Yugioh 5ds: The Sector Security Files.
Episode Three: First Blood.
The Trinity had gathered together again with their soldiers of darkness in council. They were watching a viewing orb with Lobo's duel footage. It was disconcerting to say the least.
"Now the girl's from this morning." Alden commanded. The viewing orb changed to the most recent footage that was available.
"So, Lobo has fallen, and it seems that Sector Security has drawn first blood in our little war." Alden said as he sat in council with other members of the Trinity and their gang members. "Dane, you were Lobo's closest friend. You have asked to avenge him."
"Yes my lord. I will go to test this Lt. Travis Longstreet next and I shall make him pay for the loss of Lobo."
"Dane, I warn you, that this will be no easy challenge. As Lobo found, our Lt. Longstreet is a formidable enemy and his friends are more than up to the task as well. Even this morning, I sent one of lower class riders to test his friend called Oracle. She too possesses a Chaos Deck, and according to the prophecies a female is promised who is in all ways equal to the Chaos Lord himself. If we are to assume that this is her. She must be just as powerful in power of Chaos Lt. Longstreet." Alden told his subordinate.
"I could crush her." Lokia said as she peered into the viewing orb that floated above them. The duel was still underway. Oracle's life points were low but her opponent's were just as low. The duel could go either way at this point. Then suddenly there was an upset. Oracle activated a trap card when an attack was declared. The duel ended with yet another of their enforcers suffering a devastating crash.
"Oh, I think not." Alden told Lokia. "You are far too precious to us all to risk in duel at this point, my dear daughter, and your brother is certainly not to go."
"Then Dane shall go next?" Lokia asked.
"If it pleases my Lords, I shall not fail you." Dane stated.
"Then please go and ready yourself for the coming battle." Alden commanded. Dane faded out of the light and went to prepare his deck and Duel Runner for battle. "Dane is a rising star amongst our higher class duelists. He could take Lobo's place as our right hand if he returns alive." The three turned their attention back to the orb and watched as rescue crews finally were able to salvage the body of their man. "Lovely, this Oracle is simply lovely, and dangerous."
Meanwhile, Travis Longstreet was back at Sector Security HQ. He was being interviewed by Internal Affairs to see if there had been any neglect for his opponent's safety the night before. He wasn't taking the interview very well, but as they could tell thus far, he wasn't in the wrong for his actions.
"Listen, from this footage taken by the traffic cams, it all appears that the wreck was as a result of this Lobo character's inability to control his Runner. " District Captain Mario stated. Sector Security Commissioner Trudge was also there to review the footage. He agreed totally with the department's report.
"I've seen a lot of things in my time." Trudge said, "Most of which I can't account for and this is a weird case too, don't get me wrong. I've never seen a guy morph into a Ware Wolf before. It looks like it was just another traffic accident. I saw duelists getting peeled off the roads all the time when I was a beat cop. I have seen just about everything back then. This, is different, but nothing out of the ordinary for this city."
"I'm not sure though." The IA officer said. "Are you sure that there was no malice intended towards this man, Lobo, that you were dueling? " He asked Travis.
"I can't say that I wasn't interested in bringing him in. I am an officer of the law, I went out on patrol, and maybe I was looking to find the Ware Wolf before Homicide did. It was a matter of honor though. My patrol rout had been taken over by a killer. I did it to protect the city though. Not to take the life of a suspect. Besides, everyone back here heard the conversation, and he admitted he was out to get me. It's all on record. If you want to hear it again, I'll be more than glad to play it for the tenth time." Travis said.
"That's not what this is about, Lieutenant, and you know that. This is about the fact that this man died in your arms on the street like an animal. Maybe at heart he was one, and maybe he came looking for you, but why? What was your connection to him that kept referring to, some prophecy about an all powerful duelist?"
"It sounds like the guy was crazy to me." Trudge stated.
"It's my job as Internal Affair's head detective to keep this agency on the straight path." The IA agent told them. "Now it appears that there was no wrong doing here, but I'll be keeping an eye out on you Lt. Longstreet, and your squad." Just then a clerk brought in the report about Oracle's encounter with the shadow duelist out on the mountain road. "Well, it seems we've got another fatal spin out. I wonder how that's going to turn out." The AI agent said as he left the room.
