Okay, I will agree that was an evil place to leave you all hanging like that, but I have an update with me right now, so I hope things shall be all right now.

BTW: Yes, to any who care, I did take the title from the Metallica song ... so technically this is a disclaimer ... I guess ... I just borrowed the title, nothing bad I swear. (Metallica rules! ^_^)

Chapter Fifteen — The Memory Remains

Kai crept slowly through the dark hallways, eyes peeled and ears twitching for any sight and sound. He was so alert he thought he could have felt someone approach just through the air. He would allow nothing to distract him from his objective here: Finding Rei and getting him out.

            He was amazed that security was lax enough here to allow him to get so close.

            That thought cause him to stop immediately.

            Why *was* security so lax?

            He glanced around, his nerves tingling at the tension he felt just being here. Things were not right, the atmosphere of the place was too dark and foreboding. Why were there no guards to come across now? He was getting closer to the rooms Boris needed to protect, so why didn't he have any trouble right now?

            He bit his lip, but the thought of Rei bound and gagged in the Grey Room spurred him forward again, more alert than ever.

            When he finally did reach the room he stopped. Now it was too much to take in. No guards whatsoever. Whenever he came here there were always two at the door and two at either ends of the hallways and their junction. That should be eight guards in the near vicinity right now.

            /It's a trap, it has to be./ Kai hesitated before the door, his hand reaching out to the handles unconsciously. But Rei was on the other side. He had to find him and get him out, he couldn't turn back now, trap or no. He couldn't let Rei down again, he couldn't bear to have the death of someone he loved on his shoulders.

            Kai pushed the doors open, weapons at the ready ...

            The room was empty, save for the figure lying on the table in the middle of the room.

            /IT'S A TRAP!!/ His mind continued to scream at him, they would never have left Rei alone in here in case he woke, but Kai didn't even seem to take notice of his thoughts, his every action guided by instinct and emotion. He ran to Rei's side.

            He was unconscious still, pale and bloodied. There was a drip in his arm. Kai knew that whatever was in the bag wasn't good for him. He ripped the tube from his arm and ripped away his restraints and the wires connecting him to various machines. He felt for a pulse and found a very faint one. His breathing was shallow and his skin felt rather cold.

            "Oh god," Kai breathed. "You can't die on me Rei, please no." He pulled Rei's body closer to him, tears forming and sliding slowly down his cheeks. "God no," he continued to plead helplessly. "Don't die, Rei."

            Looking down at the pale comatose form in his arms, Kai felt he had to do something to bring him back … he'd do anything to make sure Rei was all right.

            "Please Rei," he begged. "I love you, you can't die."

            "He may not be at risk right now, but you certainly are."

            Kai froze as he heard that cold voice. He paled as he felt the pressure of the gun barrel against the back of his head. Boris laughed at the pitiful sight the boy made, tearstains on his cheeks, emotions playing all overt his face … the boy was a complete wreak just ripe for the taking.

            "My, I wonder how your grandfather would react," Boris continued, gloating over how easily Kai had returned to him, "seeing you fallen so low as to admit your *love* for a common, untalented, worthless *boy*."

            Kai snarled, his anger returning in full force as Boris insulted Rei. Boris just smirked, chuckling at the reaction.

            "Don't like hearing the truth, do you Kai? Tell me then, how much is his life worth to you? To me, he was just an experiment, nothing more. Not even worth enough to bother training. Just another guinea-pig, like so many others. You remember them don't you? The ones who failed in their training. You never managed to spirit them all away to your safe house on the outskirts of town."

            Kai stiffened, his eyes wide with horror. "You did that to Celia's parents," he whispered.

            "Yes. I suppose you think I didn't know about that and admittedly, I didn't for a while, but you can't keep secrets like that forever Kai." He clicked off the safety to the gun, causing Kai to beak out in sweat. "You never did answer my question before," Boris mused thoughtfully, acting slightly bored. He leaned closer and whispered malevolently, "How much is his life worth to you?"

            Kai glanced very at him, his eyes like glazed fire. "I'd give my life for him," he answered truthfully, his voice ice.

