Tell Me Goodbye

There is nothing like a bloodbath to ease the mind of a killer. The sensation of blood passing through a man's fingers, gently sliding and dripping to the floor; there is nothing else that matters besides pleasing the boss.

This is how his mind worked when the boss would give him a mission to carry out with his comrades. Xemnas gave you a mission, and you did it, no questions asked. If you refused, or disobeyed, you'd get a bullet lodged in your cranial cavity so fast you wouldn't have realized it hit you until the bright light came for you.

So if Xemnas gave you an order, you were to say "On it, Chief." and went and had the deed done. Axel had never taken orders lightly, but did them so he wouldn't get shot dead.

The boss had called him and three others into his office, wanting the door closed and latched before he spoke another word. The four men stood before him in the dim office, the only light hung precariously on a lighting fixture above Xemnas' desk, illuminating his silver hair and dark skinned features.

"I would like you four to carry out a delicate operation," Xemnas explained, placing his hands together and under his chin. "The Suzumi's are a wealthy family, and as you are well aware, once a wealthy family, always a wealthy family."

Suzumi? Oh hell no, Axel thought, keeping a straight face as the boss finished his demands.

Xemnas pulled a cigar out of his suit, lighting it with a zippo lighter and putting it to his lips, the end of the cigar lighting orange. "I need you to kidnap the daughter of the family, Haruko, as ransom. We are going to keep her and ask for five hundred thousand dollars, and she can be returned to her family safely." He breathed out a puff of smoke. "But if they fail to match the price offered," He took the cigar in his hands, and snubbed it in a glass bowl. "Lights out for Haruko."

A quick pull downward of Axel's black fedora ensured that Xemnas wouldn't see the gritting of teeth, the glare of betrayal he sent his boss in question. It also ensured that his comrades wouldn't see the expression on his face.

"Xigbar, Roxas, Demyx, and Axel," Xemnas said, saying each man's name in succession down the line. "You are to go to the Suzumi household, kidnap Haruko, and bring her straight here, and only here. Bring guns and rope to bound and gag her if needed. Are we clear?" he instructed, his eyes glancing over each of the men's faces.

"On it, Chief," they chorused in unison, before going to unlock the door and carry out the duty. Axel managed to mask the outrage at the mission he was given, and swallowed the anger and frustration of it all.

No one had known about it, or seen him which was a good thing on his part. No one in the Mafia knew of his relationship with Haruko Suzumi. They had been dating for three months in secret, Haruko's family not having a clue as to with who exactly their daughter was dating.

Now he had to kidnap her, and possibly carry out the duty of killing her if her parents didn't have the money. Shit, he knew they didn't have half a million stashed in a bank somewhere. They were rich, but not rich enough to just have half a mil lying around for anyone to take.

They were all in the black car, headed out to her house. Axel pulled his black fedora over his face, shielding his green eyes and teardrop tattoos. He acted like this mission wasn't a big deal, since he had done plenty like them before. The other men in the car believed it and didn't talk to him, leaving him alone in his thoughts.

On the inside, though, his guts were twisting in pain unimaginable. He didn't want to hurt his girl, never. He didn't want to see pain flash through her eyes at something he did, or something he could prevent.

Something clicked in his head, and wheels and gears turned and worked until they were aligned, the plan of action formed in his head. Green eyes were filled with hope under his fedora, a grin bursting through his lips.

A plan had formed in his head. Getting attention away from her would be the hard part, but he hoped they would go after him more than they would her.

They had arrived at the mansion, Xigbar parking on the side of the street. It was far enough away that the family wouldn't suspect a thing, but close enough that they could get in and out quickly.

"All right boys. It's show time." Xigbar grinned, holding his machine gun in his hand. "Apparently the girl is home alone right now, her mother out for groceries, and her father at work."

"What about maids, and butlers and all that?" Roxas inquired, wrapping a gloved hand around the twine he held.

Black eyes rolled. "They'll move if you point a gun at them and threaten to shoot," Xigbar remarked, taking lead as the group of men walked to the house. Axel moved in step with Demyx as they got closer to the house.

Once the men reached the door, Xigbar moved aside, letting Axel knock on the door. Axel's job was to get the attention of the girl they were kidnapping. This would be easy.

The door opened, and a woman with dark hair past her shoulders answered the door. Her brown eyes widened in alarm at the presence of the men, and motioned to Axel as to what was going on.

"Haruko Suzumi?" Axel asked, his eyes willing her to believe that this wasn't his doing, that he had to do this.

She bit her lip and frowned. "Yes?" she asked quizzically, placing a hand on the door.

"Come," Axel demanded, grabbing her wrist and pulling her away from the door and to him, wrapping his arms around her as he walked off with her.

Demyx left a note on the table inside the doorway before shutting the door, the rest following Axel.

"Axel, you're hurting me. What's going on?" she breathed, only Axel hearing her plea.

He loosened his grip slightly and whispered back that he would explain later as he opened his car door and ushered her in. She sat in between him and Roxas in the back seat as the tires squealed against the pavement and a scream was heard in the household.

Back at the headquarters, they put her in a room, assigning Axel to guard her, and be sure she didn't get away. He bolted the door from the inside to be sure no one would get in before he turned to Haruko, walking a few short steps to her. He crouched down beside the chair she sat in, putting a hand in hers and another cradling her face.

"Axel, what's going on? Why am I here?" she asked, holding the hand he held to her face.

