Thank you to Shinigami and Cold-Heritage for reviewing. Cold-Heritage, your
eagerness brings tears to my eyes. No one's ever been so interested
before...
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2. Recollection
"So...How are you getting along without your older brother?" Elvin asked, trying to strike up a conversation with the reticent Eva.
"Okay, I guess..."
Elvin glanced at her for a moment before looking to the rest of the class as they played European Team Handball. "Haven't had such a good laugh since that team's visit, huh?"
A smile suddenly crept across Eva's features. "Yeah," she giggled. "I guess I've got Kane to thank for bringing me out of my misery."
"Half of it at least," Elvin added as the whistle blew for the team rotation. He got up along with Eva and they ran to the middle of the court as Philemon and Sarah flopped down in their seats. Both were gasping for air exuberantly.
"I can't believe we're getting creamed out there!" Philemon exclaimed once he caught his breath. He leant forward slightly, craning his neck to get a good look at both teams.
Sarah glanced down at her physical education uniform. They wore light grey shirts with the school's blue logo across the front and their name and class across the back. They also had blue shorts, with the white logo on the bottom of their left leg and white socks and running shoes.
"You're normally a good player. What's got your attention today?"
"Your terrible playing."
"You're too kind, sometimes, Philemon."
"I know. Thank you."
The two watched Eva and Elvin play for a while in silence. "Heard anything from the Bladebreakers lately?" Sarah asked.
"Why are you asking me? Kenny is the only one we really could have kept in touch with, and Elvin has his E-Mail. If he has been holding conversations, I don't know about them," Philemon replied curtly.
Sarah contemplated the rafters of the gymnasium thoughtfully. "It's been practically a year. We've all moved on, in our lives, as Beybladers. Wonder if we'll ever meet up again?"
Philemon leant back against the wall. "Dunno. We could always go to Japan to see them. Or we could visit the All Starz, they're even closer. You never know—one of the Majestics might make a trip to Canada here. Or there's the team with your boyfriend on it."
Instead of throwing a fit as she normally did, Sarah just glanced at him irritably. "You're just lucky I'm too tired to hurt you."
"Come on, Sarah. It's blatantly obvious what you two have for each other," Philemon began, shrugging his shoulders as if it were so simple.
"Or maybe have had with each other!"
The two looked up. They hadn't noticed the whistle blow, and Elvin and Eva flopped down beside them. Eva slapped Elvin's arm. "You're disgusting!"
*****
The black haired woman saw a head poke nervously around the corner. Another woman with short black hair and a white lab coat appeared, looking rather shaky and wary of her.
"Y-Yes? How may I help you, ma'am?"
She narrowed her eyes at the nervous wreck. "Who are you?"
"My name's Lori. I...I took over as the head scientist of Goadbwa for Ophelia Seki. And... you are Miss Katherine Galsky?"
"That's correct. But there's no need to be so shy. This whole place looks like it's in a shambles. Why?"
"The company...It...collapsed. Hardly anyone works here anymore. I'm the only one left in charge of the operations," Lori replied.
Katherine was silent for a moment, looking Lori up and down. "What about the vice president of the company?"
"You mean Deneb? He's dead. He was killed in the final battle by Kai Hiwatari. Just as well, we would have fired him anyway for betrayal to Goadbwa. He was two-timing us with Biovolt and killed by his grandson."
"Kai Hiwatari...That name sounds familiar. Who is he, exactly?" inquired Katherine.
Lori cast her gaze to the ground, and landed on the strange woman's clothing. She wore a red skirt and top, brown nylons, red boots, and a white jacket with yellow linings. "He's the third prophesied one of the Hilanovs. Blue hair, grey eyes. Leader of the Bladebreakers..."
"Bladebreakers! That's it! Those kids are bothersome, let me tell you. Oh, but... if the vice president's dead, then what about the president? My father, Gilepse?"
Lori swallowed hard to hold back the tears and ended up raising her head to scowl at Galsky. "Dead."
Katherine's eyes widened, and she swallowed as well. "Dead? How?!"
"He was also killed in the final battle. He fell from a cliff, sharp rocks at the bottom impaled him rather nastily. Or so we at Galsky Castle heard. Many were killed in the battle."
"So I hear," Katherine said. She glanced around nervously, thinking of what to say, and now what to do. Her father was dead. It was all that she wrote. With herself out of a job, and him being her only living relative, she seemed to have nowhere to go. Unless...
She looked up and met with Lori's wanful gaze. "Listen, I have some dreams I'm sure that my father would've wanted me to fulfil. That is, if you were to allow me to do so."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Galsky. We do have our limitations..."
"My proposition is that I take over as head of the company, if that is alright with you. If it is revenge you seek against the Hilanovs, it is revenge I shall bring. I have some of my wrath to let out as well. Those Hilanovs are as good as dead with me to lead the Enterprises."
Lori stared back wordlessly, but then she smiled for the first time in months. "That would be wonderful. The few remaining at Goadbwa would greatly appreciate it. Your father would be proud of your undertaking, Ms. Galsky." Lori extended her hand.
She met Lori's hand and shook it. "Thank you, Lori. And please, just call me Dr. K."
*****
Tala charged headlong around the corner, but then turned back around just as quickly on seeing the sentry. He peered around the corner, watching as a boy in dark clothing glanced around. HE didn't seem to be armed, but Tala wasn't about to take any chances with this unfamiliar blue-eyed intruder.
Then Tala glanced downward to see the guard that had been posted at the room, knocked out cold. He lay prone on the stone floor. A yell from the infiltrated room made Tala jump and finally leap out.
"Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?" he called out to the boy.
