Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Xiaolin Showdown. Oh, and on a side note, I saw a Jack Spicer cosplayer at Otakon and stalked him for a better part of my trip. Are you proud of me?

Chapter 14

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"Kimiko…come inside. Raimundo isn't comin' back any time soon. Sittin' here ain't gonna change that."

Clay placed a heavy palm on her shoulder and tried to steer her back towards the Temple, but she numbly shook her head and stared out at the darkening mountains. Kimiko had been sitting there for days, watching for any sign that Raimundo would return. It had been a week so far without any word from him and everyone was anxious.

But Kimiko had taken it the hardest. From the moment that she heard he was missing, she had become a walking ghost. There were dark shadows under her eyes from lack of sleep, and her body was pale. She barely ate anything and was always quiet, always searching the darkness for his approaching figure. And now, she couldn't be moved from her perch on the crumbling rocks surrounding the Temple.

As Kimiko didn't respond to Clay's touch, Jack came forward with Dojo and sat besides her. In the past few days, the tension between the two had faded away, as their concern for Kimiko was more important. Clay and Jack had even been working together, although they still were very uncomfortable with each other.

"Kimiko…"

"He knows we need to stay together," she interrupted bitterly, her voice shaking. "Raimundo knows we can't be separated! We can't take down Chase without him, we don't have the power. And I just got back, why would he run away now?"

Clay and Jack both reached for her at the same time, then awkwardly pulled back when they saw the other. So, instead, Dojo crawled into her lap and crossed his scaly arms.

"Kim, you know Raimundo better than everyone. He's a hothead! We just need to let him do what he needs to do, and when he's ready to come home, he will. Raimundo isn't stupid; he won't do anything rash that would get him captured. Just relax and stop worrying so much. He'll come back." Dojo sounded confident enough, but it was clear that he was worried too. Raimundo did not have the best track record when he went off on his own.

Kimiko sighed heavily and brought her legs up to her chest, forcing Dojo off of her. At last, Jack looked over to Clay and put his arm around her. When Clay showed no signs of bitterness, he let his shoulders fall, and Kimiko curled up besides him. Clay gently put his hand on her knee, and Dojo crawled back around her feet. Together, the little group sat in silence, staring out at the slowly rising moon in the blood red sky. Yet, the moment seemed empty without its final member. Kimiko's body tensed as she took a deep breath, and Clay glanced back over her head to Jack.

At last, when the moon had risen directly overhead, Clay spoke. "We're runnin' out of supplies," he said, his voice unusually low. "We hit the last of the bread yesterday, and we barely have any meat left. It's time for another food raid." He met Jack's gaze and frowned. The same thought was on their mind, but Clay shook his head and continued on.

"Since Kimiko is too weak to travel, she'll have to stay here. But she also needs someone with her, jus' in case-"

"I'm not weak," she interrupted, hurriedly breaking free of their grasps. She shakily rose to her feet and crossed her arms, glaring at Clay and Jack all the while. "My wounds healed over days ago, and I can walk. Don't leave me-"

"What about Raimundo, Kim?" Clay cut her off, his voice a bit stronger. "If he comes back while we're gone, he may think we left or got captured. Someone needs to stay here and wait…and no offense, little lady, but I think you could use some more down time. If we face any of Chase's warriors, you're in no condition to fight." He nodded at her already shaking legs from the exhaustion of standing up, and Kimiko's face fell.

"I'll stay with her," Jack said softly, raising his head to meet Clay's uneasy eyes. "My wounds are a lot better already than Kimiko's…I can protect her if something happens. Plus, I've never done a raid before. It might be easier if just you and Dojo go out, I don't want to mess anything up."

He could see the apprehension and unwillingness in Clay's face, but Jack kept his own expression steady. Kimiko looked indifferent, her own gaze drawn back to the darkened mountains before them. There was a long moment of silence, and at last, Clay let out a defeated sigh.

"It's settled then," he said softly. "We'll leave tomorrow. Come on Kimiko, let's get you inside…We could all use some sleep."

She nodded dejectedly, though her eyes did not move from the mountains. Slowly, Clay wrapped his arms around her and effortlessly lifted her body into his arms. She didn't resist, and merely curled against his chest. "I miss him," she whispered, closing her eyes. Jack got to his feet and followed as Dojo and Clay walked back towards the Temple.

