Shorter chapter but I wanted to get it out. Just about ten pages long. Hope you all enjoy it and hope you had an awesome holiday!!! Mine was, well mine was freaking crazy. I got back to the states on the 20th (a Thursday) after a twelve hour flight. Landed in Atlanta where my bro and sister live, stayed there till Saturday when the three of us plus my brother's girlfriend piled into the car for what was suppose to be a seven hour drive but turned into nine. Got to Tampa and spent Christmas with my loving but suffocating mother and insane grandmother. My father took me fishing and I love him for it. Then late on Thursday we (all seven of us) took a flight up to DC for a wedding. I hate flying in groups and my mother and sister are both deathly afraid of flying so that's super fun (note sarcasm).

The wedding was nice but further proof of my immediate and extended family's insanity.

I also got blindsided when an offer came in to buy my horse. I have no desire to sell him but wondered if maybe it was the right thing to do.

So, I'm currently still dealing with those that joyful issue while spending more time in Atlanta. My sister and I went to a fun party on New Years but I'm so ready to just get somewhere and settle. My parents drive up from Tampa this weekend to spend time with me and the other sibs and then I drive back with them on Monday. I'm exhausted and so ready to get settled in somewhere, anywhere.

I'm counting down the days till New York…..sigh.

Alright, sorry, enough bitching, onto the story.

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Jack Spicer knew that genius had a heavy price. Not all genius thoughts were good but often they were necessary. Didn't the scientist working on the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki regret what they did? But hadn't it been necessary to end the war quickly and effectively? Or at least that's what some people thought. Would history look on him in the same way? His technology could revolutionize non-violent warfare. How many lives could be saved on the battlefield?

But at the same time his technology targeted the whole general population, not just the military. Did that make it ok? Was that fair?

The technology was simple to look at but actually extremely complex. It had taken nearly a full two years from the day of its conception to make a working prototype. Made to look like everyday items, things you would see and never give a second thought to, the computer chips were powerful despite their size.

The wave sent out from the activated chips bounced off of everything and anything electronic or computerized and delivered a crippling blow, disabling the devices. In a world where even the most undeveloped of countries were reliant on electricity and computers the chips were amazingly frightening. Unlike viruses that needed to be planted these chips stood alone and attacked from the outside. The power surge disabled and blew the devices it came in contact with. Granted, the further you were from the epicenter the less the damage was but if a toaster was with five hundred feet of the actual chip…lets just say you wouldn't have a balanced breakfast. That's why in even in a small city the chips would be debilitating, maybe even deadly. That's why Jack initially abandoned the project.

Again, he was an evil genius and future ruler of the world, but he wasn't heartless. And who wanted to rule a destroyed world?

But the thrill of development had caught up with him and he continued on with his invention and improved it and made it even more powerful. That was around the time he managed to weasel his way into Chase Young's life and tried to impress the criminal master mind with the ideas he had for the super powered chip. Chase hadn't seemed interested in Jack or his ideas at the time but now Jack knew that Chase had been playing him, using him.

The chip prototype was gone and made into a working model.

The working chip had been duplicated and put into items, placed strategically around the city. If the chips went off in a city like New York…you didn't need to be a genius to know that meant trouble.

A shit load of trouble.

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As Jermaine warned, despite the hour, his mother was waiting with a freshly prepare, full blown, home cooked meal. Even the exhausted Amelia managed to wake up and help herself to the buffet laid out and waiting for them. Jermaine's mother tended to each of them but much to Clay and Omi's surprise didn't ask once what was going on, just made sure they were all happy and eating their fill and when she noticed that Amelia was all but falling asleep in her food she ushered that the girl upstairs for a bath and bed. It was only then that Jermaine's father, who'd been mostly silent since they arrived, finally started to press for some answers.

"Alright, what's going on?" he asked when Amelia was gone. Jermaine looked to Clay who was trying to force down a particularly large bite of lasagna. Everyone paused and waited.

"Well sir," Clay finally said after many long moments, "that's something that I'm not sure if I can share." Jermaine's father regarded Clay with piercing eyes and Jermaine broke in as he reached for another roll.

"Dad's an ex-cop," Jermaine stated simply and Clay inwardly grimaced. There was always some sort of tension between cops and the FBI whenever a case was being worked on and even though this wasn't a case parse but there was still some underlying tension that increased when Jermaine added. "And Clay's with the FBI. Just thought we should get that over with."

"What should that matter?" Omi asked after a pregnant pause. Clay looked uncomfortable.