The boy, who was wearing a baklava, turned to Tala. "I should ask you the same question. Shouldn't you be in bed, trainee?"
"Not when the Abbey's inhabitants are in danger."
The boy pulled out a Beyblade and shooter. "Should've listened to old Boris, kid. We've come to get something and get it we shall!" He fired.
Tala, without his own Beyblade, dodged the shot and aimed a fist for the boy's stomach. Though it only grazed him, the boy was still knocked down. He cradled his stomach for a moment and then looked into the room. "Look out, you two!"
Tala looked up and saw two more in the same garb. His suspicions had been confirmed; there was a fire, and it was consuming things quickly. On the floor lay one of the Biovolt scientists, knocked out as well.
The two other intruders froze when they heard their teammate's warning. They were carrying what looked like a large incubation tube between them. Floating within the green liquid was a small body, much like that of a baby's. But what was it? There was another one suspended in another tube on the side, about to be burnt by the fire.
"I'll ask this again. Who are you and what do you want?" Tala ordered.
The second intruder with brownish-red eyes scowled back at him. "What does it look like? We're here to spread happiness and joy!" Her voice was rather high, like a girl's.
The third one cringed their light purple eyes and looked up as the sprinklers finally turned on. They began to douse the fire.
"Give us back what rightly belongs to Biovolt! I won't let you leave this room with that tube!" Tala exclaimed, opening his arms wide to bar the way.
"You don't even know what we're stealing, do you, Romanov? Just butt out of things that don't concern you!" a female voice scoffed from behind. Tala felt something hard hit the back of his head. His vision was consumed by black and he fell to the ground.
The brown-haired girl threw the bar aside and motioned for the other three to follow. The purple-eyed and green-eyed two held the tube between them as the four made their way for the exit and towards their getaway car.
*****
Sarah stopped in mid-step as she felt something cold come into contact with the back of her head forcefully. She didn't bother turning around. She knew who it was.
Philemon dragged behind her, preparing another snowball. But then he whipped around as another snowball flew past his head. Elvin had thrown it, but had taken an unconscious step while doing so, landing him in a puddle of mucky water.
"Sure! Don't wait for me!" Eva called, hurrying up to the three.
"You're the one that dawdles," Philemon replied. Both Eva and Philemon looked to Elvin, who was trying to pry his shoe from the mud. "Ha, ha! What're you going to do with your uniform, now?" Philemon jested.
Elvin's foot pulled out of the muddy puddle with a squelch. It was true. His black dress shoe and pant leg were now brown and soaked.
"And zip up your jacket. You'll get pneumonia," Eva added.
Elvin zipped up his navy blue bomber jacket, concealing the white dress shirt, blue tie, and undone black jacket with grey neck. The boys also wore a black belt with gold buckle, and black dress pants and shoes. The girls' school uniforms had the same jacket, shirt, and tie, but instead they had black skirts, white nylons and black dress shoes. Whether you closed your jacket or not was optional, Sarah and Elvin often preferring not to.
"Well, then, are we going to eat or what? I'm starving," Elvin asked, trying to ignore the bitter cold against his leg.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Philemon cried, taking off at a headlong run, backpack and all. He took a shortcut through the high mounds of snow that the winter had dumped over the country.
"No fair! You're faster than the rest of us!" Eva objected.
"We should do our homework first," Sarah advised, running awkwardly because of the extra weight on her back.
"Don't be such a nerd, Sarah! We've got to have some fun!" yelled Elvin as he ran ahead of her.
Philemon leapt out of the snow drift and right in front of Elvin. "All work and no play makes Sarah a dull girl!"
The four came to a halt when they reached their destination; a pizza shop in a small plaza close to their school. Philemon was the first to enter, the other three trailing behind. He sat down at their regular table, slinging off his bag and winter coat. Elvin was next, then Eva, and last Sarah. They did the same as he had and tried to catch their breaths.
Sarah immediately took out one of her textbooks and began reading, keeping her head down. Eva looked at her and sighed. "Sheesh, you're studious lately. We're all in the same class, care to tell us what test is coming up?"
"And maybe share the answers with us? Sharing's nice..." Elvin chimed in.
Philemon looked around the restaurant. "Is your brother working here today?"
"Who? Samson? Yeah..." Sarah muttered without looking up. She then paused, and stood up out of her seat. "I'll be back in a minute, okay?" With that, she shuffled away from the table.
Once she was out of earshot, the three leaned into the middle. "Have we planned everything, then?" Philemon inquired almost in a whisper.
Eva nodded. "All in check. All we need to do now is pack our bags and tell her about it."
"Mr. Dickenson, nor the Bladebreakers know anything about this, right? It's still going to be a surprise?" assured Philemon.
Elvin nodded this time. "I haven't said a word. Hopefully this will bring her spirits back up."
"May I take your order?"
The three looked up to see Samson standing before them. He held a pen and paper in his hand, and he was wearing the company uniform, but he didn't have the same joy about him as he used to. He stood there, as if extremely tired.
Elvin surveyed him up and down. "Gee, Samson, you don't look so hot. What's got both you and your sister so down lately?"
Samson shook his head to clear it. "Nothin' much..."
"How are you supposed to attract customers like that?" Eva questioned, a smile breaking across her face.
Philemon glanced at Eva and then to Samson. "Eva's right, for once."
"Hey!"
"She's been trying to put her past behind her. Her own brother, and your two friends. We've all got to move on," Philemon consoled. "Or is there something I'm missing here?"
