Chp. 4

"I have never seen someone eat so much Ramen in just one day." Spoke the aged George Silentos. He was the residential doctor on the southern section of the Archos Base. He was also Alex personal doctor as well as a people doctor. Speaking of Alex, yes he had survive with only a bump on his forehead but he was still admitted to the South Archos Medical Hospital. And he was rushed straight to the care of his favorite doctor. They have known each other for many many years.

Standing in one of the more simpler rooms that rested on the west wing of the hospital, George turned from Alex to Kristi and said, "The guy has a clean bill of health. I'm surprised that he isn't dead though. The heat alone should have been enough to kill him."

Kristi laughed quietly and replied, "Yeah I know. But what can I say but he's not human."

George laughed wholeheartedly and then turned to Alex. He watched him for a moment going through his tenth bowl of steaming Ramen and asked, "Alex how did you survived that anyways?"

Alex looked up for a moment with his mouth full of Ramen and tried to talk but only got food-filled mumbles.

George placed his hand on his face and said, "Please Alex, have some manners."

Alex nodded and mumbled out, "Okay." Then he swallowed the mouthful of Ramen in one gulp.

George just stared at him while Kristi nearly gagged.

"Do you even chew?" Asked George incredulously.

Alex shook his head, "Only when I'm not that hungry."

George gave up. He would never understand where it all went or how he took it down like that.

Alex started laughing aloud then said, "Hey, you want to know how I came out with only this bump on my forehead, right?" He pointed to the bandage that George had just put on there only moments ago and continued, "Well, when Ace came all pissy at me, I pretty much freaked. But even though I knew that I had lost I didn't want to die. So I got my Ac to jump up just enough so the blade would strike the lower part of the Ac. After that, I just flipped out of my seat and clung to the ceiling as best as I could. Afterwards though I fell and hit my head on the front panel. Go figure, I didn't get hurt by the attack but I got hurt by my own hand."

Both of them looked at him like he had lost his mind. Kristi was the first to speak though, "What about the heat? Wasn't it hot?"

Alex exploded, "Hell fucking yeah it was hot! What do you think it was, an igloo!"

Kristi glared at him and merely replied, "Don't get snippy with me. I am your contact by the way. I can arrange your death without you even knowing."

Alex suddenly came in and said, "Good for you to say that. I'll be looking for that in the future."

Suddenly, a voice was heard from outside the room. It sounded like a little girl catching the attention of a lot of people outside, of course for all the wrong reasons.

"Hai! Get off! I must see Alex-san!"

"No you can't go in there!"

"Yes, the Doctor is seeing him right now!"

"Hai!"

Somebody's body the hit the wall.

"Stop her!"

"Get her!"

"Hai!" Two more thumps slammed into the wall and caused some objects on the countertop to fall off and break against the floor.

Alex looked at Kristi and Kristi was mesmerized by the sounds from outside.

"Get the guards!"

"Hurry sedate her!"

"HAI!"

This time it was about five bodies hitting the wall.

Alex decided that before he was next that he should leave. So he quickly rolled out of the bed and started for the window looking over the parking lot. Sure it was a five-story drop, but anything was better then-

"HHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIII!" If Alex counted correctly, that time it was nine bodies. That is some serious kill count.

"Oh my god!"

"Brian! Why Brian?"

"We can't stop her!"

"Bring in the MPs!"

"HAI!"

"No! Oh god!"

"Help! Somebody please help!"

Suddenly the door exploded off of it's hinges and there standing was a very visibly pissed off Mika. Kristi and George just looked at her flabbergast.

"Where?" She barked with a ravenous look on her face.

Both of them pointed at Alex who was halfway out of the window.

"ALEX-SAN!" Mika cried out as she rushed over to Alex and yanked him out the window. Then she proceeded to shake him viciously as she bombarded him with questions, "Are you okay? Are you alright! You're still alive right! Yes! You are! Did that man hurt you? Did he? So help him if he did! Alex! Alex!"

