AN: God I love this fic… :sigh: It ownz me XD Now if I only could write Ha.. the next chapter is almost done..
I LOVE this chapter =3 I hope you do to ^^
He hadn't been this happy in a long time. A very long time. Everything was turning out for him, and he was having an extremely good day, er night.
First he was present to witness the reason the woman he wanted was evading him, as well as to overhear one of the men who plotted against him practically admit to it. Then, Biovolt got a strange, anonymous call giving the whereabouts of the Angels' safe house.
Life was grand.
At that moment he was lounging in his throne like chair he had set up in what he called the 'throne room'. He liked feeling like an emperor, and made every effort to make himself feel like one. In fact, the only difference between him and a real emperor was that he wasn't called an emperor; he was called a dictator and technically, he had more power. The thought made him chuckle.
A nervous clearing of someone's throat in front of him brought Tala out of his musings. His eyebrow arched, his sharp turquoise eyes landing on the fidgeting body of a measly private. "Yes?" He drawled, resting his chin in his palm, a bored air surrounding him. He was having a good day, but all the waiting was boring him immensely. He didn't like waiting.
"Ma-Master Ian has returned sir. He says you will be pleasantly surprised."
Tala perked up instantly. Ian was successful? His day just got even better! Smirking, he leaned back lazily. "Send him in hm?" He motioned to the large doors across the room that stood closed, baring anyone from interrupting Tala, unless he chose to be interrupted.
"Yes Master."
Tala watched with a sort of lethargic curiosity. He had to admit, it would be interesting to see who Ian brought through that door. He hoped it was Kai; then he could string the little bastard up but his nuts and laugh at his suffering. Oh yes, that would be nice.
However, even though it wasn't Kai that was pushed in the throne room by the blond colonel behind Ian, Tala couldn't help but feel a sort of elated excitement. He had the next best thing to Hiwatari!
He had his woman.
Tala almost laughed out loud. Yes, capturing the little blue bitch was almost as good as capturing Hiwatari. Not only would it make Bryan happier, but it would also eventually lead his blue haired rival's eventual capture. Tala knew that Kai would not let his little wench stay in Biovolt's hands for long, not without trying to get her back anyway. The war just got a little more interesting.
Liika grit her teeth, trying to focus her attention on calming her frightened child, rather than on the annoying hand that was pressed against the small of her back. She scoffed silently. Like she was going anywhere, why did the blond colonel have to be so close? She could practically feel his breath on the back of her head and she had to fight back a shudder.
At least he wasn't Ian.
She found the blond—Kehl? That's what Ian had called him—less obnoxious and revolting then the short Demolition Boy. He at least made an attempt to lighten the dark environment by cracking jokes and attempting to make them smile. It even worked on some occasions, especially when he made low cracks about the navy haired Demolition Boy.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here?"
Liika's head snapped up at the grating voice that suddenly echoed through the large stone chamber. Her eyes landed on the tall red head that had stood upon their entering.
He was surveying them, his lazy turquoise eyes running over the two girl's in front of her before coming to rest on her. His eyes moved over her body, starting at her navy hair and ending with her bare feet. She wanted slap the condescending smirk that now graced his face. Once again she was forced to grit her teeth in order to keep her mouth from shooting off and getting herself in even more trouble.
Tala smirked, his eyes locking with orbs the same color as his own. "Well hello Miss Tomoda," he drawled, stepping forward, past Mariah and Emily, whom he barely spared a glance at. He leaned over her, bringing his face with in inches of hers. "It's so nice to see you again."
"Go to hell." She snapped before she could stop herself.
Instead of getting mad like she half expected him to, Tala laughed, an almost happy sound erupting from his lips. His eyes practically glittered at her. "You know," he murmured, locking his fingers around her chin, "Hiwatari said almost the same thing to me not six hours ago." He leered at her, dangerous ire lurking in his aquamarine depths.
"Great minds think alike. I'll remember to congratulate him next time I see him." She retorted glaring at him.
