Heyyooo... Hope you love this chapter...I have no excuse for being late except for being lazy.... I'm sorry. *Cries* Lessgo..... I'm gonna fix the chapter names.. I realize I went from chapter 20 and jumped the tittle to chapter 25... whoops.

Ashley's P.o.V.

      Crap. The A.I. has been...fried? Who the hell would do this? Dad chose to tell me this at night so I wouldn't spend the rest of the day worrying... jokes on him because now I'm going to worry forever until we know how it happened or who did it. All this drama....I just want to be peacefully alone with my family!! I'm gonna kill Nakasu and his son!

      Okay....being around Uncle Soryu has definitely changed me a bit, I'm more darker. I can't help but think it's for the better. All this to protect the family. My family means my uncles and Sano too. I wouldn't be anywhere without them. Seriously. They wouldn't have bought my mom, and I never would have been born. I care for all of them. And I will do anything to protect them.

      I sigh and walk into my room. How did they get in without setting the alarm...how did they...when...who... damn! So many questions and no answers. I decide just to go to bed. I check the time and see it's barley 10:00. I change into some pajama pants and a tank top then head to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

      I shuffle into the living room and see Lily-Anne already sleeping, completely passed out on the couch. I smile at her sleeping peaceful face. I yawn and whisper a goodnight to her while shuffling back into my room.

      Done with my routine, I climb into my comfortable warm bed. I great it happily. So much has happened in such a small amount of time.... Will my family ever get a chance to rest? My eyes start drooping. And darkness slowly covers my eyes.

♤♤~~~~~~♤♤

I'm dragged out of my bed by an intruder, he holds my hair and yanks me out of my bed. I yelp at the sudden enormous pain from my head. I kick at the intruder and he falls. I scream for mom and dad but they don't come. My intruder starts to laugh. Angry I straddle him and start throwing punches. I choke him with one hand and punch him with my other. "What's so funny?!" I yell at him. "Your family ain't coming. They're too busy bleeding to death."

My head starts spinning. "T-They're what?" I feel my throat start to tighten. My eyes blur... The intruder shoves me off of him. He gets up and runs to the living room. I suck up my emotions and chase after him. He was going to pay. He was going to die. I mean, he can't be telling the truth right? My family, they aren't dead. They're much stronger than him. He can't beat them.

But when I go to the living room I'm met with disaster, with my fear. It was horrible. Please tell me I'm dreaming....Tell me what I'm looking at is just a nightmare. I'm going to wake up with mom and dad holding me....Please....

I am no longer able to handle this scene I collapse to the floor holding myself. I hear a scream, a scream of sadness of pain. I realize that it's me.... Their bodies.... The blood.... My.... Family.... Dead....

Mom and dad are on top of each other, their bodies twisted and broken.... Blood dripping from them. Uncle Soryu, he's slumped on the floor, dead, he has bullet holes all over him. Uncle Mamo's throat has been slit. and a blade has been stabbed into his heart. Uncle Ota looks like his neck was snapped. And Uncle Eisuke.... His.... His head is no longer attached to him. I frantically look around the room looking for my dear cousin. But she's gone. Dissapeared. A blood stain on the couch where she was sleeping.

Again I scream. I cry and I scream.

"ASHLEY!" I look up and see Sano. My beautiful Sano. "Sano!" I cry out. I lift my hand, reaching out for him. He does the same. Then....

His arm is cut right off. Then he is cut in half. Right in front of me I see my family die.... I scream and I scream.

Who is doing this to us? Why? WHY? THEY WILL PAY WITH THEIR LIVES!!

I hear the soft voice of my dad suddenly in my head. I cant understand what he is saying. But i know it's him. He's trying to reach me. He want's me to take revenge for our family, right? that's gotta be what he is saying. Dad....Mom....Everyone...Help Me!

Baba's P.o.V.

      I'm sleeping soundly with my pretty lady in my arms when suddenly I hear a high pitched blood curling scream coming from Ashley's room. I look at the time and see it four in the morning.

      Evelyn and I jolt right up. Is someone here to hurt my child? Trying to take her this freaking early?! Heck no, they're gonna die.

      I kick down the door and run inside, Evelyn right behind me. What I see surprises me. I see Ashley thrashing around in her bed, like she was trying to fight someone.

      With all her screaming everyone else burst into the room. "What's wrong?" Asks Soryu with his gun out. "Ashley.... She's never had a nightmare like this before. I don't even think she's had one since she was a kid." Says Evelyn worried.

      Sano walks up to Ashley and starts shaking her awake. "Ashley. Ashley wake up!" She screams more and tries to fight back. Whats wrong with my little girl? He takes her face in his hands, I was about to protest but Evelyn stops me. "Ashley." he whispers in her ear. I growl. I don't like him being so close to her. But I know he can help her. I hate this. My daughter is suffering and there is nothing that I can do to help her.

      She calms down for a bit when Sano whispers in her ear and I huff. But again she starts panicking. What the hell is going on? Can this situation be affecting her this much? I guess so. Damn.

      He needs to not be this close to her. That's it. Father's turn. I walk up to my Ashley and shove Sano out of the way. I pet her little head and hug her. "Ashley." I whisper to her. "It's me. I'm here. You're safe. Wake up, please. You're scaring us all. We're all here for you. We all care about you."

      She completely stopped. Everyone stood still. A minute later her eyes shoot open and she looks around ​scared. She sees us all and starts to cry. "I-I thought you were all dead!" She sobs. "I t-thought I was all alone!" That's why she was screaming.... Shit. This is all too much for her. I never should have involved her in this.

      I take my crying child in my arms. I pick her up and put her on my lap like a father would to his little girl. I hold her tight and whisper, "We will never leave you alone." She hugs me and rests her head on my shoulder, I hear her shakily breath and hiccup. "Geez Ashley. You scared the hell outta me. Don't do that again." Sano smiles. Ashley lifts her head, leaving my shoulder feeling a little cold, and gives him a weak smile. "S-Sorry. I just... It was so real." She looks around at everyone and smiles. "I love and care for you all. You're all my famil-" She cuts her words short. She jumps off of my lap and looks around in state of panic. "Ashley. What's wrong?" I ask her, trying to calm her down. She looks at me terrified. "Where is Lily-Anne?!"