"We all do, Kim…We all do."

The following morning, Kimiko stood hesitantly back by the Temple while Clay and Jack loaded the bags he needed onto Dojo's back. Jack fastened the final bag around Dojo's stomach while Clay held it steady on top.

"You're sure you can manage without me, partner?" Clay asked uncertainly, his eyes betraying his deeper fears. "We can always hold back a few more days for Raimundo, and go when he comes back-"

"I'll be fine," Jack reassured him, straightening his back. "I feel better every day, and Kimiko is almost ready to fight again. Besides, if anything happens, we have the rest of the Shen Gong Wu. We'll be okay."

"Keep her safe, Jack," Dojo said simply. He stretched his back, trying to get used to the feel of the packs he would be flying with. Jack smiled and laid a hand on his cool scales.

"You too, Dojo. Be careful flying, you never know who will be watching the skies."

The movement of Kimiko slowly walking towards them caught Clay's eyes, and he turned to Jack. He laid a heavy palm on his shoulder, his face suddenly serious. "What I'm worried about the most," he said quietly, with a glance in Kimiko's direction, "is that Raimundo will come back when I'm not here. You know how he feels about you…He might try to pull something…and I won't be around to stop him from hurting you."

Jack's eyes darkened and Clay knew he had considered the same thing. "If he does," he said coolly, his face perfectly serious, "I'll be ready. I'm not going to put up with him any longer."

Clay sighed and released his shoulder, then stepped away. "Just be careful," he murmured, his face suddenly growing more positive as Kimiko approached. Clay swooped her into his arms and twirled around with her as she laughed. "We'll be back in a few days, lil' lady," he said jokingly, finally putting her down. "Behave yourself. Don' set Jack on fire or anything."

"Stay safe," she said lightly, though a forced smile on her face. "We'll be fine here." Kimiko quickly walked up to Dojo's front and hugged him, giving him a tender pat on his scales. "If anything goes wrong, get back here as soon as you can. We'll all leave together. No one is getting left behind."

Clay patted her shoulder before he climbed up onto Dojo. Jack wrapped his arms around Kimiko's shoulders. "Be safe," she murmured softly, and Jack held onto her tighter. Dojo rose into the skies, and the two watched as they disappeared into the red horizons. Then, with a sigh, they turned back towards the Temple.

There was nothing to do now, but wait.

The next morning, there was a note.

Jack wearily sat up in his bed as he saw the scrap of paper lying innocently by his pillow, and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. He looked over to the side of him, where Kimiko was still sleeping peacefully, and frowned. Someone had been here over night…how had Jack not heard them? This troubled him immensely as he reached for the paper; already he was doing a terrible job of keeping Kimiko safe. The intruder could have slit their throats while they were sleeping…But how would they have known Kimiko and Jack were even here? Nothing made sense.

He unfolded the paper and scanned the note, his body stiffening. The untidy, boyish scrawl was all too familiar. His heart began to pound as he glanced over at Kimiko nervously. She was still lying innocently, unaware that someone had been in their room last night. Jack shook his head and looked back down to the note.

I can't stay away from her any longer. I need her. The dragons need me.

I know we have our differences, and I want to correct them.

I want to talk things out. I'm tired of fighting.

I know how much you mean to her.

Meet me. Tomorrow, dawn, in the mountain valley. Alone.

Don't worry Kimiko. She has enough on her mind as it is.

The note was unsigned, but Jack didn't need a name to know who it was from.

Raimundo.

He felt cold as he slowly tucked the letter into his robes, his mind already whirling with questions. Could Raimundo really want to make up? He slowly lay back down and wrapped an arm around Kimiko's waist, holding her protectively against him. He couldn't imagine Raimundo ever wanting to talk…but perhaps, Kimiko was worth it.

Or maybe, Raimundo was luring Jack to his death. He could be walking straight into an ambush, leaving the three Xiaolin warriors alone…just as they had been before. Perhaps Raimundo would attack him and finish him off, instead of talking at all. It was entirely possible.

