http://clampfix.fanworks.net/ccd-fix/saving2.txt </head><body><pre>Hi ^_^ Here is another bunch I am happier with part 2, so I will stop complaining. Let's see what happens when I try to write political shtuff. ^^ ______________________________________________________ Saving Grace 2 by miai --------------------------------------------------------- Nokoru, Casablanca, Suoh, and Akira all belong to CLAMP and are only used in this fanfic for non-profit purposes. --------------------------------------------------------- The golden sunlight had reached the dark wood of the coffee table when Nokoru was startled by a voice, "Nokoru-sama..." He stood quickly, "Ah, Casablanca-san. I didn't hear you come in." Nokoru took in her tired eyes and how she covered the exhaustion with a smile for him. "Such a lovely lady should not be in this line of work." His expression was concerned. She walked past him to look through the window, held her breath and smiled again. "It's raining, but the sun still shines..." Looking at his blond head she couldn't help but run her fingers through his hair. Nokoru stood still as her finger lingered on his feathery sideburn. Finally he asked, "What do you want?" She smiled sadly, "What I want right now is no longer an issue. As I said...I don't understand it all." "But you have a good idea." She smiled and extended a hand to him, "Will you come with me?" "Of course," He smiled as though it was a request to dine together. They left the room, holding hands. He looked up at her face as if he would speak, but she began quickly. "You haven't asked about your friends." >From his close vantage point he could see that her makeup was covering several days' worth of worry. "You'll tell me when you want to. I do suppose they are being treated well." "I am not in a position to offer you anything." She glared angrily at the wall above his head. Before when she had pretended to have no power in this organization she had played helpless. But now it was obvious that she truly was helpless and hating it. Nokoru stopped walking, but did not remove his hand from hers, though his voice was like nothing she had ever heard from him before, "I expect them to be well treated." She mimicked his earlier smile, "Of course." * * * Akira looked at the blank walls and the tile floor of the hallway doubtfully. "Where are we?" He stopped himself before he an exasperated 'I don't know' came out of him. "I think that we are still in town. I can here traffic. The question is where do we find Kaichou." "Takamura-senpai, we're near a kitchen." The boys stopped their furtive walk down the bright hall to listen to the voices and clinging of metal pans against industrial counter tops. The voices came through in hushed tones between scraping and sloshing of liquids. "...main dinning hall all together for three people," complained one voice. "And one's not even eating! Such extravagance..." Suoh and Akira snuck away from the door and down an adjoining hall. Akira spoke first, "The main dining room won't be too far. I would be a shame for well prepared food to get cold." "Yes." Suoh held up a hand and appeared to be looking through a delicately covered wall. He was listening for other voices. He shook his head in disappointment. It was a very well made building. "Takamura-senpai...do you smell that?" Suoh lifted his small face. "Cloves." "Maybe they're making pumpkin pie or quiche?" "No, clove oil is used to polish swords." Suoh pointed to a door through which they could see a fine display of weaponry. "But it does mean we are in the right area." Akira nodded looking into what must have been a study, "They want people to see the antiques." With a glance in each direction they entered the room. Akira remained near the door, keeping lookout while Suoh examined the cabinet below the swords. The room was windowless, giving the detectives a good indication they still had far to go before reaching daylight, but it did allow them to feel better about their whereabouts as formal dining halls do not need windows. It felt wrong opening cupboards that did not belong to him, but upon looking inside Suoh was glad he had done so. The first paper he ran across was a detailed map of the park they had been in earlier that day. On this map even the vender's stalls were marked, and they had been near the fountain, drinking orange soda when they were caught. Suoh exhaled abruptly. They had been caught so easily. It was mortifying to contemplate. He opened the top off his friends' sodas, handing them over carefully and looked at his own. "Drink it Suoh...Have I ever steered you wrong?" Nokoru's smile held too much of the innocent look to it for Suoh's comfort, but he had never known Injuin to be a conspirator. He looked at the orange colored drink in his hand. He opened the top and sniffed, frowning, "Vanilla." Nokoru giggled, squeezing his friend's leg, "Try it!" Akira smiled and sipped his own, "It's so good on such a warm day. Thank goodness Kaichou got his work done early!" Suoh nodded and held his breath, tasting his drink. It was carbonated orange and vanilla. He frowned. "Aaaahhh! He likes it!" Nokoru and Akira laughed. Suoh smiled at how easily his friends saw through him. They watched well-dressed men walk through the small park, but an old lady held Nokoru's attention. Her bag seemed very heavy. "Please hold this..." Akira accepted the soda nodding understanding. Suoh's golden eyes watched Nokoru closely, "That's not right." "What do you mean?" "He watched her too long before getting up to go help." "Ah," Akira watched intently for a moment before his companion jumped up. "That is not a lady." Suoh dropped his soda and ran to his leader. He could hear Akira place the drinks he was holding on the rim of the fountain and the younger boy's footsteps as he ran to join his friends. He could hear his senpai asking if there was anything he could