Disclaimer: characters by Takao Aoki, HUDSON SOFT/TAKARA/HASBRO, BEYBLADE PROJECT, TV TOKYO, Nelvana.

OOMC4: the character list keeps growing! Next chapter I'll have over a dozen characters to manage as well as the villains XD The list of side pairings is growing as well.

Thanks for the reviews: Party in the Afterlife, Elemental Gypsy, and Tenshi of Freedom.

Ooh… I did piss everyone off, huh? And it seems like I did a great job making Tala human and fallible, because I bet you're mad at him too. Real people aren't perfect. He'll make up for it.

The problem with first-person narrative is that Tala must be present for everything that happens; otherwise you wouldn't hear about it. Luckily, he's the curious type.

Sorry for OOCness: Tala's kinda whiny in this chapter, because he's injured and anxious for Raul and Kai.

Warning: Some language.

------OUT OF MY CONTROL------

by destinykitty

------Part 4------

The Sting

As the adrenaline rush seeped from my body I was left feeling achy and sick all over. I sat in our designated medical room, fidgeting with a worn area of my pants as I waited agitatedly for Spencer. He had said I couldn't have any painkillers until after he looked at my ribs, but I was third on his list of patients. As the only one seriously bleeding, he was first.

Normally he took care of everyone and Kai helped if he needed fixing himself, but clearly, Kai was not available. Spencer didn't trust me to look after Miguel, so he gave the job to Brooklyn, leaving me to assist him.

Luckily the bullet had only grazed his arm, though the cut was deep and wide. Spencer stoically cleaned and disinfected his wound while I stared moodily into space, occasionally lending a second pair of eyes to make sure there was nothing imbedded in the torn flesh. Mostly he needed another pair of hands to bind it up, which was a fairly simple task even for my distracted brain.

Once he was satisfied, he left me with strict instructions to stay put while he assessed Miguel for a concussion.

I lay back on the exam bench, staring blankly at the ceiling. Right now I felt too drained to do anything but close my eyes weakly, willing my brain to ignore the fiery signals sent from my traumatized abdomen with every intake of breath. Somehow, my mind drifted.

I shook myself, realizing that I had been falling asleep and uncertain how long it had been since Spencer left the room. As I moved my ribs burned again; I pushed back the feeling. Deciding that I had waited long enough, I swung my legs off the table and set off as fast as I could manage in the direction of Kai and Miguel's bedroom.

Hearing footsteps as I neared my destination, I ducked aside to avoid Brooklyn's notice as the other redhead trudged down the hall. He looked exhausted, and I wondered briefly whether Spencer had sent him to bed. It was still only early evening.

But we can't stop yet! Kai and Raul are still out there.

I pushed myself off the wall, shuffling the last few steps and leaning against the doorframe. The door was open slightly, so I could hear Spencer's deep voice as he conversed with Kai's lover.

"…lucky a mild concussion, but I want you to get some rest."

"But Kai…."

I heard a shift, and imagined Spencer was standing up. "We will make a plan as soon as Bryan checks in with whatever information he is able to gather. Until then, we need to recoup as much as possible. None of us is much good to Kai at the moment, especially alone."

There was a pause, and then Miguel asked, "Have you contacted Kai's other team?"

"Not yet; I planned on getting in touch with them as soon as I was done taking care of Brooklyn and Tala. You may call them. It would give you something to do. Don't get too worked up, though, please."

Miguel answered quickly, "I'll talk to them."

I jerked away from the door as Spencer opened it and stepped into the hall, trying to look innocent, as though I just happened to be there. Spencer, of course, didn't buy it.

"Eavesdropping, Tala?" he asked bluntly, though there was amusement in his eyes.

"No, I was just going for a walk," I replied heatedly, attempting to defend myself.

"Didn't I tell you to stay put?"

I frowned. "I don't know, probably."

Spencer sighed, looking tired. "Come on, I'll wrap up your ribs now."

