Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Unexpected ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Kamatari scoured his file cabinet for the latest personnel files. Each file contained an application, resume, photograph and a set of fingerprints. Yumi, who had been looking over Kamatari's shoulder, scoffed upon seeing the prints.

“Don't laugh Yumi-san. You'd be surprised by the weirdoes that come through this place. I'm just trying to make sure that their eccentricities are benign.”

Kamatari pulled four folders from the cabinet. Hesitantly, he handed them to Soujiro, who was still pouring over the surveillance footage. Soujiro looked up to see the folders being held in front of him. He mumbled a few words of gratitude before attacking the folders like a rabid dog. The first two were eliminated instantly. They were not on the premises that evening. Soujiro looked at a photograph of a vibrant redhead. It was obvious her hair was dyed as the black roots were quite prominent. Looking at the file, he saw that her name was Matsumoto Seizo. The next photo was of a traditionally stunning woman named Mitomo Yukio. Her ebony hair had been pulled back into an off-center ponytail at the nape of her neck, flowing over her shoulder well past the frame of photograph.

Soujiro once again turned his attentions to the surveillance tapes. He could clearly see Seizo covering the bar while Chou took a break. Soujiro removed that tape and reinserted the tape made by the camera posted just outside the dressing room. His body froze as he saw a flash of red dart in and out of the frame. Soujiro rewound the footage so that he could watch it in slow motion.

“Kamatari-san, come look at this.” Soujiro's voice was distant, almost empty.

Kamatari looked over Soujiro's shoulder and gasped as he saw Seizo's red top knot enter the dressing room mere minutes after Misao.

“That ungrateful wench! When I get my hands on her, she'll wish that I was a woman.” Kamatari was well on his way to retrieve his scythe, when Soujiro called to him again.

“Kamatari-san, there's something else.” Irritation laced the usually even toned young man's words. Soujiro pointed out the time stamp on the footage from the dressing room door. He then pulled the footage from the bar. Kamatari groaned as he saw Seizo and her red top knot serving drinks at the bar.

Yumi, now intrigued by what could have affected Kamatari so, found herself looking at the footage as well. She cocked her head to the side and laughed most audibly. She looked from the personnel files to the surveillance footage again just to be certain before she spoke.

“Yumi, what the hell is so funny?” Kamatari asked as he considered introducing Yumi to his scythe.

“Those two aren't the same girl.” Yumi replied.

“How can you be so sure?” Soujiro asked.

“Look at this girl right here,” Yumi instructed as she pointed to the screen with the version of Seizo serving drinks at the bar, “This top knot has silver chopsticks holding it together. Look at her hairline - two inch long black roots.”

Yumi switched tapes and instructed them to look at the version of Seizo entering the dressing room. “What do you see?”

Kamatari could have kicked himself for not noticing it sooner. This Seizo had black chopsticks and a full head of red hair - from root to tip. “How did I miss something like that?”

“Don't worry about it Kamatari-san. It's a female thing…you couldn't possibly understand,” Yumi smirked.

* * * * *

Kaoru stared mutely as Saito revealed most of what he knew of Yukishiro Enishi - the international criminal organization, the illegal arms dealing, even the human trafficking. Every so often Kenshin had to remind her to breathe. Out of the corner of her eye, Kaoru could see her brother sitting with his eyes closed and hands clasped in his lap, as if he were meditating.

“Yukishiro relinquished control of his organization. That is why he dropped off our radar.” Saito closed the folder that was in front of him. He leaned back in his chair, placed his hands behind head and waited for the inevitable barrage of questions.

“Saito, how could he just drop off the radar?” Kenshin asked. “I know you well enough to know that you would not let someone like Enishi evade your grasp.”

Saito cut his eyes toward the redhead that had a tendency to talk too damn much. Amber eyes narrowed as he expelled a large cloud of smoke. Saito snubbed out his cigarette before reaching down into his desk's bottom drawer. He pulled out a leather bound book and opened it.

“Yukishiro is mentally unstable. He was, shall we say, compelled to give control of his organization to his number two man,” Saito simply stated. He heard Kaoru gasp. A glance in Aoshi's direction let Saito know that the seemingly impervious man was indeed paying attention.

Kaoru opened her mouth to say something, but found that her voice failed her. She took a deep breath and with the steadiest voice she could muster asked, “What do you mean compelled?”