Fuck.

Lily-Anne's P.o.V. (hehe)

      My eyes suddenly open. I yawn and stretch. What time is it? I reach for my phone that's on the floor next to me and turn it on. The sudden bright screen makes me flinch away from it. I turn down the brightness and look again squinting my eyes. I see the time and.... Wait, WHAT?! WHY AM I AWAKE AT ONE IN THE GODDAMN MORNING?! You know what? It's okay, easily fixable. I put my phone down anf lay back down snuggling into the couch closing my eyes. This is relaxing. Who woulda thunk my cousin would find her dad, after all this time. I'm happy for her. I'm also happy for me too because this couch is way more comfortable than my own bed. And daamn, the blanket and pillow are softer than anything I've ever felt.

      I smile and snuggle some more. Its like I'm in a fancy ass hotel... wait... I am. Ha ha, oops. Damn Auntie, you scored Big! I need to get me a man like yours. Alright, now time for sleep. But somehow with all this beautifulness, I CAN'T SLEEEEP!! Sleep is my life. Why am I not sleeping?! Groaning, I get up and go to the bathroom. I wash my face and do my business. I head to the kitchen and drink some water.

      Maybe I'm not sleeping because I'm in such a fancy place. No... That can't be it. I have this... weird feeling. Like I'm being watched or something. I try and calm myself down by once again snuggling into the couch. I close my eyes and steady my breathing. Then, I hear the front door jiggle. Weird. Everyone is here. Maybe it's one of her uncles who wants something.... But at one in the morning?

      I keep my eyes closed, waiting for something, and also because I'm a little scared. I completely cover myself with the blanket, leaving just my face exposed. I hear the door open and footsteps walk in. By the sound of it, I think two people are in here. I hear them walking closer and closer to me. One of them starts whispering, he has a gruff voice. "Wait. Is that her?" Who? Are they talking about me? Shit! Then the other man speaks. He sounds closer to me and had a deeper voice than the other. "I think so." "Shouldn't she be in her room though?" Her room? .....ASHLEY?! Are they talking about Ashley?! "Who cares if she is or isn't in her room. She's right here, just waiting for us to grab her, now come on! We don't have all day! The boss wants the kid." Whoa whoa whoa! Are they about to kidnap me?! "Shouldn't we get her mom too?" WHAT?! "No, you idiot! We wait later, when she takes the bait of her daughter, now lets common, grab the girl!"

      Why am I just laying here?! I sit up and am about to yell but one puts a hand over my mouth and shushes me. Like that's gonna keep me quiet. The other man takes off his partners hand and places it with his own and a cloth....Why a cloth? Then, the sleep I was trying to get back appeared. The last thing I saw before blacking out was the dark living room and two ugly friggen people smiling at me.

♤♤~~~~~~♤♤

      Groaning, I keep my eyes closed and snuggle into the couch pulling the blanket over my nose. I'm not ready to wake up. Wait....Blanket? Couch? Was it all just a big, freaky nightmare?!

      My eyes shoot open and I don't like what I see. I sit up to take in more of my surrounding. I'm on some old couch and a long yellow blanket covers me. Which is the only thing, besides me, in some small cement room where there is no window and no door. What. The. Hell.

      In some magical way, the cement on the opposite side makes a door shape and opens. A man, looking around his 20's or 30's walks in. "Hello. You're finally awake." He smiles and folds his hands together standing. "Who are you? What do you want?!" I struggle to use a brave voice. He looks nice, but as we all know, looks can be very deceiving. He keeps his smile as he walks to the middle of the room and snaps his fingers. What I think are the two men from before, walk in. One holding a table the other, two chairs. They place their items down and leave, the entire time keeping their head down and not speaking....weird. The door disappears when they leave. I'm locked in with this guy.

      He sits in one of the chairs and beckons me to sit in the other right across from him. I am hasty, but what else can I do. So, I comply and sit in the chair. Up close I realize that he is probably 25 years old. There's this very noticeable scar on his chin, it looks like it's been there for a while. He has blondish hair and blue eyes. His hair is pulled back in a man bun. He looks weird. Plus his clothes are kinda... really ugly. Does this guy have no fashion sense? "Who are you?" I ask again. "No one. Just a simple son, wanting a simple something that I am sure you'll help us get." This guy is creepy and I don't like him. "Did you just wake up here too, just a son?" He looks at me confused. "No, I did not." I smile inside my head. "Huh. I didn't think that someone would go outside looking like that on purpose, if they didn't just wake up. I mean, what's with that man bun? It doesn't look good on you bro." His eye twitches. "And those clothes. Bro, wearing those pants and that long shirt, that's just a huge no no."

      He just stares at me like I slapped him. "What?" His voice sounds mad, but I just keep on talking. I mean, seriously, his clothes are ugllyyy! "Do you not care what you look like, because if that's the case, I'll just shut up." He stands tall and slams his hands on the table, making me jump. He hovers over me and speaks in a dark tone, "I'll have you know that I have a great fashion sense. I also, for your information, look great in this outfit, along with my beautiful man bun!"

      I looked at him, wondering if he was serious. The look on his face told me he was. He was completely serious about his man bun and ugly ass clothes. I couldn't help it, I started laughing so hard. "Oh. My. God! Hahaha!!" I was pounding my fist on the table trying to breath. "Stop laughing! This is serious!" He holds my fists down and gives me a deathly stare. That silents me.

      He sits down and folds his hands over the table. Then he looks at me with business man eyes. "I think you should know. You weren't our target, my idiot men mistook you for the girl we wanted. Ashley Baba. I don't know how they made that stupid mistake. You two look nothing alike." I knew it. They wanted my cousin. "I know. I knew they wanted Ashley." He looks surprised. "Ho-" "I was awake when they took me. They're pretty loud. Before I could object or scream, they knocked me out with some cloth."

