Gensomaden Saiyuki Fan Fiction / Saiyuki Reload Fan Fiction / Saiyuki Reload Gunlock Fan Fiction ❯ Cho Hakkai: Murderer? ❯ Chapter 5

Disclaimer: "Saiyuki" and all of its characters belong to and were created by Kazuya Minekura. In this story they are used without prior permission. No profit is made through this story.

 

 

Cho Hakkai: Murderer?

 

Chapter 5

 

 

When he returned to camp a couple of hours later, the fire was burning and Goku was cooking. The crying had helped, and Gojyo was determined to stay calm and cool. Before he went back to the other two, he had made sure that not a trace of his tears could be seen. Sanzo did not look up as he sat down on his sleeping bag, but Goku handed him a plate filled with meat and vegetables that smelled quite nice. Gojyo's stomach rumbled, and he was reminded that he had not had much for breakfast this morning. He gratefully accepted the plate and started to eat. Goku looked pleased, and Gojyo could not help but smile at the similarity to Hakkai's expression. The food was good, too. The monkey had obviously picked up a thing or two from Hakkai's teaching.

 

The day went on uneventfully. Sanzo took Goku back to town with him, trying again to talk to Hakkai. But when they returned, Sanzo shook his head in answer to Gojyo's unspoken question. Goku told Gojyo that the sheriff, in spite of his fawning over Sanzo, had been adamant about not letting them see Hakkai.

 

Later Goku made them another delicious meal, and Gojyo would really have enjoyed it if he had not become more and more nervous as the day came closer to its end. He had not left the camp again, but he kept his distance from the others. Sitting alone, smoking, refusing to think about anything other than Hakkai's return to them - to him - he managed to get through the rest of the day without losing his temper even once.

 

The sun set, and the sky became darker and darker. It was soon time for them to get ready to get Hakkai. A few hours of sleep… well, none of them could actually sleep, even if Sanzo was very good at pretending he did… and then they broke camp. When they had broken Hakkai out of jail they probably would be in a hurry to get as far away as possible. Hakuryuu seemed to understand that they were about to get his master, and he `kyuued' happily.

 

A couple of hours after midnight they drove the short distance to town. They had not seen any other engine-driven vehicles in town, so not to wake anyone up by the unusual sound, or to draw attention from the expected guards, they stopped near the town's outskirts. Hakuryuu turned back into a dragon and flew towards the prison while the others carried the luggage. As they came closer they could hear a mumbling sound like people talking in low voices to each other. Hakuryuu, who had been keeping an eye on them, swooped down at their gestures, and in a dark alley close to the jailhouse he turned back into jeep form, and Gojyo and Goku loaded him again.

 

They sneaked closer to the jail. Under the big tree beside the building stood two guards talking to each other, while casting glances around the area at intervals. A third guard was posted by the door, and two more were walking lazily around the house.

 

“Only five guards,” Goku whispered. “I won't even get sweaty.” He sounded disappointed.

 

“Course not, since you're gonna stay here,” Sanzo told him.

 

Goku looked thunderstruck. “What! Why?”

 

“You and I are not going to be seen,” declared Sanzo. “The kappa can take care of this by himself.”

 

“Why?” This time the question came from Gojyo.

 

Sanzo looked annoyed. “If,” he stressed the word, “we can't get Hakkai out tonight, I won't be able to go into town tomorrow if they see me. The same goes for the monkey.”

 

“So you let me do the dirty work, while you're sitting on your ass.” Gojyo was pissed.

 

“Afraid you can't take them, kappa?” asked Sanzo dryly.

 

Gojyo cast Sanzo an angry glare. “Just watch me, monk. We'll get him out tonight, there's no `ifs' about it.”

 

He quietly headed for the back of the prison. Hidden until the guards came into his sight, he then suddenly appeared in front of them. “Hi,” he grinned at them. “Recognize me?”

