Omi couldn't look the two Heylin men in the eye. He had been beaten, and per their agreement, he would now pledge his loyalty to Chase and join his ranks. There was no getting out of it this time, Jack had made sure of that. He was a monk of his word, but his pride was still quite bruised.

Jack was quiet as he stood off to the side among the cat-shaped warriors. He'd witnessed this happen before, it felt so long ago now, when Chase had manipulated Omi into joining him. It was funny, in a way, how he was around to witness such an event more than once.

Chase stepped up to Omi, his hand already aglow with Heylin magic. The indigo flames engulfed the small-framed youth, contorting his body in a painful but familiar way. Omi's cry morphed into a squeakier shout of a lion cub. His body settled back to the ground, the flames dissipating.

"…he looks different than the first time," Jack remarked, stepping closer to Chase as the warrior cats began moving to inspect their new comrade.

"The first time, I didn't intend to keep him as a permanent warrior cat. I had plans to make him my apprentice." Chase glanced at Jack, admiring how his old tunic looked on the younger man. "However, that position has been filled. Now, he will be as the rest are."

"Huh, that makes sense."

"Walk with me, Spicer. There are things we must discuss."

It would never cease to amaze Jack how different this place looked on the inside than it did out. The exterior of Chase's Lair and the Land of Nowhere itself were terrifying and barren. But in here? It was like every fairytale palace dumped its finery. A dragon's treasure trove.

They came to what Jack could only describe as a lounge room, with beautiful décor and furniture that was likely centuries old and very well maintained. The albino sat at Chase's gesture and smiled softly as a panther carefully set a tray of tea and cookies on the table between them.

"So, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Jack asked, taking the cup poured for him by the warrior. "Thanks, Tane."

Chase nodded to the warrior, impressed that Jack was taking it upon himself to learn the names of his warriors. It was a good sign. He sipped his tea, trying to calm himself but to appear nonchalant as well.

"We need to discuss the future."

"The future?"

"Yes, Spicer. What are your goals? You have become worthy of calling yourself Heylin, have your own power, and the Xiaolin monks now know you are a proper threat. But I know you have something in the works amongst the mortal world as well…"

Jack bit his lip, looking down into his teacup. Just three months ago, he would have scoffed at the idea of being back in the Xiaolin-Heylin conflict, at least, like this. He would have expected Chase to demand he drop everything to become his apprentice but that didn't seem to be the case.

"I do…but I want this apprenticeship too." He looked up.

Chase studied him a moment, "I'm not asking you to choose, Spicer."

"You…aren't?"

"No. I am offering to help you balance the two. But," Chase smirked slightly at the way Jack's eyes lit up, "You have to tell what those plans are."

"Right. Okay…um. Well, you already know I'm replicating Shen Gong Wu."

"Yes, but for what purpose?"

"Well, until we found out about the metal thing, I've never had any powers outside of Wu. Recreating their effects with nanotech, I could make it appear like I could do magic. I wanted to get all the useful or more powerful Wu in my arsenal but not have anyone suspect I was up to something."

"Is that why you left?" Chase was more curious about this than he allowed his tone to convey. Why had Jack, who'd toted himself an evil genius for years, suddenly turn around and made a company that was for the good of humanity?

"Well, not at first. I figured out how to do that a few months afterward while messing around with nanobots. The whole Sands of Time thing it…was a lot." Jack shifted, sipping his tea. "I needed some time away and I realized I wasn't…a threat. I wasn't evil enough, I didn't have powers, and I wasn't a strong fighter. So, I needed to focus on what I was good at. Tech."

"That's why you started the company."

"Spicer Technologies came about after I submitted a bunch of patents. I ended up being a very wealthy seventeen-year-old, and my parents helped me figure out how to start my own company."

Chase took one of the cookies, flipping it with his fingers like a coin as he digested this information. "They didn't attempt to take any of your money?"

"They're already filthy rich and the last thing they want to drive me away." Jack said flippantly, so sure of that statement, "I'm their only kid and they went through a lot of trouble just to have me."

That explained why the younger man had been such a spoiled brat as a youth. Desperate parents tended to spoil firstborns, even more so in China if they were sons.

"I get a reputation as a philanthropist, spit out a few gadgets that make the lives of people around the globe easier for stupid cheap, and my tech gets into every home. It's the plot of every evil robot movie, but no one expects it to happen in real life." The redhead shrugged, taking his own cookie, and eating it.

The immortal watched the man across from him and started to chuckle. Jack looked over, slightly unnerved by the sound. "How crafty, Spicer. And then what?"

"What do you mean?"

"Once you've gotten your technology into everywhere."

Jack gave Chase a look that caused him to pause, his smile slipping away slightly. The younger man looked tense and unsure. He was crumbling a cookie apart in his lap nervously. Red eyes darted up, meeting gold before Jack swallowed.

"…do you, recall what happened two years ago?"

"Omi's attempt to keep me from turning evil."

"I mean…in those alternate timelines."

"…They revolved around my personage, so yes, I do." He set his teacup down, "How much do you remember, Spicer?"

"…all of it."

There was a pause.

"Excuse me?"

"I remember everything, Chase. I remember Omi disappearing and taking over the world. I remember growing old. But I also remember the temple, and farming, and Hannibal wreaking havoc…"

Chase stared at Jack, watching as the young man released a tide of information, he'd been keeping to himself for two long years. Jack truly remembered everything and had been dealing with the memories of two entirely different lifetimes on top of his own all by himself. He was trembling and it wasn't until Chase had embraced him that Jack realized the immortal man had even moved.

"Ch-chase?"

"Take a deep breath, Spicer."

It felt easier to calm down with Chase there, so Jack closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His body relaxed and he felt his mind calm.

"Better?"

"Yes…thanks."

"Spicer, what you are telling me is that you're trying to take over the world again, only using a different method." Jack nodded. "And how will your new apprenticeship play into this?"

"Well…originally, once I'd taken over on the mortal level, I was going to use the replicated Wu to try to take down the monks…but now, I-I don't know."

"May I suggest something?"

Jack turned his head, his brain catching up and realizing just how close Chase was. He'd been close to Chase more these last few weeks, due to training, but this felt different. A soft pink shaded over his cheeks, making the tattoo under his left eye stand out.

Chase watched the blush form and could smell the pheromones coming off the younger man. He recalled the sight and sounds he had witnessed through the Spy Eye not six hours earlier. This…this was his chance. He leaned in slightly, purposefully dropping his voice to a more sultry timbre.

"You continue with your mortal plan and we take out the rest of the monks, together."

Jack swallowed, a shiver running down his spine. Was his mind playing tricks on him or was Chase really…flirting with him?

"As master and apprentice?" He managed to ask, part of him screaming to run from the dangerous predator before him while the other wanted to melt into the arms of the man he'd wanted for most of his life.

"As equal partners." It was the last words spoken before Chase leaned in and captured Jack's soft pale lips in a delicate kiss. He knew if he was too rough he might scare the young man away and his inner dragon wouldn't have that. So he was surprised and impressed when Jack responded.

There was only a moment of shock, as their lips brushed together. Then, Jack's brain kicked him into gear. It's now or never, he thought, do not fuck this up. The redhead pushed in, kissing him harder and swiping his tongue lightly across Chase's bottom lip.

They were both caught. Hook, line, and sinker.