"Let's make sure we have everything, alright?" Ryan said, looking over the bags in the back of the van. They had decided to park the van in a garage, and walk the rest of the way to Kagome's house. The main reason was that Ryan didn't feel like dealing with getting a van out of police lockup. Granted, he could always pull a few strings and get it back…or simply buy another one…but it was the principal of the whole thing. It was his van.

He carefully inspected his sword, sliding it into its sheath. Ryan was proud to say that while he might not have the full strength, speed or magic that he had once held as Ryu, his mastery of Suohdanna was better, tenfold. He had, in the last few months since buying his old blade back, studied the greatest of sword fighting techniques. He also knew of the legendary 4 laws, something he had never even heard of when he had first claimed his mother's blade back from Naraku. He always whispered them to himself when he would use the blade, to keep him focused.

In the end, they had in their bags their own supplies: Sleeping bags, hygiene products, blankets, and a change of clothing, along with odds and ends like flash lights. Ryan and Nicole each took all the food and extra items, while Kagome handled the bath supplies in case they managed to get to a hot spring.

The only problem that remained was getting Kagome, Mark and Sandy through the well. Without the jewel shards, only by connecting yourself to a demon or one with a demon's soul would allow you to pass through time. Ian, Ryan, Nicole, Shippo and Kirara would have to help the three go through, unless Sandy still had a residual effect from Neko and Ryu's….makeover.

Ryan adjusted the strap on his bag, and made sure that he had the cloaks ready. Ryan and Nicole had both bought long full body robes with hoods. They would allow the two, long with gloves and other…adjusting…to hide their demon selves from peaking eyes. Considering that they were wanted by most villages, demons, monks and any other group under the sun for their destruction…they didn't feel like fighting all the time. Besides, there was a bonus to hiding one's self until the heat of battle.

"Ryan and I will go first." Nicole said quietly as they walked towards house. "We'll sense if there are any youkais in the area, make sure it is safe. Once we are gone for about 1 minute, begin sending in others."

"Youkais?" Sandy asked.

"Demons…full blooded." Kagome said. "They can be like Shippo or Kirara, kind and nice…other's are…"

"Not so nice." Nicole said quietly. Mark and Sandy shifted slightly, and Ian was even a bit nervous, once again feeling like his Ian self. Nicole wrapped an arm around Sandy and smiled. "But never fear, that's why you are having two of the deadliest youkais acting as your bodyguards…" She smirked and winked at Sandy. "...just like old times."

Sandy frowned. In the car, Shippo had accidentally admitted what Ryu and Neko had did to Sango…and Sandy was still a bit freaked out she had been an evil snake demoness. And by a bit, she meant really really really!

"Shit." Ian said quietly. Everyone turned…and felt their hearts slam into their stomachs.

There was an army of police all around the house.

"Damn it…they must know we are going for the well!" Kagome said, gripping the straps of her backpack a bit harder.

"Or that we are…since when do you swear?" Ryan said, raising an eyebrow. "That seems OOC for you."

Kagome sighed. "Listen, this is real life, not some fan fic. I can't be 'OOC'." She sighed as Ryan stood there, quiet and sullen. "You were saying?"

Ryan shrugged. "They don't know about the well. I bet they are waiting for you to seek your mom's help…by calling." He paused, and looked at Nicole. "They want to trap us. You know what we have to do."

"Spring the trap."

Ryan nodded. "Spring the trap. And I think we can do just that."

&&&

Kagome's mother shifted as the agents quickly turned on the recording devices. She didn't like this. IF only she could tell them that he daughter wasn't crazy…but if she did that, she may never get to see Kagome again. They would think she was crazy too, and unfit to be a mother.

Oh Kagome…I hope you are being careful…I hope you are safe. Oh…I wish I had never forced you to see that shri…

One of them touched an earpiece. "We have a call coming in commander."

A young woman's voice responded over the line. "Good…record it all."

He turned as the woman clicked off her phone, and turned to the one Kagome's Mom held, ready to pick up. He nodded and made a motion, and all the agents put on headphones to listen.

"Hello?" She asked gently.

"Everyone freeze." A smooth, calming male voice said. It was like silk itself, east flowing and making everyone in the room listen in as it spoke. "I said, everyone should freeze."

Each of them paused, confused. The young man's request seemed silly. It wasn't like it was a hard one to obey. Infact, it was rather simple. So why even demand it? They would gladly freeze.

"Destroy the tape that is recording this."

An agent shrugged and smashed the recording device with ease. It wasn't needed anyway…this was merely a nice man calling. No reason to play the recorder anymore, he wasn't a bad guy.

"everyone take a nice nap." The man said.

All of them yawned. They did feel….sleepy. The agents began to lie down on the ground, curling up for sleep. The nice man would hang up, and besides, they still had the recorder to catch that Kagome girl, even if it was shattered.

