Chapter Twelve: Falling from Setup!

I've counted the days as they fly by; I've counted the years that have passed since the past mistakes have occurred. Every time I think about everything that has happened since 1990, I want to cry, and erase it from my memory but that is something that could never be forgotten. And I won't let him forget it either.

Lain, I watch her, and I can see the shadows in her heart, but why is everything she does so confusing? She, herself, just boggles my mind, but then again, she doesn't. Everything she is, and everything she isn't has been tangled into one huge mess of fabrications, lies, and truths.

One day the puzzle of her life will be piece together, fragment by fragment.

Moscow, Russia, January 24

~ Kai ~ Strange, Lain has been so quiet since we left Magadan, Russia. It was beginning to worry me slightly. Usually she is so full of life, but now she seemed so dead and out of it. She couldn't walk very well since we left so; I stopped on the way and bought her some crutches. Maybe that was it. Maybe she was concentrating on not falling, and using the crutches properly. Somehow, I doubted that reasoning.

Light sparkled around the large widespread restaurant called Capricorn, we had stopped here for some lunch and so I could formulate a plan, using all I could remember from the files given to me by Johnny and my own. "So, are you going to order anything, 'cause this is it, I won't make a stop again?" I informed.

Slumped over the bar counter, propping herself up with her elbows, Lain starred off into nothingness, with a dissatisfied glint in her eyes. What was her problem, I just can't understand it? She was becoming even more aggravating than usual.

No answer was, given. She remained silent. "Do you want something or not?" I hissed.

Shifting her dull eyes to look at me, she shook her head flimsily. "No thank you." She groaned.

After that answer was, given I found I could only stare at her with an immense amount of pent up emotions that I could hardly describe. I think I was concerned, but I am not sure. "Is something the matter, you seem so un-Lain like?"

She smiled weakly. "I am fine, just thinking."

"About what?"

She leaned backwards in her chair, yawning as if from boredom. "So, do you know what you are going to do? I mean how are you going to go about your mission?" Lain, questioned.

I glanced at her, and she smiled slyly back at me, knowing full well she had dodged my question. I wasn't about to be, put off that easily. "Why are you so out of it? Have you been racking your mind trying to perceive how I am going to kill this person?" I questioned jokingly, whispering the last part about the kill. I couldn't risk anyone overhearing.

She sat forward, sucking on her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Yeah that's exactly what I was doing, are you some type of mind reader." She retorted, yet again dodging my question with slyness.

"Are you going to keep dodging my questions, I am just curious to know, you've slept more than me, and yet you seem so tired and lifeless?"

Sighing deeply, Lain rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'll have some coffee," She said. "Will you back off now?" She hissed.

Lain was a little spitfire all right, one of the most annoying. You try to be civil and she bites your head off. I sighed. "Whatever," I turned to look for a waiter and easily found one waiting for an up by the main counter. "Hey miss, can we get some coffee!" I asked kindly.

The waitress smiled cheerfully and then nodded. "Coming right up!" She called back.

"So what are you going to do?" Lain questioned, seeming a little more interested and less dodging of questions than before.

"Here you go." The waitress said while she bent over the table, placing a cup of coffee in front of me, and then one in front Lain. I nodded my thanks and she smiled again before leaving.

Once she was gone from sight and everything was safe, I glanced at Lain taking in all the curiosity within her expressions with a boyish smile. "You burned my plans, so what I am going to do is try to salvage what I can remember."

Sticking her pointer finger within the warm brown liquids of her coffee glass, Lain began to circle it in a clockwise motion. She glared at me with what looked to me as a form of suspicious skepticism. "So what can you remember? If I heard right, awhile back you told Johnny that you didn't need his information in the files he had acquired." She reminded. "Supposedly you have your own." Her tone sounded almost mocking, forcing me only to glare back.

True I didn't want his information, as I did not trust it, but when I read it over, I realized its value. For it expressed things I had overlooked, therefore I kept it. Tilting my head to the side, I pressed my lips into a thin line. "Well I do have my own…but you see that was in my bag, which was burned because of you."

By the indigent look in Lain's eyes and the steamy red blanketing her countenance. I think was safe to say I had ticked her of with my last comment. Lain pounded her fist viciously onto the table. "Why don't you just shut up? If they were so important and I am so not than why didn't you let me burn, and save your bags, huh, tell me that mister?" She shouted with immense rage.

I beckoned her to calm down and realize what she was doing, what a big commotion she was causing. After a few minutes I think she got the point as she slumped downwards in her chair, covering her flushed face from all the people starring her way.

Sipping my coffee nonchalantly, I spared her a little advice. "You really need to learn to think before you speak, less embarrassing happenings occur that way."

Basically ignoring my advice as if she hadn't heard it, Lain slid her hands away from her face, with questioning eyes. "Are they still looking?" She wondered.

I shook my head. "No, they went back to there daily lives. I guess you're not that interesting." I scoffed.

Puckering her lip, Lain sat up in her seat seeming very annoyed. Uncaring, I sipped my coffee again waiting for her to let me have it for the arrogant comment I made. "You know you could learn to be a little bit more meek when you talk, its not very nice to treat a lady like she's some slut who thinks everything revolves around her. You see as I have told you before, I am very surprised you haven't ended up waking in a Dumpster butt naked, yet."

At the mentioning of waking in a Dumpster caused me to clench my fist tightly in anger. I could recall what had only occurred a few days ago with that bartender and one day ago with the man on the streets saying the bartender had spoken of me for years. Something wasn't right with that, and I will soon find out what is going on around here. I feel as though I am being setup for a major fall. The plane explosion was no accident either; somebody wants me dead for I know for sure when I found our plane that it should not have been on fire still after three days. Someone had re-lit it on fire, and eventually I will find out whom.

