Chapter 28: Retaliation
Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. Her hearing was muddled, as if she had been within close range of an intense explosion, yet the rest of her senses were hyperaware.
She could see the droplets of blood as they exploded from Yamaken's chest, spraying her arms and torso in a crimson bath. The warmth she felt as they rained down against her skin quickly cooled after a few seconds, raising goosebumps on her arms. The gun wobbled slightly in her shaking fingers as she pressed the trigger another time, feeling the shock of the release send a jolt through her entire arm. Yamaken's eyes widened, and Rin felt as if she could see every eyelash move as he blinked in surprise. The sound of the second gunshot was still muffled to her ears, and this time the gore spattered a thin line across her face. Each droplet seemed to burn a tiny hole into her skin from the tip of her right eyebrow down to the left corner of her chin. A few beads stuck to her eyelashes, but Rin refused to move her attention from her target.
The dark haired man had stumbled back on his heels, blood pouring from the first wound, and it seemed to take ages for him to fall. It wasn't until that second bullet pierced his neck that he flew backwards, landing with a thud on the wooden floor and knocking his wire-framed glasses askew.
Minutes seemed to tick by as she stared at the body now lying motionless a few feet away. Everything was still muted – the music that pumped against the floorboards from below, the alcohol that dripped down the table next to the glass that had tipped over, the sound of her sneakers slowly taking one step forward…and then another...
Everything except the sound of her lungs rattling in her chest from her shaky gasps and the blood that pumped through her veins.
Those were deafening.
There was still at least a foot between them, but Rin didn't dare to bring herself any closer. His eyes were wide and glassy, reflecting the light from overhead. She didn't' want to look but her gaze trailed down to his neck where a small hole continued to leak copious amounts of blood, although in the back of her mind she was grateful it no longer spewed from the wound like a fountain. It trailed down the side of his neck to the floor, mixing with the thin stream that leaked from the corner of his mouth. Her eyes tracked its progress until it joined with the pool forming beneath his body from the first bullet. For some reason, it terrified her to watch it expand- growing steadily closer to the tips of her shoes.
Her hand still shook. Even if the music and noise from below had managed to muffle the quick pops of the gunshot, the redheaded second-in-command was still going to be waiting below for his superior to leave.
She needed to get out of there. Fast.
Rin flipped the safety back on but didn't remove the magazine clip. While she hoped to escape unnoticed, there was no guarantee. The barrel was still warm and singed her skin, but Rin barely noticed the pain as she tucked the gun back into the waistband of her pants.
A feeling of emptiness washed over her, and Rin swayed where she stood.
Fazed, she stumbled her way down the side stairs, only half conscious enough to remember to pull the hood of her utility jacket over her head and zip up the front. When she opened the door to the dance club, the various sounds blended into a jumbled mess and she had to blink a few times to gather what was left of her wits.
She managed to make it three-quarters of the way to the exit without anyone noticing until a feminine voice cut through the garbled music.
"Aiko-chan?"
Rin turned slowly, and it took her a moment to recognize her friend's face. 'No,' she had to mentally correct herself. Not her friend. Emiko was Aiko's friend. And as Rin raised her blank gaze, she felt a small sense of dread prick her heart as the blonde's smile shifted into a look of horror.
"I-Is that… b-blood, Aiko?"
In the quiet emptiness of her mind, all Rin could hear was the sound of herself breathing.
Inhale…
It had been her unfortunate luck Emiko had been standing near the table claimed by Yamaken's second-in-command.
Exhale…
The redhead turned sharply in his seat, his eyes searching the room until they landed on her.
Inhale…
She can feel his searing gaze take in every inch of her. Rin wanted to turn away, but, like a deer in headlights, she could not force herself to move. It was only when the dancers' lights changed, exposing the spatter of gore on her face, that his eyes widened.
Exhale…
With one last glance at her, Ren took off towards the side door to the VIP room while Rin sprinted the last few steps to the exit. She knew those few minutes could be what spares her life.
Gasping, Rin bolted upright in bed, her chest heaving and her body sticky with sweat. Her hand had her t-shirt fisted tightly in her grip, and she took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself down.
It was just a dream. There was nothing to fear.
She unclenched her fists enough to release her shirt and raised her palm to her face as if to massage her temples…
And froze.
A ringing seemed to fill her ears as she stared down at the speckles of brown that crusted her hands and wrists. Despite her shaking and the bile that threatened to rise up her throat, she raised her right fingers to her cheek, digging her nails into the soft flesh and scraping the surface.
Brown and dark crimson flecks rained down onto her sheets, and Rin tumbled off the side of the bed in shock.
