A/N: It has been how long since I updated? One month? Wow, that's long. Sorry but you know how life is. Study, study, study. Well, time to take a break and have some fun!

Thanks to: Keiara Ritherford, DemonZanite, Sarah M.G, Moi, Setsuna-chan, dark angel, faith, Shitza, Beyblade-gal, krage, kidishcaresh, CrimsonSkye06 and people who read but don't review.


Chapter 41

The Russian night air was cold against his bare skin as he sprinted down a dark alley way, ignoring the drunk and wasted that littered that section of the city. It was very early in the morning and not many respectful people were out at that those hours where the sun has yet to touch the midnight skyline. Those who were out paid no heed to the young teenager running down at the streets and disappearing into alleys. No one cared as long as their own business wasn't pried into. That was the night life of Russia.

Neglecting to grab a windbreaker on the way out of the hotel, Kai gritted his teeth and forced his body to withstand the cold as he had been trained to do since he was a child. There was no time to dwell on such small problems. Right now, his main problem was going after Jade and getting her and the others away from the abbey.

How dare she face off against Biovolt by herself? And after what she told me….

His eyes darkened with worry and anger as her words echoed in his head. 'Promise me you won't do anything stupid like go after Boris'

I should have known we both have a different definition of 'stupid' and mine's the sane one…

Kai would cheerily wring that girl's neck for doing this to him. But only after he has her and hopefully the others safely away from the abbey that haunted his dreams.

As for his team, he prayed Ray had already called Mr. Dickenson. The BBA has dealt with Biovolt before. The old man knew what was at stake here. Mr. Dickenson would call for back-up but until then, getting Jade and the Demolition Boys out was his task alone. He could only hope they won't be too late.

He only hoped that he wasn't too late.


"Alexis?

Keeping her face neutral was hard to do upon seeing the other girl as she stepped out of the shadows. Stalked would be a better word to describe the way she moved. Moving on two feet, Alexis's hands were bent like claws and under the bright white lights, Jade could see that she has lengthen sharp claws that had the potential to tear into human flesh. Her teeth when she pulled them back in a low snarl were now long pointed fangs. All this did not faze Jade at all. Ray too had fangs as he was a neko-jin. No, that wasn't what startled Jade. It was the wild crazed look in her blue eyes. Like an animal. A predator.

A jaguar.

"What has Boris done to you, Alexis?" she whispered, barely breathing as she uttered the words.

"I believe she now answers to the name Rashka." a familiar man's voice said from the observation room above.

"Rashka…" Jade muttered under her breath. Keeping one eye on the blonde-haired female, she directed her question to the man standing above them. "What did you do to her, Boris?"

He looked older than what she could remember yet the same crooked twisted-ness of his was the same. She doubt that will ever change. Even his sinister chuckle sounded the same. "Funny, you should ask that question. It was the same time young Tala asked quite some time ago."

If the mention of the other wolf blader's name has caught her off-guarded, she didn't show it. Her face was hard and emotionless and he admired her for that. At times like this, he could recall why he had taken her in and trained her under his wing personally. She was meant to be a warrior. Not just any warrior. A Biovolt warrior.

"What did you do? she demanded tightly, eyes flashing with anger.

"A simple scientific fusion experiment between blader and Bitbeast." he called out the answer in a casual voice as if they were merely discussing the weather. "Of course it could be far more impressive if only you would let our scientists in Biovolt study your own transformation which I was going to offer you."

"Funny. You never mentioned anything while I was busy playing your twisted version of cat and mouse." she sneered, stepping back to create more distance between her and the sprit possessed girl. Distance would give her a few seconds and a few seconds in a crucial moment was precious time.

"I was but you found this place before I would announce my proposal. It's quite impressive really." Boris said. "I didn't think you would get this far so fast."

Jade smiled tightly. "You underestimated me." she resisted the urge to place a hand over her aching shoulder. She'll be damn if she ever let him see a moment of weakness in her.

Boris's amused laughter crackled from the observation room. "Oh, no, Jade. I haven't underestimated you. I know you too well. I know what you're capable of. Now let's see how well you fare against your old friend, shall we?"

