Hey it's Greg again, (not Jack) this is chapter two to my Treaure
Hunter series(?) tell me what you think.
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EMAIL ME: Coldmatrix@hotmail.com or post your comments on the FFML I'll
see them there!
<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>
Later that day Ranma Saotome sat atop the Tendo household roof watching
the sun descend into the Tokyo horizon. He had been sitting there for a
little over two hours with no interruptions. Nabiki had remained silent
the rest of the journey home and proceeded to disappear after getting
back, while he hadn't seen Akane since early that morning. The rest of
the family was as normal as usual, so he pretty much had the entire
afternoon to sort out his feelings for himself. Which he had found to be
more difficult then he had first anticipated.
'One week...' He repeated to himself remembering what the man had said.
'One whole freaking week to wrap up any obligations.' He scratched the
back of his head in thought. 'Any obligations...' He emphasized
inwardly. 'Obligations like Akane...' The thought struck him as foreign.
'Akane's not an obligation is she? I mean sure the engagement is
arranged but I'm certainly not obligated.' I want to, he wanted to say,
but he couldn't even admit it to himself. 'Stupid tomboy would probably
be glad to be rid of me.' He spat in distaste. The sun began to sink
into the horizon slowly disappearing from view, at this the sky began to
take on a fiery orange glow. 'And what of my other fiancee's..?
Shampoo... Kodachi... Well not really a fiancee but no less than my
others I suppose... And then Ukyo... . . . .' His mind began to consider
the pro's and con's of choosing to leave.
'I'd lose the hassle of every harebrained martial artist in Japan
trying to attack me for some imagined wrong doing...' He added this to
the pro's. 'But then I might lose Akane...' This was a con. 'I'd lose
all these engagements that I didn't even ask for...' He seemed to
brighten at the thought, but then realized the downside to this. 'But
that would mean losing Akane...' He looked down at his fingers, he was
keeping score. 'That's two for two.' He concluded. 'What else... There's
good money involved. I can send money to both mom and pop. Not to
mention the Tendo's for their hospitality. There's also travel and
adventure involved. That's a major plus...' He looked over at his pro's
hand and saw it was leading by three. 'But I would lose Akane...' His
con hand lifted three more fingers in response and he realized he was
out of fingers. 'Rats!' Before he had time to remove his shoe his
attention was averted at the sudden sound of foot steps.
"Ranma?" Akane asked as she approached him from the left. "What are you
doing?" Her voice seemed to carry genuine concern.
Ranma, caught off guard, slung his hand's behind his back. "Me?
N-nothing! Nothing at all!" Akane's face seemed to darken slightly, and
Ranma threw his hands back in his lap giving them a quick glance and
then chuckling uncertainly.
"What are you hiding?" She demanded, trying to peer around his back and
see what it was he had hidden back there.
"Nothing Akane! What makes you think I'm hiding anything?"
"What do you have behind your back?"
"Nothing, geez Akane, besides it's none of your business."
"None of my business is it?!" She stomped her foot. "I'll be the judge
of what is and isn't my business!" Akane was yelling now and Ranma
wasn't going to back down.
"Your such a stupid tomboy! Do you have any idea how lame that
sounds?!"
"Stupid am I? I'll show you stupid!" Akane removed her mallet from
wherever it was she kept it and brought it up in an attack position.
'I'll lose Akane...' The thought seemed to unexpectedly echo through
Ranma's mind in just enough time to both evade her mallet's onslaught
and come to his senses.
"Akane, I'm sorry!" He apologized before she could ready another blow.
"What-?" She asked stunned.
"I was just doing some thinking and you surprised me is all."
"Thinking?" She asked not moving.
"Yeah, I've got a lot to work out." He was surprised at how this seemed
to be working.
She let the mallet slide from her hand to the roof and sat down in a
slight confusion. "Like... What?" She asked a little hesitantly.
"Well, I'm not really allowed to talk about it, but it has to do with
the job. It requires a lot of travel, and should I accept it, it could
be a long time before I come back, and then it would probably only be
for a short visit.
Akane seemed to consider this. And looked up, his meaning dawning on
her. "Long...time, huh?" She whispered. "What have you decided?"
"I'm not sure right now... It seems to be a chance of a life-time but
still it leaves alot of things unresolved." Akane nodded her
understanding.
His last statement seemed to linger in the air as the sun finally
seeped beneath the horizon leaving only a faint amount light present.
Akane watched as it finally disappeared and then looked back at Ranma.
"Ranma... What is it?"
