Like usual.

It had been two weeks since their talk on the roof and Schuldich had been out every night on his own when not ordered on a mission. All in black with his devil may care smile. His first night back Brad had taken his arm and checked the skin on the inside of the limb, seeing if he'd fallen back to the needle. He hadn't.

/"Do you think I'm that weak, Brad?"/ Schuldich had said.

Brad had let him go without saying anything. What Schuldich chose to do with his spare time was his own business. So long as it didn't interrupt a mission he didn't care. But as it was, his night time wanderings were going to be cut short. Looking up from his paper he studied the redhead dispassionately. Schuldich didn't look *too* drunk so--

"Just spit it out, Brad," Schuldich siad as he threw his leather jacket over a chair. "I'm remarkably sober right now."

Brad rolled his eyes and set his paper down as he got to his feet. "Pack up. We've got orders to be in Japan in two days and our flight leaves tomorrow."

"Why?"

"SS has decided for us to finally meet up with Nagi Naoe."

"Nagi who?"

"Our fourth member. He's been in Japan for the past six months negotiating with our new client."

Schuldich frowned. "Why wasn't I told about this?"

"You were still training when I found Nagi. And he already had control of his power."

"What is he?"

"A telekinetic."

"How long has he been with us?"

"Nearly a year now."

Schuldich arched an eyebrow. "Don't you trust me?"

"Is this a rhetorical question?"

Schuldich smirked. Answer enough. "How old is he?"

Brad studied him with a blank gaze. "Not getting enough with Farfarello?"

Schuldich tossed some of his hair over his shoulder. "None of your business."

"Eleven. The boy is eleven."

"And where exactly did you find him?"

"Tokyo. On the street."

Schuldich's smirk grew wider. "You seem to like bringing in strays."

"I don't like or dislike anything, Schuldich. I do what I am told."

"Yes and you're so good at following orders. Just like a dog. Sometimes, Brad, I wonder if you have a back bone at all."

With that said Schuldich left the living room, heading for his room down the hall. The door clicked shut sharply and Brad sighed. Dealing with Schuldich was like Russian Roullette. You didn't know which mood would pop up to smack you in the face.

/Might as well as go and get Farfarello ready/, he thought to himself. A task he had been dreading since yesterday when the orders came in. The Irishman made it as difficult as possible to get him ready for transportation.

/I wonder if I can find a cattle prod on five hours short notice./

*~*~*~*~*~*

The private jet touched down at Tokyo International on time, wing flaps extending to catch air and decrease its speed. Slowly the sleek white jet rolled to one of the spaces that the ground men directed it to, bumping to a halt. THe engines whirred down and a stiarway was broundt up on a car. Clanking into place, the hatch was opened and for a moment, no one appeared. Then a tall, distinguished looking man stepped out and adjusted his glasses before stepping down the stairs to meet the slender waif of a boy on the tarmac.

"Konnichi wa, Nagi," Brad said in flawless Japanese.

The boy bowed. He was thin, with a delicately featured face dominated by gold-brown eyes that were too cool, too distant, for an eleven year old child. Glossy black hair fell around his face, clashing with his pale skin and dark blue uniform. He was flanked by four burly looking men wearing suits and dark glasses.

"Konnichi wa, Crawford," Nagi replied quietly. "I trust your flight went well?"

"On schedule, which was what I wanted."

Nagi nodded. "Where are the--"

"You'd think you could wait for introductions, Brad, but no. That takes common sense and courtesy, which you seem to be lacking," a voice drawled in accentless Japanese.

Nagi glanced swiftly at Brad, who's neutral expression had not changed, to the red head that lounged against the doorway, one hand clutching the end of a leash that was hooked to a boy in a white straight jacket. He was wearing tan slacks and a green blazer type jacket. His wild red hair was tied out of his eyes by a yellow head wrap and sunglasses were perched on top of his head. He was smirking down at them but the smile never reached his eyes.

Nagi distrusted him on sight.

The German seemed to be able to sense this for his brilliant green eyes clashed knowingly into his. They stared at each other for a long moment, eyes unblinking. Nagi was the first to look away, his pretty face getting a grim cast to it. The red head laughed as he came down the stairs, the Irishman trailing along behind him. Brad glanced down at Nagi then over to the limo that had just pulled up. Somehow, in that silent exchange of glances, a hierarchy had been made and Nagi wasn't too sure he liked what that implied.

"Takatori-sama wishes to meet you as soon as possible," he said stiffly.