&&&

"I can fly!"

Kagome, Ian, Sandy, Mark and Kirara watched as the agents outside ran around playing children's games. Some were playing make believe, others hopscotch…it was too funny to Ryan, who was chuckling. Nicole smirked, her eyes glowing red, before the light faded. "They will be like this for a few hours."

Ian blinked. "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"

Nicole smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know." Ryan growled playfully and the group headed for the well. "You know, this is too easy."

"Stop!"

Ryan sighed. "You had to say it, didn't you?"

Nicole gave him a sheepish grin as they all turned. The cop that had seen them in the store stood there, her katana raised. She was now wearing a white pant suit, her hair flowing down and framing her face, her gloves the only thing she wore that wasn't white. They were golden and almost glowed in the moonlight. She smirked and raised it. "I need to talk with you big boy."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Put the sword down."

"Your serpent's tongue doesn't work on me." She smiled softly. "If you want to prove you are truly Ryu, the dragon lord, you have to fight me."

Everyone looked at the woman in shock. How…how had she known about Ryan and his past? And why did she want to fight him if she knew the truth. Ryu had been able to take down Ian. And he was better now. He could slice a mortal woman up like a pie.

Ryan drew Suohdanna and frowned, spinning it to his ready stance. "You are not a mere woman…I can smell it." He paused, as if in deep thought. But Nicole knew better. Ryan was called upon his demon strength. "What is your name, woman? Your true name?"

The woman smirked. "Your nose is good…let's see how your blade handles." She raised it to battle position, closing her eyes. Ryan gently ran a finger along the dull end of his sword…and each tooth of the blade glowed. "And my name in Lin." She smiled and began to circle him.

"The Laws of battle." Ryan said quietly to himself as the woman encircled him. "Do you know of them?" She decided to respond by bringing her blade crashing down at his head. Ryan brought his up, catching it and with a twist of the handle, sent it to his side. He whipped his blade out at her legs, trying not to kill her, but she leapt and brought her hand down at his side.

Ryan screamed as he felt something pierce his side. He stumbled back and looked in horror…as acid leaked from his wound. Lin stabbed her sword in the ground and removed her gloves, revealing claws dripping with yellow acid.

"Rule One." She had softly. "There is no fair fight!" Tendrils of yellow light shot from her claws, whipping at Ryan. He growled and spun his blade rapidly, but was backed against the house.

"Shadow wave!" He roared, slashing the air, a cloud of black magic concealing him. Lin frowned, looking around quickly, trying to find…anything in the cloud. She couldn't risk whipping out randomly. She would try and sniff him out, but she was trying not to gag as it was from the fumes. That left hearing, but he hadn't made a sound…

Because you haven't moved. She thought, turned back to where she had last seen him before the wave…and letting lose a blast of energy from her sword. She heard Ryan leap in the air, and realized a flaw in her plan: He now knew where she was.

"Soul Crusher!"

Lin let out a scream as she flew out of the cloud, a gash running along her stomach. She twisted as best she could, and landed perfectly on her feet, gripping her side. Ryan called back the wave of black magic, and grunted, the acid still leaking from him.

"Rule two…if it bleeds, kill it." He let out a moan, and his body began to heal. Dragons were some of the fastest healers in the demon world, which is how they made their armor, through rapid rehealing of skin over many years, reforming, toughing it, till it became as hard as steel. While he couldn't make armor, he could banish the damn acid that had been chewing on a rib. It wasn't the healing power he had when he had absorbed Naraku, but it worked.

Lin also let out a grunt, and the group gasped as her stomach began to health, leaving only a large hole in her suit. She spun her blade again and smiled. "Rule Three: Know today could be my last!"

With that, she leapt up, and released more whips, and then, o make Ryan's life hell, her blade glowed and unleashed a wave of Energy. He didn't have time to call on the shadow Wave, she knew it. Besides, he had used its power too long, it needed time to refuel. He was as good as…

"What?" She whispered, watching as he ran over to one of her agents and lifted a flask from the agent's pocket. He smirked, brought it to his lips, and right as the wave was ready to hit him…

"Burst Back!" He shouted, the liquor making his flames red hot. The blast of flames was now directed right at Lin. And unlike most attacks, no one could dodge Burst Blast.

Lin went down hard, slamming into the ground and starting little fires all around her. She groaned, standing up, her hair no longer flowing over her shoulders but a wild mess that fell behind them revealing her demon ears.

But as she wiped away the soot from her face, she also took away the makeup she had put on…that she had been putting on every day since she had become a cop, and for the first time, the world saw her true face.

And Kagome gasped.

On each of her cheeks, Lin sported 2 magenta bars, angling down. But it was her forehead that caused Kagome's breath to catch in her throat. Because, on Lin's forehead, there was a blue crescent moon.