Only after the call ended that Kai did realize what a big mistake he might have made. That the call could of have been a set up for 'collecting evidence' against Jason. He could remember a faint echo of Jason informing him of erasing evidences of him helping Kai.

Except for this call. He had just accepted that such a thing had occurred in the past. Mentioning of Tyson escaping attack so closely. Mentioning of Max and Tyson being on some Mafia's hit list. Using the phrase, 'harms way'. Of course, he must have had some insight to his background. Experience in Russian cases. No wonder he must be playing with my guilt to extract information.

And the worst thing was, he had succeeded. He felt so angry all of a sudden. He could no longer feel his pounding headache due to this. He couldn't curse himself less. Good for nothing, weak, idiot, you always mess things up. You let your emotions get the better of you, again and again. What's the use of staying in control all the time if you loose it when it matters to you the most. If you had just kept your mouth shut...

He thought of calling Jason, but couldn't bring himself to admit that he had done such a grave mistake, a mistake that could cost Jason his career, or worse, his life if this news reached Voltaire.

He wanted to be left alone. He wanted to get out of there. To take some time off and cool his anger, for he couldn't think rationally with it. It was a weakness he couldn't correct. He left the Communication Room and headed for his room without waiting for anybody.

******

We caught the bus immediately. It was just a ten minute trip. We chatted for a few minutes. Both of us told one another of how we had spent the last week. Tyson told Hillary of the newspaper and she told him of her talk with Officer Jackson.

"So, Kai knows what's going on? Even though he hasn't left his hospital bed?!" he asked, slightly shocked.

I shrug, "I don't know, but that's what the Officer said." I say.

"But how did he do that?"

"You'll have to ask him yourself, Ty." I say. He stops pestering me, though he was anything but convinced.

"Here comes our stop." I say, as the bus came to a halt.

"Yeah.. We should get going.. " he muttered as he grabbed his backpack.

We enter the hospital, making way through the usual chaos towards the elevator for the top floor. After living through the hot day outside, the coolness of the hospital with its white granite was a blessing. Since the top floor barely had any patients, it was sparsely populated with a nurse or two coming for rounds every half an hour.

"You know what, if I was in your place, I would give up anything to be in such a cool place as this. The summer heat is killing me."

"I don't think you would say the same, if you had to spend the whole day with Kai..." Tyson grumbled.

I don't know from where the sudden thought came to me, I don't think I even processed what I was saying, but I got this sudden desire to see if Tyson could feel jealousy or not. I tested him. "Hmm... I guess you're right. With a person as hot as Kai in the room, the hospital will no longer be cool, will it?"

"Yea-what?" He response was so comical, so original, with his eyebrows disappearing behind his cap. His eyes so wide open, as though threatening to fall off any second. His mouth slightly open, a gaping look on his face, it was hard to suppress her giggles. She wanted to continue agonizing Tyson. "Nothing." she said smirking, bounding ahead, a little skip in her steps.

Before Tyson could catch up with her and demand what she meant, Max came out of the room, his face pale and beaded with sweat, his eyes wild and searching. I knew by that very moment that something had gone wrong, but Tyson being the oblivious person he is, didn't. He joked. "What happened? Couldn't tolerate Kai for a few extra hours?"

Max posture relaxed at the question. He tried for a smile, but it faltered quickly. His eyes were gleaming with unshed tears. As he came forward, he said "Yeah,-yeah I guess... we couldn't." he then suddenly pulled Tyson to a bone-crushing hug. Tyson, completely caught off guard, patted him awkwardly twice, but when he sensed the fallen tears, Alarm Bells did finally ring in his head. But I was faster. "What's wrong Max? Is everything okay?"

"Maxy, what's wrong?

Max quickly took a step back, quickly wiping the tears to his sleeves, "What's wrong?! There's a limit for obliviousness Ty...Where the hell have you been?!!

Tyson scratched his head and with that stupid grin of his, he started. "Oh that... It's a long story Maxy. You wouldn't believe what..." but he never got the chance to complete the sentence.

******

Ray and Max had missed Kai as the elevator closed out without them. Ray wasn't sure how Kai could have walked so fast with half of his chest covered in bandages. When they finally reached the room, they found him sitting on the the bed, his back towards the door. His head was slightly turned towards the window.

Max didn't come in, for he wasn't sure he could keep his anger in check. We all were angry and frustrated at that moment, without requiring a specific reason. We were all very much angry with our lives, mostly how it had turned out in the past few days. For Kai, Ray knew better than to gauge the time period since when it had been going wrong.

Ray silently walked towards him and sat opposite to him, on a bench. He wasn't acknowledged with a glance. He sighs. It was stupid to expect anything more from Kai. He reminded himself again. For a person who was brought up in a place where salutations and pleasantries were the norm, he couldn't bring himself to understand how Kai could be so anti-social.

