Sunde: Chapter Fourteen

January 1999--Tokyo, Japan

Schuldich, Brad decided, was an annoyance surpassed by no one.

He glared at the twenty-two year old through his glasses, seeing the familiar trademark smirk on his generous mouth, brilliant green eyes as cold as ever. Nagi was seated on the armchair to Schuldich's right, his pretty face composed and blank, hands folded in his lap, silent like always. Farfarello was locked away in his room and he had Schuldich to thank for the mess at St. Agustine's Church on the news.

"You let him loose," Brad bit out.

"So?" Schuldich replied with a shrug.

"So? Six nuns are dead--not to mention a priest--because of your carelessness! And all you've got to say is so?" Brad railed.

"It's not like it did us any harm."

"It doesn't matter! You know how he is around anyone and everything connected to God!"

Schuldich smirked some more. "You sound like you care, Brad."

"I don't. I just hate cleaning up after your messes."

Schuldich down right grinned mockingly.

"I don't know why I put up with you," Brad muttered.

"Because you want me."

"Because he doesn't have a choice," Nagi corrected quietly.

Schuldich rolled his eyes. "There are always choices, Nagi. You just have to find them and have the guts to make them."

Brad glared at the German. "See if you can't calm Farfarello down. You've always been good at that. I have other things to worry about."

Maybe it was the faint hint of vagueness in his eyes that tipped Schuldich off. Or maybe it was the way Brad was acting; slightly distracted from them all. Or maybe it was the fact that he was dressed up. Or maybe it was because Schuldich was trying to read his mind but couldn't. Whatever the factor, Brad was very obviously preoccupied with something and Schuldich was curious as to what.

The German sat up straighter. "What is it?"

Brad shook his head. "Not now."

Green eyes narrowed and the force in Brad's mind grew. "Now is appropriate."

"Later or not at all. I'm still uncertain."

Schuldich pressed harder but Brad managed to reinforce his shields before the German got very far. "Brad--"

"You'll know soon enough," Brad said coolly.

Schuldich frowned. "I hate being kept in the dark."

"You'll just have to stay there a little longer."

"Where are you going?"

"To Takatori."

"I realize that. But where?"

"To something called Human Chess," Brad said as he headed for the door. "I'll return later."

The pair watched him leave silently. Nagi tilted his head a bit and frowned. "He had a vision."

"I know he did. And I want to know what it was," Schuldich growled.

"You'll know soon enough."

"Now would have been preferable. But since I can't--I think I'll go play with Farfarello."

Nagi slanted him a look. "Brad said to calm him down, not aggravate his mood."

Schuldich smiled as he got to his feet and headed for the hallway. "Since when have I ever listened to Brad?"

"Since when have you ever listened to anyone?"

"Exactly."

Brad unlocked the door to their level and quietly stepped inside. It was three in the morning and the place was dark. He had expected the others to have stayed up for a debriefing but he had guessed wrong.

/Not wrong,/ Schuldich's voice said into his mind. /Nagi's on the computer and I'm in bed. Care to join me?/

/Not even under pains of death,/ Brad retorted.

He could feel Schuldich smile. /Pity. So what happened?/

/Direct, aren't you?/

/Always./

Brad moved towards his room, all the while keeping a mental connection with Schuldich. /Human Chess turned out to be more trouble than we thought. You would have liked it, though. People killing each other--just your thing./

/Sweet./

Brad rolled his eyes. /Takatori was attacked, as I predicted, by a member of Weiss Kreuz./

/Weiss Kruez?/ Schuldich repeated. /White Cross?/

/Yes. An assassin group that will oppose us from now on. They know we exist, but not who we are./

/Let me see,/ Schuldich demanded.

Brad thrust at him the memory of the precognition and the events of the night. The German took it in easily and managed to analyze it within moments, digesting the informatoin like one would food.

/The red head,/ Schuldich suddenly said. /He looks familiar./

/How?/ Brad asked, curiousity filling the word.

Schuldich was silent for a long time. /I don't know. He just--does./

/Have you met him before?/

/Don't you mean have I fucked him before?/ Schuldich corrected dryly.

/That too./

/Nien. but I know I've seen him--or someone like him./

/Does it matter?/ Brad asked as he began to undress.

/What do you think?/

/I think you've found another toy./

/Jealous?/ Schuldich asked as Brad crawled into his bed.

/Hardly./

/It'll come to me, eventually./

/I'm just sure it will./

/You sound lonely, Brad. Why don't you come into my room and I'll keep you company?/

/I'd rather sleep in a pit of vipers./

Schuldich laughed inside his mind as he withdrew. /That can always be arranged./

/Knowing you, I'm not surprised./

/At least something interesting has finally come along./

/What? Nagi and Farfarello not amusing you anymore?/

/The only person who amuses me is you, Brad./

/I'm flattered. Really,/ the American muttered.

/I just bet you are. One of these days I'll taste you again. Until then--sweet dreams./

And before he left he threw the memory of the first time they had met inside that limo on that cold night in Berlin so many years ago, when he had gone down on Brad for a couple of bills and never craved anything as much as the taste of the American since then. Brad sucked in his breath as the memory hit him with a good dose of lust and he spat out a curse as his body reacted.

"Sweet dreams indeed," he hissed as he reached down to undo what the German had created with his mind.

Faintly, just barely, could he hear Schuldich laughing inside his head.