Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Mark of a Goddess ❯ Most Wanted ( Chapter 12 )

Chapter Twelve

Most Wanted

 

Being master of Dryden's mansion was a lot more than Hitomi had initially thought. In her inexperience, she thought that it meant little more than that she and Van could stay on at the mansion and have their meals served to them in the dinning room. She didn't realize how often the housekeeper needed to consult the `master'. Apparently, the cook had gone on a grocery-shopping spree because he thought that Dryden's visitors would be staying on indefinitely. He wanted to treat them right, so he had gotten really good food. But then Dryden and all but three visitors had gone off to Europe so the kitchen was loaded with tons of food that was probably going to go to waste. What did Van think they should do? Van ended up spending the afternoon going through the fridges figuring out what could be done with all of it. Even though Van and Hitomi were not on good terms with anyone they knew in the city, he ended up arranging for massive care packages to be sent to Aunt Flo, the doctor, Hitomi's parents, and even Merle. Hitomi found him in the kitchen writing out addresses and giving one of the maids instructions on which colour of ribbon to use.

When Hitomi came into the kitchen he asked her, “Hey Hitomi, we've still got three more pineapples, two trays of kiwi, and enough pre-made chocolate mousse to make an actual moose. If only we had a mold!” he groaned. “Do you know anyone we could send another care package to?”

Hitomi thought. “Only Yukari and Amano.”

“Who are they?”

“Some of my old friends from high school,” Hitomi said, picking up a gorgeous green pepper. “You don't have to find homes for ALL this food, do you?” Hitomi asked, looking at the array of vegetables that was also out on the counter.

“No. The chef here is going to make soup,” Van said, indicating a happy chef standing at the stove behind him. “This much was his idea, but he didn't know what to do with the fruit and there's no way we'll make it through all this mousse. I don't even like mousse,” he proclaimed crankily, before grabbing Hitomi and dragging her to where he had been writing. “So, your friends' names and addresses - write them down. If we can get rid of two more sets of these baskets she's making up than I'm sure we can eat the rest ourselves. I'm sorry. What's your name?” he asked the maid.

“Belinda,” she said smiling.

“Thanks for your help, Belinda,” Van said nodding to the girl like she was a soldier under his command.

“Hey Van,” Hitomi asked, taking the pen he handed to her. “What happened with Allen when you told him that we were tricking him? I saw him drive away in the truck. How did your conversation go?” What Hitomi didn't tell him was that it had been over an hour since then, and she had only now cheered herself up enough to ask Van if Allen was upset with them. She had agonized all that time about how she could approach Van to ask him. Because of their deceitfulness, he felt like a stranger to her.

“Oh,” Van said looking around at the kitchen staff. It was obvious that he didn't think the kitchen was the best place to tell her. “Allen said that he saw something similar when the two of you went to The Voltage Room together, but he was surprised that I knew how to do something like that. It was wrong, but I let him think that I was the one who had created the illusion - like Folken. I suppose that's not impossible. I could have done it that way, but I wouldn't have.” Then he said quieter, so that only she could hear, “I would never use that bastard's abilities, but I let Allen think that I had in order to keep your secret safe.”

“Was going that far really necessary? I could have taken responsibility for my end of the lie,” Hitomi whispered.

“Why should you?” Van asked her, moving so there was no space between them and putting his arms around her. “It was my idea.”

“Was Allen upset?”

“Of course he was upset. He decked me!” Van said, turning his head and showing Hitomi a red spot on his jaw that she hadn't noticed when she came into the kitchen.

Hitomi put her fingers up and touched his cheek tenderly. Maybe, she could forgive Van if Allen hit him. She reached up and planted a gentle kiss on his sore spot. “You didn't hit him back, did you?”

“Of course not!” Van exclaimed, taking hold of Hitomi's shoulders and putting a little space between them. “I told him he could hit me again if it would make him feel better. I deserved it for not trusting him, but …” Van paused. “I'll tell you the rest later. He's not mad at me, and he went to go break up with Marlene for real. He'll be back later. I told him he could take his time, so I think he's taking her on one last date - like he originally planned to. Now, you, write down those addresses!”

