Japan

[It's totally fine, lol]

"Yes yes, it's tine to go," Locke said with a look of haste. He hopped between feet impatiently as both children stood. Once they were both up he retreated to the main room to where Puck stood by the staircase. His twin looked bothered and sleepy; hopefully all of their minds would be cleared when they retrieved Vin and... Shiki. The thought of bringing him back along was irritating. They didn't need anyone else to burden them.

He scratched his head, sighed, and turned back to his three companions. "We should keep together as a group and when we get inside, split up. Try not to make any racket or trouble until we're on our way out. Then I guess we could just destroy as much as we can." Memories of their previous escape from the Syndicate base racked his memories. Unfortunately, he was sure that this time they wouldn't do as much damage; at that point in time, their redheaded leader hadn't had any control over her powers.

"Where should we go to after we escape?" Puck asked with a frown. "I mean, we can't go back to the old base. The Syndicate already knows it's there.."

"Didn't Vin once tell us about some friends she'd made while with the Syndicate?" Locke said thoughtfully. "I was sure that she said something about an underground boarding house for unwanted contractors, moritoriums, and dolls."

His twin shrugged. "Whatever. Let's just get Vin back." A frown on his lips, he clambered up the stairs and into the darkness of the night.

Rina and Izumi stepped up behind the talking twins, both who seemed to be deep in thought before Puck shrugged and made his way up the stairs with Locke following him. Izumi came next and, last but not least, Rina followed the male.

" Let's get her back," Rina murmured softly to her friend as she took his hand and pulled him along after her, toward Locke and Puck. " She belongs with us, where she's safer."

The girl looked as pale as ever, apparently her sleep hadn't done much to bring colour back to her cheeks although it did seem to do wonders for her attitude as she gave a small smile to each of the brothers. She brought her hand up to cover her mouth as it widened in a large yawn before she stretched her arms out again, letting go of the doll's hand long enough to do this.

" Locke and I go for Vin while Puck and Izumi go for Shiki..?" She murmured softly to no one in particular, asking for confirmation as her green eyes looked over to the older pair.

The night was cold. Very cold, in fact. When you breathed out, a mist fogged up the air before you. Locke shoved his hands into his pockets, eyes scanning their surroundings. The Syndicate wasn't all that far away from here; it just so happened to be around the corner and down the block just a little way. His attention returned to Rina at her question.

"Yeah," he murmured, shivering slightly. "There are two halls where they'd be kept, so we'll just have to go down both of them. Usually they don't hold contractors there for long, so I don't think we have to worry about opening a door to find a random person..."

"Let's just go," Puck grunted. He almost appeared paranoid about returning to the Syndicate base. Something about the place had always chilled his blood. "If we get split up, I guess we can find somewhere to hide and Izumi can look for us. We'll meet at that place that Vin told us about."

His twin nodded. "Let's go," he repeated and began on his way.

Rina nodded her blonde head, her long ponytail shifting as she pulled her hair over her shoulder to her front. It was so cold out, she realized as she breathed out a small cloud of white fog. Izumi, Puck and Locke all appeared to be shivering. It must be the cold, Rina thought as she followed Locke - who had begun to walk at a brisk pace.

The girl hurried after everyone as Izumi kept up beside their temporary leader, light on her feet while she moved quickly after the others. Her green eyes scanned the darkness around them as she felt a small shiver run up and down her spine. If it weren't for her long sleeves and pants Rina knew she would have more than shivers to deal with - try having chattering teeth while trying to rescue someone.. it was absolutely no fun. It was downright dangerous.

" We're coming, Vin.." She whispered softly, her breath hot in the cold air as she pulled her gloved hands into the sleeves of her shirt to keep them warmer than they were already. Rina fell silent after this, becoming as quiet as a ghost in the night. Just another shadow blending in easily.

It didn't take long to reach the base. Locke paused around the corner, signaled for the others to wait, became invisible, and turned. He rounded the corner and reached up a fist, slamming it into the side of a camera. It flew off the wall with a crack, but he caught it before it smashed into the ground. "Common," he said, becoming visible and peaking around the corner at the others.

