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Kyuushutsu (Rescue, Deliverance): Chapter Four

by Terry L. McElrath ::: 27.Mar.2005

"Was Katsura-san here?" Kenshin asked, speaking in a low, deadly voice that was completely devoid of emotion.

Several of the Ishin Shishi fighters standing in the courtyard froze when they heard the Battousai speak. These men had fought with him before and there was no mistaking the lethal intent inherent in that cold, soft voice. The innocuous words had been spoken in a tone that the Battousai reserved for his bitterest enemies. Warily, they waited to see what would happen, prepared to retreat should the Battousai unleash his wrath upon the man standing before him.

"Hai, Himura-san." Uchida was surprised to see him here and missed the tense inflection in his voice.

Upon having his worst fear confirmed, Kenshin's left hand grasped his katana so tightly his knuckles whitened, while his fisted right hand began to shake slightly. "Why was he here, instead of at the safe house?"

Confused by the question, Uchida could only stare at Himura. Something was wrong, but before Uchida could say anything, Himura spoke again.

"Answer me, Uchida! Why was Katsura-san here, instead of at the safe house?"

Paling, Uchida took a step back, instinctively moving away from the menacing hitokiri. His eyes! Never had he seen eyes like Himura's. Although his face was as impassive as ever, his glowing amber eyes glared with a fury that Uchida found completely terrifying. He desperately wanted to look away, but Himura's eyes would not release him, effortlessly holding him in place.

His mouth having abruptly gone dry, Uchida numbly tried to answer. He had to try twice before he could force the words out. "I - I had to talk to one of my agents. It was crucial I get the information before he died. There wasn't time to get Katsura-san to the safe house. . ."

Eyes narrowing, Kenshin hissed, "So you left Katsura-san here, instead of arranging for him to be escorted to the safe house?"

Suddenly Uchida understood. Himura had asked ‘Why was Katsura-san here?' Was. Meaning Katsura was no longer here. With a horrible sinking feeling, Uchida whispered, "What happened, Himura-san?"

"The Shinsengumi attacked, Uchida!" His ki flaring with rage, Kenshin stalked towards Uchida, who backed away, eyes wide and hands raised defensively. "You know how active the Shinsengumi have become and, despite this, you still left him at a meeting that you should have expected would be a prime target for the Shogunate!"

"But. . . with all the guards. . . I thought that he. . . " was all that Uchida could say before Himura cut him off.

"All but one of the guards are dead, and there is no sign of Katsura-san or any of the Commanders."

"No. . ." Uchida began, only to be interrupted again.

Kenshin's voice hardened. "Uchida, you had better pray that nothing happens to Katsura-san."

"Please. . ." Uchida whispered.

"You failed in your duty to Katsura-san, Uchida!" Kenshin's tone was merciless.

Uchida shuddered, the accusation hitting him with the force of a physical attack. Uchida could have handled Himura's anger. Had he yelled or hit him, Uchida could have coped; but those words, delivered in such a coldly impersonal voice, cut him to the quick. It had been his job to protect Katsura and he had failed.

"Now you must redeem yourself," Kenshin said, softly. Seeing Uchida's ashen face and tormented eyes, he relented. Stepping close to the anguished man, Kenshin spoke quietly, for Uchida's ears only. "We need to put all of our resources into finding and rescuing Katsura-san. You know what to do."

Startled, Uchida turned suddenly hopeful eyes to Himura's face. Redemption. Yes, he could do that. With renewed determination, he began thinking of what needed to be done. I must contact Eguchi immediately and get him searching for information. . . His thoughts were interrupted when he became aware that Himura was walking away. "Where are you going, Himura-san?"

Uchida watched as Himura stopped, looking back over his shoulder. "I'm going to find Katsura-san." A predatory gleam burned in his eyes before he turned away. Uchida swallowed heavily and felt sorry for whomever stood between Himura and Katsura.

Kenshin had taken only a few steps before he remembered his mental note. Spinning on his heel, he strode back through the courtyard, ignoring the fighters who moved uneasily away from him. After searching for Jukodo's ki, he found the senior squad leader in the meeting room, watching as Maseba was treated.

"Will he make it?" Kenshin asked, hoping that the bodyguard would live.

"I don't know," Jukodo replied, his eyes not leaving the bloodied man being bandaged, "it's too early to tell. It's amazing that he's still alive, his wounds are very serious."

"You must leave as quickly as possible, the Shinsengumi will return soon," Kenshin said, getting the squad leader's full attention. "One more thing, the bodies of four guards are hidden in the back yard, behind the shed."

"I'll take care of it," Jukobo assured Himura.

