InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Dark Hour ❯ All Falls Down ( Chapter 20 )

Ch. 20

All Falls Down...

Kagome could see the yellow police tape as she made her way slowly to the entrance of the alleyway. There were quite a few uniformed men at the site, taking down notes from possible witnesses and investigating the scene. She pulled out her trusty notepad and walked up to a familiar face.

"How's it going, Walker?" She greeted a good-looking blonde man. He looked up from the notes he was jotting down and waved at her. He said a few more words to the man he was talking to before making his way over to her.

"Higurashi, long time no see." He said, tipping his hat up a bit further. Kagome peered around, tapping her pen rapidly against the notepad.

"So what's the situation?" She inquired. He looked around uneasily, shifting from foot to foot. "I don't know if I should be talking to you, Kagome." He said seriously. Kagome gave him one of her most pleading looks. "Come on, Walker! You help me, I help you, remember?"

He sighed. "Alright, but my name stays out of it." He said adamantly. Kagome nodded, giving him a delighted smile. He gestured toward the alley.

"At approximately four-thirty this morning, a young woman was found dead in the alley." He frowned slightly. "Her body was covered in..." He paused, shaking his head. "The entire body seemed to have been slashed with an unknown object." Kagome looked up from the notepad. "Slashed?" She echoed. He nodded, his eyes sad. Despite his job and striking appearance, Walker had a sensitive soul. Kagome often wondered how he got through the day after the horrors he witnessed.

"Not to mention the missing body parts." He added grimly. Kagome gasped softly. "How horrible!" She exclaimed. He nodded, sharing her sentiment. "I've been with the NYPD going on five years now and I've never seen anything as grisly as this." He admitted. Kagome placed the notepad back in her bag.

"Do you have any idea who the woman was?" She asked, her eyes traveling back to the alleyway. Walker shook his head. "The woman had nothing on her. No purse, identification, nothing."

"Any idea of a motive?" She returned her gaze to him. He shrugged. "This murder doesn't fit the normal profile," He said, his voice troubled. "Even the scene of the crime doesn't actually appear to be the initial scene." Kagome could tell by the sound of his voice that this was no ordinary case. All the more reason for her to dig deeper.

"Do you think I could take a quick peek at the scene?" She asked hopefully. Walker opened his mouth to protest, but Kagome clasped her hands together. "Please, Walker, I need this story!" He rolled his eyes. "Higurashi, I feel sorry for the guy that ends up with you!" He muttered, taking her by the arm and leading her through the throng of people to the alley.

After clearing her with the rest of the uniforms, he pointed to the far end of the alley. "That's where the body was found. I've got to call the headquarters, but you can go on down there. I'll be right back." He turned to leave. "And don't touch anything!" He told her sternly. Kagome gave him an exasperated look before making her way down the alley. There were still a few men and women with rubber gloves raking over the scene, but for the most part, Kagome found herself alone at the end of the alley. As she neared a chain link fence that marked the end of the alley before it opened up to another street, she noticed long dark streaks on the pavement.

"Blood." She muttered to herself, feeling her stomach twist. From the looks of the streaks, the body had been drug across the ground. In the corner, near an opening in the fence, was a large splotch of the same dark substance. Kagome deduced that this was the spot where the woman had lain as she bled to death. 'If she wasn't already dead from the mutilation.' She thought to herself.

She looked around, finding nothing of importance. She had enough to write a short summary of the murder. Once the police had more information, she'd be able to develop the story further. As she was about to leave, she caught a movement out of the corner of her eye.

There, on the other side of the fence, stood a little boy. His dark hair and deathly pale skin contrasted greatly. Kagome smiled at the boy, hooking her hands through the links in the metal fence.

"Hello." She said. The boy stood staring at her, his eyes lackluster. Kagome's smile faltered, bothered by the strange boy. She gestured toward the alley, behind her.

"Did you see anything that happened here?" She asked softly. The boy remained still and silent, his eyes boring into her. Kagome shifted uneasily. The little boy was starting to creep her out.

"Do you live around here?" She asked, trying to get any kind of response out the boy. Still that inanimate stare. "Well...it was nice...talking." She said as she turned to hurry from the mute boy.

"He is the darkness that will swallow you whole."

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks. Every inch of her body seemed to have turned to ice. The words seemed to echo around her. She turned around slowly. The boy hadn't moved.

"W-what?"

