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Preys	By : kamorgana Category: Rurouni Kenshin > General Views: 5568 -:- 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
- 22
- 23
- 24
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimers apply. I don�t own Rurouni Kenshin. The characters belong to Watsuki, but the plots, ideas, OCs and text are *mine*.
Preys
Chapter 23: Informative and informal

After thanking the hotel groom, Tokio closed the door and smiled at Saitoh�s scolding expression, as he got out of the shower, a towel around his waist and his hair still wet.
�This isn�t necessary.�
Dismissing his remark with an even wider smile she sat on the bed, behind him, and dried his still bruised shoulder and back with another towel before applying the balm on it.
�Saitoh, this isn�t getting better, and as you don�t rest��
�And whose fault is it?�
She laughed out. �So you see: I should make it up to you.�
Against himself, he relaxed quickly as she was massaging gently his shoulder. He couldn�t deny that the sore muscles had been quite bothering him, these last days, nor that he liked the feeling of her hands playing lightly on his skin.
He took a look around. She had chosen a near palace to stay. She liked her comfort, she had said, shrugging; and it was easier for the bodyguards since the hotel was used to this kind of arrangements. She was wealthy; he tended to forget it, but it was only logical that she had some trends of the rich. He had caught the enthusiastic note in her voice when she had passed the order at the room service, while he was still in the bathroom, and the result was in front of his eyes: an indecent amount of food was awaiting them on a rolling table. It was a continental breakfast: though his preference went to the Japanese traditional one, he was starving, and the idea of a real coffee was tempting.
Tokio finished her task, enjoying the quiet, intimate moment. The coffee, tea and freshly baked bread smells were filling the suite, the sun entering freely from the large windows made the room look even more spacious. She loved this hotel. She used to stay there with her parents for short trips when she was very little, before their family moved definitely to Tokyo. Being out of her house and considering her emotional turmoil, she had needed to stay at a familiar place for a change. It was soothing and, being with Saitoh, she even managed to dismiss her anxiety about�No, not now. She drew closer, savoring the scent of his skin and hair, she loved it, and she loved touching him too, she loved the feeling of his resilient skin under her fingers.
Regretfully, she let go of him and stood up, wiping her hands with the towel.
�When do we meet with Honjo, already?� she asked, grabbing a cup and pouring herself some tea.
�In one hour and half.�
He had just told her vaguely, during the night, that the Takeda problem was solved. Not that he had come there to report. Having met Sagara and Kitaoka in a club while gathering information, and having been told about her private agency stuff, he had headed to her hotel. Half-furious about the private bodyguards, even more has he suspected their origin, half�whatever. Anyway, it was time to explain her, and he took advantage of the breakfast to do it.
�Takeda buried himself,� he finished, sadistically satisfied.
�We still need proofs of what she said.�
�I put someone on it. I expect rapid results.�
She put her cup back on the tray, sighing. �Yes�but now, they must know that Enishi has met Honjo. We didn�t mention it yet and��
He put a finger on her lips. She was overly anxious again. Well. It was his turn to relax her, he thought, opening her robe and letting it slid down her shoulders, bending to tease her throat.
�We don�t have the time,� she protested weakly, before he silenced her with a kiss.
His ringing cell phone interrupted his quite successful attempt. Grumbling, he reached for it, yet his interlocutor made him forgot his annoyance immediately.
Tokio replaced the straps of her nightgown on her shoulders, and stretched her arms lazily. Too bad, but at least, the news was good this time. She could say it just by the glimmer in his eyes, when he hanged up.
�The moron has been useful for once. He got some evidences.�
She sat up. �How?�
�You don�t want to know,� he answered, starting to dress.
�Excuse-me? I want to know. No, I demand to know.� She left the bed and grabbed her clothes.
�What are you doing?�
�I�m getting dressed, as you see. I�m going with you.�
�Out of the question.�
�Saitoh, this is work. I decide.� She was trying to keep her cool, but his attitude didn�t help her, and she felt her temper awakening.
