Chapter Two
Present day, twelve hours after the Sailor Scouts and Digi-Destined's disappearance
The first rays of daylight swept across the surface of the Western Hemisphere, reaching out to the people of the area with its warm caress. Everyone either groaned and turned in their beds, trying to remain in la-la land for a moment or two longer, or got up, ready to face life once more.
All around that portion of the world, businesses began preparing for another day of work. School students began a new school day at whatever institution they attended. Eco-Terrorists began concocting new plans to commit brutal acts against Nature, or to just make a great deal of money in the quickest, and most destructive possible way. In other words, business as usual for all concerned.
In a remote portion of the Caribbean, though, on an island not known to much of the world, a small team of environmentalists were still asleep, having had a very difficult mission the day before. As they usually did whenever they had had a difficult mission.
Well, most of them were asleep anyways.
Linka Ivanova, the Planeteer of Wind, was sitting on her bed, reading a book that she had picked up at a bookstore the other day. It was a very good story too, full of adventure, drama, and a romance between two people who were as different as night and day. She hadn't been able to put it down for long, which amused the other Planeteers to no end. After all, Linka with a book that wasn't a reference book, or one of historical significance, was considered impossible by any stretch of imagination.
It was really at the insistence of her friend Gi, who asked her to expand her horizons beyond the non-fiction stories she was used to, that Linka had purchased the story in the first place. She had resolved to read it once, then put in her closet, never to read it again. Now though, she was thinking that this may have been the best thing she had ever read. In fact, the two main characters reminded her of herself and Wheeler. One of them, a calm, rational, logical person who was serious about everything she did, and who liked a predictable feel to her life. The other, a headstrong, irrational, though brutally honest young man who radiated a strong effort at whatever he did, cared for everyone and everything around him, and was unpredictable. And, ironically, the woman fell in love with him, because he was never put off by her attitude. 'Just like me. Which reminds me, I had better get that lazy bug out of bed. It is his turn to make breakfast.'
With a heavy sigh, she got out of bed, being very quiet so as not to disturb the others. It had been easy, as she had always been sneaking around the house back home. However, she knew for a fact that the others had much sharper hearing. A necessity because the island was always a target for Dr. Blight. And she wanted to surprise Wheeler.
With a silence that would have impressed the mouse, she made it to the Fire Planeteers door, knocking on it quietly. "Wheeler?" she called out quietly. "It is time to wake up, sleepyhead." She heard nothing in there, so she opened the door. What she saw in there came as a shock. Or rather, what she didn't see.
Wheeler wasn't in his bed. He wasn't even in his room.
It was unprecedented that Wheeler be out of bed at the crack of dawn. He was notorious for being the one the other Planeteers, namely her, had to drench with ice cold water when it was his week to cook breakfast. He was the also one of the sloppiest people she had ever met, which was dictated by the usual mess she saw on the floor of his room. However, Wheeler himself was not there.
"Boshe moy," Linka muttered. "What madness has taken over that Yankee for him to be up at this time? And where is he?" She started looking around the room for a moment, taking in every detail as she did so. "Hmmm, no sign of a struggle…he did not walk out the door, as he is not notorious for being quiet. So where…?"
Acting on a sudden hunch, she walked over to the window, and looked outside. She scanned the immediate area, looking for a familiar crop of red hair. And then, purely by dumb luck, she spotted him. "He's…outside? On a Saturday?" she asked herself. Now she was really curious.
With barely a second thought, she climbed out of Wheeler's window, and began walking over to where the young man in question stood.
----
The mind is considered by many to be one of the greatest machines ever conceived. It was the tool that kept a creature moving, breathing, and thinking. It was all that separated a sentient being like a human from a plant.
Wheeler Sloane was using his brain for something he rarely did when he was at rest; thinking. It was a feat, considering that he was not know as someone who thought a great deal. He was the type that did things on a whim, and let the wind take him wherever it went. He was not one to get a foothold on anything long term. The only thing he kept doing as a continuing presence in his life was his life as a Planeteer. He wouldn't trade it in for all the riches of the world.
