Chapter 4: Ivan Finds Out

Alfred, Vash, and Arthur were now in West Seventh, and got out of their cars. They pulled to a stop in front of a house that was at the end of the street. The mailbox of this house had the surname "Braginski" written on the side in bold, capital letters.

"This is it," said Vash. "Come on, guys." He, Arthur, and Alfred proceeded to the door. They were halfway there when they heard a voice from behind.

"Excuse me?" the female voice asked. The trio turned around and saw that the voice belonged to a woman with short platinum blond hair and blue eyes. She wore denim overalls over a long-sleeved white blouse. Her hair was held back by two clips and a yellow headband, and she was carrying a hoe. The woman looked like she had been tending to a garden. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, Miss," Arthur, the ever-true gentleman, replied. "We're looking for Ivan Braginski. Does he live here?"

"My name's Katyusha, and yes, Ivan lives here," the woman said. "He's my little brother."

"Oh," said Arthur.

"Do you know where he is right now?" Alfred asked. He was trying very hard to keep his cool, but still found himself remembering the incident from twelve years ago. Oh, how he wanted to find this Ivan person and bash his brains in!

"Yes," said Katyusha. "He's inside. Uh, is Vanya in some sort of trouble?" She led the trio to the house, wiping her dirty shoes on the doormat once she and the detectives reached the door. She also set the hoe down next to the door.

"We just need to ask him a few questions, that's all," said Vash. Katyusha opened the door and led the detectives into the house.

"Who are you people?" another woman asked. She looked young, about the same age as Alfred, maybe a year or so younger. She had long dark blond hair and blue eyes, and wore a navy blue dress, black thigh-highs, a pair of black dress shoes, and a white ribbon in her hair.

'Wow, she's hot,' Alfred thought as he looked at the girl. He turned slightly red. 'Maybe I could ask her out…' The thought disappeared when he shook it off. 'Dammit, Alfred, stop thinking about that! The kid, remember, stupid?'

"I said, 'Who are you people?'" the young woman demanded. The she saw Alfred looking at her and glared. "And what are you looking at, Four-Eyes?" Her glare sent a cold shiver up Alfred's spine.

"Natalia, these are detectives," Katyusha explained. "They want to talk to Vanya."

Natalia gave the detectives another death glare. "Alright. He's in the den, watching TV." She and Katyusha led Alfred, Vash, and Arthur to the den.

"Hey, I thought your brother's name was Ivan, not Vanya," said Alfred. Arthur and Vash face palmed and shook their heads.

"Al, you idiot," said Vash. "Vanya is short for Ivan."

"We're here," said Katyusha.

In the den, there was a man sitting on the couch. He had platinum blond hair and violet eyes, and was wearing a red T-shirt and denim jeans. His shoes were off, and he was watching Two and a Half Men with a slightly tired—something along the lines of "I've seen this before"—expression on his face. This was Ivan Braginski, Elise's ex-husband and Gilbert's real father.

Alfred looked at Ivan with wide and shocked eyes when he saw the man gently rubbing the back of a peacefully sleeping little boy. The boy had platinum blond hair and was using Ivan as a pillow. Since his eyes were closed, the detectives couldn't tell what color the boy's eyes were. The boy was wearing a blue Pikachu T-shirt and denim jeans.

"Iggy, Vash," Alfred said. "That's the kid, right?"

Arthur looked at a picture of Gilbert that Claus and Elise had given him and his buddies. "Looks like him. The guy might've changed Gilbert's clothes when he brought him here. But there's only one way to find out. Come on." He and the other two walked into the den.

"Ivan Braginski," said Vash.

Ivan looked confused upon seeing the three young men in his house. "Yes?" Then his voice dropped to a whisper. "And you'll have to keep your voices low. He's sleeping." Vash, Arthur, and Alfred flashed their badges in Ivan's face.

"Police," Vash whispered. "You're going to have to come with us—Al! What the hell are you doing?" Alfred had lunged at Ivan; he picked the man up and pushed him backwards against the wall. Alfred didn't look it, but boy, was he strong!

"What's going on here?" an alarmed Ivan asked. He was now really confused and scared.

"What are you doing to my brother?" a shaking Katyusha asked.

What Alfred had done had woken the child up. He looked around, scared and confused at what was going on.

Arthur bent down to eye level with the boy. "It's okay, Gilbert. We're gonna take you home."