Alex started to turn green as Mika continued to shake him more and more.

"OH MY GOD! HE'S DEAD!" Mika screamed out in horror.

Kristi interjected, "Yeah, well you killed him."

Mika turned around rivers of tears running down her face.

George let out a small cough and added, "Yes, I doubt any human being could survive the shaking you gave him. His brains are most likely mash potatoes right about now."

Mika suddenly started to bawl, screaming, "No! Alex-san can't be dead!" Then she started to squeeze him very tightly, constricting every possible movement that his body could make.

Still, he was able to tap her on the shoulder.

Mika snapped to and cried out, "Alex-san!"

Alex barely got out, "Air……"

"Oh!" Mika then dropped him to the floor.

Alex finally got the strength to get up and saw, "Wassup."

Mika looked at him for a moment then started bawling again and jumped into his arms, "I though you were dead!"

Alex hugged her softly and said, "Bah! I'm not that easy to kill off."

Kristi scoffed at that comment and asked Mika, "You didn't know he was alright? No body said that he was dead."

Mika turned to Kristi after drying her eyes and said, "Grandpapa told me that Alex was in the hospital and that he was hurt. So I came rushing here."

Alex rose an eyebrow and said, "But your Grandpa's right here. Hell he's been the guy feeding me Ramen for the past hour." Alex pointed to an old man sitting in front of an old style grill flipping Ramen with one hand and cooling himself off with a Japanese Fan in the other.

"Grandpapa?" Mika shouted upset.

"Yo!" He said simply.

Mika came in and just whacked him upside the head. "Grandpapa!"

"Yo…." He said in pain, tilting to the side a little, still making the Ramen. In fact he had one ready sitting on a table in front of the bed.

"Sweet! More Ramen!" Alex ran up and just attacked the innocent noodles. with a ferocity seen only in the wild.

Watching him guzzle down the poor noodles, Krista just sighed and walked out of the room saying, "Hurry up and finish your noodles. We got work to do."

Alex started protesting aloud but Krista just ignored him.

Alex fell back into his comfy little bed while the others started to leave. Mika called back, "I'll wait for you Alex-san. Come back soon!"

Alex chuckled and shouted back, "Duh! Need me some Ramen pretty soon." After she and her Grandfather had left, leaving him and the doctor alone, Alex just fell back saying, "She caused all that trouble just to see if I was alright?"

The doctor rose an eyebrow, "Well, you seem to have that effect on a lot of girls, remember Noa and Natasha?"

Alex just started to bust out laughing when their memories popped up, "Yeah. Good times. good times."

After that was a sudden silence. A silence that seemed to pick at Alex's nerve more then he would care for. With him, the subject of Noa and Natasha had dealt with a very rough time in his past. A time that he would like to forget about, but as stubborn as he was, didn't due to the fact that it was why he became a true Ac pilot.

"So, whatever happened to Hyame?" George asked out of the blue. If memory served him correctly, Alex wouldn't answer his question.

Alex merely stared at the white sheets that surrounded him.

George sighed, hating the fact that he was right.

Long ago, in fact roughly about four years ago, which in reality wasn't that long, Alexander could usually be seen with a young male that was fourteen as well. He was a cautious quiet young man with a penchant for getting into trouble. He seemed so solitary in nature and his only known family had been a young girl Noa. He was Asian with dark black hair and dark mesmerizing eyes that had given off the feeling that they had seen more then anyone else. Both of them had been involved with a special group that dealt with Acs. When they first met, they had seen each other as enemies and rivals but through time and effort, they had soon seen each other as brothers, while still rivals. You couldn't fight one without the other hitting you, nor could you find one without catching the other right beside him. They had become friends that helped and defended each other like any pair would after decades of knowing each other. George had known them through the same connections that had introduced them into the world of Acs and was in fact their personal doctor and physician. For nearly four solid years he had known them, until one day…..

