Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews, guys! I really appreciate it! :) Here's another chapter for you guys since I love you all so much! XD Now is when the rating goes up, due to language and minor violence. It'll really be going up on the violence meter soon. Not gorey, but more violence than I've ever written. I would also like to apologize again for all of the grammar mistakes I've made in previous chapters, and in, most likely, future chapters. Damned Word pad.

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CHAPTER 4: 30 MINUTES OF FEAR

The sound of shattering glass could be heard half-way down the hall of the top-story floor of Easter. Even with the blood seeping endlessly down his fingers, Kazoumi was too angry and too distracted to care. The remnants of the satellite, that had been destroyed by Kazoumi's fist as it plummeted through it, lay scattered on the floor, that was beginning to dirty with the mild drops of crimson red blood.

"No more child's play..."

Kazoumi breathed heavily as if he had just run a marathon, eyes popping with rage. "I'm going to make those brats wish they'd never heard the name Easter."

"Boss?"

Sanjou had returned and was now knocking on the door. Without waiting for a response, she entered. She gasped when she saw the broken Satellite feed and her boss's bleeding hand. "Boss, are you okay? You're bleeding!"

She rushed towards him, seizing a Kleenex at the end of the table and wrapped it around the wound. As she tended to him, she asked nothing about how he got the wound or how the satellite had become the way it was; she could work out the details for herself. When she was finished, and washed her hands clean and sighed, she turned and faced him again.

"That girl has become involved than we expected."

"Yes." His voice was still sharp with rage. "She managed to break Ikuto out of our control, and it's unlikely we'll be able to motivate him back into it, even with taking that damned violin. With her around, we won't be able to kill Ikuto. The little bitch may think she's gotten the best of us by turning the boy against us, but I'm not about to let it end here. " His throat felt constricted as he let out a low chuckle.

"What are you going to do?" Sanjou's voice was breathy and eager. She was definitely interested. It seemed she was as out for revenge as he was.

He turned to look at her, a smirk forming on his features, eyes narrowing. "Gozen and I have already discussed it. We want the shoot-to-kill order on Ikuto as well as that girl, but It seems that Ikuto has the Key that goes to the Humpty Lock we've also been after. And I think that girl definitely has it. Together, they'll most likely form the Embryo. Seize the weapons, kill the holders. Give the order to any business member or guard you find. This is top priority."

"Gotcha." Sanjou bowed, and exited the room, shutting the door softly behind her.

Kazoumi lifted his wounded hand and examined it. "I shall gain the Embryo for Gozen, and no elementary-school student is going to stop me. Nor is my step-son. I don't care what I have to do."

--

"How long has he been out now?"

"Not too long, Ran. I'm just lucky I got him here while Mom and Dad weren't home."

"Lucky they took your sister, too, right, Amu-chan?"

"Yeah. With Ami here, it'd make things worse."

"Worse than they already are? Amu, you have a boy in your room!"

"It can't be helped, Miki. I couldn't just let him go off somewhere with Easter most likely going to track him down. I had to bring him here."

"Still, it seems against your parents rules to even let him in this house.."

"Miki.."

"Should I make him a meal so he'll have something to eat when he wakes, Amu-chan? He's really weak, desu."

"Okay, Suu. Just try not to burn the house down."

"No problem! Just leave everything to Suu!"

His eyes felt like lead. He wanted to open them, and see what was going on, but yet, he was too tired, much too tired, to open his eyes. Sleep demanded he slump back into its slumber, but he fought the drowsiness and managed to open them. His vision was blurry at first, but after a few seconds, cleared, and he saw Amu's face in front of him, eyes worried, but smiling as she realized he'd awakened.

"Ah! Finally you're up!"

Ikuto blinked. "How long have I been out?" It didn't feel like it was that long..

Amu laughed at his groggy expression. "You've been out of it ever since you managed to break their control, and that happened nearly six hours ago."

Ikuto's eyes widened. "Six hours?! Why didn't you wake me up?"

She blushed. "Well, you looked so peaceful, and I knew you were exhausted from all that happened today, so I let you get your rest. Besides, you're cute when you sleep."

Ikuto smirked. "And were you grinning while you watched me again, Miss Hentai?"

She blushed even more, so that her face resembled a ripe tomato. "Don't call me a Hentai, pervert!"

And she turned her back on him, arms crossed. Ikuto smiled at her, and forced himself into a sitting position. He was dizzy almost instantly.

"Whoa!"

Amu turned around at the sound of his gasp, eyes widened in shock, leapt out of her chair, and gently laid him back down. "What are you doing, idiot? You need to lay down!"

But she'd rushed up too quickly; she lost her footing, and before she could hit the floor, his arms had captured her, breaking her fall, and ended with her landing on top of him. At that instant, something like an electrical surge passed through him as her body landed on his, their faces inches apart, eyes beseeching into each others, swallowing each other whole with the intensity of their gaze. The pink blush was still painted on her cheeks, and he could feel his own face getting hot with embarrassment, yet they stared into each others eyes, and he was leaning more into her than he'd realized, until their lips were centimeters apart, and he could practically taste the sweet scent of her mouth, when he pulled away. It was much too early. And besides, she'd never accept him in that way.

