Shinobi and Lu | Backdated to 10/24
Oct. 24th, 2018 08:49 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainWhen one of Lu gets kidnapped, the other two call on the person most likely to help - her hero, Shinobi Shaw.
Lu took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Despite her father's reassurances, she really wasn't convinced that waiting for further instructions was the way to go, nor was she convinced by Cham's protestations that they could handle it themselves. No, what they were facing required someone with connections. Someone who could look at things objectively, and do what needed to be done. Someone sneaky.
Fortunately, Lu reflected as she clicked the app to start a video chat, she knew just the person. In fact, he was one of her best friends.
"Hey Shinobi. How's it going?"
Lounging on his bed in black and red silk pajamas, Shinobi cast a curious dark eye toward his phone as it began vibrating urgently on his nightstand. He picked it up languidly, brows rising with interest as he noted the name listed in the caller ID.
With a swipe of his finger, he lifted the phone to his ear and sat up, cross-legged on the mattress. "Lu, darling!" he practically singsonged into the receiver. "It's been far too long. I'm perfectly content, as usual, naturally. How are the yous? All carrying on in perfectly environmentally-conscious fashion, I hope?"
Lu let out the amused snort she knew Shinobi was expecting. "Someone has to make up for Shaw Industries' environmental offenses. It takes three of me just to scratch the surface." Her expression sobered. "Which is something of a problem, right now. I'm sorry - I just...I'm not just calling. I mean, I wanted to call anyway, and I was planning to, but..." She took another breath and tried to regain some kind of equilibrium - not easy, under the circumstances. "One of me's been kidnapped."
Shinobi's expression darkened from its usual, playful cast to something distinctly more serious--a face that only those closest to him would have ever believed him capable of. "What? When?" A beat, then, "What do you need?" His friends being placed in harm's way was a theme of which he was rapidly tiring, to the point that if someone had been foolish enough to abduct one of Brande's adopted daughters ... well. He was not tremendously inclined to be terribly patient with the perpetrators.
"I don't know," Lu admitted. Frustrated, she pushed her hand back through her hair. "It's been a couple of days. We thought at first it was someone looking for a ransom, and Dad insisted he was just going to pay it rather than chance anything happening. But their demands..."
She took a breath. "A month or so ago, my dad heard rumors that a company he'd contracted with had ties to some unsavory mutant related technology. Nothing solid - Cham was going to look into it - but you know Dad. He wasn't okay with it, and he made that really clear and told them he wasn't going to be able to fulfill the contract. They're demanding he provide them with the solar energy systems they ordered if he wants me back, and - I can't let him do that. It'd kill him." Not that he wouldn't do it, for her - she didn't doubt that for a moment. But that was why she had to take matters into her own hands.
Shinobi bounced out of bed with a sigh and headed straight for his closet. "I just knew that all those scruples R.J. insists on having were going to get you all into trouble, one of these days," he said, reaching for the first, finely-pressed suit to come to hand. "Give me an hour. I'll look into the problem while I make my way to the City, and let you know what I find. With a little luck, we'll have other-Lu back in time for the club after-parties. And I expect we'll all need a drink, by that point."
"I'm not about to argue that, and if you're right? We're definitely hitting one." Lu attempted a faint smile. "Pick me up when you get to New York?" she requested. "I can't just sit around here while you track me down."
* * * * *
Just under an hour later, Shinobi pulled up in front of of the entrance to the high-rise Manhattan penthouse the Lu's shared with their adopted father and brother. He was seated behind the wheel--an unusual enough circumstance, given his dislike of driving. His car was also far beneath his usual, luxurious standards; it was a black coupe, in fair condition, but not nearly so flashy that anyone would give it a second look. His thumbs tapped out a quick text to the remaining Lu's to meet him outside. His investigations had been far from fruitless, and there was a good chance they would be able to resolve this unpleasantness themselves, without recourse to the regular authorities or acceding to the kidnappers demands.
Well. One way or another, that latter possibility would be avoided. Nobody inconvenienced Shinobi Shaw, or his friends, this way and actually got to enjoy the fruits of their ham-handed plotting. There was pride to consider, if nothing else.
Wearing a hooded jacket, more for protection against anyone who might be watching the building than against the slight chill in the weather, Lu hurried out the building's front door just a minute later. "What'd you find out?" she asked as she climbed into the passenger's seat, then blinked. "Also, did you actually get your driver's license? When did that happen?"
"I've had my driver's license forever," he sniffed. "Bought and paid for, in fine capitalist tradition. I just elect not to use it, most of the time.
"As for what I've found out ..." Shinobi trailed off as he pulled away from the curb and turned down a busier side-street. "Well. There aren't many who would benefit from Brande's power-generation technologies who are also potentially deplorable bigots. So the list was quite small. Even more fortunate, Shaw Industries has extensive dealings with most of them. Naturally, I started there. We're headed for one of our smaller contractors' headquarters now--I think them an extremely likely bet, but I'd prefer to confirm before taking any further action."
