wasn't stupid. She just knew that she wouldn't be able to make another move until she knew one way or the other how Raizo felt.
"I know Ryan, and I you don't know how much it means to me that you care. I just have to do this. I can't spend my life not knowing what would have happened." Mika was sad, but very determined. She loved her job, but she loved Raizo, and unfortunately she had to make a choice. She could find another job, but she wasn't sure she could find what she had with Raizo again.
Mika could hear her friend's deep resigned sigh, and it made her heart break for him. " Mika give it a week. If you still feel the same way in a week. I'll let you resign with now arguments."
Mika nodded, not that he could see it, and swiped at her own eyes. She had started to get misty eyed herself. "One week then. But I will feel the same way."
" I know you will, but I thought I would at least try to save you from yourself. That's what friends are for and all." Mika laughed a little at his attempts at humor, but she knew she wouldn't ever give him the answer he wanted to hear.
"Thank you Ryan. Good Night." Mika hung up the phone, and took a deep breath. She knew what she was doing was right. She could feel it.
Pulling on her own coat, she cleared p her office, and made her way home. It was pretty quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. She made it home safely. She felt a little jumpy; the area was just too calm. She shook the feeling off though. In truth since last year she had been a bit on edge. Every shadow every sound as a possible enemy. She attempted to distract herself by turning on the tv, but it was a no go. Clicking channels. She couldn't really focus on what was going on, and eventually gave up. Mentally throwing up her hands she headed to her bed room to pack.
Pulling out her smallest suitcase she began to pick and chose what to take with her. She didn't bother with a lot of frivolous nighties, well maybe one. She was a girl and Raizo was going to have to deal with one thing. In truth Raizo may not even want her to stay, but she shook that thought off as soon as it materialized. She had to think positive. The rest was pretty sensible. Jeans boots, t-shirts. Things that would make it easier for her to get around without too much trouble. Throwing her toiletry bag in she stopped and looked around. Everything was still okay, but she still couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She looked towards the bathroom, and refused. She had seen way too many horror movies with some bimbo in a shower to go that route.
Instead she changed into something she could move in. At this point Mika was calling herself all types of stupid for being paranoid. There was nothing out of the ordinary, everything was okay, and she was fine. She frowned and shook her head. The hell she was!
Brown eyes slowly moved over her room, and she saw something off to the corner. Mika stepped backwards toward her bed, and leaned to the side. Her attention was still on the room, but her right hand looking for the gun under the pillow. Fortunately her gun was where she left it. Not so fortunately however something reached from behind her and covered her mouth. She struggled for a few moments, but she started to feel faint. Her head was cloudy, and whatever was on the towel they held against her lips and nose was arid and burned her throat as she fought not to inhale it. Slowly her world went, black, but before she drifted she could have sworn she saw Raizo standing in front of her.