DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Sunrise owns everything.

A/N: This is the last chapter of the series. I hope you all had as much fun reading this, as I had writing it.

Germany

The Recovery Team

PRESENT

Shizuru gives the recovery team agents their individual assignments and dispatches them. Once all the agents leave the private apartment, Shizuru sits on the couch. She pulls out her special communicator and slides it open. After pressing a few buttons, she gazes lovingly at the display.

Looking back at her from the display is her favorite photograph of Natsuki before their wedding. Shizuru remembers when she covertly took the picture. Natsuki was sitting under a Sakura tree, dressed in her choice of wedding attire, a man's wedding kimono, staring pensively out into space. Shizuru wanted them both in the traditional Shiro-maku, but Natsuki fought wearing one and nothing was going to change her mind.

"I will find you my beloved."

Shizuru flips from the photograph to the countdown timer. She has a little over 24 hours left to find Natsuki. She leaves the private apartment to check out her leads.

Several hours later, as Shizuru leaves her last location lead, completely disheartened by her lack of success, her special communicator vibrates violently in her pocket.

"Yes?'

"One of my informants gave me a promising lead on the location of the warehouse. I'm on my way to check it out and wanted to see if you wanted to meet me there," Chie says.

"Of course I do."

The internal Global Positioning System pops up on Shizuru's display.

"Be there or be square," Chie chuckles.

Shizuru finds Chie leaning up against a wall when she arrives at the coordinates the dashing agent sent.

"Shall we?" Chie asks brightly.

"We should call for backup."

"Already done."

"Good. We shall wait."

"Your call, boss."

Once The Merciless One and The Golden Angel arrive, they fan out and each enters through one side of the large visibly abandoned warehouse. Shizuru decides to draw her sidearm this time, just in case. Once inside the main area of the warehouse, all four agents converge.

"Could this place be any larger?" Alyssa remarks.

"I think The Red Spider is over-compensating for something," Chie smirks.

"Blue Rose…," Shizuru reprimands the jovial agent.

"Any suggestions?" Miyu asks Shizuru.

"Merciless One, you take the south side. Golden Angel, you take the north side. Blue Rose, you have the west side and I shall take the east. Use your earpieces," Shizuru commands and the agents fan out.

Shizuru checks and secures each room she finds. After the seventh room once again yields nothing, Shizuru begins to worry Chie's information may be wrong. As she is about to clear her eighth room, she hears Chie yell in her earpiece.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"Blue Rose?" Shizuru asks loudly into her earpiece, but receives no response.

Shizuru attempts to contact Chie several more times, to no avail. She pulls out her special communicator and switches on Tracking Mode to locate Chie. Before the graceful agent rushes off to locate Chie, she hears Miyu yell in her earpiece.

"I FOUND HER!"

Shizuru freezes, takes a deep breath, and rushes off to locate Chie. As she is running towards Chie's location, she speaks to Miyu.

"Merciless One, are you sure?"

"No. I need you for confirmation."

"Is she safe? Can you leave her there?"

"Yes."

"Good. Mark your location and then head towards The Blue Rose's location."

"Alright."

Shizuru switches her earpiece to speak to Alyssa.

"Golden Angel…"

"I'm already on my way."

The three agents reach Chie's location almost simultaneously. What they find stops them dead in their tracks. All three agents stare in shock at Chie cradling an unconscious Aoi in her arms.

"Sweetheart, hang in there," Chie repeats over and over.

Miyu and Alyssa enter the room, kneel down next to the two women, and voice their concern. Shizuru doesn't enter the room. She moves out of the doorway, pulls out her special communicator, and slides it open.

"Hello Koto. Please tell me if Director Senoh is there?"

"Yes."

"Please do me a favor and escort her to Dr. Sagisawa's office."

"Why?"

"Unfortunately, I cannot answer you at this moment, but I promise to fill you in later."

"Ummm…okay, I guess."

"Koto?"

"Yes?"

"Please proceed with caution."

