Chapter 46: Under the Influence, Part 1

Death the Kid / Sai Summers

Kid

While my mission to retrieve one of the demon tools from the scorching desert had been successful, things simply weren't going right this evening. Standing outside of Soul and Maka's apartment, I asked over my left shoulder: "Was it really necessary for you two to come with me?

Liz lifted her chin and looked away snidely. "Unlike some of us, we like being social. I want to hang out with our friends; is there something wrong with that?"

Patty smacked me on the back several times. "It's because Kid wants to spend time alone with Sai!"

I could feel my face warm.

Liz smirked. "Like he'd know what to do in that situation."

Squeezing my eyes shut for a moment, I considered: Just ignore it….they're just fooling around…

I knocked on the door, and within a few moments Maka opened it.

She had a bagel in her right hand and was chewing; she was also wearing conservative pajamas with an imprint of Father's mask on them. "Hey guys." She mumbled.

It occurred to me what time it was, and I felt uncouth. "Sorry to show up so late." I muttered.

Maka took a second to swallow. "No, it's fine. Soul and I are just watching TV; Sai's reading….which is rare…" Her mind and eyes traveled from me toward the interior of the apartment.

Maka doesn't get that not everyone learns everything from books…

Sai's door was open and she sat on her futon on the floor, not just reading, but surrounded by books. If there was any order to what she was looking it, it was hard to tell – the books were in a scattered mess. Most of them appeared to be from the library, but a few looked like newer books she purchased locally.

I knocked on the doorjamb. "It looks like you've got a library dumped on the floor…"

Sai didn't look up. "Yeah, I'm looking for something."

I bent down at the knees and picked up the closest two books; the spines gave away their content. "Are all of these books on witches?" I put the two down and picked up a third. "Did you try and check out everything Shibusen had?"

She didn't look up, and her eyes continued to scan the page

There was a moment of silence, and I could see her stop reading.

Sai seemed suddenly struck down with a thought. "Oh!" Sai threw down the book at her left, and crawled over to me on her hands and knees.

I was painfully aware she wore nothing but a short black dress with spaghetti straps, and fuzzy, black bath sandals.

My face felt hot. "Uh….Sai…I can see down your...."

"Forget about that!" Sai sat back on her ankles, folding her legs under her; she cut off my words at the same time. "Did you go back to the mansion or did you come straight here?"

I assumed she wasn't trying to be rude, but whatever she had to say had to be said right now. But some part of me was still compelled to correct her.

Some habits are hard to break…

"You didn't need to cut me off." I paused, trying to be watchful of my tone. "We came straight here…the girls are in the oth..." I gesticulated over my left shoulder with my right hand.

Sai didn't seem to be listening. "The woman Sara; Soul and I think we saw her out by Shibusen in a dark, hooded robe." Sai's eyes were intense. "Is she a Witch?"

I dropped my shoulders. "I'm not a hundred percent sure if she's a Witch, but I knew she was suspicious, that's why Father allowed me to hire her."

Sai started to pound on my arms and chest with balled fists. "What the heck is wrong with you?! Are you trying to put your life in danger?!"

I grabbed her hands, and she relaxed. "I knew what I was doing."

Her expression is dark. "I wish you wouldn't play detective unless you let me know…"

I tried to not laugh at her seriousness on the matter. "Because you want to play along or because you were worried?"

She laughed. "You're starting to sound like me."

Holding her hands, I noticed she was cold. "Aren't we a little underdressed?"

"This is my house, and my room." She smirked. "And I'm a little surprised you're complaining."

There was an abrupt knocking behind me, and I felt myself jump.

I released Sai, and swung around on my heels. "What is it?!" I shouted.

The sisters were standing behind me, with Liz holding a box.

Patty looked perplexed and shocked at the same time. "Kid …" She started, quietly.

"Ah…" I started to explain myself, but realized I had made a faux pas.

Turning fully around, Liz shoved a box at me, wrapped in brown paper. "Here. This is for you and Sai. Soul said he forgot to give it to her earlier."