Samson sighed. "It's not about their deaths and the absences of friends, no, but that makes the situation worse. Our parents have been quarrelling quite a bit lately. When our dad makes the long distance call to Russia once a week, we end up hearing yelling. And that's saying a lot, since our dad isn't prone to anger. He almost never yells, but with our mother it becomes relentless. We're afraid they're going to divorce, and Sarah's been crying over it. She's been brought up in peace her whole life and having to deal with this sort of hate is unnatural for the both of us."
"What is the whole argument about?" implored Elvin, turning around in his seat to face him.
Samson tilted his head to the side wistfully. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure anymore. It's been going on for about a month or two now, and I remember all of a sudden hearing my dad yell as I worked on my homework. I walked out of my room to see Sarah sitting on the staircase hesitantly. When I asked her she said he was talking to our mom in Russia. I think I remember hearing them say something about Tala, but as I said, I'm not sure anymore."
The Celestial Myriad gave each other thoughtful glances before focusing their attention on Samson again. "Tala has really caused a problem among the Langleys, hasn't he?" Eva said rhetorically.
"One little thing and your parents go ballistic," Elvin agreed.
Philemon gave him an annoyed look. "I wouldn't exactly call two thirteen year olds necking a 'little thing', Elvin."
"We're fourteen, now. We can all put our pasts behind us, remember? Besides, we're probably never gonna see the guy again. And it was a goodbye thing. You know how the Italians and the Greeks kiss when they say goodbye?" Elvin countered innocently.
Philemon leant on his arms over the table at his teammate sitting across from him. "Think about it. If you had a daughter and she was having an affair before she even entered high school, what would you do? And the Italians and the Greeks don't make out when they say goodbye."
"Elvin would probably kill her boyfriend," Eva chanted, resting her head in her hands, elbows propping her up on the table.
Elvin laughed. "You're right, I would!"
Philemon leant back in his chair and smirked. "I've proven my point."
"So, then. Care to tell me what you guys were so hush-hush about?" Samson asked, a smile finally creeping across his features.
Philemon glanced around for signs of Sarah. "We're planning a trip to Japan. We're hoping that the Bladebreakers will be able to bring us out of our depression."
"To Japan? In the middle of the school year?"
"We're smart," Elvin said dismissively. "We can catch up with our work."
"If we're all so smart then why do you want test answers?" interrogated Eva with suspicion.
Philemon began explaining again. "Thing is, this is a surprise trip. No one knows about this except the three of us, our parents, and Mr. Langley, whom, by some miracle allowed Sarah to go. It would be a great help if you didn't tell her about our plans."
"No problem," Samson replied. He raised his head to see Sarah sulk back towards the table and sit down. She looked up to him and smiled. "So, then...What'll it be?" Samson said, suddenly raising his voice to avoid suspicion.
"The usual," Sarah answered.
"A medium with pepperoni," Elvin began.
"Mushrooms," Eva chirped.
"And extra cheese," finished Philemon.
*****
"My aching head..."
"You just woke up back in bed with this bandage around your head?" Ian tried to confirm.
Tala looked to Ian as he rubbed the back of his head ruefully. "Yeah. I just remember them breaking in and then knocking me out."
"What could've been in those tubes?" questioned Spencer rhetorically. "And why would they be so important to them?"
Bryan stood up and paced the room. "You said that they were incubation tubes and that it looked like a young child inside, right?"
Tala nodded at his teammate.
"A child? What would they need a child for?" Ian asked, watching Bryan come to a stop in front of Tala sitting on the bed.
"One thing's for sure, this isn't any ordinary child if none of us were told about it."
Spencer, Ian, Bryan, and Tala walked down the corridors toward the mess hall, still puzzling over what secrets were being kept from them. They passed by a doorway, Boris stepping out just in front of them.
"Good morning, my children."
"Good morning, sir," the four chanted.
Boris motioned to Tala. "May I speak with you a minute?" Tala followed Boris inside the room without question, glancing warily at the other three.
The room was the east lab infirmary, no doubt about that. Where he had become a cyborg. He looked around cautiously as he stood in front of a high-tech computer and Boris shuffled around the room, gathering some papers.
Tala waited patiently as Boris moved to the counter and then advanced back towards him. Boris held out a sheet of paper to the boy with what appeared to be two different graphs. Tala took it from the man's hand and examined the information on it.
He was puzzled. "What is this, sir?"
Boris stood up to full height and folded his hands behind his back as he always did. "You're the head of the primary division, remember? Well, until we can find a new staff member, anyway, but... This is the tally for the training regimen that the primary trainees have decided on." Boris turned to walk away. "I'll leave it in your hands-I trust that you'll know how to put it to your own use." His tone all of a sudden became hushed. "How are those developments coming?"
Tala glanced up and into Boris' grey eyes, as he didn't currently have his glasses on. "Fine thank you, sir. I appreciate your willingness to return me to my original state."
Boris smiled and then walked halfway out of the room when he froze in mid-step and turned on his heel, suddenly remembering something. "Ah, yes, Tala, something I almost forgot. Tatiana!"
Tala looked up from the paper he had been focusing on to see a young figure enter through the doorway. It was a young girl, with bluish-green eyes and brownish-red hair that trailed down just past her shoulders. She had bangs slightly similar to Tala's and her hair was tied into a single half-ponytail at the back of her head. She wore an orchid jacket with white- tipped sleeves, a white skirt, white nylons, and black boots.
She skipped up to Boris with a wide smile of her face, making her look stunningly like Anya with her perkish nature and similar physical appearance. Boris placed either hand on her shoulders amicably.
"This is Tatiana, a new trainee to the Abbey. As you can see, she'll be placed in the primary division, and I expect you to work closely with her, Tala," he said, giving Tatiana a quick smile before departing. "Remember-I want your consultation of the tally results as soon as possible," he called as he left the control room.
