Gaijin

Part 6: Home Sweet Home

by Sean D'Anna

=====

Carrot sat in front of the small television
set in his room. He wasn't moving and had a game
controller in his hand. He played in silence and
reached into a bag of chips that sat beside him,
only to find it empty.

He frowned and looked at it as he paused his
game, it was the last of the food in his home.
Various bags and instant food sat around the
ground, and a small microwave rested in the
corner. "Shit."

He sighed and sat back to look at the ceiling
for a moment. He'd been like this for a week now.

"I guess I gotta buy more food," he muttered
to himself as he stood up. He walked over to the
mirror and took the bandage off of his nose to
peer at it again. Other than a small dark mark,
there was no indication that it had been broken at
all.

He frowned at this and snorted. "This is
weird." He turned his head and looked at the small
bottle of pills that sat on top of the microwave.
Gia Mizura had given them to him in her clinic
when she'd treated him. They were for the pain,
and it was still almost full.

He shook his head and looked at the door for a
moment, a frown formed on his face as he walked
towards it and paused with his hand over the
doorknob. He closed his eyes and took a deep
breath as he turned it and stepped outside.

"Hello Carrot," said the woman who stood
opposite him with a frown on her face and her arms
crossed over her chest.

"Gia," he replied with a wince. "Damn it, how
does she know when I'm leaving?" he thought to
himself angrily. "Do you wait out here all day for
me?"

She smirked to herself. She could tell when he
was going out because it was the only time his
television went off. That and when he was
sleeping, there was no need to let on this fact.
"I'm a woman, I can tell these things."

"Right," he grumbled irritably.

"Are you feeling well?" she asked him calmly.

"I'm fine," he said with a sigh. "Really, I'm
not sick, I'm not having weakness spells, and no,
I'm not working." His tone told anyone listening
in that it was an old conversation.

"It isn't very healthy to sit in your room all
day that way," she said with a frown on her face
as she narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's my business if I do," he said calmly.

"Where are you going this time?" she asked him
with a small shrug.

"Shopping, I'm out of food," he replied
irritably.

"Hmmm? Oh really? Out to buy more...junk?" she
said sourly.

"What else can I eat? I don't have a stove, I
don't have a refrigerator, and I don't like eating
out," he said with a snort.

"I'd think someone in your shape would get a
little stir crazy," she said as she sighed and
hung her head.

"I'm finding it rather relaxing," he said
calmly. "Excuse me..."

"Hey!" the woman jumped up from her place on
the wall and grabbed his shoulder.

"What is it?" he snapped irritably as he
turned to look at her.

The woman was peering at his face at an
uncomfortably close distance; she was holding him
in front of her by the shoulders. "Wha? Where is?
How?" she stammered to herself.

Carrot got sick of it and promptly planted his
lips on her mouth.

She jerked back in shock and wiped her mouth
on her forearm in surprise.

"Thanks lady, I'm hungry," he said as he
started walking again.

Mizura simply stared at him dumbly for a
moment; she was flustered and annoyed at the same
time. "Hey! You little bastard! I..." Her voice
died down as she noticed he was ignoring her in
favor of his trip to the store.

++++++++++++

"This had better be good," said a large
intimidating Shadow that glared down at the frail
looking woman coldly.

"Yes," agreed the tall thin shadow next to it
calmly.

"If she called us all together, then it must
be," replied a feminine sounding voice. The figure
melted out of the shadows slowly, revealing a
frail looking woman in her twenties. She had milky
skin and long black hair. "Isn't that correct dear
sister?"

Kei stepped in front of her mother barring the
woman's path. "Not now." She spoke to her as an
equal, not as a figure of authority. "We've got
other concerns."

"Lowborn tramp, you should respect your
elders," snorted the woman hatefully.

"And you should respect your superiors,"
replied Kei calmly.

"Well, you've grown up some since the last
time I saw you Kei," said the woman with a sweet
looking smile on her face.

"And you haven't, auntie," replied the girl
calmly.

"Enough of this," said the bulky looking man
who was still hidden in the darkness. "Why is that
case broken?"

All of their gazes fell on the broken glass
case hanging on the wall, a black katana rested
inside. Its dragon hilt seemed to exude power
across the room, the jeweled eyes staring off into
space.

"We have a dangerous adversary. I have called
the clan heads together, so that we might deal
with him," replied Mitsuki as she walked by them
all. Her gaze fell on each of them and she
frowned.

