"They detected something strange two weeks ago they just not decided to tell me. A ship appeared out of no where and was spinning out of control into the Manhattan atmosphere. It's designs matched that of Tainted's." Takashi said showing her the brief video of the ship spinning out of control, then all at once space around it distorted and it was gone.
"What-"
"No one can explain it. It just vanished. It looked like it cloaked, but they found no traces of any kind of cloaking system. Nothing, it was like it was never there. But it did leave a strange signal behind. This is classified data, just so you know, we're not supposed to see this."
Two data streams appeared on the stream. One was labeled "Damm'Kavsh Artifact" and the other was labeled "Vanishing Spacecraft" the two matched exactly.
"They're using ancient technology now? But what does that mean?"
"Leo was onboard a Tainted station when it vanished right?"
"Right. Kurt said the station wasn't where it was at before, the cloud was still there though."
"That cloud was an inactive Hypergate. Leo activated that section of the gates by whatever he did in that station, and it teleported it somewhere else...to the other end of the Galaxy even."
"And if he figured out to rig the drive to the ship-"
"-he could have made it back!"
The phone rang and Takashi picked it up. Shan couldn't stop thinking. She was so excited...Leo could be back in Sirius at this moment, but that meant that bad things were about to happen.
"What?!" Takashi screamed. "Are you certain?...New London? Same signal?...I'm a VP of Kusari if I get caught in Bretonia I'm as good as dead...I know. Keep me informed."
Takashi hung up the phone and looked at Shan.
"Same signal detected in New London. Has people worried that it's another Nomad attack in planning or something. The strange thing was, an explosion near the sun was detected two hours after the signal."
"He destroyed the ship." Shan finished.
"We've got to find him."
"He's gone into hiding if I know him. He's going to play it smart...he will reveal himself when ready...we have to be patient...he will know when the time is right."
Still no word, Shan was upset. She couldn't hide it as she left the club that night.
"Have a nice night Ms. Katacuchi." said the bouncer. All Shan could do was grunt as she walked down the street to her car. The past few months had been hell on her. Wondering if Leo was alive, if he was ok, if he was really back or if it was a fluke. She had told her brother to be patient, but she was starting to have doubts on her own advice. Should they have looked for him?
A bottle shattered in an alley way she walked past and stopped cold. She took a couple steps back and looked down the alley. A small cat jumped out of a dumpster and scampered down the alley. She sighed and turned to walk back to her car but saw three figures standing in her way.
"Shan Katacuchi?" the lead one said.
"Yes?" she replied.
"KNF Special Investigations. Can we have a word?"
"I really have to-"
"It won't take long."
Funny, KNF would normally just arrest her on the spot for being a previous Blood Dragon warrior, but then again her brother had cleared her name with the authorities to avoid any suspicion.
"What do you want?"
The woman off to the right handed her a picture. A picture of a ship flying at high speed towards the New Tokyo Jumphole.
"Do you recognize this ship?" she asked.
The ship was sleak in design, it was apparent it was a Talon, the design was unmistakeable. Anyone purchasing those was in the know how and was either in with the IMG, a very wealthy Freelancer, or a Dragon.
"It's a Raven's Talon. Looks like a pretty well equipped one. Why?"
They looked at one another and back to Shan.
"You're going to have to come with us." the lead one said, his eyes turned blue...Shan's did as well.
I always hated these decents onto planets. Granted, the Docking rings were safer and more pleasurable, but they logged every passage to and from the planet. I couldn't take any chances. I had to be in and out. The New Tokyo's finance district came into clear view, and Takashi's rumored tower as well. As the shaking came to a slow halt, I took control of the ship and landed silently on top of the building. I opened the hatch and jumped down to the ground.
"I was wondering when you were going to show your face." said someone next to the door. Takashi stood silently with a half smile on his face.
"Takashi. What privilidge do I have for this meeting?" I asked.
"Nothing really. I figured you would come here first to settle old scores."
"Still believe in Tainted's sick twisted dream?" Takashi grew quiet and his furrowed his brow. "So much for old friendships huh."
