Sakura marched through the halls of Alices headquarters. She had arrived early that morning, nearly six, before the sun rose. She had ample time to get back to London, too, for the team usually trickled in the conference room around eight.

She passed by Tsubasa, who looked oddly like a mixture of suppressed anger and apprehension. "Just so you know, it was Luna." He muttered quietly so that only she heard it.

Sakura turned to look at him with furrowed eyebrows, but Tsubasa continued in the other direction. She continued her march to the Master's office. Something didn't settle right with her.

Two Alices opened the door for her, but then they shut it behind them. They stayed outside. That should've been her first warning - that this was a closed door meeting.

"Master." Sakura bowed deeply. "You called for me?"

The small man sitting in a relaxed position on the couch sighed. "Yes." He stood up, fixing his pitch-black eyes upon Sakura's confused Emerald ones. "The Princess." He sighed the name, as if it disappointed him. "Of all the Alices, you were supposed to be the best. Even better than the Elites."

Sakura immediately felt ashamed, even though she didn't know what she did wrong yet. "I'm sorry, Master. I must not have been at the right state of mind when I did - whatever I did was wrong." She didn't dare look up at him.

"Not at the right state of mind?" Kuonji questioned with a dangerous edge to his tone. He picked up a pack of manila folders from his desk. He marched forward to stand beside Sakura. Then he threw the folders on the concrete ground.

They made a heavy thud, causing Sakura to flinch. Persona, who remained standing behind Kuonji's chair, didn't move a muscle.

"Seven times?" the Master questioned. "Seven times you filled out a progress report. Seven times you were not at the right state of mind? SEVEN TIMES!" Kuonji hollered. Sakura winced, keeping her head bowed.

The small man took a deep breath to calm himself. In his normal voice, he continued, "Seven times you failed to include eight members of the team you were assigned. Eight important Americans. The A Team." He spit out the team's name with such disgust.

Sakura swallowed thickly. "Master, I-I'm sorry, please forgive me, I didn't know." She bit her lip. "They-they weren't in the file. Only the MIA agents were. I didn't think they were important-"

"NOTHING IS UNIMPORTANT!" Kuonji screeched at her.

Sakura instinctively stepped back with a shaky breath.

The Master recollected himself. Gently, he explained, "You know how I hate not knowing things, right? Sakura, is it? Yes, hm?"

"Yes." Sakura answered softly. "I'm sorry."

"That's the point of progress reports, is it not? So that I can know everything that's going on? So that I don't have to dispatch The Spy, to plant him in the MIA? You know what a waste of manpower that is?" Kuonji paced in front of Sakura. He shook his head. "One Alice. That's what it should've taken to infiltrate the MIA. But no, you made me put in another."

"I promise it won't happen again."

"No, of course not." The Master stopped in front of Sakura. "You're not suited to undercover work. You're an assassin!" Kuonji waved a hand in the air as if to say 'what was I thinking?'. "You don't use a Knight to do a Bishop's job."

Sakura quickly inferred what Kuonji was doing. She lifted her head up to protest, but quickly put it down when she realized who she was talking to. With a soft but firm voice, Sakura spoke up. "Master, if I may… I really think I can still be of use in this case. This group that you want to infiltrate, they are very secretive. It took me a month to get them to trust me. If you switch people, they will get more suspicious and refuse to cooperate."

"Ah, yes, you've been there for a month." Kuonji resumed pacing as he squished a stress ball in his hand. "So what have you done?"

Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. Is he testing her? Nervously, she stated, "They've come to trust my judgment. I've led them away from investigating current Alices activities in the London area. I was the one who orchestrated Dr. Yamanouchi's escape -"

"Ah, after - who was it? - The Voice's mistake." Kuonji recognized her achievement.

"Yes." Sakura nodded eagerly. "I used my cover to give the Alices an opening to retrieve her."

"But what about the Ibaragi incident?"

Was it just Sakura or did Persona flinch? Sakura frowned. "I apologize for not being able to keep a careful watch over Ms. Ibaragi. It would be too suspicious if I intervene on a strong suspect such as her."

"You did intervene, did you not?"

And if Sakura was any other person, she would be sweating on the spot. But she kept her cool. Firmly, she lied confidently, "No. I did not. I was at the time discussing with the rest of the team the possibility of other hostile forces that could be doing those Alices activities they were investigating."

"I see." The Master seemed to have believed her. "You remember the mission?"

Sakura nodded stiffly. "Yes."

"Good." Kuonji made his way back to his desk. "You destroy them when I tell you to."

"Down to the second." Sakura responded obediently.

The Master paused briefly by his chair. "Good, you're dismissed."

Sakura let out a sigh of relief.

A sinister smile made its way to Kuonji's face when he continued, "after you get punished."

Sakura hung her head. Of course she did.

Persona grinned. He loved punishing people. "Where, Sir?"

"The Chamber." Kuonji stated coldly as he sat down in his chair.

Sakura inhaled sharply in reaction, but she kept her head bowed.

Punishment for Alices involved three categories. These categories are separated by room names. The Chamber was the worst of them.

Persona took his sweet time wrapping electricity conducting wires around her wrists and ankles, grabbing her arm, and dragging her off to the Chamber.

Oh, how costly it was to protect the A Team.

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In Plain Sight

Aspirator

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"Come on man." Kitsuneme crossed his arms. He tightened the semi-circle that he was forming with Koko and Eriol around Syaoran.

"Yeah, tell us." Koko chorused.

"Just let it out." Eriol grinned.

"Okay, okay!" Syaoran surrendered. He mumbled something indecipherable.

"What was that?" Eriol didn't even bother to lean in closer. He only grinned wider. "Didn't hear you, mate."

With a dark frown, Syaoran exclaimed loudly, waving his arms embarrassedly, "Sakura is damn fit. And I want to get off with her, it's completely normal -"

Consequently, the trio snickered. Koko even cheekily exclaimed cheerfully, "Sakura!"

"That's not funny -" Syaoran choked on his own spit when he turned around to see Sakura herself amble casually into the break room. Blinking away his wide eyes, Syaoran cleared his throat. "Hey." He stands coolly, holding his mug in one hand and gripping the table tightly with his other hand. The three men behind him grinned suspiciously cheerfully.

"Hello." The lady smiles brightly at him in response, her eyes flickering briefly to the men behind him.

"Tea?" He offered in the impending silence.

"Sure." Sakura held up her own cup. "Yeah."

He lifts the tea kettle with his left hand, easily pouring the liquid in the cup. Again, filling in the awkward silence, he stated randomly, "It's caffeinated - which is rare, because Tomoyo drinks a lot of this stuff. We've banned her from the room a couple of times."

"Can't imagine why." Sakura commented with a playful smile. At Syaoran's lack of a response, she added, "she's hyper enough as she is."

"Yeah." Syaoran agreed, setting the tea kettle down.

Seeing as the conversation wasn't going any further, Sakura turned around. She paused, turning to look at the man with her playful smile ever present. "For the record, I think you're incredibly fit too." Then she ambled off cheerfully.

Syaoran stared after her, a grin blossoming on his face.

"Ask her out." It was Koko who said it. Syaoran turned to the American, caught off guard. "You know, just 'would you like to go on a date with me' or something."

"yeah," the other two men joined in.

"If fit is British for really hot then obviously you two like each other." Kitsuneme added.

"Which is perfect ground for you to go for a cup of tea with her." Eriol grinned.

Syaoran groaned. They were teaming up against him again. "It's not that simple, alright?" He grumbled.

Kitsuneme scoffed. Koko laughed. And Eriol spoke up for the three of them, "oh please - what's that bloke's name - Mochu! Mochu asks her out everyday-"

"Three times a day, even -" Koko cut in.

"-sometimes four." Kitsuneme continued. "It's just a simple statement."

Yeah, a simple statement that Syaoran needed to say to Sakura's wonderfully clueless face.

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Back on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Ruka was sleeping peacefully and snug in his bed.

Until his phone rang.

With a groan, Ruka extended a tan arm to slap around his bedside table for his phone. Once he got it in his hands, he pressed answer groggily. "Nogi." He answered sleepily.

"Get on your laptop, idiot." Came a surprisingly familiar voice.

It took a second for Ruka to comprehend. He blinked, then sat up with wide eyes. "Hotaru?" He asked, his voice now sounding very awake. He glanced at the clock, ignoring the movement in the bedsheets to his left. "You know it's two in the morning here?"

"I know." She responded. Before he could protest, she hung up.

Ruka thought about going back to sleep, he really did. But this was Hotaru and, well, anything Hotaru does is urgent.

With a sigh, Ruka crawled out of bed and stumbled the three steps it takes to his desk. He turned on his laptop and within minutes had signed onto the video chatting application. He yawned just as Hotaru called him. He clicked answer, rubbing his face sleepily.

When he opened his eyes again, Hotaru was staring - no, gaping.

"What? It's two am." Ruka scowled, stretching, "can't I be sleepy?"

Hotaru's eyebrows shot to her hairline. She was still gaping.

Ruka looked down. "Oh." He voiced, for he remembered he was only dressed in boxers. And he stretched, bare chest and all, in front of Hotaru. He blinked. "Right. I should put on some clothes." He looked behind him where his clothes lay strewn around the carpet. He made a noise between a grunt and a groan. "Meh. You'll live." He turned back to the camera. "It's not a good time, Hotaru."

"What could be more important right now?" Hotaru finally peeled her eyes off his upper body and onto his face.

