Chapter 2

Joe couldn't believe his own ears- he couldn't be hearing this right... Replaced!

The Condor had been replaced by a Hawk! The thought ran a cold shiver through his cyborg body, and wounded him at the same time.

Deep in his heart he wanted to see them all again, reveal to them that he lived. But after hearing this news, Joe knew he would not be going back to the Science Ninja Team.

Not that he wanted to…he tried to convince himself.

They had a replacement for G-2, and a pang of sorrow washed over him. Had they come to terms with him being dead? And they had all moved on.

"Dr. Raphael, how do you know?" Joe's voice became thick with emotion- he didn't even try to hide his feelings on someone taking his place on the team as G-2.

Joe folded his arms, tensing up his facial muscles with the inner emotions that threatened to spill over. He knew when he felt like this his face carried and angry deep set scowl that once frightened Galactor goons almost to death.

"I have my sources, Joe you said you had to move on. I thought this information would help you do that." Dr. Raphael's face hadn't changed he didn't look intimidated by Joes deep scowl while he looked at him with disapproval over the top of his thick rimmed glasses. Then choosing to look back at his computer screen and continued entering in information.

"Galactor is forming again, the team has been reactivated."

"Galactor!" Joe snarled. "Damn, I thought I'd taken care of that."

Dr.Raphael shook his head, rubbing at his sore neck from spending too much time in sitting in the one spot.

"It takes more than blowing up bases to stop a creature like Sosai X…" Raphael informed him.

Joe let out a string of curses and walked away from the doctor.

He still felt gutted by the news he became lost in his thoughts. The idea of someone taking his place didn't sit well with him- Ken needed to have someone he could trust to be his second in command, not some guy they picked out of the secret service.

So why didn't Dr.Nambu promote Jun to the position? Joe mused, a sudden inclination hit him.

"Who?" He asked abruptly, spinning around to look at the doctor, he had to know more about this Hawk guy. "Who is my replacement?"

Dr. Raphael looked at him, annoyed with Joe for interrupting of his train of thought. "Getz the Hawk, if you must know."

"Getz the Hawk…" Joe muttered thoughtfully stroking his chin. "Do you know where he is? Has he been training with them?"

"No, from what I hear he has been doing special training on his own, Dr. Nambu wanted to test his ability first before introducing him to them…which will be soon." Dr Raphael hadn't looked up from his computer. "Let it go, Joe…you can move on now and find your own life…come back here if you need me."

"Sure," Joe grinned sarcastically with a touch of bitterness that still resided in him. "I'll go buy a house in suburban Utoland. Married to a pretty cyborg girl, can you make one for me?…and punch out a couple of kids…and they could all be cyborgs just like me…I can became an assassin and kill Galactor goons, work as a mechanic to pay the bills…that would suit a guy like me right?"

Dr.Raphael missed his meaning. "Humph…" Dr.Raphael scolded the computer screen as if he didn't hear a word Joe said, Joe turned and walked out of the room.

Getz had to work for the ISO for some time to be put on the team, Joe began run the idea he had forming through his mind. I have some current access codes to top secret information…so I have to find this guy and check him out- make sure he's right for the team…

He grinned slightly- time to get an update on the Science Ninja Team.

Joe stole a casual glance at the other computer room, he could find out what he needed to know about Getz Hawk, and then find him before he goes to meet them.

Curiosity about Getz began to overwhelm him.

Replaced, the word echoed in his mind, making him feel even further away from his former team and friends. They had been his only family for so long, it hurt to lose them all over again, he switched on the computer and began accessing the ISO data base…

An hour later Joe had his information and he set off to find Getz Hawk.

888888888888888888888

Joe looked at the pale blue fibro run down rented halfway house. The small and simple but neat and homely house- had something glaringly odd about it, the outside for starters that had been pitted with bullet holes recently- that told Joe that knocking on the front door would be a bad idea.

With light stealth steps from nearly a lifetime of training Joe walked around the back to check for anything usual.

If this guy is right for the team he figured he wouldn't find a thing here to link him with Galactor. The sound of breaking glass and a cry of someone in agonising pain caught his attention, and made him move faster. Joe pulled out his gun and made his way in through an open window. Cautiously he made his way through the small house, rounding a corner he saw twenty men dressed in sleek black uniforms beating up a man tied to chair.

The man tied to the chair had to be Getz the Hawk- Joe thought looking at his bloodied face and battered body.

Joe quickly assessed the situation, noted the positions of the men in the room, he cut down five of them in seconds with his gun, in three sweeping movements he killed another five before they could move, a few ran in terror at the ferocity of his attack, those men didn't get far. Feather shuriken sealed their fate.

The battled ended as quickly as it began, Joe looked over at Getz, the chair had been flung over in the fight by terrified attackers, he briskly walked over and cut his bonds and gently lifted from the wooden kitchen chair.

"Getz?" Joe asked.

"Yes…Who …are… you?" Getz struggled with his words, looking at Joe with delirious dark eyes.

Joe looked at him, his wounds fatal, drawing in a breath he knelt down beside his replacement.

"Tell me, who attacked you…I'm Condor Joe." He said helping the fatally wounded Getz into a comfortable position.

"I don't believe you…" Getz coughed up some blood.

Joe produced a single feather shuriken, with soft white feathers and a deadly sharp blade." Only the Condor carries this one…" This one had his name engraved on it, a gift from Jun for his birthday during the war, it was special. Getz looked at it, then his eyes widened. "You're dead…"

"Do I look dead?" He said amused.

"Galactor…" Getz coughed, his eyes began to fade." They…sent…an imposter...to replace me."

Joe looked away from him for a moment dread filling him.

Getz pulled something out of his pocket, the action cost him his ebbing strength. "Condor Joe..." His raspy voice grew weaker, drawing Joe's attention back to him.

"Yes…" Looking at Getz with some compassion.

"I trust…I trust you to give this to the woman I love…she'll know the truth if …you…give…her…this…" Getz found some strength to push the ruby necklace into Joe's hand.

"Promise me…. you'll give… it to Mako my fiancée…if you know anything about love… than you'll to do what is right…always…even if it means…sacrificing-" He said as his determined eyes glazed over, every word he spoke cost him his strength as his last breath left his body.

Joe slowly put Getz's lifeless body down, closing the dead man's eyelids with a stroke of his hand.

Closing his eyes momentarily he put the jewel in his pocket.

The sounds of distant police sirens approaching made him leave Getz behind, Joe couldn't get caught up in an investigation over Getz's death, he figured one of the neighbours must have called, looking around for danger he jumped back out the window he came in.

The Science Ninja Team, the people he loved most in the world are in danger, Joe had to find a way to protect them and kill the imposter he checked his supply of feather shuriken, he had to protect them even if it meant his own death…