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Improbability Factor: Chapter Six – Et tu, Kritiker?
By Ptath and Thalia
Beta-ed by Leonarbo
Inspired and assisted by Lady Raina
Disclaimer: We do not own Weiss. Even if we could, simple self-preservation would dictate we stay far, far away.
Email updates available. If you wish to receive email notification when we post an update to this, or any other, story, please leave us a review or send us an email containing an email address and a screen name.
Rating alert: This story is rated 'M' because of language, graphic violence and mature themes. Very mature themes. And very graphic violence.
'This' means thinking to one's self ('Time to introduce myself')
'This' means talking telepathically ('hello, my name is George,')
"This" means talking out loud("I like cats.")
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FARFARELLO SAY: Do not fear your enemies. The worst they can do is kill you. Do not fear friends. At worst, they may betray you. Fear those who do not care; they neither kill nor betray, but betrayal and murder exists because of their silent consent.
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Esset trap, mansion just outside Tokyo, January 20, 11:37 pm
The panic surging through both telepaths finally pushed them into action. Ran screamed silently at Omi while Schu yelled at Brad.
At that very instant, the trigger on the sniper rifle depressed, the shot echoed sickeningly, drowning out everything else. The sniper watched as his target slumped to the floor. 'Mission accomplished.'
Less than a millisecond later, a .32 caliber bullet tore through the sniper's eye and began to ricochet off the walls of the skull, ripping and tearing the grey matter in its path. Blood, brain fluid and small pieces of flesh spilled out of the ears and nose, splattering on the floor and railing.
Ran appeared at Omi's side, hastily gathering the downed assassin to him while pain-filled blue eyes stared sluggishly back at him. Even as hell broke loose on the mansion floor, Ran disappeared.
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Aya jumped when her brother materialized in the infirmary, her eyes going wide when she saw Omi's bloody form held tight in Ran's arms.
"Put him on the table, quick," she said, moving to gather supplies. Ran took two long steps and set the blonde assassin down. Omi's eyes stared blearily for a moment before fluttering closed. "I'll need Shay and Sakura," Aya stated urgently.
With a quick nod, Ran ported to the computer room where Shay and Sakura were running tactical. "Aya needs you downstairs, Omi was shot," he said, causing both the women to jerk in surprise.
"What?" Shay asked, blue eyes going wide. Without another word, she sprang to her feet and disappeared out the door.
"Do you need me to stay on tactical?" asked Sakura, her face pale.
"No, Omi needs you more," Ran replied in a grim voice. Sakura obeyed quickly, ripping off the earpiece she'd been wearing, the sounds of a massive gunfight still thundering out of it.
Reaching into his rapidly dwindling energy reserves, Ran disappeared once more.
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"The girls are taking care of Omi," Ran reported as he appeared behind Brad and Schu. The former Schwarz were pinned down behind a large, ornate pillar, one of many in the eccentrically decorated mansion. "We need to end this now," he added, voice getting noticeably harsher.
"I'm open to suggestions," replied Brad through gritted teeth.
'Everyone regroup at the pillar, now!' Ran immediately sent out.
Brad and Schu were quick to lay down cover fire on their left so that Toma, Ken, and Far could pull back while Nagi put up an energy shield, picking up Yohji on his way over. As soon as everyone was present Ran looked over at Nagi.
"Prodigy, have you seen 'The Matrix'?" Abyssinian asked sharply.
"Which one?" The young kinetic replied.
"The first." When he nodded that he had, the swordsman continued, "Good. Now, at the end of the movie when Neo stops all the bullets, can you do that, but multiply the bullet count by thirty-five or forty?"
Nagi's eyes went wide before he paused to give it some serious thought. The rest of the group looked on in tense confusion at the strange query the red-haired telepath had put forward. After a few seconds, Prodigy spoke, "I've only ever put up energy shields when it came to bullets because it required a lot less concentration and was just as effective as trying to flat out stop the bullets but I think I could do it."
"You're sure?" Ran asked. When he received yet another nod of affirmation, he turned to the rest of the group, sweeping them with a look that would have made Death himself cower. "We end the games tonight. We are going to make a statement, and we are going to make sure it is one Esset will not soon forget. None of their people are to leave here alive and no more of our people are to fall. Period. Now . . ." Abyssinian outlined the plan quickly and then asked for questions.
Yohji spoke up, "What about me and Oracle?"
"Feel free to join in the melee that will ensue at the end. That goes for you too, Mastermind, and it goes double if you notice that any of us are in trouble. Outside of that just sit back and enjoy the show. Prodigy, if you need more power let me know. Anything else?" The swordsman received negative responses all around. "Alright," he shot a brief glance over to Schu before he gave the final command, "execute..."
As he said the word, the two telepaths merged and reached out as Mayhem, grabbing the thirty-plus enemy minds and holding them, freezing them, and forcing them to stare at a truly terrifying sight. As one, all the blade wielding assassins of Schatten emerged from their hiding spot, with one glowing Prodigy casting a foreboding light about them. Prodigy and Siberian were side-by-side on point, walking in lock step. Even now, so early in the game, they loomed in the forefront as one, each eerily indistinguishable from the other, and so they emerged, twin demons, their eyes glowing with rage. Behind them followed yet another piece of Hell which was fixing to rain itself down on Esset. Maelstrom, Berserker, and Ocicat formed a wall of sleek power fueled by cold dark rage. And so it was that the flames of Hell marched before its cold hard darkness until they stood in the center of the large main room facing an enemy that was much greater in numbers than they. In unison, they produced their blades and as planned, Mayhem released its mental hold. Almost instantly, gun fire fell down on the seemingly unguarded assassins. But much to the dismay of the enemy forces, their bullets stopped short, suspended in thin air.
'Abyssinian,' Prodigy struggled out as sweat began to run down the sides of his face, 'I can't keep this up much longer.' And instantly the lights flickered and the teen felt power surging through him.
When the gun fire ceased, Prodigy let the bullets drop unceremoniously to the ground in a soft clatter, the quintet circled up back-to-back and prepared to win a fight that most normal people couldn't have even hoped to come out of alive. The Esset agents converged on them from all sides, leaving about a foot of space between the two groups, sporting weapons of various kinds. And then there was a pause, brief and yet eternities long, in which the heaviness of Death settled around them. And instantaneously the spell was broken as an enemy combatant launched across that foot of space at Siberian, only to have bugnuks buried deep into his chest, ripping up and out, the sound of tearing flesh accompanied by that of breaking bones. And so it was that their attackers showed no mercy and that their blades sliced and ripped and shredded, until they were surrounded by tattered pieces of flesh and the bodies they belonged to. The fight had been a long and hard one, and as they crossed the room to the others, the blood soaked carpet squished beneath five sets of heavy boots.
As the eight weary combatants exited the building, Ran reached out with his powers and blew all the light fixtures, drawing the last dredges of power from them and showering sparks down on the corpses they had left behind before plunging them into eternal darkness.
12:01 AM
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Koneko, January 21, 12:43 AM
'He's grown up so much,' Yohji thought to himself while steady hands used the burned remains of one cigarette to light another. 'Omi's grown up from that sixteen year old I met when I joined Weiss. He's grown. He's even stronger than before. He's our hope. He's my hope. He can't die.'
