Verte didn't lose a second and unlocked the door before rushing outside. Lucas shot right behind her and Rose locked back the door after them, staying behind to protect Kaito even if she didn't know what fighting abilities he might have. Her operative reflexes kicked in and she wasn't the young apprentice of a governmental anymore. She was his bodyguard. Seeing her like that, Kaito felt like she wasn't the same person he met few days ago. Then he shook his head, put his feelings aside and motionned thankfully to her before getting back to work at an amazing speed.

Verte and Lucas got to ground floor where they discovered the explosion. Or, the false explosion, as they saw Lila right in the middle of debris, perfectly fine. Verte sighed, the fight wouldn't be easy. As Lucas became invisible behind her, Verte bore her eyes in the electric blue eyes of Lila. She still had the face she took next to the jungle the day before, and wore a simple black flowing dress with a yellow low collar. Her heavy black boots suited Verte's taste very much, and she stook firmly on her legs. Verte smiled gently, remembering Kaito saying the blond wasn't there on her own free will, and tried some crazy tactics.

- I don't believe in your lie, it's useless against me, she said with a serene tone.

Lila opened her mouth, surprised, and the hall went back to its perfectly clean state instantly. But the setting wasn't the only thing that changed. Lila herself had changed. From blond, straight hair falling down to her ankles, she had now wavy chestnut hair stopping right below her shoulders, a bit messy, and her confident and determined look had disappeared, replaced by puffy and reddened light brown eyes by tears that seemed to have flown a long time. Then Verte recognized her. She was the woman at Sentry's a few days ago. She grit her teeth, furious.

- Does he know who you are? DOES HE EVEN KNOW YOUR NAME DAMMIT ???? Yelled Verte.

- ... my name's the same. He only knows this appearance, answered Lila between two sobs, her eyes full of tears.

- HE's the one they threaten you with ?! Understood Verte with a flash.

Lila could only nod. A glass panel exploded towards the street outside at the end of the hall. Then another. And another. Verte stayed strangely detached from what she did. She added, almost gently, for Lila.

- You remember ? About what I said ? That if nothing happened to him, our future meetings would go smoothly?

- But... he's all right, I did all this to protect him ! Exclaimed Lila, wailing. He doesn't even know he's threatened.

- That would be the last straw, grumbled Verte. You should have warned someone right at the begining ! This man is really important for my sister and me, no way I'd let something happen to him because of you, you hear me ?!

Lila nodded, her face full of flowing tears. The glass panels were still exploding one after another, under the pressure Verte endured. Because, right now, the only thing she wanted was to make this bitch explode, because her choices were threatening the man that practically brought her up. But she knew she shouldn't harm her. Then, strangely, she heard Kaito's voice inside her mind.

- I threw a challenge at my brother. He should be here in a minute. Thank you for buying me time. If Lila doesn't change his appearance, you should see a kid with blond hair and blue eyes, try to keep him on ground floor as much as you can, I finish some preparations and we'll come down to meet you.

Kaito's voice disappeared from Verte's mind, but she perfectly memorized his simple instructions and information, and waved in her back to Lucas for him to come closer. Verte went back to exploding glass as soon as she felt he was in front of her. She took a step to him, almost hugging the man and gave him instructions from Kaito in a soundless whisper, except for him as he shivered from her breath on his ear but managed to concentrate. She felt him nod. Then right before walking away to prepare the little brother's trap, Lucas bent a bit and brushed a kiss on Verte's lips. Then he ran away silently as far as possible from her.

Panic and rage flew madly inside Verte's mind and every remaining glass exploded in really tiny pieces, then the tiled floor exploded too in a festival of ceramic pieces and dust. Lucas had a small silent laugh. Of course, he did it on purpose. As the plan was to keep little bro at bay the longest time possible, at least Verte would be in the perfect mood to be dangerous. Might as well add useful to pleasure. He checked his throwing blades were in their spots around his waist hidden under his shirt he untucked to give better access to his weapons. He was ready.

Kaito was finishing programming his defense system while sabotaging his brother's. He didn't have much time. Thankfully, Rose's presence, professional, in front of the door, allowed him to concentrate fully on what he was doing. The defense system he was making with help from his magic was mostly to protect her. Himself wouldn't need it, his brother would never attack him upfront as he knew about his power. Then, he jumped and swore before brushing his ear in a dash, still programming as he called his bir brother.

- Cam, it's Ren who's behind all that. We should be able to deal with him, but I needed to tell you anyway, explained Kaito in a hurried tone before cutting short his comm, without waiting for an answer.

He didn't need to hear him, just to warn him. He knew he would do what was needed so that Eastcity's Order operatives stay furtive around the building until Ren got there. Then he bit his lip, and looked up to Rose so she came closer. She stayed right beside him, keeping this confident and proud look he found absolutely stunning. She blushed, hearing his thoughts without meaning to, then shook her head as to concentrate on her mission. She put her hand on one of the holographic screens, following Kaito's muted instructions, then he confirmed the program's creation. A heat wave came through Rose and she watched, surprised, a strange matter, transparent and kind of liquid, covering each part of her body carefully. Then, the surface glittered a bit before disappearing completely.

- Why this ? She asked with a soft voice.

- Safety. I can't trust my little brother's power. And I don't want anything happening to you, stated Kaito as he looked at her in the eyes.

