Chapter 2

"Wake up," someone ordered and Eve mumbled, opening her eyes. From the looks of it, she was in a warehouse. She looked around. The room was empty except for the chair she was tied to and another chair and table against the wall. A man sat in it, his legs and arms crossed, staring at her.

She blinked the sleepiness away. Her eyes focused and met those of the man she guessed was her guard. His face was angular, but hardly attractive: he had a cleft chin and a mustache with a stubble beard. His hair, which was tied back, was black and he had a scar on his left cheek. He was dressed in cargo pants and a tight black shirt that emphasized his muscles. His hands had fingerless gloves and he wore army boots.

"Who are you?" Eve asked, glaring at the man. He smirked, stood, walked over to her, and kneeled down to her eye level.

"That's not something you need to worry your pretty little head about," he said, cupping her chin. It was the voice of the man who grabbed her.

Eve glared at him and his smirk widened. "You're cuter when you're mad." He released her and sat once again at the chair in almost the exact same position as he was before he got up.

Eve felt disgusted by his remark and kept her gaze away from him, staring at the ground. The door creaked open and Eve stiffened.

"So she's awake," said the voice of the ring leader.

"Yeah, Boss," the other answered. "It'd be hard to believe that she's a bio-weapon unless I didn't see it for myself. Eve lifted her head to meet the man who had her kidnapped. At first, she thought it was Creed. But it wasn't. Creed usually wore leather and fur. This man was in a black suit and had shorter, silver hair that draped over his right eye. He even wore glasses. Eve forgot why she thought she was staring at Creed: this man was certainly not him.

"Eve Volfied, am I correct?"

Eve nodded. She was enrolled at school as Sven's daughter, so she was given identity as his daughter by taking his last name.

"We need your help," he cooed, smiling at her. Eve felt shivers go up her spine as he stared at her behind his cold, grey, mocking eyes.

"With what," Eve asked, glaring at him.

"Train Heartnet took my little brother out of commission a few years ago. Perhaps you've heard of him: Creed."

Eve blinked. She never knew that Creed had a brother. "Who are you?"

The man smiled wider. "Of course; how rude of me. I am Bade Diskenth, Creed's older brother. This here," he motioned to the guard. "Is my right hand man, Garack Joaquin. He's been watching you rather kindly, I might add. You ought to thank him."

Eve said nothing, but glared at them.

"Cute, ain't she?"

"Yes, she is. For a weapon," Bade stated, leaning on his chin. He was much different than Creed, but the same malicious aura flowed from him. Bade turned back to Eve and frowned. "You haven't asked why I wanted your help."

"Whatever it is, I'm not interested," Eve spat, changing her right hand into a slim dagger and the cuff slipped off. She didn't dare do the same with the other hand just yet, in case the hand cuffs made a sound when they hit the floor.

Bade's smile faltered. "That's too bad. I've wanted to avenge my little brother of Train's betrayal to him." He hid his face behind his hand, as if to wipe away tears away.

Eve glared at him. In a way, this was certainly Creed's brother.

"I guess I'll tell you anyway," Bade decided, removing his hand, glancing at Eve. "I want to kill him for corrupting my little brother. Creed admired Train and Train threw it all back at him. Before Train, Creed looked to me for guidance. Wanting what was best for my brother, I let him follow Train around like a little puppy would follow its child-master. It was only a matter of time before that bastard broke my brother's heart."

"That's twisted," Eve hissed. "Creed killed Train's best friend. Train had every right to break off his friendship with Creed. Train wanted to kill Creed just as you want to kill Train now, but he changed his mind in the end. Why, I'll never understand because he was out for Creed's blood for such a long time. If you truly care about Creed, you won't go after Train."

Bade's smirk had vanished from his face as Eve spoke. He stood and approached her calmly, but the look in his eyes was as mad as Creed's. He grabbed Eve by the neck and hoisted her up, not noticing that her hands instinctively grabbed his wrists, trying to pry them off.

Garack shouted something and grabbed Bade by the shoulders. Eve remembered back to when she was eleven years old and helping Train and Sven on sweeper duty. A vivid memory of being held in a giant's grasp, paralyzed and unable to do a thing—the time she, Train, and Sven fought Gianza.

She had come a long way since then. If Bade could instill that same old fear in her, then he was much worse than Creed.

"You know nothing of my little brother, Brat," he snarled, tightening his grip on Eve's throat. Eve struggled to breath, but her vision was blurring and she felt dizzy.

She barely noticed Garack. She couldn't even hear Garack. But Bade released her suddenly as if grabbed by a sudden force. Eve fell to the ground, coughing and gasping for air.