"I don't know," Ruka rolled his eyes, "let me think - sleep?"

"I need to know about Everyone."

"Right now?" Ruka frowned reluctantly, glancing towards his bed longingly. "Can't you call me in five hours?"

"No."

Ruka sighed, placing his hand in his chin - and flexing his chest muscles, again, Christ, he may be talking to Hotaru but she was still a woman. "Let me think, Sumire's fine -"

"No, the cyber activist group Everyone, idiot."

With a slight frown, his eyes strayed to his digital clock. "Called idiot twice within five minutes." he looked back to his laptop, facing Hotaru, "almost beat my record."

Hotaru was about to roll her eyes, state his name in the no-nonsense way that she does, but she was interrupted by another female voice.

"Ruka?" The voice was definitely female. Hotaru narrowed her eyes as Ruka turned to look behind him. "Who are you talking to?"

His hand immediately went to his hair, running a hand through it sheepishly. A head popped out from under the bedsheets, where a woman with long blonde hair and dark brown eyes was blinking blearily at the policeman.

"Sorry." Ruka apologized sheepishly. "It's - it's nobody, go back to sleep, 'kay?" He turned back to the laptop to say, "I told it wasn't a good-" but he was cut off. Hotaru had ended the connection, but not before Ruka glimpse a furious expression on her face. Ruka stared at his laptop. "Hotaru?"

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Koko strolled into the conference room, his eyes sweeping over the now normal state of things. Such as Sakura writing down progress reports - apparently Interpol wants them every other week, but Koko swore she wrote one just five days ago - while chewing her pen thoughtfully. Eriol was nowhere in sight, probably talking to his fiance. Anna and Kitsuneme talking and joking and flirting, or that's how Koko saw her hair flipping as. Mochu sitting next to Sakura and asking her out for the umpteenth time. Syaoran was obviously switching between being distracted by Sakura chewing her pen and sharply watching the interaction between Mochu and her. Natsume frowning at his laptop…

Yes, everything was normal - wait.

Hotaru glared at her keyboard, typing furiously. He ambled closer to her, plopping himself down to a seat next to her.

"You know there's a difference between 'keyboard' and 'punching bag' right?" Koko started, watching Hotaru amusedly. What could possibly have set her off this fine morning?

Hotaru paused long enough to send him a glare before turning angrily back to her laptop.

"Okay." Koko clicked his tongue. He peered over her shoulder. "Everyone. Huh. A cyber activist group?"

"Their slogan is 'we are Everywhere.' With a capital E."

"Really." Koko began to put two and two together. "And you thought maybe -"

"'Aoi is everywhere.'" Hotaru cut in impatiently. "It's obvious."

"-that Ms. Ibaragi, may her soul rest in peace, meant everywhere with a capital E."

"Yes." Hotaru responded with an annoyed, condescending tone.

"That's genius!" Koko clapped. "Who would've thought of that?"

Hotaru spat out a word that sounded oddly like 'Ruka' but Koko couldn't be sure.

"What?" Koko asked.

"Pinpointing their last location." Hotaru said instead. "Tell them to get ready."

"Who?" Koko looked around at the room. "Mochu and Kits, maybe?"

"No, the British people." Hotaru waved dismissively. "They can show their face around town."

"Oh, right." Koko rolled his eyes. "Almost forgot about that being dead situation and all." He sighed, they were fine traveling all over the world. It was just being so close to the Alices, he supposed, that it was more dangerous for them to be wandering around. Plus, London had CCTV cameras basically every five meters.

Koko turned to scan the room again. A grin suddenly spread across his face as an idea formulated in his mind.

"Sakura, Syaoran, you're up."

Both Brits looked up at his statement. Sakura blinked and Syaoran frowned. Both voiced, "what?"

"We got a location on a cyber activist group Everyone who we might think is connected to Aoi. So you two are gonna go there and check out the address." Koko explained. "Simple, hey?"

"Eriol has the car, though." Syaoran brought up a good point as he stood up.

Psh, not a problem. Koko turned to Sakura, "don't you have a car?"

Sakura looked incredibly embarrassed. "Yeah, I did…" She pulled at the ends of her hair nervously before finally stating, "see, Interpol took away my car after Syaoran basically trashed it last time."

Koko blinked. Did he hear that right? Syaoran trashed her car? Syaoran? "What?"

"I didn't trash it." The man protested. "They're being dramatic."

"The bumper came off." Sakura looked up at him dubiously.

"Because the cars behind us were impatient dolts."

"I have two shattered windows."

"Sometimes the turns are a little rough, alright?" Syaoran shrugged, but looked sorry. And so started an interaction between the two where Sakura stated parts of her car and Syaoran looked guilty while trying to defend himself.

"The coordinates are on your phone." Hotaru called out impatiently, indirectly telling them to get a move on.

Syaoran stepped toward the door decisively, "Okay, I'm driving."

"You are?" Sakura sounded oddly apprehensive. But then again, something about her car being taken away might explain it.

"A motorcycle." Syaoran scowled at her tone. "I can do motorcycles much better."

"I hope so." She muttered. "Don't you need a special driving licence for that sort of thing?"

"Yes, and I have one." Syaoran sounded hurt. "You'll see."

Koko watched as they left the room, still conversing lightly. "Aren't they cute?" He turned to the nearest person to him.

"No." Mochu scowled.

"Oh Mochu, you'll find someone." Koko patted his friend's bald head sympathetically.

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Natsume was anxiously anticipating for Syaoran and Sakura to arrive at the address and say something through their Imai-Daidouji communication technology. Therefore, he was not expecting a phone call.

He looked at his phone with a frown.

Least of all from his best friend all the way in New York.

"What's the emergency?" He said as soon as he pressed answer, causing a few room occupants to look up curiously at him.

"Is Hotaru mad at me?" Ruka asked from the other line, sounding almost like a lovesick schoolboy.

"That's not an emergency." Natsume deadpanned.

"But Hotaru had some urgent business to discuss and we can't discuss it if she's mad at me."

"I fail to see the connection between that and calling me."

"Natsume, do me a favor and answer the question."

With a long-suffering sigh, Natsume glanced up at Hotaru. She was still typing furiously on her keyboard. "Does a rock get angry?"

"What?" There was a pause. "No..?"

"There you go."

Ruka was not amused. "Natsume, if this is your attempt at humor, I'm finding myself a new best friend."

Natsume scoffed. Best friend his ass. "You didn't even tell me you were contacting her." Despite the monotony of his voice, one could still hear the hurt, "You don't even contact me."

"Okay, first of all, I don't contact anyone. She contacts me. And second of all, that's because you don't contact me!" Ruka paused. "Are we really have this conversation right now?"

No, Natsume supposed not. "She's using her keyboard as punching bag." Natsume tried very hard to keep his gaze on the floor or the wall, anything but avoid eye contact now that Hotaru was burning holes in his skull. "She hasn't left her computer since six. She's castrating me in her mind right now."

"So she's mad."

"Yes."

"...okay."

"...good talk."

"Okay, wait." Ruka stopped his best friend from hanging up. "What should I do?"

Natsume couldn't keep the 'are you serious' look off his face. "Do I look like a relationship expert to you?"

"I can't see you right now."

So Natsume tried a different tactic. "You're asking the man who can't even keep the woman by his side for more than a year."

"Good point."

After a momentary pause in conversation, Natsume uncomfortably asked, "Are we done?"

"You know, just two minutes ago you were complaining about how we don't talk and now -"

Natsume hung up on his best friend. He went back to his laptop, still feeling the heat of Hotaru's glare. Oh well, they'll figure it out.

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"Is that it?" Sakura peered around Syaoran's broad - and muscular - shoulder. She scrutinized the beautiful stone castle, resting majestically on top of a green hill. It was just meters from an abrupt cliff that met the calm ocean. The mansion was enclosed by a steel fence, and excessively large driveway, and at least two guards patrolling each side.

Syaoran drove his motorcycle past the house, earning the unblinking stare of the closest guards. As soon as they made it past a hill that obstructed their view of the house, Syaoran slowed down, stopping to turn around. Quietly, they hid the motorcycle on a grassy dune at the back of the house.

The pair sat just behind the hill, watching the guards patrol the grounds.

"Eight." Syaoran muttered. "Bit excessive, don't you think?"

"Not if we're at the right place." Sakura responded wisely. "So what now? Pick them off one by one?"

"It'll give away our position."

"Then we keep moving."

Syaoran considered the plan they had just concocted. "Alright, but I only brought one gun."

"Me too."

The pair looked to each other and laughed quietly. "We're mad." Syaoran voiced for the both of them as he took out his gun. Sakura already had hers at the ready. "Ready?"

Sakura nodded, crouching and half turned to the other side of the hill. "Set."

Both unlocked the safety on their gun. Syaoran was the one to say, "go." At once, the pair began shooting as they made their way separately towards the fence.

There was a pause in gunfire as the guards recovered from their surprise attack. Both Sakura and Syaoran took this time to quickly climb over the fence.

When the pair reunited behind a car parked on the cement driveway, Syaoran scowled at his partner. "Really?" Syaoran mouthed disapprovingly at Sakura. "Their hand?" Obviously, Sakura's a good shot. According to Syaoran, she just wasn't aiming at the right places.

"I don't want to kill them!" Sakura frowned, glancing at the injured guards. "They could have kids and a wife!" And they could've trained with her at the Academy or been on an Alices mission with her.

