InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Entrapment: A 21st Century Adventure ❯ Finding Her ( Chapter 18 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: King Baka 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Adventure / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.15.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.4K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Adventure / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.15.2012 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.4K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.
Finding Her
Ishikawa Yuuto yawned, tilting his head back to gaze lazily up at the night sky as he once again wondered how he had gotten stuck with this job. Damn that Yamazaki! Why’d he have to go and get himself killed? He should be sitting up here with the binoculars, dammit! And Goto and Nakamura are probably getting their rocks off at a strip club this very moment. Dammit…
This officially sucked. Especially when his fellow underlings were as much at fault as he for Inuyasha’s escape. And they hadn’t even caught the hanyou in the first place; that had been him! But their boss either didn’t give a damn or valued his skills as a sniper for this particular assignment. He probably was better at spotting things from great distances than anyone else in the group. But still, it wasn’t rocket science. And there was nothing to see anyway. The Naicho people were still keeping watch over the shrine grounds, as if they thought Kagome and Inuyasha would return after escaping through the well.
“Tch,” he grunted. “They’re all delusional.”
That included his boss, who insisted on putting him on the night shift watching the Higurashi shrine for the foreseeable future. When is that stubborn jackass going to give up on this already?
He sighed. The answer was probably not for awhile. Yoshida was excellent at what he did, and Ishikawa had made a great deal of money in his employ, but the man had serious issues with knowing when to quit. He hated to lose, and would almost never pull back from a bad situation. It had lost them money—and nearly their lives—in the past. But with Yoshida the pay was good and they could live above the law, which made the occasional bout of childish obstinacy bearable. Still, at times like this, Ishikawa did wish someone would smack some sense into the guy.
That was unlikely to happen anytime soon; nobody wronged Yoshida Saburou and lived to tell about it. In fact, Ishikawa realized that he should really get back to ‘work’; Kami forbid his boss somehow caught him slacking off. Sighing again, he hauled himself into the proper position and brought the high-powered binoculars to his eyes.
And nearly dropped them off the roof. After regaining his grip, he looked through the binoculars again, sure he’d been imagining things. But no, there was Kagome, talking to one of the Naicho agents next to the well. That stout woman who seemed to be leading the operation stormed out of the house, quickly followed and then passed by Mrs. Higurashi, who ran to her daughter so fast that she nearly sent them both toppling into the hole again.
Ishikawa couldn’t even blanch at the heartrending display, so deep was his shock. But that didn’t last long; he was a professional, and he had a job to do. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
“For the last time, Ishikawa,” Yoshida snarled, “I’m not sending someone to relieve you tonight. Stop bitching!”
“No, boss. Kagome’s back.”
“What?!” Yoshida exclaimed, and Ishikawa rolled his eyes. He’s the one who put me up here, but he reacts like that? That’s how ridiculous this is. I wonder what happened on the other side of the well…
“Why would she come back?” Yoshida asked, more to himself than Ishikawa.
His subordinate grinned evilly. “Perhaps you should ask her.” He could almost sense his boss’s rogue smirk.
“Yes, I think I will. Tell me, Ishikawa, what are they doing right now?”
“Just standing arou— No, wait. The fat lady and one, two…seven of her goons are leading Kagome toward the shrine entrance.”
“Your opinion?”
“Taking her back to headquarters for debriefing,” Ishikawa said, smiling wider. “Or should I say, driving back to headquarters.” In the cars we already put tracking devices on. “I guess it was a good idea to tag those cars after all, boss.”
“Yeah, it cost a pretty penny, but there’s no one in this town you can’t bribe.”
“So what now?”
“Get your ass off that roof and get on their tail. Tell me exactly where they’re going. Just stick to the plan. And make damn sure you don’t lose them!”
The phone clicked, and Ishikawa returned it to his pocket as he darted toward the stairs. He barked out a laugh; his boss had done it again. He’d predicted the enemy’s moves, and had a plan in place to take advantage of them. They had the element of surprise. There were plenty of hired guns at his disposal. Like lions they would herd their quarry to the perfect spot, and then pounce.
No one in those cars would make it back to Naicho headquarters alive.
But the Miyake woman currently sitting to her right had intruded on their paradise, and now here she was, riding in a car with four Naicho agents. The man called Ito was on her left, and two unnamed agents were up front. Four more had piled into another car and were driving ahead of them. A few agents had been left at the shrine as well, not that it would do them any good. Sorry to disappoint you, but Inuyasha isn’t coming back. Ever.
Whatever positive emotions remained from the pleasant surprise vanished at that sobering reality. How was she ever going to survive without him? One day at a time, she told herself. Her family would help her through it. A small grin crept onto her features as she imagined the faces her friends would make when she showed up at school announcing that she was alive. I guess I’ll have to ask Jii-chan to make up one final fib for everyone. It would have to be one hell of a lie to be believable, though. On second thought, maybe it would be best to leave the invention of a plausible story to the professionals, namely the government agents in the car with her.
“Why are we turning here?” Miyake asked suddenly. It was the first time anyone had spoken since entering the vehicles.
“HQ says there’s an accident up ahead,” the driver replied, tapping his headset.
Miyake frowned, but made no reply. That was fine with Kagome; in fact, the general lack of conversation was fine with her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat, exhaling deeply with fatigue. It had been an exhausting day; the physical and mental exertion of sealing the well had been just the latest draining task. She was tired, plain and simple. She couldn’t wait until they finally let her go to sleep. Maybe she could steal a quick nap in the car.
But it was not to be. The other passengers always seemed to speak just when she was on the precipice of slumber, jolting her back to wakefulness. It seemed there was more than one problem with the roads ahead, and Miyake kept demanding explanations for course changes. Kagome scoffed inwardly. It’s just standard city traffic. Shut up and let me sleep.
If only she had been right.
Strange, beautifully churning colors flashed against her eyelids, reds, oranges and yellows dancing against the dark backdrop of the night. But the tranquility of that gorgeous display lasted barely an instant before a great roar invaded her ears and tremors rocked the car. She was flung to the side, then pressed back into her seat as the vehicle swerved and accelerated. She opened her eyes just in time to see the burning wreckage of the other car flash past. Shouts filled the small interior space of the vehicle, most of it incomprehensible to Kagome. Her befuddled mind could not even process what was happening. Then there was a tremendous crash, and her world was spinning.
The impact had come from the left, in the form of a large pickup truck which smashed in the front passenger side of the car and sent it skidding out of control. (1) The wheels caught the opposite curb, the vehicle’s momentum causing it to flip over. It collided with the side of the adjacent building, then rebounded and settled on its roof. Fortunately, this left just enough room between the car and the wall to open the door.
Within seconds, Ito had extricated himself from the ruined car, drawn his weapon, and begun firing into the windshield of the pickup truck now backing away. His shots must have found their mark, as the truck accelerated blindly by the weight of a lifeless foot and smashed into a parked automobile. Ito ducked behind the government vehicle as their enemies returned fire, putting fresh holes in the car and the building. He reloaded his pistol, glancing down as he did so to find Miyake emerging from the car with a dazed Kagome under her arm. His boss had a nasty gash across her forehead and appeared visibly shaken, but her eyes were steely and the hand holding her pistol was steady. It had been a long time since she’d personally been in a firefight, but Miyake Izumi was no armchair general.
They communicated silently, both agreeing that they needed to find some better cover; this car could blow up at any moment. The two agents in the front were either dead or unconscious; either way, they could do nothing for them. With enemies all around, only those who could move under their own power could be saved now. This was Tokyo, and the police would surely be here in a few minutes, but surviving that long would be a serious challenge. They had strayed right into a well-executed trap, like unsuspecting prey. But cornered prey could be dangerous, as Yoshida and his lackeys were about to find.
Miyake cocked her head toward a recessed doorway some thirty feet away, and Ito nodded. It was the best cover available to them. Once they got there, the enemy would only be able to approach from a relatively narrow arc, easily covered by two pistols. There they would hold out until help arrived. It was getting to the doorway that was the hard part. The way was only partially covered by parked automobiles, and their enemies seemed to have automatic weapons at their disposal. But it was the only option they had; the alternative was staying put and getting shot or burning to death when the car’s gas tank ignited.
