Author's notes: I'm so sorry, you guys. I had stuff to upload yesterday,
but they disabled doc. Manager for repair. _ I'll get as many chapters up
today as possible. ^^
Chapter Eleven: Hey Wait, He Was On Our Side!
With his freehand, Brad pulled the bedspread down next to them and laid Schuldig on it. /I'll be back./
Schuldig looked after him. /Be careful./
/Am I ever anything but?/ Brad slipped into the hall, shutting the door to the private room behind him. They were two cars down, Schuldig had said.
Schuldig curled up in a ball, locating his friend with his mind. He located the telekinetic as well. This person was strong...
Brad was in the car next to the one that the telekinetic was in, and he could feel their presence. This wasn't a normal telekinetic, or a normal anything.
A link opened from Julia. /Are you after him?/
/Yes. I assume you are as well?/
/Of course. Where's Schuldig? Safe?/
/He's safe, yes. Do we have the element of surprise?/
/I sure hope so. I have no idea what other...talents this kid has.?/
/Do we know for sure it's a child?/
/I'm not sure about anything. Not even his level of power./ She stopped. /Here we go./
They were on the bridge outside between the cars, each with one hand on the door handle.
The doors few open before they were ready. They looked to see a small child in the center. He glared darkly. "I've been told you tried to escape Rosenkreuz."
"You have a talent for stating the fairly obvious." Brad said dryly.
The young boy turned his icy glare on him. "You obviously don't understand quite what you have done."
Brad smiled grimly. "I like to think of it as having a will to live. You can call it whatever you like."
"I call it stupidity."
"Good for you."
Crawford felt a strong grip around his throat. "I thought you had more sense in you."
"What do you want? And why is it such a crime to leave Rosenkreuz?" Brad gasped.
"You've seen too much. Know too much. That's the way of Rosenkreuz. It's not all fun and games as it was the day be the pool."
"You're really to young to have been so brainwashed, Nagi." Brad said. "You don't understand how it is in the real world. The world outside of being the freaks they make us out to be."
"I've seen enough!" He stopped to regain his cold composure. "Where's the telepath?"
"The telepath is none of your concern. He has nothing that could be of use to you. What are you going to do, Nagi? Kill us? You're going to start shedding blood at seven years old? You'll be dead before your eighteenth birthday, I guarantee it."
Nagi glared. "I'm doing what needs to be done."
Julia aimed at the child. "Get out of here, kid. You're in over your head." she warned quietly.
Nagi smiled. A smile too cold for a boy his age. "I am a telekinetic, Julia-san. I can stop a bullet."
Julia smiled darkly. "Technically, yes, you could."
"I can also kill your friend from in here."
"You kill him, I kill you, simple as that, little one. Believe me, it's possible. You wouldn't be the first telekinetic, and you wouldn't be the last."
"He's pretty close to gone as it is."
Julia lowered her weapon. "Give him air."
Nagi released his grip. "I don't think you understand, Julia-san. I meant your other friend."
/I thought you said he was safe./ Julia said, alarmed.
Nagi smirked. "Now you're getting it."
Crawford cursed and turned on the bridge outside the door. /Schuldig!/ Julia's mind whirled. This kid was smart.
Schuldig lay on the floor, pale. Ghostly pale. His eyes were blank as he stared into an abyss of nothing.
Nagi let Brad run, a smirk on his young features. "Fools." The boy said. Julia grit her teeth.
"What did you do to that boy?" she demanded.
"It's called air pressure. The lower it gets, the harder it is for people to breathe."
Schuldig tensed when Brad touched his arm. /I can't breathe,/ he whispered mentally. He coughed again, staring up with pain filled eyes.
Brad looked back towards the other car. /It's Nagi, Schuldig. I don't know how to stop him./
"He'll die, you know," the Japanese boy said from the doorway.
"Don't do this to him. You want a fight, I'll fight you. You want a sacrifice, I'll be it. Just leave him alone." Brad pleaded.
"You'll be next."
Brad closed his eyes and smiled. "And you'll be after us. They'll kill you as soon as you go back."
"Why do you say that? I'm doing this for them."
"You think they really care? You're just a puppet to do their dirty work. You're as expendable as the rest of us. I can see it." he spat the last part out at the boy.
Nagi sank back, dark eyes widening slightly. He released his grip on the German teen, who relaxed and did not move otherwise."
Brad rubbed Schuldig's arm. Julia came up behind them. "He knows, huh?" she asked.
"Knows?" the American echoed.
"That there's nothing special about working for Rosenkreuz."
