In this fic, no one but Dr. Zagart himself knows that Zeo is an android. It is set in an alternate universe, where several of the characters already know each other, and the world finals don't exist.
Vocabulary: Za.Leon: a large, illegal company owned by Dr. Zagart, that creates enhanced bitbeasts and amazing technology. Also possesses the ability to free the rock bitbeasts. Z stands for Zagart, A stands for Association, and Leon is the name of Dr. Zagart dead son (the first one).
Note: Kai, Brooklyn, and Garland are no longer in the story. I have deleted them completely. This is v.2 of chapter one.
-----"Tala Ivanov, I presume?" said a teenager with long turquoise hair.
The red-headed Tala nodded, a mischievous grin settling on his face.
Zeo had the feeling that he knew something he did not, but dismissed it. He had buissness to do.
"I am Zeo Zagart, a representative of Za.Leon technology," he explained, holding out his hand.
Tala shook it with a gentle, but confident grip.
"These are other representatives: Enrique Giancarlos, Mariam Eshena, and Salima Phian," he explained, pointing at each of them as he said their name.
"Please take a seat," Tala offered, lazily lifting his hand from his lap and motioning with it at the chairs placed around the round table. He returned to his own seat and waited patiently for the others.
After everyone had settled, Zeo, who had not bothered to sit down, flipped open the brief case that lay on the table. "Za.Leon has created amazing technology. We are willing to offer it to Biovolt—For a price."
-----
King pushed the door open, waiting until it hit the wall behind it before taking a step inside. The security system had been a cinch to get past, especially for him, a master at getting past any kind of alarm and passwords. A know-it-all smirk was placed on his face.
"Gordo, how could you doubt me?" he asked the taller, orange-haired teenager with a mocking tone.
Gordo merely shrugged. He did not want to argue when they were so deep inside the abbey, so close to their goal, yet so far away from escaping. He circled the glass case sitting on a platform in the center of the otherwise blank room. A beyblade was carefully placed in side. That beyblade was Black Dranzer, one of the most powerful bitbeasts in the world. They were here to take it from Biovolt and, if they could, use it for their own purposes.
"There is one more code to break," he said, backing away as King took his place in front of the lock.
"Check the door and listen for Oliver or Queen's warning," he ordered.
Gordo did so, without a word. All four of their lives were on the line. Scratch that: all eight of their lives were on the line. If they were caught and connected in any way to the Za.Leon representatives, who were actually trying to make a fake offer with Biovolt to bring most of Biovolt's attention away from Black Dranzer, so it could be stolen, who knew what Biovolt would do to them. It couldn't be something pleasant. Zeo himself had come up with the plan.
A few moments later, King was ahead of him, Black Dranzer in his hand.
"Come on, we're running out of time," King yelled, interrupting his thoughts.
A pair of arms reached out of the ceiling and grabbed King's wrists. As he was lifted, his feet disappeared into the higher air vent.
Gordo closed the door and activated the alarm system, before going to join King. He, too was lifted and they replaced the vent panel, so it looked like no one had ever been there.
"How are you, Gordo?" Queen asked him. She didn't sounds too worried and an arrogant grin, almost identical to King's smile, was stuck on her face.
"Fine," he answered. It annoyed him that King and Queen treated this mission as all fun and games. It was a dangerous and serious mission, and it mostly depended on those two. Gordo didn't think this was fun, at all, but than again, this was his fourth time sneaking into a building and stealing something for Za.Leon, and he had never been in the Biovolt Abbey. The pair of robbers were the best, and had stolen other bitbeasts and blades from Biovolt, which was a great win for them. Biovolt thought the BBA had those blades.
"Let me see it. It could be counterfeit," said Oliver, who took it and examined it closely. His expression became one of relief. "It's the real Black Dranzer," he assured them and pocketed the blade. "We need to get a move on," Oliver said and began to crawl down the vent.
Gordo, Queen, and King followed, at a slower pace. Gordo was too tall to be in the vent, so he had to be more careful not to make any noises.
-----
"What are these 'rock bitbeasts'?" Tala asked, staring at the blade in the briefcase.
"They are ancient bitbeasts sealed away inside the rock. We have found that these bitbeasts are far more powerful than the normal ones. Most powerful of these, is the bitbeast Cerberus," Zeo explained, taking a gold blade out of the case. "A demonstration?"