However, the dream he had had last night was due cause for his being awake at Seven o'clock in the morning. He had never had a dream so vivid before in his life, and it was haunting him for some reason. He was certain that he hadn't seen anything like those images before. But he couldn't shake the feeling of deja-vu he had whenever he thought about it.
"Wheeler?"
Startled, Wheeler turned around to stare into a pair of the clearest set of blue eyes he had ever seen. The kind that made his insides run like jelly. "Morning, Linka. I didn't hear you walk up."
"I would think not," Linka replied, her arms folded around her chest, a small smile gracing her face. "You have never been up this early before." She paused a second. "Why are you up this early?" she asked. "And dressed, for that matter?
Wheeler smiled a little. "I wanted to see the sunrise, for a change," he replied. "I mean, in all the time I've been living here, I've never really came out to appreciate a good sunrise. You really can't do it in the city, with all those buildings there." He looked at her. "What were sunrises like in your hometown, babeuoska?"
Linka had to smile, a little surprised by the question. Never before had Wheeler ever asked her how anything was in her hometown. While he may have been interested in him, he was always cautious when discussing her old home. In fact, this was a whole new side to him that she had never seen before. He seemed to be full of curiosity this morning. "Well, the sunrises were beautiful," she began, looking back into her memories. "They would come over the mountains, making them seem like they were on fire for a few glorious minutes. And it would make the snow, well, when we did have snow, shimmer like a field of sparkling jewels. It was enough to make the day seem more likable." She turned to Wheeler. "What about you? How did sunrises back home make you feel?"
"Like shit." Wheeler felt a wave of sadness come over him as he said this. "Every day for me was a day of fighting, arguing, and simply living my life on the streets. You know my father drank a great deal, and we argued almost every single day. If it weren't for mom, I probably would've run away a long time ago. The sunrise only made me feel like the world didn't give a damn what happened to me, and only kept me around for the torment purposes."
"And then you met us," Linka finished. "Then you became a Planeteer. And everything changed."
"Yeah. I found that I enjoyed this life, to the point that I didn't want to lose it. And in that same time, I began to understand you guys. And, of course, start to develop feelings for a certain female member of the team."
"Oh? Gi will be happy to hear this."
"I wasn't talking about Gi. And I thought she was starting to inquire about Kwame."
"Okay then. Gaia?"
"A little old for me. I mean, she's what, Five Billion Years Old?"
"Actually," Gaia interrupted, "I'm Four Billion, Six Hundred Million and Two. But hey, who's counting?"
Wheeler turned around to stare at the spirit of the Earth as she walked up to them. "Question; Do you ever sleep?" he asked.
"Not particularly. I mean, I'm a spirit. Why would I need sleep?"
Wheeler thought about it. "You raise an excellent point there," he finally stated. "I'm guessing you're out here for the sunrise too."
Gaia simply nodded. "The sunrise always gives me a feeling of peace every time I see it. And I have had to see many in recent weeks."
Wheeler had to agree with that. The Eco-Terrorists were starting to get more vicious with each passing week, this time, targeting areas of greater environmental importance. Hoggish Greedily had even tried getting an area near Yellowstone for his usual plan of getting rich quickly, and had been ready to begin a lumberjack company on the hills surrounding the National Park. And he had the permits to back it up, saying the area's around the ranching zone were not owned privately, or by the government. But Greedily knew that they were hills that, bereft of trees, would have produced a large runoff flood that would have spelled the end of every ranch in the area, and would have threatened a large portion of the wildlife.
Fortunately, Laura Talbot had gotten wind of that plot, and had managed to get a letter to them through another one of their friends, warning them of it. In fact, the mission they had just returned from had been from Yellowstone. And it had two good things come out of it. One, they had managed to stop Greedily's plot, with the help of Captain Planet and Laura. Two, Laura was going to be the first person outside of Gaia's friend from the homeless shelter to see Hope Island. It made Ma-Ti happy, and gave the others some teasing material. It also got them off of Wheeler's and Linka's backs for a while.