"Don't let him get you down kid." Trudge said. "I've gotten into a lot of hot water over crazy stuff too in my time. I think you did the world a favor. It's not your fault that he couldn't hold his own." Captain Mario escorted Lt. Longstreet out of the Commissioner's office and walked him back down to his department.
"This may not count for much." He began. "But I believe in you and your squad, Lieutenant." The Captain told him. "I think you kids have done a bang up job considering how few funds the traffic department gets. I also think that you've been working yourselves as much as you possibly can, considering how little man power is available to you. By the way, how's that new kid, Frost? Is he settling into the team alright?"
"He just got in last night. He was present at the crash location with Jenner and the two of them directed the traffic around the crash as the First Responders came in." Travis informed his Captain.
"Yeah, I heard. He's your buddy's new partner. I hope it works out for all you kids. I've never seen better officers here than you all are. I'm proud to serve with you all." The Captain clocked Travis out and gave him a couple of days to get his head straight. Until he was cleared for work again, Jenner had the squad. The same ended up being true for Oracle too, by that afternoon, and she felt as bad as Travis did. AI had laid a heavy hand to her story since her radio wasn't active during the duel. All she had backing her up was the suspect's reputation, and the traffic cams. The City's mainframe had recorded every card played and after examination it was chalked up to a revenge hit ordered by the Trinity for Lobo's honor. Such things were not uncommon now. Good officers were being taken out every day by duel gangs who were daring enough to go after Sector Security Officers. Most of them were just taken out at home, or when they were out shopping during their personal time off.
"I wonder what's going to happen now." Oracle said as she clocked out.
"I don't know, but I'd take it easy, hang out with Travis while you've got some time off." Jenner said. "He got his handed to him this morning."
"They sent him home?" Oracle couldn't believe it.
"Yeah, he's on paid leave until he's cleared to come back by higher-ups. " Tom informed her.
"I think I could use a rest. These last few days have been hard on all of us." She grabbed her bag and headed out of the squad room to the lockers. Tom was more than a little miffed at Jenner.
"What did you go and tell her that for?" He demanded.
"What?" Jenner asked. "Oh, come on, don't tell me you're still carrying a torch for her after all this time?" Jenner could hardly contain his laughter. "She's always been Travis' girl. She always will be. You actually thought that since he was a stuff shirt now, you, of all people had a chance with her?" He could hardly breath, he was laughing so hard. Tom could only blush and frown as he walked back to the radio room.
"Give him a break, Jenner. He's never gotten over her." Helena told him.
"Sorry hone, I just find it comical that he actually thought he could charm his way into her heart like he was never able to do back in school." Jenner sat back on the sofa with Helena's head resting on his leg. Just then Jay came in and the two of them jumped up suddenly. "That, Helena is the way that you elevate a victim's head after an accident to keep circulation flowing to the brain. Now it's important to remember proper CPR procedure too."
"Give me a break." Jay said. "Just because I'm a kid doesn't mean I'm blind." He told them as he grabbed his helmet and walked back out again.
"Wow, does everyone know, Jenner?" Helena asked. Her face was blood red, not so much from embarrassment as it was from anger at the fact that she couldn't even have a quiet little work place love affair if she wanted to.
"It's not my fault, you do make a lot noise when we're together, and do we have to go the supply closet every time?" Jenner asked.
Later that afternoon, Travis was just walking up the staircase to his apartment. He'd taken a round-about way home since the park was right across from where he lived. He didn't really want to think about last night's duel for a while. At least, not until he could figure out what it had all been about. He couldn't get it out of his head though. The Darkness had told someone in the Trinity that he was important. Why him? Was it because of his mark? Could that deal he made have been something more than just a chance to save his mother's life? Was he destined by the Darkness to do something? He thought back to that day when he'd signed his life away for eternity. The creature he'd sold himself to was called,
"The Darkness." He kept repeating it over again in his mind. Could he have been the one to cause all this to happen by simply… Just then he noticed that someone was standing at the end of the hall as he reached the top. Someone was standing in front of his apartment door. "Oracle?" He couldn't believe it. How had she found him?
"You look surprised to see me here." She said as he came up to her. "I looked you up on the Station Registry. If you wanted to keep a low profile, then you shouldn't have opted for government housing." She told him with a cute smile, as if to further say, I found you all too easily. Travis had been trying to keep his private life and work life separate as much as possible. When your friends are all your co-workers also, it gets kind of hard to do that.