Hitomi felt easier when Van told her that Allen wasn't mad, so she did as Van told her and wrote out Yukari's address, but she didn't know Amano's. She'd never been to his house. She told Van she didn't know.

“That's okay,” he said, taking Yukari's address from her. “They're friends, right? We'll send both packages to Yukari's house and she can call him so that he can pick his up from her. That'll work, right?”

Hitomi nodded. “Probably.”

“Okay then. Belinda, these last two will be from Hitomi Kanzaki and Dryden Fassa. Dryden was their friend too, right?” he asked, directing himself towards Hitomi.

“I think he knew Amano, but won't putting both our names on the packages make it look like Dryden and I are a couple?” Hitomi questioned. “If you don't quit pairing me off with your friends, we're going to have problems,” she giggled.

Van looked pained and then he laughed too. “Belinda, those two will just be from Hitomi then,” Van said before moving away to speak to the chef.

He promised that he would tell her the rest about his conversation with Allen later. Hitomi would definitely hold him to that.

 

***

 

Within two hours of the care packages being delivered, there was a buzz from the front gate. A Miss Merle Irini was there asking to see Hitomi. Van wanted to try to fit his twelve hours of training into an already busy day, so he and Hitomi had been on their way to the training gym when they were interrupted. Van looked vexed when the guard announced their visitor.

“Did your note say that the care package was from me?” Hitomi asked, looking at Van accusingly.

“No,” he said. “I said it was from me. I wrote that I was sorry I had caused her so much trouble, but I didn't leave Dryden's address or anything. I specifically requested that the address wasn't to be disclosed. So, I don't know what she's doing here.”

“Well, ask the guard to ask her why she's here,” Hitomi insisted. She was definitely nervous at having to see Merle again.

“What's her business?” Van asked, holding the button down.

“She says she's with the police and she's here to interview Mrs. Fanel about the night the Dragon Slayers attacked the house,” the guard said after a pause. That was right! Hitomi hadn't been interviewed by the police yet.

“Let her in,” Van instructed. When he let go of the button he groaned.

“Was Merle an officer?” Hitomi asked. She couldn't remember if she had ever been told what Merle's job at the police station was.

“No,” Van answered. “She was in administration, but it's been awhile since I talked to her, so that might have changed. I don't know.” Van paused and looked at her. “Hitomi, you don't realize what the problem is - Merle must have seen the report about what happened here. I know Dryden was trying to keep the incident out of the media. He kept telling the police that what happened was hardly more than vandalism and that he didn't want a fuss, but no matter what he did to try to cover things up - Merle clearly heard that you are my wife. The guard just called you `Mrs. Fanel'. For the love of all that's holy - I hope that's not the real reason she's here.”

“Do you really think that's why she's here - to talk to me about how I stole you from her or something? Wouldn't that be a little too much? I mean, I wouldn't want to talk to me if I were her. It would be too humiliating.”

Van tilted his chin and looked at Hitomi. “I don't know. She has been known to go over the top.”

Van took Hitomi's hand reassuringly and they headed back towards the front of the house together.

By the time they got to the front hall, Merle was standing on the front rug actively refusing the valet her car keys and telling the maid that she wouldn't give her hat and coat to her. She said she was only coming in for one moment.

Hitomi looked at her. It was a very scary moment for her. Eries had told her that Merle had not taken Van's rejection well, and Hitomi couldn't help but feel partly responsible for her misery. The Merle who stood on the rug in her square-toed black boots did not look miserable at all. Instead, she looked angry, pouty, and impatient.

“I will not be staying long,” Merle told the maid stoutly, and the girl immediately backed off.

“Hi Merle,” Van said, trying to look welcoming. He went towards her and offered her his hand.

She looked at him and then his hand. Then she looked at him again. Hitomi thought she wasn't going to shake hands with him when Merle finally put her red and orange stripped mitten in his hand. The ensuing handshake was one of the most uncomfortable Hitomi had ever seen. It was like neither of them had ever seen how to shake someone's hand before and now they were trying to do it.