A choking sound drew his attention to Kagome, who finally seemed to be aware of her surroundings again. He almost preferred utter bewilderment to the panic now blazing in her eyes. But at least she understood the situation, and would be able to run at full speed. The enemy wanted her alive, but she would be as good as dead if they captured her. Still, they would not fire indiscriminately toward her. That was perfect as far as Ito was concerned; he would leave her with Miyake. His boss wouldn’t like his hastily formed plan, but she would have no choice but to go along with it. If he could distract the enemy for even a few seconds, the two women would have a better chance of making it to cover. Preserving his own life was secondary.
He moved to the edge of the car, not peering back at Miyake until he was ready to move. She shook her head violently as expected, but he only grinned at her and winked. Then he darted out onto the sidewalk, bent low to make use of the parked cars, firing out at the muzzle flashes which sent bullets soaring and ricocheting all around him. He expected to feel the telltale white hot stabbing pain any moment, but it did not come. Instead, he found himself crouched behind a parked minivan five feet in front of the doorway, providing cover fire for Miyake and Kagome as they hurried along behind him.
Suddenly Kagome went limp, sinking to the ground like dead weight as Miyake skidded to a halt. Ito instantly knew that was a mistake. The bullet struck her in the upper leg; she twisted with the impact, rolling to the ground as other projectiles passed overhead. She crawled toward him, grimacing painfully. Ito realized what had happened; one of the gunmen, probably the best marksman of the bunch, had hit Kagome with a tranquilizer dart. She was lying motionless on the sidewalk, not ten feet from him, but never had Ito felt that something was so unreachably far away. Still, he had to try. He was a professional; her life was more important that his. And with Miyake hampered by her injury, he was the only one who could save her.
It came as no surprise to him, however, when after two steps toward Kagome that long-awaited agony finally struck him in the stomach, sending him keeling over backwards onto the pavement. His insides burned, and part of him just wanted to lie there and die, but the insistent tugging on his shoulder reminded him that he still had someone to protect, even if Kagome was beyond his aid now. Gritting his teeth, he rolled over and crawled with Miyake to the doorway, every move a riot of torment.
He flopped against the recessed wall, pale and exhausted. Miyake took his free hand and pressed it into the wound on his stomach, causing him to cry out. He dimly heard her tell him to keep it there. Though his vision swam, he willed his shaking right hand to be steady, his aim to be true. As long as he could draw breath, he would shoot anyone who came around that corner.
Miyake peered around the side of the doorway, only to swiftly duck back as bullets sliced into the stonework. They were indeed trapped, as she feared. To try to leave would bring certain death; any rescue attempt would be suicidal. As rotten as it made her feel, she had to worry about her subordinate now. Judging by the blood loss and his ashen complexion, he would die within a quarter hour if he did not receive medical attention. Since Kagome was beyond their aid now, it made sense to try to save Ito. But this logic did not make the heavy weight in her chest any less burdensome. I’m sorry, Kagome.
She heard voices and footsteps as their foes moved in closer, no doubt keeping their weapons trained on the doorway.
“Hey, Naicho scum!” one man yelled. “You dead yet?!”
“Come over here and find out!” Miyake retorted. If she could keep them engaged, then maybe the police would arrive in time to rescue Kagome. But another man spoke, this one with authority in his tone, and ordered a withdrawal. She guessed that it was Yoshida, who had obviously heard the sirens in the distance as clearly as she had. The enemy had got what they wanted; killing her and Ito was just an unnecessary bonus.
As engines revved and tires rolled, Miyake leaned out only to be once again rebuffed by ready weapons. That had been a close call; she had received a clean cut across her cheek for her efforts. She waited until several automobile doors closed before making one final attempts, but her frantic attempts to disable the vehicles were ineffectual, and they quickly sped out of sight.
“Fuck!” she swore, unused to failure, unused to the sickening sensation of knowing that an innocent life was about to end horribly because she had underestimated her enemies. She would never have believed that a mere mercenary could be bolder and more dangerous than even the most feared yakuza groups, but Yoshida Saburou was one such man. (2)
Utterly distraught, Miyake did something she had not done since childhood; she raised her eyes to the heavens and threw up a prayer. Please, somehow, let Kagome be saved.
Instead, he launched a Kaze no Kizu straight upward. The blades of youki chewed along the side of the well until they reached the top and exploded into the air. Even with only a fraction of his normal swing possible, the effect was spectacular. And it was the perfect cover; the light, noise, and potentially fatal currents of energy would make even the most hardened warrior flinch. Inuyasha leapt and landed smoothly on the disturbed soil amidst the ruins of the well house. He instantly analyzed his surroundings; there were three enemies, one kneeling by his side frantically reloading his rifle, and two on his left. Both of the latter were bringing their firearms to bear. Inuyasha was sure he could take out the kneeling man and the closer of the other two before being fired upon, and probably the last man as well. But before he rendered these men incapable of warning their boss that he was coming, he needed one of them to talk.
Moving too quickly for the kneeling man to react, he sidestepped to the right and knocked the weapon from his hands. Then he hauled him upright, his elbow locked tightly around the gunman’s throat and his other hand resting on the shoulder in an ideal killing position, his claws glinting menacingly. And just in case the hapless man’s comrades didn’t place much value in his well-being, Inuyasha turned them so his captive was positioned as a human shield. Still, as unlikely as success seemed, he figured threatening the hostage was worth a shot.
“Drop your weapons!” he ordered, choking the struggling man tighter. These bastards were familiar with his physical strength, but an abject lesson in the futility of resistance couldn’t hurt. It seemed to work, as the man in his grasp stopped fighting and stood there wheezing loudly. The other two exchanged a glance, and then, to Inuyasha’s surprise, lowered their weapons to the ground and backed away from them a couple steps.
At this point the hanyou had to wonder what kind of trick this was. But there was no one sneaking up behind him; his ears and nose had been alert for that the entire time. Were they just trying to buy some time for their leader to get away? And why didn’t they seem familiar? Where were the men he had previously fought? Too many questions to ask, especially when there was only one he really cared about.
“Where’s Kagome?” he demanded harshly. Again the two free gunmen looked at each other, but did not answer. Inuyasha snarled, flexing his claws.
“Tell me where she is,” he roared, “or your buddy gets his throat ripped out!” And as much as he hated killing humans, Inuyasha meant every word. Again, there was no room for error here. In this case, showing mercy would be a mistake.
His enemies seemed to grasp how serious he was, for one of them spoke up quickly. “She’s on her way back to Naicho headquarters.”
“What the fuck is Naicho?!” Inuyasha bellowed, jabbing his claws into his captive’s neck, deep enough to draw blood. He would take no more bullshit.
“We’re not who you think we are,” the agent answered firmly. “We are not affiliated with the men who kidnapped you. Kagome is safe. We will protect her from any harm.”
Inuyasha stared dumbfounded for a moment. Whatever he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it. More than anything, he was just shocked that this bastard had the gall to lie to him like that after trying to shoot him. That miserable little—
“Inuyasha?”
That soft, feminine voice was nearly his undoing. He could not help but turn his head to see if that really was Mrs. Higurashi emerging from the house. And in that brief moment of distraction, his grip loosened just enough for his captive to make a move. It was a good one, and if Inuyasha had tried to reclaim his hold he would have wound up clutching nothing but air with two darts sticking out of his chest. Instead, he rolled to the ground, sprinted toward Mrs. Higurashi, grabbed her and bolted inside the house just as the darts thunked against the siding. He slammed the door shut and locked it, his senses frantically searching for any other enemies inside the house. But the only inhabitants he could detect were Kagome’s kid brother and the old man, both of whom were hurrying toward him barking amazed exclamations and questions.
Inuyasha currently lacked the mental capacity to handle any of it; he was too confused to even form a coherent sentence. Fortunately, Mrs. Higurashi seemed to realize that an explanation was required—and a quick one at that.
“Don’t worry, Inuyasha; they were telling the truth. Kagome is safe.”
At this, the hanyou felt a burst of indignation which finally broke through his befuddled stupor.
“Then why the hell did they attack me?!” he demanded, ushering the Higurashi family further into the house, away from the doors and windows.
“Well…” she tried, looking a bit worried, “I’m afraid I really don’t know what their plans for you are.”
Inuyasha growled. “Great, so they have Kagome and they apparently want me too. What, am I supposed to give myself up?”
“No!” Mrs. Higurashi responded forcefully. “They won’t use Kagome as a hostage. She really is safe with them…even if you might not be.”
