Kate took the food off the heat and ran to the front door at Ken’s disbelieving yell. There had been no sounds of struggle, no voices to suggest that someone else had been there. That left only one possibility. The stupid bastard had gone in search of booze.
Her phone rang and she listened as Aya told her what had happened at the hotel and the house. Not wanting to drop Yohji in the shit she gave Aya the idea that he might have been kidnapped. Then she shut the phone with a snap, wondering if things could get any worse.
Omi had headed straight for the door, his young face worried. “He can’t have gone far on a broken ankle, Ken-kun,” he said soothingly, though whether it was an attempt to reassure Ken or himself she wasn’t sure.
“Tsuki, stay here and keep watch,” she ordered. “Ken, Omi, let’s fan out. I’ll go north.” That was the direction of the nearest store although Yohji wouldn’t know that. Then she stopped and stared. The crappy little Toyota was missing. “Tsuki, forget that! Get on your bike and look for the Toyota.”
Ken swore angrily and grabbed his helmet off the coffee table. “I’ll fucking go find the shithead. I knew I should have watched the sneaky bastard.”
He went out the door striding angrily for his bike. “We can take turns choking him senseless when I get him back here.”
“Hidaka, stay here! Our bikes are faster than yours. Besides, I want Omi kept safe.”
She grabbed her own helmet and ran for her bike, Tsuki close behind. They took off down the dirt drive clearly seeing the tracks of the Toyota. She spoke into her comm.
“At the end of the drive go right. Kudoh doesn’t know the area and may have gone that way by mistake. I’ll head into town.”
“How long do you want me to look for him?”
“No longer than an hour. After that get back to the farm and take care of the other two. Hidaka’s about ready to explode.”
She gunned her bike and headed for the town. There was a convenience store that sold liquor there and sure enough the Toyota was parked outside of it. She stopped the bike and waited for Yohji to come out.
His ankle was killing him but Yohji had what he needed and hobbled outside the crutch helping him so he didn’t need to put any weight on it at all.
On the upside he had two six packs of beer and a lot of sports tape that he could use to immobilize whatever was broken.
He came to a stop when he saw the helmeted figure on the motorcycle.
I’m fucking dead.
He made his way to the Toyota and tried not to think about what he was in for now.
Seeing the beer, Kate relaxed slightly. Had he come out of there with spirits she would have to really fight with the man to keep him alive. Beer would take the edge off his craving without rendering him drunk. It was the one and only point in his favour.
“Tsuki, go back to the farm. I’ve found him.”
“Okay.”
She climbed off the bike and marched across to Yohji. “I’m only going to say this once. Try these tricks with Kei or Jas and they’ll kill you.”
“Let’s not go there, okay? I was told I could only drink beer. I didn’t have any, now I do.” He offered her a somewhat sheepish smile, “Besides I got tape to immobilize my ankle too. We seem to have left our good first aid kit behind at the shop.”
“One of us could have got the beer and the tape for you,” she said. Then she stepped forward and slapped his face. “You scared the shit out of me!”
Yohji just stared at her, a bright red handprint appearing on his face. He put the sack of beer and tape down on the roof of the car and then put his free arm around her and set his mouth to hers in apology.
Forgetting her fear and worry she returned his kiss before drawing away. “Let’s get back to the farm. I’ve a feeling we’re going to have a lot of arrivals soon.”
Yohji turned away. “I’m no one you should even care about, Kate. You’ve got to know that.” He picked up the bag. “I’ll see you up at the house. I have to drive slow because of the clutch and brake. It’s really tricky.”
“What makes you think I’m any better than you?” she asked as she headed for her bike. “I know all about you, Kudoh, and you know squat about me or how I feel.”
“That’s exactly my point. You do know what I am. That’s why I don’t understand why you’d let me get close to you at all. What is it they say about familiarity breeding contempt? Even my own team mates know better.”
Kate turned to stare at him, green eyes angry. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Kudoh. We’re all at least knee deep in blood so what makes you so fucking special?” And why the hell did she care? Kei was convinced Kudoh was a liability, one best disposed of and she could see his point but… She shook her head. “I’ll follow you back. Wouldn’t want you to get lost would we?”
His jade eyes flashed when he turned to look at her, “I’m not feeling sorry for myself, I’m trying to keep you from getting hurt!” he snapped and got into the car.
And he would hurt her. Not physically, but emotionally.
No, it was better if he fought his urges and just let Brad and Schuldig give him the pleasure he seemed to be as addicted to as he was to the drinking and cigarettes.
She tugged her helmet on and climbed on the bike. He was right; he did have the ability to make her hurt herself over him. She sighed as she started the engine and followed the car back to the farm.
Driving down to the store had been pure torment. Driving back was torture.
The moment Yohji stopped the car in the driveway he opened a beer and took a long drink.
Kate parked the bike and stalked into the house without even glancing at him. If he wanted to be an asshole he’d be treated like one. She went back to the kitchen and continued to prepare the food.
Her thoughts were bleak as she worked. With the interest being shown between Jas and Aya and the various other burgeoning relationships in the team all she could see for herself was a long and very lonely future.
Unless RK got her first that was.
What were you thinking? You read the intel, knew the score.
She served up the omelettes and left the rest of them to eat, heading for the porch and some fresh air. She stared out into space, seeing nothing but her own inner turmoil until the sound of vehicles approaching brought her back to a sense of her surroundings. Luckily she knew the sound of Jas’s bike.
Yohji heard the approaching sound of a motorcycle. He knew the sound and finished off his beer and struggled to get out of the car. His leg hurt horribly and he thought about asking Kate for help then reconsidered and kept his mouth shut.
He used the door of the car and his crutch to lever himself out of the car, picked up the bag of beer and tape and limped slowly toward the house.
His head came up suddenly, and he actually smiled. He could feel them both. No, he felt all four of the Schwarz clearly, but it was the American and German that he wanted to see.
*Schuldig?*
*Hello, Katzchen.* Schuldig’s mental voice sounded dull, listless. There was none of his usual devil-may-care attitude, no hint of his usual humour. And there was no mental touch.
And Yohji noticed it instantly. *What’s wrong?*
*I’m fucking tired, okay? I’ve got a splitting headache and I was forced to make one of our present allies kill another. Other than that I’m just peachy!*
Yohji sighed. *So the answer is we’ve all had a shitty day thanks to RK. Nothing really new there. I’ve got some beer. Stop and get more if you can convince Brad we really need it.
*And with Aya and that jackass Silence here, we’re going to need it.*
*Frankly, Katzchen, beer is the last thing I want right now. If someone can offer me a bed and a good night’s sleep I’ll be their devoted servant. Well, till morning maybe.*
There was a small flash of Schuldig’s usual personality, but inside something seemed different, broken.
There was something very wrong with Schuldig. *I’ve got what you want, Schuldig. I’ll even give you a scalp massage if you help me tape my ankle. It’s broken thanks to Ken.*
*Tape your own damned ankle! I told you, I’m tired now leave me alone.* The connection was cut off quite deliberately.
Yohji closed his eyes. He felt so alone again. Alone and so very tired.
Jas came up the dirt drive and saw the blond drunk standing there on a crutch. The image was just so appropriate that he would have smiled if it hadn't simply made him want to put a bullet into the other man's head and end his misery for him.
~Jason, he needs understanding, not death,~ his sister's voice whispered into his mind.
What's to understand?
