Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Survival of the Spirit ❯ Survival of the Spirit Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

Survival of the Spirit Chapter 11

By the time the third body was found Northern Japanwas in a frenzy. Mutilated like the other two had been the headlines blared that Japanhad finally spawned a serial killer like they had in America. Columnists fulminated that the killings showed that Japan needed a return to it's glorious past, a past where the local Samurai would have gone after the murdering bastard and wielding the sword would deliver divine judgment on the miscreant thus saving the good Japanese taxpayers the expense of a trial where the verdict was a foregone conclusion.

And attendance at the rallies exploded. Not only young men on the fringes of society attended now but middle class men and women, sometimes bringing children came and listened attentively to the Leaders' words and would leave with a sense that the man made sense, that he was a patriot and not concerned with what the West or anyone else thought about him or his movement.

Sano had not been to a rally since his visit a few weeks ago, and he looked at Megumi, putting the paper down on the table as he did.

"I'm afraid about these killings Takani."

"Why? Whoever the idiot is he's up in the North, away from here. I don't feel threatened at all."

Sano bit back his next words. He'd wanted to tell Megumi that he thought the killer might be Kenshin but her response made him change his mind. At least now he had an idea where Kenshin was. He would find him and bring him back to Genzai before the authorities found him. A trial would result in his being put to death despite the fact he was insane. If the killings stopped the frenzy would die down. Instead of saying what he thought he asked Megumi if Kaoru had made a comment about the killings.

"I don't think she reads the papers," Megumi said looking over at Sano. "She's the only one I haven't heard make a comment about this horror." Megumi finished her tea and looked at Sano.

"Your friends are in their glory. If an election was held now their candidate would do well."

"I know. It's as if they want more murderers to pop up so that Imperial Japancan return in all its glory."

While Sano spoke Megumi had begun to gather her things to leave. She had a right to be distracted he thought to himself. Out of nowhere the authorities had begun to question the legality of the clinic's lease and the quality of its work. A local politician was saying that the poor were entitled to the same level of care as anyone else, and that their needs would best be met by the large teaching hospital located a few blocks away. Already the large hospital had made inquiries about her heading the clinic which would be reestablished within its confines. Megumi, knowing that the neighborhood people thought the hospital treated them like shit and tried out untested medicines and experimental procedures on them, was pushing for the clinic to become part of but to stay separate from, the hospital.

"Good morning," Kaoru said brightly, bouncing down the stairs on the balls of her feet, her expression bright and cheerful.

"Kao. How'd you sleep?" Megumi asked her.

"Great. I feel so rested."

"I think you…"

Kaoru held up a hand to stop Megumi from talking.

"I'm fine. I think I'll get something from Tae this morning. Yahiko!!!!"

Usually her screeching got the boy to drag himself out of bed but this morning he didn't come out.

"What is the matter with that boy?" Kaoru said heading for his room and opening the door. What she saw made her back out, her smile gone, her eyes wide with fear. Every wall was covered with newspaper clippings and every clipping was about the killings in the north. Yahiko was nowhere to be found.

Ayame looked at Hideki as they pulled up to the building. Saitou parked and without a word they went inside. They were shown right into the chief's office, the door locked securely behind them. Saitou did a sweep for bugs and satisfied there were none he sat down and lit a cigarette. The two doctors frowned in disapproval but said nothing.

"Sirs, ladies, you said this was important. What is it?" the Chief of Police barked.

Saitou showed the man his identification and sat back watching the man try and decide if he was legit or not.

"I don't believe this. You could be some reporters looking for a story."

"Make the call."

The chief did and when he hung up he stood and bowed deeply.

"What brings you here sir?"

"We know who your killer is. You have to stop looking for him."

"What?"
"I'll find him and remove him from here. The killings will stop, and the furor will die down."

Despite the fact he was chief of police in a backwater the man understood what Saitou was not saying.

"You'll have to move quickly. The people are arming themselves and groups are going into the forest to look for the killer."

"They'll never find him and they're putting themselves in danger. In return for your co operation your area will find it self the recipient of a rather large public works project that will provide more than enough jobs for the men and women of this area."

Saitou had been authorized to make this pitch and to name the amount of yen involved.

"Once the killer is captured a man will call your mayor. He'll be a wealthy developer and interested in this area. You're to encourage him to meet with him."