�This isn�t legal, in case you didn�t get it. With your holly attitude towards law, you don�t want to know, period.�
�Since when do I have a holly attitude?� The reason dawned on her. �Is that about what I reproached you with Kanryuu�s case?�
�It has nothing to do with Kanryuu.�
�Oh, yes, it has. Saitoh, you are so childish.�
�Really, I am? Who is throwing a tantrum right now?�
�You, obviously. You screwed up, you know it, and you can�t stand��
�I didn�t screw up. I did what was necessary.�
�You screwed up and big time. You put the section in trouble, I had to ask a favor from Kiyosato to cover us, and it�s going to be in my way if I have to manipulate him tomorrow. Now Enishi is��
�What is so funny is that you reproached *me* with breaking the law for personal revenge, when it�s exactly what you�re willing to do now. Isn�t that slightly hypocrite?�
That was the last straw. �Damn it, Saitoh, don�t you get it? I didn�t reproach you with what you did, but the *way* you did it. If I had known about it, I would have found a convincing way to cover you and the team, which is MY job as chief of section, *before* you got us in trouble. So don�t you dare calling me a hypocrite, because I just do the same thing now as I did then. It�s also my job and my prerogative to lecture my subordinates any time they ignore my authority, whether you like it or not. And it�s my prerogative to know what my subordinates are doing, as I�ll take the responsibility for it.�
�I don�t need you to take any responsibility. I don�t remember asking you anything about it. You asked me to do the dirty job, so the whole problem is mine. I get the stuff on Takeda, I deal with him and you�re out of it.�
She shook her head, furious. She had let him get away with his shitty attitude of the other day too easily. She had been too soft with him, too understanding. Result: he was taking her for granted.
�I asked you to do this dirty work, and I will come with you,� she asserted, finishing to dress.
Dense, stubborn, idiotic woman. She didn�t get it. Why couldn�t she just take advantage of an occasion not to be weighted with responsibilities? And why did he bother to spare her, then? He was a total moron, trying to ease things for this control freak.
�This isn�t the problem,� he nevertheless heard himself say.
She turned to him, raising a brow.
�The RV is in one hour, in the suburbs, which means that I can�t be on time to meet Honjo,� he went on. �Moreover, my contact won�t show up if he sees you there. I tried to make him accept to meet Shinomori, so he could have asked questions about Raijuta, but the moron refused. That�s all there is to see here.�
Saitoh was furious at himself for giving her explanations. If she couldn�t understand, she didn�t deserve it. He decided to blame Shinomori, who had hinted to him that he wasn�t easy to read, provoking his unforgivable access of weakness.
She hesitated for a second, before calming down and smiling again.
�If your meeting is short, you can catch up with me and Honjo, afterwards.�
At least she had the intelligence to dismiss the incident before it became too embarrassing for both of them, he thought, nodding.
�I promise not to mess the interrogation,� she joked, with a tentative smile. She was feeling like an idiot for her unfair fit of anger, though he had partly deserved it. She was so afraid to fool herself and to expect too much that she always imagined the worst.
He considered her for a minute before smirking meaningfully. �If I can�t be on time, I�ll meet you here. We have to take care of some unfinished business.�
***
Aoshi was trying to prepare a healthy breakfast, which wasn�t easy considering the tons of junk food that Makimachi�s fridge was containing and Suzume�s clumsy attempts to �help�. He had woken up to find the little girl on the futon, next to him, rolled into a ball like a little kitten, murmuring in her sleep. He had started then to guess what the problem of Genzai Masu was.
He had rolled his futon, ordered the room a little, which was much needed, and had begun to cook to keep the girl busy, so that Makimachi could sleep.
She finally got out of her room along with Ayame, both of them yawning, and he received enthusiastic comments about his cooking. No big deal, really, but Makimachi�s grateful gaze was quite�pleasant. She insisted to clean, well, if putting the dirty plates and cups in the sink could be called � to clean�, and then she took care of getting the girls dressed while he prepared his documents and read again his notes.
