Chapter Eight

“I think I won't help you,” the man purred, charcoal eyes glinting dangerously in the dim light. His red hair was tied back , and his skin had the pale color one only got from not seeing the sun in a long time. Zenarith frowned at the man, glancing at Avin who stood against the wall, arms folded across his chest. Nefe Kuro smirked widely at him. “You put me here, and then expect me to help you? What a foolish thought.”

Zenarith held back a wince as he felt the persuasion-laced words slip over him. Avin's frown intensified, and the feeling went away. Nefe glared at the green-haired man who stared back at him with a frown. Zenarith sighed softly. “You are the only one who can open these particular files. You'll have access to a lab,” Zenarith said, wording it carefully. Nefe's eyes lit up at the mention of the lab, but his expression didn't change otherwise. “And, once the investigation is completed, you'll have access to research text and writing materials.”

“I want access to a lab after you put me back in this hellhole,” Nefe growled out, frowning, charcoal eyes burning darkly, hungrily in his eye sockets. Zenarith frowned, glancing at Avin. The man glared at Nefe, not giving Zenarith any sort of a response.

Zenarith stood, nodding shortly. “Done. You'll have limited and controlled access to a lab, and in exchange, you'll be accompanied at all times by Avin here, as well as an old ...friend.”

Nefe frowned. “All times?”

Zenarith smirked. “All.”

Nefe sighed, sinking back against his chair, licking his lips slowly. “Fine then. I'll help you with your little investigation.” He smirked. “After all, I'd like to get some fresh air.”

* * *

Zenarith sighed as he sank into the comfortable seat of his floater, Rinn sitting across from him, Avin sitting next to Rinn. He looked out at the ocean. “This whole situation bothers me,” he said quietly. Avin glared at him and said nothing. “I thought that getting him to help would be harder than it was. “

Rinn shrugged. “Wants to begin science experiments again. Loves science. Dislikes us, but will work to learn. Are certain it was wise?”

Zenarith shook his head. “No,” he replied, leaning his head back to look up at the sky. “I may not be certain about it being wise, but...I do think his knowledge of the subject will help.” He shook his head. “We'll need all the help we can get. I've been thinking about this whole thing....don't you think its strange that this is the first time we've come across a bio-gen capable of speech? I mean, there have been rumors and whispers of such things, but no recorded proof.” He frowned. “Do we know who all has done research into the subject..?”

Avin shook his head. “Fen is still looking up old files. There's a lot of sealed material that we can't access without military approval, but I'm looking into options for getting that information.” Zenarith nodded, biting his knuckle softly. He looked at Rinn, and then started up the floater to take them home. Avin sighed. “Zenarith...what's going on with you. You're acting strange. You've been strange since that night...” He fell silent.

Zenarith shook his head. “My mind's not in its right place...the nightmares started again.” He looked down. “I have this awful feeling that something bad is going to happen..and I really...don't think I could handle it if something happened.”

Avin sighed softly. “Seriously, Zenarith....you're thinking far too deeply about it. You had a dream. Get over it, all right?” He clapped the other on the shoulder. “You're too good a man to be distracted by that sort of thing. Now...let's focus on the task at hand. You have arrangements to make for living quarters for you-know-who, and I've got military things to deal with. You think you can whip up some credentials for Rinn? I know you've got connections, and I need him to come with me. Think you can do it?”

Zenarith smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I can do that,” he said, putting the floater on auto-pilot. “Any word from Fen on cracking the data? I'd much prefer to not have to drag that man out of prison to make him open 'daddy's files' if I can avoid it.”

Avin shook his head. “Byakuya's gone to meet with him, but the messages weren't promising. The code is three-dimensional.”

Zenarith cursed softly. It would be difficult trying to figure out exactly what order to put the code together in a. three dimensional setup just made things more complicated. He sighed softly, shaking his head. “I'm considering making a trip up to Aeros to set up the accommodations. The city's to be within the area for the next month at least. Should be good enough. They've good security up there. Even if he were to get away from you, which he won't, he won't have any place to go.” He grinned. “Besides. Yuki and Kiro are up there...I'm sure Yuki would love to see Rinn.”

