A/N: Well well well. I know that this chapter has come sooner than we all thought but i thought i'd give you all a little treat in the spirit of christmas and my upcomming birthday (January 6th REMEMBER that). Anyhoo, for all my fine feathered readers. I know that i have so far only gotten one review but considering i haven't given you that much time i won't hold it against you. Now I realize that the names of the boys in Japan might be a little confussing to those who have not yet cuaght on that they are the demolition boys, so I will clarify that: Kieran (i love that name) is KAI, Trevor is TALA, Simon is SPENCER, Greg is BRYAN, and the ever so annoying Alan in IAN. So we are now all hopefully more clear on the idea, although i do explain it in this chapter a bit. And there's an extra little twist so enjoy. (Clarence is not with me for this chapter either but she will make her debut in chapter 3 i promis you).
p.s.( WARNING: This chapter is no less saddening than the last, infact it might be worse, It depends on how depressing you are, and chapter 1 is actually called Broken Hearts, Damned Dreams but i messed up because my sanity has taken a vacation).
2: Death in the Mountains
-SLAM, SLAM, SLAM
"Who in hell is that?" Fiona grimaced, jumping to her feet as the caller continued to pound away at the door. The girls heard the racket stop as Robert opened it and a familiar voice floated upstairs.
"IS SHE HERE?"
"Yes."
"GOD DAMN IT! YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST CALLED! I thought she'd jumped off a bridge."
"That's my typical brother." Una sighed. She got up and went down to the kitchen where a certain redhead was blowing up in Robert's face while the purple-hared boy looked on with a hint of amusement.
"SHE'S VERY DELICATE AT THE MOMENT! GOD KNOWS WHAT'S SHE COULD DO TO HERSELF!"
"Johnny! I'm not that stupid. I wouldn't kill myself you idiot." The redhead spun around at the sound of his sister's voice and ran to give her a hug.
"Are you O.K.?" he asked, ignoring her last words.
"Fine Johnny, I'm fine. I just needed to talk."
"Well I need to know where you are. It's my job to look after you."
-Kick, dodge, block, punch, roll, kick, kick, punch, drop, punch, punch, kick. Ray continued to assault his opponent, a young man with orange hair accentuating striking green eyes.
Roll, punch, kick, block, kick, punch, punch, dodge. He had been taught most of the martial arts in existence and was expected to use them for the honor of his village. But he was tired of it now, and besides his girlfriend needed him back in Canada. But he wasn't allowed to leave for some stupid reason. Anger built up inside. He let out a cry of furious rage, along with a sever punch that landed his opponent square in the chest knocking him into the crowd and out of the fight. The circle of observers went nuts, chanting 'White Tiger' over and over again, coupled with the little children roaring and imitating his powerful kicks and efficient doges.
Ray ignored the celebrating villagers and walked, head bowed, to his trainer's hut. Going inside he watched the tiny old man hobble around on his twisted old staff.
"Ah, White Tiger." His trainer greeted him warmly.
"Don't call me that."
"Call you what? Whit Tig-."
"I SAID, don't call me that." His trainer frowned and went to sit on an old grass mat, edged in bamboo.
"Why don't you want to be called such an honorable name? It's a thing of pride Raymond."
"No. It's a thing of imprisonment. And I want out." Ray almost roared.
"Well I can't let you do that Ray."
-"Crap, what are we gonna do now?" Greg looked down at his midget comrade.
"Well if Trevor and Kieran didn't have to do their stupid heroics, we wouldn't be in this mess.
"Oh and I would love to hear how you would have done different Alan." Trevor retorted.
"We can't afford to be discovered." Alan spat.
"Both of you shut up." Simon growled.
They were hidden in the back of a truck headed for northern Japan. The trip would take several days and they knew they would have to find different means of transportation soon but at least they had time to regroup.
"So what are we gonna do?" Simon asked tentatively.
"Russia's eastern tip is close to Alaska." Kieran said bluntly.
"Uh, dude, we're in Japan and what does Alaska have to do with anything." Alan retorted.
"Alaska boarders on Canada." Trevor said catching on. "And if we can get on a boat for Russia…" Kieran nodded a smirk on his face.
"Let me guess, your girlfriends are in Canada." Greg smiled.
-Ray climbed quickly up the rocky slope of his favorite mountain, burning all his strength with his pent up rage. He never noticed the figure following silently.
He reached the top completely spent and looked out over the nighttime valley. There was a soft sound behind him and he turned around to see his opponent from before.