~His pain. He carries the agony of a loss just like you do. If he deserves to die, then so do you.~
And you know my answer to that.
~Yes, I do and you know it's not true.
~Besides, that awful Nightmare did something to him to make that pain worse. I'm not totally sure what was done, but it's there. It's a layer of blackness over his heart that only a ghost can see I guess. And that other evil man hurt Schuldig, though of the two he might have gotten some good out of it. He's not so much the arrogant bastard as he was before.
~Still, it makes him a liability rather than an asset.~
They're all liabilities if you ask me.
~All of them? Even that man you like so much?~
I don't like him.
~You've been kissing him. If that means you don't like him, I'd wouldn't want to see what you'd do with him if you decide you hate him.~
You won't because there won't be anything to see. It was why Jas never took a lover, why the very thought both thrilled and repulsed him. If he made love with someone his own sister would have to watch, and the idea made him feel slightly ill.
~Don't be that way. I promise I won't look.~
Yes you will. I know you will.
~I won't look at you, okay?~
No, it's not okay. It won't ever be okay.
~Jas I'm dead, does it really matter?~
Yes.
Jas stopped his bike and sat there staring at the former Weiss as he struggled to walk.
~Well don't just sit here like a lump. Go help him.~
No.
Crawford passed the SUV on the dirt road, almost taking out a row of some kind of vegetation at the edge of the field, scattering dust and gravel as he did.
He glanced at Schuldig seeing something very wrong in his lover's blank stare.
And then he spotted Yohji and his gaze went dark, angry because the damned DSS man known as Silence was just sitting there watching the other blond struggle along.
It made him furious that both teams could be so uncaring but then consider Schwarz evil.
Of all of them it was Kate that went to Yohji’s aid, getting a shoulder under his free arm and helping him into the house. As she passed Jas she shot him a withering look of reproach but said nothing.
The SUV pulled to a halt and Aya climbed out ready to help the others. He too shot a look at Jas but quickly looked away. If what he’d heard was true and the man lived with the ghost of his sister it made things rather difficult. He imagined how he would feel if his sister was inside his head, instead of at a nursing school in England, and shuddered slightly. No wonder Jas came across as a frigid virgin even if he had felt the fire under the ice.
Jas just turned a frosty stare on Kate, got off his bike and headed for the SUV and his primary concern: Kei, their wounded leader.
Brad was already opening the car door as he slammed it into park. “Nagi, take care of Schuldig,” he said as he headed right for Shadow and the struggling blond.
“Let me, I’m stronger and he needs off that foot,” Brad told her as he removed the bag from Yohji’s hand and presented it to her before scooping the sleek blond into his arms.
“I’m not fucking helpless,” Yohji grumbled.
“No, you aren’t. Not totally, but if you don’t stop using that leg you’re going to wind up doing irreparable damage.”
He actually offered Kate a slight smile, “If you would be so kind to get the door, please?”
Kate sighed slightly but opened the door so that Crawford could carry Yohji inside. It would be interesting to see what Ken and Omi made of that particular sight.
She was nearly knocked off her feet as Tsuki bounded past her and sprinted for the SUV. Her lips twitched but she said nothing. Things would work out as they were meant to she had always believed that and still did.
Tsuki reached the SUV to find Aya and Jas glaring at each other. Doing a bit of glaring himself he brushed past them and leaned into the vehicle ready to help Kei. What he saw made him wince slightly in sympathy but inside he felt better. The man was as near to being a going concern as anyone in his condition had a right to be.
Aki was more of a worry, the small man still shaking slightly and staring into something only he, and possibly Issei, could see. They might have won this round but the cost had been too fucking high.
Kei opened his eyes and tried to get out of the SUV, but there was Tsuki standing there and Jas and Aya glaring at one another right behind him.
“Drama queens,” he muttered and winked at Tsuki. “I need to pee, help me inside and then we can plan our next move.”
Darkness tapped Issei’s hand to get the other man’s attention. “Bring Aki inside. He needs food and some rest.”
Issei nodded and helped Aki out of the car. Tsuki’s brows rose slightly at this hitherto unseen protective streak in the quiet keyboardist. He reached in to let Kei use his arms to help lever himself up and helped him to get to his feet.
The glaring was still going on, much to his disgust.
“Why don’t you go help take care of the drunk, I’ll get Kei inside,” Jas suggested.
“I think Crawford and Shadow have that covered between them,” Aya retorted.
“I think you both need to get out of the damned way,” Tsuki said, his patience wearing thin.
“Go fuck and get it over with. I need both of you focused on what’s happening, not on your dicks,” Kei snapped as he leaned on Tsuki.
Crawford put Yohji down on the couch so that he’d have easy access to the man’s ankle which desperately needed even the most basic medical care. Care which no one had bothered to render.
Ken stared at Crawford. “We can take care of him.”
“Really?” Brad’s sarcastic tone was so thick it could have been served up on plates. “considering he’s hobbling around on a broken ankle and no one seemed to care--“he looked at Kate, “--except her, I’d rather not leave him to the dubious care of anyone else.”
“I’ll bind his ankle,” Omi offered. “I would have done it before but what with one thing and another…” He gazed up at Crawford. “And if you know him so well you should know that he sometimes makes it difficult to show the proper care.”
“Thank you, Omi. I think I have a few hungry men to feed,” Kate said. She went back to the kitchen to make a fresh batch of omelettes for those who’d just arrived and was pleased to see that someone had had the sense to buy tea and coffee. Abyssinian at a guess. “Ken, could you stop glowering and make some tea and coffee please?”
Her thoughts strayed to Crawford’s words as she worked and, although she didn’t like the man, she could see the justice in them. It was just the sarcastic way they’d been said to people who were already tired and, in Ken’s case, volatile. Then it struck her.
“You know, while you were at the mercy of Mindwarp’s whims Ken and Yohji were fighting off their own telepathic attacks. I doubt if RK would be terribly interested in getting Yohji’s ankle fixed.” She said no more as Issei entered the house with Aki at that point to be closely followed by Tsuki helping Kei.
Ken stared at his traitor team mate-- or would that be former team mate?-- for a moment, then he turned his angry stare on Crawford.
"Don't say a word," Yohji told Ken sharply which brought a scowl to the former soccer player's face.
Crawford saw Issei put Aki into a chair. Schuldig wasn't the only one suffering post traumatic distress but right now there wasn't much that could be done for the little drummer. He only hoped Schuldig would come around on his own, and quickly. They couldn't afford to have him unable to function, not with the might that RK could still throw at them.
The American just smirked and put his arms around Yohji before giving the blond a gentle kiss. "Behave," he ordered softly. "I'll be back."
"There's something really wrong with Schuldig."
"I know. Now rest. I'll take care of it." He glanced at the injured DSS leader, "In fact, I'll take care of everything," he said as he gave a gentle caress to Yohji's face.
Crawford looked at Omi, "Take care of him and Darkness. They're both in need of doctors which we don't dare take them to at this point. Not with Kritiker looking for you Weiss and RK intent on our capture or death."
Kei felt his legs trying to give out and he held tighter to Tsuki as the room started to blur in his vision.
Crawford lent a hand to Tsuki and got Kei into a chair. "Don't let him get up. He's lost too much blood."
The American headed for the door then paused to look at Ken, "Coffee, tea. Move."
