Fic - Two Graves update
Apr. 30th, 2007 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessTwo Graves
D M Evans
Disclaimer – not mine. All rights belong to Kazuya Minekura et al, no profit made, just a little fun
Rating – R (for language and graphic violence in later chapters)
Timeline – hmm, let’s say soon after the Snow Drop arc, definitely manga verse
Pairing – none really, friendship between Goku/OC
Summary – Stuck in town by a series of unfortunate events, Hakkai develops an interest in a series of killings while Goku finds a few friends.
Author’s Note – Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mjules and evil_little_dog for the beta
WARNING - not work safe, has explicit scenes of torture
He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself” - Chinese proverb
Previous Chapters
Chapter Six
“Where do you think small balls has gotten off to?” Gojyo lit up, shielding his cigarette from the wind.
“I’ll assume you mean Goku and not Sanzo,” Hakkai said, wincing as snow got into his boots.
“Well, it applies to either, I guess, but I’m referring to the monkey. He can’t still be talking to those kids, can he? How many questions could he come up with?” Gojyo made a face at the idea of the monkey thinking.
“I have to confess I was expecting him to come looking for us by now,” Hakkai replied, looking around as if expecting Goku to pop out of the ether.
“Maybe they’re all just talking about stuff, remembering Lan. Goku’s taking this pretty hard,” Gojyo said, taking a drag. He let the smoke curl out of his mouth slowly, thinking about his own losses and how he adapted to them.
“I know. We ought to go see where Sanzo went off to. Surely he has to be done with the funeral plans by now,” Hakkai said, rubbing his arms to warm up. “He might be looking into things on his own. It would waste time if we’re going over the same ground.”
Gojyo snorted. “More like he’s sitting on his ass in the hotel staying warm and dry.” He stamped his feet. “I can’t feel my toes.”
“We could head back and check.” Hakkai turned toward the hotel. “I should see if Jeep needs more food.”
Gojyo looked askance at his friend. “How are you doing, Hakkai?”
Hakkai didn’t meet Gojyo’s gaze. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Gojyo made a sound of disgust. “You’ve lived with me how long, Hakkai? Don’t insult me by pretending I can’t read your moods.” Hakkai’s neck bowed. “I know you’re upset. I was just thinking all this stuff has to remind you of bad times.” Gojyo threw Hakkai a concerned look.
Hakkai’s hand strayed to the long scar over his belly. “It does, but I’m fine.”
Gojyo put an arm around Hakkai’s shoulders. “You’re not and that’s okay, too, you know. If you need to talk, you know I’ll listen.”
Hakkai nodded. “Thanks, Gojyo.” He summoned up a reassuring smile.
As they walked on, they spotted Sanzo coming away from the temple and went to meet him. The priest nodded his head at them, digging for his cigarettes. “Did you lose the monkey?”
“He stayed behind to talk to Lan’s friends,” Hakkai said, his brow knitting. “But that was hours ago.”
“The monks had no ideas at all, about anything.” Sanzo jerked a thumb back at the temple. “Typical, they don’t get out into the town much. Might be why someone brought it to their door.”
“We didn’t have much luck either,” Gojyo said, frustration lacing through his voice. “Seriously, I need a break. We were out in the snow most of the day. Can’t we get warm for a little while before coming back out here?”
Hakkai nodded. “Like I said, I should check to see how Jeep’s doing.”
“Hey you!” a voice growled behind them. “Red-head, remember me?”
A sneer on his face, Gojyo turned around and saw one of Lan’s friends behind them. The heat rolling off the boy could have melted the snow. “You’re Maidar, right?”
“Where’d you leave your stupid little friend?” The boy stalked over to him. “Balram said you were all asking questions, as if that runt wasn’t the one responsible for Lan’s death.”
“You missed the mob. They were around yesterday.” Gojyo snorted, ignoring Hakkai’s warning look. “They already know Goku didn’t do shit. Where have you been?”
Sanzo fanned him. “Manners, kappa.” The priest turned to Maidar. “Goku didn’t kill your friend. The law men are convinced of it. Ask Lan’s brother.”
Maidar’s conviction wavered a bit then the rage came roaring back. “All I know is I wanted Lan to be with me and she went with your friend and now she’s dead. That’s not coincidence.”
“I’m afraid it is,” Hakkai said gently, realizing the boy was simply scared and upset and needed a target for his rage. “We weren’t in town when the killings started. I’m sorry you lost your friend but Goku is innocent.”
“But…he was with her last,” Maidar said weakly, tears forming.
