Tainted Time

Chapter 15
Forgotten Lives


He swore he had killed it. Then again, he swore he had killed it/mentally exploded/swallowed it 12 other times in the last hour. Nevertheless, the small evil little Satanist bug still drilled its high-pitched tone into his eardrum. "Get-GET the hell out of my face, you reject from a spiders meal!" he raged, swinging his hands about, map snapping with the movements.

Lupin was lost. He hated to admit it, but he was very very lost. Not even the moss was going to offer any help this time. Sighing, he sat on a nearby mini boulder, running a filthy hand through his tangled hair.
Smearing dirt along the paper, Lupin traced his path along the microscopic lines on the old surface. He should have been there by now..but.. All he had was a huge pebble under his ass and a crick in his shoulder.

Pops was counting on him. Just like he always counted on Pops to be there for him. And here he was, not even able to find a cave opening while the old guy followed him all over the entire damn planet. Sighing, he slipped forward and laid out on the rock. Grimacing as his back cracked in more then a few spots, Lupin forced himself to pause for a moment and think it out. Closing his eyes, the thief breathed deep, relaxing ever so slightly, going back over the map in his map and the places he had been.

*Peace and calm. Calm and peace. Peace and love? Piece of ass. Zenigata’s ass. No nono.. Mind back on the map.. Blue lines..* Lupin let his breath slow, but not to the point of sleep, looking for the right path in his mind. The sun warmed his forehead as the thin brows crinkled in thought.

And in frustration as the as the bug he swore he killed a 13 times so far, settled into a flight pattern right around his head. Giving a short frustrated bellow, Lupin flung his arms about like a dying squid.

That is, until something shifted. Pausing in mid spaz, Lupin looked at the vibrating grass and blunk.

Once.

The scream barely started when he hit the bottom of the cavern mounds of sod slapping on him with damp delight.

Something was missin-

Eyes wide in panic, Lupin gathered himself and rolled, as the rock he had been sitting on collided with the sandy bottom, the resulting boom echoing about the small opening.

"So.. I was on the right path" He grinned, face pale and drawn. "And that’s going to hurt for a while." Lupin added in a quiet voice, staring at the large stone trapping his hand to the floor, a slight smear of blood along the sandy surface below it.

And then-he passed out.

Silently, the entire underground insect population it seemed came out of hiding to check out the breathing lump. As time passed, most left, having grown bored with the nothing mountain, but a few stayed, burrowing into clothing and nibbling on bloody sand. It would be interesting when Lupin awoke.

~~~~~~~~~~

Groaning, the thief stirred, shielding his dirt covered face from the dying sun as he tried to look at his watch. Wait. That wasn't right-

"Shit!" he yelped, sitting upright suddenly. Pain shocked through his hand and arm, the force of his own pull yanking him right back to the ground as his mangled hand sat contently under the rock. With a low cry of pain, Lupin dug his fingers under the edge, sand coated knuckles straining as he fought to lift the stone off his hand.

There was only five hours left.

Grimacing against the stabs of pain that shot through his arm and to his heart, Lupin’s free hand shook with the strain of lifting the rock even the few inches needed. Pulling free suddenly, Lupin rolled over on his back, cradling the hand to his chest, fighting to control his racing pulse.

The quick heavy gasps of pained breath furled and twisted in the dark of the hole, the night already taking over the days reign above him, casting the world into a chilly calm. A shiver ran over the thief, he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or maybe shock. "Gotta get that bat." He muttered, fighting the urge to use his mangled hand to push himself upright. "Gotta save Pops."

With that thought to power him, Lupin made it to his feet, no matter the fact they were quite unsteady, and walked into the pitch-black cavern without looking back.

"Huh, feels like I got sand or something all over in my clothing" Lupin mused allowed, good hand scratching at an ant along his shoulder

~~~~~~~~~~

"He took it well?" Jigen stopped his slow walk and peered out at his love that had sat the table for a late snack. Sake and sushi for Goemon and Bourbon and a chunk of beef jerky for him. Sitting at the table, Jigen sighed as Goemon placed a hand on his head, drawing his hat off.

"He seems shocked. The old man will need some time to think it over." Tilting his head back, the gunman relaxed as thin fingers moved through his hair, touching gently against his scalp.

"He will make the choice he deems right." Goemon’s hands slipped from the raven hair to the tense shoulders. "What else happened?" He asked softly, "Something made you tense up greatly, more then just proposing he join us." The strong hands tightened, massaging as he spoke. Waiting, Goemon continued his actions as the silence drew out.

"I told him."

The relaxing motions stopped suddenly, making Jigen squirm slightly as Goemon’s thumbs pressed a little too hard against his shoulder blades. "Are you sure that was wise?" The velvet voice asked as the swordsman abandoned the massage and slipped into his own seat across from his love.