"White Tiger." The orange haired youth nodded in acknowledgement.
"What do you want?" Ray jumped, suddenly on guard. It wasn't uncommon for the loser to want revenge and he suddenly felt stupid for having wasted all his energy.
"I want to talk." He said calmly and went to stand next to him. "And I want to know you real name."
"Uh…call me Ray." He said suspiciously.
"I'm Brooklyn." He answered. "You know, no one's ever beaten me before. I thought it would never happen."
"Is that a good or bad thing?" Ray was kind of unsure.
"It's kind of a relief actually. I was beginning to lose hope." He continued.
"Ooooookaaay." Ray raised an eyebrow, wondering if Brooklyn had recently hit his head on something.
"I'm really happy actually. I never got a bashing like that in my life. So, I know you won't understand this now, but that's why I have to kill you." Ray registered the information only moments too late as a ripping sensation erupted in his chest he felt his blood gush over the smooth metal of a blade and looked up into Brooklyn's face.
"I'm really sorry. You'll understand." Brooklyn whispered as he watched Ray die, falling to the ground at his feet.
-Night had settled in and it seemed as though everyone would be sleeping over at Eala and Robert's house.
"Do you think they're still alive?" Eala asked for the thousandth time.
"I remember how cold Kai seemed to be on the outside but deep down he had feelings other than hate." Una shook as her eyes stung with phantom tears.
"It's amazing really how much he and Tala were alike." Robert said, cradling Eala. Robert was the son of Eala's stepfather. But the couldn't have been closer if they were biologically related.
"Do you think it's possible to find your true love at the age if seventeen?" Fiona wondered aloud.
"Only if they live long enough to become that." Johnny mumbled only to be kicked by Robert.
"Yeah how is Ray anyway?" Eala asked, trying to get her mind off her beloved Tala.
"Is he coming home any time soon?" Una added. At that Fiona couldn't keep it in anymore and the tears began to fall. She tried to stop them but it was no use.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying." She sobbed
"Don't be silly." Una choked.
"You're boyfriend can't come home. That must be so painful." Eala added, and the three embraced each other as the boys looked on. And that's when the lights went out.
-Boris slouched down the hall growling to himself. He looked so sinister, his guards and maids would literally hide in doorways. He was a recreation of Charles Dickens' Ebenezer Scrooge.
"If I only knew what he was up to, I could figure out what to do faster. He never gives me enough information. I can't simply work with nothing. That son of a bitch. That's just what he gives me too. NOTHING" he roared so several people turned around and fled, not to be the one blamed for his bad mood. He slammed his fist into a nearby door and just stood there.
"The Hero's aren't that easy to predict. He should know that of ALL people." The walky-talky in his pocket suddenly began to beep.
"WHAT?" He demanded.
"Uh…sir." The nervous voice on the other end squeaked. "There's an urgent phone call here for you from a Mr. V-."
"I'll be right there." Boris cut him off and walked back the way he'd come. His big strides making his black robe billow out to resemble an over sized bat.
"Yes sir?" Boris asked, pushing the speaker button.
"Boris! I've found them!"
-Kieran and Trevor sat quietly in their motel room, which they had somehow managed to pay for in Canadian money. To escape all forms of danger, they had had to discard all forms of identification, and had been forced to change their names. It had been over a month since they'd last seen or spoken to their girlfriends. They weren't even sure if they were still their girlfriends for that matter.
"We're gonna have to leave early." Trevor said.
"Yeah Boris'll probably have this country crawling with balcove soldiers soon."
A room over, Simon, Alan, and Greg had been talking for a long while about what Kieran and Trevor had planned.
"Weren't they sent to Canada to KILL three girls." Alan observed.
"Well, as much as Boris hates to admit it, they are still human. An humans, by nature, fall in love." Greg shrugged.
"Well aren't you just the typical romantic." Alan sneered.
"Hey don't tell me you've never fallen for anyone." Simon glared.
"It was a long time ago and nothing came of it. Besides I think I'm better off not knowing those feelings." Alan retorted, turning over in his cot.
"Well then, don't start shit just because they happened to open themselves up to two people they were supposed to kill. Simon crossed his arms.
"It makes a few less death's in the world." Greg added.
-"Johnny?"
"Don't even ask cuz it wasn't me."
The group had gathered downstairs in the den. Sleeping bags and bowls of untouched popcorn were laid out on the floor.
"Someone turn on the lights." Eala whispered urgently. Robert hurried to oblige but it seemed the power was out.
