Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Certain Clarity ❯ 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Title: A Certain Clarity (5/30)

Author: Franzi Dickson

E-mail: fdickson@ix.netcom.com

Archive: The SxSAS Archive, fanfiction.net and others (eventually). If you want it on your site, just ask.

Rating: NC-17 for wet dreams, sex, drugs, violence and other badness.

Warnings: m/m sex, lemon, assorted bad things in this part and future ones

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm just doing bad things with them. Don't sue me.

Sano took another sip of the fiery sake. Now this was more like it. He watched the roll of the dice from his corner. Evens! Ha, he knew it. Still, he wasn't here for that, not tonight anyway. He scanned the crowd. Most of the men seemed closely absorbed in their game. A few, like himself, were seated around the edges of the room. None had quite the right look to them. Odd. He was sure he'd heard you could buy drugs at this place. Maybe he'd come on the wrong night or something.

Something brushed his elbow. He turned.

"You look like you're searching for something." The bleary eyes stared up into his own.

A lead?

"It's such a shame for a beautiful thing like you to be all alone like this."

He grimaced at the yellowed teeth. "I just came to do a little gambling." Please let him go away.

The grip on his arm tightened. "Financial troubles? I have plenty of money. There's no need for you to be lonely." The man leered at him.

God, how much had the man had? As if he'd go with some hideous old weirdo. The very idea of letting such a disgusting man touch him… What? What was he thinking? As if it made a difference what kind of man it was. "No thanks" he said firmly, turning to go. Best to just get out of here.

"Don't be that way. I know how lonely you are. Let me…"

He brushed the man aside. He's drunk; don't get mad. He's just really drunk. Crazy old man, *he* wasn't the lonely one. Was he?

Sano left the gambling parlor a little faster than he'd meant to, rubbing furiously at his sleeve. He was about to start for home when he heard the voices.

"Please, man! I need it. I'll pay you, I promise. I just need a little." The voice rose to a grating whine.

"I don't take charity cases! Get lost!"

Where? He edged around the corner of the building. A man was standing in the shadows, another clinging to him.

"Just a little!"

The other man laughed. "Well, if you don't have any money, maybe you can give me something else in return. Got any little sisters? Children?"

"Anything!"

Sano growled.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Fuckin' dealer! Just how sick are you freaks."

"What? You looking for a fight? This is between the two of us."

The junkie whimpered.

"Don't tempt me. I'm having a real shitty day." He grabbed the man by his shirt and lifted.

"Shit! Put me down! Are you crazy?"

"Get out of here!" Sano nodded his head at the cowering figure on the ground who got to his feet and scuttled away throwing a frightened, bloodshot glance over his shoulder. "Now. It's just the two of us."

The man swallowed. "Hey, take it easy there. Is it drugs you want? I can get you whatever you want. Discount rate." He smiled weakly. "Just put me down."

"Shut up! I don't take your crap. What I want is information."

The man's eyes widened. "I don't know anything!"

Funny. He sounded really frightened. "No? What if I told you I knew about the new stuff. It's not really on the market yet… but it's coming, isn't it?"

The man's eyes rolled wildly. "I don't know anything about it. Leave me alone! It was an accident."

"Come on, you can do better than that." Sano grinned evilly at him.

"It's new. It's foreign. I don't know where it's coming from. That's it; I swear."

"Hmm" The man continued to dangle from his grasp.

"I wouldn't rat on Takeshi. I didn't even overhear anything important. Honest!" The man was becoming more and more hysterical.

Shit. He'd actually found something. "So… Where did you overhear this thing you didn't hear?"

The man paused. "What? The boss didn't send you?" The color drained from his face. "No!" With a sharp motion, he twisted out of Sano's grasp and fled.

What the hell was all that about? He'd just been letting off steam; he hadn't really expected the guy to know anything. 'Takeshi' huh? He smiled to himself. Well whadaya know. He'd have something to tell the psycho cop next time he saw him. He headed for home.

Sano turned. The yellowed teeth were smiling up at him. "You're lonely, aren't you?"

"No!"

"Liar Liar" the voice taunted.

"Don't touch me!" He tried to shake its clinging grip.

"I know the truth; you want to be touched."

"Not by you!"

"I'm not worthy? Is that it?" It was laughing, dissolving, its short pudgy form rearranging itself into a tall lean one. "Ahou. I thought you said it didn't make a difference what kind of man it was." The voice was dark with malice.

"You're not him!" He tried to back away. Its fingers clamped down harder.

"No? Perhaps you aren't worthy of *him* then?" It drew him closer, its yellowed teeth bared. "Do you think he likes arrogant pretty boys? Do you really think your youth is an advantage here?"

"What do I care what he likes?" He wanted to turn his head. Its breath was rank; alcohol and vomit and death, its voice no more than a whisper.

"I think you care."

And then it leaned forward, lips opening…

He opened his eyes groggily. Now what the hell was *that* about? Saitou wasn't like that creepy little man from the gambling parlor.

And maybe that's just the point.

Where had that come from? He decided it was better not to think about it. What was it that had woken him anyway? A noise? It came again. Someone was banging on his door. It was still dark. Who the hell would want to talk to him at this hour? He got up and groped his way to the door.

Saitou drank his tea disgustedly. He was really beginning to hate the sight of his bed. Certainly, the dream had been different this time, but it was just as bad as the others. Perhaps his brain had gotten tired of seas of blood and moved on to seas of fire. He snorted.

"Late night, eh boss?" Chou waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Saitou sighed. "I just didn't sleep well." He couldn't get the image of Sanosuke out of his mind; the upraised hand, the pleading look in his eyes just before he was swallowed by the flames. This was stupid. The ahou was probably at home sleeping off the effects of his usual overindulgence. He had to focus. He stood up.