/He was bound to find out sooner or later,/ a weak thought entered her mind.
She holstered her weapon and patted the shocked boy on the shoulder. "The question now is what to do with him."
Schuldig slowly opened his eyes. /You seem to be gaining more and more people, ne, Frauline?/
Julia rolled her eyes. "Yeah. If this keeps up I'll be taking the whole of Germany's youth back to Japan with me."
"Japan?" Nagi questioned. "I'm not going back there."
"You're not in a position to argue. You either go to Japan, you die here, or you die at Rosenkreuz." Julia replied.
Nagi's shoulders sunk. "Abby told me not to go. I should have listened..."
"Hai, you should have." The young woman said with a sigh. "I'm going to find a doctor on this train for Schuldig. You," she said to Nagi, "are coming with me."
Schuldig was now sitting up, leaning against the bed. "I think I'm okay now."
"Forget it. If you think you're going to get away without seeing someone, forget it. We'll be back."
Schuldig and Crawford watched Julia leave with the young Japanese boy trailing behind. Schuldig let his head hang and he took a deep breath, wincing as he did so.
Brad put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I can tell you I didn't see that one coming."
"Something caught even you off guard, ne?"
"Yeah. Even me." Brad sighed as he sat cross-legged next to the German.
Schuldig leaned forward, hand flying to his chest. He grimaced.
Brad automatically reached over, one hand on his back, the other hand catching the one against Schuldig's chest. "Hang on, she'll be back soon."
/I'm all right. Just hurts a little./
/I'm betting it hurts more than a little, unless you're immune to pain./
Schuldig inhaled deeply, but shuddered as he exhaled. He brought his hands to his mouth as he coughed again.
Brad rubbed Schuldig's back. He closed his eyes and looked into the future.
Schuldig looked back at him. His eyes were blank. The young telepath frowned and concentrated on what his friend was seeing.
Brad had known he would do that, and put up his mental shields, gently pushing Schuldig's mind away. It wasn't hard enough to give the boy a migraine, but enough to keep him out.
The German's frown deepened. "Fine," he grumbled.
Brad saw what he wanted to see, or rather he didn't see what he had feared would be there. They would be all right for the time being. "It's a personal thing, you know." he murmured.
"I'd just like to know what's ahead of us. I don't like being left in the dark."
"I know. You've told me that before. There's nothing ahead of us for the meantime. We're going to be all right."
Schuldig smiled and laid his head back against the bed. "I just hope we don't get any more unexpected visitors."
"I don't foresee it this time. But this time I'm looking."
Schuldig nodded, then suddenly tensed. His eyes became frantic. "Nein..." he whispered. His friend gave him a strange look. "Jack... He...."
"What? What are you hearing?" Brad asked.
Schuldig muttered something in rapid German. He struggled to get up.
The American kept him down. "Schuldig! Hey, focus here. What's the matter? What about Jack?"
"I'm not sure," he whispered. "He was screaming... I heard his voice... Brad they're gonna kill him."
Brad looked ahead, focusing on the man. His eyes widened briefly before he controlled his expression. Yes, they were going to kill him. There was nothing they could do about it.
"Brad?" The young teen's voice was pleading. "He's all I have left... I never should have left him."
"We can't go back Schuldig, we'll all get killed."
"Will he live?"
He had told him he wouldn't lie to him. "Iie."
Schuldig shook uncontrollably. He rambled off German so quickly that the young American couldn't follow.
Brad grabbed his shoulders. "Schuldig, slow down. Schuldig, there's nothing we can do. Schuldig..."
"I can hear Amy screaming... He's gone, but she's still screaming." A tear rolled down his pale face. "It's one thing to hear the screams of people you don't know, but I know them. They raised me. I...."
Just because, Brad closed his eyes again. It wasn't any use. Even if they could get off the train, they'd never make it back to the school in time. It just wouldn't happen.
Schuldig eyes were wide with fear. "He's gone," he whispered in quiet German.
"I know," Brad replied quietly. He wanted to shield Schuldig's mind from what was coming next, but he knew he'd never be forgiven.
Schuldig paled. "Nein..."
Brad watched him with pained eyes. He reached towards him in an offer of protection.
Schuldig choked back a sob. "They can't," he whispered. "Nein. They can't.... Abby won't have anyone left..."
"And she'll be like everyone else there," the oracle murmured.
"Amy and Jack never did anything."
"They didn't have to."
Schuldig heard a final scream before the young nurse was silenced and the voices faded. He continued to stare strait ahead, unblinking. A cold look entered his eyes. "I'll go back there someday," he stated quietly. "I'll kill them."