"Him? One man has called us all together?"
replied the thin shadow as he uncrossed his arms
slightly in surprise.

"He is very dangerous, and more skilled in our
art than any I have seen before," said Kei as she
eyed them all.

"So, you two have failed, and you want us to
bail you out," said the woman as she chuckled at
the pair.

"This man entered our master's home, and
survived a drop from the window of his office on
pure skill," said Mitsuki coldly. "All while
avoiding my shiruken."

"Impressive," said the large figure with a
short nod of appreciation.

"And Kei?" asked the woman as she narrowed her
eyes at the girl.

"I also failed to kill him," she said as she
turned her head in shame.

"Heh, perhaps your superiority is in
jeopardy?"

"Lord Hisami will have nothing to do with the
likes of you," said the girl with a smirk on her
face.

"I think you'd prefer it if he did," retorted
the woman calmly.

"I perform my duty to my clan," she snapped
angrily.

"Enough!" said Mitsuki coldly.

"You didn't answer my question," said the
large ninja.

"He broke it when he entered, and attempted to
use it against me," said Mitsuki calmly.

"I'll bet that hurt," said the skinny shadow
with a small snort of amusement.

"It is still there, is it not?" replied
Mitsuki coldly. There was a hint of anger in her
voice, but none of the others seemed to notice it.
Either that, or they were all used to the tone
from her.

"In any case, we must work to destroy him, he
is too strong a threat to be left alone," said Kei
calmly.

"I'll destroy him easily enough," said the
skinny man as he turned away.

"This fool should not pose a problem," agreed
the largest of them, as he also seemed start
moving out of the room.

"Heh, no problem indeed," said the other woman
as she nodded and left after her comrades.

"Fools," said an aged voice from the darkness.
"All of them."

Kei turned and gasped. "Old man!"

"Let them go and find out for themselves. If
you weren't enough to kill him, I don't see how
they will succeed where you have failed. Am I
correct Kei?" The tone was patronizing, and almost
mocking her.

"I..."

Mitsuki frowned at this. "He is strong
master."

"Indeed he is, but you two are not in your
positions for any reason other than your looks,"
said the old man calmly. Hisami always did like
Kunoichi around him more. "Your skills are
admirable, but they have the greater skill.
Although...your uncle still bothers even me at
times. His style is as warped as his mind."

"We shall see," said Mitsuki calmly.

Kei growled angrily and clenched her fist. She
had not wanted this, the boy was hers. "I will be
the one who kills him."

"You do that dear, no one is going to stop
you," replied the old voice as it faded away.

+++++++++++++

"Mitsuki is hiding something," said the female
ninja as she turned to face the two men who were
still somehow cloaked in darkness on the rooftop.
The clung to it like a second skin, not making a
sound as they stared out over the city below.

"Yes, I sensed that as well," replied the
larger of the two males. "She also forgets that I
am her superior. Once this is over, I should
remind her of that again. Her duty with Lord
Hisami has made her cocky."

"You should be the one with the honor of
guarding our Lord," agreed the skinny shadow
calmly.

"This game could be interesting, we shall
see," said the large one coldly.

"I do hope so, we haven't had much of a
challenge in a while," agreed the woman.

She turned again and saw that the men were
gone. "Heh. Which one of us will destroy this fool
first I wonder?"

+++++++++++++

Carrot frowned as he walked into the apartment
building. Night had fallen a short time ago, and
he had a small plastic bag in his hand with enough
to last him a few days more in it.

He walked into the hall and frowned as he
noticed Mizura standing in front of his room with
her head hung down. "Shit." He walked up to her
carefully, not even realizing what he was doing.
He tried to slip by her, hoping she was asleep or
something.

He stepped in front of her when he realized
she was blocking his entrance and not just leaning
against the wall. "Hey. What do you want?"

The woman jumped and screamed, punching out
with her fist in shock.

Carrot caught her wrist and frowned at her for
a moment. "What?"

"How long have you been there?" she screeched
as she tried to catch her breath. She hadn't even
heard the boy walk up.

"I dunno, a half second maybe? What's with
you?"

"What are you? Some kinda damn ninja?" snapped
the woman angrily as she pulled her wrist out of
his hand and scowled at him. She had been
listening for the creaks in the floor or the door
to open when he came in. He hadn't made a single
sound.

"What are you going to bother me about now?
I'm almost at the end of the level in my game," he
replied casually.