Rose frowned. He wasn't really answering her question, and prevented her from reading his thoughts. Impusively, she closed up the distance between them and slipped her fingers on his neck between his blue locks, the tip of her nose brushing against his. Surprised, Kaito didn't react immediately. Then, feeling her breath on his lips, he blushed madly and gulped harldy. She was staring right in his eyes, with a seriousness and maturity he was clearly not used to. He held his breath when she took hers.

- I'm not a kid Kaito. Look at me. And touch me, whispered the girl with a low voice that made him shiver.

Then, holding onto his neck, she kissed him decidedly. She let go of him nearly a minute later, breathing unevenly, then went back to her position next to the door. Kaito, out of breath, was showing unseen shades of red when a message appeared on one of the screens. He let out a long breath, his hand brushing a few times the spot on his neck where Rose touched him, then walked to the screen hesitantly. As planned, Ren answered his challenge and was coming. When he looked up to Rose, unsure, she was back on professional bodyguard mode, even though her eyes were shinier than usual. He nodded, to tell her they were going down, and couldn't prevent himself to stare as she spinned to get out of the room, finding the way she walked really sensual. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he concentrated on their mission and the hazardousness of his brother's power. Which he couldn't completely reveal to his companions, fearing it would also reveal his.

Rose glanced at Kaito as they got to the anti gravity hole. She was still surprised by her own boldness, as she never was one to imagine herself doing whatever adults did with a man, she bluntly kissed him. And, even if it was only for the last millisecond, she felt him answer her kiss. She had the answer she wanted. But was that a good thing to do right before battle, in the end ? She was feeling hesistant, in spite of her confident appearance. But Kaito had let her see some complex emotions, before concentrating back on work. She should do the same. The rest could wait after that. Rose smiled, back to her usual poise, and even challenged Kaito about who would get first on ground floor. She was back to her kidding habits that made Kaito sight with a half smile, despite the situation they were in.

They both jumped into the hole, to land into what seemed to be a multiple explosions site. Verte, her face bright scarlet, was staring daggers at a blond kid wearing large clothes, seemingly unwavered by her. Throwing blades were scattered everywhere in the air around him, and he was smiling.

- Ah, big bro, finally ! Tell me, didn't you warn them about my powers? That's too bad, I thought I would finally meet worthy opponents, said the boy with regret as he looked at Verte. Maybe you wanted to cover up yourself ? I understand, it's more important to protect yourself from your friends than protecting them from their ennemies, I totally agree with you, he added with an ironic laugh.

Kaito grit his teeth silently as Rose analyzed Ren's mind, strangely available in spite of the protection around him. He could manipulate any technology, without limits. He was wearing a prototype of high tech shield very powerful, carelessly hidden in his shorts pocket. Rose tried the impossible. She knew Kaito heard her think sometimes. She hoped he would hear her too this time. She didn't know where was the limit ot his power, but she needed to communicate with her sister right now. Strangely, without feeling any contact with Kaito, she knew Verte could hear her. She hurried to speak, not knowing how much time she had.

- Verte !

- Err... Rose ? You're...

- No time. On him, a contraption that creates the shield. Maybe in one of his pockets, I'm not sure. Manage as you want, I want that thing broken, even if he has to be naked for that, hurry your ass up !

- Ok, ok, don't get angry, gentle and polite girls should not swear.

Verte concentrated on the boy who was cleaning his nails in front of her, and as she couldn't seem to locate the device, she took her sister's word and Ren's clothes litterally ripped appart in really tiny pieces, leaving him in boxers and trainers. The small black object that fell with the clothes exploded violently in pieces that exploded themselves into microscopic ones. Then, something felt wrong. The boy didn't care. Right when she wanted to make one of his eyes explode in its socket, to vent her anger, he lifted a finger, looking right into her emerald eyes.

- Before letting you have fun as you usually do with your preys, are you sure you don't want to know WHY my brother never talked about his power to any of you ? Asked the boy with a gentle voice.

- That's because he thinks we wouldn't believe him, retorted coldly Rose, surprising everyone.

- And how would YOU know that, little girl ? He confided in you, because you were important to him ? Or, he added with a smirk, did he tricked you into his bed thanks to that ?

- No, of course. I can feel you'd be ready to head right into battle mode for him. But this man you trust so much, he never told you his secret. I'm sure you don't even know what you're talking about as you're defending him, little girl, spat the boy mockingly.

- I couldn't tell her, thats true, interceded Kaito with a confident and clear voice. But I let her discover it by herself. She knows enough to not believe you. As she knew of my power, she still trusted me. I won't let you hurt her, just because you're an arrogant brat.

- I'm an arrogant brat? whistled the boy, his smile finally gone. I had the abilities to work with you and Kamui, I proved it many times. But you never wanted me in with you, leaving me rot in a specialized educative building, like an ordinary delinquent. But I am not barely a low class delinquent, Kaito, I'm a master in the art of using any data, the more protected the better I am, and my power outgrows Kamui's, or even yours, seemingly unlimited !

Verte looked at Rose, then Kaito, without connecting the dots. An unlimited power? A perfect mastering over a domain as vast as electronic technologies made her shiver, she couldn't begin to imagine which power Kaito used. Then she felt Lucas' presence behind her, and remembered details that connected the dots. Sentry telling her he never saw Kaito use the same power twice in a row. Rose's uneasyness when she asked her about the blue haired's power. Lucas' thinking about the legend of the Thau Ghehai Pi, this power so controversed in history courses. Because it had existed, indubitably, but its abilities were too unrealistic for most of the magic-specialized scientists. The metronome power. Verte turned to Kaito, opening her mouth to speak.