Archive of Our Own

Keith ambled down the sidewalk, fussing with his phone. There was something seductively relaxing about his exchange student cover persona. Fortunately he'd been doing this long enough that he remained fully aware of his surroundings. The last thing he wanted was to end up in an Astronomics report that boiled down to, "His star fell today because he got distracted by Instagram."

As he neared the tidy little two-story apartment complex, he pulled out a piece of paper, looking at it and then the building as though checking the address. He purposely hesitated a moment before approaching the door marked as the building's office, then knocked on the door.

A tiny old lady in an apron answered, her grey hair pulled back into a huge bun. "Yeah? Who are you, a delivery man?"

Keith blinked. "N-no."

"Religious solicitation? Don't need any."

"No, um ..."

"Oh, you're the tombstone salesman who's always calling, huh? You're such a pest! I told you we don't need any yet!"

He started to wonder if this was a setup involving a new, particularly insidious interrogation technique. Now that she'd stopped for a breath, he quickly responded, "It's not that. Um, across from the train station, there's a realtor ..."

She perked up. "Ah, the electronics shop next to the realtor, right? We've been expecting you. Come on, hurry, hurry!"

The lady grabbed his arm and Keith was genuinely confused as she shoved him in front of a newish TV set and turned it on. The picture was terribly pixellated. 

"It's been just like that for a while now."

"Uh huh," Keith answered. "Um ..."

"Hey, Pops." She pointed at an old man on the back porch. "The reception is lousy with you standing there!"

Keith sighed. Maybe they should recruit her. She'd keep their targets totally off balance. As much as he'd like to throw his hands in the air and walk away, he didn't have a choice. If he didn't keep in the Syndicate's good books, he couldn't find information about what happened to his brother, so he focused on maintaining his cover as a mild-mannered, not particularly remarkable exchange student. 

"You said that once we got the digital-whatever-it-is, there'd be no more noise, didn't you?" she huffed.

"No, not me." Inspiration struck. Time for a little payback. Keith stood, not allowing himself to smirk as whacked the side of the TV a few times. He couldn't see her face, but the scandalized gasp she made amused him.

"That's not any old TV! You think that's gonna fix it?!"

"I guess not." He flashed his most innocent smile, then touched the TV again, allowing just a bit of his ability to spark the electronics. The electricity arced from the screen, followed by smoke billowing out. Fortunately, he remembered to look just as shocked as she did. It was difficult since the brief use of his power dulled his senses for a moment. He came back to himself just in time to be surprised when the TV suddenly start working.

"Well," Keith gestured sheepishly at the TV, "it's fixed."

"You're kidding!" 

With that dealt with, Keith quickly took the chance to explain why he was really there so he could get on with his mission. Shortly thereafter, she led him to the apartment, which was a relief. He really needed to prepare for the next phase.

"Um, it was Akira ..." she said, obviously fishing.

"Akira Kim," Keith answered with his current alias. 

"Akira, huh? Now that you mention it, I did hear from the realtor. You're from Korea?"

"Yes, I'm an exchange student."

"Well," she said, stopping at the door to his apartment, "many of the customs must be different and hard for you. Just be nice to the neighbors, and don't go causing any trouble."

It wasn't too hard to smile. If she only knew. "Yes, ma'am."

His target's door opened behind them. She stepped out of her apartment dressed in a long glossy coat and a form-fitting red dress, her heavy makeup and styled hair making her completely unrecognizable compared to her bland scientist ID from the national institute. Still, the Syndicate had somehow managed to find her. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised.

"Ah, Ms. Haraguchi!" called the landlady. "This is the man who will be moving into this room as of today, um ..."

Keith realized after a moment that was his cue. "Akira Kim." 

The woman Keith knew was really Dr. Chiaki Shinoda ignored them, locking the door and heading down the stairs to street level. Keith watched her go, making note of how she moved, and what direction she headed as she turned out of sight.

As the landlady let him into the apartment, Keith heard Hunk on his earpiece. "Target confirmed."

Lotor responded. "So let's see just how good our 'Red Reaper' is."

Keith rolled his eyes as he stepped into the apartment, finally free from having to act. He set his things down and inspected every nook and cranny of the space. Once satisfied, he went into the bathroom and plugged the sink, leaving it half full of water, and then poured a glass and left it on the counter. That done, he opened the window and sat on the ledge, staring at the massive wall hiding Hell's Gate as he waited for Hunk to confirm where she was going. It was time to see how well his new team handled things, or whether he'd be entirely on his own.

#

Lance looked over their latest case for the tenth time, wondering where the rogue scientist could have gotten to. They had a good idea of who was after her, since the previous night French agent codename "Louis," Messier code GR544, was found dead on a roof. If only he'd surrendered to Lance's officers instead of using his ability to float away. He might still be alive and they might have more information to work with.

The French authorities had denied involvement, of course, but Lance was sure there were more French contractors running around Tokyo trying to find her. Maybe his sluggish brain needed another nap to help him think. GR544 had -- as was often the case -- been killed late at night. They couldn't hesitate when contractors were involved so Lance had barely slept, and just in his office.

"Lieutenant McClain!" called Thace, his sergeant. "We've got a meeting."

Lance grabbed a coffee and freshened up before heading into the conference room. He may have taken a nap in the office but he didn't have to look like it. Plus, it was oddly frowned upon to fall asleep on the conference room table. The whole Foreign Affairs team was already there by the time he made it, nearly everyone with massive cups of coffee. There was a file in front of his chair so he sat and started to flip through it, waiting for the meeting to start.

"What do we have on the case so far?" His boss, Sendak shot him an annoyed look, no doubt for being late, then continued. "When our people couldn't determine the cause of death for GR544 we asked Astronomics to determine if another contractor was involved. What was their response?"

"According to the information from Astronomics," said Otsuka, their liaison officer with the organization, "the strongest candidate they identified for activity at that moment was star number BK201. It's an unidentified number."

"Unidentified number?" Lance sat straighter, intrigued.  

"Yes," she answered, tucking a lock of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. "All the cases he's thought to be involved with are still unresolved, probably because nobody else could figure out their victim's C.O.D. either. There's not even a record defining BK201's abilities."