Nodding, Kenshin left the room, his mind already focused on the problem of finding Katsura. Where would they take the captives? It would depend upon how soon Katsura was recognized. His importance as a prisoner would ensure that the strictest measures would be taken to prevent any attempts at rescuing him. It was vital that he be found before the Shogunate could try to force him to reveal crucial information about the Ishin Shishi's plans. Katsura was strong, but even the strongest could be broken. The thought of Katsura being tortured made Kenshin feel physically ill. He knew all too well the agony Katsura might have to face.

Shaking his head to clear his mind of the painful images, Kenshin resolutely turned back to the issue of finding Katsura. Would the prisoners be taken directly to Shinsengumi main headquarters? Possibly, but the nearest Shinsengumi district station was in Shimogyo-ku, which was on the way to the main headquarters. He decided he would check there first.

Once on the street in front of the meeting house, Kenshin paused only long enough to determine the quickest route through the sleeping city to the nearby Shinsengumi district station. Moving silently across the rooftops and through the dark streets, Kenshin raced towards his destination. He hadn't gone far before he spotted a wagon approaching with two Shinsengumi riding in the back. His anger at having failed to protect Katsura flaring, Kenshin briefly considered stopping long enough to eliminate the clean-up squad, but decided the Ishin Shishi squads would have no difficulty taking care of them. It was far more important to get to Katsura as quickly as possible.

The jostling of the wagon gradually brought Katsura Kogorou to the awareness that his entire world currently consisted of pain. Feeling something akin to panic, he fought to remember why he hurt so badly. A particularly nasty jolt finally brought him to full consciousness, grimacing from the excruciating torment. With that, his memories from earlier in the evening began to return. Slowly, he recalled the events that had led towards this moment. Let's see, I remember walking to the safe house with Uchida. . . the message from Uchida's second in command. . . going to the strategy meeting. . . the Shinsengumi attack. . . the battle behind the meeting house. . . red-hot agony from the sword thrust into my shoulder. . . facing four men in the alley. . . and then darkness.

Katsura opened his eyes, only to be overwhelmed with vertigo as everything spun crazily. Swallowing against the nausea, he quickly closed his eyes and waited for his stomach to settle down. That's not good, he thought, miserably. In an attempt to ignore his discomfort and evaluate his condition, he focused his attention inwardly, which wasn't easy considering how his head was pounding. He identified assorted aches and pains, some dull, while others were sharply defined, stabbing intensely whenever he moved. The worst of the lot by far, though, was his right shoulder. It felt like a red hot knife had been driven into him and was throbbing painfully with each beat of his heart. Not to mention the dizziness and nausea he was experiencing, which were probably caused by a concussion.

After a short while, he began to feel slightly better, although the rough ride wasn't helping. Cautiously he reopened his eyes, prepared for the uncomfortable disorientation this time. Bit by bit the whirling sensation eased off and the queasiness went away. Finally able to look around, Katsura took stock of the situation. As expected, he found himself lying uncomfortably on his back in a wagon, surrounded by injured and unconscious men. His arms were pulled painfully behind his back, putting a nearly intolerable strain on his shoulder, and were tied so tightly he couldn't feel his hands.

Looking around, he recognized the bound figures of two of the Commanders sitting against the side of the wagon. Commander Fuschida met Katsura's eyes stolidly and Commander Miwa nodded before gently nudging the man leaning against him. Slowly Commander Kamata raised his head and looked up blearily. From the way his eyes kept shifting from focused to unfocused, Katsura could assume that he was probably suffering from a concussion, too. All three men were bandaged in several places. The wagon bounced through another pothole, throwing Katsura against the body of a large man lying next to him, forcing a pained gasp through Katsura's clenched teeth. The movement of the wagon caused the unconscious man's head to turn limply towards Katsura and he finally realized who the man was. Wrapped in ropes from head to foot, Commander Gushiken was probably the most comfortable of the Ishin Shishi prisoners. Carefully raising his head, Katsura tried to pick out the remaining two Commanders from amongst the other wounded men, but could not see them.

A pitiful moan made Katsura look the other way, directly into the frightened eyes of a very young man. He was extremely pale and his torso was covered in blood soaked bandages.

"It hurts so much," he whispered weakly. "I don't want to die!"

"Maa, maa. Who's dying?" Katsura said, reassuringly, mentally wincing at the amount of blood the youthful swordsman had lost. "You're going to be fine. Don't talk now, save your strength."

"I can't die now, Sumiko is waiting for me!" Even though his voice was barely audible, his fear and desperation could be clearly heard.

"You're not going to die!" Katsura said more forcefully than he had intended, startling the injured fighter. "Keep thinking of Sumiko and let her memory give you strength."

"Sumiko. . . I'm coming home. . ." The young man's voice became slightly stronger, more determined.

"That's right, you're going home to Sumiko. Don't forget that," Katsura murmured, quietly.

