To Be Loved By You
Written by Remi
~ 3 ~
The downtown plaza was already overtaken by a mass of confusion by the time he got there. Sweating and out of breath, he glanced around. Everywhere he turned, he saw people scrambling and screaming in fear. The few that weren't able to run were lying on the ground either because of their injuries or judging by the blood on their clothes, they were dead. A feeling of dread crawled upon his back as he caught a glimpse of one of the bodies.
He quickly pushed his way through the wild mob to get a closer look. His heart immediately stopped. In disbelief, he stared at the unmoving body on the ground. It was of a woman. Her eyes were closed as if she were asleep. However, the red blotches on her kimono and the dark pool of liquid of the same color she laid in quickly squashed that thought.
He opened his mouth but nothing came out. He was suddenly impaired of speech. Not able to talk, he acted physically. Thrashing his way through the crowd, he ran up to her. Dropping to his knees at her side, he reached out for her. His fingers were trembling as he gently brushed away the dark flowing hair from her face. Unlike her kimono, her face was not covered by blood. It was the same beautiful face he had seen each day in his life. He knew each of her features so well that they as might have been burnt deep into his mind. Except, the only difference was it now lacked the healthy color that was so much a part of her. She was pale and lifeless . . .
"Ayako . . . " He hoarsely said the name.
She did not stir or gave the slightest indication that she had heard him. And her skin felt cold to the touch.
"Please wake up sweetheart." He gently shook her shoulders.
Still, she would not response. Unmoving, she lay there, indifferent to his pleas.
"Ayako, please get up." He pleaded once more. "Don't you know that our daughters need you? That I need you?"
He was met by silence. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pushed back the screams and chaos around him into the distant. Desperately hoping that once he opened his eyes again, all this would just be a dream.
It wasn't.
He screamed. Cursing the heavens that had brought them together and only be so cruel as to take her away again. He held her body close. Gently, he touched her cheek. Leaning down, he kissed her cold lips.
"I love you." He whispered hoarsely as he sobbed. "I love you so much." He held onto her tightly, never wanting to let go. But eventually he knew he had too. For she was gone, forever taken away from him.
Today, countless records had been broken in Soun's life. He had never have so many firsts. Added to the long list, this was the first time he had ever cried so hard and felt so much pain.
***
In silence, Kasumi sat by the table in the living room. A thoughtful expression occupied her face as she gazed disinterestedly at the koi pond in the front yard. For the last several minutes, she had been staring at the unruffled surface as she thought back of the day her father had dropped her younger sister, Nabiki, and her off at their nanny's place. Since then, she had felt something was wrong. It was a nagging sensation that tugged at the back of her mind, refusing to go away. It didn't help either with the steady sad eyes on her nanny's face and the look of grief that her father wore. It was a constant reminder that something was indeed amiss.
With a frown, she let out a breath of frustration. She had questioned her nanny many times but couldn't get a straight answer. She had tried to ask her father, but her nanny would only intervene stating that he needed time alone. Yet, she could hear the sound of crying coming from her father's bedroom. If her father was crying, shouldn't she be there to comfort him like he did for her? She was confused. The only thing she could come up with was that her nanny was hiding something. But about what, she wasn't sure. Maybe, she could find this out from her mother when she comes home.
"Now, where are mother and Akane?" She frowned at the thought. She hadn't seen her mother and baby sister for two days now, and her nanny gave no clues as to their whereabouts. She sighed in despair as she looked at the potstickers before her.
She had tried to improve her skill in making potstickers again. It seem she still needed a lot more practice, no matter what her father say. Even if she had made perfect shaped potstickers, she doubted her father would be able to enjoy it in the mood he was in. Besides, her mother would not be here to praise her. And her baby sister would not get a chance to try one of her favorite dish, this time properly made . . .
She glared at the potstickers before her. It was a horrid sight, with stuffing sticking out at the edges and holes broken out on the ones that were over-stuffed. Why did she even think she could make these? In frustration, she flung the plate to the floor.
The potstickers fell like mud, sticking to the floor. While the plate shattered as it hit the ground, breaking the silence that had very much became a part of the dojo.
"Kasumi? What happen?" Her nanny called out as she rushed into the living room to investigate. Noting the shattered plate and the squashed potstickers, it didn't take her nanny long to find an answer. "Oh my . . . Kasumi?"
She stared at the hands on her lap guiltily. Although, she felt her action was justified and that she had a good reason to be angry. She still felt shameful for her outburst. Out of habit, she began to wring her fingers.
"Nanny?"
Noticing the hesitation in her voice, her nanny sat down beside her and gave her undivided attention. "Yes dear?"
"I-I ruined everything." She confessed.
A comforting hand was placed on her shoulders as the sound of her nanny's soft voice reached her ears. "It's quite all right dear, you could always make more."
It was a reply, she anticipated. Her nanny was always kind and patient with her. But her nanny's tender words weren't what she needed this time. It won't help in soothing the anxiety nor hold back the enlarging span of fear within her. Sympathy wasn't what she needed. She needed to know the truth.
"But they won't be here to try it, will they?" Her murmur was barely audible but she knew her nanny heard her just as she would have shouted it out.
A lapse of silence filled the air, before her nanny got out in a hoarse whisper, "Kasumi, why you say that?"
Her hands began to tremble. Firmly, she clasped them together and focused her eyes on her nanny's face. The face was of a forty-year-old woman. A face that once looked more youthful than it did now, due to the radiant smile that occasionally occupied it. Lately however, that smile had been noticeably absent.
