Chapter Four: Broken

Aya paced the length of the room he'd woken up in. He'd been tied down again and men dressed in white, faceless men, had been surrounding him holding needles and tubes. He'd killed them all in a blind panic. The last thing he remembered was killing Schwartz. Being safe then nothing.

He had woken up unable to move and there had been strangers wearing scrubs and masks all around him. Strangers with needles. He had panicked and they had just exploded. The redhead had no idea where he was. All he knew was that Schwartz was dead and he was still trapped. No one was telling him anything, or letting him out. His team wasn't here and no one was telling him where they were or if they were okay. His head was also killing him; not to mention his shoulder hurt and his chest ached. His cheek throbbed, reminding him that it was there, bruised and swollen.

A rush of thoughts not his own distracted him and made the pain in his head flare. He clutched his head, ignoring the blood on his hands. Blood and chunks of flesh covered every inch of the room,. After the faceless men had exploded all hell had broken loose. Huge men holding weapons had burst into the room yelling at him, but, due to his still panicking mind, they had exploded too. Now it was quiet and he couldn't get the door open. Trapped. Like a fly in a web.

The power humming through his veins was what was keeping people from letting him out. It was a power that was familiar yet strange. He didn't know how to use it either. With Schwartz it had just come to him and with the faceless men it had been an accident...so were the soldiers or what ever. He glanced at the weapons scattered across the floor. He was sorry...well not really. Not if they were the bad guys. Who were the good guys? He frowned and began pacing, the floor squelching beneath his bare feet.

How the hell was he going to get out of here? Where was here? He wanted to go home. Back to...he stopped as a familiar presence entered the building followed by two more. He relaxed a little just knowing his team was safe. He felt them enter the room behind the huge two way mirror fixed to the wall "Aya!?" Youji exclaimed. He sounded relieved and surprised. Aya couldn't blame him. There was a lot the blonde didn't know about his past or what he could do. Hell he didn't even know. "Jesus, what the hell happened in there?"

"I did tell you he killed them when he woke up." Manx's voice. She sounded terrified. "It was insane. Can you calm him down so the doctors can figure out how to turn his abilities back off?" Off? Aya cocked his head. He didn't know if that's what he wanted. Especially if it meant more strangers with needles.

Wait a second, he could hear their voices as if they were in the room, but he knew that wasn't possible...unless they could turn invisible. Well that would be cool. If they could be invisible it would make their jobs easier. He shook his head. No, he was just disoriented. They were in the observation room.

"He looks calm enough to me." Youji replied. Aya could feel him just on the other side of the glass. Weird. Normally he could just tell when someone was behind the glass not who. "Can he hear us?"

"No, the intercom is off."

"He's looking right at me."

"No he's looking at a mirror Youji." Manx sounded like she was getting frustrated. Aya stepped forward. It was obvious now that he was in a Kritiker facility. Maybe even Magic Bus. His team was safe. The only question he could think of that needed answering was what was happening to him. He wanted to ask, but they couldn't hear him and apparently thought he was vain. He did the only thing he could do. He lifted a slightly shaky hand to the bloody mirror and used it to get his current thought across. Extending a trembling finger he wrote 'help' in the blood. All he knew was that he was in pain and had no idea what was going on.

We are one. A voice whispered. A cold feeling in his chest.

"Aya." He sensed Youji's hand against the glass. The swordsman placed his hand over it, trying to focus. Warm sensations ran up his arm. Everything Youji was feeling, Aya could sense it. Fear, anger, worry, relief...and something else he didn't recognize. "Aya, I know you're scared, but you're safe. The doctors just want to help you." He shook his his head. Youji didn't understand. "Aya, please!" Violet flames erupted around him. "Manx I need to go in there."

"Are you out of your mind Kudou?!" Ken's voice.

"He needs me. Manx give me the key."

"I don't know if that's such a great-"

"Just give it to me." Youji's presence began to disappear.

"No!" Aya cried running his hands over the mirror frantically, smearing the blood. Where did he go? Why did he leave? He needed that connection. Needed it to stay calm, to keep the voices at bay. "Youji!" Wait...he'd never called him that before. Maybe in his head, but never out loud. It had always been Kudou, or moron, or idiot...never Youji. That was too familiar. The flames grew brighter as he panicked.

"Aya!" The swordsman spun hearing the voice behind him. Youji. The blonde stood there breathing heavily. "You wanna put that fire out and come here?" He held out his arms. Aya suddenly wasn't sure. He'd never let the older man hug him before...hell he never let anyone hug him. He hadn't since...he couldn't remember when. Would it be okay to get near his friend? Was it safe? He didn't know how to control it. Was there an off switch? Apparently there was because in the next moment the flames were gone. He took a hesitant step towards Youji then stopped and shook his head.