“We are sorry.” Hakkai touched the boy’s shoulder and Maidar broke down.
“Why did they all have to die?” the boy moaned.
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Hakkai said comfortingly as he patted Maidar’s shoulder.
“And if your friends didn’t tell us the truth today, we can’t do that,” Gojyo put in, wondering if the kids did know more than they were willing to say.
Maidar shook his head. “I didn’t stay around but…I don’t know anything that could help. I can’t even find your friend. I’m useless.”
“I wouldn’t say that. Goku is probably still with your friends. If you talk to him, I’m sure you’ll find that he couldn’t have possibly done it,” Hakkai said, confident Goku could handle himself should Maidar have other ideas.
The boy nodded and shuffled off.
“So, back to the hotel?” Gojyo asked.
“Yes,” Sanzo said, looking up at the sky. Sounding pissed at the world, he added, “I can’t believe it. It’s snowing more.”
XXX
The insides of his mouth felt like the desert at high noon; dry, rough and hopeless. Goku fought to lever his eyelids up but they seemed heavier than the shackles he wore in the cage in the mountains. Some days he thought he could feel those chains again, like today. Slowly as reason penetrated the soporific veil over his senses, Goku realized he wasn’t imagining those shackles. His arms had been yanked out in front of him, leaving his shoulders protesting. His wrists felt warm where they were lashed together with stout rope then tied off to a pole.
Face down on a cold, earthen floor, Goku gradually became aware that his clothing was gone. Trying to get up proved to him that while one leg was free, the other was staked by more rope to the ground. He took a deep breath, trying to clear his head but whatever he had been drugged with – which he was thinking that had to be the case because he could wake up fast when he needed to and he sure as hell needed to now – wouldn’t let the cobwebs blow free from his head. Drugs, that was so unfair.
He tried to get his free leg under him. Simple rope couldn’t stop him. Goku strained but he was barely even able to twitch his leg. Whatever drug he had been given had robbed him of a lot of strength. His stomach roiled and he gagged a bit. For once, he wasn’t even hungry, his stomach danced and writhed that much. When Goku got hold of the ass-face who had done this to him, he was going to wallop him good. Taking another deep breath, Goku tried again, knowing that the drug would wear off eventually and he’d be free.
But only if he were alone and fingers latching to his free ankle proved that he wasn’t. Goku squawked in surprise as a man –from the smell of him- chuckled lowly, yanking his ankle up until his knee was bent back as far as it would go. Goku gasped as the man pulled on a rope the boy hadn’t even realized was around his neck. He felt a loop of rope going around his ankle.
“Hmm,” the man hummed. “You’re not as pretty as the girls but you do have nice gold eyes. I’d take them but the color never stays once they’ve been plucked.” He reached down and untied Goku’s leg from the stake. He bent this one back, too, and looped more rope around it, securing it to the stout ligature around the boy’s neck.
Goku tried to look over his shoulder but couldn’t turn much. He knew that voice, that scent, and the quick glimpse he caught of dark hair and cinnamon skin filled in some blanks. They had talked to the killer and asked his help without ever knowing it. It wasn’t a youkai torturing and killing the girls, it was their one-time teacher, Rakesh. “Why?” The word pulled off his tongue, distorted and dry.
“Because,” he said, his voice so calm that it reminded Goku of Hakkai at his scariest, “the picture this paints is too lovely to resist.” Rakesh’s hands withdrew from Goku’s ankles, letting them drop a bit. The rope instantly bit into the boy’s neck. “The sweat as it breaks out over the skin, the flush of the face as the ropes tighten, the terror in the eyes. Do you know how lovely it is?”
“Know you’re a freak,” Goku rasped, trying to pull his arms free. Rope couldn’t hold him for long, even with this drug in his system. His wiggling only served to tighten the rope around his neck. Goku realize what sort of trap Rakesh had set. If he tried to free himself, he’d tighten the noose around his own neck.
“Careful now, if your legs drop, you’ll strangle.” Rakesh moved around so Goku could see him. More importantly, the boy surmised, so Rakesh could look into his eyes and watch him die. “Of course, you won’t be able to hold your legs bent for very long. Oh you’ll fight and struggle and that’s what makes it delicious.” Rakesh pulled a chair around, sitting in alongside the pole Goku’s arms were tied off to. “So feel free to do that as much as you’d like.”
