** Disclaimer - I don't own the Get Backers characters or storyline, only my OC Akira **

Chapter four

Akira's thoughts

Someone else's thoughts

Memory

"Talking"

Re-Cap

Akira had been the test subject at first battling the virtual allies Makubex created in order to make the program work. She had also gotten all of the tech he would need in order to do so, Juubei had helped her as well to ensure he didn't get injured when fighting so many. They were beginning to discover when Makubex plans, not only about the bomb he had preparing but also where he may be located.

"Makubex, it's almost time for me to start my work. They will clue in soon no doubt and I won't risk your life..." Akira tried to urge him but he cut her off.

Without even looking Makubex continued with his plan, "The best place would be by my side then correct?" She shut up instantly knowing he was right, "You will have your chance soon Akira..."

Akira watched the new events unfolding on the screen of the monitors. Kagami was off to the side of Sakura and Makubex while Juubei and Akira were further back from the rest. The Loulan dance whip technique as currently being replayed as Makubex added in the new data to get a single answer like he desired.

"Everything is going well, all the data is lining up nicely. Ban Midou's Jagon, a fascinating phenomenon, from a scientific stand point. Perhaps I should say that it's what one would expect from someone worthy of joining up with Mr. Ginji Amano.

Kagami pushed himself in a standing position again as Sakura's eyes darted to the side with distrust, "You former volts member are something else you know that?" Kagami looked over his shoulder in their direction, "You all act like the Emporer was a god or something." Akira grounded her teeth at the comment but remained quiet.

Juubei saw how she reacted and took it upon himself to say something, "That's all in the past now."

"Of coarse, now he's an enemy we must defeat but he's much more than that..." Akira caught a quick glimpse of a deformed chibi sized Ginji and Akabane. She was beginning to wonder if he was purposely keeping her from confronting him, despite their past she would still follow any order Makubex gave.

Ginji was obviously becoming angry with the current companion he had, her eyes widened when his other side almost became full. Back when she was by his side it was her job to ensure that Ginji's darker side didn't kill others by accident when he became enraged.

"Was there some miscalculation Makubex? You didn't think these two would be the first ones to get here, oh great leader." Kagami taunted his pale eyes watching.

Akira clenched her fist, "Can it, Kagami!"

"Oooh touchy..."

Makubex continued to watch his screen but his voice cut between them before they fought, "I'm calculating all the possible premeditation even while I'm gathering new data like this the calculations are continuing but that guy alone I just can't calculate, his very existence is an anomaly. Ginji Amano is more than a number, he's chaos itself."

"Sounds dangerous but isn't that what you said about Akira?" He smirked as she glared at him.

Kagami started for the exit, "True but where are you going?" Makubex asked him.

"I'm going to go check it out. I'd like to see him with my own two eyes, this Lightning Emporer you all dwell on so much." Kagami told him with half the truth in his words.

Juubei leaned forward, "I'll go with you."

"Juubei." Akira grabbed his arm before he walked past her, "It's alright, Akira." A rare small hint of a smile appeared on his face only for an instant, as he thought about the fact they had switched roles this time.

"Juubei!" Makubex called out to him, "Are you worried, about the Lightning Emporer?"

Juubei looked into Akira's eyes as he answered, "About a guy who left this place, about a guy that abandoned us here?" Juubei looked at Akira again, "I won't forgive him for what he did to Akira..." He muttered.

"Do you know why I chose you before, to defeat the thread master Kazuki, your old friend?" Makubex asked him watching them interact with a slight glare, "I wanted to see if your as loyal as you seem to be."

Akira was surprised by the look on the boys face, "Then I'll be happy to prove my loyalty again, Lightning Emporer or Akabane, I'll finish off who ever you want until your satisfied."

"Akira. Go with them but don't get into a fight, your job will be to protect them from harm, am I understood?" Makubex ordered of her.

She nodded her head before she caught up to Juubei who had waited for her once he had heard the order given to her... She took one last glance at Makubex before she left. She also looked at Sakura who nodded in her direction knowing what she was worried about.

The hallways they walked down was plain, Akira kept in pace with Juubei as they finally caught up to Kagami. He wore the usual smirk as he looked at the two of them with him hands in his pockets. Juubei made sure Akira was behind them as he walked beside Kagami.

"Kagami."

"That's me."

"Don't over do it, remember this wasn't something predicted in Makubex's calculations, we can't drain ourselves with pointless battles."

Akira knew that Makubex hadn't counted on everything but she had the feeling he had already known what was going to happen and it was likely why he sent her with them.

"I wonder is that's really true?" Kagami stated with similar thoughts of his own.

"Hm?"

