A/N Hey all I am back! Missed you guys so much! I have a new toy (Chrome Book) and that means- HAHAHA!- more updates! Don't forget to review!

Chapter 44- Night Flight

Words seemed to echo in the night sky. "You are no longer my chevalier! You are rogue chevalier, Hagi."

The sky was began to change from deep midnight to a deep sapphire, signaling the approaching dawn. The lone, dark figure had perched his long body on one of the largest stones amid the crashing surf, cello case propped up against his side. His skin glowed eerily in the light of the half-moon.

She had cursed him- doomed him to the same fate as Habiki had doomed Raoul.

His steel-grey eyes lowered to his knees. The last moment… their last moment together. He had taken her virginity- and not in the way he had intended. There was supposed to be love, there was supposed to be trust. Instead there was anger and the bitter sting of betrayal reflecting in her eyes. The heat of lust had dissipated as quickly as it had arrived. It left him feeling cold and with more questions than before.

What was he to do? There was nothing left to salvage.

~0~

Lulu frantically followed the coast, searching for the dark figure that had to be out amid the surf.

Mere minutes ago, Mary Frances had recovered completely from her injuries and vanished to look for Hagi, while Nathan had reappeared. The eldest living chevalier was not his usual, composed self. He was frantic.

It seems Hagi had attempted, once again, to convince Saya of his innocence and the entire thing blew up in his face. Nathan was enraged at Hagi's actions as he conveyed how the stoic, quiet chevalier had lost all self-control and nearly bedded his own queen! For that, Hagi should have faced death, but Saya had shown mercy and instead stripped him of his role as her chevalier.

To most people, she knew, she appeared to be a young girl, but in human years she was already middle- aged. Her mind turned over and over the possibilities to redeem her mentor. There was one solution- prove his innocence. There was only one way left to do that.

It was now imperative that Argiano and Smith be captured, along with their data, and questioned. She had to convince him.

Just as she was about to turn back and retrace her path, her eyes caught the hint of movement against the dark ocean- a coat tail. Water sprayed as she splashed through it. In a flash of lavender, she was there on the rock in front of him, facing him.

"Hagi, you have to go," she informed the chevalier, "because I can't do it. Whoever goes after Argiano would have to get there fast- you have wings."

His voice was unnervingly calm as his response was nearly lost in the ocean's roaring surf. "It is over, Lulu. I have been stripped of my status as Saya's chevalier."

Before she could respond and refute the comment, a blue streak sprayed salt water all over the two. The darkly clad figure came to a halt in front of them, fire in her brown eyes as the long cape fell to her sides. As Mary Frances pulled up to her full height, Hagi held her with his dark gaze.

Lulu took it all in as she wondered if there was to be another showdown... and another injury. Would Mary Frances ever learn?

"What are you doing still here asshole?" she shouted as she came up toward him. A wicked sneer came to her features as she continued, "Oh yeah, that's right."

At this point, her nose was nearly touching his as she spoke, "You never make any decisions. That was your problem all along. Nathan told me about her last awakening. Every time you had a chance to tell Saya the truth, you stalled like Kai's motorcycle."

"She had to remember on her own," Hagi said in an infuriatingly calm voice.

Mary Frances backed away a bit and scoffed. "Oh really? Kai told me about that too. He wanted to tell Saya everything. He wanted to tell her about how George had taken her home with him from the Vietnam war, how she came to be his daughter... he was going to tell her everything! But youb told him it wasn't his place."

His lack of reaction was still unnerving to his angry daughter. "It was to keep her safe."

"Safe?!" Mary Frances cried, "Safe? As a result she ran off with you in tow calling Kai and Riku liars!" She threw in his face. The angry daughter allowed her words to sink in before she asked, "And how long will you delay this time? How many people will get hurt by your indecision... Oh wait! Only one will be hurt this time- Saya herself."

