The Woman Called 663

Chapter 5.~The Memories.~

    "Today's the day and everything has been prepared. I want you guys there by ten so that should give you enough time to get to the city and prepare. You will be late so you'll be noticed more efficiently than if you went early. Stacy had already packed your bags into the car. I'll see you soon." Giuseppe finished giving out his final run through speech.

    "I'll make sure that this mission is complete and you'll only see me when I have finished this job with flying colors." Mayou saluted Giuseppe and Tog.

    This was some joke that they did everytime someone left on a job because they all knew that no matter what the job will be completed and they come back. Mayou opened the car door for 663 so she would properly get into the right seat this time. "Are you sure you don't want to come?" Mayou asked Tog before he opened his door.

    "Yeah, I'll leave this one to the newbies. I have missions that are at higher levels than this one." Tog crossed his arms as he grinned at Mayou.

    "What missions? I don't see any." Giuseppe looked up and down with his hand above his eyes as if he was searching for something far away.

    Tog frowned and glared at his boss before slamming his foot down in frustration and storming back inside while mumbling, "Not funny, not funny."

    Mayou broke out laughing along with Giuseppe. When the fits stopped Giuseppe seriously looked Mayou in the eyes. "Come back as soon as your done. No wandering. You hear me boy."

    Mayou groaned, "Don't call me boy. It's Mayou. My-you. Here pronounce it with me. May-you."

    "Boy, get ongoing will ya, before I have to kick you out." Giuseppe hissed at him like a cat, he even put his hands up like claws.

    "I'm leaving, I'm leaving. Shsh you old cot." Mayou got inside the car, letting it roar to life with a simple key.

    He back out of the driveway and headed back down the dirt road which he had entered on.

    663 leaned her head against the window, letting the scenery pass her by. She was tired and zoned out like she has been for the last few days. Ever since her first dream, it's like her mind craved it causing her to sleep earlier and longer only to be met with dreams that never came. However, this time was different. When she closed her eyes to listen to the birds amongst the trees, she heard a giggle that was followed by a groan. It was the same whitespace with the same man that was disguised by a black shadow. His body was always deformed as it was bumpy and his outlines waved back and forth.

    She sat staring at him before she heard herself speak. "Good morning Ma-chan."

    "Hmph! It's %#$@*. %$@-&*. Here pronounce it with me. %$@-&*." He groaned at her and was desperate to have her call him by something else.

    "Maaaaa-chan." Her lips grew into a gleaming smile as she looked up at him.

    He smirked and grabbed her by the waist to swing her around, their laughs filling the room. The room fizzled out like it always does at the end and she woke up to shaking.

    "Come, we're here Pleza." The moment they entered the town they started to use their aliases in case anyone was watching.

    She squeezed her eyes, quickly getting into her role, just like Pleoh taught her to. "No. Carry me." She held out her arms, waiting for Mayou to pick her up.

    He sighed, but he looked at her gently, "Come."

    She giggled as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he scooped her up underneath her knees and back. He shut the door with his foot and letting it lock automatically before he walked into the hotel. He walked up to the front desk, "Dimash Kuda."

    The woman popped her bubble gum as she typed up his name, "Room 563." She tossed him the keys and went back to texting on her phone, not once looking at him.

    He frowned when he saw her toss the keys, but 663 caught the keys for him and held it up to her mouth grinning. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead, "Thank you, Pleva." He said her name so sweetly that it made the desk lady look up.

    Her mouth dropped wide open popping the bubble into her face. She squealed and scrambled to peel it off, taking away layers of her caked thick makeup. Mayou grinned and the sight as he walked to the elevator. The doors opened as soon as he pressed the button and he headed up to the room. 663 unlocked the door for him since he held her tight in his grip. Once he had entered he set her down on her own two feet, "I'll go get the bags and you can shower while you wait."

    She pouted, but kissed him on the cheek, "Just leave dress by the bathroom door, please." She headed off to the bathroom inside the bedroom.

    "What a phenomenal actor, although her sentences still need some work." He quickly went to grab the bags from the trunk of the car.

    When he got back he set the suitcases on the bed and opened the eggplant purple one to see a beautiful deep sea blue with bright purple that danced with the blue along the seams. He gently took it out and placed it on a chair by the bathroom door.