"Yes sir. Of course."

Saitou had to get some sleep before going out tonight. He told Ayame and Hideki to be ready to leave at nightfall. He'd set up a blind for them and they were not to move from it no matter what they heard.

Ayame blamed herself. She should've known Kenshin would bolt. She should've known he would head north to commit suicide. Instead she'd let a stupid old man blind her clinical judgment. Never again she thought to herself as she sat in the darkened van dressed in all black with a mask covering her face. Saitou had said that it was necessary because Kenshin could see very well in the dark and the simple matter of breaking into the van would be child's play for him.

Hideki was in his glory. If he'd been treating Kenshin he would never have gone off his meds, and would've been confined the first time he'd exhibited psychotic behavior. In his opinion Kenshin should be executed now. Despite his skills he was a danger to himself and to others and would probably never be able to function in the world of humans again. He had argued forcefully but the powers that be had ruled against him. They wanted Kenshin back alive and ready to work as quickly as possible. They were already pulling the strings behind the scenes to make sure press coverage changed to the travails of a popular blond Western singer and all reports of murders in the north were not to be reported. Just before they'd left he'd gotten a text message from his cousin who was now living in the States.

"Have they found him?"

"Not yet," he'd sent back. "We're leaving now."

"I want him dead," she replied.

"I will make sure of it," he sent back before turning the phone off and stuffing it in his pocket. He couldn't kill Kenshin now but once he was confined an accidental overdose would do the same thing a bullet to the head would Kenshin would be dead and his family honor would be avenged.

Ayame looked over at him and gave him a rueful smile.

"I should've listened to you," she said for the hundredth time. Hideki made sure his expression was that of professional understanding.

"You tried Ayame. We all did."

There was a deeper silence in the silence, and Kenshin stepped further into the darkness. He'd bought new clothes and burned the old ones and now, dressed in black, his red hair in a queue down his back and covered with a black knit cap, he sat waiting. This wasn't one of the bungling assassins they'd sent after him. This was someone else, someone he should know. He did know it would not be easy to kill this man. He listened to the man approach as a predator would its prey and felt he was near when he heard another approach, this one from his right. This one was arrogant in his approach and was not taking the precautions the one coming right at him was. He was probably young, trained outside of the Academy…

His mind stopped, tripping over the word Academy. What Academy? A school for assassins? Images flooded his brain and he almost cried out, holding his hands to his temples and trying to will the images to slow down. He shook his head taking a step back as he did. He had to get away, he had to remember. Last night the image of a girl had been in his head. She wore her hair tied with a blue scrunchy and she had smiled and touched his face.

"Demon," the voice in his head had told him. "If you see her kill her, she is a master assassin sent by your enemies to kill you."

But now her image was floating over all the other ones in his head and he whimpered, a mistake but he had put enough distance between himself and his would be killers that the sound would be attributed to a nocturnal beast foraging for food. His hideout was not a physical thing like a cave. It was a heavy stand of trees. Their foliage provided shadow and coverage and the scent of the pines helped to camouflage his location. They weren't using dogs but he felt they would if they didn't find him soon.

He crashed into his sanctuary and lay on the ground gasping for breath. There was someplace safe, someplace he could lie down and close his eyes and never open them again. The pictures in his head, the face of that girl, they were stopping him from remembering where the safe haven was. He had to get there so he could be at peace.

Soujiro smiled at Saitou.

"He eluded both of us. He is truly a master at this," the boy said sitting down on a nearby boulder. Saitou lit a cigarette and looked at the young man. He was about nineteen, and had been trained by Shishio as his personal assassin. But he'd heard the noise the boy made approaching Kenshin and knew that had been what had provoked Kenshin's retreat. There was no need for silence now. Kenshin was long gone.

"What are you doing here?"

"Shishio-sama wants me to bring your assassin in."
"You're a killer Soujiro."

"You say it like it's a bad thing," the boy smiled.

"Shishio hasn't finished your training. I heard you a mile away and I'm sure Kenshin did too. He had enough time to escape…"

They both looked up as the sound of a mob reached their ears. Both men understood what that meant and raced to get ahead of it. If the mob found Kenshin they'd overpower and kill him. They intercepted the crowd heading right for the leaders.

"What is this? What are you doing?"

