Continuing Tales

Fatal Exposure

A Sailor Moon Story
by Meara

Part 9 of 13

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Fatal Exposure

Major Kaigan stood in front them, legs braced and arms extended as he clicked the safety off the gun he pointed at them. Mamoru moved slowly to put himself between the weapon and the two women behind him. Lorilei held Setsuna's hand, huddling protectively over her almost unconscious sister. Poor Motoki was flustered by the whole situation and stood stock still, most likely in shock.

"You're not going anywhere," said the Major in a no nonsense voice. "Step away from Ms. Meiou and keep your hands where I can see them."

"You don't want to do this," Mamoru replied. He kept his voice even, he looked the Major in the eyes.

"I have orders that this woman is going into protective custody."

Mamoru moved only his head, but it was enough to display his disgust. "We both know that 'protective custody' is a polite way of saying that you're keeping her a prisoner. You can't believe that this a just action, Major."

Kaigan's hands were steady as he continued to point the gun at Mamoru's chest. "What I think doesn't matter. I have my orders." Though the words sounded convincing, there was something, like regret, in the man's voice.

"Of course what you think matters," Mamoru snapped back at him. A rose formed inside the hand still by his side and unseen by the officer. He knew he'd never have to the time to throw it before the Major shot him dead, but if necessary, he'd use it as a last resort.

"You aren't a machine, you have a heart and conscience. What does that heart tell you right now, Major? Because I'm willing to bet that you have your own doubt about the validity of your so called orders."

How did he know, thought Kaigan as he continued to hold the gun on Mamoru, and why does he have to be right! In a long moment of uncomfortable silence, the Major looked at the people in front of him. The man confronting him (who he suspected was none other than Chiba Mamoru) wouldn't back down. He'd have to kill him to get the Meiou woman.

"I won't let you take Setsuna," Mamoru said as if reading the Major's thoughts, "You'll have to kill me to get to her."

"And me," said the woman holding Setsuna's hand. The Major saw that she was frightened, but meant what she said.

"And me, too," added Motoki.

The quiet courage in Chiba Mamoru's eyes was more than the Major could bear. He was beaten and he knew it. With an angry hiss he pointed the muzzle of the gun into the air.

"Damn it all," Kaigan growled, "why do you have to be right?"

Loud voices began to echo in the stairwell in back of the Major. His eyes darted towards the sound, then back at Mamoru. "Go. I'll do what I can to delay them."

"Thank you," said Mamoru. He stood tall, regal and commanding. There was gratitude in his eyes and he cracked a small smile. "I'm not one to forget a debt. When you need me, all you have to do is ask."

The Major was struck by the sheer power of his personality. This was a man of honor. "Don't thank me yet. I only do what Bushido requires of me. Now, go!"

As he disappeared into the stairwell, Motoki gave a loud sigh of relief. "Man, this a lot harder than you make it look, Mamoru-kun. So, just how have you managed to stay alive this long?"

They pushed the gurney out the elevator and down the hall and around a corridor to where a car waited. "Skill and more luck than I want to think about."

A sleek, red sports car was waiting with the engine running. As they bundled Setsuna and Lorilei into it, a tall sandy haired woman hopped out to help them.

"This is as far as you go, Motoki-kun," aid Mamoru. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You've all ready done more than I asked."

Motoki's face lit up with a sly smile. For a moment he looked like a little boy contemplating mischief. "Hey, what are friends for? A little kidnapping, evading the military and even a touch of suspense it's all in a day's work for Dr. Furuhata, Super Intern!" He gave Mamoru a snappy salute, trotting away as he pushed the gurney back towards the elevator.

Mamoru smiled and shook his head. He was blessed in having someone like Motoki as a friend and he knew it. The Prince of Earth could only hope that the cover story they'd concocted for Motoki would hold.

The elevator would go back to the lobby level with young and innocent Dr. Furuhata sprawled "unconscious" on it. The black eye (and Mamoru suspected a possibly fractured nose from where Setsuna had hit him) lending credibility that Sailor Pluto had knocked him out before she

escaped.

