Chapter 4 on the way
Disclaimer: I do not own Black Cat...

Torneo Rudman's house. I got to hand it to him, he sure knows his real estate. I mean, an eerie manor on top a cliff, good choice. Well, he is an eccentrically crazy weapons dealer.

But even a weapons dealer can't stop a Chronos Number. Train could take his bodyguards to the ground in seconds. It only proved my point when I stepped on a guy. He groaned loudly enough to startle me.

"Sorry," I murmured to him and then realized I was apologizing to a guy on the floor. He was alive at least.

There were at least ten of them, unconscious, littered around the front of the estate. He must've only had order's to kill the bioweapon.

"Haze, did you take all these guys out?" Sven's voice pierced the silence. I tensed and aimed a gunblade at him. He out up his hands defensively and the girl who was with him gasped. I lowered the blade with a sigh of relief.

"Sven, I thought you were-"

"Rudman's guards?" Sven interrupted and I scowled.

"-Trying to kill me," I finished. He smiled and I shook my head, my eyes falling on his companion, a blonde girl that looked like a bit of a ditz. A heart pendant rested above her bosom. I knew that heart pendant. I saw it on one of my missions. I just couldn't remember which one.

"My eyes are up here," She growled and I laughed.

"Not hot enough," I scoffed and she stamped her food angrily. I grinned, well at least I would have a laugh before I jumped into a deadly situation head first.

"This is Elaina," Sven ushered her forward, "I'm helping her rescue her sister from Rudman,"

"Sister?" I tilted my head. She's conning him, "Well, let's get to it," I spun on my heel and stepped hurriedly towards the entrance.

"What was that about?" Sven followed with a quizzical look on his face. Sven could handle himself and I had to handle my charge. I owed it to Belze not to screw this up. He's helped me the most so far...

Earlier...

"Belze, you aren't serious?" I stepped forward and raised my arms in protest. He nodded his head and began to sink into the shadows. I started panicking.

"Willzark's orders," He murmured and I grabbed his arm. The movement caused him to tense.

"What if I should fail?" I breathed and he paused. The shadows that fell across his face made him seem more menacing than he really was. In fact, Belze was a very calm person. He always had a stoic look on his face until something serious came up.

"Then Jenos or Creed will take care of him," He answered and I coked my head. Creed? I'd never heard of him. A new Number perhaps? No, I would've noticed and Sephiria would've consulted Belze then me if it was necessary.

"Who is Creed?"

"Black Cat's partner, or something like that," He seemed to be confused as to Creed's actual status within Chronos. Maybe he had his own standing. Own standings were costly among Chronos, surely Belze knew that. Maybe that's why he seemed off about him.

"Where is she?" I blocked his path, "Is she still at HQ?"

"Sephiria is still at HQ, yes, but unfortunately she is unreachable as she is dealing with a matter of the utmost importance," He placed his hand on my forearm and lowered it slowly.

"More important than Thirteen's life?" I raised an eyebrow and I knew his answer before he said it,

"All lives are expendable for the cause," We said in unison.

"You still hold that Number close to you," Belze yanked down my jacket to reveal the number on my wrist, "You still want respect. The demand seeps from your eyes,"

"If I still need respect, then where did you send Black Cat," I persisted, but he didn't want to answer, "Come on! I'm working handicapped here because you won't tell me about his missions!"

"I'm still not at liberty to say," Belze still kept calm. I was getting frustrated and began tapping my fingers against my leg.

"Tell me or I'll kill you," I pressed a blade to his chest. A smile spread on his lips. He was right about the keeping the person I was close. It was like keeping your enemies closer than your friends, "It's my job to protect him,"

"It's your job to keep him in line, not be his guardian angel!" Belze barked at me and I had to step back.

"Maybe I want to be his guardian angel!" I hissed at him and he smirked. What did I just say?

"Is the great Hazel Velacorps developing feelings for a Chronos Number?" He grinned and I turned red. When I interviewed him with Sephiria he had this way of making me feel uncomfortable.

"I barely know him!" I stuttered and he shook his head. Belze still had that effect on me...

"You're falling for him and you don't even know it," Belze laughed and I scowled, "Torneo Rudman's second house. He's going after the bioweapon that Torneo stole,"

"So you were going to tell me anyway?"

"You still demand respect and I know you're still stronger than me, therefore you have my respect, Number 2," Belze stated and calmly stalked away...

Present...

"Your sister," I leaped over another body that was crumpled across the floor, "her name?"

"Eve," Elaina answered as she calmly stepped over the body so as not to disturb it.

