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Preys	By : kamorgana Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 5569 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 12
- 13
- 14
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply. I don�t own Rurouni Kenshin. The characters belong to Watsuki, but the plots, ideas, OCs and text are *mine*.
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Chapter 13: Interlude

(Sunday morning)
As usual on his days off mornings, Saitoh was on his couch, watching the news channel, sipping some black coffee and smoking. He was reading a detective novel at the same time. He already knew who the killer was: if those authors were truly criminals, his job would be boring to death.
Annoyance spread through his mind as he remembered his meeting with his contact on the previous day. Not that he had expected more than he had before about Shishio�s background, but he had hoped that the moron could at least give him something about Komagata.
The face on the screen caught his attention.
�We will catch him, and very soon. The Slayer won�t make another victim.�
�Do you have new elements?�
Smiling, but noncommittal face. �I can�t comment on this. Thank you very much�
Another face on the screen. �And this is how the chief of the Violent Crimes Section�.�
Saitoh turned the TV off and tossed the remote away. He felt restless. He barely managed to take the damn woman out of his mind; he didn�t need to see her on TV. What was he, a teenager, unable to control his hormones? If he had energy to spare he could go to train at the gym, and if his brain had to work it�d better be on the ways to catch Shishio, rather than on creating fantasies about her. If he hadn�t been so obsessed with her in the first place, he would have figured out the modus operandi before. He had made a mistake. He had let her distract him, and that wouldn�t happen again. Okita would tease him endlessly if he knew�.He pinched his lips and drank his coffee, watching his cigarette consuming in the ashtray, the volutes of smoke stretching in long curls.
Okita wasn�t there anymore. Probably why he was in that mess in the first place.
***
Tokio rolled in her bed. She had slept for more than twelve hours and still felt tired. If she could call that �sleeping�. Between her nightmares about Seta and her�dreams about Saitoh, she had woken up at least ten times, her heart pounding like drums.
She flattered herself to be in control, to be sensible. Her recent behavior could only be described as immature and foolish. You don�t sleep with someone who is under your authority, and less with Saitoh, of all people. Temporary insanity. She had been tired and shocked and sad and too exhausted to fight her physical attraction to him. She had had enough of trying to be perfect. There were explanations to her one time weakness. Not to thinking about it again. Not to have been as disappointed as she had been relieved, last night, after she left the office.
*He* had obviously moved on. When she had had that conversation with Aoshi and him yesterday afternoon Saitoh had been distant and cold, but not overly hostile like he had been recently. No taunts, no spite. The game was over, luckily enough. Whatever she lost. Peace of mind was more important now than pride, therefore she should stop being stupid, and erase the memories.
She sighed deeply.
If only she could talk about it with someone. She couldn�t with Aoshi, she was afraid of what he could conclude. She couldn�t with Meg, who was so judgmental, and it was worse lately. She thought that Tokio and Hiko were together again and had lectured her on the phone the night before. They had ended up arguing, Tokio finishing telling her to get a life. She sighed again. This had been so cruel. She should call to apologize. Later.
The only one she felt like talking to was Okita. He was supportive, speaking his mind frankly, but knowing when to shut up, too. But Okita wasn�t there anymore�
***
(Sunday afternoon.)
�Apologize,� Tsunan advised.
They were on the beach, sitting near the water. Enishi was wearing only his jeans, cut just below the knee, displaying the tanned skin of his muscular chest, his friend had an opened white shirt and his jeans were cut at mid-thigh. They were ignoring the women looking at them. Sano hadn�t: he was drinking beer few meters away with three fake blondes in miniature bikinis, who were squealing and laughing loudly at his every word.
�I won�t apologize for being sensible.�
�You�re never sensible as far as Kaoru is concerned.� Tsunan offered him a cigarette, and they both began to smoke.
�She was right to talk to Takagi?�
�No. But you were wrong to let it get personal.�
�I hate this guy.� Enishi�s voice had that peculiar childish undertone and his friend stared at him, a bit worried. Enishi was able to beat the poor guy into a pulp if he got in one of his terrible rages.
�Nobody likes his exes� new boyfriend. And I agree with you, I really don�t get what she sees in him�.�
�Misao likes him too. She told me that yesterday.�
�She thinks he�s a nice guy. That�s a first class burial. She would never date a guy like this. I can�t believe that she actually said something nice about him to YOU, she should��
Enishi grinned. �She told me that she liked him but that I was, and this is a quote, a million times better and that Kaoru would come back to her senses, or would regret it forever�.. you know Misao�s way.�
They shared a knowing glance. Misao was definitively the most loyal and partial person ever when it came to her friends. Tsunan could imagine her cheering up Enishi, sounding like he was a crossover between Superman and Prince Charming.
�Good for your ego, isn�t it?�
�Better than the way that Kaoru treated me.�
�Hey, I understand. But if you want her to stay out of your business, you should stay out of hers, including her choice of boyfriend. Unless you still want her back, in case you should start with apo��
Enishi shrugged. �I will stay out of her business. Now it�s really over anyway.�
�So why can�t we go to Kamiya�s anymore? Yesterday night was so boring at that other bar. Behave like an adult, and deal with it! And let�s go there again.�
�Oh,oh�Somebody is missing, which one�Tae or Sae? Or both?�
Tsunan grumped at his friend ironical grin. If he was teasing, he wasn�t in such a bad shape�
�We should bother about what they are hiding from us more than my privacy, anyway,� Enishi went on, replacing his eternal sunglasses on his nose.
�What do you mean?�
�I mean Saitoh and Shinomori�s private discussion in Takagi�s office yesterday afternoon.�
�Enishi, you�re so paranoid. She had a private talk with each team.�
�She was annoyed by what they said. She hid it well, but not well enough.�
�I didn�t notice anything,� Tsunan objected.
�You don�t know her as much as I do.�
Tsunan was not very comfortable with Enishi�s last comment. He dismissed the thought as Sano called them. It was their day off. He�d have plenty of time to worry later.
***
Opening the door of his apartment to go out, Aoshi ended up nose to nose with a fuming Megumi. Sighing, he let her in.
�You have to do something. She�s becoming a real bitch!!!�
He closed the door, sighed once more, and took off his jacket, hanging it properly. He made some green tea, wondering whether he should slip some anti-depressors in hers. He had known for a few weeks that he had to talk to Meg, but the last events had just made it more necessary, and she wasn�t going to like that.
�After what she went through with him, she should think twice before��
He gave her a cup and sat at the other side of the coffee table. She had dropped her shoes in the entrance, not lining them. The view offended his sight, but in her state, he should just be happy that she didn�t walk on the tatami with them.
�Can you explain clearly?� he asked, interrupting eventually the flow of recriminations.
�She wasn�t home all night on Friday. I tried to call her several times, and she didn�t even answer her cell phone. I confronted that bastard Hiko on Saturday morning and he didn�t deny that she was with him. And when I tried to put some sense into her, she told me to get a life and hanged up on me!!! I can�t be��
�You�re hysterical.�
His voice was calm, absolutely detached, as always when he emitted a professional diagnosis. She went red, about to explode, but he didn�t change his expression and she dropped her head and shoulders, surrendering. She knew that her intimidation methods didn�t work on him.
�Your recent behavior with Tokio is off limits. I don�t remember her allowing us to comment on her private life, less interfering in it.�
�But she can�t go back with him! After what he did��
�I don�t remember either that he did anything deserving to be called a bastard. Tokio and he are still friends, ending their relationship was her decision.�
�Because that little brat made her life miserable.� Megumi was clenching her fists, abnormally nervous again.
�Go on like this and I drag you into psychiatry. Nothing she ever talked about took these proportions. And if it can make you feel better, she wasn�t at Hiko�s on Friday.�
He had his idea about where she had been, and felt that little satisfaction he always experienced whenever his guesses on people�s body language and behavior turned out right.
�Who is it?� she snarled.
�You talk like a jealous lover.�
