InuYasha Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction / Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ *What* Insertion? ❯ Eyes In the Dark ( Chapter 16 )

[ A - All Readers ]

WHAT* INSERTION?
by Curtis Wildcat


Chapter Sixteen ---- Eyes in the Dark

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(Cue theme)

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-Cue flashback-

Time: February 29, 1996; 11:17p.m.
Location: Somewhere northeast of Beika

In the dead of the night, a cell phone vibrated quietly. The tanned, bushy-eyebrowed man reached into his pocket and clicked it on. "This is Driver. Go ahead."

"It's Gin. We have an assignment to pass on to you. It's regarding the teenage sleuth, Jimmy Kudo."

"Go on. Have they been able to determine whether he's alive or dead?"

"Not as of now. What we need for you to do is return to the Kudo residence and aid our agents in giving it a thorough check. Leave no drawer closed, no prints unchecked, and no mark overlooked. We need to see if Kudo ever returned to his home at any point between now and our previous check. Anything could have changed; we need you to see for yourself if something has."

"Of course. Anything else?"

Gin's voice tightened. "Yes. Keep your eyes peeled for any sign of our mysterious vigilante. If he ever shows his face, you know what to do. Sherry and two others will aid you in your search. Tread cautiously, Driver."

"Understood." Driver switched off his phone and walked out the office's door, keeping his eyes and ears open for any sign of the Organization's target. Finding nothing, he stepped into his black sedan and drove off.

A silhouette rose from where it had been pressed flat against the office's roof. A pair of sharp, yellow eyes gleamed in the moonlight as the shadow began roof-hopping, tailing the sedan from a safe distance.

------

While another agent drove the vehicle towards their destination, Sherry sat in the back and stewed silently. Ever since the 'Icearc Incident', as she came to know it as, some of her associates avoided her like the plague. That suited her fine; she preferred working alone. Besides, if I was someone else, and someone willingly kept company with Azusa Shiratori, I'd probably shun him or her, too.

She knew why the organization was wary of Azusa. Late last year, she had accidentally stumbled upon a 'business transaction' in progress, much like how Kudo supposedly met his end. Unlike Kudo, however, she was delighted. She immediately charged up to the agent, swiped the metallic suitcase that was being given to his client, called it 'Hilaire', and started to walk away. The man immediately tried to get it back, but Azusa yelled: "Hilaire is mine, mister!", and hammered him with a mallet she'd somehow obtained. The second agent, who threatened Azusa into returning the case, fared no better. Her partner Mikado, who'd seen the incident from a nearby parking lot, phoned the police. Meanwhile, the client was so shook up that he didn't look where he was going...and actually knocked himself out trying to get into his car.

To sum it up: both parties in the transaction were arrested, the technology and information stored in the suitcase fell into the hands of one Investigator Nagi Landon, and the event shook up the entire organization. Everyone was told that in the future, they should keep an eye out for Azusa before going about their business (it had been decided that she hadn't known or cared that the people were bad; her eyes were on the suitcase only). It came to light that Sherry was related to the girl; that earned her the ire of some, but got her respect from others.

The worst part of it all was that after its contents were emptied, the police reluctantly let Azusa keep the suitcase (she'd mistaken its reflective surface for a mirror, it was discovered).

After Icearc, rumors intensified. Since Phibrizzo had never told Sherry to keep his abilities a secret, she freely explained to those listening what had went on. This had convinced several in the electronics and science divisions that Project: Clandestine DNA existed, and had somehow succeeded. Others either called her a liar or simply refused to believe it.

But when Inuyasha came out of nowhere and captured Philips, the disbelief was gone. Despite his apparent youth, the white-haired boy knew full well what was going on (unlike Azusa). No one had heard of him using his sword for anything other than self-defense, but the image of what a kid could do with a huge falchion was frightening. No one in the organization had seen Inuyasha since that night, but the presence of a rogue element on the streets---one whose appearance seemed to be completely random, judging from recent news reports---forced everyone to keep their guard up.

Sherry didn't entirely believe what everyone was talking about. Even after witnessing Phibrizzo's enigmatic strengths, she decided she would wait until she saw Inuyasha before deciding on anything.