Goku knew Rakesh had no idea who he was dealing with. He could probably hold his legs up for a long time, long enough to wait out the drugs and get free but still a cold liquid sliver of fear curled up through his belly. Could he die like this? Alone? In an instant, Goku wished he hadn’t thought of that. He hated being alone. No, he would not, could not die here alone like this. It was stupid. “They’ll get you,” he growled, reminding himself he had friends. Sanzo would come for him. Besides, Goku was hard to kill, this bastard didn’t have it in him to kill him.
Rakesh snorted. “Your friends? They’re not coming.”
Goku didn’t waste breath arguing. He had had rigor mortis once and he wasn’t in a hurry to repeat the experience. Being in hell had been scary enough with just Hakkai. Going alone couldn’t happen but holding his legs up was harder than he imagined. His thighs burned and screamed from the odd contortion but he managed. In his heart, Goku screamed for Sanzo.
“Give in. Let me see it. I love when the face goes all dark,” Rakesh said languidly, rubbing a hand over his crotch.
Goku nearly lost it, his ankles dipping as a change in Rakesh’s scent tickled his nose. It reminded him of the times Gojyo had gotten loose in the various brothels they found on their trail. The man’s lust, heavy and sickening, made him gag. Rakesh enjoyed this. It was why Lan and those other girls had died. The man would sit there, stroking himself, and that would be the last thing Goku saw before he strangled unless he could do something.
Goku pulled harder on the ropes that lashed his hands. He could do nothing about the ones around his ankle, not without crushing his own neck, but if he tried harder he could free his hands and take the damn rope off his neck. He just had to forget about worrying about being alone, forget about the pain cramping and twisting his muscles, forget about the drug sapping his considerable strength until he was newborn-weak. He could do this.
A frown marred Rakesh’s handsome face as he got up. “This is taking too long. Hmmm, maybe I should have known a boy who travels with a dragon might be a little different.” He lumbered over to a table and did something Goku couldn’t see. “Let’s see if this helps speed things along.”
His strong fingers pried at Goku’s jaw and the boy tried to bite him. Rakesh’s hand clapped over one of Goku’s ears, sending a wave of pain through his head. Tears of anguish beaded up in the corner of his eyes but Goku clamped his jaw shut tight against the howl of agony threatening to tear out of him. Something inside his head felt torn.
“The more stubborn you are, the more I enjoy this.” Rakesh’s voice sounded different and Goku wondered if the man had ruptured his ear drums. Rakesh simply stood on Goku’s arms and pinched the boy’s nose shut. Goku bucked and strained, his legs descending and the rope tightening so much he could feel his eyes bugging and his throat swelling. Finally he had no choice but to open his mouth and rasp in air. Rakesh jammed a bottle into Goku’s mouth and a thick, bittersweet syrup rippled down his throat. Rakesh backed off. “Syrup of poppy. The way you eat, it was so easy to give it to you the first time.”
Goku felt the narcotic slowly wearing him down. If not for the nausea the drug sparked in his belly, it would have felt like being tucked in too tight, warm and safe. His legs felt like ingots had been stacked on them, dragging them to ground. The rope around his neck grew teeth and just when he thought his lungs might burst, the pressure was taken off. Rakesh had Goku’s ankles.
“You’re too fun to end here,” was all Goku heard before the opium put him under.
X X X
“Damn it, where’s that stupid monkey?” Sanzo groaned, wriggling his toes to get some feeling back in them. They had taken a break earlier in the afternoon then gone back out looking for clues only to return as darkness fell.
“You’d think he’d be here whining he’s hungry,” Gojyo said, slung over Hakkai’s bed like a sack of laundry.
“Time and Goku are not always things that go together but it’s getting dark,” Hakkai said as Jeep perched on his shoulder. He gave the dragon a scratch. “He should have come looking for us by now.”
“He’s probably in the restaurant pigging out,” Gojyo offered, trying to console himself with a likely scenario. He didn’t want to seem like a worried mother hen.
“One problem with that, the chimp has no money,” Sanzo said, rubbing his feet.
“He has a tab. I know because Lan started him one,” Gojyo shot back.
Sanzo’s fingers stop mid-rub and he raised his head to glare sharply at Gojyo. “You wait until now to tell me this?”
“I was waiting for the fireworks later,” the kappa replied with a smug grin.
Hakkai just sighed. “I hope that the Three Aspect’s card can handle the implications of Goku with a tab.”
Sanzo grimaced and shoved his feet into his boots. “I’ll plant that monkey.” He stomped out the door.
Gojyo unfolded from the bed with a grin that suggested he couldn’t wait for the monk-monkey show. “Guess it’s dinner time.”
