diSclaImer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

JeniNeji Comments:

Hey people…chapter 3 is finally out. At last…I was getting worried…I thought something had happen to my beta, it was like, God maybe she's in the hospital or something…but well, it was kind something different, but, hey, we have to have some fun (maybe). So, enjoy this new chapter and please, (it's kind of an order) don't take it out on my beta. We have our days, ne?

AP07: Hi everyone please do not be mad at JeniNeji for how long it took to update and get this chapter out. It was my fault. I had a lot of school work come at me right when she emailed me this chapter to edit. Not only that but I also had my sister's wedding to finally get done with. All I can say is thank God it is over with. So yeah if you want to be mad at someone it would be me. Enjoy.

xxoOoxx

The Voice

3

xxoOoxx

The heat of the mission, blazes.

The honor tumbles.

Adrenaline.

Pain.

xxoOoxx

Someone's voice caused her to awake, but, even as she tried her eyelids refrained from opening. Slowly, her consciousness began to fill the holes in her memories, telling her what had happen. They were mere fading images…

Her dress.

The people…the party.

The bar.

Her water…

The white haired tiger.

She had been discovered. China's mafia boss had realized that Aku-Soku-San had filtered and undercover agent. He had spotted her.

I can believe you missed the show yesterday. A voice ominously spoke. Well, I'll tell you all about it. It began… The voice was definitely male.

After some effort she opened her eyes and she stared at the thin man sitting on the edge of her bed, talking on his cell phone. He was completely off, speaking about a TV show. She had a terrible headache and her arms felt numb.

Dork, he kissed her! At last, he confessed his love to her. The man continued. He was surely a terrible guard.

Kaoru began to sit when a terrible pain flared from her hip. She bit her lip to prevent the whimper that almost escaped her. Gods! It felt awful. Her still slightly unfocused blue eyes looked down to her hip and she found it bandaged. Dazed she turned to the side and she came face to face with a machine, like…was she in a hospital? Impossible! What had they done to her?!

Yeah, I know, I liked the other girl too, but I think this one is best for him. Yeah, I'll take the other chick for me. He laughed.

The cell phone… Kaoru warily glanced at the unknowing man and after a deep breath she flung forward and hit the man on the back of his head with all the strength she could muster at the moment. A startled gasp left the man and even as his eyes found hers, he couldn't remain conscious and fell to the floor with a loud thud.

Kaoru cried out then, her whole body twisting at her abrupt movement. She had to remain doubled over for half a minute before the pain began to fade a little. She turned to the side and carefully set her feet on the cold marble floor. Her eyes fell on the mobile lying on the floor and a grim line settled on her lips. Cursing her pain, she reclined against the wall and slid down and after a few pants took the cell phone. She stared at the device as an awful song began to play. She scowled and denied the entry call.

Looking around her she spotted a tiny bathroom. Using the last remnants of strength she had she propped herself up, walked into the bathroom and shut the door with the lock. She was feeling nauseous, her body hurt so much.

Looking at the cell phone she mentally debate who to call, but finally decided to call Battousai since he was the strongest and most loyal assassin of Aku-Soku-San. After dialing, the stray thought that he may not answer crossed her mind, but it was too late now.

The ringing stopped and she was thankful. Taking a deep breath she steadied her voice "Battousai, sir" she had greeted, as usual. Imagine her surprise when he called her by her name! Not Tanuki, Kaoru!

Years of training helped her hide her surprise and continue with her steady voice "I need to deliver a report to headquarters" she had said and then frowned. What was it again? Yes, she remembers now "The white tiger is on the loose". Yes, Yukishiro Enishi had already obtained firm ties in Japan's underground and his products were currently being sold on the streets. He needed to be taken care of and…soon.

The hard pounding on the bathroom door made her tense. Wench! A man's voice shouted from behind it. They had found about her sooner than she had wanted…it probably was the empty pulse the machines had captured. She knew she had forgotten something! She should have placed them on the guard's body. Foolish, foolish!

"Kaoru, are you on a mission?" Battousai had asked her and once again she was surprised by him. Had he known all along about her? Even when many questions surfaced on her mind, she had no time to seek for answers "I will contact when I am able to" she said and weariness was affecting her body.

You will die tonight! The frustrated man threatened from behind the door and she numbly stared at the still holding door. It wouldn't hold for much longer…and there was something else she needed to do before getting caught…what was it? Yes, destroy the cell phone!

"Dismissed" she informed and she threw the cell phone against the bathroom's mirror just in time when the door fell down. She watched the pieces of glass and what had been the mobile fall apart and a smirk came over her face. She had done it.

