Chapter Eight: Thawing the Frost and Tracking the Lost.
Tyson pushed his way through the hoards of Beybladers that had gathered at the reception desk. His stomach whirred and lurched and he perspired cold, chill sweat. His eyes glanced around wildly, trying to catch a glimpse of somebody with answers, somebody who could help. His hands were shaking discreetly and he clenched them tight, his impatient flame rising brusquely.
"Man," he thought, gritting his teeth, "Let me through!"
He saw his opportunity and pushed his way through the crowd, often having to resort to crawling and sliding through people's legs. The hallway was heaving. People stood everywhere, crowded against each other, the air grew clammy and sweaty, and Tyson vaguely recalled the phrase "Like sardines in a tin". He was worried - frenziedly apprehensive about his Dragoon. To be plain he didn't know what he would do without it. Running the risk of sounding sentimental, Tyson was incalculably close to his Bit- Beast - and regarded it as his partner, his guardian and his comrade. He could actually feel fervent, flaming tears surging up behind his eyes as he clambered through the crowds. He blinked his eyes rapidly as he approached the reception desk. He wormed his way through and stood up.
"Hey!" he yelled, not seeming to care that every other Beyblader was doing this, "Where's my blade? Hello?"
Behind the desk was empty, but the Beybladers outside could see the vague silhouette of a man and a girl talking rapidly behind the glass door of the through room of the reception desk. The girl was waving her hands and shaking her head, and the man seemed to be doing the same.
Tyson banged on the desk angrily. "Hey, in there! Don't you realize this is serious? Get out here now!"
The silhouettes moved, stopped, and then the girl shook her head. Tyson supposed it was Michelle. But the man nodded and opened the door, and stepped out into the reception desk. It was Danny, the supervisor with the streaked hair whom Janine had spoken with earlier. The Beybladers gathered at the desk immediately created uproar, hurling a thousand questions straight at the poor guy. He put up his hands defensively.
"Ok, slow down. Quiet!"
Slowly the buzz died, and the bladers listened intently. Tyson gripped the edge of the desk with his hands.
"I know you're all worried, but we did ask you to stay in your seats! Now, yes, the Beyblades are gone-" He was interrupted with another roar of indignant cries, "Hush! They're gone, but we are positive that we can track them down quickly. You mustn't panic!"
"What do you mean?" yelled Tyson abruptly, "These are our blades you're talking about! You don't realize how important they are to us!"
Danny was about to answer when the door opened slightly more and Janine, fully clothed in her receptionist's uniform, slipped out. It was she who had been standing behind it. Her eyes were crimson from weeping and she kept them trailed to the floor. Tyson stared.
"Janine?"
She looked up, startled, and more tears escaped from her eyes and slid down her silky cheeks. Her lip quivered and trembled and she looked away, and she was about to make her way out of the reception desk and through the crowd of incensed bladers when Danny grabbed her hand. He mimed something to her inaudibly, trying to be inconspicuous, and she looked up into his face, panicked. Tyson, as he was close to the front, could hear every expression.
"You're the only one who had the keys!"
"But Dan-"
"I don't want any buts. I want you back here in five minutes. We'll discuss this inside. I'm watching you carefully, Janine."
With that, Janine wrenched her hand away, upset, more tears flowing from her blotchy eyes and beginning to leave channel marks down her face, and she stifled a sob and began to make her way through the throng. Tyson watched her, confused. Danny had a point - she was the only one with keys - but would she steal Beyblades? Why?
The other Beybladers didn't seem to notice Janine as she pushed her way blindly through them - there were a couple of bladers crying anyway so she somewhat intermingled. As Tyson turned back to the front desk to question Danny further, he was startled to see Rei and Max at his side.
"Guys! What are you doing?"
"We got desperate!" said Max with half a smile, trying his best to be cheerful but looking pale. Rei didn't look much better - his face all of a sudden looked thin and worried.
"Yeah, the fact that we didn't know what was happening was driving us crazy. Kai stayed at the edge of the crowd and Kenny stayed in the hall, but we decided we wanted a closer view."
Tyson nodded, shaken. Then they all turned to Danny.
"So how do you intend to track the blades?" asked Tyson briskly, getting straight to the point so as not to dissipate time. Danny sighed.
"I'm not sure yet. We already have a team of experts on the case. But I can promise you we'll get your blades back. Don't you worry about that."
"We'll be worried until our blades are safe in our hands again," said Max angrily, annoyed that Danny didn't seem to realize how precious their blades were.
"Do you think it was Janine?" asked Rei after a quick look around to make sure she wasn't listening. Danny shook his head.
"I'm not at liberty to divulge," he said, closing his eyes, "but . . ."
He raised his hands, shrugged very slowly, and then gave the three kids a look that suggested "Yes, but she'll sue me if I say it!" He then returned to the through room, leaving the Blade-Breakers perplexed, uptight, and very, very curious.
********
When Janine broke from the horde of people she sighed deeply, her throat jarring every now and then as a result of sobs she had kept down. Her vision was wobbly and she was sure that she looked like the perfect reflection of grief - red, blotchy eyes and nose, crying, sniffing. But she still hurried forwards. She just wanted to get into her room and throw herself on the bed. At least there she could cry in peace. Her insides were tearing themselves up with suppressed anger, disappointment, and shock.
At the thought of what she had been accused so abruptly of, another sob threatened to break out from her and split the air. She swallowed, her throat dry and sore, and wiped her shaking face with an already moist hand. Her shoulders shook and she ran forward, feeling that pointing fingers surrounded her, jeering, laughing, harsh words, hushed rumors . . .
"Oh!"
Janine stumbled as she collided head on with Kai. He looked her up and down, and she tried to hide her face. She didn't want him to see her like this.
"Janine?"
She looked up at his face, tears spilling uncontrollably now. She could no longer contain her grief silently and a wretched sob escaped from her, racking her shoulders and catching in her throat as it did so. She buried her face in her wet hands, tiny, salted tears trickling through her fingers. Her knees felt limp and she was almost dizzy. But, suddenly, she felt a strong arm wrap around her shuddering shoulders, slowly, tentatively, as if unsure . . . and then draw her close, tight, warm. She pressed her face against Kai's shoulder and chest, and he, sensing her need for comfort, held her tightly, feeling her body shaking gently against his own. He didn't feel uncomfortable, and he didn't feel strange, awkward, inadequate. This felt different.
Janine's knees, as she cried, grew weaker and weaker, and with a quick movement they buckled underneath her, the immense weight of her sorrow burdening her inexorably. She felt Kai tighten his grip. He supported her whilst the tears still flowed, and soon the sobs gently subsided. Still she clung to him, keeping her face buried in his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath he took. In due course, she pulled herself up and took her own deep breath. Drying tears still lay on her pale cheeks, but she slowly moved her eyes up his face and met his. She half expected the usually somber, pitiless, unforgiving brown eyes to stare down at her, to bore through her - but they were filled with compassion, affection, warmth and understanding. She almost smiled.
"Thank you."
She said it quietly, her voice cracked and thin, and he nodded, understanding. He then gently took her arm, and began to lead her up the stairs.
"What are we doing?"
"If anyone comes to look for you, they won't look in my room. It's quiet and you can tell me everything without interruption."
This time Janine smiled, a watery smile but a smile nevertheless. They arrived and she followed him into the room, taking a seat on his bed. He sat opposite in a straight-backed armchair and folded his arms. For a moment there was silence. She looked down at the floor; he looked out of the window. Then he spoke.
"I take it they accused you of stealing the blades."
Janine's throat tightened again. Just the thought of what she had been accused of was enough to make her cry once more. Kai saw how easily she became upset and smoothly came at it from another angle.
"I believe it wasn't you. I don't think that you'd do that - partially because you'd have no motivation and partially because you're not the type."
Janine smiled gratefully, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude. Never in her life had she been so relieved to hear someone agreeing with her, taking her side. She spoke, clearing her throat beforehand to make sure her voice didn't sound so cracked and feeble.
"They think it's me because I'm the only one with the keys to the safe where the Beyblades are kept. But I can't even find the keys myself! I last saw them just before I came to the Jacuzzi room."
"So you think someone may have stolen them?"
"Exactly."
Kai was silent. His mind flicked back to the shabby hotel they had stayed in, where Ronald had boarded their window and, according to Rei, tried to attack them in the middle of the pitch black darkness. He knew the evidence pointed to Ronald - but wasn't the case with Janine proof that the evidence doesn't always point in the right direction?
"Janine, I'm gonna tell you something I'm not sure I should."
"If you don't want me to, I won't tell a soul."
"I know. I trust you. Don't ask me why. I've known you half a day and I completely trust you."
Kai then launched into a description of what had happened at the airport, the lake, and the hotel, each time filling Janine in on what happened, who the Blade-Breakers suspected, and whether he agreed or not. She listened, enthralled, to the tales of the furtive Bill, the courageous rescue attempt on the frozen lake, and finally the spine-tingling story of the escape from the attacked room. When he'd finished, she breathed deeply.
"You've all been through quite a lot in these past few days, haven't you?"
Kai nodded. "I'm just wondering if what has happened here today is linked in with the attacks."
"I never thought of that," she mused, thinking more clearly now.
Kai sighed. "I guess that doesn't matter. What's important is to get our blades back safely."
"That's true."
There was another rather stony silence, Janine beginning to feel a little embarrassed for her actions just before. She couldn't believe she'd let herself look so weak in front of . . . well, Kai, and she found herself wondering whether her eyes were still red and puffy. She was about to go and look in a mirror when Kai stood up abruptly.
"I gotta get back to my team. I need to find out what's going on with the Beyblades. Sorry."
Janine nodded, a piece of brown hair falling forward and dangling before her eyes. "That's alright. I hope you find out more. I can't tell you how sorry I am about all of this - the Beyblades being stolen and me wasting your time."
"You didn't waste it."
She glanced up at him, surprised at the directness of his response. Then, a grateful smile crept along her lips. "Here. Take this."
She stood gracefully, her smooth curves rippling as she straightened her body. Kai tried not to acknowledge this but couldn't help letting his eyes trail down over her slender features. She walked up to him and handed him something.
"It's a sign of a promise. I promise you'll get your blade back. Keep this until you do."
Into his hands she placed a band of silver metal - a ring. It glimmered as frost on a winter's morning in the pale, crisp sunlight. There were no decorations on it, no inscriptions, just the plain silver metallic patina that twinkled momentarily if he moved it. She grinned at him, hooking a loose strand of hair around her finger before tucking it behind her ear.
Kai smiled. "Ok."
He then turned and walked towards the door, his scarf trailing behind him alluringly. Janine watched for a second, wondering whether she should . . .wondering whether he'd . . .should she . . .?
"Kai? Um, do you . . . wanna meet up tonight? Go hang somewhere? I've got a free evening, so I thought maybe we could go . . . out?"
She was startled by her own informality. She'd never expected herself to be so forward, so cordial. But she couldn't help it. The way she saw it, it was now or never.
