Gippal's POV:

The door closed behind Rikku as Westaire dragged her out of the room. The first one to react was Brother, who immediately made a mad dash to the door.

"Brother…wait!" Gippal demanded and pulled him back.

"You are really going to wait ten minutes? Are you crazy? Then they'll get away!" Brother cried.

"No, I'm not but we-we can't just go running after them! We need to have some sort of strategy, a plan…"

"Oh yeah? And what kind of plan were you thinking of?" Brother asked, doubting that Gippal could come up with anything.

Gippal's mind was racing. How had he gotten into that fight with Brother when he knew that this whole situation had taken a turn for the worse? Why had he still kept Westaire in the Fraction when he didn't trust him? Just when he had gotten Rikku back, something was trying to tear their relationship apart again! And she had been so brave the whole entire time. Rikku was so trusting and loyal to everyone; she never judged them. Gippal couldn't even bear to think that his innocent Rikku might make it out of this untouched.

Suddenly an idea came to him.

"Ok…this is what we're going to do. Follow me," Gippal instructed and cautiously made his way out into the halls.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Rikku's POV:

Rikku was surprised (and dismayed) that no one came across them as Westarie lead her through some back hallway to get out of the temple.

Westaire started to mumble something as they got outside. She saw a hover craft waiting for them. Where was he going to take her? With one hand still holding up the cold metal to her temple, Westaire dug into his pocket with the other.

"Westaire? Westaire!" Rikku said frantically. "What are you doing?"

"Shut-Shut up," Westaire said to her.

"Why are you doing this? I thought you were my friend…" Rikku told him.

"I said shut up!" he said little stronger this time.

Rikku whimpered but went quiet as she was told. Her body was shaking uncontrollably now as a million things ran through her head. She could just see Gippal telling her not to trust Westaire. Why hadn't she listened to him?! Rikku sought frantically with her eyes for some means to escape but with the gun pressed to her head, she wasn't willing to risk anything. Maybe when they left on the hover…then she could escape. What was Westaire doing?

Suddenly he shifted his weight behind her and she saw his hand come up in front of her. He clutched a damp cloth in his hand.

"Westaire, no!" Rikku cried as she realized he was going to knock her out.

He placed the cloth over her mouth and nose and Rikku could do nothing but inhale. Her vision became blurry and her body felt weak. Her eyes slowly closed and she blacked out.

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Gippal's POV:

Hastily Gippal made his way to his office, Buddy and Brother close on his heels.

"So…what are we doing?" Brother asked again.

Gippal didn't answer and began rummaging around through his desk and pulled out a gun which he stuffed into his large pocket. Pulling out another, he threw it to Brother who caught it awkwardly as if he wasn't sure what to do with it.

"Do we really need to use these?" Buddy asked.

"If we're saving Rikku we might," Gippal responded but he wasn't really paying attention. Thoughts whirled around in his mind as he tried to piece his plan together for saving Rikku. He hoped his was right.

"How are we going to save Rikku?' Buddy asked.

"I have this feeling we'll find Rikku, Westaire, and the man who is behind all this in Bikanel. It's just a hunch but it was the last place he showed up. Now that he has the key and the box, we need to be prepared to fight just in case he releases the fiend inside of that box." Gippal replied.

"So he has everything, why didn't Westaire just leave with it? Why did he take Rikku?"

Gippal's shoulders sagged. "I don't know."

"But Bikanel is so huge! We'll never find them!" Brother moaned.

"It may be huge but there aren't many places to hide and if he releases a huge fiend in the middle of the dessert, it won't be that hard to find them."

"You're sure we'll find them at Bikanel?" Brother asked, again doubting Gippal.

"Nope but it's the best lead we got so far so we might as well take it. Buddy, try to find a small airship we can take to Bikanel. Try to be discrete about what were doing."

The last thing I need is Cid finding out and killing me for putting Rikku in danger…Gippal thought.

"So…that's your plan? Just going to Bikanel…?" Brother asked.

"I'm making it along as we go. Got any better ideas?" Gippal challenged. Brother was starting to get on his nerves.

Brother said nothing and left Gippal alone after that.

Soon Buddy found them a craft and they made their way as fast as possible to Bikanel. They grabbed three hover crafts and were just about to make their way out into the hot desert when Nhadala stopped them.

"What are you doing? You can't go out there!" she told them

Gippal rubbed his face, irritated. "Why not?"

