Kai was concerned. Since they'd been in the camp, Zeshin had hardly even spoken to him and he'd believed that the mission called for communication between them. He could only hope that tonight's meeting with Aya would make the quiet boy more forthcoming. Yohji was another worry. The blonde obviously had a serious drink problem. He was beginning to doubt if they could pull this mission off at all.
Zeshin himself was more worried about the last text message he�d gotten from Persia.
He sat under a tree, shoulders slumped trying to find the focus he would need to carry out the hardest task of his young life... Endgame. His mission to kill the pair of older Weiss.
It had to be done. It was a direct order from Persia.
He remembered Mamoru explaining it to him the last time they�d talked.
�Kudoh is coming apart. He can�t handle the strain anymore, and Fujimiya is suicidal. They are a danger to Kritiker. They know too much so I can�t just let them walk away.�
�But what about them doing work like Manx or becoming field agents. We need them still, you said so yourself.�
Mamoru had rolled over and looked him right in the eyes, the older boy�s gaze cold as a winter sky. �We�ve discussed this.�
Zeshin had nodded, letting it drop. He�d felt Mamoru�s hand caress his cheek, �They�d understand why it had to be done,� he murmured, his fingers slipping through Zeshin�s silken hair. �And you know how I feel about them.�
�Hai.�
And Zeshin had known. Mamoru hadn�t felt a damned thing because Omi had been their friend, not the Takatori. As far as Mamoru was concerned, Omi had died at the Ani, his old persona cast off the way a snake shed its skin.
The clock ticked slowly forward to nine and Kai made his way to the room Aya used for tutorials.
He was impressed with Aya. The man was totally focused on the mission and never deviated from his cover. He hoped he could be as good, even though he had been cornered into joining Kritiker. When they'd put him in Weiss he'd actually felt better about things. Weiss was legendary in the organisation and he'd felt honoured to be chosen as part of it.
The initial coolness of both Aya and Yohji had been expected and he was hoping, if he could prove himself, that they would eventually thaw a bit towards him.
He knocked at the door and Aya's deep voice bade him enter.
Aya was sitting on a corner of his desk, one long leg swinging. He glanced up as the younger members of Weiss entered but there was no welcoming smile. Instead his eyes fixed on Singapura and he frowned slightly. Something about the boy was just...wrong. Still they had work to do.
"Anything to report?" he asked them.
Zeshin nodded and handed Aya his sketchbook. "I've drawn a few pictures for you, Fujimiya-sensei."
Aya flipped through the sketches before passing the book over to Yohji. Then his attention focused on Kai.
"There are several kids here who are...different in some way. They keep themselves to themselves and it's hard to get into their group. Singapura might have more luck with that than I have." He didn't actually say that Singapura was different but it could be implied if Aya wished.
Yohji raised an eyebrow at the sketches but said nothing. The boy was a talented artist and it made the blonde wonder what other secret abilities the boy was hiding from them.
Zeshin glanced at Kai from the corner of this eye but kept quiet. The children weren't targets, except for Goemon who he knew was there to draw out the other children and gain their acceptance. Two things the young Rosenkreuz agent was failing miserably at.
"These four are the targets of the mission," he stated softly. Voice like a whisper of silk. "If you can handle Goemon, then I'm sure I can handle one of the women." He glanced at Yohji, "Your target should be Ise-sensei, the soccer coach. Be careful, I believe he is a telepath."
Aya's eyes flickered and he turned a glare on Zeshin. "I will decide if, when and how we take them out," he said icily, "not you. Miya and Goemon we know about. What about the other two? What makes you so certain they are our targets?"
Zeshin stepped back from Aya and bowed, "Gomen nasai," he murmured. "But I have orders from Persia that this mission must be concluded by tomorrow. There is..." he paused, frowning, "another mission."
Aya exchanged a glance with Yohji before sliding off the desk and stalking over to Singapura and poking him in the chest. "You're not listening to me. I am in charge in the field, not you and not fucking Persia. Do you understand?"
