Buma Ending

Null watched as Sinistra stumbled back, clutching his head in pain. He looked so confused... She had never seen him so scattered and disoriented, not in all of the time she had known him. The longer she held on to his wrist like this, the worse she knew his pain would get. But she didn't dare let go- in his state, he might try to teleport. And he was in no condition to make sure he was teleporting somewhere that wouldn't kill him on arrival.

"Null!"

She looked up as Konki ran towards her, looking frightened and uncertain. She exhaled slowly, glad the girl was still alive. Well, she was one of the Agency's assassins, right? Of course she would be alright. "Konki! The Captain- did you take care of him?"

Konki stopped, a few feet away, uncertainly. "Well, no, but..."

"No?" Null frowned. "What happened?

~~~

Tori opened her eyes, and they were partly her eyes. But black still hovered around the edge of the green, threatening to rush in the moment the nullifying cuffs stopped working. She looked weak, and if it weren't for Hisoka's power boosting, she would have passed out again right there.

Shan noticed her stirring, and stepped away from her gingerly, ready to act if she began freaking out again. "Tori? Are you with us?"

She groaned from where she lay on the floor, closing her eyes as though the fluorescent lighting was too bright. "What... happened? I can't..."

Shan looked at the others, from Akaru to Aden to Tau to the newcomer, then turned back to Tori, kneeling beside her uncertainly. "Tori, can you understand me? We need you to help us. We're trying to get you free, but right now, we're not sure how." He frowned. "Do you know how this... whatever this is, works? Anything you can tell us at all..."

She curled in on herself, whimpering softly. "My head... it hurts..."

Akaru shook his head. He had seen something... somewhat similar to this before. Some rodents could sometimes get overwhelmed, too much stress from their environment paralyzing them. While this wasn't completely the same, he could guess what was happening to her. Whatever was controlling her, it had such control over her mind... The effect of the nullifying cuffs had to be working just as hard against that. Add to all of that whatever Hisoka was doing to her, and the stress she must be under... It couldn't help that they were so close to the deadline, Tori's forty-eight hours almost up. He started to speak, to tell them that they needed to stop, and let Tori conserve her energy-

"That girl. She's the one... that's doing it." Tori's face was contorted, from pain and focus. "I'm trying to remember... She... She drew something... Something I have to do..."

"Girl?" Shan asked, frowning more deeply. What had Null said...? "Dextera?"

"Y...yes. Dextera. My..." Tori's eyes opened for a moment, staring unfocused straight ahead, and for the briefest instant, the black surged forward at the mention of the name. "My friend."

~~~

"You shouldn't be here," Leon argued as they reappeared in the hallway, the teleporter that the woman from Antartica had sent with them withdrawing meekly. "You're still weak. As cold as it was, I'm surprised a shock like that didn't kill you."

Kate scoffed, checking the various weapons she had around her. "I'm fine, Leon. I told you that. I must have told you a hundred times by now."

"You're alive," he admitted. "Still, you should be resting. You're in no condition to face dangerous Gifteds running loose, and you know it." Still, his arguments were half-hearted, already knowing that she wasn't going to rest, not as long as these freaks were running loose in yet another base. They couldn't let another one be over-run, not like the Munia base. If the Gifteds could prove they were that powerful, they might become unstoppable. There might be another war, between Gifteds and Normals, like the one that had taken place nearly a century ago, before the little freaks had been put in their place.

Leon shook his head. "At least promise me you'll be careful," he pleaded.

"This coming from the guy who keeps knocking his head against walls," Kate said wryly, checking her watch. "Don't worry. No Gifted is going to take me down, not today." She looked up, smirking. "Come on. Last reported sighting was from this direction."

They took off running a moment later.

~~~

Null shook her head, taking in the brief explanation Konki had given her. "I see..." He had gotten to her. That seemed to be the Captain's specialty. She straightened up, adjusting the mask. "There's nothing for it. The chance is gone- we're just going to have to run for it." Shan had reported in over the communicators a few minutes ago, letting her know that they had Tori, and apparently someone else she had never heard of. They could get Tori, and Sinistra, out for now- that had to be enough. If that group could leave, maybe she and Konki could still find the cure, somewhere inside here...

"Alright," she said finally. "We're leaving." She tapped the communicator attached to her ear, brushing a strand of dark brown hair out of the way. "Tau, this is Null. We have Sinistra. Where can we find you?"

As Tau answered a moment later, explaining the best he could, Null tried to get Sinistra to get up, to get the huddled, shaking albino man to rise. "Come on," she said softly. "We're going to get you help."

Konki watched uncertainly. "It's going to be hard to move him. He doesn't look like he's in any condition to walk."

"I know," Null said, sounding tired. "Cuff him. I need to let go for a few minutes."

~~~

Clara walked through the halls, invisible and alone, her wings folded tightly at her side in the cramped passageways. No sign of the others. No sign of anyone. Agents appeared every now and then, and there were a few breathless seconds whenever that happened, as she flattened herself against the wall and waited for them to pass. But so far, no one had found her.

Now if she could just find someone. Her communicator had stopped working at some point- she wasn't sure why. That was what they got, she guessed, for taking old equipment that had lain dormant, dusty, and possibly water-damaged for years. She had to wonder if the other's communicators were working.

Or if they were even still free. Or if they were even still alive.

