Sven blinked, while the men backed away before they ran away as they screamed, "It's the Reaper! Run, before she kills us too!"

A deadly silence fell over the remaining group as Stamper's men ran for their lives, fleeing away from Lia.

"… You're… a Number… now?" Train finally spoke, his eyes hidden under his bangs as he addressed Lia.

She remained unmoved as she answered curtly, "Yes. No. VI: the Reaper."

Train's jaw clenched and his eyes flashed as he lifted his head to look at her, demanding sharply, "Why?!"

Sven and Eve flinched.

Never had either of them – even Sven, in all the two years he'd known Train – heard the normally carefree young man sound so pained. Angry, deadly, dangerous – those they'd heard from Train before, especially recently with the run-in with Creed. But… devastated? That wasn't something they'd heard before; and Sven silently prayed he never had to hear it again.

Lia, however, remained cold as she answered flatly, "You, of all people, don't deserve to ask me that."

Train jerked, before his fists tightened so much his knuckles went white.

However, his voice was toneless as he said, "I see."

Lia just turned away without another look at either him or Stamper.

"Wait."

Lia glanced over at Eve's call, while Sven looked down at the little girl as he asked, "Eve…?"

"Why did you kill that man?" Eve asked Lia, unflinching even under the older female's icy stare. "He was no threat to you Why-"

"Because that was the order I was given."

Eve jerked in surprise, while Sven's lips thinned at Lia's remorseless reply.

Train didn't react as Lia turned away once more, saying as she left them, "His life is the price for betraying Chronos. If he'd wanted to live, he should have listened to their warnings before this."

With that, she walked away, leaving the group in another heavy silence.

Eventually, Sven glanced at Train as he asked, "Who was she?"

Train didn't answer right away, and Sven wondered if he was going to ignore the question.

"Someone… from my past."

Sven looked up in surprise at Train's response, while the dark-haired young man stared down at his decorated handgun, Hades.

"Someone… I thought I'd never see again." Train murmured as he stared at the XIII symbol engraved into the side of his gun.

There was nothing more Sven could ask as he sensed his Sweeper partner wouldn't say any more. So instead, he sighed as he looked down at Eve, who also watching Train thoughtfully. Gently nudging the girl, Sven moved her as he went to pick Woodney up again, letting Train have some privacy as the former No. XIII continued to stare unseeingly at his Hades.

Lia threw her weapon – back in its rifle form – to the corner of the hotel suite as she stormed inside.

"My, my, someone's in a bad mood." A voice commented from the side, where a tall male was leaning in the doorway to the bedroom.

Lia didn't even glance at him as she stared at her Elysium where the rifle had clattered to the ground.

"What's wrong?"

The man's voice changed, picking up on her turbulent mood and realizing it wasn't the time to joke around.

"Nothing." Lia answered curtly.

The man's brows furrowed as he answered, "It's clearly not 'nothing'."

Lia didn't reply as she continued to stare at Elysium.

"Come on, Lia." The man spoke as he came up to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. "Don't shut me out."

Lia exhaled sharply, before turning to the man before her as she replied curtly, "It was just a ghost from the past."

The man's frown deepened, but Lia cut off any further questions as she asked, "Now, you can't just be here for no reason."

"Can't I just come by to visit my special girl because I wanted to see her?" The man joked, but Lia raised a brow as she looked him up and down pointedly.

"All right, all right." The man chuckled as he lifted his hands, one gloved. "There's another mission. No. X managed to track down the den that Stamper was working for; it's time for us to go in."

"Hit, or kill?" Lia questioned, and the man confirmed with a nod, "Kill – the Elders said not to leave any survivors. It'll also be our last mission for the moment; there's something else after that, that we're needed for."

"I see. I suppose you'll only tell me about that after we complete this kill first." Lia murmured as she turned to get ready to leave once more. "Well, then. Let's go… Jenos."

Jenos Hazard smirked, his VII marked glove glinting in the light as he lowered his hands and walked out behind Lia.

Train bounded back into the safe house living room, proudly carrying the pizza box as he declared cheerfully, "Sorry for the wait!"

Sven watched Train silently as the brunette male placed the pizza box on the coffee table, grinning like an idiot. He looked normal; too normal, in fact. And Sven knew Eve could also sense Train's troubled heart. But neither mentioned it, nor did Train acknowledge that he knew they weren't convinced by his usual happy-go-lucky act.

