Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Once A Thief ❯ Honour Among Thieves - Part II ( Chapter 8 )

Kali notes:  Wow…I'm sure people have forgotten about this fic by now. *sweatdrops* Thanks so much for all the reviews, minna-san! I had no idea this would go over that well… *sniffles* I call this chapter the “chapter of revelations…” or “Takao's monologue…”

 

Disclaimer:  No own! No sue!

 

Warnings:  Yaoi (unless you're on ffnet; then you get shounen-ai) - eventually, language, dramatic angst, and other adult content.  Don't like it, don't read it! This chapter: angst, angst, and more angst - which you'll understand the reason for once you start reading it.

 

Pairing:  TyKa; others include Tala/Hilary, mentioned Rei/Mariah

 

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Chapter 08: Honour Among Thieves - Part II

 

The silence in the room was so thick, one could have sliced it up into sections and served it on a plate. But for the ticking of the clock on the wall, the barely audible breathing of the people in the room, and the soft shuffling of papers, it was quiet. Too quiet. The kind of quiet that weighed heavily on Takao's nerves and made him fidget in his seat.

He sat in a conference room at one end of a long table, Kenny and Hilary on his right, Max and Judy on his left. At the opposite end of the table sat Director Dickenson, with Kai on his left and Tala on his right. Dr. Angelique Maison was also in attendance, standing near the Director with Takao's medical file tucked under her arm.

Takao stared at his hands on the tabletop, fingers linked tightly to keep them from any restless movements that would betray how insecure and nervous he was at that moment. He felt very out of place sitting among everyone with their business-like appearances, and semi-formal attire. The bluenette was still only in his cotton pyjamas, consisting of a long sleeved, buttoned shirt and drawstring jogging pants. At least he still had his shoes on, though.

Director Dickenson's voice startled him out of his reverie and broke the deep silence effectively, making Takao jump slightly.

“Alright. Let's get started. For the record, Dr. Angelique Maison will giver her opinion of one, Kinomiya Takao of Japan, and the state of his health.”

The doctor cleared her throat and stepped forward, placing the file on the table at the Director's elbow. “As Mr. Kinomiya's physician in the past few days, I have had the opportunity to examine and treat him for what I have concluded is an ulcer, most probably brought on by poor diet, lack of beneficial sleep, and extreme stress. The other tests I conducted were to rule out the possibility of some malfunction of his unique talent to manipulate electricity. Such unique individuals have been known at times to develop health problems due to their abilities, as their bodies are unused to dealing with the extra stress on them. Mr. Kinomiya, however, is quite lucky to not be one of those.”

“Thank you, Dr. Maison.” Director Dickenson nodded. “And your opinion of his health at this time?”

“He is capable of participating in this…interview. However, had this not been insisted upon as necessary,” she gave the two UNA agents and the Director a disgruntled glare. “I would have preferred that Mr. Kinomiya had at least one week of bed-rest with no stressful situations or discussions. His condition remains stable, treatable, and manageable, but he is nearing his body's limit to just how much it can stand.” Angelique planted her hands on her hips and gave everyone in the room a solid stare. “That said, I strongly advise that, if this interview should take a while, breaks be taken and he is given a chance to relax and have something to drink, maybe even eat.”

Takao sighed and looked dolefully at the tabletop. Just another reason he avoided doctors and hospitals as much as he could - they all thought they knew his body better than he did.

“We will keep that in mind, Doctor.” Director Dickenson agreed. With a final nod, Angelique walked briskly out. “Now, Agent Hiwatari, please state the charges that we are here to discuss.”

Kai looked like he'd much rather be elsewhere, thank you, but stood and pulled a paper from the case-file he had on the table in front of him. In a voice as neutral as he could make it, he proceeded to read off the long list of laws his former boyfriend had already confessed to breaking.

He would never admit that each one caused a pang in his chest - it physically hurt Kai to voice each one.

It was the same for the bluenette. Each crime and offence listed, in Kai's semi-monotonous voice, was a blow to both his heart and his conscious. By the time Kai came to the last one, trailing off in obvious relief and nearly collapsing back into his chair, Takao was gripping the arms of his chair so hard his knuckles were white.

