AN: Here's the next chapter.. you learn a bit more about what's going on… let's see if you can figure it out ;)
Oh and to the person who asked if the scenes in the last chapter had a point -_- Of course they did, I wouldn't write them if they didn't.
Also to Ha fans.. my internet keeps dying so I'll try to update as soon as possible.. I have yet to write the chapter.. the same goes with Who
Oh Oh! Go read Alternity, the fic I'm writing with the wonderfully talented Lady*Jane*Grey… the link is in my profile
I'm now Kerrie-chan because people kept calling me Liika… and I'm ****NOT**** Liika. =)
Ozuma crossed his arms and closed his emerald eyes, reclining slightly in his chair.
"So then Zaitsev was the one we were looking for?"
Ozuma nodded. "Yes. He sent us to Sweden to join the European resistance team. They should arrive with in the hour." He said flatly, no emotion reflecting in his voice or his eyes when he opened them to stare at the small computer screen.
"Interesting. That is the team with Kai Hiwatari and Liika Tomoda is it not?"
"It is."
"And Jordan stills knows nothing?"
"Yes. We have made sure." Ozuma replied. "He joined the woman on her foolish quest to save those unfortunate casualties."
"Interesting."
A silence passed over the two males, the one of the other side of the screen from Ozuma contemplating quietly, his eyes narrowing in thought.
"There is one more thing you should know." Ozuma spoke suddenly, his emerald eyes staring impassively at the screen.
"And that is?"
"The woman, Tomoda, she has a child."
The male was silent for a moment before replying in a soft, dangerous voice, "This was not in the report."
Ozuma didn't flinch, and merely shrugged. "It is a very well guarded secret, for a very good reason."
"Your game of words does not escape my attention Ozuma. Explain."
"She is the product of Liika Tomoda's short imprisonment in the Abbey."
Eyes widened slightly before returning to normal. A smile tilted the corner of the male's lips. "Which one sired the child?"
"There is no solid genetic proof, but the baby is a spitting image of Bryan Kyznetsov."
The smile only grew and the eyes flashed something Ozuma had never seen in them before. "The child is female?"
"Yes."
"Hm. This certainly makes the situation even more interesting, wouldn't you say?" His voice was as amused as his eyes.
Ozuma snorted. "If you say so."
"Get close to the child. I have a feeling she will be come key to us in the near future."
At this Ozuma visibly cringed in disgust. "I hate children. Babies especially." He stated, glaring at the screen.
The male on the other side chuckled quietly. "Very well then, have Garland socialize with her. He has no ill feelings toward young ones that I know of. He wont be thrilled, but I don't overly care. One of you must befriend that child. She must become attached to one of you, which one of you will be left to your discretion. Report back in two weeks." With that the male was gone, leaving the screen blank.
Ozuma sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily. Befriend a baby indeed. Garland was going to be thrilled. He almost laughed out loud at the thought of Garland befriending anything, especially a baby.
"They're here."
His emerald eyes snapped towards the door where his silver haired partner was standing. "Let's go then. Be careful. Hiwatari and Jagen don't trust us yet."
Kai sighed wearily, shifting the sleeping Liika in his arms. Twenty hours in a cargo hold on any ship was just too much, especially for an emotionally exhausted mother. He stared down at her peaceful face, frowning slightly at some of the marks that now adorned her pale skin. Bryan hadn't been very gentle.
The thought made him boil with rage that he hadn't felt since the day they had found out she was pregnant. Damn him. Why the hell did have to fix his sick sights on Liika? There were thousands of women out there that would probably be more than happy to throw themselves in his bed and subject themselves to his sick games of 'pleasure'. Why did he have to pick the one woman that he shouldn't be allowed to have?
Because that's the way the Demolition Boy worked, that was the way they all worked. It was how the Abbey worked. Want what you weren't supposed to have. Kai hadn't missed the look Tala had given Liika, but Kai knew that had very little to do with Liika herself and everything to do with Kai himself. Kai knew Tala would take anything away from him if given the chance, and he knew that Tala thought Liika was his.
"Kai?"
Kai snapped his gaze up to the doorway of the warehouse entrance where a medium height teen stood, his arm crossed over his chest. Kai remembered him. This was Ozuma Hizashi, one of the new members of their team.
