Lost Child by Twilight Dawn

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.

Today, I am meeting with a client to discuss a possible job offer. Not many people can do what I do and clients only come to me, after their other options have been used, without any real results. Many people are skeptical of my line of work and do not believe in what they cannot understand. I can't make them believe. They have to see it for themselves.

Throughout my childhood, I have always known I was different from the rest of society. I would see and hear things that no one else could. When I mentioned anything about it, they believed I was one of those weird children and would never speak to me again. It hurt me emotionally. I didn't understand then why they would do something like that. It wasn't until my teenage years, that I learned I processed psychic abilities.

I asked my client to meet me at a small café, that one of my friends own, located in the lower east side of the city. Hardly, anyone comes down here, unless they live somewhere nearby. It doesn't offer much in food or entertainment value like the busier parts of the city. The only thing you'll find down here is the older shops.

I have learned over the years of using my ability to help others that my clients prefer small, private places to meet, because they don't want anyone to know about hiring a psychic to help them with their situations. It's like their ashamed of themselves for even going that far. Perhaps, they are fearful that their friends will laugh at them.

The bell above the glass door to the café chimed as I opened it, and stepped through the entryway. I shivered slightly as the door closed itself gently behind me, letting a blast of cold air leak its way through the small café. With my left hand, I began to unbutton my gray wool jacket and headed towards one of the wooden tables in the back.

Sango noticed my arrival and smiled warmly at me from behind the counter. I smiled back and set my black leather briefcase on top of the table before removing my jacket, and setting it on the back of the chair.

Sango is one of my oldest and dearest friends. When I finally revealed my secret to her, she didn't treat me like the others had. The only thing she did was ask me what took so long for me to tell her and what a psychic was. It was through her that I met the rest of my friends. Just like Sango, they didn't care if I was a psychic or not.

"Hey, Sango," I greeted her, as she walked out from behind the counter and started to make her way towards me. "How's everything going? It's not as busy as it usually is when I come here. I didn't have to wait for a table this time." I took my seat, scooting the chair up closer to the table.

She glanced about the café before focusing her attention back on me. "It's still early yet." She replied, sitting down in the chair across from me. "It won't pick up until about lunch and won't slow down until closing."

"Where's Miroku at? Shouldn't he be here helping you?" I realized he was missing, since he hasn't tried to grope my rear end yet. He usually gets me as soon as I come through the door. Even though they have been married for about six years now, he still hasn't stopped groping every woman he sees and he still gets slapped for it. I wonder if he will ever learn and see the error of his ways. Probably not, this is Miroku I'm talking about.

"I have it covered. Besides, he's at home with the kids. The babysitter cancelled on us and we couldn't find anyone else at such a short notice."

She usually asks me to watch them if she can't find anyone else. I wonder why she didn't ask me this time. Sango sensed that I was upset and explained her reasoning to me. "Honestly, I didn't want to bother you. My kids are quite a handful and the last time you watched them, they came home with a sugar high. Do you know how long it took me to calm them down?"

I gave her a cheesy grin. I remember that incident well. Ty and Rae, who are four and two, kept asking me for sweets. Who am I to deny them, when they both gave me the puppy dog look? I was tempted to say no, but they were just so cute.

Ty is the eldest and the exact image of Miroku, even down to the black hair and blue colored eyes. He's going to be tall when he grows up, because he's already three inches taller then the rest of the kids his age. He's also a bundle of energy, keeping everyone on their toes. It wears his parents out and I secretly wonder if his does it on purpose. The only thing he hasn't inherited is his father's curse of groping the opposite sex. But it's still too early to tell if he will develop this habit or not.

Rae also looks like her father, but thank goodness she has her mother's personality and acts just like her. She has beautiful glossy, black hair and blue colored eyes. Rae is smart for a child her age and observes everyone and everything around her, freaking some people out. When I saw her for the first time in her mother's arms, I instantly recognized her as an old soul, one who has experienced past lives and keeps the knowledge they have learned with them.

