Chapter Nine: Alarming Occurrences
The drive back to the hotel was a long one for Rei, who again, remained silent. Janine now seemed indisposed to speak with him, noticing his unusual resentment towards her company. Kai hardly ever spoke anyway, and so the car was filled with a rather sinister silence, broken only by the chug of the engine now and again. In the other car, Max and Tyson were, once more, fascinated with the Playstation (though their taste was not so well met this time - the game was not to their liking). The Chief played on his laptop and thought deeply. A shadow of restlessness had grown in his mind since they had entered Iceland and now the shadow had grasped him with its clawing arm. He shuddered and went back to typing data onto Dizzi's clicking keys, closing the door for now.
When the Blade-Breakers finally made it back to their hotel, it was Tyson who was first to rush to the reception desk. Fists slammed as he bellowed Danny's name.
"Danny! DANNY! Any news?"
Danny popped his head out of the reception through room, his hair brushing against the solid oak of the door.
"Hey, you're back early! I never expected it so soon! Enjoy yourselves, guys?"
Tyson growled. "Yeah, well, we decided we're too nervous about our blades to eat! So, are they back yet? Did you catch the thief? Where are our Beyblades?"
Danny held Tyson's fiery gaze for a second, and then dropped his eyes with a remorseful sigh.
"I'm sorry, boys, but we're still trying to locate the position of the blades. It may take a lot longer than we thought."
Tyson's expectant face wilted as a flower in the late-come night, and he looked away. His teeth were clenched angrily, his eyes closed to hide his reaction. He did not trust himself to speak. Danny looked genuinely regretful.
"I truly am sorry, boys. Go to bed. Get some rest. Maybe there'll be results tomorrow."
"You keep saying that!" barked Max in heat, "You keep telling us to wait! How can we wait? Don't you see what these things mean to us? Don't you see . . . ?" Max trailed off, unable to portray his feelings in simple speech. His head hung and Rei spoke fairly.
"I can see you're in a tough position, Danny. And I can also see that you don't much understand how we feel. But please, promise us you'll do all you can - everything it takes - to get those blades back. My . . . my Driger is everything to me. Without it . . . I . . . without it . . . "
Rei, too, stopped short, his eyes glistening passionately with tears of rage and sorrow. Tonight had been too much for him. He sighed a shaky breath and ran a trembling hand through his hair. Danny saw his confusion and smiled sympathetically.
"I know. You don't need to tell me. But there's no use in sitting worrying all night. You'll make yourselves ill. Just go to bed, and try to put this out of your minds. Hopefully your dreams will offer more consolation than I can."
His words were soothing and relaxing to the boy's troubled minds. Tyson offered a smile.
"Thanks, Danny. You're right. See ya later."
With a resilient nod of his head, Tyson began to make his way up the stairs, and was followed by Max and the Chief. Kai went after them, and Rei lagged behind for a moment, lost in a mist of thought.
"Rei."
Rei awoke, the mist evaporated into morning, and, when the reality of night fell, he smiled.
"Coming."
A little wearily, he dragged himself up the stairs behind Kai, who looked back down when he reached the top and took one more glance at the beautiful girl in the black dress who smiled peacefully up at him.
********
The hotel was silent when the clock struck two in the morning. A large, lavish grandfather clock stood as a guard in the hall, casting a fearful shadow on the floor. As the hands clicked around in every second that passed, an occasional chime was heard that repeated around the spacious empty hallways of the hotel. Nobody was about - nobody was there to see a stealthy figure sweep across the main hallway and begin to make their way up the stairs.
********
Rei rolled over, wakeful. His eyes, which had dropped so readily before, had snapped open and refused to release. No position was comfortable; his hair annoyed him. His eyes had adjusted to the dark due to his sleepless watch and the eerie shapes of the night had contorted into grey structures, unidentifiable and unfamiliar. Yet they did not faze Rei. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Instead of dwelling on the ominous reflection in the mirror he had seen earlier, Rei turned his thoughts to the other disquieting memory lodged in his mind. The conversation he had stumbled across. It played again in his mind, the haunting footage of some horror movie. He searched the remaining images, scouring for clues, trying intently to figure it all out. But nothing fitted, no matter how he tried to make it. He was missing a couple of pieces of the puzzle, and knew not where to find them.
With a troubled frown, Rei rolled over again and exhaled deeply. For a moment, the silence of the night enclosed him; broken only and briefly by Kai's gentle, steady breathing. Rei scowled miserably. At least someone was getting some sleep.
He turned again, moving his left hand behind his head for comfort. None could be found for him, and eventually he sat up, growling. His head reeled with memories - the mirror, the conversation, and the Beyblades. His heart sank like a brick in water when he remembered his Beyblade. Driger. His companion and partner. Where was he right now?
With another sigh, Rei swept the covers off himself, and spun so his feet dangled off the edge of his bed. It creaked a little underneath him as he moved, and Rei leaned back on the mattress, his head up to the ceiling, his mind shrouded in thought. Gradually, he pressed his weight forwards to stand. His head ached, and he longed for a breath of fresh air to clear it.
"Rei."
Rei jumped, startled. He turned to the voice and saw that Kai was awake and staring straight at him. He was still lying down, but as Rei turned he sat up slowly.
"Sorry, Kai, I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep."
"I think that's advice you should take yourself, Rei. You need to sleep yourself, you know."
Rei nodded. "Yeah."
Kai looked at him long and hard, his mind whirring with dashing thoughts. "You know, Rei, if I don't know what's wrong with you, I can't try to help you."
Rei lifted an eyebrow in doubt, tired as he was. "You wanna help me?"
"Don't get a big head about it. The only reason I wanna help is because your tossing and turning is stopping me from sleeping."
Rei smiled. "Ok."
Kai threw off his own covers deftly, and crossed his legs as he sat up. "There's something on your mind, right?"
" . . . I guess."
"And I have a feeling that it's not the lack of your Beyblade. Well, if it is, it's only partial. There's something else. Am I right?"
Rei looked down at the dark floor. "Yeah, you're right."
"Well, are you gonna tell me about it or do I have to keep guessing? It's getting pretty boring."
Rei sighed uneasily. "It sounds so simple, Kai, but, well, I don't think you of all people would wanna hear."
Kai visibly straightened as these words sunk in. He narrowed his eyes at Rei, who avoided his stare.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Rei grimaced. "I didn't wanna tell you this, Kai. You'll hate me. I mean, I know you don't exactly like me now, but you'll really, really hate me. Or Jan-"
Rei clasped his hand over his mouth; shocked it had slipped so easily. Kai leaned forward, his eyes glinting judiciously.
"Run that by me again, Rei? I'm not sure I heard you properly."
His tone took on an unfriendly, menacing tint, and Rei sighed. He was not afraid of Kai - he never had been - but by nature Rei wasn't the type to argue or get on people's bad sides and he felt this was a situation he didn't want to be in. Reluctantly he continued.
"After I went to the bathroom, I was walking back along the corridor to the stairs. I heard raised voices coming from the staff accommodation."
Kai nodded. "Go on."
"I went closer. There were two guys and . . . and a girl. I couldn't place the guy's voices, even though they're familiar. And the girl was . . . well; I'll get to that. They were having a debate."
Another nod. "What's the problem?"
"Wait. As they talked, I realized that they were talking about us. The meal we were going out for. The conversation ran along the lines of 'You'd better not fail us, girl' and then a 'Don't worry, I won't' in reply. They talked about how we were the only team going and it was all set. I was listening up against the door and when I heard footsteps, well, I backed away and ducked behind a corner. The girl was first out. It was . . . Janine."
There was a strained silence. Suddenly they were two army generals, one not knowing when the other was about to strike or what move they would make. All Rei could do was wait for a response.
Kai didn't move his stony, icy gaze from Rei's face. Tentatively, Rei felt a shiver race down his back in sinister play. He boldly met Kai's gaze and held it, his head erect and daring. Kai stood up slowly.
"You're try'na tell me Janine's plotting against us?"
Rei dropped his head and his shoulders sagged. "I knew you wouldn't like it."
"No, I don't like it. Especially since I don't believe a word of it!"
