Walk forward, into the world

Title: Walk forward, into the world
Author: Ainzfern
Genre: Ai no Kusabi – Post OVA
Code: Iason/Riki
Rating: NC-17
Parts: WIP - 14/?


From behind his desk, in his luxury office situated in the upper floors of Jupiter Tower, Iason Mink looked up, nodding in welcome as Raoul Am entered and almost casually strolled across the plush carpeting towards him.

“Iason,” his friend greeted him, his expression mild and pleasant, as he folded his elegant limbs gracefully into the chair opposite Iason’s desk.

“Raoul,” Iason returned his salutation, mirroring that same expression.

For a long moment, they simply looked at each other, their faces artfully bland and a wealth of silent communication flowing back and forth between their locked gazes.

“Well,” Raoul ended the stalemate at some length. “This morning’s Syndicate session was interesting.”

Iason’s rich mouth twitched, just a little. “It was, wasn’t it?”

Inspecting his fingernails nonchalantly, Raoul tilted head and smiled slightly. “I didn’t actually think you were planning on tabling the Companion legislation so soon, however.”

“I wasn’t.”

“So,” Looking back at him again, Raoul arched a brow at him. “What changed your mind?”

Iason sat back, tapping a soft staccato rhythm on the armrest of his chair for moment. “Jupiter did,” replied, watching Raoul’s eyes widen ever so slightly. “During yesterday evening’s report to her she essentially told me to ‘get on with it’.

Raoul blinked. “To ‘get on with it’ - ?” he echoed.

“In a manner of speaking.”

“Interesting,” Raoul nodded his acceptance of the notion, then flicked a slightly evil look at him from under lowered lashes. “I thought some of our worthy colleagues were going to implode when you uploaded the overview to them.”

“Quite.”

“Although, I was amazed at how quiet they all became when you invited any one of them who wished to question Jupiter’s authority to enter her sanctum and ask her in person,” Raoul shrugged lightly. “I would never have believed that an entire room full of Elite’s could be so silent for so long.”

“It would seem we’re learning all manner of new things about ourselves, Raoul.”

Raoul smirked at him. “And any day where something new is learned, is never a wasted day.”

“Is Tahna Lam still frothing at the mouth?” Iason asked him, finding that he was still slightly amused at the memory of the dumbstruck expression that had crossed the face of one of his more vocal opponents in the Syndicate.

Raoul snorted softly. “Not exactly. He’s using a lot of his favorite key-phrases, though.”

“Ah. Let me guess,” Iason pulled a mock-thoughtful little face, “Outrageous Insult and Fundamental Disgrace..?”

“Perfectly correct,” Raoul’s smile positive dripped gleeful malice.

“Perhaps I ought to requisition him a thesaurus. It’s really about time he learned to extemporize upon his theme.”

“I can only suggest he’d be most grateful to you.”

Sitting forward slightly, Iason became more serious, meeting Raoul’s eyes levelly. “So… in your nominated role as vote-counter in the secret ballot that followed..?”

Raoul nodded, suddenly somber once more. “Yes, Iason, I’ve been monitoring it closely.”

“And..?” Iason prompted, feeling certain amount of undeniable tension rising into his chest.

“Well, there are a few more votes to come in at this point,” The look in Raoul’s eyes gave away the result before he had even vocalized it. “But, the overwhelming majority so far is in favor of your tabled petition. Even if the remaining Syndicate members decide to abstain, you’ve still won. The legislation will be passed.”

Iason relaxed back into his seat, his eyes closing briefly and a soft slow sigh leaving his chest, his outward appearance of relief a mere tiny shade of how he actually felt inside.

“Good,” he nodded once more. “This is gratifying.”

“I’m pleased for you, my friend,” Raoul told him warmly.

“I’m pleased for all of us,” Iason replied. He paused then, a frown crossing his face as his thoughts abruptly moved to a different, yet somehow so closely related, subject.

Noticing the sudden change, Raoul peered closely at him. “Iason? You’ve been doing that most of morning, I’ve noticed. Is there anything wrong?”

Iason pressed his lips together tightly for moment before nodding, a tiny grimace of deep unease crossing his face. “In a way,” he replied, meeting Raoul’s concerned eyes. “You’re aware of the project that Riki, and to a certain extent, Katze, have been working on for Chey Neeson?”

“The colonization on Hepstra.” Raoul said, “Yes, you’ve mentioned it to me.”

“Well,” Iason rose to his feet, rounding his desk and approaching the wide windows that lined one full wall of his office, looking out for a moment at the magnificent vista below, “Due to circumstances that I could only label as ‘unfortunate’, the number of disowned Pets in Midas is far lower than Neeson requires to complete his work force contingent.”

“I see.”

“This means that a decision has been made to make up the numbers by offering the opportunity to certain residents in Ceres.”

“Oh,” Peripherally, Iason noted that Raoul had moved to stand beside him at the window, “And what is Jupiter’s opinion on that?”

“She’s not opposed to it.”

“So,” Raoul looked sideways at him. “What’s the difficulty?”

Iason’s sigh was slightly shaky. “The difficulty is that the best possible contact to provide the names and locations that Riki requires is his old partner, Guy.”

Raoul’s breath hissed sharply between his teeth. “That dangerous maniac? Surely you’re not going to allow Riki to venture into the Ceres to see him, are you?”