"What the police can't. We're going to find the killer and make sure he doesn't kill again."

"You have no idea what you're up against. Please leave this work to the professionals."

"It's us bein' murdered, not your fancy people in the city and we're not having it. We'll show him what it means to mess with us," the man said. They were armed with bats, knives and even a crude gun or two was visible.

"We're doing everything we can," Soujiro said with a smile and all eyes turned to him.

"You're a mere boy. How dare you try and command us," a man shouted and the crowed surged forward again.

"Go home. We'll find him," Saitou said stepping forward. There was a tense silence and then the men backed down.

"We'll give you one more night. If you don't find him we will. We'll do what the samurai would've done."

The words sent a chill down Saitou's spine and put a smile on Soujiro's face.

The men grumbled but turned around and went back the way they'd come. Saitou gave Soujiro a look and headed back to his blind. Kenshin would be long gone by now.

Yahiko stepped off the train and inhaled the smell of the sea. This was a fishing area, and somehow he knew he'd find Himura's here. The minute he'd read about the first killing he'd known it was Kenshin. Every day he waited for Sano to tell him they were going to find him and he'd tell Sano where to look. But Sano had never approached him and the killing had continued. When the third body had been found Yahiko decided to act, taking his allowance that he'd saved up and buying a ticket north. Kenshin would come here or someplace close he thought to himself. He asked a kid walking by where he could find the Himura family and the kid looked at him like he was nuts. By nightfall he had not made any progress and he was starving. He slept in a park and woke up colder and hungrier than he'd ever been in his life. His cell was on its last legs but he dialed the number and hoped she would pick the phone up.

Kaoru had not spoken a word on the ride up and Sano was worried. Yahiko had told her that he'd come north to find Kenshin and bring him back so that he could get help him and stop him from killing people. She had repeated the boy's words parrot like to Sano who had dropped everything and headed out the door, calling Megumi as he left. Kaoru had been right on his heels and he'd told her to go back, that he would get Kenshin. She'd ignored him and so she'd come with him her eyes distant, her features unreadable. She looked up at him when he stopped the car and followed his lead, unbuckling her seat belt and getting out in front of the drab building. A tired but now warm and fed Yahiko ran to what had become his family. He'd been afraid he'd be sent back to his mother or to a home.

The social worked lectured them about the need to get help for the boy and they listened politely in apparent agreement. When she finished speaking they bowed respectfully and left. The last person they expected to see was Saitou. He was standing by the rented car and Kaoru stared at him as if seeing him for the first time.

"We don't have much time," Saitou said taking the drivers seat. "There are a lot of people in the woods looking for Kenshin and in the state he's in he's gonna start pickin' them off like flies."

"Where will you take him?"

"Someplace where he can get treated. He's been off his meds a long time."

Sano understood and looked at Kaoru and Yahiko. Kaoru still wore her blank expression but Yahiko's eyes reflected the fear in his heart.

"You're gonna kill him you bastard," Yahiko hissed. Saitou looked at the boy and shook his head.

"No I'm not. I'm supposed to bring him back alive and that's what I intend to do. There is someone else who wants him dead though and he's the one I'm most afraid of."

Kaoru was looking out of the window at the gray green ocean, her mind on another day, a happier day, when Kenshin had taken her out to eat at the fancy place in Yokohama. Saitou and Sano had stopped talking and Yahiko was dozing on her lap. Kenshin was alone and afraid, and she had to find a way to convince them to let him stay with her.

"I think Kenshin should come back to the dojo."

Saitou met her eyes in the mirror and Sano turned around.

"No Kaoru. Right now he doesn't know you and you would be in danger."

"You people…"

"Are the only ones who can take care of him now. Let us do our job."

"He wanted no part of you, he wanted to fight this on his own and I know I can help…"

"You have no idea…" Saitou cut his words short and answered his cell.

After he finished listening to the person on the other end he hung up.

"They've found Kenshin."