Rei glanced up, his eyes widening by that startling remark. He turned around to Kai, his amber eyes glossy in the pale moon's glow. "What do you mean?"
"You've made that up. You're lying."
Rei shook his head, lost for words. He had expected a reaction, but not this one, and it caught him off guard.
"No, Kai, I'm serious!"
"I think something else happened up there, Rei. And you're try'na compensate with this ridiculous story. Am I right?"
Rei looked away, his heart pounding and his breath coming quickly now. His shoulders, which had sagged so readily before, had tightened and were taut and tense.
"Something else did happen. But that isn't relevant. I'm not lying, Kai. She's up to something, and I wouldn't trust her if I were you!"
Kai growled. "After all that girl has been through, you're making up stories about her? I don't think she'd appreciate it very much."
Rei sighed, frustrated. "Kai, look. I can see how you feel about this girl. We all can. But that's no reason to block out the truth. I once remember a wise blader saying to me: 'Battles must be fought with the head, not with the heart'. So why now are you letting your heart and its emotions cloud your rational thought? Why would I make something up like that?"
Kai was shaking, either with rage or some unknown emotion Rei had never seen in him before and could not identify. His fists clenched, the knuckles ebony white where they were under immense pressure. His mouth remained clamped tightly shut, and he opened it slightly when he spoke again, his voice strained and deep.
"I've had about enough of this, Rei. If this is what was behind you acting all weird at the restaurant then I'm disgusted. Don't say any more. I've heard about enough from you - and if all you can do is spout silly stories that are gonna get somebody hurt then I don't need to hear it."
Rei braced the storm courageously, risking the battle, the debate not over for him. He was determined to have the final word.
"It's you who'll get hurt if you don't listen."
One foot under the cover of his bed, Kai had been climbing back in, signaling that the duel between them was over. When Rei rocked the boat and argued back, his temper, already hanging by a weak, delicate thread, finally snapped and he whipped his foot out of bed again, his mind a raging inferno of defiance and denial.
"You just couldn't leave it, could you Rei? Couldn't drop it! I don't care what you say! I don't even consider it worth my while speaking to you! But let's get one thing straight - Janine is innocent! She's harmless - and she's no evil genius! Believe what you want, Rei, but if you say another word to me I'll put you through that wall and it won't be pretty. Got it?"
Rei's temper ground also; there was only so much he would take before a final snap, as shown in the final match of the Asian tournament. Lee, his adversary, had felt the wrath of the White Tiger unleashed in its mighty fury, it's resounding roar striking fear into the boldest of hearts. Could it now withstand the awesome power controlled by the overwhelming firebird? Could the anger of the potent tiger match the flaming fury of the majestic phoenix? Flames and claws would glint, slashing and tearing, a tremendous struggle would ensue, but who would be the victor? They were about to find out, as they faced off in the bedroom, their hands clenched tight, wrath pulsating through their frenzied veins.
They were interrupted by a piercing yell from outside in the hallway. It cracked the stony air and echoed cacophonously, hollowly, in the stretched silence that followed it. The twisted mute of the night finally set on the two impassioned boys, and doused their blazing fires. Their worlds were left cool, pierced by a shrill fear that stirred in both of their stomachs.
"Max!"
********
A gentle voice woke him, cooing his name fascinatingly, alluringly. He sat up slowly, chills tiptoeing up his spine, kittens chasing their tails. The voice called again, slowly whispering. He slipped nimbly out of his bed, his feet treading lightly on the supple, soft floor. He progressively made his way to the door of the room, inquisitive, curious. He crept past two other beds, comrades sleeping steadily, and smiled as he noticed drool seeping out of the corner of one of their open mouths. Suppressing a giggle, he stole away from them and placed a pale hand on the doorknob, glassy in the pallid moonlight. Gently twisting, the doorknob clicked and the door swung smoothly open with a slight creak.
He stepped gingerly into the quiet hallway, listening both to the sounds of his own breathing and the silence of the night, waiting to hear the voice again. It came as expected, this time louder, more frantic, calling his name, harried. He pricked up his ears at the sound and followed in curiosity, eager to find out more. He felt someone needed his help. His heart racing for reasons unknown, he quickened his steps and rounded the corner, and stood, facing the stairway and the vast, empty reception hall below.
Puzzled, he looked around, the distant ticking of a heavy grandfather clock faintly audiable. His eyes, still not quite used to their present darkness, could make out no person, no figure against the black air around him. He found himself looking down the steep stairway, precipitous before him. It didn't frighten him - for what reason did he have to be afraid of the staircase? He was light and nimble on his feet and had a keen sense of balance. Yet as he watched the slope, another chill raced up his spine, and he felt the tiny blond hairs on the back of his neck start to rise slowly.
At the sound of footsteps behind him, the boy whizzed around, pupils darting rapidly. There was no voice, no visage for him to recognize, no striking aroma or startling aura - just a cruel thrust to his chest. Blood rushed wildly in his ears as air began to flow past his face. A cry escaped his mouth shrilly, slicing the space around them. He vaguely heard the chime of the grandfather clock, distant in his ears, eradicated as his head struck the hard stair. A resounding pain flooded his head as his eyes fluttered and shut, and he was unconscious by the time he reached the bottom.
********
Rei and Kai almost bumped into Tyson and the Chief in their turbulent dash to the hallway. They stared at each other for a brief moment, a quick respite, before darting towards the not-too-distant staircase. A few other people had opened their doors and were peering out in interest; nosy. The Blade-Breakers had no time to care (even though Kai did scowl at one of them as he ran past) and they raced to the stairs in frenzy.
Tyson reached the top first, a long blue dressing gown flowing about his legs. He gazed down the stairs in horror at the still shape of Max lying at the bottom of the stairs, one arm twisted maliciously underneath his thin form. A trickle of deep red began to slither beside his closed eye, an awry snake slinking spitefully across the pale plain of the face. Tyson cried out in anguish, and immediately leaped down the stairs to help his fallen friend, noticing a dark crimson patch where blood had spilt unmercifully. The others followed, expressions of disbelief crossing their faces. As he reached his side, Tyson dropped to his knees and grabbed his buddy's white hand.
"Max! Max, Max, can ya hear me Max?"
He shook the limp hand desperately as the others joined him next to their teammate. His face was painfully pastel and emotionless. They wondered in distress, hearts racing at a mad pace, worst fears emerging unwanted. A small crowd began to gather and frightened, gossiping hushes surrounded the boys.
Kai stood, even his face pale and worried.
"Somebody call for help. Don't just stand there whispering. Call an ambulance!"
He knelt back down again, attempting to block out the whimpering noises coming from the Chief, who had tears channeling down his cheeks.
"Oh my goodness, I don't believe this! Max!"
He shook the motionless boy who still didn't wake. Rei's eyes were teary and shimmered as somebody switched on a bright hallway light. His yellowish-brown pupils darted this way and that, wondering where to look. Tyson kept hold of Max's hand firmly, too strong to cry, shivering with either cold or utter fear. His insides churned in nausea.
"Who would do this?" he said to no one in particular. Rei closed his eyes. He knew exactly who would do this. He resisted the urge to glance at Kai, who was occupied. He leaned over and moved close to Max's parted lips, and listened carefully, attempting to suppress the hushes and whispers of the still gathering crowd and concentrate.
A relieved smile crossed his face. "He's breathing."
The Chief laughed nervously in near hysteria, leaning backwards on his hands and sighing. Tyson, as if woken from a dream, looked up.
"Has someone called for help?" he asked, his voice thin and strangled. He was surprised when Janine stepped out of the throng of people.
"I did," she said as she came forward, a small cell phone held out in front of her. Kai breathed a grateful sigh and then turned back to Max. He brushed back a bang of blond hair that was slowly becoming encased in the growing trickle of scarlet and examined the wound. It was deep and would need stitches, but to him, it didn't look too serious. He let the hair drop again, and turned to a colorless Janine.
"What happened?" she asked, her face worried and taut. Kai shook his head, and now noticed Rei's eyes upon him. He didn't say a word when Rei looked away, an angry disappointment in his features. Then, all were interrupted by the loud blare of sirens in the parking lot outside. In no time at all hospital paramedics, dressed in long green and white jackets and loaded with all sorts of medical equipment, were rushing to Max's side. They pushed the Blade-Breakers aside with the arrogant air of adulthood, and Tyson growled.
