Author's note: So here is the plan. I have a Supernatural fic I posted on Livejournal but not here. I'm going to post that one, it'll take three weeks, which will hopefully give me time to get more of the Huntik fic written for y'all. Then I shall start posting; I promise to always post on a Wednesday, even if it's not every Wednesday.

More notes at the end of the fic.

Chapter 4

Montahue turned, vaulting the railing with one hand and dropping lightly beside Lok. "Good to see you, lad. Come on, we need to get out of here."

"My sister…"

"Your sister's fine. She's outside with Tursly and Scarlett." He pulled an amulet from his pocket, pressing it into Lok's hands;he felt the familiar contours with relief. "Now come on, this place is about to collapse. Sarah, start pulling everyone back – three minutes." Sarah nodded and her Titans scattered in three different directions.

Montahue put a hand each on Sophie and Lok's shoulders, pushing them towards the door. Lok reached back for his mother's hand and Sarah's partner brought up the rear.

"Sophie, can you put up a shield?" Lok called.

"Not for long, there are too many of us!"

"We only need a few seconds," Montahue assured her.

Sophie nodded, drawing together as much energy as she could. "Honourguard!"

Fenris had appeared at some point, pacing ahead of them to clear their path. Lok sent Freelancer with him, tightening his hold on Sandra's hand.

"I can't…" Sophie swayed against him and the shield dropped.

"I've got her." Montahue scooped her off her feet. They were only a few feet from the door now, and the Foundation fighters were drawing in closer and closer. Most of the Suits had given up fighting and were simply trying to escape.

"Come on! They're getting away!"

Zhalia. She was behind them again, coming from somewhere deeper in the building.

Lok didn't think. He just turned, amulet already out. Lindorm invoked barely ten feet in front of her; Zhalia had no time to move out of his way, and he simply ran her down.

"Lok!" Montahue yelled.

Lok recalled Lindorm, turning to leave.

"Lok, what have you done?" Sandra whispered.

"That was Zhalia," Montahue added.

"I know who it was." Lok slipped inbetween them, leaving the building.

Outside was barely controlled chaos. The Foundation Seekers were firmly in control; the Suits had been stripped of their amulets and were being marshalled together. Lok ignored them, walking through the crowd.

Scarlett caught his eye and he headed towards her. Cathy intercepted him halfway, throwing her arms around him. "Lok! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Cath. Are you?"

"Perfect. Zhalia took me straight out and left me with Scarlett."

"Zhalia did," he repeated, carefully loosening her arms.

"Zhalia was on our side," Montahue said from behind him.

Lok turned quickly to face him, aware of Scarlett's frown. "Was on our side?" she asked.

"She's dead," he said shortly.

"She killed Dante," Lok said hotly. "She killed Hippolyta. She was Klaus' right hand…you have no idea the things she did in there."

"She didn't kill anyone, Lok," Scarlett told him, gently turning him back to face her. She touched his cheek lightly and he realised vaguely that he was crying, tears streaming down his face. "Zhalia was on our side all along. She and Dante worked it out, the night before you went to Vlad's castle."

"No." Lok shook his head, backing away. "Dante would never agree to that. He would never do that to Sophie."

"It wasn't supposed to be you. They were counting on the Suits overlooking you, but when you were found it was too late to change the plan. Zhalia kept you safe, as safe as she could."

"She did, Lok," Sophie said quietly.

"You're on her side now?"

"It's our side, Lok."

"Why didn't she tell us?" he demanded, aiming the question at Montahue.

"She couldn't risk it. Everything hinged on Klaus and Rassimov believing her. She came so close to betraying them, they were watching her so closely; you had to act as though you hated her."

"I do hate her," he said calmly.

"Lok…" Sophie protested.

"Where's Dante? If she didn't kill him, where is he?"

Scarlett lowered her eyes. "He is dead," she murmured. "But Zhalia had nothing to do with it. She didn't even know until afterwards."

"She knew he was dead and she didn't tell us? She told Sophie about Santiago."

"Rassimov killed him in Turkey. He was looking for the Titan of Body, but he never made it."

Lok shook his head, turning away. Cherit flew after him, landing on his shoulder; Sophie made to stop him, but Cathy caught her arm, holding her back.

Lok hurtled through the camp, ignoring the startled looks and whispers. The two Seekers on guard at the entrance exchanged quick looks and stepped out of his way, letting him pass.

"Cherit, you need anything?" one of them called.

"No thank you!" Cherit called back. "Lok, where are we going?" he added.

"Did you know?" Lok demanded.

"No!"

He slowed, leaning over to brace his hands against his knees. "You know what she did," he said, almost pleading. "She could have…if she'd even given us a hint…"

"She told us every way she could, Lok."

"You're on her side too." Lok slid down the nearest tree, lowering his head to his knees.

Cherit lifted off his shoulder, settling on the ground beside him. "I'm on your side, Lok. You know that."

"Yeah," he muttered. "I know that, Cherit."