Gaia chuckled. "I'm actually wondering why you're so curious, and why you're up a seven o'clock in the morning."
Wheeler had to chuckle at that. "You women and your inquiries," he grumbled good naturedly. "Well, like I told Linka, I wanted to see the sunrise. That's all."
Linka looked at him. "And exactly when were you up by?" she asked innocently, wanting some teasing material.
Wheeler hesitated. "About four," he finally mumbled. "Could you excuse me?" Without another word, he began walking down the surf, head down.
Linka stared at him, shock permeating her system. "Now I know something is wrong," she stated. "I mean, he is up early, then he asks me about something of my hometown, and now he just walks away, without even trying to flirt."
Gaia nodded. "It does seem strange. He's not acting like himself, or even remotely like himself. He's been asking the other Planeteers about little aspects of their all week, and isn't getting as angry when an animal goes and gets into his stuff. In fact, I saw him speaking softly to Suchi when he got into Wheeler's backpack. "
Linka nodded, then looked in Wheelers direction. "And now he is heading over to the kitchen area. I think he wants to get breakfast prepared. Whatever is going on?"
Gaia simply stared at Wheeler's retreating form. She had no idea, but whatever it was, it had spooked the Fire Planeteer so badly, it had led him to question himself. And she had a funny feeling that she should know why, but didn't.
Wheeler was almost to the door when he looked down. For the first time, he noticed, really noticed, the fact that his shirt was partially tucked in, partially hanging out of his pants. With a grunt of disgust, thinking he must look like a slob, he finished tucking it in, then set about to gather what he would need to make breakfast. All that time, he was wondering why the other Planeteers had let him walk around like he was a drunk man all these years.
In a small building in the outer rim of Moscow, under the watchful stare of several guards set all around the building, a meeting took place. One that was the pinnacle of two thousand years of effort. And it would have far reaching consequences.
Peorth, Goddess First Class, and head of Yggdrasil, activated a holographic device. Immediately, a view of the Earth appeared in front of the assembled Gods and Goddesses, with areas dotted in red. She allowed them to grasp what they were seeing.
"These red dots confirm the last transmission of Anubis," she said, the weight of leadership already weighing on her young shoulders. "The Rogue has broken his pattern. His forces have begun to swell with new converts, and he has been spotted within the vicinity of New York City... again. I don't think I need to make the picture any clearer"
A collective muttering came from the assembled group. "How many can he corrupt in a day?" one God asked.
Peorth accessed the information her team had collected. "Control estimates about a dozen. They're mostly homeless, so no one really misses them."
"How many has he corrupted as of this moment?" another goddess threw out.
"Around two thousand already. Maybe more than we even know."
A collective muttering arose. Two Thousand already? And they were just being told this? How did the Rogue manage to obtain so many of them without their knowledge?
"What about the information from Anubis?" Osiris asked. "It can't be accurate."
Peorth looked at him. "It may be."
"It's not possible."
"It would mean that he's planning on attacking Gaia and Zarm soon, and taking out the last two beings capable of stopping him on this plain," Artemis stated, looking rather pale.
"That's right." Peorth was still keeping that calm expression. "And Gaia is not able to stand up to the Rogue alone."
"It can't be," a god's voice called through the crowd.
"Why not?"
Everyone's head turned around to see three Goddesses approaching. Peorth immediately recognized one of them as Athena, her former commanding officer, and now head of a group that was preparing to strike at the Rogue.
The other two however, gave Peorth pause.
One of the them was Urd, a Goddess who was presently on very shaky footing with the Supreme Council of Heaven, who was also one of the most knowledgeable on the situation with Belldandy and Keiichi Morisato. Which made Peorth and the other Goddesses a little happier, as the male population there was now ripe for the taking. Also, Urd being on Earth gave them an early warning should Vandrassil try anything stupid, like spark a war.
The other one, though, was Belldandy herself. That was enough to make Peorth realize how far the situation had deteriorated.
