Author's Note: I actually didn't mean to delete this story I was going for the next part but since I did I might as well cut out the useless author notes right? Oh and point out now that this is a story written in three parts, as well as an AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids or any associated characters just the plot of this fic and the universe it takes place in.

Part 1

As the Wolf Runs

Prologue

Everyone felt it. The nameless essence that had lain dormant for years was suddenly surging with power, the force of which shook the hidden base and the surrounding area in a 20-mile radius. The meaning was clear, the prophecy was not a myth, and something was going to happen. Draft and Commission leaders a like knew the prophecy by heart and they all wanted to harness the power it promised. They all prepared their agents to hunt down the chosen one and to bring him back at all costs. But the essence had its own plans; it would not be Commission of Draft soldiers who would find the chosen one for It had its own means. To its servants the message was clear, 'I've called my servant, the hunt is on.'

Chapter 1: Meetings and Bad Coffee

~*~

"You look like you could use some coffee," said a female voice from behind him. Brad Hunter had been living on nerve ends for over a month and the sound of a voice directly behind him almost caused him to jump out of his skin. His loss of composure didn't last long though and he turned to face whoever it was who had spoken. She was a red head, and probably just a little older than he was dressed in knee-high boots with black pants and a tight red T-shirt and jacket, but most importantly she was carrying a pot of coffee.

"Thanks," said Brad as the girl poured him a cup of the precious liquid. How long had it been since his last cup of coffee? The woman gestured to a small table with metal chairs and they both sat down.

"Name's Naomi Fluegal," said the girl handing him the mug, Brad took it gratefully from one of her pale hands while shaking the other with his own free hand.

"Brad Hunter. Well if you're Naomi Fluegal then I suppose they won't really be needing me after all."

"Oh, so you're here to see about the 'Top Secret' mission too huh," said Naomi smiling at him, he rather liked her smile.

"Yeah, I was invited by a group of soldiers at breakfast," replied Brad smiling back. "I was told that they were planning to send their local champ Naomi Fluegal on this little errand and I was their second choice in case she didn't cooperate." Brad took a gulp of coffee and nearly died choking, it was absolutely terrible.

"I probably should have warned you about the coffee around here," said Naomi not sounding apologetic in the least. "And actually you're their fourth choice and I was their third."

"You didn't take the…job?" asked Brad stilling gagging but managing to control it somewhat.

"My Gun Sniper's too noticeable to send into enemy territory and I won't pilot anything else," answered Naomi taking a sip of her own coffee without so much as flinching.

"What happened to their first choice?" asked Brad curious in spite of himself.

"You haven't heard? He was something of a local hero too, died in an aerial wreck."

"Must have been some battle."

"Well that's just the thing," said Naomi obviously enjoying her role as storyteller. "It was during a practice run, no guns no nothing. Something malfunctioned but they can't figure out what it was. The zoid had been checked before hand by both the mechanic and the pilot and nothing had shown up in the checks as being any different than usual."

"Dumb luck."

"You said it."

"Who was the second choice?"

"Jack Sisqo, he took off for the Western territories about a week ago and hasn't been seen since."

"Well if they had a mercenary for their second choice maybe they'll actually consider hiring me though I'm not sure if I really want this job after all I've heard about it," said Brad rubbing the bands on his arms absentmindedly.

"Well they always said mercenaries were superstitious."

"Yeah, well who's 'they'. All I'm saying is that I have a weird feeling about this." Brad pushed away his mug, even as he said it something in his stomach twisted; of course it could have been the coffee but who could be sure.

"Well here's your chance," said Naomi turning her seat as the door barely visible down the hall opened. "Looks like Commander Neevs just finished reviewing his notes."

"Well I guess I'll see you later then," said Brad pushing back his chair.

"Maybe," replied Naomi treating him to another one of her smiles. Brad returned the smile and started off towards the door.

~*~

Commander Collin Neevs waited impatiently at his desk. He was a young 29 year old man with hair so blonde it looked white, a faded blue uniform, and round glasses and brown eyes that he thought made him look soft. Right now he was wondering why it was that even though he had recently been promoted to a higher position people still found ways to avoid ever telling him anything.

Important things like when they'd found the Command Wolf pilot that had recently been spotted tearing through the Draft lines camped out on the Western border. Or the fact that that pilot was a mercenary. It was maddening. The head of the Commission had sent him the orders to find a suitable pilot for some mission that they couldn't go into detail almost a month ago and now they were getting impatient. How was he supposed to explain that he couldn't get anything done because the men placed under his command routinely either forgot to check in with him before taking off on foolish little adventures, or died?

The door opened and Collin watched as the mercenary that he was probably going to have to hire was ushered in. Collin quickly noted the long brown hair, marine blue eyes, and the plainly visible tattoos and gestured for the pilot to take a seat. He looked a little battered, his face sported a large bruise on his left cheek and there was a long cut running down the length of his neck along with a few other scratches, but other than that he looked like he was fit to travel and (more importantly) fight.

"Hello Mr. Hunter, you're probably wondering why you've been asked here," said Collin.

"Pretty much," replied Brad calmly. Collin felt the mercenary scrutinizing him with those hard blue eyes and began to feel slightly nervous.

"Getting right down to business we need you to find a certain young man we believe to be living behind enemy lines in the newly captured Western territories. He's vital to the plans made by the Commission so that they can end this war with the new BackDraft group as quickly as possible," said Collin unable to tear his eyes away from those of the mercenary pilot.

"Sorry, babysitting isn't my thing," said Brad making to stand up.

"The reward for his return will be substantial." Brad sat back down. "Three times the standard amount for winning an entertainment based zoid battle."

Brad snorted in disgust. "It'll have to be more than that to get me to go back West, I just got out of there, it'll be even harder to sneak back in. In case you haven't noticed the Draft isn't accepting any tourists into their little country yet"

"Ten times if you get him to us within the next two weeks," reasoned Collin, he didn't have time to find someone else with this mercenary's knowledge of the west. The mercenary had perked up visibly at the offer but he obviously still skeptical.

"What about my zoid?"

"All of your expenses will be covered including repairs so you can head out as soon as possible."

"All right then, who am I hunting down?"

"His name is Bit Cloud, he's around 16, blonde, fair skinned. By all accounts he's been living in the small town Ovvel making a living by selling scrap zoid parts illegally," said Collin handing Brad a disk.

"He must be pretty unhappy with the recent ban on 'entertainment based' zoid battles. What's this?"

"All the information the Commission feels you can be trusted with, also a fair amount of credits for your repairs and anything else you might need on the way."

"Really? And how much is that?"

"About as much as I know."

"Actually I meant the credits. They really aren't giving away any info about what they're planning are they."

"No one tells me anything," blurted out Collin before he could stop himself. Brad laughed and shook his hand before exiting the room. Collin stared at the door for a few minutes after Brad had left.

"Maybe I should have waited to find a different pilot?" he wondered out loud. It didn't matter; it was too late change his mind now.

~*~