Defusion - Chapter Eight
Title: Defusion
Fandom: Rockman.EXE
Rating: PG
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple experiment. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. Unfortunately, it did, and now Enzan, Netto, Rockman, and Blues are finding out first hand what happens when a dimensional area shatters.
Warnings: The chapter is complete. The story is not. I have no idea how long it will take me to finish the story, so if you don't want to be holding your breath indefinitely, don't read.
Looking for chapter one? You can find it here. Need to go back to the previous chapter?
Defusion - Chapter Eight
"Sir, there's a phone call from a Dr. Kuroki of SciLabs. She says it's about your son."
Ijuuin Shuuseki, president of IPC, looked up from the paperwork in front of him and frowned at the speaker phone where the voice of his secretary had issued from. The name of the doctor was unfamiliar to him, but IPC had had many dealings with SciLabs and the name carried a great deal of weight with him, even without the mention of his son.
"Put her through," he said.
"Yes, sir."
There was hardly a pause before another voice came from the speaker phone, female and sounding very serious. "Mr. Ijuuin, my name is Dr. Kuroki Hana of SciLabs. You're aware that your son, Enzan, was helping us test advancements in dimensional area technology yesterday, correct?"
"And disappeared during one of them, yes," Shuuseki said impatiently. "The police have already informed me of this." He set his pen down with a sharp snap. It was the only expression of agitation that made it past his self control. He wanted to get up and pace. "Have you any news?"
Dr. Kuroki hesitated before answering. "Yes, but given the nature of what I've discovered, I don't think it's a good idea to continue this conversation over the phone. We don't know where your son is yet, but we may have an idea what's going on and... there's someone you need to meet."
Shuuseki's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"I can't say. I can't guarantee this phone line is secure. Is there someplace we can meet you and explain the situation in detail?"
Shuuseki considered the request for a moment. In theory, this could be nothing more than a ploy to get near him for some purpose other than to brief him in privacy. It would not be the first time a company had tried to get someone near him in the hopes of either striking a bargain or trying to kill him. However...
This was about Enzan, his son and vice president. Even the chance that this Kuroki was telling the truth and did know something about what had happened to Enzan was enough for him. Besides, she was leaving it up to him where and when they met. He would still have his security.
"Come to IPC immediately," he said. "Once you arrive, tell the receptionist your name. Someone will be there to escort you." Without another word, he reached out and turned the speaker phone off. Then he stood up and briskly strode out of his office, leaving the paperwork forgotten on his desk.
He had work to do.
-o-
"Enzan, look out!" Thump! "Enzan, there's a-" Crunch! "Watch out for that-!"
"Rockman, would you shut up and let me drive?" Enzan snapped. "This is hard enough as it is without you yelling at me every time we- whoa!" The wheels of the car screeched as Enzan yanked the steering wheel to one side and slammed his foot down on the brake pedal, narrowly avoiding caroming off a small cliff. Both boys were thrown to the side with the sudden movement, but quickly righted themselves. Once the car was no longer in danger of going over the edge of the cliff, Enzan put his foot back on the gas pedal and propelled the car forward once again.
His face nearly as white as his shirt, Rockman clutched at the seatbelt strap that went across his shoulder as though it was a lifeline. Actually, maybe that was exactly what it was. With Enzan's driving... Despite being in the back seat, the former navi kept his eyes determinedly fixed on the road in front of them. At least there was a road. They didn't always stay on the road, but at least it was there, promising a destination with people at the other end. Hopefully with police.
Someone needs to tell them about what happened to Ms. Router. Rockman's throat felt like something had lodged itself in it, but he hadn't eaten anything besides the eggs and toast Ms. Router had given them, and that had been what seemed like ages ago. He tried swallowing to get the lump of whatever to go down all the way, but it stayed right where it was, making his eyes prickle with tears.
And then his stomach lurched as Enzan swerved sharply and the car that passed them blared its horn in protest to his erratic driving. Now it was Rockman's heart that felt like it was in his throat, beating wildly as it tried to escape from his chest. "Enzan!"
No less shaken by their near miss, Enzan gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. "I'm doing the best I can," he said through gritted teeth. "What, do you think you could do any better?"
Far from taking offense, Rockman brightened at the suggestion. "Actually, I think I could. I've driven navi cars before and the basic principles are supposed to be the same. Pull over and let's switch places!"