"You don't think it's that one guy? The cursed contractor we've heard of?" Detective Coran had a thoughtful expression, though it was slightly ruined by his playing with his disturbingly orange mustache.

Lance sighed. Normally he'd play along just for fun, but he was too tired for this. "We're cops. Let's not start chasing rumors and stick to the facts. What about the item?"

Thace answered, "Top Secret information taken by illegal access into the Physical Quantity Alternation Natural Deconstruction Organized Research Agency's servers from the national laboratories. As for the content, they said we're not entitled to know that."

Of course that's what they said -- and what the hell was with that name? Lance grumbled under his breath. P.A.N.D.O.R.A. would never make their job easier. Rather than whining, he stuck to business. "And the woman?"

"Chiaki Shinoda, 26," Detective Ulaz answered. "She earned her doctorate by writing a thesis on physical properties within the Gate. After graduating, she served at the national laboratories. Dr. Shinoda has been absent without authorization for the last two weeks. Current whereabouts unknown."

Something about the file Lance was reading stood out. "It's reported that she's crossed paths with contractors in the past. Did they erase her memory using M.E. after the incident?"

"You mean the matter with her parents?" Ulaz looked at his file. "No, at the time it was determined that she'd had no contact."

Sendak looked around the table. "Leaks of information related to the Gate are a direct risk to national security. Witnesses must not be allowed to fall into enemy hands alive. Understood, McClain?"

"Yeah." Lance did his best to hide how much he hated those instructions and moved on to more pressing concerns. "And don't forget, everyone. GR544 might be dead but the French typically send a whole team. Not just that, but if it's gotten out that this information is in the wind, we could have multiple teams after it.

"Indeed," said Sendak. "Dismissed."

After his boss left the room, Lance shot his team finger guns and winked. "We've got this."

They groaned and everyone left the conference room. Every time Sendak gave him orders to execute certain witnesses, Lance couldn't help but get creeped out. Since the man never smiled there was no telling if he was ever joking -- Lance always hoped he was joking -- though something made Lance suspect he wasn't. National security was deadly business to his boss. So was keeping the existence of contractors a secret. 

Sure, regular humans might panic if they discovered that the arrival of the Gates created people with unnatural powers and no empathy, but Lance wasn't sure the secret was worth such dire measures. There were already rumors. Sometimes those were worse than actual knowledge. He soothed himself with a silent promise to bring in Shinoda live, and to take this opportunity to learn about the mystery contractor BK201. That would be a total win.

#

To Keith's surprise, Hunk reported that Dr. Shinoda entered a hostess club. That explained her wardrobe and makeup. However, this job was quite the change from being a scientist. No wonder it took some time for the Galra Syndicate to find her. They must have placed a whole network of dolls on the case.

Speaking of dolls, this was a bar, so surely there had to be water inide for Narti's observer spirit to travel through. Keith spoke only loud enough for the mic attached to his earpiece to pick up his voice. "Narti, confirm that the target's actually working there."

<She appears to be starting her shift.>

Keith twitched. He wasn't used to hearing a voice in his head. Still, it was a useful skill for a doll, so he wouldn't complain. At least the doctor working in the club made things easier. Hostess shifts typically ran six hours. Time to test Narti and Hunk further and let them keep watch. If they failed, he would still find the doctor regardless.

"I'm going to scout the area, then. Notify me if anything changes." Keith didn't bother waiting for a response. Four hours was plenty of time to memorize a full circle of area around the club, and identify likely places for meeting depending on which direction she went. He especially focused on the route back to the apartments. She may have a hidden safe house, though, so he couldn't assume.

Thirty minutes before the doctor's shift ended, Keith settled into place on the Hostess Club's roof. He a final check on his equipment, ensuring everything was accessible even beneath his undercover gear. Keeping his black trench coat tucked and folded under his jacket left him vulnerable, but he needed her to trust him. He couldn't look shady. 

Ten minutes later, his earpiece buzzed. Hunk's voice came through the speaker. "Detectives from the Public Safety Bureau are entering the club."

"Are they arresting her?" Keith shifted positions. If the cops were involved she'd either start running soon, or he'd have to separate her from them.

<They're taking a table.> Narti reported. <They have requested her.>

"Monitor the situation," Keith responded, not willing to risk his solid plan by jumping the gun. "No need to move in just yet."

While the updates continued, Keith used his vantage point to track what was happening outside. He might not be the only one with the idea to catch her at the end of her shift. No sign of other contractors so far, though.

<She's on the move.>

Dr. Shinoda must have realized her customers were cops. She took off down the street, weaving between buildings. The two detectives followed close on her tail, confirming his suspicion, which meant that Keith wouldn't have to suit up and chase her to get her running. Bonus.

"I've got them," said Hunk. "Heading west."

"Keep me up to date on their direction. I'll set up ahead of her." Keith took off across the roofs, jumping from building to building when he could and slinging his line to others when he needed to swing across. Every time Narti or Hunk updated a trend in the scientist's direction, Keith checked his mental map of the area and calculated the best place to intercept.

He soon realized where she was headed. When Hunk pointed out that it was into a large park, Keith was already on the ground with his telescope, using Narti's and Hunk's reports to decide where to set up. By the time she emerged into the clearing he was back into his cover persona and "peacefully" stargazing.

Keith looked up, feigning surprise as she stared at him. Footsteps from a nearby sidewalk spooked her, but before she could run, he stepped forward, sinking back into his cover persona. "Are you being chased?"

Dr. Shinoda looked at him and then stared back toward the footsteps like a deer caught in headlights. 

"Over here." Keith pulled her to the other side of a large, nearby tree and put his faded red jacket around her. His trench coat remained tucked inside of it but she'd never feel that through her own padded coat.

"No! I have to get away!"

"Keep quiet," he whispered. 

"But ..."

