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Disclaimer: You know the drill… blah… blah… don't own a thing…

Syaoran's Angels

Chapter 28: Alliances

"Tomoyo?"

Tomoyo tore her eyes away from the mirror and blinked, the dazed look in her pupils disappearing as Sakura and Meiling watched anxiously wondering what had just happened.

"Tomoyo?" Meiling asked.

"I saw it," Tomoyo whispered awed by the vision that had just come to her through the mirror.

"Saw what?"

"The location of the third book."


Eriol Hiragizawa sighed as he shoved his clothes randomly into his bag as he made arrangements over the phone for a plane ticket to London.

This job had been a disaster from start to finish as soon as he had laid eyes on Tomoyo Daidouji he knew he couldn't bring himself to kill her. He had tried to poison her but he just couldn't…

He was in love with her and as much as that screwed up his life… he didn't regret it.

He couldn't regret it.

Eriol sighed as he hung up the phone and shoved one last shirt into his already bulging bag. He stood there silent for a few seconds before zipping up his bag as he wondered if he should try and contact her one last time. He stared at the phone for a few seconds, internally debating the idea before forcing himself to stop this foolishness.

He was an assassin.

He couldn't fall in love with the enemy.

He just couldn't.

Hefting up his bag, Eriol turned around and walked out of the hotel room determined to once and for all forget about the woman he had fall in love with.

Closing the door to the room, he walked away.


"Chelsea?"

Sunlight blared through the shattered windshield as Zachary stirred inside the wrecked car. He had been driving throughout most of the trip after Syaoran had left them in that Santa Barbara motel giving them directions to another safe house further up north but Chelsea had persisted on driving for a while after seeing how tired he was and insisting that he rest.

And now…

"Chelsea?"

Zachary gently nudged his wife's prone body.

No response.

His whole body froze as he felt something warm and liquid spread onto his fingers. He lifted them away from his wife and held them up.

It was blood, staining his skin and dripping down his arm. It was everywhere… on the upholstery on the car… on his wife's clothes… arm… body… face

"CHELSEA!"


Lilia Faren smiled as she hung up the phone.

"Ah… perfect," she whispered, "I knew Alicia could do it."

She only had a few more seconds to bathe in the glory of her triumph before her phone rang. A bit annoyed, Lilia picked it up.

"What?" she growled down the line.

"Umm… sorry to disturb you Ms. Faren," William apologised politely, "But I had just received some images that may interest you. I'm faxing them through to your office right now."

"Do it," Lilia snapped as she hung up the phone, slamming it down with a loud bang as her fax machine came to life with a loud bleep.

Slowly a sheet of paper was fed through the machine as Lilia waited impatiently, waiting to see what it was. When the fax machine finished, Lilia snatched the paper up and looked at it carefully.

Her eyes widened in shock.

It was a blurry black and white image of a familiar looking man…

"Eriol Hiragizawa," Lilia mused, "The infamous assassin."

Her eyes drift to the right of the page and what she saw drew a gasp of surprise from her.

"Tomoyo Daidouji," she whispered venomously recognising the familiar figure, "One of those blasted Angel."

The two of them appeared to be very intimate sitting across one another with a beautifully laid out table between them complete with white tablecloth and intimate candles.

She picked up her phone and punched in a button.

"William," she demanded, "Where did you get this."

"It's from a restaurant in downtown L.A.," William explained, "One of our… associates were there for another purpose but captured this image by accident."

"So it's real?"

"100%"

"Good."

Lilia hung up as she smiled at the image.

"Mr. Hiragizawa," she whispered to herself, "This is going to be very interesting."


The doctor walked up to the bed as one of the nurses carefully checked the I.V. drip.

"Still no change?" he asked.

Nurse shook her head.

"No change, still out cold," she reported.

The doctor nodded as he made a note on a clipboard he held before glancing at the patient. Lara Williams lay on the bed her lithe form limp as her body tried to recover from having the power of the Void card running through it…

But the doctor didn't know that was the cause of Lara's mysterious coma.

"Just make sure she's hydrated," the doctor ordered, "There seems to be nothing else we can do right now."

The nurse nodded as the doctor walked away to tend to his other patients. The nurse checked the drip one last time before hurrying away as well leaving Lara alone again.


Emerald and ruby eyes stared into lavender ones as silence hung in the air between them like a tangible object.

"Third book?" Sakura whispered, her mind flashing back to her trip to the limbo.

An image of the blue and silver book appeared in her mind's eye as Tomoyo nodded.

"Yeah," she said, slowly getting up off the ground and facing them properly, "I saw its hiding place."

"Where?" Meiling asked eagerly.

"Japan."


Zachary stumbled along the heated tar of the lonely winding road, the wrecked car with his wife slumped inside miles behind him as he staggered forwards looking for help… looking for any sign of civilisation.

His weary eyes swept the sunbaked desert and saw none. Overwhelmed with fatigue and grief, he slumped to his knees and desperately tried to cling on to his consciousness darkness seeped into his mind like a vile liquid flooding his every nerve with lethargy. He fell forwards, the hot surface of the road searing his skin through his bloodstained shirt.

Dimly he could hear the crows above cawing as though calling their brethren to come and mock the pathetic human that had just fallen or perhaps to call them over in anticipation of an easy meal.

Whatever it was Zachary could care less.

She was gone…

His wife…

Chelsea…

Her name resounded through his head as heat and exhaustion swamped his mind and everything melted into darkness.


Tomoyo stared moodily out of the window as wisps of cloud clung onto the plane wings and windows. Beside her Sakura slept uneasily, muttering and turning in her sleep as Meiling calmly read a novel she had picked up at one of the airport stores. They were heading back to American; the mirror carefully packed into her bag, which was resting in the luggage compartment overhead. Tomoyo glanced upwards and hoped for possibly the trillionth time that the mirror wouldn't break. Hopefully Clow Reed had thought to build in an anti-shatter spell into the mirror otherwise they were doomed.

A small moan from Sakura drew Tomoyo away from her thoughts as she glanced at her friend worriedly.

=What on earth is she dreaming about?=


The sound of crows cawing echoed inside Sakura's head as she wandered down a long and winding road, searing sunlight scorching her back and face. She glanced up and had to look away as the sun threatened to burn her delicate eyes into charred cinders.

Heat waves rolled off the road hanging shimmering in the air like a spectral spirit as Sakura shaded her eyes with her hands trying to pierce the sea of shimmering waves to see where she was exactly. But all that greeted her was another long stretch of winding road that dwindled off to the horizon.

"What is going on?" she murmured to herself.

She began walking down along the road when a sudden gust of wind thew handfuls of red dirt and heated air into her face blinding her temporarily. As she scrubbed at her eyes trying to clear her visions her foot stumbled over a rock sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Oof!"

The wind was driven from her body as her stomach slapped against the hot hard tar of the road. Her hands scrambled beside her searching for purchase as she tried to shove herself up again.

She brushed against something soft.

She looked to her side and screamed. A familiar-looking face stared at her with glassy eyes as she scrambled away from its prone form. She jumped up still staring wildly at the still body.

"Chelsea?!?" she gasped recognising her friend.

Sakura watched in horrified silence as a river of blood suddenly exploded from her friend's head spraying her clothes with the warm liquid. She looked down at her shirt in horror as Chelsea continued to stare at her. Suddenly a guttural voice, deeper than any Chelsea could have produced spoke.

"It's all your fault," Chelsea's mouth moved as the deep voice spoke, accusing her, "This is all your fault."

Sakura screamed again.

"SAKURA!"

Sakura almost leapt out of her chair as Meiling and Tomoyo looked at her worriedly.

"You looked like you were freaking out," Meiling said in a way of explanation.

"Is something wrong?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura stared at them with wild, panicked eyes.

"I think I just murdered my friend."


Nivaline sighed with relief as the dark energy that hung in the air suddenly dissipated without a trace. Her relief however was replaced several seconds later by a frown of confusion, she still had no idea where that ill feeling had come from and it didn't comfort her any less that it would suddenly just disappear like that.

But before she could dwell on her confusion any longer a cheerful tune burst into the air as she jumped. Hurriedly she plucked her vibrating mobile phone out of her pocket and flipped it open.

"Hello?" she asked.

'We managed to track down the source of the energy,' a mysterious voice replied not even bothering to greet her.

"Where?" the Elder demanded.

'Taiwan… to be more specific the Sun Moon Lake.'

Nivaline gasped as she realised what it meant.

"The Angels…" she whispered.

There was a short silence on the other end of the line.

'Excuse me?'

"Ignore it," Nivaline ordered, "Was I right? Is it a…"

'Nosferatu?' the voice asked, 'Yes, it was. The dark energy came from a vampire… a very powerful one in fact.'

"Oh god," the ex-Angel said faintly, "The guardian…"

'Guardian?!?' for the first time real emotion entered the speaker's voice as he realised what Nivaline had just said, 'The third talisman!'

"Hush," Nivaline commanded, "Be quiet. The guardian must be have been defeated… that's why the energy disappeared."

'The third talisman,' the speaker's voice was hushed with awe, 'The chosen three must have retrieved it!'

"Let's hope so," Nivaline said grimly, "And let's hope the enemy hasn't got a hold on it. Look, I need to go. I'll talk to you later."

With that she hung up as she slipped the phone back into her pocket of her sea-green jeans and sighed.
"The girls succeeded?" a weak voice asked.

Nivaline looked down at Kiyone who was still lying in her hospital bed supposedly resting.

"You're supposed to be asleep," the Elder reproved.

"Whatever," Kiyone yawned as she tried to sit up but Nivaline gently pushed her back down onto the mattress.

"Rest," she ordered.

Kiyone sighed in frustration as she made herself comfortable.
"They succeeded?" she asked looking up at Nivaline with piercing teal eyes.

Nivaline nodded as a brilliant grin split Kiyone's face.

"So the big bad's screwed?"

"Almost."

"I knew they could do it," Kiyone smiled wistfully, "They are just like us."

