Re: Tokyo Tower

**Kir** Sat Mar 03, 2012 2:17 pm

Jodie continued to chatter and ask questions as they stood in the elevator and reached the restaurant; Eisuke replied to her in short sentences. He's nervous, but trying to hide it.

They sat down at a table, and when a waitress came to take their order, Jodie ordered tea for both of them.

When the waitress was gone, Eisuke chewed on his lip, then blurted out, "Someone told me that Hidemi-neechan killed one of the FBI agents. Is that true?"

Jodie froze in the middle of her monologue, then slowly nodded as she fought to keep a hold of her emotions. "Yes, she did kill one of the team members."

"I don't understand . . . Hidemi-neechan would never kill anyone. She always told me to never be a man who hurts others." Eisuke stared down at the flower centerpiece sitting between them.

Jodie felt her throat tighten. "She didn't want you to become like her. A cold-blooded killer." She couldn't keep the bitterness from her voice.

Eisuke looked at her. "You cared for the agent, didn't you?"

**Sera Masumi** Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:10 pm

Sera stood right in front of the restaurant but hidden behind a corner. She wished she had heard what they were talking about but could guess what was the main topic: Eisuke's sister and her brother.

Suddenly Eisuke asked something that changed Jodie's essence. She put her elbows on the table and leaned her forehead against her fingers she had pressed together.

"Eh? What's...?" Sera was confused. What Eisuke had said? Was it something to do with her brother? Or something to do with Jodie?

**Kir** Sat Mar 03, 2012 3:42 pm

Jodie took a breath and shuddered as she fought back the wave of grief that overtook her. "Yes, I did care for him very much." We're getting off topic. I'm supposed to be asking the questions, not Eisuke. She straightened. "But that's not the point. You spoke with Sera Masumi-san today, did you not?" Her voice sharpened as she struggled to move on.

Eisuke blinked at her change of tone. "Masumi-san? I suppose so. We met at school today when I was visiting Sonoko-san and Ran-san."

"What did you talk about?"

Their waitress delivered their tea and Jodie inwardly cursed the interruption. When she was gone, Eisuke shrugged. "About how boring the lessons were today and that we're both staying in this hotel."

**Sera Masumi** Sat Mar 03, 2012 4:00 pm

Jodie was soon back her own sharp self.

"Well, she is a professonal after all..." Sera thought and continued following the acts and expressions of those two. Eisuke shrugged and explained something. Jodie seemed to frown slightly, like she hadn't really believed it. Sera leaned a bit forward to see who were also in the restaurant. It was a mistake. Eisuke saw her and she hid again. Slowly she peeked again behind that corner, this time a bit more carefully.

-- --
"Did you see something?" Jodie asked from the boy.
"Ah, no... I just thought I saw something but there isn't anything." Eisuke explained quickly. Too quickly.

-- --
Sera looked at the surroundings. There were some people on the cafeteria opposite the restaurant but no one seemed suspicious. Besides there was no way they could have seen Sera.

**Kir** Sat Mar 03, 2012 4:58 pm

Jodie frowned, and looked behind her. The boy was obviously lying; anyone could tell by his quick answer and his downcast eyes. "Let's move to a different table."

"Why?" he asked.

There were numerous reasons, including the fact that a Black Organization member might be spying on them, but Jodie replied, "There's a draft here and it's blowing right on my face."

There was a slight breeze, so Eisuke had to accept her explanation. "Okay."

Calling the waitress over, Jodie requested a different table in the corner. The waitress nodded, and led them to a table farther back in the restaurant. Jodie chose the seat with her back to the wall so she could keep an eye on their surroundings.

**Sera Masumi** Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:12 pm

Sera followed as Eisuke and Jodie changed to another table. And this time Jodie had a straight view to outside.
"There is no use to be here anymore." Sera thought and was leaving when a car drove past the restaurant. She saw that something flashed in the car's opened window. "Camera?"

Sera felt how her eyes widened. If that really had been a camera's flashlight... Those people in the car had gotten a photo... Not just about her but also about Eisuke and Jodie.

"I really hope they are not from the organization..."

**Kir** Sun Mar 04, 2012 6:05 pm

Jodie saw a flash of light from a car passing by the restaurant and froze. Who were they? And why were they taking pictures of us?

"Jodie-san, is everything all right?" Eisuke asked, drinking his tea.

