OMG, sorry for the wait! Holy crap...My computer finally got fixed though, having risen from its ashes with a bit of time—and money-and now I'm back in business! At least I didn't lose any of my files…Good news for the fanfiction-ness of it all…

Thank you for everyone for being patient with me, and most especially to the most awesomest of dudes: nearcreature, Down n Dirty, FuzzyLion, TwlightMystery, YumiStar, Little Wolf Vamp Hearts Yaoi, Dragi, xHanako, Shinimegami7, Stellar Eclipse, Nekotsubasa, DirtyZephyrAssassin, Shukakku the adorable raccoon, chibi heishi, Oreo, Bane-Dane, RealityInABottle, ChaosGarden, RkM4U, Becca86, MeykoLove, , xacilia, ooXloveXoo582, ramen-is-my-goddess, LoneBoy7, and Koyuki! Thank you for reviewing! ^_^ Now, without further ado, onto the story!

O

Chapter 4

Night didn't come fast enough for Squall. After he had hung up on Cloud, he had dialed Zexion up on his cell, knowing that even though Cloud hadn't been interested in the bombing attempt his old accomplice would be. Squall hadn't been disappointed. After he had explained the situation, Zexion had immediately agreed that it would be best to get the evidence left behind from the pipe bomb tested. Then he had proceeded to rather enigmatically order Squall to collect some of the residual components of the bomb before the Traverse Town Police arrived and to meet up after nine at night at their old headquarters.

Squall had obeyed without question at the time but now that several hours had passed he couldn't stop thinking about what Zexion wanted, his mind occupied with guessing about it the whole day at work. That is, the part of his mind that wasn't stressing out over leaving Sora at home while he left to go to Cid's workshop. After the bomb scare, he hadn't wanted to leave Sora alone, even at the house, even when the Traverse Town Police had promised to leave an officer to keep an eye on things for a while. Eventually though, having recovered from the morning's shock, Sora had almost literally pushed Squall out the front door himself. Apparently he had gotten tired of watching Squall sit by the front window with his gun in his hand.

Now, though, the sun had finally set and Squall could finally do something about what happened that morning.

Making it back home and gratefully finding nothing to be amiss, Squall took a shower, quickly threw together something for dinner, spent half an hour with Sora after they ate, then jumped back onto his motorcycle and headed back out. He still wasn't sure what Zexion was going to do with the evidence but he had a mix of parts from the exploded pipe bomb tucked away in his bike's saddle bag.

When he arrived at their headquarters Squall's curiosity was only further piqued when he caught sight of Zexion and Riku loitering around outside the building. They were both leaning against the wall just out of the glow of the streetlight and the murmured conversation passing between them stopped as Squall drove up. Stopping in front of them, Squall pulled off his helmet and raised a brow. "What's going on?"

Riku smirked at his cautious expression but Zexion seemed more understanding as he slowly straightened up. "Nothing that you need to worry about. After receiving your call this morning, I made some phone calls of my own. I assume you brought material from the pipe bomb with you?" At Squall's nod, Zexion continued, "Good. I agree with you that it will be in our best interest to learn more about the individuals trying to kill us and so have contacted an old acquaintance of mine to lend us a hand. Or, a lab as it were."

Squall's eyes narrowed just slightly. "I assume you're standing outside because we're going to see this guy tonight?"

"Correct."

"Is this something I should go back and grab my handgun for?"

Zexion paused for a moment, looking as if he were actually considering the question, before shaking his head. "No, you should be fine going in unarmed. He never was one for firearms. I am impressed that you failed to bring a weapon with you tonight, however. I think you may be trusting us too much."

Squall frowned and dismounted his bike. "I don't know if I'd go that far. If you wanted to kill me you would've done it already or I would've had to give you a reason to do so."

"Who said we'd need a reason?" Squall glared back at Riku as the silver-haired man spoke up, "Relax, it was a joke. Anyway, don't worry about tonight; I have enough guns on me for all of us if Zexion's buddy tries anything."

Snorting, Squall dug out the plastic bag of pipe bomb debris out of his saddle bag. The idea that Riku was packing heat wasn't that much of a comfort, though it was a bit strange that Riku was acting like he would protect Squall if something went wrong. The last time they had seen each other they had been ready to rip each other's throats out. Pushing the idea that Sora had had something to do with Riku's attitude change out of his mind, Squall turned back to Zexion. "So where are we going and how are we getting there?"

At the question, Zexion began to walk down the sidewalk towards a small side-street, Squall and Riku following along behind him. "We will be taking the van. He lives in the outskirts of Dark City so it will be a bit of a drive to get there and back, but I suppose that is the price one pays for fast service."