It all came rushing back, nearly knocking the wind out of her with its crushing force. Once more her insides felt as if they had been carved out, and she sat hollowly on the floor, staring at the blood that stained her fingers. She was barely aware of pushing herself to her feet and making her way to the bathroom. Distantly, she was thankful none of the HOMRA members had been in the hall to see her.
She locked the door out of habit and turned the tap on full blast until steam rose from the basin and fogged the corners of the mirror. As her brain slowly began to function again, the realization that it was obviously no nightmare bore down upon her, and Rin's shoulders sagged from the heaviness of it all. It was a memory, and an aching worry tugged at her mind knowing that Ren had caught sight of her before she had escaped.
He would be hunting her, there was no doubt, and she wouldn't be able to hide forever. That all even depended upon whether or not they had discovered her true identity yet.
It was strange. She had no recollection of what happened after leaving Seventh Heaven. No memory of bus stops or people…nothing. And that terrified her more than the alternative. Who knew if she had been followed back to HOMRA or what attention she might have caused while she had been out? She was almost terrified to turn on the television, afraid that a picture of her blood-spattered face might be staring back at her from the screen.
Honestly, she wasn't sure how she managed to get past the rest of her clansmen last night. The other boys were heavy sleepers, but Mikoto-
Rin's heart clenched.
Mikoto.
Shoving her hands under the steaming water, Rin flinched at the intense heat and began to furiously scrub the blood from her skin. She scraped and rubbed at the brown specks, but it felt as if they had absorbed into her very pores. With a frustrated growl, Rin snatched the scrub brush from beneath the sink and began the process once more.
She needed to confess to him, if only for the sake of warning him of the danger she'd now put the clan in. Rin understood the seriousness of the situation, and yet just trying to say the words out loud to her reflection in the mirror made her stomach churn.
He was going to see right through her in an instant if she didn't pull it together.
After glancing down at the sink, the scrub brush slipped through her fingers and landed with a clatter in the basin. Her hands were pink and raw, causing the hot water to burn her hands a little more than usual, but were free of any flecks of blood. Despite knowing the bristles would prick and scrape at her skin, Rin snatched it once more and gently began to work at the streak across her face.
Though she was ashamed to admit it, part of her was relieved that she finally managed to kill Yamaken. All that planning, all that work and time she had put into this finally paid off. She was no longer the sad, pathetic, dirty little homeless girl on the streets. Oh, no. Now she could finally face her sister's ghost; could finally tell her that her death didn't go unavenged. And yet there was still a part of her that was positively sickened with herself. The same part that knew her dead sister's heart would be filled with pain at the sight of her right now. There was no doubt in her mind that Yamaken had been right – she had left a part of herself there in that dingy club last night. But if she were to die soon for the misdeeds she has done, she could at least grasp her sister's hand and tell her that the man who killed her no longer was allowed to live on this earth.
He was burning in hell. And Rin would burn along side him.
Finally, the last bits of blood were wiped clean from her face. Rin made sure to search her hairline and the crevices around her nose. Even the smallest fleck would catch Mikoto's eye. Somehow she would find a way to tell him, but the last thing she wanted to do was feel cornered in front of the rest of her clansmen.
Rin stared at her reflection until her face molded itself into an expressionless mask. It was the only way she would be able to hide her uneasiness downstairs amongst the rest of the group. Hell, she'd be lucky if she managed to get two steps without Anna detecting a change in her aura.
As she made her way down the stairs, cheerful voices floated up from below discussing the recruitment plans for the day. It felt strange to overhear such happy thoughts after what had happened in the past twenty-four hours. How on earth was she going to act normal in front of them? Just smile and nod? 'Oh, hey guys. Yeah, I'm really excited to meet up with the rest of the clan too. Probably a good thing since I might have killed off the head of the local crime syndicate and may or may not have blown my cover when I was leaving. No big.' Rin tsk-ed at the thought.
"Tachibana-san! Good morning!"
Shouhei's voice cut through her negative thoughts, and she looked down over the banister to see the brunette grinning brightly up at her from beneath his trademark baseball cap. Rin tossed a small smile back in return, but the corners of her mouth were tense and stiff. Her skin felt brittle and fragile, as if she had suddenly turned to porcelain, and with each forced smile a new crack or fracture appeared.
Rin could feel Mikoto's eyes land on her the moment she reached the last step, but she kept her eyes trained on her sneakers until she reached the couch on the opposite end of the room. Honestly, she wanted to tell him, to apologize and warn him about the possible danger that could arrive on their doorstep at any moment, but the words stuck in her throat and she had to swallow hard to choke them down. With a sigh, she flopped down next to Anna and tried to bury her troublesome thoughts, but the more she fought it the more they rose to the surface.
