Alternatives

The Trap Shuts


Nagi watched Schuldig and Aya drive away, his arm round Mamoru’s waist. Or was he Mamoru anymore? Nagi wondered if he was going to revert to being Tsukiyono Omi and if he was, whether he would love Omi the way he loved Mamoru. Then he noticed that Ken had disappeared.

Wondering if his closeness to Mamoru had been the problem, he went searching for Ken to apologise. He’d come to like the athletic ex-Weiss and didn’t like to think he might have hurt him.

He found Ken sat at the kitchen table, staring into space, with an unhappy expression on his face.

\"What’s up?\"

Ken gave a start and then attempted a smile. \"Oh, hi Nagi. Nothing, why?\"

\"You seemed very deep in thought. It’s not me and Mamoru is it?\"

\"What? Oh no. I’m happy for you both. I just wish…Nah, doesn’t matter.\"

\"You just wish…?\"

Ken looked up. \"That I wasn’t so fucking stupid.\"

\"What makes you think you’re stupid?\" Nagi busied himself making tea, rather than staring at Ken.

\"I’ve always been stupid. I fell for Kase and got betrayed, then I fell for Omi but it didn’t last, now I’ve been even more stupid and fallen for Schuldig.\"

Nagi almost dropped the teapot. \"Schuldig?\"

\"Yeah, dumb, huh?\"

\"A little surprising, perhaps, but not dumb. You really find him attractive?\"

Ken nodded miserably. \"Yeah, I do. And just like everyone else he couldn’t wait to get away from me. But then, I can’t really blame him for wanting to rescue someone he loves.\"

Nagi set the pot and three cups down on the table, by now totally confused by what Ken was saying. \"Are we still talking about Schuldig or are we onto Aya rescuing Yohji?\"
Ken looked at him as if he was crazy. \"Schuldig, of course. Why would I suddenly start talking about Aya?\"

He sat down and poured them both tea. \"You were talking about someone he loves. I don’t think Schu loves anyone in Germany.\"

\"Oh? What about Mr Bradley Crawford then?\"

He couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing. \"Schu and Brad? Never in a million years.\"

\"Why is that so funny?\" Ken was reaching the petulant stage.

How could he best explain how the members of Schwarz had interacted? Weiss had been two rather odd couples while Schwarz had been more leader and followers. He sighed, knowing he had to try.

\"Do you find Kudoh’s teasing annoying?\"

\"Sometimes, what’s that got to do with anything?\"

\"Well, Schu would follow Brad to the ends of the earth, because Brad has never led him wrong, but he would irritate him every step of the way. Schu teased all of us even Farfie, although he was more careful with him. I think Schu and Yohji are very alike in some ways. Brad always worked towards our freedom from Essett and Rosenkreuz.\"

\"So what was all that chaos stuff about?\"

\"If there was widespread chaos it would hide both our intentions and actions. It was a smoke screen, Ken. It made us look like good little agents, and hid our true desire to be free. Brad Crawford is the most ordered man I know.\"

\"I guess that makes sense. But it still doesn’t change anything. Schu wouldn’t look twice at me.\"

\"Why not? You’re attractive, bright, fun to be with. He could do a lot worse.\"

\"He’s really not in love with Crawford?\"

\"No more than Yohji is with you. I’ll tell you something now, something you might find hard to believe but I’m certain it’s true. When Farfie left us for a woman called Sally, Brad was devastated. He never showed it, but Schu told me that he once said he would always carry Farfie in his heart. Now, when he’s in trouble, Farfie reappears and wants to help him.\"

\"The idea of Farfarello and anyone seems strange.\"
\"Why? Because Rosenkreuz drove him mad? When you get past the urge to kill, Farfie is just like anyone else. And even that urge receded when we escaped Essett and put him on the right medication.\"

\"Still don’t see why Schu would be interested in me.\"

He sipped at his tea and stared at the other brunet for a long moment, wondering if he should tell Ken what he’d noticed since coming to London. Ken’s unhappy face made him decide that he should. \"I think he already is.\"

Ken glanced up, his expression amazed. \"You do? Why?\"

\"I have never ever seen Schu let someone talk him into a game of soccer before.\"

Ken grinned. \"He did play, didn’t he?\"

Mamoru joined them at this point and Nagi poured him a cup of tea. \"So, have you sorted Ken-kun out?\"

He shrugged. \"I think so.\"

Ken glanced from one youth to the other and buried his face in his hands. \"Why do I always end up feeling like an idiot?\"

He exchanged grins with his lover. \"Perhaps because you are one,\" he and Mamoru chorused.

