Chapter 34

Teto's head surged with pain as she awoke in bed. With a glance around the room she knew immediately that she was in the infirmary. She rose steadily from bed to keep from causing her head to swing further. It still throbbed violently, just less. How long had it been that she'd been asleep? She couldn't remember, couldn't even recall what she'd been doing before. Then she realized this wasn't the schools infirmary and her mood soured from calm and confusion to panic and anger. What the hell was she doing here? Better yet, why was she at the agency? She hated this place after all.

Her eyes fell to her lap and immediately the bandages on her arm caught her eye. She scrambled with her other hand with jaded thick and numb fingers to rip off the bandages...her arm was fine though and that puzzled her. When had she been harmed enough to need the infirm but not badly enough to stay in agony? That's when she remembered and she was sickened. She remembered all the events that had transpired when she'd gotten back to this prison with Rin. She'd been tricked. All that betrayal and she'd been tricked, duped into delivering Rin back into the hands of that sinister menace.

Teto's hands curled into fists and the same hatred she had in her for the man burned in her very soul. She hated the boss. Loathed the very fact that he probably had that same calm, sickening look on his face as he cackled to the world that he had, once again been a winner. She detested the very fact that he'd made her cry, despised the fact she'd been fooled. Now she would have to wake up and with abhor in her very soul she'd have to face the man. All she had for him was execrate. And now...in great shame a humiliation she'd have to appear before her brother. Her very honor had been degraded.

It had been a major mistake, complete foolhardy. Blank hunger stabbed at her, producing bile in her throat. The very thought of her brother entering another contract, this one surely with even more restraints than the last was a mortifying thought. She knew she would have to stop him. She had to stop him with the last of any honor she had left. To prevent her brother from complete ignominy was her mission. After all, this entire situation was her fault anyway. Never again would she believe Yuma and every lie that came along with his tantalizing promises and beguiling voice again. Everything about that man was shrouded in lies and suffering. Her breathed pain and exist for the very suffering of all under him.

When had she forgotten this fact? The fact that he crushed all under him? Broke anyone who defied him? If he thought for a second that she was just going to stay put, he was wrong. Oh-so wrong. She didn't care, nobody, nobody messed with a Kasane and didn't suffer. She didn't care anymore. She would spite him, she would live for the very purpose of malice in his life. Her simple revenge was now a vindictiveness that could not be denied. If that man was a malignity then she would be his enmity. The only way she'd be able to work against his maleficence abilities was to remove his drive: his source. It had been so easy to deliver Rin here, and now, she'd fight just as hard as Rin had to get her back out.

Not a second before then would she or her brother go down before then. Not until she caused as much trauma to the man as he'd caused her. Teto's very blood boiled as she stood. Her legs were immediately wobbly and her eyes grew unfocused. She leaned, but she stood and stand she would continue to do. She'd never ever, go down like that again until she'd committed the ultimate deception as he'd done to her and her brother.

She walked forward a step at a time, her eyes a fierce glare. A Kasane would have their retribution. Enough of a retribution that Yuma the almighty would cry, would break. She'd make his agony so painful that even his fixed, deadpan calm expressions would change. He would shatter into a million pieces at her hands even if she had to do it with the last of her breath. This, was a Kasane's promise. This, was a Kasane's requital.

...

As Ted stood in the bosses office he bled. Earlier in the dinning room he'd been cut and bruised by various objects that the boss had carelessly flung around in a tornado of his own madness. These injuries would not heal, simply because Yuma had inflicted them. They would not heal until he wanted them to heal or a Doll healed these injuries for him. So he stood there in the office, stood there because he was sickened to his stomach. His anger boiled and his disgust raged. He had shouted at the boss to stop but he was his own man. What he wanted went, no questions asked. Ted just couldn't bear to stand before him now.

