Finally finished, albeit fourteen minutes late, Rangiku dragged herself over the threshold of her quiet house. Falling back on to the couch, she kicked her flats off and across the room. Flexing her feet, she closed her weary eyes. The damned things near crossed once she hit the ninth hour of reading the captain's logs. He was so meticulous, there wasn't anything omitted. Something you could have written in one summarizing paragraph took him three pages. Three boring, agonizingly word heavy, pages. She really needed to teach him short hand.
Her eyes were blurry and her body ached. She wanted nothing more than to drift into sleep but there was something she needed to do. There was a mission to complete. She wanted her sake back. Yes. She did have that big, beautiful bottle in the closet, but it was the principle of the thing. Nemu was keeping her property against her will. This was a matter of right and wrong. Levering herself up off the couch, she made her way to her bedroom to get dressed for justice.
Black really wasn't a color she purposely wore outside of work, but camouflage was necessary if she was going to pull this off without a hitch. The black cat suit was easy to come by, her weekends often spent shopping in the world of the living. The combat boots and black knitted cap were pilfered from an unsuspecting guard that she had seduced, out drank, and left undressed in a back alley. She was lacing up said boots, almost ready to go, when the front door popped open.
"Honey, I'm home." Renji called teasingly.
'Crap. Terrible timing.'
Tossing her hat aside, she quickly brushed her hair and stepped into the hall.
"Hey. Whatchya doin here?"
"Came to see the sexiest girl in the sere-" His eyes locked onto the tall, leather clad blonde. "Wow."
Rangiku struck a pose, seduction oozing down the hall to the hapless Renji.
"You like it?"
He gave a bare nod before moving toward the woman with dangerous curves, hands gripping tight to her waist.
"Thought you would." She sighed as his lips moved across her neck.
"I gotta ask ya though." He said in between kisses. "What's with the boots?" Ran started at the inquiry.
"Oh, I thought they would make me look a bit tougher. I was reading up on the S&M stuff." The lie left her lips flawlessly. Renji moved back to see her face, brows raised.
"I see. Are you gonna spank me now?" A feral grin appeared on his face.
"Maybe." She answered coyly.
"Hey, Ran." He whispered into her ear, eliciting small chills down her spine.
"Yes?" She breathed.
"Does the S&M crowd wear face paint as well?" He pulled away, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed.
'Damn it! Forgot about that.'
Caught red handed, she sighed in defeat.
"Okay, okay. I'm on a mission." Interest piqued, a dark brow rose in question. "Nemu cleared out my stash at the office and won't give it back." She said with a pout. Renji shook his head and smiled.
"Ya know it's only two days away, right?"
"Yes." She replied, blue eyes rolling. "But that's not the point." Slender hands moved to sit on full hips.
"You really need it back right this minute?" He had moved back in front of her, hands gliding down her back. "I can think of a thing or two that could be just as exciting. Get the blood pumpin." He flashed her a smile.
"I'm sorry. A girl's gotta do, what a girl's gotta do." She pecked his cheek before snagging her hat out of the bathroom.
His eyes followed her as she finished getting ready for the 'big job'.
"Wish me luck!" She called over her shoulder as she made her way out into the night.
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Flash stepping from one piece of cover to another, she made her way to squad twelve's barracks. It was well into the night when she finally arrived, crouched low behind its back wall, most of the area quiet. She could sense the spiritual pressure of three, maybe four people within the building. Unfortunately, the squad's captain was one of them.
The man was truly insane and dread cemented her feet in place as she thought of the copious amount of ways the sociopathic scientist could punish her for trespassing. Turning her into a mindless slave was one and honestly the least disturbing she could imagine. The one that had her stomach turning was how easily he could kill her and dispose of her body with no one the wiser. He was a creative fellow, and with all the lab's equipment and chemicals at his disposal, she was pretty sure she wouldn't like any outcome. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself, intent on vaulting the wall.
"Need a boost?"
She knew that voice...
'Damn it.'
Turning her head in near slow motion, her baby blues fell onto the tattooed cohort she thought had been left behind.
"What are you doing here?" She whispered harshly.
"Thought it'd be fun. Keep things exciting." He teased, giving a wink before a kiss.
"You are incorrigible." Shoving at his chest she refocused her attention on the task at hand. "There's four of them in there right now. Kurotsuchi included." Motioning for him to come closer, she yanked him down by the collar of his black, long sleeve shirt that had a military air. Hunched down, it was considerably easier to get astride his shoulders.
"Up." She directed, thighs clenched tight against the sides of his head. Renji held on lightly to her lower legs. Eyes following the two guards outside the side entrance, she mentally counted the paces they made before turning where they would have a blind spot. "There's two guards outside the door." She reported downward to her partner in crime. "On the count of three, I'm going over."
"Kay." Renji steadied himself as she came to a crouch on his shoulders. "Hey. Easy. Those shit kickers hurt." She swatted the top of his head, hushing him.