She was afraid. Afraid of what he might see when he looked at her – the fear, the doubt, the shame of what she had done. Rin had killed a man in cold blood, simply put, and she never wanted him to see that dark part of her soul. And worse, she feared that he would be disappointed and angry with her for the trouble she caused. But buried beneath all these thoughts was the one seed she feared most: What if he threw her out? Forced her to leave and take her troublesome emotional baggage with? Hadn't she caused enough trouble all ready? Rin knew that the part of her that was still proud for taking out Yamaken would only grow smaller and smaller under his intense gaze, but she didn't want to regret it or believe it was a mistake. Whatever emotional trauma this caused her, she was willing to live with it for the sake of her sister.
But at the cost of losing her new family?
Her mouth twisted unhappily.
"Rin-chan?"
Glancing down at Anna's ruby red eyes, Rin could see the troubled crease between the little girl's eyebrows. Damnit, she thought. She needed to reel in these despairing thoughts before her aura practically spelled it all out in bold letters for the young strain. After playfully pinching her cheek, Rin gave her a small, comforting pat on the head. "Ah, don't worry about me, Anna-chan. Some days I just shouldn't be allowed to think so much."
It took some effort, but Rin managed to force her black mood down into a little ball in the pit of her stomach, which seemed to be enough to satisfy Anna. She made a little noise of approval before turning back to the television mounted opposite them to continue watching her morning cartoons.
Rin could hear the other boys chattering away excitedly about their plans for the day. Shouhei and Misaki were busy messaging various members with their PDAs, trying to find where the rest of their comrades were. Truthfully, she was relieved to have them so distracted. Even Izumo, who normally had the eyes of a hawk, was busy arguing with Kamamoto about whether or not they could grab taiyaki on the way. Tipping her head back to rest against the sofa, Rin let their voices blend with the music and sound effects from the cartoons and wash over her until it was just white noise.
She should have known her respite wouldn't have gone undisturbed for long. The sound of heavy boots on the floorboards approaching made her eyes snap open, and her heart rate sped up as Mikoto grew closer in her peripherals. He didn't stop until he was just brushing the tips of Anna's Mary Janes with his shins.
"Why are you avoiding me?"
Mikoto's voice was stern and low enough that Rin doubted anyone other than her and Anna had heard. She glanced at him for a second out of the corner of her eye before pretending to turn her attention back to Anna's cartoons.
"You're imagining it. I'm not."
Of course he had noticed something was off about her today. She didn't mean for her voice to come out so cold, but it was hard to keep it together when she knew exactly what Mikoto was trying to do. There were times when he would speak and his voice would fill with such raw power that there was no mistaking who was King and who was not, but he was holding back with her now, giving her the chance to tell him of her own volition. He was like a lion, cornering her and expecting her to spill the beans.
But Rin wasn't budging.
Mikoto let out a 'tch' and took another step closer, causing the staggering difference in height between them, since she was seated on the couch, to make him look even more intimidating. "I didn't hear you come in last night. Where were you?"
Shit, She thought. He asked her a direct question, and he was serious about it. As his clansman, she had no authority or right to ignore this, and Mikoto knew that. No matter what her relationship was with him privately, she was expected to treat him as a King first. Her eyes darted to her other companions huddled around a nearby table, searching for any sort of excuse not to answer.
"Eh?" Misaki's voice drifted over to her as he rocked back in his seat. "That's way too far out of the way. Send them a message and see if they can meet us a little closer."
"I know San-chan was meeting up with Chitose at Nihon's-"
"We'll need someone to stay here with Anna, though…"
Rin spoke without thinking, grasping at the first distraction she could find. "I will." The group huddled around the table paused their conversation to turn and look at her, and Rin cleared her throat under their startled gazes in an attempt to look nonchalant. "Yeah, I have no problem staying behind with Anna. We'll just sit and watch cartoons 'til you guys get back."
She made sure to keep her eyes trained on Misaki and the rest of the boys, although it was difficult not to squirm under Mikoto's scrutiny. While he wasn't angry, she knew that he realized she was purposefully dodging his questions, and that only aggravated him more. Truth be told, though, it was a good plan. The less visible she was today, the better. The last thing she needed was to be spotted by some Niaka thug while out with the rest of the clan.
"Alright then," Izumo straightened and adjusted his tinted sunglasses, and Rin's shoulders almost sagged in relief. "I guess everything is settled then. We should head out now so that we're back before the sun sets. We've got a lot of ground to cover."
