Star didn't know how long she was in that room or what they'd done to her. It was excruciating and even if she couldn't die from it she had blacked out more times than she could count. At some point, under Lvellie's irate command, Hevlaska had tried to remove her Innocence.

And failed.

The result was Star drifting in and out of consciousness, unable to think, move, or speak for a time. She stared up into Hevlaska's face, watched tears glitter down her cheeks. Star heard Komui's voice and moved her gaze around to find him.

"I am sorry, Star," he said as he lowered his head in shame again.

Komui would have done anything to keep Lenalee from Lvellie and the Black Order's threats. Once again, he was unable to save someone.

Someone he was responsible for and had come to care for as one of this own.

Star weakly turned her head to look at him, but was unable to smile and say that everything was alright.

"What will happen if they extract your Innocence?" Komui asked, his gaze grave but direct.

"That is an impossibility…I think. Worse case…I die. But then the [bLaNk], the Innocence in this case, passes fully to Jump or Mahoja."

Someone watching the interrogation and attempted extractions said, Why is she just letting them to do this to her?

"It isn't like she has a choice. And for that matter, what can we even do about it? Our hands are tied," someone replied.

"It's not any different from my world. Using people to wage war and meet their own goals, regardless of the suffering they cause or the souls they destroy. Suffering is a language in any world."

Suffering is the language of war.

"What is that golem doing in here?" Lvellie snapped.

Star cracked open her eyes and saw Gaia flying around her head.

"Divide, Gaia."

Gaia's body glinted and shifted. Three Gaias flapped around above Star's head.

"Go find Jump. The other, find Mahoja." In a lower voice, so only Gaia heard she said, "We'll meet in the blind spot of the golems Mahoja will take out." There was always a plan in the event she was captured. Even if her capture was by The Order.

The golem nodded and shot away, leaving Hevlaska's chamber in rainbow streaks.

"Inspector Lvellie, sir!"

Lvellie said impatiently, Stop those golem at once! What is it?"

The Millennium Earl. The Black Order. They don't know anything. Let them think whatever they want. This world…I can't become a part of it, not without totally obliterating its very fabric.

Moments later, alarms blared to life throughout headquarters.

"What are those alarms? What is happening? Someone report immediately!" Lvellie barked.

"Sir, there's been a security breach by the furthest tower!"

Star forced her head up.

Its time.

Star scampered around the outside of one of The Order's massive building, avoiding a flock of security golems. She collided with a firm chest and looked up into his face as Lavi grabbed her arm.

I was wondering who I'd run into first, she thought wryly. Of course Lvellie would send other Exorcists after her. Fight fire with fire.

"Whatever you're planning, don't do it," Lavi said.

"I suppose as a Bookman you'd know a thing or two about secrets and putting up fronts," said Star, leaning against the nearest wall of the building. "Your job is to document the true history. The hidden history. Ours—mine, Jump, and Mahoja's—is to preserve it."

"Against what?"

She shook her head and tried to pull her arm free but Lavi's grip on her tightened.

"Something that doesn't belong in your world," Star tried to explain.

Bookman walked out of the nearby trees edging this side of The Order. "Lavi! Let go of her. Now."

"But old man—!"

"You know what she is now, don't you. She is a Bookman. Like you and I only her mission right now is more important than anything you or I will ever do. She must perform her duty. And we must not interfere."

"What do you know, ya panda! This isn't the time for a lecture."

"No matter what we must discard," Bookman continued unwaveringly, "we Bookman live outside the laws of the world. That was never more true for a Bookman than it is for her and her companions. They are the Exiled of our Clan because their abilities exceed the power to simply record the hidden history of this world. These Bookman possess the power to wipe out whole events and rewrite history, altering time and space, not just in our universe but in multiple universes. That is why they are banished from our world and strictly held to the duty of preventing others from interfering in the flow of history that Bookman like you and I record. The Exiled Ones live in a separate universe and appear only when the history of this world is in danger of becoming altered by forces that don't belong here."

Allen and Lenalee rushed onto the scene.

"Bookman! Lavi!" Lenalee said. "You found Star."

"Damn it. Not these two," Star muttered. Star loved them dearly, but she'd hoped Bookman would get Lavi off her back and she could go on her way.

"Not exactly. The old man says we have to let her go."

"We can't let Star become a fugitive of The Order, you know that," argued Allen, shocked at Lavi's words.

"Forget it, Allen," Lavi said. "I already tried to talk her out of it."

"Star," Lenalee said kindly, "let's go back. Let's treat your injuries and you have to recover your strength."

"Why are you trying to escape?" Lavi demanded. "Did the Noah get to you?"

Star tried to think of a way to speed this along. "No…"

"You want Tyki Mikk," said Allen. "That's what the Noah Wisely said."

"It's not that!" Star said, wishing they could understand. But everything in this world was running out of time. Whether her friends knew the truth or not didn't matter if Star and the others failed.

"Don't you want to stay here? Isn't the Black Order your home now too. Aren't we your family!" Allen said.

Tear pricked Star's eyes. "I want you to be…I do… I've never had a real family or friends, a reason to live… Not before Jump and Mahoja. I want to stay here with Allen and everyone!"

"Oh Star," Lenalee whispered, eyes glistening wetly.

Fists clenching, Allen exclaimed in confusion, "Then why-!"

Bookman said, "Stop, Allen Walker. You don't understand—"

Star shouted, "I CAN'T! This is not my world. I—I mean, its not a world I can ever truly belong to."

"Hey, girl."

Tyki Mikk stepped out of the building beside Star and clamped a hard hand on her shoulder.

"Noah!" said Lavi.

"Tyki!" Allen immediately activated Crown Clown, its glowing white mantle covering here, while the other's took up defensive positions and activated their Innocence as well. "Get away from her, Tyki!"

Addressing the group, Tyki said—"This is getting boring so let's say we wrap things up," said the Noah. "I'll be taking your friend here."

"Excuse us. We weren't quite finished." As Allen reached futilely to grab her from Tyki's grasp, Star thought, I'm sad for you Allen…one day you'll have to leave this family, too…branded as traitor and The Fourteenth…a Noah.

As quickly as Tyki was there, he was gone, taking Star with him. Star's sharp gasp was abruptly cut off as they disappeared together.