He turned slightly, so his face was half perceptible but the rest of him was still facing the exit. His eyes watched the floor, slightly squinted, deep in thought, and Janine wondered whether she had been too bold in risking this fiery ocean of intrigue and sensation. She held her breath tensely, waiting for his response. The room was suddenly hushed and Janine resisted the urge to fidget. Had she gone too far? Had she read the wrong signs? Nervously she waited, not quite daring to look Kai in the face and gazing at his shoes instead. All at once she felt his gaze fall upon her, and she met his brown eyes with hers. She couldn't decipher a thing from them. No feelings, no emotions, leaked out from them, no startling passion or hatred sparked in their depths. Just the brown iris and the unfathomable, enigmatic dark pupil, phlegmatic, seeing through her, reading her like an open book . . .
"Sorry, but no."
Janine was snapped out of her rather brooding, ominous thoughts by his short reaction. It didn't quite settle in, and she looked up.
"Wha-what?"
Kai looked peculiarly uncomfortable. "I . . . can't."
Janine realized what he was talking about and it hit home. She could almost feel her stomach sinking, the bold, spirited flame that had risen inside her suddenly dying away.
"Oh, well, that's . . . ok. Sorry to . . . I'll be off, then . . ."
She began to make her way past him, confused and embarrassed. What a ridiculous error she'd made. She was just about thinking that she didn't want to see him ever again when he grabbed her arm smoothly.
"My teammates are my first responsibility on this trip. I'm their leader. Do you see? I can't just abandon them. They're in a tough spot right now. We all are."
Janine was immensely relieved. Fears that had rapidly clogged the ducts of her mind were washed away in a torrent of respite and she smiled.
"Don't worry about it. I'll see you later anyway. Besides, it's nice to see someone so devoted to sticking with their team."
Kai looked taken aback as she slipped her arm away and flitted perkily out of the door, shutting it behind her firmly. He almost smiled. But then he remembered what was going on, and he sobered up swiftly. Despite his composed outer exterior, Kai was troubled about his Dranzer. He didn't want to envisage his life devoid of his valued Bit-Beast, the only one who understood him, who was always by his side. The image was pushed roughly out of his mind, and he abruptly left the room and headed back downstairs to locate his teammates.
********
Kai returned downstairs and found that there was still a hoard of infuriated Beybladers at the desk. He pushed gruffly through - he didn't have the time or the disposition for courtesy - and found his way to the front where Rei, Max and Tyson were still discussing their blades. Their faces were uptight and grim. He looked at them expectantly. "Well? Any news?"
They glanced at him, surprised that he had actually entered the noisy swarm and joined them.
Tyson answered. "Not much. But Danny thinks Janine did it. She left a minute ago. She's the only one with the key to the Beyblade safe. Also, they think they might have a hold on the blades, but they aren't sure of anything."
"It wasn't Janine."
"How d'you know?" quizzed Rei instantaneously, sharp. Kai grimaced inwardly. He had told himself not to say anything.
"She . . . just didn't. Besides, she said someone might have taken them while she was in the Jacuzzi. Which makes sense."
"When did she say that to you? You've been with her again, haven't you?" Max grinned surreptitiously, a roguish glint in his eyes. Kai felt his cheeks heat, something that hadn't occurred in a very long age. This thing was almost getting the better of him! He clenched his fist around the ring, still in his fist, and slipped it subtly into his trouser pocket.
"Yeah, but . . . that isn't the issue."
"'Course not."
Kai growled. "Alright, can it. I thought the issue was the blades."
Tyson at once sobered. "Yeah . . . well, if it wasn't Janine, who was it then?"
Max shrugged. "You know, we shouldn't have jumped the gun. It could be anybody! We have no evidence it was Janine at all."
"That's true," said Rei, not quite persuaded yet, "but the fact that she's the only one with the keys makes her look really suspicious. Even if we don't think it was her then someone else is bound to."
"Yeah, looks like Danny's already taken up that spot," said Tyson, glancing at the reception through room. Danny's silhouette could be seen as he paced up and down the room, a caged lion, heated, ardent, and perilous. He seemed very different from the seemingly easygoing fellow who had switched places with Janine to watch over the Blade-Breakers.
"Do you think?" muttered Tyson thoughtfully, " . . . do you think it could have actually been Danny?"
"I dunno," said Max, glancing at Tyson and then looking back over at the door, where Danny seemed to be picking up a phone, "but like I said, it's best not to make any accusations just yet. We need more evidence."
"I think you're all missing the general point," said Rei, becoming irritated - which didn't usually happen, "that our Beyblades are gone. We may never see them again! Why are you worrying about who took 'em? I'm more interested in when I'm getting my Driger back and seeing if he's ok!"
Tyson stared at him. "But Rei, how can we get them back if we don't know who took them from us? We have to think this through logically, buddy. We can't let our emotions get in the way of our clear thinking! Trust me, I'm as stressed out as you are here, but to save our blades we have to think straight!"
Kai and Max were startled by Tyson's sage-like words of wisdom, and they both stared at him. Tyson grinned. "I am the man," he beamed with a quick thumbs in the air.
Rei smiled, laughing. "You're right, Tyson. I need to calm down. This needs to be thought through. And who better to do that than the Chief?"
"Right!" cried Max exuberantly, "He doesn't know what's going on! We should go tell him what's happening out here!"
"What if we miss anything?" asked Tyson, feeling like he didn't want to part with the reception desk until he knew what had come about. But Max shook his head.
"I doubt we'll miss anything. Kenny needs to know what's happening. It must be half an hour since we last saw him. Besides," he gave Kai a sideward glance, "if we do miss anything, I'm sure we'll have a positive source of information. Eh Kai?"
"Shut up you moron."
Max forcibly uncurled his lips and made his features solemn again, resisting the almost irresistible temptation to simper. "Right. Let's get Kenny!"
********
As the four Blade-Breakers ran into the hall, they noticed it was empty. There was a chill echo that resounded on the air, a fell silence, and it made them all uncomfortable as they ran in. Even DJ Jazzman was gone. There were spilled boxes of popcorn in the seats, drinks that had been left, and even a few people had left jackets, scarves and the like in their hurry to get out. Only the soft clicking of keys down in the aisle interrupted the hush in the colossal hall. Kenny was peering anxiously at Dizzi's screen as he typed furiously. Dizzi's voice could be heard if they listened hard enough.
"Chief, you're gonna burn my keypad soon! There's practically smoke coming off your fingertips!"
"Come on, Dizzi, I'm serious."
"Ok, ok, big shot, I'm tryin'! But it's difficult to get a lock on because they're moving!"
The other four Beybladers moved down the steps slowly, picking their way through dropped boxes, cans, and bottles. They reached Kenny and greeted him quickly. He attempted a cheery hello but it didn't get far after he saw their fretful faces.
"No luck, huh?"
"Not yet, Chief," mused Tyson as he sat down on a step, narrowly avoiding a Coke bottle, "but people think Janine did it."
"How come?"
"She's the only person with keys to the safe."
Kenny raised his head in understanding, still never taking his eyes off the flashing screen before him. Then he jumped.
"Wait a minute!" he cried, looking up at Tyson's face, "It couldn't be Janine!"
Rei frowned, failing to comprehend. Kenny glanced back down at Dizzi, as if to confirm his findings.
"Because the blades are still in the chest!"
The Blade-Breakers gasped, startled. They didn't see Kai grinning victoriously.
"Still in the chest?" repeated Max, as if running it though his active little mind, "How d'you know, Dizzi?"
"Because," buzzed the intelligent laptop, "I have a lock on the safe. Unfortunately, I don't know where it's going. But I've located a large, metal object containing Dragoon, Draciel, Dranzer and Driger. They're all together in the safe. So Janine being the only one with a key just isn't enough to convict her!"
"She'll be happy to hear that," Kai muttered to himself as the others stared at Dizzi's screen.
"You're one smart laptop, Dizzi, I'll give you that!" said Tyson, revered. Dizzi bleeped.
"I could've told you that ages ago."
They laughed, their tension relieved somewhat. Then the doors to the hall swung open rather radically and slammed against the smooth walls. Janine ran through.
"I have news, guys!" she yelled enthusiastically, her face much less blotchy and her eyes not such a vibrant red anymore. Kai stared at her, an eyebrow raised curiously.
"Um . . . how d'you know we were here?" He resisted a grin.
Janine stopped in her tracks, and blushed. "Oh yeah . . . I asked a guy in the hall which way you went and he said this way. So I looked."
She then looked at the whole group. "Ok, here's what Danny said to me. I went and asked him what was to be done . . . and he told me to get you all 'unstressed', to use his words. It won't do you any good to sit in here and worry. We have a team of crack experts on the case, who are trying to lock onto the location of the blades right now. We know they're not in any danger. You're definitely going to get them back - but sitting here tormenting yourselves won't be of any worth to them or yourselves. So he told me to take every one of you out to town. We've gotta all get food and chill out - and forget as much as we can about this disaster. You'll return tonight and hopefully your blades will be back by then! What d'you think?"
There was a silence, in which the Blade-Breakers stared open mouthed at Janine. She timidly twiddled a strand of already awry hair around her slender finger. At the speed she had churned everything out and thrown it at the Breakers, they needed a few seconds to take it in properly. When it finally settled, they looked at each other.
"What d'you think of it, Max?" asked Tyson, undecided. Max looked comically thoughtful.
"Well . . . maybe. I feel kinda strange - a little fickle - for leaving my blade and trying to forget it. But sitting here won't help Draciel, and that I also agree with. I'm not sure. You, Rei?"
Rei too looked like he was deep in thought. He spoke smoothly. "Hmm . . . I guess we could do with some relaxation. We've had a hectic few days, and we're all pretty stressed. But our blades are important and we need to stay loyal to them - however, as Janine pointed out, we can't do anything by staying here and fretting about them. I vote we go. Maybe when we come back, the blades'll be here waiting! Who knows?"
Kenny looked at Kai. "You, Kai?"
Kai appeared nonchalant, his arms folded and his eyes closed as if he didn't care a jot. "I couldn't care less either way."
Janine grinned excitedly. "Great. So you're coming?"
"Looks like it!" said Kenny, closing Dizzi. "You guys are right. We need a break. And I'm confident that our blades are fine!"
Janine nodded. "Cool. You're the first group to see sense. Maybe the others will follow suit."
"What time?"
"In about half an hour. That'll give you time to change. Wear something nice boys. This isn't Burger King. We're going for a meal somewhere."
She floated out of the hall, letting the door shut on its own behind her. The Blade-Breakers were a little ruffled.
"I guess we're goin' out!" said Tyson, allowing himself to forget about his Dragoon. "I'm sure our blades'll be swell."
"Yeah," said Rei uneasily, and then, as though he mentally convinced himself that going out was all right, he brightened and repeated himself. "Yeah!"
Max pumped the air. "Burger King - oh no, sorry, some restaurant, here we come!"
Tyson licked his lips animatedly. "Oh yeah! That's a sure fire way to forget your troubles!"
"What, food?" said Rei with a wry grin. Tyson nodded.
"Of course! Food solves every problem!"
As they joked, Kai looked back at the door, which had just closed. He smiled.
*
In half an hour's time, the Blade-Breakers waited at the reception desk for Janine and the other bladers to appear. They had all changed their clothes and looked a little tidier than earlier. The entrance hall had been cleared pf the multitude of probing Beybladers and was empty with the exception of the Blade-Breakers.