do, and moved between the lady and the student council president. After that people ran from all directions and all he could see was a gas coming form the bag Nokoru was holding. Suoh pulled it way while cradling the blond head on the way towards the ground. He dimly remembered seeing two men restrain Akira, and the solid ground. Suoh lifted the map. There was a manila envelope below that. It had the kanji for Imonoyama written crudely in the center. Upon opening it he found many places he knew his kaichou to frequent listed, along with a detailed description of the best way to get him. He found another with his own name on it, but didn't open it. There wasn't one for Injuin. It must have been an oversight, but could easily become an advantage. He closed the cupboard and opened another cupboard, inhaling the clove scent deeply. Nothing compared to a well-kept weapon. Here there was a book of market values and chapters that seemed to detail the Northrop/Lockheed merger. A book of identical binding contained chapters on the Hughes/Raytheon merger, and below it was a thick, bound stack of papers reading, "Nakasouda Corporation Proposal." On a sticky note on top the word "exclusivity" seemed to glow. Suoh closed the cabinet quietly and looked back at his friend. The next cupboard held an umbrella and closed, slightly rain spotted briefcase. "Injuin. Kaichou is still here." He closed the cupboard without further investigation. Akira watched his friend closely as the taller boy looked into the hallway. Suoh's jaw was clenched and when he looked directly into the honey-colored eyes he was a level of concern he had not seen since the school had been in danger last quarter. * * * As they walked through the hall, Nokoru could not see any guards. He knew they were around, probably behind the closed doors to allow them semi-anonymous passage where ever they were going. They approached a large formal dining room, and removed her hand from the boy's to cross her arms over her chest, though she smiled sweetly, "Imonoyama Nokoru-sama, may I present to you Foudouya Koichi-san." Nokoru bowed his head slightly and sat on the cushion offered to him. Casablanca served tea, before seating herself on the far side of the polished wooden table, slightly farther from the men. Nokoru ignored the sounds behind him that he was certain meant the guards he had suspected were now in the room with him. "We have much to discuss," The slight man seated at the table's head began. Nokoru inclined his head to show he was listening. "I represent a group near the Emperor. As you know with the succession of recent prime ministers our traditional culture is all that people can truly depend on." "But it is not the government." Nokoru was concerned by the abruptness of the man's conversation. The man continued as though Nokoru had agreed, "Times are changing fast...certainly they are." He took a sip of tea and nodded to himself. "We are one country with a small standing army." He nodded again. Nokoru held back his distaste for such matters. "The Imonoyama group is a business. We do not deal in militaristic advances. Pure science and economy are our specialties." "Science, economics, military...Those are what makes a country strong. They are the sides of a triangle holding each other up. Supporting. Each insignificant and useless without the others." His smile was dry, like a lizard's. Nokoru could hear a thud in the hallway. As far as he was concerned the conversation was over. * * * Akira held up two fingers, indicating the number of guards down the hallway to their left. Suoh nodded and slid a handful of blades from his sleeves. Akira watched and stretched his arms and legs. He indicated his readiness. Both boys ran as quietly as the wind and were upon the guards before the men had a chance to realize their attackers came no higher than their own waists. Suoh took both men down swiftly and soundlessly while Akira occupied himself ensuring they did not move again or make noise. The boys stopped to listen. They could hear a voice inside, soft and deep. They readied themselves, took one last look at the guard, bound and gagged with their own belts and ties, weapons in the hands of the small assault team and opened the door. * * * The door opened behind Nokoru, though he didn't react to it. The man he was listening to seemed to have been expecting this as well. "You in particular have promise." Koichi extended a flat palm to Nokoru, "NASA wants you for science, but as you said, yourself, you were bred for business and for you science is a study, a hobby if you will." He only turned when no one came forward. His black eyes widened. He opened his mouth, but no sound came from it. Nokoru looked to his right to see his best friends detaining his former captor. He pulled out a fan that had "Field-trip's End" written on it. "I am sorry to say that I am no longer able to remain, as you see, I am otherwise occupied." He walked to the far side of the low table and held his hand out to Casablanca. "If you please." She looked confused, but when she saw the look in Koichi's eyes she accepted the hand graciously. She walked out hand-in-hand with Nokoru, Akira close behind. Suoh was the last to leave, having bound the businessman to the table. Nokoru looked at the redheaded lady walking calmly next to them. "We will need some assistance leaving." Casablanca smiled sweetly and moved ahead of the elementary schoolers, Suoh moving in close behind her, and Akira bringing up the rear. __________________________________________________________________ Thats it for now. Thanks for reading, comments, and criticism are appreciated. ^^ Thank you! miai h_miai@hotmail.com</pre><p><a href="./">Back</a></p><p><a href=http://www.dreamhost.com/donate.cgi?id=216><img border=0 alt="Donate towards our web hosting bill!" src=https://secure.newdream.net/donate1.gif></a></p></body></html>