Nome, Alaska.

The woman ran for what had felt like hours. And he was still chasing after her.

It wasn't bad enough that her friend had been murdered by some freak—now she was being hunted by something worse than the blue-eyed devil.

The Loan Sharks which Lauren said could "kiss my ass" when she refused to pay the bill ended up taking her out for the heart transplant her friend had needed in order to live.

She knew they had killed her.

One reason was that that friend had been her. Only she never knew how Lauren got the money for the heart transplant to begin with. Until she found this.

The little business card in her fingertips said it all.

S.O.U.L. Society & Co. was the reason she was dead.

Brick exploded next to her head, the woman screaming from shock as a bullet lodged itself with the shadows, a mushroom nearly placed in her skull.

She ran faster.

"Please! I don't understand why you're after me!"

He wasn't chasing her, not really.

His creatures were.

The men crawled across the walls, soulless eyes following her every step.

A man's silvery voice slithered from the mist. The voice was charming, airy, and most terrifyingly calm. She broke into a cold sweat, vocal chords constricted from fear as she attempted to cry for help.

Again he chimed to her:

"You, my dear, are a witness to the crime. You made quite a fuss about Miss Lulu's death. I can't guarantee my test subjects will take your life instead of me."

She stammered, teeth chattering as she looked around her, searching the shadows for her attackers. "Someone will hear."

"Aha. No one lives in this area. You don't think we do our research?"

The young woman trembled, realizing all this time she had been running through a maze only to be cornered at a dead end.

Her back hit a high stone wall, much taller than she. Could she scale it?

—she froze.

Eyes of emerald peered down at her from high on the wall, curiously watching her fate as her assailant walked into the moonlight, gun held in his hand casually.

A man of great stature followed, ten times her size and grinning maliciously, a tight black ponytail draped over his massive shoulder.

The winged demon above kept itself hidden from the drape of moonlight, preferring the shadows.

The end of her life was quickly, irrevocably, coming to a close. She asked bravely though she knew it was pointless, "Who do you work for?"

"Me?" He smiled lucidly. "I obey Captain Aizen."

Sound rang out.

"Oh, dear. How awful."

It was a phone call which made Gin frown for a change, the slightest bit of unhappiness marking his tone.

"Gin. What are you doing?"

He turned. Yoruichi was on the stairs above him, watching like a sentry. He cheered up when he saw her, gave a wave of hello. "I'll call you back."

She made her way down the stairs toward him, Gin wiping his hands of black grease so as to not smear her by accident. He was next to a blue Dodge, a nice one at that. "Just changing the oil in my Viper. These trips I take wear her out too fast. You look ravishing as always," he complimented, the woman wearing a cream colored halter top and sleek faux leather leggings. She kept her distance, not wanting to get oil on her nude kitten heels. There was a polite smile in return.

"I'd say the same, except I heard you were cleaning up in Alaska. It seems our test subject caused quite the dilemma."

Gin's smile gave away nothing. "Unfortunately. But. Everything's been taken care of. No need for worry." Gin bent down to pick up a greased wrench, finding a glock aimed in his direction when he stood back up. There was no longer a smile on Yoruichi's face.

"No one knew about that assignment. I don't think Byakuya even knew about it." Yoruichi let it settle in, trying to understand. "Why are you chasing down people with Murciélago?"

Then there was that wicked grin. "I thought curiosity killed the cat."

"And I thought you were sly like a fox. Guess we were both wrong."

"Ahh. My dear, you should know that won't be able to stop me."

With a snap of both wrists her gun flew from her grasp. The gun wound in his hand, pointing at her instead while she shook off the pain from his slap. She rubbed her skin bitterly. Stupid. She had stupidly forgotten Gin Ichimaru worked trade in the black market—of course he would be highly trained when dealing with weapons and rogue deals. Maybe confrontation wasn't the smartest tactic.

He'd shuffled away; she wouldn't snatch it back from him so easily. They would have to struggle first.

"What do you want?" she hissed.

"You know I'm not going to kill you, right? What a waste that would be."

