InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beautiful Miscommunications ❯ Breaking the Story ( Chapter 22 )

Chapter 22: Breaking the Story

 

Kagura stared out of the dark window as the dog demon in her bed snored lightly. In a bitter chuckle, she realized that she had worn out the insatiable Takahashi. Men: they always thought themselves greater than they ever could ever be.

She sighed. There were no stars in the sky, and by the dark outlines of the clouds, she could tell it was going to rain…rain hard. Naraku would be pleased. The rain would delay the clean up effort. It would give him the advantage he needed to claim the jewel. Though, she was greatly surprised that he hadn't retrieved it yet. There must be something or someone still protecting it. She would find out tomorrow. She was sure he would tell her before he killed her.

Her eyes drifted from her glass bars to her new prison guard. Even in the darkness of the room, she could make out his features. The navy blue sheet was thrown carelessly over his thighs, failing to hide his muscular legs. The hard lines of his sculpted abdomen, where her fingers had danced only minutes prior, seemed harder in the dark, as if they were made of marble. Then, there was his chest: hard, sculpted, delicious…just like his arms. The only blemish was the scar on his left bicep, where Inu Yasha had cut his arm in a fight years ago. They say that the relationship between the brothers improved afterwards. Kagura doubted it. How much more volatile could it have been?

She shook her head as she raised her eyes to see his face. He was an elegant man, even when asleep. She wasn't sure how he kept his hair so silky or smooth after all the games they had played. Her own was in tangles pinned sloppily above her head. She shrugged; it was probably for the same reason he still looked threatening in his sleep. Though his facial features were somewhat feminine, the hard line of his lips reminded you of whom he really was.

It didn't matter. If she wanted to live, she should leave before dawn. She was sure Onnanoko would come through for her. The alternative was unacceptable. She had been a slave to a man for centuries. She wasn't going to risk her life just to change masters, and that was what Sesshomaru wanted.

She wasn't stupid. She had originally gone down to see what was taking so long, and when she had seen the open door to his office, she had gotten an idea. A bit of role playing had never hurt anyone, and she was curious if there was an easier, or at least more enjoyable, way of making him sign the morning papers. That's when she had seen it: the little bag of candy. She didn't figure Sesshomaru for a sweets man, so she assumed they must be for Rin. That's when she remembered something the little girl had told her, “Sango always has candy for Rin when she comes see Sesshomaru-sama.”

It didn't take long for Kagura to connect the pieces. If the security chief had been here today, after all that had happened in her bedroom, then, Sesshomaru must be planning to steal her heart. He would hold the same power over her as her father. She would not allow it.

Her eyes drifted again towards the sleeping lord. Kagura had tried to deny it. She didn't want it to be true…why? She wasn't sure, but it was important for her to prove him innocent. Maybe the meeting had been scheduled prior to their rutting. Perhaps he needed to sign some papers before the end of the day. So, she did the only thing she could: She tried to make him confess. She had gotten on her knees for him, but he kept his mouth shut. Somehow, she managed to push back all the unwanted emotions and lose her head in physical sensations, but the sensations had ended. The time for reflection had returned.

He turned towards her, his golden eyes glowing in the dark. “What are you doing over there?” He asked softly as his husky voice fell thick within the walls of the room.

“Thinking.” She answered honestly as she turned to her observations outside her window.

“Of what?”

“You.” Why lie? It never solved anything, and in her dealings with Sesshomaru, it had only gotten her into trouble.

She never saw the smirk-like smile on his lips as he walked up behind her. He admired her slim figure wrapped in his robe carelessly covering her skin. He looked at the nape of her neck and admired his mark. It had been the best decision of his life. She had proven herself to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with him in the bedroom, shower, stairs…the brief interlude in the hallway, etc. She would bare strong pups, and most importantly, she would never bore him.

“Why are you standing here?” He asked, whispering in her ear, as he slipped his arms around her. She couldn't help but lean on him; she was exhausted.

