The disclaimer is in the first chapter…^_^

A/N: Oh, God… I guess I did it again, didn't I… I'm so sorry for not updating in another eternity! I guess I won't try to make another promise about trying to be quicker with the next chapter this time. Though of course I will not be lazy about it. Maybe I just need time? I have some kind of block on this fic, but well, something that I can promise, is that I will continue writing this until it's done, okay? I won't abandon it ever. :)  And sorry about the "going back and forth" about deciding when to update too… I hope you can forgive me! ^_^

And thank you, thank you, thank you for the absolutely wonderful reviews! I still can't believe I got so many…:)

Thank you so much to: Soleo, RyoTay Moi, ColourBlind, LiCat (jag gjorde mitt bästa…^_^ fast det tog lite tid…), Light^-^, secretshadow, Daisuke Mad, zara, The_SODU, tora-chan, Bouzi Neo, Ami Angel, Wildfire's Flame, WildfireFriendship, evi (nope, no hentai^^ lol), Crysie*Aka Sapphire Goddess, silke, Triple P, joyeuse femme en pain d'epices (sorry… I kind of did take forever to update again, didn't I..?), Kodachrome, yamatoforever, Jenihepen, jenna, Rizzo-the-Rat, White Lily, JammyB, Yuki-chan, and Anacondra17!

X.X.X by ThatGirl

~chapter three~

The artificial light of a torch shone on a black box in Ozaki's hand. He opened it and threw the cover on the asphalted ground.
"This is without question our boy, Imai." the wiry man said, eyeing through the box's contents. He held up a paper, released the box and let it fall to the ground, making the other stuff that had been in it, a few apples and a pen, roll out in the dirt of the ground.

"What is it?" Imai asked, coming up behind the other man.

"The bit of information he managed to steal." Ozaki handed over the document to Imai. "It's not much, but it's enough."

"Nobody would believe him."

"I know."

Imai gave the sheet of paper to Ozaki again, who picked up a lighter. The moment after, the paper was on fire.

"Just for sure."

In the corner of the blind alley, Tai still huddled with the sleeping Matt in his arms, protected by the shadows. There was no doubt in Tai's mind that Matt's story was true now. His heart beat like if he had been running a marathon.

"Now, all we have to do is to find our dear boy. Search the area. He can't be very far away," Ozaki ordered and Tai saw how the flashlights' beams started to investigate the walls of the surrounding buildings.

He knew they were trapped. They wouldn't have anywhere to run if the two agents would find them, and Matt was still asleep. It would take miracle to make get them out of here in one piece. A miracle and two tons of luck. Panic rose inside of Tai and it got harder to breathe. Grasping Matt's body tighter, he waited for the right moment.

Imai made his way further into the dead end and Tai kept as silent as possible. As the tall, muscular man examined something in the left corner, Tai drew a deep breath, the fear tearing in his stomach. Then he bolted up, still clutching Matt's slim frame, and dashed passed both Imai and Ozaki before they had the chance to do anything.

Matt's eyes shot open just in time to see a bullet hit the bricks in the wall beside him. He was moving, fast, but not on his own. His first instincts were to get himself out of the grasp of the one holding him. He had no idea what was going on, and in one confused moment, he couldn't remember what had happened before at all, but then he noticed the familiar smell of someone he knew. Tai.

Tai?

Another bullet hissed past them.

"We want the boy alive, idiot!" An angry voice, drenched with self-proclaimed authority, shouted. Matt's blood froze at the recognition of it. "Just catch him and we'll take care of the other one later,"

Running footsteps were heard behind them. Tai turned right and after few moments, they were out of the back streets, moving quickly towards the main street.

Tai's breathing was getting harder, and the agents were taking in on them. He had noticed that Matt had woken up, however, he didn't dare to put him down on the ground to run by himself. It would take way too much time, but the extra weight made him slower than he would have been if he had been alone. Yet, he pushed himself to the limit, forcing his legs to keep on moving and doing so faster and faster.

The traffic lights were the only source of light there was, except for what the moon and stars could provide, and neither cars nor people could be seen. No one saw the teenagers' flight from the two black-suited men.

Ozaki yelled something to Imai, but Tai was too tired to make out what.

The adrenalin rush was beginning to wear off and he found himself gasping for air as he sprinted down the main street of Odaiba. He didn't have a clue where to run, but all he focused on was to get away from Ozaki and Imai. Soon, the river that ran right through the city, splitting it in two could be seen. Tai ran out on the massive bridge that went to the other side, ignoring he ache in his chest.

Maybe they would be safe if they made it across the bridge? There wasn't any other way to take in any case, so Tai pressed on.

