The train ride heading to New Meridian felt heavy as Arthur held the gem in his hands. Cerebella had already contacted Vitale about having the Soul Gem. She said a friend of hers was having to carry it as she was unable to carry it for some reason. She didn't think about putting it in a sack or anything, but that was beside the point. Arthur had managed as well to contact Lab 8 to let them know he was heading back their way. He would have the beacon on once he arrived into city limits so they would know where he was. They told him the cemetery where Squigly was buried would be a good place to go for the meet up. Though the question for Arthur was how does he split from Cerebella? He had to do it during a transition between the station and where he was going to be taken by the Medicis. Which to him, could be anywhere. Though a plus side for Arthur at the moment, Cerebella had fallen asleep as they were on their way back. This would afford Arthur sometime to work a bit of magic. He was no thief, but he knew a few tricks. Though he felt bad for doing this. Cerebella seemed like a nice gal, just mislead by the people raising her up. Selfish as it may seem for him to keep the Soul Gem, but he couldn't afford Lorenzo coming back. The hours ticked away as they were reaching city limits. He was nervous as hell and for good measure. He was possibly walking right into a fire he had to walk out of unscathed. But that wouldn't happen. He nudged Cerebella to wake her up.

"Hey, sleepy head wake up. We're here" he told her as Cerebella was sitting up with a yawn.

"Already? Fantastic" she sounded happy but her tone hinted her grogginess as they left the compartment of the train and went into the train station. As they walked out, his heart sank sixty feet when he saw a limo pulled up to the train station. There seemed to be girls in bunny outfits wearing some sort of scary version of bunny masks. The worst part, they carried some heavy fire arms, sub machine guns to say the least. Tommy guns at most. This worried him further gulping when they motioned them over.

"Oh so he did send us a ride" Cerebella sounded relieved though Arthur just nods.

"Right, comfy" he commented as he was directed to the opened door along with Cerebella. The two that were guarding the limo also climbed in. The inside of the limo was quite nice, fancy to say the least as Arthur still was holding onto the orb. What spooked him more was who was sitting right in front of them. He was pressed against one of the doors as he saw a women in a black dress. Veil over her face with one eye he could see though what got under his skin was the grenade launcher of an arm she had. He only heard of one Medici fitting that description and that was Black Dhalia herself.

"Dhalia? Wasn't expecting you here tonight" Cerebella remarked kinda hoping to see Vitale instead. Sure she was fine with seeing Dhalia though at times she didn't want to talk to her unless she had to.

"Vitale asked me to come down to make sure you make it to him in one piece" Dhalia's voice was calm but he could pick up the undertone as she looked over at him. He nearly froze but tried to keep his cool.

"So, who's your little friend ya got here?" she asked as Cerebella answered for him.

"Oh this is Arthur. I figured I would bring someone along to you know, make sure I got back in one piece" Cerebella commented with her hat on her lap as Dhalia nods.

"Right, though I must say his reputation proceeds him from down in the docks" Dhalia's gaze had shifted to Cerebella but soon went back to Arthur. He was listening as he was watching her.

"Several of the boys tell me you've roughened them up and been a real pain in their sides. Giving people down there a real backbone for standing up for them. You realize that does hurt us a bit. And in one way I would never expect you to help us" she continued shifting her crossed legs revealing a knife strapped to one of her legs that was uncovered from under her dress.

"Though I've done my fair research on that Soul Gem you have. It burns if you don't trust us. And I have an offer you may refuse but know..." as she paused the two guards of hers that were sitting on either side of her pointed their guns right at him. Cerebella's eyes went wide seeing this as she was not expecting this to escalate so quickly.

"You'll be a new stain on the upholstery. We can give a blind eye to your actions down in the docks and leave them be for good dear. All you need to do, is place that gem into this sack" Dhalia told him holding a black sack as he was hesitant as he looked at the bag. Seeing what was pointing at him and then looking back at Cerebella. Maybe she would get it that his opinions of the mafia were right as he checked in behind him. No traffic as he was on the driver side of the car. He reluctantly slips the glowing orb into the sack. A smile he could feel was forming in under Dhalia's veil.