"Asshole!" she said as she slapped him across
his face. He didn't stop her and blinked in
surprise. "That's for kissing me!"

"Oh, is that all?" he replied calmly as he
rubbed at his chin.

"You bet your ass it's not!" she snapped.

"Jeez, you sure are cranky today. Maybe you
should call Spike or something, he hasn't been
over in a few days," said Carrot irritably as he
dropped his bag and leaned against the wall
opposite her.

"That's none of your business!" she snapped.

"Well, it wouldn't be if it didn't make so
much noise," he said as he rolled his eyes. "Do
you actually enjoy bothering me this way?"

"Wait a minute! Stop changing the subject! Why
the hell isn't your nose broken!?" snapped the
woman as she grabbed his chin and poked at it with
her finger.

"Huh?" he said dumbly.

"Your nose was broken! I felt the bone reset!"
she snapped. "There is no way!" she said as she
pulled on it.

"Owww! Stop that! It's still sore!" he snapped
angrily.

She released him and he clutched at his face
angrily. "Damn it. Why did you do that?"

She grabbed his arm and pulled him into her
apartment.

"Shouldn't there be a date or something
first?" he commented as she tossed him onto the
floor.

The woman closed the door behind her and
narrowed her eyes at him. "Stop being a jerk and
sit there."

"Fine," he muttered irritably. "My stuff is
still in the hall you know."

"It will be there when you get back," she
replied calmly.

"What is this about anyway?" he said as he
glared at her for a moment.

"Shut up," she snapped as she sat down in
front of him with her bag on her lap and jerked
his head around.

"Don't touch it! It still hurts!" he snapped
as she tried to grab his nose again.

"Quit whining!" she said as she shoved his and
aside and tilted his head back.

She peered at the wound for a minute or so and
then sat back with a dumb look on her face. "There
is no way."

"No way what? What the hell are you on about?"
he snapped angrily.

"Your nose is almost completely healed. Do you
realize how badly it was broken before?" she cried
as she shook him by his shoulders violently.

"Not really, no," he said with a frown on his
face.

"All you've got left is a little bruise
nimrod!" she snapped.

"So I got better," he replied calmly.

"No one gets better this fast!" she jerked him
around again.

"Stop that!" he said as he pulled her grip
away. "I guess I do, deal with it." He stood up
and sighed.

"How? How did you do that?" she said as she
jumped up after him.

"How the hell would I know? I guess I'm just
special," he replied with a shrug. "Can I go now?"

"No! Not until I figure this out!" she cried
as she jumped in front of her door and blocked his
path again.

"Look lady..."

"Just sit down!" she said as she badgered him
back to the table and pushed him down.

"Great," he muttered to himself. "Is this
going to take long? If you aren't having sex with
me I'm not spending the night."

She promptly swat him on the back of his head
with her fist for the comment and began to dig
through her medical bag. Carrot jumped out of his
seat and onto the top of the table when she pulled
out the biggest needle he'd ever seen.

"What the hell is that for?" he cried
fearfully.

"What? You don't like needles? It's just a
blood test," she said with a frown on her face.

"I like needles fine! What I don't like is
that spear you're planning on sticking me with!"

"Just behave yourself, if you're good I'll
cook you dinner," she said with a smile on her
face.

"No thanks, I've heard Spike groaning in pain
in the hall before," replied Carrot flatly.

"What? He's just overwhelmed by how good it
is! He told me!" she snapped angrily.

"No, he's overwhelmed by the fact that you're
sleeping with him. I've never seen a man drink
four bottles of antacid before that night."

"Just shut up and be a good boy!" she cried as
she lunged for him. He jumped over her head and
landed behind her at the door.

"You're loony!" he cried as he backed himself
against the wall.

"Well this is all I've got here right now!"
she snapped as she held the needle up.

Carrot frowned. "What? This can't wait until
later?"

"You could be in that room for days! Just suck
it up and take it like a man!" she said coolly as
she advanced on him.

Carrot narrowed his eyes and calmly reached
out and grabbed the needle with his hand, snapping
it off the syringe.

"Damn," she muttered as she hung her head and
looked at the object in her hand.

"Look lady..."

"Just, tell me how you did it?" she said as
she clutched at his shoulders again.

"Oh no you don't. I ain't goin through this
again lady. I dunno what you're talkin about. I
just got better, that's all," he said as he
removed her hands.

"Fine! Let me find out how then!" she snapped.