Saitou had asked about an old hunter who lived on the edge of the forest and been directed to a house that was barely large enough for one person. They had talked for hours about the forest and its hiding places and the old man had told him there were two or three that would provide good cover. Saitou had given the man a cell and a tranq gun and told him to call him if he found anything. That had been yesterday. The man had set a simple trap, one a highly trained assassin wouldn't be expecting, and it had worked. Kenshin had simply fallen into a hole in the ground. The hunter had raised the net that had been placed inside of it and then tranq'd a snarling, almost feral Kenshin who was now sleeping in the small house. The car had barely stopped when Kaoru and Yahiko dashed out, running ahead of the others into the house and stopping dead in their tracks. Kaoru covered her mouth with her hands to stop from screaming. Kenshin was trussed like an animal, his hands and feet tied securely with heavy rope. He was still out and Kaoru walked over to him, touching his face tenderly. He had not shaved in some time and his hair was matted and uncombed. Yahiko slipped his hand into Kaoru's and they both turned as Ayame and Hideki came in. Saitou gave the hunter more money than he'd ever seen in his life and told him to quietly leave the area with a man who would come see him in two days. If he didn't leave he'd be killed. Sano helped them load a still unconscious Kenshin onto a stretcher and followed as they placed him in the back of the truck. Kaoru saw Hideki make to give Kenshin a shot and she stopped him. She had taken an instant dislike to Hideki.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her voice loud enough to echo in the silence.

"I was making sure he's medicated properly."

"He's already got a powerful sedative in his body. Why are you adding more?"

"The van is not that big. If he comes to he'll be impossible to control. I just want to make sure…"

Saitou turned and gave Hideki a look that froze the man's insides. Saitou had never followed up on his hunch about Hideki and he wasn't about to let the man administer something to Kenshin that could result in Kenshin's death.

"If you even look like you're giving him a shot of something I will kill you."

Ayame stared at Saitou and then turned to look at Hideki.

"My family has been shamed by this monster you created. It would do everyone a world of good if he were to die."

"And I would get intense satisfaction at seeing you follow him," Saitou said calmly.

Ayame took the syringe and emptied it onto the ground. Hideki gasped.

"If he comes to…"

"We'll deal with it," Saitou said. "Now let's get out of here."

Kaoru, Sano and Yahiko sat in the back looking at Kenshin. Drool was coming out of the side of his mouth and his eyelids were partially open showing the whites. No one stopped Kaoru from climbing into the back and sitting cross legged, putting Kenshin's head in her lap.

Kenshin slitted his eyes open, taking in the woman's scent. It was familiar, it was soothing, and he wondered why she would cradle him so tenderly and stroke his face. Probably a ploy to get him to lower his guard so he could be killed. He'd show them. He'd rest, let the sedative wear off, and pretend he was asleep. Once at the prison he'd make an attempt at escape. Better to die trying to escape than to die trussed like a pig he thought to himself.

There was no indication that the building was a hospital. The property resembled the estate of a wealthy family. They passed the smaller buildings by however and pulled up in front of a two story structure where three attendants, one armed with a syringe, waited. A man walked out of the building as Sano, followed by Yahiko, climbed out of the back seat and ran around to the back of the van to watch them remove Kenshin. Kaoru was hovering over them, watching intently as they untied his legs.

"Is he awake?" one of the attendants asked.

"He didn't move the entire trip," Ayame said to the man, who looked at Saitou before beckoning the one with the syringe forward. The man never got to administer the dose because Kenshin caught him in the throat with the sides of his still tied hands, causing the man to gush blood from his mouth and grab at his crushed larynx. Kenshin didn't get far because the other psychiatrist pinched his carotid closed and caused him to fall in a heap on the ground.

"We've got a room ready for him. Secure him tightly."

"Kenshin, it's me Kaoru…"

Unseeing amber eyes met hers and she shrank back in shock. This was not the man she knew, the man who had loved her. She didn't know this man, he scared her, and she began to shake violently.

"MissKamiya, Himura is very sick. I'm sorry you and Yahiko had to see him this way. He will get the best care we can give him, and bring him back to some semblance of sanity. I think the process will take about two weeks. Please come back then."

"Will you call me if…"

"I'll call you if things don't get better. Otherwise, I'll see you in two weeks."

"I'll stay Kao," Sano said.

"Sir this is not a hotel…"

"I'll stay. I won't be in your way, but I will stay. He needs to see a friend when he comes back to himself."

They reluctantly agreed and Sano called Megumi to tell her what had happened and where he'd be for a few days. She was going to drive up later and keep him company and he found himself relieved that she would come. Saitou came to see him just before he left.