"Huh?" Ranma grunted dumbly.
"The job! What is it?!"
Ranma's stomach seemed to cringe he was afraid this question would be
asked. "Akane I've told you I'm not allowed to discuss it." He closed
his eyes tightly waiting for the inevitable to begin. Akane didn't
notice the gesture in the faint light.
"You can trust me, Ranma!" Akane encouraged.
'Run away, Saotome!' He heard an idle thought plead. "Akane it's not my
place to decide who I can and can't tell." 'Run away NOW, Saotome..!
Don't wanna!'
"So you're saying you can't trust me is that it?" Akane's voice took an
edge that was all to familiar to Ranma.
"Akane, please try to understand this was not my decision." 'Are you
crazy?! RUN AWAY!' The voice pleaded. 'Don't wanna!'
"Ranma you know good and well I wouldn't tell anyone, whoever those
people are would never find out! Why is this so important?"
"You tell me Akane?!" 'Oh so you wanna die? Okay I get it...
Sadomasochist!' The thought accused. 'Sado-maso-what? Ranma asked not
sure how his subconscious knew words he didn't. 'Look it up!' It
answered. In his argument with his subconscious he failed to keep up
with his argument with Akane.
"- to you again! Are you even listening to me..? Ranma?!" Was all that
he caught.
"Yes Akane! Geez..! Now what were you saying?!" 'Stupid...' *WHAM*
"I don't believe you!" She screamed. "You can't even stay focused in an
argument!"
"Akane!" Ranma screamed. Akane stopped her rant and blinked at the
pig-tailed martial artist. "Do you know what Sado-mas-o-chist is?" He
asked stuttering on the words pronunciation. Akane seemed to flare a
bright blue aura.
"What?! What'd I do?!"
Akane raised her mallet high. "BAAAKAAAAA!" The mallet came down with
lightning speed, though Ranma was just quick enough to sidestep the
blow. He however did not count on how quickly she would recover and
basically sat still for the next assault. *WHAM*
"Uhhhhhhh." Ranma moaned. "Akane." He tried weakly. *WHAM*
"Stupid... Tom..Boy..." *WHAM*
Akane looked down and realized for the first time what she had done.
Ranma was out cold.
"Ranma..?" She whispered. No response.
She picked the unconscious martial artist up and cradled him in her
arms. She then proceeded to carry him down into the house and into the
Kitchen.
Kasumi as usual was just finishing up on dinner and turned to find
Akane cradling Ranma in her arms. "Oh my!" Kasumi gasped. She walked
over to Akane and looked Ranma over. Take him into his room and lie him
down on his futon Akane, I'll be there shortly with a warm cloth and
some bandages."
Akane thankfully obliged her sister and carried Ranma up to his room as
instructed. She lied him down on his futon and stared down at him
yielding a hint of guilt as she did. Kasumi shortly entered into the
room with the promised cloth and bandages and kneeled down next to the
battered boy.
She began to feel around his forehead and his scalp with her hand and
gasped. "Goodness Akane, who did this? This is horrible!" Akane remained
silent. Kasumi, without hesitation took the warm damp cloth, and began
to wipe down Ranma's face. She did so for a few short moments then
lifted Ranma's head to apply the bandages. Once through she checked over
her job and let a smile. "There!" She said triumphantly. "Akane, go tell
the others that dinner is ready!"
"Yes Kasumi." Akane acknowledged, and then slipped out the room to do
as asked.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dinner was as expected relatively quiet. Ranma still lay upstairs in
his room, While Nabiki hadn't been seen since early that afternoon.
Akane still harbored feelings of guilt but didn't wish to speak of them
to anyone, while Soun and Genma discussed man and dog eating habits. And
Kasumi seemed to be in her own little world which at ones guess might
consist of gingerbread houses and yellow brick roads. Aside from the two
absences it wasn't all that relatively different.
Once dinner was finally over Akane, after helping Kasumi with the
dishes, went upstairs to check on Ranma. She entered into his room only
to find an empty futon and a discarded bandage.
"Ranma?" She asked glancing around.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Stupid..." Ranma mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his head.
"Can't explain anything to that tomboy."
He had been walking for five to ten minutes by now and was still
understandably angry. The sidewalk seemed to slip by unnoticed beneath
his feet as his mind kept replaying over and over what had transpired
earlier on the roof. "It'll never work... Never, never never!" His head
continued to ache all over and it only served to deepen his anger. "I'm
in..! Anything to get me away from that psycho gorilla." He grit his
teeth together in an attempt to calm himself, and proceeded to slow his
breathing down. "Okay.... I'm calm..." *BAM!* He smashed his fist into
the concrete wall off to his right. "Okay, so I'm not!" He looked at the
large dent his fist had created and then felt the pain set in. "OWWWW!"
