You know what? I realized something about myself. Every time I post a chapter, I always apologize for it being late, and try to compensate by making it longer than the average chapter. But it's never longer, and I'm very rarely sorry about it. So, I'm not going to say that this time, I'm only going to ask that you review and bear in mind that I'm busy with life at the moment and that I'm not dead.
Thanks for waiting!
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Rei bit his lip. The hallways had cleared, and silence hung heavily in the air that surrounded the newly escaped hostages. Now, they were faced with a choice. Go down the stairs or the elevator to safety, or go looking for the one missing member of his team; Kevin. Not knowing how to figure it out, Rei leaned against the wall of the room and exhaled slowly, reflecting on how he had rushed into the meeting room back at the BBA headquarters to find Kevin half dead in Mariah's arms. He remembered the tense hours it took for medical officials to stabilize Kevin in the hospital even after they had gotten Rei stable. And after all that, he could only blame himself for what had originally happened. He was the last to see Kevin before the first hostage situation. He should have stayed back with the younger neko-jin, but instead he left him alone in that room, so eager to leave only to find that he would soon give his own life to get in there. And when it was all over, and they were released from the hospital? They came to the hotel, thankful to be alive but upset when faced with the truth that they had to stay in America until it was sorted out.
Why hadn't the BBA pulled the strings to get them out, get them home? Rei narrowed his eyes. It was certainly strange that Mr. Dickenson didn't do anything to get them out of the country. They weren't even needed what with all the lawyers taking care of everything. All Rei had done was tell people over and over again what happened for the police records and avoid the media. Had it worked? No. Everyone knew about it. It was in the magazines at checkout stands, it was in the news still, it was talked about over coffee in the morning. The head chairmen of the BBA wouldn't want to put them through that, would he? It was bad enough that every time Rei turned on the news, he was reminded of the horrible situation. Reporters' claiming that it was a miracle Kevin was still alive, politicians using it to aid their campaigns by promising to increase national security, and all sorts of gossip going on. Some lies were modest, like 'Rei dove in front of Kai and that's why he got shot!', but others made anger boil within Reis stomach. These included people claiming that Kevin was raped by the woman, or that it was all part of a divine plan set forth by God because Kevin was a neko-jin. And racism wasn't even the salt on the wound. Sometimes, Rei wished he could just go out in front of everyone and tell the truth; clear everything up so people would stop telling lies and using someone else's drama to their own advantage. But no, he couldn't. Because someone is always out there aiming to prove him wrong, or twist his words around.
"Kon."
Rei looked up at the sound of his last name, meeting Kai's crimson eyes. The Russian's look was stern and determined, like it always was when Kai was serious. The two watched each other silently for a moment, the single spoken word ringing through the air after shattering the thick silence. As Rei pulled himself from his train of thought, he came to realize how tightly he was clenching his jaw and opened his mouth, feeling his tense jaw muscles stiffen at the sudden movement. Sighing, he pushed himself off the wall and glanced weakly towards the others.
"What do we do, Kai? Find the girls and get to safety, or find Kev?" He asked absently, still dazed from the current situation. Kai shook his head, inhaling through his nose slowly and deeply.
"What do you want to do, Rei?" he asked after a long pause, letting his arms fall against his side limply. Rei looked up at him slowly, frowning.
"I want to find my little brother."
The other members of the group looked up, confused by the statement, but Kai knew exactly what Rei meant. After growing up with each other, Lee, Rei, and Kevin probably all looked at one another as brothers. It was a bond that only formed after years of dealing with themselves and learning about each other, something Kai also experienced with Tala and Bryan when he was a child. Suddenly, Kai caught hold of the magnitude of Rei's current emotions. For all they knew, Kevin could be dead while they stood there. And although Rei was concerned with the others safety and his own, he wasn't going to leave the youngest member of the White Tigers behind.
"Okay. I'll go with you. Michael," He said, turning to face the others, "you find the girls and lead everyone downstairs. Rei and I are going after that bitch who took Kevin."
The Allstar nodded at the order, numb from the recent gunfire like the others, while Steven stood and offered his assistance. Kai turned it down.
"The less the better. Now go. And Rei?" Kai turned to face the other.
"It's not over yet. We'll all get out of here alive and safe, okay?"
Rei paused before nodding. Kai didn't exactly come off as an optimist, but Rei supposed that people showed their true colors in times of crisis. And this was certainly a crisis, as far as Rei was concerned.
"Sure, Kai."
-x-x-x-
"I should really spend more time on the stair master, this is insane!" Mariah groaned, pulling herself up the steps heavily. They had passed by so many floors that she had stopped counting, until she came to the landing at the top where Lee and Ripple waited for her. Snakelock was helping Mohan up behind her, and as it came into view, the large numbers 23 were painted in black lettering on the wall.