“Thank you, Agent.” The old man reached out and pushed a button on the console of the recording system that sat on the table between them. “Before we proceed, was there anything that anyone wanted to say off the record?”

Takao shook his head. He'd have his say - but only on record. Kenny and Hilary shook their heads, too, since they would have their as the bluenette's legal counsel. Max didn't say anything either, simply reaching over to pry Takao's fingers loose from the chair arm and pat his hand reassuringly.

Judy remained silent also - for now. She had already spoken to Director Dickenson about her presence and her opinion of the evidence that had been gathered.

Surprisingly, it was Tala who leaned forward and spoke up. “I do.”

Everyone looked at him in question, and the Director waved a hand, indicating for him to continue.

“I release that any unique talents I possess, being part wolf as I am, are far from admissible evidence - for the defence or prosecution for the case. I only recognized Kinomiya as the thief we were looking for by his scent, after all, and while I know the difference between one person and another by scent alone, others usually do not.” Tala shrugged. “But that's not what I wanted to say.”

“You are unusually long-winded Ivanov. Get to it, already.” Kai scowled in impatience, and Tala just stared back impassively.

“It's my opinion that he's been telling the truth - so far as events have proven, at least. There is definitely something bigger - more - going on than just your average (though unique) string of thefts. Kinomiya is being followed, and it does seem that there is someone else pulling the strings.” Tala folded his arms on the table top and looked down the expanse of it at the bluenette. “I believe him. And if he is being blackmailed with the lives of his family as he says, then I want the blackmailer.” Ice-blue wolf eyes sharpened and glinted. “I will hunt him down and throw his ass in prison.”

Takao gaped in shock. He was not expecting support like that so quickly and easily from Kai's formidable partner - even though, he was sure, it probably hadn't been easy for Tala.

Director Dickenson coughed and gave his agent a mild frown. “Alright, Agent Ivanov. Duly noted. Anyone else?”

Kai, who had been staring at the open case-file in silence, glanced down the table at his only love. “What the wolf said. Only it's a promise.” His crimson eyes flared slightly and met stormy blue-grey solidly.

Takao gave him a short nod, expression grim. He heard what Kai wasn't saying aloud; no matter what the Director decided, Kai was going to help the bluenette in anyway he could, despite what could happen to himself.

“Well, it's nice that the two of you have such instincts and believe you can afford to indulge in getting emotionally entangled in this case,” the old man frowned at the two agents in reproach. “But I can't afford such a luxury. I must have some concrete proof upon which to base my decision, even if I, personally, would agree. That is what we are here for - to get Mr. Kinomiya's statement and use it to try and find some of that proof.”

Sniffling a bit, and rubbing his eyes wearily, Takao graced the room with a smile that was a shadowed hint of the smile he'd once worn all the time.

“Thank you, sir. Even being willing to listen to me is more than I had ever hoped for.”

“I abhor injustice, Mr. Kinomiya, and everything about this case lights up all kinds of warning bells.” Director Dickenson waved the gratitude aside. “Moving on, as we don't all want to be here all night, I welcome my North American counterpart, Director Judy Tate, to this interview.”

Kai (and Tala) started and stared at Max's mother in surprise. “Say what? I knew she was your mother, Max, but…a UNA Director?” Kai's gaze flicked back and forth between the two blondes and Takao.

“Eh heh…well, when Kenny came over to tell me what was happening, Mom was on vacation, visiting me in Japan. And when she heard the story, she insisted on coming along, so…” Max grinned disarmingly. “I can hardly tell my mother `no' can I?”

“I am not here to influence UNA policy, just to support and counsel my son's best friend and a young man whom I have grown to admire and respect. Nothing more.” Judy squeezed Max's shoulder.

“Of course you aren't.” Director Dickenson reached for the console again. “Was there anything further?” At everyone's silence, he nodded and said, “Alright then, Mr. Kinomiya. Let's begin.” He turned on the recorder once more.

Takao took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and began his sad and sorry tale in a steady voice.