"Well," said Kenny, feeling awkward in a pair of tan trousers that looked bedraggled at the base because they dragged over his white trainers, "I wonder where the other bladers are." He straightened his white shirt - he had replaced the purple tie with a brown one.
"Maybe they got held up somewhere," ventured Tyson, fiddling with his T-Shirt. Tyson scrubbed up extraordinarily well - he looked very chic indeed in a black T-Shirt and a pair of black pants that were held up by a brown belt. He even had black shoes on, and had lost the cap and replaced it with a little hair gel so his mane looked tame and tidy. For someone who looked so confused and disordered most of the time he looked quite suave tonight. Max looked at him, he too looking stylish and sophisticated with a grey checkered shirt on, tucked into a pair of black trousers and some black shoes of his own - that he had borrowed off Tyson and were too big for him, making walking an adventure in itself! He had combed his hair back so it didn't hang in his face and he looked very decent indeed.
"Tyson, where would they get held up? In the bathroom?" Max asked.
Rei laughed, not quite realising how he suited well-designed attire. He looked completely different from the boy who usually wore baggy, traditional Japanese clothing. He had chosen a pair of jeans, light blue, and had folded up the bottoms to look a little more fitted. They were not too tight yet not too loose and showed off his long legs (and other places . . .). He also wore a long sleeved top, mint green in colour, and he had tucked it into the jeans so it looked fitted. The tight sleeves revealed his well-shaped, slender arms. His hair he had merely combed through, knowing that it was wild and untamable at best - but it flopped in a strangely structured way and seemed to fit perfectly with his new look.
"You never know!" he said pleasantly, "There could be a huge queue!"
Kai shifted, his leaning stance against the desk becoming uncomfortable. Tyson glanced at him, almost jealous. Kai seemed to have a knack for pulling off any appearance and making himself look the essence of cool - and tonight was no exception. He wore a light cotton white T-Shirt that hung loosely about his upper half. It was tucked in baggily at his waist, where a black belt with a silver clasp was draped around his trousers - sleek black ones that weren't as slack as the larger ones he usually wore. Like Rei, he looked completely different from usual. He wore black shoes, instead of his regular black trainers, and he had removed all pieces of body armor (his metal wrist bands) so the muscles in his arms could be seen and admired. His hair was as it usually was - floppy, disorganized - and it somehow went flawlessly with what he was wearing. His stance - simply leaning against the desk, oozed composure and he had a black jacket slung over his shoulder - all the Breakers had jackets but most had flung them on the desk for now. In fact, the Blade-Breakers looked like a sophisticated, well-mannered group of young teenage boys, who knew how to behave.
"Oh, how looks can deceive!" thought Kai as he watched Max sniff and then wipe his nose on his sleeve. He chuckled inwardly and then turned as someone called his name.
Janine ran down the brown stairs, her dainty beige hand gliding down the gold banister. Kai breathed out quietly as he saw her. He wasn't the type to get involved with girls, and usually they didn't interest him. But Janine really did look superb in a low cut black dress, which ended just above the knees. It had long, light, translucent black sleeves that shimmered as she waltzed down the stairs. Her legs looked even slimmer due to the black and silver strappy shoes she wore. Her hair she had tied up loosely yet neatly, with some small auburn pieces hanging down at the front and the rest clipped at the back of her head. Make-up made her already attractive features even more noticeable and she smelled of a fruity, appealing perfume. A silver necklace hung around her slender neck and glittered.
She reached the bottom of the stairs and smiled, flashing her pearly teeth. Kai nodded at her and turned away as the other Breakers greeted her warmly.
"Hey, Janine! How are you?"
"Lookin' good, Janine!"
"Is there a queue in the bathroom or something?"
Janine laughed, answering each question as it came, her smooth voice gliding through the quiet air. She looked at her watch - a slim silver one with a diamond in the centre of the face.
"It's almost six-fifteen. I told all the other groups to meet here at six if they were coming. I guess no-one else is gonna show."
She looked a little downcast, but Tyson grinned.
"Don't worry about it. We'll have a good time, and we'll all be de- stressed and relaxed later on and they'll be wondering what they missed out on. Ok?"
Janine nodded, her hair swaying with the movement of her head.
"It's quite a drive to town. Does anyone need the bathroom? I know there are toilets on the coach - but seriously, do you wanna use them? If I were you I'd go now."
Rei blushed. "You got me!"
He sauntered off in the direction of the male restroom, and whistled as he went, obviously feeling jolly. Janine turned back to the other Breakers.
"Well, are you guys looking forward to it?"
Max nodded excitedly. "It's just what we need to relax! I haven't been for a meal in ages!"
Janine smiled. "You all look pretty great. The clothes make you all look a lot older - and more sophisticated."
She gave Kai a fleeting look out of the corner of her eye and smiled as she ran her eyes up his body. He noticed, looked straight at her, and (with a barely detectable grin playing across his lips) said:
"Problem?"
Janine looked away, she too grinning playfully. "Nope . . .no problem at all,"
Tyson pulled a face. "Man, they should get a room or something."
Max laughed. "Come on, Tyson, I think it's cute! When's the last time you saw Kai grin like a playful little kid?"
"Never."
"Good point."
The Chief looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
Max and Tyson looked at each other and rolled their eyes in exasperation at the Chief's dull witted remark. Dizzi, who was switched on, groaned.
"Chief, it's as plain as my screen! You might have a one-seventy-five IQ, but you're not too sharp, are ya?"
"Shut up, Dizzi," said Kenny, blushing as he realized his mistake. Janine giggled - and then looked down at her hand in horror.
"Arghhh! Forgot my . . .handbag! Be back in a second!"
She darted off up the staircase hastily, looking a little wobbly in her heels. Kai watched her go, an amused grin on his face. He then noticed Max, Tyson and the Chief staring straight at him.
"What?"
*
Rei zipped up his fly, buttoned his jeans up, and stepped away from the urinal. He walked over to the mirror above the sink, and watched his face as he rinsed his hands thoroughly.
"It's nice to see Kai and Janine hitting it off," he thought, smiling. But then his smile faded slowly, as if erased by a distant memory. He looked into the large, clear mirror and for a second thought he could see her behind him.
"Mariah?"
She waved, her pink hair bobbing light heartedly. His eyes lit up at the sight of her face, her grin beaming brightly.
"Hey Rei."
Flotsam and jetsam, magnificent white horses riding a stormy sea, rearing their proud heads, ripped apart, their royal manes shattered on the icy blue surface - Rei's stomach wavered and fluttered as they did when he saw his loved one's face. He never knew what to do when she was around. He felt uneasy, yet at perfect peace. He smiled right back.
Suddenly, Mariah's features began to transform, twisting and merging, spiraling, the colors blending, swelling, evaporating, and Mariah became a watercolor, a million dyes spooled into one fascinating epitome on a canvas. Then the colors came to life again, and began to take form, growing into a new shape, creating a fresh image in the mirror. Rei stared, mystified, and the contour became Leanne, radiant and twinkling and smiling warmly. Rei's eyes widened, and he spun around on his heel, his pupils searching the bathroom wildly.
"Was . . .was that Leanne?"
His heart pounding, and his head filled with thoughts he didn't understand, Rei hurriedly left the bathroom.
*
He felt guilty as he walked along the corridor that led to the stairs and the main entrance. His eyes trailed along the floor, his hands stayed fast in his jeans and his feet dragged. What he had just seen kept on playing over and over in his mind, a cinema reel stuck on repeat. He sighed, his eyebrows furrowed as he reflected. He turned the corner aimlessly. Ahead of him were two routes. To his right was the grand staircase, and if he listened hard enough he could hear Tyson and Max chattering. Straight ahead was another corridor, which led to the rooms kept for the employees. Naturally, Rei was about to head downstairs and meet up with his friends, but as he was about to take the stairs, he stopped short. Raised voices echoed from down the staff corridor. Rei paused, uncertain as to whether he should check it out. The voices came again and he started.
"No way!" he thought as one of the voices identified with a memory in his head. He crept forwards slowly, annoyed at the echo his shoes made. It resounded quietly in the hallway as he stealthily moved along, getting closer and closer to the heated voices. He stopped outside a door, and listened cautiously as the voices continued. There were three people, it seemed, one a girl and two males. Both the men's voices sounded so familiar to Rei, but however hard he racked his brains, he couldn't quite place them. He frowned, his inability irritating him. Then the girl spoke, and Rei gasped quietly.
"It's all set. They're the only team coming. You've nothing to worry about, I promise."
Rei pressed himself closer to the door, making sure not to lean on it too heavily in case someone opened it unexpectedly. The voices inside continued.
"We're trusting this to you, girl. Don't let us down."
"We want results by tonight."
He listened as hard as he could, his eyes squinted in a desperate attempt to place the men's intonations, but Rei still couldn't do it. He still listened intently.
"Definitely. You can count on me. I won't fail."
"Failure isn't an option."
The conversation ended on that friendly note, and then footsteps were heard coming toward the door. Rei leaped away and sped around the corner nimbly, and leaned against the wall, catching his breath for a moment. When he heard the door open, he covertly peered around the corner, allowing only his amber eyes to pass further than the blue wall he leaned against. His jet hair flopped into his eyes and he flicked it away in annoyance. His eyes flitted as he watched Janine step out of the room, shut the door behind her, and bounce down the stairs. He heard her greet the others merrily, and shuddered.
"I don't believe it," he thought, taking a deep breath, "What do I do?"
*
Janine rejoined the others with a smile. Tyson, Max and Kenny greeted her with warm hellos, and she even got a smile from Kai.
"Where's your bag?" asked the Chief, noticing her hands were still empty. Janine looked down and hesitated.
". . . Oh, yeah . . .I decided I didn't need it. It only had my lipstick in anyway, so . . ."
The boys seemed to understand. "Right."
Janine flicked her hair. "Well, as soon as Rei arrives we can leave!"
"I'm right here."
Rei's stony voice reverberated from the top of the stairs, and he walked down them slowly, a cold, hard look on his handsome face. He kept the corner of his eye on Janine.
"Are we going, then?"
Tyson nodded. "Yup! I can't wait! I'm so hungry! I think I'm gonna pass out if I don't eat something soon! Food, food, food, food, food, foo-"
"Tyson, if you do that in the restaurant I'll kick you out myself!" growled Kai at the prancing Tyson. Tyson quietened.
"Alright, ok, just havin' some fun. Don't worry, I know how to behave."
Max giggled. "Yeah, sure."
"Maxy!"
The two boys began to ruffle each other's hair playfully, and they soon ended up rolling around on the floor in a scuffle. The Chief groaned and picked them up with difficulty.
"You're gonna look a state if you keep this up!"
All three laughed at each other. Rei stood silent, looking at the floor and occasionally glancing up at Janine, who was conversing quietly with Kai. He jumped when Tyson spoke to him.
"You ok, Rei? Something spook you in the bathroom? Hee, hee!"
Rei smiled forcibly. "Yeah, good one. I'm fine."
He looked away and thought with irony, "Tyson doesn't know how close he just came to the truth."
