Hi! Sorry about this, but that 'next chapter' bit on the end of the last chapter was meant to come into this one. But, unfortunately, there was a change in my heart and now it will appear in the next chapter. This one is exceedingly long so I split it into two, so technically that last bit does come into this chapter…if that makes sense.

And by the way, ray-tiger-cat, I guess you made the best guess! Hope I'm not disappointing anyone.

Enjoy!

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs

Kai is in a state of complete shock. Unfortunately, we still don't know what's happened to Tala, so the reason Kai is in shock isn't because we've found anything out. He's in a state of shock and slowly verging on going into actual body-shock, because both the coffee machines are broken.

"You should have planned ahead and bought a third one," I say. Kai glares at me quickly over the table top. He's not admitted to be suffering withdrawal symptoms from caffeine, but I know that he is. I sigh, and press redial to call Tala's cell for the fiftieth time that morning. No answer. It rings and rings for minutes then I'm told that the person I am calling is not available. I wait a second, then stab down the number 1 button again.

Kai's brought in the smell of a really warm summer morning, with all the leafs fainting off the trees in the breeze and the air thin and comforting. He's been outside walking around, trying to find Tala, brooding down the streets of Brooklyn and through the parks. No success though. The police are just as triumphant in their searches. No-body has seen or heard anything. No-one in our apartment block heard or saw Tala leave the building, and Mrs Meeks, who lives directly opposite the elevator, says that she didn't think she heard the elevator at the time of Tala's disappearance. She must always notice the elevator, because our building's builders must have given up making it slick and polished. It cranks and creaks and groans up the stairs, then pings open with such a loud noise it's like a bullet going off.

They searched the hospitals and the parks and under the bridges and found nothing. If Tala's gone because he doesn't want to be found, then I guess he isn't going to be found. If, on the other hand (and this is something I'm still trying not to consider) he's gone because he was taken against his will, then whoever has him isn't going to let him be found either.

"I'm going to have a shower," Kai sighs, leaving the kitchen. Poor Kai. All caffeine free. I would laugh but I'm just not in the mood. I'm not in the mood for much, really. I fell out of bed at six o' clock this morning, after waking up at four and not being able to get back to the sleep. I had a shower, and I've been sat at the kitchen table with my finger on the redial button since then.

I give a long, loud groan and kick the table leg. Where the hell is Tala! I hate this. I want to know if he's Ok. Soon, I'm going to be wishing they find anything, even if it is a body.

Ugh, I can't think like that! Like I said before: Tala is capable of keeping himself safe. I'm sure he's fine. Even if he is kidnapped, that's one step up from being dead.

Kai's fuming at the police. I've been thinking about it for a while now, and I think that he is actually angry about Tala's case beign fast-tracked. Why, I don't know, because it could help us find Tala. I didn't know Kai's pride extended that far. But it obviously does. Why he doesn't want help from the professionals beats me. I'm ignoring that issue though. I want Tala back before I concentrate on getting angry at Kai.

I'm about to re-dial again when the phone actually I rings. I pick up so quickly I nearly break the phone.

"Hello!"
"Max, it's Rei,"

"Oh. Hi Rei,"
"Sorry. Did you think it'd be Tala?"
"I was sort of hopeful,"

"Sorry Maxy. I'm guessing you haven't found him then?"
"No,"
"So you think he took his mobile with them?"
"I thought that he'd picked it up when he went, which is a good sign because even though we don't know why, it could have meant he left on his own accord. But then I remembered he brought it along with him when we went to the airport, just in case we needed it. Not that he uses it often. Don't mean to sound mean but it's not like he's not a hive of friends making his phone buzz. Not that I have or anything,"

Rei was silent for a minute, "God, Max, you sound practically depressed,"
"I just want to know where he is,"
"Yeah. I know. Everyone does. Even the White Tigers keep asking me repeatedly if I've heard from you,"

"Really?"
"I think they settled most of their differences some time ago, although Lee says he's not really going to ever forgive Bryan for tearing me up,"
"No, I guess not,"

"You also sound really tired Max. Did you not sleep?"
"I did, until about four this morning when I woke up and couldn't get back to sleep,"

"It'll be alright Max,"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I never realised this park was so big. I'm wandering around the park closest to our apartment, searching for the infamous red head whose causing more trouble than ever before without even being present. Kai's still in the shower. I went and knocked on the door before I left, just to tell him I was going out and to make sure he hadn't drowned himself in there.

