Chapter 44
"This must be it," Paulie muttered, picking up the thick roll of sheets hidden deep within the safe.
Iceburg had sent him away to grab these documents, the fake ones, and run. It had meant making Paulie bait, which Iceburg had been reluctant to do, but Paulie still accepted the task nevertheless.
"So that must be the thing Mr. Iceburg's been hiding from us."
Paulie flinched and turned around. Shit, he hadn't even heard the door open. Two tall, masked men stood in the entrance way, staring him down.
"Hand it over to us. You can't appreciate it's value."
"Who the hell are you bastards?" Paulie frowned. "Where the hell did you come from?"
"The darkness, however we are a group that carries out justice. We are Cipher Pol 9, an undercover intelligence agency."
Paulie couldn't hear any commotion. There was no noise coming from the hallway behind them. What the hell was going on?
"No matter where you came from, you must have come across our craftsmen."
"Did we?"
Paulie went to protest that, then paled when he saw the blood dripping from the man's fingers. No way... They couldn't be dead... Please no...
"We might have... We might have not... I don't really remember the details."
"This is not longer something as simple as an assassination, huh?" Paulie said uneasily.
"I don't recall us calling it that." One of them held out his hand, the one who had been talking this entire time. "Now please hand over the valuable item of Mr. Iceburg's without a fuss. The World Government would like your involvement in this situation to be as quiet as possible."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Paulie hissed.
"They know you're a head witch. They've known that for years. It was never a secret you could keep hidden forever, so submit to our custody without a fuss. They would prefer to see a head witch unharmed."
Paulie grimaced. Shit, okay, he had an invisibility potion on him and a fireball one, maybe he could use the fireball one to distract them, drink the invisibility and bolt. That was probably his best option here, but before Paulie could do a thing, like reach into his pocket, something crashed into the wall behind him. Paulie cursed, jumping up, his heart beat shooting up like a rocket, and then the office span as he stumbled, barely catching himself against the table. Shit, he forgot, Law said about stress and his magic. He couldn't afford to faint right now.
"That's Straw Hat." The skull one spoke up, staring at the wall.
It took a moment for the room to stop spinning and for Paulie to focus his sight. Huh, they were right, Straw Hat was inside the wall, squirming. What the hell? Everything blurred again, and in an instant someone grabbed him and something sharp pricked his neck. Paulie swung out his fist, but the first masked man caught it easily as Paulie felt himself begin to relax against his will and grow limp.
"Oi, rope guy! Leave him alone!"
Paulie felt Iceburg's papers being slipped from his hand as he collapsed, hitting the floor with a thump as everything went black.
.::.
Law ran through the corridors, Bepo and Penguin right on his heels. There was bodies everywhere. They had been distracted by that explosion outside and went to investigate, only to run into that disguised woman on the rooftops. Everyone had kept calling her a man, but the voice and body shape was obvious enough. It was a powerful woman. He was about to run past the office when Penguin cursed.
"Luffy?" Penguin gasped.
"Traffy! Penguin! Bepo!" Luffy looked relieved, despite lying on the floor, pinned to it by cuffs. "Can you get me out of this? I'm stuck, and so is the rope guy. They injected him with something."
Law groaned. Luffy wasn't the only one. Paulie was too. Law leaned down next to him, checking his pulse, thankful it was steady. He must have been sedated. Bepo ripped the restraints off Luffy and Paulie.
"Thank you!" Luffy grinned, jumping up to his feet. "I gotta get Robin back!"
Paulie stirred, groaning softly. "L-Law?" he slurred, meeting his gaze with hazy eyes.
"You've been sedated. Try not to move too much," Law ordered. "Bepo, carry him."
"Aye, aye, sir!" Bepo saluted.
"These masked guys have been forcing Robin to do bad things. I've got to stop her before they make her kill Ice Pops!" Luffy insisted.
Law nodded. "I'll be joining you then. Iceburg is my patient now too."
"Then let's go! ROBIN!" Luffy charged off.
"Wrong way, idiot!" Law yelled.
Luffy slammed open another door. "ROBIN!"
"Subtly is still not your strong suit I see," Law sighed. "Next room over, Luffy-ya."
This time Luffy punched through the wall. "ROBIN!"