Shizuru contacts Yohko.

"Agent?"

"Koto and Director Senoh should be arriving in your office shortly. Please run the clone testing on Director Senoh and contact me immediately with the results."

"What?"

"We have a bad situation here. I cannot elaborate right now, but it is imperative I get those results as soon as possible."

"You'll have them as soon as they are done."

Shizuru closes her special communicator, takes a deep breath, and enters the room.

"How is Director Senoh?" Shizuru asks Chie.

"Not good. She's still unconscious and I think she's sick," Chie says with a shaky voice.

"I have already contacted Dr. Sagisawa. Once I hear from her, we will know how to proceed," Shizuru says and adds, "Until then, we stay put. Understand?"

"Yes," all three agents say in unison.

"Merciless One, show me where you found The Ice Wolf. Golden Angel, you stay here and contact me if anything changes."

"Yes."

Miyu leads Shizuru to where she found the kidnapped agent. Shizuru cautiously approaches the visibly sick agent bound to a metal table.

"Ice Wolf?" Shizuru asks tentatively.

The agent slowly opens her eyes.

"You got my message," the pale agent says weakly.

"Yes," Shizuru answers coolly.

"Did you bring the antidote?"

"What antidote?"

"The one to counteract the poison The Red Spider gave me before she left me here to die," the agent replies rather agitated.

Shizuru knows in her heart the woman before her is the real Natsuki, but she also knows she can't let her emotions best her better judgment. The agent coughs and wheezes. Shizuru pulls out her special communicator, slides it open, and calls for C.O.D.E.'s emergency medical team. She hopes they arrive after Aoi's clone test results, because she does not want to risk bringing another live clone back to headquarters.

"Merciless One, please check on the others and give me an update on Director Senoh's condition," Shizuru commands and taps her earpiece, indicating to Miyu to use it, instead of their special communicators.

Miyu nods and leaves the room. A few minutes later, Shizuru hears Miyu in her earpiece.

"Director Senoh is still unconscious and now breathing erratically."

"WHAT THE HELL IS SHE WAITING FOR?" Chie yells in the background.

The minutes tick by extremely slow for Shizuru as she plays a waiting game. Ten minutes later, her special communicator violently vibrates. She takes a deep breath and slides it open.

"Thank you Dr. Sagisawa."

Shizuru walks over to the sick agent still bound to the metal table.

"Hang on my beloved. Help will be here soon."

The graceful agent leaves the room and runs to join the others.

All three agents helplessly watch Aoi's condition worsen. They are intently watching Aoi, so they don't hear Shizuru enter the room.

"Blue Rose, please move away from Director Senoh," Shizuru commands.

"What? WHY?" Chie asks without looking up at Shizuru.

"This is an order."

"What?" Chie looks up and her eyes widen when she sees Shizuru pointing her sidearm at them.

Miyu and Alyssa stare at Shizuru in shock. Fearing their leader has gone mad; Miyu slowly moves to draw her sidearm.

"I would not do that if I were you Merciless One," Shizuru says icily, without taking her eyes off Chie and Aoi.

"Blue Rose, please move away from Director Senoh."

"NO!" Chie holds Aoi tighter.

"Then you leave me no other choice," Shizuru says coldly and shoots Aoi in the head.

The gunshot echoes throughout the warehouse. It feels as if time stands still for the four agents, until Chie yells, moving time forward again.

"BITCH!" Chie yells and lunges for Shizuru.

Chie is a few inches from grabbing Shizuru, when she suddenly stops. The point of the graceful agent's knife is extremely close to the front of Chie's throat.

"Please do not force me to kill you."

"Fuck you," Chie growls and backs off.

During the ruckus, Miyu and Alyssa each draw their sidearm and train them on Shizuru. The ever graceful agent, visibly unfazed by the current situation, simply smiles.

"This is not Director Senoh. It is a clone. The real Director is back at headquarters doing her job, as we should be."

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?" Chie yells.