He was of medium build and height, not lanky by any means, but not chubby or huge either. He had red and gray hair and true emerald colored eyes, and he wore baggy jeans and a dark gray turtle neck sweater with a gold dangly earring in his left ear. Just behind him stood who Kai assumed was the third addition, Garland Wakeman. He was extremely tall and lanky, but well muscled. His eyes were a startling sapphire blue that was even clearer than the blue of Enrique's eyes. His hair was a bluish silver and hung down to his waist, held back at the nap of his neck by a black band. He wore a high necked sleeveless tight shirt, baggy black pants and combat boots.
After Kai finished studying his new teammates he nodded, striding forward, glancing behind him to make sure the others followed. Mariah followed closely behind him, a wide-awake Nadya sitting up in her arms, while Foxy strode right behind her, obviously hiding from the two in the doorway. Enrique and Robert carried the injured men, Enrique struggling under AJ Topper's weight.
Ozuma's eyes ran over the disheveled group, pausing to glare at the ducking Foxy. So, this was the famous European group that was causing Biovolt so much trouble. Funny, they didn't look like much. His eyes moved from the cowering tech to the girl in Kai's arms, then to the child in the other girl's arms. Hn. Not much at all.
"This way." He said shortly, turning on his heel to lead the tired group into the warehouse, to the living quarters.
Garland waited until the last one had passed and brought up the rear, closing and locking the door behind them. He then strode through the dark hall behind the group, doing his own survey. They didn't look like much to him either. The leaders looked like formidable opponents, but the blond one…he looked like a blond version of Foxy! Garland sneered in disgust at the thought. He disliked Foxy immensely. Far too lazy and know it all for his own good. The pink haired girl was certainly pretty enough, long legs, fully developed body, gorgeous gold eyes, he really didn't know why the stupid Demolition Boy Kyznetsov preferred the flat chested, only half-attractive tiny blue haired wench that was asleep in Hiwatari's arms. He didn't see what was so threatening about her at all. How could something that small and weak cause such a problem for such a huge and powerful organization? She was only a woman after all. Women were weak and frail. They had no place in resistance fighting, or fighting at all.
Then there was the whole baby thing. He cringed at the thought of having a baby around. It was another class that didn't belong in battle. Babies were even weaker than women and did nothing but hold the strong back. Of course there was the fact that he was supposed to get the little creature attached to him. How the hell was he supposed to do that??
Damn Ozuma and his hating children.
He sighed, his eyes falling on the pink head that bobbed about five feet in front of him. A slight smile tilted his lips.
Maybe…
"These are the beds. They're separated into two rooms. There is not enough beds, two of you might have to share depending on sleeping schedules." Ozuma explained, leading them into a small room that was lined with five cots.
Along the left wall there was a doorway that led to another room filled with slightly more decent beds, two out of the four of them being double. Along the other wall was a door that led to a small bathroom.
"That room over there is for leaders, Garland and I already have claimed two of the beds, the other two can be left up to you. There is another, larger bathroom equipped with showers across the compound, I'll show you there later, or you can find it yourself." Ozuma continued, turning to face his new team. "I am, if you don't know already, Ozuma, that's Garland." He nodded at the tall silver haired teen behind.
The group muttered greetings as Enrique and Robert placed the two injured men on two of the cots. Kai shifted Liika again, earning a slight moan. He rolled his eyes as she wormed her way closer to him. "I'm sure you know who I am. The sleeping wench is Liika," he stopped and pivoted on one foot, nodding at each of his teammates and saying their names. "The purple haired one is my co-leader Robert, the blond Enrique and the pink haired girl Mariah. The two on the beds are AJ Topper and Brad Best. They're the two we saved in Moscow. The baby is my daughter Nadya."
Ozuma and Garland's eyebrows shot up and the sent each other identical looks. "Funny, she looks nothing like you." Garland stated flatly, eyeing the child who stared back at him with large lilac eyes. He had to admit…for a brat she was bloody adorable.
"She's mine." Kai growled, stalking past Ozuma and into the next room to put Liika into one of the beds.