~*~*~*~*~

“It started, I guess, a few years ago. Max and I had only been in business for…three or four years. By that time we had already expanded a great deal, and I had been spending more and more time away from home - mostly in Europe, though occasionally I went to places like India, Australia, and even South America once or twice. My Dad, and usually my older brother, Hiro, were gone most of the time also. Hiro had finished his Masters degree in archaeology by then, and he went on digs with our dad all the time. He was just starting work on his PhD.

“Anyway, since we were all off running around the globe, that left my grandfather home by himself a lot. He had always been so healthy and, uh, energetic,” Takao sweatdropped and Max, Kenny, and Hilary smiled at their memories of Gramps. Kai just rolled his eyes. “…that we didn't really think much about how often he was alone. We also trusted him to tell us if he wasn't feeling well or needed help around the dojo or something. In retrospect, we should have known better.” The bluenette sighed, looking down cast. “Gramps was a proud man - with good reason, I suppose. And even at the end of his life he never considered himself `old.' He always used to thwack me with his training sword if I used that term to describe him.

“But he was getting up there in years, and I wish I'd paid more attention to things then. It was my responsibility, after all, to look after the dojo, and Gramps, and…hell my whole family, really.” Takao said, his voice tinged with regret and bitterness. “I did notice the odd strange thing Gramps would do, but I just shrugged those off as Gramps being Gramps. You see, he began to forget things - just little things, and only once in a while. Stuff like training appointments with his kendo students, watering his bonsai trees, making himself dinner…that kind of thing. I don't think Dad or Hiro noticed anything either because it all seemed like a pretty big shock to them when they found out, too.” Takao stopped, staring at the table top with a small sigh.

“Business began to pick up, and it became more practical for me to live part of the year - at least - here in Europe, rather than always flying back and forth and all the expenses we'd incur with hotels and stuff. I talked it over with my family, and Gramps was adamant that everything was fine, that he could handle it all on his own. So Dad and Hiro went off to Central America to dig up some Mayan ruins, and I went to Belgium. I didn't stay there long, though, and ended up here in Paris. We - Max and I - also began leasing the business suite at that hotel in London, and I divided my time between the two.

“But while I was gone, Gramps' memory loss got worse. I didn't know about it until he was already gone, but he had stopped taking on students and giving lessons. And without the income from that, he was having a hard time keeping up the dojo and the house. So he acquired a mortgage and used the money to hire various contractors and such to make repairs and bring certain things up to code - like the faulty electrical system in the place.

“A few months later, and he'd forgotten about the mortgage.” Takao's hands clenched tightly, remembering what the lawyer had told him, Hiro, and their father shortly after Gramps' funeral. “So when the bank came around wanting payment, Gramps was confused and extremely embarrassed. But somehow he managed to work out something that kept them off his back for a little longer. I found out later that he'd sold the only truck he'd ever owned - and he got ripped off on that, by the way. He used that money to make payment. And that's pretty much how it continued until I cam home almost seven months later.” The bluenette paused, swallowing hard and glancing at Hilary. “Hil, could you get me a glass of water, please?”

“Of course.” The brunette quietly rose and went to a sideboard to pour a glass of water for him from the pitcher that had been set there. She came back and set it in front of him. “There you go.”

Takao sipped gratefully and thanked her. “Thanks, Hil.” After drinking half the glass, he set it aside and gathered his thoughts to continue.

“I was in London when I got the phone call from my Dad. He told me to come home because Gramps was in the hospital and it didn't look like he'd last much longer.” Tears pricked his eyes and he stared blankly at the far wall behind Director Dickenson. “I got on the next plane I could get, but I still got back too late. He had passed away before I had the chance to see him and say goodbye.”

Kenny, prepared as always, pulled out a small box of tissues from his briefcase and gave them to Takao. Grabbing a couple, Takao sniffled and blew his nose, composing himself.

“Thank you, Chief.” He took a steadying breath and kept on talking. He wanted to get this out and over with. “Hiro told me what had happened when I got to the dojo. I'd already noticed how badly the place had gotten run down. Floorboards needed replacing, there were shingles that were falling off the roof, the windows were cracked and even some of the boards of the walkway outside that goes all around the entire building were warped, broken, or just plain missing. I didn't know what to think, already upset at losing Gramps but now feeling mega-guilty on top of it.

