A/N: I'm sure anyone who has read chapter 7 is dying to know what happens next! Well, here you have it. The lives of the six kids have now been changed forever. Before, they could still go on with their lives. Now, the rules have changed…

Get ready for one of the longest chapters yet!

------WHEN THE RAIN FALLS

Chapter 8: Wrong Man for the Job

Kopaka awoke to a bright light and a monster headache. He tried to move his hand to hold his head, but he couldn't. It was tied down. He was strapped to a chair in a room that was dark except for a bright fluorescent light above him. As he regained his senses, he noticed several other people in the room, standing with guns.

"Oh great," he thought to himself. "Now this is bad." He felt a strange sensation build up in his body. Something he had never felt before. Something he had believed to never exist in him. Something that was not part of his nature.

Fear.

Gali was pacing her room. She needed to talk to someone, anyone. She called Lewa, and he agreed to come over. Ten minutes later, he was consoling Gali in her room.

"It's alright, Gali. It's alright," Lewa said.

"No, it's not, Lewa." Gali said fiercely. "It's not and you know it, too."

Lewa opened his mouth to speak, then sighed. "You're right, Gali. It isn't alright."

They walked out onto the verandah. The rain was pouring, just like the night the threat was found. They simply walked out into the rain, not even acknowledging the fact that they were bring soaked to the bone.

All of the sudden, Gali burst out crying and laid her head on Lewa's chest. Her tears mingled with those of the sky's, and all Lewa could do was pat her head and wish this had never happened.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of orange, he spun around to see Tahu, soaked just as they were, running to them.

"Guys!" Tahu yelled. "Come on! We need to get to the factory!" He waved them to follow him.

Lewa began to turn to go when he realized that Gali wasn't moving. "Gali?"

"No, I'm not going."

"Why?"

Gali spun on him, looking angry. "I don't want to be part of this anymore! All that it will do is bring more sadness to us!"

Lewa grabbed her by her shoulders and looked into her eyes. It wasn't anger there, but sadness and fear. "Gali, if you do nothing, those miseries will be doubled, tripled even. You need to help us."

Gali struggled for a bit more, but then succumbed to the facts. She followed Lewa over to Tahu. Tahu led them through the forest where they saw Pohatu and Onua waiting for them by the TAKAMU boundaries.

"We think Kopaka is in the TAKAMU factory," Onua explained. "We saw him heading in that direction last night."

"Hey!" Tahu called. "Look!" He held up Kopaka's jacket.

"That's Kopaka's!" Gali said worriedly. "Now we know he's in there! Let's go!"

"How do we get in?" Lewa asked. Looking at the factory, it had possibly the best security on Mata Nui. There was no way that they were getting in easily.

Pohatu spoke up. "To get in, I grabbed a few…"distractions" that I found around the house." He began to chuckle. "5…4…3…2…"

Suddenly, a booming and gagging was heard. A huge green cloud arose over the east side of the factory.

"That's our cue," Pohatu said. "Let's go!" They ran over to the building and tried to door handle.

"Locked!" Tahu spat in disgust.

"Not for long it is," Gali whispered. She pulled her butterfly pin out of her hair, and expertly shoved it into the lock. She began working it around.

A shadow appeared around the side of the building, the stink bomb cloud had cleared, and the guards were returning to their posts.

"Gali! Hurry!" Onua whispered fiercely. She gave it one last shove and the lock popped open. They crowded into the room and shut the door.

Meanwhile, Kopaka was still inside the room. However, he was joined by another man. His name was Makuta.

"Well," He started. He checked the file folder in his hands. "Kopaka Visima, correct?" Kopaka barely nodded. "Anyways, I see that you are a boy of few words. Now, what do you know about this company?"

Kopaka didn't move.

"Answer me, boy!"

Kopaka didn't even flinch.

"You have tried my patience, Kopaka! Now answer my question!"

Kopaka smiled smugly. "Name me one reason I should tell you."

Makuta almost killed him right there on the spot, but regained his composure. "Well, Kopaka," he began. "You can just stay there until you decide to tell me what you know."

He walked out, taking the guards with him. He was alone in the dark room. Pondering his fate. He was cold…so cold…"Wait!" he thought happily. "They don't have my jacket! That had my notebook in it!" With that smug smile on his face, he laid back and sleep overtook him.

"Where the heck did you learn to do that, Gali?" Lewa asked as they used Tahu's flashlight to guide themselves through TAKAMU's hallways.

"I had a brother. He's in college now, but he always used to lock me in the bathroom. I've had this hairpin forever, and learned how to use it to pick locks," she explained. They walked through the complex, and found little, until they stumbled upon the storage room.

"Guys!" Pohatu whispered. "They keep files in there! Let's find out what TAKAMU is hiding!" Gali picked the lock and the entered the room. Onua and Pohatu began digging through files.

"Over here!" Onua called. The file read:

OPERATION: THREAT

-Embezzle funds from LAIR

-To cover it up, threaten them to shut down the factory

-Slowly use funds to move S.K.I.E. along

"S.K.I.E.?" Tahu whispered. "What's S.K.I.E.?"

"Find another file!" Gali said.

"Way ahead of you, chief!" Lewa said quietly. He opened another file, this one bulkier with a memo inside:

Space Kinetic Inferno Engine

This engine will be launched into space on December 15. Funding from LAIR must be in by November 30 to have necessary time for completion.

The engine is a nuclear generator that will be launched into space. On December 20, the engine will explode, soiling Mata Nui, causing residents to move to Metru Nui, where most of TAKAMU Corporation's businesses are. This plan will result in a 300 profit increase and elimination of competition. Loss of life estimated at moderate. If plant destruction is necessary, Profits will not rise substantially and loss of life will be heavy, causing fewer customers at Metru Nui.

Head Of TAKAMU Corporation

Makuta Atrozie

"Oh my god," was all Gali could say. "So if they don't get the funding, the result would be the same, with more deaths!"

"Time to stop these maniacs!" Pohatu hissed. He stuffed the folder in a hidden pocket inside of his jacket. They left the room and continued to explore the hallways.

"Hey!" Lewa whispered. "There's a containment cell! Kopaka must be inside!"

"I wonder what they asked him?" Tahu wondered out loud.

"The same thing you will be asked!" A deep voice behind them said.

Ending Notes: I have to go out to dinner today. Yes on Black Friday. Also, I'm getting ThrillVille, which should be fun. That's why I decided to leave you off with a CLIFFHANGER!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Anyhoo, Chapter 9: Countdown