When Two Paths Entwine

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Chapter 12: More Secrets Revealed

Kaede stepped from the shadows of her concealment at the far end of the reception area, watching Kagome’s figure disappear into the elevator. A sigh escaped her as she imagined the girl’s embarrassment. She liked her immensely, finding her of genuine character, a quality that was definitely lacking in her profession. She moved slowly back to her desk, wondering how Sesshoumaru was coping. With all the complications in his life, it wouldn’t be easy to deal with this too. A smile suddenly appeared on her face. Regardless of what they all faced, she felt happy at the thought of what had just occurred. ‘He deserves happiness. And she will bring much of it into his life.’ Her face shone with determination. ‘And I will make sure that everything possible is done to make this come about.’ With a nod of satisfaction, she turned her mind back to the papers on her desk.


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Arin sighed as she closed the door to her small apartment. ‘Another meeting that would reveal another problem, no doubt.’ She turned and started making her way down hall, stopping in surprise when Kagome came hurtling up the stairs, tears pouring down her face.

“Kagome?” she took a hesitant step forward, instantly worried at her distress. “Kagome, what’s happened?”

Kagome lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at her friend, her misery suddenly becoming too much for her bear. She lowered her face into her hands and sobbed brokenly.

Arin blinked in surprise then quickly shook herself from the state, moving to Kagome and wrapping her arms around her shaking form. She allowed her a moment to release her emotions, simply holding her as she cried. Before long, she noticed a few curious glances from one or two passing neighbours, realising what a spectacle they made. She steered her friend’s unresisting body towards her own apartment, unlocking the door and taking her inside. The last thing Kagome needed was for her son to see her in this state. She needed some time to get herself together.

An hour later, they sat side by side on her small couch, staring out the window at the neighbouring buildings.

“Well… this certainly complicates things, doesn’t it?” Arin spoke distractedly.

Kagome gave a humourless laugh at the understatement. “I can’t believe I let that happen Arin. Things are bad enough as it is. Now, he’s going to think I’ve been playing with him the whole time.”

Arin faced her. “Oh Kagome, how could he think that? Why? You haven’t done anything to make him believe that. Surely he’ll realise how difficult things have been for you.”

Kagome turned her head to look at her, her face showing her doubt. “Are you sure about that? What if he thinks I’m that I’m trying to get his money? What do I do if he tries to take Ryu from me?”

She realised that her thoughts were scattered, but she couldn’t seem to clear her head. It was all starting to take on a rather surreal feel that allowed no logical thought, but a rather erratic reasoning instead.

Arin frowned, watching her face in concern. “Kagome, you know that I understand all your feelings about all this… but the truth is, I don’t agree with them.”

She waited for her words to register and watched as her friend turned to face her again before continuing. “In fact, I think you’ll find that all these things you’re worried about are more to do with your fears than anything else. There is no way that he could think you planned all this, it just doesn’t make sense. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for you to tell him about Ryu, if all you were after was the money. Come on Kay, he’s got to see with his own eyes that you’re an honest and caring person. And if he’s any sort of man, he’ll do what he should.”

Kagome frowned at that, looking at her incredulously. “Arin, have you forgotten that the man’s engaged?”

A sigh escaped her as she watched the distraught girl’s face. “No Kay, I haven’t, but still… I really don’t think it’ll be as bad as you think it will.”

Arin sat for a minute, looking at her hands as she searched for the right words. “I think that maybe, you’ve let it all build up into more than what it really is… which isn’t difficult to do when you’re right in the middle of a situation.”

Kagome turned her head away, staring again out the window as she considered Arin’s words. ‘Is that really what’s happened?’ She couldn’t work it out anymore, it was all so confusing.

“Maybe, you just need to take a little break from all that worrying. You know, just put it out of your mind for tonight and do something different.” She smiled sympathetically at the sight of her face. “Or maybe you should try and get some sleep. You really look like you could use some.”