*
The group left the hotel at about a quarter to seven. Outside was dark and bitter, as a new snow had fallen earlier and crisped the already chilly air. No rain fell though, and the Breakers were thankful - they were tired of mizzle. The parking lot was lit with lustrous lamps and they easily made their way over to the cars Janine had hired for them. They gladly clambered into the shining white cars and took pleasure in the interior warmth they found. Max, Tyson and the Chief took the first car and Janine, Kai and Rei got in the other. The insides were cream and leather, and smelled nice. Janine, before she got in, briefly gave orders to each of the drivers.
When all were settled the journey began. It was only a half an hour drive to the nearest town. Tyson and Max amused themselves by exploring the car they were in. They were very luxurious, with a mini freezer underneath the seat and a Playstation in the back of the front passengers seat. Tyson got really wired - almost frenzied enough to rival Max's hyperactivity - and they spent the whole ride playing a fighting game and screaming "Death to you, you fiend!" and "Kill him! Squash him! Bite his head off!" in a riotous manner. The Chief passed the time by working on his computer - once the Chief, always the Chief. He was a devoted worker and a complete asset to the Blade-Breakers, but sometimes Tyson wished he'd lighten up, let loose and have some fun.
Meanwhile, in the other car, Rei sat silent, despite many efforts on Janine's behalf to include him in the conversation. He watched the window, his head leaning on his fist (which was constantly clenched) and he wouldn't talk unless it was a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. Even Kai attempted to speak to him, talking about such a triviality as an old Beyblade match, but Rei wouldn't get involved. His mind was heavy, reeling with all he had seen and heard in the last hour. He was desperate to say something, to tell the truth, but he didn't want to. Something in him kept pulling him back. His distant manner began to trouble Kai, who, despite his offhand position, did have a genuine concern for his teammates and felt a sort of reluctant responsibility for them. So when the car finally pulled up, he pulled Rei aside and told Janine to go on ahead.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked briskly, bluntly, as soon as Janine moved to the other car. Rei looked at the ground.
"Nothin'."
"Don't play me for a fool. Something's bothering you. Janine knows it too. Well, spit it out!"
Rei was silent for a moment, and Kai was puzzled. When they had been getting ready to leave, Rei had been cheerful - he had even whistled as he went to the bathroom! Something had happened since then.
"Well?"
Rei still kept mute. If he told anyone, he certainly wasn't about to tell Kai, so he grit his teeth.
"Nothin'!"
Kai's temper slowly began to grind. He was generally patient, but Rei's attitude frustrated him.
"Come on, Rei. Now. I don't have all day"
"And I don't have an answer, Kai!" snarled Rei, suddenly lashing out in aggression, "So back off and stop probing me! There's nothing I can tell you so quit it!"
Kai's eyes narrowed. "Alright. I'll stop. But, if there's nothing wrong, I'll expect to see you acting like your normal, cheery, 'best buddies with everybody' self. Got it?"
" . . .Fine."
Kai sighed. He was still uneasy about Rei, as he didn't know what was running through his mind. But he was satisfied knowing that Rei wasn't about to get the others backs up with his brooding attitude and he could grill him in his own time.
"Alright then. Let's go. The guys and Janine are almost in the restaurant, and we don't wanna get lost."
Kai led the way to the front of the restaurant, which was on the outskirts of a high-class shopping centre. Lights dazzled and undulated before their eyes, gleaming and radiant in the dark night sky. The name of the restaurant, 'La filant' was lit in bright yellow and red and, ironically, it shone like a 'shooting star'. Kai and Rei rejoined the other four members of their party as the cars drove off. There were lots of people flitting in and out of the restaurant and all were dressed exquisitely.
"Good thing we dressed like this . . ." muttered the Chief, "or we wouldn't have fitted at all!"
Janine stepped inside and went straight to the reception desk. It seemed she knew exactly what to do. She spoke amiably with the man at the desk, who looked up their names and nodded.
"Table eight."
Janine smiled. "Thank you."
With a flick of her hand, she beckoned the Blade-Breakers over. Tyson marched in, determined to make an impression. He looked eagerly at the other folks' tables, watching as one gentleman ate a sublime looking lobster.
"Don't drool, Tyson!" whispered Max from behind with a giggle. Tyson grinned and made his way forward to table eight. He took a seat and watched as the others sat down. Everything was incredibly fine - crushed glass and a red rose on the satin red tablecloth. There seemed to be too much silvery, glinting cutlery for Tyson to count.
"And here I was planning to eat with my hands."
Janine laughed. "Don't be uptight, Tyson. It's actually very free and easy here."
Max lifted an eyebrow in skepticism, "Doesn't look it!"
"Well, it is. You're here to relax. So go ahead and relax!"
Kenny grinned. "If I were relaxed, I'd put Dizzi on the table and undo my shirt button."
"Go for it! Nobody here cares! You can do what you like - and for what this place costs, why not?"
The Chief's face lit up. "Ok!"
He loosened his tie, undid his top button, sighed pleasantly, and set Dizzi up on the table. Notwithstanding what Janine said, Kai and Rei shook their heads.
"No manners whatsoever," said Rei with a hint of a grin, watching as Tyson followed suit and loosed his belt and leaned back on his chair. He smiled.
"This is the life. Ok, what's on 'le menu'?"
Max chuckled. "Um . . .oh my gosh, I don't even know how to pronounce half of this stuff! 'Le . . .jambons, gambon, j . . .j . . .jambon?' What's that?"
"A leg of ham," said Kai, surprising everyone with his knowledge of the French language. Tyson sighed, muttering, "Does he have to be so darned good at everything? French, gimme a break . . ."
"Oh . . .right," muttered Max, and he buried his nose in his menu again. Janine was smiling.
"How'dya know French?"
Kai shrugged. "Had to learn it when I was younger, I guess. As well as Russian."
"Really?" said Janine in admiration, staring at him. Rei wrinkled his nose, said nothing, and looked at his menu. He couldn't understand a word. Tyson, who also didn't have a clue, called over a waiter, a young man in a black and white suit. Tyson resisted the urge to scoff at his bow tie and said,
"Excuse me, monsieur, do you have frogs legs?"
He spoke in a ridiculous French accent, and Janine cringed. She was about to apologize when the waiter spoke, a happy beam on his face.
"Oui, monsieur, we have lotz of ze frrrogz legz."
Tyson grinned impishly. "Well then, hop off and get me le chicken sandwich!"
The whole table burst into laughter as the waiter's grin faded and he straightened up and walked off indignantly. Only Kai remained solemn. He kind of bored down at Tyson, who was laughing so much that tears were spilling out of his eyes.
"You're an embarrassment," said Kai, wrinkling his nose in disgust. This just seemed to make everyone laugh even more, and he sighed, exasperated. Janine, who giggled uproariously, glanced right, saw his face, and immediately the laughter drained from her features and she stared at Tyson.
"Honestly, Tyson."
Gradually, the guffawing died down, and eventually the waiter dared to approach them again. Kai ordered for them in fluent French and the waiter went off again with a pleased and courteous nod.
Dizzi bleeped. "I could have done that, you know."
The Chief laughed. "Calm down, Dizzi. He can't speak in Italian, Spanish, Icelandic or most other languages like you do. Don't get jealous."
Rei chuckled. "You know, I don't think I know what I ordered!"
"I think it was . . .peacock and rice," said Janine matter of factly, squinting at the menu and reading le paon et le riz. Rei squirmed, partially because it was Janine speaking and partially because - well, peacock and rice was enough to make anyone squirm. Besides, his mind was on other things - a few of his thoughts lingered on the closed conversation he had heard but most of them were on what he had seen in the bathroom mirror. He felt so two-faced, like such a traitor to Mariah, and his heart ached for a touch of her silky hair, a smell of her clothes, the echo of her voice and the happiness of her smile.
He scolded himself for seeing what he saw in the bathroom, but he couldn't take himself seriously. Why was he feeling like this?
"I don't even like her!" he thought angrily, narrowing his eyes. A dark voice spoke from the depths and reverberated in the chambers of his mind.
"Don't lie to yourself."
He almost gasped out loud, but restrained himself for the sake of the others - who were goofing off with the peppershaker. He sighed in some confusion, and watched as the food was set before them on steaming dishes. He hadn't realized how much time had passed. He had been in a world of his own - he hadn't even heard what the others had been saying. His mind was bent on what he had seen - and heard - earlier that evening. He thought he might go mad with wondering what to do. He blinked, breaking away from the dream he had become intertwined in, and saw Kai watching him from across the table.
Rei offered a thin smile, knowing full well this was not nearly enough to satisfy the shrewd Kai. When Kai looked away, he stared down at his dish. The thought of peacock and rice didn't even cross his mind. Instead he stood up suddenly, and, mumbling some sort of excuse under his breath and keeping his eyes down, he briskly left the table and exited the restaurant.
Janine and the Blade-Breakers stared in wonder. Tyson, a long, green, slimy thing poking from the corners of his mouth, dropped his fork and said:
"What's his beef?"
The Chief rolled his eyes. "Tyson, your manners!"
Tyson sucked in the slime and retorted hotly. "What's up with Rei? Does he feel ill or something?"
"Maybe he's just bummed about his blade," suggested Max, scratching his head in bewilderment, "Did you see that? He just upped and left."
"I don't suppose he's coming back then?" asked Janine, dabbing her mouth daintily with her red napkin and folding it in her hands. Tyson shrugged.
"I'm not just gonna sit here if Rei is upset over something. I'm going to find him. Who's with me?"
Max and the Chief stood. "Yeah. We Blade-Breakers don't abandon each other!"
Tyson grinned. "Ok, let's go. He can't have gotten far. Just to the area outside."
The three of them left the table (Max standing on the table cloth and nearly removing the dinners and the cutlery from the surface) and Kai stood.
"Sorry, Janine, but I gotta go."
She smiled. "You didn't think I'd expect you to stay here. To be honest, I think this was . . .a bad idea. How about I come too?"
Kai nodded and Janine stood, paying by leaving her credit card on the desk. "My uncle works here," she explained briefly, "He'll look after my card for me."
With a wave to her uncle, Janine made her way forward hastily, followed by Kai, whose brow was furrowed. What was up with Rei?
*
Rei stood outside the restaurant, his hair blowing in the chill breeze. His shoulders shivered slightly and he hugged his arms around himself loosely. The neon lights of the restaurant glowered behind him. A rude large man bumped into him with a grunt but Rei paid no heed. The fresh air cleared his head a little and he took a deep breath.
"Hey Rei?"
Tyson appeared next to Rei. Rei looked at him apologetically.
"Tyson, I'm sorry. I just needed a little air or something. You should go back in."
"Come on, Rei, if there's something bothering you, you can tell us!" piped in Max, appearing from behind Tyson's back and grinning. Rei almost smiled.
"I know that. Thanks. But I think I'll get back. You guys go back inside."
The Chief now popped out from behind Max. "Nah, I think we're gonna go with you," he said cheerfully, his laptop slinging about his neck, "I think this was a bad idea. Seemed ok at the time, but now I realize we're more worried about the Beyblades than we knew. The best thing we can do is get back and find out what's going on."
Rei nodded sincerely. "You're right there, Chief."
