Surprise Attack
Sorry I haven't been updating very often, but the lack of reviews has been a little disheartening and it's been making me feel like this story is not getting read at all. If you are reading please review!
Ichigo gazed at the walls of his bedroom. The strange guests at the police station had haunted his thoughts. They were behind Rukia's abduction, or at the very least played some part in it. The whole situation was messing with his mind. He kept thinking of Rukia, alone and scared, trapped in a dull little room. He had the horrid vision again and he shook his head to discard it.
He sighed and walked down to see his family. Their simple existence gave him some comfort, so long as they never knew what he had done...
He would never tell them. As far as they knew, he had disappeared for a simple job in another town; they never knew he had once been a thief for hire and a murderer. The whole business with the Cage had been hidden from them and they never found out too much. They would ask questions every now and then, but he would just give them a new ball of lies to work through. He had deceived them so much it was getting harder and harder to remember what his false life was and what his real life was.
He trudged down the stairs and snuck into the living room. It was late and Yuzu and Karin were sleeping soundly on the couch, wrapped around their father who was watching an action movie with the volume turned down low. He grinned as Ichigo approached.
"Hey son. Why don't you watch a movie with your old man?"
"Sure." Ichigo sank into the couch and pretended to be drawn into the movie. In all seriousness, he was still thinking about Rukia. He decided to take his mind off of it by starting a conversation. He chuckled and glanced over at Isshin. "You know, I miss just winding down with you guys..."
"Well, you quit that 'job' a fair while ago, didn't you?" Isshin raised his eyebrows suspiciously.
"What's with the look?" Ichigo said defensively.
"I haven't forgotten Ichigo. I'm not as dumb as I may seem." Ichigo cocked his head and his father closed his eyes. "I remember when those men barged in and threatened to kill us all, just to find you..."
Ichigo's eyes narrowed.
"What kind of job would end up with armed men hunting you down? That doesn't happen to a trolley boy."
Ichigo looked down at his hands. "Look dad..."
"No more lies. I know you were doing something to earn all that money. I only took it because I needed to help the kids, but I always would lay awake at night wondering what you were doing...It's about time you told me."
Ichigo sighed. "You know the whole thing about Kisuke Urahara?"
"You made sure we didn't go to the court cases, but yeah, I heard he sold prisoners to that facility, the Cage."
"Well, Urahara hired people to enact crimes for a cash reward...that was how he caught his victims, well at least for a while. Anyway, he hired me to rob places in exchange for a cut of the earnings..." Ichigo bowed his head and cradled his head in his hands. "I'm so sorry...I just wanted you guys to have a home..."
"It's okay Ichigo...I know what you did was wrong, but it went to a good cause..." Isshin patted his son on the back in a feeble effort to console him.
"He paid us more and more to rob, kill and destroy...I wanted to stop, but the police caught on and we were tricked into continuing with the job. He said he would tell the police everything if we failed, so we did his dirty work." Ichigo stopped to wipe away a few stray tears.
"That bastard." Isshin muttered. "I'm glad he's rotting in a hole!"
"But...If he never set me up, then I never would have gotten that money and you would be living on the street...And also...I never would have met Rukia..." Ichigo wept at the thought of his true love being held captive again. It brought back memories of his lowest point in life, when he started the whole mess. The knife he planted in her pocket to save his own skin. He obeyed Urahara for fear of his own safety, completely overlooking the fact he was framing an innocent girl. It would haunt him forever...Constantly gnawing at the back of his mind, reminding him day and night of the crimes he committed, the deeds that most men would die for...
His distraction was seemingly obvious to his father, who was now shaking him.
"Ichigo, I thought you were having a stroke or something! What the hell were you doing?"
"Sorry...I'm just, thinking..." Ichigo looked off.
"It's about that girl, isn't it?" Isshin pressed. Ichigo stared at him in shock. "I overheard your friend when she dropped you off."
"Really? How much?"
"Even when she asked to come in and you rejected her." Isshin suppressed his smile, though it was obvious that he wanted to. "Ichigo, if you are in trouble, you can't push your friends aside. They can help you, and you can help them."
"I know...but..."
"What?"