Enzan frowned. "The navi cars you've driven were customized for your size and build, Rockman. This car isn't. I'm having a hard enough time seeing over the dashboard, and you're even shorter than me."
"Not by that much," Rockman said. It was true. Without exact measurements, he couldn't be certain how tall either of them was, but the difference couldn't be more than an inch.
The other boy made an irritated noise in the back of his throat. "I'm not pulling over," he said stubbornly. "Not until I'm sure we're safe. Why don't you do something useful and check to see if anyone's following us?"
Rockman saw the distraction tactic for what it was, but couldn't argue the logic behind it. They might not be dodging bullets anymore, but they were still running for their lives. They couldn't afford to stop now. Unhappily, he twisted around in his seat and peered out the back window.
"I see two cars."
"No trucks?"
"No trucks." Unless their attackers had gotten backup, the only transportation available to them would be Ms. Router's truck. Rockman was silently grateful the thing was so old and beat up. With any luck, it would never catch up to them. Rockman glared out the window. I hope it breaks down.
The ride continued in relative silence for several minutes - relative because there was no way Rockman could have kept his mouth shut when Enzan went off the road again - and nearly ran into a tree this time, too! But he'd given up on convincing Enzan to let him switch places. Instead, he continued to grip his seatbelt tightly, only taking his eyes off the road ahead to periodically check for pursuit.
Nothing now. Not even the two cars from before. They'd either turned onto other roads, or Enzan and Rockman were going so fast that they'd long since left them behind. Rockman squeezed his eyes shut with a strangled whimper. He had a feeling he knew which one it was. Maybe a policeman will pull us over for speeding.
"Rockman..."
"What?" If Enzan was about to ask him if he was all right, Rockman would be hard pressed not to vent his stress. After everything that had happened, from the accident to being lost and inexplicably human, then being attacked and seeing Ms. Router die, and now Enzan's reckless driving...
"We're running out of gas."
Stress, it turns out, can always, always get worse.
-o-
"It's been confirmed. The boy that Sato Michiki brought with him is indeed Hikari Netto."
The news brought a displeased frown to the face of the man who received it. He leaned away from the large mahogany desk that dominated the room and let his hands meet in front of him, pressing the tips into a contemplative steeple. "Who, then, is the one with Ijuuin Enzan? Sato said that Ijuuin claimed the Hikari boy was with him."
The other man shook his head. "I don't know, sir. We may have to wait for Erizawa and Kido to report in before-"
"No." The man behind the desk dropped his hands to the arms of the chair and pushed himself out of his seat. "I have waited long enough. It is time to act now."
A look of alarm flashed across the underling's face. "Sir, you can't mean to make your move before you even know if they succeeded! What if they failed and Ijuuin still lives?"
"I will thank you not to try to read my mind," the man's employer said with irritated humor. "Because you just failed miserably. I intend to do no such thing. However, neither do I intend to sit around waiting. Take me to the room where the Hikari boy is being held. I want to see what he knows about this situation."
-o-
Netto sat still, wincing only when the young man in a business suit touched the bullet wound in his leg. Unfortunately, because the man was in the process of cleaning it, that meant he was touching it a lot more often than Netto would have liked.
Trying to keep his mind off the pain in his leg, the brown-haired boy looked around the room, hoping to gain some clue about who his captors were - beside Sato Michiki, of course - and where he was being held. A way to escape would be good, too, but that obviously wouldn't be happening right now.
The room itself was a little odd - not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it hardly seemed like the sort of place you'd think to put someone you kidnapped in. It looked more like someone's hastily cleaned office than anything else. The desk Netto was sitting on was slightly dusty, but with patches where papers and a computer had been sitting recently. There were nails in the wall, but no pictures or certificates hung from them. There were dents in the carpet, too, as though from filing cabinets that hadn't been moved in an eternity. Until now. What had been in those cabinets?
"There," the young man murmured as he finished applying the bandage to Netto's leg. "That's taken care of. How does it feel?"
Netto let his focus turn back to his leg. "Better," he admitted. He still wasn't keen on standing or walking, but he wasn't about to let that stop him from trying to escape. As soon as an opportunity presented itself - or as soon as he could make an opportunity - he'd be out of there before anyone had time to blink.
"Good." The man hesitated, as though he wanted to say something else, but stopped himself with a frown and started putting things back in the first aid kit.