Mariah and Emily cringed. Mariah couldn't help but shake her head. Liika…don't entice him!
Tala reacted so fast Liika had no time to dodge. His hand lashed across her face and caused her to stumble slightly before she caught herself. Her face burned from the impact of his leather covered hands and her skin, but she refused him the satisfaction of seeing her pain.
"Remember little bitch," he hissed, still smirking down at her, "Just who's in control here."
However, even though Liika was determined not to show Tala how much he scared and hurt her, Nadie was a different story. She felt the impact by the jerking of her mother's body and began to scream, her frightened cries echoing through the blanket and throughout the large room.
Tala jerked back, a confused scowl over taking his face. "What the fuck?" He demanded, eyes narrowing on the now squirming bundle that clutched to Liika's chest.
Liika's hold tightened on her baby, wanting nothing more than to shield the child from the malicious stare of Tala Valkov. She didn't like how he was staring at the covered little girl. His eyes were narrowed and filled with a disgusted light that barely disguised the hate.
A sickened sneer pulled at Tala's lips. "He's spawned already?" He growled, his fists clenching tightly at his side. His eyes twitched, his face slowly turning a mottled purple.
Liika watched him with horrid fascination, turning her body to shield Nadya from that hate filled glare. She could only assume that he was talking about Kai, especially considering that the whole world knew that there was no one he hated more than Kai Hiwatari.
Then as suddenly as the rage came, it disappeared. Tala's face returned to normal, the purple fading and a sort of calm arrogance washing over it. He snorted, turning on his heel. "Kill it." He stated bluntly, waving his hand over his should and striding back towards his throne.
"What?!" Mariah and Emily shrieked throwing panicked looks at a panicking Liika.
Liika sucked in a large breath, tears coming to her eyes. He didn't even look at her! He couldn't kill a child could he? Especially one he has never seen! "You can't kill her! She's only a baby!" She screeched, tears falling down her cheeks. She would have rushed forward, but Mystel grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back, an abnormally serious frown on his face.
Tala half turned, looking at her with callous boredom. "Watch me." He sneered, turning again. "I won't have that bastard or any incarnation of him alive on my planet."
"Master? If I may say something…"
Tala stopped again, holding up a hand and sighing. "What is it Kehl?"
The blond colonel flicked his eyes downwards to the crying mother and child, his heart cracking slightly. He couldn't let the baby die, not just because it was his mission to stop it and the child was important to his true master, but because he couldn't in good conscience let a child die for being something she was not. "I do not mean to sound bold, but that child…" he paused, clearing his throat. "Its size would indicate it was about a year old." He had to term it in a way that would not give away the fact that he knew the baby was not Kai Hiwatari's.
The red head was silent, a frown coming over his face. The wheels in his mind turning over and over. Ian by this point was scowling, his arms crossed over his chest. What was so significant about the brat being a year? It didn't make a difference…did it?
Then suddenly Tala was moving again. He stalked back over to where Liika cowered, her baby clutched against her chest. He glared down at her, suspicion lurking in his hostile eyes. Reaching out his hand, he moved to remove the blanket that shielded the child from his gaze. Liika did nothing to stop him. She knew that if he did not see her, Nadie would die of mistaken identity.
As Tala pulled back the thin blue blanket, exposing bloodshot, red rimmed lavender eyes and lavender eyes his eyes widened. Silence fell over them for a few moments.
And then he started to laugh. It wasn't a nice laugh either. It was a highly amused, mocking laugh that caused the three young women to cringe. He laughed so hard he had tears in the corner of his eyes and he was clutching his sides.
It was perfect! Completely and utterly perfect! It was also fucking ironic.
Pregnant by the very man she hated the most.
This thought caused him to laugh even harder, earning stares from his underlings. It was not every day that the supreme head of the ESDC started laughing hysterically for no reason.