Mamoru glanced at where Setsuna lay with Lorilei on the back floor of the car as he got into it. Haruka raised her eyebrows at him, itching to get going. Sitting in a car with the engine idling was against her nature.

"Shall we be off, then?"

Mamoru nodded and flipped the small communicator open again. "Venus, we're ready. Mercury, Mars head for the rendezvous sight."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Kashu Hikaru had been more than a little surprised when he approached the Tsukino home in the Juban section of Tokyo. A day ago, members of the press and the curious had swamped it. There had been so many people, that the police had to do crowd control on the entire area. Now it was all but deserted.

The only sign of the crush of reporters that had been there was the trash that still littered the street. Where was everyone?

Kashu was able to easily find a place to park his car, not less than a block from the house. He walked casually towards the Tsukino home, trying not to look too puzzled. It was eerily, strangely quiet as if the last few days had never happened. A single photographer, a European by the look of the young man, was snapping a few final shots of the house as Kashu approached him. He waited until the journalist was finished before asking the question that burned in his mind.

"Where is everyone?"

The photojournalist glanced up from where he knelt as he started to pack away his equipment. "The Tsukino family took off in the middle of the night. No one knows where they went, but the rumor is that they got put into 'protective' custody. Some guy in a suit flashed a badge at us and told us to get lost. The press has been ordered to sit on the story. The guy said we'll go to jail if we don't do as they say, the fascist."

The man grimaced, showing just how much he liked the idea, "Mark my words, someone's going to go with the story. This is too big to stay hidden for long but it's not going to be me, not from Japan anyway. I'm getting out of this country today!"

Kashu Hikaru felt as if the ground had fallen out from under him. His head spun and he took a short, sharp breath. "Do you have any idea where the Tsukino's went?" he managed to ask.

The photographer grunted under the weight of equipment as he staggered to his feet. "That's the million dollar question, dude. Rumor has it somewhere on the island of Honshu but no one knows for sure."

The photo-journalist rearranged the bags festooned around his upper body. "Let me give you a bit of off the record advice. I've also heard that the military is pushing the government to declare marshal law because of these Senshi. Things are going to get real ugly here, so if you're able to leave Japan, I'd do it while you still can."

Kashu watched him go, stunned and in shock. This was unexpected. His plan needed the Tsukino family to be here. He quickly adjusted his scheme. Perhaps this would work for the best after all, he thought as he made his way to the back of the house.

With no one else at home, he just might have Serenity all to himself. Now that the crows were gone, she'd come home and he'd be waiting for her. The thought made him smile as he gained entry to the house by using a credit card to spring the cheap lock on the back door.

There was note addressed to Usagi on the kitchen table. Kashu opened it.

Dear Usagi,

Ami's mother was kind enough to offer us the use of a guesthouse in the country. Being able to get away until things calm down a little seems the prudent thing to do. Dr. Mizuno says you're safe with her daughter and your friends. She also says she'll give the telephone number at our location. Please call us when you can.

Stay safe and know that we love you.

Mom

Kashu tucked the note in his pocket. He settled quietly in the living room. The voice inside him said to just be patient. It was better that the family wasn't here. He could use their absence to his

advantage. The ideas he'd come up with so far had always worked, so Kashu saw no reason to doubt that this one would succeed too.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Artemis was worried about Mina. After she'd run sobbing from the Aino house, she'd collected herself a little too quickly. The icy calm that came over the princess of Venus disturbed him. He'd tried to talk to her, get her to vent some of the feelings that were bottled up inside

her, but Mina had just shook her head.

"Later. I'll deal with it later."

He'd insisted on coming with her while she waited for her part in the plan to free Setsuna. All Mina had to do was use her acting skills to create a minor diversion as Haruka drove Mamoru, Setsuna and Lorilei away.

"It'll be like the old days when you were Sailor V, just the two of us out there against the enemy," Artemis told her. In reality he didn't want to leave her alone right now.

So there they sat, on a bench outside the hospital waiting for Mamoru's signal. Minako was going to have a very convincing "fit" of hysteria that would bring people running. That was the original plan, anyway. The crowd was larger than Mina had expected. They watched silently as one after another, satellite trucks pulled into the hospital parking lot.

