Chapter 21: Who to Trust?

Swirling, twisting, and twirling, it felt as if Sora'd been swept up in a whirlpool and slammed against jagged rocks. His head carried an anvil's weight, and though he tried lifting it up off the ground, his neck refused to budge. The stinging of pins and needles pierced his arms and legs. His chest heaved out heavy breaths and his eyelids clung to his eyes, sticking like glue. Soon the spinning subsided, and new senses took hold. Beneath his palms, he felt a smooth, cold floor in place of empty space. A dull buzzing rang up above, just barely audible. Gritting his teeth, he pushed his palms flat against the floor, claws twitching.

A sharp throb in his chest dragged him out of unconsciousness altogether. Jolting up from the ground, Sora's eyes popped wide open and flittered all about, soaking in the glass window, the monitor on the wall, the potted fern just behind it, the metal desk topped with a computer screen, Aqua's kneeling form, and, perhaps most importantly, the two men looming over him.

The light from above cast shadows heavy shadows along their faces, and the two towered over Sora like giants. A red necktie hung around the first man's neck, while a black tuxedo covered his upper body. The glare from the lights made his glasses shine, and he watched Sora with pursed lips and a slight curve in his brow. Feeling a lump in his throat, Sora scuttled backwards, sinking his hands into the floor. He would've flattened himself right away, if the other man hadn't grabbed his eye.

Unlike his partner, this man's lips flickered into a grin. Though a black suit covered everything but his face, neck, and hands, he lacked a tie, instead going for some kinda button up top. Tanned skin, a ponytail, and a goatee all caught Sora's attention, but not as much as the way the man's eyes bore straight into his. Chewing on the side of his mouth, Sora averted his gaze, but found his head slowly turning back towards the men. It didn't make sense. Neither one looked even slightly fazed by his presence. Neither screamed, neither cowered, and despite Sora's claws and the shadows oozing off his back, the two men stood unarmed. Instead of shying away, that guy with the goatee waltzed right out of the light and straight towards him like it was no big deal.

He didn't like this one bit. Had he suddenly turned into a stranger's prey? Well, not if he could help it! As that man drew closer, Sora scrambled behind Aqua, who at long last leaned back with a moan. She blinked a couple of times and rubbed the back of her head. Then, after wiping her bangs out of her face, she scooped up the Star Shard and crammed it down her pocket. The man with the goatee extended a hand for her, and she froze.

For a couple of seconds, she stared up at the man, holding her hand a few inches from his. Her head turned to the left, towards the guy with glasses, then across the room and towards the window. Finally, she tugged her hand back, pressed her palms against her knees, and stood up all by herself. In fact, she turned her back on that man altogether and tugged Sora up on his feet. "Are you all right?"

Sora nodded, keeping his eyes on the floor. When that man's laughter crawled out of his mouth, he shuddered, fighting back the urge to glare.

"You certainly know how to make an entrance," he said. "Don't worry about your little friend, though. I see no reason to attack such a fascinating Heartless."

Fascinating, huh? Okay, he'd heard enough. Rude or not, Sora lurched towards the man, narrowed his eyes, and bore all of his pointy teeth. The man didn't even flinch. Just what was this guy's deal? Despite Sora's… well, everything, the man leaned back against his desk with a thin smile lining his lips. His eyes followed Sora's movements as he shifted from one foot to the other, like he was some kinda zoo animal.

Squeezing his shoulder, Aqua stepped closer to the man. "Who are you?"

"My apologies, miss. My name is David Xanatos, and my assistant over there is Owen."

"I see…" She tipped her head back, straightening her stance. "And is there a reason you're so interested in Sora?"

Owen straightened his glasses. "I assure you, miss, we're simply curious. After all, our past encounters with the Heartless have hardly been peaceful endeavors."

"They usually never are." All the same, her scowl remained firmly in place. "Does that mean that the Heartless are here in this…?"

"City? You could say that." Xanatos waltzed over to the monitor and gestured at the screen. "Take a look, and you'll see what I mean."