"Max! Hey Max! Wait! I'm . . . I'm his best friend!"
A kindly doctor turned to him, a mop of gingery hair dangling in his eyes.
"Don't worry," he said in a thick Icelandic accent, "Your friend will be fine."
He turned away from the frantic Tyson, who peered desperately through the mass of paramedics at his friend, who was being lifted gently on to a stretcher. He couldn't see much and kept getting shoved out of the way. Growling, he dived to the front and popped up beside the stretcher. To his surprise, Max had woken.
"Max!"
Tyson smiled, overjoyed. His head whirred with frantic thoughts and questions that remained unanswered, but mostly, for now, he was flooded with sheer relief. Max, his eyes half open and dim, one a little stiff with drying blood, looked dizzily at Tyson while a paramedic strapped something to his arm. His blue eyes were dull and glazed.
"Ty . . . Ty-"
Tyson nodded, keeping up with the stretcher as it was moved along. The paramedics carried him briskly out of the door, shouting orders to each other in Icelandic that poor Tyson couldn't understand a word of. He looked down at Max again, his eyes beginning to fill now. Max spoke again:
"Dra . . . Draciel? Ty-"
Tyson nodded, understanding. He knew what he was being asked to do.
"I'll get it, Max. I'll get it back for you."
Max smiled weakly, and his eyes closed. An oxygen mask was strapped firmly across his mouth and he was whisked away from Tyson, who was suddenly lost in the crowd. He felt strange, upset, and angry - yet a powerful force surged inside him, iridescent, heated; revenge. It burned passionate in his soul, fiery, glowering, unquenchable. Tyson clenched his fists and ground his teeth together in fervor, a silent vow solemnly made in his hungry mind. As his friends joined him, he shook away his tears and watched on as Max was lifted into the ambulance. It had begun to rain and the droplets ran down their faces in the night chill. It seemed to fit the mood as it lashed down feverishly, soaking the boys through.
The Chief shivered, his eyes fixated on the ambulance about ten metres away. Rainwater trickled into his eyes as he watched, unblinking. He did not notice a burly paramedic approach them.
"Excuse me," he spoke, ignoring the rainwater on his face, "One of you is allowed to go with your friend, seeing as you're the closest thing to family he's got in this country. Only one, though, because there's not enough room for anymore than that."
The four Blade-Breakers looked at each other.
"Hands up if you wanna go," said Rei diplomatically. He, Tyson and the Chief raised their hands. Kai restrained - not because he disliked Max, but because he felt it wasn't his place.
"Ok, I won't go," Rei said with a sigh, stepping backwards generously, "So it's between you and the Chief, Tyson."
The Chief began to speak, stating that it was all right for Tyson to go instead, but Tyson cut him off.
"You go, Chief."
Kenny was stunned, and he stared at Tyson with wide eyes despite the rain splashing into them.
"Huh?"
Tyson lowered his head and smiled. "I have work to do. I promised Max I'd get his Beyblade back, and that's what I'm gonna do."
He turned his back and marched back indoors neatly, a resilient grin across his round face, and, even though there was still worry in his eyes for his friend, Tyson knew that Max would be all right.
Outside, the Chief said goodbye to Rei and Kai, and then hopped into the bright white ambulance, radiant in all its glamour against the dark backdrop of the pouring rain and blackened sky. The doors slammed shut with a thud, and left a crowd as it thrust off steadily, sirens flaring, their blue elucidation illuminating the evil night and dying off into the air as the ambulance finally left the hotel and drove into the distance.
********
At six-thirty the next morning, Tyson was already dressed and downstairs. He noticed how everyone who descended was taking extra special care as they went down the already notorious staircase. They had been cleaned and no blood remained. The atmosphere in the hospital was rigid and stiff and Tyson felt awkward as he made his was towards the desk. Janine was up bright and early despite her tired looking face, and she smiled at Tyson.
"Hey, Tyson. Get any sleep?"
Tyson replied with a lopsided grin. "A little. How 'bout you?"
"Not enough, and as the day wears on I'm sure someone will have to wake me at my post."
Tyson giggled. "Same here. Good thing I don't have a post. Any news on the Beyblades?"
He had kept true to his word. During the night, Rei had invited him to sleep in his and Kai's room. Tyson had gladly agreed - he didn't want to spend the night alone. Yet he had not slept easily. He was not too worried about Max - he knew the people at the hospital would take good care of him and that if anything terrible did happen then the Chief would call. Nevertheless, something had kept him wide-awake for a lot of the night. He had tossed and turned like a possessed thing but had found no comfort. He had turned his thoughts again and again but found no relief. All he could think about was Max's blade. He was pretty sure he wanted that back even more than he wanted his own back! The fire of retribution had flickered in his heart throughout the stormy, rainy night and was still burning now, as he spoke to Janine.
"Sorry, not yet. But the team has progressed, I can tell you that. Don't you worry, Tyson, they'll be back in no time. The crack team of investigators are becoming more and more confident as to the whereabouts of the Beyblades and as soon as they've got the location down, then we're straight in there and your blades will be straight back in your hands."
Tyson's spirits sank a little as he realized that the blades would not return today. His eyes lowered a little.
"Chin up, Tyson," Janine said comfortingly, "You'll be all right."
Cheered by her stout words, Tyson looked up again with confidence. With a salute, he bounced off upstairs and back into the room. Kai and Rei were silent - obviously something had gone on between those two. But Tyson didn't have time to think about that. He raced to the phone and dialed in the number for the local hospital. After a couple of tentative rings, a young sounding nurse picked up and spoke to him with another thick accent. This time, whether it was due to her accent or the poor quality of the line connection, Tyson could barely understand her. Eventually he got his point across that he wanted to know how a friend was.
"I am sorry, young man, but we can't just give out information like that."
"What d'you mean? I'm his best friend!"
"I don't care if you're his mother! I am not a radio, and I don't give out information for free!"
Tyson sighed, greatly vexed. "Fine. Could you let me speak to Kenny, the guy visiting him?"
"Yes."
There was a short wait when Tyson could hear the nurse yelling instructions at another unfortunate nurse. Then there was a brief silence, followed by crackling, and finally Tyson heard the good old voice of the Chief on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kenny! How are ya doin'?"
"Ok, Tyson. Didn't get much sleep, though. I was so nervous that I couldn't. You?"
"So-so. How's Maxy?"
"He's doing fine. He's broken his left arm just above the elbow and he had a mild concussion but it's going now. The doctors have re-set his arm and it's in a cast. I already signed it on behalf of me and Dizzi."
"Cool, that's great news! Way-hey!"
"Yeah, isn't it? Max himself is fine. He slept a lot because the doctors gave him painkillers. But now he's awake, and he's already eaten and everything!"
Tyson laughed, immensely relieved. A great load had been lifted from his heavy mind. "Why does that not surprise me?"
The Chief giggled on the other end of the line, which was gradually breaking up. "Doctor says he should be out in two or three days, but at the rate Max is healing I'd say he'll be out tomorrow!"
Tyson scoffed. "You're no doctor, Chief."
"But I am a genius!"
"Yeah, well, I guess that's good news. Say hi from the Blade- Breakers!"
"Sure."
The line crackled again, and then there was a silence. After listening hard for a moment, he smiled maturely and hung up the receiver. He found that Rei was sitting on the bed, watching.
"Well?"
Tyson gave him a bright, happy grin and a thumbs up. "Fine!"
Rei laughed, joyous. "Great! But . . . you could have let me speak to Kenny, Tyson. I did kinda wanna ask him something."
Tyson rubbed the back of his head. "Oh man, I'm sorry!"
"No biggy. I'll call him later."
"You sure, man?"
Rei nodded, adjusting the wristbands on his forearms. "Yeah."
Tyson sat down on the bed opposite. "I got pretty scared last night. You?"
"Definitely. I think we all were."
There was a short silence. Tyson was getting sick of these. He felt the urge to fill it, but if Rei didn't really want to talk then he didn't want to seem too garrulous. He lay back on the bed and looked sideways out of the window, his floppy bangs brushing his eyes as he stared at the rain. It had continued to pour last night, and even though it was dying off slightly now, the rain still fell vehemently. The calm silence lasted about a minute until Rei spoke.