"Ah yeah…you might not want to mention Nadie's sire. It kinda pisses Kai off." Enrique mentioned grimacing sheepishly.
"As far as any of us is concerned, Kai is her father." Mariah stated firmly, turning her attention the baby in her arms.
Ozuma shrugged. It didn't really matter to him. Garland inclined his head before shrugging as well. "Very well." He replied. "I'm going to check the parameter." He then turned on his heel and stalked out of the room.
"I'll take whoever's willing on the tour of our compound, if not you can stay here and rest." Ozuma said, moving towards the door as well.
Kai entered the room again. Nadya giggled on sight of him and reached her chubby arms out, cooing at him. Kai was at Mariah's side instantly, taking the baby from her arms, and settling her against his side. Nadya cooed and gurgled, placing sloppy wet kisses against his cheek and grabbing fistfuls of his hair. Kai merely smiled indulgently, brushing his lips against her temple.
"I'll come," he said, shifting he baby against his side and stepping closer to the door.
"So will I." Robert stepped from Brad's beside to beside Kai.
"Me too… I don't think I could sleep right now anyway." Enrique sighed.
"Me either." Foxy echoed, his shoulders slumping
"I might as well come. They will be fine by themselves for a while." Mariah added.
Ozuma grunted, nodding. "This way then."
They all filed out of the room behind their new teammate.
Liika slowly woke from the dredges of a dreamless sleep, her eyes remaining closed as the last of the peace that accompanied the unconscious flow of time dissipated, leaving only the sterile silence of the waking world around her. Where was she anyway?
Her head throbbed, though she didn't know why. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep against Kai's shoulder. Maybe she just slept too long, after all, judging from the lack of sound, she was no longer in a cargo hold, which could only mean they had reached their destination.
Cracking her eyes open slowly, she squinted against the sudden flood of light that invaded the sensitive orbs. Ok, so she was sleeping with the light on, that didn't really tell her much. The ceiling above her was a staunch off-white, and she had a feeling the rest of the room would be as well. She remembered Foxy saying that they were stationed in a warehouse of some sort. Funny, she had always thought warehouses to be dark and gloomy, not bright and off-white.
A sound to her right caught her attention, making it clear that she was not alone in whatever room she was in. Turning her head she attempted to locate the person, and when she did, her pupils dilated with terror and the shrill scream that emitted from her lips filled the once silent chamber.
Garland jumped in pure surprise, his body automatically taking a defensive position as his sapphire eyes darted around to see what the hell was going on. The girl on the bed across from him was shrieking shrilly and cowering away from him, her back pressing fully against the opposite wall. He winced. Why the hell was she making that awful sound? He hadn't done anything to her; hell he hadn't even realized she had woken up!
A dark frown set on his face and he stepped forward towards her, a placating hand extended forward. "Calm down you silly woman, I'm not going to hurt you." He grit out, stepping closer.
Garland realized a bit too late that perhaps approaching her wasn't the best course of action, for as soon as he reached the bed side, she launched herself at him, her small fists flying. It didn't take much effort on his part to dodge or deflect the relatively soft, if hateful, blows, but it annoyed him that he had to put up some miniscule form of defense against someone that was supposed to be his teammate. What the hell was her problem? Perhaps she was severely mentally damaged from her stay at the Abbey.
"Never again you bastard!" She screeched, a frantic, desperate, wild tone entering her voice.
Liika was in a state of panic. Somehow, he had gotten a hold of her again! How could it have happened?? Wasn't she safe with Kai and the others?? And if she was here with him, then where was Nadie? Surely he had not gotten a hold of both of them!
"Liika! Stop!"
Kai's voice barely registered and it was not until strong arms wrapped around her waist and physically dragged her away from the lanky martial artist that she calmed enough to realize that the rest of her team had come running at the sounds of her screams and were all standing in the door way, shocked expressions on their faces. What the hell was going on??
Kai took a big breath in, calming his sporadic heart beats. She would be the death of him yet. He relaxed his hold on Liika as she stopped fighting, her breathing ragged. "What the hell happened?" Kai demanded, glaring first at the top of Liika's head then at a composed Garland.
Garland snorted, an eyebrow twitching. "Don't ask me, she just started shrieking, and when I tried to calm her she attacked me."