"This isn't good," Artemis mumbled in Mina's lap.

"Something's up," agreed Minako. "That's for sure."

The small watch-like device on Minako's wrist gave a chirp. As she flipped it open, Mamoru's voice would be heard. "Venus, we're ready. Mercury, Mars head for the rendezvous sight."

Minako got to her feet and started to walk towards the crush of news people. The sound of a dozen languages could be heard as various perfectly coifed men and women spoke to the audiences at home. As if on cue, they all suddenly stopped.

Every head swung towards the front of the lot, where a car was entering. Like spooked sheep they all turned as one and rushed for the car. Within seconds the car was surrounded by an impenetrable mass of humanity.

"Oh damn," cursed Minako. Her audience was running away in the opposite direction of where she needed them be. "What's all this about?"

It was then that she recognized the car as belonging to Ami's mother. Someone in the throng spoke in Japanese and she was able to clearly understand what was happening at last.

"Is it true Mizuno-san? Is your daughter Sailor Mercury? Where is she now?"

They knew, Minako thought, but how did they find out? Things went from bad to worse as she spied Haruka's car. It was trying to quietly exit the parking lot, but was blocked in by people. Someone was bound to look in the windows and recognize Mamoru.

"Time for plan 'B', Artemis!" Minako called out in a loud voice.

"Plan 'B'? We don't have a plan…"

Before the guardian cat could finish his thought, Minako sprinted away and with a leap got onto the hood of the nearest satellite truck. A hop took her to the roof as Artemis's heart sank. He

suddenly had a funny feeling that he knew just what plan "B" was all about.

Putting her fingers in her mouth, the tall, lithe blonde gave a piecing whistle. About half of those in the crowd turned to look at her as she yelled out, "Hey boys! You want something for the evening news? How's this?"

Out came the henshin wand and with a call of "Venus eternal power, make up," she transformed right in the middle of the throng. Taking a powerful leap, Venus moved to the top of another truck nearer the back of the lot, and away from the entrance.

Running her hand through the golden hair that fell to the bow on her fuku, she struck a pose that practically screamed out to be photographed. "Gather round, people, and get the latest! My name is Aino Minako and I am Sailor Venus, soldier of love, Princess of Venus."

The press was, predictably, focused on Venus as she shouted out who she was. In the background, Mina could see Haruka's car pulling away. She flashed a brilliant smile.

"That Aino Minako. A-I-N-O…oh boy…" in the very back of the crowd Mina could see a dozen soldiers rushing at her. "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, that's our show for today. It's time for me to go. See 'ya!"

She jumped down from the truck and took off and around the back of the building. The soldiers and one persistent junior officer followed. Artemis was at her heels and he shouted up at her.

"What do you think you're doing? We should have gone down the street not back here!"

Mina didn't answer him but did pause to make sure she hadn't completely lost the men following her. Sure enough, they rounded the corner and Venus made sure they saw her before running again. She was almost off of the hospital grounds when they finally got just where she wanted them. Right in front of were the three army jeeps all in a nice, neat row.

"Into the vehicles!" shouted the officer. "We can catch her in jeeps!"

If anyone noticed that the wheels on the back of the vehicles were somewhat lower than the front, no one said anything. In fact, the first clue they had that something was amiss was when the man driving the first jeep gunned the engine and prepared to take off in an oily squeal of tires.

With a six-cylinder roar the jeep lurched forward and pulled the chaise right off the back axle.

The sound of the junior officer cursing loudly was very sweet in Mina's ears as she and Artemis took off towards the rendezvous point. Heading for the Hikawa temple Mina noticed all the fire trucks heading into the Juban section of town. What ever was happening Venus was grateful that, for once, it didn't involve the Senshi.

Awakening was different this time for Usagi. It brought with it a sense that she was at last somewhat rested. It brought with a sense that she could actually stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time. It also brought with it a sense of mild pain in her lower back. It was then that Usagi realized she was lying down in the very small back seat of a car.

"We've got to warn, them," came Mako's voice. "How could I have been so stupid as to leave my communicator at Ami's?"

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Mako-chan," it was Michiru speaking now, "We did what we had to."