"You said it yourself!" Garack shouted at Bade. "The girl's no use to us dead!"

Bade stood, wiping away the blood that trickled down his mouth.

Eve glanced up, her eyes wide with fear as she gazed at Bade. He glanced at her and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Please forgive me, Miss Volfied. I tend to forget myself where my brother is concerned." Eve lowered her gaze, not wanting to look at Bade. "I'll have food sent for the both of you," he said, also speaking to Garack.

The door closed with an echo. Eve curled herself into a ball and the tears she wished would never come spilled.

She could feel Garack's gaze on her and heard him shift uncomfortably in his chair which he re-inhabited after Bade had left.

Eve's tears dried and her strength returned. She stood and morphed her hand so that the rest of the cuffs could come off.

"You okay now?" Garack asked.

Eve nodded. The door opened and someone pushed a tray with two plates of food and drink. He set them on the table and left.

"Why are you working for Bade?"

Garack didn't answer her. He sniffed at the food and began to eat. Eve stood and joined him at the table, but her appetite was gone.

The silence was only filled by Garack's loud chewing and grated Eve's nerves. She looked at Garack and studied him. He really was uncouth. Almost as uncouth as Train, she thought. Eve decided to ask again. "Why do you work for Bade?"

Garack paused and swallowed. "I guess you could say that I owe him. He's a bit of a lunatic, but he saved my life once. The gang I was with was going to kill my wife and daughter and they found out I was trying to help them escape. Bade killed the Boss and the gang disbanded. My family was saved by Bade. I know he's crazy, but even so…" Garack trailed off. "My daughter's just about you're age now."

Eve still didn't touch her food. She let what Garack said sink in. Then she spoke. "I guess I can relate a little bit. I was supposed to be raised to kill. Sven Volfied isn't my biological father: he and Train saved me from the man that raised me at that time and Sven became a father figure to me."

Garack finished eating, his plate, quite literally, was almost sparkling clean. He glanced at Eve's untouched plate in surprise. "You aren't going to eat?"

"No," Eve sighed. "I'm not hungry. Besides, Sven and Train must be going nuts. I really should be looking for a way out."

"Even if you found one, you'd still have to get past me and Bade's other men."

"But you wouldn't stop me, would you?" Eve asked. She hated to say this to Garack, but she didn't know what else she was going to do. She needed to get out and get home. Sven and Train must be going mad, she thought.

Garack studied her with a raised eyebrow.

"I mean, you wouldn't want some creep to kidnap your daughter just so they could get to you, would you? That would be putting your daughter in a cross-fire that you wouldn't want her to be involved in, right?"

Garack stared at Eve with unblinking eyes. Then he started to laugh. "You're right, I wouldn't want that. And after what happened between you and Bade, you're right about that too: I wouldn't stop you. But as you said, I don't want my daughter involved."

"Is her life threatened by Bade?" Eve asked.

Garack shook his head. "Not yet anyway. As I already mentioned, Bade is a lunatic. If I helped you, he could easily threaten my daughter's life as well as my wife's. Why should I take that chance?"

Eve bit her lip in thought. There has to be a way to convince him, she thought. She was getting close, she knew it. "Because you don't have to follow anyone to provide for them," she stated. Garack seemed amused by her attempts to get him to release her. "You could be a sweeper or a cop."

Garack laughed. "With my record, I'm probably on a wanted poster. It's not that easy to give up a life of crime."

"It's easier than you think," Eve said, thinking about Train. "Train and Creed used to be assassins. Train was able to leave that life and became a sweeper."

Garack frowned. "You're convincing, Kid," he said. Eve felt apprehension rise. "But you're not that convincing. I still have no reason to let you go."

Eve sighed. "Then I'm sorry I have to do this." Garack gave her a confused look and Eve stood. She morphed her hair into hands and grabbed Garack by the collar with one. With the other, she punched him and threw him against the door. She made a dash to get away from the burly man and created a shield around with her hair. Her left hand was a large knife, and her right hand was a gun.

She forced her way outside and ran her shoes gained wheels to help her go faster. Eve jumped over the fence and only when she was certain that she wasn't being followed did she let her defenses down.

That wasn't until she knew where she was: Café Caithe.

Hello everyone! I hope you enjoyed chapter 2. ^^ I think some of you thought that I'd have Train come to the rescue. Nah...Eve's more capable of getting herself out of situations than that. Just so you know, I wasn't even thinking that Garack would be a family man, but it sorta fit his personality. Oo;