Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Passage Through Shadow 3: Rain of Mercy ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. I do not claim to own Digimon. Toei own Digimon and Sensation Animation (formally known as Saban) make the dub. This is for fun not profit.

A/N: yes I know you technically can't take someone without a digivice through a digiport but Sora did it at the end of season 2 so nah! Also I'm upping the rating to PG since things are getting a little darker now. Oh and the rewrite of Descent into Darkness is up. Go read it. It's important since I'm changing a few things and you'll get confused if you don't go back and spot the changes. Oh and I made a minor continuity cock up in part 3. The email Takeru got from Hikari was meant to say "the day after tomorrow" not "tomorrow. Gomen.

R&R

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Passage Through Shadow 3

Rain of Mercy

Part Four

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"You know maybe this isn't such a great idea." Ali said to the others as they left the base to attack the Lutramon village. "I'm not sure my fun is worth pissing off Logan for and they did save his life."

"Don't back out on me now, Ali-chan." Chiharu said in an icy tone. "It's not like you to be squeamish and I remember how much you enjoyed the Lutramon."

"I am not being squeamish!" She hissed. "I'm being politic. There might be great advantages to ameliorating our image somewhat."

"You know, Ali, Logan has a strange effect on you." Denbe said. Ali just shrugged.

"Maybe psychogirl is scared of baka." Kage said which earned him a glare from Ali.

"I'm not squeamish!" She repeated firmly. "And I am not afraid of Logan. It's just that the Lutramon saved his life and once I thought about that I am grateful for that. He's a good friend and I'd be upset if anything happened to him." She closed her eyes. "Yes, I enjoyed playing with the Lutramon and I want to play again but damn it what I want isn't important in the big scheme of things! There's plenty more digimon I can play with. I'm changing my vote."

"Oh no you aren't!" Chiharu hissed and her eyes went black again. "We are going to attack that village and you are going to help us, Alison. You won't like the consequences if you don't."

"Hai." Denbe smirked in agreement and his eyes went a lurid orange.

"When did that rule come in?" Ali took a step backwards unnerved by what she was seeing.

"I just decided on it now. We decided to do this yesterday and we are going through with it!" Chiharu put her hands on her hips.

"You should listen to her, Maruyama-san." Sean told Chiharu. "I do not need the mess that you are creating for me."

"What are you babbling on about?" Chiharu's eyes were still black. "What aren't you telling us?"

"Nothing that you would believe but you shouldn't push Logan too far. I've known him since we were kids. Believe me bad things will happen and I mean bad for us."

"Oh come on. You're scared of baka?" Kage asked in disbelief. "How can you think that that pathetic excuse for a Child of Vengeance is worthy of anything but contempt?"

"Scared of him? No, not that. But I'm not contemptuous either. I know him far too well. He's naïve at times and very direct but he's not stupid."

"Can we stop waffling and just go and crush the village." Denbe hissed. "That is what we're supposed to be doing this morning."

"Yes! Let's move out." Chiharu said. "Come on, Ali-chan, you know how much you want this."

"Chiharu-chan is right, Ali." Denbe told her. "You'll feel better once you get your claws into a couple of Lutramon."

Ali's shoulders drooped. "You're probably right but that doesn't make it a good idea." She straightened. "Let's get this over with."

"Before Logan wakes up." Chiharu added. "If he finds out what we're up to he'd probably be foolish enough to try and stop us. He'll certainly burst our eardrums with his rage and I'd rather keep my eardrums intact until we get back."

-----

From the Control Room Logan watched them leave. He had actually made the effort to wake up early to see if they would actually go through with it. When Ali had expressed her doubts and tried to change her vote he had wanted to cheer. He had been sure that she would come to her senses and was glad that he was right. So he had been even angrier than before when Chiharu and Denbe had refused to let her and had threatened her. How dare they let Kage change his vote but not his Ali-chan. He consoled himself with the thought that Chiharu still underestimated him. She was in for a severe disappointment and he was really looking forward to seeing her reaction. To that end he fixed the cameras not to show him leaving and slipped out of the base. He covered the ground quickly since he was travelling alone except for his partner and hid himself near the village with a pair of binoculars. Then after he'd checked that the Lutramon had indeed escaped he settled down to wait.

