25-June-2002
Pet Shop of Horrors: Earthsong
by bonnejeanne and cassiopeia
Title: Earthsong
Author: bonnejeanne (bonnejeanne@yahoo.com) and Cassiopeia (cassiopeia@gundamwing.net)
Archive: http://www.no-assumptions.com/gundamwing/
Category: yaoi, AU
Rating: NC-17
Spoilers: Series
WARNINGS: Lemon/Limey stuff, AU
Disclaimer: Pet Shop of Horrors characters and universe are the property of the copyright owners. Our stuff is ours. No money being made here. As with all our fics, while our goal is to stay as in character as possible, any discrepancies are our mistakes.
Feedback: Any and all comments welcome, be they short or long.
NOTES: This is a sequel to our first fic, "Blood". I designated "Blood" as being an AU, so as to avoid conflict with existing events and timelines that we were ignorant of. Though I've had the chance to read some manga translations and become more familiar with the actual PSH universe, since this story depends on the events in "Blood", and since those events never occured in the PSH timeline, it continues to be an AU. There may be some parallels with the manga story, but other aspects may be totally different. This story will be longer than "Blood" which was posted in 4 parts. Exactly how much longer I cannot say, but based on what I have in raw form so far, I'm guessing (wildly) a possible 15 posts, more or less. Timewise, 'Blood' was posted in 4 consecutive days, but I'm going to have to spread this out a bit more, for reasons of time, editing, and the fact that it is not at this time complete, just well on the way.
From 'Earth Song' by Michael Jackson:
"What about sunrise, what about rain?
What about all the things that you said we were to gain...
What about killing fields - is there a time
What about all the things that you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice all the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice the crying Earth, the weeping shores?What have we done to the world? Look what we've done.
What about all the peace that you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields - is there a time
What about all the dreams that you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice all the children dead from war?
Did you ever stop to notice the crying Earth, the weeping shores...I used to dream, I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are, although I know we've drifted far"
Earthsong: Part One
When it turned out that Leon snored, the Count found himself unsurprised.
Placing a pillow strategically over the blond's face, D stretched fully and began to disentangle himself from his new lover. The way Leon's arms seemed to wind around him all through the night, regardless of the man's state of unconsciousness, reminded D of a few of his more exotic pets, like the carnivorous plant from the Serengeti with its long vinelike tendrils that wound around a four-legged (or two-legged) meal and held it while the plant slowly secreted digestive juices. He couldn't escape the man in the confines of the bed. But the truth was this pleased D rather extremely. He liked turning over, away from his lover, only to be pulled back as the man mumbled something incoherent in his sleep and clutched him tightly. It made him want to purr.
However it was time to get up. His Detective would be leaving in a little while, though at the moment he was oblivious. He'd be going in to the station to his job, answering questions and probably asking quite a few. And D had responsibilities to take care of as well.
Slipping away with bittersweet reluctance, he made his way through the other beaded curtain at the back of the room, through a small dressing room and into the large bathing area beyond. Plucking the bandage off his shoulder, he peered at the bullet graze and was unsurprised to see not even a mark remaining. Disposing of the bandage, he filled the pool, using the long hose and showerhead to thoroughly cleanse his body, rubbing his pale skin with scented oils. They were supposed to enhance the skin's beauty and texture, though it was doubtful they really added anything to D's natural attributes, so perfect were they au naturale. The slight soreness between his legs only caused a small, almost secretive smile to curve his dark lips as he contemplated the source of the sensation.
Once clean, he dressed himself in a deep red silk outfit of loose trousers and tunic. Sliding his feet into a pair of brocade slippers with slight, wedge heels, he glanced in a mirror for a moment and decided it would do for the time being. There was breakfast to fix for his Detective, and a special task to accomplish. A new guest had come to the pet shop and it was his duty to make it as comfortable as possible.
"Leon..." the soft, deep velvet voice called to him through the layers of slumber, accompanied by the wonderful scents of freshly made food. "Wake up..." Setting the large tray on a convenient stand next to the bed, D perched on the edge of the mattress and pulled the pillow away from Leon's face, reaching up to stroke his fingers through the American's golden curls.