Inuyasha swore under his breath. It was wonderful that Kagome was out of danger, but he hadn’t come back here just to rescue her. How am I supposed to tell her how I feel if she’s with those bastards? How can I even get to her? Still, he decided to put that aside for now and focus on the superb news that she was alive and well. He wouldn’t feel completely reassured until she was once again under his protection, but it was a tremendous relief to find that she was safe.
Or was she? As much as he wanted to take Mrs. Higurashi at her word, he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that something was terribly wrong. It didn’t feel like paranoia, more of an instinctual sense of foreboding. And during his life, especially his harsh younger days, he had learned to trust those threads of intuition. More often than not, they pulled him in the right direction.
Even if he found that this feeling was paranoia, he had to get out of here anyway to avoid being captured. If he was going to leave, he might as well have a destination.
“Can you tell me how to get to wherever they’re taking her?” he asked hurriedly.
Mrs. Higurashi’s brow furrowed in concern. “But why? Do you think—”
“Please,” he implored, ears shifting to follow the sounds of soft movements outside. His pursuers were getting into position as they spoke. Still, he listened avidly as Mrs. Higurashi described as best she could the directions to Naicho headquarters, using landmarks he knew or could easily find. It did not occur to him how difficult the task would be, only that he gain the information necessary to accomplish it.
“Let the family go, Inuyasha!” called one of the agents outside. “None of us want them to get hurt!”
“Get outside,” the hanyou ordered, in complete agreement. Now that he knew the three humans in the house didn’t need his protection, he wanted them out of the crossfire.
“Now see here,” Kagome’s grandfather barked, pointing his finger in Inuyasha’s face. “I will not be kicked out of my own—”
“Oh, yes you will!” Mrs. Higurashi interrupted. “We are not going to give Inuyasha anything else to worry about.”
Already she was pushing Souta toward the front door. The old man followed reluctantly, grumbling under his breath.
“They’re coming out the front!” Inuyasha hollered so the agents would restrain their trigger fingers. Mrs. Higurashi, however, remained behind for a moment.
“Why did you come back?” she wondered softly. “Why did Kagome come back without you?”
Inuyasha grimaced. “It’s complicated,” was all he said, but Mrs. Higurashi nodded in understanding. She probably did have a pretty good idea what had happened, he reflected. It was not as though Kagome had never returned to her time heartbroken before.
Mrs. Higurashi didn’t say anything else as she went to join her son and father-in-law in the foyer. She could see in Inuyasha’s steely, determined expression that she did not need to. He was committed to making right whatever misunderstanding had taken place between him and her daughter. Kagome was, as always, in good hands. Whether he realized or not, Inuyasha was utterly devoted to her. And she had a sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, he did realize it now.
The three Higurashis hurried outside, not turning around until they had reached the center of the shrine grounds. The gunmen were spaced evenly around the perimeter of the house, covering all the windows and doors. They appeared content to wait Inuyasha out, especially since backup was almost assuredly on the way.
But Inuyasha knew this as well, and at any rate, his vague apprehension would not allow him to stay in the house any longer. They heard a cracking and tearing noise, then a second later several roof tiles cascaded down to the ground. The gunmen turned their weapons skyward, but nobody could see where on the roof Inuyasha was. And that proved to the crucial factor, as the cussing of one man in particular informed them that the hanyou had slipped the net.
Minutes later, Mrs. Higurashi found herself standing in her upstairs hallway, staring up at the night sky through the freshly-made hole in her ceiling. She sighed. She was happy that Inuyasha had escaped, but couldn’t he have found a less destructive way? Miyake had better believe she’s paying for this too…
Far more important than that, however, was the hanyou’s apparent belief that Kagome might be in danger. But if her daughter really was in trouble, she was glad Inuyasha was on his way. The hanyou had her absolute trust when it came to Kagome’s safety. Still, she would worry, as mothers are want to do. She only hoped that in this case, Inuyasha’s instincts were wrong.
Inuyasha snarled, pounding his fist into the concrete rooftop of the building he was currently sitting upon. It had been the height of naiveté to believe that he could find Naicho headquarters based on hastily-conveyed instructions from Kagome’s mother. This city was enormous, a sea of millions and millions of people among thousands of buildings and structures. He had been lost before he began the quest.
He recalled Mrs. Higurashi’s directions clearly, but could not follow them. Was that building the landmark she had described, or was it that other one over there? Or had he messed up the last step and wound up on the wrong course altogether? Perhaps he could have done better with more detail, but there hadn’t been time. The best he could hope to do was travel in the general direction of his target. And at worst he would end up in the wrong section of the city entirely.
But he couldn’t give up; the unsettling feeling had only intensified as he ran. Kagome was in danger, he was almost sure of it. Sighing, he stood, glancing between the two possible landmarks and trying to pick the one that best matched Mrs. Higurashi’s vague description. Keh, I might as well just choose at random.
The sound of sirens drew his attention downward, to the street below where two cars with flashing lights were trying to make their way through traffic. Inuyasha realized they were police cars; Kagome had told him about them after confessing her stupid attempt to call the police from that bastard Sasaki’s house. The sirens and lights meant that someone was committing a crime, or some other emergency had occurred or was in progress. It intrigued him; perhaps his sense of foreboding was linked to the crisis these officers were heading towards? With his first plan unable to get off the ground, it was at least worth investigating. (3)
He followed the cars for a few blocks before they turned right, and then he saw it. In the distance, against the backdrop of buildings a faint flickering glow that could only mean one thing—fire. He accelerated, no longer content to follow the police. He would get to the scene first and have a little time to investigate before they got there.
It was carnage, utter carnage. A burning vehicle pumped acrid black smoke into the air, and all around was littered debris, ruined automobiles, and even a few corpses. Lights were on in the adjacent buildings but no one had emerged to help. Evidently there had been some kind of battle here which had scared everyone into staying indoors. Inuyasha landed in the middle of the devastation, immediately putting his nose to work. Even amid the smoke, blood, gasoline, and other scents, if he could just catch one whiff of Kagome he would know she had been here. He prayed that she was not still here, contributing to the pervasive smell of death.
For several nerve-wracking moments, he found nothing. Then, as he approached a pair of skid marks in the pavement, a jolt ran through his body. Nose to the road, he made sure he was not imagining things. He grinned victoriously. She had been here; he’d found the trail! But his smile soon faded, for it was not only her pure scent which assaulted his nostrils. There were others, male scents, including at least one he recognized. And finally he understood what had happened. Yoshida and his gang had attacked, wiped out Kagome’s guards, and carried her off in whatever vehicle had left these marks. Fuck! Yeah, Kagome’s real safe with Naicho. Fucking idiots handed her right back to Yoshida!
Wanting to be sure, he followed Kagome’s scent until it abruptly changed direction. But just as he made the turn, he heard a sharp click and spun to face the source of the sound. A woman was standing there, leaning heavily against the side of a recessed doorway. She was bleeding from a wound in her upper leg, but the hands which held a pistol pointed straight at his chest were firm and her eyes were cold and angry. Before Inuyasha even had a chance to think about who this woman was, she lowered her weapon, her eyes widening in recognition.
“Inuyasha?”
Her articulation of his name was a shock to Inuyasha’s system. Rage flooded his body; this was one of the failures who were supposed to be protecting Kagome! He wanted to berate her for being alive. But there was something far more important than making this woman suffer, so he dismissed any such ideas without a second thought.
“Where’s Kagome?!” he demanded. “Where did they take her?!”
The woman shook her head. “I don’t know,” she replied, hesitating a moment before nodding resolutely. “But you may be able to find her with this,” she told him, taking something small out of her pocket. Inuyasha darted to her side, observing as she told him how it worked.
“I put a tracking device on Kagome’s shirt in case we lost her somehow. This blue dot,” she said, pointing to the bottom of the tiny screen, “is you. The red one is Kagome.” She indicated a blinking red dot three quarters of the way up the screen and moving rapidly away from the blue dot every second.
“Get her back!” she pleaded, clutching his sleeve tightly. Inuyasha nodded, stunned at the remorse he saw in her gaze. He was suddenly glad that he had not taken his frustration out on her. She was incompetent, but at least she cared.
“Now,” Miyake said, handing him the device and releasing his shirt. “Go look in the trunk of that car. You will find something that belongs t—hey!”
But Inuyasha was already gone, not caring what else she had to say now that he had a way to find Kagome. He flew over the rooftops, feeling grim satisfaction as the red dot grew closer and closer to the blue one. I’m coming for you, Kag—what the hell?!