He looked at his fist and found it scraped and red. "I swear, I can't
believe that uncute idiot!" He remarked dropping his fist to his side.
He took a right at the corner and continued his walk. "First chance I
get, I'm telling Nabiki!"
"Tell me what?" He heard a voice ask.
He looked up to find Nabiki was standing several feet from him. "Uh, oh
hi, Nabiki." He responded uncertainly. "Where'd you come from?"
"No where particular..." She looked him up and down. "What happened to
you?"
Ranma felt his anger rise again, but not at Nabiki. "That stupid,
uncute, idiot,
gorilla-"
"I take it my little sister happened..." Nabiki remarked under Ranma's
ramblings.
"-built like an ox, tomboy-"
"Ranma..." Nabiki tried.
"horrible cook-"
"Ranma!" She snapped. "Okay I understand, sorry I asked, geez."
"Huh? Oh sorry." He replied sheepishly.
"Now what were you going to tell me?"
"Huh?" Ranma looked up at her slightly confused. "Oh yeah! About that
job..."
"Yeah I've been doing some thinking about it too." Nabiki interrupted.
"Well, what have you decided?" Ranma asked curiously.
"Walk with me Saotome." Nabiki motioned with her hand. They both
turned, with Nabiki leading the way. "I've been doing some checking up
on these guy's." She looked over at Ranma to see his response and
continued. "Not a lot is known about them. What I could find though, is
the name Sean Oliver is legit. and very disliked. His story about
enemies checks out too. It seems everyone wants to know what he knows,
in fact I had a hard time inquiring about the man without being
interrogated myself."
"So what do you make of it?" Ranma asked genuinely interested.
"Well based on that and a few other facts I'm willing to give him the
benefit of the doubt. He seems real enough, so I'm starting to lean in
the direction of accepting his offer. What about you?" She arched an
eyebrow.
"I'm in. So long as it gets me out of here."
"You sure that's not just your anger talking?" She asked noticing him
snarl.
"What do you think?" He asked, pointing at his head.
"I think your heads always lumpy."
"That's not what I meant."
"We're here."
"Huh?" Ranma asked confused at the abrupt change of subject. He looked
up at the building they were now currently standing in front of.
"Agatsum Sake?" Ranma asked reading the sign aloud.
Nabiki sighed. "Yep... Good ol' Uncle Agatsum."
"Uncle?!" Ranma asked surprised.
Ignoring Ranma's confusion Nabiki pushed on and through the front door.
Ranma dutifully followed her silently wondering what this was all about.
Inside the air was thick with smoke, which forced Ranma to cough a few
times before finally adjusting. He took note how it didn't seem to
bother Nabiki, which only caused further confusion.
The room was filled with men of all sorts, and Ranma did his best to
just ignore them as they passed through the mass of tables to the bar.
Nabiki continued on in the lead, oblivious to the stares that seemed to
follow them.
Once they finally reached the bar Nabiki took a seat and ushered Ranma
into the one next to her. She sat in silence waiting patiently as the
man behind the counter finished up with a customer. Once finished, his
eyes seemed to follow along the bar as if searching for new customer's
until finally his eyes settled on Nabiki. He squinted for a second, and
then his eyes seemed to brighten with recognition. "Nabsy?" He called.
Nabiki seemed to smile at this. "Uncle Agatsum?" She asked back.
"Nabsy! It is you!!!" The man's face lit up. "It's been too long!" He
walked over to where Nabiki was seated. "What can I do ya for, girl?"
"Something hard, it's been a rough day." Ranma seemed even more
surprised by this.
"And what about you young lad?" The man asked looking over at Ranma.
"Oh, uh... No-nothin for me, thanks." Ranma replied unsurly.
He walked back to where he had come from and grabbed at a series of
bottles checking at their labels. Once satisfied he picked up a small
glass and poured in the contents of the bottle and passed it down to
Nabiki.
He then walked back over to the two with a question on his face. "So
Nabsy, what brings you here? I haven't seen you in over a year! How's
your father doin? Oh and how about Kasumi, and little Akane?"
Nabiki let out a small giggle, which only added to the evening's
surprises for Ranma. Nabiki grabbed for the shot glass and emptied it's
contents in one hardy gulp. "Oh, uncle, They're all doing great!" She
replied cheerfully. "Just great! How's the bar holding up?" She asked.