“No.”

“Well, I would hope not.”

“Guy will be brought here, instead. To this office. This afternoon, as a matter of fact, if Katze’s people have been able to get hold of him.”

Raoul turned to face him, shock written large across his beautiful face. “Iason… is that wise?”

“In comparison to the alternative?” Iason shrugged. “Yes.”

Falling silent once more, Raoul stared at the floor as he considered it. “All right,” he murmured, his tone deeply preoccupied with thought, “I’m assuming that you’ll have full security set up?”

“Of course. Audio-visual monitoring from the moment he steps through that door,” Iason glanced over his shoulder at the entrance to his office. “A response team will be stationed in the anti-room and I, myself, will be right outside the entire time.” His pale eyes narrowed dangerously, “If Guy makes so much as one threatening twitch in Riki’s direction, we’ll haul him out of here in under a second.”

“So, I’m gathering that it’s not physical harm to Riki that is concerning you,” Raoul mused, his eyes knowing as they looked at Iason’s tense face.

“You are correct Raoul,” Iason sighed and shook his head, almost helplessly.

Raoul’s’ warm hand closed over his shoulder. “Surely you’re not concerned that Riki might still have feelings of affection for the man, are you?”

“No, it’s not that, so much, “Iason frowned, struggling with it. “It’s more that Riki seems to feel responsible for Guy in some way. Almost as if he owes him some manner of apology for everything that took place. Even after all the acts that Guy perpetrated against him, how he harmed him, Riki still feels guilt.”

Iason,” Raoul gently tugged on Iason’s shoulder until he turned to face him fully, “If there is one thing that I have learned through my observation of Riki, it is that he is far stronger than you are giving him credit for.” Raoul flushed slightly, almost shamefully, “I never told you this but, during the initial days of his recovery from his injuries at Dana Bahn, I honestly wondered how on earth he could possibly live. He was such a pitiful wreck, a thing so battered and torn that I truly thought it might have been kinder to just let him slip away. ”

Iason’s eyes closed painfully.

“But it was his spirit, Iason, which pulled him through those days.” Raoul shook his head in actual wonder, “It was his will, and not any manner of medical intervention, that got him through the worst of it. I had no idea that a mere mongrel could posses so much strength.”

Opening his eyes, Iason met Raoul’s compassionate gaze. He nodded, a small smile reforming on his face. “I honestly believe that you have just succeeded in settling my mind somewhat, Raoul,” he said softly, gratefully.

“Always glad to be of service to you, my friend.” Raoul chuckled softly, dropping his hand from Iason’s shoulder and looking once more out at the city below. “Mongrels,” he huffed, almost to himself. “Far more complex little creatures than I would ever have imagined.”

Iason shot him a searching look. The words Raoul had used could so easily have been taken as insulting, but the tone of his voice... it had been warm, almost affectionate.

Interesting.

Pushing his own worries to the back of his mind, Iason narrowed his eyes slightly, keeping a close note of Raoul’s reactions. “I can’t help but notice you’ve taken to spending an inordinate amount of your time in the company of one particular mongrel yourself, Raoul.”

Raoul looked at him suspiciously.

“Katze?” Iason clarified mildly, “You’ve had him over at your office in the science centre quite a few times, I believe.”

“Well,” Raoul shifted slightly on his feet. “I have engaged his quite remarkable technical skills to upgrade the efficiency of the lab’s computer network, that’s all.”

Iason simply continued to look steadily at him. “I see.”

Under that scrutiny, the slightest flush rose in Raoul’s face. “Plus, in all fairness, he does have a rather intelligent mind. I find his conversation surprisingly diverting.”

“Of course.”

Raoul cleared his throat awkwardly, refusing to hold Iason’s gaze. “And he plays a decently challenging game of chess.”

“He does, indeed.” Iason’s mouth twitched again.

Silence reigned for another few moments before Raoul heaved a great sigh and shot him a look that literally spoke volumes. “Iason?” he asked disgustedly.

“Hmm?”

“Sometimes you’re so clever you make me sick.” He turned and stalked from Iason’s office, trailing an air of wounded affrontary behind him.

With a knowing smile, Iason simply watched him go.


******


There were four of them… moving through the inner slum streets of Ceres in a relaxed and casual manner. They had been carefully selected by their black-market boss for their astonishing ability to be unremarkable. To blend into any crowd, at any time, in any place. Anyone walking the streets with them would most likely not even take note of them as they moved past, each man perfectly blending into the background swell of bustle and movement. Each man no more than just another nondescript face in a veritable sea of faces...

They were all well trained, highly competent and extremely dangerous. And they were exceptionally good at their jobs. Most of their targets only ever realized that they were there just before they were quickly and quietly dispatched.

If you had to turn around to see them... then you were already too late.

Today their task was somewhat different from their normal M.O. There was no killing to be done. Today, in an odd turn of events, they were arranging a simple pick-up and delivery.

In a manner of speaking.

They had located their quarry with their usual efficiency, tracking him carefully and making their move with the speed and precision of a well-oiled machine. With no one in Ceres any the wiser, they had swiftly extracted their mark and were heading safely back through Midas towards Jupiter Tower.

It would be some hours yet before their target’s associates would even realize that he was gone.

They really were exceptionally good at their jobs...


TBC…