16Finally! Chapter 3 in da house! I'm really sorry for not updating this in so long. I've just been so damned tired lately and much of my time has been spent sleeping. I loved your reviews! Keep 'em coming!
Before anyone says anything in a review about how I left some questions unanswered in this chapter, I do plan on answering them in the next one. Mm kay? Thanks!
Chapter 3
"Are you alright, Kei-chan?"
Keitaro glanced up at the young auburn-haired girl standing above him. From his position on the floor he could see up her skirt, and he blushed before looking away. "I-I'm fine, Aya-san! Really, don't worry about me."
Aya lowered herself down so that she was crouching in front of him. "Are you sure? That wound on your head from where those men threw you into the wall yesterday couldn't have healed already."
"Um, I'm ok. Thanks."
With a sigh the girl stood back up and made her way across the room to sit down on the wooden table. They'd rented out an apartment to stay in temporarily. Sano was paying since neither Keitaro or Aya had any money. He'd complained alittle about having to pay for Aya since he didn't like her, but Keitaro had gotten him to agree to let her stay with them for awhile.
"When's Mr. Meanie coming back?" Aya asked absently.
Keitaro blinked. "You mean Sano? I'm not sure, really. I don't even know where he went. He left early this morning and told me he'd be back sooner or later..."
A loud bang issued through the room, making the boy jump nearly out of his skin. But the sound had only been Aya's fist connecting with the table top. She looked pissed.
"That...asshole! Who does he think he is? Leaving us here to sit and wait for him while he does Orin knows what!"
"Well, yeah, but..." The boy racked his brain for words to calm her down. "But Sano's really not so bad once you get to know him. I mean, he did save you-"
"-You, you mean. He saved you." Aya corrected. "He made it pretty clear that he couldn't have cared less about me."
Was it his imagination or did he hear a hint of sadness in her voice?
Keitaro frowned. "But-"
"Why are you with him, anyway? You guys friends or something? Brothers?"
"No. I'm just supposed to be following him and, uh, observing him."
Aya cocked an eyebrow at this. "Observing? Why?"
"Oh, no reason..." He refused to let himself say more. If she found out who Sano really was, she'd freak for sure. "So how old are you, Aya-san?"
"Fifteen."
"Really? That's only a year younger then me. Where are your parents?"
"Dead." Aya sighed. "Well, I'm leaving. See ya."
"What?! Where?!"
"I'm gonna go look for Sano. Come if you want."
The girl left her seat and strode towards the door. Keitaro's eyes went wide at the idea of her leaving without him. He knew there was no way he could stop her anyway so he followed after her outside.
Sano put out his third cigarette and took out a forth one. Dammit, where are they? I've been waiting forever
The little allyway slightly concealed him from the cold winds that had started to blow moments before. People and cars drifted by without acknowledging him. The sky was getting dark. Sano lit the cigarette.
If they don't show up in ten minutes, I'm outta here.
The shuffle of boots on concrete made him look up, the cancer stick between his lips.
"Hello, Kamikuro." said the uniformed man. "We didn't think you'd show up."
Sano removed the cigarette to speak. "Yeah, whatever. Let's get this over with."
"Of course."
The two men behind him, both dressed in the same blue uniform as he was, moved back alittle. Their leader carefully handed the briefcase he'd been carrying over to Sano, who took it.
The man noded quickly. "Put it in there."
"Right..." Sano mummbled absently as he removed a square item from his pocket. He opened the briefcase and dropped the shiny object inside, then closed it again. "Ok. Here ya go."
"Thank you, Kamikuro. You're being very cor-"
Sano jerked the briefcase away from the mans outstreched hand. "Remember the deal. I give this back and you get Namura off my case. Got it?"
The man smiled. "Of course, Kamikuro. That's what we agreed. Now...the briefcase, please?"
Without further hesitation, Sano gave him the briefcase.
The half-demon wasn't the least surprised when the man motioned for the other men to take out their weapons. In a second two guns were pointed at him. He frowned but said nothing.
"Don't look so angry, Kamikuro. I never said anything about not capturing you, now did I?" the man said with a smirk.
