Chapter Four
They days moved on, always the same.
Slow, they days were slow and nights even slower, the days were spent sleeping in, the nights out fighting for what yours.
Mikhail got better with each days, his strength grew, his sharpness, he slept less, he also spent more time with Kiska, even though their time spent was mostly in silence, they both had a silent understand of each other.
Jaz badgered her brother every waking minute to go to Moscow, always the same answer.
Dominic and Dmitri came and went, both with other agendas.
The day was warm and sunny; it was perfect for the local park.
They sat on benches and swings, with the twins in the sand pit, Jaz having a 'girl-talk' with Kiska.
There was a lake near by; the guys were walking towards it, both talking.
"I see you and Kiska have grown closer", Luka observed.
"Hn"
"Is that all you can say…you've brought a smile back to her face and all you can say is 'hn', damn, aren't you happy making people see that their not alone?"
Mikhail stared at the water, the geese flying around, some with goslings, following their parents.
"Why is she here Luka? Why didn't you put her in one of the shelters, the orphanages even?"
Luka sighed, "She wanted to come with us, she didn't want to be alone…and anyway I think she has a slight crush on you".
Mikhail didn't comment, because he knew that was true.
"Why did you come back, after all these years why did you come back?"
It was Mikhail's turn to sigh, "Voltaire has no more control over me, I have my memories back, and I have had my fame and proven myself to be a champion".
"But you made friends? Why did you leave them like that?"
"They were…they wanted to be my friend, but you know what happens when people get to close…and Voltaire was going to get out anyway, whether I liked it or not".
"Mikhail…they were your friends, they will feel betrayed and that the shell they have finally cracked has been scared off".
Mikhail did not answer for a while before finally saying, "Like you did?"
"Mikhail I did feel betrayed, we all did but we got over it, we still kept in contact at least".
"One phone call every six months is not a great contact line".
"It is still a contact line, why don't you phone them?"
Mikhail did not look at Luka straight in the eye, afraid his eyes would betray him.
"You can't can you, your afraid".
There was no answer from the seventeen year old Russia, Luka carried on talking.
"What happened to you? In the abbey, what happened to the friend I would tell my deepest secrets to? Who would play spin-the-bottle and kiss my sister in the closet? Where did he go? Where did Mikhail Reiker go?"
"He changed…Luka I am sorry for everything I have done to hurt you but you must understand I did not mean it to happen".
"You didn't mean going back to Russia to join some abbey cult?"
"Luka-"
"So you didn't mean to leave in the middle of the night to get on some flight to Tokyo?"
"Luka-"
"No wait I'm not finished…so you're telling me you didn't mean to stab me in the back and tell my mother that Anton was ever coming back because he was dead!"
"Luka will you listen for one minute please…I didn't mean to tell your mother about Anton, but he was like a brother to me as much as one to you, your mother was sad and hoping to see her eldest son come back from a military mission he died on…Luka, your mother asked me to tell her whether Anton was coming back, I cannot lie to your mother".
"But that gives you no right, she didn't think of me as a son after that just because I didn't tell her Anton wasn't coming back".
"I'm sorry Luka I truly am but there is nothing I can do or say to show you how sorry I am".
"Mikhail, why did you come back? It wasn't to see Jaz was it? She hasn't been writing to you too has she?"
"No…she tried to write to me…I just sent the letters back to her".
"But tell me Mikhail, truthfully, why did you come back?"
"To hide. I got some messages from Biovolt…they were not good and I needed to hide, to get away from everything".
"Mikhail, what was so threatening about these messages?"
Mikhail did not answer straight away; he just bent his head and stared at the ground at his feet.
"Bad huh? Don't worry buddy, you have us now".
A smile tugged at the corner of Mikhail's lips.
"You should let her go"
"What?"
"Jaz, you should let her go to Moscow, she should see her mother before it's too late, she's old enough now, she's not a baby, she may be your younger sister but she is still human and deserves to see the person that brought her into this world…I know how she feels, never able to see their own mother".
Luka turned and stared at his best friend, no matter what Mikhail always could say what he couldn't, even if Mikhail didn't speak that much whatever left his mouth was always something truthful and full of meaning.
"She wants us all to go, and I know you cannot go back yet-"
"Luka, she must see her mother, you must see your mother, and it doesn't matter whether you don't want to you just have to".
"Mikhail how is it you just take the words right out of my mouth?"
Mikhail shrugged; it was a gift he treasured.
Kenny sat at his computer, scanning some information Dizzi had just found, then something struck him, clicking on the link, Kenny stared at the screen.
Calling the others, Kenny told them of his finding, "I was doing some research on Biovolt and Dizzi hacked into some personal files, and found a file for Kai. Listen to this: "Kai Hiwatari was born on the 27th December 1989; he is of Russian, German and Japanese heritage. His father was Emile Reiker and his mother Leanne Hiwatari. Kai was born at St Josef's Hospital in St Petersburg and came under guardianship of Voltaire Hiwatari on the 12 February 2000. From this day on Kai came under the name Kai Hiwatari, his former name was Mikhail Reiker"".
"Kai had a second name?" observed Max.