Tyson pushed his way through the hoards of Beybladers that had gathered at the reception desk. His stomach whirred and lurched and he perspired cold, chill sweat. His eyes glanced around wildly, trying to catch a glimpse of somebody with answers, somebody who could help. His hands were shaking discreetly and he clenched them tight, his impatient flame rising brusquely.
"Man," he thought, gritting his teeth, "Let me through!"
He saw his opportunity and pushed his way through the crowd, often having to resort to crawling and sliding through people's legs. The hallway was heaving. People stood everywhere, crowded against each other, the air grew clammy and sweaty, and Tyson vaguely recalled the phrase "Like sardines in a tin". He was worried - frenziedly apprehensive about his Dragoon. To be plain he didn't know what he would do without it. Running the risk of sounding sentimental, Tyson was incalculably close to his Bit- Beast - and regarded it as his partner, his guardian and his comrade. He could actually feel fervent, flaming tears surging up behind his eyes as he clambered through the crowds. He blinked his eyes rapidly as he approached the reception desk. He wormed his way through and stood up.
"Hey!" he yelled, not seeming to care that every other Beyblader was doing this, "Where's my blade? Hello?"
Behind the desk was empty, but the Beybladers outside could see the vague silhouette of a man and a girl talking rapidly behind the glass door of the through room of the reception desk. The girl was waving her hands and shaking her head, and the man seemed to be doing the same.
Tyson banged on the desk angrily. "Hey, in there! Don't you realize this is serious? Get out here now!"
The silhouettes moved, stopped, and then the girl shook her head. Tyson supposed it was Michelle. But the man nodded and opened the door, and stepped out into the reception desk. It was Danny, the supervisor with the streaked hair whom Janine had spoken with earlier. The Beybladers gathered at the desk immediately created uproar, hurling a thousand questions straight at the poor guy. He put up his hands defensively.
"Ok, slow down. Quiet!"
Slowly the buzz died, and the bladers listened intently. Tyson gripped the edge of the desk with his hands.
"I know you're all worried, but we did ask you to stay in your seats! Now, yes, the Beyblades are gone-" He was interrupted with another roar of indignant cries, "Hush! They're gone, but we are positive that we can track them down quickly. You mustn't panic!"
"What do you mean?" yelled Tyson abruptly, "These are our blades you're talking about! You don't realize how important they are to us!"
Danny was about to answer when the door opened slightly more and Janine, fully clothed in her receptionist's uniform, slipped out. It was she who had been standing behind it. Her eyes were crimson from weeping and she kept them trailed to the floor. Tyson stared.
"Janine?"
She looked up, startled, and more tears escaped from her eyes and slid down her silky cheeks. Her lip quivered and trembled and she looked away, and she was about to make her way out of the reception desk and through the crowd of incensed bladers when Danny grabbed her hand. He mimed something to her inaudibly, trying to be inconspicuous, and she looked up into his face, panicked. Tyson, as he was close to the front, could hear every expression.
"You're the only one who had the keys!"
"But Dan-"
"I don't want any buts. I want you back here in five minutes. We'll discuss this inside. I'm watching you carefully, Janine."
With that, Janine wrenched her hand away, upset, more tears flowing from her blotchy eyes and beginning to leave channel marks down her face, and she stifled a sob and began to make her way through the throng. Tyson watched her, confused. Danny had a point - she was the only one with keys - but would she steal Beyblades? Why?
The other Beybladers didn't seem to notice Janine as she pushed her way blindly through them - there were a couple of bladers crying anyway so she somewhat intermingled. As Tyson turned back to the front desk to question Danny further, he was startled to see Rei and Max at his side.
"Guys! What are you doing?"
"We got desperate!" said Max with half a smile, trying his best to be cheerful but looking pale. Rei didn't look much better - his face all of a sudden looked thin and worried.
"Yeah, the fact that we didn't know what was happening was driving us crazy. Kai stayed at the edge of the crowd and Kenny stayed in the hall, but we decided we wanted a closer view."
Tyson nodded, shaken. Then they all turned to Danny.
"So how do you intend to track the blades?" asked Tyson briskly, getting straight to the point so as not to dissipate time. Danny sighed.
"I'm not sure yet. We already have a team of experts on the case. But I can promise you we'll get your blades back. Don't you worry about that."
"We'll be worried until our blades are safe in our hands again," said Max angrily, annoyed that Danny didn't seem to realize how precious their blades were.
"Do you think it was Janine?" asked Rei after a quick look around to make sure she wasn't listening. Danny shook his head.
"I'm not at liberty to divulge," he said, closing his eyes, "but . . ."
He raised his hands, shrugged very slowly, and then gave the three kids a look that suggested "Yes, but she'll sue me if I say it!" He then returned to the through room, leaving the Blade-Breakers perplexed, uptight, and very, very curious.
********
When Janine broke from the horde of people she sighed deeply, her throat jarring every now and then as a result of sobs she had kept down. Her vision was wobbly and she was sure that she looked like the perfect reflection of grief - red, blotchy eyes and nose, crying, sniffing. But she still hurried forwards. She just wanted to get into her room and throw herself on the bed. At least there she could cry in peace. Her insides were tearing themselves up with suppressed anger, disappointment, and shock.
At the thought of what she had been accused so abruptly of, another sob threatened to break out from her and split the air. She swallowed, her throat dry and sore, and wiped her shaking face with an already moist hand. Her shoulders shook and she ran forward, feeling that pointing fingers surrounded her, jeering, laughing, harsh words, hushed rumors . . .
"Oh!"
Janine stumbled as she collided head on with Kai. He looked her up and down, and she tried to hide her face. She didn't want him to see her like this.
"Janine?"
She looked up at his face, tears spilling uncontrollably now. She could no longer contain her grief silently and a wretched sob escaped from her, racking her shoulders and catching in her throat as it did so. She buried her face in her wet hands, tiny, salted tears trickling through her fingers. Her knees felt limp and she was almost dizzy. But, suddenly, she felt a strong arm wrap around her shuddering shoulders, slowly, tentatively, as if unsure . . . and then draw her close, tight, warm. She pressed her face against Kai's shoulder and chest, and he, sensing her need for comfort, held her tightly, feeling her body shaking gently against his own. He didn't feel uncomfortable, and he didn't feel strange, awkward, inadequate. This felt different.
Janine's knees, as she cried, grew weaker and weaker, and with a quick movement they buckled underneath her, the immense weight of her sorrow burdening her inexorably. She felt Kai tighten his grip. He supported her whilst the tears still flowed, and soon the sobs gently subsided. Still she clung to him, keeping her face buried in his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath he took. In due course, she pulled herself up and took her own deep breath. Drying tears still lay on her pale cheeks, but she slowly moved her eyes up his face and met his. She half expected the usually somber, pitiless, unforgiving brown eyes to stare down at her, to bore through her - but they were filled with compassion, affection, warmth and understanding. She almost smiled.
"Thank you."
She said it quietly, her voice cracked and thin, and he nodded, understanding. He then gently took her arm, and began to lead her up the stairs.
"What are we doing?"
"If anyone comes to look for you, they won't look in my room. It's quiet and you can tell me everything without interruption."
This time Janine smiled, a watery smile but a smile nevertheless. They arrived and she followed him into the room, taking a seat on his bed. He sat opposite in a straight-backed armchair and folded his arms. For a moment there was silence. She looked down at the floor; he looked out of the window. Then he spoke.
"I take it they accused you of stealing the blades."
Janine's throat tightened again. Just the thought of what she had been accused of was enough to make her cry once more. Kai saw how easily she became upset and smoothly came at it from another angle.
"I believe it wasn't you. I don't think that you'd do that - partially because you'd have no motivation and partially because you're not the type."
Janine smiled gratefully, her eyes filling with tears of gratitude. Never in her life had she been so relieved to hear someone agreeing with her, taking her side. She spoke, clearing her throat beforehand to make sure her voice didn't sound so cracked and feeble.
"They think it's me because I'm the only one with the keys to the safe where the Beyblades are kept. But I can't even find the keys myself! I last saw them just before I came to the Jacuzzi room."
"So you think someone may have stolen them?"
"Exactly."
Kai was silent. His mind flicked back to the shabby hotel they had stayed in, where Ronald had boarded their window and, according to Rei, tried to attack them in the middle of the pitch black darkness. He knew the evidence pointed to Ronald - but wasn't the case with Janine proof that the evidence doesn't always point in the right direction?
"Janine, I'm gonna tell you something I'm not sure I should."
"If you don't want me to, I won't tell a soul."
"I know. I trust you. Don't ask me why. I've known you half a day and I completely trust you."
Kai then launched into a description of what had happened at the airport, the lake, and the hotel, each time filling Janine in on what happened, who the Blade-Breakers suspected, and whether he agreed or not. She listened, enthralled, to the tales of the furtive Bill, the courageous rescue attempt on the frozen lake, and finally the spine-tingling story of the escape from the attacked room. When he'd finished, she breathed deeply.
"You've all been through quite a lot in these past few days, haven't you?"
Kai nodded. "I'm just wondering if what has happened here today is linked in with the attacks."
"I never thought of that," she mused, thinking more clearly now.
Kai sighed. "I guess that doesn't matter. What's important is to get our blades back safely."
"That's true."
There was another rather stony silence, Janine beginning to feel a little embarrassed for her actions just before. She couldn't believe she'd let herself look so weak in front of . . . well, Kai, and she found herself wondering whether her eyes were still red and puffy. She was about to go and look in a mirror when Kai stood up abruptly.
"I gotta get back to my team. I need to find out what's going on with the Beyblades. Sorry."
Janine nodded, a piece of brown hair falling forward and dangling before her eyes. "That's alright. I hope you find out more. I can't tell you how sorry I am about all of this - the Beyblades being stolen and me wasting your time."
"You didn't waste it."
She glanced up at him, surprised at the directness of his response. Then, a grateful smile crept along her lips. "Here. Take this."
She stood gracefully, her smooth curves rippling as she straightened her body. Kai tried not to acknowledge this but couldn't help letting his eyes trail down over her slender features. She walked up to him and handed him something.
"It's a sign of a promise. I promise you'll get your blade back. Keep this until you do."
Into his hands she placed a band of silver metal - a ring. It glimmered as frost on a winter's morning in the pale, crisp sunlight. There were no decorations on it, no inscriptions, just the plain silver metallic patina that twinkled momentarily if he moved it. She grinned at him, hooking a loose strand of hair around her finger before tucking it behind her ear.
Kai smiled. "Ok."
He then turned and walked towards the door, his scarf trailing behind him alluringly. Janine watched for a second, wondering whether she should . . .wondering whether he'd . . .should she . . .?
"Kai? Um, do you . . . wanna meet up tonight? Go hang somewhere? I've got a free evening, so I thought maybe we could go . . . out?"
She was startled by her own informality. She'd never expected herself to be so forward, so cordial. But she couldn't help it. The way she saw it, it was now or never.