"Please tell me the truth nanny." Her words came out pleadingly soft. Barely in a whisper, she demanded, "Why is Daddy crying? Why aren't mother and Akane home?"
Her nanny didn't response and chose that moment to look away. But it wasn't done fast enough. She still caught the glimpse of moisture in her nanny's eyes. Which was all that was needed to confirm what she suspected all along.
"Something happen, didn't it?" Her ragged voice came out accusingly.
"Kasumi . . . " Her nanny gestured helplessly. "I'm so sorry."
Clenching her hands, her eyes brimmed with tears as her nails dug painfully into her palms. Yet, this pain was minor in comparison to the pain she felt as her once perfect world shattered. Each of the broken pieces fell to piece deep into her heart. Finally, what she had feared to think about and had tried so hard to deny for days was being thrown in her face. The inevitable had happened.
"Nanny!" She threw herself in her nanny's waiting arms.
"It's going to be all right, dear . . ." Her nanny tried to soothe her.
But mere words and gestures weren't enough. She wasn't strong like her mother and younger sisters. She was too much of her father's daughter. The pain was unbearable. It hurts so much that she simply has to cry.
"No, it won't." She cried as endless tears trailed down her face. "It's never going to be . . . "
Her words strike painfully true. For she knew from this day on, nothing would ever be the same again.
Five days later, much of the answers she sought were finally laid to rest. Silently, Kasumi stood next to her nanny, holding her hand. At her nanny's other side was her younger sister, Nabiki. They both look on quietly as their father placed a batch of white orchids on a gravestone engraved with their mother's name.
***
It was a week after the burial of her mother, before two men dropped by for a visit. They were in their mid-twenties. One had dark black hair. The other was of fair brown color. They looked both sharp and handsome, dressed in their business suits. If she hadn't been feeling so miserable, she might have been even charmed by their friendly smiles when they greeted her on the porch. Instead, she ignored them and went back to gazing at the dirt under her feet, as she sat at the edge of the porch.
"Nabiki, why didn't you tell me we have guests?" Her nanny came out just as the two men tried to get her attention. Seeing how she wasn't going to response, her nanny sighed and turned to the strangers. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?"
"I'm Detective Mitsuo Toda." The lighter hair man spoke as he pulled out his wallet and presented his badge. Clanking his head toward the dark hair man at his side, he introduced the other. "And this is Detective Kazu Okamoto. We would like to see Mr. Soun Tendou."
"Oh my, please follow me."
"Thank you." Detective Toda said as the other detective nodded.
With a detached gaze, Nabiki watched the two men followed after her nanny. Slowly, they disappeared from view through the hallway that led to her father's room. She wanted to follow after them, but it would be a waste of effort. Her nanny would only serve to stop her, not wanting her to interrupt what she deemed as 'adult business'. She knew better. The detectives were going to talk about her mother's death and her baby sister's disappearance with her father. They thought she was too young to know. She snorted at the absurdity. She could take in the news of her mother's death, what else can't she handle?
She clenched her hands in impatience and tried to keep herself calm as she waited. It seemed like an eternity before her nanny came back through the hallway. She quickly turned her attention back to the dirt on the ground. Even without looking, she could still sense her nanny's eyes on her. After a moment of observation, her nanny shook her head and retreated out of the room.
With a sigh of relief, Nabiki look on as her nanny slowly made her way though the living room, back to her work in the kitchen. Once her nanny disappeared from view, she quickly got up to her feet. As quietly as she could, she rushed down the hallway. She stopped as she stood in front of a set of closed sliding doors. Slowly, she reached out and placed her palms against the wood panels. The doors felt cold to the touch, sending shivers up her arms. She shook involuntary at the sensation and clenched her sweaty hands into fists.
Silently, she stared at the sliding doors as numerous thoughts raced through her mind. Should she be doing this? She asked herself. She knew her father had good intentions for keeping Kasumi and her in the dark. Most likely, it was to protect them. But she wanted to know what really happen. No. She corrected firmly. She needed to know, and it was about time she gotten some answers too. With her mind set, she carefully pushed the doors ajar, wide enough for one of her eyes to peer through . . .
***
Kazu Okamoto accepted the picture that Soun Tendou handed to him. As he examined them, he prompted his partner, Mitsuo Toda next to him to begin the questions.
"We're sorry to bring this up at this time, Mr. Tendou, but we need more information to put away the person that murdered your wife and find your missing daughter."
Soun nodded his head sadly in reply. "I understand, Detective Toda. But I have already told you what I know. I'm afraid I don't have anything more that could be of use to you."
"We really would appreciate it if you could go over the information you gave us last time, Mr. Tendou." Mitsuo pulled a notepad from his jacket with his pen set to write. "Can you relate back to the phone conversation you had with that stranger?"
Soun nodded. "I received an anonymous call from a man at 6:32 pm on that day."
Mitsuo raised his eyebrows in question.
"I knew Detective Toda, because my eyes were on the clock all along." Soun responded.
"Why were you keeping your eyes on the clock, Mr. Tendou?" Kazu inquired as he pocketed the picture that Soun gave him earlier.
"My wife, Ayako, should have been home with Akane by five. I was worried when she hadn't come home by then, and I have these feelings . . . "
"Instincts?" He put in helpfully.
