Chapter 4

Cassandra stood in a line again shoulder to shoulder with the other guys. In front of her was a long tunnel. Cassandra was sure that there would be no end to the tunnel. The walls around her were made of solid red bricks. Cassandra started to wonder why only in the tunnels where the courses were was there color. Cassandra heard footsteps behind her. She glanced to see higher ups line up behind them. She stared in front of her trying to stop herself from glancing at them again. She stuck her hand in her pocket to keep herself distracted. She felt the note that Hinata had given her. I need to make sure I don't drop this. I best check on it several times in the course.

"Ready…" Cassandra was brought out of her thoughts by one of the higher ups' voice. "Set…" Cassandra got ready to run. "Go!" Cassandra ran off before she got a shock of electricity threw her. Behind her she could hear the guys running after her. Cassandra didn't stop and wait for them until she got an opportunity to. Little did she know that the opportunity would come sooner than she thought.

Cassandra quickly came up to a problem. She stopped running and accessed the problem. In front of her were two tunnels that went in different directions. One tunnel went northwest and the other went northeast. Behind her Cassandra could hear the guys catching up to her. The guys stopped running around her. They quickly realized why she had stopped. They all stood still until Chioukichi walked forward to where he was in front of everyone. He looked at both tunnels then turned around and faced them.

"Akira." Chioukichi pointed a thumb at the tunnels. "Which one is the right tunnel?" Akira pushed his glasses up his nose and walked up to Chioukichi. He looked at the tunnels. A smile found its way to his face. He turned his head and looked a Chioukichi.

"Neither." Akira looked at everyone else. His smile got slightly bigger.

"Neither?" Chioukichi got a confused look to his face.

"Yes. Neither." Akira nodded his head as he spoke. Kei stepped forward and looked at Akira.

"How can it be neither? There are only two ways to go. The only other way is back from where we came and if we go that way we'll just get beaten until death." Akira walked over to the far right wall as Kei spoke. Akira placed his hand on the wall in front of him. He ran it to the left about a foot before he stopped. He looked at Kei and smiled once again.

"The reason why it's neither is because this is the way." All of a sudden Akira gripped the wall and pulled to the left. The wall started to move with Akira. When Akira was done moving the wall before them stood another tunnel.

Cassandra was amazed that Akira found the tunnel. As Cassandra looked around at everyone else she realized that she wasn't the only one. Everyone had either an amazed look to their faces or surprised. Chioukichi was the only one who didn't look surprised or amazed. He had a look that showed he expected Akira to do something like that. Chioukichi walked up to Akira and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Nice job Akira." Chioukichi looked at everyone else. "Let's go guys." He looked down the tunnel. "We'll need to take it slowly for now. Something tells me the higher ups are going to try to trick us. Akira you keep front." Chioukichi looked at Fusao. "You're at the back." Chioukichi looked at everyone else. "I'll be after Akira. Behind me will be Kuya. Behind him are Kei, then Souta, next Akio, then Kazuya." Chioukichi looked at Cassandra. "Cassandra I want you to be behind Kazuya and in front of Fusao. This is your second time doing this, so I want to make sure that you don't get tripped in one of the higher ups trick houses."

"Trick house?" Cassandra was confused by the words Chioukichi used.

"Sometimes we'll get straight up courses like last time. Other times well get courses that trick us like this door. Everyone calls them trick houses."

"Oh ok." Chioukichi nodded his head.

"Ok everyone. Let's go!" Everyone threw their fist into the air.

"YEA!" They all filed into the narrow tunnel in the order Chioukichi told them to. Cassandra went in after Kazuya. Behind her followed Fusao.

"Don't worry. We've got your back." Cassandra smiled at Fusao's reassurance. She turned her head slightly to the right so he could see her face.

"Thanks and I've yours too." Fusao let out a little chuckle when she said this.

Cassandra turned her head fully to the front. She realized that the walls slowly turned from brick to rock. The rocks were bumpy and uneven. Some were smooth. She looked at the ground. The ground was solid but was covered in dirt. It was as if the higher up were trying to make this course look like a cave. Why would they do that? Cassandra shook her head trying to clear it. She had to stay focus on what was going on then.