Crawford ran a hand over his eyes and stood. "I have no doubt."
Schuldig pounded his fist into the floor. He glared ahead of him. "We're going to be trained to kill, ne?" he asked, a small smile forming on his lips.
"You will be, yes."
"And you?"
Brad looked at him, his eyes hard, and face expressionless. "I'll only be practicing what I already know."
Schuldig stood, ignoring the pain in his chest. "I'll follow you, ya know? To the ends of the earth."
"Then I'll have to make sure we survive through everything to make it back from the ends of the earth." Brad replied honestly.
A wide grin spread across the German's face, but it did not hold any of the delight in normally did. "Will you help me kill them?"
There was a quiet pause. "Yes."
The door opened and Julia reentered. "Lie down," she commanded toward Schuldig.
An older man followed her into the room. "What seems to be the problem, young man?" he asked.
"It's really nothing much. I feel fine now." Nagi slipped into the room from behind Julia. He eyed the two friends.
"You should let him look you over." Brad said quietly, but firmly.
Schuldig nodded. /Whatever you say, fearless leader,/ he responded.
The American glared at him lightly. /Believe it./
Schuldig sat down on the edge of the bed and allowed the doctor to check for any lasting damage.
Nagi made his way over there. "Am I to stay with you?"
Brad looked over at Schuldig, who didn't look happy about being poked by the doctor. /What do you think?/
/I think I'm getting annoyed by this guy./ he answered with a frown.
He rolled his eyes. /Ignore him, then. What about the boy?/
/Oh, is that what you were talking about?/ Schuldig replied with a grin. /Your call./
/Let's keep him around. He'd make a better ally than enemy./
Crawford heard a mental laugh. /We have a chibi in our little group now./
/A dangerous chibi, mind you./ He looked at the boy. "Yes. You'll stay with us." "That's what I was afraid you'd say." Julia muttered.
"Crawford-san? You're clairvoyant, aren't you?"
"Yes, whether I like it or not. Why?"
"Do you know if Abby and her family will be all right?"
The two froze. /Would you hate me if I told him to ask you?/ Brad asked the German.
/I don't think I'll ever hate you./
Brad smiled briefly before meeting the younger boy's gaze. "Abby will be fine, Nagi. Just fine."
"She was worried about her sister," Nagi pressured the original question about her family.
"She won't have to worry anymore." Brad said.
"Amy's dead." Schuldig's voice had an icy coldness to it.
Brad shot him a glare. Nagi paled and stared at the green-blonde.
Schuldig winced slightly as the doctor hit where it hurt. /It's just the truth. You were avoiding it,/ he told Brad.
/He's seven years old. That's what you do with children. Or didn't you know?/ Brad replied. "Is he telling the truth?" Nagi whispered.
"I don't lie," Schuldig responded as he stood.
"No, he doesn't." Brad agreed.
/I never got that when I was a kid, so no, I don't know,/ the telepath's answer sounded in Crawford's mind.
/Well he won't know either, apparently./ Brad said. Julia leaned against the wall. "Jack's dead too, then. I can't feel him."
"Ja," the German answered. The doctor walked over and began to talk to Julia. Schuldig turned to his friend. /He'll live through it. They died, not him. It can't do anything but make him stronger, ne?/
/He's too young to be strong. It will just make him silent and hate the world and them as much as you do. And I suppose that's how it should be. Hating Rosenkreuz./
/It's ironic. Estet is what sponsors places like Rosenkreuz, yet we work for them when we escape./
/And one day, we'll take them right out from under their noses. That's ironic./
Schuldig smiled. "So how long until we reach Japan?" he asked Julia.
"We'll switch trains in Minsk, take a different train to Moscow, and catch a flight from there. All in all it will probably be a week. I don't feel safe taking a flight until we reach Russia."
The German frowned. "A whole week?"
"If you have a faster suggestion, I'm open." Julia said.
Schuldig shrugged. Nagi tugged at his shirt. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Brad snorted. He looked at Julia. "We should get off the train at Warsaw. It's only a day and a half from here. The flight will be safe."
"I'm fine," Schuldig reassured the young boy. Nagi nodded. /I cared about them too,/ the boy heard echo in his head.
Julia raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? If a plane crashes we have no hope."
"Brad'll see that before it happens," Schuldig responded confidently.
"It won't do us any good if we're already on the plane." Nagi said.
Schuldig shrugged again. "Do whatever you want."
Brad shook his head. "It's not that distant a future, thank you very much. We'll be fine. I personally don't want to be on this train for a whole week."