Yohji was watching the boy, seeing the fear in his eyes. His own jade eyes narrowed. There was something going on here. Something far more than was apparent on the surface, but damned if he could figure out what the hell it was.
"You didn't answer why you think it's the four of them, Zeshin," Yohji said. "Want to clue us in why them?"
"Because Ise told me they are with a very special group of people who will treat me much better than my own family. He sent me to speak to Miya and told me I should run away from home and join this group where I will be appreciated.. She even promised me money and a plane ticket," he replied, not bothering to look up.
Kai picked up on something else. "What new mission?" he demanded. "And why hasn't Persia told any of the rest of us about it?"
"Because Persia chose me as mission leader," Zeshin replied very quietly. "Birman didn't say anything, but I was supposed to, and I didn't. I'm taking Bombay's old job."
"Bombay was never mission leader," Aya said, flatly. "He was our strategist and now he's dead. Persia can believe what he likes, but none of us is taking our orders from you." There was something in Singapura's manner that was both off and very different from the boy who had arrived at the safe house. Suddenly, the tip of Aya's katana was at his new team mate's throat, the sword having been retrieved from inside the folds of his long duster coat. "Now, suppose you tell us all exactly what this new mission is..."
Something changed in the boy's expression, his eyes meeting Aya's in a bland stare as cool as any of the two older men were able to muster. "After this is done we're supposed to head for Tokyo to pick up a new mission brief from Manx," he replied in a voice of perfect calm. "It seems that we're to hunt down and eliminate Schwarz."
"Bullshit," Aya said succinctly. "Schwarz would eat you up and spit you out. We've survived them enough times to know that." His eyes narrowed. "I will not work with anyone that I cannot trust. Right now that means you."
"Well you don't have much choice. We've got a mission which all three of you accepted." Zeshin was staring Aya in the eyes, half hoping the man wouldn't discover what his real mission was, almost praying that he would and just kill him.
He didn't want to kill either Balinese or Abyssinian. But that was the order he'd been given by Persia. A mission that the two older Weiss were not supposed to survive.
Just as he was sure Weiss four wasn't meant to survive their mission against Schwarz.
Kai glanced at Yohji, wondering what he was making of all this. For himself, he would follow the lead of the two surviving members of Weiss.
Aya was still glaring at Singapura. "We will finish this mission as and when I say and not before. We will look into these four and, if they really are our targets, I will decide how best to proceed. If you deviate from that in any way, I will kill you no matter what Persia thinks."
The boy just nodded slightly to show his understanding. Regardless of whether Abyssinian and Balinese finished the mission here, they had to die in 48 hours or he knew his own life-- whatever there might be left of it-- would be over. Takatori Mamoru did not tolerate failure from his dogs and Singapura had no illusions that he was anything but the Takatori's dog.
Aya resheathed the katana. "Yohji is meeting with Miya in about half an hour and will give me his impressions when he returns. Kai, I want you to keep an eye on Goeman. I'll investigate the other man and woman. Singapura, you'll do your best to infiltrate the talented group. Your own abilities should help you to do that."
Singapura said nothing, only bowing his head in acknowledgement of the order before he retreated from the room on soundless feet.
Yohji watched the boy go, a frown marring his handsome face.
"That was just weird," Kai remarked. "I'd better get back to my dorm. Here's the assignment, Fujimiya-sensai." He handed over a neat folder and turned to leave.
When he had gone, Aya turned to Yohji and sighed. "You're the only one I can trust now," he said.
Yohji was still staring out into the darkness beyond the door. "Aya, have you noticed how different he's acting? Almost..." his golden brows drew downward as his frown deepened. He shook his head, "I can't figure it out, but he's upset about something and I'd bet you it has something to do with Persia's orders. I think he's put the kid into the unenviable position of telling you what to do when they know damned well you don't take orders from anyone."
