Blind, Chapter 6
Title: Blind
Fandom: Sailor Moon
Genre: Mystery, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It is said that justice is blind. So too is vengeance. But so too is love.
Previous Chapters: Disclaimer, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 Chapter 5
“Where exactly are we?” Nathan asked, taking in his surroundings.
“And… should we be asking when exactly are we?” Zacharie chimed in.
“There is not a proper answer for either of your questions. None that you would likely understand.”
Coming from anyone else, that would have been an insult of the highest order. However, the men felt this woman probably had the credentials to back up such a statement. None of them were inclined to press the issue anyway. It wouldn’t look good to be wasted by a woman who looked like fetish arm candy for a crime boss.
“You gonna pass out if you try and explain all this, Janny?”
She looked at him and gave a cryptic smile.
“I will tell you what I can. You have questions. Ask them.”
“You said this was the River of Time?” asked Kemal.
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that what you are seeing is the embodiment of the passage and cycling of time, the writing and rewriting of history, the threading of fate and destiny.”
“I’m not sure I understood any of that,” Nathan groused.
She gave him an indulgent smile.
“You are not meant to. That is my role.”
“So what does it mean that this river is dying?” Zacharie pressed.
“It means that time itself is dying. Something is poisoning the timeline, slowly erasing bits of history.”
Nathan rubbed the back of his head. “I’m not sure I understand that, but I’m pretty sure it’s not good.”
“No Inspector, it is most certainly not. If we do not work quickly, everything will be erased.”
“Do I want to know what that means, Janny?”
She looked at him, and there were so many things swirling in the depths of her eyes, Jeffrey didn’t know what to make of any of them. “No, you don’t.”
Kemal stepped forward once more.
“You still have not answered my question. Who are you?”
If possible, she seemed to draw herself up even taller. The four men in the mists felt small and insignificant.
“I am Pluto, Daughter of Chronos, Guardian of Time.”
It was an answer that begged a thousand more questions, yet somehow, in the depths of their hearts, the men knew all questions were answered, whether they understood or not.
“And the mission we are on? Saving Chiba. It is related to this?”
“Chiba Mamoru’s death is the cause of what you see. Events are not supposed to unfold this way.”
“I don’t understand,” protested Nathan. “How can one man be so important?”
When she spoke, it was not in her usual, composed manner. “He is not just any man. And his wife is not just any woman. They are the one hope this world has left. They represent everything that is honorable and pure and good in this world. They are worth serving, and worth dying for.”
Put in those terms, the men did not argue. No one would dare accuse her for lying or being deluded.
“So now you know.”
And with those words, the mists faded, and in the blink of an eye, they were all back around the table.
“I hope you better understand the stakes now, gentlemen. Although this world may not be real, the consequences are. There is a very real threat out there, and it will stop at nothing to consume us all. We are all that stands in their way.”
Kemal, Nathan and Jeffrey had all, at one time or another, sworn oaths of service. But never, until know, had they known purpose.
“You must all understand. We are at war now. You are soldiers, and you must behave as such.”
Something in Kemal moved at these words. The martial pride that had been growing in his chest suddenly went cold.
“What are you implying?”
“I’m implying nothing, Agent Baig. I am saying, there are going to be casualties.” At those words, she produced a photograph. “This is the Hikawa Jinja, a Shinto shrine on Sendai Hill. Intelligence suggests that the Diamond Syndicate uses it as some sort of front for their operations. How, we don’t entirely know, but surveillance shows that the brothers are frequent visitors. MI-6 have intercepted communications that indicate the youngest, Rubeus, will be there later today. And he will not be alone. He has a meeting with certain, ‘interests.’”
“When you say, interests, you mean-“
“Yes Zacharie, the interests we discussed before. Your Russian friends will be there. As well as mercenaries employed by a certain oil company, an INTERPOL operative, and a UDF commander.”
“Well, that’s a rather eclectic bunch. Can’t be a coincidence, can it?” Nathan mused.
“No Inspector, I believe you’ll find that coincidence has remarkably little to do with anything where fate is concerned.”
She turned her gaze towards Kemal.
“Your encounter did not go unnoticed. The Syndicate is aware that you pose the only threat they need worry about. They intend to make life difficult for you. We need to make life difficult for them first.”
“I don’t like where this is goin’ Janny. I’ve seen that look in yer eyes before.”
“Then you know what must be done.”
“I won’t do it. Not again. I can’t go back to being that man.”
“What are you talking about?” Zacharie demanded.
