Tenchi Muyo Fan Fiction ❯ Sanyasi ❯ Playing Host ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: Tenchi Muyo and its characters are property of AIC and
Pioneer. The proceeding story, though based on pre-existing characters, is
the property of the author and may not be reprinted without permission.
All original characters found herein are also the property of the author and
may not be used without permission. (Did that sound official? I hope so.)

Playing Host

Chapter 1: Best Laid Plans

"Are you okay, at least?" Kiyone asked after Mihoshi was placed
in the cell next to hers aboard Sanyasi's ship. They couldn't see each
other, but they were still able to converse.
"I think so," Mihoshi replied. "Kiyone, what's going on? Why did
he shoot all those men in the bar? I don't understand."
"I'm not sure, either," Kiyone confessed. "All I know is that the
Zaibatsu is involved in all of this."
"What's the Zaibatsu?" Mihoshi asked.
Kiyone rolled her eyes at the fact that, apparently, Mihoshi had not
been keeping up with her case files. "The Zaibatsu is an organized crime
syndicate that has branches throughout the galaxy," she explained.
"They're involved in almost everything; drug trafficking, weapons deals,
contract killings, you name it. The information we have is sketchy at best,
because we haven't been able to capture any of the higher-ups yet. Those
guys are damn near untouchable. Every time we get close, our leads fizzle
or evidence disappears. It's been suspected that several Galaxy Police
officials are on their payroll, but internal affairs has never turned anything
up."
"Well, that still doesn't explain what happened at the bar,"
Mihoshi said.
"My theory is that the men who were shot were all members of the
Zaibatsu," Kiyone speculated aloud. "That would explain the gray long-
coat on Rook. That's sort of like their uniform. But I won't know for sure
until I'm able to check the Galaxy Police database."
"So, why did Sanyasi shoot them all?" Mihoshi inquired.
"I'm still trying to work that out," Kiyone said. "He could have
ties to a police force, seeing as how he was able to get a prison transport
ship. Maybe he works for a rival syndicate. Or, he could just be a
vigilante." Kiyone shook her head, not sure what story to believe. "Now,
it's your turn, Mihoshi; did you learn anything?"
"Well, I learned that Sanyasi isn't his real name," Mihoshi said
proudly.
"That much I could have guessed," Kiyone replied. "What else?"
"Well, the other one's name is Iggy," Mihoshi said.
"Iggy?" Kiyone echoed.
"Short for Ignatius Worthington Gilbride," Mihoshi elaborated.
"Gilbride..." Kiyone mused. "That name sounds very familiar."
"And," Mihoshi went on, "nobody knows Sanyasi's real name
except for Iggy."
At the mention of that information, Kiyone got an idea. She
mentally slapped her wrist for thinking of it, but, at the moment, no other
option presented itself. "Mihoshi, listen carefully," she said in a low,
serious tone. "Our best chance to find out what's going on may be in
learning the identity of Sanyasi. I need you to get that information for
me."
"Okay," Mihoshi chirped. "I'll ask him."
"No, no, no!" Kiyone protested. "Don't go to him. I want you to
get the name from Iggy. I saw him putting the moves on you when he took
you to be bandaged up. I think that, if you can get close enough to him,
you might be able to get him to tell you Sanyasi's name."
"Why don't I just ask Iggy right now?" Mihoshi suggested.
"He'd get suspicious if you did," Kiyone explained. "You need to
get him to trust you first."
"How do I do that?" Mihoshi asked.
Kiyone considered a moment. She thought about the person they
were dealing with. He was probably fresh out of puberty, and undoubtedly
itching for a chance to score with someone who was well-figured,
seemingly easy, minimally intelligent, and blonde. "Just be yourself,"
Kiyone said confidently.
"Here he comes now," Mihoshi said quietly as footfalls
reverberated down the hall. Iggy was carrying a pair of bundles in his
hands. He stopped at Kiyone's cell and pushed one of the bundles through
the bars.
"I found you each a sleeping bag," he said. "Those beds don't look
too comfortable, so I thought these might help." He pushed the other
sleeping bag through the bars of Mihoshi's cell.
"Oh, wow, thank so much!" Mihoshi chirped. "They look really
comfy!"
"It's the best I could find," Iggy said. "This really isn't a five-
star hotel, you know. But I'll do everything I can to make sure you're as
comfortable as possible."
"Thanks for being so nice to us," Mihoshi sang. "Um, but there is
one thing..." Kiyone winced; she knew she couldn't trust Mihoshi to stick
to the plan.
"What's up?" Iggy asked.
"Well," Mihoshi began hesitantly, "I was wondering... Can I have
something to drink? I'm reeeealy thirsty!" She twirled a finger in her hair
as she looked at him with hopeful eyes.