Usagi lurched upright. "I don't suppose either of you would care to tell me what's going on?"

"Usagi-chan, you're awake," said Mako.

Usagi rubbed at her eyes. " And I'm planning to stay that way for a while. Now, why do you have to warn people?"

Michiru sighed, "The press is outing Rei and Ami as Mars and Mercury. I don't know if they can really prove it but they're running with the story. The Mizuno apartment was about to be over run. That's why we had to leave so quickly."

"Everyone else is getting Setsuna from the hospital," Makoto put in. She wasn't about to tell Usagi that the others were, in reality, breaking the Senshi of Pluto out of military custody. Luna had warned them that with all the changes going on in Usagi's body what she needed most was rest and peace right now. "They're taking her back to the temple."

"Let me guess," said Usagi, "the temple is swarming with people, too."

"Exactly. The Prince left us to protect you. Mamoru-san would not be happy if we took you into the madhouse that's brewing at Rei's." Michiru was walking a very fine line. She didn't want to alarm her Princess, but she wasn't about to out right lie to her either.

Usagi looked around. "We're close to my house. Why don't I just go home? From what you've said the press is going to be other places. If it's quiet at my house, I can stay there. I really want to see my family and I want to take a shower and get a change of clothes, too. I feel grungy. Besides," she put in with a sly smile, "I'm willing to bet it's the last place anyone would look for me."

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

It was the smoke that first alerted Rei that something was wrong. The traffic had just about come to a complete stop in the neighborhood surrounding the Hikawa shrine. Rather than face the grim-looking policeman who seemed to be stopping each car then turning them around, Rei pulled into the nearest parking lot.

The smell of smoke held the pungent aroma of aged wood. The air was heavy with it as she got out and started on foot for the shrine. Panic began to pull at Rei's heart, making it pound in her chest. Turning the corner, her heart almost stopped.

The Hikawa shrine was burning.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Mom, Dad?" Usagi called as she walked through the kitchen, "Shingo? Where is everyone?"

A quick peek into the living room showed that it, too, was empty. Puzzled, but not alarmed, Usagi climbed the stairs to her bedroom. After spending the last few days in the house hiding from the press, they had most likely jumped at the chance to get out for a while. It was strange that they hadn't left her a note, but perhaps they had been in a hurry.

She stopped in the bedroom long enough to gather clean underwear and a shirt. Placing her locket on top of her dresser, Usagi headed to the bathroom.

Shucking off her old and by now very stale clothes, Usagi leaned over and turned on the shower. Things would seem so much better once she was clean. With an indulgent sigh, she stepped in and began to wash her hair. It had finished its change and was now as silver as moonlight or, Usagi reflected, as silver as the light from the Ginzuishou.

Kashu Hikaru watched patiently as Usagi disrobed and stepped into the shower. He quietly watched her silhouette for a few minutes before walking into her bedroom. Picking up the locket on the dresser, he looked at it.

The stone set inside it seemed like any other crystal. How did she use the power in it? Or did this stone act as a focus for the power that lived in her? The sound of the water being turned off startled him.

Usagi wrapped a towel around her dripping body. She stopped to wring out her long, silver hair before using another towel to get most of the water out of it. Humming happily to herself, Usagi slipped the fresh, clean clothes then went back to her room and headed for the dresser. The door closed behind her was a slam and she jumped with surprise.

"Hello, Serenity," said Kashu. She whirled to face the man who held her locket with an evil smile, "I've been waiting for you."

oooooooooooooooooooooo

"No!" shouted Rei as she pushed her way through the crowd that watched her home burn, "Oh Kami-sama, no!"

Black smoke roiled from the ancient buildings. Flames, fueled by all the wood in those buildings, roared like an angry dragon. The sound of sirens, people and panic all mixed together in Rei's ears as she struggled to get through the crowd of gawkers around her. Breaking to the front, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face.

"Yuri!' Rei shrieked his name. "Yuri!"

Incredibly, above all the noise, he heard her. His head snapped around in the direction the voice had some from. They ran at each other, coming together in the shadow of the fire that engulfed their home.