Lulu spoke so quietly, she thought no one had heard, but she was wrong. "He thought he was keeping another incident like Vietnam from happening."

Mary Frances turned a sympathetic gaze to Lulu, "Her memories."

Hagi then rose to his feet, "Yes, her memories." He passed the two females as he waded into the rising tide. When his back was to them, he continued, "Her memories did not come back when she was awakened in Vietnam... we don't know why. Saya was not Saya. A part of her had taken over and did what it knew to do."

"Dr. Julia believes that the original chiropteran queens fought to the death to establish the one that was to rule," Lulu explained.

"But rule what?" Mary Frances asked. "If the other is dead, what is left?"

Lulu turned her lavander eyes to the angry princess and answered simply, "Mankind."

"In my sleepless nights, I did further my research on what Saya and Diva are. What Kanade and Hibiki might become." His back was still to them as Hagi continued. The two did not see the bitterness in his eyes as he added, "Amshel decided to use his immortality to create those creatures- Diva's guardians, for world domination. In my research, I have found that chiropteran queens and their chevaliers have existed along side man since the very beginning of time. The queens are worshiped as gods. It wasn't until the Rennaissance era that the queens seemed to completely vanish from existence. I do know that Nathan was a chevalier to one of the queens of that time, but I still do not know what happened."

Lulu listened intently. There were things she wanted to research herself now. Having never heard or even known that Hagi had been researching what he had become, the CIA agent was hearing more than what was being said, Something in this was very important- and Nathan knew why.

Lavender hair caught in the wind as her large eyes shined with intelligence. Hagi never even guessed to force Nathan to divulge the answers he knew, mainly because Nathan's mere presence seemed to annoy the younger chevalier. But he didn't bother Lulu so much. She knew she would be returning to the US tonight, but she also knew Nathan lived there on a vast property in upstate New York.

All this conversing was getting old. Mary Frances wanted action. The sooner they got there, the sooner they could pound these jerks into the dirt. Right now her fists were aching to hit something that she could actually win against.

"Well, maybe one day he will tell you," Mary Frances said sweetly before adding with a slight growl, "but in the here and now, there are some bad guys to catch and answers to be found. Let's get moving."

He turned to look over his shoulder and respond, "We are not going anywhere. I will notify the Red Shield tomorrow morning."

Mary Frances fumed. In a blue streak, she had him by the collar, lifting him off the sandy bottom as the salty spray settled around them. "Listen here, dumb ass! I am sick and tired of you just letting everyone else handle this. Saya is awake, her memories are intact, we have two assholes out there that want to make more minions again. So it looks like you have run out of excuses here."

He freed himself and dropped elegantly back into the surf. Lulu, remaining dry, perched on the rock wondered again about why the two of them insisted on arguing in a foot of sea water. She furrowed a brow and bit her lip before calling to them, "Wouldn't this argument be better on dry land?"

Mary Frances tore her glare from the man for a moment to shake her head and then returned the steely glare he was giving her before adding, "I need to cool my heels when I deal with this clown." She then added for good measure, "The sperm doner."

He started after her, with a fist raised, but was halted when her words reached his ears.

"Wanna prove me wrong?" she asked and then pointed out to sea. "Your opportunity to do it is waiting for you in the Russian wastelands! So get your bony ass moving."

He began to go around her, but turned and eyed her. "Do not ever call me that again." He then grabbed her hand and moved the pointing arm further to the right. "Russia is in that direction."

She smirked, "You prefer Lurch?"

"I prefer Hagi," he returned with an angry look.

As he moved away, she taunted, "It can show emotions..."

Lulu pulled the unruly girl down by the collar, effectively cutting off her taunt. Her angry lavender eyes meeting with the brown of her student, "Haven't you learned anything from this night? He has beat your butt, patched you up, told you off, and done everything short of killing you where you stand." She took a moment before adding, "So what the hell do you want?"

"I want him to get his answers so this can all go away. I can go back to LA and my life," she answered, but the fire wasn't there.