-----

"Where the Hell are they?" Chiharu shrieked when they found the village deserted. She whirled on Sean. "Did you warn them as part of one of your schemes? Because if I find out that you did I'll…"

"I didn't warn them." He said coolly. "Why would I? It's not as if Logan would thank me." He surveyed the deserted village. "Maybe it was Logan."

"Oh come on!" Kage glared at Sean. "Baka wasn't there and even if he had been he's not bright enough to get out of the base without the cameras seeing him."

"You know it's more than likely they just believe him or possibly felt that he wouldn't be able to stop the rest of us and left anyway." His eyes had finally returned to normal and he was frowning.

"That seems like a fair explanation to be." Ali agreed then leapt between Chiharu and Sean as the Child of Dark lunged at him. "Chiharu-chan, stop this!"

"Somebody warned them." She hissed. "I know that they did and Treachery is probably cutting a plan of his own. It's his nature. Maybe Logan was right to say that we didn't need him." She tried to lunge round Ali but got the child of cruelty's fist in her stomach instead.

"You aren't thinking clearly." Sean told the winded girl. "I don't betray someone unless I have a reason." He leapt backwards as Chiharu recovered and lunged at him again. Ali grabbed the girl and tried to hold her back. "Why would I warn them?"

"Denbe give me a hand here." Ali pleaded. "I can't hold her back on my own when she's like this and she'll regret what she's doing when she recovers."

"Just let her go." Denbe shrugged. "She needs to get it out of her system."

"But Daemon-sama said we need Sean and if I let her go she'll kill him and he hasn't even done what she's accusing him of. We're supposed to be a team which means, among other things, that we aren't supposed to kill each other."

"She's right." Elliot agreed as he moved to help her. After a moment Denbe sighed and joined them.

"This is against my better judgement. She is indulging her nature and who knows what effect stopping her might have."

"This isn't indulging, Denbe." Ali snapped. "This is being out of control. How many times must I tell you that being crest-led isn't healthy? It's a bad thing. A dangerous thing. The boss never intended it to happen to us and no good to our cause ever comes from it." She sighed. "You don't understand at all." She shrugged and looked around. "Anyway since they've gone and we're here anyway we may as well consolidate our hold on this area."

Denbe nodded and gestured to Sean to get back to the base. "We'll follow once we've organised the troops and Chiharu-chan has calmed down."

-----

Logan watched as Sean and Kage headed back to the base and then raced to make it back before them. The show had been far more intriguing and entertaining than he's imagined. This afternoon's meeting promised to be extremely interesting. He was actually looking forward to it.

-----

Ali looked kind of depressed when Logan arrived at the meeting. He was late because he listened at the door for a while first though he heard nothing of interest and anyway he was always late so it's look suspicious if he turned up on time. As he headed to his seat he gave a loud false yawn. "Morning."

"It's afternoon." Chiharu was obviously irritable. "You're late."

"And your point is?" He asked. Chiharu was glaring at Sean suspiciously. This was great when he warned the Lutramon he hadn't anticipated Chiharu blaming Sean. What a bonus! She glanced over at him.

"No point just a statement of fact."

"So what's today's plan?" He leant back in his seat.

"Hum." Chiharu looked at Denbe. At least she had the sense to be nervous he thought as he suppressed a smirk. Ali was looking at the table.

"What?" He looked at them with fake confusion.

Denbe seemed to consider how to explain before speaking. "It seems that your friends didn't trust you. At least they've vanished into thin air."

Logan looked around at the others. "What do you mean? Did you go and attack the place after we agreed not to?" From the corner of his eye he saw Ali tense very slightly.