"Jeez why you are acting so uptight all of a sudden," Lain said with a dramatic pause. "Oh wait don't tell me…you have woken up like that before and have just been keeping it a secret." She laughed.

Wherever I was heading in my thoughts had suddenly faded when Lain spoke mockingly about me. I looked up at her only catching the gist of what she had said with a frown of disgust. "What the…now way you've got to be kidding me, never happened and never will." I said masking the dryness in my voice.

She glimpsed at me with a high level of suspicion before letting my answer slide. I sighed mentally in relief that she didn't bug me on the subject anymore.

"Did you hear about Jason Tailvar, you no that rich dude who runs a software company?"

"No what?"

"They say he left to the airport suddenly without an explanation, and is leaving Moscow for good."

Jason Tailvar? My eyes widened at the name, my next target. I frowned; he was running, but why? I didn't care to think about that right now, all I knew was that if he escaped me my mother was finished. I stood abruptly from my seat, allowing it to crash to the floor behind me.

"What are you doing now?" Lain, wondered.

I gestured for her to be quiet. "Planning."

Her face took on a jarring expression. "What!" She huffed.

"Ssh. Just watch, and be quiet."

With that conversation coming to a close, I went back to the task at hand. The ones who were speaking of the matters dealing with my victim sat conversely at a table near ours. Stalking up to them, I took a seat at their table. They gawked at me suspiciously. "What do you want?"

I smiled sadistically. "I want to know all you know about where Jason went? Or else!" I hissed threateningly.

They cackled hysterically as if I was a small child asking to drive a car, or fly a plane. Their mannerisms were barbaric and that slightly got on my nerves. My last nerve snapped in two, as they patted me on the head like some sort of puppy. "Why should we tell you?" One of them huffed.

"Yeah maybe we don't wanna?" A second one barked, with less than perfect grammar.

"Pretty boy what could you possibly do to us?" The first one said in a demeaning voice.

That was the last straw. I couldn't take their attitudes for one more, second. They needed an adjustment. Grasping both of their hands, I yanked them forward over the table, bending their arms around their backs.

Sharp gasps filled the bar as people turned in their seats to witness my assault on the two men. I ignored them completely. Bending forward between both of them, I whispered. "I am not your puppy. If you touch me like that again, I will tear your arms off from you body, is that clear?"

They bobbed their heads against the wood of the table. "Ye-Ye-s." They both moaned in unison, I could feel the fear in there voice rattle through my heart.

I smiled. "Good. Now. Tell me all you know about Jason. I want to know when he left and what airport he went to?"

"Okay. Well, I heard from a friend who worked with him that he packed this morning saying in a panic that he couldn't stay here anymore and is leaving this afternoon. I think my friend said it the Moscow express…that…that's…all I know…" He explained in a panic, clearly fearing for his life.

Taking in the information slowly, I let go of their arms. "No was that so hard," I scoffed. "Now get out of my sight." I said, glaring at them as they stood and then turned around to face Lain. I beckoned her to grab her crutches and follow me out the door. "Come on, let's get out of here."

She nodded with a shocked glint in her eyes. Setting up her crutches in the correct positioning, she then followed slowly behind me. "All right." She said, and we left the people of the bar in a jarring array of emotions.

~+~+~+~

~/~ Just as Kai and Lain drifted out the door, a dark cloaked figure, as smooth as a shadow, passed them. His face was covered, and he was very tall. All you could see of him, was a spike of red hair protruding from the left side of his cloak. Kai and him shared a look, before their paths had completely crossed, and they both made their way to their destinations.

The cloaked figure took a seat at the table where Kai had just interrogated two men as to the whereabouts of his next target. The figure smiled at the men who fretfully smiled back. "Did you tell him all the information?"

They nodded. "Yeah we did it like you said."

"Good." He said in a deep, dark, singsong fashion. Slipping his hand into the side pocket of his cloak, he pulled out a thick envelope, and passed it over to the men underneath the table. "Here is your reward, ten thousand as agreed."

They laughed. "Thank you, any time you need a favor, you can always count on us."

"Good." He replied, standing from the table. "I'll hold you to that."

~+~+~+~

~ Tala ~ The room was quite dark, like a cellar, but structured like a cage. The walls were made up of a metal that was worn and almost rustic looking. The only door that led out of the room was, tightly locked, with a small narrow slit at the top for a window. The window had bars breathing inside of it; this room was definitely a cage for something, which no doubt was I since I woke up here.

I couldn't quiet recollect everything that happened, but I seemed to have slept for a few days due to tranquilizer being, lodged up my shoulder blade. I was so close to unlocking, the secrets kept from Kai and me but before I could open the file up more, I was, rendered unconscious. I woke up in a panic in a room that smell of rotting flesh. I tried to figure out what happened but came up empty that was until a man visited me. It, was the man that had shot me.

"So you are awake now." He stated.

"Where am I?" I asked curiously.

He cackled inhumanly. "Isn't it obvious?" I shook my head, and his laughter deepened. "You are being held in a prison cell. For breaking into a restricted area." --His laughter died in the middle of the sentence reforming into a serious tone as he elegantly stated my crime-- "You will be held here until we receive a call from the boss. And then we will decide what to do with you." He informed, leaving no room for questions. I nodded it seemed to be the only thing I could think to do in response. With that said he left the room.

