Chapter 4: Captured and Interrogated
If there was one thing that Kaname liked to do often was to wake up early to make tea before heading out for a quick jog around the block. He had set his alarm to 4:30 a.m. and was already fixing himself up in the bathroom. By the time he got into his dark blue jogging jacket and his running shoes, he went to the kitchen and prepped the stove to get the water in the black metal teapot boiling later before heading to the cupboard to get a certain tea type and putting that in. As he ran through the quiet early morning, Kaname kept his eyes and ears peeled for anything out of the ordinary. Trying to run a full block and back would usually take him 15-30 minutes, giving him enough time to take a quick shower and get the tea and breakfast ready. By the time Kaname came back from his morning run, Philip was already awake and getting the tea ready.
"That was quick," he said.
"Despite the fact that I wake up earlier than you do," said Kaname. "You're not much of a morning person if I recall."
"I'd make today an exception. Besides...you're going undercover anyway," replied Philip. "Your bag is already set, and your ID is already in your wallet. I placed it next to the door."
"Thanks," replied Kaname, as he headed upstairs and to the master shower.
As Kaname turned on the water to cold, he let his mind wander for a bit...trying to piece together the information that he already had so far. The only thing that was going through his mind at the moment was the event that caused humans to turn to beastmen. What caught his curiosity even more was whether or not paladins would hunt former humans that became beasts...despite the fact that the probability was high and that presumably this gave way to rogue paladins that saw things differently from their seniors and veterans.
After fixing himself up again, Kaname gave himself one last look in the mirror before heading downstairs. He then began working on breakfast, while Philip got the teapot off the stove and onto a metal circular stand on the dining table. The scent of the tea hit his nostrils in an instant.
"Green tea this time?" inquired his partner.
"What can I say...I am a tea person after all," said Kaname.
The pair eventually heard the water running, indicating that both Subaru and Reo were awake. Breakfast consisted of fried fish, rice, miso, and pickled vegetables. Kaname always had a small portion every meal which to him...was enough to get him through the day. Subaru and Reo were a bit surprised at what they saw on the table and looked at the pair.
"Did you guys do this?" asked Reo.
"Well...he did," said Philip, pointing at Kaname.
"Enough with the flattery Philip," said Kaname, looking away slightly.
"This looks good," said Subaru.
"He's just being modest. He doesn't take well with compliments," whispered Philip.
"I heard that," said Kaname, with a stern tone in his voice, causing Reo and Subaru to chuckle.
As they sat down to breakfast, Kaname checked his watch and noticed that it read 6:30 a.m. His first class was English which started at 7:45 a.m., followed by Biology, then Math, and finally Chemistry. From his place to the school, according to the information he received yesterday...it wasn't as far as it seemed.
"Which do you plan on taking?" asked Philip, eating the miso soup.
"More than likely a motorcycle...although I'm not sure they would allow it," said Kaname.
"I'm sure they'll make an exception," said Philip. "Oh...by the way, I made this for you so that I can monitor what's going on."
He then produced a small pin-like device from his pocket that resembled a sword with wings.
"Don't tell me that you'll monitor everything," said Kaname, feeling a bit uneasy.
At this Philip laughed. "Don't worry...I won't monitor the stalls if that's what you're thinking,"
"Shut up," he answered, taking a piece of fish and eating it with his chopsticks.
By the time they finished, it was already 6:50 a.m. Philip decided to take care of the dishes while Kaname then grabbed his bag and headed downstairs to the garage towards the bikes. Taking out his wallet and looking at the ID...Kaname gave a quick sigh before putting the wallet back in his pocket. Putting on his helmet, Kaname turned on the visor and started up the throttle.
"DATS...you there?" asked Kaname.
"Affirmative sir," replied the program.
"Send me the quickest route to get to Silver Shield College," he said.
It took approximately 5 minutes for the program to get the routes and to narrow them down to the quickest one possible. As soon as it was locked in, Kaname sped off towards his destination.
Unbeknownst to him however, another individual was also heading over to the same place...but coming from a different location.
Fate Testarossa was going to the school with business as usual. Her mentor Vercossa, had just reported back with Arf and mentioned to Precia about what Kaname had done to the rogue vampire as well as the beastwoman that he picked up as well. Precia's curiosity was overruled by her anger over the news about the round that could gravely injure a vampire.
"He must be working with the paladins. There can be no doubt of that," growled Precia.
"Precia-sama...I know this will sound awkward but...since paladins have also gone after beastmen as well, don't you find it strange that he saved this beastwoman instead of killing her?" inquired Vercossa.
Precia sat up for a brief moment before looking at Vercossa and pondered over what she had just said.
"You have a good point there Vercossa. I'm sending Fate on a reconnaissance mission. She is not to engage him in any way, just observe and bring back intel. I want to know what is going on inside this Kaname's head," replied Precia. "You two are dismissed."
As Fate was giving the information by her mentor, she was by no means curious as well but at the same time...her thoughts wandered to the young girl she encountered after stopping that rouge vampire from forcing himself upon her.
She thought back to her training and what Vercossa had told her about one of the very vampire rules that must not be broken. Never...under any circumstance think of your prey as something else besides food. Fate knew that there were worse things than death, although she wasn't told as to what they were.
By the time that Kaname arrived at the school on his motorcycle, he saw some of the guys and girls take notice. He looked at his watch which now read 7:05 a.m. and turned off the throttle and parked his motorcycle. Looking through his bag, Kaname noticed a few locks that he realized would go into lockers and attached to his English book were the combination numbers. He took a few minutes to memorize the combination before turning off DATS from his visor.
Some of the girls were curious as to who the newcomer was and were whispering amongst themselves, while the guys felt a little intimidated by his appearance. Kaname took a quick look around and noticed that most of them had either walked or came by bicycle...making him stand out like a sore thumb, which he didn't mind.
After several minutes had passed, Kaname looked over at his left shoulder and saw a black Suzuki parked a few feet away opposite from where he was parked. He immediately knew he was being followed and didn't have to guess as to who was following him. Taking off his helmet and placing it atop the right side view mirror, Kaname heard some of the girls gasp in astonishment and some even giggled. He also took off his black leather jacket and hung on the other side view mirror before grabbing his backpack and the dark blue case holding his violin which he securely strapped to the bike with a couple of bungee hooked cords in an X form and the put the bungee cords in his backpack and finding his keys among the pencils and pens in the front of the bag, activated the lock mechanism for his bike and heard the alarm sound go off in a second indicating it was now locked so no one could try and get it.
Looking at his watch again, it now read 7:10 a.m. Kaname looked around at the campus and saw two individuals waiting at the steps of Silver Shield. The first person was wearing glasses, a blue dress shirt and black dress pants. The person appeared to be in his mid thirties to early forties. The one next to him was a raven-haired young woman that appeared to be in her mid twenties to early thirties, wearing a red vest, a black dress shirt, as well as black skirt and red heels.
