Hi everyone sorry this has taken me so long to do, I really thought I would have had this chapter completed and posted months ago. I hand draft my chapters before I type them up so that does explain partially why I'm a slow updater, plus I kept changing my mind about the plot.

I've had to leave University due to bad health, and I'm pretty down about that as it took my years to get on to that course, so I have been job hunting. Wish me luck

Also found out that I have traits of both dyslexia and dyspraxia and that I possibly have another condition which will impact on my life. Really mad that none of this wasn't picked up till now ( I'm in my twenties) but what can you do.

I don't own the Finder series or any of its associated characters.

NO FLAMES. NO ONE IS FORCING YOU TO READ THIS IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.

Newton's Third Law – For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Chapter 17 – For Every Action.

All eyes were trained on Katakura and Akihito everyone was waiting to see if Akihito's impassioned plea would have the desired effect. The air was so thick with tension, it could have been cut with a knife. Pressed against Katakura as he was Akihito could feel the tension in the man's body, could see how white his knuckles were, and could smell the blood that was seeping into his coat. Then Akihito felt Katakura's fingers loosen, slowly his arm unwrapped itself from around Akihito's neck. He slowly lowered the gun to the ground and put his hands in the air.

Akihito ran towards Asami who pulled the young man behind him to shield him from Katakura. As he did this Suoh and the others went to work securing Katakura, he was forced to the ground, then checked for additional weapons and devices. His hands and feet were secured, while one of the men gave him first aid to staunch the bleeding. As he lay on the ground he looked at Asami and said "Including myself six drones were sent to collect Takaba-san however I suspect that you'll only find four bodies, knowing San (Three) he didn't go to help the others like he said, he most likely escaped and is on his way back to Suzumebachi. I'll follow Takaba san's advice I'll tell you all I know but how much good it'll do I don't know."

"I'll take it anyway." Said Asami turned to Kirishima who was then ordered to have the building searched for any surprises left by the Drones. Kirishima also suggested that a forensic team be brought in to process the building to which Asami agreed. Kirishima began to make calls including the usual ones to law enforcement to make sure that no one would stuck their nose where they didn't belong. With a slight smile on his face Katakura's once again looked at Asami and spoke "He hates you Asami-san. Suzumebachi hates you."

"That is something I already knew."

"No I mean he really hates you. I've heard him speak about other targets, but when he talks about you it's different. His voice isn't clinical, it isn't dispassionate you can feel his hatred, his rage it is as if he can't supress it." Katakura's words confirmed something which Asami had dismissed, and that was that he and the Hornet were connected, that at some point they had crossed paths. The problem was that there was a very long list of people who would feel wronged by Asami. However not all of them were vocal about it which made part of this list hidden. The second obstacle in trying to identify the Hornet from this list of individuals was that there was another list hidden beneath the first, and that one would be near impossible to compile. For it was formed of people who been indirectly effected by Asami. It would be impossible to track down every individual who had been indirectly effected by Asami, and to find out if they had thirst for justice. However to Asami the actions of the Hornet were not those of a person seeking justice but pure, primal revenge.

"Could Suzumebachi be watching us now?" Asked Akihito.

"It's possible out of the thirteen drones that existed eight including myself are still alive, Go ( Four) , Ju (Ten), Ju Ichi (Eleven) and Hachi (Eight) died today and Suzumebachi had us kill Ju San (Thirteen)."

"Us?" Questioned Akihito

"San and I killed him. If we are being surveyed it is most likely being done by Ichi (One) she's a surveillance expert."

"Souh." Said Asami "Have the men bring in those body bags have the corpses taken to Suzuki sensei for autopsy, and bring in one for Katakura he'll be smuggled into the hospital via the morgue, have him treated and then have him moved to Sion. If we are being watched then the removal of six corpses including Takaba Mariko's should convince whoever maybe watching that all five Drones are dead."