That was when Alexis leapt. Although taken by surprise, Jade's earlier precaution to move back gave her enough time to anticipate the movement and allowed her to go down with Alexis's momentum. Quickly, she lifted her feet and drove her heels into Alexis's stomach, effectively pushing her away. Cat-like, Alexis rolled to her feet and spun, facing her opponent. Jade flipped to her feet and regarded her warily.

"Alexis." she said carefully. "Listen to me. I know you're in there somewhere. You have to fight it. Don't let it control you."

Alexis came at her again, claws flashing. Jade dodged her attack and moved aside, keeping light on the balls of her feet. A reverse kick to her side took her off-guard and if she hadn't blocked with her arm, the kick could have broken a rib or two. A swipe of Alexis's clawed hands narrowly missed her nose by an inch as Jade moved back and broke into a leap under the other's girl's arm. She landed in a roll and as she rose, her sais slided to her hands. She spun them in her hand as she turned to face Alexis again.

"Those old things?" Boris called out tauntingly as he watched them from above. "They can't save you."

With remarkable skill and marksmanship, she spun one of her sais and threw it. Alexis dodged but not fast enough. The weapon left a thin neat line across her cheek. Blood leaked from the cut, sliding down her skin like a crimson river but Alexis merely licked the blood away with her tongue. Her eyes held promises of pain and torture for the raven-haired girl who dare oppose and hurt her. Then with a speed no one knew she possessed, she lunged at Jade. Jade could barely use the hilt of her remaining sai to block the blow of Alexis's punch. Even then, she could feel the force rattle up her arm.

A second punch knocked her remaining weapon from her hand, sending it spiraling into a dark corner of the room where it landed with a scatter. Slipping aside, she fired an elbow to Alexis's face and was repaid with a kick to her ribcage. Pain flared through her body with every breath she took as she stepped back, body hunched over slightly to ease the pain. Feeling her ribs gently, she winced, knowing she might have bruised a rib or two. Or more.

Apparently defeating Rashka was going to take a lot more effort and power. The jaguar spirit wasn't like an animal with instincts on survival. It was intelligent as well and it granted its human host inhuman strength and speed. More importantly, unlike her, it had nothing to loose.


There was nothing she could do. The complete sense of helplessness was horribly overwhelming as all she could do was watch as Rashka, in control of her body, attack Jade over and over again with no signs of tiring. The Bitbeast was in control here, not her. She was not really there, was she? She knew what was going on, could feel, smell, see and sense everything around her as though the senses were hers but it wasn't. It was the demon's and it was using her body to maintain a solid form. And there was nothing she could do about it.

When Rashka slammed Jade into a wall earning a cry from the other girl, Alexis cried out herself and wept silent tears from within.

Jade…I'm so sorry…I wish I could be stronger…but I'm not…

As the sacred spirit unleashed another bloodcurdling snarling, Alexis could only sink deeper into her conscious. Away from the pain.


The fight was turning out to be more interesting than he had expected. The smile on Boris's face was positively devilish and held a hint of madness in it as he watched both girls battle each other physically for her own life. Of course, Jade was fighting for her life as well as Alexis's. But the hold Rashka has over the blonde girl was impossible to break. There was no way a mere girl could break something Biovolt has fought so hard to achieve.

There can only be one winner tonight….that of course would be me, he thought gleefully.

Behind him, the door flew open without warning and a guard stepped in. "Sir, we have another intruder on the premises." he reported.

"What?" enraged, Boris turned to glare at the man. What has Biovolt's security come to? "Well, take care of that intruder!"

"But, sir…" the guard said uncertainly. "It's Voltaire's grandson himself. Kai Hiwatari."

Kai…? Well, what is to be expected from one of my own, Boris mused. He could feel his anger melting away as he mulled over their next course of action. "Capture and drug him. Then transport him to the chopper. He's coming with us."

Still the soldier did not leave immediately to perform his orders. "But what about you, sir?"

Impatiently, the director waved a hand in his general direction. "I'll be along as soon as this fight is over. Go now." he snapped. "You have your orders!"

"Yes, sir!" moving quickly as if sensing his boss's temper flaring and not wanting to suffer the wrath of it, the soldier dismissed himself.

Actually quite pleased by the news, Boris spoke into the transmitter that connected to the room below. "It seems we have a visitor, ladies."