"Well, if you'll excuse me," the doctor, seemingly forgotten, said, "I think there is really nothing I can do here."
Julia looked over at him. "Thank you. He's not going to drop dead tomorrow, is he?"
The doctor smiled. "No he won't. He should be fine."
"Good. Thank you." Julia said. The doctor nodded and was gone.
"Doctors have the most boring thoughts on the face of this earth," Schuldig stated.
"Really? No juicy college stories, hmm?" Brad asked dryly.
"I didn't WANT to go that deep. I was afraid I might get lost in all of it."
Brad smirked. "Too many facts for that head of yours."
Schuldig glared. "Too much English."
"You can't speak English?" Nagi asked wondrously.
"Not well, anyway."
Nagi grinned. "Then I'm one step ahead of you."
"But I know several other languages, chibi, so don't get ahead of yourself."
"German and Japanese." Brad said.
Schuldig glared.
He smiled. "It's the truth, ne?" Julia's cell phone rang.
"I can't help it if my accent's too strong to speak English. That's not my fault."
"You just have to work on it. You can get it if you really tried." Brad said.
"Hello, Adrian. Oh, you heard about them, did you? Yeah. We're alive. Oh, Adrian, we have a third one." She frowned. "I can't help that. I'm not sending them back." She looked startled and glanced at Schuldig. She switched to English. "That's ridiculous, Adrian. They'll make do, or I'll train them myself. Yeah. Me too. Ja."
"What was that?" Schuldig asked.
"Nothing." Julia said. "That man...I swear...we've been in this business too long." she sighed. "We're definitely taking that flight from Warsaw."
"Why would you have to train us?"
Nagi gave him a strange look. "You said you didn't understand English.
"I said I didn't SPEAK English," the German responded.
She stared at Schuldig. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? I'd have to train you if Takatori wouldn't pay to have it done." /or other things./ She mused.
/What other things?/
Julia closed her eyes and cursed mentally. /I swear.../
/What other things?/ he repeated.
/If Takatori is not willing to train you, you will be killed. Or I will train you myself. He wanted one, not three. But he's getting three anyway./
Schuldig nodded and moved to the bed, sitting on the edge of it.
/And the reason I say that is because Adrian told me you'd be the first./
Schuldig closed his eyes. /Because my shields are weak?/
/He didn't say, but I would assume so./
/Then I'll show him how strong I can be./
/I don't think that will be necessary. I'll talk to Takatori, convince him that it would be worth his while to have three instead of one./
Nagi was looking between them, curiosity written on his face.
Julia sank into the chair. "Business, chibi ichi." she said.
"Will he take one as young as Nagi?" Schuldig asked.
Julia eyed the boy. "I think so. He's strong for his age. If he's trained well, he'll be out of this world as an adult."
"Yeah... strong...."
She grinned. "You would know."
"Ja," he answered, hand going to his chest.
"Gomen nasai, Schuldig-kun." Nagi mumbled.
Schuldig smirked. "Daijoubu," he answered.
"I think we should all get some sleep." Brad suggested.
"How many beds do we have, Julia?" Schuldig asked.
"The two twin beds in here. I can check and see if I can get an extra room." she said.
Nagi covered his mouth as he yawned. "Do you mind if I go on to bed?"
"If they don't mind, I don't see why not. I'll be right back." Julia said.
"Go ahead, chibi," Schuldig said. "Unless Brad cares."
"Nope, go ahead." Brad agreed.
Nagi nodded and climbed into the bed opposite of the one Schuldig was sitting on.
"If she can't find one I'll sleep in the passenger car." Brad said, yawning.
"I won't sleep much tonight anyway, so I don't care where I am," Schuldig stated.
"You should sleep in a bed." Brad replied.
"I won't sleep much tonight," he repeated.
"You should have a bed." Brad repeated.
"I really won't sleep that much. It's no big deal."
They were still staring at each other when Julia came back in the room. She watched them for a moment before clearing her throat. "I hate to interrupt the war of the minds..."
They both turned. "What?"
"I was able to find one bed, if one of you wants to stay here and the other wants to take it."
"You're going to need one, aren't you?" Schuldig asked.
"I have business I can take care of. It's not that important."
"I'll take the one in the other room then."
Julia nodded. "Sleep tight, you guys. I'll show where it is, Schuldig."
He nodded, following her out of the room. /Guess I'm taking a bed,/ he thought back at Crawford.
/I told you so./ Brad retorted.