The two had been staring for a moment at where Boris had left their sights while Tatiana whirled back to face Tala. "Hi! My name's Tatiana."
Tala blinked and lowered his head to look her dully in the eye. His tone was flat. "So I heard. Hi."
"Surely you're more lively than that?"
"Sometimes," Tala sighed, looking away.
Tatiana grabbed his other hand hanging limply at his side and tried to pull him away from where his feet were planted in the floor. "Come on, then! I'm going to teach you how to live life to the fullest, Tally!"
"Whatever... Wait-what did you call me?"
"Tally. That's your name isn't it? That's what Boris called you."
Tala bent down to be at a serious eye-to-eye level with her. "No, my name is Tala, not Tally. Boris was just handing me a tally of votes-that's not my name. And before you get any ideas, it's not Talc, either, despite popular belief."
"Talc?"
"No, Tala."
"Talon?"
"No, it's Tala, you little no-talent!"
"Talent?"
Tala stood back up. "No! Tala! T-A-L-A! Say it with me! TA-LA!"
"Ta-la."
"Yes! Finally! Now get lost."
Tatiana looked at him oddly. "What do you mean?"
"Go to your class. I can't help you anymore."
Tatiana turned and skipped out of the room. "Okay! Goodbye, Tally!"
Tala growled and subconsciously ripped the sheet in half.
*****
"When Voltaire was spying on Biovolt for us, he said that he learnt of a new experiment they were planning on conducting, and the timeframe the finished product would be ready in," explained Lori as she led Dr. K through the halls of Biovolt. "Therefore, we were able to plan a way to get a hold of this little experiment. We have currently sent out a team to retrieve the item now."
Lori led her around a corner, but jumped back, the thieves having appeared in front of her. The purple-eyed and brown-eyed ones were still toting the tube between them. The tallest one stepped forward.
"Lori, ma'am, we are back with one of the requested items. I am sorry to say that we were careless in our operations and allowed a fire to break out, thus arousing another trainee in the Abbey. He impaired our ability to get the girl," she explained.
Lori scowled up at her, Lori being short compared to both the girl and Dr. K. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Monica. When I say I want both, I want both. Meanwhile, take off your facial covers so that our new president, Katherine Galsky may see your faces."
"New president?" the boy asked. "Who? Her?" he pointed to Dr. K, who withdrew at the doubt in his voice.
"That's right, the very daughter of your old president, and you shall respect me in the same way," she returned.
One by one, the infiltrators removed their masks. Lori motioned to each one in turn. She motioned to the green-eyed leader, who appeared to be in her late teens. She had her brown hair pinned up behind her head, and a single wisp of bangs in the middle of her brow. "This is Monica. She's the leader of one of Goadbwa's product teams." Lori then indicated the blue eyed boy. His black bangs covered one eye, and the rest of his jet-black hair trailed just down his neck. "And Zachary, a Beyblader with extreme potential." Next was a the purple eyed girl with short, blond hair. She had bangs and two trailing tufts of hair on either side of her head, covering her ears. Her hair was shorter than Zachary's. "Then there's Victoria, very shy but obedient." The last was another girl, with the same innocent stare as Victoria. She had the brown eyes and long green hair with bangs that parted in the middle of her forehead. Her hair was tied in low pigtails with red bands. "The fourth member, Amy, a novice to the enterprises, but a prodigy nonetheless."
Dr. K surveyed the four up and down before looking to Lori again. "You said that this was only one of the Goadbwa product teams. What about the others?"
Lori looked back to the four. "This team is called the Black Death. They were a team formed just before the final battle against Biovolt and the Hilanovs. They were survivors, and because of their excellent condition, were sent out on missions while the rest of the company recuperated. Since those Biovolt snipers came, even control room attendants have needed intensive medical attention. But about these other teams, the only other product team that Goadbwa has successfully trained is Vitality Extortion."
"Vitality Extortion?" Dr. K echoed, trying to roll her tongue around the name. "Who were they?"
"They were the ones that led Goadbwa in the fight against the Hilanovs," Zachary interrupted. "There were three Hilanovs and three in Vitality Extortion, so the numbers always fit perfectly."
"So where is this Vitality Extortion?" asked Dr. K, glancing at the other members of Black Death.
"They're dead," Amy said simply. "The Hilanovs killed them in the final battle. Kuiper was decapitated, Telesto shot and Spica drowned."
Dr. K looked to Lori. "But you said that you planned to use Goadbwa in a retaliation war against the Hilanovs. How is that possible if they're dead?"
Lori smiled. "Victoria, I would ask that you show Miss Katherine Galsky here a little something her father invented while he was alive."
Victoria, not returning the smile nor replying verbally, nodded and continued down the hall the Lori had been leading the woman down. Dr. K made to step forward, but paused when Zachary extended his arms to her.
"Allow me to take you baggage, ...uh...What should we call you?"
"What did you call my father?"
"'Sir', or 'Gilepse'. He didn't like being called 'Mr. Galsky'."
"Very well. To make things easy, just call me Dr. K." Zachary took her luggage as she followed Victoria down the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~ So just what has Goadbwa been concocting during its recuperation time? Will Dr. K be able to take over the second phase of the war and avenge her father's death? Will Samson and Sarah's parents stay together or will fights over Tala break them apart? Is Tala really what started their argument in the first place? Exactly who is this strange girl, Tatiana, and where did she come from so suddenly? And why does Elvin need test answers if he's so smart? Find out in the next chapter of THE HILANOV PROPHECY: V FORCE!
