-1October 19 2006: The first time I've found myself with freetime in quite a while is today and so I figured to extend this fiction while I had the chance. Here we go ;)

-Aura

Disclaimer: What it usually says, look at chapter 15!

Chapter 16: Delightful Alliances

Constantina had reloaded by the time Kagami realized she was a danger, but didn't manage to get anymore shots off before he appeared behind her and knocked her cold. Missing the chance to grab her as he had to deflect the knives that had threatened to dig into his skull.

"Mr. Kagami," Akabane said amiably as he drew more knives into his hand, "does this mean we're enemies now? If you are attacking my assistant with such ferocity I will have to assume that is the case."

"Akabane is someone you call a real switch hitter," Ginji mentioned off-handily to Ban, "what do you think we should do?"

"Well as much as I hate the bastard we can't just let this slide," Ban returned as he watched the fight unfolding in front of him, "we can beat on him and that psycho girlfriend of his later."

"You really think she's his girlfriend?" Ginji asked a little dejectedly.

"As much as freaks like that can have another person, yeah I figure so." Ban shrugged, "not really our business."

"You just gonna let him fight then?"

"If you wanna get in the way then be my guest."

"You are cruel Ban."

The Getbackers commentary went unnoticed by the other two combatants, each watching the other as they spoke quite politely.

"Dr. Jackal, she did attack one of our own. Your job here is finished, I suggest you take your assistant and leave us with the product that you brought." Kagami offered with a grin and a shrug, "payment will be waiting in the bank account that you gave us."

"I don't think so." Akabane answered, "you see. If I just allow you to mistreat the people that work for me. Then what kind of employer would I be?"

He appeared behind the rather flamboyant man and pieces of mirrors shattered around them a moment later, leaving the doctor amid an array of sparkles with a bit of a disappointed frown as he ran away from him again.

"Are you coming then Getbackers?" Akabane asked as he bent to look at Constantina before leaving her on the floor.

"Keh, not that we want to work with you." Ban made clear up front that detail.

"Yet we always find our paths crossing one another, irrevocably drawn to the bloodshed that is so much a part of our lives. Shall we then?"

"Aren't you going to take her with?" Ginji asked as he nodded to the girl knocked out on the floor. Also trying to keep Ban from getting into an argument at the moment.

"No. She'll catch up. Are you worried about her my Ginji?"

"…um..uh…no. That's fine."

"Don't get any bright ideas Jackal. We've been betrayed enough by you in the past."

"My dear Getbacker, you imply that I was ever a part of your team in the first place. Nonetheless, lets not dwell on the past, as much as you deny it to even yourself, you are looking forward to this as much as I am." Akabane cheerily goaded as he looked toward the door where they would undoubtedly face opposition that could offer him a chance to find more of his own power.

Ginji would frown and move to pick up the woman despite his own personal fear for her when she was awake he couldn't just leave her there.

"Let's just go." Ban muttered as he moved toward the door that led to yet another set of hallways. "Assuming we ever find the way past this place."

"We'll be all right Ban," Ginji offered with a smile. "We gotta let them know to stop messing with the get backers."

"Yeah yeah."

Switch

"You fool!" the albino woman chided Kagami as she kept a controlled pace around the small boardroom's exterior. "Do you realize what you've done? Get rid of them. All of them. We can't possibly take the lightning emperor with that insufferable Midou around. More or less with that untrustworthy corpse Jackal. That man will be the downfall of any organization he touches unless they rid themselves of him quickly. You are quite the upstart with as young as you are!"

"I could say that you are incapable of a level head or any wisdom with all the age you'd prefer to embody," Kagami returned with a bored tone, "I got the Lightning Emperor here, you didn't specify as to whom I could or couldn't have along when he arrived. Unless you are telling me that you aren't a match for any of them Lady Naiga."

"Hold your tongue," she snapped, glaring at the suited man's unreadable demeanor for a time. "It'll be dealt with. Though for now we'll have to wait and get him again later. They'll never find their way through the maze and eventually people get bored and hungry. Given time they will leave and we'll start again."

"If they don't get lost?"

"Then we kill them and punish you for your poor judgment." She shrugged and grinned a little again. "Let the others know, I'm always open to opinions."

End Chapter

Tried to keep it short and sweet as it's late and my time is sadly short. I will do my best to get up the next chapter faster.

-Aura

To my reviewers:

XSuicuneX - Hehe, they are jerks aren't they? And Akabane is actually the name of a disease ;)

SorceryGeniusLina - I really enjoy the Constantina/Akabane moments too but they're hard to write, I'm going to try to work one into the next chapter though ;) Thanks for the review.