"Mommy!" the boy exclaimed. He ran to Katyusha, who picked him up and hugged him.

"It's okay, Alex, it'll be okay," Katyusha said soothingly.

"Wait…" Vash said. "Let me get a look at the kid." After a few minutes, he turned to Arthur and Alfred. "It isn't the kid we're looking for. This kid's got blue eyes, not red-violet."

"What?" said an enraged Alfred. He rounded on Ivan. "Where the hell is he?"

"Who?" asked Ivan.

"Don't fuck with me, you scumbag! Where the hell is your son?" Alfred said through gritted teeth.

"Gilbo?" Ivan asked. "I'm not supposed to get him until Father's Day."

"I don't believe you," said Alfred. "Tell me where the boy is now, you son of a bitch."

Arthur and Vash had been watching this spectacle with terror. This was Alfred whenever something horrible happened to a child. They knew this, but still, it was scary to watch.

"Al, calm down," said Arthur. He grabbed Alfred from behind and pulled him off Ivan.

"Uncle Ivan!" said Alex. He, his mother, and Natalia ran over to Ivan.

"That bastard's hiding Gilbert somewhere, and he won't fess up," Alfred said angrily.

Ivan breathed heavily before speaking. "Can someone tell me what's going on?"

"Your son was abducted from the park, in Highland Park, today," said Arthur.

"What?" Ivan exclaimed, while Katyusha and Natalia looked on in surprise.

"Mommy, what's going on?" Alex asked in confusion.

"Alex, go to your room and play, okay, hon?" Katyusha said.

"Okay," said Alex. He ran to his room.

Elise stopped the car and turned off the ignition. She shot a glare at the house she used to live in with Ivan, when they were happily married. "I know you have Gilbo, you bastard." She got out, slammed the car door, and stormed up to the house.

"Gilbo was snatched?" Ivan asked shakily. He looked to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown after hearing the news.

"Oh no," said Katyusha. "My poor little nephew."

"Poor Gilbo," said Natalia. "I may hate Elise's guts for taking Vanya away from me, but…"

"Who took him?" asked Ivan. "Who took my son?"

"We don't know," said Vash.

Alfred started to feel really bad about what he had just done. The man clearly had no idea what happened, and he didn't know where his kid was!

"Well, if you don't know who took my nephew, why are you questioning my love—I mean, my brother?" Natalia asked furiously.

'This girl's a weirdo,' Alfred thought after hearing Natalia calling Ivan "her love".

"We needed to rule him out as a suspect," Vash replied. "Standard procedure; we have to consider everyone who has contact with the victim."

"I wish I could help," said Ivan. He put his hands in his hair, looking like he was going to tear it out. "I hope you find whoever took Gilbo—Ellie, what are you doing here?" Ivan's hands dropped to his sides as he saw his ex-wife storming into the den.

"Where is he, you son of a bitch?" Elise exclaimed hysterically. "What did you do to Gilbo? Where are you hiding him?"

Ivan became furious at Elise's accusations. "I didn't do anything to Gilbo! Maybe he'd still be with you if you hadn't taken your eyes off him at the park like you always do! I just know you did!"

"Lui was watching him! And that buddy of yours put him in the hospital!" said Elise. She started pounding on Ivan, who didn't move; he was glaring at her. "I want my son! Give him back to me, now!"

"Maybe Lui wouldn't be in the hospital if you hadn't made him play the role of 'parent'," Ivan said angrily. "I'm right, aren't I? You ditched our son just to gossip with your buddies! Now I bet poor Lui's blaming himself for what happened to his brother! The poor kid doesn't need this kind of crap happening to him!"

"Shut the hell up!" Elise shouted back. "Just shut up!" She pushed Ivan backwards.

Ivan pushed Elise back. "No, I won't shut up! You neglected our son, and now he's gone! Congrats, Ellie."

Ivan and Elise were now fighting and still at each other's throats. Finally, Arthur and Alfred broke them up.

"Cut it out, the both of you!" said Arthur. He held Elise back, while Alfred held Ivan back.

"Sorry about earlier," said Alfred.

"Apology…accepted," said Ivan. He was still seething with anger at Elise for Gilbert being abducted.

"The both of you will just have to put your differences aside right now," said Vash. "For your son. That means no fighting, no accusing each other of hiding Gilbert or neglecting him. Got it?"

"Fine," said Elise.

"Whatever," Ivan said.

"I'll take those as a yes," said Vash.