Saito shook his head as he leafed through the book. “I didn't know that I had a stuttering problem.”

He closed the book with a loud thump. Looking into Kaoru's eyes, Saito could not help but be reminded of his wife Tokio. Both had eyes that radiated compassion, virtue and hope. Shaking off the twinge of guilt, as he knew he was about to upset the young woman, Saito returned to the task at hand.

“According to the reports I received, Yukishiro began seeing things. At first, it was thought to be bouts of paranoia due to the life he led.”

“Seeing things?” Kenshin asked.

Saito shot a silencing glare toward Kenshin. “If I may continue? As I was saying Yukishiro began seeing things. After being treated by Genzai-sensai, it was discovered that Yukishiro suffered from schizophrenia.”

Kaoru opened her mouth and then closed it without speaking for she did not want to appear foolish in front of the truculent civil servant. She had heard of schizophrenia, but was not well versed in its symptoms. Kaoru looked toward her brother who internalized Saito's last statement. From the gleam in his blue eyes, Aoshi was knowledgeable of this condition.

“How severe?” Aoshi's voice cut through the deafening silence of Saito's office. The uncommunicative officer remained silent, trying to see how far Aoshi would go to get the information he desired.

Saito watched amusedly as Aoshi's azure eyes narrowed. Saito could see the frustration and fear that Aoshi kept hidden under his mask of indifference. Aoshi leaned forward and repeated his question slowly. As much as Saito would have liked to continue taunting the young man, the detective in him knew that a young woman's life was in jeopardy. A single look at the people in front of him let Saito know that this Misao was beloved.

“Yukishiro was medicated and the disease became manageable. The hallucinations even subsided. Well, all but one.” Saito dryly replied. He reached for his newspaper and began to leaf through it, feigning interest in a fluff piece about winter car care.

“Saito-san,” Kenshin's voice was barely audible, “What hallucination resisted the medication?”

Saito folded the top half of his newspaper down so he could look into Kenshin's eyes. “Tomoe.”

“I think you may have been misinformed,” Kaoru's voice cracked under the strain of Saito's stare. ”Enishi told Misao that he held Tomoe as she died of a heroin overdose”.

She clung desperately to Kenshin's arm. Her mind was screaming that Saito was wrong. He had to be. If not, Misao was in more trouble than any of them could have imagined.

“I'm never wrong.” Saito refolded his newspaper and placed in front of him. “Yukishiro Enishi is an only child. When Yukishiro was seventeen his mother committed suicide. Yukishiro's father was devastated. But instead of reaching out to his motherless son he became withdrawn, leaving Yukishiro to grieve the loss of his mother alone. Apparently, his mind could not deal with the grief and created another sibling to blame for his mother's death.”

“Kami-sama,” Kaoru whispered, “We have to find her. Enishi - he's - we have to -“

Saito cleared his throat, once again becoming the center of attention. “From what you've told me, your friend was already in danger. When Yukishiro violated the protective order last week, you should have called the police. Now your vigilante tendencies may cost Makimachi-san her life.”

“Saito -“ Kenshin began.

Saito shot him yet another silencing glare. He sighed, as if bored with the entire exchange, and continued speaking. “Just get out. I have some investigating to do if I'm going to find Yukishiro and any remnants of your friend.”

Aoshi stared into the lupine eyes of Saito Hajime. He knew Saito was right. Aoshi stood and bowed respectfully to Saito before leaving the detective's office.

* * * * *

“Yahiko, could you tell Yukio that I'd like to speak with her at her earliest convenience.” Kamatari released the button on the intercom.

“What the hell was all the sweetness about?” Yumi asked

“Any employee of mine worth anything knows not to keep me waiting.”

It what seems like the span of ten seconds, there was a tentative knock on Kamatari's office door. A smug look adorned his face as he invited the person on the other side to enter.

“You wanted to see me Kamatari-san.” Yukio stood at the threshold, unsure whether she should enter the messy office.

Kamatari waved the girl into his office. “Don't mind the mess. Komagata-san and Seta-san were just looking for something. Soujiro-kun, why don't you try the cabinet next to the bar?”