Riku threw an exasperated look over to Squall. "Oh, well, thanks for letting us know earlier, Zex. Good thing I didn't have anything like sleeping planned for tonight."

As usual, Riku's complaints didn't phase Zexion who simply continued to walk, the three of them rounding the corner to find the same van they had used in their heists two years ago parked in the alleyway. "I am not worried about you Riku, since you seem to be nocturnal. On the other hand, Leon, you are welcomed to sit in front with me and sleep during the drive since you have a normal job and may require some rest."

Smirking back at Riku, Squall nevertheless shook his head. "Thanks, but I'll be fine. I'll ride in the back."

"Suit yourself." Wrenching the van's back doors open, Zexion stepped aside to allow Squall and Riku space to climb in. It didn't surprise Squall in the least to find that very little had changed and it spoke volumes that Zexion hadn't bothered to get rid of any of the gear sitting in the back that they had used to break into houses. As he and Riku found good places to sit, Zexion's voice broke through his thoughts. "Now, this will be a long ride and I do not want to hear any fighting going on back here. As you undoubtedly remember, the equipment around you is expensive and I do not want it ruined by blood or by someone getting smashed into it."

Squall rolled his eyes and Riku sneered back, "Yes, mother. Gods, Zexion, we're not five."

The shorter man pursed his lips, "Sometimes I find that difficult to believe. The warning was a valid one seeing that the two of you seem to have been at odds recently. If you need anything, the batteries in the headsets should still work and I will keep mine on up front. Remember, no roughhousing."

Zexion's tone left no room for any sort of disobedience as he slammed the van doors shut. A few seconds passed before they both heard the driver's side door open then close again and the engine flared to life. Squall and Riku suddenly lurched to the side as Zexion accelerated, Riku scowling as he grabbed onto a box to keep himself from sliding around. "You'd think Zexion would've installed seats back here or something by now. At least a couple of seatbelts."

Quirking a brow, Squall just managed to keep himself upright. "You don't really seem the type to wear seatbelts."

A breath of air escaped the younger man. "I'm a criminal, but I'm not stupid. If a seatbelt's going to keep this face from smashing through a windshield, it's worth the second it takes to buckle, especially during car chases."

"Been in many of those?"

"A few. And I haven't been caught yet. I'm a damn good driver."

"You should really work on those self-esteem issues of yours…"

Riku smirked back, "Why waste time on false modesty?"

It was a miracle to Squall that Sora saw anything in this pompous brat. A terrible, hellish miracle. At least Riku wasn't blatantly picking a fight today, not that it didn't mean he wasn't still getting on Squall's nerves. Lifting a hand, Squall pressed it to his forehead. "Let's just both shut up for the rest of the ride. Otherwise we might get blood on Zexion's gear."

"Fine. Don't blame me if you get bored though."

"Whatever."

oOoOo

By the time that they arrived at their destination, Squall wasn't bored as much as he was about to fall asleep. It wasn't that he was tired—there was nothing much else to do when you were holed up in a small space with no windows and no good sense of speed or direction. Across from him, Riku had his eyes closed as well, although it didn't seem like he was really asleep either. He was a little surprised that Riku had managed to last so long doing nothing, though he probably should have had a little more faith in the man. Riku was a gunman after all, a sniper, and someone like that would have to be able to wait hours at a time without moving.

Riku's eyes flickered open as the van started to slow and by the time it had come to a stop both Squall and Riku were waiting by the doors, ready to be let out. Zexion didn't keep them waiting long, the doors swinging open a minute later. "We are here. Now, before we go in, I must ask you not to touch anything. He is particular about such things."

Jumping out, Squall quickly took in their new surroundings. They seemed to be on the very outskirts of Dark City, the metropolis's downtown skyline glittering off toward the east. Their current location looked like it was part of the industrial area of the city, a run-down looking warehouse looming a few feet away. The area was so ill-lit that Squall could barely see a hundred yards away but he could still see that the building they were standing in front of had had better days. The windows were all boarded up, though most of them had been smashed out regardless, and one entire side of the structure seemed to be slumping a little.

Walking up to stand beside him, Riku glanced the building over and his lips curled into a frown. It seemed that Riku was as clueless about the guy who they were about to meet as he was. "This is it?"

"Yes."

"It looks like it should be condemned."

Squall had to agree. And he didn't like the thought of spending any time inside of the warehouse either. It looked like it was about ready to collapse.

Zexion eyed them both before walking over to what appeared to be the main entrance. "Appearances can be deceiving."

A disgusted edge slipped across Riku's face as the man's eyes focused in on the door Zexion was headed towards. "The building's covered in mold and that door's so rusted it's about to fall off of its hinges."