"Oh...Same ol' Same ol'." He chuckled. "So how's my girly? What can
your uncle help you with?" Nabiki pointed at the shot glass and he
obliged by filling it up again.
Nabiki grabbed at the glass and just as before gulped down it's
contents. "We're looking for some information." She said while wiping
her mouth. She pointed at the glass again and again he filled it up.
"Information huh? Well you've come to the right place! You're ol' uncle
knows just about all there is to know 'bout this town." He let out
another warm chuckle and Nabiki giggled along with him.
She gulped down another glass and looked back up at her uncle. "What do
you know about Sssean Oliver?" She asked growing a bit more serious.
Her uncle seemed to pale a bit at the name. "Sean Oliver? What in
blazes do you want with a fellow like that?" He glanced down at her
glass and without even being asked, filled it up again.
"Nothing really." She lied. "Jutht heard his name floating about and it
thruck my curiouthity." Ranma blinked as he noticed Nabiki's speech
start to slur.
"They say the dead follow's that man." He whispered. "No sir, not a man
to trifle with." Nabiki looked down at her neglected glass and gulped up
another shot. "It's rumored that a dead book, some Egyptian relic to the
afterlife, he found it! Some say he used it on his unborn child. Some
nasty stuff that is. His wife died after it's birth." He filled Nabiki's
glass again.
"Yeth, but that'ss a bunch of hocuth pocuth. What real infoooomation
can you tell uth?" Despite his uncomfortableness, Ranma was finding it
hard to bite his tongue.
"He hunt's treasure... Born in London some forty years ago to an
archeologist couple... Uh," He paused in thought. "They died when he was
in his early twenties, unexplainably I believe. He travels with two
other companions, I don't know their names though. Hmmmmm. There's a lot
of people who want him dead." Ranma's eye's began to grow at this,
though Nabiki didn't seem to show any real concern. "Most of what I've
heard is simply rumors anyhow. I've never met the man personally, some
say he doesn't even exist." Nabiki took the glass and sluggishly sucked
down the alcohol. She slammed down the glass and hiccuped.
"Dammit unca, keep 'emmmmm cumin!"
"Why do people want him dead?" Ranma asked realizing Nabiki was
probably through for the night.
The man diligently filled his nieces glass and looked up at Ranma.
"Well son, He's supposed to be the best, knowing countless locations of
priceless artifacts. No one's quite sure just exactly how much he has
collected, but it's supposed to be worth billions! And as I understand
it he never really had too much regard for the dead. Meaning he's pissed
a lot of religious fanatics off as well.
"Wanma? (hic) haf youuuuu met myyy uncle (hic) Igothum Thake?" Ranma
looked over at Nabiki and realized that her sixth glass had met a
similar fate as her last five. "Fffill 'er up! Unca Igothum (hic)!
"Nabsy baby, I think you've had enough for one night darlin." Her uncle
responded. He looked up from his drunken Niece and focused a stare at
Ranma. "Son, can I trust you to get my Nabsy home? Alcohol slides
through her like Teflon. As you can see she gets drunk fast" Ranma
noticed the man's face take on a serious look and nodded.
"Yes, sir." He replied.
"Good." He looked over at Nabiki and smiled. "You take care Darlin,
Okay?"
"Kay." Nabiki answered.
Ranma reached around Nabiki's back and braced his arm underneath her
right armpit. "Oooooh Wanma ah neverrrrrr knew!" She responded clumsily.
He slowly began to stand up, gently bringing the inebriated Tendo to
her feet. After a few false starts they began making their way through
the debris of tables and out the bar door.
Ranma gingerly started walking Nabiki back to the house, which proved
to be more trouble than he bargained for. His mind began retracing the
events of that evening, making sure to fast forward through all the
events that took place on the roof. He began to consider all that had
happened since he bumped into Nabiki and more and more questions seemed
to pop up. He looked over at the girl as she focused all her
concentration on walking and felt a certain kinship with the girl he
hadn't felt before. Nabiki was human...
"Nabiki?" He asked hoping she still had a mind for questions.
"What Wanma Wanma?" She asked looking back mildly perplexed.
"Why hasn't anybody ever said anything about your uncle Sake?"