"What's your name?"
The man looked up from what he was doing and, if anything, his frown became deeper. "That's none of your business," he said shortly.
Netto scowled. "I think it is my business. You guys kidnapped me, so it's only fair!"
That comment earned him a snort. "Life isn't fair, kid, and people don't always play by the rules. Get used to it." The man closed the lid of the first aid kit with a snap, signaling the end of the conversation.
Before he could go, the door to the office opened again to admit another man, this one with short brown hair and a receding hairline. His jawline was strong, though, and he held an air of authority around him which he immediately exerted upon entering the room.
"Leave the room, Mori, and stand outside the door. Do not let anyone come in."
Mori straightened up and nodded, then obediently left the room, first aid kit still in hand. He didn't have to say anything for Netto to catch the deep respect he held for the other man.
Who was this man?
"My name is Yujiro Kenji." Netto started in surprise at having his silent question answered so quickly. It made him look at the man suspiciously. What kind of game was he playing? What did he want? Whatever it was, Netto was determined not to give it to him.
The man, Yujiro, waited for a moment, before frowning with disapproval. "When someone introduces themselves to you, boy, it is typically considered good manners to introduce yourself."
Netto stared at him. Incredulous laughter threatened to burst out of him. He couldn't be serious. There was no way. "I've been kidnapped, shot, and locked up who knows where and you expect me to have good manners?"
"Yes, I suppose it is too much to expect from a child," Yujiro responded coolly. "A pity. And here I'd thought you might be of an age to have attained some maturity."
The comment, calculated to rankle, worked like a charm. Netto opened his mouth to give an angry retort.
Yujiro cut him off. "I suppose I'll just have to get answers from your brother."
The words that had been on Netto's tongue suddenly vanished, leaving him gaping at the man behind his kidnapping. Whatever threats he had been expecting, they hadn't included that. "What are you talking about?"
Yujiro smiled smugly as he leaned forward. "Oh yes, I know about him. I don't know your father's reasons for keeping it quiet, but I assure you, I intend to find out. Assuming, of course, my men don't kill the boy first."
Netto's head snapped up, his eyes widening with alarm at the casual talk of killing. Yujiro seemed to interpret something from this because he nodded to himself and started moving toward the door. When he reached it, though, he paused and looked back at Netto.
"I suggest you consider that your life isn't the only one in danger, Hikari. Your father is already dead at my command, and if you don't cooperate, your brother may join him. Think on that for a while before our next talk."
Then he was gone, leaving Netto alone in the room.
-o-
It was with a feeling of great satisfaction that Yujiro Kenji closed the door behind him. While the conversation had been brief, he had gained exactly the answers he'd been looking for. The Hikari boy might have thought himself stubborn and defiant, but in the end, he'd played himself right into Yujiro's hands.
So, he thought. Hikari Yuuichiro does have two sons. To my knowledge, his wife has only been pregnant once. Twins, perhaps? Or perhaps the other boy is a bastard. That would certainly explain why Dr. Hikari had kept the other's existence a secret. Hmm. The lovely taste of potential blackmail. A pity he'd never have a chance to use this information. He'd already determined that the whole Hikari family had to die, with the possible exception of Haruka. Dr. Hikari's death had been part of his original plans, but now the boys knew too much and would have to die, too. Haruka, on the other hand, was still ignorant, and so long as she remained so, Yujiro could afford to let her live.
Regardless, he now had one less mystery to deal with. The boy's expression when Yujiro had threatened his brother had been all the confirmation he needed that his guess had been correct. Now all that was left was to decide if he needed to alter his plans in response to this revelation.
"Sir?"
Yujiro glanced at the man he had sent from the room to guard the door, then shook his head. "Leave him be, Mori, but stay here to make sure he doesn't escape."
"What do you intend to do with him?" Mori asked neutrally.
"I haven't decided." The lie came easily to his tongue. He trusted Mori Morgan well enough, but there wasn't anyone he associated with that he would trust completely. No, it was far safer to play his cards close to his chest. "If Ijuuin Enzan proves difficult to apprehend, I may use him as bait."
-o-
Netto was reeling in shock. Dead? His father was dead? No. It couldn't be. He's lying, his mind whispered in harsh denial. He's lying! He forced himself to take one shaky breath, then another, then unclenched his hands which had unconsciously gripped the edge of the desk. His fingers almost tingled as blood rushed back in.
