Each member of the team had different jobs this time around, bringing them to different parts of the building. While Ken and Shinta headed for different file rooms, Omi was making his way to the main computer. Youji and Ayemi were working on a distraction to get the trio back out past the guards.
�Progress Siberian?� Ran�s voice said in his ear, interrupting his train of thought.
�Almost there,� he replied softly. He crawled further along, remembering the map that Omi had showed him before they�d headed off. Provided he hadn�t made any wrong turns, the exit should be coming up soon.
Ken smiled in relief when he spied the grate he was meant to use to gain access to the storage room he was targeting. He carefully pushed the grate open and then set it down the large crate positioned just below it. That done, he twisted around in the ductwork and lowered himself down to the crate.
As he turned to climb down from his perch, his foot slipped and he felt himself fall. His cry cut off abruptly as his jacket snagged on something and his fall was halted. The sudden stop also managed to dislodge the mike from his ear. It clattered uselessly to the floor below.
Ken sighed and took stock of the situation he found himself in. Although he knew his jacket was caught on something, he couldn�t see exactly what and he was dangling a few feet off the ground. �Great,� he muttered morosely.
Sighing deeply, Ken tried to slip out of his jacket but only succeeding in getting his arms pinned above his head. The large gloves that hid his bugnuks were preventing him from getting his hands through the sleeves.
Even with his arms over his head, his was still almost a foot off the floor. �Shitshitshit,� he muttered. He was well and truly stuck and his radio was on the floor, so no one knew of his predicament.
Ken kicked his feet futilely, hoping to either dislodge his jacket from whatever it was caught on or gain footing on something so he could get free. He froze, as the distinctive sound of footfalls came to his ears.
�Shinta?� he whispered nervously. �Omi?�
�Guess again,� a soft nasal voice said.
�Schuldich,� Ken gasped and began struggling to get free again. As the redhead stepped into view, accompanied by Nagi. Suddenly, Ken found that he couldn�t move at all.
�Let me go,� he demanded, hoping that his voice would carry to the radio on the floor below him.
Schuldich chuckled. �Looks like the little kitten�s been caught,� he teased. Stepping closer, he set a hand on Ken�s chest and raised an eyebrow. �Puts you in an interesting position though, doesn�t it,� he whispered.
Ken�s eyes widened and his cheeks grew hot. He ducked his head trying to hide the blush he knew was coloring his face. �Leave me alone,� he growled, tears of frustration stinging his eyes.
Schuldich chuckled again and said, �Oh, is the little kitten scared?�
�I�m not afraid of you,� Ken snapped, locking eyes with the taller man.
�Schuldich,� Nagi said softly.
His partner turned and saw that the boy was pointing to something on the floor next to his foot. Looking down, he saw a small two-way on the floor. �Well, well,� he said. �I guess we�ll have company soon, eh?�
Ken gasped as he felt himself floating up and away from the floor. �Let me go,� he demanded, trying to struggle against the invisible force.
Nagi ignored him and continued to raise him until he�d moved the older boy clear of the machinery that had snagged his jacket. That done, he lowered him again � straight into Schuldich�s waiting arms.
Ken glared darkly and renewed his struggles, trying to kick the telepath and make him let go.
�Now, now,� the older man scolded. Pulling a cloth out of its protective covering, he placed it over his prisoner�s face. �None of that,� he stated softly.
Hidaka�s eyes widened and he tried to cry out through the rag. He knew by its sweet smell that it was covered in sleepy blossom pollen. Dimly, he was aware that his struggles had ceased.
�Sleep well, kitten,� Schuldich teased, as Ken�s eyes fluttered closed and he collapsed against the taller man�s chest.
�Let�s go,� Nagi stated. �His friends will be here soon.�
�Right,� Schuldich agreed. �And we have what we came for.� Lifting the limp body over his shoulder, he followed his younger teammate out of the room.
**
�Something�s wrong,� Ran said sharply. �I can�t raise Siberian.�
Shinta paused in what he was doing. �Keep trying,� he suggested. �I�ll finish with what I�m doing here and then go check on him.�
�Affirmative, Singapura,� the redhead answered.