Digging out his smokes, Jigen cursed and threw the empty pack across the room, the wadded plastic and paper landing almost gracefully into the trashcan. "What else could I do? The old guy needed to know; he wasn't going to believe me that Lupin was done with the whore otherwise. He was this close to hobbling his injured ass out to that compound and taking them out with him." The gunman measured less then two inches with his fingers, the seriousness slipping away as he regarded what his fingers framed. Smiling softly as he watched Goemon sip his drink, Jigen let his hand fall to the table and wrap around his own booze.

"Lupin should have checked in more once by now." He said simply, picking off a small strip of dried cow.

"Indeed." A single nod

"So.. We going with plan B?" Jigen grinned broadly as Goemon stood, chair scraping the rough wooden floor "I'll take that as a yes." Grabbing up his hat, he held a hand out which Goemon took and pulled the swordsman close. Nose to nose, he could almost drown in the excitement of their plan as if burned in those dark eyes, the place that spoke the most on an otherwise silent man.

"Did you drug his water?" Goemon smiled as Jigen spoke, the gunman’s nicotine flavored lips brushing against his. "Of course. The Inspector will not be waking for another 4 hours at least. Plenty of time to get the job done. Did you doubt me?" He teased, their foreheads almost seeming to hold the other up.

"Doubt you? Now who said that? Point me towards them." Goemon chuckled at his loves response, wishing they had more time. However, the clock was ticking. More so the timer on a bomb was.

"Shall we?"

"Yeah.. yeah.." Jigen sighed and pulled back, allowing space between them again. "Its better then trying to clean up the friggin' mess he will make in a few hours." He teased, though his eyes had slipped into seriousness. It was time to work. Fun could wait, as it always did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ed took a deep breath, tapping a nervous hand against the bark of the tree he leaned against, cheap cigar burning in a lively red pulse as he sucked and exhaled, sucked and exhaled. The dirt around his feet was churned by constantly scuffing loafers.

Tommyrot was the day.

A couple hours after sun up, Henry would have him press the button. Chewing on his already short and bloodied fingers, Ed pressed his forehead to the tree. If it didn’t go off right... Henry would train his replacement using him as a live model.

Needless to say, Dr. Emul feared his leader more then loved or respected him. His training still gave him nightmares and the one tonight had been so very vivid the doctor had woke in a cold sweat, still feeling phantom blades and needles press against his skin. It was still dark, but he could feel the daylight sneaking about, lurking.. Waiting to rise up undaunted and test his ability to live another day.

The fire from the far off guard post disappeared, wiped off the world like Gods finger had cleaned off a smudge on his bleak canvas. Shocked, Dr. Emul leaned forward, trying to see what happened to the flame, but his investigation ended suddenly as his hand bumped into something breathing

something alive.

"Hey there. Nice night for a stroll, no?" A smoke tinged voice asked him, a firm arm closing over one arm as he realized what had happened, frozen shock melting into a flee attempt. Jerked back suddenly, the doctor’s low cry of pain from such treatment was drowned in the foul smelling handkerchief that was pressed to his face.

Struggling like a dying fish, the mans flailing lessened as his body shut down. Jigen grinned, watching the doctor go rag doll in his and Goemon’s hold. It was great when it was this easy. Reaching down, he snatched the cigar from the relaxing fingers, and looked it over. Giving it a single sniff, the gunman turned the cigar about and stuck it in his mouth, giving a deep drag.

"Don't look at me like that love." he chided, blowing the smoke to one side as he stripped Ed of any weapons or ways to reach others, "I’m out of smokes. No point in letting his goes to waste..." Goemon rolled his eyes slightly but said nothing, quickly binding the doctor’s feet and hands.

Tightening the last knot, Goemon heaved the smaller man up over one shoulder and with a single glance about, both men left the compound with someone never meant to leave

for the second time in three days.

"I set out your clothing for later, when you are getting what we need. It would have been better to have got it then." Goemon lamented, shooting Jigen a glance. "The guards will be on alert when they find him missing."

"If, love... IF they find him missing. We couldn't risk asking him in a place where he feels safe or feels he will be rescued at all. Back at the hideout. He will tell us things he needs and I will go get them while you and him prepare the old man." Jigen huffed slightly, never having understood how the swordsman could run at the pace they were and never sound winded in the least when he spoke.

One of the many mysteries that drove him mad with the need to know the man more. Before he almost died getting the bad and of a rigged quick draw for once. Sure he was dying, he begged to talk to Goemon while he could. And told him everything, every whim, want, wager, every wish. Unable to fight it anymore, he had closed his eyes and sighed, letting the cool dark sweep over him, like a fresh laid sheet.

He came to 6 days later to find the swordsman by his side, and he hadn't left it yet.

Goemon slowed, then turned and raised a pale hand to brush aside unruly bangs. Staring straight into the dark eyes that showed at last, he spoke. "Just promise me, even if it takes you more time then I have unspent in my life, you will come back." Jigen looked askance, worry furrowing his brow.