"It sounds like a good plan," Lu admitted. "Are we going to sneak in and see if we can find Sis? Or are you planning to pull the Shaw card and just tell them off?" She held up a hand. "Also, I hate to admit it, but she's probably going to be a wreck when we find her. They got Orange."
Shinobi breathed a few choice curses in French under his breath. "I am going to sneak in," he corrected her. "The last thing we need is to give them two of you. And make them start to wonder why there are two of you. I'll go in discretely and find Orange, if she's there to be found. From that point ... I suppose I'll improvise." He grinned over at her. "Never fear--I'm at my best when I'm making things up as I go along."
"It seems like I've heard that somewhere before." Still, it wasn't untrue, Lu had to admit as she offered a shaky smile. Shinobi did have a knack with improvisation. "Also, there's two of me here, and you really can't expect me to just stand by and do nothing."
Though he frowned, Shinobi didn't argue; it wasn't as though she couldn't just follow him, anyway, regardless of what he'd told her. Better to keep an eye on her (or them, whichever the case might be), instead. "Fine," he told Lu shortly. "But stay close, and avoid doing anything conspicuous." Slipping sinuously from the driver's seat, he quickly walked up the sidewalk and rounded the corner.
C'mon, get your ass moving Purple Lu prompted. He said we could so long as we stayed close.
He wasn't wrong, though. If anyone sees us, how are we going to explain it? Neutral countered practically, her hand on the door handle.
Who cares? Warren came out, and he seems to be doing fine. Y'know, other than his dad kicking the bucket.
It's not something we should do without talking to Dad first. It doesn't just affect us, y'know. Think of him and Cham. Also, that was just mean.
Oh please. Are we going to go rescue Sis or not?
Neutral Lu took a breath, exhaled it slowly, and waved Shinobi to go on without her. We're not. He'll call if he needs us.
Sis needs us!
Sis needs us to not do anything stupid. Hopefully, this didn't qualify. Much as she loved Shinobi, she also knew him. Leaving herself in his hands didn't seem like a great choice.
It was just that none of the alternatives seemed any better.
With no small relief, Shinobi noted that the remaining Lus seemed inclined to take his original advice and remain in the car. However, on the off chance that Purple managed to assert herself more completely, he made a point of shorting out the electronic lock and alarm system monitoring the side-access that was his target--in the balance, having them/her sneaking clumsily behind him was still preferable to any alarms going off by mistake. That would just be embarrassing.
The building was mostly dark and deserted at that time of night, aside from the cleaning staff, who were easy enough to avoid. And there weren't many places in a building with this sort of layout--mostly commercial offices and workshops--which afforded suitable privacy for holding a hostage. Shinobi began making his way through the various, unlighted rooms as quietly as a ghost, keeping a close watch for any signs an area might be occupied by more than just office clutter and spare parts.
Lu (known to her other selves as Orange Lu, though personally, she maintained her eyes were amber, not orange) sat dejectedly in the office they'd locked her in.
She wasn't crying. Oh, she had - a lot. Her eyes were bloodshot, and they stung with that really annoying overly dried out feeling that suggested she didn't have any tears left to cry. But she wasn't crying now. Instead, she was sitting on the floor next to the door, just in case whoever opened it next gave her the opportunity to sneak out past them.
It wasn't much of a plan, but then, she wasn't the planner. Or the act-er, for that matter. If someone had had to kidnap her, couldn't they have gotten Purple instead?
She dismissed that thought - honestly, it was probably better for her that they hadn't, because Purple would've done something brave and stupid and gotten herself killed by now - and just sighed and tilted her head back against the wall. Hopefully the rest of her would find her soon.
Beginning to despair that he had perhaps singled out the wrong building, Shinobi phased his head through another wall--and quite unexpected came face-to-face with a familiar pair of eyes, the color of honey quartz. "Finally!" he breathed, face breaking into a grin, heedless of the absurdity of the situation. "Next time you're kidnapped, maybe you could suggest they confine you on the ground floor, closer to the rear entrance? I feel like I've been flailing around this place for weeks."
"Shinobi??" Lu stared at him for a moment, not quite daring to believe her eyes, then smiled a little and fumbled her way to her feet. "I'm sorry you had a hard time. How did you find me? Are the rest of me ok?"
"Well," he amended, phasing the rest of the way into the room, "I suppose it wasn't that hard, all things considered. Still, I had a moment of self-doubt, and that's really quite a lot to process for someone like me." Shinobi placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then trapped Lu in an ambush-hug.
"I found you because I am brilliant, of course," he went on archly. "And the rest of you is fine; I somehow managed to persuade them to wait in the car. Come along," he went on, waving his interphasing hand through the lock on the door until it dissolved into silvery dust, then nudging the door open with his foot, "let's get back to them before Purple starts getting antsy."