"Excuse me,"

I stop, thinking someone wants to get past me, which confuses me because the paved path around the park is really wide.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
I turn completely, and I'm met with a man in typical Brooklyn wear, beaming scarily at me.

"Um…who are you?"

He pauses, thinking, "Well, I'm Justin Bradwell from the sports section of The Times. I was just wondering…what's your view on what's happened to Tala? Do you think he wandered off in a dazed confused, ran away to meet up with his separated team mates, or has been kidnapped?"
"Um, I-"
"If there is kidnapping involved who do you think it might be? Boris? Voltaire?"

I could imagine the story being concocted in his head. A personal life-crisis story that involves as much drama as a soap opera: 'Tala kidnapped by best friend and team-mate's psychotic Grandfather. Will Tala ever forgive Kai for the pain once again caused by his Grandfather Voltaire Hiwatari?'

"I don't know. I've got to go,"

I'm used to be harassed by the press, so I know that you should just ignore them. But when they're chasing you around a park in public view, the thing to do is run like hell in the opposite direction. Which was how I found myself running round and round the park being watched by toddlers in the sand pit, kids on the swings, and old people feeding the ducks. Why me?

AH!

Oh, ow. My head hurts. Why? What did I hit it on? Why am I on the floor?

"You crazy kid, what do you think you're doing you little-"
Oh, wow, everything's gone purple….

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

There are lots of things I like to wake up to. What I saw when I woke up was not included in that long list. Kai's glaring at me with his arms crossed, phased into the background by a strange doctor with big, big glasses and no teeth bar one peggy one that I swear was green.

"Uh-ah!"

"He's awake,"

I turn my head slowly, the throbbing and pounding moved up a notch by the movement. Mr Dickenson is fretting in the corner of the room, turning his hat around and around in his hands.

"Ow,"
"Do you think he'll be alright, doctor?"
"Like the boy said," the doctor said in a German accent, starting to resemble someone not unlike a mad scientist, "He didn't hit it hard enough for any serious damage, apart from maybe a migraine and some sickness. But it should all pass within twelve hours. If he has any lucid moments, just take him to Casualty,"
"Thank you Doctor,"

"My pleasure,"

He starts cleaning his glasses and I groan and turn away as the lenses catch the sunlight and glare down at me.

"Ow," I whimper, trying to a) get attention and b) mentally gage if I've ever felt pain like this in my head before. Barring that time I fell down the stairs in the Granger house and knocked myself out on the hall table…and the time I fell off the sofa onto a concrete floor at my Nana's house head first…I think I can still remember the pain from that fateful day when I fell down the steps coming off the aeroplane onto the tarmac when we were going to France for my first world championships as well.

So, to be honest, I have felt a lot of head pain like this. My Mum always used to say that I was top heavy, and if I was going to fall I was definitely going to bump my head. I made friends with a lot of the nurses at casualty where I used to live: 'Ooh, you got another bump on the head have you Max?'

Sometimes, when I had a light bruise and my parents just wanted to make sure I wasn't concussed, it was fun. But when the nurses said stuff like that when I was being wheeled along the corridor with a bandage wrapped tightly around my skull to keep blood in, it wasn't much fun at all.

