Wow, your reviews are simply stunning! They make me so happy. ^_^ They also make me want to write faster. Anyway, a lot of you guys are like, "YAY, Voltaire is disowning Kai! Kai can be happy now!" Well, let's just say that Kai is more sensitive than he lets on. Or you could say that he's weird… or you can say that me making him more sensitive is just another excuse for more Kai angst. ^^ Enjoy!

Chapter Ten

* * * * *

"I'm disowning you."

Kai stopped, almost unable to comprehend the words that had just come from his grandfather's mouth.

"What?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

"I'm disowning you," Voltaire continued, as if chatting about a lighthearted topic over tea. "As of this moment, you are no longer my grandson. You're being cut off from your inheritance, as well."

Kai was not as surprised by the actual disownment as much as he was by how much it hurt. It felt as if he had just been slapped and kicked out from his own family tree. He hoped to God that he wouldn't lose his composure and cry right in front of his grandfather.

"You're… disowning me?"

"That's right. You're an orphan now. I was your only living relative, and now, you have absolutely no one to turn to."

Kai stayed silent, and Voltaire went on.

"You know, no one really cares about you, Kai." Voltaire watched him closely, wanting to see how he would react. "Your little teammates… they don't really give a damn. They just stuck with you because of your skill. They knew you would lead them to victory, so they tolerated you until they got what they wanted."

"You're wrong…"

"Oh, am I? You're too high-maintenance. Nobody is going to take the time to break down all your walls just to get to know you. People tire of it, you know. Besides, who's going to waste their time on a pathetic little whelp like you?" he sneered. 

"You're wrong! Tyson cares and there isn't a damned thing you can say that will ever change that! What the hell do you know anyway? You never showed any compassion to me, or anyone else, for that matter! I don't fucking care if you disown me, in fact, I'm glad that I'll never have to see your face again!"

Having said that, Kai left for the last time. The door slammed loudly behind him, and as soon as the sound echoed down the empty hallway, he felt warm tears spill down his cheeks. He sighed shakily and closed his eyes, leaning against the door. For a moment, he willed the world and his wretched life away, pretending that none of it existed. He reached up and wiped his tears away with the back of his right hand and sniffed. Pushing himself off the door, he traipsed down the hallway, rubbing his eyes as he walked. He entered the front desk area.

"Checking out?" Ms. Rurika called out, tapping a sign-out sheet on a clipboard. Kai went and scrawled his name down. Their eyes met momentarily.

"Is everything all right, sir?" she asked, noticing his red-rimmed eyes. Kai barely glanced up.

"Everything's fine. Thanks."

She seemed satisfied. "Have a good one."

Kai mumbled something back to her and left the prison. The bright noonday sun shone brilliantly in the sky, casting its warm rays down mercilessly and blinding him for a moment. He squinted and looked ahead, spotting Tyson's car. He sighed and pushed his bangs away from his face. What he really wanted at the moment was to be alone, but he couldn't just leave Tyson sitting there.

Tyson had his hands clasped behind his head, eyes closed. Music played from the radio, and the longhaired blader hummed to himself quietly. He heard a light knocking at the window, and opened his eyes to see Kai waiting outside. Tyson jerked himself up and unlocked the doors, turning the key in the ignition and turning off the music.

Kai slipped inside without so much as a greeting, gently pulling the door shut behind him. Tyson instantly sensed something was wrong, and wanted to ask right away.

"Kai? Did everything go okay?" he asked gently, trying to make eye contact. He saw Kai close his eyes briefly, and Tyson could've sworn he saw tears glistening on his lashes.

"Kai?"

The former team captain turned his head away, gazing out the window. After a moment, he rested his cheek against the back of one hand. His eyes had a distant look about them, his face slightly disheartened. Tyson paused for a minute longer, and then turned back to the front, starting the drive back to the University.

"Well, I guess you don't want to chat right now, and that's okay. Just remember that when you do feel like talking… I'll be here to listen."

* * * * *

In a dark cell of Tokyo Prison, Voltaire sat on his cot, a phone pressed to his ear.

"He left," he said. A gravelly voice answered.

"Just now?"

"Yes. I disowned him, that impudent little fool."

"You did? What was the point of that?"

Voltaire growled. "Don't question me, Boris," he snapped. "I gave Kai the chance to own Biovolt and become even wealthier, but he flat out refused, that idiot."

