The man gave him a huge grin. "Glad to see you up and about, squirt!" 
He said in badly accented Japanese.

	Amaru blinked in confusion, eased himself to the far side of Travis's 
chair, putting it and Travis between himself and the man.

	"It's all right, Amaru-san." Travis assured him as he nodded back at 
the man and headed them down towards the front walk. "Jonah was 
concerned about you when you got sick from the drugs. We all were."

	That confused him even more. Why were they being so nice? This 
wasn't what he expected at all. When Hajime had told him that they 
were caught he had visions of horrid experiments, not this freedom to 
walk alone beside a man he could easily outrun or overpower if he 
chose too.

	He puzzled over that as Travis led him to the right onto a cement 
sidewalk that headed away from the driveway and into the stand of 
large hardwood trees that surrounded the house. It was cooler in their 
shade and he had to keep his pace slow to stay beside the chair, but 
it was nice.

	"Is your arm still bothering you, Amaru-san?" Travis asked as the 
path curved out of the trees and back into the sunlight.

	"No." It still hurt a lot, especially when he tried to straighten it, 
but he wouldn't admit that. He would be strong, like his brothers! He 
could hear the sound of waves as the path angled.

	Travis nodded, turned the chair into an area with benches and a open 
wood railing, brought it to a halt and gazed out over the ocean. Amaru 
leaned on the fence, looked down the fifty or so feet of rough gray 
cliff to the thin strip of beach. "Where are we?" He asked.

	"Maine. Do you know where that is?"

	"Of course I know! It's..." He paused for a moment as his mind went 
blank, frowned. He did know this! Finally, it came to him. "...on the 
east coast of the United States right under Canada."

	Travis smiled and nodded as he used that pause to help him gauge how 
much Amaru was effected by the collar. Some, but not nearly as much as 
he should be. Doc had worried at him about that. The only good reason 
he could come up with was that the brothers were simply out powering 
the signal emitted from the collars. Now that was a disturbing 
thought. The Four Sisters crew that came to pick up these boys were 
going to be in for a big surprise.  He caught another furtive glance 
from Amaru toward his chair. Time to start weaving his web.

	"You want to know about the chair?" He asked with a gentle smile.

	Amaru flushed with embarrassment that he'd been caught staring. But 
he did want to know. But it wasn't polite. He shook his head.

	"It's all right. I don't mind telling you." He emphasized that 'you' 
a little. "I caught a terrible disease when I was about your age. When 
it was finished with me, it had damaged my nervous system and left me 
with a very weak body. On good days, I can stand by myself for a few 
minutes and take a few steps. On bad days, well..." He dropped his 
eyes, then looked back out to the sea. "I endure."

	Amaru didn't say anything as he studied Travis's profile out of the 
corner of his eye, felt a twinge of sympathy and didn't realize his 
determination not to trust or like this man slipped a little. He would 
hate having to be stuck in a chair like that.

	"Come on. Still have a ways to go." The path skirted the edge of the 
cliff for a while, then turned back inland. They where going through 
another bunch of trees in companionable silence when suddenly Travis 
let out a sharp whistle.

	Amaru startled a little, wondered at Travis's wink and grin.

	"Here, you'll want these." He reached into the bag at the side of his 
chair, pulled out a bag of carrots, handed them to Amaru.

	Amaru looked at the bag in confusion, had to run to catch up with 
Travis as he cleared the trees. Four horses where waiting at the 
pasture fence, ears up and whickering as they watched Amaru and Travis 
come towards them. Travis grinned as the boy's face lit up.

	"Break them in half, keep your hand flat." Travis instructed as Amaru 
hurried to the fence. He watched the boy dole out the carrots with a 
pleased smile. When he'd peeked into one of Amaru's REM states, his 
mind had been dominated by images of dragons and running horses. His 
deduction that Amaru was horse crazy was correct.

	Amaru patted the soft noses as they pushed at him, looking for more. 
"Sorry, guys. That's it." He sighed.

	"Amaru-san!" Travis called him back to his side.

	Amaru nodded, gave the black one more pat, then went obediently back.

	"Would you like to ride one?" Travis asked as they followed the fence 
toward the stable, the horses walking along beside them.

	"Could I? Really?" Amaru asked with a surprised grin.

	"Yes. Really. Come on." Travis laughed inwardly as Amaru kept having 
to stop and wait for the chair in his hurry to get to the stable.

	Amaru went to the fence and clucked to the horses, trying to get them 
to come over as Travis spoke with the man who'd come out of the barn 
to meet them.

	He watched the stable hand come out and catch the bay and started to 
get it saddled when Travis called for him again. He walked with him 
around the stable to a gate which Amaru opened. He noticed the 
platform on this side with the four steps, just about horse height.

