Chapter Seven.
An eye for an eye.
Kai heard them get back in. He heard them talking about her, as he sat on his bed, right outside his bedroom door.
"You don't think she'll do anything stupid, do you?" Mariah muttered.
"I don't know," Rei sighed. "But this is Regan. She's not the dramatic type."
More murmuring, none of which Kai could hear, then the sound of retreating footsteps. He covered his eyes with his hands, then brought them down to cover his mouth. What the hell had he done? How could he have done that to her. He had to see her. He had to go, right now, and apologies. Get down on his knees and beg for forgiveness, if needs be. He had to make it up to her somehow.
But he didn't know where she was. How the hell could he go and apologies if he couldn't even find her? He doubted that Rei would tell him, and Mariah most certainly wouldn't. And he couldn't risk running into Tala. His friend was highly protective of his little sister, and God only knew what he might do to Kai if he got his hands on him. He had to find out some other way. Had anybody used the phone since Rei had called them a cab?
Kai jumped up and strode to the door. He couldn't just sit here and do nothing. He'd ask Rei. If he explained his case, told Rei absolutely everything, all the reasons for him telling him where she was, then maybe, just maybe, the Asian boy would tell him where she had gone. Rei was understanding. He'd see how urgent it was, and how serious Kai was about finding Regan. He reached the door, flung it open and caught his breath in surprise.
"Going somewhere?" Tala spat, before landing a punch to the stomach that sent Kai flying. Winded, clutching his stomach, Kai staggered to his feet as Tala advanced on him.
"What the hell did you do?" Tala snarled, lashing out and kicking Kai back onto the floor.
"I-"
"What gives you the right to hurt her like that?" He spat, grabbing Kai by the scruff of his shirt. Kai struggled in his friend's grasp, but Tala, fuelled by rage, held on tight. He brought Kai right up close.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" He hissed. "What the hell are you doing to her?"
"I'm sorry." Kai choked.
"Liar!"
Tala let go of Kai's shirt and punched him again. Kai staggered backwards, tried to find his feet, but Tala punched him again. Kai fell and his head hit the corner of the bedside table. Blood erupted from his face as the skin ripped open in a long gash above his eyebrow. Kai collapsed against the table.
"Tala-"
"Shut up!" Tala shouted. He kicked Kai over and over, taking great satisfaction in hearing Kai groan, his bones cracking. Finally, panting, he stopped and stood back.
"Aren't you even going to defend yourself?" He sneered. Kai pulled himself up.
"That would mean fighting you. I'm not going to fight you, Tala," he whispered.
Tala snorted. There was a hatred in his eyes that Kai had never seen before. Not used on him anyway. Could Tala really hate him that much? Of course he could. Kai had just destroyed his sister's heart. He could do anything right about now.
"Coward."
"An eye for eye," Kai gasped, pain shooting through his body. "I hurt your sister, you hurt me."
Tala glared at him. He leaned down very close, his face right in Kai's.
"You go near her again, and I'll kill you," he threatened. Their eyes locked and Kai felt his friend's icy blue-grey stare breaking down all of his defences. Tala knew everything about him. He knew him well enough to know when he was being sincere. So why couldn't he see that now? Was he so blinded by his rage that he had forgotten to look at his friend and consider whether he was telling the truth or not? Tala gave Kai one final shove so that his head banged painfully against the table, then he straightened up and stormed out of the room.
"I guess you'll just have to kill me then wont you?" Kai croaked as he fell back against the little table.
Rei sat in the corner of the cubicle as the doctor examined Kai's injuries. There were various bruises and cuts, a gash above his eyebrow and one in his side. Tala had really layed into him. Hard. Rei shook his head and looked up at the white wall clock, it's black stick-like hands pointing accusing fingers. 1:45 am. What the hell am I doing in casualty at 1:45 in the morning with a guy who looks like he's just been eaten by a dog and regurgitated?
The doctor gave Kai a prod in the ribs. The Russian's eyes flickered in pain, but he remained stoic, refusing to show his pain.
"Bruised ribs, I think. No breakages," the doctor said to the nurse. She nodded and made a note of it on her clipboard. The doctor turned back to Kai.
"How did you say you did this?" He asked.
"I got into a fight," Kai muttered, wincing as the doctor gave him another prod.
"A fight, eh?"
"I'm a BeyBlader," Kai snapped. The nurse chuckled.
