Chapter Fifteen

Collins Found

"Tired already?" Riku teased.

The eyes in the skull looking face of Karl narrowing almost seemed comical, "Don't get comfortable. Your training is far from over."

Frannie giggled. Riku rolled her eyes, and then she smiled. Karl had been training for hours in his Chiropteran form. Riku didn't want to say anything, and all joking aside, but he did look tired. "Would you like to rest?" his training partner, Hagi, asked.

"No," Karl shook his head, "I can go on."

Hagi gave a quick nod, and then they went right back into training. Riku was glad to have the short rest. When he was done, however, she knew Karl would want to get right back into fencing, and sparring. 'It's not much fun, that's true... but it is time spent alone with him,' she smiled to herself.

"He's getting better. He's not breathing as hard," Frannie commented.

"Speaking of getting better," Riku raised an eyebrow, "DJ told me that you could shoot a pin off of a skyscraper from a mile away."

Frannie laughed, "A pin off of a skyscraper... that sounds like DJ."

"So... you're a great shot, and I'm the last to know!" Riku mocked anger, but then she laughed, "Good for you! We've got a sharp-shooter in the family!"

"I don't know about a sharp-shooter."

Riku laughed, 'Just like our Frannie to be modest.'

Suddenly, Riku got a funny feeling. Frannie must have to, because she stood, and looked at the basement door with a funny look on her face. "I'll go with her," she informed Karl, turning.

"I..." Karl began.

"It's okay," Frannie pulled the pistol from her leg holster, "I can handle it."

She cocked the gun, and then she and Riku walked through the basement door, only to be greeted by a young man with dark hair and amazing blue eyes. He wore a black suit, and a smile on his handsome, young face. "You're Riku," he said.

"And you would be?" Riku asked, narrowing her eyes.

Frannie pointed the gun at him. He looked at her, but he didn't look at all angry, "You know... that if I wanted to attack... that wouldn't do any good against me."

"No..." Frannie said, slowly, "but it would sure as hell slow you down until the other two were able to get up here. They would hear the gunfire."

"I mean you no harm," he shook his head, "My name is Dalton..."

"Dalton! The guy who met with my dad and my Karl... I mean... Karl," Riku glanced sideways at a grinning Frannie, "Where's my sister? Tell me!"

"I cannot. She doesn't wish for you to get hurt. She thinks that if you know... you will no doubt come for her. She's trying to keep Mahler away from you, Riku. She's trying to devise a plan to escape him herself, but events arising... events that complicate things. Another one of those events has happened. I know that your Julia and the newest member of the Red Shield... the one Chera failed to kidnap... Van Argiano... I know that they have been searching for a Professor Collins. Because of your father and David... and because of my interference... Collins was able to escape. As crazy as he's gotten, he was sane enough to know what was after him."

"Riku!" she heard Karl call.

"I'm okay! It's that Dalton boy!" Riku called back.

That seemed to either satisfy or surprise Karl enough not to shout back. "Are you saying you know where Collins is?" Frannie asked, returning her gun to it's holster.

"Yes, I know exactly where he is. He's now with Nathan Mahler."

Riku gasped, "They've got him. He's the only one who worked with Mahler's blood! Now what?"

"Riku, you must know that Nathan isn't worried about you finding out about his blood. That's not why he wanted Argiano and Collins," Dalton told her, "He has other plans for Collins. He's wanting to resurrect the Corpse Corps."

Frannie gasped. She had seen documents on those pitiful things. They were clones of Lulu's brother Moses... except heartless and emotionless... they felt no pain, sorrow, happiness, or anything else she was sure the original Moses had probably felt. "Jesus... why?" Frannie demanded.

"He's got several Chevaliers... ones you've met and ones you have yet to meet. However, he doesn't want to keep creating Chevaliers everytime you take one out. He said that's a noble job, and not anyone should be permitted to do it. He wants these things as extra protection, and extra muscle... to get to you," he looked at Riku, "Hagi and Karl were a threat from the beginning. Now you have Francis and all of the Red Shield. Nathan is also aware that it won't be much longer before Saya wakes up. He's not desperate... He doesn't get desperate. He's just really impatient."

"What should we do?" asked Riku.

"Tell everyone what I have told you. Make sure they are all aware of the seriousness of this situation. Be safe. Don't go anywhere alone. Who knows when these Corpse Corps will be complete. Collins is crazy, but he hasn't forgotten anything. Nathan will get what he wants out of him. Collins has already... secretly... been with him for a month and a half. I did not know until... I'm sorry I didn't find out sooner. That is all I can say for now. I have been away from her for far too long."

"Fine. You know... even if you won't tell us where she is... I'm still going to look for my sister," Riku smirked, "and we're going to send Nathan Mahler straight to hell."

Dalton's eyebrows rose, "It was a pleasure meeting you both. Be safe... also," he stopped, "Keep a close eye on Saya's resting place. He keeps talking about it. It's got my Georgie worried."

"Aunt Saya... yeah. We will. Thanks, Dalton."

In a gust of wind, Dalton was gone. Riku looked over at Frannie. "I'm going to call Julia, and have her call a meeting. We have to let everyone know this."

"You do that. I'm going to tell Hagi and Karl, and then I'm going to send them to my Aunt Saya."

