Weiss Kreuz Fan Fiction ❯ Voids ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

A stunned silence fell over the room. Manx had just dropped a bomb on them. Aya's glare intensified, if that was possible. Omi stared in disbelief at the woman. Ken was emitting something that sounded like a low growl. Yohji sent a nasty look Manx's way before he closed his eyes and slumped slightly against Aya.

"Manx-san, what do you mean?" Omi flashed wide eyes at the woman. He was confused by the woman's words. "We've passed? What did we pass?" Omi was worried. Ken laid a hand on his shoulder when the soccer player had stopped growling.

"Explain," Aya ordered. He wrapped an arm around Yohji's waist, providing the man support and keeping him close.

Manx's gaze flashed to the red head. She turned away, walking further into the room before turning back to the assassins. "There are risks involved with assimilating people from alternate universes are extremely high. Baggage from your world. Knowing people you meet for the first time on the world you've come to." She looked to Aya for a moment before letting her gaze move between them again. "We needed to make sure you could get past everything and work together, care about each other. If you don't care about your teammates, there would be nothing to prevent you from leaving a member of your team behind. Kritkir's fatal mistake was having mercenaries for the first team. Persia couldn't even keep those people together. Omi... Aya... you have a team, a family now." She turned for the doors. Manx produced a package from her coat and set it on the hall table.

With that she left. Every one of the assassins had a look of confusion on their face except for Yohji. He was hiding his face behind Ran's shoulder, trying to fight off the drugs. Weiss had a choice to make and they would need to decide how to move from there.

"We're going to need to talk about this. Aya-kun, take Yohji-kun upstairs. We need for him to get better as soon as he can. I want him to be there for the conversation." Omi watched the red head nod to him and then begin to help Yohji up the stairs.

Ken turned to the youngest assassin. "I'm guessing this is a bad time to ask to watch a soccer game..."

Omi turned to his friend and burst into laughter. "Ken-kun!" He tossed a throw pillow at the brunette.

=

"Why can't anyone tell the truth anymore? Everything seems to be one big lie now. Dad, Kenji, Asuka, Manx. Hell, I bet you've even lied to me." The blonde was babbling as Aya helped him down the corridor to the bedroom. "From now on, I won't lie. It would make my life one more problem easier."

"Kudoh, you're babbling. You won't remember any of this in the morning after the drugs wear off." Aya pushed open the door to Yohji's bedroom and guided him in. The hospital had tried to insist on him staying the night so they had given him a larger dose than they would have given an out patient. He'd just sleep it off like a hangover, minus the sickness, Aya hoped. He hoped Yohji would at least remember the conversation with Manx so he wouldn't have to repeat it.

Yohji unceremoniously plopped down on one side of his bed and leaned over to tug off his boots. He glanced up at the red head who waited patiently for him to get into bed. "Stay here tonight." He had his boots off by the time he spoke, his gaze on he floorboards.

Aya looked sharply up at the words. "Yohji, you're injured..."

"No, no, not like that. Just be close. I don't want to be alone when the memories come back." He sounded like an annoyed child trying to get his point across.

To Aya, it was absurd. The words weighed more than the tone the blonde was using. He knew the promise they had made earlier would affect everything. Yohji was looking to him for support, to help him keep living. They all had memories they needed to keep at bay. Yohji's had almost turned into a guilt ridden death. Aya would help him cope. "Get in bed."

The blonde opened his mouth as if he were about to force some nasty comment at the red head. He thought better of it and shut his mouth. Off came his shirt, carefully to avoid jarring his dully aching shoulder. His pants soon joined the crop top before he settled into his bed, mumbling.

In his drugged up mind, Yohji had neglected to see Aya turn his back to him and the bed. The red head stripped down to his briefs. "Scoot over, Kudoh, if you want me to stay with you."

Green eyes shifted to the red head before the lanky man obliged the red head and scooted closer to the wall. They tracked every movement Aya made as he climbed into the bed and pressed up against Yohji's good side. "Thank you," the blonde whispered as he closed his eyes.

A slight smile graced pale features as Aya settled next to him. This was the way it should be, not Yohji pushing everyone away for a suicide mission.