 

“It's the halfbreed,” one of them yelled, unnecessarily stating the obvious, as he and his partner lunged at Gojyo.

 

Almost mockingly, Gojyo avoided their clumsy attack, maneuvering himself to get behind them and simultaneously hitting both of them on their heads with each of his fists. “Good night,” he smirked as they both fell forward, unconscious. A sound made him swirl around just in time to avoid getting his own head crushed by a short staff, carried by one of the guards who had stood by the tree. The staff instead hit his right arm, and Gojyo grunted before using his swirling movement to increase the hit on the other one's jaw.

 

Gojyo looked around to see if the other guards were somewhere near. He could not see them, but he had no doubts they were aware of him and were waiting for him. Cautiously he peeked around the corner; no one was there. Next corner. As soon as he let his head be seen at the front of the house, he was attacked. Not that he hadn't expected it, but the attack involved a long knife in the hands of a rather skillful guard. Gojyo swore at himself as he felt the knife stab his left shoulder. He should have learned by now never to underestimate his enemy. Had he been any slower, the knife would have done severe damage. Angrily he kicked the knife out of the guard's hand and punched the air out of the man, followed by slamming the side of his hand into the guard's neck, making him fall to the ground with a thump.

 

“Stop!” Gojyo looked up and saw the last guard, the one standing by the door, pointing a gun at him. For the first time Gojyo was not sure what to do. He had definitely not expected a gun. He thought about the options. It was too far to jump the guard, but he had moved too far from the corner of the building to duck back behind it. Besides, that wouldn't do much good. He was not here to hide. Gojyo watched as the guard slowly approached him, his gun raised.

 

“Put your hands up,” the guard demanded.

 

“Sure,” said Gojyo, lifting his hands above his head. His confidence was rising again as the man came closer to him. The guard looked at him nervously. At this distance Gojyo could see that the gun was still secured. That meant he could easily avoid being shot, as well as take the man down. He was just about to attack the guard when the gun suddenly flew away, and the man fell forward.

 

“Got him.” Gojyo looked up to the voice and saw Goku sitting on the roof, grinning down at him.

 

“Hey, monkey, what're you doing!” Gojyo exclaimed, irritated. “I was just going to take him.”

 

“I know.” Goku jumped down from the roof to stand before Gojyo. “I just wanted to have at least some fun.”

 

Sanzo strolled around the corner. “Reckless,” he said to Gojyo. “Making the guards yell, and letting yourself get injured twice. Not to mentioning being surprised by a gun.”

 

Gojyo turned a furious face to Sanzo. “Listen, bastard,” he started, “Your gun is the only one I've ever seen. How the hell was I supposed to know he had one?” He was abruptly silenced by the sight of Sanzo's back as the monk turned to Goku, who was peeking through the window.

 

“What's inside, monkey?” Sanzo asked Goku, while Gojyo gritted his teeth at being cut short.

 

“There's only one man inside, but he's asleep.” Goku giggled. “Not much of a guard, huh? Sleeping through all the fighting outside.”

 

Sanzo took a look. The officer was sitting at the desk, sleeping heavily. His head rested on a pile of papers, and a pen was hanging loosely from his right hand. “He's probably not here just to guard Hakkai. I suspect he's here on regular duty in case something happens in town during the night.”

 

Gojyo smirked. “In that case, the door's probably not even locked.” He went to the door, the others behind him. The doorknob turned easily and quietly when he tried it. “This is going to be easy,” he smiled, feeling happy for the first time since he had kissed Hakkai this morning, before the sheriff had burst into their room with his men.

 

They all sneaked inside and closed the door behind them. Goku went to stand behind the sleeping man, who had not stirred at their entrance. Looking at Sanzo, who nodded, he reluctantly hit the man over the head. “I don't think I hurt him too much. He'll probably wake up with a headache in a couple of hours, not knowing what happened.”

 

“Goku,” Sanzo said. “Get out and check that the guards don't wake up, and that no one else is coming.”

