Blind, Chapter 8
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, Chapter 6, Chapter 7,
Jeffrey opened his eyes slowly. The light was still very painful. His very worst hangover had nothing on the pain he was experiencing now.
“How are you feeling?” asked Kemal.
“Like somebody tried to suck me brains outta me ear with a jet engine. But otherwise, I’m swell.”
“This one prayed for you,” Zacharie offered. “I doubt it helped.”
Jeffrey rose very slowly. When he could sit up, he put a hand on Kemal’s shoulder.
“If I go ta hell, I’m going to blame you for all eternity.”
Kemal smiled and mirrored his movement. “If you are in hell, comfort yourself with the fact that I am in Paradise with 70 virgins.”
Even Jeffrey had to chuckle at that. Although not for long, as the pain still made it difficult. When he composed himself, he met Kemal’s gaze again.
“Thank you.” He looked over at Zacharie. “Both of you.”
Zacharie nodded. Kemal clasped his hand.
“What happened to you?” Zacharie asked.
Jeffrey rubbed his head. “I’m not sure, but…” He took a breath. “I think she was in my head.”
A week ago, Kemal would have considered that statement madness. Now it was simply another threat to be dealt with.
“Did she learn anything?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if she was lookin’ for anything. It felt more like…”
His breathing sharpened for a moment as the gravity of the memory overtook him. Kemal and Zacharie waited.
“The more she pushed, the harder it got for me to focus, or remember anything. I’m still tryin’ to put it all back together. I think… I think she was trying to wipe my mind.”
“She could do that?” gasped Zacharie?
“She most certainly could,” Janny said from the doorway. “Do not underestimate your enemies.”
“I’m fine Janny, Thanks fer askin’.”
“This woman though. The one from the temple. She and the one who attacked Kemal are dead. No one could have survived that blast. We do not need to worry about them anymore, no?”
“The police are concluding their investigation. No bodies were found in the wreckage.”
Zacharie seemed very perturbed by this. “Surely they must have been burned beyond recognition!”
“Don’t count on it.”
“What about Nathan?” asked Jeffrey.
“Captured. We received another communication from his captors. I asked for proof of life. I was able to speak with him.”
“Is he all right?” asked Kemal?
“He is alive. However, he sounded strained. I’m very worried. I fear they may have given him whiskey.”
Knowing Nathan’s background, the three men knew just how dangerous that could be.
“What did he say?”
Janny looked at Jeffrey. “She said you should order some Peking Duck to celebrate his release. He knows a place where you can get good cocktails too.”
“What does that mean?” demanded Zacharie.
“It’s a code. Nathan is telling us this is a trap.”
“How-“
“I worked a mission in Beijing. Hostage negotiation. It went bad. Hostage taker killed himself and all the hostages with a Molotov cocktail. Nathan must’ve read it in my file.”
“Well, tres bien. A fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. What do we do now?”
“We rescue Nathan,” Janny declared.
“I concur with the sentiment, but given Nathan’s message, as well as the tactical disadvantage, surely this is suicide,” said Kemal.
“If the need arises, I would send you to your deaths without hesitation,” said Janny. “But tonight is not the night for that. You are far too valuable. You will have support.”
She pulled out her phone and punched a few keys. Each of the men checked the files she sent.
“The North Koreans have been kind enough to set the stage for us.”
The men saw various surveillance feeds, as well as motion detectors, and remote weapons planted around Tokyo Tower.
“Do I wanna know how you got all this set up Janny?”
“Korean is a such a tricky language. Sometimes, things can get mistranslated.”
Jeffrey smiled. “Saucy minx. I knew I loved ye.”
A hint of a smirk crossed Janny’s face before she continued. “These tricks will help, but we are, in all likelihood, outmatched and outgunned. I told you before, I have no compulsions about sending you to your deaths if need be. I have no desire to do so tonight, but I fear we have no choice. We can not lose Nathan.”
“The odds against us are astronomical,” said Zacharie.
“Then put a pence on us,” said Jeffrey. “We’ll all be rich!”
“I’m already rich,” countered Zacharie. “But I am bored. I will help you in this. It should be fun.”
Kemal chuckled at this. “I suppose repaying debts can be fun.”
“You three are resolved in this then?”
They all nodded, determination in their eyes.
“Then you should move out.”
Kemal helped Jeffrey to his feet. “Let’s get you taken care of first.”
“I’m leaving that to you. I don’t give sponge baths,” quipped Zacharie.
“Ye see Zacharie, there is a God.”
Janny waited for a moment in the empty room as they left; the silence her only witness.
“I hope he was right about you.”