Tala nodded and flicked a switch. The table opened, revealing a large beystadium. He pressed another switch and ten small blades flew out, spinning rapidly.
Zeo took the launcher, loaded it, and shot it into the arena. Upon contact, it shattered each blade. Cerberus went towards them with deadly accuracy.
As it shattered the last blade, the pieces were thrown towards Tala's face. He held up a folder, given to him by Zeo, earlier, and used it as a shield. The folder was pelted with tiny metal beyparts that fell with a loud clatter on to the desk.
Cerberus rebounded and Zeo caught it in his hand.
Tala set down the folder and stood up. "Very impressive, Zeo," he commented, walking to Zeo's side to get a closer look at the blade.
"We believe that Cerberus is only met with even a challenge from Black Dranzer. With other rock bitbeasts and copies of Cerberus, Biovolt would be unstoppable," he explained.
"Let's test it, then." Tala offered.
"What?" Zeo asked. He had not expected this.
"A beybattle, Cerberus versus Black Dranzer," he explained, ignoring their surprised faces. No one could use Black Dranzer, and he definitely wouldn't touch it, let alone launch it. He had paid attention to the long lectures Boris seemed so keen to provide. If anyone used Black Dranzer, the abbey could be destroyed and people killed. It would be good to show these Za.Leon people just what they were getting into, and just how powerful Black Dranzer was. It would be fun.
Zeo checked his watch. By the time they would be able to reach the room where Black Dranzer was, Gordo and the others would be long gone from the Abbey, and it would be a fine way to leave. "Alright. We have enough time before we have to leave for other business," said Zeo.
Enrique, Mariam, and Salima stood up. Enrique shot a protesting glance at Zeo.
Just then, a phone rang.
"My apologies, this will take just a moment," said Tala, looking at the caller ID of his cell phone. He turned it on and walked to the next room.
Enrique did not look pleased, and Mariam was wide-eyed in disbelief. Salima seemed just a bit too angry for comfort. They could not talk there, because they had a suspicion that their conversation was being monitored, but Zeo knew he would hear from them later.
"Tala, there are three intruders in the ventilation system," said Ian's gruff voice. "We just noticed them a few minutes ago, on our heat vision goggles. They were being tested in the halls. What's the plan?"
"Do you know their path?" Tala asked.
"They're clearly trying to get out of the Abbey," Ian said, also frowning. It shouldn't matter. They should be more worried about where the intruders had been.
"Good. We've been over A.836. Use that method," Tala said and ended the call. He returned the cell to his belt, walking back into the main room, where the Za.Leon members looked at him with bored stares. "Follow me," he said and pushed open the door. They followed after him.
-----
The short, indigo haired Demolition Boy had quickly done what had needed to be done for the plan. Now, Ian waited in the hall wearing the heat vision goggles and watching the intruders in the vent. They were far off from the mark, but heading towards it. A small switch was in his hand.
Tala and a group of people, who he understood to be Za.Leon representatives, came down the hallway. Ian removed the heat vision goggles, after making sure the intruders were far enough away for him to have a conversation.
"This hallway?" Tala asked Ian, surprised. He would have thought they would have taken one of the side hallways, where there was less chance of them being heard. But than again, it was clever, since there was no one else there, anyways. Most people were training outside or working in the labs.
Ian nodded. "What brings you here?"
"Zeo, here, has agreed on a beybattle, with the beyblade Cerberus," Tala drawled, nodding to Zeo, who held a launcher and Cerberus. The one called Enrique was carrying the brief case.
"Oh, really? Step back," he demanded, putting the heat vision goggles over his eyes. They were right where they needed to be. He hit the switch and the vent blew up in a smog of dust.
Mariam realized too late that they were heat vision goggles and the robbers had probably been in the explosion. She snatched the goggles off Ian's face, threw them on the floor and crushed the glass underneath her foot.
Tala flipped open his cell phone and called a number using speed dial.
"Bryan, get to the main hallway, we have seven Za.Leon intruders. ...That's right, there are seven," he said and hung up. The cell phone was returned to his belt, once again. "I thought this might happen. Now, hand over Cerberus," he demanded.