Boris let out a chuckle. "I see he hasn't changed at all."

"Not the slightest bit. When are you going to get him to Biovolt?"

"He'll be here by tonight. I had the perfect opportunity last night. Kai was walking alone in the middle of the night in the hallway of the University, but then Tyson came along. Also, I think they heard the sound of my wheelchair, or maybe one of the cameras."

"Simple little mistakes like that… it won't be tolerated."

"Understood. The new plan is flawless. Kai has a major weakness… he seems to have grown quite fond of his friends over the past years."

Voltaire raised an eyebrow. "Maybe he has changed, after all. Not for the better, it seems, though."

"Did you know that him and Tyson Kinomiya have a relationship?"

"No, I didn't. Well, that should make things much more interesting. I'll enjoy ripping them apart." A sadistic smile played around Voltaire's lips. "Yes, I can kill two birds with one stone. What a delight."

* * * * *

For a long time, the car was silent. Tyson concentrated on the road, and Kai seemed to grow more disconcerted by the minute. Presently, he was sitting with his head propped up by one hand, his fine eyebrows knitted together as his tormented thoughts swarmed through his head.

Tyson glanced over quickly and decided that if Kai didn't spill his guts soon, he was either going to give himself a massive stomachache, or a splitting headache. Maybe both. He shook his head. Kai was only twenty years old; he definitely should not be dealing with so much stress.

A pained sigh escaped Kai's lips. His gray eyes were trained unseeingly onto the floor of Tyson's car. In his mind, Kai was cursing Voltaire with every obscenity that he could think of. It was so much easier just to drop all the blame on him. And Voltaire was mostly to blame, if not fully. It wasn't Kai's fault he had a sadistic grandfather who wanted to destroy the world. It wasn't his fault that he had never known his parents, if he had even had any to start out with. And it definitely was not his fault that he didn't want to follow in his grandfather's footsteps, ultimately leading up to the disownment. He rubbed his eyes and rubbed his temples, sighing again.

He felt the car slow down and stop. Reluctantly looking up, he saw Tyson had pulled into the far end of a parking lot, which was mostly deserted. He glanced at him questioningly.

Tyson leaned back and looked at his distraught lover. "All right, Kai, I think it's time you told me what happened back there. I hate seeing you like this, it just kills me," Tyson said, gently, but with some authority in his voice.

Kai groaned softly and pushed his bangs away from his face. He really did not feel like talking, but he didn't want to hurt Tyson, either.

"I know something bad happened, I can see it all over your face," Tyson stated. Kai gave up and lifted his head slightly.

"Tyson… I'm an orphan," he choked out. He hated saying those words out loud, somehow that made it seem more… permanent. More real.

Tyson was confused. "An orphan? Did… did something happen to Voltaire?"

Kai shook his head. "No," he said dully, and then took a deep breath. "He doesn't want me, Tyson. He disowned me."

Tyson let out his breath slowly. So that's what's been eating him, he thought.

"I don't know why I'm so upset. I thought I wouldn't care, I thought I would be glad that I don't have to deal with him anymore, but… I feel the exact opposite." Kai shook his head. "I feel so miserable. I mean, he was my only relative…"

"Oh, Kai, I'm so sorry," he said sincerely. "I didn't know."

"It's not your fault." Kai gently wiped his eyes, looking despondent. "It's okay. You don't understand."

"Well, I'm trying to understand."

Kai looked up and sighed. "Don't bother."

"You'd think you'd want someone who could relate to what you're feeling," Tyson thought out loud.

"I don't want anyone to be able to relate to this," Kai said, an edge to his voice. "You don't understand, Tyson."

Tyson shook his head. "I said I was trying to."

"And I said don't bother."

"I'm just trying to help."

"I didn't ask for your help!"

"Well, I'm sorry for trying to make your life a little easier. I'm trying to identify with you, but it's not my fault that my grandfather loves me!"

A flash of pain crossed Kai's features, and Tyson instantly regretted his words, seeing how much they had hurt him.

"Wait… that came out all wrong…" Tyson said weakly. Kai gritted his teeth, his eyes reflecting anger, sadness, hurt, and utter disbelief.

"I wasn't blaming you," Kai ground out before opening the door and running out before Tyson could say another word.

