TREASURE HUNTER: Chapter 2
A RANMA 1/2 FAN-FIC
BY:GREG HOUSLEY

(Disclaimer)- Ranma 1/2 with all of it's characters and situations belong to Ms. Rumiko
Takahashi.
I take no claim over the rights to her work and have written this fic
purely in fun.

<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>

Later that day Ranma Saotome sat atop the Tendo household roof watching the sun
descend into the Tokyo horizon. He had been sitting there for a little over two hours with
no interruptions. Nabiki had remained silent the rest of the journey home and proceeded to
disappear after getting back, while he hadn't seen Akane since early that morning. The rest
of the family was as normal as usual, so he pretty much had the entire afternoon to sort out
his feelings for himself. Which he had found to be more difficult then he had first
anticipated.

'One week...' He repeated to himself remembering what the man had said. 'One whole
freaking week to wrap up any obligations.' He scratched the back of his head in
thought. 'Any obligations...' He emphasized inwardly. 'Obligations like Akane...' the
thought struck him as foreign. 'Akane's not an obligation is she? I mean sure the engagement
is arranged but I'm certainly not obligated.' I want to, he wanted to say, but he couldn't
even admit it to himself. 'Stupid tomboy would probably be glad to be rid of me.' He spat in
distaste. The sun began to sink into the horizon slowly disappearing from view, at this the
sky began to take on a fiery orange glow. 'And what of my other fiancé's..? Shampoo...
Kodachi... Well not really a fiancé but no less than my others I suppose... And then Ukyo...
. . . .' His mind began to consider the pros and con's of choosing to leave.

'I'd lose the hassle of every harebrained martial artist in Japan trying to attack
me for some imagined wrong doing...' He added this to the pro's. 'But then I might lose
Akane...' This was a con. 'I'd lose all these engagements that I didn't even ask for...' He
seemed to brighten at the thought, but then realized the downside to this. 'But that would
mean losing Akane...' He looked down at his fingers, he was keeping score. 'That's two for
two.' He concluded. 'What else... There's good money involved. I can send money to both mom
and pop. Not to mention the Tendo's for their hospitality. There's also travel and adventure
involved. That's a major plus...' He looked over at his pro's hand and saw it was leading by
three. 'But I would lose Akane...' His con hand lifted three more fingers in response and he
realized he was out of fingers. 'Rats!' Before he had time to remove his shoe his attention
was averted at the sudden sound of footsteps.

"Ranma?" Akane asked as she approached him from the left. "What are you doing?" Her
voice seemed to carry genuine concern.

Ranma, caught off guard, slung his hands behind his back. "Me? N-nothing! Nothing at
all!" Akane's face seemed to darken slightly, and Ranma threw his hands back in his lap
giving them a quick glance and then chuckling uncertainly.

"What are you hiding?" She demanded, trying to peer around his back and see what it
was he had hidden back there.

"Nothing Akane! What makes you think I'm hiding anything?"

"What do you have behind your back?"

"Nothing, geez Akane, besides it's none of your business."

"None of my business is it?!" She stomped her foot. "I'll be the judge of what is
and isn't my business!" Akane was yelling now and Ranma wasn't going to back down.

"Your such a stupid tomboy! Do you have any idea how lame that sounds?!"

"Stupid am I? I'll show you stupid!" Akane removed her mallet from wherever it was she
kept it and brought it up in an attack position.

'I'll lose Akane...' the thought seemed to unexpectedly echo through Ranma's mind in
just enough time to both evade her mallet's onslaught and come to his senses.

"Akane, I'm sorry!" He apologized before she could ready another blow.

"What-?" She asked stunned.

"I was just doing some thinking and you surprised me is all."

"Thinking?" She asked not moving.

"Yeah, I've got a lot to work out." He was surprised at how this seemed to be working.

She let the mallet slide from her hand to the roof and sat down in a slight confusion.
"Like... What?" She asked a little hesitantly.

"Well, I'm not really allowed to talk about it, but it has to do with the job. It
requires a lot of travel, and should I accept it, it could be a long time before I come back,
and then it would probably only be for a short visit.

Akane seemed to consider this. And looked up, his meaning dawning on her. "Long...time,
huh?" She whispered. "What have you decided?"

"I'm not sure right now... It seems to be a chance of a life-time but still it leaves
alot of things unresolved." Akane nodded her understanding.

His last statement seemed to linger in the air as the sun finally seeped beneath the
horizon leaving only a faint amount of light present. Akane watched as it finally disappeared
and then looked back at Ranma. "Ranma... What is it?"