Hoping he wouldn't get punched, Keith leaned in and pressed his lips almost to hers as the detectives drew closer. He didn't actually kiss her, instead just holding still and making it look like they were two lovers having a moment in a romantic setting. For a moment she held perfectly still, trembling, their gazes locked together. He kept his expression as close to earnest surprise as he could manage. When she tried to look off to the side at the sound of footsteps pounding past, he quietly shushed her, not wanting her to give herself away.

Finally, the detectives moved on. Relieved, Keith backed away, using his genuine discomfort at having to do that to fuel an embarrassed expression. "S-sorry about that!"

She just stared at him. After a moment she noticed the telescope. "You're looking at the stars?"

"Yes."

The doctor blinked. "In the middle of the city?"

Sharp woman. He answered sheepishly, "Yes."

She arched an eyebrow. "Even though all the stars you see in the sky these days are fakes?"

Definitely sharp. Keith turned his gaze to the sky, an old longing filling him. The stars weren't always fake. He remembered the originals.

"Have we met before, somewhere?" she asked, staring again.

Hopefully she hadn't seen files on him during her research, or in P.A.N.D.O.R.A's systems. He stared back at her like he was pondering and then visibly perked up as though he'd remembered. "Ms. Haraguchi? From room 202? I'm Akira! I just moved in next door."

"Oh. I have to get going," she insisted, nervously looking around before handing him his jacket. "Thanks."

She ran off and Keith let her go. If he pushed too hard to stay together it would be suspicious, and this mission would become much harder. 

"Trailing her," said Hunk over the earpiece.

"Good," Keith muttered. "Keep me updated so I can intercept again."

He followed Hunk's directions, once again plotting where to regain contact. Since he was in the park he kept his pace steady and unhurried. Once he was back among buildings he could return to the roofs.

<The detectives are still searching,> reported Narti. <Someone else is also following and closing in on her position.>

Crap. Keith sped up, grabbing a piece of wood from a construction area as he passed. "Who?"

"A French agent, codename Jean." Hunk was panting, he must have been tearing through the city on his four little paws. "I've run into him before. Be careful, his ability is teleportation."

Another French agent. Keith wondered how big of a team they sent. 

"Jean and Dr. Shinoda have made contact." Hunk sounded tense. "They're talking in an alley. Oh crud, he's chloroforming her."

"Got it!" Keith quietly rounded the corner into the alley and bashed Jean on the back of his head, being sure to look overwhelmed by the time the woman saw his face.

"Are you all right?" he looked her over for signs of injury. If she was hurt, that would complicate things.

Jean started to move again, as Keith had intended. Fleeing together would build trust. Now he had an excuse to drag her running through the city. He let his knowledge of the area and his instincts guide him.

Finally, she stopped, pulling away. "No! Hurry and get going! You don't have to be involved with this!"

How sweet, trying to protect him. She was braver than he expected, though he supposed her willingness to steal from P.A.N.D.O.R.A. had required a definite spine. With all that she had his respect. Keith made sure to look confused when he responded. "But ..."

His instincts started prickling. A moment later, her eyes widened, looking at something behind him. She grabbed his arm. "Quintessential radiation! Run!"

Keith turned. Yup, a contractor. A section of the stone bridge was emitting a bright golden glow, so Jean's ability couldn't be simple teleportation. This would be interesting. Keith would have to get through this without revealing what he was. Fortunately, that didn't mean he had to obviously beat the French contractor. Subtlety was warranted.

Jean's face pushed through the golden round, pinpoints of red light shining through his pupils as he used his ability. Stone exploded outward as the man leapt through and immediately punched Keith. His instinctual and rational decisions fully aligned, which meant it was time was to let himself get beat up to further cement his bond with Dr. Shinoda. He took several body blows, but he'd take them all in order to find out what happened to his brother. 

When Keith heard the train, he knew it was time. Keith let the guy shove him over the bridge's side wall. He had his line on him, so he swung and attached to the bridge's underside, which was handy since he'd have been hit otherwise. Now the other contractor wouldn't bother looking for him anymore, and the doctor would be relieved to see him again.

It was impossible to hear the conversation above due to the noise from the train. He'd have to rely on Hunk or Narti listening in. Once the train passed he dropped onto the tracks and reeled his line back in to put away. 

"I've got a visual." Hunk sounded nervous to a level Keith wouldn't expect from a fellow contractor. "You okay?"

"Yup," Keith responded. "Are they still there?"

"Yeah, they've got her," Hunk grumbled. "And here goes the chloroform again. Should I break them up?"

"No." Keith checked his gear. Nothing was out of place. "I'll let this play out and see if she reveals anything to the Frenchmen. Narti, let me know if you're able to see into wherever they take her."

<I will.>

Now that the train had passed, Keith dropped to the tracks. Once he was out, he checked his equipment again, not willing to risk it malfunctioning while fighting another contractor later. Plus, those two couldn't be going far. Jean would have to pay the price for his ability soon. Whether he stopped to do it in an alley or their hideout, he'd be vulnerable.

<There's water in their safe house.> Narti reported. <I have them.>

Keith headed out the moment he had the address. "On my way. Let me know if things get ugly and I need to hurry." 

His earpiece buzzed as their boss, Lotor, spoke up. "Narti, if she reveals the package's location, give it to us. We can bypass the fuss and collect it ourselves."

<I will.>

Keith was nearly there when Narti spoke again.

<She's trying to open the door and run, but it's locked.>

Time to be the dashing hero. Keith reached the building and ran in, following Hunk's instructions since the possessed siamese cat had arrived first. The moment Keith arrived in the hallway outside their basement safe room, he reached out and fried the electrical circuits, plunging the building into darkness.

A quick zap opened the electronic lock. Stronger uses of his abilities left his emotions dulled as he dashed outside before the door could swing open, listening as rapid footsteps clicking from high heels surged up the stairs. Behind her, Keith heard a cat yowling. Hunk must have intervened to slow the French agents down.

It started raining. Perfect. Keith put up his jacket's hood and followed along rooftops as Dr. Shinoda ran through the city. He couldn't risk appearing too soon. When his emotions fully returned, he dropped down onto a side street and turned the corner, looking surprised to run into her. The acting was much harder when he felt flat.