"Shall we go?" Puck said, adrenaline pumping. He held out a hand for Izumi to take. He wasn't fond of the young doll, but at this point he didn't care. As long as they got Vin out he didn't care. "If we run into trouble, you'll know," he said in his twin's direction, hinting that he'd create an illusion.

Locke nodded before turning his attention to Rina. "Keep your emotions in line. We don't need anyone catching on fire," he said. Although his words were harsh, it was very clear that he was completely serious. They couldn't risk it at this point.

Izumi looked up at Puck, his expression matching his blank eyes. With a small nod, the doll quietly accepted the male contractor's hand. It didn't make a difference to him who he was partnered with, he didn't really have an opinion of either twin - it was Rina who was his only friend.

Speaking of Rina, his silvery blue eyes flicked in her direction as he and Puck left Locke and Rina. She didn't seem the same as she had always been, perhaps Vin's capture had changed her. He shoved these thoughts from his mind as they walked from the other two.

The blonde girl's head came up at Locke's words, her green eyes filled with dark shadows. " Don't worry about it," she murmured, her voice quiet but sharp as her gaze focused on the older male for a fraction of a second before speaking again - getting back on task. " Let's go." She took a few steps forward, toward Locke before glancing down both directions of the hall. The other two were going down one way so this only left one more option, this was the direction she turned toward while asking over her shoulder, " This way, right?" She'd rather be correct than get herself killed by accident.

Rina didn't care much for the way Locke had said it but she knew he was right. They couldn't afford a mistake like her losing control and Rina would do everything she could to keep it from controlling her.

Puck nodded to Izumi before they headed into the building. He created an invisibility illusion around the two of them as they walked. "They'll probably have him in the hallway over," he murmured to the doll. "That's usually where they keep prisoners who they are interrogating." He let the way, pulling Izumi along with a gentle hand.


"Yeah," Locke murmured, suddenly regretting his words. He hurried to catch up with her and, once beside her, took her hand in his. Like his brother, he allowed them to become invisible. "Her room is this way," he said quietly as they turned a corner. "Down this hallway, to the left, and then it should be at the end of that hallway."


Vin sat up with a gasp. A light sweat was covering her forehead, chest, and tattooed arms. The bed, ever uncomfortable, was lightly soaked as well. "Let me out!" she wailed, curling into a ball and gripping her head. The memories, oh, the memories. They were returning, vividly playing behind her eyes whether opened or closed. Tears rolled down her pale cheeks and her body shook between her ragged breathing and her fear. Electricity crackled around the room, causing the sink to erupt and the wardrobe to burst into flames. Water spewed and fire cackled, yet the girl in the bed remained pulled into herself, eyes wide in terror.

Izumi nodded his blonde head as he was pulled along behind Puck, the twin with the darker hair. His eyes calmly scanned the area they were moving toward, unbothered by possible outcomes of their rescue mission.

Instead of speaking the girl nodded and began moving in the direction she had indicated, hearing Locke's soft footfalls behind her as he rushed to catch up and then clasped her hand in his. Rina felt when the pair had become invisible and even glanced at Locke to check. Since she couldn't see him but could still feel his hand in hers, her assumption was proven to be correct. She began to almost follow Locke, while still walking beside him, as he turned a corner and pulled her along.

Rina heard his words and wanted to rush forward but, miraculously, the feeling went away as soon as it appeared - pushed deep inside herself. If this was rushed, nothing would fall through well enough and would end in disaster.. They all knew this.

---

Zane got up from his bed and crossed the room quickly, opening his door as quietly as possible to peer out. He made sure that both sides of the hall were clear before he stepped out, allowing the door to swing closed behind him with a soft click. He had the access card in his pocket again and he patted it to double check before his yellow eyes faced the direction he would go in and he began walking calmly down the hall. If he was stopped by anyone from the Syndicate he already had his excuse prepared; he was on his way to interrogate the male contractor that had been brought in earlier. Zane knew this was an excuse that was not difficult to believe, after all the Syndicate did do such things at all hours.