Lulu eyed her warily, "Is that really what you want? Have things really been as bad as you claim? I think you're full of shit."

Mary Frances turned a shocked expression to the Schiff. Lulu usually did not use words like these and never did she speak any of the really bad ones.

"Oh don't act all surprised," Lulu groaned, "You say far worse in any given sentence." The Schiff then elaborated, "I think you are getting used to the idea of having a father and it isn't so bad after all. Besides, Hagi really cares for you... much more than you realize."

Mary Frances pulled herself free from the small girl's grasp and stood to her full height. Instead of some ugly retort, she scoffed and turned to follow Hagi. Lulu stared after the young woman and smiled, "You need him and he needs you... more than either of you realize."

~0~

Mary Frances hurried after the chevalier, but only caught up to him once he had reached the apartment. There were weapons she had not seen before... as a matter of fact, this was the first time she had seen the open cello case and the compartments inside.

She stood over it, trying to decide what she should say or do, but his voice brought her attention, "May I borrow the shock net for tonight? I will return it in the morning."

Brown eyes came to his upturned face- a face so similar to her own, she might have been looking in a mirror. "Like hell!" she cried, "I might need it!"

Knowing her thought process, he turned back to the cello case and responded, "You will not need it if you are here."

Her glare became icy as she realized what he was saying. Her palm grasped the back of his black jacket and physically turned him to face her, even as he was kneeling on the floor. "Oh, no no no no no, you aren't leaving me here. I am going with you."

He watched as she released his shirt collar and moved to her combat belt. She began to pack the belt with her sickles and shivs before she moved to the box that always brought a terrible look of joy to her face. He snatched the box from her hands and retorted, "You are not going."

She pulled the box away from his reaching hand and shot back, "You can't stop me."

They glared at each other for a moment before he moved to his cello case and gently closed the lid. Shouldering the massive arsenal disguised as a musical instrument, he replied, "You cannot go if you cannot follow."

He smirked inwardly at her confused look. She may have wings, but that didn't mean she knew how to use them. He planned it all so perfectly. As soon as he was clear of the balcony in one elegant jump, he would release his wings and catch the air current. It was a long journey and he would have to somehow feed along the way.

She watched the as the chevalier moved very quickly to the balcony. They were on the second floor and what exactly did he mean that she would not be able to follow? As she grasped her staff in her hand, it finally dawned on her. Her eyes opened wide as she turned to see the chevalier release his massive wings the moment he had cleared the rails of the balcony.

"You dog," she stated as she blinked a few times. "You think that's going to stop me?"

A few moments after Hagi had taken to the night sky, another similar to himself had released her purple wings as she cleared the balcony. She noticed that if she relaxed her wings slightly, the wind would fill them like sails on a ship and lift her higher. This was not her first attempt at flying, but it was the first time that she was doing it in full arsenal and trying to catch a far more seasoned flyer.

It was clear within the first hour that she was not going to catch up with the chevalier, so she decided to see what sort of sea creature would sate her need for blood. All the Nature films made it look easy enough and she had seen different sea birds dive from the air into the water to catch a meal on the fly. Her arms pointed down to the ocean as she felt her body descend like a torpedo. The young woman had made a major miscalculation in her plan... she forgot a target. Nothing but deep blue greeted her as her eyes opened. Not a fish in sight.

A few attempts later left her totally soaked and still very hungry. What was worse was she could not seem to get back into the air. She raised her wings and tried to catch a sea breeze as a wave would lift her up, but she was not sure how to do it. Not letting that little fact dampen her spirits, she dove down a few times and managed to capture a couple of good meals.

Allowing the ocean current to carry her along, the last thing she expected was to become prey for something from the sky. After a fruitless dive, she surfaced to what sounded like an eagle or hawk's wings beating the air. The young woman gasped as she felt large talons dig into her shoulders and lift her from the water. Too terrified to look up, she watched as the waves drew further and further from her while she was lifted into the night sky. Doing the only thing she could think to do at the time, she let out a loud scream.

