Chapter VII: Caught Red Handed

Tala glanced over his shoulder, his sharp features contorted in a slight frown. He had to admit, if only to himself, that he felt nervous.

And he didn't like it.

For some reason, he had the tingling feeling that someone was watching him and Kai. What if someone had seen them while they had been busy listening in on Boris's plans?

No…Tala chided himself. Stop being so paranoid Tala. Just keep moving and get out of here.

But that was the other problem. They had been lucky enough to stumble across Boris, but would their luck last long enough to lead them back to the exit? They needed to look for the stairs where the marker had run out on them, but Tala had a feeling it would be no easy task, despite the fact both he and Kai were very observant, even in darkness.

Kai led the way, taking a sudden left. Tala cast another look behind them, and then hurried forward to catch up with his companion.

'Kai!' He hissed. 'Do you even know where you're going?'

'Just zip it and keep moving!' Kai whispered back.

'What if we're going the wrong way?' Tala asked.

Kai gritted his teeth but didn't reply, nor did he stop moving. The last thing he needed was Tala getting all jittery on him. In order to make their way out of the huge building that was BEGA Headquarters, they needed to remain composed.

However, though Kai looked calm on the outside, inside he was also slightly anxious about finding the exit. What if Tala was right and they were going the wrong way?

Maybe…maybe we should split up…he thought, but immediately ruled the idea out. If either he or Tala found the exit, they would have to go back for the other, and there was the possibility of getting lost all over again.

Damn it. If only Tala had brought another spare marker…Kai fumed silently.

There was nothing else for it. They would have to trust on their instincts, and more importantly, cooperate. Without the said two, there was no way they could escape undetected.

-

The figure rounded the left corner, and stopped, watching as the two intruders hurried down the hallway.

In the darkness, the figure was barely noticeable. The blackness clothed him like second skin, and his movements were light and languid in manner. But even moving at the pace he was, keeping up with the youths was not a problem for him.

The person's lips curved into a small smile. This was certainly more interesting than boring training. Not that he needed to train.

As he moved to take another step forward, a voice rang out from behind him, steely and slightly surprised in tone.

'Brooklyn!'

-

If they had had any hopes of getting by undetected, all that was lost as Kai and Tala heard a voice that didn't sound too far away.

'Brooklyn!' It was a male's, and it sounded very near.

The wolf and the phoenix froze in their tracks. Kai whipped his head around, his amethyst eyes darting back behind them. Tala's eyes turned to Kai, and then slipped behind him, looking around desperately for a place to hide.

Somewhere…anywhere…

But there didn't seem to be any alcove this time, and Tala's stomach twisted into tight knots of dread.

This is it…we're dead…this is my entire fault…

But then he felt fingers grab roughly at his wrist and he was yanked forward quickly. Kai had found a place to hide: it was just a matter of getting to it on time.

Kai dove into the narrow gap between two walls and dragged Tala in after him. Both held their breath as another voice spoke up, sounding just as close.

-

The young man turned to face the person who had snuck up behind him. Well, not really snuck. Brooklyn had known Garland would track him down eventually.

He smiled in the darkness, his turquoise eyes meeting blue ones which had a touch of lavender in them.

'Hey…'

His grey haired team-mate didn't look too pleased however. Garland's eyes narrowed at the orange-haired young man he'd caught creeping around the hallways in darkness.

'Where have you been? Boris is calling for you.'

Brooklyn looked into the stern face, and then waved a hand nonchalantly.

'Yeah, yeah, tell him I'll be right there…' He said, voice casual in tone.

'You can tell him yourself, right now.' Garland countered.

'Gee, relax Garland, I'll be right along.'

'After what? What are you doing Brooklyn?' Garland frowned, and then stepped forward and glanced around the corner. It was empty, and the grey-haired blader turned and looked at his team-mate again.

Brooklyn shrugged. 'I was taking a walk. The stillness of night clears my mind. You know I don't like to practice when I'm not in the mood.'

'You haven't been 'in the mood' for the past few hours! What's the matter with you Brooklyn? Is something wrong? Boris is getting impatient.' Garland said.

Brooklyn suppressed a yawn.

'And I'm getting bored…I'll be right there…'

Garland gave him a look. It wasn't a happy one, but he decided that it was better not to push it. He didn't exactly know why, but he always felt like he shouldn't force Brooklyn into things.

'Fine. Just don't blame me if Boris gets even more annoyed.'

