PREYS
by Kamorgana
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni kenshin, it's property of Watsuki and
co.
Author's notes: This is my first A/U fic. Of course guess who are the
main characters!(I always write about these two). It will be very
different from my usual (WAFF) romance fics. It's a cop story rated for
violence, lemon, (in later chapters); swearing and characters enjoying
to smoke (which is a very bad thing, I know). All (and when I say all,
I'm going to try to have everybody, even for a glimpse) the RK cast will
appear in more or less important roles, I think Misao, Sano, Aoshi and
Enishi will get quite a part. I probably can't help to have romance in
it, don't expect alternate pairings (but maybe original ones)! Unlike my
other fics, it is not completely written yet so I don't know when I can
update, because I know what the main plot and the end will be but not
yet how to get there. I always suck at titles, if you can help me to
find a good one after few chapters, I'll be thankful!
Preys
Prologue
He savored the bittersweet taste of tobacco, the warmth of the smoke
sliding down his throat. It shouldn't be too long now. He was leaning on
the dirty wall of that narrow street, behind dumpers and garbage, in the
gray shades of the city early dawn. The shadows at the very end began to
move, and he tossed his cigarette. His prey. Now. He walked in the
middle of the street just as the man passed by. "Where do you think
you're going?" He growled, knocking the scum unconscious.
Chapter one: Setting boundaries
She looked at him, infuriated. She wanted to slap this satisfied smirk
out of his face.
" You may sit," she said using her most condescending tone.
He bowed, mocking, and sat in the leather chair in front of her. He
looked so at ease,?that the uninformed witness could think he was in his
own office. The golden eyes were ironic as he uttered: "Thank you."
"Detective Saitoh, you have the reputation to have a very accurate
memory. Could you remind me what were the directives concerning this
case?" She just had to be professional, she thought. Put aside her
personal dislike for the guy, and his smarter than you attitude, and she
will go through this without problem.
"I know what were the directives. And I also know that I broke them. It
was the best way to resolve the case," he said flatly, lighting a
cigarette.
She dug her nails in her palms, under the desk so he wouldn't notice,
and lit one also. She so needed the blissful sensation now. It would
help her to remain calm.
"You mean that you wanted to seek personal revenge, and ignored the
orders. Do I have to point that this kind of behavior is not tolerated
in the police forces, less in this unit?"
She had the satisfaction to see his smirk disappear to leave only his
usual cold, impenetrable mask on his face. Good.
" I caught the contact. He spat, we got to the building were they kept
the merchandises and arrested them. End of the case." How this bitch
dared to lecture him on the way he was fulfilling his duty?
"Let me correct, detective. You took the initiative to go after the
contact, in spite of the official order to handle the case to the
Narcotics. You beat the crap out of him to get his confession. And you
went, along with two other members of this section - should I mention
that I wasn't informed of the fact either- to complete a dangerous
operation that would have needed back-up. All of that because your
partner was shot. Now tell me, Detective Saitoh, would you call that a
responsible attitude?" Her last words were stinging with disdain and
mockery.
He glared at her. He had no intention to explain anything to that little
bureaucrat, but she would get his opinion now.
" And if I had gave up on that case, they would have disappeared before
these incompetent morons of the Narcotics even put two and two together.
We dismantled Kanryu drug dealing organization in two weeks, they have
been after him for years. He is behind the bars. And I won't tolerate
that you guess my motivations. My partner has been shot, yes. We are
working in the streets, we all know it can happen at any moment and we
accept that. My aim was to complete my case and nothing, no personal
feelings, entered in consideration when I made my decision. Now, you can
try to fire me, and the others, for that. Good luck, because your friend
the Mayor is really happy to brag about the outcome. Did you watch the 6
o'clock news?"
She shook her head, laughing somewhat, then took another puff and she
was deadly serious again.
" I seems that you are the one guessing here, detective. You are a god
cop, you know it, I know it, and the chief of police Kondo knows it. I
have no intention to fire you for what happened. Concerning Yukishiro
and Kitaoka, it's not difficult to guess how you manipulated them into
helping you. I won't expect them to bare any responsibility in YOUR
mistakes. All I could do is opening an internal investigation on you, so
you would get a warning or a blame. And I won't. Here's why. This unit
costs a lot to the city. Kondo had to lobby for years to have it
created. Yes, the Mayor is happy about us now, he is most of the time
because we have results. But the other sections are not very thrilled
about us stepping into their jurisdictions and receiving money that
could go to their budgets. They want us shut down, and one fiasco could
get their voices listened to. I think I don't need to explain you now
what would have been the consequences if your initiative had turned
wrong. If I asked for this investigation, it would be used against the
whole section. I just want you to be conscious of the fact that we are
permanently in jeopardy. We have to work together and to stick
together."
During her all speech, she had been staring at the incandescent tip of
her cigarette. She crushed it, gazed straight in his eyes, and added: "
I know you despise bureaucracy. And I know you don't like me, or the
fact that I'm in charge of this unit. But lobbying is unfortunately a
reality, and I care for this section. My goal is the same as yours: make
this streets safe for the people we swore to protect."
He said nothing for a while, sustaining her direct gaze.
"Do you expect to earn my respect with those words?" he asked
negligently.
Her gray eyes took the shade of pure, hard steel. Her voice was dry,
metallic as she spoke.
"What I expect from you, detective Saitoh, is to respect my authority,
and to make sure I don't have to have this kind of conversation with you
again. I want your official report tomorrow morning on my desk. It will
point that you were on a stake with Yukishiro and Kitaoka when we had
the order to give up the case and didn't get it in time. It will also
ignore your beating of Kanryu's contact. I took care of that already.
You are dismissed."
He stood up, his tall body unfolding in a feline move. His stare fell on
the plate standing on her desk, reading: "Chief of Section. Takagi
Tokio" and he remembered the name that was there before. That pushed him
to a last sarcasm.
"Yes, sir. I mean, ma'am," he corrected, obsequiously, his eyes daring.
She didn't pay attention. Bitch, he thought as he left her office.
Tokio took a deep breath after he closed the door. God this man was not
easy to handle. Kondo had warned her. Untamable. Still she had to find a
way to control him. Did her words reach him? She hoped so. She stretched
her arms, allowing the tension to disappear. She had the hell of a day.
Time to have a drink, and forget about the mess she was in because of
Saitoh Hajime.
To be continued.
Who is Saitoh partner? ( easy to guess but is he alive?) Who is the
Mayor? And the other members of the unit? This is a first exposition
chapter, the main plot coming soon.
Yoroshiku ne. See you!
Kamorgana
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