Tsubasa matched Ryo's brisk pace to the director's office. A major crisis occurring wasn't what he had hoped for on his birthday, but there was no use complaining. It wouldn't change anything.

They reached their destination and Ryo ushered him inside. "How long have you known Mark?" He asked as he closed the door.

Tsubasa hesitated. "Let me think," he said, running the mental math. "Twelve… thirteen years, I've known him thirteen years."

Ryo nodded once and went to his desk, rummaging through some paperwork that Hikaru had doubtlessly left for him. "I see. How did you two meet?"

"He was staying in Metal Bey City with his uncle, Joseph Allen, who has been a Japanese citizen for a long time." Tsubasa said, crossing his arms. His early childhood was something he tried to actively avoid in conversation.

"You know him well?"

The question sounded more like a statement. Tsubasa nodded slowly.

"Do you know how he got that bey?" The director turned from his desk to a filing cabinet. Apparently, he was having trouble finding what he wanted.

The capitol city of Egypt had been practically annihilated! Why was Mark so important all of a sudden? Tsubasa's eyes narrowed before he caught himself and smoothed his face over to a neutral expression. He was being ridiculous. The director was simply stressed. Small talk becomes difficult to engage in while stressed.

Yes, that was it.

"It's been in his family for years." Tsubasa explained. "From his mother's side, I think. No one else in Mark's family can so much as launch a bey properly, so he inherited it, despite being the youngest."

Ryo had apparently located what he'd been looking for and was studying it carefully as he nodded. "I see. Is there anything strange about him? Is he volatile, impulsive, unpredictable?"

Tsubasa paused. "Mark doesn't always display the best judgment, but no, that's not how I would describe him."

Ryo's brow creased as he frowned at the paper. Either that wasn't what he wanted to hear or he really didn't like the content of the files he was reading. "What does that mean?"

"He's a bit of an adrenaline addict," Tsubasa shrugged, trying to shake the feeling he was getting Mark into trouble somehow. "It can lead to some stupid stunts. He jumped off the roof of his house once while he was in high school, had to go to the hospital."

"Anything malicious?"

Tsubasa shook his head. "No. Mark's a gentle soul."

Ryo looked up from the file and studied Tsubasa for a moment. Tsubasa looked him straight in the eyes. Calling Mark "a gentle soul" might have been stretching the truth a little, but a small sentimental part of him was trying to settle the paranoia that was growing inside of him. Ryo replaced the file and pulled out a new one. "I need you to go to the United States, get Chris and King, and bring them back here. Hikaru already called them; they'll meet you at the airport. Your plane tickets should be ready by tomorrow."

Tsubasa nodded once and left, trying to shake the feeling that something was off. He had a lot to do before leaving, and he didn't have time to be worrying about a gut feeling.

.

Ryo dropped the pictures onto his desk. His son studied them curiously. "The Madman's Beys?"

Ryo nodded. "Each bey had its photo taken before being locked away. Notice the common factor," he grabbed one of the black and white images and traced along the bey's outer edge. "These markings here appear on every one of them, and all on the very outer edge."

Gingka grabbed another one of the photographs and studied it. "You're right. Why does that matter?" Gingka looked up at his father. "Um, Dad, you okay? You don't look too good."

Ryo sighed. "Mark's bey landed in front of me when Tsubasa knocked it out of the stadium. It has the exact same markings."

Gingka stared for a moment, mouth hanging open, before he found his voice again. "But- but that can't be right. Only two were stolen!"

"One was never found. Everyone assumed it was destroyed."

"But Mark's not crazy!"

Ryo sighed. "I've talked with Tsubasa. I'm worried he might be closer to crazy than he lets on."

"Tsubasa told you that?"

"Not directly, no. But I asked a few questions before I sent him off to get Chris and King."

"Okay, then," Gingka started to pace, "at least we know."

Ryo nodded. "He'll need to be closely supervised. I want you to invite him to come with you and Yuki to go to get Dynamis and Tithi."

The pacing stopped. "Dad," Gingka hesitated. Ryo waited, knowing that he would speak his mind eventually. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"If Mark goes off the handle, it's going to take a lot of power to bring him down." Ryo said. "Two Legendaries should be able to handle it. Once you have Dynamis and Tithi with you, I doubt that it would even be difficult. The Madman's Beys are designed for destruction, not battling."

Gingka thought back on the battle he had witnessed between Mark and Tsubasa. "That's why it was wobbling after only taking a few good hits."

"That's right. Hikaru and I have to get to Cairo, so you and Yuki will have to figure out the details on your own. Hiroto will be taking over until we get back if you need anything."

.

A/N: Sorry this one's a little short, and a bit boring. This is just a good stopping spot, so I decided to go with it. Otherwise you guys would have had a freakishly long chapter to read, and it would have taken me forever to write that much, and I have a bit of writer's block, so I figured that I might as well stop here.

I still don't own Beyblade. Reviews and constructive criticisms are more than welcome.