AN: A couple of things I'd like to address in this chapter. I make brief mention of firearms being used by civilians. I have made a point of never truly specifying what country this takes place in, because my knowledge of Japan is too limited to give an accurate portrayal. For instance, gun laws. I know they are strict, and that is where my knowledge ends. And to avoid a lot of research and having to alter some minor plots, I will be loosely using gun laws for the US. I do apologize in advance and ask you to use your suspension of disbelief.

The other thing is that many of these scenes are out of order. I try to write them in a way that you can tell what is "present" and what is "past" but if it's too confusing, let me know and I can go back and fix some things.

Finally, I am so sorry for how long it took to get this piece up.

Warnings: Some language, angst.

Translations:

tatami – a mat used as flooring material in traditional Japanese rooms.

Go – a Chinese strategy board game.

engawa – the veranda outside a room in Japanese architecture.

tsuba – the rounded handle guard of a katana/Japanese sword.

Tenchu – Divine Retribution.

Remnants of Fortitude

III.

XX

"You may go ahead with your report, Hannya." Hiko stared out the window as he spoke, his cup of sake hovering near his lips. Behind him, Sanosuke sat in a chair with his chin propped up, and his eyes focused on the direction of the flat-screen television across the room. The sound was off, but the motion was distracting enough.

The man being addressed stood across the desk from Hiko, dressed in gray utilitarian pants and shirt, his combat boots pulled together at attention. A pair of dog tags hung from his neck, and his face was void of expression. Or, it would be more accurate to say it was incapable of showing expression. His entire head was wrapped in scarred tissue, with no singular feature left untouched. It gave him an incredibly grotesque appearance, looking moderately humanoid at best. He had eyes, nostrils, and a mouth, but lacked the eyebrows, nose and lips that should have accompanied those orifices.

"She is no longer underweight for her height and structure. I still intend for her to put on another two kilos of muscle mass over the next month. The results of her latest lab work have returned and her blood chemistry and count are all within the average ranges." He pause briefly, shifting direction. "Her stamina has returned, so I am now able to get a better picture of her strengths. She has a high dexterity from practicing Kendo and is quite adept with it."

"Is that so?" Hiko's words were laced with some wry amusement, as if he were responding to a joke. It was no secret the man had an appreciation for sword arts. His opinions on Kendo, primarily commercial schools, were not very flattering.

"Yes, Sir. She practices a style which she learned in a private school during her childhood. Although my judgment on the sport is limited as I am a non-participant, I consider her stance and form to be excellent from a martial artist's perspective."

Hiko nodded, though it was not necessarily an approval. "Go on."

"Her proficiency with firearms is above average. She has had training with handguns, and I have been polishing that. However, all her skill has been in a practice range setting. I am certain she has never fired a weapon at a person."

"Her dad was a cop." Sanosuke's words hung in the air as both Hannya and Hiko stopped, looking over at him. No longer looking at the television, Sanosuke glanced down at his hands and back up at them. "She told me a few days ago. He taught her to shoot."

"By 'was' I assume he is deceased?" Hiko asked.

"I didn't press for details, but I think so." Sanosuke shrugged. "She said he wanted her to know how to defend herself."

"But she never carried when you knew her," Hiko said.

"Yeah. She said she didn't feel comfortable keeping a gun on her person." Sanosuke frowned.

"That attitude will need to change if she is to be of use to us." Hiko commented lightly, as if he were discussing the weather.

"She isn't made to kill people, Hiko," Sanosuke said softly. "She's angry. She's determined. But she ain't a killer. Forcing her into a situation where she has to be might break her."

"She's going to have to be if she wants him back. Hannya, continue." Hiko left no room for argument, effectively shutting down the conversation. Sanosuke pressed his lips in a tight line and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. If things went the way they were going, they would get Kenshin back but they would lose Kaoru in the process. Kenshin would never forgive him if she followed down the path Hiko had placed her on. What the hell was that man thinking, anyway?