They followed Sanzo to the restaurant. Business was slow, probably in deference for the family tragedy. Tai-Shan and Shao were listlessly eating in a corner but Goku was nowhere to be seen. Sanzo sat down anyhow. “I’m shocked the runt isn’t here,” Sanzo said, pulling the ash tray closer to him.
“I suppose he could still be with Lan’s friends,” Hakkai said, sounding a little unsure.
“Or off on his own. The times you were hurt, the monkey couldn’t eat. He might just be taking this really hard,” Gojyo said. “He’s not used to losing.” He glanced at the window. “Do you think we should look for him?”
Sanzo shook his head. “The monkey knows where we are. He’ll find us easier if we’re not out there roaming around.”
“I’m sure Sanzo’s right,” Hakkai said and they settled in and ordered their meal.
They had barely gotten their food and started tucking in when Balram, Maidar and a young girl came up to their table. Hakkai noticed this didn’t escape the notice of Tai-Shan and Shao. He had to confess he was very surprised that any girl would come out after dark with all that had happened. “Balram, Maidar, is there something we could do for you?” Hakkai asked.
The teens nodded then Balram waved to Tai-Shan. “You should hear this, too,” he said and the girl gave him a nervous look. The two law men came over to the table and she shrank against Balram.
“Intan, right?” Gojyo asked, wondering where this girl had been earlier when they talked to Lan’s friends. “You were with Balram when we were making snow men the other day.”
She nodded, her long raven hair moving like a silk curtain. “I don’t know if I should say anything. I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble if they didn’t do anything. I heard what almost happened to Goku,” she said and Tai-Shan shifted uncomfortably.
“If they didn’t do anything, you won’t get them in trouble,” Shao assured the girl.
Intan wet her lips. “All the girls were really good in school, teachers’ pets especially to Mr. Rakesh and to Mr. Anada. So was I. It could be nothing.” Her fear that it could be something shone in her dark eyes.
“And it could be something,” Maidar said, taking her hand. “Tell them.”
Intan shrugged. “Both of the teachers always spent time with us girls in class and now that we’re done, they still do a little if they see us. It just made me nervous, but not enough to say anything. It could just be me being paranoid.”
“We’ll have a talk with them both, just to rule them out,” Tai-Shan said, looking pleased to at least have some suspects.
Gojyo looked over at Maidar and Balram, “Where’s Goku? Is he still with the rest of your friends?”
Balram’s eyes widened. “No, he left hours ago. He went to get something to eat and said he was going to go find you three.”
The trio felt a strong anxiety rising, as if they were all sharing in the same fear. “Are you sure?” Sanzo asked, his voice gravely.
Balram nodded. “Yeah.”
“Your friend is missing?” Tai-Shan asked. “Are you sure he didn’t just run off?”
“He didn’t kill those girls,” Gojyo snarled, his fist thumping down on the table.
“You’re looking for your little friend?” Pei-yi, the waitress asked, delivering some drinks to the next table. “He was in here just after lunch. He got really drunk and Mr. Rakesh helped him to his room.”
Bowls splashed, and cups over turned as the trio slammed back from the table and onto their feet. Sanzo sped out of the restaurant with Hakkai and Gojyo nearly trampling him. The teens followed along with Tai-Shan and Shao.
“Your friend was never back in that room, was he?” Shao asked grimly.
“If we thought he was, would we be running around like this?” Gojyo asked, sliding to a halt. “Where the fuck are we going? We don’t know where this guy lives.”
“We do!” Maidar offered.
“You are having nothing to do with this,” Tai-Shan rounded on the boys. “You take Intan home and you get to your houses. This is my job. In fact, I want you to say nothing until we know for sure what’s going on.”
“I don’t want to see another mob,” Shao added.
The kids started to protest but a look from the law men silenced them and they shuffled off in the snow.
“Where does Rakesh live?” Hakkai asked.
“All the way on the other side of town. It’ll take us a while to get there,” Tai-Shan said.
Sanzo and Hakkai exchanged looks before cutting into the courtyard while Gojyo raced back inside.
“What are you doing?” Tai-Shan asked.
“You’ll see,” Hakkai said as Gojyo flung open the window from inside the hotel room. “Hakuryuu,” he called. The dragon fluttered past Gojyo and landed on the sill. “Goku’s in trouble. I know you’re sick but we need help.”
Jeep launched himself out the window, transforming. Gojyo propelled himself out the window as well. Sanzo climbed into his usual shotgun position and looked back at the stunned two law men. “Get in and give us directions.”