"It's better that you don't see him the first few days."

"I will see as much as I can. I won't interfere but I have to see."

"It's not pretty."

"I didn't think it would be."

Kenshin was thoroughly washed, de-liced, and dressed in loose fitting white pants and a straight jacket which featured horizontal slits in the arms for meds to be given. His luxuriant red hair was cut down to a buzz cut as part of the de-licing and once he was secured he was placed in a cell with padded walls, ceiling and floor where he lay on the floor still doped up and unconscious.

"Were any anti-psychotics administered?"

"No."

"Good. Then he should be in the state you found him in when he wakes up in a couple of hours."

"Yes sir."

"I'll get in touch with you when you can talk to him Saitou."

"Of course."

Kenshin opened his eyes to white, white walls, white ceiling, white floor and he lay very still in the midst of all the white that surrounded him. He had failed, he had been captured and now he would be killed. He couldn't move his arms to get his balance so he rolled over to the wall and bracing his back against the pillow like material slid to his feet and began to walk around his jail cell noticing as he did that he was dressed in white too and his feet were bare. He walked around the cell twice and then slid down to the floor. There was no way out, and only one way in. There was a toilet in a corner and that was it.

"Hello Kenshin. I am Doctor Kadaand I'm going to come in and talk to you. I am unarmed and mean you no harm. I just want to talk."

Kenshin watched impassively as the door opened and Doctor Kadacame into his cell taking a seat on a chair he brought in with him.

"Do you know where you are Kenshin?"

When Kenshin didn't respond the doctor soldiered on.

"You're in a hospital where we can take care of you and make you better. Do you want to be better?"

"What's wrong with me that I should want to feel better? I'm fine."

"I see. Battousai, how many people did you kill over the last few days?"

"I killed the assassins they sent after me. I don't know how many."

"I see. Why do they want to kill you?"

"They don't need a reason."

"Oh. Well, no one can harm you here and you can rest. Does that appeal to you?"

"It would be easy to kick him off that chair and bash his skull in. Then I can get the fuck out of here," Kenshin thought as he gathered his strength to attack the doctor as soon as his back was turned. The doctor stood up and turned his back and before he could pick up the chair Kenshin used a flying kick to knock the man down and head for the door. The doctor's skull cracked on the edge of the chair and he watched through blurry eyes as Kenshin made a run for it. The kicking struggling man was brought back into the cell by two guards Saitou had insisted be posted outside the door and a healthy dose of antipsychotic drugs, his first in weeks, jolted through his system. Kenshin staggered back and fell against the wall, watching as the two aides went to assist the doctor who was now lying on his side.

"I'm fine. Is he medicated?" the doctor asked as he stood up, glancing over at Kenshin whose eyes were now unfocused

"Yes."
"I'll come back and talk to him later today."

"Are you sure…"

"I want to see the effects of the first dose."

It was after dark when Kaoru got home and all she wanted to do was get into bed and sleep. Yahiko had slept on the ride back and in the cab and he was holding her hand as she opened the door.

"Kaoru!! How is he?" Megumi asked as she began to strip Yahiko to his underwear.

"It was horrible. He looked at me and he didn't even know me. I…they took him to this hospital and said I can come and see him in two weeks."

"Yahiko, bed. Come."

Kaoru needed to talk, needed to sort out the images in her head. Kenshin tied hand and foot. Kenshin's gold eyes looking at her as if he'd never seen her before, his attack on the attendants trying to assist him, how he'd pretended to be asleep all during the drive. Why had he not attacked her in the truck if he'd been awake? Maybe somewhere deep inside of him he remembered her, remembered their relationship? Megumi came out of Yahiko's room and closed the door behind her.

"I heard from Sano. He said Kenshin made an escape attempt…"

"I know, when they were taking him out of the van…"

"No, from his cell."

"Oh. So he made two attempts today."
"Kao, do you have any idea what you're up against here? I know you love Kenshin, and I do believe that he loved you. But he's a sick man, a very sick man, and even if they manage to calm him down and make the psychosis go away, he can slip into this state at any time. You and Yahiko would be in danger. We all would."
"You think I should abandon him don't you?"

"It's not abandoning him, it's facing reality. He left because with his last shred of sanity he realized he was putting you in danger by being here."

"And he told you that?!"

