Chapter 26

They stared at the mad man.

Their Bitbeasts? He was still after their Bitbeasts?

"In your dreams, Boris." Kai snapped.

"Oh, but dreams become reality, Kai." Boris lectured. "And my dream is about to come true, thanks to you."

"If you think we're just gonna stand here and let you take Kai from us, you are sadly mistaken." Tyson said bravely. He moved in front of his captain, prepared to defend his friend.

"Who said anything about taking Kai from you?" Boris sneered. "All I want is your Bitbeasts but since you're not willing, then I suppose we would have to do this the hard way."

Eyes on the guards, the four teens tensed but the attack didn't come from them. Without warning, something flew from the shadows. Reacting on pure instinct, Kai dived on Tyson, pushing him to the ground. Ray yanked Max down as a black streak flew past their heads with a powerful spin that would have injured them seriously had it made contact.

"What the-?" they gasped at the thing spinning before them. A Beyblade?!

A girl stepped forward with a launcher in hand. She was a pretty blonde wearing a white mini skirt and jacket. Her long golden hair spilled down her back in wavy curls that caressed her slender body. Her icy blue eyes were narrowed dangerously. Kai was getting the idea she wasn't any ordinary blader.

"May I present to you...Alexis." Boris announced clearly taking joy in their stunned expressions. "Biovolt's ultimate blader."

Something in Kai's mind clicked and he recalled something his grandfather had mentioned. 'Biovolt's ultimate weapon.'His hand became a fist. A girl. An innocent young girl. Just like Jade was.

"Don't make me laugh." Tyson snorted, rising to his feet. "I take her out any day. I did after all beat Tala."

"Tala was weak but we're taking care of that now even as we speak. Please." Boris said pleasantly. "Be my guest to battle Alexis."

"Tyson, I really don't think that's such a good idea." Max began to say quietly.

Kai looked at the blonde kid and saw fear and uncertainty in his baby blue eyes. Ray looked grim. But no one move to stop Tyson as he drew out his launcher and Dragoon. They were curious to find out what this 'ultimate blader' really got.

"Go, Dragoon!" Tyson commanded as he let loose the blade on the black blade. "Take her out fast!"

Dragoon zeroed in on Alexis's blade. Her blade waited until he was barely an inch within her range and dodged. Dragoon spun by and her blade moved into the offense, giving chase.

"Shake her off, Dragoon!" Tyson said.

His blade increased its speed but so did hers. Somehow her blade kept with his and was attacking his Dragoon painfully.

"Tyson, go on the defense." Ray called out.

Heeding the advice, Tyson centered his blade. To their surprise, her blade collided into Dragoon and threw him off-balance.

"This's not good." Tyson muttered.

Alexis pressed her attacks. Dragoon was loosing spin fast as she cornered him against a wall.

"Good." Boris said. "Now, finish him off and take his Bitbeast."

Alexis nodded. "Rashka!" she called out for the first time. Her voice was throaty and it had a ring of command in it.

Her blade leapt back while Dragoon tried to recover. The center of the blade started to glow blood red and a dark formless being emerged. Its red eyes glowed with bloodlust and the need for the kill.

What is that?, Kai wondered. Then he realized. This was Biovolt's ultimate weapon!

A roar ripped from the creature before it closed in on Tyson's trapped blade.

"Dragoon!" Tyson cried out helplessly.

Suddenly another blade flew forward and knocked the advancing blade away from Dragoon, giving Tyson the chance to retrieve his weakening blade. Grunting in surprise, Alexis caught her blade as it flew back to her. Her Bitbeast dissolved into its blade with a final snarl. Her usually cold eyes grew wide at the sight of the intruding blade. Without pausing the blade that had saved Tyson's blade sliced through the ropes holding up a net of crates, sending the wooden crates crashing down between where Boris and Alexis stood from the Bladebreakers. From above, a dark shadow leapt down, taking advantage of everyone's shock and surprise.

