Ok thank you all so much for your reviews, I haven't answered them all I have been working a lot recently. I meant to reply tonight but it was the final in the series of Dr Who and I was glued to the screen.

Thanks for all the nice things you have said and I hope to get back to you all properly soon.

Also thankyou HITORI-LOVER for the nice comment on my last story, I got all teary eyed when I read that.

I do not own Beyblade

This chapter starts right after the last one.

"I take it you're pleased to see me then!"

Realising that she had acted in a way that would normally have mortified Kai Hilary gave a watery sniff, they had been standing together for some time and as she pulled away she could see that her tears had left a wet mark on his jacket. "Sorry" she blushed and tried to wipe at the water mark.

"Leave it" Kai commanded gently "what's happened?"

"Grandfathers filing for custody of Ianto's kids, If he gets it I've let Ianto down, but what can I do? If I tell them all what I know grandfather...Oh I don't know what he'd do but it'd be bad"

"I'm sure Ianto would understand."

"Kai his last words were 'Tell my kids I love them', I can't do that, not without revealing everything. His kids deserve a good life, this whole thing is tearing me apart but I know they deserve to be happy."

"So do you"

Hilary shrugged ingnoring Kai's comment "I just want to tell everyone what I know, but I can't, I don't know who I can trust!"

"You're bleeding" he told her changing the subject

Hilary followed Kai's gaze and saw that the sleeve of her blouse had a dark spreading stain "Shane must have ripped one of my stitches"

"Who's Shane?" Kai's jaw set firmly as he asked this, Hilary noticed his change in demeanour and smiled

"It doesn't matter"

"It does!"

"No it doesn't" Hilary insisted glaring at him, Kai knew that he wasn't going to win the argument.

"It still needs looking at" Kai was just as insistent as he took her arm and started to roll up the stained sleeve

"Not here" Hilary pulled from his grasp and slid her hand into his "come with me"

Kai allowed himself to be led up the large stairs of the house and down some winding corridors, he was about to ask if they needed to stop for supplies when she stopped at a door. Following her in Kai smiled, the room was quite tidy but the dressing table was littered with little signs of femininity earrings and hair accessories. The bed was strewn with various clothes she had obviously tried on and discarded, he liked to be tidy but the clutter seemed right here, not to messy but not obsessively neat.

"Sorry about the mess, turn around for a second" he did so and she unbuttoned her shirt and yanked it off, selecting a sleeveless top from the bed she pulled it on over her head and blushing looked at Kai "you can turn back now"

"Do you have a sink nearby?"

"There's a bathroom through there" Hilary pointed to her en-suite and Kai grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her through.

Sitting on the side of the bath Hilary tried to keep herself from blushing as Kai washed the blood from her arm and pressed a towel to the cut. She hissed a little biting her lip as he pressed her arm hard trying to stop the bleeding

"Sorry" he looked up at her concerned "I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No" she shook her head "let me see" he removed the towel and let her look "I think only one or two stitches broke, it should be ok. I'll get it properly looked at later"

"Are you sure?" as she looked into his eyes he seemed so concerned that she couldn't resist placing a hand on his cheek to reassure him of her state of good health.

"Really Kai I'm fine" they smiled at each other and for a moment it was like so many moments they had shared before. Finally Hilary came to her senses and dropped her hand to her side as though it was burnt, staring at her feet she muttered "I ought to get back" and standing left the room

"Alright" unseen by Hilary Kai smirked, he enjoyed seeing her flustered like this, it made him feel as though what Tala had told him was right. Maybe Hilary did care for him as more than just a friend.

--

Kai and Hilary were about to make their way down the main staircase when Kai suddenly grabbed the brunettes hand and yanked her back.

"Kai?" she hissed angrily then noticed what he was staring at "Boris? What's he doing here?"

"I don't know but I want to find out" stony faced Kai unconsciously tightened his grip on Hilary's hand, "I don't get why he would be here today."

"Kai! Look" Hilary whispered as she pointed to her grandfather who was slipping unobtrusively through the crowds of caterers toward the purple haired man.