He saw confusion in her eyes, and looked away from her face as he gathered his thoughts. He turned back to her and said, "You're here because the Mafia wants half a million dollars from your family, you being returned if your family finds the money. If your family doesn't pay up-" He stopped speaking, the grip on his hand hurting the bones and muscles.

She finished his sentence for him. "If my dad doesn't give your boss the money, I die. Is that it?" Her voice was quiet, even. She took his silence as a yes. "Can't you do anything about it?" she asked, her voice rising higher.

"Keep your voice down," he ushered, looking at the door as if someone were on the other end with a stethoscope listening in. "I can," he breathed. "but I may get killed over it." He chuckled at her horrified expression, stroking her face. "It would be worth it if it meant you got away safely."

A sad smile graced her lips. "I wouldn't want you to die for me. What if they found me and killed me after they killed you?" she countered moving closer to him.

"Well then we would be like Romeo and Juliet, star-crossed lovers until the end," he smiled, kissing her lips softly. He pulled away and added, "But we don't need to rush anything. We still don't know if your dad actually has the sum needed. Plus, I have a plan of getting you out of here if worse comes to worse."

A knock on the door cut off what he was about to say next. "C'mon Axel. The boss wants a word with all of us," he heard Demyx say on the other end of the door.

"All right. I'll be right there," he replied loudly so Demyx could hear, and then turned to Haruko. "Haru, trust me on this, okay? Neither of us are going to die. Not when I have a say in it." He kiss her forehead before getting up and walking to the door, unlocking it and opening it, walking out of the room.

He reached Xemnas' Office at the same time Xigbar did, and both walked into the room and stood alongside Demyx and Roxas. Xemnas was shuffling through some papers before he looked at the men standing before him. "I got a desperate call from a troubled father, wanting his daughter back, but claiming he didn't have enough money and wanted to bargain," he informed them, a hard edge to his eyes. "Now, what do I always say to that, Demyx?" he inquired.

Demyx recited the motto religiously. "No money equals a payment."

"And what payment is it this time, Roxas?" Xemnas asked, a grin on his chiseled face.

"Haruko Suzumi's life," the blonde muttered bleakly.

"Indeed," Xemnas agreed, his grin getting wider. "The execution should be tomorrow night at seven o'clock."

They were dismissed, and Axel tried his best not to just run to the room where Haruko was kept a take her away from all of this. "Should I inform the prisoner?" he asked Xigbar brusquely as they walked the same corridor.

Xigbar smirked, and replied, "Yeah, I think you should. It would give the dame something to worry over."

The red head faked a smirk of agreement at Xigbar before turning the corner and walking up to the door where Haruko was imprisoned, a guard standing out front.

He opened the door and then closed and latched it like before, and turned to see Haruko with her head down on the desk, her face tucked into her arms. Axel smiled as he walked up to her, shaking her shoulders. "Haru!" he said gently. "It's me." She rose her head, and smiled at him.

"What did he want?" she asked.

"Your Pops called and said that he didn't have the money," Axel explained, getting straight to the point. "They're wanting to execute you at seven in the evening tomorrow." He walked towards the only window in the room, leading outside. It was small, but big enough for Haruko to fit through. He unlatched it. "But I'm not going to let them. I'm going to help you out of this room, and walk out of here like nothing happened. Run to the Deli a few blocks down. I'll get you from there and take you where they won't find you." He grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a bruising kiss before grabbing her waist and helping her out of the window.

Axel latched the window back as he saw Haruko run, and turned and walked to the door and unlatched it, opening and closing the door like nothing happened. He put his hands in his pockets as he strolled casually down the hall, taking the turns necessary to get out of the building.

No one in the Mafia was outside, or happened to glance in that particular direction so no one saw Haruko get away. Axel was relieved by this as he drove to the Deli in the black Lincoln, feeling a small weight being lifted off of his shoulders, if ever so slightly. He knew shit was about to go down when they found out Haruko was gone. They were going to blame him.

He knew this.

He tucked those thoughts away once he spotted Haruko, and slowed down just enough so she could hop in. Then he gunned it down the street, getting out of this place.

She didn't bother asking where he was taking her to hide, and he was grateful for this. That way he could think. There was an old house he lived in when he was a kid that he knew was vacant, and far enough away that they wouldn't think to check there since he was over and done with the place.

He drove her there and dropped her off, telling her of the secret way he used to get in when he forgot the key once. She smiled and kiss him through the rolled down window before he sped off.

It was the next day before they found out that Haruko was missing. The idiots never checked on her at all that night and got a surprise the next morning.

Axel heard a gun cock a few hallways down, his door open because of the heat wave that rolled in. He reached across the desk he was sitting at and dialed the old number, praying the phone lines at the house worked.

"He-lo?" He heard on the other end. Static cut in every other syllable, but he heard it loud and clear.

"Haru! Baby, they're coming for me. I just wanted you to know I love you, and tell me goodbye," he said in a rush, hoping any of his message got through to the other end.

"-ove -ou Ax-" he heard before the line went dead. He heard boots at the end of the hall, coming in succession. Once they got to the end of the hallway and turned the corner, they would have him.

He got up out of his seat quickly, leaving the room and walking down the hallway, opposite to the gunmen. He pushed through the door, and jumped into the car.

A shot rang out and the driver's side window broke, shattering glass everywhere. Axel winced, but put the car in drive, speeding off to anywhere. Blood cascaded down his face, and he looked in the side view mirror. The bullet had grazed his face, a cut across the bridge of his nose.

But he was alive. That was all that mattered.