"Purple's always antsy," Lu pointed out, not only because it was true but to give herself a few more seconds before she had to let go of Shinobi. Okay, maybe she was clinging. A little. She had reason, though, not even Purple could argue that! "But going sounds really good. And of course you're brilliant. I've always said you were brilliant." Ridiculous sometimes, and guilty of not thinking things through, ever, but still brilliant. Reluctantly, she let go of him and bit nervously at her lip. "Do you know how we can get out?"
His expression grew perhaps a touch more serious as he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "If we're fortunate, we can just retrace my steps and walk out without running into anyone. More likely, though, we'll have to deal with whoever thought this bit of recreational kidnapping was a good idea before we make it that far. Never fear, though--I am prepared to deal with that eventuality, if necessary."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Lu said, looking alarmed. "Maybe we should just stay here? And call the police?"
"Oh, ye of little faith," Shinobi tutted, waving a dismissive hand. "I promise it will be much cleaner if we do it my way. Besides, involving the authorities invites more scrutiny than any of us would care to deal with, neh? I can just imagine the headlines, if it should come out R.J. Brande's favorite adopted daughter was one-third kidnapped." He offered his most reassuring smile. "We'll be quick and quiet as we can, but even if we're caught, I promise there's nothing to worry about. We'll have you back to the life of an average American Triplicate Girl before you know it."
"I hope so." Lu forced a bit of a smile, just for Shinobi, because just like always, he was trying to help and she wasn't making it easy. "Should we go, then? Because Dad has to be frantic by now." She smiled, just a little impishly. "And Cham's probably blaming you."
He grimaced at that last part, but couldn't deny she was probably right; somehow, he always ended up taking at least some of the blame when things went awry in their rarefied social circles. But that sort of injustice was simply the price one paid for an interesting life. "Stay close," he advised Lu, then slipped quietly down the first hallway.
Things went more or less according to plan, until they reached the stairwell that would lead them down to the first floor, and a short jaunt to the rear exit. Four men were standing alertly beside the access door; three of them had the look of regular line staff, in heavy work boots and drab blue jumpsuits. The fourth was noticeably better-attired, in a suit that suggested at least middle-management status. Possibly upper-, assuming his taste was not especially good. "Nowhere to go but straight ahead," Shinobi mused, half to himself, straightening his impeccable lapels as he stepped around the corner and approached the group brazenly.
"Shinobi!" Lu hissed as she shrank back, eyes widening as she watched the apparent leader of the kidnappers scowl, then pause as if trying to determine where he'd seen him before.
Unfortunately, his henchmen weren't anywhere near as thoughtful. Apparently deciding that Shinobi looked like an easy target, one of them stepped forward to grab him while the other two started to circle around and close him in.
"Gentlemen!" he greeted them cheerfully, seemingly ignoring the ham-sized fist crushing one corner of his immaculately-tailored suit in its grip. "Shinobi Shaw, at your service. Quite literally, in this case, as I'm here to help you all avoid actually having to answer for this truly, monumentally stupid thing you have done. And I don't mean answering to the police, or the FBI, or anyone with a badge and an official mandate. I mean answering to my father, Sebastian Shaw. I think you've heard of him?"
The man in the suit let out an amused snort, though he did gesture for his henchmen to stop. "We've met, yeah. I think before you start throwing your father's name in on this one, you might want to check with him. Shaw Industries has a vested interest, but probably not the one you're imagining." He smirked. "Just walk away. We'll take good care of your little friend."
Lu bit at her lip and looked over at Shinobi, wishing she had some idea - any idea, really - what to do. Unfortunately, she didn't.
"You raise two very excellent points, friend," Shinobi said with a beatific grin, smoothing his coat where the disposable goon had rumpled it in his excess of enthusiasm. "First, Shaw Industries does indeed have a vested interest in your success--but not a critical interest. Certainly, not enough to justify the lengths you've gone to, though I do applaud your initiative. Second, I can check with Sebastian at any time." The half-Japanese mutant produced his smart phone from his pocket with a flourish, began scrolling through his contacts.
"Did any of you actually speak to my father?" he asked casually, his dark eyes seemingly fixed on the miniature glowing screen in front of him. "At any point in this highly-illegal operation, did you bother to find out if it had actually been approved by the head of Shaw Industries? When you could potentially be exposing him to scrutiny by local, state, and federal law enforcement? I think I already know the answer, but please do indulge me. It will probably take a few moments for me to be connected with the old man."
"Did you?" one of the henchmen demanded of the guy in the suit, who, Lu thought, shifted a little uncomfortably under the scrutiny.
"What do you think?" he replied, and turned to Shinobi. "No, I didn't call him up on the phone. I mean, plausible deniability and all that. I know how this shit works." He smirked, though it looked a little forced, to her. "Doesn't mean he'll be unhappy with the end result, though. We need Brande on board with this." He gestured towards her, and Lu took a step backwards. "He'll do anything to see his girlfriend there safe. Who the hell would've thought Brande liked them that young?"