Iggy swallowed hard. "I'll, uh, see what I can do," he said tightly
as he turned to leave. "Be right back."
Once Iggy was out of earshot, Kiyone sighed and smiled.
"Mihoshi, that was brilliant!" she said enthusiastically. "You sounded so
pathetic that even I wanted to run and get you a drink!"
"Huh?" Mihoshi asked. "What? Did I just say something wrong?"
"Er, never mind," Kiyone said as she leaned against the cell wall.
"Forget I said anything."

Sanyasi had managed to climb up off the floor and sat on the edge
of his bed, nursing the cigarette that seemed magically suspended on his
lower lip, when he heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he said
hoarsely.
Iggy stepped through the door, not bothering to close it behind him.
"The girls are both locked up," he announced.
"Good," Sanyasi said flatly. He was still breathing heavily and
sweating a little from his previous bout with stomach discomfort.
"Mitch, you don't look so good," Iggy said concernedly.
"Yeah, they've both got blue eyes," Sanyasi replied with a weak,
sardonic smile. "What kind of rotten luck is that?"
"Oh, shit!" Iggy exclaimed. "I didn't even realize! Have you been
taking your pills?"
"Yeah, I just took a pair," Sanyasi said. He shook the bottle and
heard a precious few remaining capsules left within. "I think I'm going to
need some more to get me through this trip, though."
"So, we need to see the doctor?" Iggy asked.
"Looks that way," Sanyasi confirmed. "And I want to see Bradley.
There are some things I need from him."
"We just went to see him last month," Iggy said. "I thought we'd
be good for a while."
"I think we ought to be prepared," Sanyasi said. "Something big is
going to happen, and soon."
"What makes you say that?" Iggy asked.
"If the bartender was questioned," Sanyasi began, "and I know he
was, then Messiah knows that we've got GPs with us. It won't be long
before he traces their ship back to them, and uses its tracer to find us."
"Then, why don't we ditch their ship?" Iggy asked. "It could buy
us some time while they go on a wild goose chase."
"That wouldn't be fair to them," Sanyasi said, referring to Kiyone
and Mihoshi. "It's not their fault they got messed up in all this."
"Well, you didn't have to take them with us, now did you?" Iggy
asked. "Mihoshi's wound was not serious at all."
"What do you think they would have done if I'd let them go?"
Sanyasi asked. "They would have notified the GP, and we'd have another
organization up our asses on top of the Zaibatsu. Things are complicated
enough as they are without the cops mucking things up."
"I don't get you, Mitch," Iggy said as he placed his hands on his
hips. "You didn't kill them, but you don't seem too happy about bringing
them along, either. What are we going to do about this?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure," Sanyasi confessed. "I didn't plan on
this any more than you did. I guess we'll have to improvise."
"Well, while you do that," Iggy said as he opened the refrigerator
and took out a bottle of iced tea, "I'm going to make sure that our guests
don't die of thirst."
"Don't worry, they'll both be fine," Sanyasi said dryly.
"But Mihoshi said that she was really thirsty," Iggy replied.
Sanyasi rolled his eyes. "Please don't start this," he said
exasperatedly.
"Start what?" Iggy asked indignantly.
"Listen, these aren't a couple of hookers I picked up, alright?"
Sanyasi said sharply. "These are Galaxy Police officers. And if we make
one wrong move around them, they could hang our asses out to dry. So
stop thinking with your dick!"
"Hey, she did lose a lot of blood," Iggy said defensively. "She
might need this."
"Ahh, I give up!" Sanyasi said as he threw his hands in the air.
"Fine, you can take them something to drink. Just remember not to let
your guard down around them."
"Gotcha," Iggy said as he turned to leave.
"I mean it, Iggy!" Sanyasi shouted after him. "What you see as
cooperation, I see as conniving."
"Relax, Mitch, it's under control!" Iggy said confidently. "When
have I ever let you down?"
Sanyasi couldn't respond; Iggy had never let him down. He let
him walk out the door without another word. By then his cigarette had
burned down to the filter. He snuffed it out in the ashtray next to his bed,
struggling to find space between the multitude of cigarette butts that stuck
up from the basin, making the ashtray look like a carcinogenous hedgehog.
He reclined on the bed and put his hands behind his head, as he wondered
what to do with his pair of unwanted tenants. After a few moments of
thought, he was startled when he felt something land on his bed. He
looked over and saw a dark gray cat with white paws and bib tentatively
walking towards his head.
"Hey, Fred," Sanyasi said as the cat put his front paws on Sanyasi's
chest. Sanyasi scratched him on the top of the head, and Fred began
purring appreciatively. Fred was really Iggy's cat, and Sanyasi tried to
publicly display indifference towards the animal, as he did with most other
creatures. In private, however, he was more than willing to levy affection
upon him. Fred finished climbing onto Sanyasi's chest and relaxed
comfortably. Sanyasi continued to scratch the animal's head as he thought
about the two officers imprisoned aboard his ship. He lazily blinked his
eyes, feeling as though his eyelids were getting heavier; his medication
was really taking effect now. "They both have blue eyes," he mumbled as
Fred continued to purr. "Unbelievable."