Huddled up in a corner of the room, I sat in silence formulating a plot to escape before that man came back to behead me. If I had my bag, I am sure there would be something I could use to communicate to Kai, and ask him for help but then again that wouldn't be such a good idea for he was too busy. I would have to do this on my own.

A slight beam of light brushed in through a window at the very top of the cell; carrying with it, white glowing dust particles. I had never noticed that window before, and that bothered me lightly. "Tala? Tala are you down there?" A whispering voice wondered.

Abruptly discarding my thoughts, I stood fully, glaring upwards at the window curiously. "Who's there?" I muttered.

"It's me Ozuma, I am glad you are okay, I wasn't sure if they killed you already." His voice carried a sheer feel of relief.

I smirked. "I thought you said if I was, captured, I was on my own, so, what are you doing here?" I wondered recalling the agreement we had come to at the beginning of this whole scenario.

"What can I say," He laughed. "I guess it's like the old saying goes, can't leave a man down behind."

"Yeah well I don't think you can save this soldier, their coming back soon to do who knows what to me and there is no way out of this room." I explained despairingly.

"You shouldn't act like your going to die because your not, I've got a plan."

"What?" I questioned with deep hope, as I did not feel like dying yet. The timing just didn't seem right.

"Does your brother have a cell phone on him?" Ozuma questioned.

I nodded. "Yeah all the time why?" I could feel a deep curiosity brewing in the center of my stomach as I awaited an answer.

"Because I've got a cellular phone." He said awaiting some praise from me.

I raised a brow. "This is your grand plan, to call my brother?" I said dryly, feeling all hope dampen as I slid down the wall under the window until I was sitting, hugging my knees. I didn't want my brother involved in this I didn't even want him to know I did this for he would be very angry, and not only that he was busy with more important matters.

"What you don't like it? Your brother is perfect…he is an assassin and could bypass them with out a lick of trouble." Ozuma explained.

Bending my head backwards, I starred up at the window. "I can't ask him for help, because he can't know I did this, and besides he is out assuring our mothers safety." I informed.

Ozuma sighed. "Look Tala either we get your brother to help or your as good as dead…these people aren't going to let you leave with the slightest chance that you could've seen something you shouldn't have." He warned.

He brought up a good point. Nobody in his or her right mind would let me leave with the knowledge I have obtained. Kai would never forgive me if I got myself killed. I buried my head into my hands. "Fine, but I'll call him…it will be better that way." I said with slight groan as once Kai found out what I did, things are going to get messy.

"I can see where you are going with this but there is one problem."

"What?"

"I am all the way up here and you are all the way down there. I could easily slip the phone through the bars on the window but if there is the slightest chance you don't catch it then this plan will die with that shattered cell phone." He forewarned, "Are you sure you want to take such a gamble?" Ozuma wondered.

Standing from the ground, I replied. "Just throw the phone!" I hissed in assurance with a great deal of confidence.

"All right, it's your life hanging in the balance." He said. "Here you go!" Ozuma shouted throwing the cellular-phone through the middle bar.

It fell like a bird that had lost its balance in midair, sputtering downwards towards the ground. Locking my eyes onto the small black figure, I waited until it was halfway through the air. Before I agilely walked up the wall doing a back flip off, grasping the phone in the process, and then landing safely on all fours to the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me you could do something like that?" Ozuma groaned. "We could've done this sooner… " He said quieting himself, realizing that he had gotten to loud.

On the ground, I leaned back up against the wall. The cellular phone was a nice flip open one, it was colored black, and when you flipped it open the buttons glowed with a blue aura. It was a nice one. Taking my eyes away from it, I replied to Ozuma. "I told you that I could catch…. In my own words." I laughed slightly at the last part of my retort.

"Okay now what you are going to do is call him, and tell him everything. Tell him to meet me down by the ventilation shafts where you and me entered, all right?"

I nodded. "Got it."

~+~+~+~

~ Kai ~ "Lain when we get in here, hide." I ordered, looking over my shoulder at her for reassurance that she will follow my order.

She nodded. "All right, whatever you say."

"Good."

The sun was just now setting in the deep blue sky. The rays of the sun surged with the blue sky creating an array of colors. We came upon thin glass doors--one touch from a bullet and they would explode into thousands of bladed shards. I didn't know why I just thought about that, I guess it was because I had to be ready for all possibilities. Those men at the club said Jason was becoming intimidated, and so he might be armed. A loud explosion could lead to unwanted attention. "Follow directly behind me, and when we are in, hide behind something…don't let anyone see you."

"All right."

Pushing the left door open, I walked in casually, as if I had nothing to concern. Walking in I was suddenly, engulfed in darkness, it was thick like a bear's skin, and it made me feel breathless. I was going to choke, but quickly I calmed myself. As I entered the airport, I quickly glanced over my shoulder at Lain who was gently hopping with the steady pace of the crutches. The clicking sound that formed when the crutches connected with the ground could bring about some trouble for both of us. For it could signal to them that we are coming, also when she goes to hide they could hear her and come after her. I couldn't risk it.

Stopping midway in the hall, I turned to Lain. "Listen, give me your crutches." I demanded.

She gawked at me incredulously. "What! Why?"

I placed a hand over her mouth. "Ssh, you are going to give us away. Your crutches are making to much noise. Something is not right about this whole scenario, and your constant clicking noise is going to give us away to them." I explained. "Give me your crutches, I am going to carry you to a safe place, where I want you to stay until I return, got that?"

She nodded, and I ran my hand down her mouth, until it fell upon the top of her left crutch. "Okay, but…if you aren't back soon, I will come looking for you."