Nabiki seemed to think extra hard on the question and almost caused her
to trip. "He'th my mom'th bwotherrr..." She finally answered. She seemed
to consider something more then continued. "When motherrr dieeeed. (Hic)
Fatherrrr went to pieeeces. Kathumi-channn tried her hardetht to comfort
him, but she wath jutht a gurl at the time. (Hic) Jutht a ity bity gurl.
he hee he." She giggled. "Akane wath toooooooo young to realithe vhat
happened and tho I didn't hafe anybody to talk toooo or comfort me." She
seemed to sadden. "And I wath jutht old enough to barely underthtand
what happened to mommy." A tear slid down her cheek. "But then Unca
Thake (Hic) cammmme and he made everything alllll better!" Her face
brightened. "He wath my betht fwiend in the whole wiiiide world. But
then daddy he....he...he told unca Thake to leave. I didn't vant Unca
Thake to leave and I thaid, Nooo no daddy don't make unca Thake leave.
Butttt he did. I vater ffffound (Hic) out that Unca Thake had inthulted
him thaying he neeeeeded to act like a man and take care of hith family
inthead of thulkin like a godddd amn woman! (Hic)" Ranma blinked. He had
never heard anything like this before.
"So how long have you been goin to his bar?" Ranma continued. "I mean I
don't know many girl's your age that consume liquor like you do. Hell it
isn't even legal!"
"I tharted goin when Ah wath thixxxteen. I went there wegularly, hangin
out with my unca, dwinkin, cussin, bein one offff ta guy'th. But thenn
(Hic) my father found out, and forbid me to ever go thewe again. Well
ffffuck him!" Ranma's eyes bulged, he had never heard anyone use that
sort of language. "Scuthe me!" Nabiki weaseled out of Ranma's arms and
gently fell to the side walk. "Bluuaaahhh!" Ranma felt his gag reflex
kick in as he watched Nabiki empty the contents of her stomach onto the
pavement. He had to finally turn his head as the pugnant odor hit his
nostrils.
Nabiki clumsily picked herself back off the pavement and almost fell
over, forcing Ranma to catch her. "Wanma?" She looked up into his eyes
and he was amazed at what he saw there. "Hold me." She said finally and
then proceeded to pass out.
Ranma looked down at the unconscious girl and sighed. This was the
first time he'd ever felt true sympathy for Nabiki and he wasn't sure
how to handle it. Finally he scooped the girl up into his arms and
dutifully continued the trek home.
<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>
Nabiki was in hell.... At least that's how her head hurt as she
shielded her eyes from the sunlight that penetrated through her window.
"Oh gad... Urggggg." 'What happened?' She wondered silently. She spun
over on her side and looked at her alarm clock. "7:03." She noted aloud.
'I went to Uncle Sake's with Ranma... . . . Oh god, I got drunk...
Right there in front of Ranma.' She felt herself recoil at that thought.
'oh no... I bet the entire family know's.' She threw off her blanket and
sat up. "Oh god my head." She said as she grabbed at her forehead.
'Daddy's going to be pissed.' She spun around till her feet hung off the
bed then gently sat them on the floor letting her legs absorb her
weight. 'Wait a minute how'd I get home?' She realized she didn't know.
She slipped out of her room and groggily marched downstairs into the
den.
The usual group of people were scattered about the room partaking in
their routine morning task. Soun was reading the newspaper, while Akane
was busy helping Kasumi ready breakfast. Genma was in his panda form and
busy doing his most favorite thing...Nothing. Akane was the first to
spot Nabiki as she was exiting the kitchen.
"What happened to you?" She asked as she brought a couple of dishes to
the table and set them down.
"I was out late."
Soun looked up from his paper and didn't even seem to notice her ruff
appearance. "Ah, Nabiki are you and Ranma going to see that recruiting
agency or whatever today?"
Nabiki was forced to blink. 'Ranma didn't say anything. Wow.' She was
mildly impressed. "Yeah though I'm still trying to make up my mind."
"Ah yes well, take your time." He smiled at her.
'Yeah that's easy for you to say.' "Has anyone seen Ranma?" She asked
aloud hoping for an answer.
"He's up." Akane replied. "I think he's ready too, though I'm not sure.
He's been avoiding me all morning."
"I'll go see!" Nabiki replied while quickly exiting.
She ran up to the stairs and first knocked on the bathroom door...
Silence. She then moved on to his room and knocked...
"...Come in..."
Nabiki slid the door open and walked in pulling the door shut behind
her. She looked down and found Ranma-chan fully dressed in her jusenkyo
outfit as she had been yesterday, lying on her futon with her hands
behind her head staring at the ceiling.
"Ready to go huh?" Nabiki asked surprised.
"And you ain't." Ranma remarked without looking.