When had come halfway over, a car suddenly went by them, its black, shiny lacquer reflecting the streetlamps'. With a screech, it stopped, turning around 180 degrees so that it blocked the road for them.

Tai stopped abruptly and Ozaki stepped out of the car, sneering at them.

Matt struggled a bit in Tai's arms and Tai let him down in the ground. Still panting hard, the brunette spun around, only to see Imai standing there, one of those odd guns pointed right at them.

Matt's lips were pressed together and his eyes were as hard as stone and he looked daggers at Ozaki. The man just kept on sneering at them, though, as he calmly picked up a gun of his own.

After a while, Matt broke the deafening silence.

"What do you want? Just let us go. At least Tai,"

"Tai," Ozaki repeated. "So that's his name."

Then he started sniggering quietly.

"Let you go?"

The sniggering grew louder.
"You must be joking! Let you go? Oh, my dear Yamato…"

Ozaki was actually laughing at him. Matt felt anger rise inside of him.

"What's so funny? Let us go, or I'll--"

"Or you'll what?" Ozaki's laughter had died quickly and was now replaced with a threatening face. Then his head was thrown to the side, as if someone smacked him across the cheek.

"Fuck. You." Matt hissed, his fists clenched and his eyes glaring ice.

His mouth hanging open, Tai could only stare. He almost couldn't believe his eyes. What just happened?

BANG

A gunshot snapped him out of his thoughts.

"None of that shit, boy," Imai lowered the gun, once again pointing it at them.

Matt turned back to Ozaki. The man rubbed his sore cheek, gritting his teeth.

"You'll pay for that, Yamato Ishida," he said in a low menacing tone that sent shivers down Matt's spine, spitting out the words as if they were all too sour apples.

He started to make his way in the direction of the two teens and Imai did the same on the other side of them. There was nowhere to run.

Tai considered every possibility desperately, even though there weren't many of them.

Tight spot my ass, he thought. This is more like a 'choking-spot' or something

They backed away from the two approaching agents until the finally bumped into the banister of the bridge. Matt turned his head, gazing down into the water there, deeply below them.
Maybe…?

Matt glanced at Tai and their eyes locked. They both had the same thing in mind and grasping each other's hands, they swung themselves over the banister…

Sucking in a sharp lungful of air, the wind ruffled Matt's hair as if it wanted to tear it off and the seconds they were falling were like one year each. Their screams ripped through the night as jagged daggers, but they weren't aware of them. The only things that were swishing through their heads were the feeling of slight nausea and lights that swirled like firecrackers and sounds and alarms from nowhere that were shredding their thoughts in two. The flying, whirling, frightening and yet giddy sensation ended abruptly by the impact of the water.

They hit and split the surface with their feet first, never letting go of the other's hand. The river was freezing and it spun them around in fierce underwater steams until they didn't know what was up or down. Matt opened his eyes and could barely make out the blurry shape of Tai in front of him. He reached out his other hand to grab Tai's left one, not wanting the stream to separate them. Tai took the hand. Then the water made them gyrate and they had to tighten their hands. Matt wanted to scream, but instead squeezed his eyes shit and gritted his teeth. His lungs were on fire, needing oxygen, and that fast. It was like if a thousand needles pricked his skin and he started to loose feeling in it. At first his feet and hands, then the needles moved all over his body, making it numb with both cold and suffocation. Slowly, ever so slowly, the needles moved up his neck and made their way across his face. Every little muscle seemed to relax, just stop functioning, and he wondered where and how Tai was. That thought was the last thing he was aware of before the anaesthetized needle feeling settled in is mind as well, and he was out cold.

Whooosh… Whooosh…

The sound of waves reached Matt's ears.

Whooosh… Whooosh…

Where was he?

Whooosh… Whooosh…

His mind being a cloudy haze, it was difficult to focus on anything and it was even harder to try to clear it. Someone held his hands… Who…? His head hurt when he tried to recall anything of what had happened.

Matt moved his fingers feebly, and with that action, the feeling in his entire body started to come back; he was lying on the ground, in sand to be exact, and the water ruffled his hair as it was sucked back into the river, then pushed up on the shore another time. Just to and fro… To and fro… To and fro…

Whooosh… Whooosh…

No! Don't fall asleep, Matt ordered himself. Despite the drowsiness that was drenching his senses, he opened his eyes. It was still dark outside and he rolled over, but then got caught in a coughing fit. He couldn't stop it and he was still too weak to sit up.

The one holding his hands finally moved. He, or at least Matt thought it was a he, let go of Matt's hands and lifted him off the ground, patting his back harshly, helping him to cough out the water he had swallowed.

Still gasping for air, Matt at length managed to relax. He noticed that he was shivering.