With all plans being set into motion Asami and Akihito were driven back to the penthouse, Akira had made it back to Sion, Kirishima was overseeing the analysis of the building and Suoh followed behind his master's car. Asami was quiet and Akihito was glad of it. Anyone else would be gushing with platitudes, asking him how he feels. Akihito hated platitudes and told himself that he didn't feel anything, but that is not strictly true. He was feeling and he was fighting to control those emotions, especially that insidious little one called guilt.

San was right there had been times when he had wished his mother dead and now she was. In the grand scheme of things was she really that terrible a person? Her life hadn't be easy and she coped the best she could, and the methods she used to cope become her vices and then her weaknesses. Suzumebachi had used him, used him to inflame his mother's weakness, he preyed on her vices. As much as Akihito wanted to believe that she got herself killed, that her death was her own fault it was something he couldn't fully believe. Maybe if after that argument he had gone after her, calmed her down her, told that he did love her, maybe she wouldn't have left and never have come into contact with the Drones. Then a new emotion began to bubble to the surface anger. He was angry because knowing full well how vulnerable she was someone preyed on her for their own gain, he was angry that they had used her and then so cruelly disposed of her. Anger was an emotion that to Akihito had always been useless, he learnt early on that he being angry never made any difference, so he never let himself feel anger, he divorced himself from it. Right now there were so many emotions circling inside Akihito and each emotion was feeding on itself, devouring itself like an ouroboros, Akihito wasn't sure about what he should be feeling and because his emotions were in such a disarray he couldn't make sense of them.

Akihito felt his throat become tight and then he felt something wet on his face, he rubbed at cheeks in an attempt to dry them. Akihito began to sob he didn't want to but he couldn't fight it, Asami's arm try to envelop Akihito's shoulders and pull him in however Akihito pushed Asami away. Asami tried again and once again his was repelled, then he used both of his arms, to enfold around Akihito. Akihito made a spirited attempt to break free but it was to no avail he was pulled into Asami's lap and held against the man's muscular frame as he cried.

Asami carried Akihito upstairs and tucked him into bed "Sorry about the snot on your suit."

Asami sat down on the bed "Its, okay I can get a new one."

"Just because more money than God doesn't mean you should be wasteful, you can have it cleaned."

Asami's hand nestled into Akihito's hair, his thumb began to slowly caress his forehead, and Akihito felt his eyelids become heavy. "Get some sleep" commanded Asami though it was put as gently as he could.

"Aren't you going to tell me everything will be better when I wake up" though his voice was sleepy Asami could still detect a sting in Akihito's tone telling him that the young man's sprit hadn't been taken from him even after the horrors of the day.

"No I wouldn't dream of telling you anything of the sort. Right now your numb you don't feel anything but sooner or later all those feelings catch up with, so right now it's best to get some rest while you can." Akihito was fighting to keep his eyes open but it was just so hard.

"How do you know?" Akihito asked as he fell asleep

"Past experience." Replied Asami.

Asami strode into his home office with a bottle and a glass he sat behind his desk knocked back two drinks in quick succession, then he poured himself a third. It took a great deal of control to not hurl the glass across the room. Asami felt a blazing anger, he was bathed in an aura of malice. He would not lose control because that is what his enemy wanted, and he would be dammed before he gave Suzumebachi the satisfaction.

He took a few deep breaths to bring himself back under control, there was time and place for what he was feeling and now wasn't it. Replaying the events of the day in his mind Asami was sure that buzzing insect would reveal themselves. They would have no choice the death of so many drones would be a blow and Asami felt for sure that the Hornet would not be able to make up the numbers again quickly. Also it wouldn't surprise Asami if the Hornet found out that Katakura was still alive, in fact he might just make sure that the Hornet knew. Yes, he was risking Katakura's life but that to Asami wasn't a concern, Suzmebachi according to Katakura had ordered the killing of one of his own, and had stated to Asami that they were comfortable in sacrificing the Drones to achieve their overall ambition. It all went as Asami hoped he wouldn't have to lift a finger in the destruction of the reaming Drones, Suzmebachi would take care of that themselves. Asami also calculated it would be at this point the Hornet would reveal themselves, from what Asami had deduced the Hornet's ego would not let them walk away. That was the problem with this zealots, crusader or whatever else you wanted to call them they all crashed and burned because they were blinded by feeling or belief.