"I just got up."
"We don't have much time you better get dressed." Ranma replied,
singing the same cadence as Nabiki had the day before.
"I know I just... Ranma..." Nabiki sighed. "Thank you." She finally
finished.
Ranma turned to face the girl, with eyes as large as saucers, only to
see her already exiting the room.
"Nabiki. . ."
<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>
Ranma and Nabiki had finally left the dojo with twenty minutes
remaining, though they paced themselves still giving their last
considerations to the offer.
"You still certain you want to accept?" Nabiki asked looking over at
the small redhead.
"I don't know. After what your uncle said I'm not sure."
Nabiki arched an eyebrow. "Ranma?" Ranma-chan looked over and realized
what she was thinking. "What did..."
"He just said a lot of people want the man dead. Said the guy is not
someone to trifle with. I dunno but your uncle seems to be a pretty
bright fellow. Just got me thinking is all."
Nabiki seemed to consider this. "Want him dead huh? I've been thinking
about what Mr. Oliver had said." Ranma looked back over at her. "All
this secrecy, and competitors, and things of a darker sort as he put it.
I'm not so sure I'm up to something like that. I mean, I'm not a fighter
like you and Akane. I deal with things differently than you guy's do.
What he was talking about seems real dangerous."
Ranma put her hands behind her head. "You think maybe we should
decline?"
Nabiki sighed. "I dunno...yes!"
"Well if you decline I guess I'm with you. Besides I think the
invitation was extended to both of us as a team, not individually...
Here we go." Ranma remarked as they came to stand outside of the
drycleaners.
Nabiki with only a moments hesitation pushed ahead of Ranma and into
the cleaners.
They stood in the center of the room taking note that it was exactly
same as before. Only someone different was working the desk.
Nabiki looked over at Ranma-chan and then proceeded to pull out the
proper change for a coke. She walked over to the machine, inserted the
yen and pressed the button for a coke. There was a moments pause
followed by a clunk... Nothing.
Ranma-chan came to stand next to Nabiki in confusion. They both stared
at the machine as if waiting for something more but still nothing
occurred.
"Hey!" Ranma said and squatted down next to the part where you get your
coke. She reached in the hole and pulled out a bottle.
"A coke?" Nabiki questioned.
Ranma popped the bottle open and began to guzzle down the beverage.
"Scuze me, miss?" Nabiki called while approaching the desk.
"Huh?" The tanned blonde asked in a high pitched voice. "You mean me?"
Nabiki looked about the room only to confirm her suspicion that no one
else was in the room except her and Ranma. "Uh, yeah your machine seems
to be broken."
"Whaaaat?" The woman asked annoyingly.
"That's funny it worked this morning." She walked out from behind the
desk and approached the machine. "Now did you want a coke or a sprite or
a..?"
"Actually we wanted the passage." Nabiki said getting straight to the
point.
"Ohhhhhh, you must be that Nabiki woman. Kay." She proceeded to press
the coke button as Nabiki had and waited. Still nothing happened.
"That's funny." She remarked and then began randomly pressing buttons as
fast as she could. Nabiki noticed the machine begin to emit smoke and
she smacked her forehead. "What's going on?" The blonde asked in
confusion. "Hold on I know!" She said triumphantly and then began doing
exactly what she had done before. The lights on the machine began to
dance chaotically and Nabiki took that as a cue to back up. *BLAM*
The coke machine went up in a small burst of flame and smoke and Nabiki
and Ranma were forced to stare as they watched the now ash covered
blonde smile brightly "Oooops!"
*Ring* *Ring* The girl's head swung around at the sound of the phone
and looked back at Nabiki. "Why don't you have a seat over there and
I'll be with you in a moment! Kay?" She then hurried off to answer the
phone.
Nabiki looked at the pair of seats leaning against the wall that the
woman had indicated and forced a shrug. She slowly walked over to the
seat and sat down. Ranma-chan looked back at the woman talking on the
phone and then proceeded to do as Nabiki had.
The woman put down the phone and looked over at the two girls. "I've
got a real quick errand I've gotta run so if you'll wait right there
I'll be right back." She then hastily made her way out the door.
They sat there only a short moment before they heard a clicking sound
and the floor beneath them opened up. Nabiki's eyes widened but she
didn't have time for anything else before the seats of the chairs swung
down on a lever dropping the two girls down a slick ramp. They both let
out screams as they were carried down several spirals before finally
seeing an opening beneath them and dropping through it.
