CHAPTER 2:

It´s been a month since Duke´s first encounter with 'The Shadow', as he called the unknown person. He had seen him, he just assumed he was male, twice since that time in the storagehouse, but he always disappeared mysteriously, when he wanted to point him out to the others. He was rather sure that Wildwing assumed him to be paranoid or crazy, but Duke was sure he´d seen him rescue Nosedive and Tanya out of lifethreatening situations.

Nosedive had mysteriously survided uninjured when an old, abandoned building crumpled down on top of him and Tanya had to get back to the Mighgrator, to retrieve her accidentally forgotten omnitool, which she always carried around everywhere, when a bomb went off in the controlroom, in which she would have been, if she had had her omnitool with her.

He knew there was someone out there watching their back for them, but why would someone do that?

Not even Grin had sensed any 'confused spirit' or 'lost soul'. Sure it had been a straythought to ask him, but the answer he received was as riddled as ever and accompanied by it Grin had pointed out that Duke had troubled thoughts. Of couse he was right with that, but Duke wouldn´t tell him that.

Meanwhile Wildwing had noticed that not only Duke behaved rather strange, he didn´t believe that 'he´s on the edge to insanity' like Mallory assumed, but he walked down the road to become paranoid and Wildwing didn´t really like the thoughts a paranoid Duke would bring with him.

He tried to seek a logical explanation, ´cause as always there had to be one. At the same time paranoia was a psycological problem, so it followed the rules of logic it had to have a reason, which would have to be erased to stop the paranoia. But he couldn´t find a way to do so.

Another thing was, because of Dragaunus increased activity they´ve had to ask Phil to do their shopping and after two days without lunch nor dinner the foodstore had increased in quality and quantity as if Phil suddenly knew what they liked or had he just found some decent taste? They had agreed to write lists of what they´d like, but they never vanished, so Phil never took them.

It was a real mystery and Wildwing just couldn´t find a free moment to talk to Phil about it. ´Cause while at a new PR-Gag it wasn´t possible to talk to him, like talking him out of them, nor while practice or real matches or battles with Dragaunus, in which they always achieved their goal and their number of injuries really dad decreased in the last month, but that could have multiple reasons.

His third big worry was Nosedive, of course he worried about him 24/7, but he hadn´t been to the mall for 2 weeks now and it was really driving Wildwing insane to listen to his brothers nightly complaints. But appart from all of that, he was pretty fine, well exhausted and tired, but that was understandable. All of them had spent the last month chasing Dragaunus(or checking out Drake One Alert´s) (80), practicing and playing (10), on PR-stunts (5) and they slept inbetween all of that. But never longer than 3 or at one occasion even 4 hours without interruption.

Nosedive cursed all the way from the hangar to his room, where he threw himself into his bed. That was just unfair!

He just came from a row with his brother, because they´d driven directly back to the pond, instead of stopping at the mall, where he would have been able to look for some new comics for 28 minutes. Finally after 2 weeks without new comics he would have been able to get some new ones and what had happened?

Ok, he´d fallen asleep in his seat, but they could have woken him up! (Tanya had driven that day.) But no, his sweatheart of a brother couldn´t bring it over himself to do that. So instead Gring had carried him to bed, where he awoke half an hour ago, to try and find out what was going on, only to find out, by looking at his alarm clock, that the mall was closed by now. He went to find the others, confronted his brother and had a row with him, for letting him sleep. (Something he´d been grateful for, over the whole month, a little bit of sleep.) Now he was sulking in the room he joined with his brother, sitting on his bed, feet dangling from the edge. What can I do?...Man I´m tired, I think I´m gonna go back to sleep. So he lay down, closed his eyes, snuggled deep into the covers and started to drift off to sleep.

Two hours later red lights went on and the sirens of Drake One roared again. It was some strange energie detection, so they left to investigate.

Encountering the Saurians they fought in a dark alleyway, surrounded by abandoned houses. With the exception of Wildwing, who was currently fighting Dragaunus on his own, meanwhile slowly reaching the edge of the rooftop. With a swift motion he kicked Dragaunus into his stomach, just nearly being missed from a saurianlaserblast while retreating through a door. Whatever Dragaunus had wanted lay cracked in half on the rooftop. Wildwing was pretty sure Dragaunus wouldn´t be able to use it anymore, his suspicion was confirmed when he heard the saurian overlords roar of anger. Rushing down the stairs he tried to get to his team, to help them out.

Somehow the Saurians got the upper hand, so the rest of the team had to back up, because of the added pressure from newly called drones, until they had just the dead end of the street behind them, which ended in a solid wall, not just another alleyway as they had expected after the first view. The fireescapes weren´t in reach anymore and most of the dustbins to hide behind were already toasted. But they held their own pretty well, shooting puck´s at their opponents all the time. Thaking out drone after drone, without backing away anymore.

Wildwing had overlooked the fight below from the rooftop, but couldn´t risk to jump, so he quickened his race towards them.

Out of nowhere Dragaunus appeared in front of him and slammed him through a wall into a columned hall. Stepping through the hole after the duck, he looked around, wanting to take out his anger on the cause of it, but he found nobody to be there. He investigated further, but found the whole level to be void of any ducks. Again he roared in anger and commanded his minions to retreat, so he could shout at them, while thinking of another plan.

Wildwing felt himself slamm into a wall. He heared a crashing sound, assuming one of his bones cracked. Half expecting, half dreading another punch of the saurian, he didn´t even try to move and stand up. He just knew he was far too worn out to stand a chance at a hand to hand combat with the overlord.

Suddenly he felt someone lifting him into a tight embrace, while he could feel the cool nightair rushing around him. He cracked an eye open, to see a black figure, only slightly illuminated from behind with the light of a far streetlamp. He tried to speak, to thank his saviour, but he couldn´t get a word out, while looking into his eyes. Then the movement stopped, he was out of the embrace before he knew it, feeling himself lean against something solid. He passed out soon afterwards.