***
The waiting was always the worst. Any soldier who had ever been in battle knew the anticipation just before the battle could be just as destructive as the fighting. Even worse was knowing that the battle was hopeless.
It took focus and discipline of the highest order to keep a good mindset in this situation.
Very few words were exchanged, no more than necessary.
Kemal took his position out in the open. As bait.
Jeffrey was at an elevated position in the tower, providing a more strategic vantage point.
Zacharie was across the street in the van with Janny, providing tactical support, but ready to engage at a moment’s notice.
A beep from his watch told Kemal it was now midnight. The appointed time. He barely had a chance to glance up when he heard the voice.
“So nice of you to come.”
The woman was unfamiliar to him. She was almost as tall as Nathan, and with him slouching in her grip they were nearly the same height. She was easily more powerful looking than the blonde, but he had already learned that looks were deceiving. This tall brunette was no less beautiful, and she was undoubtedly no less dangerous.
“Are you all right Nathan?”
He looked up. His eyes were a bit unfocused. “I’ve been better.”
“We’ll have you home soon enough.”
“Leaving so soon?” the brunette pouted. Kemal doubted very much she was truly hurt by the prospect. “I thought we would stay and get to know each other better. Nathan and I have had so much fun together after all.”
And just like that, the grounds were covered in fog.
They were better prepared this time though. Kemal quickly reached into the satchel he was carrying and donned a pair of heat vision goggles. He made a quick scan of the perimeter. He could still see Nathan and the woman in front of him. He saw an unknown figure behind him.
“Fox 1!” he called.
From the van, Zacharie heard the call and pressed a button. A proximity mine went off several feet next to the mysterious figure. Kemal could see them diving for cover. As this happened, the fog lifted.
Jeffrey pressed the advantage. From his position, he threw a flash bomb down at the feet of the woman. Nathan would be blinded as well, but they had little choice but to take this opening.
Nathan had enough sense to throw a shoulder at his captor and put some space between them. Kemal had anticipated the attack and shielded his eyes. When he removed the goggles, he saw the woman down and Nathan staggering towards him. He sprinted to meet him. He caught Nathan and threw his arm over his shoulder.
“Bring the van up!” he called out.
“Roger!” came Zacharie’s response.
Kemal took one look back to make sure Jeffrey could make it out as well. He saw a rope drop down the tower and Jeffrey repelling down. He would head for the other end of the park where there was a motorbike waiting for him.
Up ahead, he could see the headlights of the van moving up to the rendezvous. Only a few more meters, and maybe they’d be lucky.
Something caught his ankle, and he and Nathan went tumbling to the ground. Holding Nathan up as he was, he had little opportunity to brace himself, and hit the pavement hard. His eyes watered from the impact to his nose. Next to him, Nathan was out cold.
He reacted as quickly as he could, rolling to one side, trying not to stay in the same place for long. He barely made it to his feet when a kick hit him square in the chest, and he went flying.
He hit the ground hard again, and this time, he had considerably more trouble difficulty getting to his feet. He could hear the sounds of fighting. Zacharie was out of the car, attempting to make a stand. The roar of a bike told him Jeffrey had made it out and was coming back to try and aid their escape. When he had his wits about him, he realized he had also lost track of the two fallen enemies. With Nathan injured, and in need of care, they’d be at a severe disadvantage.
One problem at a time. He checked Zacharie and Jeffrey’s position, and attempted to form a perimeter around whoever had attacked him. One of Zacharie’s blasts illuminated a curtain of blonde hair on a petite figure.
He swore under his breath. If she was alive, then…
Something in the air told him to roll right. And he was fortunate, for where he was standing was now engulfed in flames.
They were outnumbered now.
Kemal had to engage the priestess before him, and hope that Zacharie and Jeffrey could handle the singer before the other two had a chance to recover.
His hopes were dashed when a wall of fog enveloped them. Fires also broke out all around him, rendering his goggles useless.
Outnumbered, blind, and cornered.
This is how it would end then. Something inside of him had resigned itself to such a fate long ago. Such was the reality of living as a fugitive. But he had survived this long by suppressing that part of him. Now was not the time to reflect on the fact that he deserved his fate. Now was the time to fight. He remembered Janny’s words. The fate of the world depended on their mission. He was chosen. He was needed. He had to be the best.
He planted his feet, squared his shoulders, and steeled his heart. He would fight.
He focused his feelings, mastering them, turning them into pure power, and let fly at the priestess. She seemed taken aback by the intensity of his initial onslaught. He pressed the advantage, forcing her to absorb more and more of his attacks, and slowly directing her away from Jeffrey and Zacharie. As he attacked, the fog broke up as well.