"Kage changed his vote after you'd gone... but someone warned them." Chiharu glared at Sean again.

Denbe put a soothing hand on her arm. "It's still more likely that they didn't trust him, Chiharu-chan."

Logan finally let his anger show since it was to be expected now he knew. "YOU DID WHAT?!"

"We went to attack the place this morning while you were asleep." Ali said in a small voice.

Logan growled and turned to Kage. "I should kill you!"

"As if you could, baka." Kage looked back at him coolly.

"GRRRR." Logan only kept his rage in check by thinking about his imminent revenge. He glanced back at the others. "So I take it you mean there was no one there or something?" It was Ali who nodded she seemed very subdued for her. "So what now?"

Denbe shrugged. "We consolidate our hold on the area of course."

"Fine, I'm getting breakfast." Logan got up and turned to leave. "Oh and one more thing. Don't play devils advocate Kage, you will get burned." From the corner of his eye he saw Ali rising to her feet with an alarmed look on her face. She was probably anticipating an explosion.

"Oh for heavens sake, baka, did you REALLY think I'd vote the same way as you on anything?" Kage laughed. Logan turned to look at him. "I mean obviously the way you vote is the wrong way."

"I am really sick of you. You know that right?"

"You think that I care?" Kage shrugged. "There are 5 year olds who scare me more than you."

Logan snapped and ran at Kage intent on ripping his head off. For once Ali didn't move to stop him. Instead all her attention seemed riveted on his crest. Kage moved casually out of the way and tripped him just like the day before. Logan got up and tossed a punch at him but Elliot and Denbe grabbed him before it connected. Logan tried to shake them off.

"This time Kage! You are dead!" He lunged forward but Elliot made a rugby tackle and sent Logan sprawling. Then he sat on him.

"Get off me!" Logan twisted about trying to throw Elliot off but Denbe moved in to help the Child of Manipulation down. "GET OFF ME!" Logan yelled and his crest began to glow.

"Oh no." He heard Ali whisper as BlackAgumon digivolved to SkullGreymon and rushed towards where Denbe and Elliot were holding his partner down. "Demidevimon!" He heard her yell and then her partner digivolved to Necromon and tried to block SkullGreymon. The others were too stunned to react at first and Necromon got tossed across the room but then Sean reacted and Phantomon appeared.

SkullGreymon reacted to this by swatting Phantomon around far more violently than the single hit that he had given Necromon who had recovered and was returning to the fray. It looked like they wouldn't be able to hold him back until Elliot digivolved Tsukaimon to Skullsatasmon who used his attack to paralyse SkullGreymon. Then they just waited until Logan calmed down enough that SkullGreymon dedigivolved.

"Okay you can let him go now." Ali told them.

"A-a-are you sure?" Kage asked in a stunned tone from where he stood pressed up against the wall."

"Yes you morons get off me!" Logan snapped. Elliot and Denbe got off him and moved away cautiously. Kage however still had a VERY wary stance. He was obviously ready for an attack.

"Come on, BlackAgumon, lets get something to eat." Logan said after he got up. "You'll need it after that." He shot a glare at Kage and walked out but took up his usual eavesdropping position just outside the door.

"Damn that was close." Ali sounded exhausted but from her tone he could tell that she was glaring at Kage. "You have got to learn to watch your mouth, Himura!"

"And the little bitty psychogirl is going to teach me?" Kage replied in a mocking tone. Logan clenched his fists. Did that guy understand nothing?

"Maybe." Ali on the other hand seemed unfazed.

"Promises, promises." He heard Kage say as he did go to find some food for himself and his partner.

------

"So, plans." Taichi said. "What is our exact plan of attack tomorrow? Do we know yet?"

"In general terms I think." Daisuke replied as Tapirmon unrolled a map of the area around Athenamon's fortress on the table. "But we still need to work out the details."