"He's lying." Saying it out loud seemed to help solidify his conviction, no matter that the words came out in a ragged croak. It was the only explanation he could accept. It was the only explanation that made sense. "He's just trying to... to trick me. To get me to tell him what he wants to know."
But what did Yujiro want to know?
He wanted to know about Netto's brother.
But that didn't make sense, either. Netto didn't have a brother. He didn't even have a sister! Now, if the man had threatened his mother...
Netto cringed at the thought. Then he discarded it completely in favor of another. I have to get out of here. Even if Yujiro Kenji hadn't killed anyone yet, that didn't mean he wouldn't. He had to be stopped.
But how? How do I get out?
He hopped down off the desk and gingerly padded across the room to try the door knob. Locked. Maybe guarded, too, if that Mori guy was still out there. His eyes scanned the room again. There weren't any windows. What about vents?
Ignoring the pain in his leg, he walked around the room, searching for the vent he knew the place would have. This room had been someone's office. No one would have an office in a room with no windows and no vents. His suspicion was proven correct when he checked the wall behind the desk, but his face fell when he saw the size of it. There would be no way he could fit through the opening.
Now what?
Fresh out of ideas and with nothing better to do, Netto laid down on the carpeted floor and stared up at the ceiling. His leg thanked him for finally listening to its protests, though it continued to throb dully even now. At least it wasn't as bad as before. It made it easier to think.
The ceiling was made of large white tiles of thick foam or compressed wood, patterned in neat rows that were easy to count. One... two... three... four... Something would come up. He was sure of it. There had to be a way out of this. Nine... ten... eleven... twelve... He just had to figure out what it was. Sixteen... seventeen... eighteen... nine-
His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened.
In less than a second, he was off the floor, heart pounding wildly with renewed hope.
In the blank tiles of the ceiling, he'd found his answer.
-End Chapter Eight-
Wow. This chapter's been almost a year in the making. Dang, it's a good thing I haven't been posting this to FFN. The guilt trips alone would kill me if the fans didn't do it first.
Anyway, you know the routine. Any and all questions, comments constructive criticism, etc. are invited and welcome.
Fandom: Rockman.EXE
Rating: PG
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple experiment. Nothing was supposed to go wrong. Unfortunately, it did, and now Enzan, Netto, Rockman, and Blues are finding out first hand what happens when a dimensional area shatters.
Warnings: The chapter is complete. The story is not. I have no idea how long it will take me to finish the story, so if you don't want to be holding your breath indefinitely, don't read.
Looking for chapter one? You can find it here. Need to go back to the previous chapter?
Defusion - Chapter Eight
"Sir, there's a phone call from a Dr. Kuroki of SciLabs. She says it's about your son."
Ijuuin Shuuseki, president of IPC, looked up from the paperwork in front of him and frowned at the speaker phone where the voice of his secretary had issued from. The name of the doctor was unfamiliar to him, but IPC had had many dealings with SciLabs and the name carried a great deal of weight with him, even without the mention of his son.
"Put her through," he said.
"Yes, sir."
There was hardly a pause before another voice came from the speaker phone, female and sounding very serious. "Mr. Ijuuin, my name is Dr. Kuroki Hana of SciLabs. You're aware that your son, Enzan, was helping us test advancements in dimensional area technology yesterday, correct?"
"And disappeared during one of them, yes," Shuuseki said impatiently. "The police have already informed me of this." He set his pen down with a sharp snap. It was the only expression of agitation that made it past his self control. He wanted to get up and pace. "Have you any news?"
Dr. Kuroki hesitated before answering. "Yes, but given the nature of what I've discovered, I don't think it's a good idea to continue this conversation over the phone. We don't know where your son is yet, but we may have an idea what's going on and... there's someone you need to meet."
Shuuseki's eyes narrowed. "Who?"
"I can't say. I can't guarantee this phone line is secure. Is there someplace we can meet you and explain the situation in detail?"
Shuuseki considered the request for a moment. In theory, this could be nothing more than a ploy to get near him for some purpose other than to brief him in privacy. It would not be the first time a company had tried to get someone near him in the hopes of either striking a bargain or trying to kill him. However...
This was about Enzan, his son and vice president. Even the chance that this Kuroki was telling the truth and did know something about what had happened to Enzan was enough for him. Besides, she was leaving it up to him where and when they met. He would still have his security.
