Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Rosario Vampire. I am merely twisting the creator's vision into my own dream. If the supernatural, sexuality, or violence is offensive to you, then you should not read this.

Chapter 299

The problem with fighting an organization like Tate no Kai was the lack of a solid target. Trying to remove such a group is like pulling weeds in a garden. You can never be quite sure you got them, unless you get them all, all the way down to the roots. The police cannot fight an open war against a group that blends in with the rest of the population.

The strategy in the beginning was to look for and arrest any and all members of Tate no Kai. The problem with that became clear very fast. The plan evolved in to more of a long hunt than a stand up fight. The police and the yakuza still took action when a clear target presented itself, but both sides focused on the long term goal, with a long term plan, to put a conclusive end to Tate no Kai. Easy targets were often allowed to go unchallenged, both to let Tate no Kai think they were safer than they really were, and to use the easy targets to lead the way to more important ones.

Even though there was a long term plan in place, the police still had to be seen taking some action. Eventually Tate no Kai had suffered enough that the decision was made to raise the stakes, so they started using firebombing attacks. The night club trap was the police response, and had been a successful one.

Tate no Kai had been hurt by the trap. Being out maneuvered and having some of its members caught in the act and arrested had been a punch in the nose to the organization. The following press conference had been a slap in the face. Of course Tate no Kai was going to have to strike back.

The General of Tate no Kai acted out of ego, which he had been doing all along. He wanted revenge for being punished, because like any spoiled child, he did not believe that he could be in the wrong. He tried to think calmly as he planed his retaliation, but in his anger, his ambition, his desire for blood was too great.

The General had heard one of his minions grabbing for power, calling himself a major. This was acceptable, because it would impress the peons, and it would give The General someone very specific to punish if the next attack did not go according to plan. While The Major was trying to set his own trap for the police, The General ordered some lesser attacks to keep the enemy too busy to see what was really happening.

At the same time that The General was plotting and scheming, his opponents were putting their heads together to plan how to shut him down. This time the meeting was being held in the mock night club. With time running out, it was agreed that putting on a show of the club being a real business would help the over all plan. Anybody watching the place would see that the police tape had been pulled down. The uniformed police that had been guarding the 'crime scene' from the last raid had been called away. Men and women were coming and going, with some clearly dressed for business, while others were dressed for something else all together.

XxX

The three men sat at a table not visible from the front door of the club. They were screened from any casual observes by some plain clothed police, an assortment of 'family members' from Ross's side of the street, and a mix of people that lived among the normal people, often between the cracks and in the shadows, of the human world.

"We have two days left," Tanaka was explaining his view of the situation. "I am trying to make sure I have enough people ready, but there have been a rash of minor attacks all over which is demanding some kind of response. It looks like Tate no Kai is trying to stretch my resources out."

"Didn't you say the informant told you they were going to bring twenty men next time?" Ross asked.

"That's right," Tanaka nodded.

"So I would guess that they are bringing a hundred," Ross nodded. "Because they want to spill blood and make you look bad."

"That is what I am expecting," Tanaka agreed. "That is why it will be tight to pull in too many men while not tipping my hand."

"Well I have men I can throw in," Ross said. "But I'd be surprised if you accepted them."

"I wish I could," Tanaka sighed. "But I need this to be a police operation."

"Well nobody should object if a few police veterans who happened to be in the area ended up helping out," Tsukune spoke up. "Inari and I will be having coffee down the street, if anybody asks."

"Well that's two more," Ross offered.

"Closer to twenty," Tanaka countered.

"And of course with everything happening at night," Tsukune smirked. "I am sure things will be very confusing. With some bright lights where we want Tate no Kai paying attention, there will be some dark, deep shadows. There is no telling what a man might trip over in the dark like that."

"You're going to be doing spooky shit aren't you," Ross accused.

"I may have some friends that are interested in protecting themselves if they happen to end up in the wrong place," Tsukune explained. "I mean, a coffee shop is a good place for friends to get together, but not everybody would have to come and go on the same schedule."

"I foresee a headache coming on," Tanaka gave another sigh.

"Don't worry," Tsukune said. "On paper I will be having a small company 'team building' meeting. And since I run a security company, it should not be difficult to understand that some of my people prefer late nights."

"How many people do you plan to have at your meeting?" Tanaka asked.

"Myself and Inari included," Tsukune answered. "Just eight."

"Just eight?" Ross raised an eyebrow.

"They all spent time with the Student Police at my high school," Tsukune said with a note of pride.

Ross and Tanaka traded looks. They had seen the aftermath of the ball that Fairy Tail had crashed. Eight of those people would be worth a lot in a fight.

"While you guys are going to be dropping a hammer on Tate no Kai here," Ross said to get his mind off of the scene of violence he remembered. "My people are going to put some screws to them elsewhere."

"What do you have planned?" Tanaka asked with a hint of worry.

"We've got a lot of their peons, flunkies, and hangers-ons identified," Ross answered. "We've harassed them now and then, but mostly just to keep them stirred up so we can watch them. The families are going to use the opportunity to clean house. The police are the modern Samurai, ready to face the enemy head on, and more power to them. My people are less... worried about appearances. We'll cut into them while their backs are turned."

"Sounds like it is going to be a busy night all around," Tsukune observed.