"Yo doc?"

George looked up after dismissing the last thought that ran through his mind and asked, "Yes?"

Alex was silent for a moment and then asked, "Do you know anything about that group outside?"

"Group?" Asked George curious.

"Yeah. Kind of saw them when I was trying to escape the wrath of Mika." Alex explained out.

George smiled and nodded, "Yes. They are waiting for the man that faced Ace and gave him such a hard time. They are looking for you."

"Damn it." Alex grumbled.

George laughed quietly and remembered "You never did like attention did you."

"Hell, not from the media." Alex fell back into his bed and then wondered aloud, "Wonder what's on." He flipped back up and snatched the remote from a nearby stool and snapped the T.v. on.

"I think you can safely assume 'who' is on, instead of 'what' is on." George pointed out. He then found a spot on the wall near the almost closed door and rested against it. He hadn't had much time to look at the news as of late. Now would be a good time.

Alex glared at him while he switched it to the news channel and lo and behold, there he was. Plastered on the t.v. like some movie star on the run from the damned paparazzi. He twirled his finger in the air mumbling, "Whoopdee-fucking-do."

From the t.v. itself, the female newscaster was too busy jabbering about the event other then thinking about Alex's poor feelings. Eh, probably didn't care all that much. "One of our top stories today was the incredible battle between Alexander Xavior Torrin, a rookie polite with some obvious big balls and Ace, the legend himself retiring from being a Raven at the elderly age of sixty-four. It was a remarkable match but the young raven was simply outmatched by the more experienced raven and snuffed out. Right now, we'll go live to Terran Orrick at the South Archos Medical Hospital."

Alex slapped his hand on his face groaning, "You're joking!"

The image of another reporter came up beside the first one and he proceeded with his thing.

"This is Terran Orrick of the Twelve O' Clock news, here at South Archos Hospital to give you the latest update on the Alexander incident. Apparently Alexander, through hidden sources, is staying at this hospital to recover from his injures. But we and many other reporters from other organizations have arrived here to get the heads up on the only rookie ever in the history of the Arena to face off against the Legendary Ace and survive the encounter with only a head blow."

Alex thought for a moment then asked aloud, "How do they know I only have a head blow?"

"As you can see here however," And go figure out of the blue, an image of Alexander halfway out of the window during the little Mika meeting appeared on the screen. And low and behold that the bottom end of his hospital gown was just flapping in the wind, naked mind you. "That he has caught a case of insanity. Lucky for him that he had the nearby attendants to pull him in before we could ask him a few questions."

Alex was mortified. His under section was pretty much there for everyone to see and like the rest of this damned news show, it for some reason wasn't blurred out.

George however was more on the stunned side, "Is that a parasite in your-"

"Shut up." Alex snapped.

George looked at him for a moment and said, "Hey, I'm willing to knock out the parasite theory. Just in case, we could do surgery."

Alex suddenly went wide-eyed at that one. "So help me, if you even think about doing that to me, I will fucking kill you and every other human on the two worlds."

"Just saying." George reassured with his arms up.

"Well Terran," The female newscaster said pulling back Alex's and George's attention, "For the sake of your job, let's hope that you don't miss out on Alex's arrival. Nice butt shot though."

And with Terran gulping suddenly after he realized what was said, the screen disappeared with another one coming up of a Asian female reporter.

"On other news, we are live with Kimoko Asuka near Lost Haven on the recent incident with the sudden mass explosion rocking the entire stationof Rangor. Kimoko?"

The Asian reporter paused for a moment, due to lag, and started, "Well, Trish, it seems that the reason for the radical explosion is still unknown. It is however been discovered that this base did belong to the Frightener group from mars and is now under intense questioning from the Corporations, the Governments of Earth and Mar as well as the other Raven Groups. They had released no information on the incident and have pretty much thrown themselves into a complete information blackout."

"That's incredible." Commented Trish. "What about the Space Forces investigation team, have they turned up anything to the cause or perhaps what it was?"

