Chasing Shadows: An Alice In Borderlands Fanfic (Completed)

Chapter 9: New Arrivals

I stepped into the hall and closed the door to Aguni's office behind me. My meeting with him had taken an unexpected turn.

Niragi was pacing back and forth in the hall as I exited.

"What took so long?" he asked, storming over to me.

I shrugged and went to push past him. "I need a shower. I'm covered in panther blood."

"Jen..." He grabbed my shoulder. "What did he want from you?" He was getting aggressive.

"He asked me to join the militants." I shrugged again, trying to downplay what had gone on in Aguni's office.

"And...?"

"And nothing."

"Bullshit." He curled his hand around my throat and slammed me into the wall.

I slapped him away just as the door to the office opened, and Aguni stepped out.

Niragi bowed to him before dragging me down the hall.

We had to cut through the pool area to get to the lobby. As we threaded through the celebratory crowds, a pair of unfamiliar faces caught my eye. A couple of militants were hanging around them as they sat at an outdoor table. A young man and woman who were dirty and scared.

"Boss!" one of the militants called out. "Here are the two spies. They've been debriefed and accepted by the Hatter."

Aguni started to move past Niragi, but my lover took it upon himself  to make first contact.

He eyeballed the girl. "Boss would like a taste of you." And he grabbed for her arm. I swallowed the jealousy that suddenly bubbled up inside me.

The boy stood and forced himself between the crazy militant and the woman who was obviously his girl. "Don't touch her!"

"Ooh! We have a fighter!" Niragi held up his hands in mock surrender. "Boss, maybe we should ask him to join us, neh?" He laughed and shoved the boy out of the way.

When he reached for the girl again, I intervened. "Leave her alone."

Behind me, Aguni watched with a stoic look on his face.

Niragi tried to shake me off. I pushed him back hard, daring him to defy me. When Aguni lay a hand on his shoulder, he stood down.

I turned my attention to the new couple. "I'm Daikichi Jen. It's nice to meet you. That oaf over there is Suguru Niragi. And the leader of the militants here, Morizono Aguni. We keep the peace, so to speak." I had my rifle on me and kept it by my side, unlike Niragi who flaunted his every chance he got.

We bowed to each other.

"Ryohei Arisu," the boy said, a bit shaken. His eyes widened at the blood covering me. "And this is Yuzuha Usagi."

"Sorry. I killed a panther at the tonight's game and..." I motioned at myself. "Anyway, you were the ones spying on us while we were at the zoo?"

"Ah, yeah..." Arisu rubbed the back of his head. "We knew this place existed but didn't know how to get here."

Aguni stepped up. "Your friend. The one in the floral shirt?"

The boy looked stricken and shook his head.

They knew each other?

When I shot them a questioning look, Arisu said, "We were in a game together...with...my friends." He swallowed. His eyes moistened.

"You lost them?" I asked, not unkindly.

"Yes. It was a wicked game. A seven of hearts. I was the only survivor. Karube and Chota..."