I must have been an odd child to bring up. When my parents first began fighting with each other when I was seven, I used to have an obsession with drinking things I shouldn't. Once I nabbed a beer can of my Dad's and, not knowing what it was, drank most of it before it was whipped from my hand. I threw it all up so I was alright. Then I drank an entire bottle of Calpol(1), when I was with relatives in England. It tasted nice and sugary, and obviously I currently enjoyed drinking things I shouldn't, so I drank the whole lot and had to have my stomach pumped. My Japanese cousins (not being derogatory to Japanese people in general or anything, but the Japanese side of my family was always the mad side) always rumour that my aunty came into the kitchen to see me about to swallow a bottle of bleach, which she quickly snatched from my hand. Now that could be truth, or it could be my aunty trying to be a hero after that time she left the iron on, nearly set the house on fire, and ran screaming to her neighbour's to go and get the cat out, which in the end turned out to be sat on the kitchen windowsill completely unaware of the danger.

Then again, that's my family for you.

Maybe I am concussed. I am internally rambling, for instance. Ooh…is that a bandage on my head.

"Don't touch it,"

I forgot Kai was there.

"What happened?"
"No-body really knows. But I thought I'd walk around the parks like you were doing and saw a crowd of people wondering whether the idiotic blonde boy on the floor was alright,"

I try and glare at him but it doesn't quite work that way.

"What did you do?"

"I brought you back here. If I took you to the hospital it'd be hours and I knew you hadn't done any serious damage,"
"Thanks Kai! What if I was internally haemorrhaging!"
"Don't be so dramatic,"
"Don't be so derogatory of my injuries! Anyway, how did I do it?"
"The man who owned the ice cream stand said you were running, you slipped, fell over, and hit your head on the wooden leg of his ice cream stand,"

"Oh. Now I remember. I was being chased,"
"Chased by who?"
"A crazy reporter. I swear his eyes went red,"
"Ok Max," he sighs, "Just go back to sleep. You need to rest,"

"No, I'm not tired. Did you happen to find Tala whilst embarrassing yourself bringing me home?"
"No,"
Once again Kai instils confidence into my heart.

"Kai…I really want him back now,"
"I know,"

I want to say: you do too, don't you? But even though I'm know I'm just trying to get Kai to just open up, I can't deny that I know the answer is: yes. He does want Tala back, and I know he does because he's tense and agitated and he's breaking plates. Well, one plate, but the Mighty Hiwatari broke a plate nonetheless. I don't think the lack of caffeine is doing him any good either. His body looks just as tight and tense as he is, and he looks as if he's got a headache. In my opinion, he shouldn't drink so much of the damn stuff anyway, but I would never dare say that. I think I got on his nerves enough last night about forcing information about his home-life from him.

"Have you heard anything more from your Dad? Or his lawyer?"
"I got a letter saying if I don't appear in court in two days I'm breaking the law,"
"Is that true?"
"No,"
"Is he allowed to do that?"
"No,"

Oh. I'm glad Kai has an answer to everything. I'd hate to be his teacher. Come to think of it, I've done barely any work for the past week. I could make these next three weeks my summer holidays, but…I really should have done some. I'll just tell them I had a head injury and my friend disappeared. That should be a good enough reason.
"Kai, have you done any work lately?"
"No. I haven't sent anything in, in two weeks,"

"Yeah. Same. Oh well. I have a head injury,"

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I lie around all day, trying my best to get out of bed but finding myself too dizzy and in pain to do so. I eventually get up at about six o' clock, and stagger downstairs to watch some tele with Kai. Kai's on the phone when I get downstairs, and it must have been the state I was in stopping me from beign observant, because I didn't see the look on his face until he hung up.
"Who was that? Tala?"
"No. It was the police,"
"They've found Tala?"

My heart began to hammer so fast my whole chest cavity began to shudder. My stomach clutched to the size of a kiwi and I broke out into a cold sweat.