****

Sophie came looking for them twenty minutes later. Lok had fallen into an uneasy doze; Cherit didn't dare call out and risk waking him, especially since he finally seemed to have stopped bleeding, but he waved frantically when the light from Sophie's Boltflare fell across them.

"Hi, Cherit," she whispered, sitting neatly beside him. "How are you doing?"

"I'm alright."

"And Lok?"

"I'm not so sure about him."

"I'm awake," Lok murmured. "Come to throw me out of the Foundation?"

"No." Sophie let her Boltflare brighten. "Zhalia left a message on Scarlett's holotome. We think you should see it."

"We?" he repeated, sitting up.

"Your mother and sister and I. Scarlett didn't look at it…it's for you and me."

"I don't want anything from her."

"Your mother knew," Sophie said quietly. "Zhalia arranged her capture because it was the only way to get information in. Cathy was supposed to have gone away with Scarlett, but she wouldn't go."

"Mom knew?" he repeated in disbelief.

"The first night, Zhalia separated you. So she could talk to Sandra alone. She stole our Titans back from Klaus and gave them to her for safe keeping. She promised to keep Cathy safe. Are you hearing this?"

"I've heard all of it," Lok said impatiently. "It doesn't change anything. She hurt you, she hurt both of us. She wasn't…the mission wasn't worth hurting you like that."

"Then listen to what she says. Please?"

He nodded slowly. "Alright."

"Do you want me to leave?" Cherit asked.

"No. Stick around."

Sophie called the Cypherdex, laying it across her lap. "Scarlett says it was just after Dante…" She trailed off, leaning against Lok as the message started.

"Lok and Sophie," Zhalia said. She looked terrible; thin, red-eyed and checking over her shoulder every couple of seconds. "I meant to do this earlier, but…it's not an easy thing.

"First of all, I'm sorry. It was never supposed to be you. That doesn't make it any easier, I know, but you two should have been living in a Foundation safehouse for months. I've done my best to keep you safe. It wasn't enough, it can't ever be enough, but it was everything I could do. More than I should have, probably. Definitely more than was safe for the mission.

"I don't expect to come out of this. That's fine. I just hope I did some good before…whatever. I swear to you guys, I'll get you out before anything happens, alright?"

She startled at a noise from behind her, half turning to look at it before turning back to face them. "I can't stay. Long day of experiments tomorrow." She made a face at that. "If you never forgive me, that's fine. I've done unforgivable things. Just believe that I was doing my best, ok? Think that much of me."

She reached forward and the display switched off. Lok shuddered, closing his eyes. "I was stupid."

"No. Well, yes, but no. You were right according to everything you knew." Sophie closed the Cypherdex, putting it down. "No one blames you."

"They're all stupid too," he muttered halfheartedly.

"I'll tell your mother you said that. Lok…"

"What?" he asked when she trailed off.

"We need you. The Foundation…a lot of the Seekers are still safe. But Metz died from the curse, Dante's dead, and Rassimov took out most of the Council. Montahue's the highest ranking Seeker left. We've taken out the Organization's top ranks and we have Behemoth and Araknos, but there's a lot of work left to do."

"The Foundation still wants me?" he said in disbelief.

"Yes, Lok. They all know you were protecting us from a threat. From the highest ranking member of the Organization. Montahue's fighters didn't know about her; someone else might have killed her if you hadn't."

"Yeah. Maybe," Lok agreed. He reached to touch the Cypherdex, eyes distant. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm sorry it never got any easier for you. Wherever you are now, I hope it's with Dante, and I hope it's better than here."

Sophie smiled, interlacing her fingers through his, and he looked up. "I can't forgive her," he said quietly. "But I'm sorry for her."

"That's good enough," she assured him.

"What happens now, Sophie?"

"Now we start over. Come on."

Tugging him lightly to his feet, she started back towards camp.

***

***

I thought really hard about whether Dante should come back. I had planned Zhalia's death all along; eventually I decided it was better to leave them both dead.

I'm hoping to come back to this story after the next one has posted. There's plenty more to explore here, I think. If anyone else wants to play in this universe, feel free; just let me know, please.

KaliAnn: thanks! I'm glad you liked those bits.

Bellatrix: I love Zhalia too, I think she's a very complex character, so I'm glad you think I did justice!

znk99fg7: (Hope I got that right...) I hope this lived up to your expectations! Thanks for the review!

HunterSeeker: Keep watching on Wednesdays!

Phoenix: Wow, thanks! The new story starts in a few weeks...

Aria: This is the end for now, I'm afraid, but I'm hoping to come back to this story in a little while! Good luck in school this year!

c.s.: Not a cliffhanger, I had the whole story written before I posted! I'm glad you think Zhalia is in character...I was worried about that, as this is such a dark story.

San: Hope you enjoyed!

EDK: Wow, another fab review! Those plot bunnies you gave me are multiplying like crazy over here. I hope the ending of this story was all you expected. Keep an eye out for more!

And thanks to everyone who read and favourited this. You really make my day. I love you.