Yoruichi narrowed her eyes. Gin's charming smile was met with a frown. "We're both aides to the S.O.U.L. Society, aren't we? If you're going to sashay down the runway you have to keep straight," and he looked at her clearly, knowing what she was about without her moving a muscle or revealing a motive. She rolled her eyes, bared a snarl to showcase prominent fangs. Gin continued to smile. "Let's say it this way: What you have at stake is different than what I have. We've been recognized for our talents. We can't cheat our way to the endgame. If you're going to make allies, just watch your back. Shall we agree to disagree and move on?"

The gun in his grasp hadn't moved. She looked at it and could only agree.

"For now."

There was a delighted pop of a hum, and Gin passed by her. "Until next time, Yoruichi."

With a toss he returned the gun and she snagged it midair like a pro.

Gin climbed the stairs back into the building and disappeared in the shadows. Yoruichi felt the creep of adrenaline, making her unsteady as it rose. That had been close! Whose side was on Gin anyway?

Gin would likely be back, seeing he'd left a mess on the garage floor. The ripple it made was oil on the ocean, appearing to dance as she followed the stream with her gilded eyes. It wasn't long ago that this place nearly burned to the ground because of gasoline. She wondered if Gin made a mess on purpose.

Yoruichi walked toward the garage's entrance, daylight stinging her eyes.

She needed to find the test subjects soon before any real harm fell upon them.

It was only a matter of time before they returned.

With an exhale, wisps of gray rose to the heavens.

Renji was smoking outside in the garden for a change. He was on his third cigarette, nearly stripping it down to the filter with one breath.

"Never thought I'd see you out here."

Uryû sat down by his side, appearing from the crypt pale and as worn as something mummified. He'd needed air and felt refreshed to be outside. He then glanced around.

"Where's your intern? Rikichi, was it?"

"I told him to beat it."

Uryû raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Taking a leak. Having lunch. He doesn't have to be here on the weekends so he's at home I guess . . ." He took a drag. "Doesn't matter. Wouldn't want to come back either after the shit I pulled. I'm on a short leash with a choke collar. Mr. Rotwood's not pleased." Renji scoffed. "He wants to get our test subjects back but doesn't damn near give us the details on how we do it. It's bullshit. You guys are in meetings and I'm stuck in the dark. Whatever. I don't care anymore." He finished his cigarette and threw it away.

Uryû had heard about the fiasco between Renji and their boss thanks to one of the gossips floating about the building. He knew it was because of these souls that information about the missing test subjects got leaked as well.

Uryû hadn't asked what the quarrel was about, he didn't need to.

When boiled down, what did both men want returned?

The test subjects.

Uryû dialed back for a minute and gave a general assessment, possibly understanding better than the other man did.

"Maybe he's thinking of your best interests." It also could have been taken as Maybe he doesn't want you to get hurt.

Renji barked a laugh. "That's a good one!"

He kept quiet for a moment, glasses winking sunlight as he gave Renji a sidelong glance. His cobalt eyes looked out past the garden, picking a spot in the woods where a strange yellow flower rocked in the breeze, humming to a beat in the wind. There was something else Uryû had been wanting to discuss with Renji, one that slithered into his thoughts each evening before bed. All because he'd said to have information Uryû might find interesting. The genius glanced around, checked to make sure others weren't listening. "You didn't hear it from me but Gin mentioned something about a revolution starting."

Abarai gave him a weird look. "A revolution? What, like a war?" His look was skeptical. "Where is that fucker anyway?"

"On assignment." He switched back to the original topic, shaking his head. "I'm not sure what he was suggesting. He told me this when we had lunch together several weeks back."

Renji scoffed hotly, not surprised. "And you're telling me this now. You suck." He should've flicked the cigarette at him.

"Keep your ears and eyes open. I don't want you missing important information anymore."

"I can't help it if I never RECIEVE the information, Ishida."

"You're the actor. Sometimes I can't tell if you actually know what's going on or not," and he looked off.

"Bullshit, Ishida. Don't give me that crap."

"Look, I'm looking out for what's best for us, understand? You, me, even Gin if you can believe that or not."

"And Byakuya?"

Renji saying their boss's name so casually actually sent a Nor'easter down Uryû's back. "Yes. He as well."

There was a sort of chortle from the red haired man. "I am his lapdog after all. Why shouldn't I protect what's ours?" A fourth cigarette was ripped out of the carton and blazed at once.

