Author's Note: This is written after I watched the first 4 DVDs, so I'm not sure of anything that happens afterwards. This is just a way I would like the story to play out. Also, I hope the characters aren't too OOC. Mireille is rather bitchy, but that'll be explained later, and Kirika's talkative, which will also be explained. I am unsure about how to write for Chloe or Althena, as they haven't been in the show much at this point. ---------- The manor seemed so cold and empty to Chloe. How long had it seemed like this? Years. Since she disappeared, the manor had been that much less of a home to Chloe, and more of a monument to what Chloe had lost. But what is lost must one day be found. "That was tougher than I thought it would be." Mireille Bouquet sighed, drinking the tea her partner had made for her. "He had more guards than expected." Kirika pointed out quietly something Mireille had already known. "Business is picking up, which is good," the blonde went on, checking job offers on her computer, "But we're still no closer to finding the Soldats." "Mireille, what about that woman, Chi-" "No." Mireille cut her off, "No." Mireille did not like the mysterious woman who called herself Chloe, the True Noir. Something. Something about her was so different, so familiar. Something wasn't right, "We will do this alone. For all we know she is working for the Soldats." pop Mireille clenched her teeth in frustration. Why didn't anything go smoothly anymore? This job was supposed to be easy enough, a diplomat whose rival for office had wished to make his odds a little more favorable by eliminating his opponent. Time and time again however Noir's prey had hired a small army of armed guards. It's almost as though they knew we were coming! But who would have known? A grim realization played across the assassin's face. Her. poppoppop Where was Kirika? The bullets continued to graze the wall near Mireille's head as she frantically devised a plan. The body of a gun-for-hire guard at her feet was still warm as she struggled to lift him. Gun in hand she twirled around the corner, throwing away the body into the line of enemy fire and emptying a clip into the four men at the end of the hall. The gunfire ceased and Mireille reloaded her pistol with a seemingly loud click. A small noise prompted her to whirl around, gun raised, "I think," Mireille commented to the young girl behind her, lowering her gun," That someone's been tipping off our targets." Kirika nodded once and whispered, "The True Noir." "Yes?" The soft voice caused both assassins to turn, guns raised. What Mireille saw as she looked down her gun barrel prompted an unintentional barely audible growl. "You!" Mireille half shouted, half growled, "What are you doing here?" Chloe smirked and closed her eyes, "I came to warn you," opening her eyes she instantly took on a gravely serious demeanor, "You are in grave danger; I am unsure as to whether or not even I could escape from your situation." "What are you talking about?" Mireille demanded. "The Soldats." Kirika ventured a quiet guess. "Yes," Chloe responded, "The Soldats have set you in their sights, you are their priority one." "How do you know--" Mireille began. "I can help you," Chloe smiled softly; "I can take you to a place the Soldats would not dare to strike." "How do we know you are not working for the Soldats? You could be leading us into a trap." Mireille commented coldly. "I am not leading you into a trap," Chloe said quietly, "You have to trust me. If you value your lives you will be on the noon TGV to Monaco." "Hey!" Mireille braced her pistol as the mysterious young woman turned and walked away. "Mireille," Kirika murmured, "somehow she knows about the Soldats and she knows about Noir. We should take the opportunity to speak with her." "But we can't trust her," Mireille grated her teeth. "We didn't know she was there. She's had plenty of opportunities to kill us but hasn't," Kirika pointed out, "She's our only link to the Soldats. We should take advantage of this chance." A link, Mireille thought, a link to the past. But why her? Why that woman? Mireille turned to her young partner to see the girl staring into the darkness after the woman who had deemed herself the True Noir. Mireille frowned, "So, who is she?" Kirika turned a blank look towards Mireille, "I don't know." "You sure seem adamant about going to see her. Feeling chatty this evening? I've never seen you talk this much. Why do you want to see her so badly?" Mireille demanded. "I . . . don't know." Kirika responded slowly. "We're going into a trap, I know it," Mireille grumbled as she watched the scenery speed by the bullet train, "And what are we supposed to do when we get to Monaco? She never told us any directions." "Mireille, look," Kirika whispered, pointing at a public TV which was broadcasting the news. ". . . and in local news a fire ravaged an apartment building in central Paris this morning. Andre Bochardt has the story . . . Thank you, Christine. I'm standing in central Paris and behind me is the remains of a building that was gutted by fire in just less than two hours. The owner of the building tells us that miraculously none of the residents were in the building at the time. The police are investigating the cause of the fire as well as why it spread so quickly. They are not ruling out arson and say there are currently no suspects. Now back to you in the studio, Christine . . ." "M-My apartment!" Mireille gasped. "I guess she was right. We probably would have been killed in that fire," Kirika observed, "But I would not think the Soldats would be an organization that committed arson. It is a very dirty way to kill." "Well, she could have just told us to go to the market or somewhere! Why are we going to Monaco?" Mireille growled. This was not her day. "The Soldats are after us," Kirika stated, "And they will keep coming. She is taking us somewhere safe." "But why? Why is she risking the Soldats finding her just to save us? There must be an explanation. It must be a trap," Mireille grumbled. "Kirika Yuumura?" A steward asked tentatively as he stood in the aisle, "You have a telephone call, mademoiselle, if you would please follow me to the front of the car?" "I'm coming too," Mireille insisted, following the steward and her partner. They were led into a small room the size of a bathroom stall where a phone lay off the hook on a small table. The steward left them and closed the door. Marching over to the phone Mireille jabbed the speaker button, "Who is this?" "I don't recall calling you," Chloe's voice was soft but taunting, "Would you open her mail, too?" "Why, did you send something?" Mireille retorted. "Why do you guard her so? Do you love her?" Chloe shot back jeeringly. "I don't know what you're talking about!" Mireille hissed, taking obvious offense as she slammed the phone onto the receiver, ending the call, "How dare she?" she muttered under her breath. The phone rang again and Kirika pressed the speaker button, "Hello?" "The Lady Luck. Room 7459. 7 PM." The phone clicked as Chloe hung up. "Well," Mireille sighed through barred teeth, calm down, "At least we know what to do when we get there."
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