"Yeah," Ross nodded. "Makes me feel bad for Tanaka's buddies."

"Why is that?" Tanaka demanded.

"All those poor police that are going to have a really busy couple of days failing reports," Ross answered with a cocky grin. "There's going to be... you know what. I better not say anything. I don't want to spoil the surprise."

"Thank you so much," Tanaka said in a dry voice.

"Well I guess we have a plan," Tsukune said. "Now if you will excuse me, I need to make sure some of my connections know what to watch out for."

"Party at my club in three days," Ross said. "We're all going to be ready for a drink by then."

There was no argument over the idea.

XxxxxxX

Tsukune was feeling worn thin thirty hours later. Kokasan was just one of the people he had to meet up with to let know what was going to be happening, and what he hoped for from them. He had given Ruby an assignment, with the promise of a reward if she managed the near impossible withing the limited time allowed. At his office, Tsukune had to make some calls to adjust schedules, because there were some very specific people he wanted to have available come the night of the full moon.

In truth, everybody was expecting Tate no Kai to attack early. A part of the pressure was from making every effort to be ready at least a day early, and to have a plan in place to not only keep all the resources available for a few days after, just in case. There was also the need to have the logistics in place, not just to support the personnel, but to move them, in case the whole thing was a distraction from a real attack somewhere else.

It was that last possibility that really had Tsukune on the move. He was doing his best to make sure that, if Tate no Kai gathered in its members in any large number, he would have a contact that would be in place to take notice and would be willing and able to pass on word of it. Tsukune had not told Moka or the others all the details, because he did not want them worrying about him, but he had been pulling on his reputation as a fighter, as well as his financial resources, as he built his network of contacts.

It had been an expansion of some of the things he had learned all the way back to his first year at Youkai Academy. When he had been in one city doing the bait act for the police, he had kept his senses open and had found an officer that he later recruited to be a part of Tanaka's team. He had also discovered an Anmo living in the area. Anmo went in the guise of an old beach comber who bullied any litterbugs he came across. One of the first times that Tsukune had actually drank alcohol had been to encourage a sense of friendship with the Anmo. The disciplinarian had been one of the easier recruits for Tsukune's network.

Some of Tsukune's network were influenced by what had happened back during his school years. Tengu, once Tsukune satisfied them that he was the same person that had befriended and supported Akira, were willing to pass on anything they learned. Of course not all tengu are as reasonable as to work simply for the greater good. Some demanded gifts, which is why Tsukune learned of the importance of good saki when negotiating with youkai.

Some youkai had natures that made them protective of others, or at least of their own territory. These were usually willing to pass on word if they thought it was worth it. Small gifts of alcohol offered as a reward for accurate information were usually acceptable. The old brewer back in Mononoke Village close to the academy was happy to do business with Tsukune and provide the product of his craft, for appropriate compensation of course.

Some youkai took more convincing that it was in their better interest to keep a watch for Tate no Kai. One he was very careful to never tell Moka or the others about had detected Tsukune in its territory. Tsukune had been running down a lead from a phone tap at the time. The local spirit was a nearly forgotten lesser kami. At one time it had been honored by the local farmers as a war god and protector. When it had detected Tsukune's strong, and strange, aura in its area, the old kami had stirred from its resting place to challenge the intruder. Likewise, Tsukune had sensed the old spirit of the area. He had "gone for a walk" away from possible witnesses.

In a place that could have been mistaken as a vacant lot, the two faced each other. The Kami had challenged the outsider, blustering and posturing. Tsukune had offered polite respect, and tried to explain what his mission in the area was about. The kami, after rousing itself, had not been interested in politics or world events. It had been cranky and when Tsukune had been polite, but not intimidated, it did not take it well. When the fighting was over, Tsukune had been near exhausted but still standing. The kami, while more powerful, potentially, had been knocked down twice. When it got back on it's feet and shook out its mane of wild hair it gave the outsider a grin so full of fangs to make a lion envious, and then started laughing.

Tsukune had been careful to never tell anybody about that fight. The laughter of the kami had filled the air with the sound of thunder. It had been honored as a war god after all, and it had been an invigorating fight. It turned out that the ground where the fight had taken place was the remains of a neglected shrine. Tsukune had admitted to Moka that he had made a connection with a local spirit, by spending a day helping to clean up the garden of the shrine. He just left out the part about the fight that had torn up the garden. Fortunately it had been mostly weeds to begin with.

After thirty hours of running all over Japan had Tsukune feeling worn out. Some of his contacts needed gifts to show he still respected the service they were providing. A few needed to be wrestled, sometimes just arm wrestled, to satisfy egos that they were at least following someone with more going for them than just hollow words.

Tsukune was feeling warn out. He had been missing sleep trying to make sure everything would be ready in time. Even Hiru was ready to take a rest after all of their running around. He could feel her fatigue. He offered soothing thoughts as he pulled on his helmet and mounted for the trip home.

"A good rest is waiting for both of us," Tsukune said.

Tsukune was not looking forward to the coming night. He had stayed out of the direct action the previous time, not because he wasn't a police officer, but because he did not want to risk hurting anybody. Next time however... Next time, Tate no Kai was going to be out for blood. It was going to be a real fight, because both sides were surely plotting an ambush. In a fight like that, there was the real chance that Tsukune was going to have to help out.

If things went badly, he may have to kill.