She was busy with her computer, Suzume and Ayame were watching TV, and he was working when the doorbell announced that the mother was back. The children ran after Makimachi, who had rushed to the door.
After hugging them, Masu turned to hug Misao: �Thank you so much�I don�t know how I could have done without you.�
�Don�t you dare mention it,� she protested, brightly. �Now, you should just rest��
Masu tried to put a smile on her tired face. �I promised them that we were going to the beach, this afternoon.� Seeing Misao worried, she added quickly: �I�ll have a nap until noon, and I�ll be fine. Swimming will be good for me, too.�
�Mom, can�t Aoshi-san and Misao-chan come with us?�
�They have to work, Suzu-chan. It�s time to say goodbye.�
The girl�s lower lip started to tremble, but Ayame put a hand on her shoulder with an imperative yet understanding look. Suzume obeyed without further protest. Masu bowed to Aoshi, who nodded in answer, and they were gone after a last hug to Misao.
Sighing, she took back her place in front of her computer. He observed her for about an hour. She couldn�t concentrate, was nervous and upset again. Enough. No time for subtlety, he was going to use Meg�s tactics. Bluntness. She had to get this weight out of her chest, even though she didn�t realize it.
�When did their father die?�
Startled, she turned to him. �How�how do you know?�
�The little one is looking for my company. She called me dad in her sleep, this morning. The older one�s sense of responsibilities is too developed for her age. And your friend, though obviously taking care of her children alone, is wearing a wedding band.�
�Don�t let anyone tell that you aren�t a real cop, Sherlock,� she tried to joke. She didn�t want to bother him with this, imposing him the company of the kids had been enough. Yet, under his silent stare, she felt compelled to talk. She suddenly needed to.
�Last year. A car accident.�
The sadness lingering in the depths of her blue eyes told him that she wasn�t over this yet. He understood better her attitude at Okita�s funeral. Considering the cheerful and optimistic attitude that she showed in front of her friend, she had probably put a lid on her own loss the more she could and the ceremony had triggered a late, overly emotional reaction.
�You�ve known them for a long time?�
�I�ve known them all my life.�
�From the orphanage?�
�How�oh. My personal file strikes again. Yeah, we met there. We were always the five of us: Kuro and Masu, Shiro and Okon, who live in Kyoto now, because of Shiro�s job. We are still close as a family. I�ve been so lucky to meet them.�
He wasn�t surprised when she showed her a picture on the screen of the computer, to realize that all were older than her. Her hacking talents as a teenager were an indication that she was a precocious child, and he knew first hand that those had rarely friends their age, if any.
Aoshi had also written a study on the correlation between the lack of family ties and a criminal record, which had led him to investigate the condition of life in orphanages. That was the perfect example of vicious dysfunctional group dynamic, which existed also at school. Only that it was worse. The kids were left to themselves, the adults intervening only to punish the most violent incidents. The weakest were ruthlessly bullied, especially one, who ended up as the scapegoat. Those had only three issues: suicide, an act of violence bordering insanity, or the intervention of another child in their favor, so they could reintegrate the main group by turning against the latter, who would become the new scapegoat. Indeed, Makimachi had been lucky to escape this schema. The ratio concluding his study was appalling.
�But the accident changed everything,� he guessed.
�They had started to buy the apartment and the insurance money was just enough to pay for it. Masu had quitted her job since Ayame was born, she planned to work again after both girls went to primary school, but she was left without resources. She is a nurse, so she could find a job in a little hospital, but��
�They take advantage of her precarious situation to make her overwork for free.�
�Yes. I tell her to quit and to find another one, as it doesn�t even fit her specialization, but she doesn�t want to take the risk, because of the girls��
Realizing how bitter she sounded, and ashamed to once more burden him with her worries, she apologized and tried to change the subject. �Sorry, we�d better work, now. I�m sure that I will find a way.�
�What is her specialization?�
�Pediatric�why?�
�I have more contacts in psychiatry, but I know several clinic directors. If they have a post for a nurse, especially in pediatric, I can recommend her.�
Her gaze, after blanking a second with stupor, was grateful again. That was definitely very, very pleasant.