Now a Goddess First Class, she had remained in the Goddess Relief Office, when all the other members of her team had accepted positions in the main system. Peorth had heard, though, that she had undergone Templer combat training after the Rogue fiasco eleven years ago. Apparently, even Belldandy could hold a grudge. And she had turned the capture of the Rogue into an obsession, something Peorth once thought was impossible for such a kind-hearted Goddess. It made her sad to see hear this.
Athena spoke again. "A large number of fighters, capable of stopping the Spirit of Earth and the Spirit of Destruction, as well as the Planeteers, and their champion, Captain Planet. That sounds exactly like the thinking of Sakar to me."
Peorth inclined her head. "Athena, glad you could join us."
"Peorth." Athena turned to those assembled. "My apologies to all of you. As you are undoubtedly aware, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the network to move without Sakar noticing."
"His people have all the best spots."
"Human mainlines are crawling with his viruses, making it impossible to move without being detected."
"And if Peorth is right, in two weeks, he'll have an army ready for battle."
Osiris looked rather annoyed. "So, what are we going to do about it?"
"We're going to do what The Supreme Chancellor ordered us to do." Peorth deactivated the device. "We'll pull back as many of our people as possible and return to Heaven."
"And does the Supreme Chancellor have a plan for protecting the Planet Earth from a being like Sakar?" Athena asked pleasantly.
Peorth looked rather…grave about it. "A strategy is still being formulated," she replied, not believing it for a second. She didn't even know if there was strategy in Heaven or on Earth that could stnad up to the Death Dealer. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Belldandy speaking to Urd and Ceres for a second, then walk over to the stairwell. She turned back to Athena.
"I'm sure it is." The Goddess that Peorth had replaced as head of the system grimaced, as if she had a bad taste in her mouth. "If you want my opinion, I believe we should follow our orders," Athena continued. "However, I must ask one of you for help. Some of you believe as I do, some of you do not." She gave them all a powerful glance. "However, those of you who do know that we are nearing the time when Sakar will be stopped. The prophecy will be fulfilled soon, but before it can be, the two who will become Guardians must be found."
Peorth managed to stifle a groan. Athena believed that mortals could stop the rogue, because they had proven that they could beat insurmountable odds. She was one of the biggest supporters of the Fire and Wind search, the very reason why her team of agents existed. Peorth thought all of it rubbish. After all, what could two humans do that the entire might of Heaven couldn't do in two thousand years?
"If we leave and give our report to the council now, we can be back within thirty-six hours. Long before the rogue begins to make his move."
Ceres looked at her fellow goddess. "Do you realize what you're asking?" she asked in disbelief.
Athena nodded. "I am asking that a single goddess or god remain in our position, just in case the white wizard should attempt to contact us."
"You are asking one of us to disobey a direct order."
"That's right, Ceres. I am. However, we are all here because of our…affinity for disobedience."
"And what happens when you return to the main city, and the chancellor throws you into the stockade?" Osiris asked.
"He won't."
For a moment, silence reigned. "Damn it, Athena," Urd said, looking rather amused. "You're never gonna change." She shrugged. "Shit, I'll do it just to see what Old Deadbolt does to you. You've got thirty-six hours."
Peorth nodded. "Meeting adjourned." The wait would soon be over.
It was just a question of whether or not it would be in their favor.
----
Hermes sighed, unable to believe that he had managed to pulled guard duty out for this meeting. He was so bored! Next time, he was going to get a shift in the main floor in Yggdrasil. At least there, he could flirt with Ex and Ere.
He was about to get up and see if the meeting was over, but a sharp knock made him turn around in surprise. He looked at his fellow guard, Loki, then walked over to the door. Looking out the peephole, he saw a shadow outside. "Yes?"
"I'm looking for Belldandy."
Hermes looked surprised. Whoever this guy was, he knew enough about the Gods to ask for one of them personally. "Never heard of her," he replied, covering up his nervousness.
