Warning:Genderbent

Disclaimer: VF characters belong to Yamane Ayano.

Author's note: It has been a very long time since I last updated this story. Took the time to write because the plot is all jumble up in my head. Hahaha. Anyway, enjoy~

Chapter 2: Caged Up

"I'll come back as soon as I can, honey. The work is just pilling up… and I don't think I'll be home in a few months. We're changing location tomorrow, and the signal there isn't that good. I just want to let you know that I might not be able to call so frequently anymore. Don't worry, I'll be fine…" Hitomi tried her best to hold back her tears. Takumi's right-hand man, Nobu, was placing his gun directly beside Hitomi's head while she converse with her husband through the phone. It was a heart-breaking scene. Akihito couldn't watch any further.

Takumi had ordered them to call their family and informed them that they will be away for a few months due to their work, mainly to avoid suspicion when they're gone without a trace. Akihito ended her call unexpectedly fast since her mother had been through enough times to know that her daughter would just simply get too engrossed in her work and didn't bother to call at all. Akihito didn't have any problems with letting her mom think that way this time. It was better for both of them. Her mother would be sent to an early death if she ever catches the wind about this.

When Hitomi finally ended the call, the phone was snatched away from her hand. Their mobile phones were confiscated and they were told to pack things that are related to their research and of course, to their well-beings as well. They didn't have to pack their clothes from home since they've been practically living there for the sake of research. And now, they were forced to ride a van while being blindfolded.

Hitomi's right hand was clasped with Akihito's left hand. They were being moved to a new location and both of them are dreading the fact that they were somehow kidnapped in the midst of the night without any resistance on their part. Both tried to show no fear, but every time the van shifted, their bodies jolted uncomfortably. Takumi wasn't with them (thank god!), but his right-hand man with two other bulky men accompanied them in the van.

It was getting a little cramp, but Akihito was thankful enough that they weren't gagged. And the fact that they have each other (for now) was the only comfort they had. They knew that they needed to support each other, now that the rest of the world was cut off from them. Akihito couldn't even begin to know how Hitomi was feeling at the moment. Maybe she'd regretted coming back to check up on Akihito?

Hitomi was not to blame if she really does feel that way. Akihito was supposed to call her one hour before the shooting even began. Or maybe, they could have avoided all predicaments if Akihito had just stay away from the office that time. Now, the weight of reality was a huge burden for both of them. It's ironic even, curiosity does kill the cat. And in this case, the cat was none other than Akihito.


The van halted suddenly as a hand guided Akihito to stand on her two feet, followed closely by Hitomi. They were dragged forwards, still blindfolded, but Akihito knew they were so far away from civilization. There was no sound of cars about, no bustling of crowds or even whispers. It was dark, lullabied by the sounds of rocking waves. And the salty scent in the air confirmed Akihito's suspicion; they were in fact close to the ocean.

They were forced to walk a few feet more before their captors finally thought it was safe enough for them to shed the blindfold. Akihito blinked a couple of times, adjusting her eyes to the sudden change of light, before she took in the surrounding. They were in a building, totally whiteout. From the walls right up to the ceiling. The thought that the place wasn't as bad as she thought crosses her mind… not until she saw rows of glass container filled up with people. Homeless people (from the looks of their tattered, unwashed and dirty clothes).

Akihito and Hitomi gasped in unison. Why are there people caged up here? Before they could even ask, Nobu answered them with a straight face devoid of all emotion.

"They're your guinea pigs. Takumi-sama had brought them here to help with your research. We've been informed that you'll need test subjects to see the effectiveness of the vaccine against the virus" he stated simply, as if what he had just said was a daily conversation you have with your employees.

"We could have used animals instead! You're endangering these innocent people for the sake of this research?" Hitomi finally burst in bewilderment. She couldn't fathom the thought of killing people just to complete the damned vaccine, and neither could Akihito.

"Takumi-sama had given specific orders. He wanted to see the development of the vaccine against humans, not animals. He wants to make sure with his own eyes that the vaccine works on every blood type. It seems that people have different antibodies and antigen, Takumi-sama wanted you to develop the most effective vaccine through these people" Nobu added while gesturing to the label on each container. True enough, each one of the container was labeled in A, B, AB and O respectively.