The boy raised one thin arm, his finger pointing at her. "He knows that you didn't complete your task. You displeased him." Kagome gave a quick shake of her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. Maybe y-you have me mixed up with someone else..."

The little boy walked up to the fence until his face was pressed against the cold metal. Kagome took a step back.

"Master will call for you again." His eyes flitted to the corner to the burgundy blotch. "She was a warning." His gaze returned to Kagome's. In that moment, it seemed as if the world slowed to a crawl, everything happening in slow motion. Kagome looked from the dried puddle in the corner to the little boy standing before her.

"A...warning?" She repeated, her ears starting to ring. She didn't know what was happening, why this strange little boy was telling her these things. Master? Warning?

"His soldiers of darkness will soon rise." The boy left as silently as he'd come, leaving Kagome totally dumbfounded. She wanted to call out to the boy, but something told her that he wouldn't respond.

Kagome let her arms drop to her sides. She tried to make sense of what she'd just been told, but how did one make sense of gibberish, nonsense words that had no...

An image of dark hair flashed through her mind. Silky, bone straight onyx hair.

Kagome turned and ran before she even knew what she was doing. She ignored the startled, irritated looks thrown her way as she stumbled through the crowd.

"Hey, Higurashi!" She flew past Walker, only one thought occupying her mind.

Why didn't she see it? How could she miss such an important clue?

'Please, please, please don't let me be right.' She chanted over and over to herself. She rushed past faceless people, her heart burning in her chest.

'Please.'

Kagome pushed through the heavy glass doors and hurried through the lobby. She ran to the elevators, frantically pushing the up button.

'Please.'

She choked back a sob welling in her throat, her vision beginning to blur. It couldn't be true. The little boy was lying, telling a horrible joke. As much as Kagome wanted to believe this, she knew it wasn't true. The cold lifelessness in the boy's eyes had been real. That couldn't be made up. He reminded her of...herself. The thought was lost as the elevator doors opened swiftly. She stepped inside and punched the button for the third floor.

'Please.'

Her heart was thundering in her chest, bursting to get out.

She was a warning.

She felt a tear slip down her cheek. The elevator doors opened and she broke out, her feet automatically carrying her towards her destination. She was running blindly now, her breath coming in short gasps. It was all a dream, just a bad dream.

'Please.'

She was at the door now, her fists pounding madly on the wood. She was screaming now, her voice sounding insane even to her own ears.

"SANGO!"

Why wasn't she coming to the door? Didn't she hear her pounding?

"SANGO!"

Her hands were starting to ache, but she didn't care. None of it mattered if...

