Amrbosine stared out at the computer screen. She watched , her eyes surveying the people standing there, just as surprised, albeit a bit more horrified than she. She regarded them evenly, the familiar coven members now being hauled away by Sector Security. The officers stormed the festival, with no apparent distraction in sight. The camera swirled back to the reporter, who was frantically spilling out all of his alleged frustrations against the "terrorists." The cameraman, much to her relief, came back to the scene, showing off but an empty ballroom to the rest of the crowds. When she squinted her eyes, she saw bodies, traitors, lying motionlessly upon the floor.

She closed her eyes, and settled back in her chair. Did someone from Fallen attack that festival? No, she hadn't heard any reports from the others, and as for Sayer, he hasn't even called in yet. Then of course, there's no way the Black Rose would allow something this big to happen, unless he's gotten sloppy. Was this just a distraction? Did someone find out about the spies? Was he getting ready to attack her?

She shook the paranoia away. From what Belial's already told her, it seems they might've found an ally in Hogan; just one more little push, and he'll do everything she asked him to. All she needs to do now is get Atlas on her side, and she can use them against that witch. She won't bother with the twins, since they were so young, nor was she even going to touch Izinski; she had Sayer for that. If he's gone through all this trouble in maintaining appearances, then she can trap him with his own lies. She'd be able to execute him underneath everyone's watchful gaze, under the pretenses that he killed himself, or he was sent away, to get help. Should they ever find out, she could just get rid of them.

She reopened her eyes, as she turned to her the window. Belletrix would be incredibly proud of her, that she managed to stop the Black Rose from hurting anyone else. Though it was regrettable that she couldn't stop the coven from taking any other innocent lives, the result was the same. She was going to put him in his place. She'll do it, even if it costed her everything she had.

She couldn't help but smile then.

The moon wasn't out tonight.

She laughed aimlessly, rereading the files over and over and over again. Pleasant contentment was etched across her expression, her normally serious frown now enlivened with merriment. Her fingertips lightly crushed the edges, happily taking in the peaceful, dazed face of the man in the photograph, a man whom she scarcely could even acknowledge, rather than fear. She licked her lips, as she scrutinized his familiar pupils, old remnants of nostalgia slowly spreading across her already tainted heart. It wasn't long before she pulled the photograph from her face, and closed her eyes, the satisfaction of seeing him today enough to put her at ease. Tensions fled from her muscles, and after a few deep breaths, she could finally sit up straight. She didn't feel like doing much of anything today, but then of course, she really shouldn't be concerned. She was ahead, after all.

She could still recall the shock on his face, when he saw her down there, as if he were frozen at the fact that she was here, on this earth. She could see every emotion on his face when he blanched, the coolness in his normally frost-stricken eyes entwining with the morbidity around him. She could see him trying to make sense of her presence, though he knew full well that she was there, returned from hell, if only to drag him down to hell. She thought about it all, and then she snickered.

She threw the file away from her then, the information easily coming back to her with graceless elegance. It was surprising, how easily he managed to hide from her. And to think, he's using that thing to cover his tracks; it was so embarrassing she almost fought down a wince. Didn't she teach him better? He really should learn to play with nicer creatures, though with everything that's happened, it was probably too late for simple niceties now. And so, she merely shrugged, and returned to the silent atmosphere.

"Madam."

Carefully, she raised her eyes. Traces of her childish smile remained on her face, and though she tried hiding it, her efforts proved futile. She cocked her head at a nameless experiment, calmly coming toward her. There it was again, that the same desperate light in his gaze. She couldn't help but stare at it for a while, the moments passing by her with difficulty. Before long, she took a deep breath, and calmed her nerves. She fixed her good mood on the man in front of her, and astonished him with a grin. "What is it? You told her, didn't you?"

The man caught himself, and nodded. "It seems the worms are in place. I've asked one to meet me in the main building. Amrbosine will talk with him then."

"Oh? And when would that be?"

"Whenever you want it to be."

She clapped her hands at the answer, the genuinely spilling from the reverberating sounds. "That's good to hear. And the others?"

"Amrbosine told me to only get those two."

"You don't want to do more than you have to, right?"

"I'm glad you understand my situation."

"Lazy?"

He stiffened. "Perhaps."