Tala didn't turn at the sound of the intruders picking themselves up and exiting the vent.
Zeo threw a glare at him and stepped forwards. Oliver wasn't one of the three coming out of the vent. He would have to take a chance. He spun in the opposite direction, at the same time setting Cerberus into the launcher. He snapped the rip cord out and Cerberus flew into the vent left open by the explosion. The blade shrieked as its attack ring grinded against steel, before being cut short. He turned back to Tala, who didn't look at all angry. Just smug.
Tala rolled his eyes. "Ian, send someone to get the blade later. Get the briefcase," he ordered, locking eyes with Zeo.
His gaze was broken as a heavy Bryan slammed his fist into the side of Zeo's face, sending him flying into the wall, where he slumped down, and lay, unconscious.
Another hand made contact with Bryan's stomach. Gordo sent another blow at his head side, but Bryan was quicker and grabbed Gordo's fist. With his other hand, Bryan punched his cheek. Unlike the light-bodied Zeo, Gordo only flinched and took a step back.
Near the wall, Mariam was helping Zeo stand up. Zeo looked dazed from being thrown into the wall. Mariam wondered if the impact had caused a concussion.
Salima, Enrique, King, and Queen were fighting off other members of Biovolt who had come at the loud explosion. They were protecting themselves and Zeo, from becoming more injured. Mariam had informed them of his condition.
In the chaos, Tala sighed and leaned down to grab a pistol out of his boot. Aiming it at the ceiling he pulled the trigger. The echoing shot silenced and froze everyone. He smirked at the effective action and his arm, gun still in hand, dropped to his side.
"Members of Za.Leon, anyone who resists will be shot," he dared. Of course he wasn't allowed to do that, but a threat would be fine. The abbey couldn't risk discovery because they had killed someone.
Biovolt soon had each of their hands cuffed behind their backs, and standing in a line against the wall.
"Ian, take them to their rooms, and search them. Bryan, try to find out their reason for being here." Tala said, to Bryan and Ian, before hiding the pistol in his boot and stalking off to talk with Boris. Ian snickered at the expression, often used by the team captain.
Bryan also left, going in the opposite direction.
"You heard him, follow me," Ian said leading the way to the dungeons.
The prisoners followed him grudgingly. Not that they had a choice: Some of the Biovolt guards remained watching them. Not that they could get far, with handcuffs.
Ian punched in the access code and the two prison doors slid open.
"Search 'em," demanded Ian.
The guards did as they were told and came up with the six blades, Amphilyon, Cyber Sharkeon, another with no bitbeast, Ortheris, Ariel, and Gabriel. Also found, were a few cleverly hidden knives.
Cuffs removed, they walked in to the cells or were shoved unceremoniously. The doors were closed and soon after the prison was completely empty.
"Nice rooms," King said, sarcastically. "Luxury sweet."
-----
Ian dropped the blades and knives on the table.
"Found these," Ian said.
"Black Dranzer is gone," Bryan said, just loud enough for Ian and Tala to hear.
Tala turned away from the wall, snatched one of the Za.Leon knives and plunged it into the table. He swore loudly and again examined each of the blades.
"If they don't have it, where is it?" he demanded, glaring at the two other Demolition Boys. At first, they thought the three in the vents were setting cameras and other devices to spy on Biovolt. Indeed, they had found several cameras, that were quickly destroyed, but with Bryan's last comment it was clear what their true intent had been.
"The prisoners were searched with the metal detectors, we can't have missed it," Ian protested.
"Cerberus is gone," Bryan added coldly, as an afterthought.
Another knife was snatched from the pile and thrown in Bryan's direction, though it wasn't aimed close to him. Bryan didn't so much as flinch. The knife dug itself into the wall.
"Ian, search outside the Abbey for traces of any escape, particularly near a vent. Brian, get out," Tala ordered, in a deadly tone. His eyes were closed, he was in deep thought.
Ian wouldn't have much trouble finding evidence, because the Russian ground was covered in a thick layer of snow. He saw Tala's train of thought: There was an eigth member.
Bryan rolled his eyes and smirked inwardly, closing the door after him and Ian. Tala was team captain: He got to tell Boris.
Flicking a switch, the wall opened to reveal a video screen. After a few moments, the screen flickered and Boris's image appeared on the screen.