=

Sunlight poured across the queen sized bed to cast light upon the two still sleeping figures. The Koneko would not open today so there was no case for any of its employees to be up and about. Omi and Ken had gone to bed late the previous night after discussing Kritkir and their options.

Sleep filled violet eyes blinked at the radiant sunlight, a little moan slipping past his lips at the prospect of already having to drag himself out of bed. Those same eyes shifted until they rested on the figure of the sleeping Yohji Kudoh. Slight lines of pain were evident on the other man's features. Aya hoped they were from his wounds and not his dreams. Yohji's prescription was downstairs in Aya's coat. Shit. That meant that Aya would have to get up. As much as that seemed unfavorable, the red head carefully pushed himself up and climbed out of bed. He snagged a button down shirt and pulled the large garment onto his shoulders. Obviously this wasn't one of Yohji's `look at me' clothes.

The red head padded down the stairs and rummaged around in his coat pocket for the prescription. When he found it, he headed for the kitchen and set a kettle on. He waited in silence for his hot water to boil.

When it was finished, Aya tossed a tea bag into his mug, forgoing the effort of using tea leaves in favor of being back upstairs before Yohji woke up. He dropped the prescription into the shirt pocket and grabbed his tea and some orange juice for Yohji to take his pills with.

He returned upstairs to find Yohji still asleep. The orange juice and pills were set on Yohji's dresser while Aya moved to sit on the chair in the corner. He had to clear it of some clothes that Yohji had thrown there. Aya settled into the chair to wait for the blonde to wake up while he sipped his tea.

A short time later, not even long enough for Aya to finish his tea, Yohji stirred. He moved to stretch without opening his eyes. The blonde snapped to awareness at the sharp pain in his shoulder. He let out a low sound. "Aya?" he asked after he cleared his head.

The red head stood and walked to sit on the end of the bed. "How's your shoulder?" he asked softly as he watched the blonde push himself into a sitting position.

"Hurts," Yohji grunted out.

Aya stood and walked to the dresser. He returned to the bed and offered the orange juice to the blonde. Then he read the label and shook out the proper dosage. "They gave you a non-drowsy prescription so you have no excuse to hang around in bed all day." He handed Yohji the pills and watched the other man give him a slight glare over his mug.

Yohji swallowed the pills and downed some of the orange juice. He pushed the mug onto a nightstand, pushing a few crumpled pieces of paper aside. The blonde reached out with his good arm and captured the red head's elbow and pulled him onto the bed beside him. "I'm glad you stayed last night."

A thought crossed the Aya's mind that he quickly banished. "You needed it." He sipped his tea as he settled into the curve of Yohji's side. "Later, we're going to have to go talk about everything Manx said and decide what we want to do about Weiss."

The blonde nodded. "Later, not now." He turned his face into Aya's hair. "I want to stay like this for awhile longer."

Aya `hn'ed his agreement before turning his head and tilting his face up to the blonde. Their lips met in a simple, chaste kiss briefly. Violet eyes drifted closed as he let his forehead rest against Yohji's chin.

=

"We need to decide how we are going to handle this. There are a few options." Omi sat in an overstuffed arm chair, Ken pacing back and forth behind him. Aya and Yohji sat on opposite ends of the couch across from them. "We can take the last mission Manx has offered to us."

"Wait a second, she sent us a mission? Yohji leaned forward on his good arm.

Omi held up a sealed packet. "If we accept, we open it." He set the packet on the coffee table and sat back. "Another option is to take the last mission then continue to be Weiss afterwards. Manx has accounts for us if we choose not to. Or, we can disband Weiss here and now." He let his gaze pass over Yohji and Aya's faces. He already knew where Ken stood on the matter. "There is no going back to your world. This is your world now."

Aya sat silently, going over everything in his head. He turned a steady gaze between the other three assassins, going over the options and applying them to each of his teammates. "I accept it."

Yohji turned his gaze sharply to the red head. He was thinking on backing out now, before everything got worse. Aya's answer has him thinking about Weiss and his promise. "I'm in as long as we have until after the mission to decide the rest of our future."