 

“Sure Sanzo.” Goku went out again to make sure they were not disturbed.

 

“Good.” Gojyo was only half paying attention. Where was Hakkai? He opened a door at the back of the office. Behind it was a room divided into a small corridor and two cells. In one of the cells was Hakkai. Gojyo was at the bars in an instant. “Hakkai!” The half-breed could not believe his eyes. Hakkai's cheeks were bruised, and his right eye was so swollen Gojyo could not see the eye.

 

The healer looked up in surprise. “Gojyo? What are you doing here?” He sat up on the narrow bed. “You're hurt!”

 

“I'm hurt?” Gojyo yelled. “What about you? Those fucking bastards, what did they do to you?”

 

“Questioning me,” was Hakkai's only answer. “What are you all doing here?” he asked when he saw Sanzo coming with the keys to the cell in hand.

 

The monk stopped a moment as he caught sight of Hakkai, and for a split second rage flashed in his eyes.

 

“We're here to get you out,” Gojyo said furiously. “And then I'm gonna beat the shit out of whoever did this to you!”

 

Hakkai shook his head. “No, Gojyo, please don't. You're only going to make things worse. And,” he added sadly, “I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait for the trial. I can't run away from this.”

 

“You don't understand, Hakkai.” Gojyo gripped the bars tightly. “They're already convinced you're the murderer. They'll fucking hang you!”

 

“I'm sorry, Gojyo.”

 

“Don't give me that again,” Gojyo said, trying to keep his panic down. “What do you mean `you're sorry'?” He did not want to hear the answer, but he needed to know.

 

Sanzo stepped forward. “Did you do it, Hakkai?” he asked impartially.

 

Gojyo wanted to hit the monk, but could not take his eyes from Hakkai's.

 

Hakkai sat in silence for over a minute before responding, staring blankly in front of him. No one else said a word either. Eventually Hakkai sighed and looked at his waiting companions. “I don't know,” he said simply. “It sounds strange, but I really don't know.”

 

Gojyo just stared. He had dreaded Hakkai would admit to committing the murders, but he was not sure this was any better.

 

Sanzo put the key in the lock. “Get out,” he told Hakkai as the door swung open.

 

“No.” Hakkai lay down again. “I told you, I'll wait for the trial. They'll investigate the matter and let me free if I didn't do it. But I'll wait for their verdict.”

 

“And I told you, they've already decided you're the murderer,” Gojyo almost screamed. “Get the hell out of here! Look what they've already done to you! Don't let these imbeciles hang you! Get out!”

 

Hakkai only shook his head, answering his frightened lover in a low voice. “If they find me guilty, they're probably right. I might have committed these murders, Gojyo. It's time for me to take my punishment for all my sins.”

 

“You're getting out of here whether you want to or not,” Gojyo said, panicking. “If I have to drag you out, I will.”

 

Hakkai met his gaze calmly. “Don't Gojyo, I don't want to hurt you, but I am going to stay here.”

 

“Ch,” Sanzo snorted. “Stay if you want. Let's go.” He locked the cell's door again, and headed for the office, but before he left he turned to Hakkai once more. “We'll be here for the trial.”

 

Gojyo could not leave just yet. “Hakkai,” he pleaded. “You didn't do it. I know you didn't.”

 

Hakkai smiled sadly at his friend. “Who are you trying to convince, Gojyo?”

 

There was nothing to answer to that, Gojyo thought. Instead he asked, “What do you mean, you don't know if you did it?”

 

Hakkai sighed again. “It feels like I did it. Somehow I can feel how the knife cut into their bodies. I can see and smell the blood… and see the look in their eyes when they died.”

 

Gojyo shuddered. “If you can feel that, why are you unsure you did it?” he asked quietly.

 

“Because I don't remember doing it.” Hakkai suddenly sat up. “I can feel it, but not remember it. All I can remember is saying goodbye to them, then leaving the house. As far as I can recall, they were both alive then.” He slumped back again to the bed. “But why does it feel as though I did it,” he said more to himself than to Gojyo.