"Liika?"
Liika stared wide eyed at the tall, silver haired teen, her body quaking. "He…he…what's he doing here??" Her voice trembled.
It was in that instant that Kai realized what had happened. He had noticed Garland's uncanny resemblance to the pale haired Demolition Boy, but had dismissed it because of the obvious differences. However, he had never taken into account that Liika might also notice the resemblance and mistake him for Bryan. And that's exactly what had happened.
"Liika, look at him." Kai growled in her ear, his lips brushing her skin. "Look closely."
The blue haired girl grit her teeth, clenching her eyes shut. "I'd rather not thank you!"
"LOOK!"
Inhaling sharply Liika cracked her eyes open, allowing the turquoise orbs to focus on the scowling young man who stood only feet in front of her. Her eyes ran over him, taking in his long silver hair, blue eyes and lanky body. She stilled, staring at him blankly.
He wasn't Bryan.
Liika promptly flushed a bright red, jerking her head to the side to hide her embarrassment. She was such a fool! How could she have not seen the difference between this boy and her worst nightmare? They looked a lot alike, true, but there were also key differences. Like hair and eye color.
"You see," Kai murmured, pulling her against him, "He's not Bryan. Do you actually think I would let that bastard with in a hundred yards of you, let alone in the same room?"
"No…" She whispered, feeling awful. Now not only was her head pounding, but guilt throbbed as well! "I'm sorry…you just…look so much like him and…you caught me off guard. You must be Garland," Liika continued, never looking back up at Garland.
The pale haired boy scowled in annoyance and eyed the tiny woman dryly. So, not only was small and weak, but she was insane as well. Lovely. "Yeah," he replied crisply.
A tense silence settled over the group. Garland merely continued to stare at Liika, while Liika hung her head and avoided looking at anyone. Kai said nothing and just comforted the girl in the only way he knew how. The rest of the group—which included Mariah with Nadie, Foxy and Enrique—stood in the doorway looking back and forth between Garland and Liika and Kai. Finally, Enrique could stand the silence no longer and pushed past Mariah and Foxy.
"Come on now, I think we're all just over tired, why don't we all just rest? Things will look better after some sleep." He cajoled, grinning disarmingly.
Garland snorted. "I am not due for sleep for another six hours. The rest of you rest." He stated before shoving his way out of the room.
Kai moved away from Liika and was about to question her when Nadya let out a brave little holler and began to cry, her chubby little fists flying. Liika was alert in seconds, flying to Mariah's side and taking the baby from her best friend's arms. Cooing softly, she rocked the child back and forth, hugging her to her chest.
"She's just tired. I fed her and changed her fifteen minutes ago," Mariah said, smiling softly before letting out a large yawn. "I need sleep."
"So do I." Foxy turned, smiling at Liika before disappearing into the front room to find a bed of his own.
"And me! Get some more sleep Ika, you look like you could use it." Enrique waved and blew a kiss at her before following Foxy.
Kai's hand found the small of Liika's back and he nodded at the bed she had just evacuated. "He's right. You look exhausted, you and Nadie get some sleep." He commanded gently, pushing her towards the bed.
Liika complied, but only because she was feeling drained. Too many hours with no sleep and too much stress had taken its toll on her body. "What about you?" She asked, looking back at him.
His lips twitched. "I'll be right here."
She scowled, eying him dubiously. "You need sleep too Kai. I bet you didn't sleep at all on the ship ride here, did you?"
"No, I didn't."
"You're not Superman you know." She grumbled, settling Nadya down in the middle of the bed. "Even Clark Kent got to rest."
"Not until I know it's safe."
Liika sighed heavily, turning to face him. "Kai," She breathed, looking up at him with tired eyes, "We're as safe as we're ever going to be. Robert's still up, and Garland and Ozuma are still around right? If you wont sleep at least rest, just for a bit?" She pleaded with him.
Kai stared down at her for a few moments before exhaling loudly and nodding. "Fine, but just for a bit." He said, stepping forward.
Liika smiled, turning and crawling across the bed, picking up Nadie on her way. Positioning herself so that her front faced the wall, she spooned the baby against her abdomen, where the little girl fell asleep almost instantly. They were used to such sleeping arrangements.