      I wasn't lying, but I could tell he was trying to see if I was. You know, I care about my cousin. I'm glad I'm here and not her. Whatever this guy wants with me, I'll never let him have Ashley. No way. Not my Ash. I'll have to be brave. I'll have to protect my family.

Raito's P.o.V. (I keep changing POV, lol)

      I don't know how long I've been here. Nothing but torture. I keep passing out, and there is no window or outside light, so I have no way to tell the time of day. But I guess I deserve this. I betrayed my best friend. I... I can't even say it, let alone think it. I miss Ashley. She doesn't come to visit me often. When she does, I'm just happy to see her, even if she is helping to hurt me. I don't care.

      The metal door opens and she walks in. I look at her and smile. "Ashley. Hey." My voice was hoarse and scratchy from the non stop screaming. She looks at me and scowls. "You must be so happy. Your plan to ruin my family is working. But you know. I didn't think you'd go as far as kidnapping my cousin!" My eyes widen.... Lily-Anne? Her favorite cousin/BFF? Missing? She thinks it was me? Was it the boss man? "I-It wasn't me." Her eyes narrow. She doesn't believe me. "I don't know what happened to Lily-Anne, I promise you Ashley." Her hands curl into fists, "Stop Lying To Me! When? When Will You Stop Lying To Me?!"

      I flinch from her harsh tone. Maybe I should talk. But what would I even say? Oh hey Ashley, I joined your enemy's group to get back at you for dumping me? No. I can't do that. I wanted to hurt her, her family, and this is my punishment. But I have to stay something.

      "I-I'm sorry!" I yell at her ,"This is all my fault! I never should have...." I couldn't say it. I could't say I betrayed her in a more evil way than she thought. "Never should have, what, Raito?" She walks closer to me. Her brown hair is messy, her beautiful brown eyes has bags under them. She looks tired. I wonder if its night or early in the morning. "Raito... What. Did. You. Do?" I let my head fall in shame. I have to tell her. How I got into this mess. Why. Who brought me here, to the darkness. I have to tell her. I owe her that. Damn, I'm no bad guy. A part of me wishes I was, that way I wouldn't feel these useless emotions.

      So I spilled it, everything. "I don't know how... But this guy said he knew I was upset. And that I could get revenge on those who did me wrong.... At the time.... The idea didn't sound so bad. It sounded pretty good to me. So I agreed to help him." She looked at me confused. So I continued. "When I asked him how he knew I wasn't happy, all he said was that he had just noticed. Now that I think about it. I think he had been spying on me, well on anyone who was associated with you." She sat in the chair directly in front of me. Sometimes her uncle or whoever came in would sit on that chair and marvel at the torture they did on me. I hope she doesn't do that too, when she learns the truth. My breath is shaky as I speak. "When I asked who he was, all he said was that he was the boss man. And later when I asked again, he said he was a son looking for the attention of his father. Or like, wanting to impress him or something. I dunno." Crap.... I cant say this next part. It's too shameful.

      I don't get a chance to say the next part because her fist connects with my face, "YOU'RE WORKING WITH THE SON OF NAKASU?!" My head whips to the side and I spit out blood. She has most definitely gotten stronger. Wait.... She knows who boss man's dad is? Oh fuck, I'm really in trouble. "What. Was. Your. Job?" Her voice sounds dark full of venom and hate. "Spying on you. Following you. Finding any useful information, that could help him. He told me I was good for this job seeing as we were close. Well, used to be close.

      Her eyes widen, then go dark and evil. This side of her.... It's....Too dark. I don't like it. She throws another punch and I spit out out more blood. In full out rage she throws punch after punch yelling and screaming. She drops to the floor on her knees. Her hair falls over her face, covering her eyes. "I swear to you Raito.... If I can't find my Lily-Anne or if her dead body comes up, I will kill you." She has an animalistic look in her eye and it scares the shit out of me. "Y-You've changed."

      Not looking at me she speaks, "I haven't. I'm exactly the same, I've just never showed you this part of me. Shame you had to see it as my enemy." I stay silent. I don't know what to say. "I thought you were my friend. My best friend. I thought we would stay friends forever​, but I guess life didn't think so." I hear her voice crack. Did I hurt her that much? Am I that much of an idiot? "I trusted you. Hell, I dated you! I thought you were an amazing person, someone I could depend on. But I guess I was wrong."

      My head hangs in shame. "Ashley. I don't know why I went down this wrong path. But I still love you. And if you want to hurt me, go ahead. I deserve it." Her head snaps as she growls and throws punch after punch. My eyesight is blurry and everything goes dark. The last thing I see is Ashley's pained crying face. I'm sorry Ashley....

Ashley's P.o.V.

      My breathing is hard as I throw my last punch at Raito. I fall to the floor crying. I feel for his tricks. He want me to feel sorry for him. He want me to FORGIVE him. No. I can never. He's involved with my family's pain. That is unforgivable.

      I get up and look at the beatin, passed out human in front of me. "I will do anything to protect my family. Even if it means people get hurt. Or die." I run out of that room determined to do something, anything.

      My feet carry themselves, many minutes later my feet stop and I fall onto grass. Panting I look at where I am and I realize I'm at a park. Not any park, but a special one. It's the one where Lily-Anne and I became very close together.

♤~~~Flashback~~~♤

I'm running around in circles laughing and chasing my cousin. Mommy wanted us to be very good friends. Mommy says its a special day today, the day she met daddy. She wont tell me who is he but she tells me stories. Mommy and Auntie are talking about something serious. I can tell because theyre being sneaky with library voices.

"OW!" Lily-Anne triped and fell. She started crying so I ran to her. I huged her and looked at her knee. It was bleeding. I got up to go tell mommy but cousin grabbed my hand. "I-I dont wanna be alone." I was confused. I wasnt leaving her, I was going to tell mommy and auntie what happened.