    He heard the shower still running so he decided to go ahead and change into his tux that matched with her dress, except without the purple. By the time she was showering, he was just combing his hair to the side. He saw a hand through the corner of her eye grab the dress and pull it into the bathroom.

    "Dimash, I need help please." Her gentle voice lifted from the cracked bathroom door.

    "With what?" He called out to her.

    "The zip. I no reach." He could hear her grunt in frustration and he chuckled.

    He came into the bathroom without knocking and was greeted by her back. He clasped the zipper that was stuck a few inches above her butt and pulled up, passing tons of scars, big and small. He was surprised to see just how many battle wounds she received, after all, she seemed like the type that wouldn't get injured, however, this wasn't the time to ask about them so he kept quiet. When he finished with the zipper he loosely tied gold sash around her waist, tying it in a big bow.

    "All done?" She asked over her shoulder.

    "All done. Now give me a spin." Mayou held her hand above her head and watched her twirl.

    Her dress was just below the knee in the front, but in the back, the tail extended to her ankles. The sleeves were long and replicated the dress length by the front stopping right past her elbow and the back half reaching a few feet past her fingertips. The shoulders were covered by a thin strap before cutting to show her shoulder and continuing into the sleeve. The sash threaded through a small white hoop and helped make the dress become more form fitting since it was a loose flowy fabric. It made her hair pop out beautifully.

    "You look gorgeous. Now let us head to the party." He held out his arm and allowed her to gently hold his elbow.

    They stopped by the door to put her shoes on before heading down to the car. He held the door open for her and helped buckle her in since she still had trouble doing it properly. She smiled at him in thanks and waited for him to get settled on his side before he peeled out of the driveway.

    663 bent down, pretending to adjust her open-toed heel strap but in reality, her face hurt. She's never smiled this much during a mission and her zygomaticus muscles needed a break.

    "Everything ok?" Mayou took a quick glance at 663.

    "Hmm. Fixing shoe." 663 came back up and smiled at him.

    "Alright, in a few minutes we'll be there." He turned a corner.

    Neither of them spoke till he parked the car and came to open her door, "We're here." He held out his hand for her and she gracefully accepted it.

    They stood before an overly large house that had exaggerated trees and plants with a stone walkway to marble stairs. Mayou led her to the door and knocked three times. A butler opened the large wooden door and bowed to them as he stood to the side to allow the two inside. Mayou walked right past him without giving any sign of thanks and lead 663 inside.

    The music was loud and pounded against the walls making the surfaces bounce with the rhythm. The main living room was crowded with dancing and drinking people which provide little to no movement room. It was then that they realized that getting to those stairs might be more difficult than they thought. Mayou went ahead and started to search for Tagetto as he brought 663 to the bar counter. The two pretended to make small talk and 663 would sometimes bring her hand up to her mouth and laugh.

    Mayou scanned the area behind 663 and he spotted Tagetto talking to a group of women, but his eyes would sometimes travel over to 663. So Mayou lightly grabbed a hair strand and tucked it behind her ear dragging his fingers down to the ends and letting it fall and catch the light like rain. He smirked at Tagetto and kissed her forehead saying, "I'm going now. I'll see you later." He walked off keeping an eye on Tagetto as he dipped into the crowd, disappearing from sight.

    Tagetto took this chance to come to the girl who caught his eye the moment she entered his house. The woman he was with clicked her tongue and glared at 663.

    "Excuse me, miss." He touched her shoulder and grinned when she didn't shake him off but smiled at him instead.

    "Yes?" Her voice was gentle yet seductive and it brought chills down his spine.

    "Would you like to get a drink with me?" He moved to stand in front of her, his hand never leaving her skin.

    "Yes." She smiled wide and allowed the man to buy her a drink.

    They made small talk, but as the crowd kept growing bigger and pushed them together. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Let's go somewhere more private." He said 'private' seductively but frowned when she walked away.

    His heart thumped and his hands perspired until he saw her turn to him and wiggle her finger telling him to come, so he did. He chased her up to the third floor and was expecting her to go to the third floor, but surprisingly she went to the last room. He slowly came in after her, surveying the room, however, when he saw her cleavage as she bent over to remove her shoes he lost all suspension and immediately came upon her. He grabbed her by the back of her head and slammed his lips against hers.