"Omi was it?" Jermaine's father asked and continued on after Omi nodded his head in answer. "Well Omi, FBI agents and cops don't always get along."

"Why?" Omi asked looking critical.

"Its kinda complicated Omi," Clay answered diplomatically.

"Well that's just ridiculous," Omi said loftily. "Aren't both the police and FBI in the business of law enforcement? Public safety? It shouldn't matter where they come from or who they work for as long as their job is done in the end."

"Here, here," Jermaine chorused and shrunk under a glare from his father. "What?"

"I agree with you, but unfortunately it's not always that simple," Jermaine's father went on and before he could protest Jermaine's mother came back into the room.

"Well he's absolutely right," she said agreeing with Omi as she reentered. "And I'll hear nothing more about it. Is that understood?" The four men in the room nodded quickly under her fierce look. "Good, now Jermaine," she said turning towards her son, "we do need to know some of what's going on."

"I can give you the basics Mom," Jermaine consented, "but like Kimiko told me, the less you know the better."

"Kimiko's involved with this? Well where is she? Is she alright?" Jermaine's mother asked urgently.

"She's with a friend of mine mame," Clay told her. Jermaine's mother and father exchanged looks.

"Is your friend also with the FBI?" Jermaine's father asked.

"Yes sir," Clay answered with a nod.

"Alright, just what is going on?" Jermaine's father asked again impatiently.

"It's very complicated sir," Clay repeated, "and probably in your best interest and the interest of your family that you know as little as possible."

"That's not a satisfactory answer," the older man told Clay.

"We know that Amelia is the little girl missing from her grandparents' home in Florida," Jermaine's mother added in as she began to clear dirty dishes. "I do not mind keeping her here if it is to keep her safe but I need information to know that it is the right thing to do."

"The people who took Amelia are trying to hurt Raimundo, Amelia's older brother," Clay explained. Seeing their confused looks Clay went on. "Kimiko's father has also been involved and he is still missing."

"Kimiko's father?" Jermaine's mother questioned surprised. "I haven't heard anything about that."

"I'm not sure anyone outside of a few closest to him knows," Jermaine told her. "Kimiko and Raimundo are out still looking for him."

"Why are they looking for him? Seems to be a job for the law," Jermaine's father observed.

"Raimundo is the law," Clay said simply.

"And Kimiko certainly is not," Jermaine's father answered back. "Isn't Kimiko's father supposed to be in Japan? And how are Kimiko and Raimundo connected in all this?"

"We don't know much outside of the fact that both have been targeted together," Clay replied. "They haven't told us much, just the bare minimum but I know that Raimundo wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't entirely necessary."

"So Amelia is still in danger? Why not turn her back over to her family and the authorities?" Jermaine's mother asked.

"Raimundo has some sort of plan and doesn't want people to know that Amelia is safe yet," Clay said. "If we brought her to her family or the FBI then the whole world would know and Raimundo doesn't want that yet." Clay's phone, placed on the table top, began to buzz and vibrate and Clay quickly snatched it up. Glancing at the screen he looked back at the group.

"Excuse me," he said and stood to leave the room.

"Most likely Raimundo," Omi observed when Clay was gone. The room waited in silence, trying to make out the conversation Clay was having with little success. A few minutes later Clay came back in looking grim.

"We've got a problem."

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Kimiko didn't know what to do to placate Raimundo, nor was she convinced that she wanted to. The man was still pacing, muttering quickly in Portuguese and Kimiko knew it was all he could do not to attack Jack. Kimiko was simply concentrating on not being sick to her stomach as her head pounded with a renewed headache, her early dose of Advil not touching it.

"Just stop pacing," Kimiko snapped irritably thinking that maybe that would be at least a small way to stop the increasing pounding. Raimundo did stop pacing momentarily then turned, walk towards a plaster wall and put his fist through it.

"Raimundo!" Kimiko shouted jumping up from where she sat and rushing towards him.

"Hey!" Jack shouted in protest which was the completely wrong thing to do. Raimundo turned a dark glare at the red head who immediately shut up.

"That was stupid," Kimiko scolded as she pulled Raimundo over to a sink stuck in a corner, turned on the tap and ran his hand underneath it. "Jack make yourself useful and get me a first aid kit," Kimiko ordered and Jack, thankful for an excuse to leave the room scrambled up the stairs. He briefly toyed with the idea of just running away completely but knew that would only make things worse. Kimiko was busying herself with picking stubborn bits of plaster from Raimundo's hand. "Just what the hell were you thinking punching a wall?" she asked and stuck Raimundo's hand under the water again.

