"Weiss is becoming a detriment," Brad said as he looked out the window of the room they were gathered in. Takatori had long since stopped bugging their suite and they were free to speak their minds. "They've managed to displace our current plans and have put us behind schedule."
"You sound worried," Schuldich said from his spot on the couch. "We haven't even fought them yet. Masafumi's pack of puppets have been their only contenders lately."
"Which isn't saying much," Nagi added from his spot on the arm chair.
"Exactly. Weiss can't be all that good if they've only managed to *deal* with Schrient and not take them out. If they had managed to take out those bitches in one attack I'd feel the need to actually do something."
"Masafumi isn't dead yet," Brad reminded them.
"Pity," Farfarello rasped from his seat on the floor. He was out of the straight jacket and leaning agaisnt the couch, nibbling at the point of a long, thin knife. "His death would hurt God."
"God wouldn't care about that fool," Schuldich muttered.
"He'll *be* dead soon enough. That's all that matters," Brad interrupted. "One less insane person to deal with."
"And how many still left?" Nagi asked mildly. He began to tick them off on his fingers. "Hell, Neu, Schoen, Tot, Hirofumi, and Reiji. Not to mention Weiss. That's ten people we're to deal with under SS orders."
"And here I thought you'd want to spare the child in a woman's body," Schuldich said with a mocking grin.
"I'm part of Schwarz, Schuldich," Nagi reminded him.
"So you are. But your mouth says one thing while your mind thinks another. Better choose which one you'll keep, Nagi-kun, or you'll become a detriment like Weiss."
Brad glanced over at Nagi, but the boy's composure didn't waver. "Tot is not one of us, Nagi. Remember that."
"I know," came the reply.
/No, he doesn't. But he'll come around eventually,/ Schuldich said into Brad's mind.
Brad ignored the German and took a seat on the other other arm chair. "We have our orders and we will follow them."
"I told you the red head looked familiar," Schuldich said outloud. "They're siblings."
"We don't want him. We want his sister."
"We could just take her."
"That's too direct," Nagi said. "Weiss would drop everything and come after us and we don't need that yet. Besides, we haven't perfected *our* plan yet. We know what SS wants but our version isn't complete yet."
"We need the Takatoris out of the way. All of them," Brad replied.
"Let blood kill blood," Farfarello told them, his lips curving into a fierce smile around the blade. "Why step in the way of human greed?"
"He has a point," Schuldich said. "Literally and figuratively speaking."
"The insane sometimes do," Brad muttered as he got to his feet. "As it is, we have a meeting to attend."
The other three got to their feet silently and just as silently, they left their level and made their way to the limo that was waiting for them out front. No one spoke as the limo pulled away and headed into the afternoon traffic that clogged Tokyo's streets every day. It was cool inside the limo while it was muggy outside. Winter was changing to spring and the climate could never make up its mind.
The ride took little less than an hour and they arrived on time at Takatori's office building. By now they were well known and no one bothered to stop them for IDs or talk to them. The people didn't like to be near them if they could help it. The four gave off a vibe of power that even a blind man could feel and that power was something no one wanted to mess with. They took the elevator to the floor wher Takatori's office ws and made their way there. Brad knocked on the door and a gruff voice bid them to enter.
They stepped inside to find Reiji Takatori looking out the wall of windows that made up one side of his office. He barely glanced at them as they arranged themselves near him. No one said anything until fifteen minutes later when a well dressed young man with a sharp face and four beautifull women stepped into the office.
"Father," Masafumi Takatori said as he and the four women bowed.
Takatori turned around to face his son as the young man drew closer. For a long moment nothing was said. Then a disdainful look settled over the elder Takatori's face and a slight sneer lit his lips.
"What a screw up!" he began. "The experimental body escaped two days ago. The report was sent in this morning. I know because of the increased activity in mass communication. What were you doing? What would you do if the secret leaked?"
"Don't worry father. He won't be able to speak if he becomes more like a beast."
Behind him the blue haired teen with the parisol giggled. Takatori's eyes narrowed slightly. "You don't understand, Masafumi. I handed this company to you and let you do whatever you like . . . but if you aren't able to manage it, or the fallout catches me, I must reconsider your promotion."
He reached across the table and grabbed his son's shirt, dragging him close. Masafumi grimaced. "I understand, father. I'll be careful from now on."
Takatori released him and nodded once, sharply, before he let him go and moved around the desk to the door. Schwarz followed him out and they headed down the long hall. Brad glanced at Takatori and said, "Is it all right to leave Masafumi alone? Did you bring us here because of that?"
"Only this time," Takatori replied. "If he does anything next, I'll ask you."
"Of couse."
They paused in the elevator lobby, waiting for it to come up. Schuldich glanced over at Nagi sharply when the youth allowed his thoughts to be heard. /Interesting Masafumi . . . That way of thinking is similiar to ours./
/Ch,/ Schuldich replied in a disgusted voice. /The whole thing was a mistake from the beginning./
Farfarello tilted his head back slightly. /Schrient . . . showy doll . . ./
Brad was, predictably, silent.
The conversation died when the elevator came up and they stepped into it, the day not yet over.