/And I won't sleep much./
/More than you think./
/I don't want to sleep tonight./
/Good night, Schu./
/Night./
Chapter Eleven: Hey Wait, He Was On Our Side!
With his freehand, Brad pulled the bedspread down next to them and laid Schuldig on it. /I'll be back./
Schuldig looked after him. /Be careful./
/Am I ever anything but?/ Brad slipped into the hall, shutting the door to the private room behind him. They were two cars down, Schuldig had said.
Schuldig curled up in a ball, locating his friend with his mind. He located the telekinetic as well. This person was strong...
Brad was in the car next to the one that the telekinetic was in, and he could feel their presence. This wasn't a normal telekinetic, or a normal anything.
A link opened from Julia. /Are you after him?/
/Yes. I assume you are as well?/
/Of course. Where's Schuldig? Safe?/
/He's safe, yes. Do we have the element of surprise?/
/I sure hope so. I have no idea what other...talents this kid has.?/
/Do we know for sure it's a child?/
/I'm not sure about anything. Not even his level of power./ She stopped. /Here we go./
They were on the bridge outside between the cars, each with one hand on the door handle.
The doors few open before they were ready. They looked to see a small child in the center. He glared darkly. "I've been told you tried to escape Rosenkreuz."
"You have a talent for stating the fairly obvious." Brad said dryly.
The young boy turned his icy glare on him. "You obviously don't understand quite what you have done."
Brad smiled grimly. "I like to think of it as having a will to live. You can call it whatever you like."
"I call it stupidity."
"Good for you."
Crawford felt a strong grip around his throat. "I thought you had more sense in you."
"What do you want? And why is it such a crime to leave Rosenkreuz?" Brad gasped.
"You've seen too much. Know too much. That's the way of Rosenkreuz. It's not all fun and games as it was the day be the pool."
"You're really to young to have been so brainwashed, Nagi." Brad said. "You don't understand how it is in the real world. The world outside of being the freaks they make us out to be."
"I've seen enough!" He stopped to regain his cold composure. "Where's the telepath?"
"The telepath is none of your concern. He has nothing that could be of use to you. What are you going to do, Nagi? Kill us? You're going to start shedding blood at seven years old? You'll be dead before your eighteenth birthday, I guarantee it."
Nagi glared. "I'm doing what needs to be done."
Julia aimed at the child. "Get out of here, kid. You're in over your head." she warned quietly.
Nagi smiled. A smile too cold for a boy his age. "I am a telekinetic, Julia-san. I can stop a bullet."
Julia smiled darkly. "Technically, yes, you could."
"I can also kill your friend from in here."
"You kill him, I kill you, simple as that, little one. Believe me, it's possible. You wouldn't be the first telekinetic, and you wouldn't be the last."
"He's pretty close to gone as it is."
Julia lowered her weapon. "Give him air."
Nagi released his grip. "I don't think you understand, Julia-san. I meant your other friend."
/I thought you said he was safe./ Julia said, alarmed.
Nagi smirked. "Now you're getting it."
Crawford cursed and turned on the bridge outside the door. /Schuldig!/ Julia's mind whirled. This kid was smart.
Schuldig lay on the floor, pale. Ghostly pale. His eyes were blank as he stared into an abyss of nothing.
Nagi let Brad run, a smirk on his young features. "Fools." The boy said. Julia grit her teeth.
"What did you do to that boy?" she demanded.
"It's called air pressure. The lower it gets, the harder it is for people to breathe."
Schuldig tensed when Brad touched his arm. /I can't breathe,/ he whispered mentally. He coughed again, staring up with pain filled eyes.
Brad looked back towards the other car. /It's Nagi, Schuldig. I don't know how to stop him./
"He'll die, you know," the Japanese boy said from the doorway.
"Don't do this to him. You want a fight, I'll fight you. You want a sacrifice, I'll be it. Just leave him alone." Brad pleaded.
"You'll be next."
Brad closed his eyes and smiled. "And you'll be after us. They'll kill you as soon as you go back."
"Why do you say that? I'm doing this for them."
"You think they really care? You're just a puppet to do their dirty work. You're as expendable as the rest of us. I can see it." he spat the last part out at the boy.
Nagi sank back, dark eyes widening slightly. He released his grip on the German teen, who relaxed and did not move otherwise."
Brad rubbed Schuldig's arm. Julia came up behind them. "He knows, huh?" she asked.
"Knows?" the American echoed.
"That there's nothing special about working for Rosenkreuz."
/He was bound to find out sooner or later,/ a weak thought entered her mind.
She holstered her weapon and patted the shocked boy on the shoulder. "The question now is what to do with him."