"Good boy. Now, girls. Mind escorting him out" Dhalia ordered as one of the girls simply kicked Arthur right in the head and slammed him against the door. The door was not locked in mechanically at that moment and thus the door flew wide open as he fell out. He was wincing and rolled for a good few feet. God his head was hurting as Dhalia was smiling looking at the sack. The light blue glowing orb was still there and a ticket to bring Lorenzo back. Cerebella herself looked in the back of the rear view window as Arthur was slowly picking himself up off the road. Seems he was almost expecting this to occur as the last she saw of him was him dashing off in a direction at a fast rate. Why was he moving with such hurry? He probably had a bit of bleeding from his head when he rolled and yes, he was limping a bit.

"I told you before Cerebella, you can't trust people around here. That one seems nice on the outside but I have some strong arguments that he's more against us then really for us" Dhalia commented as the car drove onward down the street.

"Even if he was, you could have at least have him leave in a better way then that" Cerebella remarked as she sounded a bit annoyed with her. A potential friend now being kicked out of the door for good. Quite literally as Dhalia shrugged as she held the sack.

"Well, to be fair the boy had it coming… Odd" she commented as she had it dangling close to her leg. She looked at one of her guards and placed it on her leg. The guard squirmed but no sizzling sound of flesh as Dhalia's expression turned sour.

"This can't be…?! That Little SHIT!" she reached her hand into the sack and pulled the orb out with her bare hand. It looked like the Soul Gem, but last time she remembered, the gem was crystal, not gel-like. Cerebella looked surprised though ducked when Dhalia threw the orb and it splattered all over the back window like a wet snowball.

"I knew it! Driver! Turn us around, Find that little shit!" she barked mad as ever. Cerebella couldn't believe it herself. Arthur tricked them with a fake Soul Gem. That meant he still had the original. He wasn't going to use for Lorenzo at all by what it seemed like. That boy better run fast, there was a Medici Manhunt starting and his head was on the stake.

The plan was fairly simply by what Arthur had gathered. He was to meet up somewhere near the cemetery to be picked up and later on they would go to unearth Squigly properly. Though that was when he wasn't being hunted. Now that he was being hunted down, that changed a few things. He still went to the cemetery to wait there. But went into it instead, hopefully hiding around the monuments could give him a chance at giving the mafia a quick slip. They only knew where they dropped him off best he could tell. He was thinking to himself as he moved between various tombstones checking on the radio with Big Band. They were at least ten minutes out from where he was before they could pick him up. Ten minutes he was out on his own. Ten minutes he was an open target, think he can handle himself a bit longer. He gave a sigh as he wandered the cemetery, deciding to pay someone a visit. He went up on the hill to where the willow tree was, coming to Squigly's grave as he gave a small smile. Seems someone had come by to drop some flowers on her grave. Probably Filia most likely. At least someone was taking good care of her grave while he was looking after Marie. And to think, it wouldn't be long til she was back with the living. His thoughts were silenced by a click and a bang from a gun. He turned to the sound of the click and was moving already. A bullet grazed right by his cheek as he winced. A good solid cut and burn from it as he cupped his left cheek. He turned to see where the shot came from, then his heart sank.

"A mighty unusual spot to come to don't you agree?" Black Dhalia had managed to follow him to the cemetery. This was going to be much harder then expected.

"Though I should have expected as much from what I've heard" she commented as came up on the hill and looked at the grave stone. Arthur didn't say much as he pulls his paint brush from his messenger bag. He knew what was coming eventually.

"Sienna Contiello. Really now? Bringing that gal back from the grave? Such a waste of someone so insignificant" her voice cold as the wind that blew past them as Arthur's fist tightened.

"Coming from a cold-blooded murder's mouth as always. I'm not giving that orb up" he told her as she looked back at him. She pulled a knife from her dress and her gun arm clicked loading another set of rounds.

"I was planning on it. Cerebella would've given you a chance but I know a lot better boy. Now, be a good little orphan boy and die for me" a cold sort of motherly talk taunt as she came at him. Another struggle to survive had just started for him. Though this time, he couldn't simply run away. He had to stand his ground and fight, hopefully Lab 8 would hold through and save his sorry ass.

