Chapter 41

Lus found himself studying Arados closely as they arrived in the Mistresses Chambers. Somehow False had managed to coax him up here after Lus had pointed out it might be easier to save Jo with all three members of the trio present. Although from the speed at which False and Kisara had agreed with him it was pretty obvious they'd been thinking the same thing anyway. When they found Taylor, he was with Kaiba; the pair of them appeared to be sharing some long overdue father-son moment and Lus felt almost loathed to break it. Especially as his brain chose that exact moment to remind him of what had happened the last time he'd seen his own parents.

'Tay, we need your help with something,' Arados's voice was surprisingly calm.

Taylor frowned up at them, before getting to his feet and moving towards him.

'What's going on?' The look on Kaiba's face said a lot and nothing all at the same time.

'Jo's gone after the Teen,' Lus pressed his lips together, hoping Kaiba somehow knew what that would mean.

'And you want me to let you take Tay anywhere near him?' Kaiba shot to his feet in alarm.

'You've already encountered him?' Arados frowned.

'He came up to see me after he failed to get you,' his expression turned serious. 'He threatened to go after Tay next.'

'Well he didn't, he went after Jo,' False folded his arms.

'You know that for sure, do you?'

'I was there when Ara saved her from him.'

For a moment there was silence and even though Lus knew there was a million other things he should be worried about right then, the only thing he could think was; when had False become so familiar with Arados he felt the need to shorten his name?

'Who are you,' Kaiba broke the silence.

'My name's False Gleasta.'

'And her?'

'I'm Kisara Kyriacou,' she gave a nervous cough, 'I work for SK now.'

'So you're the little Hateling we're going to use to get down to hell unnoticed then,' Kaiba nodded slowly.

'What?'

'Hasn't SK explained that to you yet?'

'I haven't seen SK in a while and the last time I did see him he told me to hang out with your son and his friends,' there was something about the tone in her voice which almost made her statement sound like a half truth. 'I've been told nothing about taking anyone down to hell; although now it makes a little more sense as to why he's been so insistent about me.'

'Well now you know.'

'Yes, obviously now I do,' she sighed, 'but that doesn't mean I don't want to help the others stop the Teen first.'

'And you need my son for that because…?'

'Because the trio are at their strongest when they're together Pure,' False's voice was calm and collected.

'I know that, but…'

'Look, we wouldn't be asking him to come with us if we didn't think we really needed him.'

For a few long moments Kaiba was silent, his unfocused gaze aimed at False. Then his expression tightened as though he'd just figured something out about him.

'You're a Hateling.'

'What?' False backed away, clearly alarmed someone had so easily been able to see what he hadn't wanted to be true.

'You're a Hateling,' he repeated. 'A good one, maybe, but you're a Hateling none the less. And a purer one than she is,' he indicated towards Kisara.

'How…?'

'Just because I can't see, doesn't mean my other senses are useless too you know. Besides, I'm the original Balance, it's my job to know these things.'

'Then…' False hesitated for a moment, 'then can you tell me who my father is?'

'You should know that already, shouldn't you?'

'No,' he shook his head, 'I didn't even know I was a Hateling till earlier today, when I accidentally summoned a demon weapon.'

'It's true,' Arados backed him up.

'He really didn't know before then,' Kisara added.

'How could you not know,' Kaiba's face filled with a baffled look, 'it's not like Ni to be so slack in letting his offspring know who their father is,' he gritted his teeth for a moment. 'Normally he tells them to eliminate any chance they might have of being good.'

'He never told me,' False swallowed hard, 'I swear I never knew he was until today.'

'And you know something, I believe you.'

'Why?'

'Didn't you hear what I just said? He normally tells his offspring to eliminate any chance they might have of being good. But you are good False.'

'How do you know that?'

'I can tell,' he turned away, 'let's just leave it at that.'

'Look, this is all well and good,' Lus interrupted, hoping he wouldn't sound like he had no patience, 'but we've got to go help Jo. Can Tay come with us or not?'

'That's up to Tay,' Kaiba sighed heavily, 'and years of knowing what you three are like means I already know nothing I say to him will dissuade him from going if he really wants to go.'

'Well then?' Arados turned his attention towards Taylor.

Taylor nodded and grinned.

'I guess that means you're coming with us then.'

'Did you really doubt that he wouldn't,' Lus couldn't help but laugh.

'Then I guess we're all set,' False turned and started walking away. 'Watch out Teen, here we come.'

'There was something familiar about her,' Helen pressed her lips together thoughtfully, as they set up an observation point on the roof of one of the empty buildings. 'I don't know what it was, but I feel like I've seen her somewhere before.'

'Really?' Nichee's voice almost toned with boredom.

'Yeah,' she frowned as something began to niggle at her, 'I'm sure there was something important I had to remember about her.'

'Maybe you just read about her powerful children somewhere.'

'No,' she shook her head, 'that wasn't it.'

She stared around at the silent buildings which circled them. Ever since she'd arrived here she'd felt as though it was too quiet. That feeling joined the other one and the nagging little sensation that something was wrong with the whole set up grew stronger.

'Look, you're probably just worried about tomorrow,' Nichee placed a hand on her shoulder. 'But you shouldn't, I know you'll do great. I wouldn't have taken this opportunity to be with you if I didn't.'

'Really?'

'Well,' his face filled with a strange look, 'maybe there is one other reason I would have done this.'

'And that would be?'

'I like you H H, isn't that obvious?'

'Well, we are friends,' she turned her head away, trying to hide the fact she was blushing.

'I don't mean as friends H H, I mean, I really, really like you.'

'I…' she turned back towards him, only to instantly feel his lips pressed against her own.

There was something almost stinging about the taste of them which felt so wrong, but at the same time it was impossible for her to pull away. Instead she just allowed herself to enjoy what she could of it and hope the weird feeling growing inside her was just mission nerves. Because she didn't think she could stand it being anything else.