I shrugged and sat next to Lily. I have her my super special hug and yelled out. "MOMMY!" Mommy and auntie quickly ran over to us. Lily had to get a band-aid over her booboo. I stayed right next to her, I never left her side. When mommy told me I could let go of her I shook my head and said I would never leave her. I would keep her safe no matter what I had to do. Because she was what mommy said was family, and you do what you can for family. After that mommy smiled and said something like, "She really is your kid Baba." I didnt understand what that ment, I just kept hugging Lily.... Baba?

♤~~~~~~♡~~~~~~♤

      I'll keep my word Lily-Anne. I'll find you. I'll protect you. You're family and that means we do whatever we can for family. "I'm coming Lil." I get up and run as fast I can back to the hotel. My feet and lungs burn as I use the last of my energy to run into the hotel up to the VIP floor, only stopping when I had to use the elevator. I ran up the long stairs to the suite she was last seen. I stop right in front of couch where she slept. I take huge breaths trying to get air into my lungs and calm my pounding heart.
My dream. Lily-Anne was gone there too. Why? Why was she gone from my dream too? Everyone was .... Dead. But Lil. She was gone. There was only blood. I place my hands on the couch. I strip search it and I find a braclet. It was sea foam green. Her favorite color. This braclet it hers, I gave this to her.

      Something deep inside me told me to cheak the pillows. I feel all the pillows and for some reason smell them. I found nothing. Until one pillow gave off a strange scent. It almost smelled like.... Chloroform. I smelled it again. Digging my nose into it. Suddenly my head grew dizzy, I felt like passing out. I shook my head and held the pillow.

      "They used Chloroform on you.... I'll kill them. If it's the last thing I do, they'll pay." Suddenly dad walked in panicked. "Ashley. Come with me. Now." I got up still clutching the pillow. He lead us down to the control room. Everyone was already waiting for us. Uncle Soryu didn't even say anything, he just turned to the screen and pushed play. Then whatever it was started playing.

      "You may know by now. Someone from your family is missing." A voice I didn't recognize started talking. It was disoriented, they used a device to cover their true voice. Damn. The video continued as it showed a cemented room. The camera went into a circle showing the room, at first there was nothing. Then it got to the last corner. And there in that corner was my cousin. Shivering. Scared. Crying.

      My blood began to boil. A sound I didn't even know I could make came from the back of my throat. I sounded like a beast ready to kill. And the truth is.... I am. I will kill for her, to protect her. "She is safe.... For now" the voice teased." They began to laugh. "You can have her back of course. But I want something in return." My fingernails where digging into my skin, soon to draw blood. Dad hugged me close trying to calm me. "I want Ashley to come to this address." An address popped up on the screen. Uncle Mamoru quickly wrote it down. You could tell he was concentrating. "Ashley. Since you're watching, and I know you're watching.... You have one week, which to me is very generous, to go to the assigned address or your little cousin here. Will be in even more pain. So much in fact.... She might. Not. Make it...."

      More pai-? Before my thought could finish, Lily-Anne was screaming in pain. The camera zoomed in and I saw wires were tied to her, those wires were sending electric bolts all over her. She screamed and writhed in pain. She begged for it to stopped, but it didn't. "LILY-ANNE!!" I screamed at the TV ready to break it. Sano, who I didn't even see in the corner, steped up and held me back from breaking the TV.

      "Come alone. Just you Ashley. Or she dies." The voice spoke once more, then let out an evil laugh. The video ended with Lily-Anne still screaming. The room went dark as the video ended. I dropped to the floor. I hugged the pillow that I was for some reason still holding. Hugging it, I let out a scream. I don't know what I was screaming for; pain for my cousin, pain for me, for my family, for everything....

      "How did they even get her? Fuck.... This.... They planned this." Dad spoke. He stood still as if he couldn't wrap his head around the video. I stayed on the floor, finding comfort in it. I held up the pillow. "They used Chloroform.... Idiots must've dropped some on this pillow.... I can still smell it." Someone came up and grabbed the pillow from my hands. I heard the sound of sniffing. "Yeah. Chloroform." Uncle Mamo....

      I got up and and looked at uncle Mamoru. "Give me the address." Uncle Soryu got up from his chair. "There's no way you're going alone!" "I second that.." dad gave me a hard stare. I gave him one back. "Look. You guys may not really know her, but I do! She is one of the few people I trust with things. We're family. She was there for me when my mom couldn't be. She was there and listened to my rant when I got upset about not knowing who my dad was. She was there for EVERYTHING! Now.... Give. Me. The. Address..." The room was silent. "I can't do that kid." Uncle Mamoru shook his head. I could see he was struggling on the inside, but I could also see he would never go against his brothers.

      "I know you're upset Ashley. But charging head on isn't going to do anything. You'll die there." Uncle Ota spoke softly, with a calming voice, but that didn't work on me. "I don't care! I want my cousin! She's in fucking pain!" My head was spinning. I couldn't be around these people anymore. They seemed willing to let Lily-Anne die. Great Lupin? Please.... If Mitsunari Baba was really great, he would have been willing to help me come up with a plan....

      I ran out of that room and up into my mine. I slammed my door shut and locked it. I walked in circles, rubbing my knuckles, they needed to punch something or someone. I sat on my head, my head between my legs and my hands behind my head, I took deep breaths and tried to come up with something.

      Suddenly my brain clicked and a brilliant idea came to me. I have a week.... Good. I'm coming Lily-Anne. Wait just a little longer for me. Flashes of my cousin ran across my brain bringing a smile to my face and tears burning and threatening to drop from my eyes.

      Maybe two hours later there's a knock on my door. I cheak the time and see it's barley 12p.m. Too much has happened in such a short time for one damn day. "Ashley?" Dad's voice called out from the other side of the door. I could hear the sadness in his voice. "What?" My voice was hoarse. "It's time to train again... If you're still up to it." I got up and unlocked the door. Dad opened it and sadly smiled at me. He gave me a comforting hug but my face remained emotionless. He let go of me and frowned. "Let's go."