"You want to come in?" He asked her with a frown.
"Don't pretend you're that happy to see me." She said, sadly realizing how he felt.
"I'm sorry, I have been over worked lately, and I…"
"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" She smirked.
"You still have a pretty smile." He answered.
"Thanks, now let's go in. I've been waiting to see how this place differs from your room back at the academy. Remember the room we shared our first kiss in?" Travis opened the door and Oracle's heart sank. Travis was living in as small an apartment as was possible. "You're… living like this?" She couldn't believe it. His dorm room back at Duel Academy had been so bright and well decorated. This place was dull, dark, and furnishings were few and far from what he'd done back when was rooming with Jenner.
"It's not much but its home. For now." He said walking over the mini fridge. "Want a cold drink?" Oracle walked back and forth between the two far walls. There was one window overlooking the park and a bathroom door. There was nothing besides the sofa/bed, the mini fridge, and the coat rack where his jacket hung over his laundry basket.
"Travis, what happened to you?" She asked him. "This place isn't you?"
"Don't ask me that ever again." He snapped at her. "I don't like it when people pry into my life." She just couldn't believe how he'd changed in three months time. He was so different, she wondered sometimes if he really were Travis Longstreet.
"I'm sorry." She said. "You just, don't seem normal anymore, you're so different."
"I grew up fast." He told her. "Was there something else?"
"I just thought that…"
"What, that if you showed up at my apartment like a lost puppy I'd take you back?" He asked her finally. "You give yourself too much credit."
"Well, if you're going to be that way about it." She said and stormed out. Travis sighed and dropped to his knees. He couldn't' tell her. Not now. Not ever. Every since the day he'd laid eyes on her again after those three months he'd spent in the city alone, longing for her, and waiting for her come back to him. He just couldn't tell her that his time was running out. The duel last night had drained his life just like all the others he'd been in. That's how it worked after all. One year of his life for every victory he racked up. So far, he had eighteen wins, and the only way he could get out of the deal was if he lost. Currently though, he'd had zero losses, and the Darkness had lived up to his end of the deal. Victory at any price.
"You've gotten stronger. I barely had to do anything last night." Came that terrible voice.
"I was wondering when I'd be hearing from you again." Travis replied.
"Three more years left. You would have only lived 21 more years before I came for you myself." The voice stated.
"You don't know that. The Sisters of Fate make that decision. Not you." Travis retorted.
"I asked them myself."The Darkness told him. "So don't feel bad about things. You two wouldn't have had long together anyway. There wouldn't have been much to look forward to in the end either. You're getting off lucky this way."
"I don't think that way. Another day at least would have been equal to a life time of happiness. If it were up the sisters still, that is." Travis told the entity that had implanted itself in the back of his mind. He hated how it was always there, even in his dreams, and most of all, in his nightmares. "It can't be that way now though. I won't let her in only to let her down."
"If it's as you say, then go after her, she's still waiting down by her runner, crying…"
"Enough!" Travis yelled. "I can't stand it any longer!" He stood up then and ran out of his apartment then down the stairs. Just as The Darkness had said, Oracle was standing by her duel runner. Her eyes were full of tears and in her heart she felt as if there was a knife turning. Travis walked up to her and put his arms around her the way he used to. She tried to smack him but he caught her hand and held it in his own. "I can't say how sorry I am." He told her at last.
"Why?" She asked him finally. "Why did you have to let go of that beautiful young man you used to be?" She was so distraught. She didn't know what she was really asking of him. "Tell me before I go crazy trying to find out for myself."
"Please don't ask me that. I can't tell you unless…" He stopped himself. He couldn't do it. One more duel meant another year of his life would be gone, and after he was out of years, days were all he had left. That was the only way he could tell her though, was if she dueled him, but the ironic fact was that he had to win to tell her. If she won, The Darkness wouldn't have him anymore. That presented an opportunity. Besides Jenner, Oracle was the best duelist he knew. Their decks had been given to them at the same time. They were of similar build too. Maybe, she could free him. "Unless you're willing to duel me?" He asked her finally.
"What?" Oracle didn't understand. Travis had never challenged her before. Not even in school. In fact, this would be the first time she had ever thought about facing him. "You'll only explain this to me if I duel it out of you?"
