And Also With You ~The Tooth And Claw Books #3

Chapter Thirteen: Travel to Where it Began

----- July 28th, 2010 -----

Once we made the plans, including a meeting point where we would take Grand-Duchess Morningstar to meet with her father, and transport had been arranged I informed Josi of our little mission then began to travel, giving her the route me and Akio would take.  We decided to make the trip last a couple days, it was true that the trip was only a few hours, but by dragging it out we gave our trap time to spring.  I was hesitant about this whole thing, unless it turned out to be the Quatre Master, the traitor would be someone I cared about. 

We pulled up to a hotel along out route, the one where we'd spend the night before moving on to the  Kaiju facility in the morning. We walked up to the front desk, checking in, then me and Akio headed up to our room. It was a simple thing, two beds and a bathroom with a small TV and not a whole lot more. 

"I'm going for a walk Akio," I replied, checking that Absolia and Excelsior were strapped to my hips out of habit

"Don't go too far." Akio ordered and I obeyed, I mainly needed to clear my head. 

The moment the door was closed behind me I took my Nekomata form leaping from the balcony of our Hotel and just landing comfortably on the ground. I sensed something, my mind was racing. My Josi could be a traitor, worst still if she was a traitor she was working with Lazzirus, the man who had forced me to kill my mother and tortured me for years. I let out a feral scream and turned punching the wall of the hotel, paying it no mind as my knuckles broke and my hand began to bleed a little. I paid it little mind right now, I was just so angry. First I was tortured by Lazzirus for six damned years, then even after I've escaped he keeps finding ways to get to me. 

'I would advice you not hold me right now, lest the curse take hold.' Excelsior advice, a hit of concern in her voice.

'Indeed, it doesn't take my powers to sense your distress.' Changxi added, also concerned.

'Indeed father. I may not know your past, but we share one mind who ever this Lazzirus is, I assure you should he show his face I will help you end him.'' Absolia added, I was still getting used to her voice mind you.

"I know, I know but why the hell does life had to kick ten shades of shit out of me?"

'That I cannot answer all I can tell you is, the universe will provide.'  Excelsior replied.

"First of all you know I can't stand the vague crap, so knock it off. second that was a rhetorical question."

I sighed heavily and walked back inside, Akio didn't question how my hand was injured, she could see the stress and anger dripping off me, she knew me as well as any grandmother could at this point. She simply walked over to me, touched Transcendence to my hand to heal the injury then smiled warmly at me.

"You gona be okay? Even if our traitor is Josi?" She asked, holding me a little and petting cat ears to calm me down.

"I Honestly don't know." I replied before laying on the bed and quickly falling to sleep.

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We set off early the next day, Akio driving as always. Nothing was said on the Kaiju Facility, nothing needed to be said, as of yet the others hadn't reported in. Which was a  good thing, with this whole thing we were taking the no news is good news approach, both mom and Michael agreeing only to contact us if their roots were actually attacked. As for the final potential traitor, we'd told Anna, Samuel  and  Josi a route. If none of those got attacked, we would test the quartermaster from there. I had mixed feelings as we pulled up to the base and Akio told the guard on the intercomm. our identities and the purpose for our visit. I was relieved that as of yet we hadn't been attacked, although until we were actually back at our base I wouldn't stop expecting said attack. Then there was the base itself, the last time I'd been here was probably the most important night of my life, the Purity assessment I went through. So, to say it felt strange returning her as not just a Custodies Veritas Combat-Operative , but the highest ranking member of their ranks at that, it brought a strange kind of satisfaction to me. The place still brought chills to my spine mind you.