Katsura felt sorry for the young Shinsengumi fighter. He was only a couple of years older than Kenshin. He questioned a world where young men had to be dragged into a war and forced to experience this kind of hell. But that was just one difficult choice that had to be made at a time like this. Katsura would sacrifice everything, use anything and anyone, to achieve the success of the Revolution and free Japan from the corruption of the Bakufu. Katsura firmly believed that he had eternally damned his soul for allowing his commitment to defeating the Shogunate to convince himself to use Kenshin's idealism and skills the way he had, turning a mere boy into the Ishin Shishi's deadliest assassin. However, even believing that, Katsura knew he would do it all over again, if he were given the choice. His instincts about Kenshin had been proven correct time and time again. If the Imperialists were able to win the Bakumatsu, it would be in no small part because of Kenshin's incredible abilities.

The wagon stopped, interrupting Katsura's reverie, and he realized that they had arrived. . . somewhere. Presumably they had been taken to one of the Shinsengumi headquarters, but as to which one, he had no idea. Perhaps once he got a look at the place, he would be able to figure out where they were. Certainly he would be able to identify the Shinsengumi main headquarters.

Icy chills ran up Katsura's back as the full realization of his situation finally sank in. His capture could become a disaster for the Ishin Shishi. He had knowledge of plans and information that could make the difference in winning the war. His negotiation skills and expertise in making contacts with the powerful Western countries allowed the Imperialists to obtain sorely needed supplies and modern weapons. The Shogunate had been trying to capture not only him, but the other two Ishin Shishi leaders, Okubo Toshimichi and Saigou Takamori, ever since the attack on the Ikedaya. Katsura knew that he would be questioned and probably executed. He could only hope that he could be rescued before that happened.

Continuing onwards, Kenshin soon arrived at the Shimogyu-ku Shinsengumi station. Making sure his ki was completely masked, he approached the complex cautiously. Sentries were posted at regular intervals and lights shone through the windows, indicating activity within the buildings. Kenshin ghosted through the compound, his dark clothing making him almost invisible, easily avoiding the guards. He had expected to find the district station in a state of high security, but the overall atmosphere was peaceful. The sentries were alert, but didn't appear to be excited, as might be expected if a group of important prisoners had just been brought in.

Kenshin was slipping through the shadows alongside the main building when he detected an extremely angry ki emanating from within a room just ahead. Silently he eased closer, mindful that the window was open, stopping just short of the light streaming through the window. The voices of two men, one of whom sounded furious, were clearly audible.

"I don't care if they were merely guards, Shunji! Your orders were to bring them in alive! I can't interrogate a corpse!"

"They wouldn't have known anything anyway," the man called Shunji said sullenly.

An exasperated sigh was followed by the explosive sound of a fist hitting a desk. "Guards hear things, dammit! And several of those men were bodyguards for the Ishin Shishi commanders! If you had obeyed your orders, we might have been able to get some information from them."

"They fought to the death!" Shunji argued angrily. "There was no chance to take them alive! Nearly half of my men died! Do you think I wanted to disobey my orders, sir?"

"Probably not, but you should have figured out a way to take at least some of them alive. Now all we've got are dead men. Bringing the commanders back here would have at least partially excused your dereliction of duty."

"I tried to, sir, but the yarou took them back to his headquarters."

There was a long pause before the Shinsengumi officer spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, Shunji, but you know the penalty for not following orders. You have until tomorrow morning to set your affairs in order."

"Y-yes, sir," Shunji's voice shook slightly as he realized that he had just been ordered to commit seppuku.

Kenshin turned away and quickly left the Shinsengumi compound. There was no reason to stay longer, since the prisoners weren't here. Apparently that man, Shunji, had been in charge of the Shinsengumi squads from Shimogyu-ku Shinsengumi district station. Obviously, he had not captured the commanders, but had only fought the guards. The squads that had fought in the back yard must have been from Shinsengumi main headquarters and had taken the commanders and Katsura there. If he could get there fast enough, Kenshin might be able to rescue Katsura before he was recognized. With that, he took off towards the Shinsengumi main headquarters as swiftly as he could.

Oshima Michio, leader of the combined Higashiyama-ku Shinsengumi squads, lifted his hand, signaling a halt to his men as the wagon carrying the prisoners and severely injured stopped in front of the district headquarters building. It had been a long walk back from the house where the meeting had been held. A walk made even slower by the necessity of accommodating the walking wounded. All the way back, Oshima had worried about the Imperialists making an attempt to rescue the prisoners before they reached headquarters. With almost all of his men injured to some degree, an attack might have succeeded. Fortunately, it appeared that either the Ishin Shishi hadn't learned of the Shinsengumi attack yet, or they had not figured out where the prisoners were being taken.