For once she was taken aback, mouth opened, eyes widened, brows high on her forehead.
�Are�you�.mad�?� she finally hissed.
�Listen to yourself.�
�I am NOT��
�I know. But you depend on her. You can call her anytime and she will be there, listening to you, comforting you�.If she had a real relationship, you couldn�t do that, there would be somebody else she had to be available for. You�re afraid of loosing her.�
She shook her head.
�You�ve never been aggressive towards Hiko before. You�re afraid that they mend things.� And there was somebody else she had been overly aggressive with, lately, though she didn�t realize why. Jealousy was a fascinating phenomenon, blinding and sharpening unconsciously deduction abilities at once.
She was mute. Good, he could go to the point now that he had her full attention.
�Megumi, I told you then and I tell you now. You ended your therapy much too early. You can decide to shut yourself away from life, but you can�t demand that from her or anybody else, just in order not to be alone. Tokio told it too crudely,� he went on, �but that�s what she meant too.�
�You tell me that I�m a selfish bitch.�
At least she had calmed down.
�I tell you that you have a problem. The late events are getting on everybody�s nerves��
�Not on yours��she cut off, bitterly.
He sighed. �Call your therapist. Friends can�t be a substitute for treatment.�
Resignation began to spread in her eyes, and he went on trying to convince her, with some success. He felt relieved when her phone rang, knowing that it was Tokio. Perfect, he had other plans today than nursing Meg. He had an important request to make.
***
(Sunday evening.)
�Aoshi-san!� Surprised at seeing him on her doorstep, Misao dropped the teddy bears she had been holding.
He picked them up and handed them to her. She blushed, stuttering: �It, it isn�t mine��
�Misao!!!! We�re ready to sleep!�
�We want the presents!�
Girlie, small voices. Kids.
�I�m interrupting. I wanted to talk to you, but��
�Oh, it�s fine. Come in. Please take a seat, I�ll be back in a few minutes.�
She disappeared in the bedroom and he observed the main one. He never saw such a mess, but strangely this room had something appealing. Warm colors, green plants, thick yellow carpet and comfortable, old armchairs�.the smell of lasagna was lingering in the kitchen corner, mixing with the odor of green apple shampoo for kids coming from the opened bathroom. It wasn�t unpleasant.
Squeals and giggles coming from the bedroom.
She came out a while after, a happy smile on her face. �Do you want a drink? I have green tea.�
�Yes, thank you.�
She put a cup in front of it and opened a beer can, collapsing in another armchair. �So, why did you come?� Her smile vanished suddenly. �Is there something wrong?�
�Not at all. I wanted to ask about Yukishiro, but since he�s always with you I couldn�t during work hours. He was in a low mood, yesterday. Did he talk to you?�
�Oh�.�she sounded relieved. �Yes, I know what he has. But it�s private�.it has nothing to do with the case.�
She was smiling again, still her gaze made clear that she had no intention to tell him more. He looked intently at her. He didn�t misjudge her: loyalty was a strong part of her temper. He could go to the real point of his visit, but first�
�Takagi-san explained me why she wanted me to work with Enishi. To support him. Not to spy on him. He�s my partner,� she stressed.
�Can you handle him?�
�Yes, I can.� She spoke dryly, hostility flicking in her blue eyes.
�I have no doubt about your abilities, Misao-san. Yukishiro can have a very difficult temper, and unexpected reactions. I just wanted you to know that if it becomes a burden, you have people ready to listen to you.�
�Thank you.� Her mood had changed once more; she was gazing at him warmly. Now was the moment.
�I wanted to talk about the case, too. There�s something I need your help for. You can refuse, and if you do I�d like you to forget about this conversation.�
She laughed. �Is it illegal?�
�Yes. I saw your confidential record. I�d like to use your special talents.�
She went pale. �Why?�
�I need Shishio�s record from the military.�
�It�s already in the files.�
She assumed that the swift bemused flick in his eyes was his way of smiling.
�It�s the official one. The Defense Agency has been very embarrassed when the Slayer turned out to be Shishio. They wanted this case to be buried as much as Kawaji. I wanted to know the whole truth about his motives. Moreover I was sure that this wave of crimes was not the first time that he killed. It was way too elaborated. They refused to give anything, and I was officially forbidden to study him more or to keep on interrogating Seta after he was convicted and the case completely closed, in spite of several unanswered questions.�
She swallowed another sip of beer. �But now�.�
�Yes, now it�s different. That�s why the facility�s direction let us see Seta. It won�t make the Defense Agency more helpful, though. They denied again yesterday the existence of another record. They even refuse, until they have proof, to believe that Shishio is alive.�
�Maybe there�s no other record.�
�Saitoh and I are convinced of the contrary. When Shishio was his first suspect, years ago, he traced to and interrogated another soldier, who had participated in some operations with Shishio. Overseas.�
�It�s impossible. Japanese forces don�t have the right to��
�Precisely. According to that man, some elite soldiers of the Self-Defense Forces were recruited during the late seventies and until the collapse of the Berlin wall, to participate along with the CIA into anti-communist actions, in Asia principally. It would be a scandal if that went public, hence their reluctance, for lack of a better word. Shishio had been an active member of that small community of maybe 10 men, during the eighties, for what we know. I think that he started to kill at that time. And I think that he had a partner: as I already said during the briefings, when a serial-killer doesn�t kill alone he doesn�t change his pace easily.�
�He would be killing with his old partner?�
�I don�t know, but I only have Seta as a reference for profiling his new associate. The victims are chosen for publicity, or strictly to fit the previous murders, I can�t get a lot from that. If I had the previous one�s characteristics, I could find some patterns and give a better description.�
�So why doesn�t Saitoh just ask that guy again?�
�He did yesterday. He had already said all that he knew the first time. They didn�t know anything about each other. The only two he had met were Shishio and another man called Raijuta. Saitoh�s witness got recruited the last year and participated in too few operations to be entrusted with more information.�
�This�Raijuta?�
�Saitoh is after him, though with few hopes of finding anything. That�s why I need you.�
�Who knows you ask me?�
�The only ones aware of that part of the problem are Kondo, Saitoh, and since yesterday afternoon, Takagi-san. But none of them will know about your implication. If you decide to help me�.�
�I�m not hacking anymore�.�she objected, fixing the beer can that she was rolling in her hands.
He smiled inwardly, glancing at her newest model of computer and the wires escaping from under the fabric covering entirely the desk the machine was placed on. She was unable to lie convincingly, and obviously aware of it, because she avoided his gaze instead of looking directly into it, as she usually did.
�Hacking is an addiction, like smoking or drinking. I can�t believe you. But I�ll understand if you don�t want to take the risk. I�m trying to avoid involving people outside of the section, or I wouldn�t ask you.�
She turned her uncertain aquamarine eyes to him, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.
�If you are caught, the responsibility will be mine,� he added solemnly.
She burst into her clear and joyful laughter, and he saw she had made her decision when she gazed at him again, smiling confidently.
�I won�t get caught, believe me.�
To be continued�.

Author�s notes:

Of course the group of elite soldier and their secret military section is just a product of my imagination (Conspiracy theories? I obviously watched too many X-files! Ahem. No supersoldiers here though!). I�m going somewhere with this. (^-^)

As a reminder, the Japanese constitution forbids (article 9) the existence of an army. Though Japan has Self Defense Forces, they can�t participate into offensive actions overseas.

Megumi�s state of mind or the kids at Misao�s place aren�t related with the main mystery plot, but I wanted to take a chapter to put in light the other characters, and some aspects of their relationships, since I focused a lot on the two main characters in the previous ones. I�ll develop that a little later.

As I explained before, Kondo used to rely on Aoshi for advices about the members of the section. So it was clear to me that Kondo consulted him when he chose them, and that Aoshi got to see Misao�s confidential file at that time. I didn�t precise it again, but just in case�

As usual, and as sincerely, special thanks to Mara and Firuze for their helpful comments and support!

Next chapter: New internal conflicts, professional this time. Tokio gets unexpected support, but it disturbs her more (no she will never get a break (^-^)). And finally�.some real action! What will be the outcome of the set up?
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