Green eyes flicked about the cramped stairwell and hallway, taking in the dark figures of his teammates before settling on Ken's bowed head. 'Omi won't throw away three years of his life. He wouldn't do that to Ken. They've been friends for too long.'
Yohji let his eyes wander once more, now taking in Ran's incessant pacing. Unlike most of the other men gathered in the hallway, Ran still wore his mission gear, although he had discarded his heavy, blood-soaked coat. Yohji pushed his own fear down when it began to whisper in the back of his mind, shoving it as deep within himself as he could. Ran and Ken needed him to be strong. And he would be. He could do that…couldn't he?
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Koneko, January 21, 1:58 AM
Ran was a problem, Brad concluded. He was a threat, the chaos theory to the game theory whose rules Brad lived his life by. He was strong, loyal, all the things you wanted in a teammate and friend. But he was also impulsive, emotional and quite prone to acting on those emotions. And every time Ran acted on those impulses, those emotions, he was the metaphorical butterfly causing hurricanes in the Atlantic by beating his wings off the coast of China. The visions his precognition granted him couldn't always predict those hurricanes. And one flap of those delicate wings could destroy the path Brad had forged with his visions, undoing the delicate and precise work.
Ran was still pacing. If it had been Nagi who had been shot instead of Omi, then it probably would have been Brad wearing a groove in the floor. But it wasn't. Omi was in the infirmary. And those who weren't fighting to save his life were forced to wait. The deep seething rage that had crossed the threshold of their home had receded as most of the team had settled down anticipating a long wait before they had news of Omi's condition. With the exception of Ran, the rest of Schatten was reachable. Brad didn't want Omi to die. He was family. But if the unthinkable happened, despite all their efforts, Schatten would heal. And they would finish what they had started.
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Koneko, January 21, 2:27 AM
No leaking, Ran don't, I won't let you Schu clenched his teeth and pulled his green coat tighter around him, ignoring the now-dried blood splattered here and there. Have to block it, can't let it reach the others, too much tension already… can't add Ran's temper into the mix
Omi was dying. He could feel it. There were no thoughts, no whispers of consciousness, but still, part of him fought to survive. Fought despite the undercurrent of darkness running deep in his mind…Shay, beloved, hold it in, focus…can't do more than hold a lid on Ran, our brother, hurt, angry, scared…gotta focus on Ran…just a little longer, hold it together…a darkness that bore the distinctive stench of Taketori. He didn't know, Schu realized while simultaneously pushing Ran's worry back, away from the others. 'I need to tell him…there was nothing there, just primal instinct, a will to survive despite the mind's absence. A blankness where there should be light, instinct pushing him one way and the stench of Taketori pulling him another way…He had to live. Omi had to live. Schu was the only one who knew, the only one who could tell him.
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Koneko, January 21, 3:15 AM
Far watched Schatten, his mind racing; the voice in his head soft and persistent. 'It falls apart, we fall apart, without one of us things fall apart. Omi, my friend, you need to live. I am watching as the team crumbles, as Ran moves closer to my side of the line, to the edge of sanity, and I watch as Schu pulls him back. But Schu can't do it forever or it will destroy him too. And then what of Shay? If we lose Shay, won't we also lose Toma? If we lose Ran and Toma, will we not also lose Aya? I can't lose Aya. Brad can't lose Aya. And then the others will drift away as well, lost without the rest of us. So, you see, you simply can't die, or we, your family, we will fall apart. And all the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put humpty together again. You can't die, you can't. Omi, my friend, you must fight…I need you.'
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Koneko, January 21, 4:07 AM
Sunrise was two hours away and the tension in the air had drenched them like a cold rain. They were drowning in it, and all hope of rescue was quickly being stripped away. They had entered the dark before dawn.
Aya finally appeared, closing the door to the infirmary softly behind her. The men looked at her intently, hope and fear warring within them as they awaited whatever news she brought them.
"He's stable, but he lost a lot of blood and honestly, I'm not sure he'll survive. The bullet just barely missed his heart; otherwise, I'm fairly certain he would be dead. It punctured his left lung and left a pretty nasty exit wound, but it was a clean through and through, which made the patchwork easier. He was really quite lucky."
Ran snarled, his pale face tired and worn, "Omi is in there fighting for his life, and you have the audacity to say he got lucky?"
Aya gave him a stern look. She knew Omi was like a younger brother to Ran. As such, he got all the same consideration she would have. The knowledge of this allowed her to hang onto her calm demeanor. "Had that bullet nicked an artery or hit a rib and shattered, he would be dead. There would be nothing for him to fight for because even you couldn't have gotten him treatment fast enough. The very fact that he is still breathing is nothing short of a miracle. So yes, I have the audacity to say he got lucky." By the end of her explanation, their eyes had locked and the air chilled noticeably.
Nagi stepped forward hesitantly, his voice soft but determined. "Maybe I can help."
"What do you mean?" Aya asked
"Before the Fall of the Elders, back when Far killed Tot, I brought her back to life with my powers. If I was able to do that then, shouldn't I be able to simply heal Omi? I know it wouldn't be simple or easy but if there's the slightest chance, shouldn't I try?"
"No," Oracle declared before anyone else could speak.
"What do you mean 'No'?" Ken demanded incredulously.
"Exactly what I said, No."
"But I can do it," Nagi insisted.
"Prodigy, you are not to assist Korat in anyway and that's an order. Are we clear?" Crawford's eyes glinted, reflecting his determination.
"Hold it," Yohji interrupted, "Nagi is quite possibly Omi's only hope of living and you are going to take that away with a simple order? You may be acting leader, but I will not sit here and watch as you let him die."
"Me either," came Ken's sure voice.
Ran simply loomed in the background looking exactly the way Brad imagined the Angel of Death would.
Aya eyed Brad carefully, not wanting to take sides if she didn't have to. "Why won't you let him help?"
Crawford sighed inwardly and looked at Nagi. "I know you have good intentions, but it's too dangerous. Yes, you did bring Tot back to life but you also brought down an entire building at the same time. You don't have training in this and we have no idea how you will react." He paused for a moment, his gaze sharpening. "I think you will also recall that you were knocked cold after your last healing session. It's not that I'm not concerned for Omi, but I can't let you do this. There are too many uncertainties. It's just too dangerous."
Nagi huffed in exasperation and glared up at his adopted father. "I am the strongest telekinetic to come out of Rosenkreuz to date, and I have more control than most kinetics twice my age. I understand that you are worried about the repercussions this could have on me, but eventually you are going to have to trust me. Right now . . ." Nagi stopped to rein in his emotions that were suddenly threatening to take over. He started again. "Right now my best friend, my first real friend, is dying and I can save him. I know I can save him. So, I need to you to let me do this. I need you trust me. Brad, please, let me do this."
The look of pure determination in those midnight blue eyes told Brad everything he needed to know. Nagi was going to do this whether he liked it or not. And he seemed to have an army of infuriated assassins backing him. Reluctantly, he bowed his head. "Very well. If you're certain."
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January 21, 4:44 AM
Brad bent down to pick up Nagi's unconscious form, cradling his slight body to his chest. Nagi had indeed been successful, but it had wiped him out.
Omi now lay sleeping peacefully in the infirmary, his body whole and mind at ease. Ran gently lifted him to take him up to his room where he would no doubt rest more comfortably. Schu grasped Ran and Brad's arms and Ran ported them upstairs.