Kagome remained silent for a while then nodded. She did feel rather exhausted. Between the events of the previous evening and today’s, her brain was feeling slightly wilted. She turned to Arin with a half-smile, her exhaustion showing clearly.

“Maybe you’re right Arin. Maybe I am blowing it all out of proportion.” Her head lowered to stare at her hands, eyes catching on the charm that was now on her wrist. “To be honest with you, I’m not sure how I’m going to go to work tomorrow and face him… not to mention your auntie.”

Once again, her hands raised to her face, her sense of shame now strongly in play. “I can just imagine what she must think of me.”

Arin put her arm around Kagome’s shoulder, a small laugh escaping at her words. “I can tell you one thing for certain. My aunt would be nothing but happy for Sesshoumaru Taisho to find someone other than that horrible woman as she calls her.”

A tightening sensation twisted in Kagome’s chest at the reminder of his fiancée. If only she had Arin’s confidence in the belief that all would end well, but she didn’t. She was still full of worries and doubts. With a tired sigh, she lifted herself to her feet, suddenly filled with the need to lie down.

“Thanks Arin, and sorry for holding you up.” She knew that her friend had delayed her departure for the usual meeting that she attended every Sunday evening. “I’ll see if Kikyou won’t mind me having a rest. I sure could do with one.”

Arin stood and gave her a hug. “Everything will work out Kay, you’ll see.”

Kagome nodded unenthusiastically, giving her another smile before heading for the door and making her way to her apartment. She had no idea how she was going to face tomorrow, but for now, she’d take Arin’s advice and put it all out of her mind, or try at least.


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Miroku sorted through his mail, tossing aside the junk and placing the letters neatly in a pile on the counter. He picked up the two cups of coffee and made his way through the apartment, heading towards the spare bedroom. He paused at the doorway, a smile of amusement tugging at his lips.

“So Inuyasha, how long do you intend to hide out in here?”

Inuyasha turned a scowl on him, not at all amused. “Forever if I could.”

“That bad huh?” Miroku set the cup on the bedside table and moved to a chair near the window. “You know that you have to face him sooner or later.”

Inuyasha reached for the cup, snorting in disgust. “Thank you for stating the obvious Miroku. I don’t know what I’d do without you here to keep me straight.”

Miroku chuckled as he sipped the hot beverage, wondering again what had his friend so worried. He knew better than to push for an answer, because he wouldn’t receive one. All he knew was that something had happened the night of the ball, something concerning Sesshoumaru, and that it was enough to have Inuyasha so anxious that he couldn’t face his sibling. ‘Perhaps in time, I’ll find out.’ For now, he turned his thoughts back to the immediate problems, voicing them absently as he played with the rim of his cup.

“I hope the new information that the girls uncovered helps our cause a little.”

Inuyasha took a large gulp of his drink then sighed, placing it back on the bedside table before swinging his legs from the bed. “We come up with so many leads that seem to go nowhere.”

Miroku nodded, understanding his frustrations. “Yes, it would seem so. However, we did know this wasn’t going to be a picnic when we took it on.”

Inuyasha nodded in agreement, knowing that his present mood stemmed more from the recent occurrences than the actual situation itself. With a little luck, the day would bring something concrete for them to work with. In the meantime, he had to prepare himself for the confrontation he knew was inevitable with his brother.

“We have that technician coming today. He’s supposed to be the best in his field…” He rubbed his face tiredly, turning his gaze on Miroku. “Let’s hope he can crack that code and find out who’s behind it.”

Miroku watched him, his thoughts turning over his words. Whatever was on that thing must be important, or at least a lead to the culprit who worked in Taisho Corp. With a sigh, he rose to his feet and made his way across the room, pausing again at the door.

“I’m going to get on the phone and see if Carl’s heard anything more. You know where the towels are, help yourself and I’ll see you when you finish.”