As he sobered a bit, Tala's mind began to turn over the consequences of this new discovery. Bryan had sired a child…a child they did not know about. Just looking at the brat, Tala knew it belonged to his best friend, the little girl was practically the burly young man's clone—her lavender eyes and hair a dead give away. Even her face was shaped like Bryan's, the only thing that looked at all like her mother was her nose. Tala smirked, how cute. The brat was rather adorable for something that was spawned from Bryan.
Hm, Bryan sired a child before him. That was an unfortunate turn of events. It meant that Bryan's brat, not his own, would inherit Biovolt. The fact mildly annoyed him.
He now wished he had somehow made Voltaire change the clause on inheritance rights. As it was, the clause said that should Voltaire die, Biovolt would pass to the Demolition Boys jointly, and then, when they died, to the oldest child of any of the four.
However, Voltaire had been smart—though not smarter than Tala—and had put a special clause that said his laws couldn't be changed, not even the Demolition Boys after they inherited could change them. Tala was bound by a law he should have been able to change but wasn't. It annoyed him.
But what annoyed him even more was the fact that Kai had been raising the heir to Biovolt. That spelled disaster, and Tala couldn't let it happen any further. Bryan would take responsibility for the brat and raise her properly, he would make sure of it.
After Tala had stopped laughing, he wiped the tears from his eyes and composed himself, unable to completely keep the amused smirk like grin off his face. "Well isn't this interesting," he crooned, returning to Liika's side from where he had deviated in his hysterics. "I must remember to reward you Kehl on your astute thinking. You weren't even here during her short stay, but I imagine that you found out as everyone eventually does. My guess that this baby is actually less than a year: about ten months in fact. Am I right my dear?" He turned his sharp gaze to Liika who flinched.
"Yes," she answered quietly, glaring at the ground.
"Mmm," he hummed, circling her like a predator does a prey. "Rather adorable child isn't she?" He stopped when he reached the side that Nadie was perched on. "May I?" He asked, a mere formality before he reached out and took the baby from Liika's protesting arms.
He smirked down at her, and patted her on the head. "Don't worry little wench, I wont hurt my little heir." He then completely ignored Liika, who was immediately seized by Mystel as she tried to follow Tala in walking back to his throne.
"Hello there," he cooed, tickling Nadie's cheeks gently, his eyes softening slightly when she flinched and sniffled. "Don't be scared sweety," he said soothingly, running his fingers over her head in a placating manner. "You can call me Uncle Tala, what's your name hm?"
Nadie blinked at him, tilting her head as if trying to figure out what was going on. When Tala's hand moved over her side, his fingers dancing over her shirt covered skin, the baby broke out into a grin, giggling, her fear vanishing in an instant.
"Ah there we go," he smirked, tossing a look at a fuming Liika, "A little ticklish are we Kit?" The nick name danced off his tongue before he even realized it.
"What is her name wench?"
Liika ground her teeth, struggling not to blow up or cry, which ever came first. "Nadya… Nadya Alexandria Hiwatari."
A red eyebrow quirked, a smirk playing on his lips. "You mean Kyznetsov. Do not associate my heir with that bastard." The words were a warning. He then turned his attention back to the baby that was tugging on his bangs with chubby little hands. "Nadya Alexandria hm? A pretty, Russian name. It suites you little one." He sat down in his throne, positing the little girl on his lap so that she leaned against one arm and half faced him. With one hand he motioned to Mystel to bring Liika forward, and for a servant to come to him. "Have someone go obtain baby clothes, wake someone up for all I care. I want toys too. Go." He directed the servant without looking in their direction. The plain girl nodded and disappeared as quickly as she had appeared.
"As for you," he said, looking at Liika. "Why a Russian name? I'm confused as to why you would give her a Russian name, yet try to pass her off as Hiwatari's brat. Especially when she looks so much like Bryan."
"It means hope." Liika bit out, "And Alexandria is in honor of someone you had killed when we were fleeing the city."
Tala looked thoughtful for a moment. "Hope hm?" he completely ignored the second part. "Rather ironic, considering your hope is dead."