They ignored him or at least Alexis did. For a brief second, Jade halted in her movements but she recovered in time to parry Alexis's right hook. A couple of swift cuts to her opponent's body and a roundhouse kick, Jade sent her opponent crashing across the room.

"I think you'll be quite pleased if our little visitor joined us, Jade." Boris continued. "I'm sure young Kai'll be pleased to see you too."

His words caused her to glance at him sharply. Her eyes, he could see were accusing and distrusting as she tried to read whether he was bluffing. She paid for that moment however.

Just then, Alexis leapt on her, tackling her to the ground like a rugby player and straddled her hips. The beast within her went for Jade's throat, trying to get a lock on her slender neck. Jade batted them away and with a grunt of pain, bucked the angered cat-possessed girl off her. Then planting her hands on the floor, she sprung to her feet.

"That is it!" Jade snapped frustrated.

Alexis came at her again and this time she was ready. Jade spun and lashed out with a snap kick that knocked the other girl back and followed with a backhand that caught Alexis across her face. Her fallen sai laid on the floor nearby and she kicked it up and caught it. Flipping it in her hand, she caught the tip of the weapon and threw it like a dart directly at Alexis as she was rising again. It sunk deep into her right shoulder. Rashka snarled in pain and for a moment Jade a glimpse of humanity within her blue eyes, a brief flicker of the trapped soul inside.

Alexis!

Her friend was in there somewhere and she had to reach her somehow. But how? Pleading to her had not worked and Rashka was certainly not going to release its human host. Rashka wrapped her fingers around the hilt of the sai and yanked it out, hissing as she did. Then she looked at Jade with murder in her eyes. All signs of Alexis gone.

I have to try again! I won't give up on her!

Not giving time for her to recover, Jade lunged at her and ducking under Alexis's outstretched-hand, she swept her feet from under her, knocking her to the ground. Then with one swift movement, Jade straddled Alexis's hips, mindless of her wild efforts to throw her off. The trapped girl yowled in frustration and froze when the cold steel of a sai rested firmly against her throat.

"Alexis!" Jade called. "I know you're in there."

The spirit controlling her body roared but Jade ignored it, concentrating on reaching the human side within. Her grip on the weapon did not falter and Rashka could only fall still once more when Jade pressed the blade more firmly to her fresh.

Resisting the urge to brush her astray hair from her face, Jade tried again. "Come on, Alexis. I know you're stronger than it. Fight it!"

Blue eyes flickered and the maddened look on Alexis faded, replaced by a weary human face. The voice that spoke from her lips was soft and raw. "I can't. It's too strong. I'm too weak! I can't…"

"No!" Jade insisted.

Alexis retreated further within her shell and Rashka emerged once more, the glimmer in her eyes triumphant. Then for the first time since the fight started, it spoke and the malice voice she heard during the tournament rang in her ears, joined with a laughter of madness. "She's weak. She can never win! I'm all she has!"

"That's not true!" Jade replied stubbornly. "You're not alone anymore in this, Alexis!"

"Wrong! She's. She has always been alone and will be for the rest of her miserable life." Rashka sneered through Alexis's lips.

"Shut up! I want to speak to Alexis!" Jade hissed a snarl that envied Rashka's own. Time was running out. Any minute now Boris's guards would arrive and there will be no hope for them both if they are captured.

"She's a pathetic weak child. Don't believe me? Hear it for your self!" Rashka spat and amazingly it sunk back, allowing Alexis to resurface. Jade knew it was her when tears flooded from her eyes and her face was tortured with pain and sorrow. "It's right. I'm weak. I've tried to become something I'm not and look what I've become. I'm a monster, Jade."

"No. You're not a monster. You're human, Alexis!" Jade said. "Don't lose that part of you to it. Fight it!"

"I…I can't…"

"It's not too late."

"Yes, it's too late for me." Alexis sobbed. "You don't know the horrible things I've done. The people I've hurt…Tala, oh god, Tala…."

Jade eased the sai's pressure on her throat but not completely. "It wasn't you. It was the Bitbeast! It made you do all those things against your will."

"How sure are you?" the other girl replied softly. "I was there. I could have stopped it from hurting the others but I didn't. Maybe it was because I was too weak or maybe I didn't want to!"