"I have something for her. A gift, if you will." The stranger pushed an envelope through the peephole. "You see, she set me free."
Now a little irritated, Hermes grabbed the envelope. "Fine, whatever. Now disappear." He snapped the porthole shut, before turning around.
"Who was that?" Belldandy asked, coming up the last few steps.
Loki looked over at her. "How'd you know someone was here?"
"Lucky guess."
Hermes walked forward. "He wanted to give you this," he said, handing it over to the first class Goddess. Curious, Belldandy took it, ripped it open, then turned it upside down.
Into her hand fell a single ring, wielding the heaven symbol of wind.
"He said you set him free," Hermes added.
Belldandy looked up sharply, her normal placid and gentle features hardening. 'He's here…'
Loki looked at Hermes, then back at Belldandy. "Is everything all right, ma'am?" he asked tentatively.
Belldandy nodded, not turning around. "The meeting is over. Retreat to your exits." She looked up. "Agents are coming."
"Agents…?" A sudden punch against the door made them both look at the door in shock.
"Go!" Belldandy stood her ground as the other two obeyed her order, running out of the room. She was not afraid, and deactivated her earring, so as to have her full fighting strength ready.
The pounding became more insistent, denting the door more and more, until finally, it tore loose from it's hinges, falling to the ground with a dull thud. And in through the doorway strode three agents of the rogue.
Up until this point, Belldandy had never set her eyes on Sakar's agents. They wore armor similar to his, though theirs were not decorated with anything fancy. Also, they wore some kind of visor over their eyes, making them seem like spies from another world. And all of them were emotionless.
"How are you all today?" Belldandy asked pleasantly.
"It's her-"
"-the goddess."
"Do we proceed?"
"Yes."
"After all, she is still-"
"-only human."
All three of them talked in synch, making it seem like they were all thinking on the same wavelength. It grated on Belldandy's nerves.
One of them stepped forward, immediately going for a roundhouse kick, which Belldandy dodged. He went on a strong offensive, striking out with fists and feet, feeling his opponents defenses.
Belldandy blocked each and every one of those blows, never taking her eyes off her adversary. Finally, she caught one of the agents fists. The agent looked at her in surprise.
"Hmmm." Belldandy give a little smile. "Not bad." She was going to enjoy this.
Immediately, the other two moved in, creating a three way attack that would have crushed another, lesser being. Belldandy found herself a little more hard pressed to defend herself, but defend she did. Then she launched an offensive of her own, knocking two of them in opposite directions.
The third one continued his attack, grabbing her by her arm, and tossing her. She reacted by grabbing a pole that was acting like a brace for the building. She whirled around, catching the agent as he jumped up with her feet. The agent flew through the air, slamming into the far wall. He slid to the floor, motionless.
Belldandy immediately blocked a punch from another one, kicked him, then used him to do a spin, kicking another one into another wall. Finally, she back flipped outside, and simply punched the last one into an old, obsolete lamppost. It broke in half, conking the unconscious agent in the head. The glass fell to the ground, shattering on the concrete.
Belldandy looked around, checking to see if there were any other agents in the area. Satisfied, she reactivated her earring. Then, she concentrated.
A small shockwave went outward, until finally, she practically leaped upward, flying at near-super sonic speed into the sky.
Sakar watched in amazement as the Goddess flew out of sight. 'Apparently, she has been preparing for our second meeting. She is not as weak as I thought she was.' "That went as expected," he said aloud.
"Yes," A voice in the shadows acknowledged.
"It's happening exactly as before the prophecy."
"Well, not exactly."
Sakar grinned wickedly.
Peorth stepped into the main area of Yggdrasil, adjusting her uniform top slightly. "Chrono, what happened?" she called out.
Chrono worked her harp-like interface like the instrument it took after, punching in the inquiries that were a part of her everyday job. "I don't know what to make of it. The Rogue's agents just came out of nowhere. Then, I got a strange energy surge coming from the Caribbean. A pattern I've never seen before."
"Is Belldandy okay?"
"Okay!? Gods, Peorth, you should have seen her!"