"Takahashi-san?" he inquired.
"That would be me," said Kaname, walking up the steps.
"Shiro Takahashi...my name's Mr. Tanaka. I'll be your English teacher for the semester. This beautiful lady next to me is Mizuki Haruno. She's the principal here at this school," he explained.
"A pleasure to meet you both," said Kaname, bowing.
"Same here," she replied, returning the gesture.
As soon as he entered the school premises however, Kaname had a sudden feeling of dread wash over him. Something felt entirely off. The burning sensation on his right hand began to bother him a bit, and the only thought that occurred to him was that the school was about to be the stage of some supernatural trouble and chaos and confusion.
"If you'll please follow me Shiro...I'll show you the homeroom for your English class," said Mr. Tanaka. "And don't worry about the atmosphere...it's just the first day of class."
"Of course," he replied. Turning around he was trying to look for Mizuki...but she suddenly disappeared just as quickly as she came. 'Something is definitely out of place here.' After turning on the pin that was attached to his shirt, Philip began manning the monitors while Kaname was heading to his first class.
As Kaname entered the classroom, his eyes quickly scanned around the room that was already filled with students until his eyes came to rest on three girls. The first was a blonde girl with green eyes that was talking excitedly to the one across from the girl in the middle, who had purple hair and appeared to have light blue or gray eyes. The second girl however is what caught Kaname's attention. The one that was sitting in between the two was Nanoha Takamachi, the owner of that cafe, Midori-ya.
'You've got to be kidding me,' he thought, trying to hide his surprise. 'This must be the girl that they want me to keep tabs on.'
As the teacher called for silence and for everyone to settle down, Kaname eventually introduced himself, and his ears caught some giggles and glances from some of the girls in the room that were obviously checking him out. He then took a seat behind Nanoha and her friends, who introduced themselves as Arisa and Suzuka. Nanoha herself however, knew Kaname but decided to keep silent as class began.
By the time that class had finished, Kaname then tapped Nanoha on the shoulder and asked, "Can I talk to you for a moment in private?"
"Um...sure," she replied.
"We'll meet you over at the food court," said Suzuka.
"Alright," replied Nanoha.
As the two of them made their way through the flow of students, the pair eventually found a quiet spot to talk near an emergency exit close to an array of awards shown on a long glass case.
"What is it that you wanted to tell me?" asked Nanoha.
"I know this is going to sound weird but...there's a reason why I'm using this name instead of my actual name," said Kaname.
"What...are you like...going undercover or something?" she inquired.
"Exactly," he replied. "I need to keep this charade going for a bit."
"I was assigned to keep an eye out for someone," said Kaname.
"Anyone in particular?" she asked.
"You'll find out soon enough," he said, standing up. "So...there's a food court around here?"
"Yeah...I'll show you," replied Nanoha, leading the way.
After walking through several hallways and Nanoha explaining as to which classrooms held which class, the pair eventually reached a staircase leading down and they reached the food court. Kaname was a bit surprised as to how big it was. There were many different tables as well as a few booths. Nanoha watched with a smile as Kaname slowly took it in. It wasn't very noisy since it was only 8:45 a.m. and there wasn't that many students around. Kaname's next class started in 15 minutes while Nanoha's next class was religion which started in 10 minutes. She gave Kaname a map of the campus so that he could navigate his way around. After the two went their separate ways, Kaname tried to keep his senses on alert in case something came up. He stood at the staircase looking over the map. His next class happened to be upstairs on the third floor. Keeping his violin case near him and giving it a quick glance, he realized that the case didn't only function like it was but it managed to hold a secret compartment for his sword. By pressing a button located on the handle of the case, it opened a slot in which his sword would slide out.
'Whoever did this must have gone through some trouble to make this one especially for me,' thought Kaname.
However, before heading to his next class, he spotted a strange hooded individual wearing a light blue t-shirt heading for the bathroom, but into the wrong one. Kaname's earlier suspicions about the school was about to come to light.
'This isn't good. I know I'm supposed to stick to my mission but...' thought Kaname, as he heaved an annoyed sigh. Picking up his violin case and his backpack, Kaname looked left and right for any students that would possibly look at him before stopping near the bathroom across from several lockers.
Seconds later, a loud distressed scream was heard. Students that were passing by heard the scream and looked at the restrooms.
"That sounded like it was coming from in there," said a male student.
Kaname then ran inside the girl's bathroom and then spotted what he feared would happen. He heard a hissing sound from the hooded figure and breathed the exact word that was sure to cause panic later.
'Just as I thought...vampire,' realized Kaname.
Pressing the button on the handle of his violin case, Kaname's sword came out from the slit. Just as the vampire was about to bite his victim, Kaname grabbed hold of the collar and gave him a swift kick into one of the stalls, temporarily stunning him. After assessing the girl, who was still shaken, he then let her go before turning his attention to the vampire before him. As soon as he got up, Kaname ran full force at him knocking him out of the bathroom and ramming him into the lockers, causing several students to back away and others looking at them in stunned silence. Kaname then was about to use his sword but instead used the hilt to knock him down and then reacting quickly, unsheathed the sword and moving his right hand in a downward slicing motion, gave a pretty deep cut to the vampire, causing black blood to spill out. Some of the students ran for their lives while others were still stunned. Kaname then saw the wounded vampire get up and stare at him. What caught him by surprise however...was the sound of his voice...which would bother him for a while.
"Just as I expected from the prince of the Crimson Blade Quartet," he said.
"What did you want with that girl?" wondered Kaname. He briefly noticed a strange tattoo on the vampire's neck, one that he didn't recognize at all.
"My masssssster wants the fangs. I wassss trying to find it," he replied.
"What fangs?" asked Kaname.
Seconds later, the vampire gave a shrill scream as he was wounded once again. This time...not by a sword...but a bullet, which then caused him to burst into flame and then become ashes seconds later.
Kaname looked into his backpack and found a small vial in it and used it to pick up some of the vampire's blood as a sample and placed a small cork in it before putting it back in his bag.
Just as quickly as the incident began, Kaname was about to leave when he noticed that his surroundings looked like they froze. He looked around and noticed that nobody was moving, yet he was. He soon heard footsteps approaching, turned around and saw the principal, Mizuki Haruno approach him.
"Did you do that?" he asked.
"No...I was the one who fired the bullet," she replied.
"Then...if you didn't freeze time...who did?" asked Kaname.
"I did," replied a voice.
Kaname moved his head and saw his English teacher Mr. Tanaka approaching from behind.
"How do you know about the manner in killing vampires?" asked Kaname.
"We'll explain that later Mr. Zenryuu," she replied.
"How is it that you know my name?" he asked.