"No! Don't say that!" Jade snapped. Her injured shoulder was aching so badly and it took all of her willpower not to drop the weapon. She was reaching her, she knew it. "You didn't have a choice then. Now you do! Dammit, Alexis! You have to be strong! You're not alone anymore. You have friends now! Friends that won't abandon you! Tala, Spencer, Ian, Bryan….me. Don't give up on all that."

Upon hearing her teammates' names, Alexis's eyes gazed over. Her mind was reflecting back on the days when she had first become a member to the Demolition Boys. Despite their difference in gender, they had treated her as one of their own, making her feel belong. Of course that was before Boris had given her Rashka, before she had tasted the sensation of raw dark power. She was so happy then even if it only been for a while. God help her but she wanted those days back.

"Don't lose hope, Alexis." Jade whispered, sensing the directions of her thoughts. "You can still make amend to them. Start over."

"Do you really believe that can happen, Jade?" Alexis's voice sounded hopeful.

She nodded. "You can do this, Alexis. I know you can."

"No!"

Rashka must have felt its host's will strengthening for it was trying to fight back now, to take back its control. Then there was a scream, a human scream from the core of her soul. Alexis fought the spirit and with a hoarse cry, won the battle. An enraged howl echoed through the trashed room as a dark mist quickly departed from Alexis's body. Almost instantly, her fangs shortened and her claws shrunk back into human nails. Her eyes were no longer brimmed with madness or bloodlust and were wide with tears.

Jade pulled the sai away from her throat and climbed off her carefully. She offered her hand which Alexis accepted gratefully but not without wincing in pain.

She clamped a hand over her shoulder where the sai had pierced her and looked at Jade, muttering. "You stabbed me."

Jade smiled slightly as she shrugged then winced too in pain when her injured ribs flared. "Yeah. Well, you broke my ribs. I guess we could call it even."

Alexis smiled too. Quickly her smile faded, recalling of the danger they were in. "We don't have much time." she stated.

Instinctively, Jade glanced up at the room above them but the occupant was gone. Boris probably fled when he realized that things weren't going as planned. She searched the room for an exit and found none that was visible. The door she had come in through was closed off, most likely only operated from the control room.

"Alexis, is there a way out of here?" she asked.

The blonde girl grimaced. "No. The only way in and out is through that door." she nodded at the sealed door.

"Okay." Jade nodded. She made sure her sais were tucked comfortably into her sleeves. As good as she was with the weapons, they are no match for flying bullets. "I can work with that. Looks like we'll have to make our own way out."

Even as she started searching the room, she picked the sound of footsteps outside the door and the familiar sound of the door mechanism working to admit the guards on the other side. It seemed that they didn't have to worry about making their own way out anymore. Jade glanced at Alexis out of concern. "Think you're up for another fight?"

Alexis nodded. "Yeah." with a trained mind that rivaled Jade's, she pushed the stabbing pain of her shoulder from her mind and focused on the current task at hand. Staying alive.

The door slided open and guards rushed in. The narrow opening to the room gave the girls a momentary advantage over their assailants. Spreading out with predatorily cunningness, they attacked them, taking out the first few that came through the door. They worked with in almost perfect coordination, swiftly knocking out their respective opponents and moving on, working their way to the door. Pushing a guard into the hallway, Jade grabbed his gun from his pocket and using him as a shield, fired over his shoulder at one of his comrades in the kneecaps.

Covering her back, Alexis followed with her own human shield in front of her. Like Jade, she held a gun and was firing it at the guards. They scattered and she took the opportunity to throw the man she held at them. They went down like bowling pins, a perfect strike. One escaped the pile and yanked his gun from his pocket vest, pointing it at her.

Alexis froze.

Without warning a blue streak shot out and sliced into the man's hand, making him drop the weapon with a yelp of pain. Spinning to see who had dare interfere; he was an easy target for the direct punch Kai shot to his nose. As the guard stumbled back, stunned by the attack, Kai moved between him and the girl and fired his knee to his vulnerable stomach. The man doubled over and Kai punched him hard once, knocking him out. He turned, held out his hand and Alexis saw that the blue thing that had saved her life was Dranzer. The crimson eyed boy studied her carefully, not surprised to find her here before he stated the obvious.

"You're hurt."