Crouching down on all fours, Sora crept over to the wall, though his eyes kept drifting back towards the two men. Both stood still as statues, and neither looked away for a second. Bristling, Sora forced his gaze away from them and up at the monitor.

One look, and the rest of the room faded into black. His eyes bulged, and he slapped his hands against the wall, gasping at what he saw.

Cars coated in dents and scratch marks lay upside down and on their sides. A river of fleeing people coursed over the street, chased by purple, winged Heartless with grey claws, jagged jaws hinged wide open, and eyes glittering bright. Gargoyle Heartless, just like the ones in Halloween Town, and they weren't the only ones. In the corner of his eye, Sora caught Xanatos fiddling with a remote, and the image snapped into motion.

The once still Heartless swooped over the crowd, snatching up people by the arms, ripping through their chests. Living cars with knife-like teeth and flame patterned roofs blazed down the road, circling a dark skinned woman with a red jacket and a gun. Wheeled Heartless with red circuit patterns skidding about, mint colored dragons bellowed and growled… Amidst the footage, Sora caught glimpses of some other winged creatures, diving, swooping, and thrashing their claws.

When it finally clicked off, Sora tumbled down onto his rump. Looking the other way, he saw Aqua's knees trembling slightly—just barely noticeable. Her mouth hung ajar, though after sucking in a mouthful of air, she clamped her jaw shut. Her eyebrows drew together, and she glanced over her shoulder.

"How long has this been happening?"

At last, Xanatos turned away from Sora. With a blank expression, he strode over to the window. "It's been more than a month, and the attacks have only gotten worse every day. Really, it's a wonder our world's still in one piece."

Aqua sighed. "You seem to know a lot about the outside world. I suppose there's no point in us hiding it now."

"Well, it's hardly a secret these days between all the Heartless, those Nobodies, and pests such as Maleficent."

What?! Sora slammed his fists against the floor, yanking his notepad out of his pocket. Grinding his teeth, he scribbled a message across a page. 'How'd you know about Maleficent?'

Xanatos' brow arched. "I had the pleasure of meeting her some time ago. She had a little business proposition, something about spreading darkness and taking control of the worlds… Frankly, it was all too cliché for my liking."

Aqua covered her mouth with her hand, muffling a laugh. "So her offer didn't interest you? Not even a little?"

He shook his head. "I was read a lot of fairytales growing up. You learn to recognize a witch when you see one."

Well, at least he didn't fall into the same trap that snagged Sora. All the same, something didn't add up. 'So why'd she come after you? All Maleficent's other friends were really tough. A pirate captain, a sea witch, a god… Your office is nice, I guess, but how do you stack up to people like them?'

Xanatos moved away from the window, resting a hand atop his desk. "Well, I'm definitely no god, but you'd be surprised what money can buy. I suspect Maleficent knew that all too well and thought she could weasel her way into using my resources."

But what kinda resources? If Maleficent wanted them so bad, they had to be huge. More than a fancy skyscraper, at any rate. And, come to think of it, didn't Xanatos say something about Nobodies? Folding his arms, Sora stared up at the ceiling and blew out a puff of air. At this point, the odds seemed in Xanatos' favor, but just to be safe… 'So you're not the one behind the attacks?"

"On the contrary," said Owen, "neither one of us has an interest in the darkness, despite what the Nobodies may believe."

"Of course, you mentioned them before…" Aqua's fingers brushed across her lips. "But how much do you know about the Organization? The more you can tell us, the better chance we'll have at helping you." Her fingers curled into her palm, and her brow tensed. Was she really okay with helping these guys?

"They've have been kind of tight-lipped beyond some vague comments about darkness." Xanatos paused, shrugging. "Zexion's trying to push me into using it, claiming that it'll allow me to either eliminate the Heartless or take control of them, perhaps a bit of both."

Zexion… Sora once again gritted his teeth, and the tendrils along his shoulders, arms, and back twisted and flared. Why'd they have to send him?

"Well, he is smart, Sora. This Xanatos guy seems pretty clever, too, so maybe they thought Zexion could outwit him or something. Beats me."