Riku was right on all counts, but as he followed Zexion over to the door, Squall noticed something that made him question how much of the building was actually designed to divert attention. While the door looked to be almost entirely coated in rust, the lock hanging from a thick chain stretched across the entrance was brand new.

Eyeing the warehouse with a renewed sense of suspicion, Squall waited a few steps back as Zexion strode right up to the door and gave three firm knocks, the sound reverberating through the metal. The sound slowly faded away only to be replaced by a stretched silence. Riku finally stepped over to join them at the door and Squall could almost sense uneasiness welling up inside the other man as well. "Are you sure you got the right place?"

Zexion nodded without turning his head. "I am certain. I have been here more than a few times. It just takes him a moment to get to the door. Ah, here we are…"

There was a faint noise of creaking gears before the large door slid open, the piercing screech of the heavy metal door on the concrete walkway sending a shiver up Squall's spine. Although the door was open, no one was standing behind it. The only thing waiting to greet them was a long, dark tunnel that led into the warehouse, the space poorly lit by pale fluorescent lighting.

The only one who didn't seem to be phased by this was Zexion. Putting his hands on his hips, Riku stared down into the tunnel with more than a hint of distrust. "Is your friend a ghost, or does he just like theatrics?"

Zexion's lips quirked up into a small smirk. "Neither. This sort of décor is simply normal and pleasing to him. Now, shall we proceed?"

Riku let out a puff of air. "You first."

"Very well. Follow me closely then."

Neither Squall nor Riku decided to argue the command as they stepped inside, the hallway so narrow that they had to go in single-file. As he walked in just a step behind Zexion, Squall was hit with a wave of cold air as soon as he crossed the threshold into the building. It was like stepping into a walk-in freezer. Glad that he had worn his leather jacket despite the warm summer night air, Squall stuck his hands in his pockets, his breath clouding up in front of him as he exhaled.

He had only taken a few more steps when the sound of grinding metal suddenly filled the tight space and the door behind them slammed shut, Riku running into his back to avoid getting caught in any of the mechanisms. "—the hell? Zex, if we get trapped in here, I will kill you."

"Relax. We will be let out once our work here is done."

"Wow, that sounds so comforting. How do you know this guy anyway, and why haven't I heard about him before?"

There was a pause-the same pause that always came before Zexion revealed more about himself-before the man spoke, his voice echoing back to Squall and Riku, "I went to college in Dark City." Over the shorter man's shoulders, Squall saw that they were walking towards another door at the end of the corridor, this door looking a lot newer than the one guarding the main entrance. "During the time I was here, I met him and spent some time working for him. He also taught me more about computers and cyber crime than any professor I have ever had."

Squall's brows rose in surprise. The idea that they were about to meet the man who taught Zexion his computer skills was slightly intimidating in a strange way, "So is he better with all that computer stuff than you are?"

Squall couldn't hear the Zexion's huff but he saw it as a cloud of vapor escaped Zexion's lips. "Not anymore. I quickly outgrew his tutelage in the computer sciences. However, I will admit that he is more skilled than me in many other scientific capacities, which is why we are here today."

Reaching the second door, Zexion waited only a moment to give one knock before pushing his way through. Squall couldn't stop his jaw from dropping. Though the temperatures remained just as frigid, the claustrophobic corridor had opened into a huge space that must have spanned nearly the entire warehouse. Everywhere Squall looked there was a piece of technical equipment or a beaker stand, a light hum of electronics saturating the air. Before he could fully take the scene in, he heard footsteps marching towards them and turned just in time to see a man emerge from behind a towering metal bookshelf.

The man was tall and appeared to be thin, although most of his body was obscured by the long white lab coat. His long blonde hair hung around his face and when he spotted them, his icy blue eyes scanned over them methodically before zeroing in on Zexion. "Ienzo, or should I say Zexion. It's been a while."

Stepping forward, Zexion met the man with a quick handshake. "It has." Turning around to glance at them, Zexion waved in Squall and Riku's direction, "These are my, companions, Leon and Riku. I told you about them accompanying me in my email."

"Yes, yes, I remember." The scientist turned his piercing gaze on Squall and Riku and for the first time Squall realized that the man's breath didn't cloud up in front of him as he spoke. It was like his body had adapted to the cold temperatures. "You may call me Vexen. Usually I don't allow strangers to enter my laboratory but I made an exception at Zexion's request. Don't make me regret it."

Before Riku could sneer back an answer or Squall came up with his own indignant reply about being treated like a bull in a china shop, Zexion interrupted. "They will behave themselves, I assure you."

Vexen gave Squall and Riku both a hard stare before nodding. "Fine. What is it that you needed my help for? My experiments keep my schedule very tied up so this can't take too long."

