Author's Soundtrack:
This World by Ramin Djawadi
Chapter Sixteen
Seventy-two hours.
Seventy-two hours since Rukia had been abducted, and they were no further than a rundown parking lot turned tarmac somewhere in the middle of Guatemala. Like criminals caught sneaking into the country at night, they were surrounded by a small army of Central American Council agents, eyeing them grimly with tight grips on their automatic assault weapons and dressed the the nines in tactical gear. All that time spent on exhausting phone calls, filling out mindless paperwork, arguing and bickering over small and large details, and still they refused to let Ichigo and the others take a single step off the jet.
What happened? Everything was supposed to be green lit, the teams ready to work together to rescue Rukia and take Aizen down a peg. Now the CAC was treating them like an invading force.
Orihime and the others warned him tensions between the councils were high, but this was ridiculous. Was it common for them to go back on their word? Break their promises? Like hell he was going to let this slide. He would risk international conflict if it meant reaching Rukia - politics and borders be damned.
As if sensing his growing agitation, Ashido glanced at Ichigo over his shoulder and gave his head a subtle shake. Ichigo nearly snarled and snapped at him, cursing the man's ability to remain patient while Rukia was Aizen's prisoner, and wishing he could do the same. Being rash wasn't going to get him anywhere fast, especially alone. He gripped the rails of the jet stairs to keep himself from charging past the armored line.
Orihime stood on the bottom step, completely unaffected by the weapons ready to be aimed at them. It was startling how composed she was in the face of immediate danger. Ichigo was certain even a well-placed bullet wouldn't be much of a threat, but thousands of them? Still, she waited.
A dark vehicle pulled up to the edge of agents, it's lights cutting through the crowd and nearly blinding them. A tall woman stepped out of the back and the agents cleared a path. Despite the driver refusing to cut the lights, Orihime pasted on a pleasant smile as the Amazonian woman approached.
"Agent Inoue." The woman's voice was deep, velvety and filled with confidence as she spoke with a slight accent. She looked smug, and it bothered him.
"Councilor Reyes," Orihime greeted in return, offering her hand. "It's nice to meet you. We appreciate you and your council moving so quickly on this matter and accepting our request."
The contradictory nature of her diplomatic tone while Orihime kept her feet firmly planted on the steps of the jet was not lost on him. Ichigo's nerves ratcheted, tightening with every minute they wasted and every twist of that woman's smile.
Reyes took Orihime's hand, her lips twitching with a calculated curl. "I'll be blunt, agent. Our motives are hardly influenced by our desire to help you. For one thing, having a foreign councilor held hostage in our territory only adds to our many problems."
Orihime stared, taken aback by Reye's blunt disregard for sugar coated civility. She was quick to recover, but not before Reyes noticed. The woman smirked in amusement and pride.
"Since your chancellor has promised his assistance, what your motives are are your own," Orihime replied, her voice taking a harder edge as she reminded Reyes of their agreement.
"Yes and no." Reyes grinned as Orihime bristled, clearly unhappy with the direction things were headed. "Along with helping retrieve your kidnapped councilor, there is another matter that must be addressed. You will agree to assist us with it, or you will not be permitted access to our territory."
Orihime narrowed her eyes at the councilor. "None of this was mentioned during our discussions."
"Wasn't it? How unfortunate. Our chancellor outlined the terms of your admittance into our territory. You will agree to all of them before you set foot on our land."
"Don't play games, councilor," Orihime warned, but Reyes ignored her and motioned for someone to step forward. A large, hulk of a man, over six feet tall with a mop of brown hair concealing his eyes, separated himself from the other agents and made his way towards them. A sharpened saber and pistol were strapped to his hip.
"This is Agent Sado Yasutura. He will be your escort."
Orihime appeared relieved. "We're certainly grateful for any further assistance in helping us retrieve Councilor Kuchiki."
Reyes scoffed. "I thought you smarter than that, agent. He isn't what you're agreeing to. He's our one of our best agents and led the scouting team in its investigation of Aizen's facility. What you'll be doing is helping him locate and collect information."
Both Orihime and Ashido stiffened with foreboding.
"What kind of information," Ashido questioned, his tone deepening with warning.
Reyes appeared unaffected, if not entertained. "Information important to our council. More than that, you don't need to know."