The fact both of their fighting styles seemed to clash between them. As both were fast on their feet, Arthur was relaying more on trying to avoid her bullets while Dhalia was trying to pin him down for a swift kill. The time was ticking away fast as it was not long before he noticed a van and a car pull up from the distance at the entrance of the cemetery. Hopefully it was them. Though that moment distraction is what Dhalia needed. She plugged two shots into him, one to his left shoulder, one to his right leg. Missing critical veins that would possibly kill him. If he did die and the gem was on him, it could bring him back instead. Arthur winced in pain as he felt the shots hit him before being kicked in the head sending him tumbling to the ground. His head hits Sienna's tombstone as he lurched further hitting the ground hard. He was stunned for a moment as he was getting up, she pinned him right at the left shoulder, her high heel digging into the bullet hole she had placed in him. His heart was racing as he coughed looking up at her, she threw some knives down to pin his scarf to the ground while also digging her other heel into his right arm to hold him down.

"Now I'm going to ask one last time. Where Is the Soul Gem?" she lowered her gun arm right at his head. A bit fitting that a person trying to bring someone back that Dhalia had murdered, now gets to murder them on the dead's grave. Such a smack to him.

"Leave him alone you witch!" a younger female voice could be heard as Dhalia looked over. Just in time for a large ram skull to collide right into her sending her flying off Arthur. It had seemed Marie was accompanying the ASG crew to retrieve Arthur. Though before Dhalia could land, Peacock had appeared behind her with a large baseball bat, her imaginary cigar sticking from her mouth.

"The pitch is made, and she S-WINGS!" as Peacock spoke she swung the bat sending Dhalia back up into the air disoriented and now having her back aching as she was sent flying over Arthur once more.

"And it's a home run!" she announced with a smile as Dhalia landed several feet from Arthur and behind Marie. Her eyes were glaring as she saw the once deceased skullgirl still alive.

"You little rats! I'll tear you all apart!" she screamed though a giant mechanical fist said otherwise as she was knocked clean off her feet.

"Not on my watch Dhalia" Big Band was of course accompanying the younger kids and was going to make sure Arthur did make it back in one piece. Dhalia rolled on the ground as she was slow to get back on her feet, her dress torn up from her fight and from what she had to deal with. Hair a mess and a fire in her eyes. However she already knew by this point she was out numbered three to one, and all three seemed capable of fighting. Arthur did his job of wearing her down, this she realized. Curse that damn boy, hope he bleeds to death. Without saying a word, she threw a smokescreen down and vanished leaving the three on a bit of edge.

"Did she leave?" Marie was concerned for Arthur but didn't want to drop her guard to aid him then attacked.

"Figured she would. Usually fights individuals she knows she can best" Big band commented turning towards Arthur.

"Well shit, she tore him up pretty good" his comment was mute as Marie turned to start pulling the knives out of his scarf.

"Come on big brother, hang in there" Marie told him as she was trying to keep him awake. Arthur was not speaking and his eyes were dropping. He was losing blood fairly quickly.

"We need to get him out of here, Illium can do a lot more with him then we can, come on" Big Band knew when someone was hurt badly as Peacock's gang came out with a stretcher and placed Arthur on it. Marie removed his scarf and held it close hoping he would be fine. They rushed him into the van and drove off, Peacock and her gang following in their car. Whitefin was driving looking in the back to see Marie sitting there with Arthur, trying to wrap up his wounds. She was a bit familiar with caring for him back at the orphanage when he got hurt or really roughed up. But she was no medical doctor, and Big Band was to large to really help, but provided support and some guidance.

"So Ben, did Arthur have the Soul Gem?" Whitefin asked trying to make sure this whole thing was for nothing. Big Band gave a heavy harmonic sigh.

"Sadly I do not know. He went out before we can ask" Arthur finally was in a semi-stable state. He was still bleeding but not as much out. Marie looked at his scarf and gave a soft smile.

"He already did" Marie answered as Big Band looked down at her a bit puzzled. Up to the point she started to untie one of his braided ends of his scarf. The scarf had five braids on each end and they were all roughly the same size. However, she noticed one of those braids seemed bigger. As she untied it, a blue glow started to come out as she unwraps the rest of it revealing the Soul Gem sitting right in her lap. The last place anyone would look, the scarf that hung around his neck. Now things could proceed as planned to get Squigly out of the ground and brought to the lab. Then giving the Soul Gem to her, though at the immediate it was best to make sure Arthur made it though this ordeal. Don't want to have two dead bodies to work with now, and Illium had her work cut out for her tonight.