She began walking faster, deciding that for now, it was best just to focus on what she was doing.

~~~

Aden crept closer to Tori, his ally, who was laying on the ground in so much pain... "Tori? Are you... Are you okay?"

Slowly, the black retreated from her eyes. He caught a glimpse of almost complete green as she struggled for a moment before closing her eyes again. "I didn't... I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"

"No," Shan said colorlessly, still frowning as he tried to figure the situation out.

"Good," she exhaled. She lay still for a few moments, then forced herself to sit up, looking angry. "But when I find those agents, I'm going to be more than ready to hurt them for this! That they would do this to people is just... just..."

"Try not to get too angry," Akaru said, twitching nervously. He had morphed into rat form at some point, and was looking down the hall nervously, whiskers trembling. "We'll have to figure it out later. People are coming this way- and I don't smell Null or Konki or any of the others with them."

"Right," Shan said, bending down and putting one arm around Tori, lifting her. "Time to go."

~~~

The two agents ran silently through the halls, weapons drawn, grim and noiseless. Their eyes darted around for any sign of Gifteds, traps, other agents... Anything they could use, years of Agent training kicking in immediately. There was nothing. The hallways seemed abandoned, the entire complex on lockdown.

The slightest of sounds alerted Leon, long before it could reach merely human ears, and on reflex he skidded to a stop, flattening against a wall. Kate was right behind him, growing still as a sculpture with her back to the same wall, gun raised in ready.

Just around this corner. Something metallic scraping... Breathing. Not many sets of breathing, but more than one. Whoever was around there, they were going about their business unaware that they were being observed, absorbed in something. The way no agent would be right now, not when they were all trying so hard to capture the renegade Gifteds. He listened for a few more moments, then glanced at Kate, jabbing one finger towards the corner.

She nodded, then stepped out immediately, gun raised, leveling automatically at whoever she was seeing on the other side. "Freeze!" she yelled, eyes narrowing.

Leon was behind her a moment later, his own taser charging up immediately and coming out. He stepped into the next hallway, eyes locking on to the people there-

His breathing stopped. The masked woman- Alia! The one he had come so close to destroying at the waterfall, before the cursed shield gifted had gotten in the way. The agent gifted with the ability to manipulate fire was standing beside her, helping her to lift a handcuffed albino teleporter onto one of the wheeled transports used to move cages around. He recognized the disoriented teleporter as one of the Captain's own personal pets- Sinistra, the man who was always waiting by the Captain's side.

Kate's eyes narrowed. "Agent Dakkonki," she said, her voice barely a hiss. "Am I to take it that you've switched sides?"

The girl's eyes were wide, frightened. She stepped forward, hands coming up. "Look, I can explain-"

"Don't move!" Kate yelled. "You can explain it to the Captain. Believe me, I'm a pretty good shot. Surrender now- you don't want me using these things." She glanced at Leon out of the corner of her eye. "You got handcuffs? I'm all out. ...Leon?"

His hands clenched into fists, the rage coming back with all the speed of a striking snake, flooding through his body. "You," he growled, eyes locked on the masked woman. "It's you! How dare you show your face around here, after everything you've done?!"

Alarmed by the wild look in his eyes, Dakkonki reached for her swords. The masked woman held a hand out, stopping her, shaking her head silently. She turned her eyes, almost impossibly to see through the hollows of the mask, back to Leon the next second, saying nothing.

"Leon," Kate said slowly. "I know you two have some bad blood. But you're going to have to let the Captain handle it. Do you understand? You can't just-"

"Take the mask off."

Kate frowned. "What?"

Leon's words were a deadly growl as he glared at the masked woman with all the hate in his soul. "I want you to take the mask off. Now!"

The woman grew very still, then slowly shook her head.

The yell of rage that came from Leon in the next moment caused even Kate to step back a little. Before anyone could react, he was springing into the air, hurling himself for the woman. She tried to step back, one hand coming up to block the hand that was reaching out to grab her. But the next instant, the electrified wand was hitting her, shocking her violently. She gave a strangled cry, stumbling backwards, reaching out for a wall to steady herself. As she struggled clumsily, despite the arcing pain, to stay on her feet...

The white mask fell, clattering to the floor.

The woman looked at it, staring at it in shock. Mute horror flashed across her face for a moment. Then her face stilled, and she raised her soft brown eyes, dark hair falling out of her face as she looked slowly into Leon's eyes.

Leon's breath caught in his throat. Not blonde, not blue-eyed, not ivory-skinned. Pale, but... This was not the face of Alia, at any age. This was...

"Noel," he said quietly, his voice cracking in disbelief. The wildness died in his eyes, which stared unfocused, then leaked tears. "You're... you're alive?"

Sadness echoed in her own eyes as she looked back at him. "Hello, Leon."

~~~

Tau tried to suppress his worry as they ran... Well, no, ran wasn't the right word. Shuffling quickly, maybe. Tori was weak, and getting weaker every moment, even with Hisoka trying to help. If she hadn't been wearing the cuffs, he could have just transported them all, back to the entrance, the rendezvous point. But then, if she hadn't been wearing the cuffs... He shivered, remembering the wild way she had fought. The reminder was still tied around her left wrist, the long, thick, shackle-like material from the black transforming weapon still clinging there.

She fell to her knees, breathing heavily.

"Let me carry you," Shan said, stopping with the rest of the group. "Or Akaru. Or anyone. You need to save your energy."

She shook her head, getting to one knee stubbornly. "I can... do this..."

"You're only slowing us down."

They looked to Akaru, now in husky form, who had spoken.

"I can understand if you want to be strong. But at this point, it's only making this go slower to have you running on your own. If we're going to escape, you're going to have to let us help you." He walked forward, nudging her softly with his nose. "You said you trusted us all with your life, right?"

She gritted her teeth... Then slowly nodded. "Alright."

Shan lifted her gently onto his back a moment later. She leaned against him, closing her eyes as they began to run once again.