In any case, Jack knew he would go. He didn't want to leave Kimiko by herself, but what other choice did he have? What would Raimundo do next if Jack didn't come? Kill him in front of her? He sighed heavily and closed his eyes, letting his body finally relax next to hers. He would worry about it when they both were awake.

The skies were still blood red with the darkness of night when Jack arose the next morning. Quietly, he detached his arms from around Kimiko's body and replaced them with a blanket. She merely clutched at the fabric and rolled over, her innocent sleeping face unchanging. Jack's gaze lingered upon her before he forced himself to his feet and began to get ready. He pulled on a set of robes that Clay had left for him, his heart pounding all the while.

Clay had taken the Fist of Tebigong with him for protection, and Raimundo had stolen the Wings of Tenabi, so only two Shen Gong Wu were left. Jack frowned as he slipped the Mantis Flip Coin into his pocket, his fingers lightly tracing over the carved designs. It had been so long since he had even touched Shen Gong Wu...After Chase had taken over the world, they had stopped revealing themselves completely. And with the rest of them possessed by Chase and his warriors, Jack hadn't used one in years.

He shook his head and grabbed his pack, then looked around the tiny room. Jack bent down and softly kissed Kimiko on her forehead, brushing one of his hands along her cheek. Then, with a sigh, he dropped his own note by her pillow and straightened his back. He only had an hour at most until dawn, and he wanted to be ready.

Slowly, he left the tiny building, making sure to shut the door firmly behind him. He was sure Kimiko would be safe in his absence, though he knew she would be angry when she discovered that he was gone. Jack trudged through the broken Temple grounds to the rough path in the mountains, and began to walk.

What was he going to say to Raimundo? The Xiaolin Dragon obviously expected him to make amends, but what could Jack say? He wasn't going to give up Kimiko, nor was he going to apologize for anything he had done that had angered Raimundo.

These thoughts troubled him as he followed the path to the mountains, knowing exactly where Raimundo wanted to meet him. It was a large, grassy opening where he knew the Dragons had once trained, bordered by what had once been a large forest and the tall mountains beyond it.

The sun had just started to rise as he reached the valley. The lush grasses he remembered had withered and fallen into a dirty track of land, and the trees surrounding it were just bare skeletons by now. Jack cautiously edged into the valley, his eyes scanning the tree line for any sign of movement. He was utterly alone.

After a few minutes of silence, Jack moved into the center of the valley and slipped his pack from his shoulders. It was past dawn now, and the red sun was steadily making its way higher into the sky. Shadows from the bare trees stretched out in front of him, and Jack felt a shiver run down his spine. Something wasn't right here. It was too quiet, and Raimundo should have been here by now. Jack frowned and decided to wait just a little longer. He pulled a small dagger from his bag into the pockets of his robe and made sure the Mantis Flip Coin was still within easy reach.

There was a sudden moment of eerie silence, and Jack felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Then, his body froze as a new sound filled the air, almost as if a bullet had just been fired from the trees.

He only had a split second to realize what it meant before there was a loud crack in front of him, and Jack was thrown into the rough earth. He cried out in surprise and fear as thick cords wrapped around him, binding him from head to toe, even gagging him. His heart was beating frantically as he struggled against the metallic bonds, which only continued to constrict him tighter. He knew it was no good to struggle…after all, he had designed them.

Tiny capsules, shot by regular guns, which exploded midair and could bind a target in mere seconds. Chase had wanted to easily capture humans, and so Jack had invented them a year ago. And now, they were being used against him. He snarled in frustration and twisted his hands, desperately trying to reach into his pocket, where his dagger was.

But before he could, there was a rough kick into his side, and Jack winced as his body was rolled over, his back to the rough earth and his face to the sky. Two figures stood above him, and Jack felt his body grow cold. Chase's warriors. They were dressed like Roman soldiers, but equipped with what looked like the entirety of Jack's inventions from the past year. He bit down hard into the cord gagging him, no longer able to even wiggle.

"It's really him," one of the soldiers said gruffly, though his voice carried a genuine note of surprise. He picked up his foot and nudged it against the markings under Jack's eyes. "Spicer."

"That ruffian was right. It wasn't a hoax," the other warrior responded, his voice the same as his companion's. Jack's body went cold as the warrior spoke, wincing as the foot knocked against his face.