"Well, I don't want them to get drawn into this again. They were hurt terribly back then and I can't let that happen again!" Ichigo looked down and noticed Yuzu's eyes were wide open. Ichigo jumped and yelped. He settled back down and smiled weakly. "Yuzu, you're awake."
"You...killed people?" She almost choked on the words.
"Huh?" Ichigo tried to act non-chalant, but he knew Yuzu must have heard everything.
"I...I thought you were good?" She asked, the question was poison to Ichigo's heart. It burned like acid and stung like a million wasps.
"I...I am good." Ichigo replied.
"But...You hurt innocent people...That's bad!" Isshin covered Yuzu's mouth and whispered for her to be quiet, but it was too late. The damage had been done.
Ichigo rose silently and walked mechanically to the door. He then went outside without a farewell.
Isshin just watched as his son disappeared into the night.
*****
ORIHIME'S APARTMENT
Ryo strolled up beside the sleeping girl and a wicked smile crept onto his serpentine lips. His cruel eyes flickered with savage glee as he went over the numerous ways to carry out his mission. He licked his lips and eyed the girl from head to toe.
"She sleeps like an angel, but I wonder how she dies..." Ryo whispered in a raspy snarl. The girl lay there in a white cotton shirt and not much else, completely oblivious to the monster who was watching over her with hawk-like eyes.
"Thank you Kaien-Dono...I will enjoy this!" He reached into his coat and took out a length of black rope. He then gripped the girl's arms gently as he moved them behind her back and then tied her hands together. He then reached back into his coat and pulled out a whip. "You deserve to be punished, little miss!"
Orihime mumbled something and rolled over. Her arms shook and she grunted as she tried to free her hands. Ryo put a hand into his pocket and he took out a bottle of dull liquid. He splashed some onto his hand and then covered her nose and mouth with it. The girl fell under the drugs spell instantly and Ryo laughed insanely.
"Almost had a problem there! Even though I won't be able to hear you scream, I can still have some fun! Ha ha ha!!!"
*****
Ukitake sighed as he signed off the hundredth paper for the night. The relieving manager had left a huge load of paperwork and unloaded it all on him and a few others.
His co-worker, Shunsui Kyouraku groaned and hurled his pen to the floor.
"Dammit! This is stupid! They let Kiyone have a half day and leave us with all the work!" Shunsui brushed a hand through the untamed mess that was his hair.
"I'm sure they had a good reason...Maybe her sister wanted her for something? She came by yesterday didn't she?" Ukitake tried to remember the details of Isane's visit, but it seemed the reason had strayed too far for him to recollect. He gave up and returned to the pile of papers before him.
"Hello gentlemen!" Someone beamed. The two men spun around on their office chairs and their eyes became glued to the visitor. A man with snow-white hair which spiked outwards in small frosted tips and a clean shaven face marred by a long scar running up his jaw to his lip. A drab brown trench coat was wrapped neatly around his body and its collar was turned up all the way.
"Hello...Visiting hours ended quite a while ago..."
"I am not here to visit a criminal." The man chuckled and reached into his coat. Ukitake noticed the silver object as soon as the tiny flicker crossed his vision. He ducked under the table just as a bullet tore through the padded back of his chair.
Shunsui roared and pounced on the man. They wrestled with each other while Ukitake scanned the room for a weapon.
"Ukitake-san! Go to the weapon closet!!" Ukitake began to walk briskly to the door when Shunsui yelled at him. "Hurry!!" Ukitake sprinted out of the room and along the silent corridors.
He leapt over a table to get closer to a door which led to the storage rooms. He wrenched the bland green door open and charged inside. He found the gun closet and drove a key into its thick lock. It turned resistantly and the clicked. He fumbled around in the darkness for a few weapons, picking out a pistol and a taser. He then carried them back to the exit, only to find the door had closed by itself. He frowned and reached for the handle, only to feel a wave of pain travel up his arm and gnaw at his brain. He jumped back with a howl and glared at the handle.
"It's electrified! What the hell?!" Ukitake banged on the door and cried out for help, only to hear a chuckle from the other side of the door. "You bastard!! What are you trying to do?!"
"Our goal is not of importance to you, but you deserve to learn your new master's name."