The jade eyes narrowed, "You know, even Birman was hostile to us. Not that she's ever been anything but a hard ass, but..." he shook his head. "There's something going on we don't know about, and I think it's scaring the shit out of that kid."
Aya nodded his agreement before taking Yohji in a fierce embrace. "You watch yourself round Miya," he said. "She's trouble." Another thought struck him. "How did Singapura know exactly who the targets were? You can't tell me that was just instinct. This whole mission is beginning to smell like a set-up."
Yohji shook his head, "I pointed Ise out to you earlier. He's the soccer coach. And I also told you about Goemon the kid and my suspicions about Miya," the he reminded Aya. "I told Singapura to watch Goemon and Ise since he can sit and observe and no one will be suspicious because of his cover. Miya reminds me of Schwarz, very creepy. Which is probably why she was easy for me to spot."
Yohji handed Aya the sketchbook that Zeshin had left with them earlier. The picture was far to the back, lightly pencilled but it was clearly one of a sleeping Takatori Mamoru, except asleep he still looked like Omi.
"Kami-sama! They're lovers! Yohji, I don't like this. What the hell is the little shit up to?"
"I think it's a little more complicated than that," the blond replied. Yohji flipped back a few more pages and showed Aya a second drawing, this one of the boy himself on his knees wearing nothing but a dog's collar with a tag that said, 'If found return to Takatori Mamoru.'
Aya was suddenly back on a rooftop, wrapped in Yohji's wire with Birman pointing a gun at his head. "Are you my dog?" she'd asked. He came back to a sense of his surroundings and took a deep breath. "Never trust a Takatori," he said almost to himself, "but stupidly I did. What a fool I was!"
"We're both fools. We believed that Omi was dead, and in a way," he looked at the sketchbook, "I guess he is."
The blond looked up at his lover, "I'd be willing to bet Persia has given Singapura a mission here too. One that's got him scared enough to lie. I don't think Persia pitted him against you, I think he's trying to throw the mission so we back off. The question is, why?"
"And why did Crawford of all people see fit to warn us?" Aya mused. "Just before Birman arrived at that. Yohji, I'm going to give you half an hour with Miya. If you're not back here by 10.30, I'm coming after you. If anything happened to you..." His voice trailed off. If anything happened to Yohji now, he would follow him into death. There was nothing else he could do.
The blond didn't miss the implication. Setting the sketchbook aside he grabbed Aya's upper arms and looked him in the eyes, "If anything happens to me you'll get your ass out of here and take those two kids with you! Do you understand me Aya?"
"I'll get them out, Yohji," was all Aya would agree to. "But I have no intention of leaving here without you." Whichever way that was.
Yohji frowned. "We fucked once, Aya. Don't get all emotional on me because of it. You've got to have your mind focused on the mission right now. That's why I never told you how I felt. It's too dangerous for us to think with our hearts and not our minds. But we can't risk it, Aya. And of all people you are the last one I thought I'd have to say this to, you really are."
"Half an hour, Kudoh, no more or I'll gut the bitch." Aya was in no mood to listen to sense right now, not when Yohji was at stake. Lovers or not, Yohji was all he had left.
The blond gave him a smile, "Baby you're beautiful when you're pissed." He didn't give Aya a chance to protest, he just hauled him into a tight embrace and kissed him hard, tongue barging in and taking possession of the younger assassin's mouth.
Aya clung to Yohji for a few endless moments, allowing him to plunder his mouth as he wished. Then he extricated himself with a sigh. �It�s nearly ten. You need to go.�
Yohji kissed the man gently then backed way, "Promise me, you won�t do anything stupid."
�I won�t jeopardise the mission. Now go.�
"It's not the mission I'm worried about. It's you, Aya." Yohji caressed the pale cheek, eyes gone darker, sadness in their depths. "You didn't promise." He turned away abruptly, walking away while he still could. "I'll be back in a half an hour."
The door banged closed behind him leaving Aya alone with his thoughts.
