Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Distance ❯ Chapter 28 ( Chapter 28 )

“I ain't goin' through with this,” Ranma growled, watching Nabiki for cues. Kentaro and Kenichi stood behind her, watching. Kentaro was there for cooperation with between the Kita and Nerima police, and Kenichi was still the head of the case, despite his obsession with it. Ranma felt better with them there, for some reason - they were trustworthy.

“Ranma,” the voice of Yamato on the other line was stern. On the sofa, Ranma sat next to a large rigged-up to record the conversation. The machine was being run by a competent young man named Ota, who called the machine “Godzilla” and refused to let anyone else touch it. “I'm afraid I am not privy to the situation of which you speak.”

“Bullshit,” it was easier than he thought to lie; he just used his anger to fuel the lies, and most of them were half-truths anyway, “you guys think you can just push me around? Fuck you! I'm not goin' to no Asukayama Park, an' I ain't fightin' in no tourney!”

“Asukayama Park?” Yamato repeated.

“Yeah, you an' yer fuckin' son ain't gonna push me around! Akane'll turn him into fuckin' bean paste before I even get there, anyway, so ya'll can jus' go…” he paused, searching desperately for the right words.

“Fuck yourselves!” Nabiki mouthed.

“Fuck yourselves!” he hesitated, listening to the sigh at the other end of the line.

“Ranma, I am very disappointed. Many will have to pay dearly for this transgression.” And then he hung up.

“Did I do it?” Ranma asked when Ota was busy checking the recording. He gave them a thumb's-up and smiled toothily. “Thank goodness…” he breathed, leaning back.

“Good job, Ranma. Not only did you get `em worked up, but now they're gonna play along,” Kenichi began, walking around Nabiki to pat his shoulder in a fatherly way, “I'm real proud, kid.”

Ranma smiled. “Hey, it ain't over yet.”

Kentaro nodded gravely. “Yeah, this part's gonna be a lot harder, Ranma,” he said quietly, moving over with a small black box, “we're gonna have to wire the hell outta ya'.”

“No prob, jus' s'long as I can move my arms.” He said cheekily. Ota was busily packing up his machine, and Nabiki followed him out of the room after smiling proudly at Ranma.

Kenichi looked thoughtful as he watched Ranma pull his shirt off and Kentaro start to hook the wire onto his muscled chest. “Ranma, you said Akane wouldn't hurt Takahiro if he had leverage, right?” he said after a moment.

Ranma looked up from Kentaro's icy cold hands with a small grimace - the guy felt like a snowman. “Yeah, why?”

“Well, if you're here, and so is Kasumi, Nabiki…” he trailed off, “what does he have for leverage?”

Ranma thought, frowning. Nabiki came back into the room and they looked at each other for a moment.

Something clicked in his memory.

Makoto, out with her brother…

“Makoto.” Nabiki and Ranma said in unison, and Nabiki's face paled. Her knees weakened visibly and she collapsed into the rocking chair. Kenichi looked back and forth between them, and Kentaro paused momentarily to glance at them as well.

“Makato?” Kentaro squeaked. He pressed the tape he was using to keep the wire against Ranma's chest down hard enough to make Ranma gasp. “Sorry - what- what did you say about Makoto?”

“We… we think she might be the leverage…” Ranma said, looking at Nabiki again for her nodded confirmation. She looked numb.

“No way, how would he… why…” Kentaro stood up, angrily looking at his clenched fists, “I just fuckin' met `er…”

“Stop talking like that,” Nabiki said sharply, coming back to herself with a little roll of her shoulders, “I'll call Toya, find out what's going on.” She stood up and left the room, pulling her cell phone out of her pocket. After a moment of tense silence, Kentaro went back to situating Ranma with the wire.

He was explaining, in a quavering voice, the best way to speak into it and not have anyone notice you were wearing it when Nabiki came back in. Her face was paler than before, and she looked like she was going to cry.

“His roommate answered his cell phone… he… he thought Toya was with me, until he heard the phone ring on Toya's desk…” she paused, taking a deep shuddering breath, looking at Ranma, “Ranma, he isn't a fighter, Toya… Toya isn't a fighter, he just… he swims, he's a swimmer.” She was wringing her hands.

Ranma walked over and put his hands on her shoulders, conscious enough of his open shirt to keep his distance from her. He could see the whites of her eyes too clearly. “Nabiki, it's gonna to be okay,” he paused deliberately, “at least they can't drown `im.” She looked at him in confusion. “`Cause he's such a good swimmer.” He smiled weakly, despite the sick feeling rising up into his throat and burning acridly at the back of his mouth.

Nabiki stared at him like he was mad, but Kenichi's loud guffaw broke the awkward silence. “Fuckin' hell, Ranma,” he said between laughs, “you are the least appropriate person I know.”