They waited in fearful silence. Robert put his arms around Eala and Fiona's shoulders protectively and Johnny stood in front of them, pulling his sister behind him.
There were footsteps on the stairs, slow scary ones. Followed by the click of a gun's safety being removed. And then the footsteps, stopped.
-Brooklyn tossed an apple in the air lazily as he smirked at the lifeless body on the ground.
Ray lay sprawled out on the rocks. One hand covered in blood from when he'd tried to pull out the knife in his chest. His once golden eyes, now a dull amber color, were half closed His blood-drained body seemed as cold and white as snow.
Brooklyn sniggered a little and bit into his apple, watching the clouds cross the moon. He checked his watch, looked once more at the body, and took out a paper. Grinning, he slipped the note into Ray's pocket and pulled his knife form the dead body.
"Later Ray." He muttered and left.
-"Shit!" Boris spat into the phone. "Contact him NOW, I need him to abort the plan."
Pause –
"I don't CARE! Go GET HIM! STOP HIM!" He roared in angry frustration. "You fool! My boss has found them so do what I say or YOU"LL BE THE ONE PAYING!" Boris slammed the phone down. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. How had his life come to this point? His dreams had gone so far off track now and he waited, eyes shut, for them to crash into something.
"I hate this GOD DAMNED job." He shouted at the empty dark room. He turned and looked at the old clock, the hand's pointing to twelve and one. It was one a.m., he thought. How long had it been since he'd slept for one entire night. He longed for this all to be over.
He threw himself into a chair and tapped his fingers on the armrest. How was he supposed to harness the hidden strength of a Hero? He remembered when he'd first heard of them. The fallen angels. The silent saviors. The Heroes. He had witnessed that power.
Closing his eyes he tried to remember, a beautiful woman, her scarlet wings spread wide, holding his hand as he fell from the top of the building.
"You have so much to live for." She had told his sixteen-year-old self. He snorted looking around at the cold abbey. She had brought him to a nearby balcony and he was about to thank her when there was a gunshot and a bullet implanted itself in her slender neck. She coked and suddenly, in a fit of dying rage, she sent huge orbs of fire at anything that moved before she herself died and disappeared, leaving him with only a feather.
"THE FEATHER!" Boris suddenly cried in delight.
-The stranger began to approach again and the five friends coward behind the door in fear.
"On my signal, we run." Robert whispered.
"O.K. what's the signal?" Eala trembled.
"I don't know yet."
"Well that's comforting." Una retorted.
"Shut-up he's coming." Johnny ordered.
The floorboards creaked as the intruder entered the room. He walked forward looking around, moving further and further away from the door.
"Now!" Robert whispered and they hurried for the exit, the stranger shooting at his voice.
Robert pushed Eala onto the stairwell before slamming the door shut. Gunshots were heard again as they raced up the stairs for the front door.
"It's been jammed." Fiona cried from the front of the group. "He's locked us in."
"Then try the back door. It's in the kitchen." Robert ordered quickly as pounding was heard on the stairs.
They all followed but realization was beginning to dawn on Eala and Una.
"Eala? If he's trying to kill us because 'They' want us out of the picture…" Una began, and the girls looked at each other.
"THEN THEIR STILL ALIVE."
-"Hey you five." A black robed man said coming from a navy blue van. " I wanna ask you some questions."
"Are you a cop?" Greg raised an eyebrow, noting the Russian accent with which he was speaking. The boys had left the motel before sun-up that morning and had been traveling on a long stretch of highway when they'd noticed the van following.
"You could sorta call me that." The man replied.
"Well we're in kind of a hurry so if you'd wait a couple of hours I'm sure someone else will come down this deserted road, and give you directions." Alan said quickly.
"But I think YOU could help me." The man smiled knowingly.
"Well like we said, we're in a hurry." Simon began.
"In fact!" the man grinned, ignoring Simon. "I think you might just be the people I'm looking for." He finished as two other men immerged form the van.
A/N: Well how's that for a twist and now I will thank my dear friend who also plays an important roll in this story as Fiona, for her charmin review. And for you Delightfull and cheep little scamps I will tell you right now that you can't get away with reading this story once it has five chapters and reviewing the fifth, cuz, well that's just not fair no is it. So if you'll do the honor of just writing a least a line for every chapter as you go through them it would be appreciated. (I try to do so myself but I'm always getting kick off the computer before i geta chance to read anything, In fact, your lucky your getting this chapter now because of that.) Well anyhoo, adieu my fine feathered friends and i will see you soon.