And one other thing that Asami concluded to from today's events was that Akihito was going to need time and space to deal with his feelings. He would have Kirishima contact Akihito's aunt to see if she would come back. Grief was a strange emotion and he knew that, it had so many different facets to it was almost impossible to know which ones would surface. Asami wished he could spare Akihito from it. And Asami was somewhat amazed by that thought. He had stopped wishing for things years ago he simply went out and took what he wanted. And if someone had told him that a few months ago he would care enough about another being enough to want to shield them from harm he would have laughed. The fact that he wanted to do all that for Akihito showed just how much the young man had buried himself into Asami's heart.

Roku (Six) had been ensconced in one of Asami's private rooms at the hospital under guard. His injuries turned out to not be so bad after all, outside of infection or internal bleeding he was expected to make a full recovery. Roku had asked them not to call him Katakura, he been called Roku for so long that to be referred to by any other designation seemed strange. To Roku the knowledge that he would live was not welcome at all for he had been fully resolved to die. He had thought about suicide before, but until today he had no real opportunity to attempt it for Suzumebachi had used the threat of harm to his family as means to force Roku's compliance. Roku knew that a failed attempt at suicide would reverberate on his family, what he need was a way to kill himself that did not look like obvious self-induced suicide. So when he found himself with this opportunity to with a hostage and staring down the barrels of several guns he knew had found his way out. Roku had no particular feelings towards Akihito, though he had thought it was cruel of San to kill the boy's mother in front of him. To Roku Akihito was simply a means to achieving his own goal of suicide by Yakuza. A death in this manner would never be questioned by Suzumebachi or San and his family would be safe. Roku was tired of his life but not sickened by it, for he had stopped being sickened long ago. He was tired of his will being bent by another, tired of threats veiled and explicit, he was tired of being dragged across the country and beyond on the whim of a mad man.

However his family was gone, his wife and two children had be killed in a car accident three years ago. Suzumebachi hadn't told him no doubt so that he could still maintain control of him, Roku only found out six months ago when he managed to do a secret internet search to see how his family were fairing without him. At first he wanted die to be with them, but after all he had done he didn't feel he deserved to be with them even in death. Death to him wasn't a means of reunification, but a means to end his suffering.

Roku had it all planned out but he failed to take Akihito into account. Akihito's words burrowed their way into Roku mind and heart, they revived a part of him that he long thought dead. He could feel the emotions he thought he had locked down rising. He could feel his hunger for revenge bursting through. Why shouldn't he take his revenge? As long as Suzumebachi believed him dead he could have his cake and eat it. He would tell Asami all that he knew and then he was sure that Asami would be content to take his life or let him take it himself.

At first Roku had been transferred one of secured private hospital rooms used Asami, then he had been transferred to a secure cell below Asami's HQ at Sion. He though he must have spent the night in the cell, but since there was no window or device for measuring the passage of time he couldn't be sure. He was fed before he hands were secured and he was escorted to Asami's office. Enthroned behind his desk was Asami Ryuichi flanked by Suoh Kazumi, Kirishima Kei and Akira Yuki. Asami waved the guards out the room. To Roku it was clear that Asami didn't considered him a threat. Some may have been insulted by this or thought of Asami as supremely arrogant, but Roku thought neither of this things he wasn't insulted. Manacled as he was he couldn't do much even if he wanted to, and it also showed how supremely confident Asami was in himself and in his men. He sat down in the chair before Asami's desk, and taking a breath Roku spoke first "Where would you like me to begin?"

"Why did Suzumebachi want Akihito and what was the plan once you had him?" Asami voice was low but it was harsh like Roku expected, he was fully prepared to be shouted, to be berated for all the harm that he had been a part of causing, but that didn't happen and Roku was coming to realise that Asami Ryuichi was the type of man who go what he wanted without ever having to raise his voice.