This was totally insane. Both researchers couldn't digest the thought of injecting the vaccine into these people. They looked so hopeless, trapped inside glass like animals while trying to claw their way out. Akihito's heart dropped to her stomach. She felt nausea at the thought alone, and the worst part is, this is just the beginning…


Even though Akihito was confined in that facility, it seems that she could roam inside the walls at her own freewill. They were given a small room each, which fitted a small single bed, a desk and a chair, with a simple bathroom connected to it. The window could be opened, but it was protected by a hard iron windowpane. Her door was guarded tightly at night (as if she could disappear in that tiny room!). Her meals (more like cardboard boxes… urgh) were given around the clock according to a tight schedule.

There was no one else she could talk to. Her captors (or better suited thugs instead?) didn't seem to bother with her so much. Akihito had suspected that they might thought of her as a trapped mouse, so why bother keeping up a front?

The only means of keeping her sanity intact was to work and change a simple greeting with Hitomi. They weren't allowed to converse in daily conversation, the only time they were allowed was to exchange data or information regarding to their research. It seems that their captors didn't want them to have bright ideas of figuring a means of escape. Not like Akihito didn't want to, but Hitomi seems to be dealing so much right now. She didn't want to bother the poor woman any more than she could bear.

Every time they needed to test the vaccine, Akihito and Hitomi wouldn't be present. They let the series of injection handled by Takumi's own men. They didn't want to face the cruel reality that every failed attempt means death for those people. Those innocent people, who was screaming in their soundproof glass container, which Akihito couldn't hear from her side of the glass. But Akihito could clearly see their pain and it always weight painfully in her heart.

It was a cruel fate, for both parties. The damned and the tortured. The maker and the subject. Both trapped in the same situation with no way out. Both silently praying for any miracle to bestow upon them. Both wishing for the day that the nightmare would finally end.


Akihito was about two and a half months in confinement when Takumi's men were hyped up over a certain issue. It seems like they were dealing with their own problems at the moment. Akihito wouldn't have given a fuck if they didn't drag her out of her station with a gun at her head.

What the fuck is going on? She thought, annoyed that the thug was acting all shitty like towards her. They've been rough sometimes, but this time was just a pain in the ass! She had enough of these mood swings. The thugs were directly influenced by Takumi. If Takumi was feeling like a bastard, they too would act like one. It seems like Takumi was in one of his mood swings mode to make the thugs act like that with her. What did she do now?

Akihito was dragged towards a room before she was shoved inside. To Akihito's disbelief, Takumi was disheveled and pale. He looked as if he wanted to wring someone's neck off. He was pacing around the room like a worried mother uncharacteristically. It seems odd to Akihito to see Takumi acting like this. Something was definitely up. And Akihito's gut feeling was telling her that the longer she stayed, the more fucked up she's going to get. She wanted to flee the scene this instant, but the thugs were holding her at bay.

"Takumi-sama, we've brought her" the thug announce to Takumi. As if snapped out of a trance, Takumi finally look towards Akihito.

"Great!" he said while walking towards her. "Takaba-san, take this" he shoved a tray of what seemed like surgical knife and other related stuff.

"I want you to patch up this man" he continued and glance over a man who was sitting on a chair, both hands tied up at the back with his head covered in black cloth. Akihito was taken aback at the sight of the man. She didn't notice him when she stepped into the room. The man had somehow completely covered up his presence. If Takumi hadn't ushered her towards him, Akihito had might not even noticed him.

The said man wore an expensive looking suit which was obviously branded, but since Akihito was blind in the fashion department she didn't know what kind. He was clearly bleeding from his right arm and right thigh. In a closer inspection, it was clearly a wound from a gunshot. Akihito could only blink dumbly before she finally digested Takumi's instruction.

"Patch him up! But I'm not a doctor!" Akihito replied, bewildered. She wasn't going to take the responsibility if he died in her hands. For Christ sake, the only time she had even operated was on a lab rat, which died in the end. And now Takumi was asking her to patch up a guy? Oh, god no… she didn't want to be blamed if he died!