"Wanna order pizza tonight?"
Tyson sat up, licking his lips. "To celebrate Max's recovery! Yeah!"
Rei laughed warmly, the heartfelt sound lighting the room. He continued to laugh, and it spread to Tyson, who laughed too, a cheerful grin on his face.
"What's so funny?"
Rei took a breath, the occasional giggle still escaping from his mouth. "I dunno! I guess it's you and your appetite! But I'm so relieved that I could laugh all day!"
Tyson agreed whole-heartedly. "That's true. I'm so glad Max is gonna be alright."
"So what toppings d'you want?"
Tyson's eyes - if possible - lit and grew even rounder than before. "Ooo, this is the best part! Um . . . pepperoni!"
"Do we have to get pepperoni?" asked Rei with a slight grimace, "I don't like it too much."
Tyson shrugged. "Ok, how about . . . ham and mushroom?"
"Urghh!"
"Um . . . maybe . . . anchovies?"
"Yuck. Nope!"
Tyson sighed. They were his three favorite toppings! Rei was a really picky eater!
"How about you pick, Rei?"
Rei nodded. "Yeah, that's ok. Uh . . . I say we just have a plain old marguerite. Whad'ya say to that?"
Tyson made a little 'um' noise and winced a bit awkwardly. "I don't just want a plain one, Rei. Let's go all out! There's no need to be boring, now, is there?"
Rei looked a little annoyed, his eyebrows furrowing from below his bandanna.
"Hey, back off! I don't call you boring!"
"That's 'cause I'm not!"
"Well . . . I don't call you a phone hog just 'cause you dominate the phone!"
Tyson looked annoyed now, and the two stared at each other.
"So I'm a phone hog, eh? That's just fine."
"Yeah, and you think I'm boring? Humph!"
Tyson stood up, his fist clenched, a meaningless argument snowballing into a nasty quarrel.
"You shut your trap, you jerk. I was actually try'na find out about Max!"
"Yeah well, just 'cause I don't have a stomach so big it takes every topping in the world to fill it . . . "
They raged on, more annoyed than they seemed, heating up as they went. A trivial subject such as pizza toppings had mole-hilled into a nasty fight and soon they were slinging cruel insults at each other. The stress of the previous day had obviously gotten to the both of them. The jovial mood set down by Rei's earlier laughter dissolved like an aspirin in a torrent of water, and they continued to flood each other with insults.
Finally, Rei could stand no more. His fists clenched furiously, he walked past the livid Tyson with his head in the air and left the room, slamming the door rather pettily. Tyson was left standing alone.
"Did that just happen?" he thought, the anger suddenly emptying from his face. Young, budding wisdom told him that they had argued for no reason, and a part of him urged steps forward to apologize. But pride stood tall, and for the moment Tyson could not conquer it. He just stood there for a minute, and then sat down on the bed, wondering what had just happened and heavy worries wearying his already weary mind.
********
When Kai arrived at the reception desk Janine's face lit and she burst into a smile. She hadn't expected him to come. Knowing he had a lot on his mind had prevented her from going to find him, but now she was glad she hadn't.
"Hey!" she said brightly as he walked up to the desk and leaned against it. He nodded at her. She was used to this seemingly cold greeting by now. She knew Kai hid more emotion than he showed.
"How are you, Kai?"
He turned to face her, and she could immediately tell he was tired. He looked a little pale and his eyes didn't seem as quick as they usually did. His hands gripped the desk wearily. He offered her a smile.
"Tired. Didn't sleep. But I heard Tyson saying Max is all right when he got off the phone to Kenny."
"That's great news!" Janine smiled, her eyes twinkling merrily, "I'm so glad!"
"Me too,"
She looked up at him, slightly taller than she was, and gazed into his deep brown eyes. She loved to look into those eyes. They held behind them such mystery, such depth, hidden secrets, imprisoned memories - and, when he wanted them to, they could show affection, passion, sorrow, hope; real emotions, true feelings, and she searched in those brown pools daily for the one thing she hadn't seen yet. She wasn't sure if Kai could love. But she dared to hope against hope that he could.
As she looked, she could she could see anger. His dimmer eyes did not reveal this lightly, but she could see it. He wanted to find who it was who had hurt Max. Anger from somewhere else too. She knew not where from. But mostly anger for Max, his fallen companion. Kai wanted retribution; it was obvious. Janine felt a slight twinge in her stomach, and she suppressed it swiftly. For some reason, she felt torn. She knew what she had to do - why couldn't she just do it?
She continued to stare into his eyes, watching, waiting - and this time it was Kai who looked away first. His pupils faltered to the floor and he turned his head. Janine almost smiled. Then, when he spoke, she looked at him once more, his voice deep and direct.
"Any news on our blades?" he asked her. She shook her head.
"The teams are closer but they haven't got a substantial lead yet. Sorry."
Kai sighed, fingers clenching, longing for the familiar wear of his Dranzer. He missed it more than he would admit. Janine felt his need for comfort - and thought with an odd irony that the situation had turned around. She gingerly placed her hand upon his own, not quite sure whether it was the right thing to do. But she was proved right in judgment - for Kai looked up, surprised, and smiled a little. Then Danny walked out from the through room behind the reception desk and Janine withdrew her hand. She stifled a grin and turned to Danny.
"Any news, Dan?"
Danny shook his head. "Sorry - but I found this about ten minutes ago on the front desk, Janine." He handed her a small envelope.
Janine looked puzzled. "Who'd write to me?"
She flipped the yellowing envelope over in her palms, baffled. Her eyes darted from left to right as she read the name on the front, written in scrawled red pen. Brow furrowed, she looked up at Kai.
"Um, it's . . . it's addressed to the Blade-Breakers. Here."
Janine handed Kai the flimsy envelope, her face puzzled. Kai felt just as she looked. He couldn't think for the life of him what was happening as he took the envelope almost tentatively. It was crisp. With a backward glance at Janine, who watched intently, he slipped his finger into the top corner of the envelope and began to tear straight across. When the envelope was ripped open, nervous hands pulled out the letter. The paper was tinting and looked aged - and reminded Kai of the airport bookstore. He unfolded it and read the brief inscribe, his brown eyes flashing as the words registered. Janine stared, engrossed.
"Well? What . . . what does it say?"
Kai looked up, disturbed from a deep chain of thought. "Huh? Oh . . . here,"
He handed her the note, the paper crushing and wrinkling as it was passed about. Janine read it, but before she could ask what it was about, Kai was gone.
********
White met red as the snooker balls clicked into one another. Rei watched with satisfaction, leaning on his cue, as the red ball rolled smoothly into the intended hole. He grinned. Playing snooker was a sure fire way to relax for him. He made his way around the table, his eager eyes spotting a perfect angle to pot another ball. His feet made tiny squeaking noises on the shiny, wooden tiled floor, which had recently been polished. Rei chalked his cue with expertise, and then rested it on the grass green table, aligning it perfectly on the flat of his hand.
He was about to make his move when a noise form the entrance of the room startled him. He looked up to see Kai standing there. Rei straightened and took his cue off the table. There was instantly tension between these two as they met each other's stare. But Kai broke it quickly.
"There's a note for you at the desk. I suggest you go read it."
Kai turned on his heel and left the doorway, and Rei was perplexed. He watched the empty doorway for a second before throwing down the cue and rounding the table, impatient to find out what was happening.
********
When he reached the table, Rei found himself faced by Tyson. Tyson himself looked startled and a little irked to see Rei. In his hands he clutched the staining letter.
"You might wanna read this," he said coldly before dropping the letter at Rei's feet and walking off breezily. Rei wrinkled his nose and sighed, gripping himself with all the patience he could muster. Feeling a touch humiliated, he bent and retrieved the letter from the floor. Upon reading it, his heart thudded loudly in his chest, leaping up unexpectedly. He breathed out through his nose, his lips pursed tight together, looked away in an effort to clear his whirring thoughts, and then re-read the letter intently, his eyes flashing like precious jewels. When he had secured the message in his head, he stuffed the letter into his pocket and turned to leave the hotel.