Lu looked at him, horrified. "That - that's not true!" she insisted, wishing that either of the other two were with her, because they'd be so much better at this. As it was, she was trembling, but she managed to keep her head high. "And my father already told you he wasn't going to honor the contract. He's not going to change his mind. Not for anything. And I wouldn't want him to!"
In the act of dialing, Shinobi's jaw set into something ... distinctly less affable than his usual baseline expression. Before any of the the thugs could even think to stop him, he stepped forward and backhanded the suited cretin sharply across the jaw. The fact that the much taller, much heavier man corkscrewed through the air once before landing heavily on his back suggested he'd utilized his powers, though the lack of obvious expression was as likely to suggest he was simply much stronger than he looked. Once the insulting idiot was uncomfortably settled on his back, he tapped the dial button on his phone.
"You know nothing about how this shit works," Shinobi practically growled, as the ringtone chimed loudly through the hall. "Sebastian would never endanger a profitable, long-term business relationship for one element of a short-term project. He also wouldn't bother to work through middlemen--on the off chance this was his idea, we'll all be liquidated before the end of the month to keep loose tongues from wagging. But let's hear from the man himself, shall we?" The phone rang once more, ominously.
The man in the suit made no response, and Lu bit at her lip, wondering if it were possible that Shinobi'd killed him. The others exchanged glances, until the one who'd done most of the talking so far turned towards her friend. "Umm...maybe we shouldn't bother him with this, huh? Just take the girl and go. We didn't hurt her any."
Shinobi glanced back at Lu. "What do you think? Should we not bother Sebastian with this? It's likely to be extremely messy for these gentlemen, if we do." If these knuckle-dragging dogsbodies were true to their word, he was fairly certain Orange would prefer to live and let live. If not ... well, what the elder Shaw would do to them for acting in his name without his knowledge was likely to be more than mildly horrific. And nothing less than what they deserved, if they'd actually had the temerity to lay hands on his one-third of his friend.
"Let's just go, Shinobi," Lu begged. She walked over to him and put her hand over his cell phone. Purple, she knew, would be mad at her later for this, but she didn't really care right now. "I just want to go home."
"Home, then," he said, smiling brightly, as if his ill-humor of a moment before had never been. "A word of friendly advice for you, gentlemen," Shinobi added, speaking to the workmen still on their feet. "I would forget you were ever even acquainted with this fellow," he nodded in the direction of the suited pile on the floor. "I suspect his future may be somewhat bleak." He tapped the phone to terminate the call, and guided Orange to the stairwell.
He lingered just a moment to add, "Really, though, you fellows should forward me your resumes. I do appreciate the willingness to jump at an opportunity, and you obviously know how to be discrete, when required." With a last, cheery wave, he disappeared behind Lu down the last flight of stairs.
"Would you really hire them?" Lu whispered over her shoulder as she scurried down the stairs, more than a little afraid that they'd change their minds.
"Did they hurt you?" he countered, sticking close behind her at maximum density, just in case.
"No. I mean, not really? They grabbed me and stuff, but I was more scared than hurt." And she really, really wanted a hug right about now, but she supposed it wasn't the best time.
"Then they know how to follow instructions and keep their mouths shut," replied Shinobi gaily, scooping her up and carrying her down the remaining stairs, cuddling his cheek to hers. "You really can't ask for more, in an employee. That tasteless cretin in the ghastly suit will suffer as few have suffered in this century for his stupidity, but why waste a valuable resource, when you find it? Unless you want them to be punished, too."
"No, it's fine." Lu threw her arms around Shinobi's neck and closed her eyes. She should probably, she reflected, complain about him treating her like a damsel in distress - the other two of her definitely would have. But...she was a damsel, and she was still feeling pretty distressed, and she was going to enjoy it as long as it lasted, because Shinobi was good about things like this and wouldn't tease her about it later. Or at least not much.
When they reached the bottom of the stairwell, he rounded a corner and carried Lu back to the rear entrance he'd previously used to access the building. Kicking it open, he swept her out into the street with a dramatic flourish before carefully placing her back on her feet--the other Lu's wouldn't let either of them live it down, if he actually brought her back to the car like a storybook princess. And rightly so. A fondness for certain tropes was best kept private, between friends. Shinobi pressed a finger to his lips. "Our little secret?"
Lu giggled and nodded, then peered over her shoulder (again) to make sure they weren't being followed. "Our secret," she confirmed, just as a car sped around the corner and slammed on the brakes at the curb beside them. Lu stepped backwards, her hand automatically flying to her mouth - then realized that despite the fact the car was unfamiliar, the driver's silhouette definitely wasn't.
"Get in!" an extremely familiar voice called out as the passenger's side window lowered.
"Well, you heard her," Shinobi grinned. "In you go." He opened the passenger door just long enough to hustle Orange Lu inside, then shifted his density to dive into the back seat without need to resort to that tiresome intermediary step. As he solidified again on his back in the rich upholstery, he waved a hand at the Lu behind the driver's seat. "Probably best we beat a hasty retreat, at this point. I'll feel much better about this whole thing once we're behind several layers of your father's hired security."