Soun nodded. "I have a gut feeling that something was about to happen, and it did." Breathing deeply, he continued. "It was then when a man called and urged me to bring my family to safety right away. He sounded serious and so certain about the predicament we were in, that I decided to do as he suggested."
Soun looked toward his partner and him for support. "I thought there's no harm in being extra careful."
They gave Soun a look of sympathy as they nodded their heads in understanding.
"I brought my daughters, Kasumi and Nabiki to Mrs. Tomino's house. She was to look after them while I went in search for Ayako and Akane. I got to the downtown plaza and that was how I found Ayako . . . " Soun choked back a sob.
"We're really sorry about what happen to your wife. What we need to know is did you recognize who the person on the phone was?" Mitsuo urged.
Soun shook his head.
"Did any unusual things happen to you and your family before this phone call?" His partner pressed on.
"No-" Soun stopped in the mid of his reply as a thoughtful look occupied his face. "Four months ago, Hojo Yamada and his men did came by . . . "
"You don't mean Hojo Yamada, the yak-" Kazu watched helplessly as Mitsuo exclaimed in disbelieve before he could cut in.
"The business tycoon?" Kazu raised an inquiring eyebrow at Soun before giving Mitsuo a look of warning.
"The one and the same." Soun spitted out grimly.
Mitsuo directed him a knowing glance. A sign, that it was time to get straight to the point. "What did he want Mr. Tendou?" He finally asked.
"He wanted to buy my wife's family sword."
"Did he asked for anything else?" Mitsuo prompted.
Soun gave a negatively response.
Frowning, Kazu rubbed his hands thoughtfully. "All Hojo Yamada wanted was your wife's sword . . . Was it valuable?"
"In a way, yes. The sword had been passed down from generations to generations from my wife's side of the family. It's more of her family heirloom. But . . . " Soun looked away uncertainly.
"Mr. Tendou, if you hold back any information, it's not going to help us put away the killer or find your missing daughter." He fixedly gazed at Soun. "You can trust us, what you tell us now will not be lead to other ears."
It was a long moment before Soun finally consented. "Detective Okamoto, my wife's family sword would mean a lot to those that know of the Masamori."
"The legendary cursed sword . . . " He murmured more to himself then to Soun.
"I see that you have heard of it." Soun said grimly.
"My grandfather collects swords. Did you give Hojo Yamada the Masamori?"
"We s-sold it to them . . . "
Kazu nodded, ignoring the doubtful glance that Mitsuo threw at him.
"Did you see Hojo Yamada anymore since then?" Mitsuo questioned.
"No."
"Thank you Mr. Tendou, every bit of information you could provide helps. We'll get back to you as soon as we have something." His partner's statement was a bit blunt, but they both knew for now there was nothing else to ask. Besides, they have a new lead to follow upon.
"Wait! D-did you find anything about my daughter Akane?"
They glanced uncertainly at each other before Mitsuo responded, "I'm sorry, we haven't located her yet. We do have witnesses-"
"But the information we received is not conclusive at this time. We will call you if we get any more leads." He interjected and handed Soun a business card. "Here, why don't you take this? If you remember or know of anything else that might be of use to us, please give us a call."
Jadedly, Soun nodded as he took the business card.
As they exited the room to the hallway, Kazu caught a glimpse of movement as someone disappeared around the corner. He followed.
"Detective Okamoto, this way." Soun called out behind him.
Kazu stopped in his track as he stood in the corner. It was a dead end except for a set of stairs that lead to the upper floor. His eyes went over the boxes that were placed under the stairways for storage. He immediately pickup up the small figure hunched between the boxes, trying to hide and stayed within the shadows.
He didn't let his eyes lingered on the little eavesdropper for long. He walked back down the hall toward Mitsuo and Soun. "Sorry, took a wrong turn."
***
Nabiki quickly stepped away from the boxes she hid between once she heard the detectives and her father walked away from the hallway to the porch. Silently, she tried to calm her nerves. For a moment there, she had thought Detective Okamoto had saw her.
With a sigh of relief, she shakily made her way upstairs to her bedroom. Closing the door behind her, she sank to the floor. Only the sound of her own breathings filled the air as she stared blankly at the carpet.
Her mother was murdered.
The fact kept repeating itself in her head. She wrapped her arms around her knees and let herself cry for the first time since her mother had been buried.
***
"Why did you stop me, Kazu?" In question, Mitsuo Toda glanced at his partner, Kazu Okamoto, as they walked to their car, parked across the street. "He might have forgotten to mention something." He added.
"Tendou told us what he knew already. It is likely Yamada had forced him to sell the Masamori. I doubt he would want to admit this openly for fear of what Yamada would do to him and his daughters. That is, if we decided to go question Yamada about the purchase." Kazu stated as they both got in the car, "And the witnesses, the less details he know about them, the better."
"Why? Shouldn't he know about the progress we're making?"
"Not if it isn't going to bring his daughter back to him or find the person that killed his wife. Think of what Tendou would do if he knew that there are several witnesses that actually had seen his wife being gunned down, but are reluctant to talk. Heck, some even saw what had happened to his daughter." Kazu pointed. "We can't blame the witnesses for being afraid to come forward since the ones that did, turned up dead. If Tendou knew about this, he's likely going to get riled up and tried to find answers on his own. And if he does . . . " He ended with a grimace. "His daughters will end up being orphans."
Mitsuo knew well, what his partner was implying. The yakuza were ruthless and aren't to be mess with. He had quickly learned that lesson from his rookie days, after having seen numerous gruesome scenes of those that had got in the wrong side with them. The yakuza weren't just cruel. They were outright cold-blooded.