"Sora…" Aqua wandered over to him and reached down for his back. "Please calm down. We'll figure this out, all right?"

Xanatos rubbed at his beard. "Funny, judging by his reaction, I'd say he's already familiar with him."

'It's true.' The words dripped down the page, and Sora scraped his pen across it so hard, he pierced the top left corner. 'Zexion's bad news. He's got this stupid book that can trap you inside it, he can make meteors pop outta thin air, and he's got freaky illusion powers!' And he tried taking control of Sora before. What if that creep tried it again? His hand trembled, marking the paper with squiggly lines. Just the thought made him want to shred through his notepad. Thankfully, Aqua patted him on the head, snuffing out the fire swelling inside him.

Xanatos let out a soft hum. "Illusions? A bit inconvenient, but nothing a few robots can't handle."

Robots? Xanatos had robots? Sora's hands hit the floor, and his mouth slid wide open. Fumbling for his notepad, he stumbled towards Xanatos. 'What kinda robots? Are they tough? Can they shoot lasers or missiles or anything like that?'

"Hey, maybe they can shoot both!" said Ven, his voice oozing with energy. "They could be like some of the machines up in Deep Space—maybe they've even got plasma cannons." He stopped, lowering his voice. "But maybe we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves… The last thing I'd want is to head straight into a trap."

Right… I guess he could be making stuff up.

Sora scratched the back of his head, kicking one of his feet. Logically, it'd make way more sense to stay on guard, but darn it, what if Xanatos really had a robot army? They'd be the perfect tools for creeps like Zexion. Yes, despite his gut telling him to watch his step, grin shot across Sora's face in no time flat.

But to his credit, neither Owen nor Xanatos complained. In fact, both looked to one another, chuckling to themselves.

"Tell you what. As a show of good faith, why don't I show you what I mean?" Already, he'd made his way to the door, cracking it slightly ajar.

Though Sora lifted one of his feet, he stopped, eyes falling back on Aqua. 'You think this'll be okay? If you think it's too risky, I'll understand.'

"Well, we are going to need to find the Keyhole." She tapped her chin with her knuckles. "I suppose this building is as good a start as any."

"It certainly beats searching the rest of Manhattan," said Xanatos. "Who knows? Perhaps the Keyhole's another one of this castle's secrets. I'm not a Keybearer, so I couldn't tell you."

Wait, castle? Sora raised his index finger and thought to interject, but aside from his lack of a voice, he once again felt something throb, twist, and tingle inside of him. Eyes twitching, Sora tried ignoring the feeling and instead crawled through the door.

The sudden change of scenery hit him like a moving truck. In place of the sleek, cool metal of the office, Sora emerged in a corridor lined with narrow brick walls. Shadows crept across the floor, as the low hanging ceiling lacked any lights to speak of. Nonetheless, Xanatos walked briskly down the hall, stopping just once to gaze back at the duo. Together, they moved in silence, save for the echoing of their footsteps until, at last, the path opened into a much wider chamber.

Like the hall, darkness shrouded the room. A row of rectangular windows with rounded tops stretched across the room's back wall, each decorated with crisscrossing metal bars, some of which formed rectangles, others diagonal lines. More grey bricks spread across the chamber's edges, while arches rose up and spanned the high ceiling. The rest of the room's details blurred the moment noticed five dim spotlights shining over the floor and casting a shine on four metallic figures. In that instant, he tore towards the machines for a closer look.

It felt as if he'd been transported out of a shady corridor and dropped right into a toy store on Christmas eve. The second he reached the 'bots, Sora's eyes scanned them up and down, soaking in every last detail. Each one loomed over him, standing at least seven feet tall with broad frames like those of a bodybuilder. Their clawed hands flexed, their segmented tails flicked, and all four of the robots' red eyes glimmered in the dark. All four of them looked identical to each other, with pointed ears, rectangular faces, black metal spanning from their heads to their neck, like smooth, steel hair. Razor sharp wings lined their backs, and their bodies appeared segmented, with black shoulder pads, chest plates, gauntlets, and knees coupled with teal torsos and silver limbs and faces. If anything, these guys resembled metallic gargoyles.