"But I wanna…."

I stopped whining abruptly as Spencer sent me an irritated look. He was even less prone to displays of emotion than Kai was, so seeing his thoughts written so clearly across his face was intimidating. I meekly stumbled back to the medic room and perched on the table, waiting.

Everything hurt, from the movement of my hips as I sat down to the twist of my arms as I removed my shirt. I bit back a complaint as Spencer felt my bruised ribs for possible breaks and dislocations, hoping he would finish soon and give me some good painkillers.

Finally Spencer finished binding wide strips of white cloth around my body and stepped away. "How's it look?" I asked uncertainly. Please don't tell me I have to stay here….

Spencer looked up, his gaze piercing. "Unfortunately, unlike most doctors I cannot expect my patients to obey my wishes when I tell them to take it easy. I can only hope you do not over-exert yourself."

"Cool, so I can go?" I said, hopping of the table. Mistake. I clutched at my sides, swearing.

Spencer rolled his eyes and handed me a paper cup filled with water; when I turned toward him he was sifting through a cupboard on the wall. After a few moments he handed me a small plastic bottle.

"Here, take two of these."

"Spencer," Miguel breathed as he walked into the medic room. We both looked at him.

"Did you call the Breakers?" asked Spencer.

"Yeah and I got Hilary but after she asked who it was, she told me to wait and hung up."

"Hm, perhaps they are busy," Spencer mused. "That makes things more difficult."

Just as those words left his mouth a faint buzzing noise sounded overhead: the door alarm. Looking at each other in confusion, Miguel and I followed Spencer, who had started for the source of the noise instantly.

As we neared the entrance of our hide-away Brooklyn started into the hall; a surprised "Oh," jumped from his lips when he caught sight of us approaching.

"A group of kids just dropped in," he said uncertainly. "They said they are friends of Kai's."

"Hey Spencer, Tala, Miguel!" voices babbled as several younger teens flocked into view behind Brooklyn, waving cheerfully.

"Sorry about the call, Miguel." Hilary continued. "We were so close that I figured we should just talk in person." She turned to Spencer, our deputy leader. "So, where can we set up our spy equipment?"

------

Two minutes later an impressive array of computer screens, wiring and antennas had been laid out in our den. As Kenny set about organizing and hooking things up, Hilary briskly launched into a description of why they were here.

"Sorry about dropping in unannounced but this is major. Our routine surveillance picked up a security tape of your fight and of Kai being captured. It looked nasty, so we figured you guys would need some help. We have further information too. Kai is being shipped out for Russia around midnight, which gives us less than six hours to get a plan up and active."

Overwhelmed by the flow of words from the girl's mouth, I blurted out, "That was routine surveillance?"

"We like to know everything that happens in this city," smiled a second girl who I've heard introduced as Julia. "Kenny works the net and online communication channels. Hil and I handle anything related to word-of-mouth. We know every rat this side of the country."

Nodding briefly, as though this information was no surprise to him, Spencer settled into a chair near Kenny's set-up. "Tell us everything you know."

--------

Hilary and Julia could talk the hind leg off a horse. I collapsed into a chair after several minutes of unending babble, agitatedly examining the ceiling while I waited for the monologue to end and a plan to emerge. Miguel also took a seat, and Spencer found time to patch up Brooklyn's bruises while he carefully listened to the girls. He has infinite patience.

Somewhere in the midst of endless explanations, calculations and details, Kenny nudged Hilary and pointed out something on a screen in front of him. He had been typing furiously for a while, long enough that I could not remember when he began. The girl turned back to Spencer and said, "Bryan is on his way," before picking back up with logistics and stats.

Knowing that my friend would soon be back and it would be easier to force the group into action with him here, fresh from a fight, I now turned my attention to awaiting Bryan's return. The minutes seemed to stretch into hours as I listened for the sound of an engine or our garage door.