Rinn's ears perked up and he blinked. “Yuki?” he mumbled sleepily. Zenarith grinned, ruffling the boy's hair.

“Yes, Rinn. Yuki will be very happy to see you. I'm certain of it,” he said with a wide smile. Rinn beamed at him, and curled up next to him, laying his head on Zenarith's shoulder. Avin smiled softly at him, shaking his head slightly.

“I'll get our things ready to go as soon as we're back, and then we will head down to the prison sector to retrieve Nefe,” Avin said, glancing out at the city around them. Zenarith nodded, stretching a bit.

“Sounds good. I'll send an escort for protection. We'll meet you up top. We'll be taking Fieros up...Byakuya gave us permission. He's going to be working with Fen on the data at the research center on the estate. We'll be sending him whatever we get. I'll be going with you, as will Thalia. Sorrell is going to remain with Byakuya...we'll send any messages we need kept secret through them,” Zenarith replied, sighing.

Avin nodded, grinning. “You're good at this,” he laughed, punching Zenarith's shoulder lightly. Zenarith's cheeks flushed and he shook his head, not really sure how to reply to that. He owed Byakuya an apology for his behavior. He'd been distant, and a little cold. Zenarith admitted to himself that he'd been afraid of losing his lover, but he realized that all he really wanted to do was take Byakuya away from this world and its troubles, and give him peace. A perfect world with perfect peace. It was an impossible thing, of course, but Zenarith still wanted to make thing...better. He smiled faintly, ruffling Rinn's hair softly.

Avin sighed softly as a second floater docked with theirs. He grimaced and shrugged. “Zenarith, take care of sleepyhead there...I'll meet you up top in an hour or so...he should be okay around you. He's gotten a lot better at shielding.” Avin didn't look convinced, but he stepped onto the second floater anyway. “I'll go get the damn bastard out of prison. I don't want to risk Rinn down there...It's not safe for his mind, I think.”

Zenarith nodded slowly, tapping out a message to the prison warden, informing them of Avin's ETA. “All right. I'll meet you at the 'port up top. We'll go get your things...you didn't pack much, and I'm fairly sure that Yuki will take you both shopping at some point.”

Avin nodded, and stepped aboard the other, tapping out a destination, and waving to Zenarith as he departed. Zenarith sighed, cradling Rinn close. He kept his thoughts carefully calm as they traveled through the Towers region of the city.

“Sad man...” Rinn mumbled sleepily. Zenarith blinked, frowning down at the boy. A chill ran through his body, the hairs raising on the back of his neck. He felt that odd pressure again, and then it dissipated. Sigma sat across from him, relaxed, with legs crossed. He was nibbling on some sort of candy this time. Zenarith tensed, unsure as to the other's intentions. He glanced down at Rinn, who was looking at the man with a sort of half-smile, his tail swishing gently. Okay....so Rinn wasn't upset by the man. That was either a good sign, or a very very bad one.

“You know,” the man started, looking at the candy disinterestedly. “You worry too much. You're probably going to succeed. Besides, that man is nowhere near as bad as his father.” He grinned, standing up, patting Rinn on the head. Rinn practically purred, looking rather pleased. Zenarith was speechless, and apparently frozen in place when the man simply walked to the edge of the floater..and stepped off the edge.

Zenarith let out a startled yell, moving quickly to the edge, looking down. As he did so, light glinted off something metallic and he stared at a neat little hook, connected to a chain that went down...down...down...and at the bottom of the chain was Sigma, who deftly dropped to the roof of a nearby building. The chain released, and Sigma looked up at the floater.

Rinn was smiling widely, waving cheerily at the man, who blinked at him, before raising a hand to wave back. Zenarith found himself waving, and then stared at his own hand. He didn't even know this man. All he knew about him was that he had worked with Doctor Pierce, that he was extremely skilled at infiltration, and that he had some sort of strange ability that allowed him to do the most unusual things.

Zenarith shrugged, sitting back down. Well...there was no point worrying about that right now. He had bigger things to worry about....like putting Nefe in a city full of impressionable students. That was just asking for trouble...