Syaoran popped his head up to fire off a few rounds before ducking back behind the car. "It's for the greater good!" He whisper-shouted at her.

"Oh, well, now that you said it that way," Sakura rolled her eyes sarcastically, "I'm sure their parents would understand."

"They're our enemy!" Syaoran hissed back, "How are we supposed to get anywhere if you're so -" he struggled for a word, "nice!"

"Why is it always good and evil with you?" Sakura responded, turning the argument back around to him instead.

Syaoran stared at her for a prolonged moment. He'd heard that statement before. "Whatever." He muttered. He still looked annoyed as he watched the activities on the grounds below. The pair ducked quickly when gunfire began rain on them.

"Fuck! The rest have been alerted." Syaoran exclaimed, glaring at Sakura. "Thanks to your sympathy for humanity." Sakura looked guilty, but not that sorry.

He didn't wait for her to respond. "They're piling out like ants." Syaoran spoke into the earpiece, ducking for the second time under his cover. "The whole get up looks like the Alices." He glanced up over the hill, getting a millisecond glimpse of the situation before ducking. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Sakura began to crawl away from him, moving their focus of ammunition away from Syaoran. He continued to update the team back in London, "They're organized and they definitely do not want us to get into whatever that place is."

"Sounds like you're at the right place." Yuu voiced thoughtfully in their ears. "You sound outnumbered too. I suggest you two retreat. I don't think trying to find out what's inside is worth dying for."

Syaoran rogered Yuu's suggestion. He crawled towards Sakura, gesturing to her that they better retreat. Sakura understood him perfectly. She started sprinting towards the exit as Syaoran covered for her by shooting at their attackers. She fell back behind a crate, now covering Syaoran with her gunfire as he sprinted to join her.

"Great! Now that the possibly of you two dying is very high," Koko's voice rang in their ears cheerfully, "Syaoran, it's the perfect time to, you know, ask Sakura, the you know."

Syaoran narrowed his eyes, scowling at the air. "Shut it," he growled. He popped his head above the crate to try to get in a few shots, but quickly ducked.

Sakura glanced at her temporary partner in confusion. "Ask what?"

"Oh, Syaoran knows." Kitsuneme's voice came just as cheerfully, "he's dying to ask."

Their laughter was loud in the two British agents' ears. "Good one!" Eriol exclaimed.

"Syaoran, I'm not hearing the question being asked." Koko called again. "It's just one sentence, Syaoran, just one-"

Syaoran pulled the earpiece out of his ear and threw it on the ground. The movement caused many of the Alices to start shooting at the inanimate object. It was soon obliterated by bullets.

Sakura stared at the battered piece of Imai-Daidouji equipment wide-eyed. "You-you don't have to ask. It's okay." She voiced amidst the sound of gunfire.

Syaoran glanced at her briefly. "It's not that - it's - nevermind." He turned his gaze back forward, eyeing the area where he hid their mode of transportation. "We have to get out of here. Run to the motorcycle, I'll cover you."

"You're the one driving." Sakura pointed out, jumping up to put in a few bullets of her own against the Alices.

"Right. You cover me." Syaoran nodded professionally. "I'll come back around this way." He crouched, getting ready to sprint.

"Hold on." Sakura unloaded her gun, reloading it with a full magazine. She looked up, nodding at Syaoran. "Okay, go." At the same time Syaoran started sprinting across the open lot, Sakura began shooting at all their attackers.

Syaoran, too, had a gun in his hand. He was aiding his partner by sprinting and shooting at the same time. But there were too many Alices shooting from all angles. Syaoran and Sakura couldn't get them all. A bullet had found its way onto Syaoran's dominant hand, causing him to drop his gun with a pained cuss. At least now, he was sprinting towards his motorcycle with much more haste.

Once he got to their transportation, he hid there for a moment. Syaoran ripped off a part of his shirt, wrapping it around his injured hand tightly.

The Alices were closing in on Sakura. And Sakura, well, she couldn't kill her fellow Alices. At least they got the memo not to kill her too. She could tell just by the way the bullets weren't getting closer than three meters around her. Still, they couldn't hold off for too long before they start capturing her to keep up appearances.

Soon enough, Syaoran's motorcycle pounced out of its hiding place, taking the Alices by surprise. Without stopping, Syaoran passed by Sakura's hiding place. She was ready, hopping on right behind Syaoran just as he sped out of the steel gates.

The bullets lodged themselves in the cement ground like breadcrumbs after them.

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Rika picked up the phone for the fifth time that day, "Terada, honestly," She spoke into the phone knowing full well who called her. Or she thought she did. "Oh." Her expression changed to one of sheepishness and embarrassment. "Yes, of course, send him over...mhm...I'll take care of it. Thank you."

When she hung up the phone, she sat back with a sigh.

"So I'm guessing that wasn't your husband?" came a voice from the other side of the spacious office. One could barely discern the short mahogany locks from the stacks of papers.

"No." Rika agreed with another frustrated sigh.

"You two find something new to fight about every day." The other secretary of the floor shook her head, finally turning around to face her coworker.

"I know, Naoko." Rika frowned, walking over and sitting down on a pile of papers since there wasn't any other space on Naoko's desk. Naoko glanced at Rika's bum on the newly typed reports. She rolled her eyes. Rika continued obliviously, waving her arms about wildly. "It's just he's a college professor, you know? He doesn't understand the whole secrecy, classified thing and...I can't explain it to him."

"Did he have to call your work phone, though?" Naoko asked absently. She was writing neatly, in the type of handwriting her coworkers have said to look like a font.

Rika glanced at the other secretary sheepishly. She tugged at her hair. "Well…I kind of turned off my mobile…"

Naoko sent her a dry look, one of which Rika is very familiar with. Naoko shook her head at her, turning back to her paperwork. "Anyway, don't you have someone to 'take care of'?"

"Oh my gosh, yes." Rika hopped of the desk quickly, sending a few papers flying. At least she picked them up quickly, absently checking her watch. "I was supposed to meet him as soon as he got out of the lift. Thanks, Naoko!" She exclaimed as she made her way out, grabbing her coat.

"Who's he, anyway?" Naoko turned to call after her.

Rika whirled around, raising her arms in a frustrated manner. "I've not a clue! Nobody tells us anything anymore!" She turned back forwards, marching ahead. "Honestly!"

Pacing in front of the lift, for Rika had other things to do (and phone calls to answer), Rika patted down her dress shirt for the umpteenth time. Finally, the elevator ding-ed, and Rika was greeted with - "Goodness, the Americans have it all, don't they?"

"What?" The blonde man in his twenties blinked.

"Hi, I'm Rika." She smiled warmly, extending her hand as the man walked out of the elevator. "I'll be escorting you."

"Oh, thank you." The man smiled dazzlingly, returning the firm handshake. "I'm Ruka."

The secretary hummed as she inconspicuously looked the man up and down. Good thing he hadn't noticed; he was too busy looking around the place like it was Disney World. Rika quickly led Ruka down the hall. Boy, she had the pace of a speed walker. At least Ruka had long legs to catch up with her.

"The NYPD, huh?" Rika noted out loud, after Ruka fully introduced himself. "We've never had a copper, here, not on this floor. Especially not an American one. But we do have a team of Americans here too."

"I know." Ruka chuckled lightly. He'd come to see one of them after all.

"Of course you do." Rika rolled her eyes, her tone betraying a hint of bitterness. "I'm always the last to know. You were across the pond and you still already know before me."

"Across the pond?" Ruka repeated to himself amusedly. He followed after the talkative 'secretary of the floor' while he twisted his thumbs anxiously.

"Alright, here you go." Rika gestured welcomingly to the conference room where eight members of the team were currently situated. She placed her hand on the door handle. "You need me to announce you?"

"No, no." Ruka protested a little too eagerly. Gently, he smiled gratefully. "That's okay, thank you."

"Uh huh." Rika pulled her hand away form the handle cheerfully, turning to leave. "Ring me if you need anything, okay?"

"Yeah, thank you." Ruka lifted a hand and nodded at her gratefully. He lingered before the door, working his own nerves up. Why did he come here anyway?

On the other side of the door, Koko was staring contemplatingly at the shadow. He and Mochu were speculating and at this point they've come up with a hypothesis.

"See, that was obviously a girl that left," Mochu was arguing, "look at that hourglass shape, man! And the strut."

"It has to be Tomoyo dropping Eriol off. And Eriol's just watching after her with lovesick puppy eyes." Koko explained to Mochu. "See, that's why he's just standing by the door."

Hotaru, sick of anything and everything at this point, muttered darkly. She stood up abruptly, putting the men's speculations to an end by going and wrenching open the door. She was not at all prepared for the sight that greeted her.

Ruka sputtered, "Hot-hota-hotaru! Hi!"

Hotaru stared blankly, her mouth open slightly as if she was about to say something. Then she slammed the door closed.

Koko and Mochu glanced at each other. Natsume stood up at the sound of his best friend's voice. Hotaru's face was stunned as she robotically walked back to her seat, sitting down.

This time, Natsume opened the door, but only a crack. Ruka gave him a hopeful smile. "Hey, buddy."

Behind Natsume's frame, Koko, Kitsuneme, and Mochu had jumped out of their seats, waving enthusiastically at the American policeman. Ruka raised his hand above Natsume's head, lifting his chin to greet them.

"Let me guess," Natsume leaned against the door frame with a frown. "You didn't come here for me."

