A/N: I'm too tired to talk right now. So enjoy.
Countdown
Kaiba knew where the bridge was in perspective, but hated to admit that he had no idea how to get there from where he was. He was forced to stop and get his bearings.
"You ain't gonna find her that way, bud!"
He turned as Rumi touched down behind him, smirking. "I could get you there much faster." She said snippily.
"I don't have time for you." He snapped.
"Just let me help."
With that, she took off again. This time, Kaiba felt himself being dragged after her. He could feel the tight grip her vectors had on his arm, yet he seemed weightless at the same time as they flew up onto the roof of a building. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked her.
"Duh. I've lifted way heavier stuff than you before." She bragged. "To my arms, you're about the same as a piece of paper."
She turned out to the horizon. Her smug face turned grim and disturbed. "Woah. I've never seen so many soldiers gathering like that before." She said quietly. Kaiba looked too and instantly saw what she meant. The bridge was in view and a whole hoard of soldiers awaited Freya, controlled by Lucy to arrive so they could shoot her down.
"We have to get there, now." He said.
"I don't know. I want to help Freya, seeing as she's my half-sister. But is she worth getting killed over?"
Kaiba threw her a furious look. "We're going down there." He snapped. "Besides, why are you worried? You can stop bullets."
"Yeah, but not that many at once!" Rumi protested. "My vectors are powerful, but if they fire simultaneously, I've got no chance. And seeing as you're just a wimpy human, you don't have a snowball's chance in hell of getting out of there alive. If they know a human has interacted with a Diclonius, they'll be forced to kill you, too."
"Why?"
"The Diclonii are kept governmentally secret. Only select individuals know we exist. Normally, individuals showing the horns are quarantined and killed. Infants born with horns are killed and their deaths are attributed to SIDS. If people knew about the Diclonii and what we can do, there'd be a massive public panic. So, while we secretly adapt and develop stronger individuals, we endure severe imprisonment while we wait for the strongest Diclonii to set us free"
Kaiba considered this. He looked back at the bridge. "Can you get us down there quickly?" he asked.
Rumi sighed. "You really have a death wish don't you?"
/ooo/
Emery remained worried as she watched the ambulance load the still bodies of Mokuba and Kayley onto stretchers and into the back. She knew that they had a good chance of surviving, provided she remained with Kayley to prevent them realizing what she was and killing her.
But the thought of Lucy controlling Freya disturbed her. Lucy had died vengeful, just as she'd explained. But why take it out on Freya? Was it because Freya was the most powerful recorded Diclonius?
She sighed unhappily. At that moment, her phone rang. She checked the ID. It was Dr. Kelso. Scowling, she answered.
"Emery speaking."
"Did number 12 track down number 32? We seem to have lost contact with number 16."
"Oh, I didn't think you'd want my advice since I'm so impossibly negligent." Emery said snippily.
"Knock it off, this is serious. There are two Diclonii down here on the bridge waiting just in case they try to escape. And from what I can see, there is one more Diclonius and some kid trying to stop number 32 coming onto the bridge."
Emery's heart stopped.
/ooo/
Lucy paused at the start of the bridge, watching the armed soldiers as they prepared to shoot her. She knew some of them were from the original bunch that did her in. Though much older, they'd be doing it again, at least until her spirit felt at peace. But who knew how long that would take?
She slowly made her way toward them.
Whump!
She paused.
"Stop, Freya!"
Deep within her, a voice started screaming. Seto, get away from me! It's dangerous! Seto!
Lucy scowled and struck out at him, sending him flying back into the steel railing beside the road.
Run, kid!
He opened his eyes and stared as she drew closer, dozens of her vectors flying around her. She gazed down at him with cold, unfeeling eyes. He was sure of it. Emery had to be right. This couldn't be Freya.
"Lucy, listen to me." He said. He knew Rumi was standing nearby, watching helplessly as Lucy came closer. Now that she controlled Freya, her vectors and range intensified immensely.
"Lucy, you have to let Freya go." He said. "Your life is already over, but hers hasn't even started yet. You can't do this to her."
"Silence, human." She snapped. "This girl's life is in my hands now. We are one in the same person and she will die here tonight. As will you."
Seto, run away! She's still out of range!
Lucy grimaced and put a hand to her head. "We haven't much longer. Soon, reinforcements will arrive. Somebody will die tonight, regardless of what happens."
Her vectors hurtled toward him suddenly.
NO!!
Lucy fell back, her hands to the sides of her head as she fell to her knees. She raised her eyes. Kaiba instantly recognized Freya. " Get out of here, kid. She's taking me to my death and she'll take you too!"
"I'm not leaving you, Freya." He declared.
"You have to! I'm not going to let you get killed. You're the only friend I've ever had and I want it to stay that way. I won't let you die."
She started to shake her head furiously and he realized she was trying to fight off Lucy. "Stay out!" she growled. "Leave me alone!"
Kaiba stood up and reached over to her.
"Freeze, punk!"
He stopped and turned.
"Step away with your hands where I can see them." The man growled, waving the gun in the direction he wanted Kaiba to go. Kaiba didn't budge.
"Didn't you hear me? I said step away!"
"Go." Freya said. "It's fine. Just go."
He stood up, but didn't back away. "Freya, wait." He said. She gasped all of a sudden and gritted her teeth. "No, stay away from me!" she cried. The gun fired and the bullet ricocheted off the concrete. Freya opened her eyes.
"Stand up, you little freak." The officer snapped. Freya clumsily got to her feet, gasping for air. "Stay back." She said. "I'm warning you."
"Don't you sass at me." He snapped. "Hands up. Now!"
He suddenly started choking and grasping at his throat. The gun fell to the concrete and backfired on contact, hitting him in the leg. He screamed and fell limp, hanging in the air as his life was drained from him. Both Freya and Kaiba turned.
"Run, sis!" Rumi yelled. "Leave it to—"
But she never finished her sentence as another gun fired somewhere nearby and collided with her arm. She screamed and fell to her knees. "Silver bullets!" she cried in terror. "No! No! No!"
Freya started to shake. "No. This can't be." She said. She turned to Rumi, grabbed her around the waist and threw her behind a pile of wooden crates, out of sight.
She heard the chilling clicking as the guns were prepared to shoot.