"Except for the whole traitor thing," Nivaline answered with a wry smile.

"True," Kiyone noted.

They smiled at each other in companionable silence both of them unaware that the object of their hatred was laying in a bed only several metres away.


Yue smiled as he felt the wave of magic that washed over him telling him that the mirror had fallen into the Angels' possession.

"So why didn't you tell me that the girls knew about the mirror's location?" an annoyed voice asked from somewhere behind him.

He slowly turned around as Psuedo-Sakura waited impatiently for his answer, her arms folded across her chest.

"You didn't need to know," he said simply.

"Phew," Psuedo-Sakura snorted, "Of course I needed to know! I supposed to try and stop them from getting to the talisman and book!"

"The talisman had its own guardian," Yue told her with a small smile, "You were not needed to trial them."

"Oh, I'm hurt," Psuedo-Sakura spat back, "So how did your little guardian stand up to the might of the 'Powerpuff Girls'?"

"They're not the Powerpuff Girls," Yue informed her calmly.

"Sure they are," Psuedo-Sakura began pacing around as she continued speaking, "There are three of them and they're sugar, spice and everything… useless. So yeah, that makes them the Powerpuff Girls."

"You're disrespect does not amuse me."

"Tell me if I give a damn," Psuedo-Sakura yawned, "So what's shaking boss? What's next?"

"I sense that the Flower is greatly troubled by something," Yue said softly ignoring his challenge.

"And hello leverage!" Psuedo-Sakura smirked, "Hey moon-face want to see how much damage I can do?"

In a bright flash of light she disappeared leaving Yue behind who seemed indifferent to her departure.
"Something is wrong," he whispered, "Something is about to happen. Something big."


Zachary blinked wearily as bright light blinded his eyes again. He must be still out in the desert under the harsh unforgiving sun… he needed to find help… he need to…

"Hey! Easy there," a warm comforting voice said soothingly.

Zachary blinked again and realised he was staring into a torch or something.

"Do you remember who you are?" the voice continued slowly careful to pronounce each word perfectly lest the patient was disorientated and could not understand, "Do you remember what day it is?"

"My name… my name…" Zachary panted, "Zachary Yamazaki."

"Good," the voice seemed to be talking to someone else now as Zachary continued to try and clear his vision, "Nurse, he's badly dehydrated and suffering from sunburn. Hook him up to an I.V. drip and…"

"Where am I?" Zachary demanded, strength welling up inside his battered body.

"Santa Barbara Hospital."

Zachary could see clearly enough now to realise that he was talking to a violet-haired woman with sympathetic eyes. A stethoscope was draped casually around her neck indicating her position as a doctor as she smiled at him again.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Helen Bruck," she introduced herself, "Some motorists find you collapsed on the road…"

Zachary stared at her with wide panicked eyes as he remembered the incidents leading up to his collapse.

"My wife!" he gasped, "Please doctor, my wife!"

"Your wife?" she turned to the nurse, "Was there anyone else with him?"

The nurse shook her head.

"No! Our car crashed! She's in there, she's hurt!" Zachary yelled.

"Call the police tell them to check," Dr. Bruck commanded.

The nurse hurried away as Helen turned to Zachary.

"Please sir you have to calm down…" she began.

"My wife!"

He thrashed around wildly the bed sheets tangling around his body as Helen looked on helplessly.

"Sir, you have to stay still," she tried again.

"My wife!" Zachary tried to jump out of bed but the sheets tightened around his leg binding him to the bed as he continued to struggle.

"Security!" Helen yelled suddenly afraid for her and her patient's safety, "Restrain him!"

Two burly men raced into the room as Zachary screamed in frustration and tried to get up again. They held him down pushing him back into the mattress as Zachary struggled helplessly, screaming helplessly his whole mind focused on his wife. Helen make a quick decision and pulled a needle and a vial of clear liquid from the pocket of her white doctor's coat. She plunged the needle into the cork lid of the vial sucking up some of the chemical into the clear needle before give it a gentle squirt to ensure it worked. Working quickly she grabbed Zachary's flailing arm and plunged the sedative-filled needle into Zachary's arm with little ceremony.

The liquid was forced into his body as Zachary continued to struggle, tears pouring down his face. The sedative numbed his senses and body as he gave one final twitch before collapsing into a dreamless sleep.

The last thing he saw before he sank into darkness was Helen's concerned face.


The first thing Sakura did when she was off the plane was to pull out her mobile phone and hurriedly rang the emergency number that Xiaolang had given to her before he had left with Chelsea and Zachary in tow.

She pushed through the crowd of passengers and expectant relatives that filled the airport heading towards the exit as her two fellow Angels trailed behind her wondering what was going on.

'Hello?' a warm voice replied

"Xiaolang!"

Meiling and Tomoyo exchanged surprised looks as Sakura continued to talk to Xiaolang.

"Where are Chelsea and Zachary? Are they with you? Are they okay?"

'What? Calm down, slow down,' Xiaolang replied hurriedly, 'Is something wrong?'

"Okay, this may sound incredibly stupid but I… I had a dream and I think something happened to them," Sakura took a deep breath and attempted to calm herself down, "Where are they?"

'I left them in a motel two miles northwest of Santa Barbara,' Xiaolang paused, 'They were supposed to go to a safe house in Bakersfield before being transported to San Francisco.' "Have they arrived there yet?" Sakura demanded as she walked through one of the many sliding glass doors of Los Angeles International Airport.

'No to my knowledge,' Xiaolang replied.

"Why did you leave them by themselves?" Sakura growled as she headed for the car park with Meiling and Tomoyo continuing to follow her at a distance wisely keeping out of the phone conversation.

'I couldn't help it… other matters required my attention and Zachary and Chelsea assured me they would be fine.'

"They are being hunted down! They are not fine!" Sakura exploded, she quietened down when she realised people were staring at her.

Continuing in a lower voice, Sakura tried to control her temper.

"They are wanted by the company from hell," she hissed, "You should have made sure they got there safely!"

'I seriously could not help it,' Xiaolang defended himself, 'I did the best I could…'

"Well, your best is not good enough," Sakura snapped as she hung up her phone, "Tomoyo?"

"Yeah?" the Japanese Angel hurried to her friend's side as Sakura scanned the busy car park for the car they had parked here just three days ago.

=So much has happened= Sakura thought wearily as she finally spotted their jeep.

"Tomoyo as soon as we get to a computer I want you to run a check on all hospital records, police records and traffic reports around the Santa Barbara and Bakersfield region," Sakura commanded.

"Why?" Tomoyo asked confused.

"I think Chelsea and Zachary are in trouble."


Eriol Hiragizawa strolled through the front entrance of L.A. International Airport unwittingly just missing the Angels own exit. He glanced up at the dashboard that displayed the status of all incoming and departing planes and quickly noticed that his own flight was beginning to board.

With a whispered curse he headed towards one of the hundreds of counters dotting the airport. Spotting one such counter displaying the name of the airline he was about to catch he quickened his pace.

"BAM!"

He was shoved backwards as he collided heavily with someone. He stumbled backwards but quickly recovered as he looked up to deliver a stinging insult but was stopped as a piece of paper was shoved into his face.

"Mr. Hiragizawa?" a cool voice asked, "Or should I say the infamous 'Gentleman'?"

Eriol froze as he heard his assassin codename being spoken by a refined feminine voice.

"You may want to look at the paper," the voice continued as she handed the paper to him.

Eriol gently unfolded the paper and stared at it as fear and panic welled up inside his body. It was a fuzzy black and white image but the picture it presented was crystal-clear: him and Tomoyo on their first date inside the restaurant... right before he had tried to murder her but found out he simply couldn't.

"How?" he gasped, he looked up to stare at the brunette haired woman standing before her who was smirking at him with a smug look on her beautiful but cruel face, "How?"

"I work for Spinnel Corporation and I also have interested invested inside the Angels," she smirked, "Yes, I know all about the Angels and I also happen to know that Marcus Ruflac hired you to kill them. Now… think about how shocked he would be if he find out that the infamous Gentlemen was dating the enemy?"

"Marcus Ruflac is dead."

Lilia was mildly shocked by the revelation but rolled with the punches.

"But he was alive when this… 'date' happened," Lilia smiled at him, "Please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe you have fallen in love with this particular Angel."

Eriol remained silent as he glared at Lilia, fury darkening his eyes.

"So I'm right and now think about how much damage this little news can cause to your reputation as a cold-hearted killer," Lilia laughed, "Imagine, Eriol Hiragizawa falling in love with his enemy."

"What the hell do you want?" Eriol snarled.

"Tut, tut," Lilia wagged a finger at him like a mother reprimanding her naughty child, "Such anger. But I'll cut to the chase, join my corporation in trying to get rid of the Angels or I leak this news to every single one of my associates and connections… and I assure you I have many."

Eriol remained silent as he realised with desperate anger that he was trapped. If his reputation was ruined there was no way in hell he would be able to get customers afterwards… but Tomoyo… could he try and kill her… again?

"So, do you accept?"

Seconds turned to eternal centuries as Eriol tried to come up with a viable solution. His livelihood or Tomoyo… if he was perceived as being soft then there was no telling what would happen to him. Other assassins wanting to make names for themselves would come after him… his life would be ruined… but still… could he do it? Could he try and kill the woman he had fallen so helplessly in love with?

"Oh and in case you're thinking of killing me I wouldn't suggest it," Lilia sniggered, "If I don't return to my office in fifteen minutes I have given instructions to some of most trusted minions to leak this image to the assassin underworld. So Mr. Hiragizawa, what is your answer? Do you accept my generous offer? If you succeed in killing the Angels you will be given a two hundred million fee as well as my solemn promise I would destroy all traces of this image."

"How can I trust you?" Eriol snarled trying to buy time as he continued to internally debate his options.

"You can't," Lilia said flatly with a wicked smile.

Lilia watched Eriol struggle with his decision with a mocking grin on her face as she glanced at her watch for dramatic effect.

"Tick tock, tick tock," she smirked, "Time's running out."