"Are you game?" He asked her again.
"Get your deck." She told him. "I have to hear this." The two of them hopped on their duel runners and headed over to as quiet a place as possible for their drama to unfold.
"Welcome Fans, to the Duelist Speedway!" Cried a very annoying, and very strange looking Announcer over the loud speakers. They had arrived at their battleground. Outside of town in a little run down dirt bike track, the city had set up a kind of minor league race course for younger Turbo Duelists who were just starting out. This was as out of the way as it got in Neo Domino City where everything was monitored by the Director General who sat isolated in his Ivory Tower in the center of the city where Kaiba Corp Headquarters used to stand.
"This is where we'll duel." Travis said as he put his helmet on. His personal runner had not been used in a while for dueling. He mostly just used it to get back and forth to the station. He wondered how his old system would run in an actual duel. This would be Oracle's first time dueling this way too. He wondered how she would do. Would she win? Would she be able to free him? He had to put the pressure on her to duel big. "I won't breath a word of what I have to tell you unless you win." He told her. "You understand that on this track, we're not going to be dueling for fun, and you won't get any mercy from me here."
"Okay." She agreed. "I'm going to give it my all." She told him.
"I pray you do." He replied then took off down the track.
"We've got a couple of new contestants here people, these guys are no house hold name, but you might remember them from this morning's paper though. These Turbo Duelists had a duel with fate in the early morning hours today as members of Neo Domino City's Sector Security Traffic Division. Facing off now are Lt. Travis Longstreet, and his own Third Seat Squad leader, Oracle…I don't know how to say this last name she gave me but…GO!
"Since I'm the challenger here, I'll make the first move." Oracle said and drew the first card. She looked her hand over. It was a pretty good one too. She was sure to win if she played her cards right. "Since Speed World 3 is active on the field, all I have to do is get two good attacks in, and that will give me two speed counters. Then I can just drop life points to play my spell cards early on." She had a pretty good plan. "I summon Winged Kuriboh from hand to the field in attack mode, set two in my back row then end my turn."
"Nice, you've got it all planned, or so you think." Travis stated. "I draw. He wasn't lacking in good cards either. His hand was as good as usual but that was the problem. He had to play his best even though he wanted Oracle to win, he couldn't just give up, or he'd forfeit the rest of his life. "I summon Armageddon Knight to the field. With 1400 Atk, he's more than a match for your puff ball. But I intend to load my grave first off with his Special Ability. He can send one dark monster from my deck to the grave. So I'll release Marie the Fallen One from my deck and now I'll gain 200 points each time I draw a card during my draw phase."
Oracle wasn't dumb. She knew what he was planning. Travis was going to add point to his score so he could drop them when he needed to use a spell card. That wasn't going to wash with her though. As soon as she could activate a spell, she had a good one in her hand, and it would knock his plans out of the water.
"I'll attack now, targeting your fury friend, and he'll naturally be going away leaving your points untouched." Travis had watched her duels back in school. Oracle loved using Winged Kuriboh's effect on people.
"Sorry Travis, not this time, I've got a trap card for you. Thank Jenner, he traded it to me on graduation day back at the Academy." She informed him. "If you had been paying attention that day, you would have known about it. I activate Interdimensional Matter Transporter. This machine will save my Winged Kuriboh by sending him out of play. Which means that you get a redo on your attack."
"I see. I'll choose to end my turn since it's obvious you want me to attack you head on. I'm not falling for that other face down you've got." Travis said. He couldn't after all. He had to play his best.
"It's my move then." Oracle said and drew her card. "I'll sweep the street clean for my little buddy to come back this turn. He's never one to leave the crowd wanting more and not deliver." She told Travis. It was fun to be dueling again, just the two of them. They had never been paired against each other at school. But they always wondered what it would be like to face off as friends. Travis too had to admit that this wonderful. The thrill of the race, the duel riding on the draw of friendly card instead of one that held so much at stake. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to duel this way with a friend. "I'll summon out my Watapon and leave add another card to my back row. That will do for now." She told him.
"Will it?" Travis asked as he drew his card.
Score: Travis; 4200.
Score: Oracle;4000.
