Chapter 40------Internal Conflict
"Huh-ha-huh-ha-huh-ha-" Kenny ran all the way to Tyson's house, screeching to a halt once he reached the front gate. He banged on the metal ring. The door swung open minutes later and—
"WHERE'S MAI? IS SHE ALL RIGHT? WHAT DID THE POLICE SAY?" The boy bombarded Grampa Granger with so many questions, the poor man wasn't even given time to reply.
"Whoa, one at a time lil' dude! One at a time!" The man gripped the boy's shoulders and Kenny calmed down. "We haven't heard from the police yet but Rei thinks her Grandfather took her."
"Who?"
"Uhh, maybe you should go talk ta Tyson and the rest about it. Hilary's here too, girl's been worried sick ever since she heard da news." The man steered Kenny into the house…
"So what's the situation with Mai?"
The teenagers were gathered in the tea room. Hilary made the tea and handed each porcelain bowl to its owner. Every bowl was different; some had intricate drawings of cranes while others had simple leaves or flowers, some were black, a speckled-green or just plain brown.
"Thanks." Rei graciously accepted the bowl and placed it on the table. "The police haven't found anything but we think her Grandfather has something to do with it. So far he's the only person who's been endangering her." He answered the Chief.
"But isn't he in China?"
"That we don't' know." Max pointed out, "he could be in Japan…but the problem is we don't. Have. Any. Clues!" Everyone nodded sadly at this.
"ARGH! I HATE THIS! Not being able to do anything and just sitting here!" Tyson vented out his frustration, "Can't we go look for her ourselves? It's better than waiting for those stupid police to do something about it!"
Hilary placed a firm grip on his shoulder, her eyes telling him to stop. "I know you're worried, we all are. But there's not much we can do without any leads." The group fell silent; the only sound came from the bamboo clinking on the rocks near the koi pond. (You know those bamboo tubes that when they fill up with water, they clink onto the rocks cos' the water's heavy and then come back up again only to be filled with more water from a flowing stream?) Kenny let out a heavy sigh. The boy opened his mouth to say something but apparently, someone stole that opportunity.
"We'll find her. Kanarazu. (I swear)" Kai's eyes showed no hint of desperation or uncertainty; he meant what he meant and he intended to follow through with it. 'It's partly our fault that she's gone; we shouldn't have left her alone. As captain it's my duty to find her…No matter what, we HAVE to find her.'
Dranzer: Why are you blaming everything on yourself?
'BECAUSE I'M THE CAPTAIN! I was supposed to look out for her! I made sure nothing happened to her! I made sure she would be safe! But now I don't even know where the hell she is! I failed to protect her! Is THAT something a captain would do? Fail to look out for his TEAM MATES?'
Dranzer: I don't think that's the only reason…
'That IS the only reason; to fulfil my duty as Captain.'
Dranzer: No…you're just afraid, afraid that she'll end up like Nala…
'!' The words hit the Russian hard. 'Nala…' He remembered; he remembered everything, the whip, the weights, her screams, the metal door closing behind her...how he never saw her again… 'Never saw Mai again…' He subconsciously thought as the image of Mai being dragged away and disappearing behind the door with a loud thud played in his head…So loud, it seemed as though it was the last time he'd ever see her again…
'The last time…'
"Hey, you okay? You look a bit…distressed." Rei looked into the boy's eyes; they were wavering.
Kai blinked and the emotion was gone, "Uh yeah…" He drained his cup and stood up, "I'm going out…"
"Where?"
But Kai didn't bother to reply; he put on his sneakers and headed out the door…
'I'm not gonna lose someone again…Not when I have the power to do something about it…'
-Ikebukuro, DAICHI-
The car swerved into the dark car park; the shutter doors slowly closing behind them. Britten pulled the gear stick and switched off the engine, everyone got out…
-Outside-
"Hurry! Before it closes!" Miriam pushed her brother under the shutters and quickly slipped under it. The light thinned into a tiny slit and then –THUM- the Saintshields found themselves standing in dark a loading area. "Hey!" Miriam was pulled roughly by the arm behind a van.
"Shhh!" Ozuma pointed to four figures moving in the distance. They watched as Mai was lead into a bright lift lobby. "Joseph, follow them. Find out what they plan to do with Mai." The boy nodded his head and moved swiftly towards the unsuspecting foursome.
"Wait here till he comes back, Miriam and I will go investigate the building." Ozuma told Dunga, who surprisingly didn't object to his role. They pushed a red button which they assumed to be the switch for the shutter doors. The doors started to lift and the two slipped under it, leaving Dunga to take care of the rest…
-Back to Mai-
They entered the lift, "What floor?"