"No. They found Boris,"
"Boris? What's Boris got to do with anything, I thought he was exiled from the country to Kazakhstan or something,"

"Obviously not. They found him in the middle of the alleyway. He was dead. Someone had shot him,"

I had to put my head between my legs when I heard that. And now, I still can't believe what I'm being told, even though it's the officer who found him standing right in front of me, relaying all of the information.

"We believe that there might be some connection between the death of Boris Chekov, and the disappearance of Tala Ivanov,"
"You don't think Tala's dead too, do you?"

The officer gave his partner a glance, "To be perfectly honest, this looks good news for your friend. If Boris was the main man of the operation, then he's gone. Your friend, if captured by Boris, could be a lot safer now. There are other issues to be contended with though…and we can't vouch for sure on your friend's health,"
"Oh. Ok,"

"I know this is tough for you and Kai, Max. But you just need to hang on,"
I would if I could, but after nearly fainting like a girl this morning whilst I was being told of Boris' prone, dead form being found in an alleyway, I really don't think I can.

Kai, of course, is no-where to be. The police rile him up…badly. He decided to go out looking for Tala again, and that's where he is.

"Can I just ask…what happened to your head?"

I put my hand up to my hairline and ghost my fingers over the huge bruising I've got there.

"Oh. I was running. I fell and hit my head,"
"Ouch. Has a doctor seen it?"
"Yes,"
"Good,"
They cleared off after half an hour, saying that they'll keep us posted. Autopsy report and such. Fun. I pick up the phone and dial Tala's cell. It rings. And rings.

"Tala," I say over the ringing, "I really want you to pick up. Pick up the phone and come home. I really want you to pick up the phone because if you don't I'm going to throw it at the wa-"

Silence. Echoing silence. Somebody picked up.

"Tala? Tala! Tala are you there?"

Nothing. There's a low, continuous drone in the background. Talking. 'Stock exchange,' I heard. But it sounded faded and far away.

"Tala! Tala! Tal-"

I was interrupted by a loud beep as the connection was cut. I cut my end of the line too and sat down heavily on a kitchen chair. Should I call Kai, or wait until he gets home? I couldn't bare it though. I wanted to tell him now. I ring Tala's phone again and again, but no response. My thumb aces from pressing down the '1' button repeatedly. I was trying to guess who was talking, and figured it must have been a television. So now all we have to do is search all of the houses in the area with a TV…which isn't going to work, is it?

The minute Kai comes through the door I accost him and tell him everything.

"Have you informed the police?"
"Um, no. It only just happened really. I'll do that now. Don't suppose you had any luck?"

Kai shook his head, and retreated upstairs. The investigators, when I finally get through to them, didn't seem to make such a big deal out of what I was saying. I eventually said, tersely, that I had to go, and put the phone down.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Nothing's happened. Nothing's changed. No Tala. No leads. Kai's even more tense and angry than he was. There's an intense energy itching away under his skin, and even though he's completely still as he stands and waits for me to drag my coat on, you can see the restlessness in his eyes and the fringes of his body.

He's got his coat on already, eyes turned towards the door and staring straight through it as if he could see the area we were about to search.

"Ok then, lets go,"

I stuck the note to the outside of the door like I always did, just in case Tala came back. We made our way downstairs, and were soon outside in the evening air. We walked in silence, just like we always did. Kai's eyes looked straight ahead, whilst I looked around carefully to make sure I didn't miss anything or anyone. Not that I think Kai was missing people. Kai's technique was probably more effective than mine, and would stop him from tripping over anything that got in his direct path.

We rounded the corner and hit a busy shopping street. The shops' lights seemed brighter, staff wandering around the store and chatting amiably as the shopping hours wound down. The City was slowly cooling, allowing the wash of night to flood over it, and for the population to change Brooklyn into it's night-life stage.

"You head down there," Kai said, turning to the right, "I'll walk around,"
"Oh. Ok,"
I'm guessing he wants us to cover more ground. Unless he doesn't like walking with me. I wouldn't be surprised. How insecure do I sound?

