Beyblade Fan Fiction ❯ Once A Thief ❯ Thick As Thieves - Part II ( Chapter 13 )

Kali notes:  Gee, is Kali behind. And now her bathroom is green. Very, very green… Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter and isn't getting bored with this fic yet. I have so much more to go! I appreciate my die-hard readers very much, and I'll try not to disappoint. Oh, and I apologize for making Hilary a little OOC. I need her to be able to use a computer, so… LOL Moving on…

 

Disclaimer:  Don't own it. Don't sue.

 

Warnings:  Yaoi (unless you're on ffnet; then you get shounen-ai), language, dramatic angst, and other adult content.  Don't like it, don't read it!

 

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

 

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Chapter 13: Thick As Thieves - Part II

 

A good forty-five minutes later, they finished their shower and padded out to the kitchen to make brunch and espresso - and tea for Takao. Unsurprisingly, the lovers hadn't been able to keep their hands to themselves in the shower and ended up having a hot and steamy make-out session that had nothing to do with the hot water pouring over them at the time.

They were just cleaning up the dishes when Takao's doorbell rang. He dropped the towel by the sink and went to answer it.

“What the…?” He frowned as he opened the door and found no one on the other side. As he stepped out into the hallway to see if he could see anyone, his foot landed on something and he looked down. A plain manila envelope lay on the floor, addressed to him. Takao's frown deepened and he picked it up, going back inside with a feeling of dread forming a knot in his stomach. Kai stood in the kitchen entranceway, waiting for him.

“Who…what's that?” Kai switched questions when he saw the envelope in Takao's hands.

“I don't know. There was no one at the door. Just this.” Takao responded dully. “I…I'm afraid to open it.”

Kai plucked it from his lover's fingers and went back into the kitchen. He held it up to the light, in an attempt to see if there was something dangerous inside, then set it on the counter. Takao followed him and watched silently.

“Do you have a letter opener or something?” Kai asked. Takao nodded and pulled one from a pen holder near the kitchen phone, handing it to the agent. Kai slit open the top of the envelope and emptied the contents onto the counter carefully.

Takao glimpsed the photograph that fell out and made a low noise before he snatched it up immediately to get a proper look at it. Kai went over to see what it was that was distressing the bluenette, and then let out a heartfelt, “Shit.” when he saw what it was.

“Dad…Hiroshi…” Takao's hands shook as he stared at the picture, tears burning in his eyes. Kai wrapped an arm around Takao's waist in support and took the picture from him to study closely.

“They look fine. Maybe a little worse for wear, but still fine.” Kai tried reassuring Takao as the bluenette turned in his arms and buried his face in Kai's shoulder with a sob. “Hey…that's good news, isn't it?”

“But…who knows if that picture is fake or not?” The bluenette cried, trembling with emotion. “It's so easy to fake pictures these days…”

“Well, there are ways to check that out. But that newspaper they're holding up between them could be all the verification we need.” Kai kissed Takao's forehead and went to grab his cell phone. He could barely make out the newspaper's name, the date, and the headline of the front page story, but that was all he needed to begin with. “Put the picture beside the envelope for now, Taka. I'll have Tala take it all to the lab for testing. You never know…they may find out something useful.”

Takao swallowed hard, fighting off tears, and nodded. Kai dialed his partner's number and waited for the red-haired agent to pick up.

“About time you called!” Tala unceremoniously yelled for a greeting. “What took so long, Hiwatari?!”

“I was busy. Shut up and listen, Ivanov.” Kai snapped back, then proceeded to tell his partner about the envelope. “Are there still people watching Takao's building?”

Tala, all business now at the tone of his partner's voice, made thoughtful, serious noises. “No. Not that we could pick out. The agents on duty tried following the ones that were watching him yesterday, but they lost them at the train station.”

“Damn. Well, to be on the safe side, bring Kenny, Max, and the ladies with you through a back entrance, and come up here so we can start making a plan of some kind.” Kai drummed his fingers on the kitchen counter.

“Fine. I'll go round them up and we'll be over in about an hour.” Tala agreed and hung up.

“Are you sure it's a good idea to bring the others here?” Takao asked, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth in concern.

“It'll be fine. Tala knows what he's doing.” Kai said assuredly, walking over to his lover to enfold him in a hug. After a moment, when the bluenette stopped shaking with emotion, he released him and picked up the pictures very gingerly to slip them back into the envelope. “I'll get these to Tala, and he'll let the labs run all their tests on them and get a definite answer by tomorrow.”