***
The blond man was waiting on a bench, in the middle of the little square. Fucking depressive place, he thought. It was supposed to become a small park, for the use of the future inhabitants of the mansions around. But the construction company had bankrupted, and the tall, empty skeletons of buildings were preventing the light of the sunny June day from reaching the square, covering it in shadows. No trees neither flowers had been planted yet, and there wouldn�t be. The place was dead before it had lived. He had chosen the appointment place: not a soul, not a witness. Yet, it gave him the creeps. Unfortunately, the man he was waiting for wouldn�t make things any cozier.
�What did you get?�
The blond man bolted, hand on his gun, startled at the presence behind him. He sighed in relief, recognizing his employer.
�Fuck, why do you have to scare the hell out of me like this! You could have acknowledged your presence before, for Christ�s sake! Is that so much fun?� he yelled, his Osaka accent thicker than ever, as always when he was out of himself.
His jaw dropped, and a bead of sweat glittered on his forehead, when the unnerving cop only lit a cigarette, grinning sadistically, his lack of answer a silent approval. Psycho, he thought, shuddering.
�You�re nervous, Broomhead,� Saitoh stated after blowing away some smoke.
�I have reasons to be. Here, the confession of the guy, and the address of the two other pimps. They�re only little fishes. Don�t count on me to deal personally with the Yamaguchi-gumi,� Chou warned.
�I hope for you that they won�t run away.�
�The guy I talked to knows he�d better not.� Chou was puffing his chest, very proud of himself. �And the two others don�t have a clue.�
Saitoh was reading the paper. He shrugged and put it in his pocket. �I might have other names later today. I�ll contact you. Anything else?�
�Would it kill you to give compliments from time to time??? Shit, I spent last night walking around the fucking town, my feet hurt, I had no sleep, and you don�t even��
�If you want a gold star for your good actions, I�ll suggest that you enter the boy scouts. Now, what are your reasons for being so nervous? Something I should know about?�
Chou calmed down, his browns furrowing. �There�s a rumor. Not good at all, coming on a stinky wind. Some people that I asked about Raijuta warned me after I gave you the tip, the other day, and confirmed this morning. Another party is looking for him. And for me.�
�The military?�
�Probably. I can�t be sure yet. But these guys aren�t joking. They�re surely after Shishio, too. If it�s true, he�s in big trouble.�
�So are you, then.�
�Nah. I wasn�t in the same league. I was the last enrolled, I knew zilch. These other guys, Raijuta, Shishio, they have been into real, dirty business. They know a lot of embarrassing things. Why do you think that all of them are hiding? It stinks. The military don�t want to attract attention. First objective. If they move, when they didn�t the first time when Shishio screwed up, it�s that they feel threatened. I�ll try to get more on this.�
Saitoh acquiesced and turned to leave. Chou sighed.
�You don�t have to hide the fact that you�re a police informer.�
The cop had uttered the words after several paces, and disappeared at the corner of the building. Chou couldn�t believe his ears. His ex-employers didn�t want to attract attention. They would if they attacked a police informer.
He grinned, satisfied. That was a better compliment than a star from the boy scouts. Saitoh wouldn�t bother giving him a way to save his guts if he didn�t think of him as useful. As a great help, he corrected.
OK, that was maybe too much. Hey, he was from Osaka.
***
Tokio entered the little caf� and spotted immediately Honjo Kamatari, who was sipping a melon float at a table near the window, as well as the police officer affected to her protection. Luckily, the latter was installed a few tables away from her. He wouldn�t hear their conversation.
�Hello, Honjo-san. Detective Saitoh has been called elsewhere, so I hope that you don�t mind me joining you instead.�
�Hi, sweetie. No problem. He has called to inform me.� She made a move of the hand, designating the seat in front of hers.