He turned slightly, so his face was half perceptible but the rest of him was still facing the exit. His eyes watched the floor, slightly squinted, deep in thought, and Janine wondered whether she had been too bold in risking this fiery ocean of intrigue and sensation. She held her breath tensely, waiting for his response. The room was suddenly hushed and Janine resisted the urge to fidget. Had she gone too far? Had she read the wrong signs? Nervously she waited, not quite daring to look Kai in the face and gazing at his shoes instead. All at once she felt his gaze fall upon her, and she met his brown eyes with hers. She couldn't decipher a thing from them. No feelings, no emotions, leaked out from them, no startling passion or hatred sparked in their depths. Just the brown iris and the unfathomable, enigmatic dark pupil, phlegmatic, seeing through her, reading her like an open book . . .
"Sorry, but no."
Janine was snapped out of her rather brooding, ominous thoughts by his short reaction. It didn't quite settle in, and she looked up.
"Wha-what?"
Kai looked peculiarly uncomfortable. "I . . . can't."
Janine realized what he was talking about and it hit home. She could almost feel her stomach sinking, the bold, spirited flame that had risen inside her suddenly dying away.
"Oh, well, that's . . . ok. Sorry to . . . I'll be off, then . . ."
She began to make her way past him, confused and embarrassed. What a ridiculous error she'd made. She was just about thinking that she didn't want to see him ever again when he grabbed her arm smoothly.
"My teammates are my first responsibility on this trip. I'm their leader. Do you see? I can't just abandon them. They're in a tough spot right now. We all are."
Janine was immensely relieved. Fears that had rapidly clogged the ducts of her mind were washed away in a torrent of respite and she smiled.
"Don't worry about it. I'll see you later anyway. Besides, it's nice to see someone so devoted to sticking with their team."
Kai looked taken aback as she slipped her arm away and flitted perkily out of the door, shutting it behind her firmly. He almost smiled. But then he remembered what was going on, and he sobered up swiftly. Despite his composed outer exterior, Kai was troubled about his Dranzer. He didn't want to envisage his life devoid of his valued Bit-Beast, the only one who understood him, who was always by his side. The image was pushed roughly out of his mind, and he abruptly left the room and headed back downstairs to locate his teammates.
********
Kai returned downstairs and found that there was still a hoard of infuriated Beybladers at the desk. He pushed gruffly through - he didn't have the time or the disposition for courtesy - and found his way to the front where Rei, Max and Tyson were still discussing their blades. Their faces were uptight and grim. He looked at them expectantly. "Well? Any news?"
They glanced at him, surprised that he had actually entered the noisy swarm and joined them.
Tyson answered. "Not much. But Danny thinks Janine did it. She left a minute ago. She's the only one with the key to the Beyblade safe. Also, they think they might have a hold on the blades, but they aren't sure of anything."
"It wasn't Janine."
"How d'you know?" quizzed Rei instantaneously, sharp. Kai grimaced inwardly. He had told himself not to say anything.
"She . . . just didn't. Besides, she said someone might have taken them while she was in the Jacuzzi. Which makes sense."
"When did she say that to you? You've been with her again, haven't you?" Max grinned surreptitiously, a roguish glint in his eyes. Kai felt his cheeks heat, something that hadn't occurred in a very long age. This thing was almost getting the better of him! He clenched his fist around the ring, still in his fist, and slipped it subtly into his trouser pocket.
"Yeah, but . . . that isn't the issue."
"'Course not."
Kai growled. "Alright, can it. I thought the issue was the blades."
Tyson at once sobered. "Yeah . . . well, if it wasn't Janine, who was it then?"
Max shrugged. "You know, we shouldn't have jumped the gun. It could be anybody! We have no evidence it was Janine at all."
"That's true," said Rei, not quite persuaded yet, "but the fact that she's the only one with the keys makes her look really suspicious. Even if we don't think it was her then someone else is bound to."
"Yeah, looks like Danny's already taken up that spot," said Tyson, glancing at the reception through room. Danny's silhouette could be seen as he paced up and down the room, a caged lion, heated, ardent, and perilous. He seemed very different from the seemingly easygoing fellow who had switched places with Janine to watch over the Blade-Breakers.
"Do you think?" muttered Tyson thoughtfully, " . . . do you think it could have actually been Danny?"
"I dunno," said Max, glancing at Tyson and then looking back over at the door, where Danny seemed to be picking up a phone, "but like I said, it's best not to make any accusations just yet. We need more evidence."
"I think you're all missing the general point," said Rei, becoming irritated - which didn't usually happen, "that our Beyblades are gone. We may never see them again! Why are you worrying about who took 'em? I'm more interested in when I'm getting my Driger back and seeing if he's ok!"
Tyson stared at him. "But Rei, how can we get them back if we don't know who took them from us? We have to think this through logically, buddy. We can't let our emotions get in the way of our clear thinking! Trust me, I'm as stressed out as you are here, but to save our blades we have to think straight!"
Kai and Max were startled by Tyson's sage-like words of wisdom, and they both stared at him. Tyson grinned. "I am the man," he beamed with a quick thumbs in the air.
Rei smiled, laughing. "You're right, Tyson. I need to calm down. This needs to be thought through. And who better to do that than the Chief?"
"Right!" cried Max exuberantly, "He doesn't know what's going on! We should go tell him what's happening out here!"
"What if we miss anything?" asked Tyson, feeling like he didn't want to part with the reception desk until he knew what had come about. But Max shook his head.
"I doubt we'll miss anything. Kenny needs to know what's happening. It must be half an hour since we last saw him. Besides," he gave Kai a sideward glance, "if we do miss anything, I'm sure we'll have a positive source of information. Eh Kai?"
"Shut up you moron."
Max forcibly uncurled his lips and made his features solemn again, resisting the almost irresistible temptation to simper. "Right. Let's get Kenny!"
********
As the four Blade-Breakers ran into the hall, they noticed it was empty. There was a chill echo that resounded on the air, a fell silence, and it made them all uncomfortable as they ran in. Even DJ Jazzman was gone. There were spilled boxes of popcorn in the seats, drinks that had been left, and even a few people had left jackets, scarves and the like in their hurry to get out. Only the soft clicking of keys down in the aisle interrupted the hush in the colossal hall. Kenny was peering anxiously at Dizzi's screen as he typed furiously. Dizzi's voice could be heard if they listened hard enough.
"Chief, you're gonna burn my keypad soon! There's practically smoke coming off your fingertips!"
"Come on, Dizzi, I'm serious."
"Ok, ok, big shot, I'm tryin'! But it's difficult to get a lock on because they're moving!"
The other four Beybladers moved down the steps slowly, picking their way through dropped boxes, cans, and bottles. They reached Kenny and greeted him quickly. He attempted a cheery hello but it didn't get far after he saw their fretful faces.
"No luck, huh?"
"Not yet, Chief," mused Tyson as he sat down on a step, narrowly avoiding a Coke bottle, "but people think Janine did it."
"How come?"
"She's the only person with keys to the safe."
Kenny raised his head in understanding, still never taking his eyes off the flashing screen before him. Then he jumped.
"Wait a minute!" he cried, looking up at Tyson's face, "It couldn't be Janine!"
Rei frowned, failing to comprehend. Kenny glanced back down at Dizzi, as if to confirm his findings.
"Because the blades are still in the chest!"
The Blade-Breakers gasped, startled. They didn't see Kai grinning victoriously.
"Still in the chest?" repeated Max, as if running it though his active little mind, "How d'you know, Dizzi?"
"Because," buzzed the intelligent laptop, "I have a lock on the safe. Unfortunately, I don't know where it's going. But I've located a large, metal object containing Dragoon, Draciel, Dranzer and Driger. They're all together in the safe. So Janine being the only one with a key just isn't enough to convict her!"
"She'll be happy to hear that," Kai muttered to himself as the others stared at Dizzi's screen.
"You're one smart laptop, Dizzi, I'll give you that!" said Tyson, revered. Dizzi bleeped.
"I could've told you that ages ago."
They laughed, their tension relieved somewhat. Then the doors to the hall swung open rather radically and slammed against the smooth walls. Janine ran through.
"I have news, guys!" she yelled enthusiastically, her face much less blotchy and her eyes not such a vibrant red anymore. Kai stared at her, an eyebrow raised curiously.
"Um . . . how d'you know we were here?" He resisted a grin.
Janine stopped in her tracks, and blushed. "Oh yeah . . . I asked a guy in the hall which way you went and he said this way. So I looked."
She then looked at the whole group. "Ok, here's what Danny said to me. I went and asked him what was to be done . . . and he told me to get you all 'unstressed', to use his words. It won't do you any good to sit in here and worry. We have a team of crack experts on the case, who are trying to lock onto the location of the blades right now. We know they're not in any danger. You're definitely going to get them back - but sitting here tormenting yourselves won't be of any worth to them or yourselves. So he told me to take every one of you out to town. We've gotta all get food and chill out - and forget as much as we can about this disaster. You'll return tonight and hopefully your blades will be back by then! What d'you think?"
There was a silence, in which the Blade-Breakers stared open mouthed at Janine. She timidly twiddled a strand of already awry hair around her slender finger. At the speed she had churned everything out and thrown it at the Breakers, they needed a few seconds to take it in properly. When it finally settled, they looked at each other.
"What d'you think of it, Max?" asked Tyson, undecided. Max looked comically thoughtful.
"Well . . . maybe. I feel kinda strange - a little fickle - for leaving my blade and trying to forget it. But sitting here won't help Draciel, and that I also agree with. I'm not sure. You, Rei?"
Rei too looked like he was deep in thought. He spoke smoothly. "Hmm . . . I guess we could do with some relaxation. We've had a hectic few days, and we're all pretty stressed. But our blades are important and we need to stay loyal to them - however, as Janine pointed out, we can't do anything by staying here and fretting about them. I vote we go. Maybe when we come back, the blades'll be here waiting! Who knows?"
Kenny looked at Kai. "You, Kai?"
Kai appeared nonchalant, his arms folded and his eyes closed as if he didn't care a jot. "I couldn't care less either way."
Janine grinned excitedly. "Great. So you're coming?"
"Looks like it!" said Kenny, closing Dizzi. "You guys are right. We need a break. And I'm confident that our blades are fine!"
Janine nodded. "Cool. You're the first group to see sense. Maybe the others will follow suit."
"What time?"
"In about half an hour. That'll give you time to change. Wear something nice boys. This isn't Burger King. We're going for a meal somewhere."
She floated out of the hall, letting the door shut on its own behind her. The Blade-Breakers were a little ruffled.
"I guess we're goin' out!" said Tyson, allowing himself to forget about his Dragoon. "I'm sure our blades'll be swell."
"Yeah," said Rei uneasily, and then, as though he mentally convinced himself that going out was all right, he brightened and repeated himself. "Yeah!"
Max pumped the air. "Burger King - oh no, sorry, some restaurant, here we come!"
Tyson licked his lips animatedly. "Oh yeah! That's a sure fire way to forget your troubles!"
"What, food?" said Rei with a wry grin. Tyson nodded.
"Of course! Food solves every problem!"
As they joked, Kai looked back at the door, which had just closed. He smiled.
*
In half an hour's time, the Blade-Breakers waited at the reception desk for Janine and the other bladers to appear. They had all changed their clothes and looked a little tidier than earlier. The entrance hall had been cleared pf the multitude of probing Beybladers and was empty with the exception of the Blade-Breakers.