She didn't move when she felt the other side of the bed dip with Kai's weight, nor did she flinch when his arm snaked around her and the baby. It was also a familiar sleeping position.
As much as Kai told himself he wasn't going to sleep and that he was just going to stay until he was sure Liika was asleep, he found himself in a dead slumber with in moments of closing his eyes.
Tala rolled his eyes, sighing as he heard the nervous lieutenant shift in front of his desk. Bloody drones, they were all the same. He could taste the fear that emanated from the young man. It was good to have a healthy fear of your superior—especially your supreme commander—but you weren't supposed to let it show to the point where he could tell that you were about to piss yourself in fear.
"What do you want lieutenant?" Tala grated out, making it clear that he was annoyed at the interruption. Even though he really wasn't, he just was amused by the way the young man cowered before him.
"Ah! Um…There is-I mean, Miss Tomei is here to see you sir!" The nervous lieutenant exclaimed, keeping his eyes averted from Tala.
A red eyebrow arched. "I wasn't aware that I had any appointments and I thought I made it perfectly clear I didn't want to be disturbed." Tala almost grinned. He was sweating now. He thought he was going to die. Good.
The lieutenant choked, his face turning red. "I-I-She said she had an appointment! And she-she told me she wasn't leaving until she saw you!" He sputtered.
As much as he wanted to continue to toy with the petty lieutenant, he knew of the woman that stood outside his office, as well as the reason she was there. "Very well, send her in." He ordered, waving dismissively.
The officer let out an audible sigh of relief and turned to exit the office. However, Tala's voice stopped him before he reached the gateway to freedom.
"Oh and lieutenant?"
"Ye-yes Master?"
Tala's lips twisted into a rather dark smirk. "See Bryan for your new assignment."
The lieutenant paled but managed to mutter a low "yes master" before exiting the room. Tala felt satisfied and rather pleased with himself. He had not only just scared the crap out of some pathetic loser, but he had also signed his torture warrant.
Anyone who was assigned to or was already under Bryan's command had suffered greatly in the last week or so—more so than they did before, which was saying something. Bryan's unit had the highest casualty rate, as well as the highest amount of officer suicides. Even the name Bryan instilled fear into the Biovolt army as the pale haired man had been on a non-stop rampage since the stadium incident.
Ahh, he was exceedingly cruel sometimes.
The sound of the door opening and closing drew Tala out of his musings. His turquoise gaze fell upon the entering woman, his eyebrows rising as his eyes moved down her body. She was quite the sight, dressed in a prim black skirt suit, and black strappy high heeled sandals, her shoulder length red hair flowing freely over her shoulders framing pretty crystal blue eyes. Eyes that were hidden behind a stylish set of wire frame glasses. Tala had a sneaking suspicion that her glasses were more for show than they were for practical use.
His day had just gotten a whole lot better.
"You must be Jade Tomei," Tala murmured, his eyelids drooping lazily as he studied her, leaning back in his chair. "A pleasure to meet you Miss Tomei…or may I call you Jade?"
The woman smiled graciously, extending her hand towards him as she reached the edge of his large desk. "You may," she replied, "However, the pleasure is all mine Mr. Valkov." Her tone was completely professional and cool, yet underneath it lay an almost flirty tone that caught Tala's attention.
His lips curled up in the corners as he reached across the desk and took her smaller hand in his own, leaning forward in an uncharacteristic move and touching his lips to her smooth skin. "Call me Tala," he said darkly, his mind already moving over ways he could have her in his bed by that afternoon.
Pretty things always whet his appetite.
"Very well then, Tala," she pulled her hand away and brought the suitcase she had been carrying up and rested it upon the edge of Tala's desk. "As you probably know, I am the Chief Director of BEGA Corporations." She paused to snap open her briefcase and removed a few papers from the top. "And I have a proposition for you and Biovolt."
"Oh?" A curious eyebrow arched, turquoise eyes narrowing slightly. "What sort of proposition?"
"A trade alliance of sorts," Jade said, extending the papers towards the slouching dictator. "Our technology, for your influence and resources."