"I'm not going to be your damn guinea pig!" he
said sharply.

"Come on! Please?!" she said as she fell to
her knees.

"No damn it!" he cried as he backed away from
her.

"I'll do anything!" she cried.

"Gross! You're old enough to be my mom!" cried
the boy.

She promptly hit him on top of his head with
her fist again.

"I really wish you'd stop that," he said with
a tear shining in his eye.

"All right, fine," she said as she turned away
from him. "Be that way then."

+++++++++++

Carrot frowned as he woke up. A look at his
clock told him it was around noon. He sighed and
rolled onto his back off the futon and tried to
place what had woke him.

There was a pounding on his door. "What the
hell?" he muttered irritably.

"Open up," said a voice from the other side.

"What is it?" he grumbled as he staggered over
and opened the door.

Spike was standing in front of him with a grin
on his face, looking down on him. "Hiya."

"What do you want?" said the boy as he peered
up at the man with a bleary eyed stare.

"Gia asked me ta come over and see ya!" said
the man. "She wants ta talk with ya."

"Great. I thought we went through this last
night," he grumbled as he staggered out after the
man into the hall.

"You'se knows I gotta hit ya fer kissin my
girl right?"

"What? Right now?" he muttered as he peered up
at the much larger man. He didn't look very
afraid.

"Naw, she wants ta talk first," said the man
with a shrug.

"Oh, okay," muttered Carrot as he walked into
the room.

Gia was sitting behind her table and watching
him with a cup of tea in her hands.

"Shouldn't you be at work or something?" said
Carrot.

"I'm at lunch," she said calmly as she sipped
at her cup.

"I'm still not gonna be your experiment," said
the boy irritably.

"This isn't about that," said the woman
calmly.

"Oh, good. What is it then?" replied the boy
as he sat down. He looked much more awake now, but
still had a slightly tired sloth about him.

"I think you should get out more," she said
with a shrug.

Carrot looked up at Spike. "Go ahead and hit
me, then I can leave and go back to sleep."

The woman blinked and looked at her boyfriend
dumbly for a moment.

"It's nuthin darlin," he said nervously.

"Whatever. You can't spend all day every day
holed up in your apartment. How are you going to
pay the rent?" she said calmly as she turned her
gaze at the boy again.

"None of your business, I got my ways,"
replied the boy calmly.

"All right, but still. It isn't healthy," said
the woman.

"What are you? My mother?" snorted the boy
irritably.

"Well no one else is going to do it," she said
sharply. He was already starting to grate on her
nerves. "Maybe I should spank you."

"What makes you think I wouldn't enjoy that?"
said Carrot.

Spike looked down at him. "Dat one's free, on
account of it was pretty funny."

"Yeah. I thought so too," agreed the boy
cheerfully.

Gia sighed in frustration. "You can't just
stay in your room forever."

"Why not?" asked the boy as he stared at her.

"Because," she said with a frustrated tone.

"Oh. That makes perfect sense then."

"What I want to know, is why would someone as
active as you want too?" she said with a frown on
her face.

"Because people are trying to kill me," said
Carrot simply.

"I thought so, bullies," said the woman with a
sigh.

"Bullies?" said Carrot as he blinked at her.

"You can't let other kids keep you from
living!" she said as she stared at him firmly.

"What the hell are you talking about lady? I
thought I was pretty clear when I said it the
first time. People are trying to kill me."

"Haw! I remember when kids used ta say dat
about me!" said Spike. "I can do somethin about
dat fer ya. I kinda like ya kid."

Carrot sighed and hung his head. "Read my
lips. People...are...trying...to...kill...me."

Both of the adults blinked.

"What?" said Gia.

"Must be pretty bad kids," said Spike.

"There are no kids. It's this crazy ninja
chick and her mom, plus those Sailor Senshi
chicks. They don't like me either! One of them
threw fire at me the other night. Then there was
that time that weird looking wooden mask thing
tried to beat me to death..."

Gia narrowed her eyes at him. "Let me get this
straight. The Sailor Senshi...are trying to kill
you?"

Carrot nodded.

"What fer?" asked Spike. He had instantly
accepted the story at face value.

"I think I just rub them the wrong way or
something. Well, there was that one Youma guy who
tried to recruit me..." Carrot looked thoughtful
for a moment. "Then there was that time I threw a
pipe at them..."

Gia could feel the hackles on the back of her
neck rise. She couldn't believe what she was
hearing.