"Kaoru…"

"Megumi, I love him. Love doesn't stop because he's sick. He told me he was sick, I knew it…"

"But you never saw it Kaoru!!! I can see from your eyes what you saw today scares you and it should. Please Kaoru, think of Yahiko. Think of yourself for god's sake!!!"

Kaoru stood up and headed for the stairs.

"I would think that you of all people would understand loving someone who is not 'right' for you."

"Sano is not insane Kaoru!!! Please listen to me."

"I have Megumi. I've listened to your words and I know you mean well. But Yahiko and I have decided that we're standing by him and we're living for the day he comes home to us. I'm very tired Megumi. Good night."

Megumi opened her mouth to speak but closed it again. She had to go home herself and get some rest. Tomorrow afternoon she was going to meet Sano at the hospital. He had sounded very down when she spoke to him and told her to come quickly, that he couldn't stand this alone.

Kaoru stripped and took a shower, washing her hair in the process. She pulled on a pair on panties and a wife beater tee before sitting down on her bed and running the comb through her still damp hair. Throughout the entire process Megumi's words were running through her head. Megumi could be harsh and insensitive and cruel but tonight she hadn't said anything she hadn't thought about during her train ride home.

The man she had seen today was not the Kenshin she knew. The man she had seen today was a killer, a psychopathic murderer who had killed three people in the belief they were assassins out to get him. They told her he should be back to himself in two weeks. What do you say to someone in this situation? "Hi. Glad you're not out slashing people to death?"

And did she really want him to come home? She'd told Megumi she loved him, and she did. But the man she loved was lost somewhere and this monster was in his place. If Kenshin, if Shinta, came back would he be strong enough to resist the Battousai? Once freed, would Battousai go away easily? He'd told her once she deserved someone whole, someone who could love her freely, not someone like him who was damaged and maybe irreparably broken. She'd thought herself strong enough, thought that she could handle his illness. Now she didn't know if she could.

She lay down on her back and sighed, one hand behind her head. The other hand drifted first to her breast and then slowly to her crotch, remembering the way he touched her, the way he made love to her. She'd been thinking about having his baby and therefore going off the pill. Thank goodness she hadn't done that she thought to herself.

She turned on her side, her hand between her thighs and closed her eyes.

"Kenshin," she sighed as sleep claimed her.

"Hello Kenshin."

Doctor Kadastood by the door looking at the man sitting diagonally across from him in the corner. When he didn't' reply Doctor Kadacontinued.

"Did you sleep well?"

Still no response.

"You attacked me yesterday. Did that feel good? Did you get pleasure from it?"

The shadows in the deep golden eyes shifted slightly but Kenshin, still in the straight jacket, didn't say a word. The clank of his leg irons filled the room as he moved his bare feet.

"You are a killer Kenshin you're an asset to this country. Your country needs you again and I don't think you'll turn it down this time. You committed three murders, killed three people in cold blood. It's costing us quite a bit of money to stop you from being executed for capital murder."

Kenshin still didn't speak, continuing to watch and listen, his eyes shifting around like those of a cornered animal.

"You'll be getting a second dose of anti psychotic medicines shortly. I'll be back to talk to you."

Doctor Kadaleft and Kenshin closed his eyes. What the hell had he done? Why was he here again? There was still a lot of fog in his head, a lot he wasn't able to see but he knew part of it was the meds. Had he really seen Hiko? Had he talked to Saitou? Why was he in the north? What had he come here to do? Had he killed three people? Three innocents?

The door to his cell opened and two attendants came in.

"Just your medicine Himura," one of them said. They grabbed his arm and jabbed the syringe into his vein, quickly administering the drug and just as quickly backing out of the tiny room. He closed his eyes feeling the familiar effects and struggling against them knowing it was futile. In ten minutes he was sitting with his head against the padded wall, his eyes totally unfocused and his mouth slightly open. Spittle oozed from the corner of his mouth.

Sano turned away in disgust and Saitou took his arm.

"I told you it wouldn't be pretty."

"Leave me alone. I have to go take a walk."

Sano left the observation room and Saitou looked back at the now semi comatose Kenshin. Forcing the emotion he felt away he turned and left. He'd be back for the next session with Doctor Kada.