~~~

Leon started forward, unable to process his thoughts. "I don't... I don't understand! They said you were dead, and that was over nine years ago! Where have you been all this time? How are you still alive?! Why did... Why didn't-"

"They lied to you," she said simply, her voice tired. "They manipulated you, into doing what they wanted. And there was nothing that I could do to stop them."

Konki and Kate both seemed at equal losses, staring between the two uncertainly, their fight momentarily forgotten.

Leon shook his head, continuing to walk forward. "If you've been alive all of this time, why didn't you tell me? When I thought you had died, and that I had..." He shook his head again, growing frantic. "If I had known that you were alive, I would have done anything to protect you! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I couldn't. And even if I could have, it's the last thing you would have wanted to know."

She straightened then, and a sensor went off in the back of his mind. Gifted... No. No! This was all wrong. She was Noel- she was his sister! She wasn't some disgusting freak! He paused in his walk forward, no longer certain whether he should continue towards her or retreat back. She was so much like he had remembered her, enough for him to recognize her immediately. Even with the aging, her face, which was so much like his, was unmistakable, the same face he had known for so long, that he had thought of every day since had lost her... It was impossible, to reconcile that with the Gifted energy he was now picking up from her so strongly, the stench of it setting off every conditioned response of disgust that had been built and drilled into him for the last nine years.

He wanted to draw her into his arms. He wanted to destroy her. He wanted... He didn't know what he wanted.

"I... I still should have known," he said, although he wasn't sure himself anymore. "I would have protected you. Somehow-"

"How? How would you have protected me?" Though her voice was still tired, something iron entered it as she turned on him. "You're an agent. You know better than anyone what this place is like. You think you could have freed me from this place? Even if you had been willing to, you can't even free yourself." She turned away, motioning to Konki. "Forget that you saw me here. Just pretend that I'm still dead- it'll make everything easier."

"Noel!" he called, reaching out to stop her.

"Don't touch me," she said dryly, irritated, no sense of compassion or affection in her voice as she drew away. "Konki, get the transport."

Still confused, Konki grabbed the cart, pushing it along in front of her as she ran to catch up.

"Hey, wait!" Kate yelled, gun raising. She aimed at them, then glanced at Leon, who... was breaking apart right in front of her. It was so strange... He had never looked like this, not once in all the time she had known him. Just what had that woman done to him?! She looked between the retreating Gifteds and her partner, biting her lip, too uncertain to make a decision.

Leon watched his sister go, filled with a thousand emotions, far beyond what he could handle. He fell numbly to his knees, watching as she disappeared around another corner, powerless to stop her. What... why... W-

His eyes caught on white. Looking down, he picked up the mask she had left behind, shaking hands clenching the material so tightly that it began to twist and crack. These emotions were too much- he couldn't handle them all! So the rage consumed everything, tearing him apart. Completely overwhelmed, he raised his head and screamed with the all-encompassing fury.

~~~

Konki flinched as she heard the echoes of the scream, shaking the area even as they got further away. "That was risky," she breathed. "I still can't believe they let us go..." She felt the handle of one of the swords at her back, biting her lip. "I should have taken care of them, while they were hesitating," she said quietly. "We shouldn't have left them alive like that. Now that they've survived, they could come back after us-"

"The woman, maybe," Null said, her words sounding hollow and dazed. "The other one won't."

Konki glanced at her. "What do you mean? He's not even hurt- he can still-"

"He won't." She closed her eyes, walking numbly forward. "He saw me. It'll completely destroy him now. I didn't want..." Tears escaped down her face, a face no longer hidden by a mask. "I've just killed him," she said, the words sounding completely shaken for ones coming from Null.

Staying quiet, Konki continued to push the transport down the hall, the squeaking of the wheels making the only sound.

~~~

Shan shifted Tori on his back for better purchase, watching the hallways and doors pass endlessly on all sides. They had been running for so long, but it didn't feel like they were getting any closer to their goal. "Tau. Still got that map?"

"I do," Tau said, holding up the watch Shan had tossed him so that he could focus on carrying Tori. "According to it, we are not far from the rendezvous point. With any luck, Konki and the others will be waiting for us there." He looked worried. "Unfortunately, there is still no word from Clara."

"We have to hope that she'll be alright," Akaru replied simply, padding along beside them. "She seems tough. She can probably take care of herself."

Aden said nothing, continuing to watch Tori as he struggled to keep up with them.

"In the meantime," Tau continued, "We need to take the next left. It should be coming up, right... There!"

They turned as one, sliding into the next hallway...

Right into a swarm of agents blocking the way. The Captain stepped forward, Dextera staying small at his side. "I believe you have something I want."