"Nuff said," she muttered, her ample bosom heaving. Rei smiled as he watched Kai grind his teeth. BeyBladers had quite a reputation in hospitals around here. They were for ever getting into scraps and brawls after losing battles, and not just with the other team. There were a lot of Bladers got into fights with their own team members for being useless. But it was guys like Tala, Lei and Spencer who got into fights, not guys like Kai. Rei shook his head again and leaned back in his chair as the doctor began to clean Kai up and put stitches in his eyebrow. This guy must be seriously gullible to believe that Kai would get into a fight. Mind you, right now, he did look the part.
"There we go," the doctor said jovially. "Good as new."
Rei snorted with laughter, his shoulders shaking with suppressed amusement. Good as new. Kai was far from looking good as new. His face was puffy and bruised, the eye on the side where he had the stitches swollen almost completely shut. He got up gingerly, not making a sound, but the pain was obvious in his face.
"Do you want something for the pain?" The nurse asked kindly. Kai glared at her.
"I can handle it," he growled through clenched teeth. The nurse shrugged.
"Well all right… You come back in nine days to get those stitches out, understand?"
Kai grunted and hobbled off down the hallway. Rei watched him in silence. He was unbelievable. Rei? He'd have asked for every drug they had.
"Hurry it up, Furball," Kai called back. Rei rolled his eyes emphatically, but scooted ahead to catch up with his friend.
They steeped outside into the crisp autumn air, the sky dotted with stars. Rei took a deep breath and smiled. Fresh air. He hated hospitals. He hated the smell. Like bitter almonds and disinfectant. Death and anguish. Rei folded his arms and bunched up his shoulders as he walked side-by-side with Kai towards the Ferrari.
Kai moved around to the driver's door and held out his hand, clicking his fingers at Rei. Rei looked at his friend, astounded.
"You're joking right?"
Kai clicked his fingers again.
"You can't drive like that! You'll get us arrested." Rei exclaimed.
"Look," Kai said patiently. "I need the keys. So just give them to me."
"Uh-uh. No way."
"Give me the fucking keys, Rei!" Kai snarled.
"Why?"
Kai took a deep breath and gave Rei a hard look. Rei levelled his gaze at him, their eyes meeting. Kai looked at the floor and ran a hand through his hair.
"I need to go and see Regan."
Rei nearly choked.
"Absolutely no bloody way," he snorted.
"Rei. Please, this is important. I need to go and explain myself." Kai gave him an imploring look.
"Yeah, I know. But not just yet you don't. Regan needs time to cool her heels and get things straight in her head. And you need time to sort yourself out and heal up a bit."
Kai started to protest, but Rei cut across him.
"I'll tell you where she is, but you have to promise me that you wont go and see her. Just… Give it till Thursday to go and see her, okay?"
"Rei please. I can't wait until Thursday. I need to see her now," Kai pleaded. Rei looked at his friend surprised. Never, in all the time he had known the slate-haired Russian, had he heard him plead. Rei looked piteously at his friend. He was crumpled against the side of the car, his battered body concertinaed into a funny shape. Rei bit the inside of his cheek.
"Please, Rei. Please."
"Yes… No… I- look, it's Tuesday now. Go home, go to bed, and just… recuperate for the next couple of days… and… and I'll get Mariah to drop you off at the hotel when she goes shopping on Thursday."
Kai smiled and his whole body seemed to release. The tension left his shoulders and he stood up straight and embraced his friend.
"Thanks mate," he said quietly. Rei grinned.
"What can I say?" He jibed as Kai released him. "A hot-head with a serious attitude problem. She were made for you."
Kai grinned, then winced and let the smile drop. Rei took the car keys out of his pocket and unlocked the driver door. Kai walked around to the other side of the car and manoeuvred his way into the passenger seat, cursing like a fish-wife in all the languages he could. Rei waited until he was seated comfortably, then started the engine.
"So come on," Kai said.
"What?"
"You said you'd tell me where she was if I promised not to go and see her. I've made my end of the bargain, now you make yours. Where's she staying?"
Rei smirked.
"I said I'd tell you where she was. I didn't say when."
Kai blinked as the information seeped into his brain, then his eyes became wide and he gave Rei the dirtiest look he could muster.
"Bastard," he swore. Rei hooted with laughter, then put the car into gear and backed out of the parking space, Kai still sitting in his seat, swearing his heart out in Russian.
Reviews please. Merci.