"You're being a really sensitive ass right now." He tried to peer around him to see if Hotaru had sneaked out of the room yet. Focusing back on his dry best friend, Ruka lifted a shoulder. "I brought information. Or that's what I'm assuming you need because Hotaru was asking."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "I'm gonna ignore the fact that that sounded like a bribe." He pulled the door open wider so that Ruka could walk in.

He greeted his fellow Americans with toned down enthusiasm - a simple wave - compared to their excited exclamations of his name. He noted with relief that Hotaru was still in the room and there was only one exit, which he was standing next to.

"If I wanted to bribe you," Ruka smoothly responded to his best friend, "I would've mentioned that time I had to drive you everywhere for one week because your car was getting repaired."

"That was five years ago." Natsume shook his head, going back to his seat, which thankfully was on the other side of the room from Hotaru's. "Why do you still remember that?"

"The same reason I still remember -"

"Don't." Natsume interrupted, giving him a sharp look.

Ruka chuckled at his best friend. The mirth in his face was soon wiped away when he sat down next to Hotaru.

Hotaru continued typing away at her laptop with unnecessary force.

Ruka tapped the table awkwardly. He leaned back. He cleared his throat.

Hotaru was not at all bothered, or she didn't show it.

"So…" Ruka finally spoke up. His voice grew more confident with each word. "I was part of an investigation into Everyone."

"Oh, Hotaru mentioned something about that!" Koko brought up. "Said their motto was 'they are Everywhere'. With a capital E."

"Oh, did she?" Ruka couldn't keep the smile off his face as he glanced at the said woman. The said woman remained stoic. He turned back to the interested party. "Everyone is your typical cyber activist group with the whole freedom of information mantra and hacking into government systems." He leaned forward to explain to the expectant faces. "They're a pain in the ass. There's me trying to find out who's behind it, and then there's IT at the bureau - any government organization, really - trying to protect the system and keep their jobs."

Natsume raised his brows at him, silently asking him what'd he find.

"This is where, I think, it gets interesting." Ruka sighed as he look directly at his best friend. "We pinpointed it down to Cornell University for a short while."

Natsume sat up immediately, "At the same time -"

"Then it makes sense!" Koko exclaimed, pointing towards Hotaru for the second time that day.

"Yeah, at the same time your sister studied there." Ruka confirmed Natsume's statement, referring to Aoi. He turned to Koko, "what makes sense?"

"We got a tip that quote, 'Aoi is Everywhere' end quote. So maybe she meant it with a capital E. I mean," Koko shrugged. "She never explicitly said 'capital E, everywhere,' but…"

Ruka nodded slowly. "But she studied veterinary, not computer science."

"She doesn't have to study it to know it." Anna piped up surely.

"Or to know someone who knows it." Nonoko added.

"Yeah…" Ruka spoke up thoughtfully, he seemed as if ready to say something revolutionary. But his phone rang. He sighed, standing up. He raised the phone to his ear, and in a falsely bright voice, greeted, "Nogi." The other line apparently inquired too much. Ruka let out a frustrated exhale, pulling at his blond hair. "Yeah," he interrupted the other line, "I - I can't right now." He rubbed his forehead, and since the room was so silent, they could hear the other line had raised their voice. He glanced embarrassedly at the attentive team. He turned away, walking even closer toward the corner. Ruka spoke quietly. "Listen, listen - I can't. I'm not -" He was interrupted again. After a long moment of silence, Ruka suddenly raised his voice. "I'm in London!" His voice caused a few members to jump. He glanced behind him apologetically, turning back to speak more quietly. "Yes, London fucking England." He returned with agitation. Ruka pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, I'm still...yes!" He clenched his fist tightly in an attempt to alleviate his stress.

The team tried to move on without him. Koko awkwardly spoke up, "Do you think she's working for the Alices?"

Ruka muttered lowly into the phone, arguing with the other line.

"What would they need information for?" Yuu spoke up. He frowned as he tried to fit the idea of cyber hacking into the Alices' usual motives. "It doesn't make sense."

"This is war." Mochu frowned. "They need that info to hit where it hurts, ya kno?"

Hotaru didn't join the conversation nor did she budge from her computer. But she did type gentler, as if she was also trying to hear Ruka's conversation. Unfortunately for her, Ruka had paced to the other side of the room. Natsume had a better chance of hearing his conversation.

"They were fine before." Natsume grumbled.

Abruptly, Ruka raised his voice for the second time in the phone conversation, "I have a lead!" The other line said something infuriating, for Ruka opened his mouth to retort. He didn't get to. Ruka removed the phone from his ear, glaring at it. He clenched it tightly, lifting it, and getting ready to throw it against the wall.

Ruka shook his head. With a sigh, he ambled towards the nearest seat. He plopped down next to Natsume.

The team glanced at each other, unsure of what else to say in the sudden halt in conversation.

"Sorry," Ruka smiled apologetically at his fellow Americans. "Just give me a minute." He looked down at his phone again, dialing another number. He waited patiently for the other line to pick up. "Hey, it's me." He muttered into the phone. "Yeah…that happened." At least this person seemed much nicer. Ruka chuckled lightly at the other's joke. "Send it over. Yeah, thanks." He let a gentle smile settle on his face as he looked up. His aqua blue eyes landing straight on Hotaru. "No - not a vacation. I have a lead." He paused, rolling his eyes. "I know he doesn't believe me…Alright, you hang in there." Ruka hang up in much better spirits this time.

Natsume muttered lowly so that only Ruka could hear. "You could've worked for the FBI. You could still."

Ruka shook his head at him, just as quietly responding. "You know why I don't."

"You'll be doing the same thing." Natsume frowned, indicating that he really didn't. "And getting paid the amount you deserve."

"The FBI ignores a lot of things, Natsume." Ruka set his phone flat on the table, not at all noticing seven other pairs of eyes watching them carefully. "The gang fight in Brooklyn, the abused daughter in the Upper East end. These people deserve a lot more -"

"-than the incompetent dumbasses you work with?" Natsume finished the sentence for him.

Ruka sent him a disapproving look. But he did chuckle lightly in agreeance. He finally noticed the awkward silence across the table with the other Americans. He smiled gently at them. "Right, so Everyone." He put on his NYPD first grade detective voice. "Thing is, I think this whole freedom of information mumbo jumbo is a front." He stood up, pacing around the room as if giving a presentation. "They hacked into FBI" He counted off his fingers as he continued, "the secret service, Arab Intelligence, CIA, DEA, NSA...recently MIA and Interpol."

"And the catch?" Koko asked, sensing the 'but' in his voice.

"The information they posted is completely harmless." Ruka crossed his arms, his tone turning dubious as he continued, "You hack into FBI clearance Level Nine - that's higher than all of your clearance levels - and you post controversial case histories from five years ago? You hack into the NSA and you post proof of government surveillance. This is stuff people already have suspicions about."

"So posting the information is just bullshit." Kitsuneme realized quickly.

"Maybe they're making a point," Yuu brought up. "Like they're saying that these agencies could easily be hacked into and they should get a better security system."

"What about blackmail?" It was the first time Hotaru spoke up since Ruka walked in the room. She didn't look up from the her computer.

Ruka seemed put off by her sudden participation. "Uh…" he regained his composure. "No signs of blackmail. There has never been direct contact with Everyone."

"Hotaru got an address for the current location of Everyone." Koko piped up cheerfully.

Ruka immediately resumed his seat next to Hotaru, studying her computer in interest. "Really, where?" He glimpsed over Hotaru's shoulder. There was a map of the United Kingdom with one dot moving amidst the street names. He focused on the area. "Liverpool?"

"Somewhere outside the city. We dispatched two British agents to go check out the place. They were completely blockaded off. They said it looked like the Alices." Yuu explained. "And they definitely didn't want them to find out because the Alices aren't just letting them retreat; they're going after them with heavy artillery."

"There's only one dot." Ruka observed. There was an awkward silence amongst the rest of the Americans. He looked up to look at the team. "On the map," he thought he had to explain. "there's only one dot. Did we lose one?"

Hotaru scowled, but said nothing.

Natsume was the one who answered. "The second one was smart enough to take off the tracking device Hotaru planted on her."

Ruka blinked. Maybe it wasn't smart to bring that up. "Oh." He referred back to their earlier flow of conversation before he got sidetracked. "yeah, that sounds like they're at the right place." He nodded professionally. Then he turned to Hotaru, resting his chin in his hand and his elbow on the table. "What do you think, Hotaru?"

Hotaru finally turned to meet his eye. Oh, if looks could kill. "I thought I was nobody." She growled out.

Ruka's response was immediate. He lifted his head from his arm, needing to throw them in the air. "So that's why you're mad?"

Hotaru didn't respond, turning back to her laptop. Ruka wasn't having any of that. He stood up and grabbed her laptop. He ignored Hotaru's death threats as he placed the laptop very gently in front of Yuu. Yuu looked up at Ruka in wide protesting eyes, but Ruka paid him no attention.

"We need to talk." Ruka stated to the miffed woman when he marched back to her.

Hotaru wasn't budging from her chair. She crossed her arm, lifting her chin defiantly.

Ruka looked at Natsume, who rolled his eyes. Natsume stood up, clearing the room with his scolding look. Koko and Kitsuneme dragged their feet out with a pout. Yuu tried to escape without the laptop, but Ruka caught him. He grabbed the laptop and shoved it in Yuu's hands. Yuu tried not to whimper out loud.