"Come to IPC immediately," he said. "Once you arrive, tell the receptionist your name. Someone will be there to escort you." Without another word, he reached out and turned the speaker phone off. Then he stood up and briskly strode out of his office, leaving the paperwork forgotten on his desk.
He had work to do.
-o-
"Enzan, look out!" Thump! "Enzan, there's a-" Crunch! "Watch out for that-!"
"Rockman, would you shut up and let me drive?" Enzan snapped. "This is hard enough as it is without you yelling at me every time we- whoa!" The wheels of the car screeched as Enzan yanked the steering wheel to one side and slammed his foot down on the brake pedal, narrowly avoiding caroming off a small cliff. Both boys were thrown to the side with the sudden movement, but quickly righted themselves. Once the car was no longer in danger of going over the edge of the cliff, Enzan put his foot back on the gas pedal and propelled the car forward once again.
His face nearly as white as his shirt, Rockman clutched at the seatbelt strap that went across his shoulder as though it was a lifeline. Actually, maybe that was exactly what it was. With Enzan's driving... Despite being in the back seat, the former navi kept his eyes determinedly fixed on the road in front of them. At least there was a road. They didn't always stay on the road, but at least it was there, promising a destination with people at the other end. Hopefully with police.
Someone needs to tell them about what happened to Ms. Router. Rockman's throat felt like something had lodged itself in it, but he hadn't eaten anything besides the eggs and toast Ms. Router had given them, and that had been what seemed like ages ago. He tried swallowing to get the lump of whatever to go down all the way, but it stayed right where it was, making his eyes prickle with tears.
And then his stomach lurched as Enzan swerved sharply and the car that passed them blared its horn in protest to his erratic driving. Now it was Rockman's heart that felt like it was in his throat, beating wildly as it tried to escape from his chest. "Enzan!"
No less shaken by their near miss, Enzan gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles were white. "I'm doing the best I can," he said through gritted teeth. "What, do you think you could do any better?"
Far from taking offense, Rockman brightened at the suggestion. "Actually, I think I could. I've driven navi cars before and the basic principles are supposed to be the same. Pull over and let's switch places!"
Enzan frowned. "The navi cars you've driven were customized for your size and build, Rockman. This car isn't. I'm having a hard enough time seeing over the dashboard, and you're even shorter than me."
"Not by that much," Rockman said. It was true. Without exact measurements, he couldn't be certain how tall either of them was, but the difference couldn't be more than an inch.
The other boy made an irritated noise in the back of his throat. "I'm not pulling over," he said stubbornly. "Not until I'm sure we're safe. Why don't you do something useful and check to see if anyone's following us?"
Rockman saw the distraction tactic for what it was, but couldn't argue the logic behind it. They might not be dodging bullets anymore, but they were still running for their lives. They couldn't afford to stop now. Unhappily, he twisted around in his seat and peered out the back window.
"I see two cars."
"No trucks?"
"No trucks." Unless their attackers had gotten backup, the only transportation available to them would be Ms. Router's truck. Rockman was silently grateful the thing was so old and beat up. With any luck, it would never catch up to them. Rockman glared out the window. I hope it breaks down.
The ride continued in relative silence for several minutes - relative because there was no way Rockman could have kept his mouth shut when Enzan went off the road again - and nearly ran into a tree this time, too! But he'd given up on convincing Enzan to let him switch places. Instead, he continued to grip his seatbelt tightly, only taking his eyes off the road ahead to periodically check for pursuit.
Nothing now. Not even the two cars from before. They'd either turned onto other roads, or Enzan and Rockman were going so fast that they'd long since left them behind. Rockman squeezed his eyes shut with a strangled whimper. He had a feeling he knew which one it was. Maybe a policeman will pull us over for speeding.
"Rockman..."
"What?" If Enzan was about to ask him if he was all right, Rockman would be hard pressed not to vent his stress. After everything that had happened, from the accident to being lost and inexplicably human, then being attacked and seeing Ms. Router die, and now Enzan's reckless driving...
"We're running out of gas."
Stress, it turns out, can always, always get worse.
-o-
"It's been confirmed. The boy that Sato Michiki brought with him is indeed Hikari Netto."