"Huh?" Ranma grunted dumbly.

"The job! What is it?!"

Ranma's stomach seemed to cringe he was afraid this question would be asked. "Akane
I've told you I'm not allowed to discuss it." He closed his eyes tightly waiting for the
inevitable to begin. Akane didn't notice the gesture in the faint light.

"You can trust me, Ranma!" Akane encouraged.

'Run away, Saotome!' He heard an idle thought plead. "Akane it's not my place to decide
who I can and can't tell." 'Run away NOW, Saotome..! Don't wanna!'

"So you're saying you can't trust me is that it?" Akane's voice took an edge that was
all to familiar to Ranma.

"Akane, please try to understand this was not my decision." 'Are you crazy?! RUN
AWAY!' The voice pleaded. 'Don't wanna!'

"Ranma you know good and well I wouldn't tell anyone, whoever those people are would
never find out! Why is this so important?"

"You tell me Akane?!" 'Oh so you wanna die? Okay I get it... masochist!' The thought
accused. 'Mas-o-what? Ranma asked not sure how his subconscious knew words he didn't. 'Look
it up!' It answered. In his argument with his subconscious he failed to keep up with his
argument with Akane.

"- To you again! Are you even listening to me..? Ranma?!" Was all that he caught.

"Yes Akane! Geez..! Now what were you saying?!" 'Stupid...' *WHAM*

"I don't believe you!" She screamed. "You can't even stay focused in an argument!"

"Akane!" Ranma screamed. Akane stopped her rant and blinked at the pig-tailed martial
artist. "Do you know what mas-o-chist is?" He asked stuttering on the words pronunciation.
Akane seemed to flare a bright blue aura.

"What?! What'd I do?!"

Akane raised her mallet high. "BAAAKAAAAA!" The mallet came down with lightning speed,
though Ranma was just quick enough to sidestep the blow. He however did not count on how
quickly she would recover and basically sat still for the next assault. *WHAM*

"Uhhhhhhh." Ranma moaned. "Akane." He tried weakly. *WHAM*

"Stupid... Tom..Boy..." *WHAM*

Akane looked down and realized for the first time what she had done. Ranma was out
cold.

"Ranma..?" She whispered. No response.

She picked the unconscious martial artist up and cradled him in her arms. She then
proceeded to carry him down into the house and into the Kitchen.

Kasumi as usual was just finishing up on dinner and turned to find Akane cradling Ranma
in her arms. "Oh my!" Kasumi gasped. She walked over to Akane and looked Ranma over. Take him
into his room and lie him down on his futon Akane, I'll be there shortly with a warm cloth
and some bandages."

Akane thankfully obliged her sister and carried Ranma up to his room as instructed. She
lied him down on his futon and stared down at him yielding a hint of guilt as she did. Kasumi
shortly entered into the room with the promised cloth and bandages and kneeled down next to
the battered boy.

She began to feel around his forehead and his scalp with her hand and gasped. "Goodness
Akane, who did this? This is horrible!" Akane remained silent. Kasumi, without hesitation
took the warm damp cloth, and began to wipe down Ranma's face. She did so for a few short
moments then lifted Ranma's head to apply the bandages. Once through she checked over her job
and let a smile. "There!" She said triumphantly. "Akane, go tell the others that dinner is
ready!"

"Yes Kasumi." Akane acknowledged, and then slipped out the room to do as asked.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dinner was as expected relatively quiet. Ranma still lay upstairs in his room, While
Nabiki hadn't been seen since early that afternoon. Akane still harbored feelings of guilt
but didn't wish to speak of them to anyone, while Soun and Genma discussed man and dog eating
habits. And Kasumi seemed to be in her own little world which at ones guess might consist of
gingerbread houses and yellow brick roads. Aside from the two absences it wasn't all that
relatively different.

Once dinner was finally over Akane, after helping Kasumi with the dishes, went upstairs
to check on Ranma. She entered into his room only to find an empty futon and a discarded
bandage.

"Ranma?" She asked glancing around.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Stupid..." Ranma mumbled under his breath as he rubbed his head. "Can't explain
anything to that tomboy."