Omi nodded and tore open the packet. They had time to wait for Yohji to heal, with enough preparation and information gathering to last them all that time.

Ken moved to sit cross legged on the floor as Aya leaned forward to listen to Omi. Yohji stretched back, finding a comfortable position for his shoulder. Weiss shifted into mission mode as they all gave their expertise on the various parts of the mission profile.

=

"Your shoulder is looking better." It was a few days before the mission was scheduled to happen. The information for the mission had been gathered while Yohji's wound healed. He'd spent much of the past week in the exercise room getting his shoulder back in proper working condition.

"Yeah," Yohji replied to the red head as he spun gracefully into a round house kick. He rolled his shoulders back as soon as he landed and held a simple stance that made him look off balance. His fists lashed out at invisible attackers until he finally stopped. The blonde stood silently, his chest heaving from the hours of work he had done that day to get rapidly back into shape. He knew it might cause more problems if he did everything too quickly so he had worked his way up to enough exertion to equal his peak. Plus, the cigarettes he had been addicted to hadn't helped him much.

"If you strain it, Weiss is down one team member for the mission." Aya stepped into the room and picked up the blonde's towel and tossed it to him.

"I know, mother." He caught the towel and glared at the red head. Yohji pressed the towel to his face. When had he started caring so much again? The better question was why. "That red headed bastard," he mumbled, his voice distorted further by the towel.

"What?" The red head pulled a wooden sword off the wall.

"Nothing." Yohji grabbed his water and sank down against the wall to watch Aya go through his katas. It had become a ritual. He'd finish working his shoulder then Aya would come to do his katas. Then, they'd go down stairs and take separate showers before curling up on the couch together, Aya with a book and Yohji watching tv.

"Hn." Aya arced the wooden sword up and continued through his katas, for the most part ignoring Yohji's presence.

Green optics followed the red head as he moved. Yohji decided that Aya was enchanting. He loved these moments for the past few days. It was when the swordsman let down his guard and let himself be watched. Every movement Aya made was all fluid grace. Yohji let his mind wander, imagining what it would be like to have that graceful body beneath his.

"What?" The red head stopped his katas and turned to the blonde. He looked curious and slightly annoyed.

Yohji started at being caught and gave a sheepish smile. The smile immediately fell from his face and he became serious. "You're beautiful."

Aya looked startled. "Thank you..." No one had ever told him he was beautiful, not even his world's Yohji. No, that wasn't his world anymore and that Yohji didn't mean anything to him anymore.

The blonde pushed himself up and crossed to the red head. "I mean it. You really are beautiful." He gave a small smile at the blush that spread across Aya's face. Yohji raised a hand and tilted Aya's face up. The blush gave the swordsman's face a gentle splash of color, making him look more innocent and younger than he truly was.

He watched the blonde dip his head down and move in to press his lips firmly against Aya's own. Violet eyes drifted closed. The wooden katana clattered to the floor. Aya's hands tangled into Yohji's honey gold locks as he opened his mouth to the blonde.

The hand on Aya's cheek slid to the back of the red head's neck. The other man tasted delicious to Yohji. He already knew he was addicted to the smaller man from all the chaste kisses they had shared after he promised to live for Aya. Yohji swirled his tongue around inside of the red head's mouth, running it over the various textures to get a feel as well as a taste of Aya.

The red head nearly purred as he pressed his body against Yohji's, moving into the embrace. The tension between them had been mounting. Each of them had been focusing their energies elsewhere to keep this from happening. Aya knew that he had wanted the blonde since the other night in the dojo. He pulled away with a sharp intake of breath and stepped out of the embrace. "This isn't a good idea."

"Really? I thought it was a damn good one."

That was one of the things that Aya had noticed about Yohji. He was opening up more now that he was living for something. He wasn't hiding, keeping quiet. His sad gaze was till there and he would turn it to Aya on occasions. A blush would appear and he'd turn away, seeming to remember his promise then. Aya sighed. "Go get a shower. I'll be down soon."

