Despite having centuries to erect and maintain security, there were still far too many dark corners in which criminal activity could take place unseen and unnoticed. Something which served him quite nicely. Technically, yes, it was his wife's job to make sure that things that this were addressed and that perhaps should be a point of anxiety but Kagura has always been more focused on the bigger picture. Subtleties and minor details typically fell beneath her notice. One such minor detail was a quiet alley, wedged discreetly between two abandoned warehouses with their metal walls chipped and eaten away by rust. The entrance and exit sat just out of camera view. The only lighting came from the moon and stars. The ground was covered in a layer of asphalt. The warehouses – even in their heyday – bore no windows and regardless, had stood empty for decades. The best part of all was that it was located a very nice distance from the bay boardwalk which just so happened to run adjacent to his own abode. The path very rarely occupied but any excursion here by residents would appear to be a coincidence. The result of a simple walk should his journey ever be questioned.

Not that he would ever be questioned. For well over a decade now, he had played his part expertly and, as far as Sesshomaru knew, there was no suspicion over his head. Unlike certain individuals who openly flaunted the law and saw fit to throw blame to avoid censure.

The weak little man standing before him being the ultimate representation of such a person. The self-proclaimed leader of the rebellion who was a year shy of his nineteenth birthday and who would be wise to don more clothes on such a cold night. Walking around with his torso bare with only an arguably light leather jacket and tight fitting pants could be deemed suicidal. Especially considering the ever present threat to his safety combined with the need to move in shadows without drawing attention. Vanity would be this urchin's undoing. There was no doubt in Sesshomaru's mind.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" the man child hissed angrily at the insinuation that he might've been noticed, "Just who do you think I am? No one can outrun me, don't you know that?"

Sesshomaru's eye twitched but he otherwise remained stoic as he tried to figure out what small words to use. True, the emotion he should express was gratitude for preemptively taking care of an issue that should have been avoided. However, the way in which this 'help' was carried out would undoubtedly cause more problems than it solved. This wolfish creature and his posse involved civilians. Acted openly and took asinine risks…

"And what of the others?" Sesshomaru settled on, "None of them were compromised?"

The tall ebony haired man bowed up and glared. His fangs glinted in the moonlight and his leather jacket grew taught. There were many times Sesshomaru second guessed this uneasy alliance. Fraternizing directly or indirectly with the semi-legitimate rebel army was a risk but a calculated one and one that had largely fallen beneath notice. Any collaborations were discreet and away from prying eyes. Over the past several years, the Wolves had been useful and professional.

Until now.

"How stupid can you get?! Of course they weren't. Unlike you I get shit done and take care of my people," Koga snapped defensively before running a clawed hand over his scalp, "You are so lucky I have men in place. Otherwise, we might as well kiss all our asses goodbye. What were you thinking?! I thought it was your job to track him. You didn't so much as give a heads up!"

Remaining silent seemed the best and only option. For one, there was no answer as to why he was not informed of Inuyasha's departure or his subsequent arrival. The last communication he received informed him that Inuyasha intended to stay behind at the Academy by himself over the school break. Second, he was technically relieved that the potential loose end had already been tied off permanently. The mutilation of the corpse and it's head was an admittedly nice touch.

"What of the medic?" Sesshomaru finally asked as Koga continued to seethe. His response and reaction to that question did not bode well.

Damn.

"We lost track of him. I only had two men in the place and as I explained, they were occupied," Koga ground out, "By the time I got called and found the bastard, he'd already gotten to the tower. He didn't come out and then they put out that bulletin so we can assume he's dead."

Sesshomaru's nostrils momentarily flared and then he nodded once. That turn of events wasn't as unfortunate as the wolf might think. As was protocol, the medic had necessarily gone before Kagura who knew just enough to silence the man and bury the information he'd spread. While she might not know of her husband's plot, she knew about the family history and even more than he did about why her father wanted that particular gift in the first place. That woman…

Well, she wasn't about to deliver leads like that on a silver platter. That was certain and therefore, the wolves failure wasn't a devastating blow.

Best of all, why Kagura seemed afraid of him now made perfect sense and wasn't a damning reflection of their relationship after all. She was nervous about how he'd react to something - unbeknownst to her - her husband already knew. Afraid that her father already knew what she'd covered up.