When Eriol spoke, his voice was broken and defeated.

"I accept."

"Welcome aboard then Mr. Hiragizawa," Lilia smirked triumphantly as she spoke sticking her hand out at the same time.

Eriol shook it slowly as Lilia glanced at her watch again.

"And with ten minutes to spare," she mused with satisfaction, "Come along. Let's get you briefed up on your task."

She brushed past the defeated assassin as Eriol wondered one last time what he had gotten himself into.

"I'm sorry Tomoyo," he whispered as he slowly turned around and plodded after Lilia.

Assassin and Spinnel Corporation employee left the airport together: one triumphant, the other utterly defeated.


"Hey, wait," Tomoyo called, "I've find something."

Sakura raced to the kitchen where Tomoyo was perched on top of a stool her laptop laid out on the marble bench in front of her. Tomoyo quickly typed in several keys enlarging what she was looking at and highlighting it.

"This," Tomoyo pointed, "Is a police report from the outskirst of Santa Barbara and there's also a hospital record from Santa Barbara hospital…"

"A hospital I know all too well," Sakura sighed remembering her stay in the hospital thanks to her coma.

She quietened down as she realised Tomoyo had more to say.

"Look."

Tomoyo turned the laptop around letting the screen face Sakura as the American Angel leaned in the soft light of the screen lighting up her face with eerie blue light.

"A young caucasian male found on the side of a highway. Probably aged in early twenties… light black hair…" Sakura move the mouse and clicked onto the hospital record, "Suffering from hyperthermia and dehydration, minor superficial injuries… bruises and cuts… scans and X-rays indicate no internal bleeding or head damage. Had to be sedated due to erratic behaviour when conscious…"

She read the next line and gasped her face turning ghastly pale.

"Says his wife is still missing and may be seriously injured," Sakura gulped as she looked up and stared at Tomoyo, "Are you sure it's him?"

Tomoyo shook her head.

"I can't be sure," she admitted, "But this is the only profile that fitted Zachary."

"I need to get there now!" Sakura said urgently jumping up.

"Sakura," Tomoyo began warningly, "Last time you went rushing off you ended up in a coma."

"I've got the cards to help me this time," Sakura protested, "I need to get to my friends right now!"

Tomoyo stood up as well.

"Sakura, you don't go! You don't even know if it's them."

"They could be in danger!" Sakura exploded.

Tomoyo sighed and tried a different tact.

"I know, I know but Sakura…" she pursed her lips as she searched for the right words, "When I peered into the mirror I not only saw the location of the third bok but it somehow… warned me that if we don't get the book soon the Void card would re-emerge… somehow there's a set date for when it would break out of the fourth book when the book can't hold the card any longer…"

Tomoyo paused as she stared unseeingly at bench.

"I'm afraid," she confessed softly, "The mirror showed me what damage that card could do… if it was ever set free. Sakura, we need to find the books. Now. If we don't…"

Sakura bit her lip.

"I just don't know what to do anymore," the American Angel admitted plopping herself down onto a stool, "I'm torn… I know the books and cards are important but Tomoyo… so are my friends. You know that."

Tomoyo nodded.

"It's hard but we've got to look at the bigger picture here," the Japanese Angel sighed, "This thing we're dealing with… it's bigger than us. It's bigger than friendships and family and all of that… if we fail in this…"

"Then the world is in for a hell of a time," Sakura finished off ever so eloquently.

"Hey," Meiling waltzed into the kitchen a goofy smile on her face no doubt thoroughly enjoying her reunion with Marcus, "What's with the gloominess?"

The two Angels stared at her as Meiling fidgeted nervously under their gaze shifting her weight from one foot to another.

"Is something wrong?"


"Is something wrong sir?" Lilia asked wondering why her boss had called her up to his office.

Mr. Noir was seated in his usual position behind his desk, darkness and shadows obscuring his figure as Lilia fidgeted nervously wondering what was going on. Deafening silence hung in the air between them as Lilia's heart began beating furiously like a wild beast slamming against her the cages of her ribs trying to smash free of its prison.

"I've received some disturbing news," her boss's gruff voice was deceivingly gentle.

Her heart upped its tempo as Lilia felt the first tingling edges of fear brush her mind. Sweat forced its way onto her pampered skin as she tried to taking in a calming breath but found she could not quell the fear rising in her body.

"What news?" her voice was barely above a whisper.

"I believe you've tried to kill Zachary Yamazaki."

Her eyes widened in horror as a soft gasp burst from her suddenly dry throat.

"Wha… how?" she gasped.

"Since you're not even trying to deny it I have no choice but to believe that it's true," Mr. Noir continued cutting her off.

"Sir! It's not! I swear! I haven't done anything at all!" Lilia cried.

"DON'T YOU DARE LIE TO ME!" her boss thundered suddenly.

An invisible force rammed into her body sending her sprawling as Lilia screamed in pain. It felt like her body was being battered with punishing blow as she writhed on the ground begging for mercy in a high pitched voice as her invisible tormentors continued to flay every part of her body. Every single nerve in her body screamed in agony as ghostly flames danced across her skin. She slapped at her body trying to put out the fire but to her horror find there was nothing there. Malicious chuckles filled the air as Mr. Noir enjoyed the show.

Lilia's piercing scream rended through the darkness as the pain intensified flooding through her mind and body like a roaring tsunami. Suddenly with no warning at all the pain stopped as her gasping breaths filled the air.

"Get out," Noir's voice was cold and calm, "You're fired."

Lilia staggered to her feet and ran as fast as she could out of the room as Noir watched her departing body calmly.

"She betrayed me," he said aloud, "I want her eliminated."

A slight movement in the shadows betrayed her presence as Rika Sasaki nodded.

"Do whatever it takes," Noir commanded, "I want her dead. Make an example of her."

Rika nodded again, her metal claws gleaming in the frugal light of the office.


"It's complicated," Meiling admitted.

Sitting inside Gino and Maria's restaurant on their second 'date', Meiling took a second sip of her wineglass before concentrating on the person sitting in front of her.

"How so dear?" Maria's kind voice asked.

Meiling shrugged.

"I'm lost," she whispered, "I'm confused… I mean… it wasn't like I was the most popular girl in school! I never dated… and… aside from Marcus… I've never been kissed before…"

She blushed as she realised what she had just said.

"Marcus is the first man… I've… well… you know…" she hedged for the proper term.

"Been intimate with?" Maria supplied.

Meiling nodded, her cheeks turning a flaming red.

"You mustn't worry," Maria patted her arm comfortingly as Meiling sighed.

"I'm just scared," she confessed softly, "This is the first relationship I've been in and I'm afraid I'll do something that'll push him away. I don't know what I'd do without him and… it scares me."

"You do know Marcus loves you right?" Maria asked.

Meiling nodded.

"And you love him right?"

Meiling nodded again.

"Then you're worrying for no reason at all you silly girl," Maria gave a motherly chuckle, "Love is all you need. You worry too much."

"It's confusing," Meiling whispered.

"Love is confusing," the older woman informed her gently, "Love isn't always flowers, chocolates and kissing. It can be rough as well, there will be times when you would want to strangle him but at the end of the day you'll still love him more than anything."

"What if he doesn't love me?" Meiling asked voicing her deepest fear.

Maria clucked her tongue.

"I've know Marcus for a long time," she smiled at her, "And I can safely say he hasn't been this happy for a very long time. Even a fool would realise that he's deeply in love with you. Why I wouldn't be surprised if you came waltzing in here next week with a ring around your finger!"

Meiling shifted nervously at the thought of marriage but pushed that fear away as she concentrated on Maria's motherly advice.

"Is he really that in love with me?" she asked worriedly.

Maria smiled at her.

"Definitely."

"Oh great," a familiar voice broke through the conversation as both women turned to look at the intruder, "Maria talking to Meiling. Should I be worried now?"

Maria laughed as she stood up and gave Marcus an affectionate kiss on the cheeks.

"I better get back to the kitchens or Gino will think that I ran away with a handsome young man," she said with a wicked wink, "Now you look after that girl or else!"

She disappeared as Meiling and Marcus dissolved into bursts of laughter.

"So what were you two beautiful ladies talking about?" Marcus asked slipping back into his seat.

Meiling flashed him an innocent smile.

"Absolutely nothing," she winked at him.

Marcus's arched brow clearly showed his scepticism as Meiling laughed.

"You know I feel bad leaving Lily with Tomoyo and Sakura… again," Meiling admitted.

"Don't," Marcus advised, "She loves spending time with her two 'aunties'."

"Still…"

"I'm starting to feel left out here," Marcus said teasingly, "Should I leave and have Tomoyo bring Lily here?"

Meiling rolled her eyes.

"Of course not," she reassured him, "I love spending time with you."

"I love you," Marcus said simply a soft smile on his lips.

"I love you too," Meiling smiled back at him as she felt her fears fade away.

This man loved her and she loved him.

That was all there was to it.

Nothing could stand in the way of their happiness.

Absolutely nothing.


Nivaline studied the mirror carefully.

"Yeah, this is definitely it," she handed the talisman back to Tomoyo, "100% authentic."

"Well, that's nice to know," Tomoyo said dryly, "I mean I would hate to have battled vamp-Me and her freaky army of vampires for nothing."

"Well, rest assured it wasn't all for nothing," Nivaline told her.

She looked around the strangely silent house.

"Where is everyone?" she asked wondering where the other Angels were.

"Meiling's out on a date with Marcus," Tomoyo informed her as she gently wrapped the talisman up in a sheet of soft velvet, "Lily's asleep and Sakura's gone back to her old apartment."

"You girls really should stick together," Nivaline said worriedly, "These are dangerous days."

"Don't worry," Tomoyo gently placed the mirror onto the kitchen bench, "She's just gone to get some clothes like Meiling did a while ago. I mean we can't be forever borrowing each others clothes."

Nivaline nodded, her hazel-green eyes still worried.

"So tell me about the vampires," she began, "What were they like?"

