" Anyone else you want hacked?" Gina asked. She was glad she wasn't caught.

Alex thought about it for a few seconds before shaking his head in the negative. "No, but thank you for the offer," Alex replied before turning to Kushina. "I was thinking about the clearing just outside the town, would that work for you Kushina-san?" he asked.

"It would. " Kushina said.

"Alright then. If you ladies would excuse me for a few moments, I have some business to take care of," Alex said as he went outside the building for a few moments and typing in the numbers given to him by Gina before inputting a message.

Hello Combat Scientist. I believe you wanted to meet with me and establish a trade: The antidote to your poison and in return you get 'your traitor' Eve back. Once I have received a message in return, I will respond with the coordinates and time that we shall meet.

-Ark.

Once the message was written up, Alex hit the send button before heading back inside, awaiting the scientist's response.

Eve hoped this plan would work. She didn't want to go back to the lab.

Alex hoped this plan of his would work. He didn't want to sacrifice Eve just to save Carly. And if it didn't work and Eve was captured, he'd be damned if he left her there.

" Let me know when this Salem contacts you. Here is my bishidex number so you can contact me.

Alex nodded as he placed the number into his dex. "I'll let you know as soon as I do," Alex said. He hoped it was sooner rather than later though, but knew that Salem could contact him whenever he felt like it.

" Alright. Me and Kushina will be ready for when you need us again. " Gina said.

Alex nodded as both he and Eve left. "She seemed nice," Alex responded once they were back near the safe house.

" She is. Once you get to know her." Eve said as they walked . She still was tense about being bait, but knew it was the only way.

"Glad to know," he replied sensing that she was still tense. "Listen...I'm sorry about you having to be bait, but..." he said leaving off the rest of the statement. "Anyways, let's go inside. I'm sure the others are waiting for us," he replied.

~~~

Salem woke up from a short nap after training within one of the combat simulators at one of the higher levels. It still caused him some trouble, but unlike some of the other soldiers there, could get through it with at least a passing grade. It didn't stop him, however, from trying to get top marks, but that was how he was. As he fully awoke, he found out that he had a message waiting for him. Wondering what it was, he opened his 'dex and read onwards, surprise on his face as he finished the simple message from that trainer.

'how did he...?!' he thought to himself before growling lightly. 'If that's how he want's to play...' he thought before responding to the message.

I await hearing from you my dear friend with the time and place that you are willing to give up the traitor for the antidote to save your precious female friend.

-Salem

Eve was glad to be back in the safe house. She was feeling tense when she heard Alex's dex beep. She wondered if it was Salem who had contacted him.

Alex stifled a chuckle when he saw Eve jump slightly once he heard his dex going off, somehow knowing that it was Salem returning his message. Opening it up, he read the message before chuckling lightly. "I would have loved seeing the look on his face when he saw my message."

" I would have too. " Eve said with a slight grin.

Taylor saw the two come back inside and asked how things had went, hoping that they were able to get Eve's friend to help.

" It went good. Gina is willing to help us. She also helped us get a hold of the one who hurt Carly. " Eve said.

Alex nodded as well while writing to Gina about Salem contacting him. "Hopefully Gina and her Bishie can help with what we have in mind," he added to what Eve said. "Speaking of which...how is Carly holding up?" Alex asked. He knew it wasn't going to be good news, but still wanted to know about Carly as well as Max.

" She's alright. But Max is worried that Carly isn't going to last much longer. " Simon said in a concerned voice.

"Define much longer," Alex said concerned. Depending on the answer would depend on what time he would give to Salem.

" Max thinks Carly has a few days left until the poison takes full effect." Simon said, knowing Carly's vital signs were weakening.

Alex scowled at the news, not happy at all about it, but now knew that he had to make the meeting for tomorrow or the day after and sent a message to Gina relaying the information that he would be telling Salem the meeting time would be the day after tomorrow around four in the afternoon.

Gina got the message and sent one that said she and Kushina would be ready. She hoped Carly would be alright.

Before heading inside, Alex sent a message out letting him know to be on the outskirts of town by 16:00 on the northern side of town. After sending that message, he hoped that Gina and Kushina would be able to set up the seal in time before remembering something...

"Hey Eve, remember the poison that Rikku removed from you? Think he'll also have it without being told about it?" Alex asked.

" It's highly possible. No one deserves to have that stuff in their body. Even if he is our enemy ." Eve said.