Meanwhile, outside near the school grounds, Fate Testarossa had her weapon Bardiche at the ready looking at the school campus.
"There's definitely something here. I heard that they were rare but...I never knew I'd find some here," she said.
"There appears to be another Familiar around here," said Arf, who was standing atop a roof near the alleyway where Fate was standing in.
"Did mother send you to accompany me?" asked Fate.
"Among other things," she replied.
Back over at the school grounds, Kaname learned that Mizuki was a vampire hunter while Mr. Tanaka was a magus...a rare commodity even in the Medieval times. Mizuki explained that she wasn't in league with the paladins and only focused on rogue vampires or even fledglings...ones that have been turned and are uncontrollable.
"Why are you here posing as a principal and teacher?" asked Kaname.
"They're here because they were assigned to you," said a voice.
Kaname turned around and saw Yunno the archivist approaching him.
"How'd you know of this place?" asked Kaname.
"I have my ways. Also...Mr. Tanaka's real name is Telcathias," answered Yunno. "I can also take the form of a student and have been watching the girl named Nanoha for quite a bit lately."
"I think she's the girl I was assigned to keep an eye on," said Kaname.
"She's a special individual that girl. However...I think we should take this someplace less crowded," said Yunno.
"He's right. I'll let the other teachers know that you'll be late to their classes and ask for a pardon. When this time freeze ends...everyone's memories of this incident will be wiped," explained Telcathias.
As the four of them headed outside, eventually the effects of the time freeze began to wear off and things began to continue as if nothing happened. Unbeknownst to the others, Kaname realized that they were being watched. He looked over and saw a familiar individual watching from the shadows and another individual watching from above.
"What is it?" asked Mizuki.
"We've got company over in the distance. I'll need you three to stay here while I go settle things," said Kaname, leaving his backpack and violin case behind, only sporting his sword.
"I'll go as well," said Yunno.
"Why?" asked Kaname.
"Because...she also owes me as well," said the archivist.
"What do you mean?" he inquired.
"You'll know soon enough," replied Yunno.
As the two approached Fate and Arf, Kaname placed his sword strapped behind him while Yunno with a snap of his fingers, placed a barrier around the school.
Kaname then saw the woman that was atop the roof leap near where Fate was standing, her stance defensive. It was until he saw the bandage he put on that it suddenly became clear.
"Is there a term for those that can change form from beast to human and then something that resembles both?" asked Kaname.
"We're referred to as Familiars," replied Arf.
"What are those?" asked Kaname.
"You just gave the basic definition," said Yunno.
"I did?" he wondered.
"Seems there's some things that left you in the dark," said Fate, stepping out.
"What are you doing here?" asked Kaname.
"I could ask you the same thing," she replied.
"I was sent to keep tabs on a certain girl."
"Could that girl happen to have brown hair and blue eyes?" inquired Fate.
Kaname's eyes went wide-eyed and he stared long and hard at the blonde.
"How do you know about Nanoha?" asked Kaname.
"Nanoha...so that's her name," said Fate. "In case you were wondering...I saved her from a vampire attack one night."
"Seems as though I'm not the only one who goes after my own kind," said Kaname.
"I have my reasons as you should know," she replied.
"There's something that we want to know," said Arf.
"And that would be..."
"How did you come across a round that greatly damages vampires?" she asked.
"You're worried...about your master being a target?" asked Kaname.
Fate's Familiar remained silent for a moment until Kaname's eyes changed. Fate took note of this quickly as did her Familiar as he looked at Arf up and down. She was taken aback a bit at how he was looking at her.
"What? Are you trying to see through me, pervert?" she scoffed.
"No...I'm simply analyzing your aura," he replied.
"Huh?" she wondered.
"There's no doubt about my suspicions. You are one of us...and yet...you're siding with paladins," guessed Fate.
"The one that I injured mentioned something...peculiar. Something about his master wanting some fangs...particular ones at that," said Kaname. "And second...I'm more neutral than you think."
"So why haven't you targeted lycans or beastmen?" asked Arf.
"I only go for those that appear to be a threat," he replied. "From the looks of things...I'd say you'd been sent on a reconnaissance assignment."
"You're bright...but not too clever. Whatever you caused in there is sure to cause an uproar later," said Fate.
"Why are you so interested in that girl anyway?" asked Kaname.
Fate was silent at first before Arf stepped in. "She's doesn't have to answer to you."
"Very well," said Kaname, as he turned to leave. "By the way...your master isn't the only one who's interested in her."
As the two came back from talking with Fate, Kaname noticed that Telecathias was gone and Mizuki was the only one standing near the tree where they left their belongings.
"What was that all about?" asked Mizuki.
"She appears to be just observing at the moment...trying to gather some intel...but I sense there's something more than that," answered Kaname.
"I see. You should probably get back and try to get to your other classes. Here's my number in case you have any questions," replied Mizuki, giving Kaname a small white card.
After she left, Kaname then turned to Yunno with a stern look on his face. "Why didn't you tell me earlier that you also go here?" he asked.
"Actually...my other function besides archivist is also archaeology and acting as a contractor," replied Yunno.
"So you're like what...a multi-tasker?" inquired Kaname.
"Something of that sort," he replied. "Oh...before we head to our other classes...I need you to do me a favor."
"Alright...what is it?" asked Kaname.
Yunno fished into his pocket and then pulled out a small round red gem.
"What is it?" he asked.
"It's called an intelligent device. An object that imbues the user with magic. My guess is that when Fate and Nanoha encountered each other...there was a faint pink glow that surrounded Nanoha," explained Yunno.
"You were able to notice that about Fate?" asked Kaname.
"I also happen to know defensive spells and sense certain magical potential," answered Yunno.
"So you're saying that Nanoha is one of those people that has magical potential?" guessed Kaname, to which he got an acknowledging nod.
After looking at his watch, Kaname then decided to head over to his next class until Yunno mentioned that they should meet up over at the food court later. By the time Kaname got to his next class, which was biology, his teacher mentioned about the notice from the principal and was excused for his tardy. He blinked for a few seconds trying to recall some of the details that was mentioned to him before taking his seat.
He was lucky enough to realize that it was nothing more than an introduction...but what Kaname didn't notice at all was that the time he had spent prior to today was the end of summer. The class ended quickly with the bell signaling lunch time. As the students poured out the classroom, Kaname felt something vibrating in his pocket and realized it was phone. Picking it up, he checked the number and realized it was his partner Philip. Heading downstairs and outside to the front of the school, Kaname then answered the phone.
"What's up?" asked Kaname.
"I noticed your little skirmish earlier...as well as that time freeze and all that," said Philip.
"Don't tell me you had that thing on the whole time," said Kaname.
"I did...but just sorted through all the information after that skirmish," he replied.
"Did you just call me just for that?" he inquired.