Remembering her ordeal in Taiwan, Tomoyo shivered but complied regaling Nivaline with a recount of their epic battle with the demonical creatures.


Sakura pushed open the door to her apartment and smiled seeing her home again. Trying to push the overwhelming fears she had for her friends to the back of her head, she quickly headed to her bedroom. Passing the living room, she was glad to note that the smashed window had been fixed thanks to Syaoran.

Satisfied that everything was in order she pushed the door to her bedroom open before flicking the lights on. Seeing the familiar room, she smiled softly as she grabbed a bag from under her bed and began shoving some of her clothes inside.

Quickly and efficiently she put the bare necessities into her bag before zipping it up and slinging the bag around her shoulder. Giving her room one last look, she flicked off the lights and closed the door before moving out into her living room. Noticing that the message light of her telephone was blinking urgently, she reached out with one hand to push the message button but stopped as frantic knocking hammered her front door.

Frowning in confusion, Sakura dropped her bag and moved to her door. Wondering who it could be and readying herself for a fight if necessary she flung the door open.

"You!" she snarled realising who was on the other side.

"STOP! PLEASE!" Lilia screamed raising her hands in surrender, "HELP ME!"

"Why the hell should I help you?" Sakura demanded.

"My boss knows I betrayed him… and trust me he isn't the forgiving type. He'll want me dead and he'll kill me slowly to make an example of me," Lilia explained hurriedly between gasping breaths and terrified glances behind her shoulder, "I need protection! Anything!"

"Why shouldn't I just let him kill you," Sakura paused before allowing a cold smile flit across her face, "Or kill you myself for that matter?"

"I can give you information!"

Sakura paused as she thought it over.

"How do I know you're not tricking me into a trap?" Sakura demanded glaring at her enemy, "How do I know that you're not using me to get to Zachary?"

"If I was trying to trick you I would send on my cronies to do it!" Lilia snarled, a bit of her usual arrogance coming back, "I wouldn't risk my own bloody neck!"

=Well that makes sense= Sakura thought dryly as she kept up her icy façade.

"Start talking," Sakura commanded coldly still eyeing the woman suspiciously, "Tell me everything you know about Spinnel Corporation or I'll leave you to fend for yourself."

"Not here," Lilia hissed looking around wildly, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear, "Take me somewhere safe! They probably know I'm here by now!"

"They?"

"Please!"

"Fine," Sakura ran back to her living room and grabbed her bag as Lilia waited nervously.

She grabbed the woman's arm and stirred her away from the doorway before closing the door and locking it. Pocketing the key, Sakura shouldered her bag and turned back to Lilia who was trembling with fright now, her eyes feverish as she stared at Sakura looking for all the world like a frightened little child.

"You're coming with me," Sakura commanded coldly grabbing onto the woman's arm again and leading her down to the car park.


Nivaline fell silent as she digested what Tomoyo had just told her.

"Damn," she said finally.

"Yeah, it definitely sucked when it had happened," Tomoyo paused, "No pun intended."

Nivaline rolled her eyes at the Angel's weak joke.

"And plus it was kinda creepy staking myself," the Japanese Angel continued, "But she's dead, the mirror is ours and everything is okay again."

"And you're one step closer to defeating the Void card."

"True."

Silence hung in the air between them as they stared at the velvet-wrapped mirror lying on the bench between them, both of them lost in their own thoughts.

"Nivaline," Tomoyo said suddenly breaking the silence.

"Yeah?" the older woman asked.

"We have a problem," Tomoyo admitted.

"Problem?" Nivaline's voice was instantly filled with concern, "Is everything all right?"

"It's not exactly us," Tomoyo sighed, "You know Zachary and Chelsea?"

"Yeah?"

"Sakura had a dream… she dreamt that they were in trouble and she wants to go racing off to find them," Tomoyo explained as she let out a small sigh, "I know we should all stick together in order to unravel this whole three books mess but I also know that it's very hard on Sakura to just sit here whilst friends may be in trouble."

"So you want me to investigate?" Nivaline asked with a small wry smile.

"Yeah," Tomoyo smiled at Nivaline's sharp intuition, "Pretty much."

"Done," Nivaline hopped off her stool, "Where should I start?"

"I tracked down someone fitting Zachary's description being admitted to Santa Barbara hospital."

"Good, I'll go there then," Nivaline turned to leave.

"Wait… you're leaving now?" Tomoyo asked incredulously.

"Well, no time like the present eh?" Nivaline shot the younger Angel a wicked smile, "Just tell Kiyone where I've gone. If I don't visit her tomorrow she'll think I've been killed or something."

Tomoyo followed the older woman to the door still slightly taken aback by the woman's readiness to go out in the middle of the night.

"Umm… shouldn't you wait till morning?" Tomoyo asked.

Nivaline turned and gave her a puzzled look.

"What for?" she asked confused, "The sooner I leave, the sooner I return."

Tomoyo could only stare as Nivaline gave her a final impish grin before hopping into the car Syaoran had supplied her with just days ago.

"See ya!" she gave her a jaunty wave before starting the engine and reversing out of Tomoyo's driveway.

The Japanese Angel could only give her a weak wave as the car pulled out of the driveway and sped along the road turning out of sight.

"She certainly doesn't like to procrastinate," Tomoyo noted dryly.

The cold night air chilled her skin as the Angel shrugged and walked back into the warm security of her house.


Meiling sighed as her mobile phone began ringing ruining the romantic atmosphere with its annoyingly cheerful ring tone.

"This better be important," she snarled as she yanked the phone out of her purse and put it to her ears.

"Meiling here," she said curtly.

'Meiling, I'm really, really, really sorry!' Sakura's voice came over the line as Meiling sighed, 'I know you're on a date and all but I've got some news.'

"This better be good," Meiling hissed warningly.

'Lilia appeared at my door.'

"WHAT?!?" Meiling gasped startling Marcus as her anger completely dissipated, "Are you okay? What did she do?"

'She wants our help… in exchange for information.'

"What?" Meiling was completely astounded, "Why?"

'Apparently her boss wants her dead because she tried to betray him. I'm guessing employee loyalty is a big thing in good old Spinnel Co,' Sakura added dryly.

"Where are you?" Meiling demanded.

'Safehouse. If you can get away try to get here as soon as possible,' Sakura told her, 'Oh, by the way how's your date?'

"Superb," Meiling paused, "Until you called me."

'Sorry!' With that Sakura hung as up as Meiling sighed and rubbed her temples.

"Something wrong?" Marcus asked worriedly.

Meiling looked up into his concerned eyes and forced a smile onto her face.

"Oh something just came up," she took a deep breath, "Okay, this may seem really sudden and all but I've got to go."

"Okay, I know I maybe boring at times but am I really that bad you can't wait to get away?" Marcus asked a hurt look on his face.

Meiling stared at him as Marcus stared back at her.

An amused grin split his face as the hurt look faded away.

"I'm kidding," he reassured her giving her an easy grin, "If you need to go, go."

Meiling sent him a grateful grin as she jumped out of her seat.

"I swear this will never happen again," Meiling promised as she gave him a quick passionate kiss before running out of the restaurant.

Several minutes later Maria appeared.

"Where is she?" the Italian woman asked looking around.

"Gone," Marcus said easily.

"Gone?" Maria asked confused.

"Work."

"What exactly does she do?" Maria asked curiously.

"Curiosity killed the cat," Marcus teased.

Maria rolled her eyes.

"And satisfaction brought it back," she retorted, "So you do love her?"

Marcus took Maria's directness in his stride as he smiled and nodded.

"With all my heart," he admitted softly.

"Lovely!" a wide grin spread across Maria's face, "You can have the reception here!"

Marcus laughed at his old friend's statement as Maria grinned back at him, thankful that her 'dear boy' (as she called him sometimes) had found love again.

"Shouldn't I propose to her before you start planning the wedding?" Marcus asked teasingly.

"Then hurry up and do it," Maria urged, "You of all people should know that you must seize the day. You never know what might happen next."

Marcus nodded thoughtfully as he fell silent seriously considering Maria's words.

Should he… or shouldn't he?


Tomoyo flung the door to the safehouse open as she strolled inside hurriedly.

"Sakura?"

"Tomoyo!" Sakura appeared out of one of the rooms of the safehouse as she greeted her fellow Angel.

"Where the hell is she?" Tomoyo demanded.

A cold look appeared in Sakura's eyes as she jerked her head towards the room she had just appeared from.

"In there," she muttered.

"Sakura, Nivaline is currently travelling to Santa Barbara to check out that hospital record I dug up this morning," Tomoyo informed her.

"Nivaline?" Sakura asked puzzled.

"I told her what happened and she agreed to go."

Sakura breathed a sigh of relief as she felt some of the fears and worries she had for her friends abate slightly in her mind.

"Thanks," she told her friend softly smiling gratefully at her.

Tomoyo returned the smile before getting straight back to business.

"Where's Meiling?" Tomoyo asked looking around.

"I called her but you know second date," Sakura shrugged, "I don't know if she's coming or not."

"Well, she's here."

Both girls jumped as Meiling's voice boomed from behind them. They whirled around as Meiling delicately arched an eyebrow at them tapping the floor impatiently with her left foot.

"Don't do that!" Sakura muttered, "Jeez, you scared me."

Meiling rolled her eyes as Sakura and Tomoyo calmed down.

"Where is she?"

"In there."

"Good," Meiling smiled fiercely, "I'm looking forward to having a little conversation with Ms. Faren."

She cracked her knuckles in anticipation before stomping into the room as Tomoyo and Sakura looked at each other.

"We better get in there," Tomoyo suggested, "Before Meiling kills her."

Sakura made no move to walk into the room.

With a sigh of exasperation, Tomoyo pushed the American Angel into the room as Lilia stared at them defiantly.

"Well, if it isn't the Angels," she spat her arrogance fully back in place.

"You know for someone who's a wanted woman you're awfully up yourself," Meiling growled, "Especially considering the fact you're annoying the very people who's standing between you and evisceration by your dear boss."