I mooch off past the shops, dwindling at the windows and wandering if I wanted to ask anyone if they'd seen Tala. I doubted any of them head, to be truthful.

I reached the end of the street when my phone suddenly rang shrilly in my pocket. Quivering from the shock, I pulled it out and answered quickly.

"Hello?"
"Max? This is Geoff Bailey,"
"Oh. Hello,"
"I have some news about what happened to Boris. I'd like to have a word with you about his…ties to Tala,"
"Um, Ok. Wait a minute,"
I turned down the closest alleyway so that I could listen in piece. I leant against the wall just a few paces down from an empty metal bin.

"Ok then,"

"Where are you?"
"I'm outside,"
Why are you ringing me on my cell to ask me questions? I'm sure you're supposed to do this face to face.

"Right. Anyway, could you just explain what you know to be the relationship between Mr Valkov and Tala,"

"Well…Boris was Tala's mentor. He trained him in the Abbey up until the world championships three years ago,"
"What happened to Tala and his team after that?"
"I…I don't really know. I suppose you'd have to talk to Kai,"
I think the guy would just onto a moving bus to try and get away from talking to Kai, as he went very quiet for a minute and it sounded like he was chewing his pen lid.

"Alright then. What happened after that?"
"We had the second world championships. I…I don't know where the Blitzkrieg Boys were then either. As I said, Kai would probably know,"
"Hm,"

Sounded like the prospect of talking to Kai was starting to sound even worse to him.
"And…well, the Blitzkrieg boys were at the next big tournament. With BEGA and everything. But Boris…I thought Boris was exiled to Kazakhstan after what he did three years ago. What was he doing in America?"

The guy coughed nervously and said, "I'm afraid I don't have the answer. Do you think Boris got on with Tala?"
"I…I don't know. Tala never mentions Boris. I don't think…well, I wouldn't look at Boris after all the things he did with Tala,"
"Hm, yes, I read up on that,"
"Why are you asking me all these questions anyway?"

There was a short, stagnant pause that made my stomach roll over, "Max, Tala is no-where to be found, but we have reason to believe he was there at Boris' death. Whether he actively partook or not…Tala's part of a murder investigation now,"

I went and sat on the lid of the trash can.

"Seriously?"
"Yes,"
"Why! Tala doesn't kill people,"

"Like you said, you would never forgive Boris if he did things like he did to Tala to you. Tala could just have easily taken any anger and snapped. We don't even know half of the things Boris could have got away doing to Tala,"
"Tala doesn't 'snap', Ok? And he's not a murderer. You really think Tala would want to ever go near Boris again, after all that?"

"Max, I'm sorry, but he is part of the investigation, and we are counting him as a suspect-"
"Despite the fact that he's disappeared off the face of the earth!"

He gave a short, brutal sigh, "Max, I'm sorry to disturb you. Goodnight,"

He hung up, and I would have thrown my cell into the trash can if I didn't actually value having it. How dare he say that! Tala doesn't murder people. Tala doesn't 'fly off the handle' or 'snap'. Tala gets angry, and he gets emotional, but he doesn't shoot someone in the head. Not even Boris. Although, come to think of it - and I need to remember never to repeat this in front of the investigators - if I was Tala I would shoot Boris. I'd want him to pay. But…Boris isn't going to pay like the way Tala's going to suffer if he dies. Tala's going to go on hurting after all of that, and Boris is just going to get the easy way out. Tala's got enough logic to know that.

I head on up the alley, scrunching my fist around my cell again and again. I'm so confused now. They must have some evidence to think that Tala had been on that alleyway. Did he really kill Boris? No…no he couldn't have done. He…no, he couldn't have.

I break out of the alley and look left and right, figuring the best way to get back up to where I was supposed to be meet Kai. Right, up the hill, I decide, even though I can see someone tryign to navigate the back of a lorry down the road and causing a mess.
I start to head off, but I'm grabbed violently by the crook of my elbow and dragged back into the alley.