Tai pushed away the damp, blond strands of hair that were plastered against Matt's face with gentle fingers. The smooth skin was cold as ice, as much as his own was. A chilly breeze swept by them and Tai wished that his clothes were dry and not as soaked as they were now.

The black, fogged up sky almost didn't provide any luminosity whatsoever; all you could make out by sight was the water and the faraway lights of the city. Everything else was as dark as in a closed cave.

Where were they?

How far had the river taken them?

Tai shakily stood up, a bit too fast though and he ignored a wave of nausea. Matt was still sitting limply in the sand by his feet.

"My head hurts…" Matt whispered faintly.

He must have hit it or something, Tai thought and bent down again, letting his hands fumble about in Matt's hair, searching for the bump that would surely be there if he had done so. When he didn't find one, the things Matt had told him before came back to him. Worry made his stomach turn. Did this have something to do with that?
Matt groaned quietly as the world swam before his eyes.

"Spinning…"

"We can't stay here," Tai said, put his hands under Matt's arms and dragged him to his feet. Matt felt his guts go round and instantly fell to the ground again, supporting himself on his hands and trying to keep himself from gagging. Then his arms gave out and he lay there helplessly, panting for air.

"Sorry…" The word was merely just a breath, barely audible.

"Shh." Tai said. "I'll just go explore this place a little, okay? I'll be back in a second. Okay? Matt?"

"Okay", Matt replied at last.

Tai nodded, though he knew Matt wouldn't be able to see it in the dark of the night, and took some careful steps away from the water and the shore.

Where were they? The river couldn't have brought them too far, could it? He hoped not.
There was grass under his feet, he noticed.
Why couldn't there be at least some light here?

He still almost wasn't able to believe this was actually happening, that everything he touched actually was real and not part of some kind of stupid dream. What would happen now?
There were so many questions… Did Matt feel the same? Or had he gotten so used to everything that he didn't even bother to think of it any longer?

A twig snapped under a foot somewhere in the darkness.

Tai stopped abruptly. He was sure that had not been Matt.

His breathing immediately changed into a slower, tenser one. Small needles of fear stung inside of him and he stood completely still. The seconds passed by like stretched hours.

Quiet. Not a sound from anywhere.

Tai reluctantly forced his muscles to relax somewhat. Maybe it was only imagination, he made himself think.
He breathed out and began making his way back to the shore, but before he had even taken the second step, something –someone- threw themselves over him. The heavy, muscled body pinned him to the ground, easily locking his arms behind his back in a painful grip. The man, he was sure it was a man, pressed a knee into Tai's back. Then he was dragged off the ground. The grip around his arms hardened. Tai winced, and then the man's other hand grabbed his neck. Not by the windpipe, by the back of it, by the spine and the muscles about it. The hand compressed, and Tai's entire back clenched in an unnatural way at the horrible feeling. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut. The man pulled him away with him, and Tai stumbled along the best he could.
It hurt… But then-

-Matt.

The name popped up in his head, and in that moment, his concentration on the pain disappeared.
Matt… he was still lying on the shore, he was all alone, he was still…

"Ozaki" The one that was holding him in such a rough way was definitely a man. That voice was too dark to have belonged to a female person. He once again compressed his hand, causing Tai to gasp and grimace.

"You are not the only one who has caught a prey." Tai could almost see the sneer crooking Ozaki's lips. Anger welled up inside of him. Then the man that had "caught" him, was Imai without a doubt.

How could they have found them so easily?
Ozaki lit a flashlight, pointing it directly in the eyes of Matt. His repulsive fingers slowly caressed his chin, tracing the outline of the under lip. Matt pressed his eyes closed tightly, trying to turn his face away, but Ozaki was holding it in a firm clasp. Tai wished he could get Ozaki away from the blonde.

"Look", Ozaki said in a mock tender tone. "Our own, little-" Ozaki didn't get to finish that sentence. His fingertips had gotten too close to Matt's mouth, and the boy had taken the chance at once. He had bitten them, and still hadn't let go with his sharp teeth. Ozaki screamed hoarsely, but Matt only clenched his jaw more, letting his teeth sink further into the flesh. The agent slammed the flashlight into the back of Matt's head. Tai watched with terror how the blue eyes widened for a split second, and then lost all expression.

Ozaki hissed, examining his fingers. Then he dragged the limp body of Matt up as he rose from the ground. Carrying Matt under one arm, he took the lead and began walking in the opposite direction Tai had gone when he had left Matt on the beach before.
Left Matt…

Imai followed, jerking Tai with him.

A/N: Oki, that's all for now… What do you think? Good, bad? Please review!