Bringing his attention back to the matters at hand, Oshima turned to his men. Motioning to the two nearest guards to open the wagon's tailgate, he spoke up. "All right, you know the drill. First and Second Squads, you stay here to unload and escort the prisoners. The rest of you, take the wounded to the infirmary. You there!" Oshima indicated one of the guards stationed at the front door. "Go inform the doctors that there are a lot of injured men coming." When the man didn't move fast enough to suit the tired squad leader, Oshima's eyes narrowed dangerously as he snapped "Move it! Now!" Suddenly motivated, the guard disappeared into the building. Sighing, Oshima shook his head. He shouldn't have yelled at the ahou, but it had been a long night so far and it wasn't anywhere near over.

Katsura silently observed as the injured Shinsengumi fighters were carefully helped out of the wagon. When they got to the young man lying next to him, Katsura caught his eye and quietly said "Keep thinking of Sumiko." Nodding gratefully, the wounded fighter bit his lip to stifle a groan as he was picked up. Katsura watched as the young swordsman was gently carried inside.

Now that the wounded had been taken care of, the guards turned their attention to the prisoners, roughly untying their feet. Even though the Ishin Shishi were injured as well, they were summarily hauled out. Brutal hands grabbed Katsura's shoulders and dragged him out of the wagon. Hissing from the pain flaring in his abused shoulder, he almost fell when his feet hit the ground. Only the tight grip on his shoulders, which increased the pain, kept him on his feet. As he stood there, panting slightly, Katsura could feel hot blood trickling down his chest.

It took three men to get Commander Gushiken out of the wagon. The Commander was still unconscious and the guards struggled with the large swordsman's dead weight. Staggering, the men slowly walked into the building.

Two guards climbed into the wagon and lifted down the body of a man that Katsura recognized as one of the Commanders. Unfortunately, he was obviously dead. The next man they lifted down was also dead and Katsura was saddened to see that he was the sixth Ishin Shishi Commander.

Commanders Fuschida and Miwa were able to stand and jump down on their own. However, weakened from blood loss and unable to use his arms, Commander Kamata couldn't get to his feet and required help getting out of the wagon. After being jerked upright once he was on the ground, Kamata promptly fell to his knees and began convulsively vomiting. As he knelt there, white faced and shaking, one of the Shinsengumi fighters stepped up, clenching his fists angrily. Before the man guarding him realized what he was doing, Katsura had moved between Kamata and the angry man, coolly facing him down. The Shinsengumi fighter, glaring viciously, transferred his rage to the man standing between him and his intended victim. Katsura saw him cock his fist and tensed, preparing himself for the blow.

"Sarumara! Stand down!" Oshima's angry voice echoed across the compound.

Scowling, Sarumara lowered his fist and turned away from the prisoners. These men were responsible for the deaths of two of his best friends and he would make sure they suffered for it!

Meeting Sarumara's glare with one of his own, Oshima walked up to stand facing the man. "These prisoners are my responsibility and you will leave them alone. If I hear of any further problems from you, I will put you on report. Did I make myself clear, Sarumara?"

After a long pause, Sarumara growled "Yes, sir," in a surly tone.

Oshima stared at him until he dropped his eyes. Given the circumstances, Oshima decided he would ignore the borderline insubordination for now, but he would keep an eye on the man.

Turning to the prisoner who had tried to protect his comrade, Oshima gave him a look of respect. After glancing down at the kneeling man, he gestured to two of his men to help him stand up. Nodding to himself, Oshima carefully looked the prisoners over before conducting them into the district headquarters.

Katsura noted everything closely as they were led through the hallways, hoping to learn where they were being held. After being unloaded from the wagon, he had looked around, but had not recognized the station. Most of the doors were closed, but occasionally he could see an office or meeting room. Even though it was no more than a couple of hours after midnight, there was a surprising number of men working in the building. His inspection was cut short as they arrived at the detention block.

A guard stood up from behind a desk and took a heavy ring of keys out of a drawer. Leading the way down the corridor, he passed several cells before coming to one with a reinforced door. With a jangle of keys, the jailor opened the door, revealing a gaslit room. Swinging the door wide, the guard stepped back out of the way.

Hesitating for a moment, Katsura slowly walked into the cell. Once inside, he stopped abruptly when he saw Commander Gushiken, who was apparently still unconscious, slouched on the floor, secured with manacles on his wrists and ankles that were attached to chains affixed to the wall. Katsura spun towards the door, searching for the officer who had led them here.

"This is completely unacceptable!" Katsura said, being careful to use no names that could be used to identify them. He gestured to the insensate man slumped limply against the wall. "The man's unconscious! He needs medical treatment, not chains!"

"He's an extremely dangerous man and I will not take any chances that he might try to escape once he awakens," Oshima replied, unsurprised that the prisoner was prepared to argue with his captors as he yet again tried to defend one of his companions. His respect for the man went up another notch.

One of the guards pushed Katsura further into the cell to allow room for the other prisoners to enter. Once all four were inside, they were herded to the far side of the cell and told to face the back wall. Cautiously, a guard untied the ropes binding their wrists. Once he was finished, the man backed away and left the room.

