Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ The Hope Diamond ❯ Kudoh - 14 ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter Fourteen

Yohji awoke with a jerk, eyes wide and gasping.

It was the same dream again; the dream he thought had gone away but came back with a vengeance during the undercover mission on Takatori's island.

"You all right?"

Yohji blinked owlishly at Maki's concerned face. Then he took in their surrounding. From what he could see, they were in a dark and abandoned part of the subway tunnels. Belatedly he remembered managing to make it to this point before passing out from blood loss.

Blood loss…

He pulled up the hem of his shirt and stared at the strips of purple cloth wrapped around his middle and tied off neatly. "You used your dress," was the first thing he said.

"It was only thing handy around here," she replied, settling against the pillar he was braced up against.

"Not bad."

"Can't you heal yourself?"

"I lost too much blood," Yohji winced as he shifted position. "Healing uses the Techno-Mage's energy. The more serious the wound, the more energy it takes. And the more seriously wounded the Techno-Mage is, the less energy he has for healing."

"So if you attempt to heal this, you might make it worse instead," Maki said thoughtfully.

"Right. You know, you should have been a nurse."

Maki laughed. "Hell no. I didn't even go to high school."

"So you're a bad girl?"

"I guess so," Maki shrugged. "I got into more trouble as I grew up. Then came along Riot. I thought I would be living the high life, spoilt and pampered. But it all turned out to be a lie."

"That's why you tried to run away?"

"Yep," Maki curled up her legs and raised her chin on her knees. "What about you, mister?"

"Yohji."

Maki blinked and then smiled. "That's your name? Thanks for telling me."

"Hey, you helped me after all."

"After you got me out of that place. So what about you, Yohji? What's a cool Techno-Mage like you working as a PI?"

If Yohji had the strength, he would have laugh. So he settled for a chuckle instead.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." At least nothing she would understand.

If Maki had asked that question four years ago, he wouldn't have found it funny. Now though, being asked that question when his profession was so much darker and deadlier, he couldn't help but find it ironic.

"Fine, be that way." Maki yawned. "Strange…I feel sleepy all of a sudden."

Yohji's green gaze sharpened. He had felt the barest stirring of magic too late. Despite the pain screaming through his body, he broke Maki's slow fall to the ground as she slid into an unnatural sleep. Awkwardly he kept her protectively close, ready to put up a fight with their pursuers. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a shadow moving within the shadows of the tunnel. "Whoever you are, show yourself."

The shadow hesitated.

"Yohji?" came the unsure voice.

The blond blinked. "Ran?"

As though saying his name was permission enough, Ran was out of the darkness and by his side in a flash. He had removed his mask; in the darkness of the subway tunnel, his jeweled eyes shone brilliantly with power and worry.

"Are you all right?" Ran asked anxiously. "What were you doing in Riot?"

"Working," Yohji answered dryly.

Gloved slender fingers lightly explored Yohji's lean lanky torso, pausing over the makeshift binding. "You're hurt!"

"It's just a graze, nothing more."

"We should get you out of here as fast as possible," Ran decided.

"I wish we could," Yohji forestalled him. "But I'm still feeling lightheaded. I don't think I can walk another step without toppling over. How do you find us?"

Ran looked uncertain. "I don't really know? A nagging feeling told me to check this area. So I came."

"Were you followed?"

Ran shook his head. "I covered my tracks."

"And what were you doing in Riot?"

"Takatori is the secret sponsor of Riot. He uses the organization to gather blackmail stuff on people in powerful positions."

"And the prostitute-slaying threatens to bring the whole operation into light," Yohji put two and two together. "So he sends you to do damage control."

Ran nodded. "Who's the girl?"

"She's a prostitute in Riot who tried to escape once. I simply did her a favor by getting her out. You put a sleep spell on her."

"I didn't want her to know about us." He looked around at their hiding place. "Riot's entire security force is out looking for you. It's really not safe here, Yohji. Sooner or later, they will find this place."

"You should go then." Ran started to object but Yohji placed a finger on his lips, stilling his protests. "If they find us together, the game is up for everyone."

"But I want to help you. If they find you, they'll kill you!"

"I'll be fine. I'll get out of this alive. But if Takatori ever finds out about your indiscretion - I don't want him to hurt you again."

"Yohji…"

The blond reached up and caressed a smooth cheek with his thumb. "I'll see you back at the apartment, love."

Jeweled purple eyes gazed at him for a long moment. Then Ran lowered his head and kissed him softly. "I'm expecting to see you there, Yohji. Don't disappoint me."

"I won't."

Giving Yohji's hand one last squeeze, Ran rose back to his feet and vanished back into the darkness. "Maybe I can divert them away from this place," his voice drifted back to Yohji. "Buy you some time to get your strength back. At least that much I can do."

Yohji smiled fondly. "Maybe you can do that."

* * *

It was morning when the both of them finally emerged from the subway tunnels to make a bid for freedom.

From where he was, concealed behind his human disguise and an added spell of invisibility, Ran watched in helpless worry as they slowly, painfully made their way across the streets and through the buildings. He wanted badly to help them. That was his lover in danger, damn it!

But he kept hearing Yohji's sensible advice in his head. To help him now would be the worst time to be noticed together. News always has a way of traveling back to Takatori. All he could do was to discreetly keep watch over them through the night, discouraging Riot's men from going near them with subtle spells. He hated it though. He hated not being able to do anything for the man he loved; he hated the chains that tied his hands.

His heart leapt into his throat when he heard the faint shouts. Shit, they have been discovered. Down below, he could see the girl looked up in alarm and hastily tried to get Yohji to walk faster. Unconsciously, he shifted from foot to foot in agitation. Even from this distance, he could see Yohji faltering with every step.

Fuck sensibility! He was not going to sit around and watch! His lover was not going to make it if something was not done soon.

Ran wrapped the invisibility spell tighter around himself and took off across the building tops, easily traversing the gaps between buildings.

He was not going to lose Yohji.

He was not going to let That Day repeat itself.

Never.

Even as he hastened towards them, he saw the girl giving Yohji a peck on the cheek before running away. Anger filled him as he thought she was leaving Yohji behind to save herself. Then just as quickly the anger melted away when he saw she was running towards Riot's men. The girl was trying to lure the danger away from Yohji. It didn't make him feel very good but he was relieved that the girl had given Yohji a chance for escape.

Yohji must have come to the same realization because he scrambled, fell and finally crawled after the girl, screaming for her to come back.

God, Ran abruptly realized, was the same nightmare repeating itself for Yohji? Helplessly watching someone die to save him? With a burst of extra speed, he crossed the distance in a flash. He tossed off the invisibility spell, heedless of the fact anyone could see him now.

"Don't!" He wrapped his arms around Yohji, restraining him from going after the girl.

Machine gunfire shattered the serene morning.

Before their horrified eyes, they saw Maki being gunned down. Her body jerking around in midair as they riddled her with bullets, before collapsing to the road in a bloody heap.

A cry, more like a wounded animal than human, tore from Yohji's throat. It shattered the pristine morning and echoed through the empty streets, drawing the attention of Riot's men.

Ran gritted his teeth against the heartrending pain and grief in that scream and pulled the weakly struggling Yohji close to him. They had to leave now before Riot's men come after them. He called on his power and spirited Yohji away from the place.