D M Evans
Disclaimer – not mine. All rights belong to Kazuya Minekura et al, no profit made, just a little fun
Rating – R (for language and graphic violence in later chapters)
Timeline – hmm, let’s say soon after the Snow Drop arc, definitely manga verse
Pairing – none really, friendship between Goku/OC
Summary – Stuck in town by a series of unfortunate events, Hakkai develops an interest in a series of killings while Goku finds a few friends.
Author’s Note – Thanks to
mjules and evil_little_dog for the betaWARNING - not work safe, has explicit scenes of torture
He who seeks vengeance must dig two graves: one for his enemy and one for himself” - Chinese proverb
Previous Chapters
Chapter Six
“Where do you think small balls has gotten off to?” Gojyo lit up, shielding his cigarette from the wind.
“I’ll assume you mean Goku and not Sanzo,” Hakkai said, wincing as snow got into his boots.
“Well, it applies to either, I guess, but I’m referring to the monkey. He can’t still be talking to those kids, can he? How many questions could he come up with?” Gojyo made a face at the idea of the monkey thinking.
“I have to confess I was expecting him to come looking for us by now,” Hakkai replied, looking around as if expecting Goku to pop out of the ether.
“Maybe they’re all just talking about stuff, remembering Lan. Goku’s taking this pretty hard,” Gojyo said, taking a drag. He let the smoke curl out of his mouth slowly, thinking about his own losses and how he adapted to them.
“I know. We ought to go see where Sanzo went off to. Surely he has to be done with the funeral plans by now,” Hakkai said, rubbing his arms to warm up. “He might be looking into things on his own. It would waste time if we’re going over the same ground.”
Gojyo snorted. “More like he’s sitting on his ass in the hotel staying warm and dry.” He stamped his feet. “I can’t feel my toes.”
“We could head back and check.” Hakkai turned toward the hotel. “I should see if Jeep needs more food.”
Gojyo looked askance at his friend. “How are you doing, Hakkai?”
Hakkai didn’t meet Gojyo’s gaze. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Gojyo made a sound of disgust. “You’ve lived with me how long, Hakkai? Don’t insult me by pretending I can’t read your moods.” Hakkai’s neck bowed. “I know you’re upset. I was just thinking all this stuff has to remind you of bad times.” Gojyo threw Hakkai a concerned look.
Hakkai’s hand strayed to the long scar over his belly. “It does, but I’m fine.”
Gojyo put an arm around Hakkai’s shoulders. “You’re not and that’s okay, too, you know. If you need to talk, you know I’ll listen.”
Hakkai nodded. “Thanks, Gojyo.” He summoned up a reassuring smile.
As they walked on, they spotted Sanzo coming away from the temple and went to meet him. The priest nodded his head at them, digging for his cigarettes. “Did you lose the monkey?”
“He stayed behind to talk to Lan’s friends,” Hakkai said, his brow knitting. “But that was hours ago.”
“The monks had no ideas at all, about anything.” Sanzo jerked a thumb back at the temple. “Typical, they don’t get out into the town much. Might be why someone brought it to their door.”
“We didn’t have much luck either,” Gojyo said, frustration lacing through his voice. “Seriously, I need a break. We were out in the snow most of the day. Can’t we get warm for a little while before coming back out here?”
Hakkai nodded. “Like I said, I should check to see how Jeep’s doing.”
“Hey you!” a voice growled behind them. “Red-head, remember me?”
A sneer on his face, Gojyo turned around and saw one of Lan’s friends behind them. The heat rolling off the boy could have melted the snow. “You’re Maidar, right?”
“Where’d you leave your stupid little friend?” The boy stalked over to him. “Balram said you were all asking questions, as if that runt wasn’t the one responsible for Lan’s death.”
“You missed the mob. They were around yesterday.” Gojyo snorted, ignoring Hakkai’s warning look. “They already know Goku didn’t do shit. Where have you been?”
Sanzo fanned him. “Manners, kappa.” The priest turned to Maidar. “Goku didn’t kill your friend. The law men are convinced of it. Ask Lan’s brother.”
Maidar’s conviction wavered a bit then the rage came roaring back. “All I know is I wanted Lan to be with me and she went with your friend and now she’s dead. That’s not coincidence.”
“I’m afraid it is,” Hakkai said gently, realizing the boy was simply scared and upset and needed a target for his rage. “We weren’t in town when the killings started. I’m sorry you lost your friend but Goku is innocent.”
“But…he was with her last,” Maidar said weakly, tears forming.