Brad silently walked out of Omi's room to tend to Nagi while the telepaths saw to Omi.
Schu eyed Ran as he straightened up from the bed. "You need to go shower and get some rest," he said with a slight frown.
Ran shook his head. "I can't leave him alone."
With a roll of his eyes, Schu grabbed Ran by the shoulders and began to propel him towards the door. "Don't worry. I'll sit with him till you come back. Your hair is encrusted with dried blood and you're still wearing mission gear. Go take care of yourself while I stay here with him. Aya said he won't be awake for a while yet anyway."
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Pleased he'd finally gotten Ran in and out of the shower, Schuldig was quick to scrub himself clean and dress in fresh clothes. Hurrying back to Omi's room, he found the other telepath sitting in a chair, crashing fast and desperately fighting to stay awake.
A quick trip back to their room secured several blankets and pillows.
"Here," he said as he offered the retrieved items to Ran. "Get some sleep. I'll stay awake and watch him."
"I'm fine," Ran insisted.
"I really don't have the patience right now for you to be stubborn," Schu replied in a sharp voice. "Your shields are about to collapse from all the emotional stress and exhaustion. Your mind and your body have both made it way past their viable limit for this particular crisis. Omi's going to be fine. And you need to take care of yourself. I'm here and as soon as he wakes up, I'll let you know. I promise. Now get some sleep!"
After a moment of internal debate, the swordsman silently took a blanket and pillow and was soon fast asleep.
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January 21, 7:19 AM
Omi blinked a few times before sitting up carefully. The room spun for a moment, forcing him to squeeze his eyes shut in an effort to make it stop. When he opened his eyes again, he saw Ran asleep in a chair and Schu sitting next to him in another chair.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," the telepath said quietly.
"I was shot," Omi murmured, his voice confused as his hand carefully probed his side for injuries.
"Yes, you were shot. You scared the crap out of us. Ran got you to Aya in time for her to patch you up and then Nagi did the rest."
"What do you mean?" Omi asked, his hand stilling.
"You were in bad shape and Aya wasn't sure you were going to make it. Nagi decided that if he could bring Tot back to life he ought to be able to heal you. We had to convince Crawford to let him try. It's not that Crawford didn't want to help you or anything, but he was worried about the effects it could have on Nagi. In fact, I'm pretty sure Nagi would be here right now if fixing you up hadn't drained him so much."
"He'll be alright, won't he?"
"Yeah, he'll be fine. Just needs to rest, same as you" was Schuldig's relaxed response.
"Now, I promised Ran I'd wake him as soon as you were even semi-conscious, but I need to talk with you first." The German paused for a moment before continuing. "I realized last night that there's something you need to know." Schuldig's blue eyes were steady as he looked at Omi. "Reiji Taketori was not your father. Shuuichi was. He had an affair with your mother, but he didn't find out that you were his child until Reiji shot and killed him."
He waited a moment to give Omi time to absorb this stunning news. When Omi merely stared at him with wide eyes, he began to speak once more. "I know that sometimes you worry about ending up like Hirofumi and Masafumi, but now you don't have to. They weren't really your brothers after all.
"What's more, you have a family that will truly love you and take care of you. Aya, Sakura and Shay worked for four and a half hours straight to get you stable. Ran literally wore a ditch in the carpet from all the pacing he was so frantic. You're Nagi's best friend. Yohji and Ken were both ready to take Brad on to give Nagi a chance to try and save you. It would have hurt a lot of people if you had died last night, including me. Schatten is the only family I've ever really had, and last night Esset tried to hurt this family, my family, by hurting you." The intensity of the German's gaze increased tenfold. "I'm sorry I didn't do a better job of protecting you, Omi," he whispered. "I'm sorry I almost let them take you like I've let them take so many other things in my life."
"You don't need to apologize. It wasn't your fault." The young blonde's reply was soft and sincere. "And Schu, thank you for telling me the truth." A slight smile crossed Omi's face. "Knowing that my father was an honorable man, that I didn't commit fratricide…" His head tilted to one side. "And Ouka wasn't my sister," he murmured in sudden realization. He reflected on this for a moment before speaking up once more. "Don't you think it's about time you woke up Ran like you promised?" he asked in a slightly teasing voice.
"Yeah, I guess so." He looked over at the red-haired swordsman. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty," the telepath called as he nudged Ran while simultaneously eliciting a smile from Omi, "rise and shine."
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January 21, 8:00 AM
Ran stepped out onto the second floor where the rest of the team had settled. Aya could be heard puttering around the kitchen and the others were spread out through the dining and sitting room in small groups.
"How's he doing?" Yohji asked when Ran's eyes fell on him.
"He's going to be fine."
A collective sigh fell over the team, and the long-settled tension suddenly found itself being pushed away by a universal feeling of relief. Just as everyone was getting ready to disperse after a long and trying night, Birman suddenly appeared on the stairwell. Before she could get a word out, Abyssinian seized the front of her shirt.
"Did you know it was a trap?" he growled, slamming her into the wall.
"What if I did?" she gasped as the air was forced from her lungs.
The telepath brought his hand to her throat and squeezed. "I'll ask again, did you know it was a trap? And I suggest you not try lying," he added with a piercing glare.
"Yes."
"Well then," Ran continued in a cold voice. "Since you seem to be good at delivering messages, deliver this one: if Kritiker chooses to make a repeat performance of tonight's events, they will very quickly find themselves to be the sole recipient of our focus." His piece said, he released her and began to stalk away.
As his foot came to rest on the first step, Birman spoke. "Abyssinian." He stopped but didn't turn, "Was that a threat against Kritiker?"
"What if it was?" He asked over his shoulder.
"Then that would be considered grounds for termination."
"Try it and see what happens."
Birman pulled her revolver, cocked the hammer, and aimed it at his back. Nobody moved. Then suddenly, the assassin was behind her and had a knife to her throat. Her body went stiff as the finely-sharpened cold steel came to rest against her soft, pink flesh. She slowly lowered her weapon so as not to provoke Abyssinian. He leaned in close to her so that his lips were next to her ear as he whispered in an ominous tone, "Remember this."
After he had released her for the second time, she turned to look at him. Her eyes met his even, steady gaze and when she saw the rest of Schatten standing resolutely behind him, she realized the truth: 'They're powerful, too powerful, far more than I thought.'
"You're right," Schu said as he leaned against the stairwell he had been quietly descending. "We are too powerful. Too powerful to be controlled, that is."
"But as long as Kritiker isn't a threat to us, we aren't a threat to Kritiker," Brad added.
Yohji spoke, his voice clear and even as he looked her in the eye. "Eventually, Kritiker is going to try to push the issue and you'll have to make a choice between us and them. And rest assured they need us more than we need them."
"I think you'll make the right choice, though," came Sakura's reassuring voice from over his shoulder.
Birman nodded to this last statement and looked back to Ran. "I'll be sure to deliver your message. I think I might revise it a bit though for the sake of diplomacy."
"That would probably be wise," the swordsman agreed his voice still cool.
As Birman turned to go, Oracle stopped her. "Birman, you have threatened my team twice now. You will not do so a third time without consequence."
She looked into hard, unwavering eyes. "Understood," she said curtly and left.