Kai caught a glimpse of the blade before a cloud of dust rose from the wreck of broken crates. It can't be...yet it was. The thought brought a smile to his lips. He could hear Boris shouting in alarm as his guards were taken out one by one. As the dust cleared, he could see it was Jade moving with predatory grace and swiftness. She disarmed a guard of his baton and took him out with a left hook to his temple. Before he even hit the ground, she launched into a spinning kick, effectively removing another guard. She flipped into a handstand turning it into a kick as she used her momentum to create distance.

"Get her!" Boris shouted as he backed away to the back door. More guards came running in to replace those whom Jade had taken out.

"Jade! Behind you!" Ray yelled as he fought too to aid her and to keep the guards away from Max and Tyson.

She ducked under the man who had tried sneaking up on her, kicking him just above the ankles. In half a heartbeat, she was on her feet and moved in time to block a guard's attempt to punch her. She twisted his arm behind him and threw him into another guard. Somewhere during the fight, she moved back to back with Kai and moving as if they could anticipate each others movements, they quickly cut down the mass of guards.

But the guards kept coming. It was only a matter of time before they overwhelm the teens with their sheer numbers. Kai glanced at Jade. She seemed to realize that as well. They shared a brief moment of eye contact and a nod. Kai yanked out Dranzer and launched his blade at the guards.

"Dranzer!" he ordered. "Spiral Survivor!"

Jade had her blade perform a similar move. "Draizer, Fire Spin!"

Coming from both directions, the blades ignited into flames and created a wall of fire across the floor, unabling the guards to pass through.

"Go!" Jade snapped at the others beckoning at another door that had been hidden by the darkness of the warehouse earlier now clear in the flaring light of the blue and red fire. She glanced back, through the raging flames. Her eyes locked with the blonde girl's and realization rushed through her before the other girl turned and headed for the door.

The blades returned to their respective owners and they made a run for the door. Ray kicked it open and they stumbled out into fresh air.

"Keep moving!" Kai ordered, wanting to put a lot of distance between them and Boris.

Thankfully, none of them protested and they kept moving until they were half way across town and were back in the more populated area of the city. In a distance, smoke rose and the sound of the fire department rushing to it rang out in the air.

"You guys okay?" Jade asked after they had caught their breath in an alley.

"Thanks to you!" Max threw his arms around her, knocking them both to the ground.

Jade yelped in surprise as Tyson joined in. "Get off me!" she cried as they hugged her tightly thanking her over and over againfor saving them. "Max! Tyson! Get off me or I swear I'll kick your ass!"

Ray was laughing as she struggled to remove them. Kai had a small amused smile. Eventually they released her.

"Man, Jade. Your timing could never be better." Tyson said grinning broadly.

"How did you know where to find us?" Ray asked.

"I intercepted the call Boris made to Kai." she explained. "Doesn't take a scientist to figure out what he was up to."

Max spoke up. "But why didn't you show up sooner?"

"I wanted to see how good the Demolition Boy's fifth member was." she said.

"Hold it." Tyson cut in. "That girl's with the Demolition Boys?"

Jade nodded. Her expression was grim and haunted as if she knew something they didn't. Kai saw that in her eyes but he didn't question her. This wasn't the place or the time.

"What do we do now?" Tyson asked. "Should we tell the authorities?"

"There's no point. Boris probably found some way to bend the rules to suit himself." Jade said.

"Our only choice is to head back to the hotel and inform Mr. Dickenson what we found out." Kai said.

They started moving. Then Tyson brought up two disturbing questions that has been troubling the bluenette since the moment he set eyes on Alexis. A glance at Jade made him realized that she too must feel the same way.

"What was that Bitbeast really? And what happened to Tala?"


Kenny practically wept tears the moment they entered the hotel room. Kai was glad they didn't take him along earlier. Mr. Dickenson was very relieved to see them safe especially Jade. He gave them a long lecture on going off without telling an adult and the possible dangers they had placed themselves into. That was especially to Kai and Jade.

"You kids could have seriously gotten hurt." he said.

"But we didn't." Tyson added.

"That mad man could have taken your Bitbeasts!" Kenny said franticly.

"But he didn't." Max put in.

"Look." Ray cut in. "It doesn't matter now. The important thing is that we're all safe. Thanks to Jade."

