As promised, I have returned with a new chapter of "Level XIII." This chapter shows more of Axel and Roxas and fully introduces the sexy sniper, Xigbar. There is hinting at another pairing in this chapter as well. Thanks to my Beta, Lady Chimera.
Disclaimer: characters belong to Square Enix, Disney, etc.
"Let me take you to a Gay-Bar, Let me take you to a Gay-Bar, Gay-Bar, Gay-Bar..." The ringtone started playing, making a flustered Axel rush to take it out of the side pocket of his tight blue jeans. He was almost tempted to break the damn thing to make it stop. Instead, the redhead turned to glare at Demyx–knowing he was the culprit for the recent change in ring-tones–as he flipped the cellphone open and answered it while giving Demyx a look that promised death later, "Hello?"
"Axel..." a smooth baritone answered. It belonged to none other than their informant and the Chief of Security within "The Organization"'s desert compound.
"Yeah its me, Luxord." He tried to ignore Demyx laughing beside him and wondered if it was possible to resurrect a dead person and kill them again. "I'm surprised that you're calling me this late...its almost 8pm," He decided to focus his attention away from his partner and ended up facing in the same direction as Roxas's table again.
The blond looked up in his direction as if noticing he was being watched and turned slightly red before turning his attention back towards his fellow diners, Axel found the action cute.
"I wanted to talk to you about a change in plans..."
Axel cleared his throat, inadvertently interrupting the older man, "Hey, Luxord, can you wait a minute? The reception's not too good here," he mumbled while getting up from his stool quickly and rushing outside, ignoring Demyx's questioning glace and his waitress's frustration as she started to walk over with his food. Axel had a feeling that he was pushing his luck by sitting so close to Seifer's supposed "wife" and decided to take the conversation outside in order to protect his plans.
Having finally made it outside, he strode over to his van and leaned his back against the hood before continuing his talk with Luxord. "So what's this change in plans? I thought it was all set."
Luxord gave a rather undignified snort, "I only wish things were that easy, but Xenmas has denied access to the compound by any of the guests who were planning to stay here during the wedding ceremony. Unfortunately, Seifer's bride apparently decided he didn't want to get married and ended up running away while the driver was changing a flat tire in the middle of the desert..."
Axel was almost shocked speechless by the news, "But wouldn't the driver have noticed him in the rear view mirror when he drove away? And wouldn't there have been a body guard or someone who would have noticed?"
There was a loud, drawn-out sigh on the other end. "Seifer had his mind set on a night service under the stars. He thought it would be romantic," Luxord gave a dry-sounding laugh at that, "He also didn't think it would matter to have any protection at the time since the driver was only taking Roxas to where the service was taking place, and by then it wouldn't matter because Roxas would be his. Unfortunately, he didn't bank on the limo getting a flat tire and the driver being too stupid or sleepy to make sure the passenger in the back seat was still there or not."
"I'm surprised Xenmas wouldn't want to give the guests some kind of compensation for coming all that way and not being able to see the wedding." The news somewhat startled the redhead, whose thoughts turned to Roxas again. 'Why would he leave all of that...?' As far as Axel knew, Xenmas was considered a billionaire philanthropist with ties throughout the world, and Seifer was his only heir. Who would give all that up?
Luxord unknowingly answered his silent question, "You know how 'The Organization' likes to believe they are their own country and above the law."
"Yeah..., I heard something about that..." No one who entered "The Organization" was poor or lacking in prestige.
"Well, apparently Seifer was so obsessed with these twins that refused to play with him at the park, despite all the money and toys they were offered," Axel couldn't help but think how great the kids were for not letting monetary gains control their hearts, "that Xenmas abducted them and raised them with Seifer. Seifer's obsession didn't stick with just friendship though. When he became a teenager, he began to look at Roxas a lot differently." Axel hated where this story was going. "With Sora there, Seifer wasn't able to get his way, and, unfortunately, Sora didn't realize what he ended up doing to his brother by leaving 'The Organization' for the outside world."
"So Seifer got what he wanted until last night is what you're saying." Axel was starting to dislike his mark less and less.
There was a pause on the other end, which started to make Axel feel uncomfortable. "I've never seen Seifer this upset. I almost don't want them to find the kid..." Luxord paused again, "Roxas doesn't deserve the things that brat made him do. For now, Xenmas is making sure nobody comes near Seifer until either the boy calms down or Roxas is returned."