Cassandra watched everyone in front of her inch along. As she watched them she quickly realized something was wrong. The tunnel that was narrow only seconds before was slowly growing. This could be good or bad. Cassandra soon found out what it was. They came up to two tunnels again. Both tunnels going in different directions. Cassandra could hear everyone heaving a sigh of irritation. She felt like heaving one herself.

"Akira. Which way do we go now?" Cassandra looked at Akira. He had a hand to his chin. She could tell he was really thinking. As Cassandra watched him she slowly realized what he was thinking. She slowly realized why he was thinking so hard.

"Both ways," she whispered. Fusao, who was closest to her, looked at her.

"What do you mean?" Akira smiled a weary smile to show that he had heard what Cassandra said. Cassandra quickly realized that she was right.

"She's right," Akira said slowly. Fusao looked at him.

"What do you mean?" Cassandra could see the uneasiness on Akira's face. She knew he was about to tell them something that they didn't want to hear.

"We have to go both ways." Everyone turned and looked at Akira. Disbelief covered their faces in an instant. They all started to voice their protest. Cassandra knew that they that to stop protesting in order for them to continue. She took a deep breath.

"EVERYONE SHUT-UP!" Everyone looked at Cassandra. Cassandra chose to ignore them but Akira. "Akira please explain. Why we need to take both paths?" Akira nodded his head in thanks. Before he spoke he had to push his red tipped brown hair out of his eyes.

"We have to go both ways. Reason why is because something tells me that later on we'll need to do something in both tunnels in order to continue."

"Something tells you," Kei asked.

"Yes… Just a gut feeling…" At that moment Chioukichi stepped toward Akira. He placed a hand on Akira's shoulder.

"Has your feelings ever been wrong?" Chioukichi looked around to see if any objected. When no one did he smiled. "Ok so now that that's decided. How are we going to split the groups?"

"Being how we have ten people it'll be even." Fusao step forward, as if saying he already had the groups planned out. What he said next confirmed Cassandra's thoughts. "I have an idea of what the groups should be. If you don't mind me dividing them up." Chioukichi smiled at him.

"You know very well Fusao that we trust what you say more than anything." Fusao smiled back at Chioukichi and nodded his head in thanks.

"Well then, I guess I'll say the groups." Fusao made a hand gester for everyone to gather around him. When they did Fusao told the groups. "Kazuya, Kuya, Souta, Akira, and Cassandra you guys go into the right tunnel. That leaves Atsuo, Kei, Akio, Chioukichi, and me to the left tunnel. We all need to be extremely careful. I'm guessing that I'm not the only one who's got bad feelings about this new course." Fusao looked at everyone. "Be careful." He looked at Akira. "Will we meet up again?" Akira nodded his head.

"Yes. If my feelings correct then we will meet up again long before we finish this course."

"Why is it that what you just said scares me?" Chioukichi heaved a sigh. Kei landed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry. I have that same feeling." They smiled at each other.

"So you guys ready to go? Or do ya'll need more time to flirt with each other?" Akio said this with a cheery yet flat tone. Cassandra was amazed that he could make it sound like that. Chioukichi and Kei just glared at him. He smiled in return.

"Ok enough of this lets go." Fusao said with sternness in his voice. Everyone walked to the tunnel that they were supposed to go in. Before they went into their tunnel, they looked at each other. "Let's all make sure that we meet up again in one peace."

"Yea!" They all threw their fist into the air and went into their tunnel. Cassandra was the last to go into her tunnel. After she went in a huge rock wall closed off the way that they had come in. Everyone jumped when they heard it close. They looked at each other as if unsure of what to do next.

"Let's go you guys. The faster we get down this tunnel the better." Everyone silently agreed with Kazuya. He started to walk down the tunnel. Everyone followed him. Cassandra stayed in the back. Feeling she was better off there. At that moment Akira turned around swiftly.