After a while of putting a good dent in the pizza while Eve watched TV, Sven spoke up.

"Hey, Train."

Train perked up, glancing over at Sven as the older man asked, "That Woodney guy said he'd decided to become an information broker, is that true?"

"Yeah, that's right." Train answered, grinning slightly as he recalled the idiotic but cheerful man who'd tried to follow Train and the others after recovering from his faint, having become Train's fan.

"I told him I didn't like dragging an apprentice around with me." Train added as he looked back at Sven. "And he said, 'then I'll become an information broker, to help out my big bro's work'!"

"Oh…" Sven hummed. "But can he handle such an important job?"

"Well, it seems like he was in that line of work before." Train explained. "It's when he inadvertently heard about the Black Cat, that he suddenly decided to take advantage of my name."

"He's really hopeless." Sven muttered, sweat-dropping, and Train nodded slightly though he added chirpily, "But I think he's a pretty interesting guy."

They heard a noise outside, and Eve looked up while Train glanced out the window before he stilled.

"Oh?" He murmured as he stared, with one brow raised, out the window.

He then stood up, continuing to stare out the window from his better vantage point, and Sven asked curiously, "What's wrong?"

"… What a surprise." Train murmured, before he explained to his friends, "The Chronos Numbers' two chief leaders… I and II have both appeared."

"What?!" Sven yelped, while Eve looked over curiously as Train's lips curved into a small smile.

"How interesting." He murmured, before he turned and walked out to meet their unexpected guests.

There was a long, tense silence as Sven and Train sat on the two sofas across from their guests, while Eve stood a little behind Sven as she watched curiously. They'd met the tall man standing behind the single armchair across from them before – Belze Rochefort, as Sven recalled he was called, and No. II of the Chronos Numbers.

However, he had never before met the young, blonde woman who sat elegantly in the armchair across from him and Train, her pale blue eyes surprisingly clear as she gazed at Train.

"…It's been a long time since we last met, Heartnet." The woman spoke up first, looking at Train first before turning to Sven and Eve as she added in her soft voice, "As for the two over here, this should be our first time meeting each other."

Sven just waited, and the woman introduced herself formally, "I am No. I from the special military unit known as the Chronos Numbers. My name is Sephiria."

The introduction as the leader of the Chronos Numbers was in some ways unnecessary, as the I tattooed on her forehead gave away this woman's rank and position immediately to anyone who was familiar with Chronos. However, even knowing that, Sven found it hard to believe this young woman was the formidable leader of the Chronos Numbers.

She was just so… different, from both Belze or Train… and nothing even needed to be said regarding the woman they'd met just a few days ago, No. VI. Julia. Not only was Sephiria older than the young, darker-haired woman had been, she was… warm. Where Julia – or, Lia, as Train had said – had been cold and so detached Sven was convinced she wouldn't even bleed if he stabbed her with a needle, this Sephiria appeared almost kind and gentle. But her eyes told a different story, as they seemed to almost penetrate his heart and see right into his deepest, darkest thoughts.

As Sven pondered, Eve suddenly piped up from behind, "You are… Train's former superior?"

"Yes," Sephiria smiled in a friendly manner. "That is correct, little princess."

Eve blinked, taken aback both at Sephiria's sweet smile and at the woman's use of the same affectionate nickname that Train often used with her.

Sephiria meanwhile went on, "Five years ago, the one who appointed him as a Chronos Number and conferred his gun upon him… was I."

She turned back to Train as she added, "To you, perhaps, that event was merely another burden to shoulder."

Train didn't reply, simply staring back politely at Sephiria, and she took that as the sign to get down to business.

"Today, the reason we came here," Sephiria began seriously. "You ought to know already, Heartnet."

"I can probably guess why…" Train agreed slowly, and Sven glanced at Train. Did that mean it had something to do with meeting Lia earlier? He wondered.

Eve was also looking over curiously, thinking along the same lines as Sven, but both were taken by surprise when Train asked, "It has to do with the world conference, right?"

"What?" Sven gasped, despite himself, before he quickly quieted himself.

Belze remained unmoving from where he was looking sternly down on the conversation, as Sephiria confirmed grimly, "Correct."

Her eyes were serious now as she began, "I believe you've already discovered the incident was carried out by Creed… and the Apostles of the Stars."