* * * * * * *
Singapura was stretched out along the branch of a tree, luminous amber eyes focused on the cabin where Aya and Yohji were still talking. He'd watched the pair of men kiss and frowned. Mamoru didn't mention that, I wonder if he even knows. He saw how gentle they were with one another, could almost feel the emotions flowing between them. It wasn't just sex, it was plain to him the men were lovers with an emphasis on the love.
Bitterly he understood the need to eliminate the two men from Persia's point of view. Their problems were becoming insurmountable. Yohji's drinking. Aya's depression. As lovers they would put the team in even greater jeopardy because their mission focus would be gone.
They couldn't retire to live the rest of their lives away from Kritiker. There was too much chance Rosenkruez would locate them and use their knowledge of Kritiker against the organization.
No, there was only one solution left. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and steeled himself to do his duty. Endgame for Weiss.
When he opened his eyes they were barren of emotion. From his vantage point he could also see Miya as she let Ise into her cabin, the man handing her a bottle of wine and a pair of plastic cups like they used for meals in the hall.
"So we're all ready to move?" she asked.
"Yes. We've got the car ready and we can have him on a plane in two hours."
"Perfect. It's too bad he's so old. If he were younger he might be trainable."
"It really doesn't make much difference. Once he's broken he'll be just as pliable as the students are, and his talent will still function."
That's where you're wrong, the boy thought. None of that will happen because all of you will be dead, including Balinese.
The door of Aya's classroom banged closed and he saw Yohji heading toward Miya's cabin. Ise hadn't exited so that had to mean he was hiding in there to help take Kudoh.
He jumped down from the tree with only the slightest whisper of sound.
It was time for Zeshin to become Singapura the killer.
It was time for the Rosenkruez agents and Weiss to die.
There was just something off about Singapura, but damned if he could name exactly what didn't feel right about the boy other than the fact that Yohji was sure the boy was being evasive about something.
And what the hell was this new mission they were to undertake? They weren't even done with this business with the Rosenkruez agents and already Persia was pushing them to get it over with so they could move on to another one? That also didn't make much sense. Then again, not much did lately. Like finding out that Omi was now calling himself Takatori Mamoru and acting as Persia.
He didn't like it, and he didn't have to be a genius to realize Aya probably distrusted the whole thing just because of the fact it was a Takatori giving them the orders yet again. Everything that had been bad in Aya's life was directly connected to that family. Everything.
And there was something very wrong going on with Singapura.
But that was something that would have to wait. He had a date with Miya to deal with first. His stomach rolled at the thought of being alone with the woman. She really did give him the creeps.
Yohji knocked at the door of the woman�s cabin and waited.
"He's here," Ise hissed. "You know your role. I'll be in the bathroom." With that he disappeared into the bathroom and silently shut the door.
Miya opened the door dressed in nothing but a very short gauzy dressing gown. He could clearly see her dark nipples and the �V� of her pubic hair through the suggestion of a garment and he understood she was going to try and seduce him.
Not a chance, bitch. Not a chance in hell.
Miya smiled at Yohji and the man forced an answering smile. �There you are!� she said as she crossed the small room that was part of the small cabin apartment that was hers at the campground.
There were light snacks set out on the coffee table between a pair of chairs, and a small bottle of plum wine was chilling in a pail of ice. She took the blonde�s hands intending to lead him inside but Yohji didn�t budge.
Her smile fell, becoming a frown. �Is something wrong?�
He had to fight the urge to back out of the room, to run for the comfort of Aya�s arms. Stupid. Aya wouldn�t protect him. If anything Aya would be pissed at him for acting like an idiot. He didn�t need to be protected anyway. She was part of the mission and he had to find out what Kritiker needed to know and the only way to handle that was to talk to the this spider in human form.
But... the woman really was creeping him out in a big way.
�No I�ve just,� he forced the smile again, �got a bit of a headache,� he lied.
