CLANDESTINE PROGRESSIVE ARC 1: ORIGIN

2. Coming to Grips

Kai's Apartment, Present Day:
      "Kai, hey Kai! Come on, anybody home?" Kokona knocked on the top of his head trying to grab his attention. Finally he snapped back to reality...

"Hmm?... Sorry, I was just... Thinking." He said as Kokona sighed sitting next to him on the floor. "You know, it was your idea to have me stay here tonight." After they left the school Kokona expressed her concern about returning home. She couldn't face her parents, not after... That.

"Right, sorry, what is it you asked me?" She sighed turning to look at him.

       "I know how hard this is Kai." She said softly. Neither of us want to believe it but.... That record said my brother murdered his partner, and Himari said the only person with the clearance to even try and destroy that record is the director." Kai nodded. What had happened, just 20 minutes ago he was the voice of reason trying to calm Kokona, now he was a mess hardly able to keep it together. "We really don't know anything Kai, and I'm not about to give up hope that it's all some kind of misunderstanding."

       Kai nodded as he stood up. "Yea, your right, now.... What were you asking before?" Suddenly the mood in the room changed as Kokona slapped her hand to her face.

"You really are hopeless." She muttered before moving her fingers. "I asked where I'm going to sleep you idiot!" He nodded,

"Oh yea, well, you sleep in my room, I'll sleep on the photon here in the living room." He said as he started walking towards the couch when suddenly he felt a tug on his shoulder and then, he completely lost his balance and fell on his back.

"Not a chance! I'm sleeping on the couch otherwise, you'll be all grumpy in the morning!" Kai shook his head as he rolled to his knees and sat up.

"Ok, but, did you really have to knock me flat on my ass?" He looked up at Kokona who was already setting up the bed.

"I had to knock you out of that mood of yours. Now, go on and go to bed, we have a long ways to go in this." She said as she pulled a blanket over her face.

        He sighed as he got up slowly and walked down the hall towards his room. 'Oh man, what a pain in the ass....' He slid his door open closing it behind him as he slid his shirt over his frame. Sighing as he walked over toward his bed he he caught something in his peripherals. "Oh crap!!"

         Suddenly there was a knock on his door. "What's going on, are you ok?" Came Kokona's voice from outside. He sighed and stood outside leaning his head on the door

"Oh, yea, I'm fine, I just got a glimpse of my calendar, tomorrow is Himari's birthday." There was a moment of silence before she responded.

"so, you're going over there right, I'll go too. Goodnight." Silence fell upon the

room again before he walked back over to his bed and pulled the blanket up over his face a small smile spread on his lips.

Later that Night:
         "No.... m....m....mommy!!" Kai bolted up as the door to his room flew open and a pair of hands wrapped around his shoulders.

"Kai, wake up, wake up damn it!" suddenly a hand came across his cheek shocking him awake, sweat pouring profusely.

"Wh.... Ko...kokona....." He sat up holding his chest as it heaved up and down.

"What the hell was that?...." He sighed as he wiped his forehead as she got off his knees and scooted next to him.

"I'll be fine, I'm used to it." She shook her head.

"Not a chance, your gonna tell me what that was and your going to tell me right now." She could see that sweat was still coming off his forehead.

"Since I was a kid, I've had the same dream.... It takes place in an old house, the one I grew up in.... Someone is covering over me, as this shadow figure.... the ground stained red.... he heaved a heavy sigh as he looked up at the ceiling clenching his fist. "It's the same dream every night.... for fifteen years." Just then he watched as Kokona got up leaving the room.