    He roughly pushed her back, not letting their lips separate, he didn't worry about crushing her as he blatantly didn't hold himself up. He slid his hand under her dress but as soon as he touched her hip he heard a scream. He quickly looked behind him to see the woman he was talking to earlier pointing at a black shadow. It was the man that was with this woman before, she called him her brother, Dimash. Dimash was close behind him with a white rag in gloved hands. He quickly charged at Tagetto, pulling him away from the woman who called herself Pleva. Tagetto quickly veered and punched Dimash on the cheek causing an all-out scuffle.

    Pleva slowly rose from the bed and stalked to the trembling woman on the floor. The woman scooted away from the door, not caring that her thin dress tore or of the men battling, she only paid attention to the deadly woman in front of her. Her eyes captured her within its freezing embrace, rendering her unable to move. Pleva came upon the woman and grabbed her by the throat squeezing and digging her fingernails inside the woman's neck. The woman broke out of her spell as instant took over and she gripped at Pleva's wrist, tugging and pushing to no avail and just when she thought that she got the woman to let go an indescribable pain tore through her.

    Pleva stood above the woman and watched as she choked and gurgled on her blood, grasping at her neck. Her eyes traveled down Pleva's arm and more tears spilled at the sight of what she was holding. It dripped onto her chest and squashed when Pleva dropped it on her. The woman's eyes rolled into the back of her head at the sight of her own trachea and her heart finally stopped.

    By the time 663 came back to the room, Tagetto was already tied and unconscious. Mayou looked at 663 then at the dead woman, "We need to leave, people might come up here since she screamed."

    Mayou threw the man over his shoulder and opened the window, "Jump."

    He looked at 663, his eyes threatening. 663 got a running start before leaping out the window, flying to a tree a few feet away. She grabbed onto a large branch and swung around it like a gymnast before dropping herself the ground. She ran and stopped underneath the window, waiting for Mayou to drop the man, but she never did. Instead, he dropped from opening, landing squarely on his feet with only a slight bend in his knees. He ran past 663 and straight to his car and threw Tagetto in the trunk. He didn't wait for 663 to get in the car before he started the engine, but he did wait for her to at least sit down before he peeled out of the driveway.

    663 was confused by his sudden anger as she struggled to get the seat belt buckled as she was being tossed around by the rough driving. Mayou drove all the back roads and detours so as to confuse any pursuers about where he was going. He wasn't going to the hotel as that would currently cause problems so he headed to the only place that he could torture Tagetto. He went to Giuseppe's.

                                                                                                        .~663.~

    Giuseppe came running out of his house in nothing but sweatpants and a robe, the sound of slamming doors bringing Tog out of his crevices too.

    "What's wrong boy?" Tog squinted his eyes at the hidden figures, but he already knew who they were, all except for one.

    "Is that Tagetto?" Giuseppe saw Mayou approach with an unconscious man on his shoulder.

    "Is there any specific rooms available?" Questioned Mayou as he entered the house.

    They could tell that Mayou was tense.

    "All the rooms down under is empty, place him in any of them." Giuseppe answered.

    "Where's the little lass?" Tog looked into the darkness, seeing no other silhouettes.

    "Don't care." Was all Mayou said as he went down into the basement.

    Giuseppe quickly turned on the headlights of the house, brightly lighting up his driveway. In the car, they could see a frantic body swinging all about in the passenger seat. Tog quickly made his way there to see 663 desperately tugging on the seat belt and got even more panicky when it just got tighter.

    "Little lass?" Tog softy spoke.

    She whipped her head to the man, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. "Me don't like, me don't want be here." Her voice was tight and constricted.

    "Alright, I'm gonna unbuckle ya." He slowly reached over and unsnapped the seat belt.

    As soon as the seat belt loosened 663 flung out of the car, clambering ontop it. She quickly surveyed the area before bolting for the nearest tree.

    "Lass, you're gonna have ta come inside." Tog called up to her but she just shook her head and held onto the tree trunk.

    Tog sighed and untied his robe and threw it up. "Use this to keep warm. I'll be out to check on you in a little while." 663 nodded as she slid her arms through the holes and tied it around her waist.

