Cowboy Bebop Fan Fiction ❯ The Man With Different Eyes ❯ Syndicate Woes ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

In the day following, Rosa was sitting with Faye in the living room playing a game of cards. Her hair was tied back in a high bun, and her nails were now painted a bright red. Jet popped in and smiled kindly seeing the young girl all cleaned up, and then turned to Faye, his smiling changing to a serious frown.



“Faye, there’s a bounty up for a computer hacker. Spike already headed out on a lead. Since your ship is out of commission, you’re going to have to be home base. If any leads come up, make sure you let us know,” Jet told her. His tone was serious and Faye got the feeling he was expecting her to flake out. She just nodded at him, and then watched as he left.



“So you really are bounty hunters?,” Rosa asked quietly. Faye was silent for a moment and then turned back to her with a tentative smile.



“Yeah, we are. But in it’s own way it’s an honest job. Bring in the bad guys, and get a reward, to put it simply,” Faye told her. Rosa nodded, her eyes once again drifting around the acclaimed living room then she went back to her cards.



“Faye, are you really going to give me in to an orphanage?,” Rosa asked. She didn’t look up at Faye, simply shuffled through her hand, organizing the cards again. Faye watched her, her bright green eyes seeming to hold a certain discomfort concerning the answer.



“I’m afraid we’ll have to. We couldn’t just set you loose on Mars again, you wouldn’t last another year out there. Besides, wouldn’t you rather live somewhere safe, where you’ll know you’ll have a shelter and food”. Faye knew the girl wouldn’t understand, but she had hope she would consider staying at the orphanage.



“Why…why can’t I just stay with you. I promise I’ll be helpful around here, cleaning and stuff. I just don’t want to go back to any orphanage. I hate them, besides in three years I’ll be kicked out anyway,” Rosa said, by the end she had tears in her brown eyes that threatened to fall. Faye sighed and shook her head slowly.



“Kid, you won’t be much better off here, then on the streets. At times we don’t have food for weeks at a time. Bounty hunting’s not as glamorous as you think. You’d be better off in an orphanage”. Rosa sighed and got to her feet. She laid her cards out on the table and then left the room. Faye let her go, knowing she just needed sometime alone.





Later on Faye got a call from Jet saying that their lead was a no go, and that they were giving up on this bounty. When they got back Jet and Spike came in the haggard sighs. Spike plopped down on one of the couches, and pulled out a bent cigarette from his pocket. He lit it up, and took a long drag, regarding Faye with questioning eyes.



“Where’s the kid?,” He asked, smoke blowing out from his lips. Faye sighed shaking her head.



“Most likely in our room, moping. She asked to stay with us, but I told her no”. Spike nodded, and watched as Jet climbed the stairs.



“I’ll go check on her, see if she’s hungry,” Jet told them. Spike just sighed, and puffed on his cigarette, while Faye laid back on the couch to close her eyes. It hadn’t been very long before Jet was heard yelling down the hall. Faye jumped up, Spike was quick to follow to see what to fuss was about.





“She’s gone. She must of slipped out when we came back. We need to go and find her,” Jet told them. Faye shook her head at the men.



“No, I do. It’s my fault, she was upset. I’m going to find her,” Faye said. She rushed down the hall to the ships. Spike followed her, and caught her by the door.



“I’ll go and find her, since my ship is the only one that is working right now. Jet’s got busted and yours is totaled,” He told her. Faye didn’t feel like arguing and let him go out.











The first place he looked was the train station. He tread about looking into open train cars, and checking out the lines at the tickets booth. He asked some people if they’d seen a young girl, with blonde curls, but he found nothing.


Next he checked downtown Mars, he went through all the side streets and checked the local shelters, and still he hadn’t seen her any where. Nor had anyone seen her. He wondered where it is she could have gone. And then he remembered what Faye had said. Her parents had died in a gate accident. And he knew then where he would find her.





