Undercover Romance

Chapter 19: Preparations

Massaging the bridge of his nose with his index and thumb, Inuyasha tried to remain focus on assisting Koga's project of interpreting the recently collected phone data. Five hours going on six and still no word from none of the officers who left for the rescue. Holding in all of his stressful worry was draining him of his concentration, thus making completing their experiment much longer; not that he was of much help anyway. All types of negative scenarios played out in his head, all ending with a BANG.

"They're fine."

"I know that!" He snapped at the wolf's back. "I don't need you to tell me they're alright."

Koga's one hand typing speed slowed from its hyper tap to a disturbed gradual poke of his fingers. Inuyasha's rage toward him was understandable and he couldn't blame the pup for still being sore, but damn he tried his hardest to do what he could. Why was it so hard for him to realize that?

Maybe if he apologized this little tension basher will—

"Sorry."

Koga blinked at the computer screen wondering if he'd heard right. Just Inuyasha just say…? Whoa wasn't expecting that one. He was the one who was supposed to apologize, not the other way around.

Koga continued typing but kept his ears peeled for further explanation, which he didn't have to wait long for. "I know I've been an asshole to ya with Hiei's—Hiei's," God he couldn't even say that 'M' word with the Koorime's name mixed in the same sentence. "I know it's not your fault. You tried your best to protect 'em and I guess…I just wanted someone to blame because I feel like it's my fault he's gone."

Koga typed in his last eletronic codes and half turned in his chair to face the rookie with an equally solemn expression. "You blame yourself as much as I do when neither of us is to blame. You being who you are wouldn't have been able to do much. Even with my years and experience I still couldn't protect him. Imagine if it would've been you there instead of me." Wolfe was never going to be able to erase all of that blood from his mind. "You would've been killed with 'em."

"But I would've be able—"

"To do nothing. And you think I didn't do what you were about to say?" Koga said angrily. "I attempted—I tried," He was getting tired of saying tried over and over again. "But with all that was in me I couldn't protect him. I cared for him as much as you do Rookie." He sighed shaking his head. "We can do is move on. This won't be the first time you fail a mission. The sooner you learn that the better a cop it'll make ya."

Funny. Inuyasha could've sworn he heard that same line from another canine demon.

"Sesshomaru taught me that when I joined the force," Koga answered to the mentally debated question. "It was when I tried to pull security for a five year old witness from a demon named Urasua. The witness watch was held in a small live in part of the station. The little girl was a sweet red haired wolf demon like me." He explained remembering her rosy cheeks and perky personality. "In the two days I was with her, I'd grown fond of her. I read her bed time stories, tucked her in at night, fed her, bathe her, as if she were my own cub," Koga the memory became dark as he turned around to his previous duty. "But that was my problem there."

"You got attached." Inuyasha responded knowingly.

Koga chuckled bitterly. "Yeah. Stupid me. Number 1 rule for any officer is never get attached to your assignments. You're likely to slip and make a mistake. Just like I did with Ayame."

Did everyone have a past in this career they were ashamed of? "What happened to the girl?"

Tap…tap…tap… Koga's jet black banes lowered over his eyes to conceal his long ago grief. "The girl woke up late saying she wanted something to drink. Instead of telling her to go back to sleep, I said I would go and get it for her since it was down the hall. She begged me not to leave her side, but I promised that I'd be back in three minutes." The typing stopped as Inuyasha watched the back of Wolfe's ponytail swish from side to side. "I promised her three fucking minutes. It turned into ten minutes because I couldn't find a fucking quarter for the machine."

Oh no…Inuyasha was already afraid to see where this was going.

"When I got her the apple juice, I hurried back to her room thinking she was still awake, waitin' for the drink. She was asleep….she was…asleep." Taking a very shaky breath, Koga continued with his final part of the story, regretting that moment even to this day. "I got closer and grew suspicious when a raw odor messed with my nose. I was terrified. I'd only left her for ten minutes. But in that lapse of time Urasua had managed to creep into her window and slit her throat. Ayame was gagged so there was no way of me hearing her screams for help….To this day I haven't allowed myself to become emotionally attached to anyone because I failed to protect her."