From within the confines of an intensely deep slumber, Leon tried to find his way to the surface, to consciousness, but the dream was too deep, too much like liquid around him. There were images and sounds that he was already starting to forget, and people... A boy, small and thin, blond, with eyes the same color as Leon's. The images and sounds would die away, but why could he never forget the people?
Leon could hear something. Someone calling him. The voice found a face in his dream, and though it was blurred with the slight distortion of the water between them, Leon could still make out white porcelain skin and black silk hair. D was telling him to...
With a start, Leon awoke, almost sure that something was wrong. But then he felt the Count's fingers in his hair, took in the comforting aroma hanging in the air around him, and blinked a couple of times, orienting himself. He caught a brief sight of the tray of food - as always when he first woke up, he was starving. But his eyes were drawn unerringly to D, the red color he wore adding an enticing depth to his hair and skin. Though Leon had to admit, he liked the other man best in nothing at all.
Leon did not try to sit up, only stared at D above him. "What's this?" he asked, eyes moving to the stand and then back.
"This is food," D said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Even young handsome police detectives need to take nourishment before going out to arrest criminals and save the law abiding citizens."
Moving a little on the bed, Leon sat up a bit and got a better look at the tray of food. His stomach growled and his mouth began to water. When the Count was right, the Count was right. "What time is it?" he asked, not seeming overly concerned, and he brushed past D to latch onto his target, the food tray. He set it in the middle of the bed and sat himself nearby, about to tear into the contents.
"Time to eat," D answered obscurely. Then he reached over next to the bed and lifted the watch that the detective did not remember removing. "This reports the hour to be 8:15." Tucking his feet under him, he gave in to the temptation to watch Leon eat, if only for a few minutes. It was something he enjoyed watching. His Detective had such a healthy appetite, and seemed to enjoy his food so thoroughly.
This meal was a mixture of eastern and western cuisine. There were eggs and bacon, but also fried tofu and vegetables in a savory sauce, and rice. The grapefruit juice tasted freshly squeezed. There was also a glass of whole milk. D had selected things he thought would be good nourishment for his Detective.
Leon consumed most of the food without too much trepidation... true, he wasn't entirely sure what the white fried hunks were, but they seemed to go with the sauce. As he raised the glass of grapefruit juice toward his mouth, about to add it to the contents of his half-full stomach, he stopped, noticing for the second time that D had never joined him in these meals. He knew the other man ate... he'd seen him put away tea and expensive slices of cake like he was storing up for winter. And it was quite possible that D fixed himself something before serving Leon.
Still, it made him suspicious. And maybe he just didn't like eating alone all the time. "You could have some," he suggested, swallowing half the glass of grapefruit juice in a single gulp. Then he added, setting the glass aside, "You can't live on tea and chocolate... can you?" The last he said with more than just a bit of curiosity.
D lowered his eyelashes demurely. "Perhaps you will bring me something today?" he murmured, his voice rising hopefully. "Something nice..." He sighed. He wasn't ready yet to tell Leon about *all* the details of his eating habits. Some of them stemmed from the time when his kind had been worshipped as gods and even now anything presented as a gift or offering had greater significance than something acquired by his own hands.
Leon thought about it for a minute. "In exchange for... what?" he said, not meaning to make it sound suggestive. At least, he didn't *think* he'd meant to make it sound that way.
D's mouth curved. Then he pouted. "I suppose a few moments of my happiness have little value to you even now...."
Lowering his head, Leon let out a long breath. Then he replaced the tray of food back to its stand, barely even causing the milk to vibrate in its glass. Without warning, he fell back to the bed, pushing D down on his back. Looking into mismatched eyes from above, he said in a low voice, "Your happiness... means... a lot to me." Leon didn't understand what it was that he was feeling so intensely, but it was something. Something very strange and even a little uncomfortable, and yet something he felt very possessive of, and would have killed anyone for trying to touch, let alone try to take away from him.
Lying breathlessly on his back with Leon above him, D tried not to show how incredibly pleased and excited the young man's action made him. He managed to maintain a slight, enigmatic smile, but his eyes attempted to betray him, shining with an intensity that matched Leon's. The blond's words echoed in his mind and he repeated them to himself greedily. In spite of the fact that he'd spent much of the morning before Leon woke putting his thoughts and emotions back into the order he habitually maintained, with this one gesture all that effort was scattered to the four winds. "Then kiss me," he murmured, watching Leon's face avidly.