Before he could do much else, she'd lifted herself off of him, her back to him.

"GAH. I'm sorry! I really am a klutz!"

Ikuto hid his expression behind his hair and looked away from her so she wouldn't see him smiling. "You really do fall down often, Amu. But I forgive you for being a klutz." Even without looking at her, he still knew she was blushing madly. His own face was still beet red, and his throat felt as if someone had ignited a fire inside of it.

"Um, Suu is making you something to eat so it should be ready in a few. I'll.. I'll go check and see if she's finished." She exited the room without looking at him, her face hidden by her hair, and he knew she was desperate to hide her face. He, too, needed time to regroup.

--

Yoru was nervous. Even though Ikuto told him to stay behind, he did not wish to be here. Not in the middle of Easter Head-quarters. Sure, he could lurk out of sight for awhile, but how long would it be before he was caught? He sincerely hoped he could get the dibs on Easter's next plan and escape in time to tell Ikuto what they were doing. It would all be for nothing if he was captured here. So far, he'd heard nothing yet, and he was running out of air vents to hide inside of. Just when he was about to exit one, he stopped, catching the sight of many pairs of feet; Sanjou was speaking to a group of Easter's guards, who, to his surprise, were all armed.

"If you see Ikuto and a girl by the name of Amu Hinamori, I demand you give the shoot-to-kill order. Leave them alive only if you want to pay for it later. Gozen and Kazoumi themselves have issued this, and their orders, as well as their state of minds are not to be tested. After killing the children, please be sure to bring back all of the possessions on them straight to us. We believe they have things we want. You all know who Ikuto is, and the girl is short and has pink hair and is reported to be eleven years old. What's more, the boy is bound to be with her, so it should be no problem."

One of the tall guards bowed. "As you wish, madame."

Sanjou smiled an evil smile. "Report back to us when you have finished the job. They're bound to be anywhere, but the best bet is at the girl's house. I have the address. But make sure you hurt no one else other than our targets. However, should anyone else get in the way, and stop you from doing your task, do what you will with them. The less witnesses, the better, in my opinion."

Yoru could hardly contain his gasp of shock. These people, the very people Ikuto had devoted his life to, as unwilling as he was, were now planning on killing him? Actually killing him? The very guards that had taken care of Ikuto when he was young, now were the ones who would take his life? He had to act fast; He had to reach Amu's house before these people did, and warn Amu and Ikuto to get out immediately. He no longer cared if anyone saw him. He was faster than all of them put together, anyway. And now was no time to be lazy.

He rammed into the air vent so hard it busted open, and before the guards could even turn around to look, Yoru was speeding down the hall in mid-air, and within minutes, had exited Easter, his mind filled with only one thing: warning Ikuto and Amu.

--

Ikuto shoved the last bite of his rice ball into his mouth, chewing slowly as he watched Amu. She was still quiet, hardly looking at him, and when she did, she looked quickly away. While he knew that had been embarrassing for both of them, he kind of missed their eyes meeting every few seconds, and that electrical surge, what ever the hell it was, between them. He yearned to reach out and touch her face, just to feel that surge again..

But just like he'd done when he'd made to kiss her, he stopped himself without knowing why. He'd never been this unsure about touching her before; he'd catch her if she fell, hold her while he flew with her in his arms, touched her face without feeling all funny. Why couldn't he now..?

"Ikuto!"

He was brought out of his thoughts by Amu, who was running towards the living room window. "It's Yoru!"

Ikuto sat up quickly, and Amu managed to open the window, allowing Yoru entrance, and closed it again.

The little guy was out of breath. "Ikuto.. you.. need to... get out.. of here... now!"

Ikuto's eyes widened. "Is..?"

Yoru panted. "Easter.. they're coming here right now! Ikuto, they're going to kill you and Amu!"

Almost out of instinct, Amu and Ikuto looked at each other. Her eyes were wide in the same expression of fear, and his fear of, not his own safety, but of hers, took over every particle in his body. Without hesitation, he shot up, ignoring the dizziness that overcame him. He fought through it, and swiftly seized Amu in his arms, character transforming and ignoring her scream of protest and shock as he made to dart out of the door with her.

The effect was instantaneous; As soon as they were out, several gunshots erupted through their ear drums, and all he cared about in that moment was getting Amu out of here alive. He felt the bullets seeping into his flesh, could feel the warm oozing of blood as wounds erupted, and yet he made his body continue moving. He knew Amu was safe; His arms were around her like a protective cage, and he could feel her hot, panicked breath on his neck. Before he knew it, he was in the air, and away from the house, where, when he was able to look, saw over fifty security armed guards unable to reach him in his height. Breathing a sigh of relief, he held Amu closer to him. But the darkness was coming, the dizziness returning. He could feel his limbs weakening, and forced himself to keep a hold on Amu. He could hear Yoru speaking to him in a panic, but it was distant, as if in a long tunnel. And then, he felt himself falling, unable to stay levitated any longer, and the last thing he heard before he fell into the black void was Amu's voice as she unlocked her own heart.