"What?! New master?" Ukitake's eye narrowed.
"I am Ugaki. You will do as I say from now on, understood?" the man asked with a menacing snicker at the end.
"I refuse! I never served Urahara and I won't serve you!" Ukitake roared defiantly.
"Such a shame...I guess that means you are of no use to me now. Go to sleep, fool and reconsider your decision." A cloud of smoke came out of nowhere and drifted down into Kisuke's nasal passages. The cloud was a strange colour and it smelled heavenly. The sweet smell was hypnotic, it made him tired, but he could not stop smelling it. He inhaled deeply and took in more of the addictive smoke before it knocked him unconscious. He sank to the floor and drifted off into a forced sleep.
Outside, Ugaki made his way to Kariya who was applying hand-cuffs to his opponent who was bleeding from his nose and mouth.
"This was easy. How could that Genryusai fail to beat these vermin?" Kariya asked incredulously.
"Who are you?!" Shunsui croaked between ragged breaths. Unfortunately, it seemed his age had brought him down today.
"We are businessmen." Kariya answered.
"What kind of businessmen raid a prison and attack the staff?"
"We do, now shut up and go to your cell!" Kariya pushed the captive into a door and led him to the thick steel doors which led into the Solitary cells. Shunsui bowed his head and cursed. He had lost this round, but he would get out of this...or die trying. He let his unwanted guests throw him into a padded white room and he roared curses at them through the thick reinforced door. When he heard them leave he leaned back against the white padded walls and overheard muttering in the adjoining cell.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" He called.
A tiny response that was barely decipherable made him smile. He asked them to repeat what they said and the quiet voice replied again.
"Is that you Kyouraku?"
"Yes, are you...? Kiyone?"
"Yeah. What the hell is going on?! Kaien had a-"
"Kaien?"
"Oh, that's the real name of our 'boss'! He lied to us and gave us the alias of Ganju Shiba. His real name is Kaien and he plans to dispose of everyone involved with the whole prison affair back then! I found his files and he sent me here." Kiyone sneezed.
"Are you alright?" Kyouraku asked obligingly.
"Yeah, it's just cold in here..."
"So, you never got a half day after all..." Shunsui whispered. "I think they have Ukitake as well." He called out to his neighbour.
"Oh, no!"
"What?"
"Toshiro will be next! Someone needs to warn him!" Kiyone yelled frantically.
"Well, it's a bit late now. I think we should just wait here for a while and see how it plays out. These guys seem to be affiliated with the bastards behind that whole fiasco a while back...maybe they are trying to finish things the way they wanted?"
"You mean they are gonna sell us?! Oh god no!"
"Don't worry Kiyone-Chan; I won't let them take you. I will make sure that we all get out of this safely!"
"I'm not worried about myself...It's Rukia I'm worried about!"
"Rukia? That girl who was framed?"
"They brought her here...she was first on their list..."
"Oh, where is she?"
"Sleeping right next to me. Poor girl, this room is messing with her...She's been in here for a while."
Shunsui cursed under his breath and realised that he was tired and needed rest. "Alright, we'll talk more in the morning. Right now I need a rest..."
"Bye." Kiyone muttered.
Kyouraku found sleep nearly impossible and all he could do was stare at the white ceiling and contemplate his fate.
*****
Ichigo walked alongside the moonlit path, his gaze cast on the shallow puddles in the gutter. It had rained over him for a few minutes but now the dark sky had dried up and the tears of the clouds had ceased.
Ichigo sat down in the gutter and gazed at his reflection. He saw a broken man with blood on his hands, a disgusting replica of himself. He kicked the reflection and cradled his head in his hands.
He could not run from his past, but his family would be heartbroken if they found out what he had done. Yuzu's reaction was too much to handle. The fear in her eyes was one he knew too well. It was the fear he had seen in the eyes of his beloved Rukia when they were in prison. It reminded her of his raven-haired angel and it made him feel sick.
He wanted desperately to save her, but there were no leads or clues anywhere. He was as useless as he was during that robbery back then. A puppet that can only do something when someone tugs his strings.
Ichigo cursed and rubbed his tired eyes. When he opened them again he saw a shadow behind him.
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