XX

Sanosuke blinked out of his thoughts as he saw Kaoru approach. The cloud that hung over his head was pushed to the side as he put on a lazy smile and waved at her. She saw him, giving a wave back. Beside her, Shinomori looked as nondescript as ever with his suit and shades. Ironically, Sano felt that made him stand out even more, because he just looked like he was hiding something. Or was a secret government agent. Or from the Matrix movies.

He fell into stride on Kaoru's right side, Shinomori on her left. "How's it goin'?"

"I learned a lot today." Her response was calmer than Sanosuke was expecting. That frightened him. He lifted his gaze to Shinomori, but the other man gave no indication of anything at all.

"Is that so?" He asked softly as they ascended the brick steps that led up to the front doors of the manor. The man standing guard moved to open the door, bowing as he went. Sanosuke went in first, and Kaoru followed with Shinomori behind her. He proceeded to lead the way, and for a long while assumed Kaoru was not intending to say anymore.

Finally, her words reached his ears.

"They're using a fake me to hold Kenshin hostage."

Sanosuke's brows furrowed as he tried to make sense of what that meant; when he did figure it out, he twisted his head around, wide eyes looking down at her. "Hell, they're playing with fire."

"They have no choice if they want to keep him under control," Aoshi said quietly. "Though it is only a matter of time before such a weak plan falls apart. It is why they are so desperate to find Mrs. Himura."

Sanosuke narrowed his eyes at that. "Then I guess we gotta move fast then, if we don't want 'em to find Kaoru before we're ready."

"That is why we are here." Aoshi said in agreement as Sanosuke led them through a set of double doors made of rich mahogany, signaling they had reached an important room. The sudden change in design almost threw Kaoru off. The entire manor had been decked in modern Western design, with crown molding wrapping the halls and polished wood floors. This room was laid out in traditional Japanese fashion, from the tatami mats on the floor to the sliding doors which were open to a private garden. A wind chime clinked softly nearby.

Sitting out on the engawa that wrapped around the garden were two men across from each other in a game of Go. One, she recognized as Hiko, a cup of what she assumed was sake held to his lips. Across from him was someone she had not seen before. In contrast to Hiko he seemed small, though that was not a fair comparison. He was handsome, but there was a shrewdness in his eyes as he considered his next move that made her immediately wary of him.

Sanosuke stepped out of his shoes, bare feet crossing the floor to plop down some distance away but within hearing range of the two men. Kaoru hesitated, glancing at Aoshi, who nodded and mimicked Sano's actions. He bowed to both men before seating himself, and Kaoru followed in suit, sitting next to him. Hiko lifted his gaze up to her, and finally the other man looked up from the board. His eyes shifted from both men, then finally to Kaoru. "Ah. You must be Kaoru Himura."

Kaoru swallowed, forcing a thin smile. "I suppose I am. And you are?"

He smiled benignly, though Kaoru had to wonder the sincerity behind it. "My name is Kogoro Katsura. I was one of the founders of Restoration."

Kaoru glanced down at her folded hands in her lap, considering this. She lifted her eyes back up to him, her expression guarded. "Elaborate, please."

He considered her for a moment, and she stared back evenly, unflinching. He smiled again. "I am the tactician. I organized most of the measures and countermeasures we use against terrorists. I am also the one who proposed the project that forged Battousai, or as you know him, Kenshin."

Kaoru swallowed thickly, her palms sweating. Was he... did he intend to finally tell her the answers to questions she had never dared to ask? She had always told herself from the beginning she did not care how Kenshin became Battousai. That was a lie. She did want to know, but she never dared to ask. In the end, he was simply Kenshin to her and that was all that mattered. Now the entire situation was different. He would still always be just Kenshin, but in order to save him, she needed to know everything. Everything.

She heard the words leave her lips even as she tried to get a reign in on her thoughts. "And the details of that project...?"

"Are classified," Katsura said simply, moving his piece on the board. He paused momentarily, before adding, "Or were before Restoration fell apart." He sighed, rolling the muscles in his back and looked up at the wind chime twirling above him. Everyone was quiet, and Kaoru realized perhaps she was not the only one who did not know everything about Kenshin. How much did Sanosuke know? Or Mr. Shinomori? What about Mr. Hiko? Did each of them just have different pieces of the puzzle that was the man she loved?

