Tainted Time

Chapter Four
Without the other


He was still snoring, doing that little "wah~oo" snore. "Wake up Lupin, you lazy bastard! I’ve spent half my life not sleeping because of you, cant you frigging lose a few naps for me? " Zenigata’s rant ended as the van hit yet another forest rut, each bounces slamming shock waves of red hot pain through him. Biting back the cry....mostly, Zenigata curled his knees about himself, gasping for breath.

Something woke him. From a sound sleep and a damn good dream. There was money everywhere! And he had stolen it. All. In one night. From many people. But not just money.. Oh no. All about him gems and paintings lit up, their rare beauty adding to his glee. Laughing, he had danced about, planting little flags on hills of gleaming gold. But something was missing...

"Damn it." He had wanted to know what was missing from his wonderful dream. Then he heard it again. "You gonna make it Pops?" Lupin asked in a concerned whisper. He waited for a second as he watched the Old mans back twitch. "Hey, aren’t you going to bark at me for caring or something?" Still no answer. Damn.. that wasn’t good. Zenigata never let a chance to yell at him pass by unused.

The van slowed to a halt, Loud voices and crypt words was all Lupin could hear. *Must be some sort of checkpoint.* Slipping quickly from the ropes that held him while he was out, Lupin kneeled beside Zenigata. Putting one hand of the cops shoulder, Lupin looked into his sweat-beaded face. "Hang in there old man.. We can’t be far from their base. They are going to make sure you are okay.. I promise." Face grim, Lupin held himself steady as the van started up again

"Lu..lupin.." The voice was so weak; he almost didn’t hear it at first.

"Hey.. Don’t talk." Zenigata grimaced as another series of what felt like ditches was driven over. Curling into the fetal position, Zenigata bit back the sobs of pain. And Lupin was right there, Handkerchief dabbing at his brow, fear showing in his eyes.

"Don’t let them save." The cop gasped out. If he died.. Lupin wouldn’t be their puppet for his sake. "Hey.. Remember what I said before. You have to live. I have a score to settle." Zenigata scowled and took a nip at the finger waving in his face. Lupin yipped as he connected, jumping back.

"I’m not going to let them kill you no matter how many times you bite me, you crazy!" Lupin raged, looking his injured finger over. Frowning, he wrapped it with the handkerchief. *Hmmm?* "heeeheeeheeee.... hahahah hAHAHAHAHAHA!" Lupin crowed, free hand to his forehead. "Pops! I got something for you!" Laughing still he whipped the wrap off his hand held it over Zenigata’s face. "Lets see.. how did this one work now?"


He could barely turn his eyes as the cloth danced over his face. Each movement down the road was more painful then the last. "I don’t need that." he grunted, closing him eyes. "Oh yeah!" Lupin’s laugh seemed far away.. To far to reach. His body was swimming.. Getting weaker. Good. Zenigata coughed as a fine layer of cold washed over his face *Death isn’t what its cracked up to be..*

"Ehh?" Lupin lifted the square of white off Zenigata’s face. Good he was out. Leaning close, he blew the fine powder from the mans face. "Sorry old man.. but you waste far too much power on being pissed at me. Had to knock you out if I want you to live." Lupin frowned as he stripped off his jacket, rolling up his sleeves "you fooled me good there.. I'm very impressed." Working quickly, the thief removed Zenigata’s clothing, his normal outfit and the get up of the dark alley druggist. Tossing the blood soaked rags aside, Lupin grabbed up his blazer and set it under the Inspector. "Hell.. I’m sorry Old man.' He whimpered, eyes refusing to leave the sight of the steadily bleeding bullet hole. "If I had know this was going to happen, I would of never left the cabin."

The van was slowing again. Shit. With hurried movements, Lupin tore strip after strip of fabric from his shirt, tying them together to form a makeshift bandage. He didn’t have time too do any thing else. He wasn’t as good at the doctor shit as Jigen, but he could of helped. If he had had more time.

"This is going to have to do. Please just hang in there until they can fix you up." Footsteps approached the back door. There was only one checkpoint? Well, that would make things easier later. . The door rattled, stuck thanks to someone’s handkerchief wrapped around the handles. It wouldn’t keep them out for long, but long enough for one thing. "Stay strong Pops." Lupin whispered in Zenigata’s ear, giving the sleeping mans lips a small kiss.

"GET THE DAMN DOOR OPEN NOW!" Henry barked, grabbing Jim up by his collar. "Henry! We got it!" Grinning, The Cult leader yanked the handle hard, swinging the door full open, the bright sudden light surely blinding the captives. It was little tortures like that that made ones everyday nice.

"Oh! Hello Henry!"

The cheerful voice was not what he had expected. "You think this is a joke?!" He bellowed to the thief.

Shirtless and wearing sunglasses, Lupin turned a lazy eye to the loud man. "Heh? A joke? Nono.. if this a joke, whoever wrote it needs to be fired. I know a better one. 3 nuns, two snakes and a stay poodle walk into a bar. Now the first nun sits down and orde- Hello, what’s this?" Lupin poked at the gun barrel almost sprouting from his chin. "You can’t kill me. No one else knows where your Gaga-Bagel is at." Lupin would of laughed at look on the mans face, if he wasn’t playing a lot cooler then he felt.

"Gala-Balagal! And you shall learn to fear his name!"

Gaga-Bagel!? He would pay for that.. Henry gritted his teeth. As much as he wanted to blow away that smudge smile, the thief was right. They needed him alive. And the cop as well. "Take the pig to the clinic. If he dies, then kill the doctors." Joe nodded, gathering up the prone man. "Holy hell Henry... he’s friggin heavy. I’m gonna need some help."

They would do their best to make sure he lived. But Lupin barely relaxed as Joe and Henry started dragging Zenigata away *Come on old man.. This is no time to be stubborn.* Jaw clenched, Lupin’s eyes didn’t leave the cop even as he was dragged upright and tied again.

And then he did it. The thief relaxed, giving a small stressed laugh. Zenigata had swallowed in his drugged sleep. The tracker Lupin had slipped into his mouth was without a doubt making its way down his throat by now and once exposed to stomach acid would cling to his insides. *Now I can find you no matter where they put you.* "Start walking, asshole." Smiling, Lupin did just that.