"Well," said Kenny, feeling awkward in a pair of tan trousers that looked bedraggled at the base because they dragged over his white trainers, "I wonder where the other bladers are." He straightened his white shirt - he had replaced the purple tie with a brown one.
"Maybe they got held up somewhere," ventured Tyson, fiddling with his T-Shirt. Tyson scrubbed up extraordinarily well - he looked very chic indeed in a black T-Shirt and a pair of black pants that were held up by a brown belt. He even had black shoes on, and had lost the cap and replaced it with a little hair gel so his mane looked tame and tidy. For someone who looked so confused and disordered most of the time he looked quite suave tonight. Max looked at him, he too looking stylish and sophisticated with a grey checkered shirt on, tucked into a pair of black trousers and some black shoes of his own - that he had borrowed off Tyson and were too big for him, making walking an adventure in itself! He had combed his hair back so it didn't hang in his face and he looked very decent indeed.
"Tyson, where would they get held up? In the bathroom?" Max asked.
Rei laughed, not quite realising how he suited well-designed attire. He looked completely different from the boy who usually wore baggy, traditional Japanese clothing. He had chosen a pair of jeans, light blue, and had folded up the bottoms to look a little more fitted. They were not too tight yet not too loose and showed off his long legs (and other places . . .). He also wore a long sleeved top, mint green in colour, and he had tucked it into the jeans so it looked fitted. The tight sleeves revealed his well-shaped, slender arms. His hair he had merely combed through, knowing that it was wild and untamable at best - but it flopped in a strangely structured way and seemed to fit perfectly with his new look.
"You never know!" he said pleasantly, "There could be a huge queue!"
Kai shifted, his leaning stance against the desk becoming uncomfortable. Tyson glanced at him, almost jealous. Kai seemed to have a knack for pulling off any appearance and making himself look the essence of cool - and tonight was no exception. He wore a light cotton white T-Shirt that hung loosely about his upper half. It was tucked in baggily at his waist, where a black belt with a silver clasp was draped around his trousers - sleek black ones that weren't as slack as the larger ones he usually wore. Like Rei, he looked completely different from usual. He wore black shoes, instead of his regular black trainers, and he had removed all pieces of body armor (his metal wrist bands) so the muscles in his arms could be seen and admired. His hair was as it usually was - floppy, disorganized - and it somehow went flawlessly with what he was wearing. His stance - simply leaning against the desk, oozed composure and he had a black jacket slung over his shoulder - all the Breakers had jackets but most had flung them on the desk for now. In fact, the Blade-Breakers looked like a sophisticated, well-mannered group of young teenage boys, who knew how to behave.
"Oh, how looks can deceive!" thought Kai as he watched Max sniff and then wipe his nose on his sleeve. He chuckled inwardly and then turned as someone called his name.
Janine ran down the brown stairs, her dainty beige hand gliding down the gold banister. Kai breathed out quietly as he saw her. He wasn't the type to get involved with girls, and usually they didn't interest him. But Janine really did look superb in a low cut black dress, which ended just above the knees. It had long, light, translucent black sleeves that shimmered as she waltzed down the stairs. Her legs looked even slimmer due to the black and silver strappy shoes she wore. Her hair she had tied up loosely yet neatly, with some small auburn pieces hanging down at the front and the rest clipped at the back of her head. Make-up made her already attractive features even more noticeable and she smelled of a fruity, appealing perfume. A silver necklace hung around her slender neck and glittered.
She reached the bottom of the stairs and smiled, flashing her pearly teeth. Kai nodded at her and turned away as the other Breakers greeted her warmly.
"Hey, Janine! How are you?"
"Lookin' good, Janine!"
"Is there a queue in the bathroom or something?"
Janine laughed, answering each question as it came, her smooth voice gliding through the quiet air. She looked at her watch - a slim silver one with a diamond in the centre of the face.
"It's almost six-fifteen. I told all the other groups to meet here at six if they were coming. I guess no-one else is gonna show."
She looked a little downcast, but Tyson grinned.
"Don't worry about it. We'll have a good time, and we'll all be de- stressed and relaxed later on and they'll be wondering what they missed out on. Ok?"
Janine nodded, her hair swaying with the movement of her head.
"It's quite a drive to town. Does anyone need the bathroom? I know there are toilets on the coach - but seriously, do you wanna use them? If I were you I'd go now."
Rei blushed. "You got me!"
He sauntered off in the direction of the male restroom, and whistled as he went, obviously feeling jolly. Janine turned back to the other Breakers.
"Well, are you guys looking forward to it?"
Max nodded excitedly. "It's just what we need to relax! I haven't been for a meal in ages!"
Janine smiled. "You all look pretty great. The clothes make you all look a lot older - and more sophisticated."
She gave Kai a fleeting look out of the corner of her eye and smiled as she ran her eyes up his body. He noticed, looked straight at her, and (with a barely detectable grin playing across his lips) said:
"Problem?"
Janine looked away, she too grinning playfully. "Nope . . .no problem at all,"
Tyson pulled a face. "Man, they should get a room or something."
Max laughed. "Come on, Tyson, I think it's cute! When's the last time you saw Kai grin like a playful little kid?"
"Never."
"Good point."
The Chief looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
Max and Tyson looked at each other and rolled their eyes in exasperation at the Chief's dull witted remark. Dizzi, who was switched on, groaned.
"Chief, it's as plain as my screen! You might have a one-seventy-five IQ, but you're not too sharp, are ya?"
"Shut up, Dizzi," said Kenny, blushing as he realized his mistake. Janine giggled - and then looked down at her hand in horror.
"Arghhh! Forgot my . . .handbag! Be back in a second!"
She darted off up the staircase hastily, looking a little wobbly in her heels. Kai watched her go, an amused grin on his face. He then noticed Max, Tyson and the Chief staring straight at him.
"What?"
*
Rei zipped up his fly, buttoned his jeans up, and stepped away from the urinal. He walked over to the mirror above the sink, and watched his face as he rinsed his hands thoroughly.
"It's nice to see Kai and Janine hitting it off," he thought, smiling. But then his smile faded slowly, as if erased by a distant memory. He looked into the large, clear mirror and for a second thought he could see her behind him.
"Mariah?"
She waved, her pink hair bobbing light heartedly. His eyes lit up at the sight of her face, her grin beaming brightly.
"Hey Rei."
Flotsam and jetsam, magnificent white horses riding a stormy sea, rearing their proud heads, ripped apart, their royal manes shattered on the icy blue surface - Rei's stomach wavered and fluttered as they did when he saw his loved one's face. He never knew what to do when she was around. He felt uneasy, yet at perfect peace. He smiled right back.
Suddenly, Mariah's features began to transform, twisting and merging, spiraling, the colors blending, swelling, evaporating, and Mariah became a watercolor, a million dyes spooled into one fascinating epitome on a canvas. Then the colors came to life again, and began to take form, growing into a new shape, creating a fresh image in the mirror. Rei stared, mystified, and the contour became Leanne, radiant and twinkling and smiling warmly. Rei's eyes widened, and he spun around on his heel, his pupils searching the bathroom wildly.
"Was . . .was that Leanne?"
His heart pounding, and his head filled with thoughts he didn't understand, Rei hurriedly left the bathroom.
*
He felt guilty as he walked along the corridor that led to the stairs and the main entrance. His eyes trailed along the floor, his hands stayed fast in his jeans and his feet dragged. What he had just seen kept on playing over and over in his mind, a cinema reel stuck on repeat. He sighed, his eyebrows furrowed as he reflected. He turned the corner aimlessly. Ahead of him were two routes. To his right was the grand staircase, and if he listened hard enough he could hear Tyson and Max chattering. Straight ahead was another corridor, which led to the rooms kept for the employees. Naturally, Rei was about to head downstairs and meet up with his friends, but as he was about to take the stairs, he stopped short. Raised voices echoed from down the staff corridor. Rei paused, uncertain as to whether he should check it out. The voices came again and he started.
"No way!" he thought as one of the voices identified with a memory in his head. He crept forwards slowly, annoyed at the echo his shoes made. It resounded quietly in the hallway as he stealthily moved along, getting closer and closer to the heated voices. He stopped outside a door, and listened cautiously as the voices continued. There were three people, it seemed, one a girl and two males. Both the men's voices sounded so familiar to Rei, but however hard he racked his brains, he couldn't quite place them. He frowned, his inability irritating him. Then the girl spoke, and Rei gasped quietly.
"It's all set. They're the only team coming. You've nothing to worry about, I promise."
Rei pressed himself closer to the door, making sure not to lean on it too heavily in case someone opened it unexpectedly. The voices inside continued.
"We're trusting this to you, girl. Don't let us down."
"We want results by tonight."
He listened as hard as he could, his eyes squinted in a desperate attempt to place the men's intonations, but Rei still couldn't do it. He still listened intently.
"Definitely. You can count on me. I won't fail."
"Failure isn't an option."
The conversation ended on that friendly note, and then footsteps were heard coming toward the door. Rei leaped away and sped around the corner nimbly, and leaned against the wall, catching his breath for a moment. When he heard the door open, he covertly peered around the corner, allowing only his amber eyes to pass further than the blue wall he leaned against. His jet hair flopped into his eyes and he flicked it away in annoyance. His eyes flitted as he watched Janine step out of the room, shut the door behind her, and bounce down the stairs. He heard her greet the others merrily, and shuddered.
"I don't believe it," he thought, taking a deep breath, "What do I do?"
*
Janine rejoined the others with a smile. Tyson, Max and Kenny greeted her with warm hellos, and she even got a smile from Kai.
"Where's your bag?" asked the Chief, noticing her hands were still empty. Janine looked down and hesitated.
". . . Oh, yeah . . .I decided I didn't need it. It only had my lipstick in anyway, so . . ."
The boys seemed to understand. "Right."
Janine flicked her hair. "Well, as soon as Rei arrives we can leave!"
"I'm right here."
Rei's stony voice reverberated from the top of the stairs, and he walked down them slowly, a cold, hard look on his handsome face. He kept the corner of his eye on Janine.
"Are we going, then?"
Tyson nodded. "Yup! I can't wait! I'm so hungry! I think I'm gonna pass out if I don't eat something soon! Food, food, food, food, food, foo-"
"Tyson, if you do that in the restaurant I'll kick you out myself!" growled Kai at the prancing Tyson. Tyson quietened.
"Alright, ok, just havin' some fun. Don't worry, I know how to behave."
Max giggled. "Yeah, sure."
"Maxy!"
The two boys began to ruffle each other's hair playfully, and they soon ended up rolling around on the floor in a scuffle. The Chief groaned and picked them up with difficulty.
"You're gonna look a state if you keep this up!"
All three laughed at each other. Rei stood silent, looking at the floor and occasionally glancing up at Janine, who was conversing quietly with Kai. He jumped when Tyson spoke to him.
"You ok, Rei? Something spook you in the bathroom? Hee, hee!"
Rei smiled forcibly. "Yeah, good one. I'm fine."
He looked away and thought with irony, "Tyson doesn't know how close he just came to the truth."