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January 21, 9:17 AM
After drawing the curtains closed against the bright sunshine, Aya tiredly made her way to the bathroom where Brad was finally getting ready to rest. She leaned against the doorframe and watched for a moment.
"When Nagi offered to help heal Omi," she began carefully, "there was more than worry there. There were other emotions, all conflicting and fighting each other."
Brad gave her a tightly controlled look. "I believe we covered this already when I explained why I didn't want Nagi to attempt such a dangerous procedure."
"It was more than that, dear," Aya countered.
"Is this going anywhere specific?" Brad asked in a tired voice as he tossed a used washrag onto the counter. "I'm completely exhausted. Could this at least wait until later?"
Aya's eyes flashed dangerously and she stalked forward. "Damn it, Brad," she hissed. "Why won't you talk to me about this? Why are you trying to avoid this? It's quite clear that something was amiss earlier. And if you don't trust me enough to tell me, then this marriage is not going to survive. And if that's the case, then I'm not sure if I'll fight for it." Dark eyes pinned the tall American into place. "Now, talk."
Brad sighed, eyes closing for a moment. "It's Ran," he began. "He throws everything off kilter. He's too unpredictable, too stubborn. And if I can't see what he's going to do then I can't protect this team. And that means someone else will get badly hurt, possibly worse than Omi was last night."
Understanding flowed through Aya. "You can't see everything, Brad," she replied in a calm voice. "And distrusting Ran, or anyone else, is where the true danger to this team lies. If there is a real problem, then you need to work it out. Just letting it sit and fester is the worst thing you could do."
"Hmph."
Aya stepped back to let her husband leave the bathroom. That was really the best she could hope for after such a night.
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Kritiker Headquarters, January 21, 9:42 PM
Birman trudged to her car, worn out after a long day of bitter arguments and recriminating words. Her news of Schatten's threat had not been taken well and she had ended up staying late to finish her work. It wasn't like she was avoiding going home. Schatten had no reason to search for her small apartment, so there was no reason to think that someone would be there, waiting for her, wanting her to pick a side then and there, or worse.
As the contact agent neared her pink car, a figure came ghosting out of the darkness towards her, and she began to panic. Of course, why would Schatten waste time looking for her apartment when they knew exactly where to find her? Sure Kritiker HQ had security, but they knew all the protocols so what was there to stop them?
"Why?" Ken demanded, pulling Birman from her frantic considerations.
"What?" she replied in confusion.
"Why did you betray us? And don't tell me you didn't have a choice."
The contact agent faltered for a minute before replying reluctantly, "I didn't have a choice."
A seething anger inside Ken sparked and his eyes lit with a menacing glare that pinned Birman in place, sending a chill up her spine. "I told you that wasn't an acceptable answer," the irritated assassin growled. "Now, why?"
The Japanese woman's eyes flashed as she shook off the lingering panic and fear. What right did he have to come here and demand answers from her? He didn't know what it meant to do her job. He had no idea how hard she worked, how much effort she put into keeping them as safe as possible. How dare he . . .
"I was doing my job," she snapped irritably.
"Your job is to bring us the information we need to do our job." Ken retorted sharply. "Preferably without getting killed." He had been moving toward Birman throughout the exchange and was now practically in her face. "I'll ask one more time. Why?"
Birman sighed in defeat. Ken wasn't leaving until he got an answer that he deemed satisfactory, and she knew the only answer that would fit that criterion was the truth. "I have to follow orders too, Siberian."
"Since when do we follow orders?" the ex-jock replied with a slight smirk.
"I'm not as valuable as Schatten," she replied softly, looking away.
Ken grabbed her chin gently and turned her so she was facing him. "Why didn't you tell us Persia threatened you?"
"Why would I?"
"We would have protected you."
"Demons could have protected me from the Devil?" Birman asked disbelievingly.
"No, but I know some dark beast hunters that could have," came Ken's sure response.
"What do you want from me?"
Ken looked her in the eyes. "I want you to trust us. You were right in the middle of things when the Elders fell. You've seen what Schwarz can do, and you know what Weiss was capable of when we were on our own. Now that we're working together, we're stronger than we've ever been."
In that moment she wanted to trust him, she wanted to trust him more than she'd wanted anything else in her life. 'If only you knew how much alike we are. I'm just as much a prisoner to the organization as you are, and I want to be a part of Schatten. But how, how could you all possibly protect me from Kritiker? Is Schatten really that powerful? And even if you are, why would you want to after I nearly caused Omi's death?'
The former goalie could see the doubt, the uncertainty in the other agent's eyes. After everything she had witnessed, she was still unsure of their capabilities. He could feel the anger from earlier boiling back up inside him and gave a low growl.
"You don't seem to get it," Ken said harshly. "We have to trust you and the information you bring us. We're the ones who don't have a choice. We can't afford to doubt what you bring us because if we're busy looking over our shoulder during a mission we're dead. Maybe not the first time out or the second, but eventually that distraction will catch up with us, and it will get us killed. We've trusted you; we still do. We have to. Now we need you to trust us." He paused for a minute to allow her to digest everything he'd said before continuing.
"You have a choice to make and not a lot of time to make it. If you work against us, we can't protect you. So, trust us. Trust me, Noriko."
Ken smiled at the shock on Birman's face at the use of her real name.
"Trust me," he said again earnestly.
Just then there was an odd noise behind them in the parking garage and Birman turned to identify the cause. When she couldn't determine the origins of the sound she turned back around to thin air. Ken had taken the opportunity to disappear, but it was just as well. She had a lot to think about.
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Koneko, January 21, 10:07 PM
Brad was waiting at the top of the stairs for Ken when he returned.
"How did it go?" Oracle inquired casually.
"Well enough," the younger man replied.
"You know that despite everything she may still choose to stay loyal to Kritiker."
"That's her choice to make," Ken said simply.
"If she does choose Kritiker, there may come a time that we have no choice but to kill her."
"Then we will," came the even reply.
Brad looked up slightly, searching Ken's face for some sort of emotion. "Just like that? You seem to care for her."
"I cared about Kase."
And then Crawford saw it. It was just a glimpse and only for a split second, but for that short window the ex-goalie's walls dropped, and everything Ken felt and thought was written in his deep brown eyes. He saw the hurt, and he saw the understanding. Ken understood.
"Very well, I just wanted to be certain that you were aware of all the aspects of the situation."
"I understand." With that, Ken started to move past Brad, but then he stopped and turned back to face him.
"What about your visions?" the younger man questioned. "What have they told you about Birman?"
The barest hint of a smile showed on the Oracle's handsome features. "At this point, it is almost certain that she will join us, although there is still a small possibility otherwise."
"Then why-"
"I just needed to know, to be sure, that you would do whatever is necessary to protect the team."
Ken frowned. "If you didn't know that already then I suggest you start paying more attention to the team . . . the whole team. Not just those you find to be the most useful."
"Oh, I find you very useful Ken-Ken. Why do you think I let you go to her tonight? Very useful indeed."
Ken was a little shocked and then his temper flared.
"Bastard," he growled before turning and leaving.
Brad was still smirking when Far came up the stairs.
"Everything went as it should?"
"Aye," the Irish man replied. "He seems to care for her a great deal."
"I believe he does," Brad said simply.
