A delayed update! I'm really sorry for this, people. I experienced a writer's block while writing chapter 16, so… yeah. And it's hard to think up of titles, you know? XD

Anyways, here's the chapter; hopefully it was worth the wait! *jumps in box immediately upon seeing guns and knives*

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pandora Hearts or any of its characters. All of it belongs to Jun Mochizuki.

Enjoy the show!

XIII. Espionage

Alice continued to lean on the door, remaining in the same position she was in ever since she got there. During that moment, something was really bugging her; as if someone was watching her, hearing them… all of those actions. She was thinking as if someone was really there, but she didn't have any proof of it whatsoever.

Until that assumption of hers was confirmed by a voice, a very familiar voice.

"Ah, so that was it, eh?"

"Who—!" Alice muttered under her breath, as she saw a familiar figure approaching her.

"So those were the things troubling that Vessalius brat, kukukukuku~" Emily said.

"Hush now, Emily, his master might get mad at us…" Break replied, his tone somewhat dramatic. But it was obvious that he was only acting at that time.

Alice turned to the direction of both the voice and the figure. "You damn clown… how long have you been here?"

Break looked at her in response, smirking. "That doesn't matter now, Alice-kun," he replied, holding her chin to raise her head up a bit, "since I already have what I needed," he said, and with that, he let go of her chin and turned to leave.

Alice was furious. "Hey, you clown! Come back here! IDIOT!" she screamed, but Break ignored her.

"Tell Oz-kun and Gilbert-kun that they've been of so much help!" Break answered from over his shoulder.

"Well, Pandora wouldn't hire them if they weren't right?" Emily retorted.

"Mhmm~~" Break replied, his voice echoing in the hallway as he left.

As soon as Break disappeared in the darkness, Alice stared straight. Then she cursed under her breath.

That fucking clown, she muttered. When I get the chance once again, I'll—

She was interrupted by a door creak from behind her back. Oh fuck, she thought. Oh no.

"Alice? Is everything all right out there?" Oz asked, curious. He and Gilbert had heard her screaming, though it wasn't as loud, since the door blocked a bit of her voice. But Oz knew to himself that Alice will never, ever, ever scream for no particular reason.

"Oz…" she said, a shocked expression on her face. Very perfect timing, she thought sarcastically. Nice try clown. Shit.

"Alice?" Oz asked once again, interrupting her thoughts. "You okay?"

"I-I'm sorry, Oz," she replied, her voice low, "but we have a problem right now. Something very serious," she continued.

Gilbert, who had followed Oz on the way out, looked at Alice with a serious expression. Now what the hell is it, you Stupid Rabbit? He thought, shaking his head.

"I-I think it'll be nice if we talk about this in the room," Alice said, "just in case a certain Seaweed Head has violent outbursts… it's better to be sure," she said, glaring at the said person.

Damn you, Gilbert thought, irritated. You are not in the position to say that.

"Well, I guess I'll agree with your idea, Alice," Oz said. "Somehow I feel like there's a tense atmosphere going on RIGHT NOW," he said nervously, looking at both of them, who were currently exchanging glares and bad thoughts with each other. "Shall we?"

"What? How…"

"It's exactly how I told you, Ojou-sama," Break said, biting on a piece of hard candy, "unless you want me to explain it all over again."

Oh great, Sharon thought. First he shocked me with his entrance, then now he is shocking me with what he just found out? Not only is he horrible, he's also tactless, no doubt.

"I may sound very insensitive, but it's true…" Break continued. "That brat really has something to do with all of this. His being a chain just confirmed a whole lot of things, such as his ability to control B-Rabbit's power on his own," he said, slouching a bit in his seat while crossing his legs.

"Then… if that is the case, does that really mean that we'll need to have a tighter grip on him and the others?" Sharon asked, worried.

"I'm afraid so, Ojou-sama… as of now, they're a valuable source of information," Break replied dramatically.

Sharon shook her head. "Hmmm… you really are good at being a user and a stalker, aren't you, Break?"

"Like I told you, Ojou-sama, I have my ways. I'm not called 'Mr. One-Man Show' for nothing," he shrugged. "And I take that as a compliment," he added, making Sharon nod in agreement.

"However, we still need more information, since Oz-kun's past opened up more questions," he said. "And we'll need to get more of it from a certain man who's attempted to stop smoking nine times." That statement made Sharon look at Break. "Who do you—"

"Think of it, Ojou-sama. You, of all people, know who I mean," Break said.

Sharon remained silent, which Break assumed was a positive response.

"Gilbert-sama," Sharon muttered. What now? I can't break what I told him a few hours ago just like that, she thought.

Meanwhile, back in the room where Alice, Oz, and Gilbert were, extreme reactions can both be heard and witnessed if one was there.

"What the freaking hell did you just say?" Gilbert exclaimed.

"Just like what I said, Seaweed Head. That damn clown heard everything Oz told you," Alice said. "Fuck that clown. Seriously, when I see him, I'll—"

"Wait a minute, Alice… I thought it was okay for you to get us found out?" Oz asked.

"Not him! Anyone but that clown!"

"Seriously, this is totally going to spread around the entire mansion if Break doesn't sit down and shut up," Gilbert said matter-of-factly.

"Tch. Now he'll ask Seaweed Head here as well," she said, crossing her legs. "Turns out that someone's going to use someone. I'll bet that the first one who knows about this is Sharon."

"You could say that again," Oz said, "Sharon is quite close with him."

"Damn it… now what'll happen to us after this?" Gilbert screamed, blowing smoke off of his cigarette. "And it's all Stupid Rabbit's fault!"

"The fuck? How dare you blame me!" Alice exclaimed. "How did this become my fault?"

"If you'd have checked the surroundings carefully… well, you could've given him a kick or something!"

"As if I knew about that! How would I detect someone who's been hiding in a closet for God-knows-how-long?"

Sensing more tension building up between the two, Oz decided to speak up and temporarily silence them, just so he could clear his own head up.

"Gil, Alice, please… don't fight. Not now. Just this once, okay?" Oz said, looking at them while gesturing nervously.

"Oz…" Alice muttered, looking back at him.

"I'm sorry, Young Master," Gilbert said, looking down.

"It's okay, Gil. Argh, damn it, what'll we do now?"

Alice assumed a defensive position as she delivered her answer. "Either deny them or confirm them, you manservant."

"I guess we have no other choice. We'll just have to confirm everything they found out," Gilbert replied, nodding.

"That could be the right thing to do… but that's not what I'm worried about," Oz said.

"Eh?" Alice asked, tilting her head.

"I'm worried about Jack. I'm worried about what he'll do with me after finding out about this… damn," Oz stated.

"Oh, no, he doesn't! You're my property! No way should he touch something that isn't his! If he does, I'll knock his head off! That bastard!" Alice exclaimed.

Alice… Oz thought, as he gazed at her. I really hope you'll succeed with that.

On the other hand, Break held his cane and stood up from his seat to walk off.

"Now that we have a bit of information, this may possibly help me more in fulfilling her wish."

"Her wish? You mean the Will of the Abyss?" Sharon asked.

"Yes. We already talked about this before, right?" Break said, looking over from his shoulder. "I promised her that… therefore, I'm tasked with the duty to fulfill it."

"And her wish is…?"

"She wishes to be destroyed, Ojou-sama," he replied. "But at the same time, she also wishes for her twin sister to be saved."

"Alice?"

Break sighed. "Exactly." And with that, he walked on, leaving Sharon behind with new thoughts to ponder on for the day.

*stays in box* Did you like it? Did you? Tell me your thoughts, mm-kay? And I beg you, please!

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