"Dat must be hard," said Spike with a slight
understanding in his voice. "Ya layin low den?"

"Yeah. I'm hoping it'll just go away if I wait
long enough," said Carrot cheerfully.

"Ya know, sometimes dat works," said the man
cheerfully. "My Cousin, Tent, he did dat when he
owed dis guy some money. The cops busted the guy,
and he didn't have ta pay."

"Yeah. I'm hoping for something along those
lines," said Carrot cheerfully.

"Shut up!" screeched Gia as she clutched her
head. Her brain was starting to hurt. "You idiot!
He's lying."

"I am not! Who else would throw a rose at my
ass!" snapped Carrot irritably.

"The Senshi threw a rose at ya?" asked Spike.

"Naw, it was that weenie looser that hangs
around them. Tuxedo Dork or something," said the
boy as he looked up at the man.

"Enough! Spike, just tell him," said Gia as
she rubbed at her temples.

"I pulled some strings and got ya a job wit da
guy I work fer," said the oaf cheerfully. "It's
deliverin packages and stuff."

Carrot blinked. "Huh?"

"You take tings around da neighborhood ta
people. It ain't hard or nuthin," said the man.

"You mean, I'd have to be outside?" said
Carrot with a frown.

"Yeah, but just around here," said the man
with a shrug.

"No thanks," said Carrot. "I'd rather stay
here and be alive."

"Well, ya can't say no," said Spike. "I'm
supposed ta convince ya." He cracked his knuckles
and smiled.

"Don't worry. You won't be hurt for more than
a week. Right?" said Gia cheerfully.

"You wouldn't," said the boy as he glared at
her for a moment. His face fell and he sighed
again. "You would."

"Good. You start today," said the woman with a
grin on her face.

"Gee, thanks," muttered Carrot sourly.

He stood up and looked at Spike for a moment.
"When do we leave? I should have known this plan
of mine wouldn't work out."

"Right now. Yer dressed already," said the man
as he pointed at the boy's clothes.

Carrot had fallen asleep in his clothes, and
was still wearing them. He looked down at himself
and shrugged. "Fine. Whatever."

The pair walked out into the hall and Carrot
stood opposite Spike.

"Sorry bout dis," said the man with an
apologetic smile on his face. He promptly decked
the boy and sent his head back so hard it cracked
the plaster on the wall.

Carrot floundered around on the ground for a
moment with stars flashing in his vision. "Jeez!"
he muttered as he stood up and shook his head a
few times.

"Hey. I didn't knock ya out. Good, I don't
gotta carry ya," said the man cheerfully.

"Yeah, great," muttered the boy as he started
to stagger forward.

++++++++++++

Carrot blinked as he looked at the envelope he
had been handed. "Huh?"

"You know the neighborhood pretty well?" asked
the skinny and greasy looking man who stood in
front of him.

"Yeah, but...what am I delivering anyway?"
said Carrot.

"Money mostly, sometimes paperwork and
messages, that sort of thing. Nothin illegal. We
use other people for that sort of thing," said the
man with a shrug.

"Who am I working for anyway?" asked the boy
as he looked at Spike.

"Da boss," replied the man with a shrug.

"Oh. So, I'm sort of an errand boy for the
local criminal element?" he said as he looked at
the envelope. "I suppose I can live with that."

"Don't worry, you won't get bothered," said
the greasy looking man calmly. "What you're doing
isn't illegal."

"Okay," said Carrot.

"You may get hassled a little by some of the
cops," amended the man. "It goes with the
territory, especially after they see you around a
lot."

"Yeah. I guess," said the boy as he looked at
the envelope again.

"Spike here recommended you highly. If you
screw up, we'll rough you up and fire you. If you
lose something important, we'll take your fingers
and fire you. If you talk about what you see here,
we'll kill you."

"And fire me," added Carrot.

"You get it then," said the man cheerfully.

"Yeah. No problem," said the boy with a shrug.
"I'm a mail-boy. Great."

"Basically," said the man as he pat him on the
shoulder. "You seem like a smart kid. You could
move up if you work at it."

"I'm not really interested in that. I'm just
doing this because his girlfriend thinks I need to
get out more," said Carrot as he looked at the
man. "I got nothin against it or anything. I just
don't see it as my future," he added after seeing
the man's annoyed stare.

"Got better plans?" said the man with a grin
on his face.