Chapter 2: Jailbreak

It was several hours before Sanyasi awoke from his drug-induced
slumber. Fred had long since vacated his resting place on his chest.
Sanyasi reached over to the table at the head of his bed, and brought his
hand down hard on his pack of cigarettes, which he dragged towards him.
He sat up as he placed one in his mouth, and lit it with a strike-anywhere
match from his nightstand drawer. As the hazy smoke encircled his head
like rings around Saturn, he trudged off to find his companion.
Iggy was predictably in his room, tinkering with one of his many
electronic gadgets. His head snapped up as he heard Sanyasi enter. "It's
alive!" he said theatrically.
"Ha, ha. Funny, jerkoff," Sanyasi replied sarcastically. "How are
our guests?"
"Snug as a bug," Iggy announced proudly.
"Good to know," Sanyasi said. "I think I'll go check on them
myself."
"We can do that from here."
Sanyasi looked at him sideways. "What are you talking about?" he
asked, his cigarette flapping around between his moving lips.
Iggy smiled as he motioned Sanyasi over to a computer console in
the corner of his room. "You're going to love this," he said as he sat down
and began opening some sort of program. "Remember the security system
that was hard-wired into this ship when we bought it?" he asked. "Well, I
got it working again." The screen became split into several parts, each
frame displaying a real-time feed of a part of the ship. One of the cameras
was even trained on the two cells that held Kiyone and Mihoshi.
"Well, isn't that convenient," Sanyasi said. "When did you do
this?"
"A while ago," Iggy said nonchalantly. "This is the first time I've
had a chance to test it."
"Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?" Sanyasi asked.
"Because I was sure you would have told me that I was wasting my
time," Iggy said.
"Gee, maybe you should waste your time more often," Sanyasi
jokingly suggested.
"Consider it done!" Iggy said with enthusiasm.
"How are we on time?" Sanyasi asked.
"I laid in a course for Bradley's a few hours ago," Iggy said. "We
should be there in about twelve, given our current speed."
"Sounds good. After that, we'll head on over to the doc's place,
then we'll figure out what to do about those two officers."
"I wish they didn't have to go," Iggy said wistfully. "Mihoshi is
really cute..."
"What did I tell you earlier?" Sanyasi scolded.
"Hey, I can dream, can't I?" Iggy said with a shrug.
"Yeah, well, make sure that that's all you do, okay?" Sanyasi
requested. "The last thing I need is to have a Romeo and Juliet thing
going on in this ship."
"Not a chance!" Iggy interjected. "I mean, she's a fox and all, but
it's not like I'm going to kill myself over her."
"You'd be surprised what women can make you do," Sanyasi said
wryly as he shook a finger at him. "Take it from someone who's been
there, buddy. Once she gets up here," he said, pointing to Iggy's head,
"it's over, pal."
"No woman can invade my massive cerebrum!" Iggy said, again
being very theatrical. "Especially not this one. She doesn't seem to be the
sharpest knife in the drawer."
"Could be just an act," Sanyasi speculated aloud.
"If it is, she deserves a freakin' Oscar," Iggy replied.
"Nevertheless," Sanyasi warned, "don't take her lightly. Either of
them."
"Hey, you know me," Iggy said. "I'm in control, here. Don't work
yourself up."
"Should I work myself up over that?" Sanyasi asked, pointing to
the monitor. The camera trained on Mihoshi and Kiyone indicated a
developing situation.
"Shit!" Iggy spat. "We'd better get down there!"
Suddenly, a mischievous smile crossed Sanyasi's face. "You go
ahead and sit this one out," he bade his associate. "I'll handle this." He
strode lightly out of the room, leaving Iggy to wonder what he was up to.
Iggy turned back to the monitor and watch the situation unfold. He
was mildly impressed by what he saw. "Ingenious little minx, isn't she?"
he asked to himself.

"Mihoshi, I've got an idea," Kiyone said suddenly, breaking a
silence that had ensued for several minutes.
"What is it, Kiyone?" Mihoshi asked, startled by her partner's
sudden proclamation.
"Do you still have that bottle that Iggy gave you?" Kiyone asked.
"Yeah," Mihoshi said, looking down at the now empty jar that
once contained iced tea.
"Take some of the gauze from your shoulder and put it inside,"
Kiyone instructed.
Mihoshi did as she was told. "Now what?" she asked.
"Now push it through the bars and roll it towards my cell," Kiyone
said.