"He wanted to make Takaba san a Drones why I don't know, and where we were supposed to take him I don't know either. Suzmebachi doesn't like us Drones to know too much. The only Drone that would know is San who is his right hand and so is allowed to think, the rest of us are kept mindless."

"You obviously have a mind of your own." Commented Kirishima

"Maybe that it because I'm different from the current batch of Drones. You see Drones are typically selected because they have a skill that is desired by Suzumebcahi, but some were selected because of the grudge they bore towards the Yakuza or the justice system. However I'm at a loss to understand why he wanted Takaba san for he has no skills that they would needed."

"We saw the police report on your disappearance I presume you were taken due to your skill as a forensic account and auditor." Said Asami

"Yes and no." replied Roku "I wasn't Suzumebachi's first choice, I was told that I was rejected at first because of the psychological profile that was created, but Suzumebachi was desperate. The drones that are taken are brainwashed, even the ones that go willingly are re-educated. It doesn't take that much to brainwash a person, but some are more malleable than others. The people that he takes have no strong ties to family or friends he wants there to be no one to miss them. However but I had a family and Suzumebachi found that was an even better form of control than breaking my will."

"Can you tell us where you were based?"

"Yes, I can tell you addresses we used or at least the ones I know about." Roku rattled off in quick succession a number of address in and around the city, these were noted down by Kirishima.

"Asami san to have a real effect on Suzumebachi you must get a hold of San, I told you he is Suzumeibachi's right hand but I think the relationship is more than that but I don't know how to describe it. In all honesty even if you got a hold of San I can't imagine you could make him talk he is the fanatical of all the Drones."

"Sounds like a challenge." Said Akira with a malevolent smile on his face, he was beginning to think of the methods that he could use to loosen San's tongue.

"What can you tell us about the Drones that are still alive?" asked Suoh who was keen to know the abilities of those they still had yet to face.

"Ichi she is an expert in surveillance, Ni (Two) is a psychologist, San I don't know what they were previously he was already a Drone when taken, nevertheless he is best driver among the drones and a good mechanic. Go (Five) has had medical training most likely they were a doctor, and perhaps a drug user I've seen needle scars on their arms and between their toes. Schichi (Seven) does the majority of the computer work, so I think that is where their background lies. Kyu (Nine) I think has a military or Law enforcement background, and is used as the group's main sniper. Ju ni (Twelve) has a criminal background I believe, I would say that they were a thief because when Suzumebachi wants somewhere broken into he usually places her in change."

The four men absorbed this information in silence until Akira spoke "How much damage have we actually done to Suzumebachi?"

Roku smiled wryly "You've done more damage that anyone else has done before. Chiefly because you realised who was really behind the attacks on you, no other target to my knowledge has realised this."

"Can you give us a description of Suzumebachi?" Said Asami

"No."

"No?"

"Asami san it is not that I don't want to give you a description it's that I can't. You see we saw Suzumebachi in person very rarely he used a variety of means to disguise himself, the only one who probably knows what he actually looks like is San. The majority of the time Suzumebachi was little more than a disembodied voice giving instructions."

For the next hour and half Roku related all that knew from his time with Suzumebachi this included information of past drones, past actions carried out by the drones and he also told them of things had yet to come of the plans that Suzumebachi hoped to initiate. However he did state that with the death of so many drones in one fell swoop Suzumebachi probably wouldn't stick to their original plan, Roku however was sure that Suzumebachi would not be looking for replacements anytime soon due to the amount of time it would take to condition new Drones.

"Now Asami-san we've got that out of the way why don't I tell you something I sure you're dying to know?"

"And what you that be Katakura-san?" replied Asami

"Please call me Roku. It's not that I prefer it, but I have been called Roku for so long it feels strange to be called anything else and before I give this information Asami-san I would like to extract a promise from you."

"What is it you want?"

