GetBackers Fan Fiction / Trigun Fan Fiction ❯ Drawn to Danger ❯ Heist ( Chapter 5 )

Title: Drawn to Danger [5/8]

Author: Rubious

Series: Trigun & Get Backers

Rating: R

Warnings: angst, violence, humor, gunplay, AU-OOC.

Disclaimer: Trigun © Nightow. Get Backers © Aoki and Ayamine. All original characters including but not limited to Blaine, Lamassi, etc, are © Rubious and are not to be used without permission. This story is a work of fanfiction and is for entertainment purposes only.

Spoilers: Contains minor spoilers for both series.

Archive: fanfiction.net under "Rubious", mediaminer.org under "Rubious2", and my home page, Odango and Donuts, URL in bio info.

Notes: While on assignment with Ban and Ginji of the Get Backers, Meryl and Milly are drawn into danger as they meet old friends as well as foes in May City.

//thoughts//

*****

As the quartet met for breakfast the next morning in a small yet busy restaurant near the hotel, Meryl cautioned Ban, "No funny stuff this time," warning him not to demonstrate his Jagan again on Milly or herself. They sat down in a booth that a busboy had just finished cleaning up. After a waiter took their orders, the black-haired investigator began to leaf through the first of several files that Mr. Lamassi had shipped to her overnight, which she had picked up from the front desk on their way out to eat.

"With all of these guns around, have there ever been any fatalities during this contest?" Ban inquired.

Looking up from the file she had been reading, Meryl replied, "Not to my knowledge. When we conferred with the tournament organizers yesterday, they assured us that they were ready for all possibilities, including stray bullets hitting bystanders and entrants with self-inflicted wounds."

Quirking a mischievous smirk, Ban commented sarcastically, "Well, that person must be a top-notch sharpshooter then to shoot yourself in the foot." The remark elicited chuckles from the others.

Waiting for the server to bring them some hot coffee, Milly innocently asked Ginji, who was seated across from her, "Do you have special abilities like Ban?"

The blond teen smiled and turned to his partner, who smirked. "Yes, I do. Would you like a demonstration?" Ginji said playfully.

Milly chirped happily, "Could you please? That'd be so cool to see." She paused, glanced over at her associate, who was immersed in paperwork, and asked, "Wouldn't you agree, Meryl?"

Looking up from the files, the preoccupied woman answered absently, "Yeah. Fine."

Ginji took out a small light bulb from one of the pockets in his green vest and held it in front of him as he started to explain, "I have the ability to control electricity. Watch." The inch-long bulb that would normally be used to power a nightlight softly glowed in his hand. Milly stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed in amazement at the display.

Having seen Ginji perform the "party trick" on numerous occasions, Ban snickered at the people's fascinated expression at seeing the bulb "magically" light up without being plugged into an electrical outlet. //At least he's not a sideshow like that weird bald guy on an old sitcom who stuck a light bulb in his mouth and made it light up.//

In a thoughtful voice, Ban explained, "Back home there are a few people with unique skills, but they tend to stay out of the spotlight."

Milly replied, "We've ran across people like that, too. They always seemed to be after Mr. Vash for some reason. It was our job to keep him out of trouble. Meryl, do you remember…" Her words trailed off when she noticed that her partner was engrossed in a file. "Never mind. I see you're busy."

Hearing Milly's hurt tone, Meryl apologized, "I'm sorry. I was caught up in these files that the boss wanted me to look over."

Raising an eyebrow, Ban questioned, "Couldn't you wait until after breakfast?" At that moment, the waiter brought their orders of scrambled eggs, pancakes, and buttered toast.

The investigator replied in a resigned tone, "Yes, you're right, but soon as we're finished eating, Milly and I will head to the hotel's conference room and work on these files."

"What about us?" Ginji asked, wondering what the insurance girls wanted the Get Backers to do.

"Stand by until you're needed," she said abruptly. //Did the boss expect us to be joined at the hip to these guys?// As Meryl stared into her coffee cup, she wished time would pass more quickly.

Showing his displeasure by drumming his fingers on the table, Ban groused, "Well, I don't want to sit around on my butt all day doing nothing!" Although outwardly he frowned, the Get Backer inwardly didn't mind the inactivity because it was financially worthwhile. //How often do you get paid for twiddling your thumbs?//

Milly leaned over and whispered something to her roommate, who nodded her assent. "While we're busy, maybe you two could possibly help out an old friend of ours?" she suggested sweetly.

Ginji agreed since it was his inherent nature to help those in need. Ban asked, "Who is it and where can we find this person?"

The brunette replied. "I'll find Mr. Priest and he'll meet you in the hotel lobby."

The blond smiled, "Ban-chan, we'll be helping out a church today."

Shrugging, Ban replied, "I don't think that's what they have in mind."

Suppressing a giggle, Meryl rolled her eyes. //Ginji does seem more and more like a male version of Milly.// She finished her coffee, looked at the bill the waiter had brought them earlier, and took out some money for a tip. "Shall we go?" the insurance girl inquired.