'Please.'

~~~~~~

Sesshomaru pulled into the garage and cut the engine. He looked over at Onigumo, his gaze guarded. Onigumo had been silent for the entire ride, his expression unreadable.

Without a word, Sesshomaru exited the car, making his way into the house. Onigumo followed silently behind him. Sesshomaru went into the kitchen and poured himself a drink, something he rarely did. Alcohol was something that made you weak, dulled your senses, but at the moment, Sesshomaru needed something to take the edge off. He poured a second glass and offered it to his uncle. Onigumo took it with a nod and downed it in one gulp.

"Want to tell me what happened back there?" Onigumo finally said, staring into the empty glass. Sesshomaru finished his own drink and poured himself another. Where did he begin? How do you tell your uncle that he's being used as some sort of assassin?

Sesshomaru turned the drink up and gulped it down, grimacing slightly as the liquid burned a trail down to his gut. He'd figured it out after seeing the woman in the restaurant, remembering her from Tranquil Springs. Gensai, E. She'd been just as inanimate as Onigumo had been, but there she was, except...Sesshomaru doubted she knew what was going on. No, she'd just been a mindless puppet. Sesshomaru glanced at Onigumo with a slight frown. Just as his uncle would be.

"Damnit!"

Onigumo jumped as the crystal glass hit the far wall, shattering upon impact. He looked at Sesshomaru, who stood clenching his fist by his side. His nephew had never been one to display such emotion, always calm and cool. Onigumo knew something was wrong.

"What is it, Sesshomaru?" Onigumo prodded gently. Sesshomaru's gaze slowly met the older man's. He opened his mouth, but no words came forth.

"Sesshomaru?" Onigumo said, his voice low. Sesshomaru sighed. He had to tell him.

"The woman in the restaurant, I recognized her from Tranquil Springs." Onigumo's body visibly tensed, but Sesshomaru continued on. "She had been in the same state as you, comatose, but at the restaurant she seemed to be under someone's control, like a mindless robot."

He stopped to judge Onigumo's reaction. He was staring beyond him, his face expressionless. Sesshomaru forged ahead. "The woman's behavior was just like Kagome's, only Kagome was able to snap out of it. I suspect it was possible because she wasn't exposed to the same drugs as the woman or..." He hesitated, averting his gaze. "You."

Onigumo took a deep breath, inhaling slowly. A silence settled over the two. Sesshomaru waited patiently for Onigumo to process the information. He wished he were wrong about all of this, but he wasn't. The facts were crystal clear.

"So you think I'm under the same kind of mind control as that woman?" Onigumo asked quietly. Sesshomaru nodded his head. "Yes, but I don't think Naraku has had a chance to trigger you yet."

Onigumo bowed his head. "My son." He whispered faintly. Sesshomaru heard the heartbreak in his uncle's voice. "So that's why Naraku had me locked up for all these years? To control me?"

Sesshomaru gestured helplessly. Naraku's motives were unclear. It didn't make sense for him to go through all this trouble just to have control over his father's mind. That part was still hidden from him.

"Honestly, I don't know. What I do know is that whatever drugs he used on you and the others in that facility have made you susceptible to...hypnotic suggestions, so to speak. Whatever Naraku wants to plant in your mind will become a reality if he ever gets the chance to trigger you." Sesshomaru said grimly.

Onigumo shook his head, mainly in frustration. "But how did he get to Kagome?" Sesshomaru's jaw clenched. That was something else that he couldn't figure out. If it had been earlier, before their trip to Japan, then she surely would have tried to kill him then. But she hadn't made an attempt until last night, meaning she hadn't been triggered until recently.

"I don't know." Sesshomaru admitted, underlying anger clear in his voice. He felt utterly and completely weak, like everything was beyond his control. He wasn't used to feeling this way.

"Don't let me end up like that woman, Sesshomaru." Onigumo whispered, his voice strong and steady. Sesshomaru turned and left his uncle standing alone in the kitchen. He wasn't sure of anything anymore. He couldn't afford to make promises right now.

~~~~~~

Kagome crumpled to the ground, sobs wracking her body. So it was true. Sango had been the warning.

She shook her head from side to side, not wanting to believe that her best friend was now dead. Why hadn't she--

"What the hell is going on?" The door was flung wide and a very annoyed Sango stood, hands on hips, with a large towel wrapped around her body. She looked down at Kagome, her expression surprised.

"Kagome, what in the world--" Her words were cut short as Kagome rose in one quick motion and threw her arms around the startled woman's neck. Tears of happiness and relief were streaming steadily down her face now.

"Sango!" She cried happily. Sango returned the embrace, thoroughly confused. "Yeah, Kagome." She disentangled herself from the death grip and studied her friend. "You alright, Kagome?" Kagome nodded, feeling a weight lifting from her shoulders. Sango wasn't dead! She was alive!

Neighbors were beginning to poke their heads from their doorways, eyeing the strange scene. Sango quickly ushered Kagome into her apartment and shut the door behind her. She directed her to the couch and sat down next to her.

"Ok, you're really freaking me out," She said, her eyes reflecting her worry. "What's with the emotional display?" Kagome let out a pent up breath and sagged back against the couch. She closed her eyes.

"I don't even know where to begin." She started, rubbing her forehead in slow circles. Sango reached over and smoothed back her hair, knowing without knowing that she something awful had happened.

"There was a murder...Frank wanted me to cover it for the paper and I..." She broke down in tears, her hands covering her face. Sango scooped her into a hug, shushing her quietly. Kagome took a deep breath.

"I went to check it out and a little boy told me that the woman had been a warning and I though it was you and..." She sobbed quietly against Sango's shoulder. Sango now understood, at least partially, why Kagome was in the state she was in.

"It's ok, I'm fine, Kagome." She assured her. Kagome nodded her head. "I know, but when I thought the woman was you...I didn't know what to do."

"I'm sorry I didn't get to the door sooner. I was in the shower and didn't hear your knocking." She apologized. Kagome waved her apology away weakly. "I hope your neighbors don't think you get insane maniacs as visitors regularly." She joked. Sango laughed. "Yeah, well, who cares if I have a maniac as a best friend? I figured that out a while ago."

