Dark Waters

Chapter 12: Infiltration

Chapter Twelve: Infiltration 

  

Two weeks, it had been two weeks since the Mizu family along with their friends, Angel and Kenny, finally launched their attack against the Dark Flame Clan on their enemy's stronghold itself, Kuraihi Towers. Two weeks since they finally got revenge for the attack on Angel's apartment. Two weeks since they finally killed off Kuraihi Natsu. Two weeks since their grandfather, Yoshi went missing after the battle on the rooftops. Two weeks since Leo...

Rainier finally stopped what he was doing and looked at the beaten practice dummy as recalled the events of the past two weeks...

Flashback

"Leo!" Rainier began as their weapons locked against each other. "Leo, its me!!! Don't you remember? It's me! Rainier. I'm your brother!"

"My name is Leopard, *Mizu*, I have no brothers." Leonardo hissed back, his cold blue eyes gleaming with hatred.

End Flashback

Rainier shook his head, he had been prepared for a lot of things, plans going wrong, getting hurt, one of them possibly losing their lives...

But he honestly never expected to having to fight a person who wore his face and someone he thought long dead.

He'd had dreams when he was younger, and hell still had them occasionally. The dream that Leo would turn up safe and sound, and that everything would be all right. Rainier knew that it was a small hope, his twin had been gone for around ten years and Grandfather claimed the police had searched the river for a body and found no trace of it. But still he'd always held out that slim hope that it'd be like a Sunday afternoon special, or a soap opera.

He'd just never imagined it'd happen like this.

Rainier never expected Leo would be fighting against them to protect Natsu .

Why would his twin be working for the Dark Flame Grandmaster? Rainier silently asked him. Surely Leo hasn't forgotten how Mom and Dad died, left dead under a puddle of their blood when the Dark Flame ninjas attacked their home when they were young.

Daniel and Michael would be probably be too young to remember it, but Rainier would never forget the sight he had seen, the four of them finally crawled out of the closet their mother hid them in when the men in black came.

He was also sure Leo wouldn't have forgotten it either, after all his twin was the one who shielded his and their younger brothers' horrified gazes with his body moments later.

Then why...?!

Rainier shook his head, thinking about it made his head hurt and he closed his eyes as he relived the confrontation with his long lost, and seemingly insane, twin.

Flashback

"Why are you doing this, Leo?" He shouted, hoping to reach his long lost brother and bring him back to his senses. "It's us!!! We're your family!!!"

Leonardo's eyes narrowed in pure hate. "Shut up and die!!!" he snarled and punched Rainier with his free hand, throwing the other teenager off him.

End Flashback

Rainier opened his eyes. And added to that, with their Grandfather missing, he knew he was in charge of his younger brothers now. A job he really never wanted or meant to have.

It should have been Leo's, damnit!

At least, Dan and Angel both have a lead on the whereabouts of their Grandfather. Those big guys, who appeared to help them during the fight on Kuraihi Towers, seemed to be the most likely culprit. Angel and Dan had earlier linked them to a technology and robotics company known as TRCI, whose building was conveniently located a couple of blocks away from Dark Flame Grandmaster's hide out and tomorrow night he and his brothers will try to infiltrate the building itself while Angel and Kenny provide a distraction.

Rain let out a tired yawn and giving up his late night work out, he silently padded back upstairs to his room to get some rest.

***

Two weeks, a lone figure thought as he continued infiltrating a high security building. Two weeks after the surprise attack on Kuraihi Towers, Leopard Kuraihi made his way past the guards through the ventilation vents he had scoped out when Hank and his gang brought him the blueprints of the building this morning. He frowned as he slipped through another electronic security device in the narrow tunnel. Following the repairs on the Towers, his master had ordered him on a reconnaissance mission in the T.C.R.I.. The Grandmaster had been furious that C'tan and his fellow Guardians had joined the Mizu Clan in the battle and credits their interference as crucial to their own defeat, since Natsu would never admit the Dark Flame Clan could be defeated by three teen-aged ninjas and their old grandfather.

Leopard winced at the memory. He had to admit, it was their own fault. They had been too complacent, too sure that their own enemies wouldn't have the courage to strike back at their own stronghold.

He shook his head at the thought and focused his mind on the mission once more. He was supposed to disable the security from the inside to allow his Master and Hank access into the building. Using the computer virus he had unleashed on the buildings previously wasn't an option anymore. C'tan probably secured the firewalls and beefed up their anti virus software since then.

His thoughts drifted back to the Captain of the Guardians. Truth to tell, Leo had no bad feelings against that Guardian that he fought against on a regular basis. Rather he felt some sort of grudging respect for the latter. He found him a worthy adversary, his tactical skills almost a match to his own. Well, almost anyway.

And also, there was something else. There was something else about that Guardian. Something that his mind couldn't keep a firm grasp on.

Her sister told her that he had been acquainted with C'tan before years ago, when he was still basically learning the ropes of being a part of the Dark Flame clan, and she said that C'tan was able to trick him to almost betraying the Master...

Leopard frowned. He honestly couldn't remember that. In fact, he barely remembered anything beyond the Reeducation sessions that his adopted father and Master had been made him go through during his training days.

But still, the thought galled him. C'tan had been able to convince to nearly betray his Master, his Lord, the one he owed this entire existence to.

C'tan was one opponent he must always keep an eye out for.

There was a short blip on his communicator's earpiece, along with few seconds of static, before a familiar sneering voice spoke up. <Blue Leader, this is Red Leader. Well, Fearless, are you still there or have you been captured already?>

Leopard let out a scoff. "Well, hello to you to, Hank. Glad to know that you are still looking out for me, big brother." he flatly began, a bit irritated at the nickname that Hank kept on calling him.

<I couldn't care less about you, squirt.> Hank sneered back. <I just called in to ask how are doing so far. The Master wants results and fast.>

"Please don't compare me with your brand of incompetence, bestest big brother of mine. We all know who's the worthless one here. Dumb blonds and all." Leopard smirked, enjoying the angry growl from the other line. "But back to the mission, Sectors 2 and 3 are down. Proceeding to Sectors 6 and 7 before going on the main system. Tell the Master to expect the security grid to fall within 20:00 hours."

Another voice, cold and stern suddenly spoke up on the line, causing Leopard to unconsciously jerk back to alertness. <Very well, Leopard. I expect your progress.> A pause. <Continue with your mission, my son.>

"Master," Leopard whispered and nodded curtly, forgetting that the Grandmaster would be unable to see him do so. "By your command, Father."