"Is he going to get hurt?" Far queried.
Brad looked surprised at the question. "I don't think so. Not by her anyway. As far as I can tell things should work out for them."
"Good." Seemingly satisfied, Far walked towards his room, and Brad did the same.
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Koneko, January 22, 5 PM (approx. 36 hours after passing out)
Nagi regained consciousness slowly. As he opened his eyes a blinding light filled the room, aggravating an already substantial headache. Groaning, he threw an arm across his face to block the offensive rays.
"Good Evening," Brad greeted simply.
"It hurts," the kinetic complained.
"As I said it might. You're lucky it's nothing more than a headache. Maybe next time you'll be more inclined to heed my warnings."
Nagi removed his arm from his face so he could glare at the precog, but his expression changed quickly as the other implications of Crawford's statement sank in. He sat up so he could look his adoptive father in the eye.
"Omi, is he-"
"Alive. Yes, you saved him. In fact, he woke up yesterday morning. You did very well. Aya's almost certain he wouldn't have made it without your help."
The Japanese boy collapsed back onto the bed in relief. As his brain processed the totality of Brad's statement, it locked on to the word 'yesterday.'
"How long have I been out?"
"About thirty-six hours."
Nagi took a moment to process this piece of information as he scanned the room looking for a distraction from the pounding in his skull. Then his eyes fell on the bottle of pain killers and water glass on his nightstand. He reached for them, but Brad reached over and moved them out of his reach.
"Not yet," the precog began. "First, we need to have a small discussion."
Being in no condition to argue, the teenager nodded his assent which he regretted immediately as the motion caused a new wave of pain.
Brad continued, "I know that you saved Omi last night, and I'm glad you were able to, and while I'll not forbid you from healing other members of the team in the future, I am going to set up some limits until we can determine all the side effects and you've had an opportunity to train some. So, effective immediately you are not to try healing anyone for any reason until you and Omi have gone through all the research material we've retrieved from Esset concerning this ability. After you've put together a file, I'll review it, and we'll see about starting your training as well as Aya's since she has a similar ability. Once all the pertinent information has been considered and a training plan put together, then we will revisit the issue of these guidelines and make appropriate adjustments. Do I make myself perfectly clear?"
"Yes," came Nagi's simple reply.
"Good. Here," Crawford said as he handed his adopted son a couple of pain killers and the glass of water. After the boy had swallowed the pills, he took the glass back and set it aside before reaching up and turning off the lamp. "Dinner is in about an hour, and then we have debrief after," he said as he stood to leave.
Nagi sighed. "Ok."
With that, the American crossed the room quietly, but paused before slipping out the door. "Nagi . . ."
"Yeah."
"You're actions on Omi's behalf were very admirable. You disregarded your own safety for another member of the team and in doing so you saved not only his life but the whole team. I'm very proud of you."
Before the stunned teen could reply to the praise, the precog disappeared, leaving Nagi with plenty to contemplate before dinner.
Nagi gave a small growl of frustration. He had a feeling his headache wouldn't be receding anytime soon.
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Koneko, 8:03 PM
The air in the room was somber. Ran stood in front of the large television, his arm resting on top of the large box. Across the small room, Crawford loomed over the large armchair in which Aya was sitting.
"Before we begin," the precog began, "let me reassure everyone that Nagi and Omi are in good health." Several pairs of eyes flickered towards the two hackers sitting on the floor in front of the TV, a single laptop opened on the coffee table that had recently been added to the room.
"The first order of business," Oracle continued, "is Birman. Despite her actions, let me make something very, very clear. She is not to be hurt or retaliated against in anyway. I don't care what your feelings are concerning this situation. I want to be certain that there is no confusion on this matter at all."
A tense silence filled the room. Ran straightened from his slouch on the TV and crossed his arms. "There are a couple of things we need to clarify concerning the last two missions," he said, voice cool and controlled. "First: during the mission in Kyoto, we fought Esset agents, not Yakuza. Esset had been using the local Yakuza as a cover for their own operations."
"The entire operation at the mansion was a trap," Crawford continued, shooting an unreadable look at Ran as he spoke. "Esset was hoping to strike a serious blow to us when we entered the mansion. Our victory there, however, has bought us precious time. We will be spending the next three months at the Villa."
"Vacation?" Yohji asked, raising his eyebrows. "I'm in. How much time do we have to stock up on booze?"
"And can we invite girls?" Schu added.
"We'll be going to train," Brad replied in a dry voice. "I'm sorry if that will cut into your social life." He looked out over the room. "As soon as Esset rebuilds its presence in Japan, they are going to strike hard and fast and it is absolutely essential that we be prepared when they do so."
"Leaving for that long is going to require a great deal of prep work," Aya interrupted, frowning as she began to make a mental to-do list.
"Indeed it will," Brad agreed. "Nagi, Sakura, you twowill need to prepare to take whatever the Japanese equivalent to the GED is." The teens' eyes went wide. "I expect you two to help one another, and if you need anything I want you to let me know. It is vital that you do well on this exam. I'm counting on you both. The rest of you will be pulling extra shifts in the shop," he continued. "We need to clear out the inventory so that nothing goes to waste. Now-"
"The shop is going to be closed for three months?" Ken asked suddenly.
"Yes, we won't be here, obviously."
"Yeah, that's what I figured. So – who's going to tell all the school girls that we're going to be gone for three months?"
A suddenly, terrified silence filled the room.
"Maybe…we could just sneak away?" Nagi offered after a moment.
"They'll notice the sale," Yohji replied. "And start digging if we don't tell them why."
"That'd be very bad," Omi murmured. "Their intelligence gathering techniques rival most first-world countries'. Don't forget that they somehow found out our blood-types."
"Focus!" Brad roared, then blinked in startled surprise when Far's voice rang out at the same time, saying the same word.
"What?" Far asked casually as he caught the surprised look on the precog's face. "Do you seriously think none of us saw that coming?"
"Why is it always me who gets that?" Omi demanded in a testy voice. "Schu gets to talk, Yohji gets to make off topic comments, but as soon as I open my mouth we have to focus. I mean, I know we've never been best pals or anything, but I mean really, is it too much to ask for a little respect? A little common decency? And if you think I'm going to let you get away with treating me this way, you are so wrong. This is supposed to be a safe work environment and I demand my right to EOS."
Far was the only one that was willing to venture the question on everybody's mind, "What the hell is EOS?"
Crawford glared dangerously at the Irishman. "Do not encourage him."
"You see what I mean," Omi asked fervently. "Brad is trying to deny me my right to Equal Opportunity Sarcasm."
Brad gave Omi a sour look. "I liked you better when you were unconscious."
"Omi," Aya interrupted, her voice sweet, "could I trouble you and Toma to help Brad and I arrange for the Koneko to be closed and us all to move to the Villa? I know your help would be invaluable."
Omi gave her his most winning smile. "I would love to help, Aya. Just let me know what I need to do." His eyes flickered towards Brad. He was quick to stick his tongue out at him and resume his oh-so innocent facade.
"Does that mean I get to work with Brad?" Toma asked with interest from where he lounged on the floor.
"No, it does not," Brad growled as nearly a month's worth of sexual harassment from the young man flickered through his mind. Toma merely gave him his own innocent look.
"All this faux-innocence is making God weep," Far murmured in amusement to Ken.