Yohji nodded and mumbled something before he turned to pick up his water bottle and towel. He disappeared downstairs and headed to his bed room. The blonde tossed the towel at his hamper, missing the bin so it hung off the edge. He wanted Aya and all this dancing around the matter wasn't helping. A few kisses here, a few touches there, they weren't enough. Before, he was concerned about what Manx would do if she found out. There was also the matter of him not believing he wanted to live long enough for anything to happen. Now, he was living for Aya and he wanted to give everything to the man he was living for. He didn't even care what Manx thought.

He sighed and headed to the bathroom for a shower. Another day of quiet companionship. "Great..."

=

Aya wiped an oval into the condensation that covered the mirror. His reflection stared back at him, seeming to judge him. They had a few days until the mission. Why did he feel this overwhelming need to just turn away from the mission and go? He didn't want to leave the others, especially not Yohji.

Yohji... who he wanted so bad it hurt sometimes. He sighed and toweled his hair so it wasn't dripping any longer. As he turned to walk out, towel securely wrapped around his waist, something on the sink counter caught his eye. The red head gave a small smile before he grabbed it and headed down the hall.

=

The wire glinted with the light that poured through the windows to one side of the bed. Green eyes squinted, inspecting the way the wire slid in and out of the watch. It moved smoothly enough and the cover was snapped back into place. Yohji planned on telling Aya he wanted to work on his watch. He didn't want just another cuddle session with the red head.

The blonde set the extra spools aside and tested the tire again. It moved out with a hiss then back in with a hiss. He sighed and pulled the wire out quickly, cast it outwards then severed it. Smooth as ever.

The door creaked open and Yohji looked sharply up to see Aya walk in. In nothing but a towel. "Kami-sama," he whispered and shifted his attention immediately back to his watch. If he remained looking at the red head, there would be more than just a minor discomfort in his jeans. "Hey, Aya. I'm going to work with my garrote a little so I'm going to stay up here this afternoon. Ok?"

Aya didn't answer, just walked to the bed stand and set the bottle of lotion on the stand. He studied the blonde who was doing his best to ignore him. "Yohji, look at me."

The blonde looked up to the red head who was now right next to him. Green eyes met with violet. They watched each other for a few moments before Aya moved forward. Yohji watched him crawls onto the bed and straddle his legs. "Aya? What?"

He didn't want to answer any questions. All Aya wanted to do at that moment was feel. So he did the first thing that came to his mind and kissed Yohji. The movement was tender and he used that fact that the blonde had his mouth open to his advantage. He slid a tongue in carefully, as if Yohji would bite him at any moment. The red head guided his tongue over the smooth ridges of Yohji's teeth and into the slick smoothness of his mouth.

It took Yohji a moment to realize what was going on. Aya was kissing him, pressing a hesitant tongue into his open mouth. The blonde slowly began to kiss him back, sliding his own tongue over and around the red head's. He suckled gently and pressed his tongue back against Aya's.

"Mmm... want you..." The kiss broke at Aya's words. He tilted his head back and let Yohji press attention to his neck. The red head shifted forward, pressing his body against Yohji. He could feel Yohji through the other man's jeans. His own waking arousal pressed the terry cloth towel against the blonde's stomach.

Yohji slid his hands down the red head's back, his fingers pressing against pale skin. His lips pressed against Aya's neck then parted to allow teeth to rake over the skin until it turned a rosey color. A gentle tongue finished the mark, soothing the reddened skin.

Long fingers tangled into Yohji's hair and pulled him away from Aya's neck long enough for a passionate kiss. Violet eyes closed as he concentrated on the kiss. He moved his tongue in a sensual dance with Yohji's. The kiss held until Aya broke away with a gasp.

Yohji slid his hand back down the towel and cupped Aya's ass through the fabric. He rocked the red head forward again and earned another gasp. The motion caused the fabric to create a type of friction that sent sensations dancing through Aya's groin. The blonde looked up to the red head's face and saw a light blush forming on his face.

Aya slowly opened his eyes. He caught Yohji's gaze for a moment before he looked down to see the blonde still clothed. His wasn't fairing wall as its snug fit was slowly loosening. The swordsman slid his hands around the front of Yohji's shirt. Nimble fingers made short work of the button down shirt and soon had the garment off of Yohji's shoulders. Aya slid back slightly and pressed kisses along one of the blonde's shoulders.