The red dot had suddenly vanished. Inuyasha smacked the device a few times, but got no response. A horrible thought occurred to him. Shit, they must have found the tracker on Kagome!
“Dammit!” he roared, rearing back and smashing the device into a hundred pieces. He pressed onward without its guidance, his breathing increasingly labored as nameless dread pressed down on him. He scanned the streets below for anything unusual, anything out of place, but saw nothing. There were too many roads, and no guarantees whatsoever that Yoshida had continued on his straight course. Perhaps they were leaving the city altogether?
Inuyasha finally stumbled to a halt, panting as he gazed out over the mammoth metropolis, each anonymous building, each unnamable avenue driving another stake into his tattered resolve. He was…never going to find Kagome. How could he? She was lost in this immense human wilderness, bereft of any semblance of a trail. And beyond was the world, a seemingly endless expanse, so vast that he could spend a thousand years searching for a treasure and never locate it. And Kagome would not live for a thousand years. He could not even guarantee that she would survive the night.
He sank to his knees, that same dazed, empty feeling from earlier assailing him. He had thought Kagome gone forever back then, too. Only this time, Kikyou would not save the day with a well-timed change of heart. But he had been wrong to despair then, and perhaps he was wrong to do so now. Kagome was in mortal peril, but the fact remained that she was most useful as a hostage. If Yoshida was still more interested in his hanyou prize than a young woman, then he may yet be able to save her. The trouble was getting into contact with the mercenary, and the trick was ensuring Kagome’s safety if he did. Even if he turned himself in, could he trust Yoshida to keep his word?
But all that was a worry for another day. At this moment, he at least knew that Kagome was still within the city limits; not enough time had elapsed for her captors to reach the outskirts. He needed to keep searching. Maybe he would get lucky. Very lucky, he corrected. Dammit, Kagome. Where are you?
A pulse. It resounded through his skull, then faded away as quickly as it had come. But in its wake it left a confused but hopeful hanyou. Subconsciously he had called out to Kagome. And it almost felt like she had called back.
He frantically tried to recreate the connection, but found he was too excited to focus properly. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to calm his racing blood. His thoughts turned toward Kagome, recalling how badly he needed her, how much he loved her. And then, with his body relaxing, he was finally able to reach the plateau of Zen he sought. He couldn’t see her, even inside his mind. But she was there; she curled teasingly around him, beckoning him to follow. Like a gust of scent on the wind or a string of spider’s silk, she drew him toward her. But he did not follow, for to do so within his consciousness would be meaningless. The peaceful artificial world faded away, leaving him once more kneeling on the hard rooftop.
Inuyasha opened his eyes, for a moment merely reflecting on this new development. He could not help but feel humbled. He had always known that Kagome was special, but never before had they shared something so amazing together. Well, maybe once, but this was completely different. This was something most couples could only dream of, no matter how much they loved each other. They were special, far more than either of them alone. As for the why, he didn’t think it had much to do at all with physical intimacy. It seemed more likely that finally being honest with each other—or himself—about their feelings had allowed them to reach the full potential of their supernatural power. But whatever the reason, he could not let this time of contemplation last any longer. He still had his woman to save. (4)
He ran, faster than he had ever run before, following his instincts. It was as though Kagome’s subconscious plea had set off a homing beacon; he could feel the recurring resonations rippling through his form. The city receded in grandeur as he ran; buildings grew shorter and lights thinned out. Finally a dilapidated old building came into view up ahead. Inuyasha’s heart throbbed, his chest heating almost painfully as he stared. She was there; he had no doubt.
Excited male chattering drew his attention to the street below, where a large group of men emerged from the abandoned factory and got into vehicles. One had a medium-sized bag slung over his shoulder, and all were armed. Inuyasha didn’t know that these were the hired hands Yoshida had placed on call for a situation like tonight leaving with their pay, nor did he care who they were. Kagome was inside the building. The goons were driving away; he didn’t have to worry about them anymore.
When the vehicles were gone and the street was quiet once more, Inuyasha leapt across to one of the broken second floor windows and silently slipped inside the factory. He weaved his way through the rusty machinery looking for a stairwell. He found it, made sure the coast was clear, and crept down the first few steps. Then he peered under the railing at the first floor below, both disturbed and elated at what he saw. About twenty feet from the stairs, on the right, was a door. And standing in front of that door was a man Inuyasha recognized. He did not know his name, but this guy had been with Yoshida from the beginning. And despite the looming difficulties, the hanyou could not help but grin; the rest of the posse was in that room, as was Kagome.
His heart leapt as he heard her voice, her tone and words defiant. The ensuing slap of flesh-on-flesh nearly gave him away; he had to forcefully stifle a snarl. Several rapid breaths did little to soothe his wild rage, but he did at least calm down enough to analyze the situation clearly. Yes, he had to move quickly; the threatening voices on the other side of the door told him as much. But more important were stealth and execution, because he would only get one chance at this. A headlong wrath-fueled charge was not exactly the ideal strategy. First, he had to take out that guard without alerting anyone inside to his presence. And that, unfortunately, meant killing him. A knockout blow would necessarily create a loud noise, but severing a windpipe would not. Inuyasha didn’t like it, but he had prepared himself for this already. This was purely a fight for survival; nothing else mattered.
He picked up a small piece of brick from the debris and snuck down to the landing. There, leaning against the wall in shadow, he took a deep breath. Then he threw the projectile as hard as he could. The sharp sound of impact off to the side drew the guard’s attention for the crucial fraction of a second while Inuyasha bore down on him.
The elimination was brutal and bloody; by the time he noticed Inuyasha, the guard did not even have time to choke out a shocked cry. Inuyasha saw it happening in slow motion, the corpse’s right hand falling to the side, the rifle slipping from lifeless fingers. But with his free hand holding up the body, he could not immediately make a grab for the weapon.
Nothing had ever seemed so unforgivably loud to the hanyou as the crack of that rifle striking the floor. It hit butt-first, bouncing into the air where he finally caught it. He held his breath, listening intently.
“What was that?” came Yoshida’s voice. The radio on the dead man’s belt crackled to life. “Ishikawa? Everything alright out there?”
Inuyasha set down the body as quietly as he could, cursing his carelessness all the while.
“He’s probably just taking a piss, boss,” said another man.
“Shut up!” Yoshida growled. “Weapons up.”
Inuyasha grimaced; he was in a tough spot now. The mercenaries knew something was wrong, and if he went through that door, chances were high that he would wake up in a cage somewhere. But already a new plan was forming; he pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath, the soft scrape only audible to his ears. If I can’t use the entrance, I’ll just have to make another one.
He readied the sword. Then, he charged.
(1) Remember that people in Japan drive on the left and have the driver’s side of their cars on the right
(2) Apparently not all yakuza are “bad”; stereotypical views of them are sometimes inaccurate. But undoubtedly some groups really are like organized crime networks or gangs, so that’s why I said “even the most feared Yakuza groups.” See the Wikipedia page for more info
(3) If you’re wondering why there were only two police cars, there were definitely others coming in from other directions. Inuyasha just happened to notice these two, the first that would have been on the scene
(4) Don’t read too much into the connection thing. I’ve always believed that Inuyasha and Kagome have the potential to share something more than a normal relationship. One’s a powerful miko, and the other’s the son of one of the strongest youkai who ever lived. And, in this story at least, they’ve fully realized their feelings for each other and consummated their relationship (in a backwards sort of way). Still, I won’t be taking it any farther than that. No youkai bonding or the like in this particular story
Adventures in Baka-Land
Angry Mob – “Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble.”
KB – “Uh-oh, the readers seem to be upset about my latest cliffhanger.”
Angry Mob – *more rabbling*
KB – “That’s okay. I’ll just tell them that they only have to wait two or three weeks for the thrilling conclusion and I’m sure they’ll underst—”
Angry Mob – “RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!”
KB - *runs away crying*
Converting /tmp/php5ft7a1 to /dev/stdout
Finding Her
Ishikawa Yuuto yawned, tilting his head back to gaze lazily up at the night sky as he once again wondered how he had gotten stuck with this job. Damn that Yamazaki! Why’d he have to go and get himself killed? He should be sitting up here with the binoculars, dammit! And Goto and Nakamura are probably getting their rocks off at a strip club this very moment. Dammit…
This officially sucked. Especially when his fellow underlings were as much at fault as he for Inuyasha’s escape. And they hadn’t even caught the hanyou in the first place; that had been him! But their boss either didn’t give a damn or valued his skills as a sniper for this particular assignment. He probably was better at spotting things from great distances than anyone else in the group. But still, it wasn’t rocket science. And there was nothing to see anyway. The Naicho people were still keeping watch over the shrine grounds, as if they thought Kagome and Inuyasha would return after escaping through the well.