She nodded, and motioned to the chairs �Come in, have a seat and relax, please. You�ve probably been working too hard,� she added as Yohji took the chair closest to the door.
�Too much sun maybe,� he remarked, as he watched her pouring some of the plum wine.
�Maybe this will help you,� she offered as she held the plastic cup out. �I�m sorry I don�t have a wine glass to offer you.� She giggled, the sound as false as her smile. �I know it�s against the rules to have this here, but I won�t tell if you won�t.�
Yohji took the glass, his hand shaking slightly. Gods he wanted it. Wanted to gulp it down and fill it again. Beads of sweat broke out on his upper lip and at his hairline as he fought the old demon of addiction. He�d promised Aya, but he wanted it so bad.
She smiled over the rim her own glass, �Go on, I won�t tell.�
He swallowed, looked into the glass. �I shouldn�t.�
�Trying to quit then?� she asked.
�I ahhh...� He put the glass down staring at it as if the thing contained a viper.
She put her own glass down and got to her feet, moving to stand behind Yohji.
The blonde tensed, ready to be attacked.
�It�s okay. I want to help,� she murmured as she leaned down, her breath warm on his cheek.
He could smell the wine on her breath, sweet, inviting. Warm hands touched his shoulders, massaging gently.
�You�re very handsome, but I bet you know that don�t you?� she murmured into his ear.
His heartbeat picked up another notch and Yohji closed his eyes against the urge to retreat. �Sure I do,� he agreed. �I�ve heard it from enough women.�
�Men too I bet,� she added as she touched her tongue to the blonde�s ear.
Yohji shivered but it was from loathing not desire. �I think I should be going. I signed a form saying that there weren�t to be any affairs between staff members.�
She laughed softly in his ear, �Should that matter?� Her fingers caressed down the side of his neck, fingernails brushing along his skin lightly.
�I think it does,� Yohji replied. He picked up the glass of wine needing something to do with his hands before he slipped and choked the life out of the woman. His reaction startled him and he lifted the glass to his lips, took a swallow and shuddered as he felt the alcohol on his tongue.
He stared at the plastic cup, part of his brain screaming at him for drinking anything the woman gave him. But it was as if a thick blanket descended over that part of his mind. What did it matter if he had a little wine?
�Good isn�t it?� she purred. �So sweet, like honey.�
Yohji nodded and took another swallow, then another. He set the empty glass down.
�It�s what you needed isn�t it?� She murmured, her breath warm and enticing on his ear.
�Yeah,� he agreed quietly as he turned in the seat and reached for the woman, pulling her into his lap and kissing her gently. �I need you too.�
But there was a little voice at the back of his mind screaming for him to snap out of it, that something was wrong, that he needed to get out of there.
He ignored it and kissed the smirking woman with a bit more interest.
She rolled off his lap and walked away, laughing. �So easy. So very easy.�
He blinked, watched as the wine glass wavered in his vision before he slumped to the floor.
Ise smiled in satisfaction. The bitch was good but Kudoh had that icy redhead Fujimiya on his mind. Still a little unobtrusive suggestion had done the trick and he�d drunk the wine then mellowed enough to kiss the slut. He pushed open the door and crossed the room with a telepath�s speed.
�Nice work. Let�s get him into the van before his lover comes looking for him.�
Miya, known among Rosenkreuz as the Black Widow simply nodded and grabbed one of the blonde's arms.
"My pheromones didn't seem to affect him, which is odd because they've never failed before. I was so certain he would fall under my spell without resorting to drugs." She frowned. "I wonder what makes him immune? Not that it matters."
She shrugged pragmatically, "The nail polish did the trick just as they said it would. Was it hard for you to get into his mind?"
They started to drag the barely conscious Balinese toward the back door of her cabin, and she shoved the door open as they quickly took the blonde toward the van parked in the trees.