"Because a sand storm just hit, that's why. No one will be digging today. Hey, why are you out here anyways?" Nhadala asked.

Gippal shook his head. "Digging…" he said under his breath. If only she knew.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Rikku woke up slowly. Her head hurt like anything and she didn't want to comprehend why she was tied to a chair. She lifted her head and felt a cold air brush against her damp skin where her chin had laid two seconds ago. She had drooled.

Rikku made a face and slowly looked around. It was a small dark wooden shack. Most of the boards from the wall and ceiling were missing and bright light shone through the cracks. Her eyes were still unfocused but she could faintly make out the image of blurry sand. She was in Bikanel.

"Aw so the princess has awakened," a cool voice said behind her.

Rikku flinched. Her body grew tense as she heard footsteps come from behind her. A man appeared at her left. He was tall with shaggy black hair and piercing black eyes. Rikku gulped, he sure looked intimidating.

"Why am I here? Who are you? What do you want?" Rikku demanded.

"I think you know exactly what I want, princess," the man said.

"Not really…I mean, you took Garpadah's box and all and stole the key so I guess you want to take over Spira but that's about it. You didn't have to kidnap me you know."

"Oh but I did Rikku, I did."

"Figures."

"Well, princess, I need you because the key is not the only thing that unlocks that box. The gears need to be turned in a certain order and a certain way for the box to open."

"So? Why can't you do it?"

"As I hear it you are very good with machina. I need this to be done quickly; I have lost all my patience to your dear friend Westaire."

Westaire? So he was working for this crazy goon. Where was he then? "And who thinks I'm going to open that box for you? I mean…"

Before Rikku could get any other words out, the man had pulled a gun from his pocket and aimed it at her forehead. Rikku would have jumped at the swift movements if she hadn't been tied down.

"If not, you will face the consequences. Even though I need you I may not be able to hold myself back if I am annoyed by your insolence. Do I make myself clear?"

Rikku nodded several times, not trusting her voice.

"Shade! I'm back." Rikku heard a muffled voice she as the front door opened.

Shade looked somewhat annoyed but turned to see Westaire walking to the door.

Westaire looked shocked to see Rikku and quickly crossed to the far side of the shack, not making eye contact.

"Shade? That is your name?" Rikku mused but to no one in particular. That seemed well for no one else in the room seemed to want to answer her.

She craned her neck to the side to look at Westaire. He was trying to make himself busy so he could avoid looking at her.

"Westaire? Why did you side with Shade? He'll kill you, Westaire. He doesn't care about you. He'll kill you, you know?" Rikku tried to say, hoping she could get through to him. Westaire…please help me get out of here she thought. What else could she do?

And idea struck her and before she could think of the consequences that might follow she put it in action.

"Well, I can't open your precious box unless you untie me." She said looking up at Shade.

He sighed but began to untie the rope around her arms and ankles. When he had bent down and had finished untie the last bit of rope on her right ankle she kicked her foot into his chest. His head snapped up and she then rammed her knee under his jaw. He cried out in pain and as quickly as she could she stumbled over him and raced toward the door. Westaire was slow to react as Shade yelled at him and Rikku threw open the door, thinking she was home free.

Her hopes dwindled as she stared out into the wild desert. Just a few miles away, a great sand storm was causing havoc through the desert, sand swirling high into the sky. Rikku stumbled forward. Could she make it through that? She slumped to her knees, she knew she could not.

A chuckle escaped Shade's throat as he stood at the door.

"Go Rikku, go into the sand storm if you must but I guarantee it will not give a merciful death."

Oh? And you will? Rikku thought but didn't dare voice it out loud for fear he would answer.

She stood up and glared at him, her green eyes flashing.

"Shut up!" she yelled at him, tears streaming down her cheek. She could not control herself any longer.

She looked back at the sand storm. Would it be better to take her chance and fight the storm? She knew she would not live through it but would that be better than handing the world a monstrous fiend? She shook her head and turned her back to the storm. She wanted to live, even if that meant for only a couple of hours or days. She would not give hope up so easily.

Shade shoved her back into the small shack, and defeated, Rikku began to work out the puzzle of Garpadah's box.

(AN: Will Gippal save her in time before the fiend is unleashed? Who knows? I do! Anyways Rikku kind of went OOC at the very end I think but she wouldn't be her normal happy self with what's going on, don't you think? Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter. I guess this story is almost coming into an end. :( It'll probably be only 2 or 3 more chapters, 4 at the most. Please review, I would love to hear what you have to say!)