“Tch,” he grunted. “They’re all delusional.”
That included his boss, who insisted on putting him on the night shift watching the Higurashi shrine for the foreseeable future. When is that stubborn jackass going to give up on this already?
He sighed. The answer was probably not for awhile. Yoshida was excellent at what he did, and Ishikawa had made a great deal of money in his employ, but the man had serious issues with knowing when to quit. He hated to lose, and would almost never pull back from a bad situation. It had lost them money—and nearly their lives—in the past. But with Yoshida the pay was good and they could live above the law, which made the occasional bout of childish obstinacy bearable. Still, at times like this, Ishikawa did wish someone would smack some sense into the guy.
That was unlikely to happen anytime soon; nobody wronged Yoshida Saburou and lived to tell about it. In fact, Ishikawa realized that he should really get back to ‘work’; Kami forbid his boss somehow caught him slacking off. Sighing again, he hauled himself into the proper position and brought the high-powered binoculars to his eyes.
And nearly dropped them off the roof. After regaining his grip, he looked through the binoculars again, sure he’d been imagining things. But no, there was Kagome, talking to one of the Naicho agents next to the well. That stout woman who seemed to be leading the operation stormed out of the house, quickly followed and then passed by Mrs. Higurashi, who ran to her daughter so fast that she nearly sent them both toppling into the hole again.
Ishikawa couldn’t even blanch at the heartrending display, so deep was his shock. But that didn’t last long; he was a professional, and he had a job to do. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed.
“For the last time, Ishikawa,” Yoshida snarled, “I’m not sending someone to relieve you tonight. Stop bitching!”
“No, boss. Kagome’s back.”
“What?!” Yoshida exclaimed, and Ishikawa rolled his eyes. He’s the one who put me up here, but he reacts like that? That’s how ridiculous this is. I wonder what happened on the other side of the well…
“Why would she come back?” Yoshida asked, more to himself than Ishikawa.
His subordinate grinned evilly. “Perhaps you should ask her.” He could almost sense his boss’s rogue smirk.
“Yes, I think I will. Tell me, Ishikawa, what are they doing right now?”
“Just standing arou— No, wait. The fat lady and one, two…seven of her goons are leading Kagome toward the shrine entrance.”
“Your opinion?”
“Taking her back to headquarters for debriefing,” Ishikawa said, smiling wider. “Or should I say, driving back to headquarters.” In the cars we already put tracking devices on. “I guess it was a good idea to tag those cars after all, boss.”
“Yeah, it cost a pretty penny, but there’s no one in this town you can’t bribe.”
“So what now?”
“Get your ass off that roof and get on their tail. Tell me exactly where they’re going. Just stick to the plan. And make damn sure you don’t lose them!”
The phone clicked, and Ishikawa returned it to his pocket as he darted toward the stairs. He barked out a laugh; his boss had done it again. He’d predicted the enemy’s moves, and had a plan in place to take advantage of them. They had the element of surprise. There were plenty of hired guns at his disposal. Like lions they would herd their quarry to the perfect spot, and then pounce.
No one in those cars would make it back to Naicho headquarters alive.
* * *
Kagome couldn’t believe how quickly things had turned around. She had emerged into the modern era and immediately sealed the well, expecting it to be the last thing she did on earth. Instead, a stern but friendly man who seemed nothing like one of Yoshida’s lackeys had thrown down a rope and helped her out of the well. She was beyond astounded to learn that the people at the shrine were Naicho agents, and that it had been them trying to prevent her and Inuyasha from returning to the past earlier that day. Discovering that she was not going to die after all was like a cool breeze on a hot sunny day. But by far the sweetest thing was seeing her family again. Nothing could beat being embraced so hard by her mother that she could hardly breathe, or the tears the older woman shed on her shoulder. But the Miyake woman currently sitting to her right had intruded on their paradise, and now here she was, riding in a car with four Naicho agents. The man called Ito was on her left, and two unnamed agents were up front. Four more had piled into another car and were driving ahead of them. A few agents had been left at the shrine as well, not that it would do them any good. Sorry to disappoint you, but Inuyasha isn’t coming back. Ever.
Whatever positive emotions remained from the pleasant surprise vanished at that sobering reality. How was she ever going to survive without him? One day at a time, she told herself. Her family would help her through it. A small grin crept onto her features as she imagined the faces her friends would make when she showed up at school announcing that she was alive. I guess I’ll have to ask Jii-chan to make up one final fib for everyone. It would have to be one hell of a lie to be believable, though. On second thought, maybe it would be best to leave the invention of a plausible story to the professionals, namely the government agents in the car with her.
“Why are we turning here?” Miyake asked suddenly. It was the first time anyone had spoken since entering the vehicles.
“HQ says there’s an accident up ahead,” the driver replied, tapping his headset.
Miyake frowned, but made no reply. That was fine with Kagome; in fact, the general lack of conversation was fine with her. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat, exhaling deeply with fatigue. It had been an exhausting day; the physical and mental exertion of sealing the well had been just the latest draining task. She was tired, plain and simple. She couldn’t wait until they finally let her go to sleep. Maybe she could steal a quick nap in the car.
But it was not to be. The other passengers always seemed to speak just when she was on the precipice of slumber, jolting her back to wakefulness. It seemed there was more than one problem with the roads ahead, and Miyake kept demanding explanations for course changes. Kagome scoffed inwardly. It’s just standard city traffic. Shut up and let me sleep.
If only she had been right.
Strange, beautifully churning colors flashed against her eyelids, reds, oranges and yellows dancing against the dark backdrop of the night. But the tranquility of that gorgeous display lasted barely an instant before a great roar invaded her ears and tremors rocked the car. She was flung to the side, then pressed back into her seat as the vehicle swerved and accelerated. She opened her eyes just in time to see the burning wreckage of the other car flash past. Shouts filled the small interior space of the vehicle, most of it incomprehensible to Kagome. Her befuddled mind could not even process what was happening. Then there was a tremendous crash, and her world was spinning.
The impact had come from the left, in the form of a large pickup truck which smashed in the front passenger side of the car and sent it skidding out of control. (1) The wheels caught the opposite curb, the vehicle’s momentum causing it to flip over. It collided with the side of the adjacent building, then rebounded and settled on its roof. Fortunately, this left just enough room between the car and the wall to open the door.
Within seconds, Ito had extricated himself from the ruined car, drawn his weapon, and begun firing into the windshield of the pickup truck now backing away. His shots must have found their mark, as the truck accelerated blindly by the weight of a lifeless foot and smashed into a parked automobile. Ito ducked behind the government vehicle as their enemies returned fire, putting fresh holes in the car and the building. He reloaded his pistol, glancing down as he did so to find Miyake emerging from the car with a dazed Kagome under her arm. His boss had a nasty gash across her forehead and appeared visibly shaken, but her eyes were steely and the hand holding her pistol was steady. It had been a long time since she’d personally been in a firefight, but Miyake Izumi was no armchair general.
They communicated silently, both agreeing that they needed to find some better cover; this car could blow up at any moment. The two agents in the front were either dead or unconscious; either way, they could do nothing for them. With enemies all around, only those who could move under their own power could be saved now. This was Tokyo, and the police would surely be here in a few minutes, but surviving that long would be a serious challenge. They had strayed right into a well-executed trap, like unsuspecting prey. But cornered prey could be dangerous, as Yoshida and his lackeys were about to find.
Miyake cocked her head toward a recessed doorway some thirty feet away, and Ito nodded. It was the best cover available to them. Once they got there, the enemy would only be able to approach from a relatively narrow arc, easily covered by two pistols. There they would hold out until help arrived. It was getting to the doorway that was the hard part. The way was only partially covered by parked automobiles, and their enemies seemed to have automatic weapons at their disposal. But it was the only option they had; the alternative was staying put and getting shot or burning to death when the car’s gas tank ignited.