“Go fu--"
Ken didn't even finish what he'd been about to say. Stars glittered in his vision and he realized he was being held to a wall by a hand in the front of his shirt and that Crawford's face was very close to his own. "Do not make trouble. We've already got enough of that without you adding more. Understood!"
"Fuck--" a fist slamming into Ken's stomach shut him up and he felt the cold touch of a pistol pressed to his temple.
"Get this straight now, Hidaka. Anything you do to jeopardize us might just induce me to blow your brains out. We don't need your shit! Got it?"
He heard Yohji sigh, "Brad, try not to be such an ass. He doesn't like you."
"I don't fucking care what he does or doesn't like! He learns to work with us, or he can die now, his choice," the Schwarz leader stated harshly.
Ken glowered at the older man.
"Do you want to live, or do you want a bullet now?"
"No."
"Then learn to do what you're told," Crawford snapped.
Ken nodded grudgingly. "All right. Fine. Whatever."
A hand cracked across his cheek. "Not whatever. Obey or die."
"Okay, okay I get it!"
Brad let him go, returned the gun to the holster under his left arm and straightened his tie. "Be glad it was me, and not Kei or his right hand-killer Jas. They wouldn't have shown my patience."
Tsuki raised a brow at Crawford’s attitude, his mouth twitching in wry humour. “Bossy isn’t he?” he murmured to Kei.
Schuldig wandered in toting a duffle bag full of guns which he dumped by an armchair that he promptly sank into holding his head. He very carefully didn’t look at Aki.
Nobody said anything else until Kate poked her head round the kitchen door. “I’ve made a fresh batch of omelettes if anyone is hungry. Omi, make sure Yohji eats something please.” She glanced at Kei, grimacing slightly at how pale he was. “Tea’s on its way,” she told him.
Kei offered Kate a tight nod, and relaxed carefully back into his chair. He was really starting to hurt, and the dizziness just wasn't going away. He reached out and touched Tsuki's hand, folding too cool fingers around it in a gentle grip.
Ken vanished into the kitchen to do as he'd been ordered, but there was fury in his gaze as he shot a glance at Yohji as if blaming the older man for what had just happened.
Brad spun to face the kitchen, "If you so much as wrinkle his clothes Hidaka I'll shoot out both your knees and leave you where the next RK team can find you."
"Brad, take it easy," Yohji said in his most soothing voice.
He got a hard stare. "I protect what's mine, you know that."
Yohji nodded and gave his lover a smile, "Sure, sure, I know. But you don't have to treat them like enemies. That's over now, okay?”
Brad's mouth compressed, "Is it?" he asked his tone bitter.
"Tell him Omi," Yohji urged hoping the boy could at least offer to get along.
But it was Kei that spoke up, his voice soft yet it pierced the silence like a gunshot. "Yes. There will be no more fighting. No more bickering. Understood?"
“Understood,” Issei said in his quiet way although it was fairly obvious that he wouldn’t even look at Schuldig.
Tsuki nodded and gently returned the pressure of Kei’s fingers. “Understood,” he agreed.
Kate glanced at Crawford but nodded before retreating to the kitchen.
Omi continued to wrap Yohji’s leg, his expression unhappy. Finally he glanced up at Kei. “I won’t bicker,” he said but it was noticeable that it was all that he did promise and as soon as he’d finished with Yohji’s ankle he stepped away from the older man. There was accusation in his blue eyes and betrayal.
A slight movement in the doorway heralded the approach of Jas and Aya. The redhead read the situation immediately. Omi, Aki and Issei were obviously unhappy and Yohji was acting like a lover with Crawford.
Which he is. I should never have let his beauty sway me. He glanced at Jas. I won’t make that mistake again. I’m better alone.
Aloud he said, “Omi, we have to work together for now despite what happened in the past.”
Schuldig finally looked up then, the bright blue of his eyes haunted. “Looks like my sins have come back to bite us, Brad. I had no desire to do what was done to you,” he told Aki and Issei before turning his cerulean gaze on Omi. He sighed.
“Farfarello is too good a shot to have missed you and killed the girl by mistake. She was her father’s daughter in all but name. A true Takatori and she deserved to die. Of course, you’ll never believe that because you are your father’s son and obsessed with the protection of supposed innocents. One day you’ll grow up and realise that there are precious few of them out there.”
His haunted gaze fell on Aki. “And those that are get used by the predators like us.”
Kei shook his head. "There are no innocents in this room. We're every one of us killers, Schuldig. Don't mistake his remorse over the death of Hisato as innocence. You see, Aki is probably one of the most ruthless killers you will ever meet." Kei smiled. "Other than myself or Jas that is."
Brad was watching Aya and Jas as he sat down on the arm of the chair where Schuldig was. He put a hand on the German's shoulder, leaned down until his lips touched the fire of the telepath's hair and asked, *Tell me what's wrong, and don't tell me your head hurts. It's more than that. Both Yohji and I feel it.*
Out loud Brad said, "If you want to live, we have to work together, otherwise," he met Kei's gaze seeing the pain there that the man would not yield to in the tight set of his mouth and the dulled eyes, "none of us will make it."
Yohji wished Brad would have come over to hold him, but he had a suspicion that if he'd gone to sit with Schuldig the German needed him more.
Ken came out with a tray of cups, a pot of coffee and one of tea which he set down on the coffee table in the middle of the living room. He didn't say a thing as he went to join Omi, his expression still full of barely restrained hostility.
Farfarello came in and stood quietly by the door.
"Anything?" Crawford asked him.
"No. Not yet."
Schuldig’s mind was silent, his shields firmly in place so that even his surface thoughts could not be read. It would not be a good idea to let any of them know they were all doomed.
His gaze travelled the room taking in Yohji’s broken ankle, Kei’s gunshot wound, Aki’s trembling frame, the animosity towards him coming off Issei, Ken and Omi in waves, the distrust and dislike from Aya, nothing at all from his companion and a jealous buzz from the kitchen that told him all he needed to know about Kate.
Suddenly he laughed. They were all dead. But Nagi deserved a chance of survival so he would put up a fight together with the rest even though they would lose.
The American closed his eyes, swaying slightly on the chair arm. “They’ll know we’re together in approximately six hours. In just over twenty-four they’ll come here after us with the intention of killing everyone.”
Crawford opened his eyes and met Kei’s gaze. “We’ll need to move before then.”
“Suggestions?” Kei asked. “Anywhere we might have normally gone, I’m sure they are aware of by now.”
Crawford draped an arm around Schuldig. “We can run, or we can take the fight to them.”
Jas moved to stand closer to Kei. “We’re in no condition to fight right now. We need time.”
“Time isn’t something we’ve got in abundance,” Crawford replied.
“Why not?” Yohji asked. “If we run and keep running we can stay ahead of them, or go somewhere it’s not so easy for us to find.”
“I wasn’t their only precog,” Brad remarked. “I’m just the best they’d let out of their grasp, and the most accurate away from a controlled environment.”
“There is nowhere to run to,” Aya said flatly, “just as your German pet is thinking right now. Yes we can leave here but every time we move it makes us weaker, more vulnerable and their talents can spot us wherever we go.” He glanced at Kei as he spoke but very deliberately didn’t look at Yohji.
“We need to make this place a trap. Lure them in then blow it to smithereens. That might just buy us the time to heal.”
The Schwarz leader just shook his head, “That’s not going to work. Didn’t you hear me? Precognitive. They’ll use the ones they have to keep them from falling into any traps we set.”