"No" she said firmly and shoves the tray at one of the thugs. "I'm not gonna do it. I'm not going to risk his life by my own unskillful hands! Find a real doctor" she dismissed. But Takumi didn't seem to mind that she didn't have the license to cut people up legally! He cocked the gun (again) at her head.

"If you don't do it now, I'll blow your fucking head off! Just do it" he snapped.

My god, the man really does have a serious mood swing problem. And doesn't he fucking understand what I just said? Am I speaking alien right now? Akihito thought, annoyed.

"Fine!" she snapped irritated. "Is he conscious right now?" Takumi nodded in reply. She walk towards the pitiful man, who was about to be cut open by her and bow apologetically.

"Mister, I don't know who you are, but I'm just gonna say that I'm sorry. These idiots seems like they don't understand that I'm not qualify to operate on people. God forbid, if anything happens to you, please blame them entirely. Sue them if you like, I don't give a damn" Akihito said in almost a whisper so that only he could hear her. To her surprise, the man gave out a chuckle at her statement.

"How could you laugh at a time like this? Can't you see that you're about to be screwed over by me?" Akihito replied, not understanding why the man thinks it so amusing. He was the one who would suffer if she slipped! The man let out a laugh this time around, much more evident than the chuckle. For some reason, Akihito has a sinking feeling that the man was making fun of her. He was the one being tied up, but why was he enjoying this?

"It'll be my pleasure…" a smooth velvety voice replied, shocking her to the core before turning her seven shade of red when he continued on "to be screwed over by you."

Akihito hadn't thought of that when she utters those words to the man. Now she finally understood why he had laughed. Somehow her sentence structure had been utterly lewd. Oh god, that was utterly embarrassing! She wanted to cover up her embarrassment by a snide remark, but thankfully, the man's face was covered up. He might not have seen her blush with total embarrassment.

Akihito stalks off with a huff. She had just met the guy and somehow, her first impression of the man was a total pervert. Normally people wouldn't be thinking such things in this kind of situation. They would fear what would eventually happen to them. But the man, he was rather composed.

"I don't care what happens to him anymore" Akihito announce loudly, making sure that the tied up man could hear her too. "But I can't operate with him sitting up" she added as a matter of fact. "And surely, you don't think I can operate on him without any anesthetic? The man would die from the pain!"

"Well, you just have to make do without it" Takumi said dismissively. He didn't seem like he cared about what'll happen to the man in process that is as long as the man lives. Then what's the point of her patching him up in the first place? Akihito couldn't help but to grind her teeth in frustration.

They're planning to wash their hands off this matter and shove everything on her. It was totally unfair. She didn't sign up for this when she agreed to help Takumi (for the sake of her and Hitomi's life). In fact she didn't sign up for any of that bullshit these past two months! But try as she might, Takumi holds her life on his hands. And that hand was twitching around the gun, waiting impatiently for her to do as she was told.

"All right!" she grunted out despitefully. "But leave us. I don't want you and your thugs flocking around while I'm trying to do what deems to be impossible. It's stressful enough as it is."

Surprisingly, Takumi obliged. Though he warned her not to use that kind of tone with him again, or he'll embed the bullet right between her brows. As if she gives a fuck to his ego right now.

Now, to the matter at hand. She looks directly at the tied up man, took a deep calming breath and proceed towards him. There was a strange feeling inside of her to leave the man with the cloth clung to his head like that. She didn't plan on uncovering the man's face if she could help it. Truth be told, she was grateful that she couldn't see his face and neither can he hers. At least she wouldn't be haunted by his face if she fails to save him.

Her eyes critically observed his wounds. It seems that the bullet only grazed his arm but it was another story for the thigh. The bullet embedded in too deep that it was impossible to just pick it out using the tweezers. She'll need to cut a bit of his skin to do the job. And to do that while trying to minimize the blood loss and the pain to boot! My god, she'll be a miracle worker if this man survives.