"Thirteen more to go." Ripple exhaled, planting his hands on his hips and heaving a sigh as he leaned back, eyes traveling up the cement stairwell tediously. Lee growled from the back of his throat and glared across at the New Yorker, wishing he would stop announcing the floors to go each time they stopped.
"At this rate…" Mohan gasped, finally reaching the top. "We won't have e-enough energy t-t-to take on the enemy…" Slowly, he reached into his back pocket and withdrew an inhaler, making Lee roll his eyes.
"How the hell did you end up in a street gang?" The neko-jin asked irritably under his breath. Mariah smiled despite her fatigue and leaned forwards, resting her hands on her knees and leaning on them. Everything was moving quickly, despite the long climb up the thousands of steps they were toughing. It felt as though she had just witnessed the shattered glass of the lobby at the hotel, because she could still feel the fear that gripped her heart and froze over her stomach. And that feeling alone was all the determination she needed to keep moving.
"Ya know, dis is probably da second time I've been in a position like dis." Ripple mumbled, starting aside as Mariah shoved passed him and continued up the stairs. Lee groaned openly and started after her.
"Damn, she ain't afraid of nothin'!" Ripple breathed, starting along behind them followed by a silent Snakelock and an exhausted Mohan. From ahead, Mariah smiled to herself having heard his words.
-x-x-x-
"Oh, please? He's just lying there, and I'm bored!" A soft female voice whined, pleading to feed the crave of lust that twisted through its owner's body. From the other side of the room, closer to Kevin, another more familiar voice replied.
"No. We have orders to leave him alone, and if boss comes back to find him cut up and bleeding out, it'll be everyone's head."
"But we'll bandage him up. Besides, all you did was shoot him a few times, and he now has a bit of a fever. What's interesting about that?"
"He's not your victim, he's mine. And I'm going to do with him what I like. I'd rather you not cut him right now."
"It's not cutting, it's poetry."
"Oh please, you just love the feeling of warm blood between your fingers." Another voice chimed in, this one more ragged then the others.
"Excuse me, but aren't you the one who flogs your victims? That gets pretty bloody last time I checked."
"Enough, both of you!" A sudden yell erupted from the woman closest to Kevin. The room fell silent again, no one daring to talk after the recent speaker used that tone. From the sofa, Kevin's eyelids fluttered as sweat matted his hair to his face. Each break was shallow and fast, and he felt stiff from not moving. His clothes were damp, making him shiver slightly as his blue lips shook with each small gasp. His light head made it hard to hear the conversation going on around him, but his mind registered it easily enough. Carving poetry into him? Flogging? And although he was on the verge of losing consciousness, he couldn't help but find that he was too frightened to fall asleep. So it was Mr. Dickinson all along? It didn't fit, but then, nothing fit anymore. Logic and sense was left at the door the second Kevin had stepped off the private jet onto American soil. All he wanted was to be with Mariah, Lee, and Rei, safe far away at home surrounded by family. His leg throbbed softly, adding to the young teen's misery. Stale tears stiffened his cheeks, and his damp here stained the pillow his head was resting on.
Still, nothing seemed to be happening. Sometimes the women around him would argue. Kevin had counted five of them, one of which was the woman who had supposedly started all of this. Despite the situation, Kevin couldn't help but get the vibe that Victoria Slade was sitting besides the sofa, watching over him and making sure no one hurt him. Kevin didn't know what he felt like towards her, and it was daunting. Although she had shot him, kidnapped him, and mothered him in the most disturbing way Kevin had ever experienced, but she was also the least cut throat of all the other women in the room. Or at least, she seemed that way. The two who had been arguing with each other and her seemed eager to see some blood, while the other two remained silent. And the other two had stayed silent, leaving Kevin without the slightest idea of how to deal with them. Slade, on the other hand, seemed to be protecting him.
Silence hung in the air for a while before the click of a door opening popped through the room. Kevin could feel the women standing as someone entered, followed by two body guards.
"You may be seated, dear ladies. I know you are all eager to enjoy yourselves, but we only have one small boy and five of you."
The soft lusting voice who had been asking to cut Kevin spoke up. "What are we to do, sir?" She asked, sounding submissive and sorrowful. A few other voices chimed in at similar tones.
"He is Victoria's, it is up to her." Mr. Dickinson's voice sounded across the room. Cries of complaint filled the air around Kevin, who was awake though appeared to be asleep.
"But she's being greedy, and my blade is growing restless." The lusting voice complained. There was a shuffling noise as Slade stood to defend herself, only to be cut off by her boss.
"Victoria, share with Dana. The two of you normally get along so well, after all."