Squall definitely didn't want to know what sort of experiments Vexen was conducting. He had only met Vexen's gaze twice now and he already thought he had caught a distinct glint of madness in the man's cold eyes. But he wasn't going to let the mad-scientist vibes scare him off. Schooling his features so that they remained carefully neutral, Squall pulled out the small packet of evidence that he had tucked away inside his jacket pocket and answered Vexen's question himself, having quickly grasped why Zexion had taken them here after seeing the place. "This morning a pipe bomb was left in front of my home. It went off before I could disarm it, but I collected some of what was left behind. We were hoping that you could run some tests on it to tell us a little more about who sent it." A quick glance over at Zexion told Squall that he had said the right thing.

Walking over, Vexen snatched up the bag of pipe bomb residue and peered at its contents. "Such a thing may be possible. A few quick experiments would show if this debris has any value to it."

Seeing that they had caught the scientist's interest, Zexion pressed further. "Just from your initial inspection, how much do you think we can learn from the sample?"

"Hm…" Vexen opened up the plastic bag and riffled through the broken bomb pieces with a gloved hand. "From what I see here…we should be able to classify the chemical compounds in their black powder formula and isolate those who have purchased the necessary chemical elements from the usual suppliers…We may be able to identify the manufacturer of the metal used in the pipe as well…" Vexen's voice trailed off into indistinct mumbles for half a minute before he straightened back up and his eyes turned back to Zexion. "There's a distinct possibility that I will be able to locate the person, or a list of persons involved with the creation of this bomb from the evidence provided. Dare I ask what you will do with such results if they are realized?"

Squall was sure that Zexion's "innocent" face didn't fool anyone in the room. "You may think of it simply as a matter of a fellow researcher's curiosity."

"Fine. I won't pry, Zexion, just keep me out of whatever mess you get into. I hate dealing with the authorities…"

As Vexen, with the bag of evidence still in hand, stalked off to locate some testing equipment, Riku took the chance to slip closer so that he was standing between Squall and Zexion. "This guy's a nut, Zex. Are you sure he's going to get the work done?"

If Zexion was insulted by Riku's questioning of his old mentor's sanity he didn't show it. "Vexen may seem a bit eccentric, but he really is the best at what he does. Far better, in fact, than the overworked staff operating in the under-equipped crime labs in Traverse Town or Twilight Town."

Squall frowned. "But I'm guessing that this, lab, he's got going here is less than legal, right?"

Zexion tilted his head. "I suppose that is the flip side of the story. Vexen is a genius, and I do not use that term lightly, but his personal experiments can be a bit…morally questionable." Pausing in thought, Zexion let out a small hum before shaking his head. "Actually, it would be best if you two stuck together while we are here. While Vexen is not an immediate threat to any of us, if it strikes him he may try to involve you in an experiment and that would not end well."

Riku managed a smirk despite the nervousness Squall saw in his eyes. "You sound like you've had some personal experiences with it."

"I would rather not talk about it."

Any further questioning was cut off by Vexen's voice echoing out from farther back inside the lab. "I've found what we'll need to run the tests. Zexion, break into the police databank so once we get our results we can cross-reference them with their files." A small chuckle escaped Squall; despite the situation, listening to Zexion getting ordered about like an assistant was amusing. "And you other two, I'm assuming that you have little to no experience in this sort of work so I will assign you tasks even an imbecile would be able to successfully complete to make sure nothing goes wrong."

Squall's smirk faded into a scowl and he grudgingly followed after Zexion as he led them towards where Vexen was setting things up. Keeping his voice low so that Vexen wouldn't catch it, Squall sent Zexion a cool look. "You didn't bring us along just to be gofers, did you?"

"Would I ever do such a thing?"

Letting out a small growl, Riku began to follow along. "Yes, you would, you ass. And I have better things to do than waste my time with Dr. Crackpot over there."

"Well it is too bad then that I am the only one with the keys to the van. Of course, the train station in Dark City is only about a four hour walk from here, so feel free to leave if that is what you really wish. Of course, you will have to convince Vexen to allow you to do so first, given that only he can unlock the front door…"

Riku sucked in a breath and was undoubtedly about to sling an insult back at Zexion when they rounded the corner Vexen had slipped behind and found him sitting at a long counter. Settling with a few muttered jabs, Riku crossed his arms as the three walked over to the scientist.

Glancing up, Vexen nodded towards his left as he slid on a pair of glasses to protect his eyes from any chemicals. "Zexion, the computer is just over there. I'm sure you can figure it out."

"I am sure I can."

Squall shifted awkwardly as Zexion abandoned them to sit down in front of a monitor at the far end of the metal counter, Vexen's eyes once again having landed on him and Riku. "You, what was your name again?"

"Leon."