"I beg to differ," Orihime replied curtly. "If we're risking our lives to get it, we need to know what it is. The fact that you hid this matter from us until now indicates it's something highly questionable."
The cool demeanor Reyes wore shifted into something jagged and hard. Her deep brown eyes flashed and her lip peeled back to reveal her sharp teeth.
"My people have risked their lives to help find someone you lost and are more than ready to assist you in getting her back. Agent Yasutura is a good agent. You're lucky I'm giving him to you. The least you can do is bring me this item without further questioning."
Feeling emboldened by Reyes' slip of control, Orihime gave Reyes a challenging glare. It was like watching a kitten take on a raging wild cat.
"As has been expressed repeatedly, we're thankful for your willingness to work with us to rescue the councilor. The man is dangerous, but it will be difficult enough trying to get the councilor out without taking any casualties. To further endanger the lives of our team, the councilor, and your team, without knowing the reason why is a bit much."
Reyes must have thought of something because she quickly managed to smooth her ruffled feathers and plaster on a smile. "You will find this information and help Agent Yasutura deliver it to me, or you will get back on your plane and fly back to your territory."
Terror gripped Ichigo's heart with icy fingers. If they left now, there was a chance he would never find Rukia again. Aizen wasn't stationary. He moved, constantly and on a whim. With Rukia gone, Starrk had no attachment, and they might lose their one source of information. Without a solid lead, Rukia would be lost to him, possibly forever.
"You're willing to risk an international incident all because you don't want to share information with us?" Ashido growled. "That only makes us more suspicious."
Reyes shrugged. "It's the FCA that will suffer the wrath of the British more than my people. She was captured in their territory, after all. Eventually, we might be willing to search for you councilor on our own, but whether or not she'll still be one piece. . ."
A gruesome image flashed across his eyes, and Ichigo nearly choked on the fear and horror that overwhelmed him. Something deep inside him stirred, sharing in his turmoil and roiling with outrage at what they might find. It was the first sign of the beast Ichigo had felt since her capture, and he was almost pleased it shared his desire to reach Rukia.
"You bitch."
"How inappropriate."
"Inappropriate? What about blackmailing us-"
"Enough!"
Ichigo ignored the astonished stares of Ashido and Orihime, and kept his eyes on the bemused Reyes. She was attempting to suppress a victorious smile and failing. She'd won and he didn't care. He wasn't in the mood to play politics. All he cared about was finding Rukia - in one piece. The rest of them could go to Hell for all he cared. Rukia would have been furious for his blatant disregard of her beloved rules, but she wasn't there. If she wanted him to be obedient, she shouldn't have gotten herself captured. He would rather she was berating him and pummeling him into the ground then that man's prisoner with precarious peace on Earth.
"I can't speak for the others, but I'll do what you want. Do you know where it is?"
"Ichigo! We don't-" Ichigo silenced Orihime with a steely glare. She snapped her mouth shut and remained silent. Whether she was with him or not, it didn't matter. He was going. She could either help him or get out of his way. Ashido's eyes were on him. He was already acting on his own, here for Rukia and not his council. Chances were high he would have Ichigo's back in this matter. With the three of them, he was sure they could get in, get Rukia and the information, and get out.
Reyes continued to grin. "We have an idea."
"Fine. I'll get your damned information." Hopping over the rail, Ichigo landed on the fracturing tarmac and made his way towards the councilor. They measured one another in silence. Her eyes demanded compliance, and he would submit - for now.
"Like hell you're dealing with this yourself," Ashido scowled in Japanese, tapping Orihime's shoulder and moving past her.
"Oh for crying out loud," Orihime huffed, stepping down onto the pavement. "I can't let you move forward with this without having a representative of the FCA present."
Behind her, five FCA agents Ginjou sent with them began to descend, but Orihime called for them to stop.
"Karl, you and your team are going back. I can't have you getting involved in this."
Karl frowned and shook his head. "With respect, ma'am, we're not going back."
"Whatever this information is that the councilor wants us to retrieve, it is not a part of our original agreement. No matter what she says." Orihime sent Reyes a sharp glance, "I can't expose your team to unforeseen danger during this mission or from the fallout of that information. Besides," she cut Karl off as he began to argue. "A smaller team will have an easier time infiltrating and moving in the facility. I'll keep Ginjou informed."
