Author's Note: Leaving Nashville behind, the Cardcaptors head towards their next destination…of Cleveland, Ohio.


Cards captured so far: Vision, Heat, Vine, Bell, Sleep, Wind, Angel, Sludge, and Multiple


CCS: The American Cards: Part 13


"Can you sense it yet, Sakura?"

Sakura desperately tried to sense the next American Card, but it was a little difficult from the hotel room. Yes, she could feel there was one somewhere in Cleveland, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly where.

"I can't narrow it down, Kero," Sakura finally said. "All I know is…what it looks like."

"You know what the card looks like?" Kero asked wide-eyed. "Then share with the rest of us."

Sakura concentrated hard. "It looks like…a…cork."

"A cork?" Madison repeated.

"A cork on two legs," Sakura elaborated. "I didn't see anything beyond that. I don't know where it is."

Meanwhile, Sakura could see Li sitting by the window, facing outside to Downtown Cleveland. It was definitely a new experience for him to see these sights as it was for all of them. Somehow, though, Sakura could feel he was also trying to pinpoint the card's location.

"Have you used the Lasin Board, Li?" Meilin asked.

Li was skeptical. "I can't use the Lasin Board. The card might be too far out of its range."

"It couldn't hurt to try it," Meilin said optimistically.

Li sighed and took out the Lasin Board. "Source of light! With ancient spin, send forth the magic power within! Force, know my plight! Release the light!"

The Lasin Board's light shot out of the hotel's window and looked to have pinpointed the card. The Lasin Board pointed to a big glass pyramid down the street. Sakura and Madison ran over to see where the light was pointing. Madison seemed to recognize it.

"It's the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

"There's a card in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?" Sakura asked. She groaned. "Why are all the cards in big public places…full of people?"

"Maybe we'll get lucky," Li tried saying. "We might find something else like the Sleep Card."

"I don't think a walking cork would get people to fall asleep," Sakura said cynically.

"Be that as it may," Kero chimed in. "You know what you have to do."

"Look at it this way," Madison said cheerfully. "We can do a lot of sightseeing in the meantime."

"Maybe you're right," Sakura smiled. "It might not be as bad as I think."

So far it wasn't good. It was about an hour's wait in line to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum and things didn't get easier with Sakura having to hold a duffle bag that held Li's sword. Sakura did take advantage of that time and checked in with Tori. Again, she let Tori believe she was still in Boston. She was in enough trouble as it was, she couldn't tell Tori she was going cross-country. What would he think then?

Finally, they got in, which cost Madison a cool $60. Although they were there for a reason, Sakura knew she would never get another opportunity like this. So they went around looking through each exhibit. Sakura tried hard not to forget why she was there, but she did want to take advantage of this opportunity. Then they all stopped at the last exhibit.

Madison pointed it out first. "John Lennon. This exhibition was opened shortly after the 20th anniversary of his tragic death."

"Wasn't he the reason the Beatles broke up?" Li asked curiously.

"You're thinking of his girlfriend, Yoko Ono," Madison replied. "They went out and it didn't take too long for the Beatles to break up. They were quite an item. In fact…these are two kimonos right here."

Sakura looked at that part of the exhibition. There were two kimonos, one black and red, another pink and red, that were worn by John and Yoko in 1980. They looked a lot like the kimonos her dad had stashed away.

They continued looking at the John Lennon exhibition until Sakura heard something.

"Do you hear…music?"

Sakura didn't even wait for an answer. It was because she began to sense the next American Card. But when she stopped, she didn't find a walking cork. Instead she found…a stage. Finally, everyone caught up to her and looked up at the stage.

"It's not here," Li said. He obviously sensed the card, too.

Sakura felt it was nearby, but she obviously was in the wrong place, unless she couldn't see it through the crowd. She could see the people gathered around and Sakura saw why. There was a display that read: Battle of the Bands. A band of four, two guitars, one drum, and a singer, started to take their place on stage. Sakura was starting to like that she stumbled in here.