“Janny here has it in her head that I should bomb this temple here, which I hafta imagin’ is the eighth deadly sin. And she wants me to make it look like a rival syndicate did it, so that there’ll be open war on the streets and the syndicate’s attention is divided.”
Nathan looked back and forth between the two. “You’ve been working together way too long.”
“How is planting a bomb supposed to stop a syndicate that has the power to poison the River of Time?” Kemal asked.
“I told you, Agent Baig. Not everything is as it seems. The Diamond Syndicate has changed the world. But they have not yet mastered it. Something is still working against them. Something they cannot master. So they are looking to increase their own control, without revealing their true nature. To do this, they must work within the constraints of this world, in order to maintain the illusion. We must do what we can to shatter that illusion.”
“Find another way Janny. Don’t ask me to do this.”
She fixed a hard stare upon him. “I wasn’t asking.”
Jeffrey looked as though he was building up steam to unleash a tirade. But before he could say anything, he abruptly turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him.
“Give him an hour, then go to the church and bring him back. We don’t have much time to prepare. In the meantime, the rest of you need to get started.”
***
Jeffrey sat in the pews, head bowed. The rosary beads rolled between his fingers. He did not utter a prayer as each one passed. Instead, he begged forgiveness. One for each life taken, one for each voice silenced, one for each grave filled.
He heard the footsteps approach but didn’t bother to turn. He knew they would come eventually.
Zacharie sat in the row behind him.
“Why are you wasting your time here?”
Something in his tone caught Jeffrey’s attention.
“D’ya nae believe in God, Zacharie?”
“No.”
He kissed the rosary before putting it back into his pocket.
“Lucky you.”
“We’ve been working while you’ve been dawdling here.”
Jeffrey pulled out his phone. “I’m up to speed. Let’s get back. I’m going to need twenty minutes to build this bomb.”
***
Kemal squared his shoulders as he passed under the Torii. “Yoko, this is Paul. I’m in.”
Janny’s voice came through his ear piece. “I read you Paul. The eye is open.”
Kemal looked once more at the button on his left lapel, ensuring the camera feed was clear.
“George, your entrance is secure, over.”
Jeffrey’s voice came through this time. “Roger that, bringing in the yellow sub.”
Kemal made his way slowly through the temple’s visitors, turning often to ensure the camera feed took in as much as possible.
“John to Paul. The crowd is clear. Head for the building in the southeast corner. The people appear to be avoiding that.”
Nathan's keen eyes missed very little, even from a remote location. The crowd had indeed been shepherded away from that area.
“Copy that. Approaching from the south. George, on my signal, approach from the east.”
“Copy that Paul. George holding position.”
Kemal maintained his pace through the crowd, attempting to remain invisible. He noted the two men in suits who were not part of the crowd, but were in a position to keep anyone unwanted away from the building.
“Paul to Ringo. There are feathers on the ground. Are there birds in the nest?”
Zacharie’s voice spoke into his ear. He couldn’t see him, but he was sure the Frenchman had nothing but smug disdain for all the secrecy.
“Ringo to Paul. No one’s singing.”
Not for the first time, Kemal wondered why the Syndicate would choose this temple as an operational front. There was no electronic surveillance, only a basic phone line incoming and outgoing, and the public nature of it made it difficult to patrol.
“Paul to George. Prepare to move in.”
“Copy that. George standing by.”
Kemal made his way to the bell with the crowd waiting to cast their wishes, knowing that it was something the two guards would be able to see. Instead of turning and exiting the way he came, Nathan went around to the door behind the bell and exited from the back door.
One of the guards took the bait and left his post. Kemal needed to keep him occupied, so he made his way to one of the smaller buildings and slipped inside.
In the confusion, Jeffrey had time to approach the guarded door from the opposite side. He slipped behind his guard and hit him with a tranquilizer, quickly sliding the door open and carrying his slumping victim in with him.
There was a narrow passageway. Jeffrey opened the first door and found a storage closet, a convenient place to dump the unconscious man.
After a moment of silence, Jeffrey could hear voices from the far end of the hall. This was the place for sure. He lowered the pack from his shoulder and crept down the hall. He left the pack on the floor just next to the door. Given the size of the rooms, the bomb would be sufficient for the task.
“You’re lost.”
In the blink of an eye, Jeffrey was crouched and poised to strike at whoever it was that had snuck up on him without so much as a gust of wind. But the shape of his attacker took him totally by surprise.