Inuyasha nodded absently, his mind already on his upcoming confrontation. He made his way to the linen closet, pulling out a towel and heading for the bathroom. He had to resign himself to the fact that he just couldn’t avoid Sesshoumaru any longer. There would be hell to pay already for his absence. He only hoped that Kagome had somehow found the courage to speak with him already. Otherwise, he had no idea what he was going to say to him. Pushing his thoughts aside, he turned his attention to more immediate things.


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Sesshoumaru stared unseeingly out of the large windows. His teeth clenched as his irritation rose. His brother had much to answer for, and he would be sure that he did, when he eventually showed up. Turning his glance to the clock on the wall, he frowned. He knew for a fact that he was avoiding him, which only caused more frustration. Both he and Kagome were absent, and it was already way past ten. ‘What’s happened with them?’ His mind was dragged from its musings when the intercom buzzed. He leaned forward and pressed the button.

“What is it Kaede?”

“The young gentleman you were expecting has arrived Mr Taisho.”

“Very good, have someone escort him to the lab. I’ll be there shortly.”

He sat back a moment and looked at the phone, tempted to call his brother’s number again. He knew it was useless though, Inuyasha wouldn’t answer. With a deep intake of breath, he stood and made his way to the door, thanking the distraction that would keep him occupied for some time.


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Shippou sighed and rubbed his eyes again. He’d lost count of the days as he obsessed over the program that seemed to rule his entire existence. His bloodshot eyes stared at the screen again. The numbers just kept running, never ending. He sat forward again, taking a deep breath and typing in another series of codes, hoping like hell that something would give. He stiffened, breath held, when the screen before him suddenly went blank. His eyes remained glued to the black square, waiting, hoping, and even praying. ‘Please, please… let this be it.’ The screen suddenly shifted, and to his stunned amazement, opened to reveal what looked to be a record of a private account. In a second flat, he was out of his chair, jumping and throwing his arms in the air as he shouted his victory in a loud and exuberant voice. All activity in the large computer lab ceased momentarily, heads lifting to peer at the commotion. Shippou was oblivious to them all, too caught in his excited cries of triumph to notice. A short round of laughter and cheering followed before the others returned to their work, leaving Shippou to his glee. This was a common occurrence in their line of business, most having experience the thrill of cracking a particularly difficult code. Today was Shippou’s day.


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Kikyou frowned as she lifted her hand from Ryu’s fevered brow, her eyes worriedly scanning the red marks that were scattered over his little body. She was starting to feel quite anxious now, and wished madly that her cousin would come home. That was another thing that caused her concern. Kagome hadn’t shown up at work that day, a strange thing considering that she’d left at the usual time this morning. Kikyou didn’t know what to think. She knew that her cousin was upset by something the night before, but didn’t think much of it, putting it down to the awkward situation that she lived with. Now, she was at a loss as to what was going on, where her cousin was and what to do about the quickly declining health of the little boy before her. She sighed and turned away from the cot, thanking the heavens that he’d finally fallen asleep. The site of his miserable little face was more than she could bear. She jumped at the knock on the door and made her way quietly from the room, leaving the door ajar in case Ryu should call out. She went quickly to the front door and opened it, giving Arin a quick smile and ushering her in.

Arin took stock of Kikyou’s strained features and knew instantly that something was wrong. “I came to check up on Ryu. Is he okay?”

Kikyou turned a gaze upon her that answered her question instantly. “I’m really starting to get worried Arin. He’s getting worse by the hour… and I can’t find Kagome anywhere.”

Arin frowned at this, “Isn’t she at work? I thought I heard her leave this morning.”

Kikyou nodded her head, an absent motion while her thoughts continued to turn. “Yes, she did. That’s what worries me. Nobody’s seen her at the office. Neither she nor her boss have shown up for work.”

“What time was that?”

Arin thought back to the conversation that she’d had with Kagome. She knew of the ultimatum that Inuyasha Taisho had handed her, and wondered if maybe it had something to do with that. She turned her mind away from that thought. ‘Now is not the time to worry about that.’ They had a more urgent dilemma, in the form a young boy that they had to deal with. She turned to Kikyou as a thought came to her.