�Not really,� Ise said. �If you�re wondering about your er�charms, he�s in love with another man. That�s why he was resistant to you until I got him to drink the wine.�
The woman reached for the door of the van, "Love. What a fool."
She saw motion from the corner of her eye and looked up to see someone in the tree above them. "What the hell?"
* * * * * * *
Crawford snarled out another string of curses that nearly singed the leather seats of the luxury car he was driving. The car roared around a curve in the road, tires squealing, the back fishtailing slightly. Crawford was taking risks, looking ahead at what was about to happen with Weiss, then switching back to check his own driving. He was getting a headache, but he was too mad to care.
"Fuck! The Widow and Mindwarp are going to get Kudoh. Dammit! Schuldig tell me you did give them my warning!"
The car skittered around another curve and Farfarello glanced out the rear window, calmly noting that they'd missed the guardrail by little more than an inch.
"See if you can reach Abyssinian. Scream if you have to. We'll deal with the backlash from the Rosenkreuz agents if they hear, but you've got to get that bitch moving or we'll lose Kudoh!" he snarled at the German beside him. "Siberian won't arrive in time to keep Singapura from hurting Kudoh and that's going to push our pretty red-haired killer over the edge." Brad pressed the accelerator pedal harder. They'd make it, but it was going to be a very close call for Singapura. Dangerously close.
Schuldig nudged Aya�s shields. They were weaker than usual which surprised him. Then he realised why. Abyssinian�s mental energy was being used in worry for Kudoh as well it might be.
*Never mind the soul-searching, Abyssinian. Balinese is being taken to Rosenkruez. Get your sorry ass over to the back of Miya�s cabin right now!*
He was pleased to note that Abyssinian wasted no time in freeing his katana and heading for the woods behind the Black Widow�s cabin.
�Abyssinian on his way, vater,� he told Brad.
Crawford nodded, too busy looking ahead to reply. If he wasn't careful they'd go off the road to their deaths down the mountainside. If they didn't hurry Abyssinian would kill Singapura.
"I'll get you some cookies for being so good," he muttered sarcastically after he got past the danger zone.
Farfarello chuckled but quickly stifled the sound not wanting to distract the precog. *See, he does love you,* he told the German silently knowing Brad could only hear them if Schuldig allowed it.
*Which is more than you or Nagi do!* Schuldig reacted before relenting a little in the face of the hurt look in the psychopath�s eye. *Well more than Nagi does. I wonder� * And Schuldig lost himself in gleeful speculation on the youngest Schwarz�s possible crush on Siberian.
Farfarello pushed himself forward in his seat and grabbed a handful of Schuldig�s hair, leaning in close until his nose was almost touching the German's. *But I do love you, Schuldig,* he replied, his hand pulling the man's head back painfully. *If I didn't love you I would have painted the walls with your blood.* He turned his head slightly and touched his lips to the red-head's, the tip of his tongue sliding across the seam of Schuldig's mouth.
From the corner of his eye Schuldig could see the gleam of a knife as it moved dangerously close to his face. *Such lovely blue eyes. When this is over I'm going to fuck you and watch those pretty eyes glaze with pleasure.*
"Farfarello!" Brad's voice cracked like a whip, "Put it away." Whether he meant the knife or the sexual advance the Irishman didn't know, but he obeyed, sheathing the knife and sitting back. But his amber eye was smouldering with lust as he stared at the German.
*You were thinking about Nagi and the brown kitten. What was that about?*
Schuldig shuddered with ecstasy at both Farfarello�s thoughts and the lust he could see burning in his remaining, beautiful, golden eye.
*I think Nagi is developing a crush on Siberian. He seemed very concerned about him when he delivered the photos and files. More than simple concern for our plans.*
Farfarello licked his lips, teasing the German. A glimpse of angry honey brown eyes in the rear view mirror stopped his game. Brad was being a bastard all because his plans had gone awry. As if it were their faults. But there was no reasoning with the American. Not since the precog had realized any hope he had of fucking the red kitten had been dashed by the application of the gold kitten's highly skilled cock.