"Me too," all three of Lu said synchronously, for once all in agreement.
Lu took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Despite her father's reassurances, she really wasn't convinced that waiting for further instructions was the way to go, nor was she convinced by Cham's protestations that they could handle it themselves. No, what they were facing required someone with connections. Someone who could look at things objectively, and do what needed to be done. Someone sneaky.
Fortunately, Lu reflected as she clicked the app to start a video chat, she knew just the person. In fact, he was one of her best friends.
"Hey Shinobi. How's it going?"
Lounging on his bed in black and red silk pajamas, Shinobi cast a curious dark eye toward his phone as it began vibrating urgently on his nightstand. He picked it up languidly, brows rising with interest as he noted the name listed in the caller ID.
With a swipe of his finger, he lifted the phone to his ear and sat up, cross-legged on the mattress. "Lu, darling!" he practically singsonged into the receiver. "It's been far too long. I'm perfectly content, as usual, naturally. How are the yous? All carrying on in perfectly environmentally-conscious fashion, I hope?"
Lu let out the amused snort she knew Shinobi was expecting. "Someone has to make up for Shaw Industries' environmental offenses. It takes three of me just to scratch the surface." Her expression sobered. "Which is something of a problem, right now. I'm sorry - I just...I'm not just calling. I mean, I wanted to call anyway, and I was planning to, but..." She took another breath and tried to regain some kind of equilibrium - not easy, under the circumstances. "One of me's been kidnapped."
Shinobi's expression darkened from its usual, playful cast to something distinctly more serious--a face that only those closest to him would have ever believed him capable of. "What? When?" A beat, then, "What do you need?" His friends being placed in harm's way was a theme of which he was rapidly tiring, to the point that if someone had been foolish enough to abduct one of Brande's adopted daughters ... well. He was not tremendously inclined to be terribly patient with the perpetrators.
"I don't know," Lu admitted. Frustrated, she pushed her hand back through her hair. "It's been a couple of days. We thought at first it was someone looking for a ransom, and Dad insisted he was just going to pay it rather than chance anything happening. But their demands..."
She took a breath. "A month or so ago, my dad heard rumors that a company he'd contracted with had ties to some unsavory mutant related technology. Nothing solid - Cham was going to look into it - but you know Dad. He wasn't okay with it, and he made that really clear and told them he wasn't going to be able to fulfill the contract. They're demanding he provide them with the solar energy systems they ordered if he wants me back, and - I can't let him do that. It'd kill him." Not that he wouldn't do it, for her - she didn't doubt that for a moment. But that was why she had to take matters into her own hands.
Shinobi bounced out of bed with a sigh and headed straight for his closet. "I just knew that all those scruples R.J. insists on having were going to get you all into trouble, one of these days," he said, reaching for the first, finely-pressed suit to come to hand. "Give me an hour. I'll look into the problem while I make my way to the City, and let you know what I find. With a little luck, we'll have other-Lu back in time for the club after-parties. And I expect we'll all need a drink, by that point."
"I'm not about to argue that, and if you're right? We're definitely hitting one." Lu attempted a faint smile. "Pick me up when you get to New York?" she requested. "I can't just sit around here while you track me down."
* * * * *
Just under an hour later, Shinobi pulled up in front of of the entrance to the high-rise Manhattan penthouse the Lu's shared with their adopted father and brother. He was seated behind the wheel--an unusual enough circumstance, given his dislike of driving. His car was also far beneath his usual, luxurious standards; it was a black coupe, in fair condition, but not nearly so flashy that anyone would give it a second look. His thumbs tapped out a quick text to the remaining Lu's to meet him outside. His investigations had been far from fruitless, and there was a good chance they would be able to resolve this unpleasantness themselves, without recourse to the regular authorities or acceding to the kidnappers demands.
Well. One way or another, that latter possibility would be avoided. Nobody inconvenienced Shinobi Shaw, or his friends, this way and actually got to enjoy the fruits of their ham-handed plotting. There was pride to consider, if nothing else.
Wearing a hooded jacket, more for protection against anyone who might be watching the building than against the slight chill in the weather, Lu hurried out the building's front door just a minute later. "What'd you find out?" she asked as she climbed into the passenger's seat, then blinked. "Also, did you actually get your driver's license? When did that happen?"
"I've had my driver's license forever," he sniffed. "Bought and paid for, in fine capitalist tradition. I just elect not to use it, most of the time.
"As for what I've found out ..." Shinobi trailed off as he pulled away from the curb and turned down a busier side-street. "Well. There aren't many who would benefit from Brande's power-generation technologies who are also potentially deplorable bigots. So the list was quite small. Even more fortunate, Shaw Industries has extensive dealings with most of them. Naturally, I started there. We're headed for one of our smaller contractors' headquarters now--I think them an extremely likely bet, but I'd prefer to confirm before taking any further action."
