Hello everyone, I know the story is going kind of slow but patience is a virtue! Anyway, here is chapter five, enjoy.

storm-of-insanity -- thanks a lot for the reveiw, and yes it was Tala, I tricked you there for a while didn't I! Ahh, I love twists. About the spy organization, well, your just going to have to read and find out!

whitewinged stallion -- I know, but like I said before, cliff hangers are so much fun when your writing them! I bet you thought it was going ot be Kiwi that something happened to, didn't ya? Fooled you! Thanks for the reveiw!

Getting Ready

I woke up slowly as light filtered through an open window and penetrated my sleep filled eyes. I groaned and covered my eyes with my hands, rolled over and tried to get back asleep. I could hear something in the background, a distant voice? Oh well, it's unimportant, or at least less important then my sleep.

"Come on Kat, we don't have all day, you need to wake up now! We're not even at home, and we have visitors. Besides, Kai said he wants his room and bed back." What? I sat up quickly and glanced around, I'm definitely not in Kansas anymore. The room was all black velvet and red silk. Ooooooh, I'm impressed.

"I'm awake… Mila! You're okay!" I lunged out of the bed and jumped on Mila, making us both tumble to the floor. She screamed and we started to wrestle like we did when we were little. We were still doing this when Matt, Kai and some other unknown people filed into the room.

"Really you two, is this the time to be doing this?" Matt was grinning as he helped pull us apart and we giggled insanely. Then I realized that there were unknown people in the room. I shrieked and ran to hide behind Kai who had been heading for another door.

Matt and Mila rolled there eyes and glanced at each other as Kai tried to get around me and make it to the door. Finally he just sighed and picked me up, threw me over his shoulder and entered the, the bathroom! Oops, so this is where he was heading.

"Kat, as funny as this is I wanted to get change and my room is occupied. I'm tired because I gave up my bed, because you were hurt. I'm developing an eye twitch because of you; you are the most difficult person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." It looks like he's a little ticked off, and he's right! He does have an eye twitch!

"I'll go hide in the shower if you want, holler when you're done." I was about to slip into it when he grabbed my arm and pulled me to the door.

"I don't think so; it's time you got used to meeting new people. Besides, these are my friends. They'll be nice." Oh dear, Kai seemed to be in a good mood, I don't think I like it when he's in a good mood, and he said he was tired. Liar. I was shoved out into his room again with the door shut in my face.

"Well, that wasn't very nice." I turned to find everyone looking at me again. Jeez, I hated doing this, I remember when Matt and Lily did this to me once, it was so not fun. I started to edge for the door out into the hall when Matt grabbed my arm. What is it, 'everyone grab Kat's arm and drag her about' day.

"This is Kat, though we mostly call her Kiwi, long story, don't ask. Kiwi this is Max, Hilary, Tyson, Mariah, and Ray. Ray was the one that fixed your shoulder, not that you noticed the gash was gone." Matt seemed to be happy too, why was everyone so happy right now?

I gave everyone a little finger wave as I started to head towards the door again. I knew I was blushing like mad, I hated it when I did this, why couldn't I be normal? Matt refused to let me go and dragged me over to a chair and making me sit. I looked up at everyone nervously and then my eyes focused on Ray.

"Hey, you're the guy from the green picture thing!" Dead silence, oops. "I meant thanks for the fixed shoulder… hey, how did you do this! There is hardly any mark at all!" Matt sniggered and Ray smiled as I stuttered and blushed again.

"It's a trade a secret, if I told you I would have to kill you." This statement brought dead silence until the pink-haired one, Mariah, smacked Ray on the shoulder and everyone else fell about laughing. "I'm joking, I'm joking!" Ray was saying over and over again while he was trying to avoid getting hit my Mariah.

"We don't know how he does it but he can heal anything so that's what we make him do." I turned and… Hilary was sitting on the arm of the chair. She seemed okay, "Tyson! Get off of there right now, how old are you, TWO!" She jumped up and raced over to Tyson where they started to bicker. Oh jeez, maybe I spoke to soon, she's kind of scary.

"Hey guys, we've finally got a message!" Everyone stopped talking and turned to the little guy that had just entered the room. He had this laptop with him and he set it down on a table. That's weird, who has a table in their bedroom?