He had been walking for five to ten minutes by now and was still understandably angry.
The sidewalk seemed to slip by unnoticed beneath his feet as his mind kept replaying over and
over what had transpired earlier on the roof. "It'll never work... Never, never never!" His
head continued to ache all over and it only served to deepen his anger. "I'm in..! Anything
to get me away from that psycho gorilla." He grit his teeth together in an attempt to calm
himself, and proceeded to slow his breathing down. "Okay.... I'm calm..." *BAM!* He smashed
his fist into the concrete wall off to his right. "Okay, so I'm not!" He looked at the large
dent his fist had created and then felt the pain set in. "OWWWW!" He looked at his fist and
found it scraped and red. "I swear, I can't believe that uncute idiot!" He remarked dropping
his fist to his side. He took a right at the corner and continued his walk. "First chance I
get, I'm telling Nabiki!"

"Tell me what?" He heard a voice ask.

He looked up to find Nabiki was standing several feet from him. "Uh, oh hi, Nabiki." He
responded uncertainly. "Where'd you come from?"

"No where particular..." She looked him up and down. "What happened to you?"

Ranma felt his anger rise again, but not at Nabiki. "That stupid, uncute, idiot,
Gorilla-"

"I take it my little sister happened..." Nabiki remarked under Ranma's ramblings.

"-Built like an ox, tomboy-"

"Ranma..." Nabiki tried.

"Horrible cook-"

"Ranma!" She snapped. "Okay I understand, sorry I asked, geez."

"Huh? Oh sorry." He replied sheepishly.

"Now what were you going to tell me?"

"Huh?" Ranma looked up at her slightly confused. "Oh yeah! About that job..."

"Yeah I've been doing some thinking about it too." Nabiki interrupted.

"Well, what have you decided?" Ranma asked curiously.

"Walk with me Saotome." Nabiki motioned with her hand. They both turned, with Nabiki
leading the way. "I've been doing some checking up on these guy's." She looked over at Ranma
to see his response and continued. "Not a lot is known about them. What I could find though,
is the name Sean Oliver is legit. And very disliked. His story about enemies checks out too.
It seems everyone wants to know what he knows, in fact I had a hard time inquiring about the
man without being interrogated myself."

"So what do you make of it?" Ranma asked genuinely interested.

"Well based on that and a few other facts I'm willing to give him the benefit of the
doubt. He seems real enough, so I'm starting to lean in the direction of accepting his offer.
What about you?" She arched an eyebrow.

"I'm in. So long as it gets me out of here."

"You sure that's not just your anger talking?" She asked noticing him snarl.

"What do you think?" He asked, pointing at his head.

"I think your heads always lumpy."

"That's not what I meant."

"We're here."

"Huh?" Ranma asked confused at the abrupt change of subject. He looked up at the
building they were now currently standing in front of. "Agatsum Sake?" Ranma asked reading
the sign aloud.

Nabiki sighed. "Yep... Good ol' Uncle Agatsum."

"Uncle?!" Ranma asked surprised.

Ignoring Ranma's confusion Nabiki pushed on and through the front door. Ranma dutifully
followed her silently wondering what this was all about.

Inside the air was thick with smoke, which forced Ranma to cough a few times before
finally adjusting. He took note how it didn't seem to bother Nabiki, which only caused
further confusion.

The room was filled with men of all sorts, and Ranma did his best to just ignore them
as they passed through the mass of tables to the bar. Nabiki continued on in the lead,
oblivious to the stares that seemed to follow them.

Once they finally reached the bar Nabiki took a seat and ushered Ranma into the one
next to her. She sat in silence waiting patiently as the man behind the counter finished up
with a customer. Once finished, his eyes seemed to follow along the bar as if searching for
new customer's until finally his eyes settled on Nabiki. He squinted for a second, and then
his eyes seemed to brighten with recognition. "Nabsy?" He called.

Nabiki seemed to smile at this. "Uncle Agatsum?" She asked back.

"Nabsy! It is you!!!" The man's face lit up. "It's been too long!" He walked over to
where Nabiki was seated. "What can I do ya for, girl?"

"Something hard, it's been a rough day." Ranma seemed even more surprised by this.

"And what about you young lad?" The man asked looking over at Ranma.

"Oh, uh... No-nothin for me, thanks." Ranma replied unsure.

He walked back to where he had come from and grabbed at a series of bottles checking at
their labels. Once satisfied he picked up a small glass and poured in the contents of the
bottle and passed it down to Nabiki.

He then walked back over to the two with a question on his face. "So Nabsy, what brings
you here? I haven't seen you in over a year! How's your father doin? Oh and how about Kasumi,
and little Akane?"