"Twenty-two."
Chace pressed level twenty-two and the doors closed. Everyone kept silent till the doors opened on the twenty-second floor. Mai walked into a carpeted corridor, a single furnished door stood in front of her, flagged by two thick pillars. She would've been awed by the grandeur of it all if it wasn't for the state she was in. She moved slowly; completely aware of what was waiting for her behind that door.
"We're here to see the Boss." Liz spoke to the secretary.
"I'm afraid you'll have to make—"But Liz pushed a card in front of her and she immediately changed her tone, "Please go right in. –forces a smile- The boss has been expecting you." The group walked past the counter towards the doors and she couldn't help but notice the sad look on one of their faces. 'She's still young…I feel sorry for her.' She kept her eyes on the girl till the heavy doors blocked her view…
"Ah! My lovely Granddaughter! How nice to see you again!" The man got up to embrace Mai but the girl stepped back, glaring at him with scornful eyes. He had killed her parents, no way was she even gonna allow him to lay a finger on her.
Sensing her distaste, her Grandfather held back, resuming his business-like demeanour. "Good job Liz, Britten, Chace." He nodded to each of them as he addressed them.
"We are pleased to be of service to you." Liz said in a humble tone. (blu: ahaha! Now that's rare!)
'Pfffhht! Such a suck-up.' Chace thought.
"So, tell me, what has my Granddaughter been up to all this while?" The man went back to his armchair and folded his arms on the table with his fingers intertwined and Mai noticed a gold ring with a jade stone in the middle on his index finger. Her grandfather leaned in, eagerly awaiting her answer.
Mai stubbornly kept quiet. She wasn't going to tell him anything. Her eyes glanced sideways at the panel of glass windows; she'd rather burst through them and fall headlong to the ground below than be in the same room with this despicable man.
"Answer the boss." Liz gave her a shove on the arm. 'Another reason why I can't do that…' Mai thought disappointedly.
"That's all right Liz. Let Mai take her time, she does have every right to be angry with me after all."
The girl finallyexploded after seeing the smile on her Grandfather's face, "THE HELL I DO!" her hands struggled under the rope. "KONNO BAKEMONO! KAA-SAN TO TOU-SAN WA KOROSARETA! (YOU MONSTER! YOU KILLED MY PARENTS!)" Liz clamped a hand over her mouth, 'And you can still smile after what you've done! How dare you! You heartless creep!' You could practically see the fire burning in Mai's eyes, how much she hated this man, how much she wanted him to pay for what he had done to her. He was no Grandfather, she HAS no Grandfather! She'd kill this man! SHE'D KILL HIM!
-Ba-dump- -Ba-dump-
Mai stopped struggling and bent over a little, it was happening.
Her Grandfather seemed to have noticed this and a smile tugged on his upper lip, everything was going exactly as he had planned. "Yes, it's true I killed Serena and Henry –Britten seemed a little shocked at hearing this- but I did it so I could save you. They were going to kill you in the end! I wanted to rescue my only Granddaughter."
"Bullshit! You wanted me dead! You knew what I was! They were trying to protect me and you killed them!" Mai spat.
"That's because they didn't know you had Eden." The man's eyes narrowed, "Do you think you're the only chosen one? There were others before you, what do you think happened to them?"
Mai's expression altered a little as she recalled what Hilary had told her, 'They were killed…'
"I think you do, don't you?"
"So what? You're still gonna kill me…" Mai replied, her tone somewhat lower than before.
"Hahahahaha! Kill you?" His look was incredulous, "I might my dear, but why would I want to do that when you can do something for me?"
Mai didn't like where this was going, "What do you want with Eden?"
"How did you know! Henry was always a bright boy; he must have passed some of those genes on to you."
Mai found this really irritating; he was mocking her and he was enjoying it. She gave him a cold glare, telling him she was in no mood to play games.
"Well, -plays with those metal balls thing, the one where you swing one ball and the ball at the end of the row bounces up- I plan on making the DAICHI empire a legacy, and you my dear, are going to help me."
"Money? You wanted me so I could make money for you?" Mai's voice was rising, "You selfish bastard!"
"Come now, it's only small thanks for saving your life." The man shrugged his shoulder like it was no big deal.
"Saving my life? SAVING MY LIFE? YOU RUINED MY LIFE!" –Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- The Zeelan clutched her chest in pain, but the anger she had inside was enough to keep her standing. "You won't have Eden, I won't let you!"