A brief and imperceptible flicker of panic flashed behind his eyes. Was that why he'd invited them to dinner? If so, Kagura was in danger. He'd sent her alone to face the enemy.

This meeting needed to end quickly. There was still time.

"Hn."

"Hn?!" Koga hissed as his face crumpled in indignant rage, "That's all you have to say?! That asshole might've ruined everything! You put our entire operation in jeopardy!"

Sesshomaru didn't react and simply looked apathetic. Primarily because he was apathetic to whatever operation the wolves had planned. Their alliance was one born of mutual necessity. The wolves had the numbers and a reliable network of individuals willing and ready to die as martyrs. Most of these insects were third generation rebels - or fifth as was the case with their leader - without a true end game but they did have eyes and ears in every corner of the country. Some even abroad. Their knowledge and network was useful but they lacked true cohesiveness among the ranks. They were little better than an army full of untrained soldiers. What Sesshomaru brought to the table was opportunity, access and information otherwise unavailable. Where they differed, however, was their plans for the boy both were desperate to protect. The wolves wanted a living, breathing plaything to poke and prod. Sesshomaru simply wanted to keep power out of the wrong hands by any means necessary.

Another difference was that the wolves were entirely too emotional and dramatic. They lacked a long term plan - their 'operation' short sighted at best. History was doomed to repeat itself. If Naraku couldn't manage to steal the gift for himself, the wolves didn't stand a chance.

So it was that Sesshomaru merely stared until Koga forced himself to relax upon realizing that this reaction likely meant there was nothing to worry about. The threat the medic posed must have been vitiated. Otherwise, this asshole would've just vanished.

"Unreadable bastard," Koga muttered under his breath before rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck, "Look. I did my part. If the medic didn't say anything then the trail should go cold. But the timeline's moved up. We got a week tops. Questions are gunna be asked. If not by some birdwatcher then by those idiots who brought him here."

"Inuyasha knows nothing," Sesshomaru countered in a cold, disinterested tone, "The timeline remains-"

Koga snorted and folded his arms across his chest.

"No. No, not this time. The timeline has changed whether it's convenient for you or not. If I'm being honest, I'd say we pull an emergency evac tonight and get him out of here," Koga scoffed with weary amusement, "He's already comprised in more ways than one. What happens if we were wrong, huh? If the bitch squealed before she died? If the medic just sold him out? If he figures it all out for himself and tells his new little friends? We don't want him caught. We don't want anyone to ask questions. We should move him now."

No answer was given although Koga hadn't expected one. Instead, the tall emotionally stunted bastard with an undeserved superiority complex simply walked away.

"Fuck you," the Wolf leader breathed as he began walking in the opposite direction, "I don't need your permission anyway."

Breathing heavily, Inuyasha slowed to a light jog as the situation finally crashed down on him. It had most likely been hours since he left the shrine in a mad dash. Mindlessly following the familiar path that once had led him home. A home that undoubtedly was leased out to someone else by now while their earthly possessions got taken off to the dump never to be seen again.

Except, of course, the ones she sent to him before she died. The ones which remained in a package he hadn't opened yet and which he'd abandoned in favor of escaping. Even supposing that Kagome's mother was telling the truth, him leaving like that was definitely suspicious in any circumstance. There'd be assumptions made by the birdwatchers undoubtedly keeping tabs on him. Probably put them all in danger but he hadn't really been thinking, okay? He just…

Slowing to a brisk walk, Inuyasha tried to overcome the sudden rush of self-loathing and misery. Tried to convince himself that none of it was true. Being told that he hadn't killed his own father was the most blessed or most cursed thing he'd ever heard in his life. It couldn't be true though. Mother had explained what happened in excruciating detail. Gave him whole talks about what was wrong with him using metaphors about nuclear meltdowns. Used his 'crime' to point out why they couldn't have nice things.

She might've not been the best mother but...

Inuyasha had to swallow past the lump in his throat and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

To believe meant admitting his mother had been purposefully cruel and actively lied to him his entire life. All the times she reminded him of what he'd done. All the times she used that against him. As an excuse. Made passive aggressive comments about how they couldn't afford things because of what he'd done. Medical care being one of those things. Each and every time she'd told him to help her she justified the request by saying they couldn't go to a hospital because of what he'd done. Hurt him over and over and over because she had no choice because he was a criminal. She never seemed to care that helping her was a strange form of torture. Every bad thing was his fault. He deserved every ounce of pain.