After that, everything went black.

xxoOoxx

Battousai finally reached the intended place, the penthouse the note Kamatari gave him had pointed out. It was a highly alluring place, and he feared that even the lights were brighter on these parts…that weren't something he liked at the moment.

He carelessly parked on the highway and walked towards the over luxurious building hastily. His hand was aching; the need to take the hilt of his sword and slit someone's throat was overwhelming. Still, he could retain his demon locked inside, he had gotten to the penthouses, he had gotten here on time, there was no way he was going to loose, no way he was going to let anything happen to Kaoru. Nothing.

He walked inside the first floor of the building and entered without signing in and the security guard hurried out of his cabin and followed him. A small turn and he had drawn his sword at light's speed and was pushing it menacingly against the man's throat.

"I have an appointment" he had said, and he knew that he was growling, but he didn't want neither interferences or to lose a second "Do not concern with calling for the police, this event never happened, you never saw me" he warned and continued the path towards the elevators.

He pressed the up button and looked up at the numbers. The elevator was going up and out of patience he decided to take the stairs. He flew up the stair and a minute later he had reached the tenth floor. He opened the door and stopped once he invaded the hallway. There was no sound, no sign of life. Cautiously he walked to the penthouse to the right, the one with the A and stopped by the door. He waited for a few seconds as he tuned his senses to the inside of the room. There was no movement, no sound. Somehow dubious he kicked the door and it flung open and came back after colliding with the wall.

His amber eyes looked inside the room, but there was no one. He slowly made his way inside the penthouse and began to search in the rooms. Opening door after door he was greeted by the same sight, emptiness. It wasn't until he reached the last door when something changed.

"You finally came Battousai" a male voice joked and he narrowed his yellow eyes angrily. He stepped inside the room, but it was empty, there was no one there. He inspected the room further and his eyes found a laptop over a table, facing him.

As he walked closer he was quick to notice the small blue light over the screen, immediately telling him that the webcam was on. He stared at the computer and he was able to discern an image on the screen. There, with a dim light was a man. He was sitting on a comfortable chair smoking a cigarette. He was wearing a simple dark robe and small shades. The white haired man smirked and his eyes turned feral.

"So, you are The Battousai" the man commented with a controlled voice "nice to meet finally you".

xxoOoxx

"I really don't know what to do," whined the young man as he hardly glanced as a man's broken body fell to the floor with a splash of blood.

"Okita…" another male voice began with patience "Women are complicated, difficult creatures," the man continued and his tone appeared to be that of a very wise man. "However, one has to say that they have their…charm for men like us," he finished and took a long draw of his cigarette. The man was tall and was dressed blue pants and a tight navy blue shirt. The way he held himself promised carnal satisfaction, lots of it. The graceful way he moved his limbs and fingers, also his gleaming amber eyes. He was not really handsome, yet something on his posture attested he was a man who knew what a woman craved by a single look and his devilish smirk implied he was very aware of this…making him even more dangerous.

"Saitou-san," Okita once again began resting his sheathed sword on his shoulder. "She's been having these strangest cravings at the most terrible hours," he explained tiredly "and if I don't do as she says…she just won't let me sleep".

Another series of grunts of pain and crumbling bodies broke the silence until the taller man let out a bored sigh "Okita, the woman is giving you a son," he said somewhat annoyed. "Do you know how tedious that must be for her? Carrying your heavy son for nine months?" he said and turned to his ex-apprentice with a subtle glare. "My wife was way worst…thank gods that it turned out to be a girl, she likes to play with her mother…but sadly, I still have no descendant to teach my techniques." he commented with some sadness.

"You are right, Saitou-san, I should appreciate it" the younger man, completely dressed in black, accepted and followed his old Master comfortably. "I would be honored if you teach my son," he added with a hint of happiness.

"Maybe I'll do it…if only to spend some time doing something fruitful," the older man said and took his almost finished cigarette and threw it to the floor. "I was glad to be the perpetuator of a massacre, but this is a lousy excuse…there are no good fighters here, this is all scum." the man growled.

"Hmm" Okita replied automatically. "I overheard there was a traitor here, an undercover female," he added and raised a hand to his jaw. "She's supposed to be with China's mafia leader…and he's strong," Okita finished apprehensively.

"Is that so?" asked Saitou as he continued his way down the hall. "Then we will have to find him…and Okita, don't interfere, I want some action".

xxoOoxx

"I thought I arrived here on time." Battousai intoned edgily.

"I lied," the man simply replied with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "I am already far away".

"Where is she?" the thin voice of an angry Battousai asked the laptop with the video call in front of him.