Mihoshi stuck the bottle through the bars and pushed it over
towards her partner with her fingertips. It made a hollow rolling echo as it
traversed the short distance between the two cells. Kiyone halted its
progress down the hallway and pulled it into her enclosure. Mihoshi was
startled when she heard the sound of the glass bottle shatter after Kiyone
dropped it on the floor. "Are you alright?" she asked with alarm.
"I'm fine," Kiyone assured her. She examined the shards of glass
and picked up one of the long, slender ones. She picked the gauze up off
the floor and wrapped it around the fat half of the shard, making a crude
handle. She then knelt next to the lock on the door and began working the
keyhole with the tip of the glass. "Tell me if someone's coming," she told
Mihoshi.
"Alright," Mihoshi said, understanding what Kiyone was up to.
She kept a vigil, roving her eyes up and down the hallway.
Kiyone continued to work feverishly at the lock, hoping that her
makeshift pick would do the job. "Come on, you stupid little..." she
trailed off through clenched teeth, annoyed that she was not achieving
results. After several tense minutes of concentration, Kiyone heard a
metallic click as the bars swung open before her. "Yes!" she exclaimed
under her breath. She vacated her enclosure.
"Hey!" Mihoshi shouted after her when she began to walk down
the hall. "What about me?"
"There's no time," Kiyone insisted with a harsh whisper. "I have
to try to make it to Yagami. I'll come back for you once I've managed to
get aboard."
"Don't leave me Kiyone!" Mihoshi begged on her knees.
"Be strong, Mihoshi," Kiyone said. "We'll get through this. Trust
me." She continued to walk down the hall, with Mihoshi whimpering
behind her as she watched her partner fade into the darkness of the poorly
lit hallway.
Kiyone hugged the walls and cautiously peeked around every
corner before proceeding through the corridors. She had worked aboard
prison transport vessels before, so she knew approximately where she was
going. Her first step was to get to the airlock, where she figured a
spacesuit was bound to be stored. From there, she would slide down the
tow-lines to the Yagami, and enter through its airlock. Then, she would
use Yagami's weapons to take out the engine of Sanyasi's ship, leaving
him high and dry. After that, his choices were a ride back to GP
headquarters or drifting aimlessly in space for a very long time. She felt
confident that her plan could not fail. She continued to proceed with it,
one cautious step at a time.
As she approached an open room, she could hear someone working
inside. She carefully peeked around the doorframe, and saw Iggy sitting at
a desk, his back to the door, working on something or other. Silently,
Kiyone slid past the door on her back, trying to keep as low a profile as
she could. When she reached the other side she stood back up and
breathed a sigh of relief; apparently, Iggy had not seen her. She continued
to slink along the walls.
In an adjoining corridor, Kiyone heard noise emanating from
another room. She crept up to the closed door and pressed her ear against
it. She heard the distinct sound of cascading water. Apparently, someone
was taking a shower. Suddenly, another sound started up. It sounded like
singing. Even though the voice was scratchy and singing way off key, she
recognized it as Sanyasi's. He was singing in the shower like he was in
concert! Kiyone had to stifle a laugh. [The fool,] she thought. [He
probably thinks I'm just some rent-a-cop. We'll see how he sings once I
drag his ass into GP headquarters!] Having successfully evaded her two
obstacles, she began jogging towards the airlock.
As she rounded the final corner, she saw the airlock doors before
her. Her heart leapt, knowing that nothing could stop her now. Soon, she
would be aboard the Yagami, and she would be calling the shots. She
smiled wide at the thought of turning the tables, and looking at Sanyasi
while he was the one behind bars.
Kiyone's heart skipped a beat as something swung down from the
rafters above her, blocking her path. She stopped dead in her tracks as she
recognized a grinning face, and a long, black ponytail dangling from its
rear. "Hello," Sanyasi said playfully, his sunglasses masking the
amusement in his eyes. He reached behind him, and his gloved hand
emerged with a pistol. While still hanging upside-down from the rafters
by his knees, he aimed and fired.
The shot found its mark in the center of Kiyone's forehead. The
force of the impact knocked her several steps back. She felt a warm,
sticky liquid cascade down her face as she fell heavily on her back.
With an amused grin, Sanyasi dismounted from his perch, his
knee-high boots resounding against the metal floor. He stood over
Kiyone, who lay still on the floor. "You're a lot more trouble than you're
worth," he taunted.
Kiyone sat up, and immediately brought her hand to her forehead.
Her fingers came back down covered in a yellow substance with a distinct
odor. "Paint," she said with disbelief.
"What were you expecting? Orange juice?" Sanyasi asked smugly.
Fuming, Kiyone scrambled to her feet, but was greeted by another
of Sanyasi's pistols pointed at her. "I'm afraid these bullets are mostly
lead," he said calmly. "Why don't we head back to your cell? A girl
could get hurt in a place like this." Kiyone sneered at him as she
reluctantly walked in the direction she had come from.