Ever since a small boy took her view of reality out for a spin, she really wanted to stop being dizzy.

-----------

This is interesting, Inuyasha thought to himself as he continued roof-hopping a block behind Driver's sedan. You said that's Kudo's house they're headed for?

"Yeah," Curtis confirmed. "I had to flip the volume control to its highest in order to hear the whole conversation, but they're planning on searching for clues. They still don't know whether Kudo's still alive, or if he bought it several months ago."

"It's dead, Jimmy," Phibrizzo murmured, floating within his pillar.

"Cute, Phibrizzo, but this is some serious stuff. Inuyasha, you need to find some way to throw them off Conan's trail," Curtis said.

Inuyasha grinned. Way ahead of you. I know exactly how I'm going to do this. Just make sure you don't tell me what to do, got it?

Curtis nodded, plugging a trackball and keyboard into the entertainment center's television. He knew that the hanyou didn't like being told what to do, so he'd more or less left him alone the last few weeks.

"Sherry's going to be there, too," Phibrizzo pointed out. "How are we going to do this operation?"

Just wait and find out, Inuyasha growled, watching as Driver's sedan---and the car Sherry was in---parked down the street from Jimmy Kudo's old home.

As he ran, a soft breeze rustled Inuyasha's hair and the sleeves of his borrowed shirt. Without hesitating, he shot past the cars before anyone could see him and landed on the house's roof. Searching quickly for the trigger that would allow him to teleport (again, burrowed from Phibrizzo) into the house, he activated said trigger and warped into the kitchen. Smiling, he quickly dashed around the house and began opening most of the doors, leaving them open just enough to leave proof that someone had been there.

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By the time the last interior door was opened, Driver and the others had already made it to the front door. One of the agents carefully picked the lock on the front door, allowing the foursome to walk right on in---Kudo had a security system, but Driver had already gotten around it on his previous visit. Smiling, Inuyasha dived back into the kitchen and waited, letting his keen ears tell the story.

"Someone's definitely been here, Driver," one of the grunts could be heard saying. "These doors over here have been left standing wide open."

"But there's still a lot of dust on everything," Sherry responded. "This place is a neat freak's nightmare."

"Nice," Driver said sarcastically, carefully closing the door behind him. "Sherry, check that closet over there. You two start checking the upstairs. I'll check the kitchen."

Inuyasha's smile widened as he leapt away from the door. I love doing this.

A few seconds later Driver marched into the kitchen, searching for anything that might be out of place. As he did, Inuyasha flinched a little as scents from the refrigerator filled his nose. Whatever it is in there, it's beyond recovery. Forcing himself to ignore it, he waited until Driver neared his hiding spot.

Come on...a little closer...a little more...

"If you're planning on ambushing me," Driver said aloud, "you're doing a miserable job. Your footprints are everywhere."

Inuyasha didn't quit smiling just yet, instead teleporting directly behind Driver and tapping his arm. The man spun around, hoping to catch the perpetrator---but caught only air. "Slippery little runt---"

"I'd watch who you're calling a runt," Inuyasha said quietly, his smile becoming a sneer. In his mind, Phibrizzo winced at the energy that the last teleport had taken out of him. "What do you take me for, some sort of pint-sized puppy?"

Driver's eyes widened just a little before re-assuming their previous width. "Inuyasha, I take it?"

"That's the one thing I hate about a reputation---everyone knows your name," Inuyasha complained. "So, I hear you're after information on Jimmy Kudo."

"It wouldn't be too much to ask how you knew this, would it?" Driver asked quietly, hand slipping into his pocket.

"Happened to be in the area while you were talking to Gin." Inuyasha shrugged non-chalantly, resting one hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. "I just trailed you from there. If that conversation had went on anyplace else but there, I wouldn't have known about it."

There was a brief pause. "Word has it you're able to dodge quicker than the eye can follow. Can I assume this means you're just as vulnerable to guns as everyone else who stands in our way?" Driver asked, smirking. "No one could strive to be that fast unless they were afraid of getting hit."

Inuyasha thought about this for a moment, then stretched out his free arm. "Why don't you take a free shot right here," he declared, "and we'll see if that's true or not?"