“Why not?” What was he playing?

He kissed her cheek lightly. Startled, she turned towards him. “Why did you do that?” Her fingers traced the offended area lightly, unsure of the meaning.

“Why not?” He replied.

She sighed as she walked towards the chair by the vanity. “I'm too tired for these games.” She turned away from him, examining her reflection. She was flushed with dark circles underneath her sparkling tired eyes. She was going to be sick.

“Then, what do you want to do?”

“Rest.” Even she was surprised by her honesty.

“We can take a nap.” He offered as he cautiously examined her. He had noticed the new tension spread through her body. At first, he attributed to the ticking of the clock, but now, he knew there was more to it.

“I don't want to sleep.” She confessed as she reached for her hairbrush, but gave up before she had to lift it.

He sat behind her, on the bed, examining her cautiously.

“If you can't trust me, who can you trust?”

The suddenness of the question made her jump.

“What kind of question is that?” She demanded.

“A valid one.” He replied as she turned towards him, her anger fueling her movements.

“How can I trust a man that takes me to his bed without trusting me?”

He raised an eyebrow.

“It's a valid question.” She replied smoothly.

“But not the answer to my question.”

“Who can I trust better than you?” She thought for a moment before standing up. “How about those who have showed me more loyalty…more trust.”

“If I don't trust you, what were you doing in my bed?” He retorted, though he seemed calmed and unfazed by the situation.

“You trusted yourself capable of controlling me.”

“Then, why did I fall asleep while you were still awake?”

“Exhaustion.” She replied, slightly startled by the admission.

He chuckled. “Don't underestimate me.”

“I wasn't the one snoring a few minutes ago.”

“I do not snore.”

She rolled her eyes.

He stretched his hand towards her. Looking down, she saw her own reach out to meet his.

“If you can't trust me, who can you trust?”

“Who do you trust?” She retorted.

He stood up and pulled her towards him. “You.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “I need fresh air.” She complained as she placed a hand over her chest. Her heart? Someone had disturbed it.

“Kagura?” He questioned.

“I need fresh air.” She repeated- her skin pale.

He nodded before leading her out of the room. The gardens were pleasant this time of night. It wasn't until he opened the back door, and the cool air brushed against her skin, she realized that she had forgotten the most important question, “Shouldn't you put on a pair of pants?”

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Onnanoko held a bloody towel firmly against her brother's shoulder. “I can't believe she shot me!” He complained below her.

The night was dark as storm clouds moved towards them. Otokonoko was seated next to her, biting down on a spare towel. He had almost forgotten how much bullets can sting. There hadn't been enough time to remove the bullet, just to contain the bleeding. By the look of things, he would have to retire from braking into office buildings…at least for a few months.

“I can. We were uninvited guests.”

“Alright, I can't believe she didn't miss.”

“I can. She's almost as good as me.”

“Can you be a bit more supportive?” He demanded, the pain from his shoulder blinding him.

“Fine, this will push up the date of her termination.”

“She's good.” He agreed as the helicopter began to descend. “You need to make the delivery.”

Onnanoko opened the box and confirmed the contents. “You are my priority. It's not only you who took a blow tonight. I was supposed to protect you.”

“I thought it was the other way around.” He complained. As soon as he could jump on solid ground, he did, making a semi-graceful landing. Their escape vehicle was waiting for them only a few feet away. Onnanoko turned to the pilot. “You know where to drop this off; Chikai should be waiting for you.”

Jumping out of the helicopter, she rushed to her brother's side. She helped him into the SUV, while saying, “I'm getting you back to base.” She quickly turned on the car and raced through the poorly lit streets towards their safe haven.

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Inu Yasha cursed. Things had gotten complicated, which meant, he wasn't going to be able to meet up with Kagome tonight. He had promised her a wild night; he'd be damned if he didn't deliver.