None of these excuses seemed to convince Karl, or the men standing behind him. Karl opened his mouth to continue the argument, but Orihime fixed him with a look that threatened a great deal if he said another word. He promptly shut his mouth and, with a nod, returned to the jet. The pilot pulled up the stairs and began preparing to take off.
Orihime turned to Reyes, ignoring the others. "Now that everything is settled, we should discuss the details of the mission."
"Of course." Reyes smiled and turned on her heel, making her way back to the car she arrived in. The giant followed after her. None of the other agents moved, remaining to ensure the jet left the airfield.
Inside the car, Reyes called for the driver to take them to Consulate.
"Why aren't we going to the facility?" Ichigo demanded, feeling his patience begin to fray. How many more hoops did he have to jump through before they finally acted? If he had to sign one more piece of paper, he was going to murder someone.
Reyes studied him. "You're the guard, yes?"
"Yeah," he snapped, eyeing her cautiously.
"As I'm sure you're aware, whenever Sousuke Aizen is involved, it's not a good idea to rush in blindly. He's ruthless, methodical, and diabolical in everything he does. Every decision, every move, is calculated. We need to plan your approach or you'll be dead before you can even reach the doors."
And it was in her best interest that they reached the doors. Without a team to back up her agent, it was likely he would fail in getting the information she wanted. Reyes might not care about Rukia, but her life was connected to the information and Reyes would do whatever she could to ensure they made it out alive - and he would be walking out with Rukia. It just pissed him off there was just another thing that had to be done before he could reach her.
"What was your team able to discover?" Ashido asked, pushing the conversation along. Ichigo didn't argue.
"We're not sure how long he's been there, but we think it's been several months," Yasutura spoke up, his deep voice rumbling in the small quarters. "He's got a few sentries established with practiced patrols, but there aren't many. It could be ego. He's been hidden with no indication of exposure so far, but that's just speculation."
"How good are the patrols?" Orihime wondered.
"Easy enough for our team to slip past or neutralize. They're untrained, sloppy, and when they get hungry, they tend to stray. They shouldn't pose a problem."
"Has Aizen been spotted?"
Yasutura nodded. "Some of our own people stationed in the outline area spotted him leaving a few hours ago."
"What about Halibel and Gin?" Ichigo asked, remembering both with great distaste. When they were hunting Aizen back in England, Rukia theorized Halibel always traveled with Aizen. She was his dark companion, assisting Aizen with his experiments. Ichigo clenched his teeth as he recalled seeing Yuzu and Karin in an induced slumber in Kisuke's basement.
"Unknown. Except for the patrols, there hasn't been a lot of movement in and out of the facility."
"What can you tell us about it?" Orihime asked.
"It's a prison, abandoned decades ago." Yasutura pulled out a file from a seat pocket and handed it to her. Opening it, she slipped out a few pictures of a derelict building. "It's decaying on the outside, but plenty of power being provided to light it up at night."
"And still they managed to avoid detection?"
"The thick canopies and dense forest prevent light from traveling far," Reyes remarked with a sneer at Orihime's sly criticism.
"The inside," Yasutura continued, "is in better condition. Aizen's invested in cleaning the place up and making it fit for experimentation. Areas that didn't need it were ignored. There aren't any alarms inside, and the patrols are limited to certain areas."
Ichigo furrowed his brow and ran the information over again in his head. "You managed to get inside and find all that out in such a short amount of time?"
When Yasutura stilled, Ichigo grew curious, especially when Reyes shot the agent a warning glance. The others didn't miss the exchange and Ashido was quick to press.
"What's the issue? What aren't you telling us?" When Reyes nor the agent answered, Ashido leaned forward. The movement was slow and non-threatening, but Ichigo could feel how tense Ashido was, like a viper coiling in preparation. "Let's make one thing clear, councilor. If we aren't successful in rescuing Councilor Kuchiki because you kept anything from us, we won't be bringing back that information you want - not before finding out what it is and sharing it with our own councils. It behooves you to share whatever intel you have regarding this mission."
Reyes narrowed her eyes, ready to challenge Ashido in return. Much to her surprise, and everyone else's, it was the agent who spoke up.