Puck and Izumi rounded the corner onto one of the hallways just as Zane disappeared from site. Oblivious to the redhead's presence only a couple of yards down, the two continued forward. (wow they are so boring together lol)


Just like his brother, Locke was completely oblivious to the other force lurking among the halls. They moved silently, quietly. He worked to stay a little ways near the wall just in case a Syndicate member on duty ran through. Of course, this was highly unlikely at this hour. Occasionally people were up and about at this late hour, but these were mostly the scientists and the researchers who rarely left the labs.

"Hey," he murmured to Rina, giving her hand a squeeze. "When we get Vin out of here, let's get some icecream or something."

==

Everything in her room was hectic. The bed was soaked, she was soaked, the floor was soaked. Flames raged in the corner, although they were beginning to die down as the water from the sink lapped at the wood of the dresser. Vin remained curled in the bed, shaking in her misery.

Izumi began to pick up the pace, pulling the older contractor along behind him down the corridor. [Oh boy, are they ever...]

She kept almost right at Locke's side, never loosening her grip of his hand as she kept scanning their surroundings with her alert green eyes. Hey.. When we get Vin out of here, let's get some icecream or something." As Locke spoke to her, his voice soft, he squeezed her hand. Rina squeezed back lightly before finally loosening her hand, feeling pins and needles run from her fingers and up her wrist. She held in a gasp and waited a few moments, until she knew she would be able to respond quietly.

" Okay," Rina whispered quietly, her voice hesitant at the same time. She turned her head to glance behind them, her white hair swinging in its ponytail as she did so, before turning back to face the direction they were walking in. " Come," she said softly as her pace quickened and she was a little ahead of the male, now urging him along. She just wanted out of this place, she thought as she felt a shiver run through her body. It was very obviously not because of the cold but because of the odd silence that surrounded them, the distant noises in a laboratory or [i]something[i] - Rina didn't want to think much further on that particular subject.

---

Zane heard footsteps and unfamiliar voices that were barely noticeable they were so quiet, all without seeing who they were coming from as he stared around himself. He shook this out of his mind before finally rushing down the final stretch to Vin's room and using the access card to open the door. What he opened the door to was quite a sight.

A fire in the corner was slowly dying from water from the sink. Vin herself was soaked as she lay curled in a ball on her bed with water pooling on the floor below her, seeming to shiver. The red haired male took his jacket off and strode over to the young woman, forcing her to sit up and eventually stand as he placed the jacket around her shoulders. He ignored the fire and the water, it made no difference since they were leaving. Vin would no longer reside in this room.

" It's time to go," he murmured as he looked down to her, pulling her over to the door and opening the door with the card once more. He grabbed her by the shoulders an, without glancing back, left the room with her. " Your friends are here for you," he managed to say quietly, feeling his boots squish slightly with each step as he realized there was water in them. This didn't impress the expressionless young man.

It was clear that Rina wanted to be out of the base as quickly as Locke did. He was getting odd vibes from every which way and none of them proved positive. Past memories flooded into his mind, reminding him of the times when he and his brother had worked for the Syndicate. They'd been young and had no place to go. Working for the Syndicate was the only option if they wanted to survive without having to turn themselves into foster care from an orphanage. Although the memories were sad, he felt absolutely nothing. It was like a blank voice that he didn't understand. Sometimes it scared him - he was still human, wasn't he?

"Turn to your left on this hallway," he said urgently under his breath. Vin's room would be on the end.

==

The redhead looked up with bloodshot eyes when Zane entered. She wanted to get up but her body wouldn't move. Even when he forced her to stand, her legs wobbled and almost buckled beneath her. Vin leaned on him heavily, trying to stifle her whimpering for the better good. His jacket was warm and it had his scent - at any other moment it would have been a comfort.

"Make them stop," she whispered, hands gripping her head, tearing at her hair. A sob escaped her lips and she curled her arms around his torso, wanting the comfort of his arms around her as he had so many times years before. "I don't want these memories. Make them go away. Please." Her shivering intensified as fright racked her bones. Make them go away. Make them go away. But he could do nothing to help.