A choking sound drew his attention to Kagome, who finally seemed to be aware of her surroundings again. He almost preferred utter bewilderment to the panic now blazing in her eyes. But at least she understood the situation, and would be able to run at full speed. The enemy wanted her alive, but she would be as good as dead if they captured her. Still, they would not fire indiscriminately toward her. That was perfect as far as Ito was concerned; he would leave her with Miyake. His boss wouldn’t like his hastily formed plan, but she would have no choice but to go along with it. If he could distract the enemy for even a few seconds, the two women would have a better chance of making it to cover. Preserving his own life was secondary.
He moved to the edge of the car, not peering back at Miyake until he was ready to move. She shook her head violently as expected, but he only grinned at her and winked. Then he darted out onto the sidewalk, bent low to make use of the parked cars, firing out at the muzzle flashes which sent bullets soaring and ricocheting all around him. He expected to feel the telltale white hot stabbing pain any moment, but it did not come. Instead, he found himself crouched behind a parked minivan five feet in front of the doorway, providing cover fire for Miyake and Kagome as they hurried along behind him.
Suddenly Kagome went limp, sinking to the ground like dead weight as Miyake skidded to a halt. Ito instantly knew that was a mistake. The bullet struck her in the upper leg; she twisted with the impact, rolling to the ground as other projectiles passed overhead. She crawled toward him, grimacing painfully. Ito realized what had happened; one of the gunmen, probably the best marksman of the bunch, had hit Kagome with a tranquilizer dart. She was lying motionless on the sidewalk, not ten feet from him, but never had Ito felt that something was so unreachably far away. Still, he had to try. He was a professional; her life was more important that his. And with Miyake hampered by her injury, he was the only one who could save her.
It came as no surprise to him, however, when after two steps toward Kagome that long-awaited agony finally struck him in the stomach, sending him keeling over backwards onto the pavement. His insides burned, and part of him just wanted to lie there and die, but the insistent tugging on his shoulder reminded him that he still had someone to protect, even if Kagome was beyond his aid now. Gritting his teeth, he rolled over and crawled with Miyake to the doorway, every move a riot of torment.
He flopped against the recessed wall, pale and exhausted. Miyake took his free hand and pressed it into the wound on his stomach, causing him to cry out. He dimly heard her tell him to keep it there. Though his vision swam, he willed his shaking right hand to be steady, his aim to be true. As long as he could draw breath, he would shoot anyone who came around that corner.
Miyake peered around the side of the doorway, only to swiftly duck back as bullets sliced into the stonework. They were indeed trapped, as she feared. To try to leave would bring certain death; any rescue attempt would be suicidal. As rotten as it made her feel, she had to worry about her subordinate now. Judging by the blood loss and his ashen complexion, he would die within a quarter hour if he did not receive medical attention. Since Kagome was beyond their aid now, it made sense to try to save Ito. But this logic did not make the heavy weight in her chest any less burdensome. I’m sorry, Kagome.
She heard voices and footsteps as their foes moved in closer, no doubt keeping their weapons trained on the doorway.
“Hey, Naicho scum!” one man yelled. “You dead yet?!”
“Come over here and find out!” Miyake retorted. If she could keep them engaged, then maybe the police would arrive in time to rescue Kagome. But another man spoke, this one with authority in his tone, and ordered a withdrawal. She guessed that it was Yoshida, who had obviously heard the sirens in the distance as clearly as she had. The enemy had got what they wanted; killing her and Ito was just an unnecessary bonus.
As engines revved and tires rolled, Miyake leaned out only to be once again rebuffed by ready weapons. That had been a close call; she had received a clean cut across her cheek for her efforts. She waited until several automobile doors closed before making one final attempts, but her frantic attempts to disable the vehicles were ineffectual, and they quickly sped out of sight.
“Fuck!” she swore, unused to failure, unused to the sickening sensation of knowing that an innocent life was about to end horribly because she had underestimated her enemies. She would never have believed that a mere mercenary could be bolder and more dangerous than even the most feared yakuza groups, but Yoshida Saburou was one such man. (2)
Utterly distraught, Miyake did something she had not done since childhood; she raised her eyes to the heavens and threw up a prayer. Please, somehow, let Kagome be saved.
* * *
Inuyasha could tell from the fading glow of the time portal that his arrival in the modern era had not gone unnoticed. It was far too quiet up above, and he grasped Tetsusaiga’s hilt tightly, waiting for any sign of movement. He was ready when a lone gunman leaned over the side of the well and fired a tranquilizer dart; the projectile pinged harmlessly off the surface of his transformed blade. But Inuyasha did not leap out of the hole, as his enemies were probably expecting. No matter what, he must not be predictable. There was no room for error here. Instead, he launched a Kaze no Kizu straight upward. The blades of youki chewed along the side of the well until they reached the top and exploded into the air. Even with only a fraction of his normal swing possible, the effect was spectacular. And it was the perfect cover; the light, noise, and potentially fatal currents of energy would make even the most hardened warrior flinch. Inuyasha leapt and landed smoothly on the disturbed soil amidst the ruins of the well house. He instantly analyzed his surroundings; there were three enemies, one kneeling by his side frantically reloading his rifle, and two on his left. Both of the latter were bringing their firearms to bear. Inuyasha was sure he could take out the kneeling man and the closer of the other two before being fired upon, and probably the last man as well. But before he rendered these men incapable of warning their boss that he was coming, he needed one of them to talk.
Moving too quickly for the kneeling man to react, he sidestepped to the right and knocked the weapon from his hands. Then he hauled him upright, his elbow locked tightly around the gunman’s throat and his other hand resting on the shoulder in an ideal killing position, his claws glinting menacingly. And just in case the hapless man’s comrades didn’t place much value in his well-being, Inuyasha turned them so his captive was positioned as a human shield. Still, as unlikely as success seemed, he figured threatening the hostage was worth a shot.
“Drop your weapons!” he ordered, choking the struggling man tighter. These bastards were familiar with his physical strength, but an abject lesson in the futility of resistance couldn’t hurt. It seemed to work, as the man in his grasp stopped fighting and stood there wheezing loudly. The other two exchanged a glance, and then, to Inuyasha’s surprise, lowered their weapons to the ground and backed away from them a couple steps.
At this point the hanyou had to wonder what kind of trick this was. But there was no one sneaking up behind him; his ears and nose had been alert for that the entire time. Were they just trying to buy some time for their leader to get away? And why didn’t they seem familiar? Where were the men he had previously fought? Too many questions to ask, especially when there was only one he really cared about.
“Where’s Kagome?” he demanded harshly. Again the two free gunmen looked at each other, but did not answer. Inuyasha snarled, flexing his claws.
“Tell me where she is,” he roared, “or your buddy gets his throat ripped out!” And as much as he hated killing humans, Inuyasha meant every word. Again, there was no room for error here. In this case, showing mercy would be a mistake.
His enemies seemed to grasp how serious he was, for one of them spoke up quickly. “She’s on her way back to Naicho headquarters.”
“What the fuck is Naicho?!” Inuyasha bellowed, jabbing his claws into his captive’s neck, deep enough to draw blood. He would take no more bullshit.
“We’re not who you think we are,” the agent answered firmly. “We are not affiliated with the men who kidnapped you. Kagome is safe. We will protect her from any harm.”
Inuyasha stared dumbfounded for a moment. Whatever he’d been expecting, that wasn’t it. More than anything, he was just shocked that this bastard had the gall to lie to him like that after trying to shoot him. That miserable little—
“Inuyasha?”
That soft, feminine voice was nearly his undoing. He could not help but turn his head to see if that really was Mrs. Higurashi emerging from the house. And in that brief moment of distraction, his grip loosened just enough for his captive to make a move. It was a good one, and if Inuyasha had tried to reclaim his hold he would have wound up clutching nothing but air with two darts sticking out of his chest. Instead, he rolled to the ground, sprinted toward Mrs. Higurashi, grabbed her and bolted inside the house just as the darts thunked against the siding. He slammed the door shut and locked it, his senses frantically searching for any other enemies inside the house. But the only inhabitants he could detect were Kagome’s kid brother and the old man, both of whom were hurrying toward him barking amazed exclamations and questions.
Inuyasha currently lacked the mental capacity to handle any of it; he was too confused to even form a coherent sentence. Fortunately, Mrs. Higurashi seemed to realize that an explanation was required—and a quick one at that.
“Don’t worry, Inuyasha; they were telling the truth. Kagome is safe.”
At this, the hanyou felt a burst of indignation which finally broke through his befuddled stupor.
“Then why the hell did they attack me?!” he demanded, ushering the Higurashi family further into the house, away from the doors and windows.