Another pause due to lag and Kimoko stated, "Well, the Space Forces are unsure at the moment but they do think that it may have to do with the rumors dealing with the Frighteners messing with "Lost Technology". At the moment they are unsure but what evidence is left does seem to point to that conclusion. On what it was however are mixed views. Some think that it was an energy source or device that may have gone out of control. Other speculate that it may have been a new type of weapon that had backfired or discharged the wrong way. Either way, they say the only thing that could have done the amount of damage that this thing caused in the little amount of space that it did, had to have the energy discharge equivalent to fifty Type Three Spartan Nukes."

Trish seemed to have swallowed his tongue at that one. Turning white as a blanket she asked, "Could the Frighteners possess something so powerful?"

Another pause and then with a emotionless voice that Alex had only heard on rare occasions, "It is possible. Which is why all of the corporations and so forth are assaulting them with Questions. It's only a matter of time before the anger pot that was already brewing between them explodes and one of them declares war."

Trish took her own pause and said, "That is a very frightful idea there. Ever since the MT Empire had declared war five years ago and tried to conquer the two worlds with a innmurable army of automated Mts that was defeated only by a Specialized Group of Ravens, the Charter Act of A.E. 342 strictly prohibited any Corporation from holding an Army. Are you saying that this war may be fought with nothing but Acs piloted of mercenaries?"

"It is possible as is a number of other things. Reflecting on past history alone, the Corporations have on a number of occasions found ways to go about the rules. They can easily use this event as an excuse to build up their military prowess." Kimoko explained.

"But if that happens, what will the Ravens of today do then?"

Kimoko sighed, looking like she wanted to go home or just do something else with her life and replied, "Most likely they will do what they have always done. Go for the highest bidder."

Trish nodded and then cheerfully threw out, "Well thank you on your extensive report Kimoko."

"My pleasure." She slapped as dull as a rock.

Soon, Kimoko's face disappeared from the screen and Trish was the only one that was left. "As we can see from just these few events, this week shall be an eventful week. Later on the hour, we will have the Dow Wendy's Stock Report as well as our very own Julian Marrymen reporting on the lasted fad in Gaming, the newly released Armored Core Series."

Alex scoffed at that one and snapped, "That game is garbage. Even the power of the TechStation 7 can't help that crap."

George looked at him and asked, "What's so wrong with it?"

Alex rose his brow in agitation and answered, "Well first the graphics are about five years old and that alone is saying a lot. All the weapons are imbalanced, the realism blows, the soundtrack is done by artists that most people have never even heard of, and on top of that but the missions are mundane. Go here blow that up. Go there blow this up."

George gave him a funny look and asked, "But isn't that what you guys do?"

Alex was quiet for a moment until he shouted, "Well….It isn't always like that. Sometimes stuff don't blow up, they blow you up."

"And that doesn't happen in the game?" George ponder aloud.

Alex just opted for, "Well, the game is crap anyways. Don't worry about it."

"Not from what I have heard. I've heard that it is quite popular with the young'ins." George so eloquently pointed out.

Alex scoffed at his remark, "Sure if you wish to stay in a world of fantasy for the rest of your life. Not to deal with the realities of this business, real money, real bullets, real lives."

George looked at him for a moment that decided to discontinue the next conversation. In fact, he had become re-interested in the TV as something was going on. He pointed to the TV catching Alex's attention as well.

Trish was caught looking to the side with a ghost white look on her face as she pointed downwards and was barely heard whispering, "Here! Now! At this second!"

"Yes!" Was heard angrily from the background.

Trish turned back to the camera and froze ice solid. Obviously something had disrupted her. But she soon caught herself and regained her not so impressive composure.

"A-And now we turn to a live action report from Watkins Forest, at the Raven's Nest Headquarter."

That piqued both Alex's and George's interest. Alex the most.