Rina tugged the older male along behind her as she followed his directions, pulling him over to the wall quickly to get out of the way of the two redheads that were coming down the hall toward them. A male was helping Vin down the hall, his arms around her as he appeared to be holding her up. The white-haired girl froze in her tracks as her green eyes stared at the pair, realizing who this young man was. He was the one Vin had fought on a few different occasions now. Why was he helping her?!

Her pale hand squeezed Locke's tightly, this was not right. This was.. strange, she thought as her wide eyes never moved from the pair.

---

Zane supported most of Vin's, if not all of it, weight as they made their way down the hall. " Make them stop.. I don't want these memories.. Make them go away.. Please." The male set his expression to betray nothing he felt as he kept his arms around her and pulled her with him, hugging her tightly to him.

" I'm sorry Vin," he murmured softly in response, not even realizing that there were two invisible people nearby that were now watching.

"Look in all of the rooms," Puck said urgently, releasing Izumi's hand and beginning down the hallway. "He should be in one of these."


Locke halted a mere moment before Rina froze. He stared ahead of him, eyes upon the two figures. Vin looked like a mess and Zane - he didn't even want to see his face. It disgusted him. It enraged him. It made him more jealous than anyone could imagine. And by the way she was clinging to him, he was sure that she had regained her memories; or some of them, at that.

It took him a moment to decide what to do. And when he did it, he didn't regret it. He let the invisibility dissolve, giving themselves away. But even then he remained silent, waiting for them to notice.


Up ahead, Vin was completely oblivious to the appearance of her companions. She clung to Zane for dear life. Memory after memory racked through her bones and her body. Fear and depression raged on inside her. She let out a startled yelp as one of the more terrible memories began to play in her mind. Her hands immediately retracted from Zane and snatched up at her head. She couldn't hold back her sobs any longer; they rang down the hallway as she buried her face into his shirt.

[Two days, only two, and everything switches around on me.. Not. Cool. -.- ]

With a nod of his blonde head Izumi set off on his way down the hall, opening every door he passed by. Poking his head in each room and allowing his silvery-blue eyes to scan the occupants, or non-occupants as not every room was in use, for the older male contractor. " Shiki..?" Izumi whispered blankly as he looked into another room, but it turned out that the inhabitant was a female as he noticed her hair. He backed out, slowly so as to not wake the child, and closed the door quietly behind him before racing onwards.


Rina knew the invisibility had been dropped but felt like she was stuck in place, completely unable to move her legs as she stared at Vin and her apparent new friend. Someone Rina knew to previously been their enemy.

" Vin," the young girl murmured, her voice so quiet it seemed to only be an exhalation of air as she tightened her grip on Locke's hand. Her eyes were wide as she never removed her gaze from the both redhead's. One with icy blue eyes and the other with cold yellow-golden ones.


Zane noticed them immediately after the invisibility vanished, his sharp eyes catching the girl's concerned expression and the tightening of her pale hand in the elder male contractor's at her side. She seemed to be frozen in place, completely unable to move, as she stared in shock at her leader; Vin.

He held the woman at his side tightly to his lean frame, allowing her to bury her head in his shirt to hide the sobs that racked her body. " It's no longer happening anymore, shh.." He bent his head to place his mouth near her ear and murmured quietly into it, hoping she was listening to him. " Shh, it'll be okay.. Look."

Puck tried to be quiet as he opened and closed door upon door. Every time he didn’t find the blonde contractor residing in the room his heart sank just a little further. The longer it took them to find him the longer it would be before they got to be reunited with the others. Just when he was giving up hope he wrenched open a door to see who he was looking for. “Shiki,” he hissed, causing the illusion of a ball to bounce on the blonde’s forehead. “Get the hell out. We’re leaving.”


Locke flinched when Rina’s grasp on his hand tightened. He looked down at her wide eyes. It wasn’t surprising that she was shocked. Seeing their leader with an enemy would confuse any person. “It’s alright,” he murmured to her. “He’s one of us. Well, he was up until… You know, maybe it’d be better to wait for Vinny to explain everything.”