“He’s right, Abyssinian. This isn’t the right place. Too many buildings and the crops would serve as another hiding place,” Kei stated. “The basic plan is good, the location isn’t.”
“I bet I know what you’re thinking,” Jas stated.
“I’m sure you do,” Kei remarked.
Jas smiled and pulled out his cell phone.
“Eat and rest. Jas will take care of the arrangements.”
Tsuki smiled and poured a bowl of tea which he held to Kei’s lips as Jas made his call.
Aya nodded as both Crawford and Kei stated their objections. He knew he could shield them from telepaths but he wasn’t sure he could hide any plans they might make from precogs. And on reflection he realised Kei was right about the buildings and crops.
“Can anything hide our intentions?” he asked Crawford.
“Nagi can for a short while, but he can’t do it indefinitely.”
*Schuldig, tell me what’s wrong.* Brad urged trying to reach his lover’s mind.
“Maybe a diversion of some kind would help,” Ken commented.
Jas stepped away from the others and started to speak into the phone in a language that was certainly not Japanese or English.
Brad glanced at Farfarello, “Tell Nagi to come in. I think it might be to our advantage not to have RK be able to see that conversation.”
Schuldig gazed up at his lover. *We’re all going to die, Brad. We all deserve to die.* He laughed again the sound hollow and bitter.
Nagi returned with Farfarello and immediately realised what was needed. He concentrated on his talent and raised a telekinetic shield around the farmhouse. “I can hold this for about ten minutes, no longer than that.”
Crawford frowned. *No Schuldig. That’s not true and you know it. We aren’t going to die. We were never going to die,* he reassured his lover. He leaned close again pulling the German into his embrace. *I’m not going to let anyone take this from me. I won’t let them have what’s mine. Now pull yourself back together. Don’t let that bastard’s tampering control you because that’s what’s happening. You’re stronger than he ever was. Don’t let him have a post mortem victory.*
Kei glanced at Jas who just shrugged. “Do it then. It might buy us some time.”
*I’ll try, but – no double crossing them, Brad. Those we didn’t destroy would destroy us. We need them. And both Abyssinian and Siberian are like us. Some of the others too, especially the blond and the woman, we can’t betray our own.*
*I’ve no intention of double-crossing them, Schuldig. Once this is over with we’ll all be able to go our separate ways. That’s always what I’ve wanted, to be able to walk away from all this killing and live peacefully with my family.*
Yohji couldn’t help looking at Brad and Schuldig. He knew Brad and the telepath loved each other-- in their way-- but he also knew that those emotions didn’t extend to him. It was bitter truth, just like the fact that much as he loved Aya, he’d never have Aya for his lover.
Jas picked up his conversation as if it had never been stopped and within a moment it was done. He turned to the others. “There will be a charter jet waiting for us at the Tokyo airport in three hours, It will leave in three and one half hours, whether we are on board or not.”
“And where, may I ask, will we be going?” Crawford questioned.
Kei offered the Schwarz leader a cool smile, “That’s just it, you may not ask.”
Aya turned his head to hide a slight smile. The more he got to know Kei the more he trusted and respected the man and this handling of Crawford was simply the icing on the cake.
Kate brought trays covered with plates of food from the kitchen and began distributing them. She had managed to find three pieces of steak in the bags of grocery Weiss had bought and she made sure that Kei got one of them to feed his blood. Another was placed in front of Aki while Schuldig got the third. Everyone else got omelettes packed full of vegetables.
Kei gave Kate a wan smile. “Give it to Crawford. I’m not sure I should try to eat for a day or two.”
Crawford’s gaze lost focus for a brief instant. “Eat it. She’s right; you’ll need your strength.”
Aki simply paled and shook his head. “Thank you, Kate but just looking at that...” tears started to dampen his eyelashes and he got up and walked out of the room heading for the stairs.
“Aki.” Just his name said gently by Kei, but the drummer returned to the room and sat down in the chair farthest from the food.
Yohji gladly took his plate, sitting up to eat. He didn’t really care much for eggs but he was hungry and that’s all there was.
Jas took a look at his plate and frowned before dumping the entire contents of it onto Aya’s plate.
“No offence, Kate, but I’ll make something else.” He vanished into the kitchen.
Kei shook his head and dug into his meal. “He’s not going to do anything but down something full of sugar.”
Ken poured Omi more tea and refilled his own drink. “So we’re going on a plane and we don’t know where we’re going?”
“Yes, we’re taking a plane, and I know where we’re going. You don’t need to.” Kei told the former Weiss.
Aya glanced up from his omelet. “The less we know, Hidaka, the less we can inadvertently let slip.”
Omi nodded. It made sense to him.
Issei picked up Aki’s untouched steak and began to eat it although he looked as if he was having to force every last mouthful down.
Jas came out of the kitchen with a bottle of Ken’s sports drink in one hand and several plums in the other. He went to Aki and held out the plums.
“I...” but the drummer saw the look on Jas’ face and took the plums without further comment. A frosty stare made him put one into his mouth and take a bite.
Jas turned and surveyed everyone in the room. “We’ve got a hard weight limit as the plane was never meant to carry all of you, just us and our gear.”
Kei raised an eyebrow.
“At a rough calculation I’d say us and a few weapons. No luggage at all.”
Kei nodded. “You heard him. Make your choice of weapons. It’s the one good thing about chartered flights, no airport security to deal with.”
"I don't need any weapons," Nagi said the strain of holding the shield beginning to tell. "Can I let this go for a while?"
Kei nodded.
Aya continued to eat not having to make a choice. The katana would be going with him.
"My crossbow and darts," Omi said quietly, saddened that it was the only thing he could truly call his anymore.
"I have my pistol," Schuldig said with a shrug.
"I've got my wire and the pistol Brad gave me," Yohji stated as he set his plate aside.
"Aya should take a pistol if there's a spare," Ken told them. "He'd never admit it, but he's a damn good shot."
Kei put his plate aside unable to finish it with the pain threatening to make him bring it all back up which was something he wanted to avoid. He wondered-- too late-- if having him eat wasn't the way Crawford planned to gain control of all three teams. On second thought he didn't think the man would even really try. Not when there was zero chance of his own team obeying the American.
He frowned. Unless he'd asked them to do so because he was fully incapacitated or dying.
No. He's a bastard but we're his salvation and he knows it. But was that really true? He had no way of knowing the answer to that, but Jas did and the blond seemed as calm and unruffled as he'd ever seen him. In a way Jas' return to what passed as normal behavior for him after being so recently under the control of a telepath was slightly disturbing.
Shouldn't there be some sort of reaction or change? Some sign of uneasiness or...? But this was Jas and he'd never been like any normal person. Not in all the time Kei had known him.
Then too Kei was hardly a good example of 'normal' either so who was he to judge anyone else?
Crawford was watching the DSS leader from the corner of his eye, waiting for the man to finally slip out of consciousness as he knew would happen fairly soon. That much blood loss couldn't just be shrugged off.
"We've all got our weapons on us. Those," he indicated the bag on the floor, "are spares."
Aya could see Kei beginning to drift into unconsciousness but wasn’t too worried. There wasn’t one member of his team that wouldn’t look after him. He put his plate down and snorted in self-mocking derision.
If he were in the same condition as Kei right now he doubted if any of his former team would protect him as readily. Ken might stand over him, Omi might bind his wounds but Yohji’s loyalties seemed to lie elsewhere now.