Tori whimpered softly, as Dextera turned to smile at them all.

~~~

Leon was on his knees, still trembling. He had been there for several minutes, shaking violently, hands clutching at his head. His eyes were closed, and he was so silent...

Kate looked up and down the hallway, then carefully holstered her weapon. Slowly, she kneeled beside him, reaching out cautiously to touch his shoulder. "Leon... I don't understand. What's wrong? What did that woman do to you?"

"I... don't know..." His words sounded empty, unnatural. "I don't... I don't know anything anymore!" He was curling in on himself, coiling around some inner, deep hurt. "How can she be alive? What am I supposed to believe- that the Agency has been lying all of this time? And how can she possibly be a Gifted?!" He shook his head. "I can't... I can't deal with this. It's too much. I can't..."

Her hand tightened on the shoulder. He was unraveling so fast... Yet she couldn't even tell exactly what was wrong. Still... "Please," she said, trying to look him in the eyes. "Let me help you. Whatever it is, you can tell me!" She tried to turn him, to force him to look at her. "Whatever it is, I want to help!"

He looked into her eyes, for a moment growing still. "You would... You would accept that? Dealing with all of this..." He frowned in wild confusion. "Why would you do that?"

She smiled softly, and hesitated. "Well, because... I think... Because I l-"

"Do you now?"

They both started at the unknown voice, which echoed down the hallways menacingly. It was the voice of a young girl, but somehow the emptiness of the hallway had turned even those few words, making them dark and sinister. "You don't have to finish it. I know what you were going to say." The sound of a little girl's laughter. "I can feel it. And it tastes gross- way too sugary sweet!"

Kate's weapon was out a moment later, her eyes scanning up and down the hallway. The voice- where was it coming from? "Who are you?" she yelled, fierce once again as she stepped protectively in front of the broken agent at her feet. "Show yourself!"

"Couldn't if I wanted to," the voice said, laughing again. Then it turned dark again, more serious. "But then, you're not showing yourself either, are you?"

"What are you talking about?" she muttered, keeping the gun up, searching frantically for the source of the voice.

Wherever it was, it seemed to be moving... Coming closer? Every hair on the back of her neck stood on end, as she began to get the feeling that they were being stalked. "I'm so glad I found you!" the girl's voice called again. "I was getting really weak- I was just about to start unaging again. Luckily, here you are, just when I really needed to feed!"

Leon stood. Kate glanced at him over her shoulder, worried. He had grown very still, eyes darting all over the place. "Leon?"

"I know that voice." There was something dark, angry, frightened in his eyes as he looked back at her, his back to hers. "Alia."

"Are you sure?" she asked, hold tightening on the weapon in her hands. "If it is her... Then where is she?! She can't make herself invisible!"

"Aw, look how concerned you are for him! How cute," the voice called, dancing somewhere around them. "You must really care for him. Or at least, that's what you think." The voice lowered, to a hiss. "Unfortunately, those emotions taste all wrong- completely gross, and they don't fill me up for very long. I'm going to need you to feel something else. Something like..."

Kate gasped as something jolted inside of her, stopping her breath for a moment. She doubled over, struggling for air, her weapon clattering to the floor.

"Kate!" Leon yelled, turning towards her immediately. His hand reached for her arm, to steady her-

Any moment before now, that touch would have felt warm and comforting, even from such hard, inhuman skin. But something changed in that moment. As the warmth drained from her body, she felt herself filled with revulsion, loathing, disgust... All of which intensified as he touched her.

"You thought you cared about him, didn't you?" The voice was barely a whisper, singing hypnotically up close, in her ear. "Of course, it was all pity, wasn't it? You don't really care about him at all- in fact, you almost hate him, don't you?"

Kate tensed, as the feelings rushed into her so strongly, while the warmth continued to leave her, flying somewhere else.

Leon flinched as the slap came, hard against his face. It didn't hurt, not really. Not physically. But... He looked at Kate, not comprehending as she drew away from him, glaring at him so strongly. "K...Kate?"

"Don't touch me," she said, her words cold. "Don't ever touch me. Don't even speak to me."

"I don't... understand," he said, one hand raising to his face. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "She's gotten to you, hasn't she?"

"No. I just can't stand it when you touch me." Kate didn't fully understand the coldness that had seemed to come over her, but she didn't try to, completely under the grip of the new emotions. "It's funny, isn't it? I just now realized how much I can't stand being around you. You're so pathetic, so completely weak and useless!"

"Yessss," the voice said, wriggling in the pleasure it was getting from the emotions she was giving off. "You really do hate him, don't you?" For a moment, Kate felt something, some kind of animosity coming off from this other thing... It seemed focused on Leon. And it seemed to be enjoying watching him as she pushed him away. Enjoying his pain, his uncertainty... Watching as he once again began to fall apart. "In fact, that's not the only thing you've been lying to yourself about, is it? There's someone else... Someone you care about much more than this loser! Isn't there?!"

Another jab of sudden emotions. And suddenly, all she could think of was Marq. Distracted, she stepped away from the disgusting agent in front of her, putting more and more distance between them. "Don't ever touch me again," she breathed, before turning and walking away.

"Hey, Kate!" Leon yelled. But she was already gone. He stared after her, eyes stricken, as he watched yet another person walk away from him. Sinking back into the overwhelming emotions, he sank back to his knees, left to unravel alone in the hallway, completely forsaken.

~~~

The Captain watched them coldly, no sign of emotion on his face. "So. Here you are. You seem to enjoy causing trouble for the Agency, don't you?"

The Gifteds moved closer together, closing in the gaps between them. Shan stepped slightly in front of Tori and the others, and Akaru had his fangs bared, growling softly. Tau was already flickering, one hand on his knife. Aden had taken over supporting Tori, looking frightened but determined, and Hisoka... was still hanging back as usual.

Tau stepped forward threateningly, knife raised as he lowered slightly into a fighting stance. "We are going to leave now," he said, colorless eyes burning with anger. "You would be wise not to stop us!"

The Captain looked around at the endless agents surrounding him, appearing unconcerned, then turned back to the group of intruders. "Leaving? Before you get what you want? Oh, sure, you have the girl, but she's not even close to cured yet, is she? The moment you take off those cuffs, she'll just begin attacking you all over again. And you can't leave the cuffs on forever without her dying. She's quite the liability, isn't she?"

Tori glared weakly at the man, slumped against Aden.