"So everyone sit down and shut up, where's Kai anyway?" I gasped and went over to look. The computer was talking, that's impossible, computers don't talk!

"I'm right here, Kenny." He said as he dragged me back to my chair and whispered, "Yes, his computer does really talk, that's why he won't get rid of it and get a better one." Everyone was sitting down now so Kenny clicked a few buttons and a voice echoed around the room.

"This is 7-9-4-0-2 reporting from sector 2-6-0-1. Tala has been spotted coming out of a gate with approximately 75 other men and women. The hostage has been spotted and is in no harm for the moment. HOT DAMN! Sorry, that was off the record, she just gave Tala a nice right hook, it looks like his lip split! Sorry again. They have six wagons with them and are moving slow heading North-East. It will take them a couple of days to reach any sort of community and by tomorrow they have to enter Gigan forest."

So, they were still trying to find Lily! I was actually worried that now that she disappeared they weren't going to help anymore. Kai was frowning thoughtfully and staring off into space as Max, Tyson and Kenny were discussing possible rescue plans. Everyone else was having some big discussion over in the corner… well, except me.

"Hey, I just remembered something, before I blacked out Tala said; he said 'if you want to something, something Veronica?'" Everyone was staring at me again, yeesh, it's not my fault I just remembered.

"You met Tala?" That was the girl with the pink hair… oh yah, Mariah, I can't seem to remember her name!

"Well, we fought and then he shot Mila and Lily and I got mad and then I can't really remember what happened. Only that he said something about Veronica." Hmm, maybe I should run away again, now Kai looks kind of mad. I think he forgot to take his medication today or something because usually he's all emotionless and now two different emotions in one day!

"Tala was the one who gave that to you, wow, if that was all you got then you must be amazingly good." Max was staring at me in admiration and he would have gone on if Kai hadn't interrupted him.

"You went into another blood rage?" Well, I wish he hadn't brought that up though I guess it was my fault since I had made it so obvious.

"Yah, I guess so, like I said I can't remember." Ray was looking at me weird now too, maybe I should distract them? "What did happen that night, and where are we?"

After that everyone started talking at once but this is what I got out of it. Matt and Kai's part of the plan had worked and they came out of it with only a few scratches. Tala had shot Mila and Lily with a tranquilizer gun so Mila wasn't hurt at all. After Tala had left everyone else had retreated until the warehouse was empty and Matt had found Mila and me both unconscious. So Kai had offered to let us spend the night at his place and gave Mila and me his bed while he and Matt slept in the living room. After he had called in a bunch of his friends.

"Well, that's cool, has anyone called our parents?" Mila and Matt looked at each other and jumped up, racing for the phone. "I'll take that as a no." I was a little more comfortable with Kai's friends now, they're really nice, and not like Kai at all actually. Tyson seems to annoy the hell out of him too; I think I could get used to these guys.

"School has already started for the day so we're just going to sneak in, get you to Veronica's class then sneak out again. Everyone is to remain in their positions, if this is a trap we need to be prepared for it…" Kenny was going over the plan, again, and I think my butt has fallen asleep. "Okay everyone; move out into your positions!" I tried very hard not to laugh because Kenny sounded so ridiculous saying that.

I jumped out of the van with Matt and Kai close on my heels. They were going to come with me and Veronica had better look out! Matt had a pale scar on his cheek now from where someone had cut him yesterday and Kai, well Kai always looked intimidating so everything works out okay.

We went directly to Veronica's class, which also happened to be mine. Kai opened the door and went in first, checking to make sure that there weren't any guys standing with sword in hand I guess. I followed with Matt behind me. My teacher, Mrs. Coal, was standing in front of the classroom speechless with anger. I would probably be mad too if two crazy sword bearing guys entered my class room too.

"I'm really sorry Mrs. Coal but I really need to talk to Veronica." I went over to her desk and dragged her to the corner by the door. Kai stood guard while Matt and I interrogated Veronica.

"What do you know about this guy?" Matt asked as he held up a picture of Tala for her to see.

"I don't have to tell you anything and don't think you can make me either. She got what she disserved." She shouldn't have said that, now I was going to do something drastic. I yanked my knife out of its sheath and buried it into the wall right by her head.

