This is, as with the previous stories, based heavily on events and situations from the preceeding ones, which are available on my Web Site: http://www.geocities.com/coutuva As always, C&C is anticipated, accepted, and appreciated. All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission. Please Enjoy! Coutuva. Hell Hath No Fury - Part 4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Having slipped out to buy herself a coffee, Hitomi quietly opened the door to Kikyo's room, not wanting to awaken her. Carefully making her way back to her chair, she just managed to get seated when Kikyo spoke, startling her out of her wits. "Anata...?" she croaked, her voice dry from the sedative. "Ay... Kiko-chan! You scared me - !" she gasped, holding her pounding chest. "Gomen... Hitomi-chan... I have to tell you something..." Kikyo implored, motioning her to come close. "Hai...? she responded, standing up and taking the waving hand. "I know what's been happening... To you," she began, trying to smile. "Ano... You do? Are you sure?" she gasped, not expecting this. "Hai... Anita. She's trying to ruin you... To make herself look good. She's behind everything... I'm sure of it," she explained, her voice slowly returning. "Chikusho..." was all the response the stunned redhead could manage. "I'm sorry, Anata... I thought she'd give up if I..." Kikyo continued, but stopped when she suddenly felt her hand tingle, then fall to the bed. Turning her head to see what happened, she noticed that aside from herself, the room was completely empty... And the door was just drifting shut. "Anata...? Are you here?" she asked again, not wanting to believe what her worst fears were telling her. Frighteningly, she was greeted only by the echo of her own voice off the stark concrete walls. "Oh my god..." she breathed, her eyes growing wide. After a stop at the Center to get the address, Hitomi headed straight for Anita's residence, determined to 'convince' her to leave them alone. She wasn't expecting the cadre of security guards around the gates however, so she told the cabbie to drive by, and drop her on the street a short distance away. Walking up to the gate house, she put on her best innocent smile and rapped on the glass. The guard within looked at her over lowered glasses, then she saw him pick up a phone and say something before he came to the window. "I'm sorry Ma'am, but I can't admit you. I have strict orders." "Are you sure? I've never been here before," she replied, feigning surprise. As she spoke, she could sense the other guards coming up behind her, and set herself for the inevitable. "Yes. Now, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave, or we'll be forced to escourt you from the property," he stated, firmly. Hitomi straightened her skirt as she walked away from the pile of groaning guards, now angrier than ever. Determined, she strode up to the large, ornate wooden doors of the main house, and regarded them carefully for a few seconds. Just on a hunch, she tried the handle, and much to her surprise, the huge door opened. Stepping through the entry, her senses were on full alert, anticipating another run-in with security. Sure enough, as she took a few paces into the foyer, she heard footfalls coming toward her at a run. Two men, she noticed, and one of them was a bit overweight. Darting to the side of the foyer, she waited for the men to enter from the side hall. As they raced into the room, she leapt from her vantage and took them both out, one with a fist and the other with her foot. Upon touching down, she huffed at the unconscious figures and headed up the hall. As she continued through the house, she listened intently for some hint as to Anita's whereabouts. The only thing she heard was the dry squeak of old leather from around a corner ahead of her, and her eyes narrowed as she flattened against the wall. She could pick out at least three of them, and she figured that they'd have their guns drawn and waiting, given what happened to their predecessors. A wry smirk spread across her face as she thought up an idea. Around the corner, the guards were becoming nervous, knowing that she should have been in front of them by now. Just as they considered going after her, they heard a very female swoon, followed by the sound of a body landing on the polished marble floor. Wondering what had happened, but still a bit wary, the senior guard motioned the other two to move up and check it out. When they peeked around the corner, they saw Hitomi laying in the middle of the hall, flat on her back with her legs splayed sideways and skirt riding very high. As they stood gaping at the sight, the third moved in behind them, and upon seeing it for himself, shoved the others ahead of him and walked right up to her. Once all three were within her immediate strike zone, her eyes flew open and she smiled brightly. "Like what you see, boys?" she asked suggestively, then swept all three of them down and shut out the lights for the first two. The third she set up in a painful hold, and glared into his face. "Where's Anita?" she growled, tightening her hold. "Th.. Third floor... Large room... West wing," he gasped, painfully. "Really?" she responded, giving him a good reason not to lie. "Yes, yes! She really