Driver hesitated, then drew his gun. "Foolish boy," he said. "In the end, that's all you are." He aimed and fired...

...and the sound, somehow boosted to a high volume, echoed throughout the house. Driver stumbled back; that gun was supposed to have a silencer!

---------

"Just when you think you've got it," Curtis told himself, fiddling with the microphone and television speakers, "something throws a wrench into the works. Man, there's got to be an easier way to record sound effects..." He turned his back to his television, which was currently running an old John Wayne movie.

"I can't tell from here," Phibrizzo said over the speaker, watching the events outside, "but I'm guessing that's the one you use to talk to Edogawa."

Curtis stared down at the microphone in his hands. "That's it. I give up," he grumbled as he shut it off and put it away. "From now on, I'm sticking to games."

-------

The bullet itself flew straight into Inuyasha's arm. Slowly, the impacted area drew back...and stretched, extending about ten inches before the backlash flung the bullet away at high velocity.

Driver stepped back, disbelief coloring his face. "How did that---?!"

"That's not something you deserve to know!" Inuyasha rushed forward, let go of Tetsusaiga and slashed the gun with his Iron Reaver, forcing Driver to drop it as it crumbled to pieces. He leapt back several feet, glaring at the criminal. "I gave you your free shot; you're not getting another one. It's your own fault for assuming I had the same vulnerabilities as everyone else!"

Driver's grunts barged into the kitchen, taking aim at the vigilante. "...And it's also your own fault..." Inuyasha growled as he spun and slashed, destroying their weapons as well, "...for thinking you guys can sneak up on me!" He grabbed hold of their jackets and, defying the laws of physics, effortlessly flung them over his shoulder at Driver's feet. On their way down, the grunts were knocked cuckoo.

Driver frowned and took a few cautious steps back, slipping his hand into his pocket. Without anyone noticing, he switched on his cell phone and pressed several buttons. "What is it you're trying to do? Having us arrested won't prove a thing."

"After I had taken down Philips?" Inuyasha faced him and folded his arms. "I believe I've already made my point clear. I don't like you guys at all; you're even worse than the scum I normally take down. What I'm saying is this: good-bye, poison drugs, and hello, prison bars."

"It's you against an entire organization," Driver reminded him. "The odds aren't exactly safe. We'll find your weak point sooner or later, and then it's over. You're already on our watch list; the police aren't the only ones keeping tabs on you."

Inuyasha tapped his chin. "What is it they say in that one movie...ah, I remember: 'Never tell me the odds'? Besides, you guys are the first real challenge I've had since I moved here. You think I'm just going to sit around night and day, bored out of my skull?"

"But why us?" Driver inquired. "There's plenty of organized crime out there. Why are you focusing on us?"

"Because I can."

"That's not a very good reason."

"It's the same reason you people seem to use whenever you set out to do something. What's the matter, you can't take it as well as you can dish it out? I'm starting to wonder whether you're human or if you've just lost all compassion for life."

-----------

Sherry had trailed after the grunts, having heard the gunshot just as well as they had. The noise had surprised her; Driver was known for being more careful than that. However, she didn't enter the kitchen with the others, instead choosing to stay a few rooms away. Judging from the thumps and bumps she heard---and the loud yelling---she knew that the one making the racket couldn't have been anyone other than Inuyasha, who had dusted off the two agents in short order.

Listening in to the conversation, she knew that whoever Inuyasha was, there was no fear in his heart of the organization. Only someone really stupid or really brave could make such remarks, but his words carried a hidden strength behind them: strength that only someone very experienced posessed. For his apparent age, it was very remarkable.

However, his most recent statements shook Sherry to the core. ...Lost all compassion for life? I'm not like that...not really.

Am I?

"You're just trying to shake me up," Driver declared. "I'm long past the stage for caring. What matters is the here, the now, and what I want. Nothing else."

"If it's about what you want," Inuyasha growled, "why do you work for people who are out doing strictly what they want?"

Why?

"I don't need to answer to you. You're a reject from some project that went out of control. The gunshot's the proof. All you are is a freak."