Her eyes turned back down to the files once again. She could feel the traces of a small blush splattered across her face. Memories came flooding through her brain, some familiar, others distant, but all the same, she smiled warmly. She caressed the moments sweetly, as the bittersweet reunion faded fast from her once serene mind. To think, that after all this time, he's still the same person she's known, the same fragile thing she's watched over for so long. "And what about the other creature?" she asked finally.

The man blinked. "Who?"

"The whore."

"O-oh." The man cleared his throat uncomfortably, as he looked down at her apologetically. "It…it looks like she has nothing to do with this. He's driving the experiment."

"I already know that much," she snapped, causing the man to wince. "What I'm asking is why it affected me too."

"…Perhaps it's because you know him?"

"No, that's not right," she said, as she settled back into her seat. "Even when I was supervising it, I wasn't supposed to be a variable. Was there a hole in her memory?"

"I don't believe so."

She sighed frustratedly. "And what of that man, Sayer? What's he got to do with any of this?"

"…I believe he supported that man somehow, when she was still in the Movement."

She turned her gaze to the photograph, before slumping over. "What're you thinking, involving him in this?" she murmured. "What's so special about him anyways?"

"Would…would you like me to find out for you, ma'am?"

"No," she answered easily. "I've already revealed myself to him."

The man's eyes widened. "What?"

"Surprised?"

"But…but you wanted to conduct the experiment, remember? Don't you know that you're just going to screw up the results?"

"I'm well aware."

"Then why-?"

"My hypothesis has changed," she stated, causing him to fall silent. "I found that whore like this years ago. And he came here, just to find her. That was when the experiment started, correct?"

"Y-yes."

"Well, now I want to see how long it takes him before he realizes what's happened. After all, I didn't do anything to him; she's responsible, for everything that's happened."

"And once he realizes? What will you do then?"

She smirked. "Isn't it obvious?"

Jaden came into the room, with Alexis in tow. From his left, he could see the wide, rectangular windows overseeing a sea of distant lights, shrouded by the faraway darkness. Lilac curtains cascaded near the glass, the artificial breeze flowing easily behind the material. Red carpet softened their footsteps, with the golden light from above reflecting their elongated shadows. Portraits piled along the walls, of figures he never bothered knowing, of people he kept making fun of, of idiots he sometimes found himself missing. The ornate frames disguising their simplistic humanity burned his eyes, and he couldn't help but look away.

In the middle of the room, there was a small square table. A white candle stood toward the edge of the table, with withered blossoms settled nearby. A chessboard sat a few inches away on top of it, the black and white tiles plastered across the surface. Even from a distance, he could see the pieces Ophelia had used from the festival, the outline of the events taking form. And yet, despite that, there were three pieces left on the board, white pieces that contrasted severely to the enemies surrounding them. Pawns, from the looks of things. Standing near that chessboard, was Yusei.

Jaden stiffened, as he drew closer to the witch. He wore the same, black jeans he usually saw before, though a dark gray, long sleeved sweater hung loosely from his skin. Even from here, Jaden could make out the black rose settled against his neck, along with the strands that held fast to tiny thorns. A tiny frown entrenched upon Yusei's face, with his normally stoic eyes stormily taking in the black. From the corner of his eyes, even Alexis seemed a bit hesitant to approach him.

After the incident with the festival, both he and Alexis met with the reporters, blending seamlessly into the crowds without any difficulty. They saw Raines, along with her wonderful colleagues, all of whom were silent at the tension glaring towards them. To Jaden, it seemed they were too busy counting their losses, than to see what had actually gone on in the ballroom. It guaranteed their safe escape, and though a few of the officers managed to get inside, in the end Yusei dealt with them. Is that what he was mad about then? That those idiots actually managed to get past Jaden? No, that wasn't like him; he wasn't one to lose his temper over even the most serious of things. So, Jaden took a deep breath, and stopped, only a few feet away from him.. "Yusei-"

"Akiza's asleep in her room," he interrupted, causing Jaden to fall silent. "By the looks of things, she'll heal."

Alexis peered up. "So…so she's okay?"

Jaden narrowed his eyes. "You gave her the drugs, didn't you?"

"…Yes."

Alexis visibly relaxed. Jaden joined her relief, before tensing once again, the haunting image of those corpses entwined within his memory. He turned his gaze towards Alexis, who, much to his dismay, never noticed his wandering eyes. Instead, she took a tiny step forward, and looked down at the pieces, her eyes wide with wonder. She clutched her hands toward her chest, and cocked her head. "Aki doesn't play chess like that."