“We are sorry.” Hakkai touched the boy’s shoulder and Maidar broke down.
“Why did they all have to die?” the boy moaned.
“That’s what we’re trying to find out,” Hakkai said comfortingly as he patted Maidar’s shoulder.
“And if your friends didn’t tell us the truth today, we can’t do that,” Gojyo put in, wondering if the kids did know more than they were willing to say.
Maidar shook his head. “I didn’t stay around but…I don’t know anything that could help. I can’t even find your friend. I’m useless.”
“I wouldn’t say that. Goku is probably still with your friends. If you talk to him, I’m sure you’ll find that he couldn’t have possibly done it,” Hakkai said, confident Goku could handle himself should Maidar have other ideas.
The boy nodded and shuffled off.
“So, back to the hotel?” Gojyo asked.
“Yes,” Sanzo said, looking up at the sky. Sounding pissed at the world, he added, “I can’t believe it. It’s snowing more.”
XXX
The insides of his mouth felt like the desert at high noon; dry, rough and hopeless. Goku fought to lever his eyelids up but they seemed heavier than the shackles he wore in the cage in the mountains. Some days he thought he could feel those chains again, like today. Slowly as reason penetrated the soporific veil over his senses, Goku realized he wasn’t imagining those shackles. His arms had been yanked out in front of him, leaving his shoulders protesting. His wrists felt warm where they were lashed together with stout rope then tied off to a pole.
Face down on a cold, earthen floor, Goku gradually became aware that his clothing was gone. Trying to get up proved to him that while one leg was free, the other was staked by more rope to the ground. He took a deep breath, trying to clear his head but whatever he had been drugged with – which he was thinking that had to be the case because he could wake up fast when he needed to and he sure as hell needed to now – wouldn’t let the cobwebs blow free from his head. Drugs, that was so unfair.
He tried to get his free leg under him. Simple rope couldn’t stop him. Goku strained but he was barely even able to twitch his leg. Whatever drug he had been given had robbed him of a lot of strength. His stomach roiled and he gagged a bit. For once, he wasn’t even hungry, his stomach danced and writhed that much. When Goku got hold of the ass-face who had done this to him, he was going to wallop him good. Taking another deep breath, Goku tried again, knowing that the drug would wear off eventually and he’d be free.
But only if he were alone and fingers latching to his free ankle proved that he wasn’t. Goku squawked in surprise as a man –from the smell of him- chuckled lowly, yanking his ankle up until his knee was bent back as far as it would go. Goku gasped as the man pulled on a rope the boy hadn’t even realized was around his neck. He felt a loop of rope going around his ankle.
“Hmm,” the man hummed. “You’re not as pretty as the girls but you do have nice gold eyes. I’d take them but the color never stays once they’ve been plucked.” He reached down and untied Goku’s leg from the stake. He bent this one back, too, and looped more rope around it, securing it to the stout ligature around the boy’s neck.
Goku tried to look over his shoulder but couldn’t turn much. He knew that voice, that scent, and the quick glimpse he caught of dark hair and cinnamon skin filled in some blanks. They had talked to the killer and asked his help without ever knowing it. It wasn’t a youkai torturing and killing the girls, it was their one-time teacher, Rakesh. “Why?” The word pulled off his tongue, distorted and dry.
“Because,” he said, his voice so calm that it reminded Goku of Hakkai at his scariest, “the picture this paints is too lovely to resist.” Rakesh’s hands withdrew from Goku’s ankles, letting them drop a bit. The rope instantly bit into the boy’s neck. “The sweat as it breaks out over the skin, the flush of the face as the ropes tighten, the terror in the eyes. Do you know how lovely it is?”
“Know you’re a freak,” Goku rasped, trying to pull his arms free. Rope couldn’t hold him for long, even with this drug in his system. His wiggling only served to tighten the rope around his neck. Goku realize what sort of trap Rakesh had set. If he tried to free himself, he’d tighten the noose around his own neck.
“Careful now, if your legs drop, you’ll strangle.” Rakesh moved around so Goku could see him. More importantly, the boy surmised, so Rakesh could look into his eyes and watch him die. “Of course, you won’t be able to hold your legs bent for very long. Oh you’ll fight and struggle and that’s what makes it delicious.” Rakesh pulled a chair around, sitting in alongside the pole Goku’s arms were tied off to. “So feel free to do that as much as you’d like.”