She saw him and started to collapse. He surged forward and caught her, patting her back when she clung and started crying. Keith supposed he couldn't blame her. The woman had had a terrible day and it wasn't over.

"Let's get you somewhere safer than the street." When she didn't stand, Keith lifted her up, carrying her piggyback toward their apartments. He obviously knew where she lived since that's where she first saw him, so he wouldn't have to bend himself backwards explaining why he knew where to go. Lotor had searched her apartment while she was at work and hadn't found the information, but that didn't mean it wasn't hidden there. At the very least another look by her side couldn't hurt. 

Above, a star fell. Dr. Shinoda sighed and began to spill everything. "Just now, a contractor died somewhere in the world. On that infamous day fourteen years ago when the Gates appeared, the real stars in the sky disappeared, and were switched with these fake stars. Now hyper-rational, cold-blooded people with special abilities, called contractors and soulless bodies, called dolls are everywhere."

Either she didn't suspect him, or she was leading up to an accusation. Keith kept walking and didn't allow himself to tense since she was wrapped around him. She'd feel it.

"The world's governments, fearing a panic, used a new technology that they derived from the Gate called M.E. They started erasing the memories of people who'd had contact with contractors, or learned too much about dolls. This despite each country exploiting both contractors and dolls to the fullest."

She grew quiet. Keith figured an exchange student would have questions. "I'd heard rumors. You know a lot about it, huh?"

Dr. Shinoda continued. "I worked for a long time in the lab, and found myself learning things I shouldn't have. Besides, I had a sort of tie to them. Back in high school, I was told my parents died in an accident. The truth is, they didn't. I saw it. A contractor, killing my parents. I've been captivated ever since."

Keith kept walking. It was rare that regular humans found themselves drawn toward contractors once witnessing their powers, except for those who wanted to use them and their abilities against others. The doctor's interest sounded different. He wasn't sure if that was better or worse. Given the situation she found herself in, he figured it was worse.

Once he had the item his orders were to kill her. Those orders on one level made rational sense. By the end she'd probably know his identity along with his face, and he had a feeling the Syndicate was testing him to decide if they still trusted him.

Was it really necessary, though? He'd have to play it by ear. 

#

Lance ran a hand through his hair, frustrated to all hell. In the rush to find the errant doctor and the information -- not to mention, keep her from getting killed by contractors -- he'd been driving the streets for hours in his beautiful Blue while Detectives Coran and Ulaz searched on foot. It was time to regroup so he was meeting them in a parking lot halfway between their former location and his.

"Hey boss," said Coran with a sheepish grin. 

They appeared unharmed, at least. Time to fill them in on the latest reports he'd received over his car's secure radio. "Astronomics confirmed the activity of another French agent while you were searching. His codename is Jean and his ability is matter-exchange teleportation. Searches by observer spirits pinpointed his location at the time, but we don't have any remaining leads."

Ulaz inclined his head. "I'm terribly sorry. We had an opportunity to secure her but we failed."

Lance looked them up and down. They were all nearing twenty-four hours with almost no sleep and it showed -- he probably looked just as ragged as these two. Unfortunately, he couldn't let them rest, since more than the doctor's life was at stake. If contractors started fighting over the information, a lot more people could be taken out in the crossfire. 

Instead, he offered a warning. "You may need a breather, but dropping your guard can be deadly. They say that BK201 is showing signs of activity. Watch yourselves and don't get sloppy. I hate doing all that paperwork when one of you guys is taken out."

He shot his trademark finger guns and a grin, and the two responded with the usual eye-rolls and "yes sirs." Time to get back to scouring the city along with them. Maybe he'd spot something from the road that they'd missed on foot. As dire as the situation was he couldn't help also enjoying the thrill of the chase. Contractors always kept things interesting, that was for sure.

But he'd catch them to keep the people safe. He wouldn't let what happened to his uncle happen to anyone else.

#

Keith carried Dr. Shinoda up the stairs toward their apartments. They stepped inside her place and she gasped -- it looked like a storm had blown through, and he wasn't surprised that the French figured out where she was staying. After all, the Syndicate had found her, too. All he could do was hope the French hadn't found the information first.

"So," she sounded defeated, "they've caught up to this place already."

"You should hurry up and get changed," Keith suggested, preparing to bait the hook. "I'm going back to my room next door. If anything comes up ..."

The doctor started trembling. "It's real, right? What happened today? Louis being a contractor, and being dead?"

He was definitely dead. Keith had seen to it. A flicker of guilt passed through him but he stomped it down. Instead, he turned and started toward the door.

"Wait!" She grabbed onto his arm. "Don't leave me by myself!"

"Come to my place, then." Keith smiled, hoping she wouldn't come on to him. He may be a contractor but that didn't change the fact that he was gay. Pretending to be attracted to women wasn't his favorite activity, though he might have to do so in order to complete this mission.

Dr. Shinoda nodded and followed him into his apartment. He reached for the light switches, but she grabbed his hand. "Leave the lights off."

 She cast her purse aside and laid down on the floor. There was plenty of room beside her, so Keith did the same, leaving a healthy amount of space between them. After all, the guy she thought he was would be freaked out and exhausted too. The soft glow of Narti's observer spirit in the water glass faded as she no doubt noted where they were and turned her attentions elsewhere.

"It's strange," the doctor said, "I should be used to this floor plan. It being reversed in here feels surreal. Like it's an imitation."

Keith remained silent, letting her talk to see what she'd reveal. This was one of the easiest and hardest parts of his job. Easiest because when he wasn't talking, he couldn't blow his cover. Hardest because he wasn't the most patient person and letting people ramble until they got to the point wasn't his strong suit by a long shot.

"It's only been two weeks since I moved in here," she continued. "Being here actually made me feel alive, which was a first for me. I thought there was no way I could work in the club, but once I gave it a try I fit in surprisingly well. Between the me who worked night and day in the lab, as if cursed, and the one who's here now, I don't think I can keep straight which one is the real me."

Now there was a problem he understood. Still, he remained quiet. 

"More than anything, I had gotten all worked up that Louis was about to come and pick me up. He's not coming back now, huh?"