Raimundo had not sent for him to attack him. He had brought Jack here to betray him.

And yet, this explained why there were only two soldiers, instead of a whole regiment. With his capture worth so much, there were probably hundreds of hoaxes for all of the wanted Dragons. Two warriors were more than enough to check a hoax out. And in his case, they were more than enough to bring him down, if he was alone and unaware.

Jack barely had time to register this before his panic set in, and he began his struggled anew. He knew he had to keep calm, but he could barely breathe. If he couldn't escape, he could be dead in hours…and Kimiko was all by herself. She could be in serious trouble if these warriors continued on to the Temple.

As the two warriors began to discuss how they were going to move him, Jack paused for a moment, his mind reeling. His own technology was being used against him…and he had an advantage. After all, he had designed these very restraints …He knew their weaknesses, and how to escape them.

Quickly, he went back to work on getting his hand to his dagger. When the capsules exploded, they left a small knob on the back of the victim's neck, where only a warrior could access if the victim didn't know what they were looking for. The cords were usually deactivated using a computerized control, but if they failed to open, Jack knew they could be opened manually. He had placed a tiny slit there that any sharp object could penetrate. And if he could just slide his dagger into that hole, the cords would retract. It was his only hope.

He grimaced in pain as he finally wrapped his fingers around his dagger, at the expense of his arm. The binds were cutting into his skin now, just as he had designed them to. A bead of cold sweat broke out onto his forehead as he began to wrench his arm behind his back, trying to reach the back of his neck. The two warriors were having a heated debate on the best way to bring him back to headquarters, and Jack knew he didn't have much time left before they made their decision.

With a muffled cry of pain as he dislocated his shoulder, Jack felt the tip of the dagger slide out from between two of the thick metallic cords. He just had to find the knob now; it was only a matter of concentration. With shaking fingers, he managed to prod the tiny bump, though he completely missed the opening. Jack's chest heaved with the efforts of breathing, and he let his shoulders go limp. The pain was beginning to get unbearable, and he could hardly think straight. More sweat broke out upon his forehead as he finally found the tiny slot, and managed to wedge the tiniest, thinnest tip of his dagger inside. Nothing happened.

"We're wasting time. Knock him out and let's go. We'll decide what to do with him when we get back to town."

"Chase is going to honor us for this!" The warrior rubbed his hands together as he stared down at Jack's contorted expression of pain, a smirk on his face. "One traitor down, three lousy kids to go."

Jack's heart jolted in his chest, and he frantically pressed harder on his dagger. The warriors were reaching for him now, their hands wrapping around the binds across his chest as they dragged his immobile body upwards. He panicked, and the corners of his vision flashed with darkness as the pain threatened to consume him. With one final wave of agony, he pressed harder.

There was a click, and suddenly Jack found that nothing was binding him at all.

Raimundo's heart was pounding. His plan had worked.

He had come into the valley well before dawn and hidden in the expanse of dead trees, waiting for Jack to take his bait. It had been easy enough to lure him out here, and even easier to get Chase's soldiers integrated into his plan. Even though the warriors received dozens of false reports each day, they always checked them out. Chase did not tolerate miscalculations, and if a chance to capture one of the four most wanted teenagers in the world was disregarded, there was hell to pay. Chase always found out somehow…and so, Raimundo had two soldiers to do his bidding.

He waited in his hiding spot until the soldiers fired their weapons, and then, he ran. Raimundo practically flew on his feet out into the mountains, where no one could see him. The Wings of Tenabi were too conspicuous to use. His heart continued to pound with exhilaration, and a grin crept onto his face.

The ruins of the Xiaolin Temple were quiet as he finally came upon them, and he slowed his steps. With utmost care, he silently made his way to Kimiko's room, leaving no tracks in the dirt. He slid her door open and peered inside, relief flooding him to find that she was still asleep and perfectly safe. Slowly, Raimundo made her way to his side, and quietly picked up the note Jack had left behind for her. With a look of disgust, he tucked it into his robes to dispose of later and gently put his hands on her arms.

"Kimiko," he whispered softly, though his voice was urgent. "Kimiko, please, wake up. It's me. Raimundo."

