Alternatives

The Hunters and the Hunted


Nagi was the first to enter the arrivals lounge having suggested to both Ken and Omi that it might just be the wisest course considering Farfarello’s nature. He spotted Farfarello immediately, sitting on a plastic seat with a canvas pack at his feet. He seemed quite calm and collected and Nagi approached and smiled at him.

Farfarello jumped to his feet and hugged him. He returned the hug before turning the berserker to face his new teammates.

\"They’re our friends, Farfie. One of them is in the hands of Rosenkreuz as he’s one of us. Schu and Abyssinian have gone ahead to try and get him and Crawford back.\"

Farfarello nodded his understanding. \"Yet Crawford needs us too.\"

\"Yes, he needs all of us.\"

Nagi was relieved to see Farfarello nod again as Ken and Omi approached.

\"Everything okay?\" Ken asked. Farfarello grinned at him.

\"It will be, when we get our friends back. Let’s stop wasting time.\"

Ken grinned back, much to Nagi’s satisfaction. Omi came forward then and, although he didn’t smile, he did nod to Farfarello in acknowledgement. Farfarello nodded back and picked up his bag. \"What’s the plan?\"

\"We head to the Rosenkreuz building and take it from there.\"

\"Some plan! I guess Crawford knows what he’s doing…\"

\"He’d better, or we’re all that’s left.\" Farfarello stared at him for a long moment before speaking again. Then, his response was simple.

\"That’s not acceptable.\"

* * * * * * *

Schuldig felt crippled without his talent but knew he had to get into the building and find Brad. Yohji would take care of Aya, of that he was certain. He crept forward a few more feet. All was quiet.

He tried the back entrance he’d reached and found it unlocked. His mind screamed trap at him but he had to let his friend know that help was at hand. Silently, he opened the door and slid into the building. He shut the door behind him and took a few seconds to let his night vision adjust.

He knew where to look and headed towards the rooms where Rosenkreuz held new recruits and those who needed ‘special’ treatment. Crawford was in the third one he tried.

He crossed quickly to the bed and touched his leader gently. Hazel eyes flickered open and stared at him, a wealth of pain in their depths. Schuldig sank to his knees to save Brad from having to keep looking up.

\"Is Abyssinian here?\"

\"Yes, they caught him earlier.\"

\"Good. His talent should distract everyone for just long enough.\"

\"They’ve silenced me again, Brad, but the others are on their way.\"

\"You’re silenced and I have a head full of white noise. What a sorry pair we are. Luckily Balinese is aware and thinking. He let me send the first message.\"

\"He’s a useful man to have around. What was the vision?\"

\"Kudoh goes after Fujimiya. They kill the Brain Butcher.\"

Schuldig made a small sound of satisfaction. Something else occurred to him. \"What about me? You want me to get you out? We could go now.\"

\"No. Not yet. We need the others. And, I’m sorry, Schu, but I saw pain in your future.\"

Schuldig shuddered slightly. Brad was telling him he would be caught very soon. \"Okay. But I will get you out of here, Brad, I promise you that.\"

Crawford nodded before wincing slightly. \"Not much time. Make another promise, Schu. Promise that if you can’t free me, you’ll kill me. The vision could go either way so promise.\"

He was horrified. \"The Farf would kill me.\"

\"Promise me!\" Crawford was clutching the front of his leather jacket, the hazel gaze intent.

He took a deep, shuddering breath. \"I promise.\"

Crawford let go of him and fell back on the bed, exhausted. \"You’d better go, Schu. Nothing will happen to me tonight.\"

\"With a head full of white noise, how can you tell?\"

\"Saw it earlier. Go.\"

He rose to his feet and gave Brad a brief wave before leaving the room. He retraced his steps and had almost reached the door when Dietmeiller stepped out of the shadows.

\"Ah, Schuldig, how good of you to come to me. Now I just need Nagi, and my tame empath assures me he’s on his way. Then a nice little mind wipe and you’ll all be as useful as the empath.\"

\"Damn you to hell.\"

\"Ja, ja, very dramatic but completely superfluous.\"

There was a sharp pain in his head, then Schuldig knew no more.

