Disclaimer: I don't own YYH.

Thanks to my reviewers:

kurama and hiei fav girlf- Glad you like it! Here's your update!

firefox017- I'm glad you like it so far! I updated Revenge of the Spirit a few days ago, so check it out if you want. Thanks for the support! (gives cookies to the group of authors)

A Life of Rules is No Fun- I'm extremely glad you're enjoying it! (blushes)Thanks so much for the great reviews! Finally here's the update!

I'm really really sorry I haven't updated!! School's been hectic and my life is crazy, so what can I say? I'm trying my best to update my fics as often as possible, so please be patient! Thank you so much for understanding! Enjoy this chapter and please review!!

.....................

Hiei groaned as he slowly came to. Where was he? What had happened?

He remembered capturing the thief, Runae, and Kurama contacting Koenma. Then Runae had broken loose, somehow. He remembered being attacked from the rear, the small army of demons. He remembered the battle. Blood, so much blood.

Then...nothing. Zip. Zilch. Nada. However you put it, there were no memories beyond that point. Except...pain. He remembered pain.

What was that? Voices? Yes, they were voices. But whose? He strained his ears. A soft, polite voice filled them.

Kurama.

The name drifted into his consciousness. Yes, Kurama. The fox demon. That was who the voice belonged to. But why was it filled with pain?

And then there was another. Cold, harsh, arrogant.

Runae.

The Junik.

That was who it must be.

It was one of the last voices he had heard before passing out on the battlefield, and it was not easily forgotten.

Hiei slowly became aware of the conversation.

"...join me."

"Join you?" Kurama's voice asked.

"Yes. Together, we can take control of the three worlds," Runae answered.

"Never!" Kurama spat.

Hiei opened his eyes to the odd scene. Kurama was hunched over on the floor, looking tired and very wounded. He was behind bars, just beyond which Runae stood, glaring down at him. Hiei noticed that he, too, was in a cell. His Jagan told him that something more than just bars kept him from escaping. He guessed it was a type of force field.

Then he turned his attention back to the others.

The Junik smirked. "...Yusuke Urameshi, the leader of your rag-tag band, one of the most powerful beings ever to live, will fall right into my grasp."

"You're wrong! They will defeat you!" the kitsune yelled.

Runae chuckled darkly. "I think not."

Hiei watched as the Junik marched out of the room, his boots clanking slightly on the metal grates that lined the floor outside the fire youkai's cell.

Kurama bowed his head, fighting the wet tears that threatened to leak out of his eyes. This was impossible. No one could possess a weapon of that kind.

Maybe Runae was telling the truth. Either way, he and Hiei were the guinea pigs for his experiments, and Yusuke was in grave danger.

It was useless. His Spirit Energy was gone, he was wounded, in pain, trapped, with no way of escape, freeing his friend, or warning the Detective. Then a sound pierced the silence.

"K-kurama?"

The voice echoed through the silent chamber.

&&&&&

Touya's back hit the stone wall. He cried out in pain and dropped to the floor.

"That's enough," an arrogant voice said. Instantly the attacks on the Ice Master ceased. Touya opened his eyes slowly. A boot stepped into his vision. "So, you're the Ice Master," the same voice said.

A rough hand grabbed Touya by the front of his tattered shirt and hauled him to eye level. "You sure are scrawny enough. You don't look like any Master of the elements. If your team leader gave me the wrong person...but enough of that. More on why I brought you here."

Touya's pupiless blue eyes burned with hatred. So this was his tormentor.

"Don't look at me that way," his captor said. "We'll never get to know each other as long as you look at me that way."

Suddenly Touya's hand was at the demon's throat, around it a sword of ice, small but still sharp. The two guards made as if to restrain him, but their master raised a hand. They backed off.

"Very good," the youkai said, setting the Ice Master's feet on the ground. "Even though most of your energy is gone, you still have enough to control your power. You will be a very strong ally."

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you," Touya hissed.

"Because you'll never get out of here alive if you do," the demon said.

At that moment, a well-aimed kick smashed into Touya's right knee, forcing him to cry out and drop to the ground. Another kick to the chest sent him tumbling until he lay sprawled across the floor.

"Besides," the demon continued, towering over the groaning Ice Master, "I was hoping we could be friends."

He pulled Touya up to eye level again. "Let's play a little game. I tell you something about me, and then you tell me something about you. Let's start with names. My name is Runae. What is yours?"

Touya didn't answer. He just glared.

Runae tried again. "I'm a Junik. In case you don't know, that's a race of elven-like demons. You are...?"

Again Touya didn't respond.

Runae sighed. "Might as well tell you why you're here. I am currently attempting to conquer the three worlds. I was wondering if you'd like to join me in my attempt."

Touya spat in his face.

Runae growled and threw him into the wall. "Fine. Have it your way. You'll soon learn some respect."

He and his guards walked out of the cell. They closed the door and secured the force field. Then they walked away.