Wed 1.31-On the hunt

[plotbunnytiff.livejournal.com]

Ken let the phone ring once before he hung up. Instead he fiddled with the phone a bit, both grateful and frustrated that Omi badgered them into getting high-end models instead of the plain, simple one he wanted.

 

After a couple mistaken hits, he sent Omi a text to his email and to his phone, just in case he was at the computer, waiting.

 

#We’re headed northbound on Crane highway, think we have target in site. Don’t know if B. has cell or not. Any tracking advice useful; afraid we might lose him. Be aware of possible Schw. activity in the area.#

 

“Let me know when you want me to take over. I know your leg has to be killing you.” Ken barely looked up from his texting when he made the offer. He knew Ran would probably turn him down, but it made him feel like he was doing something useful.

 

Comments

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

"Dammit!" The car that had been in front of them was gone.

Ran swerved onto another street, a last-minute, desperate attempt to catch up with them by driving down a one-way street. He turned a sharp right onto the street they should have been on...

And nothing.

The painkillers had begun to work, the pain numbing to something nearing manageable, but a metallic taste was beginning to be noticeable in his mouth. It felt like...

Bloodloss.

"Can he track him?!" Ran demanded.

[plotbunnytiff.livejournal.com]

"I couldn't get a good visual on the plaaa-!!" Ken's sentence turned into a yelp as Ran swerved around the corner like a madman. There was a terrible moment when his heart jumped into his throat, then sank into the pit of his stomach.

"Oh no. No no no," Ken breathed into the phone.

There was no car.

Yohji was gone.

The sound of Ran's demand jerked him back into reality.

"He needs a plate number and I couldn't catch the whole thing, and Yohji doesn't have his phone!"

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

Ran would have slapped the wheel, had he had the energy. He settled for a glare that conveyed everything he needed it to. "We'll find them!" He snapped.

He turned another corner, palm slipping again on the wheel before he strengthened his grip through sheer strength of will.

[celtic-kitsune.livejournal.com]

Omi winced when he heard Ken yelp. "Ken-kun what's going on?" He asked.

"If you can't get the license plate number I'll think of another way to track them." Though Omi wasn't sure if there was really anything else he could do. Without his cell phone Omi couldn't track Yohji. And without knowing the car he couldn't track Schwartz. /Please give me something I can use to help/ Omi thought.

[genuinelie.livejournal.com]

The streetlights were blurry at the edge of Ran's vision. He was going too fast.

There had to be some way...

What was it Yohji had said? That everyone was desperate for something? Ran felt desperate.

The car swerved, the turn onto the highway had come up unexpectedly. That hadn't been another street he'd missed? No, he was sure he'd been paying attention...

The car swerved again, narrowly missing a car in his lane. Or had it been?

...He was desperate. This feeling...it was familiar. What did Schwartz want from Yohji? What purpose, other than sheer maliciousness? Were Schwartz desperate for anything?

...he was desperate for...to keep...

...was that Omi, still on the phone?

...he should ask...maybe track...somehow the words didn't make it to his lips.

...desperate, Yohji was right, he had to tell Yohji he was right, but he wouldn't get the chance. It was too late.

Ran's foot lessened on the pedal. He should have bound his leg...but there was was no time...he had to find...

...no time for anything....desperate to keep the people he loved....

"Ken-take the-"

Shit... The road faded.

[plotbunnytiff.livejournal.com]

“I managed to get a few numbers-careful there-you might be able to run something off of that, but I don’t know how much it’ll-HOLY SHI-“

On the other end of the line there was a horrendous screeching noise, followed by a muffled metallic whump and a string of salty language. A chorus of horns swelled in the background. There was a shuffling sound, and finally a fumbling rasp as Ken picked up the phone again.

“W-we’re coming home,” he said breathlessly. “Ran fainted at the wheel. He’ll need bandages…” The angry swell of horns grew louder and more insistent. “Gotta move. Gotta move the car. We’re ok. I’ll call you back.”

Five minutes later, Ken miraculously got them back on the road and headed home. The entire drive back was a tense one. Between checking for police, checking on Ran, and biting the inside of his cheek worrying about Yohji, Ken wasn’t sure if he was going to make it back in one piece. His mind was kicked into overdrive wondering what the mercenaries could possibly be doing to his teammate, and if every minute Yohji remained in their clutches was his last.

And in the midst of it all, like the smallest black spot in a sea of worry, was the twisted relief that Omi wasn’t the one who was spirited away. He didn’t try to bury it the way he normally would have either. It was one of the few things allowing him to function.

By the time he was a few blocks away from the Koneko, his head was throbbing with leftover pain and adrenaline. He dug out the phone and called Omi to let him know that they were almost there.

[celtic-kitsune.livejournal.com]

Omi yelled into the phone for Ken not to hang up but it was to late. So all he could do was wait until Ken decided to call back. So he sat there holding his phone tightly with only the knowlage that Ran had fainted at the wheel. And even though Ken sounded as if he had gotten control of the car Omi still didn't know.

He nearly jumped when the phone rang again. "Hello? Ken-kun? Are you two okay?" Omi asked trying not to sound to worried considering that Aya-chan was still in the room with him.

[plotbunnytiff.livejournal.com]

"Ran passed out at the wheel," he responded bluntly. "That wound he got was a bit worse than we thought, he must've lost too much blood."

Ken looked over at his prone teammate. He looked far too pale, even for him. "We're pulling up, should be there in a minute or two." Ken's voice was rife with frustration and pain. "I'll need your help getting him out of the car."

[celtic-kitsune.livejournal.com]

"I'll be right up." Omi hung up his cell phone. Then looked at Aya-chan. "Ken-kun and Ran-kun are back, and need help." He said as he stood up hurrying towards the stairs not really looking to see if Aya-chan was following him or not.

[kuchren.livejournal.com]

(continued in Wednesday 1.32)