A live feed image of a young man, not even in his late twenties, just as white as his fellow reporter was a few seconds earlier, filled the screen. He seemed to be in a large room highly decorated and filled to the brim with people sitting in chairs conversing rapidly and with urgency.

Alex did not like where this was going.

"If you are viewing this, then you are viewing what could be the greatest turning point since the new Age of Mankind." The young reporter had said with a hanging sense of dread dangling from his words. "I am here at the Raven's Nest HQ, awaiting Sirius Devaki, president of the Raven's Nest Organization to appear today at this moment to discuss the recent string of events that have been labeling the accused only as Frighteners."

Sudden the room was in a stir as people started finding their seats and hushing each other up.

"And today it begins." He stated as his finale, taking a seat amongst side the other reporters in the room.

After a moment, a middle-aged man was seen walking from behind the curtains and out onto the stage finding his place on the podium. Behind him was the Emblem of all Raven's from Raven's Nest, a Black Raven shooting up into the sky with a silver sword behind it. The symbols under it that forever burned in Alex's mind, Ζήστε καλΠκύβος ελεύθερος.

Silently and with anger in his voice, he translated the Greek words to English, "Live Well, Die Free."

George looked at him with a glint of sorrow in his eyes. This was a little much for the young boy. But he was strong, he would watch this through just to see what Devaki was cooking up.

The middle-aged man stood in front of the podium and looked to the crowd. This was the President of the Raven's Nest Organization. Listed as fifty-three years of age and an Ex-Raven, he stood tall and proud. His black suit, cleaned and pressed. His classy dress shoes polished to perfection. His black semi-white hair, gelled and slicked back as so not a single strand of hair was standing. His body emitted an air of obedience and perfection. Professional in his duty, he addressed the people in front of him, which Alex now realized wasn't just reporters and journalists, but also Raven's that were registered under Raven's Nest. And not the crappy ones either, the best sat their looking and listening like obedient dogs to their uncaring owner. They respected him, and honored him, but Alex seriously doubted that Dear Mister Sirius Devaki gave a single rat's ass about them. Hell, he would probably try to save his own gelled hair then do a single goddamned thing for them. But they obeyed him none the less…..like good little dogs.

He clutched the edges of the podium with his bare white hands and then looked up, not at the people but more to the ceiling as if he was staring at god.

"My people….." He whispered with a voice that seemed filled with nectar and gold but had a sense of ruthless power tied into it.

Alex almost gagged when he heard him say that, let alone say anything. "My people? Heh…."

And he continued, "For too long we have been mere observers to the events that have gently unfolded unto our laps. We have only watched and seen with a guilty eye the atrocities that have been constantly allowed by the Mars Organization known simply by their simplistic meaningful name, The Frighteners. We have watched as they have maimed, tormented, and rip to bone and sinew their way to what they believe as the top. Earth won't do anything about it. Mars won't either. And since their resurface into the halls of history that constantly remind humanity of it's wrongdoings and it's achievements, they have done nothing more then pillage and plunder in our own yards. The Corporations won't bother with them as long as they produce results and the other Raven Groups are too 'frightened', if you would forgive the pun, to do a damned bloody thing about it."

A still pause and he looked straight into the mass of people in front of him with his cold beady black eyes. The same black eyes that had spelled out lies to Alex. Exploding with emotion, "Well now they have gone too far! For too long they have tried to seize technology far beyond their time and have tried to harness it for their own greedy purposes. For too long, they have hogged the same technology that could easily unravel the mystery of our origins. For too long they have been a plague on humanity, a virus to society, a delinquent to our state of order. For just too long…… But now, WE will stand up to them."

His hardened expression suddenly melted away and softened as if he was a father looking onto his children. Alex almost upchucked again.

"My warriors, my Ravens. Eight years ago, I asked for the time. The time to create a new group based on the principles of humanity, on the idealism of evolving to the next stage of evolution. And you have so graciously given me that time. You, the backbone of my strength, the wholes of my dreams. We united, shall cross the two worlds and purge them into a new light. A light called humanity! And that light shall be on the torch so delicately crafted by you, and so proudly and strongly held up by the perfect symbolism of our power."