Before the door could be closed, Katsura spoke up, once again addressing the officer in charge. "Could we have some water, onegai?"

Oshima hesitated, considering the appeal. While the prisoners were not to be pampered in any way, the request was reasonable and one he expected this prisoner to make. Given the respect he found himself grudgingly giving the man, Oshima's honor virtually demanded that he agree.

"Granted," Oshima said softly.

Catching the jailor's eye, Oshima nodded. The jailor left immediately, returning quickly with a bucket of fresh water and a dipper, setting it down just inside the door.

"Arigatou gozaimasu," Katsura said, bowing to the officer.

Once the door was shut and locked, Katsura shook his hands, trying to return some feeling to them. He then turned to the three Commanders. Kamata's face was pallid and he looked like he was about to fall. With Miwa's assistance, Katsura quickly helped Kamata lie down on the stone bench that ran along the back wall of the cell. Since the Commander was shivering and his skin felt clammy, Katsura removed his haori and used it as a makeshift blanket.

Gently touching Kamata's shoulder to get his attention, Katsura asked, "Are you thirsty?"

"A little," Kamata replied, with a grimace, trying hard to get his eyes to focus, "but I don't think I could keep it down. It might be best to wait for a while."

"All right, just let me know when you want a drink. I'm sure you've got a concussion, so it's important that you stay awake," Katsura said, glancing at Commander Miwa, who nodded in agreement.

Leaning over, Katsura ripped one of the sleeves of his haori into pieces to use as washcloths. He walked over to the bucket of water and used the dipper to wet the cloths, then handed two to Fuschida, who gave one to Miwa. Going back to where Kamata was lying, Katsura carefully wiped his face. Next he examined and did his best to clean all of Kamata's injuries, noting that while the major wounds had been bound, the rest were left untouched. Having done everything he could to make Kamata as comfortable as possible, Katsura turned his attention to Commander Gushiken.

Gently slapping Gushiken's face and talking to him didn't seem to have any affect, so Katsura asked Fuschida to help him with the Commander. With the manacles and chains, it impossible to remove his gi, making it very difficult to treat his injuries. Gushiken was covered in blood, which probably partially explained his unconsciousness. Once the blood was washed off, they were able to work on his many wounds, re-bandaging them after they had been cleaned. Gushiken liked to say that he had the constitution of an ox, which was fortunate, since a weaker man would probably have already died from the numerous injuries. The chains were not long enough to allow the Commander to lie down on the floor. Katsura and Fuschida did their best to make him as comfortable as possible, but there wasn't much they could do.

After he had done all that he could for Gushiken, Katsura reviewed their situation. He knew it would only be a matter of time before he was recognized. Indeed, he was surprised that he hadn't been identified already. Once the Shinsengumi realized whom they had captured, they would increase their security measures, making it much more difficult for them to be rescued. The only thing he could do for now was to continue to pretend to be an Ishin Shishi commander. The longer he could keep up the deception, the better were the chances that a rescue attempt would be successful.

A hand on his arm startled Katsura out of his thoughts. Commander Miwa was looking at him in consternation.

"Come sit down, sir," he said, respectfully, "and let me look at your wounds. You must take care of yourself. You've done enough for now."

Nodding, Katsura allowed Miwa to lead him to a spot on the bench near Kamata. His shoulder had stiffened, which made it painful to remove his gi. After that, Katsura's thoughts returned to the uncertainties of the future while Miwa worked on his shoulder. I should have listened to you, Kenshin.

From his vantage point on the roof of a neighboring building, Kenshin closely observed the inner compound of the Shinsengumi main headquarters. As anxious as he was to find and rescue Katsura, Kenshin knew he could not take any chances. It was vital to the success of his mission that he take the time to learn as much as possible about the layout and defenses of the Shinsengumi complex. It would be foolish to rush in unprepared with all the swordsmen based there. All Shinsengumi were good fighters, but only the best were assigned to the main headquarters. It was, after all, where several of the troop captains and their men were stationed.

It was quiet at the headquarters. Too quiet. It was altogether too much like the Shimogyo-ku district station he had just come from. A few men were casually walking across the grounds. There were lights in some of the rooms in the buildings, particularly on the ground floors. Kenshin frowned pensively, disturbed by the peaceful scene. Once again, he had expected to find heightened security and overall excitement over the capture of important Ishin Shishi officers. Was it possible that he had arrived before the prisoners had been delivered? Kenshin shook his head, dismissing the idea. Not likely. More than enough time had elapsed since the attack for the prisoners to have been transported here. Could this be a ruse? An attempt to convince the Ishin Shishi that the Commanders weren't here? It was possible, he supposed, but not probable. I can't believe that there are that many decent actors among the Shinsengumi, Kenshin thought, sardonically. No, the most likely answer was that the prisoners were being held somewhere else.