Shan shook his head. "We're not leaving her behind. She's the reason we're here in the first place."

"I'm sure she is," the Captain said. "She's important to you. And that is why I'm ready to offer you a deal."

They watched him suspiciously, not moving. "What?" Shan finally said.

"There they are!" a voice called from behind. Tau started, almost jumping into a fight right there, before he recognized it as Null's voice. The footsteps came closer... Then pulled to a stop.

Shan glanced behind him, realizing immediately how bad this was. Null, Konki, and Sinistra were all there, now, right behind them. If they got captured now, they would all get captured. Except for Clara. Clara was still out there, somewhere...

But the Captain didn't order his men to attack. Instead, he actually looked pleased, in his own frosty way. "Ah, Null. Just the person I wanted to see."

Null wasn't wearing her mask, so the dislike and mistrust in her eyes was very evident as she stiffened, moving closer to her allies. "What's going on?"

"I was just about to offer them a deal," the Captain said smoothly, adjusting the dark glasses that hid his eyes from the world. "Dextera! Show them."

"Yes sir!" the little girl said, stepping forward, glancing at Tori for a second before reaching into her backpack. She fumbled around for a few moments, then pulled a single piece of paper out. "This is my drawing. It's what I used when I first met Tori, and..." She smiled softly. "It's what makes us friends."

Aden growled suspiciously. "You're going to tell us how it works? Why would you do that? It's only going to help us."

"Because I'm trying to offer you a bargain," the Captain said. One large hand descended on top of the little girl's head, in a move that was neither rough nor compassionate. "Dextera's power is something we call geis. Basically, she can give her victims a single command, and that command will consume their life. They have no choice but to fulfill that command as much as they possibly can, not as long as this contract remains." He touched the paper- the contract- pointing it out. "Can you guess what she ordered your little friend there to do?"

Null frowned as she stepped forward, looking at the rough stick figures and crude drawings. A stick figure with a long braid, holding a spear... Dozens of other stick figures lying at her feet.

"To... destroy..." Tori mumbled, barely conscious. "To destroy all other Gifteds..."

Dextera beamed with pleasure. "You remembered! You really are my friend."

The Captain drew his hand away, fixing his eyes on them. "This is the deal. I'm offering you back your friend's freedom. Dextera is fully capable of deactivating this contract. Tori will return completely to normal, and you can all be on your way. I'll even give you a full day's start, to start running, before we start hunting you again. In return..." He waved his hand at Sinistra and Null. "I would like you to return my two bodyguards.

"Not happening," Shan said simply, stepping even more in front of them.

"May I ask why?" the Captain replied smoothly, unperturbed. "I can understand Tori- she's your ally, someone you want to protect. But Sinistra is too far gone to be anything but my protector by now. And Null..." The laughter was forced, artificial, with no real emotion behind it, yet still no less mocking than real laughter. "You can't possibly believe that she's actually your ally."

Konki gritted her teeth, getting tired of the mind games. "Of course she is! We would never have gotten this far without her."

"Oh, yes, I'm sure she used you quite well," the Captain said. "Just like she's used dozens of Gifteds before you. It may interest you to know that she's led countless Gifteds to their captures. She did it by infiltrating them, gaining their trust, just like they did with you. And she did it of her own free will."

"Don't listen to him," Shan said, not buying it. "He's just lying- trying to get us divided."

Still... Tau glanced towards the woman, waiting for her to argue, to look angry, anything. But... she said nothing. She stood there, completely still, brown eyes fixed on the Captain. He hesitated, knife still raised. "Null?"

She shook her head. "...It's true. I don't deny it." Her hands clenched slowly into fists at her side. "And I don't regret it, not in the least."

~~~

Clara wandered through the hallways, trying to figure out where she was, certain that she was now walking in circles. She could swear that she had passed that same doorway five times now...

She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or worried that she hadn't seen any Agents in a while now. She hadn't seen anyone. Most definitely not her friends. For all she knew, they could be captured by now. Or worse...

"Who's there?"

The voice was wavering, frightened. But Clara recognized it immediately, and turned, searching for the source. "Elora?"

"Clara! I'm right here!" Somehow, the girl found her, despite them both being invisible. Elora was hugging her a moment later, invisible tears leaving Clara's invisible clothes wet. "I was so scared! I'm so glad I found you- I got lost, separated from the others. I thought for sure the Agents were going to get me!"

Clara smiled, wondering why she was suddenly feeling so happy and relieved. "It's okay. I won't let anyone hurt you." She looked around, sighing. "I just wish we could find a way out of here..."

"Oh!" Elora was tugging on her hand a moment later, pulling her down the hall. "I found an exit! I was too scared to take it before, but now that you're here to protect me..."

Clara gave in, letting herself be tugged down the hall. Somehow, it was impossible to feel worried or frightened now. She felt so warm, struggling not to giggle like a little child as Elora pulled her. Any other time, that might have seemed weird. Right now, though...

~~~

Konki stared at Null, confused. "I don't understand. Why would you...? You were an agent?"

Null looked at no one, seeming very tired. "I am on your side. At least for now. But what he said is true." She raised blazing eyes, glaring at the Captain furiously. "If it makes me stronger, if it enables me to protect the one person that's important to me, then I will do anything, no matter what it causes for other people." Her eyes narrowed, meeting the Captain's. "And believe me, whatever it takes, to make those that hurt him pay for what they did..."

He smirked. "You see? She's just using you. She's not your ally, not your friend, not anything. You can't trust her. You shouldn't even be around her." He held up a collar, identical to the one that had been pulled from her neck when Null had first been found. "However... If you were to hand her and the other one back over to me, you could be rid of her, and get your real ally back. You could all walk away free from this, with exactly what you wanted. You couldn't ask for a better deal than that."