            "Exactly what I was hoping you'd say." Boris noticed him tensing slightly and laughed. "Don't be a fool Kai. Do you really think that I would set such insufficient a trap for you? If you look around closely enough, you'll see three dozen guns all pointing at Rei's body. You attempt anything and his life is forfeit."

            Kai's shoulders slumped realising this. As he heard Boris' maniacal laughter echo around the room once more he clutched onto Rei's prone form tightly, bringing his lips close to Rei's ears.

            "I'm so sorry Rei," he whispered. "I have to do this for you, I don't want you to die. I love you."

            Was it his imagination, or was there a flicker of response on Rei's face? Kai's breath caught as Rei hesitantly opened one eye and struggled to whisper, " … love … you."

            A tear slipped down Kai's cheek and he quickly leaned in to kiss Rei, but was stopped as Boris grabbed him and ripped his arms away from Rei's body. Kai watched helplessly as he was shoved towards two guards with the order to restrain him tightly. Rei's eyes opened more and he glanced around in confusion and pain at the loss of Kai's warmth.

            "You know Kai," Boris murmured, still with that bored tone. "I do believe that this young man is a bad influence on you. Perhaps it would be best if I did kill him after all."

            "No!" Kai struggled to pull away from his guards as Boris raised his gun and pointed it at the helpless boy on the ground before him, laughing at Kai's futile struggles. "No! Rei!" Kai called out once more before a shot rang out, causing everything to freeze.

            As though in slow motion, Boris clutched at his side and collapsed to his knees, his gun falling from his fingers. He looked around and his eyes widened as he saw who shot him.

            "Tala," he whispered, his dark eyes accusing. "Kill him," he ordered to the guards.

            "I would not advise that," Tala told them firmly as they raised their guns, aiming for the former Biovolt blader. "This room is surrounded by official members of the BBA terrorist squads specially trained to deal with situations like this. Should you raise a weapon against any of us, you will be shot and most likely killed. Now kindly lower your weapons and put your hands in the air where we can see them. Any who protest, I will deal with personally." His last sentence was said so coldly that many guards shivered visibly. There was no hesitation for any of them. Not even Boris, who had fallen to the floor in defeat during Tala's speech.

            Now released from his captors, Kai rushed to Rei's side again, not caring about anyone around them as he grabbed hold of his teammate tightly again and smiled in relief at his safety.

            "Thank god you're safe," he whispered in Rei's ear.

            "Yeah," Rei replied, still dazed and shocked by everything that was happening.

            "I thought …" Kai cleared his throat, feeling himself getting emotional over everything. "I'd thought you were gone. I couldn't bear it if I lost you Rei." He buried his face in Rei's shoulder.

            Rei reached his arm up to rest against Kai's, drawing the teary crimson gaze back to his glazed golden one.

            "Would you really have given yourself for me again?" he asked quietly.

            Kai nodded. "Without hesitation."

            "Same here," Rei whispered, falling against Kai's chest and closing his eyes again. "Can I sleep properly now?" he murmured, his voice already thick and muffled.

            Kai nodded. "Of course." He picked Rei up, glad that the boy was so light and held him close as he headed towards the exit of the room. He was so happy that Rei was all right and nothing seemed wrong with him. He felt he was almost about to burst just knowing that Rei could remember who he was. Being here, in the Grey Room, he wasn't sure what had happened to him.

            Tala smiled warmly at the two of them as he passed. "We can take things from here," he assured Kai who looked a bit hesitant to leave, but also reluctant to stay. He wanted to be with Rei.

            Kai sighed in relief. "Thank you Tala."

            Tala shrugged away the thanks. "Just take care of him, all right?" Kai nodded, leaving Tala  to take care of rounding up the last of the escapees from the first Biovolt arrest.

            Everything with them was finally over with, they would all be able to go on with their lives properly, the dark threat hanging over their heads gone.

AN: Well, that's the second last chapter to this fic. Next chapter is actually an epilogue and will be the final part to this. I'm not planning on writing a sequel … I've run out of ideas … and really where would it go?

Anyway, hope you all enjoyed that chapter.

Until next time,

Laters