The detective stared down at D for a moment longer, still trying to reconcile his confusion over the other man. He didn't mind thinking about other people, it was a part of his job. But thinking about himself... wasn't something he did on a regular basis. Leon didn't think the practice could possibly turn out well.
His eyes settling on the Count's dark lips, Leon brought their mouths together, his tongue mingling with the other man's, taking possession of them both. The heated embrace washed all of his other thoughts away, and he found himself concentrating on the warm, silk-covered body beneath him. If this was what made D happy, then Leon had no problem delivering.
D's arms snaked around Leon's neck. His mouth enfolded Leon's tongue, sucking on it, his tongue twining around it as possessively as his arms around Leon's neck. He loved the feeling of heat, the weight and solidity of Leon's body pressing him into the bed. Sinking into the embrace, D let time stand still for a while.
Eventually, Leon moved his mouth away, though his hands could not keep from stroking the silk of D's hair. He stared down into the Count's eyes, and, for a moment, wondered why this should be so important to him. What was it? What was this?
"I've got to go," Leon said finally, though his voice carried regret, even annoyance, at the fact.
D reached up and tucked a wisp of blond hair back. "I know," he said. "I have things to do as well. You are a terrible distraction," he scolded, but his mouth curved in an indulgent smile.
"You're pretty distracting yourself," Leon said, then gave into the temptation for one last kiss before rising from the bed. As he grabbed a few more items off of the breakfast tray, he asked over his shoulder, "You seen my shirt?" realizing that he really ought to hurry, or at the very least quit dragging his feet. He hadn't technically been on time to work in... well, ever. But he hadn't technically been late, either.
Sitting up and smoothing out his clothes primly, D said, "Your clothes are in the wardrobe." Sure enough, there was a beautifully carved wardrobe in the corner, which Leon would have sworn wasn't there last night.
Leon went to retrieve his clothing, eyeing the piece of furniture the entire time, trying to decide whether or not it *had* been there last night, whether or not he should ask D about it. He finally decided no (he really was in a hurry), and swung open one of the wardrobe doors.
He saw his t-shirt, jacket, jeans all hung up neatly, and from the fresh scent of herbs, they were cleaned. Beside them were some other things. Several tunic type shirts, in heavy silk with embroidery of dragons or tigers. The one that caught his eyes had a Mandarin collar, but no sleeves. The color was a deep sapphire blue.
His shoes were in the bottom, along with some other things. Slippers that looked like those things the guys in kung-fu movies wore.
Leon grabbed everything that was his and began throwing them on. He wished he had more time to fully investigate the mysterious closet, but if he was going to have time to stop in at his apartment on the way to work, it would have to wait. Assuming it was still there when he came back.
As he finished tying the laces of his shoes, Leon shrugged into his jacket and headed for the doorway that led to the front part of the shop. He paused for a moment before exiting, then said to the room behind him, "I'll be back. Tonight." The words caused a strange smile to light his face, and he almost enjoyed walking through the dangling curtain of beads, the sound they made in his ears pleasant. Comfortable. Warm.
D watched him go with a slight smile on his face. Yes, you will be back, he thought, recognizing the possessiveness of his thoughts, knowing the danger inherent in them. Danger to them both, but perhaps a little of his lover's fierce spirit was taking root in his own enigmatic soul.
He got up and followed as far as the conversation room, glimpsing a flash of Leon's back as the energetic young man exited. Q-chan appeared and fluttered to his shoulder, not openly scolding but with a cross expression on his cute face that communicated volumes to the pet shop keeper. Refusing to address the issue, D gave the rabbit-bat a scratch under the chin and then turned back to the inner ways of the shop to find his latest guest and get to know him better.
As Leon stepped out of the cab in front of his apartment building, he was reminded of why he hated ever having to rely on public means of transport. They were too damn slow. He normally made that trip in fifteen minutes on his own, but this time, it had taken a full twenty-one. At least he had a valid excuse for stiffing Sandoval (assuming that was the guy's real name) on the tip.
His eyes scanned over the area, and he made a series of rapid mental notes. The mail had come, though the paper had not. The man who lived next door (Johnson, the mailbox said) had not yet taken his two large black mutts for their morning walk. The guy who cut the grass and trimmed the hedges on Wednesdays was just arriving. Nothing at all out of the ordinary seemed to be going on.