She winced at his blunt words, suddenly reminded of the pain that was her shoulder. The bleeding has not stopped and every passing moment, she was loosing more blood. Hesitatingly, she shook her head. "I'm fine." she lied.

Wham!

They looked at Jade as she slammed the last guard's head into a wall and let him drop to the floor out cold. She looked up and her eyes marked her surprise to see Kai. What a big surprise. For once, Boris had not lied. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Funny. I should be asking you the same thing." he shot back. "When this is over, we are going to have a long talk."

Judging by his sense of a 'long talk', she was in a lot of trouble. But not as much as it was now. Right now, getting out alive and in one piece was their main priority. She shoved Alexis into his arms. "Move now, talk later. We need to get out of here. Take her. I'll cover the both of you."

"Climb on." Kai ordered the blonde female which she obligated. Testing her weight, he made sure she was secure on his back and nodded at Jade grimly. "Come on."

Leading them back the way he came, he moved fast but the extra weight on his back was getting harder to bear every minute. But with an iron will determination, he forced himself to endure it silently and made his body move faster. Jade followed closely from behind with the two guns she had taken from the guards in her hands. They hurried down the darken hallway where broken automatic Beyblade launchers hung from the stone walls. Clearly Dranzer has done her work well as they weren't going to pose any danger to the moving teens. Excretion was starting to catch up with him but he knew they were almost there.

He turned at the finally corner and ducked back just in time behind the wall to avoid a rain of bullets coming in his direction. He settled Alexis on her feet carefully and glanced at Jade with a commanding nod.

Without a word, Jade stepped past him. Pressing her body to the wall and keeping low, she glanced around the corner and fired at the awaiting guards. Several well-placed shots quickly removed the guards out of their way. Her marksmanship was incredible. Kai was impressed and felt almost outclassed. Who would have thought his girl a gunslinger. Quickly pushing those thoughts aside and focusing on the current mission, he helped Alexis up, looping his arm around her and holding her steady.

"We're almost there." he said.

Jade hesitated, stiffening on the spot. "I'm going back." She knelt over the fallen guard bodies and quickly removed their bullet clips from their pocket and loaded them into hers.

"What?" Kai snapped looking at her, searching her eyes. She wasn't joking. "No! If you go back, you'll get caught!"

"I don't have a choice. They still have Tala!" she replied. "You get Alexis out of here. I'll catch up."

At the sound of his bestfriend's name, Kai hesitated, wanting to go back himself. Jade caught the falter in his movements and dashed back down the way they came before he could return to his senses and protest. Kai was tore between going after her and getting Alexis to safety and medical attention. He chose the latter. By now, the team should be here with Mr. Dickenson and the authorities. The least he could do was make sure one of them got out safe. Then he will go back for Jade and Tala.


Ray stared up at the abbey entrance as though mesmerized. But he knew better. The first and last time he had set foot in this place had been years ago. He didn't know what evil lurked within then but now he did. Right now, two of his closest friends and teammates were in there and all he could do right now is wait while the authorities waited for a perfect opportunity to storm the place.

"Man, I hope they're okay." Max muttered anxiously.

"Don't sweat it. We're talking about Kai and Jade here. They know how to handle themselves." Tyson said. But despite his confident words, Ray could see how jumpy he was.

"Yeah…" Kenny began slowly. "But don't forget. This is after all the place that made Kai and Jade the way they are. Who knows what would be going on in there right now."

"Thank you, Mr. Doom and Gloom." Tyson grumbled. He pulled his windbreaker closer and glanced up. "I still think it would be easier if we just snuck in like we did last time."

Ray was starting to think that was a better idea after all. Impatiently, he shifted from one foot to another. Come on, Kai…where are you…?


Hurrying along with a much dignity as he could muster, Boris followed the two guards through the hallway that led to the roof where a chopper was waiting to take off. Angrily, he adjusted the cuffs of his coat.

It wasn't suppose to turn out this way, he thought enraged. Jade shouldn't have been able to break through the Bitbeast's hold on Alexis!

"Come on, sir." one of the guards said. "We're almost there-oof!"

A fist slammed into his face, breaking his nose and sending him sprawling. Jade stepped into hallway and launched a spinning kick to the guard that tried raising his firearm at her. Then, with hard cold eyes, she turned to Boris.