Nabiki let out a small giggle, which only added to the evening's surprises for Ranma.
Nabiki grabbed for the shot glass and emptied its contents in one hardy gulp. "Oh, uncle,
They're all doing great!" She replied cheerfully. "Just great! How's the bar holding up?" She
asked.

"Oh...Same ol' Same ol'." He chuckled. "So how's my girly? What can your uncle help you
with?" Nabiki pointed at the shot glass and he obliged by filling it up again.

Nabiki grabbed at the glass and just as before gulped down its contents. "We're looking
for some information." She said while wiping her mouth. She pointed at the glass again and
again he filled it up.

"Information huh? Well you've come to the right place! You're ol' uncle knows just
about all there is to know 'bout this town." He let out another warm chuckle and Nabiki
giggled along with him.

She gulped down another glass and looked back up at her uncle. "What do you know about
Sssean Oliver?" She asked growing a bit more serious.

Her uncle seemed to pale a bit at the name. "Sean Oliver? What in blazes do you want
with a fellow like that?" He glanced down at her glass and without even being asked, filled
it up again.

"Nothing really." She lied. "Jutht heard his name floating about and it thruck my
curiouthity." Ranma blinked as he noticed Nabiki's speech start to slur.

"They say the dead follows that man." He whispered. "No sir, not a man to trifle
with." Nabiki looked down at her neglected glass and gulped up another shot. "It's rumored
that a dead book, some Egyptian relic to the afterlife, he found it! Some say he used it on
his unborn child. Some nasty stuff that is. His wife died after its birth." He filled
Nabiki's glass again.

"Yeth, but that'ss a bunch of hocuth pocuth. What real infoooomation can you tell
uth?" Despite being a little uncomfortable, Ranma was finding it hard to bite his tongue.

"He hunt's treasure... Born in London some forty years ago to an archeologist couple...
Uh," He paused in thought. "They died when he was in his early twenties, unexplainably I
believe. He travels with two other companions; I don't know their names though. Hmmmmm.
There's a lot of people who want him dead." Ranma's eyes began to grow at this, though Nabiki
didn't seem to show any real concern. "Most of what I've heard is simply rumors anyhow. I've
never met the man personally, some say he doesn't even exist." Nabiki took the glass and
sluggishly sucked down the alcohol. She slammed down the glass and hiccuped.

"Dammit unca, keep 'emmmmm cumin!"

"Why do people want him dead?" Ranma asked realizing Nabiki was probably through for
the night.

The man diligently filled his nieces glass and looked up at Ranma. "Well son, He's
supposed to be the best, knowing countless locations of priceless artifacts. No one's quite
sure just exactly how much he has collected, but it's supposed to be worth billions! And as I
understand it he never really had too much regard for the dead. Meaning he's pissed a lot of
religious fanatics off as well.

"Wanma? (hic) haf youuuuu met myyy uncle (hic) Igothum Thake?" Ranma looked over at
Nabiki and realized that her sixth glass had met a similar fate as her last five. "Fffill 'er
up! Unca Igothum (hic)!

"Nabsy baby, I think you've had enough for one night darlin." Her uncle responded. He
looked up from his drunken Niece and focused a stare at Ranma. "Son, can I trust you to get
my Nabsy home? Alcohol slides through her like Teflon. As you can see she gets drunk fast"
Ranma noticed the man's face take on a serious look and nodded.

"Yes, sir." He replied.

"Good." He looked over at Nabiki and smiled. "You take care Darlin, Okay?"

"Kay." Nabiki answered.

Ranma reached around Nabiki's back and braced his arm underneath her right armpit.
"Oooooh Wanma ah neverrrrrr knew!" She responded clumsily.

He slowly began to stand up, gently bringing the inebriated Tendo to her feet. After a
few false starts they began making their way through the debris of tables and out the bar
door.

Ranma gingerly started walking Nabiki back to the house, which proved to be more
trouble than he bargained for. His mind began retracing the events of that evening, making
sure to fast forward through all the events that took place on the roof. He began to consider
all that had happened since he bumped into Nabiki and more and more questions seemed to pop
up. He looked over at the girl as she focused all her concentration on walking and felt a
certain kinship with the girl he hadn't felt before. Nabiki was human...

"Nabiki?" He asked hoping she still had a mind for questions.

"What Wanma Wanma?" She asked looking back mildly perplexed.

"Why hasn't anybody ever said anything about your uncle Sake?"