"Never."
Tala only smiled, his eyes closing. "Think what you like, you will eventually realize the truth."
"Tala?" Ian spoke up, getting annoyed with standing off to the side. "What should we do with them. They can't just sit here all night." He didn't want to say it, but he was tired, and he wanted to sleep.
"True." Tala replied, sighing. He was starting to get weary himself. He hadn't slept in almost twenty four hours. Standing, he shifted Nadya on his hip, then stepped down from his throne platform, and handed the baby back to Liika. "Don't fear little wench," he murmured to her, "I know a mother's importance to a baby." He ruffled her hair in an almost fond manner. "I also know the importance of a father," he stepped away. "Depriving a father of his paternal right is a crime in my world little one, but then, you already have so many crimes stack up against you that you could be executed ten times over." He snickered. "Kehl, take her to Bryan's chambers and have her relieve Miss Tomei. Have a servant wait on her, and stay in the room at all times." He smirked down at the shuddering Liika. "Oh, and make sure there are no potential weapons on her, or in the room hm? I'll trust you Liika," his eyes were serious, and very very cold, "To take care of Bryan, and nurse him back from the damage you inflicted on him. If he dies, you'll never see little Nadya again." With the threat hanging in the air he turned his back on her, and for the first time since their arrival, placed his attention on the other two girls.
"And what to do with you," he drawled, appraising them casually. "I could put you with the others," he smirked, "but do such pretty girls deserve the dungeons? Hm…" He thought for a moment and then shrugged. "Put them down with the others for now, but feed them and do not harm them. I will think of a place for them later."
The group of guards that surrounded bowed to the red head before pushing the two girls out of the room. Mystel too bowed, and gently took Liika's arm. Liika did not protest.
Nothing was worth not seeing her little Nadya again.
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Garland slumped down in the plush chair with his normal feline grace. His sapphire eyes were cool, but held a small spark of interest as he looked at his partner and friend who played with the small child that was perched on his knee. "He's grown quite a bit."
The orange haired man smiled fondly, bouncing his knee a bit and earning a giggle from the little boy. "He has." He replied, running a gloved hand through the child's dusky orange locks. "He'll be two soon."
Garland nodded, running his eyes over the child.
At almost two Benjamin James Kingston was already an almost carbon copy of his father. His hair already naturally emulated the chaotic style of his father's, and was virtually the same color. The only difference was the brownish tinge that darkened the orange locks. The child's eyes were a bright emerald green, again a few shades darker than his father's.
"I trust everything went as planned?"
Brooklyn's voice shook Garland out of his musings and the pale haired man focused his eyes on the turquoise green gaze that looked at him expectantly. He sighed. "Not exactly."
An orange eyebrow quirked. Brooklyn said nothing, but the tense silence around him demanded an answer.
"There was a slight complication," Garland said, sighing again and leaning back in the chair he occupied. "There was no way to get the child away from her before they came."
Brooklyn's gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing. "So then Biovolt has her?"
"Yes."
He would have cursed, but it would have been highly out of character and utterly beneath him. Despite how badly he wanted to. "I expected better Garland."
Garland snorted. "There was nothing I could do. As it was explaining to Hiwatari why me and Parker were not present was a difficult task. Besides, you should know from experience just how clingy mothers are to their babies," he threw a look at his friend, "Especially after being away from them for several hours."
A half smile played upon Brooklyn's lips as he glanced down at the now dozing child in his arms. "True I suppose," he stated quietly, "And if Miss Tomoda is anything like Rhia, then your task was an impossible one indeed."
"Exactly." Garland replied. "How is Rhia?"
"Well. She's out gathering information at the moment."
Garland nodded again. "And Jade?"
There was a pregnant pause. "Too well."
Silver eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What?"
Brooklyn brought chilling eyes up to lock with his partner's. "Jade grows more restless with each day that passes. She's fallen for Valkov, whether she can see it herself or not." His voice was deceptively soft, but Garland knew from experience that that just meant he was all the more angry.