Keith turned to face her, instincts saying it was time to nudge her in another direction before she completely succumbed to depression. "Do you have anywhere you can go?"

The doctor laughed. "No, of course not. Louis was the only one I could turn to."

Keith wondered if that meant that Louis hadn't trusted the others on his team. Was he her designated handler, assigned with feigning a relationship, or had he found some rational reason to genuinely care about her? She seemed so wistful every time she mentioned the guy. Why didn't she hate him after discovering he'd been a contractor the whole time? 

"I'll come up with something," Keith promised, sitting up. Time to be slightly romantic despite his preferences. "Let's run away together."

"But ... But you just barely moved in here."

He smiled, silently thanking the trashy novels people left lying around. "I'm sure that it was my destiny to come here and meet you today. It said so in my horoscope."

She moved closer and wrapped her arms around him. "What are you talking about? You can still get away! Forget about me."

Keith hoped she wouldn't get handsy. "Either way, they've seen my face. They'll find this room before too long."

The doctor clutched the back of his shirt. "Can I really trust you?"

No. 

Footsteps outside made them both go silent. He hoped Hunk and Lotor remained quiet, as Dr. Shinoda was too close and might hear the sound from his earpiece. 

The tap of two pairs of hard-soled shoes grew louder, the tone of the footsteps changing when they transitioned from the stairs to the second floor. A key jingled and opened a lock nearby with a clunk. Whoever their visitors were, they were next door in the doctor's apartment, and soon their voices carried through the walls -- though not loud enough to understand. 

"Time to go," Keith whispered. He grabbed her hand and led her out his window, glad that he'd scoped out the escape route as usual. The way the floors were arranged meant that there was a sizable ledge one floor down, so they started by dropping down there, and then dropped down again onto the street. As they walked, trying to look causal, he peered into restaurants and diners to see what looked quiet. Soon enough they were inside and seated at a booth. 

He didn't miss the new man entering the restaurant. That white hair was unmistakeable. Apparently Lotor felt the need to check up on him, though he didn't sit too close.

It was time for Keith to drop some of his "I'm an innocent bean" act. Just a bit. Once they had their drinks, he spoke, keeping his voice down. "I know someone. A man who does trading and that sort of work over in Macau."

He lowered his voice to a whisper. "He can get passports and stuff ready for us."

"Forgeries?" she whispered back. "Are you talking about smuggling ourselves in? You said you were a foreign exchange student, right?"

Keith smiled. "There's a bit more to it than that."

"Boy," she said with a sigh, "you turn around, and the whole country has gone to pot."

Time to move in for the kill, so to speak. "However," Keith said, "we'll need a lot of money."

He knew she hadn't fled with much. He had no idea, though, how much she'd made while working as a hostess, or how much money Louis had given her.

"Money, huh?" She frowned. "I should have taken more out at the bank."

Bingo. Keith frowned as well. "If we had something that we could exchange, instead ..."

He waited. Would she bite?

"How about information?" Dr. Shinoda leaned closer. 

"Information?" He focused on looking confused instead of pleased. If she hadn't bitten, he'd have had to try other gambits before he found something that worked. Many contractors -- particularly the ones who had permanently lost their empathy and most of their emotions -- preferred to cut straight to threats and violence, but Keith found this technique to be a rational strategy. He got what he needed without the mess and without having to harm a mostly harmless target.

"Yeah." She lowered her voice. "Say, top-secret information gained by accessing P.A.N.D.O.R.A.'s core?"

Keith visibly perked. "Really? Information regarding the Gate should sell for a high price, no matter how trivial it is."

"We're talking the most revolutionary theories since compressed-gravity repulsion units and M.E. technology."

It was easy for Keith to look pleased. Some gate theories came from the study of contractors. If P.A.N.D.O.R.A. had Shiro then he might be mentioned in the documents. He resisted the temptation to rush her, since he knew from experience that was a bad idea. "Well, I'm sure that will sell for a lot. We'll be fine, Ms. Haraguchi!"

She looked down at the table, obviously making a decision. "Haraguchi is a fake name. My real name is Chiaki. Chiaki Shinoda."

"Chiaki, that's a nice name." Keith smiled again. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Akira Kim."

With a giggle, she responded, "Pleased to meet you too, Akira. That's a nice name." 

For a moment, out of nowhere, she drooped. Keith leaned in, hoping she wasn't hiding an injury. If she died before she could tell him where to find the information he wouldn't be able to look it over for anything about Shiro. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, it's nothing. I just seem to be a little worn down lately. Let me go freshen up."

Keith waited at the booth as she headed to the bathroom. "Hunk," he muttered, "make sure she doesn't try to escape out the back."

"On it."

Lotor slid into the booth seat directly behind Keith, and sat facing away from him. "I'd heard about you, but this really is masterful work."

A noncommittal sound was Keith's only response.

"There probably isn't anyone better suited to this work than you guys," Lotor continued. "After all, you've got no sense of guilt, or anything. You've found the item, right? Hurry up and get it."

Keith rolled his eyes. And people called him impatient. "No, I haven't found it yet. Soon." 

Lotor stood. "The French are coming. Get the object and then get rid of the girl before there's a problem."

He dropped money on his original table and left. Keith stared at what was left of his drink, doubts in his heart, but the orders really were the rational choice.

His train of thought was interrupted when he spotted two men crossing the street. Something about one of them screamed contractor to Keith's instincts, so he stood and fished through his pockets for money to pay, angling himself so he could watch them come in without being obvious.

Dr. Shinoda chose that moment to emerge from the washrooms. Keith threw the cash on the table, grabbed her, and pulled her into the kitchen. They made it halfway through with people yelling in the background before he had to duck, pulling the doctor behind one of the stainless steel counters with him. Bullets sent glass from shattered dishes flying, and the employees stopped protesting their presence and bolted.

He still couldn't reveal his ability. Thinking fast, Keith grabbed a bag of flour and threw it at the likely human shooter. When the bullet hit, the bag exploded into a powdery fog, giving them cover. He opened a nearby door and realized it led to the fire escape. Fortunate.