Taichi frowned. "Well we'll have air superiority since she'll almost have to commit her remaining flight capable followers to the attacks she launching." He tapped his fingers on the table thoughtfully. "Our aerial forces are what? Unimon and Airdramon?"

"Primarily." Tapirmon agreed. "We have some flying Insect types as well."

"Well that's good. Many Insect types can have a swarm mentality." Taichi nodded. "Which will make co-ordination better." He thought for a moment more. "You know that Nightmare Syndrome attack of yours will come in useful. If the enemy are busy fighting amongst themselves it's less for us to fight." He thought. "I know that you are only rookies but do you think you guys could sneak in first and sew chaos amongst them?"

"Yes, we are certainly capable of that." Tapirmon told him. "And it would be our honour to do it."

"Good. Then when the enemy is infighting you can open the gates. That way we don't have to blast them. In the meantime the flyers will pick off the sentries and airlift troops into the top of the fortress."

"It's a good plan. Especially since my calculations suggest we will have more Champions and Ultimates." Koushiro said.

"All the numbers do go in our favour." Ken agreed. "But we mustn't become complacent. I'm sure that she's aware that she may be attacked and has a contingency plan."

"Yes. You'll have to be ready for anything. Who knows what she's got up her sleeve." Iori said. "I wish I could be there to fight but…"

"What you'll be doing is just as important." Taichi reassured him.

"I know that." Iori said. "Any other details you need to plan?"

"Well obviously Yamato and I will co-ordinate with the ground forces. The rest of you can fly in and organise the aerial attack. Flexibility is good so lets not micromanage or over plan this." Taichi looked around. "Does anyone else have any thoughts." No one did. "Okay so we all meet up tomorrow morning and get ready for the signal."

"Hum, Ichijouji-san," Koushiro said as they were leaving. "Would you like to come round and work on unencrypting these files of your brother's?"

"That's a good idea." He nodded. "Just let me call my mom though. She worries."

------

"How are you feeling?" Ali poked her head into Logan's room as he was writing his journal on his d-terminal. He closed the lid on it quickly and looked up at her.

"Pissed off but then you know that. You must have known Kage was changing his vote to piss me off why didn't you stop him?"

"I don't know." She sighed and sat down next to him on the bed. "I just don't know what got into me yesterday. I know better than to let my instincts rule my head like that. I did enjoy playing with the Lutramon a lot but they saved you, Logan. They deserved a break for that but all I could think about was how appealing their squeaks were and how much I wanted to hear them again." She sounded really subdued.

"You know, Ali, there are other things that you can do. But let's focus here. Why didn't you at least try?"

"I don't know." She looked and sounded frantic. "I really don't know. I just didn't care and that's not me."

He looked at her thoughtfully. "Well you did seem kind of out of it." He conceded.

"Out of it? What do you mean?" She frowned at him.

"Well your eyes changed colour and you got this nasty tone in your voice that I've never heard before."

"When you say they changed colour do you mean that they went they went yellow and started glowing?"

He nodded. "Yea that's right."

Ali paled and bit her lip. "Crap!"

"What do you mean crap?" He asked. "What does it mean?"

"It means that that wasn't me! It was my goddamned crest! I should have realised." She buried her head in her hands in obvious distress.

"Huh? You crest? What do you mean? I never get like that."

Ali looked at him thoughtfully. "No, it has never happened to you has it? We used to call it being crest-led in the old days. The boss hated it when it happened to us. He never intended it to. He needed us in control of ourselves but sometimes our Crests seem to overwhelm us and we become nothing but the trait we embody." She paused. "He said it was some form of sabotage and I'd have to agree. Nothing good for our cause ever came from it but the others all quite enjoy the experience so they won't listen to sense."

"Then why not me?"

She shrugged. "You're lucky I guess. You seem to vent it off. Incidents that would normally trigger it cause SkullGreymon to appear instead. It's as if something about you stops you becoming nothing but your urges so it goes down your link with BlackAgumon and boom."