As soon as the door closed, Ruka spoke up. He was standing next to her chair, but she refused to look up at him. "You know that's not what I think of you, Hotaru." Ruka quietly stated. His voice rose in agitation as he continued, "I flew across the goddamn Atlantic Ocean. You're obviously not nobody."

"That's not what you told her." Hotaru frowned, not turning around to look at him.

When nothing else was said, Hotaru was forced to turn around to make sure Ruka was still there. He was. There was an incredulous look on his face. "Are you jealous?" He exclaimed, the revelation evident in his voice.

"Don't be stupid." Hotaru answered immediately. That's a huge assumption to make. "I despise the fact that I'm not earning recognition where it's necessary and when the situation calls for it."

Ruka scoffed. "You never spoke a word of our relationship to anyone else. Why can't I keep it secret?"

Hotaru suddenly stood up. A flash of anger passed through her normally emotionless face. "There is no relationship."

"Then what are we, Hotaru?" Ruka questioned immediately, walked forward to lessen the distance between him and Hotaru. "You call me a couple times a month. You're pissed off because of one word. I flew three thousand miles to settle a dispute between us. Tell me what you think this is."

"It's a partnership."

"A partnership." Ruka repeated dubiously. He saw right through her. "I don't think so." When Hotaru didn't respond, he continued. "We're friends, aren't we? Maybe we're a little more than that."

Hotaru was a strong-willed independent woman. She was independent. She crossed her arms, her cold amethyst eyes hardening. She'll show him. "I don't believe in anything more. I contacted you for information."

"That's not what our conversations consisted of." He responded evenly. Ruka's clear cerulean eyes were now stormy and intense. Hotaru, never one to back down from a fight, moved backwards two steps. Just for good measure.

The policeman understood her, for some reason, he always understood her. "You're-"

Hotaru felt so relieved when the door opened abruptly and they were interrupted. Whatever Ruka was going to say, she didn't want it to come out. Maybe she wouldn't know how to deal with it. And Hotaru didn't like not knowing how to deal with things.

Yuu stood hesitantly in the doorway, Hotaru's laptop handled securely on one arm. He grimaced under the interrupted gazes of amethyst and aqua blue eyes. "Sorry…" he apologized, but he didn't move away from the door. "Hotaru, you need to see this."

.

.

.

Syaoran drove in the path of a snake, but it wasn't enough as a bullet grazed Sakura's leg. Dang it - the Alices had to pick a place just outside of Liverpool. There wasn't much cover. In fact, there wasn't any cover at all. They were driving on a single flat road surrounded by low grassy hills, followed by at least five cars.

"Hang on." Syaoran muttered as he tried to speed up, spotting the foggy tall buildings of a city up ahead. "Keep them busy."

"I'm trying!" Sakura responded in agitation. Sakura kept her left arm wrapped around Syaoran's waist as she extended her right arm in an attempt to shoot at their attackers. She shifted, twisted, and turned, but couldn't get a good aim. She only had one gun and she knew Syaoran lost his back at the Alices compound.

Syaoran cursed as a bullet ricocheted off the handle and grazed his shoulder. They couldn't get there fast enough.

"I can't shoot at them!" She shouted in the agent's ear.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Syaoran responded over his shoulder.

Sakura needed to turn around, but if she let go of Syaoran, she wasn't going to stay on the motorcycle for long. "You got a belt?" She asked hopefully.

Syaoran sent a strange look, "what - no."

Okay, so that idea was out. Sakura spotted a hill ahead. An idea popped up in her mind. She wasn't sure if Syaoran was going to like it but...oh well. "Turn right, over there, and stop!"

At this, the Brit spared an incredulous glance over his shoulder as he did as she told. "Stop? Are you mad?"

"Maybe." Sakura mumbled, quieter now that the roar of the motorcycle was dulled. She hopped off the motorcycle as he pulled to a stop, looking behind him anxiously as he did so. He turned back to his front only to find her standing beside him with a sheepish expression. "Scoot back." She motioned with her fingers.

With a curious expression, he moved back on the motorcycle chair. "What do you think you're -" He swallowed the rest of his words with wide eyes. Sakura had calmly sat in the space in front of him, facing him, with her back to the motorcycle handles. She had kept her few inches of distance, securing her legs on the two sides of the motorcycle. She looked everywhere but on his face as she scanned the surrounding behind him with her gun raised.

"Comfortable?" He managed to utter quietly in her ear as he started up the engine again.

"I'm just trying to shoot accurately and not die." Sakura explained through gritted teeth.

"So I'm your human shield?" Syaoran rose a brow at her.

"It's for the greater good." Sakura responded smugly.

"Ha ha." Syaoran scowled at her, but it didn't last long. A slight smirk made its way up his face as Sakura rested her arm on his shoulder to steady her gun hand.

"Don't get any ideas." Sakura added, quickly interpreting the look on his face.

"What ideas?" He responded as they sped out from under their grassy cover and into the open again.

She spared another glance up at him. He wasn't looking at her, but there was that smirk and mirth in his eyes. He definitely knew what she was talking about. She huffed, focusing on the movements behind them.

She focused on the black Sedan speeding after them. Bam! Bam! She neatly took out the wheels, forcing the car to swerve and cause a Domino effect with the cars behind it.

Bam! Bam! Sakura frowned. She had missed, the bullets lodging securely into a paved road. She blamed the zigzag movement of her targets and Syaoran's snake-like driving.

"How am I supposed to shoot accurately when you're driving like that?" Sakura exclaimed, shouting above the roar of the wind and the motorcycle's engine.

"Just because I'm your human shield doesn't mean I actually want to get shot." Syaoran returned with a roll of the eyes.

"You're wearing a bulletproof vest!"

Syaoran gave her a look of incredulity, exclaiming, "It still hurts!"

Suddenly, Syaoran jerked sharply to his right - Sakura's left. With a small yelp, she veered to her left, reflexively hanging on to the man by the neck with both of her arms.

"You did that on purpose." Sakura accused when Syaoran straightened the motorcycle.

"Now who's the one getting ideas?" The Brit responded with a smug smirk.

Sakura huffed, deciding to focus back on the cars chasing them.

.

.

.

"I think Everyone made contact." Yuu set the laptop down in front of Hotaru as the A Team plus Ruka crowded around her.

179 09 17396927 196 0 73 198

Hotaru's forehead was concentrated as she ran the message through encryptions and the letters turned into numbers. Hotaru's efforts were in vain, however, for the message kept changing.

H78 0F 1902HAL8 1H9 X 1U H9W

"Is it a message? An encrypted file being sent? A sort of code?" Koko frowned, shaking his head.

Natsume waved at Yuu, "get Eriol." Yuu nodded, hastily ambling off.

"Eriol?" Ruka mouthed to Natsume.

"MIA." Natsume answered. Within two minutes, Yuu had come back with the British agent in tow.

"Why, hullo, who's this?" Eriol exclaimed in surprise, taking Ruka's hand and shaking it heartily.

"Ruka, NYPD." Ruka smiled kindly at the mind.

"Another one from the colonies, huh?" Eriol asked, meaning to learn more about the man. It wasn't quite the right circumstances. Koko called for his attention in deciphering the message. Koko caught him up quickly with the current circumstances as Eriol watched the numbers and letters keep changing on the computer screen.

"No, no running through different decryptions isn't going to work." Eriol finally spoke up as soon as he gained full grasp of the situation. "You need to create an algorithm specifically for this encryption."

"I don't have a solution code." Hotaru responded agitatedly.

"We'll make do." Eriol sat down next to the woman. "The letters, numbers, and symbols keep rotating but not the amount of them, see, there's three, then two..." Hotaru seemed to be understanding where he was going with the explanation as she quickly typed in a different window than where the code is coming in. It was some kind of computer language and she filled up the window quickly. Eriol continued muttering his observances as Hotaru processed and created a code based on his ideas.

HAL XC ILQJHALD JUS A VE NUQ

As the pair continued, the message continued changing, but it was slowly forming a decipherable thought. At least to the two technicians, it was.

A#2 I% 8VE(&6$E A8 5 9^ A#2

A#I IS EVER&O$E AN I AM A#I

Natsume moved closer, peering over their shoulder. Finally, Hotaru had completed the decrypting algorithm.

"Well damn." Koko breathed. He grinned proudly at his team members, even patting the ones closest to him heartily. "We made it, fam."

AOI IS EVERYONE AND I AM AOI

.

.

.

The chased pair had finally arrived into the city, fortunately with no major bullet wounds. At least they'll have more cover here.

The motorcycle sped down the streets, weaving in and out of civilian traffic as bullet ricocheted off of civilian cars around them. It turned at an angle as Syaoran quickly turned them into an alleyway. But not before catching a torrent of gunfire.

Realizing that the enemy had lodged a bullet in one of his wheels, Syaoran quickly took his hands off the motorcycle handles. He rested them gently on Sakura's waist. Before she could react, he pulled themselves off the motorcycle. They rolled on the hard cement ground just as the motorcycle crashed against a car parked in the alleyway.

The pair stopped rolling near the end of the alleyway, just before a corner. Syaoran was on top. He glanced at his crushed motorcycle, sighing in relief. At least they had avoided that fate. He turned his gaze down to find unblinking Emerald eyes staring in surprise up at him.

Syaoran found himself frozen in her gaze.

"It's not an idea," Syaoran found himself muttering quietly, "not really."

Sakura couldn't respond, her voice suffocated by their approximity.

"It's a hunch." The Brit bowed his head, his eyes never straying from hers. "Maybe you like me too."