"Quit your complaining, ya big baby." She was speaking to the red head but her eyes were all for the guard coming their direction. "One-Two-Three." The end of three had her balancing on the wall edge, body low. She waited patiently for her opening.
Two more steps had him standing right beneath her. Vaulting off the top, toned legs gripped tight around the surprised man's neck. A minute passed leaving her to stand over the guard, unconscious and mottled purple.
"Come on." She whispered, bringing the waiting Renji up and over to join her. She merely smiled at the arched brow she received due to her handy work. Motioning for him to grab the man's legs, they carried the dead weight around the back and deposited it into a dark corner. Signaling for him to stay put, she readied herself for the next guard.
Back braced against the cool stone, she peered around the corner waiting for her prey. Once the lanky reaper got within range, Rangiku sent her leg in a large arc, coming down onto the back of the unprotected head with such force he went spilling face first into the dirt. Pouncing on the prone man, she locked her arm around his throat until he too fell unconscious. Renji came up beside her as she dusted off the knees of her pants.
"Remind me not to piss you off." He half joked, toe of his boot poking the lax body evoking a jab in his side from her elbow.
"Stop screwin around. Let's go." Her words floated over her shoulder as she made her way to the now unguarded side door, Renji at a slow trot behind her.
Dropping to her knees, she pressed her ear to the door while reaching out spiritually for the location of the reapers inside. A warm pulse of energy let her know that there was one a few paces from the opposite side of the door. Pivoting to catch Renji's eye, she attempted to sign the location and how she wanted to proceed. After two minutes of hand gestured and another three of perplexed staring, she flicked the dense reaper between the eyes. Rubbing the abused spot and blinking rapidly, Renji fell onto his backside.
"What the hell?" He mouthed, face all angles and sharp lines.
"You're" She mouthed while poking him in the chest, "an idiot." She continued mouthing while pointing to her head. Mouth agape, he stared incredulously. Obviously he had heard her signals loud and clear that time. Tired of the whole thing, she pointed at him, then the ground. Sufficient orders, she thought. Pretty damn straight forward too. Certain he had understood, one hand within her hair to retrieve a slim, metal pin, which she quickly employed to play with the tumblers inside the door. Less than a minute and the door was edging open with the two reapers riding low on the ground, eyes darting about the newly exposed area for opposition.
The reaper Rangiku had sensed was perched on a wooden stool sat angled on two legs, eyes closed, quiet rumble flowing from out him. Keeping tight to the wall, the two intruders moved slow and steady in a crouch, bodies on high alert. Their senses were in chaos with the din from the equipment echoing through the hall, harsh chemicals permeating their nostrils and burning their eyes.
'Gods, how do the squad members cope with all this everyday?' Ran was suddenly thankful for her captain's anal retentive behavior with cleaning and absence of noise pollution, though she would never tell.
"Nemu!" The loud bark cut through their disorientation. Eyes wide, they plastered themselves to the wall.
"Yes, master."
"What have I told you about leaving these chemicals about?"
"Beg your pardon, master, but that was you." The scientist's subordinate's voice was soft and hesitant. A brief moment of silence, then something weighty caused an explosion of glass, the remnants tinkling about the floor. The muffled groan gave evidence that the something had been Nemu's slim body.
"I'm sorry. I think I may have misheard you." The hidden two could hear the glass crunch as footsteps moved across the lab.
"Apologies. You are correct. Please forgive my absence of mind. I will be sure to remember in the future." The words were coughed out, wet and labored. Gods, were her lungs intact? Concerned for her friend, Rangiku chanced a glance around the corner.
An expansive metal shelving unit was left bare, the previous contents shattered and scattered about the slate gray floor, a lacerated Nemu amidst them. Random parts of her skin sparkled as her chest heaved, shards buried within by the impact. Crimson bubbles dribbled out a downturned mouth with every breath.
'That evil son of a bitch!' Seething, she made ready to intervene. Just before she burst forward, fingers wrapped tight around her elbow. Turning daggers to her captor, he shook his head in warning. Knowing he was right, she took a couple steadying breaths.
"Aren't you going to pick up this mess?" Mayuri inquired, voice hot.
"Of course, master. I just need a moment." Nemu's shifting could be heard along with short gasps she made with the difficult task of sitting upright.
"A moment?" He asked. "You need a moment? Who do you think you are asking for any of my time?" The keening coming from around the corner had blue eyes peering into the room once more, where she found pale fingers wrapped tightly in dark tresses. The girl's neck bent at an unimaginably painful angle. "You will do it now, even if you must drag your bloodied body across these floors." Another gasp as the hand jerked her head back further.
"Yes, master." She choked out as her knees met the cement floor, finally released from his grasp.
"Maybe your friends will be kind enough to help you as well, hmm?" Manic eyes locked on with troubled blue.