"I see." Logan scowled thoughtfully.

"If it happens again stop me. Whatever it is that I want to do don't let me do it." She met his eyes with a worried frown. "Even if it seems like a good idea. Please"

"Sure." He nodded. "I can do that."

"Promise?" She was definitely freaked.

"I swear."

"Thanks." She looked happier. Then she must have noticed how thoughtful he was. "Penny for your thoughts."

"Okay." Logan held out his hand jokingly.

She grinned. "Actually I only have yen on me."

He laughed in return. "Only joking. Anyhow, I was wondering if it doesn't happen to me because I'm not the original? Sean did say that it happened to him a lot."

Ali shook her head. "I severely doubt that. The boss told Mira that there was something different about you and that was why. He told her what but she wouldn't tell me what but apparently it was part of the reason he chose you."

"I wonder..." Logan mused to himself. As he finished his bottle of water. "But anyway I think that I'm ready to continue the meeting."

She shook her head again. "It's over. I'm here because Kage's will be leaving soon and we need to be ready to sneak after him."

"All right!" Logan tossed the bottle aside. "Let's go!"

"I was hoping you'd say that." She led him to an alcove where they could watch the base's main port from without being seen. Logan glared towards the port willing Kage to hurry.

"Glaring won't make him come any quicker, Logan." She told him then put a hand over his mouth as he tried not to laugh and failed. "Sorry didn't mean to make you laugh."

"Sorry." He apologised after he had calmed down and just in time as Kage appeared and went through the port.

"Okay," Ali whispered. "Let's wait a moment to give him time to get clear."

Logan counted a few seconds then looked at her. "Now?"

Ali checked the port and nodded. "He's gone." They passed through the port into a deserted classroom "Come on. His sister's due out of her embroidery club soon." She led him to a room where's a bunch of 8 and 9 year old girls were doing embroidery. "She's the one in the yellow dress. We'll wait until she comes out and is alone. Then grab her." She pulled him into the empty classroom opposite. About five minutes later the club let out and the pretty girl in the yellow dress walked down the corridor with the other girls but apparently no one was there to pick her up. She waited for a few minutes more before shrugging and heading across the local park. Apparently this was a normal event in her life. They followed her until no one else was in sight and then Ali leapt forward and grabbed the little girl and immediately handed her on to Logan. "Hold on to her while I get my laptop out."

Logan tried to keep a grasp on the squirming girl. "Come on, she's hard to hold."

Ali turned round and slapped the girl hard. "Stop that! The little girl stopped struggling and he felt her become totally passive in his grip as Ali opened a digiport on her laptop. "Go on!"

Logan went through and moments later Ali followed. Apparently she'd somehow grabbed onto her laptop even as she passed through its screen because it was in her hand.

The little girl looked up at him with big scared eyes. "Where is this? Who are you? Please don't hurt me."

"Come on lets get her to the den." Ali said.

"Good idea." Logan pulled the girl along by her arm to the secret den he and Ali had made for when they felt the need to get away from the others. Kage's sister whimpered the whole way there. When they arrived Ali looked at Logan.

"Do you want to do this or shall I?"

"You can, but I'll keep an eye out."

She nodded. "Thank you. I'll get the ropes." The child was completely passive but still whimpering when Ali returned. The child of cruelty looked at her then smiled. "Help me tie her up."

"Okay." Logan held the girl in the chair as Ali tied her up.

"Your name is Tsuki, right?" Ali asked. The girl gave one swift, terrified nod. "You are a pretty little thing aren't you?" She stroked a lock of hair out of Tsuki's eyes. "Well, Tsuki, you've been good so I'll try not to spoil that." She said and then lashed out and slapped the girl even harder than before. "Scream all you like. No one will hear you. Yet. No one who'll save you anyway."