"Let go!"
"Max,"
"Kai!"

Kai still has his hand fixed on my arm, holding tight to my elbow and not softening his grip. Ow. His hair's ruffled, it's obvious he's been running.

"Kai, what are you-?"

I stop silent when I see someone very familiar stood behind Kai.

"Bryan!"
Bryan's not looking at me, he's staring down the alleyway. Like he's smelling the air or something. Tracking. What are Kai and Bryan running after?

I haven't seen Bryan in a while, and to be honest I have very little idea as to where he's been. But I can tell he hasn't been in America for a while. His jacket is short, cutting just above his hips, and hiding a pale t-shirt whose colour is indeterminate in the dim light of the back alley. His hair is longer than when I last saw him, and it hands a little into his scarily fixed eyes.

"Come on," Kai says, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Whoa, Kai, where are we going?"
I grind my heels in until I'm not being pulled along anymore.

"Wait! What's going on?"
Bryan rolls his eyes but doesn't turn right around to face me.

"What is Bryan doing here? What's happening?"
Kai folds his arms across his chest and looks the way that Bryan is. I get the image of a pack of wolves and the hairs on the back of my neck stand up in a salute. There's a million other things I want to ask, like did Bryan know what was going on, and if he knew Boris was dead, and if I'd left the tap running in the bathroom, and where has Bryan been?

"Bryan's here because he's here. And we've found Tala,"
No you haven't. Because he's not at home. That's when I'd feel he's been completely found.

"So we're going. Now. And if you want to come along you come now,"

Fine. They don't run anymore but they walk with purpose as I trot along behind. I have a feeling that where they think Tala is, is close by. We arrive back on the shopping strip and it looks a lot less innocent than it did about ten minutes before. We follow the pedestrian street for a few feet before turning down the gap between two buildings with hair salons pushed into their front rooms. There's a door in the wall, and Bryan snaps back the lock that's faded and rusty. Instead of it leading into the interior of a home or the building, it opens a tiny space that leads along the length of the left hand building. I realise it must a back-to-back, but with a small separation. It's wide enough for us to walk down it but the ceiling is incredibly closed to the top of our heads and I feel claustrophobic the entire way down it. I try to ask a question but my voice doesn't come out right. Light casts odd angles down towards us, and soon I'm stood on my own at the mouth of the small tube of space, staring into a walled courtyard that's completely empty by a few empty trash cans, a rug, and two people.

The first time I take real notice of is Tala. I haven't seen Tala in days. And now that I see him I don't know what to do. He's crouched in a corner, resting against the back wall of the courtyard. And he's fast asleep. His head is resting on his arms that are resting on top of his knees, and his face is a mask of passive calm. His hair ripples gently as the night wind sets in, and those infamous strands of hair fall down over his closed eyes. There's some mud streaked on his face, and he's wearing different clothes, but he looks no different to how he did when he disappeared.

Now I really don't know what to say. I just want to get Tala out of here. But I don't move. Kai and Bryan have made their presence know. Bryan's looking as confrontational as a human can get, eyes smouldering and back straight and tensed up. And he's directed all of this unbridled anger at the guy lounging languidly on top of an empty bin.

"Oh look," he smirks, "It's the musketeers,"

He's tall and, from what I can tell, skinnier than an entirely healthy person should be. His eyes are bright and big, a shining petrol blue. His hair's black and hanging low over his face, sweeping down the back of his neck in jagged bangs. He casts an eye over to Tala, then to Bryan, and slowly to Kai. Kai's less upfront. He's still facing the way he was when he stepped out of the alley, keeping Tala in his peripheral vision. Right now, he's got his eyes pretty much fixed on the stranger. Stranger to me anyway. They obviously know each other.