"Until now?"

"Yea….until now." Until Hiei. "I never would've thought that I'd have to add another grave for me to visit once a month."

Inuyasha smiled, taking one of the available chairs near a desk and pulling it next to Koga. "You still visit her grave site?"

Koga smiled too, as his speed returned to its normalcy. "Yea, every month on the third Friday, I go to visit her grave and put a new batch of her favorite flowers on her stone. She adored the flowers she was named after. Because of Ayame I learned to be a better cop." And Hiei was only going to make him stronger.

Hn, the wolf wasn't such a bad guy after all. Inuyasha never would've thought he and Miroku had pasts that they weren't too proud of and still they managed to keep on trucking to see another day. The same wasn't going to happen overnight for him to get over his guilt, but he could learn how by learning from the guys who'd been through more than he will ever know.

"Hey I got something." Koga said listening to the sound waves. "Listen."

Inuyasha strained his ears to the speakers. The phone conversation replayed again, but he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. "What am I supposed to listen for? All I hear is Naraku's nasty voice."

Koga groaned. "Damn what did they teach ya in the academy? Listen to the background."

Again, Inuyasha listened with all of his concentration but failed to hear what the wolf could hear. "I don't hear anything."

Koga slapped his good hand over his face, dragging it down. "Pay attention, Rookie!" He scolded increasing the volume.

Inuyasha lend in further until his ear was pressed against the speaker, analyzing the noises beyond the spider demon's voice. At first he couldn't make out the difference between the many or so sounds playing out at the same time besides that little sound in the back ground when Naraku had paused in his speech.

That noise.

That's right. He'd heard an odd series of sounds in the back ground he ignored. "What the hell is that?"

"Old code." Koga explained as he pulled a radio frequency graph on the computer for demonstration. "Look here. Whenever another sound is picked up the color of the waves transformed into another color. Along these red lines are Naraku's speech pattern and these orange ones are yours but when he paused a different noise popped up, indicated by the blue and green."

"Oh I see. But why does it keep bouncing up and down like that?" Inuyasha pointed with his index finger following the repeated beat up and down.

"Someone in the back ground was making a tapping code. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru?"

"Yea. I hear him and Miroku use it once when they had to use discreet communication." He sighed. "Unfortunately I can't interpret it like those two can because they used their own kind of foot combination."

"Fuck so we got something but we're still at square one?" Damn and just when they'd got close to something they're knocked back to step one.

"Don't give up so easily Rookie. We can wait until Miroku comes back—"

"No need." Said a deep voice from behind startling both men.

"Damn don't sneak up on us like that!"

"My apologies."

Taisho walked in after his detective, taking a seat in the laboratory. "The plan failed." He said cupping two large hands over his face. "Naraku was a step ahead of us and…"

He allowed the rest to be figured out by the younger officers.

Koga tensed at the depressed looks and already knew what occurred. This was only adding to their wall of fallen officers. Naraku was going to break the all-time record of cop murders before this case was solved. "Damn him," This bastard was a clever one he'd give him that. For every hill they climbed Naraku managed to be three more ahead.

This was going too far. How many more men and women's lives would it take for this case to be solved? Inuyasha wondered looking between the upset men. This snake was wasting bodies left and right like rain drops, without a single sense of care. When would his reign of terror end?

"Koga please tell me you managed to get something," Miroku said desperate for a chance at this demon's throat. He'd lost 21 officers today and his revenge was going to be of the sweetest kind.

Snapping out of his mournful mood, Koga typed in the frequency generator while explaining, "Someone in the background was doing a foot combo. I think its Sesshomaru but you'll be the only one to understand if it is."

Miroku picked up the earphone device from the computer and listened carefully to the various beats tapping while Naraku spoke. He listened to the various background sounds and easily picked up what Koga was referring to. Yep it was Sesshomaru. The clever dog had managed to ease in a message while the devil was bragging of his intentions. "It's him." He mouthed to the others in the back.