Keeping his ki completely masked, Kenshin extended his senses to their fullest, seeking Katsura's ki. Instantly he became aware of the presence of over two hundred men. Fortunately, most of them were asleep, but he paid careful attention to the auras of those men who were awake and apparently on duty. Kenshin couldn't detect the one he sought, although he wasn't certain he could pick it out from among so many auras.

Kenshin prepared to go in and search for Katsura. As far as he was concerned, he had no choice. Even if it turned out that the prisoners weren't here, it might be possible to learn something useful regarding their whereabouts. Any information would be valuable at this point.

Circling around the headquarters, Kenshin used the rooftops – and trees, where necessary – to get a clear view into the compound. The buildings were laid out in a defensive quadrangle surrounding the large administration building. He took careful note of the positions of the posted sentries, both on the outside and inside of the high wall that surrounded the compound. Not only that, there were six pairs of guards that patrolled outside of the wall at regular intervals. An unsuspecting spy might be able to avoid the obvious guards on the outside, only to walk right into the hidden ones inside. Kenshin nodded to himself approvingly, it was a good plan, although it would only catch someone unable to sense ki. Despite all this security, Kenshin had no difficulty spotting two places where it would be possible to get past the inner guards unobserved. Of course, they both required that the intruder be able to scale the wall in the very brief time between the patrolling guards – less than half a minute. Not impossible, of course, but it would be challenging for most intruders.

Kenshin waited patiently, concealed among the branches of the tree he had been using as a lookout, until two guards passed by. Before the next pair of guards could turn the corner, he dropped out of the tree and ran to the wall, quickly looked both ways, and then jumped to the top. He took a couple of seconds to verify that none of the sentries posted inside the compound had moved, and then dropped down, landing noiselessly. Immediately he slipped into the shadows and began moving towards the nearest structure.

He had chosen to cross the wall behind the main buildings, so he was closest to the stables. Quickly, he pinpointed the sentries within the compound before he began moving stealthily towards the barn. He could sense three men, probably stable hands, asleep inside. Unconcerned about their presence, he moved through the shadows running alongside the barn. When Kenshin was halfway down the side, one of the horses inside whinnied anxiously, causing him to freeze in place. Kenshin nervously waited to see if anyone would respond to the horse's distress. When all remained quiet, he scanned the area again before cutting across to a small storehouse. From there he worked his way to the nearest of the two long two-story buildings flanking the central structure. From the number of sleeping men present, it was obviously a barracks, with only three men awake within its walls. Kenshin ignored a small building that had four men sleeping in it after a quick inspection showed it to be an infirmary. Sensing the auras of two men approaching, Kenshin stepped back into the sheltered doorway, raising his left arm so that his sleeve covered all of his face except his eyes, becoming just another slightly darker part of the shadows.

After the men walked past, Kenshin focused his attention on the large administration building in the center of the compound, working his way around to examine the building from all sides. Since guards were posted at both of the entries, he was forced to consider an alternative means of entry into the building. None of the windows on the ground floor were open, so that option was out. Kenshin examined the covered balcony that ran around the building, particularly the balustrade. Deciding the railing looked sturdy enough, he took a moment to scan the area before darting silently across the brightly moonlit grounds into the sharply defined shadow beneath the balcony. Once again he paused, seeking the ki of anyone nearby. Assured that he was unobserved, Kenshin stepped away from the building. Accurately judging the distance to the top of the railing, Kenshin crouched slightly, seeming to coil within himself, and leaped easily to the top of the railing. Landing lightly, he jumped down and walked towards the nearest window. A quick test proved it was locked, but the third one he checked wasn't. Kenshin slipped through the window and closed it before crossing the dark room to ease the door open. He knew there was no one on this floor or the one above, but his habitual caution was too deeply ingrained to ignore.

Once he was in the hallway, Kenshin looked to the left and right, seeing nothing but closed western style wooden doors and a stairway at one end leading to the other floors. His curiosity insisted that he explore the entire building, if at all possible, so he headed towards the stairs. When he got to the third floor, he stopped in surprise. He found himself looking across a large open room with a high ceiling and mats lying against the walls. The moonlight streaming through the windows on all four walls washed across a polished hardwood floor. It's a dojo, he thought as he turned and went back down the stairs; which only made sense, since the Shinsengumi would undoubtedly expect constant sword training and this was the largest building in the complex.

Back on the second floor, Kenshin set out to explore the rooms. It took him only a few minutes to learn that most of them were offices, all of which were virtually identical. Each one contained a desk, three plain wooden chairs – one behind the desk and two in front of it – and one or two cabinets. Strangely, all of the desks were completely bare. Apparently the Shinsengumi value neatness, Kenshin thought, dryly, somewhat amused by the obsessive behavior. Unfortunately, there was no time to look for information, even if Kenshin had known where to look and what to look for, so he headed towards the stairs and cautiously began descending to the ground floor.