�Let me go,� the team heard over the radio.
�That was Ken,� Omi gasped. �He�s in trouble.�
Shinta sighed deeply and said, �Somali, Balinese: get that distraction ready. Bombay: finish what you�re doing and then head for Siberian�s last known location. I�m heading there now.�
�Be careful,� Ran advised. �I think it�s Schwartz.�
After Ken was nearly captured a few days before, it hadn�t taken the Agency long to put together profiles on the three men he and Omi had seen. The Delta Team hadn�t been told very much, but they did know a few things about the group. There were four of them all together, led by a man named Crawford. They were a team of Enforcers that went rogue some time before and still called themselves Schwartz. They were powerful talents and, although their latest orders seemed to be coming from Takatori, no one knew whom they truly worked for.
�Understood, Abyssinian,� Shinta replied. Pulling his headphones off, he headed off toward the storeroom Ken was assigned to search. He knew he should leave them on, in case something happened. However, he found them distracting and right now he wanted to use his keen hearing to pick up any signs of trouble. If Schwartz was in the building, they all had to be on their guard.
As he rounded the last corner, he heard rapid footsteps coming from the other direction. He stopped and peered cautiously through the darkness for a moment; then sighed in relief.
�Omi,� he called, bounding forward.
�Shinta,� the younger man replied. �Heard anything from Ken?�
Shinta blushed and shook his head. �I took them off,� he said, pulling his headphones back on.
Omi nodded his understanding and said, �Abyssinian, anything from Siberian�s location?�
�Hard to say,� came the reply. �I think I heard some kind of struggle just a moment ago, but I can�t be sure.�
�Thank you,� Shinta stated. He pushed the door to the storeroom open and cautiously looked around. He glanced back at Omi for a moment and then stepped into the room.
�Ken?� Omi called softly.
Shinta sighed deeply in frustration. �No one�s here,� he growled. Turning to Omi, he added, �Get the information Ken was supposed to retrieve. I�ll try and see if I can figure out what happened.�
�Right,� Omi replied.
A short while later, Shinta had thoroughly searched the room and found only a few clues � all of which indicated that Schwartz had Ken. Omi had found the files they were after and the pair quietly left the room.
They made their way to the nearest exit, planning to meet up with the others back at the flower shop. Just as Shinta had planned, Youji and Ayemi set off a small explosion, which sent any guards on duty scrambling for the other side of the building.
Himura smiled slightly at Omi and said, �At least that went according to plan.�
Omi sighed and nodded, then the pair made for the door. With his large feathered wings to help him, Omi beat Shinta there and waited in the doorway for the team leader to catch up. Once they were outside, he lifted the smaller man off the ground and flew him up to a nearby rooftop.
Shinta landed lightly on the roof and waved Omi off. �I�ll meet you there,� he called.
Omi nodded once and soared off towards the flower shop. Meanwhile, Shinta sighed deeply and pulled a scrying crystal out of his jacket pocket. He placed the strands of dark brown hair he�d found over the crystal and mumbled the spell.
The crystal glowed briefly, consuming the hairs and the cleared. Within the crystal�s depths, Shinta could see Ken lying across a bed. His eyes were closed and he seemed relaxed. �Probably drugged,� the half-elf mumbled.
Reassured that the man was otherwise all right, Shinta pocketed the crystal once more. Moments later, he was bounding across rooftops, heading the same direction Omi had.
**
Ken sighed deeply and squeezed his eyes against the pain in his head. Slowly, he rolled onto his back and sat up, opening his eyes slightly to take in his surroundings. He was sitting in the center of a large bed with fluffy pillows all around him. Heavy satin curtains blocked his view of the rest of the room.
Hidaka closed his eyes again before opening them to look down at himself. He frowned thoughtfully at the sight that greeted him. Rather than his usual t-shirt and slacks, he was wearing a voluminous silken robe.
�What happened?� he mumbled, shaking his head.
The curtains parted, startling the brunette, and a youthful face peered in at him. �It�s about time you woke up,� the boy said.