It was silent for several seconds before Inuyasha responded. "Heh. You people have been keeping tabs on me, huh? Then how come everyone's making wild guesses about what I am?"

He's not of the project? Then what could he possibly...?

"You're lying. Someone had to have survived the explosion. Over time, that person could have married and had a child. You're that offspring. The powers are unmistakable."

"You've made a huge mistake right there," Inuyasha said. "I wouldn't call that unmistakable. Whatever it is you're talking about, it's just hot air...freak."

What is he...?

Driver's displeasure could be heard in his speech. "Then you tell me why it's untrue. What possible reason could there be?"

There were some quiet footsteps, then a brief flare of light that could be seen from Sherry's hiding place. From the rustling of metal, she assumed that he'd drawn that huge sword of his. "My strength didn't just show up overnight. It came about through my determination and my wanting to protect others...something that inhuman creeps like you know nothing about! And for those of you listening at home: that's right, I'm talking about you!"

Sherry's heart froze. He knew---?!

Inuyasha went on. "I have a little message for your stupid organization. You people are welcome to try every trick you've got against me, but be warned: I am anything but your average human!"

This statement was quickly followed by a grunt and a loud 'thud'. He must've subdued Driver, Sherry thought, swallowing nervously. He'll be coming after me next. If I'm going to hide, I'm going to--- She remembered the closet she'd been looking through earlier; she'd left the door open when she heard Driver's gun go off. Quietly, she paced over to the closet and slowly closed the door down to a millimeter gap. A second later Inuyasha walked in, dragging Driver and the two grunts behind him. Sherry saw enough to note that the sword had been sheathed once more.

Inuyasha dropped the three men on the floor, then rooted through Driver's coat pocket until he found the man's cell phone. Growling to himself, he snarled into the phone: "Pathetic", then hung up. After waiting a few seconds, he slowly dialed a new number into the phone. Another short pause, then: "These better be the right people...is this the police?...This is Inuyasha...Yeah, I know its not like me to call in person, but I tracked a few guys over to Jimmy Kudo's house...Yes, they broke in...are you kidding me? They don't know where Kudo is any more than anyone else does...I'll be here long enough to make sure these guys don't wake up, but after that, I'm gone...well, make it snappy. I don't have all night!" He switched off the phone and dropped it near the fallen men.

This is it... Sherry tensed herself, trying to calm down. If they find me...

Her heart almost stopped as Inuyasha turned to stare straight at the door. Please don't check, please don't check...

"Kudo's refrigerator stinks," Inuyasha murmured, sounding like he was talking to himself. "I could smell it from across the house. Why doesn't someone come in and clean it out?" He turned away from the door and slowly backed into it, shutting it when he leaned against it.

Just don't open the door!

Part of her was happy that the vigilante hadn't checked the closet. The problem, though, was that with him propping it shut, she was trapped. Slowly shaking her head, she settled in to wait amongst the various supplies.

I just hope I can get myself a lawyer when the time comes.

--------

A few minutes passed, and the police arrived. They examined the scene of Driver and Inuyasha's conversation and short conflict, listened to what the sword-slinging vigilante had to say about the incident, then collected the pieces of the destroyed weapons. Most importantly, they arrested the dazed black-coated thugs, upon which Inuyasha promptly took his leave...or so it seemed.

An hour passed. It had been dead silent in the house after the lights switched off and the police left. Feeling surprised and somewhat relieved, Sherry cracked open the closet door and slipped out. Belatedly, she wondered how she was going to explain this to Gin...

(BGM -- Briefing BGM, from 'Descent')

"Yeah, it's safe," Inuyasha's voice intoned, nearly causing the scientist to jump. Spinning around, she locked eyes with Driver's captor; the pseudo-child was sitting against a nearby wall. "I figured you'd stick around for a while after everyone was gone, just to be sure."

Sherry groaned inwardly. She'd been trained to use a gun; but even if she'd remembered to bring hers along, they'd be useless against Inuyasha's abilities. Besides, it didn't sit right with her. "Alright, fine. You've caught me," she said, glaring at him. "If you're going to take me in, do it now."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "If I wanted to capture you with those other guys, woman, I would've done it already."

"You mean you knew I was in the closet?"