In Sora's mind, that upped their coolness factor by at least eleven, and despite the robots' silence, he waved at the group.

"I'm afraid they can't offer much in the way of conversation," said Xanatos, as he strode towards another figure, concealed by a loose cloth. "My Steel Clan is programmed with the bare essentials—enough to maneuver in aerial combat, but not enough for them to consider betrayal."

Aqua's hand hovered above her mouth, and she stopped two feet from one of the 'bots. "It sounds like you're speaking from experience."

He shrugged his shoulders, gripping at the sheet. "I don't know if I'd call it betrayal, but the problem with free will is that it allows people to second guess one another. Machines might not make good company, but they're certainly more agreeable than some of my past allies."

Sora tilted his head, watching and waiting for the 'bots to do something, anything. Then, out of the blue, the robots' eyes sparked a bright red glow. Their heads turned towards him, their bodies whizzed and beeped, and they all lifted their right arms, which opened up and revealed cannons pointed directly at his face.

Grimacing, Xanatos snapped towards the robots. "Stand down. He isn't like the others."

With another buzz, the robots lowered their arms and retracted their cannon. The next thing Sora knew, Aqua rushed out in front of him, blocking the robots' path. "Sora, maybe we should give them a little space."

"I should probably apologize." Xanatos shook his head. "Given the recent pest problem, I've kept the clan's battle parameters fully activated, and I'm afraid it's left them a bit touchy."

Touchy was right. Sora's heart pounded at lightning speed, and his hands latched onto his head for a few seconds more. Once the shock wore off, though, he let his arms drop to his sides, cracking a lopsided smile.

'Are you kidding?' He tapped at the page for emphasis. 'That was awesome! I bet these guys could blast through a whole army of Heartless before they even lift a claw.' Granted, Xanatos should've known better than to invite them without giving Sora and Aqua a heads up, but danger and coolness weren't mutually exclusive. If nothing else, he could still appreciate their neat gadgets from a distance, provided they kept those guns away from him.

"Well, not to toot my own horn, but they've done a remarkable job so far. It's the whole reason this room isn't crawling in Heartless right now."

"So why not share this technology with the rest of the city?" said Aqua. "If they're as capable as you say, then shouldn't they be out there protecting all those innocent people?"

"Ah, but that's the catch." Xanatos gestured towards the machines. "Manhattan may be one island, but it's vast—so vast that I couldn't dream of protecting the entire city at once. And should anything become of these robots, I'd have to take the time to rebuild them, leaving my home and those same people with one less form of defense."

'But what about those winged guys in the video? Were those your robots, too?' They'd moved so fast he couldn't tell, but Sora could've sworn they looked more colorful than the rest of the 'bots.

"Not quite. The creatures you saw are flesh and blood... for now, anyway."

"For now?" Aqua blinked. "But why would that change?"

"Well, it's the funny thing about gargoyles. They're stone by day, warriors by night. One minute they're fearsome beasts, and the next they're glorified lawn ornaments."

Whoa… Creatures that turned into statues? Sora gulped, pulling his arms close to his chest. What if those gargoyle guys got caught up in a fight when the sun came up? Would they break apart and die? More importantly, 'Are those gargoyle guys your friends?'

"Friends?" Xanatos blurted out a laugh. "Actually, their leader is the reason I built this Steel Clan in the first place, as well as this." He pulled the cloth away at last, revealing a robot identical to the others, save for its red armor and the additional fingers on each of its hands. Sora thought the differences would've ended there until Xanatos reached for the robot's head, twisted it around, and popped it clean off its shoulders, revealing a hollow body.

He doubled backwards, rubbing his eyes. 'Wait, is that thing a suit?'

"It's more than just a suit." Xanatos smirked, placing the head back on its shoulders. "Its steel frame provides full-body protection. Its rockets permit free flight, and between its claws and the built in particle cannon, it's like the Swiss army knife of battle armor."

"I'm surprised." A small smile slid across Aqua's face. "You didn't strike me as a fighter, Xanatos."