"Has she betrayed us?"
"No." Brooklyn was quick to answer, moving his gaze from Garland to the wall ahead of him. "But it's only a matter of time. Valkov has her now and he knows it." He paused. "My presence disconcerts her."
"Perhaps she's finally caught on," Garland said dryly, "You knew she was bound to sooner or later. Jade is not stupid. She will figure out that she's just a toy eventually."
"No." Brooklyn stated firmly. "She doesn't know. She is just weak, and Valkov's sweet words have poisoned her mind. Women are fickle, their loyalty is not to be trusted. I knew she would fall to Valkov; that is why I put her there."
Garland sat up straight, his eyes sharpening. "What do you mean?"
Brooklyn chuckled humorlessly. "What I mean is," he smiled at Garland, "I was counting on her falling for him and vice versa. Jade is extremely beautiful and Valkov apparently attractive."
"You were counting on him wanting her?"
"Yes," Brooklyn stopped for a moment when the child in his lap squirmed and whimpered, then fell silent as the orange haired man shifted him so that he cradled him against his chest. "I will use her conflicting loyalty to destroy Valkov. She may have fallen for him, but she is still loyal to me. He wants her, badly, and I will use that to take Biovolt from him. When the time is right and I call Jade back to me, he will follow. Things will fall into place." He chuckled. "We shall see. Moving on, it troubles me that Nadya was captured as well, this makes it that much more difficult. Now I shall have to act sooner than I had planned."
Garland raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"Because," Brooklyn started quietly, "Black Dranzer will be born soon, and we must have Nadya or at least a copy of her voice to imprint on her."
"Why give Black Dranzer to Kyznetsov's brat? Why not give it to your own?" Garland asked, a slight curiosity coloring his voice.
Brooklyn took his time in answering, instead turning his attention to his son who slept slightly fitfully in his arms. "Benji cannot control Black Dranzer. No male can. That is why Hiwatari was driven insane when he tried. Our research has found that some bit beasts have special requirements. For example, some can only be inherited, such as Miss Tomoda's Akala. This would explain why Valkov could not take her after he beat Miss Tomoda. Theoretically speaking, the only one other than Tomoda that can wield Akala is Nadya,"
"And even that is suspect because a hereditary bit beast chooses its master correct?" Garland finished, knowing what Brooklyn was trying to explain.
Brooklyn nodded. "Yes. Black Dranzer is along the same lines, except she's not hereditary, at least not that we can tell anyway. Voltaire and Boris did not realize that when they released the spirit of the great black phoenix that she would only answer to a female. They just knew only a person whose strength matched her own could wield her."
"I'm going to assume that you have something else planned for Benjamin then?"
"Indeed. Benji's companion is being created. After all, Benji is the key to our whole plan. If he does not have a strong partner able to subdue Black Dranzer, our plans will crumble."
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Mariah glanced around the dark and dingy hallways of the Abbey as she and Emily were shoved through narrow passage ways in a confusing maze of cold stone bricks. There wasn't much to see. Just dismal grey stone slabs. A chill washed over her. She had never been inside, hell she had only ever seen it from the outside once or twice! But in being inside for the grand total of fifteen minutes she had been there, she realized what a miserable and horrible place it really was. No wonder the Demolition Boys are insane…this place probably drove them to it. She thought sarcastically, wincing as one of their guards handguns dug into her side.
"Get inside." The guard spat emotionlessly, shoving her through a steel doorway and into a dark and dismal cell.
"Mariah?!"
Mariah looked up instantly and her gold eyes met blackened and half swollen amber orbs that stared fearfully at her. "Oh my God Rei!" She cried, racing across the small cell to latch onto her injured boyfriend. "Oh my God," she repeated, tears making tracks down her cheeks, "How did they catch you?"