"RUN!" He took off running. Behind Cassandra a huge boulder fell from the ceiling. It scrapped the sides of the tunnel slightly. Fear rushed through Cassandra as she took off running. Everyone in front of her ran as fast as they could. But as they ran Cassandra knew something was up. She quickly found out what. "Kazuya! Jump now!" Kazuya jumped and dodged a pole that shot out of the wall in an instant. "Souta, duck!"

"Got it," Souta said as he ducked. When he did a huge pole shoot out of the middle of the wall. Akira and Cassandra had to jump over it to continue running.

"In about 10 seconds I'll say jump and ya'll jump.

"Ok, "Everyone said in response to him.

"Jump!" Everyone jumped in an instant. As Cassandra hit the ground she looked behind herself to see what she had jumped over. AS she hit the ground dust flew up behind her which allowed her to see the object that she jumped. It was a red laser. As Cassandra turned her head forward she silently thanked Akira for catching it.

"Kuya, run up the wall and step on that big fat rock on the ceiling."

Kuya nodded his head. He started to run faster and faster then suddenly ran up the wall. He ran on the ceiling and stepped on a rock that looked like a button. When he stepped on it bars came up behind Cassandra. It stopped the bolder in its track. After everyone realized what had just happened they stopped running. Every one of them was breathing hard. They looked at each other. Souta looked at Akira.

"How did you know that the button was there, and that it was going to stop the boulder?" Akira smiled at Souta.

"I was looking around for a place to escape and I saw that rock. It looked too fake to be a rock, so I guessed that it was a button. I didn't know if it would help us or not. Glad it did though."

"Same here." Kuya took a breath before he spoke again. "That was so hard."

"Sorry Kuya. You were that first one to come to mind to make run up the wall and step on the button." Kuya gave Akira a thumb up to show that it was ok.

"Well we best get going after everyone catches their breath." Kazuya looked at Cassandra. "You ok?" Cassandra smiled at him.

"I'm fine. Just surprised is all." All the guys smiled at her.

"That was easy compared to other stuff they make us do." Kuya felt like he needed to inform her. Cassandra felt uneasiness run though her. She gave an uneasy laugh.

"Nice to know." Kuya smiled at her. Souta stood up straight and stretched backward.

"So, are we going to go or what?" Everyone looked around. Cassandra decided to put her thoughts out there.

"We should get going. I think we should take it slow. It seems that we'll need our energy for more extreme stuff." Everyone nodded their head in agreement. They started to walk down the tunnel. Cassandra jogged to where she was walking with Akira. "Hey, can I ask you something." Akira looked at her pushing his glasses up his nose.

"You may."

"How did you know the bolder was going to fall out of the ceiling, and how that pole was going to shoot out of the wall? And how all that other stuff was going to happen."

"I've always had an instinct for this kind of stuff."

"Like a ninja?" Akira chuckled at Cassandra comparison.

"You could say that." Cassandra smiled.

"So when you say always does that mean you even had it when you were living?" Akira nodded his head.

"Yep. It wasn't as strong as it is here though. It bugs me though that it is. It's so illogical!" Cassandra giggled at Akira's complaint. At that moment, though, a dark shadow fell on Akira's face. It wasn't really a scary shadow more like a shadow of despair.

"What's wrong?" Cassandra felt bad instantly even though she didn't know why.

"I was just thinking… I wish they were as strong and quick as they are here when I was living. I bet my life that if they were my mother would have still been alive." Cassandra wanted to ask him what he meant but didn't want to bring up unpleasant memories. Little did Cassandra know was that the question showed up on her face. Akira saw the question on her face and decided to tell her.

"When I was ten my mother and I were out shopping. It had gotten dark quick so we couldn't see much down the road we were going on. We needed to cross the street for some reason. My mother had looked both ways, but we were on a hill. I had felt something bad was about to happen but I didn't know what. If I had had that feeling here I would have known what and when the bad thing was going to happen. But my feelings weren't that strong when I was living. I just thought that because I was still a little kid that I was just afraid of the dark and that was the feeling I felt."