Goku knew Rakesh had no idea who he was dealing with. He could probably hold his legs up for a long time, long enough to wait out the drugs and get free but still a cold liquid sliver of fear curled up through his belly. Could he die like this? Alone? In an instant, Goku wished he hadn’t thought of that. He hated being alone. No, he would not, could not die here alone like this. It was stupid. “They’ll get you,” he growled, reminding himself he had friends. Sanzo would come for him. Besides, Goku was hard to kill, this bastard didn’t have it in him to kill him.
Rakesh snorted. “Your friends? They’re not coming.”
Goku didn’t waste breath arguing. He had had rigor mortis once and he wasn’t in a hurry to repeat the experience. Being in hell had been scary enough with just Hakkai. Going alone couldn’t happen but holding his legs up was harder than he imagined. His thighs burned and screamed from the odd contortion but he managed. In his heart, Goku screamed for Sanzo.
“Give in. Let me see it. I love when the face goes all dark,” Rakesh said languidly, rubbing a hand over his crotch.
Goku nearly lost it, his ankles dipping as a change in Rakesh’s scent tickled his nose. It reminded him of the times Gojyo had gotten loose in the various brothels they found on their trail. The man’s lust, heavy and sickening, made him gag. Rakesh enjoyed this. It was why Lan and those other girls had died. The man would sit there, stroking himself, and that would be the last thing Goku saw before he strangled unless he could do something.
Goku pulled harder on the ropes that lashed his hands. He could do nothing about the ones around his ankle, not without crushing his own neck, but if he tried harder he could free his hands and take the damn rope off his neck. He just had to forget about worrying about being alone, forget about the pain cramping and twisting his muscles, forget about the drug sapping his considerable strength until he was newborn-weak. He could do this.
A frown marred Rakesh’s handsome face as he got up. “This is taking too long. Hmmm, maybe I should have known a boy who travels with a dragon might be a little different.” He lumbered over to a table and did something Goku couldn’t see. “Let’s see if this helps speed things along.”
His strong fingers pried at Goku’s jaw and the boy tried to bite him. Rakesh’s hand clapped over one of Goku’s ears, sending a wave of pain through his head. Tears of anguish beaded up in the corner of his eyes but Goku clamped his jaw shut tight against the howl of agony threatening to tear out of him. Something inside his head felt torn.
“The more stubborn you are, the more I enjoy this.” Rakesh’s voice sounded different and Goku wondered if the man had ruptured his ear drums. Rakesh simply stood on Goku’s arms and pinched the boy’s nose shut. Goku bucked and strained, his legs descending and the rope tightening so much he could feel his eyes bugging and his throat swelling. Finally he had no choice but to open his mouth and rasp in air. Rakesh jammed a bottle into Goku’s mouth and a thick, bittersweet syrup rippled down his throat. Rakesh backed off. “Syrup of poppy. The way you eat, it was so easy to give it to you the first time.”
Goku felt the narcotic slowly wearing him down. If not for the nausea the drug sparked in his belly, it would have felt like being tucked in too tight, warm and safe. His legs felt like ingots had been stacked on them, dragging them to ground. The rope around his neck grew teeth and just when he thought his lungs might burst, the pressure was taken off. Rakesh had Goku’s ankles.
“You’re too fun to end here,” was all Goku heard before the opium put him under.
X X X
“Damn it, where’s that stupid monkey?” Sanzo groaned, wriggling his toes to get some feeling back in them. They had taken a break earlier in the afternoon then gone back out looking for clues only to return as darkness fell.
“You’d think he’d be here whining he’s hungry,” Gojyo said, slung over Hakkai’s bed like a sack of laundry.
“Time and Goku are not always things that go together but it’s getting dark,” Hakkai said as Jeep perched on his shoulder. He gave the dragon a scratch. “He should have come looking for us by now.”
“He’s probably in the restaurant pigging out,” Gojyo offered, trying to console himself with a likely scenario. He didn’t want to seem like a worried mother hen.
“One problem with that, the chimp has no money,” Sanzo said, rubbing his feet.
“He has a tab. I know because Lan started him one,” Gojyo shot back.
Sanzo’s fingers stop mid-rub and he raised his head to glare sharply at Gojyo. “You wait until now to tell me this?”
“I was waiting for the fireworks later,” the kappa replied with a smug grin.
Hakkai just sighed. “I hope that the Three Aspect’s card can handle the implications of Goku with a tab.”
Sanzo grimaced and shoved his feet into his boots. “I’ll plant that monkey.” He stomped out the door.
Gojyo unfolded from the bed with a grin that suggested he couldn’t wait for the monk-monkey show. “Guess it’s dinner time.”