�Oh�I�ll have an ice tea, with lemon, please,� Tokio indicated to the waiter, and turned to the woman again, offering her a cigarette which she accepted with a smile. �He told me that you gave him some interesting information, but that you couldn�t detail too much?�
�I was working last night, it complicated things.� She interrupted herself to take a first puff. �Your detective came to my club last night, to interrogate one of the bartenders. It was about the previous place he was working in�and his clients there.�
�That club has been closed down five years ago, according to what he told me.�
�Yes, by the police. And I was also working there. Kuma �the bartender- and I have always been friends. He had quitted some time before and he had found his job in this new club. He arranged that I got one, too. It�s way better. The manager has his share to pay to the bosses, of course, but they don�t rule directly, unlike the previous one�and there isn�t disgusting business.�
Kamatari stopped her story, while the waiter brought Tokio�s drink. She had that sad tone in her voice again.
�Drugs?�
�Minors.�
Tokio choked. �Detective Saitoh told me that Takeda, the inspector he�s investigating about, was a regular client of this club. But he didn�t tell me about this!�
�That�s because I didn�t tell him, either. After talking to Kuma, who said nothing of course, he saw me and asked me some questions. I only took his card and I called him later. Let�s be frank, sweetie, this guy is 100% cop, Law and Order are written on his forehead, and you don�t want to be spotted while answering his questions at work, when it can lead to the Y�s.�
Tokio had smiled at her description of Saitoh, but focused again at the mention of the Yamaguchi-gumi�s nickname. �I understand. You knew Takeda at this time, and you said that he was involved with the bosses.�
�I remember him quite well. He was none of my clients since I was already of age and that he wanted only high-school students. But we were afraid of him, as he was in very good term with our bosses. He seldom paid. Nobody knew that he was a cop, of course. Now, I understand why they were so generous. They don�t make gifts without getting something back.�
�Did you see any bribery, or him being asked for a favor?�
�No, but I gave to Detective Saitoh, on the phone, the names of guys who surely did and aren�t part of the family.� She handed discreetly a paper to Tokio. �Two others. But these ones work for the Y�s. That might be more delicate.�
When Tokio took the paper, she noticed old, thin scars on Kamatari�s wrists�ones that could have been made by razor blades. She repressed a compassioning reaction.
�Thank you so much for your help. There�s a little problem, though. Detective Takeda is now in charge of the Slayer case, he�s working with Inspector Tsukayama who interrogated you, and��
�Oh, I know. He was there. That�s how I knew immediately what Detective Saitoh wanted, when he interrogated Kuma.� She smiled at Tokio�s astonishment. �Takeda didn�t recognize me. I wasn�t physically a woman yet, at that time. I wouldn�t have accepted to work in such a place, otherwise��
Kamatari�s eyes were fixing the streets through the windows. They were clouded with memories, and blatantly, not good ones.
�I see�� Tokio murmured gently.
�I was nothing like today. I was all skinny, and shy, and ashamed of myself, because I had been told by my parents, my teachers, my friends, everybody, that I was abnormal. I hated my body, wearing no make-up and clothes with no form. I was afraid to look at people in the eyes. I had to leave home, and this kind of club was the only one that would hire me. No love, just the sordid, all that because I was born in the wrong body��
She cut off and, puzzled, stared at Tokio, who just offered her another cigarette. Tokio stared back at the beautiful woman, her self-confident attitude, her outrageously feminine clothes. All that, Kamatari had acquired; she was a survivor, a fighter. Curiously, Tokio had no problems imagining the poor teenager behind her actual appearance, but she was sure that Takeda wouldn�t. Incredible what being in harmony with oneself could do if you had some resources, and it was obviously the case of this woman.
�Sorry, sweetie. This guy brought bad memories back, I have them playing in my head since yesterday, and it fell upon you. Kuma is right,� she added, �shutting up is the best way to make people talk too much.�
�I have a friend who says the same,� Tokio smiled.