It was starting to get dark, and the breeze had gone from warm to bitter. Spike sighed as he walked down the broken trail of the cemetery, it had been a long time since he’d visited this place. As he passed by grave stones he noticed the names, and dates. He took in the graves that had flowers, and ones that were left unkempt. He noticed how they looked broken and sad. Spike paused when he came upon a small figure laying between two grave stones. She had her tattered coat pulled tightly around her shoulders, and just under her stocking cap you could see the bright blonde of her hair. The latent features of her dollish face were tear stricken, as she lay sleeping. Spike approached her, and then waited a moment, taking in the names etched into the grave stones, and imagined that buried beneath them were her parents. She didn’t stir when he tapped her, and then when he lifted her. She was cold to the touch, and shivered from the warmth of Spike’s body heat surrounding her.



“You’re turning out to be a real pain,” He muttered, not speaking directly to her, knowing she wouldn’t hear him. He held her bridal style, her blonde curls fell loose from the cap and bounced as he walked. Spike knew that even when they found an orphanage, it was most likely she would stay with them. Like Edward before her, she would be part of the Bebop crew.










“Damn it. That girl has got to be found. She could single handedly destroy our hopes of rebuilding the Syndicate,” Shouted a young man. His silvery hair swept past his broad shoulders, and fell across the pale skin of his forehead. He turned around and to glare with his ice blue eyes at his small band of men gathered behind him.



“Master, she was last seen heading toward central Mars. But the man I sent out was killed by a bounty hunter,” Replied a tall bulky man. He swept his shaking hand over his balding head, and looked around trying to avoid the burning gaze of the young man before him.



“Well, do you not think it possible the girl could have been picked up by the bounty hunter? Don’t you think you should send someone to investigate,” The silver hair youth growled. “What did I do to deserve such idiotic hench men. For crying out loud, what would Uncle Vicious think”. He then ran a hand through his long hair, and then left the room with a huff. The band of men visibly relaxed and the tall bulky man turned to the group.



“All right, we’ll split up into groups of three and head out to search the hangouts of the bounty hunter’s. Now lets try to be thorough, and take up on any leads,” He said. Then the men split up into groups and then headed out into the streets of Mars.










Spike got word from Jet on his way back that they’d found another bounty that would get them food for the next month. Spike, being as he was the only one with a working ship turned around and headed back to Mars central city. In his lap Rosa was still sleeping.



“Hey, kid. Wake up,” Spike said, shaking her with his arm. Her head snapped up, and she screeched loud enough to make Spike almost lose control of the ship. Rosa calmed down after she saw it was Spike, and then realized where she was.



“What, how’d I get in here? Where are we going?,” She asked. Spike reclaimed his calm demeanor quickly, and looked at her.



“Back to Mars for a quick bounty hunt. But you’re coming with me, cause I can’t have you running off again or Jet and Faye will have my head. Now stay still while I drive,” Spike told her. Rosa nodded and then sat stiffly afraid if she moved he’d crash. They landed in the middle of a junkyard, and the top of the ship lifted slowly. Rosa jumped up and out, but didn’t run. Spike would probably catch up to her in a second anyway, in this open space. Spike jumped out of the ship, and then locked it down. He started to walk toward town, and Rosa quickly followed.





In town as usual everyone was about, jostling around the street venders with their carts out in the roads, and Spike kept a close eye on the girl trailing behind him. He was sure she’d make a break for it sooner or later, and he wasn’t about to go through all this trouble to return without her. Spike headed toward a small store, and paused in front of the door. Rosa looked up at him confused.



“Stand right here in front of this window, I’ll be right out,” He told her. Rosa nodded, and watched as he entered the store. She watched as he approached the store owner , and then as he gazed back at her. He watched her while he talked, and then he turned toward the store owner. Rosa smiled and then she slipped away. It wouldn’t be easy for him to catch her if she disappeared into the crowd.





Rosa knew Mars like the back of her hand, she’d been on her own since she was ten or so. She waded her way through the crowd, always keeping an eye out for Spike, making sure he hadn’t caught her slipping away. She smiled to herself as she ran down an empty alleyway. She came to the other end, and looked out into the crowd. Spike was nowhere to be found, and she was finally free. She pushed into the crowd and made her way to the trains station, where she could catch a train out of central city and into the country.









When Spike looked back to the window he wasn’t surprised to see the girl had disappeared. He sighed, and then left in a hurry. The store owner hadn’t known anything and he wasn’t about to stick around anyway. He was taller then most of the crowd, and he stood searching around him, he didn’t see any sign of her. He scowled and headed toward the one place he was sure she’d be headed. The train Station.










