(A/N: Chapter Nine starts Part Two of The Ties That Bind. It begins four months after Part One's conclusion)

Chapter 9

"I wonder what Carla's doing with herself these days." 007 mused, as he looked at 009. "We haven't heard from her in a while."

"It's not safe for her to communicate with us,007. It's dangerous enough, having her away at that Science Academy of hers." 009 reminded him. It had been a very difficult choice for all concerned. Carla had been very happy with them for a while. However, not even two months later, she started expressing her need for her old school; her old friends. So, with a heavy heart, the cyborgs began to prepare her for her return to her own life. The thing they worried about the most was her telling her friends about them. It wasn't that they thought her friends were trouble, but in a school like that, you never knew who was on who's side, friends or not.

"I'm sure she's happy." 003 assured 007. "She'll adjust again, I'm sure."

"You're right." The former actor sighed. "I wonder if she'll ever get that scholarship she wanted."

"Possibly. She's a hard worker for one so young." 006 commented. "She even helped in the kitchen." The chef sighed. "I'm going to miss her constant questions about my cooking."

"I'm going to miss how she was always showing me how good she was with dancing." 003 replied. "I showed her some moves too."

"Remember when we went to London? She was reciting all kinds of Shakespeare. That girl was meant to be on stage. Not in some laboratory." 007 remarked.

"Well, with all the mush that Dr. Baker filled her head with, Carla doesn't really know who she's supposed to be." 004 put in. He, too, was missing the young child. Carla had more knowledge about machinery than anyone knew. Except for 004 of course. He'd help fuel her mind, by teaching her proper math skills. "I've a feeling we'll be seeing her again. It's only a matter of time." He walked out of the parlor before his team could ask what he meant.

At the Academy, Carla was fighting a new homesickness. She desperately missed the cyborgs that had become her family. To make it worse, there was a buzz going on around the establishment that the Black Ghost Organization was the school's new sponsor. This was disturbing news for her indeed. She tried not to get too involved in the conversations that seemed to crop up everywhere she went.

The only thing that soothed her was a scholarship to dance in the local ballet school. She wished she could've written 003 about the school. It was impossible, as she knew very well. Especially with Black Ghost's spies everywhere. She had her first class in less than a week,and she could hardly wait to get away from the academy for a while.

"Carla, are you coming?" Sarah, a new friend of hers called her out of her daydream.

"Yeah…sure." Carla followed Sarah out into the play lot. Then stopped dead in her tracks. "W-what's going on?" She was staring at two men in business suits. The same attire all of Black Ghost's spies wore.

"Carla Baker? We've come to take you a special ballet presentation." The taller of the two men answered.

"What's the ballet?" She challenged him, as she backed up. She didn't trust anyone anymore. The question is, how had they found her?

"The Swan Princess." He responded, making a grab for her.

Carla dodged, and ran back into the school. She ran all the way to the dormitories. "Okay. It's time for me to go." She breathed heavily, as the men pounded on the door. "Go away! Leave me alone!!" She screamed. She pulled out her suitcase, and looked around. This had been a mistake. She should've never come back to the academy. Perhaps to the ballet boarding school, but not the academy. She packed all of her clothes.

"Running again? Where are you going to go?" Melissa appeared in the bathroom doorway.

"Away from here. As fast as I can."

"Why? You've been acting strange ever since your visit with your father." Melissa folded her arms across her chest.

"I can't tell you. If I did, some other friends of mine could be hurt." She tried to sound apologetic. "Maybe some day, I can explain, but I won't be coming back here."

"Can you at least tell me where you're going?"

Carla stared at Melissa sadly, shaking her head. "All I will say is this: Be wary of Black Ghost Organization. They aren't good people." With that, Carla opened her window, and disappeared on to the Paris streets.