Words of desperation

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"So I guess this is the end of my peace…" Remarked Enzan as he and Netto entered his house. "I guess so" Netto smiled a cheeky smile at him and jumped to bounce on the couch.

"Would you stop that? Your wound isn't even fully healed yet. Wait until then before you give me a headache!" Netto grinned sheepishly at Enzan at that and Blues observed the whole scene with barely contained amusement. "Welcome back, Hikari Netto." "Thank you Blues…" Silence spread through the room before Enzan decided to adress the problem he had been worried about this past week.

"Netto, I've been at the NPH several times this week and I think your father has become suspicious of me. He's been running searches for Rockman covering almost the entire net and I'm afraid he's going to find out about the extend of our trick soon. You can't keep him hidden for much longer, it's only luck that he hasn't been caught yet. And I think you don't want that either. What were you plans when you hid him?" Netto sighted… The hard part started now. "The first thing on my mind was to get Rockman somewhere safe Enzan. First things first. I haven't figured out how to bring him back yet… But I AM certain he wont be found." A determined glint in his eyes.

Netto sounded so sure of himself at this that Enzan had to wonder. What was he up to? How was he so certain that THE authority on anyting to do with a computer wouldn't find Rockman? Enzan's eyes pierced trough Netto's as he tried to look away. "Okay Hikari, spill it!" Netto pushed his back hard into the couch clenching his fists. "There are things I'm good at except netbattling Enzan!" "I know that! But your dad isn't just 'good' with computers Netto!" "Enzan… just trust me on this one little thing. Rockman won't be found…"

Enzan almost lifted his eyebrow at that. But Netto seemed so absolutely sure. He knew that by pushing now, he wouldn't gain any answers. He'd seen how closed off and stubborn his rival could be if he truly didn't want to tell something. He would find out soon though, he was certain of that. Netto did, after all, live in his houxe.

When Enzan left for his job that day Netto took a few deep breaths. Dangerous dangerous! Before he told Enzan everything he'd have to at least have a plan or something. He probably wouldn't have much time left either way. At least he had prepared him somewhat… Netto shook his head and sat down behind Enzans pc. Laughing at himself. He made himself seem so smart by all this planning and manouvering but at the core of it all… He just didn't want to lose Enzan's friendship. And for this to be an option he HAD to be carefull. It didn't stop him from feeling low though. Not very long ago he had told Rockman as wel as Enzan that he trusted them… And now he was acting like this.

The computer starting up was complete and a custom netnavi appeared on the screem. Netto shut him down. Erasing the memory of a navi took long and wasn't something he wanted to deal with. He'd rather work things out himself. Different from the one in the hospital, Enzan's computer was fast and had a lot of prosessing power (as could be expected). Netto leaned backwards and wrinkeled his forehead. It was a sight to see. A Netto deep in thought. Suddenly a lazy smile formed on his face and he reached sidewards to get his PET (the one in the hospital was not really his, only disquised as his). He connected it to the computer and started typing…

The scanners in the sci-labs still hadn't had brought back a single result. Enzan knew this and was amazed by it. But he also knew that professor Hikari was working on a completely new kind of datasearch. As expected of the brilliant scientist it was already growing to become an evolutionary programm but every time he brought it up Netto continued acted as if nothing was wrong. And every day after he came back from work Enzan let Blues check his computer to see what on earth Netto was doing. And every time the result was the same. No history whatsoever. It was frustrating and he knew that soon things would escalate. And he knew that Netto knew that soon, he would have to tell him the truth.

It had been one and a half week since Netto had returned from the hospital. It was 3 in the afternoon, school had finished and Netto was sitting behind the computer as usual at this time of the day. The 'solution' he'd been working so hard on was almost finished. BAM!!! The door flew open and Enzan stalked inside. Netto almost fell of his chair and quickly pushed a few buttons. The screen was blanc. This however, only made Enzan angryer. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!" Netto was about to stand up but before he could finish a fist send him to the ground. Slowly he stood up, his hand raised to his bruising cheeck while his eyes were strained on Enzan. He'd never seen him this angry before. Or at least not directed at him. Enzan spoke again. Softer this time but no less clear. "The new sci-lab scanner was finished and activated today, so naturally I was worried when I heard it had found something. About 2 seconds later there wasn't a scanner anymore! Anything even remotely used for 'searching' was deleted without a trace! And there wasn't a virus in sight! And don't tell me you don't have anything to do with it! I wont believe it!" Enzan had been steadily getting closer to Netto and was by now yelling in his face. Looming over him as Netto's face seemed to crumble in hopelessness. But he didn't deny anyghing. This wasn't how he had wanted it to go. He'd wanted to finish bringing Rockman back before coming clean with both Enzan and Rockman. He'd hoped the dummy's would remain untouched so he could retrieve them when Rockman was safe and well. They had in fact been infected with a home-made virus of his. Netto hadn't wanted to be responsible for a new virus-outbreak so he'd designed this virus for one purpose only: to selfdestruct while taking the programm that had activated it with it. That way it wouldn't be able to spread. Netto almost started crying, but he kept silent… Letting Enzan rage, and Enzan, seeing Netto look away from him, completely lost his cool (which everyone thought could never be broken) and he grabbed Netto by his shirt and pushed him violently up against the wall, and all the while he kept talking, his voice starting to break; "I trusted you! I disobeyed orders for you and Rockman! Where you all this time nothing more than a netcriminal? Netto!"

Netto couldn't take it anymore. Tears were streaming over his cheeks. He weakly brought his hands up to try and free himself. But Enzan already let go of him and, with a discusted sigh, started to walk towards the exit. Netto called for him, his voice begging for him to stop. "Enzan! WAIT!!!" Enzan turned around. Not sure if he wanted to know what Netto had to say. Once he was sure Enzans attention was on him Netto lowered himself to the floor. Enzan couldn't do anything but stare as his rival kneeled before him. Head pressed to the floor.

"I'M SORRY!!! PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME LEAVE? I'M SORRY I'M SO SORRY! I UNDERSTAND YOU HATE ME BUT PLEASE LISTEN TO ME… OKAY?

…… silence…..

ENZAN… PLEASE!!!"

"Netto…'

It was a soft voice…

The younger boy stayed where he was. Kneeling on the floor as his rival walked back to him. Looming over him… kneeling beside him and pulling him in an upward position. Netto's face was still wet with tears, his eyes desperately searching for Enzans. The last couple of weeks had almost made the both of them forget it but Netto… was still vulnerable. Enzan pulled him up all the way and before the brown-haired boy realised what happened he was pulled into an awkward embrace. His head resting on Enzan's shoulder, hands burried in his shirt. "You baka", sighted Enzan. He pulled back and send Netto another cold glare, under which he flinched, but his heart wasn't in it. Yep, Netto's uncertainty clearly wasn't over yet. But what had he been doing? Enzan pulled him over to the couch and pushed Netto onto it. Once they both sat Enzan looked at Netto sternly and said only two words. "Start talking." Blues was paying close attention from his pet. Enzan hoped above all that Netto had a good reason for what he had done. That whatever he he had been doing didn't make it impossible for Enzan to stand beside him any longer.