Kagami stopped just infront of Akira as his earring jingled against his neck, "Perhaps Makubex calculated you and I would both walk out just like we did, He even sent us a bodyguard to ensure we weren't hurt correct?" He turned and looked Akira giving her a smile. It made her skin crawl as Juubei glared.

"Well, here he is..." Their attention was diverted to the incoming aura's heading their way, Akira moved more behind Juubei than Kagami, "The man you, Akira and Makubex admire so much."

She wasn't really concerned for his well being, with three precise slices through the iron door it was broken down easily. That was certainly Akabane... Akira thought to herself not really wanting to see the man again.

The dust started to clear an two outlines of their bodies could be seen, "Well Ginji, They've arranged yet another welcoming party for us." She could feel those violet eyes on her, "And this time they look like marginally worthy opponents don't you think?"

Juubei threw three needles to land at Ginji's feet to make sure that he didn't get to close to Akira, "Are those... flying needles?! It can't be..."

Ginji finally took a good look at the three other them that stood in their way, "Juubei and Akira?!" Ginji suddenly went into his chibi deformed size holding his arms out like he wanted to hug them.

She didn't want to admit it but that was one reason she found him so cute, "Ah Juubei!" He began running towards them, "Long time no see buddy! I'm so glad your safe Akira!"

Juubei three more needles to stop him dead in his tracks and keep him away from them, Ginji had a sweat drop before he started running back to Akabane, "Dangerous, Dangerous, Dangerous, Dangerous!" He repeated over and over until he got back.

"Akabane, I think something funny is going on." Ginji whispered to his current companion, "Your certainly quick on the up take aren't you? That man over there is an assassin sent by Makubex, the one you call Akira was supposed to attack us earlier as well."

Ginji turned and looked at his temporary partner, "What? No way! Juubei and Akira are both one of Kazuki's oldest and dearest friends! Akira and I also grew up together as part of the volts!"

"I finished off Kazuki myself and Akira not any of your concern." Juubei informed him.

Ginji's eyes widened at the information, "Huh?" Ginji's hair covered his eyes with his hair as he thought about what he heard, "That's a lie..."

Juubei had more of his weapons ready, "You want to follow in Kazuki's footsteps?"

"Juubei... you, Kazu and Akira... It's a lie!" He whispered to them as started towards them with lightning starting to crackle around him, "It's a lie, isn't it Juubei? It's got to be... Akira, their lying to me right?" She didn't looked at him or answer him.

More lightning began to fill the hallway as he got halfway to them, "Well looky here, if it isn't the Lightning Emporer..."

"Not quite." Akira told Kagami without giving him to much information.

Ginji was looking in their direction but she couldn't see those eyes, "Come on Akira, It's a lie right Juubei? It's a lie!" Ginji got closer to Juubei as Akira moved just behind him in case she was needed, "It's a lie!" Ginji charged at them with his fist ready.

Juubei threw his needles but all three missed, before Ginji's fist connected Akira jumped between and grabbed his fist, giving Juubei the chance to jump back.

"Akira... You... You of all people, how could you?" He demanded with those hypnotizing eyes.

She grounded her teeth before she shoved both him and her backwards, "You have no right to ask me anything traitor!"

Juubei glared at Ginji trying to figure out why his weapons missed, Akira landed beside him, "It's the electricity he produces, it's like a magnet." She whispered to him quickly.

"What's happened? Why are you and Makubex doing this?" Ginji demanded.

Juubei pulled out more needles, "That's my line! A recovery service? You abandoned us, walked out of the limitless fortress. They offer you money , take it and come back here to bring us to our knees?" Juubei threw the needles but Ginji caught them with ease.

His eyes widened before he want back to glaring, "You left her there where anyone could have gotten her, I took care fo Akira after you left her die!" Juubei continued to yell at him as he too became angry.

"Juubei..." Akira muttered but was being pushed behind him. She called forth the water she could use to ensure no harm came the man who tried so hard to protect her secret and life now. Juubei retrieved more needles but Ginji use the magnets effect on them making on the points stick together.

"We only came here to get back something that was stolen from our client, I know that's not always a respectable job but Ban and I do our recovery service with pride. When I left the limitless fortress, Ban and I teamed up to form the Get Backers, someone told me this." Ginji started to walk towards them again, "Recovery service jobs are like putting a jog saw puzzle back together. You work and you work, little by little you start to see the image emerge. You don't know what the real picture is until you lock that final piece into place. There fore stick with the job you've taken on until the end. That's what he said to me, look at the finished picture and then think about what your going to do."

Juubei stepped back as Akira got all the energy she could, "I'm going to keep moving forward, what this IL is that Makubex stole from my client, what exactly he means to use it for, why you, Akira and the others are going so far to protect the IL, I don't know the answer to any of these things but I've got to stick to this job until the end, so please Juubei, Akira, I'm asking you both one last time to let me through."

