Well I'm back and here's another chapter sorry for not replying in the last chapter. The dam HMI (Her Majesty's Inspectors) are coming to my school so I'll be busy but I'll keep updating every week or so.

"…" Speech '…' Thought … Implied words

Disclaimer: I own nothing


Chapter 7: Tell me

Kai's crimson orbs fluttered awake, his eyes opened slowly to stare at the ceiling. Slowly he hauled himself into a sitting position, where upon he surveyed the familiar scenery. Fragments of last night's episode slipped into the back of his consciousness and reminded him of the danger they were now all.

He couldn't understand why his grandfather was being twice as possessive as he usually was. Once Kai had completed his training he had allowed him to leave sometimes for months as long as his grandfather knew where Kai was and could call him back anytime so why was he so desperate for Kai to return now?

"Unless…" Kai trailed off. He didn't want to think about it right now. He needed something to take his mind of the memory. Swinging his legs over the side he cast a quick glance at his still sleeping ex-
team-mate before shutting himself into the bathroom for his normal, daily sanitary duties.

Rei moaned at the sound of the door slamming shut. He rolled over in his bed, considering whether he should leave his warm shelter or not.

When Kai emerged from the bathroom he made his way to his duffel bag and withdrew a CD player from his bag, aware but choosing to ignore Rei's amber eyes watching him.

Kai browsed through the assortment of CD's lying scattered on the hotel table. His fingers rapidly flicked past each one, allowing him five seconds to glance at the title before moving on.

Why was he with the team? He had no right to be with them anymore, he had resigned. Why was he staying here? Maybe it was to protect them but then again he wasn't leader so he didn't have those duties anymore unless…

'No,' his mind said firmly. 'I'm incapable of feeling or caring for anyone, there's some other reason. Biovolt could gain the upper hand if they caught them and forced them for information, I'm just making sure they don't say anything to them, that's the only reason I'm here'
Pleased with his new purpose for staying he continued to scan through the CD's. After much contemplation he selected one CD and popped it into his CD player.

"Are you gonna do that all day?" Kai asked, but if he was irritated he didn't show it in his voice of features.

"Sorry," Rei apologised; a tinge of pink crept into his cheeks at his embarrassing actions. "I was just thinking about everything that's happened, I bet everyone's confused."

Kai let out a small grunt to prove that he was listening.

"Well don't you think you should clarify things for them?" Rei suggested. "Maybe we could work out a plan."

Kai sighed, what were they expecting him to do? Have a huge mission briefing like the ones in computer games? Then again they were involved in this though Kai wished that they weren't, they had to know what was going on. The most logical thing to do, Kai assumed was to give them a sufficient amount of knowledge to keep themselves out of trouble but not enough for them to get too involved.

'Why?' His mind questioned his logic. 'Why tell them anything? You're not responsible for what they do or if they get hurt.' Kai shook his head to purge himself of such thoughts. If they knew enough then they should be smart enough to keep put of his business.

"Biovolt is after me, they want me to work for them again." Kai explained. "And if I won't work for them then I am to be eliminated."

"What?" Rei jumped of his bed. "Kai! We won't let that happen! We're your friends no matter what and we'll be here to help you. We won't leave you!"

Kai rolled his eyes at Rei's speech, the dramatic; friends-to-the-end dialogue that you found in so many movies was just too cliché. The saddest part, in Kai's opinion, was that Rei didn't realise that he didn't mean what he was saying to Kai. Rei didn't realise that one day he would not need Kai anymore.

'Only wanted when needed and then discarded later on…they don't even know that they'll do what they insist on never doing.'

"They're after the others too, after that interruption they must be pretty pissed. Tell the others to watch their backs." Kai informed Rei.

"Should we tell the police?" Rei asked.
"The police work for Biovolt," Kai stated simply. "If I were you I'd go see Takao and Kenny, make sure they know too."