After a bit of hesitation, Akihito parted the man's leg, took the scalpel and cuts the right trouser. She did consider unbuckling the whole thing, but seeing how the man had such twisted sense of humor, she dismissed the thought. With the material out of the way, she could finally see the damaged done on his leg. The bullet had pierced his inner thigh and as awkward it was for her to kneel between the man's legs, she didn't have a choice. With the man propped down on a chair like that, how else can she patch him up without straddling on his lap?

She couldn't stop her hands from shaking when she placed her palm on the man's thigh for a closer inspection. It was dead obvious that she was nervous and scared. So Akihito prayed that the man would just keep his thought to himself this time around. But since when have her prayers been answered these past months?

"Your first time?" the man breathes. Though in pain, he'd managed to sound deadly amused.

"What do you think?" Akihito fired back sarcastically.

"Ah… so you're a virgin" the man concluded with what sound like a smirk and Akihito choked on air.

"Don't play dumb!" she snapped irritated. "You know what I mean. Now shut up or I'll jab this scalpel right through your dick!"

"I guess I get that wrong. Someone as kinky as you couldn't be a virgin" the man was highly amused with Akihito's reaction. Akihito groans in utter frustration while gripping the scalpel hardly. The man was driving her nuts! She swear, if the man doesn't shut the fuck up this instant, she'll jab that knife right through his heart and be done with it.

But seeing that the man wouldn't be talking once she jabbed a cloth to his mouth, she could still handle it. Lifting the black cloth covering the man's head to reveal his mouth, Akihito shoved a cloth before ordering the man to bite it.

"Bite it. Takumi didn't want to give you any drug, that's the least I can do. Or do you prefer screaming instead?" Aki eyed the man questioningly. Thankfully, the man opened his mouth and Akihito gladly shoved the cloth in. Problem solved. Well… one of it.


Absurd profanities and groan of pain colored the air as both parties were trapped in the moment. Akihito curses at every minute interval as she jabbed, prod, prick the man's skin. It didn't help to calm her nerves as the groans of pain coming from the man remind her that she needs to work fast but efficiently. Eyes strained with full concentration, she tried her best to sew the wound together. How she wish she'd taken sewing lessons from her mom. Sewing skin to skin was a pain in the ass!

At last, after what seem like an eternity, the final thread was cut and it was done. Both Akihito and the man sigh in obvious relief. Akihito couldn't help but feel tremendously glad that she'd done it. If her professor knew about this, he'll be proud of her too! Akihito wiped her hands clean before removing the cloth from the man's mouth.

It surprises her that the man had managed to stay conscious throughout the procedure. He was sweating rather heavily. His breathing was harsh from enduring the pain. His hands still tied to the back. Pity flooded Akihito's chest at the sight of him. It must have been hard for him to breathe all this while.

"Well, since you survive… I guess you deserve a reward" Akihito said to the man off handedly.

"And what would it be?" the man asked between breaths before Akihito pulled the black cloth, revealing his face. Sharp calculating golden orbs meets with curious hazel ones. If Akihito thought her current life was messed up, the gorgeous man in front of her promised otherwise.


She was still staring at the man's eyes when a hand spins her around hardly. A gun jabbed roughly at her jaw as she was faced with enraged Takumi.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked her dangerously as he tugs her hair, bruising her scalp.

It took Akihito a few seconds before she could reply. "I thought it was the best to let him catch his breath" she answered fiercely and glared deeply into Takumi's cold eyes. Rather than being intimidated, she was pissed off that Takumi acted like an asshole when she'd did him a favour.

Takumi growls loudly before shoving her roughly towards the door. "Get her the hell out" he instructed his thugs. "Lock her in her room until I say otherwise" he added after a thought.

"What the hell for?" Akihito could only manage to scream in protest when two of the thugs grab both of her arms and drags her out. "Let me go! I can walk on my own you prick!" she struggles one last time before one of the thugs jabbed the back of her neck. Black spot formed in her vision, rendering her unconscious.


Next chapter will in Asami's POV :D You'll know how he ends up that way. God, it'll be a torture to write…

By the way, some readers asked if I could make this into a version where Akihito is a male. Well, the answer is yes… but I'll need to tweak a few things to make that work. And I'll do it once this is completed. (Which is a few light-years away!)