He turned a little to his left and extended his craggily old hand. "He will hold our torch."

Swiftly and almost with no noise, a single man rose from out the shadows of the blue curtains and walked across the stage. Suddenly without any second's hesitation, every Raven's Nest Raven jumped up and saluted the individual. He walked up to the president and turned about face to the crowd and saluted them back. He was a young man, couldn't be no more then eighteen. His slanted blue eyes indicated a look of pride and fierceness as well as a finely defined Asian ancestry. His hair, slicked back but spike nearly looked untamed if not by the rest of him. He wore the finest and most clean cut black and blue Raven's Nest uniform that Alex had every seen. The edges where the seam appeared with stringed with a fine thread of gold and over his left pec was an array of medals and awards that signified that he was a soldier that went far beyond the line of duty that was required of a soldier. But that wasn't what had made Alex want to spill all of his Ramen over the bed sheets. It wasn't the medals, it wasn't the uniform, it wasn't the level of perfection that this young man had tried to attain and attain he did. It was what all three of these objects attached to. It was the individual himself.

George gasped and with the light of recognition all over his face he shouted, "Isn't that-"

Alex though had interrupted him, his voice, low and menacing to a level that George had never heard him go to. His hissed his name out like it pure serpent's venom, "Hyame Kumashiro."

"Hyame Kumashiro," The president repeated with the profoundest delight, "will be the one to reveal to others that we, the Raven's Nest will no longer tolerate the obscure behavior of the Frighteners. He is our sword, our shield, and our leader."

Hyame dropped his arm and said while clenching his fist in the air. "These scare tactics of the Frighteners will no longer go on unpunished."

The president nodded and then cried out loud and as if victory was already his, "We, the Raven's Nest will create a new dawn of Mankind and bring the two worlds closer together since the beginning of their division! We will create peace!"

And after the uproar, every reporter in the room jumped up just assaulting him with questions. But Alex had had enough stomach churning activity for one day and just turned off the TV.

For a moment, calmness permeated the room with dreaded eeriness. George just looked at Alex as he pondered what exactly Devaki was trying to plan. Did he just declare war on the Frighteners? And what about all this about creating a "New World?" Had he gone insane? And why is Hyame helping him so dutifully? A lot of things aren't making any sense today. But he wasn't that worried about himself. He was more worried about Alex.

He continued to look at Alex till Alex finally moved.

Alex slid off the bed slowly and asked George, no longer with the muggy and angered filled attitude he had before but the carelessness and excitement that usually carried through his voice, "Where are my clothes? It looks like it's going to get a little more busy from here on out."

George pointed to a stool that rested beside himself and as Alex grabbed them and started to throw them on he had to ask, "What are you going to do? I seriously doubt you're going to help Raven's Nest."

"Hell no." Alex snapped while sliding his left arm through his black long sweatshirt.

"Then are you going to try to stop them?" George asked him.

Alex turned to George and said, "What he said has nothing to do with me."

George just looked at him and wondered what he meant.

"As long as they don't get in my way, I won't touch them. They hurt me and I hurt them. We're done. I just want to get on with my life. If they want to declare war on everyone and their uncle, then let them. That means more money for me." Alex then started to put on his baggy black jeans.

George just stared at him wondering whether or not he was telling the truth or just trying to put up a front. In either case, it seemed that Alex didn't want to get involved with them again. Made sense.

"Well, don't get killed trying to make a living. Try to stay alive."

Alex tied up his military issued combat boots and then threw on his black button up t-shirt with a red decal running all over the back like flames. He turned to George with a grin filled with excited adrenaline, "Haven't met a man or woman who can really beat me yet. Doubt I'll find one anytime soon." Alex then started walking to the door and opened the door.