"No, I just don't like high risk jobs too
much," said the boy with a shrug. "It might be
safe at the top, but it's a hell of a climb to get
there."

The man laughed at this and pat him on the
shoulder. "I think we'll get along fine kid."

"Yeah. One more thing. If it matters, I'd
rather not know." He waved the envelope in the
man's face and smirked.

"Oh, I see," said the man calmly. "Hear no
evil, see no evil is your motto?"

"Something like that," said the boy as he
shrugged.

"Well, you take that to this address, and get
it there by three," said the man as he smirked at
the boy.

"Right," said Carrot as he looked up at the
clock. It was a fair distance away, but he had a
half-hour to get it there. That wouldn't be a
problem for him. "Later then."

++++++++++++++

Usagi Tsukino frowned as she stared out into
the night sky from her bedroom window. It was a
quiet night, no monsters attacking, and no
unfathomable darkness looming just overhead.

Luna was sitting on the bed, grooming herself
while the girl watched the stars.

"You know, I wonder about that guy," said the
girl wistfully.

"Huh?" said Luna as she perked up suddenly.
"What? What guy?"

"All those mysterious men, the ones you call
the 'Enemy'."

"Yes, I wonder too," said the cat as she
strolled up next to the girl and curled up beside
her.

"That one still bothers me though, the one we
fought in the park. It didn't seem as right as
those others," she said wistfully. "I think it's
been bothering some of the others too."

"Oh?" asked Luna as she looked up at the girl.

"He wasn't like those terrible men, he
seemed...almost normal," said the girl with a
frustrated frown on her face. "He was a real jerk
though."

"Well, if what you told me was true, he
probably was normal. Those evil men saw something
in him, and convinced him to join them. That made
him just as much a threat as those others," said
the cat with a small bit of sympathy in her eyes.

"Those others, the almost don't seem real.
That boy...he was more real." Usagi sighed and
looked down at the cat. "It's been bothering me."

"Sometimes, you must do what you have to,"
replied the cat. "It's good that you have such
strong feelings, but don't let them get in the way
of what you have to do."

"Right," muttered Usagi. "Although, Rei
certainly has been in a good mood since we
defeated him, Makoto too."

Luna nodded and put her head down to try and
get some sleep.

++++++++++++++

Rei Hino frowned as she concentrated on the
flames in front of her. A scowl formed on her face
as she struggled with the spirit within the flame.


It took a moment, but the fire sent a single
image that shocked her out of her concentration.

The boy, his face. He looked strong, the same
condescending smirk was on his lips as she
remembered. He seemed to almost be laughing at her
in defiance. "Even in death, he fights?" she
muttered angrily.

As the image bled away from her mind, two
things flashed. One was the boy standing against
her on a rooftop, the other was a black sword
hilt, carved into the face of a dragon at the
hilt. Two jeweled eyes sparkling in the flames.

"What does it mean?" growled Rei as she stared
at the flames. She gasped and suddenly felt a
slight twinge of fear in her heart. "Can it be? Is
he still...alive?"

She shook her head and grunted. It was
impossible, she had seen him die. There was
nothing left of him but a puddle of water after
Sailor Moon's attack had struck. He was gone for
sure.

She stood up firmly and turned away, hoping to
catch some sleep before she returned to school.
She ignored the small tingle of doubt that started
to form in the back of her mind.

++++++++++++

Carrot frowned as he looked up at the
apartment. It was around nine o'clock at night,
and he was just returning home from the job. It
was pretty easy really. He just carried small
packages from one area of the neighborhood to the
other. They were mostly envelopes.

Often he had time to take his time to deliver
them as well. Leaving him with enough free time to
do as he pleased between deliveries. He had
stopped and eaten a few times that day while
working. There was usually another waiting for him
when he returned, but there were also long periods
where he had just sat around and done nothing.

With a small snort he opened the door and went
inside.

++++++++++++

Across the alley, a lone figure stood in the
shadows watching. The orange burn of a cigarette
being the only indication he was there. After the
boy had vanished, he stepped out and glanced
around.

He was a Japanese man in his thirties. His
clothing was a long gray trenchcoat, and his
thinning hair was slicked back on top of his head.
He scowled and flicked the butt away into the
street as he glared at the apartment door for a
moment.

He chuckled to himself and turned away.
Walking down the street calmly. "I'll talk with
the punk tomorrow. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky
with this one?"

++++++++++++

TBC...

Next Time: Spies, youma, and sexy kunoichi!