That caused Lilia to back off a little as Tomoyo and Sakura joined Meiling.

"Who exactly is your boss?" Tomoyo demanded coldly.

"I've never seen his face," Lilia said shortly, "His office is always dark. I only know his name. He's called Mr. Noir."

"Mr. Black," Sakura muttered translating the French name.

"Oooo… you can speak multiple languages," Lilia smirked, "Good for you."

Meiling shot her a death glare as Lilia quietened down sensing she was pushing the dark-haired Angel to her limits.

"What exactly did you do to annoy your boss so much?" Tomoyo continued, spearing Lilia with her icy stare.

"I hired an assassin to have Zachary killed."

"You!" Sakura lunged at her as Meiling leapt at her.

Tomoyo grabbed her friend's struggling arms as Meiling tried to stop her friend from strangling Lilia.

The woman visibly paled as Sakura continued to snarl at her, bloodlust lighting up her emerald eyes.

"SAKURA! CHILL!" Tomoyo yelled yanking her friend backwards.

Sakura calmed down slightly before continued to glower at Lilia as Meiling breathed a sigh of relief not enjoying wrestling against a fury fuelled Sakura.

"If Zachary or Chelsea is harmed. I'll kill you," Sakura spat.

Lilia gulped as Tomoyo hoped for Lilia's sake they were both okay.

"Why do Noir want the books?" Meiling demanded taking up the role of interrogator.

Her ruby eyes drilled into Lilia's as the woman shrugged.

"Money?" Lilia suggested, "I don't know! Nobody knows!"

"She's not any help," Sakura said abruptly, "I say we tie her up and deliver her to Noir."

Lilia paled as Sakura sent her a vicious grin showing way too much teeth for comfort.

"Not until we're done with her," Meiling promised, "So Lilia, how do we get to Noir?"

Lilia snorted.
"You'll have to infiltrate Spinnel Corporation headquarters in order to do that," Lilia sneered, "And I doubt…"

"Been there, bombed that," Sakura smirked back.

Lilia narrowed her eyes at the American Angel as Sakura stared right back at her, her emerald eyes becoming chips of green ice.

"Well, it would be much harder this time around," Lilia snapped, "Thanks to your little stunt, security has been boosted up. You will find it is completely im…"

"BOOM!"
All three Angels whirled around as an explosion rocked the safehouse.

"What the hell?"

The sound of hard boots ramming into wooden floor alerted the Angels as Lilia paled.

"Oh god, the Special Task Force," she whispered.

"Alpha, Beta and Delta?" Meiling asked remembering her encounter with them in Paris.

"Get her," Sakura commanded, "I'll handle these idiots."

"You think you can take on the Special Task Force?!?" Lilia gasped incredulously, "They're highly trained men…"

"Who I've beaten two times before so," Sakura smiled, "This should be fun."

Meiling grabbed Lilia as Tomoyo opened the door cautiously. The hallway was eerily dark and quiet, the air strangely thick with dust as Tomoyo glanced around trying to see through the shadows.

"It seems clear," she reported sticking her head back into the room.

"Okay, go!" Sakura yelled.

Tomoyo yanked the door open as Meiling grabbed Lilia and dragged her out of the room, the woman trying to keep up as the Angels rushed to the backdoor of the safehouse.

"I've sighted the target!" a harsh voice cried piercing through the dust-filled darkness, "North-western corridor!"

"Damn!" Meiling swore.

Bullets tore the walls as the Angels and Lilia ducked.

"GO!" Sakura yelled.

Meiling and Tomoyo continued herding Lilia towards the back entrance as Sakura slowly turned around.

"Key of stars with powers burning bright," she whispered her hand going up to her key, "Reveal the staff and shine your light! RELEASE!"

The star wand appeared in her hands as Sakura held it aloft.

"Light card!" she bellowed, "Illuminate this place! Release and displace!"

She looked away as bright light burst from the card illuminating the hall. Heavily armed, Kevlar-wearing men screamed in pain as the light interfered with their night-vision goggles blinding them. They fell to the ground as Sakura smirked.

"Snow card!" she cried, "Rain card! Cloud card! Attack! Release and dispel!"

A spectral woman clad in a traditional kimono burst from one of the cards as two puffs of cloud joined her. The Special Task Force had no time to react as a tempest of snow, rain and wind lashed at them forcing them backwards.

"Full power!" Sakura bellowed fiercely.


"The power has been cut off from the building sir."

The commander nodded as the commando moved away.

"Surround the perimeter," he commanded yelling into his com-link, "I don't want anyone getting in or out without us knowing!"

"Sir!" a panicked cry broke into his conversation as the commander snarled in annoyance.

"WHAT!"

"WHOOSH!"

A massive wave of snow burst from the ruined doorway of the safehouse as the commander's eyes widened in shock.

The front yard of the safehouse was turned into a winter wonderland as snow piled on top of the cars and commandos standing on the lawn. Rain lashed down from the skies, freezing instantly as soon as they touched the snow forming an impenetrable armour of ice as cold rushed into the commander's body piercing his body with icy needles.

Still he forced himself to concentrate as he tried to speak into his com-link.

"Retreat," he whispered weakly as the cold threatened to overwhelm his body, "Retre…"

His body shut down as his temperature plummeted and everything went black.


Sakura turned away from the veritable snowstorm she had created and calmly walked towards the backdoor, the Clow spirits trailing behind her like well-trained dogs.

=Mistress=

Sakura turned to the Snow card, instinctively knowing where the voice had come from.

=There are more men in the backyard= the Snow card warned her =Your friends are trapped=

"God damn it!" Sakura hissed, "How many of them are there?"

She raced for the backdoor and burst into the backyard as the Clow cards sped to follow. A ring of dark coloured vans had rammed through the back fence forming a solid wall of metal and glass, armed men hiding behind the cars their guns trained on the Angels and Lilia.

"SNOW CARD! GET THEM!"
A burst of frosty wind howled through the yard and blasted one of the vans encasing it in a solid block of ice. Stinging rain arrowed down from the skies distracting the commandos as wisps of cloud emerged from thin air obscuring the men's vision.

"GO!" Sakura yelled running to her friends, "Get out of here!"

The clouds were everywhere turning a dark grey as they rumbled dangerously with thunder, Sakura ran smack bang into one of her friends as she struggled through the blanket of white wisps. She grabbed her friend's arm and ran wildly towards the ring of cars catching a glimpse of the dark van through the cloud just in time for her to avoid it. She slipped through a narrow gap between two vans and charged straight over the broken fence the vans had charged through to invade the safehouse.

Suddenly she was free of the clouds as she breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to her fellow Angel.

She stopped.

It was Lilia.


"Where the hell is Sakura?" Meiling demanded.

Tomoyo shrugged.

"I don't know," the Japanese Angel reached into her pocket and pulled out her mobile phone as she punched in her friend's familiar number, "But I'm going to find out."

They continued running down the street as Tomoyo waited impatiently for Sakura to pick up.

"Come on," she growled, "Pick up damn it!"

'Tomoyo!'

"Sakura! Are you okay?"

'Fine, you guys.'

"Good," Tomoyo turned into an inner street as Meiling led the way, "Where are you?"

'Street behind the safehouse.'

"Wait, we'll come to you."

They skidded to a stop as a dark van pulled out from one of the streets cutting them off. Without even bothering to stop, they whirled around and ducked into another inner street as the van door slid open commandos pouring out from the vehicle.

"Scrap that. Sakura, meet us in the warehouse. The usual one, okay?"

'Alright, see you there.'

"Is Lilia with you?"

'Unfortunately.'

Tomoyo nodded grimly as she hung up and slipped the phone into her pocket.

"She's with Lilia. We're heading straight to the warehouse."

Meiling nodded as the commandos continued to pursue them through the labyrinth of inner streets.


"Mr. Hiragizawa."

Eriol remained silent as he stood inside the dark office as his new boss.

"It seems Ms. Faren has betrayed me by going to those… Angels," Mr. Noir said carefully.

"What do you want me to do?" Eriol demanded.

"Tut, tut, such temper," the mysterious man sneered, "I want you to prove yourself or else your little secret will become very public."

"How?" Eriol snarled.

"Kill her."

"Who?"

"Lilia Faren."

Eriol didn't even pause before he replied.

"Done."


Sakura and Lilia ran down the streets, Sakura's star wand already retracted back to its key form as to not hamper her running. Lilia was gasping and puffing beside her as Sakura half-dragged the woman down the street, the Spinnel Corporation worker's high heels obviously not helping.

"Hurry up!" Sakura snapped, "Or you're dead!"

Lilia only sobbed in reply as Sakura gritted her teeth and continued to drag the woman along.

"Phwup! Phwup! Phwup!"

"What the?"

With no warning at all the whole area was flooded with light as Sakura looked up in surprise as strong gusts of wind swept through her hair. A black helicopter hung in the night sky its immense floodlight glaring down at them as Sakura swore.

She turned to move into an inner street.

"Watch out!" Lilia shrieked.

A black shadow leapt out as Sakura pushed Lilia to the ground, metal claws swiping the air where the woman had been.

"Rika!" Sakura gasped.

The clawed assassin leapt at her as Sakura met her head on. Light reflected off the killer's claws as Sakura ducked to avoid her wild swipes, punching the assassin in the stomach she followed through an uppercut. Rika was thrown backwards but recovered quickly pouncing on her like a dark panther. Sakura sidestepped the assassin's swipes elbowing her in the face as the assassin charged past.

"I don't have time for this," Sakura hissed as Rika whirled around.

A swift kick caught Sakura in the knees forcing her to her knees as Rika came at her with an overhead strike. Sakura leapt to the side as the assassins swiped at her barely missing her body by mere inches, the Angel leapt up and kicked Rika in the chest. The assassin recovered quickly coming at her with a flurry of wild swipes as Sakura hurriedly backpedalled narrowly missing the vicious slashes.

A flash of cold metallic light warned her of the next strike as Sakura twisted her body, the claws slicing through the air where her arm had been.

