Disclaimer: It's not mine.

Note: Wh00t for slow updates. I know, I know...3 and the better part of another month, so...3 ½ months or whatever (er...at the time of completion of this part, at least; I think it's been 4 ¼ months now, but still, major thanks to Riku for helping me straighten this thing out)...sorry, sorry. Didn't mean for that to happen. My muse left, summer started and my mind started to be bored...Naruto and Full Metal Alchemist took up my time...well, sorta. Guess that's not a good enough excuse. But...well, I did art and other writing stuff. Yeah.

The usual thanks to all normal reviewers :) (Especially if you're still keeping up with the story...heh...yeah, tell me if you are.)

Oh, one final thing. Sorry to all dudes who got around...what, 6 Author Alert emails...because I'm reuploading the prologue and parts 1-4. It's nothing big if you've already read the fic and you don't want to reread it, but it's just some style/paragraph errors and stuff like that. Nothing to worry about, and hopefully it won't happen again.

Vocabulary (I swear I'm cutting down on this part):
-san: an honorific after one's name that is like Mr. or Mrs. in English, a common way to greet someone

hai: yes, sure

arigato: thank you

iie: no

-sama: an honorific that's basically the most respectful one to put at the end of someone's name; usually not used between close friends and only to address very high ranking people, etc

sou ka: I see

Sakaki couldn't believe it.

The other two stared at him. "What's wrong?" Doujima asked.

"The mechanic," he replied, slightly dazed. "They said...my bike's bugged."

"Bugged? As in, someone's spying on you bugged?" the blonde questioned.

"What else could it be?" he replied, a tad snappishly. "I need to go there...check my bike and everything..."

Karasuma quickly took control of the situation. "I'll give you a ride."

'But who would ever want to bug your motorcycle?'

'This is why I stick to cars,' Karasuma thought as she watched Sakaki and the mechanic converse with one another.

The latter was pointing to one of the metal exhaust pipes. "We found the device here," he said. "It probably didn't cause your bike to malfunction more or anything, but...here's the bill."

As the rookie paid the mechanic, he asked him a question. "Do you still have the bug?"

"Oh, yeah. Of course." The man took a plastic bag from his desk and handed it to him. "Here you go. Hope you clear up this mess, boy." He then gave him a searching look, as though he was trying to figure out whether Sakaki was either a secret agent or a dangerous criminal.

Both of the STN-J agents sighed. "Let's go, Karasuma-san." He jumped on his motorcycle and started it up, stuffing the plastic bag into his pocket while his partner got into her car.

When they arrived at Raven's Flat and were inside the elevator, the older of the two spoke up. "Can I see it?"

Wordlessly, Sakaki gave her the bag. Karasuma examined the object inside. A simple bugging device comprising of a small chip, small and discreet. She was surprised that the mechanics found it. "Who would want to bug your motorcycle anyway?"

There was a note of confusion in his voice. "I don't know. I just don't know."

"So what's up with the bug?" Once she had spotted her colleagues entering the office, Doujima had rushed up to them with her questions.

Karasuma held the bag out in front of her. "This, you mean? We have no idea."

"How can you not?" she demanded.

"We just don't, alright?" Sakaki sighed tiredly as he flopped into his chair.

Both Karasuma and Doujima were thinking the same thing. 'Looks like his mood hasn't abated.'

As if he could sense their thoughts centering on him, he looked up. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," Doujima replied. "I'll just take this – "she plucked the bag out of Karasuma's grasp "– to Michael. Maybe he can figure something out that we can't."

'At least he won't eventually bite my head off,' she thought haughtily as she walked.

"What's up with her?" Sakaki asked.

"Don't ask me," Karasuma said before following in her coworker's steps and walking away.

"What's up with everyone today?" the remaining hunter asked to no one in particular, as they were all gone. "Geez, it's like you all want to get away from me or something," he murmured before realization hit him.

"Hey!"

The desk shook as the man banged his fist on it several times. "It was a simple task! All you had to do was bug them, and you could not even accomplish that!"

Some of the other men standing in the room before the man flinched. One of them, the one who the man was apparently berating, spoke up. "But – "

"No buts! No excuses! You only had to track them down and attach the device. How could you have fumbled up such a simple mission?"

