"Hey, who's that guy?" Todd wondered. He and Shady stood by the bushes on the exterior of the Abneto home. From that spot Todd had caught sight of a man dressed as if royalty or someone of a noble job walking to the front door. The man with his brown head of hair parted in the middle. Glasses that had not arms and so just lied on the nose. His clothes a dark blue in the design of a suit.

"Dunno. Looks like someone important to me." The cat replied as he leaned against the wall with crossed arms. Surveillance was a boring job for the two.

"Hmm. Yes, but important tends to mean evil." Todd noted grabbing his sheathed blade. "I'm going in."

"The basement?"

"Yeah."

"Good luck then."

"Sanen," Mr. Abneto met the nicely clothed man at the door in the foyer. "It's great that you decided to come by. Why do I feel that you have come on a greater reason than just being friends?"

"It is not a friendly visit." Sanen replied as he scanned the foyer. "I've come to see the treasure."

"Oh, come this way then." And Mr. Abneto led the man away and for the basement door.

From above peering over a railing Jet looked down as the two left, "Who was that man?" He wondered looking to Aura.

"Sanen." She informed.

Alfred joined the two. Getting a quick look in at Aura's face. "He's the leader of the Sin Con Movement." Alfred noted. "I don't trust the guy."

Jet's eyes bulged. "Sin Con Movement?" He questioned. "Uh, s-say what's in that room your father and that men went into?"

Aura looked down at the door. "Hmm. My mother's most cherished item...The Staff of the Sky." She looked back to him. "Nothing that would interest you much."

"Uh, yeah, I know. What would I do with a lousy staff?" He rubbed at the back of his head with a slight nervous laugh. Alfred glared.

Stealthily entering through a basement window Todd find himself in the narrow dark bowels of the mansion. "Where am I?" He walked forward until he saw a bright light and found it to be a long corridor that was much bigger than the rest of the basement. At the end was on a pedestal a golden staff. Voices? At that Todd ducked away into a small alcove behind a box.

"Yes, it is as beautiful as they've said." Sanen noted as he and Mr. Abneto walked to the staff.

"That's the Staff of the Sky?" Todd whispered.

"Yes, I found this staff many years ago while on my way back from Laxisland." Mr. Abneto commented. "Personally I don't like the thing, but people tend to love it."

"Why, do you keep it then?" Sanen wondered.

Mr. Abneto looked away. "My wife cherished this so. I keep it to remember her."

"I see...sentimental value." Sanen noted. "But, it must hold some bad memories then. You should...rid yourself of such a thing."

"What are you suggesting?" Mr. Abneto wondered.

"Nothing." Sanen defended. "I was only thinking it may be easier on you to purge yourself of such a belonging that brought painful memories of a loved one back."

Mr. Abneto looked to Sanen and then to the Staff. "No, I think I shall keep it. To remember the woman who I...love."

"All right then."

"Is it just me, or does this guy want that staff?" Todd muttered.

"What an interesting situation you're in." Hideko commented as he remained steady with his ARM aimed at Clive's head.

"Heh." Clive let out. "It's not the first time this has happened to me. What do you take me for?"

"I see. Let's make this the last time then...So long." At that moment Gallows flew into Hideko and Clive moved knocking the ARM out of Hideko's hand.

"Now what? That was pointless." Clive muttered.

"I'm no fool! I will not be seen as one!" Hideko charged at Clive who simply moves aside and trips the approaching foe. Unexpectedly Hideko bounces back hitting Clive across the jaw. To which Clive sends his foot into Hideko's abdomen. Again, Hideko rebounds and throws countless punches Clive's way. "I will not fail the Grand One. I will not fail Sanen."

"Give up!" At that Clive throws another punch to Hideko's nose as Hideko kicks Clive to the ground in the same moment. As the blood runs from Hideko's nose he moves forward and strikes downward on Clive. Finally Hideko grabs onto Clive's leg and swings the sniper until losing grip and sending him through five rows of pews.

"I win." Hideko muttered as he walked toward the downed Clive.

"Clive!" Gallows shouted coming back into the fray. Gallows slides Clive's arm across the floor until it hits the sniper's foot.

In an instant Clive picks it up and has it aimed at Hideko's chest. "Heh. I emptied that ARM of it's ammo. Do not make empty threats with it."

"Ugh." Clive sat up a bit. "I trust...my weapon and my friends."

"Trust has no place in a battle to the death." Hideko commented.

"It has everything to do with it!" With that a shot rang out hitting Hideko in the gut causing the member of the cult to collapse to his knees.

"B-But how?"

"I knew Gallows would reload it for me." Using his ARM Clive stands.

"...T-then...that makes you...right."

"We should go." Clive looks to Gallows.

"Yeah. Where to?"

"I found out something while reading that book back there. We have to go get it."

As the two Drifters left the tabernacle their enemy collapsed in a puddle of blood.

Night came to the Abneto home once more in an uneventful and peaceful manner. Everyone had already departed for bed—despite how disappointed Jet was at wasting a day he thought it best not to seem suspicious and sneak out later.

Aura meanwhile had opted to do the dishes now. Humming a little tune much like her mother before her she worked away at scrubbing the plates and glasses from dinner. Sighing as she looked to the finished result and removing her apron.

Walking into the foyer she turns off the main light. "What a day." She mumbles and begins for the staircase. A knock at the front door. "Who could that be?"

As midnight came the Abneto home had amassed in the living area. One topic of course was on their mind, and Jet started the protest.

"What happened?" He said in shock.

"It's Aura...she was kidnapped." Ruby sadly admitted before running to him and crying into his shirt much to his chagrin.

"Kidnapped? By who?" Jet wondered.

Alfred threw a piece of paper aside. "That Sanen guy."

Mr. Abneto looked to the carpet sadly. "Then...we must give him what he wants."

"No, we will not do that." Jet reprimanded.

"You mean...you'll fight to get Aura back?" Ruby wondered looking up to his face with tears in her eyes.

"Uh...more or less." He looks to Maya. "Are those other two guys around?"

Maya nods. "I left them outside."

"I don't think Sanen could have gotten far then. He must have snuck in pretty well to go undetected by those two." Jet comments. Virginia enters pushing Todd and Shady in.

"They were asleep!" Virginia noted. Everyone sort of sighed.

"We would have seen him leave though. We were awake for that much." Todd corrected.

"So he didn't leave?" Jet looked to Mr. Abneto. "Where's the Staff of the Sky?"

"You know about that?" Mr. Abneto wondered.

"Now's not the time old man!" He returned.

"Where is it sir?" Virginia approached.

"The basement in the hidden passage way behind the shelf of pickled vegetables." Mr. Abneto replied. Jet looked to the rest of them.

"Well, what now?"