Sango stood in the center of the chaotic room checking her Palm Pilot. Papers flew around the room randomly as the intercom began to buzz. Probably, a security guard had noticed the sudden ambient change in the room. She responded, “Someone has broken into Naraku's office. Inform the Lords and get a team up here.”

“Why are you so damn calmed? Those damn idiots flew out of here with Kagura's heart!” Inu Yasha demanded.

“For two reasons: First, we finally discovered what they were looking for. Second, I know where they are going.”

“Did you lose brain cells in that explosion? How the hell could you know where the bastards are going?”

“Simple, that bullet had a tracking device implanted in it, and they haven't removed it.” Sango smiled as she showed him her PDA. The screen showed a map with a moving red light. “What do you say we go get Kagura's heart back?”

The dark smile on Inu Yasha's lips answered her question.

It didn't take them long to get back to the garage. Going down the stairs was much quicker than running up them. It also didn't hurt that Inu Yasha had grabbed Sango and jumped all the way down to the garage level. She might have been startled, if she hadn't been used to his impatient ways.

It was that quality that stopped Sango from opening her car door. After racing down the stairs and rushing to her blue Corolla, Inu Yasha had stopped dead in his tracks. “What's wrong?” She asked cautiously.

“I thought I saw someone that shouldn't be here…” He answered as he sniffed the air suspiciously. The garage was empty with the exception of a few cars belonging to the night crew.

“Who?”

“Kagome's father.”

“The dead man?”

“I thought you didn't believe he was dead.”

“At this moment, I'm willing to believe anything. What do you smell?” She questioned when Inu Yasha's nose continued to sniff suspiciously.

“Dynamite.”

“What?”

“It smells like dynamite.”

Sango looked down at her PDA. They hadn't stopped moving. That was good. Hopefully it meant they couldn't remove the bullet yet. “You think you saw a suspected assassin, and now, you smell dynamite?”

Inu Yasha followed his nose towards Sango's car. “Not my baby!” She complained as she followed him. Once on her knees, she took a glance underneath her car. She didn't need to search any further. She knew what she was looking at. “Car bomb…it's most likely rigged to the ignition. Damn them!” She was furious, but not out maneuvered. “We'll take Kagura's car instead.”

If Inu Yasha couldn't ride his bike, then, driving a sports car was the next best thing. He loved the speed as they flew through the streets hoping to intercept the two interlopers. “Yasha, I've been thinking. You said Kagome thought the bar had been a warning.”

“Well, that's what she said if felt like.”

“It makes sense; I was always curios why the assailant left so much time between ignition and detonation. It was almost guaranteeing discovery. A professional would have just given himself enough time to get out…and the explosion would have been to cover up the murder. There is no way he would have left it to chance.”

“He? Since when are you gender specific.”

“Taro. That's who you said you saw. Take this right.” Inu Yasha turned hard, forcing the car to skid on two wheels. They heard honking and protest of those left in there dust, but they didn't care.

“It looked like the guy from the picture, but I can't be sure. It was a brief moment in the shadows.”

“If Taro was trying to kill us, we wouldn't have seen him. He had more than ample time to set the bomb and get away.”

“What are you saying? Hey, this is a one way!” Inu Yasha complained as the cars dodged out of his way. At least they understood not to go against an angry dog demon, even a half-breed.

“Since when does that bother you? A street is a street.” Sango replied as she tried adjusting the zoom on the GPS system. “They've stopped! We need to hurry…take the next left and go down two blocks.”

“Got it!” The car screeched as Inu Yasha made another sudden turn and moved into the correct traffic lane. He heard the sound of cars crashing behind him. Idiots, where did they learn to drive? You stop before you hit the other car! How hard was that to understand?

“I'm thinking Taro was warning us.”

“Why?”

“You're sleeping with his daughter. Damn it! We lost them. Hurry up, perhaps we can still find them.” Sango pressed as she got a fixed location of the last signal transmitted.

Inu Yasha blushed. “I never said that.”