His partner was right. It was better for Tendou not to know for now. Involving him, would only lead to more trouble and perhaps more deaths. They are going to have to take care of this themselves.
He inserted the key in the ignition and glanced over at Kazu. "Do you think Yamada is responsible for murdering Tendou's wife and his missing daughter?"
"I wouldn't put it pass him. What doesn't include that bastard?" Kazu snorted in disgust. With a frown, he stated, "We can't leave out Sakuma either. He had been causing quite a stir lately."
Mitsuo sighed. "Yamada is hard enough to deal with as it is, now Sakuma?"
"Let them fight it out. We'll just gather the cleaning crew when they both screw up."
"Hell, that definitely saves us a lot of work." Mitsuo grinned.
Kazu pulled out a picture and flashed it to him. It was picture of a beautiful little girl with short bluish hair in a white kimono with red flowers. Her amber eyes glint brightly as she smiled in pose for the camera. Soun Tendou had given them this picture earlier. Ironically, it was a picture Ayako Tendou had taken before she left for the market square that fateful day.
"What we really need to do now is to concentrate on finding the whereabouts of Tendou Akane." With a crocked smile, Kazu added. "If Yamada is behind this, I want to know what he need her for. To collect the Masamori is one thing, but a kid?"
His partner raised an eyebrow at him. He recognized the look well. It was one Kazu used when he was set and determined to get to the bottom of things, which unfortunately was also the cause for the many troubles they got into. Their Chief haven't all been too happy about that either from the chastening that they got each time a complaint had been placed on his desk.
"I don't think my file could afford another mark." He cringed at the thought. Shaking his head ruefully, he turned the key in the ignition and started the car. It did not start as it should. He tried again and felt the engine died the second time.
"Damn old piece of junk!" He cursed. Unlike other officers, they had to drive this old beat up car. Their request for a new one had been denied because of their tarnished records. He sighed and prepared to start the engine for the third time.
"Stop! Get the hell out of the car!" Kazu yelled.
He didn't question Kazu's request. He just does it, trusting Kazu's instinct to know better. Wasting no time, Mitsuo throw himself out of the car as Kazu did.
A mere few seconds after they dashed down the empty street, a loud explosion filled the air, followed by intense heat bearing on their backs. The shear intensity of the blast threw them forward.
"Shit!" Mitsuo cursed as he felt himself being propelled forward. He brought his arms before him to brace for the fall, but it still wasn't enough to protect him. He cried out in pain as his chest slammed hard against the pavement. "That hurts . . . "
Kazu spitted the dirt out of his mouth. "I'll take this pain over being roast alive anytime."
Mitsuo groaned in agreement.
Carefully picking themselves of the ground, they turned to look back at the burning blaze that once had been their car. Civilians now crowded the street and gazed at the disaster in wonder.
"I'll be darn." Mitsuo dusted the dirt off his suit and brushed his disarray hair from his face. "Seemed like someone doesn't want us to continue our investigation.
With a grim smile, Kazu stated, "That's because they know we're hot on their ass."
They looked at each other, their eyes clearly reflecting similar thoughts. Silently, they turned back to watch the red flames that consumed their car as it climbed higher in the sky, dissipating into dark smoke.
Mitsuo crossed his arms, before thoughtfully pointing out. "You know what, Kazu?"
"What?" Kazu directed him a questioning gaze.
Grinning, he answered. "At least now we get a new car."
***
Once again, Kojiro found himself being led by a manservant through the mansion to his boss office. It seemed he had been here too many times lately, going over the details about the job he did two weeks ago. But he recounted what there was to know already. Why did his boss want to see him again? It could only mean one thing. Trouble. At the thought, he began to feel perspiration soaked his collar and caused his shirt to clung to his back under the suit he had on. He silently cursed himself for getting scared so easily and followed after the servant. They stopped as they stood in a tall graceful hallway. The walls were painted in a light cream color and were decorated by long rich dark red drapes and the smooth floor and walls were layout by marble.
His boss was known to like fine things, and it looked like he didn't hold back at all when it came to making his dwelling more presentable. Kojiro looked enviously at the grand display before him. He may not know much about art, but it doesn't take a genius to appraise the value of the items before him.
His eyes were settled on a huge set of maroon doors at the end of the hallway. Embedded in the wood was his boss's insignia, a large oriental dragon made entirely of gold except for its eyes, claws, and mane which were all set with jewels. The dragon was arranged so intricately that it appeared to bore fiercely down upon those that dare stand before. The magnificent beast's detail shiny gold scales glint brilliantly against the hallway light. As a pair of emerald jewels eyes in the size of his fist seemed to glare at him. And its ruby red manes flare out on its back effectively inducing an aura of power. And its claws, also accented with small rubies flexed in readiness to strike. The color of the rubies was so red that it made him wonder if blood could be redder.
He swallowed at the thought. It didn't do anything to lessen the building apprehension since he got here. He wiped the sweat off his palms onto his pants and clenched them tight as it started to quiver. It didn't help matter either as he noted the heavy security in the hallway.
At his boss office's entrance stood a total of eighteen men. Standing three meters apart, nine men were lined up on each side of the hallway, guarding the entrance through the doors. They were all dressed up in their fine attires-dark suits with matching ties and no doubt with their weapons laid hidden under their lapels.
The guard closest to him stepped forward and halted the servant. "Who's he?"