The absolute confirmation of his son still being alive was enough to propel Taisho from his seat and next to the human.

"It says… False location... Warehouse... Harbor... Real Place... Careful... Danger... Come… Small… Two…" He removed the earphones tapping a curious finger to his chin. "We should've waited for this."

The Chief clapped a hand on his shoulder. "We didn't know he had given this message Miroku."

"Yes I know."

"So what does it mean?" Asked Inuyasha.

Miroku placed the earpiece on the table. "It's choppy because he didn't want Naraku catching on. Naraku told the truth about the location being at the Warehouse District of the Harbor. He warns that we be careful and the situation's dangerous."

"Keh, no surprise there."

"That's why he says come small. When we attempt to come to his aid, there should only be 1 to 4 people in the rescue mission. Too many like last time will draw too much attention."

"But with Naraku we will need the backup." Taisho reminded firmly.

"We can still have the backup but just not in the midst of the operation. Back up can be held in the background while the two man squad goes in for the kill."

"So who will be the two man squad?"

Koga raised his hand. "I'm up for it. These wounds won't hold me back but 12 hours. By then I should be back up and running."

Miroku nodded. "Good. I would go but you'll need me to handle the directional details while you're inside."

"Fine then I shall go," Taisho volunteered.

"No, I wanna go."

The entire room of men looked over at the rookie as if he'd lost all of his sanity.

"No." Taisho said finalizing the decision. "I won't allow it. You're still too young to—"

"I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm a part of this department as much as you are."

"This is dangerous work—"

"That I'm really skilled at." Inuyasha walked up and stood toe to toe with his father, bravely. "I scored the highest in my class for rescue missions. This is my expertise. Please Father….let me do this."

Taisho stared down at his youngest son, watching his own fire blaze in his round eyes. Yes Inuyasha had grown into a man; he was no longer a pup. He knew this. But he couldn't bear to lose another child to Naraku's grasp. The same slip up could wind up having Inuyasha in Naraku's bidding and then he'd lose both his sons. Why take such a risk?

"Father please…I can do this. I know I can bring Sesshomaru back and take Naraku down for good."

Taisho sighed knowing that talking from this point was pointless. Even if Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were full grown his fatherly instincts will never diminish when it came to them. They would always be his pups and he'll always worry. The hardest part was letting go. "Will you promise to come back?"

Remembering his own words, Inuyasha nodded. "Yea I'll come back."

Koga gave them a few seconds of dramatic staring time before saying, "Oooook guys I don't wanna interrupt your father-son bonding but we have less than 38 hours to get all of this done before show time."

The Inu pair broke off the proud stares and looked at the speaker. "Right. So what's the plan?"

Miroku jotted down a few notes and handed the post it notes to Koga and Inuyasha. "As soon as your 12 hours are up Koga, you take Inuyasha to get dressed in the proper equipment. He'll need an ear mike and some stealth items used for raids."

Koga snatched the yellow square. "Got cha. Come on Mutt face."

"Hey what you call me?" Inuyasha called out following behind him.

Taisho walked out along with Miroku. "I'll prepare the communications system Chief."

"Very well." Taisho bowed his head heading for his office.

"What will you do Chief?" Asked Miroku stopping outside his boss's office.

Taisho closed the door halfway. "I'm going to make a few calls." And shut the door. This was going to surely be one of the only chances they had for capturing Naraku in the act. For this to work Taisho was going to need more than enough back up. Military, Helicopters, Swat, TACT, Bomb Squad, we're talking all shots baby. This was going to be big and he planned to get it right the first time.

The Inu sat in his chair, and picked up his phone in one beat, dialing for the only person he could think of who'd be able to help out with this situation. If there was anyone who could lend his assistance and it came strong, it was his longtime friend. The Chief of the Eastern Region.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

The phone picked up on the third ring. His ears tingled from the sultry smooth voice that answered, "This is Chief Yoko Kazo of E.D.I.A."