"Honey? Why the sudden fear?" he asked, starting their run again. Goemon fell into place with ease, as if he wasn’t carrying the sleeping doctor Emul.

"Five years." he answered simply, ducking a low hanging branch, his foot splashing slightly in a low stream. "We've been together for five years. Just you and me. Tomorrow, it will be five years, I mean. I don't know how I could life without you. You are more then I expected and everything I want."

He knew Goemon loved him, he knew he loved Goemon. But it was nothing either really put such effort into stating, each fully knowing the others heart. Cussing under his breath, Jigen rubbed at his forehead and backed away from the tree imprinting his forehead. Had to pay attention where he was going and less Goemon’s rare moment.

A low chuckle led Jigen in the right direction.

"I promise." The gunman intoned, ruffling the burdened mans hair as he raced ahead, opening the door. "Sit him on the table, I'll get changed while you wake the old man." Jigen grinned, feeling the blood come alive in his veins. The good doctor was doing an emergency procedure tonight, no matter if he knew it or not.

He heard the sharp crack of a wooden sword against the wooden door as he struggled to pull the almost skin tight solid black body suit on. "JUST GO IN!" he hollered, getting his beard zipped up for a moment. "We need to get this friggin fun fest on a roll." Jigen added as he walked back into the main room, idly tossing glass of water on the snoring Dr. Emul.

Groggy, Ed tried to sit up, only to be dragged that way by a pair of strong hands, which led his eyes to the angry face inches from his, eyes hidden by an aged hat. Fighting to make his eyes focus, Emul lost a good deal of work when Jigen gave him a sudden jarring shake.

"What do you need? For that frigging heart bomb shit- What do you need to undo it!?" The enraged bearded face asked as it blurred.

"I- I can’t tell you that." he stammered, clawing weakly at the hands on his collar. "Besides, what good will it do you? You wouldn’t be able to fix him." He taunted, more at ease not that he had realized what they wanted and why the seemed familiar to him.

"That’s why you are staying here until he can walk out of here on his own two feet. This means, unless he can leave, you can’t. So I suggest you talk and be ready to remove the fucking piece of shit from his chest." Emul turned his head, unable to met Jigen’s face as he threatened him.

"I CAN"T! I can't betray him; he will find me and kill me-" Ed swallowed visibly as the metal flashed beside his face, drawing his eye to the quivering blade buried 3/4ths in the floor. "..okay... I'll do what I can."

"A wise choice, I assure you." Yanking the sword from the floorboards and fixing the doctor with a stare, he slid into fight mode, eyeing the bound man.

The doctor screamed, the sound echoed by Zenigata as he walked into the room, the sudden loud noise while he was still half drugged scaring the shit out of him.

The sword clicked into place, and Goemon sat as the ropes that had been holding their prisoner sheared away and gathered on the floor beneath the shaking Dr, Emul.

“Shit.” Zenigata rubbed his eyes and looked at the cowering man again. Without his notice, the Inspectors hand trailed over his bare chest, feeling the stitches that covered the bruised surface.

“It you.. You’re the doctor.. that was.. I woke up and you were there, blood on your gloves- MY GODDAMN BLOOD ON YOUR GLOVES!”

Even moving as quickly as they could, Jigen and Goemon both were unable to prevent the enraged and injured cop from grabbing Ed by his hair and slamming him into the wall.

“Old Man.. “ Jigen warned, eyes flashing between the color of their kidnapped doctor and the tightening of the large hands about his windpipe. “You’re a cop, remember that?”

“I’m Not A Cop Anymore!” Zenigata bellowed, starting to sweat. Closing his eyes for a moment, the older man tried to control his spinning head. “HE- MADE- SURE- OF -THAT!” Zenigata punctuated each word by slamming the man against the wall, a little harder each time.

“Inspector, we cannot force him to fix you if you kill him.” Goemon stated, hand on his sword. He wouldn’t hurt the inspector, but he would intervene if he had to.

Gritting his teeth, Zenigata’s grip weakened slightly before tightening again. He wanted to see the man suffer for the life he had taken away. His job was everything and now it was gone. A smile twitched at the edge of his lips as the doctor struggled, even as at the same time, something inside him knew how close to the edge he was.

But he couldn’t stop it from starting to trickle over.

Goemon and Jigen exchanged a glance; the Japanese mans hand sliding to his sword, as the pair between them got closer to their respective ends.

Shaking his head slightly, Jigen motioned for Goemon to put away the blade and stepped closer to the cop and the man he was killing.

“Lupin loathes murders. You know that, don’t you?” He asked softly.

He knew he had hit a nerve when the older man tensed for a moment before letting go of the doctor. “Make sure when he’s done, that he can’t be a surgeon anymore. He took my life away, I’m taking his.” Zenigata voice was grey and flat as he walked away from the thieves and the coughing choking man gasping for air as he lay on the floor