Irked by the question, Kojiro frowned. Even after so many years of service under Hojo, some underlings still do not recognize him.
"I am Mr. Watanabe to you. Here to see the boss." He answered himself.
"Hold on a second." The guard said as he pulled out his handset. Speaking through the radio, he stated, "I have a Watanabe here, asking to see the boss."
"One moment." The reply from the hand radio came from a footman at the end of the hallway near the set of doors. The footman knocked on the large doors before pushing it opened and headed in. A few seconds later, the footman came back out. "All right, you can let him though." The footman said over the radio.
"Okay, you may go in." The guard inclined his head to the doors at the end of the hallway.
"That took you long enough." Kojiro grumbled. If these idiots had known who he was, he wouldn't have to wait for permission to go see boss. Besides, it was the boss who asked to see him. Don't they know he was coming? Straightening his suit, he took the long walk down the hallway. As he reached passed the doors, the footman pulled it shut behind him.
The first thing he saw was his boss standing in front of a tall arched window with his back toward him, and the room was swarming in silence. It gave him an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach in knowing that his boss had been waiting for him.
Swallowing away his nervousness, he quickly bowed. "Boss, you wanted to see me?"
"If Hojo doesn't want to see you, you wouldn't be here."
He turned toward the voice and found Genzaburo sitting leisurely on a black leather couch at one side of the room, looking at him with a bemused grin.
"Just you wait. One of these days, I'll make you lick my boots." He silently swore. But for now, he resolved to grit his teeth and stood in wait for his boss to speak.
Silently, he prayed that his boss was in a better mood this time. Last time, his boss had been furious. An expression that Kojiro hoped he would never see again, especially if it was being directed at him. For, if there ever were a next time, he feared it would be his last.
"I'm not happy with what I been hearing lately, Kojiro." His boss began as he kept staring out of his window at the wide expanse of greenery in his backyard.
When his boss didn't elaborate further, Kojiro looked nervously toward Genzaburo for answers.
"Take a look." Genzaburo inclined his head and pointed a remote control at the large screen television set at a corner of the room. A pre-recorded tape of daily news blasted on, with an exclusive report covered by an attractive young female reporter.
"This is Megumi Shikama, reporting live at Tobata Street. The burning haze you see behind me was formerly a police car. It exploded and went up in flames just ten minutes ago."
The camera focused on the burning vehicle behind the reporter.
"The explosion was so huge, that it was heard by many civilians several blocks down the street, and the fire that follow had reached as high as two stories. Firemen are still trying to contain it as I speak.
"There's no reported casualties or injuries. Amazingly, the two officers that were in the vehicles had managed to get out before it exploded."The camera zoomed in on two men now standing next to the reporter.
"Detective Mitsuo Toda, Detective Kazu Okamoto, if I understand correctly, witnesses saw both of you jumped out of the vehicle just seconds before it was set in flames."
"Yes, we barely made it out in time." The man with brown hair, Detective Mitsuo Toda spoke.
"Do you have any ideas what could have cause your car to explode?"
"Based on the information we gotten so far from witnesses. A suspicious man was looming near our vehicle. It's highly possible he had set the bomb on our car."
"Did you manage to catch this suspect?"
The other detective, Kazu Okamoto took his turn and answered. "We haven't found this particular individual yet. We however have a reason to believe that more then one person are involve."
"It would seem you already know who are responsible."
"We're not going to give any names at this time."
"However," Detective Okamoto cut in before the reporter could further pursue the matter. "What we can tell you is that, this incident is linked to the downtown shooting and a number of deaths that occurred recently. This is all we have for now."
Genzaburo turned off the television just as the reporter started to speak. "Congratulations Kojiro!" He clapped. "From the stunt you pulled today. You got us on the news again. Two weeks ago, we were known to be one of the most dangerous yakuza group in Japan and were placed second to Sakuma's on the police's suspects list. Now, not even Sakuma could top us in that category." He ended dryly.
Kojiro glanced at his boss's back instead of Genzaburo. He didn't have to explain himself to the old loon. There was only one person he needed to convince. He swallowed in fear. "The police aren't going to find out, boss. I already silenced the people that spoke. Everything is going according to plan."
"According to plan my ass!" Genzaburo sneered. "If you have used more discretion in the beginning this wouldn't have happened. And how many people do you think you can silence, huh? Before leading the police to us?"
He held back from directing a glare at Genzaburo. Only need to convince one person. He reminded himself. "Boss, I could get rid of those two guys on the news, then-"
"Are you nuts? If you did that, it'll make it even more obvious that we're the ones they're looking for!" Genzaburo roared with a look of disbelief on his face.
"I . . . " Fear was starting to take its hold on him. Kojiro couldn't think of what else to say. All along his boss hadn't said a word or turned to look at him once, and what the scum, Genzaburo was saying wasn't helping him at all.
He was in deep shit.
Sweat trailed down his forehead and temples. Hoping to savage what he had left, he tried to reason. "Boss, I know you aren't happy with all the gossip and stuff. But I only did what y-you ordered. I-I didn't know that some crazy dude would show up and start to shoot people. If I hadn't g-grab the girl as I did then, she would have been dead."
"You make yourself sound like a goddamn hero, Kojiro." Genzaburo mocked. "Your men already told me what happened. When the Tendou woman got shot, her body had fell over and covered the girl. She was protected and wouldn't have been hurt. And the police were already on their way. Why couldn't you have just scram and wait for another opportunity?" Genzaburo threw his hands up in exaggeration. "And you have to pick a place like downtown plaza with so witnesses to make your move?"
