Thank you for the reviews and favorites. I apologize for being held-up for so long. I hope I didn't lose too many of you in the long wait.
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"What in the blazes were you thinking?!" November screamed, shoving an unemotional Hei against the wall back at Amber's base.
"I was about to leave when you came," Hei responded monotonously.
"Are you sure? Because I find it rather convenient that you ran from the mission and then were found with Misaki. It seems to me more like it was planned," November hypothesized.
"Are you accusing me of purposely putting her in danger?" Hei retorted.
"Were you really considering that fact at the time?" the blonde Contractor persisted. "Or that you yourself could be a danger?"
"Of course I was," Hei answered. "I told you, I was leaving when you came. You seem very protective of her, though, November."
"I was simply concerned for the safety of our plan," November shot back. "And you seemed awfully protective as well judging by how you stood in front of her like that."
Both glared flatly as if daring the other to continue speaking.
"Enough," Amber called. "Can't you two just get along?"
November stopped pinning Hei to the wall. Hei noticed Yin walking in behind Amber. The pale girl strode up to Hei and stood beside him.
"You were angry," she stated quietly. "Why?"
Amber gazed thoughtfully at the two. Following up on Yin's question, she asked, "Is it because you're here? Hei, I know you don't trust me and I haven't really given you a reason to, but---"
"Stop talking, Amber," Hei snapped. "You're right, I don't like you and I don't trust you. I'm only here because you keep saying that you know where Pai is."
"But don't you want to help save the Contractors, too?" Amber continued.
"You haven't even told me how you plan to do that yet," Hei replied.
"If I did, it would ruin the whole plan," Amber answered.
"I bet it would also ruin your plan if I walked out right now," the Black Reaper threatened.
"You would be drawn back eventually."
Hei growled at her before stalking off. Yin followed closely behind him. "Are we leaving?" she questioned.
"She doesn't really know where Pai is," Hei stated. He grabbed onto Yin's hand and led them out with no resistance. November and Amber watched as they faded into the night, the former with tightened lips.
"You're worried that Misaki will get involved," Amber noted.
"This isn't her fight," November answered.
Amber sighed and handed him his gear. His face twisted into one of surprise. She smiled faintly at him.
"Don't do anything stupid."
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Misaki started blankly at the ceiling of her apartment. Li was BK-201. Why hadn't she seen that? It was so obvious now that she thought of it. What was worse was that Li had been somewhat of a friend to her and BK-201 had been the one she'd sworn to take down. She wasn't sure what side she was supposed to choose. Exhaling heavily, she got up and entered her balcony, gazing up at the stars. Her eyes instantly picked out his. It was flashing brightly.
He's using his abilities, she thought. As soon as she had, there was a crash from down below. She glanced down just in time to see a dark figure in a white mask electrocute a man who had previously been pointing a gun at him. The gun man collapsed onto the pavement. The dark figure dragged away the body and then returned to the street with a young girl by his side. Li, Misaki realized. It hit her again that the man who had been her friend was also a killer. Her gun rested close by. She could shoot him right then.
Yet, her fingers remained motionless. She continued to watch as the Black Reaper removed his mask, revealing the face of Li. Regardless of past knowledge, it still hit her hard. His head suddenly tilted up toward her. For a moment, they both just stared at each other. Hei eventually turned away, almost ashamed, and began to run.
"Wait!" Misaki called on impulse. He didn't even hesitate. Another figure, white as an angel, walked from around the corner. He looked up at her as well. November. It looked like he was keeping tabs on Hei. Misaki waved to him. He smiled and nodded before dashing off.
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A man, clothed from head to toe in black, adjusted binoculars. The lenses held the images of two young men and a young girl playing an unannounced game of Cat and Mouse. He seemed particularly interested in the one with the white mask. Smirking, he muttered, "Gotcha." The spy picked up a radio communicator and clicked a button on it. "Hello? I've located BK-201 as well as his Doll. Also, I thought you might find this interesting. November Eleven is with them."
From the other end of the line, Hourai nodded to himself. "Good job. Now all we have left to do is take them down. Keep an eye on those three. Find out if there are any patterns to their movements. It's time to set the trap."
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Amber was a patient person. Hei had always been the only one with the ability to test that patience, though he rarely did and she rarely expressed her emotions when he felt the need to. However, their plan was narrowing down to its execution date and Hei was still running around in circles. She hadn't seen November in three days. If Hei didn't give up this silly little game soon…
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Misaki tried not to laugh at the man sleeping on her couch. It was a rather comical look for November, to be half-on and half-off the piece of furniture with his golden hair splayed all over the place. The only thing to detract from the amusing aspect of it all was the set of bandages around his shoulder. At least this way, she could tell when he was playing bodyguard instead of being stuck with the feeling that someone was constantly watching her.
Of course, at the beginning, November was in no way agreeable about being out in the open anywhere near her. He stuck to the shadows keeping an eye on her every now and then, only thinking that she hadn't noticed. Then, she finally got tired of this and called him out on it. He was embarrassed about being caught, but rambled on about how she was in danger and he didn't want the Syndicate to try anything and that an unstable Hei was still out there. So, the silent stalking had continued. It wasn't until three days ago that a cataclysmic event brought an end to this.
Misaki wasn't the only one November had to follow. Hei was a loose cannon at this point. Any Contractor or human who got in his way was dead. November tried not to get in his way. Yet he watched from the shadows and in doing so it was simple enough to catch the signs of imbalance. He wasn't being rational or tactful, his moves were scattered and unplanned, he was constantly on edge and in anger. More than once, November thought he recognized some form of panic. Under all the stress and confusion, Hei was losing it. Completely and utterly losing it. This only meant that November had to keep a closer watch in case the ticking time bomb decided to attack Amber, Misaki, or even Yin (though he doubted the last). Sadly, it seemed that November's spying skills had grown rusty and Hei's knife shot out faster than his words.
