Disclaimer: I don't own the Storm Hawks.

Thanks to all those who reviewed. A little hint- Anne Dering is Aerrow's aunt. She is in this chapter, and maybe others.

Threatened

Anne Dering sat peacefully in a rocking chair staring idly out over the fields. The Angus cows gracefully walked about and chewed their cud. Anne found the need to laugh, why- she had no idea. An unfamiliar noise reached her ears and her heart beat quickened. She got up from her chair and cautiously roamed about her old farmhouse.

She remembered the day when Aerrow had left her to go to that camp, but he wasn't the blame, she was. That was when she decided to buy a new house out in the country. Now she began to regret it- too many spooky sounds.

The wooden floor beneath her creaked, betraying her and she grimaced at each noise. She wanted to be silent and this old house wasn't. Anne tried to recall if she had locked the front door and she headed towards it.

When she was inches from the door sharp pain erupted from her skull and her eyes began to lose their focus. She felt her head and a goopy liquid was on them. Anne looked down at her hand- blood. The last image she saw was the looming figure of Master Cyclonis herself and she collapsed.

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Master Cyclonis gazed at the older woman's limp body on the wooden floor. She was surprised that the woman could stay awake that long. She took note of the medic that came over.

"Bandage her head and that is all," she ordered. She saw that he was about to speak and she cut him off. "Do as you are told or you might not see dear Martha ever again."

His wide blue eyes showed fear and a spark of anger. She smiled. She had gotten through the man's thick defenses. Master Cyclonis watched the man do his handy work and when he was done she ordered some of the Talon soldiers to carry the unconscious woman on board the ship.

When she was back on the massive ship her mind wondered. Sitting in a chair she stared blankly into space. She was in the middle of daydreaming when Snipe entered into the room. Master Cyclonis frowned at him.

"What is it?" she hissed.

"The woman is awake," he said. She smiled. This was good news. Now she could get on with that message she was going to send to Aerrow.

She leapt to her feet and walked determinedly toward the cells in the ship. She entered into the room and found which cell the woman was in.

"Anne Dering I assume," Master Cyclonis said.

The woman just stared at her and it was beginning to make Master Cyclonis feel aggravated. "Your little nephew has been causing me some trouble," she said to the older woman. Master Cyclonis pulled out a message crystal from her pocket. "Send a message to Aerrow. Use your imagination."

Anne got up unsteadily and grabbed the crystal from her hand. "Make sure she says appropriate things or I will have your head," Master Cyclonis said to a random Talon before she left the cells.

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Anne watched the raven-haired teen walk away. What had Aerrow done this time? Why was she involved? More important, how did she get involved? She looked down at the message crystal, it was glowing slightly. What would she say to her nephew?

She should have never allowed him to reform the Storm Hawks and then he wouldn't have gotten into a feud with Master Cyclonis. What was that girl's real name? She thought to herself.

She pushed that thought away and focused on what she was going to say. It was possible to put a code into it, but would he be able to understand? She had to be discreet or that Talon would be on to her. Even though she didn't like what the man did, didn't mean that he deserved to die.

She activated the crystal. "Aerrow," she said. "It has been a long time since I have been able to talk to you and I have wanted to say hello."

Anne paused and looked up at the soldier. He nodded his approval. "It would be a pleasure to have you come and visit me at my farmhouse. Will you come?"

The soldier said nothing, she continued. "Bring your friends, they would love the peacefulness, but I have to warn you that it might be boring," she said, how was she going to warn him? "I'm sorry it's short notice, but don't forget that crystal."

She finished and handed the man the message crystal. Anne had put a secret meaning to bring 'that crystal'. Aerrow might be able to catch it. She hoped it worked.

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Aerrow was still in the bridge sitting on a bench when another message crystal appeared in the box. Aerrow stood up and walked over to it. Piper, Junko, and Finn were playing monopoly trying to forget the earlier message.

"That message is condemning," Stork muttered under his breath as he stared at the crystal in the box. "We are all doomed."

Aerrow glared at Stork. His comments on doom and death were becoming irritating. He held the crystal in his hand unsure if he wanted to listen to it. But he had to; if it was something important then he needed to listen to it. No matter how much it scared him.

"Aerrow," he was startled to hear his aunt's voice. "It has been a long time since I have been able to talk to you and I have wanted to say hello. It would be a pleasure to have you come and visit me at my farmhouse. Will you come? Bring your friends, they would love the peacefulness, but I have to warn you that it might be boring." There was a sharp intake of breath. "I'm sorry it's short notice, but don't forget that crystal."

He took it all in. It didn't seem like a trap. He looked back at his friends and they were all gazing at him curiously. They probably wondered if they were going to go there and see his aunt. He had talked a lot about her and they wanted to see her in person.

He frowned at the last sentence. What did she mean? Then it dawned on him. He let go of the message crystal and it shattered on the floor.

No! His mind screamed.

Question to all those readers out there, is Master Cyclonis' name Lark? I just don't know. Please review and help me out.