“I know where she might be. She loves going to the Gardens when she needs some time out… maybe she’s there now. I’ll go and look for her.”

Kikyou nodded, hoping she was right. “And tell her to hurry Arin, I really am worried about Ryu.”

Arin nodded, “In the meantime, you can try the office again. She may just have decided to go.”

Kikyou stood motionless, watching her leave, before turning to look at the phone. She debated whether to call Kagome’s work again, but decided it better to wait. She didn’t want to cause her cousin any trouble, and chances were likely that Arin would find her and bring her home soon.


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Inuyasha pulled into the car park, a heavy weight on his shoulders. He had procrastinated long enough, now it was time to face the music. He looked at his brother’s car as he passed it, steeling himself for what was to come. At least he had a good reason to explain away this morning’s absence, since he’d spent it doing company business. He’d stopped by Kouga’s office and was thrilled to hear about Shippou’s breakthrough. The young computer technician was just leaving as he entered, but one look at his elated features was enough to tell that he’d found success. Kouga too was overjoyed, and Inuyasha soon found why. The disc contained Naraku’s personal information, done in the form of a journal. At first it glance it looked like a log that was used to keep records of workers, until you browsed deeper and saw the rest of the data. They had stumbled on the Naraku’s dirty little secrets. He was keeping files on all the people who were in any way attached to him. The information contained in these entries was incredible in their detailing and abundant in facts. It seemed that every move made by each individual was recorded there, from their business dealings within their own companies to their private parties and sordid affairs. There was even information about their friends and relationships, including the gifts that they bought for their partners and children. The most interesting part of all was the listing of all their business dealings with Naraku himself. It was just the thing they were searching for. Although not enough on its own to put Naraku away, it was a definite step in the right direction. They would still need to gather facts and evidence to corroborate their findings, but that would only be a matter of time and research. They would have to go through endless minutes of meetings held within the council, search the databases for any proposals put to political parties and the senate committees, not to mention a thorough scouring of all bank records and government files. They still had much to do before they reached the final stage, but at last they finally had the beginning that they were after.

A smile on his face, his troubles almost forgotten, Inuyasha waited for the elevator doors to open. He stepped into hallway and looked at the large glass doors with a feeling of near trepidation. He only hoped that the news he brought was enough to distract his brother from the interrogation that he was more than likely to put him through. He greeted Kaede, noting her look of surprise before he walked towards his office, anxious to disappear from sight. As he reached for the handle, he stiffened, feeling the keen glance from across the reception area. Turning reluctantly, he faced his brother, who now stood in his open doorway, with a look of expectation on his face. With a weary sigh of resignation, he made his way towards him, bracing himself for what was to come.

Sesshoumaru watched him closely, sensing his reluctance. ‘What has he done that makes him so keen to avoid me?’ He waited until he walked into his office before closing the door behind him.

“So, I guess you want to know where I’ve been the last two days, right?”

Sesshoumaru faced him in silence, his eyes never wavering.

‘This is not going to be pleasant.’ He moved towards the small lounge and sat down. “Look, I had a lot on my mind, okay? I just needed some time to think and get my head together.”

The silence stretched between them awkwardly. He could feel Sesshoumaru’s gaze burning into him, even though he refused to meet it. He also knew that he hadn’t fooled him one bit, and couldn’t really understand why he’d bothered with the lie in the first place. ‘Last ditch effort I guess, or maybe just plain old desperation.’ He was dragged from his musing by a rather irritated tone in the Sesshoumaru’s voice.

“I have no time for your lies Inuyasha.” His piercing gaze continued to bore into his younger sibling. “What happened the other night when you took Kagome home?”

Inuyasha experienced a sinking feeling in his chest. “So… does that mean that you haven’t spoken to her yet?”

Sesshoumaru felt a moment of surprise at the question before his mind played back his last meeting with Kagome. He found it difficult to maintain his implacable façade and turned away to look out the window.

“What exactly, am I to speak with her about?”