Your own fault, Fujimiya, you pushed him away. Which was exactly what Crawford had wanted but never mind.
The feel of eyes on him made him glance up to find Jas watching him.
And that’s not going to work either, you stupid jerk. Maybe you should get a tattoo like Kudoh just to remind you.
“Well as much as we might want to hang around here and chat, I think we should get ourselves moving. Three hours to get from her to the airport in Tokyo is pushing it a bit, don’t you think so?” Crawford asked as he pulled Schuldig to his feet.
Kei’s eyes opened. “Jas takes point. Crawford brings up the rear to the airport. Aya rides with Jas, Yohji with Crawford, Nagi in the SUV with me, Aki and Issei.
“I want Kate and Tsuki on bikes between the point people and the SUV, Ken and Omi between the SUV and Crawford’s car. Everyone else sort yourselves out for the trip wherever there’s room. Leave that shit Toyota. It won’t work if we need to go at any speed.”
Crawford frowned, and then nodded. It was an excellent use of all three teams’ abilities. “Very impressive,” he said giving credit where it was due.
Kei gave him a slight nod in acknowledgement of the compliment. “Let’s go.”
Tsuki helped Kei to his feet and kept a supporting arm around him all the way to the SUV. Once there he eased him into the back seat with all the care of a mother cat with one kitten.
Aya sighed at the thought of yet another trip on the back of a bike but at least it wouldn’t be Ken’s and he wouldn’t have to hold Jas round the waist – if he didn’t want to.
Issei climbed behind the wheel of the SUV.
Jas finished his drink, tossed the bottle in the general direction of the kitchen, and headed for the door.
He hadn’t taken two steps before Crawford’s hand closed on his shoulder. He turned a cool gaze on the taller man.
“Let Aya protect your mind, don’t rely on your sister. Phantasm is still out there somewhere and we can’t take chances,” the older American told him.
“I thought you said it would be hours before RK realized that we’d teamed up.”
“It will be. But that’s RK, not Phantasm. With the rest of his team dead, he’s looking for blood and he’s got nothing to lose.”
Jas looked at Aya. “Think you can protect me?”
It was Kei that answered, “Give him your trust, Jas. He can do it.”
Silence’s grey eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure about that.”
“I trusted him, Jas.”
“And got shot,” the blond shot back.
Kei’s lips compressed into an angry line. “Do you want me to make it an order?”
“No.”
Jas shot an angered glare at Crawford who just offered him a tight smile that Jas turned his back on. “Come on, Abyssinian.”
Aya knew well the futility of glaring at Crawford: the man was impervious to them. Instead he shrugged and followed Jas to one of the bikes saying, “I can protect both of you and, from what little I’ve heard about Phantasm, I might have to. He’s not above attacking a ghost.”
At least Jas still had his sister in ghost form, his was lost to him forever even though she still lived and breathed somewhere.
Jas just grunted to show he'd heard what Abyssinian had said as they walked to his bike. "Remember to turn on your comm, it's inside the helmet."
Aya switched on the comm and climbed on the back of the bike without another word.
Crawford meanwhile had picked Yohji up and was carrying him toward his Mercedes. "I want you both with me," he told the German. "Can you open the back door for us, please, Schuldig?"
Schuldig opened the back door of the sleek car so Brad could put Yohji down on the broad back seat. “I think it might just be the three of us,” he said.
Farfarello was torn. He wanted to be with Brad, but if Nagi was riding with the DSS leader it meant leaving Prodigy alone with the members of the other two teams.
"Want me to ride with you?"
“I think you should if there’s room,” Nagi said with one of his rare smiles. “They need to realise that you’re really quite human when on the same side. Besides, I’d like your company.”
Farfarello smirked, “Me human? That’s a joke right?” he quipped as he opened one of the SUV’s back doors.
“I believe you might just be right, Schuldig.” He smiled at the German, “Which is just fine as far as I’m concerned.” He got Yohji into the car and slipped him a small flask of whiskey.
“To keep the demons at bay, lover,” he whispered and kissed the blond.
“Thanks,” Yohji replied. “I don’t suppose we could bring the beer could we? I don’t want to piss off that bastard if I can help it. I think he’s completely serious about putting a bullet into my head if he sees me drunk.”
Brad’s expression went hard. “If he so much as tries I’ll kill him,” he snarled. “No one touches what’s mine, and he’s going to need to learn that if he wants to stay among the living.”
He closed the car door and smiled at Schuldig. *Can you read Kei at all, Schu?*
Schuldig went to shake his head before thinking better of it. The mad percussionist playing on the inside of his skull showed no signs of giving up yet. “Abyssinian’s shielding both him and the cold blond. I don’t think he trusts me.” There was the shadow of his old smirk. “But the woman really doesn’t like you.”
*Oh? What a shame. Let me guess, she’s set her sights on Yohji and resents the fact I’m being so proprietary with him.*
*Partly jealousy, yes. But mostly it’s something garbled to do with a dead brother and drugs. Ack, of course, she thinks that amongst our other sins we’ve dealt in drugs.* His eyes widened. *Yohji reminds her of her brother who was given a hot shot some years ago. She disposed of his killers.*
*Odd. Yet she’s sexually attracted to Yohji. Now there’s some warped psychology for you.* He got into the car and buckled his seat belt. *Remind me to put an end to her conclusion jumping. I’d no sooner deal in drugs than I’d swallow a bottle of rat poison.*
Ken started up his bike and turned to check on the people getting into the SUV. The small guy and his friend were still getting in, the blue haired man looking as if he weren’t quite in the same reality as everyone else.
Remembering what it was like to have someone else messing with his thoughts he shuddered slightly and found something else to look at, namely Omi. He smiled. “Love you.”
Omi returned the smile though his eyes were sad. “Love you too, Ken-kun,” he said softly. “I’d hoped we could stay here for a little while, you know?”
“Yeah, me too,” Ken said ruefully as he gave a final look at the serene farm scene around them.
Issei strapped Aki into the front passenger seat of the SUV, wishing he could do more to comfort him but he’d never been very good at comforting people. His father beating his mother to death and him leaving home and living on the streets had produced a shell too tough for him to reach through except… that this was Aki that was hurting so badly.
Aki turned his eyes to the farm house. He’d been brought here when he’d joined Shadow Soul as the drummer, and DSS as their fledgling explosives expert.
It had been Hisato who’d stayed with him those first few weeks.
He put a hand on the window and watched the ghosts of the past, Hisato sitting on the porch, waving to them as they got ready to leave.
I’m sorry, Hisato.
~It’s not your fault, Aki. Don’t blame yourself.~
But it is my fault.
~No it’s the bastards of RK who did this.~
Schuldig.
~Only indirectly, kid. He wasn’t in control of his mind any more than you were so stop blaming him and yourself. Neither of you had a choice.~
But you’re dead.
~Yeah, well it’s not so bad. And I’ve got company at least.~
Oh. Who?
~Jas’ sister. She’s a nice kid.~
You aren’t mad.
~Not at you, Aki. Never at you.~
“Issei, Hisato says he’s not mad at me for killing him. Isn’t that wonderful?” he asked the other man.
Issei stopped dead half way into the car and frowned. Was Aki finally going crazy with the shook? But at least he’d decided that Hisato wasn’t mad at him. “Yeah,” he said and continued to ease himself behind the wheel, “that’s wonderful, Aki. You know Hisato would never blame you.”