"Do you know where they could be going?" they stood watching them closely, as they headed through another door

"Actually I think I do know where they're going, come on I'll show you" running down the stairs Hilary cautiously led him to the door they had seen the sinister men walk through Kai was surprised when she led him into a study filled with nothing but shelves.

"They can't have come in here!"

"Watch!" Hilary smiled and made her way to the furthest bookcase, slipping her hand along the large oaken shelf edge she twisted something and the whole bookshelf sprang away from the wall. "These old houses are crawling with stuff like this," she smiled at his surprised expression "come on!"

Kai still had his hand in Hilary's and followed her through, she led him carefully down a dark corridor, the door closed behind them making him jump and her laugh quietly. She led him until they reached a wooden panel, she opened it carefully and they slipped out into the dim light on the other side.

They were in a large and badly lit Library with no windows and old oak bookcases filled with books, to their left they could hear voices, Kai was about to follow them when Hilary grabbed his arm and shook her head, she led him off in the opposite direction. They came to a small set of winding stairs and Hilary led him up them. As soon as they reached the top Kai could tell why she had made him come up here, they were on a balcony that ran around the room and from it they could see the entire library. The darkness added to their cover allowing shadows to hide them from the men talking angrily below.

"I don't care what you thought! I told you not to come here today!" Horatio was standing over the purple haired man who was relaxing in one of the chairs "According to my butler Kai arrived a few minutes ago, what if you and he had crossed paths?"

"How was I supposed to know that Kai would be here?"

"Does it matter? Hilary knows who you are as well or had you forgotten that?"

"Not at all but if she does see me it can be easily explained away. Just say I used to work with you, you can pretend not to know what a bad little man I am." Boris sounded amused as if it didn't matter what happened

"Shut up! God you're going to fail me just like you did with that stupid BEGA fiasco."

"All you lost was a little money, there's a lot more riding on this one."

"Don't I know it. Well what do we know?"

"I have someone in the hotel, in last nights laundry we found blood-soaked towels, no one has reported an injury. I think we can safely assume that at least one of them is showing symptoms"

"Perfect, but do we know which one?"

"No, but from the looks of it whoever it is isn't telling. All the Blitzkrieg boys were still practicing today and none of them seem to be taking it easy."

"This is an interesting development, who do you think is the most likely one to be showing symptoms?"

"Ian is the weakest so I would be inclined to say him but then we started Kai on the treatment first so he's also a likely candidate"

"You say that but, Tala was subjected to the strongest and most intense dosage, that gives us three likely candidates. I want you to narrow it down to just one."

"Yes sir, I'll have Kendall and his team do what they can"

"Are you sure we can use them? They haven't helped us much so far"

"I'm on it" Boris snapped

"Good, now what else do we know?"

"We have been able to retrieve all the copies Ianto made of Brady's journal but as yet we have been unable to find the original"

"Are you sure we have all the copies?"

"Of course, people will tell you anything you need to know, under torture." Boris threw a pile of papers down on the desk "here is a copy of all the names and contact information of all the people who worked with or knew Brady before he came to work for us"

"Alright, with this list we may find some answers as to who Ianto sent that original book to, they may even be able to help us understand his work." Horatio sighed and ran a hand through his hair "Find that journal Boris, and whoever has it…." Horatio sounded fierce "eliminate them."

Only just managing to stop herself from gasping Hilary bit her lip and moved closer to Kai, he looked down at her surprised but remembering what Ianto had sent her and understanding her fear he put a protective arm around her shoulders.

Below them the two men seemed to have finished their meeting and Boris stood "Yes sir, do you want me to leave through the back?" Horatio threw the papers in a draw in the desk before answering

"It would be best, get going!" Boris left through a door to the right of the tunnel they had used while Horatio locked the drawer and pocketing the key went back down the passageway to return to the funeral.

Finally able to move Kai and Hilary were about to make their way down the stairs when a form dressed in black slipped out of the shadows below them and went to the table. The figure wore a mask covering his face and seemed to be trying to open the drawer underneath table.

"Stay here" Kai whispered and he silently made his way down the stairs and crept up behind the newcomer, Kai was about to hit the man when the unknown newcomer turned and grabbed his wrist twisting his arm so that Kai was unable to use it. Frustrated Kai swung with his arm and made contact with the unknown mans chest. The man let go of Kai's arm and swore

"Damn it Kai!"