Yumi and Soujiro caught on quickly and made their way to the cabinet. Soujiro opened the cabinet and stepped out of the way to give Kamatari and Yukio a clear view inside. Yumi fought to suppress her laughter as she noticed the look on Yukio's face when she saw what Kamatari kept in the cabinet.

“There's seems to be a scythe missing Kamatari-san.” Soujiro simply stated.

“You mean the large one? I gave it to Chou to have it serviced. He knows a guy who sharpens a blade so precisely, it's like he's crafting a new one. I'll have it back tomorrow.” Kamatari gave Soujiro a sly wink and focused his attention once again on Yukio.

“Yukio-san, have you seen Misao? It's been at least two hours since we've closed and she hasn't handed in her receipts.” Kamatari poured himself a glass of Russian vodka. It had taken him a while to get accustomed to the foreign spirit after Iwanbo, an acquaintance from northern Japan who was able to get his hands on some of the finest Russian vodka, introduced him to it. Now, it was a staple in his personal bar.

Yukio lowered her head. “It was a busy night Kamatari-san. I barely was able to keep up with my section.”

Kamatari cast a curious look toward Yumi and Soujiro, but said nothing. He added an ice cube to his vodka and took a sipped. Satisfied with the temperature, he continued speaking with Yukio.

“Yukio-san,” Kamatari looked down at the ledger on his desk, “Now that I think about it, you haven't handed your receipts either.”

Yukio giggled nervously. “I told you - it was busy.” She reached into the pocket of her apron and handed Kamatari a stack of receipts and her cash. She lowered her eyes, hoping that her business with Kamatari was concluded for the evening.

Soujiro walked from the cabinet and stood along side Yukio. As she looked up to see who was beside her, Soujiro let her brown eyes capture his blue ones in a rather intimate gaze. “You have such beautiful hair.”

“You think so? Actually, it's a wig. I just wanted to see how the color would look on me before taking the plunge.”

Soujiro engaged Yukio in meaningless banter as Kamatari slipped the surveillance footage into the player. He then pressed the button on the floor under his desk and a projector screen descended from the ceiling. The sound of the screen's descent startled Yukio, giving Kamatari a reason to laugh during such a somber time. After a few choice clicks of Kamatari's mouse, the image of a red headed woman entering the dressing room moments after Misao was plastered on the screen for all to see.

Yumi cocked her head to the side. She repositioned herself so that she could be a better view of the screen. “That kind of looks like you, or maybe Seizo-san. It's hard to tell.”

Kamatari chuckled. “Yumi dear, it couldn't have been Seizo. She was covering the bar for Chou.”

Yukio was becoming increasingly uncomfortable as Kamatari replayed that bit of footage. She stood slowly.

“Kamatari-san, I think that I'm going to head back to the floor now. I need to help the girls clean the place up.”

Each word she spoke was marked by a step toward the door. With her back to the door, Yukio reached for the doorknob. Only then did she notice that Soujiro was preventing her exit. Yukio had not heard Soujiro move from the chair. She wondered how he had managed to beat her to the door. She wondered how anyone could move so quickly.

“Leaving so soon Yukio-san? I was quite enjoying our conversation.” Soujiro's smiled beamed brightly at the young woman.

“It wasn't that. I just didn't think it fair for me to be in here while the others are setting up for tomorrow night.” She replied nervously. Yukio noticed that Soujiro's smile did not reach his eyes, but thought nothing of it. It was rather late and she assumed that he was tired.

Soujiro extended his hand for Yukio to take. Looking at it hesitantly, she placed her hand in his, letting him guide her back to the chair in which she had been sitting.

“Now that I think about, such a bright red doesn't suit your complexion. It seems like you're trying to emulate Seizo-san.” Yumi flippantly remarked while feigning interest in magazine left on Kamatari's chaise.

Yukio laughed nervously, a reaction that was becoming habitual, as she slowly removed the wig from her head. “I thought the color looked really good on Seizo and was thinking of getting a similar dye job. Maybe electric blue would be a better color for me?”

Her half hearted attempt at humor was wasted on those in her presence. Yukio felt herself sinking into the chair until Soujiro saved her.

“Yumi, weren't you listening before? Yukio-san is testing the color out.”

Soujiro leaned over to continue his conversation with Yukio. Kamatari watched in silence as Soujiro tried to charm the young woman into revealing what she knew. His patience was worn thin; he had reached his breaking point.