Takao nodded, watching the envelope like a poisonous viper. “Thanks, Kai.” He spotted a piece of paper that had come out of the envelope with the pictures but hadn't been noticed before. “Oh…there's a note…”

Kai caught the unenthusiastic tone and reached to pick it up. “Do you want me to read it first?”

The young thief closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. “No, I'll do it.” He held out his hand and Kai dropped the paper on his palm. “But thanks for offering.” Takao looked down at the paper as he opened it up, then proceeded to read aloud.

“As you can see, your family is alive, and have been treated well. Continue your job as you have been and you may even see them alive again in person. Do not presume to threaten us without considering consequences, for we will not hesitate to do something drastic to these two men.” Takao stopped reading and snarled at the paper angrily. Kai squeezed his shoulders and looked over one shoulder to see if there was more.

“You have your confirmation.” He continued reading aloud while Takao seethed. “And you will notice, out of our good faith, that we have removed our people from watching you, as you so brashly `requested.' For your information, they were there to find out where you disappeared to. We do not like being kept in the dark on things, and we will remind youthat our agreement included a stipulation that you would inform us of your plans and movements. Refrain from disappearing again or we will be forced to take action against our `guests.'”

Kai let out a soft whistle and took the note, placing it carefully back in the envelope with the pictures. “Try to ignore it, Taka. They're still trying to play at being in control of the situation, and you know they aren't. It's our game now.” He stated in a firm voice, looking down at the bluenette's stormy blue eyes. Takao sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding.

“I know. I know…but it still makes me mad.”

Kai bent and kissed Takao lightly on the lips before hugging him close. “Be mad. You have every reason to be. Just don't let your temper rule your head, that's all.”

“I'll try.”

Kai's cell phone went off, startling them. The agent grabbed it from the counter where he'd let it and answered it. “Yes?”

“We're about five minutes away, Kai. By the way, a pizza delivery guy is about to deliver your pizza time now. Give him the envelope and whatever, and he'll deliver it back to the labs.” Tala graciously informed his partner.

“Pizza?” Kai made a face. “Couldn't you have picked a nice Chinese place instead?” Takao perked up and glanced at the phone in Kai's hand.

“Tala's bringing us pizza?” He asked, happily. Kai rolled his eyes.

“No. We don't have a Chinese restaurant on the roster.” Tala replied, and Kai could hear the smirk in the Russian's voice. “Deal with it and eat like the rest of us lowly humans.”

“Whatever.” Kai chose to ignore it and walked over to Takao's apartment window that looked down on the street below. “That you in the Central Air van?”

“That's us. We're going around back and we'll be up in a few minutes.” Tala hung up - again.

“They're here.” Kai informed his boyfriend, who'd joined him at the window. “And when the pizza guy shows, give him the envelope and he'll take it to the labs.”

Takao blinked. “The pizza guy?”

“It'll be an agent in disguise.” The crimson-eyed man took the younger man's hand and led him over to the sofa, flopping down onto it, and pulling Takao with him to sprawl over top of him. “Trust me.”

“You know I do.” Takao sighed and snuggled in comfortably. “We can't get too cozy. The others will be here soon…”

“We can until they do.” Kai rubbed a hand up and down Takao's back. “I don't feel like being all professional at the moment.”

Takao laughed softly. “Good point.”

~*~*~*~*~

“You lot look absolutely ridiculous.” Takao stated, holding open his door and staring at the group of his friends and their disguises. “I mean an air conditioning repair crew? How very unoriginal.”

Tala gave the bluenette a dirty look and walked past him. “I'll have you know that the UNA paid good money to buy out this company and make it a front company for our use. It works every time. Haven't you noticed your AC isn't working?”

“Ha. Ha.” Takao glared back and allowed the others to troop into the apartment. “Welcome to my humble abode.” He welcomed them blithely.

“Wow. This is really cool!” Max bounded around the living room with his usual youthful energy. “You've got great taste, buddy!”

“Thanks, Max. I figured you'd appreciate it.”

In the kitchen, Kai was showing the envelope and its contents to his partner, while making tea and coffee for the group and their brainstorming session.

“What's your thoughts on it, Tala?” He asked, plugging in the kettle for tea and flipping the switch on for the coffeemaker.

“Generic everything, to the point where it's probably untraceable. Probably made on one of those PCs at some internet café somewhere and just left on your doorstep, so to speak.” The redhead sniffed the letter curiously. “Didn't even leave a scent on it. All I smell is paper and ink.”