Inuyasha squirmed in his seat, clutching madly for an explanation, all his previously fabricated tales seemed to have flown out the proverbial window. “I think it’s better if you talk to her about that.”

Sesshoumaru swung round at this statement, pinning him with an intense stare. “And why is that?”

Inuyasha felt as though he was tied to a chair and receiving a grilling from the Spanish Inquisition. He shifted again and looked anywhere but at the tense figure that stood glaring at him.

“Because it’s none of my business, that’s why?”

Sesshoumaru took a few steps forward, leaning over him in an intimidating manner. “I would like to know what you did to upset her so much that night.”

“What are you talking about?” Inuyasha’s brow furrowed in puzzlement, until he realised the implications of that statement. “So… you have seen her.”

Sesshoumaru straightened, but continued to pin him with his stare. “Yes, I did. Yesterday as a matter of fact, and she seemed greatly disturbed by something that had passed between you.”

Again, Inuyasha found himself in the hot seat. “I told you, it’s not my place to tell. You’ll have to speak with Kagome about it.”

“I would brother, if she were here.”

Eyes blinking, he looked at Sesshoumaru in surprise. “She’s not here?”

“No, she isn’t.” His eyes narrowed. “Would you care to tell me why that would be?”

Inuyasha ignored the question, leaning forward in his seat. “And you say that she didn’t mention anything when you spoke to her yesterday?”

“That’s correct.”

Inuyasha leaned back into the lounge, frowning as he thought. ‘What the hell happened? Did she even try to tell him?’ He had really hoped that she would see sense. He didn’t think that the information she had to depart was for him to reveal. ‘It should come from her.’

“I asked her what troubled her, but she didn’t tell me. She left me with the feeling that you had somehow upset her.”

Inuyasha blinked at this, staring up him with an offended expression. “I haven’t done anything to her.”

“Then why was she so upset Inuyasha? Especially at the mention of your name?”

“How the hell am I suppose to know!” Now he was starting to feel seriously annoyed. “Why don’t you ask her that?!”

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw in irritation. “I thought that we’d been through this already. Stop beating around the bush and answer the question. What did you do to upset her?”

Inuyasha stood and walked to the window. “This is a load of shit! I do you a favour and now I’m getting the third degree!”

“And you wonder why, after avoiding me for almost two day, I would be suspicious?”

Inuyasha swung on him, his frustration showing plainly as he yelled at him indignantly. “I’ve already told you, it’s none of my business! If you want to find out anything then go and ask her yourself!”

Sesshoumaru’s mouth opened with a reply that was cut short by a knock on the door. He turned impatiently and went to open it, looking enquiringly at Kaede.

“Mr Taisho, the technician has finished his job. He’s brought you the results.”

Sesshoumaru nodded. “Send him in Kaede”

He turned back to face his brother. “This is not over yet Inuyasha, not by a long-shot.”

‘Of course, I didn’t expect it to be.’ He settled himself into the lounge again and waited for the tech to enter.


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Kikyou watched Ryu closely, her anxiety heightening at the sight of the rash that had now spread over a considerable portion of his tiny body. His fever seemed only to worsen as the hours went by and she was almost beside herself with worry. She turned and walked from the room, her hands twisting in front of her as she tried to think of her options. She could take him to the doctor’s herself, which she was really loathe to do without his mother. She felt that Kagome should be present at such a time. She could continue to sit here and wait, hoping that Arin finally found her, but that was starting to become unbearable. Hours had passed since the girl had left to look for her cousin and still, there was not a word from them. The only thing left to do was to call the office again, and just hope that it wouldn’t somehow cause any problems for Kagome. With that decision made, she moved to the telephone and lifted the receiver, dialling the number automatically. She felt a moment of uncertainty as she waited for someone to answer, but had little time to worry over it when a voice spoke through the earpiece.


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The paper shook in his hand as he scanned it, hardly daring to believe what he saw as he raised his eyes to Sesshoumaru’s in hopes of some understanding. His brother’s returned his blankly, before looking back at the sheet once more.

