Three Day Storm

#3: An Unimpressive Lead

Part 2

X X X

So far, Ban wasn't impressed. He'd come all this way at the suggestion that Makubex had something of use for them. Well, Shido, but Ban had decided he should know too. The lead, though... well, he was waiting to see how it could be of any use. The video was several days old according the date stamp on the screen, confirming that it was from before the storm. But all that had happened was a pixellated Ginji walking past, then turning a corner.

Makubex insisted on paying attention though, so Ban had begrudgingly done so. He was rewarded as a few seconds later, Ginji reappeared at the corner, wearing a slight frown that told the audience he was lost. Ban shook his head lightly, making a mental note to chastise his friend about it later. He'd grown up in there. How he got lost was beyond Ban's understanding, sometimes.

It was then that someone else appeared on the screen just as Ginji turned to retrace his steps, startling the blonde. Ban tensed. "Ginji-"

"- Ren!" it was Kazuki who spoke, taking an unconscious step or two forwards in disbelief. It echoed the ripple of surprise that passed through Shido and Ban. If this was the last time Ginji had been seen in the Fortress... could Ren be involved?

On screen, Ginji greeted the young woman but didn't seem to get a response. Ren turned and walked away, out of the range of the cameras. Ginjiglanced up to the surveillance camera, offered a wave and a ittle smile, then followed.

Makubex tapped a key to stop the recording and set the keyboard on the ground.

"How'd you find this?" Shido asked, wearing a light frown as Makubex stood. It was a question Ban also wanted to know the answer of, so he stayed quiet.

"I like to know when someone of note steps into Lower Town. Mr. Ginji," Makubex added in a dry tone, "Is of note."

Kazuki straightened, fists curled loosely by his sides. It was the most agitated that Ban could remember seeing him, but he couldn't fault the Threadmaster for it. He and Ren had become good friends over the years, even Ban knew that. From behind, Juubei laid a hand on his friend's shoulder in silent comfort. "Where is Ren now?" Kazuki asked with a calm that Ban knew to be forced.

Makubex pursed his lips, glancing to the tight grid of surveillance screens that flickered on an adjacent monitor. They were some of the hundreds of cameras that he used to guard Lower Town with a tenacity that could not be matched. "I'm not sure," he said, "Even my system has cracks, and Ren knows them well."

It did not escape Ban's attention that the Makubex of old - the one who had first tried to rebuild Volts - would never have said such a humble thing. The Fortress had changed Makubex far more deeply than he'd realised. Ginji would have been pleased… maybe even proud.

"For her, it wouldn't be hard to vanish completely," Shido said quietly, with a glance to Kazuki.

"I can think of a good place to start looking," Ban saidurning towards the door.

Kazuki nodded, turning for the exit. "Pharmacist Gen's."

X X X

Ban had a new opinion: none of them had expected things to turn the way they had. In one way or another he, Shido and Kazuki had come to the Fortress to find Ginji. It seemed that the Fortress had decided to steer them in a new direction. Ban didn't like it – he had a feeling that things were going to get too complicated. But it was his responsibility to look after his old friend, so he had decided to put up with it.

The trip to the Pharmacy was shorter than Ban remembered, with less stairs and fewer turns. He didn't realise it, but it probably had something to do with both Kazuki and Shido knowing their share of shortcuts. At any rate, the three of them (Emishi and Juubei had stayed behind) soon found themselves travelling the long and thin common balcony that would take them to Pharmacist Gen's.

It was not protected from the weather and the narrow passageway had become a formidable wind tunnel that turned wet clothes icy. Ban felt his jacket whip wildly on all sides, and he kept one arm up to shelter his face. He doubted the other two were doing much better, but had no inclination to turn around and actually check. If there was a problem, he would find out quickly enough.

The door was marked with a hanging scroll that gave Gen's title and the hours of operation. It fluttered in the wind, threatening to tear away if not for the nail that held it in place. Standing in front of that door, Ban pulled out his cigarettes. Sliding the very last one between his teeth (he had, after all, been chain-smoking since running into the others), he forfeited the lighter. After the thoroughly wet trip from Makubex's, it was probably too water damaged to be useful anyway.

