CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
~ Arrngements ~
Lightning lit the skies and thunder roared loud and clear though the raging heavens. Storm clouds were thick and blanketed the sky, shielding the stars from sight. Footsteps treading on puddles sounded steadily this night, approaching a run down building. Once again the lightning lit and the thunder sounded, this time illumating the building for the two approaching it. The two of them stopped in front of a battered door and the taller of the two rang the doorbell furiously.
Inside the battered residence, a red headed Russian sat waiting as his two companions slept soundly in the other room. He could hear the thunder loud and clear through the loud and heavy rain outside and through the darkness of the apartment even see the lightning's flash. As he observes the silence and emptiness of the apartment, he is suddenly interrupted by a series of loud and ferocious doorbell rings, prompting him to go to the door and see who it is.
"Hey Tala, open the door!" a familiar voice called from outside. "I know you're in there still, open up."
Recognizing the owner of the voice and knowing that harm would not come to him or his companions, he opens the door to reveal a tall youth with two-toned hair and a golden haired girl standing beside him at his door.
"Kai…Lux…" he greets slightly surprised. Tala then steps aside for them, "Come in."
Acknowledging their permission to enter, Kai leads Lux inside with him. Tala then shows them to their seats on the beat down couch and then closes the door and locks it. He then turns to his visitors.
"So what brings you here?" Tala asks him, taking a seat on another piece of furniture.
"I need you to show me where the lab is." Kai answers straight forwardly.
"You do realize that going there could result in Lux getting captured, right?" Tala points out. "I mean, that lab is a possible center of operations for the people after her."
Lux swiftly turns to Kai, her eyes begginig him not to do something that would separate them.
It then hit Kai. He had known that the lab was likely a major center of operations for the men who had been chasing after Lux, yet in his hurry he trusted the information and instructions from Ventus. Nonetheless, he really cannot stay in Japan either. Not with Lux anyways. It was clear that the more recent bunch who are after her know she is here and could easily attack to her. He turns to her and gently strokes her hair to assure her that it will be ok.
"We'll still come with you to Russia." Kai decides.
"But why are you coming with us?" Tala asks.
"I met someone by the name Ventus." Kai answers him. "I don't necessarily trust his word on the lab, but I do know that Lux can't stay in this country any longer. She won't be safe here. I need to take her somewhere safer."
Tala thought to himself for a moment. The name Ventus indeed does ring a bell and Kai is correct, staying in Japan would be dangerous for Lux according to what he had been told just the day before.
"Fine." Tala tells Kai. "Come along with us."
Tala gets up from his seat and walks up to Kai and Lux.
"And about the lab, I'll scout the place myself to see if its safe or not before I bring you to it." Tala tells Kai. "If I don't make it back from there, make sure you got plans and the means to get Lux to another location."
Kai nods, in acknowledgement, acceptance and understanding of the terms his friend presents to him before turning to go, taking Lux with him.
