Number Seventeen(A Nanbaka Fanfiction)

Chapter Twelve: Misguided

Four Supervising Officers were in a room together, desperately trying to think of ways to stop the Elf attacks.

"How do we know that he's even real?" Samon asked for the millionth time.

"Seventeen had a slit throat one time and a cut-up stomach another," Hajime told Samon for the millionth time. "Besides, her attack and many of the inmate disappearances line up. Now either shut up or help contribute ideas to stop this Elf guy."

Samon sighed in annoyance. "Fine."

"So we know that Elf is after Seventeen," Kiji stated. "We could use her as bait."

Hajime looked at Kiji in surprise. "That's not a bad idea."

"No, it isn't," Kenshirou agreed. "We know that we couldn't use Fifteen or Six-thirty- four since they're already done with that."

"No, we couldn't," Hajime agreed. "So we'll use Seventeen as bait. We'd have to get her to agree to it, though."

"Of course," Kiji stated. "We can have guards set up around a perimeter, staying hidden and out of sight. They'll be ready to surround Elf as soon as he appears."

"What happens if he runs away again?" Samon put in.

"We know he'll leave Seventeen behind," Kiji reasoned. "He always has in the past. If this idea doesn't work, we'll regroup and try to come up with another one."

"So we'll have to make sure that they will be completely surrounded," Hajime said. "Otherwise he'll be able to get away too easily."

"That goes without saying," Kenshirou replied. "So as soon as Elf appears, we'll have him surrounded. Then maybe we can prove Six-thirty-four's innocence."

"What's that got to do with this?" Samon demanded.

Kenshirou sighed at Samon's incompetence. "Six-thirty-four was framed, but there isn't enough proof to release him yet. Elf is the man who framed him."

"Why was he framed?" Samon asked.

"Samon, shut up," Hajime ordered, slamming his fist against the top of Samon's head. "We're not here to discuss Six-thirty-four's innocence. We're here to discuss how to capture Elf. If you're going to be annoying, leave."

"So we'll be using an inmate as bait," Kenshirou confirmed.

"If Seventeen says yes," Hajime reminded him.

"Well, that goes without saying," Kenshirou agreed. "So if Seventeen agrees, we'll put her on the roof in the middle of the night. We'll surround the area with guards, the four of us included, and make sure that she appears alone."

"Should we set up code words?" Samon asked. "For Seventeen to use if something goes wrong."

"The monkey's got a good idea for once," Kiji pointed out.

"What do you mean 'for once?!'" Samon demanded.

Hajime elected to ignore Samon's outburst. "We'll have to use something subtle. Something that Elf won't know."

"Perhaps we could come up with a phrase," Kiji suggested.

"Good idea," Kenshirou agreed. "Something like, 'the dog's gone.'"

"That seems too obvious," Hajime countered. "No, it needs to be something more like, 'I'll never go along with you.'"

"That seems like a good one," Kiji replied. "It's subtle, but not too much so. As soon as we hear it, we'll jump out and surround Elf."

"But only if something goes wrong," Kenshirou stated. "We'll obviously jump out and surround him if nothing goes wrong, so that phrase is just for if something happens and Seventeen needs us sooner."