Rei flinched, his breath hissing through his teeth as she jarred his damaged ribs. "We didn't make it out fast enough…they shut up the exits and searched everyone." He replied.
"We?" It was then that Mariah realized that they were not alone in the cell. In fact the small space was rather crowded.
Five other bodies, excluding Emily, littered the small cell, all in various states of disrepair. The worst appeared to be Tyson, who lay in a broken heap on the only piece of furniture in the cell: an old, dirty futon. He was unconscious, which judging from his state was probably a merciful thing. Johnny, who leaned hazardously against the wall on the floor beside Tyson's head, looked almost as bad. His face was swollen, and he was cradling one of his arms. Steve, with Emily checking him, sat beside him, looking weary and in pain. Kevin and Foxy were the last two occupants, and looked as if they had fared better than the other three. They had only minor scratches.
"Kevin?" Mariah questioned softly, pulling away from Rei. "Are you ok?"
The black haired boy—he too had chosen to dye his hair black—looked up, plastering a fake smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm ok. Can't say the same for Tyson, Rei and Johnny though."
It was then that Mariah noticed that Rei too was hurt. Her face scrunched into a despairing, worried frown as she studied him. His face looked much like Tyson, Johnny and Steve's: covered with scratches and marks that promised to be bruises. He was clutching his ribs with one good arm, while the other hung lifelessly at his side, his shoulder clearly dislocated. His breathing was laboured, and he winced with every breath he drew in.
"Oh God…" she moaned, her hand pushing black bangs back from Rei's face. "What did they do to you?"
Rei coughed, his face contorting into a mask of agony. "We fought back… Then Tala took out his anger on us. Particularly me and Ty… for something Kai did earlier."
Mariah sniffled, wiping her cheeks. "I wondered where that mark on his temple came from…it will be a nasty bruise."
"Mari…" Rei wheezed, motioning for her to sit beside him. When she was settled, he turned his head and frowned. "What are you doing here? And with Emily…I don't understand…"
Mariah's eyes drifted close, tears threatening again as the memories of the nightmare surfacing.
"They found the safe house," Emily spoke up quietly, her head hung. "Garland and Michael were out on patrol when they struck…they captured Mariah, Liika, Nadie and I."
Four sets of alarmed eyes snapped towards the orange haired girl.
"They have little Nadie??" Foxy demanded, his voice hoarse.
"Yes," Mariah answered, sniffling back tears. "He sent them to Bryan."
Silence reigned over the miserable group for several minutes. All six were caught up in their own thoughts. Finally it was Johnny who broke the quiet.
"So they know?"
Mariah sighed, nodding. "Yes. Tala was going to kill her without even looking. He just assumed she was Kai's."
"And when he found out?"
Mariah snorted sardonically, her lips pulling back in a sneer. "He laughed. Hysterically. He was crying and clutching his sides. He thought it was the most hilarious thing in the world that Liika was impregnated by Bryan. He then proceeded to act very…sickeningly towards Nadie. He's all but publicly proclaimed her his heir."
Silence once again washed over them, none really knowing what to say about the turn of events. The situation was an extremely blow to the resistance, one they weren't really expecting. However, none of the small group expected to live through it.
"Mariah, I need you to do something for me." Rei stated suddenly, groaning quietly as he shifted beside Mariah.
Mariah turned her concerned eyes to the boy she loved and bit her lip. "Yes?"
"I need you to set my shoulder. I'd do it myself, but my ribs are broken and I don't think I have the strength."
Mariah nodded, pushing her purple bangs out of her eyes. "I'll try. Emily, I'll need your help, I don't think I can do it on my own."
Emily sighed, nodding. "Alright." She stepped over to where Mariah was preparing to knock the dislocated joint back into place. "Hold on, this will hurt," she whispered to Rei, situating herself on his other side, to hold him steady.
"Ready?" Mariah murmured, earning a nod out of Rei as he set his teeth and prepared himself for excruciating pain.
Rei's scream as the two girls pushed echoed through the entirety of the Abbey.