The Loonatics had been fighting for long enough and were beginning to tire. Ace was battling it out with Matthew Blecone. Matthews black hair and dark eyes shone as he dodged Ace's attacks.

Matthew seemed normal to the naked eye but due to the meteor strike he could control anyone he wanted using brainwaves. However, he had not managed to beat Ace. Ace dodged and used the Guardian Strike Sword to repel Matthews's attacks.

But Ace was feeling weak.

Matthew swept his arm up and Ace was thrown back, Ace scrambled to his feet and heard Matthew laughing. Anger flashed through him. Ace was simply unprepared for what came next. Ace fired a laser blast in Matthews's direction, but Matthew knew what was coming. He unleashed a white beam that twisted and writhed through the air from his hand, the white beam sliced through Ace's attack and hit Ace's chest. Ace froze; he was knocked back as the pain he felt carried a sense of emptiness through him. Ace went silent, he tried to stand but the pain did not allow him too, he dropped to his knees. His hand shook violently and then his body went limp, his face hitting the cold floor.

Lexi turned as she heard the battle behind her fall silent. She was hoping to see Matthew at the tip of Ace's sword, but not this time, Matthew stood tall over Ace, a menacing smile spreading across his face.

'Not this time buddy,'

She knew leaving Ace to deal with Matthew alone was a mistake, but Matthew had people under his control. People that Lexi was now surrounded by. "REV! Little help!" She shouted. Immediately Rev was by her side, "I'm going getting Ace!" Lexi stood back behind Rev as he nodded an approval. Lexi flipped back to avoid the fist that came her way and whirled round to face it. Lexi's leg cracked against her attacker's leg and she gritted her teeth against the pain. She fired a brain blast up at the ceiling and instantly her attacker was blocked by a wall of rubble. Once Lexi was sure everyone was okay, she ran towards Ace and Matthew. Ace wasn't moving and Lexi grabbed Matthew, bringing him to the floor. Her brain blast was repelled by the metal plates on Matthews forearms. This wasn't going to work. Matthew's cold hand wrapped around her throat and blackness started swirling through her mind,

She was going to pass out.

Matthew smiled at her and threw her towards Ace. She got up and spotted Matthew running towards her through the blurred image of the weapons expo.

Panicking, she picked up the Guardian Strike Sword and pointed it towards Matthew. "Don't make me use this," She blurted out. Matthew smiled, "You don't know how that thing works, do you?" Lexi tensed up. She was about to retaliate with something witty that may save her life, but no words were coming her way.

"Alright, I don't know how to use it, but this things pretty sharp," Lexi stepped towards Matthew but she wasn't quick enough to dodge as Matthews's eyes glowed white and a beam of light flashed towards Lexi. She lay there, unable to stop what was happening. Tech whirled as he saw what was happening and jumped in front of Lexi. Lexi covered her eyes as the bright light threw Tech backwards towards the wall "TECH!" She shouted as she ran to him "Come on Tech, Ace wake up" Her words shook as she looked around and saw Rev struggling at the hands of Matthews disciples and Slam as he twisted through them, but more were waiting. Maybe this was the Loonatics final battle.

Maybe Not.

Matthew walked slowly towards Lexi; she glared at him and stood. She clenched her fists at her sides and fired a brain blast in Matthews's direction. Matthew thrust out his hands and counter attacked. Lexi pushed forward, but Matthew was stronger. He pulled back his attack and Lexi hit the floor.

Duck 'quacked' behind Matthew and jumped, wrapping his arm around Matthews throat Matthew flipped forward and Duck lost his grip, the look on Matthews face was almost bored looking, how could he not be tiring? Duck's legs buckled as Matthew shot at Duck. Duck went limp and he crumpled to the ground, no-one moved.

Lexi looked up at where Matthew was stood, nothing was there. "Hey!" She shouted, unaware of the fact that Matthew was standing right behind her. Lexi looked at her three friends, all lay unmoving on the ground. Then she heard it. A whispering of breathing directly behind her. Her heartbeat raced in her head and she jumped back, she hit Matthews's chest and he was sent tumbling away from her.

There was a rumbling coming from the roof of the building and a large piece of the ceiling dropped. Lexi stayed frozen, she coughed as the dust cleared.

Matthew was no-where to be seen.

Lexi picked herself up and walked over to her friends. A tear ran down her cheek 'why them?'

She kneeled down next to Ace, Tech and Duck. She stared and looked at them all. She feared the worst. Her friends, her colleagues, her leader. All lay in front of her. No movement. She pressed a finger to Ace's neck. No pulse. Rev and Slam, who had finally managed to ditch their enemies, saw Lexi, her back to them. Rev ran over and put a hand on Lexi's shoulder.

Thoughts ran through Lexi's head. She couldn't have helped, yet she felt she should have saved them. With that, Ace, Duck and Tech's eyes shot open. Rev, Slam and Lexi jumped back in shock.

Lexi looked carefully at the three. None of them moved. Lexi cautiously crawled forward and looked deep into Tech's eyes. But she felt as if she was looking into a void of guilt. Tech's eyes were plain, no colour to them, just white. The same situation occurred with Duck, and Ace. Lexi put her hand gently on Ace's neck, still no pulse. She shook her head at Slam and Rev.

Ace jolted up and Slam, Rev and Lexi screamed and shot backwards. Tech, Duck and Ace all stood and walked away from the others. "Ace! Hey, what are you guys doing?" Lexi shouted in desperation. Rev, Slam and Lexi walked cautiously to the others and stood facing them. All three of them were pushed back.