* * * * * * *

Dietmeiller grinned at the video screen. Schuldig had taken the bait. He had no idea who the other redhead was, but having Schuldig so nearly in his grasp was exhilarating. He suppressed Schuldig’s talent, gave the orders to his security to pick both men up and sat back to watch.

* * * * * * *
Schuldig edged forward, Aya only a step behind. They topped a low rise and the Rosenkreuz building came into view. Schuldig couldn’t help shuddering. Too many bad memories lay within those walls. A hand touched his arm and he calmed himself, strangely soothed by Aya’s calm, cold presence. \"That’s it.\"

Aya nodded, eyes narrowed. \"Let’s go.\"

They moved forward once more and Schuldig was just about to cross a clearing in the woodland they were traversing when Aya grabbed his shoulder. \"I’ve got a bad feeling about this.\"

The words were no sooner out of Aya’s mouth than Schuldig felt himself silenced. He wondered if Brad had finally got a vision wrong. \"We need to get out of here!\" He turned and dived back into the depths of the forest.

He ran for several minutes, unable to use his enhanced speed, but still covering the ground quickly. When he thought it safe he turned to Aya, ready to suggest they try under cover of darkness, but Aya wasn’t there.

* * * * * * *

Instincts screaming at him to get as far away from that forbidding building as he could, Aya ran after Schuldig. There was a dull agony in the back of his head, then darkness.

When he came to he was on a bed in a strange room. There was a tall man staring down at him, an expression of fury on his face.

\"Where is Schuldig?\"

The man spoke to him in English so he answered in the same language after staring up at him impassively. \"How the hell should I know? I was unconscious.\"

\"Don’t play dumb with me. The two of you must be holed up somewhere. Do I have to tear your mind apart to find out where?\"

He knew he had to think fast here. \"We came here straight from the airport.\"

\"Where did you come from?\"

\"Japan.\"

\"You think very quickly. I wonder…\"

Aya felt a pressure in his head. It felt much the same as Schuldig trying to read his mind. He automatically shielded as best he could. The man’s fury subsided a little.

\"Well, well, you seem to be quite the consolation prize. Impressive shields and some pre-cognition.\" The stranger turned to one of the other two men in the room and said something in German before turning and smiling down at him. He decided he had much preferred the fury. That cold smile was unnerving.

\"You are only a very minor talent so we have to clear your mind of all the bad habits you will have picked up. Then we will train you properly.\"

He stiffened. Very few of his memories were good ones, but they were his. The thought of losing all memory of Yohji appalled him. \"No.\"

\"Do you honestly think you have any choice in this? Dubois, Andrews, take him to the treatment room please.\"

* * * * * * *

Yohji watched as an unconscious Aya was carried into the building. What had the fucking idiot been thinking he could achieve against these monsters? He followed at a discreet distance, noting when the security guard dumped his lover’s katana on a side table and promptly forgot about it. Yohji strengthened that forgetfulness and kept following. The guards dumped Aya in a room then left him and disappeared back to their posts.

He hid himself as Dietmeiller and two others approached the room and waited to see what would happen. He felt Aya’s sudden fear and Dietmeiller’s satisfaction and it took all his willpower not to enter the room and try to kill the German.

The door opened and Aya was led from the room by the two men that had followed Dietmeiller into it. It was time for him to follow them and avoid Dietmeiller.

Unfortunately, Dietmeiller came into the hallway at that very moment so he schooled his expression to one of total disinterest.

\"Are you concerned about our new pre-cog?\"

\"Is that who that was? Is he any good?\" He showed some interest, as was expected, but let no hint of recognition show.

\"Not that good, but he’ll do. Any news on the telekinetic?\"

\"Oh I think he’s on his way. I’m still broadcasting to him.\" Dietmeiller smiled.

\"Well, you had a success with the telepath. He’s in the area so it’s only a matter of time before we pick him up.\"

Yohji nodded and assumed a pleased expression. \"Happy to have been of help.\"

Dietmeiller nodded and turned towards his office. Once he turned the corner in the hallway, Yohji took off after Aya and his captors. He soon found them and followed at a discreet distance.

They went back past the table where the katana lay and Yohji picked it up in passing. He continued to follow until he was sure of the room that Aya was being taken to. Once certain of that, he doubled back to his own room and hid the katana under the mattress until he could get it back to his owner.

He sat on the bed and checked his watch, thankful that they had not recognised it for the lethal weapon it was. Now he just had to bide his time until the place calmed down enough for him to act.