"What is the case about this time?" Sango asked me, referring to my line of work.

Instead of having a regular job, I decided to put my psychic abilities to use. My area of expertise is finding missing children and adults. Usually the only items I need are a picture of the missing person and a personal item. Some cases only last a few weeks and some cases take longer to solve. When I agree to take a case, I warn them that my ability is not one hundred percent accurate. I am human and I do make mistakes.

I usually give Sango vague details about my cases. I do keep names and actual details out, because of the confidentiality agreement I have my clients sign. It ensures that their personal information and the details of the case will not be made public. I had to do this after working with a few famous people in the past. They were worried that the reporters would get a hold of the information and that would be the end of their careers.

"I don't really know." I said. "He wouldn't give me any details over the phone. I didn't even catch his name."

A troubled look flashed in Sango's brown colored eyes. "Don't you think that's a little odd? You need to be careful, Kagome. This guy sounds suspicious."

"I know." I said pulling my phone of out my pocket, just in case my client tried to reach me. "Maybe it's another celebrity."

"Perhaps," she said, pursing her lips together in thought. "Just be careful okay? I don't want to see you get hurt."

I shook my head slightly. "It comes with the job, Sango."

"I still worry about it." She spoke rather sadly.

I gave her a bright smile to reassure her. "Thanks for looking out for me. I do appreciate it, Sango."

We couldn't talk anymore. A few customers walked in the café and Sango had to go take their order. I knew she would be back to take mine. She knows that I like to order when the client arrives and she acts like she's not my friend, but a professional server. It's her way of studying my clients, to make sure they are to be trusted. She acts like my mother. It really irritates me sometimes that she doesn't trust my abilities enough. I can tell whether or not I can trust the person when I first see them.

What I didn't inform Sango is how I'm supposed to meet the client. He called me about three weeks ago, telling me that he would be sending me a package. I didn't question him on the issue of how he had acquired my home address. I figured he looked it up in the phone book or on the internet. Maybe, I should have been worried about it. But for some unknown reason, I wasn't.

He explained that I am supposed to wear the item on the collar of my shirt or jacket. So he would be able to recognize me. I agreed to his terms, after asking how I was supposed to recognize him. He quickly replied that I didn't have to worry about it, that he will be the one to find me.

I felt like I was going to one of those dating type services. You know the ones where you have one minute to talk to a guy and move on to the next table. Most of the guys I talked to were only interested in my looks and how good of a lay I was. After the fifth guy who asked me that, I left, leaving my high school friends behind. It served them right, since they dragged me to the stupid thing in the first place.

The package had lain on my kitchen counter, unopened, until this morning. My mouth fell open as I opened the manila envelope to find a jeweled pin inside. The pin is one inch in length and made of pure silver. There are five small sapphire stones curved inside the crescent moon shape. On the curve of the crescent moon, there are tiny silver stars hooked a silver segment, making them look like tiny wands.

I never expected him to send me something so beautiful or expensive. I figured it would be something cheap and affordable. My finger lovingly stroked every inch of the small piece, knowing that I had to give it back, even of he tells me to keep it. I don't want to be held accountable if I end up losing it. And I don't want to be accused of stealing the damn thing. That is just what I need right now, a lawsuit on my hands.

Placing my thumbs and index fingers on the latches of my black leather briefcase, I applied a light pressure and with a soft click, the lid sprung open. I reached inside and took out the necessary paperwork. Along with a couple of cheap pens. I closed the briefcase, after I was though, and placed it on the floor next to the chair's legs.

The bell above the glass door chimed and I glanced up to see a short, bald headed man. He was dressed in a black business suit and in his small hands was a leather bound briefcase. His beady eyes searched about the café, as if he was looking for someone.

I thought that he might be my client and stood up from my chair, letting him see me better, since I am located in the back of the café. He seemed to have seen the pin on my collar for he started to head in my direction. I recognized him to be of Japanese descent and bowed to him, to show my respect, once he had reached my table.