Leon grabbed his small stack of mail on the way up to the third floor, taking the steps two and three at a time, for some reason, happier than he could ever remember being. There was no reason for it, he saw D all the time, and it didn't make him feel like this. Of course, there was the added factor of the sex. He hadn't had that in a while. Good sex, great sex, fantastic...
He stopped the thought before it could go any further, before he turned right around and blew off work to drag D back to bed, and dug through his pockets, searching for the key to the door that now stood before him. Once inside, he let out a sigh at the familiar room and headed immediately to the kitchen area, to the short bar there, tossing the pile of mail he'd just retrieved to lie on the countertop with others, some yellow with age.
As he turned away, something caught his eye, a brief hint of blue. One of the random envelopes, which he routinely ignored until the urge to throw things away hit him (usually a three or four month cycle), was hand addressed, rather than by machine, in a thin, blue scrawl. Leon took the envelope in his hands, examining it more closely. He did not recognize the handwriting, but the name on the return address was vaguely familiar. One of his aunts, maybe? He wasn't sure.
Leon tore open the envelope, curiosity getting the better of him. He knew he didn't have time, really, to be reading over pointless rambling from one of his estranged relatives - right, this was from his mother's sister, Anne, who had moved to Northern California after divorcing that guy whose name Leon could never remember. But truthfully, he *never* got mail from these people. His family was not exactly close knit. To say the least.
His eyes skimming over the brief, one-page letter, Leon's eyes caught on a name that always, regardless of the situation, made his breath catch. Chris... Anne must have been the one keeping the kid now. As he made his way further down the letter, a frown settling on his features, Leon tried to figure out what the woman was getting at, her words always twisting and indirect. But as he came to the last paragraph, her intentions became quite clear. She was getting remarried in two months, and could no longer care for *his brother*, written in obvious, large letters, and would be sending the boy to him, on the 15th.
Leon dropped the letter to the surface of the bar, completely at a loss. He looked down at his watch... today was the 14th.
The Count found his new "guest" exploring the deeper reaches of the shop curiously. Ti-lung sensed D's approach and turned around, stuffing something in a pocket quickly, with an innocent expression.
The little dragonet looked like a young boy of about eight or nine years. His features were quite attractive, dominated by wide, intense black eyes. His red hair swirled in a wild mop on his head, and his complexion had a slightly sallow tinge to it that resolved into a faint pattern on the skin. The only other sign that he wasn't simply a human little boy, at least here, inside the shop, was the pearlescent finish on his somewhat long but well shaped nails.
D smiled, having easily noticed the furtive gesture of concealment. He expected nothing less from a young earth dragon, and it seemed that was what Ti-lung must be. The Count had never had one in the shop before. He did not know if his grandfather might have, but the likelihood was small. Earth dragons tended to associate with the geographical regions in which they were spawned. They left those areas only under the most dire of conditions, and their leaving always spelled misfortune for the places they abandoned.
"Whatever it is, you should show it to me. It is very possible you may keep it," D said calmly.
The young dragon smiled suddenly and ran to the Count, placing his arms around D's waist. "What about the rest?" he said mischievously.
D smiled and patted the dragonet's shoulders. "Show me and find out. Now... I have a place I think you might like. The marble was once a part of an emperor's winter palace. The gold mosaic inlays are pure, and the chalcedony and amethyst bosses are the finest for seven centuries."
Ti-lung gave the Count a squeeze around the waist and then spun away, to skip around him in a circle. "Show me! Am I really going to live here with you? I don't want to leave...." He paused and said in a softer voice, "I'm sorry for biting you. The box was dark and it shook, and there were noises, and bad smells, and it was hot and cold...."
"I understand," D said soothingly. "Come, let's take a look at your new room." Turning, he led the way through the maze of corridors to a hall that resembled a monarch's throne room without the throne. It had a sense of weight above that gave the room a subterranean feel.
Ti-lung danced around in the large room happily, stopping to run his fingers along the precious inlays lovingly.
Perched on D's shoulder, Q-chan made a comment or two.
"I know," D murmured. "Earth dragons bond to places. If he stays, he will stay for his lifetime. The meaning of this turn of events is not clear to me, as of yet."
