Chapter Text
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The waiters made their way through a crowd of The Elite, formally dressed for the occasion, yet subtly flaunting their riches in any way possible... a large emerald ring here, a diamond cufflink there. All the women were sporting precious stones in some form of jewelry. The men were wearing gold chains and expensive watches. Even one of the champagne servers was wearing an expensive looking watch.
This particular waiter meandered through the chandelier-lit reception room. Unlike the other servers in the room who were flitting from one group to another offering crystal flutes of champagne, this one had guests approaching him... mostly women.
From across the room, a younger man stood fidgeting uncomfortably. He was in a bad mood for three reasons; the least of all was because of the tux he had been forced to wear. He had wanted to wear something a little more flashy and less heavy, but he'd been unwillingly dressed instead in a boring, standard tux. His request for "no tails" on the suit, as he felt they emphasized his short stature, had been ignored.
The second reason for his bad mood was because he had been forced to attend this boring fund-raiser for a local politician. The invitation had actually been for his father, but of course his father didn't want to go either, so he sent his son as his replacement. Now he was surrounded by people looking for favors from his father. It was easy enough to pretend to listen, nod, and accept their business cards, "Yes, I will have my father's people get back to you on this..." but it was really tedious. He really couldn't blame his father THAT MUCH for wanting to avoid it.
The third, and main reason for his bad mood was standing in the middle of the room flocked by a group of older women, who were taking glasses from an offered tray and demurely batting their eyes at the handsome man in the waiter's uniform. The waiter briefly glanced his way and gave him a mocking smile.
Takaba bristled at the glance. "Asami..."
Takaba decided to become suddenly unwell so he would have an excuse to make an early exit. He approached the politician who was hosting the affair. To his surprise, the man looked up and interrupted his conversation with a local businessman.
"Takaba-san!" the politician called out to him enthusiastically. He bowed, "I am honored that is it you who is attending this function in your father's place. I have heard that you recently acquired a rather nice little beach hotel..." Delighted that the politician seemed more interested in one of his own pet projects rather than his father, Takaba quickly forgot that he was about to make the necessary excuses for leaving, and eagerly began to tell the man about his plans for the new resort.
Within a few minutes though, he realized he had somehow lost control of the conversation. Before he knew it, the man was shaking his hand and saying to him, "I am pleased you will see to it that your father will personally attend to this very important matter for me."
"Yes... of course," Takaba replied, with the vague idea that he had just been played as if he were a marionette. The politician moved on to make pleasantries with yet another young businessman.
"I find it amusing how easily you are manipulated... Takaba." Takaba whipped around and found himself facing the handsome waiter. Asami extended a tray toward him, "Champagne?"
"What are you doing here?!"
Asami tugged on his sleeve, revealing a hidden camera. "I'm getting a few snapshots of our esteemed host in action."
Takaba sucked in his breath. "I could have you thrown out for that! They'll also confiscate your precious camera, too."
"It would be a pain to lose my camera. You know all those nice pictures I took of you? They're still on the card."
Takaba rolled his eyes. "That threat is getting old. You're bluffing."
"Am I? Here, let me show you." Asami shifted his hold on the tray so he could unbutton his sleeve.
"NO! Keep that damn thing hidden!" Takaba hissed. He then let out a sigh, "I guess I can't begrudge you for trying to make a living. Just don't take any pictures of me."
"I've already taken twenty. You look... " Asami quickly eyed Takaba from head to toe, "... interesting in a tux. You might want to forgo the tails next time. They make you look shorter."
Takaba audibly growled, which caused Asami to chuckle. Takaba gave Asami a taunting look. "I think you look... " he looked Asami up and down, "... interesting in a waiter's uniform. You might want to forgo the apron next time. It makes you look like a common house servant." Takaba frowned, "Except for that watch. Is that a Rolex? What is that, about a year's worth of rent money for someone like you? You must be deep in debt."
Asami narrowed his eyes at Takaba. "Don't play naive with me, Akihito. You must have figured out by now that I have another source of income. Why don't you come right out and ask me what it is you really want to know?"
"REALLY?" Takaba responded, genuinely surprised. "I wouldn't know where to start! Okay, first question: Why are you...?"
"ASAMI!" The hotel manager stepped between Takaba and Asami. "I don't pay you to chat with the guests. If you are that idle, then you can go take out the trash in the kitchen!"
Takaba smirked as the manager led Asami away.
"Ah, DAMN IT!" Takaba stamped his foot. "And just when I was about to get some answers!"
. . . . .
The next evening, Asami was studying some photographs when he heard his doorbell ring. Looking through the peephole, he recognized Takaba's irate assistant standing outside his door. "Could be worse," he mumbled.