She ducked as Kagome swatted at her and rose from the couch. "Let me go get dressed and then I'll fix us some coffee." She made her way to the hallway. "And I also want the whole story, Kagome." She said, glancing over her shoulder with a knowing look. Kagome smiled. She couldn't get anything past Sango.

"Wow." Sango said, taking a sip of coffee. She looked at Kagome across the table. She was looking down into her mug, her hair falling around her face. "How come I miss all the fun?" She joked, getting a small laugh out of her friend.

"Yeah, I'm sure Sesshomaru was having a lot of fun while I was trying to kill him." She said, the laughter dying down. Sango cocked her head. "You didn't know what you were doing, Kagome." Kagome shrugged, finally lifting her gaze. "Doesn't matter. I put him in danger." She raised the mug to her lips, sipping the warm liquid. "What if next time, I try to smother him as he lays sleeping beside me?" She realized too late what she'd let slip out.

"While he's laying beside you?" Sango repeated, her lips twitching slightly. Kagome groaned and smacked herself lightly. "Hmm...sounds like you neglected to tell me some things." Sango said, folding her hands on the table. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"It's no big deal, Sango. We just..." She fiddled with the handle of the mug, keeping her eyes averted. "Did the deed? The horizontal tango? The nasty?" Sango supplied, dissolving into a fit of giggles. Kagome couldn't help smiling at her friend's humor. She was soon laughing along with her.

"I'd never have thought you two would get together." She said after she'd calmed down. She eyed Kagome. "You love him, don't you?"

Kagome nearly choked on the coffee she'd just swallowed. "What?" She squeaked. Sango nodded, ignoring Kagome's reaction. "I should have seen it when we were in Tokyo. I mean, I was only teasing when I said you had a crush, but now..." Kagome glared at her. "I am not in love with Sesshomaru!" She said forcefully.

"Then why did you sleep with him?" Sango asked. Kagome opened her mouth to respond, but she couldn't think of a reasonable explanation. 'A fool in denial.' A voice whispered. Kagome huffed. "Do I always need a reason to have sex?" She snapped. Sango laughed, amused. She decided to leave the issue alone.

"So if it's obviously not me who's dead, then who is it?" She asked, her tone suddenly serious. Kagome forgot about their earlier topic, her expression turning troubled.

"I don't know, but I have the strangest feeling that it's someone I know." She said.

She was a warning.

~~~~~~

Sesshomaru parked his car along the curb. He tried Kagura's number again and again got the answering machine. He got out and walked up to the building entrance. He nodded at the doorman and entered the lobby.

His mind was preoccupied with a million other things, but right now he needed to focus on helping Onigumo and Kagome. He needed to find out what Naraku's plans were and to do that, he needed Kagura's help. She was his inside track.

Sesshomaru rode the elevator up to the fourth floor, leaning his head wearily against the glass wall. Everything seemed to coming to a head and whether he was prepared for it or not, it was going to happen. The doors slid open and he stepped out, walking slowly to Kagura's apartment. He raised his fist to knock, but stopped, noticing that the door was slightly ajar.

He pushed the door open lightly. The living room was spotless, just as Kagura always kept it. He spotted her keys on the dining room table, beside her purse. All of a sudden, Sesshomaru felt numb. He was on the outside looking in, viewing everything through glazed eyes.

He walked further into the apartment. There was her bedroom door, closed. He imagined her on the other side, sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the world around her. Her face, so beautiful and serene, laying on the pillow.

He reached out and twisted the knob, opening the door. His outside self, the one looking down from above, screamed silently in agony. Sesshomaru, the one standing in the threshold of the bedroom, viewed the scene before him emotionlessly. The blood staining the walls, splattering the carpet, the bed, had long ago dried. None of this had any outward effect on Sesshomaru as his eyes swept over the carnage. Even though Kagura's body wasn't there, he knew instantly that she was dead. There was too much blood, too much of her blood.

He walked calmly to the kitchen and dialed 911, explaining to the dispatcher what had happened. He did all this with the appearance of a man in control, a man detached from the circumstances. Inside, however, his entire being was being consumed by anguish.

How much more could he take?

a/n: the story's going pretty much as planned...with a few surprises thrown in at the last minute...as i said before, i hope no one is feeling lost...stay with me! these next couple of chaps are gonna good, i promise! as always, thanks for the reviews! i especially liked the one from InusDemoness : ) last chap did sort of seem like a cop show! well, see ya next chap!