Finally I caught a noise outside that was growing in pitch and volume as it approached; I jumped out of my chair and bounded from the room.

As I reached the garage Bryan jumped out of an unfamiliar vehicle which he must have stolen and grabbed a rifle, pointing it behind him to where another, sleeker auto was slipping in beneath the closing door.

"Don't shoot!" a voice called apprehensively. "Bryan, it's us!"

My silver-haired friend lowered the gun slightly as a short blond tumbled out of the driver seat, baby blue eyes lifted pleadingly. Recognition dawned on me as Bryan turned heel, stowing the rifle out of sight.

Reassured that he was not about to get shot, Max called, "Hey Tala, how's it going?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Hilary called all of us," another teen answered as two more boys climbed out of the vehicle. Both wore their hair long and braided, though one's face was surrounded by black spikes and the other by blond. "We asked Max to pick us up."

"Geez, how many people are coming?" I asked peevishly, rubbing my forehead.

Rei and Mystel looked at each other, shrugging. "If the girls and Chief are already here, that's about the whole team," Rei said.

"Great," I said sarcastically, turning to follow Bryan inside. Rei, Mystel and Max trooped in after me.

--------

Several steps behind Bryan, I heard Spencer ask how his mission faired as the silver-haired gangster entered the den.

"I took out a few auxiliaries but they made it back to Boris's complex before I could get at Kai and the kid," Bryan reported sourly, throwing himself into a seat. He was dirtier but no more blood-splattered than he had been at the mall, so I guessed the chase must have taken place entirely on the road. I wished I had been there. I would not have come back empty-handed if it killed me.

"It will be quite difficult to get in, hmm?" Spencer asked quietly.

"Unless you want to blow the place open, yeah."

"Sweet!" squeaked a high-pitched voice – Ian was home. Our diminutive compatriot bounced into the room enthusiastically, rapidly telling everyone all the possible scenarios he could create that would end in a large very boom.

"Effective, but not very subtle," Julia interrupted diplomatically. "If we're going to get your friends out alive, the mobsters have to not know that we are there."

"What do you suggest we do," I spat back, completely fed up with all the talking. I needed to be out on the road, accomplishing something. All this talking was driving me nuts.

Hilary gave me a silencing look as she propped up a large drawing pad in front of us. On it was a basic layout of what I assumed was Boris's base. She began tracing action paths through the map while explaining what we each were supposed to do.

"Ok, listen up. Kenny needs to hook into their internal system to find the exact location of our targets. Tala, I know you're injured, so you will cover him – you shouldn't get into too much trouble that way."

"But—" I started to protest, but she cut me off.

"Spencer will remain outside as back-up. Bryan and Max will head to the garage. There will probably be a heavy guard but it still should be easier to get at Kai in transit, so we'll try to catch him en route to the vehicles."

"I'm going with them," Miguel said firmly.

Max smiled up at the taller blond. "You can ride with me. My racer has enough room."

"Fine. Mystel and Rei will infiltrate the interior of the complex with Ian. It seems likely that Raul will be held near the center, close to where Boris is located."

"I have to be there," I insisted, standing.

"Are you sure?" Rei asked. "We're taking the vent system. You might not fit."

"Then I'll go on the ground."

"Could be dangerous," Hilary stated. "And we need you here." She pointed at my dot near the exterior.

"Look, girly," I argued, stepping right up to her so I towered over the girl. "I am not sitting by on the sidelines. I don't care about your plan, I'm going in there and getting Raul and Kai out."

"Listen, hothead," she threw back, apparently unimpressed. "If you screw up the plan, then we may not be able to rescue your friends. You're injured—"

"I'm fine!"

"—And you'll be no use to anyone dead. Rei's team will be hidden and actually able to penetrate the interior without being detected."

"That's what we're good for," Mystel said cheerfully. I glared at him. Rei stepped in front of him, glaring back.