The news brought a displeased frown to the face of the man who received it. He leaned away from the large mahogany desk that dominated the room and let his hands meet in front of him, pressing the tips into a contemplative steeple. "Who, then, is the one with Ijuuin Enzan? Sato said that Ijuuin claimed the Hikari boy was with him."
The other man shook his head. "I don't know, sir. We may have to wait for Erizawa and Kido to report in before-"
"No." The man behind the desk dropped his hands to the arms of the chair and pushed himself out of his seat. "I have waited long enough. It is time to act now."
A look of alarm flashed across the underling's face. "Sir, you can't mean to make your move before you even know if they succeeded! What if they failed and Ijuuin still lives?"
"I will thank you not to try to read my mind," the man's employer said with irritated humor. "Because you just failed miserably. I intend to do no such thing. However, neither do I intend to sit around waiting. Take me to the room where the Hikari boy is being held. I want to see what he knows about this situation."
-o-
Netto sat still, wincing only when the young man in a business suit touched the bullet wound in his leg. Unfortunately, because the man was in the process of cleaning it, that meant he was touching it a lot more often than Netto would have liked.
Trying to keep his mind off the pain in his leg, the brown-haired boy looked around the room, hoping to gain some clue about who his captors were - beside Sato Michiki, of course - and where he was being held. A way to escape would be good, too, but that obviously wouldn't be happening right now.
The room itself was a little odd - not because there was anything wrong with it, but because it hardly seemed like the sort of place you'd think to put someone you kidnapped in. It looked more like someone's hastily cleaned office than anything else. The desk Netto was sitting on was slightly dusty, but with patches where papers and a computer had been sitting recently. There were nails in the wall, but no pictures or certificates hung from them. There were dents in the carpet, too, as though from filing cabinets that hadn't been moved in an eternity. Until now. What had been in those cabinets?
"There," the young man murmured as he finished applying the bandage to Netto's leg. "That's taken care of. How does it feel?"
Netto let his focus turn back to his leg. "Better," he admitted. He still wasn't keen on standing or walking, but he wasn't about to let that stop him from trying to escape. As soon as an opportunity presented itself - or as soon as he could make an opportunity - he'd be out of there before anyone had time to blink.
"Good." The man hesitated, as though he wanted to say something else, but stopped himself with a frown and started putting things back in the first aid kit.
"What's your name?"
The man looked up from what he was doing and, if anything, his frown became deeper. "That's none of your business," he said shortly.
Netto scowled. "I think it is my business. You guys kidnapped me, so it's only fair!"
That comment earned him a snort. "Life isn't fair, kid, and people don't always play by the rules. Get used to it." The man closed the lid of the first aid kit with a snap, signaling the end of the conversation.
Before he could go, the door to the office opened again to admit another man, this one with short brown hair and a receding hairline. His jawline was strong, though, and he held an air of authority around him which he immediately exerted upon entering the room.
"Leave the room, Mori, and stand outside the door. Do not let anyone come in."
Mori straightened up and nodded, then obediently left the room, first aid kit still in hand. He didn't have to say anything for Netto to catch the deep respect he held for the other man.
Who was this man?
"My name is Yujiro Kenji." Netto started in surprise at having his silent question answered so quickly. It made him look at the man suspiciously. What kind of game was he playing? What did he want? Whatever it was, Netto was determined not to give it to him.
The man, Yujiro, waited for a moment, before frowning with disapproval. "When someone introduces themselves to you, boy, it is typically considered good manners to introduce yourself."
Netto stared at him. Incredulous laughter threatened to burst out of him. He couldn't be serious. There was no way. "I've been kidnapped, shot, and locked up who knows where and you expect me to have good manners?"
"Yes, I suppose it is too much to expect from a child," Yujiro responded coolly. "A pity. And here I'd thought you might be of an age to have attained some maturity."
The comment, calculated to rankle, worked like a charm. Netto opened his mouth to give an angry retort.
Yujiro cut him off. "I suppose I'll just have to get answers from your brother."
The words that had been on Netto's tongue suddenly vanished, leaving him gaping at the man behind his kidnapping. Whatever threats he had been expecting, they hadn't included that. "What are you talking about?"
Yujiro smiled smugly as he leaned forward. "Oh yes, I know about him. I don't know your father's reasons for keeping it quiet, but I assure you, I intend to find out. Assuming, of course, my men don't kill the boy first."