Meilin echoed her thoughts. "Maybe we could make the best of this."

Li, Madison, and Meilin went to find some standing room, but Sakura was stopped by a nagging voice.

"You're getting distracted again, Sakura."

"Relax, Kero," Sakura said casually. "I'll find the card soon. Just relax and…have a peanut."

"I want the whole bag," Kero insisted.

"Ok, but don't make a mess." Sakura took the bag of peanuts in her pocket and put it in her other pocket, where Kero started digging in. As unnerved as he was over the release of the American Cards, Kero's soft spot was still his stomach.

Sakura met her friends, standing behind the crowd (being inconspicuous, no doubt). The band was warming up. Then they were introduced and the lead singer, with guitar in hand, walked up to the microphone. The first chord on the guitar was struck creating…

…Silence.

Sakura gasped and looked up at the stage. The band was playing and each instrument was playing. But there was literally no sound. The crowd was lively…but they weren't making any sound, either. Sakura shook her pocket.

"What? I'm eating here."

"Come out, Kero," Sakura said. "Take a look at this."

Kero stuck his head out and looked at the stage. The band was moving and playing, but there was no sound. Sakura felt like she could hear a pin drop.

Li pieced it together first. "It's the Silence Card. It's here somewhere, but we have to be careful."

"Then why can I still hear you guys?" Sakura asked.

Madison tried to say something, but nothing could be heard. It appeared that the Silence Card had affected her, too. Meilin tried to say something to Li, but no sound came from her, either. It looked like Meilin was trying to raise her voice…but nothing could be heard. Li dragged Sakura outside to an empty part of the museum.

"Looks like we're the only ones not affected," he said. "It's going to be up to us, but we're going to have to draw the Silence Card out somehow."

"So how do we do it?" Sakura asked.

Li shook his head. "No…when I said 'we', I meant me, Madison, and Meilin. You need to wait outside with the wand. As soon as we lure the Silence Card outside, you can seal it."

"Be careful, Li," Sakura told him. "I'll be waiting out here."

Sakura ran straight for the nearest exit and walked out the door. She went through her duffle bag and took out Li's sword and gave it to him. Then she looked to make sure no one was around and took out her key.

"Key of Clow. Power of Magic. Power of Light. Surrender the wand. The force ignite. Release!"

Things were frustrating. The winds were blowing and there was literally no sound coming from the breeze. There was nothing to do now. All Sakura could do was wait…and hope her friends could come through.

Li gathered Madison and Meilin and they huddled up. It was time for the game plan.

"We split up," Li began. "The silence didn't start until we came in here, so chances are, the Silence Card is still here. We'll walk through the crowd and look everywhere until we find it. Remember, Sakura said it looked like a walking cork. So if anyone sees a walking cork, walk back to the bathroom door and we'll meet back there. Let's go!"

They broke the huddle and split up. Li made his way through the crowd, who were moving around, obviously panicked by the sudden silence. He looked up on stage and found nothing. Obviously, something like the Silence Card wouldn't just be out in the open. Li looked up at the windows and didn't find anything.

He went up to the now abandoned stage and looked behind the curtain, but saw no sign of a walking cork. Then he looked back at the bathroom. He saw Madison and Meilin waving at him. Li jumped off the stage and ran to the bathroom door.

"What'd you find?" Li asked.

Of course, this is where things got difficult. Since neither one of them could speak, Madison tried to communicate using the universal language: charades.

Li tried to keep up. "Um…ok…first word. It's…two syllables. Ok…um…pointing…it's…skirt? No. Um…bottom? No. Oh…behind? Behind! All right…um…second word…it's one syllable. Um…hair? No…Air! AIR! Ok…third word. One syllable. Um…what are you doing? Wait…quack? No…duck? No…not duck…DUCT. Behind air duct!"

Li tried to look at the air duct through the corner of his eye. He could barely make out the Silence Card sitting behind the grate, but he didn't want the walking cork to see him. If it knew it was discovered, it would run away. Li knew what he had to do. It was Jersey all over again.