"It sounds like a good plan," Lu admitted. "Are we going to sneak in and see if we can find Sis? Or are you planning to pull the Shaw card and just tell them off?" She held up a hand. "Also, I hate to admit it, but she's probably going to be a wreck when we find her. They got Orange."
Shinobi breathed a few choice curses in French under his breath. "I am going to sneak in," he corrected her. "The last thing we need is to give them two of you. And make them start to wonder why there are two of you. I'll go in discretely and find Orange, if she's there to be found. From that point ... I suppose I'll improvise." He grinned over at her. "Never fear--I'm at my best when I'm making things up as I go along."
"It seems like I've heard that somewhere before." Still, it wasn't untrue, Lu had to admit as she offered a shaky smile. Shinobi did have a knack with improvisation. "Also, there's two of me here, and you really can't expect me to just stand by and do nothing."
Though he frowned, Shinobi didn't argue; it wasn't as though she couldn't just follow him, anyway, regardless of what he'd told her. Better to keep an eye on her (or them, whichever the case might be), instead. "Fine," he told Lu shortly. "But stay close, and avoid doing anything conspicuous." Slipping sinuously from the driver's seat, he quickly walked up the sidewalk and rounded the corner.
C'mon, get your ass moving Purple Lu prompted. He said we could so long as we stayed close.
He wasn't wrong, though. If anyone sees us, how are we going to explain it? Neutral countered practically, her hand on the door handle.
Who cares? Warren came out, and he seems to be doing fine. Y'know, other than his dad kicking the bucket.
It's not something we should do without talking to Dad first. It doesn't just affect us, y'know. Think of him and Cham. Also, that was just mean.
Oh please. Are we going to go rescue Sis or not?
Neutral Lu took a breath, exhaled it slowly, and waved Shinobi to go on without her. We're not. He'll call if he needs us.
Sis needs us!
Sis needs us to not do anything stupid. Hopefully, this didn't qualify. Much as she loved Shinobi, she also knew him. Leaving herself in his hands didn't seem like a great choice.
It was just that none of the alternatives seemed any better.
With no small relief, Shinobi noted that the remaining Lus seemed inclined to take his original advice and remain in the car. However, on the off chance that Purple managed to assert herself more completely, he made a point of shorting out the electronic lock and alarm system monitoring the side-access that was his target--in the balance, having them/her sneaking clumsily behind him was still preferable to any alarms going off by mistake. That would just be embarrassing.
The building was mostly dark and deserted at that time of night, aside from the cleaning staff, who were easy enough to avoid. And there weren't many places in a building with this sort of layout--mostly commercial offices and workshops--which afforded suitable privacy for holding a hostage. Shinobi began making his way through the various, unlighted rooms as quietly as a ghost, keeping a close watch for any signs an area might be occupied by more than just office clutter and spare parts.
Lu (known to her other selves as Orange Lu, though personally, she maintained her eyes were amber, not orange) sat dejectedly in the office they'd locked her in.
She wasn't crying. Oh, she had - a lot. Her eyes were bloodshot, and they stung with that really annoying overly dried out feeling that suggested she didn't have any tears left to cry. But she wasn't crying now. Instead, she was sitting on the floor next to the door, just in case whoever opened it next gave her the opportunity to sneak out past them.
It wasn't much of a plan, but then, she wasn't the planner. Or the act-er, for that matter. If someone had had to kidnap her, couldn't they have gotten Purple instead?
She dismissed that thought - honestly, it was probably better for her that they hadn't, because Purple would've done something brave and stupid and gotten herself killed by now - and just sighed and tilted her head back against the wall. Hopefully the rest of her would find her soon.
Beginning to despair that he had perhaps singled out the wrong building, Shinobi phased his head through another wall--and quite unexpected came face-to-face with a familiar pair of eyes, the color of honey quartz. "Finally!" he breathed, face breaking into a grin, heedless of the absurdity of the situation. "Next time you're kidnapped, maybe you could suggest they confine you on the ground floor, closer to the rear entrance? I feel like I've been flailing around this place for weeks."
"Shinobi??" Lu stared at him for a moment, not quite daring to believe her eyes, then smiled a little and fumbled her way to her feet. "I'm sorry you had a hard time. How did you find me? Are the rest of me ok?"
"Well," he amended, phasing the rest of the way into the room, "I suppose it wasn't that hard, all things considered. Still, I had a moment of self-doubt, and that's really quite a lot to process for someone like me." Shinobi placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then trapped Lu in an ambush-hug.
"I found you because I am brilliant, of course," he went on archly. "And the rest of you is fine; I somehow managed to persuade them to wait in the car. Come along," he went on, waving his interphasing hand through the lock on the door until it dissolved into silvery dust, then nudging the door open with his foot, "let's get back to them before Purple starts getting antsy."
"Purple's always antsy," Lu pointed out, not only because it was true but to give herself a few more seconds before she had to let go of Shinobi. Okay, maybe she was clinging. A little. She had reason, though, not even Purple could argue that! "But going sounds really good. And of course you're brilliant. I've always said you were brilliant." Ridiculous sometimes, and guilty of not thinking things through, ever, but still brilliant. Reluctantly, she let go of him and bit nervously at her lip. "Do you know how we can get out?"
