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The Dark Knight's body on the ground as we left hit my mind like thunder. So I clenched my fits and cleaned my face with my sleeve. I got up with a new determination and strength, just to find Bleach Eyes in panic for the first time. He was looking at me without reaction or understanding. - ``Let's go, shall we?'' - I spat between teeth. I would have to have the strength I wanted to find in the others before I met them. I had to be able to hold my end so Akita would hold on his and we would stand like two weak cards of a deck piled against each other, holding against all odds because we had each other.

- ``Sure!'' - He said still lost, falling behind so his legs would follow me to the car while his mind seemed to play catch.

The door from the other side of the car opened and Sonya jumped out. She ran to me with a hopeless mad tone. - ``Are you OK? What happened?''

-``Nothing we weren't prepared for!'' - And I looked hard at her, forging my lips into a seal and steadying my breath as much as my bluff allowed. My blood boiled and my skin burned with a new resolve.

I heard Akita's voice in my head. - ``So, let's get them all?''

- ``Yes!'' - And a smile that was more honest than I anticipated released itself on my frown, lightning the weight on my legs. We still had work to do, we still knew what to do and were still on plan B. In plan A we wouldn't have lost the president, just took him safely home! In plan B we just gave my father time enough to be in a comfortable position when they got back.

- ``Don't use the comms, they have been compromised.'' - Bleach eyes was still focused on me with an attentive look, but he never let go of the plan.

We picked up Akita from the Musketeers car, not far from where we left him. His face was warm and tender, but I could see the weight on his shoulders as he moved to the car door. His voice was reserved and shy for the first time. He smiled at me, knowing I was as worried with the Dark Knight and my father as he probably was.

- ``I am sorry Sonya, but I still need your help!''

- ``Sure! what?'' - She was still confused by my probably trashed face and my strengthened words. But I had asked her to wait for us just in case and the case happened to be just.

- ``I need you to drive us to Tacyturno's, please!'' - Her face hardened as she consider how little she wanted to help. She just wanted to take me home, before anything more she couldn't know, could do more of what she could see all over my face, drawn on my lips and weighing on my brows. I must have looked horrendous. She was piercing my eyes with hers waiting for mine to waver.

- ``no! Home! I said I would bring you home, remember? It is one thing to not ask... it is one thing to wait and wonder... it is even OK to get your friends switched in the meantime because one of them wanted to go post his accomplishment on a social network... It is another thing to take you in this state to where it all started! If your father is so OK with it, let him take you! I am only taking you home.'' - She was grabbing my shoulders, shaking me softly as though I had to be woken up to reality. Her eyes were wide and pleading for my better judgement. She never lost her temper, but she argued ferociously.

- ``He is there! By now needing a little help! Or maybe not even!'' - I tried to look for Akita's eyes, save me... reassure her of what I can't. Reassure me as well! Help!

- ``She will be OK! I told you, I will not let anything happen to her. Although I doubt I will need to protect her at all!'' - A deep voice was released from behind my back. Indifferent but confident Bleach Eyes' words were as resolved and certain as casual. Akita's eyes sounded in my head like Dark Knight's had this very night. It seems everyone is surprised at his protective reaction and the trespass it represented on our distant bond and for some reason expect me to know and explain why.

- ``Well, then!'' - She gave up with a deep breath, but I could tell she regretted something... probably everything. - ``If you must, you must.''

We drove for a while until the familiar gates showed between the long shed. The trees escaping from the shed top all around seemed more alive today, like their fingers reached as far as possible hoping for a way out. The moon light gave them dimension and movement, it was such a clear night; they almost screamed ``let me out!''. There was still few meters to the gate and the sidewalk was large enough to park without drawing too much attention to us. - ``Park here, please!''

I opened the car door as soon as it stopped and jumped out, followed by Akita and Bleach Eyes. The car door closed and I breathed deeply. Spikes, the Retriever and the pale Bulldog came out of the car behind us. I was reassured by their presence on this plan. I could hear all hearts around, with some anxiety and control. I could feel the dew on the tree leaves and the familiar taste of this college. I could also feel a human scent. I turned and found that Sonya was circulating her car to follow us in.

- ``What are you doing?'' - I think I sounded ungrateful and brute, because she looked so indignant. - ``Sorry Sonya.'' -I couldn't have expressed enough that this was not for her to get any more involved than I could shield her from. - ``Thank you for your help, but you must leave. I don't want you to...'' - I took a deep breath to avoid saying any truth that would make her jump even faster into danger, she couldn't be told ``not to!''. - ``You know, you are not allowed in! And as a future lawyer have the good sense of letting this on us! We might need you still. Please.''

- ``As a future lawyer I need to stand by my believes and I believe I can be of help!''

- ``I am so sorry to tell you this, you have helped... a lot! But right now, you would only stand in the way. Please, I will call you as soon as I can!'' - She stormed back into the car and left without another word. It pained me so to hurt her like this. Her eyes shone and I could smell so much frustration coming from her. She didn't like to feel aside and today it seemed it was all I could give her. A cold side of grief and the ungrateful chauffeur service. I knew we had a strong bond, but how much could I strain it before it broke?