They had robbed the zoo. Arthur wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. Here he was in a parrot aviary which apparently had half the number of parrots it was supposed to have. He couldn't tell, there were a lot of birds here, but the frantic zoo keeper said that there were more yesterday. Arthur supposed that the North business card supported the zoo keeper's story. The zoo? Seriously? Who robbed a zoo? What sort of weird was that?

Arthur scratched his head and yawned. He hadn't been happy about being called at four in the morning, but being called at all was a blessing. The police chief wasn't speaking to him, in fact, most of the normal police were avoiding him like the plague. However, a deputy had the heart to call Kiku and Kiku called Arthur. At four in the morning. He hadn't been to the offices yet, but he was sure that the moment he arrived he would be called in and the North case would be taken out of his hands. He sort of wanted that, especially after they made a fool of him last , Arthur felt guilty for even thinking something like that, in a way that would be admitting defeat. Being defeated was unacceptable.

All he needed was a ray of light. He needed something to go his way, just this once. Anything! Please! He knew he had enough pieces of the puzzle to get this case put together and done with. He just needed a corner piece, or an edge; then everything else would fall into place and the big picture would be clear.

Arthur's phone rang.

"Hello?"

"We found Vladimir. He was waiting at the office when I got here." Vash said, sounding just as tired as Arthur felt. "His brother is with him too."

Arthur closed his eyes. He felt a smile tugging at his lips. Vladimir was his corner piece. Vlad knew something. That something would give his the edge he needed.

"I'm on my way."

Emil hadn't been sleeping well. Lukas wasn't pacing, but the pounding of words racing through his head was just as bad. Why were the other North taking his mistake with Vlad so lightly? The story didn't match up. Yesterday had gone well, and Emil was trying to act normally. Still, he was scared witless. They were treading so close to being caught. Emil was wound up and stressed.

He tried to hide it, he tried so hard so that the other North wouldn't worry. Still, they seemed to notice. Tino and Mathias had dropped by the house this morning with licorice and chocolate. Lukas had made a wonderful breakfast and everyone seemed to be pampering him. He hated it. He hated that they could take this pressure so easily then worried over him because he was bending. Vlad wasn't the North's weak link; Emil was.

School dragged on. It was monotonous and slow. Emil found himself staring at the clock almost constantly. When lunch came he grabbed his lunch box and nearly ran to the court yard. Leon was waiting and just as they were about to walk out to the tree they usually ate under, Emil turned and walked back inside.

"Emil? Whats wrong?" Leon asked, turning and following Emil with a concern that Emil rarely saw in his friend.

There was a police car parked right outside. Emil frowned and shook his head, "Want to eat in the library today?"

Leon shrugged and the two moved further into the building. Emil could almost feel his blood pressure shooting through the roof. He knew that there were lots of other explanations for the police to be here, but that car was Arthur's. Unless Arthur wanted to check something about Vlad, he had no reason to be here. Emil's chest felt tight, he was scared. He wanted to hide somewhere, but that would be even more suspicious if he ran. Could he call someone? Lukas was at work today at the mall, Tino was at the drop off protecting Mathias as they got the birds moved onto the train, that left Berwald. Emil whipped out his phone, he noted that his hands were shaking. No, calling someone would be suspicious too. He put his phone away.

Emil swallowed thickly. He was the North's weak link. He was going to be the unbecoming of them all.

"What's wrong, Emil?" Leon asked again, his tone implied that this question was more of a demand.

Emil shook his head again and opened his lunchbox, "Um, it's nothing. Really, don't worry about it."

"You always have been terrible at lying." Leon said blandly, "I'm worried."

"Well, don't be." Emil replied quickly, "It's a was to worry about me when nothing's wrong." Lukas had tucked the packet of licorice into the box. Emil opened it and stuffed a strand into his mouth.

The school intercom croaked to life and the library was filled with a mechanical voice. "Emil Steilsson, please report to the office. Emil Steilsson, please report to the office. Thank you."

Emil wanted to cry. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to do? He should have called Berwald, he should have-

"Emil. Stop freaking out." Leon said, "It's freaking me out."

"I'm not freaking out!" Emil snapped.

"You're sitting there like a statue, you're paler than usual, you're fists are clenched, you just yelled at me, and you're breathing is unnaturally fast." Leon said, checking off things on his figures, "You are freaking out."

Emil shut his eyes. Leon was right. He was freaking out. Calm down, it's going to be okay. He didn't even know if it was Arthur, maybe he left his notebook in another class and it was turned in or something. He needed to stop jumping to conclusions. It was going to be okay. Arthur would never track anything back to him.

Unless Vlad told him.

Emil was the weak link. Emil had revealed his identity to Vlad.

Emil stood and grabbed his backpack. He started out of the library mechanically, he felt like a robot. There was a sound from behind him and Leon appeared at his side.

"You don't have to come." Emil said.

"I know." Leon replied.

Emil entered the office and wanted to turn and run. Arthur and Vash stood by the secretary's desk. Both looked up as he and Leon entered. Both looked evil.

Arthur smiled and stepped forward, "Ah! Emil, how are you doing? I heard that you and Peter are in another group together. Colonization? Isn't it?"

"Yes, specifically focusing on England's colonization of North America and Spain's colonization of South America." Emil said, forcing his voice to not sound flat. He tried to return Arthur's smile, "Did you put in a call for me?"

"I did." Arthur's voice seemed to chance, it grew harder and cold, "I need to talk to you about a criminal group called the North. We have some information that you might know something."