She didn't answer as she pulled out her cell phone and called Black. "Agent Black, we may have been compromised," she said in English. "A dark colored car just snapped a photograph of us eating in the Haido Hotel restaurant." She gave the car's license number and general description.

"No, those are our agents. I asked them to follow you to make sure that you were all right," Black said. "And to get another picture of Sera Masumi."

"She's here?" Jodie looked around the restaurant, but didn't see her. "I thought so. Eisuke looked like he'd spotted something. Thanks for the information." She flipped the phone closed and smiled at Eisuke, who was frowning. "I was just making sure that we weren't in danger," she explained in Japanese.

**Sera Masumi** Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:23 am

Sera saw a relief on Jodie's face.

"So that's how it was... FBI..." She turned around and walked back to the hotel. "I wonder why they are so interested about me... Since they already know who I am..."

She didn't notice a man in the cafe opposite the restaurant. No wonder. The man was dressed like a tourist and kept his camera visible. He had taken a photo too but without the flash. He left the cafeteria after five minutes.

**Kir** Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:20 am

Jodie still felt a little uneasy, so she hurried the tea-drinking and called for the bill soon after the incident. Eisuke kept staring at her as she paid with some cash. "What is it?" she asked him.

"I'm sure that if there was another way, my sister would have chosen not to shoot the agent," he said softly. "She hates hurting people."

"Yeah, I know," she said, her voice rough.

"I hope you can forgive her someday." He gave her his room card. "I'm in Room 269 if you want to ask me some more questions or anything."

Jodie nodded. "A word of advice: Get back to America as quickly as you can. Japan is not safe for you right now."

"Thanks." He stood up and bowed; after he responded, he started walking back toward the hotel lobby, leaving Jodie in the restaurant.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kir made it back to her room without Gin or Vermouth realizing that she had overheard part of their conversation. Closing the door, she considered her options.

One was to kill herself. But that served no purpose and would only confirm their suspicions.

The only other option was to go along with their game and try to fool them. With Gin holding her on such a tight leash, it was increasingly harder to maintain her position. She sat down at her desk and stared down at the phone in her hands. Dad, what would you do?

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts, and she looked through the peephole before opening it. What could Gin want? "Yes?" she asked as she opened the door.

Gin smiled that cold grin of his that never ceased to make her shudder inwardly. "I have a mission for you."

What game was he playing? "I thought I was on probation," Kir replied, narrowing her eyes.

"Don't worry, I'll be watching your every step through this." He handed her the black choker she'd worn when she shot Akai.

Somehow, his words didn't make her feel any better. She accepted the item automatically. "What is the mission?"

**Sera Masumi** Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:38 am

Sera had a bad feeling. Something was out of its place... But she didn't know what it was.

"I have to keep an eye on Eisuke. He should go back to America as soon as possible or he'll endanger himself and his sister..." She mumbled as she laid on her bed. She closed her eyes and sunk into her thoughts. Therwas something she hadn't really notice but she wasn't sure what it was.

Suddenly she opened her eyes. There was one person whose role she hadn't really thought about.
"Subaru-san..."

**Kir** Mon Mar 05, 2012 2:38 pm

"Disguise yourself and follow this boy." Gin handed her a photograph and a set of car keys; she fought back a sense of panic as she recognized Ei-chan. What is he doing back here??

"Just follow him? Or is there anything else that I'm supposed to do?" she asked, her voice amazingly steady.

"Follow him for now." Gin paused. "Funny, this boy looks a lot like you."

"Merely a coincidence. I have no living relatives, remember?" Kir slipped the picture into her pocket. "When do I start?"

"Immediately. The keys are to a motorcycle in 1B." Gin turned and walked away. "Don't screw up this time, Kir. You won't get a second chance."

**Sera Masumi** Mon Mar 05, 2012 3:09 pm

Sera heard when a few people walked past her room. They were speaking with a loud voice so she didn't need to go to the door to listen. They were tourists, real ones. She sighed.

"Who is that Subaru Okiya? He says he knows my brother but I bet there is something more..." She thought aloud.

"Tsk. I won't get anywhere if I just lie here." She rose up and took her motorbike keys. "I need some fresh air."

**Kir** Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:07 pm

Jodie saw Sera walk out of the lobby, and she hesitated. Do I follow Sera like I was originally ordered, or do I protect Eisuke? She made her decision to trail Sera, and followed the girl outside.