"But...we didn't have much information, no pictures of the individuals, and I just didn't – "

"You just did not listen to me! You could have taken your time, could have put them under surveillance for a short period, but no, you had to rush right in so that you could get the mission over with as soon as possible!" He slammed his fist against the wood again for added effect. "You young people these days, always rushing and stumbling around and never bothering to do something right the first time! Now look at what the result of all of this is! They will be on their guard now, anticipating anything out of the ordinary. They should not have even noticed this, but you have gone ahead and made such a blunder. We cannot possibly have another chance to enter Raven's Flat, much less plant the device again! What were you thinking?"

"But I – "

"Oh, do shut that flap of yours and get out of this room right now. I cannot bear to see the lot of you right now." Nothing but silence was heard after his demand. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get out!"

They did with utmost haste.

"Now, you didn't have to release all of your anger like that," a voice said. On the desk, a black phone sat next to other classy office supplies and organizers. The red light labeled "speakerphone" was lit.

"Do not tell me what to do," the man replied, nearing the end of his patience.

"Scaring away all of the young 'uns like that, what'll it get you?"

"Fear and discipline will do them well."

"It's a different time now. Just...just relax, alright? Opportunities abound for us," the voice reassured.

"You had better be right about this," the man snapped back.

"Am I ever wrong?"

"Oh, do shut your flap."

"Let me see it."

"I don't have it. You could just go to Michael or something, 'cause he had it last," Sakaki replied, slightly irritated. It was bad enough that he had been bugged, but now everyone else was asking him so many things. Some things that he didn't even know the answers to. Couldn't a guy get a break around here?

"Michael's not here right now."

"Well, try going to talk to Doujima about it or something." 'Geez, now Tano has to bother me about it too. Didn't Kari just ask me about this a few seconds ago? So why couldn't he have gotten whatever info he wanted from his partner?

'Come to think of it, why are they so interested in this anyway?'

He idly watched the new hunter approach Doujima with the same question. "Do you know where the bugging device is right now?"

"I don't know, Michael should have it. After all, I gave it to him," she replied as though that settled the whole matter.

If Tano was annoyed with everyone, he didn't show it. "Very well then."

It happened to be at that precise moment that Michael walked into the office. "Doujima-sama, I..." His voice faltered when he saw the discreet look that she gave him and his immediate surroundings.

"Yes, Michael?" Tano asked, wanting him to continue.

"Oh, Tano," Doujima said, cutting him off, "Didn't you want to ask Michael for something?"

He kept his eyes on the both of them, wary, but then turned his gaze to Michael only. "I need to see the device that was retrieved from Sakaki's motorcycle."

"Ah. Right." He quickly led the hunter over to his desk.

"That's it?" He looked at the small object in the bag, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah. And we have no idea who planted it and why they'd want to. I ran a search like Doujima-sama asked me to, but I didn't really find anything helpful. You can order this thing at quite a few places if you have the right connections, so that doesn't really leave us with a suspect."

He frowned. "I see." After a pause, he added, "This doesn't really give us any leads."

"Sorry."

Tano looked up when Kari approached him, black dress swirling when she stopped by him. "We have a message," she simply said.

He gave her another questioning look, and she nodded.

"Well, look at the time." Kosaka came strolling into the room. "I think I'll leave now today."

"We shall as well," Tano said, motioning to Kari and himself.

"Ah, I will also," Hattori's muffled voice came from somewhere in the back.

Kosaka nodded. "Very well." He turned to the others. "If you all want, you can leave early today as well. The main hunt starts tomorrow, so you might as well rest."

'The chief's in a good mood,' Sakaki thought.

After the other four had left Raven's Flat, Karasuma walked up to Sakaki and placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "It doesn't do anyone well to sulk, you know."

"I wasn't sulking."

She raised her eyebrows, appearing to be slightly amused. "Well, you have been in a bad mood."

"You would've too, if you were in my shoes," he retorted.

"It's been affecting all of us, if you haven't noticed." She started to slip into her coat. "I'm also going to take my leave right now. You need a ride, right?"

"Yeah." The hunter sat in his seat, unmoving.

