Llampaca Eating Guppy: A) Boo, midterms! But maybe fall break is soon, though? Mine starts next Friday.
B) and it was said by Aguma on top of that XD
C) Yes, there needs to be more Masamune appreciation period -_- get on that, anime
D) Yeah... YOU HURT CHRIS whyyyy
Chris: you say, after planning the next three chapters. Or after nearly killing Bao in Our Darkest Hour! Also, what is up with chapter ten?! Why the hell am I-
Shut up! No spoilers!
stormnml: Ahhh, TVTropes I get. I've never heard of BSOD though... thanks for the info! Yes, Team Dungeon has finally shown up XD
Eternal Nexus Warrior: Again, Masamune deserves more appreciation
Okay moving on to the chapter!
Admittedly, Chris was wary when the doorbell rang at almost midnight, two nights later.
Collectively, he, Masamune, Kuro, and Aguma all paused as the chiming bell rang through the space. After a moment, Chris stood up from his spot on the couch.
"Can one of you cover me?" He asked, not waiting for an answer as he made his way for the front door.
"Chris! Chris, wait!" Kuro hissed, and stood up quickly to chase after the blonde.
Chris peeked through the door's peephole, then reeled back in shock. He rubbed his eyes, before looking through again. Then, he looked at Kuro, "Tell me I'm seeing things."
Kuro frowned, and stepped up to the door. A second later, her eyes widened as she stepped back, "Uh."
Chris was quick to undo the locks and yank the door open.
"Damian Hart?!"
"How the- When- What- Where's Jack?"
Damian rubbed his temples, staring down at the floor, "I... I had to leave him behind."
"Why?" Kuro frowned. From the kitchen, Chris appeared with a steaming mug of black coffee, which he handed to Damian.
"I was the only one small enough to get through the vents," Damian said, dryly. "Funny, all my life I hated being the small one, and that's what ends up saving my life."
"It's usually the things we hate that ends up being the things that give us the advantage," Kuro murmured.
"You said 'only one', as though there were more people than just you and Jack there," Masamune frowned.
Damian nodded, eyes clouded over, "Ryutaro, Reiji, Tobio, and the Sodos, they were all there too." He frowned, then glanced over at Chris, "When I was going through the vents, I managed to find the control room... they had a lot of pictures on a screen, Bey stats and power data... Yours was one of them." He lokked over at the two former Beylin Fist members, "You two." And finally, his eyes landed on Zeo and Toby, "And you two, as well."
There was a long moment of silence, in which Christina rolled into the room.
"What do they want with them though?" She asked, quietly.
"Wait..." Kuro's eyes widened in realization, "All of the Bladers... they have a connection..."
"What connection is that?" King frowned.
"They were part of the groups that helped revive Nemesis," Kuro raised her head. "Dark Nebula, Hades Inc., Rago's henchmen! All of them were evil at one point!"
"I prefer the term, 'misguided', thank you very much," Bao crossed his arms, scowling.
"Damian, what were they doing to you and the others?" Zeo asked.
"... arrangements," Damian shuddered. "Ziggurat's... Ziggurat's at the head of the project. H- he's trying to get those powerful Bladers that helped raise Nemesis t- to do his bidding again. He wants... he wants revenge on the Japanese branch of the WBBA..."
"For the World Championships," Zeo breathed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I thought the bastard was in jail."
"He should be," Chris frowned. "Director Ross should have told me-" He cut off as Damian's head snapped around to stare wide eyed at him, "What?"
"Conference call... Ziggurat was in the middle of one with Ross when I passed by the control room. The American Director is involved," Damian said, voice pitched high in panic. "You haven't called to tell him I'm safe have you?"
"...no," Chris growled, eyes darkening. "And I think I'm just going to cut contact with him now-"
"Bad idea," Masamune warned. "If the Director thinks you're holding back, he'll get suspicous. The last thing you need is the bad guy breathing down your neck, especially when you're trying to work a case."