is!" he yelled, gritting his teeth. "Good night," she responded sweetly, and completed the hold. Arriving outside the aforementioned door, she was again surprised to discover it was not locked. In fact, it was actually ajar. Cranking her senses up to maximum, she pushed the large portal open and stepped through it. "You do realize you're trespassing, don't you?" Anita remarked, turning in her high-backed chair to face Hitomi. "That's the least of your worries," Hitomi replied, advancing toward the huge desk, eyes flaring. "Then I guess you're not here to bow out gracefully," she responded, tauntingly. "No, I'm here to tell you to. Kikyo isn't interested in you. In fact, all you've succeeded in doing is putting her in the hospital!" she shot back, her eyes narrowing again as her voice grew angrier. "I don't even care what you do to me anymore... none of that matters. But when you hurt her... Or our child... believe me, I care...!" she growled, walking up and facing Anita over the expanse of the desktop. "And why should I care what you care? You can't do anything to me... This room is being monitored, and if you so much as lay a finger on me, I'll have your tight little ass in court before you know what hit you!" Anita snarled right back, eyeing Hitomi over. "My 'advice' to you is to just walk away... And let the best woman win. Kikyo-chan will come around; Once she sees what I really have to offer," she added, her attitude becoming even more smug. Hitomi's eyes narrowed. "So... That's how you want to play this...?" "Hai. Admit it, koneko... You're outclassed. If you leave quietly, I'll let you keep your little Centre. Fight me, and I'll destroy everything even remotely connected to you." she threatened, leaning back in her chair and regarding the pen in her hand distantly. "It's up to you," she smiled, glancing back. Hitomi glared across the desk at the woman, her mind locked in a vicious debate. Her instincts were screaming at her to protect Kikyo and their baby, but she knew that anything she did now would likely make matters far worse. A long silence hung in the room until Hitomi abruptly relaxed her glare and calmed herself. A smile crossed her face as she did, and she even chuckled out loud. Anita was incensed. "What the hell do you find so funny?" she demanded, leaning forward to glare at the now quite happy redhead. "Baka... It doesn't matter what you do. Kikyo loves *me*, and that's never going to change. I have absolutely nothing to worry about," she smiled, contentment washing over her. "Knock yourself out. Ja!" she winked with a flip of her hand, then turned on her heel and walked away. Hitomi was well on her way down the hall when Anita's response echoed down the wide passage, sending a chill down her back. "Chikusho..." Kikyo stared at the clock mounted across from her, counting the minutes since Hitomi had left. She was scared to death that her girlfriend would kill Anita, and she wouldn't even let herself think about what that could mean. Another minute passed, making a total of 124. She felt the change of number as physically as if someone had slapped her. Doing her best to roll on her side, she drew her blankets up to her chin and held them tight, wishing that the sleeping meds she'd been given would kick in. Just as she finished with the thought, however, the sound of her room door opening startled her. Flopping on her back, she looked toward the door and gasped at the sight of four men, dressed in dark clothes. As she opened her mouth to ask what the hell they wanted, a fifth one out of sight behind her clamped a gloved hand over it. "You will excuse the less-than-polite manner of our visit, Ms. Kikyo, but we bear a personal invitation to join our employer at her residence for the duration of your recovery. She is sure you will find the accomodations a good deal more pleasant," a weasly male voice stated into her ear. "You may cooperate and come along quietly, which we would prefer given your 'condition', but we are prepared to force the issue... if necessary," he continued, indicating one of his cohorts sporting a small bag. "Will you accept our invitation?" he asked, moving to glare into her wide, panicked eyes. Kikyo, without any weapons and already worried about her baby, nodded quickly. The man smiled in response. Without another word, he removed his hand and slapped a large chunk of dressing tape over her mouth, then taped her wrists together under her blankets. That done, he signalled to his 'associates' to move out. They moved around her bed in a practiced formation, and started it out of the room, heading directly toward the elevator. Within moments, she was quietly moved into Emergency, lifted carefully to a stretcher and wheeled out of the Hospital. Outside, she was loaded into a waiting Ambulance, inside which were more men and two female EMT's. As they secured her for the trip, she closed her eyes and began to cry, finally realizing what the activity likely meant. Anita was obviously alive and well, but that fact begged an even more worrisome question; What had happened to Hitomi? ==================================================================== END - Hell Hath No Fury Part 4 A Ranma1/2 Fanfic by Coutuva Comments Welcomed, Flames Extinguished. coutuva@gmail.com