Jade smiled warily. "What will you boys do without me?"

"You tell them, girl." Dizzi sang from the coffee table.

"Hey, I really didn't need your help. I could have taken care of that blader all by myself." Tyson said.

"I'm sure you could have." she said sarcastically with a raised eyebrow. "After she grinded your Dragoon into the wall."

"Which reminds me." Max stated. "Who was she? How come we never seen her before if she's good enough for Biovolt to pick her? Did she train at the abbey?

The last question was directed at Kai but he shook his head. "I never seen her before."

"I have." Jade said quietly.

They looked at her, slightly surprised by the new information. "What?"

Jade turned to look out the window of the room as she spoke. "I've met Alexis before...She came from the orphanage as I did before Boris took me away."

"I don't get it." Kenny said. "Why would Boris take in a blader who has never trained in the abbey since childhood? I mean if he did, surely we would have found out about her three years ago."

"Because..." Jade began painfully. "Alexis...was like me. She wanted to be like me. And Boris knew that. He used that knowledge to his advantage and made...her that."

"Gee, I'm sorry." Max said sincerely. "But what about that Bitbeast? Have you seen it before?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and to answer Max's question. "No. But whatever it was, it can't be good."

"It was powerful." Ray said. "It nearly turned Dragoon to dust."

"I have never seen a Beyblade with that much power other from Black Dranzer." Kai said thoughtfully.

"It's possible that Alexis's blade and Bitbeast is the predecessor of Black Dranzer." Mr. Dickenson suggested. "But where on earth could they have gotten it?"

"Its name, Rashka means demon in the old language." Jade said, turning to look at them.

"That can't be good." Tyson gulped.

"Demon?" Kenny squeaked.

"From the way I saw it, that blade has the offensive level of Dragoon, the defenses of Draciel and Driger's speed and Dranzer's stamina." Jade said.

"That's not good." Max muttered.

"Look." Kai said. "We're all tired. I say we get some rest then in the morning we'll figure out what to do."

"I second that." Tyson half-raised his hand while he stiffened a yawn with his other hand.

"Okay." Kenny mumbled. "Though I seriously doubt I'll get any sleep after all that talk about demons."

Max and Tyson bid them goodnight as they left the room with Mr. Dickenson and Kenny. Ray turned to Jade before he left the room.

"Good to have you back." he said with a grin. He held out his hand.

Long ago, there was a time she would have ignored the gesture of friendship but not anymore. She shook his hand warmly and smiled. "Thanks."

He said his goodnight. Kai shut the door after him, not missing a wink from Ray. Jade sighed, the soreness of her muscles returning as she turned and strolled to the balcony. She could hear Kai approaching her. She closed her eyes, knowing what was next to come. But the question that came from him wasn't as she expected.

"Are you okay?"

Opening her eyes, she looked at him. "I'm fine."

He studied her. "I don't think so."

"I'm just tired. What about you?"

"I'm fine."

"Good."

"Why did you leave?" he asked suddenly.

She kept her eyes straight, staring at the lights below. Taking time, she chose her words carefully. "Despite everything you said that night..., I felt I still don't deserve to be in the Bladebreakers. I had to prove to them, to you..., to myself that I truly belong in the team."

"And you did. You proved yourself by saving our lives." he said, looking into her eyes." That says enough for me."

"Does it?" she muttered. "What happened was my fault. Boris used your feelings for me, Kai. I'll never forgive myself if anything happened to you or the others."

"Jade, nothing is going to happen to us." he brushed her soft cheek. "Everything will be alright. Whatever happens, we'll face it together. You're not alone. Not anymore."

She gazed into his eyes. "Promise?"

In that moment, he saw through the walls and found the young innocent girl who had captured his attention all those years ago. That little girl was just hiding, waiting for someone to reach out to her. Waiting for him to reach out to her.

He nodded, a ghost smile at his lips. "I promise."


Author's note: I'm so happy!!!! For one reason, my stupid exams which dragged on for a whole frigginmonth are finally over! Thanks to all my reviewers for ur support! You guys really kept me writng (well, typing...) even when the going gets tough. Thanks a milion!