"Well as we're crossing the road all of a sudden lights came over the hill. This car driving way above the speed limit comes over the hill with the lights. Before anything could happen, my mother pushed me out of the way. When I hit the ground I heard something breaking. I turn around to see my mother's body bent in all different directions. A pool of blood started to form around her. Being how I was little I kept calling her name over and over again. I crawled over to her body, splashing in her blood. I shook her lifeless body, as if trying to wake her form a deep sleep. As I shook her my eyes started to burn as tears started to build up."

"After a while another car came up over the hill. This one driving slower. It saw me, so it pulled over. The person driving got out of their car and walked over to me. As soon as they saw my mother they took me by the hand and drug me away from my mother. I kept fighting them, wanting to stay with her, but they just drug me along. They called the police… They were never able to find the person who killed my mother."

"After the funeral I always had this guilty feeling. Everyone told me it wasn't my fault and that it would pass, but it never did. The guilt ate me alive. I kept blaming myself. I kept saying that if my instincts had been stronger then I could have saved her. I think that's why I'm here. So I can save someone with my instincts." Akira fell silent.

"But didn't you just save us?" Akira smiled a week smile.

"Yea but even if ya'll died you'd come back to life no matter what. I need to save someone from a death that they won't be able to come back from." Akira smiled a weak smile. "But like that's going to happen." He looked at Cassandra and smiled a thankful smile. "Thanks for listening to me. I don't know why but I feel like I can trust you with this information."

"So does everyone else," Cassandra mumbled.

"What?" Cassandra quickly realized that he didn't hear her and was thankful for it.

"Just said, that I'm glad that you can." Akira gave her a weird smile.

"Hmm. I don't think that that's what you said, but I'll go along with it." Akira looked ahead. "WE best catch up with everyone." Cassandra looked in front of her. She realized that they had stopped walking, and the others were a good way away from them. Akira and she ran to catch up to them.

Cassandra frowned to herself as she ran. Looks like what Fusao said was true. Anything anyone's told me about their past was either how they died or great pains that they had to live with till death. I bet that anyone who had to live with the pains were grateful for death. Cassandra felt a sad feeling pierce her heart. I wish I could help them in some way. She moved her hand to her pocket and felt the note that Hinata had given her. Well the best I can do is save them from this hell. A memory flashed in her head at that instant.

"I was so poor that the way we're living right now I would have done anything to live this way." The memory was of Atsuo. It was when he was telling her about his life.

Cassandra got a serious look to her face. I'll make it to where he had never wished to have this life. I'll show him a better life by destroying this stupid Facility!

Cassandra and Akira slowed down as they reached the others. They started to walk with them. For some reason Cassandra felt an award silence fall on them. He didn't know why. She shook her head trying to get rid of the feeling. When she stopped she saw a hole in the wall ahead of them. She wasn't the only one either.

"Hey guys look!" Kuya ran ahead of them. He stopped at the hole. He looked into it. "Hey! This might be another way out." Cassandra smiled at the thought of getting out quickly. It made her happy. She glanced at Akira and saw a shiver run down his spine. Fear covered his face in an instant.

"Kuya! Get away from there." Kuya looked at Akira puzzled still standing in front of the new tunnel. As they got closer Cassandra heard it. String snapping as if holding back something heavy. Cassandra knew she had to push Kuya out of the way, but she was to far back. That's when she realized that Souta was already running to push Kuya out of the way. Just as Souta pushed Kuya down a huge hammer came out of the tunnel. It smashed into the wall, causing it to get stuck. Cassandra let out a breath that she didn't know she had been holding in.

Cassandra, Akira, and Kazuya ran to where Souta and Kuya laid. As they got closer Cassandra realized that when Souta pushed Kuya down he had landed on top of him. Souta had his arms wrapped around Kuya's upper and lower back, and Kuya had his arms wrapped around Souta's neck. Kuya had his eyes closed tight. When they did reach them Souta was getting off of Kuya. Souta sat down next to Kuya as Kuya sat up. Kuya had his head slightly facing the floor to where his hair covered his face. Cassandra knew why he did that.