Next chapter: We Meet Again
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2. Recollection
"So...How are you getting along without your older brother?" Elvin asked, trying to strike up a conversation with the reticent Eva.
"Okay, I guess..."
Elvin glanced at her for a moment before looking to the rest of the class as they played European Team Handball. "Haven't had such a good laugh since that team's visit, huh?"
A smile suddenly crept across Eva's features. "Yeah," she giggled. "I guess I've got Kane to thank for bringing me out of my misery."
"Half of it at least," Elvin added as the whistle blew for the team rotation. He got up along with Eva and they ran to the middle of the court as Philemon and Sarah flopped down in their seats. Both were gasping for air exuberantly.
"I can't believe we're getting creamed out there!" Philemon exclaimed once he caught his breath. He leant forward slightly, craning his neck to get a good look at both teams.
Sarah glanced down at her physical education uniform. They wore light grey shirts with the school's blue logo across the front and their name and class across the back. They also had blue shorts, with the white logo on the bottom of their left leg and white socks and running shoes.
"You're normally a good player. What's got your attention today?"
"Your terrible playing."
"You're too kind, sometimes, Philemon."
"I know. Thank you."
The two watched Eva and Elvin play for a while in silence. "Heard anything from the Bladebreakers lately?" Sarah asked.
"Why are you asking me? Kenny is the only one we really could have kept in touch with, and Elvin has his E-Mail. If he has been holding conversations, I don't know about them," Philemon replied curtly.
Sarah contemplated the rafters of the gymnasium thoughtfully. "It's been practically a year. We've all moved on, in our lives, as Beybladers. Wonder if we'll ever meet up again?"
Philemon leant back against the wall. "Dunno. We could always go to Japan to see them. Or we could visit the All Starz, they're even closer. You never know—one of the Majestics might make a trip to Canada here. Or there's the team with your boyfriend on it."
Instead of throwing a fit as she normally did, Sarah just glanced at him irritably. "You're just lucky I'm too tired to hurt you."
"Come on, Sarah. It's blatantly obvious what you two have for each other," Philemon began, shrugging his shoulders as if it were so simple.
"Or maybe have had with each other!"
The two looked up. They hadn't noticed the whistle blow, and Elvin and Eva flopped down beside them. Eva slapped Elvin's arm. "You're disgusting!"
*****
The black haired woman saw a head poke nervously around the corner. Another woman with short black hair and a white lab coat appeared, looking rather shaky and wary of her.
"Y-Yes? How may I help you, ma'am?"
She narrowed her eyes at the nervous wreck. "Who are you?"
"My name's Lori. I...I took over as the head scientist of Goadbwa for Ophelia Seki. And... you are Miss Katherine Galsky?"
"That's correct. But there's no need to be so shy. This whole place looks like it's in a shambles. Why?"
"The company...It...collapsed. Hardly anyone works here anymore. I'm the only one left in charge of the operations," Lori replied.
Katherine was silent for a moment, looking Lori up and down. "What about the vice president of the company?"
"You mean Deneb? He's dead. He was killed in the final battle by Kai Hiwatari. Just as well, we would have fired him anyway for betrayal to Goadbwa. He was two-timing us with Biovolt and killed by his grandson."
"Kai Hiwatari...That name sounds familiar. Who is he, exactly?" inquired Katherine.
Lori cast her gaze to the ground, and landed on the strange woman's clothing. She wore a red skirt and top, brown nylons, red boots, and a white jacket with yellow linings. "He's the third prophesied one of the Hilanovs. Blue hair, grey eyes. Leader of the Bladebreakers..."
"Bladebreakers! That's it! Those kids are bothersome, let me tell you. Oh, but... if the vice president's dead, then what about the president? My father, Gilepse?"
Lori swallowed hard to hold back the tears and ended up raising her head to scowl at Galsky. "Dead."
Katherine's eyes widened, and she swallowed as well. "Dead? How?!"
"He was also killed in the final battle. He fell from a cliff, sharp rocks at the bottom impaled him rather nastily. Or so we at Galsky Castle heard. Many were killed in the battle."
"So I hear," Katherine said. She glanced around nervously, thinking of what to say, and now what to do. Her father was dead. It was all that she wrote. With herself out of a job, and him being her only living relative, she seemed to have nowhere to go. Unless...
She looked up and met with Lori's wanful gaze. "Listen, I have some dreams I'm sure that my father would've wanted me to fulfil. That is, if you were to allow me to do so."
"I'm sorry, Ms. Galsky. We do have our limitations..."
"My proposition is that I take over as head of the company, if that is alright with you. If it is revenge you seek against the Hilanovs, it is revenge I shall bring. I have some of my wrath to let out as well. Those Hilanovs are as good as dead with me to lead the Enterprises."
Lori stared back wordlessly, but then she smiled for the first time in months. "That would be wonderful. The few remaining at Goadbwa would greatly appreciate it. Your father would be proud of your undertaking, Ms. Galsky." Lori extended her hand.
She met Lori's hand and shook it. "Thank you, Lori. And please, just call me Dr. K."
*****
Tala charged headlong around the corner, but then turned back around just as quickly on seeing the sentry. He peered around the corner, watching as a boy in dark clothing glanced around. HE didn't seem to be armed, but Tala wasn't about to take any chances with this unfamiliar blue-eyed intruder.
Then Tala glanced downward to see the guard that had been posted at the room, knocked out cold. He lay prone on the stone floor. A yell from the infiltrated room made Tala jump and finally leap out.
"Hey! Who are you and what are you doing here?" he called out to the boy.
The boy, who was wearing a baklava, turned to Tala. "I should ask you the same question. Shouldn't you be in bed, trainee?"
