Chapter 5- Sold

He didn't know what he was doing here. Usually, the young man tried to avoid this section of the market all together. He couldn't bear all the pain and suffering that went on here, all of which Chase had started.

Chase Young. The man despised him, even though he worked greatly for him. He remembered when he had used to idolize Chase, and snorted at the ridiculousness of it. How could anyone admire someone like him?

The day was frigid as he wandered on the pavestone path through the market. A long black cloak tightened around him, he pulled the hood down lower over his eyes so that no one would recognize him.

The man's feet moved without his consent towards the place where he despised the most. Somehow, he was strangely drawn there today. Absentmindedly, he pulled the hood down lower so his eyes were completely covered. They could give him away in an instant.

He made his way between the crowds of people, mostly men. The man stopped in the middle and gazed around. In front of him was a large wooden platform. There was a small stand off to the side, and a crude banner displaying the words: AUCTION TODAY. The man scowled in disgust.

And then, it began. A short little man made his way to the podium as an old woman sitting in a cage was brought to the platform. Within a couple minutes, she was sold to an even older man for only two hundred dollars.

He watched idly as seven more captives were brought before the crowd. His feet begged him to leave, but queerly would not allow him to take a single step. He watched as a little girl, no more than nine, was brought up. Her thumb was in her mouth as she stared, terrified, at the people in front of her. Silent tears ran down her dirty cheeks.

The bidding began for her. Soon, she was bought by an old woman for nine hundred and fifty dollars. The young man knew the little girl would be well taken care of, as he knew that the old woman came to these auctions to take the children.

And then, the air around him stilled in anticipation. He felt his heart beat faster and a cold bead of sweat ran down his face. Time seemed to stop, or at least go into slow motion as the next human was brought to the stage.

She stood defiantly above them all, her eyes cold and deadly. The air surrounding her seemed to dare anyone to even try to buy her.

Kimiko. He had not seen her for three years, yet she was exactly as he remembered her. Taller, thinner and still wearing the tattered red robes that he had seen her wear so many times before, she looked like an older, more mature version of the Kimiko he had once known.

His thoughts were interrupted as the man by the podium began to speak.

"Yes, yes… The next human we have here, seventeen years of age and still innocent," he paused, smiling slyly at the crowd. "Built well, resilient, and apparently very resistive and feisty according to my friends back stage here," the man added, looking over Kimiko. She scowled and spat at him.

"And now, let's start the bidding at a price of five hundred dollars."

A hand shot into the air. "Five hundred!" He turned his gaze to a man standing not twenty feet from him. Covered in a ninja suit, the, man took up nearly five feet of space with his enormous body.

The young man grimaced. Tubbimura.

"Seven hundred!" another voice yelled out.

"One thousand!" Tubbimura shouted back. This quieted the other bidder right up. The assembly of people went silent, not willing to bid over a thousand.

Do something! His mind shouted at him.

Like what?

Tubbimura is going to buy her unless you bid against him.

She'll be fine. It's Kimiko we're talking about. She could beat his ass in an instant.

She's injured! Look at her; you don't know how much she's been through. In her position, she should be dead by now.

The young man gazed at Kimiko. She was in terrible condition. Blood and grime covered her body. There was a cut under one of her eyes, not to mention the many gashes and scrapes lining her arms and legs. But even through the grime, her beauty was astounding. He saw the men around him hastily bring out their wallets, checking for how much cash they contained.

Tubbimura might bring her to Chase! But he could tell by the glow in his eyes that he was planning to do something entirely different.

It's Tubbimura we're talking about. Who knows what he might do to her…

But-

"One thousand dollars, going to the extremely fat man! Once, twice…" the assembly was silent. "So-"

"Two Thousand. The words escaped the young man's lips and quieted the crowd. As if in a daze, he wondered if he had really just said that.

Tubbimura rummaged through his wallet and scowled at him.

"Four thousand!" he cried back.

"Five thousand."

"Seven!"

"Ten thousand." The crowd went silent as the young man made his bid. He felt like he was in a trance. His mind worked separately from his body. Calm filled the air as no one else dared to bid against him.

"Ten thousand. The man in the black cloak. Once…"

He felt Kimiko's eyes harden upon him. The young man looked up to see her staring directly at him. His eyes widened, and then remembered that his long black cloak disguised him. Sighing, he stared at her.

"Twice…"

She was gripping the bar of her cage, slightly swaying back and forth. For the first time in his life, he saw her looking weak and helpless.

"Sold! Ten thousand dollars."

Kimiko's eyes narrowed at him as she was taken off the stage. Silently, he fled the crowd back towards the market. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran through the busy streets. His hood flew back, exposing his bright red hair, but he didn't care. He felt almost happy, but he didn't know why.

It would be at least an hour till the auction came to a close and he could get her. The young man wandered around on the streets, more actually pacing than walking. He looked up, startled, as a large clock rung four times. The sale had come to a close.

Running as fast as he could, he hurried back to the site. He spotted her, glaring at everyone that even glanced in her direction. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the hood back over his eyes and walked calmly towards Kimiko, where a man was waiting for him.

"Ah yes…the winner of number twenty-seven…I do believe you bid ten thousand?"

He nodded and extracted the money, all in cash. The other man's eyes widened.

"Thank you!" he cried, eagerly pocketing the money. "Now, before you take her, I must warn you. We had quite a bit of difficulty with her earlier today…very resistant and strong for her size."