“Relax, I figured it out on my own. I'm glad you formalized that thing between the two of you, though, I should warn you, Miroku is very protective.”

“Keh, like he can hurt me!”

“No, but he can ask her not to see you.” He honked the horn as he ran another red light.

“So,” Inu Yasha finally broke the silence, “Taro is alive and sending warning of future attacks.”

“That's what it looks like. Stop here.” Inu Yasha slammed on the brakes. “You can pull over.” He did so, and the drivers around him gave a collected sigh of relief.

“How would he know about them?”

“We'll ask him when we find him. But, for now, those two bastards that have been making me look bad were in that building when I lost the signal.” Sango pointed across the street. The looked up in surprised.

“There? Are you sure?” Inu Yasha questioned.-

“Positive.”

“What does this mean?”

“Only one way to find out.” Sango answered as she stepped out of the car. Examining the topless Porsche, she smiled, “No scratches: Kagura will never notice.”

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No one noticed the stealth helicopter land, except for the one person that was waiting for it. Chikai was grateful the house needed to be evacuated; it made this trip less suspicious. The pilot stepped out and walked three steps forward. Chikai walked out of the shadows and met the young man. “Package intact.” He informed handing the agent the black box.

“Inform Old Miko: the bird will fly at midnight.” The pilot nodded before leaving. Covered in shadows once again, Chikai wrapped the box, airline tickets and fake passport in one of Kagura's feathers. The young wind demon would have her heart back soon enough.

The short figure ran up the hill to the edge of the gardens. Sesshomaru-sama was still there with the wind demon. Distance kept their conversation private, but it confirmed what Chikai already knew. Delivering the package without compromising the agent's identity would be easy. Keeping within the rose bushes to hide all smells, Chikai walked to the front of the empty house. Once inside, getting to Kagura's room was easy.

Being short gave the agent an ever present advantage. It was as easy to enter a room unnoticed as it was leave it. Looking down from the window, she could see the couple sitting on a swing by the veranda in the rose garden. They were sitting in perfect silence as Kagura rested her head on the Lord's shoulder. He had his arm around her. Perhaps there would be a new member of the Takahashi family Chikai could protect.

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“I don't have a good feeling about this.” Sango protested as they walked up the steps to the historic building.

“Keh!” Inu Yasha felt his stomach tighten as the storm clouds began to grumble. “How are we going to get in?”

“I'm a security expert, remember?” She reached into her pocket looking for her kit, but was interrupted when the night security guard opened the door.

“Ms. Kizu, they have been waiting for you.” The guard looked over to Inu Yasha and questioned, “Is he coming with you?”

“Yes.” The two answered firmly.

“What do you mean you were waiting for me?” Sango asked as they were escorted into the building. Inu Yasha looked at the security system he had passed through not too long ago.

“You were on our list of nightly visitors.” The guard explained before turning to Inu Yasha. “That won't be necessary. You have been cleared.”

Sango looked in the direction the two were talking about. “That's a nice system…3-D unclothed representation?”

“Yup, it's a nice machine.” The guard agreed as he walked them to the elevator. Instead of pressing the call button, he turned it upside down with the arrow pointing downwards. It wasn't long before the elevator door opened. The guard motioned them inside. “I'm sorry for not being able to escort you the rest of the way, but my shift isn't over yet.” He swiped his badge by the council. “Just remember to walk straight ahead at all times.”

“I thought this building didn't have a basement.” Sango protested as they began to descend. “And why do they have so much security?”

“Kagome said the insurance company made them get it. Something about the Revolutionary Times and a stabbing.” He explained as he rubbed his ears. The elevator trip was taking too long. “The freaking last time an elevator ride took this long was when we went to the vault!” He complained.

“I've notice…I have a feeling we are going that deep.”

“Why?”

“Well, we're that close to the bank. In reality, we're on the block behind it. It's the damn detour those two took that made us go around the city. That… and I believe the bank to be more important than the newspaper office above.”