Rei frowned at the brief answers he was receiving from the phoenix. They were not enough to satisfy his curiosity and he still suspected that Kai was not being entirely open with his answers.

"Why do they want you back so badly Kai?" He had hit the nail straight on. He had unknowingly voiced the question that dwelled inside the crimson eyed blader for so long.

"Isn't it obvious?" Kai said, with just a small hint of uneasiness in his voice. Rei caught the hint.

"I know you're the grandson of the boss there and I know you're a pretty good blader but there has to be something else if they're prepared to resort to murder."

Kai inwardly sighed at being caught so easily. There was nothing for him to do but tell Rei the absolute truth. "When I was seven or around that age I was chosen to take part in an experiment."

Rei listened intently to Kai's words as he revealed a part of his past.

"Voltaire is an old man, his time to go is coming soon but he's trying to stay alive so he did months of research and finally the Biovolt scientists invented this drug to try and cheat death. They had told me that it was to help my skills but I knew better." Kai trailed off as if what he had to say next was too painful but Rei urged him on. "So…they tested the drug on me. The drug was supposed to repair and protect the body from the effects of ageing. It was to preserve the immune system, the brain, muscles, everything so time wouldn't make weaken me."

"Wait, what do you mean supposed?" Rei interrupted.

"It didn't work," Kai answered. "But they came pretty close, I think they're trying it again but they need to study me again to obtain the test data inside of me to help them."

Rei understood it now, this time it made more sense. Voltaire was obviously getting older and older and he needed that data to stay alive, he needed the information he could get from Kai.

"Wait," Rei said again. "If he needs you then why is he trying to kill you?"

"They need me alive but my grandfather's always been possessive, if he can't get that data then no one will," Kai spat.

"Kai…" Rei began but Kai knew what he was going to say and interrupted him.

"Don't be sorry for me, I don't want your pity," Kai said calmly.

Rei fidgeted in the silence that ensued. Maybe he should tell Kenny and Takao now; it would be a good excuse to leave not that he was uncomfortable with Kai but because the silence was eating away at him. Rei rose from his sitting position in his bed to get changed, when he emerged Kai was gone.

Later

They had taken it the information well considering the circumstances though Takao hadn't been awake yet so he had passed the information on to Kenny.

It was a chilly morning, the sky was a crisp pale blue and adorned with fluffy white clouds, birds tittered in the bleak morning sun, it was not as cheerful as the previous morning but for Rei it matched his mood perfectly.

He strolled down the park in the cold morning light, hugging his BBA coat close to his body to keep him insulated.

'Dam, why does Russia have to be so cold?' Rei shivered. He wanted nothing more than to go back to the hotel and snuggle up in bed again but he couldn't. He was supposed to see Max today though Max wouldn't be able hear or see him he might just be able to appreciate the presence of someone close to him.

'Just my luck I was supposed to go with Takao to see Max but it looks like I'll be going on my own until he wakes.'

There was no snow on the ground but patches of detestable frost lay over the ground and over benches and trees. The cold air nipped Rei's bare hands with their frozen teeth and the white wind swirled around him in cold blasts, sending his hair billowing into the air.

Even though exiting the park meant that he was a little closer to a warm building he couldn't help feel a little sad that he was leaving such a nice and tranquil retreat. He turned to imprint the location of the park in his mind; he had to remember that place for future reference.

"Now!" Someone shouted. As Rei spun round to meet two large figures, before he could react to the situation a damp cloth was pressed against his nose and mouth.

Amber eyes shot open and then almost instantly drifted shut. He felt suddenly sleepy as he struggled to stay conscious but it was too hard.

One of the men caught Rei's limp body and dragged the boy into the back of a nearby van. They then hopped into the white van before driving off.

Kai could remember this park from long ago, though his memory was still fuzzy the feeling of the fresh, crisp morning air against his skin and the soft crunch of frost being crushed under foot brought back those familiar, nostalgic memories.