He had a chance yet.
But something in the air changed again. He let instinct guide him once more as he rolled to the side. He could hear the sizzling remains of an electrical bolt at his previous position.
This was no good. He had to try and meet up with the others. It was their only chance of defending Nathan and making a stand. If they combined their powers, maybe they could break up the rest of the fog and even the conditions.
He summoned a bit of power to his hands and turned to run, trying to carve a path through the fog as he ran towards the sounds of battle in the distance.
As the fog lifted, he could see Zacharie fighting and Jeffrey offering what support he could in his weakened state and keeping the singer away from Nathan’s fallen form. He could also see Janny racing through the fog towards Nathan. If she could get him to the van and away from the fight, they could break out and try to make an escape.
He could hear footfalls behind him. He didn’t have much time to make a move, so he knew it had to be a good one. Zacharie’s attacks had the blonde occupied. He had the opening he needed.
He threw an energy bolt at her feet, forcing her to back flip. Her momentum would carry her right towards him. He threw this bolt and hit her square. She collapsed and lay unmoving on the ground.
Zacharie read the situation and moved to support Kemal. Jeffrey followed.
The three men stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to make a stand.
The fog lifted, and across from them stood the priestess, the tall brunette, and the blue-haired scientist.
“You’re going to pay for what you did to Venus!” the brunette snarled.
Kemal had dealt with many types of thugs, mercenaries, villains, zealots and soldiers before. The intent in her eyes was clear. She was prepared to kill. The fight had come to this then. Jeffrey and Zacharie knew it as well.
So be it.
They each charged an attack. Across from them, their foes did likewise.
There was a brief moment of anticipation, a calm before the storm, a breath before releasing the attack. Each combatant knew that blood would be spilled in the next moment, and each braced themselves in their own way.
But before they could, a voice cried out.
“NO!”
Every heard turned to the source of the scream.
What met their eyes was a shock to them all.
“It can’t be…” whispered the priestess.
The face of each of the women showed fear, before they turned and retreated.
The men would have pursued them, but for their own shock.
For a few feet from them stood an ephemeral ghost in the figure of a petite woman. Her form was shadowy, but it showed an undeniably strange hairstyle. And clear as day, they knew they were looking into the deep blue eyes of Chiba Usagi.
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, Chapter 6, Chapter 7,
Jeffrey opened his eyes slowly. The light was still very painful. His very worst hangover had nothing on the pain he was experiencing now.
“How are you feeling?” asked Kemal.
“Like somebody tried to suck me brains outta me ear with a jet engine. But otherwise, I’m swell.”
“This one prayed for you,” Zacharie offered. “I doubt it helped.”
Jeffrey rose very slowly. When he could sit up, he put a hand on Kemal’s shoulder.
“If I go ta hell, I’m going to blame you for all eternity.”
Kemal smiled and mirrored his movement. “If you are in hell, comfort yourself with the fact that I am in Paradise with 70 virgins.”
Even Jeffrey had to chuckle at that. Although not for long, as the pain still made it difficult. When he composed himself, he met Kemal’s gaze again.
“Thank you.” He looked over at Zacharie. “Both of you.”
Zacharie nodded. Kemal clasped his hand.
“What happened to you?” Zacharie asked.
Jeffrey rubbed his head. “I’m not sure, but…” He took a breath. “I think she was in my head.”
A week ago, Kemal would have considered that statement madness. Now it was simply another threat to be dealt with.
“Did she learn anything?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if she was lookin’ for anything. It felt more like…”
His breathing sharpened for a moment as the gravity of the memory overtook him. Kemal and Zacharie waited.
“The more she pushed, the harder it got for me to focus, or remember anything. I’m still tryin’ to put it all back together. I think… I think she was trying to wipe my mind.”
“She could do that?” gasped Zacharie?
“She most certainly could,” Janny said from the doorway. “Do not underestimate your enemies.”
“I’m fine Janny, Thanks fer askin’.”
“This woman though. The one from the temple. She and the one who attacked Kemal are dead. No one could have survived that blast. We do not need to worry about them anymore, no?”
“The police are concluding their investigation. No bodies were found in the wreckage.”
Zacharie seemed very perturbed by this. “Surely they must have been burned beyond recognition!”
“Don’t count on it.”
“What about Nathan?” asked Jeffrey.
“Captured. We received another communication from his captors. I asked for proof of life. I was able to speak with him.”
“Is he all right?” asked Kemal?
“He is alive. However, he sounded strained. I’m very worried. I fear they may have given him whiskey.”