There was silence. The group looked at each other, while Null stood absolutely still, her eyes locked on only one person. Tau looked around them, then stepped forward, knife raising even higher. "I do not know if Null is to be trusted or not. Right now, it does not seem that way. But one thing I do know." The weapon pointed toward the Captain. "The Agents most definitely are not to be trusted. And anyone who would willingly hand over another human being to them is no better than an Agent himself." He began to flicker, getting ready to fight. "We will be leaving now. We will take all of our group with us. And when we are away, we will decide for ourself who we can or cannot trust, and deal with that as we choose!"

"You're a fool," the Captain sighed. "And what will you do when your friend ceases living because of the nullification? Or when she begins attacking you again? Even if you survive somehow to make it out of here, she most certainly won't!"

Tau stopped, then smiled. "It is the paper, is it not?"

Dextera nodded uncertainly, looking towards the Captain for support.

Tau teleported. Dextera squeaked as he reappeared, grabbing hold of the paper, then disappeared immediately with it.

Tori cried out suddenly, falling to the ground, huddling there in pain. "Tori!" Aden called, kneeling beside her.

Tau reappeared beside Shan, looking smug. "I dropped the paper in a volcano in South America. Go get it if you want. But for now-" he lifted his knife, charging. "We will be leaving!"

The agents descended on them a moment later.

~~~

Clara frowned as Elora continued to lead her through the halls, beginning to get worried again. "Are you sure you know where the exit is? I don't see it anywhere."

"I think I do," Elora replied, sounding worried herself. "It was somewhere up here..."

Clara froze at the sound of running, pulling Elora to the side of the hallway. She was frightened for a few moments, as she waited to see how many agents were running towards them-

But they weren't agents. She breathed a sigh of relief as she stepped out. "Konki!"

Konki wheeled around mid-run, searching for the source of the noise as the others ran around her. "Clara?" She felt something grab her arm- something she couldn't see- and on impulse made it visible. Clara and Elora were standing there a moment later.

"Don't stop!" Null yelled as she passed by, followed by the others. "We've got agents right behind us- we've got to keep running!"

"I do not understand why we are running," an irritated voice said. Tau, alternating between running and flickering in and out of the group as they raced forward. "Our pursuers are our enemies! Why are we not standing and fighting, like true warriors?"

"Because true warriors would get themselves captured or dead within five minutes," Null scoffed. "Now move it!"

"Running as fast as we can," Shan replied, once again carrying Tori. She had her eyes closed, and hadn't moved or spoken to anyone in several minutes. Akaru had switched into horse form, and was now carrying Sinistra over his back, his hooves anything but stealthy as he raced along the tiled floor.

Null gritted her teeth, looking over her shoulder. Both of them were still wearing nullifying cuffs. If it weren't for those, and Null's own power, Tau could transport almost all of them out right now. And now with the main exit blocked off, they were in trouble...

"There they are! Close them off!"

Her head snapped around immediately, as they came to a fork in the hallways. Agents were pouring out of one of the forks, running towards them. By the time they had reached the intersection, Agents were appearing in the other fork as well. Surrounded on three sides... She couldn't believe their rotten luck today. "Get ready, Tau," she said as they wheeled to a stop, looking in the three blocked directions worriedly. "It looks like we're about to become true warriors."

And then the Agents were rushing in. Almost half of them seemed to be the enhanced kind, moving with speed and strength that was almost Gifted itself. They were fighting back seconds later, fighting desperately for their lives. Shan was out first, working as a shield to the others, using his diamond knife to hold them off. Akaru was right behind, a charging ox that attempted to mow a path clear through the mass of enemies. Konki, Tau, and Clara weren't far behind, fighting furiously against the enemy force threatening to overwhelm them all.

Elora hung back, crying. "I don't want to die, I don't want to die!" she shrieked.

"Quiet!" Null hissed. She glanced around at the other members of their group. Sinistra was still curled in on himself, disoriented and mute. Aden stood uncertainly by Tori, and Hisoka also seemed uncertain of what to do. She hesitated. If this guy was really on their side... "Hisoka. You can enhance Gifted powers, right?"

He looked at her. "...Yes."

She pointed towards the Gifteds fighting for their lives. "Then help us!"

He nodded a second later, concentrating. Null turned back to watching the group in worry, hating that she was as much of a liability here as Elora. There had to be some way that she could help...

"...Null?"

She looked down. Tori must have been picking up some of Hisoka's boosting, because she was beginning to move, trying to sit up weakly. "...Uncuff me. I want... to help..."

Null hesitated. Tau had destroyed the contract, but still... "Let me see your eyes."

Tori opened them obediently. Green looked out at Null, clear and undefiled... in the center. A very thin rim of black still remained, almost invisible, around the rims of her irises. "I can do it... I'm in control. I can feel it."

"I don't know," Null said, watching her hesitantly. "But then..." She glanced at the battle. The others were fighting back hard, but they were slowly being pushed in by the sheer number of enemies, slowly overwhelmed. At this rate, they wouldn't last long. It wasn't like it could get any worse...

Tori sighed in relief as the handcuffs clicked open, shaking them free. "Thanks," she said, weaving slightly as she stood up. Still so weak... But Hisoka's abilities were making her feel better already, now that the nullification was gone. Another minute...

She didn't have her staff. But she was still a martial artist. That had to count for something, even without the super strength and speed. She turned towards the Agents, glaring at them angrily, then jumped into the fray a second later, kicking furiously at the head of the first unlucky Agent she spotted.

