399
Back at Enies Lobby,
"Wake up!" someone said, "Wake up, bastard!"
With that, Franky was kicked on the head, making him groan.
"Uh… five more minutes…"
Jabra's eye twitched, "We ain't for that shit…," he said, stomping on his shoulder, making Franky finally somewhat wake up.
"Wha… the fuck am I?" he said, vision blurry as he looked from side to side, "Oi, who are you, ugly mug?"
"Why you…" Jabra growled, but was stopped by Kaku.
Franky blinked, focusing on the long nose, "Sogeking? Wait? You aren't Sogeking? Aren't you one of the bastards from Galley-La… eh? And why am I tied up?!"
"Speak with some respect punk!" sneered Jabra, "We are the CP9 of the World Government. And we want answers…"
Hearing that, Franky became tense. Kaku leaned in, his long nose almost touching Franky's face. The squared-nosed agent of the CP9 leaned in closer, intimidating in his calm demeanor. "We really hope you have the answers we are looking for. You see… our new boss is a bit stricter than the previous one."
Franky tried to move, but his limbs were restrained. His body was chained up. His eyes darted around to find himself surrounded by the other members of the CP9. And also someone that he recognized.
"I am Groot," a sad Groot said, also bound by chains and sea stone cuffs.
"Huh, so they even got ya too, little guy?" Franky said, growling at Kaku, Lucci, Kalifa, and lastly, Blueno. "So all of you were government scums hiding in Galley-La… not super at all. And why did you capture me, anyways? I'm just some no-named ship dismantler…"
Kaku kicked him in the side, making him spit some blood.
"Oi, Pinocchio! What's the big idea?" Franky growled, trying to add a little bravado despite his vulnerable position.
"You are being too soft, Kaku," Lucci said from behind, a cold smile on his face, "He won't talk willingly…"
Kaku's eyes narrowed at Franky, as he leaned down. "Let's cut to the chase… We're here for the Warship blueprints, Franky. And you're going to give them to us…"
Right then, Franky opened his mouth and tried to bite Kaku's head, but was kicked to the side of the wall by Lucci.
Kaku gave the other agent a flat look, "You know, I had it handled…"
Lucci just smiled, not saying anything as he kept his hands in his pocket, "I know… but he has a kickable face…"
Franky coughed, "I don't know what you folks are yapping about… I have no blueprint of Pluton."
Blueno looked at him with a deadpan expression, "And how do you know its name then? We didn't say Pluton…"
"Uh, shit…"
"I am Groot!"
"Oi, at least I tried…" Franky said before he grinned, "But I expected something like this… where's Spandam anyway? He set me up, didn't he…"
"Well… that's the thing," Jabra said with a grin, "He didn't. He's ten feet under, that sorry bastard."
"That's six feet, you stupid face," Lucci said.
"Why you?!"
Franky blinked, not making heads and tails of the situation. Spandam was dead? Who killed him? And if he wasn't here… then how did they figure out who he was? Did they get to Iceburg?
As if almost reading his mind, Lucci looked at him and grinned, "We have simpler ways to make you talk," he said, looking at Fukuro, "But we will take our time… you did try to hide such dangerous weapons from the World Government. The least we can give you is pain."
"Is there a way to resist such a generous offer…" Franky snorted, "But I have to ask. How did you guys find me?"
"Oh, that… well, I had some rough talk with boss Iceburg. He was very reluctant to rat out his friend. But… he didn't last too long," Lucci said with a cold smile on his lips, "Such a sad thing that he had to die… he was a good man."
Franky was wide-eyed, "Why you?! You killed him?"
Lucci just chuckled, "Really? What gave it away?"
Franky growled, and even with chains chaining him down, tried to jump Lucci. But he fell face -first instead when someone pushed him to the ground. It was Blueno.
"I am Groot!" The tree creature said worriedly, but Kumadori put his staff in front of him to stop any of his movements.
Blueno frowned. "Franky, this won't be pleasant if you resist."
Jabra chuckled, "Let's just tear it out of him."
Franky growled, "You won't get shit from me!"
"Oh, we will see about that…" Lucci said, before looking at Fukuro, "We might need to use your powers for this one…" he said before looking back at Franky and cracking his knuckles. "But let's break his will first…"
Franky gritted his teeth while Groot looked pale.
Before the situation could escalate further, the door slammed open, revealing a tall man with a long beard and a disapproving scowl, Spandine, the former chief of CP9.
All the present agents were surprised to see him.
"Enough!" Spandine's voice reverberated through the room as he walked in, not even looking at Franky and Groot, heading straight for Lucci.
The older man shot him a cold glare. "My son, Spandam, is dead, Lucci! Dead! And you all were the last to be with him. I want answers."
Lucci's stoic face remained unflinching. "Spandam was killed when he tried to apprehend the Kid pirates at Water Seven. We were a bit late to get there in time… you have our apology."
"Bullshit!" Spandine shouted in the agent's face, "I know my cowardly son. He barely leaves Enies Lobby, and I know a setup when I see one, agent…"
Lucci's face didn't even change, "Like I said, the Kid pirates…"
The tension was high in the room, as the older chief glared at the young agent. Only to be broken by a mocking laugh.
"Fahahahahaha… so that bastard Spandam was backstabbed," Franky said, bringing all attention to him. The cyborg looked at Spandine, "Oi, old man, you are right… Spandam didn't set foot in Water Seven. If he did, I would have gone for his head first… so he was most probably killed by one or all of the agents here… Fahahahahaha…"
Blueno silenced him with a kick to the sternum, again making him cough, but his laughter still remained.
Spandline gritted his teeth and glared at Franky, "Kill the bastard…"
Franky still laughed; at least this way, the plans for Pluton wouldn't fall into their hands.
"No…" Rob Lucci said, refusing the former chief's orders, "We are sorry to say, 'sir'. But we are under a mission given by our new chief King Bradley. And Franky still has some uses, so we won't be able to carry out that order…"
Spandine, gritted his teeth, "Why you…"
Right then, someone else also entered the room, "Behave yourself Chief Spandine!" It was Vice Admiral Onigumo, "A World Government agent shouldn't act this recklessly…" All eyes turned to the Vice Admiral.
Spandine growled, "Why are you doing here? Weren't you supposed to be going out there and capturing the Kid pirates?"
Onigumo snorted, "I was after them… but due to the Aqua Laguna, our ship had to hold off their chase…"
Spandine cut him off, "So you let them off? Some Vice Admiral you are…'"
Onigumo frowned and glared at Spandine, shutting him up, "Do not question my justice!"
Spandine looked away, even though he was angry at everyone for his son's death. He wasn't as influential as before. Seeing him like this, Lucci almost found it amusing.
Just then, suddenly, an explosion went off in the distance. It was on the main island, and yet the whole Tower of Justice shook from the impact.
"What the…" Spandine said, "What's going on?"
Onigumo quickly took out his small transponder snail, "Captain Very Good, what's happening outside…"
"Sir, we have been attacked… Gah!" the line on the other side cut off as silence fell in the room.
—— (Hey guys, I have a request. If you are following the story so far, please leave a review. Other then that, have a nice day.)