Which was probably fair either way to be honest. If he had never been born, Mother's life would've been better. Maybe that's what she meant. She regretted having a son. Especially one that was such a giant pain in the ass.

Shaking himself mentally, Inuyasha silently reprimanded himself for thinking even for a second that Mother didn't love him. Was she perfect? No. But she loved him. She did. He knew she did.

And she wouldn't have lied to him. Not about that. Nothing about what he'd just been told made sense. He wasn't special. He was just a common criminal whose daddy had been famous.

Brushing a single tear away from his face, Inuyasha stuffed his hands back into his pockets before belatedly realizing he hadn't grabbed his registry. As if he needed another reason to get in trouble.

Turning a corner onto a street lined with barred windows and layers of Capital bashing graffiti, Inuyasha glanced up momentarily at the street signs just to make sure he hadn't made a wrong turn someone along the way. Nothing good was going to happen from heading into Cheapside without a place to go into after dark and the sun had set a little over an hour ago. It was absolutely possible in his own misery that he turned left or right far too early and somehow ended up on a street that was even more dangerous than the one he'd grown up on. Something which would be entirely too easy to do. Although he could at least sleep in the stairwell or one of the many abandoned shops along with all the other squatters until he figured out what he should do. Going back to the Academy was definitely off the table. Staying here in the Capital was also a bad idea. In theory, he could try to seek out his older brother but given how he'd never spoken to the asshole and had no clue where he lived, that wasn't an option either. Asshole probably hated him too. He was just full of great ideas and decisions recently.

What was one more?

Turning himself in seemed like the only thing to do except there was always that chance Kagome's mother had been telling the truth. That he had some super special ability the government wanted and that they were willing to kill to take. If they were strong enough to kill a four time Champion, Inuyasha knew he didn't have a chance.

He glanced up at the street signs and sighed. Well, that was lucky. He was at right intersection looking up at the tall nondescript brick building on the left filled with people who couldn't afford housing. Home sweet-

"Inuyasha?! Hey! Hey!" a small child's voice rang out and Inuyasha winced as he tried to duck back around the corner. In no uncertain terms did he want to talk to the most annoying child in the world whose only source of entertainment for years had been pranking his older neighbor. It would be one thing if it was only the manifested gummy bombs and talking mushrooms but the shapeshifting and the gotcha moments…

Inuyasha cringed and turned to walk away as the sounds of tiny feet pitter pattering grew closer.

"Wait! Wait a second! I didn't think you'd be coming back!" Shippo's tiny voice called out as he continued scrambling behind the teenager, "Wait!"

"You shouldn't be out here by yourself. Go home," Inuyasha snapped as he stopped and turned to face the little boy who looked much thinner than he remembered, "Where are your parents?"

There was something in the way the little boy's smile faltered that had Inuyasha's stomach sinking.

"Oh they're, um, just at work tonight," Shippo offered awkwardly as his little tail drooped and he played with his hands before elaborating, "Mama is, um, visiting some friends and Papa got a taxi so he's gone a lot."

Inuyasha furrowed his brow momentarily at the weird tone and behavior before sighing heavily and holding out his hand.

"Come on. You need to get back inside. It's not safe. You know that," the much older boy muttered as he gestured for the boy to take his hand, "Come on."

Instead of taking the hand like he'd done a thousand times, the little boy slowly shook his head.

"I can make it home myself," the little thing mumbled miserably before backing away and nervously glancing over his shoulder like he assumed someone was watching, "Papa'll be back soon. He promised."

Lowering his hand, Inuyasha set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. While true he wasn't good at reading people normally, he'd seen the signs of an orphaned child and knew what it looked like when one was trying to avoid being thrown into the system. Shippo had just turned five. Not in school yet. Government care boxes got delivered to front doors once a week without needing a signature so the boy would have food. If some group got their fangs into him, they could've covered it up like they'd covered up countless kidnappings and murders before. Stopped any information from going public. No one higher up would've realized…

'Dammit.'

"I'm not saying you can't but I'd feel better if I took you there. You're still really little," Inuyasha huffed as he once again extended his hand and gave the tiny child a pointed look, "Unless, ya know, there's something you want to tell me?"