Recognising the voice Kai recoiled amazed "Renaldo?"

The man took off his mask and scratching his head smiled cheerily "I thought our plans were for tomorrow night."

"So did I," Kai turned to look up where he had left Hilary nervously watching "it's ok, you can come down."

"You got company up there?"

Kai frowned remembering what Renaldo was like "Yeah, just don't be nice ok?"

"What's wrong with being nice?" Renaldo protested

Sighing the bluenette fired his friend a stern look "Nothing is wrong with being nice, it's you and your particular way of being nice that I have a problem with."

"I still don't understand what… Hello!" Hilary had come down the stairs and now stepped into the light, he held out a hand "So nice to meet you"

"I knew it" Kai growled in the back of his throat he turned to his old friend and commanded "Quit flirting"

"I was just saying hi" Renaldo protested winking at Hilary

"Like I said quit flirting" Kai told him angrily he sent the man a murderous glare and Renaldo obviously picked up on it.

"Well, well, well, I had no idea you had such an eye for beauty Kai"

"I don't want to talk about her" the two men seemed to have entered into a staring contest Kai looking fierce and Renaldo grinning broadly

"So, do I get an introduction?" Hilary asked unsure of what was actually going on

Sighing Kai introduced them "Hilary this is Renaldo he's a… an acquaintance from the abbey. Renaldo this is Hilary a friend"

"Just a friend?" Renaldo asked curiously "I don't normally hang around in dark corners with just friends"

"We were watching Boris and Horatio" Kai told him through gritted teeth as Hilary blushed at the insinuation Renaldo was making

Immediately Renaldo dropped his cheerful demeanour and became serious "You know about Horatio now then?"

"We think we know everything!" Kai told him

"How'd you find out about him?"

"Horatio is my grandfather" Hilary gave up the information reluctantly expecting Renaldo to react badly

"Oh, I'm sorry" he grimaced "when it came to handing out the grandfathers you two definitely got the worst ones"

"Yeah" Hilary agreed staring at her hands "I couldn't agree with you more."

"Renaldo what are you doing here?" Kai cut in curiously

"More to the point how did you get in unseen by us?"

"An old friend told me the secret passages in this place, when I saw them go through the door in the study I decided to use the entrance under the dining room window. As for what I am doing here I was following Boris, you must have heard that he's got a list, well it's something that if Voltaire gets his hands on, it could mean a lot of trouble for some ex-abbey students"

"You mean Tala, Bryan, Ian, Spencer and I?"

"Yeah" Renaldo nodded "looks like you guys do know everything now."

"Not quite" Kai shrugged "the one thing we don't know is how to stop it"

"You mean the cybernetics in your bodies have been activated?" The dark haired man stared at the Blitzkrieg boy in disbelief

"Yes."

"Who's ill?" Immediately Renaldo sounded different, more professional, more businesslike

"We are all displaying the symptoms"

"Shit! Kai what are you doing still walking around? You need to get to a hospital and you really ought to rest"

"That's what I said" Hilary nodded in agreement

"I'm fine! Can we please get back to the subject of why you're here?" Kai asked rather loudly getting annoyed at their lack of seriousness "Renaldo what were you about to do?"

"Ah!" grinning Renaldo leant down and began to pick the lock on the drawer again finally it opened "You heard what this list was?"

"Yeah"

"Well I think this list might eventually lead them to whoever has the original journal, you heard what he said he would do to whoever had it"

"He said that he'd kill them" Kai looked over at Hilary not knowing if she was willing to tell the newcommer what she had recieved

"We need that original, the person who has it might not care who lives and dies and might just run, we need to know it's safe"

"It is" Hilary told him "I hid it well"

"You have the original?" Renaldo stared at her amazed "He didn't even know you, why would Brady send you the original?"

"He didn't, it was Ianto."

Renaldo smiled and smacked a hand to his forehead "Ianto! He always said you would be able to understand it" Renaldo nodded at her "I don't know why I never thought to see if you had it."