*POOF*
Ranma and Nabiki fell into a couple of familiar looking chairs and
ended up staring at a familiar looking man. "Morning!" The man offered.
"That wasn't funny!" Nabiki screamed. Ranma simply sat frozen from the
shock.
The man chuckled. "Oh come now, that entrance rarely gets used. wasn't
it fun?"
"Fun?! I'll give you fun!" Nabiki nearly tried to leap over the desk
but was caught by Ranma.
"Come on Nabiki lets just say what we came to say then leave."
"So you've made your mind up then?" He asked looking from one to the
other.
"Damn right we have!" Nabiki cursed. "We want nothing..."
*BLAM BLAM BLAM* Three gunshots could be heard just up the spiral
staircase.
The man's face seemed to pale and he shot up from his seat. "You were
followed!" He pushed the chair he was sitting in out of the way and
ripped a painting off the wall revealing a keypad. "Gentlemen it would
seem it's time for a hasty departure." He entered in a series of
combinations and a piece of wall opened up revealing a door. Footsteps
could be heard up the stairs and Ranma felt her gut tighten.
The men on either side of the room had each grabbed one of the girls
and were pulling them towards the door. Sean pushed on the handle of the
door and it swung open revealing an elevator.
The two men pulled the girl's through the opening and were followed by
Sean who pushed a button on the elevator's keypad.
*BANG BANG* They began to hear the sound of someone pounding on the
office door. The doors to the elevator began to slide close and both
Nabiki and Ranma felt a tinge of terror run up their spine *BLAM BLAM
BLAM BLAM* Gunshots began piercing through the office door around the
handle as the doors pulled shut and the elevator began to rise. There
was a moments pause as everybody looked at each other. Sean looked down
at Nabiki. "They followed you. Somehow they knew to follow you."
"Who is they?" She whispered.
The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open revealing a huge
parking garage. Sean grabbed Nabiki by the arm and one of the other men
did the same with Ranma, and they quickly exited out into the Garage and
down one of the rows.
Ranma's mind was racing, she could handle martial artist of any variety
just fine but men with guns was a completely different matter.
They heard the elevator doors slide open again followed by several
shouts.
*BLAM BLAM* Gunshots began ringing out again and the small group began
to all out run. Nabiki looked over at Sean as he pulled a large revolver
from his coat and began returning fire. Ranma and Nabiki both were
forced to cover their ears at the intensity of the sound.
"HERE!" Sean shouted as they came to stop at one of the vehicles. He
pulled out a set of keys and the car beeped in response. The three men
quickly threw open the doors to what looked like a large truck with a
back cab, and stuffed the girls inside. Sean climbed in the driver's
seat and the engine came to life with a large roar followed by a
continuous purr. He pushed in the clutch and threw the truck in reverse.
The tire's began spinning with a vengeance and the truck pulled out
with so much force Ranma and Nabiki were thrown forward. Sean threw the
stick in first and again the tires squealed in response, this time
pressing the two girls in their seats. Ranma looked back over her
shoulder to see one of the men smash a window to a car, while another
man continued to fire upon the rapidly accelerating truck. Ranma and
Nabiki ducked quickly as the back window was shot out.
The truck finally approached an opening to the garage and instead of
slowing, Sean slipped the stick in forth and bolted out into a busy
intersection. Cars from both directions were forced to dodge as the
trucks back tires fishtailed into the right lane and then back into the
left. Ranma glanced back through the missing window and saw a black car
attempt the same feat, this time causing several wrecks, though the
black car seemed to emerge unscathed and resumed it's chase on the
fleeing truck.
Sean glanced back into the mirror as he threw the stick in fifth. "They
would have to pick a jaguar!" He joked. The two girls were not amused.
"Just what the hell is goin on?" Nabiki finally screamed.
*BLAM BLAM*
She once again ducked and Sean let a hearty chuckle. "Initiation my
dear girl. It would seem you two have just volunteered to be our
successor's!"
"What?!" Like hell?" Nabiki shouted back at the man.
"Now Nabiki, the only way those nice men with guns would know about me
is if someone was nice enough to volunteer the fact that I'm in town.
Did you not do so yourself?"
"NO!" Nabiki protested.
"Oh really?" He mocked giving her smile in the rear view mirror.
*BLAM BLAM*
"Gentlemen, I believe there is a bogie on my tail, if you would be so
kind." He addressed the other two men brightly.
The man in the front passenger seat leaned forward opening the glove
compartment, where he drew a large magnum. While the man sitting in the
seat with Nabiki and Ranma turned around in the seat leaning over and
opening a large box.