Taking her left crutch into possession, I lowered my head, shaking it meagerly. "No, if I don't come back soon--which won't be likely--I want you to return home without me." I explained, taking her right crutch.

Swaying her head objectively, she replied. "No way, I can't leave you behind…what would I tell Tala: that I left his brother for the ravens…I don't think so, he'd never forgive me."

Turning my back to her, I crouched low to the ground, beckoning her to get on. "Climb up," and then went to reply to her. "No, your wrong, Tala won't hate you, he will understand." I assured, as she leisurely with care shifted herself onto my back.

Once everything was, situated correctly, I stood fully from the ground. "Now, take your crutches from me." I said, handing them up to her, and she immediately grasped them from me. If anything where to happen right now I know I couldn't fight holding Lain and her crutches.

The silence of the airport bothered me slightly. If this were the main airport of Moscow, I'd think it would be crowded with people by now. Unnerved, I moved my hand around the mesh of cloth that was on my coat, placing a hand onto the hilt of my dagger. Luckily, I managed to salvage it from the plane, and now it was the only weapon I had.

My cautious eyes donned upon a large 3-foot brick planter, with an array of different flowers protruding out of the top. The planter was, situated near a back wall, creating a small shaft. I smiled. It was perfect.

Quickly, I made a beeline towards the planter, and once there, took my hand away from the hilt of my dagger for a brief moment, holding my hand up to help her get off. "All right, I am going keep you here…do not leave for any reason…you should be safe." I explained, as I gasped her hands guiding her gracefully to the ground.

On the ground, Lain slid herself slowly into the shaft guiding her leg to make sure it remained safe. Once inside she looked up at me. Her blue orbs were darker than usual, as she spoke, "If you don't come back for me I will never forgive you and…I will get even…I always do."

I sniffed the air, stifling a small laugh that threatened to exit my lips. "I am a trained assassin, I am sure this time won't be any different from the last dozen." There was only one problem with this time, this time I think I was caught but I cannot go back now, not empty handed. Turning away from Lain, I headed for the stairs, as I was going to make a surprise entrance. "See you."

She nodded. "…. Yeah …

~+~+~+~

Beating the staircase before it whipped me of breath was an easy feat as I threw open the exit doors, leading into the flight deck. If my suspicions were right, then the most likely place for Mister Tailvar would be on the deck, readying to leave in a private aircraft.

Smoke filled wind blew at me like tiny blades being, thrown expediently by a master knives thrower, cutting at my right cheek slightly. Tightening my vision, I caught sight of a jet preparing for takeoff, and quickly tore through the currents, making my way towards my prey before it escaped.

At the chance that someone might catch me, I skillfully crept my way along the edge of the deck and weaved my way around parked cargo trucks. Halting behind a stack of cargo bags nearby the plane, I watched to see a pilot prepare the aircraft but no one else was in sight. Something wasn't right, and I've known it all along. They know I am here. I turned to look in the direction I came in, I hope Lain is doing okay…what's that smell. A sharp tangy smell forced it's way up my nose. I turned back to the car, and that was when I heard it.

Sharp beeping sounds arose from the cargo van I was hiding, behind. The beeping noises I could easily recognize from a XL-360 timed bomb. Quickly in a panic, I turned away from the Van and ran, taking cover underneath a staircase, covering my ears.

A loud boom was, produced from the van--I could hear it through my covered ears--fizzling throughout the flight deck. Flames ruptured the van burning it to a crisp and everything in a ten-foot radius. Once the action was completely through, I uncovered my ears and stepped out from under the stairs. The cargo was gone; everything was, except for the plane.

A loud clapping noise formed. "I had a feeling you might survive but that's okay, I have other ideas to get rid of you."

I spun around, and smiled as I saw my prey. "Jason Tailvar…" I stated spryly. He was standing near the stairs and padlock doors into the airport. "You plant the bomb?" I wondered pointing at the meager flames wrapping around the debris of luggage, and car parts.

"Surprised you didn't I?"

"Ne, I figured it out way before you're small brain could even conceive it." I jeered.

He nodded. "Figured as much. I know why you are here, you know." He informed.

"Really, enlighten me."

He walked closer to me with a dry smile. "I was "informed" by one of your colleagues that you wish to kill me…why though? Is it because of my work on the project?" He wondered.

Tilting my head to the side, I exercised my neck while smirking. "Really wow, so, who is this mystery colleague of mine?" I asked with mock curiosity. I was playing a cool façade but deep down I wonder who has squealed on me, who has betrayed me. I had a small feeling of which it was but I am not sure and rather hear it from Jason.

"I am not at liberty to mention his name." He said stopping about five feet away from me.

I raised a brow. "Oh so it's a he, now that narrows it down a lot." I said toying with him.

Jason smiled. "Now how can you be so sure, for I only said "he" to refer that it was a living person verses "it" who makes him sound nonexistent."

I chuckled. "You could've said she, yet you said he, but then again, you could've said: I am not at liberty to mention the person's name. Does that not make this "colleague" of mine sound existent? And yet out of all these other options you chose he." I said messing with his head; I could tell he was becoming, bemused. "Now, either you made one heck of a slip, or you take pleasure in calling all forms of life in terms of the male species." I scoffed.

"What?" He said confused. "You are really confusing me, and I don't like it!" Jason hissed.

My eyes twinkled as I winked. "I try."

An omniscient cloud blurred Jason's appearance in a splurge of darkness. His smile grew devious. Backing two steps, he snapped his fingers. Two buff, heavily armed men moved from the shadows, shifting on either side of Jason.