Leon moved through the precinct automatically, his mind hundreds of miles away, the faces bustling around him blurred into anonymity. He thought a few of them tried to speak to him, his own name briefly grabbing a small portion of his attention, but for the most part, he chose to ignore it all. He just wanted to get to his desk, sit down, and blend in with the background. That way, he could think, hopefully unbothered.
Leon knew he had to deal with certain things. His first stop upon arriving should have been the chief's office, but the last thing he felt like doing right now was hashing over the business of yesterday. He really hadn't given much thought to exactly how he was going to explain his involvement, or rather, lack of involvement, in the incident. The only thing he knew for certain was that Count D had had *nothing* to do with it. It didn't much matter if they believed him or not. That was his story, and they'd have to deal with it.
The detective removed his jacket, draping it over the back of his desk chair in a thoughtless manner, and flopped into the seat with a lot more force than was necessary. Reaching down and a little back, he pulled his aunt's crumpled note from one of his jacket pockets, tossing it on the desk in front of him where he could stare at it. An answer was sure to come to him if he looked at it long enough.
Almost as if summoned by his thought, a familiar, cheerful figure appeared, sitting down in the chair beside his desk. "Well here you are," Jill said. She seemed to be examining him with wise, curious eyes. "You must have had quite a day yesterday..."
The woman's voice brought Leon out of his thoughts with a start, and he almost bit whoever's head it was off before realizing it was Jill. He was actually glad to see her, and let out a small sigh of relief to see that she really was okay, that the report on her condition the Count had delivered to him yesterday had been accurate. "Yeah, it was..." he paused, not really sure exactly *how* he would categorize it. "It was longer than most."
Jill smiled mysteriously. "For such a long day, you seem... um, rested..." Watching the blond detective she felt a tiny bit guilty - not too much. "How is D?"
Leon did not like the tone of Jill's voice. Sometimes she did that - spoke to him like she knew things she couldn't possibly know. It was half annoyance, half convenience... if she already knew, he didn't have to waste time and energy explaining. "He's like he always is. Weird. You have a reason for asking? Or is this just your caring nature finally coming to the surface?"
Jill sighed and tried not to roll her eyes. "I was concerned for both of you, until the report came in last night. This morning, I should say. You asked me to watch that man and I did. However I had the most uncomfortable feeling he knew I was doing it. At one point he turned around and stared right at me, and I suddenly got the worst migraine I've had in six months. I almost passed out. The next thing I knew, he had left the precinct."
A flash of anger spread through Leon at the news and he turned to face the woman. "Are you okay now?" he asked, holding back several curses against Su Chin, and then felt guilty for having put Jill in danger. He looked away. "I didn't... I never meant to..." Leon stopped trying to come up with an apology that he'd never be able to find, and began rummaging around in a desk drawer, looking for a pencil.
Jill leaned towards Leon. "I'm fine," she said quietly. "I just wanted to make sure you were. And D. When the report of that man's death came in... I was relieved, maybe that's not right, but I was. But I was just hoping nothing happened to either of you. I knew," she patted Leon's hand. "I knew you would take care of him." And I knew he would take care of you, she thought, but kept to herself.
Leon stopped searching through his desk for a moment and raised his head to stare at Jill. "You knew...?" he began quietly, then shook his head, not liking what her words seemed to imply. "What is it that you think you know?" he asked, voice louder, eyes already denying anything she might say next.
Jill gazed at him calmly. "I know that you are a good man and a good cop, Leon Orcot," she answered. Then she added, "If Count D were in any danger you would do what you have to do, as you would for anyone."
"He's a citizen," Leon said with a slight frown. Then he turned his head to the side. "I think," he added, a familiar gleam flashing in his eyes for a moment. Then he looked to the waded up piece of paper on his desk again, a thought he'd had earlier resurfacing. "Hey, Jill, what do you know about the institutions in this area? You know, places where they take care of kids?" His eyes fell in contemplation, but he quickly turned back to Jill, forcing the look away in favor of a more cheerful one.
Jill reached over and plucked the crumpled letter from his desk, scanning it quickly. She tilted her head. "Who is Chris?"
Leon moved his hand forward quickly, grabbing the paper. He immediately began folding it into a small, uneven square. "Nobody. Just some kid I have to find a place for." The subject was more than just uncomfortable. The thought that anyone could find out about this particular piece of his personal business was almost frightening, if he could let himself feel fear. Which he could not. Right then, Leon wished Jill was not nearly as observant as he knew she was.