Law sighed. "Why couldn't I have ran into Sabo or Ace?"
Paulie gasped against Bepo's side. "W-What?"
Ah, right, Law could see why. That was troublesome. Lucci, Kaku, Kalfia, and a big random man. Nico Robin stood behind them, looking on edge. Most of Iceburg's top staff. How could he let so many of them infiltrate his own life so deeply? Iceburg was being a reckless fool.
"Oi, Luffy, where the hell have you been?" Zoro yelled at the doorway.
He had cut through it, instead of opening it like a normal person.
Law really hated how dramatic the Straw Hats were. It was so annoying. They were all as bad as each other.
"W-What the hell is going on?" Paulie cursed.
"P-Paulie, why didn't you run?" Iceburg groaned painfully from the floor.
He looked like shit again. Fantastic. Law had just healed the worst of his injuries too.
Law scowled. "Oi, you assholes are beating the crap out of one of my patients. Stop it, or I will stab you."
"W-Wait, that means the assassination was an inside job?" Nami gasped.
"Very clever," Law mused.
"Don't sound impressed, damn it, Law!" Paulie bristled, he was leaning heavily against Bepo, barely on his feet, but he was remaining stubbornly upright.
"Paulie," Lucci called. "To tell you the truth, we're Government Intelligence Agents."
"You fucker!" Paulie hissed. "You can talk just fine! You're the bull masked man from before!"
"I'm surprised you're even awake. That sedative was supposed to have knocked you out for the rest of the night," Lucci said coldly. "I already told you the Government would prefer to see a head witch remained unharmed. I see I'm going to have to knock you out again."
Iceburg inhaled sharply.
"Yes, the world government knows. It was good you trusted us with that information, Iceburg," Lucci said. "They wish to make a deal with Paulie, but after your death tonight I doubt he'll be so cooperative. He is rather hot headed-"
Luffy attacked in that moment, but his attack did no damage. Lucci disappeared and jabbed Luffy's neck, sending him crashing to the wall by Zoro's side.
"Luffy!" Zoro called out.
"Shit, he would have died if he hadn't been rubber!" Law scowled, drawing Kikoku.
"Trafalgar's right. If you had been flesh and blood, you would have gotten a hole in your neck and died choking," Lucci confirmed.
"Trafalgar, Straw Hat, why are you siding with Paulie?" Kaku asked.
"Because I have business with you people too," Luffy said, glowering.
"He's my patient, and brother I suppose," Law offered.
"Robin! Why are you with jerks like these guys?" Luffy yelled. "If you wanna leave us, then tell us why!"
"Luffy's right!" Nami insisted. "They said they work for the government, so why? You're a pirate and a head witch!"
"I already said goodbye to Cook and Doctor," Robin said, glaring. "Did you not tell them, Doctor?"
"I did! But I can't accept it! Why Robin?" Chopper yelled.
"To make my wish come true, which cannot ever happen while I'm with you," Robin said, voice cold and sharp. "I don't care what sacrifices need to happen to make it come true."
Zoro scowled. "So that's why you set your friends up to be assassins without any hesitation? What's this wish of yours?"
"None of your business."
Law snorted. "I think it is, considering you're making them outlawed here when they need a ship."
Robin frowned.
"This is insane," Iceburg hissed. "Are you out of your mind, Nico Robin? Do you realise what you're about to do?"
"You no longer have the right to say anything!" Robin snapped. "Keep your mouth shut-"
Law opened up a room just as hands appeared around Iceburg. He swapped Iceburg with a piece of rubble at his side before Robin could do him any further damage. She glared at him, while Law smirked.
"I wonder if those hands of yours can be cut off, sister," Law said. "I'm tempted to test it."
Robin's glare darkened.
"What a scary look," Law teased.
"What are you doing, Robin?" Luffy yelled. "Don't give Traffy that look! He's protecting his patient!"
"Are you really our enemy now, Robin?" Chopper cried.
Lucci cut them off, putting himself between them and Robin. "Sorry to cut in, but I'm going to need you all to stop now. We have to find an important person now, so we have to hurry. Kalifa, how much time do we have?"
"Two minutes," she said, eyeing her pocket watch.
"This is sudden news for you, but this building will be on fire in two minutes," Lucci said.