"What's he planning?" She wondered to herself. He had sent Marie to the Grave and summoned out a weak monster with only 1400 atk. She wondered if Marie could have a second purpose in the grave. She had figure out what his game plan was.
"I summon Dark Grepher now, and I'll send a Dark monster from my hand, Damage Eater, to the grave yard to send my Necro Gardna from my deck to the grave yard. Next I'll have my Knight attack your kuriboh again.
"That's when I activate this, Dimensional Prison." Oracle said. "This trap is one of your favorites Travis. It's been part of both our decks for a long time.
"I remember. I used it to beat Jenner the first day of school. It's how we all met." Travis was smiling again. This was too much fun. "I hate to say it but you've got my Knight dead to rights. He goes out of play for now. So it's up to Grepher to finish off Kuriboh." He sent in his other monster and Grepher sent Winged Kuriboh packing. Oracle's life points remained unchanged though, as per her monster's effect. Travis wasn't worried though. There were plenty of cards left in their decks, and they both had the time to spend now. That was something that he never thought he would have again. Time. No one ever thinks about how little time is left in the lives until it starts counting down like it was with him. He couldn't feel it now though. All he could feel was his heart, Oracle's heart, and the wheels turning beneath him. Even though he hadn't gotten through to her life points, he still gained a speed counter, simply because he'd reduced her monsters on the field from two to one. "I'll set one card and end my turn now." Travis said and passed the turn to Oracle.
"I draw. She wasn't doing as well as she had first thought. Even though she had full life points, Travis had been the first to gain speed in the duel. Now he would only have to get rid of Watapon to surge ahead of her further. "I sack Watapon for another monster. My might Sky Scourge Invicil. Since I've brought him to the field by offering up a light fairy type monster, he gains an effect. One that will put your game plan out to pasture. Now that he's on the field, neither of us can play spell cards."
"So that's your third Sky Scourge." Travis said. "No wonder you never used him before. He's definitely not as strong as your other two. I was hoping for more."
"Don't worry, I've got plenty more where he came from. He may be Earth Attribute, and only 2200 atk, but he's more of a Scourge than the other two. For now, we're both just going to have to settle for traps to back up our monsters." Oracle boasted. "Sky Scourge attack, send Grepher to grave for the honor of our winged friend." Oracle's monster swooped in close and took Travis's live points down a peg. He lost 500 points off that attack which meant that Oracle would move head of him in the lap. They were going as fast as they could and dueling as hard as ever before. This was wonderful. This was like old times.
Score: Travis; 3700.
Score: Oracle; 4000
"Listen to that sold out crowd, folks, this is street dueling at its best. We're watching two old friends from the academy setting the pace for the rest of the afternoon. I admit that was an unforeseen schedule change for us today. It's turning out to be a good one though. We're seeing some great back and forth here." The speakers were deafening. Travis needed a plan. He was going to take a beating, that much was clear, but he was loving every moment of it. Oracle was in rare form. Keeping pace with him the whole way, matching him move for more, and keeping their scores just within a few points of each other. When it seemed that one of them had the upper hand, the other would bust out another great combo. It was late in the game now though. They were both running low on cards, and points. Oracle's Sky Scourge was long gone to the grave. So was Travis' Dragon and many of this other good monsters. That's when things changed for the worse.
Score: Travis; 300
Score: Oracle; 1000.
"I've got a commanding lead on you now Travis. You'll have to spill your guts to me later."
"I'd hoped before that you were right." He told her. "I am afraid it's not to be though." He was drawing his card now. His life points jumped back to 500. Now it was only a matter of playing his card. "I activate effect of Speed world 2." He said with a sad face. "I will activate my Allure of Darkness Spell card." He had truly in his heart that Oracle had what it would take to defeat him. His score dropped down to 400 points now and he knew this was the end. He would win the duel and loose another year of his life. He would walk away with the consolation that he could at least now tell Oracle the truth, and that his mother would have another five years to live.
"What's up Travis, you're not dropping out on me?" She asked him. "That card only allows you a 50/50 shot at winning. You've got no other cards in your hand so if you lose them both then it's over. You're field is bare." She reminded him.