"The project was called Tenchu. Usually project names are supposed to be innocuous, but well...Miyabe has a penchant for dramatics." He paused, clearing his throat. "In short, Tenchu involved genetic alteration and recoding on a subject with the intended goal of creating a super-human. 'Battousai' was the name given to the first and only successful result. We since have been unable to replicate the results in other subjects, and when the bombings went down, most of the data was lost, effectively ending Tenchu, and ultimately Restoration."

Kaoru's eyes had fallen down to the board game as she took in this very important piece of information. It sounded so bizarre and yet... it explained much about Kenshin's abilities.

"So... his strength and speed... and his accelerated healing are all because of genetic modifications?"

"Yes. In addition to that, his reflexes and olfactory senses have been heightened. We even managed to broaden his visible spectrum of light to see infrared and ultraviolet, and slow his aging process down."

Sanosuke whistled, his eyes wide. He sat back, arms crossed over his chest and his gaze briefly met Kaoru's before turning back to Katsura. Kaoru watched him for a moment, taking in his reaction. So Sano did not know about that, or at least he did not know parts of it. Aoshi had not reacted, and neither had Hiko. Biting her lip, Kaoru took several long moments considering the possibilities of having such abilities. Then the realization of the why hit home hard. "All this to create a perfect killer," she said softly.

"I will not say it was the only reason, as you can likely imagine the worth of such technology in other settings, but yes. Our goal was to create an assassin of the highest caliber to deploy against our enemies."

"Did you get his consent?" Kaoru suddenly asked, tone icy. "Did you even ask before doing this to him? Did you force it on him? Did you maybe consider he did not want that life? That he did not want to be a test subject who murdered at your whims? Did you think about that?"

Katsura lifted his gaze and held hers for a very long, silent moment. Finally, he spoke and his words chilled Kaoru to the bone.

"Kenshin Himura volunteered with full knowledge of what would be done to him, Mrs. Kaoru. He gave us his full consent and cooperation. He always had during Restoration. It is only now that he is being forced, and certainly not by me."

He had... volunteered. Why? Why would he do such... how could he? Her horror must have been reflected on her face, because Sanosuke blanched and moved to get up. Hiko held up a hand which effectively stilled him, though he worked his jaw a few times in silent protest.

The larger man carefully considered his sake for a moment, allowing Kaoru time to think about the weight of what she had been told. Just as she looked like she might crack, he spoke. "The idiot has always been an idealist. He agreed with the idea he thought would make the world a better place. He alone would bear the burden of the lives he took—lives that would take other lives that did not deserve death."

Kaoru set a watery gaze on Hiko. He stared back evenly, his calmness serving as her lifeline. "A fool he is, but do not doubt his heart."

She nodded, then mumbled an excuse before fleeing the room. She did not quite make it out of the room before the crying started.

Sanosuke jumped to his feet to follow, but Katsura held up his hand. "Let her be, Mr. Sagara. We have much to discuss and time is not free."

"It can wait another five minutes," Sanosuke snapped, unable to hold back his temper. "Missy feels like it's her against the world right now. It'd be in yer best interest for someone to actually show her he's on her side. It wouldn't hurt for you assholes to consider her feelings instead of playin' off of 'em once in a while, but I guess that's why you're th' top guys."

Without waiting for a dismissal he stormed off after Kaoru, door slapping shut behind him.

Katsura watched after him before commenting thoughtfully, "I like him."

Hiko sighed and finally reached forward to make his move on the board while Aoshi said nothing.

XX

He preferred to work in the dark. He had much advantage over others at night. His vision was superior, and his cover was much higher. There were less potential witnesses, too. However, since he had been pulled back into this world, his jobs had been at any and all hours. Once they realized how little sleep he truly needed, they seemed to thrive on keeping him busy. If he was not out working, he was stuck in a small laboratory being prodded by a squabble of junior scientists who were both terrified and confused by him. Terrified, because they knew what he was. Confused, because what they thought they knew and what they were recording were two entirely different things, and they could not make heads or tails of it.