"Now Nabiki your sure you didn't mention this to anyone other than
Ranma?" Sean drew Nabiki's attention back to him.
The man in the front passenger seat rolled down the window and
proceeded to lean out.
"Well..." Nabiki thought. "I did mention you're name to a few people."
"That's all it take's my dear."
*BLAM BLAM* The man in the front passenger seat began to fire upon the
pursuing jaguar.
*BLAM BLAM BLAM* The Jaguar returned fire.
"A young attractive girl like yourself starts digging up old graves
with a name like Sean Oliver and you all the sudden you find yourself
the center of attention. That's how they found me..! By following you."
Nabiki felt her throat go dry.
Sirens could be heard in the distance.
Ranma-chan turned around to discover the man in her seat had a box full
of grenades, and let out a gasp. He picked one up, drew the pin, and
proceeded to throw.
A large chunk of road blew up in front of the jaguar forcing them to
swerve to avoid it. But still they continued on. 'Man these guy's are
nuts!' Ranma thought to herself.
"So as you can see Ms. Tendo, there is no going back! These men have
associated the two of you with me and therefore have added you to their
hit list."
The man in the front seat crawled out the window again and let loose a
spray of ammo.
*BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM*
The pursuing jag sped up in response and unleashed a return fire of a
different kind.
*TATATATATATATATAT*
Bullets began firing right and left as the jaguar turned a machine-gun
on them.
*BLAM*
Ranma and Nabiki let a scream as a bullet pierced the seat and went
through the man with the grenades left shoulder. He screamed in pain and
Sean looked back with worry making his face. He gave the other man a
look and the other man turned around to help his wounded friend.
"No wait! The man screamed. "Shoot out their windshield!"
"What?" The other man screamed confused.
"Shoot out the damn windshield!"
The man slipped back into his seat and back out the window.
*BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM SMASH*
The other man looked back to see the jaguar swerving at the loss of
their windshield. He leaned himself back over the seat and picked up
another grenade. "Sean Brakes!"
Sean hit the brakes sending the Jaguar speeding up towards their ass.
Just before colliding The man in the back drew the pin with his teeth
and tossed the grenade easily through the jag's broken windshield.
"NOW!"
Sean threw the stick in second and the truck resumed on, off it's
continuing forward momentum.
Nabiki and Ranma watched as the jag behind them let out a large
explosion and was thrown several feet into the air.
"There that ought a do it!" Sean remarked as he noticed the police
stopping at the exploded jag now blocking anyway around the road.
The man in the front seat threw off his jacket and began tearing pieces
of it up. He then leaned over into the back seat and began tying strips
of cloth tightly around the wound as to prevent blood loss.
Sean made a hard right down an ally and onto another road from there
they traveled for a few minutes until finally stopping at a large
building.
Sean quickly switched off the truck and ushered everyone to follow him.
They walked into the building and proceeded onto the elevator where they
ascended to the thirty eighth floor and out onto the roof where a
helicopter awaited them.
Sean quickly walked up to the side of the helicopter and opened the
door indicating the two girls to follow. Ranma and Nabiki wordlessly
climbed into the giant copter and buckled themselves in. Sean took a
seat next to them and proceeded to do the same. The two other men
climbed into the front cockpit with the unwounded man at the controls.
The two girls were again forced to cover their ears when the choppers
blades began to come to life. Sean pointed at a pair of large earmuff's
with a mic attached and pulled one on for himself. Nabiki and Ranma
followed his lead and did the same.
Ranma felt the pit of her stomach open up when the chopper finally
began to make it's airiel ascent. It lifted up with a great force and
seemed to hover for a moment while the pilot checked his bearings.
"Where are we going?" Nabiki shouted through the mic.
"To train!" Sean answered simply.
<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>
Well that's chapter two! Hope it doesn't suck to bad. Any comment's
good, bad, or ugly, whatever is fine. I need C&C, can't you tell? This
chapter is just another mad piece of crap I'm adding to my collection,
but since I get some sort of crappy enjoyment from it, I guess I won't
complain to much passed that. If anyone actually wants to see this
continued please tell me. I enjoy writing this junk enough to continue
it but I won't if nobody seems interested. Just seems a waste of time
otherwise. Anyway, comment for the shear wonder of commenting,
especially if you have something constructive or good to say. Oh and
make sure you comment on my revised version of chapter one too! Later!
-Greg
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EMAIL ME: Coldmatrix@hotmail.com or post your comments on the FFML I'll
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