Rosa looked up at the train schedule and read it. There was a train leaving in an hour for the country. She’d just have to wait and pray that Spike wouldn’t find her. She sat down on a bench. A few minutes later a tall man sat beside her, he gazed at her out from under his black cap, and tucked his hands in the pockets of his dark suit. Rosa wondered what such a nicely dressed man was doing out in a train station.



“What’s your name?,” He asked her suddenly. She turned to look at the man, and noticed his eyes were a dark umber. He smiled at her with a smile that made her skin crawl, and she stood.



“I don’t tell my name to strangers,” She replied, and then she walked away. She could feel him watching her, all the way to the other bench. And when she looked up he was still staring at her. Another man approached him, and he looked to him. They conversed with each other for a few seconds and then they both looked at her. Rosa got a jolt in her stomach as they watched her. She jumped up quickly and headed for the only place she’d be safe from men, the ladies room.





When she got inside she raced over to the mirror. Her hair was falling about her pale flushing cheeks, and her newly painted nails were clearly visible through the ripped fingers of her gloves. She took a deep breath and reached up to tuck away her curls underneath her stocking cap, then she pulled her large hood over head, securing it so to hide her face. And then before she left she pulled the sleeves of her jacket over her hands. As she pushed open the door, she glanced around cautiously, and then stepped out. The coast looked clear. She headed over to check the train schedule again, and sighed when she saw the train she wanted had been delayed another hour.



“Damn it”, She cursed under her breath. Rosa shook her head and headed back to the bathroom, but before she reached the door, two pairs of hands grab both her arms.



“Come with us quietly, and we won’t kill you,” Came the voice of the creepy man from before. Rosa looked up fearfully at the two men. One was tall and bulky, the other average height and young. Both of them wore black suits, and carried guns under their jackets.



“What do you want?,” Rosa asked. The older one looked at her.



“We want you to meet our boss. He has some things he wishes to discuss with you, Rosa,” He replied. Rosa blinked.



“How’d you know my name?,” She asked. He smiled at her in that same malicious way as before, but didn’t answer her questioned. They steered her toward a long black limo that was waiting in the street. One of the men opened the door and slid in before her.



“Get in,” The bulky man demanded behind her. She turned to face him defiantly.



“Why? Just who are you? And what do you want?,” She asked again. The man glared at her before he grabbed her arm and started to shove her inside the limo. She started to scream bloody murder, and stomped on the man’s foot, catching him off guard. He dropped her arm and she pushed him over as she rushed past him. The younger man jumped out from the limo and chased her. He caught the edge of her long coat and tugged at it. She let it slip off her shoulders , but took to long and he caught her arm.



“Stop struggling,” He told her. She screamed again, and scratched at him his face, nicking his cheek. “Damn It”.



“Let me go,” She said. He grabbed her arms again and twisted one behind her back, and knocked her legs out from under her. She fell to the ground, and he sat on her back. People gathered around, but none stopped him, thinking he was a cop of some sort. Rosa felt as he tied her hands together behind her back, and she stopped her struggle, knowing she’d lost.



“Good girl. Now get up,” The man demanded. She was pulled to her feet, and she felt as tears made tracks down her cheeks. He pushed her through the crowd, and all the way back to the limo where the other man was waiting. He smirked at her as he pulled her into the limo with him.



“You certainly put up a fight,” The man chuckled. Rosa just sat quietly, as the other man slid in beside her. He started to shut the door, and then told the driver to go. But the car didn’t move.



“Charlie, drive!”, The bulky man yelled. The car jolted forward and Rosa felt a deep regret for not just sticking with Spike. They came to a stop not but a few minutes later, and then someone knocked on the side window. The men looked at each other confused, but then the younger one lowered the window. Rosa felt a deep feeling of relief surge through her body as a familiar face came into view. Spike leaned in, he was panting.



