Kagaku Ninja-Tai Gatchaman Fan Fiction ❯ The Timepiece ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

Chapter 16

Yuki felt as if the world was crumbling on her. Somebody had just tried to kill the guy who would become her father. And all the evidence pointed to her as the attempted murderer. Everybody except Dobby believed her to be guilty. And she could not tell them who she was to show that she could not have done that. Even if she did tell them, would they believe it?

And to add to the stroke was that murderous look on Joe's face. It was full of disgust and contempt. Her heart shattered when she saw that look. That coupled with the mistrust she saw on her parents-to-be faces almost killed her.

Yuki sobbed gently into her hands as she huddled in the corner of the ISO limousine's backseat.

Adam Brown, the driver dedicated to her team by Kamo, looked at her via the rear-mirror. He shook his head with concern, "Miss Washio, are you sure you are alright? You look like you have just seen a ghost."

Yuki barely nodded, "Thanks for asking, Adam. Are you sure you just dropped off Miss Pepsi at the Villa before coming back?"

Adam nodded, "Aye, that I did. She seemed to be in a hurry to get there, so I drove her over."

"Thanks, Adam. I need to talk to her urgently."

Adam just nodded, it is within his code of conduct to avoid asking inappropriate questions. "Don't mention it, Miss" he said and turned back to his driving.

Yuki had slipped out of the recreation room when the fight started between Joe and Dobby. Instinct told her that Pepsi was the key to solving the mystery of why `she' was seen on that security tape. She had made her way directly to Medicals which she assumed Pepsi would be. After making some enquiries, she was told that Pepsi had left Medicals about an hour ago and was seen leaving the place in Adam's limousine. Yuki was cursing her hard luck, when Adam walked into the base. He confirmed that he had just dropped off Pepsi at the villa. So, Yuki had boarded his limousine, and they embarked on his second drive to the villa within two hours.

As the limousine pulled up to the villa, Yuki got off and went up to the villa. The housekeeper, Mrs. Mott opened the door for her.

"Miss Washio, your team's having a meeting here? Miss Pepsi just went over in the direction of the cliff."

Yuki quickly thanked the elderly woman and hurried determinedly towards the cliff.

It was almost 8:00 pm and the sun had almost completely vanished behind the distant mountains. Yuki hastily made her way up the path to the cliff. The trees on either side of the road always looked more manacing in the shadows. She finally made it to the large clearing that overlooked the beach.

Yuki fully anticipated to find Pepsi there, so she was not too surprised when she saw the figure on the edge of the cliff silhouetted against the setting sun. It was when she collected herself from the long walk and noticed that white gown and that familiar ponytail that she fully felt alarmed. Also, the figure was too tall to be Pepsi.

"Welcome, Miss Washio, we have been waiting for you." The figure said with a slightly irritating lilt in an unmistakably Tenor voice.

"Who are you?" Yuki pulled out the handgun that his Dad had given her for self-defense and aimed it at the figure. "Freeze and slowly turn around, don't try to pull any tricks."

The figure turned around and laughed when `she' saw Yuki's gun. "Good try, Miss."

BANG!

In one extremely fast and smooth action, Yuki's twin had pulled a gun out and shot down Yuki's gun.Yuki looked down at her twisted gun mouth-agape while holding onto her wrist which was still throbbing with pain. She understood that she was now completely defenseless against her `twin' and she cursed herself for not attending the Self-Defense course that her Dad had signed her up for.

"Who are you?" Yuki repeated.

Her `twin' came forward towards Yuki, his free hand pulling off the ponytail wig to review his head of short crew cut hair. The scar on his left cleft was barely visible in the dim twilight.

"Me?" He shifted his head to his right and smirked, looking at Yuki from the corner of his eyes. "Why do you think I should tell you?"

Yuki swallowed, she slowly backed away from the approaching figure. He just smirked at her without attempting to stop her. Seeing that, Yuki quickly spun around and was about to take off when her eyes bugged out and she froze on her tracks.

"Pepsi!" Yuki's voice reflected a very complicated mixture of hurt, fear and disbelieve when she exclaimed, seeing her Communications Officer blocking her way gun in hand.

Pepsi stared past Yuki at the figure behind her, "Scorpio, you are not letting prey go so easily, are you? It took me quite a lot of work to have her lured here."

Scorpio laughed, "Of course not, Virgo. I just thought that you might want to get reintroduced to your Commanding Officer."

Pepsi, or Virgo as she was called in the Bandits ring, snorted, "Thank you, but I don't see the need to."

Scorpio shrugged slightly and turned back to Yuki, "Miss Washio, I guess you already know that you are coming with us."

"I guess so," Yuki tried to sound as casual as possible. "I just don't understand why you guys would want to take me. I would not be of any use to you guys."

"Of course you would be, my dear. Believe me, we would not waste so much effort trying to trap you if you are not useful." Yuki couldn't help shuddering at the evil glint in his eye.

Without waiting for further response from Yuki, Scorpio cocked his gun towards the left. Yuki had no choice but to walk in the direction he indicated. Soon, they came to a black Explorer hidden behind some trees.

Yuki could hear his breathe behind her, so he must be really close. She could also hear Pepsi's footsteps following close by. Yuki knew she must take her chances if she wanted to escape. There was no telling what they would do to her once they got to their "home-base". So, dodging suddenly, she kicked back, aiming to kick Scorpio back onto Pepsi so that she could get into the car. She could only wish that they had left the key in the car and that she would be able to drive that old thing. However, she was save the trouble of that. For her kick landed empty and a gun barrel struck her on the back of her neck.

With a grunt and a soft thud, Yuki slumped into a heap on the soft green grass.