The observant Jill listened to his answer. "Oh," she said, as her mind spun furiously. Leon's... a child of.. nooooo, no that wasn't even.... then who, what... he never talked about his family at all. A thought occurred to her and she felt her heart clench.
Leaning back in the chair, she shrugged. "I'll check around. But maybe... you should talk to D... he seems to be pretty well connected... He might know some place that was... better..." She swallowed the emotions she was feeling, trying to figure out how the hell to get Leon to open up and knowing it was impossible. Well, if he didn't tell D she wasn't above making a phone call.
Leon did not want to 'talk to D', as suggested. The man always seemed to be able to see right through him, to read his mind almost, though Leon knew that was impossible. This was his, Leon's, problem, and he didn't need or want anyone's help. Or worse, their sympathy. Then why, he asked himself with a large amount of frustration, had he even brought the subject up?
Because, he realized, he didn't have time. The boy was going to be here tomorrow, an unavoidable force that he had no control over. That was motivation enough to seek assistance, even if that meant going to D. Even if it meant the other man would see a small part of what he never let anyone see. If you let it out, you lost control of it. That was something it had not taken him very long at all to learn.
"Yeah, well, I'll keep that in mind," he said, almost muttering, then turned suddenly to face her again. Leon looked into her pretty, intelligent eyes (a combination that he knew was rare in the world), and for just a moment, wanted to tell her. Something, anything, it didn't matter, he just wanted to tell her. But the feeling passed and he recognized it for the foolishness that it was. Thank God he wasn't impulsive, prone to act without first thinking it over, or he'd have made himself look like an idiot.
"Hmm. You do that," she said. Then got up. "I have to go finish some reports. Oh, the Chief wants to see you. If you make him come looking for you..."
"Yeah, I know," Leon said, well acquainted with what would happen if the man had to come looking for him. Nodding at Jill, he stood, tucking his aunt's letter into one of his jeans pockets. Then he moved off towards the Chief's office, hoping with what was most likely misplaced optimism that this would not take long. He had a vacation coming up in three and half weeks, and he already planned on asking if he could take it early. That way, he could deal with this whole Chris thing. If he told them about his... the kid, then he could no doubt get some 'personal time' or a leave or something. But that was not a route he was willing to take. The only case he had open right now was nothing. Drug overdose. There was no reason that he could think of why he could not start his vacation now.
Leon looked at the closed door to his chief's office. He never really bothered to knock, but thought about it today. Opening the door, he tossed the idea away and threw a somewhat pleasant (his own idea of it, anyway) look upon his face. He didn't say anything and stood just inside the door for a few moments before striding into the room, all confidence, the only way he knew how to act.
He saw immediately of course that the Chief was not alone in the room. In one of the two chairs in front of the overburdened desk sat a young man, neatly dressed in a traditional Chinese white top and dark pants. He looked to be about sixteen or seventeen but had the posture or bearing of a much older, more controlled person. His black hair was pulled back severely into a much more obedient pony tail than Leon had ever managed.
"About time," the Chief grumbled when he saw Leon enter. "Sit down. I have a little loose end for you to tie up after calling in sick on us yesterday."
The detective did not sit at first, stopping mid-stride to stare at the unexpected occupant of the room, then the Chief. After a moment he sat next to the young man, his mind already jumping ahead to try and figure out what his Chief meant by 'loose end', and how the Chinese boy tied in to that. "Loose end?" he repeated, indicating the figure seated next to him with his eyes.
The young man returned his regard, studying him. He was obviously Chinese, and gave off the air of someone who was either well off or a martial arts master or possibly both.
"This is Wu Chang," the Chief said. "He's from HK. The guy who was here yesterday, who's warrant you were serving.... you saw the report on your desk, I assume? Died last night of some kind of animal bite - misadventure. This young man is here to take care of his affairs. He's going to need your help."
Leon continued to watch Chang from the corner of his eye, sizing the boy up. He was usually able to make his mind up about people right off the bat, but he was having trouble deciding what he thought about this guy. If he had anything at all to do with Su Chin, however, Leon knew which way his thoughts were leaning, and it wasn't in a good direction.