The fight waged on for what seemed like hours, although in reality couldn't have been more than a few minutes. They were so vastly outnumbered, even their abilities were seeming less likely to save them with every second. As Akaru plowed another temporary path through the Agents, Tau stopped for a moment. He could see the Captain, had almost a clear shot to him now. This was their chance! Gritting his teeth, he clenched the knife, and raced forward, cutting the distance with several short teleports, knife raised to slash.

Dextera saw him first. Eyes widening, she stepped in front of the tall, emotionless man at her side, arms raising. "Stop! Please, don't hurt him!"

Tau prepared to jump past her, pushing himself into the air- and yelled as an electric wand struck his side, one of the Agents getting to him at the last minute. He cried out, crumpling to the floor, the knife clattering to the ground and disappearing beneath a mess of Agent feet.

"Tau!" Null yelled, watching the battles. "Hold on a se-" Something moved behind her. She turned just in time to see the back of Sinistra's fist coming for her.

The man was kneeling over her a moment later, black fluctuating in his eyes wildly. Somehow he had broken the chain between his cuffs, and found the willpower to stand and move. He found the key hidden in Null's sleeve, and moments later he was gone, flickering out of sight, leaving a broken pair of handcuffs behind him.

"Hold on, Tau," Shan called, the closest one to the albino fighter. He struggled, moving with the knife again and again. The others were too far away. But even he was blocked by dozens of Agents, ones that weren't going to let him past any time soon. By the time he got to Tau...

"Nng..." Tau struggled, raising his head to look at Dextera, who was still standing in front of the Captain. "You... You are a Gifted. Why would you... do that? Why would you protect someone that wants you dead?!"

She bit her lip, watching him. "I don't want anyone to die. But the Captain is-"

The Captain shoved her aside roughly, removing a gun from his suit. "You've caused trouble long enough," he said, pointing it at Tau, who grew very still on the ground.

Dextera looked up, brightening as something flickered into solidity beside her. "Sinistra! You're back!"

Sinistra nodded mutely, eyes black, briefly catching the attention of both the Captain and Tau.

Tau stared at him in disbelief, fully seeing him for the first time. "Alpha... You are alive!"

Sinistra turned to look at him, no sign of recognition on his blank face.

Tau frowned. "But... why? Why fight for this man? You realize what he has done. To our tribe- to everyone!" He struggled up as Sinistra looked away. "Answer me! You know who I am. After what you did, I at least deserve that!"

Dextera glanced at the man thoughtfully. Although he wasn't looking at Tau, the slightest of trembling seemed to be building.

"Fine, then, you do not remember me." He sat up, glaring at Sinistra. "But you have to remember Epsilon! She trusted you. She loved you! And you stabbed her in the back, when you helped the Agents capture the rest of our tribe!"

The trembling, though still under control was growing worse. Sinistra's eyes darkened. "Must... protect..."

Tau struggled to get to one knee, still reeling from the effects of the electricity. "I was in the mission to rescue her, and the others. I was the one who found her, in the cage that you put her in!" He shook his head in disbelief. "But she would not let me rescue her. She still believed, despite everything, that you would make everything better. She still trusted you, even more than me, her own brother!" He clenched his fists. "If it were not for you, she would still be alive! How can you let yourself forget that?!"

He stared at Sinistra for a few more moments, watching the man tremble and stay still. He shook his head in disgust. "Then you have forgotten. I do not know how you can do that, no matter what this girl forced you to do." He turned towards the Captain, his glare darkening even more. "But I cannot forget, ever!" Yelling, he jumped forward, throwing himself for the Captain. The Captain raised his weapon, pulling the trigger.

Tau felt the hand that slammed into his chest, pushing him back. He hit the ground for the second time that day, and looked up, in surprise, at the man that had teleported in front of him. "A...Alpha?"

The trembling had stopped. Sinistra looked over his shoulder at Tau, weaving as he held the wound in his side, his pale lips twisting in something that might have been a smile. "Must... protect," he said quietly.

The Captain frowned. "Dextera, what-"

Suddenly, Sinistra's hands were on his shoulders, the albino looking into his eyes. He couldn't go against the order Dextera had forced on him, years ago. He had to protect this man, at all costs. But... this place was dangerous. He could remove him, from this place, to somewhere where there were no enemies.

The Captain struggled slightly as the slowly dying man began to teleport them both. He lashed out, trying to stop him... But only for a moment. The place Sinistra transported them to was airless, and cold. A second flicker changed all of that.

Sinistra did smile then, as he closed his eyes, letting go of the Captain in release. There had been a time when he had been a prodigy, stronger than any other in his tribe, able to fight harder and teleport farther, even to places he had never been. One last time, he had used that strength, to teleport himself and the Captain first into space, then into the very heart of the sun.

His thoughts, finally coming free of their shackles, drifted as his molecules were torn apart in the intense heat and pressure. I must... protect you all...

~~~

Akaru shifted into a tiger, slashing out with his claws at the Agents closing in even more tightly. No good. They were blocked in so tightly. They'd never escape, not in a million years, at this rate. The agents surrounded them on all sides...

Wait.

All horizontal sides!

He looked up at the roof, hesitating. He had no idea how thick it was- it could even be steel reinforced. But if it could get them out of here, he had to try... Even if this ended up as a major headache later. He looked around, locating the nearest ally he could find. "Tori," he called, spotting the girl striking out hard with her fists only a few feet away. "Cover me for a second."

"Why?" she called back. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to try to break through the roof," he said, stretching onto his hind legs, gauging the distance. It wouldn't be easy, but maybe in dragon form...