A second flash told Sakura to sidestep as Rika blinked, the only outward display of her emotions, as Sakura looked desperately for an opening in the assassin's defence knowing that sooner or lately Rika would land a lucky blow.

Between the split second when Rika's left arm dropped as her right arm came up in another wild slash Sakura struck, a powerful right hook throwing Rika off balance before a spin-kick struck her in the chest throwing her backwards. Sakura danced away from Rika's reaches as the assassin staggered to her feet.

"Come on Catwoman," Sakura jeered, "Catch me if you can."

Blank eyes stared into emerald ones as Lilia tried to meld into the shadows trying her best to avoid the column of light that blasted down from the helicopter above. It hung in the sky observing the fight below like a hovering dark falcon ready to strike at any second.

Even though the mechanical whirring of the rotors were almost deafening at such close proximities and the wild winds they generated were buffeting her body, Sakura forced herself to concentrate as Rika feinted a left then a right before leaping at her.
Sakura shifted all her defences quickly meeting Rika's blows. She grabbed the clawed assassin's wrist halting one blow before kicking the other arm away. Still trapping one arm, Sakura used her free hand to throw a quick one-two combination to Rika's chest then face. The assassin had taken a lot of blows but she was far from beaten. A vicious backhand twirled Sakura around, a thin bleeding line torn across her cheeks. Not giving the Angel any time to whirl around and face her again, Rika leapt at Sakura's back claws gleaming in the light. Gasping in pain, Sakura blocked the next blow with her elbow relying on pure instinct since her back was still facing the assassin. Her other elbow shot out and slammed into Rika's right arm blocking the strike before leaping into a perfect back flip Rika's claws raking the air narrowly missing her spinning body. Sakura landed delicately before shoving Rika violently away thanks to a spinning roundhouse kick that caught the assassin in the chest.

Rika recovered quickly and lunged at her again.

Sakura gritted her teeth as she steeled herself for the second round of this deadly duel.

Rika crashed into her and the fight was on.


The roar of motors was the first sign.

Then the powerful glow of multiple headlights appeared.

It was official.

They were stuffed.

"Motorbikes?!?" Meiling managed to splutter between gasping breaths, "Damn it! This is so unfair!"

"Stop it with the tantrums," Tomoyo ordered, "Men. Bikes. Let's deal with that first."

She looked at her friend's attire.

"And somehow I don't think that's appropriate for fighting," she said flatly.

Meiling looked down at herself.

"This?" she snorted still running as fast as she could, "No problem."

She gripped the hemline of her red dress and ripped down tearing the fabric easily. Tomoyo stared as Meiling pulled the tattered fabric away from her body revealing the skin-tight black bodysuit she wore underneath.

"Always be prepared," Meiling smirked with a wicked wink as she threw her ruin dress away.

With the restricting dress gone Meiling's speed quickened as Tomoyo fought to catch up.

"Okay, girl scout," Tomoyo muttered, "But that's not going to help us. I mean they're on bikes and all."

"Fight or flight?"

Tomoyo's wicked grin was her only answer as Meiling stopped and whirled around ready to face the incoming danger.

"Ready?" she asked.

"As I'll ever be."

A phalanx of dark motorbikes roared down the desolate alleyway as the Angels tensed. Piercing beams of light exposed them as the pack shifted each of the machines intent on mowing them and spraying the sidewalk with their blood.

They came, closer and closer, roaring like one-eyed dragons as the Angels leapt into action. Meiling performed a perfect somersault in the air vaulting over the squadron of motorbikes. She lashed out in midair with her right foot and caught one man just below his helmet drawing a choked scream from him as he sailed over the back of his bike hitting the gravel hard and rolling over a few times before coming to a groaning halt. His bike veered off to the right narrowly missing another before it fell to the ground its wheels still spinning, its motor still running.

Meiling landed delicately and watched as Tomoyo took a different approach. She neatly sidestepped a charging bike giving the rider a powerful kick to his exposed back as he sped past before whirling around to meet the next incoming bike. She leap-frogged over him slamming her feet into his back as she sailed past, using the man's back she pushed off gaining extra momentum as she flew right into the next biker tackling him high around the neck bringing both of them down onto the hard ground landing in a snarl of limbs and gasping breaths.

Springing free from the tangle Tomoyo leapt up giving the man one final kick in the ribs as she whirled around and surveyed the damage she has caused. Spotting the bike she had just tackled her victim off, she ran over to it, picking it up and leaping on. Gunning the engine she sped off after the pack of motorbikes that had just tried to take them out.

"Coming?" Tomoyo yelled as she flew past her fellow Angel.

Meiling flashed her a thumbs up as she leapt onto the bike she had taken off her own opponent. She sped after Tomoyo as the platoon of enemies fishtailed around, engines revving up and ready to go.

"CHARGE!!!!" Meiling screamed exuberantly as a cold ruthless smile settled over Tomoyo's face.

Acrid smoke poured into the air weaving a bitter veil around the combatants as they sped straight at each other. Meiling let out another fierce yell as Tomoyo smirked, a plan formulating in her head. With no warning at all, she hit the brakes the engine roaring in protest at the sudden shift in speed. The bike jolted as Tomoyo's inertia flung her forwards towards the first row of bikers she twisted in midair landing a spinning kick to the first biker. He was hurled backwards flying straight over the back of his bike colliding with the man behind him as Tomoyo flipped in midair and miraculously landed right onto the seat of the now empty bike. She perched on top of the moving bike as the bikers started up at her in surprise. She leapt to her left kicking one biker down with a powerful crescent kick to the side. He fell taking his bike down with him as Tomoyo's foot hit the side of the machine. She pushed herself off hopscotching to the next bike and applied the same strategy taking him out with a powerful kick before hopscotching from his bike to her next victim.

She threw a quick glance to check her teammate's progress and smirked as she saw what Meiling was doing. Sparks flew at metal grinded against pavement, somehow the Asian Angel's had fallen on its side and was now skidding along the road with Meiling perched on top of it looking for all the world like a surfer riding a dangerous wave.

She threw herself into a spinning kick taking out one rider before performing a nimble flip in midair. She landed onto the pavement, arms flung upwards as though she was an Olympic gymnast going for gold. She even gave a delicate bow as a wicked smirk spread across her face.

"Nice," Tomoyo noted yelling over the roar of motors and pained grunts as she kicked another man off his bike, "Perfect ten!"

Meiling smiled at her as she calmly walked over to the man she had just knocked out and yanked his helmet off. Weighing the thing in her hand, she sighted and threw it putting all her power before the throw. It stuck one rider in the chest startling him into losing control, his bike swerved sharply to the left crashing into one of his fellow riders as both went down in a cascade of shattered glass and twisted metal. Tomoyo kicked the last rider away as she landed onto pavement nimbly leaping off the last bike.

The two Angels looked around at the mayhem they had caused; several of the riders were coming to moaning quietly in pain as others remained out cold. Bikes was strewn all over the road, motors still running, smoke still belching out from their exhaust bikes. Their headlights were still on illuminating the damage around them.

"Record time?" Meiling asked casually.

"World record," Tomoyo confirmed.

The two Angels smirked at each other as they picked up two of the bikes and righted them. Hopping on, they gunned the engine and sped off away from the scene.

"How far to the warehouse?" Meiling yelled to her friend.

"Four blocks!" Tomoyo shouted back.

Meiling nodded and opened her mouth to ask another question but was rudely interrupted as loud honk ripped through the night air. Both girls braked hurriedly the screeching of their tyres combating with the noise of the honk for dominance.

"What the…" Tomoyo whispered.

Multiple headlights punched through the darkness exposing the two girls as a huge black sixteen-wheel truck roared down the narrow street. The two Angels took one look at the black tinted windows of the truck and gulped.

"RUNNNN!!!" Meiling yelled as another honk ripped through the air.

They gunned their engines as the truck shot straight at them.


Mr. Noir, the esteemed and mysterious boss of Spinnel Corporation, hissed in frustration as he felt the continuing beating of Lilia's traitorous heart.

"Fools," he snarled clenching his fist cursing the idiots that worked for him, "Can't even handle a single woman."

He sat back in his chair as he slowly held his hands up in front of him, cupping the two palms together.

"Looks like I have to do things myself," he whispered.

A string of harsh and ancient arcane words forged by a long-dead civilisation spilled from his lips, they resonated in the dark room, each sound amplified ten fold as though the shadows were hiding an army of demons that growled and roared with bestial rage.

A single seed of light sparked hovering above his palms. Dark bolts of energy crackled around the swirling orb of fire and light; yellow, scarlet, red and black fusing together in a chaotic kaleidoscope. The seed grew as the flames became hotter and hotter, wisps of white smokes danced in the shadows like ethereal spirits as Noir's voice became louder and louder each word becoming more guttural and terrifying. A sudden gale of howling wind swept through the room as Noir's voice roared over the sound of the winds.

The chant reached its pinnacle volume as the ball of flames swelled to enormous proportions.

"BEGONE!" Noir roared.

The ball of fire unleashed a flash of blinding light as it seemed to fold in on itself. Smaller and smaller the fire went until it was just a single dot of light in the darkness and than it simply winked out of existence as the winds calmed down. A chilling smile appeared on Noir's face as he stretched his arms.

"And that's how you get things done."


"Get in, get out, get it done," Nivaline reminded herself as she walked into Santa Barbara Hospital.

She pasted a warm smile on her face as she walked up to the reception desk.

"Hello, I'm some of a friend of a friends," she introduced herself to the bored-looking young man sitting at the desk, "My friend's away on vacation and I'm kind of house-sitting. I just heard that someone she knows was sent here and I just wanted to make sure he's alright… can I please see him?"

"Visiting hours are over," the man told her flatly without looking up from the magazine he was looking at.

Nivaline resisted the urge to grab the back of the boy's head and ram it onto the surface of the desk. She was pretty sure it would be hard to get rid of the blood from the pretty wooden surface… instead she forced herself to inject a bit of wheedling into her voice.