'I think this is the only part of my childhood that doesn't include beating, punishing or training…oh wait, I think Boris made me knock down a couple of trees with my blade somewhere around here,' Kai continued to muse as he reached the end of the park.

The stroll through the park had been too short but it was somewhat pleasant; a feeling he had not experienced in for a long time.

'This is a good place to come and clear your mind,' Kai considered walking back through the park just to be able to appreciate the calm serenity once more but he had no time for such trivial things.

'Who wants a bunch of amateurs dragging you down? It's best if I leave after everything is over,' Kai's mind wandered to the subject of his former team. 'They say they care and maybe they do now but they won't in a few months, they're just use me and discard me…just like Hikaru."

As he walked he noticed two men in black load something into the back of a van. His eyes widened as he caught sight of raven black hair but before he could do anything they drove off.

"Taxi!" Kai yelled. A yellow taxi parked in front of Kai, there were always taxi's on the move around Russia so it wasn't surprising to find one so quickly.

"Where to?" The taxi driver awaited directions. Kai spoke a few words in Russian to the taxi driver and he began to drive.

Unknown location

Rei was immediately greeted with a splitting headache as his eyes drifted open. Everything looked blurry and sounded muffled, it took a while for his eyes to adjust to his surroundings and his hearing to recover fully.

Once he could see well or at least well enough he scanned his surroundings. He guessed he was in some sort of abandoned building. The room was cold and bare with dust covering most of the dilapidated building, the windows were all broken and boarded up, there was no carpet, only a stone floor with scattered fragments of glass strewn across it and the once painted walls were peeling and leaking in some places. The only thing intact was the door and that too was filthy.

Rei tried to move but his muscles ached with fatigue and his legs and hands were bound with thick cord. Slowly he recalled the last moments before he had lost consciousness. The two men were definitely working for Biovolt but what did they want from him?

'…They're after the others too, after that interruption they must be pretty pissed. Tell the others to watch their backs…'

Rei groaned at his own laxity, he had totally disregarded all of Kai's warnings. How could he be so careless? He had to escape before the men came back but how? Then something clicked. He lay down on the dirty floor and rolled in the direction of the broken glass.

'And I just had a shower too,' Rei moaned. 'Well it was convenient for them to leave glass all over the place, Kai was right, they are idiots.'

Rei winced as he rolled over jagged pieces of glass as some of them pierced through his skin while he searched for an appropriate piece of glass.

Finally he found a large, sharp piece of green glass to cut his bonds. Rolling onto his back he picked it up with his tied hands and began working immediately on sawing through the cord.

"Hey, what are you doing?" One of the men approached Rei suspiciously as he shut the door behind him.

Rei dropped the piece of glass in shock; it fell to the ground with a slight ping sound.

"Hey, what was that?" The guard was alerted by the minor sound and advanced even further.

Rei silently cursed his clumsiness; he cast a watchful eye on the advancing guard as he groped around for the glass behind his back.

'Just a little more!' Rei thought as he resumed sawing through the rope.

"What are you up to, brat?" The guard leered at him.

Rei's hands finally came free and he vaulted himself up with his now free hands, slashing the guard with the piece of glass across the cheek. The guard stumbled back and roared with pain, clutching his throbbing cheek.

Rei used the slight distraction to immediately begin untying his legs. The cord slid off but he hardly had any time to enjoy the freedom because the guard lunged for him. He urged his exhausted muscles to dodge the attack and make a dash for the door.

"Come back here, kid!" The man bellowed furiously as he chased Rei through the next room, down the corridor and to the door.

'Just a little further!' Rei assured his tired muscles as they complained and ached in their protest.

As he neared the door it burst open, making Rei skid to a halt to stop colliding into the person in the doorway.

"You're going no where," the person pointed a gun at Rei.

"Voltaire?"


I know there was no Takao or Kenny but I'm focusing on Rei and Kai for now. Oh and if any of you are wondering who Hikaru is all will be explained later.