Before he could move, the side of a pot began to glow gold. Keith rushed the doctor onto the stair landing, wincing as shrapnel managed to catch his arm. He shut the door and shoved a storage locker against it. "Hurry!"

She looked him over. "Are you okay?" 

Keith pointed down the stairs. "Just go!" 

He knew that if he was the one giving chase, he'd go out the front door and intercept them when they reached the bottom. To avoid that, he told her to wait when they reached the landing for the next floor, and then used a tiny bit of his ability to release the door's electronic lock and get back inside. 

While they fled out the back of the building and his emotions returned, Keith made a decision. This woman didn't need to die. Once he had the information, he could use his ability as a contractor to make her forget what happened, and there went the worry that she knew his face or even remembered what she'd stolen or why. A perfectly rational outcome. 

Since he was about to disobey orders, he couldn't have Lotor and the others listening in. Keith ditched his earpiece along the way and ran with the doctor until they eventually reached a quiet underpass farther toward the outskirts of the city. Not a drop of water in sight, either. After sliding down the wall to sit, he leaned back, figuring it was better to let the French search and tire themselves out instead of continuing on. Plus, the doctor needed a rest and a chance to give him what he needed.

Dr. Shinoda dropped to her knees next to him, checking his arm. "Does it hurt?"

"No," Keith lied.

She shot him a look that said she didn't buy it, and pulled off the fashion scarf she wore under her coat to bind his upper arm. "I'm so sorry. This happened because of me. It really is impossible. We can't escape from them."

"You look tired," he responded softly. "You should get some sleep."

"I am tired." She lay down, putting her head in his lap. "I'm tired of being pushed around by them. I've been trying to escape for so long, but before I know it, they show up in front of me. I can't bear to let them intrude into my life like this again."

Was Louis trying to help her escape from the others? Keith wondered why.

The doctor sighed. "But, most of all, I can't bear to see them out of the corner of my eye, chasing after me again."

Keith stroked her hair, knowing she'd find it comforting. Maybe this was the point where she'd tell him what he needed to know.

"Something's wrong with me," she continued. "Still, I've realized something. Back when my parents died, I didn't testify that I saw the contractor. She was still just a child. I didn't even see her face. It's just, the glow of the Quintessential radiation that I saw in the darkness burned into my eyes, and I couldn't pull away. It was beautiful."

He'd never heard the light released while using powers called beautiful before -- or anything else about contractors, really. Keith remembered the first time he saw that glow as a child. It had been frightening. And worse, it was his own brother, whose bright and friendly eyes suddenly turned cold. Shiro's smile was never the same after that.

"It was my own life," the doctor sighed, "and yet it was like being in someone's dream, you know?"

Keith answered sincerely. "You'd have been better off losing those memories of the contractor."

She smiled sadly. "Up to now, I haven't been able to shake those memories. If they were gone, I wouldn't be who I am anymore. It scares me to think about it."

They sat in silence for a while. Moving with purpose, she suddenly sat up and pulled off her shoe. With a jerk of the heel she revealed a compartment and pulled out what looked like a locker key.

Keith could have actually hugged her in that moment.

Dr. Shinoda leaned in. "You must have some memories that you'd want erased," she said with a sad smile, holding the key out to him. "You just couldn't do it, right?"

She dropped the key into his hand and told him exactly where to find the locker. Now wasn't the time to mention that he had memories missing that he desperately wanted back. He had no idea of what happened at the end of Heaven's War in Brazil, when Shiro vanished. While Keith knew he, himself, had fought as a human in the war, he had no idea how he'd acquired his contractor powers, and couldn't remember what Shiro's had been. He also had no idea of why he never had to pay a price for using his powers. Had something so drastic happened that he'd paid it permanently?

With the contents of this locker, he might find a clue. Keith looked her in the eyes, feeling like he had to tell her this to explain why he'd take her memories. "Contractors are not human. They're killing machines, dressed up in human skin."

She sighed. "I know."

"In order to keep their risks to a minimum, they make sure to kill all witnesses. They're liars and betrayers." 

They both sat in melancholy silence for a moment. Then Keith stood, offering her a hand up. "Let's go get that information and make a new life."

The doctor stood and they quietly made their way to the subway, choosing the train that would get them where they needed to go the fastest. Somehow they made it to their destination, and even to the locker, without being confronted. 

Inside, he found a book. She nodded to him, and he shut the locker, then turned to lead her off. Unfortunately, he also spotted Jean and the explosive contractor coming down the opposite stairs, along with their human partner. When the doctor tried to pause he pulled to keep her moving.

 Dr. Shinoda frowned. "How did they find us here?"

Keith tucked the precious book under his arm and slid the other around her, leading her casually along the path where they'd be the least visible to the men hunting them. It would be simpler to abandon her and run, but he felt some need to deliver her someplace where she wouldn't be harmed. 

Once they rounded a corner and were at the building's side, he took off, dragging her. Another corner and they were in front. Keith slowed down, holding her hand and walking casually. She took the hint and matched his pace. It wasn't long before the threesome strolled behind them, no doubt waiting for the best opportunity to strike.

As luck had it, there was a police car in an alleyway ahead, two officers standing and discussing something beside it. While passing the officers, Keith focused and whispered to her. "Forget."

She gasped and stopped. He picked up his pace as she collapsed behind him, knowing that the police would see and take care of her. Now that she didn't remember, there would be no rational need for anyone to kill her, or so he hoped. Especially since it was clear that he was carrying the information.

From there, Keith hoofed it toward the drop point. Lotor would expect him to hand over the information immediately. There was little time for Keith to read what was there, but he'd manage it, even if he had to kill all three of his pursuers first.

Finding Shiro was the only mission that mattered.

#

Lance rolled up his windows, sealing the car so no one could hear when he screamed in frustration. At any moment, the city could erupt in chaos, and there was no sign of any of the people he and his team were hunting.

Static burst through his radio, warning him of an incoming transmission. "This is Ulaz. I've gotten word from Mitaka station that they have Dr. Shinoda. She collapsed in front of a pair of officers. I'm heading to the scene right now to get more details."