The bar filled with the sound of chairs scraping back and excited chatter over seeing old clansmen again. Rin watched them all file towards the door, but the Red King had yet to move an inch. Upon noticing the absence of their leader, Izumo turned.
"Mikoto?"
Finally, Rin raised her gaze to his. She knew he wouldn't leave without some sense that she was all right. He was staring down at her with a troubled expression, but even without looking at him Rin could sense his unease. If only for a moment, she let her face soften and tentatively reached out to hook her index finger around his. It was a small private act, and the positions of their bodies kept it hidden from the bartender's view.
"It's fine," She murmured quietly as Mikoto's thumb gently brushed across her knuckles. "Don't worry about it now. I'll tell you when you get back."
The Red King frowned at this, and Rin could tell from the heaviness of his gaze that he would hold her to that. She was grateful she had until sunset to figure out exactly what she would say. However, he let out a grunt signaling a truce between them for the moment, before turning to follow Izumo out the door.
Rin's hand fell limply back into her lap, and as soon as the lock clicked into place she felt as if all the energy drained from her body. Other than the sound of Anna's cartoons, Rin was relieved to have some peace and quiet in the bar. She didn't mind babysitting for the afternoon. The two of them were comfortable enough with each other that they didn't mind sitting in silence for extended periods of time.
This was probably a blessing in itself, or else Rin might not have heard the sound of raised voices outside the front entrance.
At first she thought the sound of the screeching tires came from the television, but when she felt Anna stiffen and sit up straight, Rin pushed herself to her feet to peek through the windows facing the street. A black sedan was parked directly across from the bar, but the windows were too tinted for Rin to make out anyone in particular.
Still, a feeling of unease began to unfurl in the pit of her stomach.
"Anna," Rin didn't know why she kept her voice so quiet, but something about the car outside set her on edge. "I want you to-"
Before she could finish her sentence, a dark blue van with a swirling insignia pulled up behind the black sedan and Rin's heart dropped through the floor. She was familiar with that van. She'd seen it before speeding away from the train station the day her sister had been killed. Now, five men poured out from behind the sliding door and purposefully made their way to the front entrance.
Ducking behind a pillar, Rin whispered harshly, "Anna, get on the floor now. Don't speak."
Anna scooted off the edge and disappeared from view in seconds. There was nothing she could do about the television being on except send a quick prayer that the volume was too low for anyone else to hear.
The handle to the front entrance shook as the members of Niaka tried to pry it open. She could hear their raised voices, and jumped when their fists and boots kicked at the thick sturdy wood. Rin closed her eyes, praying that the locks would hold. Izumo had spared no expense when it came to his precious bar, but Rin wasn't hoping to test their limit either.
However, the bolts held and the wooden frame didn't crack. After a few moments, the pounding stopped and the shouting faded into low, undistinguishable mutters. Peeking around the corner Rin could see through the narrow, tinted windows that the men were retreating back to the van they arrived in.
Rin frowned at this. There was no way they would be leaving just like that. Even if they didn't see her, Niaka wouldn't let this go without sending some sort of message.
Her eyes searched the floor until she found Anna's bright crimson orbs shining up at her from the floor near the couch. She was so small that she almost was able to squeeze underneath the space between the edge of the sofa and the floorboards. Raising a finger to her lips, Rin motioned for the little girl to keep quiet while she ducked low towards the front entrance.
Anna was HOMRA's princess, and Rin loved her like a second sister. If anything happened to her Rin knew it would be on her hands.
Making sure to stay crouched low to the ground, Rin skittered across the bar until her back was pressed up against the front wall and out of view from anyone who might be peeping in. Slowly, she peered over her shoulder and out the tinted windows to get a better look at what they were doing. Immediately, she was able to spot Ren, who looked as if he had taken charge of this whole operation. He leaned casually against the driver side door of the black sedan, a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth. He looked perfectly at ease, glancing around the street at the curious onlookers. Rin could see his mouth move at a group standing diagonally from the bar, but was unable to make out the specifics. Whatever he said caused the group bolted in the opposite direction, and Rin watched as they disappeared out of sight. Her attention then slid over to the van parked behind the sedan, and it was then Rin understood the pedestrians' hurry.
Slung across the chest of each of the five Niaka members were Minebea PM-9 submachine guns. Rin recognized them from the day she had bought her Beretta. Her dealer had been trying to push one on her for a much higher price, but Rin had felt it was a bit overkill. She also knew that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces had a number of these in their arsenal, but since the JSDF had been looking for a replacement submachine gun for the past four years a number of them had appeared on the black market. Either way, these guns were meant to deliver damage.
And now five of them were heading straight towards her.