They became silent as the doors open. They were astonished to see the cubicles and high tech surveillance equipment. There were a few technicians processing the information on the monitors, but none seemed to take notice of the new arrivals. “What is this place?” Sango wondered out loud.

Inu Yasha sniffed. “Blood.” He confirmed as he pointed straight a head. They kept walking through the dark office without hesitation. The buzzing of the computers was deafening as the monitors flashed different images across the room. They heard a man scream.

“If you stayed still, it wouldn't hurt so much.” A familiar female voice replied. Their legs walked towards the sound in time to see the female voice remove the bullet from the screamer's back. “Shit, this thing has a transmitter on it.”

“It's not very lady-like to curse.” Sango reprimanded as she took in the scene before her. They were by a desk, the male sitting, using the back of the chair for support. The desk light had been focused on the wound on his back, and there was a first aid kit opened on the table. Behind him stood the young woman, a pair of tweezers in her hand. These two had to be the thieves. They were wearing the same black suits. The male had had her bullet in his back, and the masks they had used were discarded on the desk. What was difficult to understand was, why them?

“Kagome?” Inu Yasha questioned as he stepped forward. “What's going on here?”

“I believe this can be best explained in my office.” An old woman spoke from the corridor. Four sets of eyes turned towards her. Remaining in the shadows she said, “Onnanoko, finish bandaging your brother's back, and then bring our guests to me.”

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It had started to rain, but that didn't bother Akago's men. They knew what they had to do. Tonight, they got to play. They moved slyly in the downpour towards the abandoned shop. One removed the shinny blade from his side pocket and smiled at his reflection. “How much damage are we allowed to do?” He asked his companion.

“It's up to our discretion.” The other man smiled.

“Are you sure? Look at what happened to our brother!”

“He was stupid enough to take a shot at Akago's sister.”

“He ordered it.”

“Doesn't make it right.” The second man replied. “Honestly, the only time you can be sure of anything is if Kanna orders it, but since her phone was off, and she hasn't returned our message, we'll just have to follow orders.”

The first man moved up to the lock door. With a swipe of his claws, the lock, door and adjacent wall fell with the rain.

“I really wish you would learn to be discrete.” His companion complained.

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The room was bright compared to the rest of the base. The glass and steel desk faced the door, making any guest stand in attention upon entering. The desk had matching built-in monitor and keyboard systems. The old woman wearing pirate patch over her right eye looked out of place sitting behind the modern desk. The wall behind her had an emblem painted in dark blue. An eight legged serpent eating its own tail.

Facing the emblem, by the door, there was a large screen. Looking up, one could see the projector on the ceiling. The party of four entered the room cautiously. Sango and Inu Yasha were invited to sit on the two chairs before the old woman, while her twins took their respective spots by the door.

“What is going on here? What is this place?” Sango demanded as soon as she was seated.

“Everything goes on here, and this place is The Agency.” The woman explained.

“What Agency?” Inu Yasha questioned eyeing his girlfriend carefully. Somehow, he knew that he was not going to like what was going to be said here. He already was planning on screaming at her for an hour for endangering herself needlessly, especially with a sprained wrist.

“The Agency.” Old Miko corrected. “The one that has been around before all the others…the only one that really matters.” Seeing the blank stares around her, she decided a bit of a history lesson was in order.

“During feudal times, there arouse the need for a different kind of soldier: One that could do the job of hundreds. Within one night's time, the soldier could infiltrate an enemy camp and kill its leader. It was often necessary to sacrifice the soldier in order to complete the mission, but, it was a price all were willing to pay. Soon, those who trained these men created a secret society that stood above all Lords. No loyalties to any nation other than that to the Clan were accepted. It was necessary to guarantee the success of the mission. Honor and discipline were soon added to the basic training of the assassins, and if it hadn't been for the addition of mikos, the Clan would have died out. How long can any secret society survive if its citizens get killed in each mission?

