I know, I know, this was one long wait. But I'm not going into the whole explanation thing since it will obviously bore you. Hell those damn assignments and multi media presentations were eating my head and let's not forget the pending debates I have to do now. Sigh! But… today, for like the first time ever, we are having a guest!
Give it up for………
Ken Ichijouji of Digimon 02!
Hmm…no applause? I thought so
Well actually if you remember the last time in the previous chapter I said that the last scene was not included because it was taking up too much time. Now where does Ken, someone of totally different anime, come in this scenario? I'll tell you how. You see the first part in this chap is very similar to the one in the last episodes of Digimon 02 when Ken is kidnapped. A 5-second scene, when this beloved character mutters names of two persons before he lost consciousness, was so dramatic that it had taken a dear place in my heart.
And I just couldn't help putting that act in this chapter portraying Ray. I had perfectly planned it to be in the previous chapter with a grand intro for Ken at the very last but now it is here in this unfortunate section. Ooh, I'm feeling so bubbly inside.
So hold on to your pants because here we go…!
Enjoy!
He didn't feel good. In fact he didn't feel anything. Except for the numbness; the numbness that coursed through his veins, anesthetizing his mind and body all along. He had no idea for how long he had been like that and he didn't actually care. After all, this deadening sensation was quite welcoming. He wanted nothing more to be like this forever and never sense anything ever again.
But the inevitable was the inescapable.
He remembered. Somewhere in his broken thoughts, it was slowly and painfully coming back to him. And he remembered. He remembered all what had happened to him; all of it. And the more he remembered, the more he felt his throat tighten, his mind shatter and his façade crack. It was the minute silent sobs that actually brought him back to the dreading presence.
Two lids finally unveiled dull yellow tearful orbs as the thoughts assembled together to be collected and maneuvered.
Lack of nutrition seemed to finally catch up as the mere moving of eyeballs made him lightheaded. Slowly he removed the two bruised slender arms which wrapped his battered stature and mentally decided to sit up.
Obviously in his form, it seemed quite implausible. Nonetheless, two hands slowly worked their way up towards where the head was lying and tried lifting up the onerous weight. After tireless working of stiffened muscular tissues, he finally made an effort to straighten up.
Minutes ticked away with ease and it was after a well spell of time when he finally sat. Taking gasps of air to normalize his breathing, he gazed up at the front wall. Although the room was enveloped in a void of silent darkness, a horizontal streak of insipid light could be seen; where the door.
Ray had no sense how he had gotten here. His mind only vaguely remembered.
After he was out of the rest room, he recalled being led back to his prison by Igor. And there was no way he could forget the leer that was stretched on that ugly face, as if Ray's pain was rejuvenating and enjoyable. But he had been too frail to counter or protest in any way, verbal or physical.
The door had illuminated in front him out of nowhere and it was then when Ray realized that he was going to be locked up again when he finally tried to move out of the grasp. Obviously that had not been a very wise idea since Igor just laughed, throwing Ray into the darkness of the place. Ray who was already having difficulty with standing, lost his balance and landed ungracefully on the concrete floor, causing many of his cleaned wounds to reopen for the blood to seep out and stain his wet and torn attire.
As Ray lay there feebly, Igor stepped in, pulling out the handcuffs. The lithe form near his feet whimpered when he bent over, catching the chin within a finger and thumb while whispering, "Don't worry, little Ray, your pain will subside soon enough."
But before he could have brought the tainted hands to secure them, Oikawa's sound came through the entrance, "Igor, the boss wants you"
"Just a minute there"
Oikawa's huge form came in. He gave the scene before him a single glance before turning away and speaking, "Oh just leave him, he won't be going anywhere. Hurry up"
"Very well very well, if you insist" Igor stood up but gave Ray a smirk when golden orbs looked up slightly, "Be a good boy Ray, we'll be back soon"
"Come on already!"
The twosome left the raven head there on the cold hard surface, shutting the door behind their backs, sealing off the light from the dim hallway.