“See, the contractors Gramps had hired before hadn't done very good work. And Gramps…well, he forgot he'd hired someone to do repairs once already. Hiro told me that there was a stack of letters in the kitchen on the counter from the bank. I went through them and discovered Gramps had taken a second mortgage - this time on the land itself. I didn't know about the first mortgage on the dojo and house until the lawyer told me after Gramps' funeral.” Takao took another fortifying sip of water. “Dad and Hiro had no idea about it either. And since Gramps had left it all to me - which we'd all known and agreed on a long time ago - he had also left me holding the bag, as it were.

“Dad and Hiro wanted to help. And between the three of us, we managed to pay off most of the second mortgage on the land with what little savings we had. My father gets paid fairly well for his field work, but Hiro doesn't get much at all, being a student and a junior archaeologist still. And I didn't have very much of my own left after university and then what I'd funnelled into the business. Most of what I made there went right back into it.” Takao sighed and brushed hair out of his face. “Gramps hadn't left us with much to sell off, either. Most of the furniture was gone, except for a few bare necessities - and my own room. I guess Gramps didn't feel good about selling my bedroom furniture or something. Hiro and Dad didn't have anything, really. Their person al belongings were all boxed up and in the storage room for safe keeping. They tend to live out of their luggage.”

As Takao talked, Kai found it extremely difficult not to get up, go over and wrap his arms around his lover. He couldn't believe how much the bluenette had gone through in these last few years - alone, for the most part - and he wanted so much to be able to hold Takao and assure hi that everything would be all right. That Kai would make it all right, no matter what. It was making his chest ache to sit there neutrally and listen to the fatigue, sorrow, guilt, and anguish in Takao's voice. It was then Kai knew - without a shadow of doubt - that he still loved Takao enough to throw away everything else for the chance to be with him.

If it meant quitting the UNA and going into hiding with his one and only love, then so be it. But first they had to see how everything else turned out. Until then however, his mind began to plan and scheme.

“So what happened to your grandfather that landed him in the hospital?” Tala asked. Kai blinked and put aside his ideas in favour of hearing the rest of Takao's story.

“Gramps foolishly tried fixing a loose shingle himself. He set the ladder on a not-so-stable part of the walkway, and climbed up on it - but the ladder fell through the rotted boards and he fell off. He hit his head, broke his leg and hip, and wasn't found for a couple of hours. It was one of our neighbours who found him and called 911. She's a middle-aged lady who used to play Go and chess with Gramps, and she'd started bringing him home-cooked meals every now and then.” Takao frowned at the nearly empty glass of water in front of him. “The hospital somehow managed to get a hold of my Dad through the bad connections and long distance to somewhere in the Yucatan via satellite phone. Dad and Hiro came home immediately but I couldn't seem to get there in time.

“So, like I said, we paid off most of one mortgage. But we still had the rest of it, and all of the other, to deal with. Dad even managed through his connections to museums and universities all over Japan, to get a small grant to pay for the most dire of the repairs that were needed to make the house, at least, liveable again.”

“How? I mean, a grant?” Tala interrupted. “They don't give out personal grants like that.”

“No. It was because our family has owned that land for centuries, right back to feudal times. And the dojo, if not the house, also, is a historical building. Except for the addition of water, sewer, and electricity, the place hasn't changed for hundreds of years. It's the only thing saving my ancestral lands and home from being repossessed by the bank and sold off to some developer.” Takao scowled at the very thought. “And even with that grant, there's still so much that needs fixing our outright replacing.

“Dad came to the conclusion that until the mortgages were paid off, it would be best if he retired from active field work. So he took a position at the university in Bay City - as a professor. He actually gets paid better there than he did for field work.” Takao leaned back in his chair wearily. “Hiro still had to keep going, though, since he was still working on his doctorate. And as for me, I went back to Paris to pick up business where I'd left off. Any extra money I made, I sent home to Dad for the mortgages.”

At that point, Kenny reached over and laid a hand on Takao's forearm, halting his tale. “I think it's time for a small break. My client could use a few minutes to relax and I'm sure everyone could stand some tea or coffee.”