"Not when the Abbey's inhabitants are in danger."
The boy pulled out a Beyblade and shooter. "Should've listened to old Boris, kid. We've come to get something and get it we shall!" He fired.
Tala, without his own Beyblade, dodged the shot and aimed a fist for the boy's stomach. Though it only grazed him, the boy was still knocked down. He cradled his stomach for a moment and then looked into the room. "Look out, you two!"
Tala looked up and saw two more in the same garb. His suspicions had been confirmed; there was a fire, and it was consuming things quickly. On the floor lay one of the Biovolt scientists, knocked out as well.
The two other intruders froze when they heard their teammate's warning. They were carrying what looked like a large incubation tube between them. Floating within the green liquid was a small body, much like that of a baby's. But what was it? There was another one suspended in another tube on the side, about to be burnt by the fire.
"I'll ask this again. Who are you and what do you want?" Tala ordered.
The second intruder with brownish-red eyes scowled back at him. "What does it look like? We're here to spread happiness and joy!" Her voice was rather high, like a girl's.
The third one cringed their light purple eyes and looked up as the sprinklers finally turned on. They began to douse the fire.
"Give us back what rightly belongs to Biovolt! I won't let you leave this room with that tube!" Tala exclaimed, opening his arms wide to bar the way.
"You don't even know what we're stealing, do you, Romanov? Just butt out of things that don't concern you!" a female voice scoffed from behind. Tala felt something hard hit the back of his head. His vision was consumed by black and he fell to the ground.
The brown-haired girl threw the bar aside and motioned for the other three to follow. The purple-eyed and green-eyed two held the tube between them as the four made their way for the exit and towards their getaway car.
*****
Sarah stopped in mid-step as she felt something cold come into contact with the back of her head forcefully. She didn't bother turning around. She knew who it was.
Philemon dragged behind her, preparing another snowball. But then he whipped around as another snowball flew past his head. Elvin had thrown it, but had taken an unconscious step while doing so, landing him in a puddle of mucky water.
"Sure! Don't wait for me!" Eva called, hurrying up to the three.
"You're the one that dawdles," Philemon replied. Both Eva and Philemon looked to Elvin, who was trying to pry his shoe from the mud. "Ha, ha! What're you going to do with your uniform, now?" Philemon jested.
Elvin's foot pulled out of the muddy puddle with a squelch. It was true. His black dress shoe and pant leg were now brown and soaked.
"And zip up your jacket. You'll get pneumonia," Eva added.
Elvin zipped up his navy blue bomber jacket, concealing the white dress shirt, blue tie, and undone black jacket with grey neck. The boys also wore a black belt with gold buckle, and black dress pants and shoes. The girls' school uniforms had the same jacket, shirt, and tie, but instead they had black skirts, white nylons and black dress shoes. Whether you closed your jacket or not was optional, Sarah and Elvin often preferring not to.
"Well, then, are we going to eat or what? I'm starving," Elvin asked, trying to ignore the bitter cold against his leg.
"Last one there's a rotten egg!" Philemon cried, taking off at a headlong run, backpack and all. He took a shortcut through the high mounds of snow that the winter had dumped over the country.
"No fair! You're faster than the rest of us!" Eva objected.
"We should do our homework first," Sarah advised, running awkwardly because of the extra weight on her back.
"Don't be such a nerd, Sarah! We've got to have some fun!" yelled Elvin as he ran ahead of her.
Philemon leapt out of the snow drift and right in front of Elvin. "All work and no play makes Sarah a dull girl!"
The four came to a halt when they reached their destination; a pizza shop in a small plaza close to their school. Philemon was the first to enter, the other three trailing behind. He sat down at their regular table, slinging off his bag and winter coat. Elvin was next, then Eva, and last Sarah. They did the same as he had and tried to catch their breaths.
Sarah immediately took out one of her textbooks and began reading, keeping her head down. Eva looked at her and sighed. "Sheesh, you're studious lately. We're all in the same class, care to tell us what test is coming up?"
"And maybe share the answers with us? Sharing's nice..." Elvin chimed in.
Philemon looked around the restaurant. "Is your brother working here today?"
"Who? Samson? Yeah..." Sarah muttered without looking up. She then paused, and stood up out of her seat. "I'll be back in a minute, okay?" With that, she shuffled away from the table.
Once she was out of earshot, the three leaned into the middle. "Have we planned everything, then?" Philemon inquired almost in a whisper.
Eva nodded. "All in check. All we need to do now is pack our bags and tell her about it."
"Mr. Dickenson, nor the Bladebreakers know anything about this, right? It's still going to be a surprise?" assured Philemon.
Elvin nodded this time. "I haven't said a word. Hopefully this will bring her spirits back up."
"May I take your order?"
The three looked up to see Samson standing before them. He held a pen and paper in his hand, and he was wearing the company uniform, but he didn't have the same joy about him as he used to. He stood there, as if extremely tired.
Elvin surveyed him up and down. "Gee, Samson, you don't look so hot. What's got both you and your sister so down lately?"
Samson shook his head to clear it. "Nothin' much..."
"How are you supposed to attract customers like that?" Eva questioned, a smile breaking across her face.
Philemon glanced at Eva and then to Samson. "Eva's right, for once."
"Hey!"
"She's been trying to put her past behind her. Her own brother, and your two friends. We've all got to move on," Philemon consoled. "Or is there something I'm missing here?"
Samson sighed. "It's not about their deaths and the absences of friends, no, but that makes the situation worse. Our parents have been quarrelling quite a bit lately. When our dad makes the long distance call to Russia once a week, we end up hearing yelling. And that's saying a lot, since our dad isn't prone to anger. He almost never yells, but with our mother it becomes relentless. We're afraid they're going to divorce, and Sarah's been crying over it. She's been brought up in peace her whole life and having to deal with this sort of hate is unnatural for the both of us."