And now Ray tried to sit, his legs bending ever so slowly, ripping his pale lips to gasp in agony at the movement. Still, he endeavored to become successful. After long excruciating moments, the raven Chinese had his legs tucked under him while his hands were resting on the floor where he was slouching, sweat beads running down his face and arms, stinging the bruised cuts as they descended, from the slight exertion.
Ray breathed one last time before gazing up at the exit. Bringing a bruised hand to his face, he wiped off the perspiration and tears from his skin before making an effort to stand. His mind protested wildly against such act but his heart was thinking otherwise. He was supposed to be strong. He should be strong. But most of all, he needed to be strong. He needed the strength to survive this.
Guys…Drigger…Kai…I'll see you all one last time. I will
And he stood up. The change in height obviously had its worse affect but he miraculously didn't lose balance this time. Once the swaying was in control and he had his two feet under him, Ray slowly looked up to face the door, whose outline was highly obscure somehow. Refocusing his sight, he once again tried and this time succeeding.
Being as careful as he could, he took a certain cautious step forward. Immediately, he felt the world starting to revolve. His hand came up to stop his head from spinning while his eyes were shut tightly. Holding his head, he took another baby step before another. When golden orbs opened, they were able to make out the silhouette which was closing in as the inevitable distance was being covered.
Finally the destination arrived. Ray was half a foot away from the silver handle. It was then when the realization of his current doings hit him hard. But as much helpful they might have proved to be in the coming time, they were cut brief when a hand grabbed the knob and turned. All thoughts, all sense vanished from his mind as it seemed to shut down for the time being.
In the dank hallway, a door silently creaked opened and a fragile creature stepped into the chillness. The prisoner's legs seemed to gain a brain of their own as they slowly started to take small steps towards the other side of the corridor where another door stood ajar, revealing some dull fluorescent bulb light along with some distinguished voices. Whether it was the sound of people talking or having no idea of what next to do that attracted the teen in that particular direction, it seemed unclear.
Upon reaching the edge of the doorframe, the painful stride halted to listen to the conversation, some part of the creature's mind telling him to return to its isolated cage while other encouraging the act to continue. Nonetheless, it didn't move back nor further but stood its ground, trying to make heads and tails of whatever the topic of talk was.
"…that's something new" a heavy yet smooth voice, belonging to Oikawa, commented.
There was a long silence which ended when a somehow somber but slick voice spoke, "you think that he'll follow?"
"Of course I do, Mr. Igor. I think I haven't commenced a better plan of action before. Kai knows very well that he has a lot to lose this time. He will not take any chances"
The aforementioned name triggered the outsider's memory and he leaned in to listen.
"…I agree. This way they'll all be caught off guard. It simply makes everything much easier."
"Yes, I suppose so." Igor somehow sounded a bit doubtful, "but carrying all that out won't be a piece of cake, Oikawa"
"Ah, our desert awaits us till tomorrow, my friends, I can guarantee you that much."
"What about the kid?" Oikawa inquired after a thought
The supposedly spy stiffened at the question but didn't move a muscle. A cold shiver went down his spine, making his hair stand up on their ends as the answered reached his ears while his silent breathing hitched up.
"It's better that he's disposed off afterwards"
"Oh?"
"Yes, I think that would it. We should at least be modest enough to put an end to his misery. Between, that would be an excellent punishment for Kai for the damage he did to me."
A fake sigh came, as all serenity in Igor's voice vanished, leaving a sly lustful response, "such a waste that would be; you would agree that he is a pretty handsome boy, won't you?"
An amused reply came, "your companion here seemed to have different ideas, Mr. Oikawa"
"It's nothing new boss" Oikawa grunted
"Well we can deal with it later onwards, I believe. After all, this time we have the special card right here in this brief case, gentlemen"
Not knowing, what took over him, the tan face moved forwards to peek through the door opening of the littered room. The shocked gasp that left thin lips, was all that needed to reveal the spying place to his captors who immediately turned and spotted him.
