Disclaimer: I don't own Weiss or Schwarz, but Lorelei is mine, mine, mine...

Warnings: Language, violence, and...severe lateness of updates he he he...

Chapter 39

Amidst the Sea and her Wrath

Trust it to be raining. No, scrap raining, this was more along the lines of a monsoon. Typical late summer weather in these parts, and it's bound to be worse in the mountains. However, despite the discomfort it would cause it would help cover up our approach, especially with dawn only half an hour or so away. We really needed all the help we could get.

Still, heavy rain, not really my thing. It plays havoc with my hair.

Ha, ha, I crack myself up. Really...

"It should only take about half an hour to reach the retreat where your team mates are being held," Tatsuha said loudly as we bolted from the cover of the old warehouse into the safety of the white van.

"We need to get there before sunrise," Crawford shouted back as he hauled open the drivers door and jumped into the dark interior, "or things will only become a lot harder for us."

The old industrial estate seemed even creepier in the rain, and especially in this pre-dawn darkness. The chain of dilapidated warehouses seemed to be swimming on the rain washed tarmac as the water began to pool around their bases. The water shone against the few streetlights that still functioned around the warehouse we had chosen and appeared nothing but a white blur. I stepped into the van slowly, already soaked to the bone from my run from the warehouse, and pulled the door shut behind me with an ominous thunk.

The sound of the rain beating down on the roof of the van made me sigh and shiver and I peeled off my coat with distaste. The thick material stuck to my skin and tried to ignore the heavy squelch it made when I dumped it onto the dark floor.

The bundle it formed reminded me of Ken, unconscious on the floor of the warehouse.

Omi and Ken were still in the basement, I hope it didn't flood. Shit, I can't believe I'm leaving them behind, what if..? No, nothing's going to happen to them, I have to focus now, focus on Ran.

Yeah Ran...fuck...that stupid...fucking idiot!

Ran that stupid bastard, this is all his fault! Why did he have to be so weak, why couldn't he fight on his own!? Did he need his sister that badly? Badly enough to loose his fucking mind over her? Didn't he even think of the consequences of doing these things, of turning on his own team!? Shit...

I guess...I guess I haven't really had time to think about all of this, about Ran. Damn it all, what the hell are we going to do with him once we get him back? The guy's gone insane, totally lost it, and given himself over to this new enemy, left us without so much as a thank you have nice life now. Even attacked us, kidnapped people...and, according to Ken, things much worse. Maybe they'll be no reasoning with him, maybe when we get him back he'll just grin and laugh and blow us all into a million little pieces.

"Ken, don't speak, you need rest, we will get him back, I promise you."

My own words resounded in my thoughts. I didn't want that to be another futile promise, another thing to break Ken's spirit. I needed to bring Ran back to him, and then perhaps we could figure out what was wrong with Ken, maybe even what was wrong with Ran. What was wrong with both of them.

"His eyes, shit Ken your eyes...they're violet."

No, it can't be...it just can't. Why would he..?

Then a light flicked on in the drivers cabin and I blinked, my thoughts scattering like leaves in a fierce wind. The interior of the van swam into view and I studied it intensely, trying to rid myself of these pessimistic feelings. It was a spacious vehicle and clean, despite the puddles of water that were forming under its residents feet. Yami and Tatsuha, seated across from me, didn't seem to mind being soaked to the skin and weren't even shivering with the chill of the night air. Their hair was plastered to their heads and their clothes were sagging under the weight of the water they held, yet their eyes held nothing but determination and focus. Well, at least someone was in control. Farferello had taken the passengers seat next to Crawford and sat there, face holding nothing but a slight frown and one manic eye. The driver however...

"So Crawford, not only is your suit dirty but now you're doing your drowned rat impersination too," I smirked half heartedly as I looked over to the drivers compartment and took in the sight of a thoroughly peeved Brad Crawford, "and I thought I'd never see the day..."

"Quiet Balinese, unless you want to walk I suggest you keep your humour to yourself," Crawford tone was terse, not really that scathing or reprimanding, and his eyes showed turmoil, not anger.

My smirk died all together, my eyes once more finding the floor. For once, the one time I think in my life, I felt a small amount of regret for insulting a member of Schwarz. I know that there's always a first time for everything, but this seems ridiculous, ne? Well, perhaps not so ridiculous. The man was worried, and that was understandable considering two of his team mates had been captured and were more than likely not being given first class treatment. Yet this was Brad Crawford, Esset extraordinaire, the cold calculating bastard leader of the cruellest set of people I had come across in my career.

But then, my career isn't over yet so there's still time for them to be ousted form that position.

Perhaps he did have the ability to care after all. Ha, I never thought I would have seen the day when I could learn so much about the man who tries his very best to keep himself hidden from the world.

The engine of the van roared into life above the noise of the rain and then settled into a soft purr that was lost under the incessant drumming of the water. Crawford jammed the van into gear and put his foot down flat, surprising me with his vehemence, making the wheels skid a little against the slick tarmac before touching ground and speeding off onto the lightening dark.

"Schuldich is in trouble... his eye, Ran pulled out his eye, god knows what else he'll do…"

Running through my head over and over, like a mantra of accusation, relentless like the beating rain. I couldn't believe that it was true until I saw it, until it was there in front of me but, but then...