Nabiki seemed to think extra hard on the question and almost caused her to trip. "He'th
my mom'th bwotherrr..." She finally answered. She seemed to consider something more then
continued. "When motherrr dieeeed. (Hic) Fatherrrr went to pieeeces. Kathumi-channn tried her
hardetht to comfort him, but she wath jutht a gurl at the time. (Hic) Jutht a ity bity gurl.
he hee he." She giggled. "Akane wath toooooooo young to realithe vhat happened and tho I
didn't hafe anybody to talk toooo or comfort me." She seemed to sadden. "And I wath jutht old
enough to barely underthtand what happened to mommy." A tear slid down her cheek. "But then
Unca Thake (Hic) cammmme and he made everything alllll better!" Her face brightened. "He wath
my betht fwiend in the whole wiiiide world. But then daddy he....he...he told unca Thake to
leave. I didn't vant Unca Thake to leave and I thaid, Nooo no daddy don't make unca Thake
leave. Butttt he did. I vater ffffound (Hic) out that Unca Thake had inthulted him thaying he
neeeeeded to act like a man and take care of hith family inthead of thulkin like a godddd amn
woman! (Hic)" Ranma blinked. He had never heard anything like this before.

"So how long have you been goin to his bar?" Ranma continued. "I mean I don't know many
girl's your age that consume liquor like you do. Hell it isn't even legal!"

"I tharted goin when Ah wath thixxxteen. I went there wegularly, hangin out with my
unca, dwinkin, cussin, bein one offff ta guy'th. But thenn (Hic) my father found out, and
forbid me to ever go thewe again. Well ffffuck him!" Ranma's eyes bulged, he had never heard
anyone use that sort of language. "Scuthe me!" Nabiki weaseled out of Ranma's arms and gently
fell to the side walk. "Bluuaaahhh!" Ranma felt his gag reflex kick in as he watched Nabiki
empty the contents of her stomach onto the pavement. He had to finally turn his head as the
pugnant odor hit his nostrils.

Nabiki clumsily picked herself back off the pavement and almost fell over, forcing
Ranma to catch her. "Wanma?" She looked up into his eyes and he was amazed at what he saw
there. "Hold me." She said finally and then proceeded to pass out.

Ranma looked down at the unconscious girl and sighed. This was the first time he'd ever
felt true sympathy for Nabiki and he wasn't sure how to handle it. Finally he scooped the
girl up into his arms and dutifully continued the trek home.

<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>

Nabiki was in hell.... At least that's how her head hurt as she shielded her eyes from
the sunlight that penetrated through her window. "Oh gad... Urggggg." 'What happened?' She
wondered silently. She spun over on her side and looked at her alarm clock. "7:03." She noted
aloud. 'I went to Uncle Sake's with Ranma... . . . Oh god, I got drunk... Right there in
front of Ranma.' She felt herself recoil at that thought. 'oh no... I bet the entire family
knows.' She threw off her blanket and sat up. "Oh god my head." She said as she grabbed at
her forehead. 'Daddy's going to be pissed.' She spun around till her feet hung off the bed
then gently sat them on the floor letting her legs absorb her weight. 'Wait a minute how'd I
get home?' She realized she didn't know. She slipped out of her room and groggily marched
downstairs into the den.

The usual group of people was scattered about the room partaking in their routine
morning task. Soun was reading the newspaper, while Akane was busy helping Kasumi ready
breakfast. Genma was in his panda form and busy doing his most favorite thing...Nothing.
Akane was the first to spot Nabiki as she was exiting the kitchen.

"What happened to you?" She asked as she brought a couple of dishes to the table and
set them down.

"I was out late."

Soun looked up from his paper and didn't even seem to notice her ruff appearance. "Ah,
Nabiki are you and Ranma going to see that recruiting agency or whatever today?"

Nabiki was forced to blink. 'Ranma didn't say anything. Wow.' She was mildly impressed.
"Yeah though I'm still trying to make up my mind."

"Ah yes well, take your time." He smiled at her.

'Yeah that's easy for you to say.' "Has anyone seen Ranma?" She asked aloud hoping for
an answer.

"He's up." Akane replied. "I think he's ready too, though I'm not sure. He's been
avoiding me all morning."

"I'll go see!" Nabiki replied while quickly exiting.

She ran up to the stairs and first knocked on the bathroom door... Silence. She then
moved on to his room and knocked...

"...Come in..."

Nabiki slid the door open and walked in pulling the door shut behind her. She looked
down and found Ranma-chan fully dressed in her jusenkyo outfit as she had been yesterday,
lying on her futon with her hands behind her head staring at the ceiling.

"Ready to go huh?" Nabiki asked surprised.