“I'm fine, Kenny.” Takao protested. He was summarily ignored of course.

“Very well. We will take fifteen to twenty minutes to allow him to recuperate.” Director Dickenson agreed, switching off the recorder. “Agent Hiwatari, would you call down to Oliver and request some tea, coffee, and some sandwiches or something?”

“Yes, sir.” Kai, while not really wanting to leave, got up and reluctantly left the room.

“Kenny, you're all tense. When will you learn to relax a little bit?” Hilary scolded the petit brunette as he tried working out the kink in his neck.

“I'm not tense. I'm just a little sore from sitting so long on the plane ride here.” He said plaintively. Takao and Max rolled their eyes and tuned them out, having heard them argue like siblings (with Hilary as the older sister) so many times before they could almost predict exactly what each would say next.

“How are you really, Takao?” Max asked quietly. The bluenette shrugged and gave him a tiny smile.

“Of course I've been better, Maxie. But I'm okay. It's late, I'm emotional, and I'm tired, but I feel better than I did yesterday.”

“Well, I'm glad.” Max smiled back, though concern was still evident in his eyes.

“Takao…” Director Dickenson came over, leaning on an ornate walking stick as he stopped beside Takao's chair. “When you were speaking of your father and brother, I couldn't help having this nagging feeling that I should know them.”

The bluenette blinked. “Sir? I couldn't tell you. I hardly know of everyone that they know. I'm sure my Dad has made contacts with the UNA before, through work and stuff, though.”

“Hmm…yes.” The old man stroked his moustache thoughtfully. “I saw in your file that you went to university in America, with Max, here. Correct?”

“Yes, sir.” Takao eyed him questioningly.

“And that you studied abroad under a western name rather than your given name.”

“Yes…” Takao frowned in confusion. Max piped up.

“Oh! I get it! He thinks he knows your Dad and Hiro by their western names, Takao.” The blonde declared, nodding sagely. “In America, Takao adopted his dad's western name as his own - Granger. And I'm the one who dubbed him `Tyson'…”

“Tyson Granger…Granger!” The Director nodded and chuckled. “Of course. I have consulted with your father on many different occasions, young man. I have never known him by `Kinomiya' however, and so did not recognize it until now.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Takao couldn't help smiling a little. “Small world, sir.”

“Indeed. I must admit that I had heard a prominent Japanese archaeologist and his son had gone missing several months ago, but I didn't really pay enough attention to have made the connection since it would have been handled by UNA Asia and perhaps by Director Judy's North American UNA section.”

“We received a memo about it, certainly. But we had no evidence to suggest either had returned to the US or Canada since the last recorded date they'd flown back to Japan.” Judy gave Takao an apologetic look. “I didn't want to say anything before because I had nothing to offer for hope - and I had hoped you would come to me on your own for help.”

Takao sighed and ran a hand through his bangs, pushing the locks out of his eyes. “I'm sorry, Judy. I didn't tell you or Max because I was so afraid that if I involved anyone else something bad would happen to them like it had my dad and brother.”

“As I said before, you always try to take on the world by yourself and refuse help.” Judy admonished lightly. Takao looked abashed and sheepish at the same time.

“Well, knowing what I do now,” Director Dickenson sighed. “I am very eager to hear the rest of this story. I'm anxious to find out what has happened to you and to someone I quite respect.”

“You will, sir.” Takao assured him. “I want to get this all out and over with just as much.”

Director Dickenson nodded and looked toward the conference room door as Kai returned, followed by a green-haired man in a chef's uniform, pushing a tea cart.

“Excellent, Oliver! Thank you for going through this trouble before you left for the night.” The old man greeted and thanked him, walking over.

“It was no trouble, sir.” Oliver smiled and pulled the cover off one of the trays to reveal small sandwiches, and another that had more of the little pastries Hilary had brought to Takao's room, earlier. “Please enjoy these little morsels, everyone, and do not worry about the cart. One of my nit-staff shall remove it later.”

“Thank you, Oliver.” The Director thanked the chef once more as he was leaving. “Now, everyone get yourself something teat and drink, and we will continue this interview shortly.”