"Pardon me for asking this, but are you by chance Miss Higurashi?"

I smiled at him. "Yes, I am she. Are you the one I talked with over the phone?" I already knew the answer to my question. His voice and the voice on the phone didn't match up.

"No," he said, sitting in the unoccupied chair and motioned for me to sit, once more in my seat. "That was my employer you spoke to on the phone. He couldn't make it here today and sent me in his stead."

"I'm sorry, Mister..." I intentionally broke off my sentence, waiting for him to respond.

"Call me Jaken."

I nodded. "I'm sorry, Jaken. But I can't discuss anything with you. Your employer is the one who called me and he should be the one speaking with me. I hope you're not offended."

My words didn't even faze him. It looked like he knew this would happen and the next thing I knew, he had his cell phone out and was speaking into it. He was speaking so softly into the phone that I wondered if he was really saying anything. I was so tempted to yell at him for being rude, but I decided against it. It's his employer that I am really frustrated at. It makes me believe that he isn't taking it seriously and that I am just a joke to him.

"My employer would like to speak with you," he spoke, holding the cell phone out towards me.

I grabbed it and took a deep breath. "This is Kagome. How may I be of service?" I wanted to sound professional, even though I am pissed off at the man on the other end at the moment.

"Miss Higurashi, please speak to my employee like it was me sitting across from you." He began to speak and I couldn't help but notice how sexy his voice sounded. "He knows about the situation, so there shouldn't be a problem."

"I don't care if he knows about the situation, Mister. You're the one who called me and requested my assistance. Besides, he can't even sign the stupid contract." I heard a slight growling sound and wondered if the cell phone was getting bad signal in the café.

He paused a few seconds before replying. "Miss Higurashi, I can sign the contract here in my office and send it back to you. I don't understand why you are refusing my request. We had an agreement the last time we spoke."

I wanted to bang my head against the table. Obviously, he's not listening to anything I have to say. "Listen you pompous jerk," I hissed into the phone. "The agreement was for you to meet me, not some lackey of yours. So if you don't show up in thirty minutes, you'll be finding another psychic to work for you."

"What if something was to happen to you personally?"

I wasn't going to be defeated. "Are you threatening me?" I questioned him, wanting to cuss him out with a few choice words. I didn't. I was afraid that some of the children in the café would over hear me.

"No, but you do have something on your collar that does belong to me. In fact, it comes from my family vault. How will you explain that to the police, Miss Higurashi?"

Shit. Shit. Shit. He had me right where he wanted me. I can't refuse now. "Fine, I'll talk to your lackey. But, I still haven't decided if I want to take the case or not."

The man on the other end laughed. "That is where you are wrong." He stated confidently. "I have done my research, Miss Higurashi, and I had found an interesting piece of history on you. So if you don't want it to be known, you will accept the case."

I snorted. "You don't have anything on me and you know it. Stop trying to scare me."

"Oh, really," he said. I could picture him raising his eyebrows at me on the other end of the phone. "Maybe I should jog your memory."

"Go ahead," I taunted him. "You have nothing."

I was starting to get worried. He stayed quiet way too long. "I found out about him and you're so called friends, or should I say gang members."

"Fine," I whispered. "I'll work for you."

"Glad we have an understanding, Miss Higurashi. I look forward working with you." I didn't bother answering him. I just hung up the phone and handed it back to Jaken.

Jaken cleared his throat, getting my attention. "My employer would like for you to find someone that has come up missing. We believe that the person has been kidnapped."

"Who is it?" I asked curiously. I wanted to know why the man had threatened me and dug up pieces from my past. The person missing must have been important to him.

Jaken's eyes started tearing up, almost like he was going to start crying. "It's Rin," he spoke sadly.

"Who is she, his girlfriend?"

He shook his head. "No, Rin is his daughter."

To be continued...