"I told you I'll be coming for you first." she said calmly.

"Jade." he greeted her. "How nice. I was just thinking about you."

"Were you? Good. Then you'll soon be thinking about how slowly and painfully I'm going to hurt you." she informed him.

The icy calmness in her tone sent a shiver down his spine but with years of practice, he hid it with a smile. "So, I see Alexis is no longer with you."

"She's safe if that's what you're wondering. She's stronger than you think."

"But you're stronger than her." Boris added slyly.

"Where's Tala?" she asked abruptly.

Direct and straight to the point as usual, Boris mused. Either that, or…my words have struck a core in her… "Young Mr. Valkov has been resituated. You're not going to find him here."

"Where is he?" Jade demanded.

"I could tell you." Boris started coolly.

Her green eyes narrowed just as her senses terse up to the sound of heavy breathing behind her. She started to turn to face her adversary who had snuck up on her and that same moment, felt a dart pierce her shoulder. The effect of the drug was immediate. Instantly she felt woozy and lightheaded. Her entire body seized up, refusing to obey her command to move. She collapsed to the floor.

"Or I could take you there." she heard Boris concluded.

Dammit… I shouldn't have let my guard down, she swore silently before she lost conscious altogether.

Boris nodded at his men standing behind the girl's fallen frame. "Take her. She's coming with us."


Alexis could barely walk now. The after-effects of whatever it was Boris had done to her were catching up on her and it wasn't the best timing in the world right now. Yet Kai refused to give up.

"Come on." he grounded out as they limped into the courtyard of the abbey.

The BBA and the Russian authorities had arrived and quickly sweeping through and taking over the entrance of the abbey. Several shots were fired and their explosions rang through the night air. So far not one of the abbey personals has noticed the two teens slowly making their way across the yard, keeping to the shadows. Kai wasn't sure how long their luck would hold up.

"Leave me here." Alexis gasped out. "You need to get Jade out of there."

"We're almost there. I'm not leaving you until you're in safe hands." he grunted.

"I'll be fine." she said. "Don't worry about me. Look out!"

Her sudden warning made Kai turn, suddenly aware of a guard advancing on them with a gun. He started to reach for his launcher and Dranzer but someone else beat him to it.

"Go, Driger!" Ray's voice yelled. "Tiger Claw!"

A familiar white grey blade flashed across the ground and leapt toward the guard even as he started to take aim. There was a ferocious roar and a lightning-fast flash left the man startled. Half a second later, his gun crumbled to pieces. Ray moved in, throwing a punch into his face and effectively knocking him out.

"KAI!"

The captain looked up as Tyson, Kenny and Max hurried up to him. Max's baby face was latched with worry and Tyson was gasping for air. Ray joined them after summoning his blade back.

"Alexis, what are you doing here?" Kenny asked.

"Why do you think Jade came back here?" Kai sneered as he carefully handed Alexis over to Ray. "Get her medical attention and stay here."

Tyson's hand fell on his shoulder, stopping him. "Where are you going?"

"Jade's still in there."

"What!" the shock made Tyson loosened his grip and Kai brushed his hand off his shoulder.

"She went back for Tala and probably Boris." Kai said impatiently.

As soon as the words left his mouth, the earth beneath them began to shake. The ground trembled as though something fierce was trying to get out. In a way it did. The fake soil that made up the center of the courtyard slided open and a big black mechanic bird rose into the air. Its blades beat at the air, kicking up a wind that left the BBA men momentarily stunned.

Kai lowered his arms from his face and glared through the stirring wind at the chopper. For standing within the body of the chopper, at the door was Boris. The self-righteous smirk was on his face and it said things to the phoenix. It said, 'I won. You will never catch me.' The chopper went higher into the air, gaining altitude.

Then something in Kai's pocket started to burn. Digging into it, he pulled out Draizer's blade. The wolf's Bit was glowing and it seemed to call out to the departing chopper. As though it were calling for its master. With a sickening realization, Kai recognized Draizer's howl for what it was and his eyes turned back to the chopper. By now it was merely a speck of black dot, barely visible against the dark sky.

Boris was gone and with him, so was…Jade.

"No!"


A/N: R&R! You know, it wouldn't hurt to click that little button on the left of the screen and leave a writer who is starving for reviews, well, reviews!