Pumping his fist in triumph, Lance responded, "Understood! I'll request backup." 

Not that he cared about backup. He could take care of himself. However, at this point he'd do anything to avoid Sendak's lectures whenever he didn't request it.

Otsuka's voice came through next. "Astronomics has confirmed that BK201 is active." 

"Roger!" Adrenaline pumped through Lance as he sped toward the station to search the surrounding area. If he could recover the information, stop the French contractors, AND identify and capture the elusive BK201 it would be totally worth the lack of beauty sleep. 

Fully aware that this was a bit much for a single human to handle, he did actually call for backup. When he was done, his radio activated again. 

"Lieutenant, this is Thace. We've identified Dr. Shinoda's body floating in the river."

Lance.exe stopped working. "What the fuck?"

How could she be dead in a river and at Mitaka station at the same time? Dealing with contractors was so damn complicated.

"Lieutenant, this is Ulaz. When the officers went to help Dr. Shinoda, she freaked and grabbed one of their guns. She's on the run!"

Lance punched his steering wheel, wincing when he hit it too hard. "Ulaz, Thace, are both of you positive that it's her?"

"I've seen the body myself," Thace responded. "She changed her hair and whatnot but it's definitely her."

"I had the officers describe her thoroughly," Ulaz replied next. "The same. Different hair and dressed for a night out, but it's definitely her."

Lance let out another frustrated scream. What the hell was going on?

#

Keith hurried toward the drop point, keeping his eye out for a safe place to stop and flip through the book. When he wouldn't be seen, he took off his jacket and unfurled his black trench coat, the dark red lining flashing as it settled. He tossed the jacket into a bush to retrieve later. At least now he was more fully protected if the French caught up with him.

Eventually, he found in a quiet back lot with no people ir water. He opened the book, then nearly threw it when he discovered that the pages were entirely blank. All that work and no chance to find Shiro! 

At that point, he was glad when three pairs of footsteps ran up behind him. Time to work out some frustrations. He turned and half faced them. No point in making it easy to see who he was, even though he had no intention of letting them leave alive. 

"You're a contractor?" Jean snorted. "You're the one who killed Louis, huh?"

To Keith's surprise, Dr. Shinoda ran along the fence and into the lot, stopping in front of him. There was definitely recognition in her eyes and a gun in her hand. Why wasn't her memory altered?

"You," she asked him wide-eyed, "you killed Louis?"

No point in maintaining his cover anymore. Keith didn't even attempt to look friendly. "That's right."

"It can't be." Her look of betrayal was understandable.

"I told you," said Keith, his voice cold. She had to learn. "Contractors are liars."

Jean laughed. "The rat fell into our trap."

Something changed in the doctor's expression, but Keith couldn't focus on that at the moment. Jean's human partner stepped forward to shoot her. On impulse, Keith jumped in front of her, using his trench coat to protect himself. When his instincts screamed for him to act like he was hit, he fell to the ground on his stomach. Time to let things play out again.

"This woman is not Dr. Chiaki Shinoda," chuckled Jean. "She's a doll. We extracted the real doctor's memories using M.E., and then implanted them into this doll."

Keith glared at the man, but still feigned injury. So this whole mission was bullshit.

"Just now, using a key word," Jean continued, "she has reverted back into a mindless doll from the personality she was programmed with. In any event, the personality would have only lasted two to three days."

The French agent smirked. "It was a trap. One meant to draw you out."

Ah, was that it? Keith remained where he was, not even looking at Jean. He heard footsteps approach and braced himself for the bruising as the human shot him two times in the back.

"Who'd have thought he'd fall for it so easily?" The human sounded far too smug. "Did Louis really buy it from this guy?"

Keith's instincts said the perfect moment to act hadn't arrived yet, so he waited. The faint sound of paws made him smile, since they couldn't see his face.

"A pity," said Hunk in a cheeky tone, creating a distraction. "I'm guessing Keith's trench coat is bulletproof."

The human turned, and Keith's instincts said that they were all looking toward the cat. These people were too dangerous to let live. Before the human could react, Keith wrapped his line around the man's neck and surged electricity through it, giving him a quick death. 

With his emotions so dulled, he held the man's body in front of him as a shield as he took in the scene, not feeling any remorse or regrets. When the human's chest began to glow, Keith threw the body to the side, already moving when the Frenchman exploded. From the yelling, apparently the agent's name was Alain. 

Keith flicked out his line again, catching the explosive contractor's wrist. Before the man knew what was happening, he was on the ground, electricity having stopped his heart. The sudden tingle on Keith's chest was a problem. While he registered concern he remained calm as he looked down, seeing gold glowing there, and looked up to realize that Jean was trying to substitute metal into his chest. 

That wasn't good. As the light flared, someone jumped in front of him, taking the hit. Keith stared as the doll fell to the ground, a hole in her chest. How? How had she acted on her own?

Jean suddenly vanished, water rushing out of where he'd been. He must have decided the rational choice was to leave rather than getting needlessly killed. It sucked that the agent had seen Keith's face, but if he was in water, Narti would find him soon enough.

Keith turned his attention back to the doll. Maybe the key phrase hadn't completely erased her programming. He'd used his power too much to feel anything, but he knew -- intellectually -- that the death would bother him later. 

Footsteps approached behind him. He glanced back, prepared to take out the new arrival, and only partly relaxed when he realized it was Lotor. The man must have been observing the fight. 

"So this one was just a decoy after all." Lotor smirked. "Apparently another Syndicate team got the real item. I guess they were expecting this."

As detached as Keith felt, there was still a faint sense of annoyance. He would have been fine acting as a decoy if he'd known, but having that information withheld wasted a lot of time and effort. 

Cocking his head, Lotor asked, "Why didn't you kill that copy?"

Keith tried to remember. "She might have been a copy, but she was alive."

"She's just a doll. A passive spirit medium." Lotor shrugged. "And you contractors are nothing more than killing machines."

The man was lucky Keith felt little, though he felt a bit more annoyed now so his emotions just have been returning. He couldn't be bothered to make any waves with the Syndicate so he remained silent. This guy was lucky most contractors really didn't care about those types of judgments.