"This is our only chance," Hilary concluded decisively. "Don't let your stupid pride wreck it."

"I am not—"

A large firm hand gripped my shoulder. "Tala, please," Spencer implored, his voice soothing and low. "Why don't you go calm down for a while? Get something to eat."

"I don't need to calm down!"

But Brooklyn was walking toward the entrance of the den and Spencer followed. "Please continue without us," he told Hilary politely as he dragged me through the door, ignoring my curses and protests.

--------

"I'm not hungry," I complained moodily. Spencer and Brooklyn had escorted me to the kitchen to cool off, and Spencer was looking for input on what to serve for dinner.

"Brooklyn?" he asked.

The other redhead approached Spencer with soft steps, laying a hand on the blonde's muscular arm and looking with him at the contents of our kitchen. They began discussing dinner plans in a homey manner.

I glanced toward the door, wondering if I could make a break for it before they noticed. Without even glancing in my direction, Spencer called, "Tala, sit."

Huffing, I folded my arms over my chest and glared at the back of Spencer's broad shoulders. He caught my eye briefly before returning his attention to Brooklyn.

And so it continued for half an hour as they prepared dinner for a dozen people and I refused to help.

I remained stubbornly uncommunicative through the loud, chaotic ordeal that was dinner, barely moving or taking any notice of the crowd around me. My mind fixated on how skinny Raul was as I stared at the plate set before me, which I did not touch, despite Brooklyn's encouragement that I eat and Bryan's threat to steal my food. He and Ian ended up splitting it.

Fed up with the all the insanity of having twelve people in my space, I stalked away deeper into our base, trying to avoid all human contact. The kitchen, garage and den were all occupied and people kept running through the halls on their way to and from fetching things that they would need for our rescue mission. My search for quiet eventually I brought me to my own room.

I slammed the door shut and dropped onto my bed, gazing with half-lidded eyes at one corner and window. A small amount of light was seeping into my unlit room from the streetlights outside, providing slight illumination to the dark decorations adorning the walls. I stared blankly at a half-lit poster of an old metal band, then let my eyes drift shut.

--------

"Tala."

An insistent knock on the door disturbed my sleep; I rolled onto my stomach and grumbled, not awake enough to reply. The knock sounded again.

"Tala, we're leaving."

"Goh'way," I protested thickly. The door opened.

"Rescue mission T-minus two," Bryan teased, throwing something onto the bed next to me. I blinked a few times, then rubbed my face vigorously with both hands, trying to eradicate the sleepiness from my brain.

"What?"

"Man, we're out of here! I thought you'd be the first one ready."

"Oh," I replied, sitting up. My hand met the thing that Bryan had thrown at me, which turned out to be my riding jacket. I picked it up. "Yeah, let's go."

He was already gone as I stumbled to my feet, trying to stretch and yawn and walk at the same time. I pulled my jacket over my arms, temporarily hiding sleep-dazed eyes in the worn leather sleeves.

Walking with my eyes closed was of course a bad idea, as I managed to collide with someone. "Ya ok there, Red?" Ian joked, adjusting his hold on the armful of explosives he was carrying.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I said flatly, firmly. "Let's get moving."

------

When I first thought up this story idea, none of this happened. Tala chased down and rescued Raul himself, and Kai and the others were not involved. But you know how stories get more complicated than you mean them too… part of the reason this chapter took so long. The other main reason of course was that I was busy, and I didn't know what was going to happen or how to get there so I stopped writing for a long time. Sorry!

Yes, the Breakers are a spy network now. How does that work? Hilary uses her boyfriend Tyson as cover to get into certain locations. He's famous, so they get invited places, and very loud, so he causes a distraction for her so she can slip off and do reconnaissance. He of course has no idea what she does because his mouth is so big he would blow the secret in a second.

I know this wasn't what you wanted, but I hope it wasn't too boring. Hope to hear from you! The next chapter, with all the excitement, is underway.

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