      At the warehouse I told Uncle Soryu and Dad I planned for us being here all day today and tomorrow. I didn't care what excuse they used to tell mom, I just needed to blow off steam. I needed to train.

      They decided to give me five hours each. Since it was already noon. I was with Uncle first. Dad left and said he would be back for our hours together. Using mainly the Pistol and Assult Rifle, I trained for five hours with Uncle Soryu. He told me I was training harder than ever and made serious improvement. He sounded impressed. I shot every target right in it's center, right where the tiny X was marked. Cans where even thrown at me, but I still managed to get them all. All but one that hit my forehead.

      Dad came early and saw the last five minutes of my gun training. Then begun our five our combat training. I threw fist after fist. I managed to hit dad a couple of times, he made a satisfying 'omph' sound each time. Dad realized I was angry and I was improving faster than ever, so he advanced my training. During one of the lessons he told me that girls could be more flexible, and I could use that to my advantage. He threw a punch straight at me, I arched back puting my hands on the floor. Placing my weight on my hands, my feet jumped up and kicked dad. I did a flip and stood up straight. He ran at me so I ran twords him and slid down under his legs, jumping back up right behind him to punch his spine. He went down and I smiled. Dad said he was proud of me. For the last hour, I trained using a knife.

      By the time we got home, I was sore, sweaty, and tired. I had a one or two bruises and cuts, but that made me happy. It told me dad was willing for me to be hurt enough to learn from my mistakes. Mom was home and waiting on the couch for us when we opened the door to our suite. "Finally! Do you know how worried I was? Where were you two? It's eleven o'clock and going to the beach that late is unreasonable. Bad Baba, keeping your daughter out that late."

      I gave a small laugh as mom lectured dad. I gave Mom a hug goodnight and retreated to my room. I waited until I hear sounds of the two going into their room. Ten minutes later I heard mom yell, "Where did these bruises come from?? And where did this cut come from?" I laughed out loud and waited for the silence. An hour later I opened my door and placed my ear on my parents door. I heard soft snoring and smiled.

      I grabbed my key card, phone, and earbuds. I snuck out of the VIP floor and went into the hotels gym. I plugged in my earbuds and turned on my music. I decided to train here. My own personal training. I ran on the treadmill, I lifted as much weight as I could, I did push-ups and sit-ups as well as pull-ups. I worked from. Midnight to five in the morning. I snuck back into the suite. Luckily no one was awake just yet and the A.I. was being fixed today so they wouldn't know I would be gone.

      I jumped in the shower and let the warm water calm my burning muscles. One week, one week, one week. I can do it.... After my shower I changed into gray pants, a sports bra and a green tank top. I put a black sweater over. I went into the kitchen and saw mom cooking. "Hey sweetie. So you're spending all day with your uncle's today?" I looked at her and smiled. "Yes she is. All of us." Dad walked in and kissed mom. "You had her for sixteen years. We want some Ashley time. So all of us are going to have some fun." Mom smiled happily. I wolfed down two pancakes and a big bowl of fruit I drank orange juice to wash it down. When mom wasn't  looking I grabbed ten water bottles and waddled into my room.

      I grabbed my small black backpack and put all the water bottles in there. Okay so maybe my small black backpack wasn't small... It's a more stylish regular backpack. And by stylish it's just leather.

      Taking my backpack, I shove my phone, earbuds, and charger in there. I say goodbye to mom and carry my backpack downstairs. I see everyone in a circle whispering. "Ahem." They stop and with no words we all head to the warehouse. Dad explains to me that they were going to help me train. "Wait. Ashley. Why did you wear pants? Wouldn't it be easier to move around in sweatpants?" I nod at him. "Yeah. It would be. But in real life, you'll be wearing pants to battle, you can't go to the bad guy and say 'time out bad guys, I need to put on my sweatpants' No. I'm learning the realistic way." (A/N this is how I actually do things. Train realisically)

      We got to the warehouse at 7:50ish. Before we get started Uncle Soryu wrapped an arm around me and led me to a chest that was in the corner. "I have some things for you." He opens the chest and reaches in. "The first... Is this." He pulls out a beautiful black and red pistol. "It's the same type we use to train. I thought it would be good for you to have your own." I'm marveled but the gun. I pick it up and examine it. On the side there's a long rectangle with a diamond in the midle, and my name 'Ashley' written neatly inside of it. (A/N: Where it says 'Strayer Signature' imagine 'Ashley')

Uncle reaches in again and I put my new pistol in the back of my pants. He takes out something else. Something bigger. Something just as beautiful. "Again. It's the same type of Assult Rifle we are training with. Your dad said you liked darker colors. So he helped me chose how to customize your guns." I take the gun with a shining face. Who knew getting a gun would make a girl happy. On the Rifles grip is again my name engraved. "They.... Have my name on them." I smile up at my uncle. He nods giving me a small subtle smile. "Thank you!" I give him a hug, squeezing him tightly. "Ashley.... You've definitely gotten stronger from the last time you tried to really squeezing me." I laughed as he referred to the day I tried getting everyone to go out to eat.

      Right before we started Uncle Ota handed me a paper. "It's a schedule. So you know what you're doing today." I took the paper and looked it over curiously.

Soryu
8-9 am: Can shooting -Pistol
9-10 am: Can shooting -Assult Rifle
10am-1 pm: Paint Balling
1-3 pm: Live Shooting
LUNCH
Baba
4-5 pm: Punching bag
5-6 pm: Fight training
6-8 pm: Knife training
8-10 pm: Group Fighting -Fist
10-11 pm: Group Fighting -Fake Blades

      I think the schedule sounds pretty fun actually. "Paint Balling, really? What's with 'Live Shooting' What does that mean? And how do I practice with fake blades?" Dad simply patted me on the head and smiled. "You'll see." Was all he said. I shrugged and stood next to Uncle Soryu.