"I want to die. When I have told you all I can tell you I want your promise that I will be allowed to end my life."

"You are quite determined to die aren't you?"

"I have no reason to live, I can't go back to who I was and I don't like who I am now."

"Roku-san you have my word you will be allowed to take your own life Akira will oversee everything."

"Thank you Asami san. Now I'm sure you're all dying to know where the money is. After all Suzumebachi needed financial backing to achieve all they have done."

"You say you know where Suzumebachi keeps their money?" The scepticism in Suoh's voice was clearly evident, he didn't trust Roku and he didn't trust his offer to turn against his former master.

"Suoh-san I'm an accountant I always know where the money is. I oversaw some the domestic and off shore accounts that Suzumebachi used once again he didn't trust me enough to let me oversee all of them. Suzumebachi did covert some of his money into gold, silver and diamonds, he hid them in caches all across the country I can tell you the locations of the ones I know. By know he might have emptied the accounts but the as to the caches I don't think he has either the time or man power to clear them out. I'm sure such a haul would help you recoup some this losses that you've incurred due to Suzumebachi."

"How does Suzumebachi earn their money?" Asked Akira.

"Blackmail, fraud, extortion, theft it's ironic isn't? He claims to hate people who would do these things yet he does them himself, well really he gets us to do it. Suzumebachi believes that the ends justify the means. Suzumebachi is smart they have lasted this long because of that, he may suspect I'm still alive, I suggest Asami-san that you have Kirishima-san drain those bank accounts immediately. While you send word to subordinates to raid those caches."

In an upscale hotel room that looked out over the city were Suzumebachi and Drones San and Ichi, Suzumebachi was listening to Ichi's report of the events that had unfolded yesterday. The loss of all those Drones was a blow to him, not that he actually cared about them but they were useful. He began to rub his hands together a thing he was apt to do when nervous or stressed. When she had finished her report he dismissed her, and she left to join some of the remaining Drones at a safe house. After she had left Suzumebachi removed his gloves and facial prosthetics, these not only kept his identity hidden from the Drones, but also wore them due to his hatred of his appearance. Suzumebachi had neither hair or eyebrows, his eyes were a light brown and set deep into his face. His mouth could have once been called full and sensual but it had been twisted by pain and hatred. However what you would notice most about Suzumebachi were the great burn scars that traversed his face and hands, in fact they covered most of his body. He could have had plastic surgery to correct them but he didn't want that, they were a testament to his strength of will, proof that he survived horrific injuries that would have killed most people.

He was angry that San had left without Akihito, the boy would have made a good Drone with those looks and some training he would have made a great honey trap. But overall he was glad that San had survived, he was the best Drone he had ever created. Losing Akihito was a hiccup in his plans he would have made perfect bait to luring Asami into a trap.

According to Ichi's report the number of body bags she had seen corresponded to number of dead, nevertheless he held some doubt when it came to Roku. If any Drone was going to betray him it was Roku, after Roku's family died he could have just killed him but he didn't. Roku was the best at what he did Suzumebachi didn't find anyone else in all those years who was as good. He had thought that when Roku's family had died Roku would rebel and then he would have been forced to kill him, but Roku hadn't rebelled. Not even when Roku had found out did he rebel, Suzumebachi concluded that after all his years of captivity Roku's will had been crushed. His suspicions that Roku was still alive proved to be true, out of the five bank accounts that Roku administrated two of them had been drained of all funds. Suzumebachi was forced to take steps to safeguard the monies in the other accounts by moving them into ones he administered himself. There was also the issue of the caches of precious metals and stones that he had hidden all over Japan, for Roku knew the location of many these caches and he was in no doubt that Roku was now handing the locations of these over to Asami.

"Do you need anything else Suzumebachi-sama?"

"No. Go get some sleep San. Let everyone in this sordid drama sleep well tonight, after all this will be last night many of them will see."