Ken scowled as his memories suddenly rushed back to him. He remembered sneaking into the warehouse on a mission to find information about Ran�s kidnapped sister. He remembered his jacket getting caught on something and ending up hanging off the ground unable to free himself. Finally, he remembered Schuldich and Nagi coming in to find him hanging there helplessly and his capture by them.
�What do want with me?� he growled.
Nagi shrugged. �It�s Crawford that wants you,� he countered. �I�m not a mage.�
�Why am I dressed like this?� Ken asked, ignoring the reply. �Where are my clothes?�
The boy smiled for a moment, before his face returned to its usual nearly blank expression. �You won�t need them,� he answered, drawing the curtains aside and stepping away. �You aren�t going to leave this room.�
Ken glared darkly and then looked around the room. The entire room seemed to be decorated in blue and cream. The floor was covered in a rich blue carpet. He could see a chaise lounged near one wall. Nearby was a depression with cream-colored marble around the edge. With a start, Hidaka realized it was a bath.
As Nagi walked around the bed and out of Ken�s line of sight, Hidaka climbed off the bed to look at the other side of the room. Partially concealed behind blue satin curtains was a pair of doors that Ken suspected led to a balcony. In front of the doors was a low table of cream-colored marble.
A large cream-colored wardrobe with blue doors sat along the fourth wall. Perhaps, he�d be able to find something more substantial to wear in there.
Sighing again, he turned to face Nagi. Feeling somewhat nervous, he asked, �What is this place?�
�Your room,� the boy answered succinctly. �We�re on the fifth floor, so don�t try going out that way,� he continued, pointing toward the balcony. Heading for the door, he added, �This door opens into Crawford�s suite. I�ll let him know that you�re awake.�
Ken swallowed thickly as the boy left. His heart was suddenly filled with dread as he realized what this all meant. Crawford intended to link with him, whether he wanted it or not! Worse, he had no way to escape on his own and he didn�t know if the others knew where to even start looking for him. Feeling somewhat frightened and very much alone, Hidaka sat down heavily on the lounge chair to wait for Crawford to come in.
**
�What happened?� Larabee asked in a soft voice.
Shinta sighed deeply and shook his head. �I don�t even know how they knew we�d be there,� he stated firmly. �However, they seem to have been waiting for Ken to arrive to pick up the information. When he did, they took the opportunity to kidnap him.�
�So,� Ezra put in gently. �What you�re saying is that a group of rogue Enforcers now has in their possession the only know Star channel � who also happens to be an undercover agent.�
�And our friend,� Omi said, standing and beginning to pace. Turning to Shinta, he asked, �What do we do?�
The team leader shook his head. �It�s not my decision to make,� he said sadly. �That�s why Persia and the Director are meeting.�
Chris nodded in agreement. �One team is going to go over the information recovered from the warehouse and continue looking for Miss Fugimiya and the other is going to work with what we know of Schwartz and begin looking for Hidaka.�
Ran shook his head sadly. He wanted desperately to be involved in the recovery of his younger sister, but, at the same time, he wanted to find Ken and make sure he was safe. He knew he couldn�t do both and he also knew he wouldn�t even be given a choice as to which mission he�d be assigned.
Just then, the door of the conference room opened and Director Blackstone stepped into the room. He glanced first at Shinta, then at Chris. �Persia�s already left,� he informed them. �It was decided that the Gamma Team will continue to work on recovering the girl.� Turning to Shinta, he said, �Your team will be responsible for recovering the Star Channel� or seeing that it cannot be used against Shynia.�
�Understood,� the smaller man said softly.
As Blackstone left, Chris touched Shinta�s shoulder. �Good luck,� he whispered. Turning to the members of his team, he said, �Come on, kids.�
The others followed him out of the room, leaving the Delta Team alone. As soon as the door closed, Youji turned to Shinta. �What did he mean �seeing that it can�t be used against Shynia�?� he asked harshly, afraid he already knew the answer.
Shinta sighed and locked eyes with the taller man. �If we cannot recover Ken safely,� he said quietly, �we have to neutralize any threat that may come from him.�
�Neutralize?� Omi breathed, his eyes wide. He stood up, wings fluttering furiously. �No! I�m not going to� I won�t kill Ken!� he said, shaking his head.