"A hunch?" Sakura managed to breathe.

"And a hope." Syaoran added in a voice so quiet, he might as well have whispered it. He leaned in. Contrarily to most reactions, Sakura's eyes widened.

Sakura caught sight of movement from the corner of her eyes. With a reaction as fast as lightning, she rolled on top of Syaoran, then off of him, and pulled him behind the corner. They were just in time to avoid bullets ricocheting off the brick wall. Sakura crouched, not looking at him as she took her handgun out from the back of her trousers. "It's probably not a good time." She muttered.

"No." Syaoran, too, got onto his feet. He leaned his back against the brick wall, breathing deeply. "Probably not."

Sakura ignored the disappointment in his tone. She tried to shoot back with her own handgun, but no bullets came out. Deftly, she took out the magazine, looking at it. She turned to Syaoran with a helpless look. "I'm out."

Syaoran patted his pockets down. He doesn't have any spare magazines. He glanced down the other end of the alleyway. "Okay, we're gonna run down that way, go around the building, and attack him from…" Syaoran's voice faded when he turned to find himself looking at thin air. "Sakura?" He glanced over the corner, his frustration prevalent when he realized she had done. "Bloody woman!"

Sakura was sprinting from behind a big dumpster to the car across the street. She made her way towards the shooter by ducking bullets and covertly moving from cover to cover. Syaoran tried to making his way out, but their attacker quickly caught sight of him. He ducked behind the corner muttering curses.

With the attacker's ammunition now divided between Syaoran and Sakura, the undercover Alice made her way towards the attacker even faster between gaps of gunfire. There was a long pause in ammunition; apparently the shooter was reloading. Syaoran took this chance to run across the alleyway, halfway there. Sakura, on the other hand, was already there.

Syaoran nodded, and Sakura pounced. She landed on the attacker just as his bullets went flying. Syaoran, thankfully, was following its trajectory. With his sharp eyes, he noticed with alarm that the car's gas tank had been punctured, and it was leaking. The wet trail was leading towards Syaoran's battered motorcycle.

He sprinted towards Sakura. Through the movement of limbs, he wound his arm around Sakura's waist, disentangling her from the attacker.

Sakura was running backwards for a total of two steps before she whirled herself around and Syaoran let go of her waist. Though unaware of the situation, Sakura wisely followed his lead, sprinting as far away as possible.

With a resounding boom! the ground fell from the pair - or rather, the pair was lifted from the ground by the explosion. They landed unceremoniously a few meters away, their arms already raised to protect their heads. A few burning car parts landed around them.

Their attacker was not so lucky as to avoid the catapulted debris or the explosion itself.

The Brit and undercover Alice rolled on ground, trying to shake the ringing out of their ears.

"You alright?" Syaoran breathed. He crawled on his elbows, painfully bringing himself up to a sitting position.

Sakura hadn't heard him, but she read his lips. She nodded, breathing heavily, and getting to her feet. She stumbled unsteadily. She slid to the ground instead, sitting next to Syaoran. She pointed at him, mouthing, 'you?'

Syaoran nodded, too. They sat there for a while until their hearing returned, not budging when curious locals ambled closer to look at the damage.

Looking up, he noticed some of the locals had tried to approach him and his temporary partner. He waved a hand to indicate that they were fine. The locals did eventually walk away, but not before shooting them a strange and curious look.

He turned to Sakura, meaning to tell her that they better go. His eyes looking over her torn clothing. That's when he noticed it.

With the blink of an eye, Sakura's wrist was in Syaoran's hands. "What's this?" He asked, concern lining the edge of his voice. He examined the signs of electric shock on her wrist.

Sakura bit her lip. She was touched by his concern but… She pulled her hands away gently. "It's nothing." She didn't want to meet his eyes. "Something from an Interpol mission."

"That doesn't look like your usual scrape, Sakura." Syaoran pushed on, searching for her eyes.

Sakura let out a grateful smile, as if to say 'thank you for sounding so worried about me'. She finally met his strong amber gaze. She almost caved. But she kept that smile on her face as she tapped his shoulder gently with her hand. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

Syaoran frowned, but didn't say anything more.

Trying to ease up the tension, Sakura's eyes wandered to the small trail of blood by Syaoran's right side. "You should worry about yourself." Forgetting herself, she grabbed his bloodied right hand, wrapped up crudely in a sliver of his shirt - which was completely soaked in his blood. Syaoran winced immediately, biting back a pained groan. "Sorry." Sakura whispered, placing Syaoran's hand gently back where it came from.

.

.

.

Aoi had somehow forged a cyber connection in a heavily encrypted messaging system that mirrored a chat box. She had even devised a space for Hotaru to respond.

Are you working for the Alices?Hotaru typed in response. They watched as their message ran through different codes: a45 %8) w170i6# f26 t8e A94%e#?It went on ten different times until finally, it disappeared.

As abruptly as Hotaru's message disappeared, Aoi message appeared. Three were coming in at once. After running through Hotaru's algorithm, they were deciphered.

No.

Good thinking luring my guards away.

I don't have a lot of time.

"Luring her guards away?" Yuu read aloud. "So Syaoran and Sakura went to the right place."

Kitsuneme had another thought coming. "Aoi did all that herself? Why?"

"Information." Natsume responded. There was a tinge of pride in his voice. "She's finding things out herself."

"Speaking of information," Koko brought up a point that's been bothering him for a while. "I definitely understand her concentration on American intelligence, and I get MIA and Interpol. But Arab Intelligence? That's so random."

Hotaru nodded, typing her response. Now that they know this is Aoi, they figure it's safe to reveal themselves. This is the A Team. Why hack Arab intelligence?

It took a moment, but Aoi finally responded. I did it for Mikan.

Hotaru looked up at Natsume, and she knew the question in the forefront of his mind. So she asked it. How's Mikan?

It's not good, she's sent on missions non-stop.

He knows you are alive.

Mikan's dead the second she stops being useful to him.

Natsume ran an agitated hand through his hair while the rest of the team reacted just as anxiously. Eriol watched the reactions acutely, saving his questions for later.

Hang in there. We're going to get you.

The response was quick. NO! He needs me for later. Don't make the situation worse!

"Later what?" Koko spotted the slip up quickly.

What's Kuonji planning? What war is he waging?

Is that Master's name?

You should watch the news more often.

"She answered neither questions directly." Even Anna was feeling frustrated with their ambiguous sources of information.

Then what do you want us to do?

Find Mikan!

"Well, duh!" Kitsuneme responded in frustration as soon as he read the message. "It's harder than it sounds!"

How? Where is she?

Everywhere.

You're not helping.

There's one place she always has to go back to. It's where all Alices come and go.

Their headquarters. Where is it?

You're in the right country. Think like a criminal and you'll find it.

"Why can't anybody ever just give us a dang address?!" Mochu exclaimed.

.

.

.

The awkward silence was so tense in the air, one could cut it with a knife. It had been that way since MIA picked them up from Liverpool with a helicopter, and even after they both were looked after by MIA-employed emergency doctors and nurses. (Thankfully, Syaoran's bloodied hand was wrapped up properly with bandages and he hadn't lost too much blood). Now, the pair were strolling into the MIA building.

Sakura knew the cause of the tension was her fault, and yet she didn't know how to fix it.

She stole another look at Syaoran profile as they ambled down the corridor back to their conference room.

Or maybe she did.

"Syaoran…" Sakura spoke up. She bit her lip hesitantly for a moment before finally blurting out, "now's a good time."

Syaoran turned to her with knitted eyebrows and a confused frown. His eyes lingered on her shy smile. "For what?"

She didn't answer verbally. Instead, Sakura swivelled to face him. She reached out with her arms, wrapping around his neck and pulling his head down to meet hers.

He reacted as soon as her lips landed on his. Syaoran wrapped one arm around Sakura's petite waist and rested one arm on her back. He pulled her to a side while dipping her just a little. The kiss was sweet, soft, powerful, and everything at once.

Sakura couldn't concentrate. Everything was exploding within her and just - Sakura pulled herself closer, her hand mussing up Syaoran's already messy Chestnut hair.

When they parted, Syaoran slowly and very reluctantly let Sakura go. She let her arms hang by her side.

Sakura stepped back, looking down at the ground. A heavy blush was present on her cheeks. Syaoran blinked at the opposite wall, mouthing, 'wow'.

Since when did Sakura get so impulsive? Still, it was so worth it. Not knowing what else to do, Sakura bit her lip, twiddled her fingers, then proceeded to skip down the hall.

"Sakura - hey." Syaoran stopped her, but he didn't know what to say.

Sakura turned around immediately, tilting her head questionably.

"Look, I - um, so - I was thinking…" He anxiously tugged at his shirt. "I was wondering if...see, we kissed..and so I thought we'd...um…"

"Yes?" Sakura stepped closer with a leading smile on her face. It seemed like she couldn't stop smiling around this guy.

Syaoran ran a hand through his already tousled chestnut locks. "I...um….I'm - I'm in a spot of trouble, see, and uh…we could - we, um, if you wanna go somewhere."

"Sure, okay." Sakura agreed, despite her confusion. It was clear on her face she would agree to anything he said, anyway. "Yeah...Go where?"

"Yeah?" The Brit couldn't believe his luck. "There's a, uh, um…" He racked his brain for a restaurant, a cafe, or something nearby. "You want French or Chinese or - there's fish and chips down near Liverpool station."

"Is there?" Sakura asked, her eyes rolled upward as she tried to think if there was. Honestly, she only memorized London's street map, not its area map.

