Chapter 7

Castles in the Sky: Your review made me laugh. A shrink? I'll say. Very nice review you had there. :p ;)

Bloody Mary: Like the metaphors I do indeed. And you may be right about the being too young thing.

eyriess: Oo;; You're weird. And yes, many surprises

Disengage: You read the summery? No wonder you know what's happening. :p

Mizuyah: Aizik inches away from death? Yeah, I wish

Kappy Locks: Just keep coming back and you'll see, right? :p

Jay Kamiya: He is indeed [[evil laugh]]

ilmatchgirl007: Mission Impossible? [[cranks up volume]]

KuronekoHikage: There there, it will all be all right... not! :D

lady snowblossom: You know Bry all right. And he is going to need it.

Lullaby Lily: You're right, the unlearning process has begun. Now it's a matter of seeing what happens.

Last chapter a badly beaten Aizik arrived with the message from Boris saying that if Bryan does not return, Panas will die. And what happens whenever something like that happens? Do they rush to the rescue? Of course not. Just as in the series, everyone talks. [[Sigh]]

Disclaimer: See first page

"Boris is nothing but a sick bastard." Ian gritted his teeth, crossing his arms over his chest as he scowled. "I mean sure, I have no objections to what he did to Aizik. I wanted to do the same thing to him myself. But what he's doing to Panas? Let alone the whole 'come back or he dies' thing is plain cold hearted."

"What Boris does," Tala muttered, frowning. "There has got to be a way around this."

"Why don't we just get the BBA to raid the place?"

"Won't work." Kai looked up from where he sat. "Boris fixed things during the inquest so he now has a restraining order against the BBA. If they go near him he'll lay charges of harassment and the BBA will be thrown out of Russia. The fact that my grandfather has a stake in the army doesn't help much either."

"So you're saying we're screwed," Tala said, meeting his cousin's eye. "There is nothing we can say or do that will help us here."

Ian bit his lip. "Well, there is one thing-"

"Don't you dare even think about it!" Tala's eyes flashed as he glared at the younger. "Even suggest it Ian and I'm going to throw you head first out the nearest top story window."

Kai smirked. "Do it anyway."

Ian glared at him before returning his attention to Tala. "Just think about it, Tal. Boris has made it clear that there is only one way that we can help Panas. Not to mention the other boys are in deep as well. It's our only option."

"Then there is no option at all."

"Ian's right though," Spencer said. "I don't like it, but maybe we can use it to trick Boris."

"No." Tala growled, eyes frozen daggers. "Nobody is going anywhere near that place, understand me? There will be no deals, no trades. Boris is not getting his hands on Bryan."

Kai set his jaw. "Aren't you getting a wee bit possessive there, Wolf?"

"Shut the hell up, Hiwatari." Tala glared at him. "Even if Boris was asking for you I would still be saying the same thing. None of us are going back there. We risked everything to get out, and no two-bit loser of a trainer is making us return. I don't care what Boris wants, because if we go with it we are playing directly into his hands. I refuse to play on the battlefield he chooses."

"And I'm with you." Kai rubbed his jaw, making note of the faint stubble. He'd have to shave it off before Ray complained again. "If we made any sort of trade it must be on our terms, not his."

"Yeah, you're right." Ian dropped into a seat, scowling. "But what about Panas? I know I don't know him that well, but I take it you guys are close to him. I get the feeling you guys won't just leave him there."

"Panas was like a brother to us," Kai said, glancing toward Tala who shrugged, frowning. "And we'll find a way to help him. Dickenson and the Tate woman are looking into finding a loophole right now. If they can find one we'll use it to our advantage."

"As if a messed up Abbey boy wasn't proof enough."

"Got word from med wing," Spencer cut in. "Give him a few days and Aizik will be back to normal."

Ian narrowed his eyes, looking toward Tala. "Any objections if I messed him up again?"

"Hands to yourself. Once we sort out this mess, then you can mess him up." Tala sighed, dropping into the seat beside Kai and rubbing his eyes. "I just hate the thought of what Boris could be doing to Panas even as we speak."

Kai reached out, touching his shoulder. "We'll find a way around this."

"I don't doubt that." Tala frowned. "Just at the moment finding that way is hard."

"Ray would say we must listen to our hearts, as within them will be the guiding light that lights the way. That we must simply allow ourselves to be taken with the current."

"Kai, your boyfriend has been preaching to you."

"Ray's a Taoist, Tala. It's not a religion, it's a way of life." Kai frowned thoughtfully. "I say we sleep on it tonight. We've been running around all day trying to understand and figure out a way around it. We're all tired."

"Besides," Spencer said. "Maybe by the morning we'll have thought up a plan."

"Agreed." Tala nodded. "We'll speak more of it in the morning."

Ian pushed himself up from his seat, eyes drifting toward the window. "Not like you to be so quiet when one of your comrades is in trouble."

Bryan didn't answer, cold gaze settling on the younger and causing him to shiver before Ian followed Spencer from the room. Kai and Tala exchanged a look, Kai standing and making his way over to the third.

"You okay, Falcon?" Kai asked. "You've been quiet all day."

"Lot to think about." Bryan slid from his perch, standing and moving toward the door, not even casting a sideways glance at Tala. "Later, Phoenix."

"Yeah."

Tala growled as Bryan left the room. "Great. Now he's ignoring me."

Kai sniggered. "Don't blame him."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, cous." Kai moved toward the younger, gazing down at him. "You're stressing out, Tal. That vein in your temple is sticking out again."

Tala gazed down into the shining surface of the table, poking at the vein. "Things are a real mess, Kai. I'm supposed to be team captain and… I just don't have a clue what to do."

Kai smiled faintly, smoothing the others hair. "Nice to know you're human after all."

Yes, Tala and Kai are very touchy feely in this fic. And Bryan not talking to Tala can not be helping matters within their relationship, can it?