The drive back to the hotel was a long one for Rei, who again, remained silent. Janine now seemed indisposed to speak with him, noticing his unusual resentment towards her company. Kai hardly ever spoke anyway, and so the car was filled with a rather sinister silence, broken only by the chug of the engine now and again. In the other car, Max and Tyson were, once more, fascinated with the Playstation (though their taste was not so well met this time - the game was not to their liking). The Chief played on his laptop and thought deeply. A shadow of restlessness had grown in his mind since they had entered Iceland and now the shadow had grasped him with its clawing arm. He shuddered and went back to typing data onto Dizzi's clicking keys, closing the door for now.
When the Blade-Breakers finally made it back to their hotel, it was Tyson who was first to rush to the reception desk. Fists slammed as he bellowed Danny's name.
"Danny! DANNY! Any news?"
Danny popped his head out of the reception through room, his hair brushing against the solid oak of the door.
"Hey, you're back early! I never expected it so soon! Enjoy yourselves, guys?"
Tyson growled. "Yeah, well, we decided we're too nervous about our blades to eat! So, are they back yet? Did you catch the thief? Where are our Beyblades?"
Danny held Tyson's fiery gaze for a second, and then dropped his eyes with a remorseful sigh.
"I'm sorry, boys, but we're still trying to locate the position of the blades. It may take a lot longer than we thought."
Tyson's expectant face wilted as a flower in the late-come night, and he looked away. His teeth were clenched angrily, his eyes closed to hide his reaction. He did not trust himself to speak. Danny looked genuinely regretful.
"I truly am sorry, boys. Go to bed. Get some rest. Maybe there'll be results tomorrow."
"You keep saying that!" barked Max in heat, "You keep telling us to wait! How can we wait? Don't you see what these things mean to us? Don't you see . . . ?" Max trailed off, unable to portray his feelings in simple speech. His head hung and Rei spoke fairly.
"I can see you're in a tough position, Danny. And I can also see that you don't much understand how we feel. But please, promise us you'll do all you can - everything it takes - to get those blades back. My . . . my Driger is everything to me. Without it . . . I . . . without it . . . "
Rei, too, stopped short, his eyes glistening passionately with tears of rage and sorrow. Tonight had been too much for him. He sighed a shaky breath and ran a trembling hand through his hair. Danny saw his confusion and smiled sympathetically.
"I know. You don't need to tell me. But there's no use in sitting worrying all night. You'll make yourselves ill. Just go to bed, and try to put this out of your minds. Hopefully your dreams will offer more consolation than I can."
His words were soothing and relaxing to the boy's troubled minds. Tyson offered a smile.
"Thanks, Danny. You're right. See ya later."
With a resilient nod of his head, Tyson began to make his way up the stairs, and was followed by Max and the Chief. Kai went after them, and Rei lagged behind for a moment, lost in a mist of thought.
"Rei."
Rei awoke, the mist evaporated into morning, and, when the reality of night fell, he smiled.
"Coming."
A little wearily, he dragged himself up the stairs behind Kai, who looked back down when he reached the top and took one more glance at the beautiful girl in the black dress who smiled peacefully up at him.
********
The hotel was silent when the clock struck two in the morning. A large, lavish grandfather clock stood as a guard in the hall, casting a fearful shadow on the floor. As the hands clicked around in every second that passed, an occasional chime was heard that repeated around the spacious empty hallways of the hotel. Nobody was about - nobody was there to see a stealthy figure sweep across the main hallway and begin to make their way up the stairs.
********
Rei rolled over, wakeful. His eyes, which had dropped so readily before, had snapped open and refused to release. No position was comfortable; his hair annoyed him. His eyes had adjusted to the dark due to his sleepless watch and the eerie shapes of the night had contorted into grey structures, unidentifiable and unfamiliar. Yet they did not faze Rei. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Instead of dwelling on the ominous reflection in the mirror he had seen earlier, Rei turned his thoughts to the other disquieting memory lodged in his mind. The conversation he had stumbled across. It played again in his mind, the haunting footage of some horror movie. He searched the remaining images, scouring for clues, trying intently to figure it all out. But nothing fitted, no matter how he tried to make it. He was missing a couple of pieces of the puzzle, and knew not where to find them.
With a troubled frown, Rei rolled over again and exhaled deeply. For a moment, the silence of the night enclosed him; broken only and briefly by Kai's gentle, steady breathing. Rei scowled miserably. At least someone was getting some sleep.
He turned again, moving his left hand behind his head for comfort. None could be found for him, and eventually he sat up, growling. His head reeled with memories - the mirror, the conversation, and the Beyblades. His heart sank like a brick in water when he remembered his Beyblade. Driger. His companion and partner. Where was he right now?
With another sigh, Rei swept the covers off himself, and spun so his feet dangled off the edge of his bed. It creaked a little underneath him as he moved, and Rei leaned back on the mattress, his head up to the ceiling, his mind shrouded in thought. Gradually, he pressed his weight forwards to stand. His head ached, and he longed for a breath of fresh air to clear it.
"Rei."
Rei jumped, startled. He turned to the voice and saw that Kai was awake and staring straight at him. He was still lying down, but as Rei turned he sat up slowly.
"Sorry, Kai, I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep."
"I think that's advice you should take yourself, Rei. You need to sleep yourself, you know."
Rei nodded. "Yeah."
Kai looked at him long and hard, his mind whirring with dashing thoughts. "You know, Rei, if I don't know what's wrong with you, I can't try to help you."
Rei lifted an eyebrow in doubt, tired as he was. "You wanna help me?"
"Don't get a big head about it. The only reason I wanna help is because your tossing and turning is stopping me from sleeping."
Rei smiled. "Ok."
Kai threw off his own covers deftly, and crossed his legs as he sat up. "There's something on your mind, right?"
" . . . I guess."
"And I have a feeling that it's not the lack of your Beyblade. Well, if it is, it's only partial. There's something else. Am I right?"
Rei looked down at the dark floor. "Yeah, you're right."
"Well, are you gonna tell me about it or do I have to keep guessing? It's getting pretty boring."
Rei sighed uneasily. "It sounds so simple, Kai, but, well, I don't think you of all people would wanna hear."
Kai visibly straightened as these words sunk in. He narrowed his eyes at Rei, who avoided his stare.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Rei grimaced. "I didn't wanna tell you this, Kai. You'll hate me. I mean, I know you don't exactly like me now, but you'll really, really hate me. Or Jan-"
Rei clasped his hand over his mouth; shocked it had slipped so easily. Kai leaned forward, his eyes glinting judiciously.
"Run that by me again, Rei? I'm not sure I heard you properly."
His tone took on an unfriendly, menacing tint, and Rei sighed. He was not afraid of Kai - he never had been - but by nature Rei wasn't the type to argue or get on people's bad sides and he felt this was a situation he didn't want to be in. Reluctantly he continued.
"After I went to the bathroom, I was walking back along the corridor to the stairs. I heard raised voices coming from the staff accommodation."
Kai nodded. "Go on."
"I went closer. There were two guys and . . . and a girl. I couldn't place the guy's voices, even though they're familiar. And the girl was . . . well; I'll get to that. They were having a debate."
Another nod. "What's the problem?"
"Wait. As they talked, I realized that they were talking about us. The meal we were going out for. The conversation ran along the lines of 'You'd better not fail us, girl' and then a 'Don't worry, I won't' in reply. They talked about how we were the only team going and it was all set. I was listening up against the door and when I heard footsteps, well, I backed away and ducked behind a corner. The girl was first out. It was . . . Janine."
There was a strained silence. Suddenly they were two army generals, one not knowing when the other was about to strike or what move they would make. All Rei could do was wait for a response.
Kai didn't move his stony, icy gaze from Rei's face. Tentatively, Rei felt a shiver race down his back in sinister play. He boldly met Kai's gaze and held it, his head erect and daring. Kai stood up slowly.
"You're try'na tell me Janine's plotting against us?"
Rei dropped his head and his shoulders sagged. "I knew you wouldn't like it."
"No, I don't like it. Especially since I don't believe a word of it!"
Rei glanced up, his eyes widening by that startling remark. He turned around to Kai, his amber eyes glossy in the pale moon's glow. "What do you mean?"