"I know and I'm about to draw the last two cards in my deck. That won't matter though. I'm going to win this turn." He told her. "It's been a good duel Oracle, but even you couldn't save me." He almost seemed to cry when he saw what he'd drawn off the effect. One life monster and one dark monster. "I send my Mask of Darkness out of play to keep the one card I have left in my hand. Now I'll release my Chaos Command Magician and my Chaos Sorcerer in my grave yard. Light and darkness combine to bring forth a new power in the universe as I Chaos summon from my hand, Black Luster Soldier Envoy of The Beginning! Come forth Chaos Soldier!"
"Oh no, that's his strongest Chaos Monster." Oracle realized that now it was over. When Travis declared his attack she'd loose. For even though her Sky Scourge Norleras had 2400 points, this turn it was over. For Travis' monster had the ability to destroy it with one attack and if the attack went through then Chaos Soldier could attack again with all 3000 of its atk points to bare down on her directly.
"Black Luster Soldier, go attack her Sky Scourge, and once he's gone, attack her directly." Travis' attack went through both times. The duel was over.
Score: Travis; 400.
Score: Oracle; 0.
She had done her best, and run a good race, but it was over now. She had done more than earned an explanation. Travis and Oracle road from the speedway together, to the mountain road overlooking the city and found a nice little corner to sit, and for the first time in a long while they would rest.
"Good duel." Oracle said to him as she lay back in his arms. "I'm glad that we finally worked something out at least."
"What's that?" Travis asked.
"That you still care about me." She was gloating now. He couldn't help but smile. "I do wish you would still tell me what this was all about."
"Actually, now that we've dueled, I can." He began. "It all started the day that I went home from school. I came back from the Academy to find my mother bedridden with a strange illness. None of the Doctors in my town could explain it but she was dying. My brother was working two jobs and so was my father, trying to pay to keep her alive, because I had left. Everyone looked down on me for it all the time that I was there. Finally, the day came, and then long into the night she was suffering in last hours. I ran outside into the darkness of a full moon and cried out for her not to die. She had been the only one who had supported me going away to school. Now she was leaving this world. I couldn't bare it. I called out for help from anyone or anything."
"To anyone… or anything?" Oracle didn't like where this was going.
"That's where IT found me. I was on my knees wanting a miracle. It challenged me to a duel and told me that if I won, he would help me, and if I lost his help would come at a price. I accepted. I lost the duel though. So this is what he told me. I could make a trade. One year of my life for five years of my mothers. He said he would square it with the Sisters of Fate. They are the ones who decide how long we live and where our fates are decided in life." Travis wasn't telling her anything that she hadn't ready in Greek history back in high school. This was something terrible though. "It promised me that I would win every duel I ever fought, and in exchange a year of my life goes away. So to insure I'd win, he branded me with this mark." He said pulling his glove off at last. Ever since they'd been together again, he'd kept that black glove on his right hand, mostly to cover the mark of darkness that had been burned into his hand.
"Oh, Travis, no!" Oracle couldn't believe it. "You actually made that sort of deal?"
"I had no other choice. The Sisters said my time was short anyway. I'd only live to be 40 at best. I couldn't refuse. It was help for my mother and a way to square things with my father. I took it. He branded me with this mark and gave my mother new life. She recovered almost the second this brand appeared on my hand. I went back into the house and found her sitting up in bed. She was eating and smiling to see all her family gathered by her. Then she saw me and she knew right away what had happened. I suppose it was her mother's intuition. I've been her life line ever since. She get's five years added onto her life for every year I loose. For every duel I win, a year of my life is taken away and I can't do anything about it except keep dueling until I fade away,"
"Oh Travis, how horrible, forgive me, I took away a year from you today." She begged him, her eyes were like rivers. She was weeping like never before.
"You didn't know and It's okay. You tried your best. That's the only way I can break the contract though. I have to have lost a duel through no fault of my own, and in order for this mark go away. If I do loose, then The Darkness has to keep my mother alive until the Sisters say otherwise. So don't be sad, Mom's got new life today thanks to you."
"Yes, but how much longer do you have?" Oracle was sobbing.
"After our match today. I have two years left. After I run out of years, it goes to days. Once I duel my last duel I'll be gone from this world."
"Please tell me there is something that I can do." She begged him.
