Chapitre 11 :: The client

Publiée: 30-09-06 - Mise à jour: 30-09-06

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The top floor of the Four Seasons Hotel was closed off. The police department had booked the entire floor and there were two policemen in civvies on each floor, guarding the entrances to the emergency staircase. The special team was protecting the top floor, with snipers on the roof of every building in a half-mile radius. Detective Nogami Saeko has been the only agent assigned to the inside of the Presidential Suite, where she was to protect her charge with her life if needed be.  

A young brunette sat demurely on a plush sofa, her head bowed, her hands clasped in her lap. She didn’t speak, she didn’t lift her eyes, and she didn’t acknowledge the officer’s presence.  

Saeko sighed slightly, having long given up trying to get Hitotsugi Amaya to talk. The girl, she wasn’t yet thirty, just sat there in silence, staring blankly at the floor. Saeko hoped Ryo and Kaori would arrive soon, so she could get the chit off her hands. She was bored beyond tears and it was evident, no one was going to strike that day.  

But she sort of understood the young woman before her. She was afraid of making contact, of knowing someone. Everybody who has been close to her in the past couple of weeks since her husband’s death had died. She didn’t want to suffer through another death of someone she knew.  

A soft knock sounded on the door and Saeko’s heart became instantly lighter. Her assignment was about to end. She didn’t want to think about how hard it has been convincing her father to trust City Hunter with another job, even though he had no problems recruiting him to get rid of Hitotsugi.  

Her high heels sinking into the thick carpet, she walked to the door.  

Agent Takagawa saluted her, his back stiff, disapproval radiating from his every pore. »He’s here, Detective.«  

She nodded curtly. She didn’t care what anybody thought. Ryo was the best man there was out there. He knew the city, knew everyone, his building was a fortress, his connections spread throughout Japan and she suspected – not that he ever said anything – through most part of the world. His past might be shrouded in mystery, but he had no equals. His skills with firearms were legendary, his knowledge of martial-arts formidable, and his ability to imitate every voice he ever heard uncanny. He was the best and she trusted him implicitly.  

»Send him in.«  

His mouth tightened in a thin line as he nodded, turning to his colleague at the end of the hall.  

»Thank you.«  

Saeko smiled and shook her head at the sarcasm in that deep voice. Ryo never did anything to soften up the people who disliked him or to quench the various rumors about him that circulated around town. He reveled in his reputation and its outcome.  

As he neared her, Ryo winked. »Hey, Saeko-chan.«  

»You never change, do you?«  

He blinked. »Meaning?«  

»Oh, nothing.« She peered behind him. »Where’s Kaori?«  

»Home.«  

»How come?«  

He arched a dark eyebrow.  

Saeko smiled slowly. This time the danger to his partner was ten times greater than usual and Ryo didn’t want to take unnecessary risks with her life. He probably even ordered Kaori not to show herself in public with Hitotsugi’s widow. With this particular job anything could go wrong and he knew it. »Understood.«  

He acknowledged the statement with a slight bow of his head, looking inside the suite. »This is it, huh?«  

Saeko sighed. »This is it.«  

»You sound worried.«  

»I am.« She let herself drown in his dark eyes for a second. »I don’t know how she might take this sudden change.«  

»You didn’t tell her?«  

»Of course I did! It’s just that… She refuses to talk to anyone.« She motioned toward the suite with her hand. »She just sits there, head bowed, staring at the carpet, not saying a word.« Her eyes misted. »I feel sorry for her.«  

Ryo stared at the woman in front of him. Since when did Saeko start feeling sorry for her charges? And what was with the tears? This wasn’t the tough chick he knew. But as always when there was talk about feelings and emotions, he had to turn the whole thing into a joke. »You’re getting old, doll.«  

She glared at him. »I mean it, Ryo. I know I shouldn’t get involved with what people I protect think or feel, but try to understand. Everyone she loved has died in the past couple of weeks, her husband, yes, he was a bastard, but he was also the only protection she had in this world, is gone, his men, men who just last month would have done anything for her, have turned against her, blaming her for a crime she didn’t commit. She’s haunted, afraid to bond with anyone for fear she might lose them, too.«  

»I was just kidding, Saeko,« he murmured, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder. »I didn’t mean to upset you. I understand how she feels.«  

Her mouth wobbling, she nodded briskly. »I know you do.«  

He smiled. »Shall we?«  

»Yes.«  

And she opened the door all the way in.  

