My 10th Chapter!I thank Bokmal14, FlamingIce94 and BBleached(welcome back! I thought you'd forgotten me)for your reviews!

*By the way, don't forget to read my little note at the end of this chapter.

So, on with the story...

Chapter 10

Ray took a deep breath and tried not to lose his cool. He clenched his fists on his lap, resisting the urge to just throttle the man sitting right across him.

"So your father was burnt to death, was he?" Johnny McGregor leant back in his seat, an annoying smirk present on his face. "For what?"

"I don't know."

"Oh?" Johnny raised a skeptic eyebrow, before running a hand through his, spiked up ginger hair. "Why not?"

"I told you, I was too young to remember back then." Ray mentioned through gritted teeth.

"I see," Johnny scratched his chin, as though he was deep in thought. "So you don't remember why your father was killed?"

Ray didn't even bother to answer.

"I wonder now… what could he have done? Something illicit, of course. But what?"

Ray's hands twitched. It seemed so tempting to just place them around that scoundrel's neck and…

"How about murder?"

"No!" Ray's body was practically shaking with fury.

"Oh? I thought you were 'too young to remember back then'."

"My. Father. Was. Not. A. Murderer. I know it!"

"Maybe you're right… or maybe not… But please! Do not be offended! I am talking hypothetically." Johnny was beginning to look rather amused. "So hypothetically, your father might have committed a crime. Perhaps a rape case… or even murder."

Ray's eyes had turned into slits, and were flashing dangerously. The only thing preventing him ripping apart the Scot was the fact that it would get him into more trouble than he already was in. 'Ignore him!' Ray told himself. 'He's a bastard! He's not worth it!'

"In other words, blood runs in the family… hypothetically."

'Forget about him! Think! Think of something else! Someone else!'

"So hypothetically, it would be no difficult task for you to shoot a person. I've heard you have a pretty good aim."

'Ten… nine… eight…'

"I've heard that you are a good cook, as well. Can you make pancakes?"

'…seven… six… five…'

"Pancakes… a nice thing to gift Lee Yan. After all, he is an old friend."

'…Four…'

"Of course, you must have some idea regarding chemicals… such as arsenic."

'…Three…'

"And women! Very popular among amongst them, aren't you Mr. Kon? Ah! Some women can be so naïve…"

'…Two…'

"Giving their hearts to just anyone with a pretty face… So, hypothetically Mariah Wong—"

Slam!

Ray's fist shook vigorously on the cracked surface of the table. Thin streams of crimson liquid flowed over his knuckles. His eyes glinted dangerously, but did not have much of an effect on Johnny.

"Such temper. It could get you into trouble, Mr. Kon. And we don't want that now, do we?"

"I did not kill Mariah! Nor did I lay a hand on Mariam!" Ray jumped up.

"Hand? Who's talking about hands? The lady was poisoned."

"And you're saying that I did it?!"

"Maybe I am." Johnny's tone was sharp this time. "You've got the motive and the chance."

"Motive?"

"Revenge. You and Mr. Yan weren't exactly on good terms."

"Just because we're not talking, doesn't mean that I'll want to kill him. Besides, we've been avoiding each other for the last couple of weeks."

"Really? Then perhaps you could explain what you were doing near Mr. Yan's house, this morning. Don't try to deny it, Mr. Kon. You had been seen by the lake."

"I'm sure Lee doesn't live in the lake."

"His house is a five-minute walk from the there. The local shopkeeper saw you going in the direction of the Yans' residence, although you're house in the opposite direction."

"It's true. I took that path for a few seconds. But then I turned. I didn't even go near their house."

"No one saw you on you way back."

"I had taken another road. The one by the church."

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to!"

"That's a pretty lame excuse. For someone, studying at the BBA, I had expected better."

"Too bad. I only have the truth!"

"And is there anyone who would be able to vouch for your 'truth'?"

"…"

"Didn't you meet anyone on your way back? I'm sure at least one shopkeeper would have seen you."

"The shops were closed! It was still early for them to open."

"Early you say? Then tell me, when exactly was this 'early'? You had a watch I believe."

"… I didn't check it."

"Didn't you? What about the church clock? You must have noticed it. At what time did you pass it?"

"… I told you! I don't re—"

"At quarter past eight."

It didn't take McGregor's shocked exclamation to tell Ray that who exactly had spoken those words. The deep enthralling voice could only belong to one being. Ray whipped around, and immediately felt his heart stop at the unexpectedly close proximity of those dangerously addictive eyes.

"So what's the deal between McGregor and Hiwatari?" Michael asked from his place at the steering wheel

The group had left the hospital a few minutes ago. They had to separate from Hiro, who had insisted on making an enquiry at the delivery office. So that left Tyson and Max with Michael. The later had offered to give the two a ride in his car, since Tyson's Chevrolet was currently at mercy of the Phoenix.