"But I don't want them hurting my sweet heart!" Victoria moaned. A long uncertain pause followed before the sorrowful reply came.
"I was afraid you would become to attached, my dear. Dana, you may have him for one hour. And I want him bandaged when you're done."
Kevin's heart skipped a beat. What? What was that? Mr. Dickinson just willingly handed him over to a woman who planned on carving poetry into him? Kevin squirmed on the sofa, cracking his eyes open weakly and looking towards Slade with a horrified gaze while the other woman approached the sofa, leaning over him and smiling wickedly. Victoria held her composer, clenching her teeth and fists but not moving from her spot as she reluctantly watched Kevin being lifted into the air and carried towards another room. The boy moaned, half whimpering as a small giggle emitted from the woman holding him. As they past the BBA's head chairman, Kevin received nothing more than a solid gaze from the older man.
And along with it, the small amount of hope deep within Kevin's heart faded out completely.
-x-x-x-
"Gary? It's going to be okay, alright? Come on, stand up, I know it hurts…" Hilary said shakily, more shocked and scared about the wounded young man then he was. With a strained grunt, Gary was on his feet and holding his arm against his chest numbly. Steven and Eddie both helped him towards the door, Tyson up ahead with Michael while Max stayed behind, coaxing Emily to follow. Kenny and Emily slowly moved after them, sliding their hands together when they were sure no one was looking. Both were shaking, and happy to see each other once again, but the numbing shock of all that was going on kept them silent as they followed the group into the hallway slowly and to the elevator, anxiously awaiting the opening of the doors. As they did, Kenny glanced over his shoulder down the hallway, watching Rei and Kai disappear into the stairwell at the other end. Truly hoping it wouldn't be the last time he ever saw the pair, Kenny swallowed the lump in his throat and looked back around to the elevator to find that the others had entered, and were hurriedly waving him in. He jumped on quickly, taking up Emily's hand again, squeezing it tightly.
"They'll be alright." Max breathed quietly, noticing Kenny's worried expression. Tyson nodded in agreement.
"Rei is smart and can take care of himself. As for Kai, I wouldn't be surprised if he ate nails for breakfast. They'll be just fine, chief." Tyson said encouragingly. But it was an empty promise, as though he himself wasn't sure if he believed it.
"Right, Ty. Okay." Kenny mumbled, looking down towards his shoes. They were crammed in the small elevator, and he couldn't look at his feel without gazing at Emily's and Max's. A pair of Sneakers and a pair of high-top Converse bordered Kenny's own boring, brown shoes, making him smile ever so weakly. He didn't know why, but something about gazing down at his shoes calmed him.
After a few moments of decent, the doors opened into the lobby. The armed forces had apparently noticed that the elevator was coming down, because they knelt with their guns at the ready around the door when it opened. Kenny, closest to the door, stepped back instinctively, startled by the amount of artillery being used. The second they were recognized, however, they were checked for explosives on their person and questioned for a few brief moments before being loaded onto the ready ambulances. Though they protested, every officer in the perimeter said it was protocol that they all are sent to the hospital immediately, no questions asked. As the ambulance pulled through the crowds of people and the hotel faded from site, Hilary couldn't help but feel as though she had failed in some unreasonably intense way. She could have done more to protect the others, couldn't she? Utterly fatigued and sobbing softly to herself, Hilary allowed the ambulance nurse to give her a shot of pain killer and clean up the cuts and bruises she had obtained while being pulled from her room and dragged with the others into the area where they were held until their escape.
Sighing shakily, she closed her eyes and imagined a beautiful terrace beside a lake, vines of flowers growing along the marble pillars and wrapping around the fancy railing. A gorgeous sofa sat before a glass coffee table facing the water, its large red and gold pillows looking inviting as the sun slowly rose being the hills that blocked out the mess of the world and left Hilary to her own tranquility. This was the place she went to when things grew to stressful, and it always calmed her down. The sky was a modest salmon pink and a tea sat beside a neatly folded newspaper, the headlines reading nothing but good news and happy occurrences.
It was then that the ambulance turned a sharp corner, that Hilary opened her eyes to find that she was still sitting in the back of the emergency vehicle, and things were far from peaceful.
And she began to cry again.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
xChewy; Well then. Looks like this plot just moved forwards, eh?
Kevin; AHH!! GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!
xChewy; I would, but then there would be no point of continuing the plot because Rei and Kai would just leave.
Mariah; Hey, what about us?
xChewy; Oh, I'm sure you'd come and find no one is home. After that you'd just leave, right?
Mariah; Mm… maybe…
Kenny; Yes! I finally get some character development!
Hilary; I feel like such a pansy. I was portrayed as a strong individual in the series, you know that right?
xChewy; Yeah, but I don't care.
Hilary; Jerk.