"It was either Jack or the wall," Raimundo said grimly. He paused and swore loudly again.

"Enough of that," Kimiko snapped again. "It sucks, this whole thing really, really sucks but we need to figure out what to do next."

"Murdering Jack is the top of my list," Raimundo spat.

"He made a stupid mistake."

"Why are you defending him?" Raimundo asked irritably.

"Because the way you talked about him earlier I know he wouldn't have done this intentionally," Kimiko said and shook her head. "But I just can't believe that Chase would be behind this either."

"Start believing," Raimundo said shortly.

"And you don't think that woman, that Wuya or whatever the hell her name is, had anything to do with this?"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Raimundo agreed, "but you need to get Chase Young off of the pedestal you have him on." Kimiko sighed.

"I don't know what to do Raimundo," Kimiko said in a weary voice. Raimundo paused in his anger at the tone of her voice. He sighed, suddenly as tired as she sounded and put his good arm around her waist and pulled him against his chest.

"We'll figure something out," he promised as he rested his chin on her head. Kimiko sighed, wanting to believe his words but nagging doubt and worry chewed at her insides. Just how the hell could they work this out? And what the hell did it have to do with her and her father?

"Umm," Jack interrupted nervously as he held the first aid kit Kimiko had requested. The two pulled apart, neither in much of a rush as Kimiko dropped Raimundo's hand and took the box.

"Alright Spicer," Raimundo said hopping on a nearby near by stool and let Kimiko clean and wrap his hand. "Speak, how the hell do we fix this?"

"Well, technically there should be a failsafe device installed but since I didn't do the installing then there is no way to know if it's actually there," Jack explained nervously.

"If there was a failsafe where would it be and how do we get to it?" Rai asked irritably.

"If a person was smart enough," Kimiko interjected, "there would be two. One within the internal workings and one that was standalone." She stood back from Raimundo after she finished her patch up job. Raimundo flexed his hand to test the bandage and thanked Kimiko. She muttered a soft 'don't mention it' but her eyes were on the still glowing screen Jack had pulled up for them. On it was the model of the first device they'd found in the Central Park dig. Jack claimed it was his original prototype made functioning, stolen from his lab and apparently now buried in Central Park. Jack couldn't say by who or when the technology had been stolen but it had been and now it was in use in New York City.

The plan was brilliant really, if you looked at it from a certain angle, demonic if you looked at it from another. The technology was advanced and Kimiko was impressed that Jack had been able to make a functioning model here in his Podunk lab. Even if he hadn't Chase certainly had the brains to work it out. Kimiko sighed and realized Raimundo was right, she really needed to start looking at the possibility that Chase really was the one behind all of this.

Looking harder at the screen Kimiko was amazed again by technology in general, that such a tiny, harmless looking thing could cause such potential damage. And she and Raimundo had helped make it happen by playing the role of delivery boys and keeping the hands of those behind it clean. She still didn't understand the scavenger hunt that they'd been sent on but knew Raimundo was right; someone was out to torture them. The image on the screen continued to flicker ominously at her and she knew that if she passed such a thing just lying on the street that she would never give it a passing glance, out of sight and out of mind right? And they'd spent the day hiding wonderfully camouflaged items all over the city, strategically really, and made the two run the risk of being caught. But what if they had been caught doing something in all of this? What if they had been killed by the hunter?
"Jack?" Kimiko asked catching the two boys' attentions and Raimundo could see the wheels turning in her head.

"Yeah?"

"What would happen if one of these things didn't make it to where Raimundo and I were supposed to leave it?" Kimiko asked. "What happens then?"

"Well, ok," Jack said slowly. "Let me think for a second." The two allowed him that but Raimundo's leg bounced impatiently on the floor as they waited. "Ok." Jack finally said after what seemed to be an eternity for Raimundo. "Remember what I said before?" he asked and even though the two nodded in agreement Jack went on as if they were clueless. "These devices," he said pointing at the screen, "were designed to be inconspicuous so they could be placed easily and get their job done. When placed strategically and after the trigger is set off these items will cause chaos. In one great pulse they'll start a chain reaction. The burst of energy that these little suckers will put off will not only cripple the electric grinds closes to them they will continue setting other grids off in a dominos effect if they original devices are set up correctly and in the right spots at the right time. My prototype was only strong enough to take out the grids within one mile but with so many others out there, even at a mile they could still cause some damage.