�Oho. Also a bartender?�
�Psychologist.�
�That�s the same, sweetie.�
�Don�t say that to my friend.�
Kamatari giggled. �Where was I? Oh, yeah he won�t recognize me. As I told you, my fashion sense was close to zero, then. And they had only my working pseudo, at the club. Not that they cared about administrative stuff. The place was illegal from A to Z.�
�We�ll pay attention not to involve you.�
�I don�t care. I want this guy down. After I changed, I just shunned everything that had happened during these years. Yet I should have done something, and now I can. He�ll pay for the others, too,� she asserted, adding with the black, almost desperate humor that Tokio now understood was hers: �I already have the Slayers after me, anyway.�
Tokio noticed the plural. So she knew that there was a second one, and Takeda had surely named Enishi. She looked into the green, determined eyes. They were lucky that she had a personal score to settle. But Tokio had to be honest on their goals.
�About this, use it as a pretext for our meeting today. If you are asked more precisely, tell that I wanted your version of your meeting with Detective Yukishiro. And I should tell you��
�I will use the Slayers, but I�d rather not mention to them an incident that they don�t know about.�
�You�you didn�t tell them? Takeda must have��
��Asked me if I saw Detective Yukishiro on the day of the attack, yes, and this man is a sleaze whereas your subordinate is a gentleman. I�ve been confronted with crazy men enough to know when I meet one.�
�Honjo-san, my section is working to prove Yukishiro�s innocence, but, honestly, I advise you to talk. You could have troubles if they discovered that you lied. They could sue you for obstruction to justice.�
Kamatari didn�t answer, smoking her cigarette with a little stubborn smile. She wouldn�t change her mind.
�Very well,� Tokio said finally. �Did Takeda ask only for the day of the attack?�
�Yes.�
�You didn�t meet Detective Yukishiro that day. If you get in trouble, say that they didn�t ask for the other days.�
Kamatari laughed. �They won�t buy it, sweetie.�
�No. But I�ve been a lawyer long enough. They�ll have no choice. Detective Takeda made a mistake, and that�s too bad for him.�
�I almost wish that could happen,� Kamatari sighed regretfully.
�I know what you mean,� Tokio said dryly.
Kamatari gazed at her with a small and funny smile. �I really like you, sweetie.�
***
Saitoh got out of the hospital, checked his cell-phone and called Tokio back.
�Where are you?�Fine. I�m on my way. I�ll explain you there.�
He turned to gaze a last time at the building behind him. Do you want the bad news or the bad news, he thought.
To be continued�

Author�s notes:

1-I have already mentioned in chapter 2 that Tokio�s parents are extremely rich. She also owns a house, not an apartment. And of course, she couldn�t go to Saitoh�s place again as he was supposed to investigate the whole weekend.

2- Osaka people are reputed to be loud, impolite, outrageous, to brag and to exaggerate (and on the bright side, to be nicer and more welcoming than Tokyo people). Chou is really an archetype in that respect. They have a special accent and a regional dialect, Osaka-ben (one of the variation of the Kansai�s dialect, Kansai-ben). Yahiko�s words when he arrives in Kyoto and hears the people talking (�They don�t speak Japanese!�) express a common feeling for any visitor (^-^)

3- Not having family ties, in a society like Japan, is extremely damaging. Lots of orphans end up working for the Mafia, as it�s extremely difficult for them to integrate the regular society. The process that Aoshi describes is �ijime�, widely spread in Japan, in any group and particularly at school. The whole school population (including the teachers, who pretend that they don�t see what happens) uses a student or two to vent their frustrations, ignoring them absolutely, except to torture them physically. This is one of the first causes of suicide for teenagers.

4- A melon float is a typically Japanese (I think) modern drink: green melon soda where floats vanilla ice cream.

5- If homosexuality isn�t tolerated socially in Japan, transsexuals benefit from a better understanding. There is even a law, currently examined, to allow them to change their gender officially. That explains why Kamatari could leave the most sordid clubs after her operation. The character contemplating suicide in the manga, I hope that the attempt hinted here wasn�t too OOC.

Next chapter: Somebody is in the hospital, and a body is floating in the river. Aoshi has ideas, Saitoh acts. Part 2 of this chapter.
- 22
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