"Yeah, now that's something I'd like to know as well." Max spoke from back seat, shooting Tyson an eager look. "I've got a feeling that Kai isn't exactly overjoyed to have McGregor on this case."

"Well, he isn't the only one," Tyson replied hotly. "You can count me in as well. I'd be more than happy to give old Johnny a good thrashing, any day. Kai's already got his chance."

"Wha-?" Michael's eyebrow shot up. "Hold it, there… Is it me, or did you just say McGregor got slapped by Hiwatari?"

A small smirk graced Tyson's lips. "It's more than a slap, actually… Much more."

"What happened?" Max asked eagerly.

"Well…" Tyson leant back and closed his eyes. "It all started some years ago, when I first joined the BBA. Kai got in the same year as I did, and we had to share a dorm. It was Johnny's second year over there, I think."

Tyson frowned slightly, before continuing. "Now our Lizard-boy, Johnny was—I think he still is—what you might call the perfect example of a spoilt brat. He'd go on and on about his stupid ancestry and heirloom. Being disgustingly rich, the guy had no trouble in showing off his money. I'm positive that none of the other trainees found him admirable any way, other than his heirloom and fighting skills. People say that he's got talent as a detective, but I disagree. It's true that he'd solved a good many cases, but it's his method that I despise. Anyway, as I was saying, Johnny was the all mighty knight of BBA. Girls flocked around the rich brat, while many of the males quivered in front of him, and not to mention he was at the top of his training. All was going fine with Lizard-boy. That is until our Vampire stepped in."

Tyson's face acquired a pleased look. "With Kai's arrival, Johnny's popularity crashed. Kai had everything he didn't— the mysterious calm and cool demeanor, the sharp thinking, the reflexes, the figure, the looks… and most importantly, the uncanny ability of always being the best at everything he did. It didn't take long for the others to become aware of the new talent. Kai became the new favourite of the instructors. Even my Dad, who had been teaching there at that time, approved of him more than me! Johnny had become a matter of the past. Kai stole all of his popularity, his admirers, his girls, and—"

"Wait a minute!" Max interrupted suddenly. "Kai and girls?" That didn't seem to fit Kai's description.

"I meant fan girls. Kai had a whole horde of them trying to get his attention. They didn't have much of a success, mind you. Kai's kinda obvious about the effect he has on women."

"That makes sense," Max nodded his head. "No wonder Julia Fernandez went all red in front of him. And not to mention Dr York and Mariam… But anyway, what happened next?"

"Oh yeah. So after being completely broke, Johnny developed an intense dislike for Kai, who in turn took no notice of him. The only edge, Johnny still had, was the fact that he was wealthy. He had no doubt that Kai was nowhere near his status. But, then… er…something happened."

Tyson seemed to hesitate for a while. "Look, guys, I don't think I should go into details. I mean it's Kai's personal matter. Only a handful of people, like Mr. D, Dad and Hiro know about it. Of course, Johnny heard it by accident… But Kai himself had confided his trust in me, and I won't let him down. So let's just say that something happened, and we discovered that Kai was richer than the entire McGregor generation could ever dream of!"

Max held back his curiosity and nodded.

"That was the last straw for Johnny. Kai never showed off, and always preferred to keep himself in the shadows, which had encouraged Johnny's earlier belief. But after knowing the truth, he knew he had been beaten completely. So, Lizard-boy rose to his last resort—violence. He had to take his actions secretly, since it was illegal at the BBA. I can still remember… a junior trainee had come running to inform me that he had heard of Johnny's intentions. Man! I got really worried back then. I was about tell Mr. D, when I ran into Kai!"

"Was he hurt?"

"Surprisingly, he wasn't. He looked like had merely come from a stroll at the park. For a moment I thought that maybe, Johnny had somehow missed his chance. But when I asked him, he said… Allow me to quote—"

Tyson closed his eyes and crossed his arms. He spoke in a deep, indifferent voice, sounding rather bored. "Lizard-boy? I left him in the trash can— the third one from the right. Tell the medics to be careful with his nose."

The chillingly familiar voice had made McGregor look up so fast, that his neck creaked. He found himself staring at the one person, he never thought he would see again. Ever!

"HIWATARI!" Johnny's hand instinctively jumped to his nose.

Ray on the other hand, had used all his will power to tear his eyes away from the Russian's face. He shook his head slightly, to clear his thoughts, only to find himself more confused. He was sure that he had locked the door, after admitting Johnny, and the fact that neither of them had managed to see the Phoenix, who had been directly behind him. Moreover, how on Earth did he know at what time Ray had passed the church?! The thought sent shivers down Ray's spine.

"You!" Johnny snarled.

"Mr. Kon left his apartment at six o'clock, in the morning," Kai continued calmly. "He arrived at lake near about half past six, and stayed there for an hour and a half. At eight o'clock he left the spot, and headed due north. After five minutes, he changed tracks and took the road by the church, which he crossed at eight- fifteen."