“The mikos were added at first for the purpose of healing, but soon were discovered a vital weapon when demons began requesting the services of the Clan. It was also the introduction of women assassins. Both turned into profitable additions. Women, usually found easier ways to reach the enemies of the Clan's customers, and the miko powers made their escape possible. It was not long until the highly praised assassins were not those who gave their lives on their first mission, but those who were able to continuously serve the Clan.

“Times changed, but there has always been a need for the Clan. They evolved, realizing the value of information, and proceeded to spread into other areas of espionage. This includes infiltrating powerful governments, dynasties, families, social circles, etc. Soon, the assassins did much more than kill, so the Clan became known as The Agency. As the world moved into the 20th century, the Agency spread worldwide. Ironically enough, there were similar groups in Europe and Asia, so globalization was not at all difficult.

“We work for no government. We control them. Powerful men have proved themselves corrupt for centuries, and the balance of powers is delicate at best. We ensure that this balance is maintained at all costs.”

“By killing people?” Sango demanded.

“Kill is such a harsh word. We…neutralize a threat.”

“By ending its life!” Sango accused.

Old Miko chuckled. “Not necessarily. A good scandal can eliminate a politician. We can kill a career with better consequences than killing the person. Demons, unfortunately, usually need to be purified. Their lifespan are too long, and they usually manage to rebuild their reputations. When we do eliminate a target permanently, we make sure it is to the best of our interests.”

“What does that have to do with Kagome?” Inu Yasha demanded.

“She is the best agent I have.”

Inu Yasha's eyes widen in surprise.

“Why, in the past three years since you became her assignment, she has saved your life twelve times.”

“What are you talking about?” Inu Yasha jumped up.

“Well, most recently, she did help revive you after a large piece of concrete landed on your head.” Old Miko remained calm as he turned towards the girl.

“I can explain.” Kagome began as she stepped towards him. The accusation in his eyes was tearing her heart in half.

“What about the assassination attempt against Kagome?” Sango asked, trying to defend the girl, though, she was unsure why.

“It was necessary for her to be closer to the young Lord. His time is near. We need him ready to take his place.”

“You had your own agent shot?” Sango protested.

“No, I shot her personally. I couldn't risk someone messing up the shoot. She is still more valuable alive than dead.” Old Miko did not miss the harsh look from her agents. Their suspicious were finally confirmed.

“What is that suppose to mean?”

“We are retired after five hundred confirmed kills.” Miroku finally spoke up. Sango turned towards him in surprise. “Kagome only has four hundred sixty-five.”

“And you?”

“Four hundred fifty.”

“Inu Yasha…” Kagome tried to speak to him, but his low growl warned her not to continue.

“I don't believe this!” He was connecting his loose ends in his head, and it wasn't tying a nice picture for her.

“You should. Kagome was bred for this. Countless generations of joining the strongest of mikos and priests, and finally, we had her. From conception, we have been training her, stimulating her, preparing her… Why else do you think a father would give his five-year-old daughter a gun?” Old Miko asked.

“Everything was a lie?” He accused.

“No…Inu Yasha you don't understand.”

“No, now I understand everything!” He growled as he pushed her out of the way. He couldn't get out of the room fast enough. She bit her tongue as she landed hard on her hurt wrist. It wasn't her day. She quickly stood up to run after him. She had to explain.

“Onnanoko.” Old Miko called to her. She stopped and turned to her superior.

“My name is Kagome, Kaede.” She shouted.

“I warned you not to get involved with him.”

“It was my decision, my consequences!”

“You put your needs above those of the Agency.”

“It was the best thing I ever did.” She yelled over her shoulder as she tried to catch up with the hanyou.

“You provoked that argument!” Sango accused. “Why? What can you possibly gained from braking Inu Yasha's heart?”

“First, to finally have you alone. You are the sole reason this meeting has been conducted. Second, it is a means to an end.”

“What makes me so special?”