They followed Sanzo to the restaurant. Business was slow, probably in deference for the family tragedy. Tai-Shan and Shao were listlessly eating in a corner but Goku was nowhere to be seen. Sanzo sat down anyhow. “I’m shocked the runt isn’t here,” Sanzo said, pulling the ash tray closer to him.
“I suppose he could still be with Lan’s friends,” Hakkai said, sounding a little unsure.
“Or off on his own. The times you were hurt, the monkey couldn’t eat. He might just be taking this really hard,” Gojyo said. “He’s not used to losing.” He glanced at the window. “Do you think we should look for him?”
Sanzo shook his head. “The monkey knows where we are. He’ll find us easier if we’re not out there roaming around.”
“I’m sure Sanzo’s right,” Hakkai said and they settled in and ordered their meal.
They had barely gotten their food and started tucking in when Balram, Maidar and a young girl came up to their table. Hakkai noticed this didn’t escape the notice of Tai-Shan and Shao. He had to confess he was very surprised that any girl would come out after dark with all that had happened. “Balram, Maidar, is there something we could do for you?” Hakkai asked.
The teens nodded then Balram waved to Tai-Shan. “You should hear this, too,” he said and the girl gave him a nervous look. The two law men came over to the table and she shrank against Balram.
“Intan, right?” Gojyo asked, wondering where this girl had been earlier when they talked to Lan’s friends. “You were with Balram when we were making snow men the other day.”
She nodded, her long raven hair moving like a silk curtain. “I don’t know if I should say anything. I didn’t want to get anyone in trouble if they didn’t do anything. I heard what almost happened to Goku,” she said and Tai-Shan shifted uncomfortably.
“If they didn’t do anything, you won’t get them in trouble,” Shao assured the girl.
Intan wet her lips. “All the girls were really good in school, teachers’ pets especially to Mr. Rakesh and to Mr. Anada. So was I. It could be nothing.” Her fear that it could be something shone in her dark eyes.
“And it could be something,” Maidar said, taking her hand. “Tell them.”
Intan shrugged. “Both of the teachers always spent time with us girls in class and now that we’re done, they still do a little if they see us. It just made me nervous, but not enough to say anything. It could just be me being paranoid.”
“We’ll have a talk with them both, just to rule them out,” Tai-Shan said, looking pleased to at least have some suspects.
Gojyo looked over at Maidar and Balram, “Where’s Goku? Is he still with the rest of your friends?”
Balram’s eyes widened. “No, he left hours ago. He went to get something to eat and said he was going to go find you three.”
The trio felt a strong anxiety rising, as if they were all sharing in the same fear. “Are you sure?” Sanzo asked, his voice gravely.
Balram nodded. “Yeah.”
“Your friend is missing?” Tai-Shan asked. “Are you sure he didn’t just run off?”
“He didn’t kill those girls,” Gojyo snarled, his fist thumping down on the table.
“You’re looking for your little friend?” Pei-yi, the waitress asked, delivering some drinks to the next table. “He was in here just after lunch. He got really drunk and Mr. Rakesh helped him to his room.”
Bowls splashed, and cups over turned as the trio slammed back from the table and onto their feet. Sanzo sped out of the restaurant with Hakkai and Gojyo nearly trampling him. The teens followed along with Tai-Shan and Shao.
“Your friend was never back in that room, was he?” Shao asked grimly.
“If we thought he was, would we be running around like this?” Gojyo asked, sliding to a halt. “Where the fuck are we going? We don’t know where this guy lives.”
“We do!” Maidar offered.
“You are having nothing to do with this,” Tai-Shan rounded on the boys. “You take Intan home and you get to your houses. This is my job. In fact, I want you to say nothing until we know for sure what’s going on.”
“I don’t want to see another mob,” Shao added.
The kids started to protest but a look from the law men silenced them and they shuffled off in the snow.
“Where does Rakesh live?” Hakkai asked.
“All the way on the other side of town. It’ll take us a while to get there,” Tai-Shan said.
Sanzo and Hakkai exchanged looks before cutting into the courtyard while Gojyo raced back inside.
“What are you doing?” Tai-Shan asked.
“You’ll see,” Hakkai said as Gojyo flung open the window from inside the hotel room. “Hakuryuu,” he called. The dragon fluttered past Gojyo and landed on the sill. “Goku’s in trouble. I know you’re sick but we need help.”
Jeep launched himself out the window, transforming. Gojyo propelled himself out the window as well. Sanzo climbed into his usual shotgun position and looked back at the stunned two law men. “Get in and give us directions.”
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