"Time to go interview the father?"

"Yes; I've put it off long enough. Let's get this over with."

Chou followed him out.

The Kamamoto mansion stood in one of the newer parts of the city. Rather too western for his tastes, Saitou thought, but definitely expensive looking. The furnishings were chosen in the same style. Everything new, expensive, modern.

"Mr. Kamamoto will see you now." Even the servant looked expensive and modern, attired as he was in the western style.

They followed him into the office.

"Officers Fujita and Chou, sir."

Mr. Kamamoto too reeked of modernity. He regarded them from behind a prodigious expanse of desk. "You still haven't gotten anywhere, have you?"

"I'm afraid we haven't anything definite to report, no." Saitou's voice was at its politest and most bland.

The politician sniffed. "And I suppose you want to go prying into our personal lives now?"

"We simply wish to understand the victim a little better. I apologize for the inconvenience."

He sighed. "Oh very well, but I am a busy man. Try not to waste too much of my time."

"Do you mind if my subordinate takes notes? No? Thank you. Now, to begin, could you tell us about your son's enemies. Was there anyone who would have wished to harm him?"

"No one would dare harm *my* son!" the man replied arrogantly. "They must have been some peasant trash who were unaware of his identity."

Saitou very much doubted that. "Was he depressed at all? Was there anything in his life which might have lead him to encounter unsavory persons of some sort?"

The man snorted. "He was an overemotional little twit, if that's what you mean. Always obsessed with his mother." He nodded to a portrait that hung on the far wall. "My wife has been dead for some years now."

Saitou raised his eyebrow inquiringly. "And your son…"

"In the last several years he developed an idiotic fixation on contacting the dead. Damned superstitious nonsense! I'm afraid that my late wife coddled him and it produced something of a weakness of character. Still, I don't see what that could possibly have to do with the case. Those charlatans would no doubt wish to bleed him of his money, but I hardly think they would be bold enough to assault his person."

"I see." Saitou wondered how to proceed. Clearly the father hadn't thought much of his son while he was alive, but that didn't mean he was going to react well. "I'm sorry to have to ask such an impertinent question of you, Mr. Kamamoto, but could you tell us if your son had any lovers?"

"He wouldn't have disgraced a young lady of good breeding. I suppose he might have visited the brothels on occasion. I certainly gave him enough allowance." His lips curled unpleasantly.

"We have reason to believe he may have had a male lover." Saitou watched the man's expression shift from one of supercilious dislike to one of pure rage.

"Absurd! My son suffered from no such disgusting illnesses! Is this what you police are wasting the public's money on? Out! Get out!" He was banging on the desk now.

Saitou nodded to Chou; it seemed unlikely that they would get anything further out of the man. He caught a glimpse of the frightened servant hurrying towards the office as they left.

"We're going to catch hell from the chief" Chou smirked.

"No doubt."

"Kind of a strong response, huh?"

Yes, rather too strong. He thought of another face contorted in disgust. ' They'd really whore themselves out like that?' Well, it wasn't such an unusual reaction these days. He sighed.

"Do you think he was hiding something?" Chou seemed dissatisfied with his silence.

"Perhaps."

They walked in silence for a while.

"So… What now?"

"You will return to the station and find out if any new information has been uncovered. Try to find out if there are any major drug deals being planned; anything that would give us a clue as to who is producing it."

"Where will you be?"

"We have not, as yet, investigated the drug's possible connections to prostitution. I will be visiting the brothels."

Chou laughed. "You just don't want to be around when the chief hears about what happened with Kamamoto. I'm going to be getting chewed out while you're off having fun." He winked.

Saitou didn't dignify that with a response.

"Later."

He regarded Chou's retreating back for some time. No, he rather doubted that he would be having any 'fun' at all.

It was the third establishment he had tried. Dressed in a dark, conservative kimono and with his hair falling softly forward instead of in its usual slicked back position, the policeman was barely recognizable. He hunched his shoulders further, trying to look less imposing.

"Honored guest!" The owner bowed obsequiously. "How good you are to grace us with your presence."

"Alas, I am not able to truly partake of your fine wares." He affected a breathier tone than his usual low rumble.

"Surely, a little time with our fine blossoms and you will find yourself well able." The owner smiled and gestured to the inner room. His voice dropped. "We don't let it be generally known, but our little flowers are well versed in the ancient Chinese mysteries."

Through the open screen, Saitou could see several of the aforementioned flowers. One was brushing his hair while another was examining his makeup in a small hand mirror.

"No man can possibly withstand their charms."

Saitou firmly believed that he would be the rare exception. "Oh, if only that were true, but I fear that I suffer from some terrible malady, the cure for which no doctor has yet found." He put one hand to his brow.

"Ah, but you have not yet seen our most prized beauty." He turned over his shoulder and called. "Hana!" An elaborately made up young man oozed from the inner room and came to stand at his side. "Is this one not beautiful?" The boy smiled invitingly.

Not as beautiful as… No. He absolutely must not become distracted. It was a futile thought in any case. "Alas, not even this vision of loveliness can move me."

"Then it is a terrible affliction indeed!"

He endeavored to look distraught. "Truly. I am sorry to disturb you with my futile presence, but I had heard that some new remedy had been uncovered. I had hoped that you might have some knowledge of it. It was a very secret recipe, only know to a few, but I thought perhaps you…"

The owner positively glowed. "Yes, yes. Here we know all of the ancient secrets and mysteries as well as the modern. Yes, I know the remedy you speak of… But it is not easy to obtain. And its use is not without risk…"

Saitou widened his eyes. "Can it be? Oh, I would give much to try but a small portion of it. The risk is of no importance."

"Indeed? Perhaps you would step into my office here?" The man bowed and led the way.