Chapter Nine

Rei yawned and glanced at the clock on the wall.

            "How come we got stuck with staying back?" Max grumbled. "Tala and Bryan got to help out, but no, they thought our efforts would be better spent at home waiting for the phone to ring."

            Rei had to agree with Max, sitting in Kai's kitchen was no fun. "How about we do something to make the day more interesting?"

            Max looked over at him curiously. "Interesting how?"

            "Don't you think Kai's room needs a bit of a makeover?"

            The evil grin on Max's face told him he'd chosen the perfect revenge. That will teach Kai to leave them out of the fun. Kai, Tyson, Kenny and Wyatt had all gone to school (considering it was Monday) and Tala and Bryan had gone with them, doing sentry work around the school to make sure that nothing suspicious was going to happen. They'd left Rei and Max at home in case someone from the BBA called or some emergency popped up.

            They were still planning their evil revenge on Kai's room when the phone suddenly rang. Max sighed and got up to answer it.

            "Hello?"

            "Max?"

            Max frowned. "Ian, hi, are you calling for Kai?"

            "Is he there?"

            "No, just me and Rei. We were left behind in case of an emergency." There was something in Ian's tone that made him frown. "What's up?" Rei looked over curiously.

            "Count this as an emergency. We're on a plane with the Majestics coming over to Japan. We've figured out who Biovolt are after, it's not that kid, it's Kai. They've been manipulating the BBA using the threats on the kid as a diversion, knowing that Kai would get called into the matter somehow as their leading investigator on Biovolt. We've contacted the BBA already and their on their way over but that could take a few hours. We won't be there for even longer. Do you know where Kai is?"

            "At school," Max told him hurriedly, slightly panicked. Rei noticed his state and got up to see what was going on. "With Tyson and Wyatt. Tala and Bryan are with them as an added precaution."

            Ian sighed. "That's a bonus, but it's not enough. Kai has to know what's going on." Max frowned as he heard Spencer yell something the background, then Spencer grabbed the phone from Ian.

            "They know about the school and are planning the attack for today, get over there!" Spencer sounded frantic and Max reacted accordingly.

            "Shit!" Rei looked startled at the exclamation, Max never swore, but Max hung up the phone and grabbed Rei before he could say anything, pulling him along as he ran for the school.

            "What's going on Max?" Rei finally managed to ask worriedly.

            "They're after Kai and they know where he is, we have to get to him before it's too late!" Max was still panicked about everything.

            "Guess this means we have no reason to makeover Kai's room," Rei muttered, though the humour was lost in the seriousness of the situation they now found themselves in.

*           *           *

Tala was guarding the main entrance to the building while looking around the courtyard when he heard someone rushing towards him. He raised his gun, and looked around then sighed and lowered it.

            "I thought you two were supposed to be back at the house," he said sharply.

            "Change of plans," Max told him, still running. "They're after Kai, we have to warn him. They could already be here."

            "Shit," Tala muttered. He started running with them. He touched the earpiece in his right ear. "Bryan? Head towards the classroom. We may have a situation."

            There was silence then he heard the reply. "Right."

            "Where is he?" Rei asked.

            "Out at the sporting fields, it might take a bit for him to reach us."

            Tala followed the other two through the building and up the stairs to the third floor, then they headed along the corridors until they reached the classroom. Tala went in first, slamming the door open and startling the people inside.

            "We have a situation," he said firmly and quickly, heading over to Kai, uncaring of the scene he was making by just entering the classroom. Kai stared at him curiously, then glanced over to see Rei and Max entering the room behind Tala. His eyes widened as he realised that it must have been very serious for those two to have come. Rei and Max might not have been happy about their position, but they wouldn't have left the house except for some very dire emergency.

            "What—"

            Kai was cut off as Tala's eyes widened and he yelled "GET DOWN!" before jumping over Kai and pushing him to the ground. Everyone else followed suit just before gunfire erupted, shattering the windows and destroying the opposite wall. Loud screaming was all they could hear as men jumped through the broken windows, heading over to Kai.