When he opened the door, Suoh suddenly appeared. He walked into the apartment and roughly pushed Asami up against the nearest wall. Kirishima then entered and walked past Asami. He glanced into the kitchen and then headed back toward the bedroom.
Asami frowned, "Please... come in."
Kirishima reappeared. "He's not here."
"You were expecting to find Takaba here? You must know something I don't know," Asami said, giving them a sly smile.
"Where is he?!" Kirishima growled.
Asami lifted an eyebrow. "You truly don't know?" He glared angrily at Suoh, who was still holding him against the wall with one hand. "Do you mind?" Kirishima nodded and Suoh released Asami. "How long has he been missing?"
"Since 9 o'clock this morning. That was the last time anyone was in contact with him." Kirishima narrowed his eyes at Asami, "You know something..."
Asami nodded. "There was a man waiting outside at last night's political fundraiser. He was attempting to pass on an envelope containing a computer disk to Takaba... to 'Elder' Takaba actually, but of course he wasn't there. The man was jumped by two knife-wielding foreigners. I managed to stop the attack before they were able to take the envelope from him. They must believe Akihito is in possession of the disk now."
"Who are 'they'?" Kirishima asked.
"One of the Hong Kong triads," Asami replied. "My guess would be, the Baishe."
Kirishima turned to Suoh. "We need to find that man and question him immediately."
"You won't get any information out of him," Asami said.
"Suoh is rather talented at extracting information from unwilling people... aren't you Suoh?"
Suoh grinned. "It's a natural-born talent."
"I don't doubt it," Asami replied. "But I think even you would find it difficult to extract information from a dead body. The man died from the wounds he received during the attack; however, he gave me enough information before he died that I could probably locate their hideout."
"And where would that be?"
"What... and let you get all the love from Takaba when he's rescued?" Asami smirked. "I don't think so."
"Suoh... why don't you give Asami a demonstration of your particular talent?"
Suoh took a menacing step toward Asami.
Asami took a small step back out of reflex.
"This is not a game," Kirishima said seriously to Asami.
"And that's precisely why there should be only one person sneaking in to rescue him instead of a large group of men storming their hideout. Let me go in and take care of this quietly for you. You'll be able to avoid a potential gang war."
"And why do you think we would trust you?"
Asami smiled. "I have, what you might call, a small side job... "
. . . . .
Kirishima hung up the phone. "Well, it's verified. He's telling the truth." Kirishima shook his head, "I would have never guessed..."
"Do we have a truce then?" Asami asked.
"You do realize what you've told me makes me even more suspicious of your motives, but still... ", Kirishima mulled it over carefully. "No... I don't think so. You're a little too clever for your own good. You've been nothing but trouble for us. For instance, that little ploy of yours with your wallet... "
Asami raised his eyebrows, "I've been trouble? You hit me with your limo."
"It couldn't be helped," Kirishima smirked. "You ran out in front of it. And I haven't forgotten about you kicking my knee. It STILL hurts."
"That was after the two of you jumped me. You kicked me in the stomach," Asami nodded his head toward Suoh, "and this one over here knocked me out."
Kirishima looked at Asami, doubtfully.
Asami went over to a bookcase and pulled out a book. He opened it and removed a disk hidden within the pages. "Here..." Asami handed the disk to Kirishima. "Make sure this gets to Elder Takaba safely... though it might be for the best if you didn't mention my name."
"I agree, that wouldn't be wise." Kirishima took the disk and sighed, "All right, truce... but just for today. We'll provide you with whatever you need, though I don't understand why someone like you would need us to do that."
"And I don't understand how two, highly-trained bodyguards could easily lose sight of their boss," Asami retorted.
"It's easy when the boss makes it a game to lose his bodyguards. You think it's easy to keep track of Takaba? Maybe we should put you in charge of watching him. I can't think of anyone he'd be safer with."
Asami chuckled, "Yes, let the cat watch the mouse. What a brilliant idea."
Kirishima chuckled along with Asami. "It is when the cat has an unusual attraction to the mouse... don't you think?"
Asami's chuckling ended abruptly with an awkward cough.
As they were walking out the door to leave, Kirishima staggered and grabbed his knee in pain. "Why couldn't you kick Suoh's knee?" he grumbled.
Asami raised an eyebrow at Kirishima, "Do you really need me to answer that?" They both looked at the very large man.
Kirishima nodded, "I get your point."
. . . . .
Asami moved stealthily down the dimly lit corridor. He turned a corner and...
The cell was empty.
Instead, there was a guard lying unconscious near the entrance of the open cell. Puzzled, Asami passed by the cell and turned the corner to go down another hallway. He surprised Takaba, who was naked and searching through a trash bin. "Oh! It's you Asami..."
Asami looked at Takaba, puzzled. "How did you... ?"