Ceres stepped up. "Where is she now?"
Chrono typed the command in, then said, "She's doing a Superman thing."
Above the eyes of the humans, invisible to even the military's most advanced satellite systems, Belldandy flew.
She flew at a speed that would have made the Peregrine Falcon seem like a turtle. Her eyes continuously scanned the ground, looking for something. Something familiar. A place that held great significance to her. Finding it, she came to a complete stop.
There, for a few seconds, the Goddess Belldandy remained suspended in mid air, her gaze focusing on her objective. Then, with a simple nudge in the winds, she took off like a cannon shot towards the ground. Her departure from that part of the sky caused a minor funnel to form for a second as the clouds all gathered in the morning air. Belldandy ignored all of this, so intent on her objective.
She touched down in an alleyway, a few blocks from a condemned building, and began walking. As she did so, her goddess battle uniform dispersed, becoming a pair of jeans and a white blouse. It was second nature for her now, so she didn't pay too much attention. After all, when one lived with a human, one got used to doing things in a certain way.
As she walked the streets of New York, she looked for one particular alley way. Ever since that night, she had come back once a year, to see that area, to remember what had happened all those years ago.
Every step brought the painful memories back to her, one by one. The burning building, the Rogue, what he had done to that woman, what he had almost done to her. It marked the only being on the Earth that she actually hated. It was…unsettling to her.
Finally, she reached the point where she had seen Sakar last. Where she had met Gaia, and where everything changed.
For a moment, she stood there, head bowed in sorrow for the woman she could not help.
As she picked her head up, she saw something out of the corner of her eye as she bent down. Curious, she turned to see what it was.
It was a plain white envelope, with her name written on it. She pulled it off, opened it up, and removed the letter contained within.
Was it good for you too, Belldandy?
The Goddess' s cry of rage and pain briefly quieted the city of New York, as the entire population looked around in amazement.
She was tired of waiting for Sakar to come after her. She was tired containing her anger. She was tired of being helpless.
It was time for things to change.
The first thing Kwame noted when he and the other two Planeteers walked into the kitchen was Wheeler standing over the stove, looking very much awake. The second thing they noticed was Linka was watching him, an unreadable expression on her face.
"Morning, guys." Ma-Ti yawned. "So I am going to assume we didn't walk in on anything?"
"Nope," Wheeler replied distantly. "Little Mermaid, could ya get some plates down please? I can't leave the pan…"
"Sure."
As Gi went over to the plate cupboard, Ma-Ti and Kwame sidled up to Linka. "So, what is going on?" Ma-Ti asked, smiling slightly.
"Nothing." Linka didn't even turn to look at them as she said this. "He was up since four this morning. I did not even wake him."
Kwame turned to stare at her in amazement. "He was up at four!?" Linka nodded. "Any idea why?"
"Nyet."
"Ummm, Gi? The plates on the table, please?" Wheeler called out.
"Oh! Sorry, Wheeler." Gi went over to the table with the plates. "So, are you going to tell us what's going on?"
Linka looked up. "I honestly do not know. I found him outside, enjoying the sunrise. He even asked me how sunrises made me feel." She looked up. "I will let you ask him what is going on," she whispered. "Right now, I am hungry."
Wheeler plopped several pancakes onto each plate. "All right guys, dig in! And hope that I haven't poisoned them…"
The others laughed at this, and dug in, enjoying the peace that was their morning ritual. So far, Gaia had not seen any need to disturb them while they ate. For that, they were grateful.
Finally, as the other Planeteers went to get dressed, Gaia entered the kitchen to find the Fire Planeteer putting the frying pan into the sink to soak. "So, I see you haven't poisoned anyone today," she said by way of greeting.
Wheeler grinned. "Well, there's always a chance of that happening on any given day. And somehow, I don't think you came here to talk about my cooking."
"No, I did not. I came to ask you if there was anything you wanted to talk about." Wheeler didn't turn around, but Gaia noticed the muscles of his back going taut. "I won't tell the others, if that's what you're worried about."