While that apparently wasn't news to Train, it was to Sven, and he glanced at his partner as Sephiria continued, "The Council of Elders recognized the extreme severity of the situation, and on the very same day they passed down a decree ordering us to exterminate the Apostles of the Stars."

Train's eyes narrowed just slightly, while Sephiria went on, "The other Numbers are on their way to returning to headquarters as we speak, and – as of now – we are still investigating Creed's whereabouts."

"Well, then," Train spoke up casually, "why did you come looking for me?"

"Because," Sephiria replied seriously, "I hope you can assist in eliminating the Apostles of the Stars – as a sweeper."

There was a stunned silence following her announcement, as Train was clearly surprised by his former superior's request.

Belze meanwhile explained, "The federal government has already decided to offer a reward for the capture of the mastermind behind the attack on the world conference."

Sven glanced at the other man as Belze went on, "However, this is utterly confidential information that won't be publicly announced for another three days."

Belze's eyes rested on each of them as he finished, "And as long as he's captured alive, they will unconditionally pay three billion."

"Three…" Eve repeated in shock, while Sven shouted incredulously, "Three billion?! That makes it one of the top three bounties in all of history!"

Belze pretended not to have heard his outcry as he placed a notice on the table before them, explaining, "This is the reward notice. Also, if anyone provides useful information on him, they will be paid five million. The danger level is classified as SS."

Train picked the poster up, noting the relatively recent photograph of Creed, and he asked slowly, "This was provided by the government?"

"It was provided by Chronos." Sephiria answered, confirming Train's silent accusation. "We were also the ones instructing the federal government to deal with Creed by offering a reward."

Sven looked up in surprise, as did Train, and Sephiria paused.

"As you know," the leader of the Chronos Numbers began, "we Numbers aren't especially selective about the methods used to complete a mission."

Eve tensed as she remembered the most recent run-in with Lia, while Sephiria went on, "Everything we've done so far is for the purpose of tracking down Creed, who has concealed himself within the Underworld. Every employable asset is taken into account and used to its fullest extent."

Train's lips curved up into a mirthless smirk as he placed the reward notice down again, challenging, "Even including me. Right? Captain."

Sven tensed as the tension in the room thickened, while Sephiria stared at Train for a moment.

"As long as you do not kill Creed… her soul will be unable to attain redemption." Sephiria spoke, and Sven jerked. "That is what I believe."

'Does she mean… Saya Minatsuki?' Sven wondered as he glanced at Train in concern.

He then looked back at Sephiria as the woman continued coolly, her eyes fixed on Train, "I know you met Lia again recently. She will join this battle against the Apostles of the Stars as one of the Numbers; it is inevitable that she will cross paths with Creed. Whether it is with or without you."

Sven glanced between Sephiria and Train, who's brows had furrowed just slightly while his jaw was clenched, as Sephiria finished quietly, "… I'll leave this reward notice here. What you decide to do next is up to you."

Train just sat in silence as Sephiria stood up and – with a nod at Sven and Eve – she left the house. Belze went with her, though he paused momentarily in the doorway to look back at Train.

There was something that Sven couldn't quite read in the older man's eyes as Belze stared at Train for a moment, before he, too, was gone.

After they heard the Chronos Numbers' leaders leave – their cars pulling away from the safe house – Sven turned to Train.

"Train…" Sven began, but Train grinned as he got up.

"Ah~! I haven't had to listen to something so serious in a long time!" Train said blithely as he walked towards the kitchen. "I wonder if we have any milk left?"

"Train, hold it."

Train paused, glancing back over his shoulder as Sven stood, staring at him.

"That woman… Sephiria. She mentioned No. VI." Sven pointed out.

Train just waited, his expression betraying nothing as Sven asked, "So, is it true? Did you know her – Julia, I mean – well in the past?"

Train didn't reply as he stared back at Sven for a long moment, before he turned back towards the kitchen.

"Ah, now, what shall I do if we don't have any milk?" Train wondered aloud as he walked, and Sven sighed.

"He's avoiding the subject." Eve noted, and Sven muttered, "Yeah. I'm not surprised though – that's how he is."

Eve nodded silently, thoughtfully, and Sven turned back to look down at the reward notice for Creed once more, while – in the privacy of the kitchen – Train clenched his fists and his eyes hardened as he thought of the blue-haired girl from his past.