Subject: [FFML] [Fanfic] Operation: Unlikely (Part 2)
Sent: 5/30/96 8:54 PM
Received: 5/30/96 9:43 PM
From: Fanfic ML, fanfic@fanfic.com
To: Fanfic ML, fanfic@fanfic.com
From: MILL0622@Badger.Snow.edu (Erin Mills version 2.5)
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-----
WACEO Japan HQ
Nabiki fixed Ranma with a hard stare.
"Saotome, this obsession of yours has gotten out of hand.
Tatewaki Kuno has been dead for three years."
Ranma looked at his superior. "The cube isn't enough proof?"
"It's proof that BTI is back in business, but not that Kuno's
alive."
Ranma rolled his eyes in disgust. "Fine. I want the case."
Nabiki remained silent for a moment, considering.
"Fine. But, two things,"
"I'm listening."
"One, keep in mind that your mission is to find Ukyou, not to
chase down ghosts. Is that clear, Agent Saotome?"
Ranma nodded.
"Two, you're taking a partner on this one."
Ranma frowned. "What?"
"You heard me. Here," Nabiki tossed Ranma a file folder. Ranma
winced when he saw that it's color was green. Nabiki had not only
assigned him a partner, but a newbie as well. His boss was sticking
him with a babysitting run.
"What are you pulling here, Nabiki? You know I work alone, and
sticking a newbie on a case like this..."
"--is exactly the field training she needs."
"She?" Ranma was stunned. Nabiki sighed. It had become popular
knowledge that Ranma didn't think women were capable of adequate
field work. Hell, the only reason he'd worked with Ukyou when the
first met was because he thought she was a man. A rather embarrassing
moment in the hotel bathroom in Vienna had let the truth out.
"Yes, she. If you don't like it, Saotome, you don't have to go."
Ranma grumbled and opened the file. The picture in front showed a
young woman with short black hair and attractive brown eyes. Ranma
pulled the bio-sheet from behind it and looked it over.
"Akane TENDO?" he said, one eyebrow raised. "You're sticking a
relative on this case?"
"I think you'll find she's immensely qualified. Expert in Kenpo,
Computers, Law..."
"But not in diplomacy, apparently," Ranma said, holding up a
photo of Akane pounding a drill instructor with a large mallet.
Nabiki smiled. "No, so you two should get along well,"
"If you weren't a woman, I'd..."
"But I am, so you can let that thought lie, Saotome. Akane will
meet you at the airport. Call R&D for the usual toys. Dismissed."
Ranma stood up, offered a mock-salute and exited the office.
Behind him, Nabiki gave a slow smile, then reached under her chin and
pulled off the mask she was wearing. The face of a delicately
featured man was underneath. She, or rather he (though it was hard to
tell without looking closely) reached into his pocket and pulled out
a small radio transmitter.
"Kurendai to Hibiki, Kurendai to Hibiki..."
Ryoga Hibiki watched the apartment building. According to the
information Tsubasa had obtained, Saotome would probably head back
home and pack some clothes before going to the airport. All he had to
do was wait.
Meanwhile, one block over, Ranma came out of his apartment
building, put the suitcase in the trunk of his car and drove to the
airport.
Ryoga continued to wait. Any minute now...
Narita International Airport, 11:35 AM
Ranma left his car in the Long-Term lot and walked into the
terminal. He looked around, trying to find his partner.
<Honestly, you'd think Nabiki didn't trust me anymore. How many
times have I saved the world from Kuno and his bunch? Not enough
times to prove he's still alive apparently. I mean-->
His thoughts were interrupted when his foot connected with a
small carry-on bag, sending him flying into the woman in front of
him. When the room stopped spinning, Ranma found himself lying on top
of the woman with his hands in a...er...rather provocative place.
"AAAIIIIEEEE!" The woman said as she sat up and socked Ranma
across the jaw. "PERVERT!"
Ranma, now lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, wondered
exactly what he did to deserve this.
"Now look," he began, but then realized the woman he'd
inadvertantly groped was Akane Tendo. Akane had also realized who he
was.
"Oh, GREAT," she said coldly, "Nabiki stuck me with a hentai for
a partner."
"It was an accident!" Ranma protested. "I didn't mean to grab
your--er--"
WHACK!
Ranma's face was now making a dent in the tiled floor of the
terminal. Bystanders were beginning to wonder what was going on.
Ranma got up.
"Look, lady, it was an accident, I'm sorry, Okay?"
"Okay? Okay is not the word. You groped me, you pervert! Now I
see why you don't like working with women, you'd rather they spend
most of their time on their backs! I don't believe this!"
"I'm not exactly in love with this partnership either!" Ranma
said, "If I could, I'd dump you off somewhere and go off on my own! I
don't need a partner!"
"Neither do I! I thought scoring a 98.7 on the Run was enough to
justify working alone,"
"98.7?" Ranma asked. <This macho chick scored a 98.7 on the Run?
Impossible! *I* scored a 98.7 on the Run!>
"Flight 007 to Paris now boarding at Gate 86," came a voice over
the intercom.
"That's our flight, c'mon, baka." said Akane. She grabbed Ranma
by the pigtail and started running. Ranma suddenly found himself
flying through the air, suitcase trailing behind him.
<98.7?!> he thought.
Unbeknownst to both of them, one of the security cameras in the
terminal had been visited earlier that day by a technician in the
employ of Blue Thunder Industries. Consequently, that camera was
broadcasting the events to Kuno at his base of operations.
"Excellent," he said, watching the fun. "They're at each others
throats. Soon, Saotome, I will have my revenge..." He pressed a
button on his desk, the screen freeze framed on a shot of Akane.
"And possibly, a bride..."
--------
Whoa, things are heating up. Next, Ranma and Akane arrive in
Paris and recieve a message from the mysterious "Black Rose" Gee I
wonder who that could be? ^_^
---Erin 2.5