Karasuma walked to the elevator. "Are you coming?"

"Aa."

Doujima watched them through the corner of her eye. She waited until Sakaki had finally reached where Karasuma stood waiting for him, at what she thought was a painstakingly slow pace. After they had both entered the elevator and reached the lower floor, she turned to Michael. The entire area was deserted save for the two of them. "So?"

"I found a few things."

"What were they?" she questioned loudly.

"Well..." he started, "They both definitely have Crafts."

"We already guessed that, but...anything else?" she asked.

"They seem to have a contact that's pretty influential in SOLOMON's ranks," he responded, gazing at the luminescent monitor screen.

"Oh?" Doujima's interest piqued.

"Well..." Michael continued to type at his computer. "Looking at this – "he handed her a file which had a few sheets of crisp paper in it "– I'd say that they do."

"Hmmm." She studied the documents for a few moments. "Of course, they could also – "

"I don't think that SOLOMON would let hunters that powerful have free reign, so that knocks out that theory."

"You have a point there," she remarked. "Well...whoever it is...did you get anything else about them? Their pasts?"

"That's the thing, there isn't anything on either of their backgrounds."

"It sounds like they're trying to hide something. Or perhaps the person they know is a bit more powerful than we thought?"

"The only people whose existing files have this kind of security are the absolute upper echelons of the organization, Doujima-sama."

"Well..."

Chin cupped in his hand, he glanced at her. "Existing files."

"But...SOLOMON would never have allowed such people in the hunter program!" she protested. "They have to know something about their backgrounds to make sure that they aren't threats!"

"That must be where the contact comes in," the hacker said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"But there are never any exceptions..."

"Are there?"

They looked at each other.

"Maybe we need to know more about their motives instead," Doujima said.

"We've tried that. These two are real enigmas in this whole thing. They appear out of nowhere, with power...seeking nothing, and seemingly knowing someone..."

"Perhaps they're pieces in the game, but instead of being pawns, they're knights. Bishops. Rooks."

"Perhaps," Michael replied. "What does that make us? Simple pawns?"

"I guess so," she said airily. "I still think that there's something that we've missed..."

"Well, I'm still gonna look around a little more, maybe ask a few people some things. You might as well leave now."

"Yeah." She started gathering her things up, glancing at the wall clock.

"Oh, Doujima-sama...who's supposed to be keeping an eye on those two right now, anyway?" he asked, concerned.

She tucked the file folder under her arm. "I hope Miho is. Otherwise, we may miss our chance."

"Yes, we have a reservation," Tano impatiently told the waitress.

"Well then, sir, please wait here until we find the name," she politely said to him.

Kari shifted from foot to foot, hoping that they'd hurry. He was never good with people.

"Excuse me, but they're with me," a man of average height said, walking up to them.

"Ah! Alright then, that takes care of things much faster. If you will follow me, please," the waitress continued, smiling as she led them to their table. "Someone will be with you shortly," she said after they had sat down, and bustled away somewhere else.

"I was wondering when you two would make it," the man commented.

"We had some...unexpected occurrences happen," Tano replied.

"Oh?"

"One of the STN-J hunter's motorcycle had a...listening or tracking device attached to it."

"So you think they already know you're here?" he asked.

"Well," Kari started to say, "he hasn't told us anything or said that anyone was alert to our...being here, but..."

"He meaning..."

"Yes," she answered.

"Ah."

"It's better to be safe than sorry," Tano countered. "He might not have alerted us simply because he doesn't know. And what we don't know in this situation will definitely hurt us."

She said nothing.

"I see." At that point, the waiter came and wrote down their choices of drinks. When he had gone, the other man spoke again. "Couldn't it have been a coincidence? Perhaps this hunter is involved in more than you know?"

"No. Most likely not," Tano said. "He...he's not of the sort to mix with dangerous or shifty people. The most dangerous thing in his life is probably SOLOMON."

"Isn't it for all of us," he replied dryly. "But you're sure that this hunter... Wait, if he's with the STN-J, isn't he..."

"Perhaps, but I haven't seen proof of it. He might just be one of those hunters with no real power, stationed at such a place. We have one of those as well."