'He won't…trust me.' Brooklyn waved his hand again, and Garland shook his head, and turned and walked back down the hallway, calling back to the orange-haired youth behind him.

'Five more minutes Brooklyn…'

'Sure.'

Brooklyn watched as Garland disappeared around the corner. He knew the grey-haired blader had gone. He could sense it. Then, he turned back in his original direction and rounded the corner, looking down the hallway.

And he smiled.

-

Tala met Kai's gaze.

They knew one of the people had gone, but another still remained. The problem was, they couldn't hear any movement or any other sound.

'Kai…?' Tala whispered, as quietly as he could.

Kai shook his head and held a finger to his lips. Someone was still there…he knew it.

For some reason…he was getting a prickly feeling all over his body. He couldn't understand it, but he knew he didn't like it, and somehow, he knew it had to do with whoever was standing at the end of the hallway.

What is this…this feeling…I've…I've felt it before…Kai thought, and then shoved it out of his mind. No. It wasn't possible. He was just…he was just feeling edgy, that's all.

Unconsciously, his left hand slipped into his pocket and gripped onto his Dranzer beyblade. Warmth radiated from it and Kai felt slightly more at ease.

Everything would be fine. He had Dranzer and Tala had Wolborg. If worse came to worst, they'd fight their way out.

But his silent reassurance was shattered as a smooth voice suddenly spoke out from the darkness, lazy and slightly amused in tone.

'You can come out of your little hiding place now…'

Tala caught his breath, eyes widening in disbelief.

How in the world…

He looked to his left at Kai, silently demanding an explanation. But Kai looked just as shocked at the fact they had been caught, and silently cursed their luck, Tala, and himself for agreeing to tag along in the first place.

Tala gritted his teeth and looked away, his surprise replaced by anger. There was nothing for it then. They would have to fight their way out.

It could be worse…at least it isn't security…or Boris…The redhead thought.

He moved to get out of their 'hiding place'…but Kai grabbed him by the sleeve of his top again and shook his head frantically.

'No!' He hissed. 'We need a plan!'

Tala had had it with Kai and his fanatical passion for organisation. Just where had his organisation gotten them? It was too late for planning. It was time for improvising.

'No more plans Kai. Whoever this kid is, he obviously had the chance to get us caught by others, but passed it over. There has to be a reason for that!'

Kai frowned. He didn't want to see the owner of the voice. He didn't want the owner to see them.

Before he could think of a response, Tala had jerked his arm away and had stepped out of the opening, turning to face the person who had caught them with an unreadable look on his face.

He was determined not to look like he was losing control. He had to remain focused. Maybe there was a way to talk themselves out of this situation. That way they could avoid drawing any more attention.

But what Tala found himself looking at was darkness. For a second, he thought his eyes hadn't adjusted somehow, but then reasoned that that was impossible. Frowning, he looked behind him, only to find nothing.

What was going on? Where was the owner of the voice?

'Hey!' Tala spoke up, his voice cold. 'Why don't you come out of your hiding place?'

'I'm not hiding.' The voice replied. 'I'm right here.'

'Where?' Tala demanded, looking in front of him again.

It was then he saw what he could have sworn wasn't there to start with. A figure walked forward, and as it drew nearer, Tala found himself looking at a young man about his own age, slightly taller but just as athletically built, who was dressed in white and had orange hair.

Who on Earth is this…? Tala wondered. Then he wondered what Kai was doing and why he hadn't joined him yet.

'Who are you?' Tala demanded.

The young man had turquoise eyes which were almost luminescent. He smiled serenely.

'Seems to me like…you're in no position to ask questions…'

Tala frowned. No-one spoke to him that way except for…well. Kai actually...

The orange-haired youth's eyes trailed over Tala, and then behind him.

'So. Where's your friend?'

Kai gritted his teeth at the comment. He and Tala were most certainly not friends. All Tala ever did was…get him into trouble.

'Hmph!' Tala answered for him. 'You don't know what you're saying!'

'Really?' The orange-haired youth smiled. The two had certainly been arguing the way friends might do…not that he had any experience in that.

Kai decided that confrontation really was the only option, so he slunk swiftly out of the hiding place, and turned to face the owner of the voice, his eyes cold, his expression full of contempt.

The orange-haired owner of the voice's eyes stopped instantly on Kai and looked him over, in much more detail than he had with Tala. His eyes paused briefly on the triangular designs on Kai's face, before trailing swiftly away and back to Tala.