"I asked the guard if he was interested in getting a blow job. I knew that horny goon would be ALL over that, so of course he opened the cell door. I also knew if he tried to lower his pants, it would put him off-balance. So when he dropped his trousers I pushed him over, knocked him out, and then took his keys..." Takaba held up a set of keys and jingled them, "and then unlocked my manacles and... here I am! I can't seem to find my clothes though."
Asami frowned. "Don't ever do that again." He took off his blazer and draped it over Takaba before roughly grabbing Takaba's chin and looking at him directly in the eyes, "I mean it."
Takaba glared back at him.
Asami let go of him and turned to look around. "We need to get you out of here quickly."
Takaba grabbed Asami's arm and pulled him down the hallway. "I know a way out... follow me!" They walked for bit and then Takaba stopped Asami and whispered, "There's a couple of guards around this corner... this is what we'll do. I'll run out there, bend over and wiggle my butt at them. While they're distracted, YOU come up behind them and... " Asami growled and grabbed Takaba. He picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.
"HEY!" Takaba whispered furiously. "What are you doing?!"
Asami carried him around the corner where they saw two guards lying on the ground. Takaba gasped, "You killed them!"
"No, no... they're just napping."
Takaba glanced at a puddle of blood beneath one of them. "Look, I know a dead guy when I see one, and that's DEFINITELY a dead guy!"
"He's not dead. He's taking a nap." Asami kicked the body with his foot, "See? He just moved."
"That was YOU kicking him!"
"Shh..." he said as smacked Takaba's behind playfully, "you're being too noisy."
Asami found the door that led out and exited through it. Once outside, Takaba raised his voice. "I ORDER YOU to put me down NOW!" he demanded. Asami put him down and Takaba began to walk away in a huff.
"Where do you think you're going, naked-boy?" Asami smirked.
"Home!" Takaba turned around to yell at him. "On my own! I had everything under control until YOU butted in, you... YOU KILLER! I don't need YOUR help! I don't need my FATHER'S help... I don't need ANYBODY'S help!"
Suddenly, Takaba heard the unmistakable high-pitched whine of bullets zooming past him. Bullet holes appeared in the empty sleeves of Asami's blazer that Takaba had draped over him. He looked up and saw Fei Long standing on a balcony, holding a gun sideways and pointing it directly at him.
Takaba jumped behind Asami and clutched onto him, using him as a shield. "Help?" he whimpered in a small voice.
Asami quickly pulled out a gun and aimed it at Fei Long. "FEI LONG!" he yelled angrily.
Fei Long looked completely shocked. "ASAMI?!"
Fei Long lowered his gun and slowly smiled, "I always knew I'd run into you again someday, Asami. You left rather suddenly last time... without the courtesy of at least saying 'goodbye'. And now you're with this one, are you? We'll see about that!" A look of anger flashed on Fei Long's face before he turned and walked back into the building.
Takaba stared up at the empty balcony and shouted, "Hey, Fei Long... you know why you missed?! IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE HOLDING YOUR GUN 'GANGSTER STYLE', YOU IDIOT!"
"He missed on purpose." Asami lowered his gun and looked down at Takaba's hands which were clutching him tightly around his waist. "Of course... NOW you like me."
Takaba blushed and quickly released his hold on Asami. "You know Fei Long?!"
Asami angrily glanced back at the balcony. "Unfortunately."
"So you and Fei Long... were you two once... you know, like... together?"
Asami turned and glared at Takaba. "What kind of question is that?!"
"Oooh! Is that a touchy subject for you?" Takaba grinned gleefully.
"The last thing I want to do right now is talk about Fei Long. Surely you can find a more interesting question to ask?"
"Not anymore!" Takaba's eyes glittered excitedly. "How... when... ?"
Asami sighed deeply, "I met him 7 years ago."
"And... ?" Takaba prompted him expectantly.
"And... let's just say it didn't end well."
"... AND?!"
Asami replied irritated, "AND... I refuse to answer any more questions about it."
Takaba pouted briefly before spying the gun in Asami's hand. "Where did you get the gun?"
Asami looked at the gun in his hand, "This? I borrowed it. It's one of yours."
"You know you can be arrested just for holding one of those."
"I do have a firearms license. However..." Asami flipped the safety into place on the gun, "it's probably not wise to be caught with this out in public." He slipped the gun into his pocket.
Takaba looked flabbergasted. "You have a license?! No way! How did you get a license?"
"You want to know more about me?" Asami smirked at Takaba mischievously, "Invite me back to your place and you might learn a few things."
"HA... I don't think so!" Takaba scowled at him.
Asami gazed at Takaba appreciatively. "You know... you look quite fetching standing there bare-bottomed in my blazer." Asami hoisted Takaba up and threw him back over his shoulder again. "Right! My place it is, then!" He carried Takaba enthusiastically toward a black vehicle.
"By the way, I also borrowed your car..."
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