He smiled. "I doubt she'll be of a problem to me. Could you remove her?"

The man frowned. "Take her out of that cage? I'm not sure that's such a good…" Sighing, he brought forth the keys and opened the lock. The door swung open.

Kimiko smiled. This stranger, this man who had bought her- no, taken me, she corrected. She refused to tell herself that she had been sold-looked no stronger than a toothpick. He strangely seemed familiar, but with his eyes hidden, he was nothing but a Heylin enemy.

She could easily escape him with one twist of her wrist, even with her exhaustion and weakness. It was getting out of this evil place that concerned her.

Kimiko watched as he stupidly opened the door to her confinement. The man in the cloak grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of the cage. His grip was surprisingly strong.

Within a second, she twisted her wrist in attempt to loosen his grip and throw him to the ground. Instead, he held her tightly by the wrist and didn't move. Frowning, she quickly yanked away her arm and slid her feet into his to knock him over. He didn't move.

Her head swarm already from her weak attacks. Swaying a little on her feet, she feebly pulled away from his grasp.

The young man quickly swung his arm in and pulled Kimiko forward. Her feet skidded on the ground as she struggled to keep away from him. Quickly with his other hand, he struck her just below the rib in a pressure point. Instantly, she collapsed limp into his arms, unconscious.

Holding her steady, he ripped the cloak off his back and wrapped her shivering form in it, exposing his red hair and unusual red eyes. Bending down, he put his arm under her scratched legs and swung her unconscious body up into his arms. He was surprised at how light she was.

Nodding to the astonished man before him, he pressed a button on his watch. At once, small propellers rose out of a strange backpack-like object hanging on his back. Slowly, he rose into the air, staring down at the girl he was carrying bridal-style in his arms.

The ground soon disappeared below him as he hovered high above the earth. He couldn't help but just watch the girl lying unconscious and injured below him.

Then, he furrowed his eyebrows and frowned. Shaking his head, she looked back down at her.

Why exactly was there a girl lying in his arms? He choked a little. She was one of the Xiaolin Dragons! If Chase found out, he could be killed instantly. Sighing, he tried to figure out why he had done what he did.

Kimiko suddenly moved in his arms. Her eyelids fluttered, and she let out a hoarse cough.

"Jack?" she whispered.

Jack Spicer froze in midair as she spoke his name. His heart pounded in his chest. Letting out another cough, Kimiko went limp again. Jack took a deep breath and flew twice as fast towards his home.

As soon as he landed, Jack strode up to the large silver fence that surrounded his home. It consisted of all his alarms and securities, and would send off his newest Guard-bots if they didn't know how to properly enter. Reaching a small silver box that he had activated with his watch, Jack quickly typed in a code while trying to balance Kimiko. His eyes were quickly scanned by a small device, and the gate flew open.

Striding up to the front door, he entered another code and kicked the door open. He was immediately surrounded by a dozen odd robots he had created. Scowling at them, he went through a hallway to a staircase leading down. He quickly descended the steps, leading into his enormous lab.

Three metal tables rested in the middle of the room, while the walls were covered with bits and pieces of robots. Two computers he had built himself sat in the corner, while an assortment of large wires and half-way finished robots covered areas of the floor. Poor lighting illuminated the room, adding shadows to everything in sight. Frankly, it reminded him of his old evil lair from when he considered himself an evil genius, before Chase's rule.

Ignoring all the evidence of his last three year's work, Jack hurried to the center metal table. He swept off all of the bits of metal, wire and computer chips, and then carefully lowered Kimiko onto the surface.

Coming to his senses at one, he shouted at the dozen robots that had assembled in the corner.

"Yes-bot!" he snapped. A little robot that looked like a waiter flew over to him.

"Yes, Jack! Anything at all, Jack!" Jack rolled his eyes. What had ever moved him to build an annoying robot like this?

"Run a bath in my master bathroom. Get out my first aid kit and every bit of soap you can find. Tell me when it's ready," he ordered.

"Yes, Jack! Anything at all, Jack! Right away J-"

"GO ALREADY THEN!" he shouted. The robot hastily flew away and entered a door straight across from him.

Peeling back his cloak from around her, Jack immediately saw up close how badly hurt she was. Many different cuts and scrapes lined her visible arms and legs. And she was filthy, covered in dirt and grime everywhere.

Jack gently flipped her over so she was lying on her stomach. He gingerly peeled back her tattered robes, exposing a back that was just as dirty and injured as the rest of her body. Jack gasped in shock and disgust. Bastards, he cursed. What did they do to you?

He turned her back over again and delicately slipped the robe from her left shoulder. Jack didn't dare venture any lower, so he just gazed at her unconscious, grimy form. She breathed softly, her chest just barely rising and falling. His lab was silent, not a single sound made.

Suddenly, a robot sprung up on the other side of the table. "JACK!"

"AHHH!!" Jack Spicer screamed and fell over. He hit the ground hard and lay flat on his back.

"Jack, Sir!" called the Yes-bot, flying over and staring down at him.

"What?!" he asked crossly, sitting up.

"Your water is ready, sir!" Jack took a deep breath and stood up, rubbing his head. Note to self: destroy all Yes-bots… He stood by the table once again, and stared down at Kimiko. He glanced through the open doorway at a large bathtub filled with steaming water and gulped nervously.

Picking her back up in his arms, he walked slowly towards his bathroom. Taking another deep breath, he entered, and shut the door behind him.

This was going to be a lot harder than he thought.