"I can't." He whispered shaking his head. "I might..." Youji sighed closing the distance between them and wrapping his arms around Aya's thin, trembling frame.

We like this one. It was comforting to know, but what the hell was going on?

"Relax kid, I've got you." Youji stroked his hair. Kid? He was 25. Hardly a kid. "I promise I won't let them hurt you Aya."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." The redhead muttered, turning his face into the warm chest. "It isn't up to you. They're going to stab me with needles and-" His breath hitched.

"Shhh, Aya. I won't let that happen." Youji kissed the top of his head. "I will be with you every step of the way."

"I would like to leave now."

"I know." Youji hugged him tighter. "I know you do, but you can't control what's going on in your brain right now. Manx says its on overload and the doctors just want to help you."

"No they don't. They want to shut the light off again."

"What light? Aya what are you talking about?" Aya frowned. What was he talking about? God, his head felt like it was going to explode. He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his face into Youji's chest. He could hear so many voices now. What was happening to him?

"Youji I-" He stopped. What had he been about to say?

"Aya?" Suddenly he was looking up into green eyes. "Shit, your nose is bleeding. Aya you need to let the doctors help you." Youji pressed a handkerchief to Aya's nose. "I can't lose you Aya." Everything was getting dark...and red. "Fuck, Aya, stay with me here. Manx! He needs help!"

"Don't...leave..." Aya gasped brokenly. It was getting so hard to hold a thought. There were so many running through his mind...none of them his own.

"I'll be right here Aya. I'm not going anywhere." Youji was crying. Aya could feel his sorrow and fear then everything went dark.

Youji screamed Aya's name as the swordsman went limp in his arms. There was blood coming from his eyes and ears now. He lifted Aya into his arms as doctors rushed in and placed him on the bed in the center of the room. He cringed as they began jabbing needles into the younger man's arms and neck. Through it all Youji kept his hold on Aya's hand. He wouldn't leave the man's side for anything in the world.

As he watched the doctors work he could see the fear in their eyes, but he could also see why Aya had been so terrified when he'd woken up. All he'd seen were men surrounding him wearing surgical gear and wielding needles filled with drugs. He'd had no way of knowing that he was in a Kritiker facility and safe from the people controlling Schwartz. Suddenly Aya's hand tightened on his and the redhead let out the most terrible scream Youji had ever heard, his entire body arching off the bed. "Aya!" He glared at the doctors." What have you done to him?!"

"The drugs are designed to block his abilities." One man replied, his voice tight. "It can be a painful process. Especially when they fight it."

Aya's eyes shot open as he stopped screaming and he sat up. Youji put his arms around him protectively. "I'm pretty sure you can leave now." The men in white coats raised their hands and left the room. That was when Youji noticed they were all bleeding from the ears. When he checked his own there was nothing. Interesting, maybe Aya can control it better than he thought. The blonde mused. Aya groaned trying to curl in on himself. "Aya, they're gone now."

"It hurts." The normally stoic man whispered clutching at his head with one hand. His other hand was still gripping Youji's tightly. "I'm going home now." The redhead stated, glaring at Youji as if daring him to disagree.

"Well lets go then." The blonde grinned. Aya jumped off the bed and dragged Youji to the door. It opened slowly. On the other side stood Manx with about twenty armed men.

"Aya, you need to go into Quarantine." The woman said calmly. "You know you aren't safe to be around." Youji glared.

"Not going to happen." Aya replied quietly.

"Aya its dangerous if we let you leave."

"I-" He cut off as a gun went off sending a small dart into his neck. "No." He whispered then collapsed to the floor.

"Shit." Youji crouched next to him, touching his neck. If the swordsman was dead; no force on earth would stop Youji from killing everyone. A faint, rapid pulse made him sag in relief then he stood and glared at Manx. "What the fuck is going on?" He snarled.

"Stand down Balinese." She said tiredly. "Let me explain." She motioned for the guards to grab Aya. Youji punched the first one to reach for his fallen friend. "Balinese." She hissed, grabbing his arm. He shook her off then Ken and Omi were there, beside him.

"Let's hear her out." The teen said calmly. Ken shook his head, surprising everyone.

"I may not get along with him, but I could see how terrified he was." He said grimly. "Aya isn't afraid of a lot, but he was scared shitless when you mentioned that quarantine place and if it scares the robot then its bad." Youji could have done without the robot comment, however, Ken summed up his feelings nicely.

"Just listen, okay." Manx pleaded.

"Leave him alone." The blonde snarled at the guards, who looked to Manx. She nodded then sighed.

"This order is coming from the director of Kritiker." She turned to them. "He wants Aya contained. No one knows what he can do and in the Quarantine facility we can figure that out." Her gaze met Youji's. "If it were up to m;e I'd let him go, but it isn't. Never was." She signaled the guards.

"No." He was held back by three guards as the others swarmed around Aya's prone form. In seconds his friend was gone.