But Ray didn't have any concern about that, not about the glare he was receiving from Oikawa who had reached for his rod, not about the amused expression shot towards him from Yakima and not about the advancing figure coming his way. His thoughts were only on the sleek object that lay in the black briefcase, placed open on the table near the window of the room.
Ray suddenly felt nauseated at the sight in front of him and without any trepidation, started to back away, shaking his head vigorously in the process to erase the image despite all the pain. Before Igor could even reach him, he tumbled over his feet, landing on the dirty hall way floor, his shock not reducing. When two boots came in his line of sight, he was swallowed by unconsciousness that quickly penetrated any disturbing sensation to increase.
Half an hour later, consciousness being sneaky as it was, slowly crept, ebbing itself within the fallen teen, waking him to face the sudden turn of events. Ray's mind emerged from the hollow void of previous stupor. When his senses finally kicked in, he realized the slight moist on his face. Had he been crying? But why…and what… happened?
That was when his memory started invading his brain and everything from the little escape from his cell to the sight of that brief case came flooding back right before his very eyes.
Ray's breath drew up and he felt a sob emitting through his dried and tightened throat as he remembered a certain statement; 'It's better that he's disposed off afterwards'
So that was the end of the line? Was that the final conclusion of this scenario? They've lost haven't they? Ray doubt that even Kai could not possibly come out victorious with a secret weapon like the one laden in the next room. Yakima had been totally right when he said that now the aces were in his hands. It was over.
Ray was shivering while endless tears cascaded down from his eyes. It was only sometime ago when he still had a ray of hope illuminating his inner soul. Now that light was also diminished.
Why? Why is this happening to me? Why is this happening to anyone of us? When no answer was available, his heart even sank lower. There's no way out of this, is it?
Just then the door of his prison opened. Ray tiredly gazed up. What he saw was even bad news. He had been so deep in his reverie that he didn't notice that this time his lower arms were tightly tied behind his back with some cloth; his legs were bent beneath him while he himself was in one corner.
Now with that clear, his attention was diverted on Oikawa who had stepped in with a steel tray and was making his way towards him, the door behind him ajar.
He gave Ray a disgruntled look before crouching down, placing the tray in Ray's line of sight. The neko's heart missed a beat as he observed warily the objects lying on the grey cloth while fear swathed his chest fiercely. There were three different bottles, a long test tube and two injections with some clad of wet cotton.
His eyes widened as he registered that they were some kind of drugs. Oikawa's precarious smirk proved that his conscience had been correct.
The Chinese's captor reached out for the first bottle and unscrewed it while wearing plastic gloves. Pouring some of the quantity in the test tube, he went for the next medicine which was murky green in color and had a bad odor. Mixing it with the first one, he took an injection and worked with the final one; adding whatever mixture from one place to another. Finally he went for the second injection, which had a far longer needle than the former, and infused the medicine in it.
All the while, Ray eyed the procedure with big orbs while edging farther into corner, hoping against hope that the shot wasn't actually meant for him. He really didn't have any space for needles in his good books. A sniffle escaped when Oikawa turned towards him with some cotton and the injection.
Ray pushed further into the corner as if trying to melt into the wall and disappear. Since he had traveled a bit away, Oikawa stood up to reach him. Ray whimpered as he approached and tried to find an immediate escape root. But of course there was none.
Oikawa grabbed him by his shoulder to pry and expose his neck which seemed to be the targeted point. This didn't ease up the frightened neko-jin who buried his head and hunched up his shoulders. That did not please his captor at all who grunted before pushing him down wards. By then more tears were falling and Ray's breathing had become so uneven that it was coming in agonizing gasps. Finally after a bit struggle, Oikawa managed and pulled away the raven hair roughly.
Ray with his hands useless and his legs immobilized could do nothing but sob as he felt a hand brutally working on his neck, trying to find some veins. A wet material was rubbed forcefully on the spot while a finger and thumb pressed down on the soft tender surface. From the corner of his eyes, Ray saw Oikawa grabbing the injection and placing it on his protruding vein.