"Shit, Anna stay down-"
Rin sprinted the distance between them just as the five men opened fire on HOMRA bar. Diving to the floor, Rin crawled the last couple inches and flipped the coffee table over in front of them to provide some sort of protection. Instinctively, she climbed on top of Anna's small body, shielding her from any falling debris or stray bullets. Rin could feel her petite body shaking beneath her, and tucked her head against the small girl's temple in an attempt to sooth her. Glass shattered all around them and chunks of wood splintered off tables or walls where the bullets hit. Hole after hole appeared in the walls and doors of bar HOMRA, and Rin wondered just how many rounds each clip held. Peeking from beneath her hair, Rin watched as champagne glasses exploded into a thousand pieces and Izumo's beautiful display of alcohol crumbled to the floor with a crash. The coffee table vibrated beside them, and Rin was thankful for the protection it provided despite the sharp, burning pain that appeared just above her left hipbone. It stunned her for a moment, but she chalked it up to a piece of glass nicking her exposed side. Besides, her adrenaline was pumping so hard that it was quickly forgotten in the chaos.
And then, just as quickly as it began, the gunshots ceased. Rin refused to move from her position over Anna, however, and kept the two of them pressed tightly against the floor and the sofa. With all the windows shattered in the bar, Rin was able to hear the male voices from outside with much more clarity than before.
"-grab it from the van and toss it in. The rest of you get the hell out of here now."
Rin listened until the voices and footsteps faded before nudging Anna in the ribs.
"Are you okay?" She whispered, her voice a little harsher than she planned from the throbbing pain growing in her hip. The skin there felt as if it were on fire, but it was in such an awkward spot that she couldn't real see it to assess the damage.
Anna made no comment and simply nodded her head.
"Good," Rin kept her voice low. By the sounds of it, Niaka wasn't quite finished and the two of them were too exposed in this location. "When I roll to the side, I want you to get up and run as fast as you can to the kitchen and shut the door." Rin couldn't see Anna's face from how they were positioned, but she could feel the little girl's hesitancy at her words so she added, "No arguments."
She felt her give a small nod in response, and Rin blew out a breath before kicking the coffee table away and rolling to the side. The movement sent a sharp pain up through her entire body and the burning sensation only increased, however, she quickly dashed to the side wall to peek out the window. There was no doubt the two of them had made some noise crunching through the shattered glass, but, thankfully, there didn't seem to be anyone keeping post outside the door. After making sure that Anna did as she was told – Rin waited until she saw her silvery white hair swish out of sight behind the bar – she raised her head high enough to see just over the window ledge.
The black sedan had already disappeared along with Ren. Judging from the sirens in the distance, the rest of the men were just as eager to get out of there too. Most had already piled into the van…except for one, who quickly jogged back across the street. Hoping she wasn't spotted, Rin ducked down and darted for the pillar she had hidden behind when they had first arrived. It wasn't a prime hiding spot, but it was better than nothing.
She heard the footsteps stop a few feet away, and a rough voice call back to the van, "How many seconds did ya give me after I release the spoon?"
A voice called back in response, but Rin didn't wait long enough to hear it. As soon as she heard the first man speak, she moved as quickly and silently as she could towards the kitchen. She would rather risk being spotted than stay in range of whatever it was Niaka had coming her way. There was no knowing just what they had planned, but Anna was trapped in the kitchen and there was no way she was going to leave that girl by herself.
She managed to make it to the edge of Izumo's bar-top before she heard a loud thud of some object landing just inside the bar's threshold. Rin glanced back from where she was crouched, but was unable to make anything out in particular amidst the debris. Deciding to throw caution to the wind, Rin sprinted towards the kitchen. Her heart leapt into her throat when she saw the door was still ajar and ruby red eyes were peering out from between the crack.
If anything happened to her…
Fear clawed its way up her chest, and Rin shouted out angrily, "Anna, close the goddamn-"
The grenade detonated before she could finish her sentence.
Though Rin did not know it, the device had rolled closer to the door rather than farther into the bar. It was a small blessing, but one that she needed. The front doors, wall, and windows immediately blew out, along with any glass that had still managed to remain in the frames. Tables splintered into pieces and flew in all directions, lodging themselves in various places including her skin. Rin had been more than fifty feet away, far enough to survive the initial detonation, however, the force of the blast knocked her straight into the corner of the bar-top, over the edge, and left her in a heap on the other side. Fragments from the grenade flew every which way, with one in particular lodging itself just above Rin's left ear.