"You've made that up. You're lying."
Rei shook his head, lost for words. He had expected a reaction, but not this one, and it caught him off guard.
"No, Kai, I'm serious!"
"I think something else happened up there, Rei. And you're try'na compensate with this ridiculous story. Am I right?"
Rei looked away, his heart pounding and his breath coming quickly now. His shoulders, which had sagged so readily before, had tightened and were taut and tense.
"Something else did happen. But that isn't relevant. I'm not lying, Kai. She's up to something, and I wouldn't trust her if I were you!"
Kai growled. "After all that girl has been through, you're making up stories about her? I don't think she'd appreciate it very much."
Rei sighed, frustrated. "Kai, look. I can see how you feel about this girl. We all can. But that's no reason to block out the truth. I once remember a wise blader saying to me: 'Battles must be fought with the head, not with the heart'. So why now are you letting your heart and its emotions cloud your rational thought? Why would I make something up like that?"
Kai was shaking, either with rage or some unknown emotion Rei had never seen in him before and could not identify. His fists clenched, the knuckles ebony white where they were under immense pressure. His mouth remained clamped tightly shut, and he opened it slightly when he spoke again, his voice strained and deep.
"I've had about enough of this, Rei. If this is what was behind you acting all weird at the restaurant then I'm disgusted. Don't say any more. I've heard about enough from you - and if all you can do is spout silly stories that are gonna get somebody hurt then I don't need to hear it."
Rei braced the storm courageously, risking the battle, the debate not over for him. He was determined to have the final word.
"It's you who'll get hurt if you don't listen."
One foot under the cover of his bed, Kai had been climbing back in, signaling that the duel between them was over. When Rei rocked the boat and argued back, his temper, already hanging by a weak, delicate thread, finally snapped and he whipped his foot out of bed again, his mind a raging inferno of defiance and denial.
"You just couldn't leave it, could you Rei? Couldn't drop it! I don't care what you say! I don't even consider it worth my while speaking to you! But let's get one thing straight - Janine is innocent! She's harmless - and she's no evil genius! Believe what you want, Rei, but if you say another word to me I'll put you through that wall and it won't be pretty. Got it?"
Rei's temper ground also; there was only so much he would take before a final snap, as shown in the final match of the Asian tournament. Lee, his adversary, had felt the wrath of the White Tiger unleashed in its mighty fury, it's resounding roar striking fear into the boldest of hearts. Could it now withstand the awesome power controlled by the overwhelming firebird? Could the anger of the potent tiger match the flaming fury of the majestic phoenix? Flames and claws would glint, slashing and tearing, a tremendous struggle would ensue, but who would be the victor? They were about to find out, as they faced off in the bedroom, their hands clenched tight, wrath pulsating through their frenzied veins.
They were interrupted by a piercing yell from outside in the hallway. It cracked the stony air and echoed cacophonously, hollowly, in the stretched silence that followed it. The twisted mute of the night finally set on the two impassioned boys, and doused their blazing fires. Their worlds were left cool, pierced by a shrill fear that stirred in both of their stomachs.
"Max!"
********
A gentle voice woke him, cooing his name fascinatingly, alluringly. He sat up slowly, chills tiptoeing up his spine, kittens chasing their tails. The voice called again, slowly whispering. He slipped nimbly out of his bed, his feet treading lightly on the supple, soft floor. He progressively made his way to the door of the room, inquisitive, curious. He crept past two other beds, comrades sleeping steadily, and smiled as he noticed drool seeping out of the corner of one of their open mouths. Suppressing a giggle, he stole away from them and placed a pale hand on the doorknob, glassy in the pallid moonlight. Gently twisting, the doorknob clicked and the door swung smoothly open with a slight creak.
He stepped gingerly into the quiet hallway, listening both to the sounds of his own breathing and the silence of the night, waiting to hear the voice again. It came as expected, this time louder, more frantic, calling his name, harried. He pricked up his ears at the sound and followed in curiosity, eager to find out more. He felt someone needed his help. His heart racing for reasons unknown, he quickened his steps and rounded the corner, and stood, facing the stairway and the vast, empty reception hall below.
Puzzled, he looked around, the distant ticking of a heavy grandfather clock faintly audiable. His eyes, still not quite used to their present darkness, could make out no person, no figure against the black air around him. He found himself looking down the steep stairway, precipitous before him. It didn't frighten him - for what reason did he have to be afraid of the staircase? He was light and nimble on his feet and had a keen sense of balance. Yet as he watched the slope, another chill raced up his spine, and he felt the tiny blond hairs on the back of his neck start to rise slowly.
At the sound of footsteps behind him, the boy whizzed around, pupils darting rapidly. There was no voice, no visage for him to recognize, no striking aroma or startling aura - just a cruel thrust to his chest. Blood rushed wildly in his ears as air began to flow past his face. A cry escaped his mouth shrilly, slicing the space around them. He vaguely heard the chime of the grandfather clock, distant in his ears, eradicated as his head struck the hard stair. A resounding pain flooded his head as his eyes fluttered and shut, and he was unconscious by the time he reached the bottom.
********
Rei and Kai almost bumped into Tyson and the Chief in their turbulent dash to the hallway. They stared at each other for a brief moment, a quick respite, before darting towards the not-too-distant staircase. A few other people had opened their doors and were peering out in interest; nosy. The Blade-Breakers had no time to care (even though Kai did scowl at one of them as he ran past) and they raced to the stairs in frenzy.
Tyson reached the top first, a long blue dressing gown flowing about his legs. He gazed down the stairs in horror at the still shape of Max lying at the bottom of the stairs, one arm twisted maliciously underneath his thin form. A trickle of deep red began to slither beside his closed eye, an awry snake slinking spitefully across the pale plain of the face. Tyson cried out in anguish, and immediately leaped down the stairs to help his fallen friend, noticing a dark crimson patch where blood had spilt unmercifully. The others followed, expressions of disbelief crossing their faces. As he reached his side, Tyson dropped to his knees and grabbed his buddy's white hand.
"Max! Max, Max, can ya hear me Max?"
He shook the limp hand desperately as the others joined him next to their teammate. His face was painfully pastel and emotionless. They wondered in distress, hearts racing at a mad pace, worst fears emerging unwanted. A small crowd began to gather and frightened, gossiping hushes surrounded the boys.
Kai stood, even his face pale and worried.
"Somebody call for help. Don't just stand there whispering. Call an ambulance!"
He knelt back down again, attempting to block out the whimpering noises coming from the Chief, who had tears channeling down his cheeks.
"Oh my goodness, I don't believe this! Max!"
He shook the motionless boy who still didn't wake. Rei's eyes were teary and shimmered as somebody switched on a bright hallway light. His yellowish-brown pupils darted this way and that, wondering where to look. Tyson kept hold of Max's hand firmly, too strong to cry, shivering with either cold or utter fear. His insides churned in nausea.
"Who would do this?" he said to no one in particular. Rei closed his eyes. He knew exactly who would do this. He resisted the urge to glance at Kai, who was occupied. He leaned over and moved close to Max's parted lips, and listened carefully, attempting to suppress the hushes and whispers of the still gathering crowd and concentrate.
A relieved smile crossed his face. "He's breathing."
The Chief laughed nervously in near hysteria, leaning backwards on his hands and sighing. Tyson, as if woken from a dream, looked up.
"Has someone called for help?" he asked, his voice thin and strangled. He was surprised when Janine stepped out of the throng of people.
"I did," she said as she came forward, a small cell phone held out in front of her. Kai breathed a grateful sigh and then turned back to Max. He brushed back a bang of blond hair that was slowly becoming encased in the growing trickle of scarlet and examined the wound. It was deep and would need stitches, but to him, it didn't look too serious. He let the hair drop again, and turned to a colorless Janine.
"What happened?" she asked, her face worried and taut. Kai shook his head, and now noticed Rei's eyes upon him. He didn't say a word when Rei looked away, an angry disappointment in his features. Then, all were interrupted by the loud blare of sirens in the parking lot outside. In no time at all hospital paramedics, dressed in long green and white jackets and loaded with all sorts of medical equipment, were rushing to Max's side. They pushed the Blade-Breakers aside with the arrogant air of adulthood, and Tyson growled.