"Very well. Let us go then," Brad replied as he headed for the limo.

Nagi followed silently and climbed in after Brad. Schuldich took his time and Farfarello merely curled up in a corner once they were inside. The door was shut and moments later they were moving forward. Schuldich had stretched out his long legs and was staring out the tinted windows with a bored look on his face. The ride through Tokyo was silent, but not heavily so. Each of them kept to their own thoughts, with the sole exception of Schuldich, who tried to get inside Nagi's head every now and then, but was repelled quite strongly. The boy, for all that he wasn't telepathic, had strong mental shields, like Brad.

He wondered how long it would take him to break them.

The ride through Tokyo was interesting. Schuldich had never been anywhere except Germany, Paris, and New York City. The amount of people that surrounded him was amazing and he was grateful for the shileds that separated him from them. If he had been born here with his power, he would have gone mad within the first few years of his life and probably would have died. What a comforting thought.

It took them an hour and a half to get to where they needed to be, which happened to be a penthouse complex for living. The limo rolled to a halt and someone opened the door for them. They got out within a secured area, so there wasn't anyone to see them, which was a good thing. Schuldich drew enough attention, Farfarello even more. They couldn't afford that right now. Nagi led them into the lobby and to the elevators, which they took to the fifteenth floor. They followed the boy through a long hallway with several branch offs to a door near the end. Opening it, they stepped inside. It wa a large office that was elegantly furnished and sitting on a rich leather chair was a distinguished looking Japanese business man.

He had a fairly unlined face, shrewd dark eyes, and graying hair already white at the temples. Thin glasses were perched on his nose, reflecting the sunlight a bit. He wasn't heavy set but sturdily built and wore an expensive black suit. He studied them for a moment before finally resting his eyes on Brad.

"I see you're on time," came the deep, strong voice.

Nagi bowed. "Takatori-sama, SS has sent you the rest of Schwarz."

"I can see that. A bit young for my tastes." This said with a frown.

"But more capable than anyone else," Brad replied in a calm voice as he bowed. "Trust me, sir, we are the best choices for your protection."

"So I was told."

"I will show them to their rooms," Nagi murmured.

"Very well. I must return to my office. I will expect the lot of you there at six tomorrow morning for my orders. I only wanted to see you today to know that my money was not being wasted. If you are anything like the report says, I think I will be satisfied."

Takatori got tois feet and left without saying a word. Nagi was the only one to bow and the door swung shut behind the man. "We have this whole level to ourselves," Nagi said softly. "My room is the one closest to the elevator. You may have any of the others. It's paid for completely and security controlled."

"Which room is the strongest?" Brad wanted to know.

"Does it matter?"

"Only if you want Farfarello carving you up during the night," Schuldich said with a smirk.

Nagi stared at him dispassionately. "Third on the left."

Brad reached out and took the leash from Schuldich and led Farfarello away, leaving the two alone. Schuldich propped a hand on his hip and tilted his head, green eyes never leaving Nagi's face. "So. Another obedient dog."

Nagi bristled at the insult. "I am not a dog," he replied coldly.

Schuldich arched an eyebrow. "And you've got a spine. You certainly don't look like you do."

"And you're fooling no one with your act."

"Act? What would you know of an 'act', boy?"

The Japanese boy stared right through him. "Act, Schuldich. As in the front you put out."

Schuldich threw back his head and laughed. "Boy, I don't have an act. This is who I am."

"Pity you can't change."

"Into what? You? Some poor child found on the street craving attention and starving? You should do better research, Nagi-kun," Schuldich said with a smile that was all teeth, the honorific falling mockingly from his lips. "You know nothing about me while I will know everything about you sooner or later."

"I don't think you will."

"You can't hide anything from a telepath, Nagi-kun. You might do well to remember that." Schuldich smiled and reached out to trail the back of his fingers down Nagi's cheek. The Japanese boy jerked back. "Don't touch me."

The smile turned into a smirk and Schuldich leaned in closer. "Don't you like me, Nagi? We're team mates now. We should trust each other."

Nagi glared at him. "I trust no one--"

Least of all me," Schuldich finished for him as he tilted his head slightly, his voice dropping to a husky whisper. "Perhaps you do have intellegence inside your mind after all."

His lips brushed over Nagi's almost thoughtfully and then he was pulling back before Nagi could register what he had done and retaliate. Nagi blinked in confusion as Schuldich left.

Perhaps you will survive."

Then he was gone and Nagi was left alone in the study with the taste of Schuldich on his lips that refused to go away.