	Travis headed for the platform as the stable hand led the saddled and 
bridled horse up to stand even with it. He tied the reins to the 
platform as Travis stopped the chair by the first step.

	"Give me a hand, would you, Amaru-san?" He asked as he levered 
himself up.

	Amaru blinked, then moved quickly to grab his arm as he swayed. "Can 
you do this?" Amaru asked in shock.

	"It's part of my therapy." Travis answered with a determined little 
smile. "Thanks. Now, up the stairs." He put his hand on Amaru's 
shoulder, grabbed the stair rail with the other and let Amaru help 
support his weight as he slowly made each step.

	The stable hand said something as Travis reached out, grabbed the 
saddle horn and made his body obey him as he moved to straddled the 
saddle.

	"He's afraid we'll fall." Travis told Amaru in a conspiratorial 
whisper. "It's a chance I'm willing to take. Are you?" He asked with a 
challenging gleam in his eye as he held out his hand. They wouldn't. 
He had enough strength right now to keep them both in the saddle and 
the mare was well trained.

	Amaru found himself grinning back as he took Travis's hand.

	"Careful of your arm. Doc will kill whatever Hajime leaves of me if I 
take you back bleeding." Travis cautioned as he got Amaru settled in 
front of him.

	Amaru had almost forgotten about his injury in his excitement. It 
throbbed a little as he gripped the saddle horn with both hands, but 
he didn't care! He was going to ride a horse! Even if it was double 
with Travis.

	The stable hand handed the reins up to Travis.

	"Ready?" Travis whispered in Amaru's ear.

	Amaru nodded.

	"O.K. Hold tight!" He turned the mare and walked her for a few steps, 
letting Amaru get his weight settled, then nudged her into her smooth 
canter.

	Amaru crowed in delight as the other three horses ran along with 
them.


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

	Amaru hadn't been gone more than three minutes when Tamanji came to 
the clear wall. "Hajime-san, Tsuzuku-kun, would you please go and sit 
on Amaru's cot?"

	Hajime rose from Tsuzuku's, went docilely, studying this young woman 
who was also was a dragon out of the corner of his eye as he did. 
Tsuzuku stopped his circuit at the center of the room, arms crossed, 
glared at the floor.

	Hajime saw Tamanji smile and felt a little warning twinge of unease 
go through his mind at the hard gleam that came into her eyes as she 
watched Tsuzuku's passive resistance to her order.

	"Tsuzuku-kun." Hajime called to him, patted the cot. *Please, don't 
do this.* He pleaded with him in his mind. He wondered what was going 
on in his brother's head as Tsuzuku wouldn't meet his eyes as he came 
and threw himself down.

	The doors opened and the brown haired woman who'd brought the first 
tray came with another, put it down and took the used trays and backed 
out.

	"I thought you might like something to help pass the time." Tamanji 
told them as she gestured at the newspaper and magazine that where 
next to the juice and soda cans on the tray.

	"Who are you?" Tsuzuku asked, finally looking up and at her.

	"Tanaka Tamanji, Tsuzuku-kun." Tamanji answered with a purr under her 
voice.

	She turned a little and leaned up against the wall, her pose relaxed 
yet seductive at the same time. *What was she up to?* Hajime wondered. 
*And did Travis approve of her speaking with them?* He doubted it as 
she continued.

	"But that isn't what you asked, is it? I'm Jasmine's sister, as 
you've all ready guessed. You want to know if she's here, don't you, 
beautiful Dragon?"

	"Yes. But you're not going to tell me, are you?" Tsuzuku answered her 
calmly with no trace of the internal shudders that her hungry eyes on 
his body were creating.

	"Oh, I don't know. Maybe. Try asking nicely." She smiled sweetly at 
him.

	"No. I will do nothing for your pleasure." Tsuzuku answered her with 
a small smile and a shrug.

	Tamanji laughed, a silky sound that made his skin crawl.

	"Oh, you will, pretty boy." This time her voice was all purr and 
promise.

	"Tamanji! Enough!" Doc's growl interrupted.

	"But Doc!" She answered in Japanese, "You said I could play with them 
once you had them contained. They are, " she stressed that word, 
"contained, aren't they?" She pouted over at the unseen physician.

	"Enough Tammi!" Doc warned.

	"Oh, well. Laters!" Tamanji blew Tsuzuku a kiss as she sauntered out 
of sight.

	Hajime found himself letting out a breath he hadn't been aware he was 
holding as she left, looked over at his brother.

	Tsuzuku leaned forwards and put his face in his hands, feeling 
drained. He still didn't know for sure whether Jasmine was here or 
not. But he didn't think so. Just something about the way Tamanji 
spoke, the tone of her voice, the subtle shifts in her face when she 
mentioned her sister. He shuddered involuntarily again as the memory 
of her laugh rang through his head.