Brad continued to glare at Toma. "In any case," he stated in a tightly controlled voice, "everyone will need to work very hard without distraction. That means any pranksters in our midst should find something else to do with their time. If anyone puts our preparations into jeopardy, I will be on their ass like butter on bread."
"Mm," Toma mused, eyes bright. "Butter is so…creamy."
Yohji caught on quickly and decided to join in on the fun. "You know, I prefer my butter whipped."
"Oh yes," Toma replied, eyes dancing. "Whipped butter is so much easier to spread."
Brad could feel blood rushing to his face. The sheer…blatantness of that statement…he'd never….
"Mein Gott," Schu said in an awed voice. "You made Brad Crawford, the Oracle, blush."
Toma preened. "Well, he is my hetero-man crush."
"Your what?!"
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Koneko, January 25, 10:53 AM
Yohji allowed a slow smile to overtake his face. He leaned in close, oh so very close, and just barely allowed the petal of a white rose to brush the cheek of the lovely woman who stood before him.
"It would take a great many of these lovely flowers to match your beauty, dear lady," he murmured in a husky voice.
The customer, a tourist who had in fact simply wished for directions to the train station, blushed bright red and promptly bought a dozen of the aforementioned roses. Behind her, Ken rolled his eyes at the blonde's antics and hurried to complete another arrangement.
Yohji smirked as the tourist left and glanced at Schu in triumph. The German gave him a bland look, which metamorphasized into a grotesque face as soon as the lanky blond's back was turned.
Ran glanced at Schu and shook his head. "Just because we're having a sale," he murmured, "doesn't mean you and Yohji should start playing such childish games."
"Ah, but how else are we to move all this excess inventory?" Schu replied, innocence radiating off of him. "We're just trying to make sure nothing goes to waste." With that, Schu suddenly darted to the front of the store, intercepting the new female customer and leaving the male to Yohji.
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Koneko, January 26, 11:07 AM
Aya was constructing a list of chores that needed to be done before they left. "We really should wash the floors," she said with a slight frown.
Toma, sitting nearby with a laptop working on preparing the Koneko's security for an extended absence, rolled his eyes. "Not necessary. We're going to be gone for two, three months, cousin. If something is on our floor and can't be cleaned up after that amount of time, we have greater concerns."
"That's not the point," Aya said in exasperation. "It's the principle of the thing, Toma."
Brad watched the back-and-forth from his desk, even as he argued with a Kritiker agent about Schatten's jurisdiction and other matters. Omi gave an aborted wave, signaling the team leader that he had the files ready to send to Kritiker.
In the end, Brad was forced to issue an ultimatum. "The facts are these, sir," he snapped, putting as much disdain in the address as possible. "Schatten will not be in Tokyo for the next several months. Kritiker is, as we speak, making the necessary arrangements. This is merely a courtesy call to inform you of the matter. If you cannot find teams capable of covering this area, that is not my concern. I…" he paused and sighed. "Yes, I will speak to Takashi."
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Koneko, January 26, 1:41 PM
Nagi bit back a snarl and took a deep breath, taking a firmer hold on his telekinetic powers. "Alright," he groused, "let's try this again. Just because we haven't managed it in the last four hours doesn't mean anything."
Sakura felt herself tearing up, feeling both horrified by it and welcoming it. She'd been trying so hard and it just didn't make sense and she was getting so tired and…and…
Nagi felt horror rising up in him at the sight of tears appearing in her eyes. "Oh hell," he muttered.
A few painful moments later, Yohji pushed the door open and stuck his head inside. Seeing Sakura in tears and Nagi on the verge of panic, he hurried into the room, silently calling Ran for help.
Toma and Ran appeared seconds later. Yohji had an arm wrapped around Sakura's shoulders while she took several wavering, gulping breaths. Toma smiled gently at her and reached around her to pick up her textbook. "Why don't we take a walk?" he suggested, tucking the book under his arm.
Ran watched them walk out, the small teenager flanked by two lanky men. Nagi gazed after them mournfully. "It'll be fine," he murmured. "You both just need time to cool off." Settling down next to Nagi, he glanced down on the notes. "Physics, huh?"
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Koneko, January 26, 2:15 PM
Far took one look at the kind looking gentleman that had entered the shop and immediately spun around, seized Ken's arm and shoved him into the backroom.
"Wha…Far?"
"Just stay back there and shut up," the Irish man hissed. "We've been free ofit for a while now. There's no need to bring it back."
"It? You mean…" Despite being forced into the backroom to stare at the freezers, Ken grinned. "But Far," he teased through the door, "it couldn't possibly get any-"
"I know where you sleep."
Ken snickered as he remembered just how they had gotten rid of it.
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Koneko, January 5, afternoonish
Toma and Shay, having spent the past few days getting to know their new teammates, had decided that it was time to start training with the assassins. Ken being the only person free from other duties, had volunteered for the first session. As they walked down the long, metal, circuitous staircase, Ken found himself crashing head over heels down the stairs, all the way down to the basement.
Ken lay limply at the bottom of the stairs. The number of accidents and incidents he'd been in had been increasing of late. A few moments later, Toma and Shay reached the bottom.
"You do realize that you were pushed, right?" Toma said as he helped pull the soccer player upright.
"Yeah, Murphy," Ken sighed. "Far told me about him."
Shay and Toma shared a look.
"Would you like us to get rid of it?" Shay asked carefully.
Ken stared up at her. "Don't lie," he said in a pained voice.
"No, really," Toma insisted.
Ken merely shook his head. "Don't lie to me," he repeated mournfully. "I've accepted being cursed."
"We're serious," Shay scolded. "We're not average folk. We don't just sense Murphy; we can see it. And we can rid you of it."
Ken looked from the grinning blue-haired Toma to the radiantly beautiful Shayna. "How sure are you?" he asked cautiously.
Toma pursed his lips for a moment. "Eh, 98 percent."
"Do it."
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Koneko, January 26, 2:39 PM
Aya stuck her head out of the office, face brightening when she spotted Shay.
"Shay, would you mind running an errand from me?"
The auburn-haired woman looked over in surprise. "Sure," she replied as she walked out of the dining room. "What do you need?"
"A microwave for the Villa," Aya replied. "It broke during our last trip there and we've never gotten around to replacing it. And since we're going to be there for so long, we should probably get a new one to take with us. I'd ask Toma or Omi but they're out doing other errands."
"A new microwave?" Shay repeated, her brow furrowing slightly. "All right, I can do that."
"Just tell the salesman at Loft what you need," Aya suggested. "He'll point you to the right thing."
"Alright, then," Shay said with a smile. "I'll be back in a handful."
Aya giggled. "I think you mean a few."
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Koneko, January 26, 3:23 PM
"But you can't leave," the school girl wailed.
Yohji wince slightly at the high pitch and gingerly patted her on the shoulder. "We won't be gone that long, Naoko-chan," he said comfortingly. "You'll turn around one day and there we'll be!"
"But I'll be eighteen in three weeks," she continued, voice reaching new heights. "And why do you all have to go?"
"The Koneko's a part of a larger corporation," Ken stated as he came up behind Yohji. "And since we've been doing so well lately, headquarters wanted us to help set up the new stores. And since they're in different countries, we're going to split up into groups to do it."