Logan checked the video camera and then went to lean against the wall. Ali seemed to be okay at first. She wielded both her fists and her whip with a finesse that allowed her to cause pain and raise bruises and weals but not to draw blood. Then quite suddenly she whirled round and grabbed a scalpel and her eyes started glowing again. Before he could react she lashed out with the scalpel and sliced into Tsuki's cheek making the child scream loudly.

"Ali! Ali! Wake up!" He yelled as she leaned into make a second cut.

"I'm not asleep." She hissed before turning back to Tsuki with the scalpel and making a second cut.

"Enough!" Logan grabbed Ali's arm. "Cut it out."

"Let me go!" She struggled furiously. "She's so much fun!"

He held on grimly. "Snap out of it or else." She ignored him and continued to struggle. He sighed. "Forgive me, Ali." Logan used his free hand to swing into her stomach and then followed through with and a chop to the neck area as she doubled over. He caught her as she collapsed and lay her down on the couch.

"Th-thank you." Tsuki was looking at him. She still looked terrified but now she also had a thoughtful look on her face.

"I didn't do it for you. I promised I'd stop her if that happened to her. I guess I'll have to do this for myself." He raised a hand to hit her.

"And does hitting me make you feel better?" She asked softly. A very real compassion was noticeable in her tone in spite of the terror he could also hear there.

He paused and looked down at her. "Not really but it has to be done. He's got to be taught a lesson."

"He?" She looked at him and then at the camera before sighing wryly. "Oh, great! Somebody else that Nii-san has pissed off." He stared her as her comment gave him the distinct feeling that this wasn't the first time that someone has targeted her to get at her brother.

"Who else?"

"Who else hasn't my brother pissed off? My brother pisses everyone off."

He lowered his arm. How interesting. "I see. So, why don't you fight back more?"

She bowed her head. "I'm not strong and people hit me harder if I fight. So I've learned not to fight." She was very fragile looking.

"Then you should try to find other ways out you know."

She snorted ironically. "I'm still alive aren't I?"

"Good point. Okay, I'll let you go, under one condition."

She looked at him suspiciously. "What?"

"You tell me how to break Kage."

"I won't tell you that! I may not like him but he IS my brother -- unfortunately -- and I do love him."

"Fine." He said coldly. "Would you want me to let her continue?" She cowered back but said nothing. "I can wake her up you know and NOT stop her." He reminded her making her whimper again. "Then tell me what I want to know."

"I can't!" She gave him a terrified look.

He softened his tone. "And I can't help you until I know." He leant down and wiped away a tear from her face as she broke down in sobs. "She will come to soon, so you'd better think fast."

"Please don't hurt me anymore." She whimpered.

"I'm trying not to but you have to help me out here."

"You're asking me to betray my brother or face more torture!" She was still weeping but he saw her visibly steel herself. "I guess I'm not getting away this time."

"I'm afraid not, kid, you can't win them all. You can walk out of here though. Just tell me what I want to know."

She closed her eyes. "No. I am not going to betray my brother no matter what it costs me."

"Ok, good. I'm glad." He leant down and untied her. "Your brother doesn't deserve a sweet little sister like you." He paused. "And you definitely don't deserve to be stuck with a bastard like him. Get out of here." She looked up at him with obvious confusion. He pointed to the door. "Go before she gets up."

"But... I... thank you..." She headed for the door and then paused. "She must really hate herself."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Look at her arm." She said. He turned and glanced at Ali. Her T-shirt sleeve had slipped revealing cut marks on her upper arm. He took a deep breath and schooled his expression so that she wouldn't see his shock.

" I don't really know why she does that.".

"Taking a knife to yourself is never healthy." She said before vanishing through the door.

He frowned for a moment before turning back to Ali and shaking her gently. "Ali, wake up."

"Uh... wha...?" Ali's eyes fluttered open and she looked confused for a minute. Then she raised an eyebrow. "You hit me?"

"Yeah. I did promise after all."