"What is the whole argument about?" implored Elvin, turning around in his seat to face him.
Samson tilted his head to the side wistfully. "To tell you the truth, I'm not sure anymore. It's been going on for about a month or two now, and I remember all of a sudden hearing my dad yell as I worked on my homework. I walked out of my room to see Sarah sitting on the staircase hesitantly. When I asked her she said he was talking to our mom in Russia. I think I remember hearing them say something about Tala, but as I said, I'm not sure anymore."
The Celestial Myriad gave each other thoughtful glances before focusing their attention on Samson again. "Tala has really caused a problem among the Langleys, hasn't he?" Eva said rhetorically.
"One little thing and your parents go ballistic," Elvin agreed.
Philemon gave him an annoyed look. "I wouldn't exactly call two thirteen year olds necking a 'little thing', Elvin."
"We're fourteen, now. We can all put our pasts behind us, remember? Besides, we're probably never gonna see the guy again. And it was a goodbye thing. You know how the Italians and the Greeks kiss when they say goodbye?" Elvin countered innocently.
Philemon leant on his arms over the table at his teammate sitting across from him. "Think about it. If you had a daughter and she was having an affair before she even entered high school, what would you do? And the Italians and the Greeks don't make out when they say goodbye."
"Elvin would probably kill her boyfriend," Eva chanted, resting her head in her hands, elbows propping her up on the table.
Elvin laughed. "You're right, I would!"
Philemon leant back in his chair and smirked. "I've proven my point."
"So, then. Care to tell me what you guys were so hush-hush about?" Samson asked, a smile finally creeping across his features.
Philemon glanced around for signs of Sarah. "We're planning a trip to Japan. We're hoping that the Bladebreakers will be able to bring us out of our depression."
"To Japan? In the middle of the school year?"
"We're smart," Elvin said dismissively. "We can catch up with our work."
"If we're all so smart then why do you want test answers?" interrogated Eva with suspicion.
Philemon began explaining again. "Thing is, this is a surprise trip. No one knows about this except the three of us, our parents, and Mr. Langley, whom, by some miracle allowed Sarah to go. It would be a great help if you didn't tell her about our plans."
"No problem," Samson replied. He raised his head to see Sarah sulk back towards the table and sit down. She looked up to him and smiled. "So, then...What'll it be?" Samson said, suddenly raising his voice to avoid suspicion.
"The usual," Sarah answered.
"A medium with pepperoni," Elvin began.
"Mushrooms," Eva chirped.
"And extra cheese," finished Philemon.
*****
"My aching head..."
"You just woke up back in bed with this bandage around your head?" Ian tried to confirm.
Tala looked to Ian as he rubbed the back of his head ruefully. "Yeah. I just remember them breaking in and then knocking me out."
"What could've been in those tubes?" questioned Spencer rhetorically. "And why would they be so important to them?"
Bryan stood up and paced the room. "You said that they were incubation tubes and that it looked like a young child inside, right?"
Tala nodded at his teammate.
"A child? What would they need a child for?" Ian asked, watching Bryan come to a stop in front of Tala sitting on the bed.
"One thing's for sure, this isn't any ordinary child if none of us were told about it."
Spencer, Ian, Bryan, and Tala walked down the corridors toward the mess hall, still puzzling over what secrets were being kept from them. They passed by a doorway, Boris stepping out just in front of them.
"Good morning, my children."
"Good morning, sir," the four chanted.
Boris motioned to Tala. "May I speak with you a minute?" Tala followed Boris inside the room without question, glancing warily at the other three.
The room was the east lab infirmary, no doubt about that. Where he had become a cyborg. He looked around cautiously as he stood in front of a high-tech computer and Boris shuffled around the room, gathering some papers.
Tala waited patiently as Boris moved to the counter and then advanced back towards him. Boris held out a sheet of paper to the boy with what appeared to be two different graphs. Tala took it from the man's hand and examined the information on it.
He was puzzled. "What is this, sir?"
Boris stood up to full height and folded his hands behind his back as he always did. "You're the head of the primary division, remember? Well, until we can find a new staff member, anyway, but... This is the tally for the training regimen that the primary trainees have decided on." Boris turned to walk away. "I'll leave it in your hands-I trust that you'll know how to put it to your own use." His tone all of a sudden became hushed. "How are those developments coming?"
Tala glanced up and into Boris' grey eyes, as he didn't currently have his glasses on. "Fine thank you, sir. I appreciate your willingness to return me to my original state."
Boris smiled and then walked halfway out of the room when he froze in mid-step and turned on his heel, suddenly remembering something. "Ah, yes, Tala, something I almost forgot. Tatiana!"
Tala looked up from the paper he had been focusing on to see a young figure enter through the doorway. It was a young girl, with bluish-green eyes and brownish-red hair that trailed down just past her shoulders. She had bangs slightly similar to Tala's and her hair was tied into a single half-ponytail at the back of her head. She wore an orchid jacket with white- tipped sleeves, a white skirt, white nylons, and black boots.
She skipped up to Boris with a wide smile of her face, making her look stunningly like Anya with her perkish nature and similar physical appearance. Boris placed either hand on her shoulders amicably.
"This is Tatiana, a new trainee to the Abbey. As you can see, she'll be placed in the primary division, and I expect you to work closely with her, Tala," he said, giving Tatiana a quick smile before departing. "Remember-I want your consultation of the tally results as soon as possible," he called as he left the control room.