    Tog walked back inside who was greeted by Stacy. Giuseppe had already gone down to see Mayou.

    "Is she alright?" Stacy worriedly looked out the door.

    "Yeah, the little lass just doesn't want to come inside right now. How is Mayou?" He tossed his to the basement doors.

    Stacy shook her head, "I don't know, I haven't seen em yet. I don't like to go down there so I'll just wait up here. Ya should go join them, I'll tend to her."

    Tog nodded, "Thank you." He head down to where Mayou and Giuseppe were in a heated argument.

    "What do you mean your mission was compromised!" Giuseppe's tone was threatening.

    "I mean a woman saw us attack Tagetto." Mayou glared at Giuseppe and his voice was just as low.

    "Where's the woman then?"

    "Dead."

    "Why didn't you bring her here instead! She could've been connected to someone!"

    "What was I supposed to do? I was in the middle of a fight! I didn't even know that 663 got up!"

    "Then why are you angry?" Giuseppe was slowly understanding why Mayou could be mad, but killing couldn't possibly be the reason, he's seen plenty of death and has killed many.

    "I don't know!" Mayou's face scrunched up in confusion and he clenched his hands. "I'm going to take a shower, you can deal with Tagetto." He stormed back up the stairs, pushing Tog out of the way and headed to his room.

    He was angry and he didn't know why which made him even angrier. He just knew that when he saw Tagetto kissing 663 it churned his insides, but he had to keep his thirst for Tagetto's blood in check or he would be noticed. In fact, he was thankful that the woman screamed because he got to punch the living daylights out of him but when he saw 663 rip out the woman's throat he felt even more anger. How could she just so easily, without even a stuttering heart dig her fingers into a neck?

    He was irked at Pleoh for making her this way. From what 663 had told him, Pleoh was the one who raised her, he was like a father and yet all those scars and her lifelessness. He created those things, he made her that way and it vexed him. Mayou slammed his bedroom door open and stalked to his bathroom and turning the water to freezing cold. He was already burning hot and he didn't want to add to that.

    He stood under the water and let it drip down his toned body only to twirl around his blue feet fall into the drain. He even though his body raked with a shiver, his body still burned. Still, soon enough he got and went straight to bed, naked and dripping wet. He slowly closed his eyes at the sight of the moon and trees drifting off to sleep.

                                                                                                            .~663.~

    "Get in the boat! $#%@#^!" Thunder erupted around the white room, darkening it to a deep cool grey.

    The black wisp that always appeared shoved her backwards as black hands pulled the black wisp into grey. Her mouth opened and screamed for his name, but she couldn't hear the words. She tried to run to him but before she could hands grabbed her arms and legs pulling her to the floor. She flailed about but the only thing that raised her hips as the hands were strong and tight around her thin arms. She didn't like this dream, it wasn't kind like all the others, it was suffocating and haunting.

    She was shoved into the grey beneath her and it enveloped her, turning everything around in her vision pitch black. For one last time, she screamed his name only to be met with silence from the one she wanted, numbers that repeated and violent shaking.

    "-63! 663! Wake up!" A forceful hand shook 663's shoulder in an attempt to wake her up.

    663 sputtered to life as she coughed for air, her lungs squeezed in protest at the sudden short inhales after her fall knocked the wind out. She squinted at the one who had woken her, Stacy, in all her bedridden glory, stood above 663.

    "Oh honey, ya fell from the tree and I heard ya screaming. Is everything all right?" Stacy brought her hand to 663's cheek and gently rubbed her thumb around in soothing circles.

    "Dream scary. Sorry." 663 looked down to the moist grass and clenched her eyes tight.

    "Why don't ya come inside by the fireplace. Ye're freezing cold." Stacy gently helped the trembling girl up to her feet and led her inside.

    She asked the maids to start the fire up and make some nice warm tea. Stacy looked over at 663 who was hunched over, arms between her legs and her head looking down, letting her hair block her face. Stacy's eyes grew wet with sadness and she stared upon 663's figure and gently wrapped her arms around the girl and pulling her to her chest. Stacy rocked them back and forth and rubbed circles on 663's back, feeling the small valleys of scars and letting a single tear fall.

    "Would ya like to talk about yeur dream?" Stacy cooed in the softest voice she could muster.