"Listen you, may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits if you don't tell me!" Both Matt and Veronica looked at me really weird and I shrugged. "Sorry, I don't know where that came from. I heard my mom say it once and it sounded kind of cool." Matt just shook his head and glared at Veronica, putting his hand forward and yanking the knife out of the wall.

He handed it back to me and said, "How about Kat gives you a pretty scar to match mine?" He said with an evil grin. "Then maybe I'll cut your hair and restyle your clothes." Veronica paled and swallowed visibly, so I wasn't very good with the verbal threats but the physical ones were right up my alley.

I moved closer and brought the knife up to her face. "Okay, Okay! I'll tell you just don't ruin my perfect face!" At this I rolled my eyes and motioned for her to continue. "He said he was doing this to get back at you, you obviously had done something to annoy him and his partners. So he said he was going to ransom her for your co-operation and I wanted to get back at you guys for humiliating me in front of everyone…"

"Anything else?" Veronica frowned and cocked her head to one side and a slow smile spread across her features.

"Well, I did overhear him talking on the phone to someone. He was going on about how if he did this there would be nothing else; he would be free from them. This whole 'free' thing was really important to him and then they just started going on about 'preparing for the hostage' and 'Mirror Lake.' That's all I know, can I get back to class now?" Kai touched my shoulder and I turned and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"That's enough; we have all the information we need. Let's get out of here." With that he moved towards the door using his little green phone thing again, I really need to ask him about that. He motioned for us to follow and we left as quickly as we came.

I turned and found Mrs. Coal glaring at our retreating backs so I gave a little wave before we left making her go red in the face with anger. Hehehe that was too much fun.

When we were all back in the van I asked Kai about his phone thing. "It's a computer; everyone on the team has one." I just gave him a look making him roll his eyes at me. "It does everything; it's a computer, a phone, even a scanner. When we get back to my place I'll give you one." We rode back to his place in silence.

"Here, you just have to press it onto the side of your face, and don't worry, it's water proof. I have never taken mine off since I put it on, about three years ago." Max was currently helping Matt, Mila and I to hook up one of those cool computer things. Since we were all going to help get Lily back they decided they had better gear us up.

"Hey Maxie, I've got the belts you were asking about!" Tyson came in with three plain black belts held up and a grin on his face. "Here, put them on." We all clipped them around our waists and stood there, waiting.

"I feel so dumb right now," Mila muttered underneath her breath. Max started to grin too and picked up her… MY claws.

"Here," he reached over and pressed them to the side of the belt and they disappeared!

"Where did they go? Those were mine, I liked those!" Max and Tyson started to laugh at me as I glared at the both of them.

"Don't worry, there right here, see?" Max reached out and his hands went to grab something and then all of a sudden he had the claws in his hand! "If you get good at it you can actually have them come out on." Max demonstrated and we all stood there with our mouths open.

"I don't wear my sword on my belt though." I nodded agreement with Matt; I also wore my twin blades on my back, much easier to pull out. Mariah chose that moment to come in with another piece of equipment.

"That's what this is for, it looks like a choker but you can see the clips on the back. I wouldn't advise putting more than five things here though." She gave everyone a grin, and her decidedly feline teeth peeked over her lip. She went over to Matt and slipped the choker on, then passed him his broad sword. Matt took it out of his sheath and went to put it over his shoulder where it disappeared.

"Hey, Tala had one of those! He brought out this giant ax out of nowhere!" Everyone looked at me strangely and I shrugged. "I can't really remember that afternoon very well. It's all blurry and small details keep on popping up out of nowhere."

"Come on, we need to get the rest of your stuff before we can head out. With the belt you can carry everything; weapons, clothes, food and water." We all nodded and I accepted the choker. We were going to stop at our places and then head out in the morning, I was missing school but it doesn't seem important anymore.

"Let's go then, I want to get back before it's to dark so we can go over the plan again." I turned as Kai came in and smiled, I was not going to fail again.

Ok guys, I would really appreaciate it if you would reveiw, I've had a million (well, I might be over exaggerating a little)people read the story but only a few of you reveiw! I'm not going to update again until I get five more reveiws, so I'll be at fifteen. Thanx bunches!