Tala stared at her for a moment before moving forward and taking the papers from her hands. Slowly scanning them, his eyebrows shot up, and his eyes widened. With in seconds his eyes snapped upwards and pin pointed Jade's a dark, incredulous frown over taking his features. "Living bit beasts?" He questioned, sneering slightly.
"Yes." She answered completely calmly. "Living, breathing, intelligent bit beasts, capable of more than just small scratches and minor damage."
He slammed the papers onto the desk, bringing himself to his feet. "It's not possible. Boris has been working on this for years and he has not managed to break the genetic code that would turn spirit bit beasts into material ones."
Jade only smiled, crossing her arms and raising her chin. "BEGA is ten years ahead of Biovolt in the animal genetics department."
Tala snorted, refusing to believe such absurd claims. "Bullshit. BEGA was nothing three years ago."
"We work fast Mr. Valkov."
"Show me then." Tala demanded half sneering, half smirking. "Right here, right now. Prove that BEGA has the technology it claims to, or be prepared to be executed for lying to the supreme commander of the ESDC."
If Jade was moved by the threat of death, she didn't show it. She merely nodded and stepped away from the front of the desk, back into the center of the room. "I cannot show you in here, this room is much too small for…this demonstration." She said, looking at him from the corner of her eyes, her lips tilting upwards coyly.
Hmm…a clever one…Not easily intimidated…Tala thought a slow, lazy smirk crossing his lips. He brought himself to his feet and leisurely made his way around the large obstruction, coming to a stop only when he was with inches of Jade's back. "Why don't you lead the way…Miss Tomei," Tala murmured huskily, leaning forward so that his breath brushed her cheek.
"Very well," She replied, brushing him off with no more than a look before she strode out of the room, her hips swaying in a sophisticated saunter.
His interest piqued. She was playing hard to get…he liked that. Grinning darkly he followed at a casual pace, his hands shoved in his jumper pockets.
Jade led him out of the confining Abbey halls and into the large courtyard that was situated in the middle of the impressive set of buildings. Along the way they had caught sight of Bryan who looked to be about to kill another private, who's life was only saved when Jade mentioned that perhaps Bryan would like to see the demonstration. When they passed him and Jade mentioned it to the pale haired dictator—she was incredibly brave while doing so, as noted by both Tala and Bryan, she didn't even flinch when he snapped at her—he agreed, but only because he was bored.
"Please stand back, Dazzler's wingspan is rather large," Jade commanded, shooting a look at both young men who sent looks at each other and raised their eyebrows.
"Dazzler?" Tala questioned, crossing his arms over his chest.
"My bit beast, the first sacred spirit to be given life," she answered with out looking at him. Reaching up, she brushed her fingers over the dark purple stone that was attached to her throat by a wide band of black velvet. "Dazzler!"
Within seconds of the one word command, a bright dusky purple light shot out from the stone on her neck to the middle of the courtyard. Slowly the light took shape, forming into a rather large and impressive beast.
The beast had the body and head of a wolf, its fur of its body being black while its head and tail were purple. Purple jagged lines adorned the wolf's shoulder. It had almost bird-like talons instead of paws, and massive black wings laced with purple sprung from its back. It was an extremely imposing animal.
The creature stepped forward, lowering its head to nuzzle Jade's neck and letting out a low rumble of affection as it gently licked her cheek. Jade pet and scratched the large wolf lovingly, smiling. Her eyes moved from Dazzler's head to the two astonished males behind her. "Dazzler was the first of her kind, she is half wolf, half phoenix and controls the element shadow. She is my partner." She explained carefully, placing a hand on the wolf's head meaningfully as it growled and bared its teeth at the two young men. "She is loyal only to me and would kill anyone in seconds should they threaten me. Living bit beasts respond to the only the voice of the first person they come in contact with, so it is crucial that a master be present at birth." Jade turned completely, raising her chin confidently. "They appear from their spirit chambers when needed. They respond to emotions as well as voice, and they know if you are in trouble. That is all I will say before that paper in your office is signed, Mr. Valkov. So then, what do you say?"
Tala studied the large animal for only seconds before he caught Bryan's eye, a large smirk crossing his face. "I'd say, Miss Tomei," he looked her straight in the eye, "That we will make excellent allies."
Jade smiled, bowing her head. Biovolt was theirs.