“Hi Merle,” Hitomi said, trying to be the right mixture of friendly and distant, so that she didn't seem patronizing. It was hard.

Merle looked at Hitomi, but didn't say a greeting. Instead, she said, “Hitomi, I'm here to remind you that Lieutenant Freid still needs your statement at the station.” She reached into her purse and pulled out a personal computer. “When can I schedule you an appointment to meet with him?”

“Early next week,” Hitomi said weakly, thinking about how it was Friday. She was so uncomfortable - Merle's voice was so crisp and professional. It made the muscles up Hitomi's back crank her back straight.

“How's nine-thirty Monday morning?” Merle asked, looking at the schedule.

“Perfect,” Hitomi said drearily.

“Excellent,” Merle said. She finished programming the appointment and then snapped the device shut and put it back in her purse. “Now,” she said, looking at Van. “I have some information for Allen. Is he here?”

“No,” Van said, shaking his head. “He's out.”

“That's too bad,” Merle said, turning to leave. “I was just going to tell him that …”

Just then, the front door opened and the white light from the cloudy day poured in the darkened hall. Allen poked his head in. “Merle,” he said, smiling broadly when he saw her standing in his way. “Do you think it's okay to park your car in the middle of the driveway? I can't leave the truck outside or it'll freeze over and I'll never get it started again.”

Merle backed away from the door, giving Allen enough room to get in. “Hey Allen!” Merle exclaimed, looking happy to see someone friendly other than Hitomi and Van. “You look happy.”

“Do I?” Allen said, shutting the door behind him. “I'm not, really. I'm not. I'm faking it so you won't think I'm a jerk.”

“Why would I think you're a jerk?” Merle asked.

Apparently, Allen flirted with Merle too. Hitomi couldn't say she was surprised, but he had just come back from breaking up with Marlene. Should he really look that happy even when he said he wasn't?

“Well, everyone is thinking that about me today,” Allen said slowly, looking at Van.

From Allen's comment it was easy to infer that Marlene had definitely called him a jerk that day, probably several times. Poor guy!

Merle smiled and said to Allen, “How about a hug, then? If you're feeling blue?”

Allen took her up on her offer and held her closely.

“Thanks. I needed that,” he said as they pulled apart.

“Anytime,” she said, looking like a precious younger sister rather than Hitomi's rival - perhaps for the first time. “Besides,” Merle continued. “I came to tell you something really special ... something you've been dying to hear.”

“What?” Allen asked, moving to take off his coat. “Hey Merle, why are you still wearing your coat? Aren't you going to hang out with us for awhile?”

Merle eyed Hitomi.

When their eyes met, Hitomi wasn't sure if she should smile, or nod, or look displeased or what. It wasn't like she and Merle had anything to argue about. Merle was sad because Van rejected her and married someone else, but even so - Hitomi was starting to learn that life kept on going even after the prince made Cinderella into a princess. What kind of a girl was Hitomi if she wasn't kind to her?

“I'd better not,” Merle started to say, but Hitomi interrupted her.

“Why don't you stay?” Hitomi said, trying to sound outgoing. “I know Van sent you a care package, but we got stuck with an unbelievable amount of food. You should stay Merle, and help us eat it.”

“I have to be back at the station before five in order to finish work, so I only planned to stay a few minutes. I mostly just came to tell you that you need to make your statement and to tell Allen my news,” Merle said slowly, tucking a loose strand of her ruddy hair behind her ear.

“What's your news?” Allen asked, giving his coat and gloves to the maid.

“Dilandau has a warrant out on him. Because of the incident here, the police are finally going after him. What happened here was so obviously him and now they have at least one solid crime that they can pin him on. With Hitomi, we have a witness that he was here, that he broke into Mr. Fassa's home and tried to kidnap Celena and that he was involved in the murders of Kristy and Millerna. It probably won't be much to start with, but they've got some other things that could be investigated if he could be interrogated as well. I don't know if it will amount to anything, but Allen, if you catch him and bring him to the police, we can detain him. Okay? So, please bring him in.”

