Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Certain Clarity ❯ Chapter 29

Title: A Certain Clarity (29/30)

Author: Franzi Dickson

E-mail: fdickson@ix.netcom.com

Archive: The SxSAS Archive, fanfiction.net and others (eventually). If you want it on your site, just ask.

Rating: NC-17 for wet dreams, sex, drugs, violence and other badness.

Warnings: m/m sex, lemon, assorted bad things in this part and future ones

Disclaimer: They don't belong to me. I'm just doing bad things with them. Don't sue me.

They arrived at the compound at dusk, slipping silently over the walls in their borrowed cloaks. Saitou refused to wait for the bulk of the fools following them to catch up. Reconnaissance first! Chou shifted uncomfortably beside him.

"Are you sure we shouldn't wait a bit longer, boss?"

"No; something's going on. We need to find out what." It was true; the familiar cloaked figures were all exiting the buildings. "They're going somewhere."

"Probably just a meeting. Nothing too abnormal about that. It probably won't make a difference to wait a little longer."

"No, perhaps not, but I would hate to wait for backup and find out differently." And he couldn't wait in any case, not with this much nervous tension. The ahou had led him a merry chase; he had better still be here somewhere. If you haven't waited for me this time...

Chou nodded at that. "Fair enough."

They watched the figures converge on some point on the other side of the compound. He felt so tired and drained. The last few days had been grueling; tracking down the last of the cult members in Tokyo, forcing the location out of them... It had taken too bloody long.

Chou started to follow the cult members.

"The main gate is that way."

"I thought we were going to..."

"Baka! I'm not waiting for the backup, but I want them to be able to get in."

They left it unbarred and ajar and slipped back to join the last straggling members of the cult.

"Looks like we're headed for that cave." Chou's whisper tickled his ear.

"How traditional." They were almost at the entrance now. A wave of stale, incense-laden air washed over them. That smell! He was drowning in that smell. He forced himself to focus. He noted the metal doors; strong, think, cold - as cold as the morning air in that alleyway? Baka! He mustn't think this way.

"Kinda overkill, huh?"

"Perhaps. We don't know what they do in here."

"Boss..."

He quelled the half-formed thought. They would see soon enough. At least the cloaks covered them well even if they made his uniform unpleasantly hot. He fingered the hilt of his katana.

"Boss... I think something's wrong."

He had noticed it too. The crowd milled nervously. Something must be wrong inside. They filed through the entryway and were enveloped in the press of bodies inside the cave. They shoved their way toward the front until they could see what looked like an altar. Hanging above it, spiky head bowed, was a familiar figure in brown and white. He must have kept Katsu's jacket, Saitou thought absently.

"Boss?"

He ignored Chou, ignored everything but the body. There had to be some mistake. The others had all been so similar, maybe... But the clothing was too distinctive. He didn't need to see the face this time to know. He felt odd. Would they notice if he smoked? Stupid thought! The white rope wound upwards from its neck, stretching into the darkness.

"My children!"

His gaze fixed on the man in white. Older, yes, but the description fit the old assistant from the herb shop. He had no doubt that they had found the man responsible for the bodies... and for this one?

"My children, I brought you here to be witness to the perfidity of this unbeliever! It pains me to know that it was *I* who brought this about, *I* in my foolish mercy who tried to help this irredeemable pestilence. Too late, I realized my mistake! I should have cast him out when first he came, but too late, too late!"

Too late? How apt. Perhaps he should have waited for backup after all. Too late. Chou touched his arm. He shrugged off the slight contact.

The cult members looked on in horrified silence.

"I know now that this spy has brought ruin to our brethren in the city."

Damn. Saitou had tried to keep any of them from escaping, but clearly someone had gotten word out. Was that why? No! He would not believe that so small a slip could have... but it was the smallest things sometimes. He should know himself the importance of details. Too late, too late for anything but revenge.

"Boss, do you think we should leave?"

"It will only make us more conspicuous. Patience." And why not be patient? Time no longer mattered; he had all the time in the world.

"Yes, only today did I discover his duplicity. You were to have been his judges, but it seems his guilt was too much for him and he has relieved us of that burden. Behold, the fate God has assigned to the false one!"

Saitou growled. Was he to be denied that as well? The pleasure of killing the man responsible for Sano's murder would be little compared to the strange, gaping emptiness, but it would be something. Suicide? Baka! Ahou! There was no one left for him to punish, no one at fault but himself. Too late. Too late.

"Still, I cannot help but wonder if there are any others as false among our number. I ask you now, my children, that you prove yourselves to me. Come to me and be purified." He stooped to retrieve a flask of something. "Come and drink of the sacred brew that I may cleanse you of all lies."

"I don't like the looks of that, Boss."

"Indeed." He moved away. Things were becoming clearer. Even in the flickering candlelight, even in the press of bodies his way to the front was clear.

"Boss wait."

"Who will be first among you to come to me?"

Yes, it was fitting. He stepped up upon the dais. Three steps from here to the altar. Three steps to the white-clad legs that hovered over it. Three steps to the flask and the outstretched hand.

"Are you prepared to show your true self to us?"

He nodded and grasped the flask. His true self indeed; he was a master of lying to himself, denying his feelings, but perhaps he finally had attained a certain clarity. Were the other policemen even coming? They seemed very far away. He lifted the flask. He could see Chou worming his way through the crowd.

"Drink, my child."

He regarded it for a moment... and dashed it to the floor. "I think not."

The leader drew back with a hiss. "What is the meaning of this?!"

He shrugged out of the borrowed cloak, revealing his uniform to the room. "You are under arrest for the murder of Takeshi Kamamoto... among others. Please come quietly." Unless you'd rather fight? Ah, he'd chosen to fight.

The leader pulled a gun from under his robe. "Never! Face the judgement of the righteous hand of God!" The shot echoed in the cave.

Saitou could hear the rising hysteria of the crowd as he dodged it. The world was confusion, but here was evil, here at the end of his sword, unambiguous and waiting for him. Aku. Soku. Zan. He slashed the man who went down with a satisfying gurgle, blood splashing across the white of his robe. He waited, sword poised, but the man did not stir again. Dimly, he was aware of the screams of the cultists, dimly, of the shouts from outside.

"Police! Hold your ground." The officers burst through the door. Too late, he thought, too late. No more timely, in the end, than himself. He wiped his sword on the discarded cloak - no sense in spoiling the blade. The officers rapidly restored order, ushering the frightened cult members out of the cave. Before the adrenaline had even faded, they were gone. The room was empty except for Chou... Chou and... He stared mutely at the pale feet. They swayed slightly over the altar. It couldn't have been long: The blood would have settled more, and they were still very white. Perhaps it had only been a matter of minutes... but it was best not to think that way, best not to think at all.

"Boss?"

He lit a cigarette and brought it to his lips. His hand was steady. It surprised him a little.

"I'll be outside."

The footsteps receded. He watched the smoke trail up to the ceiling in lazy curls.