Now, the electricity would be bad enough but with reserve generators, power cells, nuclear power, and so and so forth, people can function without the power lines we see every day. But my invention was designed to go beyond normal electricity. Theses babies are made to take out computers, the internet, anything and everything digital or with a computer chip."

"Yes, we know this Jack," Raimundo said irritably. "You've made these tiny computer bombs, for lack of a better term, to catch a whole populous unaware. With the way that even third world countries run now a days you take out a cell phone and a computer, people are helpless. And you found a way to do that without blowing places up. Kudos to you."

"Like I said before," Jack tried to defend himself. "This wasn't supposed to happen in America."
"But America is the worst possible place for this to happen," Kimiko growled out. "Think of the chaos this will cause globally not just nationally."

"I know, I know," Jack sighed.

"But what happens if they aren't where they are supposed to be when they're set off?" Kimiko asked again. "Could they cancel each other out maybe?"

"In theory maybe," Jack said looking proud, "but I designed it so that wouldn't happen. If two signals cross each other then they'll simply bounce over the other. That took me months to work out."

"I'm so proud," Raimundo snapped and Jack looked guilty. "So they Heylin have their hands on this," Raimundo said sliding off of his stool to join Kimiko in looking at the screen, "the question is why? They aren't the type to go around cause problems unless there is something in it for them."

"You're kidding me?" Kimiko asked. "I would have thought that was obvious."

"Enlighten me," Raimundo asked her.

"Well, blackmail of course," Kimiko said sounding confident. "They'll take this to the government."

"And why would the government believe this threat? They get hundreds if not thousands of threats everyday and this does not sound creditable. It sounds like a movie script."

"Well they'd probably drop Jack's name right?" Kimiko said looking over her shoulder at the pale man.

"Jack would you fess up to this?" Rai asked without looking around.

"Not in a million years," Jack said adamantly.

"But," Kimiko started to protest but Raimundo cut her off.

"And they wanted us to plant the devices, that would erase their fingerprints off it," Rai told her. "If they wanted credit, they'd leave their mark."

"Then what do you think?" Kimiko asked sounding annoyed.

"They're controlling the chaos," Raimundo said simply. "They're controlling it, there is someway they are benefiting from it." He shook his head. "We're over our head here Kimiko."

"What about my father?" Kimiko asked quickly.

"We'll figure something out, I'm not saying we call in the troops just yet, but we need to figure something out." He looked from her to the screen before adding, "And fast."

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After calling Clay and giving him an update on what Jack had revealed Raimundo rejoined Kimiko and Jack in the basement. Kimiko was flipping somewhat lazily through some of Jack's notes as Jack looked on nervously and Raimundo soon realized why.

"The next page has from interesting stuff on some virtual reality goggles I'm working on," he told her.

"Are you honestly plugging your inventions now?" Kimiko asked sounding annoyed unaware the Raimundo was looking on. "I thought you said you were showing me your notes on the computer chips" Kimiko said sounding a looking angry.

"I just thought you'd appreciate it," Jack told her leaning closer over her. Kimiko stood up and glared hard at the red head.

"You've got two seconds to back off Jack," she warned, "you're on thin ice as it is at the moment. It's all I can do to keep Raimundo from punching you. You're lucky it was the wall and not you earlier. Now, the only thing I'm interested in the moment is figuring out how to undo the mess that your creation has gotten me and Raimundo into." Jack looked slightly crest fallen but Kimiko wasn't one to be fooled by puppy-dog pouts. "Knock it off Jack and get me those notes," Kimiko practically barked out. Raimundo didn't try to fight his smile as he descended the last few steps into the basement and joined Kimiko, putting an arm around her waist.

"Keeping him in line?" Raimundo asked as Jack disappeared into another room.

"I'm missing something," Kimiko said mostly to herself as she folded her arms across her chest.

"You're smart with stuff like this," Rai said tightening his arm around her waist, "we'll figure this out." Kimiko brought a hand up and rubbed her eyes.

"We're running after out of time Raimundo," she said sounding a bit panicked. She looked at a clocked posted on the wall. "It's almost two am. I got the package around seven and the clock started before nine. We're really running out of time and we have no clue where my father is. What will happen if we don't figure something out?" Raimundo answered by pulling her closer and wrapping both arms around her so she was pressed to his chest.