Yuuichirou reeked of smoke and his face was stained with soot. He grabbed Rei, pulling her close with all the strength in his heart.

"Rei-chan! Your grandfather, we were safely out, but he went back after the scrolls! I tried to get inside, but I couldn't," he wept without shame, "I couldn't get to him!"

The relief Rei felt at seeing Yuri vanished as his words sunk in. The sixteenth century scrolls contained special prayers and had been passed down in Rei's family for almost four hundred years. They were the old man's pride and joy.

"What? No! I have to help him!"

Yuuichirou took her face in his hands and forced Rei to look at him. "He's gone, Rei. Even if Sensei-sama did get to the prayer room, he couldn't have survived that inferno. No one could."

She jerked away from him, her face white with shock. "No, I don't believe that. I won't believe that. Not while I am the Soldier of Fire! Mars eternal power, make up!"

In a flash she transformed and ran towards the blaze. The crowd saw her transformation and some of them stepped back. There were murmurs, voices were raised in both awe and anger but Mars ignored them all.

Rei opened herself to inferno that raged around her. She could feel the madness of the firestorm, It was angry, undisciplined and savage. It sought to devour anything that stood in its way. There was no mercy or kindness in its nature, just the unending need to satisfy itself.

This was something Rei understood all too well. It was the story of her childhood. In the primitive brutality of the firestorm, Rei saw her own life reflected.

The anger she kept inside her at the way her father had used and abused not only her, but also her mother, erupted hotter than the blaze around her.

The Senshi of Mars raised her arms above her head and screamed in rage. "You can't have him too, damn you! I won't let you have him, too!"

The flames shuddered with her words. A lifetime of anger and sorrow fueled the power behind her actions. Rei forced her will on the element she called her own. The fire danced, then slowly parted to open a thin corridor that lead into the heart of the still burning shrine.

She was vaguely aware of Yuuichirou dashing past her and towards the building that her grandfather had disappeared into. Her entire being was focused on keeping the corridor open.

The firestorm was a part of her now and Mars could feel it raging inside her. It was worth any pain, any suffering if she could save the only man who had ever shown her a father's love. The flames pulled at the core of her soul, inviting her to become part of the symphony of destruction around her.

Rei screamed in agony. She felt herself burning with a cold, eldritch fire that threatened to consume her. The flames on either side of the open corridor flickered and began to free themselves of her control.

No, Rei thought, remembering her Grandfather's teachings, I am the fire and the fire is life. I am the phoenix that dances in the fire's embrace but lives.

"Deep Submerge!"

"Mercury Aqua Rhapsody!"

The rush of water swept Mars from her feet. The searing inferno that burned inside Rei faded as she fell to the ground. With the lessening of the pain, her memories returned.

"Did they get out?" she whispered on hands and knees. "Grandpa, Yuri?"

Rei's vision was blurry and her head pounded in protest at the way she'd tried to use her power, but she could hear her Grandfather's voice. "It's all right, little girl, you saved us." His voice was

raspy from smoke. "And I saved the scrolls!"

Any doubts that Rei had suffered any permanent damage from the misuse of her power vanished abruptly. She reached out and whacked the old man on the head.

"You went back into a burning building for those old pieces of paper? Are you insane?"

Rei's grandfather merely laughed. "Perhaps. Insanity, I am told, is hereditary. You get it from your grandchildren."

"Neptune, aren't you and Jupiter supposed to be with Usagi? Where's Setsuna?" asked Venus from over Rei's shoulder.

Maktoo smiled, "It's okay. Setsuna is with Lorilei. Usagi was able to go home, where I'm sure Ikuko-mama is even now making her something to eat. Mamoru is on his way to meet her."

"That's good then," agreed Uranus, "The Princess will be quite safe with her family."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"Hello Serenity, I've been waiting for you," said Kashu. He held her locket in one hand. "Looking for this?"

"How did you get in here?" Usagi demanded. She was dressed only in her underwear and an open shirt. She yanked the shirt closed, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Get out!"

Kashu merely smiled maddeningly at her. "Now, is that anyway to talk to the man you're going to spend the rest of your life with?"