His expression grew perhaps a touch more serious as he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "If we're fortunate, we can just retrace my steps and walk out without running into anyone. More likely, though, we'll have to deal with whoever thought this bit of recreational kidnapping was a good idea before we make it that far. Never fear, though--I am prepared to deal with that eventuality, if necessary."
"I'm not sure I like the sound of that," Lu said, looking alarmed. "Maybe we should just stay here? And call the police?"
"Oh, ye of little faith," Shinobi tutted, waving a dismissive hand. "I promise it will be much cleaner if we do it my way. Besides, involving the authorities invites more scrutiny than any of us would care to deal with, neh? I can just imagine the headlines, if it should come out R.J. Brande's favorite adopted daughter was one-third kidnapped." He offered his most reassuring smile. "We'll be quick and quiet as we can, but even if we're caught, I promise there's nothing to worry about. We'll have you back to the life of an average American Triplicate Girl before you know it."
"I hope so." Lu forced a bit of a smile, just for Shinobi, because just like always, he was trying to help and she wasn't making it easy. "Should we go, then? Because Dad has to be frantic by now." She smiled, just a little impishly. "And Cham's probably blaming you."
He grimaced at that last part, but couldn't deny she was probably right; somehow, he always ended up taking at least some of the blame when things went awry in their rarefied social circles. But that sort of injustice was simply the price one paid for an interesting life. "Stay close," he advised Lu, then slipped quietly down the first hallway.
Things went more or less according to plan, until they reached the stairwell that would lead them down to the first floor, and a short jaunt to the rear exit. Four men were standing alertly beside the access door; three of them had the look of regular line staff, in heavy work boots and drab blue jumpsuits. The fourth was noticeably better-attired, in a suit that suggested at least middle-management status. Possibly upper-, assuming his taste was not especially good. "Nowhere to go but straight ahead," Shinobi mused, half to himself, straightening his impeccable lapels as he stepped around the corner and approached the group brazenly.
"Shinobi!" Lu hissed as she shrank back, eyes widening as she watched the apparent leader of the kidnappers scowl, then pause as if trying to determine where he'd seen him before.
Unfortunately, his henchmen weren't anywhere near as thoughtful. Apparently deciding that Shinobi looked like an easy target, one of them stepped forward to grab him while the other two started to circle around and close him in.
"Gentlemen!" he greeted them cheerfully, seemingly ignoring the ham-sized fist crushing one corner of his immaculately-tailored suit in its grip. "Shinobi Shaw, at your service. Quite literally, in this case, as I'm here to help you all avoid actually having to answer for this truly, monumentally stupid thing you have done. And I don't mean answering to the police, or the FBI, or anyone with a badge and an official mandate. I mean answering to my father, Sebastian Shaw. I think you've heard of him?"
The man in the suit let out an amused snort, though he did gesture for his henchmen to stop. "We've met, yeah. I think before you start throwing your father's name in on this one, you might want to check with him. Shaw Industries has a vested interest, but probably not the one you're imagining." He smirked. "Just walk away. We'll take good care of your little friend."
Lu bit at her lip and looked over at Shinobi, wishing she had some idea - any idea, really - what to do. Unfortunately, she didn't.
"You raise two very excellent points, friend," Shinobi said with a beatific grin, smoothing his coat where the disposable goon had rumpled it in his excess of enthusiasm. "First, Shaw Industries does indeed have a vested interest in your success--but not a critical interest. Certainly, not enough to justify the lengths you've gone to, though I do applaud your initiative. Second, I can check with Sebastian at any time." The half-Japanese mutant produced his smart phone from his pocket with a flourish, began scrolling through his contacts.
"Did any of you actually speak to my father?" he asked casually, his dark eyes seemingly fixed on the miniature glowing screen in front of him. "At any point in this highly-illegal operation, did you bother to find out if it had actually been approved by the head of Shaw Industries? When you could potentially be exposing him to scrutiny by local, state, and federal law enforcement? I think I already know the answer, but please do indulge me. It will probably take a few moments for me to be connected with the old man."
"Did you?" one of the henchmen demanded of the guy in the suit, who, Lu thought, shifted a little uncomfortably under the scrutiny.
"What do you think?" he replied, and turned to Shinobi. "No, I didn't call him up on the phone. I mean, plausible deniability and all that. I know how this shit works." He smirked, though it looked a little forced, to her. "Doesn't mean he'll be unhappy with the end result, though. We need Brande on board with this." He gestured towards her, and Lu took a step backwards. "He'll do anything to see his girlfriend there safe. Who the hell would've thought Brande liked them that young?"
Lu looked at him, horrified. "That - that's not true!" she insisted, wishing that either of the other two were with her, because they'd be so much better at this. As it was, she was trembling, but she managed to keep her head high. "And my father already told you he wasn't going to honor the contract. He's not going to change his mind. Not for anything. And I wouldn't want him to!"