"I control the dice in this game Mai, you play by my rules." Her Grandfather sneered and pressed a button, a door on the left opened and three men in suits appeared. "She's all yours, men."
Mai backed away at the group advancing towards her; she knew what they were going to do, "No…please!" The grin on their faces freaked her out, she had to escape! She ran to the door, "Please let me go! Please!" But Chace and Britten held their ground, even if they felt anything for her, they couldn't allow it to interfere with their job.
Mai felt someone's arm slither around her waist, she backed away and kicked the man hard in the –ahem-. Her fingers frantically tried to get the rope loose so she could use her hands; kicks alone were not enough to save her. Mai sent a vase smashing into a man's face and he was knocked out instantly.
"Why you!" Uh oh! Bad move! The girl leapt out of the man's grasp, "Gotcha!" She squirmed in another's grip, trying her best to get free. The ropes were eating at her wrists as she desperately tried to get them loose. –Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- 'No! Not now! Just one more tug!' And her right hand was free! She quickly threw the ropes off her and punched the guy hard in the stomach, causing him todouble over in pain.
"Chace! Britten! Stop her!" Her grandfather grew irritated that a mere girl could take out two of his men; it was time to bring out the big guns.
Britten came from behind and took hold of Mai's arms, "Sorry, boss's orders." Mai kicked him but it was no use, he was too strong and the pain inside was causing her attacks to weaken. The other men were tugging at her shirt as she struggled to keep her clothes on. She was crying now, and it didn't help that Liz, Britten, Chace and her Grandfather were watching her, watching her get gang raped without even helping when they could. 'Why…? I didn't do anything to you! WHY?'
-Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -Ba-dump- -BA-DUMP- -BA-DUMP- -BA-DUMP-
In a burst of light!Her captorswere flung across the room, crashing into walls and furniture and falling limp on the floor. A lone figure stood standing, her eyes were an intense orangey-red, and she was glaring at Mai's Grandfather, "I will NOT let you hurt this body." But the voice didn't belong to Mai; this one was deeper, like that of a man.
Liz stood dumbfounded at the sight before her, 'That's Eden?'
"LIZ! THE SWITCH!"
The boss's voice broke her thoughts and she rushed to push a yellow button behind a painting which triggered the room's defence mode. Metal doors blocked the mahogany ones and the windows were slowly being shielded by metal plates when—
The glass shattered; Eden had thrown two energy balls at the window, one of them burning a hole in the metal. Suddenly! A tranquiliser shot out of nowhere and got Eden right on the calf. The girl turned to attack the one who had shot the tranquiliser but the anaesthetic was potent and the girl crumbled to the floor, her breathing slowing down.
"Get her legs." Britten threw Liz some rope and they both bounded the girl.
"What did you do to me?" Eden couldn't even struggle, he was numb all over.
"Even the great Eden is powerless against anaesthetics ay?" Mai's grandfather smirked at the girl as he handed Britten a small suitcase.
Eden watched as the guy tied a piece of cloth tightly around her shin, "What are you doing?"
"It's a blood sample. Don't worry, it won't hurt." He rubbed a little alcohol over the spot and inserted the needle, drawing up the crimson liquid and then taking the needle out. He filled two micro-tubes with the blood and closed the kit. "You'll be out soon. The anaesthetic will wear off a few hours later; you'll be able to move by then. Just sleep for now." He covered the girl's eyes and Eden fell into a deep slumber…
-Joseph's POV-
I can't …That was Eden? No way!
I shifted around in the dusty vent, crawling towards a fork in the vent where I could change my direction.
They're gonna use Eden? But they have no idea how powerful he is! Gotta warn Ozuma!
I scampered as fast as I could through the vents…
-Fast forward-
I jumped down from the opening into the vent, taking a big breath of fresh air. I fixed the screen and quickly ran to find Ozuma…
"Ozuma! They're gonna use Eden to build an empire! Mai was attacked then suddenly BOOM! Eden appeared! And he was glowing! And he fought back all of the men but then someone shot him with a tranquiliser and Eden fell and they—" Joseph hurriedly vomited out all that he had heard.
"Wha? Slow down!" Miriam cupped her brother's face in her hands, "Ok, talk."
"I shaw Eden, they're going to usssh him to take ovur the whorld." The boy sputtered. Miriam laughed and let go of his face; he rubbed his cheeks.
"So that's their plan huh?" Ozuma looked deep in thought, "We'll head back to the warehouse; we need time to plan this."
Sorry for the slow update. I actually finished this chapter a week ago but was too busy to post it up. I apaologise for making you guys wait. Hope you enjoyed it! Please review!