"Hello Kai. Hello Bryan. How are my little protégés?" he talks like the rest of them. Smooth and dark and heavy, knowing exactly what he means and wants, and not letting any pretences be built up. Bryan talks in a quick stream of Russian. The only words I get are: 'Hiwatari', and 'bastard'. I'm guessing he wasn't calling Kai a bastard. But you never know. The guy on the bin laughs a little, and replies in English, much to my relief.

"Do you really have such a low opinion of me? I came to see what was going on. You know where I've been Bryan,"

This time, Kai does move. His head turns to look directly at Bryan. Bryan truly has his hackles raised now. Once again he speaks in Russian. But then I find myself joined in.

"Whose the blonde one? Isn't that the squirt from the Bladebreakers?"

Bryan looks over Kai's shoulder at me, as if I'd only just arrived, avoiding Kai's unfazed glare.

"What's he here for?"

I thought Kai might say something about that. I didn't exactly want to be here, but I suppose have as much right as they do to be here. I want to know Tala's safe. And for some reason I don't really feel he is.

"No reason," Kai says, not looking at him. The pause is heavy and gives me a headache.

Bryan sneers at Kai, finally getting tired of the look he was giving him, "What?"

"How did you know where he was?" Kai asks coolly. I'm glad he asked that. Because I am completely lost. Who is this again? And why aren't we taking Tala home?

"What? Who?"
"Paulo," Kai says, as if the subject in question wasn't present. Bryan pulls his chin up and scoffs.

"I met him. A few weeks ago. Anything else you want to get suspicious about?"
"You could have told us,"
"I know,"

I always knew that Kai's relationships with anyone outside the Bladebreaker's were unhealthy.

"What happened?" Kai eventually asked this Paulo guy. When Kai talks in that voice, there's not much room to move. You have to answer. And you have to answer truthfully.

"I heard what was kicking off. I thought I'd come back and see if you lot had really been split up. By the time I got here, there was something completely different going on. Boris stood in the middle of an alleyway pointing a gun to his head. What exactly are you angry at me for again?"
Kai sneers exactly like Bryan did a minute or two ago, "That's got nothing to do with this. Did you think of telling us what was going on?"
"Hey, I had to get away from the police. They're bloody suspicious in this country. I didn't hang around, I can tell you. I brought a flat,"
"You took Tala with you?"
"You think I'd leave him all alone in an alleyway with a body? Boris' body. I took him back to my flat. Let him cool down. Not that that's happened,"

I'm sat next to Tala, just as Kai instructed me too. I'm shielded by another empty trash can, but I can hear everything that is going. What I've ascertained so far has big holes on it. But what I've got is that Tala met with Boris. The three of them arguing just a few feet away don't know why, but Boris was lurking and Tala took it on his head to go and see him. Whatever happened at that meeting hadn't been good. Both Tala and Boris had issues to work out and I don't think that they were worked out. What happened after that isn't known, but not long after that the guy Paulo walked in on an argument between Boris and Tala. That was the moment in time Boris decided to blow his brains all over the alley wall. Not wanting Tala to be left alone, he took him back to his flat. Then…well I don't know what happened then.

And all I know about Paolo is...well, I don't know anything. I don't think he has as much to do with though, from my point of you. The important thing for me is that something happened when Boris and Tala met up. Something that must have made Boris want to shoot himself, and Tala to have to take a few days to calm down from.

I wait and wait, and eventually get bored. I watch Tala, trying to ascertain if he's alright or not. His breathing his heavy and deep, and he sounds and looks fast asleep. But when he wakes up, he looks a lot less peaceful than he did when he was asleep.

…..

Part 2 coming up! Tell me what you think. musing Tala's going to be a wreck in the next chapter...

(1) Calpol - two things. I don't know if they have Calpol in America, which is why I said he was with English relatives. Maybe they do though. Anyway, this is also a reference, and I suppose a dedication, to my friend The Infamous Robyn. Supposedly she did the same thing as a small child, after being attracted by the taste and smell of Calpol, and the opportunity of having the child-protected cap loosely secured.