Shizuru looks at Chie with cold crimson eyes.

"How do I know you are not a clone as well? For that matter, any one of us could be a clone and not know it."

C.O.D.E.'s emergency medical team bursts in the room.

"Shall we finish this back at headquarters?" Shizuru asks the other agents.

All three agents nod. Shizuru leads the emergency medical team to retrieve Natsuki.

The flight back to C.O.D.E. headquarters is an extremely long and silent one for all four agents, peppered with suspicious glares.

Immediately after the four agents step foot inside C.O.D.E. headquarters, Haruka greets and instructs them to report to Yohko.

"I need to see Director Senoh FIRST!" Chie protests.

"Think again. See Dr. Sagisawa FIRST, then you can see Director Senoh," Haruka growls and adds, "That's an order!"

All four agents report to Yohko for clone testing. Several minutes later, all four agents are cleared and receive a special implanted chip; when removed, will instantly kill the host. Yohko instructs all four agents to see Mikoto for a debriefing about the new chip and the detectors in their new special communicators.

Shizuru motions for the other three agents to go ahead.

"I will ask Koto to debrief me later today."

Upon entering Research and Development, the three agents enter the lab and find Koto with her head buried under the hood of a car.

"Hey Koto!" Chie yells cheerfully, which startles Koto and causes her to lift her head abruptly, thus smacking the back of it on the open car hood.

"Blue Rose," Koto glares at Chie and grumbles as she rubs the back of her head.

"Blue Rose, why do you always startle Koto?" Miyu asks.

"Just look at her. She's too cute not to."

Mikoto glares at Chie and the dashing agent just flashes her charming smile. Before the young genius can begin her debriefing, Chie stops her.

"Please, before we begin…"

Chie practically runs to Aoi's lab. The dashing agent bursts through the lab doors and quickly scans the place for Aoi. When she doesn't see the director, she heads for Aoi's office. Chie bursts through the office door without knocking.

"Let me call you back. An urgent matter has just come through my office door," Aoi says and hangs up the telephone.

"Sweetheart!" Chie says as she takes Aoi in her arms.

"My darling Chie," Aoi moans softly as Chie kisses the director's neck.

Chie kisses Aoi passionately on the lips. The breathless director is the first to break the kiss, as she tries to catch her breath. Chie kisses Aoi's neck.

"Darling…," Aoi moans as she throws her head back.

"Sweetheart…," Chie murmurs into Aoi's neck as she tightens her arms around her girlfriend.

Her emotional overload finally spills over and Chie begins to cry softly in Aoi's neck. The director can feel Chie's tears rolling down her neck.

"Darling, it's okay."

"I…the…Beguiling Stranger shot you."

"No, she shot my clone."

"How did you know?"

"Who do you think ordered the clone testing on me?"

Chie pulls away from Aoi's neck and looks at the director incredulously.

"Yes, she ordered my clone testing as soon as you found my doppelganger."

Chie continues to stare at Aoi.

"Once Dr. Sagisawa confirmed I was the 'real deal,' she contacted The Beguiling Stranger with the results. I was one of the first implanted with the special chip."

The dashing agent blinks a few times and then sweeps Aoi back in her arms, kissing her passionately. As the two lovers are getting 'reacquainted,' the sound of throat clearing interrupts their merriment.

"Your presence is required before the debriefing can begin," Miyu says in an extremely irritated tone.

"Be right there," Chie says and resumes kissing Aoi.

"Not this time," Miyu says and pulls Chie out Aoi's office, by the dashing agent's collar.

Miyu and Chie walk into Research and Development.

"Welcome back, Blue Rose. Nice of you to finally grace us with your presence," Mikoto says with a smirk.

Chie flashes Mikoto a dazzling smile and takes her seat. Mikoto begins the debriefing.

In C.O.D.E.'s state-of-the-art medical facility, Shizuru stands next to the sick agent's bed and watches her fight for her life.

"Agent?" Yohko asks as she checks her patient's chart.