Her eyes fluttered open within moments of his gentle shaking. Then, she sat straight up in the futon with a loud gasp, staring at him with wide eyes. "Raimundo," she breathed softly, certain that her eyes were playing tricks on her. Then, Kimiko flung her arms around him. "I thought you weren't coming back!"

"Of course I was, Kim," he said reassuringly, holding her against him. Raimundo smiled gently and tucked a strand of her messy hair behind her ear. "I just needed some…time off. You know me." Raimundo slowly eased his crouch into a kneeling position, his face suddenly growing serious. "But listen, Kimiko," he said, a note of urgency in his voice. "On my way here, I saw Chase's warriors. They're scouting the mountains. They could get here at any moment, we have to go."

"What?" she exclaimed, her body suddenly growing cold. She threw off her blanket and got to her feet as Raimundo hastily rose upright. "N-no! They couldn't have found us so soon!" Kimiko looked around and suddenly froze in mid-step, her face going white. "…Where's Jack?"

"He's out getting water before we leave," Raimundo reassured her, gently grabbing her hands. "I saw him just a few minutes ago. We both agreed it was best to leave now before they find us. Kim, we don't have much time. Grab what supplies you can and we can get going. I have the Wings of Tenabi. Jack said he wanted you out of here as soon as I got to you. He's going to stay behind and wait for Clay, and then they'll meet up with us as soon as they can."

Kimiko's expression flickered to one of confusion, and she tried to step back. Raimundo held on tightly to her hands, his face perfectly serious. "Rai, wait. I'm not leaving without Jack. Do we really have to-"

"Yes," he interrupted firmly. "Neither of use wants to risk losing you again. You're weak, and waiting will mean a fight. I'm not taking that chance." Raimundo let go of her hands as her tense shoulders softened, and began to gather the blankets on the floor.

"I'll get my pack," she said softly, warily. Kimiko glanced towards the open door, where the sun had risen to the top of the sky. This didn't feel right at all, but she didn't have time to figure out what exactly was going on. She trusted Raimundo…what reason did she have not to? Kimiko began to gather what little belongings she had, and shoved them into her bag. At the last moment, she grabbed Jack's extra clothes, and placed them on top. Raimundo had left to see what he could find in the kitchen, and Kimiko soon followed him.

The Temple was eerily calm and silent as she made her way into the main building, where many of the corridors had crumbled and fallen. Raimundo was at the center of it all, where he and Clay had taken to storing the provisions. With a sense of urgency now surrounding her every move, Kimiko made her way quickly and silently, until she found Rai shoving the last of their food down into his own bag. He whirled around at the sound of her approaching, his eyes unexpectedly suspicious and cold. Yet at the sight of her standing in the doorway, his expression immediately softened, and he motioned her in.

"Did you get everything?" he asked her, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

There was a sudden crash somewhere in the Temple, and both of them froze. Kimiko's breath caught in her throat and Raimundo's body went cold as they paused in the kitchen, neither of them making a sound as they listened for what came next.

When the first shout sounded, Kimiko found that Raimundo had latched onto her arm, his face suddenly expressionless and cold. There was another crash, and Kimiko's palms flared up with heat from her element. Someone was in the Temple, and it sounded like they were breaking down what doors were left standing. She frantically looked up to Raimundo, whose expression now frightened her. "Raimundo," she whispered, wincing as another shout sounded, too muffled to be recognizable.

He glanced down at her, then tugged her through the door. "Come on," he whispered forcefully. Kimiko breathed in sharply as he dragged her, rather than led her, through the broken hallways. Why was he being rough with her? She yanked her arm back to her side and quickened her pace to keep with his long strides. Raimundo seemed to barely notice.

The next shout was all too clear.

"KIMIKO! KIMIKO, WHERE ARE YOU?"

She froze mid-step, her eyes wide in confusion. Cold began to seep through her body, numbing her thoughts. It was Jack.

Then what is Raimundo…

There was a whirl of movement to the side of her just as Kimiko opened her mouth to respond. Raimundo pushed her into the wall, caging her body in with his, one hand pressed firmly against her lips. His palm muffled her cry of protest and she tried to jerk out of his hold. His eyes scared her, and Kimiko found that she suddenly was unable to move.