"Let's just say my life is anything but dull. And seeing how Zexion has seen fit to manipulate me, I think it pays to have an added edge."

Aqua circled around the armor, stopping to gaze at its claws. "Well, it would certainly help, but you should still stay alert. If Zexion learns that you're aware of his plans, he might take desperate measures."

"Oh, I've already considered that. The question is, what is he really after? You seem to know enough about these Nobodies to fill us in."

"It's only fair." Aqua reached for the emblem on her chest. "More than anything, you should know that the Organization wants to do more than lead you into the darkness. If they have their way, they'll take it a step further."

"As I suspected…" Xanatos shut his eyes. "But what could they possibly gain? Another mindless minion? It's not like Heartless are in short supply."

"Maybe not, but that hasn't stopped them before. In their eyes, you're another expendable resource—a heart they've yet to claim."

Footsteps sounded from the entrance, and Owen slipped into the room with a wry smile. "Beings without hearts claiming what they've lost… You know, Mr. Xanatos, it's almost poetic."

"And about as morbid as Poe."

"Well, of course, but that does beg the question as to how they'd collect your heart."

"There's only one way." Aqua's Keyblade flashed into her grip, prompting a gasp out both Owen and Xanatos.

"Well, what do you know? You really are one of those Keybearers; just what I was hoping for."

Sora's back arched. As soon as Aqua lowered her Keyblade, he hopped out in front of her and wiggled his claws, just as a precaution. Just what was Xanatos thinking? A grin crawled across his face, and for a split second, Sora saw not Xanatos, but Xemnas' gleaming orange eyes and an unwavering smirk. So far, Xanatos seemed a bit nicer than Xemnas—and a lot cooler, too, but was it really okay to drop their guards? What if he wanted to turn Aqua into a pawn just like Xemnas did with Riku, Kairi, and the Replica? He hated to get so pessimistic, but all the cool gadgets in the world meant nothing if he had a darker plan in store. Past experience had already taught him that a friendly face could mask the evilest intents.

In spite of his efforts, though, Aqua brushed past him. "So you even know about the Keyblade…"

"A few bits and pieces, anyway." His grin faded, and he moved towards her. "I know that without your Keyblade, this world's heart will remain vulnerable, and I know that our best bet at defeating the Heartless is for you to destroy them and free the hearts trapped inside."

What?! Sora slashed at the air, nostrils flaring. That sounded exactly like the Organization's goals. Did he hear that from Zexion? Was this whole thing one big set up? Maybe he wasn't too far off the mark.

Brushing off his shoulder, Xanatos arched his brow. "Is he always this defensive?"

"I can't blame him," said Aqua. "The Organization's plan hinges on the Keyblade, and every Heartless slain will only further their goals. For you to bring this up, even if you didn't mean it that way… I'd be lying if I said it wasn't suspicious."

He shook his head. "You're free to believe whatever you like, but don't you think there are bigger problems to worry about? Aside from Zexion, there's also the Keyhole, the Heartless… I've even got a hunch that someone else is using them. All in all, wouldn't it be better to consider all the possibilities?"

"…Yes, you're right." Aqua's Keyblade vanished with a flash and a flick of her wrist. "So, who else do you suspect?"

All at once, the room lapsed into silence, save for the faint humming of the lights. For once, Xanatos posture stiffened, and a frown cut across his face.

"If my suspicions are true, then it's someone who'd do anything to wipe out humanity."

x.x.x

A symphony of screams swelled down below. Shattering glass, piercing gunshots, and a cacophony of explosions provided percussion. Roars from soaring Windstorms crafted a counter melody, a deep baritone warbling to and fro. The stench of smoke assaulted his nose, blended with the raw, bloody scent of the Heartless' darkness, and the fragrance of shimmering hearts, released for mere moments from their human vessels before darkness eclipsed their glow. A morbid work of art, to be sure, but one that brought false joy to the hollow void that once housed Zexion's heart.