Clutching his eyes shut, Ray let out another whimper as the needle cut through his skin, injecting the drug.
The effect was immediate and he let out a cry of pain as if his insides were on fire. Hot knives penetrated throughout his body, tearing his muscles and bones apart. The cries slowly turned into screams as Ray rolled on the floor, writhing, eyes blinded with tears and ears deaf with his own shouts. It felt like hours before he ran out of tears. But the pain did not subside. This agonizing sensation, not alien anymore to the battered body, gradually faded leaving behind excruciating throbbing.
Ray's eyes opened when he felt a hand once more on his neck. His actions halted at the spot when he heard a scoffing hiss, "Say goodbye kid"
Another prick told him that he had been injected again. This time though instead of all the piercing ache, deadness took over. Ray realized that he was losing control of himself as every part became numb.
Am I… dieing?
The last words that escaped his parted lips before death enveloped him were,
"Kai……Drigger…"
Then his eye lids drooped and his body landed on the floor with an inaudible thud like a corpse.
Cerulean orbs observed the calming view of the dojo, taking in the momentarily peace and sanctuary. From where the red head was resting against the wooden pole on the porch, the miniature pond and water lilies fell in his line of sight. The teen leant on its back, relaxing the tensed muscles.
Tala couldn't help but sigh, the argument replaying in his mind.
It had a real long night for all of them. None of the bladers had slept, being too anxious after the call. Kai had returned after six in the morning and the Russian could only assume that he had been in the rain all the time from the tired look in the crimson orbs. They had tried to rest for a while then, a few had even drifted for a nap.
After breakfast, they were taken by surprise by two police officers who came for further details and clues. That was when Tyson had almost lost it all. He was on the verge of spilling all the beans if it hadn't been for Max, Tala and Kai. They finally left feeling confused about the bladers' queer behavior but mistaking it as the outcome of the all the tension and the present scenario.
Then Kai, somehow unusually short of patience or any kind of tolerance, had literally lashed out at Tyson who had been rewarded with a punch when he had called Kai abnormal and insane and had dared enough to push him. Somehow even that didn't keep the Dragoon Master to shut up and after a long phase of swearing and cursing between him and his captain, both of whom were held by Hilary Max and Bryan, Kai finally gave it a closing with a stunning end.
Tala mused over the curt reply the two toned teen had given before shrugging Bryan's grip and walking out. It had certainly baffled his own team, even Tyson, all of whom seemed a bit blind to notice it before but Tala had always seen it in him. It might seem implausible to prove or even say that Kai care for them so it took them off guard when he confessed,
"I would rather die than leave Ray in any kind of danger, Tyson."
Kai always had a soft spot for the neko-jin that Tala knew well. But now it seemed that he had softened up a bit too much. Tala was glad nonetheless but it worried him for future circumstances. Kai was no doubt strong and all but such blackmailing could easily be fatal for the enigma.
Tala blinked as footsteps approached.
Bryan let out a deep breath as he took a seat beside Tala and ran his fingers through his lilac hair in distress, "well Tyson has cooled off a bit. The blonde is trying to nurse him. I'm surprised that Kai didn't tear his head off. He's definitely loosing his touch"
When no expecting response came, he turned from where he had decided to lay down to face Tala. The red head still didn't retort but after a while spoke, "where's Kai?"
"Who cares?" Bryn muttered and stretched. When still no snap came, he sat up back again to register his captain, "what's wrong cap?"
"Something is not right"
A brow rose, "what's not?"
"This is just too frustratingly easy" was the unfazed reply
Bryan turned serious at that tone, "Tala…"
"He practically called us. Why would Yakima tell us beforehand where he will be?"
The falcon stopped to consider that, "May be he is too sure of what he's doing"
"How's that possible?" Tala finally looked at his team member
"How is that not possible?" Bryan countered, "This is Yakima we're talking about"
"Ah, you're sounding like Kai."
