AN: Ok, everybody grab a stick and you can each take turns kicking my ass for not posting in sooo long. I do apologize. I went through a "my life sux" stage where I couldn't do anything. I'll try to keep up now that I officially have no life cuz I got laid off. The only thing that will keep me busy is my friend. I hope you like this chapter. I'll get the next one up sooner then like 2 months. Promise!











Chapter 12









"Ok Hitomi, you first. Don't go anywhere until I get inside. We don't need anyone finding us in there ahead of time." Paige instructed.

"Why do you need two people to do this again?" Van asked.

"To open the doors. There are two panels that have to be pressed at the same time. There is never one guard on duty and if anyone were to try to leave, the alarms would go off." Paige explained as she hoisted Hitomi up to get into the side vent.

Once inside, Hitomi turned to motion for Paige to join her. She jumped up with no problem and proceeded in opening the other vent for them to get through. The door had two panels, one on each side. Each panel had an imprint of a hand embedded in it.

"Aren't these things scanners? How are we supposed to do this?" Hitomi asked. Paige smiled and pulled a small tube out of her pocket. She dumped some of it in her hands then, gave the tube to Hitomi.

"It will cover your hand just enough to give the sensor a false reading." She explained.

"Wouldn't that set off the alarm?"

"You would think so. The man that rigged this is a genius though. Not to mention a good friend. He told me how to trick the machine." Paige said.

"Impressive."

As soon as their hands touched the two panels, the alarm beeped twice to tell them that the machine had identified their prints. Paige smiled confidently as the door began it's slow process of opening.

The others outside waited patiently as the doors opened to reveal two very pleased women with their arms crossed. They smiled and extended a hand to wave them in.

"That was quick. Let's get a move on." Kai said. Everybody nodded in agreement and walked down the dark halls of the laboratory.

"Wait guys!" Sonya hissed. Everybody stopped and looked at the woman.

"See those boxes down by the floor?" Sonya asked.

"They're sensors. If we trip them, then we're all screwed. My tools." She said, holding her hand out toward Kai. He pulled a small case from his pack and handed it to her.

"How many Sonya?" Paige asked. Sonya lowered the confusingly high tech glasses she had on her head and looked at the hall in front of her.

"Yeah, this is gonna be a blast. Let's just say a lot and leave it at that." She replied.

"Any way to get passed them quickly?" Paige asked.

"I think I can figure something out. Their system isn't that hard to get into." Sonya explained as she rearranged some wires in the main security panel. After a few minutes, she looked down the hall again.

"Clear."

They began their trek down the hall again without having to worry about anymore sensors being set off.

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"Sir, they're here."

"Excellent work. It's good to have insiders working for you."

"They've managed to get by the main security level. Should I send some men out?"

"No, let them come to me. There should be some guards out in the halls down there now. They'll give them something to look forward to."

"Anything else?"

"No, you're dismissed."

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"Aw, this really bites. What now?" Kai asked, looking in Paige's direction. They had walked down an incredibly long hall only to come to a large gap between them and another long hallway.

"What kind of idiot builds a lab over a giant crack?" Sonya asked.

"A very smart one. This is just another line of defense. We just need to figure out another way over." Paige explained.

"Isn't that the control panel over there?" Kai asked. Everybody looked across the distance to see a panel with two big buttons on it.

"What do we do now?" Van asked, sarcasm dripping off his voice.

"Don't start, I'll find a way." Paige hissed.

"Guys?"

"There's no way over there Paige." Sonya said.

"Hello?"

"No really? Didn't I just say I would find a way?" Paige said.

"Never mind."

"There's no point in arguing about it." Allen said, standing between the two woman. Hitomi walked away from the small group and looked over the edge. Nodding to herself, she turned and walked down the hall. Van watched her closely, frowning in confusion.

"Hitomi? What are you doing?" He asked as she turned to face them. The rest of the group turned and looked at her as well. She crouched down and smiled up at them.

"Hitomi! Are you nuts?" Van asked, bewildered.

"It's not as far as the jump from the Crusade was. Have a little faith." Hitomi said. She narrowed her eyes and leapt from her spot in a fast run. The group watch in shock as she ran past them and jumped the gap. Her feet smacked the floor sending her rolling into the wall.

"Hitomi? Are you ok?" Paige called over. Hitomi moaned and waved a hand in the air before rising to her feet.

"Wow! I can't believe you just did that! You're insane!" Sonya yelled.

"Shh!" Everybody said at the same time.

"Hit the big green button Hitomi." Paige called over. Hitomi was about to walk over when someone rounded the corner.

"Don't even think about it."

Everybody watched from against the wall as the man closed in on Hitomi. Her hand went behind her back. Van would have jumped the gap long ago if Kai and Allen hadn't been holding him against the wall.

"What are you hiding back there?" The guard asked.

"Me? Nothing. Nothing at all." Hitomi answered. She pulled a flap up on her pouch and pulled out a small dagger. Smiling at the man, she hit the button beside her and hurled the dagger at him. Seeing that he was distracted, she bolted down the hall. He took off after he after regaining his wits.

"Hurry, hurry." Van willed the bridge that was slowly reaching across the gap.

Hitomi ran as fast as her feet could carry her. The man was closing in on her and she had run out of options. Before she knew it, he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. He threw her against the wall and closed in on her.

"You're a feisty one aren't you?"

Hitomi gasped as he pinned her to the wall. His lips turning upward in an evil snare. She squirmed against him trying to get away from him. Laughing at her attempts, he held her tighter.

"Come on, you can do better then that." He taunted, leaning against her. She looked up and spat in his face with disgust. He growled in anger and wiped the spit from his face. With one clean sweep, he back handed her.

Hitomi cried out as she came in contact with the floor. Her hand instinctively going to her face. Everything went black as the pain spread down her cheek and across her face.

Van had witnessed the entire thing. Unbelievable rage tore at him and before the man had a chance to even react, he was lying on the ground, Van's fists pummeling his face. Kai was about to step in when Allen held him back, shaking his head.

"Trust me, you don't want to get in the middle of that." The knight said. In only a matter of moments, the man was unconscious and was thought to need medical attention. Hitomi's groan was the only reason he had stopped beating the man in the first place. He was quick to her side with worry.

Hitomi felt someone grip her shoulders and pull her up. She was ready to fight him with everything she had until she heard Van's comforting voice. She shuddered and leaned against him.

"Are you ok?" He asked. She nodded and he lifted her face up to look at the nasty bruise that was forming under her eye. Paige looked over Van's shoulder grimaced.

"Well, think of it this way, that guy is going to have more than a bruise when he wakes up." She said. Hitomi smiled and gingerly touched her cheek.

"We shouldn't stay here too long. I'm sure there will be more on the way." Allen said. They nodded and Van helped Hitomi to her feet. They began walking down the hall again only to be confronted by a group of men holding extremely nasty looking guns.

"This is not good." Paige muttered as they heard them ready their weapons at them.

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TBC...



Wow, what do you think? Short yeah, I know. Good? That's up to you to decide. Yeah, I had to make Hitomi jump something. Van didn't see her jump in the show so...Anyway, who's the insider that's been watching the group? What will I do next? How long will it be before I post again? Not long, I promise. If you're still interested, please review.