"Max! Hey Max! Wait! I'm . . . I'm his best friend!"
A kindly doctor turned to him, a mop of gingery hair dangling in his eyes.
"Don't worry," he said in a thick Icelandic accent, "Your friend will be fine."
He turned away from the frantic Tyson, who peered desperately through the mass of paramedics at his friend, who was being lifted gently on to a stretcher. He couldn't see much and kept getting shoved out of the way. Growling, he dived to the front and popped up beside the stretcher. To his surprise, Max had woken.
"Max!"
Tyson smiled, overjoyed. His head whirred with frantic thoughts and questions that remained unanswered, but mostly, for now, he was flooded with sheer relief. Max, his eyes half open and dim, one a little stiff with drying blood, looked dizzily at Tyson while a paramedic strapped something to his arm. His blue eyes were dull and glazed.
"Ty . . . Ty-"
Tyson nodded, keeping up with the stretcher as it was moved along. The paramedics carried him briskly out of the door, shouting orders to each other in Icelandic that poor Tyson couldn't understand a word of. He looked down at Max again, his eyes beginning to fill now. Max spoke again:
"Dra . . . Draciel? Ty-"
Tyson nodded, understanding. He knew what he was being asked to do.
"I'll get it, Max. I'll get it back for you."
Max smiled weakly, and his eyes closed. An oxygen mask was strapped firmly across his mouth and he was whisked away from Tyson, who was suddenly lost in the crowd. He felt strange, upset, and angry - yet a powerful force surged inside him, iridescent, heated; revenge. It burned passionate in his soul, fiery, glowering, unquenchable. Tyson clenched his fists and ground his teeth together in fervor, a silent vow solemnly made in his hungry mind. As his friends joined him, he shook away his tears and watched on as Max was lifted into the ambulance. It had begun to rain and the droplets ran down their faces in the night chill. It seemed to fit the mood as it lashed down feverishly, soaking the boys through.
The Chief shivered, his eyes fixated on the ambulance about ten metres away. Rainwater trickled into his eyes as he watched, unblinking. He did not notice a burly paramedic approach them.
"Excuse me," he spoke, ignoring the rainwater on his face, "One of you is allowed to go with your friend, seeing as you're the closest thing to family he's got in this country. Only one, though, because there's not enough room for anymore than that."
The four Blade-Breakers looked at each other.
"Hands up if you wanna go," said Rei diplomatically. He, Tyson and the Chief raised their hands. Kai restrained - not because he disliked Max, but because he felt it wasn't his place.
"Ok, I won't go," Rei said with a sigh, stepping backwards generously, "So it's between you and the Chief, Tyson."
The Chief began to speak, stating that it was all right for Tyson to go instead, but Tyson cut him off.
"You go, Chief."
Kenny was stunned, and he stared at Tyson with wide eyes despite the rain splashing into them.
"Huh?"
Tyson lowered his head and smiled. "I have work to do. I promised Max I'd get his Beyblade back, and that's what I'm gonna do."
He turned his back and marched back indoors neatly, a resilient grin across his round face, and, even though there was still worry in his eyes for his friend, Tyson knew that Max would be all right.
Outside, the Chief said goodbye to Rei and Kai, and then hopped into the bright white ambulance, radiant in all its glamour against the dark backdrop of the pouring rain and blackened sky. The doors slammed shut with a thud, and left a crowd as it thrust off steadily, sirens flaring, their blue elucidation illuminating the evil night and dying off into the air as the ambulance finally left the hotel and drove into the distance.
********
At six-thirty the next morning, Tyson was already dressed and downstairs. He noticed how everyone who descended was taking extra special care as they went down the already notorious staircase. They had been cleaned and no blood remained. The atmosphere in the hospital was rigid and stiff and Tyson felt awkward as he made his was towards the desk. Janine was up bright and early despite her tired looking face, and she smiled at Tyson.
"Hey, Tyson. Get any sleep?"
Tyson replied with a lopsided grin. "A little. How 'bout you?"
"Not enough, and as the day wears on I'm sure someone will have to wake me at my post."
Tyson giggled. "Same here. Good thing I don't have a post. Any news on the Beyblades?"
He had kept true to his word. During the night, Rei had invited him to sleep in his and Kai's room. Tyson had gladly agreed - he didn't want to spend the night alone. Yet he had not slept easily. He was not too worried about Max - he knew the people at the hospital would take good care of him and that if anything terrible did happen then the Chief would call. Nevertheless, something had kept him wide-awake for a lot of the night. He had tossed and turned like a possessed thing but had found no comfort. He had turned his thoughts again and again but found no relief. All he could think about was Max's blade. He was pretty sure he wanted that back even more than he wanted his own back! The fire of retribution had flickered in his heart throughout the stormy, rainy night and was still burning now, as he spoke to Janine.
"Sorry, not yet. But the team has progressed, I can tell you that. Don't you worry, Tyson, they'll be back in no time. The crack team of investigators are becoming more and more confident as to the whereabouts of the Beyblades and as soon as they've got the location down, then we're straight in there and your blades will be straight back in your hands."
Tyson's spirits sank a little as he realized that the blades would not return today. His eyes lowered a little.
"Chin up, Tyson," Janine said comfortingly, "You'll be all right."
Cheered by her stout words, Tyson looked up again with confidence. With a salute, he bounced off upstairs and back into the room. Kai and Rei were silent - obviously something had gone on between those two. But Tyson didn't have time to think about that. He raced to the phone and dialed in the number for the local hospital. After a couple of tentative rings, a young sounding nurse picked up and spoke to him with another thick accent. This time, whether it was due to her accent or the poor quality of the line connection, Tyson could barely understand her. Eventually he got his point across that he wanted to know how a friend was.
"I am sorry, young man, but we can't just give out information like that."
"What d'you mean? I'm his best friend!"
"I don't care if you're his mother! I am not a radio, and I don't give out information for free!"
Tyson sighed, greatly vexed. "Fine. Could you let me speak to Kenny, the guy visiting him?"
"Yes."
There was a short wait when Tyson could hear the nurse yelling instructions at another unfortunate nurse. Then there was a brief silence, followed by crackling, and finally Tyson heard the good old voice of the Chief on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kenny! How are ya doin'?"
"Ok, Tyson. Didn't get much sleep, though. I was so nervous that I couldn't. You?"
"So-so. How's Maxy?"
"He's doing fine. He's broken his left arm just above the elbow and he had a mild concussion but it's going now. The doctors have re-set his arm and it's in a cast. I already signed it on behalf of me and Dizzi."
"Cool, that's great news! Way-hey!"
"Yeah, isn't it? Max himself is fine. He slept a lot because the doctors gave him painkillers. But now he's awake, and he's already eaten and everything!"
Tyson laughed, immensely relieved. A great load had been lifted from his heavy mind. "Why does that not surprise me?"
The Chief giggled on the other end of the line, which was gradually breaking up. "Doctor says he should be out in two or three days, but at the rate Max is healing I'd say he'll be out tomorrow!"
Tyson scoffed. "You're no doctor, Chief."
"But I am a genius!"
"Yeah, well, I guess that's good news. Say hi from the Blade- Breakers!"
"Sure."
The line crackled again, and then there was a silence. After listening hard for a moment, he smiled maturely and hung up the receiver. He found that Rei was sitting on the bed, watching.
"Well?"
Tyson gave him a bright, happy grin and a thumbs up. "Fine!"
Rei laughed, joyous. "Great! But . . . you could have let me speak to Kenny, Tyson. I did kinda wanna ask him something."
Tyson rubbed the back of his head. "Oh man, I'm sorry!"
"No biggy. I'll call him later."
"You sure, man?"
Rei nodded, adjusting the wristbands on his forearms. "Yeah."
Tyson sat down on the bed opposite. "I got pretty scared last night. You?"
"Definitely. I think we all were."
There was a short silence. Tyson was getting sick of these. He felt the urge to fill it, but if Rei didn't really want to talk then he didn't want to seem too garrulous. He lay back on the bed and looked sideways out of the window, his floppy bangs brushing his eyes as he stared at the rain. It had continued to pour last night, and even though it was dying off slightly now, the rain still fell vehemently. The calm silence lasted about a minute until Rei spoke.