Ray was aware that his mouth had fallen open, but he couldn't care any less. Johnny had finally been able to get over his shock, though not completely. His arrogance once again returned to him.

"Well, well, well…" he said mockingly. "Hiwatari investigating the death of a bar tender? Now that's a surprise…What happened? No one to hire you? Or did the BBA finally get fed up? How come you're so keen on this stuff?"

"The same could be asked of you."

"Hah? You think I'd be interested in the measly bartender's case?" Johnny retorted ignoring Ray's growl. "Let me tell you, I'm here to investigate the attack which had been imposed on my client's cousin, Ms Mariam Shane. She's the director of the Saint Shields. And I have been hired personally by the president, Ozuma Shane himself." Johnny looked triumphant.

"And yet I find you here because?"

"Unlike you, I know what I'm doing, Hiwatari. As soon as I got the news, I began my investigation. And what would be the best place to start, other than the house of a suspected murderer?"

"Why you-!" Ray bared his fangs, ready to behead the redhead. But he froze when he felt a powerful, but not painful, grip on his shoulder.

"There! See?! He's got no control over his temper!"

"Neither do you, for that matter. Neither over you temper nor your tongue. Though—" Kai let go of Ray, having effectively stopped him from making any further moves. "—I suggest you learn to hold back the later. Otherwise, you just might have to pay for another imitation nose."

Johnny's hand dropped from his face, after realizing that he had been holding it there. He glared at Kai with utmost dislike and loathing. 'Damn you Hiwatari!'

"So you think that Mariah Wong's death and Mariam Shane's attack are connected?" Ray detected a slight hint of amusement in the Phoenix's voice.

"There is a good chance that they are! Both the women knew each other. Via Kon! And both of them have been subjected to—"

"Johnny?!" Tyson stood at the doorway. Max was right next to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah… looks like your sidekicks have finally arrived." Johnny then turned towards Kai with a superior look. "Well, Hiwatari you watch your own field, and I'll watch mine. This is my field of expertise. You can go beating about the bush as much as you like, but it's best that you don't get in the way of the real professional." With one final glare at the rest, Johnny stormed out.

"Real professional?" Tyson snorted in disgust. "Yeah, as real as his nose!"

"Ray your hand!" Max exclaimed as he noticed the trails of blood across the neko-jin's knuckles. "What happened?"

"I- I …" Ray hesitated, feeling a bit awkward about his earlier outburst.

"Hit his hand on the table." Kai finished, making Ray jump. It wasn't a lie, after all.

"Come on let's get you patched up." Max carefully took hold of the bleeding hand and steered Ray away to the bathroom.

"So what did that idiot want?" Tyson asked Kai once they were alone. "Does he suspect Ray?"

Kai gave a small nod.

"Moron…" Tyson grumbled, but quickly gained seriousness. "Kai! Hiro had gone to enquire at the delivery office. They told him that no parcel had been delivered to the Yans, today! So that means…"

"It was delivered by hand."

"Yeah! But it couldn't have been delivered before our arrival. Remember? Lee found it on the doorstep. But when we entered, there was nothing!"

Kai didn't reply.

"He was there! He left the package on the doorstep, while we were talking inside! Gods! Kai! We just missed him!"

"We didn't."

"What are you—?"

"What makes you so sure that we did?"

"Well, he must have immediately left the spot after…" Tyson trailed off as realization hit him. "Of course! It was Lee, wasn't it?! He had the perfect opportunity to commit the crime! He could have just been pretending that he had found the cake on his doorstep… when it was he, himself who had brought it! Also, he chose vanilla—a flavor that he dislikes. Besides, remember what you said earlier? He was the only person to bring up Ray!"

Tyson looked at Kai eagerly, but was surprised to find the other giving him a rather dissatisfied look. "What? I'm right, aren't I? I mean you're the one who mentioned that Lee has the motive, earlier this morning…"

Kai exhaled slowly—something he only did when he was about to speak a little more than his usual limited speech. "Tyson, in working upon a case, one does not take into account only the things that are 'mentioned'. There is no reason to mention many things which maybe important. Equally, there is often an excellent reason for not mentioning them."

I'll start the Kai vs Johnny action from the next chapter. I think I know who you'd be cheering for! ;)

*Like I said, I've got a small notice for you guys. There is 80% chance that the next update will be within one week, as usual. But... after that, you might have to wait a bit. Don't worry, I'm NOT abandoning the story! It's just that I've got a huge (I mean HUGE) assignment on my hands, and I'll have to start working on it by the fall of September. Still I'll try to find time for updating this. So please don't abandon me! (PLEASE!) Everything will be over by mid-October! And then I can go back to my usual pace!

As for my tenth chapter... Review!

Yours truly,

KPR