"Why do you want the original?" Kai enquired looking interested

"To help you, you dummy" Renaldo punched Kai's arm smiling "after all I do owe you, I would have died more than once at the abbey if it weren't for you! I have an army of scientists and doctors all trying to analyse the data but to do that they need original stuff, apparently the copies are missing several pages. Then I would get in touch with you boys" Renaldo grinned "Or at least that was the plan, I needed to arrange a meeting with you guys, I was never more pleased to see you Kai than when you showed up at my club last night"

Kai tried desperately to stop Renaldo from talking waving his hands around violently and making throat slitting gestures but it was too late.

"You went clubbing last night?" Hilary turned to face him and her hands immediately on her hips her face filled with annoyance

"Yeah, but…"

"After Tia and I specifically said not to?" Hilary was seething, in the old days right about now she would have hit him but recently she had stopped whacking everyone around the head. Everyone except Tyson and Daichi of course.

"We needed to go see Renaldo, we thought he would be able to help, and he can" he sounded triumphant for a second but seeing the look on Hilary's face Kai became suitably chastened,

Hilary was too angry to care how he looked she just got even more annoyed "Kai I swear to God, you do something like that again and by the time I'm through with you, you will be begging Voltaire to put you back in the abbey just to keep away from me."

Kai nodded and whispered "Sorry Hils"

"I just LOVE her!" Renaldo exclaimed watching the exchange between the two of them "do you talk to the rest of the team like that?"

"Yes" Hilary shrugged turning away from Kai and facing the nightclub owner

"Oh can I keep you? I have never before in my life seen Kai apologise or look so down!"

"Shut up" Kai hissed reverting back to his usual cold unfeeling persona "Now where do we meet?"

"I'll get in touch tomorrow."

"You know where we are?"

"Yeah," Renaldo nodded and turned to go, then turning back he stared at his old friend "but Kai I'm not going to lie to you... there's..., there's no guarantee we'll beat this thing"

"It looks like we need some luck" Kai leant against one of the shelves despondently

"Kai" Hilary took his arm and squeezed it gently "we'll find a way to get through this"

Kai smiled at her gently liking the way her arm rested on his, for some reason he didn't want her to move away from him. He was comforted by her words and touches. Renaldo was barely able to keep his laughter in as he watched the young couple, for the first time in all the time Renaldo had known him Kai was looking almost human.

"Well 007" Renaldo said with a fruity British accent, Kai and Hilary broke apart suddenly remembering that he was in the room. "I'd love to stay and chat but I'm afraid I have to get back to headquarters, stiff upper lip, for queen and country and all that!"

"Renaldo" Kai groaned remembering that one of the reasons he hadn't stayed in touch with Renaldo was his annoying sense of humour, even in the abbey Renaldo had been unrelentingly cheerful a real acheivement considering the living conditions

"Money-Penny" Renaldo addressed Hilary "keep an eye on him, make sure he behaves himself!"

"Goodbye Renaldo, I'll see you soon" she smiled again and extended her hand to shake his but blushed as he took it and raised it to his mouth kissing it gently. Renaldo let go of her and moved towards the door Boris had used, before he left the room he turned around saying in his normal voice

"She's quite a catch Kai, don't screw it up" and with that he was gone.

After Renaldo had left them Kai and Hilary stood for a few moments staring at the floor

"People still keep doing that" Hilary remarked

"Doing what?"

"Thinking we're together"

"Hn!" There was a further silence until Kai finally said "we ought to go back, they'll have noticed that you're gone"

"Yeah"

Hilary and Kai made their way back to the panelling through which they had entered the library, for a few seconds Hilary had trouble opening up the doorway her hands were trembling

"Are you OK?" Kai took her hands in his and steadied them, "we could wait a little longer if you want"

"No" Hilary took a deep breath and pulled her hands from his hold, she returned to the panelling and this time managed to slide it open.

While the two of them were walking through the darkened passageway the door at the other end began to open, both of them froze fear in their eyes, they were too close to the door to be able to run back in time and there was nowhere to hide.

Ha I bet you all thought the two of them were going have a kiss in this chapter!!

Bit of a cliff-hanger there, I'll be back soon I hope!

Please R&R