Aki turned a happy smile on Issei. "Thank you for being nice to me."
Kei got into the SUV with Tsuki's help. "I'm sure you remember the way to the airport Issei, but if you don't know which charter terminal to go to, just follow Jas."
He winced as he tried to get more comfortable. "And all of you be very careful around Crawford. If I'm not awake and he tries to do tell any of you what to do, wake me up, or failing that, ask Kate and if she's not around for some reason, ask Jas."
Issei nodded. “Don’t worry. I’d rather listen to a snake than Crawford.”
Tsuki nodded his agreement, his usual smile completely gone as he said “Try to rest as much as you can.” He didn’t add “because I don’t want to lose you” still not certain that his concern – or feelings – would be wanted or even appreciated. He made sure Kei was comfortable before drawing back ready to get on his bike.
A hand caught his and held tight. "Stay with me," Kei murmured. "The others can handle security." He closed his eyes, "You've got your laptop, right? If not, go get it."
“Give me two minutes,” Tsuki said and sprinted back to the farmhouse. He was back in almost no time with not only his laptop but Omi’s as well. A backup was never a bad thing even though his was the superior model. He shoved them in the trunk and slipped in next to Kei. “Now will you rest for a while?”
Kei nodded and closed his eyes. He was asleep almost instantly.
Nagi eased into the SUV, careful not to jolt the vehicle. He was quiet and thoughtful. It was fairly obvious Brad would make a play for leadership sooner or later but he wasn’t sure that it would work. Issei had made his feelings perfectly clear and he imagined the rest of Kei’s team would feel the same. Abyssinian appeared to have a lot of respect for the man too, taking his orders without question which was surprising in itself. He felt certain that Bombay and Siberian would follow his lead.
He sighed slightly. He trusted Crawford to get them out of most tricky situations but the DSS leader seemed just as competent.
Jas started up his bike, made certain that Aya was firmly seated behind him, then he rolled slowly forward. Since they were taking point he didn't really need to wait for the others to be in the cars and ready to go, but he wanted to make sure Kei didn't have any other orders before they departed.
"We're going to be moving fast, so keep your eyes out for cops, Abyssinian," he told the man behind him. "I usually don't miss them, but an extra set of eyes is always good."
Aya placed his hands on his thighs and got comfortable. “No problem,” he said. “You concentrate on driving and I’ll play lookout.”
“As soon as we have time you’re learning how to ride your own damn bike,” Jas snarled into the comm and sent the cycle down the road, kicking up a shower of gravel with the speed of his acceleration.
Aya’s first instinct was to grab hold of Jas but he deliberately kept his hands on his thighs. It was bad enough being chest to back with the blond without hugging him. And the warmth from that leather-clad back was a constant reminder of his strong physical attraction to the other man.
It can’t be anything other than that.
But if that was the case why had he been able to ignore Yohji’s attractions for three years while Silence he could do anything but ignore?
It’s just lust. Kei was right, if we fucked each other it would get it out of my system and we could ignore each other.
Satisfied that was the answer he settled for the ride to the airport keeping a watchful eye open for cops and other undesirables.
The ride to the airport was uneventful for which Jas was thankful since he really wasn’t in the best shape to face down more of RK’s goons and he didn’t think anyone else--including the infamous Schwarz-- was in any shape to do it either.
Jas brought the bike to a stop in a fairly quiet area of the Tokyo International Airport’s huge parking garage and turned it off.
The entire trip he’d suffered the excruciating ache of a cock that wouldn’t stop getting hard every time he became aware of the hands touching him.
He dismounted from the bike and stood there, aching, unable to do anything about it. He pulled his helmet off and dropped it by the motorcycle. If Kei was doing what he suspected then he’d have no further need of it and wouldn’t see it or the bike ever again.
They were a good fifteen minutes ahead of the others but that wasn’t enough time to do what he needed.
And there was still the matter of his sister.
*I can go away and not look you know,* she told him.
*It’s not enough time.*
Aya climbed off the bike and removed his own helmet. Although still in one piece he was bone weary and couldn’t see much likelihood of respite any time soon. Placing the helmet on the back seat of the bike, he thought of another kind of respite. His near miss with Yohji had done nothing to help that particular problem and he actually wondered if he had enough time to look for a toilet stall to at least scratch the itch that was bothering him so much.
What was it about the cold-eyed blond that had him achingly hard whenever they came into contact? No other man had ever affected him this badly.
He stretched tired muscles and waited for the rest of them to arrive, hoping they wouldn’t take too long or he was likely to do something stupid like kiss Silence and that was equally likely to get him killed.
The blond still had his back turned when he said, “Kei was right. We should just get this over with.”
Aya blinked. Was he hearing things? He glanced round at the vast open garage and frowned. Despite his need, here and now was out of the question.
“Possibly, but quickies are never satisfying.” He took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to quench the fire in his blood.
The blond turned around and stalked toward him. “I wouldn’t know, but I sure as hell plan to find out.”
He grabbed Aya and crushed their lips together, the kiss searing and hungry.
Aya responded for a second or two before coming to his senses and pushing the other man away. He was breathing hard and the flames had just got even hotter but he was not going to either fuck or be fucked in a parking lot no matter how empty it seemed.
“Back off,” he growled, his hand automatically going for the hilt of the katana hidden in the skirts of his coat.
Jas backed off, visibly shaking, his tight leather pants doing nothing to hide the evidence of his desire.
Frustrated Jas spun around and slammed his fist into the nearest object, which just happened to be a steel rail. It partially caved in with a dull ringing sound.
Aya closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as he tried to get his own frustration under control. When he felt he’d got it to manageable levels he opened his eyes again. The sound of approaching vehicles heralded the arrival of the others, although he was still watchful and wary in case it was uninvited guests instead.
“Tell Kei I’ll be at the usual terminal.” Jas stalked away, heading for the elevator. He couldn’t take being so close to the other man anymore. If he stayed he’d either kill him, or do something even more stupid, like trying to kiss him again.
And that wasn’t going to happen ever again. He’d learned his lesson and it didn’t take a katana in his guts to get the point across.
Aya sighed as he watched the other man go. He’d so wanted to return that kiss with interest but had no desire to be caught with his pants down in such a public place. Now it looked like the blond had taken it personally.
He turned his attention to the little convoy of vehicles that was now pulling up near the bike. The sight of Yohji travelling with Crawford and Schuldig made him clench his fists. That particular betrayal had been unexpected and had hurt him enough to push his so-called team mate away for all time.
The cars came to a stop in the spaces near Jas’ bike.
Ken parked his own motorcycle in the space nearest Aya, pulled his helmet off and looked at Aya. “Where’s the guy you rode here with?”
“On his way to the terminal,” Aya said with a shrug before heading towards the SUV to pass on his message.
Kei had opened his eyes when they’d reached the airport, but to his disgust he was finding it almost impossible to keep them open.
“Tsuki?’ and he hardly recognized his own voice, it sounded so... weak.
And weakness wasn’t something he could afford to yield to right now.
“I’m here.” Tsuki gave his hand a gentle squeeze before glancing up at Aya. “Can you help me get him to the plane?”
Aya nodded and told Kei what Jas had said before storming off.
Nagi cleared his throat quietly. “I can get him to the plane without him having to walk and jolt that wound,” he said. He gazed thoughtfully at Aya. “If you can keep us shielded, Schuldig can make sure nobody even sees us.”
