The Alliance, Part 3

Aleck, while waiting in the House, realized he hadn’t heard from any of the ones who had left to place the new radar booster in a while. He headed toward the room where the main communication gear and radar monitor were located. The Stray put in charge of the gear was monitoring the systems suddenly bursted out of the room, colliding with Alek.

Thud. They both hit the ground with a grunt.

“What’s the matter?!” Aleck said, alarmed.

The Stray responded in a loud voice, eyes widened, while the both of them righted themselves. “Something has happened to the team out there!”

“What do you mean?” Aleck said back.

Sheer overheard the conversation. “What’s going on?” She ran toward the two.

“Come!” The other Stray shouted.

The three of them dashed into the Communication room.

Aleck ran to communicator, picked up the microphone and pressed the talk button.

“Hello! Jerin! Callibur! Oran!” He released the button. “Anyone? Give me an answer!”

“Sir, I’ve already tried to talk to -“ The Stray was cut off.

“Let me try!” Sheer said with disparity in her voice.

Aleck handed the mic over to her.

“But -“ He was cut off once again.

“Hey, guys! Can you hear me!?” Sheer said.

When she released the button, static was the only reply.

Sheer and Aleck looked up at the radar screen. No sign of the team’s Square unit was visible.

“Ma-am, I’ve already tried. As soon as the explosion happened, I tried to see if they were okay.”

Sheer and Aleck’s eyes darted towards the Stray who was about to deliver stunning news.

“Explosion?!” Aleck and Sheer said simultaneously.

“Yes! I was watching the monitor when they went off the grid. I called over the com link, but . . .  nothing.”

Aleck and Sheer looked at the monitor.

The Stray hit a key on the board in front of the monitor. “Here’s where they were seen last.”

One blip on the screen showed where they were standing, before an explosion occurred.

“What caused the explosion?” Aleck asked

“Are they still alive?!” Sheer said.

“Well,” the Stray said, “it’s possible their unit may be damaged and that they are still alive.”

“We have to go out and find them, now!” Sheer exclaimed.  “Oh, why did Jerin AND Oran have to go?”

“Jerin did say he wanted to see the final radar dome be put in place, and Oran was the only one who knew how to properly install the system. Plus, Callibur is a Hero, so he wanted to be the security for their mission. But, remember what Jerin said, Sheer.” Aleck said back.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. If something happens, don’t come after them. It would jeopardize The Plan. But, part of the Plan was for Jerin and Oran to be reunited with their families.”

A voice came from the door way, “We mustn’t. I’m very sorry, Sheer.”

All three looked at the doorway. It was Zakor.

“If they are gone, I cannot loose either of you, too.”

His voice began to waiver, “You’re the ones that saved me. If anything, it should have been me with them. I should have gone. Maybe this would not have happened. My advanced senses could probably have prevented something like this from ever happening. Why didn’t I go?”

“Oh, Zakor, come here.” Sheer and Zakor embraced. Aleck bowed his head, trying to take it all in. Trying to find a way to see if his friends were okay. But, he just couldn’t.

BEEP

“Oh no!” the Stray said in front of the monitor. Everyone looked up at the radar monitor.

“Villains! They’re nearing the area our bots were seen last!”

All of them gasped.

--

Darkon got the attention of his crew and motioned for them to come close. “I have a plan! Our next target will be…”

The other villain researchers closed in to hear what Darkon had to say.

“… A real Hero!”

“That sounds wonderful!” one of the Researchers said.

“Astounding, even!” said another.

Not long after this, Darkon presented the results of his first test with Decim8r to the Leaders. He also requested that a real Hero be used next. After a discussion, the Leaders agreed to his request. But, the giant, sinister Villain, Anak would oversee the whole transportation of the Hero and observe the test.

“Also,” the Black Phantom said, just as Anak and Darkon were leaving towards the prison, “provide us with a live feed of the test. I want to see how this creation of yours can handle this situation.” The main reason the Leaders wished to stay in the throne room was for protection, in case the Hero was to escape.

“Yes sir!” Darkon said, and bowed his head. Then, Anak and Darkon left the Throne Room and headed to the prison.

On the way, even though Darkon was intimidated by Anak, he tried to throw out an idea of which Hero they would use for the test, since Anak was given the final say as to which could be used. “How about we use Stormer, or even Furno? I think that would be --“

“No,” Anak replied sternly, never looking at Darkon. “There are plans for those two later.”

“Oh…” Darkon said.

They left the main Castle, and approached the maximum-security prison. It was quite ironic how the Heroes and Villains had changed places in this situation. Darkon couldn’t help but smirk at this fact.

They both remained silent until they reached the prison, then entered the front door. The prison guard who sat at a desk, behind a thick glass wall with a hole in it for speaking, looked up from his computer monitor to ask for clearance for entry to Darkon.

Darkon stepped to the side and said, “Shall this suffice?” and motioned a hand toward Anak. The prison guard looked up, very surprised, and said “Uhh, uhh, yes, of course, my apologies sir. Come right in!” He pressed a button to open the main prison gates. The guards inside the prison immediately stood at attention and saluted as Anak entered. The prison warden did the same and then said, “How may I help you two? Is there anything--”

“We need a Hero for a test,” Anak responded abruptly.

“Very well. I’ll show you all we currently have in custody. Follow me sirs.”

The three Villains entered a room with a computer that monitored every inch of the prison, and the data base of all the detainees was accessible as well. “Is there any Hero you had in mind?” the warden asked as he pulled up the list on the computer monitor.

“Let us take a look at the list,” Anak said, squinting, carefully looking at the list.

“How about Breez, or Nex?” Darkon asked.

“Hmmmm.” Anak paused for a moment.

“We’ll take Nex,” he finally said.

“Right away sir. I’ll alert the Leaders and we’ll have him transported to...?” The warden asked.

Darkon relied with, “The Research Lab’s Testing Chamber.”

--

“Keep me updated,” Barah commanded over the Villain’s com link.

“Yes ma’am.” One of the Searchers responded.

As the smoke began to clear, The Searchers closed in on the blast site.

“How many of those Hunters did you see when blasting?” Barah asked the Villain who shot the rocket.

“At least three. Who knows if more were around here, but were scared off.” He said back.

“That’s what I thought.”

“That would be a good thing too. Those traitors have a reason to be scared! They will pay for this treachery.”

“Precisely!” She paused, and pressed the talk button on her com, peering at the Villains who closed in on the scene. “Anything?”

“No Ma’am. No movement yet.”

“Okay. But, before you approach any further, we will ignite the secondary incendiary portion of the rocket. Whatever is left of those bots will be obliterated!”

She nodded towards the rocket Villain. He pressed a button in his launcher and the blast zone burst into flames. The Searchers near the zone were set aback at the heat from the burst of flames.

“No one will have survived that!” The rocket Villain said, peering through the scope of the launcher to see the extent of the damage.

Dark smoke rose immensely from the raging flames. It raged for a few long moments.

It then came to a stop. Nothing but black scorches of what was once there remained. Not even the rubble was left unscathed.

“Close in to inspect,” Barah said over the Villain’s com links. So, they did. All they could see where scorches, ashes and coals, still glowing with heat.

Nothing much to see, really, one Villain thought.

“I found something!” one of them said.

“What is it?” Barah asked over the com.

“It looks like a piece of armor. Or, what’s left of it, rather.”

“Very good. All of you, continue searching the blast zone and the surrounding area. We will not let those worthless Hunters get away with this treachery! They MUST pay!”

A collective agreement.

 To Be Continued...