As the pair passed the shower, Kiyone could still hear running
water and singing from within. Sanyasi opened the door and stepped
inside the room. Suddenly, the water and singing stopped. He walked out
with a small cassette player in his free hand. "I won't be needing this
anymore," he said.
Kiyone gaped in disbelief; she'd been had like she'd never been
had before. "You sneaky son of a bitch," she said, half as an insult and
half as a compliment.
"I know," Sanyasi said with another smug grin. "Now, let's go."
Kiyone resumed her unwilling journey back to the cell she had escaped
from.
Mihoshi was still teary-eyed when she caught sight of Kiyone
being led at gunpoint. "Kiyone, what happened?" she asked. "What's that
all over your face?"
"Don't ask," Kiyone grumbled as Sanyasi motioned for her to go
into a different cell than her previous one. He locked the door noisily
behind her as she dejectedly sat on the bed.
Sanyasi inspected Kiyone's original cell and saw the shattered
glass on the floor. He had seen on the security cameras the way she had
used the glass to try and pick the lock. It was a rather impressive display.
"Looks like you'll be getting your drinks in paper cups from now on," he
said. "I have to say, that was one of the best escapes I've ever seen. I
don't think I could ever pull off something like that. You're a pretty
damn-good cop, you know that?"
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Kiyone said icily.
"It's the truth," Sanyasi said. "I could tell in the bar that you were
no creampuff, but this was astounding. I'll be keeping my eye on you."
He left the pair in their respective cells, heading back to his own quarters.
Before completely out of sight, he said nonchalantly, "Oh, and by the way,
if you ever try that again, I'll shoot you in the kneecaps." With that, he
was gone.
Kiyone sighed heavily as she reclined on the flat-board bed. She
had been confident that Sanyasi had underestimated her. Apparently, it
was the other way around.
"Kiyone, what happened?" Mihoshi asked through the wall
separating their cells.
"I think," Kiyone said, yellow paint still dripping down her face,
"that we have been captured by a very intelligent, dangerous man."

Chapter 3: Assignment

Aboard the Zaibatsu flagship, the Griffin, Messiah sat in his
spacious quarters wondering again how to handle his long-time rival.
Rook was one of his most capable and trusted lieutenants. If not for him,
Messiah's rise to power within the Zaibatsu would surely have fallen
short. Messiah had thought for sure that Rook would have been able to
handle an annoying pest like Merchant, even taking his enemy's training
into account. Rook's elimination was a huge blow to the organization.
Now, with his chin propped in his hand, he thought about the effect that
Merchant's longevity would have on the Zaibatsu's future plans.
His musings were interrupted when he looked up to see Opal
standing in the doorway, her black eye patch contrasting sharply with her
pale, milky skin. "Am I disturbing you, sir?" she asked stiffly.
"No, I was just thinking," Messiah said as he straightened up in his
seat. "What have you got for me?"
Without waiting for an invitation, Opal sat down in the seat across
from her superior. "I found the information on the Galaxy Police officer
you requested," she announced. "Detective First Class Mihoshi
Kuramitsu, graduated from the GP academy five years ago. Her
performance record is anything but exemplary, and her continued
employment in the outfit seems to be buoyed by the fact that her
grandfather is the Grand Marshall."
"The plot thickens," Messiah said. "What else?"
"Currently, she is partnered with Detective First Class Kiyone
Makibi. A standout from the get-go, she graduated second in her class.
However, after being partnered with Mihoshi, she and her became the
resident officers of the Earth solar system."
"So Miss Perfect GP gets chained to the proverbial albatross and
gets shipped off to some backwater jurisdiction," Messiah summarized. "I
almost feel sorry for the girl. What about their ship?"
"They're assigned to a cruiser-class ship called Yagami," Opal
went on. "Do you want the registration information?"
"No need," Messiah said blandly, running a hand through the pale
blue hair that hung over his forehead like icicles. "Can you get a fix on its
tracer?"
"We were able to determine the ship's location about ten minutes
ago. I had the helm lay in an intercept course."
"Good thinking. You know, you've become so much more reliable
since you turned monocular." Messiah looked at her icily.
Opal's visible eye narrowed. "People make mistakes," she replied
evenly. "I won't underestimate him again. Not like you seem to do."
Messiah pounded his fist on the desk. "I'm the only one who
knows who we're dealing with!" His voice was uncharacteristically high-
pitched and agitated. "And I am the only one who knows what it takes to
bring him down."
"Is that what you thought when you told me to send Rook after
him?" Opal shot back.
"Rook was one of my most capable men," Messiah insisted. "I
recall that you agreed with me at the time, in fact. If any mistake was
made, it was his."