A woman, who was clearly the temple miko, stood impassively before him. Her arms were folded into the sleeves of her robes, and she was still as a statue. She could easily have been mistaken for one, were it not for her eyes. Jeffrey had never seen eyes that color; a shade of purple that put even Janny’s eyes to shame.
Appearances aside, something told Jeffrey that this woman was dangerous.
“Ah, yeah miss, I suppose I am. Is the loo this way?”
“You seek purpose.”
“No no, just a toilet. If you could point me in the right direction, I’ll be on my way. Tell ya what, why don’t you show me and tell me a about yer temple.”
She advanced a step towards him, and Jeffrey couldn’t decide if it was as though she floated or slithered. In either case, the movement was hypnotic, sensual and very dangerous.
“Purpose is what gives us tranquility. Why is it then that you seek violence?”
Jeffrey heard something akin to a whisper, but he couldn’t place it.
“You have questions. Fear not. All will be answered in time.”
The more he held her gaze, the more he had the uncomfortable sensation this woman knew what he was thinking.
“You need only open your mind. Then, you will know.”
She reached a hand out to her side, and the pack Jeffrey had placed by to door came flying into her hands.
“Ah, you might wanna be careful with that.”
Unconcerned, the woman opened the pack and found the bomb. Expert fingers pulled several wires, and Jeffrey recognized that she had disarmed the bomb.
“Rubeus.”
The door to the room opened, and a red haired man stepped out.
“This had better be important. I’m in the middle of-. Who is this?”
“This man has come to kill you. You are no match for him. But I am. You should run along.”
“What about our associates?”
The priestess produced an ofuda from within her robes and threw it at the door. With a flash, there was a fire that consumed the room. Jeffrey could hear the screams from within.
“They are no more use to us.”
Her eyes were now coal black.
“Leave us now.”
The red haired man wasted no time in departing. Jeffrey knew he would be wise to follow suit.
“George to the band. Show’s over. Get out now.”
He pulled his ear piece and stamped on it. He would have turned for the door, but found that every room in the building was shutting of its own accord.
“You needn’t seek any longer. I will give you all you seek.”
Jeffrey could feel the temperature rise, and saw that the priestess’s hands were glowing. Whatever light was in her eyes was gone now.
“Embrace the void.”
Fandom: Sailor Moon
Genre: Mystery, AU
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It is said that justice is blind. So too is vengeance. But so too is love.
Previous Chapters: Disclaimer, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4 Chapter 5
“Where exactly are we?” Nathan asked, taking in his surroundings.
“And… should we be asking when exactly are we?” Zacharie chimed in.
“There is not a proper answer for either of your questions. None that you would likely understand.”
Coming from anyone else, that would have been an insult of the highest order. However, the men felt this woman probably had the credentials to back up such a statement. None of them were inclined to press the issue anyway. It wouldn’t look good to be wasted by a woman who looked like fetish arm candy for a crime boss.
“You gonna pass out if you try and explain all this, Janny?”
She looked at him and gave a cryptic smile.
“I will tell you what I can. You have questions. Ask them.”
“You said this was the River of Time?” asked Kemal.
“Yes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that what you are seeing is the embodiment of the passage and cycling of time, the writing and rewriting of history, the threading of fate and destiny.”
“I’m not sure I understood any of that,” Nathan groused.
She gave him an indulgent smile.
“You are not meant to. That is my role.”
“So what does it mean that this river is dying?” Zacharie pressed.
“It means that time itself is dying. Something is poisoning the timeline, slowly erasing bits of history.”
Nathan rubbed the back of his head. “I’m not sure I understand that, but I’m pretty sure it’s not good.”
“No Inspector, it is most certainly not. If we do not work quickly, everything will be erased.”
“Do I want to know what that means, Janny?”
She looked at him, and there were so many things swirling in the depths of her eyes, Jeffrey didn’t know what to make of any of them. “No, you don’t.”
Kemal stepped forward once more.
“You still have not answered my question. Who are you?”
If possible, she seemed to draw herself up even taller. The four men in the mists felt small and insignificant.
“I am Pluto, Daughter of Chronos, Guardian of Time.”
It was an answer that begged a thousand more questions, yet somehow, in the depths of their hearts, the men knew all questions were answered, whether they understood or not.
“And the mission we are on? Saving Chiba. It is related to this?”
“Chiba Mamoru’s death is the cause of what you see. Events are not supposed to unfold this way.”
“I don’t understand,” protested Nathan. “How can one man be so important?”