Brad joined them, Yohji in his arms, the blond looking very annoyed. “Don’t count on Schuldig doing very much. He is suffering from a severe migraine and he can barely hold a vocal conversation much less utilize his telepathic abilities.”
“I can walk if Ken helps me,” Yohji stated. “And then Brad can carry Kei.”
“No,” Kei murmured as he gritted his teeth and tried to get out of the SUV.
“If you’ll let Naoe help you, I can keep anyone from seeing us,” Aya said without even looking at Crawford or Yohji. Now his own little betrayal was out in the open. He knew exactly what he was and why his shields were so strong; had known from the beginning but had seen no reason for Kritiker to find out which had meant keeping it from his team mates.
Tsuki turned his black gaze on Kei. “Let them help you, Kei. You can rest on the plane.”
But Issei watched as the youngest of the ex-Weiss turned startled and accusing eyes on Abyssinian. “Aya-kun, how could you keep that secret?”
Yohji regarded Aya from the cradle of Brad’s arms. He wanted to be put down, but he knew it was entirely pointless to argue with the American. He’d have more chance of winning an argument with Aya than he’d ever have with Crawford.
“I think there’s a double standard at work here,” Yohji muttered and turned his gaze away from Aya.
To Yohji’s surprise Brad kissed his temple and whispered, “Take it easy and let someone else do the work for now. We’ll need you later, I’m sure.”
Kei looked between the group of men around him and just nodded.
Aki got out of the SUV and smiled at Issei. “I bet I know where we’re going and how we’re getting there,” he stated.
Kei shot him a look and Aki’s smile died. “Well I’m not going to say it, Kei.” He retreated away from the crowd around Darkness, moving to stand closer to Issei. “I think I got him mad at me.”
Issei couldn’t help himself. He put a protective arm round Aki’s shoulders. He was still watchful, especially after the little bombshell from Abyssinian who had turned to stare at Bombay.
“What would have been the point of telling you? I didn’t want Kritiker to know and try to use it for their own ends. And judging by the way things turned out I was right not to.”
Nagi ignored the little drama and used his telekinesis to literally float Kei out of the SUV. Tsuki grabbed the laptops and followed.
“Now ask yourself why I made my offer,” Brad said to Aya before he turned and carried Yohji toward the elevator.
Ken was staring hard at Aya, his expression showing anger rather than the hurt Omi felt. He dropped his helmet on top of his bike and followed Brad without saying anything.
“Get me to the plane,” Kei instructed Nagi.
Nagi obediently floated the wounded man to the elevator part of his mind wondering what Hidaka would say when he found out the truth about himself.
Aya concentrated on keeping the odd sight invisible and shielding the little group. He had no interest in Ken’s anger or Omi’s apparent hurt. They’d both get over it. As for Kudoh, pots and kettles came to mind there. He’d never used his talent until now apart from the shields and they were for his own protection more than anything else. A cacophony of mental voices would drive him mad if he didn’t keep them up. The whole group of them finally filed into the elevator, Brad putting Yohji on his feet for the brief ride down.
Yohji glanced at Aya, closed his eyes and struggled to focus the way Schuldig had been trying to teach him. *How long have you known what you are?*
*All my life and you don’t need to shout. What about you?*
*Sorry, I don’t mean to shout, but I’m not a strong telepath and it’s hard for me to get outside my head most of the time. Schuldig says I over compensate.* Yohji felt Brad’s arms slip around him and leaned back into the comforting embrace, not even aware that some of his own emotions were leaking out.
Being with Schwarz, especially with Crawford gave him a sense of safety, and belonging somewhere. Two things that being with Weiss had never given him.
*I didn’t know until after we had that run in with Masafumi the monster. Something... changed. I think we were exposed to some sort of DNA altering substance, at least that’s Brad’s theory about how this happened to me.
*It’s funny really. Brad told me once that you had secrets and I just though they had to do with normal things, like maybe you had a lover or something like that. Stupid wasn’t it?*
*No, not stupid. And we all had secrets didn’t we, Kudoh? Mine never drove me to betray my own team and someone I pretended to want.* Strange how hurt he felt about the might-have-been.
*Betrayed? Not hardly. But if it weren’t for Schwarz I’d be dead by now. And it was wanting you that made it easy for me to accept what Brad offered. I knew I couldn’t have you.*
*My secret was kept from everyone, my parents, my sister, because I was afraid of what I was when young and only too aware of how Kritiker would use me when older. It was much the same as my sexuality, nobody else’s damned business. Your secret lost you your team but I don’t think you care about that.*
*Aya what choice did I really have? Like you said going to Kritiker and letting them know sure as fuck wasn’t an option, and I needed to know how to control my newly found ability. Don’t you understand? I might have killed one of you by accident if I hadn’t gone to Schwarz for help. Or rather, if Brad hadn’t come to me and offered it.*
Yohji felt the American’s arms around him tighten, the gesture meant to reassure while asserting his ownership. He leaned into the embrace, accepting it because he’d already come to terms with Brad’s dominant nature.
Aya pushed Yohji out of his mind while he thought about his words. Had the blond really ever betrayed anyone in Weiss? He reached out a very narrow tendril of thought to Yohji while still keeping them all shielded from both enemies and curious eyes.
*You need to explain that to Ken and Omi. Make them realise that you never betrayed them. Might not be easy right now as they consider me just as guilty of that crime as you.*
He sent his regret over the tight link and, for what it was worth, an offer of friendship. Of all of them, Yohji was the one he tended to share what little he ever shared with.
*I never betrayed you either, but I’m sure that doesn’t matter,* Yohji replied, his bitter heartache over losing the red-haired man seeping through the telepathic connection.
Brad knew that Yohji and Aya were talking, but he couldn’t pick up more than that, not being a telepath himself. *Schuldig, are you feeling any better?* he asked as he reached out and drew the German closer to him and Yohji.
There was tension in Schuldig’s expression, pain clear to see in the dulled blue gaze.
*Not really. Whatever that bastard did to me it was fundamental. I can’t even hear what Yohji and Fujimiya are saying to each other. You might not like this, Brad, but Aya is stronger than I am, even when I don’t have migraine.*
*Schuldig listen to me a moment please. Berger tampered with your mind and you are letting him get the better of you. I know you’re hurting right now, but please trust me in this: you haven’t lost your power.* He leaned a little closer to Schuldig and brushed his lips over the German’s, *You’ll be just fine once the pain is gone.*
The German frowned to himself. Why had Fujimiya never used his power to fight Schwarz? He could easily have killed any of them with just a thought. Then he realised, he’d never been trained to use his power, let alone kill with it.
*RK missed a lot of talent. Not just him but some of the DSS people too.*
*Makes you wonder doesn’t it?* Brad asked as he urged Schuldig to move closer to he and Yohji. Both of the men were emotionally fragile right now but Brad was confident he could pull both of them through because he’d always managed it in the past.
*I know I haven’t lost my power, Brad, all I’m saying is Fujimiya is stronger than I am. He’s shielding all of us, talking to Yohji while keeping everyone else out and all this without any training at all. He’s going to be a very nasty surprise for RK, almost as nasty as Nagi.*
*And Kudoh’s not a nasty surprise?* Brad asked rhetorically as he gently caressed Schuldig’s face with one hand and helped Yohji stay on his feet with the other arm.