He stopped just before the foot of the stairs and focused his awareness on the auras within the building. He could feel the presence of several men, but none within close proximity. Oddly, he could also detect auras that were apparently below his location, indicating a lower level. Easing down the remaining stairs, Kenshin carefully looked around the corner and down the corridor. The hallway was dimly lit, with most of the doors sensibly shut, although light spilled through two open doors near the front entrance. He spotted another staircase a little further on that led downwards. Eyes narrowing in concentration, Kenshin considered whether to explore the lower level. Proceeding deeper into the headquarters, while leaving enemies behind him, made him uncomfortable, but he knew this was an opportunity that might not present itself again. If he could complete his reconnaissance and leave undetected, any information he learned tonight could be useful. However, even if he was discovered, Kenshin had supreme confidence in his ability to fight his way free.

Silently Kenshin moved forward, hesitating momentarily at the top of the stairs before resolutely heading down. His senses showed him that five men were loosely grouped to the left of the stairway. Katsura was obviously not here, but he proceeded anyway, using extreme caution, testing each stairstep carefully before putting his weight on it. Stopping on the next to last step, Kenshin heard two masculine voices, casually discussing the merits of a new courtesan in the pleasure district. Kenshin edged forward just enough to see two guards seated at a desk, facing away from the stairs. Beyond them a dim corridor lined with cells ran the length of the building, only three of which were currently occupied. Pleased to have found the detention center, he noted that it had been located in a very secure location, with only one way in or out. Satisfied, Kenshin returned up the stairs, anxious to finish his exploration. Before he was halfway to the top, a deafening slam resounded throughout the building as the back door into the building was violently closed and a deep voice began loudly complaining about a change in the shift roster. Behind him, Kenshin heard one of the guards cursing and the sound of a chair being shoved back.

"Damn! I'm gonna go beat Anami to a pulp! That ahou just about gave me a heart attack just now!"

Kenshin tensed, automatically grasping his katana. He could neither go up the stairs nor retreat without being spotted. If his discovery was inevitable, he preferred to not be trapped in the lower level, so once again he began silently ascending the stairs.

"Settle down, Hanari! The mood Anami's in right now, you'd be lucky if he didn't break your fool neck! Didn't you hear? His woman threw him out and he was going to fix things with her tonight, ‘cept his duty shift got switched at the last minute. He'd just love an opportunity to work off some of his frustration."

"Are you sayin' that I can't take him?" Hanari's voice sounded ugly.

"I didn't say that," the other guard said placatingly. "But you know what the Captain said would happen if you got into another fight this week."

Kenshin relaxed slightly when he heard the first man mutter "yeah, lucky for him," followed by the sound of a body flopping into a chair. Continuing up the stairs, Kenshin flattened himself against the wall as the angry ranting grew nearer. Fortunately for the man identified as Anami, he stormed down the hall without paying any attention to anything around himself. Once the Shinsengumi swordsman was past the stairway, Kenshin cautiously watched him proceed down the corridor and enter the first open doorway.

After waiting a few moments to see whether the angry fighter would immediately leave the office, Kenshin slipped into the hallway and drifted silently toward the sound of voices, checking the doors as he went. Kenshin found only three of them were locked, with signs indicating that they were the offices of Kondou Isami, the Shinsengumi Captain, and his two Vice Captains, Hijikata Toshizo and Yamanami Keisuke.

Hoping to learn something about the attack on the strategic meeting, Kenshin listened in on the conversation. Unfortunately, all he heard was Anami complaining about being stuck on a boring night shift before the sound of approaching footsteps forced Kenshin to retreat into the nearest office, leaving the door open a crack. A new voice asked what was going on, but the replies were somewhat muffled. The easygoing conversation made it clear that nothing of importance had occurred tonight, so Kenshin closed the door and took the opportunity to look around briefly. He found himself in an office very similar to the ones upstairs, although it was bigger. The furnishings were of higher quality and the chairs looked more comfortable. Even though the desk was larger, it was just as bare as the others he had seen. Kenshin shook his head, the Shinsengumi were nothing, if not consistent.

Disappointed that he had learned nothing regarding the prisoners, Kenshin decided there was no point in staying longer. He walked over to the window and concentrated on the locations of the bright auras of those men who were currently awake. This office faced the second barracks building and Kenshin could not detect anyone awake in the building.

