"Of course not."

"So then…?"

"Trainees. New recruits."

"New…recruits?"

"They knew that we will be under attack. Of course they are recruiting."

"I know about that! What are you doing with them?"

"Showing them around."

"You?"

"Menial tasks for the more recent guards."

It has to be said. When Alex wasn't whimpering at the gun point, he was pretty fine with his words.

"Maybe we should have given him a chance to talk."

"Yeah, and risk having him scream? Or worse, try to talk us out?" Chiyo smiled silently as Shu and Daichi argued behind her in furious whispers. To her left, Drew was vying for May's attention, who was standing on her right, and was trying hard not to look back or laugh.

"Here, you! Move along, kids! Your tour ain't finished!" They all looked up to see Alex waving his hand in a gesture to follow him, his expressions stern and his voice gruff.

Daichi snickered quietly, "The kid sure got balls." Shu patted his arm and they all followed Alex through the door, past the guard who was giving them a sympathetic look.

O.o

Their headquarters were nothing like May imagined. She thought that it must be sort of old, rocky or something. You know, being the team Magma.

But it looked like a kind of high-tech lair of scientists. Glass doors, metallic finishes, gleaming black tiles and blinding lights.

It would have been sort-of cool if they had time to appreciate it. As it was, they were currently panicking about being thrown out or being thrown in a lava pit if Alex did not manage to talk this overly-suspicious old guard to let them through.

"Yes, yes I was asked to show them around." Alex said exasperatedly, rubbing his forehead.

"Excuse me if I don't believe you." The old man said, peering at them from over his glasses. "These kids don't look like recruits."

"What do they look like?" Alex challenged, "Police officers? Those pets of Shimizu?"

There was a heavy silence as the 'pets of Shimizu' stared at Alex in shock and the old guard stared at Alex with an unfathomable expression. Drew glanced at May nervously who was beginning to fidget with her hands. Alex was still looking annoyed and tapping his foot on the black tiles with his arms crossed.

After few long minutes, the old man made a choking noise. The intruders' bodies tensed for a moment before they deadpanned as the old guard began laughing and continued to laugh.

"Oh…ahaha…" He laughed, like the idea was so ridiculous to even suggest. He waved his hand at Alex, and patted him on his shoulder, "Oh, go on, you! Hahaha…"

Alex rolled his eyes and started moving, motioning for the others to follow him, "Come on, quick. We already wasted a lot of time." The last part was directed at the old guard with a pointed glare. The old man continued laughing

They walked for few minutes in silence before they reached an empty corridor. Alex stumbled to the wall, Daichi and Carlos rushing forward to keep him from falling. They gently settled him on the floor and leaned him against the wall.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Chiyo demanded.

Alex buried his face in his hands, and replied in a muffled voice, "I don't know! I wasn't thinking!"

"You could've blown us!" Daichi exclaimed and Alex groaned louder.

"Guys, stop." Drew said, stepping between the blond and the angry admins. "He took a blind shot, but it worked, didn't it?"

Daichi threw him one last dirty look before sighing resignedly. Shu sighed heavily, "Alright, Alex. Calm down. Take your time."

"But quite quickly. We're on a tight schedule, if you people haven't noticed." Damon interjected as Alex continued to mutter to himself, 'So close, so close, I'm stupid!'

"While we're wasting time here, they could have already activated the stone's power and…" Carlos cut himself off and shuddered.

"He's right." Alex said, standing up. He took a deep breath but his right hand was shaking slightly. "Uh, Shu?"

"Yes?" he said man turned around, his face curious but concerned.

"I…I can't go ahead of here. I don't know the way. This is as far as I can take you." As he said this, he moved forward and opened one of the many doors to the left, "The stairs go down to the basement part. They are somewhere down there. I don't know the exact place, I'm sorry."

"Hey, its fine." Shu said, clapping Alex on the back, "Thanks for your help, Alex."

"So, you're sure it's down here?" Daichi asked, giving him a scrutinizing look. Alex, for the first time, met his eyes and nodded. Daichi nodded slightly after a few minutes and gestured for the others to move. Shu led the line, followed by Drew and May, and then Carlos and Damon. Chiyo looked at Daichi who motioned for her to move. After a last fleeting glance, Chiyo followed the others.

Daichi turned to Alex, "Why are you helping us?"

Alex looked taken aback with the question, "Excuse me? What?"

"Why did you help us till here? Why get us past those guards? We were completely at your mercy; you could've got us killed any time."

Alex gave him a grudging smile, "At my mercy? Did you think that I did not know about the whole infiltration? Did you think I did not notice that too few guards were on duty today? I know that your people were leading the guards away. And the attack on the outside. It called on the best of the Magma-dan to defend the headquarters. Do you think I'm stupid?"

Daichi gave him an appreciative look, "Nice. Good observation, kid."

"Thanks." Alex smiled. Daichi moved to the door to follow the others before backtracking. Alex looked at him with a questioning look.

"This is not a trap, is it?"

"No. I swear, it's not." Alex replied without hesitation, and then added with a sly grin, "I don't doubt that you people can defeat them, even if it is a trap."

Daichi gave him a weird look before following his friends down the stairs. Alex sighed and turned back to go on his duty.

Well, looks like his job is done. Now he can go back to sitting on his stool now that his share of excitement is over.

Please read and review, thank you.
SA2208