"Where is who?" the white haired smoking man meekly replied. He still had his smirk on his face, obviously enjoying this.

"The spy." Battousai pointed evenly, he was never one to give away his emotions and he was a cold murderer right now. The truth that he had come here to search for her gave some of his real feelings away…but he couldn't do much just brand it as honor-bound.

"Oh!" the man exclaimed with a grin. "How foolish I am," the young man added and his aqua eyes twinkled in fascination. "Right here," he said, motioning to his right. He was greeted by silence and then his grin widened. "Right, you can't see her," the man joked and stood from his chair and moved towards his laptop and moved it a little so it was facing the place he had mentioned. "There she is" he said and moved his chair a lot closer to the spy and placed it facing the laptop's webcam. He sat once again, and exhaled a puff of smoke.

Battousai felt a pang of uneasiness. There, on a huge bed lay the sprawled form of a tiny woman, but the dim light and the mess of sheets didn't allow him to make out the details of her.

"She has pretty long hair," the white haired man asked moving closer to the unconscious form of the Japanese girl and taking a fistful of it. He raised it and began to caress it down…showing dramatically the hip long length of her hair. "And it's so soft…like silk," the man said and turned to the laptop with a wicked expression. "Of course, how could I have forgotten, you have never seen her before" he taunted.

Battousai gripped the hilt of his sword with inhuman strength, the white man's taunts effectively unbalancing him. He couldn't stop his growl or the gritting of his teeth, the bastard was touching her! Had her naked on that bed! She was his, his partner!

"Don't worry Battousai" the white haired man cajoled. "Unlike you, I don't kill women." He said and a nasty smile once again occupied his lips. "I love women," he finished the double meaning phrase.

"Who are you?" Battousai growled out, his arms were shaking in anger. This man had challenged him beyond what anyone had before. It was unforgivable, and he was going to make sure to make him pay.

"Do you not know me?" The man had wide and surprised eyes. "I see you are really just puppets…but well, some puppets sometimes do the most horrendous things to the most erroneous persons." He explained with dejection. "I am Yukishiro Enishi, one of China's mafia bosses," he said with a proud smile.

Battousai narrowed his eyes in thought. What had a man from China to do with all this mess? His last name was definitely Japanese, so maybe there lay the problem. "She's a mere beginning undercover," Battousai began evenly. "I don't see why there is so much fuss about her".

"You tell me Battousai," the man replied with a smirk. "Why are you in that room trying to rescue a mere novice?" The still sitting man asked. "I know why I am here," the man resumed. "For Jinchuu…I'll make you suffer and then I am going to make you pay for killing my sister by killing you…very slowly".

"You?" the Battousai said with a cold grin. "Kill me? Make me suffer?" The red-head taunted back. "Then I don't know what makes you think that you are achieving those things now." He finished and crossed his arms challenging.

The white haired man frowned. "Do you not care about her?" Enishi asked with a frown, turning to glance at the woman besides him. "Well, it doesn't matter…she has intrigued me enough to deserve some vacations with me." He said and turned to Battousai with a grin. "I will see you soon then Battousai." Enishi finished and moved to the laptop when a sudden move startled him.

Battousai watched with horror as the woman slowly sat on the bed and the disheveled black mane fell over her face. He easily heard her grunt of pain and then her curse as her hand came to her middle and she double over, her face hiding on the white sheets. It was with some effort that he noticed that her middle and hips were bandaged.

The white haired man stood straight and Battousai could only see his middle…he was a tall man. "Do not move yet sweetheart." Enishi warned. "You will only make it worst." He advice and once again moved to the laptop.

Battousai could only hear a grunted Bastard and then the connection was interrupted.

He remained frozen where he was, unable to do anything else. Unable to think about anything else. Kaoru had been taken and she had been badly wounded. He had failed completely. He was becoming rusty, old.

Guilt stomped over him and a thousand images of his killings and their corpses began to flash on his mind, and after growling and shattering the laptop to pieces, he escaped the room and the building.

xxoOoxx

"Yeah." Okita's voice said against his cell phone. "No, there was no one out of the usual here." He said and paused. "No undercover woman, sir." Okita finished and flipped his phone closed.

"This was a lost of time" Saitou snarled obviously angry "My sword shouldn't be tainted by these unskilled morons".

"I know Saitou-san." Okita said with a smile to appease his old Master. "So, what other hints are you going to give me to retain my sanity through my wife's pregnancy?"

"Of course." Saitou said as he once again lit another cigarette and pressed it against his lips "Do not get her pregnant again," and with that he began to walk away from the twenty-seven years old.

xxoOoxx

To be continued

xxoOoxx

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