"Kai! Wait!" Tyson called. The door slammed loudly, and Tyson fell back into his seat with a tremendous groan. He rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Shit," he breathed. "I've managed to screw things up yet again. Way to go. Tyson, you are such an ass," he berated himself. He gazed at his rearview mirror and saw Kai sitting on a deserted picnic table a few feet away from the parking lot. He was seated on the table with his feet resting on the wooden seat, head in arms. Tyson saw his shoulders shaking slightly and winced, kicking himself mentally.

"God." Tyson dropped his head on the steering wheel, blowing out his breath. It was killing him to know that, this time, he was the cause of Kai's pain. He sighed again and wondered how he could ever have hurt the one that he loved more than anything else in the entire world. After a few minutes, he looked over at Kai again and slowly unlocked his door, hoping that Kai would at least listen, even though he was angry with him.

Stepping out of his car, the sun shone down harshly, glinting off of anything that would reflect light. He winced at the brightness of it all, and felt the heat of the afternoon. He nervously made his way over to Kai, who had his forehead resting tiredly on his hand. He was sitting motionless, his gray eyes downcast.

Tyson paused for a moment before slipping into the vacant spot next to Kai. Neither boy said anything, and Tyson heard Kai sigh softly.

"I'm sorry," Tyson began. "I didn't mean to say that, and I'm so sorry that I hurt you, Kai. It was thoughtless and just… so mean. I'm asking you to forgive me. Please?"

"Oh, Tyson, how could I not?" Kai said quietly. Tyson's heart skipped a beat.

"You're not… mad at me?"

"Well, I was. But then I reminded myself that no one's perfect, and your good qualities outshine your bad. I've also been a real bitch lately, haven't I?"

Tyson shook his head, a smile blossoming on his lips. "None of it is your fault, and if I had to go through what you had to, I'm sure I would be much worse." He reached out and took Kai's hand in his, giving it a squeeze. Kai intertwined his slender fingers through Tyson's tanned ones.

"Thank you, Tyson." Kai brought his jaded eyes up to meet Tyson's chocolate colored orbs. He smiled and put his arms around his shoulders. Kai leaned into his embrace, sighing heavily.

"Kai… did Voltaire cut you off from your inheritance?" Tyson asked, playing with a strand of Kai's hair.

Kai paused. "Yes, he did."

Tyson nodded and rubbed his shoulders comfortingly. "What are you going to do about paying for college?"

"I have a separate bank account from his, and I've got enough in there to pay my way through, and then some. After that… I don't know, I'm going to have to get a job eventually."

"Any ideas?"

Kai closed his eyes. "This is what scares me the most."

"What, the future?"

Kai nodded. "People say I'm talented and skilled, but that's in beyblading. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. Besides, you're a better blader than me, anyway." 

"Oh, shut up. You taught me everything I know."

"Yeah, but you did more with it than I did."

Tyson affectionately rubbed his hair. They sat in silence for a moment, enjoying the company of one another. White wisps of clouds streaked the sky, and the sun shone down mercilessly. After a few minutes, Tyson noticed that Kai's eyes were closed and his breathing was becoming deeper and more regular.

"Kai," Tyson said, shaking him gently. "You sleepy?"

Kai mumbled something incoherent. Tyson slid off the table and pulled Kai down with him.

"Damn… I am so tired," Kai groaned. Tyson pushed his grayish bangs away from his face. Kai rubbed his eyes and ran his sleeve across his forehead. "It's hot as hell out here." 

"Well, why didn't you tell me?" Tyson asked, all but dragging Kai back to the car. Once safely inside, Tyson turned the key in the ignition and turned up the air conditioning while Kai fanned his face. Tyson pressed his foot down on the accelerator and settled back to drive home. Kai dozed restlessly on and off. When he wasn't sleeping, Tyson noticed that he would be gazing at the ceiling or out the window with a distant look in his eyes.

Tyson stayed quiet during the drive, not wanting to bother Kai too much. When he pulled into the parking lot and turned off the car, he gently shook Kai's shoulder.

"I'm awake," he mumbled, eyes half lidded. Tyson got out and went to the passenger side, opening the door and carefully helping Kai out. With a heavy sigh, he leaned against Tyson as he heard him lock the car up and shut the door.

"Come on, Kai. We'll just get you inside and you can go to bed," Tyson said, slipping his arm around his waist tenderly. "Sleep for as long as you want, we can cancel our date if you're not feeling up to it." 