"I don't think he knows anything," Kari interjected. "And I don't think he's involved with anything. We know him, anyway."

"Your drinks, sirs and miss," the waiter said with a flourish, handing out the glasses. "Would you like to order anything now? Alright, okay, good."

After he had left, the man continued the conversation. "Now then, you're absolutely sure that it has to be them."

"I'm...we're not completely sure," Tano stated. "But you must admit that out of all the options left, it's the most likely."

"If it really was them, they've been rather stupid about things already. You must admit, such a bungle as that...it's not likely."

"Call it a break for us. Now we know and we know what to look out for."

"Even if they send agents?" the man inquired.

"They probably won't get here anytime soon. It would be too much of a preemptive strike. By wanting to bug us, they obviously aren't sure of the facts that they have, if they have any at all. They're just in the observance stages of an operation. But should they ever learn – "

"Don't worry about it!" the man said. "We have our contacts anyway. And besides, if they get the information, word will undoubtedly leak out to the public and to certain...other people, which will definitely work in your guys' favor. Or at least in hers," he jerked his head towards Kari. "But since you're a companion of hers, then it'll be fine."

Tano narrowed his eyes.

"Don't worry," Kari said to him, trying to reassure him. "He's right – they wouldn't want anything to happen to me. That's what all of you have been constantly telling me, at least."

"We tell it to you for a reason," the man said, grinning. He sipped his iced tea for a few moments.

After the brief lull in the conversation, Tano asked, "Is there any information that we need to know?"

"Well...things have seemed pretty calm if you ask me. No disruptions, no crazy stuff, no weird unexplainable occurrences. It seems to follow you around these days," he said with a wink.

"Absolutely nothing has happened at all during the past few weeks?"

"Eh, I didn't say that. There's always something going on in the uppers of SOLOMON, at least. They're busying themselves with things. Or at least, he is."

"Hmmm. That's not a good sign."

"Well...you never know. They found some other covens right near their headquarters... panicked and sent out hunters just like that, bang bang bang. Went after them bang bang bang as well, if you catch my drift."

"Covens?" Kari asked, eyes slightly widened.

"Well, yeah. Organized groups of witches, right? Doesn't matter; SOLOMON can't get rid of each and every single one of them. When they think they've cleared them out, there'll be a collective sigh from the higher ups and everyone will be back trying to find something to do and wishing there was more action, forgetting about the panic that they were in."

"That sounds about right," Tano remarked. "Do you know what he is busying himself with?"

"Adrian?" He laughed. "Who knows. Perhaps banging on his desk and yelling at subordinates with his amusing speech pattern, him being behind the times? Heh. Probably off after new rumors about the Witches' Eve and all, knowing him. And he bungles it all up too. Eh, he's most likely wrapped up in the next big scheme of his that will "prove" himself to the other higher ups."

"Is that why he's been seeking...such information?"

"Well, yes. Once again, he's nothing to worry about. Judging from the past, it'll take forever before he finds anything conclusive, and he surely won't find out about things he doesn't need to know."

"I hope you're sure about that."

"Exactly why am I here again?" Sakaki asked his partner.

"Well, I had to follow them, and I had no time to drop you off," she replied simply. "Besides, two pairs of eyes are better than one."

Sighing, he leaned back against the upholstery of the booth they were sitting in. "Is there even a point to you trailing those two out to dinner?"

"Yes. They're meeting with someone, but his back's to us, so I can't figure out who it is..." She narrowed her eyes. "But I don't want them to see us, so this will be hard."

"What's the harm in it? You guys just happened to pick the same place to eat. Simple."

"I don't want to have to answer awkward questions, and it just might lead to something we didn't see coming, something that will be a hindrance in the future."

"Well, you never know."

She turned back to him. "It's better to be safe than sorry, Sakaki."

The waiter returned to their table with a platter that had their meals on it. "For you," he plopped something smoking in front of Kari, "and you," a plate of what appeared to be steak or something of that sort for Tano, "and you," a plate of another steaming substance with lemons on the side for the man.

After the waiter had departed, the man turned his attentions to his plate. "Ah, love the filet mignon that they serve here."

Tano rolled his eyes just a little. He knew how many times that man came here to eat.

