Wolfwood's new profession

This chapter - and the rest - will be for the people who've reviewed this even after it hasn't been updated for so long. Your dedication to this story almost brings me to tears. I can't believe how cruel and heartless I've been to abandon this for other stories. I know I've said this before - but I WILL POST THE REST OF THIS!


Chapter Twenty-Four: Surprise and betrayal

Meryl watched from behind the sand dune as the priest approached the crashed ship. Her binoculars came in handy as she saw him press something on the side of the ship, stepping back to let the door unfold. Milly huffed next to her, silently voicing her disgruntlement as Meryl tucked away her binoculars and made to rise.

“Come on Milly! We’ll finally catch that troublesome priest out! I’ll be able to prove that he’s no good to Vash and then…and then…” She drifted off, scenarios in which Vash fell to his knees, thanking her profusely for discovering what a scoundrel the priest was and saving him from his terrible influence, swam though her head. She sighed, a smile on her face as her fantasy took the turn it usually did and Vash ended up with his lips pressed to hers, desperate to show his gratefulness in any way possible.

Milly rolled her eyes at the look on her boss’s face and stood, brushing the sand off the front of her clothes. Meryl snapped out of her daydream, a determined look settling on her face.

“Let’s go Milly!” She shouted, abandoning stealth and charging across the sand dune, walking swiftly towards the ship. Milly hoisted their supplies back up onto her shoulder and followed her.

Meryl reached the ship and searched for the button that had let the priest in but she couldn’t find it. She growled angrily, hands on her hips as she scrutinized the panel that had become a door. She couldn’t see anything. Suddenly the panel hissed and began to open. Milly sat up from where she was resting against the side of the ship as the door opened fully.

“Hello?…” Meryl called, squinting into the darkness. “My name is Meryl Stryfe from the Bernadelli Insurance Society. I’m looking for the man that just entered here…” She trailed off, unsure when there was no answer. She motioned to Milly to follow her and entered the ship.

Once they were inside, both jumped when the door clanged shut behind them, leaving them in a dim gloom. Meryl fiddled around inside one of her pockets, fishing out a packet of matches. She lit one and squinted into the dark.

“I’m sure the master will be happy to see you…” A voice trailed out of the darkness and Milly shrieked in surprise while Meryl whipped around trying to locate the source. A woman with long hair and a trench coat stepped forward, the light glinting off the metal of her eye.

“I’m sure he would be very happy…” She smiled then disappeared.

Meryl jerked forward when something came down on the back of her neck and she fell into blackness.

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She awoke to her cheek pressed against cold metal, the pain in the back of her skull throbbed and she groaned, lifting her head from the floor. Her eyes focused on a pair of booted feet, inches from her face. She brought a hand up to her mouth and wiped it, hearing Milly shift beside her, groaning, but not yet awake.

A soft voice spoke above her and she craned her neck back to see who it was. A blonde man stood above her and her first thought was…

‘He looks like Vash…’

Then he smiled and she shuddered at the malice that crawled across his face. She glanced quickly at Milly, seeing that she was still unconscious before looking back at the man towering over her.

“Wha--?”

His smooth voice broke her speech as he crouched down in front of her, cupping her chin in a gloved hand, fingers cruelly digging in and raising her head further.

“So…you’re the ones who’ve been following my brother…”

Meryl winced and frowned.

‘His brother? The priest? No. Vash…’ Meryl fumed inside. How dare Vash never mention he had a brother! She thought they were friends!

Her thoughts were plain on her face and Knives smirked, before dropping her face, wiping his hand on the leg of his suit, standing and walking a few steps away.

“He obviously doesn’t care what happens to you though…if you arrived here without his protection.” His back to Meyrl, he turned slightly when she stumbled to her feet, scowling.

“What do you mean? He cares more about us than a brother he’s never even mentioned to anyone!”

Knives’ eyes narrowed.

“Be cautious, spider, with how you speak to a superior being…”

“Superior being?!” Meryl spat. “You must be the one that Vash has been looking for all this time! The one who’s hurt him so much! I don’t see what’s so damn great about you though…if you were my brother I’d rather be rid of you!” She crossed her arms, glaring at the plant in front of her. “In fact, I’d want nothing to do with you! Just like Vash does!”

Knives growled

“What the hell do you mean by that?!” He stepped closer, threateningly and Meryl shrank back slightly before squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath.

“He doesn’t want to find you anymore. You’re not worth his time. He told us he’s stopped looking, that he doesn’t care anymore. That you can just go to hell for all he cares!” She stuck her nose up in the air and gave a satisfied nod.