"Right. Go and fetch the rack of beakers near the book shelves. Make sure your hands are sanitized first, I don't want a single skin cell being introduced into this experiment!" As Squall turned on his heels to get his chore over with, he heard Vexen begin to address Riku and his smirk returned. "And you, boy, put on a pair of gloves and help me prepare these samples." It did Squall's heart good to hear Riku getting bossed around. "By the way, I would like to get a sample of your DNA. You possess characteristics which would be very useful for one of my personal projects."

Even with his back turned Squall could feel the discomfort radiating off of Riku as the hitman grit his teeth, "No thanks…"

Grabbing the beaker rack, Squall couldn't decide whether he wanted to laugh or cringe from the disturbing atmosphere…This was going to be a long night.

Sighing, Cloud raked his fingers through his hair as he settled back into an uncomfortably stiff chair. In front of him Roxas was devouring food from a Styrofoam container Axel had brought in for him like a starving wolf while Cloud and Axel looked on.

It had only been a little over twenty-four hours since Roxas had been brought in but he was already starting to look better. Well, his injuries looked the same but he seemed fully awake and lucid now and it was clear that his appetite had returned in full force.

Chuckling, Axel sat down at the foot of Roxas's hospital bed after making sure that the shorter blonde's legs weren't in the way. "Slow down, Rox, you're going to choke."

Struck with conflicting feelings of amusement and disgust Cloud just shook his head. "Seriously, at least chew your food before you swallow it."

Pausing inhaling his food just long enough to speak, Roxas met both of their comments with a soft glare. "No way. You wouldn't believe the kind of stuff they're trying to pass off as food here! You'd think a hospital would have, you know, good food, but it looks worse than the crap at my high school cafeteria."

Cloud shook his head again and reached up to rub at his eyes. Good god, he could feel the bags under his eyes. He should've expected that though, after having spent the last day and a bit awake and staring at papers or text on his computer screen.

After a few more bites of food, Roxas once again spoke up, his tone having softened considerably. "So…I'm guessing the case isn't going well?"

Axel gave the bedridden blonde a tight smile that just seemed to make the young cop more suspicious. "What gave you that idea?"

"You two look like zombies."

"Says the kid with half of his skin rubbed off."

Growling, Roxas planted a weak kick into Axel's side. "I'm trying to be serious! I want to know what's going on. I'm going crazy trapped in this room!"

As Roxas's eyes turned toward Cloud, the older Strife tilted his head to the side in acquiescence. "Let's just say that things have gotten a little more complicated now that our suspect's turned up dead."

Jumping into their conversation, Axel took over and steered the discussion away from an old argument he and Cloud had been having all day. "Basically, we're working on proving that he was the lowlife who did this to you. That's looking like it will be a pretty easy case to close though, since we have him and his car and all the evidence that comes with it."

"If it's such an open-and-closed case, what's got you both so worked up then?"

Cloud frowned as he rested his chin in his hand. "In our spare time we've been trying to piece this incident together with what happened over at Zexion's apartment. It's proven difficult to figure out who this guy really was, but it's becoming clear that he was definitely involved with the Organization, probably a recent hire looking at his records. We're hoping that looking up some information about our perp will tell us a little more about what the Organization is up too but there are a surprising number of road blocks in our way."

Sighing, Axel nodded. "I don't think it was even this secretive two years ago, the Organization must have upped their game. It doesn't exactly help that the situation's apparently escalating. First the Zexion thing, then you, then Leon—"

Roxas perked up, setting a now completely empty take-out out box on his side table. "What happened to Leon?"

Grabbing the container and tossing it into the trashcan behind him, Cloud explained. "Someone planted a pipe bomb at Leon's house. He managed to contain it before it went off but it could've been bad. I actually called the Traverse Town PD up about it and the detective who had been assigned the case said that it had been wrapped up like a package and was set on a timer to explode at a certain time. It was just dumb luck that Leon happened to step out at the right, or wrong, minute. Then again, what's really lucky is that Leon knew how to handle it."

Roxas swore lightly and his head tilted down to stare pensively at his covers. "Did the Traverse Town PD say anything else about it? Did they learn anything from the bomb?"

"They said they sent the pieces they collected into their lab. I requested that they put a rush on it so the results should be sent back in a week, week and a half. Theoretically, they might tell us something about where the bomb was manufactured, and hopefully who made it. Like I told Leon though, that's going to be too long to wait for that information to be really useful, especially if things really are escalating…"

Roxas's gaze drifted back up and he eyed Cloud with what could only be described as suspicion before turning toward Axel. "Hey Ax, could you do me a big favor?"

Smirking, Axel crossed his arms over his chest. "Depends. Your brother's here, so if it's something dirty you'll have to wait."