This was because of Rin. The way he had treated her, the way he had always treated his own flesh and blood since that unmistakable tragedy was appalling. Ted felt no pity for the man, only disdain: disdain and even contempt. Yet what could he do? He'd been summoned and thus he'd complied. He'd been as late as he dared of course, claiming he was cleaning wounds.

"Ted?" Yuma called. "Since when was it that I called for you and you didn't come immediately?" Yuma asked, comfortably seated behind that damned desk of his.

"Since when have a been a dog?" Ted boldly stated. Yuma's eyebrow instantly rose.

"Excuse me?" he asked, obviously giving Ted a chance to correct himself on his attitude. For the first time Ted didn't flinch, nor did he want to apologize. He did anyway.

"My apologies sir," Ted said as he forced sincerity.

"That's what I thought I heard too Kasane," Yuma affirmed with a sharp glare, it seared Ted's bones and his wounds throbbed: Yuma's doing. Still, he stood tall and didn't grimace. The stand off between the two had enough tension to kill. And who knows, maybe Ted would perish. This was because if anyone was to die here, he'd surely not walk out of this room victorious. "Ted I really am so happy Rin is back and there is no need for you to be so snarky with me only to hide behind an exterior."

"I promise you I don't have that much malice where you are concerned sir. It's lovely that Rin is back as well, saves us the trouble of enforcing methods to find her. However I'm sure she won't be here for long if you keep treating her like that."

"That's exactly why I need you to fix her," Yuma replied and Ted froze.

Poor Rin, the same girl who had been so freely energetic and decent only a couple of minutes ago now sat limply in the chair she had before she'd broken out. She was in a more extravagant black and yellow dress now that made her stand up. The way she sat perfectly in the chair despite her eyes closed and being totally unconscious, she possessed no more life in her than a rag doll. Ted couldn't bear to see her that way. It wasn't fair, she had no more power than he did in that state. He felt pity for her and then empathy. They were both like that...lifeless pawns with too many chains to escape Yuma's reach.

Ted had been angry when Yuma had so completely let his madness get the better of him earlier. He'd been angrier still because of the bosses attack on Teto. With both of those things, his rage at Yuma had bubbled to the surface and as the man had stated was visible on his face. Now with this new order it just threatened to boil over. He knew Yuma was testing him, knew Yuma was amused at his emotions and was attempting to get a rise out of him. If he allowed himself to be unprofessional and get angry Yuma would laugh about it for many years to come. So he wore a straight face.

Ted did his best to keep anger and annoyance out of his voice. "Fix? Sir, I couldn't possibly." It was then that Yuma painted a smile on his face.

"Ted, fix her." Ted stepped forward and gestured to Rin.

"But, Rin also has her free will I'm sure with just a little more time-"

"It's a dangerous world out there for an innocent girl, especially a girl with her special skills, wouldn't you agree Ted?" He nodded swallowing hard and the boss smiled at this action. "Now that's out of the way, do as I order and fix her. She won't be leaving here again Ted." Yuma made a move as to dismiss him from his office before he went back to typing away on his computer.

When Ted didn't leave Yuma glanced up.

"That's all Kasane."

"I heard," Ted pointed out. "However forcing a change is risky Yuma...you know that, better than anyone. If you just give her a chance-" But Ted was interrupted from Yuma abruptly rising from his chair. The room shuddered but the smile plastered on Yuma's face was scarier than the minor earthquake.

"I've given her a chance Ted. In fact, this is her chance. She wants those answers after all right? What better way to give them to her than to do it physically? Everything feels right again with her safely in this chair beside me. She's very precious to me Ted. If you understand my feelings you'll do as I ask."

"I care about her too!" Ted dared shout. "All I'm asking you to do is review this. Rin is your daughter. Don't you want her to have dreams? Experiences? A real life?"

"That's exactly why she can't leave again. I need her here Ted. Anything she wants I can offer her. She doesn't need anyone or anything else! So just fix her!" Ted lowered his head and clenched his fists. He couldn't get angry...that wouldn't solve anything.