His shirt ended up somewhere on the floor when he cast it off. Yohji moved one hand to Aya's back and left the other where it was and rolled the red head down to the bed. Sitting back on his heels, Yohji studied Aya with curious green eyes. He noted how his teammate lay, waiting for his attentions. How his impossibly red hair contrasted just right with his pale skin. "Aya..." He couldn't find the words he wanted to give the pale man then.

The swordsman felt himself blush as the blonde just stopped to watch him. He pushed himself up on his elbows and leaned forward enough so he could snag a few blonde strands. A quick tug and Yohji got the message that the best thing he could do was show him. They kissed again as Aya let his hands roam over Yohji's exposed chest.

Yohji's hands glided lower on the red head. He brushed the edge of the towel then slid it away. The blonde slid down Aya's body, trailing kisses over the pale skin as he moved. He came to a dusty rose colored nipple and stroked it with his tongue. The result led Aya to arch beneath him. He grazed the sensitive peak with his teeth then swirled his tongue over and around it.

Aya clutched the blonde's shoulders as violet eyes squeezed shut. He relaxed as he felt Yohji shift to press his lips against the red head's abs.

The blonde continued lower, trialing a wet line over Aya's pale skin. He reached the tiny red curls and blew gently into the unruly patch. Yohji let his attentions shift to the red head's arousal. His tongue grazed a path from root to tip, flicking several times over the head.

"Yohji!" the red head gasped. His body arched into the touches as his hands tangled into the sheets at his sides. Everywhere Yohji had touched him, Aya felt like he had been scorched by fire. Violet eyes opened to peer down at the blonde just in time to see Yohji take all of Aya's aching erection into his mouth.

Yohji heard a sharp intake of breath. He could have grinned if he hadn't had Aya's stiff length to focus on. His tongue slid along the underside, paying attention to the feel and texture of Aya. The blonde shifted slowly back to let his teeth tease at the sensitive skin.

As the air hit Aya's saliva damp skin, he let out a low moan. The contrast was incredible. He forced one of his hands to untangle from the sheets and tangle into the blonde's hair. Aya urged Yohji to take him back inside, to bring the warmth back to him.

The blonde took the red head's arousal back into his mouth, relaxing his throat to take him in to the root. He hummed lightly, causing his lover to gasp. Yohji continued the low vibration as he urged Aya to lift his knees. With one hand, he hooked one of Aya's legs on his shoulder.

The red head squirmed under the blonde's attention. It felt amazing, the sensations that Yohji evoked in him. The other Yohji could never make him feel likes this. They had kissed, touched, rubbed, but never had sex. Aya wouldn't allow that to happen. He never really wanted to be with his world's Yohji anyway. This feeling that the man with him now was with him forever, through thick and thin, was powerful. He wasn't ashamed, he wasn't upset by any of this. All Aya wanted to do was feel Yohji near him, touching him, in him.

Yohji let a still erect Aya slip from his mouth as he sat back to reach for the bottle of lotion the red head had brought with him. He grabbed the bottle and popped open the top. A small amount dribbled out of the open bottle and onto his fingers. He smoothed the lotion over his fingers then leaned over Aya. His lips met the red head's briefly. He studied half lidded violet eyes. "Just relax."

Aya's eyes widened as he felt slicked fingers brush the tight ring of muscle at his entrance. He focused on the soft reassurances Yohji was whispering. Then the blonde slid a finger inside him. The red head bit his lip at the discomfort. "Yohji..." he choked, feeling a second finger join the first.

The blonde slowly stretched the red head, all the while whispering reassurances and calming words to him. "It won't hurt, I promise." He ran his lips over Aya's chin, watching the pale man's features as he began to search for the red head's pleasure point.

The discomfort and minor pain left Aya in as rush as he cried out. It felt like a blazing fire searing through him. "Yo-" His plea was cut off as Yohji stroked his prostate again. "Yohji..."