"Not just that...but I've received word about someone by the name of Precia trying to keep tabs on a certain individual," answered Philip.
"Any idea who?" he asked.
"Not yet...but I'll let you know as soon as I can," replied his partner.
"Alright...and Philip..."
"Yeah?" he wondered.
"Try to notify me before the classes start," reminded Kaname, before turning it off.
"Shiro...over here," called out a familiar voice.
He turned and saw Nanoha with her friends and didn't even have to guess as to the reason why she called him. Yunno was also among them.
"I had a feeling you'd be a bit busy so...I brought you some lunch," said Nanoha, handing him a vegetable sandwich.
"Thanks...I like vegetables by the way," said Kaname, taking a small bite.
As they were eating, Yunno then saw Fate's motorcycle come over near the front of the campus, causing other students to notice.
Fate was wearing tight leather pants, a black tank top as well as a black leather jacket. Straps from her black bra could be seen under the tank top but the tank top covered most of it.
Kaname noticed the way she was looking over at them, particularly at Nanoha and tried to keep a calm composure without getting too serious.
"Friend of yours?" wondered Suzuka.
"I'm not sure...she looks familiar though," said Nanoha. She thought about it for a moment before she figured it out. "Ah...she came over by the cafe once."
"A customer perhaps," said Arisa.
As Fate walked towards them, Kaname looked quickly on his left and right and noticed the way how some of the guys were looking at Fate and gave an annoyed sigh.
'If she revealed her true nature to these guys...they would have probably thought twice to try and mess with a vampire,' thought Kaname.
"Hello...fancy seeing you here," said Fate.
"You were the one that stopped by my cafe that time," said Nanoha.
"Yes...I was. Just wanted to say thanks for the pastries...my name's Fate Testarossa in case you were wondering," she replied.
"Oh...you're welcome. My name's Nanoha. Nanoha Takamachi. Nice to meet you."
As Kaname carefully observed the interaction between the two, he thought back for a few seconds as to what Nanoha said earlier about Fate looking familiar and then when Fate said that they did meet before one night. Putting two and two together...Kaname came up with the only possible explanation in his mind as to what caused Nanoha to nearly forget what happened that one night.
'Her memory was altered by Fate somehow,' thought Kaname.
While the others weren't looking, Kaname took out the red gem that Yunno had given him earlier and placed it inside Nanoha's bag on the side.
"That you're bike over there?" asked Yunno.
"Yes...it is. If it's not too much trouble...want to go out with me sometime?" asked Fate.
"I'm not sure...I have another class coming up," said Nanoha, looking down.
Kaname followed Nanoha's gaze for a moment before quickly looking away.
Fate followed Nanoha's eyes for a moment before chuckling.
"Do you always stare at a girl's chest or am I a special case?" asked Fate.
"I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to," she replied.
'She's probably jealous,' thought Yunno.
"So...how about it?" asked Fate.
"Didn't you listen to her a while ago. She just said that she has another class coming up," piped up Arisa.
"That's enough," said Kaname, standing up.
"Why are you siding with them?" asked Fate.
"Are you sure you want to find out?" asked Kaname. "Let her make her choice Arisa...I'll vouch for her."
"Are you sure Shiro? I don't want to be a burden," said Nanoha.
'What are your real intentions vampire?' asked Kaname telepathically.
'I just want to get to know her better,' replied Fate.
'Before you try and turn her you mean,' clarified Kaname.
"OK...maybe just once," said Nanoha.
"Great...then...I'll see you later tonight then. I'll pick you up at say...7:00," said Fate.
As Nanoha and Fate exchanged numbers, Suzuka and Arisa looked at the blonde with a sense of curiosity and a hint of annoyance...well...Arisa was the one who seemed annoyed. As she turned and left, her breasts slightly jiggling from the motion.
Kaname stared at Fate for a brief moment, suspicion and anger flaring in his eyes, when his ability took over...he then saw red mixed with blue.
'Not good...she seems annoyed that she thought I was going to interfere, while another bit was trying to act all cool and composed. Better keep an eye on this one,' thought Kaname.
Seconds later, Kaname felt his phone vibrate again and picked it up. It was from Philip again.
"What's up?" asked Kaname.
"You're not going to like this but...the commander just told me that Dr. Reese and Dr. Ross have gone missing," said Philip.
"Any idea how?" asked Kaname.
"I was told they were trying to secure the artifact when there was a break in and some rogues took them," said Philip.
"Paladins?" he inquired.
"No...vampires," came the reply.
Kaname cursed under his breath before turning to Yunno. "I'm afraid some family matters have come up. Yunno, can you vouch for both of us. I've got something to look into."
"I'll do what I can. I'll let the principal know," he replied.
"Thanks...I'm counting on you," said Kaname, heading towards his motorcycle.
Turning on the throttle, Kaname then turned on DATS and sped off.
"Philip…any luck on the location of where they were taken?" asked Kaname.
"I've told the commander and he said they're tracking them," replied his partner.
"Well we've gotta work faster. Times ticking and I'm not sure that the good doctor will be able to handle what they plan on doing to them and there's no telling as to what happens if they have the artifact," said Kaname, as he increased the throttle.
Barely making it through an incoming stoplight, he made a turn upon passing it and after several minutes of going through a long neighborhood, it led him up to a path leading into the mountains. Seconds later, Philip notified Kaname from his com-link.
"I've got the location of the spot they were taken to. It appears to be around a forest not too far from the capital...near a shrine a couple of blocks from there. As for where you are, I'm detecting a faint signal coming from within a cave right below from where you're traveling on right now," said Philip.
"Good job. I'll let you know once I've extracted them. When I do, contact the paladin headquarters and let them know of my location," said Kaname.
"Roger that," answered Philip.
The cold, damp atmosphere coming from the cave was more than enough to stir Dr. Reese awake for a bit after being knocked out. However, a sudden splash of cold water was more than enough to jolt him wide awake.
"Finally…he wakes," said a voice.
Dr. Reese looked around wildly and found that he couldn't see that well considering he was in a dark place. However, that suddenly changed when several torches were lit and he saw who his captors were. The heat radiating from the torches was enough to make him blink twice. All he saw were hooded figures. It was not until he saw their eyes that it became clear to him.
"Vampires," he said under his breath. "You're the ones that attack us in the ruins that other night."
"Correction, my good doctor…our group wasn't the ones there that time. We operate in our own way," said another voice, with a hint of a Russian accent.
"What makes you think you're so different from the rest?" asked Dr. Reese. "And where's my team?"
"Oh…right…them. Let's just say that they're in a…separate interrogation room," said another with a British accent, slightly chuckling.
"Get your filthy hands off of me," yelled out a familiar voice.
"If you even so much as hurt Dr. Ross…"began Dr. Reese.