"We'll figure it out," Raimundo promised as he squeezed her close. "We started this together and we'll finish it together." He felt Kimiko stiffen in his arms.

"Start?" she asked and pulled back.

"What?" Raimundo asked confused and let her pull back.

"Jack!" Kimiko shouted and Jack hastily reappeared in the doorway.

"What?"

"How does this start?" Kimiko asked urgently.

"What?" Jack asked again.

"My sentiments exactly," Raimundo said and earned a glare from Kimiko.

"In your plans how did you set this all off? Where did you need to be? How close? How Jack? What is the trigger?" Kimiko demanded.

"Umm well," Jack started to say and Kimiko broke in.

"Is it the last device?" Kimiko snapped and then looked over her shoulder at Raimundo. "We haven't gotten that one yet, it could be a bargaining chip," Kimiko told him.

"Well, the last one is important but it wouldn't be the trigger, that wouldn't make sense," Jack said in a small voice.

"Then what is it Jack?" Raimundo asked.

"There is no way to know," Jack said honestly.

"There has to be someway," Kimiko said shortly and then shook her head. "I agree, I don't think it would be one of the actual items, but the way this is all set up it has to be something."

"What about that website?" Raimundo asked. "Do you think you guys could trace that?"

"If I had the right equipment," Kimiko told him and then looked at Jack. "What about you? What do you have?"

"Tracing a website," Jack cracked his knuckles, "child's play."

"Then why didn't you mention that before?" Raimundo asked irritably.

"You guys haven't mentioned anything about a website," Jack said defensively and watched as Kimiko pulled out her PDA, pulled up the website and found it unchanged except for the continuously changing clock, and handed it over to him. "This is what you guys have been working off of all day?" Jack asked turning the PDA over in his hand. "Nice technology," he observed.

"Focus," Kimiko snapped her fingers at him.

"Well, you know this could be it," Jack observed.

"Could be what?" Raimundo asked sounding annoyed.

"This could be your trigger," Jack said and navigated the website Kimiko had pulled up. Still focused on the tiny screen Jack moved over to one of his many desks, opened a drawer, and pulled out, what was to Raimundo at least, a nondescript black box. Jack never took his eyes off the screen as fingers flew across buttons on the device, pausing briefly to plug the box into the PDA.

"He's right," Kimiko whispered to Raimundo excitedly. "It would make sense, there could even be a tracer on that and," Jack suddenly interrupted her.

"Sorry, this isn't it," he said plainly.

"What?" Kimiko asked surprised.

"It's the right theory, its solid," Jack agreed, "and I'd put money on that its right. But it isn't this device. There is nothing on here that indicates it's what we're looking for."

"But, then what?" Kimiko said looking frustrated before that looking changed to one of shock and understanding followed by frustration. She swore loudly and looked at Raimundo. "We have to go back."

"Go back where?" Raimundo asked immediately nervous as to what she was talking about.

"Back to my apartment, back to my laptop," she said urgently. "I'm sure they thought we would have it with us," Kimiko reasoned. "It could be important," Kimiko told him grabbing the material of his shirt. Raimundo hated to backtrack but knew she was right.

"You stay here," he told her, "I'll go back for it."

"No, I'm going with you," she said firmly looking determined.

"You'll be safer here," he told her.

"We're staying together," Kimiko argued. "After everything you said earlier about staying together and finishing this you're going to try to go off on your own? No way, we're going together." Raimundo looked like he wanted to argue but didn't.

"Ok alright," he consented with a smile at her and then looked at Jack. "I'm sending Clay over. You and him are going to go and get the last computer chip. Alright?" Even though he posed it as a question there was no room in Rai's voice for disagreement. Jack nodded though he looked annoyed.

"You know where it is?" Kimiko asked.

"I think so," Raimundo nodded and then told her his thoughts on the clue and Kimiko nodded that it made sense but double checked the clue while Raimundo called Clay again. When he rejoined her she smiled and grabbed her bag.

"Let's do this."

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They didn't wait for Clay to come; put faith in that Jack would stay put. After a few whispered words to Jack Rai assured Kimiko that Jack would stay put and the look on Jack's face had Kimiko convinced as well. After Raimundo did a quick scan in and outside of the car before allowing them to get in and drive off back towards Kimiko's apartment. Kimiko shifted impatiently in her seat as Raimundo easily navigated the streets, following Kimiko's somewhat unsure directions. They made it there with only two wrong turns and Kimiko eagerly keyed them into her building. The lobby was empty and they opted for the stairs, Raimundo leading their way, gun securely placed in his pocket and easily accessible.