Placing my palm atop of my dagger's, hilt, I smiled childishly at Jason, who still bore a ridiculous smirk. "I've been waiting to meet your friends, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about them with all the fun we've been indulging in at the moment." I said still playing around, although that would soon change when I'd have to fight. I couldn't drop my guard for a moment during a fight, and even now, I hadn't dropped it. One could have fun while being completely aware of his surroundings. I just prefer a sense of seriousness while in battle.

"Now mister assassin, you will die, while I live in freedom on my island, as I will not be killed for helping that abomination of a project." Jason explained. "Get him boys." With those words, Jason took off in the direction of his plane.

I rolled my eyes; his words were, wasted on someone who couldn't care less. Sure killing him wasn't something I'd enjoy doing but at the cost of my mother's life, I couldn't care less about him and his life. I sparred, a quick glance at his bodyguards, bowing jovially with a smirk, before taking off in the direction of my prey. "I'll deal with you two later, but right now, I have business to attend." I sneered over my shoulder.

I thought my new "friendly" relationship with the bodyguards had ended with those words but glimpsing slightly over my shoulder, I could see them trailing behind me. I swear I am going to kill whoever squealed on me! Quickly turning right into a trail of unmanned aircraft's, and then ducking left inside of one, I sought to escape them.

Luckily enough, I think it worked.

~+~+~+~

~ Lain ~ Time ticked away like a subtle current passing through a crevasse in a mountain terrain. In this moment I could clearly say, time just wasn't on my side. I felt myself suffering from boredom with each wind that passed through the crack in the window; near the shaft, Kai had forced me to hide in. Sweating like a lost soul in a sweltering desert, I found that the tiny speck of wind that drew in through the crack was a godsend to save me from dying of heatstroke. But then again, I might be over exaggerating.

Tiny little brown watermarks adorned the ceiling above where I sat, I think I've counted them ten times already and have concluded there are six hundred and ninety eight of them. Kai had been gone too long, and this just proves it. He promised he'd come for me and I have waited patiently but now I find it ridiculous he hasn't returned, yet. He said it wouldn't be that long and I wonder if something went wrong with his mission.

Studying the beveled angle of my crutches lying against the wall near me, I debated whether to snatch them up and go look for him. Inclining forward, I brushed my hand over their metal smooth surface--they were cold to the touch--and then clutched the bottom of the crutch tightly. There just was no getting around it, either I idly sit here waiting as an idiot for Kai who probably won't return or is in trouble or I go look for him myself and do something about it. Sharply, I nodded at my decision. I was going to look for him.

Pulling one crutch towards me, I used it as a tool to help me stand part way. Once up I grabbed the other one, situating me onto both of them. Taking a seat on a waiting chair I pulled up my unwounded leg, pulling my jeans part way up revealing a small pistol bounded to my ankle by two sets of jet-black straps. Un-strapping it I held it up in the air--to my face--for a closer inspection. All six chamber of the pistol were loaded, and I wasn't completely comfortable with that. Popping open the chamber, I agilely slid one bullet loose, allowing it to tumble towards the ground.

I knew I might need the pistol sometime, which is why I took it. Benison, I had him to thank for this weapon. I stole it from him yesterday night before I left with Kai. My heart throbbed just thinking about that night, and mouth tasted bitter, so, I shifted my thoughts onto more important matters. Flipping the chamber closed, I sat it beside me, and struggled to stand with the help of the crutches. Standing, I bent over slightly possessing the pistol from the seat, and then headed towards the stairs where Kai had gone. I would not wait all day for him.

~+~+~+~

~ Kai ~ Pulling my dagger from it's holster I stabbed it into the gas tank, allowing the putrid glossy green liquid to spill forth like water from a hose. I slipped my dagger back into its holster once I was done.

The contents spelt all over the ground around the plane, and cupping some of it in a paper cup--I had found inside the plane--I dropped some gas on the inside of the craft.

Inside the aircraft, I had found the pilot was an idiot. He had left his keys in the ignition. But then again, I guess I could say I was lucky for his foolishness. Turning the key, I only had to wait two seconds until the engine began to hum its song of life. "Nice." I murmured.

Looking into the side mirror, I could see that the guards had found me out. They were heading towards the airplane. A rivulet of sweat dripped down the center of my brow, tickling my face. I shivered. I needed to work quickly before they screwed my plans over. Grabbing hold of the joystick, I forwarded the plane towards Jason's craft.

Halfway there I could see his men coming up behind me with a cargo van. Cursing lightly beneath my breath as they came up by the side of my plane, I watched as they began to ram it sideways into the aircraft.

My body jerked right within the force produced from contact with the van. Hanging on, I turned the airplane into them swerving them of balance as their car flipped up almost rolling sideways. If I had pushed the plane into them any harder, I am sure that they'd been completely on their backs. In this case, they managed to hang on.

It didn't matter if they cached up with me now. I was only moments away from disposing of my victim. Coming at him using this plane, I am sure that he'd see me nearing him, and would abandon getting on his.

Before I could make sure, my craft wouldn't encounter Jason's jet; his guards had come at me again, catching me off guard for the first time in my life--during a battle anyway. Looking down at my watch, I could see my deadline coming to its end, if I didn't make the call of Jason's demise soon, my mother would be dead within the hour. That on thought, I hadn't seen it coming, as the van rammed into my bottom, forcing the pace of my aircraft to expedite. The nose of the plane, pierced through the other plane, about the same time as Jason entered it.

The vehement force of the crash caused me to hurdle forwards, crashing through the glass window, landing on the nose of the craft. Fragmented shards of glass, lied in dozens around me, although some of them still fell from the window--some stayed attached.