"What? You'll do what? If you don't want her to be humiliated in front of you, then you'll tell us where the artifact is," said a third.
"Come now, Arthur…is that how we're supposed to ask information?" asked the one with a Russian accent.
"If you have any better ideas I'd love to hear them," retorted Arthur.
"Watch your tongue! That's not how you're supposed to respond to Dimitri," growled the second vampire.
"I wasn't asking for your opinion Leo," shot back Arthur.
"Enough Arthur!" barked Dimitri. "I want both of you out of my sight."
As the other two left and dropped Dr. Ross near Dimitri, another hooded figure came from the shadows. This one was different. From the form of the vampire, it had long hair and blue eyes. Dr. Reese concluded in his mind that it was female.
"What's the matter Dimitri dear? They just wanted to have a little…fun," she said.
"Not now Andrea…I have a prisoner to interrogate. You can have your way with her though," said Dimitri, pointing to Dr. Ross.
"Hmm…she does look rather lovely. I'll take my sweet time with her," said Andrea, taking her by her right arm and forcefully dragging her.
"What is she planning on doing with her?" demanded Dr. Reese.
"Oh…don't worry. She won't do any harm to her…much," said Dimitri.
"Just let her go and I'll tell you what you want," said Dr. Reese.
"Ah…are you that eager to save the damsel? I guess that will depend on what you tell on what I need to know," said Dimitri.
"Just promise me you'll let her go," said Dr. Reese.
"Alright…I'll let her go, when you tell me where the artifact is," said Dimitri.
"I told you, I don't know what you're talking about," he said.
A split second later, Dr. Reese heard Dr. Ross' scream echoing within the cavern.
"Stop it…please," she pleaded, her voice starting to crack with sobs.
"You sick bastard," growled Dr. Reese.
A split second later, a blade was pressed to his neck as Dimitri was staring at him with a hint of anger across his face.
"If you want to prolong her suffering…you will tell me or I'll have Andrea kill her in front of you," threatened Dimitri.
"Go to hell," replied Dr. Reese.
"Have it your way then," said Dimitri, as he snapped his fingers.
Suddenly, the sound of the engine of a motorcycle could be heard echoing from the cavern. A bright light was coming towards them, and Dimitri had to squint his eyes for a moment before turning his attention to the oncoming vehicle.
The light suddenly went off from the oncoming motorcycle as Dimitri got closer until the headlight went back on again at full power blinding the vampire. Several small daggers with a cross at the tip of the hilt struck its target before several shots were heard as Dimitri gave an agonizing cry of pain, alerting the other vampires.
Dr. Reese gave a sigh of relief as Kaname came into the scene.
"Your timing couldn't have been better," said Dr. Reese.
"I had a feeling that was where the noise was coming from," said Kaname, taking out his 93R and shooting off the shackles holding Dr. Reese.
"Looks like we've got company," said Dr. Reese.
Kaname then switched magazines to his other bullets, reloaded and fired off two rounds from his gun at Dimitri causing him to burst into flame before turning to ash.
"How'd you do that?" asked Dr. Reese.
"I'll explain later...just get to some cover," ordered Kaname.
Andrea suddenly came into view with her sword unsheathed and was about to strike at Kaname, were it not for him to answer her blow with his sword, Vanguard. Using his full force from his left arm, he pushed Andrea to the side before slashing her right arm off and then firing with his 93R, killing her, causing her to turn to ashes. Dr. Ross ran over to Dr. Reese's side, as Kaname stood behind them, weapons at the ready.
Eventually, they heard the battle cries of Arthur and Leo coming out with their HK 47s as well as a few other vampires. Kaname turned to Dr. Ross and asked, "Ever used a gun before?"
"Once or twice," she said.
Kaname then tossed her his second 93R as she stood beside Kaname. The first wave came in so quickly that Kaname dispatched half of them before emptying his first clip and having to reload. Five more came running towards them as Kaname reloaded, yet luckily, Dr. Ross managed to cover him as he did so.
"Not bad…not too bad at all," said Kaname, as he finished reloading. The second wave came in with Arthur leading as he fired several rounds towards the trio. Kaname used Vanguard to deflect some of the oncoming shots. Dr. Reese however, wasn't as lucky as one bullet hit his left shoulder.
"Dr. Reese," cried out Dr. Ross.
"Get him somewhere safe. I'll take care of these fools," commanded Kaname, as he fired a quick burst at Arthur before charging in with Vanguard in his left hand. As he got closer, he switched weapons by tossing them to the opposite hand. He swung at one vampire, severing his head while shooting down three others. Arthur was hit from the quick burst but still kept running towards Kaname, his HK47 still going. Kaname then tilted back and slid on the cavern floor and from the propulsion of the slippery floor, shot at Arthur's left leg before turning on his stomach and fired at his head, turning him to ash. Just as Leo was about to shoot, Kaname quickly turned and had his P39R pointed straight at his head and fired first.
"So what about your so-called ideal of injure not kill?" asked Philip from the com-link.
"Didn't I tell you? I hate rouges," said Kaname.
"The researchers are safe. Go ahead and contact headquarters. I'll notify them by a signal flare," said Kaname.
"You got it," said Philip. "Oh…Kaname…"
"Hm?" he wondered.
"Was that really even necessary?" asked Philip.
"Drop it," growled Kaname.
As Philip contacted the paladin headquarters, Kaname went back to assess the damage done to Dr. Reese. He was losing quite a bit of blood and was resting on the mountain wall.
"Go into my motorcycle. There should be a small trauma kit under the seat," said Kaname.
"Alright," said Dr. Ross, as she went and checked on the motorcycle.
"Keep the pressure on as much as possible," instructed Kaname.
"That was…some good shooting you did," said Dr. Reese, until he suddenly winced from the sharp pain on his shoulder as he tried to keep the pressure on.
"You should try and not talk as much," said Kaname.
Dr. Ross came back with the trauma kit several minutes later and placed it beside Kaname. As he dressed Dr. Reese's wounds, Kaname then turned to Dr. Ross.
"You alright?" asked Kaname.
"I'm OK. She didn't go too far," said Dr. Ross.
"I guess I don't even have to point out that you're obviously straight," he said.
"Actually…I'm not," she replied.
Kaname stared at her for a brief moment. "No…you're kidding," he said.
"No…I'm not. I'm actually bi," replied Dr. Ross.
He turned away for a second as his brain tried to process the information, while he finished up dressing the wound.
"Whoa," said Kaname, slightly stunned.
"What about yourself?" asked Dr. Ross.
"Me? Oh…definitely straight," said Kaname.
"Had any luck with the ladies?" she teased.
"No…I'm still searching. I also don't mind waiting," said Kaname. Seconds later, Kaname got a notice from Philip when his com-link started beeping. "Yeah?"