The two had been staring for a moment at where Boris had left their sights while Tatiana whirled back to face Tala. "Hi! My name's Tatiana."
Tala blinked and lowered his head to look her dully in the eye. His tone was flat. "So I heard. Hi."
"Surely you're more lively than that?"
"Sometimes," Tala sighed, looking away.
Tatiana grabbed his other hand hanging limply at his side and tried to pull him away from where his feet were planted in the floor. "Come on, then! I'm going to teach you how to live life to the fullest, Tally!"
"Whatever... Wait-what did you call me?"
"Tally. That's your name isn't it? That's what Boris called you."
Tala bent down to be at a serious eye-to-eye level with her. "No, my name is Tala, not Tally. Boris was just handing me a tally of votes-that's not my name. And before you get any ideas, it's not Talc, either, despite popular belief."
"Talc?"
"No, Tala."
"Talon?"
"No, it's Tala, you little no-talent!"
"Talent?"
Tala stood back up. "No! Tala! T-A-L-A! Say it with me! TA-LA!"
"Ta-la."
"Yes! Finally! Now get lost."
Tatiana looked at him oddly. "What do you mean?"
"Go to your class. I can't help you anymore."
Tatiana turned and skipped out of the room. "Okay! Goodbye, Tally!"
Tala growled and subconsciously ripped the sheet in half.
*****
"When Voltaire was spying on Biovolt for us, he said that he learnt of a new experiment they were planning on conducting, and the timeframe the finished product would be ready in," explained Lori as she led Dr. K through the halls of Biovolt. "Therefore, we were able to plan a way to get a hold of this little experiment. We have currently sent out a team to retrieve the item now."
Lori led her around a corner, but jumped back, the thieves having appeared in front of her. The purple-eyed and brown-eyed ones were still toting the tube between them. The tallest one stepped forward.
"Lori, ma'am, we are back with one of the requested items. I am sorry to say that we were careless in our operations and allowed a fire to break out, thus arousing another trainee in the Abbey. He impaired our ability to get the girl," she explained.
Lori scowled up at her, Lori being short compared to both the girl and Dr. K. "You should be ashamed of yourself, Monica. When I say I want both, I want both. Meanwhile, take off your facial covers so that our new president, Katherine Galsky may see your faces."
"New president?" the boy asked. "Who? Her?" he pointed to Dr. K, who withdrew at the doubt in his voice.
"That's right, the very daughter of your old president, and you shall respect me in the same way," she returned.
One by one, the infiltrators removed their masks. Lori motioned to each one in turn. She motioned to the green-eyed leader, who appeared to be in her late teens. She had her brown hair pinned up behind her head, and a single wisp of bangs in the middle of her brow. "This is Monica. She's the leader of one of Goadbwa's product teams." Lori then indicated the blue eyed boy. His black bangs covered one eye, and the rest of his jet-black hair trailed just down his neck. "And Zachary, a Beyblader with extreme potential." Next was a the purple eyed girl with short, blond hair. She had bangs and two trailing tufts of hair on either side of her head, covering her ears. Her hair was shorter than Zachary's. "Then there's Victoria, very shy but obedient." The last was another girl, with the same innocent stare as Victoria. She had the brown eyes and long green hair with bangs that parted in the middle of her forehead. Her hair was tied in low pigtails with red bands. "The fourth member, Amy, a novice to the enterprises, but a prodigy nonetheless."
Dr. K surveyed the four up and down before looking to Lori again. "You said that this was only one of the Goadbwa product teams. What about the others?"
Lori looked back to the four. "This team is called the Black Death. They were a team formed just before the final battle against Biovolt and the Hilanovs. They were survivors, and because of their excellent condition, were sent out on missions while the rest of the company recuperated. Since those Biovolt snipers came, even control room attendants have needed intensive medical attention. But about these other teams, the only other product team that Goadbwa has successfully trained is Vitality Extortion."
"Vitality Extortion?" Dr. K echoed, trying to roll her tongue around the name. "Who were they?"
"They were the ones that led Goadbwa in the fight against the Hilanovs," Zachary interrupted. "There were three Hilanovs and three in Vitality Extortion, so the numbers always fit perfectly."
"So where is this Vitality Extortion?" asked Dr. K, glancing at the other members of Black Death.
"They're dead," Amy said simply. "The Hilanovs killed them in the final battle. Kuiper was decapitated, Telesto shot and Spica drowned."
Dr. K looked to Lori. "But you said that you planned to use Goadbwa in a retaliation war against the Hilanovs. How is that possible if they're dead?"
Lori smiled. "Victoria, I would ask that you show Miss Katherine Galsky here a little something her father invented while he was alive."
Victoria, not returning the smile nor replying verbally, nodded and continued down the hall the Lori had been leading the woman down. Dr. K made to step forward, but paused when Zachary extended his arms to her.
"Allow me to take you baggage, ...uh...What should we call you?"
"What did you call my father?"
"'Sir', or 'Gilepse'. He didn't like being called 'Mr. Galsky'."
"Very well. To make things easy, just call me Dr. K." Zachary took her luggage as she followed Victoria down the corridor.
~~~~~~~~~ So just what has Goadbwa been concocting during its recuperation time? Will Dr. K be able to take over the second phase of the war and avenge her father's death? Will Samson and Sarah's parents stay together or will fights over Tala break them apart? Is Tala really what started their argument in the first place? Exactly who is this strange girl, Tatiana, and where did she come from so suddenly? And why does Elvin need test answers if he's so smart? Find out in the next chapter of THE HILANOV PROPHECY: V FORCE!
Next chapter: We Meet Again