"I'd known you were in the house from the moment you set foot in it," Inuyasha explained. "I knew you were listening to me and that other guy from a few rooms away. There was something I wanted to talk to you about, so I decided to leave you where you were."

Sherry didn't like this at all. "Something you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yeah. You already know about me wanting to take down your employers. What I need is for you to be quiet. Don't tell them anything about this conversation."

"I'm listening."

"Good. I already have a few people helping me out, but it doesn't hurt to have one more."

Sherry's left eyebrow arched. "You do?"

Inuyasha smiled. "Yeah. One of them is an inside source without really being inside, but that's not important. Do me a favor: you're familiar with this bratty kid called Phibrizzo, aren't you?"

Uh-oh. Who doesn't that kid know? "Yes."

"Good. That should make it easier. I don't want you to go out and look for him, but if you ever talk to him again in the future, pass on any hints you can think of."

Sherry waited a few moments before asking: "Well, what sort of hints?"

"Hints about that drug that supposedly finished Kudo, whatever your fellow agents have planned, that sort of thing. He knows me, and he'll find some way to get the information passed on."

Was it Sherry's imagination, or did the air get a few degrees cooler? "You're asking me to be a mole? Do you know what they'll do to me when they find out? Besides, Gin---he's one of the more ruthless agents---doesn't like it when someone withholds information. He'll insist on me telling everything that transpired tonight."

"Whatever. I'm not asking you to agree. I mean, sure, it would be nice to have some clues, but I'll be taking them down with or without your help. And who knows? Gin might be happy to hear that you rejected an offer to double-cross them."

Sherry raised a hand to her chin in thought. It's true that I don't really enjoy my job, but this can't be the only way out of it. I don't want to chance being caught in the act. If I'm going to turn against them in the future, I'll need a more surefire survival plan. Until then, I'll need to keep up appearances. "I don't know...come to think of it, he'll be wondering how I was able to talk to you without you attempting to capture me."

Inuyasha's smile dissolved. "Do you have a good doctor?"

Silence...and then a groan. "There's no other way around it?"

"Someone I know would be ticked off if I lied...so, no. Like you said, if that Gin guy sees you unhurt, he'll get suspicious..." After a few moments, he said hesitantly: "Sorry."

Sherry sighed in defeat, watching as Inuyasha stood up. She braced herself. "Fine. Just make it quick!"

As Inuyasha waited a few seconds before dashing forward, one more thought crossed Sherry's mind: What did he mean, 'supposedly'?

-End Flashback-

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Time: March 29, 1996; 8:05p.m.
Location: Moore Detective Agency, living area

"...So, he rammed her with enough force to send her spinning, but not enough to cause her any serious harm. He left, ran next door and left a note for Agasa to lock the doors and reset the security system when he got the chance, doubled back and damaged Driver's cars beyond repair. Inuyasha stuck around and waited until Sherry was able to find a phone and call the hospital. After that, he went on back to where we started and continued his patrol." There was an annoyed edge in his voice as Phibrizzo added: "I was feeling the effects of energy loss, so he found a late night shop that serves ramen. When he takes advantage of my teleportation, it effects me more than it does him. Ugh."

Conan sat back, digesting the story. He was a bit upset when the narrative began, but it wore off as the story continued. He'd learned from Doctor Agasa at the month's start that someone had broken in, but Agasa hadn't known the details of it. It was hard for the junior sleuth to forget his frustration at not knowing what was happening.

Also, they hadn't been sure if Sherry was going to be a double-agent or not, and they didn't want to get his hopes up. They probably figured he'd head on out as soon as he learned of the black-coated thugs' whereabouts, or try to find out where Sherry lived, or something or other.

I think someone here knows me too well.

"The story you have just heard is true," Phibrizzo recited in a deadpan, folding his arms. "No names have been changed to protect the innocent, mainly because there are no innocent people involved.

"Sherry spent two days recuperating: one at the hospital to have the injury checked out, and the other at home to appease the doctors. Afterwards, having recovered, she returned to work for the men in black coats. She has not crossed paths with Inuyasha or Phibrizzo since that time.