Rev looked at Tech and noticed his eyes were a pale white. Just plain, looking sightlessly forward. Slam flicked Duck and Duck slapped his hand away, not stopping on his way towards the door of the weapons expo. Lexi tried to stop Ace, but he just carried on walking. Lexi waved her hand in front of his face, nothing. She tried to stop him; she pushed him back, nothing. Her eyes glittered with the pain that tugged at her, but she had to stay focused, if there was one thing Ace had taught her, it was to stay focused on what you had to do. Never let your emotions get in the way. His words echoed in her head. Over and over.

Rev grabbed Lexi and pulled her to the side. Out of their friend's way. Ace, Duck and Tech passed through what looked like an invisible force field. Lexi, Rev and Slam tried to follow. But they hit the wall and the energy rippled across the exit. Lexi banged her fist on the force-field and sagged, she looked around, confused. Rev put his hand on her shoulder and she gave him a weak smile. Rev looked at Slam. His eyes pleading. Slam came over and picked them both up, they all embraced each other. Slam put them down. They all sat on the floor of the weapons expo. Not knowing what became of their friends. The battle had been fierce, but not one of them had expected this. Rev leaned over to Lexi, "Cheer up Lexi," He said calmly. She didn't want to cheer up. She didn't want anything to do with cheering. She shook her head slowly and let her mind drift off into sleep.

The morning came quickly and the three remaining heroes awoke, Lexi leaned on what would have been the force field, but instead she fell and hit the floor. Hard. "Guys! Wake up, we can leave, wake up!" Rev stirred and shook his head. "We got some friends of ours to find, come on!"

Four hours they had been searching Acmetropolis for their fallen colleagues, without result. Zadavia shimmered into view on the large table in the middle of the room. "Finally, I got through. Matthew seems to have tried to stop my communications. Where is Ace and the others?" Lexi stepped forward. "They've been taken. Matthew shot them with a laser thing and they just walked out. We tried to stop them but...," Lexi's voice trailed off. Zadavia looked down at the glum female. "Then we must take into account that they may be after you, not by their own demine, but by Matthews. The only way to stop them is to-"

The lighting in the room returned to normal and Zadavia faded to nothing. "Zadavia," Rev said after a moment. "Lady gone!" Slam said.

Lexi sat in her room. She looked at the pictures on her dressing table. She looked at one that caught her eye. It was a picture of her and the guys. They were all in their uniforms and Lexi remembered the moment well. It was when they first met. She smiled.

Then the thought hit her.

Being the second in command, she was now in charge. She didn't know what to do. Ace made leading the team look easy, but that was when they were fighting crazed villains or delirious fugitives, not each other. Lexi picked up a black box off the table and opened it, revealing a necklace. It had six triangles on the chain. A pink, yellow, red, orange, green and purple. In the centre, dangling slightly from the chains, written in curly writing was 'The Loonatics'. She had been given the necklace by Ace and the team as a birthday present. She put it round her neck and got into her hammock. She stared out the open window, "I'll find you guys, I promise,"

Lexi walked back out of her room and down the stairs, where she saw Rev sat at the window, staring. "Hey Rev," She smiled softly Rev nodded his welcome. "Are-we-gonna-get-them-back-Lexi?" Lexi sat next to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders "Do I really need to answer that," Rev smiled weakly and continued staring out of the open window. "But..How?" Lexi exhaled deeply. "I dunno Rev, but Ace, Tech and even Duck have saved our lives to many times to count, not its time to repay the favour."

Rev walked over and turned on the TV. "Rev, I ain't to sure now is the time to watch TV," Rev turned and looked at her. "I'm-checkin'-the-news-to-see-if-anyones-seen-anything-suspitious," Lexi nodded and sat next to him. However, when Rev switched on the news channel, a hologram of Matthew Blecone appeared in front of them. "Well, well. I thought you'd all be after me by now. Your friends haven't been dealing too well, I'm afraid." Rev stood up. "What-have-you-done-to-them?" There was a tone in Rev's voice, one Lexi had never heard before.

Matthew looked around to Lexi, who was sat, looking deep into Matthews's eyes, anger flowing through her. "We'll-come-for-you-Matthew-no-one-takes-our-friends-and-gets-away-with-it-and-when-we-find-we're-gonna..." Rev's voice trailed. "Gonna..." Lexi stood next to Rev and put a hand on his shoulder. "Great come back Rev." Matthews's attention turned to Lexi as he spoke. "You know, your quacky little friend talks so much less when he is bound and gagged. The coyote, he does not really seem to like it either. Your leader, the rabbit, he tries to fight back. But I can assure you he isn't dead. Well, not yet anyway." Matthews voice was calmed, somewhat bored. Lexi straitened up. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO THEM?" Rev asked. "I only intend to use them until I have you all under my control. Then you will be my warriors. You'll help me take all them who have wronged me and I'll finally be free from all who try to imprison me, destroy me." Lexi pointed a finger at him "YOU'D BETTER RELEASE ACE AND THE OTHERS, YOU TAKE ONE YOU TAKE US ALL, PALLY!" Matthew looked back at Lexi, he saw the fury, the anger, and the sadness and pleading in her eyes. "Well, I have only taken four," He smiled "You'll find me in the opposite of your little head quarters, then again, you'll never figure that little riddle out, now will you," Matthew laughed and the hologram faded. Lexi looked at Rev. "Did he just say he took four of us."