Ken was making a concerted effort not to see the way Yohji was leaning into the embrace of the Schwarz leader. It was just so... wrong.
Aya holding Yohji he could have handled. But Crawford treating the blond like a lover was too much.
And then there was Aya’s confession. It was more than too much, and Ken just couldn’t deal with it.
In a subconscious display of his insecurities, Ken wrapped an arm around Omi and held him close.
Omi leaned into the embrace. He had been thinking hard since Aya had dropped his little bombshell and had come to the conclusion that it explained a lot. How else had he found Schuldig’s hiding place in the park when Ouka was killed so quickly? How else could his reflexes be fast enough to hold off both Crawford and Farfarello and then take on SD when the rest of them had been pinned down?
He’d never used his power against any of them, so it shouldn’t make any difference. He was untainted by either RK training or the underlying sadism of Schwarz and yet Omi felt a deep distrust of anyone with such powers.
But this is Aya-kun…
A freak…
No! A friend. He stood up for you even when he knew who you were.
Aya happened to glance over at them and he smiled. The violet eyes appeared surprised for a second before Aya nodded in response.
Yohji turned in Brad’s embrace and actually lay his head on the taller man’s shoulder.
“Shhh...” Brad whispered. “You’ll be all right. We’re here, Yohji.”
Farfarello stepped in closer to the older members of his team and actually put a hand on Yohji’s shoulder. “We won’t let anyone hurt you,” he stated not quite sure what was wrong with the former Weiss, but trying to make him feel better because that’s what Brad had asked them to do: try and help the emotionally damaged man.
Issei kept his arm round Aki and watched the almost silent drama playing out in front of him. Kei needed to heal as fast as he could before the Schwarz pre-cog got the mistaken idea he was in charge.
It was soothing to see him take such good care of others but he would listen to Jas or Kate before he listened to him. He glanced over to where Kate stood, expression shuttered, body stiff with tension and drew his own conclusions. They needed to sort themselves out if they were ever going to stand a chance against RK.
Kei was very aware of the tensions running through the mixed teams and he wasn’t looking forward to all the emotional drama that was going to unfold before the three groups sorted themselves out. He could already tell it was going to be messy and very painful to a few people. Unfortunately it would involve some people he cared about a great deal... Like Jas, and if he was reading the signals right, Kate too.
Not for the first time he considered taking things into his own hands and putting a single bullet where it would do the most good, but he thought at this point that it would only make things worse if he killed Kudoh.
A glance at the Schwarz trio clustered around the blond and he was very sure it would only lead to an instant explosion of more trouble than any of them really wanted or needed.
He noticed that the dark eyes of the Schwarz leader were on him and he raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t even consider it,” Brad told Kei as he tightened his hold on Yohji to show the other team leader exactly what he meant.
Luckily the elevator doors opened on the terminal at that point and they were all too busy getting to the plane without the fact that one of them was floating in midair coming to anyone’s attention to continue the in-fighting. The plane would be another matter, Aya realised with a sinking heart. And then Jas would be added to the mix making it even more volatile.
Brad scooped Yohji up and stepped out of the elevator, taking the lead.
Jas met them at the small concourse for the private terminal. “The jet’s fuelled up and waiting. Flight plan has been filed, and the engines are warming up,” he told Kei. His gaze didn’t even fall on Aya, Silence making every effort to ignore the other man’s existence.
“You flying the plane?” Kei asked.
“If you want me too,” Jas replied.
“No. Tell our pilot to stay. He and his crew can fly us there.”
“I’ll tell him once we’re aboard.”
“Let’s go,” Kei ordered and gestured toward the loading gate at the end of the terminal.
There were no arguments, all of them happy to leave Japan and its recent memories behind for a while. It was a step into the unknown for most of them but that didn’t matter. They were mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted and the thought of the chance to rest that the plane would give them was welcoming.
Nagi floated Kei in first and let him come gently to rest on a bank of seats. Kate stood aside to let Crawford help Yohji onto the plane, her gaze for both men cold.
Yohji felt the ice in her emerald stare and spared her a wounded glance. He wanted, and at the same time knew what terrible price would be paid if he chose her rather than Brad.
His love with women always turned out bad. Asuka. Neu. He couldn’t handle anymore pain.
But her kisses had been so sweet.
Brad put Yohji into a seat and buckled him in safely as if the blond were a child that needed looking after. “Sit with him Schuldig. I’m going to see if they’ve got anything on this plane to ease your headache.”
Ken stopped to stare at the interior of the jet. “Whose plane is this anyway?” he asked as he realized it wasn’t a commercial charter but a privately owned jet.
“Mine,” Kei replied.
Omi’s eyes became impossibly large as he gazed around at the luxurious interior. Finally realising he was blocking those coming behind him he caught up with Ken and took the seat beside his.
Kate moved through the plane and sat as far away from Yohji and Schuldig as it was possible to get and still be on the same aircraft.
Jas shot a look at the former goalie, “Well I could tell you, but then I might just be ordered to put a bullet in your head. Do you want to take the risk?”
Ken glared at him and muttered. “Great, another twenty-four seven asshole.”
“Well I’m sure you’re an expert on that subject,” Jas shot back as he stalked away heading toward the front of the plane.
“Children if you can’t play together nicely you won’t be allowed to play at all, so shut up both of you,” Kei told them in a voice that cracked sharp as a whip.
Brad turned to smile at him. “Duct tape and straight jackets work wonders.”
“So do tranquilizers,” Yohji added.
Kate turned in her seat to shoot the blond a glare that would put Aya’s to shame. “Haven’t you got enough poison running through your veins already?” she asked before turning away to gaze out of the window.
If she’d shot Yohji his expression couldn’t have looked more pained.
Brad turned a withering stare on the woman known in DSS as Shadow. “I believe he was referring to your overly tense team mate and Ken, not himself,” he explained coldly before he scooped Yohji up and carried him as far away from the jealous bitch as he could.
*I wish you were in better shape, Schuldig. She deserves a migraine for what she just did to Yohji.*
*She’s hurting, Brad, so she’s lashing out. Yohji’s already done it to her by climbing all over you like a rash. And quite frankly I don’t want to see him as a permanent part of our relationship.*
Crawford’s eyes narrowed, a dangerous sparkle lighting his eyes. *Really? You don’t want him to be part of our relationship? Well I certainly don’t want to make you unhappy now do I?*
Yohji couldn’t hear the words, but he could feel how tense the pair of Schwarz were getting. Without saying anything he got up and hobbled away from them, finding a seat away from everyone else.
Aya was the last to board, having made sure that they were all safely in one place. He shut the door behind him, feeling the airtight seals lock into place. Even then he didn’t relax his shields. Only when they were a few miles up in the air would he do that.
“Everyone park your asses and put on the fucking seatbelts,” Jas snarled through the cabin speakers.
Issei and Tsuki exchanged somewhat amused glances but hurried to obey.
“Jas is mad again,” Aki sighed. “He’s going to pop a vein one of these days.”
Aya settled himself in a seat by himself and fastened his belt. He remained alert as the plane taxied away from the gate and headed for the runway. Ten minutes later he finally retracted his shields to their usual strength and keeping the voices at bay. He shut his eyes, finally able to sleep.
Kei had let the dark of unconsciousness claim him almost as soon as they were airborne. With Jas flying the plane-- at least for now-- he knew they would be reasonably safe.
So long as the various personalities didn’t start trying to murder one another during the flight.