"Driver and his men were found guilty of breaking and entering, car theft, and several other assorted felonies uncovered by one Investigator Nagi Landon. They were sentenced to forty years in prison without a snowball's chance in a desert for parole.

"Inuyasha continued his nightly sojourns around Tokyo. He was seen later that night guzzling ramen at a 24-hour restaurant several miles away from where the incident took place.

"This show has been filmed on location with the citizens of the city. Anything you say can and will be used against you. You have a right to remain silent, but you must also speak when spoken to. All suspects are guilty. Period. Otherwise, they wouldn't be---"

Phibrizzo cut off his monologue. Conan looked on; his glasses were sliding down his nose, his mouth was open, and his eyes were half-closed. Slowly, Phibrizzo let his gaze connect with the mini-detective's. "...Sorry about that, Edogawa."

"...Has something been bothering you?" Conan managed to ask, adjusting his glasses.

"Nothing more than the usual stuff. Why do you ask?"

"You're rambling again."

Phibrizzo shrugged it off. "Force of habit, Edogawa. Sorry."

"And why do you keep calling me 'Edogawa'? You can call me 'Conan', you know."

"....."

"Well?"

"And now, getting back to our homework..." Phibrizzo declared, a trifle nervous, "we can see that the line should be curved like this at the end..."

"Answer my question, Kaden!"

Phibrizzo glared at him. "That's low, Kudo," he growled, his voice dropping to a whisper.

Conan winced. "You think that's low? Come on and answer my question!"

Phibrizzo quickly racked his brain for an appropriate response. Even before he came to Tokyo, he'd had the habit of calling humans by either their full names or their family names. Come to think of it, a lot of mazoku did that; it wasn't just me. Gaav and Zelas did that...although I can't recall Xellos doing that more than once or twice. I can't remember how we picked up that tendency. I guess with humans, it didn't really matter whether we called them by name or not; and since we didn't really like them, we couldn't be bothered with using their first name. Finally, he sighed and returned his attention to his homework. "Old habits are hard to break, I guess," he murmured.

Conan caught his introspective expression and decided not to pursue the matter any further. The discussion was rather pointless, anyway.

"...Excuse me?" Phibrizzo asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah, Phibrizzo?"

"You don't mind if I call you 'Edogawa', do you?"

Conan thought for a moment, then smiled. "I guess not."

Phibrizzo nodded. "Thanks, Conan."

Conan did a quick double-take. "I thought you said..."

"It'll be a very long time before I can stop calling you by your family name...faked or not..." Phibrizzo said, muttering those last few words. "But I'll try to call you 'Conan' when I remember. That's the best I can do."

The room was quiet as Phibrizzo compared his writing to that in his textbook. Finally, he asked: "So...I gave you the story. What's your opinion of the situation?"

Conan thought for a few moments, then replied: "I'm still a little mad that you didn't tell me sooner, but I won't hold it against you. You and the others had their reasons, and there's no way of knowing just yet if Sherry has her own agenda. Whatever happens, we'll need to be ready."

Phibrizzo nodded. "I agree. I'll be taking a return trip to my sister's home city tomorrow, so I won't be able to look out for our iceberg scientist."

"The same as usual?" Conan asked.

"Yeah. Say, you never did mention how that little trip you took last week turned out. You know, the one where Detective Moore got that mysterious letter?"

----------

As the two of them traded experiences and worked their way through the weekend's homework, others were making plans of their own.

Curtis had continued playing his game, knowing some of the experiences by heart already and not having anything to contribute. As he worked his way through Level Three, an idea slowly started to form: a possible way for him to meet Conan in person, in broad daylight and without anyone piecing the clues together...

----------

Location: Team Rocket HQ
Time: Two hours later

"009's request has been considered," Giovanni was saying to the figures on the monitor, "but if we want to turn his abilities over to us, we have no other choice. We cannot allow personal preferences to override our mission."

"I don't know why you listen to that woman anyway," the male figure stated. "If she's not strong or skilled enough to overcome a child, what point is there to letting her stick around?"

Giovanni knew what they were going to say, and was ready with a reply. For some reason, they never had liked Domino too much. "The point is that she's one of our top agents. You haven't seen this boy's bizarre talents for yourself, so you're dismissing the evidence outright. Anyone who can defeat an elite agent, plus two fully-prepared field agents, deserves to be watched."

