~*A Single Thought*~
Chapter 3: ~*Adversaries*~

Nagi gazed down at the slowly cooling corpses, his
face belying no expression whatsoever. The small group
of mercenaries had attacked them on their way to
Kudou's house causing them to nearly crash the car
into a nearby lampost. However they had bitten off
more than they could chew, attacking the the
telekenetic and telepath.

Nagi knelt then slowly and meticulously searched their
pockets, sighing when they all proved to be empty.
Spitting at the one nearest to her, Karin slipped her
gun back into her pocket and snarled, "Stupid
bastards. They were only trying to delay us!"

Nagi glanced up at the telepath, "Learn anything about
the one paying them?"

Her green eyes flashed in frustration, "Nothing! They
were only given orders to delay our search by any
means possible by an invisible figurehead. Their other
team was the one incharge of abducting Omi." Karin
nudged one of then with her shoe "The guy who wants
our bossman wants him -really- bad, these idiots
figured as much from their brief chat with him." 

"We better continue on our search. Any minute wasted
is a minute gained by our enemies." Nagi stood and
inspected his car which had gone up the sidewalk. The
early morning rays reflected off the shattered side
mirror. "There seems to be no real damage."

"Shit. This is getting worst by the minute." Karin
gave the nearest corpse a good kick before following
him inside the car. "If we aren't killed by another
one of those guys, my stomach will do the job!"

"If Crawford doesn't get to you first for failing."

"Shit..."
~*~*~*

"Where are you going?", Omi watched curiously as Aya
ran around the kitchen already in her school clothes.

"To school! I'm soooo late!" She hastily cleaned up
the remains of her breakfast. "Terada-sensei's gonna
kill me!"

Omi blinked. "When will you be back?"

"In the afternoon! See ya Omi-chan!" She gave him a
quick peck on the cheek before dissapearing out the
door, backpack bouncing.

Ken appeared and set a bowl before Omi, filling it up
with Lucky Charms cereal, "I'm going to go grocery
shopping today. You have to come so I can buy you new
clothes."

"And candy?", Omi's eyes sparkled.

"Just make sure you brush your teeth afterwards.", Ran
smiled as he entered the kitchen fixing his tie.

"I know where /you're/ going!", Omi beamed, "You're
going to work! Crawford-san always wears nice suits
when he goes to work! At home he wears shorts, but
only if Shu-kun isn't there to tease him about his
nice legs."

Ran and Ken fell silent, unsure what to say. They
realized the night before that Omi was quite fond of
Schwarz, probably because he couldn't remember what
they had done to him. Ran felt sick at the thought of
his arch-rival walking around in little shorts with
Omi to see him.

Omi peered up from his cereal at them, "When are you
going to take me home? Nagi-kun must be worried!", he
looked up at Ken, "Maybe he can go shopping with us!"

Ran knelt before him, "I'm afraid you aren't going to
see them for awhile Omi."

"Wh-why?"

'Well, you see.", Ran glanced at Ken for support and
was reassured by his lovers encouraging smile, "We
decided that we would like it if you stayed here for
awhile. A vacation. Don't you want to stay with me,
Ken and Aya?"

Omi pondered what the Ran had suggested for a few
seconds before breaking into a smile, "Okay! But can't
Nagi-kun and Shu-kun and Farfello-kun and Crawford-san
come visit?"

Ken set a glass of orange juice in Omi's hands and a
cup of coffee on the table, which Ran took gratefully,
"Well Omi-kun, they're very busy at the moment, that's
why they left you with us."

"Oh.", Omi looked doubtful. His family had always had
time for him before. He wondered what he had done
wrong. He didn't mean to get lost! And it wasn't his
fault the man at the park had taken him. He decided to
wait, after all, they couldn't stay mad for long,
"Okay."

Over his head, Ken and Ran exchanged smiles. The
cuckoo clock suddenly chimed eight overhead, causing
Omi to squeal in delight.

"I have to get to work. I'll see you later love.", Ran
kissed Ken chastely on the cheek, "Are you sure you'll
be allright?"

"Don't worry! I'll see you at six then?"

"Aa. I don't have much papers to work on today."

Ran ruffled Omi's hair and was rewarded with a hug as
the youth grabbed his waist from his seated position.
He managed to distangle himself and waved to them both
as he exited the door.

"Well.", Ken placed his hands on his waist, "It's just
you and me slugger. Time to get ready!"

Omi beamed, "Hai!"
~*~*~*

A man sat within a dimly illuminated room, lazily
cradling his cordless phone to one ear. He listened
patiently as the leader of his hired underlings
started to speak.

"Sir. Takatori has left with a certain Ken Hidaka.
They're currently making their way towards a nearby
shopping center."

"Well, what are you waiting for? I'm paying you to
kidnap him, not to just watch."

"Hai."

As the man hung up with a click, the youth leaned back
on his large leather chair, rubbing his forehead
tiredly. He seemed to about eighteen years of age,
with feature's that belied an mixture of Japanese and
European descent, "It's impossible to find good help
these days."

"I resent that Utada-sama. I thought you held me in
higher regard."

Kyoma Utada smiled, grey eyes moving to the darker
section of the room, "Chikaze. Listening in to my
conversations again?"

From the one of the corners of the study, a shadow
slowly detached itself revealing a person all in
black. Chikaze was a tall man with dark eyes and hair,
his skin a pale ivory and lips a blood red shade. He
was also Kyoma's most trusted friend and personal
bodygaurd, "How could I not? This recent plan of yours
greatly interests me."

A an elegant black eyebrow raised, "Does it?"

"I hope you haven't bitten off more than you can
chew."

Kyoma smirked, "I'm sure. I'm just getting a little
revenge. Takatori killed my father after all."

Chikaze's expression turned amused, "How
contradictory. You -hated- your father. You should be
thanking him for killing the old man."

"I know.", Kyoma shrugged, "But you always said I must
have an excuse ready for what I do."

"Then why? Why kidnap Takatori, one of the most
powerful underworld figures?" Chikaze played with a
lock of raven hair, nibbling on it absentmindedly.

"Because I'm curious. Why has he removed himself from
personally overseeing his deals. Why has he suddenly
dissapeared and left Crawford to do his work?"

Chikaze laughed, "Ah! Your insatiable curiosity!", a
cruel smirk, "But I hardly think that's it at all."

"Oh?"

"You just want to see if you -can- do it. Your trying
to see how much power your father had left you. Why
not kidnap Omi Takatori then?", Chikaze knelt and
rested his head on Kyoma's knee, smiling as the man
started to stroke his hair, "I may be skilled in
fighting and stealth Utada-sama, but I am no match for
all his telepath's and telekenetic's if they come
knocking at my door."

Kyoma played with Chikaze's soft bottom lip, loving
it's red color, "I know. But if all goes well they
will never know who took him. And we will both have a
new toy."

"Is he beautiful?", Chikaze's dark eyes grew
thoughtful, "The former Takatori head was terribly
unattractive."

"So the rumors say, I've never seen him myself. But if
he isn't does it matter?"

"Perhaps. If he's beautiful, he lives. If not, why
keep him alive?", Chikaze fell silent to nibble on
Kyoma's finger, allowing it to slip between his lips.

Kyoma laughed softly before murmering, "That is true.
I want him by tonight. You will make sure they don't
fail will you?"

"Hai, Utada-sama.", Chikaze drew himself up, and with
a graceful bow he slid back into the shadows.

"Omi Takatori.", Kyoma leaned back into his chair,
grey eyes thoughtful, "Let us see if I can have you
shall we?"