Chapter 4

Senko-sama: Oh yes. It most certainly is.

Saiyan-Chang: Aren't fathers wonderful. As was the pic you sent me. *Waits till SC is distracted then pinches the keys for Lee* Now, you just read this like a nice little SC...

Ashla: Yes, what if it's Mariah... :p

Shaman Wolf: I haven't no. But I look forward to the songfics!

Rayz Kitten: One of those answers is right, now let's find out which one. ^_~

Kappy Locks: I was hoping I was in character. Sometimes I'm feeling right off track. And I lied. Just look at this chapter.

the tigris: Coward. You should have written them down. ^_^

LadyOrient: A lot of twists and turns, yes. And it will only get worse. And the other neko-jin (save Gary) have talents, but you won't find out in this fic, though I leave clues. See if you can pick them up.

Avril fan: Horny. Yep. Mariah? Nope. ^_~

Who is on the phone? A lot of you said Mariah. Time to find out; who was on the phone?

On the other end of the line, the other smiled. "Well hello to you too, Kevin."

"Hi there, Ray. How's the holiday?"

Ray stretched, sighing as he drank in the sea breeze. "Perfect. Kai's pretty much taken me around the world in 40 days!"

"No shit!" He heard Kevin laugh. "So where are you at the moment?"

"Hawaii. We're going to stay here for while before we return back to the chaos." Ray looked up as Kai stepped back into their shore-side apartment, hair still damp from where he had been swimming. Ray smiled at him, eyes running over the shirtless form as the other headed for the shower, Kai rolling his eyes and smirking faintly as he spotted Ray's look. "So how are things back there?"

"They're cool. Mr D's got us bustin' our guts training these rookies. That and testing some of the prototypes."

"Mm-hm." Ray ran a hand through his hair. "I heard that you're moving up the ladder."

"Yeah. Took down Gary and Mariah, but Lee tossed me aside like I was nothin'." He paused. "So… when do I get to take you on?"

Ray laughed. "If you can't take out China's #2, then how do you expect to match up to the #1?"

"Hey, I can dream. Speaking of dreaming, I never did get to ask you what it feels like dating one of the richest guys in Russia."

"One of the richest in the world, thank you very much." Ray shrugged. "It's no big deal, really. I mean, Kai's still Kai, it's just that he has a very big house and a bottomless wallet. Besides, he only just got the money when they won the court case and Voltaire lost all his assets. They pretty much took who was on his will as heirs and handed it out."

"Waaait, isn't Kai the only heir?"

"That's what I thought, but apparently not. And no, Balkov's not an heir." Ray reached out and plucked a grape from the bowel on the table beside him and popped it into his mouth, savouring the sweetness. "As it turns out, Tala's Kai's cousin on Kai's mothers side, and Tala's father actually used to work for Voltaire. One of his chief advisers in fact, along with Taro, Kai's father."

"Kai's related to Tala? Damn, it's so obvious when you think of it."

"Yeah. They're the complete inverse of each other, a trait that runs in the Ivanov line. That, and one look at those eyes…"

He almost heard Kevin shudder. "So, who else is an heir?"

Ray smirked. "You'll never guess."

"That's why I'm askin'."

"Bah, you're no fun." Ray plucked another grape. "Bryan Kuznetsov."

"Bullshit! The guys that almost killed you!?"

"That's him. Apparently Voltaire wanted to adopt him when Bryan was little, only Balkov wouldn't let him. Voltaire put Bryan on the will anyhow, though he and Tala don't get anywhere near as much as Kai. Enough so they don't have to work a day in this lifetime though." Ray chuckled. "Balkov is really irate."

"Aw man, I wish I could have seen his face." A pause. "How come you know all this anyway?"

"I'm as clingy to Kai as Lee is to you. He went to Russia, I went with him. I sat in the courtroom as moral support, and when I wasn't allowed in, I waited at home with a nice hot home cooked meal."

"I'm guessin' that meal came with candlelight, dozens of roses, and plenty of dessert, right?"

Ray felt his cheeks warm. "Still as frank as ever, Kev."

"Yeah." Kevin chuckled. "Oh, and I think Lee want to talk to you. He's had his chin on my knee making sad eyes since the moment I found out it was you."

Ray laughed. "He's been around you too long. Put him on."

There was a shuffling, before Lee's voice came clear over the line. "You have perfect timing, my friend, you know that?"

"I was wondering if I was interrupting something."

"Nothing we can't finish later, or at least put on hold just to talk to you."

Ray grinned, eyes sparkling at Lee's tone. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't know… some of your boyfriends cash maybe…"

"I always thought you were using me." Ray laughed. "How are you, Lee?"

"I'm good, Ray. Since you've been gone I came up with about a hundred things I wanted to ask you, but I've lost the list." He snorted. "Kevin probably ate it."

Ray gave a sharp bark of laughter as he heard the thump on the other end of the line, followed by Lee swearing softly. "You deserved that."

"Yeah. So from what I've been listening in on, it sounds like Kai's been spoiling you."

"Mm-hm." Ray looked up as Kai emerged back into the room, running a hand through his hair as it fell back into place. "Kai's been spoiling me rotten. The first thing he did when he got the money was take me on this trip."

"I envy you, my friend, though I wouldn't give Kev up for anything." Lee sighed. "I could go a vacation though. And my grandfather just sent me and Kev homework."

"Homework?" Ray pulled a face. "What kind of homework?"

"Work on our inherited abilities homework."

"Ah." Ray nodded and smiled. "Foresight, right?"

"Right. And Kev's danger sense."

"I always thought it was stronger than most." Ray watched as Kai dropped onto the seat beside him, picking up a grape and tossing it into the air, catching it in his mouth. Ray whacked him before covering the receiver with his hand. "Showoff."

Kai smirked and shrugged.

Ray returned his attention to his conversation. "So when exactly are you all going to meet up to train?"

"In just under a month. That'll give us two weeks to work on restabilising our ability to work as a team before we do the Qualifier. Then I guess we'll see you in Thailand."

"Yeah, can't wait." Ray frowned. "Is Mariah going to bring Honesty?"

"I don't have a clue." Lee sighed. "All I know is I'm practically going to have to drag Kev into the same room as Mar."

"What? Why?"

"Let's just say things aren't well in terms of that area."

"Right." Ray's frown deepened, causing Kai to shoot him a curious look. "I'll try and ring more often over the next few weeks. Where are you going when you meet up?"

"China Tower. It's where the Qualifier is being held. You?"

"Seaside Dome."

"Then Thailand."

"Yeah." Ray looked at the clock. "Been good talking, Lee. Call you and Kev later on, okay?"

"You got it, my friend. Look after yourself."

"You too. And tell Kev bye."

"He heard. He's practically got his head pressed against mine so he can hear."

Ray chuckled. "Seya."

To be continued…