"You want to get through you have to force way past me." Juubei told him stepping infront of Akira.

She glared as his back and stepped to the side, "I won't let any harm come to Juubei or Makubex!" She vowed glaring at Ginji.

"Inside the limitless fortress even flying needles Juubei can't defeat me."

"Don't assume I'm the same man you knew before, Akira won't let you by if I fail!"

"Doesn't matter YOU still can't beat me."

Juubei became angrier as Akira had finally called enough power to her, "Out of my way..."

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Ginji yelled at them as Lightning shot towards them, Juubei covered himself but only found he hadn't been hit with the electricity. Akira had formed a sort of water barrier around herself and absorbed all the lightning that would have hit him.

Ginji managed to get past them with that distraction but paused for a moment outside the door as he heard a pained cry come from Juubei, "Akira don't!"

Akira cried out suddenly as the Lightning pierced through her barrier and into her body, it wouldn't kill her or even harm her that much but she was no longer used to absorbing the lightning after he left.

"Forgive me, Akira..." Ginji whispered before he disappeared through the door.

Akira collapsed but Juubei caught her before she hit the ground, "Akira! Akira! Answer me damn it!" Juubei yelled at her. Her eyes were closed as her long red hair flowed down like a fiery water fall, she was still breathing which likely meant she needed time to dispel the effects it would leave on any normal human being.

"I thought my blood was going to boil..." Juubei muttered as he held Akira leaning against the nearest wall, "Akira, you have to be okay... Please be okay."

That was how Kagami found them, Juubei was sitting leaning against the wall cradling Akira in his arms. Her breathing was regular now and her heat rate had slowed down, she had taken all the attack with would have set her blood a boil had she not been able to control the element of water.

"From the looks of it, I'd say he got past you both." Kagami said.

Juubei kept looking at Akira's face, "What about you?"

"I got to make a thorough observation of him, Dr, Jeckel is as strong as they say." Kagami urged his attention back to Akira as her eyes began to open.

She looked straight at Juubei, "Are you alright Akira?"

"Yes, I allowed him past me in the end didn't I?"

"It was my fault..." Juubei looked away from Akira and at their other companion, "Kagami?"

"What?" He asked annoyed still staring at Akira.

She looked back at him meeting the stare head on, "Do you have any idea where Makubex thinks he's taking us all with this? Before when Ginji Amano was the leader of the volts, we knew we could follow along behind him with absolute confidence. He might not know exactly where he was going but even so he never mistook his path and he did that without making any calculations. Little by little he was trying to save us from the darkness of this limitless fortress and now the Lightning Emporer has returned to stand in the way of Makubex's plans, he's just like he was then. Those eyes, with no hesitation, what should I do?"

Juubei looked at Akira with worry written all over his face, she had taken damage in order to protect him, "But you believed in him now didn't you both? In Makubex?"

"That's right, My sister, Akira and I we all believed in him and placed our bets on him, I even sacrificed Kazuki for him, Akira has been hurt because of both of us..."

"Juubei, we must keep going!" Akira told him turning her attention back to him as she sat up.

Kagami was thinking something along the same lines, "She's right, it's the only way you'll find out what's at the end of that path and when you get to that point then you'll finally know weather your right or not."

"Are you sure you don't really know what choice is right?"

"Who can say, so what are you going to do?"

Juubei stood pulling Akira with him, "Fight!"

"That's all I have left anymore..." He muttered pulling Akira along with him back to where Makubex was.

All of them were now gathered in the same room watching the screen as everyone was getting ready for the next phase of Makubex's plans. They watched as the separate groups got closer together, "It looks like everyone is finally gathering..."

The screen fist showed Ginji and Akabane, Shido and Midou, next was the negotiator, Lady Poison and Kazuki.

That caught Juubei's and Akira's attention, " Kazuki, so you are alive..."

"When we began this lens project, I said to all, 'Let's build a new era here in the limitless fortress' I said 'for the sake of utopia where there is no fear of those on the higher floors I will be your leader' and then... " Makubex turned to look at them all, "Went I sent out my call, you all gathered before me now I want you all to show me your true power! The fullest extent of your might... Now limitless fortress look on and tremble... A new era is about to force it's way into being!"

No matter what you will live to see your outcome Makubex... Juubei you to will live, I won't lose anymore of those I hold close to me heart. I won't forgive you Ginji, not for hurting those you swore to protect! Akira's mind screamed at her as she prepared for the next part of the plan...

Next Chapter - Akira and Ginji face each other and their past. Can Akira really fight the Lightning Emperor or will she be taken down by his power?

R&R :)