      Uncle Mamoru took my Assult Rifle and told me to take out my pistol. Soryu handed me ammo and I loaded up. We began training at 8am sharp. "Thirty cans are hidden. But be careful. Things could fly your way. I want all targets hit on their X. Go!" I ran around the warehouse shooting can after can. My head thinking nothing but of my task and the 'slogan' Ready....Aim....Release.

      After five cans down a brick flew twords my head, I ducked under it. "Woah." Okay Ashley.... Objects can kill you. Hurry the hell up and get these cans. I rolled to the side on the floor managing to somehow doge a falling pillar. "What in the hell?!" For the next fifteen minutes I'm doging falling objects, and things being thrown at me, while also looking for thirty cans. I got scratched from a random wooden broken thing that came right at me. I moved to the side but I guess not quick enough as it scraped my arm, giving me a small cut. Blood trickled out but only for a second. I walked back to Uncle Soryu exhausted. "Tadah..." I had no enthusiasm. He told me to do push-ups as he walked around to collect the cans. Because apperently standing there is just no good.

      I could feel the eyes of my family burning into my back as they watched me. I wonder what they're thinking. I wonder what they thought of my performance shooting. I did a full two minutes of push-ups. I'm pretty sure Uncle Soryu took his sweet time to get the cans. He came back and told me I could stop. "You did pretty good Ashley. Only six out of thirty where off target. Even then only by a small amount. I'm proud. Now... Run around the warehouse for five minutes as I set up more." I sighed and did as I was told.

      This continued on until the hour was up. It was pretty much the same thing for using the Assult Rifle. Each time I went in the obstacles where different, the cans where hidden all around. I was told to do push-ups as the cans were gathered and wad told to run around the warehouse until the next set was ready. My family watched me with intensity, out of that entire time, I only got three scratches.

      By 10am I was ready to eat something. But my break wasn't until 3, so I was going to have to live with it. I was exited for this. 10am was paintballing. "I hope you don't like those clothes too much." Uncle Eisuke smirked at me. What is with that man and his smirking.... I'll get you first Uncle Eisuke... Hehe!

      I was handed a regular looking Rifle. "Uh... What?" "You're using a regular gun, but it's been modified to handle paintballs." Ota explained. "Oh. So I'd get used to shooting people. Okay!" Everyone else had their guns ready. Soryu explained to us that if we're hit in a vital area, we stay down, but if it's in a non-vital area, or in an area where you can still move, then you have to move around as if it's a real shot. He also explained how there was random ammunition hidden around for us.

      On the count of three the lights where turned off, and the only light to guide us came from the small windows, then the killing game started. We all ran into different directions ready to put up a good fight. I dogged a few bullets, and shot some of my own. Wow, aiming for people really is different than cans. I've missed just about everytime. And so has everyone else. I managed to get uncle Ota's hand. He yelped and had to shoot with only one had. I saw something moving from the corner of my eye, I aimed directly at the shadow. I heard a familiar chuckle. I knew for certain there was a smirk to go along with that chuckle. I quickly aimed up knowing their hight. Shooting twice I hear a small cry of pain.

      Out of the shadows came Uncle Eisuke with two spots on paint on him, one right over his heart and the other in the middle of his forehead. I smirked at him and ran to another spot as everyone else knew where I had camped. I heard careful footsteps approach closer. I hid behind a box as the figure grew even closer. Luckily they managed to walk right past me. Idiot. I leaned over the box and for fun shot at their butt, then up at the back of their neck. "Ah!" That voice belonged to Uncle Ota. I giggled as he walked away rubbing his behind.

      Threw some crates I saw what looked like a flash of my dad running by. Or as I like to say as of this moment, a flash of what looked like my next target. I aimed at the direction he was going and let five bullets free. "Shit!" I heard a yell. Did I get him? "You missed sucker!" Damn... He must have just yelled out in surprise then. The sound of shots rang out. "Fuck!" Dad was shot straight in the head twice. Haha. Who's the sucker now? He reluctantly went into the losers corner.

      Uncle Mamoru and Uncle Soryu were left. I ran as quietly as quietly as I could to the losers corner. I payed no attention to the losers that were behind me in the corner. There was a wooden mini wall here for cover, that was my only reason for being here. I checked my ammunition and saw it was empty. "Shit." I mumbled under my breath. Quickly looking around I see five feet from me on a shelf is a round of ammo. I set the gun down, I needed to be quiet and this gun can make some noise. The shelf was out in the open. So quiet is very important. I crawl slowly out of cover and make a dash for the ammo. I slide and grab it, quickly turning around to head back for cover. A bullet zipps past my face. I jump and roll back to my safe zone. But right as I'm about to be safe, my foot is hit. "Damn it!" I yell out. And quickly reload my gun.

      I make my foot limp and poke my head out aiming from the direction of where the bullets came from. I see Uncle Mamo trying to sneak to a another location close by him. "Loser." I whisper and let three shots lose. All three shots hit the side of his neck. I let out a quiet evil laugh. Now.... Where is my dear Uncle Soryu? Mamoru walks past me to join the other losers.

      I look around and realize that the warehouse has the build in high shelves. My new area to camp. I keep alert as I start to climb the shelves. They make noise but luckily enough to make it sound as if I'm passing by and not climbing. From the top I can see the entire place.

      Looking around I see Uncle Soryu crouched in the corner. He's an easy target from up here. Aim.... Steady.... Release! Two bullets fly, somehow he sences them coming and doges them. Shit! Now he knows my location. He aims up at me. I can see his smile.... He thinks he's won. I look around. I've traped myself up here. Just as his finger pulls the trigger my feet move and jump down. "Argh!" I roll feeling my body burn. I grap by gun running/limping from my 'wounded' foot twords my uncle. I let another two bullets fly. He was surprised by my jump that he didn't react fast enough and his arm was shot.