Knowing Nathan’s background, the three men knew just how dangerous that could be.
“What did he say?”
Janny looked at Jeffrey. “She said you should order some Peking Duck to celebrate his release. He knows a place where you can get good cocktails too.”
“What does that mean?” demanded Zacharie.
“It’s a code. Nathan is telling us this is a trap.”
“How-“
“I worked a mission in Beijing. Hostage negotiation. It went bad. Hostage taker killed himself and all the hostages with a Molotov cocktail. Nathan must’ve read it in my file.”
“Well, tres bien. A fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into. What do we do now?”
“We rescue Nathan,” Janny declared.
“I concur with the sentiment, but given Nathan’s message, as well as the tactical disadvantage, surely this is suicide,” said Kemal.
“If the need arises, I would send you to your deaths without hesitation,” said Janny. “But tonight is not the night for that. You are far too valuable. You will have support.”
She pulled out her phone and punched a few keys. Each of the men checked the files she sent.
“The North Koreans have been kind enough to set the stage for us.”
The men saw various surveillance feeds, as well as motion detectors, and remote weapons planted around Tokyo Tower.
“Do I wanna know how you got all this set up Janny?”
“Korean is a such a tricky language. Sometimes, things can get mistranslated.”
Jeffrey smiled. “Saucy minx. I knew I loved ye.”
A hint of a smirk crossed Janny’s face before she continued. “These tricks will help, but we are, in all likelihood, outmatched and outgunned. I told you before, I have no compulsions about sending you to your deaths if need be. I have no desire to do so tonight, but I fear we have no choice. We can not lose Nathan.”
“The odds against us are astronomical,” said Zacharie.
“Then put a pence on us,” said Jeffrey. “We’ll all be rich!”
“I’m already rich,” countered Zacharie. “But I am bored. I will help you in this. It should be fun.”
Kemal chuckled at this. “I suppose repaying debts can be fun.”
“You three are resolved in this then?”
They all nodded, determination in their eyes.
“Then you should move out.”
Kemal helped Jeffrey to his feet. “Let’s get you taken care of first.”
“I’m leaving that to you. I don’t give sponge baths,” quipped Zacharie.
“Ye see Zacharie, there is a God.”
Janny waited for a moment in the empty room as they left; the silence her only witness.
“I hope he was right about you.”
***
The waiting was always the worst. Any soldier who had ever been in battle knew the anticipation just before the battle could be just as destructive as the fighting. Even worse was knowing that the battle was hopeless.
It took focus and discipline of the highest order to keep a good mindset in this situation.
Very few words were exchanged, no more than necessary.
Kemal took his position out in the open. As bait.
Jeffrey was at an elevated position in the tower, providing a more strategic vantage point.
Zacharie was across the street in the van with Janny, providing tactical support, but ready to engage at a moment’s notice.
A beep from his watch told Kemal it was now midnight. The appointed time. He barely had a chance to glance up when he heard the voice.
“So nice of you to come.”
The woman was unfamiliar to him. She was almost as tall as Nathan, and with him slouching in her grip they were nearly the same height. She was easily more powerful looking than the blonde, but he had already learned that looks were deceiving. This tall brunette was no less beautiful, and she was undoubtedly no less dangerous.
“Are you all right Nathan?”
He looked up. His eyes were a bit unfocused. “I’ve been better.”
“We’ll have you home soon enough.”
“Leaving so soon?” the brunette pouted. Kemal doubted very much she was truly hurt by the prospect. “I thought we would stay and get to know each other better. Nathan and I have had so much fun together after all.”
And just like that, the grounds were covered in fog.
They were better prepared this time though. Kemal quickly reached into the satchel he was carrying and donned a pair of heat vision goggles. He made a quick scan of the perimeter. He could still see Nathan and the woman in front of him. He saw an unknown figure behind him.
“Fox 1!” he called.
From the van, Zacharie heard the call and pressed a button. A proximity mine went off several feet next to the mysterious figure. Kemal could see them diving for cover. As this happened, the fog lifted.
Jeffrey pressed the advantage. From his position, he threw a flash bomb down at the feet of the woman. Nathan would be blinded as well, but they had little choice but to take this opening.
Nathan had enough sense to throw a shoulder at his captor and put some space between them. Kemal had anticipated the attack and shielded his eyes. When he removed the goggles, he saw the woman down and Nathan staggering towards him. He sprinted to meet him. He caught Nathan and threw his arm over his shoulder.
“Bring the van up!” he called out.
“Roger!” came Zacharie’s response.
Kemal took one look back to make sure Jeffrey could make it out as well. He saw a rope drop down the tower and Jeffrey repelling down. He would head for the other end of the park where there was a motorbike waiting for him.