"It's really urgent."

Sensing that she wasn't going to give up soon, the boy sighed and put down his magazine.

"Name?" he asked sounded bored.

"I think its Yamazaki," Nivaline said after a short pause still playing the part of a clueless friend.

The boy typed the name into the computer and waited for a few seconds.

"Sorry," he said, "Nothing."

And then he picked up his magazine and started reading again ignoring Nivaline completely. The former Angel gritted her teeth and curbed her sudden urge to pound the idiot's head in before taking in several deep calming meditative breaths. Without even bothering to glance at the boy at the desk, she strolled confidentially towards the door leading towards the rest of the hospital.

"Hey!" that caught the boy's attention, "You can't go in there! Visiting hours are over."

"Frankly my dear," Nivaline shot him a wicked grin as her voice shifted into a southern drawl, "I don't give a damn."

And with all the majestic grace of a queen she swanned into the hospital wards.


"Damn it!"

Sakura spun Rika around and rammed the assassin into the wall. She ripped her backwards and slammed her against it again and tried for a third time. Instantly Rika's legs shot out and braced herself against the wall, she nimbly back-flipped out of Sakura's grip and sent the Angel stumbling with a spinning snap kick. Sakura was hurled against the rough bricks of the wall but recovered quickly jumping out of the way as metal claws spliced the air hitting the wall with a loud clang.

She kicked Rika away and charged at her, the assassin met her attack front on the two fighters throwing themselves at each other. Rika landed a backhand that rattled Sakura's jaws as Sakura fought back with a quick one-two punch. She threw another haymaker at Rika but the assassin blocked it with her arm kicking Sakura in the chest. The American Angel grimaced in pain but grabbed Rika's arm and tossed her again into the wall.

"What the hell?!?" Lilia's high-pitched screech of horror and shock somehow managed to be heard over the roar of the helicopter ahead as Sakura's risked a quick glance at her.

The former Spinnel employee was looking upwards, a look of disbelief plastered on her suddenly pale face. Sakura glanced up and gasped seeing the night sky. It had turned an ominous blood red and as she watched a section of the sky seemed to bulge as though something was pressed up against it, as though something was trying to punch through. The red intensified as the bulge got bigger and bigger its bulk dragging it downwards to towards the earth, the air seemingly transforming into a viscid liquid. The red light pulsed synchronising itself with the hammering of Sakura's hear as with each beat the light got brighter and brighter slowly shifting from red to orange and finally to yellow. Small tongues of flames began piercing the thick shadows instantly exploding into a raging inferno forming a sheath of fire around the dark liquid the air had become. The ball of liquid shadows and burning flames continued to plummet from the distorted sky connected together by a thin singular thread of shadowy darkness.

And then it snapped, the ball of fire and shadow picking up momentum as the now detached thread of darkness snapped back up into the sky causing it to tremble and revert back into its normal state. Stars once again glittered against the dark canvas as the fireball shot down towards them. It neatly clipped the tail of the helicopter, flames instantly transferring themselves onto the machine racing across the metal in the blink of an eye.

"BOOM!"

In less than a second the flames reached the fuel tank and whole helicopter exploded in mid-air showering molten metal and glass onto the people beneath. Sakura hissed in pain as a shard of heated glass sliced her arm but she had no time to dwell upon it as the ball of fire continued to fall towards them, so close now she can feel its awesome heat.

"Damn!" Sakura raced toward Lilia as the woman continued to gape at the flaming orb, "GET OUT OF HERE!"

She raced towards Lilia determined to get the woman away but was tackled from behind. Rika landed on top of her in a sprawl of limbs as the ball of fire overhead continued its controlled descent only seconds away from incinerating all of them.

"DAMN IT!"


"Damn it," Nivaline growled realising she was horribly lost, "Damn it. Damn it. Damn it. Damn it."

"Excuse me? Do you need something?"

Nivaline whirled around and was greeted with a pair of questioning amber eyes. Long curly tresses of glowing violet hair framed the young woman's oval face, a small smile flitting across her soft pink lips.

"Yes!" Nivaline flashed her a brilliant beam as she kept up her act of a clueless friend, "I'm looking for someone actually."

"A patient?"

"Yes!"

The woman frowned as Nivaline glanced at the woman's nametag. The tag proudly displayed the words Doctor Helen Bruck for all the world to see so Nivaline assumed that was her name or perhaps she was impostor or something… her hazel-green eyes flicked back to the doctor's face.

"Well, visiting hours are over…" Doctor Bruck began.

Nivaline resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

=What's up with this bloody visiting hour thing?= she wondered wearily as the doctor continued to silently debate with herself.

"Name?"

Nivaline genuinely smiled in relief.

"Umm… I think its… Zachary Yamazaki."

Helen's smile immediately vanished.

"Oh."

"Oh what?"

"Come with me," Helen gestured.

She led Nivaline down the sterile hallway as the former Angel frowned in confusion at Helen's abrupt change of mood. Shrugging she followed the doctor as she led her into a ward.

"He's in there," Helens sighed, "There's some bad news though."

"What? Is something wrong?" Nivaline asked worriedly.

Helen nodded gravely.

"A woman… I think his wife… was killed. Sh… she… was shot."

Nivaline froze, her eyes widening with shock as a choked gasp managed to escape from her throat.

"Oh god," she whispered ashen-faced.

Helen nodded sadly.

"I'm sorry," she sighed, "I'm really sorry. Whoever killed her was a good shot, she died instantly if that's some reassurance… she… she didn't suffer."

She left Nivaline standing there stunned in the doorway of Zachary's room. She took a deep breath and steeled herself as she strolled into dim light of the hospital ward.

"Zachary?" she said softly.

"Damn," a familiar voice growled, "Busted."

"What the?" Nivaline's hand shot out, "GUANG!"

A ball of energy instantly manifested itself blazing with white light, the shadows faded as a familiar figure turned around and smirked at her.

"Hey, what's shaking Angel girl?" Psuedo-Sakura smirked.

"Get away from him!" Nivaline commanded, her voice icy cold.

"Oh, him," Psuedo-Sakura reached out with a gentle hand and tenderly stroked Zachary's cheek.

The young man was lying on a typically pristine hospital bed, a starchy white sheet draped across his still form. Several bruises and cuts adorned his face but overall he didn't look badly injured.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Nivaline spat.

"My job," Psuedo-Sakura slowly sashayed away from the bed as Nivaline followed her movements across the room.

"Boo!" Psuedo-Sakura made a small jump towards her as Nivaline hurriedly backed away, "Scared ya!"

"Yue sent you?"

"Aha," the doppelganger nodded.

"Bastard," Nivaline spat.

"Language Nivaline," Psuedo-Sakura taunted, "There are little boys around, little boys that might get hurt."

"And I know some naughty girls that might get hurt as well," Nivaline leapt at Psuedo-Sakura as the doppelganger smirked.

"Finally!"

The first punch caused Psuedo-Sakura's head to snap back, the second causing her to keel over in pain. Nivaline kneed her in the face as the doppelganger growled in pain.

"Ow!" she screamed kicking the former Angel away.

=That hurt= Nivaline grimaced as she backed away wearily making sure to keep Zachary's bed behind her as Psuedo-Sakura grinned at her revealing two rows of pearly white teeth.

"Come on Nivaline, you have to fight harder than that!" she taunted.

Before Nivaline could answer, Psuedo-Sakura was already in movement. Acting on years of training and pure instinct, Nivaline's had shot out and absorbed one of Psuedo-Sakura's blows as she blocked the other with her arm. She kicked the doppelganger in the knees drawing out a hiss of pain from her as she spun around and kicked her away with a deft kick to the chest.

"Hard enough for you?" Nivaline asked arching an eyebrow delicately.

"I'm not finished yet."

"Oh, really?"

Psuedo-Sakura snarled at her and the real fight began.


Sakura head-butted Rika as she risked a quick glance above the fireball was almost upon them. She had to get away soon or they would all be dead.

"Listen to me!" Sakura snarled trying to get through to the silent assassin, "If you don't stop this we'll soon be dead!"

The only reply was Rika's foot slamming into her shoulder jarring her whole body. Sakura gasped in pain but recovered quickly hitting Rika's chin with an open palm.

"Stop it!"


"Stop it!" Psuedo-Sakura screamed.

"Oh, boo-hoo," Nivaline shot back.

Their fight had progressed out onto the hallway, the two combatants trading blows with deadly force. Nivaline spun away from the doppelganger as her fist punched into the wall creating a nice dent into the plaster.

"Stand still!" Psuedo-Sakura bellowed, her face red with frustration.

"Make me," Nivaline shot back.

Psuedo-Sakura's only reply was a mindless roar of frustrated rage.


Sakura was seconds away from screaming in rage.

She deflected Rika's punch but was caught off guard by a crescent kick that sent her skidding across the hard surface of the pavement. She landed amidst the still flaming debris of the destroyed helicopter gasping for breath she tried to get up but winced as pain roared through her whole body.

"Ow," she moaned.

A hard heel slammed into her stomach driving the air from her body as Sakura's head fell backwards striking the hard ground. Wincing in pain she looked up and saw Rika's emotionless face and beyond that the great flaming comet of death that threatened to annihilate all of them.

"Damn it."

She glanced to her right hoping to find a weapon of some sort… nothing.

She glanced to her left.

And saw a piece of glass.


Nivaline's kick propelled Psuedo-Sakura towards the door, the locking mechanism shattering under the doppelganger's weight. Another kick sent the door and Psuedo-Sakura flying, the doppelganger landed in a cascade of shattered glass and different coloured liquids.

Nivaline glanced around and realised they must have entered a supply room of some sort but had no time to dwell on it as Psuedo-Sakura staggered to her feet.

"Bitch!" she roared, her hands snaking out with blinding speed to grab something from one of the shelves that lined the walls of the tiny room. She hurled it at Nivaline as the former Angel's eyes widened in shock. Instinctively her hand shot out and caught the thin metal handle of the scalpel Psuedo-Sakura had just hurled at her. Without a thought she hurled it straight back at Psuedo-Sakura, the doppelganger deflecting the spinning blade with her arm ignoring the thin red bleeding line that the razor edge ripped across her skin.