Taisho smiled. "Kazo long time no see."

The silver haired blue eyed Youko demon smiled on his end. "Long time indeed my friend. It's good to hear from you, after what? 70 Years?"

"Yes sorry about that."

Kazo switched the phone to his other ear. "What can I do for you?"

Asking Kazo such an enormous favor was sure to bring back some buried feelings. Especially knowing he's suffered just as much damage by the spider demon as he has. "Kazo I know this is a lot to ask of you but—"

"Spit it out dog, you should my patience isn't one to be tested."

Oh well. No point in being subtle then. "I need your helping in bringing down Naraku…again."

There. It was out. Kazo stayed quiet on the phone for a stretched second listening to his friend's heavy breathing on the other end. If this fool has asked him what he thinks he's asked him then oh boy hairs were going to be flying.

"Kazo?"

"Repeat your request so I that I may curse you out properly." The fox demon replied heatedly.

"Kazo be serious."

"I am being serious Dog. You know what that bastard has done to me and my son. We've tried over a dozen times in trying to capture that fen. I've lost my son to him. I've lost far too many officers to count. Civilians have been murdered while we've dealt with this man!"

"I know. But this time will be different."

"And what exactly makes this time so different from the other failed attempts?"

"You're just going to have to trust me."

Kazo did trust his friend. He really did but the times they've tried obtaining that fool, have always mounted up to nothing. So why would this effort be any different from the others? His tone seemed confident but then again so did the last few times. But all they could do was try right? "Fine Taisho. I'll help you. But make no mistake if I lose another man because of this deal, I won't hesitate to kill you myself."

Taisho wouldn't put it past the crafty fox to act on that vow either. "Deal. If this plan doesn't come out the way we hoped you may do anything with me as you wish."

Damn he shouldn't have said that. He totally left himself open for this next comment. "Anything?"

Uh-Oh.

---

Seven….eight….nine….ten….eleven….twelve…. how many more until it was over?

Eighteen…nineteen….twenty….twenty-one…. He couldn't take much more. Staying strong was hard enough on your own. But to have to endure this much pain for hours on end?

Thirty… thirty-one…thirty-two… thirty-three….He had to take this. Each agonizing blow was worth it if it kept his beloved safe.

Forty-seven….forty-eight….forty-nine…Fifty.

"That's enough."

Sesshomaru sagged down in his chair bleeding from every open gash, cut and reopened wound on his face, neck, arms, and exposed chest. Within the last 17 hours he's went through more forms of torture then he could remember. If this were a mere human he would've been killed over within 2 hours. But Naraku was using the inuyoukai's demonic powers against him. The fact that Sesshomaru's healing abilities could heal him within 3 hours was what kept this evil going. His skin's been burned to the raw muscle by acidic liquids more from the harshest poisons. The bare nakedness of his chest was scorched from the flames of fire doused gloves used by Naraku himself to deliver brick breaking punches. Sesshomaru had long since lost count of the times he'd been stabbed in his abdominal area by the smallest switch blade.

And now he'd finished with the last of his punishment; a personal favorite of Naraku's. Seeing him get punched repeatedly in the face.

Yet through it all, not once did he make the shrilling plead for mercy or howled cry of help. Naraku wouldn't be granted such a sound.

"Well Sesshomaru it seems that our time together has come to an end." Naraku was again, not pleased with the end results of another punishment gone wrong. How much more would he have to do to this creature he was gifted with the sounds of his beautiful cries of anguish? He desired for this dog demon's voice to cry and beg for his freedom. But Sesshomaru proved to be more difficult than his previous victims.

This only made him that more enticing. "Take him to the room near the front line."

Hakudoshi untied the abused officer, purposely letting him hit the floor. "But sir there's someone already in there."

"Oh? You mean the other prisoner hasn't died yet?"

"No sir. He's still alive…At least I think he is."