"An effective way of getting rid of evidence," Law said, impressed.
"How do you know such terrifying things?" Paulie hissed.
"If you don't wish to burn to death, I suggest you leave the building immediately," Lucci suggested. "That is, if you can."
"It looks like they're intent on killing us off," Zoro said. "And Nico Robin is on their side. Luffy, were you able to accept her leaving the ship?"
"HOW COULD I?!" Luffy screamed.
"There's so need to shout like that," Lucci chided. "Soon the rooms on the bottom floor will be on fire. A shame pirates tend to burn things so much, but I suppose with you lot being the culprits, anyone will believe it."
"You bastards," Paulie bristled.
"Laying the blame on us!" Nami scowled. "You assholes!"
"You guys are already criminals, so no harm done," the big guy said.
"I'll go ahead and leave now," Robin said, sliding up her hood.
"Yeah, you completed your job. Thanks." Lucci nodded.
"Wait, Robin!" Luffy yelled. "I won't allow it!"
"Goodbye."
"D-Don't let Nico Robin go..." Iceburg breathed out sharply behind him.
"I don't really care about her right now," Law said.
He was too busy watching the big guy dodge all of Luffy's attacks. It was interesting, watching his body move like that, even more interesting watching him float in the air. Kalfia and Kaku went to kick Luffy from behind, but Law opened up another room, much to everyone's surprise.
"I think you forgot something," Law said, and cut off their legs with Kikoku. "I'm here too, remember?"
"Trafalgar-" Big guy glared, but Law swapped him out with a vase of flowers across the hall, just as the other two reattached their legs.
They hadn't even batted an eye.
"Thanks, Traffy!" Luffy bolted past, heading straight for Robin, but Lucci kicked him back across the room.
Zoro attacked Kaku, the pair trading blows, but Zoro shattered his swords.
"Luffy, quick!" Zoro yelled.
"You're quite confident taking your eyes off me, Roronoa," Kaku said, raising his finger.
"Look out!" Law yelled.
"Finger pistol!"
Fuck, he got in one blow, but Law managed to teleport Kaku across the room, trading him with a bedside table. Law barely blocked Kalfia's whip with his sword and scowled.
"You again!" Law snarled. "Annoying rooftop woman!"
"Captain!" Bepo cried out.
"I'm fine. Just stay back. Keep the others safe," Law ordered.
Lucci had caught Luffy too, this time holding his face. Luffy kicked and punched, but Lucci didn't let go. Robin used that chance to get away. Law cursed and teleported Kalfia out too, sending her across the hallway to where the big guy was.
"Penguin, Bepo, get back to the ship," Law ordered. "Take Paulie and Iceburg with you."
"But-" Penguin protested.
"Captain's orders!" Law snapped, and teleported them both out the manor with Paulie. He was about to teleport Iceburg out too, but Lucci's boot caught his gut, and send Law crashing through back into the room behind him.
Shit! That hurt!
"Don't make things difficult, Trafalgar Law," Lucci said as Law's room collapsed.
Law panted, breathlessly, but remained lying in the rubble. Not good, he was out of pretty much all his energy. He must have blacked out for a second or two, because when he came to Lucci was turning into a giant cat.
For fucks sake. Law hated Water 7. He hated it with all of his hate.
He hated the finger pistols and the sky walks and the tempest kicks that was now blocking off all the craftsmen from coming up the stairs and witnessing this big fat mess of hell Law happened to wander into by talking to Luffy. If he hadn't seen Luffy, Law could have just enjoyed the witch shop, but no, he had to talk to Luffy.
Luffy who had just been thrown out the building. FOR FUCKS SAKE! And there went Zoro. Law groaned, dammit, he couldn't open another room. He had to get Nami and Chopper out. Chopper was buried under rubble.
"Don't bother," Kalfia said, and Law winced when he was forced on to his back, a pair of seastone cuffs clamped over his wrists.
"Dammit," Law groaned.
"You've made things more difficult for us," she sighed. "We were going to take Paulie into custody too. Where is he?"
"I launched him into the sea," Law offered.
"Liar," she scoffed.
"Sedate him, Kalfia. We'll secure Paulie after we find Franky," Lucci ordered.
It was official. Law hated Water 7. He hated it so much.