"No, don't cancel. I want to go somewhere with you tonight."

Tyson looked down as they entered the elevator. "You sure? You sound really tired."

"I'll be fine. I just have to get away from all this." Kai shook his head. "A few hours of sleep is all I need."

"Okay, if you're sure. I'll come get you at eight." The elevator chimed and they exited into the hallway. Reaching Kai's door, they stopped. Kai found his keys in his pocket, and Tyson took him by the shoulders, looking straight into his eyes.

"You know, this is all going to turn out okay," he said. Kai was drawn to his gaze and couldn't seem to pull away. He nodded weakly, and Tyson leaned down and kissed him gently on the lips. Kai closed his eyes briefly, and when he opened them again, Tyson was gazing down at him with a smile on his face.

"You look so out of it, Kai," he commented, running a hand through his soft hair. Kai sighed lightly and shrugged. Tyson's smile faded, and he rubbed the soft skin on his neck, adoration radiating from his eyes.

"You know, Kai, you are so beautiful," he murmured. Kai felt heat rising in his cheeks. Tyson looked so serious, so intense… and even though he knew he loved him, he was too beat to do anything right now.

"Tyson…" He looked up at him earnestly.

"Hm?"

"I'll see you tonight, okay?" Kai said softly. Tyson smiled and nodded, taking the hint.

"I'm sorry, you're probably about to pass out from exhaustion, huh?" Tyson stepped back and Kai found the right key on his key ring.

"You go and get some rest." Tyson threw him an affectionate glance over his shoulder as he walked down the hall. "See you later, love."

Kai smiled at him and unlocked the door. As he stepped inside, he remembered that he had never called Wyatt back after seeing Voltaire. He shut the door behind him and sighed wearily.

"Hello, Kai. It's been quite some time," a gravelly voice sounded from inside his room.

Kai's blood froze. That voice… he knew that voice all too well. His breath caught in his throat, and he was afraid to turn and look.

"No, no, no, God, please no," he whispered. He shut his eyes tightly.

"Come now, Kai. That isn't any way to treat me. I practically raised you."

Kai turned, his eyes fearful and disbelieving. His stomach lurched when he saw the man sitting in a wheelchair near his table. Those familiar eyes… the straight nose… that mocking smile…

"Boris," he said, the name leaving a bad taste in his mouth. His world was shattering right before his eyes. Just seeing Boris made him want to vomit in disgust. The man was an animal and never ceased to strike anxiety in Kai's soul.

Boris cocked an eyebrow. "You don't look very happy to see me."

"Don't play with me," Kai hissed. "You're trespassing. I could have you arrested."

"Now why would you do a thing like that, especially when your little friend here is at stake?"

Kai's eyes widened. "Wyatt? Wyatt!"

"Kai…"

Wyatt was sitting fearfully on the bed. His wrists and ankles were bound together, and his face was pale. Beside him were three uniformed men armed with guns. One removed his gun from his holster and cocked it right beside Wyatt's head. Wyatt gritted his teeth, his eyes looking in desperation at Kai. Kai's heart sank when he saw the silencers of the guns. They could shoot Wyatt in cold blood and no one would hear. 

"Fucking hell…" Kai said through clenched teeth. His mind was racing. He couldn't let them hurt Wyatt. He cursed again. If I open the door, Kai thought, realizing that he was still standing right in front of it. There are people in the hallway, and Boris wouldn't hurt Wyatt if others saw. His hand moved behind him to the doorknob.

Before anyone could blink, one of the uniformed men aimed and fired straight at Kai. Wyatt screamed his name, and Kai heard him cry out as someone probably smacked him to keep him quiet.

"Kai! No, don't hurt him!" Wyatt cried out again, tears coursing down his face. Kai felt a searing pain go through his shoulder. He groaned and fell to his knees, clutching his shoulder, which was beginning to bleed profusely.

Boris wagged a finger at him. "There will be no escaping this time, Kai. You're coming with us."

Kai's grayish bangs covered his face as he slumped down on the ground, glad for at least one thing: they hadn't shot Wyatt.

Wyatt was scared beyond belief. His breath was coming in gasps. He didn't know who these people were, but he saw sure that Kai had dealt with them before. He couldn't believe that they had just shot Kai right in front of him, and he truly believed that he was going to die.