"Dr. Sagisawa. I hope you have some good news for me," Shizuru says distracted.

"Yes, I do. Her clone test results came back. She's your wife."

Shizuru smiles broadly.

"That is very good news Dr. Sagisawa. Even better news…"

"Sorry, we haven't found an antidote."

"Thank you."

Yohko leaves Natsuki's room. Shizuru pulls out her special communicator and slides it open. A darkness creeps over her face as she stares at the countdown timer. They now have less than ten hours to find an antidote and everyone involved was running on little to no sleep.

Shizuru pulls up a chair and sits next to Natsuki's bed. For the first time since the ordeal began, she allows herself some time and drops her mask. The tears flow freely as she looks at her wife.

"My beloved, I am afraid I may have failed you this time."

She puts her face in her hands and sobs.

"Shi-zu-ru?" Natsuki asks weakly.

Shizuru's head pops up and she just stares at Natsuki. The dying agent slowly reaches out to Shizuru.

"Natsuki, please do not move. You will pull out your tubes."

Always stubborn, Natsuki continues to reach out for Shizuru, so the graceful agent leaves her chair and sits beside Natsuki. Shizuru takes her wife's ice cold hand and covers it with both of her warm ones. The stubborn agent removes her oxygen mask.

"Shizuru, I…," Natsuki coughs and wheezes.

"Please put your oxygen mask back on and do not try to speak," Shizuru says as she tries to put the oxygen mask back on her wife.

"Shizuru, I love you," Natsuki pushes the mask away and says quickly, before wheezing violently again.

"I love you too, my Natsuki," Shizuru says as she desperately tries to keep her tone light.

"Shizuru, I know I'm dying. All I ask of you…," Natsuki vainly inhales, trying to get air into her failing lungs, "…is one last kiss," the agent says as she cups her wife's cheek.

Shizuru completely breaks down. She sobs uncontrollably.

"I…am…not…going…to…lose…you," Shizuru says through her sobs.

"Please…Shizuru," Natsuki looks up at her wife with pleading eyes.

Shizuru leans down, gives Natsuki a sweet chaste kiss on the cheek, and places the oxygen mask back on her wife's face.

"Ummm, Shizuru?"

"You shall receive a real kiss when you are strong enough to handle it," Shizuru teases.

Natsuki rolls her eyes the best she can and relaxes back into the bed in resignation. Shizuru stays with Natsuki until her wife falls asleep. The graceful agent gives Natsuki another sweet chaste kiss on her cheek before leaving.

Shizuru has been racking her brain, trying to figure out what type of poison Nao could have possibly given Natsuki. Unfortunately, with all the poisons in the world, the possibilities were endless. The graceful agent decides to visit Mikoto and pick her little genius brain.

Shizuru heads directly to Research and Development to find Mikoto. She finds the little mad scientist making adjustments inside a metal box.

Shizuru pokes her head inside the metal box and asks, "Koto, may I have a word with you in your office?"

Of course, this startles the young genius, so she smacks the top of her head as she forgets where she is and tries to straighten up.

"Ouch!" Mikoto yelps and rubs the top of her head.

Shizuru winces at witnessing Mikoto's pain. The young scientist crawls out of the metal box.

"Sure. This way," Mikoto says smiling and motions for Shizuru to follow her.

Mikoto opens the door to her office. Shizuru's eyes widen as she enters. The place looks like someone set off a bomb in it. The disarray is spectacular and Shizuru wonders if the young genius can find anything.

"Please, have a seat," Mikoto motions to a chair full of paperwork.

Shizuru removes the paperwork, trying to keep it in the same state as she removes it.

"How can I help you?" Mikoto asks from behind her desk.

"I know you are aware of the current situation with The Ice Wolf."

"Yes."

"Do you have any thoughts about the possible poison?"

"That would be Dr. Sagisawa's field of expertise, not mine. I'm better with electronic guts, not human."

"Thank you Koto. I apologize for taking up your time."