In the act of dialing, Shinobi's jaw set into something ... distinctly less affable than his usual baseline expression. Before any of the the thugs could even think to stop him, he stepped forward and backhanded the suited cretin sharply across the jaw. The fact that the much taller, much heavier man corkscrewed through the air once before landing heavily on his back suggested he'd utilized his powers, though the lack of obvious expression was as likely to suggest he was simply much stronger than he looked. Once the insulting idiot was uncomfortably settled on his back, he tapped the dial button on his phone.
"You know nothing about how this shit works," Shinobi practically growled, as the ringtone chimed loudly through the hall. "Sebastian would never endanger a profitable, long-term business relationship for one element of a short-term project. He also wouldn't bother to work through middlemen--on the off chance this was his idea, we'll all be liquidated before the end of the month to keep loose tongues from wagging. But let's hear from the man himself, shall we?" The phone rang once more, ominously.
The man in the suit made no response, and Lu bit at her lip, wondering if it were possible that Shinobi'd killed him. The others exchanged glances, until the one who'd done most of the talking so far turned towards her friend. "Umm...maybe we shouldn't bother him with this, huh? Just take the girl and go. We didn't hurt her any."
Shinobi glanced back at Lu. "What do you think? Should we not bother Sebastian with this? It's likely to be extremely messy for these gentlemen, if we do." If these knuckle-dragging dogsbodies were true to their word, he was fairly certain Orange would prefer to live and let live. If not ... well, what the elder Shaw would do to them for acting in his name without his knowledge was likely to be more than mildly horrific. And nothing less than what they deserved, if they'd actually had the temerity to lay hands on his one-third of his friend.
"Let's just go, Shinobi," Lu begged. She walked over to him and put her hand over his cell phone. Purple, she knew, would be mad at her later for this, but she didn't really care right now. "I just want to go home."
"Home, then," he said, smiling brightly, as if his ill-humor of a moment before had never been. "A word of friendly advice for you, gentlemen," Shinobi added, speaking to the workmen still on their feet. "I would forget you were ever even acquainted with this fellow," he nodded in the direction of the suited pile on the floor. "I suspect his future may be somewhat bleak." He tapped the phone to terminate the call, and guided Orange to the stairwell.
He lingered just a moment to add, "Really, though, you fellows should forward me your resumes. I do appreciate the willingness to jump at an opportunity, and you obviously know how to be discrete, when required." With a last, cheery wave, he disappeared behind Lu down the last flight of stairs.
"Would you really hire them?" Lu whispered over her shoulder as she scurried down the stairs, more than a little afraid that they'd change their minds.
"Did they hurt you?" he countered, sticking close behind her at maximum density, just in case.
"No. I mean, not really? They grabbed me and stuff, but I was more scared than hurt." And she really, really wanted a hug right about now, but she supposed it wasn't the best time.
"Then they know how to follow instructions and keep their mouths shut," replied Shinobi gaily, scooping her up and carrying her down the remaining stairs, cuddling his cheek to hers. "You really can't ask for more, in an employee. That tasteless cretin in the ghastly suit will suffer as few have suffered in this century for his stupidity, but why waste a valuable resource, when you find it? Unless you want them to be punished, too."
"No, it's fine." Lu threw her arms around Shinobi's neck and closed her eyes. She should probably, she reflected, complain about him treating her like a damsel in distress - the other two of her definitely would have. But...she was a damsel, and she was still feeling pretty distressed, and she was going to enjoy it as long as it lasted, because Shinobi was good about things like this and wouldn't tease her about it later. Or at least not much.
When they reached the bottom of the stairwell, he rounded a corner and carried Lu back to the rear entrance he'd previously used to access the building. Kicking it open, he swept her out into the street with a dramatic flourish before carefully placing her back on her feet--the other Lu's wouldn't let either of them live it down, if he actually brought her back to the car like a storybook princess. And rightly so. A fondness for certain tropes was best kept private, between friends. Shinobi pressed a finger to his lips. "Our little secret?"
Lu giggled and nodded, then peered over her shoulder (again) to make sure they weren't being followed. "Our secret," she confirmed, just as a car sped around the corner and slammed on the brakes at the curb beside them. Lu stepped backwards, her hand automatically flying to her mouth - then realized that despite the fact the car was unfamiliar, the driver's silhouette definitely wasn't.
"Get in!" an extremely familiar voice called out as the passenger's side window lowered.
"Well, you heard her," Shinobi grinned. "In you go." He opened the passenger door just long enough to hustle Orange Lu inside, then shifted his density to dive into the back seat without need to resort to that tiresome intermediary step. As he solidified again on his back in the rich upholstery, he waved a hand at the Lu behind the driver's seat. "Probably best we beat a hasty retreat, at this point. I'll feel much better about this whole thing once we're behind several layers of your father's hired security."
"Me too," all three of Lu said synchronously, for once all in agreement.