            "Move!" Tala ordered, shoving Kai away and knocking one of the intruders down. Kai fell to the floor, only to jump up again as more pounced on him and his friends.

            "Kai! Tala!" Rei ran for them, Max close behind and were cut off by some of the men. Rei knocked one down while Max struggled with the other. The third raised his gun and fired, hitting Rei in the shoulder. Rei fell to his knees, crying out in pain. A few more people screamed, but they were being herded to one side of the classroom, Hilary and Kenny with them.

            Kai had knocked down a second assailant and set upon by two more. Tala was struggling to reach Rei and Max and help them out, while Wyatt and Tyson stood close to the door, cut off by five more men.

            "There's too many," Kai told Tala despairingly. But his eyes widened and he cried out as he saw Wyatt get knocked down and Tyson was grabbed by two of the men.

            "Tyson!" He tried to shove past his opponents, but they were not moving. He watched in horror as Tyson was taken away. One of the men by the door whistled and the others pulled back. Kai and Tala tried to run for the men, but were cut off again. Kai was knocked down and Tala had to dodge quickly to miss getting hit by a bullet. He fell on top of Kai, who shoved him away quickly and jumped up to race after the men.

            "Kai!" Tala called out to no avail. He raced out the door following the men with Tyson. He got up, but hearing the screams, moaning and groans of pain from the others in the classroom decided that restoring order would be a more effective use of his talents.

            "All right," he started loudly, clapping his hands together, "could I get everyone's attention? I'd like you all to calm down a bit and move to this side of the classroom." He pointed and the class moved to the side, leaving more room for him to work with. "Good. Kenny, I want you to contact Mr. Dickinson and the authorities." Kenny nodded and grabbed his laptop. "Max, I want you to make sure everyone else is all right." Max moved over to the others, calming a few hysterical students and making sure he teacher was all right.

            Tala turned away to see that Wyatt was making sure Rei's wound had enough pressure on it. The neko-jin looked pale and Tala quickly checked his pulse and breathing. He was fine ... for someone who just got shot, he wasn't in shock, which was good.

            "Can you take care of him?" Tala asked seriously.

            Wyatt was shaking, still rather sunned himself, looking a bi bruised and close to being in shock himself. "I ... I think so, I don't know."

            Tala swore under his breath. He looked over. "Does anyone have any basic knowledge of first aid?"

            "I do." Hilary raised her hand and moved over to him. Tala sighed in relief, she looked rather composed.

            "Good. I wan you to help Wyatt and Rei, keep hem both okay, can you do that?" Hilary nodded. "Good. Max will help you out once he's done making sure everyone else is right and so will Kenny."

            Hilary nodded again. "I can do this. But ... will Tyson be all right?"

            Tala hesitated. "I do hope so, I'm sure Kai will do everything he can o make sure Tyson is fine."

            Suddenly they heard a gunshot in the near distance. Tala paled, fearing the worst.

            "Tala?"

            Tala heard a fain voice coming through the headset and he frowned, but answered swiftly. "Kai? Are you with Bryan, is everything all right?"

            "Bryan's been shot. I was chasing after Tyson and I ran into Bryan, we went after them and almost caught them as they go to a van, but they shot at us and he was hit. They got away. Tala, it's serious." Kai sounded almost hysterical. "He's not conscious and his breathing and pulse are erratic, it's close to his chest. Oh God, Tala, we need help!"

            Tala couldn't reply, he just covered his mouth with his hands and ran out the door to the nearest bathroom to empty his stomach.

            How could hinges have gotten this bad? Two of them down with another kidnapped. They were the best the BBA could come up with to target and eliminate this threat.

            "Tala?" Kai was frantic.

            "They're ... on their ... way," Tala managed to gasp out, finally having he strength of will to comprehend everything that was happening and reply. "Everything will be fine Kai, we can fix this."

            He could almost fell the bitter taste of the lie on his tongue.