His voice was so desperate, or at least that's how Grey perceived it, maybe because Indel wasn't trying to beg for mercy. He had simply accepted his fate, humbly, he who was pride personified.

Erza seemed distracted. He did not know what she was thinking about but it must be really interesting, because he doubted she had heard Indel. She was looking by the window, absently.

" Hey "

She turned to him, as if the bubble had burst the moment she felt his hand on her thigh. She tried to regain her composure, she was too distracted, first by her memories, now by Grey.

"Still with us?"

She had to fight to keep some control over her mind as her thoughts drifted towards him. Butterflies twisted her stomach and her reason flew away, so that she could soon only think of him, of his touch, of this discharge of enchanted lightness. God, how she hated enjoying his touch so much.

"Hmmm... yeah. Yes."

"Okay"

His voice was deep and low. Then he casually pulled his hand away and she immediately closed her eyes before turning her head away. She needed to focus her attention on anything that would allow her to forget the feeling of lack.

" We will protect you."

" Oh we will ? "

Grey gave her a stunned look with a half-smug, half-disdainful smile.

" Fine so to avoid any quiproquo, I want to make it clear that I do not agree with this "

" Any more than you agree with torture"

"For them I could"

"We both know you're lying"

"You know me a little too well sometimes Erza"

He looked at her and for the first time she had trouble maintaining eye contact, the smile she tried to force vanished miserably as she tried to save face. She was flustered, he troubled her, well more than she was willing to admit.And then he had to look at the road again and she found the breath that had been stolen from her. Her soul was agitated, she had been on the edge of losing control.

" Are we there yet ? "

" When will you finally stop asking the same question ? "

Wendy was exceeded and shouted. Bluenote had asked the question at least a hundred times and it was driving her crazy. Wendy was pissed. Lucy had offered to switch places, but Gray was driving too fast for them to stop, by the time they switched places and started again, they would already be far away. So everyone tried to be patient. Natsu was starting to get tired, driving could help with the motion sickness but he did not enjoyed it, unlike his alter ego he wasn't cut out to be a pilot.

" Slowly Oompa Loompa "

" How did you called me ! "

" What ? You are particularly short kido don't be offended by the truth "

Wendy was losing her temper, which was odd coming from her because she was deeply kind and patient. Lucy was starting to get worried. Sure, Bluenote was annoying but Wendy's irritation seemed a little out of proportion.

" Ok Are we there yet ? I'm begin to feel piqued." She turn towards Bluenote before he could say anything. "And you, don't even try to piss me off any further. I'm a mage, and good one. Don't forget it."

" Okay everyone keep calm, I'm going to call Erza "

Lucy reached for her lacrima phone which was somewhere in her handbag.

" Again ? Did he have save the world since this morning ? "

She rolled her eyes as he looked back at the road, annoyed.

" Seems someone is jealous " Indel deliberately emphasized each syllable, searching Grey's eyes as he stubbornly refused to look in the rearview mirror. His sneaky smile kept growing.

" I am" Grey finally looked at the reflection, meeting Indel devilish eyes " so choose a wiser moment to piss me off "

And just like that, Indel finally gave up on the idea of provoking him further. The bell rang one last time and Erza picked it up, almost jumping at the chance to defuse the stifling atmosphere. She tried to forget the last bits of the previous conversation and focused on Lucy's voice, whose name she pronounced loud enough to indicate to everyone who she was talking to and correct their assumptions.

" Something wrong ? "

Lucy precipitously empressed to clarify that nothing had happened, Wendy was exhausted and Erza confirmed her that it must be a secondary effect of the sort she threw. Lucy aked if they were soon there, the time becoming to be very long.

" You see the sign that announces the next exit ? … We exit there and after we continue on rural axe for fifteen minutes and then we will be arrive. Hold on a little more that's finished "

Lucy thanked her and hang off.

They all come down of the cars, after they passed the checkpoint. It was a secret military basement. Well protected and very isolated. A woman came towards them, old but not too old maybe sixty years old, her long and light blond hair, almost white, was tied in a bun, with two long locks falling on her face. She had kept the same appearance, only her styling had changed, becaming darker. She wore a long black cape, black clothes, it contrasted with the usual white that council members wore. But, after all, she was not one of them anymore.

" You are ponctual, it is a good thing. Brought the prisonners here, we take charge on them now on"

Erza wondered what rank she could have inherited within the army. After the Etherion fiasco, rumor had spread that heads had rolled and a wave of "resignations" had followed. But this woman seemed to be an exception. Managing to get a promotion in such a context of forced layoff was quite an achievement. No doubt she had good contacts.

Powerful enough to put her at the head of what seemed to be a brigade in order to manage a secret operation. The mage had counted about twenty men since their arrival, not counting those who had to be distributed between the two hangars; she estimated the company at about fifty men. None of them wore the usual uniform, she recognized the council emblem on their badges but their attire betrayed their belonging to a secret corps.

She saw Grey's body tense, he must have sensed her discomfort and came to the same conclusion : something was odd. He was smart. Lucy got it too, she had a good intuition, and Natsu and Wendy's instincts didn't take more long to catch it.

" Your mission is over "

" Oh ! But you are one of the women of the audience. There were Ultia and you. I remember now"

Natsu had catch off guard everyone, ravished to finally dissipate this feeling of deja vu. She was one of the council members at the time Erza had been arrested for trial after the lulabay incident. Balno. He knew her face was familiar. Erza closed her eyes for a moment, she had overestimated Natsu's sense of analysis.

" Yes. It was me in an other life. Now give us the prisonners "

Eight soldiers had arrived and now surrounded her. They had firearms in addition of the more conventionals. It was illegal. Magic hurt but guns kill. Erza had more and more doubt about the idea of leaving this place alive.

" Seems you are pressed " said Grey.

" I do not have time to lost with you. Give us the prisonners or we will be force to use the strong method "

Balno made sign to two soldiers who immediately make a step and held out their hand, waiting for the cars keys. Natsu gave his and the officier took it, opening the car. Three more soldiers moved, one open the door and the two others made the prisonners come down.

The officier gave the key back to Natsu and came help his men, handcuffing the prisonners. The first trio then go joined by two others soldiers to escort the wanted, out of sights in one of the hangar. Erza looked at them with guilt, they were returning them in hell. And she was taking part of this.

" Where is your chief ? "

" I'm the major "

" But you're not the one I take my orders from."

The atmosphere already tensed became even heavier. Erza would not step back, nonetheless she didn't know if she was acting bravely or just been temerare. She hoped she was noble enough to put her pride aside and only act for justice.

" It doesn't matter who usually gives you orders, I'm the highest ranking person here. If I ask you to do something, you do it."

" I'm not one of your soldier "

Grey smirked, glad of her.

" No you are employee, you have signed a contract for a mission. So logically I am your employer "

" The man that coordinated this operation is our only employer "

Lucy looked up at Erza.

" What man ? Of who are you talking ? "