The uniformed men weren't paying much attention to him anymore. He glanced around and managed to snag a scrap of paper from his textbook on the bed. With some difficulty and a good amount of awkwardness, he picked up his pen and discreetly wrote that Boris had broken into their room and had shot Kai.

"You're the only one with the talent I'm looking for. You will come to Biovolt and we'll proceed from there. And if you choose not to cooperate…" Boris glanced at Wyatt, and Wyatt hid the paper and pen. "Then your little friend will suffer the consequences."

Wyatt quickly scrawled down that they were taking them to Biovolt. Someone might eventually find the note, and at least they would know what had happened.

A pained moan escaped Kai's lips. Blood had soaked through his entire shirtsleeve and was dripping down his fingers onto the floor. His shoulder was afire with pain. He lifted his head, and Boris steered himself over towards him. Kai recognized the whirring sound and gasped slightly.

"You've… you've been watching me?" Kai asked, incredulous. Boris smiled maliciously with a nod.

Kai wanted to rip his throat out. Invading his privacy was a completely different matter. He gritted his teeth and fought to control his temper. His personal moments with Tyson… how much had he seen?

"Bastard," Kai spat out. Boris was unfazed; for years, he had put up with Kai's rude comments and insults. He wheeled himself beside Kai and looked down at him. His wound had bled a lot, but from what Boris knew, Kai could stand much more than a simple bullet. Still, he looked like he was in a lot of pain. Boris tilted his head pensively. Maybe Kai had softened up during the past years… maybe he couldn't withstand quite as much as he could—and did—when he was younger.

Kai was panting lightly, and also completely drawing a blank. Wyatt hadn't moved from his place on the bed, and neither had the guards moved since they shot him. He was aware of Boris's presence right beside him. He was finding it harder and harder to focus on anything, and his vision was starting to dance before his eyes. He groaned softly. He had to do something… anything! He couldn't just let them take him away again. Not after all he'd found with Tyson. And Wyatt… it wouldn't be fair to let him be dragged into all this.

But it would be so easy just to let go and let them do whatever they wanted…

"Come on. We've got to get going," Boris said curtly, addressing the guards that he had brought with him. He steered away from Kai, allowing the men space to reach him. One of them knelt beside Kai.

Kai growled. "Don't touch me."

"Like you'll even be able to do anything about it," the man sneered. He reached out and grabbed Kai's arm.

"I said don't touch me!" Kai pulled back and cuffed the guy hard. He yelped in surprise, and the other two men instantly appeared by his side. One of them drove Kai back hard against the door, eliciting a moan of pain from the younger boy.

Wyatt was shaking in fear, but managed the stuff the note a few inches under the covers on his bed. He closed his eyes and tried to calm himself, but couldn't help it. Kai was over there struggling for his freedom, and he was helpless. He prayed that someone would come in and put a stop to all this, but no one came.

He winced and his eyes watered as he heard a stifled cry come from Kai, and then felt his heart stop when he saw him go limp in the man's arms. He gasped involuntarily.

"Oh, my God," Wyatt whispered, thinking the worst. Did they just kill him? He took a closer look and saw that Kai's chest was still moving. His blood had stained the carpet and smeared on the door, leaving wispy red marks against the wood. Wyatt suddenly saw a guard next to him. He pulled him roughly to his feet, but Wyatt stumbled because of the bonds that held his ankles together. Boris saw this and growled.

"Take those damned things off, that boy's harmless. He's just a hostage," he snapped. The guard bent down and untied them, and Wyatt instantly ran over to Kai. He fell to his knees beside his limp form, still resting in the man's arms.

"What are you going to do to him?" Wyatt asked frantically, not caring that these people probably had the power to kill him, or worse. The guard growled and pulled him to his feet, yanking him away from Kai.

"Knock him out and get him to the vehicle," Boris commanded. "We don't have time for this."

"Wait! Can't you at least tell me what's going on?" Wyatt yelled in frustration. The last thing he saw was Boris chuckling slightly. Then, there was nothing but black.

* * *

TBC

* * *

Finally. Some action. Do you guys remember in The Task Of Leadership near the end where the Abbey totally fell apart after Kai launched Black Dranzer? Well, Boris was majorly injured in the accident, and ending up being paralyzed from the waist down. Thus, the wheelchair. That was for those of you who might have been wondering… review please! Hmm… Rei should be in the next chapter…