It took all of Emil's self control to not react. He was the weak link and had messed up with telling Vlad, but there was no reason the police would believe Vlad had told the truth. He frowned and shook his head, "I've read about them in the newspaper, but I'm not sure why you would think I know anymore than anyone else." Emil said, it was strangely comforting having Leon standing silently next to him. Leon would react normally and that assurance was calming.

"Really?" Arthur glanced at Vash and gave a slight nod, they must be reading Emil better than he was acting. Then again, they were cops, they ought to be pretty good at reading people, "We were told that not only do you know something, but that you were a member of the North."

Emil noticed that the school office had gone silent, everyone was listening. He let his frown deepen and studied Arthur, as if trying to decided whether or not he was joking, "Um, what? You think I'm part of a criminal organization? You're joking, right?"

"I'm afraid not." Arthur said, "We are going to have to ask you to come with us."

"Can it wait til after school?" Emil asked, "I've been absent a lot lately and I need to make up a lot of work if I'm going to keep my grades up."

"I'm very sorry, but you are going to have to come with us now." Arthur's voice had grown colder, Emil could tell he wasn't happy about this, but somehow, something Emil had done had made Arthur suspicious.

"Can I go get my lunch or call my guardian or something?" Emil let a bit of panic into his voice, every kid would be upset about being arrested. This was what everyone would do. Right?

"Yes. Vash can go with your friend while you call your parents." Arthur said.

"Guardian." Emil corrected automatically, his voice falling toneless and he pulled out his phone. Emil felt a bit more panic fill him as Vash and Leon left. The office was still quiet. Why was he so bad at acting normal? He really ought to call Berwald, but Lukas was his guardian, so that's who he was calling, work or no work. Emil punched in his number, it rang then went directly to voice mail. Lukas's phone was off. "Um, hi Lukas, um, I'm here with Mr. Kirkland and he says he needs to take me in for questioning about the North. You know, that theft organization in the news? Yeah, so, um, can you pick me up at the station or something?"

Emil hung up and looked up at Arthur, "Um, that was his voicemail, can I call someone else too?"

Arthur's face was unreadable. The silence of the office stretched. Arthur seemed to be trying to decided how much damage Emil could do with one more phone call. Apparently, Emil was doing a good job of looking harmless because Arthur finally nodded.

Emil punched in Berwald's number. There was half of a ring when Berwald picked up the phone.

"Emil."

"Hey, um I can't get a hold of Lukas, so um, can you try and let him know that I'm at the police station?" Emil found himself staring at the ground. He blinked and glanced up at Arthur. That same politely blank expression covered the detective's face. It was unnerving.

"I know." Berwald said in monotone.

"Pardon?" Emil tried not to choke. Arthur could only hear his end of the conversation and Emil was glad.

"Go with them." Berwald said.

"Just tell Lukas, okay?"

"No. Go with them."

Emil's mind raced, why was Berwald acting like this? Was he going to be at all helpful? Berwald was Emil's friend, right? "Can you go to the mall and tell him? Please?"

"It's going to be okay."

Emil blinked. Had he imagined it? It sounded like Berwald's voice sounded almost caring there for a moment. Emil nodded, even though he knew Berwald couldn't see him, "Okay. Thanks." Emil hung up and looked up at Arthur. "Thanks."

Arthur smiled warmly, "No problem."

The room Emil was escorted to was empty except for one table and one chair. He sat in the chair and studied his reflection in the long piece of glass that took up one wall. He was sure that there were people on the other side of the glass who could see him, but he had no way of knowing.

Emil took a bite out of his sandwich. The police had said that Emil was allowed to finish his lunch. Emil wasn't hungry, but he supposed that not eating would make him look as nervous as he felt. Emil chewed without tasting his food.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he saw a pale, frightened little boy. That was what he was. The weak link. Sitting alone in a room with one way glass looking into it. He took another bite of his food and forced himself to swallow.

The door reflected in the glass opened and Emil watched Arthur enter, tailed by a tall man Emil didn't recognize. Emil looked away from the glass and looked up at the real Arthur.

Arthur had brought another chair with him and sat down in it crossed from Emil. Arthur polity folded his hands in front of him and smiled at Emil.

"Well, I just have some questions I'd like to ask you." Arthur said pleasantly, "This man is Mr Ivan Brzezinski, he is the head of another team."

"Then why is he here?" Emil asked, forcing himself to take another bite of his sandwich.

"It's regulation to have two unit leaders present when questioning a minor." Ivan said with a smile.

Emil shivered. Right. He was a minor. He was also very important to the police. They wouldn't hurt him, would they? Nah.

"Emil, why were you absent from school on Thursday?" Arthur asked pleasantly, as if they were having a lovely conversation over tea.

Emil knew how to answer this, at least. He and Lukas always thought up something for all of his absences, "My brother's car broke down and I wasn't able to get to the bus stop. I could have rode my bike but I would have missed my first two periods, so he called and excused the absence."

"How did you get the car working again?"

"A friend came over and fixed it."

"Oh, good! Why were you absent on Tuesday?"

"I got sick." Emil said and gave up trying to eat, "I had a doctor's note."

"You're feeling better I assume?" Arthur's voice was like honey. Emil wasn't sure it was possible for him to hate Arthur any more than he already did.

"Yes, thank you." How long did Arthur intend to drag this out? Emil was determined to not crack. He would not give the police what they wanted. He was a suspect, but they couldn't prove anything. He knew that.

Again, I'm not too pleased with this chapter. It seems my writing has gotten sloppier the further into this story I get. Sorry.

Things are reving up to our climax though! Thanks for all of the continued support!