When she spoke, it was not in her usual, composed manner. “He is not just any man. And his wife is not just any woman. They are the one hope this world has left. They represent everything that is honorable and pure and good in this world. They are worth serving, and worth dying for.”
Put in those terms, the men did not argue. No one would dare accuse her for lying or being deluded.
“So now you know.”
And with those words, the mists faded, and in the blink of an eye, they were all back around the table.
“I hope you better understand the stakes now, gentlemen. Although this world may not be real, the consequences are. There is a very real threat out there, and it will stop at nothing to consume us all. We are all that stands in their way.”
Kemal, Nathan and Jeffrey had all, at one time or another, sworn oaths of service. But never, until know, had they known purpose.
“You must all understand. We are at war now. You are soldiers, and you must behave as such.”
Something in Kemal moved at these words. The martial pride that had been growing in his chest suddenly went cold.
“What are you implying?”
“I’m implying nothing, Agent Baig. I am saying, there are going to be casualties.” At those words, she produced a photograph. “This is the Hikawa Jinja, a Shinto shrine on Sendai Hill. Intelligence suggests that the Diamond Syndicate uses it as some sort of front for their operations. How, we don’t entirely know, but surveillance shows that the brothers are frequent visitors. MI-6 have intercepted communications that indicate the youngest, Rubeus, will be there later today. And he will not be alone. He has a meeting with certain, ‘interests.’”
“When you say, interests, you mean-“
“Yes Zacharie, the interests we discussed before. Your Russian friends will be there. As well as mercenaries employed by a certain oil company, an INTERPOL operative, and a UDF commander.”
“Well, that’s a rather eclectic bunch. Can’t be a coincidence, can it?” Nathan mused.
“No Inspector, I believe you’ll find that coincidence has remarkably little to do with anything where fate is concerned.”
She turned her gaze towards Kemal.
“Your encounter did not go unnoticed. The Syndicate is aware that you pose the only threat they need worry about. They intend to make life difficult for you. We need to make life difficult for them first.”
“I don’t like where this is goin’ Janny. I’ve seen that look in yer eyes before.”
“Then you know what must be done.”
“I won’t do it. Not again. I can’t go back to being that man.”
“What are you talking about?” Zacharie demanded.
“Janny here has it in her head that I should bomb this temple here, which I hafta imagin’ is the eighth deadly sin. And she wants me to make it look like a rival syndicate did it, so that there’ll be open war on the streets and the syndicate’s attention is divided.”
Nathan looked back and forth between the two. “You’ve been working together way too long.”
“How is planting a bomb supposed to stop a syndicate that has the power to poison the River of Time?” Kemal asked.
“I told you, Agent Baig. Not everything is as it seems. The Diamond Syndicate has changed the world. But they have not yet mastered it. Something is still working against them. Something they cannot master. So they are looking to increase their own control, without revealing their true nature. To do this, they must work within the constraints of this world, in order to maintain the illusion. We must do what we can to shatter that illusion.”
“Find another way Janny. Don’t ask me to do this.”
She fixed a hard stare upon him. “I wasn’t asking.”
Jeffrey looked as though he was building up steam to unleash a tirade. But before he could say anything, he abruptly turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him.
“Give him an hour, then go to the church and bring him back. We don’t have much time to prepare. In the meantime, the rest of you need to get started.”
***
Jeffrey sat in the pews, head bowed. The rosary beads rolled between his fingers. He did not utter a prayer as each one passed. Instead, he begged forgiveness. One for each life taken, one for each voice silenced, one for each grave filled.
He heard the footsteps approach but didn’t bother to turn. He knew they would come eventually.
Zacharie sat in the row behind him.
“Why are you wasting your time here?”
Something in his tone caught Jeffrey’s attention.
“D’ya nae believe in God, Zacharie?”
“No.”
He kissed the rosary before putting it back into his pocket.
“Lucky you.”
“We’ve been working while you’ve been dawdling here.”
Jeffrey pulled out his phone. “I’m up to speed. Let’s get back. I’m going to need twenty minutes to build this bomb.”
***
Kemal squared his shoulders as he passed under the Torii. “Yoko, this is Paul. I’m in.”
Janny’s voice came through his ear piece. “I read you Paul. The eye is open.”
Kemal looked once more at the button on his left lapel, ensuring the camera feed was clear.
“George, your entrance is secure, over.”
Jeffrey’s voice came through this time. “Roger that, bringing in the yellow sub.”