"Kimiko," he whispered, his dark eyes bearing into hers. They were a mixture of anger and fear, urgency and uncertainty. "Kimiko, listen to me," he pleaded, yet his voice was firm. "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't want to scare you. Please, just listen." Kimiko jerked forward against his arms, unable to take her eyes off of his, while Raimundo only pressed against her harder. "Kim, when I saw Chase's warriors, Jack was with them. He was giving them directions to the Temple, betraying us all. He never was good, he was with Chase the entire time. He wants you as his slave again, and he wants Clay and me dead! I was trying to protect you by not telling you, I was-" Raimundo cut off abruptly as another crash sounded, and Jack shouted again.

"Kimiko, please! I know you're there!"

At this, Raimundo pried her off the wall and wrapped a large, tan hand around her wrists, while the other stayed firmly over her mouth. "Don't listen to him, Kimiko!" Raimundo murmured in her ear, pushing her forwards through the rubble. "He's trying to trick you, he's going to hurt you, he's-"

Kimiko twisted her arms violently, breaking his hold on her as she jerked away from his hands. She firmly planted her feet in the cold stone and blocked the narrow stone passage with her body, not allowing him to go any further. "Raimundo," she pleaded, her lips trembling as she tried to whisper. "R-Rai! Please! What's going on? What is Jack doing? What did you do? Please!"

The next crash was entirely too near for Raimundo to handle. With a curse, he grabbed Kimiko by her waist and threw her through the nearest doorway with the use of his element. She crashed to the cold floor as his wind dissipated around her. Kimiko was too stunned to even move. Raimundo had used his element against her…to hurt her.

It was like he was no longer the same person. His face had grown cold again, almost merciless. He didn't even acknowledge her as he began to lift broken blocks with his element, until they were almost entirely sealed within the tiny room. Kimiko could do nothing but watch, her body frozen in panic and terror.

He turned on her then, and quickly advanced. Her body sprang into action as she tried to run for the opening, but he caught her easily. Kimiko resisted forcefully, but Raimundo had grown stronger than she had realized, and he easily wrapped his arms around her. She tried to summon her fire to her palms, but at the last second, she faltered. Kimiko couldn't hurt him, despite what he was doing.

"Don't listen to him," he said again, but his voice had changed. This time, it was a command.

"Kimiko, answer me! If you're with Raimundo, you can't trust him! Get away from him!"

Raimundo's arms tightened around Kimiko, immobilizing her. Yet, he remained silent to Jack's comment, his dark eyes slowly filling with rage.

Jack broke down another close door, and he let out an anguished laugh. "Kimiko, did he tell you what he did to me?" he called out, the sound of splintering wood surrounding him. "…Raimundo led me into an ambush. He led me straight into the arms of Chase's warriors, intending to get me captured and finished off. Did he tell you that he betrayed me? That he betrayed you? Just so that he could have you for himself again? HE TRIED TO HAVE ME KILLED!"

Raimundo's rough hand firmly covered Kimiko's mouth, and she began to struggle again. "Raimundo," she tried to whisper, her words muffled and her throat constricted, "Rai, you're hurting me!" He merely held onto her tighter.

"He's lying. Don't listen to him. He's lying." Kimiko stopped struggling for a moment, her body shaking as realization hit her.

It was easy to detect the lies now.

Just as Kimiko had begun to summon her element again, there was a loud crash in front of them. Smoke and dust filled the tiny room as Raimundo's barrier was knocked down, and a dark figure in the doorway stepped into the light. Raimundo had taken them both to the floor as the debris settled around them, caging her body against the stone. Jack's face was cold and hardened as he looked down at the two on the floor, his now unpitying eyes bearing into Raimundo's. Slowly, Raimundo released Kimiko and stood up, wind ruffling his hair wildly. She stared at them both, unable to move.

"Raimundo," Jack said, in a low, merciless voice Kimiko had never heard before. He took another step forward, and Kimiko was able to see for the first time the deep, bloody welts that lined his bare arms, neck, and chest. Raimundo's expression turned into one entirely filled with hate.

"…I challenge you to a showdown."

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