The searing heat generated from the explosion caused her skin to feel as if each cell in her body had melted away. The ache in her hip was long forgotten, and was now replaced with an excruciating pain in her chest and head. She felt as if she had been stabbed by a pitchfork with the force of a Mack truck, and there was a ringing in her ear that just didn't seem to go away. Rin raised her head a fraction just to make sure there wasn't anything protruding from her chest, and the slight shift made her head spin and caused black tint the corners of her vision. Her strength waned and Rin felt her cheek press against the wooden floor. Something warm and hot trickled down the side of her cheek, tickling her skin and dripping into her ear. She thought about wiping it away, but her arms and legs felt too heavy to consider moving.
Besides, the darkness that closed in around her was much more inviting.
The blast hadn't been enough to devastate the entire neighborhood – nothing like the destruction Mikoto had caused in SCEPTER 4's territory – however, the various members of HOMRA had been close enough to hear the explosion and see the smoke rise from their section of town. They had been lingering outside the Nihon bar where a few of their members had frequented when the sound of the gunshots had first gone off. At first, it had seemed so unrealistic that anyone would even risk pulling some sort of stunt in their territory, but as the shooting continued their disbelief morphed into anger and they dashed out into the streets. Unfortunately, at that very moment, the shooting ceased. The only indication of which direction they should turn to was the distant sound of pedestrians screaming.
It wasn't until the explosion rocked the area and smoke rose from a particular section of town that their anger quelled and fear took its place. As the screaming increased, so did their pace as they sprinted back along the familiar streets. It only took them a few minutes to reach the crumbling remains of the bar. Smoke poured into the streets, and many pedestrians stood staring wide-eyed at the rubble that littered the ground. Buildings on either side of the bar had been damaged, and some woman cried out that an ambulance had already been called for those injured on the sidewalk.
The various members of the red clan might have noticed the accusing stares their neighbors gave them if it weren't for the fact that their focus was on the giant hole exposing the interior of their bar. None of them could voice the fear that was seeping into their bones. Their hearts seemed to be lodged in their throats, preventing all forms of speech. Even the young bartender couldn't comment on his destroyed building. His thoughts were soley focused on finding his two clansmen.
Exposed pipes leaked fluids into the streets while the red clan carefully picked their way across the debris, and their eyes widened as they surveyed the damage that had been done. A huge space had been cleared in the entrance where the wood floors had been blown away to expose the cement foundation. Everything seemed to be covered in a grayish dust, so much so that it was difficult to make out any distinct figures or items. Misaki spotted the burnt, shredded remains of the sofa, blown about ten feet away from its original position and imbedded with fragments from the explosive device, while Shouhei found the remains of the television.
It wasn't until a small sniffle sounded from the edge of the bar that hope finally ignited in their chests. Without speaking, Mikoto pushed passed the others with Izumo hot on his heels. The other members followed their leaders, prayers still dangling from their lips. A path was difficult to clear, and with each table top or pile of chairs they moved they feared what they might find crushed beneath it. But at long last, Mikoto gripped the last heavy, metal pole that had held up one of the high top tables to expose a slightly dusty but otherwise unharmed-
"Anna."
Relief saturated Izumo's voice as he hurried forward toward her, and the rest of the clan let out sighs of relief upon seeing her. At the sound of her voice, she lifted her head from where she had pillowed it in her arms, her silvery hair cascading around her shoulders. It wasn't until she raised her ruby eyes to his that his steps faltered.
He hadn't noticed her at first, hidden beneath Anna's silky alabaster hair. The dust had already settled neatly on top of her still form, camouflaging her with the rest of the room, but there was no mistaking that thin figure sprawled at the far end of the bar, shielded by Anna's thin arms.
"Shit. Rin-"
Misaki dashed forward, knocking broken chairs and tables aside with little to no regard for his other clansmen. Rin lay on her stomach, wedged between the bar and the remains of one of Izumo's barstools. A few strands of blond hair covered her face while the rest seemed to be caught underneath the rest of her body. A dark crimson stain had pooled beneath her head, but Izumo could see that was not the only injury she had suffered. Shallow cuts had sliced across her arms and back, tearing her shirt and exposing the mutilated skin. A dark blot was also noticeable on her upper hip, and Izumo could see the bullet wound was still leaking blood.
"Call another ambulance," He said sharply. When no one moved for a second, the bartender added, "Now."
At his tone, Shouhei immediately whipped out his cell phone and moved a few feet away. His voice was low and urgent as he spoke, but his eyes remained trained on his fallen comrade.