	"She's playing mind games with you, Tsuzuku."

	"I know that, Hajime." Tsuzuku answered with a snap, then dropped his 
hands, intertwined his fingers in a tight knot as he looked at his 
brother out of the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry, Hajime-kun. Just the 
way she looks at me..." he left that hanging. How could he explain it? 
"I am feeling like a small bird under a tigers paw."

	"Tigers don't eat small birds, brother." Hajime answered in a serious 
tone as he put his hands behind his head and leaned back against the 
wall. "Too much energy output required for such a small caloric 
reward."

	He saw Tsuzuku expression lighten and the trace of a smile touch his 
lips, breathed an internal sigh of relief. He would have to speak with 
Travis about Tamanji, see if they couldn't come to some understanding 
to keep her away from Tsuzuku.

	Tsuzuku leaned back beside him. "Why did you let Amaru go with 
Travis?" He asked in a whisper.

	"If I guessed right, Travis is giving us the lay out of the area in 
the only way he can."

	"But why would he do that?" Tsuzuku asked in confusion. "He has gone 
to great lengths to make sure we won't try to escape."

	"Yes, that we won't try to escape while in his care. But we won't be 
in his care for long, now, will we?"

	"You think he's going to help us when the Four Sisters come to pick 
us up?" Tsuzuku asked wide eyed as he began to follow his brothers 
train of logic.

	"No. I don't think he's going to help us. But I don't think he will 
interfere, either. Tsuzuku, I know it's hard for you," he caught his 
brother's eye, wanted to tell him that he understood how much Tamanji 
and all the other women and men that lusted after him bothered and 
upset him but now was not the time or the place, "but just relax if 
you can. I'll speak with Travis about Tamanji. I doubt he'll approve 
of that little display we just witnessed."

	"Hai, Elder Brother. I will try harder." Tsuzuku nodded, dropped his 
eyes, his face reflecting the shame he felt.

	"Tsuzuku-kun, it is not your fault. We are as we are." Hajime told 
him gently.

	"I know, Hajime-kun. Sometimes, I just wish..." he trailed off, 
pushed himself up. "I'm thirsty. Would you like something?" He asked 
as he got to his feet and headed for the tray by the door.

	*Me too, brother.* Hajime agreed with him silently as he answered. 
"No thanks. I'm going to lay down for a few minutes. I need to think."

	Tsuzuku nodded as he picked up the tray, took it to his cot. *Ah, a 
challenge!* He gave a wry smile as he looked at the English words on 
the newspaper. He found himself anxious to try to translate it, 
wanting the distraction from the chaos of his thoughts and emotions. 
He chose a can of juice as he leaned back against the wall, the 
newspaper in hand as Hajime stretched out on his back.

	Hajime put one arm behind his head, closed his eyes. He heard the 
rustle of newspaper and the sharp pop of a can being opened, then shut 
the awareness of them and the room out of his mind and worked on 
puzzling out the enigma of Travis and this strange blank spot in his 
head where his power should be.

	
	He had been probing the numb area, trying to coax out even a hint of 
the awareness of his power but so far had only succeeding in calling 
forth a splitting headache when the hiss of the doors snapped him back 
into awareness. He rolled to his side, studying Amaru as his little 
brother stepped through the outer doors, turned and handed the 
blindfold back to Travis with a bow. He did look much better, his 
color was high and his voice animated.

	"Thank-you, Travis-kun. It was fun!"

	He traded uneasy looks with Tsuzuku, noting the change in honorific.

	"What was fun?" Tsuzuku asked with a slight smile as he looked over 
the top of the paper, no trace of the anxiety he felt for his little 
brother showing in his voice or body language.

	"Hajime! Tsuzuku! I got to ride a horse!" Amaru grinned at them as he 
bounced in. "And Travis-kun said I could all by myself tomorrow!"

	"If it was all right with your brothers." Travis interjected as he 
came into their sight.

	"I don't know what to say." Hajime forced his expression to remain 
pleasant. *Gods, he was good at this. If I say no, I condemn Amaru to 
this little cell and sound like an unreasonable demon. If I say yes, 
he gets to spend more time alone with Amaru which I am beginning to 
think was not such a good idea in the first place.*

	"No comes to mind." Tsuzuku said in a light, teasing tone though his 
eyes were hard as he gazed over Amaru's head and at Travis.

	"Aw, you're just jealous, brother, cause you didn't get to do it 
too!" Amaru pouted. "You won't really say no, will you?" He continued 
in a pleading voice.

	"Your right, Amaru. I am jealous. Maybe tomorrow I could go with 
you?" He asked, his voice holding a longing note.

