Chapter Six: When The Moment Is Right

"When the moment is right you shall give them both their last dose. If you do it at the same time, they wont be able to stop us from giving it to the other one. Give it to them at the same time, after they have taken it whisper into their ear. You are to meet me and my master at the factory at midnight. Do not be late and tell no one you are coming. Resume what you were doing until midnight. You will not remember I have said this to you until tonight." X.A.N.A said. "Say those words exactly as I have spoken them to you. Tell them that and then quickly report back to me." Stan nodded his head then sulked back to the group. It was lunch time when Stan made it to the cafeteria. He saw the group sitting down waiting for him. Stan got his food then went to join them.

"Hey Stan, there's an empty chair over here." Ulrich said indicating the chair between him and Odd. Stan wanted to sit in the chair between Aelita and Yumi, but didn't want to get caught. He then sat down in between Odd and Ulrich.

"So are you all done with your errands?" Odd asked.

"Almost, but for now I can hang out with you guys. Then I'll go finish them." Stan said smiling. Everyone ate their lunch with a little chatter. After lunch they all went outside.

"So what are we going to do?" Stan asked.

"Oh I don't know maybe we could…." Odd started.

"Play hide and seek or tag in the woods!" Aelita suggested, rather excitedly.

"Hey great idea. I'm up for it." Stan said. "This will make it easy to give them their last dose. All I have to do is hide with them." Stan thought to himself. Everyone else nodded their heads in agreement.

"Who's it?" Stan asked.

"The only person who asks." Odd said laughing. Stan looked confused then smiled. He was it. They were playing hide and seek. Stan started to count. Aelita and Jeremy ran to hide in some trees, Odd went to hide near the river and Ulrich and Yumi were looking for a place to hide.

"I haven't played hide and seek in like three years." Yumi said.

"I know it's been a while for me too." Ulrich replied. Silence fell between them until Yumi spoke up.

"Hey…..um…..Ulrich?" Yumi asked.

"Yea Yumi?" he said.

"Last night, did I hurt you?" Yumi asked staring at the ground.

"No you didn't, don't worry about it. You're feeling better now right?" Ulrich asked.

"Yea, but I still feel bad." Yumi admitted. Ulrich grabbed her hand and held onto it.

"No harm done, you were just tired." Ulrich said. Yumi blushed.

"READY OR NOT HERE I COME!" They heard Stan yell. Ulrich and Yumi looked at each other then ducked behind a bush.

"We are going to be found first," Yumi whispered.

"Yea I know but we ran out of time." Ulrich whispered back. "Next time let's try hiding in the…" Ulrich started only to be interrupted by Yumi.

"Shhh, listen." Yumi said, placing a few fingers over Ulrich's lips. They heard voices, two of them talking in hushed tones.

"Can you hear what they are saying?" Ulrich asked.

"Something about a dose of something and that he has to hurry. Something about tomorrow, and he want them now." Yumi said, repeating what she had heard. Ulrich and Yumi looked at each other confused. Suddenly the voices stopped and Stan walked right in front of the bush they were hiding behind. Stan kept walking on. Yumi let out a breath she forgot she was holding.

"That was close," Ulrich said.

"Yea, but I wonder who he was talking too. And what he wanted by tomorrow." Yumi said. Ulrich shrugged his shoulders as they waited for Stan to find them.

Ten minutes later Stan had already found Odd, Aelita and Jeremy. They had all stopped by the bush Yumi and Ulrich were hiding behind.

"I wonder where they are." Jeremy said.

"I haven't seen them yet," Aelita said.

"They are probably hiding together." Odd said, winking at Aelia. Stan kept quiet but kept looking. He slightly stepped into the bush, but didn't see them. He was centimeters from stepping on Yumi's hand. Ulrich motioned for her to lean back. Yumi nodded her head and leaned back into Ulrich. They waited there until Stan moved on. After they were sure he was out of hearing distance Ulrich and Yumi sighed.

"Whew, that was close." Ulrich said.

"Yea, he almost stepped on my hand." Yumi replied. She started to sit up, but accidentally placed her hand on Ulrich's to do so. Yumi froze and looked down, as did Ulrich. They both blushed as Yumi quickly removed her hand.

"Sorry," She said sitting up, without touching Ulrich's hand.

"It's alright." He said, staring into her dark, shinning eyes. Suddenly the bush bent and Odd stood there looking at them.

"Why, hello and who do we have here. Man you guys hid here and you were the last ones found? Wow remind me to hide with you two next time." Odd said joking. Without Odd or Yumi hearing Ulrich huffed. Yumi stood up and stretched her legs.

"Took you long enough." She said. Odd just laughed then shouted that he had found them. Stan, Jeremy, and Aelita ran back over to them.

"Well, it's my turn to count." Jeremy said, as he turned around to count on a tree. Stan grabbed Yumi and Aelia's hands saying,

"Come on, I know where we can hide."