"Just stay with me. Stay by my side and don't give up hope. I may be able to find another way out of this. If not, then being with you just like we are right now, is like having a thousand lifetimes" He left it at that and they just laid there together. Holding each other the way that they used to in school when they would skip class to go off and be alone. Travis looked back now and wondered if maybe he had lost sight of what life was all about. What good was having all those years to live if you never enjoy any moment of them. So from that moment on he promised himself and Oracle that they would enjoy his every spare second together. So for the next few days they were rarely apart. It was just like back at the Academy. They were an item outside of work. Finally the decision came down from the ranks that they were both to return to active duty, What had begun as a few days of paid leave had turned into a life time of joys and memories. They had lived more together in three days time than either of them hand in years.
Dueling at the speed way had taught Travis something. He learned that what was in his heart was more important than how long it actually kept beating. As long as he had left to live, he would remember that wonderful day when was able to get his life back, though it was for just one day.
"Are you happy now?" Asked the Darkness when Travis as he lay sleeping in his bed. They were in that all too familiar place in the back of his mind where the Darkness liked to hid. Travis would be going back to work in the morning and he'd hoped that he would get one more night of decent sleep. Every time he went to be with Oracle next to him, he'd slept peacefully, now that their leave was over, and she had gone home, the Darkness was back.
"I am actually. Oracle has a way of putting things in perspective." He told the floating phantom.
"Good, that's very good. I was worried that you might be having second thoughts about things. You know though that you now have only two more years left. I hope that comforts you."
"No, you don't, and I don't care. I could died tonight and the past few days with Oracle would be the saving grace that made this deal of ours all too worth it." Travis stated.
"I'm glad to see that you're resigned to your fate. I hope that now you see, this was the best deal you ever made. You have everything you ever wanted. Your family is in good health, you have your lovely girlfriend back, and a great job with high promotion prospects. I think you've gotten the better end of things. All I get out of it is one human soul to boast over. While you have everything you ever wanted. I'm feeling a little cheated now as a matter of fact." The Darkness said.
"What are you getting at?" Travis wondered.
"Oh, me? Nothing at all, why? I was just wondering if maybe I was too gracious in deciding to help you out. Don't forget though, you and I have a rematch at the end, and don't think that I won't win again. I am after all the perfect duelist. I will remind you not to get your hopes up. That little clause that the Sisters worked in won't do you much good."
"I know. That's why I didn't let Oracle know. Once my last duel in this life is done, you, and I have one more duel to get through before my soul passes from this world to the next. And depending upon the outcome of our duel, I will either go to heaven, or I will be eternally trapped in a nightmare of my own making."
"You understand then. Good, very good, I was hoping you would still have that little amount of fear in the back of your mind where I can reside and watch over you as you duel." The Darkness said then he sank back into Travis' mind as the sun rose up over the horizon that morning. Travis got up as always at the breaking of the dawn. Today he would be put back on the streets as Lt. Longstreet, turbo duelist, and Sector Security Officer. Upon returning to the Squad room, however, he was in for a shock. Jenner as it had happened. He had been picking up the extra shifts and put Tom on as back up. It was a departure from his usual assignment to the squad radio room. Both of them were now being brought in from working the night shift. They were both banged up pretty good. The Station Medic was checking them out to see if they needed to go to the hospital.
"I'm alright, just took a beating is all." Jenner stated. "How's Tom?"
"He's got a mild wound to his elbow and some deep wounds on his legs where his runner fell over with him. Mostly though, nothing a couple stitches, and few days R&R won't cure." The Medic said.
"What happened?" Travis pleaded with the on call Officer to report to him.
"Your guys went out tonight to ride a double. They were caught off guard by another Enforcer for the Trinity. It was a guy who calls himself Dane. All we know is he's an out of work carnival hustler. He used to have a stand at the city fair grounds. He's cheated a lot of people out of their money with fancy card tricks. Now he's dueling for the Trinity." This was intolerable. Now the Trinity was going after his friends to get to him. The Darkness was somehow involved, Travis could tell, this wasn't all just a big coincidence. He had been set up for this thing. The Trinity was probably being manipulated too but he would have to solve this in his own way. Only Helena, Jay, and Oracle were left now. No one would know when or where their next challenge would come to them. So they would have to be ready and they would have to be on guard for anything that might come out of left field. That's where these Trinity enforcers liked to strike from, a position of stealth. Things were about to get real in Neo Domino City. And Travis wondered who, if any of them, would survive it.