I could feel the wetness of warm blood, trickle down my brow, like the rivulet of sweat had moments before, and I shivered once more. As I tried to incline forward, I knew where I stood on mortal injuries. My arms appeared to be dislocated from their sockets, though slightly still workable. Blood beaded up in small cuts all over my legs and arms. One large gash adorned my left leg, expelling a heavy amount blood by the second, and if I didn't hurry, I knew I'd bleed to death.

Denoting this, I tossed my battered body forward like a rag doll towards the other plane. Jason, was he dead, I wondered? It would make my job a lot easier if he was. That would mean I didn't have to kill him, which would be one less death upon my shoulders'--for his men would be is grave makers.

Coming through the side window into the second plane, I felt a small case of nausea swell up in my stomach, twisting and knotting it up from the inside. A cold draft of wind blew over my cuts causing them to sting slightly, but I gladly welcomed it over the feeling I bore a moment ago, and slightly still do. The pilot had been, impaled against the wall by the nose of my craft.

It appeared to me that he was trying to save Jason, by the taut look of his hands, and the look in his eyes. He looked like he had gone down trying to save a dear friend. Another clue was how Jason's body had sprawled against the floor, a few inches away from him. Although, he could be just like that from force of impact, but I highly doubted it. I shut my eyes not being able to look at the mess of the pilot.

"Ah-uhh…m-mister…ass-ass-in…I…I…"

I spun around the moment the agonized voice began to murmur it's pained gentle words. Jason was still alive. Standing up, pulling myself through the shattered glass window, I jumped from the nose of my plane, landing in a heap on the ground. I barely had the strength to move, but I forced myself to keep going, anyway.

Crawling over to him, I looked him over cautiously. He was bleeding internally. His skin was pale, sweaty, and flaky. His cheeks held no warmth of color. It was my guess; he'd only live for a few more minutes, before his innards died. Honorably--although, I didn't care for it--I decided to listen to his last words. Someone should, and if it had to be me, then I'd let it be, and remember them always.

"Yeah?" I said, leaning myself against a wall next to his body, tilting my head to the left, I got a full image of his head.

He coughed; blood trickled down the crack of his lip. "I-I know why they…they want…m-me dead." He explained, having a hard time forming words, as his cough kept forcing him to choke. His words appealed to me slightly. That was something I often wondered. Why did they want these people dead? Eagerly, I urged him on. He spoke once more. "Y-You got to know…I didn't w-want to do it…the p-project…I didn't…didn't want to do it. They m-made me." His cough became harsher this time, and blood sloshed, down his lip in heavier amount. His life was ending. "The project…was created to destroy, it's a-an abomination, I t-told them that-t…but they wouldn't listen…said it was to be done…the world-d had survived enough. They-y want me dead because…because I created it…err helped."

His words interested me, so much, I felt myself becoming a little rash as I yelled. "Who made you create this? Whom did you work, for? What was his name?" I shouted badgering what was left of his living soul.

Whatever I had said seemed to have sparked a terrible memory or picture in Jason's head. I could see the terror swirling in his ox brown eyes, and could feel it emitting from his very body. "His name…his face-e. He is not like us…he is not a-alive, how could he be…living a-as long as he has-s…but beware his…his-s mechanical…" He stopped mid-sentence; his body began to shake as if he was heading into a seizure.

In a bit of panic and curiosity, I lost my control, and myself. I jerked sideways towards him, grabbing the side of his shirt, shaking him slightly. "Tell me his name, and what are you talking about?" I spat in a fit of rage and impatience.

The pained twinkle of life that existed in the man's eyes turned cold, and dry. His eyeballs rolled towards the back of his head. His breath seized with the last guttural noise the squeaked in the back center of his throat. I could feel his body in my hands. He was already becoming cold. The blood in the corners of his lips and down his neck was gradually beginning to dry.

Disappointed, but still amazed nonetheless that he lived this long, I let his body, drop to the ground. Placing a hand over his eyes, I slid them shut. I wasn't one for nobility, or honorability, but I would never leave a dead man's eyes, open. It was, their dignity I was, protecting, and there was nothing honorable about that.

In all this chaos, and in this moment with Jason, I had forgotten about his bodyguards. Turning my head, as good as, I could, I caught a glimpse of the guards pointing their guns at me, from just outside the airplanes--fingers ready against their triggers.

I tried to stand. Tried, but failed. The gash on my leg had worsened. The blood loss became more severe.

Trying to stand again, I collapsed forward. I tried to stop myself from slamming against the floor, with the help of my hands. Unfortunately they were partially dislocated, and could not hold my weight. I may have been able to use them to grab Jason, but that was a loss of control. All rational thought, and sense of pain, had vanished. I wish I felt that way now.

Death was coming for me; there was no way around it. I knew I would die one of these times, but I didn't know it would come so soon. It was better this way I guess. This way, my suffering would end, and not at my hand, but by a different force. The organization couldn't harm my mom anymore, because they had no one to use against her. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe everyone would be better off.

No. I was just fooling myself to think they'd just let her go. What they would do was kill her. No more, use equals death. This meant there would be no gains from my death, only heartache, torture and pain.

I couldn't die now; I was so close to finishing everything. So close to freeing everyone from their shackles. I couldn't die now, when everything was waiting for me on the outside of this world I've created for myself. I wouldn't die. I had promises to keep. I promised Tala I would stay safe, I promised Lain I would come back for her, but most of all I promised my mother, I would save her. And I couldn't save her from a grave.

Strength welled up inside me, a newfound will was, formed in my heart, and I stood from the ground. Feeling the pain burn from the inside out with every movement formed. I didn't care about the pain anymore, only my survival.