"So this boy---this boy---is trying to tell us what to do? He's a brazen little brat," the second voice said, this one obviously female.

"Brazen or not, he's dangerous if he's not contained. As soon as you finish your assignment in Goldenrod City, return to Kanto. When you do, report to me for additional information on your target."

Both figures nodded. "Yes, sir!" they said in unison, their image fading from the viewscreen.

---------

Location: Unknown

A man wearing glasses stared out the window at the distant night skyline, looking bored. "Our talented little boy's out there somewhere in that mass of lights...and out there, farther still, is the man I'm searching for. Wherever he is, he alone has the answers to my questions...

"In time, they both will face me, and they will learn that the Captain's will is not to be denied..."

---------

Location: Unknown

"Philips...Driver...and just two nights previous, Ethanol...yes, he's made the jump from pest to troublemaker. Ethanol was foolish, thinking he could overwhelm him with absolute force; he clearly forgot the ease with which the vigilante repels ammunition. No thanks to him, eleven of our minor agents are in prison, and Ethanol himself incarcerated in a police jail and awaiting trial. Sooner or later, we will need to do something about him."

Gin smiled and walked into the darkness, Vodka several steps behind him. "And as soon as a weakness is discovered, I'll be glad to show this 'Inuyasha' how we work."

-------

Location: Abandoned harbor
Time: Three hours later

Several men backed a large semi towards a nearby warehouse. The driver stepped on the brake a little too quickly, and their vision jerked a little.

Upon taking the keys out of the ignition, the men---attired in dark clothing so as not to be spotted---spoke in low tones to each other; while they did, two more men hurried out of the warehouse and got close enough to hear them. "Careful, you idiot! Don't you know how sensitive that cargo is?"

"It must be sensitive for you to complain about my driving."

"Would you be quiet? Those containers are holding brand-new components, the same ones we just stole from the computer store's holding area. Microchips, monitors, the fastest RAM modules released up to now...it's all top of the line. Our buyer in Hokkaido will have a conniption when he finds out that anything's damaged."

"Would you just relax so we can get to work? We have no choice except to transfer everything by ship, and everything has to be loaded before dawn. Let's get to it before anyone shows up!"

As the men opened the back of the semi, a lone figure watched them from the roof. As white hair ruffled softly in the breeze, he stood up, having learned what he needed to know from that conversation.

Inuyasha's eyes flashed as he leaped into the air, catching the attention of the men below him. Their jaws and eyes opened wide as he descended into their midst...

--------------

Chapter Sixteen concluded. Chapter Seventeen soon to commence

Author's Notes

You may have noticed that I usually chuckle about something at the end of each chapter. I won't this time, for several reasons:

One, my computer's networking card decided it didn't like me anymore and decided to act up, forcing us to replace it. In the meantime, I either used dial-up on another computer or didn't go online at all for several weeks.

And two, I'm still kind of shocked at hearing about what happened to the "Crocodile Hunter", Steve Irwin. I never paid much attention to him---aside from the occasional commercial on 'Animal Planet'---but I knew enough to understand that he did a lot for animals; and how could anyone forget his catch-word? ... Anyhow, enough moping. On with the notes.

The chapter wasn't all Inuyasha in the truest sense of the word; I just said it to indicate that he would have a major role in the chapter. At this time in the storyline, Gin and the others now consider Inuyasha one of their primary foes. Is Inuyasha worried? Nah. Does he have his work cut out for him? Definitely.

What was Sherry's decision? You'll have to wait on that.

Phibrizzo's rant was a mix of several sources, including the TV show 'Dragnet' and the Star Wars-themed 'Cops' parody, 'Troops'. Points to anyone who recognized them. Oh, and just for the record: I don't watch 'Cops'. I just like 'Troops'.

Some of the scenes in here were thrown in to help set up a few future chapters. With all the enemies that Phibrizzo and Inuyasha are making, this stew pot is going to boil over...and when that time comes, I hope everyone's still around.

Moving on to Chapter Seventeen (whoa; almost said 'Android')...