She frowned, looking up. "You want to break through that?"

"Yes. It could be our only way out of here."

"...Then you cover me. I'm the only one that can do it without shattering a bone."

He glanced at her. What was she talking about? She didn't have her staff, so right now she wasn't any stronger than any of them. What could she possibly- oh no, her eyes were flickering black. "Tori-"

"Stay back," she yelled, the black shackle on her left wrist beginning to move slightly. She inhaled sharply, then ran several steps forward, before jumping and pushing off of an Agent's back. She vaulted for the ceiling, yelling wildly as she sent a spinning hatchet kick for the roof.

Several Agents were flattened by the resulting cave-in of roof tiles and twisted steel bars. Akaru blinked once in the bright sunlight coming from outside, then looked up at the girl hanging from the small hole in the roof by one hand. "Come on!" she yelled, looking down at them with worried green eyes. "We don't have a lot of time! Grab the others, and let's go!"

The fight had begun to decrease for only the slightest second, as the Agents realized that their leader was missing. It was all the pause they needed. Seconds later, a dragon carrying a full load of people rocketed through the gap in the ceiling, followed shortly by a winged gifted struggling beneath the weight of an unconscious woman.

~~~

They landed in the middle of the forest, completely exhausted. "Are we out?" Shan panted as he slid from Akaru's back. "Did we get away from them?"

Akaru stiffened. "No. I can hear them- they're running for us!"

"Great," Tori moaned, wobbling out of weariness as Akaru shifted down into a rat. "Just what we need. More running."

"Don't bother running."

They turned to look at Null, who was slowly coming around. "They have... sensors..." she said, wincing softly as she touched the wide cut Sinistra had left on her left temple. "They can pick up Gifted energy... and they can find traces of it on the ground. Unless you're prepared to fly us all out of here, they're going to be able to find us, wherever we go." She glanced at Akaru and Clara, who both looked about ready to drop. "Actually, flying isn't advisable either. They're probably deploying every aircraft in the city as we speak."

Shan shook his head. "Then what do we do? How do we get away from this?"

Null sighed, thinking for a moment. "...I can mask my own energy, by nullifying it all. If I can concentrate, maybe I can cover another person. Two if I'm really pushing it." She glanced at Tau, who was being strangely quiet, not looking at any of them. "Tau, how many people can you transport at once?"

He shrugged, looking dazed. "Two or three in one trip."

"Okay," she said slowly. "Tau will teleport you to safety, somewhere. They might be able to track where he sends you, but it should at least give you a headstart. He'll have to make several trips, but if we move quickly, he can do it." She looked away. "I'll hide myself, and stay behind."

"What? No!" Tori cried. "We're not just going to leave you behind! Even if their sensors can't find you, they have dogs! It's too dangerous!"

"What choice do we have?" Null answered back. "I can't nullify you all! You're going to have to leave- I'll be fine!"

"It will not work," Tau said quietly. He lifted one hand, staring at it. "That shock... It scrambled up everything. I will recover from it later, but I have seen the way shocks like that impact my people before." He closed his eyes, shaking his head. "If I try to teleport right now, there is no telling where I will end up. It is too risky, and I cannot transport you all, even if I do not teleport straight into a volcano."

"Great," Null breathed. She slumped against a tree, troubled. "I don't know what we're going to do, then. We can hide our scent from dogs, but those sensors..." She frowned deeply. "If I could just extend my range somehow..."

Hisoka, who had been silent until now, slowly stepped forward. "Hey... Maybe I can help."

~~~

Dextera ran through the halls, terrified. Everything was coming apart so quickly! The Agents were running into full war mode. In this state, if they found her- if they found any Gifted out of their cages or without Agent escort, no matter who they were...

The Captain. The one person that had protected her. He had been everything, the one that had rescued her, fed her, helped her to survive. The closest thing she had to a father... He was gone now. She had seen Sinistra's drawing change, the moment he disappeared. Two stick figures, in the middle of a sun, until slowly the two stick figures, also, disappeared...

She choked back a sob, fighting the tears that were beginning to escape. Captain...

Her steps slowed as she turned into a darkened hallway, her dark eyes drawn to something huddled to the side. There was... Someone else here. Not a friend, but not... "H... Hello?" she called tentatively...

Leon didn't look up as Dextera walked closer, knees pulled to his chest, head buried in his arms. Aside from the shallow movement of his breathing, anyone might have thought he was dead. Dextera crept closer to him, staring at him curiously. Why was he like this? The way he looked, curled up, covered in grief...

It was how she felt right now, she realized.

She watched him for a moment, then sat down beside him. Neither of them moved as the chaos continued to stir Buma outside of their dark hallway.

~~~

Dogs raced by on the ground, noses pressed to the dirt, while their owners ran behind, electronic scanners beeping noisily as the chase wore on. They spread out, for miles in every direction outside of Buma, searching, scanning, finding nothing.

In a tree high above them all, Null and Hisoka sat on one of the center limbs, their legs crossed, their eyes closed in concentration, holding hands. Around them, spread out through the branches of the tree they hid in, Gifteds slept, crashed in complete exhaustion, leaning against each other for support and warmth. They were all so tired... Only Null and Hisoka remained awake, continuing to extend their powers over the branches, protecting the people within. They stayed there, motionless, as the sounds of the dogs and scanners grew steadily father away, and the sky slowly darkened overhead.

When the stars had reached their maximum brightness, Null opened her eyes wearily. "I think that's good for now. ...I think we're safe."

Hisoka smiled at her wordlessly before also falling asleep.