"And you ain't." Ranma remarked without looking.

"I just got up."

"We don't have much time you better get dressed." Ranma replied, singing the same
cadence as Nabiki had the day before.

"I know I just... Ranma..." Nabiki sighed. "Thank you." She finally finished.

Ranma turned to face the girl, with eyes as large as saucers, only to see her already
exiting the room.

"Nabiki. . ."

<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>

Ranma and Nabiki had finally left the dojo with twenty minutes remaining, though they
paced themselves still giving their last considerations to the offer.

"You still certain you want to accept?" Nabiki asked looking over at the small redhead.

"I don't know. After what your uncle said I'm not sure."

Nabiki arched an eyebrow. "Ranma?" Ranma-chan looked over and realized what she was
thinking. "What did..."

"He just said a lot of people want the man dead. Said the guy is not someone to trifle
with. I dunno but your uncle seems to be a pretty bright fellow. Just got me thinking is
all."

Nabiki seemed to consider this. "Want him dead huh? I've been thinking about what Mr.
Oliver had said." Ranma looked back over at her. "All this secrecy, and competitors, and
things of a darker sort as he put it. I'm not so sure I'm up to something like that. I mean,
I'm not a fighter like you and Akane. I deal with things differently than you guy's do. What
he was talking about seems real dangerous."

Ranma put her hands behind her head. "You think maybe we should decline?"

Nabiki sighed. "I dunno...yes!"

"Well if you decline I guess I'm with you. Besides I think the invitation was extended
to both of us as a team, not individually... Here we go." Ranma remarked as they came to
stand outside of the dry-cleaners.

Nabiki with only a moment's hesitation pushed ahead of Ranma and into the cleaners.

They stood in the center of the room taking note that it was exactly same as before.
Only someone different was working the desk.

Nabiki looked over at Ranma-chan and then proceeded to pull out the proper change for a
coke. She walked over to the machine, inserted the yen and pressed the button for a coke.
There was a moments pause followed by a clunk... Nothing.

Ranma-chan came to stand next to Nabiki in confusion. They both stared at the machine
as if waiting for something more but still nothing occurred.

"Hey!" Ranma said and squatted down next to the part where you get your coke. She
reached in the hole and pulled out a bottle.

"A coke?" Nabiki questioned.

Ranma popped the bottle open and began to guzzle down the beverage.

"Scuze me, miss?" Nabiki called while approaching the desk.

"Huh?" The tanned blonde asked in a high pitched voice. "You mean me?"

Nabiki looked about the room only to confirm her suspicion that no one else was in the
room except her and Ranma. "Uh, yeah your machine seems to be broken."

"Whaaaat?" The woman asked annoyingly.

"That's funny it worked this morning." She walked out from behind the desk and
approached the machine. "Now did you want a coke or a sprite or a..?"

"Actually we wanted the passage." Nabiki said getting straight to the point.

"Ohhhhhh, you must be that Nabiki woman. Kay." She proceeded to press the coke button
as Nabiki had and waited. Still nothing happened. "That's funny." She remarked and then began
randomly pressing buttons as fast as she could. Nabiki noticed the machine begin to emit
smoke and she smacked her forehead. "What's going on?" The blonde asked in confusion. "Hold
on I know!" She said triumphantly and then began doing exactly what she had done before. The
lights on the machine began to dance chaotically and Nabiki took that as a cue to back up.
*BLAM*

The coke machine went up in a small burst of flame and smoke and Nabiki and Ranma were
forced to stare as they watched the now ash covered blonde smile brightly "Oooops!"

*Ring* *Ring* The girl's head swung around at the sound of the phone and looked back at
Nabiki. "Why don't you have a seat over there and I'll be with you in a moment! Kay?" She
then hurried off to answer the phone.

Nabiki looked at the pair of seats leaning against the wall that the woman had
indicated and forced a shrug. She slowly walked over to the seat and sat down. Ranma-chan
looked back at the woman talking on the phone and then proceeded to do as Nabiki had.

The woman put down the phone and looked over at the two girls. "I've got a real quick
errand I've gotta run so if you'll wait right there I'll be right back." She then hastily
made her way out the door.

They sat there only a short moment before they heard a clicking sound and the floor
beneath them opened up. Nabiki's eyes widened but she didn't have time for anything else
before the seats of the chairs swung down on a lever dropping the two girls down a slick
ramp. They both let out screams as they were carried down several spirals before finally
seeing an opening beneath them and dropping through it.