“Damn. I was hoping for a little more. What about the picture?”

“I'm not a photography expert, but it looks real.” Tala shrugged. “Unfortunately, using the London Times as the newspaper of choice doesn't tell us much since you can find it all over Europe, let alone the world.”

“Yeah. That's what I thought. Still, the labs may find something.” Kai glanced over at the door when a knock sounded and a voice called out “Pizza delivery!”

“Good timing.” Tala gathered it all up and went to the door. He opened it and passed along the envelope after accepting the pizzas. The `Pizza Guy' slipped the envelope into the insulated carrier he'd had the pizzas in and nodded at Tala.

“Enjoy your pizzas, sir.”

“Thanks.” Tala closed the door with his foot and took the stack of pizza boxes into the kitchen, setting them on the counter.

“Well, I guess we should eat this and start planning.” Kai mused, turning to the direction of the living room. “Takao! Bring everyone to get some of this pizza before it gets cold!”

The bluenette strolled back into the kitchen sniffing the air hungrily. “Smells really good. I'll get the plates.” He said with a smile, moving around Tala and Kai to dig out plates from the cupboard. “So the letter and everything is gone?” He asked.

Kai nodded and hooked an arm around Takao's waist after he put a stack of plates down on the counter. “They are. Put it from your mind for a little while, love, until we hear something from the labs.” He kissed Takao lightly on the cheek and released him to pick up a plate and grab some food. “I think you're safe eating this pizza, Taka. I don't think it breaks any of your rules.”

After everyone had claimed their share of pizza and were settled in Takao's living room, it was Hilary that started off the brainstorm session.

“So where do we go from here? I mean, the people that are behind all this think Takao is already working on the last item, right?”

Takao sighed and took a careful sip of his hot tea. “Yeah. I made sure Gideon thinks that is why I'm around Kai and…uh…risking my neck by doing so because he's UNA.”

Kai paused in his eating, looking at his lover with a small frown on his face. “Hold on. Why would being with me be part of your next item? I don't have anything like antiquities or jewels or manuscripts.” Crimson eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What exactly is the last item on your list, Takao?”

The reluctant thief put his teacup down and fidgeted under the steady heat of his lover's gaze, glancing at Kenny for help. “Ah…well…”

“The last item was a gift to a certain family in the late 1890s from Czar Nicholas II. The head of the family had saved a relative of the Czar after some kind of accident.” Kenny explained, adjusting his glasses and nearly squirming when Kai's scrutinizing gaze turned on him. “Russian history books are a little difficult to delve through. The Czar had the item commissioned from a Russian goldsmith/jeweler designer who had become quite famous at the time….Fabergé? Maybe you've heard of him…”

Kai frowned a little more. “Yes. I know of Peter Carl Fabergé…” he stopped, the frown disappearing as he put pieces together and came up with the only possible conclusion. “Hell…it's an Egg, isn't it?”

Takao looked down at his feet with a deep sigh and a tiny nod. “A Fabergé Egg that was given to the Hiwatari family by Nicholas II, and has remained in the Hiwatari family's possession ever since, despite numerous occasions they could have lost or sold it…”

Without any sort of intelligent response that Kai felt he could make, he stood and went to stare out the window from Takao's sliding glass doors that led out to a small balcony.

Tala's blue eyes flicked back and forth from Takao to his partner to Kenny and back again. “Alright. So we know the last item. What were you intending to do to acquire it, Kinomiya, before Kai found you in London?”

Takao winced and laughed, though it held no humour. “Pray he wasn't around when I stole it…” he answered, running a shaky hand through his hair. “I didn't really have a plan yet. I'd only just finished at the Museum, after all, and I needed more information before I tried coming up with a game plan.”

“Point taken.” Tala acknowledged. Thinking, he asked another question. “Do you know anything more now? I mean where it is, how hard it would be to acquire?”

“It's in the vault in the third floor library at my parents' estate in Italy.” Kai said from his stance at the balcony doors. “To get it, he'd have to somehow find a way to get there, then have a way to get inside and get past all the security - not to mention my parents.”

Takao slowly raised his stormy blue eyes to meet the sharp, heated crimson set Kai had pinned him with. “Like I said, I needed more information than that.” He repeated, softly. “But I'd probably do as I had with a couple of the other items - I'd get on the staff somehow to gain access to the place and when I had the opportunity I would get the Egg and leave.”