Wheeler shook his head. He suddenly stopped what he doing. "I'll eventually tell you guys, but I want to figure out exactly what I'm dealing with first, before I cause any more worry."
'So he's felt our eyes on him. He's becoming very attuned with his surrounding environment.' A wistful smile tugged her lips. 'If the he had survived, he's probably acting the same way.' "Well, you better get the Geo-Cruiser prepped for launch. That way, Ma-Ti can finally stop jumping all over the place with nerves."
Wheeler chuckled. "Yes, ma'am."
Several minutes later, the Geo-Cruiser took off from the landing platform, with Kwame and Gi laughing at the way Ma-Ti was fidgeting, Linka in the pilots seat, concentrating on flying the little plane, and Wheeler being uncharacteristically quiet in the co-pilots seat, lost in thought.
"What is bothering you, Wheeler?" Ma-Ti asked telepathically.
Wheeler grinned. "Trying to screen out the matchmaker? You know she's persistent as hell. I mean, she's still trying to hook me and Linka up."
"You have done this before, I see. Well, there are two reasons. The first one is, as you say, I'm trying to screen out Gi AND Kwame. The second is that I can see something is wrong, and thought perhaps you want to talk about it."
Wheeler chuckled. "You're persistent too, ya know that? In fact, something is bothering me, and damned if I know what it is." He could feel his friends curiosity. "I'll tell you all later, after I've figured it out for myself, and know what I'm talking about. And, besides, you've got enough to worry enough anyways. So, muster your charm, buddy, because you have a girlfriend to see!" Wheeler chuckled as he knew that Ma-Ti was blushing. "Come on, you didn't expect us to leave you alone about this, did you?"
Ma-Ti did not speak for the rest of the flight.
Laura checked to see if she had everything she needed for the umpteenth time, looking around as she did so. She knew she was doing it out of a case of nerves, and she even had a good idea as to why. The why brought a faint blush to her cheeks, and made her grin idiotically. After all, the last eco-disaster-in-the-works was the first time that she had seen Ma-Ti in years, and she was extremely happy because of it.
The first time she had seen him, he and his fellow Planeteers had come to Yellowstone to uncover the mystery of why the cattle on the ranchers properties were being killed. Everyone except Laura believed that it was a pack of wolves, the pack recently brought in by the Friends of Wolves organization. Instead, it turned out to be a plot by Lootin Plunder, an scrupulous business tycoon who had no problem with destroying a creature that had once been indigenous to the Park, if only to advance his own pockets full of money. And, like the more recent attempt, Laura had had a hand in stopping it. Then, for a few days, she and Ma-Ti had set about becoming good friends. However, time was too short, and their jobs did not give them any time to become closer, as she was working full-time on the ranch, as well as home-school lessons, and Ma-Ti was busy as a Planeteer. All in all, a hell of a way to stop a relationship in it's track.
Now though, Laura could try to build on their friendship, to get to know the young man who had captured her heart so completely.
"Hey, Laura! One of the males has a strange sickness that's making him sing 'Yankee Doodle' with a Russian accent!"
Laura looked out the window. "Then knock him out, Dad! It always works!" she shouted laughingly. "But I'm guessing that that's not the reason you called out from underneath my window?"
Mr. Talbot only grinned, not replying. Instead, he looked over in the opposite direction of the house. Curious, Laura looked up. And smiled in delight. Grabbing her coat, she practically flew down the stairs and out of the door.
The Geo Cruiser touched down on the ground, and Linka went through the systematic shutdown of the plane's functions, keeping it in standby mode. She noted that Ma-Ti had immediately jumped out, and began jogging in the direction of the house, grinning like an idiot. Not that any of the Planeteers could blame him. He didn't want to be alone when the teasing began anew, and he really wanted to see Laura.
Wheeler had a good guess that Ma-Ti and Laura were going to become a couple before him and Linka. Not that he was complaining…much.