      Now we're both wounded. I aim and shoot again. He slides and I miss him by an inch. He shoots at me and I easily doge. Running as fast as my limp foot can let me, I charge at my uncle and let my bullets run free. Uncle Soryu tried to block them but he can only block so many at a time. Two hit his right thigh. I grab another round of ammunition I find hiding besides a board. Reloading I charge at uncle again, this time aiming higher. Three bullets are let lose. One is successful, and uncle is shot in the chest. He goes down clutching his 'wound'. I deliver the finishing blow aiming at his head and releasing one final bullet.

      Soryu got up and pat me on the head. He had a smile on his face and a look of proud in his eyes. Next thing I know I'm being lifted in the air and twirled around by someone. It didn't take me long to realize who it was. Their hat slipped off and I grabbed it before it could fall on the floor. Dad put me down and squeezed me happily. "My daughter is a natural born winner. I'm so proud and happy. No father could ask for more." I smiled at him and squeezed him back. This is feeling.... His happiness.... It's the real happiness I've been looking for since I was a kid.

      We did multiple rounds of paintball. It was awesome. Of course it was taken seriously, but I was having tons of fun. Dad even won a round, he looked so cool. At 1pm I had my last training part with Uncle Soryu for the day. I looked at the schedule. "So what's live shooting anyway?" Uncle Ota and Mamoru came in with a cage in each hand.

      "Shooting.... Live things...." Uncle Mamo said plainly. I looked inside of the cages and saw birds. They looked like regular black crows.

      The cages are placed down and Uncle Soryu walks up to them. "You have to get used to killing Ashley. Especially those that are fast targets." I nod and dad hands me my customized pistol. I'm also handed four rounds of ammunition. "We're going to supervise you. You're killing these guys all on your own." I nod again. Something inside of me felt kind of bad for having to kill defenseless birds. I closed my eyes for a second and thought of Lily-Anne, any feelings of regret or sadness quickly faded.

      Everyone cheaked to make sure the windows and door were closed. When we were sure, two of the cages were opened and it was time for me to kill some birds.

      It looked like there were ten birds in each cage so right now I was aiming to kill twenty birds.

      I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and started shooting the suckers. Holy shit these guys are fast. I mean, they are birds, but still. Damn. Apperently there were more cages brought because after I had finnished with those fourty birds, another four cages were brought in. They switched my pistol for the Assult Rifle, and again I had to take out more birds.

      I killed a total of eighty birds. My heart sweezed as I thought of the poor birds. I had to shake my head and again remind myself of Lily-Anne. Those birds moved so fast that it took some time to get them all.

      After I had finnished with the birds, I slowly walked over to my backpack and took out my phone cheaking the time. It was three o'clock. I actually spent three hours on the birds?!

      If it's three.... Then yes! Luunchhh!! I flop on a bench and chug down a water bottle. Dad walks up and sits down next to me. He puts an arm around me and let's his head slowly fall onto my head. I smile at the fatherly love. "I love you Dad." He squeezes me closer to him and I can feel him smiling. "And I love you too my little princess~" I can feel him fumbling around for something in his pocket with his other hand.

      Next thing I know, there's a knife right in front of me. I guess today is the day of gifts. "Here. A custom knife. For my mini Lupin." I chuckle and grab the knife.

      It has a red, white, and black design with a red dragon on the handle. "Wow. Thanks Dad. This is awesome!"   On one side of the blade I see my name 'Ashley Baba' printed. On the bottom of that there in cursive is the word 'Lupin'.

      I know it's a simple gift. But it comes from my long lost dad, who somehow was the great thief I had come to admire. I smiled and my eyes grew hot. Why.... Do I feel like crying? I  put the knife down and squeeze dad with all my might. I snuggle close to him. Because he's my dad....

      "I recommend he get the Dragon a blue color." I hear Uncle Soryu's voice, "You know, as a symbol to the Ice Dragons." I felt dad squeeze me protectively. "No! She's my daughter so she keeps the red color. She's not yours so there's no reason for you to get free advertising! Mine! My daughter!" I laughed at his protectiveness. I know he cares for me and that makes me happy.

      I heard a sigh from the corner. Uncle Mamo lit a cigarette and placed a hand on his head. "You're just as sappy with your kid as you are with Evelyn. It's annoying." I stuck out my tongue at him and smiled.

       I know dad loves me and mom a crap ton... after all his lady went missing and one day years later a girl tells him they're family. He's overjoyed and wants to protect us no matter what. That makes me incredibly happy.

       "Oh wait. There's one more thing to give you." I looked at them all, confused by the new weapons. It's really not smart for them to do that. I mean it's good for me and my plan but.... not good for them wanting to keep me safe. They're helping my plan. Dad got up and went to a barrel taking out a large pouch that looked like it was holding something.

      Now these.... we're cool. I opened the pouch and took out three throwing knives. Pure black with red skulls and a red painted blood splater. "Holy shit these are cool..." I smiled and and put them back in the pouch. "Okay. So there's nothing else? No more cool weapons?" Dad shook his head. "Nope." Awesome.

      After that we actually ate which consisted of a lunch of turkey sandwiches and water. We all talked and laughed during our hour break. But as soon as the hour was over we went straight back to hard ass working.

      I did a straight hour of learning techniques with the punching bag. Everyone chipped in showing me different things. I kicked, punched, and head butted the damn thing. Around the end of it I was going full on putting in so much effort, I punched a hole in the bag. Sand started spilling out and I took the rest of the hour left to train with the bag, cleaning the sand. Hey, it's not my fault the bag was weak.

      After the punching bag I got to use some of those techniques in fight training. I wasn't actually fighting but they were helping me perfect what the bag couldn't. I learned to sort of flip someone. It was awesome. I got uncle Eisuke on the ground. I mean I fell with him but I still did it.

      When it came to the knife training I spent an hour perfecting my knife skills with the regular knife that I had gotten earlier. The other half was spent learning to use the throwing knives. It was pure bliss. The feeling of letting the knife go and the thunk that came when I hit the target on the wall.