“Besides outsmarting my agents for the past month? You crossed a thin and dangerous line tonight. Not only did you shoot one of my men, but you tracked him down. That cannot go unpunished.” The woman picked up a silver pen and signed a document before her. “I am authorizing your termination early. Otokonoko!”

“I'm sorry Sango.” She didn't have time to turn. The sound of the gun shot filled the room.

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Kagome had taken the stairs in order to catch up to him. She was panting when she burst out of the stairway and into the main lobby. The guard pointed to the door, and she ran into the raining street without hesitation. She saw him: the red eyes of his Hell Raisers' jacket seemed to glow in the rain. “Inu Yasha!”

“Go away!” He growled as he made his way to the convertible. He shouldn't have left the top down. Oh well.

“Not until you let me explain!” She grabbed his arm and he spun wildly towards her.

“So you can lie to me some more?” He demanded. His eyes were crimson gold as his hair was matted against his face. He looked savage as he grabbed her arm. “I was your assignment! Tell me, do you sleep with all your targets, whore?”

She slapped him. It hurt her wrist but it help shield the pain in her heart. He growled as he stared into her rain soaked face: He could see the tears through the rain water. “Listen to me! I spent the past three years following you, watching you from afar, and each day I couldn't help but fall more in love with you.”

“Lies!” He growled as he squeezed her arm harder.

“It's the truth, Inu Yasha! Why do you think I came back to you? It would have been easier to just follow you from afar.”

“Why didn't you?”

“Because I love you!” She shouted back. “Because loving you from afar isn't enough anymore…because, the only reason I have to continue with this miserable existence of mine is you!” Her tears were lost among the harsh rain drops. He turned away from her; eyes closed and whispered the cruelest words she had ever heard.

“Too little; too late.”

She watched him drive off as the rain fell violently on her. She didn't notice. The wind turned her cheeks painfully red. She didn't notice. Her phone began to ring. She noticed. It could be him.

“Hello?”

“Kagome? It's Benny. I just finished with your car. You can pick it up in the morning.”

“Benny? Oh, can I pick it up tonight? Just leave it outside with the key underneath the mat. I'll leave the money in the usual spot.”

“Sure.”

She hung up and hailed a cab. At least something good had happened. Her car…it still smelled like her father. It would feel good to be behind the wheel of the Mercury Grand Marquis. It always felt like she was driving a tank.

The garage was a bit far from the city, but it wasn't a long drive. “The streets are beginning to flood miss; you should be careful.” The cabby warned. She thanked him; the tears had not stopped falling. She reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope full of cash. It was supposed to be bribing money, in case things went sour, but considering all she had lost for The Agency, she figured, she deserved this much. She placed it underneath the front door. She thought it strange there was a breeze coming from underneath the door, but she shrugged it off thinking Benny must have left a window open.

It was hard to see in the rain, but she soon found her beautiful beige automobile. She opened the door and was glad to see the interior lights come on. She found the keys, turned it on, and smiled as the running lights and the engine came on. Finally, the universe would give her some comfort. She broke down in half choked sobs. She had wrecked things royally with Inu Yasha. She hadn't thought it would be this bad. What had she been thinking? Had she honestly believed she could have kept this side of her life a complete secret? Yes, she had. Hiding who she really was had always been easy. She took a deep breath. Crying helped her feel better, but it didn't solve a thing. She looked in the review mirror, when a sudden thought crossed her mind:

Who was she?

She used to know. Kagome Higurashi was her cover. She was Onnanoko, assassin for The Agency. Now, she questioned it. Inu Yasha had made her believe she was Kagome Higurashi, and Onnanoko was just a dream, or a secret source. Who was she? The woman behind the mask, who could kill at a moments notice, or the woman in front of the camera, who was a symbol of truth and love? At least she knew who she wanted to be. The same woman Inu Yasha loved.

It hurt. Not only what he had said to her…that she had deserved, but that she had hurt him. She was supposed to protect him…spare him all pain, not cause it.