"KUYA! Why didn't you move when Akira told you to!" Cassandra could clearly hear the anger in Souta's voice.

"I-I don't know why…"

"You don't know why! How can you not know why! You almost got killed. Then we would have had to drag your body to the end or leave it." Souta took in a deep breath trying to calm himself down. "Just make sure that when someone tells you to get away from somewhere do it." Kuya nodded his head slowly. Souta sighed and stood up. He offered his hand to Kuya and helped him up. After Kuya was standing up Souta grabbed his shoulder. "Be more careful." He removed his hands and started to walk down the tunnel. He stopped after a while when he realized no one was following him. He turned and looked at everyone. "Well? Come on." He turned back around and started walking again. Kazuya sighed.

"He doesn't get it does he." He sighed again. "Well let's go." Kazuya and Akira started to walk after Souta. Kuya just stood still. Cassandra laid her hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her. His face was beat red. Cassandra had to hold back a laugh.

"Let me guess." Cassandra turned Kuya and made him walk with her after the others. "You're embarrassed that he fell on you, and you don't want him to know that?" Kuya slowly nodded his head. Cassandra smiled. "Thought so."

"It's just that… I like him so much and when he pushed me down so many thoughts went through my head at once. Then my face heated up like it does in the manga when the guy a girl likes trips and falls on them." Kuya shook his head as if to clear it.

"Well, want to know something?" Kuya looked up at her. "When I realized something bad was going to happen after Akira yelled at you I saw that I was too far away. But I also saw that Souta was already close to you. Here's the wired thing. If he had started to run to push you out of the way when or after Atsuo yelled at you he wouldn't have been able to reach you. So if I'm correct he ran after you before Atsuo yelled. So does that mean he knew something was going to happen even before Atsuo? If so, then how?"

Kuya's face got redder after Cassandra spoke. He realized what she was hinting at. She was hinting that Souta liked Kuya so he got an instinct to tell when something bad was going to happen to Kuya. He turned his head away from Cassandra. Cassandra let out a little giggle in return. She looked away from Kuya and saw that they had gotten far away from the others. She looked back at Kuya.

"Come on! We've got to catch up to them." Cassandra took off running. She smiled when she heard Kuya running behind her.

Cassandra stared at the big wall in front of her. On the wall were a series of buttons that formed a square. The buttons kept flashing in different colors. Cassandra had to look away from the buttons. Behind her were Akira, Kazuya, Souta, and Kuya trying to figure out what to do next. They had been arguing for a while.

"It's a pattern! The pattern on which button flashed what color." Kuya thought that the color's had something to do with opening a door.

"There are about fifty buttons and five different colors."

"Seven," Cassandra silently corrected Akira under hear breath. "There are fifty buttons but only seven colors." She had gotten bored with them and counted the different colors and all the buttons. They've must have been arguing for at least five minutes in order for me to count all of the buttons and colors. Maybe longer!

"How would we be able to figure out a pattern?" When Akira spoke again it brought Cassandra back to the arguing. "I think its random order."

"Akira you may be smart but that can't be right. Since when is anything that the higher ups ever do random?" Souta's argument involved trying to think like the higher ups. "The higher up's pattern would be in order."

"That's why we should all push the buttons in each corner of the square." Kazuya's argument was that the buttons in the corner were the key because no one would think of that.

Cassandra sighed. She was starting to get bored with all the arguing. She decided to put in her thoughts on what they should do.

"Hey guys this button in the direct middle looks good." Cassandra waited a moment for a response. When she didn't get one she continued. "I'm going to push it ok?"

"Cassandra, could you be quiet unless you have an idea to pitch in?" Cassandra sighed after Souta told her to be quiet.

Cassandra raised her hand. She curled up her fingers but her pointer finger. She slowly moved her pointer finger toward the middle button in front of her. She slowly pushed the button. When the button was pushed in all the way an alarm went off. Everyone one of them jumped. The guys turned and looked at Cassandra to see her with her finger still on the button.

