Hello and welcome back! Sorry for taking so long, but you know that stupid thing called school got in the way. (sigh) Why don't they just let us live the way we want while we can?

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH... not that I haven't tried.

Yang trotted along through the crowd inside, people parting to allow her to pass unhindered. Making her way to the front of the auditorium, she spotted 14 coming along as she did, a puzzled expression on her face. 'So I'm not the only one out of the loop.' Yang thought, relieved.

Numbers 2 and 14 finally reached the front of the old theater and climbed the steps onto the stage, taking their customary places lined up behind the microphone where undoubtably the boss would be speaking. Numbers 1, 3, 7, and 15 were already there, and the other fifteen were making their way to the stage as well, their silver-clad forms sticking out among all the white and black of the other students.

A few moments later, after the crowd had settled down into their assigned places, 1 made his way to a door hidden off-stage, the other fourteen remaining in place at attention, their hands clasped behind their backs, eyes staring forward. 1 opened the door, ushering the boss through. As the boss made his stately way toward the mike, Yang took a minute to observe the splendor of the crowd.

The youngest students, those who were six to ten years old, wore the white that denoted their age. In the next section there were students in black; they were eleven to fifteen years. Only those that had been training the longest, the original Fifteen, were wearing silver. When they reached the ripe old age of twenty (if they managed to live that long) they would don the gold uniforms that so far only the master wore. While the over-all color of the uniforms told a person's age at a glance, the lining on the edges of the uniform showed the level of that particular student. Green for beginner, yellow for intermediate, red for advanced, and blue for mastery.

Finally, the boss took up position behind the mike. He looked out over the 100-odd children in the auditorium, his face impossible to read. Then, in an old voice that was out of place in his thirty year old face, he spoke. "As some of you may, or may not know, four of the Fifteen brought back a chameleon demon yesterday afternoon. With the help of numbers One and Three, we managed to persuade the demon to tell us how it got to our fair world." He smiled ruefully. "Coupled with the knowledge I've gathered in the ancient tomes I collect, I believe we will soon have enough information to open a portal into Makai."

Everyone started talking at once, the youngest asking what a Makai was, the oldest sharing shocked and excited comments with their neighbors. The boss waited patiently for the murmering to die down, then he added, "Of course, we will wait another year for groups B and C to complete their training and don their silver uniforms before attempting to open a portal.

"On another note, unfortunately, the demon was discovered missing this morning. However, that is irrelevant, we've already acquired all the knowledge we needed from it." The boss sighed, raising his face to the ceiling. "Soon our glory will be at hand. The unspoiled paradise of Makai will be ours for the taking!" At this the crowd erupted into cheers, oldest first before the impressionable youngsters caught on and joyously joined in on the noise making.

Yang, however, wasn't impressed, the other fourteen as stoic as she. The boss had failed to mention the demons they would have to exterminate before they could inhabit their new world. But, if any man could find a way to do it, it was the boss. Yang wasn't even sure why he was so obsessed with his 'new world' idea, all she did know was that she owed the boss her life for giving her a home and a purpose. She viewed herself as very lucky, to know ever since she was six that she'd be part of something great, and that her destiny wasn't uncertain anymore.

Kurama found an open window on the second story they could get through. Once inside, they all cast about with their energy, trying to sense the demon.

After a long moment, Yusuke sighed explosively. "This place is so damn big! And we don't even know if the demon is awake, or even alive!"

"We have to start somewhere." Kurama said with a sigh of his own.

"Basement would make the most sense. Hiei, you getting anything on that eye of yours?" Yusuke asked, glancing about the carpeted hallway.

Hiei, who had been looking down the hall, turned back to them. "I'm sensing a faint energy signature downstairs, but it's weak."

"I'll take it! The sooner we get out of this place, the better. I don't want to have to deal with fighting a whole army of children."

Hiei smirked. "If it comes to that, don't let your morals get in the way Detective."

"Must be nice to those of us without them."Yusuke muttered.

"Hn. It is. This way." And they set off.

The assembly was over, everyone was heading to dinner. Yang was in the back of the crowd with 14, sharing a few words, when she suddenly sensed a stray energy signature she didn't recognize. Breaking off right in the middle of what she had been telling 14, Yang looked around, casting about with her reiki.

"2?" 14 asked. "What is it?"

"Either a stray dog has gotten in here, or someone's come after that demon." She suddenly frowned to herself. "I'm gonna go check it out. You stay here. If I'm not back in an hour, send a search party." She added the last jokingly as she set off at a light jog down a hall.

14 didn't get a chance to say she should come along if it turned out to be anything. 'Oh well. We at least have the network if it turns ugly.' 14 thought, catching up with the crowd.

Yang frowned as she ran. 'Huh. The energy just suddenly disappeared... guess that cinches it. Someone with training is coming after the demon. Wonder if he knows it's already gone?'

Down in the basement, Hiei had led them to a room with a sturdy lock on the wood-varnished door.

"Kurama?" Yusuke asked.

Nodding as he stepped forward, Kurama extended a hand toward the lock. A small vine wove itself about his fingers and entered the keyhole. His frown of concentration was suddenly replaced by a look of puzzlement. Quickly withdrawing the vine, he reached forward and easily opened the door. "It wasn't locked..." He said.

"What? How stupid is that!" Shrugging, Yusuke pushed the door open and entered the room.

In keeping with the rest of the decor of the manor, it was an old Victorian room with a single chair in the middle of it.

The three detectives walked in, Hiei crossing the room to the chair, his Jagon glowing briefly. "The demon was here, and judging by it's energy imprint, they had it tortured. After that, I can't sense anything."

"So they had it tortured until it died?"

"Apparently." Kurama said, though he still looked puzzled.

"Well, guess our work here is done." Yusuke said with a sigh as he moved toward the door. He hated it when a mission failed. "Wonder if they learned what they wanted to before it croaked."

"Wait." Hiei said. "I sense another energy signature," He paced to the door. "Here. And then, it combines with the demon's energy... here." And he walked back to the chair.

"Soooo... what does that mean?" Yusuke asked.

"It means someone tried to mask the demon's reiki with his own." Kurama supplied.

"So then, the demon's alive?"

"And apparently someone helped it escape."