"But who can we turn to?" Aguma asked, "This is the American WBBA's problem. We have to report to them."
"Uh, no, it's not just America's problem," Bao shook his head. He looked at Damian, "You said Ziggurat wanted revenge on the Japanese WBBA, right? For the World Championships?"
Damian nodded.
Bao's smirk was downright evil, "Bingo. There's our way in. We have a reason to call Ryo now and tell him everything that is happening and what he needs to prepare for."
"Oh, you do have your sister's brain, don't you?" Christina chuckled.
"It's a Blackheart thing," both siblings said as one.
"Alright, Damian, do you remember where the building was that they were holding you in?" Chris asked.
"I do," Damian sighed. "Give me a map, and I can point you right to them."
"The most likely have moved them, or are anticipating an attack now," Toby said.
Chris nodded, "True. But we at least will know their location, and can put survelliance on them."
"Who though? Ziggurat's after all of us, even if some of us weren't the ones working as the bad guys' henchmen!" King exclaimed
There was silence, before someone spoke up.
"Leave that to me. I know someone who will help," Masamune said, and shifted when all heads swivelled to him. "Hey, just trust me for once guys, okay?"
"Alright," Kuro allowed. "But remember Masamune, survelliance only."
"I know... Who's gonna call Ryo?"
"I will," Chris said. He glanced at Damian, "Think you're up to helping me tell Hagane everything that has happened?"
Damian nodded, "I'll do what I have to help my friends."
Chris grinned, "Come on then."
He and Damian disappeared down the hallway, presumably to call Ryo.
"And on that note, I have a call to make," Masamune said, and ducked out on to the balcony.
RING. RIING. RIIING. RIII-
"This... had better be good,"
"Eyyyyyy, cuz, how ya doing?"
"Good God, Masamune, your New York accent is awful,"
Laughter filtered down the phone line, and Masamune's voice returned to normal, "So, that still gets on your nerves does it, Tyler?"
Tyler Blackout rolled his eyes, "You know it does, Kadoya." He yawned, and sat up, stretching. He glanced at the alarm clock beside his bed, "You... do realize it is almost three in the morning, right?"
"I do... I need to ask a favor," Masamune sighed, sounding tired.
"Depends on what this 'favor' is, Masa," Tyler warned.
"You were in the Navy, right?" Masamune asked.
Tyler paused, inhaling deeply. It had been years since he had thought about his military days. Nearly five, and he was glad to have served his country, even though the memories that came with them were... less than pleasant.
"Masamune," Tyler's grip on his phone tightened as he growled. "Tread carefully."
"I just need you for a spy operation," Masamune said, quickly, and then proceeded to explain everything that had been going on in the few weeks.
Tyler listened intently, brow furrowing and grip loosening. Finally, when Masamune finished, he spoke.
"Listen, cuz," Tyler stood up, cradling the phone between his ear and shoulder. He reached under his bed and pulled a duffel bag out, and began to make a mental list of things he would need. "Do you remember, when we were kids, we used to go to Oregon and spend some of your summers there?"
"Yeah..."
Tyler pinpointed the exact second that Masamune realized Tyler had used one of their secret words, 'Oregon'.
Don't call this number again from your phone. Get a disposable, and call me off of it. Once you do that, I'm going to get one and put your number in. That's how we're going to be in contact. The ones watching you could be listening in now.
"Oh! Yeah. I remember. Fun times,"
"Yeah, they were. I'll ask for details when I'm in Washington," Tyler said. "Talk to you later, cuz."
Tyler hung up and exhaled heavily.
"Well, Tyler," the man muttered to himself. "It's not like you haven't been looking for a little excitement anyways. This will be a test to see if you still have your skills anyways."
Not to mention, Tyler thought, darkly. No one messes with my family and gets away with it. Not if I have anything to do with it.
dun dun dunnnnn. Tyler's involved now! Let's see where this story goes now hehee
Leave a review and tell me how this chapter was!