He flipped his hood back, and within seconds, his hair grew moist, sticking to his skin, but no matter. Sweeping his bangs away from his eye, he perused his surroundings, eyeballing the flickering red sign bearing cracks and exposed wiring. No doubt those gargoyles had swooped in to defend the feeble population, and yet, as he took another whiff of the air, something felt amiss. Mixed among the coppery stench of blood, the sour odor of fear, and the smoke and oil bombarding his senses, a vague… non-scent stood out, shining like a beacon. He knew this smell, and his lips curled up at the mere thought.

"Well, Kairi, your timing is most impeccable…" How fortunate. With so many Heartless running wild, a Keybearer's presence carried a multitude of opportunities. Heart capture, to be certain, but moreover, a chance to observe. To discern what had become of Riku, how she and her friend had evaded the Organization's detection, and so much more…

But that would have to wait, as in the midst of this sea of scents, he detected a smell with a smooth, smoky edge and a metallic bite, like fresh formed obsidian. No doubt she was close by, and in that case, he needed to hurry.

The air around him rippled and shifted, turning his surroundings into kaleidoscopic abstractions of color and light. Under the guise of an illusion, leathery wings seemingly burst through his cloak. Claws tore through his gloves and boots, and a tail swished to and fro. His skin shifted to a silver-grey tone, and his ears enlarged, shifting to a bat-like shape. Jagged fangs completed his disguise. Just in time, too, as a shadow descended upon him.

Red eyes shone like dying stars. Her bat-like wings wrapped around her shoulders, like a cape. A gold tiara rested atop her wild red hair, golden hoops hung from her pointed ears, and a golden band curled around her left arm. A white halter top covered her pale blue skin, and she faced Zexion with rigid posture, tail swishing about like an agitated cat.

"Is there a problem?" said Zexion. "You seem remarkably tense."

"A Keybearer has arrived." She placed a hand on her hip. "Because of her, several humans escaped! It was as if the Heartless forgot about their prey in favor of her weapon."

"Well, you can't expect intelligence from the Heartless, Demona. They're obedient, to be sure, but their instincts drive them, and to them, the Keyblade is a threat." He flicked one of his wrists. "So, naturally, they flock to Keybearers in a futile attempt at eliminating the problem. That the girl was able to spare a few humans certainly puts a damper on things, but it is to be expected. And what's more, have Goliath and his clan not brought similar results?"

"True…" She breathed a heavy sigh. "But even Goliath has limits—limits I've known for over a millennium. This girl and her companions are outsiders, and I can already tell that they'll be more bothersome based on their sorcery alone."

"Do they frighten you?"

"No." One word carried the force of a point blank meteor spell. "But I'm no fool. By allying herself with that wretched human and Goliath, I'm sure she'll continue to interfere, and I know better than to underestimate a Keybearer's power."

"So why not turn that interference to our advantage?" Zexion chuckled. "Goliath is shortsighted, and he's far more likely to blame Xanatos than you. We have the ideal scapegoat in the palm of our hand… provided I can push him closer toward cooperation. And what's more, you're immortal. What risk is there in summoning more Heartless to take their place?"

"None." A devilish smirk flashed onto her face. "And the city is vast… One tiny human cannot hope to protect an entire island. She'd wear herself into the ground if she even tried…"

Purple mist swirled around her claws, and she swept her arm upward. Corridor after corridor swirled in the sky, and the sounds of heavy THUDS resounded all around them. Black, hulking beasts coated in fire-patterned skin arose from the shadows with blood red tusks curling out from their jagged maws. Heartless clad in crimson armor formed a circle at their feet, their dog-faced shields growling as they trudged towards passing cars. More and more Heartless flooded the roads; a flock of Windstorms shrieked and beat their wings toward the distant castle. Twenty dark green dragons with spiked club tails pursued them. A shifting mass of reds, blacks, purples, and blues painted the asphalt in a vibrant display…

"If the girl wishes to play the hero, then I welcome the challenge. Let her sentimentality lead her to the grave…"

To the grave? Perish the thought, but if nothing else, Demona's endeavors would at least prove amusing… Anything to make up for her deplorable immortality.

x.x.x

By the time Xanatos finished speaking, Aqua's free hand flew over her mouth, and she stumbled backwards. Like Sora, her eyes stayed glued open, fixed on Xanatos. "But would she really destroy an entire species?"