Usagi wanted desperately to run but knew she couldn't leave the Ginzuishou in Kashu's hands. "I said get out!" she yelled at him hoping to hide the fact that her heart was pounding with fear.

"If I go, I take this locket with me. Oh and you'll never see your family again either," he lied glibly.

Kashu gave a dark laugh at the look of surprise on her face. "That's right, the reason your family isn't home is because they're currently my guests. If you behave yourself you may get to see them again soon."

Kashu walked slowly towards her. Usagi found herself backing away from him almost by instinct. She forced herself to stand and face Kashu, but there was something in his eyes that terrified her.

"You…you have my family? Are they all right?"

"Of course they're all right, Serenity, quite comfortable as a matter of fact. As long as you do as I tell you, they'll continue to stay that way."

Kashu traced the crescent moon on her forehead with a single finger, then took a handful of her hair. "I like this, by the way," he said raising it to his lips. "The color suits you, like moonlight."

Usagi forced herself to stay still as he stepped closer. She needed to get her locket. She could save her family if she had the power of the ginzuishou. She needed it to transform. She-had-to-stay-still!

Usagi closed her eyes and gave a shudder of revulsion when Kashu's hand slid onto her shoulder, then under her shirt and down onto her breast. Try as she might, Usagi couldn't stop the small protest of fear that came from her lips.

"No, please…"

Kashu stepped even closer. He leaned over and brushed her ear with his lips. "Don't be afraid, my sweet Serenity. You'll like this, I promise."

He pulled her to him and with his free hand took her chin, tilting her head up. In an instant his lips were on hers, forcing them open to thrust his tongue in her mouth.

Usagi brought her knee up and jammed it into his groin as hard as she could. Her hands grabbed for her locket as he gave a satisfying grunt of pain. Pushing away from Kashu she stumbled towards the door calling out her henshin phrase.

"Moon eternal power …argghh!" The phrase ended in a scream that filled the room.

Kashu had grabbed the locket as it opened to reveal the ginzuishou. Her newfound bond with the crystal had increased her sensitivity to it a hundred fold. Kashu's hand closed convulsively around it, as if to crush the stone.

Usagi stiffened like she'd been struck by lightening, unable to move. It felt that a white-hot hand of fire was ripping her heart out of her body. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't think past the agony that engulfed her. Her world was filled with nothing but the searing, all consuming pain and the sound of her own voice screaming.

Kashu tore the locket from her hand and threw it across the room. Usagi collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut. She fell against her nightstand, knocking it over and opening a cut on her forehead.

The world spun round and round in a gray fog for Usagi. She felt something under her hand. It took a moment before she realized it was her star locket. The fall from the nightstand had tossed it to the floor. The open locket played its simple, sweet tune, calling her back to the real world. She tried to close her hand around it but it fell from numb fingers.

"I didn't want to have to do that but it's your own fault," Kashu's voice was in her ears as she tried to clear the fog from her mind, "You shouldn't have made me angry."

By the time the roaring in her ears had stopped and the world no longer ran in dizzying circles he had put his arms around her. Kashu pulled her close in a bizarre attempt to comfort her. Usagi found she could at last move again and try to push away from Kashu.

"Stop that, Serenity. You're making this harder than it has to be." Kashu brought his lips to hers and kissed her hard. He pushed her to the floor, his greater weight pinning her under him.

Usagi's eyes went wide and she began to struggle. "No! Let me go!"

"Don't fight me, Kashu said annoyance creeping into his voice. "It can be so good between the two of us. I can show you things Chiba never dreamed of."

"Let me go!" Usagi screamed.

Her fear only seemed to further ignite Kashu's passion. "I want you so much." He leaned over her, his lips moved to her neck and his breathing grew ragged, "…and I always get what I want; always. Just relax and enjoy it."

Usagi thrashed wildly, trying to free herself. Fear surged through her. Usagi knew what Kashu wanted and she knew she wasn't strong enough to stop him. "Noooo…!"

It all seemed to happen at once. Kashu's hands were holding her down and he was straddling her while Usagi frantically tried to buck him off. There was the sound of breaking glass and in an instant she was at last freed from Kashu's embrace.