 

“Hakkai…” Gojyo's voice failed him.

 

Hakkai looked at Gojyo, and the half-breed thought he could see a glint of panic in Hakkai's eyes. “If you want to help me, Gojyo, find out if I did it or not. I know you're right, the townspeople have already found me guilty; but you… If you find that I committed this crime, then I'll take my punishment, but if I'm not... Promise me, Gojyo. Try to find out if I did this.”

 

Gojyo nodded. “I promise. If you promise me you won't let them punish you for anything you did in the past.” He sighed, knowing Hakkai could have avoided the beating he had taken, if only he had decided to defend himself instead of seeing it as part of his punishment.

 

“Kappa!” Sanzo's voice was heard from the office. “Get your ass out here, now!”

 

Gojyo reached with his hand through the bars. “Hakkai,” he urged, but Hakkai did not move.

 

“I promise. I'll see you at the trial, Gojyo,” Hakkai said in a low voice, not looking at Gojyo any more.

 

Sighing, Gojyo withdrew his hand. “Don't worry, Hakkai. I won't let them hang you. And I don't believe you are a murderer, even if you think so yourself.” Lowering his voice, not to let the words reach Sanzo in the office, he whispered, “I love you.”

 

To Gojyo's relief Hakkai then looked at him again, and answered, “I know.”

 

Sanzo stood at the door. “If you don't move, kappa, you won't move ever again.” The gun in his hand underscored his words, and Gojyo hesitantly left the cell.

 

Hakkai lifted a hand in a good-bye gesture. “I'll be fine, Gojyo. They won't do anything more to me before the trial.” Knowing the halfbreed, he added. “Please, don't do anything that puts you in here, too. And watch out for those bigots. From what I heard from the sheriff, there are quite a lot of people out there who want to lynch you.”

 

Sanzo's hand moved to point the gun at Gojyo's head.

 

“I'm coming, I'm coming,” Gojyo said irritably. Giving Hakkai a last encouraging look, he left.

 

Outside Goku was still standing on watch. “Where's Hakkai?” he asked when the others returned to him.

 

“Not coming,” Sanzo answered shortly.

 

“Why? What happened? What did he say?” Goku wanted to know.

 

“Those damned bastards have been beating him,” Gojyo murmured more to himself than to Goku, but did not elaborate.

 

Sanzo explained to the boy what they had seen and what Hakkai had said.

 

All three of them were silent as they returned to the jeep. Gojyo took a seat behind the steering wheel and drove off while Goku still was climbing into the jeep. Goku cast a sour look at him, but refrained from saying anything when he caught a glimpse of Gojyo's tight expression.

 

“What'll we do now?” Gojyo asked after a couple minutes of driving.

 

“We'll go back to our spot and make camp again,” Sanzo answered.

 

“Heh,” Gojyo laughed miserably. “And wait for the bastards who are after my ass?”

 

“If you can't defend yourself from ordinary humans, you deserve having your butt kicked,” said Sanzo.

 

“I guess,” Gojyo agreed. That comment made Sanzo, as well as Goku, stare at Gojyo. The half-breed was deep in thought and was barely aware of what he was answering. “What do we do about Hakkai?”

 

Sanzo snorted. “At the moment, nothing. You heard what he said. He wants to wait for the trial.”

 

“Dammit, you bastard!” Gojyo slammed his hands on the wheel. “You said yourself he won't have a fucking chance if he stands trial here.”

 

“Watch where you're driving, kappa,” Sanzo said calmly. “A tree is headed our way.”

 

“Shit.” Gojyo, acting by instinct, hastily turned the wheel to avoid crashing into the tree, completely forgetting that Hakuryuu would have turned himself back into a dragon before that had happened.

 

“Hey, cockroach,” Goku yelled. “I thought you said you wouldn't let Sanzo kill us. Are you planning to do it yourself?”