Schuldig slowly opened his eyes. /You seem to be gaining more and more people, ne, Frauline?/
Julia rolled her eyes. "Yeah. If this keeps up I'll be taking the whole of Germany's youth back to Japan with me."
"Japan?" Nagi questioned. "I'm not going back there."
"You're not in a position to argue. You either go to Japan, you die here, or you die at Rosenkreuz." Julia replied.
Nagi's shoulders sunk. "Abby told me not to go. I should have listened..."
"Hai, you should have." The young woman said with a sigh. "I'm going to find a doctor on this train for Schuldig. You," she said to Nagi, "are coming with me."
Schuldig was now sitting up, leaning against the bed. "I think I'm okay now."
"Forget it. If you think you're going to get away without seeing someone, forget it. We'll be back."
Schuldig and Crawford watched Julia leave with the young Japanese boy trailing behind. Schuldig let his head hang and he took a deep breath, wincing as he did so.
Brad put a hand on his shoulder. "Well, I can tell you I didn't see that one coming."
"Something caught even you off guard, ne?"
"Yeah. Even me." Brad sighed as he sat cross-legged next to the German.
Schuldig leaned forward, hand flying to his chest. He grimaced.
Brad automatically reached over, one hand on his back, the other hand catching the one against Schuldig's chest. "Hang on, she'll be back soon."
/I'm all right. Just hurts a little./
/I'm betting it hurts more than a little, unless you're immune to pain./
Schuldig inhaled deeply, but shuddered as he exhaled. He brought his hands to his mouth as he coughed again.
Brad rubbed Schuldig's back. He closed his eyes and looked into the future.
Schuldig looked back at him. His eyes were blank. The young telepath frowned and concentrated on what his friend was seeing.
Brad had known he would do that, and put up his mental shields, gently pushing Schuldig's mind away. It wasn't hard enough to give the boy a migraine, but enough to keep him out.
The German's frown deepened. "Fine," he grumbled.
Brad saw what he wanted to see, or rather he didn't see what he had feared would be there. They would be all right for the time being. "It's a personal thing, you know." he murmured.
"I'd just like to know what's ahead of us. I don't like being left in the dark."
"I know. You've told me that before. There's nothing ahead of us for the meantime. We're going to be all right."
Schuldig smiled and laid his head back against the bed. "I just hope we don't get any more unexpected visitors."
"I don't foresee it this time. But this time I'm looking."
Schuldig nodded, then suddenly tensed. His eyes became frantic. "Nein..." he whispered. His friend gave him a strange look. "Jack... He...."
"What? What are you hearing?" Brad asked.
Schuldig muttered something in rapid German. He struggled to get up.
The American kept him down. "Schuldig! Hey, focus here. What's the matter? What about Jack?"
"I'm not sure," he whispered. "He was screaming... I heard his voice... Brad they're gonna kill him."
Brad looked ahead, focusing on the man. His eyes widened briefly before he controlled his expression. Yes, they were going to kill him. There was nothing they could do about it.
"Brad?" The young teen's voice was pleading. "He's all I have left... I never should have left him."
"We can't go back Schuldig, we'll all get killed."
"Will he live?"
He had told him he wouldn't lie to him. "Iie."
Schuldig shook uncontrollably. He rambled off German so quickly that the young American couldn't follow.
Brad grabbed his shoulders. "Schuldig, slow down. Schuldig, there's nothing we can do. Schuldig..."
"I can hear Amy screaming... He's gone, but she's still screaming." A tear rolled down his pale face. "It's one thing to hear the screams of people you don't know, but I know them. They raised me. I...."
Just because, Brad closed his eyes again. It wasn't any use. Even if they could get off the train, they'd never make it back to the school in time. It just wouldn't happen.
Schuldig eyes were wide with fear. "He's gone," he whispered in quiet German.
"I know," Brad replied quietly. He wanted to shield Schuldig's mind from what was coming next, but he knew he'd never be forgiven.
Schuldig paled. "Nein..."
Brad watched him with pained eyes. He reached towards him in an offer of protection.
Schuldig choked back a sob. "They can't," he whispered. "Nein. They can't.... Abby won't have anyone left..."
"And she'll be like everyone else there," the oracle murmured.
"Amy and Jack never did anything."
"They didn't have to."
Schuldig heard a final scream before the young nurse was silenced and the voices faded. He continued to stare strait ahead, unblinking. A cold look entered his eyes. "I'll go back there someday," he stated quietly. "I'll kill them."
Crawford ran a hand over his eyes and stood. "I have no doubt."
