Here's Part 14 of Crimson Sky, titled "Catalyst."  This story is getting
more and more complicated but the truth is also starting to come out bits
by bits.  Constructive C&C are welcome.  I hope you like this.

Shuichi Minamino
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CRIMSON SKY
Part 14  Catalyst


	Ryan opens the back door of their hideout and feels something slumps
against his legs.  He looks down and almost cries out in shock.  By his
feet is a boy of his age, covered with blood.  "Holy ... shit..."  Ryan
gets down on his knees and picks the boy up.  "Damn damn damn...don't die
on me... Hang on.  Reshion!!!!  Reshion~~~~!!"

	"Are you trying to tell the whole world we're hiding here?"  Reshion
appears from the kitchen door.  He stops in his tracks when he sees the
unconcious boy.  "Bring him inside and clean up the blood outside."

	Reshion lays the unconcious boy on the bed and unbutton the latter's
shirt.  His expression remains neutral even as he sees the damage on the
body.  There're probably several broken ribs, in addition to a lot of
internal injury; and the boy's bleeding is not stopping.  Reshion grabs a
wet towel and starts to wipe away the blood on the boy's face.  The cuts
there are minor, not deep enough to leave any scars but it is the injury
inside that may have great after effects, that's if the boy lives.

	"How bad is it?"  Ryan appears from behind.

	"Great loss of blood, broken ribs, broken bones on the right arm and left
shoulder, his lungs are bleeding and so are the various internal organs."
Reshion walks toward the bathroom to wash his hands.

	"And...??"

	"And what?"

	"There's nothing you can do?" Ryan asks incredulously as he casts another
worried look at the injured boy.

	"I'm not a doctor."

	"Shit!!!"  Ryan walks out of the room and noise of someone fumbling for
things can be heard from the next room.  "He needs blood right?  Damn it...
I'm sure they've taught you some basic things in terms of life-saving."
Ryan reappears again with a box of something.

	"Yes, but we don't have the utensils."

	"Yes we do, I bought this ... a few days ago," Ryan throws the suitcase to
Reshion.  "If we work together, maybe we can save him."

	"We?"

	"Yes, we are going to save him," If Reshion refuses, Ryan thinks to
himself, he is going to force Reshion to do it, doesn't matter how.  Ryan
knows that he can't stand the sight of another dead body again.  "If you
need blood, he can take mine."

	Reshion watches Ryan silently before opening the suitcase and takes out
the needed equipments.  "You do have to know that there's no way he's going
to live."

	"As long as there's a chance," Ryan puts on his gloves.  "I'll take that
chance."

	"I was," Ryan says as he proceeds to get to work.  "until I shot someone."

			******************************

	Reshion watches on with disinterest as Ryan changes the bandage on the
boy's body.  Strange that Ryan would do so much for someone he doesn't
know.  Reshion blinks several times as he feels things spinning before him.
 That's unusual, he never feels like that.  He reaches up inside his collar
and feels something before he pulls the object out- a silver necklace with
a ring on it.  He stares at it for a few moments, lost in thought.

	"Ahem!" Ryan clears his throat to get Reshion's attention.  "I'm gonna go
to my room, you keep watch." And with those words he closes the door behind
him.

	"...ah...."

	Reshion looks up but makes no move to help.  Instead he sits back and
crosses his arms across his chest and watches coldly.  Another pang of
headache hits him again but he does not show it.

	The delicate fingers tighten their grip on the mattress, the violet eyes
flutter open and stare at him.  The boy's eyes widen as he sits up and
winces slightly when he feels the pain.  

	Reshion looks at the boy, his expression unreadable.  "Cademis."

	"You..."  The boy stands up gingerly and slowly walks toward Reshion but
stops when Reshion pulls out his gun.

	"Stand back," he says coldly.  "explain yourself."

	The violet eyes gaze at him without fear, the boy smiles slightly; a
tender innocent smile, making him look even more fragile.  "what do you
want me to explain?"

	"Everything."

	"How much do you remember?"  He sees the necklace on Reshion's neck and
smiles softly.  "You don't call me by my first name anymore?

	"Ajian."

	"I'm glad you remembered," Ajian looks down.  "but I don't know if the
memory of me is good or bad, true or false..."

	"You tell me."

	"Reshion...whatta...!"  Ryan stands at the door, bewildered at the
spectacle before him.  

	"You stay out of this,"  Reshion replies icily.  

	"I destroyed their main base wing, for revenge." Ajian looks away.  "I
understand that this is not the answer you're looking for but ... I assure
you that I was opposed to it.  And I've tried to stop them."  In that sweet
smile, is an inexplicable sorrow.  Very beautiful child.  That light brown
hair, pale white skin and those big violet eyes.  Looking ever so delicate
and innocent... "Now I must return home before they suspect anything more.
Thank you for saving my life."

	"Thank him," Reshion looks at Ryan.  "it's his blood."  With those words,
Reshion walks out of the room.

	"Hey!  Reshion, where you going?!"  Ryan is about to go after Reshion but
changes his mind.  "Are you sure you can make your way back, you're hurt
very badly.  You've been unconscious for days."

	"I'm fine, really.  My body can take it."  Ajian says as he slowly stands
up and walk toward the door.  "I have some important matter to attend to,
I'm sorry that I must leave now." 

	Ryan knows that it's useless to ask Ajian to stay until he's well as he
sees the boy leaves the hideout.  For a moment he is worried that maybe
Ajian is a spy, but then since Reshion doesn't seem concerned, it should be
no matter.  Reshion...Ryan thinks to himself, has a lot of explaining to do.

			***************************

	"Any changes?" Ajian peers at the screen.  "There's got to be some damage
recorded.  I know I destroyed one of their wings.  I know I did!"

	"Ajian...that was very dangerous, what would-"

	"What would my parents say?"  The light haired boy cuts him off.  "I don't
care what they'll say.  Whatever that happened to them is not going to
happen to me.  Never again."

	"Mr. Cademis!" the man warns.  "How can you say that when you've almost
gotten yourself killed again!?"

	"I know you've been taken care of me all this time," Ajian looks away.
"but this is something I must do...I will leave here soon, so that none of
you will have any association with this.  I'll be dismissing you all soon,
with a reasonable sum of money..."

	"Don't say that Mr. Cademis!" the old assistant exclaims.

	"No, I would hate to put any of you in danger," he smiles lightly.  It is
something he must do himself, he has to fight his own battle, overcome his
own nightmare.  And then there is the matter between him and the boy now
known as Reshion....

-----------------Crimson Sky: Catalyst End (TO BE
CONTINUED)-----------------