Izumo pried Anna away from Rin's petite frame, and he could feel the small girl shaking like a leaf in his arm. As her legal guardian, Izumo sent a silent prayer of thanks for finding her alive and drew her tightly to his chest. As he surveyed the damage around them, his eyes landed on the small path Anna must have carved from the kitchen to their current spot. He could see where her knees had carved tracks in the dust and glass, and reminded himself to check for any other injuries that she hadn't already healed herself. Despite his thorough once-over and not finding a single mark or blemish on the small strain's skin, the bartender wanted to make sure she wasn't hiding anything else.
"Anna, are you hurt? Are you bleeding anywhere?"
He felt her head give a small shake, and she buried her face tighter into his neck. His hand rubbed soothing circles on her back, brushing off miniscule shards of glass and splinters from her Lolita dress.
"Her red…" Her voice was quiet, and wobbled from the effort to control herself. "…was trying to keep her warm."
Her small arms tightened around him, and Izumo tucked her head beneath his chin.
As soon as Anna was removed, Misaki pushed forward and dropped to his knees beside Rin's head. Leaning forward, he pressed two fingers against the side of her neck to feel for a pulse.
"Found it. She's still with us." His voice shook slightly as he looked up towards Mikoto. "She's still alive."
The Red King had been staring unblinkingly at Rin while a million thoughts seemed to flash through his brain. As he stared down at her, he realized just how small she looked buried beneath all the debris. Had it only been a day since he had woken up beside her smiling face? What was it that had brought this upon them so suddenly? It pained him to see her hurt like this; that smooth delicate skin shredded like tissue paper.
Chitose came around from behind the skateboarder and knelt at Rin's back. Ever so gently, he reached forward to grip her left shoulder, cringing as some of the deeper cuts oozed onto her shirt, and pulled until her body twisted so that she was lying on her back with her head cradled in his lap. They all nearly cried in relief as her chest rose and fell, inhaling short gasps of air.
Ignoring the shards of broken glass that bit into his skin, Misaki leaned forward to grasp Rin's face gently in his hands.
"Tachibana-san? Hey, hey! Are you with us?"
A groan escaped her as Rin's eyes wearily fluttered open. Her small pink tongue darted out, wetting her lips first before she opened her mouth to speak.
"Anna?"
Rin's voice was raspy and the boys had to lean in close to hear her. Upon hearing her name, the fair-hair child twisted in Izumo's hold in an attempt to return to her original place beside her.
"Rin-chan-"
Chitose hushed her with a wave of his hand, keeping his eyes trained on Rin's rather unfocused ones.
"She's fine. Not even a scratch."
He ran a hand across Rin's forehead in an attempt to push back the dusty strands of hair, but drew back sharply at the sticky sensation that coated his fingers when he reached her temple. Barely hidden in her hairline, he spotted a small jagged piece of metal buried deep into the tender skin of her scalp. The brunette's fingers ghosted over the fragment, resisting the urge to pull it out, and once more attempted to push the sticky, matted hair away from her face. However, the well-meaning gesture caused the bleeding to begin anew, and all of HOMRA watched in horror as more continued to leak from her scalp and drip onto the wooden floor.
Rin didn't seem to notice and exhaled in relief at Chitose's words. The movement looked so painful that Izumo wondered how she many ribs she had broken or fractured in the blast. His concerns heightened tenfold as her breathing worsened, her body tensing and shaking with coughing fits.
"Mikoto, her lungs-" His kept his voice low, quiet enough so that Rin would not hear, in an attempt to control the panic that threatened to rise up inside. Judging from how her body was hunched and the short gasps of air that she managed to take, he feared one of her lungs might have partially collapsed from the damage it suffered. Despite his very limited knowledge in the medical field, Izumo knew she needed to get to a hospital immediately and his worries multiplied with every minute that passed.
He could feel the redheaded king just behind his left shoulder – the heat he was emitting was so strong, Izumo was surprised he hadn't burst into flames - and didn't have to look to know that there was true fear in those amber eyes. He knew he wasn't the only one who was reliving those painful flashbacks of that past December. Izumo's eyes drifted over to the redhead kneeling next to Rin, and he could see Misaki struggling to keep himself from tearing up.
"Oh god, Tachibana-san, who did this to you?"
"Wouldn't… have let… them… hurt her too." Every word seemed to be punctuated with a short, rasping gasp for air. Her body was wracked once more with a fit of coughing until she finally managed enough energy to spit whatever was clogging her airway. The blood that spattered the floor and down her chin silenced everyone for a moment. Misaki seemed transfixed on the small blood bubble that popped in the corner of her mouth and had to bite his cheek to keep the tears from spilling over. It wasn't long before the tender skin split and blood began to pool in his mouth.
"Them? Who's 'them', Tachibana-san? Rin?"