Holding his paw like hands against his chest, Shippo shook his small head and averted his eyes.

"Papa said he'd be back. I c-can't..."

"How…long ago was he supposed to be back?" Inuyasha asked quietly as he knelt down and gave the boy a weary look.

A shrug and Inuyasha had his answer. Without another word, Inuyasha scooped up the small boy and began walking towards the old entrance to their dismal old apartment to get whatever was of sentimental value before taking their asses to back to the shrine. For reasons he didn't quite understand, Inuyasha refused to be an orphan who turned his back on another orphan. Especially a tiny frightened child who Inuyasha knew grew up hearing the same horror stories about the detention facilities that he had. Like he'd let Shippo or anyone actually get sent to one. Cheapside brats had to take care of their own since no one else was going to do it.

"Put your hand on the scanner Shippo," Inuyasha ordered gently as he adjusted the boy on his hip and angled him so he could better reach.

Except the boy didn't and instead looked a thousand times more miserable. The tense silence that followed had Inuyasha sincerely regretting stopping at all.

"It won't let me in," the little boy mumbled miserably as his tiny frame trembled, "Hasn't."

"Where are you staying then?" Inuyasha sighed heavily – not the least bit surprised but sickened nonetheless. Mainly because he had a very good idea about who had taken Shippo in.

"The Brothers made me a deal," Shippo mumbled as he unsuccessfully tried to shimmy out of Inuyasha's grip, "Said they could keep me out of…"

"Yeah no," Inuyasha scoffed as he turned and began to follow the familiar path back towards the shrine, "You're coming with me."

"But…"

"Just shut up and let me protect you," Inuyasha hissed quietly as he glanced around to make sure the street really was as abandoned as it seemed, "Unless you want that kinda life?"

Shippo fervently shook his head and wrapped his tiny arms around Inuyasha's upper arm.

"Why?" the boy asked after a long tense moment of very quick walking, "Why even bother? You don't even like me."

"Who the hell said I didn't like you?" Inuyasha scoffed as he adjusted his hold and glanced around at the shadows, "I never said that."

Shippo was quiet but seemed to relax. His tiny cheek moved to rest stop his savior's shoulder.

"Where are we going?" the tiny ginger baby asked nervously.

"I'm staying with some friends. I'll take you there," Inuyasha sighed heavily, "In the morning, we'll talk details, okay?"

"You won't send me to one of those places, right?" the tiny child asked in an even smaller voice.

"Nah. I wouldn't even send a rabid dog there," Inuyasha teased before breathing a sigh of relief once they got to a crowded area, "But I've got some questions."

The tiny child flinched and Inuyasha used his freehand to rub a small arm in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.

"How long were you alone?"

"Since September," Shippo answered as his lip began to tremble, "There was a break in. Some people…and my papa tried to help…"

Inuyasha blinked a few times and slowed down.

"Break in? Where? Yours?"

"N-no. Y-yours. Then they…they didn't see me," Shippo offered in a terrified whisper as he clutched at Inuyasha's white shirt and buried his face. For a split second, static and a thousand questions filled the teenagers mind.

"And those bad men killed your parents," Inuyasha finally settled on - not really wanting to hear what actually happened to his mother but very unfortunately the boy gave him an answer anyway.

"E-everyone on the hall. Mama. Papa. Ms. Izzy. And..and the Tanakas and…and the Yamadas and..and everyone," Shippo began with a sniffle that soon became full blown sobs, "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't…I wasn't strong enough so I hid and I'm sorry."

"Hey. Hey. Hey, what're you apologizing for?" Inuyasha shushed him as panic began filling his own system, "That's not your fault. You're just a kid. Ya know?"

That reassurance did nothing to quell the sobs and Inuyasha picked up his pace since people were starting to stare.

"I need you to calm down, okay? Just until we get back to my friends," Inuyasha sighed with a hint of fear. Hopefully, those three idiots considered him a friend or, at a minimum, had a soft spot for annoying traumatized children. Was it going to be awkward to face Kagome's mom now? Yes. Was it entirely possible that the birdwatchers were waiting for him with handcuffs? Yup. Was it also possible that he would have a very uneventful trip back to the shrine? Doubtful but sure.

One thing he did know…

For the first time, he was glad he got on that train.