A knock on the door saved him from having to come up with a good explanation.
"Mr. Yamada?" A voice called out from the other side of the door.
"What is it?" His boss questioned. His irritation at being interrupted was evident in the tone of his voice.
A footman opened the door and announced, "Dr. Furuya is here to see you."
"Tell him to wait."
"Yes sir."
As the footman closed the doors once more, his boss turned to face him. "I don't want you to do a damn thing until I say so. Is that clear Kojiro?" His boss regarded him with a fixed stare.
"Yes, boss. I-I understand." He immediately nodded.
"Now get the hell out of my sight."
Kojiro retreated out of the room as fast as his stout legs could carry him. He did not let his shoulders dropped in relief until his boss' office doors were completely closed behind him. He knew it was not just luck that saved him. His boss was willing to the matter slide because there were more important things on his mind at the moment. No doubt, his boss would discuss this with Dr. Furuya.
He didn't know what his boss was planning and was smart enough not to ask about it either. Besides, he had more important things to worry about, like his own well-being.
***
Hojo rubbed his temples. He had been at the end of his rope. He would have lashed out at Kojiro, if it weren't for his headache, a recent symptom developed due to the number of worries caused by Kojiro's incompetence. Kojiro may be his loyal subordinate, but he wasn't too bright. Now, Kojiro's stupidity was going to get him into trouble, which was something he can't afford. Something has to be done. He frowned thoughtfully.
"Genzaburo, I have a job for you." He said.
"What is it Hojo?"
"I don't want Kojiro's screw ups coming to look for us."
"No problem." Genzaburo nodded and looked hesitantly at him. "You're not going to like this Hojo, but there's something else you need to know."
He arched his eyebrow.
"They got a positive ID on him."
At the news, he frowned.
"Dee said that they got someone at the PD that's willing to come forward with some info. That witness recognized Kojiro. Hell, it wouldn't be that hard to. Kojiro stick out like a damn ape." Genzaburo grumbled. "Anyway, it wouldn't have been that damaging if the witness didn't have photos."
"Photos?" He nearly exploded.
"Yeah, don't know how the witness came by with it. One thing for sure though, Sakuma is involved. That old man have sent a bunch of guys to protect the witness like he's worth a million buck."
He sneered. "I suspected that crappy bastard would make his move sooner or later. He didn't disappoint me."
"What are you going to do, Hojo? The old man's intending on taking us down."
"Why I'm just going to have to take him with me." He arched his eyebrow in amusement.
Genzaburo grinned in response.
"There's another matter I want you to take care of Genzaburo." The humor left his face as a serious one replaced it. "Aside from you, Shinji, Dr. Furuya, and Kojiro, no one else was aware of the abduction. I want to know how this got to Sakuma."
"I'll get on it. What about Kojiro?"
He glanced at Genzaburo thoughtfully, before taking a seat on the leather chair by his desk. "Kojiro had been with us for quite a while, hasn't he?"
"Yeah, say about seven years or so."
"That's quite a long time." He picked up a gold letter opener from his desk and played with it.
Silently Genzaburo nodded and waited for his order.
"He had his chance." He said finally. "You know what to do."
"Right. I'll make sure he isn't link to us. Anything else?"
"Tell Dr. Furuya to come in."
"Sure." Genzaburo got up and left.
A few seconds later, a Japanese man around his forties stepped in. He had on a pair of gold rim glasses and wore a simple color brown suit with matching pants.
"Have a seat, doctor." Hojo waved to the leather chair across from his desk as he headed for the bar. "Would you care for a drink, doctor?"
"A scotch would be great." Dr. Furuya said as he sat down.
After having got the scotch for the doctor and a brandy for himself, Hojo took his seat. He leaned back on his chair with his glass and directed his attention to his trusted physician. Dr. Furuya was not only an expert in the field of psychology but also adapted in the finer art of interrogation. Which was a plus to his dealings. "So how's my Miyu doing?" He asked.
"She's doing very well. In fact, she progressed more than I expected. The drugs and hypnoses certainly helped. Much of her memories are already altered. She will have no reason to doubt her identity. However," Dr. Furuya took a sip of his scotch before he continued, "it would be good to keep her isolated from others for a while, and being her father, it would do well if you set some time for her."
He nodded as he rotated the glass of brandy in his hand, watching intently as the light yellow-colored liquid swirled smoothly inside the crystal glass. The color reminded him very much of the golden eyes he first gazed into a few months ago. He stopped and glanced at Dr. Furuya above the rim. "When will she be ready to see me?"
"Now, if you want."
He nodded. "Is there any chances that she may remember?"
"There's always a possibility. Fortunately, she's young. Her memories could easily be manipulated. Even if she does recall, it would all seem just like a dream, unrealistic and of no significance."
"Excellent." Hojo widely grinned and raised his glass. "A toast to our success."
Dr. Furuya raised his glass to join his.
***
He watched Aida flexed her nails. She was about to strike the little girl. Something about the sight did not sit well with him. Perhaps, it was because of the girl's small size, looking so helpless as she tried to shield herself from Aida's looming figure. Or, it may have been the craze look in Aida eyes as she was about to draw blood. He doesn't know why or care what the real reasons may be. He just doesn't like to see it happen.