	"Could he, Travis-kun? Please?" Amaru turned to Travis, innocent of 
the game being played over his head.

	Travis smiled. "I'm afraid not, Amaru-san. Though I wish I could. But 
you must understand the danger that would put all of us in. 
Hajime-sama would be willing to sacrifice himself for such a chance 
for you and Tsuzuku to try to escape. The temptation would be too much 
for your brothers, I fear."

	Amaru blinked at him wide eyed. "No, Tsuzuku would give you his word 
that he wouldn't try, won't you Tsuzuku-kun?"

	Tsuzuku glared at Travis, checkmated in his bid for his and Amaru's 
freedom. This man knew that he refused to lie. "No. I would not, 
Amaru-kun."

	Amaru turned and gave a startled look to his brother. "Why not?"

	"It doesn't matter, Amaru." Hajime broke in. "You may go if you feel 
up to it." He winced internally as he said it, hating himself for 
using Amaru as a pawn, but could see no other recourse. "Now, why 
don't you get yourself something to drink and tell Tsuzuku about your 
ride. I want to talk to Travis for a moment."

	Tsuzuku offered him a can as he hopped up beside his second brother 
talking a mile a minute in his excitement.

	Both Travis and Hajime looked at Amaru fondly, then turned their 
attention to each other.

	"What do you want Ryudo-sama?" Travis asked with a trace of caution 
in his voice.

	"I could ask the same of you." Hajime answered, then shook his head. 
"I don't want to play games right now. Keep Tamanji away from us."

	Travis frowned. "What happened?"

	"Ask Doc. It was...embarrassing to my brother."

	Travis nodded, the lavender of his eyes seeming to spark. "I 
apologize, Ryudo-sama. She will not trouble you again."

	"I hope not, Travis-san. She disturbs Tsuzuku, a lot." He let that 
hang like a warning between them.

	"It will be taken care of, Hajime-san. Now, is there anything else?"

	"A walk would be nice." Hajime suggested as he leaned against the 
clear wall.

	Travis laughed. "You have an interesting sense of humor, Ryudo-sama! 
Now, really, is there anything else you need?"

	Hajime shook his head. Travis made a little half bow, started down 
the wall. "Amaru is a nice kid. It's a shame that the Four Sisters 
might get him. He would be safe with me, Ryudo-sama. Just something to 
think about."

	Hajime stiffened, leaned his head against the cold wall as he 
struggled to control his temper. He just wished he knew what game 
Travis was playing. Was he really an ally? Did it matter? Travis's 
suggestion did have merit whether he liked it or not. He had no clear 
plan on how to escape when they were transferred, he'd just have to 
improvise as the options presented themselves. But if something went 
wrong and they were taken and contained, or worse yet, wounded enough 
to change...could he let that happen to Amaru again? He winced as the 
echoes of Amaru's agony rang through his memory. If he left Amaru with 
Travis he'd be safe and away from the Four Sisters clutches and he or 
Tsuzuku could come back for him when this was resolved. But could he 
trust Travis? Or the people who worked with him? What if they just 
took Amaru and ran?

	"Hajime-kun?"

	Hajime looked down into his brothers innocent dark blue eyes.

	"Are you O.K?"

	He reached down and ruffled his hair and gave him a smile that didn't 
reach his own. He didn't have to decide yet.

	"Hey!" Amaru grouched and ducked.

	"So, tell me all about your walk." Hajime prompted as he headed back 
for Amaru's cot.

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


	"He's getting bored, Hajime-kun." Tsuzuku motioned with his chin over 
at their littlest brother, breaking off their huddled council as they 
pieced together the layout of the grounds around them from Amaru's 
descriptions.

	Hajime turned, saw Amaru sitting cross-legged on his cot, elbows on 
his knees, chin on his palms and frowning at the short stack of 
magazines in front of him.

	"He's missing Owaru, I imagine." Hajime said softly. "We are not the 
best playmates."

	"What would Owaru do to distract him?" Tsuzuku wondered softly, then 
smiled.

	"Hey, Amaru-kun! What's wrong?" He asked as he rose and went to one 
knee by his brother.

	"I can't read them and I've looked at all the pictures." Amaru 
sighed.

	"Well, then, let's put them to a better use." Tsuzuku took one of the 
magazines and began to tear pages out of them. "I'll bet I can make a 
plane that will fly farther than you can."

	"I bet you can't!" Amaru grinned back.

	Hajime smiled as his brothers set to work, then went to join them.

	There was a paper air plane battle going on between Tsuzuku and 
Amaru, Hajime having withdrawn to his cot after letting Amaru capture 
all ten of his planes to scan the newspaper when Travis interrupted 
them.

	"Dinner time. Everyone to Amaru's cot please."