Shinta sighed, his eyes softening. �Hopefully it will not come to that Omi,� he said. �The first thing we need to do is get more information on Schwartz. The Agency will not tell us more than they already have�� he trailed off as he fell into contemplation.
Suddenly, he looked back at Omi, a determined expression on his face. �Do you think you are capable of hacking into the Agency�s computer system?�
The computer expert scowled thoughtfully, his wings fluttering gently. Then he nodded and said, �I think so.�
Shinta nodded and smiled. Turning to Ran and Youji, he said, �See what you can learn from the clues I found at the crime scene.�
�What about me?� Ayemi asked softly.
Himura frowned slightly. �I�d like you to help Omi sort through the information he finds,� he stated. �Look for anything that might give us an idea where they�d be holding Ken.�
The woman nodded and turned to her partner. �At least I don�t have to threaten you,� she said lightly, hoping to cheer Omi a little.
He smiled wanly at her comment and said, �Come on, Ayemi-chan. We�ve got work to do.�
As the members of his team headed off, Youji paused and looked back at Shinta. �What about you?� he asked.
Shinta�s frown deepened and he shook his head. �I�m going to see if I can learn more about Takatori,� he said. �Perhaps I can find some clue as to where Schwartz is now. They are working for him, after all.�
Youji nodded and headed out of the room, in the direction of the crime scene labs. Shinta sighed deeply and sat down in a chair. He didn�t know what was holding him back from telling the others what he was, but at the same time he didn�t want them to know of his heritage.
He pulled the scrying crystal out of his pocket again and concentrated his will on seeing what was happening to their imperiled teammate. It didn�t take more than a moment before the crystal cleared and he could see Ken Hidaka.
**
Ken looked up in alarm as the door across from him opened. A tall man with glasses stepped into the room. His soft blond hair was neatly combed and the eyes behind his glasses held a cold, calculating look.
Hidaka swallowed the sudden lump in his throat and backed away as the other approached him. �What do you want with me?� he demanded, sounding far more confident than he felt.
�I find it� curious,� he said softly. �When Mr. Takatori first told me about the Star Channel, he said it was a Darkstar.�
�What�s curious about that?� Ken asked, curious in spite of the situation.
Crawford shrugged. �Nothing,� he said softly. �Except that I�d always heard that the last Star Channel was a Windstar.�
Ken looked away, trying to digest the information and Crawford seized that moment to settle down on the chair beside him. Ken gasped and started to his feet, but the other grabbed him and swung him back onto the chair, pinning him flat on his back.
�No!� Hidaka said, struggling futilely against the larger man.
Crawford glared. �Stop,� he ordered firmly.
Ken did as he was told, taking shuddering breaths as he tried to figure out what to do. �Please,� he said weakly, shaking his head. �I don�t want ��
His words were cut off by the large hand placed over his mouth. �It doesn�t have to be that way,� Crawford said gently. �The link only has to be made through �close, personal contact�.�
Ken swallowed and nodded once, looking up into the other�s eyes. Crawford took his hand away from the younger man�s mouth and sat back. �A hug counts as close person contact, little one,� he said coldly. �So does a kiss, so does ��
�I know,� Ken snapped. Shaking his head slightly, he said, �I � I don�t want to link with you.�
�Would you rather link with Takatori?� Crawford snapped. �I can guarantee he won�t be as gentle as I�m being.�
Hidaka looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. If this was gentle, he didn�t want to even meet Reiji Takatori. Shaking his head, he said, �What are you going to do?�
�That�s not your concern,� Crawford said. �Last chance.� That said, he leaned forward and pulled Ken into an embrace. At first Ken tensed; then he choked back a sob and relaxed into the other�s shoulder. The air around them grew warm and the pair glowed briefly as the link was formed.
Crawford sat back and smiled coldly. He gently pushed the hair away from Ken�s face and looked deep into Ken�s gray eyes. �There, now,� he said. �That wasn�t so bad, was it?�
Ken swallowed and shook his head silently.
�Get yourself cleaned up,� Crawford ordered, standing and heading for the door. �There�s some clothes for you in the wardrobe.�
**
Shinta cursed and pocketed the scrying crystal again. Sometimes he hated scrying, especially since, while he could see and hear everything that was happening, he could neither do anything to stop it nor could he find out exactly where the action he was watching was taking place.