'No thanks to you girls.' Schu grinned at Yohji over Naoko-chan's head. 'Good thing that we came up with a cover story, isn't it?'
Another group of school girls approached the shop. "What's going on?" one of them asked. "Why is there a sale going on?" asked another.
Naoko-chan turned mournful eyes to them. "They're all going away for months and months!" she wailed.
The shop was suddenly filled with screams.
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Koneko, January 26, 4:17 PM
Toma's attention was suddenly drawn to the stairs, distracting him from the story Schu was telling him and Ran about the day he had slipped some of Far's medication into Brad's morning coffee.
"What you got there, Shay?" he called out, shifting around to drape a leg over the arm of the sitting room chair he was lounging in.
"It's a toaster oven," she said, balancing the box on the short dividing wall between the dining room and sitting room.
Toma blinked, than cast a questioning look at Ran and Schu. Seeing them shrug in equal puzzlement, he turned back to look at the woman he loved.
"Why?"
"While you and Omi were helping make the arrangements for transferring to the Villa, Aya asked me to get a microwave to replace the broken one."
Toma looked at her, silently turning her words over in his mind.
"Then why do you have a toaster oven, woman?" he asked.
Shay frowned, giving him a confused look. "Aya said that I should ask a sales man at Loft and that he'd point me to what we needed. I told the sales man that I wanted a microwave and what it was for and he said that this was what I wanted. He said it was the latest thing in convenience cooking technology."
A soft sight left the blue-haired man's lips. "How much more expensive was the toaster oven than the microwave?"
"It was a bit more, but I didn't think Aya would mind since it was the best I could get," Shay gave him an uneasy look, the confidence and pride she'd felt as she left the store beginning to fade away.
'This is so not going to go well when she realizes she got taken advantage of,' Schu sent to Ran, carefully keeping his face immobile. 'She hates being wrong and hates being made to look like a fool. And both those things have happened here.'
'Toma's doing well enough. He'll make sure the sales man pays for putting her in this position,' Ran sent back.
Shay glanced at the two telepaths. They'd remained silent and carefully neutral during the exchange thus far, but it wasn't hard to realize that something was wrong.
"What did I do wrong," she demanded in a flat voice.
"Nothing and everything," Toma replied. He swung his leg off the armrest and rose to his feet. "Come on, I'll go back to the store with you and explain on the way. I'll drive if you'll toss me the keys."
"No, I will not toss you the keys, Toma," Shay stated, her voice peeved. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."
Toma bit his lip. Then in a neutral voice, began to speak. "You got taken advantage of. That sales rep sold you a piece of equipment you really didn't need simply to get a higher commission."
Shay's jaw clenched, rage and humiliation appearing in her eyes. She stuffed a hand into her jacket pocket, groping for the keys. Once they were in her grasp, she threw them at Toma (whose quick reflexes alone saved him from getting sharp metal embedded in his eyes), grabbed the box with the toaster oven and spun around, storming towards the stairs.
"Let Aya know where we are, will ya?" Toma called over his shoulder as he hurried after the infuriated woman.
"Will do," Ran replied
Moments after the top of Toma's head disappeared down the staircase Yohji's came into view. Upon seeing the two telepaths, the lanky blonde ventured a question.
"What's up with those two?"
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Koneko, January 26, 5:49 PM
Ran glanced up as the door to his room opened. He was seated on his bed, leaning up against the wall reading a book.
"How much of the salesman is left?" he asked as his cousin walked into the room.
"Oh, he'll live to make other sales," Toma replied. "But I think he'll be more attentive to his customers' needs in the future."
"And Shay?"
"Angry, a bit humiliated, nothing you wouldn't expect. She'll be alright, though." Toma sprawled out across the foot of the bed, feet and head dangling off the edges. "She's not used to things being so complicated. Where she grew up, it was a very straight-forward 'You insult me, I kill you and then we go have tea' kinda place."
"With a lower level of technology, I take it?" Ran asked, shutting his book and placing it next to him.
"Oh, almost medieval," Toma replied. He continued to lie across the bed, staring at the wall in silent contemplation.
"I take it something's on your mind?" the red-head finally asked.
"How do you deal with it?" At Ran's questioning look, Toma elaborated. "With just going out and killing someone simply because you were ordered to."
Ran sighed. "I deal with it because I don't have a choice and I never really did. I mean sure, there were other, more legitimate professions that I could have pursued to pay for Aya's medical care, but none of those also afforded me the opportunity to exact revenge as well. I did what I had to do. You on the other hand, do have a choice. It's not too late to back out if you really want to. I can talk to Brad."
Toma feigned a smile. "What? And leave you and Aya to have all the fun? I don't think so."
"If killing is so much fun, then why are you here?" Ran asked seriously.
When he received no response, he pushed forward. "Toma, doing what we do is rough. It's not pretty and no matter how you try and rationalize it or justify it, the plain and simple fact is that we are murderers. Is what we do necessary? Yes. If we don't do it will Kritiker find someone else who will? Hell yes. So, we do it, but we pay. We pay in guilt and shame. We pay in sleepless nights because our dreams are haunted. We pay with the pain of each injury, and with the loneliness that must be maintained so that our cover isn't compromised. And while I might wish death on my worst enemy, I would never wish on anyone the weight of the cross I bear. That goes double for family. So, do you want out?"
Toma looked Ran in the eye. "I will not leave you alone. Not again."
The telepath sighed. He had tried to save his cousin from a life and a pain he knew all to well, but the blue-haired archer would have none of it. So, it was time to help him through what was sure to be the beginning of many hard times. "Then tell me what it was about the mission in Kyoto that's bothering you."
"The part at the warehouse wasn't bad. In fact, it really reminded me of battle. It was kill or be killed. I can cope with that. But the part at the office building . . ."
Ran waited patiently for his cousin to continue, knowing that now was not the time to push.
"It just felt wrong," he finally said. "Do you remember the time that group of guys we met when we were younger wanted us to go to that party with them, but you said no because it didn't feel right? I remember how persistent you were that something was wrong, and I thought you'd really lost it, but then we saw on the news how they'd been in an accident on the way to the party, and if we'd been in the car with them we would have been killed too. It's like that same sort of persistent feeling that you talked about having that night."
Toma let out a frustrated sigh. "And now I sound as crazy as I thought you did that night. But all I can think is how that guy in that office, the target, he didn't do anything to me. He never hurt me or anybody that I care about. And I just stood there, and watched while Schu dispatched of him like one might do with a pesky house fly. And you . . ."
"What about me?" Ran prompted gently.
"You just stood there, cold and aloof. Completely detached and smiling a crazy smile like Schu. And I guess I was too because I didn't want to let you down or screw up the mission or do anything to get you hurt or give us away, but . . . I . . . I was scared . . . I was scared of you." Toma finished softly. When he saw the hurt look that flashed through the red-head's eyes, he regretted the statement even though it was the truth.
"Toma, I would never hurt you."
"I know. I just can't get the picture of you standing in that office out of my head. I have these ideas about how you are in my head from when we were growing up, but that picture doesn't go with any of them. I can't reconcile the you I saw that day with the you I know, and I suddenly find myself asking if I really know you at all."