Kamatari huffed, slamming his drink on the desk. “I have grown weary of this cat and mouse game. I know you had something to do with Misao's disappearance!”

Yukio's face was devoid of all color as the weight of Kamatari's accusation fell upon her. “I - I don't know what you're talking about,” she stuttered. “I didn't even know that Misao was missing.”

“Liar!”

Yukio was startled by the venom in Soujiro's voice.

“What did you do to Misao?” Soujiro asked, each word as sharp as a katana blade.

Yukio scanned the room. She knew that there was no way she would get out of Kamatari's office unless she was given permission to leave. Acknowledging her limited options, Yukio took in a deep breath. She exhaled slowly, eyeing the people who were questioning her. Seeing no other way out, she began talking.

“I knew Enishi from his days in the syndicate. I worked with him. I was kind of like his personal assistant. He was different from the other bosses. He was kind. He really seemed to care about the people who he worked with.” Yukio sighed wistfully as she remembered the Enishi of a time long past.

“How personal?” Kamatari asked.

“Nothing like that,” Yukio quickly interjected. “It was a strictly professional relationship. He was so kind to me - made me feel special.”

“You fell in love with him.” Yumi simply stated.

Yukio nodded her head. “He never knew though. I didn't tell him. Even after he left the syndicate, I was still too afraid to tell him, too afraid of what I would hear. Then he met Misao.” There was no bitterness in her tone, just an overwhelming sadness and longing. “Even knowing that I didn't have a chance, I let myself believe -” Yukio paused, carefully considering whether to reveal this piece of information, “I let myself believe that he would one day see me the way he saw Misao.”

Kamatari rolled his eyes, sighing. He had heard enough of her tale of unrequited love. “Not that I don't enjoy hearing about how much of a gentle soul Enishi is, but there are more pressing matters to take care of - like why you came to my club and what you did to Misao.”

Yukio slouched in the chair. She explained that Enishi did not take Misao's departure very well. Over time Enishi's depression gave way to desperation. Yukio sighed as she recalled the afternoon approached her with the idea of taking a job at the Blu Flayme. He wanted someone to keep an eye on her since he was no longer allowed in the club. At first, Enishi was content just hearing about Misao's exploits. Somehow, Yukio working at the club made him feel like he was still connected to her. He was beginning to accept that she no longer wanted to be with him. Then he heard about Aoshi and the way he doted on Misao. It was as if the break up just happened. Depression took over again. He became increasingly agitated, talking about people taking advantage of Misao's innocence and needing to protect her.

Yumi nodded. “I understand why you took a job here, but I don't understand why you would help Enishi abduct Misao. Why bring your rival to him?”

Yukio lowered her head. Ashamed, she whispered, “I still love him. I just wanted him to be happy. I'd do anything to make him happy.”

“Even this?” Yumi asked.

“Even this.”

The office fell silent after Yukio's little speech. Kamatari looked at his recently discarded drink. Downing it in one brutish gulp, he thought of the various ways he could torture Yukio for her duplicity. Simultaneously, he berated himself for not seeing the young woman for what she was.

As Kamatari, Yumi and Soujiro contemplated what to do with the information the got from Yukio, the telephone rang.

“Yes.”

“Kamatari-san, do you have Enishi's address?”

Kamatari looked over at Yukio. “No, but I'm pretty sure I can get it for you.”

“Good. I'll be there shortly. I have Kaoru and Kenshin with me. I trust that it is not a problem.”

Kamatari giggled as he fingered his glass. “No problem at all. Say, do you think that you can convince Kaoru to reconsider my job offer? I know I can pay her more that Soujiro-kun.”

Aoshi glared at his phone incredulously.

“Tsk, tsk. I can feel you glaring.” Kamatari's giggles became full-blown laughter. “I was just kidding. I'll see you when you get here.”

Kamatari returned the phone to the base, letting a smile creep onto his face for the first time since the ordeal began. “Yumi, Soujiro, it seems that we'll be having company.”

“Who?” Soujiro asked.

“Shinomori-san. He is bringing Kaoru and Kenshin, her boyfriend, with him.”

Kamatari watched as Soujiro's jaw clenched. `This should be interesting,' he thought as he poured himself another glass of vodka.