"We have an inside source. They were able to gather the details we needed on the interior workings of the facility."
"Someone was willing to betray Aizen?" Ichigo asked skeptically. Not a single person had ever betrayed him, had ever attempted it. Those who weren't fiercely loyal were chipped to ensure they never disclosed anything important. Yet after only a couple of days, the CAC managed to find one such person who was willing to endure Aizen's wrath or risk death?
No. There was one person who came to mind, but Ichigo had his doubts. If it was Starrk's contact, why hadn't they reached out the Nel and give her the information directly? Why work through the CAC?
Leaning back in the seat, and away from Ashido, Reyes crossed her arms. "We were suspicious at first. They contacted us about an hour after Agent Yasutura and his team returned from scouting. They provided us blueprints, patrol schedules, and the location of where top priority prisoners are held - everything we would need to get in and out without alerting anyone."
"That doesn't mean you can trust the information," Orihime warned.
"True. We verified what we could. So far, everything has checked out. Not a single bit has been a lie."
Ashido scowled. "That doesn't mean anything. They could still be setting a trap."
Growing tired of his belittling tone, Reyes shot forward, her face a breath away from Ashido's. He held his grown, refusing to be intimidated as she snarled at him.
"Don't treat me like some newborn fresh off the Rage. I know this isn't ideal and that there are risks, but your councils aren't giving us much choice. Neither is mine. We either do this with what we have or we don't do it all."
They continued to glare at one another, sparks flying violently as they challenged each other to back down through pure intimidation. Ichigo nearly snapped at both of them, but Ashido gave a nearly imperceptible nod.
The car pulled up to an old office building. It was tiny, only a few floors high, and looked nothing like the Consulates he had seen so far. Simple enough to blend in with the surrounding buildings, no frills, no glass doors, just a building that served the council's needs. In one of the conference rooms, the table was covered in documents, blueprints, photos, and maps. Many of them had notes scrawled on them, indicating points of entry, patrol routes, and other details Yasutura's team had gathered.
"Patrols will likely be lax without Aizen around. Usually around midnight, they start to take turns hunting in the surrounding villages. It should make slipping through the gaps in the guard much easier." Reyes pointed to a small doorway on a set of blueprints. "You can enter the building here. The majority of the experiments are conducted on that level. Not many patrols are permitted in the area."
Ichigo searched the blueprints, quickly trying to memorize the images. Rows of blocks lined along the walls indicated prison cells. Was she in one of them? Would they have to search every one?"
"You mentioned a location where important prisoners are kept. Where is that?"
Reyes pulled a sheet of blueprints from beneath another and laid it on top. Sliding her hands along the surface, she flattened it out before pointing to a large area near the center. "The source indicated high-profile experiments are kept in this area. They're the old medical facilities, making upgrading it easier. Considering the effort Aizen went through to capture your councilor, I imagine that's where she's being kept."
Ichigo stared at the room she indicated, evaluating the different entrances and halls. It was located on the second floor. A set of stairs would take them from the first floor and deliver them just down the hall from the medical area. Five minutes once they were in the building and they would have her.
"What about the information you're looking for?" Orihime asked, leaning on the table and studying the papers.
"There's an office close by where Aizen keeps his files. It should be there."
"And if it isn't?" Ashido wondered, crossing his arms in anticipation for the councilor's remarks.
She didn't disappoint, sneering and baring her teeth in an aggressive smile. "Then you'll just have to look, won't you?"
This screamed a trap, and if he knew it, so did the others. Aizen being away was an even greater indication that something was amiss. Rukia had been his prisoner for only a couple of days. Why leave her now?
But what choice did they have? Trap or no trap, he would get in, get Rukia, and get out. If it took more than a few minutes to find what the councilor wanted or they were at risk for being captured themselves, then he was gone. Once he had Rukia in his arms, he wasn't going to risk losing her again - deal be damned.
"Agent Yasutura will be able to identify what we need. You just need to get him to that room and watch his back, just like he'll be watching yours."
Her eyes landed on Ichigo, as if sensing his contemplations. He didn't avert his gaze. He didn't care what she saw there.
"I'll leave you to continue planning," she said after a moment. "Once you're ready, Agent Yasutura will take you to the armory. Take whatever you want."