They did not have the equipment or knowledge to run the tests and diagnostics on him that kept his body conditioned. It had been nearly a year since his last true 'maintenance check' and the data they did have was much older than that. And he could recognize what they were having trouble seeing. It was his body after all.

And it was changing.

It opened up so many questions he did not have answers for. He did not think much on them for he did not allow the time. If he was not working, his thoughts were filled with soft laughter and a loving smile. It was what kept him going.

For her.

He stepped into the warehouse, silent and unseen.

It was all for her.

He drew his weapon, eyes focusing on the exchange happening just a few meters away, counting his targets.

He would do it again and again if it meant she would be alive and safe.

Blood splattered across the ground.

'Do you hate me for this now, Kaoru? Even if you do, I would do it over again for you.'

XX

She had collapsed into the first room down the hall that was unlocked, not even bothering to shut the door behind her. She sunk to the floor and held her knees to her chest as she cried, uncaring of anything around her. It all hurt so much. It hurt that he was not here. It hurt that he was there because of her. It hurt that he had forfeit a normal life to help other people. It hurt that she had doubted him.

That, perhaps, hurt most of all. She had actually, for a moment, doubted Kenshin. She was disgusted with herself. How far low had she fallen to judge him like that? What kind of horrible person was she becoming? She had no one to blame but herself. Were her ideals so weak?

She barely registered the footsteps until they stopped beside her. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and heard someone take a seat next to her. Sanosuke hesitated to do anything more, but his presence was monumental. After a few more minutes of sobbing, she managed to calm down enough that she lifted her head, wiping her face with her shirt. She probably looked as awful as she felt, but she met Sanosuke's gaze anyway.

"Y'okay?" He asked, even if the answer was obvious. She forced a tight-lipped smile and shook her head, wiping at her face some more.

"I'm angry," She said, stuttering over the words a little.

"Yeah, me too. I know it doesn't look like it, but Katsura is one of the good guys here."

"I'm not mad at him, Sano," Kaoru said quietly, hugging her knees a little tighter. "I'm mad at myself. Because for a moment, I doubted Kenshin. I questioned the kind of person he was. I didn't believe in him."

Sanosuke was quiet as Kaoru clenched her eyes shut, tears falling from the corners. He grimaced, trying to think of how to say what he wanted to say, without setting her off again. He was not good with words, but he felt like he needed to try. "Yeah, but you don't doubt him now."

She paused, looking up at him. He shrugged and glanced around the room. "Shit's gone to hell and yer in the middle of it. I think everyone'll forgive you for havin' a moment of doubt. Kenshin probably would. So you should, too. Can't save him if you don't pick yourself up and move on, yeah?"

She stared at him for a moment before giving a half-sob, half-laugh and wiping at her eyes. "You know, I was expecting you to make me cry again."

"Yeah, me too," Sanosuke admitted, grimacing. "Wait, you mean I didn't?"

This time, she managed a laugh that sounded a little less pathetic. "I'm surprised, too." She took in a few more shuddered breaths. "Help me find a bathroom. I need to clean up my face."

He helped her to her feet. "Yeah, the snot on your shirt is real classy."

"Here, let me wipe some on you so we'll match."

"Ew, Kaoru! What the hell!"

XX

Some time later found Kaoru much calmer and cradling a cup of tea in her palms. The mild flavor and heat did much to soothe her nerves, and she stared down at the small pattern of leaves she could see at the bottom of the liquid. Hiko, Katsura and Aoshi had been in quiet discussion when she and Sanosuke had returned. She did not know about what, but suspected they were not too confident in her emotional stability. She knew very well she was being tolerated because she was a key player in this game. None of this was for her.

It made a bitter smile touch her lips before she forced the sour thoughts away through willpower. This would not help Kenshin. She needed to be there for Kenshin. She needed to be strong, to be composed, and to be used for Kenshin. Gaining her center again, she turned her attention back to the group. "Please excuse me for earlier. What is it you wish to discuss in my presence?"

