"Eight years," Zero informed.

"The exact amount of time between my disappearance and reappearance here," Near sighed.

"He appeared when you disappeared," Zero informed. "Fell out of a closet."

Near frowned. "A closet?"

"...The closet...just like at Chester's." Mail blinked at Near.

"What did you say Nate was doing in the closet again?" Near asked.

"We're going to have to do this later," Zero informed. "I need to get you two out of here. Trick, Treat... do you think you can create a diversion?"

"Are you kidding?" Treat smirked.

Trick's grin matched his brothers and Near lifted an eyebrow in amusement.

They both hopped out of bed and Zero pulled the door open. "Far, the twins are going to distract Roger."

"Then I'll have to distract him before he knows it was them." Far sighed before turning to go after the boys.

Mail blinked.

"...Far?" He asked Zero.

"That's him," Zero informed, glancing back at them. "He doesn't mean anything, Near... it's just hard for him."

"I know it is," Near informed. "It doesn't upset me."

"They were friends," Zero explained to Mail before he motioned for them to be quiet and follow him as he moved the opposite direction.

"...Did I miss something here?" Mail looked between them.

"Shh," Zero whispered as they headed through the halls. "There are plenty of kids here who will think turning us in will get them higher on Roger's scale, so if you have to talk, then do it quietly."

"It sounds more and more like Roger's the guy you want to be on the good side of." Mail whispered as he crept behind Zero and Near.

"I can't believe he is still in charge," Near admitted. "After eight years..."

"You know Watari," Zero sighed. "Roger's his best friend... he isn't going to see a darker side to him, even though he knows Roger hates kids."

They heard a crash somewhere off and the sound of yelling. Zero grabbed them both and made a run for it, throwing open a door and ducking into the garage.

"If there's something in here with wheels, I can get us out...unless the gate's locked and there's no crashing through that thing." Mail sighed. "Are they going to be okay back there?"

"The gate wont be a problem," A voice said and Near jumped a bit as a young man with dark hair poked his head up. "I've got my garage door opener wired to it. Hop in."

"Ender,"Near greeted, moving over to the other boy and climbing into the car without question.

"Who the hell is this?' Mail frowned as he climbed in the back with Near.

"Ender, the one who fixed the phone," Zero informed as he climbed in and Ender started up the car, pulling out of the open garage door. "He's our Hardware guy."

"So Matt's software and Ender is Hardware." Mail snorted. "Did you manage to reach anyone else by phone?"

He leaned in to get a better look at Ender.

"Who was there to reach?" Ender inquired. "Oh, the other actors from your show called and accused me of kidnapping Nate."

"Awesome, do you know where they were calling from?" Mail laughed.

"The airport," Ender commented, rather calmly.

"They're already in Winchester!" Mail cheered before the lights in the garage started flashing red and steel shutters began to close up all the exits. "Shit!"

"Fuck!" Zero cried as Ender gunned it.

Mail was knocked- hard -back into his seat with Near as the car tore around and made for one of the exits- the steel shutters coming down fast.

Ender sat very still in his seat, his eyes on the goal and not the impending doom. Zero ducked and Near turned to hide his face in Mail's shoulder.

It went by in almost slow motion. The car inched forward as the gates inched down. There was the sound of metal crunching and glass cracking as the two met, the gate scraping the top of the car and causing the windows, wind shield, and back window to all crack and then shatter.

Mail covered Near from the glass shards and sparks as the car screeched out of the garage just narrowly avoiding being cut in two by the portcullis. It took Ender only a moment to regain control of the vehicle as they peeled out.

Reaching up, Ender flicked open the case for the garage door opener and pressed the button, holding it down for five seconds before releasing it.

The gate's gears turned and it unlocked, before pulling itself open as Ender sped through it.

"...What about the kids?" Mail asked worriedly. "And that Far guy?"

Not answering, Ender pulled the car to a stop just outside of the gate and Zero hopped out, crying, "Good luck!" as he rushed back toward the gate.

"Zero!" Near cried in alarm, shaking heavily in Mail's hold.

"There's nothing we can do for him," Ender informed, gunning the gas a second time.

"Wait, stop!" Mail burst as they drove off- leaving the orphanage behind. "You can't just leave them!"

"Zero can handle himself," Ender informed. "Roger is terrified of Far and he's going to need Zero there to calm him down."

"What are you talking about?" Mail frowned as he pulled Near against him.

"Far is Schizophrenic," Near whispered, shaking in Matt's arms. "And can get a little... violent... when it comes to protecting those he cares for..."

"And that hasn't changed," Ender confirmed.

"So he's gonna go ballistic?" Mail blinked. "How is that situation any better? What if he hurts Zero or the kids?"

"He has only ever hurt Zero once," Ender informed and Near looked at him in surprise. "Never the children. Zero will be smart enough to get the children away and he knows how to calm Far down. But if Zero doesn't go, then there would be a problem."

"...Because Far doesn't have a leash without Zero." Mail murmured.

"They would have to sedate him," Ender informed.

He pulled the car up beside a coffee shop that was just opening - the sun was rising to the east and the ground was still wet from night dew.

"...Need some java?" Mail asked.

"We're meeting Nate here," Ender informed, pointing to the name - The Labyrinth.

"...I'm nervous," Near admitted, as if surprised.

"Here, hold my hand." Mail slipped his hand over Near's. "I'm not going anywhere."

"...My thanks to Mail," Near said with a weak smile as they climbed out of Ender's car and headed toward the front door, passing by a motorcycle and taking no note of it.

Approaching the front door, Near slowly pushed it open and was overwhelmed with the smell of coffee beans and tea - a wonderful smell in the mornings, he had to admit. They spotted a form sitting in a corner with a black sweatshirt on, the hood pulled up, and Near slowly slipped toward that person.

"None of you are armed." The figure in the hood suddenly spoke up- making Mail and Near stop.