A/N: Sorry that it took me longer than usual to update! Enjoy!

When the car disappeared from view, Izaya's first instinct was to run after it. After he realized that he could never catch it, his second instinct was to call Shiki. When he discovered that his arm wouldn't move, he realized that for perhaps the first time ever, he was out of instincts. He had no plan. A small thought in the back of his mind cut through the confusion and wondered if he was in shock. In a weird way, he felt like he no longer existed in this world. He couldn't feel his heartbeat. He wasn't sure if he was breathing. When had he last blinked? He wasn't sure. This had probably only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity before he was able to come to his senses and call Shiki.

"You have news already? That was fast."

Izaya's mouth wouldn't move.

"You there?"

"Sh-Shizuo…"

"Yeah? What about him?"

"They took him. Just now."

"What? How the hell is that even possible?"

Shiki sounded as shocked as Izaya felt. Even after everything that had happened, the possibility of Shizuo being kidnapped had never crossed his mind. Even after it happened, it still didn't seem possible. They had caught him at just the right moment. He had been mid-sentence with his back turned. They had been so quick. Izaya wondered how much chloroform they had to use on him. Certainly, much more than they would have needed for an average human being.

"They were extremely precise, Shiki. By the time I figured out what was happening, it was already over."

"Did you get their plate number?"

Damn it, Izaya thought. That hadn't even occurred to him. Even if it had, everything had happened too fast. There was also the very real possibility that the van hadn't even had plates on it in the first place.

"No, I didn't."

Shiki went silent on the other end of the phone. It was a contemplative silence that made Izaya's heartbeat increase with anxiety.

"Come back to my office. I think it's best if we stay together for now."

Izaya wasn't very far from Shiki's. They had only walked about five blocks before Shizuo had been abducted. However, Izaya felt as though time had slowed down considerably. It felt like hours, even days since they had left Shiki's office. Time was strange. On one hand, nothing felt too different, but on the other hand, he felt as though a tiny, invisible void had opened up inside him. So much had been taken from him in such a short span of time. However, he refused to let it get to him.

A few moments later, it was completely dark. The black sky hung heavily above him like a shroud. No stars. Too much light pollution. Soon, he arrived at Shiki's door. An indescribable, perplexing loneliness suddenly flowed through him as he knocked on the door and was led inside. The hallway was dark, as well. The smell of cigarette smoke made him feel even worse. He hated how much that particular smell reminded him of Shizuo.

Shiki was using a temporary office, as the bodies still resided in his usual one. It was further away from the entrance, up a flight of stairs. Izaya was pretty sure that had been done as a precaution. There had also been more Awakusu members at the door than usual. Increasing security was certainly a good idea, and yet he didn't feel any safer. These people were able to take Shizuo, so who knows what they could do to a few Awakusu grunts.

Even before an Awakusu member opened the door for him, Izaya could tell Shiki was on the phone . His voice rose and fell in volume, but his tone was completely businesslike. When he entered the office, he immediately noticed there were no windows at all. Shiki was leaning on the side of an old desk, one arm holding the elbow of the other, phone pressed against his ear. His face was stony. He hadn't even looked up when Izaya entered.

"I understand…No…Just what is it that you actually want?...How do I know that you—…That's not good enough…"

At first, Izaya had assumed that he was talking to his boss, or at least someone higher up the ladder than he was. After hearing bits and pieces of this conversation, however, he was almost positive that he wasn't talking to Dougen or any member of the Awakusu for that matter. The voice on the other side of the phone sounded warped somehow, even slightly robotic. It only took a second or two to for him to realize whom Shiki was actually talking to. He balled up his free hand at his side, trying to restrain himself from reaching out and snatching the phone away.

After a few minutes, Shiki closed his flip phone and grasped the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.

"Where is he?" Izaya asked, slightly taken aback at the hint of rage that had made its way into his voice.

Shiki didn't look up. He didn't speak.

"Shiki."

"They want to negotiate. Tomorrow, early morning. They've given me an address."

"Negotiate what?"

"They want you and me to go alone, unarmed."

"Shiki—"

"I need to call the boss, but I doubt there's much he can do at this point."

"Shiki, look at me," Izaya said, raising his voice, but not quite yelling. For the first time since he had entered, Shiki lifted his head and looked him in the eye. "What do they want to negotiate?"

"They have hostages."

Izaya's heart felt like it was going to explode out of his chest. He did his best to maintain a calm expression. Of course he knew. Of course, he knew that Shizuo was being held against his will. He could picture him in his mind. Knocked out, restrained by rope or chains. They would keep him unconscious as long as they had him. That was for sure. Dealing with an awake, newly pissed off Shizuo was almost impossible. Izaya could attest to that.

The full gravity of the situation, however, didn't hit him until Shiki next spoke.

"If we don't go, they'll kill them. If we go and bring others with us, they'll kill them. If we do what they say," Shiki paused and let out a deep breath, seemingly deflating his body of hope, "I think they'll kill all of us anyway."

He lit a cigarette between slightly trembling fingers. To Izaya's surprise, he smiled, or perhaps, grimaced. It had been hard to tell.

"You know what, Information Broker? I'd say we're all as good as dead."