Yusei gave her an empty smile. "I know."

"And pawns are the weakest in the game, aren't they?"

"That's what Amrbosine thinks of us as, for the time being."

"So we've got an advantage?"

Yusei closed his eyes, before prying himself away from his private game. Alexis's questions fell from the scene, which was of no consequence to her. She began playing with the black pieces, even if the curiosity was still lodged in her frame. As she did, Yusei looked up at Jaden, and fished out a tiny cellphone from his pocket. Within the quiet, Jaden could only watch him, his impatience stabbing him constantly. Finally, Yusei unveiled his surprise, and showed them both the caller ID.

Raines.

"Jaden," Yusei suddenly called.

"What is it?"

"Angela Raines; you've seen her before, haven't you?"

Jaden blinked. "Of course. I've told you before, about the internship."

"You haven't seen her anywhere else?"

Confusion entwined in Jaden's thoughts. What's going on? Was Angela bothering Aki again? Wasn't the cover story he gave to Aki enough? Apparently not, considering how they were talking about this now. So he shook his head. "Aside from the news station, no."

Yusei regarded him evenly. It wasn't long before Jaden looked up at him, returning his scrutinizing stare. "What is it? Did something happen?"

He paused, for a single moment, before placing the phone beside the board. "No. It's just…things are going to get a bit more complicated from here on."

Alexis looked up, a black bishop in hand. "What'd you mean?"

"Exactly that," he answered. "We're going to have to be a bit more careful from now on. First things first, tell me what you know, about this current Fallen. Are they working on any new projects?"

"Ah…n-no. No, they aren't." Jaden took a tiny breath, the reluctance fading away from his eyes. He deal with the problem later. "You've seen the list, right?"

"I have."

"Then I'll make this quick; they've already rebuilt the research departments in Krakow, and they're getting ready to build another open in Chicago. But their main headquarters is here, in Neo Domino, and they're using Sector Security as a way of hiding their activities, along with other politicians they've managed to bribe. As of this point, they're getting funding from the city to carry out their plans. So far, all they're really focusing on at the moment is rebuilding outdated technologies and modernizing warfare. They've gotten away from the supernatural though, that's for sure."

"What about new members?" Yusei pressed. "How much attention did they attract?"

Jaden bit his lip. Alexis froze at the seams, though she kept playing with her newly found toys. "Not much," he said at last. "It's just…one."

"Who?"

"Amaryllis Nite."

Yusei could only stare at the two, though it was only for a brief moment. An unreadable thought crossed through his face, a single second of shock that held only secrets to its keepsake. The name of their fallen leader, now showing up in the records, was disturbing enough. But even more disturbing was the very notion that somehow, someway, someone knew about Akiza, their Akiza. They knew her name, knew that that name was connected to the first demon Fallen had ever produced. But even so, Jaden held to the hope that it was probably just a hoax, just to catch Yusei off guard; after tonight, Fallen would know the Black Rose was back. If anything, Jaden was beginning to think he shouldn't have even brought the subject up, considering how obvious the trap was.

But for some reason, Yusei didn't dismiss it. In fact, as Jaden scrutinized him, he could see the hesitation on his face, the sorrow easily diffusing throughout the atmosphere. Finally, Yusei spoke. "How long ago?"

"Eighteen years."

"And the Zero Reverse Incident?" he continued. "When was that?"

"Around the same time."

Alexis turned back then. "You think Fallen had something to do with that?"

"Possibly, but either way, it narrows things down." Yusei folded his arms in front of his chest, and stared down at the phone, his seemingly dark reflection sneering at the pieces near it. "Jaden, Alexis, I want you both here when Akiza wakes up. Make up some excuse as to what'd happened, and make sure the effects of the drug are working."

Alexis blinked. "What about Sayer? And you? Aki came with you, didn't she?"

"There's been a change of plans," Yusei continued smoothly. "I saw someone from that damn organization today, in the crowd. There's a really good chance that they've seen my face, and while you two are still safe, it'd be best for you not to attract too much attention to yourselves, for the moment, at least."

Jaden straightened. "So we're making our debut."

"That's right."

"Why?" he asked. "Wouldn't it be better for us if Fallen didn't know we were involved?"

"I doubt that's possible, at this point. And no," he kept on, catching sight of Jaden's guilt, "this has nothing to do with what'd happened today. If anything, I'm the one who screwed up."