No, he hadn't noticed the report on his desk. "Yeah," he nodded, "I saw." Turning to Chang, he addressed the young man directly, wanting to get his association with the ordeal over as soon as possible. "What do you need?"
"My uncle arranged for a package to be sent here," the young man answered, without a trace of accent in his English. "It was sent to a pet shop. It was supposed to contain birds but another animal was in the shipment. I am told you were sent to the pet shop to pick up the package, but something evidently happened. The animal was allowed to escape, or..." he tilted his head, "Perhaps you delivered it to my uncle?"
Suddenly, Leon knew quite well what he thought of the boy. "Uncle, huh?" he said, scowling, the desire to tell, or better yet show, the boy what he thought of his family resting just below the surface. "I regret to inform you that the birds didn't quite make it. Somebody got the bright idea to stick something in there with them. Something that got a little hungry on the trip over." On the word 'somebody', Leon made it quite clear who he thought that person might be. "Whatever was in the case is a dangerous animal. It almost killed the owner of the shop it was sent to." As he spoke, Leon met the boy's eyes, and he thought he could almost begin to see a bit of family resemblance.
"I concur," Chang said, ignoring the overtones of antagonism. "I have seen the bite on my uncle's body. Do you know where the animal is now? I have had the house searched and there is no sign of it."
Smiling a bit, Leon shook his head. "Sorry, can't help you there. You can be sure the department is doing all it can to find the thing, but in a city of this size..." He let his voice trail away, his smile growing, then finished the thought. "Well, it could be anywhere by now. Maybe even dead."
The young man's eyes darkened but his expression remained coolly polite. "In that case, I would like to ask you to take me to the pet shop where the package was delivered. I need to ask some questions of the pet shop owner and I understand you are acquainted with him."
That was the last thing Leon wanted to do, but he realized the matter was unavoidable. If Chang were anything at all like his uncle, he would not give up on the matter, Leon had the strong feeling. Rising, he said slowly, "I'll take you to see him. But you'll keep it brief, since he almost died the other day. He's still recovering." Leon's words clearly conveyed a message to Chang: 'I'm watching you.'
The young man looked just as directly back. He bowed his head fractionally. "I'm in your debt, Detective," he said, the tone indicating something along the lines of 'not bloody likely'.
Leon moved towards the door to the office, having decided on his own that the meeting was over. "My car's out front, Mr. Chang," he said, exiting the room without a backward glance. He headed straight for Jill's desk, his pace a little hurried, and found her working on the report she'd mentioned earlier. Tapping a finger on the papers she was hunched over, Leon didn't wait for her to recognize him. "Do me a favor. Call D and tell him I'll be bringing by a friend of Su Chin's to see him. And that he'll have a little time." Leon smiled. He planned on making a little pit stop on the way to the pet shop. Chang might even enjoy it.
"Uh, ok sure!" Jill said, and then her eyes flickered behind Leon. Chang had materialized at his back, arms folded over his chest.
Leon did not have to turn around to know that the boy was right behind him. He nodded at Jill, then turned, coming within centimeters of knocking Chang over as he shot past the youth on his way outside.
He caught sight of his car, parked neatly against the curb in front of the police station, the sun that was already well into the sky glinting off its green paint. He would be glad to get back into the vehicle, having sorely missed being behind the wheel for the past couple of days. He'd never dreamed that when he'd opted to walk to the pet shop the other day, on the way to serve his warrant, that he'd be condemning himself to taxis for over twenty-four hours. It wasn't that far, and he could catch more of the goings-on of the city on foot. And he did like to keep an eye on things.
Walking around to the back of the car to the driver's side, he opened the unlocked door. It was not that he trusted no one to be stupid enough to steal a car from in front of a police station, but rather the fact that the door could not be successfully locked (if one hoped to be able to unlock it ever again) that kept the vehicle perpetually open. It was also public knowledge that he would kill anyone who laid a hand on his car.
Leon sat, placing the key in the ignition, and cranked the engine. He waited for Chang to enter the vehicle.
The young man did just that, sitting in the passenger's seat and glancing out the window, rather than at the driver. As Leon pulled away from the curb he spoke, without looking over.
"You don't like me for some reason, and I don't give a rat's ass about it. But you lied in there. Tell me the truth or I'll find it out some other way with no consideration for whatever you are concealing."
TBC