Hiko regarded her quietly for a moment. Katsura glanced over to her and nodded. "Miyabe has made contact through a neutral connection. He wants to meet with me at a third party location."

Sanosuke's head snapped up. "What? Why?"

Katsura smiled thinly. "I would like to imagine it is for a negotiating terms of neutrality between our now divided numbers. However, I would be a fool if I truly thought he did not intend to kill me."

"That sounds very...um," Kaoru paused, trying to think of the right word. "...stupid," She finished awkwardly. She could have sworn she saw Hiko's lips quirk upward briefly, but she did not want to start disillusioning herself. "I mean... a neutral, third party location? It would be obvious that both sides would show up with protection. His side would not come out unscathed."

Katsura gave Kaoru a meaningful look. "Unless his bodyguard is Battousai."

Kaoru's lips parted in surprise. Katsura continued. "He is desperate. He knows we have you, and that without you he cannot control Battousai. He has been very unsuccessful in finding anything about you except what we have been falsely feeding him."

Kaoru watched him nod to Aoshi. Still, something did not quite make sense. "Why would he act now? What have you led him to believe that would give him enough motivation to do something like this?"

Aoshi spoke up. "He is under the impression we have moved you out of the country to protect you. For the past few weeks we have been leading him on a false trail of safe houses he believed you to be hiding in. This last time resulted in what he believes was a close-call, that we barely managed to get you away in time. Now he thinks he is pressing the advantage, and that we have moved you out of the country in desperation. He hopes to deliver a crippling blow now that you are out of the picture."

Hiko smiled slightly. "Well played."

Kaoru was impressed. The amount of work and delicacy all of this called for—it meant the skill of people like Mr. Shinomori were uncanny. Though, now she had to wonder... "So, what's the plan?"

XX

The neutral location turned out to be in the heart of downtown. The twenty-eighth floor of the Ivory Tower was an eatery owned by a company that had given resources to Restoration in the past. Now that the organization had divided, the company had chosen not to take sides, but allowed the use of this location for a meeting ground.

Katsura admitted he felt bad as he knew this would extinguish ties with the group as a whole. Miyabe had every intent of taking down Katsura, and everyone else involved was collateral. At what point had Miyabe lost sight of the real enemy? Katsura could only wonder. Regardless, he was certain tonight was not going to go down in the way Miyabe had planned, and by morning, Kenshin Himura would be under his wing again. Then, they could focus on the real enemy. Because without Battousai, Miyabe did not have enough power to be a runner in this race. That was, of course, if he even survived the night.

Katsura sincerely doubted he would.

XX

What should have been ambient lighting from the chandeliers was more unnerving than anything else. In the emptiness of the restaurant they cast shadows on the tall walls and dark corners seemed foreboding. The tables were all set, dressed in soft creams with glass vase centerpieces filled with an assortment of flowers. The hardwood floors reflected the soft light, creating small yellow orbs across the polished planks. The fifteen-foot windows gave a panoramic view of the city all the way down to the harbor. On any other night, it would have been a wonderful place to be.

But not this night.

Kenshin's face was set in a grim mask. He did not want to be here this night. He knew what was waiting for him. He would kill Katsura at Miyabe's command. He would kill Katsura, and any other bodyguard or agent he may bring. It did not matter the number. Even if he died in the process, that was what he would have to do. If he failed to kill Katsura, Miyabe had promised Kaoru's head to be removed from her body and delivered to him.

He would not fail. He would hate himself even more for it, hate it because he did it all for Kaoru and yet it was all so horrible. But it would be done.

He stepped into the lobby of the Ivory Tower, his stride matching Miyabe's. The man was dressed in a tailored suit. His gilded shoes clacked sharply on the marble floors as they made their way to the elevator. He was just a little taller than Kenshin, a little more stout, with some gray blending into his temple. His eyes carried a pleasantness that belied his true nature.