    663 was silent for a little while before slowly opening her mouth, "Felt real, so real. It grab me and pull me, take me away from him."

    "Him?" There was glee in Stacy's heart that 663 was opening up to her, but great sorrow clenched at her heart at the quiet trembling voice of 663.

    "The black wisp. Always there, but hands grab and take away." The feeble girl shuddered at the memory.

    "Shhh It's okay, It's not real." She rocked her back and forth.

    663 vehemently shook her head, "It real, it real." She brought her hands to her ears and rocked herself even quicker than Stacy did.

    "It's okay darling, look why don't you have a drink." The maid who waited patiently at the side came over with two white cups on a tray.

    Stacy nodded a thank you and took the cups, handing one to 663 and setting hers on the coffee table. "Take a drink, it will calm your nerves."

    663 looked at it for a bit before slowly taking it within her fingers and letting the steam fill her nose with a sweet scent. Her heart already slowed to a manageable beat even before she took a sip. A small smile lifted and she took a gulp, enjoying the warmth that flowed down her parched throat. Stacy gleamed at the smile and started humming a soft tune that lifted 663's stiff shoulders and fully calmed her. The music wafted through the rooms and traveled outside only to mix with nature's natural music.

                                                                                                    .~663.~

    Standing in the living room were two men, one held extreme pity in his gentle eyes as he looked upon his best friend.

    "- wasn't an accident-Tagetto-planned-attacked." His friend could only pick up bits and pieces as anger overwhelmed and a strong black lust for death clouded the room making Giuseppe's heart stop.

    Even if Giuseppe was a high mafia lord and had confronted killing intent on many different occasions, it still didn't compare to what his friend was emitting. He watched helplessly as his friend slammed things to the ground and punched through walls as he made his way out of the house. Only when he heard an engine rumble to life did he run after him yelling, "Mayou!"

    He huffed and clicked his tongue before looking at the rising sun behind the peach pink clouds. "663, would you mind keeping an eye on the boy?"

    A small body came from the house, followed by Stacy. "Master?" 663's quiet voice, stronger from the practices she did for the Tagetto mission.

    "Yes, your master." He looked at her, sadness still in his eyes. "He needs someone to look after him."

    663 nodded her head swiftly before lightly stepping on the balls of her feet and chasing the car that plowed through streets way above the speed limit. It only to her a few steps to be on his tail and she stayed that way throughout the long hours that it took before Mayou's car broke down.

    663 watched from a distance as Mayou cursed at himself and banged his hands against the steering wheel. He was angry at himself as memories of her crashed around his brain only to end on the boat and begin from the first moment they met.

                                                                                                        .~663.~

    He had just turned seventeen and was visiting his older sister's friend before she took him out to eat. There he met her, Fifteen years old and energetic, a petite girl that was pigging out on ice cream listening to a book play on a tape. He just ended up talking about that book the whole night with her. That was the day they built their connection and it was the greatest birthday in his life.

                                                                                                          .~663.~

    Her giggles entered his ears and he cracked his bright green eyes open and saw a gentle women's silhouette. She was leaned against the armrest of the window seat, laughing as the colorful birds of blue, orange, red, and black ate out of her hands, whispering against her sensitive skin. She was still wearing the pale blue nightgown that she slept in and had a fluffy white blanket draped across legs. The morning rays had kissed her skin giving her a nice bronze tan that complemented her chocolate brown hair.

    He loved the warm glow that radiated off her and touched his heart since they first meet twenty-one years ago.

                                                                                                        .~663.~

    "You're so beautiful." She pulled closer into his arms and placed her forehead against his.

    "How can you know, you cannot see me?" He looked straight into her pale, lightless eyes.

    "Love is blind, and so am I." She kissed his nose, missing slightly.

    "I love you Shiroi." He tenderly pecked her lips and a smirk formed.

    "There's a place I want to take you today." Mayou tugged on her hand, signifying for her to stand up.

    She was so happy, her glee became his regret and the memories of the times she said he was beautiful tore into his fabric like heart. It could be tough at times, but he was tired and at any moment he could be torn in half.

                                                                                                                .~663.~

    He felt the gentle tug on the sleeve of his shirt and looked down to see his wife looking quizzically at the man before him. He smiled at her and spoke.