Sesshoumaru raised his head after the short lapse of stunned silence had passed, pinning the technician with his piercing gaze. “You are certain that this is the computer used?”

Roiyaru shifted in his seat, giving them both an apologetic glance, “In cases like this, it’s often common that the person responsible is the one that’s least expected, usually one of trust.”

Inuyasha’s eyes met the technician’s, his doubt still glaringly obvious before he glanced again at his brother. “I knew I’d be surprised by what we found but… Kaede?”

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze from his brother’s, again pinning Roiyaru with his unblinking stare. “You are certain that this is correct.”

Roi shifted again, nodding as he looked from one to the other, realising that this was more than a little shocking for the two men before him. However, he knew that he wasn’t mistaken in his findings. He’d followed the trail carefully, and despite how well the information was hidden, he had uncovered the truth.

“Yes, I’m sure of it,” he paused to look at them both, his face showing his certainty. “As you know, each computer has an identifying code, and as you can see, all activities lead back to this one computer.”

Roi watched them as they scanned the sheet again. “You also have the times that each entry was made. That should help you work out if the person implied is really the one responsible. Often times, the culprit will use someone else’s computer for their activities, though in this case it might not be so.”

Inuyasha’s interest was peaked. “Why’s that?”

“Well…” Roi leaned forward in his seat, any talk of the intricacies behind the running of a computer always had him eager to speak. “usually another person’s computer is used when the culprit hasn’t got enough knowledge to hide their movements. This isn’t the case here. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. They hid their tracks well. If I wasn’t as aware of the binary codes that hid the data, I’d never have found a way around it, and we’d all be sitting here clueless right now. A person has to have certain knowledge of data processing and programming to be able to hide their tracks as well as this.”

Sesshoumaru leaned back in his seat, his hands rubbing tiredly at his face. ‘This, I don’t need.’ He stared again at the paper, unable to make sense of the whole thing. He knew that it had to be a mistake, it couldn’t be Kaede. He exchanged another glance with his brother before rising to his feet.

“What are you going to do?” Inuyasha watched him carefully.

“I’m going to get Kaede in here, and find out what the hell is going on.” He turned to Roi with a quick nod. “If that is all you have to show us, you’re free to go.”

Roi stood, greatly relieved to be able to exit the tension-filled room. He was used to this kind of thing, it happened quite often in his line of work, and yet, he still found it unpleasant to deal with. He sometimes wished he didn’t have to leave the lab at all. With a quick nod to both men, he made a quick departure after a few brief words of farewell, promising them a full report when it was finished.

Sesshoumaru waited until the door closed behind the man then turned to his brother. “Tell me Inuyasha, do you think Kaede did this?

Inuyasha shook his head dazedly. “It’s so hard to imagine, but… what other explanation is there? Look at these times Sesshoumaru. We both know that she was at her computer on at least three of this occasions. So how do we explain that?”

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly as he pondered this, unable to come up with an answer. “I think we’d better speak with Kaede. Maybe she can shed some light on the subject.”

Inuyasha watched his brother walk to the door, feeling a strange sense of reluctance at what they were to do. Kaede had been with them since their father started the company. The thought that she was the one behind all the problems in their office was just plain inconceivable. He took a deep breath and rose from his chair, pacing around the room in agitation.

Sesshoumaru too, felt great reluctance at his task. He approached the desk slowly, his eyes intent on Kaede as she sent him a quick smile before focusing back on her telephone conversation. He watched the frown that marred her forehead, listening to the words she uttered in curiosity.

“No, of course not dear… I understand completely, but I’m afraid that she’s still not here… Yes, he did. He came in about an hour ago… No, he didn’t say anything to me about her. Would you like me to ask him?” she nodded, “Will you hold the line?”

Sesshoumaru’s interest was peaked. He had a feeling he knew who the conversation involved. He looked at Kaede inquiringly, wondering what was wrong.