Siberian had awoken after his faint, screaming and clawing at his eye like a man possessed; and I was no stranger to the type of torture that Esset deemed fair and natural when dragging information from a prisoner. Schuldich and Nagi were in trouble, both of them, and I needed to get them free at any cost. The dull thud of the wipers and the rain was slightly hypnotic and I blinked to clear my mind. Looking down at the dashboard I checked my speed, 70mph, still just in the limit on the highway I had chosen. Slowly, as I stared at the empty road ahead of me, my mind began to wander. Memories of driving through another storm such as this flooded my thoughts.

"Well, that went well."

I had always thought that Schuldich's hair showed off his flippancy, but now, after a mission in the rain, he looked like a drowned rat. The mission, however, had run as smoothly as any reputable assassin could hope. We had left the man back at his house, bullet between the eyes, face down on his desk, bleeding over a litter of his own corrupt documents...perfect.

"Don't get used to it, I don't intend to be here too much longer..." I replied smoothly, trying not to smirk as the German's hand stopped in his hair momentarily before ruffling it in annoyance.

"Oh really," he said back slowly, "well, isn't that nice for you."

"...yes it will be."

I head Nagi and Farferello bickering in the backseat of the car, a rented Mitsubishi Gallant, and smirked as I caught a snippet of their conversation.

"Ah, Farf you're bleeding on the seat, bandage that up..!"

"But it goes so well with the grey..."

"No, it doesn't, this is a rental! Do you want us to have to fork out extra for cleaning bills?"

"That would be a waste of money."

"Yes, that's right it would."

"Waste hurts God."

"Ah here we go..."

The defeated tone of Nagi's voice made my smirk a smile before I even knew what I was doing. I quickly suppressed it and started the engine.

"Ne Crawford, you didn't bring towels did you?" Schuldich asked.

"A towel wouldn't help you look any better Schuldich."

"Hmm," the redhead said sarcastically, "the compliments just fall so easily from your tongue Brad..."

"Don't call me that Schuldich."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, what does 'I don't intend to be here too much longer' mean? That the fearless leader is abandoning his troops in the midst of battle?"

"No." I said, matter of fact, enjoying the look of surprise that turned his features.

"...well...eh, excuse me?" he said, eyeing me with a slight frown.

"I'm getting us all out." I said as I indicated out of the parking lot and pulled out onto the road, "After that, you can do what you want."

I never would have thought I would come to this, balking at the thought of breaking a promise to someone. It wasn't even a promise, and yet I meant it, I did. I would get us all out of this mess, then we would eventually be free. We could do whatever we wanted, anything at all.

"Don't go over the speed limit, we don't want to get stopped by the cops," I heard Balinese say from the back of the van as I swerved round a tight corner, "and I'd also like to make it to this rescue alive and intact thank you very much."

"You want me to slow down?" I heard the incredulous lilt to my voice, quickly subdued as I focused back on the road and pulled to a halt at a set of traffic lights, "or do you want to get there before it's light?"

Silence from the back. Good, just the way I like it.

The windscreen wipers were working overtime, swishing back and forwards with dull thuds, the water pouring down my peripheral vision. I had to focus, if I wanted to figure things out. We had no plan as such for storming the mountaintop retreat, so trying to figure out this situation was the best information I was going to get. Think Crawford...

Lorelei. A good place to start. What did she want?

She wanted Schuldich. But why?

Because Schuldich had something she needed, that was clear enough. But what was it that she needed?

Information? The only plausible reason. What information?

Perhaps information on Weiss? No that's pointless; she wouldn't gauge them as a threat. What about information on Schwarz? No, Lorelei's also a telepath, she wouldn't need to use her brother for that information. Perhaps I'm looking at this from the wrong angle.

Perhaps I shouldn't be looking at the present, but the past that they have together. What do they share?

They shared a home, a mother and another sibling, a brother. The brother and mother were dead and had no abilities or sordid past that would need exploring, so they're out. They never communicated during Schuldich's stay at Esset, or even after his graduation to Schwarz. But still she...wait.

Wait a minute...dammit! Crawford you fool! How could I have not figured this out sooner! I should have realised as soon as that Tatsuha had said the words.

"Heinrich Faxon is Schuldich's father."

And who was Heinrich Faxon but the founder of Esset. I may not be right, but if I am then there is much more at stake here than I had first anticipated.

I didn't let my revelation show. I wouldn't tell what I thought I had learned until I knew it was true. I just hoped that I made it in time, and hoped that my precognitive powers, so elusive of late, would warn me of any up and coming crashing white vans so that I could avoid dying.

It was dark.

I was glad, it helped my headache.

But somewhere in the darkness there was a scream. It seemed to grow, flitting from place to place.

Then I heard it disappear.

I tried not to think about it, the anguish in that scream.

So I didn't, and drifted back into the darkness, welcoming and whole.

AN: Wow, another update. Not to shabby if I don't say so myself! Still, slow going, but I'm getting there! In case anyone was wondering by the way that last POV was an unconscious Ken, and all will unfortunately be revealed next chapter, because it's the big dramatic rescue and unveiling of conspiracies, etc, etc! Sheesh, only took me about 40 chapters he he!

Okay, hope you like this chapter and I'll try my best to update again soon! As ever please R&R, it makes me a happy bunny!

Maiko x