      I finally got to actually try and 'kill' my uncle's during the fist group fighting part. Again we did different rounds to see who could win. I won a couple. Obviously. I've definitely improved since my first training session. I've gotten stronger, faster, and better. That's the way I like it. The better I get, the better my chances to get Lily-Anne improves.

      The interesting part thought was the fake knives. They were those type of knives that if you pushed them against something the plastic blade would go into the handle. They somehow modified the knife to spill fake blood when used. It was awesome. We were a gooey red mess afterwards. It's a good thing we used fake knives. It would've been a blood bath. The rounds were brutal. They lasted a while and they were painful.

      My hard, long lasting training day was over. I was realived to be able to take a break. When I finally got home I took a long hot shower and put on loose pajama pants and a comfortable long sleeve. I can't go down to the gym tonight for a couple reasons. One being I haven't slept at all since I found out about Lily-Anne. And two, I need to figure out how to get around the newly fixed and updated A.I.

      I got under the covers and fell fast asleep. I woke up at six o'clock and got ready for that day. We would repeat everything we had done yesterday for the week until the day that we have to get my cousin. At least... that's their plan. My plan... I will have to deceive them. It's the only way....

♤♤~~~♡♡~~~♤♤
Three Days Later
♤♤~~~♡♡~~~♤♤

      I wake up at five in the morning. Dad has very dumbly decided that today we could take a day off from training. He's arranged for us to go to the movies today and go out to eat. Basically today is the day of rest, letting our bruises and cuts a day to heal. I would rather be training. But maybe he's right. Maybe... after all. Tonight's the night my plan sets off..

      I dress comfortable, letting my girly side show for the first time in a while. I brush my hair down into it's natural state.

      Walking out into the kitchen I sit at the table and eat pancakes with my family. We had a big breakfast and were happy. We head out to watch the movie. I was having a great day with my family. They're happiness and love with help me get through tonight.

      It's barley six o'clock when we're back at home relaxing on the couch. I'm in between my parents feeling their warmth and love. I sound so cheesy and idiotic right now. But I don't care. I'm going to to need happiness before I enter the war zone of hell. I get up and say I'll be right back. I quietly sneak out the door. I knock on Uncle Mamo's door and wait. I knock three more times before I determine he's not home. I open his door that he foolishly left unlock. That's my lazy uncle for ya.

      I walk in and see his room messy and smelling of cigarettes. I spend ten minutes looking for something. I miraculously find it easily under a stack of magazines. A very important paper containing a very important adress. I take a picture of the address on my phone and put everything back where I found it.

      I am not a person who likes to clean. But looking at Mamoru's room I felt like I had to clean it. But because I had to leave no evidence of me here, I had to leave the mess behind.

      I sneak back into the suite and head into my room without a word. I go through my closet and pick out some very dark clothes for tonight. I pull out a gym bag that's hidden under my bed. Inside of the bad are a few essential things. My rifle, pistol, knives, and two pairs of brass knuckles and extra ammo. I've gotten lots of training. Some on my own but mostly with my family. I've a dancer very quickly in my fighting and shooting capabilities. I mean... I have good reason too.

      I have the weapons given to me by my family, but they aren't enough for what I planned. So I dug into dad's secret pile of weapons and helped myself. I need them more than him right now. I check my inventory for the sixth time in two days, when I'm satisfied I zip up the bag and push it back under my bed.

      I walk back out and lay down on my parents laps. I secretly pray for strength. My plan needs to work. It has to work. I need to save her. I need my cousin safe!!

      "Ashley. Want to take tomorrow off too?" Dad whispered in my ear so mom wouldn't hear. I nod my head. I need him to think I'll be calm. "I'm worried though." I quietly whisper. I see in his eyes he's worried too. But I guess not enough to go storming down. That's why... I'll be the one to do it.

      Having to lie to mom and tell her that the night of my nightmare was a weird dream of hers, and Lil is just visiting some friends she hasn't seen in a while that are close by, is really hard. Mom and I told each other almost everything. But I get why we can't tell her this. I'll just have to bring Lil back myself.

      I'll have to leave when everyone is asleep. I'll shower tonight. Change into my fighting uniform. I'll wait until I hear the sounds of my mom and dad sleeping. I'll sneak very quietly out. Head down the stairs and delete the part of me leaving the hotel from the A.I. Uncle Mamo showed me how. He didn't exactly give me a lesson. He showed me how they probably did it and I learned from there. I'll have my bag and leave the hotel. I'll have to leave my phone in my room, just in case there's a tracker in there. I'll have to write down the address on a paper and take that with me. I'll pay in cash for a ride, or at least close by where I'm supposed to go.

      I'll storm the castle. I'll have to kill another human if I need too. I'll do anything to get Lily-Anne back. Anything. Hopefully dad w ont notice anything until noon. I'll have to be done by then. I can't have them interrupting. Especially since the piece of shit on the video said I had to go alone. The last day isn't until two more days. Which is why I'm going the day before. I'm not taking any chances. They wanted to go on the day. No they don't even want to do that. But that's what it seems like because they haven't even mentioned any sort of plan to me. They better not be leaving her to die.

Damnit....

Lily-Anne wait a bit longer Okay? I'm going to get you back. No matter what....

Just keep your hope....

♤♤~~~♡~~~♤♤

AAHHH!! YOU GUYS!! 10388 WORDS!! I am seriously freaking sorry for this very late update. Jesus I'm a terrible author.... I bet half of my Taquitos have left.. sad. But I'll keep my chin up. I love you guys so much. Tell me what you thought if this chapter. Did you like it? Do you think Ashley can pull off her plan and save Lily-Anne?? You'll just have to wait... Hopefully not as long as last time... yeah. Sorry for that again.... anywho. I'll go now. Again, I love y'all! Until next time.... Byeeee!!!! Taco Out!!!! ❤🌮