Naraku squeezed the pressure between his eyes as if he'd just heard the most terrible news. "Fine just take him there anyway. The other one's bound to die eventually."

"Yes sir."

Hakudoshi hauled the mangled Inu demon toward the more deserted part of the warehouse where a lot of their victims were taken to either await their approaching death or to stand fast until the next rotation of evilness to come.

As Sesshomaru was carelessly dragged down the winding halls he wondered what other poor fool had been used as a sadistic toy for the Spider demon's joy. The way they talked, it seemed the other person had long since died from the torture they'd put him or her through.

He could be so lucky. This was merely the beginning of what would occur the next go round for Sesshomaru. For now at least.

The detective, unknown to the enemy, was slowly binding his time until he planned escaped. This would be the final punishment he endured by that fool's hands. By now, either Miroku or Koga should've recoded his message from the phone call. That is, if his hunch had been right and Koga did record the conversation between Naraku and Inuyasha. Of course then they'd need Miroku to translate the code since they were the only ones who used the ancient ritual. Please let his instincts been correct in assuming he could depend on his comrades to read into his plans.

"We're here."

Sesshomaru lifted his throbbing head up to see a metal door about six feet wide and eight feet tall. This was different from the one they used to keep him in before. The last one was made of wood. Why the sudden change in design?

Hakudoshi twisted the door knob and pushed inward. The room had a stale, funky stench to the atmosphere. Sesshomaru's nose could detect the scent of dried blood and twisted angry rolling in waves in this room. Well that answered Naraku's question of whether or not whoever was in here was alive.

"Hey we got a new friend for ya." Sassed the pale faced demon, tossing Sesshomaru's limp body inside. "I haven't had a taste of him yet but I doubt he tastes as good as you." With that evil chuckle, he closed the door with a loud click, clack, locking the knob behind him.

Sesshomaru stayed against the cool smooth ground, allowing the fresh chill to ease away the burning thump of his sore face. Never mind the awful odor floating in the air around him. For now this section of the floor would have to do until he could gain some of his strength back.

Whether or not he could let his guard down was another matter. Indeed there was another presence in this damp room but whether they were friendly or hostile he couldn't tell. No movement was made, or a sound peeped. He or she was still alive judging by the harsh pants of breath coming his way. The puffs of oxygen came in more shallow and hollow winds, as if worn down. This person was either about to die, fighting death or debating on which route to take.

Sesshomaru couldn't allow that. The person should live if long enough to get out of this terrible place before giving up their soul. A cough left his lips, kicking up a puff of dust as he said, "Will you choose death in a place like this?"

Sesshomaru's ears picked up a hitched in their breathing as if surprised to hear another living soul in the room.

"Answer me." Sesshomaru coughed out. "Will you choose death in this God forsaken palce or live just long enough to see the light of day again?"

It was all he could ask of this person he barely knew. But just the thought of knowing he escaped without saving this pathetic soul would tear at him by no ends. No one deserved such a lonely demise.

The other person's breathing slowed, gradually losing its concentration of breathing until Sesshomaru could no longer hear its shaky tone.

Sesshomaru listened carefully wondering if he'd spoken his encouraging word too late.

Until he heard a harsh raw hiss that made his own heart stop.

"...I choose… life…"

What….the….hell? It couldn't be. There was no way it could be, "H-Hiei?"

---

Damn when he did he get this like this?

A hot blush rose in the face of a certain Inu demon who took in the slender smooth build of the man coming through the stations side door dressed in his E.D.I.A. titled black and gray bullet proof vest, over the navy blue short sleeve muscle shirt stretched tauntingly over his handsome form. Goodness, the years have made this demon age like fine wine…

"Keep staring old man and the buildin'll catch on fire."

Koga and Miroku snickered at the hanyou's blunt admission. The Chief could be a little discreet when appreciating another's body.

"Mind your tongue boy." Taisho huffed regaining his previous attitude.