“I was chasing you for the longest time, did you not see?,” He asked. The men just looked at him, utterly confused. “ See that girl you have there, well see I had her first, so if you could let her out,” He continued. When the young man started to roll up the window Spike reacted quickly pulling open the door, and grabbing him by the neck. He pulled him from the car, and knocked him out with a swift punch in the stomach. Rosa shifted quickly sliding out, and Spike pulled her out the rest of the way, slamming the door on the other mans hand, as he reached for her. Before Rosa knew what was happening Spike had thrown her over his shoulder and they were quickly making tracks through the streets of Mars.












“You have any idea why a few men from the syndicate would want you?,” Spike asked. Rosa sat silently on the yellow couch of the Bebop living room. She didn’t like the look Spike was giving her, he looked so mad and she was worried she’d done something wrong.



“No, I don’t know. I don’t even know what the syndicate is,” She replied finally. Spike sighed leaning back on the couch he sat on, across from her. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then opened them just as quickly fearing the image that came to mind. They had been the ones to kill her, and now it seemed they had returned from the burnt ashes of the ruin he had made. Spike had been sure when he had killed Vicious that the syndicate would be gone forever. But he recognized those men, he saw that tattoo just hidden by the collar of both men’s shirts. He sighed turning to look at the girl before him. She wouldn’t meet his gaze, and he wondered if she was telling him the truth.



“What about your parents? Did they ever get involved in the syndicate?,” He asked. She looked up at, her brown eyes wide.



“No, at least I don’t think. I was so young when they were killed, I haven’t any real idea what their jobs were,” She replied. Her thoughts drifted to the few memories of her parents that she had. She searched them for any clues, but all she saw were her mothers smiles, and her fathers constant hugs. They had been gentle people, she couldn’t imagine them being involved in such a Syndicate.



“Do you have any other family members, or known relatives that could possible have any clues?,” Spike inquired. Rosa bit her lip, a flash of her aunt crossed her mind. She had only spent a month the most with her, and her aunt mostly hadn’t been home.



“My Aunt is the only other person I know of. But I hardly lived with her, so I wouldn’t have an idea what her life was really like, since she was never home…,” Rosa paused a moment. She remembered then something that caused her to shiver. Her Aunt rarely was home, but often when she was there would be a young man who would stay over. Her had long silver hair and piercing blue eyes. He was cruel, often his attitude toward her was rude and disapproving.



“Well?,” Spike asked, watching her. He noticed the changes on her face, she paled and then trembled as something crossed her mind. Spike watched as she met his eyes, fear shining there.



“My Aunt often had a young man come over, when she was around. He was mean and always had other men with him, like body guards. I don’t know, but he seemed so cruel, and ruthless,” She told him.



“Can you tell me what it is he and your Aunt talked about? Did they talk at all?”. Rosa thought back, and then remembered a conversation she had eavesdropped on when he had been over.





“With my uncle gone, it’ll be hard to persuade others to rejoin. But I believe that I can persuade some people, and then my gun men can persuade the others,” The young silver man had told her aunt. The body guards smirked at the young man, and her aunt smiled at him.



“I’m sure. How are you going to rebuild such a grand operation without the police catching wind of it? And what of Vicious’ old partner who had killed him. Do you think he might show up again? They say he is still alive,” Her aunt asked, she leaned back in her seat, eyeing the young man. He simply smirked, his icy blue eyes gleaming dangerously.



“Don’t worry about him. I know for a fact that My uncle and him had killed each other. He is no concern, as for the police they are to petty to believe the rumors of the Syndicates revival,” The young man laughed at his last statement. Her aunt laughed as well, but by then Rosa had crept back upstairs, having heard enough.






Rosa looked up from her lap, and stared at Spike with wide eyes full of fear and understanding.



“M-My Aunt, she was with the Syndicate. That young man was rebuilding it. He said you and his uncle had killed each other,” She said. Spike nodded.



“So, I’m guessing in some way your Aunt had betrayed them, and now their after all connections to her. That’s why those men were after you,” Spike said thoughtfully. He leaned forward, and let out a sigh.



“So, the syndicate is being rebuilt. And Vicious’ nephew is at the head of it,” He said to himself. Rosa watched him as he sat forward, a deep hatred burning in his eyes as he mulled something over in his mind. Rosa stood then, and went to find Faye or Jet. Faye was probably in her room, and Jet out working on the damaged ships. She would leave Spike to his thoughts.