She walked away from the door without another word; Patty stood there for a moment and watched Liz walk away. Turning back to me, she bit her lip and looked embarrassed. "She's been in a bad mood today, sorry."

I sighed. "It's not her fault…but her reaction wasn't what I expected..."

***

Sai

Normally, getting a package is a fun occasion for me. People rarely just give me things – unless it's Kid. And then it's usually something I don't need, can't use, or is way too expensive for someone like me.

Okay, maybe it's not so of a rare occasion now…

Kid had shut the door, and we sat alone with the paper-wrapped box in the middle of the floor.

Kid's eyes revealed his suspicion. "No indication of whom it's from?"

"No, not like last time at least." I told him quietly.

He pulled up one corner of the paper, lifting the box. "Are we going to open it?"

"Guess so…" I muttered, pulling off the paper, and pulling open the brown cardboard box that was wrapped in it. Inside was a double-sided set of Styrofoam bricks, which I pulled apart.

There were two units in the box, and two pairs of corded electrical unit boxes – to plug into a wall. The main units were a solid, shiny black plastic. They appeared to be electronic, but a simplistic technology at the same time.

Kid raised an eyebrow, and didn't appear to have the urge to investigate.

These are probably beyond his comfort level…

I quickly realized what there were.

One of the units in the box started to produce a ringing noise, like…a telephone.

They're cell phones…

I pulled the one making noise from the packaging and flipped the top half of it open. "Hello?" I questioned.

It was Stein. "I figured it had been some time since you'd seen a cell phone." His tone was level, but serious. "But I also knew you'd be the one who would answer it."

I sighed; comforted by knowing I had been right. "It certainly has been. I had to give up mine when I left for Shibusen."

Stein giggled, but it wasn't a comforting laugh. "Considering your criminal record, I'm surprised you didn't just make one."

I was silent for a moment, and then pulled myself up from the floor, and to the other side of the room. I growled in the phone. "That file was sealed."

"I had it unsealed." He paused, as if he was reviewing it on the line. "Five counts of technological destruction and tampering. You certainly have your father's Tool skills." There was dead air for a moment. "Does Kid know this is part of the reason you were sent to Iceland?"

I scowled, even though I knew he couldn't see it. "I was sent to Iceland because my mother's a lunatic who needs to be in a hospital." It was now my turn to pause. "Are you trying to blackmail me?" I hissed.

He laughed again, his tone lighter. "No, no, no…I'm just stating the obvious – you have your father's skills; you should be proud."

It was time to ask, and my tone turned dark. "Professor…what do you know about my father?"

"Honestly, not much; he and I weren't close. But everyone knew he was brilliant with technology." Stein seemed genuine this time. "Anyway, if you have those skills, I need your help; Shibusen needs your help."

His game of question and answer was waning on me. "What do you mean?"

"Like you said, you had to give up your cell when you arrived here. For so many years the school has relied on brute force to win its battles." "We just can't do that any more. The Witches and other groups are utilizing modern technology to enhance their skills and fortifications – some have gone so far as to build mechanized fighting machines – we need to compensate for that."

It was something I hadn't considered, and I was skeptical. "Okay…"

"So the deal is this. I put you in charge of fixing and maintaining the system, and I pay you. Consider it like a job."

I need the money, I am living off of other people right now…

I gritted my teeth. "I'll do it."

Stein lowered his voice. "There are two reasons I called right now, though."

I met his tone. "And those are…?"

His voice was mechanical. "One, these phones and their lines are very important. I am under the impression the witches cannot hear what someone says on the line, despite their abilities."

It seemed obvious to me that they would only release something like this out of the Tech Lab after testing like that had been done, so I bypassed the topic. "And…?"

I could hear the annoyance in his voice. "Justin's gone – he seems to have left the clinic under his own power within the last few hours." He paused for a few seconds. "And I'm afraid he might be involved with the enemy."