Opening the window as quietly as possible, Kenshin quickly climbed out, closing it before turning to face the barracks. The moonlight shone directly into the windows on this side of the administration building, the lack of shadows making him feel exposed. Looking around himself carefully, Kenshin confirmed that he was not visible to any of the guards before he ran across the courtyard into the shadows cast by the barracks. Working his way down the length of the building, Kenshin had almost reached the end when a shouted "Hey!" halted him in his tracks, his heart suddenly racing. Shocked that someone had been able to sneak up on him, Kenshin smoothly drew his katana as he spun to face his opponent. Only to find himself alone. Confused, Kenshin quickly scanned the immediate area, looking for the source of the threat. A loudly mumbled series of unintelligible words, punctuated by a raucous snore, emanated from the open window near Kenshin, solving the mystery of his non-existent challenger. Taking a deep calming breath, Kenshin sheathed his katana before continuing to make his way through the compound.

Holding himself still against the shadowed wall, Kenshin waited patiently for the sentry's attention to waver. Knowing how difficult it was to maintain constant vigilance, especially when it was shortly after three o'clock in the morning and your shift wouldn't end for several more hours, Kenshin knew it would merely be a matter of time before something distracted the bored sentry. Sure enough, a small group of men entering the compound drew the guard's attention. Aware of the movements of the patrolling guards outside of the wall, Kenshin forced himself to wait for a few more moments until they had passed. Running with virtually inhuman speed, Kenshin crossed the distance to the wall in a nearly invisible blur. A slight hesitation and he was atop the wall, silhouetted for only a couple of seconds before he disappeared. As he ran through the dark streets of Kyoto, Kenshin's fear for Katsura returned in full force and he could only hope that Uchida would have news of Katsura's whereabouts by the time he returned to the inn.

Squad leader Oshima Michio forced himself to remain still as he finished his statement. He had stood at stiff attention throughout the debriefing and his fatigue was beginning to overcome his self-discipline. His arm throbbed painfully and his head ached abominably, making it difficult to concentrate.

Leaning back, Captain Isayama allowed a small smile to play upon his lips as he thought of the commendation that was certain to be forthcoming for the successful capture of the Ishin Shishi Commanders. Of course, it was too bad that main headquarters would take charge of the prisoners and he would be unable to question them. Interrogation was something he truly enjoyed. Ah, well. Shifting his attention back to the man standing before him, Isayama recognized the signs of exhaustion in the young officer and decided that he could finish his report in the morning.

"Very good, Oshima. I'm pleased with how you completed your mission. That will be all for now, get some rest and see me tomorrow morning."

"Arigatou, sir," Oshima answered, bowing formally before leaving.

Wearily Oshima walked down the hallway towards the infirmary. He would sleep, but not until after he had checked on his men. Pushing the door open, he wrinkled his nose as the smell of blood and disinfectant overwhelmed his senses. Continuing on into the room, he was forced to stop as an orderly carrying a tray of instruments nearly ran into him. Several of his men were seated in a corner waiting their turn to be seen by one of the doctors. Waving at them, Oshima acknowledged their greetings before resuming his walk towards the row of beds at the back of the room.

A doctor was standing at the first bed, using a stethoscope to listen to his patient's lungs. Oshima was surprised to see that it was Ninsei lying there, eyes closed, his face practically the same color as the sheets. Oshima honestly hadn't expected him to live long enough to reach the Shinsengumi district station. Putting his stethoscope away, the doctor turned towards the squad leader.

"Will he live, doctor?" Oshima asked, quietly.

"It will be close, but I think so. He is gravely wounded and he has lost a lot of blood."

Both the doctor and Oshima stared at the young man when he whispered "Sumiko." Oshima looked questioningly at the doctor.

"He's been saying that ever since he got here," the doctor said, shrugging.

"Take care of him, onegai. He's a good man."

Oshima spent the next few minutes talking to each of his men, reassuring them and seeing if there was anything he could do to make them more comfortable. After refusing the usual requests for sake and geishas, he was finally able to leave. Closing the door to the infirmary, Oshima turned when he heard his name called. Captain Isayama was walking towards him accompanied by several guards.

"I'm going down to see the prisoners. Would you like to accompany me?"

Oshima nearly sighed, but stopped himself, replying "Yes, sir," without hesitation and falling into step with the older officer. Apparently he wouldn't be going to bed just yet. A couple of minutes later they were standing in front of the cell while the jailor nearly dropped his ring of keys in his haste to open the door.

Five pairs of eyes studied the Shinsengumi Captain as he swaggered into the cell, followed by Oshima and two guards. Three of the Ishin Shishi Commanders were standing facing the door, one was lying on the stone bench, while the fifth watched from his position on the floor. After glancing at the other prisoners, Isayama's attention was immediately drawn to the large man chained to the wall. Curious about the berserker swordsman Oshima had told him about, Isayama inspected him much as a scholar might examine a particularly interesting insect. The Ishin Shishi Commander ignored the insulting appraisal impassively.

Disappointed with the Commander's reaction, Isayama turned to scrutinize the other prisoners. Slowly Isayama looked from man to man. Suddenly, he took a step forward, a nasty smirk spreading across his face.

"Katsura Kogorou."