Moving in pain slowly out from the shambles of the aircraft's, I faced them off, placing my hand upon my dagger's hilt. I smiled. "Do you think you can get rid of me with 45?" I question skeptically, in a sheer innocent voice. "Those guns can't penetrate me, so you shouldn't bother, because in a few seconds you'll be dead." I explained as if being polite.

Bang! A sound ruptured from the back of the men, and it was apparent what the sound was. Two bullets had been set free from their chamber. They flew right through the chests of the men. They choked, gasping rigidly for air, but unable to claim it, as they fell forward into the floor.

Stunned, I was. I had not expected that. When I said they'd be dead in a few seconds, I had meant by my hand, not someone else's. What was more shocking was who had let the bullets escape. Behind the bodies, I saw the innocent or thought to be innocent face of Lain, holding herself up on her left crutch, with a pistol in the other hand.

I had not planned to kill those men, just knock them out, and make them forget what they had seen. I don't like death. Yes, I issued them a death threat, but it was one, I didn't plan on following through with, but obviously, Lain thought it was necessary.

Lain's skin, had become flushed with fear, and horror at what she had done. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth agape, until she bit her lip. "I-I didn't me to…I thought…thought they were going to kill you." A tear made its way from the corner of her eye, streaking down her face, landing upon the shivering skin of her arm, holding the gun.

She was trembling. I couldn't blame her. She had never seen death up front before--besides Darius; but then again, she was still far from the scene. Another thing that was different was, she killed him. She, herself, had shutdown someone else's life, which was a hard thing, and I would know that fact more than anyone would.

Her legs--even the broken one--buckled beneath her as she collapsed to the ground upon her knees, placing her hands outward to hold herself from hitting face first into the floor. Her crutches collapsed away from her, falling backwards, crashing hard into the cement ground. Her leg pain seemed outdated compared to the pain she indulged in now. "I-I…" She mumbled, shock aligning her body in a deep blue aura of sorrow, horror, and bemusement. She still hadn't accepted what had occurred.

Limping over to her, I held a weak palm to my leg wound, trying to stop the bleeding. A foolish attempt, but I couldn't help it. The pain was aggravating. I hated pain, as much as I hated blood. I despised both of them; wished I had never come to face such feelings.

Residing beside her now, I kneeled downward to her. "Lain…about what you did…thanks." I said, sympathy coating the gentle tone of my voice, and although I tried to mask, I just couldn't bring myself to.

Pressing her face into her hands, she shrieked hysterically. "I don't want your sympathy! I don't want to hear, and don't want you to think, or feel it. This was my mistake. How could you understand, what I feel? How?" Her voice was deep, deep like the sorrowful night. Her tone was rather dryly harsh, but filled with a saddening fear laced with horror and regret.

I shook my head at her ignorance. Lifting my halfway-dislocated arm into the air, I brushed it up against her back. The pain in my arm seared like a cow being, branded. "How can you say that? Have you learned nothing since you've been with me?" I questioned with a subdued pause. Taking a deep breath, I continued. "I have killed and watched people be killed thousands of times, and I know what you are feeling, what you are going through. This is your first time ending a life that is hard, and will burden your soul for the rest of your life--I won't lie to you. Still if you didn't kill them, they'd have killed me, so you saved me. Granted I could've taken care of myself but still you saved me…I am thankful."

That was the hardest thing for me to say. I about choked on the last part, but it had to be, said. I had to do something to make her feel better. As person who knows what she was going through, I had to lend a helping hand. I know what I said wasn't that big but it was for me. I don't easily give my thanks.

Lifting her head up from her hands, Lain sparred me a quick indifferent glance, before starring at the cement ground. "I don't need your sympathy. I realize--and I am sorry--you have been through this, but my situation is different. You don't realize what I have done; it is not that I killed him, but something else. A promise, if you will, but you wouldn't understand. I did this to save you and I am not sorry for it, but I won't accept your thanks. I saved you because, I had too and nothing else, so please…leave me be, and just get us out of here. I want to go home." She explained, leaving no room for questions. She made sure to set me straight. But, I wonder, why she had to save me, no has to do anything they don't want to but the way she said it sounded as though she was talking of a job.

The thought of getting out of here jogged my memory on something I'd forgotten. Something very important. Looking over to the mangled aircraft's, my eyes drifted upon a stream of wet, leading from the bottom of the plane outwards. The gas! This whole place was about to be blown into smithereens. That was how I set it up, well not really.

I had planned to scare Jason from getting onto his airplane by swerving the medium plane I acquired towards his. Once he was off the plane, I planned to throw mine backward towards the guards, lighting a match--I found in the center-console inside the plane--on fire and throwing it upon the gas. It was suppose to deter the guards from finding me for a moment while I killed their boss.

When the guards had slammed a cargo van into me, they caused more gas to flee the tank. Some of it had fallen onto, and in the engine. I could smell it sizzling atop of the steaming hot engine. From the overwhelming acrid scent, I guessed we only had a few minutes before it went up in flames, taking everything around with it.

"Lain come on, get up." I ordered, my voice gentle yet demanding. "This place is about to go up in flames." I warned. Luck was something I didn't believed in but we were lucky the airport had closed for the day due to some technical difficulties--so I learned from a flyer floating among the ground.

Lain, stood from the ground, holding her sprained leg limp, placing all her weight on the other workable one. In this process, she never once looked up from the floor. "All right…I see, lets go." She mumbled, nonchalantly. She didn't seem all too interested that her life was on the line. Her thoughts seemed to lie elsewhere.