"Fuck!" Axel ran a hand through his hair in frustration at the news. That meant all the work to get this far in obtaining the bounty on Seifer was for not. He looked up and spotted Roxas with his new friends in the window and found himself saying something he thought he never would, "What if someone was to bring Roxas in?"
Luxord went quiet on the other end of the line, making the redhead shift uneasily from foot to foot, "You realize that you're taking a chance on someone else's life?"
Axel gave a tight-sounding laugh, "Ah, but I seem to remember someone who once said that Life was nothing but a big game of chance..."
"You would remember I said that..."
He could hear Luxord shifting and there was the brief sound of clicking on the other end like he was typing something. "If you can bring him here, then I will make sure you end up seeing Seifer personally. Just call me when you have him."
"Will do," Axel stated, lifting his fingers briefly to his head in a brief cub-scout salute despite the fact Luxord couldn't see him doing so. His answer was the older man disconnecting on him, and he sighed a bit before putting the phone away. 'All I have to do now is get Roxas there,' he thought, grimacing a bit at the idea. It came pretty close to breaking his first rule of bounty hunting, 'Never get involved with your bounty,' but with Roxas he had a feeling all his rules might soon go flying right out the window.
Axel didn't notice the black Corvette that pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and stopped in one of the parking spaces. He walked back inside the restaurant to work over a plan with Demyx while eating his meal.
A lone, gold-colored eyed narrowed a bit as it followed the tall, skinny redhead as he walked back inside the restaurant. A slight buzzing soon alerted him to a text message on his phone, and he picked it up from its place in its dashboard carrier before clicking through the buttons to reach the latest message. It was from Luxord:
'Change of plans, Xigbar. Continue following the pink Lincoln Convertible. Await instructions. L.'
Xigbar clicked the message off and sighed as he leaned back into the leather fabric of his seats, making them squeak a bit. "I swear, this is the last time I let Saïx make me agree to getting a car that matches my looks..." Not that it wasn't bad being considered cool by the younger employees, but it came with the territory along with his scar and eyepatch; people naturally expected him to be a bad-ass and not someone who would prefer having a vehicle that got better gas milage.
Redoing his ponytail that had loosened a bit with the air-conditioning blowing, Xigbar decided to go inside the restaurant and get something to eat while waiting for the next step in Luxord's plans involving Seifer's intended.
It wasn't until he walked inside that he realized his apparent bad luck–Roxas was sitting inside. He turned around quickly and tried to exit the restaurant, in order to make sure that the youth didn't realize he was being followed, only to accidentally bump into a shorter male which caused both of them to fall in a tangle of limbs.
'Gods, this is not my day...' Xigbar thought while trying to sit up. He paused in shock at the cute young man that lay beneath him, stunned, "Well, damn..."
"Is that what you normally say when you knock into someone?"
Xigbar hadn't realized he had said that thought aloud until he noticed the other male–who had a dirty-blond faux mohawk and the prettiest ocean-colored eyes–laugh beneath him.
"Oh god... I'm sorry," Xigbar lifted his body up while helping the other to stand.
The boy grinned as he stared up at Xigbar, "Not 'God.' My name's Demyx, but you're forgiven if you buy me a decent cup of coffee." The waitress glared at him from behind the counter for the comment considering he had already drunk a pot of coffee and he hadn't been complaining at the time.
Xigbar was struck again by the odd course of his luck and managed to nod his acknowledgment, "Sure. I know of a Starbucks down the road if you..." He was unable to finish the sentence before Demyx drug him outside with a well placed wave to the redhead watching them from the counter.
"Later, Ax-man. I'm getting a Caramel Frappachino!" Demyx yelled as he left, dragging a surprisingly pacifistic Xigbar behind him.
Axel only shook his head and laughed at his partner. That guy normally didn't do anything for coffee despite what others might think, but him leaving like that may have had something to do with the man that had entered the establishment. The redhead knew for a fact that his partner had a thing for dark and dangerous bad boys. He only hoped the obviously older man could keep up with Demyx.
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I would like to thank Lady, who reviewed the previous chapter, I hope you and everyone else reading this story, have enjoyed the chapter. Please, review, because I would love to hear your thoughts on the story. Stay tuned for chapter IV and an interesting "Coffee Scene."