*
The group left the hotel at about a quarter to seven. Outside was dark and bitter, as a new snow had fallen earlier and crisped the already chilly air. No rain fell though, and the Breakers were thankful - they were tired of mizzle. The parking lot was lit with lustrous lamps and they easily made their way over to the cars Janine had hired for them. They gladly clambered into the shining white cars and took pleasure in the interior warmth they found. Max, Tyson and the Chief took the first car and Janine, Kai and Rei got in the other. The insides were cream and leather, and smelled nice. Janine, before she got in, briefly gave orders to each of the drivers.
When all were settled the journey began. It was only a half an hour drive to the nearest town. Tyson and Max amused themselves by exploring the car they were in. They were very luxurious, with a mini freezer underneath the seat and a Playstation in the back of the front passengers seat. Tyson got really wired - almost frenzied enough to rival Max's hyperactivity - and they spent the whole ride playing a fighting game and screaming "Death to you, you fiend!" and "Kill him! Squash him! Bite his head off!" in a riotous manner. The Chief passed the time by working on his computer - once the Chief, always the Chief. He was a devoted worker and a complete asset to the Blade-Breakers, but sometimes Tyson wished he'd lighten up, let loose and have some fun.
Meanwhile, in the other car, Rei sat silent, despite many efforts on Janine's behalf to include him in the conversation. He watched the window, his head leaning on his fist (which was constantly clenched) and he wouldn't talk unless it was a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. Even Kai attempted to speak to him, talking about such a triviality as an old Beyblade match, but Rei wouldn't get involved. His mind was heavy, reeling with all he had seen and heard in the last hour. He was desperate to say something, to tell the truth, but he didn't want to. Something in him kept pulling him back. His distant manner began to trouble Kai, who, despite his offhand position, did have a genuine concern for his teammates and felt a sort of reluctant responsibility for them. So when the car finally pulled up, he pulled Rei aside and told Janine to go on ahead.
"What's wrong with you?" he asked briskly, bluntly, as soon as Janine moved to the other car. Rei looked at the ground.
"Nothin'."
"Don't play me for a fool. Something's bothering you. Janine knows it too. Well, spit it out!"
Rei was silent for a moment, and Kai was puzzled. When they had been getting ready to leave, Rei had been cheerful - he had even whistled as he went to the bathroom! Something had happened since then.
"Well?"
Rei still kept mute. If he told anyone, he certainly wasn't about to tell Kai, so he grit his teeth.
"Nothin'!"
Kai's temper slowly began to grind. He was generally patient, but Rei's attitude frustrated him.
"Come on, Rei. Now. I don't have all day"
"And I don't have an answer, Kai!" snarled Rei, suddenly lashing out in aggression, "So back off and stop probing me! There's nothing I can tell you so quit it!"
Kai's eyes narrowed. "Alright. I'll stop. But, if there's nothing wrong, I'll expect to see you acting like your normal, cheery, 'best buddies with everybody' self. Got it?"
" . . .Fine."
Kai sighed. He was still uneasy about Rei, as he didn't know what was running through his mind. But he was satisfied knowing that Rei wasn't about to get the others backs up with his brooding attitude and he could grill him in his own time.
"Alright then. Let's go. The guys and Janine are almost in the restaurant, and we don't wanna get lost."
Kai led the way to the front of the restaurant, which was on the outskirts of a high-class shopping centre. Lights dazzled and undulated before their eyes, gleaming and radiant in the dark night sky. The name of the restaurant, 'La filant' was lit in bright yellow and red and, ironically, it shone like a 'shooting star'. Kai and Rei rejoined the other four members of their party as the cars drove off. There were lots of people flitting in and out of the restaurant and all were dressed exquisitely.
"Good thing we dressed like this . . ." muttered the Chief, "or we wouldn't have fitted at all!"
Janine stepped inside and went straight to the reception desk. It seemed she knew exactly what to do. She spoke amiably with the man at the desk, who looked up their names and nodded.
"Table eight."
Janine smiled. "Thank you."
With a flick of her hand, she beckoned the Blade-Breakers over. Tyson marched in, determined to make an impression. He looked eagerly at the other folks' tables, watching as one gentleman ate a sublime looking lobster.
"Don't drool, Tyson!" whispered Max from behind with a giggle. Tyson grinned and made his way forward to table eight. He took a seat and watched as the others sat down. Everything was incredibly fine - crushed glass and a red rose on the satin red tablecloth. There seemed to be too much silvery, glinting cutlery for Tyson to count.
"And here I was planning to eat with my hands."
Janine laughed. "Don't be uptight, Tyson. It's actually very free and easy here."
Max lifted an eyebrow in skepticism, "Doesn't look it!"
"Well, it is. You're here to relax. So go ahead and relax!"
Kenny grinned. "If I were relaxed, I'd put Dizzi on the table and undo my shirt button."
"Go for it! Nobody here cares! You can do what you like - and for what this place costs, why not?"
The Chief's face lit up. "Ok!"
He loosened his tie, undid his top button, sighed pleasantly, and set Dizzi up on the table. Notwithstanding what Janine said, Kai and Rei shook their heads.
"No manners whatsoever," said Rei with a hint of a grin, watching as Tyson followed suit and loosed his belt and leaned back on his chair. He smiled.
"This is the life. Ok, what's on 'le menu'?"
Max chuckled. "Um . . .oh my gosh, I don't even know how to pronounce half of this stuff! 'Le . . .jambons, gambon, j . . .j . . .jambon?' What's that?"
"A leg of ham," said Kai, surprising everyone with his knowledge of the French language. Tyson sighed, muttering, "Does he have to be so darned good at everything? French, gimme a break . . ."
"Oh . . .right," muttered Max, and he buried his nose in his menu again. Janine was smiling.
"How'dya know French?"
Kai shrugged. "Had to learn it when I was younger, I guess. As well as Russian."
"Really?" said Janine in admiration, staring at him. Rei wrinkled his nose, said nothing, and looked at his menu. He couldn't understand a word. Tyson, who also didn't have a clue, called over a waiter, a young man in a black and white suit. Tyson resisted the urge to scoff at his bow tie and said,
"Excuse me, monsieur, do you have frogs legs?"
He spoke in a ridiculous French accent, and Janine cringed. She was about to apologize when the waiter spoke, a happy beam on his face.
"Oui, monsieur, we have lotz of ze frrrogz legz."
Tyson grinned impishly. "Well then, hop off and get me le chicken sandwich!"
The whole table burst into laughter as the waiter's grin faded and he straightened up and walked off indignantly. Only Kai remained solemn. He kind of bored down at Tyson, who was laughing so much that tears were spilling out of his eyes.
"You're an embarrassment," said Kai, wrinkling his nose in disgust. This just seemed to make everyone laugh even more, and he sighed, exasperated. Janine, who giggled uproariously, glanced right, saw his face, and immediately the laughter drained from her features and she stared at Tyson.
"Honestly, Tyson."
Gradually, the guffawing died down, and eventually the waiter dared to approach them again. Kai ordered for them in fluent French and the waiter went off again with a pleased and courteous nod.
Dizzi bleeped. "I could have done that, you know."
The Chief laughed. "Calm down, Dizzi. He can't speak in Italian, Spanish, Icelandic or most other languages like you do. Don't get jealous."
Rei chuckled. "You know, I don't think I know what I ordered!"
"I think it was . . .peacock and rice," said Janine matter of factly, squinting at the menu and reading le paon et le riz. Rei squirmed, partially because it was Janine speaking and partially because - well, peacock and rice was enough to make anyone squirm. Besides, his mind was on other things - a few of his thoughts lingered on the closed conversation he had heard but most of them were on what he had seen in the bathroom mirror. He felt so two-faced, like such a traitor to Mariah, and his heart ached for a touch of her silky hair, a smell of her clothes, the echo of her voice and the happiness of her smile.
He scolded himself for seeing what he saw in the bathroom, but he couldn't take himself seriously. Why was he feeling like this?
"I don't even like her!" he thought angrily, narrowing his eyes. A dark voice spoke from the depths and reverberated in the chambers of his mind.
"Don't lie to yourself."
He almost gasped out loud, but restrained himself for the sake of the others - who were goofing off with the peppershaker. He sighed in some confusion, and watched as the food was set before them on steaming dishes. He hadn't realized how much time had passed. He had been in a world of his own - he hadn't even heard what the others had been saying. His mind was bent on what he had seen - and heard - earlier that evening. He thought he might go mad with wondering what to do. He blinked, breaking away from the dream he had become intertwined in, and saw Kai watching him from across the table.
Rei offered a thin smile, knowing full well this was not nearly enough to satisfy the shrewd Kai. When Kai looked away, he stared down at his dish. The thought of peacock and rice didn't even cross his mind. Instead he stood up suddenly, and, mumbling some sort of excuse under his breath and keeping his eyes down, he briskly left the table and exited the restaurant.
Janine and the Blade-Breakers stared in wonder. Tyson, a long, green, slimy thing poking from the corners of his mouth, dropped his fork and said:
"What's his beef?"
The Chief rolled his eyes. "Tyson, your manners!"
Tyson sucked in the slime and retorted hotly. "What's up with Rei? Does he feel ill or something?"
"Maybe he's just bummed about his blade," suggested Max, scratching his head in bewilderment, "Did you see that? He just upped and left."
"I don't suppose he's coming back then?" asked Janine, dabbing her mouth daintily with her red napkin and folding it in her hands. Tyson shrugged.
"I'm not just gonna sit here if Rei is upset over something. I'm going to find him. Who's with me?"
Max and the Chief stood. "Yeah. We Blade-Breakers don't abandon each other!"
Tyson grinned. "Ok, let's go. He can't have gotten far. Just to the area outside."
The three of them left the table (Max standing on the table cloth and nearly removing the dinners and the cutlery from the surface) and Kai stood.
"Sorry, Janine, but I gotta go."
She smiled. "You didn't think I'd expect you to stay here. To be honest, I think this was . . .a bad idea. How about I come too?"
Kai nodded and Janine stood, paying by leaving her credit card on the desk. "My uncle works here," she explained briefly, "He'll look after my card for me."
With a wave to her uncle, Janine made her way forward hastily, followed by Kai, whose brow was furrowed. What was up with Rei?
*
Rei stood outside the restaurant, his hair blowing in the chill breeze. His shoulders shivered slightly and he hugged his arms around himself loosely. The neon lights of the restaurant glowered behind him. A rude large man bumped into him with a grunt but Rei paid no heed. The fresh air cleared his head a little and he took a deep breath.
"Hey Rei?"
Tyson appeared next to Rei. Rei looked at him apologetically.
"Tyson, I'm sorry. I just needed a little air or something. You should go back in."
"Come on, Rei, if there's something bothering you, you can tell us!" piped in Max, appearing from behind Tyson's back and grinning. Rei almost smiled.
"I know that. Thanks. But I think I'll get back. You guys go back inside."
The Chief now popped out from behind Max. "Nah, I think we're gonna go with you," he said cheerfully, his laptop slinging about his neck, "I think this was a bad idea. Seemed ok at the time, but now I realize we're more worried about the Beyblades than we knew. The best thing we can do is get back and find out what's going on."
Rei nodded sincerely. "You're right there, Chief."