"You think you can stop me!" Psuedo-Sakura grabbed something else from shelve and clutched it up high, "I will crush you! Just like this!"

With a roar of rage, she exerted her immense strength onto the glass jar. Immediately fractures raced across the smooth surface as Nivaline watched on, the jar shattered drenching the doppelganger with the liquid inside as glass shards sprayed everywhere. One particularly large piece hit the ground and bounced once coming to a rest at Nivaline's feet, the former Angel glanced down and smiled.

She saw what was on the glass.


Sakura's hand shot out and grabbed the long jagged piece of glass and before Rika could react stabbed the assassin with the leg, the pointed edge driving into her flesh. The assassin's head snapped back in a silent scream as Sakura kicked the assassin off her, jumping up she sprinted towards Lilia.

"HURRY!" she yelled as Rika writhed on the ground with pain, "GET OUT OF HERE!"

She grabbed Lilia and propelled her forwards as the fireball crashed into the ground. An explosion of light and flames lit the night sky, concussive waves crashing into the nearby buildings causing several to collapse. Ironically enough it was these waves that saved Sakura and Lilia from the flames shoving them forwards away from danger. They hit the ground and rolled once, a bitter veil of black smoke pouring out from the damage site. An immense crater had been punched into the solid ground, concrete and tar fusing into a solid black mass as Sakura and Lilia gaped at the damage.

"Damn," Sakura whispered filling the stunned silence.

They stood there for a few seconds gasping for breath as towering spikes of flames danced in the bowl of the crater lighting the area with demonic red light like an immense hellish torch.

"That was close," Sakura said grimly, "Hurry up, we need to get you to safety."

She dragged the almost catatonic Lilia away as the flames continued to leap into the air.


She saw what was taped to the glass.

A small paper label with the word, flammable, printed on it in ominous red letters.

"Hey," Nivaline shot Psuedo-Sakura a wicked grin, "Didn't mama ever told you not to play with fire?"

Psuedo-Sakura's eyes widened with shock as Nivaline held out her hand.

"Huo," she whispered.

A small spark of flame danced across the palm of her hand as Nivaline smirked at the magical creature.

"Boom," she whispered throwing the tiny spot of flame at her.

The Angel dived backwards out of the room as the fire ever so gently brushed against Psuedo-Sakura's saturated skin. The flammable liquid soaking her body instantly exploded into flames as Psuedo-Sakura roared in pain.

"This isn't over!" she screamed, "I'll kill you!"

In a bright flash of light, she disappeared as Nivaline smiled triumphantly.

"Shui," she commanded sending a small wave of water into the storage room putting out the small patched of fire that still smouldered within.

Picking herself up she let out a sigh of relief. Instantly she sobered remembering Helen's words and Zachary's condition, she pulled her mobile phone out of her pocket and punched in the numbers she had just memorised a few days ago.

It began ringing as Nivaline paced around the hallway anxiously.

'Hello?'

"Sakura?"


Sakura glanced around the dark surroundings of the warehouse as Lilia cowered in the corner too afraid to move.

"Nivaline?"

'Sakura…' Nivaline sighed, 'You know where I am?'

Sakura gasped remembering.

"Zachary! Chelsea! Where are they? Are they okay?"

'Sakura…' Nivaline's voice was grim.

"Nivaline… what's wrong?"

'Sakura… Zachary's alright.'

"Oh, thank god," a bright smile spread across her face, "You scared me with the grim tone of yours! Don't do that!"

'Sakura… Chelsea's dead.'

"What?"

'She was shot… I think it was a professional that did it… I think they were gunning for Zachary and ended up killing her…'

Sakura felt numb. Chelsea… suddenly her eyes hardened. Without even bothering to talk to Nivaline she hung up as she whirled around and faced Lilia.

"Who the hell did it?" she roared racing at the employee.

Lilia gasped in shock as Sakura dragged her to her feet and held her above her head, the woman's toes dangling several inches off the ground.

"Who the hell did it? Who did you hire to kill Zachary?"

Lilia stared down at her.

"What are you going on about? You know who it is!" she wailed.

"What?" Sakura snarled at her, "Don't play games with me! Who did it?"

"Alicia Rueben!"

"Who?"

She dropped Lilia to the ground as the Spinnel Corporation employee cowered against the cold hard ground.

"Alicia Rueben… you met her… you fought her… you defeated her…" she whispered brokenly.

"Fight?" Sakura's eyes widened as she realised what that meant, "Psuedo-Sakura!"

"What?" Lilia glanced up at the Angel and shivered as she stared at the young woman's icy cold eyes, "You fought… she ended up falling down five storeys…"

"Five storeys? And she's alive?!? What the hell is she?"

A smirk flashed across Lilia's face.

"Alicia Rueben is the final product of Project X-15. A project designed by Spinnel Corporation in conjunction with the U.S. military to create the… perfect solider."

Sakura frowned in confusion.

"What?!?"

"She's a genetically engineered fighter… spliced with the DNA of multiple organisms and mentally conditioned to be the perfect fighter. Among her many abilities, she has a remarkable regenerative rate."

"Where is she?"

"What?"

"WHERE DO I FIND HER?" Sakura growled.

"Her apartment."

"Where?"

Lilia stammered out her address as Sakura smiled in cold satisfaction.

"Good."


Eriol glanced down at the warehouse.

"Is this where they are?" Eriol asked.

"Yes, sir," the helicopter pilot replied.

"Good," Eriol smiled coldly, "Land this thing now!"

"Yes, sir!" the pilot answered smartly.

The helicopter began descending as Eriol readied his gun.

"Revenge is sweet," he whispered wondering what it would feel like to shoot Lilia, the bloody witch who had ruined his life and the one who had forced him into this situation.

=Irony isn't it? I'm the one that's going to kill her and yet if she left me alone I would be on a plane by now=

"Bitch," Eriol's grip on his gun tightened as the helicopter touched down gently.


Lilia began panicking as the sound of a helicopter rumbled through the empty warehouse.

"They're here!" she wailed, her eyes wild, "Protect me! Do something!"

"No."

Lilia stared at Sakura who stared calmly back at her.

"No," a cold smile appeared on Sakura's face, "Fend for yourself."

"But… but…"

"This is how you deserve to die. Not comfortably, not when you're old and wrinkled. Now. Gunned down like the bitch you are."

"But… you… you.. promised!"

"I promised nothing," Sakura spat, "Tell the devil Sakura sent you."

She gripped her talisman as Lilia gaped at her.

"Please! Please!" she screamed, sobs choking her voice.

Sakura ignored her as she summoned her Star wand.

"Move card. Get me away from this filth," she whispered, "Release and dispel."

Pink wings circled the cards mistress as Lilia looked on in shock. The Angel disappeared in a flash of light as the former Spinnel Corporation stared at the spot where she had been standing in shock.

"NOOOOO!!!" she screamed, mindless with fear and despair.

"Hey, Lilia."

Lilia whirled around and stared straight up into Eriol's amused eyes.

"Please, don't… no…"

"Sorry, the boss told me to," Eriol pressed the barrel of his gun against Lilia's feverish forehead, "Any last words?"

"No… no… no…"

"Not exactly memorable," the assassin noted as he pulled the trigger.

Blood splattered the floor as Lilia's body fell backwards her limbs still twitching, her eyes staring into Eriol's with stunned horror.

"But it'll have to do."


"I think we lost it," Tomoyo sighed with relief as she slowed to a stop.

"Finally," Meiling muttered.

It had taken them almost fifteen minutes to lose the crazy sixteen-wheel Spinnel Corporation controlled truck that had tried to convert them into road kill but they had done it… finally.

"So, warehouse?"

"Yep."

Suddenly they froze as bright light flashed through the area.

"Sakura?" Tomoyo whispered.

"Go back home," Sakura commanded softly, "Lilia's dead."

"How?" Meiling gasped.

"Spinnel… too many people. Overpowered me," Sakura said emotionlessly, "I tried to stop them but…"

She shrugged delicately.

"Sakura… are you okay?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.

"Peachy," Sakura held up her wand again, "Just thought you'd like to know there's no point in this anymore."

"Sakura… where are you going?" Meiling asked hoping the answer was home.

"I've got unfinished business."

And with that she summoned the Move card and disappeared again.

"Okay…"


"Ding dong!"

Alicia frowned as she moved to her front door.

"What the hell?" she glanced up at her clock, "At this hour? Who the hell could that be?"

She flung the door open.

"Alicia Rueben?"

Alicia stared at the strangely familiar girl standing in front of her.

"Yeah?"

A punch threw her backwards.


CLIFFHANGER!!!! Sorry for the massive delay but it's almost the end of another school term for me so you know… work… work… work! But holidays are here soon and I'd be able to write a lot more frequently! YAYYYY!!!

Next chapter:

As Sakura and Alicia fight it out, Tomoyo gets another premonition warning her that the Void card is almost about to break free. Determined to retrieve the third book as soon as possible, Tomoyo and her fellow Angels head to Japan but little do they know not only is Psuedo-Sakura on the tail determined to end this once and for all, the second guardian is waiting for them… who is this guardian? And how will Sakura and Alicia's fight end? Find out in… Oh my goddess!

A/Note:

Another massive delay! Sorry! But another very long chapter! Originally it was supposed to include the Sakura/Alicia fight but I decided it was too long already. So to does who were wondering what Alicia was, she is as Lilia explained the end result of Project X-15, a project initiated by Spinnel Corporation and the U.S. military.

Basically the project as designed to create the 'perfect soldier' through genetic manipulation/engineering and mental condition. As a result Alicia is better than your average assassin, she has super-strength, enhances senses and reflexes, fast healing capabilities and a few other tricks up her sleeves…

Anyway, thankful to everyone who reviewed and let's hope the next chapter wouldn't take quite so long…