Schuldig pounded his fist into the floor. He glared ahead of him. "We're going to be trained to kill, ne?" he asked, a small smile forming on his lips.
"You will be, yes."
"And you?"
Brad looked at him, his eyes hard, and face expressionless. "I'll only be practicing what I already know."
Schuldig stood, ignoring the pain in his chest. "I'll follow you, ya know? To the ends of the earth."
"Then I'll have to make sure we survive through everything to make it back from the ends of the earth." Brad replied honestly.
A wide grin spread across the German's face, but it did not hold any of the delight in normally did. "Will you help me kill them?"
There was a quiet pause. "Yes."
The door opened and Julia reentered. "Lie down," she commanded toward Schuldig.
An older man followed her into the room. "What seems to be the problem, young man?" he asked.
"It's really nothing much. I feel fine now." Nagi slipped into the room from behind Julia. He eyed the two friends.
"You should let him look you over." Brad said quietly, but firmly.
Schuldig nodded. /Whatever you say, fearless leader,/ he responded.
The American glared at him lightly. /Believe it./
Schuldig sat down on the edge of the bed and allowed the doctor to check for any lasting damage.
Nagi made his way over there. "Am I to stay with you?"
Brad looked over at Schuldig, who didn't look happy about being poked by the doctor. /What do you think?/
/I think I'm getting annoyed by this guy./ he answered with a frown.
He rolled his eyes. /Ignore him, then. What about the boy?/
/Oh, is that what you were talking about?/ Schuldig replied with a grin. /Your call./
/Let's keep him around. He'd make a better ally than enemy./
Crawford heard a mental laugh. /We have a chibi in our little group now./
/A dangerous chibi, mind you./ He looked at the boy. "Yes. You'll stay with us." "That's what I was afraid you'd say." Julia muttered.
"Crawford-san? You're clairvoyant, aren't you?"
"Yes, whether I like it or not. Why?"
"Do you know if Abby and her family will be all right?"
The two froze. /Would you hate me if I told him to ask you?/ Brad asked the German.
/I don't think I'll ever hate you./
Brad smiled briefly before meeting the younger boy's gaze. "Abby will be fine, Nagi. Just fine."
"She was worried about her sister," Nagi pressured the original question about her family.
"She won't have to worry anymore." Brad said.
"Amy's dead." Schuldig's voice had an icy coldness to it.
Brad shot him a glare. Nagi paled and stared at the green-blonde.
Schuldig winced slightly as the doctor hit where it hurt. /It's just the truth. You were avoiding it,/ he told Brad.
/He's seven years old. That's what you do with children. Or didn't you know?/ Brad replied. "Is he telling the truth?" Nagi whispered.
"I don't lie," Schuldig responded as he stood.
"No, he doesn't." Brad agreed.
/I never got that when I was a kid, so no, I don't know,/ the telepath's answer sounded in Crawford's mind.
/Well he won't know either, apparently./ Brad said. Julia leaned against the wall. "Jack's dead too, then. I can't feel him."
"Ja," the German answered. The doctor walked over and began to talk to Julia. Schuldig turned to his friend. /He'll live through it. They died, not him. It can't do anything but make him stronger, ne?/
/He's too young to be strong. It will just make him silent and hate the world and them as much as you do. And I suppose that's how it should be. Hating Rosenkreuz./
/It's ironic. Estet is what sponsors places like Rosenkreuz, yet we work for them when we escape./
/And one day, we'll take them right out from under their noses. That's ironic./
Schuldig smiled. "So how long until we reach Japan?" he asked Julia.
"We'll switch trains in Minsk, take a different train to Moscow, and catch a flight from there. All in all it will probably be a week. I don't feel safe taking a flight until we reach Russia."
The German frowned. "A whole week?"
"If you have a faster suggestion, I'm open." Julia said.
Schuldig shrugged. Nagi tugged at his shirt. "I didn't hurt you, did I?"
Brad snorted. He looked at Julia. "We should get off the train at Warsaw. It's only a day and a half from here. The flight will be safe."
"I'm fine," Schuldig reassured the young boy. Nagi nodded. /I cared about them too,/ the boy heard echo in his head.
Julia raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? If a plane crashes we have no hope."
"Brad'll see that before it happens," Schuldig responded confidently.
"It won't do us any good if we're already on the plane." Nagi said.
Schuldig shrugged again. "Do whatever you want."
Brad shook his head. "It's not that distant a future, thank you very much. We'll be fine. I personally don't want to be on this train for a whole week."