"Aren't you getting tired of these mistakes?" Opal asked. "After
all, a person only has so many eyes to lose."
Messiah squinted and bit his pale gray orbits into his subordinate.
"You should know. That's why I put you in charge of bringing him down;
because I know that you want this just as much as I do, after what he did.
At least, that's what I thought. But what am I getting in return for my trust
in you? Disappointment after disappointment! Opal, you're better than
this! There's no reason why Merchant should still be alive."
"I'm using every resource that you've made available to me," Opal
said, raising her voice just a little. "The reason why he's still alive is
because you're giving me shit to work with!"
"Do not lecture me in allocations, Opal. That is not your place!"
"But it is my place to do whatever it takes to get the job done!"
Opal shouted. "What did you tell me on the day you gave me this
assignment? 'Kill him by any means necessary.' I can't use those means
on the limited resources you've given me."
"I've given you all I can," Messiah said evenly. "If I give you any
more, it might draw too much attention. The organization might see this
little vendetta that I have and think that I'm no longer fit to front it.
Believe me, I've pulled every string and made every phone call that I
possibly can. And what I have been able to get for you should have been
enough."
"Well, I guess it wasn't," she said disdainfully.
"That's your opinion," Messiah replied. "And, I'm sorry you feel
that way. Fortunately, I do have another ace up my sleeve, so don't fret,
my dear. I'm going to put someone at your disposal who does not make
mistakes. No more screwing around."
Opal mulled over the proposal for a few moments. "Think he'll
bite?" she asked.
"He'd never abandon us," Messiah said. "Besides, retirement is a
waste of his talents."
Opal slowly nodded. To call upon Poltergeist would surely result
in Merchant's death, but it would not be without its price. He hadn't been
given an assignment in over five years; it would take a sizeable sum to
coax him out of retirement. Still, Merchant had already cost them so much,
and it seemed that he had no intention of stopping. One could not put a
price tag on finality. "I'll call him," she said finally.
"Leave that to me," Messiah said. "He trusts me more."
"If you considered him an option, I wonder why you didn't call
him in the first place," Opal mused aloud. "An operative with his
experience means that success is assured. He's never failed."
"That, he hasn't," Messiah concurred. "But, I was really hoping
we wouldn't have to outsource. Like I said, I don't want any attention
drawn to this. Thank you, my dear, that will be all." With a sharp click of
her heels, Opal exited the office.
It took about fifteen minutes of sifting through documents to come
up with Poltergeist's location. Messiah used a scrambler on the telephone
so the call could not be traced to either party. After the third ring, a gruff,
hoarse voice answered. "Hello?"
"Sounds like those cigarettes are finally taking their toll,
Poltergeist," Messiah said smugly.
There was a brief pause. "Messiah," Poltergeist said flatly. "I
figured you'd be calling me sooner or later. I've heard rumors about the
trouble you've been having."
"I'm afraid they're not rumors," Messiah said grimly. "Rook is
dead."
"Rook?" Poltergeist's voice crackled with disbelief.
"Yes. I wouldn't be calling you if this wasn't of the most dire
importance. You're the best man for the job."
"You flatter me, but I'm retired," Poltergeist said.
"You can name your price," Messiah replied.
"You don't want me to do that," Poltergeist said.
"This is very important to me," Messiah assured him. "To the
entire organization, in fact. I'm sure we can accommodate you."
There was a long silence.
"I'd need a guarantee that this is it," Poltergeist said suddenly.
"This is the last job."
"Done," Messiah said without hesitation.
"As for my price..." Poltergeist trailed off. After another silence he
said, "One hundred million."
Messiah bit his lip reflexively. One hundred million jurai was a
hefty sum, indeed. It would take some major deal-making and finagling to
have that kind of money available on a whim. "That's a lot of money,"
Messiah said evenly.
"Two hundred million is even more," Poltergeist returned, "and
that's what my price just went up to. I hope you see the trend that this
conversation is taking, Messiah."
Messiah silently cursed himself, momentarily having forgotten that
Poltergeist was as ruthless in matters of business as he was with guns.
However, even if he had asked for a billion jurai, Messiah would have
found a way to pay; Merchant's life was a priceless commodity at that
particular juncture. "Fine, two hundred million it is," Messiah said, a hint
of bitterness in his voice. "I won't be able to get it right away."
"Understood," Poltergeist said coolly. "But, I need twenty five
million up front for materials and man-power."
"That I can do," Messiah reported. "I'll have the money
transferred to your usual accounts by the end of the day."
"I will need some time to prepare," Poltergeist went on. "I will
contact you in twelve hours for the particulars."
"In that case, I'll be referring you to Opal," Messiah said. "She is
currently heading up this particular project."
"Opal is a project leader?" Poltergeist asked in disbelief. "Things
sure have changed since I've been away."