Takao eyed the cart with a small sigh. He still wasn't hungry, and he didn't know if his stomach would accept anything stronger than water at that particular moment.

“Can I bring you a sandwich, Takao?” Hilary asked kindly, hovering at his elbow attentively.

“Thanks, but no, Hil. I don't know if..” he began to reply but abruptly stopped when a plate with sandwiches was slid under his nose and a mug of steaming hot tea that smelled both mint-y and flowery at the same time was set in front of him. He blinked at both for a moment then looked up to his other side to meet Kai's crimson eyes, which were silently commanding him to eat or else. “Uh…”

“You need to eat something. And the tea is a chamomile green tea that's really light and easy on the stomach.” Kai crossed his arms in a familiar, imperious stance, gazing down at the bluenette watchfully.

Pouting, Takao grumbled. “I'm not hungry, Kai, but thank you for the effort.”

“Eat or I'll have Dr. Maison hook you up to an IV for the night.”

Takao's gaze whipped up to stare at Kai in horror, his expression incredulous and his face paling considerably. On this, however, Kai was not going to budge, despite the flash that he just barely caught in Takao's stormy-blue eyes.

“You wouldn't.”

“Is that rhetorical?”

“You can't!”

“Don't be stupid, Kinomiya.”

“I hate needles! Remember what happened last night?”

“Eat and it won't be an issue.”

“But Kai-i…”

“Kami. Don't whine either!”

“I'm really not hungry, though…”

“Tough.” Unsympathetic (well, kind of), Kai pointed at the plate and issued a final command. “Eat!”

Without another word, Takao reluctantly picked up one of the little sandwiches and cautiously nibbled, watching his self-appointed meal enforcer out of the corner of his eye.

Neither noticed that the rest of the room had gone silent and was watching them in amusement with strange expressions on their faces.

Judy leaned over and whispered to her son, “Are they always like this?” she asked with barely contained laughter. The blonde stifled a giggle of his own when Takao poked at a second sandwich unenthusiastically and Kai pinched him on the shoulder in warning, watching him like a hawk - or over him like a mother hen, depending on who's point of view one considered it from.

“They were in high school, yeah.” Max managed to reply, swallowing down a chuckle. “Sometimes the roles were reversed, though.” He picked up a sandwich of his own and nibbled, frowning thoughtfully as he watched his best friend slowly eat a decent amount of food under Kai's watchful supervision. It wasn't really Takao the blonde was considering, however. It was Kai. Even though he knew the whole tale, now, and had basically given the dual-haired man a second chance at making Takao happy, Max still had reservations and doubts - especially with Kai being the UNA agent he was and Takao's position. That Kai cared for the younger man's health and well-being wasn't in question. He obviously loved Takao a great deal. But how was he going to handle being, in essence, the enemy? Would Kai risk it all and help Takao or would he hold his career and the UNA's ethics above his love and his own morals and ethics? Max didn't know, and he was going to make very sure Kai didn't ruin this last chance for happiness and life for Takao.

As far as he was concerned, Kai was going to have to prove himself - and it wouldn't be easy.

Once Takao had consumed enough food to satisfy everyone (particularly his former lover), everyone returned to their seats with full mugs of coffee or cups of steaming tea, and Director Dickenson nodded at Takao once as he turned the recorder on again, signalling the time to continue. Taking a deep breath to settle his nerves and the tiny ache of his stomach, Takao picked up where he left off.

****************

Kali's Notes: Blargh. *swirl-y eyes* I'm nearly comatose from this semester, but here's the latest chapter, anyway! I…am just going to run away and hide from people who will probably want to beat me to a pulp for Gramps… X_o So sorry… Please R/R!!!!

 

Due to ff.net's dislike of review replies in fics, and the fact that I haven't got time to go back and read all of them and make replies for them anymore, there will not be any more of them from this chapter onward, with the possible exceptions of the ones that ask a good question or something like that that I feel the need to share. I will try to reply with that new system on ff.net whenever I can, though…just for giggles. Thanks everyone for the reviews you've left so far! I'm so honoured by them all! - Kali