"I've already contacted headquarters and they should be heading your way within 5-10 minutes. I've also contacted the nearest hospital. They should be arriving at the same time that the rescue team comes in," explained Philip.
"Good job," said Kaname. He then turned to Dr. Ross and said, "I'll keep watch. When you hear oncoming helicopters…" Kaname then took out his signal flare. "Use this to get their attention."
"OK," she replied, taking the signal flare.
As Kaname then took watch near the entrance of the cave, he couldn't help but turn his head to look at Dr. Ross and her concern for Dr. Reese.
"What happened to the others?" asked Kaname.
"Two members of our research team were killed. The other two somehow managed to escape," answered Dr. Ross. "As for where they are...I'm not sure."
"I see," said Kaname. "What about the artifact?"
Dr. Ross was silent for a moment, before she took out of her pocket from her vest something in a leather pouch. There was a red star with a small diamond in the middle. As soon as she handed it to Kaname, a sudden headache struck him causing him to stumble backwards slightly and his right hand began to throb.
"Agh…what the…heck?" he wondered, as he held the artifact.
"Are you alright?" asked Dr. Ross.
"Yeah…I'm fine," replied Kaname, after the headache slowly began to fade.
After waiting for approximately 5 minutes, Kaname heard a faint whirring sound indicating that the rescue team wasn't too far away.
"That must be them," she said, and quickly took out the signal flare gun. Kaname then gave her a quick nod and she fired the flare.
"Talon 01 to home base, Talon 01 to home base…we've spotted an emergency flare," said the helicopter pilot.
"Roger Talon 01. Proceed with extraction."
By the time the rescue chopper reached Kaname and the others, the emergency helicopter wasn't too far from where they were.
What caught Kaname's surprise however, was the person that was leading the rescue operation...Minako Suzuki.
"I had a feeling he'd contact you," said Kaname.
"Where's the research team?" she asked.
"Only Dr. Reese and Dr. Ross were captured. There were two that were killed by vampires and another two that barely escaped. Whereabouts are unknown," he explained. "Dr. Reese got shot while I was fending off rogue vampires."
A couple of nurses carefully set Dr. Reese on the stretcher as they brought him in the helicopter. Dr. Ross tried to follow but she was prevented from doing so.
"Don't worry about him...he'll be taken care of," said Minako, trying to reassure Dr. Ross, as Dr. Reese was lifted into the helicopter.
However, just as the rescue team was about to leave…one of the paladins shouted, "We've got incoming!"
When Kaname got a closer look and saw someone towards them.
"Hold your fire soldier," commanded Kaname.
"Looks like I missed something exciting," she said.
"State your name and business vampire," said Kaname.
"Very well…I'll get straight to the point. My name is Vercossa and my master wants to speak to you…in person," she replied.
"And by that I'm presuming that it's over in your coven," guessed Kaname.
"You're pretty smart…for a freelancer."
"Don't do it Kaname. It could be a trick," said Dr. Ross.
"It's alright. I'm sure their actions speak louder than their intentions," said Kaname. "Ms. Suzuki…relay this message back to Philip and the others. Tell them I've made contact with one of the vampire representatives and have asked for information from their leader and that I won't be gone long. Can you do that?"
She was a bit hesitant at first until Kaname made his voice firm. "Can I trust you on doing that for me?"
"Alright…I'll do it," she said.
"I'll be back…I promise," reassured Kaname, going to his motorcycle.
Once Kaname got the throttle started, he then noticed Vercossa was in the air while he was on the ground. Taking once last look at the rescue helicopter, he turned his attention to the two vampires in the air.
"Think you can keep up?" inquired Vercossa.
"Lead the way," said Kaname.
Kaname had to keep going in and out of various trees in the forest several times before he found the road that he went off from to get to Dr. Reese. By the time he was back in the city, Kaname had just split seconds to glance at the two vampires as well as the road ahead that was slowly starting to teem with traffic. Weaving his way through the cars, Kaname had to rely less on DATS and more on his actual senses. By the time he got to a second stoplight, he noticed the vampire made a left upon reaching it. Once the light was green, Kaname hit the throttle again and made a hard quick turn left and increased the throttle to get more speed. He soon found himself in an old neighborhood and noticed that the vampires made a right at an oncoming T section. By the time Kaname caught up to them he spotted them landing and then walking into an old subway tunnel.
'So…this is what they meant,' thought Kaname, as he dismounted.
There were cracks at certain areas of the walls of the tunnel as Kaname followed the two vampires. The tunnel seemed to stretch for miles until Kaname spotted what appeared to be a huge gaping hole 2-3 feet ahead of them. He eventually spotted two male vampires with their swords unsheathed. Upon seeing Kaname, the two were about to block his entry in when Vercossa spoke up.
"It's OK boys…he's the guest that Precia-sama wanted to see," she said.
"Our apologies m'am," said the first guard.
"Please, go on in," said the second.
Kaname became a little suspicious at first but then followed Vercossa as the two of them made their way down the staircase. Already there appeared to be a debate going on and the whole coven was in an uproar.
"Sounds like something important is going on," guessed Kaname.
"Be quiet and keep moving," commanded Vercossa, pointing the tip of her sword at Kaname's back.
He faintly heard someone groaning in pain and it was clear to him someone looked like they were being interrogated.
By the time Kaname got to the bottom level, he became quite shocked at what his eyes beheld. A young werewolf was being whipped and was chained as well. The person doing the torture was none other than Precia Testarossa.
"Ah…the guest of honor has arrived," she said, with a hint of satisfaction.
"I brought him back just as you requested," replied Vercossa.
By the time the werewolf lifted her head and saw Kaname, his eyes quickly changed to silver, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone in the coven, including the werewolf.
'Looks like it's trying to put up a good front,' he thought.
Once he saw the werewolf's eyes, Kaname noticed that through the groaning, growls, and whimpers...it looked as if it was trying to speak.
"-name," it said faintly.
Kaname knelt down and asked "Who are you?"
"Do you recognize this…thing?" asked Precia.
Kaname was silent as his gaze was locked on the werewolf and the expression on its face.
"Kaname," replied the werewolf.
"It seems to know you," said Precia.
Kaname was silent for a moment and thought back to the letter he received with the violin and was suddenly stunned.
"Answer her, knave!"shouted Vercossa.
Just as she was about to kick Kaname, his instincts kicked in and he quickly unsheathed his sword Vanguard.
"Don't even think about it," he growled.
Several other vampires soon had Kaname surrounded before Precia called them off.
"Well..." began Precia.
"Luke?" he inquired, to which he received an acknowledging nod.
"We've received word that this...creature could be a spy for the lycans. He claims he thinks knows what it is that we're looking for," explained Precia.