“Well…” she tried, looking a bit worried, “I’m afraid I really don’t know what their plans for you are.”
Inuyasha growled. “Great, so they have Kagome and they apparently want me too. What, am I supposed to give myself up?”
“No!” Mrs. Higurashi responded forcefully. “They won’t use Kagome as a hostage. She really is safe with them…even if you might not be.”
Inuyasha swore under his breath. It was wonderful that Kagome was out of danger, but he hadn’t come back here just to rescue her. How am I supposed to tell her how I feel if she’s with those bastards? How can I even get to her? Still, he decided to put that aside for now and focus on the superb news that she was alive and well. He wouldn’t feel completely reassured until she was once again under his protection, but it was a tremendous relief to find that she was safe.
Or was she? As much as he wanted to take Mrs. Higurashi at her word, he couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that something was terribly wrong. It didn’t feel like paranoia, more of an instinctual sense of foreboding. And during his life, especially his harsh younger days, he had learned to trust those threads of intuition. More often than not, they pulled him in the right direction.
Even if he found that this feeling was paranoia, he had to get out of here anyway to avoid being captured. If he was going to leave, he might as well have a destination.
“Can you tell me how to get to wherever they’re taking her?” he asked hurriedly.
Mrs. Higurashi’s brow furrowed in concern. “But why? Do you think—”
“Please,” he implored, ears shifting to follow the sounds of soft movements outside. His pursuers were getting into position as they spoke. Still, he listened avidly as Mrs. Higurashi described as best she could the directions to Naicho headquarters, using landmarks he knew or could easily find. It did not occur to him how difficult the task would be, only that he gain the information necessary to accomplish it.
“Let the family go, Inuyasha!” called one of the agents outside. “None of us want them to get hurt!”
“Get outside,” the hanyou ordered, in complete agreement. Now that he knew the three humans in the house didn’t need his protection, he wanted them out of the crossfire.
“Now see here,” Kagome’s grandfather barked, pointing his finger in Inuyasha’s face. “I will not be kicked out of my own—”
“Oh, yes you will!” Mrs. Higurashi interrupted. “We are not going to give Inuyasha anything else to worry about.”
Already she was pushing Souta toward the front door. The old man followed reluctantly, grumbling under his breath.
“They’re coming out the front!” Inuyasha hollered so the agents would restrain their trigger fingers. Mrs. Higurashi, however, remained behind for a moment.
“Why did you come back?” she wondered softly. “Why did Kagome come back without you?”
Inuyasha grimaced. “It’s complicated,” was all he said, but Mrs. Higurashi nodded in understanding. She probably did have a pretty good idea what had happened, he reflected. It was not as though Kagome had never returned to her time heartbroken before.
Mrs. Higurashi didn’t say anything else as she went to join her son and father-in-law in the foyer. She could see in Inuyasha’s steely, determined expression that she did not need to. He was committed to making right whatever misunderstanding had taken place between him and her daughter. Kagome was, as always, in good hands. Whether he realized or not, Inuyasha was utterly devoted to her. And she had a sneaking suspicion that maybe, just maybe, he did realize it now.
The three Higurashis hurried outside, not turning around until they had reached the center of the shrine grounds. The gunmen were spaced evenly around the perimeter of the house, covering all the windows and doors. They appeared content to wait Inuyasha out, especially since backup was almost assuredly on the way.
But Inuyasha knew this as well, and at any rate, his vague apprehension would not allow him to stay in the house any longer. They heard a cracking and tearing noise, then a second later several roof tiles cascaded down to the ground. The gunmen turned their weapons skyward, but nobody could see where on the roof Inuyasha was. And that proved to the crucial factor, as the cussing of one man in particular informed them that the hanyou had slipped the net.
Minutes later, Mrs. Higurashi found herself standing in her upstairs hallway, staring up at the night sky through the freshly-made hole in her ceiling. She sighed. She was happy that Inuyasha had escaped, but couldn’t he have found a less destructive way? Miyake had better believe she’s paying for this too…
Far more important than that, however, was the hanyou’s apparent belief that Kagome might be in danger. But if her daughter really was in trouble, she was glad Inuyasha was on his way. The hanyou had her absolute trust when it came to Kagome’s safety. Still, she would worry, as mothers are want to do. She only hoped that in this case, Inuyasha’s instincts were wrong.
* * *
What the hell am I doing?Inuyasha snarled, pounding his fist into the concrete rooftop of the building he was currently sitting upon. It had been the height of naiveté to believe that he could find Naicho headquarters based on hastily-conveyed instructions from Kagome’s mother. This city was enormous, a sea of millions and millions of people among thousands of buildings and structures. He had been lost before he began the quest.
He recalled Mrs. Higurashi’s directions clearly, but could not follow them. Was that building the landmark she had described, or was it that other one over there? Or had he messed up the last step and wound up on the wrong course altogether? Perhaps he could have done better with more detail, but there hadn’t been time. The best he could hope to do was travel in the general direction of his target. And at worst he would end up in the wrong section of the city entirely.
But he couldn’t give up; the unsettling feeling had only intensified as he ran. Kagome was in danger, he was almost sure of it. Sighing, he stood, glancing between the two possible landmarks and trying to pick the one that best matched Mrs. Higurashi’s vague description. Keh, I might as well just choose at random.
The sound of sirens drew his attention downward, to the street below where two cars with flashing lights were trying to make their way through traffic. Inuyasha realized they were police cars; Kagome had told him about them after confessing her stupid attempt to call the police from that bastard Sasaki’s house. The sirens and lights meant that someone was committing a crime, or some other emergency had occurred or was in progress. It intrigued him; perhaps his sense of foreboding was linked to the crisis these officers were heading towards? With his first plan unable to get off the ground, it was at least worth investigating. (3)
He followed the cars for a few blocks before they turned right, and then he saw it. In the distance, against the backdrop of buildings a faint flickering glow that could only mean one thing—fire. He accelerated, no longer content to follow the police. He would get to the scene first and have a little time to investigate before they got there.
It was carnage, utter carnage. A burning vehicle pumped acrid black smoke into the air, and all around was littered debris, ruined automobiles, and even a few corpses. Lights were on in the adjacent buildings but no one had emerged to help. Evidently there had been some kind of battle here which had scared everyone into staying indoors. Inuyasha landed in the middle of the devastation, immediately putting his nose to work. Even amid the smoke, blood, gasoline, and other scents, if he could just catch one whiff of Kagome he would know she had been here. He prayed that she was not still here, contributing to the pervasive smell of death.
For several nerve-wracking moments, he found nothing. Then, as he approached a pair of skid marks in the pavement, a jolt ran through his body. Nose to the road, he made sure he was not imagining things. He grinned victoriously. She had been here; he’d found the trail! But his smile soon faded, for it was not only her pure scent which assaulted his nostrils. There were others, male scents, including at least one he recognized. And finally he understood what had happened. Yoshida and his gang had attacked, wiped out Kagome’s guards, and carried her off in whatever vehicle had left these marks. Fuck! Yeah, Kagome’s real safe with Naicho. Fucking idiots handed her right back to Yoshida!
Wanting to be sure, he followed Kagome’s scent until it abruptly changed direction. But just as he made the turn, he heard a sharp click and spun to face the source of the sound. A woman was standing there, leaning heavily against the side of a recessed doorway. She was bleeding from a wound in her upper leg, but the hands which held a pistol pointed straight at his chest were firm and her eyes were cold and angry. Before Inuyasha even had a chance to think about who this woman was, she lowered her weapon, her eyes widening in recognition.
“Inuyasha?”
Her articulation of his name was a shock to Inuyasha’s system. Rage flooded his body; this was one of the failures who were supposed to be protecting Kagome! He wanted to berate her for being alive. But there was something far more important than making this woman suffer, so he dismissed any such ideas without a second thought.
“Where’s Kagome?!” he demanded. “Where did they take her?!”
The woman shook her head. “I don’t know,” she replied, hesitating a moment before nodding resolutely. “But you may be able to find her with this,” she told him, taking something small out of her pocket. Inuyasha darted to her side, observing as she told him how it worked.
“I put a tracking device on Kagome’s shirt in case we lost her somehow. This blue dot,” she said, pointing to the bottom of the tiny screen, “is you. The red one is Kagome.” She indicated a blinking red dot three quarters of the way up the screen and moving rapidly away from the blue dot every second.
