Warnings/Notes: This is going to be shounen ai (guys having romantic relations with other guys), so if you don't like it, please beware of this fic.

Oh! And this is AU (alternate universe) where there is no bladeing and stuff.

Disclaimer: It's still not mine! (And never will be --;)

Chapter 2

After a long trip by plane and car Tyson and Rei stood in the main street of the central town in Kerch.

"You weren't joking when you said that this was a small country," commented Riley as he glanced around.

"Just be thankful they speak English."

"Point taken."

"Okay, this is what we're doing. We'll split up. We're looking for Kai Hiwatari," Tyson pulled a photo out of his pocket. It was blurry and the features of the person that was in it were not clear, "He's tallish, with hair that's dark blue at the back and is light at the front. He's got auburn coloured eyes and he's around 19 years old. Probably around the same age as you. I don't have a picture of Max, but he's a blonde with blue eyes. He's younger than me, around 18, but he looks and acts like he's a 12 year old."

Rei gave Tyson a look, "He's 18 and he looks like he's 12?" he asked sceptically.

"Well………………" Tyson made a face as he tried to explain it, "I mean he's the kind of person that looks younger than they are………………." Tyson trailed off, "Oh! You'll know what I mean when you see him, if you see him that is."

Rei nodded still a little unsure, "Alright………."

"Good. Now let's get looking."

Max got out of the car and stretched, "This is Kerch?" he asked Kai. "It's not much to look at."

Kai didn't answer him, and instead, looked at Hilary, "Is this where you wanted to go."

She nodded, and said quietly, looking at the ground, "I guess."

Even though she had seemed to be a cheerful person when they'd first picked her up, she hadn't said very much during trip there. Max had basically prattled on while she said things like, 'yes' 'no' and 'sounds good.'

"Do you want to have a coffee or something to eat with us before you go?" asked Max, "We're staying here and apparently there's a good restaurant. I'll pay!"

Hilary nodded "Err……………… Sure, I guess. If that's alright."

They went inside and sat down and ordered lunch.

While they waited, Max talked about how they travelled and how much he enjoyed it. And as with most people that were confronted with Max's bright, cheerful and outgoing attitude, Hilary opened up and started to talk more than she had been before, while Kai just sat and listened.

"So have you been anywhere exciting?"

Hilary shook her head, "No, but I'd like to. Unfortunately I don't think my father would let me. He's very strict. He doesn't really let me do anything."

"How old are you?"

"18."

"Aren't you old enough to make your own decisions now?"

"Yes, but you don't understand. He's very powerful. He's-" she suddenly stopped taking, as if she had caught herself saying something she shouldn't.

"He's what?" asked Max.

"Nothing."

Max looked disappointed, "Aw, you can tell me! Is it a secret? I'm really goods at keeping secrets," He stopped and glared at Kai as he made a funny noise and looked like he was trying not to laugh, "I AM good at keeping secrets. Ignore him."

Hilary looked unsure, and after a long pause, said, "Well………………he's rich. Very rich. He has a lot of influence over people and could make life very difficult for me if I disobeyed him."

"But you ran away from him, didn't you?" asked Kai.

"Yes, but-" Hilary was cut off when a hand landed heavily on her shoulder.

"Miss Balkov."

Hilary's eyes widened and she looked scared. Without turning to see who it was she asked softly, "Yes?"

"You're father has been very worried for you," said the man that was holding her. He wasn't extremely large, but he looked formidable. Behind him were two other men and a woman.

Max glared at them and stood up, "Who are you?" he demanded.

The man glanced at Max idly, before saying, "You must be new here."

"And so what if I am? Who are you? And let go of her!"

"Who am I Miss Balkov?"

Hilary who had remained still and silent for the entire confrontation, suddenly started squirming in an effort to get out of the man's grasp, "My fathers lackeys! And I'm not going with you!"

"But you are my dear, and we're not his lackeys," he said, turning to Max, "We're her bodyguards."

"You seem to be causing her more harm than good," commented Kai.

The man now directed his attention on him, "What was that?"

Kai rolled his eyes, "Would you like me to repeat myself using more simple words so you can understand? Let her go. Any fool can see that you're hurting her."

The man sneered at him, "No," and with that he wrenched Hilary out of her seat and started pulling her towards the exit.

Max and Kai both stood to stop him, but they were blocked by his three companions.

"Let it be," said the woman, "You don't know what this is about, or what you're getting into."

Max moved forward, ignoring her, and suddenly found himself face to face with a gun.

The man holding the gun said nothing, but the woman said, "Stay here, and don't try to follow, because you'll regret it."

With that said, the tree of them disappeared out the exit, obviously headed to wherever the first man and Hilary were.

Max stood there for a few seconds before he turned to Kai, "Let's follow them."

Kai looked at the chair that Hilary had been occupying and then at the exit, "No."

Max looked shocked, and then seemed to explode, "BUT WE CAN'T JUST DO NOTHING!"

"What can we do?" Kai questioned quietly.

Max scowled at him for a good minute and then stormed back to their table and flopped despondently into a chair.

Kai followed suit with a little more elegance.

There was a period of silence, in which Kai hoped Max would calm down.

"I can't believe we just let them take her!" Max burst out angrily.