Vin trembled as memory upon memory played like a movie behind her eyes. Goosebumps ran down her arms from the cold of sitting in the water. Her lungs felt heavy and sick. She jumped when his breath tickled her ear. She looked up, for the first time realizing the two people watching them from down the hallway.

“Oh my god,” she whispered. Her shaking ceased suddenly and she stared blankly. Suddenly she lurched forward, dragging Zane alone by the hand whether he wanted to or not. Halfway to her comrades she released the redhead’s hand and stumbled onwards. As soon as she reached them she fell to her knees before Rina and pulled the girl into a tight embrace. “Oh I was so worried,” she cried. “I’m so glad you’re ok..”

" Shiki." A voice hissed.

" Huh?" The blonde male said as he somewhat woke up with a start. He hadn't even realized that he had fallen asleep, how stupid was that? His emerald eyes shot toward the door where a familiar face was seen peering in at him and Shiki felt his eyes widen. It was one of the twins, Puck, he thought. " Get the hell out. We're leaving." The male stated as Shiki leapt from the bed and followed him out the door, no glances backward as he left the room.


" I'm sorry," the girl murmured distantly, her tone completely confused at Locke's words. That man, the red haired one, was one of them?! Was Locke crazy now too - she didn't want that particular question answered. Instead of actually responding to the male, Rina nodded slowly as her eyes shifted back to Vin. Suddenly the older teenager looked up and caught sight of them, saying something so low that Rina couldn't hear her just before rushing forward and pulling the red haired male behind her. Once she was much closer Vin let go of his hand and dropped down to her knees in front of the white-haired girl, wrapping her arms around the younger girl in a tight hug. “ Oh I was so worried," This confused Rina as she had thought contractors were supposed to be incapable of human emotions. " I’m so glad you’re okay..”

The girl nodded her head, pulling her ponytail over her shoulder as she stared at Vin and carefully wrapped her own arms around the overly-emotional contractor. " I'm fine Vin," she murmured, feeling strangely calm as she tried to calm the red haired young woman who held her so tightly. " But we need to get out of here," At this moment Izumi appeared from the other end of the corridor, his expression off somewhat. " Puck found Shiki.." Rina murmured quietly as she pulled her arms away from Vin and managed to get her to let go. " So we can go now, okay? We need to get out of here?" At one point the girl would have come across as pleading while saying this but, now, she didn't. Her musical voice was a little more flat than it had been originally, her gaze a little less interested, and her emotions slowing down.

She took a few steps toward the direction they had come from and half turned toward the small gathering, " Coming..?"

(CRAP I forgot to post ._. I'll get one up either tonight or tomorrow)

Puck led the way back down the hall, gesturing for Shiki to follow. "It's a wonder we haven't gotten caught--" Just as he spoke the sirens began to wail. The twin cursed himself, eyes ablaze. He began muttering under his breath as he stormed back towards the exit. It appeared that Izumi had already left.


Vin released Rina, standing immediately, composure returning. But there was a glint in her eyes, a pained glint, one that told everyone that she was doing her best to keep herself in line. She turned and took Zane by the hand. "Let's go," she murmured quietly and began to pull him along. Locke followed close behind like a little dog, a happy expression on his face, although it was unknown if he felt happy at all. It was then that the sirens went off.

"Shit," Locke cursed. He began a full sprint towards the exit, expecting the others to follow.

Shiki walked quickly then, when the sirens went off, he began to run. He was almost sprinting as he made a beeline straight for the exit, following Puck swiftly.

Rina's bright green eyes widened at the sound of the piercing sirens and she set off at a mad dash to the exit, only a few feet ahead of Izumi and the others. Zane, on the other hand, pulled Vin along behind him. He didn't let go as he held her hand tightly in his, unwilling to let go.

" Hurry," he murmured into her ear but, when he decided she wasn't moving fast enough, then Zane swept the small red haired young woman up into his arms and ran holding her like that.