"CASSANDRA!" Cassandra could hear the shock, rage, and surprise in their voices. She turned her head around slightly and gave them an uneasy smile.

"Well… You guys didn't answer me so I-"Cassandra was cut off by a loud noise. The noise sounded like air realizing from a small hole. Cassandra looked in front of her at the buttons. Slowly the buttons started to move to the left showing a wide opened area. Cassandra was shocked that the button she pushed was the right one. When she turned around and looked at the guys she could tell that she wasn't the only one who was shocked. Akira shook his head.

"You have as much luck as Chioukichi." They walked through the door. When they walked into the opened area the door behind them closed quickly. They looked around the room for a way out. When they couldn't find one, they looked at Akira. Akira had his eyes closed thinking.

When he opened them he walked over to where the door they came through was. He walked over to the right a little. He started to knock on the wall. A smiled popped onto his face. He turned and looked at them. He pointed his right thumb at the wall.

"We've got to open the door for the others. This is where what I said earlier comes into play." He turned and faced the wall again. "Now all we have to do it find a way to open it." Akira fell silent. They stood in silence for several minutes. Souta broke the silence with a loud sigh. He walked up the wall and moved Akira out of the way. "What are you-"Akira was cut off by Souta punching the wall with great force.

When Souta's fist made contact with the wall they heard that same noise as they did when Cassandra pushed the button. After a few seconds they heard the air releasing quickly again. Souta lowered his fist when the wall started to move to the right. When the wall was done moving on the other side stood the others. They all smiled at them. Chioukichi stepped forward.

"Ah. You're all ok." He looked around. "Found a door to leave now?" Akira shook his head.

"No. I was waiting for you guys. Did ya'll find anything that could help us?" Chioukichi smiled in response to Akira's question.

"Why yes we did!" Atsuo stepped forward. He dug into his pocket for a moment then drew out a ball. The ball was a clear aqua blue. It fit just in the palm of his hand. Cassandra was memorized by the ball. Akira took it from Atsuo. He examined it and smiled.

"Just what we need, a key." Cassandra watched as Akira walked over to the far wall. He moved his hand along the wall until it went into a little indention in the wall. He smiled again. He removed his hand and looked at the ball. He placed the ball n the small indention that his other hand found. The ball slid into the indention. It went in farther than Akira's hand did. That shows that that ball is the key! Cassandra started to get excited as Akira pushed the ball in farther.

After he pushed the ball in as far as it went he removed his hand and a wall quickly covered the hole. After the hole was covered the wall in front of Akira started to move to the left ever so slowly. He turned and looked Atsuo.

"Are you the one who found this?" Atsuo nodded his head.

"We were running from this boulder when it suddenly stopped. A little section opened up in it and it showed that ball. Thought it might be important, so I took it."

"You guys had to run from a boulder too?" Cassandra was shocked by what she just heard. Atsuo nodded his head not making eye contact with Cassandra.

"Yea. I'm guessing you guys did too." Cassandra nodded her head.

"Man." Kei said as he stretched his arms behind his back. "The higher ups must like boulders." Everyone silently agreed with him.

"Well come on guys. We best get going." Kazuya started to walk toward the new tunnel.

"Wait!" Akira basically threw himself at Kazuya to stop him, but it was too late. Kazuya was already in the cave when the room started to shake. Kazuya looked down and saw a little string on his foot.

"What! Such a simple an old trick! I can't believe the higher ups would use something like this!" Akira looked at the ceiling with a worried look as the room still shock.

"Well believe it. Now start running." Without hesitation everyone started to run into the new tunnel. As soon as the last person entered the tunnel another huge bolder fell from the ceiling. Cassandra saw Chioukichi turn around and look at the boulder as he ran.

"Oh come on! Another boulder! What's up with this?" He turned his head back to the front irritated.

"Don't question, just run." Fusao said as he ran past Chioukichi. Chioukichi gave a heart fill laugh has he ran. "So Akira, any way to stop the boulder?" Akira looked back at Chioukichi.