"Yes...sir," Ted spoke through clenched teeth. Yuma rose from behind the desk in his suit and kissed Rin softly upon her head.

"Good Ted. And you will fix her, you hear me? Else I'll find an alternate way to keep her from leaving. And if you do anything to betray me, Teto won't be the only one who suffers this time."

Though his emotions threatened to get the better of him, Ted tried again.

"Doing this is risky Yuma...you could lose her completely if anything goes wrong," Ted warned.

"You'll be the first to lose your life before I do if you fail Ted," he spat bitterly.

"If she dies all of this will have been in vain."

"She'll come back to us Ted, she has no choice."

"That's not true, she's had choice ever since she's been born. Think about this Yuma...I can't possibly go through with this...she's your daughter after all. Not even just that, what would your wife-" It was then Ted ducked. A dagger stabbed into the wall behind him. His reaction was so fast, he hadn't even yelled. He knew however that he had in fact angered Yuma, and eventually he would pay for this: whatever the choice.

His voice was solid ice as he spoke. "Oh, I'm sorry Ted..., I missed the part where you ever had the authority to tell me what to do in MY AGENCY!" Ted flinched when Yuma rose his voice and the atmosphere of the room attacked his mind causing Ted to grimace.

"My apologies sir," he managed.

Yuma turned then and walked briskly towards the opposite side of his office. With a swift motion he threw open the doors of a wardrobe set there. Inside was an assortment of so many gorgeous dresses made with fine silks and materials. All kinds of styles, hundreds and thousands of colors. Ted glared sharply as Yuma laughed.

"She can wear all kinds of things now. I have so many new ones..." Then pain exploded in Ted's chest as if he'd been hit. He coughed and choked as he fell to his knees. He couldn't breathe, he'd been winded and Yuma had severed Ted's connection to the air, the very air his body screamed for. "Know your place Kasane, or Teto is as good as dead. How dare you glare at me." Ted was released after a few more seconds that dragged on too long. He gasped and his stomach twisted, his head swirled.

"...Yes sir..."

"Now fix her Ted, or I will."

Ted rose to his unsteady feet and managed to stand again. His breathing managed to pace itself again. He really did hate this man.

"When would you like it done by?" Ted asked, keeping his emotions out of his voice.

"By the time next week comes along." Ted's whole body tensed.

"That much...in a week? I can't-"

"I'm telling you to do it Ted," Yuma said, in more a threat than an order.

"Okay..."

Then Ted strode out of Yuma's office. He was sickened...and even more so revolted with his self for having no choice to give in. Was this who he was? Was this who he'd become? A person without choices? A person without a way to follow his morals and passions? If so...he was less than human...

"How could you...," came a voice that Ted immediately recognized.

"Teto, you're awake! How are you-"

"Don't act innocent! How could you sell Rin out like that?" Teto asked coldly.

"Teto I didn't, I know what you think you heard but just listen to me. I'm-"

"I thought you were better than that Ted...all these years you've done what's right secretly...I'm disappointed..."

"Teto-" But she didn't let him finish as she turned and strode away. And Ted...Ted felt like a fool.

...

Rin couldn't move, likewise, she didn't know where she was. Her limbs wouldn't budge, wouldn't obey her commands. Her mouth too didn't work. She couldn't yell or scream; even tears refused to fall from her eyes and roll down her cheeks. She was paralyzed. That fact both shocked and terrified her profoundly. Why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she see? It was so dark and her eyes wouldn't open. She tried to hear, tried to do anything and everything she could, but she couldn't. It was impossible. A chill ran through her but not even her skin did prickle.

She had no power, it was dark, and she was lifeless. Was this what it was like to be one of many? Was this how her other self felt as she was trapped inside? She knew she had a body and the means to control it but she couldn't, she was trapped inside; caged. No more free than a caged bird with clipped wings . . .?

She cried, it wasn't a physical cry with tears, but a cry of inner peril. A silent cry like many others that went unheard. And most of all, she cried out...for Len.