"He may not know...but I do," said Kaname. "Your daughter asked me if I knew the story of the "Betrayal of the Twin Vampires". Two brothers were trying to hone their skills from their teacher and yet they had different views on things. Both wanted certain powers and that was the bait the teacher needed. You see, those in power don't want to lose it. As a result…the two brothers eventually got killed and the teacher took their skills. Judging from your aura…you only see this…coven, as expendable, and I know you're searching for the location of several…crystals."
"What is this fool babbling about?" shouted one vampire.
This suddenly caught Precia completely off guard as Kaname stared at the leader. Seconds later, Kaname got the most unexpected answer. She was laughing.
"What's so funny?" asked Kaname.
"That's a very good assessment freelancer," she said. "But you're clearly mistaken."
"Oh…" wondered Kaname, slightly curious. "Enlighten me."
"You're right about the crystals yes…however, I don't think you know their actual purpose or what they are," said Precia.
"These...crystals...by any chance...are called Fangs are they not?" inquired Kaname.
"Oh you won't have to worry about that," said Precia. "Because you won't be around to see it; lock him up with this filthy creature!"
Just as several vampires surrounded Kaname, he pulled out something from his pocket, turned to werwolf and said, "You might want to close your eyes." He put on a mask and then threw out something towards them, before taking out a 39R and firing at the chains holding Luke and yelled "GO!"
Seconds later, the flashbang went off blinding all of the vampires inside. Kaname made a mad dash running to the stairs. His werewolf friend managed to get out and was standing near the bikes.
As soon as they were outside, Kaname turned to his werewolf friend and said, "Keep close."
"DATS…you still there?" asked Kaname.
"I've been waiting the whole time sir. You seem to be out of sorts. Did something happen?" it asked.
"I'll explain later. In the meantime, find me a shortcut that leads back to my place and fast. I've got a feeling that my ordeal isn't over yet," said Kaname, as he tried to get a hold of Philip.
As Kaname followed the directional path that DATS had set up, Philip finally managed to get a hold of Kaname after a couple of minutes, and he wasn't very pleased.
"Kaname…what the HELL were you thinking?" scolded Philip. "Going off like that to the vampire's lair?"
"I'll explain later," he answered, his breathing still a bit off.
"Why is there a werewolf following near you?" he asked.
"It's a long story...get some things ready. I'm going to be heading out again in a bit...so try and take care of our guest," replied Kaname.
"Alright...I hope you know what you're doing."
Kaname noticed his visor showed the current time was 4:30 p.m. and by the time they got back to his place...the werewolf slowly began to revert back to his human form. He had brown hair and green eyes, as well as cuts and wounds from being tortured. When Philip saw the person that Kaname came back with, he immediately threw a towel at him considering he was nude and went to get some clothes for him. Kaname led Luke to the couch near the table and set him down.
Reo and Subaru noticed Philip acting in a hurry and went downstairs to where Kaname was at. As soon as they saw the person that Kaname was tending to, they froze slightly.
"What's he doing here?" asked Reo.
"He's the one who sent me that violin," replied Kaname. "His name is Luke...and he's a lycan."
"WHAT?" they exclaimed.
"You brought one of them...in here?" asked Reo, surprised a bit.
"He was being tortured...by the leader of a vampire coven," answered Kaname.
"Why was he being tortured?" asked Subaru.
"More importantly...what was he doing there in the first place?" asked Reo.
"I'm not sure just as much as you guys. In the meantime...can you guys keep watch over him while I head out once more?" asked Kaname.
"Where you heading?" asked Subaru.
"A nightclub," said Kaname. "The Ravenstar nightclub to be exact."
"Isn't that one of those really expensive clubs in which you need to get a reservation in advance or be on the list?" inquired Subaru, to which Kaname nodded.
"To get a drink?" inquired Reo.
"No...investigation," he replied. "I have an odd feeling something's a bit off about a certain vampire."
"Be careful," said Subaru.
As Kaname started the throttle on his motorcycle once more and headed out to the nightclub, he turned on DATS from his visor, entered in the information, and then went down the highlighted route. While passing through various intersections, the only thought that occurred through Kaname's mind was, 'Why would she invite someone like Nanoha over to a famous nightclub like that?'
Eventually, he spotted the nightclub as well as the bike and two figures that were waiting over at the front of the line. Kaname then spotted Fate speaking with the bouncer who then allowed them access inside. Realizing it would be difficult to get in without causing trouble...Kaname then decided to look for another entrance...one that would unlikely be used. He found himself near an alleyway and then found a door that led to the nightclub. Fishing around in his pocket, Kaname eventually found what he was looking for...a paperclip. After several jiggling around with the lock, it became unlocked. Taking a quick look around before entering, Kaname then slipped inside.
He found himself inside the storage room filled with cleansers, a bucket on wheels, a couple of mops and brooms and then another door in front of him. Opening it, Kaname then found himself in another storage room...this time filled with a couple of refrigerators holding alcoholic beverages. His sense of hearing then picked up the lively beat of the club reverberating within the room he was in. Fixing himself up, Kaname then slowly opened the door and found himself in the club.
Although the atmosphere was upbeat with the strobe lights and the music...Kaname knew he was slightly pressed for time and knew he couldn't linger even though he felt like it. Making his way through the club, he eventually found several seats that were occupied by his guess...VIPs. Looking past the row that had those seats, he eventually found a small staircase leading down and towards the bar. It was there that he found Fate and Nanoha together.
'Either I'm just being too careful...or she just simply wants to get to know her better...even though that could be just a front,' thought Kaname, as he headed over to the bar.
What caught him by surprise however...was the person that was working the bar. He had light brown hair, green eyes, was wearing a black and white striped dress shirt and a black vest.
"Leon?" he inquired.
"Kaname...fancy seeing you here," came the reply, as he sat down.
"You know him?" asked Fate who happened to be sitting a chair near him.
"Didn't know you also went here, Fate," said Kaname. "And yes...I know him. He was the one who suggested I try for the military."
"What'll be ladies?" asked Leon.
"Same as always," replied Fate.
Nanoha on the other hand wasn't as sure since it was her first time, until Fate came to her aid. "Get her a strawberry margarita."
"What's your poison Kaname?" he asked.
"Just make it a Triple Berry Sangria," replied Kaname in one breath.
"You got it," said Leon, going to get their drinks ready.
Fate looked at him with a slightly surprised stare, while Nanoha looked at him as if he was crazy.
"That sounds tasty," said Fate.
"Strictly business I assure you," said Kaname.
"Oh really?" she inquired. "Why are you really here?"
"Been following up a lead," he replied.
"From who?" she inquired.
"Didn't give a name," replied Kaname. "If I didn't know better...other than trying to get to know her better...I'd say you're quite interested with Nanoha."
"Based on what?" asked Fate.