Usagi scrambled as far away from him as the room would allow. When she looked up she saw what she'd prayed for. Tuxedo Kamen was here. He had Kashu by the shoulders and rammed the man against the wall with such force that it shook from the impact.

Tuxedo Kamen turned to look for his beloved. Before he could ask her if she was all right, in the instant their eyes made contact, something snapped inside Usagi. Crouched on her knees Usagi began to weep, her body shaking with shock and fear. The star locket was in her hands now. She brought to her breast, cradling it against her heart as she cried.

"He says he has my family," she said sobbing, "That if I didn't do what he said, I'd never see them again! But I couldn't let him… I, I didn't want him to…"

Mamoru could only stare at Usagi, stunned. His mind slowly took in her appearance. Usagi was only partial dressed. A gash above her eye was bleeding and her face was bruised. Knowledge of what had been about to occur exploded inside Mamoru. He rounded with a snarl on the man he held against the wall.

Kashu looked at Tuxedo Kamen and produced a defiant smile. He looked past Mamoru to where Usagi knelt on the floor. "That's right, Serenity. Without me you'll never see them again. You remember that!" he called out to her.

"You lying bastard!" Mamoru roared in primal fury. "He doesn't have your family, Usako. They're safe, I promise."

"Wh…what?" Usagi stammered, afraid to believe she had suffered through Kashu's assault, had stayed and fought because of a lie. "No, oh no…"

"Don't' you understand, Serenity?" Kashu shouted at her in a desperate voice, "I'm the only one who can keep you safe now. My family is powerful enough to keep even the government at bay. Do you think you can keep ahead of them for long on your own? Without me you're all…"

Kashu's speech stopped abruptly.

Tuxedo Kamen had him by the throat and lifted him off the ground with one arm. His air cut off, Kashu's hands clawed at Mamoru's vise-like grip.

Tuxedo Kamen's eyes narrowed. A cold wave of rage spread through his body and he spoke in a dangerous whisper. "I told you what would happen if you ever touched her again." He made a small motion with his other hand and a dagger sharp rose appeared in it. "You are a dead man."

"No!"

Usagi's scream cut through the haze of righteous anger that filled Mamoru's mind. He glanced at her, unable to comprehend how she could not want this man's death.

"No," Usagi repeated, "no Mamo-chan, don't do it."

"This animal doesn't deserve your compassion," Mamoru said.

Tears ran down Usagi's face, "I don't care about him. I care about you! Killing him will only destroy you. Please, please don't do it."

The look in her eyes, Usagi's fear for him, cut Mamoru to the bone. The rose disappeared. Mamoru released Kashu and he dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.

"You'll regret not killing me when you had the chance." Kashu managed to croak out as he tried to stand. He gave Tuxedo Kamen a look of undisguised hatred.

"I all ready do," Mamoru's fist flashed out so quickly it seemed little more than a blur. It hit Kashu Hikaru with such force that the man didn't even have time to shout. His eyes glazed over and he fell back to the floor with a thud.

Tuxedo Kamen faded away as Mamoru turned to rush to Usagi. She stumbled to her feet, reaching for him as he threw his arms around her and pulled her close. Mamoru held her, stroking her hair and whispering words of love as she clung desperately to him. In the safety of her beloved's embrace, Usagi sobbed out her fear and pain.

At last she raised her head and looked up at him. "We can't stay here, can we?" she asked, though she all ready knew the answer.

Mamoru shook his head gently, "No, we can't."

With Mamoru's help Usagi finished dressing. She managed to put her star locket in a pocket, but when she tried to pin the locket that held the Ginzuishou on the front her blouse, her hands shook too badly. Without a word, Mamoru took it and fastened it securely. He put a hand under her chin and tilted her head up.

"Ready?"

With a final look around, she nodded to him. As they left the room, her gaze fell on the still unconscious form of Kashu Hikaru. Mamoru saw a shudder run through her slender frame. He reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. Usagi looked up at him with a sad smile. Then, hand in hand, they left Usagi's childhood home.

Fatal Exposure

A Sailor Moon Story
by Meara

Part 9 of 13

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