Being the only two people in the warehouse for a change was a unique experience. Talon had heated up a cup of coffee for Konemi and they sat together on a pair of crates. She had stopped crying and started being cold, her choice of atire was hardly suitable for the month of November. It was because of this that Konemi was now wearing a warm blanket also provided by Talon.

"My father was murdered."

Talon looked at the girl. "You said that before. Everyone agreed it was an accident didn't they?"

"I was there. He was dancing against Macabre. Everything was going well. My father won, he should have lived."

"How do you know he was murdered?"

Konemi looked at Talon. "New York Jam never changes their visors. If it had been an accident, others would have died before then. Someone rigged it to kill when my dad played, whether he won or not."

"And let me guess. You're here looking for your father's killer."

"They checked it over and found nothing wrong. So they sold it back on the market. The visor ended up here."

"I still don't get it."

"Every time a DCer logs onto a visor it's recorded. Sort of a way of keeping track and making sure the combat disc is with the right person. Even regular DCers are recorded when their visor data is transfered to the monitor. Regardless, everyone who logs onto that visor is recorded on the backup data files. The same person who killed my father had to have access to the visor sometime before the match, he would have had to log on."

Talon nodded. "And he would have been recorded."

"I find the visor with my father's log and I can find out who killed him and why." She sighed. "It should be simple, but it's been nearly 3 weeks and I've found nothing."

He smiled. "Well you know, Hunter doesn't keep all the visors he gets. He does sell them."

Konemi smiled sadly, bowing her head. "I was hoping I had gotten here in time to find it. I need to know what happened."

"I'll help you any way I can."

Only a moment after Talon's promise the celebrating Black Falcons continued their party on in the warehouse. Noise flooded into the room as the fires were lit and food was thrown around.

Legolas laughed, putting his arm around Dean and raising a bottle into the air. "Your girl saved our lives Talon! Got moves like the Konami King!"

Konemi looked up, a tear in her eye, and Talon thought for a moment that she might cry again. The girl wiped away her tear and stood up. She looked at Talon for support, then turned back to the group. "Louis Patriarch was my father."

Nick nodded somberly, no one else was more aware of this revelation. Although it seemed the entire warehouse had gone into shock. Everyone was silent. The daughter of the great dance king was here, in their makeshift home no less. Konemi stood there, feeling very awkward as all eyes were on her. Finally she nodded to Talon and the others and left for the news to sink in. She could not yet bare to answer the questions that would no doubt be coming after the initial shock had worn off.



Konemi stared down at the broken street, following the cracks in cement. She didn't feel like going anywhere, just walking. Sighing the girl looked up to the stars. "Father I miss you."

Sometimes she really did wonder if her father could hear her. Konemi wanted so badly to be back with him. They had been so close, he had been the one to teach her to dance. His death had come as a complete shock, it was too sudden, she hadn't even said goodbye.

When Konemi looked up she began to realize she was further from any familier location then she had ever been. It wasn't until she took a look around that she noticed The Dance Rave further down on the other side of the street. She had unconciously started on her way back. Her attention was diverted when she caught sight of Inferno standing just a few feet away against a building.

"So you're Jen Patriarch."

The girl looked at Inferno, not flinching, not backing down. When she didn't speak Inferno only smiled. "Come with me."

"Why?"

Inferno looked at Konemi, frowning slightly with hard eyes. "You're safe. I just wanna talk."

If Inferno's assurences she would not be harmed wern't enough she was approached by two others. Konemi looked briefly at the two then nodded, letting Inferno lead her away.

She was lead to what looked like an old office building. Like her own apartment building Konemi thought it a miracle that the structure still stood and looked like it could topple at the slightest breeze. But these buildings had withstood worse and the fact that it was still standing was good enough for the residents withen the district.

Withen it wasn't all that different from the warehouse of the Black Falcons and Konemi wondered if sometimes they consulted on decorating tips. There were about twenty counting the two who had escorted her. The one who caught her attention though was the young man in the back, she had seen him on several occasions before. The guy barely said a word, always wearing the black coat and bodysuit with the image of a dragon. Among everyone there, he seemed to command the most respect.

Inferno smiled at Konemi and walked ahead, turning around to face her. "And you said you couldn't dance."

"I said that I didn't dance. I never told you that I couldn't"

"Yea, but Talon changed your mind. Anyway you're still lieing. Well, welcome to our home."

"You're not going to introduce me?"

Chem smiled, leaning back on her chair. "We all know who you are. If you want to know us. You'll just have to ask."

"You didn't bring me here just to visit did you?"

Inferno became serious. "You're right, I didn't." He looked over to the group, singling out another boy. "Glitch, over here."

A boy no more then 16 entered, he wore a normal blue tinted visor on his head which was the most noticable thing about him as he stepped up next to Inferno.

Inferno grinned. "Glitch here is the best engineer this side of chicago."

Glitch nodded. "I can rig just about anything. You name it."

"What about Linux?"

Glitch grinned. "Linux may be a hacking wiz, but there ain't no way she can rig up a radio."

Inferno smiled. "Glitch has us rigged up our own dance stage."

Konemi looked ahead, now noticing the double-square stage of tiles, two visors on a table next to them. Inferno grinned smugly. "Ya up to a game?"

Konemi didn't say a word as he lead her to the stage, she pickedup a visor and stared at it, holding it in her hands.

"Ya done bonding or ya gonna put that visor on?"

"You want to duel me?"

"Whats it look like?"

"Leave it be Inferno."

Konemi looked over at Shenlong. This was the first time she heard the man speak since she arrived. Inferno glared and pointed his finger at the other dancer in warning. "You stay out of this Shenlong." He then turned back to Konemi. "Put it on. Lets see what ya got."

Shenlong stepped forward, his commanding appearence drawing all eyes to him. He stopped in front of Inferno, staring him down. "Let's let her get some rest."

Inferno narrowed his eyes at Shenlong. The tension could be cut with a knife and it was clear that Inferno didn't want to back down. Shenlong didn't flinch, refusing to back down from the challenge. Finally Inferno conceded. "Fine, let her go. Kinda makes you wonder though why daughter of the great Konami King finds herself out here."

Konemi checked her beret, making sure it was securly on her head. She didn't say a word to Shenlong, Inferno, or anyone as she walked across the loby of the building and quietly left.

She hurried back to her temporary home, not wanting to encounter anymore trouble. Konemi just wanted to be left alone for the moment. They all knew now so there was no hiding it. She sighed sitting down on her bed what would happen now? Carefuly she removed her beret, turning it over and staring at the visor she had managed to smuggle out. Maybe.