Lips pressed over the red head's, covering his mouth. Yohji kissed Aya as the pale man writhed beneath him, trying to take his fingers in deeper. The blonde bit his lip as he pulled back to watch his soon to be lover. He twisted the fingers he had buried in the red head.

Aya opened his eyes to look to the blonde, curious to why he has stopped. His lust fogged eyes met passionate, vivid green ones. Then Yohji scissored his fingers. The red head gasped and twisted into the blonde's touch. Aya felt empty as Yohji removed his fingers.

"Aya." Yohji's voice was huskily low was he tried for the red head's attention. The blonde quickly coated his aching erection with the lotion. He then positioned himself at Aya's entrance, the tip of his arousal pressing against the ring of muscle. "Ready?"

The red head's eyes closed when he felt Yohji's tip penetrate him. The blonde stopped and Aya cast him a puzzled look. He found jade green eyes closed, trying to wait. "Yohji, yes, gods, yes!" Aya cried out as Yohji thrust the rest of the way inside him. A quiet slap and a feeling of being totally filled consumed Aya.

"Fuck, lover. You're so perfect." Yohji leaned over Aya, pressing his lips over the pale man's neck and face. He waited for his lover to adjust and relax. It was painful, waiting, when all he wanted to do was fuck Aya into the mattress, hard and fast.

Hands untangled from the sheets and slid over golden skin. Aya slid his grip to Yohji's shoulders. His fingers swirled over the skin slowly and finally settled as Yohji began to move.

Yohji pulled out of Aya, then pushed slowly back into the clenching heat. He bit his lip and studied the red head's face for any sign of pain.

Aya almost growled at Yohji but instead he tilted his hips up, urging the blonde deeper. He gave a low purring sound as Yohji began to thrust in a slow pace. "Yohji..." he breathed his lover's name. "Yohji..."

The blonde pressed his lips against Aya's, catching the pale man's soft cries with his lips. When he pulled away, he angled his thrusts until the red head mewled in pleasure. Fingers clenched at his shoulders and arms, urging him faster.

"Mmm... harder... faster," Aya panted. His body instinctively moved to meet each of Yohji's movements. Violet eyes squeezed closed as he felt Yohji answering all of his demands. This was bliss. This was what it was like to be possessed by someone who cared for you. Aya's thoughts faded away as he felt his climax build.

Yohji slid a hand between them and began pumping Aya's erection in time to his thrusts. He covered Aya's mouth with his own, feeling the red head tense up.

Crying out into Yohji's open mouth, Aya came, spilling white ribbons of his seed over himself and his lover. He panted as Yohji pulled away, feeling him thrust the last few times into him until Aya felt a liquid heat surge into him. Yohji buried his face into Aya's shoulder, muffling his climax against his lover's pale skin.

They both were panting as Yohji pulled out of Aya and dropped next to him on the bed. He pulled Aya next to him before thinking better of it and moving to reach for Aya's discarded towel. The blonde quickly cleaned them both off and then tugged the red head against him. He pressed his lips to Aya's forehead then let the other man snuggle closer to him, loosely wrapping his arms around the thin form.

Aya murmured something against Yohji's neck before he scooted as close as he could get to the blonde and relaxed. He drifted into a peaceful, satisfied sleep as Yohji held him close.

=

It had come down to the day of the mission. All of the assassins were geared up and ready, waiting for the mission to begin. Omi and Ken were positive that they had all of the kinks worked out. Yohji was healed and able to wield his wire without any problems. The assassins were in the garage, silently checking to make sure they had everything before climbing into the dark vehicle Manx had provided them with.

Yohji grabbed Aya's arm before the red head had a chance to climb in the car and pulled him flush against him. The blonde kissed his lover, fiercely, passionately, before he shared a small smile with him. Since the first time they made love, the two had finished their duties for Weiss then climbed into bed with one another. They spent as much time exploring each other the past few days as they did getting ready for the mission.

Aya gave Yohji a faint smile before he climbed into the vehicle. He watched Yohji move to the driver's side. This mission could possibly be their last, in more than one ways. They were setting out to do what the other team couldn't. Weiss was going to stop Takatori once and for all.