Beside him Kenshin was dressed in a white button-down shirt covered in a pinstriped vest and black slacks. His sheathed sword hung at his left side, and a holstered gun at his right. His own shoes were marginally quieter, the soles made of a thick rubber for traction and running. His long hair had been combed back into a tight ponytail at the base of his neck.

Behind him were four additional men in nondescript black suits. It was only a small representation of how many more would be patrolling the block in disguise. Not that they would be needed.

The elevator moved quickly, and with each floor passed Kenshin grew a little more tense. When the ding sounded, signaling their arrival, he closed his eyes almost painfully.

The doors opened and they stepped out into the restaurant. It seemed virtually empty, save for two men. That said, Kenshin could sense at least three more individuals in the room, hidden around corners or behind pillars. The first of the two visible men sat at a table, perusing the menu with mild interest. Dressed equally as nice as Miyabe, Katsura always managed to look poised no matter what he was doing. Behind him, his bodyguard looked as roguish as ever, and no manner of tailoring was going to refine him anytime soon.

Kenshin's stomach lurched when he recognized Sanosuke standing beside Katsura. Oh, no. 'Sanosuke, why are you here, you idiot!'

He would never forgive himself, but what choice would he have? Miyabe would want Sanosuke dead, too. He did not want to kill the one man he could call a friend, but if he did not, the one woman he loved would die.

Katsura looked up and stood. "Mr. Miyabe. I hope time has treated you well since we last spoke." He bowed in greeting.

Miyabe played along, returning the gesture. "Quite well, Katsura. I have been most fortunate in gaining some important assets."

Katsura's eyes fell onto Kenshin. "So I have heard. Hello, Mr. Himura."

Kenshin said nothing, staring at him quietly. Katsura was a job now. Surely he realized this now that he saw that Battousai was here? His eyes flickered to Sanosuke, who was staring back at him with a strange look. Kenshin was unsure what to make of it. Was he aware he would die, too? Was he trying to say 'it is not your fault?' Did that mean he understood why Kenshin had no choice?

"Do you understand the significance of Battousai's presence, Katsura?" Miyabe asked, skipping the rest of the formalities. There was an eagerness in his voice that betrayed him. It made Kenshin want to cringe.

Katsura frowned, glancing back at Kenshin. "I would be a fool if I did not know what you were planning from the start, Mr. Miyabe. You have always been somewhat two-dimensional and simple. That is why I was the strategist between the two."

Miyabe's face turned a rather ugly shade of purple, bypassing red all together. "So eager to die, Katsura? Fine! Kill him, Battousai!"

Kenshin's thumb pressed against the tsuba of his blade, and Katsura held up his hand. For whatever reason, Kenshin paused to hear what he had to say. Give a dying man his last words, he supposed.

"There will be no need for you to kill me this night, Mr. Himura," Katsura said with a measure of calmness that Kenshin had to admire.

"And why is that?" Miyabe asked, unable to hide the sneer coloring his words. "What do you think you can do to halt Battousai? He is mine to command!"

Katsura tilted his head almost thoughtfully. "I am cutting his chains. You believe you have the most powerful card to be played in this hand. However, let me show you mine."

And with a snap of his fingers did a form walk out from behind the pillar to his left. Her long hair was now cut short, but he would recognize her face anywhere in the world because it haunted him every night. She was dressed in a pinstripe pantsuit that flattered her figure, with her low heels clacking soundly across the laquered floor. She came to a stop beside Katsura, eyes settling on him.

For the first time in his life Kenshin forgot how to breathe.

XX

AN: Oh hey, lookit that! They're back together (kinda sorta not really). Now that I'm over this hurdle of a chapter, maybe I won't get smacked with writer's block for this story again. We'll see. Thanks for being patient, (or even impatient, as that at least showed you were interested, hahaha!) and of course, thank you for reviewing!

PS: Bonus points for anyone who gets why I chose Tenchu as the project name. It does have to do with RK, as I mentioned on my tumblr for those who follow.

I thrive on your reviews, so please tell me what you think!

-Rain