In one swift movement, he strode toward the girl and lifted her away just as Aida was about to hit her. Holding the girl protectively in his arms, he frowned at Aida. He didn't need to say a word. Aida should know what he wanted. With a snicker, Aida retreated into the darkness.
He felt the girl relaxed in his arms and looked at him searchingly. He met her gaze and immediately regretted it. If he had not glanced at her, he would not have seen her eyes. Then he could have resisted the urge to gaze into them. And he wouldn't have felt this unfamiliar sensation . . . a feeling that he couldn't describe.
Frowning, he set her onto the floor to break contact. But that didn't help much; he still can't keep his eyes off hers. They would have continued to look at each other for kami knows how long, if not for her golden eyes suddenly filled with pain.
She reached imploringly out to him. He caught her before she fell. He felt wet liquid stained his arms and hands as he touched her back.
It was blood.
Her blood.
He looked up to find Aida grinning with a crazed look in her eyes as she held up her assault riffle in one arm.
"Aida!" He snarled.
Aida only laughed and retreated again into the darkness.
He would have gone after her if not for concerned for the injured girl in his arms. "You'll be okay." He firmly stated.
She gave him a small smile and placed her hand lightly on his cheek. Slowly, she closed her eyes as her hand fall back to her body.
"No, you can't die!" He cried in panic.
But she wouldn't listen. With her last breath, her chest became still.
"No . . . " He shook his head, refusing to believe that she was dead. There was so much he still doesn't know about her. So much, he wanted to learn. But she was gone.
Something inside him snapped and he roared in pain.
Slowly, the image of her body faded into the darkness as the wall of his room came to focus. Perspiration formed on his forehead and bare chest. It trickled down onto his bed sheets as he sat upon his bed.
"It's only a dream." The relief on his face quickly turned into anger. Clenching his fists, he threw aside the blankets that covered him and strode toward the glass doors that lead to the terrace. Light quickly flooded into his room as he pulled aside the curtains. He waited a moment for his eyes to adjust and glance briefly out the window. A lone figure sunbathing on the lawn caught his immediate attention.
Grabbing his clothes, he quickly donned it and stepped out of his room. He made his way through the long hall and down the stairs. Nodding his head in silent acknowledgment along the way as the footmen and servants greeted him. When he found an exit that lead to the backyard, he strolled angrily across the lawn. His long legs quickly covered the distance as he made his way to the same figure he saw from his room's window and in his dream.
He had been looking for her for days. No doubt, she had purposely avoided him, letting him steamed over the incident that occurred two weeks ago.
"Why did you do it?" He furiously demanded as she stood in front of her.
"Shinji . . . How nice of you to join me." Aida gave him a dazzling smile.
"Cut the crap! You know what I'm talking about." He glared.
Aida rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Great. People die and you blame it on me."
"You were the sniper at downtown plaza." He scowled. "It wouldn't be hard to get some information from the police, and I bet the bullets they found in Tendou Ayako's body could easily traced back to the weapon that was used. No doubts, it's from your favorite rifle."
"Hmm . . . You know me so well, Shinji." She winked at him. "We would make great partners."
He clenched teeth and growled, "I just want to know why did you do it?"
"Why? For both of us of course." She gave him a lopsided smile. "Isn't that what you have intended?"
"I did not tell you to kill anyone!" He spitted angrily as he ran a hand through his unruly hair. "All I told you was to delay Kojiro, and you run off and killed her mother."
"Oh, I get it now . . . " Aida chuckled, "It's that brat you were concern about. Have a crush on her?"
He restrained himself from lashing out. He was supposed to be a calm and collected person. It was more like Aida to overreact than him. Why was he so out of proportion all of a sudden?
"Did I hit a soft spot Shinji?" She smirked.
He looked at her coldly. "One person is dead, not to mention the countless other injured by your reckless act, Aida."
"My, my, aren't you getting soft?" She grinned in bemusement. "I don't ever see you complaining about bloodshed before. I wonder what could cause such a change."
"I could ask the same about you, Aida."
"What do you mean?"
"What made you so damn bloodthirsty?"
"Don't think so highly of yourself." She snorted. "You're not much better than me."
"At least I do not have the tendency to go ballistic and shoot everything moving in sight." His lips turned up in a mockery. "I guess there's truth to the rumors after all."
"Rumors? What rumors?" She asked tentatively.
"Why, it's about you having been institutionalized before."
Immediately, Aida leaped out of her lounge chair. "I am not crazy! And don't you dare call me that!" She hissed with her nails flexed.
"Oh, did I hit a soft spot?" He smirked as he met her glare.
"Well, seem like you two are getting along . . . " A voice cut in.
"Genzaburo! Don't sneak up on us like that!" Aida snarled.
"Sneak up on you? How could I? It's broad daylight and you'll in an open field. It's seemed like you two were too absorbed in your little conversation . . . that you didn't even hear me approach." Genzaburo said with a wide grin plastered on his face, making his white teeth gleam brightly like his baldhead and dark sunglasses.
Aida directed Genzaburo an uncertain gaze, trying to decide on how much he had overheard. "What do you want?" She asked gingerly.
"Kojiro's missing."
"So?"
Shinji ignored Aida's flat response, and directed his question to Genzaburo. "When did Hojo give the order?"
"Twenty minutes ago, after I told him that Dee got a witness who could ID Kojiro."
"What are you two talking about?" Aida demanded.
"Let's go then."
Genzaburo nodded and lead the way.
"Wait a minute here! What the hell is going on here?"