For a moment he stopped and then quietly commented, "Don't get your self involved with them either man. I don't need my favorite doctor getting killed over something stupid. Then I'll have to raise hell all over again."

The good Doctor chuckled and assured him, "Don't worry about me, I'm done with them as well."

Alex chuckled back and then left moving down the hallway. After a few minutes about thinking about what Devaki had just said, he realized that there was something else going on. He didn't know what but there was definitely something going down. And just the fact that the Frighteners are shut up about it means that something serious is going on. What could possibly be going on though?

Ah, better not think about it. If he did, he might get involved and then might end up a statistic on the Sunday newspaper.

"Alex."

Alex spun around on a single heel and found Kristi standing against the wall.

"You must have been thinking about something big. Did you hear about-"

"Rather not think about it. Too much for me wee little brain." Alex commented pointing to his head. Then realizing that Kristi was standing beside the bathroom, he asked trying to change the subject, "What's wrong had the bubble gut?"

Kristi suddenly turned red and barked, "No! I had to take care of something. And you know I don't use public bathrooms, even if it is in a hospital."

Alex chuckled then after noticing something a little different on her neck decided to ask, "So then what's up with the little hickie on your neckie?"

Kristi really turned red after that and slapped her hand on her neck covering up a little red spot. "I-It wasn't like that!"

And lo and behold who else came out of the bathroom after she did, it was the contact for Ace that Alex had meet soon after the match had ended. The Luscious Sasha. Now it started getting interesting because she had a red mark on the side of her neck as well.

Alex just dropped his jaw and pointed to her neck, "You guys were-!"

Kristi spun around seeing Sasha walk out and apparently Sasha was in a good mood.

"Wow that was good." Sasha slapped Kristi on the shoulder and said, "You still haven't lost your touch."

Kristi couldn't get anymore brighter then that and Alex here was about to flip out.

"Oh shit!" Alex yelled out, "I didn't know you were a Lesbian! That is seriously hot! You and Sasha too! Oh man!"

Kristi though didn't see it the same way as Alex did. Her head started to slowly snap back toward Alex and with a darkened look that could make Lucifer himself start to whimper, she just opened her mouth and emitted a roar like a T-Rex at full blast. Alex spazzed out and just took off in the other direction hoping that Kristi wasn't going after him.

Kristi though just stood there smoldering like Mt. Fuji ready to blow.

Sasha put her hand on the shoulder while giggling, "Quick to anger aren't you?"

Kristi snapped her head back to her but Sasha only shrugged her shoulders.

"It was the moment. It was funny."

Kristi finally calmed down and snapped, "You know damn well we didn't do that in there."

Sasha pointed to where Alex had bolted to and commented, "He didn't."

Kristi sighed exasperated and asked, "Why do you do this all the time? I'm not gay!"

Sasha's mood finally dampened a little and said, "So, let me dream."

Kristi looked at her funny and asked, "Do you like me that much?"

Sasha looked at her for a moment then slapped her back reassuringly, "Kind-of." Then she flipped her other hand up and tossed a vial in the air.

Kristi caught it haphazardly and stared at the clear purple liquid in the vial.

"Keep good care of it. You need it a little more then I do." Then she slapped her on the butt and walked off leaving the flustered Kristi to continue smoldering. Then she looked at the vial and sighed.

"This is getting annoying." She pocketed the vial and started to walk after Sasha. When they had both reached the double doors at the entrance of the hospital they noticed that there was a lot of ruckus going on outside. When Sasha opened the door, they both had found a dazed and confused Alex being assaulted with all sorts of questions.

"Do you think you would be killed?"

"Have you anything to comment on the recent battle?

"What stratagems did you use and why?"

"Have you found out why you lost?

"Do you think Ace should retire?

"Was that you're fist real Arena battle?

"What do you prefer, Cold Cut trio or the Italian B.M.T?"