Understanding his cousin's dilemma, Ran prepared to explain the best he could. "Toma, when you're in a battle deep in the thick of things, are your mindset, actions, and thought processes the same as they are in your everyday life?" The blue-haired warrior across from him shook his head. "Would you say that when you're in a fight that you take on a different persona?" He got a nod in response. "The same thing happens when we're on a mission. You watch anybody that's a part of this team during a mission and you'll see someone you don't recognize because they've donned a different persona.
"The reason you can't reconcile what you saw on that mission with what you know of me is because the person you saw that night wasn't me, at least not all of me. You were watching my Abyssinian persona, and Schu's Mastermind persona. And except in the course of a mission you will never know that part of me or anybody else.
"Our personas are our safe guard. They mask us from the dark beasts. Because even though we go to kill them, somehow it's still important that they not see us. It's important that our identities remain secret. Our personas also help us hide from ourselves. They allow us to bottle up and contain that dark part of us that's often times too difficult to confront.
"As for your concern that the man we killed never did anything to you, it's true that he'd never done anything to us directly, but how long would it have taken before his activities did touch our lives? How long before his operations spread back to Tokyo and some of the thugs working for him decided to mug Shay or Aya? Or till we had to go take out one of his underlings and one of us got hurt or killed? Letting men like that continue in their activities just because they haven't hurt you yet, only gives them more time to hurt others before they get around to hurting you. I've often wondered how my life would be different if Shuichi Taketori had been man enough to kill his brother. But he wasn't and so Reiji Taketori was allowed to continue on with his criminal activities, destroying countless lives in the process. So, no he hadn't hurt you or any of us, but how long? How long would it have taken?"
A contemplative silence filled the room as Toma mulled over everything his cousin had just said to him. Everything Ran had said made sense, and had, in a way, helped him understand the world his cousin had been living in the past few years, the very same one he had gotten himself caught up in when he showed up here less than a month back.
"I guess all that craziness I got into a few years back was different," Toma finally said. "I know that Brad, Schu, Yohji and everyone else scoff at the idea of demons and magic. It's really out there, though. The Elders you fought so long ago were using it." He shook his head. "I'm not even certain they were still human. I can't tell you for certain, though. I wasn't close enough to be able to really tell.
"What I think I'm trying to say is that the battles I fought in the past were very clear cut – enter the evil demon, fight, fight, fight until he's finished." He laughed, a bitter sound that rang hollowly in the small room. "Leave it to humans to complicate things. I understand, though, now that you've explained things."
Toma twisted around until he lay on his stomach and gave his adopted cousin a sidelong look. "We'll have to wait and see if I can cut it in this world. But I think," he smiled slightly, "that the experience Shay and I have in open war will help you in turn." As a grin suddenly spread across his face, Toma sat up. "Make you a deal," he said. "You teach me the stealth, dark ninja side of this war and we'll teach you the way warriors fight in the open."
"It's a deal." Ran replied.
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Koneko, January 26, 6:13 PM
Yohji stood frozen in the middle of the kitchen. His eyes were wide, his face pale and his mind racing. Shay had crumpled against the counter, head buried in her arms as she sobbed. Taking a quick, fortifying breath, Yohji reached out and awkwardly patted her shoulder.
"It's not…I mean, everyone messes up every now and then," he stuttered. How had Shay gone from steely warrior woman to sobbing wreck? All he'd done was tease about her earlier purchasing mishap. It wasn't out of character! They teased each other all the time, poking back and forth while working in the shop or during the patient tutoring in his unwieldy ability to influence the area around him, an ability that, while not as flashy as Sakura's time manipulation, was quickly becoming equally potent.
"It's not…" Shay managed after a few moments. "It's just…everything's been so hard." She looked up at him, tears still rolling down her face. "This place is so confusing. The technology, the people…there's so much to remember and I just keep messing up! I feel so stupid. I can only imagine what everyone else must think after I screwed up such a simple task."
The patting seemed to help. Rubbing seemed to be even better. "It's understandable that it would be confusing," the blonde offered. "You and Schu were separated at a very young age and you grew up in a place with very straightforward customs and low tech. Having to suddenly switch from one to the other would be hard for anyone. I think you've done really well.
"And you are not stupid. The way you deal with Toma, there's no way that anyone could think otherwise. So, stupid, definitely not, but crazy, well that's up for debate."
That got a weak smile. "I'm sorry," Shay murmured, straightening and wiping her eyes with a trembling hand. "I just wanted to forget about that stupid toaster oven and then you came in and…"
"And it all just hit you," Yohji finished, hesitantly continuing to rub her back in what seemed to be a soothing manner. "Shay, we all make mistakes. Hell, I've screwed up so much of my life, you're little bargain shopping escapade pales in comparison. My point is, that pretty much everyone in this family has messed up, and not just a little, either. Nobody here is going to think any less of you if you don't always get everything right. We're here to help; that's what families are for."
Suddenly, the blonde playboy smiled as an idea struck him. "In fact, from now on I insist that if you have a problem or aren't sure about how to approach a situation, that you come and talk to me about it."
Shay smirked at this, quickly regaining her steely warrior exterior. "You insist do you?"
"Yeah, well, you're helping me with my power, and this is the best way I can think of to return the favor. And anything we talk about will stay just between the two of us. Sound good?"
The auburn-haired woman in graced him with a dazzling smile. "Actually, that sounds great. Thanks Yotan."
"Anytime," the lanky assassin replied as he watched her leave the kitchen. Watching her climb the stairs, Kudoh congratulated himself on salvaging the situation. For one thing, his life would have been in serious jeopardy had he let Shay leave the kitchen in tears, but more importantly, it would have ruined his reputation. Kudoh Yohji did not make girls cry.
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Kritiker Headquarters, Koneko, January 28, 2:30 PM
"Everything is in order for your absence," Birman said as she handed a small stack of papers to Crawford. "We may need small teams of Schatten to come back to Tokyo for jobs but barring the unforeseen, we shouldn't need all of you."
"Very good," Crawford replied as he laid the papers in his briefcase. "Is there anything else?"
Birman hesitated noticeably, clearly reluctant to continue. "There is one more matter," she finally admitted. "The mission at the mansion was clearly a trap." She gave him a pained look. "There's a leak somewhere in Kritiker. And since half of Schatten is made up of former Esset agents, you are all the primary suspects."
Rage appeared in Brad's eyes, a frightening sight without his glasses interfering.
"I did get permission from Persia for you to run an internal investigation once you arrive at the Villa," the Kritiker agent quickly added. "You'll only have a few days and will need to report in as quickly as possible. Otherwise, I won't be able to stop it from turning into a formal inquiry. Especially if you come back with nothing."
"I see," Brad replied, voice cool. "I assume that's all?"
"Yes," Birman began.
"Then I have something to say to you," Crawford interrupted, rising from the chair in front of her desk. He leaned across the wooden surface until he could whisper into her ear, his voice cold and hard. "You have until we leave for the Villa to make your choice. You're either for us or against us." Oracle paused here and his voice lost some of its edge. "We can't protect you if you choose to work against us. Choose well."
Birman's eyes had gone wide. Brad straightened and raised a hand to adjust his tie. He picked up the briefcase and turned, walking towards the door. As his hand came to rest upon the doorknob, he turned once more. "Remember," he said softly. "There is no middle ground."
The door opened and shut gently, and Birman was alone.
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