That night Ryo took Mokuba home. The boy clung to him tightly the entire ride home. Once home Ryo carried him inside then set him down.

"Okay kid, go get ready for bed." Ryo said.

Mokuba shook his head no and wrapped his arms back around Ryo's waist.

Ryo sighed and stroked the boy's hair. "Come on kiddo, I wish you'd tell me what happened. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

Mokuba shook his head, tightened his grip around Ryo's waist and nuzzled his head even more into his stomach.

Ryo sighed again. "Okay, its all right. I get it you're not ready to tell me. But you're safe now I need you to get ready for bed. Then climb into my bed with your book. I'll be there as soon as I return the carriage. I promise no ones going to hurt you, all right?"

Mokuba nodded and reluctantly released him. Then he went to get ready for bed and crawled into Ryo's bed. Ryo returned and got ready for bed and crawled in next to Mokuba. He could only hope to get the kid to talk about it soon.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

The next morning Ryo went to drop Mokuba off. He knocked on the door and Nosaka answered.

"Ryo how is he?"

"No change, he's basically just shut down he won't talk to me at all. He's barley left my side."

"I am so sorry Ryo, I don't understand why Tristan would do that."

"You couldn't have known. He'll get over it again with time."

"Ryo, I've noticed what looks likes bandages on his back. I wanted to say something sooner but I never got the courage up to ask before. You want to explain them."

"I already told you he was abused."

"Yes, but…"

Ryo sighed he hadn't wanted to tell. But he figured her working that close to the boy it'd be only a matter of time before she noticed the bandages. "His step family used whips and anything else available to beat him."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. It's really none of my business."

"No it's all right. You would have found out eventually. Okay kiddo now I'm sorry but you have to go with Nosaka. I have to go."

Mokuba shook his head no and clung to his waist.

Ryo pulled him away and got down to his level. "Do you trust me?"

Mokuba gulped and nodded.

"You do know I love you very much and would never leave you somewhere if I thought you'd get hurt don't you?"

Mokuba nodded and hugged his neck. "I l-l-love y-you t-to b-big b-brother."

"Now will you tell us what happened?" Ryo asked.

Mokuba sat up. "I h-heard n-noises, f-from t-the other r-room. They s-sounded l-like ones Noah used to m-make w-when he t-touched m-me."

"I'm sorry about that Mokuba. Tristan had no right to bring that girl in here." Nosaka said bending down to his level.

"I-it's okay."

"Mokuba that couldn't have been all of what traumatized you so badly. What else happened?" Ryo asked.

Mokuba gulped. "I w-was walking a-and I h-heard s-screams. T-then n-nothing. Then this m-man c-came out t-talking to himself, t-then he s-saw me and s-said that I'm t-the o-one h-he's b-been looking for."

"What do you mean he was looking for you?" Ryo asked.

"H-he d-didn't s-say. B-but I r-ran when he s-said that he wouldn't hurt m-me much."

"Oh kiddo. Maybe I should take time off and stay with him."

"He'll be fine. I won't let him out of the house. I promise." Nosaka said.

"Well alright." Ryo said to Nosaka. "Will you be okay?" He asked Mokuba.

"I'm f-fine big brother."

"I still think I should just keep him with me." Ryo said.

"Ryo you can't, if you ever hope to make guard you have to finish the month out. Amelda is already upset with you over dating me if you don't show up then it's only going to make things worse. He could easily throw you out now before tryouts and arrange it so you'll never make guard." Nosaka said.

Mokuba didn't want that. He wanted Ryo to make it. "I'll b-be okay, big brother honest."

"You sure I don't want you to stay if your not comfortable."

"I'm s-sure big brother."

"All right then I'd better go."

"Bye." Nosaka said.

"I'll try to leave early and the three of us can go to dinner." Ryo said.

"That'll be nice." Nosaka said.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Over the next few weeks, Ryo and Nosaka continued to go out but took Mokuba with them. The kid barley left Ryo or Nosaka's side for any reason.

Ryo also did his best to stay clear of Amelda as often as possible. In two weeks, it'd be time for tryouts again. Ryo didn't want to mess up his chance of becoming a guard because Amelda hadn't gotten over his break up with Nosaka.

Nosaka was true to her word and unless she was out there Mokuba stayed mostly in the house.

The past few weeks the people were becoming concerned because at least 6 girls had been raped and murdered, 8 more reported a man raping them but due to fear of this man hurting them after hearing of the murders most agreed to do anything he asked.

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Marik had become restless. It was getting too hot to handle hanging around due to the women he'd killed. He was scarred and nervous about his job. So, he was extra jumpy and moody and those women had been trying his patience. Yeah, he'd killed people before but never close range like Malik had he preferred far away. But this kid would have to be handled close up. Mostly because the people who hired him required proof, the boy was dead and the only way to get that proof was a close up kill. Okay so he'd killed women who turned against him more than once. But that was different. Then it wasn't him doing it; it was his rage that was doing it. He was so enraged at the time he didn't have any real control over what he was doing. But this would be different. This would be a child, he'd never believed in hurting children. But a job was a job. After a week of waiting till, the kid was outside where he could get him alone with no success. He'd had enough waiting but he'd have to wait for the perfect moment, when it arrived that kid wouldn't know what hit him!

x-x-x-x-x-x-xx-x-x-x-x-x

Back in Draglor, Malik and Ishizu were meeting.

"Malik do you really believe that Marik can handle this? I mean it's an up close personal kill. Not to mention none of us care for the killing of children." Ishizu said.

"True, the only time Marik can effectively kill up close is when he's in a rage."

"What are talking about Malik? I didn't think Marik could kill up close at all."

"Oh, um well…"

"Well… what? Tell me Malik?"

"Well recently as in the last year or so he's had an obsession with women. He wants them but if they decided they don't want him he gets violent and sometimes he snaps and kills them after he rapes them."

"And I suppose you just sit back and allow this."

"Look Ishizu, I'm not really sure there's a lot I can do to stop him. He's just blowing off steam."

"And I suppose you're blowing off steam when you raped those children."

"Hey I don't care if the little brats fight me it makes it all the more exciting. I mean boy's are tighter than girls but either one is good. I also don't go around killing them! The brats are so traumatized by it, all I have to do is glare at them and they change their minds about accusing me. If that brat that they want killed had ever been, alone long enough, I would have loved to have taken him. I'm sure he'd have been so tight!"

"You're hopeless, no wonder Marik is so screwed up."

"Oh and you're an angel. You don't go around screwing every man that comes along."

"At least I don't go around killing them. I've never killed any one. You killed the man who raped me that time. You know I can't kill anyone."

"You need to get over that Ishizu. We're in the assignation business you can't be squeamish when it comes killing."

"I never said I objected to killing or I couldn't be there when a killing took place. I just can't imagine ever doing it myself."

"Don't worry about Marik, he may not like killing children but I'm sure he can handle it."