The hard, smooth concrete felt wonderfully cool under Roku's knees. He was in a large basement storage area of Sion, with Akira and two of his subordinates, he had watched Akira load a revolver with one round, and then he approached him with the gun in one hand. The young man loomed large over Roku and he presented to him the gun "Aren't you afraid I'll shoot you?" asked Roku.

"No."

"Any last request?"

"Yes, cremate my body burn it to ash. Then scatter them into the sea."

"You don't want to be buried with your wife and children?"

"No. I'm not fit to be them."

Roku took the gun, it was amazing how light it felt in his hands , until his time with Suzumebachi he had never even seen a gun let alone handled one, it both fascinated and scared him how right it felt in his hand. He lifted the gun to his temple, pulled back the hammer, and Roku could hear the blood thundering in his ears, he became more aware of his breathing than he had ever been in his life before. Just a little pressure would cause the bullet to leave the chamber and rip though his body and ending his life. He closed his eyes, grit his teeth and willed his finger to pull the trigger and end it all. But to his dismay nothing was happening, he kept telling himself to pull the trigger but his finger refused to obey, he told himself that it would be over quickly but still nothing would happen. Then he felt a hand over his and the gun was carefully taken from, this is it he thought Akira or one of the others must have fed up with all him and just decided to do it themselves. Roku still with his eyes closed waited to the inevitable shot. But nothing happened, he opened his eyes and towering over him was Asami.

"You don't want to die do?"

"Of course I do!" snapped Roku.

"No you don't not really."

"I have nothing to live for, nothing to go back to. Takaba –san was right I can't going back being who I was."

"You are wrong Katakura Roku you have yourself to live for. You are right you can't go back to life you had before, so accept the one you've got now. That man stole your life, brought you into a world you were not equipped to survive in but you did and you didn't just survive you thrived in it. Do you think you are the only changed by this world? Who has become what some would term hideous by it? You are not the only one who has become what you are not by your own choice, but by the choices made by others. If you end your own life it's like Akihito said you'll be letting Suzumebachi win, if you die here like this it is clear message to him that he broke you. And in all years he held you captive he couldn't do it then, so don't let him do it now."

"And what do you suggest I do? Where do I go? I have no one. I have nothing. How on earth would I explain where I've been all these years? It's all so fantastical if I hadn't lived I wouldn't believe it!"

"So don't leave this world. That normal, insulated world of ordinary people wouldn't suit you, they wouldn't understand you. So come work for me."

"Work for you?!" Roku burst out laughing, it was a real genuine gut buster laugh and it took him a few moments to stop. "Why would you want me to work for you? I've been working for your enemy, aren't you afraid that this is some kind of elaborate trap?"

"No, because according to Suzumebachi's plan you should have all made it back home to the nest or been killed. Roku you have a great deal of talent and I hate to see talent wasted. You don't want to die not really, you nowhere to go and no one to go. You can try to make a hundred more attempts on your life and the only one that will succeed is the one where misfortune will play a part, because you don't really want to stop living. Stop being afraid of what you are, it was always in you, it just needed the right encouragement to surface."

"I betrayed my last master who says I won't betray you?"

"Betrayal can be a kind of justice, Suzumebachi was unjust to you by betraying him you got your justice. I will be just to you and you'll will be just to me. But if you ever do betray me I would suggest you kill yourself before I find you. Do I make myself clear? You've got nothing to lose so will you join me or not?"

"Yes Asami sama."

"Good, Akira take care of him."

Asami walked out of the room flanked by Suoh and Kirishima. As the three of them rode the life back up to Asami's office Kirishima spoke first "It was a wise move to let Akira keep an eye on Roku san Asami sama." Akira dogged devotion to Asami was well known, if Roku did betray Asami or Akira suspected that the former Drone was still working for Suzumebachi he would be dead before he hit the floor. "If anyone could cement Roku's loyalty to me it will be Akira. You still don't trust him do you Suoh?" replied Asami.