Ring, a sharp sound sprung forth. Alarmed, I searched it out. Getting my thoughts together, I realized that my cellular-phone was ringing. Curious, and a bit worried of who was calling, I shifted it out from my pocket, and flipped it open. "Hello, what is it?" I questioned, getting down to the point.

Lain inconspicuously shifted her eyes halfway up at me. She seemed very interested of who was on the cell-phone. If she didn't think I would notice her gaze, she was mistaken.

A soft panicked voice sifted through the sound box of the cellular-phone. "Kai, It's me Tala, I need your help…I've been arrested."

At Tala's words, I coughed, about choking on my saliva. "What! How'd that happen?" --my voice was a smooth shriek-- "Are you okay?" I questioned eager for a reply.

Lain's gaze had turned to me fully, her eyes were drowning in curiosity, and her mouth was agape. "What's wrong is that Tala?" She wondered in worry.

Beckoning her to hush, I placed my full attention on Tala's reply. "It's a long story. I went with Ozuma--a friend--to the government's main building, and broke in. Ozuma told me that the organization had a main base underneath the building. Lain had said to me some things that brought me to wonder what the organization is really about. So, I had Ozuma try to hack into the organizations system through his computer but it failed. Therefore, we decided to go to the main source for the information I sought--the main computer of the organization.

"I found some interesting things about the organization that you need to hear but for now I need you to help me. As I was looking over their files, someone came up to me and shot me with a tranquilizer." He paused, but quickly picked up again. "Meet Ozuma in Kanto, near our countries main government station, behind the building. He'll be waiting. I can't speak for long; they'll be back soon. But Kai, we need to have a talk about the people we are working for, they're up to something. Something bad." He paused; I could hear him breathing loudly, as if he was, panicked by something.

Anger did surged meagerly through my veins because Tala had taken such a risk. He could've been, killed. They could've not only captured him, they could've shot him, or tortured him until he gave up on life. My hand, which hung at my side, balled into a fist. I was mad, but dare not let the anger take control of my actions. Breathing slowly in and out, I prepared a reply. "I see…um…all right, I'll come for you but if you ever do anything this reckless again, then I will leave you…" I explained harshly, my tone quite bitter.

Loosening my griped fist, I could feel the passing breeze, chilled the sweat that had gathered up amongst my palm due to excessive tension. It was like a sweet release, as the breeze swept over me.

I could see the bright curiosity, and dim astonishment in Lain's sliver blue eyes. A dark shell overlaid her features as she bit her lip. She eased herself forward towards the ground, lifting her crutches from the floor, and then situated herself carefully upon them. I prepared myself for a snide remark or something, but nothing came, and so, I returned to Tala.

Something about this worried me. Ozuma. Who was he? Why did he help Tala? Just how much did he know of the situation? These questions were ones I would receive answer for. "Tala, who is Ozuma? You did not tell him of us did you?"

"I didn't have to," Came Tala's reply with a slight chuckle. "He already knew of us, he had figured it out on his own. But Kai, this isn't the time for that; I will fill you in on that later. But, the organization is doing something horrendous, I searched their files and found one entitled…Seraph…" His voice cut off after that, and the cellular phone went silent.

My stomach knotted up inside, my breathing became unstable, and a bead of sweat trickled down the side of my head. Biting my lip, I sent the tooth straight through the skin. I could taste the bitterness of my own blood, as I released the tooth from the flesh, and yelled. "Tala! Are you there, what happened?"

A few seconds of silence, and a pulsing heart ready to rip from it's cage, and I finally received an answer from him. "They're coming back…I have to go before they find out I called you." He said, panicked. "Goodbye…" As those words left Tala's lips; the cellular-phone line suddenly went dead.

"Tala, wait!" I shouted, but I knew it was too late.

Dropping the cellular-phone to the ground, I turned to Lain with a deadpanned expression, pressing my lips into a fine line. I could feel my body trembling in fear for my brother's safety, and that made me all the more eager to leave this place for home. "Tala has been captured, we need to hurry and get home to help him, and what's worse, this place could blow any moment now." I explained.

She nodded. "All right well, let's get out of here, and save him."

"Yeah."

Lain seemed calmer now than she had before, which unnerved me since we could die at any moment. Her unstable breathing had now steadied. The tears that once welled in her eyes had dried into a thin sheet of crust along her cheeks. Overall, she didn't seem so upset anymore, but still looking deep in her eyes, I could see her pain.

Our surroundings appeared to be blunt, as far as any object too getaway in. We could just run off the flight deck far away from danger, but I'd rather take my chances staying a bit looking for a workable aircraft. We could get home sooner in a plane, than we could walking, home.

Lain seemed to have caught onto my idea, as she said, "There's one over there, it's small but it'll work." She motioned, pointing to something.

At the near south side of us, beneath the shadow away from the moonlight that had begun replacing the dim sun resided a small beat up jet. There were tiny bullet holes adorning the body of the aircraft as if it had recently been, used in a war. The right door seemed to have been, smashed in as if by an ax. I raised a brow. "You actually believe we'll be able to fly that? I don't think it will even be able to leave the ground." I said with a sneer.

Immediately, Lain shook her head. "Oh I am sorry your "highness" but I looks like they are all out of the gold ones," She mocked, heading towards the piece of junk jet. "My goodness you are so picky. This place is going to blow, we have to take whatever we can get."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, but I'd prefer not to die, trying to escape another death."

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Author's Note: I am so sorry about my bad updating, my life and the life of my family has been very hectic this month. Next month, which is actually starting days ago, should be better.