*POOF*

Ranma and Nabiki fell into a couple of familiar looking chairs and ended up staring at
a familiar looking man. "Morning!" The man offered.

"That wasn't funny!" Nabiki screamed. Ranma simply sat frozen from the shock.

The man chuckled. "Oh come now, that entrance rarely gets used. Wasn't it fun?"

"Fun?! I'll give you fun!" Nabiki nearly tried to leap over the desk but was caught by
Ranma.

"Come on Nabiki lets just say what we came to say then leave."

"So you've made your mind up then?" He asked looking from one to the other.

"Damn right we have!" Nabiki cursed. "We want nothing..."

*BLAM BLAM BLAM* Three gunshots could be heard just up the spiral staircase.

The man's face seemed to pale and he shot up from his seat. "You were followed!" He
pushed the chair he was sitting in out of the way and ripped a painting off the wall
revealing a keypad. "Gentlemen it would seem it's time for a hasty departure." He entered in
a series of combinations and a piece of wall opened up revealing a door. Footsteps could be
heard up the stairs and Ranma felt her gut tighten.

The men on either side of the room had each grabbed one of the girls and were pulling
them towards the door. Sean pushed on the handle of the door and it swung open revealing an
elevator. The two men pulled the girl's through the opening and were followed by Sean who
pushed a button on the elevator's keypad.

*BANG BANG* They began to hear the sound of someone pounding on the office door. The
doors to the elevator began to slide close and both Nabiki and Ranma felt a tinge of terror
run up their spine *BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM* Gunshots began piercing through the office door
around the handle as the doors pulled shut and the elevator began to rise. There was a
moments pause as everybody looked at each other. Sean looked down at Nabiki. "They followed
you. Somehow they knew to follow you."

"Who is they?" She whispered.

The elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open revealing a huge parking garage.
Sean grabbed Nabiki by the arm and one of the other men did the same with Ranma, and they
quickly exited out into the Garage and down one of the rows.

Ranma's mind was racing, she could handle martial artist of any variety just fine but
men with guns was a completely different matter; still she had to protect Nabiki.

They heard the elevator doors slide open again followed by several shouts.

*BLAM BLAM* Gunshots began ringing out again and the small group began to all out run.
Nabiki looked over at Sean as he pulled a large revolver from his coat and began returning
fire. Ranma and Nabiki both were forced to cover their ears at the intensity of the sound.
Ranma noticed how the shots Sean fired seemed to miss their mark completely, and slipped out
from the grasp of the man who was leading her. She stopped and cupped her hands together and
began to charge up for a chi blast. Nabiki caught on to what Ranma was doing pulled free of
Sean and gave her a sharp look of disapproval. Ranma-chan's eyes widened, "But Nabiki..".
Nabiki cut Ranma's protest short with a an emphatic hand gesture.

Sean caught sight of the dawdling teenagers and reached back to catch both by their arm.
"You two got mush for brains? Let's go!" They continued on down the parking garage ducking
through row after row of cars until Sean finally pointed at a large truck.

"HERE!" Sean shouted as they came to stop at the truck. He pulled out a set of keys and
the car beeped in response. The three men quickly threw open the doors to what looked like a
large red sports utility vehicle, and stuffed the girls inside. Sean climbed in the driver's
seat and the engine came to life with a large roar followed by a continuous purr. He pushed
in the clutch and threw the truck in reverse.

The tires began spinning with a vengeance and the truck pulled out with so much force
Ranma and Nabiki were thrown forward. Sean threw the stick in first and again the tires
squealed in response, this time pressing the two girls in their seats. Ranma looked back over
her shoulder to see one of the men smash a window to a car, while another man continued to
fire upon the rapidly accelerating truck. Ranma and Nabiki ducked quickly as the back window
was shot out.

The truck finally approached an opening to the garage and instead of slowing, Sean
slipped the stick in forth and bolted out into a busy intersection. Cars from both directions
were forced to dodge as the trucks back tires fishtailed into the right lane and then back
into the left. Ranma glanced back through the missing window and saw a black car attempt the
same feat, this time causing several wrecks, though the black car seemed to emerge unscathed
and resumed it's chase on the fleeing truck.

Sean glanced back into the mirror as he threw the stick in fifth. "They would have to
pick a jaguar!" He joked. The two girls were not amused.

"Just what the hell is goin on?" Nabiki finally screamed.

*BLAM BLAM*

She once again ducked and Sean let a hearty chuckle. "Initiation my dear girl. It would
seem you two have just volunteered to be our successor's!"