Kemal made his way slowly through the temple’s visitors, turning often to ensure the camera feed took in as much as possible.
“John to Paul. The crowd is clear. Head for the building in the southeast corner. The people appear to be avoiding that.”
Nathan's keen eyes missed very little, even from a remote location. The crowd had indeed been shepherded away from that area.
“Copy that. Approaching from the south. George, on my signal, approach from the east.”
“Copy that Paul. George holding position.”
Kemal maintained his pace through the crowd, attempting to remain invisible. He noted the two men in suits who were not part of the crowd, but were in a position to keep anyone unwanted away from the building.
“Paul to Ringo. There are feathers on the ground. Are there birds in the nest?”
Zacharie’s voice spoke into his ear. He couldn’t see him, but he was sure the Frenchman had nothing but smug disdain for all the secrecy.
“Ringo to Paul. No one’s singing.”
Not for the first time, Kemal wondered why the Syndicate would choose this temple as an operational front. There was no electronic surveillance, only a basic phone line incoming and outgoing, and the public nature of it made it difficult to patrol.
“Paul to George. Prepare to move in.”
“Copy that. George standing by.”
Kemal made his way to the bell with the crowd waiting to cast their wishes, knowing that it was something the two guards would be able to see. Instead of turning and exiting the way he came, Nathan went around to the door behind the bell and exited from the back door.
One of the guards took the bait and left his post. Kemal needed to keep him occupied, so he made his way to one of the smaller buildings and slipped inside.
In the confusion, Jeffrey had time to approach the guarded door from the opposite side. He slipped behind his guard and hit him with a tranquilizer, quickly sliding the door open and carrying his slumping victim in with him.
There was a narrow passageway. Jeffrey opened the first door and found a storage closet, a convenient place to dump the unconscious man.
After a moment of silence, Jeffrey could hear voices from the far end of the hall. This was the place for sure. He lowered the pack from his shoulder and crept down the hall. He left the pack on the floor just next to the door. Given the size of the rooms, the bomb would be sufficient for the task.
“You’re lost.”
In the blink of an eye, Jeffrey was crouched and poised to strike at whoever it was that had snuck up on him without so much as a gust of wind. But the shape of his attacker took him totally by surprise.
A woman, who was clearly the temple miko, stood impassively before him. Her arms were folded into the sleeves of her robes, and she was still as a statue. She could easily have been mistaken for one, were it not for her eyes. Jeffrey had never seen eyes that color; a shade of purple that put even Janny’s eyes to shame.
Appearances aside, something told Jeffrey that this woman was dangerous.
“Ah, yeah miss, I suppose I am. Is the loo this way?”
“You seek purpose.”
“No no, just a toilet. If you could point me in the right direction, I’ll be on my way. Tell ya what, why don’t you show me and tell me a about yer temple.”
She advanced a step towards him, and Jeffrey couldn’t decide if it was as though she floated or slithered. In either case, the movement was hypnotic, sensual and very dangerous.
“Purpose is what gives us tranquility. Why is it then that you seek violence?”
Jeffrey heard something akin to a whisper, but he couldn’t place it.
“You have questions. Fear not. All will be answered in time.”
The more he held her gaze, the more he had the uncomfortable sensation this woman knew what he was thinking.
“You need only open your mind. Then, you will know.”
She reached a hand out to her side, and the pack Jeffrey had placed by to door came flying into her hands.
“Ah, you might wanna be careful with that.”
Unconcerned, the woman opened the pack and found the bomb. Expert fingers pulled several wires, and Jeffrey recognized that she had disarmed the bomb.
“Rubeus.”
The door to the room opened, and a red haired man stepped out.
“This had better be important. I’m in the middle of-. Who is this?”
“This man has come to kill you. You are no match for him. But I am. You should run along.”
“What about our associates?”
The priestess produced an ofuda from within her robes and threw it at the door. With a flash, there was a fire that consumed the room. Jeffrey could hear the screams from within.
“They are no more use to us.”
Her eyes were now coal black.
“Leave us now.”
The red haired man wasted no time in departing. Jeffrey knew he would be wise to follow suit.
“George to the band. Show’s over. Get out now.”
He pulled his ear piece and stamped on it. He would have turned for the door, but found that every room in the building was shutting of its own accord.
“You needn’t seek any longer. I will give you all you seek.”
Jeffrey could feel the temperature rise, and saw that the priestess’s hands were glowing. Whatever light was in her eyes was gone now.
“Embrace the void.”