"Well, if you'll excuse me," the doctor, seemingly forgotten, said, "I think there is really nothing I can do here."
Julia looked over at him. "Thank you. He's not going to drop dead tomorrow, is he?"
The doctor smiled. "No he won't. He should be fine."
"Good. Thank you." Julia said. The doctor nodded and was gone.
"Doctors have the most boring thoughts on the face of this earth," Schuldig stated.
"Really? No juicy college stories, hmm?" Brad asked dryly.
"I didn't WANT to go that deep. I was afraid I might get lost in all of it."
Brad smirked. "Too many facts for that head of yours."
Schuldig glared. "Too much English."
"You can't speak English?" Nagi asked wondrously.
"Not well, anyway."
Nagi grinned. "Then I'm one step ahead of you."
"But I know several other languages, chibi, so don't get ahead of yourself."
"German and Japanese." Brad said.
Schuldig glared.
He smiled. "It's the truth, ne?" Julia's cell phone rang.
"I can't help it if my accent's too strong to speak English. That's not my fault."
"You just have to work on it. You can get it if you really tried." Brad said.
"Hello, Adrian. Oh, you heard about them, did you? Yeah. We're alive. Oh, Adrian, we have a third one." She frowned. "I can't help that. I'm not sending them back." She looked startled and glanced at Schuldig. She switched to English. "That's ridiculous, Adrian. They'll make do, or I'll train them myself. Yeah. Me too. Ja."
"What was that?" Schuldig asked.
"Nothing." Julia said. "That man...I swear...we've been in this business too long." she sighed. "We're definitely taking that flight from Warsaw."
"Why would you have to train us?"
Nagi gave him a strange look. "You said you didn't understand English.
"I said I didn't SPEAK English," the German responded.
She stared at Schuldig. "You're full of surprises, aren't you? I'd have to train you if Takatori wouldn't pay to have it done." /or other things./ She mused.
/What other things?/
Julia closed her eyes and cursed mentally. /I swear.../
/What other things?/ he repeated.
/If Takatori is not willing to train you, you will be killed. Or I will train you myself. He wanted one, not three. But he's getting three anyway./
Schuldig nodded and moved to the bed, sitting on the edge of it.
/And the reason I say that is because Adrian told me you'd be the first./
Schuldig closed his eyes. /Because my shields are weak?/
/He didn't say, but I would assume so./
/Then I'll show him how strong I can be./
/I don't think that will be necessary. I'll talk to Takatori, convince him that it would be worth his while to have three instead of one./
Nagi was looking between them, curiosity written on his face.
Julia sank into the chair. "Business, chibi ichi." she said.
"Will he take one as young as Nagi?" Schuldig asked.
Julia eyed the boy. "I think so. He's strong for his age. If he's trained well, he'll be out of this world as an adult."
"Yeah... strong...."
She grinned. "You would know."
"Ja," he answered, hand going to his chest.
"Gomen nasai, Schuldig-kun." Nagi mumbled.
Schuldig smirked. "Daijoubu," he answered.
"I think we should all get some sleep." Brad suggested.
"How many beds do we have, Julia?" Schuldig asked.
"The two twin beds in here. I can check and see if I can get an extra room." she said.
Nagi covered his mouth as he yawned. "Do you mind if I go on to bed?"
"If they don't mind, I don't see why not. I'll be right back." Julia said.
"Go ahead, chibi," Schuldig said. "Unless Brad cares."
"Nope, go ahead." Brad agreed.
Nagi nodded and climbed into the bed opposite of the one Schuldig was sitting on.
"If she can't find one I'll sleep in the passenger car." Brad said, yawning.
"I won't sleep much tonight anyway, so I don't care where I am," Schuldig stated.
"You should sleep in a bed." Brad replied.
"I won't sleep much tonight," he repeated.
"You should have a bed." Brad repeated.
"I really won't sleep that much. It's no big deal."
They were still staring at each other when Julia came back in the room. She watched them for a moment before clearing her throat. "I hate to interrupt the war of the minds..."
They both turned. "What?"
"I was able to find one bed, if one of you wants to stay here and the other wants to take it."
"You're going to need one, aren't you?" Schuldig asked.
"I have business I can take care of. It's not that important."
"I'll take the one in the other room then."
Julia nodded. "Sleep tight, you guys. I'll show where it is, Schuldig."
He nodded, following her out of the room. /Guess I'm taking a bed,/ he thought back at Crawford.
/I told you so./ Brad retorted.
/And I won't sleep much./
/More than you think./
/I don't want to sleep tonight./
/Good night, Schu./
/Night./