"You're welcome and trust me, it was a welcome break."

Shizuru leaves Mikoto's office disheartened. As she heads back to Medical, she passes Aoi's office and hears female giggling. She smiles, knowing the probable source of those giggles. Suddenly, a realization hits Shizuru and she knocks on the office door.

"Shhh, maybe they'll go away."

"Let me answer the door."

"Awww, c'mon. Leave it."

"No, I'm still at work."

"Fine."

"Darling…don't pout. I'll make it up to you when we get home."

A few minutes later, Aoi opens her office door to a grinning Shizuru.

"The Beguiling Stranger," Aoi says surprised.

"Good day, Director Senoh. I apologize for the interruption," Shizuru says as she looks over Aoi's shoulder at the disheveled Chie.

"How can I help you?" Aoi blushes.

"If this were any other time, I would have waited, but time is of the essence."

"Please, come in," Aoi says and motions for Shizuru to enter.

Compared to Mikoto's office, Aoi's was the polar opposite. Shizuru smiles knowingly at Chie, as the dashing agent quickly buttons up her shirt. The graceful agent takes a seat in front of Aoi's desk. Chie sits on the edge of the desk and Aoi takes her place behind it.

"As the top toxins expert in the world, I…"

"The Ice Wolf?"

"Yes."

"I've been working with Dr. Sagisawa to identify the poison, but the process is a slow one. It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. We have already administered the standard antidotes in poisoning cases, but none of them have worked. We can't give her too many or we'll end up poisoning her ourselves."

Shizuru's entire body slumps further and further, as she listens to Aoi.

"Is there anything we can do?"

"Unfortunately, no. The Red Spider refused to tell us anything, right up until she expired. Koto has her cybernetic brain and is trying to find a way to access the data stored within."

"What did…?"

"Koto has hers as well."

"Did The Red Spider say anything before she expired?"

"Not really. Dr. Sagisawa and I handled her interrogation personally. The Red Spider relished in taunting us."

"What did she say in her taunts?"

"You mean besides the expletives?"

"Yes."

"She talked about HER 'wolf pup' and continually inquired about her progress. Of course, we never divulged that information, which made her angrier and usually marked the end of the interrogation session."

Shizuru quickly processes everything Aoi tells her, trying to find a clue. She is so lost in her thoughts; she doesn't realize Aoi is no longer speaking. Aoi and Chie stare at the visibly distracted Shizuru in silence. Finally, after several minutes, Shizuru speaks.

"THAT'S IT!"

The uncharacteristic outburst startles Chie and Aoi.

"What's it?" Chie asks.

Shizuru looks at Chie, but the dashing agent can tell Shizuru isn't really seeing her. The graceful agent quickly pulls out her special communicator and slides it open.

"Wolfsbane!"

"WHAT?" Yohko exclaims loud enough for Chie and Aoi to hear.

"Check for Wolfsbane poisoning and contact me immediately," Shizuru says and closes the special communicator.

"Wolfsbane! Brilliant!" Aoi exclaims.

"The Red Spider was a brilliant agent who enjoyed tormenting others through mind games," Shizuru remembers.

"Yes," Chie pipes in.

"She counted on everyone assuming the poison would be from a spider, so no one would think to check for Wolfsbane," Shizuru states.

"And with all the species of spiders in the world, she was guaranteed we would not find the right one in time," Aoi says.

"Let's hope this is the one," Chie says.

In Natsuki's room, Shizuru looks at her wife lying on the bed.

"You are at peace now, my beloved."

Yohko enters the room and stands next to Shizuru. She places her hand reassuringly on Shizuru's shoulder. A loud beeping noise emits from Shizuru's pocket. She pulls out her special communicator and slides it open. The display reads: 00:00:00

"Time's up?" Yohko asks.

"Yes," Shizuru answers, closes the special communicator, and puts it back in her pocket.

"Where's my kiss?"

Shizuru smiles down at her wife, who is grinning weakly from ear-to-ear.