“You're not going to ask me to promise to bring him in?” Allen asked, his eyes intense.

“No,” Merle said, shaking her head. “You might not be able to keep your promise for some reason and I understand that. You don't hand out inflexible orders, so I won't ask you to make inflexible promises. You've always been a good leader.”

“Thank you, Merle,” Allen said, putting his hand on her shoulder. “You've always been a good helper, too. I know working at the police station wasn't easy for you since you're so vibrant. I've always appreciated your work and I know Van has, too.”

Here Van nodded thoughtfully.

“I can't tell you how thankful I am for this last piece of information,” Allen said.

“Last piece of information?” Merle questioned.

“You see, we're completely disbanded, but there's one last thing I'd like to ask you to do before you're your own person again. Please smooth something over at the police station for me. Please?”

“What?” Merle asked. Now she looked worried.

“Lieutenant Fried asked us to all stay in the city for the next couple of weeks, but I'm afraid Dryden, Eries, Gaddes and Celena left for Madrid yesterday.”

“What?” Merle exclaimed. “How could they do that? We need them as witnesses.”

“I know,” Allen said. “But I didn't want to risk Dilandau coming after Celena again, so we moved them out. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll come back if we need them, but I won't be asking Celena to come back to this city until after Dilandau is behind bars. Got it?”

Merle looked resigned to her fate, which she clearly didn't think was an easy one. “So, after I smooth things over for you, I'm no longer a member of the Abaharaki? What should I do, Allen?” As Merle asked these questions, she didn't look miserable, but she looked so uncertain. “I won't be able to be friends with any of you anymore, will I?”

“I don't know what fate has in store for me, Merle, but we'll always be friends - even if we're not together,” Allen said.

Van was looking at the floor now; his expression hadn't changed.

“Is that all the advice you have for me?” Merle asked Allen.

“No,” Allen said, looking more serious. “I think you should work at the police station for the next couple months and then I think you can do whatever you want. Is there anything you've wanted to do? You don't have to continue police work. You could find another career.”

Merle laughed. “Don't be silly, Allen. As long as the Dragon Slayers exist, then I must continue to work at the police station - like Van said.” She looked towards Van and their eyes met. Hitomi didn't know what transpired between the two of them at that moment, but Merle broke contact with Van and made a show of looking at her watch to see what time it was. “Looks like I've got to go. Come see me sometime, Allen. I'd like to catch up and hear all your news.”

Then she bid everyone good-bye and headed out the door.

Van and Allen exchanged looks and then Van unexpectedly headed straight out the door after Merle without bothering to put his shoes or coat on. The door slammed heavily behind him.

Hitomi immediately rushed to have a look out the window, but Allen rapidly stood in front of the window, blocking her view.

“Allen, what are you doing?” Hitomi asked hotly. She couldn't figure out why he wouldn't let her watch them.

“From what I heard,” Allen said. “Van didn't get a chance to explain things properly to Merle. You know, about you and him. If he doesn't do it now, he might not get another chance.”

Hitomi shook her head irritably. “So, what's your point? He's my husband, and I don't think he'd mind it if I had a look.” Why was Allen in her way, anyway? Why should he care? Hitomi's reason for wanting to have a look at Van and Merle's exchange was quite pure. She just wanted to make sure that Van didn't say the wrong thing and make Merle cry again out of sadness. She wanted Merle to go away feeling uplifted, not downtrodden, and Hitomi felt that she had to have a look at them in order to make sure that Van didn't mess it up. He didn't want to hurt her. If he made a mess, maybe Hitomi might be able to do something to help.

Allen looked at Hitomi tenderly, making her look into his eyes instead of over his shoulder. “Don't you think this a private moment between the two of them? Maybe it would be better not to intrude.”

When Allen said these words, all the blood in Hitomi's body fell into her knees, leaving her head, throat, and heart completely empty. She had intruded upon that one moment that should have belonged only to Allen and Marlene and now she was trying to do the same thing with Van and Merle. It was sneaky and intrusive and … honestly none of her business.

Hitomi turned her head away because she felt sick at this realization. She stepped away from the window and Allen. “I'm sorry,” she said quietly. “I won't try to look.” Then she went up the stairs.

