Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ New Rules, New Ruler ❯ Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Part Two

Brad stepped backwards involuntarily, and the woman stepping inside. She was swathed from head to foot in material, even her mouth was covered. Shawls and scarves and wraps shimmered around her lithe body. He arms were encased in long gloves.

"Tanya," Brad said stiffly. "Long time no see."

"Buttercup," she said shortly. He gave her a blank look. "You never call, baby, when you say you will, but I love you still… Build me up, Buttercup…" she sang sweetly. Nagi's head appeared over the top of the couch, staring at this strange women singing in English with an accent he'd never heard before.

"What are you doing here?" Brad demanded. He'd thought, no, he'd hoped he'd never see the clairvoyant again.

"SS is gone. I know you had something to do with it." She paused, and unwrapped the gauzy material that covered her mouth for a moment. Like a snake, her tongue darted out and in again, tasting the air. "Well, I see our little telekinetic had something to do with it."

Brad winced at the reminder of Tanya's immense power. She could find out your life history just by breathing in a little of the air you had exhaled. There were no secrets from her. Brad felt a dull pain as he remembered how, up until a few weeks ago, living with Schuldig had often produced the same reaction within him.

"I'll keep it short," the imposing woman told him. "I'm going to do something. Quite what, I'm not sure, but I need you in. Schwarz were the most potent team we had, after the original Weiss <A/N: I haven't heard the CDs, but I know the original Weiss is at least mentioned in them. If someone knows what their exact origins were and cares to correct me here, I'm going to pretend SS supplied Grandfather Takatori or Kritiker or whoever with the original materiel>. I need you if I'm to rebuild anything of this enterprise.

"I also need to you start tracking down the several Rogue psis there are at the moment. Seventeen, in all, I think. Three are Pyrokinetic's, who, as soon as they heard the news, burnt down the training facilities and headquarters."

"What are you going to do?" Brad said slowly, purposefully.

"I want to rebuild the organisation, but with different aims. The training facility is going to be the first thing that changes, and treatment of psis, agents or not. Also, I want to find placements for our current teams, but I have no intention of building any more."

Brad felt slightly confused, but bottled it up. So, no more assassin teams? No more rigorous training? No more `only 7% graduate, try and be amongst them'? He knew it was a good idea, but he recognised the twinge of jealousy as it wrapped its claws around his heart. They had undergone exquisite torture of the mind and body, and it didn't seem fair. It didn't seem fair at all that no one else would have to suffer as they had.

"What sort of placements?" he asked guardedly.

"Permanent ones. Preferably in semi-legal positions. Like when you were acting as bodyguards. Kritiker aren't interested in any more teams at the moment, but I'm working on it. At least three governments have unofficially reached out us, private matters only, of course. Several politicians would be grateful to have groups like Schwarz within their employ. Would you be willing to go back to that, or would you rather remain freelance?"

"The old situation worked ok," Schuldig said suddenly. He seemed to be going through a Schuldig based phase for the moment.

"Really?" Tanya raised an eyebrow under her light hat.

"Yeah. Partially freelance, but taking suggestions from a larger operation, and receiving aid from them, in time of need. Guided, but not controlled."

"I like the way you phrased that. Yes, that is exactly how I'd like it to be, but having no ulterior, or even interior, motives; I don't know what I would guide you to. I thought perhaps a `guild' like organisation could be set up."

"Do we need you?" Schuldig spat.

Tanya looked pointedly around, before saying, "legally, most definitely. Nagi is officially dead by this country's records, and all of your visas have run out. I know this has been on your mind, Buttercup." Brad ground his teeth. The pet name, and everything he had associated with it, came back in a rush and he wasn't keen on Tanya's constant repetition of it. "I also know you can't take Nagi to the hospital, despite his malnourished state, because Social Services would take him from you. In less than a week the authorities will be breaking this little family unit up."

"But if we do as you `suggest' and help you, you'll be able to stop all that?" Brad didn't like where this was going.

"Look, I have to admit I haven't got everything planned out yet. I found out you were in trouble yesterday and flew out here to see what I could do. I know you don't want to be broken up, and I will do my best to prevent that happening.

"I'll offer you a deal, which is what your inner businessman seems to be clamouring for, right Buttercup? You all need a little R&R. Nagi needs to see a councillor, Schuldig needs to be somewhere with a much lower human population density to find himself and rebuild his shields, Farferello needs a new course of medication and you, Buttercup, need someone else to take responsibility for all of this before you have a nervous breakdown. I need someone to help me get into some of the archive files. I know Nagi will be able to do this. So, you all come to Germany with me, spend some time recovering and enjoying the scenery, Nagi gives me a little help, and we'll take it from there. I can either have you flown back out here, or you can stay in Germany."

Brad didn't want to admit how good the plan sounded. He did need someone to take the burden of responsibility from his shoulders, just for a little while. He knew why Atlas had let Hercules take the world for a little while so readily. "You said something about hunting rogue psis," he cursed himself for bringing it back up, but he knew it had to be done.

"I did. If you do that for me, more benefits can be arranged. We'll sort out the legal aspects regardless, but I'm sure we could find much more suitable living quarters for such esteemed members of the old organisation."

"We'll do it," Schuldig said suddenly, voicing Brad's thoughts. "Damn, he's in my head."

"Good to hear it," Tanya said, slightly unnerved and unsure to whom the comment should be addressed. "Runway seven, four pm today. It's a private plane. Bring what you like. You'll enjoy the challenge the archives will present," she added to Nagi before sweeping out of the door.

Nagi stared at her retreating back with a faint glimmer of an interest Brad had thought was dead.