"Trying to hide the real facts and trying to keep the truth at bay for a while before letting her know of your true nature, otherwise she almost be stricken with confusion and apprehension," replied Kaname.
"Here's your drinks," replied Leon, handing them their orders, as well as a glass of water.
"Thanks...put it on my tab," replied Kaname.
"How kind of you," said Fate.
"Trying to be a gentleman I see," said Leon, smiling.
"I figured since it's their first date...I might as well keep a low profile as possible," said Kaname.
As Fate and Nanoha then began talking about each other, Kaname leaned in closer to Leon and asked, "What's the current situation?"
Leon then placed his hand under the bar table and took out a small piece of paper and placed it in Kaname's hand before saying the words "Winds have shifted, experiments have been hidden. Look to a group that monitors in the shadows."
"Thanks," said Kaname, putting the paper in his jacket pocket before taking a sip from his drink. Turning around he noticed that Fate and Nanoha were still talking, but he eventually caught the words "Part-time" and "hobby", before the focus of the conversation shifted back to Nanoha. She explained that the bakery she was in, even though it was family-runned has been a little difficult since her parents are usually busy while her older siblings are in a different college than she was and that she had never had any time for herself or deciding on what she wanted to do.
"You should go with what you feel is right for you," chirped in Kaname. "I apologize for stepping in but...I've heard from my partner that if you don't like what you're currently doing...then it will show from your performance."
"I agree with him," said Fate. "Come on...let's dance."
"Huh...bu-wait...Fate-chan!" protested Nanoha, as she was led by the arm.
Kaname watched as the two danced closely to each other...almost in an erotic fashion.
"-chan...huh? Are we that close?" asked Fate, very close to Nanoha's ear. The heat from her breath made Nanoha shudder a bit.
Kaname saw that the pair was dressed differently. Fate had more of a Gothic lolita attire while Nanoha's was more civilian. The two of them were definitely drawing attention to some of the people that were on the dance floor.
'I don't think that giving her a drink was a good idea. Besides the fact that the evidence from tonight might show the next day...it's going to be tricky to mask it,' thought Kaname.
After drinking the water to help dilute the alcohol's effects, Kaname scanned the area, despite the strobe lights causing some visual problems, he spotted what appeared to be yellow eyes from one of the VIP areas. The person was bald, had a thick mustache and beard and was wearing biker attire. Following his gaze, he then noticed it landed on Fate and Nanoha, before his eyes widened in realization and his senses put on high alert.
"Shit," he cursed under his breath. 'If that guy causes trouble now...it could get worse later.'
Seconds later...as if his fears were confirmed, a nearby explosion caused a sudden panic within the club and Kaname felt slight tremors from the shockwave. Realizing that their existence could be exposed, Kaname thought quick, turned to Leon and asked, "You got this?"
"Yeah," he replied, as he saw him pull the emergency fire alarm.
Fate kept Nanoha close as the people around began to head for the door. Kaname noticed that the person he spotted earlier in the VIP lounge had suddenly vanished, until he saw him corner a girl near the door where he entered from which lead to the storage room. Acting purely on instinct, Kaname leapt from his chair to the vampire in a split second before taking out Vanguard and stabbing him before shooting several rounds from the P39R in his left pocket. The young girl screamed as the person suddenly disintegrated into ash. Kaname noticed the girl was still in shock after the ordeal and told her to get out of here. Looking back, he saw Fate with Nanoha still as she tried to protect her. Heading over to where they were, Kaname saw that Nanoha was just as confused as a result from the drink and headed back over to the bar to grab a cup of water and handed it to her.
"Drink this...it'll help dilute the alcohol in your body," said Kaname, to which she gratefully accepted. "She'll probably still be disoriented from the whole thing...can you take her back to her place?"
"Why are you so concerned about her?" asked Fate.
"Is that your way of saying thanks for letting me pay for your drinks?" asked Kaname.
"I could have done it myself thank you very much," she replied.
"Before you leave...ask yourself this...what is she to you and are you willing to break the very rule that we're not supposed to break just to be with her?" said Kaname, as he headed out the way he came.
By the time Kaname got outside, there was already panic in the streets as people were scrambling to their cars to get away from the carnage nearby. A couple of paladin platoons were already set in place as they were battling against strange four-legged creatures with wings. Kaname then looked up and saw Fate flying away with Nanoha in her arms before getting on his helmet and turning DATS on and contacted Philip.
"Philip...it's Kaname...do you read?" he asked.
"I'm here...what's up?" asked his partner.
"An explosion just went up near the nightclub and there's strange creatures trying to attack citizens," replied Kaname.
"I've already informed our commander of the situation and he's told the other branches. They'll be sending in their forces momentarily. A couple other reported attacks have occurred in other cities as well. Emergency crews have already been dispatched to those areas as well as yours," answered Philip.
"Good man," said Kaname.
"Oh...and uh...just to let you know...Reo and Subaru also wanted in on the action," said Philip.
"So..." he began.
"I...decided to let them out," replied Philip sheepishly.
"You WHAT?" growled Kaname his voice sounding furious.
"S-sorry but...just wanted you to know that Luke also went with them," said Philip.
Groaning in annoyance and mentally cursing like crazy...Kaname slowly regained his composure and said, "Look...keep tabs on them alright? Make sure they're not spotted."
"Don't worry...I let them use our black Audi A5," said Philip.
"Wait a minute...isn't that the one we modified?" asked Kaname.
"Yes...it is," said Philip.
"Sometimes I wonder about the things that you do that make me want to strangle you," said Kaname.
"Hey...they wanted to help," said Philip.
"Just make sure they stay out of trouble," replied Kaname. "When this is over...I need you to do something for me."
"Which is.."
"I've got a sample of vampire blood that needs to be analyzed and I'll be getting other samples as well after this battle," said Kaname.
"I'll do what I can," said Philip.
"Oh...and they need to be sent to Dr. Ross for analysis," he added.
"Alright...just try not to get killed," said Philip.
"Easier said than done," he replied, before turning off the com-link. "DATS...you read me?"
"Loud and clear sir," replied the program.
"Send me the data of where these attacks are coming in from and keep me posted of the situations there," ordered Kaname.
"Sending information to you now," replied the program.
As Kaname entered the current fray on foot, there was only one thing going through his mind at the moment.
'Could this be what Leon meant earlier?' he wondered, as he charged into the chaotic fray in front of him, sword at the ready.
OK...first off...I'm going to say well done and kudos Satashi-san for finishing the first part of Vampire Fate and sorry if it feels like I'm taking a similar idea like yours was. _ Second...I know that most readers are expecting a NanoFate pair from this, so...don't worry...you'll get it. It'll take a while as I go on this but...we'll get there...just try to be patient. Also...just to give readers a heads up...Hayate and her Wolkenritter will be added in part two of this fanfic...once this part is done.
R/R onegaishimasu.