"Nothing comes to mind as we spe-"Akira cut himself off by turning back to the front. "Souta! STOP!"

Souta, now was a good ways away from everyone else, turned his head and looked at Akira. He had a look of question as he looked at Akira and continued to run. All of a sudden Souta tripped and fell to the ground. As he hit the ground the boulder stopped rolling and the ceiling started to shake again. Souta looked at Akira. Akira paused for a moment. A look of panic covered his face.

"Don't stop running! Everyone get to where Souta is. Go past Souta!" After Akira yelled his is command little pebbles started to fall where Souta had tripped. When everyone saw the pebbles they instantly started to run at full speed.

As Cassandra ran she realized that she could make it. Yes I'm gonna make it! Cassandra put her hand in her pocket to keep the note from falling out. Wait… Where's the note! Cassandra stopped running and looked around for the note.

"Cassandra?" Cassandra heard Atsuo call her name behind her. She didn't care all she cared about was finding the note. She finally spotted about five yards away from her. She turned back and started to run toward it. "CASSANDRA!" Cassandra could hear the panic in Atsuo's voice, but again chose to ignore it. She ran past Kei who was only a few feet behind her. He was surprised to see her turn back.

"Cassandra?" He said her name as if to question her. She didn't care. "Cassandra!" She could hear the alarm in his voice has he fully realized what she was doing. Behind her Cassandra could hear two sets of feet coming after her. She didn't care. All she cared about was getting that note. I have to get it! This note could help progress taking over the Facility! I have to save everyone! I can't fail! Not like last time!

A memory popped into her head that caused great pains in her heart. The pains almost caused her to stop running, but she didn't. Don't think about the past now Cassandra! You have to think about the present!

Cassandra finally reached the note. When she did she picked it up like it was the answer to life. She turned around and was about to run back when she saw the ceiling start to fall. She also saw Kei and Atsuo running at her with panicked looks to their faces. The knocked her to the floor and shielded her body from the falling rocks.

All around them rocks fell threatening to kill them. Cassandra felt full terror shot threw her for the third time in her life. She could hear the rocks smash into the ground and smash into a million pieces. But as she heard the rocks she heard something else. A voice that rose above the sound of the falling rocks. It was the sound of someone calling Atsuo's, Kei's, her names. She instantly recognized the voice. It was Chioukichi's. She wanted to tell him that they were ok but she didn't know that for sure.

Finally after what seemed like forever the rocks stopped falling. Atsuo and Kei slowly got off her and sat on the floor. As Cassandra sat up she saw the guys turn and look behind them. Cassandra decided to look too. A heavy feeling hit the bottom of her heart when she saw the wall in front of her that was just made by the falling rocks. Atsuo slowly stood and walked over to the new wall. He placed his hand on it softly. He frowned at it. He stepped back from it. He took in a deep breath

"Hey guys! Anyone! Can ya'll hear me!" Atsuo fell silent waiting for a response. Cassandra started to pray for someone to respond.

"Atsuo!" Cassandra let out a breath that she had been holding in. She was so happy to hear Kazuya.

"Kazuya, is everyone else ok?"

"Yea. What about you guys?" Atsuo looked back at Cassandra and Kei.

"We're ok."

"Cassandra!" Cassandra looked at the wall. "Cassandra if you can hear me get Kei as far from this wall as possible.

"Why?" Worry filled Cassandra in an instant.

"Just do it! Hurry too!" Cassandra looked at Kei to see if he could give any hint as to why Kazuya was saying all of this. When she looked at his face surprise covered her in an instant. Kei's eyes were as huge as apples. Fear and shock covered his face. He was shaking violently. Cassandra knew she had to get him away.

She helped him up. After he was standing she looked over at Atsuo. He nodded his head to show that he could handle it there. She started to walk Kei all the way back to the boulder and where it got stuck. She leaded him up against a wall and helped him lower himself to the floor. Cassandra sat next to him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder trying to calm him. At that moment Kei started to speak.