He replied without glancing back. "If you haven't gone off for the last two weeks Aida, you would have known."
"Wait! I'm coming with you." She ran after them.
***
Although, it was too dark for her to see, she could still tell that she was trapped. She felt the cold hard ground against her back and the heavy object atop of her that keep her in place. As she reached out to touch the object, her fingers met that of fabric and then skin. It didn't take her long to realize that it was a body. She talked to it. It didn't answer. She shook it. It didn't move. She tried to push it off her. It wouldn't budge. The only thing that happened was that her hands had gotten wet from touching the body.
She squinted her eyes and tried to peer through the darkness to see what the liquid was. She found that the longer she stared, the more visible her hand become. It was as if someone had suddenly lit up a candle. Under the soft glow, she saw the dark liquid that drenched her hand. There was no doubt about it. It was blood. In horror, she screamed.
"Wake up sweet. It's all right. It's just a dream." She felt someone gently shook her shoulders.
Her world then shifted. Suddenly, it was no longer dark anymore. Bright lights blinded her as she opened her eyes. She found herself looking up at a large man with long flowing silver hair and startling light blue eyes. She blinked to clear her vision. It was indeed a man, dressed in a white suit with a gray tie. He looked familiar to her somehow, but he wasn't anyone that she could place.
Next to the silver haired man was an older gentleman in dark brown suit with gray hair. He wore a set of gold frame glasses, appearing quite scholarly. Her gaze passed him, as she glanced around in confusion.
She found herself lying on a bed in a nicely decorated yellow room. And the two men were standing at her bedside. Judging by the sunlight that drifted from the tall windowpanes behind their backs, it was late in the afternoon.
"It's all right, Miyu. There's nothing to be afraid of . . . " The silver haired man said reassuringly as he noticed her wandering gaze.
Miyu . . . She ran the name over in her head. It sounded strange, yet she could not come up with a more fitting name. Her mind was hazy and she was having difficulty concentrating.
Noting her confusion, the silver haired man turned and spoke to the older man with glasses. "Dr. Furuya, please take a look at her."
The older man with glasses nodded. "Miyu, look at me."
She turned her gaze to the doctor.
"That's a good girl." The doctor patted her hand. "You were just having a nightmare. It was all just a dream. Everything is fine."
The body . . . the blood . . . It was all a dream. She said to herself.
"Do you understand?" The doctor gently squeezed her hand.
She felt the urge to nod her head as she gazed at his eyes.
At her positive response, the doctor smiled. He then inclined his head to the silver haired man at the other side of the bed. "Your father is here to see you."
Slowly, she turned to face the silver haired man in question. "Father?"
"I'm here, Miyu." Her father said.
He was her father . . . She ran the word again in her head. But how come she couldn't remember anything about him, or this place . . . and who was she? She shook her head and clutched her temples as waves upon waves of confusion hit her.
"Miyu? Miyu, look at me." Her father commanded as he reached out and held her hands down.
She followed the command and looked at him. With her attention wrapped, she ignored the doctor as he took one of her arm, and swabbed a spot on her arm with a wet cotton ball.
"You've been sick for the last few days. Dr. Furuya is here to make you better."
"Sick?" She asked uncertainly.
"Yes. Don't worry, you will get better." Her father smiled at her.
She was mesmerized by the smile. There was something about it. Something from the back of her mind told her that she should remember. Preoccupied with the thought, she barely noted the slight sting when the doctor inserted a needle into her arm. She glanced down to see some clear fluid being injected into her arm. Silently, she watched, as the doctor finished up with giving her the shot and put a band-aid on the punctured wound.
"Why you are such a brave girl! You didn't even flinch."
"Yup, she's my girl all right." Her father said proudly as he ruffled her hair.
She looked at his face. Not knowing what to say or how to react. She felt for some reason uncomfortable. That something was definitely amiss. But her mind was becoming dull and too boggled for her to clearly think this over. And she felt so tired and drained of energy. She started to yawn.
"Miyu?"
"Hmm?" She blinked in an effort to push the drowsiness away.
"How do you feel now?" Her father asked.
"Sleepy . . . "
"Then go to sleep." Her father said as he lightly brushed aside the hair from her forehead.
Taking the suggestion, she closed her eyes once more. She prayed that this time she would be able to sleep and not get the nightmares again.
Author's Notes:
Well, that concludes the draft of chapter 3. It could have easily been split into two chapters. I made it twice as long, to make up for the fact that I haven't posted a chapter in a very long time. Lot of different angles had been used, such as hoping from one character to the next, as with the Tendou members. This was done to show different prospective and to present a deeper insight to the characters' feeling, as well as to make this fanfic more movie-like. I hope this didn't cause too much confusion. ^_^.
I have put in as many clues as possible as to where this story will lead. One thing, readers might like to note: Miya (pronounced like it is written My-ya in chapter 1&2) and Miyu (pronounced May-U in chapter 3) are two different people, although they shared similar names. They will be clarified respectively later in the story.
If there were a revision for chapter 3, it would only be of minor changes such as grammar correction. Hey, I still need a good editor ^_^. As for what's in store for chapter 4, I hope to bring out the grown up Ranma and Akane. And more Shinji-kun for Shinji fans! Otherwise, Ranma might end up showing up in chapter 5. I realized that some lose ends from previous chapters have to be tied up in chapter 4. Otherwise, they will hunt me later on.
-remi ^_~
vers: 7/15/01