Frannie gave a nod. In a flash, she was gone. 'She's getting much better,' thought Riku, surprised.

II

"This is grave news," Joel shook his head, "The Corpse Corps."

Van Argiano rubbed his temples, "This is bad."

Riku looked over at the French man. He had laid his glasses on the table. He looked tired. Since agreeing to work with the Red Shield, he hadn't gotten much rest... checking hospital and police databases for information on his old Professor... Collins. "I'm making up for many sins," he'd told Riku, smiling, but the smile didn't touch his eyes... they looked sad and worn.

"...my fault," Van mumbled.

Riku was about to console him, when David spoke, "The past is the past. You had a choice to go with them or come with us. You chose us."

Van looked at David gratefully. It was hard to believe that they used to be enemies. "He's going to use Georgie's blood, isn't he?" Kai asked, disgusted, "He's going to force my daughter to spill her blood again, isn't he? Damn it!"

"What are we going to do?" Mao asked, stroking Lulu's back, gently.

Lulu was going to get to see her brother's face again, only he wouldn't show her an ounce of kindness. Riku felt horrid. "We're going to keep a closer eye on Riku," David said, "Louis is getting everything ready for you, me, and DJ, Kai."

"Right," Kai gave a nod.

"Wait... what do you mean?" Riku asked, confused.

"We're going to London to search the old opera house there," DJ told her, "We're also going to go search an old house Karl confirmed that Diva's Chevaliers stayed in while they were in London."

Riku winced at her name, but she didn't scold DJ, "Why wasn't I told until just now?" Riku asked Kai.

"Because we didn't decide to go until about an hour before you and Frannie got this meeting together," Kai explained.

"I'm staying here again, aren't I?" Riku asked, disappointed.

Would she ever get to look for her sister? "I'm afraid so," David was the one to answer, "You aren't ready for combat. You're getting much better, but after being told this... it would be safer if you stayed here with Karl, Francis, and Hagi. We leave in about an hour. Louis is just taking care some last minute details."

"I understand," Riku sighed, "I'm going to visit Aunt Saya."

She stood, told everyone good-bye, and then headed out the door, feeling terrible.

III

Karl kept a sharp eye out for anything out of the ordinary, while Hagi sat near Saya. "Why would they target her while she's still asleep? How cowardly ," Karl sneered.

He noticed someone walking up the stairs, but he wasn't worried. He knew her scent by now, and smiled when her face came into view. He had grown so attached to her and her family. How could he not be happy when he was near her. It was because of her he was even alive. "Everything okay?" she asked, when she reached him.

"So far. Are you alright? You look..."

"My dad, David, Louis, and DJ are going to London to check out an opera house and a house that you told them about. We're to stay here. Actually... they may have already left."

"I see. You're upset."

It wasn't a question. He could feel that she wasn't happy. "Yeah, I wanted to go. However... I know that they have my best interest at heart. They're worried about my safety. I can't help but to worry about them."

"That is understandable."

"So... is sleepy head there close to waking up?"

"Yes," Hagi answered quickly, catching Riku off guard.

"No joke?" Riku's eyes widened.

Hagi nodded, and Riku thought she saw a smile in his eyes, "It won't be long."

"That's... really cool," Riku smiled, looking at the tomb her aunt was resting in.

Riku held something up... Karl noticed that it was Saya's kitana. "Do you think there might be a battle here or something?"

"No," Riku shook her head, "I just thought... I don't know..."

Karl smiled. He was about to say something, but a gust of wind blew his long black hair in his face. Hagi stood quickly, and got in a fighting stance. Riku looked around nervously. A low growl escaped Karl's throat. Someone uninvited had come to Saya's resting place. "Looks like you're in a grave situation! Get it!," someone laughed.

They looked up to see someone standing on top of the tomb. It was Chera's brother Noel. "You!" Karl snarled, "What do you want?"

"I'm getting sick of my sister's screw-up's. I've come to deal with the mighty Chevaliers myself. A quick question, though. Are you really just visiting... or did someone let it slip that we wanted this bitch Saya dead?"

As usual, there was no emotion on Hagi's face, but Riku was sure that there was rage running all through his body. "You are a coward!" Karl yelled, "Trying to kill someone in their sleep!"

"Yeah... whatever... I'll bet you weren't thinking that while she was turning your blood to crystal," smirked Noel.

"Shut up!" it was Riku who had shouted this time... her eyes held nothing but pure hatred for this man.

Karl was suppose to be the Chevalier... but he often found that Riku was quite protective of him at times. "Did I hit a soft spot?" Noel smirked.

"I was a fool," Karl sneered, "It was my own fault I died and no one else's. Just like it will be your own fault when Riku kills you."

"Like that's going to happen," Noel laughed, "I've brought back-up."

He lifted his arms, and several men in helmets and soldier uniforms jumped out from behind the tomb. Riku felt the first pangs of fear hit her hard in the chest. This was the dreaded Corpse Corps... the heartless assassin that Nathan had resurrected to help kidnap her and take her back to him. They were in fact completed. How on earth were three people suppose to defeat all of these monsters? "Riku," Hagi began.

"Fight," Karl finished.

Hearing them say that, she closed her eyes, threw her fear aside, and then she gave a nod. She unsheathed her Aunts sword, and then she stood at the ready.