Up ahead, he could see the headlights of the van moving up to the rendezvous. Only a few more meters, and maybe they’d be lucky.
Something caught his ankle, and he and Nathan went tumbling to the ground. Holding Nathan up as he was, he had little opportunity to brace himself, and hit the pavement hard. His eyes watered from the impact to his nose. Next to him, Nathan was out cold.
He reacted as quickly as he could, rolling to one side, trying not to stay in the same place for long. He barely made it to his feet when a kick hit him square in the chest, and he went flying.
He hit the ground hard again, and this time, he had considerably more trouble difficulty getting to his feet. He could hear the sounds of fighting. Zacharie was out of the car, attempting to make a stand. The roar of a bike told him Jeffrey had made it out and was coming back to try and aid their escape. When he had his wits about him, he realized he had also lost track of the two fallen enemies. With Nathan injured, and in need of care, they’d be at a severe disadvantage.
One problem at a time. He checked Zacharie and Jeffrey’s position, and attempted to form a perimeter around whoever had attacked him. One of Zacharie’s blasts illuminated a curtain of blonde hair on a petite figure.
He swore under his breath. If she was alive, then…
Something in the air told him to roll right. And he was fortunate, for where he was standing was now engulfed in flames.
They were outnumbered now.
Kemal had to engage the priestess before him, and hope that Zacharie and Jeffrey could handle the singer before the other two had a chance to recover.
His hopes were dashed when a wall of fog enveloped them. Fires also broke out all around him, rendering his goggles useless.
Outnumbered, blind, and cornered.
This is how it would end then. Something inside of him had resigned itself to such a fate long ago. Such was the reality of living as a fugitive. But he had survived this long by suppressing that part of him. Now was not the time to reflect on the fact that he deserved his fate. Now was the time to fight. He remembered Janny’s words. The fate of the world depended on their mission. He was chosen. He was needed. He had to be the best.
He planted his feet, squared his shoulders, and steeled his heart. He would fight.
He focused his feelings, mastering them, turning them into pure power, and let fly at the priestess. She seemed taken aback by the intensity of his initial onslaught. He pressed the advantage, forcing her to absorb more and more of his attacks, and slowly directing her away from Jeffrey and Zacharie. As he attacked, the fog broke up as well.
He had a chance yet.
But something in the air changed again. He let instinct guide him once more as he rolled to the side. He could hear the sizzling remains of an electrical bolt at his previous position.
This was no good. He had to try and meet up with the others. It was their only chance of defending Nathan and making a stand. If they combined their powers, maybe they could break up the rest of the fog and even the conditions.
He summoned a bit of power to his hands and turned to run, trying to carve a path through the fog as he ran towards the sounds of battle in the distance.
As the fog lifted, he could see Zacharie fighting and Jeffrey offering what support he could in his weakened state and keeping the singer away from Nathan’s fallen form. He could also see Janny racing through the fog towards Nathan. If she could get him to the van and away from the fight, they could break out and try to make an escape.
He could hear footfalls behind him. He didn’t have much time to make a move, so he knew it had to be a good one. Zacharie’s attacks had the blonde occupied. He had the opening he needed.
He threw an energy bolt at her feet, forcing her to back flip. Her momentum would carry her right towards him. He threw this bolt and hit her square. She collapsed and lay unmoving on the ground.
Zacharie read the situation and moved to support Kemal. Jeffrey followed.
The three men stood shoulder to shoulder, ready to make a stand.
The fog lifted, and across from them stood the priestess, the tall brunette, and the blue-haired scientist.
“You’re going to pay for what you did to Venus!” the brunette snarled.
Kemal had dealt with many types of thugs, mercenaries, villains, zealots and soldiers before. The intent in her eyes was clear. She was prepared to kill. The fight had come to this then. Jeffrey and Zacharie knew it as well.
So be it.
They each charged an attack. Across from them, their foes did likewise.
There was a brief moment of anticipation, a calm before the storm, a breath before releasing the attack. Each combatant knew that blood would be spilled in the next moment, and each braced themselves in their own way.
But before they could, a voice cried out.
“NO!”
Every heard turned to the source of the scream.
What met their eyes was a shock to them all.
“It can’t be…” whispered the priestess.
The face of each of the women showed fear, before they turned and retreated.
The men would have pursued them, but for their own shock.
For a few feet from them stood an ephemeral ghost in the figure of a petite woman. Her form was shadowy, but it showed an undeniably strange hairstyle. And clear as day, they knew they were looking into the deep blue eyes of Chiba Usagi.