"Yeah…" Syaoran half-turned, gesturing with his arm behind him, "so do you wanna…?"

"Oh, right now?" Sakura was thrown off, causing Syaoran to look sheepish. Clearly, Syaoran wasn't very good at this.

"Any-anytime, really." Syaoran reasoned, shrugging. His stuffed his hands in his pockets, feeling like a young schoolboy. "Whenever…"

"No, yeah, right now works." Sakura nodded agreeably, tugging at the ends of her soft brown hair. "Yeah…"

"Yeah, okay." Syaoran grinned, twisting his body around one hundred eighty degrees. "Let's go."

As they walked side by side down the hall, the pair glanced shyly at each other intermittently. They barely walked a hundred meters before Eriol passed by. He sent Syaoran an amused look along with both raised eyebrows.

Syaoran shook his head just slightly at him, frowning. He mouthed, 'what?' He had to turn sideways since they were walking opposite directions in the hallway.

Eriol mouthed something quickly, pointing at Sakura's back. Syaoran narrowed his eyes at him. He scowled as he lifted his hand in some kind of gesture.

Their interaction was quickly cut off when Sakura turned to Syaoran obliviously, "Syaoran?"

"Sorry?" Syaoran turned his full attention immediately back to her, clasping his hands together.

Eriol rolled his eyes, continuing forward.

"What was the trouble you were having?" Sakura asked.

"Uh…well….It's a surprise." His eyes searched the hallway, as if the answer may be printed on the walls. That's a good one, Syaoran. "I'll show you when we get there."

Just in time, Koko strolled down the hallway towards the pair. Where did he come from?

Sakura smiled brightly back with slightly furrowed eyebrows. But Koko's attention was more focused on Syaoran. He winked at the nonplussed British agent, who scowled at him.

Kitsuneme was right behind his American buddy, giving them a cheerful thumbs up.

Sakura responded with a confused thumbs up in return while Syaoran sent him a dark look. He smiled charmingly at Sakura, ignoring the two Americans, and placed a gentle hand on her back. He led her quickly away.

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Aoi glanced behind her for the umpteenth time, making sure the door was still closed. She listened carefully. It didn't sound like anybody was coming.

She gently tapped the keys in the fastest speed she could muster. Mikan goes all over the world on her missions but she always has to come back. So does everyone else. How do you think she travels?

By air?

Well, they're getting somewhere. Aoi began typing her response, It's huge, it's like a military base. They need to get in and out really fast any time without question -

"What are you doing?" A dark, angry voice hissed.

The young Hyuuga gasped, jumping out her skin and stumbling in her chair. She turned around abruptly, hopefully covering the computer screen with her small frame. She came face to face with dark brown eyes and a star tattoo. "Sha-Shadow!" She greeted in faux cheerfulness, for Aoi only ever knew the codenames of the Alices she encountered. "I was - I was just, uh, see, everyone left in a panic and I got really…" Aoi's speech failed her as The Shadow heartlessly pushed her aside. Her eyes widened when he scanned the computer screen silently. He was one of the commanders of The Hub - the Alices' technology center and lab - after all.

"Please," Aoi begged with a shaky breath and a pounding heart. She knew it was risky, she knew. "I was - I was practicing how- how encryption worked. Yeah, um, I watched some other people -"

"First, my name's Tsubasa. Second, you're a horrible liar." Tsubasa rolled his eyes, shaking his head at her. Aoi swallowed thickly, pulling herself and her chair closer when Tsubasa began typing on the computer. Aoi caught a glimpse of the message before it was encoded and sent.

NO MORE CONTACT

Aoi's brows knitted in confusion at Tsubasa's actions. She opened her mouth to say something, but, well, what does she say? She continued to watch as Tsubasa methodically began to completely destroy evidence of the interaction. He then picked the laptop apart with great attention to detail. He placed them neatly on the floor.

Tsubasa stood up. Finally, he looked at Aoi. "Close the door," he commanded. When Aoi only stared at him blankly, Tsubasa ordered sharply, "close the door and stand by it."

Aoi quickly hopped to her feet and did as she told. With Tsubasa's tone of voice, she didn't dare disobey him.

From his coat, Tsubasa produced a smooth handgun. On one side was an engraved Alices symbol, indicating its origins from The Hub. He reached into his other side pocket, producing a silencer.

Aoi braced herself against the door, her breath quickening. She watched with wide eyes as Tsubasa unlocked the safety on the gun.

He then proceeded to shoot every single piece of laptop that he placed on the ground. Aoi, not quite used to the dangerous Alice experience, jumped at the sound of the bullet striking metal.

Tsubasa used up his entire round of bullets, making sure each computer part was destroyed beyond repair. He pocketed his gun, picked up the battered pieces and threw them in the trash can. He glanced at Aoi, raising a brow at her frightened reaction. "You never seen someone shoot before?"

Aoi blinked, shaking her head timidly. She did have a very sheltered life under Master's strict conditions. Quietly, shyly, she spoke up, "Why are you helping me?"

Tsubasa sighed. He picked up a stool by the wall, setting it down on the now empty desk. He tilted his head towards the vacated seat in front of him. "Sit down."

Aoi did as she was told, sitting down slowly with a curious expression.

Tsubasa checked his watch. "We have a few minutes before the rest of them make it back." He muttered to himself. He looked up at Aoi, his brown eyes meeting her soft scarlet ones. "Listen," he leaned forward, "can you keep a secret?"

"Of course." Aoi smiled, eager to hear it.

"Have you heard of the Alice, Misaki?" Tsubasa asked.

Aoi shook her head without taking her eyes off of him.

Tsubasa's brown eyes glazed over reminiscently, his eyes wandering toward the ceiling. He spoke in a soft, thoughtful voice. "We trained together at the Academy."

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"Dammit!" Natsume slammed his fist onto the glass table. Fortunately, the glass was double layered and reinforced. Unfortunately, Natsume's hand hurt.

The team glared silently at the computer screen.

NO MORE CONTACT

"Maybe we could go to that address again…?" Nonoko suggested, her eyes searching the team's gaze uncertainly.

"It's no use," Hotaru responded evenly. "They must have cleared out by now."

Natsume paced some more, clenching and unclenching his fist. he glanced around the room, now only noticing some absences. "Why aren't Syaoran and Sakura back yet?"

"Actually, they came back, then they went on a date." Eriol piped up with a cheerful grin. Koko and Kitsuneme bore identical looks.

Mochu was not at all happy. "What? Him? Why Syaoran?" He grumbled, crossing his arms.

"He didn't even have to ask her out, she just agreed!" Kitsuneme exclaimed, awed by the apparent charm of the Brit.

"And he still gets the girl?" Mochu scowled, glaring at the wall. "I ask her out daily."

Koko, Kitsuneme, and Eriol sniggered. Anna patted his back sympathetically. Natsume rolled his eyes, and Hotaru frowned at her laptop.

"It's the British accent, isn't it?" Mochu spoke up again in a defeated tone.

"Eriol's already hooked and now Syaoran gets the girl." Kitsuneme speculated, "Hm, I do see a pattern."

"So...who's Sakura and Syaoran?" Ruka finally spoke up for once, confusion marring his charming features. But before anyone could explain to him, his phone rang. He picked it up with all seriousness. "Nogi." He listened for a few beats. "yeah, alright, I'm on my way back. No, hang on to it. I'm on my way back." He repeated the fact of his return a few more times before he finally hung up with the other line. Ruka smiled at his audience humorously. "Yeah, I'm going back to my life of stale donuts, dirty subway tunnels, and needy coworkers."

"It's a wonder why you took a one day vacation, really." Eriol responded dryly.

Ruka chuckled, holding out his hand for a handshake with the MIA agent. "New York's actually not bad at all. You should come visit when you have the chance."

Thus, he made his way to each team member, saying his goodbyes and wishing them good luck on their endeavors. Finally, he approached Hotaru.

"Goodbye." Ruka voice quietly with a gentle smile on his face.

Hotaru didn't meet his eye. "You know I don't believe in that."

"You don't believe in a lot of things." Ruka chuckled softly. He paused a second more, as if wanting to say more or do something or wait for her to react somehow. But nothing transpired. Abruptly, he turned around, leaving the team to shout their farewells after him.

Hotaru didn't know why she felt empty.

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"I didn't believe in love." Tsubasa stated bluntly. "I believe in protection, trust, care, and honesty. But not love. Not until it grew on me."

"Grew on you?"

"She grew on me." The Elite admitted with a ghost of a smile on his features. "She was at the Academy first. I came later, at age fifteen. We were friends. Even best friends. We covered for each other. When Sakura and Mikan pranked Misaki, I would team up with Misaki to prank them back. When Misaki was sick, I'd take notes for once and hand it to her. Sometimes, I'd help Sakura and Mikan prank her, just for fun. But mostly, we covered for each other. Even after we graduated…" Tsubasa trailed off, his thoughts going back to his more youthful years. He shook himself out of it a minute later, his eyes returning back to Aoi's fascinated gaze. "We were a good team."

"What happened?" Aoi knew it was coming by the tone of his voice. Even so, when his eyes turned dark and pained, the unmasked feelings hit her straight in the heart. It was bittersweet to watch.

Tsubasa gritted out lowly. "Academically, she could've been an Elite. But...skills-wise, she just wasn't quite there. She was a Level Eight. We saw the difference when we were out in the field but we never treated her any different. Not me, anyway. We were a good team. But Master thought she was holding me back, he thought she was baggage. He sent us out to a mission he knew she wouldn't survive."