The signage was something Ban took to mean that business was blossoming, now that the old man no longer had to work as a covert operation. Part of him was glad: this was a man who had saved all of their lives at one point or another, whether it was through saving a person, or just someone they cared a lot for. He deserved a break.

Ban glanced casually to either side in a final confirmation that Shido and Kazuki were still there, then gave the door his best matter-of-fact knock.

Shido, trying to ignore the wind's attempts to pull him along, smirked slightly. "I didn't know snakes knocked," he said contemptuously. From the other side, Kazuki sighed softly.

Ban sent a glare from over his shoulder. "What was that?"

The door to the pharmacy opened, saving Kazuki's patience and Shido's skin. Gen stood on the other side, a couple of towels draped over one arm whilst he held the door open with the other. The little man was obviously surprised to see the three fighters, his eyes wide with surprise. "I…"

"Yo, Grandpa," Ban greeted, a dangerous edge in his tone. He shifted his weight by a fraction, tall form easily executing a subliminal threat. "You gonna' let us in?"

Gen shook his head as though lost in disbelief that these three men were suddenly his guests, but stepped back and held the door open a little more. Ban strode through first, followed by the other two. One of them sighed in relief that they were out of the wind. Gen shut the door as the three of them moved into the main part of his little Pharmacy.

Ban surveyed the new environment disinterestedly, noting how much like Makubex's Headquarters, the inside had not changed greatly. The walls were a different colour but the basic layout was the same, a small lobby-like office giving way to the ceiling-to-floor curtains which allowed privacy for his in-patients.

Brushing past his comrades, Kazuki stepped forward. "We're looking for Ren," he said to the older man kindly. "Is she here?"

Gen missed a step. The worried look on his face was one that Ban found unsettling. Gen glanced away, sight landing on a kettle that began to whistle. Perhaps evading the question, the man stayed silent as he switched it off and poured out two mugs of herbal tea.

"Gen?" Kazuki prodded, watching him with concern.

The old man didn't answer, placing one of the mugs onto a tray. Next to it was a bowl of soup – Ban guessed that it was for a patient.

"Come on old man," Ban said, openly impatient.

Gen grimaced, but the extra nudge seemed to do the trick. "Ren?" he repeated finally, "Ah, no. She's not here."

"Where is she?" Kazuki asked.

Picking up the tray with both hands, Gen sighed. "She hasn't been by in weeks," he said, "I don't know where she is."

Watching Gen turn towards the curtains, Ban took a few steps to follow. "Really, old man?" he challenged. His instincts were crying out that Gen had not told a complete truth. They had never been wrong.

Gen looked at Ban for a long moment, his expression carefully guarded. After a minute he turned to Shido. "Hold this," he ordered, holding the tray out. A baffled Beastmaster took it, balancing the tray easily with one hand even if the look on his face made it clear that Shido didn't understand why he even had it.

Gen crossed the room again, an eye on Ban as he approached a cubicle. Shido followed him. "I haven't seen Ren," he confirmed. Reaching up, he pulled at the curtain, tugging it out of the way to provide a kind of doorway. "I have seen others."

Wearing a confused look of his own, Ban followed him through into the makeshift room. It was exactly as he expected to find - a single hospital bed, a small nightstand next to it. A dark-haired young man - one of Lower Town's fighters, he guessed - was sleeping under the sheets, ignorant of his audience.

Kazuki and Shido joined him, the latter setting the tray down on the stand under Gen's instructions. Ban snorted lightly - what a well-trained house servant - and turned to confront the Pharmacist. "You got a point, old man?"

The loud tone was enough to wake the patient, a vague mumble the precursor to sleepily sitting up. Ban watched as the young man became aware of the four spectators. Brown eyes stared at each of them in turn, as though he was wondering how on earth they'd gotten there.

Then it was his turn, and the brunette opened up into a wide, excited grin.

"Ban!"

Ban felt a ripple of shock hit him, his unlit cigarette dropping to the floor, along with his jaw.

"-Ginji?"

X X X

To be continued.