'So…are you boys going to tell me what you're doing here? It's well past closing hours, and you don't look like BEGA bladers.'

'Are you a blader?' Tala demanded, sincerely doubting it. The young man in front of him looked like all he was good at was sleeping and lazing around all day. Or he sounded that way anyway.

The orange haired youth raised an eyebrow. 'Are you?'

Tala was growing irritated by the fact the person wasn't answering his questions. But Kai finally spoke up, and his voice had an edge to it Tala's lacked.

'We're still waiting.'

'Hmm?' The youth looked at Kai and smiled again.

'For your name.' Kai finished.

'I suppose it makes no difference if you know it or not.' He shrugged. 'You can call me Brooklyn.'

'What do you want…Brooklyn?' Tala sneered.

'An answer to my question. It's impressive you two even managed to break in here.' Brooklyn replied.

'It's none of your business.' Tala snarled. 'Now if you don't mind, we'll be leaving.'

Brooklyn looked at Kai, who was staring at him intently.

'I don't think so…' He smiled slightly, at Kai again. Tala had noticed this and looked between the two, slightly confused.

Why was the orange-haired weirdo looking at Kai like that?

'You see…' Brooklyn went on. 'I know you have something there.'

Both Kai and Tala's expressions remained blank. Brooklyn decided that these two were the most interesting people he had met in a long time.

'We have nothing.' Tala retorted frostily.

Brooklyn waved a hand and began to turn away.

'Alright…have it your way. Keep the tape…I'll just go and alert security that there are intruders.'

Tala was outraged. He stepped forward, hand moving to grab his beyblade from his sachet, but Kai's arm stopped him. Tala frowned, looking at his team-mate.

'It's the only way…'

'No!' Kai hissed. Somehow…for some insane reason, his mind was yelling at him not to let Tala battle this Brooklyn.

Something wasn't quite right about the orange-haired young man, and Kai couldn't quite put his finger on it.

'What is the matter with you?' Tala asked, but Kai ignored his question and instead focused his eyes on the orange-haired blader's back.

'What do you want?' Kai demanded.

Brooklyn stopped, and without turning back around, replied casually: 'Nothing your red-haired friend can seem to give.'

'That does it!' Tala snarled. 'Here's the deal. One battle. I beat you, you let us go.'

'Hmm.' Brooklyn smiled, and turned to face them, a smirk on his lips. 'And if I win…you give me the tape…and you explain to Boris exactly what you're doing here.'

'Huh?' Tala blinked.

The uneasy feeling was getting stronger and Kai's instincts told him to back out. He was never one to turn down a challenge but something about this felt very wrong. It was the way Brooklyn spoke, so confidently, like he didn't give a damn, the way he was looking at Kai, with some kind of knowing look on his face.

Kai didn't understand. He had never met this Brooklyn, yet Brooklyn kept looking at him as if he had.

Besides, the stakes were far too high should Tala lose. It wasn't that Kai didn't have faith in his captain's abilities…but somehow, someway, he knew there was more to this Brooklyn than met the eye.

And so they only had one choice.

'Fine…!' Tala stepped forward, planning to teach the stranger a lesson in beyblading.

But again, Kai stopped him.

'No!'

'K…' Tala very nearly gave away Kai's name, but caught himself at the last moment. He glared at his team-mate.

'I can take him!'

Tala was getting the wrong idea entirely. Kai wasn't scared, or doubting him in anyway. The slate-haired youth decided there was only one way to explain to Tala what was going on in his head, without letting Brooklyn know.

At least, Kai doubted the orange-haired young man spoke Russian. He seemed to look from Europe.

'No, listen to me!' Kai spoke to Tala in their native tongue. 'Don't you get it? If you battle him, you'll draw attention anyway, we'll be caught anyway…'

Tala stared at Kai in initial shock that he was using Russian to communicate, but then he shook his head and frowned.

'You really are a chicken…' The redhead replied in the same language, and again attempted to step forward but Kai grabbed his arm. Tala's head whipped around and he glared daggers into Kai's amethyst eyes.

'Stop…just listen to me for once, damn it! Give him the tape…it doesn't matter…just do it!' Kai hissed.

Brooklyn stood, his eyes moving from one young man to the other in amusement. He didn't understand what they were saying, which was a shame. It was clear they were disputing over something however.

'If I beat him we can leave with the tape!' Tala snarled back, trying to jerk his arm out of Kai's grasp, but his team-mate had a grip of steel.