*Siberian and Nagi? That's an odd thought, isn't it?*
*Chalk and cheese,* Schuldig agreed, *and yet� you know I could see it working. Better than Nagi and the little shit ever would have. Almost as well Singapura got there first.*
*The Takatori brat would have died before I let him touch Nagi. Better that the white kitten got there first or more of Crawford's plans would have been ruined.* Ignoring the warnings he'd already gotten he reached up and grabbed a handful of Schuldig's hair. *Not much longer and you'll get some peace. But the first time I catch the gold kitty fucking you, he dies.*
*And Abyssinian would try to kill me,* Schuldig added. *I�m not that stupid, Farf. Besides why would I want him when I�ve got you?*
A suspicious glance from Crawford�s eyes reminded him that he�d better monitor Abyssinian�s actions if he wanted to make it to old age.
Aya was running into the woods and had almost caught up to the man and woman who were tugging at a limp and obviously unconscious Yohji.
The pale haired boy landed on top of the van, and regarded the two Rosenkruez agents with cool amber eyes. No longer in the jeans and plain shirt he'd worn, the boy was in a wine red coat that reached just below his knees. Heavy boots covered him from there downward and his hair had been pulled back in a pony tail that shone like frost in the moonlight.
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
The boy's eyes caught the light like those of a cat, "A killer," he replied and whipped a long strand of glittering silver toward Ise.
Aya had time to see the harigane slash out and registered some concern at another using the weapon he associated with Yohji but then his mission focus clicked back into place and he was ready as the frightened woman dropped Yohji and ran straight towards him. He stopped, took his stance and waited for her.
A loop of glittering wire coiled around Ise's throat, the boy leaping back into the tree in a shimmer of moonlit hair, the wire tightening.
Eyes bulging, choking, Mindwarp was hauled off his feet, kicking and choking. He tried to attack the boy, but hit a mental shield that felt more like steel than a human mind.
Amber eyes met those of the Rosenkruez agent. Inhuman eyes. Too late Ise realized what and who the boy was.
Singapura stepped off the tree branch and as he dropped Mindwarp was hauled up, his neck snapping.
Seeing her partner being murdered and helpless to stop it, the Black Widow dropped Kudoh and ran for the safety of the deeper forest. She could get to Goemon and the boy could protect her from the other boy.
"Shit, where is the other Weiss?" she glanced behind her.
�Right here,� Aya said as the katana swung, taking her head neatly from her shoulders. He was just about to congratulate Singapura when he saw the tell-tale silver streak arc towards him. �What the�?� He brought the katana up and managed to tangle the wire, jerking Singapura slightly off balance.
The boy let the wire go, and backed away from the older Weiss. Amber eyes narrowing, he reached behind him to grasp something. A short bar of metal with a wicked blade at one end appeared in his hand with the same almost magical skill Aya displayed with his katana. With a snap of his wrist the bar became a seven foot long naginata.
Aya�s eyes narrowed. �What the fuck is going on?� he demanded.
The only answer he got was Singapura charging forward silently, naginata high, the blade arcing down toward him.
He brought the katana up swiftly to block the blow, sparks flying from both weapons. At this point he was still loathe to actually kill Singapura.
The boy had no such qualms anymore. He understood the need for what he was doing. The naginata whipped around, the blunt end of the pole speeding for Abyssinian's head, as the boy whirled away from Abyssinian.
Aya stepped back in time to avoid being hit and swung the katana again. �You think he�ll let you live after you kill us?� he asked, suddenly realising exactly what the �other mission� actually was. �You�re one of the 'freaks' he hates so much.�
Agile as a cat the boy danced out of Aya's reach, the naginata slanted behind him, amber gaze locked with violet.
"He doesn't hate me," the boy replied softly. "He doesn't hate you, Abyssinian. You and Kudoh pose a threat to everything he is trying to build whereas I'm a dog whose leash he holds. I've no illusions that I am any more than that. A dog who is just an expendable resource."