"You needn't concern yourself with the changing face of this
organization," replied Messiah. "All I ask is that you handle this."
"It shouldn't be a problem. After all, I trained him. Good day."
The receiver clicked and the conversation ended. Messiah leaned back in
his chair and sighed, truly frustrated at the extent he had been forced to act
in order to eliminate his enemy. Pinned up the sleeve of his tailored black
suit was a throwing knife, which he presently extracted and laid down on
the desk before him. He stared at the weapon, a bitter scowl on his face;
an expression even more fierce and intimidating than that of the coiled
snake etched onto the handle.
"I swear on this knife, Merchant," Messiah growled to the empty
room, "that your time is over."

Chapter 4: Alliance

"Kiyone, when do you think they'll let us go?" Mihoshi asked for
what had to have been the tenth time, at least.
Kiyone sighed. "Like I told you before, I don't know," she said
firmly. "We can only hope that I find a way to get us out of here. God
knows what they intend to do with us."
"I still don't know why he took us back with him in the first
place," Mihoshi said.
"I don't know, either," Kiyone confessed. "It would have made
much more sense for him to try and kill us both. He says he doesn't want
to kill us, but he doesn't want us to be here, either. I can't figure it."
Suddenly, their attention was diverted to an aroma that suddenly
wafted through their cells. Mihoshi's mouth began to water as she
recalled that she hadn't eaten since very early that morning. Even
Kiyone's hunger was betrayed when her stomach growled softly. It was
not long before the two discovered the source of the delicious smell, as
Iggy suddenly appeared carrying a tray. "Good evening, ladies," he said
with a chipper spring in his voice. "We thought you might be hungry, so
we saved some stew for you." Iggy laid the tray on the floor and slid one
plate of stew underneath the bars, which left a few inches of clearance
from the floor. Along with the plate of food was a plastic fork, the result
of Sanyasi's impression of Kiyone's lock-picking skills.
"Wow, thank you!" Mihoshi squealed. "It smells delicious!" She
eagerly tore into her plate of food.
"How's your arm, by the way?" Iggy asked to Mihoshi.
"It's feeling much better, thank you," she responded with her
mouth full.
"Well, I'm glad to see your buddy isn't trying to starve us to
death," Kiyone said with a sneer as she reluctantly took a bite.
"If he wanted you dead, then he would have killed you a while
ago," Iggy said.
"That doesn't change the fact that he's royally screwed once we get
him back to headquarters," Kiyone said with a sardonic smile. "You too,
kid. Kidnapping is a very serious charge."
"You can't threaten me," Iggy replied coolly. "I am way past the
point of caring about the law. Not until I take care of a few things."
"Like what?" Mihoshi asked, her words slightly distorted as they
filtered through a mouthful of stew.
Iggy's brow furrowed. He debated whether or not to tell them the
truth about why he partnered up with Sanyasi. In the long-run, the Galaxy
Police wouldn't care; he would still be charged with aiding and abetting,
and now kidnapping. Still, it was a huge burden to carry around,
especially with someone as unsympathetic as Sanyasi the only one that
could be called his friend. Besides, as police officers, they would
undoubtedly find out who he was sooner or later, anyway. He decided that
it would be sooner. "I have to find the man who killed my father."
Mihoshi gasped, causing her to choke on the stew. Kiyone's eyes
widened, as she realized why the name Gilbride had seemed so familiar to
her. "Now I get it," she said. "You're Gabriel Gilbride's son, aren't you?"
"Yeah," Iggy said flatly, his eyes averted.
Kiyone pursed her lips as the pieces all started falling together in
her mind. Gabriel Gilbride was the owner of a large software firm that had
branches in several sectors of the galaxy. Four years ago, he was
assassinated by a car bomb at the grand opening of another branch office.
After an intensive investigation, it was suspected that the assassination
was the work of the Zaibatsu, but no conclusive evidence could be found
to substantiate the claim. If Iggy had gotten wind of that report, then it
made perfect sense that he would want to help Sanyasi go after the
Zaibatsu. Still, Sanyasi's involvement, if any at all, with the organization
was still a mystery to her. He certainly wasn't a bounty hunter; he
wouldn't have kidnapped police officers if he was. If not for the money,
then, she surmised that he was a vigilante who had some kind of grudge
against the Zaibatsu. But, why not seek help from the police or a rival
syndicate? What good would one person do against one of the most
powerful organized crime syndicates in the universe?
What sounded like a soft meow startled Kiyone from her thoughts.
She watched as a gray and white cat rubbed against Iggy's leg. He picked
the animal up and scratched its head.
"Oh, what an adorable kitty!" Mihoshi exclaimed.
Iggy smiled. "His name is Fred. I found him about a year ago."
"He's so cute!" Mihoshi cried. "Can I hold him, please?"