After the door closed, silence settled on the room. The three of them didn't dare speak freely with the CAC agent still standing in the room, and he didn't seem inclined to say anything. Orihime suggested they begin familiarizing themselves with the layout of the facility and the surrounding area. Ashido was quick to join her. Ichigo watched and listened, all the while being mindful of their sitter. The giant hadn't moved much. If not for the occasional suggestion and the intelligent glint of his eyes peering out from tendrils of brown, Ichigo might have mistaken him for being asleep.
Together, Orihime and Ashido, with a few comments from the lurking agent, put together several plans. They walked through various scenarios to ensure they were prepared for anything that might go wrong, but Ichigo's impatience was becoming unmanageable. Rukia was close and they were standing around talking about probabilities.
Needless to say, he was grateful when the agent led them out of the room and towards an armory several floors below ground. It wasn't as impressive as the other councils, but the inventory was nothing to scoff at. Their selection ranged from various blades to modern armaments: guns, grenades, and ammunition.
Ashido sneered at a pistol and muttered "barbaric" under his breath.
"Useful," Agent Yasutura stated, walking deeper into the dimly lit room. "They might not kill your target, but they'll certainly slow them down. Obliterated limbs take time to heal."
Ashido wasn't impressed nor convinced. "If you're good enough, you don't need to slow them down to deal with them."
It was difficult for Ichigo to stop from rolling his eyes.
Yasutura stared at Ashido for a moment before replying. "It's your choice."
Orihime moved past Ashido and began making her selections. A couple of short swords, daggers, pistols, grenades, and a heavy duty looking rifle. Yasutura nodded his head in approval while Ashido appeared shocked.
"What?" She questioned innocently, wrapping a harness around her hips to house her weapons. "It's not a bad thing to have options."
Having something to assist with ranged combat was tempting, but Ichigo wasn't familiar with firearms and didn't feel comfortable using them without training. Instead, he equipped himself with additional daggers and a couple of smoke grenades.
Ashido left with what he arrived with.
A team of agents was waiting for them in the parking lot. They climbed into separate vehicles and drove towards the facility. Ichigo wanted to sit in silence, but Orihime and Ashido insisted on reviewing their plans again. It was becoming difficult for him to keep track of all the different pieces and contingencies. He was glad when the cars came to a stop.
What he expected to see was the looming, crumbling edifice of the old prison. What he saw was the forest and the end of the road.
"Rains washed away the road." Yasutura stood beside him and pointed up the hill to the right of the road. "We travel on foot to reach the prison."
"Thank god I wore my combat boots," Orhime mumbled as she studied the steep hill. The ground was still moist from the rains and general humidity. Even with their light footsteps, they weren't walking away from this trip clean.
"Practical," Yasutura remarked. Ichigo and the others were almost shocked to see the large man smirk before diving into the woods. The other CAC agent didn't follow, but stood ready to provide assistance if was required. Ashido, Orihime, and Ichigo followed after Yasutura. It was difficult with the lush undergrowth to move quietly and quickly. For the first couple of miles, they didn't care how much noise the made, but as they drew closer to the prison they slowed their pace. Now and again, they stopped and listened, trying to detect any of the patrols.
Suddenly, Yasutura held up a closed fist signaling for them to stop. Ichigo stilled and listened. Nothing sounded out of place - not that he was particularly familiar with the ambient noises of the rainforest. It was alive, a loud chorus of life that made it difficult to differentiate between what was natural and what was not.
The wind blew in his face, carrying the scent of another vampire, and just like that, they scattered, positioning themselves several yards apart before the guard could discover them. When a young man stumbled into the area, Ashido acted. Sprinting from his spot, he killed the man with one swift blow from his sword. The man fell into his waiting arms and he set him down on the ground quietly before listening. When there were no signs of a partner, the others abandoned their hiding places.
"Did you have to kill him?" Yasutura questioned, eyeing the lifeless body.
"And risk him warning the others?" Ashido demanded incredulously. "Besides, he works for Aizen. There's no room for sympathy."
Yasutura looked displeased, even while he watched Orihime make quick work of hiding the body, but he continued without further argument.
Two more patrols were identified and neutralized before they finally reach the perimeter of the prison. A mixture of relief and trepidation washed over Ichigo when the walls of the prison lurched from the shadows like a menacing titan covered in ivy and decay. What awaited them inside was considerably more frightening.