Kai sighed at the fact that it seemed Max wasn't going to compose himself quickly or easily, and waved a waiter over and ordered coffee, cancelling their previous orders of lunch.

When the waiter had left with the new order, he said in the hope of bringing Max back to his senses and out of his current emotional turmoil, "We didn't really have a choice, or have you forgotten that gun they had?"

Max seemed to calm down a little, but appeared to be sulking.

"Besides," continued Kai, "Don't you find it a little peculiar that we were just held at gunpoint, and a young girl was kidnapped, in the middle of a crowded room, and nobody even looked up?"

A coffee was placed in front of him, by a waiter who said, "That would be because the girl was Miss Hilary Balkov. Daughter of Count Balkov."

Max was given his drink as well.

"This would be about the tenth time she's run away this month. It's a regular occurrence, ever since her brother disappeared."

"Her brother disappeared?" asked Max curiously.

The waiter nodded, "His name was Daichi. He was younger than her, around 15. They looked nothing alike, but they were very close. He was a nice boy, but he was very determined, and frequently got himself into trouble."

"I know you said that this happens often," said Kai, "But how come nobody does something when the guards hurt her?"

The waiter shrugged, "Nobody does anything because it's normal. The guards that came and got her are locals. Everyone here knows them, their regular customers."

"Do you know their names?"

"Only the first names. The man who grabbed her is Kane. The woman is Salima, and the two other men are Jim and Gauche."

Kai gave the waiter a small smile, "Thanks."

"Glad to be of service."

As the waiter left Kai noticed that Max was still sulking.

"You're mad at me."

Max gave him a spiteful look, "You could have done more."

"For a girl we hardly know? You're being overemotional. You're habit of getting close to people in short amounts if time will be your downfall."

"It's better than being a heartless bastard. God only knows what they'll do to her!"

"They'll take her back to her father where she belongs. And besides, I'm sure we'll see her again."

"And what makes you so sure of that."

"Her name."

Max stopped sulking and looked curious, "Her name?"

"Balkov."

"What about it?"

"Well………….. when I was researching about where the counterfeiting was going on, I also discovered who was doing it……………"

Max thought for a second and then grinned, "Her father!"

"Count Balkov," stated Kai, and took a sip of his coffee, "I had my suspicions that she may be somehow involved when we picked her up in front of that enormous mansion-"

"It wasn't that big," interrupted Max.

"It is to someone whose family isn't loaded. Anyway, if she's his daughter, and we want to move in on his business, I'm sure she could be very helpful."

"Can we go and rescue her?"

"Oh, I'm sure her father would really love us if we did that."

Max looked disappointed, "Oh."

"But I'm sure becoming her 'best friend' would be helpful."

Max brightened at this, "Really?"

"Yes. Now drink you're coffee. It's getting cold."

After a few drinks, Max seemed to be completely over the abduction of Hilary. He stood, smiling, "Can I go and have a look around?"

"I'm not your keeper," replied Kai not seeming to care.

"Do you want to come with me?"

"No, I'll stay here, finish my coffee and then go outside and have a look around………………………….. Just make sure you don't get lost or come back too late. I don't want to have to go looking for you."

Max saluted and said cheekily, "Yes sir!" and left.

Kai glared after him and muttered, "Insolent little………….." he trailed off and took a sip off his coffee.

…………………………..

Rei scowled as he walked down the main road for what seemed like the millionth time.

He hadn't seen anyone that fit the descriptions that Tyson had given him, and the only suspicious thing he'd seen all day was just as he and Tyson were going to spilt up. A man had dragged a girl out of an inn and into a car, being joined by two other men and a woman shortly after.

They'd gone over to help to girl, but were too late, and upon demanding a man that had been standing right next to the car why he hadn't helped, they had been told that they were the girl's body guards.

Now bored, frustrated and angry and the seeming pointless, time consuming job he was doing, he didn't pay any attention to where he was going until it was too late………….

Max watched as the guy who had just walked straight into him stood up, brushed himself off, and glared at him.

Even though it hadn't been his fault, he apologised, "I'm really am sorry."

Rei looked at him and gave him a small smile, "Its okay. I wasn't paying any attention to where I was going."

Max laughed and absentmindedly brushed a strand of hair out of his face, and said, "Yeah, I wasn't really either."

Rei took in the blonde hair and blue eyes and frowned as he remembered what Tyson had said;

"………………….I don't have a picture of Max, but he's a blonde with blue eyes.

He's younger than me, around 18, but he looks and

acts like he's a 12 year old………….."

"Hey, what's your name?"

Max smiled and laughed for no apparent reason, "Who want's to know?"

"I do."

"Why's that?"

"That's for me to know."

"I was taught not to give my name out to strangers."

"My names Rei. And now I'm not a stranger."

Max pouted cutely, "You don't like to play around, do you?"

Rei shrugged and decided to just tell the truth, "It's just that I'm looking for someone, and I only know what their name is and have been given a brief description of them, which you, may I say, seem to fit."

Max gave Rei an appraising look, "Are you a detective or something?" he asked in a mock accusing tone.

"Yes."

Max pondered his situation and came to a decision. Kai always seemed to have fun toying with an enforcer of the law, so why couldn't he? "Max. My names Max Mizuhara."

TBC………………………..