He smiled, the expression sad. "We're Weiss. That's all any of us ever were for Kritiker. Dogs trained to kill that must be put down when they become a threat to their master."
Singapura rushed at Aya the boy moving faster than any natural human could manage.
Aya sidestepped at the last moment and brought the flat of the blade down hard on the boy�s back, sending him staggering forward. He was still hoping that common sense would reassert itself in Singapura�s mind although that hope was diminishing fast.
Zeshin staggered almost falling from the power behind the blow. He knew he should be dead, it could have easily been a fatal attack, but Abyssinian, foolishly, was trying to preserve his life.
He spun, around, but this time it was the wire of the harigane that went for the older Weiss, shining loops spinning out. He'd leave his fight with Aya and go back to kill Yohji. The man was probably unconscious yet so he would mercifully never know how he'd died.
Then he could resume the battle with Aya. Even if the other Weiss killed him, and he knew he would, without Kudoh he wouldn't live long.
He would have completed Endgame successfully.
But if he died before Kudoh, then he'd have failed Mamoru and he couldn't let his lover down.
Aya felt the wire settle round him and trip him. With a curse of frustration at his own foolishness in not going for the killing blow when he�d had the chance, he fell to the ground and waited for the end to come.
It didn�t and he opened his eyes to see Singapura heading towards Yohji. With a snarl he cut away the wires and staggered to his feet, now quite prepared to kill the boy.
Reaching Yohji the boy crouched down and whipped a coil of wire around the man's neck. To his horror jade eyes opened, registered shock, sadness and then anger.
The blonde struggled weakly, hating the fact that, for the second time in his life, someone was trying to kill him with his own weapon. He grabbed the wire, fighting for his own life as the boy tried to tighten it.
"Please let me do this. Please don't make me fail him," Zeshin whispered as he tried to kill the blonde.
"No," Yohji gasped out. He could see Aya coming on, his eyes cold and angry.
Letting go of the wire Zeshin spun to meet Aya's attack with the naginata.
Pulling the wire away Yohji sucked in a breath and reached out to grab the boy's foot, dumping Singapura to the ground. "Aya... he's yours," he croaked out.
The boy hit the ground. He was on his hands and knees, trying to regain his feet when Aya arrived. Resigned amber eyes stared up at the older man.
"Gomen nasai, Mamoru. I didn't mean to fail."
Aya raised the blade to strike when a sharp needle prick entered his thigh and his world darkened. His last thoughts, before unconsciousness took him were the words of a poem. �Do not go gentle into that dark night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.� And he did try to fight the lethargy for Yohji�s sake. It was no use, however, and he collapsed into unconsciousness.
Schuldig stood over him with a gun in his hand pointed straight at Singapura. �Do I have to drug you too, or will you come quietly?�
The only answer Schuldig got was the flash of harigane wire flung at him with far less skill than needed to capture the most dangerous telepath to ever grace the halls of Rosenkreuz's warped Academy.
The gun spoke as Schuldig jumped back and a tranquiliser dart hit Singapura in the arm. Leaving the boy to fall, Schuldig went to check on Yohji. He was quite surprised to see the blonde actually conscious. �Well, well, we meet again, Balinese. Sorry we can�t let you kill Singapura but he�s almost as useful as you and Abyssinian are.�
"Son.. of a... bitch," Yohji got out, still trying to regain control of his body. He felt numb, his limbs hardly responding to the commands from his brain. He managed to fumble the wire from his watch, but couldn't make his arm work to throw it. "Fuck..."
"I see we arrived in time," Crawford announced as he joined Schuldig. "Farfarello is hunting down Harridan, I don't think she'll last long. Bengal is dealing with Goemon who foolishly thought he could come and help his bosses with a gun."
He glanced down at Yohji, * He's stronger than I actually realized Schuldig. This is going to prove interesting.*