He was in Byakuya Kuchiki's office relaying conversation over drinks. Gin had cleaned himself up, wearing a dress shirt rolled at the sleeves and casual dress pants.

No one knew he was there besides the opposite man. It was like teasing an animal, swishing a toy before him until he swiped his claws.

He sipped coffee as he contemplated the idea. "Did you know, sir?"

"Did I know what, Gin?"

"Did you know those two couldn't handle the job?"

"Of course."

Gin's smile was lecherous.

"Those two were incompetent and useless. I've been looking for an excuse to get rid of them since they were hired. But the message was sent across as I expected. They know we're still watching, and no matter where they run or how fast they drive in my vehicle—we're right on top of them." Byakuya drank his tea, strangely proving his masculinity as he did so. "I want them to be afraid. Keeps them on edge."

Others would hear of this shortly, though it was nice to be one of the current few who knew. Gin was pleased to have shared this moment with his boss.

Two murdered police officers. Oh dear what a tragedy. Were they police officers? Were they men? Hard to say. The bodies were so charred hardly anything survived.

Time was ticking and weeks were hurrying by. The flurry of days was something in question, something that could lead these beasts to reach the endgame sooner than necessary, quicker than planned.

It was in the basement, the morgue they called it, when he got off the phone again. What he would do sometimes just to stick with the plan.

Gin entered Machine room 1 to meet with his partners.

One of Gin's men hauled the body off his massive shoulder and nearly dropped the chick from aggravation. He let it crash onto the table nonetheless, the corpse bouncing solidly. The other stood as a lookout, gemstone eyes peering into nothingness.

The massive man reached into her blouse and roughly pulled out the slip. "How the hell'd she get a hold of this gem?" A business card fluttered before him and he cursed. "Bah!"

"That idiot must have dropped it when he left the brothel," the other commented, pulling himself away from the glass to take a look at their treasures. He observed the disarray of flesh coldly, bored. He picked up the card and eyed the font and the name on it. How peculiar.

Then he tore it in two.

The large one sneered. "Never thought the boss put his name on business cards. Thought he was just the undertaker."

The calm one nearly gave a huff of a laugh. "Yes, he's quite the leader of a hollow world."

"Ahem."

Both men turned toward Gin, forgetting their place and finding themselves amiss to have been talking so openly about their master. To their surprise, that pleasant smile of his showed no backlash. He announced to his pets, "Well done, gentlemen. Our loose ends are tied. It's time to go home."

Gin turned. The calm one stepped forward. "But sir, what of the girl," he said gesturing to the mess on the examiner's table, curls red as if on fire. "How should we dispose of the body?"

Gin stopped. "How?" He turned slowly, grinning devilishly. "Feed it to Murciélago."

He entered his office with gusto. His blonde secretary was on the office phone, filing her tapered nails to an admirable length while the conversation bored her, a miserable expression on her flawless face.

Rangiku lit up when he entered the office, excited someone would save the maiden from the bore on the other end.

Gin passed by without a second glance, leaving the beauty crestfallen, wondering why she bothered to think he would rescue her from the lulling voice at the other end.

As she looked after him silence enveloped her ear. She went red in the face, realizing not soon enough the voice had gone quiet a while ago, waiting for her to respond.

"Ms. Matsumoto?"

"Ah! Yes!" She replied loudly, embarrassed she lost focus. "Yes, he's just returned!"

"Would you be so kind as to put him on?" the cool voice asked with proper calm.

"Yes!" Her hand covered the speaker. Gin hadn't moved away from the window. "Gin! You have a—"

The phone swung up from her hand as he was immediately next to her, sitting on her desk proudly. The suddenness of his presence startled her, like he pounced.

"Yes? And what can I do for you, Captain Aizen?"

Gin's gettin' to work! Damn! aha. I know I know, another chapter not focused on Ichigo/Rukia. There are key points in here though! I've always enjoyed writing about the Company members a lot more than the main cast, maybe because there's so much left to be found behind their closed doors. I couldn't get the fancy font for the Soul Society & Co. business card on . So disappointed, sighhh.

Thank you to everyone still reading! Thank you for your comments and kind words!