Kazo walked in all smiles followed by ten of his best men. His eyes traveled over the bulky built dog demon before him with satisfaction. It seems the years have been as equally kind to his friend. His blue eyes twinkled mischievously bringing another blush to the Western Chief's face. Very nice.

Next on the list were the three young men standing next to his friend. One human, one wolf demon and one…one…Oh my. "Taisho?" He said in a 'there needs to be an explanation tone.'

Blinking out of his embarrassment, Taisho cleared his throat and introduced his detectives down the line. "This young human here is Miroku Starwind. He shall play as our communication's guide. The tall one next to him is Koga Wolfe. He will be one of two infiltrating Naraku's fortress. And the shorter one that looks like me is my youngest son, Inuyasha Toshiba. He'll be the other man involved in the rescue mission."

All three men stood at attention respectfully to the foreign Chief of Eastern Territories.

"At ease." Kazo ordered keeping steady eyes on the white haired hanyou. "He has a lot of your features Taisho. Is he available?"

Taisho's open mouth gasp and Inuyasha's childlike blush caused the others to laugh a little.

Taisho cleared his throat, again, to gain the small group's attention. "Now if everyone's done I'd very much like to get this mission over with within the next 24 hours."

"Of course." There would be more time for entertaining fun later. For now they all had a mission to accomplish. "Taisho who shall give the safety briefing before we begin the operation?"

"Inuyasha."

"Uhh what?" No one told him this. How the hell do you give a safety briefing?

"Just talk encouragingly and advice everyone to be safe."

Oh boy what a way to put someone in the spotlight. Better get this over with. Inuyasha took a lung filled expansion of deep breath and exhaled it through his nose as he stepped forward into the center of the crowd of bodies.

"Umm ok. I just want to say, thank you all for coming here today to help rescue my brother and to help put an end to this assholes—"

Taisho glared.

"—Uh I mean creep's reign of terror. We all want the same thing and that's to see this jerk put away for life or faced with a death penalty. I just want you all to know that once we start this, there's no turning back. Naraku is a vicious, murderous villain with a taste for blood. Make no mistake, he will kill you if given the chance. We won't give him that chance. By this time tomorrow he'll be the one begging for mercy. So let's put an end to this guy's terror and make this city safe again!"

Inuyasha pumped up his fist in the air like he'd seen other speech talkers do in the movies and waited for the others to join in with a chorused 'Hell Yea.'

Nothing.

Ok any minute now.

Nada. Except a couple chuckles and several 'Are you crazy' stares.

Everyone waited for him to bring his victory punch out of the air so they could get this show on the road. Whoa talk about embarrassing with a capital 'E'.

"Taisho if your son's finished with his cheerleader tactics, we really should finish with the preparations." Said a cheeky Youko demon, winking at the shame faced hanyou.

Taisho's hardened glare returned with a vengeance. "He's done."

Everyone huddled together to discuss the tricks, schemes, plots and plans needed to accomplish this mission without any blood loss on their end. It would take hours of careful precision and strategic expertise to know how to get this task done. Traps were set in gear, minds were made up and complicated arguments of what should and should not be done erupted between a few until finally everyone was able to agree on what they deemed perfect.

Kazo clapped his hands together satisfied with the turn of events. This just might actually work. If they timed themselves correctly and stayed close to their ideals, they're sure to capture this fool within the next 24 hours. Marvelous.

"Ok since we got the plan up what do we do now?" Inuyasha questioned.

Kazo rolled up one of the city's blue prints. "We'll gather the necessary equipment needed to enter the spider's threshold. And we'll need to find the perfect location for Miroku's communication center to be within a reasonable range so his instructions are heard easily."

"And then?"

At that sparkled wink of those blue eyes Inuyasha's heart leapt as Kazo said confidently. "Then we'll save your brother."

It took all of his resolve not to pump his fist in the air again, lest he risk looking like a fool. So he simply held in his excitement until he could see his brother's face again.

Hold on Sesshomaru. We're coming.

---

TBC:  To those who know him, are you surprised to see Kazo? ^_^