 

“Shut up, monkey,” Gojyo snapped, “or you can walk the rest of the way.”

 

“I don't mind,” said Goku. “It's not like it's very far.”

 

He was right. Gojyo could see the place where they had camped, and soon he parked Hakuryuu close to the fireplace.

 

Sanzo took out his sleeping roll and threw it on the ground. “I'm gonna sleep now,” he declared. “Anyone wants to die, just wake me up.” He lay down and closed his eyes.

 

Gojyo got a clean cloth and a water bottle, and poured the bottle's contents into a bowl. He pulled off his shirt and dipped the cloth in the water. The shoulder wound stung when he tried to clean it, and he hissed audibly.

 

“Wait,” Goku said. “I'll help you.” Gojyo let him take the cloth and sat still while Goku, with light hands, cleaned and bandaged the wound. He hoped Goku didn't feel his slight trembling. Dammit, Hakkai was supposed to be with him now.

 

Goku finished the bandaging and asked quietly, “Want to talk?”

 

“Nah,” Gojyo answered. “I'll just go to sleep myself.” He moved his arm and shoulder carefully. “Thanks, Goku, it feels alright.” He took his things, lay down, and tried to rest. There was little chance he would get any sleep tonight, he knew. But he didn't want to talk, even if Goku's sympathy was warming. Goku, too, cared a lot for Hakkai. Sanzo though… Well, at least he had not tried to continue the journey without Hakkai, and he had agreed to try a jailbreak. If only the bastard didn't have doubts about Hakkai's innocence. But then again, Hakkai himself seemed to have doubts. Gojyo felt very uneasy. He could feel something was terribly wrong. The more he thought about it, the more sure he became that it was not Hakkai who had done the crime. But who was it then?

 

He could hear Goku searching the bags for food. That monkey never lost his appetite. Gojyo wished he could be as carefree as Goku. No, that was not fair to the boy. Goku was not carefree; he showed a lot of sympathy and caring, and he wasn't at all as immature as he was when this journey had begun. He was still hungry, though. Gojyo smiled at the thought. It was nice knowing he wasn't alone in this, but if Sanzo decided to move on after all, Gojyo would stay. Alone if he had to. Having reached that determination, he finally fell asleep.

 

When he woke up, the sun had just risen above the horizon. He had had a troubled sleep, filled with bad dreams. In the nightmares he had been standing behind bars, and Hakkai was outside the bars, tied up, and two men were dragging him backwards to the gallows. Gojyo was screaming his name, but Hakkai only mouthed, “I'm sorry, Gojyo.” The dream had repeated itself several times, but Gojyo had never woken up fully between them. He had a vague memory of Goku softly calling his name a couple of times, though. Gojyo sat up. He would have been relieved the dreams were only dreams, had not the reality been so much like them.

 

In spite of the early morning both Goku and Sanzo were already up. “Breakfast is ready,” Goku told him. “Sanzo and I have already eaten.”

 

Gojyo took the plate Goku handed him. He appreciated that Goku had taken care of the cooking, but somehow it disturbed him. If Goku did the cooking, and he himself did the driving, then Sanzo might decide they did not need Hakkai. But then Sanzo would have to learn healing to really cover Hakkai's responsibilities. Gojyo smirked to himself. It could have been an amusing thought, had it not been so serious. He slowly ate his breakfast, trying not to think about Hakkai. Finishing the plate, he turned to Sanzo, who lay smoking on his bedroll.

 

“What are the mighty Sanzo-sama's plans for today?” he asked while digging his own cigarettes and lighter out of his pocket.

 

“I'll go back to town to see if they've decided a time for the trial,” Sanzo stated. “Goku - ” A sudden noise behind them made them all hastily turn around, ready to fight.

 

“Yaone?” Gojyo gasped in surprise. He looked around, but none of her partners were in sight. “What are you doing here?”

 

 

TBC