As they approached her door Raimundo's phone buzzed with a text message and as he paused to check it Kimiko got ahead of him.

"Hey, wait a second," he called after her as he hurried to catch up to her but she was already though the door.

"You should call Clay right now so we can meet them," Kimiko answered. The end of her entryway was perpendicular with the short hallway that led to the shared bathroom and two bedrooms. A short wall was on her left as she entered that looked into the kitchen and the living room mirrored the kitchen. She was turning to walk inbetween the two rooms and back to her bedroom when she saw the shadow in the hallway. Raimundo, standing right behind her saw it too and grabbed Kimiko, shoving them both to the left and down to the floor as the first bullets sailed silently overhead thanks to the silencer Raimundo knew their hunter was using. Raimundo hauled Kimiko back further into the kitchen and kicked the refrigerator door open for extra coverage. Everything was silent and still for many long heart pounding moments.

Raimundo was pissed off.

He should have seen this coming.

He was still holding Kimiko close, an arm around her ribcage, her back to his chest, and could feel her heart pounding through her body. He adjusted his hold on her and his gun. The cold air of the fridge flowed out over their bodies and Raimundo felt something spilling down his back. He ignored it and quickly formulated a plan. He tightened his arm around Kimiko and whispered as softly as he could to her.

"You stay here," he ordered and began to move but Kimiko's hands tightened on his arm.

"No, its suicide," Kimiko hissed back. She glanced at him. "I'll distract him, you do what you need to," she told him.

"Don't you dare," Raimundo warned but Kimiko was already moving and Raimundo couldn't tighten his hold on her on time. Kimiko dove away and across the doorway of the hallway. Raimundo, angry and scared senseless by what she'd done, reacted instantly, jumping up, his own silencer doing its job as his bullet hit the shoulder of the shooter. In a rush with worry over Kimiko who was slow to get up after her suicidal dive in the path of the assassin Raimundo was nearly shot as jumped away from the cover of the refrigerator door. Moving quickly Raimundo dodged a wild kick from the blonde hunter and managed a solid cuff with the butt of his gun to the temple that knocked the killer cold. After confirming that the woman was indeed unconscious and not just faking Raimundo turned to where Kimiko had finally gotten shakily to her feet.

"Are you ok?" he asked. His quick scan of her didn't show any physical damage but that didn't mean anything to Raimundo.

"Yeah fine," Kimiko answered. Raimundo saw the effects of adrenalin and fear in her eyes and in the slight tremble of her body.

"Good," Raimundo said with a firm nod and then dragged her to him and held her tight. "If you ever, ever do something that stupid again I will personally lock you up and throw away the key," he told her all of this as he squeezed her even tighter before suddenly letting got and Kimiko nearly stumbled to the floor from the lack of support. A moment later that wasn't an issue because Raimundo readjusted his hold on her and firmly kissed her. He pulled back leaving her dazed. "Understood?" he asked.

"What?" Kimiko asked confused. Raimundo gave an arrogant smile.

"Nice to know I have such an effect," he grinned and Kimiko swatted him upside the head.

"Don't flatter yourself," she ordered and looked around him at their attacker. "Our hunter was a woman?" she asked surprised and then muttered "Great, now I sound sexist." Raimundo bit back a laugh at the off hand remark as Kimiko looked behind her. "She shot up my apartment," Kimiko said sounding annoyed, upset, and tired.

"We're lucky these walls are so thick," Raimundo said nodding at the bullet holes. "None of them will have gone through the cement. And the silencers did their job."

"So lucky," Kimiko said sarcastically and looked back at the still unconscious woman. "What now? What do we do with her?"

"We tie her up, wake her up, and get some answers," Rai answered.

"Sounds good," Kimiko nodded and realized her mistake almost immediately as Raimundo turned his attention back to the unconscious woman.

"Do you have anything to tie her up with?" Raimundo asked.

"Maybe," Kimiko said as she shut her eyes tight. "Rai?"

"Kimiko?" there was worry in Raimundo's voice and even though her eyes were shut she knew he'd turned back and not a moment too soon because Kimiko's knees gave and she fell into his waiting arms.

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Love those cliffies, sorry for the cruelty with the teasing. Cookie to Noritsu for the 'doomsday' guess. You were pretty much right!

Sorry for the half assed editing (though by this point in time I'm guessing you're all used to it). As usual, please point out glaring mistakes and I will change them.