The girl stopped. "You don't need to follow me," she said in a low voice.

"I have my orders," Jodie replied, expecting her to ask which orders. When the question didn't come, she decided, Sonoko and Ran must have told her that I was from the FBI.

"I am in no danger; the boy Eisuke is because he resembles Rena Mizunashi, or should I say, Hidemi Hondou, also known as Kir."

Instant panic filled Jodie and she grabbed the girl's arm. "How do you know that? That is top secret information," she hissed.

Sera easily broke her hold. "I have my sources. So will you stop following me, or do I blurt it out on a loudspeaker in the middle of the street?"

Jodie clenched her teeth. "Fine, I'll stop. But don't do anything rash."

"Good. I need to go visit somebody. You go back and watch over Eisuke."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kir quickly disguised herself as a teenage boy and was soon driving the motorbike to Haido Hotel; she'd recognized the restaurant where the photo had been snapped. Is this a test to see if I will contact Ei-chan and warn him? Or that he'll recognize me? Why is Gin letting me go after he told Vermouth that he'd keep an eye on me?

"Kir, what is your ETA?" Gin's voice crackled over her helmet's microphone system.

"Ten minutes," she replied, keeping an eye on the vehicles behind her. The Porche wasn't in sight, but that didn't mean that he wasn't following her.

**Sera Masumi** Mon Mar 05, 2012 4:20 pm

Sera drove towards Beika district. Jodie's behaviour had confirmed what she had heard from Eisuke.

"There weren't really anything to confirm about. Eisuke isn't the type to tell lies..."

She were in Beika in two minutes since it was right next to Haido. She had remembered what two kids had told her. That the man lived in Kudô Shinichi's house((I just wonder where Shinichi will be then... I this story I mean...))
Sera parked her motorbike a few blocks away from the European stylish house and walked the rest. When she rang the door bell the answer came surprisingly fast.

"Too much free time...?" Sera wondered as she walked through the garden.

**Kir** Mon Mar 05, 2012 5:39 pm

((I don't know; Maybe he's living in another hotel or at Agasa's house?))

Kir arrived at the hotel and spotted Agent Starling waiting at the elevator. Great, she's here . . . this will be harder. She glanced over at the open registry book and noticed that Eisuke had signed his name and put "America" as his hometown.

"Yes, can I help you?" a matronly-looking receptionist asked politely.

"Yes, my little brother ran away from home, and I heard that he's at this hotel. Do you know what room he's in?" Kir asked, using an American accent to make her Japanese bland. She also tilted her hat back so the woman could see her distinctive eyes to show her genetic resemblance to him.

"The American boy? He's in Room 269." The receptionist frowned. "Tell him that he should return to his mother and stop running away."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Kir took the stairs up to the second floor and as she turned the corner, she saw Jodie at the other end of the hall.

**Sera Masumi** Tue Mar 06, 2012 2:03 pm

Sera waited until Subaru opened the front door. The man's face was smiley but also a bit worried. Like he had expected she'd come.

"Who are you?" Sera asked straight away.
"What do you mean with that question?" Subaru asked back and frowned slightly.
"You seem to know much about my brother and me. But who are you and how do you know my brother?"
"We have known for a long time and it doesn't matter how we have met each other."
"Yes, it doesn't. But how do you know him? He worked for the FBI after all."
"It's a long story..."
"How lousy explanation... If you think you can talk yourself out of this, you are wrong. I'll be standing right here until I get a proper answer." Sera crossed her arms and changed her weight on her left leg. Subaru sighed.

"Come. We can also talk inside."

**Kir** Tue Mar 06, 2012 3:58 pm

Kir ducked behind a plant before Agent Starling could see her and thought over her options. With Gin watching through the camera on her choker, there wasn't much that she could do to contact Ei-chan and warn him. Send a note, bump into him and slip a note into his pocket?

Before she could decide, Agent Starling walked to Ei-chan's door and knocked. The door opened slightly, and Kir caught sight of his face as he greeted Starling and let her in. Kir wished that she could hug the boy and scold him for coming back.

"It appears that Agent Starling of the FBI is meeting with the boy," she said softly in her microphone.

"What is she doing here?" Gin muttered over her earpiece.

"I do not know." Kir walked to the room and eased her ear up close to the door, but all she heard was the t.v. blaring loudly. They must be talking in low voices.