"Well Kai has a good point then"
Tala muttered something incoherent under his voice before standing up, "none of this makes sense"
Bryan also followed suit but didn't reply. After a moment he remembered something, "did that spectacle kid tell that there has been no amendments whatsoever with the security?"
Tala started, "what?"
The lilac head shrugged, "he said that he couldn't locate any kind of bugs you described"
"But…that would mean that Yakima's playing blind and…" Tala halted in his sentence as a single provoking thought came into his mind. But unfortunately that was nothing aspiring at all. Cerulean orbs gradually looked up to meet confused purple ones. As he stared into space, Tala's mind worked feverishly to put piece and piece together.
When Bryan didn't get a response after calling for the third time, he gave the other a shake to pull him out of his trance. "Tala what the hell is wrong?"
Tala, who usually would have slapped away anything that made contact with him, shook his head trying to clear his jumbled thoughts.
"It's high time we check out the Hiwatari mansion"
Bryan gave him a pure look that told that he had lost his marbles, "you're kidding, right?"
Tala narrowed his eyes and step off the porch onto the soggy ground. A thunder illuminated the sky above. Obviously the weather hadn't bothered to change its demeanor.
"Tala you're literally loosing it. Kai will massacre you if he finds out"
"So he's not going to find out"
"But…"
"Listen there's only one way of finding out if we even are on the right track"
"I don't see why you have started doubting your own plan suddenly"
Tala turned and Bryan saw that look lost for so long, "trust me on this one Bryan. I know what I'm doing"
"I…" But the falcon had yet to learn how to talk Tala out of things. He sighed in defeat, "whatever but you're crazy"
The red head smirked slightly, "okay, so how far is this Malachi Forest anyway?"
A figure easily leapt off the metal banister and landed gracefully from the third floor to the paved ground. Straightening up, he once more checked the contents in his blue long coat. The black portfolio of documents was hidden deep in his attire with another small pad of bank papers. Closing the opening of the front, he stuffed his hands into his pockets. His right digits made contact with the sleek surface of a loaded revolver while the other hand touched the blade.
After consideration, he pulled it out to examine the fiery phoenix on its bit. For a moment he just stared at it before speaking mutely to it,
Give me strength to do this right for once Dranzer
The bit glowed red with fury and determination and proved that no matter what it will stick with him nonetheless.
He let a petite smile appear on his lips for a fraction of second. He once more plunged into one of his breast pockets and pulled out a second top. With both blades in hand, he gazed at them. Returning his one back, his thoughts went over the other one. The green white tiger seemed as if it was roaring, trying to boost some confidence in him.
Soon you'll have your master back Drigger. I promise
Above his head, a thunder enlightened the grey sky.
Looks like a storm is coming in, he mused turning his eyes upwards
Kai stared out for a while before taking out his watch. He had plenty of time. And that was exactly what was worrying him like hell.
Something just doesn't fit in. He walked out from the back of the apartments. Yakima… I just know that something is going on. The way you are playing your cards, it's too dangerous and you know it. However you are continuing with no uncertainty or hesitation. You've got something up your sleeve old man.
A beep halted his train of thoughts. Reaching for his cell, he was surprised to see an anonymous number playing on the screen. Curios, and with a tinge of dread somehow, he answered and waited for the other to speak first,
Kai froze at the sound of the caller,
"Greetings young Kai"
Ooh, a cliffy! Okay this was a bit long, right? ... Look I was to update this three days ago but something just kept coming up. I'm sorry for the delay guys. Do you realize that I cut school to come home to finish this up? I'm totally serious. Heck I'm still in my uniform. Anyway, hope you guys like it.
You know, I love you guys. And I even love those more who review. So there's this little button you're supposed to press and make me a happy girl.
So what now? Ray is……… What? Do you think that I can't kill him? I have every right too! But…I don't want to on the list of most wanted dead people anytime soon so I'll try to think over my future plans. (Key words: try, think)
R&R
Till next time
Neena