Milly went ahead to find Wolfwood in order to arrange a meeting with Ban and Ginji. She rejoined the group in the hotel lobby where the two women adjourned to a conference room that would serve as their temporary office. After taping a piece of paper on the door that read "Bernardelli Insurance Society", Meryl placed the files in two stacks on the long conference table to begin the time-consuming task of reexamining cases while Milly started up the coffeemaker.

As the coffee started to brew, the brunette asked her studious colleague, "Why'd the chief send those files to us?"

Glancing up from a folder, the senior investigator replied, "Lamassi thought by looking over past claims that there might be a common thread linking them and possibly identify a target in May City."

Milly pondered her answer for a moment and then offered, "We're in the middle of a Quick Draw Tournament. Nearly everyone is walking around with guns and could be a potential target. We can't guard everybody."

Her partner concurred, "I'm sure he has his reasons, but let's do our best." She thanked Milly for the cup of coffee and returned to sorting through the papers piled before her.

* * * *

Sitting on a couch in the hotel lobby, the Get Backers spent the time trying to surmise the identity of the mysterious Mr. Priest who would be meeting with them soon.

From a secluded corner of the lobby, Wolfwood regarded the two young men with a keen eye. //Those are the same two guys I saw meeting with the girls when they arrived. Well, I'm doing this as a favor for Milly. I think she'll owe me a pack of smokes for doing this.// After taking a drag on his cigarette, he noted that the Get Backers were about ten years younger than himself. They weren't behaving like punks, but they exhibited an air of cockiness, especially the dark-haired one. The blond seemed to have a happy-go-lucky manner like a certain legendary outlaw. With a ponderous smile, the preacher mused about the upcoming meeting. Those two should be able to get the job done, but if the girls asked for his assistance, he'd gladly lend a hand.

The black-haired preacher made his way across the lobby to where the Get Backers were sitting. Leaning the Cross-Punisher against the sofa, Wolfwood greeted a surprised Ginji, "Hello. Are you the Get Backers? Milly Thompson asked me to meet with you."

"Mr. Priest?" Ginji's tongue stumbled over his words. Meanwhile, Ban peered from behind his glasses, studying the newcomer carefully.

"Actually, I'm Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Mr. Priest is a nickname." Seeing Ginji's confused expression, the preacher continued, "Were you expecting someone else?"

Ginji stammered, "Um…no."

Interjecting himself into the conversation, Ban said, "We are the Get Backers. I'm Ban Mido and he's Ginji Amano. The girls mentioned you'd spend some time with us."

"Ah, the girls," Wolfwood remarked fondly. "Why don't we head over to the bar and talk there? We should probably let Meryl and Milly know where we'll be in case they need us for anything." After agreeing with his suggestion, the trio stopped by the temporary office to inform the two women of their plans.

The hotel bar featured a dimly lit atmosphere with lighting provided from sconces mounted on the butterscotch-colored walls above an oak wainscoting that surrounded the room. A few customers, huddled over their drinks, sat at the bar, upon which a black cat was sleeping, while the bartender stood attentively polishing glasses.

After sitting down at an empty table, Wolfwood placed the Cross-Punisher on the floor, within easy reach lest it was needed. A comely waitress approached them and asked, "Would you gentlemen like to order anything?"

Glancing at his watch, the preacher commented, "I'll have some coffee. How `bout you guys?" Though it was only late morning, Wolfwood would have preferred a cold beer, //Perhaps I could talk them into having some brews later. Besides java goes better with smokes anyway.//

Ban spoke up immediately, "I'll have coffee, too."

Ginji added, "Raspberry iced tea for me, please."

The waitress returned a few minutes later with the coffee and tea, but in her haste, knocked over the glass of iced raspberry herbal tea, spilling it on Ban's white shirt. She apologized profusely, "I'm so sorry. It's my first day on the job and I've already screwed up. Let me get some napkins to wipe that up."

The Jagan-user glared at her briefly, but quickly softened his expression when she returned with a pile of napkins and a roll of paper towel, which she used to mop up the spill. Ban dabbed at the spot on his shirt. "Did it come out?" asked a concerned Ginji, who knew that his partner wouldn't want one of his favorite shirts ruined.

"Yeah, I got it before it'd leave a permanent stain."

"Be glad it wasn't something that'd leave an indelible mark like blood or ink would," Wolfwood commented, and feeling an urge for nicotine, added, "Do you mind if I smoke?"

Hearing no objection, Wolfwood took out a cigarette from the pack in his suit pocket. Seeing that, Ban felt in his shirt pocket for his own cigarettes. Frowning, he muttered, "Damn, I'm out of smokes."

Leaning forward, the blue-eyed preacher offered one of his own, which Ban graciously accepted. "Need a light?" The Get Backer declined, igniting the cigarette with his silver lighter etched with the initials "KY", a keepsake from a former colleague.