“And now that you've been discovered and the blackmailer's have seen you with Kai…?” Tala inquired.

“It'll be seen as Takao using me to get inside and near the Egg long enough to steal it and get out again without being suspected.” Kai answered for the bluenette, who hung his head and fidgeted under that hot gaze.

“Oh.” Tala said in an `of course' kind of tone. “Right.”

“Ah…” Hilary spoke up, trying to dispel some of the tension in the room. “Since that's what Gideon thinks we should just let him keep thinking it and in the meantime do something else, right? I mean, Kai could ask his family if he could borrow the egg for a while or something, couldn't he?”

Kai gave her a strange look and shook his head. “No way would that work.”

“Why not? Takao wouldn't have to steal it that way.” Hilary crossed her arms, put out that they wouldn't even consider the idea.

“Aside from the fact that my father would never agree to loan me a precious, valuable family heirloom like that…” Kai retorted dryly. “I couldn't tell him why I want to borrow it either, when I couldn't guarantee it would be returned - and returned in tact, at that.”

Hilary subsided. “Oh. Didn't think of that.”

Kenny sighed and took off his glasses, polishing the lenses with a corner of his shirt. “It also has to appear to be stolen, or Gideon and his people will be suspicious, and that'd be too risky to Mr. Kinomiya and Hiroshi's lives and safety.”

Judy tapped her fingers thoughtfully on her leg. “So you're saying that basically Tyson will have to steal the Egg somehow, and there's no other way to obtain it without making the blackmailers suspicious.”

Max groaned. “What a mess!” He flopped back against the cushions of his sofa chair. “What do we do, then?”

Tala ran a hand through his hair. “Well…we're going to develop a plan to steal it, I guess. Getting in to the Hiwatari estate won't be hard, since we've got all kinds of excuses, but actually stealing the Egg…”

Kenny flipped open his laptop. “I've got floor plans and security details, and now that we know where exactly the Egg is located, we should be able to formulate a workable way of getting near that library and getting the Egg.” He glanced at Kai hesitantly. “If Kai is willing to help us, since he knows the place best of all…”

Takao looked up and met Kai's eyes, silently asking for help. He had to do this, to save his family and he hoped Kai would forgive him. “Kai, I…”

“Don't look at me like that, Kinomiya.” The dual-haired agent rubbed a hand over his face and went to sit down next to his lover again. “I said I was going to help you however I could, and that's what I'll do. I just…” Kai growled a curse and kicked at the unoffending coffee table (without actually making contact) in frustration. “You're asking me to steal from my own family. That's pushing it.”

Takao flinched guiltily and hesitantly curled an arm around Kai's waist. “I'm so sorry, Kai. I don't want to do this either. If there were some other way I'd take it in a heartbeat, but…”

Kai closed his eyes and turned, gathering Takao into his arms and pulling him close to hug him. The thief buried his face against the inside of Kai's shoulder and hugged him back.

“Shh…it's not your fault, Taka. I'm not mad at you for this. I don't like it, but I'll do it.” Kai pressed a kiss to the bluenette's forehead, holding him against his side protectively.

“Thank you.” Takao murmured, snuggling into his lover's warmth gratefully.

“Alright. So…what have we got to start with?” Judy went over to Kenny and gestured at his laptop screen. “Are those blueprints to the estate?”

Kai ignored the others as they gathered around Kenny to look at the plans. “What had you come up with for a plan, Takao? Now, I mean. I can practically hear the gears grinding in that head of yours.”

“Well…” Takao ran a hand through his hair and blew out a deep breath. “First off, how would you suggest we go about getting into the estate?”

“You mean an excuse for going?”

Takao nodded.

“Like Tala said, we have several good ones. I want to take you to meet my parents, for one thing.” Kai smiled a little at that, and Takao blushed. “And my mother did want Tala to come visit more often.”

“Alright. That would work. From there, once we're on the inside, it's a matter of having the opportunity to get into that library.” Takao frowned thoughtfully. “I think this time around, I may have to wing it and play it by ear. I've never had a personal relationship with the people I've stolen from before, so this is all new.”

“Hn.”

“I can tell you that you may need some help in this one, Takao.” Kenny's voice drew their attention.

“What do you mean?”

“If you want to make this appear to be a true robbery for Gideon's benefit, then your best bet would be to do it at night, sneaking past all the security systems and breaking into the vault.” The petit genius informed him. “And this time, you won't have time to memorize where all the cameras and motion detectors and everything else are before you go in. You're going to need someone to hack the system and tell you where and when to go.”