"What?!" Like hell?" Nabiki shouted back at the man.

"Now Nabiki, the only way those nice men with guns would know about me is if someone
was nice enough to volunteer the fact that I'm in town. Did you not do so yourself?"

"NO!" Nabiki protested.

"Oh really?" He mocked giving her smile in the rear view mirror.

*BLAM BLAM*

"Gentlemen, I believe there is a bogie on my tail, if you would be so kind." He
addressed the other two men brightly.

The man in the front passenger seat leaned forward opening the glove compartment, where
he drew a large magnum. While the man sitting in the seat with Nabiki and Ranma turned around
in the seat leaning over and opening a large box.

"Now Nabiki you're sure you didn't mention this to anyone other than Ranma?" Sean drew
Nabiki's attention back to him.

The man in the front passenger seat rolled down the window and proceeded to lean out.

"Well..." Nabiki thought. "I did mention you're name to a few people."

"That's all it take's my dear."

*BLAM BLAM* The man in the front passenger seat began to fire upon the pursuing jaguar.

*BLAM BLAM BLAM* The Jaguar returned fire.

"A young attractive girl like yourself starts digging up old graves with a name like
Sean Oliver and you all the sudden you find yourself the center of attention. That's how they
found me..! By following you."

Nabiki felt her throat go dry.

Sirens could be heard in the distance.

Ranma-chan turned around to discover the man in her seat had a box full of grenades,
and let out a gasp. He picked one up, drew the pin, and proceeded to throw it out through the
missing back window.

A large chunk of road blew up in front of the jaguar forcing them to swerve to avoid
it. But still they continued on. 'Man these guy's are nuts!' Ranma thought to herself.

"So as you can see Ms. Tendo, there is no going back! These men have associated the two
of you with me and therefore have added you to their hit list."

The man in the front seat crawled out the window again and let loose a spray of ammo.

*BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM*

The pursuing jag sped up in response and unleashed a return fire of a different kind.

*TATATATATATATATAT*

Bullets began firing right and left as the jaguar turned a machine-gun on them.

*BLAM*

Ranma and Nabiki let a scream as a bullet pierced the seat and went through the man
with the grenades left shoulder. He screamed in pain and Sean looked back with worry marking
his face. He gave the other man a look and the other man turned around to help his wounded
friend.

"No wait! The man screamed. "Shoot out their windshield!"

"What?" The other man screamed confused.

"Shoot out the damn windshield!"

The man slipped back into his seat and back out the window.

*BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM SMASH*

The other man looked back to see the jaguar swerving at the loss of their windshield.
He leaned himself back over the seat and picked up another grenade. "Sean brakes!"

Sean hit the brakes sending the Jaguar speeding up towards their ass. Just before
colliding the man in the back drew the pin with his teeth and tossed the grenade easily
through the jag's broken windshield. "NOW!"

Sean threw the stick in second and the truck resumed on, off it's continuing forward
momentum.

Nabiki and Ranma watched as the jag behind them let out a large explosion and was
thrown several feet into the air.

"There that ought a do it!" Sean remarked as he noticed the police stopping at the
exploded jag now blocking anyway around the road.

The man in the front seat threw off his jacket and began tearing pieces of it up. He
then leaned over into the back seat and began tying strips of cloth tightly around the wound
as to prevent blood loss.

Sean made a hard right down an ally and onto another road from there they traveled for
a few minutes until finally stopping at a large building.

Sean quickly switched off the truck and ushered everyone to follow him. They walked
into the building and proceeded onto the elevator where they ascended to the thirty eighth
floor and out onto the roof where a helicopter awaited them.

Sean quickly walked up to the side of the helicopter and opened the door indicating the
two girls to follow. Ranma and Nabiki wordlessly climbed into the giant copter and buckled
themselves in. Sean took a seat next to them and proceeded to do the same. The two other men
climbed into the front cockpit with the unwounded man at the controls.

The two girls were again forced to cover their ears when the choppers blades began to
come to life. Sean pointed at a pair of large earmuffs with a mic attached and pulled one on
for himself. Nabiki and Ranma followed his lead and did the same.

Ranma felt the pit of her stomach open up when the chopper finally began to make its
Ariel ascent. It lifted up with a great force and seemed to hover for a moment while the
pilot checked his bearings.

"Where are we going?" Nabiki shouted through the mic.

"To train!" Sean answered simply.

<<o+++-------------<o>-------------+++o>>

Here ends chapter Two. REPOND!!!!!!