As if to punctuate that thought, Laura Talbot sprinted out of the door at warp speed, heading in Ma-Ti's direction, with the same smile on her face. The other four Planeteers laughed as they saw Ma-Ti pick up his pace.
Laura slammed into Ma-Ti with enough force to stagger him, giving him a willowy bear hug. "Oh, it's so good to see you, Ma-Ti!" she exclaimed. "I mean, you never call, you never write."
"It is difficult to when you have no phones, and I have been a little busy."
"'A little busy' he says." Laura shook her head in mock exasperation. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Hey, don't kill him yet! We want to tease him some more!" Wheeler shouted, ignoring the elbow Linka gave him.
Ma-Ti groaned. "This is what we will have to worry about the entire time we're in the plane. So I suggest you start praying they forgot."
Laura gave him a sympathetic look. "So, you've been getting it too?"
"Oh, yes."
Mr. Talbot chuckled. "All the other kids here have been teasin' her bout you for several weeks now. I reckoned it was only a matter of time before she went crazy. And all I've heard out of her were little references of-"
"Dad!!!" Laura shrieked, becoming redder than a cherry. Everyone else laughed, knowing what Mr. Talbot was talking about. They had been ribbing Ma-Ti about the same thing for several days.
Laura went back in the direction of her house, hand in hand with Ma-Ti. She wanted to show him some of the books she owned. She knew that Ma-Ti was a decent reader, and that he was curious about everything. She was also going to get her duffel bag, which included shorts, and T-Shirts. She also had a bathing suit, and some sun screen. She was not coming back a red lobster.
Wheeler sidled up to Mr. Talbot. So, have any problems with the wolves?" he asked, serious.
"Nope. They've stayed away from the herds, though I've caught them under Laura's window from time to time, especially over the last couple of weeks."
"They do not do anything?" Kwame asked, surprised.
Mr. Talbot nodded. "It looks like their standing guard. They don't move all night. One stays up, the other goes to sleep, then they shift in the middle."
Gi looked out to the back. "And they're leaving right now. Like they know that she's going to be safe now. That is strange."
She would have said more, but Wheeler elbowed her. "They're back," he whispered. "I'm guessing Laura doesn't know."
"Not really. At least, I don't think she does."
"Come on, guys!" Linka shouted from the Geo-Cruiser. "You have to pilot, Yankee!"
"I'm a Yankee too, Linka!" Laura shouted.
"Not you! That Yankee!"
"Ah!"
Wheeler shook his head. "Did you know the amount of teasing I've had involving myself and Linka is as bad as the teasing involving your daughter and Ma-Ti?"
Mr. Talbot chuckled. "I can imagine. Now, you all better get going. I think Laura wants to see your home…among other things."
"Good point."
Laura said her good byes to the others on the ranch, waved to her dad, then boarded the small yellow plane with Ma-Ti. Wheeler and Kwame boarded next, and finally, Gi and Linka. "Everybody aboard?" Wheeler asked. Five affirmatives rang out. "All right then, prepare for take off."
With a roar, the Geo-Cruiser took off vertically, it's bottom thrusters glowing a bright white. Then the main engines kicked in, launching the Geo Cruiser forward. Wheeler made one minor course correction, then settled back, switching it to auto-pilot, and relaxed. After all, what was going to happen? No one was going to follow them.
----
The Geo Cruiser was being followed.
The pilot had been wondering when the Spirit of Earth's lackey's were going to show up. He had been watching the human's domicile for several weeks, observing her daily habits. He was disgusted by the primitiveness of these people, but also understanding that they had progressed much faster in the realm of technology and ethnic behavior than any advanced species would have thought possible. But they still had to grow their food, and they still believed themselves to be alone in the universe.
'They do not know the meaning of the word alone. And these…five…are worse than the others. Though I should not be surprised. After all, those who willingly serve the spirits are traitors anyways.'
He let his hatred for the spirits carry him, sustain him, then follow through his mission; Remove the servants of the spirits from the fold. Without the champions of this world, they were no threat.
Activating his engines, he took off in pursuit.