"Haven't you ever tried anything else here?" Kari asked.

"Well...sorta. Not really. But, hey, like I said, this dish is good. If I ever tire of it, I guess I could always check out something else."

"Mmn."

Tano hated small talk.

"I wish our food was here," Sakaki remarked.

"It will be here soon, Sakaki," Karasuma sighed. "It really isn't that big of a deal to be keeping an eye on them, you know. You don't have to act so...averse to it and everything else."

He merely turned to the waiter that had come to their table.

Karasuma put her hand to her head for a moment. She didn't understand why he was being so difficult over this. She would scry something to figure out what was up with him, but whenever she had tried doing so before for various reasons, it never worked. At least not lately.

Maybe her powers were weakening? No...she didn't have the Orbo anymore, so shouldn't her scrying ability have strengthened instead? It didn't make sense.

None of this did.

A while later, their plates were scraped clean and coffee had been served. "Well, I must thank you two for such a pleasant night out," the man said.

Kari smiled warmly over her mug of coffee.

"Expect to see us again soon, what with everything going on," Tano said.

"Ah. I am but your contact after all." He winked. "Don't worry, I understand. And just remember: be careful. I'm going to tell the others what you've told me, see what they think about it and all. The sooner we can eliminate these possible threats, the better."

"Yes."

"Oh, one more thing. Try not to get mixed up in this. Yes, I know, it's hard to do, seeing our situation, but...they're really not bad people."

"We should be the ones saying that to you."

"Ah. Of course. But just remember."

"We have to be wary around them as well," Tano argued. "They're suspicious of us, and who knows what might culminate from that. Things that neither of us meant to happen might...happen." He knitted his eyebrows together for a moment, as though he recalled something he forgot. "Which reminds me. There will be a hunt that all of us have to participate in."

"Well, that was inevitable, wasn't it?" he drawled.

"You don't understand. This is serious. We don't want them seeing anything that they shouldn't see yet."

"So that does mean that you were planning on telling them about everything sooner or later, right?" he asked, eyes twinkling somewhat.

"They will aid us greatly if we include them later on. It's no use setting things up so that they are against us. However," he emphasized, "we cannot let them know as soon as tomorrow."

"It's tomorrow?" the man asked, slightly taken aback. "Er. I see. I'm sure that it'll work out. One of them sacrificed in the long run for the sake of all the others is worth it, isn't it? And it'll...what's the word...alleviate enough of their suspicions."

"So you wish," Tano remarked in a way that one would've described as surly.

"Yes. Well. Try keeping an eye on them, then. Oh, and...Kari..." he had paused, as though uncertain of what to call her, "They say to tell you that they'll have more information on...it...when you meet with one of them again."

"It?" He glanced at her again with the raised eyebrows. "Ah. Sou ka."

"Don't worry; they'll hurry with it. We have just as many uncertainties and inquiries about it as do you. They're working on it with utmost haste, because after all, the sooner we get this figured out, the stronger and more protected you'll be."

"Yes."

"Well, now. I must bid you two good night. You will both simply be heading back to your place, right?"

"Aa."

"Good. Until later, then."

"They're leaving," Karasuma remarked. "I still can't see the man that they're with at all...I can only see his back. He looks like an average person from around here."

"Won't that make it easier to find him, then," Sakaki remarked.

"Why are you so...against this, Sakaki?" she questioned lightly.

He shifted a little. "Well..."

"Here's your bill," the waiter said, swooping in at the particular moment to leave a leather pad on the table.

"Ah, Karasuma-san, I can pay for that," Sakaki said, quickly reaching for the pad.

Not quickly enough.

"Well...I did drag you all the way out here, so I might as well," she said somewhat airily.

"But – "

"Just let me take care of it," she said, pulling out some Yen notes.

When the waiter came by, he frowned somewhat distastefully at the young man before taking the money.

"Why'd he do that?" he asked.

"Probably frowning at the fact that I'm paying and you're not," Karasuma replied.

Sakaki shook his head. "But..."

"Just forget about it, alright? I mean, it's not like the guy is supposed to pay all the time."

"All the time for what?"

"Never mind, Sakaki."

He gaped at her. "But – "

"Just forget about it."