Chapter Nine: Trouble
(IM between Sakura's father and Voltaire)
BaronV: She didn't show up.
BioVCEO: What?
BaronV: You read it correctly the first time.
BioVCEO: We gave her time to recover!
BaronV: Yes, we did.
BioVCEO: We gave her time to be with that damn team of hers.
BaronV: We did that, too.
BioVCEO: We gave her time to be with your grandson, the whore!
BaronV: We did that, too.
BioVCEO: And she didn't show?
BaronV: I was so lonely. I had to borrow one of yours.
BioVCEO: Which one?
BaronV: That um… Lilith girl. Blond, blue eyes
BioVCEO: Spencer's sister, yes… are you sure she didn't show?
BaronV: YES, DAMMIT!
BioVCEO: Damn her. Fuck her!
BaronV: Do you want a shot at her this time?
BioVCEO: Yes
BaronV: First?
BioVCEO: After her punishment.
BaronV: Good man
BioVCEO: She'll pay for her disobedience.
BaronV: I intend to enjoy it.
BioVCEO: So do I, sir. Is ten a good time?
BaronV: Have her ready by eleven. That gives you an hour.
BioVCEO: Thank you.
(On the Way to Meet Kai)
Sakura hefted her school bag, walking as quickly as she could. She would be late if she didn't hurry. She had promised to meet Kai at the warehouse, because… he'd said he wanted to talk. Talk… her mother had often said that meant bad things. But this was Kai. He was different from other guys. So, what did that mean, though? Was he breaking off their relationship? What relationship? Did they even have one? She didn't know. She tried to examine her feelings with objectivity, as her father had taught her. She enjoyed kissing Kai. She enjoyed it when he touched her, -especially when he touched her, ever so gently- and when he held her. She liked it when he smiled, which was extremely rare, and she liked it when they went back and forth, bickering like the oldest of friends. She felt she'd known him a long time. But that was impossible. They'd never met before? Had they? For some reason, she was sure they had.
Sakura was walking past the entrance to the park when she saw a glint of violet and blue. She stopped walking, listening as hard as she could. Tap, taptap, tap…her brother. Damn. What did he want today? That was the emergency signal. She walked through the archway, over to a tree where four boys leaned against the nearest sturdy objects. Her brother glanced up at her when she approached. "Father's angry, Sakura. You're in trouble." She nodded. "Why did you stiff the Baron? Are you crazy? He just found someone else!"
"You don't know what the Baron's like, Tala… someone else? Where? Who?"
"Lilith." Sakura dropped her bag and held up a hand, murmuring, "Excuse me." She walked carefully behind a tree and proceeded to throw up. The same thought ran through her mind: Oh, God, Lily, oh, God…She came back to the boys, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Not Lily, not Lily, she's only a child, she's only ten…She looked into Spencer's eyes and whispered, "I didn't know, I didn't think he'd do something like that… Spencer, I'm sorry-"
"I don't blame you, Ice Queen. It's just… why didn't you show?"
"You don't know what he's like-"
"And you don't know what your father's like, Sakura." Another of the boys interrupted. Shoving his dark violet hair out of his eyes, he glared at her, daring her to contradict him. She whispered, "Yes, I do." She understood why they were upset. Lily wasn't the main problem, she was Spencer's. The guys' problem was her own safety, because if something happened to her, Tala wouldn't be up to keeping the title. If he wasn't, they would all be punished for it. And, they were just worried for her. She could end up very badly hurt for her efforts, and though only her twin would say so, they didn't want that to happen. "I know you guys are worried-"
"But we're not." A cold voice whispered softly. It cut the silence like a whip, lashing her mind like a frigid wind. Sakura froze. Oh. My. God. She turned around, avoiding her brother's fearful eyes, and looked up at her father. Standing next to him was Voltaire. Both wore looks of absolute hatred. "You should be, though." She never saw it coming. Someone's fist slammed into her temple, her brother cried her name, and she fell into oblivion.
She awoke, looked up into the baron's face, and shut her eyes. "Get off." A fist planted itself in her stomach, and she bit her tongue. "What, you've got a thing for fucking girls who're unconscious? Real romantic. Get off me!" He cuffed her hard, and her head fell back and hit the table. He grinned, eyes shining with lust and hatred. He slammed her hard, so hard she nearly blacked out again. Damning herself, she whimpered, "Please…" He kissed her gently.
"You asked, I give." Bastard! Sakura lost patience. She slammed the heel of her palm into the bridge of his nose, and he rolled off of her, cursing. She bolted, but was caught around the waist. Sharp pains at the nape of her neck made her catch her breath. Damn it, that stupid neurochip… "Daddy," she whispered as the pain increased to a terrible agony, as rough hands closed around her arms, leaving painful, deep bruises, "please, stop… daddy…"
"Be silent. You earned this. Your brother will not save you this time." Her father threw her against the wall. "And just because that boy is coming to save you, doesn't mean he'll find you before we're finished." Sakura didn't move. She couldn't. She'd lost consciousness, and didn't feel the blows rain down upon her. Her subconscious held onto a single, tiny ray of hope: Kai.
Kai shivered as he swept through the city streets, looking for Sakura. Max and the others couldn't see why he was so upset. Unfortunately, neither could Kai. He was just… scared? No, petrified. Something was wrong. He knew it, and he knew no matter what it was, no matter how hard he tried, Sakura was beyond his help. But he kept on trying. He refused to give up. He wouldn't lose her.