'You can't beat him!' Kai wanted to shake Tala to his senses. He knew that Tala couldn't feel what he was feeling…Tala didn't understand.

'What…?' Tala's eyes widened. 'What the…what's the matter with you?'

'Think about it…he's bargaining for more…he wouldn't do it unless he was confident of winning. We know nothing about him…' Kai's voice lowered to a whisper.

'But we came all this way…' Tala argued.

'It wasn't for nothing. We know Boris really is up to something…just let it go for now.'

Tala searched Kai's eyes, and found an urgent look in them that was seldom ever there. Though he was furious, something told him that perhaps listening to Kai on this one occasion would be the right thing to do. He knew Kai wasn't telling him the full story.

I knew this would happen…I knew you shouldn't have come with me…you idiot. Tala thought silently, and then calmly detached his arm out of Kai's hand.

Glaring at Brooklyn, Tala dug his left hand into his sachet and took the tape out of the recorder. Then his eyes narrowed.

'What are you going to do with this?'

Before Brooklyn could respond, Kai grabbed the tape and threw it to the floor, and stepped on it, hard. The delicate cassette shattered, its contents destroyed. Kai kicked the remains in Brooklyn's direction, and sneered, fire in his eyes. Tala felt slightly better. Now at least they knew the tape couldn't be used against them in any way.

Brooklyn blinked, and then looked at Kai, and opened his mouth to speak. But another voice rang out from behind the corner.

'Brooklyn! Are you still there?'

'Let's go.' Kai looked at Tala, who nodded, and without another word, the two turned and ran down the hallway.

Brooklyn stood still, watching after them with interest, his eyes again fixing on the slate-haired youth whose scarf ends trailed like white banners behind him.

And he smiled a small smile.

-

They ran for seemingly ages, taking many twists and turns around many corners, going down many flights of stairs. Neither of them talked, and thankfully, they ran into no more obstructions.

Eventually, Tala's sharp eyes spied a mark on the bottom of the staircase they were currently hurrying down.

Finally…Relief filled him and he motioned to Kai, who followed swiftly. They followed the marks back to the back door they had snuck in through. They ran out and up to the wall, scaling over it as easily as they had at the beginning.

When they fell on safe ground on the other side, Tala slid to rest on his heels, breathing deeply.

Kai stood beside him, also breathing heavily.

Tala then slowly stood up, his anger at having failed the mission because of Kai bubbling up inside him again, now that they had safely made it out, undetected.

Kai stared at nothing in particular, thinking about the strange vibe he had gotten from Brooklyn.

It was impossible but…that was the reason why he had told Tala it was time to leave. The feeling was…was something he hadn't felt since…since…

Black Dranzer…

It was a feeling of darkness. Brooklyn had radiated it.

A sharp voice snapped him out of his thinking.

'I knew it. I told you not to come! Now we're back exactly where we started! What an utter waste of my time! What the hell got into you? Huh? You chose a great time to get scared, Kai, just what happened to you there?'

Kai didn't respond. He hardly heard Tala's ranting. Quietly, he turned away and began to walk back in the direction they had come from, away from the imposing building that was BEGA Headquarters.

Tala looked after him, frowning. What on earth was the matter with Kai?

'Kai?' Tala hurried after him, and when the slate-haired youth didn't respond, Tala reached out and grabbed hold of his shoulder. Kai tensed, but he stopped regardless. Tala stepped around so that he could look him in the face.

Kai's head was bowed and his eyes were lowered.

Less sharply, sensing something was wrong, Tala asked his question again.

'What is it?'

'That was no ordinary blader.' Kai said at last.

'…What? Kai, we didn't even know him…' Tala's voice trailed off, as he recalled the way Brooklyn had smiled at Kai.

'…Believe me.' Was all Kai replied, and stepped around Tala. 'Let's get out of here.'

Tala had so many questions, but he supposed Kai would tell him in time. It had been a long and exhausting night for them both. If Kai didn't say anything, Tala would make him, someway.

Silently, the youths rounded the corner, to begin their journey back to the hotel.

Author's Note:

Woohoo, quick update! I hope you enjoyed that one. For those who guessed Brooklyn and Garland, you were right for both! I just hope they were in character. Next chapter will have Bryan and Spencer as well as a few cameos by other bladers. Please leave your thoughts on this and I'll begin work on the last chapter. Thanks for all the reviews of the last one, and thanks for reading this.