"Enough, Lotor." Hunk arrived with Narti and stepped forward, still in his cat body. "The job isn't over yet."

Lotor waved a dismissive hand at Hunk. "Narti, where is Jean?" 

She knelt and pressed her hand into a puddle left over from the French agent's disappearance. <I have a line on him.>

"Keith, end him." Lotor stepped closer to Narti, who told Keith where the man had ended up. Apparently the reason he'd replaced himself with water was that he'd teleported into a river. 

Finding Jean wasn't hard, since he'd stopped by the water's edge to line up stones. That must have been his price. Keith arrived before he finished the arrangement, or the guy was too tired out, because killing him was simple. Knowing that the man had been prepared to torture Dr. Shinoda -- copy or not -- Keith entered the scene with no regrets and left it numb. 

Only later was he able to regret what happened to the doctor. Did her taking the final blow mean that she'd forgiven him for his deception? He knew he was strange for a contractor. Contractors weren't supposed to feel so fully. Keith had no idea why he did, but he was glad. Mostly. 

"All right!" Hunk's voice came over his earpiece. "Bringing this cat home and then it'll be time to pay my price, so everyone come to my place. Dinner's on me."

Keith wasn't sure he was fit for company. "I'll pass."

"Oh, you don't want to miss this," said Lotor, his voice teasing. "Hunk's price is to cook and with how long he's had to remain a cat, he'll make enough for an army. Plus, his food is amazing."

Stomach growling, Keith had to admit that he was starving. He had no idea if the Syndicate was going to keep him with this team or not, but perhaps the rational choice was to spend some time with them, and fill his belly for free at the same time. He was supposed to be a starving exchange student after all, right? 

"Why not?" he finally responded.

Hunk cheered, leaving Keith feeling strange. He couldn't remember many -- if any -- contractors who could even pretend to be that happy. Maybe getting to know this guy would be useful after all. They could have something in common.

Plus, the more he understood about himself, the closer he grew to finding Shiro. When it came to rational choices, a meal in questionable company was definitely worth that possible reward. Time to double back, collect his jacket, hide his trench coat underneath it again, and then check his gear. If the team betrayed him at dinner, he'd need to be able to fight his way out and reach his safe house. 

He wasn't dying before he found Shiro.

#

Lance stood at the edge of the water the next day, watching his people fish out another body. That made six in total spread around the city: four French operatives, Dr. Shinoda, and the other Dr. Shinoda. They wouldn't know until the labs were done how there were two of her. 

"Perhaps these are both copies," said Coran, "and she's still alive."

"Maybe." As much as Lance would like that to be true, he doubted it. His nerves were still too on edge, wondering if the fighting was done or if the other shoe was about to drop, so he decided to stay out in the field. "There's not much we can do here. Thace found out where she lived from the hostess club. I'll canvas her apartment building. Coran, Ulaz, and Thace, canvas the area around it. Hopefully someone saw something."

Once everyone was on their way, Lance headed over to the complex. It was small and simple with maybe a dozen units. The landlady was a trip to speak with, but she'd had so little interaction with the doctor that she really wasn't much help. That lead to him going door to door. There were a lot of interesting foreigners in the building, which made sense since the apartments rented by the month. Students, musicians, and people working abroad to send money back home were the theme. 

By the time he reached the last apartment on the second floor, Lance felt utterly defeated. Most of them had seen her briefly but no one knew a thing. He knocked this one last time. Maybe this was the magic door.

The door cracked open. Lance nearly swallowed his tongue when the resident peeked his head out. Holy shit, this guy had a mullet. Part of him whispered that it didn't matter, because this guy was gorgeous, but Lance did his best to strangle that though before it could finish taking form. After a while, he realized he was staring into confused violet eyes. 

Whose eyes were violet?

"Can I help you?" The guy blinked. 

He may have a mullet, but his hair looked so shiny and soft. Lance wanted to touch it. He cleared his throat instead. "Excuse me, Sir, but I'm with the police. I'd like to ask you about Ms. Haraguchi, your neighbor. Did you notice anything unusual about her?"

Lance silently patted himself on the back for getting all of that out without fumbling. Pretty people always left his tongue tied in knots. 

The guy looked down the walkway and his eyes widened, spotting the police tape across her apartment door. "I just barely moved here, so I didn't see anything. Is this a bad neighborhood?"

Lance shook his head. No need to worry Mr. Mullet -- Lance had to start calling the guy that in his head or something far more embarrassing might slip. "No, she had unfortunate circumstances that had nothing to do with this building."

Pretty boy -- Mullet -- smiled in relief, dimples forming in his cheeks. "Oh, I'm glad."

Internally, Lance was dying. This guy was so cute! He coughed to steady himself. Since there were so many foreigners in the building, he was obliged to check. It wasn't a creepy excuse to learn more about Mr. Gorgeous -- Mullet -- at all! "Are you a foreigner?"

The guy nodded.

"I'm sorry, but I'm required to ask for your foreigner registration card."

Fortunately, Mullet didn't seem to be offended. He pulled the card from his wallet and handed it over. Lance gave it a look. Akira Kim, from Korea. Of mixed Korean and Japanese descent.

Lance made a show of writing the name down, even though he doubted he'd ever forget a man with a face like that. "Thank you very much. Call me if you remember anything."

Then Lance handed his card over, silently adding, Or just call me. 

"Sure," Akira responded with another smile and a nod. 

Lance forced himself to turn and go rather than lingering. No need to come off as weird. The door closed behind him with a clunk and the click of a lock. While it wouldn't be unusual for him to linger at the crime scene while their techs processed it, Lance figured he'd better head back to the office, or he might find himself paying much more attention to Akira's door than to anything else. 

He'd shaken off the aura of defeat at least. He left with more of a spring to his step, and a certain black-mulletted beauty on his mind. While he hoped they ran into each other again, that was a dangerous thought in his line of work. He didn't want something bad to happen to Akira.

But if they ran across each other in a club, or Akira called to meet up for a date? Lance grinned. Once the case was closed and there was no more conflict of interest, that would be fine.

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