"Wait here, Madison," Li instructed. "Meilin, get in position over there and get ready to chase the Silence Card when it comes down. I'll be right back. Oh…and Madison? Get this on tape."

Li walked into the men's room, which by now had been abandoned. He stood up on one of the toilets, accidentally flushing it…to no sound. He climbed up and pulled out the grate of the air duct. Then he held up his sword.

"Force, know my plight! Release the light! Fire!"

A big flame shot out into the air duct, which went all the way in. Li expected to hear a big whoosh, but there was no sound. He couldn't see where the flame went, but he hoped it went where he thought. Li jumped off the toilet (his landing created no sound) and ran out of the bathroom. Just like he hoped, the flame flushed the Silence Card out and onto the front of the stage, where it landed with no sound. Meilin saw it in front of her and started chasing it towards Li.

The cork stopped on a dime as soon as it saw Li and took an abrupt right turn. Li gave chase and Madison followed with her camera in hand. Everything was going perfectly. The Silence Card was now running towards the exit door, which was ajar. It ran out, but then was met by Sakura, who was primed and ready.

"Silence Card! Return to your power confined! Silence Card!"

The Silence Card stumbled right into Sakura and was now sealed. Li breathed a sigh of relief, but decided to try a test. He pinched Meilin in the arm.

"OW!"

Li grinned. The silence was broken. "Sorry…just had to be sure." He looked at Sakura. "Great capture, Sakura."

"I think we can all take credit for this," Sakura said cheerfully.

"Hold it," Madison waved. "That's a perfect shot. Hold that pose."

Sakura posed for the camera while Li stuffed his sword in the duffel bag. The American Card of Cleveland had been sealed. Now the only thing was to find the next one.

Kero echoed his thoughts. "We have to find the next one, Sakura. You'd better take out Vision."

Sakura sighed and pulled out the Vision Card. Li just stood there and waited for Sakura find where the next American Card was.

"Vision! Release!"

Then it happened again. As with every other instance that Sakura called on the Vision Card, her eyes went blank. She stood frozen again. She was in the midst of her next vision. After another scary few minutes, the blank stare went away and Sakura stumbled forward. Li held her up and she gazed into his eyes.

Sakura was breathing heavily. "I…know where it is."

Kevin Carter waited in his hotel room in Charlotte. He couldn't believe that Cole wanted them to wait there. This was such a waste of his time. He could've been arranging for his vacation, but instead he was out on a wild goose chase. There haven't been any solid leads. They only seemed to arrive just in time to pick up the pieces. Finally, his phone rang.

"That might be our next lead," Cole said bluntly.

Carter sneered and picked up the phone. "Carter. Find anything, Chris?"

"Um…you might want to turn on ESPN right now."

"For what?"

"Just do it!"

Carter picked up the remote control and turned the TV to ESPN, which was showing NFL Prime Time. All he could see were highlights of the playoff game between the Tennessee Titans and the Baltimore Ravens.

"I don't see nothing."

"Wait for it."

Then Carter saw what he meant. He saw Jermaine Lewis backing up to receive a kickoff, and instead got dozens and dozens of footballs.

"Coincidence," Carter scoffed.

"There's more."

Carter could see that there was more. He saw the highlight of Eddie George running in a touchdown…and handing the ball to a certain Japanese girl.

"No. No way," Carter said in shock. "There's no way they could have been there, too."

"Still don't believe me?" he heard Cole ask.

"I don't know what to do, Chris," Carter said, ignoring Cole. "I just wish there was a way to actually be a step ahead of these four."

"I can't do anything about that, bro. All I can do is offer you another lead if I get one. Good luck."

Carter hung up in frustration. "I cannot believe this. How long are we supposed to do this, man?"

Cole got to his feet and started heading out. "As long as it takes."


Any comments? Then mail me at AmericanCaptor@hotmail.com and don't forget to review below.