"You're such a pervert! I just wanted a soda! The nurse won't bring me any but I know for a fact that they sell them downstairs at the hospital cafeteria."

Releasing a dramatic sigh, Axel nevertheless rose to his feet. "What am I, your servant? Fine, I'll get you your soda, but all these little favors are adding up in my head. Once I get you home, I'm expecting some repayment, with interest."

Roxas made a face at the detective's retreating back causing Cloud to smile, speaking up softly as Axel slipped out into the hall. "He's still worried about you, you know…"

For a fleeting moment, Roxas smiled back. "Yeah…I know. But, while he's gone, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Raising a brow, Cloud carefully schooled his expression to be ready for whatever Roxas was about to throw at him. "Well, it must be serious if you got Axel out of the room first."

"Shut up, it is. You're worried about Leon, aren't you?"

"Huh?" Not what he had been expecting. "Why would you say that?"

Roxas never let his gaze leave Cloud as he settled back against the headboard. "You were trying to cover it up, but when you were talking I could tell that that bomb scare kind of freaked you out."

"What are you talking about, I—"

Scoffing, Roxas interrupted his older brother mid-sentence. "Oh, cut the crap, Cloud. It's okay that you're worried about the guy."

Cloud wasn't sure why, but his defenses shot up at Roxas's words. Gritting his teeth, he released his brother's stare to look at the wall instead. "I don't need to worry about him. He's fine and very capable of taking care of himself. Besides, the way I figure it he got himself involved with the Organization, so it's only fair that he has to deal with the consequences." It was the truth but it sounded a lot harsher out loud than it had in his head.

"So the fact that you like the guy has nothing to do at all with why you're working so hard all of a sudden?"

Snapping his chin up, Cloud gave Roxas a hard look. "I'm working hard on this case for you."

Roxas didn't so much as blink. "You were. But that's over now and you're still working in overdrive. So why haven't you let up a little?"

"Maybe you don't understand the exact implications of what's going on here. The Organization may be coming back. They've already tried to kill three people, one of which happens to be you, and I doubt they're going to stop there. Plus, if I don't get this thing figured out soon, you can bet that Leon, Riku, and Zexion will try to take over for me, and I don't want to have to deal with all the headaches that that would cause."

"But you're not denying that you like the guy?"

"Who?"

"Leon."

Stare hardening into a glare, Cloud scowled at Roxas, "I don't like him."

"You do."

"He's an ex-mercenary and a felon, not to mention my parolee."

"And yet you still like him."

"I don't."

"You do."

"I don't."

Throwing his hands up into the air in exasperation, Roxas tugged at his tangled blonde spikes. "Oh my god, you're so annoying! You do like him! You've been going to Leon's house every weekend for two years—how can you pretend you don't like him?"

It was moments like these that reminded Cloud how frustrating younger brothers could be. "I go over to his house because it's my job."

"But it's not! You aren't required to check up on him in person that often! You can't exactly say you just 'dropped by' since he lives two hours away! And it's not like I don't know you do more than just 'check up on him' anyway. I'm not dumb, Cloud, I know you're sleeping with Leon. So does Axel. You're just lucky the whole precinct hasn't figured it out yet!"

Ending his tirade, Roxas leaned forward to catch his breath. Cloud didn't speak, not trusting himself to open his mouth without yelling back, though some of his anger dissolved a bit as Roxas's face grew sad. "Have you seriously convinced yourself that you don't feel anything for him? Even with everything that's going on?"

The glint of heartbreak Cloud saw slip through Roxas's blue eyes undid the rest of his rage and he took a moment, just a moment, to honestly consider Roxas's question. It was something he had never bothered to stop and think about, something that he didn't want to have to think about. Exhaling slowly, Cloud looked at his feet as if hoping that the answer was lying on a piece of paper on the floor. "…Even if I am, attracted physically to Leon and occasionally act on that…it doesn't matter either way. I don't feel anything beyond the ordinary for him, and I can't. We're too…different."

Pursing his lips, Roxas's eyes scanned Cloud's face before he sighed, "I think the real problem is you're too similar."

Feeling frustration mounting in the back of his mind again, Cloud snapped back, "Anyway, it's not like I have any time to think about that now, not with everything with the Organization's starting back up. I have to think about more than one person right now and I'm not about to let myself become distracted by anything other than my work."

"Cloud—"

Roxas's irritated protest was cut off as the door to his hospital room opened and Axel came back inside, a can of soda held loosely in one hand. "Here you are, princess. One soda, as promised. I got your usual and it's even cold." Noticing that both blondes in the room were glaring at him, Axel froze halfway to the bed. "Did I interrupt something?"

Before Roxas could answer in the affirmative, or rip Axel's head off for calling him "princess", Cloud barked out a terse response. "No, we're done."