Netto's head snapped up, his eyes widening with alarm at the casual talk of killing. Yujiro seemed to interpret something from this because he nodded to himself and started moving toward the door. When he reached it, though, he paused and looked back at Netto.
"I suggest you consider that your life isn't the only one in danger, Hikari. Your father is already dead at my command, and if you don't cooperate, your brother may join him. Think on that for a while before our next talk."
Then he was gone, leaving Netto alone in the room.
-o-
It was with a feeling of great satisfaction that Yujiro Kenji closed the door behind him. While the conversation had been brief, he had gained exactly the answers he'd been looking for. The Hikari boy might have thought himself stubborn and defiant, but in the end, he'd played himself right into Yujiro's hands.
So, he thought. Hikari Yuuichiro does have two sons. To my knowledge, his wife has only been pregnant once. Twins, perhaps? Or perhaps the other boy is a bastard. That would certainly explain why Dr. Hikari had kept the other's existence a secret. Hmm. The lovely taste of potential blackmail. A pity he'd never have a chance to use this information. He'd already determined that the whole Hikari family had to die, with the possible exception of Haruka. Dr. Hikari's death had been part of his original plans, but now the boys knew too much and would have to die, too. Haruka, on the other hand, was still ignorant, and so long as she remained so, Yujiro could afford to let her live.
Regardless, he now had one less mystery to deal with. The boy's expression when Yujiro had threatened his brother had been all the confirmation he needed that his guess had been correct. Now all that was left was to decide if he needed to alter his plans in response to this revelation.
"Sir?"
Yujiro glanced at the man he had sent from the room to guard the door, then shook his head. "Leave him be, Mori, but stay here to make sure he doesn't escape."
"What do you intend to do with him?" Mori asked neutrally.
"I haven't decided." The lie came easily to his tongue. He trusted Mori Morgan well enough, but there wasn't anyone he associated with that he would trust completely. No, it was far safer to play his cards close to his chest. "If Ijuuin Enzan proves difficult to apprehend, I may use him as bait."
-o-
Netto was reeling in shock. Dead? His father was dead? No. It couldn't be. He's lying, his mind whispered in harsh denial. He's lying! He forced himself to take one shaky breath, then another, then unclenched his hands which had unconsciously gripped the edge of the desk. His fingers almost tingled as blood rushed back in.
"He's lying." Saying it out loud seemed to help solidify his conviction, no matter that the words came out in a ragged croak. It was the only explanation he could accept. It was the only explanation that made sense. "He's just trying to... to trick me. To get me to tell him what he wants to know."
But what did Yujiro want to know?
He wanted to know about Netto's brother.
But that didn't make sense, either. Netto didn't have a brother. He didn't even have a sister! Now, if the man had threatened his mother...
Netto cringed at the thought. Then he discarded it completely in favor of another. I have to get out of here. Even if Yujiro Kenji hadn't killed anyone yet, that didn't mean he wouldn't. He had to be stopped.
But how? How do I get out?
He hopped down off the desk and gingerly padded across the room to try the door knob. Locked. Maybe guarded, too, if that Mori guy was still out there. His eyes scanned the room again. There weren't any windows. What about vents?
Ignoring the pain in his leg, he walked around the room, searching for the vent he knew the place would have. This room had been someone's office. No one would have an office in a room with no windows and no vents. His suspicion was proven correct when he checked the wall behind the desk, but his face fell when he saw the size of it. There would be no way he could fit through the opening.
Now what?
Fresh out of ideas and with nothing better to do, Netto laid down on the carpeted floor and stared up at the ceiling. His leg thanked him for finally listening to its protests, though it continued to throb dully even now. At least it wasn't as bad as before. It made it easier to think.
The ceiling was made of large white tiles of thick foam or compressed wood, patterned in neat rows that were easy to count. One... two... three... four... Something would come up. He was sure of it. There had to be a way out of this. Nine... ten... eleven... twelve... He just had to figure out what it was. Sixteen... seventeen... eighteen... nine-
His breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened.
In less than a second, he was off the floor, heart pounding wildly with renewed hope.
In the blank tiles of the ceiling, he'd found his answer.
-End Chapter Eight-
Wow. This chapter's been almost a year in the making. Dang, it's a good thing I haven't been posting this to FFN. The guilt trips alone would kill me if the fans didn't do it first.
Anyway, you know the routine. Any and all questions, comments constructive criticism, etc. are invited and welcome.