    "ah, Tom, this is my wife, Shiroi." Mayou placed his hand on the small of her back and gently pushed her forward.

    She bowed at her waist, "enchanted to meet you." She held out her hand and Tom's thick, callused hand grabbed onto hers in a tight grip.

    "You have a beautiful young lady at your side. You lucky bastard!" A great cackle lifted into the air from a set of hearty lungs. "So miss Shireeo, you're the lucky gal that's gonna ride my great boat!"

    Her excitement, his regret, her dream, his death, her life, his emptiness were all that he could feel when he recalled these memories.

                                                                                                            .~663.~

    He felt a sudden jolt as the memory of when he lost her came too quickly this time.

    He heard her yelling for him and losing his grip on her. He let go of her hand as he was yanked back by panicked people. She stumbled and fell and all he could do was protect himself from the trampling feet, but his eyes never left her form, but an old man with a cane came pounding by and waked him in the face, knocking him back. His head was dizzy and he wobbly looked for her, but she wasn't there anymore. She was gone and he had let her go.

    He screamed in anguish like never before, startling 663. She never heard a sound such as that and she rushed forward, peeling the door off its hinges. It clanged against the ground pulling Mayou out of his agony. He lifted his head from his hands and looked at 663.

    "What are you doing here?" He ignored the look of confusion on her face and looked to the broken door. "Why'd you break my door?"

    "Scream, came to protect, it locked, me open." Her breathing rate was slightly higher in her panicked state as she quickly rushed out her words.

    "I'm okay. Can't you see that?" He gnashed his teeth together and got out of the car, looking both ways of the empty long road.

    "Let's go." He decided to go the way he was heading.

    He tugged off his jacket and tossed into the car, making sure to put his the wallet and keys in his pants pocket. He looked at his dress shoes and clicked his tongue. This walk was going to kill his feet. He sighed and started walking. 663 picked up the car door and tried to put it back where it came from, but it just ended up falling again. She waved her hands frantically around till Mayou spoke up, "Just leave it."

    "But-" She tried to protest, after all, she had broken his things.

    "I'll lock it." He took out his keys and locked the car.

    663 nodded her head at the sound of the car locking and jogged to Mayou's side. Mayou looked at her as they walked. He was frustrated because he had wanted to be angry at her because he desired to be angry at anyone, but himself but he just couldn't be angry at her. She was too innocent and she had no involvement until he brought her in. He dragged her into his problems so he has no right to be angry at her. He sighed as he kicked a nearby pebble.

    There was an awkward silence between the two and not a word was spoken until Mayou spotted the tops of buildings in the distance. Although it's not the tall skyscraper roofs he was expecting, it was tile and wood of village houses. He was even more confused and stupefied by the way the people acted, just like 1962. The little shops and stalls around a plaza with bustling bands and people. It reminded him of his little village that he and his wife lived in. The warmth of it all. Suddenly, a growl broke his wonderment and swiftly he turned to his left. 663 was standing there, holding her stomach as it gurgled at her, demanding food. He sighed, "Come, let's find a place to eat."

    He led her through the plaza, looking for a restaurant of sorts that seemed decent enough. He eventually found one near the end and even though the name sounded weird it seemed like a decent place with intricate, pretty red designs on the borders of the building. A red bottle shaped sign tipped on its side nozzle down had blue tapestries pouring out like water, swaying in the gentle wind. The words on the sign named the restaurant, 'Red Liquid Bottle' and it contrasted with the smells and looks of the food being passed around.

    Just as Mayou entered a young thirty-something-year-old man walked by holding a stack of logs on his back, held together by a rope, wrapped around his shoulders and tied together in a knot on his chest. The man stopped and stared at the young women with stark white hair. He couldn't take his eyes off her and as someone who has lived in this little village for the past twenty years, he had never seen a girl that could make him feel the way his sister did. He quickly handed the wood to his friend that stood beside him.

    "I'll see you later! Take this with you to Mr. Winchester." The man yelled and waved at the ten-year-old boy.

    "Kay! Bye Ayahiro!" The boy ran off in the opposite direction, while Ayahiro jogged into 'Red Liquid Bottle'.

.~Ch.5.~His Memories~.

5360 words