So that's why, Alexis, you'll leave Sayer alone for tonight; let him report the incident to Fallen, and we'll see what they do next. As for the normals?"

"I'm working on it," Jaden interrupted, giving them both a small, reassuring smile. "Yusei Fudo already exists in the system. In the next hour, our files will be there too. There's still no luck with our assets though."

Yusei stole a look down to the chessboard, with an unreadable expression on his face. After a split moment, he turned to Jaden. "You both have been getting monthly allowances, right?"

"That's right, but they aren't tied with Fallen."

"What are the names?"

"It's all still under Nikolai Izinski," Jaden said quietly, causing Yusei to fall silent. "Christoph and Arisé are registered in the accounts too."

"I see," Yusei answered curtly.

Alexis's eyes fell, as she turned away, wringing her hands painfully in front of her. Jaden closed his eyes. "You haven't gotten all your memories back, right?"

He paused. "No."

"I don't get it," Jaden muttered. "Why would someone use those names anyways? Every trace from the previous Fallen was destroyed. All the records were burned, weren't they? The only ones who would know about us now, are Mree and Belletrix." He balled his fists, trying to wrap his brain around the frustrating puzzle. He scowled then. "One of which, might I remind, is dead, the other missing."

Yusei never answered.

"Yusei."

"I can understand where you're coming from here."

"What about that Amrbosine woman?" Alexis chimed, joining in on the search. "You said before that she worked under Belletrix."

"But she's never seen us before, and judging from the way she's been handling things, I doubt she even knows we exist," Yusei explained. "Still, she managed to get our names, and Sayer's working directly with her."

"Meaning someone's been leaking information to her," she finished silently. "How about the other coven members?"

"Though there are traitors, remember, Akiza annihilated the records regarding us being in Fallen."

Jaden's eyes widened. "…So…so someone survived?"

"Maybe. In any case, keep an eye out you two."

Jaden bit his lip, before nodding. This was bad, that much he knew. He didn't think that someone managed to survive Akiza's purge; there was absolutely no way. And even if they did, why did they wait until now to make a move? They've had decades to come up with an effective strategy, and against the original Black Rose, of all people. Why now then, when Akiza died? Were they waiting for Yusei to take over? Did they really think he was that vulnerable? And what about Fallen's revival? Were they responsible for that too?

So then, where does that place Aki? She was in the Arcadia Movement, the very same Movement Yusei had apparently supported. That Sayer guy was the leader of the Movement, and now he was with Fallen, neatly serving beneath one of Belletrix's secretaries. The whole thing was more than suspicious, so Yusei, leaving the two of them here, in Aki's home, was probably going to be the safest place for them. After what they'd seen today, it'd make sense for Yusei to be on the defensive. Besides which, now that the Black Rose has risen again on the headlines, they were going to have to hide for a while. It'd also give Yusei the chance to watch Aki closely, while simultaneously dealing with Sayer.

Questions swarmed Jaden's mind. What was the purpose of all of this? Whoever stole their memories, what was their reasoning behind this? What'd they want to do? And why just he, and Alexis, and Yusei? Why didn't they target the other members? It's obvious the entire coven was a threat to Fallen, so why just the original members themselves? They should've known that in order to make this work, they needed to take down the entire thing; otherwise, there'd be loose factions that'd try and destroy Fallen on their own. Granted, they might not be strong enough to take down Amrbosine, but they've all have potentials to be a real thorn to their sides. Even Alexis saw the threats, if only through primal instinct.

"Jaden."

Jaden snapped out from his thoughts. His lips parted slightly, as he resurfaced from his suspicions. He found Yusei staring at him, with Alexis now turning back to gaze at the pawns in the middle of the board. "What is it?"

Yusei took Aki's phone rom the edge, and examined the cover. "Angela Raines is a reporter, isn't she?"

"Y-yeah," he said. "Did something happen? Did she see you-?"

"No. I just wanted to make sure."

Jaden's lips parted. He narrowed his eyes then. "What happened? What does she have to do with all of this?"

"Curious."

"What about the game?" Alexis asked, as she came back to Jaden's side. "Are you really going to keep playing it?"

For the longest time, Yusei didn't answer. At last, he sighed, before reaching over towards the pawns. He closed his eyes then, before knocking one of the pawns over. "I just think it's time we speed things up a bit."