“Get her back!” she pleaded, clutching his sleeve tightly. Inuyasha nodded, stunned at the remorse he saw in her gaze. He was suddenly glad that he had not taken his frustration out on her. She was incompetent, but at least she cared.
“Now,” Miyake said, handing him the device and releasing his shirt. “Go look in the trunk of that car. You will find something that belongs t—hey!”
But Inuyasha was already gone, not caring what else she had to say now that he had a way to find Kagome. He flew over the rooftops, feeling grim satisfaction as the red dot grew closer and closer to the blue one. I’m coming for you, Kag—what the hell?!
The red dot had suddenly vanished. Inuyasha smacked the device a few times, but got no response. A horrible thought occurred to him. Shit, they must have found the tracker on Kagome!
“Dammit!” he roared, rearing back and smashing the device into a hundred pieces. He pressed onward without its guidance, his breathing increasingly labored as nameless dread pressed down on him. He scanned the streets below for anything unusual, anything out of place, but saw nothing. There were too many roads, and no guarantees whatsoever that Yoshida had continued on his straight course. Perhaps they were leaving the city altogether?
Inuyasha finally stumbled to a halt, panting as he gazed out over the mammoth metropolis, each anonymous building, each unnamable avenue driving another stake into his tattered resolve. He was…never going to find Kagome. How could he? She was lost in this immense human wilderness, bereft of any semblance of a trail. And beyond was the world, a seemingly endless expanse, so vast that he could spend a thousand years searching for a treasure and never locate it. And Kagome would not live for a thousand years. He could not even guarantee that she would survive the night.
He sank to his knees, that same dazed, empty feeling from earlier assailing him. He had thought Kagome gone forever back then, too. Only this time, Kikyou would not save the day with a well-timed change of heart. But he had been wrong to despair then, and perhaps he was wrong to do so now. Kagome was in mortal peril, but the fact remained that she was most useful as a hostage. If Yoshida was still more interested in his hanyou prize than a young woman, then he may yet be able to save her. The trouble was getting into contact with the mercenary, and the trick was ensuring Kagome’s safety if he did. Even if he turned himself in, could he trust Yoshida to keep his word?
But all that was a worry for another day. At this moment, he at least knew that Kagome was still within the city limits; not enough time had elapsed for her captors to reach the outskirts. He needed to keep searching. Maybe he would get lucky. Very lucky, he corrected. Dammit, Kagome. Where are you?
A pulse. It resounded through his skull, then faded away as quickly as it had come. But in its wake it left a confused but hopeful hanyou. Subconsciously he had called out to Kagome. And it almost felt like she had called back.
He frantically tried to recreate the connection, but found he was too excited to focus properly. Taking a deep breath, he attempted to calm his racing blood. His thoughts turned toward Kagome, recalling how badly he needed her, how much he loved her. And then, with his body relaxing, he was finally able to reach the plateau of Zen he sought. He couldn’t see her, even inside his mind. But she was there; she curled teasingly around him, beckoning him to follow. Like a gust of scent on the wind or a string of spider’s silk, she drew him toward her. But he did not follow, for to do so within his consciousness would be meaningless. The peaceful artificial world faded away, leaving him once more kneeling on the hard rooftop.
Inuyasha opened his eyes, for a moment merely reflecting on this new development. He could not help but feel humbled. He had always known that Kagome was special, but never before had they shared something so amazing together. Well, maybe once, but this was completely different. This was something most couples could only dream of, no matter how much they loved each other. They were special, far more than either of them alone. As for the why, he didn’t think it had much to do at all with physical intimacy. It seemed more likely that finally being honest with each other—or himself—about their feelings had allowed them to reach the full potential of their supernatural power. But whatever the reason, he could not let this time of contemplation last any longer. He still had his woman to save. (4)
He ran, faster than he had ever run before, following his instincts. It was as though Kagome’s subconscious plea had set off a homing beacon; he could feel the recurring resonations rippling through his form. The city receded in grandeur as he ran; buildings grew shorter and lights thinned out. Finally a dilapidated old building came into view up ahead. Inuyasha’s heart throbbed, his chest heating almost painfully as he stared. She was there; he had no doubt.
Excited male chattering drew his attention to the street below, where a large group of men emerged from the abandoned factory and got into vehicles. One had a medium-sized bag slung over his shoulder, and all were armed. Inuyasha didn’t know that these were the hired hands Yoshida had placed on call for a situation like tonight leaving with their pay, nor did he care who they were. Kagome was inside the building. The goons were driving away; he didn’t have to worry about them anymore.
When the vehicles were gone and the street was quiet once more, Inuyasha leapt across to one of the broken second floor windows and silently slipped inside the factory. He weaved his way through the rusty machinery looking for a stairwell. He found it, made sure the coast was clear, and crept down the first few steps. Then he peered under the railing at the first floor below, both disturbed and elated at what he saw. About twenty feet from the stairs, on the right, was a door. And standing in front of that door was a man Inuyasha recognized. He did not know his name, but this guy had been with Yoshida from the beginning. And despite the looming difficulties, the hanyou could not help but grin; the rest of the posse was in that room, as was Kagome.
His heart leapt as he heard her voice, her tone and words defiant. The ensuing slap of flesh-on-flesh nearly gave him away; he had to forcefully stifle a snarl. Several rapid breaths did little to soothe his wild rage, but he did at least calm down enough to analyze the situation clearly. Yes, he had to move quickly; the threatening voices on the other side of the door told him as much. But more important were stealth and execution, because he would only get one chance at this. A headlong wrath-fueled charge was not exactly the ideal strategy. First, he had to take out that guard without alerting anyone inside to his presence. And that, unfortunately, meant killing him. A knockout blow would necessarily create a loud noise, but severing a windpipe would not. Inuyasha didn’t like it, but he had prepared himself for this already. This was purely a fight for survival; nothing else mattered.
He picked up a small piece of brick from the debris and snuck down to the landing. There, leaning against the wall in shadow, he took a deep breath. Then he threw the projectile as hard as he could. The sharp sound of impact off to the side drew the guard’s attention for the crucial fraction of a second while Inuyasha bore down on him.
The elimination was brutal and bloody; by the time he noticed Inuyasha, the guard did not even have time to choke out a shocked cry. Inuyasha saw it happening in slow motion, the corpse’s right hand falling to the side, the rifle slipping from lifeless fingers. But with his free hand holding up the body, he could not immediately make a grab for the weapon.
Nothing had ever seemed so unforgivably loud to the hanyou as the crack of that rifle striking the floor. It hit butt-first, bouncing into the air where he finally caught it. He held his breath, listening intently.
“What was that?” came Yoshida’s voice. The radio on the dead man’s belt crackled to life. “Ishikawa? Everything alright out there?”
Inuyasha set down the body as quietly as he could, cursing his carelessness all the while.
“He’s probably just taking a piss, boss,” said another man.
“Shut up!” Yoshida growled. “Weapons up.”
Inuyasha grimaced; he was in a tough spot now. The mercenaries knew something was wrong, and if he went through that door, chances were high that he would wake up in a cage somewhere. But already a new plan was forming; he pulled Tetsusaiga from its sheath, the soft scrape only audible to his ears. If I can’t use the entrance, I’ll just have to make another one.
He readied the sword. Then, he charged.
(1) Remember that people in Japan drive on the left and have the driver’s side of their cars on the right
(2) Apparently not all yakuza are “bad”; stereotypical views of them are sometimes inaccurate. But undoubtedly some groups really are like organized crime networks or gangs, so that’s why I said “even the most feared Yakuza groups.” See the Wikipedia page for more info
(3) If you’re wondering why there were only two police cars, there were definitely others coming in from other directions. Inuyasha just happened to notice these two, the first that would have been on the scene
(4) Don’t read too much into the connection thing. I’ve always believed that Inuyasha and Kagome have the potential to share something more than a normal relationship. One’s a powerful miko, and the other’s the son of one of the strongest youkai who ever lived. And, in this story at least, they’ve fully realized their feelings for each other and consummated their relationship (in a backwards sort of way). Still, I won’t be taking it any farther than that. No youkai bonding or the like in this particular story
Adventures in Baka-Land
Angry Mob – “Rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble rabble.”
KB – “Uh-oh, the readers seem to be upset about my latest cliffhanger.”
Angry Mob – *more rabbling*
KB – “That’s okay. I’ll just tell them that they only have to wait two or three weeks for the thrilling conclusion and I’m sure they’ll underst—”
Angry Mob – “RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE!!!”
KB - *runs away crying*
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