November dodged by a hair, but doing put him in the spotlight. Not a great place to be at the moment.
"Aisu," Hei growled. His knife flew out again. No games were being played here. Hei had had enough of the Evening Primrose and all its members.
November ducked under the soaring metal. "Testy, are we?" November asked.
"Why are you following me?" Hei demanded.
"Because you've clearly gone insane," November answered bluntly. The blade was pitched at his head again at this. "You've been killing anyone with even the slightest potential to be a Syndicate member. All the Contractors who have crossed your path are dead, no matter whose side they were on. I can't image it doesn't bother you on some level. You used to be more human than this. You gave up your freedom for Yin. Yet you stand here now as a madman."
The speech angered Hei, who responded by launching a furious brigade of attacks on November. "Shut up!" the Reaper demanded.
"I'm trying to reach you, here," November continued, now reduced to hand-to-hand combat.
"I don't want your or Amber's help," Hei refused, strategically striking his knife down November's arm. The blonde man hissed in pain, gripping his bleeding arm as he backed away. Hei prepared for the final hit.
Misaki meanwhile had heard the commotion on her way to her way back from a nearby diner she'd gone to for a late dinner. Being the justice-seeker she was, she darted toward it with gun at the ready. Then, she caught sight of their faces. Soon after, she saw the blood.
"Stop!" Misaki screamed, running to the edge of the battlefront. The figures froze a split second before Hei's knife came slicing down onto November's neck. The Black Reaper glanced toward her with those deep blue eyes of his and again Misaki noticed the pain and humanity in them, even though those had been violently mixed with cold, blind, undirected rage. Just as quickly as she absorbed this, though, he had vanished into the night.
November let out a sigh of relief. "Misaki, what were you thinking? He could have killed you. He isn't the sweet little Li you thought he was."
"I know," Misaki agreed, although she wished it weren't true. She strode to November's side. "You really need to get that shoulder wrapped up. You're bleeding like crazy."
"If you don't recall, I've had worse," he informed, making an effort to stand straight. Misaki's frown deepened when she noticed the thin layer of sweat building up on his uncharacteristically pale face. His blue gaze was beginning to become unfocused and when he took a step back, there was a slight sway to it. She grabbed his arm.
"I have a first aid kit back at my apartment," she offered.
"It's dangerous for you to be seen with me," he stated.
"It's also dangerous to walk around with a knife wound," she retorted. "Besides, it's the middle of the night."
As he followed her back reluctantly, he whispered, "But that's the time of day that is most dangerous."
She had helped him bandage his shoulder as promised, but his intentions of leaving were cut short. As soon as the wrapping was done, he became drowsy with blood loss and exhaustion. He'd attempted to stand, but nearly passed out in doing so. The only persuasion she'd needed to convince him to stay the night was a light push on his good shoulder and the softness of the couch beneath him. He'd all but blacked out before he was all the way down.
The reason November was continuing to stay here involved what happened the next day. A threat had been placed on Misaki's life when a Contractor made to murder her on her way to work. A black blur had taken the man out with a quick shock to the heart. Misaki didn't need to see his face to know that the Black Reaper had saved her. November wasn't far behind and, upon realizing that there might be more who wished her dead, abruptly changed his opinion on sticking close by her side. Thus, she had a bodyguard. In turn, she continued to help him with the knife wound and he had somehow ended up on her couch every night since. As long as he didn't try anything, she was fine with it. This was also her way of making sure he didn't go off and get himself killed again.
Misaki started the coffee maker, checking on November every once in a while. She wasn't sure if he was just a deep sleeper naturally or if it was due to his healing injury and activeness during the past few days. When the coffee was finished, she poured two cups full and looked over toward her house guest again, surprised when she couldn't find him.
"If I can sneak up on you, you might be in more danger than I originally thought," November's heavily accented voice commented from close behind. She spun, nearly spilling the coffee. He smiled softly. "I apologize if I startled you."
She shook her head at him and held out the cup. "Here," she grunted.
"Thanks," he said, accepting it.
They drank in silence, letting morning just be morning for once without anyone trying to rush it into midday. When they finished, the cups were placed in the sink and Misaki gathered her papers together while November cleaned up. How strange, she thought, that after only a few days this already felt normal. Today, November would come to work with her, under the cover of being an intern, and "job shadow" her. In fact, they would have to leave in five minutes if they wanted to get there on time. She didn't doubt that November would be ready in time. If there was one thing she learned, it was that he was very punctual. As expected, he came out of the bathroom looking prim, proper, and disguised to her content.
Except for one thing.
"I can still see your hair," Misaki noticed. Blonde locks had pushed out from underneath the black wig she'd given him. She walked up and fixed the error without a second thought. He frowned.
"Blasted thing," he cursed.
"Your blonde hair is a dead give-away," Misaki stated. "Even if you don't look Japanese, that would be pushing your cover."
"I suppose so," he agreed, straightening out the fake black-rimmed glasses as well. "Think anyone will recognize me?"
"Hopefully not," Misaki replied. "Now let's go before we're late."
The two rushed out and to the waiting blue car. One of Misaki's middle-aged neighbors shook her head, smiling lightly. "It's about time," she thought to herself.
However, this woman was not the only one who spotted them. The spy, armed with his binoculars, caught onto the disguised November as well. He scoffed. "They're just making this too easy for us."
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