"I suppose," Iggy said. He handed Mihoshi the animal through the
bars of the cell. She held the cat gently and began to pet it and nuzzle its
cheek. Fred purred appreciatively.
"You're not planning on keeping us as your pets, too, are you?"
Kiyone asked icily between bites.
"Well... I myself wouldn't be adverse to the idea," Iggy said coyly,
which raised a growl out of Kiyone. "Seriously, though, we're going to let
you go. That much I can promise."
"Why did you put us in here in the first place?" Mihoshi asked.
She looked at Iggy with her wide, expectant, puppy-dog eyes, which
caused him to shift in place agitatedly.
"You'll, uh, have to take that up with Sanyasi," he said. "It was his
call to bring you along with us. I'm kind of glad he did, too. I enjoy the
company."
"Don't get any ideas," Kiyone said. "I'll still arrest you the first
chance I get."
"We've all got a job to do," Iggy said with a flip of his hand.
"Well, enjoy your meals. I'll check back with you in a little while." He
turned on his heels and walked away.
"He seems nice, doesn't he?" Mihoshi asked. Kiyone shook her
head and sighed.

Sanyasi reclined in his seat on the bridge, a cigarette nestled snugly
between his lips, setting to the task of digesting his healthy portion of
stew. He barely twitched when Iggy entered. "How are our guests?"
"Doing as well as can be expected, I suppose," Iggy reported.
"Kiyone is getting awfully uppity."
"I have a feeling she's always like that," Sanyasi said. "Boy, will I
be glad when all this is over."
"Think it'll be soon?" Iggy inquired.
"Maybe. Messiah sent Rook after me, which means he's not
fucking around. The more of his people I get, the more desperate he'll be.
I imagine he's planning something really big."
"Don't forget our agreement," Iggy reminded him.
"I haven't forgotten," Sanyasi assured him. "When we get him, I'll
let you know."
"I don't understand why you don't just come out and tell me who it
is," Iggy said, as he had so many other times before. "You said you know
exactly who it is, right?"
"I know," Sanyasi said. "I just don't want you doing anything
stupid. Believe me, you're doing worlds more to help me than you could
on the front lines."
"Could have fooled me," Iggy said dejectedly.
"Hey, I'd be nowhere without you," Sanyasi said. "What about all
those times you patched me up? I've got so much lead in me you could
use me for a pencil."
"I know," Iggy said with a dry chuckle. "I always wondered what
kind of pattern I would get if I played connect-the-dots with your entry
wounds."
"Eww, that's a sick thought!" Sanyasi said. "Anyway, just keep on
doing what you're doing. You're better at the technical stuff than I am."
"And you'd bleed to death, too."
"Yeah, probably," Sanyasi chuckled. He turned on a nearby
monitor, which displayed the security camera image of Mihoshi and
Kiyone. "Good to see they're staying put this time."
"Not much you can do with a plastic fork," Iggy said.
"You'd be surprised," Sanyasi said. "I've used less for a weapon at
times."
"Yeah, I know. 'Sixty ways to kill a man with your bare hands,'
and all that." Iggy rolled his eyes.
"And don't you forget it!" Sanyasi replied with mock authority.
He laid his cigarette stub into his ashtray and lit a fresh one.
"We should be getting to Bradley's in a couple of hours, right?" Iggy
asked.
"Mm-hmm," Sanyasi said, his mouth clenched tightly around his
cigarette. "I'm going to grab a nap. You should do the same."
"Nah, I'll just watch the girls some more," Iggy said with a grin.
"God, you're hopeless," Sanyasi said with disgust. "You'd
probably jump out the airlock if they asked you to."
"When am I going to get this opportunity again?" Iggy asked.
"Just how often do we play host to a pair of gorgeous women?"
"They are hot, I'll give you that," Sanyasi admitted. "I just wish
they didn't have blue eyes."
"So, take a pill and enjoy the show," Iggy suggested. He leaned
intently to the monitor. "Just look at Mihoshi. So innocent, I could just
hug her to death."
"Looks like Fred's found a new friend," Sanyasi said, noticing the
cat nestled comfortably in the lap of the blonde.
"Yeah, Mihoshi sure seems to like her pussy."
Sanyasi froze for a moment, then flicked the ash from his cigarette.
"That's wrong, Iggy. That's just wrong."
"But funny!" Iggy returned.
"Get out of here, you sicko," Sanyasi mumbled as he leaned further
back in his chair. "I need my beauty rest."
"That'll take a while," Iggy joked. "Wake me when we get there."
"Sure," Sanyasi said as he snuffed out his cigarette. He listened to
Iggy's footsteps as they faded away down the hall. As he tried to drift off
to sleep, he inwardly dreaded the fact that someday Iggy would find out
who killed his father.