"So she…" Aoi breathed, so engaged in the story.

"I watched her die." Tsubasa met Aoi's wide scarlet ones. The pain and suffering is apparent in his features. Through his eyes, Aoi saw him grasp Misaki's limp body, yell at her to wake up, and curse at the cruelty of one man who controlled them all. "He kicked her off of the chess board when she no longer served to be useful."

"Did she know?" Tsubasa blinked at the young lady. Aoi repeated herself, treading softly, "Did she know you were in love with her?"

Tsubasa thought about it for a long moment. "Maybe she did," he muttered quietly. "Maybe she did."

"You never told her." Aoi gasped.

"I didn't realize how strong my feelings were until after." Tsubasa confessed. "I always...we called ourselves best friends but on the inside I think we knew we were more than that, we just...We never said it out loud. It might ruin what we had."

Aoi sat there quietly, just processing everything. When Tsubasa spoke up again, she was immediately hanging on to his every word.

"So here it is: I hate Master. I hate his fucking guts and I'm still working for him. And I hate myself for being a coward. I hate myself for just waiting for someone to stand up to him and helping them when it's necessarily because I don't have the balls to do it myself."

"I think it takes strength." Aoi spoke up, drawing Tsubasa's downcast eyes to her. "I think after seeing what the Master did to who you love, anyone else would've obeyed his every word. But you're taking risks, and I think that takes strength."

The Elite smiled gratefully at her. "Love is a powerful motivation." Tsubasa's warm brown eyes focused back on Aoi's awed scarlet ones. "It makes you risk it all and think it's all worth it. Love is powerful, Aoi, don't you forget that."

"I won't." Aoi responded obediently.

"Good." Tsubasa stood up, patting Aoi's head affectionately. He walked towards the door. "Looks like they're coming back." He turned around with a smirk, "you're gonna need to tell The Engineer why his laptop is gone."

"Oh no!" Aoi groaned. "What am I supposed to say?"

"Dunno." Tsubasa shrugged with a mischievous grin. "Sucks to be you," he laughed at her before strolling cheerfully out the door.

It does feel a lot better to get the secret off his chest. He only hoped Aoi could keep it secret.

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Syaoran and Sakura sat across each other at the casual dining place. Sakura looked around in awe. She had never been on a real eating out adventure like this. Her eyes returned to the table. Her cheeks reddened when she realized Syaoran had been staring at her. She smiled shyly under his intense amber gaze.

"So we're here." Sakura started, her eyes wandering around the place again. She tilted her head curiously as she asked the fatal question. "What's the problem?" Her gaze landed amusedly at the crumpled up napkin in his grasp. "Run out of napkins?"

Syaoran let out a nervous breath, "Actually, no, that's-" He cleared his throat, "see, I'm - I was having a little trouble asking...um," he chuckled lightly, "a lady out on a date."

Sakura's smile widened completely to a grin. She couldn't keep the delight off of her face. "Really?" She feigned ignorance. "And how did you solve your problem?"

Syaoran frowned adorably at her, grumbling something about 'being such a tease' and 'it's really not funny'. He leaned forward, gathering his thoughts as he kept his eyes locked on those bright emerald orbs. "See, it all started with this woman who was really good at snogging…"

Sakura's light laugh filled the small diner as Syaoran's low baritone hummed along with her.

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A/N: Hey, I understand that my chapters are already very long and it takes just that many extra minutes to review and stuff, so I am very thankful to those few who do review. And to the silent readers: hi.

Alright, A Team readers, I know I wrote a slightly different story in The A Team with Misaki and Tsubasa, but I didn't spin a much too different tale. Honestly I think this one works better.

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"So, Mrs. and Mr. Li," The interviewer leans forward, addressing Sakura and Syaoran. "First off, congratulations! How was your honeymoon?"

"Cut short by Aspirator." Syaoran grumbled while Sakura laughed, shaking her head disapprovingly at him.

The interviewer laughed along. She, however, wanted to get straight to the point. "So obviously you two have a strong off set relationship. What about on set? Is it different?"

Sakura smiled. "yeah, of course. The thing with the first few episodes is that we're supposed to act kind of awkward, and you know, in the first few stages of our relationship."

"Is it harder than acting with, say, another actor?"

Sakura glanced at Syaoran, who made a face. Sakura laughed. "Syaoran would never let me do that - with Aspirator's script -"

"You mean with all the kissing and-"

With a cute blush, Sakura giggled, nodding. "Yeah, yeah. And yes, I think it is kind of hard, but you know that's part of acting."

"Actually, she yelled at us a lot." Syaoran cut in, his arm stretched behind Sakura's back. "Making us stick to the script after we ad libbed a little too much." At this, Sakura looked to Syaoran, sharing a secret glance.

"Really?" The interviewer turns to the camera interestedly. "Let's see them, shall we?"

"Marker!" A film set assistant holds the clapperboard in front of the camera, slamming it shut.

"Yeah." Syaoran agreed, setting the tea kettle down.

Seeing as the conversation wasn't going any further, Sakura turned around. She paused, turning to look at the man with her playful smile ever present. "For the record, I think you're incredibly fit too." She then sent him a wink, her smile widening.

"Oh - that's it - c'mere." Syaoran growled pulling a grinning Sakura in by the arm and planting a sweet kiss on her lips. When they parted, Sakura giggled. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he leaned in for another. The smile never left Sakura's face as Syaoran wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening their kiss.

Koko laughed at the pair, Kitsuneme catcalled, and Eriol grinned.

"That's not in the script!" The director off-stage yelled furiously.

"Oh, giv'em a moment, will ya?" Koko waved dismissively off camera somewhere.

"Marker!" A film set assistant holds the clapperboard in front of the camera, slamming it shut.

Suddenly, Syaoran jerked sharply to his right - Sakura's left. With a small yelp, she veered to her left, reflexively hanging on to the man by the neck with both of her arms.

"You did that on purpose." Sakura accused when Syaoran straightened the motorcycle.

"Only because you were asking for it." Syaoran looked out ahead, not daring to look at her.

"I was not!"

"So you weren't seducing me?"

"Seducing you?" Sakura furrowed her eyebrows. A mischievous twinkle was evident in her eye as she leaned closer to Syaoran. She blinked innocently, "what do you mean?" She ran her left fingers down his front torso, tugging at his shirt. "How could I possibly be seducing you?"

Syaoran cleared his throat, staring straight ahead. His voice noticeably dropped an octave when he muttered, "stop it." He imaginarily turned the motorcycle some, but they weren't really going anywhere. They were just acting in front of a green screen.

"Stop what?" Sakura's hand rested lightly on his chest.

"You little devil." Syaoran grumbled through gritted teeth before he bent down to place a trail of kisses up her exposed neck, across her jaw, and on her mouth. He scooted forward, his hands leaving the handles and coming to rest of Sakura's back. Sakura giggled lightly as she received the affections -

"Syaoran Li!" The director screamed furiously, "keep your mouth to yourself!"

The pair parted quickly, Syaoran looking off camera incredulously. "It was her!" He gestured wildly at his mischievous wife, "Sakura was -"

"That's it!" The director stomped on stage with the heavy packet, which was the script, in her hand. The actor and actress looked ready to bolt, Syaoran even letting out an 'uh oh'.

With the script rolled up in her hands, she hit Syaoran and Sakura on the head. Both winced, rubbing the back of their heads. The director then stomped off, but not before yelling, "STICK TO THE DAMN SCRIPT!"

"Marker!" A film set assistant holds the clapperboard in front of the camera, slamming it shut.

"You really couldn't say it?" Sakura smiled up at Syaoran, who was only millimeters away from her.

Syaoran kissed the corner of her lips one more time before moving aside. He rested his forehead on the crook of her neck with sigh. "Not you too."

"It was just one sentence."

"Not everyone's perfect, love." Syaoran grumbled, his voice muffled.

Sakura shifted her eyes left to try to look at him. "You mean nobody's perfect?"

Syaoran lifted his head, smiling charmingly at her. "I would've meant that had I not met you."

She grinned brightly in response, kissing him on the lips again as a sweet 'thank you'. When she parted, however, she wouldn't let the topic go. "All that and you couldn't say a simple, 'would you be my date?'"

Syaoran leaned his forehead back on her shoulder. "You're giving the bloke who just snogged you senseless a lot of grief, you know that?"

Sakura looked as if ready to reply, then she was distracted by movement at the edge of the scene. The director had moved closer. Syaoran followed her gaze, looking sheepishly at the director.

"That was...that was actually good." The director admitted reluctantly. "It might be too much chemistry for a couple that just gone on their first date though." She turned, lifting her hand in a circle as a gesture to 'wrap it up.'

"Cut!"

The scene returned back to the interview as the interviewer aww-ed and ooh-ed at the actor and actress' interactions. "Did the director keep any of your ad libs?"

"Oh, yes, she did." Sakura nodded, looking to Syaoran for confirmation. "I was on the motorcycle trying to get into character and shoot and all that, and I was thinking, 'I'm supposed to be able to shoot out their tires when they're all over the place and I'm all over the place'?"

"And then she actually said it out loud." Syaoran continued the story for his wife. "I just went along with it."

"Did you actually have a bulletproof vest?"

"Are you kidding?" Syaoran answered easily, "Of course I did. Aspirator might've hired skilled marksmen but I still don't wanna die."