"Wanna order pizza tonight?"
Tyson sat up, licking his lips. "To celebrate Max's recovery! Yeah!"
Rei laughed warmly, the heartfelt sound lighting the room. He continued to laugh, and it spread to Tyson, who laughed too, a cheerful grin on his face.
"What's so funny?"
Rei took a breath, the occasional giggle still escaping from his mouth. "I dunno! I guess it's you and your appetite! But I'm so relieved that I could laugh all day!"
Tyson agreed whole-heartedly. "That's true. I'm so glad Max is gonna be alright."
"So what toppings d'you want?"
Tyson's eyes - if possible - lit and grew even rounder than before. "Ooo, this is the best part! Um . . . pepperoni!"
"Do we have to get pepperoni?" asked Rei with a slight grimace, "I don't like it too much."
Tyson shrugged. "Ok, how about . . . ham and mushroom?"
"Urghh!"
"Um . . . maybe . . . anchovies?"
"Yuck. Nope!"
Tyson sighed. They were his three favorite toppings! Rei was a really picky eater!
"How about you pick, Rei?"
Rei nodded. "Yeah, that's ok. Uh . . . I say we just have a plain old marguerite. Whad'ya say to that?"
Tyson made a little 'um' noise and winced a bit awkwardly. "I don't just want a plain one, Rei. Let's go all out! There's no need to be boring, now, is there?"
Rei looked a little annoyed, his eyebrows furrowing from below his bandanna.
"Hey, back off! I don't call you boring!"
"That's 'cause I'm not!"
"Well . . . I don't call you a phone hog just 'cause you dominate the phone!"
Tyson looked annoyed now, and the two stared at each other.
"So I'm a phone hog, eh? That's just fine."
"Yeah, and you think I'm boring? Humph!"
Tyson stood up, his fist clenched, a meaningless argument snowballing into a nasty quarrel.
"You shut your trap, you jerk. I was actually try'na find out about Max!"
"Yeah well, just 'cause I don't have a stomach so big it takes every topping in the world to fill it . . . "
They raged on, more annoyed than they seemed, heating up as they went. A trivial subject such as pizza toppings had mole-hilled into a nasty fight and soon they were slinging cruel insults at each other. The stress of the previous day had obviously gotten to the both of them. The jovial mood set down by Rei's earlier laughter dissolved like an aspirin in a torrent of water, and they continued to flood each other with insults.
Finally, Rei could stand no more. His fists clenched furiously, he walked past the livid Tyson with his head in the air and left the room, slamming the door rather pettily. Tyson was left standing alone.
"Did that just happen?" he thought, the anger suddenly emptying from his face. Young, budding wisdom told him that they had argued for no reason, and a part of him urged steps forward to apologize. But pride stood tall, and for the moment Tyson could not conquer it. He just stood there for a minute, and then sat down on the bed, wondering what had just happened and heavy worries wearying his already weary mind.
********
When Kai arrived at the reception desk Janine's face lit and she burst into a smile. She hadn't expected him to come. Knowing he had a lot on his mind had prevented her from going to find him, but now she was glad she hadn't.
"Hey!" she said brightly as he walked up to the desk and leaned against it. He nodded at her. She was used to this seemingly cold greeting by now. She knew Kai hid more emotion than he showed.
"How are you, Kai?"
He turned to face her, and she could immediately tell he was tired. He looked a little pale and his eyes didn't seem as quick as they usually did. His hands gripped the desk wearily. He offered her a smile.
"Tired. Didn't sleep. But I heard Tyson saying Max is all right when he got off the phone to Kenny."
"That's great news!" Janine smiled, her eyes twinkling merrily, "I'm so glad!"
"Me too,"
She looked up at him, slightly taller than she was, and gazed into his deep brown eyes. She loved to look into those eyes. They held behind them such mystery, such depth, hidden secrets, imprisoned memories - and, when he wanted them to, they could show affection, passion, sorrow, hope; real emotions, true feelings, and she searched in those brown pools daily for the one thing she hadn't seen yet. She wasn't sure if Kai could love. But she dared to hope against hope that he could.
As she looked, she could she could see anger. His dimmer eyes did not reveal this lightly, but she could see it. He wanted to find who it was who had hurt Max. Anger from somewhere else too. She knew not where from. But mostly anger for Max, his fallen companion. Kai wanted retribution; it was obvious. Janine felt a slight twinge in her stomach, and she suppressed it swiftly. For some reason, she felt torn. She knew what she had to do - why couldn't she just do it?
She continued to stare into his eyes, watching, waiting - and this time it was Kai who looked away first. His pupils faltered to the floor and he turned his head. Janine almost smiled. Then, when he spoke, she looked at him once more, his voice deep and direct.
"Any news on our blades?" he asked her. She shook her head.
"The teams are closer but they haven't got a substantial lead yet. Sorry."
Kai sighed, fingers clenching, longing for the familiar wear of his Dranzer. He missed it more than he would admit. Janine felt his need for comfort - and thought with an odd irony that the situation had turned around. She gingerly placed her hand upon his own, not quite sure whether it was the right thing to do. But she was proved right in judgment - for Kai looked up, surprised, and smiled a little. Then Danny walked out from the through room behind the reception desk and Janine withdrew her hand. She stifled a grin and turned to Danny.
"Any news, Dan?"
Danny shook his head. "Sorry - but I found this about ten minutes ago on the front desk, Janine." He handed her a small envelope.
Janine looked puzzled. "Who'd write to me?"
She flipped the yellowing envelope over in her palms, baffled. Her eyes darted from left to right as she read the name on the front, written in scrawled red pen. Brow furrowed, she looked up at Kai.
"Um, it's . . . it's addressed to the Blade-Breakers. Here."
Janine handed Kai the flimsy envelope, her face puzzled. Kai felt just as she looked. He couldn't think for the life of him what was happening as he took the envelope almost tentatively. It was crisp. With a backward glance at Janine, who watched intently, he slipped his finger into the top corner of the envelope and began to tear straight across. When the envelope was ripped open, nervous hands pulled out the letter. The paper was tinting and looked aged - and reminded Kai of the airport bookstore. He unfolded it and read the brief inscribe, his brown eyes flashing as the words registered. Janine stared, engrossed.
"Well? What . . . what does it say?"
Kai looked up, disturbed from a deep chain of thought. "Huh? Oh . . . here,"
He handed her the note, the paper crushing and wrinkling as it was passed about. Janine read it, but before she could ask what it was about, Kai was gone.
********
White met red as the snooker balls clicked into one another. Rei watched with satisfaction, leaning on his cue, as the red ball rolled smoothly into the intended hole. He grinned. Playing snooker was a sure fire way to relax for him. He made his way around the table, his eager eyes spotting a perfect angle to pot another ball. His feet made tiny squeaking noises on the shiny, wooden tiled floor, which had recently been polished. Rei chalked his cue with expertise, and then rested it on the grass green table, aligning it perfectly on the flat of his hand.
He was about to make his move when a noise form the entrance of the room startled him. He looked up to see Kai standing there. Rei straightened and took his cue off the table. There was instantly tension between these two as they met each other's stare. But Kai broke it quickly.
"There's a note for you at the desk. I suggest you go read it."
Kai turned on his heel and left the doorway, and Rei was perplexed. He watched the empty doorway for a second before throwing down the cue and rounding the table, impatient to find out what was happening.
********
When he reached the table, Rei found himself faced by Tyson. Tyson himself looked startled and a little irked to see Rei. In his hands he clutched the staining letter.
"You might wanna read this," he said coldly before dropping the letter at Rei's feet and walking off breezily. Rei wrinkled his nose and sighed, gripping himself with all the patience he could muster. Feeling a touch humiliated, he bent and retrieved the letter from the floor. Upon reading it, his heart thudded loudly in his chest, leaping up unexpectedly. He breathed out through his nose, his lips pursed tight together, looked away in an effort to clear his whirring thoughts, and then re-read the letter intently, his eyes flashing like precious jewels. When he had secured the message in his head, he stuffed the letter into his pocket and turned to leave the hotel.