**Sera Masumi** Tue Mar 06, 2012 4:18 pm

Sera stood quietly and just glared at Okiya((I feel more comfy to call him with his last name...)). She was waiting. Waiting for answers.

And the answer she got was the most surprising ever...

Okiya let out a sigh as he took his glasses off and said: "I guess I have no other choices..."
Sera's eyes widened as the man looked at her with the exact same green eyes she had too.
"You..."
"But you do understand that you must not tell anyone." The tone in the man's voice had changed to more serious one. ((Okiya=Akai, anyone?))
"Yes, I do but..." Sera didn't know what to say. She was absolutely speechless. Finally she managed to ask: "How many knows?"
"Only us two, Mizunashi and..."
"Who else?"
"Edogawa."
"I see..." Sera turned around to hid her face. "I'll contact you later..."
"Fine then. Don't do anything dangerous; I'm not going to come and save you again."
"We'll see it then... brother. Thank you!"

Sera left the house without any other words and drove back to the hotel. She was relieved but also a bit confused. Of course she wasn't going to tell anyone. It would cause problems to everyone.

--- --- --- ---
She was walking towards her room when she saw a familiar figure on the corridor, leaning against a door.((Sera's 'trip' took only about 10-15 minutes total))
"You?"
The figure took quickly a step away from the door. Sera could almost read from the figure's face what she was thinking. It was: "Oh no. Not her." and it was the same thing she was thinking too.

((BTW, congrats for 100 posts!))

**Kir** Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:42 pm

((Haha, thanks! And yes, I think Akai is Okiya. XD))

Caught again. Good thing her CIA superiors weren't around; they'd bust her down to lecturing noobs on the history of the CIA. Kir straightened and walked to another room, keeping her back to Masumi-san so that Gin couldn't see the girl's face through the camera. Digging through her pockets, she pretended to look for her room card key.

She heard Masumi-san's footsteps as she walked closer to Kir, then heard the girl say in a low tone, "I know."

"What was that?" Gin snapped through Kir's earpiece.

Kir reached out and covered the girl's mouth without turning toward her. "I know that Agent Starling is guarding Hondou-kun," she said in the same low tone as Masumi-san. She felt Masumi-san tense and she let go before the girl could break free.

"Yes, we know that. Is something wrong?" Gin growled.

"Nothing. Just some people passing by in the hall," Kir muttered, turning away from the girl and walking toward the stairs. "Want me to get a room to keep an eye on Hondou-kun?"

"Not yet. Wait a bit, and if he doesn't come out to eat, I'll give you directions then," Gin said.

**Sera Masumi** Wed Mar 07, 2012 2:38 am

Sera pocketed her hands and watched after Kir. Then she walked to the door the woman had eavesdropped at and knocked. Jodie came to open it.

"Ye-. Masumi-san?" The woman was surprised.
"I'd like to inform that a hotel is not the safest place to hide. Someone might try to eavesdrop." Sera stated.
"What do you mean?"
"It seems that organization has noticed Eisuke and his resemblance with Kir. They sent her here and she was eavesdropping at this door."
"I see. Thanks."
"Hmm... This is Eisuke's room right?" Sera peeked over the woman's shoulder. "He really should go back to America... Before anything happens..."

**Kir** Wed Mar 07, 2012 3:02 am

Jodie nodded and turned to Eisuke. "Pack your things. You're taking the next plane home tonight," she said over the loud television they'd turned on.

Eisuke frowned. "But I promised some people that I'd visit them later."

"Call them and cancel. You are going to get yourself and your sister killed." Jodie located his cell phone and tossed it to him before finding his empty suitcase and opening it. Grabbing his clothes from bureau drawers, she stuffed them in the bag as she noticed Sera enter the room.

"But, but," Eisuke sputtered

Sera huffed. "Look, kid, if my brother were here, I'd do anything to keep him safe, even if it was to leave and never see him again." She found his passport and tucked it into his windbreaker hanging over a chair.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kir retreated to where the pop machine and ice maker were located and bought a pop to give her an excuse to hang around. Making sure that Gin had a good view of the hallway, she opened her drink and took a sip.

Several businessmen talking about an upcoming trip to America passed by, and then a young couple with two little kids followed. None gave her a second glance.