She didn't hear Allen say anything to try to stop her. It didn't matter to her if he did - she had to be alone.

Hitomi went into her suite and shut the door behind her. In a situation like this, what could she do? She felt sick and … extremely sorry. Only a bath could help her now. She went into the bathroom and shut that door behind her, too. She plugged the drain in the tub and started the water running.

Within a few minutes she was in the steamy water with a washcloth on her forehead. Dryden said that wisdom and water went together. Maybe if she lay in the tub long enough, she would be able to understand everything - especially Van and Allen.

That moment with Allen, when she had pretended to be Marlene, had messed Hitomi up. Now, when she looked at Allen, she didn't see a hopeless man-whore who couldn't be trusted, but instead saw a young man that her sister loved with all her heart. Thoughts like that confused Hitomi. It was hard to remember who to side with - her own judgment or Marlene's feelings.

Then there was Van - much more difficult to interpret. Hitomi was trying to understand his motivations. Folken didn't seem like such a bad guy after all. At least, Akira had loved him as much as she could have loved anybody. Hitomi didn't understand why Van didn't want to learn more about Folken or even give him a chance to explain himself. Now Hitomi believed strongly that there had to be another story about the deaths of Folken and Van's parents. There had to be something that Van didn't know. There had to be one piece of important information that Van had never heard and Hitomi believed that once he heard it - Van would be able to love Folken and accept him as his brother.

But what would happen now? Now that there was a warrant for Dilandau's arrest and Van had only one thing to stop him from going after Folken. He said that he wanted to master all eight elements first - that was the only thing that was stopping him. Well, he had mastered fire, air, water, ice, and now Dryden helped him to learn earth. Hitomi knew he had been practicing lightning, but she wasn't sure how far he'd gotten with it. What would Van's move be once he was ready?

Hitomi didn't know.

She splashed some of the bathwater on her face and prayed for inspiration.

 

***

 

Sometime later, Hitomi was sitting on her bed drying her hair with a fluffy green bath towel when Van came into the bedroom.

“Hello Sweetling,” he said when he saw her. The dark strands of his hair were falling into his eyes as he pulled his wet socks off and threw them into the laundry basket. Then he came and lay down on the bed beside Hitomi.

“Hi,” she said softly, as she wondered if it was normal for someone to have such a splendid tan in November. She bent down and kissed his forehead, mouth and throat. Then she smiled. Van always had such a good taste! “How did things go with Merle?” she asked.

“Very well,” he said smiling. “You know Hitomi, what Allen told me about his experience breaking up with you this afternoon was really … curious.”

“Curious?”

“Sorry, I can't think of how else to describe what he said. He said that when he was talking with you, that he could sense that something was different, but he didn't know what or how to describe it. He said that you weren't like Marlene.”

“He commented on it at the time. He said he was expecting me to be more dramatic,” Hitomi said.

“Really? I told him that it wasn't really Marlene, but my best attempt at conjuring a double. He said she was more mature than the Marlene he knew, and that the difference attracted him very much. He said he felt a hundred percent broken hearted when he left the double I made in the drawing room. When he got back just now, I asked him if the real girl had the same affect on him. Do you know what he said?”

Hitomi shook her head.

“He said that breaking up with the real girl was much easier. She panicked and begged and cried, whereas when you pretended to be her, you couldn't hide that you were a woman and you acted like it. He said he felt like he could have waited forever for the girl I created, but the real Marlene … he didn't know what he'd been fighting for. She seemed like a kid to him. So, I told him. I told him that the girl he left in the drawing room is the woman he'll get if he waits until Marlene is old enough for him. He won't come back to a brat - he'll come back to a woman who has waited faithfully for him.”

“Do you think she will wait?” Hitomi questioned.

“I'm sure she will,” Van said, curving his lips into a slight smile.

“Do you think Allen will wait?”

Van sat up and brought Hitomi close to him, helping her to relax on the pillows. “I know he will,” Van said deeply, before he covered her mouth with his. “He's almost as determined as I am.”