"Look at us Leo. We're better than-"
"Shut up. I've hear the brainwashing before from Autumn."
"You mean before you killed her in cold blood." This time it was my turn to grow quiet. "You really think your father was stupid enough to not have an escape plan? Nomad technology was more advanced than we could have ever hoped. Their masters left them toys to play with. We found those toys and used them to further ourselves even more than we could have hoped."
"And you chose not to share it with the rest."
"They don't diserve it."
"Where is Shan."
"Dead by now hopefully. I liked you Leo, I really did. You were like a brother to me. As close as one could have gotten anyway. I was hoping you would hear sense."
...mistake
"You were there."
Takashi made a curious look towards him.
"Where?"
Mistake
Takashi made a strange gesture and then fell to the ground. He looked up at me as I approached.
"Mistake..."
Then he closed his eyes and passed out.
"Your Nomad was never removed was it Takashi, you paid them off to keep it. You don't remember who you are, you never did..."
I remembered what he said about Shan and I paniced. I called the Order quickly and talked to someone high in charge. Alerted them of Takashi. When asked for my name I hung up the communicator and ran. God willing she was still ok.
I slid to a stop as I saw her limp body on the ground. I ran to her and stopped. She was still breathing, barely. Her head was badly wounded and she wasn't concious. I picked her up gingerly and sat her in my ship's seat. I allowed the cockpit to close. Now, I was angry. I had been gone for too long. Damn hear three years and I was NOT about to let history repeat itself.
I allowed myself to go Nomad and screamed into the night.
----
"Did you feel that?" the one on the right said.
"I did." said the one on the left. "He's back."
"And he's really mad." said the third.
----
"Kurt." I said into the communicator.
"Who is this? How did you get this number?" he replied.
"No time. Shan is on her way in a Raven's Talon, she was badly hurt. Get her somewhere safe where she can get medical attention. No place private."
"What happened to her, and who is this?!"
"Don't worry about it..." I got ready to hang up the phone and said a few more words. "I'll see you soon brother." and I hung up the phone. My ship took off into the atmosphere and I watched it until it was gone.
----
Kurt stared at the phone. Hal walked in the room and gingerly placed her hand on her husbands back.
"Shadow?" she asked in a worried tone.
"Leo." he said staring at the phone. "Leo really is alive Anna. He's...he's alive..." and as if an electric jolt ran through him he opened the bay doors. "Anna, prepare for Shan, Leo said she's hurt pretty bad."
"Leo?! He's dead isn't he?"
"Not anymore." he said showing her his phone and the data on it. Listed in the calls, was Leo's name.
----
The streets were dead silent as I walked down them. Not a soul was out, which even at this time was strange. Three people walked around a corner as Leo approached. He slowed to a halt and stood there. The man in front was dark and collecting. An eerie aura hung around him. The two on the sides were man and woman, and they looked neither friendly nor talkative.
"Hello Leo. Been a while." said the man in front. His voice was raspy, as if he was having a difficult time speaking.
"I don't know you. What do you want and how do you know me."
His eyes lit up blue. "Oh we know so much about you."
In a flash he was on me, and a direct punch to the stomach made my body fly away and skid to a halt.
"Get up! They're coming.Deploying TDS."
Things turned blue and my body felt light as air. I stood up quickly and shook my head. The three were still and staring at me in fear.
"Now you asked for it." I said running. Before they had a chance to move, I kicked him in the stomach, but he lashed out and threw me into the wall before hitting his fellow comrades. He stumbled and fell to the ground just as I caught myself before falling. In a flash him and his friends were gone, no where to be seen.
"Deactivating DTS. You are welcome Leo."
I stood there in silence, trying to figure out what had just happened. My communicator rang and I answered it.
"Hello?"
"Is it really you." said Kurts voice on the other side. "Answer me gods damnit."
"Yes, yes it is."
Silence on the other end.
"Well, Shan just got here. Looks like a mild concussion. I sent your ship back to where it was, should be there any minute. Left the coordinates to where we are right now...hope to see you soon...and I expect a full answer as to what the hell is going on."