Amaya tensed slightly. She couldn’t believe she was about to meet the legendary City Hunter. She’s heard stories and rumors about him. Some said he was a phantom, a creature of the night walking in the realm of the living only on special occasions, when someone prayed to the Gods for vengeance, some said he was a God himself, for it wasn’t possible for a mere human to do things he presumably did, to be in several places at the same time. Even Takeru talked about City Hunter with a grudging respect. Everyone admired City Hunter. Some feared him, some respected him, some hated him, but he had everyone’s admiration. She couldn’t believe she was to meet such a formidable man.  

Ryo scrutinized her from the door. She was young, very young, with rich chestnut hair falling to her shoulders. The white of her mourning dress made her skin almost translucent. Her face was down-turned, but he could see she had noble features. Her high cheekbones started slowly tingeing red. He had to grin. She didn’t look up at him, but she knew he was there. She’s probably heard of his reputation and was or too shy to look at him or too overwhelmed. He had that effect on women. Even Kaori went all red sometimes, but only when she was incredibly furious at him.  

Thinking of Kaori, his back straightened in resolve. He needed to get the chit out of the hotel and back to his apartment, where he would keep her as far away from Kaori as possible. His partner drew stray bullets like a magnet.  

Saeko leaned against the closed door, observing amusedly as Ryo slowly neared the sofa. She had to admit he looked amazing when he was that serious. His eyes always burned with quiet intensity, making every woman incredibly hot, when he bestowed one of those so rare serious looks upon her. Pity, he usually reserved them for his partner, whenever Kaori wasn’t looking. But he was an idiot if he thought Kaori didn’t notice. Those two were just fooling themselves, thinking their feelings for each other weren’t blatantly evident to anything who had eyes.  

Her eyes narrowed as she noticed the young Amaya appeared more and more flushed with every step Ryo took closer to her. She’s seen it many times how girls like her fell hopelessly in love with the sweeper. Who wouldn’t? When one came to know him, one realized there was much, much more to Saeba Ryo than drew the eye. In reality he was a great guy with a heart of gold with a weakness for people in distress and his partner. The pervert thing was – almost always – just a ruse. That’s why every woman he ever took under his wing fell hard for him. But it was indeed hopeless. At the end of the day he always returned home, to the only woman he has ever loved. Makimura Kaori was a very lucky woman indeed. And she probably knew it.  

Ryo stopped in front of the sofa, staring down at the crown of dark hair. »Hello.«  

Amaya started as that deep voice sent shivers down her spine. How could he make her feel like that with only a word? Slowly she lifted her head, her eyes colliding with his dark ones.  

Ryo smiled slightly. She had strange eyes. Pale blue, almost indistinctive against the white of her irises. She stared up at him wide-eyed, with a mixture of awe and fear, but there was something else, he couldn’t define. »I’m Saeba Ryo. You’ll be under my care for a few weeks.«  

Her lips extended into a beautiful smile. »I’m Amaya,« she said softly, blushing.  

»Hello, Amaya-chan.«  

The blush deepened.  

He gestured toward the door with his head. »Shall we go?«  

She was on her feet in an instant. »Yes!«  

At the door, Saeko shook her head ruefully. The girl was a goner. Ooh, was she in for a huge surprise when they arrived at Ryo’s. She just hoped Kaori would survive the next few weeks without getting an aneurism. Not that Ryo would attempt at something – she could see, he wasn’t interested – but with an infatuated beauty underfoot, the mistress of the house just might pop a vein or worse.  

As the two moved pass her, Ryo sent the Detective a murderous glare. »Next time Kaori asks you about the assignment, keep your mouth shut!« he hissed, escorting the young lady toward the elevator.  

Saeko stared after them, blinking in incomprehension. What was that all about?! 

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