Alex was beyond the reach of their questions. He felt like some little ant being horribly abused by that mean nasty kid with the damn magnifying glass. But suddenly a small hand gripped his arm forcefully and started to yank him through the cameras, the flashing, and the shouting. Then all he heard was, "Get the fuck out the goddamn way!"

People started to get shoved out the way and shouted back with foul insults. Before Alex had any idea at what the hell was going on, he was thrown into a car, which took off at a reasonably high speed.

It took him a solid second to realize where he was. He looked around with a blank stare and saw that he was inside the interior was a very nice Limo. How he got in the Limo was beyond him. Then his senses started to kick in and he caught the smell of a sweet tangerine perfume that was very strong. He turned to his right and saw one of the most gorgeous women that he had ever seen in his life.

She was lovely with her enchanting sky blue eyes and long streaming black hair. Her natural light tan and her slanted eyes complemented her angular face. And her voice was dripped with the sweet nectar of lust.

"My name is Azura." She extended her small slender hand towards me and asked, "You're Alexander correct?"

Alex grinned and said in the best childish voice he could muster, "Yep. That's me, the one and only." He shook her hand "ohhing" at how soft her wonderfully tanned skin was. She had to have been Hispanic, and it looked strong in her as well. Alex's eyes wondered a little as he analyzed what she wore. It was a burgundy tight fitting business suit. Her petite chest filled it well though and her legs were even better looking then Kristis. Way better!

"Umm, Alex, you might want to stop drooling.

Alex turned to the source of the voice and it was Kristi right beside him on his left.

"Whoa! Since when did you get here?" Then he remembered that comment he mad earlier and the anger that was thrown at him. He leaned more to Azura and asked, "You're not going to hurt me are you?"

Kristi merely looked at him through slit eyes and said, "You're not lucky enough to see it coming."

Alexander gulped at that comment and then jumped when he felt a pair of hands run over his shoulders and clutch his chest slightly. It was Azura.

"Now why would you hurt this little boy?" Azura commented with a lust-filled look in her eyes.

"Kristi glared at her and said, "Might not want to get too close to him. He's diseased."

"This cutie?" She cooed into his eye. "I doubt that."

Alex pretty much was on the verge of Heaven.

"Ahem."

The three of them looked across the way and looked to the source of that sound. Inside the little compartment that looked like a hotel room almost, was Sasha and a young man sitting on the other side. The young man though looked about thirty years of age but that wasn't what got Alex on edge. It's what he looked like. Hair slicked back. Suit pressed and clean. Cigar in one hand and a glass of what smelled like Bacardi in the other. Shoes shined to care. Eyes looking like they had much more experience then the usual thrity year old is supposed to have.

"You're a Corporate head aren't you?" Alex shot out of the blue.

The young man smiled and asked playfully, "Can you guess which one?"

Alex thought for a moment and said flat out, "Mirage."

"Yes sir. You win a million credits." He announced in a playful manner. "How'd you know?"

Alex smiled and while taking Azura's arms off of him, he sat leaning forward and from a little table in the middle of the room, he grabbed a magazine of "Corporate Magazine" and showed him the cover. It had the Ceo of the Mirage Corporation shaking hands with the Ceo of Kisaragi in front of a sector underground that was rebuilt because due to lack of overseer. The man in front of him was the guy in the picture.

"A little humble aren't we?" Alex commented as he held up the magazine.

The Corporate Head smiled revealing some well taken care of teeth, at him and said, "My name is Ryan, Ryan Skyler. And I have a mission for you Alexander Xavior Torrin."

Didn't really want to end the chapter like this but I didn't have much of a choice. I have some more ideas but I can only put some much in these chapters without making them dreadfully long. Hopefully this will entertain you till I get the next chapter out which will hopefully be by the end of next week. Surprisingly I'm not getting as much reviews as I and hoped for but hey, I can't be picky. Hope you enjoy! Oh yeah, any rpoblems or suggestions go ahead and comment on them.