"I'm sorry dad. I'll do it right next time. I'll do it right! Don't die. DON'T DIE!" Cassandra didn't know what to do. One thought came to mine and she took it.

She lifted her hand and swiftly made it come down across Kei's face. Kei fell silent in an instant. Cassandra felt bad for having to hit him but knew she had to make him stop. Kei slowly started to stop shaking. After a few minutes he blinked a few times and looked as Cassandra.

"Cassandra?" He said her name as if to make sure that it was really her. She nodded her head slowly.

"Yes Kei, I'm here." Kei smiled a relived smile at her.

"Oh ok." He looked around and realized that he wasn't by the wall anymore. He looked at the boulder that he sat next too. "Cassandra… Did I do anything?"

"Yea. Your eyes got big and you started to shake violently. I stood you up and walked you over here and sat you down. When you sat down you started to say weird things."

"What did I say?" Cassandra was unsure to tell Kei what he was saying or not. "Cassandra, what did I say?" Cassandra sighed and looked at the ground beside her.

"You said 'I'm sorry dad. I'll do it right next time. I'll do it right… Don't die. Don't die…' That's what you said." Cassandra looked at Kei as she told him what he had said. Kei stared at her for a moment then looked at the ground.

"Oh…" Kei didn't say anymore. Cassandra knew she would have to get an answer out of him if she wanted to know more.

Should I get an answer out of him?... I have too. This is almost just like what happened to me. I kept in so much and didn't tell anyone. Then when Hinata came… I was finally able to tell someone because they finally gave me a chance. I have to do the same for Kei. Cassandra reached out and grabbed Kei by the shoulders.

"Kei, if you have anything to get off your chest you can tell me." Kei looked at Cassandra with a look that showed he wanted to tell her but couldn't.

"I can't." Cassandra knew she had to do something she didn't want to too make him talk. Just like what Hinata did to her.

"Is it because it shows weakness?" Kei looked at her puzzled.

"Huh?"

"You don't want to show weakness because you're a guy. Guys are never weak so you don't want to show it."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know good and well what I'm talking about! You don't want to tell me about the past because it shows that you're weak. All you men are the same! You can't show any weakness!" Cassandra could see the anger in his eyes. I just have a little farther to go to get him to tell me so I can help him. "You know what? Not telling me shows true weakness. You're nothing but a baby! I can't believe you've last this long here while being this big of a baby!" The fire in Kei's eyes got bigger. Good. Good. Just need to bring it on home. "You know forget. I'm going to go and help Atsuo. You can stay here, I mean it's not like you can be any help."

At that moment Kei stood up quickly knocking Cassandra over on her back. She looked up at him and saw the anger in his eyes. I'm sorry Kei. I know what you're feeling right now even if I don't know what happened. I could tell by the look in your eyes. This is the only way I can save you from the pain.

"You call me a baby even though you don't know what happened!" Kei moved his hand to his heart the made a slashing motion to his side. "Well I'm not a baby! I'm hold a huge about of guilt in me heart! You don't even know what it's from." Kei went quiet. Cassandra knew she had to push him once more. She looked up at him with irritation.

"Oh yea! Bet it's not as bad as what I carry. What do you have to feel guilty for? What did you do let you bunny die or something by dropping books on it?" Kei reached forward and grabbed Cassandra by her shirt collar. Cassandra was surprised to see so much anger in his eyes. His usually violet eyes not had a tent of red to them.

"I killed my father. I made a mistake and killed him! He died because of me!" Cassandra's eyes slowly grew as she processed what Kei said.

Sorry for the really late update! took forever to start this one. Next one will be easier... I hope. haha anyways I had a lot to do and it took forever to type this. I'm really proud of this ending. So much cliff hanger! =D I hope this chaper made since becuase I woulde imagen some thing as something then I would never be able to discribe then correctly. Well anyways thank you for reading makes me happy to have a review. It shows that I didn't fail. especially if their in deatails =D well again thanks for reading please review and hopefully I'll post the next chapter soon! *bows*