Eve, the world's foremost bioweapon. This was bothering me. I had to convince Train to kill Eve if I wanted him to live, but I had to convince him not to if I wanted him to live.

"Everyone deserves a chance to be free," My argument for leaving Chronos. It worked to a certain degree, but I know they won't allow Train to leave peacefully. He's too strong.

They are going to make me kill him and I don't want to be that kind of person again. A few small lights shone on table tops that were dotted along the corridors. It was creepy how the darkness covered almost the entire house. Maybe Rudman preferred the dark because he knew it was a place to seek solitude.

We eventually found the trail's end at a room near the back of the house. I pushed open the door and there stood Train with his gun pointed to Eve's forehead.

"Don't hurt her!" Sven growled, "I have debts to pay off, I mean, are little kids usually the targets of Chronos?"

"There are no women or children in Chronos," Train stated and I suddenly felt like it was Belze standing there instead of Train.

"Haze, help me out here!" Sven yelled and I shook my head in frustration. I had to make a choice. Condemn or be condemned.

"Train," I walked right up to him and put my hand on his arm, "If you kill her, you'll always be a Chronos puppet,"

"I'm following orders," Train's eyes had moved to look at me even though he was facing Eve.

"It's a shame they won't be fulfilled, Black Cat and guests," A voice like nails on glass cut through the silence. Elaina gasped and Sven grimaced.

"Rudman," I hissed and stared at the short pudgy man before us. He was dressed in an expensive suit that did nothing to help his look. You would think a rich man could afford a wig.

"You won't get away with this, Torneo," Sven threatened and Rudman let out a loud chortle.

"Well, you have a mouth on you," His expression turned serious, "I think I'll silence it,"

The guards surrounding him raised their guns and I tensed for a fight. This could get messy for us.

A blinding light suddenly burst through the room and I grabbed Train by the arm, pulling him out the window. We landed on a narrow ledge as Sven and Elaina flew passed us and over the cliff. I'm sure they had a reason for doing that.

We stepped along the ledge until we were able to jump off on to the ground. The bullets whizzed past us as we ran, but we made it out unscathed. 'Well, at least Train did,' I thought as I pressed my hand into the bullet wound on my side and felt the blood gush over my fingers. I wondered if I would be able to keep up with Train while I was losing so much blood.

I felt light headed already. But from one wound? A sharp pain was in my shoulder and I placed my other hand there. Blood, lots of blood. Two had got me in the right shoulder. We were still a long way away from the city. Train was so far ahead anyway, I doubt he would notice if I just died on the spot.

My vision was blurring, I wouldn't make it home. I was slowing and eventually I just stopped and tumbled over. The last thing I saw was cat-like eyes staring at me as I faded into inky blackness...

I woke up in a bed. Not my own bed, but a soft bed inside a small apartment. It was only furnished with a table, some chairs, a fridge, the bed and a small side table. It was cozy, much homier than my place.

I tried to sit up, wincing as the movement re-opened wounds. A hand was suddenly on my shoulder pushing me back down. My head hit the pillow and I sighed.

"Train, how did I get here?" I asked him as he rummaged around the fridge.

"I carried you," He murmured his reply, but I heard it clearly. A single light lit up the room and I felt so hot. I was covered in a few blankets. He really was taking care of me.

"I didn't think you cared," I teased and he slammed the fridge door, milk bottle in hand.

"I don't," He plopped down on a chair and I grinned at him. He didn't smile back.

"Thanks," I stared up at the ceiling so I wouldn't see his reaction.

"No big deal," He mumbled and I looked at him. My eyes went wide as I saw him nonchalantly gulping down the milk.

"It's not going anywhere!" I yelled and he coughed in surprise as he choked on the milk. I giggled at him and he scowled as if I'd insulted his way of life.

"I like milk," He said defensively, but then look at me as if he was not sure about how to act near me, "Want some?"

I raised my eyebrow, "You'll have to bring it here and help me," I smirked and he went red.

"I swear I'm going to drown you in this milk," He growled and I laughed even though it hurt.

Train walked over and, cradling my head, fed me a few sips of the milk. I wiped away the milk moustache that was left on my top lip.

Maybe Belze was right about my feelings towards Train. I wonder if Train would have to attempt to kill Eve again. If so, I would be there to stop him.

"Did you get in trouble?" I asked him and he nodded slowly.

"Failure isn't appreciated in Chronos,"

"Do you have to complete the assignment?" I realized he was still holding me. I kind of like it.

"Yeah," He carefully removed his hand from my head and just sat on the bed.

"You're a good person, Train," I told him and he just gazed at the wall, "You will make the right choice,"

"Just sleep," Train grumbled and I slowly drifted back to a comforting bliss...

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