"Yup, now listen to this, I did I bit of searching and Dizzi hacked into Germany's and Russia's police file to find this: Mikhail Reiker (6) was examined for child abuse, the parents under question were Emile Reiker and Leanne Reiker. Emile was placed in rehabilitation for substance abuse.
Mikhail Reiker (10) was examined again for any child abuse, his mother was placed in hospital for a fractured rib cage and his father lost custody of Mikhail.
Mikhail Reiker (11) father was placed under trial for sexual abuse to his only son and the murder of Leanne Reiker.
Mikhail Reiker (12) was placed under the guardianship of Voltaire Hiwatari.
Mikhail Reiker (13) arrested for position of unknown drugs and theft.
Mikhail Reiker (13) was examined for any substance abuse, Voltaire Hiwatari's custody was withheld till further notice, and Mikhail was under guardianship of Stanley Dickinson.
Mikhail Reiker's (14) name was officially changed to Kai Hiwatari.
Voltaire Hiwatari was arrested for world domination and child abuse.
Kai Hiwatari (17) was placed back under the guardianship of Voltaire Hiwatari."
"But that's now, Kai's seventeen now", pointed out Tyson.
"That must be why he ran, I wonder what happened to his father?"
Kenny shook his head, "I don't know, that's the last record ever made of him, it's like he disappeared off the planet".
"No wonder he didn't like getting close".
"I know, I just want to hug him now", Max said.
The guys stared at their friend in disbelief.
"What…I like hugging".
"Whatever you say man", Tyson wrapped his arm around Max's neck, the two smiling at each other laughing.
"Hey you guys cut it out or we'll be late for our flight", said Rei, watching them amused.
"Hey that's right! To Russia!"
"To Tala!"
"To Hell!"
"Tyson!"
"Sorry, my bad, let just go".
"Oh thank you Luka you don't know how much this means to me!"
Jaz repeated as she hugged her elder brother, her eyes were like stars, she almost felt like crying if it hadn't been for her rough upbringing she would have burst into tears right there and then.
Mikhail smiled inside, he liked it when Jaz was happy, and it meant the world wouldn't be coming to a dramatic end.
"Oh and you to Mikhail, thank you for talking to my brother! Are you sure you want to go back?"
"Yes I am sure"
Jaz squealed, Mikhail shook his head, hoping he wouldn't have to experience another screeching Jaz anytime soon.
"But how are we getting there, a flight costs too much and a train ticket isn't even worth buying the trips so rough".
Mikhail agreed with Dmitri, which was the only hitch on agreeing with this, even Mikhail's transferred bank account he knew his grandfather would keep tabs on the money that was inside.
But he had an idea on how to maneuver around this small glitch.
He was going to book two plane tickets for two, one on the Local Ukraine airline and the other on the Russian airline.
Then he was going to get a train tickets for Ukraine for two and wait to see if Voltaire would do anything about this.
The plan was that Dmitri and Dominic would go on one airline, Jaz and Kiska on the other airline and Luka and himself on the train.
"Mikhail, what wrong?" asked Jaz.
Mikhail turned to Jaz, his frown still on his face; he stared at her for some time before shaking his head.
Jaz tilted her head to one side and shrugged, Mikhail would always be a mystery to her
Mikhail stood, his jacket wrapped around his body, the cold air, he looked over at the city, the chilly air drifted past him, a small draft catching him.
"You should be asleep, we have a lot to do tomorrow", came a soft voice.
Mikhail turned and saw Kiska; she stood, also wrapped in a large jacket, her legs bare, Mikhail could see the hem of her shirt at her thighs.
"How long have you been standing there?" he asked.
"Not long…its cold out here isn't it?"
There was no answer from the Russian boy, they had been talking in German the whole time, it was Kiska's native tongue, and she found it hard speaking in anything else.
"It was nice what you did for Jaz".
Mikhail smirked, he felt like Robin Hood when he thought about what he was about to do for Jaz.
"I've never been to Russia before; I've always lived in Germany. That's my home, well it was my home".
"Why did you leave?"
Kiska looked away; Mikhail had been staring at her doll features.
"Doesn't matter".
"Have you ever been to Russia, I hear it very nice there, but very cold in winter"?
"I was born there".
"Oh. I didn't know that, where your parents Russian?"
"My father was German, my mother…she was Russian".
"What happened to them?"
Mikhail stared at her and shook his head, looking back at the stars.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm always so nosy. We don't have to talk about it you know".
Mikhail could only stare at the stars; he had nothing to say to the fifteen year old German.
"You know, my mother used to say that the stars are like guardians looking down on us".
Mikhail turned to face her again, he knew that saying.
They stood, Kiska a meter away from Mikhail, she shuddered.
She moved closer, she stood next to him, her head now against his arm; Mikhail stared at her and wrapped his one arm around her small body.
They stood close together like that for some time.
"We should get some sleep", Kiska finally said, yawning.
"You're probably right".
They walked to their beds, Mikhail watched her get under her covers, she lay, closed her eyes and lay.
"Night Mikhail"
"Sweet Dreams Kiska".
TBC…
A/N: I made a funny discovery, at the end of he last note in wrote in the last chapter I said, sorry for Kai acting so OC but I really meant OOC.