She tuned the radio to a sports station. She would avoid love songs. Putting the car in drive, she smoothly pulled out of her spot. The hills had incredible curves around these parts, and she was tempted to drive around there, but it was raining hard, and she wasn't in the best of emotional states. She decided on the highway instead.

She quickly picked up speed and was soon outmaneuvering slower vehicles. She shouldn't; she knew. It was raining, and she had just gotten the car back. She took her foot of the gas and press down on the brakes. The pedal sunk to the floor. Kagome's heart raced as she realized she was coming upon a large traffic jam. “Anti-lock brakes!” She reminded herself as she pressed down on the pedal hearing the grinding of the gears. She quickly thought over what she knew of the car…there was no emergency brake, so that meant she had to slow down to a stop.

Looking at the road ahead, she realized she didn't have time. Even if her brakes came back on, at this speed, she would hydroplane. “Dear God, please help me.” Kagome silently prayed as she moved down a gear. She managed to out maneuver through two of the cars, but she had needed to use more gas. She wasn't slowing down. Then, she saw it: The reason for the traffic. A truck had skidded on the highway, blocking all the lanes. She couldn't stop and she couldn't go around it. She screamed as her own car skid towards the railing. The chemical reaction within her steering wheel exploded.

The last thing Kagome saw was white.

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…524663…

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A/N: The queen of the Cliff Hangers is back! I wanted to do something where Kagome was responsible for the brake up. There are very few stories like that out there. Soul Exchange by Rozefire is one of them. I just wanted to even out the playing field for poor Inu.

In the mean time, I told you I was going to kill her, or pretend to kill her. I haven't decided yet. Relax, she can't fully die here. Naraku hasn't been defeated yet. Oh, and with this twist of events, I can kill her. She's a tragic hero. Her flaw: she's an assassin. I'm surprise only a few of you picked up on that, and those who did was because they were the only brother and sister combo in the story that seemed to be around. I've been giving you clues since the beginning. The whole assassination attempt: The original summary had “Old Miko, our best assassin has been shot.”

“Take care of it Miroku.”

To add, who do you think was Kagome's source in the car? Kagura. In that conversation she had with Onnanoko, Kagome refers to the white package in the purse that she had given Kagura in the car. Then when Onnanoko bumps into Inu, he smells something familiar. Plus, that night, Kagome smells like vanilla, and she won't stop washing her hair. Onnanoko had fallen into vanilla pudding. Then, there's Miroku's supposed NASA job and government cab. If you go back, you'll see a ton of clues. Most of you figured Old Miko was Kaede. There wasn't any big surprise there.

I decided on the mailing list since a few of you from AFF requested it. You can joint at http://luna-chick.notifylist.com/my_updates.html. It is also posted on my profile. I know FF sometimes removes links. It's also good for the those of you on FF, since you won't get notice when I update on different sites with higher ratings…well, it would be good for those of you interested in my works with higher ratings (For example, The AD).

I'm proud to say this story won Second Place in IYFG- 1st Quarter Best Action/Adventure. I would like to thank those that voted, and to my loyal followers for inspiring me.

I've been unable to get in contact with Meche for a bit. I'm looking for a second beta; we haven't been able to email each other. I know one of you volunteered, but I lost your email address. Please do reply, and any of you interested. I hate to sound rude, but I'm very picky with my work, I would probably try sending the same chapter to several of you to see whose editing matches my writing style best. Plus, I know people get busy, especially in the summer. If I find more than one person that works, I would split the work between them. I know being a beta is a huge favor, and I would appreciate it. There are a few things I would ask for, though, I do write MA/NC-17 material, so if you are under the age, please do let me know. I won't ask you to beta anything you shouldn't, or if you don't want to beta lemons, let me know. For those of you over the age of 17 that don't mind my lemons, I'll also need to know that. Picking a beta is hard, but hopefully we can work something out.