“And why can't I just take out the security system?” Takao asked, lifting an eyebrow at this opinion.

“It's the way it's set up.” Kenny pointed at his screen. “See, even if you shut down the major power source here, there's another power station here that you'd also have to shut down - at the same time. You can't be in both places at once, Takao.”

“Why at the same time, Chief?” Max wondered.

“There's a fail-safe. If the power doesn't go off all at once - like in a power outage or blackout - then the alarms will be triggered.” Kenny looked up and met Takao's gaze, his expression deadly serious. “The Hiwatari family is the wealthiest, most socially prominent family or personage that we've had to deal with, Takao. Their security is also that much more elaborate and…secure than any other, also. This time, you are going to need back-up on site.”

“Well…I'll have Kai and Tala.” The bluenette pointed out.

“Yes. But can either of them hack a security system?”

Kai and Tala exchanged looks, then shook their heads.

“I can't.” The dual-haired agent sighed.

“I can use a computer fairly well, but I don't know about hacking a security system.” The icy-blue eyed wolf frowned.

“Then I'll have to come along.” Kenny closed his laptop decisively with a `click.'

“You can't, Kenny.” Takao stated, voice firm. “You, and Max and Judy, all have to go home and continue as if you're oblivious. And it's too dangerous for you, Kenny, to be involved any further in this than you already are.”

“What?! Takao, I am up to my eyes and sinking fast in this debacle!” Kenny retorted.

“Besides which,” Kai added, “We wouldn't have an excuse for having you along to tell my parents.”

“We could come up with something!”

“No, I agree with them.” Jody set her hand on Kenny's shoulder. “You provide them with as much info and data as you can, then go home, Kenny. You do have a job to get back to, as well.”

“But…”

“What about me?” Hilary suddenly asked, looking a little put out at being forgotten.

Tala studied her for a moment. He wasn't sure he liked getting her further involved in this, but…there were possibilities - for more than one reason. “How are your computer skills?” He asked, ignoring the stunned expressions on Takao and Kenny's faces.

“Well, I was pretty handy with one to begin with.” She replied, tossing her hair over a shoulder proudly. “I have some mad secretarial skills, you know. But I've been around Kenny for a long time now, and I've picked up a few…techniques.”

Kenny's jaw dropped. “What?! Since when?! And why haven't you said anything before?!”

Hilary scowled at him. “You never asked! And I had to use my skills fairly often to research some of the stuff you had me looking for to help Takao!”

Kai hid a smile at Kenny's shocked expression (he looked like he was going to have a heart attack). Takao looked as if he didn't know whether to laugh or frown, and Tala…had a delighted smirk on his face. “Ivanov…what are you thinking?” Kai inquired, seeing a definite gleam in those surreal eyes to be wary of.

“Well, we can't justify the brainy one, there.” Tala drawled, stretching his legs out in front of himself and crossing them at the ankles, hands folding behind his head. He looked positively smug. “But Ms. Tatibana…well, that's a different story.”

Hilary blinked at him, baffled. “I don't understand.”

“Simple. It may require some acting from us, but it shouldn't be too hard to pretend we're dating, right?”

“Uhh…” Hilary blushed, speechless.

Takao smothered a laugh, Kai rolled his eyes to the heavens seeking divine intervention, and Kenny…

“What? Are you insane? That's incredibly risky!”

Kenny nearly had a fit.

Max frowned in concern. “I have to agree with the Chief on that. And I don't know that Kai wants to lie to his parents any more than absolutely necessary.”

Kai glanced at Max with a raised eyebrow. He hadn't expected the blonde to care, not with the recent hostile and untrustingly attitude. “No. I do not. However, this could be very necessary.”

While they all argued for and against the idea, Tala leaned over and asked Hilary quietly, “It's your decision, Hilary. I only made a suggestion. Don't let us make your decisions for you. Do you think you can pretend and help us, or would you rather not take the risk of getting so involved.”

She met his gaze unflinchingly, feeling something warm rise in her chest at the seriousness with which he asked. Tala…was truly unique, and she was beginning to appreciate him as she never had anyone else before.

“I'll go.” She stated decisively. “I can do it.”

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Kali Notes: Whew. I'm getting out of practice typing things these days! I hope all my readers are still hanging in there! The fun parts are coming up - to read for you, and to write for me. LOL Stay tuned… Please R/R!!!!