Izumo put a hand on the vanguard's shoulder, warning him not to push her too far. It was hard for them to stare down at their fierce, blonde companion and see her in such a pitiful state. Her breathing was rapid and shallow, and beneath the layer of dust and debris that coated her skin they could make out the beginnings of purplish contusions on her chin and collarbone. Judging by the amount of splintered wooden beams around them and the damage done to his bar, there were a number of possible culprits responsible for her battered condition.
"M-Mikoto..."
Misaki glanced upwards at his leader at the sound of the Red King's name, then scooted over to make room as Mikoto moved forward to kneel beside her. Everything about his face was unreadable except his eyes, which were a tumultuous mix of emotions – confusion, desperation, fear, tenderness. Unconsciously, his hand sought hers clasped it tightly, as if by sheer force and will he could make her to stay there with him.
"S'my fault…. Didn't tell you before…" She mumbled, her voice coming out garbled and thick from the blood that coated her tongue. It continued to leak out of the corner of her mouth, and the amount that was beginning to collect beneath her was reaching a rather frightening proportion.
The sound of an ambulance pulling up outside the building drew their attention for a moment, and Chitose placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey, don't force anymore," He hushed her. "You're hurt. We're going to get you to the hospital, so no quittin' on us, alright?"
The brunette playboy hastily wiped at his eyes, and Misaki finally relented to the tears spilling over. The vanguard's voice was rough, and he leaned forward so that his face was well within her line of view.
"I won't forgive you if you quit on us, Rin. You hang in there."
It took a moment for her eyes to find his, but the corner of her mouth quirked up when she finally did.
"Hey there, s'alright. Don't worry 'bout it." Rin's eyes were distant and half-lidded, and as she spoke they drifted to stare at a space on the ceiling just above his shoulder. Her voice was slurred and her words, which were meant to sound reassuring, seemed to suck the very life out of the vanguard. Upon hearing them, all the blood drained from Misaki's face and his eyes widened at the hauntingly familiar quote from their already deceased comrade. The realization filled him with anguish, and he let out a choked cry.
"Rin!"
But at that moment there was only one person whose face she wanted to see, and his tight grip on her hand was making her fingers tingle and go numb . Liquid gold met amber eyes, and Mikoto swore that, in that moment, his heart felt as if it had been plunged into a bucket of ice.
"M'sorry."
Author's Note: First thing I wanted say was I discovered "Red" has been recommended in two of FanFiction's communities, and I am deeply honored. For all of you who review, favorite, follow, or just avidly read this story, thank you for all of your support. It gives me energy to continue writing, and I am so happy to know that you all enjoy reading it.
Second, I hope you all enjoyed the previous chapter as well as this one. As I told some of my reviewers, Rin isn't meant to be a perfect character and she made some difficult choices that she now will have to live with. I know this chapter was jam packed with action again, but it had to happen. You can't take out the head of one of Shizume's crime syndicates and not expect immediate retaliation! Unfortunately, Izumo's precious bar got pretty banged up. I know that is throwing the canon storyline off, but since the bar is not a key factor for the remainder of the episodes I figured you guys wouldn't mind too much. I tried to make up for my lack of updating this past week with an extra long chapter (actually, this is the longest chapter I've ever written…ever). I'm packing up my apartment at the moment, so I've been rather busy. Next chapter you'll all get what you've been waiting for – Mikoto and the rest of the clan's reactions. And the Red King is none too happy.
Please leave your thoughts in a review! I love to read them.
Third, big thank you to PiiXXiiEE (also known on DA as "~Dreamfollower") for taking the time to draw and upload Rin into the Project K OC fangroup on deviantART. You can find the drawing here: [dreamfollower DOT deviantart DOT com /art/K-OC-app-Tachibana-Rin-386300557]. You can also find the link to the Project K OC fangroup here [k-oc-project DOT deviantart DOT com] where you can create and upload your own Project K Original Character. Once again, so honored you took the time to draw her and share her with other Project K fans. Thank you for your hard work!
Lastly, to my reviewers with no accounts! ^.^
Guest: Yay! Welcome to the Project K fandom! That is such a high compliment to receive. Thank you so much! I definitely want to see this through to the end, and am hoping to finish it by the end of summer before I leave for Russia. Again, thank you for such a kind review!
Ohai: *hugs while crying* I knowwwwww. It's heartbreaking to know she has to bear that. I wanted to just send Mikoto over there to pick her up and tell her it would be okay. I think he would have made her talk if they hadn't already had to leave to go recruit the other members of HOMRA. Thanks again for your review, love. Let me know how your feels handled this chapter. 3