He didn't have to look over at his brother to know that Roxas was practically bristling. "Like hell we were—"

"We. Are. Done. It's about time we got back to the office anyway Axel, so say your goodnights and meet me down in the lobby."

Pushing himself up onto his feet, Cloud didn't wait for Axel's reply before stalking out of the room. He wasn't going to put up with any more of Roxas's insinuations. Not only that, but he recognized the fact, even in his rather heated state of mind, that Axel and Roxas probably wouldn't mind half a minute alone with the other before the detectives took off again.

Trying to force out all of the tension which had seeped into him over the last few minutes in a long sigh, Cloud dug his hands into his pants' pockets and made his way down the hall and toward the main lobby.

It had bothered him, what Roxas had said. More than it should have. He and Leon…it wasn't like they were dating. They weren't a couple. They were just…them. They felt something for each other, sure, but to say that it was anything close to love…that seemed to go too far.

Looking back at the last conversation he had had with Leon though caused a small twinge of guilt to shoot through Cloud. He had been having a rough night, or day, and he hadn't been in a good mood at the time. He still wasn't in a good mood, but that wasn't the point. What was the point was that even if he didn't like Leon, he probably still should have expressed more of his concern when his parolee reported a bomb detonating on his front porch.

Fingering his cell phone, Cloud finally pulled the small device out of his pocket and ran his fingers over the screen, almost unconsciously pulling up Leon's number. He could call and apologize, but what would he really say? Sorry for being an ass this morning, I was cranky? It's not like Leon wouldn't have figured that one out on his own…

The fact that the desire to call Leon was still there, even after Cloud acknowledged that he had nothing to say to the man, surprised him. It had almost been a week since he had last seen Leon, and Cloud was pretty sure he had been right in thinking that he wasn't going to be able to make it out to Traverse Town this weekend. He had been so used to being around Leon every weekend that now that he wasn't he felt a little out of place.

A quick call would be nice, just to tell him what was going on with the case. Tell him about the problems they were having. On the other hand, he wasn't sure whether Leon was still mad at him and didn't want to risk riling the man up further. If he called, Leon would probably think that Cloud didn't trust him enough not to check in on him every day.

Maybe by not calling Cloud would be able to apologize, in a way. Maybe it would show that yes, he actually trusted Leon, which was the truth—mostly. He trusted that Leon would do what he thought was right and necessary…And that is what scared him the most.

It took a good six hours to finish the work in Vexen's lab and by the time that they and their results were released, the eastern skyline was just beginning to pale. Swearing under his breath Squall did the math in his head. By the time they got back to Traverse Town, he would have a whole two hours before he needed to turn right back around and head out for work at Cid's place. Maybe he would take advantage of the drive and take a nap after all. He didn't need the sleep—he would be able to work the whole day without his performance really suffering for it, thanks to his training—but he might as well try to take what he could get.

Climbing into the back of the van, he waited for Riku to join him as Zexion leaned in beside him to slip some items into the back. Squall didn't ask what they were and instead focused on where would be the best place for him to sit if he wanted to get a few hours of sleep in. Riku, who had been thoroughly creeped out that night, just raised a brow and jumped up to sit across from Squall.

Once they had gotten settled Zexion lightly cleared his throat. "So, now that we know everything that we can possibly know about who made the pipe bomb and where it was made, are we willing to act on it?"

Riku scowled. "Can this conversation be saved for later? We've already put in our overtime for today."

"No, I want a reply from each of you right now, before I proceed any further. So I will ask you each again; Riku, are you willing to act on our information?"

Stifling a yawn behind one hand, Riku frowned back. "Aren't I always?"

"Very true. What about you, Leon?"

Rolling his neck to try to work out some of the tension in his muscles, Squall remained silent for a minute before letting out a breath. "What exactly would 'acting on our information' entail?"

Zexion took a seat on the van's back bumper. "I think it should be very clear. While I know that the police are working on solving this matter, judging by their previous ventures their success in the matter is questionable at best. In addition, I have never been one to simply sit back and allow others to take care of my problems."

Squall felt the same way but he knew that he was treading on thin ice. "You didn't exactly answer my question. What are you thinking about doing?"

"I am thinking of nipping this irritation in the bud before it grows out of control. The Organization—whether or not the main group has been directly affiliated with these attacks—is obviously out for our blood. Now that we have a lead of our own, I think that we should follow it."

The tests Vexen had run on the pipe bomb residence had produced more information than Squall would have thought possible. From the tiny scraps he had collected from his front yard, Vexen had been able to narrow down the possible makers to a short list of names. It had only taken five minutes, once Zexion had gained access to the police databanks, to cross-reference the list with anyone who was in any way involved with the Organization and their list had been reduced to a single name. After a short minute of obsessive searching, Vexen had finally found a partial palm print that confirmed their suspicions. The man whose name they got, some John Bedford-something-or-another, looked like a fairly ordinary entry-level peon who might as well now have a big red target painted on his back.