Standing, he hurried out of the room to the office that the Delta Team used when they were actually at Agency Headquarters. �Anything?� he asked, as soon as he�d stepped into the room.
Omi nodded and Ayemi answered, �The Agency has a list of properties that Crawford purchased. Most don�t look very promising, but he does own several small buildings as well as a mansion just outside town.�
Shinta nodded and said, �I�ll get Ran and Youji. They may have learned something that will narrow our location for us.�
�We�ll go with you,� Omi announced, pulling a disk out of the computer and pocketing it. He shut the computer down and the three agents headed to the crime scene lab where Youji and Ran were looking over the evidence Shinta had found at the warehouse.
As the three entered, Youji grinned. �Well,� he said, �Either Schuldich or Nagi had been in the forest recently.�
�We found a trace amount of a certain type of pollen in a sample Shinta collected,� Ran explained. �The plant grows in moist forests.�
�The mansion Crawford owns is near North Lake!� Omi exclaimed.
�Good work,� Shinta said, nodding. �We don�t have much time. Crawford�s already linked with Ken, so there�s no telling what he�ll do.�
�How can you know that?� Youji asked, as the team followed their leader out to their waiting vehicle.
Shinta sighed and pushed his hair out of his face, tucking some behind his gently pointed ear. �It is� my only gift,� he explained in a whisper.
�You�re an elf!� Ayemi exclaimed.
Shinta blushed. �Half elf,� he corrected. �My father is human, only my mother is an elf � a Ruby Elf.�
�So you have aural magic,� Omi said softly, his wings fluttering excitedly.
Nodding, Himura said, �I have the ability to use scrying crystals. I can see anyone, anywhere � provided that I have� a bit of them. However, the power is limited to only seeing them. I cannot figure out where they are and I can do nothing to help them.�
Ran nodded. �Scry for Ken again,� he instructed. �I can use my magic to reassure him that we�re on our way.�
Shinta smiled slightly and pulled the crystal out of his pocket for the third time that night. He closed his eyes and willed it to life. Opening them again when he heard Omi gasp his teammate�s name.
Ran gently placed his hands over the crystal. �Ken,� he said softly.
Within the crystal, Ken started and looked around timidly. �Ran?� he said, his voice cracking.
�It�s all right, Ken,� Ran said in a gentle voice. �We�re on our way.�
Ken nodded slightly and forced a smile. Wiping at his eyes, he whispered, �Just hurry, okay?�
Ran nodded and put his hands down. Shinta smiled and hid the crystal once more. �Let�s go,� he said firmly. �No reason to leave our friend waiting.�
�And every reason to make Crawford and the rest of Schwartz pay for kidnapping him,� Omi said, glaring darkly. The others nodded in agreement and the team hurried off to their vehicle so they could rescue their friend.
**
Ken sighed deeply and shook his head. He felt a little better now, knowing that his friends were on their way. Standing, he made his way to the wardrobe and pulled it open. He riffled through the clothes until he found a shirt and pants that would at least cover most of his body. Then he shrugged out of the voluminous robe and quickly dressed.
As soon as he�d finished pulling the loose-fitting shirt down over his chest, he felt the pull that indicated that Crawford was using the link the channel magic through him. He gasped in pain and crumpled onto the bed.
After what seemed an eternity, the pain dissipated and he was left feeling weak and tired. Trembling, he forced himself up to a seated position and shook his head in attempt to clear it. �God,� he mumbled thickly. �What did he do?�
�Opened a portal,� a soft nasal voice answered.
Ken gasped and looked up in alarm. �S-schuldich,� he said hoarsely. �What � what do you want?�
The other rolled his eyes and said, �Crawford wanted me to make sure the magic hadn�t drained you too badly.� Stepping closer, he added, �That outfit suits you.�
Hidaka glared at the Schuldich as he noticed the hungry gleam in the redhead�s eyes. �Leave me alone,� he growled.
The rogue agent chuckled. �Poor scared kitten,� he teased, turning and leaving the room.