"No, I don't trust people who change allegiance that easily." Said Suoh

"But it was not true allegiance." Said Kirishima "And I think we can trust Akira to put him down if needs be, but as you've said Asami-sama if anyone could cement Roku's loyalty it will be Akira"

"Yes" interjected Suoh "It is possible that with a similar history Roku and Akira may bond easily to each other, after all they have both been prisoners." Even though Akira knew he was free to talk to any of them about his past he didn't, this could have been due to that fact that others couldn't relate to him on that level. The fact that he opened up to Akihito was in itself and amazing feat.

"You're right Suoh, however my motivation for putting those together goes beyond getting Akira a friend. Akira was the first subordinate I made and he is the best one I have made. If anyone can soften Roku so that he becomes malleable it is Akira." Asami didn't take Akira Yuki in simply out of the goodness of his heart, he saw someone that he could mould into what he wanted them to be and that would be loyal to above anyone else. That is not say that he didn't develop a genuine affection for Akira but at the beginning it was simply business. He didn't intend for Akira to become a torturer, but with the young man's experience in both taking and dealing pain he knew that had found someone who wouldn't flinch or turn away from the nastier aspects of the Yakuza life. And with Katakura Roku Asami saw another opportunity to create another loyal solder.

Within forty eight hours Suoh had reported to say that all the locations that that Roku had given them had been searched and not one drone found. This to Asami wasn't a surprise he knew that Suzumebachi might suspect that their hiding places had been compromised, and this led him to believe that either the Drones were secreted in a place Roku didn't know about or Suzumebcahi did believe that Roku had defected and changed all their protocols and procedures in response, either one was possible. Kirishima had good news to report, for he had been put in charge of contacting the different branches of Asami's organisation across Japan and giving them the locations of Suzumebachi's hidden caches, these provided be full of precious and semi-precious stones as well as precious metals. The seizing of these caches would go some way to repairing some of the financial damages that had been done to Asami by Suzumebachi.

Roku it had been decided would join the accounting/auditing department of the head office at Sion, he would of course be under watch for as long it took Asami too convinced of the man's loyalty. Roku was scheduled to go through training with the Asami's security staff, even though the man would spend most of time at desk Asami was not keen to let the man lose the skills he had gained from his time with Suzmebachi. Roku was now living in the same building as Akira who had taken him in as a roommate, first of all it would allow him to keep an eye on Roku and second Akira knew that if anyone could convince Roku that Asami-sama was a man nothing like Suzumebachi and one worth following he could.

It was actually thanks to Roku that Akira got an idea of a possible way to track down San and Suzumebachi. Roku had told him that Suzumebachi never stayed anywhere with the Drones, and that there were a few occasions where San had taken them to meet Suzumebachi at different hotels. A hotel is a very good place for someone like Suzumebachi to hide out, as hotels are one last places in the modern world where can operate with a level of anonymity. Getting a description of San from Roku Akira passed it to a particular group of his agents. Hotel maids, valets, concierges, bartenders, gardeners and waiters all cross Tokyo and the surrounding area were just some of the people that formed this group. These people are everywhere but the majority of those they serve rarely pay them any attention, which made them perfect operatives as far as Akira was concerned. Akira also contacted Mikki Shindou Ayame's proxy to enlist the help of the Finders in tracking down San. Within minutes the description of San was being circulated among them.

Asami was woken in the early hours of the morning by his phone, looking at the caller id he saw that it was Kirishima. With a sigh he untangled himself from Akihito's grasp, he walked out of his bedroom and answered the phone. "Yes Kirishima?"

"Asami-sama we have found the remaining Drones or to be more precise we have found what is left of them."

"Explain Kirishima."

"Ten minutes ago sir lined up on the steps of Sion were found six severed heads, with a winged insect drawn on each one."

And that is the end of chapter 17. I don't plan to go beyond 22 chapters.

I will begin the process of wrapping up this story in the next chapter.

Roku will most likely make any more appearances except perhaps in passing. I did plan to kill him off in this chapter, but I became fond of him when I was writing the last chapter. So I decided to let him live even if it meant I had to replot most of the chapter.