A calm voice seemed to cut through her terror, "Calm yourself. You were foolish to follow me."

Terror was replaced with relief, but she would not let on that she was glad he had saved her- oh no. She glared up at him as she spread her wings, catching the air current once again. It hardly made an impact on her that he had released her once he was certain she could handle it. "I was fine. Just getting a bite to eat, you know."

He positioned himself slightly in front of her as he observed, "From your soaked appearance, one would think you had been bathing."

She gave him one of her unamused looks and retorted, "For someone with very little personality, you certainly could be mistaken for a smart ass."

Instead of continuing the argument, Hagi decided to discuss something that would be more beneficial to their current situation. "Your clothing should be dry by the time we arrive in Russia," he began, but before he could finish, she had pulled ahead of him.

~0~

A lone figure stood on the darkened beach, staring out into the night sky. Lavender hair flashed as the slight breeze caught her hair in the late autumn breeze. The weather would soon begin to cool with the coming of winter. The scent on the wind coming in to the town of Koza told the Schiff girl that there would indeed be a change in temperature within the next day.

The acrid smell of lightening carried to her on the breeze and the young-looking girl was so intent on not just that scent, but of two others, she was slightly startled when a thick, dark hand came to rest on her shoulder.

"I know you want to go with them," the heavily accented voice stated, "but you know that we cannot interfere."

With a gulp, she responded with a very slight nod of her head. A few long strands caught in the salty breeze and danced around her face. In the more than 40 years she had lived on this planet, she did not remember feeling so helpless against what was to come. Even in the days of the escape and times of hiding and desperately searching for a cure for the thorn, she at least had the others to lean on. Instead she was now a spectator, just watching and unable to do anything to help.

"I know, Lewis," she said. Her voice sounded almost too old for her tiny frame. "We can only observe." Her lavender eyes then turned to the ever-present sunglasses. "Are you sure there isn't another way? What if I were to go in disguised?"

Lewis gave a heavy chuckle, "And what kind of disguise would you suggest, Lulu? As small as you are, you would be recognized immediately." His face turned to the ocean, in the direction the father and daughter were traveling. "They must go alone and the Red Shield must not find out about this. We do not know who we can trust anymore."

"But only Hagi and Mary Frances would know about me going there," Lulu insisted.

Lewis then looked back at her, his brows furrowing over his glasses, "What makes you think that the newest spy is watching them and not us?"

She blinked a couple of times at that and thought of what he was suggesting. If there was another spy in the Red Shield, it would be the best idea to follow Hagi and Mary Frances around, not a couple of CIA operatives whose only apparent reason for being in Koza was Joel's birthday party.

Her voice suddenly seemed very small as she spoke out a fear she never realized was there before, "Do you... do you think the spy could be someone we know? One of our friends?"

The senior operatives sunglasses flashed as he turned his head. He did not respond- he did not need to.

Lulu looked down at the sand in front of her as the tide roared in her ears. Her eyes were wide open now and filled with tears. How could they? One of our own betraying us?

"So..." she began in a jittery voice filled with pain. With a gulp, images of all her friends flashed in her mind- dead and alive. "That's why... why we can't follow. The Red Shield has another spy in it. And if... if they were to know what Hagi and Mary Frances know, they would..."

"They would get that information to Argiano as fast as possible," Lewis finished. "And Mary Frances and Hagi would be headed straight for a trap." He then turned, removing his heavy hand from her shoulder, she almost immediately missed the reassurance of it there.

"We need to get on our plane, Lulu," Lewis informed. "It has to look like nothing out of the ordinary is happening so Hagi and Mary Frances have plenty of time to finish this for good."

Lulu gave one last look to the ocean before saying a silent goodbye to the pair and followed Lewis off the beach and toward their ride to the airport.