Kaede gave him a rather worried look. “Kagome’s cousin is on the line. Apparently, there’s some kind of family emergency, and she needs to get in contact with her as soon as possible. Inuyasha didn’t mention anything to you, did he?”

Sesshoumaru shook his head, now frowning as he too wondered where Kagome was. If her family was looking for her too, that would mean that she was missing. A strange feeling of fear clutched at his chest, leaving an anxiety that nagged at his insides. ‘What’s happened to her?’ He moved closer to the desk, extending his hand to take the phone.

Kaede quickly informed the young woman of what was happening before handing the phone to him. “I’m going to pass you to Mr. Taisho now… you’re welcome dear…”

Sesshoumaru brought the receiver to his ear, speaking immediately. “Hello…”

After a slight pause, a hesitant voice responded. “Oh hello Mr Taisho, I’m so sorry to trouble you. I was wondering if you’ve seen or heard from Kagome at all today. I know that you spoke with her the other night… I thought maybe she might’ve told you where she was going.”

Sesshoumaru’s frown deepened as he listened to the rush of words that came through the earpiece, wondering if she had mistaken him for his brother. He let her finish, before calmly inquiring.

“How long has Kagome been missing?”

This time the pause was longer. “She left for work this morning at the usual time… Can… can I ask who this is please?”

“It’s Sesshoumaru Taisho.” The sudden silence was deafening to his ears as he waited anxiously for her to continue.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I-I thought you were her boss. It’s-it’s okay, I’ll find her, I didn’t mean to waste your time. Thank you for your help. goodbye.”

He blinked in surprise, looking at the receiver with a frown. ‘What in the world was that all about?’ Lifting his eyes to Kaede, he encountered her curious stare. He silently passed her the receiver, his thoughts racing as he considered the rather abrupt end to the strange conversation. ‘He felt more worried now than he had this morning, when both Inuyasha and Kagome had failed to show up for work. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything until he made certain that Kagome was all right. With a quick decision, he focused his gaze on Kaede.

“Cancel all my appointments for the rest of the day. I’m going out.” He turned to look at his brother, who now leaned against the doorframe, staring back at him with a frown. “I’m not sure what time I’ll be back. We’ll leave our discussion until tomorrow.”

Inuyasha nodded, remaining silent as he watched his brother walk past him to retrieve his keys, exiting his office a few seconds later and disappearing quickly from the suite. A sigh escaped him and he turned to gather the documents that the technician had given them, hoping that finally, something would work out. He’d heard enough of the one-sided conversation to know that it related to Kagome. He hoped like hell that Sesshoumaru found her, and maybe, just maybe, they might even get around to talking. Pushing the thought from his head, he gathered the papers and made his way back to his own office, which seemed strangely empty and quiet. He sat at his desk and focused him mind on the entries that were listed in the document, intent on finding anything that was inconsistent.


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A smug grin formed on the face of the shadowed presence that watched as events unfolded inside the reception area of the Taisho brother’s offices. All plans were falling into place nicely, everything unravelling just as they were designed to. ‘Very soon now, the old crow will be gone, never to interfere again’ The smile broadened. ‘Very soon indeed’


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AN: Hey guys, I want to thank you all for your extreme patience. You’ve all been so great about the long wait. Good news is, the long wait is finally over. The moment you’ve been waiting for is just around the corner.

I wanted to apologise to those of you who contacted me and received no response yet. I’m a little behind with things. I’ll try and get round to them as soon as possible. I figured that you’d want the chapter first.

Don’t forget to leave your email addy if you want to know when I update. That’s only for those who aren’t receiving one already. And please be sure that the whole address comes through, otherwise I’m left guessing, and that can be a big disaster, let me tell you.

Sorry to rush off like this, but I’m swamped at the moment. And apologies to my buddies for being so absent lately. Let’s hope that the next few months will be a little less hectic and I’ll get a chance to chat with you guys. Anyway folks, hope you enjoy. See you next chapter.
Babs