"What is it, Tala? This better be important, if you're interrupting my business in America," Boris said impatiently.
-----
"Mariah, Tyson, Rei, you're going to go with Oliver to free the Za.Leon members. I'm sorry Oliver, to make you go back there, but you're the only other person in Za.Leon that has studied the building layout of the Abbey. There isn't time to be wasted," Judy explained, standing beside the burly, red-haired Dr. Zagart.
The four teens nodded and headed for the door. She turned back to the bustling room.
Zagart had Cerberus and Black Dranzer in his hands, and he was examining them calmly. He was furious that Zeo was trapped inside the Abbey. Zeo wasn't even supposed to be there! It was his son's idea, but the group would have been fine without him. Not that the group was 'fine'. Now several of the company's members were trapped inside Biovolt's base, caught stealing Black Dranzer. Biovolt was known for its harsh punishments. For its own employees! No word had ever been heard about what happened to intruders, because they probably hadn't been talking much.
Now, they had to ask the BBA for help, something that really pissed him off. Za.Leon was an illegal company. Was, as Mr. Dickenson would surly inform the government and Za.Leon would be over. Mr. Dickenson had agreed not to report Za.Leon until after the Za.Leon employees were safe and sound, so that they would have illegal equipement at their disposal.
The large video screen flashed, notifying them that someone was contacting them. Judy let the image open, but kept the settings on mirror, so that the sender would be unable to see them. Mariah, Rei, Tyson, and Oliver stopped in their tracks.
A red-haired teenager, who Zagart recognized as Tala, leader of the Demolition Boys came on screen. He seemed rather smug.
"Za.Leon, on behalf of the Demolition Boys and Biovolt, I am glad to inform you that we have captured seven of your members and are now keeping them hostage."
The screen flickered to a photograph of a prison, where the members were held. The screen flickered back to Tala.
"We also realize that one of the members have escaped, and that you must now have the blades Black Dranzer and Cerberus. We will offer you a deal. The lives of these people for the blades. An exchange can be made tomorrow at 1:00pm."
"Are you threatening them?" Tyson shouted from the door, breaking the silence in the room.
"Their lives?" Kane demanded, standing up from his seat. It was obvious he agreed with Tyson, just wasn't jumping to conclusions. Would Biovolt really hurt them in they weren't given the blades? Salima, his team mate, was there.
"Yes, this is a most serious threat. Once the blades are in our hands, five people of their own choice will be released," Tala said and the screen flickered into black, before anything else could be said.
The room erupted with sound. No one knew what to do. They couldn't leave the Za.Leon representatives there, with Biovolt's threat hanging. But should they give them two of the most powerful blades in the world? And what about the other two members?
Dr. Zagart noticed Judy was trying to say something to the bewildered crowd. He stood up.
"Shut up!" The command was obeyed, and he was given surprised glares. That was his usual vocabulary with the Za.Leon members, but most of the people in the crowd were BBA members.
"Like Dr. Zagart said, let's stay calm." All eyes turned to Judy. "Mariah, Tyson, Rei, and Oliver, same plan. Tomorrow we will exchange fake blades for five of the Za.Leon members. At the same time, Mariah will rescue the other two by navigating the ventilation system," she explained to the four mentioned, who had since returned to the center of the room.
"Do you think they will fall for the same thing twice?" Dr. Zagart shot, not with the most kindness in his voice. "They were caught in the vents, once before. And will we have time to get away before they discover that the blades are fake? They might be expecting something like this!"
Judy nodded sadly. "Do you have any other ideas?"
-----
"Very nice, cap'n," Ian commented, while sneering. He was looking out of the window at the snow covered land.
Tala smirked, lifting his legs onto the desk in front of him. Boris had told him to retrieve both blades and hadn't mentioned the hostages, but he was angry as hell. He wasn't stupid enough to believe they would give them the real blades. He also predicted an attempt break out.
"Ian, ask the hostages which five of them want a breath of fresh air tomorrow and set up the vents," he ordered.
From a chair in the corner of the room, Bryan smirked.
Hell, even Bryan was smiling. What fun, Tala thought. Their plan would go perfectly, and he'd inform Boris after that, so all seven or more hostages could be relocated.