"Thanks." She smiled wanly and looked around. "Where's the kid?"

"She left."

"Oh, you let her go... that's probably good. I might well have lost it again. What's happening to me Logan?" She was obviously still woozy.

"You lost yourself so I stopped you."

"I know that. I mean why is this happening so much? I never used to lose control so easily or often." She rubbed her neck where he'd hit her.

"I'm not sure but we'll find out and stop it."

"Did you send the kid back through a port?"

"No."

"You turned her loose in the Digital World, while injured, with no idea where she is and no way to get home?" She asked and he nodded. "Kage's going to be frantic when he finds out."

"I know. She really didn't deserve to be hit anymore and I could still get at her brother via her. It seemed like a good idea. I mean I'm sure that no serious harm will come to her before Kage finds her but . . ."

"He won't know that. It's brilliant." She hugged him. "Totally brilliant."

"You'd better get home and get some rest." He helped her too the nearest port. "I'll edit the tape so Kage doesn't see our little incident and leave it in his room."

"Good plan!"

-----

"Hmmm. Your brother really didn't want anyone reading this stuff did he?" Koushiro said to Ken. "He seems to have encrypted his encryptions. He was very good wasn't he."

"It's quite possible he was more intelligent than me." Ken said. "Though he wasn't as good at sport."

"I can't even figure what type encryption he used. Is it possible he created his own?"

"Very possible." Ken conceded. "I certainly did. It was based on the code of the Digital World and I'd love to know how Hikari cracked it so easily." He paused. "I wonder. If Onii-san did find out stuff about the Digital World might he have used something similar? He may have assumed that I'd figure that out."

"It's feasible." Koushiro conceded. "But even if it is it's only one layer. I'll have a look. And if Hikari knew it was based on digicode it'd be easy to unencrypt. Which would probably explain why it's double encrypted. To stop people who know about the Digital World reading it. The other layer is probably something else he'd expect you to know about. Did you share any interests?"

"Blowing bubbles. He taught me to blow bubbles."

"Well it won't be that. What else?"

"Not much… though I remember that his primary hobby was reading up on the human genome pro…. Could you base an encryption on the triplet code of DNA?"

"A code can be just about anything and looking at this … I'd say that's exactly what he did. But what triplet means what digicode symbol? I'll write a program to trawl through it and find best the best fit. I can make the program quickly enough but it'll take a while to actually run. There's a hell of a lot of possible combinations. Once we have it in digicode turning it into kana and kanji won't take long at least. It's going to be a couple of days though."

"At least we know what we're doing now."

-----

"Getting Maruyama to attack me was sheer genius." Sean told Daemon that night. "It makes Alison less suspicious of me since she expects that being crest-led to do something will mean harm for them. She had no idea she was being decoyed."

"You will do as I ask then?" Daemon said.

"Unless someone offers me something better not to. If that happens I'll sell you out instead. But that's unlikely."

"Ah, an honest answer."

Sean smiled maliciously. "I told you nothing you that don't already know. You don't need or want to take my crest. It would make your creation untrustworthy and that would ruin it. But you do need me to bring the others to you. It's a shame that you couldn't stop Ali telling Logan about being crest-led. I was hoping her behaviour yesterday would drive a wedge between them but now he knows she's not to blame. He's the biggest danger to your plans you know."

"I know. Well, him and the Child of Foolhardiness. I want her dead. Then I shall control her successor."

"I will seek her out for you then. Would you like me to kill Logan too?"

"Not yet. I know how much you want to but wait until the others will support you. Let his nature dig his own grave. Unless of course I have to make my move before that. In which case he's yours."

"Thank you." Sean bowed again.

"In the meantime begin cultivating the Children of Instincts and Hate for me and sabotage the Child of Fear's attempts to bring them through. I'll take them first once they are ready to be harvested."

"I will." Sean smirked. "The others have no idea who you are you know."

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R&R please