From: coram@ed.ecn.purdue.edu (Chaosmage)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.anime
Subject: Angels in Paradise Chapter Five
Date: 27 Sep 92 18:51:06 GMT
Organization: Shadow Walker's Annonymous


                           Angels in Paradise
                      Chapter Five: The stakeout.

     The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men,
          Gang aft a-gley.
               -- Robert Burns, "To a mouse"

==================================================================
     The _Arachnos_ was a theme bar.  The lighting was dim with only
the webs of lights covering the walls and ceilings providing
illumination.  All the serving girls wore tights with spider-web
designs.  The table tops had relief patterns of various spider
shapes.  Yuri did *not* like this place.
     "What kind of weirdos would come to a place that looks like
this?" she asked Kei.
     "What are you talking about?  It's kind of nice."
     Yuri kept silent, and tried not to look squeamish.
     "Hey Yuri, what's that climbing up your shoulder?"   Kei asked
in her best "I'm innocent" voice.  She laughed as Yuri jumped and
swatted at her sleeves.
     "I'll get you for that," Yuri muttered.
     Heads turned as the Lovely Angels crossed the floor toward the
bar.  Kei wore tight pants the color of her hair, and a green vest
open in front to reveal a matching bikini top.  Her tiny purse was
of shimmering gold satin.  Yuri was a little more conventional,
with a shimmering blue dress slit high on the side and cut low in
back.  A white sash tied around her waist, with the bow opposite
the slit up her left leg, completed her outfit.  Yuri ordered the
two of them drinks, not trusting Kei not to get something too
strong.  Then, they found a table where they could watch both the
bar and the casino at the same time.
     "Don't you think that we should mingle in the casino?  Maybe
place a few bets to blend in?"  Kei asked.
     "No way.  You'll get too involved in having fun and forget why
we are here."
     "I never . . ."
     "Yeah, right.  I remember the casino where you got so involved
in playing Meteor that you almost forgot that we were there on a
mission."
     "I was just playing my part . . . Oh, have it your way.  We'll
sit here and be bored."  Kei looked thoughtful for a moment.  "Say,
Yuri.  Do you think something is wrong with that Chuck guy?"
     "No, why?" Yuri asked, barely keeping a straight face.
     "He doesn't seem to notice me, at least not the way he
should."
     "Maybe he doesn't like redheads."
     "Be serious."  Kei looked mildly, but genuinely, upset.
     "Well, maybe you are trying too hard.  Some men don't like
that."
     "But it usually works."
     "Really?  What about that kid you scared off at the Council
building?"
     "Pft.  That wasn't serious.  I was just teasing the little
guy."
     "Sure you were."  Yuri noticed a red haired man approaching
one of the dice tables.  "Don't look now, but I think I see our
terrorist friend."
     "Where?"
     "He just came in the other door, and looks like he is getting
into a craps game."
     "All right, like we planned it."
     "Go."
     Yuri followed Kei from the table.  Their plan was to separate
at the casino and make their way through the crowd to Randy at the
dice table.  They didn't make it that far.
     A rather drunk fat man spied Kei passing his table.  He
reached out a large hand and grabbed her wrist.  "Hey there, good
looking.  How's about a good time?" he slobbered.
     "Loose the grip, or loose the hand," Kei said in a low, but
dangerous, voice.
     "Wha's the matter?  Not good enough for ya?  I gots plenty o'
credits."
     Kei went white, then red.  "Listen fat boy.  I'm not one of
your dime store floozies.  You can take those credits and shove
them where the sun don't shine!" she shouted.
     At this, the man jumped to his feet, knocking his table over
as he rose.  He raised a fist as if to hit her, but Kei reacted
first.  With a well timed kick, she knocked his legs out from under
him, and he crashed to the floor.  She followed this with a
beautiful reverse kick to the face.  Yuri, not one to let her
partner's honor go undefended, finished him off with a chair over
the head as he tried to sit up.
     "Yuri!  The door!" Kei shouted.  Randy had noticed the
commotion and put two and two together.  He was at the door and
going through it as Kei alerted her partner.  The Pair vaulted over
the now prone drunkard, and followed.  When they reached the
street, they looked around, but couldn't see the red headed man
anywhere.
     "He went that way," a voice weakly stated.
     Both girls look down in surprise.  A young man was picking
himself off the ground in front of the door.
     "Big guy, red hair?" the man asked.  "He flattened me and went
that way."  He pointed down the street.  "Ducked down that alley to
the left."
     Kei and Yuri hurried in the direction indicated.
     "Hey, wasn't that . . . ?" Yuri asked as she ran down the
street.
     "Yeah, I think it was," Kei replied.
     Back by the casino, the man was looking at a wallet in his
hand.  "I'll have to get this to the Angels later on," he muttered. 
Then he shrugged, and went on his way down the street.


--
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| Kevin C. Coram | INTERNET: coram@ecn.purdue.edu | CompuServe: 72567,2201 |
| "Don't tell me I'm nuts.  I know.  It keeps me sane."                    |
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