"It's what's driven her for all these centuries." Xanatos tipped his chin up, tucking his hands behind his back. "In her eyes, humans are responsible for every one of her mistakes. It's irrational, not to mention shortsighted of her, but at least it makes predicting her movements easy enough."

Right. And what better target for the Heartless than a heart stuffed to the brim with seething hatred? Mulling this over, Sora's claws drummed at the floor. His lips pulled over towards the left side of his face, and he paced back and forth on all fours, mind racing at a mile a minute. If this Demona held the reins, then did they really have time to stand here and chat? Even now, those Heartless were probably out there shredding citizens into strips of bacon and chowing down on their hearts. And judging by the skyscrapers towering outside the window, the whole city was probably a huge, heart smorgasbord served on a silver platter.

The decision seemed so easy on paper, but just like when he woke up, Sora felt something twisting and wrenching inside his chest. His eyes kept falling on the chamber's entrance, and his hair stood on end. Wasn't that worth investigating, too?

Well, thinking wasn't gonna solve anything either, so he nudged Aqua with his elbow and held up a note. 'What d'you think we should do?'

"Hmm." Her eyes drifted toward the window. "I don't think we have a choice. If there's even a small chance that this Demona is behind the attacks, then we're obligated to stop her before she claims any more lives."

"And what about the Keyhole?" said Owen. "If the Heartless find it first, then it will no longer matter whether or not Demona succeeds; the entire world will collapse, taking her down with it."

The Keyhole… with all this talk about Demona, he'd almost forgotten. Twitching, he crawled over to the door and pressed his palm against the wall. Maybe this was their chance…

"Sora, what are you doing?"

'I wanna look around.' He glanced over his shoulder and rapped his knuckles against the bricks. 'There's something weird out there. Dunno what, but we've gotta search somewhere, right?' So why not start with the place closest to them?

Owen brought a hand to his chin. "Well, Mr. Xanatos?"

"Knock yourself out." He folded his arms. "Just don't touch anything—I've got quite a few antiques out there, and the last thing I need is for those claws to tear them apart."

Sora huffed, curling his claws against his palm. Rather than waste his breath or his ink, he crouched down, bent his back, and zipped back into the cramped, dark hallway.

The sooner they found the Keyhole, the sooner they could stop Demona and Zexion.

x.x.x

The situation had shifted a bit past Xanatos' expectations, but with yet another Keybearer present, why complain? Having returned to his office, he sank down in his chair, leaned back, and grinned, eying the monitor once more. In place of footage captured by his robots, a new image appeared, consisting of a flashing red dot overlaying a simplified map. White lines and text marked off the various sections of Manhattan, from the subway to Central Park. Coincidentally, the red dot flickered just along the edges of Times Square.

"Well, it would seem that our friend Zexion went to survey the attack. I suppose this confirms what Aqua said and, more importantly, we've got more proof that he's working with another party, if he isn't behind the attacks himself."

Owen wandered over to the screen, a crease forming along his brow. "I must say, Mr. Xanatos, it was quite clever of you to place that tracking device in his possession."

"It works like a charm on gargoyles, so why not Nobodies? Anything to get to the bottom of this."

"Yes, well, shouldn't we have informed our guests about the other Keybearer's presence? A united front is far more likely to end to this ordeal."

"But where's the fun it that?" Xanatos swiveled his chair towards the window. "We have two Keybearers operating independently from one another, one willing to give us the benefit of the doubt and another working side by side with Goliath. While they're out there combing the streets, Aqua is here in the castle. And, while I can predict a couple of outcomes, I'd like to let the pieces fall where they may."

For the most part, at any rate. A slight nudge in the right direction never hurt, just to keep things from getting dull.

"Besides, I suspect they'll be meeting sooner than they think." And then the real fun would begin.

TO BE CONTINUED

END NOTE: I apologize for the late update. Animation assignments are time consuming! With that said, I see I have a few new readers. Welcome aboard, and I hope you enjoy!