InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Living The Promise ❯ Back to Work ( Chapter 15 )

Chapter 15: Back to Work

 

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The stillness of the night was broken by a splash followed moments later by the sound of a vehicle driving away.

 

“Well that is the last one Muso.” The dark haired driver looked over at the speaker, hiding the faint shiver that ran down his spine at Goshinki's look of pleased satisfaction.

 

Muso sighed and shook his head. “That is the last of the homeowners. We still need to take care of Inuyasha and Kagome.” Muso fell silent as he maneuvered through the dark back streets; taking a roundabout route back to their hideout. He tried to hold back another sigh. He really wished that he could get out of this whole business. Muso hated the fact that he was nothing more than an assassin for hire; but he knew that Goshinki and the others would never let him go free.

 

Muso looked over at Goshinki as he started to chuckle. “We can always take them swimming, just like that last holdout.”

 

“Get real, man! Kagura told us to be extra careful that nothing could be pointed to us, and therefore back to the Onigumo Empire.”

 

“You worry too much, Muso.” Goshinki pulled out his gun and checked to make sure it was well loaded. “All we need to do is make it look like a botched burglary. Bang! Bang! All obstacles are removed.”

 

Muso didn't reply. Sometimes, he felt, Goshinki was too blood thirsty for comfort. “I'll talk to Kagura in the morning and we'll make a plan. In the mean time, we need to lay low until any possible heat has blown over.”

 

Goshinki just gave him a feral smile and pointed his gun at Muso's head, saying “Bang!”

 

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Kagome breathed a sigh of pleasure as she stepped into the newspaper building. It had been two weeks since she had been released from the hospital and she was more than ready to get back to work.

 

“Welcome back, Kagome! You are looking quite well for someone who had a building fall on them!” Kagome smiled at the receptionist as she picked up her messages.

 

“Thanks, Mai. It feels good to be getting back to work again.”

 

Mai smiled fondly at Kagome. “How is that little girl you adopted doing?” She watched as Kagome's eyes softened and a soft smile lit up her face.

 

“Rin is doing wonderful. In fact, that is the only bad thing about returning to work; not being able to spend as much time with her. Aunt Kaede has come down to stay with us to watch Rin while Inuyasha and I are working.”

 

“I am glad to hear that Kagome. Congratulations on the adoption and welcome back.” Mai gave Kagome a quick hug and turned to answer the ringing phone.

 

Kagome smiled and headed for her desk; fielding the many calls of “welcome back” from coworkers.

 

Taking a seat, she quickly sorted through her messages. Out of the pile, only two caught her interest. It looked like a couple of her contacts found some information for her.

 

Making a few phone calls, she set meeting times with each of them; the first one at a coffee shop in just over an hour, the other was scheduled for lunchtime.

 

“Well, I better call Inuyasha then,” Kagome thought to herself. He had reminded her of the promise she had made about not going anywhere related to the story without some sort of back up.

 

She picked up the phone and gave him a call. Inuyasha promised to be there and watch her back. Kagome thanked him and hung up. Looking at the clock, she found she had some time to work on the back log of paperwork that covered her desk.

 

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With Inuyasha settled where he could keep an eye on her without intruding, Kagome sat sipping her latte, waiting for her contact to show.

 

Moments later a young man with blond streaks in his shoulder length dark hair entered and sat down across from her. Kagome smiled at the young man she only knew as Hebi (snake). She met him while doing the story on gangs. He had grown up in the same gang that his father had been in. With Kagome's help, he was finally able to leave the gang, but he still kept in touch with some of his buddies.

 

Hebi placed a small package on the table and gave her a rakish grin. “Hey Kags! It is good to see you doing well.”

 

“Hello Hebi. You are looking quite well yourself. I like what you have done with your hair.” He colored briefly and ran a hand through it.

 

“You like? My girl convinced me to do it and I am not sure I like it.”

 

“I think it suits you.”

 

Kagome and Hebi exchanged some small talk before he got down to the reason for the meeting.

 

“The word on the streets is that those people who haven't sold their houses have disappeared.”

 

“What do you mean, disappeared?” Kagome asked. She didn't like the sounds of that.

 

“I mean, they are just gone. Granted, most of the houses were destroyed in the quake, but even last week there were those who had returned to their residences. Now those same residences are empty.”

 

Kagome nibbled her thumb as she tried to think this through. “Could they have simply moved away?” Hebi nodded.

 

“Maybe some of them, but there was a group of three old farts that swore up and down that they would never leave the homes that they were born in until the day they died. Old man Usagi was just snapping at the city officials on Friday, now he is nowhere to be found.”

 

“I see; very disturbing news.” Kagome fell silent as she took another sip of her latte.

 

Hebi pushed the package he had brought with him over to Kagome. “Here. One of my buddies found this half-buried where some of the construction for the new shelter is taking place.”

 

Kagome picked it up and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a set of prayer beads that seemed to give off a feeling of great age. She looked back up at Hebi, curiosity in her gaze.

 

“You said that he found these half-buried? Was there anything else with them?”

 

Hebi smiled at her, pleased with her reaction towards the beads. “Yeah, he found them in the dirt. He gave `em to me and I washed them up a bit. They were so dirty, I thought that someone had connected a bunch of rocks together. As far as I know, there wasn't anything else with them.”

 

Kagome sat staring at the beads, running them through her fingers. “If you or your buddies find anything else like this, please let me know.”

 

Hebi looked at her, a hint of surprise in his chocolate eyes. “Yeah, okay. I will keep my eyes and ears open and see what I can find out about the disappearances too.” Hebi stood to his feet.

 

Kagome stood as well. “Please be careful out there, Hebi”

 

He looked her with another rakish grin. “But of course!” With a jaunty salute, Hebi left the coffee shop. Inuyasha walked over to her.

 

“What did he give you?” Kagome showed him the prayer beads. He examined them closely before handing them back to her. “They look old. Show them to Kaede tonight and see what she thinks.”

 

Kagome nodded her agreement as she tucked the beads into her purse. “I will do that.”

 

Kagome and Inuyasha left the coffee shop. Kagome filled him in on what Hebi said about the disappearances.

 

“There is something strange going on here. I am missing something, but I don't know what.” Kagome's voice resonated with the frustration she was feeling. Inuyasha reached over and grasped her hand, rubbing his thumb across her palm in a soothing fashion.

 

“I have the utmost faith that you will get to the bottom of this, Kagome. Don't be so hard on yourself.”

 

Kagome smiled gratefully at him, causing Inuyasha to blush lightly. Leaning over, she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Inuyasha. That means a lot to me.”

 

“Feh!” With that, Inuyasha pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards Kagome's next meeting.

 

Neither Inuyasha nor Kagome noticed as a dark vehicle pulled out and followed behind them.

 

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TBC

 

A/N: YEAH! This story has now passed the 100 review mark! Thanks to all of my wonderful reviewers! You are all my inspiration for writing! Also, thanks to my wonderful beta, Breezie for being willing to be my guinea pig and allowing me to run ideas past her! You all are awesome!

 

As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!