Knives’ anger boiled, his hands twitched by his sides. He had wanted to wait, to use these spectacular gifts of Vash’s friends to further destroy the Stampede but…this little bitch had a mouth on her that the plant couldn’t stand anymore. He shot forward, hand casually brushing aside her crossed arms and breaking into her ribcage with contemptuous ease. He grasped her heart and crushed it to pulp, enjoying the pained shock on her face for an instant as she slipped into death.

“Shut up, little spider. You talk too much…” He growled as he released his hold, letting her body fall to the floor. He flicked his hand, blood and gore spattering the floor next to his feet. He grimaced at his hand, holding it away from him.

“Clean this disgusting mess off me…” He gestured to Dominic who had been standing in the shadow of the door. She came forward and quickly produced a cloth, wiping her master’s hand with care. Knives briefly inspected the job and found it sufficient before turning to the other girl, still lying unconscious on the floor.

“Should I keep you?” He mused to himself, booted feet tapping lightly on the floor as he strode over to her. He bent and fisted a hand in her long hair, pulling her head up so he could see her face. She looked very familiar for some reason and it irritated the plant further. He was still angry. Killing the smaller one hadn’t alleviated the rage he’d felt at her words. He raised a hand, ready to do away with the larger one as well.

Milly stirred slightly, the ache in her head beginning to wake her up. She blinked eyes still cloudy and unfocused, aware of the pain growing from her scalp.

“Maybe it’d be better if Vash already finds them dead…” Knives smirked to himself, idly swinging his hand down to land a blow on the back of her neck.

“NO!” Someone screamed, booted feet running toward him. Knives pulled back in shock, the force of his hand not enough for a killing blow, merely knocking her back into darkness.

The last thing Milly saw, vision swimming, was a flash of blue hair coming towards her accompanied by a shocked expression on a face she knew.

“Legato…” She whispered, sinking into unconsciousness as Knives’ hand came down on the back of her neck.

Legato ran towards them, crashing to his knees beside them, unmindful of the gore and blood he was kneeling in, hands imploringly reaching out to his master.

“Please…no…not her…I’ll do anything…” He groveled on the floor, hands grasping at nothing. Knives frowned down at him, glancing back at the girl in his hands, realization stealing over his face. It was that girl! The one Legato had been thinking about! He twitched in anger again, fist clenching harder in her hair, partially aware of some of the strands breaking.

“Why do you want this? After everything, after…us…” He choked on the word, terrified of what it implied. “Why do you STILL want this?!” He shook her violently by her hair, like a rag doll, glaring down at Legato.

The telepath swallowed at looked up at Knives guiltily, eyes pleading.

“It will help…if she’s here when your brother arrives. To-”

“Don’t lie to me!!” Knives shouted, dropping the girl and jerking Legato to his feet. He shook the telepath, fingers digging painfully into the telepath’s shoulders in his violence. “Don’t you dare lie to me!!”

Legato sobbed as the plant’s fingers bruised him to the bone, and Knives stopped shaking him, letting the human collapse against his chest, arms unconsciously enfolding him.

“Please…please just…” He whispered against the plant’s shoulder. “Please…” He burrowed his face into Knives’ neck and wrapped his arms around him, a dangerous move.

Knives glared down at the girl, sprawled at his feet. He drew back a foot and kicked her, petulantly, like a child might. He didn’t like to see Legato upset. When had he become so weak that a human’s suffering affected him so deeply?

“Fine. Have the little bitch. She’ll go down with Chapel in the cells.” He nodded to The Cyclops and she came forward again, gathering the insurance girl in her arms and lifting her.

Legato took a heavy shuddering breath and wiped at his eyes, a grateful smile on his face as he stood up by himself.

“Thank you…” He trailed off at the angry look in his master’s eyes, unsure. Knives scowled at him, his ice blue eyes glinting with rage.

How dare this spider presume to manipulate him! Knives was suddenly angrier than he’d been in a long, long time, the hot feeling of fury racing along his limbs. He’d been cowed by a few tears! And why did his heart jump up in his throat at Legato’s murmured thanks?! His face curled up into a snarl and he raised his hand to strike him down. But…

…he couldn’t. His hand trembled in the air as he became even more furious at himself for being unable to kill the pathetic human in front of him.

“But…” His voice was low and filled with barely restrained ire. “You, my dear Legato, will be joining them…”

Legato had a second to be surprised before Knives sunk a psychic hand into his mind, taking him over with no effort at all.

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The beginning of the end - well...kind of :) Please let me know what you thought - oh and Mozir, your review is the reason I'm updating, not to lessen anyone else - I love you all - but this one struck a chord and made me feel so guilty that I took the rest of the day off and reviewed this chapter for uploading, so give yourself a pat on the back - actually ALL OF YOU! *hugs*