**Sera Masumi** Wed Mar 07, 2012 4:55 am

Sera sighed. There wasn't really any reason for it. Or then there was but she didn't know it. She didn't even notice the expression on Jodie's face when she mentioned her brother.

"Good that you haven't much package with you." The girl said as the FBI agent closed Eisuke's suitcase. "I can't take you to the airport with my motorbike then."
"Wait a minute." Jodie interrupted. "It's not-"
"Safe? Of course it is. I have an extrahelmet for him and that suitcase is easily attached to my morotbike. Besides... It causes less suspicion if it's only us two and not a bunch of agents."
"Do you think I'm going to allow it?"
"Well, I'm not forcing you to this but if you wanna help you should go to downstairs and look around there. Play a bait I mean."
"I'm not-"
"I think that's a good idea." Eisuke said suddenly. "I trust in Masumi-san. I think this might work."
"..." Jodie didn't know what to say.
"Well, are you in? Don't worry, I'll make sure that he will get to the plane." Sera grinned.
"Do you have a plan then? To distract the organization." Jodie asked.
"Sure. Pretty simple actually. There are two elevators you see... You take one and go to the hall. We'll take another one and go to the parking hall, the floor -1. Make a call or pretend making one immediately after you are off the elevator. If Kir is still around, she probably will follow you and eavesdrop." Sera explained. "And Eisuke's check-out will be tomorrow so we'll pretend that he is still here."
"I think that's a good plan." Eisuke agreed. Jodie didn't say anything. Something in Sera's behaviour and attitude was so similar with someone else's...

**Kir** Wed Mar 07, 2012 2:15 pm

Kir watched as the FBI agent stepped out of the hotel room, looking agitated, and then walked down the hall toward her. She turned and pretended to insert money into the pop machine, watching the blonde woman stop at the elevator and hit the "down" button as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed.

Something was going on; Agent Starling wouldn't leave her post otherwise.

"Eisuke?" Agent Starling asked. "He's perfectly safe. I'm getting some food for him before we take him to the Beika hotel. We may have been compromised here." The elevator doors opened and she stepped in.

"Gin?" Kir said softly into her microphone.

"Forget the agent. Keep watching your target," Gin ordered. "I'll send other B.O. agents to the other hotel."

If they were moving Eisuke, there was a chance that Masumi-san would be taking him someplace. Kir needed to distract Gin from seeing the girl and realizing the girl's connection with Akai. She faintly heard the hotel room door open.

**Sera Masumi** Wed Mar 07, 2012 3:09 pm

Sera peeked to the corridor and saw Kir near a pop machine. Change of plans it seems...
She stepped from the room quietly and sneaked closer. And before the woman could react she had grabbed the collar the woman was wearing and opened it. The collar fell on the floor the camera towards it. Sera ran back to Eisuke's room, grabbed the boy's suitcase to her left hand.

"Come! To the other side of this floor. There is another pair of elevators." She said to the boy who followed her without saying anything. They ran as fast as they could without looking behind.

Don't follow us... Don't follow us... Sera prayed in her mind as they reached the elevators. Luckily one of them was in the right floor. They stepped in and Sera chose the floor -1.

For Sera's surprise no one was waiting for them. She attached Eisuke's suitcase on the side of her motorbike and gave an extra helmet to the boy.
"A boy who looks like a girl and a girl who looks like a boy... what a pair..." She grinned when she started the engine. Eisuke didn't say anything. It was just good: he understood the situation.

**Kir** Wed Mar 07, 2012 5:25 pm

Gin swore over her earpiece as Kir grabbed the collar and attempted to put it back on. "Gin, the clasp broke off," she lied as she aimed the camera toward the floor and ripped off the tiny pieces of metal. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Masumi-san and Ei-chan running toward the other end of the hall.

"I need a visual, Kir!" Gin snapped.

Fortunately, a large group of teenagers walked by, chattering about the awesome sights they'd seen. Kir held the camera up in her hand to show the clogged hallway. "I think they went the other way, but I won't be able to get there in time. I'll have to use the stairs."

Turning, she pushed her way through the crowd and began running down the stairs, ignoring the pain from her bullet wounds. She could feel Gin's fury as she ran out into the lobby. No Masumi-san and Ei-chan anywhere, just the FBI agent who was smiling. "I lost them."

There was silence, and then Gin said finally, "I will speak to the technology department about their lack of preparation."

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