Shadows paced the top of the buildings. They were scattered and slow-paced, easy enough to slip past. The entrance they were to use was on the east side of the building, hidden away from the light of the moon. Good for them, but good for an ambush as well. The lax security set his nerves on edge. This was definitely a trap, but what choice did he have? The idea of Rukia remaining the prisoner of that man for another minute set his blood on fire and urged him to hurry.
Ashido was the first to move, with the purpose of securing the entrance or signaling at any hint of a trap. A bird call he mimicked signaled the all clear. When the patrol passed next, the others hurried to the entrance. Ashido stood beside the open door, watching for any indication they were noticed. Once they were all inside, Ashido closed the door securely and quietly behind them.
The smell hit Ichigo with an overwhelming force, nearly knocking him off his feet.
Orihime choked on her breath. Ashido covered his nose, his face crinkling in disgust. Ichigo did the same, cursing under his breath at the vile stench that burned his nose. Only Yasutura remained composed, a slight twitch of his nostril the only indication he was even remotely bothered by the smell.
"What is this?" Orihime demanded, choking out another breath.
The chaos of smells made it difficult to pinpoint what exactly they were inhaling. The putrid smell of urine and excrement was obvious. Harsh chemicals that ate at the lining of his throat were layered on top of that, along with varying levels of rot and even more chemicals. Mixed in there was the painfully familiar scent of scorched flesh and hair. The explosion at the hospital briefly flashed in his mind, memories of Rukia laying on top of him in a vain attempt to protect him from the blast, bodies of the dead and dying scattered around them.
"Let's keep moving." Yasutura continued down the narrow hall. The walls were damp with mildew, adding to the unforgiving stink that assaulted them as they made their way deeper into the prison.
Beyond a rusted barred gate, the hall expanded, stretching three floors tall. On either side, rickety walkways provided access to a series of metal doors. Cells. And nearly all of them were full. Cries of agony echoed off the mold-covered walls, fists pounded and shook the doors that locked them away. His ears rang. His chest hurt. All of these people, trapped and suffering. How many were there? How many of them innocent? How many like Rukia?
One thing stopped him from searching for a way to unlock all of the cells and free everyone. They were here for Rukia. There was no time to save anyone else. Any delay here risked their own capture, and he couldn't afford that.
His mind and heart rioted. It was wrong to leave them behind, knowing their torment was hardly over, but he had to make a choice. Still, his stomach revolted.
Orihime nudged him in the side, indicating Ashido and Yasutura were further down the hall. Thankfully, the smells and sounds faded as they moved from one section to another. So far, they hadn't come across anyone. Rather than feeling relieved, it put them all on edge. With every step, Ichigo became more convinced this was a trap. Sliding two of the daggers out of their sheaths, Ichigo armed himself for close quarters combat. Assuming they were close enough to attack.
Ichigo eyed the large gun on Yasutura's back and he wondered with concerned if Aizen's people were similarly armed.
They climbed the stairs to the second floor. At the top was the door Ichigo had been anxious to see, but now he was hesitant. Would he find Rukia there or a wall of enemies?
Yasutura and Ashido flanked either side of the doors, ears pressed to the gap in the frame. When they signaled the all clear, Ichigo felt his heart slam against his chest in anticipation and fear. Orihime and Ichigo stood to the side as Ashido reached forward and opened the door. It swung wide and they all rushed in, swords and guns ready for an attack.
But there was no army.
No villain.
In the dark room a battle had already been waged and lost, leaving behind scars that tore at him, ripping and shredding what little hope he had left into bleeding pieces of despair.
Author's note: Sorry for the late update. My friend was staying with us this weekend. Thank you all for the responses from last chapter. I was really worried about how it turned out (and the length). This chapter was obviously much longer, but for me it felt a little rushed. I blame Ichigo for that. He just wanted me to hurry so he could get to Rukia. He might be regretting it now. . .
Thank you to everyone who favorited and followed my story. And thanks to those who left me some reviews: anonymous guest, yocel (here's a tissue), NieveDrop, Haru (I'm glad you liked the music. Those pieces really spoke to me for that chapter), and IchiRuki 4vr x2.
Please R&R! Even for chapters long past. I love hearing your comments!