The vehicle roared to live and took off in the direction of the building they had to infiltrate. Takatori would be there, doing some after hours `work'. Omi faintly wondered why people did dishonorable things under the cover of night.

They arrived at the drop point for their transportation. Yohji parked the vehicle in the loose gravel and Weiss silently climbed out. They stood, studying the outside of the complex. It only had two floors and two ways in. A back entrance, for deliveries during the day, and the main entrance.

"Alright. Abyssinian and Balinese, take the back entrance and terminate the target. Siberian and I will create a distraction in the front of the building. Remember, Takatori always has a varying number of guards with him. Be prepared for the worst." The three assassins nodded and Omi gave a small smile before he led Ken off.

Yohji nodded to Aya and they started off for the back of the building. The patrolling guards were left alone, the pair sneaking past them easily. The loading bay was next. They had to maneuver past a few security cameras before they were inside.

"Bombay, we're ready whenever you are." Aya spoke quietly into the com unit at his collar. He waited in the shadows with Yohji for the distraction they would need to get to the second floor.

Several shouts tipped them off to the distraction before Omi's cool, "Go Abyssinian," broke the com silence.

Yohji took off down the hall, heading for the elevators. A guard ran around the corner and was almost instantly folding to the ground, clawing at his neck. Balinese gave the wire a sharp jerk before he let the length of wire go. The guard was dead, the only sign that there was another assassin inside the building besides Ken and Omi.

=

Ken slashed the throat of a rather portly man, adding to the growing number of bodies on the floor. Omi hastily threw darts at people as he hacked the computer in front of him. The information wasn't totally necessary. It was a secondary objective that they really didn't need to complete. The distraction, their presence, was more important than what they were actually doing.

"Bombay, get down!" Ken shouted. He ducked, as did Omi, before a spray of bullets ricocheted across the room.

Omi jumped up as he heard the gun click empty and threw a dart at the man. A gurgling sound accompanied the man as he sank down to the floor. "Balinese, report," he ordered as he turned back to the computer.

=

"We're just outside the office." Yohji watched Aya take down a lingering employee before the woman could pull whatever she was reaching for out of her jacket. He stood to one side of the door and waited for Aya to get ready. The red head nodded to him and Yohji swung around, kicking the door open as he immediately fell into a crouch.

Aya waited for Yohji to give him the ok before he stepped into the room. Takatori's personal body guard lay in two pieces from Yohji's quick work. Violet eyes focused on their target. He was scarred, probably from the explosion that failed to kill him but took this world's Aya away from his sister.

Takatori watched Yohji with a blank face. He fumbled under his desk as he stood. "Come to try again? I can tell you the last team died in agony." The stocky man walked around his desk, switching his gaze to the red head. A look of disbelief crossed his face. "You! I killed you."

The assassin smirked. "Yes, you did." He stepped forward, brought his katana up and struck Takatori while the man was still frozen in shock. Aya's blade bit deep into the man's flesh, piercing his heart. He twisted the blade with a sharp jerk so that there would be a sizable hole in the other man's chest. Then, he pushed the limp body off of his katana, letting Takatori fall to the floor.

Yohji turned to see a pair of guards scampering down the corridor. He turned to deal with them, casting out his wire to catch one. He jerked sharply and pulled the man down. The blonde charged the second guard, knocking the aimed gun out of his hand, spinning the guard away from him and finally settling on snapping the man's neck from behind.

"Bombay, target terminated. We are heading out." The red head stepped into the hallway and turned to see Yohji finishing off the second guard. The blonde's back was to him when he heard a click. His attention immediately shifted to the opposite end of the hall that his teammate was in. "Balinese!"

The blonde turned at hearing his name. A crack sounded as Aya rushed in front of him. He watched in complete horror as the red head jerked then fell to the ground. Yohji threw out his wire and quickly dealt with the guard. "Aya! Aya, please!" He dropped beside the red head. "Omi, Aya's.. Aya's hurt," he spoke into the com. The blonde carefully held Aya in his arms. "Please, Aya." The red head didn't move. Yohji jerked off a glove with his teeth and felt for a pulse. "No. No. Aya... AYA!"