* * * * * * *

Dietmeiller awoke to the new morning with an air of anticipation. Not only did he have Schuldig to play with, but he’d acquired a brand new, if minor pre-cog. He smirked to himself and flung the covers off, more than ready to get on with the day.

An hour later, showered, shaved and immaculately dressed he entered the treatment room. The red-haired precog was strapped to the bed, his eyes furious. Such lovely eyes, Dietmeiller decided, and set in such a pretty face. He might even keep this one as a personal pet once his training was done.

Ah yes, his training. Dubois was quite adept at wiping memories. He would let him do that whilst he went to deal with Schuldig. But first, some fun. \"We will wipe your mind of memory, thus leaving your personality intact. You will then be trained how to use your talent effectively and for our good.\"

The young man on the bed didn’t respond, merely glared up at him. Well, perhaps he would be more amenable when Dubois had finished with him. He turned on his heel and went to inform the Frenchman of his orders. After he had done that, the real fun would begin.

* * * * * * *

\"There it is.\" Farfarello gestured towards the large, forbidding building at the edge of the forest. Then he spat on the ground. \"Full of such sadists and perverts that would make a devil blush.\"

Omi shuddered at the words, knowing that two, no three if he was honest with himself, of his friends were being held in such a place. \"Do we go straight in?\"

Nagi shook his head. \"Neither Schu nor Crawford have been released from the suppression of their talents yet. We have enough time in which to take out quite a few of the security guards in the grounds.\"

Omi glanced at his lover, knowing how much Nagi detested needless killing. \"Is that necessary?\"

\"You think Rosenkreuz employ regular security? Those guards are just as vicious as anyone in the building.\"

Omi sighed and palmed a dart. His crossbow and a quiver of bolts was strapped to his back and the gauntlets under his sleeves were full of darts. He was as ready as he’d ever be.

Farfarello produced his favourite stiletto from God knew where and Ken had already pulled on his bugnuks.

Omi nodded. \"Okay, let’s go.\"

They moved forward through the forest until they reached a chain-link fence. Omi flung a dart at it and was relieved to see none of the sparks that would mark it as having high-tension electricity running through it. He produced a pair of bolt-croppers from a pocket and cut a hole large enough for them to crawl through.

\"We’d better spread out,\" Nagi suggested. Ken and Farfarello nodded and headed in opposite directions. Omi touched Nagi’s hand briefly before moving forward and to the right. Nagi went towards the left.

The sound of a cut off squeal and a muffled thud let him know that the killing had started again.

* * * * * * *

Schuldig came to, strapped to a gurney in a white room with no windows and a single florescent strip. He groaned in pain. His head felt as if a mad percussionist had taken up residence in it and was using the inside of his skull to practice on.

As if that wasn’t enough, Dietmeiller chose that moment to enter the room. The bastard was smiling which meant he was going to be in for a world of pain very soon. At least Brad had been right about the Butcher waiting till morning before starting on his fun. The others should be close at hand by now, if he could just hold on for long enough.

\"Good morning, Schuldig. What a delightful day this is!\"

\"Oh perlease, just get on with the usual sadism and spare me the so-called pleasantries. That smile alone is enough to make strong men tremble.\" He had the satisfaction of seeing the smile die and an expression of fury cross Dietmeiller’s face.

\"You always were too clever for your own good, Schuldig. Now stop it, unless you want this to hurt even more than it’s already going to.\"

He made a big production of rolling his eyes and appearing completely bored, despite the cold knot of fear that was settling in the pit of his stomach.

\"I was going to simply wipe your mind, but I’ve decided your attitude needs some adjustment. In other words, I intend to punish you for your audacity.\"

There was blinding pain that made him arch off the bed in agony. His last coherent thought was of a pair of honest, chocolate-brown eyes. \"Kenken,\" he murmured before blessed darkness engulfed him.