Ken let out a deep sigh and curled up on his side. The spell Crawford had done left him exhausted. He closed his eyes, letting sleep take him and praying that his friends would arrive to rescue him soon.
It felt like he�d only been sleeping for a short while when an insistent tapping woke him. Sitting up, Ken rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around the lightening room blearily. His eyes finally landed on the blue satin curtains the covered to doors to the balcony. Ken gasped in surprise as he noticed that there was a form standing on the other side of the glass.
He dashed across the room and threw the curtains aside. �Omi!� he exclaimed, pulling the doors open.
�Shh,� the younger man cautioned. �Ken, are you alright? Is he still linked to you?�
�Yes,� Ken said, answering the first question. �And no, he did some really strong spell last night. The link can only be used once and then it has to be renewed.�
Omi nodded. �Shinta and the others are attacking from the front while I get you out of here,� he explained.
Hidaka smiled weakly and nodded. �How?� he asked softly.
Omi smiled and wrapped his arms around Ken�s waist. His wings began beating furiously and he slowly lifted them off the ground. Just as they began their descent, a cry from within startled the pair.
�No you don�t,� a harsh voice said. Omi turned to see a man with stark white hair and a patch over one eye standing on the balcony. The man threw a knife at the pair, striking Omi before he had a chance to react.
Omi gasped in pain as the thin bladed weapon struck his wing, then Ken could feel them crashing. He clung to Omi and pulled in the magic around him, thinking only that he didn�t want to fall. Their descent slowed and then stopped and Ken glanced down at the boy in his arms.
�Omi,� he called gently. �Are you okay?�
�Yeah,� Omi moaned. Opening his eyes, he looked up at Ken and his eyes widened in shock. �Ken!� he exclaimed. �You�re flying! You have wings!�
Ken blinked in surprise and then blushed. �Um� yeah,� he said softly. �I can cast spells for illusion or transfiguration.� He landed lightly on the ground and set Omi down gently.
Ran appeared beside him a moment later, followed by the other members of the team. Ayemi quickly began checking both of them over for injuries. Shinta smiled wanly at Ken and said, �They escaped through a portal in the courtyard.�
Ken nodded and swallowed thickly. �Sorry, Shinta,� he said. �I know I shouldn�t have let him link with me but ��
�No,� Shinta interrupted him. �You have nothing to apologize for. I� saw everything.� Touching his arm gently, he added, �You made the only choice you could at that point. Crawford made one portal. It�s not the end of the world and it isn�t a serious threat to Shynian national security.�
Youji nodded. �We have to find out how they knew when and where to grab Ken,� he said.
Shinta sighed. �That can wait for now,� he said firmly. �Right now, we could all use some time to recover.� Turning to Ayemi, he asked, �Is he going to be alright?�
The woman nodded. �He�ll be grounded for a couple days, but he should be fine,� she explained.
�Thank God,� Ken said softly.
Omi smiled and leaned his head against Ken�s chest. �Thank you,� he corrected. �If you hadn�t done that, we�d have both been hurt a lot worse.� He sighed once and then locked eyes with Ken. �You have really beautiful wings, Ken-kun,� he said softly, his wings spreading wide as he blushed lightly.
�Th-thank you,� Ken said, blinking in surprise and also blushing.
Shinta smiled slightly and turned to Ran. �You should get back to the flower shop,� he directed. �Let Omi and Ken have the day off. I think� they have much to discuss.�
Ran nodded and Youji frowned in confusion. �What?� the blonde asked.
Ayemi chuckled and whispered, �When winged humans do that, it�s sort of like flirting.�
Youji�s eyes widened at the explanation and Shinta nodded, adding, �The color of Ken�s eyes indicate that he feels� the same way.�
�Okay!� Youji said firmly. �Then we�d better get these kids back to the shop before they embarrass themselves.�
It took them a little while, but eventually the team headed back to the safety and privacy of the flower shop. Shinta made sure his team was settled in comfortably before heading back to the Agency Headquarters. If Schwartz had known where to find Ken earlier, then there must be some leak within the Agency itself, either that or a mole. Either way, Shinta was determined to get to the bottom of it.
End