He had to remind himself everyday in the morning that Kai wasn't trying to insult him by not saying a 'good morning" or something. It's just that, Kai couldn't bring himself to care less if you had a 'good' or a 'bad' morning. Yet somehow they become friends. They had entered the 'tag-team' tournament together. He knew Kai held respect for him and his opinions, that he trusted him. He knew that he was the closest to Kai among the Blade Breakers, and he was happy to know that.

He studied his face. Kai's face once again, as usual, was devoid of all emotions. Yet, the fury he had seen at the reception wasn't completely concealed. Nor could Kai conceal the perspiration on his forehead or his pale skin growing paler.

"Kai, lie down. You've stressed yourself enough. You will only make yourself more ill." In Kai's presence, they all had learnt never to use the word 'weak', it triggered his anger easily, which was channeled to make them work extra hard during a good number of trainings.

Kai didn't respond.

If there was one thing that got Ray more frustrated than disobedience, it was complete disregard to his words. At least a 'Hmm' would have sufficed him, even if Kai wouldn't actually follow his advice. Just when he was going to try a second time, Max left for the corridor. Not a second later, he heard the voice he had been begging the fates to hear. Tyson's.

"What happened? Couldn't tolerate Kai for a few extra hours?"

He could have run for him next, he could have slapped him left and right, he could have, could have given him a stern scolding for the communication gap, could have finally pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Yet, he couldn't do any of that.

The change in Kai's features was dramatic. His face turned towards the commotion with such speed, he was sure Kai would have broken his head. Kai was up on his feet within seconds, and was fumbling with a bunch of keys at the closet drawer. It took Ray a few moments to realize what Kai was searching for. Dranzer. By then, the drawer was open.

He started, "Listen Kai, this isn't a good idea. The doctors forbid any physical exertion for the next two weeks, even then, they forbid you from beyblading for the next one month."

Once again dismissed without a response. He was wearing his gloves. He tried another tactic. "You can't think of hurting Tyson after all the ruckus it caused to know of his safety!!"

Kai was picking up his launcher now. Ray took hold of Kai's beyblade, Dranzer. In a desperate attempt to stop him, Ray said "Yo-you'll have to face me too before leaving this room."

This caught Kai's attention immediately. ''Don't be ridiculous Kon. What makes you think that I can't defeat you? That moron will face dranzer one way or the other today, even if it means that I'll have to fight you too... And it isn't like I haven't won before. I have Won. Every. Time. We've. Battled."

That stung. That really really stung. The fact that it was completely unexpected didn't help. It was a low move from Kai, but it was also the truth. Ray stiffened. His eyes steeled with indifference. He was quite sure that Kai had noticed the change. His crimson eyes might have shone with regret, if it wasn't already blazing with fury.

But the damage was done. He let go of Kai's hand, "You base your assumptions on deeds done way back in the past Hiwatari. We last battled three years ago. A lot has changed. But, I'll not battle you today. When the day will come, you'll regret your words.'' He pushed the beyblade back into Kai's hands and stepped back.

******

With that stupid grin of his, Tyson started "Oh that... It's a long story Maxy. You wouldn't believe what..." bit he never finished the sentence. The smile on his face faltered within moments. Tyson's attention was no longer on him. Max turned to see whatever held Tyson's attention.

At one point of time, I had mentioned that seeing Kai shot in the chest, curled up in a fetal position hugging his knees, blood pooling around him would give me goosebumps for the rest of my life. Seeing Kai marching towards us, Tyson to be more specific, was no less. His eyes betrayed an emotion beyond ruthlessness. The phrase 'seething with fury' never felt truer.

He had eyes for no one other than Tyson. He attached his beyblade mid march and took aim. Tyson and I launched ourselves in opposite directions. A small cut opens up on Tyson's right arm. The blade hits two of the side walls and goes back to Kai. "What the hell was that!!" Tyson voices out as he rubs the cut, a deep frown etched on his face.

As usual, he receives no response from Kai. Kai readied his beyblade again. He launched it at Tyson. This time, Tyson's cap, his most treasured possession, flew out of his head, cutting a small portion of his dark brown hair. When Tyson picked it up, he noticed a tear in it left by the blade. Tyson's temper rose dramatically at this. "What the hell is wrong with you, Kai?!! Stop it!!"

But Kai didn't. He readied his beyblade for the third launch. Tyson didn't back down either. He removed dragoon from his arm pouch and readied himself to launch. "Ty, don't." Max found himself saying, but he was too feeble to be heard by anyone.

The words next uttered weren't loud as they usually are in a stadium, yet all of them heard it. It was said with such determination, such conviction, such emotion, that all of them present there would remember it for a long time to come.

"Three, Two, One! Let It Rip!!"

******

Words: 2040

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A/N: Hey!! Hope you're all fine... I seriously don't have much to say this time. Hope you like it!!