Squall knew how easy it would be for them to just finish it; he, Riku, or Zexion could all single-handedly make this man permanently disappear. But he also knew Zexion for one wouldn't be satisfied with such a result…He wasn't sure he would be either.

Frowning, Squall rubbed a hand over his face. "Maybe we should just call Cloud and let him know that—"

"That what?" Zexion interrupted, his voice deceptively calm. "That we know who planted the bomb? And how would you explain that? Would you tell him that you took evidence from a crime scene?"

Squall's frown deepened. "No." Cloud would probably put him in jail for tampering with a crime scene and obstructing justice if he said anything like that.

Straightening up, Zexion tucked his hands behind his back. "Even if we told the police and they did not reprimand us for running our own tests without their knowledge, what would they be able to do with that information? They could watch the guy who made the bomb, put him under surveillance and gather evidence to arrest him. And then a month, maybe two months later they might have enough evidence to get a warrant to search his house. Those are not the results I am looking for. Luckily, the three of us have the ability to see for ourselves that things are straightened out."

Scoffing, Riku glared sleepily at Zexion. "Look, you obviously already have a plan in mind, so just spit it out so we can hit the road."

Letting out a small huff, Zexion's lips tightened before he gave a curt nod. "Fine. I will skip to the chase. Although taking care of the man who left the bomb would be somewhat satisfying, I am proposing that we use him to break into the Organization's main ranks and remind them that they ought not to trifle with us. Even though we have not been active for two years either, they are sorely mistaken to think that we are so out of practice that we will take their abuse lying down."

As much as he hated it, Squall couldn't deny that a small spark of excitement lit in his chest as Zexion spoke. He had always been a man of action and Zexion's words hit home. The idea of proving their point with a bit of force sounded dangerously appealing even as he tried to beat his reaction down with his common sense. He had just finally gotten settled in to a normal life. After everything that happened—Sora getting sick, nearly getting killed last time he, Zexion, and Riku had worked together, serving with SeeD—he had finally just begun to grasp the safe, quiet life he had been searching for for years. He was finally just getting Cloud to warm up to him, although it was hard to tell with the way Cloud had acted this morning.

Knowing that he shouldn't ask any more about it, that he should just say he wasn't interested and turn his head, the words slipped out of Squall's mouth anyway. "How would you use the guy to break into the main group?"

Zexion's lips just barely turned up at the corner, the violet-haired schemer knowing then that he had the soldier hooked. "When I was looking up his information via the police database, I noticed something peculiar about his listed 'home address'."

"I caught that too." Squall's head swung back to look at Riku. "The idiot practically gave himself away. The address he listed might have been in Twilight Town, but even I know that the street he wrote down is notorious underground for being the spot where the Organization runs its local business, though no body knows, or will tell, where the actual building is."

Squall's eyes narrowed as he tried to work out Zexion's plan in his head. "So you're thinking that he lives nearby an Organization hot spot?"

"I do not just think that he lives nearby, I think that he frequents their headquarters. He would have few other reasons for living so close. What I am proposing is that we follow the man then meet him inside and make our point clear."

Riku grinned, undoubtedly imagining the plan's ensuing blood-bath. "Like leading a lamb to the slaughter…"

Squall tried to block it out by closing his eyes. He couldn't do this. Not know that things were starting to work out. He had to think about Sora. He should think about Cloud.

Blinking his eyes back open, he found Zexion's analyzing gaze peering at him and suddenly felt exposed. "I know what you are thinking, Leon. You are conflicted, about whether you want to join or not. Just think of it this way, as I do; if we end this now, we will no longer have to worry about anyone around us getting hurt." From the flash in Zexion's visible eye, Squall knew that the other man wasn't thinking about Sora, or Cloud, but of his own loved ones, or loved one. "There is no one better for the job than us and it must be done, soon. Hitting the Organization while it is still crippled in its efforts to reestablish itself will surely make our point all the more strong and if they have a brain among them they will know that we mean to be left alone. Think of this as our…last hurrah."

That's right. He would never be able to really live comfortably as long as the threat of the Organization was breathing down his neck. Zexion was right; if they acted now and leveled one swift blow to show they meant business, all of this might be over. He could give up any more illegal activity, shut it away completely, and live the absolutely-legal life that he wanted. And if they played their cards right, Cloud would never have to know about any of this. "Alright, I'm in."

"Perfect. We will meet again then Monday night to settle our plans and make our move sometime next week, before they have the chance to try to kill one of us again."