"Mr. Priest, I mean, Wolfwood…" Ginji began cautiously, "you're certainly not what I expected. I've never met a priest who drinks, smokes, and carries a huge cross." Ban smirked, thinking of the similar behavior of the ill-mannered monk he almost had a confrontation with the day before.

Wolfwood chortled at the teen's misconception. "Well, I can assure you that I am a man of the cloth. Most of the time I'm out collecting donations for an orphanage."

Ginji's face brightened upon hearing of the priest's charitable work, but Ban's concentration was focused on the cloth-wrapped arsenal on the floor. "What's in that thing?" he asked.

Looking straight at Ban with a mysterious smile, Wolfwood quipped, "It's filled with mercy," and then chuckled. Over the next few hours, the three men regaled each other with stories of past adventures.

* * * *

Brilliant Dynamites Neon stepped out of the cab of the truck as the Bad Lads piled out of the storage bed. Surveying the Shooters Service warehouse, which was situated on the outskirts of May City and was the next target for the Bad Lads, he directed his men to move out according to their plan. One person would remain outside to be a lookout while Neon would supervise the theft.

Peering into a window, a Bad Lad said, "Boss, it's all clear," observing the empty interior of the building where crates were stacked in orderly piles

"Good," the leader said, leaning against the truck, his ebony eyes keeping a steely gaze on the operation. The client has assured him the alarm system would be deactivated and the warehouse would be unoccupied since the Shooters Service staff was out making deliveries to customers who were competing in the tournament. //This should be a piece of cake. I can look forward to a big payday and then celebrate with a lovely lady.//

A bank of dark clouds passed overhead, accompanied by a rising breeze, obscuring the double suns and cooling the hot afternoon. Tilting his Stetson back so he could gaze skyward to observe the changing weather, Neon was distracted by a loud curse.

A Bad Lad had jimmied open the loading bay door, stepped inside, and immediately there was a loud buzzing noise. Minutes later, a klaxon blared loudly. The intruder had set off a motion alarm and screamed, "Fuck!" in disgust. The men stopped in their tracks and looked towards Neon for guidance.

Disappointment crossed the large outlaw's face. "Shit!" he muttered. //Bastard! He double-crossed us. To hell with him, we'll just take all the stuff for ourselves.//Heading towards the building, he shouted, "Grab as much as you can and throw it in the truck. Let's clean this place out before the sheriff comes."

Time favored the Bad Lads since the warehouse was located on the town's outskirts and it would take precious minutes for anyone to respond to the alarm. The cacophony of practice rounds from the shooting range drowned out the klaxon.

Several Bad Lads scrambled into the building to continue the plundering of the weapons and ammunition inside as Neon oversaw the operation.

Inside the temporary office they had set up in the hotel's conference room, Meryl and Milly pored over claims reports involving stolen firearms. Scanning one claim, she notices it was from a claimant whose business was looted after the Augusta disaster, which made Meryl recall the expression on Vash's face when his Angel Arm fired, that would be forever imprinted on her mind. "Vash, where are you?" she said in a low voice.

Chastising herself for being distracted by thoughts of the Humanoid Typhoon, Meryl set the file aside into a stack that had no relevance to the recent string of thefts, figuring it was a result of the chaos in the aftermath of the catastrophe. The next file was for a claim from a theft in Inepril three months ago. Looking closely at the name of the claimant, she gasped upon reading the name of Deke Blaine. "Deke? I didn't know he owned a gun shop," she said in a surprised voice.

"Are you okay?" Milly asked.

"Just surprised to find out that the man I met yesterday owned a gun shop and had filed a stolen property claim three months ago." Forcing herself to concentrate on the task, she wouldn't be swayed by thoughts of her former instructor either.

A rapid knocking on the door interrupted her concentration. "Come in," Meryl called out.

An out of breath bellhop stood in the doorway holding a message. "Ms. Stryfe, you have an urgent message at the front desk," he panted.

The investigators rushed out to the lobby where Meryl was handed the telephone at the front desk. "Yes, we'll be right on it!" she said and hung up the phone. "That was the home office. They forwarded the message from the security company that the alarm at Shooters Service in town has been set off. It's time for the guys to earn their money."

They found Ban and Ginji in the hotel bar with Wolfwood laughing and swapping stories.

"Guys, there's a robbery in progress at Shooters Service. Get over there and recover any stolen goods that you can," Meryl directed.

The Get Backers stood up and headed out to their car. Grinning, Ban remarked eagerly, "Hey, now we get to do our job."

Grabbing the Cross-Punisher, the preacher followed the two teens outside. Ginji turned around and asked, "Why are you coming?"

His blue eyes twinkling, Wolfwood replied with a smile, "It's what I do." The trio jumped into the Subaru, the cloth-wrapped cross sticking out of the open sunroof. Ban floored the accelerator and drove madly across town to where unknown dangers awaited.

*****

To be continued...

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