"That's because you won't capture me, asshole."
"Want to make a bet on that?"
Before any of the men could blink an eye Sano had his own gun out, aimed at the leaders face. "I don't make bets." he said, pulling the trigger.
Gunshots rang out, making the townspeople scream and run for cover. Aya and Keitaro were close by, and when they heard the shots they stopped dead in their tracks. Frenzied people bowled past them but neither seemed to care.
"Do you think...it's Sano?" Aya asked.
Keitaro bit his lower lip. "I-I don't..." Suddenly Aya was running in the direction of the sounds. "Hey! Wait a minute, Aya!"
But the girl had already gone out of his sight. With a worried look on his face, Keitaro went after her, hoping he wasn't too late.
Blood drenched the concrete around him as he continued to fire at the enemy. Of course those idiots wouldn't come alone. They had to bring half the friggin' army with them! What he wanted to know was how they managed to sneak hundreds of soliders into the town without anyone noticing. Unless...
Unless some of the townspeople were with Namura as well.
From his position behind a building, Sano could hear more bullets wizzing by his head. If only he could get close enough to really attack without getting a million holes in him. He wasn't worried about dying. They were most likely ordered not to kill him. Namura wanted him alive. That muchwas clear.
A new sound was advancing towards him. He spun around and pointed his gun at...Aya?
"S...Sano?"
Sano nearly dropped his gun in surprise. What was she doing here? The poor girl looked absolutely awe stricken. Her eyes traveled over the many bullet wounds already on his arms and chest, a look of concern crossing her delicate features.
He lowered the gun and cleared his throat. "Aya, what're you-"
"Sano, you're hurt! What's going on?" She looked up at him quizzically.
"I-"
"There he is!"
There was little time to react as a swarm of soliders came flooding towards them. After saying a few obscene words, Sano grabbed Aya and hoisted her over his shoulder before making a mad dash across the street. The girl lost her ability to speak as bullets shot past her, narrowly missing her body.
Luckily Sano was fast and he had them well hidden inside an empty house before the soliders saw them. Breathing a sigh of relief, he dropped Aya to the hard floor, getting an angry remark for his action from her. They could still hear the soliders yelling close by, then the sound of boots crunching over gravel. If either of them made any noise it was all over.
Aya, apparently,didn't know this.
"Sano, what're we gonna do?!" she said, none too quietly. She was shaking visably and her eyes darted in every direction. "If they find us they'll kill us, won't they? I don't wanna die-"
"Be quiet!" Sano hissed.
But the girls fear had already taken over her reasoning. "I don't wanna die!"
Outside he heard someone approaching.
Shit! Why won't she shut up? If she says one more thing we're fucked. I've gotta shut her up somehow...
"If I die, Sano, it'll be all your-"
Aya froze as Sano grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed his lips to hers. She didn't quite know what he was doing at first, then it dawned on her.
He's...kissing me?! How can he just...do that?! I'll KILL him!
The sound of footsteps tappered off alittle, but Aya brought them back as she pushed away from Sano's hold.
Glaring at him with fire-filled eyes, she tried to punch him. "You...ASSHOLE! How the fuck can you just do that and-"
But she once again found herself in his grip as he caught her fist and forced her none too gently into a closet. The footsteps were right outside the front door now, so he had to hide them quickly. Why couldn't she just be quiet for five minutes? Was she that dense?
Not giving the girl time to make another loud retort, Sano kissed her again, this time making sure she couldn't move. Not wanting her to try and remove her lips from his again, he deepened the kiss. He could feel her relaxing under his hold as she slowly returned the kiss. Good. At least she was calm now. The sound of the front door being opened made him hold her tighter, knowing she'd panic and start crying or something if she knew what was happening.
The soliders eyed every inch of the room. Then, seeing and hearing nothing, they trudged back outside. Hearing that the danger was gone, Sano finally released Aya and looked directly into her dark eyes.
"Listen, kid, you do exactly as I say and we'll get out of here alive. Got it?" he said quietly.
Aya nodded dumbly, blushing.
"Good. Now let's go."