He saw her sitting crying in a room that looked familiar. He had lived there once but how long ago or how recently he had no idea. All he could see was this young woman crying, and it had to do with him. He walked over to her and touched her arm and she looked up at him.

"Kenshin you're home."

"I am aren't I?" he said sitting down next to her and taking her in his arms.

"I've missed you Kenshin. Come home."

"But I am home…"

"Kenshin. HimuraKenshin."

His eyes shifted into focus and he looked at the man in front of him. His mind was still groggy and he shook his head to try and clear the cobwebs. Who was the woman in the dream?

"Wha…"

His head felt like cotton was stuffed in it and it was a struggle to find words.

"How do you feel?"

"I, my head…"

"We're giving you the maximum prescribed dosage of your medicine. We should be able to cut back the dosage in two more days."

"Why…am I…here?"

"You stopped taking your medicine and you lost control."

"Battousai…"

"Yes. Do you remember some of it now?"

"No. I remember a girl…"

Kada had no idea which girl he was talking about and decided to take a chance.

"She was your girlfriend."

"Girl…friend…"

His voice trailed off and his eyelids came down. Kenshin began to snore and Kada looked at Hideki, who had stayed behind while Ayame went back to the city.

"These doses are too high Doctor. We could be doing more harm than good."

"One more day and then we cut back and let him start taking a normal dose."

"Okay Doctor but it's still risky."

Hideki clapped Kada on the shoulder.

"He'll be fine."

Aoshi scanned the paper from cover to cover and sat back, a frown marring his handsome features. There was no mention of the murders again today. He put the paper down as Meiko came into the club. She looked good in the pale blue sequined mini dress, her hair falling down around her shoulders. She casually looked around, flirting with a couple of guys and then coyly refusing their attempts at further intimacy as she headed for the bar, sliding onto an empty stool next to him. She ordered her drink and looked around. Their eyes linked on her second pass around the room.

"Your drink needs refreshing. May I?"

"Maybe…"

Before she could object he signaled the bartender and a fresh Cosmo was in front of her.

"Thank you," she purred, seductively looking at him over her glass before sipping the drink.

"I, uh, think we need to go somewhere a little more private," Aoshi said running his fingers down her bare arm.

"Maybe."

He stood up and taking her hand led her to one of the banquets that were scattered around the club. He began to nip at her neck and anyone observing them would've thought they were lovers.

"What the hell is going on?" he asked, his tongue lapping at the sensitive skin of her neck.

"They found him. He's completely insane from what I heard Kaoru tell Megumi. It wasn't easy but it seems he's in their place just outside of Sapporo. He was the one committing all those murders."

"I knew that darling. I just wanted to know if they'd killed him or not."

"Apparently not. She's going to see him in two weeks."

Aoshi understood and kissed Meiko deeply. "What was that for?" she asked, touching his face with her hands.

"Keep your eyes and ears open."

MasaokaEiichihated the warehouses along the docks and shivered at the sound of the river rats as they went about their nocturnal doings. But he kept walking and he saw the slightly open door that meant his superior was waiting for him. He stepped inside and walked into the center of the room, standing still in the darkness and praying the four legged creatures stayed away from him.

"Hello Eiichi."

"Shishio."

Eiichi shivered in spite of himself as Shishio stepped into his space. Shishio saw his reaction and smiled to himself. It was good that he was afraid. It would keep him honest.

"How are things at the Kamiya complex?"
"Better."

"What does that mean Eiichi?"

"She's seen him."

Shishio's eyes flashed red and Eiichi stepped back making Shishio grab him and pull him in close enough for Eiichi to smell and feel his breath on his face.

"Tell me all you know."

"I don't know much. He's alive, somewhere in the north, and they're not going to kill him."

"Fuck."

Shishio let Eiichi fall and began to pace. Kenshin being alive didn't mean that he was functional. It could just mean that they hadn't killed him. There were ways to keep a human being alive but brain dead. If Kenshin had started killing civilians it would be hard to bring him back to where he had been before he'd gone off his meds.

"How are you progressing with the Kamiya woman?"

"She's coming along. She talks to me, and we eat together sometimes."

"Press her. Invite her out to dinner. Let her know you're the sane, rational alternative and see if she'll tell you more about what's going on."

"Yes sir."

Shishio smiled, something that scared Eiichi more than his anger.

"See ya next week," he said, walking into the shadows.