.Chapter three.
Later that day, the All Stars were out training in one of the nearby fields; being adored by the single female populace of the nearby village and surrounding farms and Cloak was becoming far too clingy for his own good.
"Cloak, I'm only going to say this once more: personal space," I said, as I felt him press up against me.
"Cal, I don't want to lose you," he said; I could hear in his voice that he was getting tetchy.
"I know, but could I just have an inch; just an inch of personal space?"
With a low grumble and a reluctant wrinkle of his nose he stepped away; exactly an inch.
"Thank you," I said.
He just snorted irritably as he looked away at the surrounding fields. We were standing on the porch of his parents' house, keeping an eye out for the All Stars who would no doubt return tired and in need of re-hydrating.
"Relax hey. Everything will be fine," I said, taking his hand in mine.
He snorted amusedly before replying, "You're such an optimist."
"Thank you."
I caught him smiling slightly out of the corner of my eye.
"Hey, for all we know, Zanramon doesn't even know that I'm here," I said.
"He may not know now, but… give his spies a day or two, baby. You know that he only hires the best."
"Oh, why, thank you for the compliment."
"Huh?"
"Unless you've forgotten, Handsome; I was his secretary for a little while."
"Oh yes. That's right. That's where he met you isn't it?"
"Well, re-met. He 'met' me when he and Mozar captured me originally."
"Right… shows how well my memory's working."
"A lot has happened between now and then, Cloak. I don't expect you to remember everything."
"No, not everything, but… at least ninety-nine percent of you: what you've told me about yourself, our times together, etcetera."
I smiled compassionately up at him and he smiled down at me.
"You are too sweet; you know that?" I asked, squeezing his hand slightly.
"I know," he replied, returning the gesture.
The pair of us just chuckled at the statement and returned our attention to watching out for the All Stars.
As day turned to night, I was relieved to see the end of it. Cloak twitched and flinched at the slightest of sounds; I hated seeing him like this, but… I understood his nervousness as well.
"You can't very well follow me in here, Cloak," I said, as I entered the bathroom to wash up.
He snorted irritably before replying, "I know. Just be careful."
"I will be, but I highly doubt that there will be any of Zanramon's 'agents' waiting to whisk me away from you in here."
With that I closed the door and made my way over to the bath. I had already run the water so all that was left was to get in. I was just about to take my top off when…
"I would prefer it if you didn't do that," said a voice from behind me.
I froze.
"Turn around slowly. No fast moves."
I put my hands up and turned to face my 'visitor'; he was another Triceraton. Dark in colour, slender build, wearing a black stealth suit and holding a nicely sized laser blaster.
"Zanramon's crony I'm guessing," I said, looking him over.
"You got it." He slid from his perch atop the laundry basket onto the floor and began to walk towards me; keeping the blaster aimed at me the whole time.
"Now," he started, "You are going to keep quiet and follow every order I give you. Understood?"
"If I don't?"
"Zanramon'll be very very unhappy with me for blowing away the love of his life, but maybe he'll go lightly seeing as no one else can have you either."
I just nodded understandingly.
"Let's go," the Triceraton said, gesturing with his blaster at the window.
"You're not serious," I said, looking at the tiny window.
"Uh-uh. What did I say about keeping quiet?"
I rolled my eyes, as he walked towards the window and quietly opened it.
"Ladies first," he said, bowing slightly and gesturing towards the open window mockingly.
I narrowed my eyes at him, but complied with the order.
Just before I was out of the window he said, "Don't even think about making a run for it, cutie."
"Why not?" I asked, looking at him over my shoulder and trying to be as much of a pain as I could.
"I'm why," came a voice from in front of me.
I looked forward and found myself staring into the eyes of another, larger Triceraton.
"Whoa! Touch and Go in Triceraton form," I said.
He raised a brow ridge at me.
"The boss wants this one why?" he asked, looking at his partner.
He shrugged and replied, "Maybe he likes the odd ones."
"Yeah, that's why he hired you two," I quipped in.
They both frowned irritably at me.
"Get her out of there," the slender Triceraton said.
I couldn't even get a word in before the larger one had pulled me out of the window and was holding me under his arm like a sack of potatoes.
"Hey, hey, hey, easy," I reprimanded the larger of the two.
The slender Triceraton slid out of the window and then said, "Let's go before her boyfriend catches us."
The larger one nodded and then the pair took off towards their small fighter craft that was behind the house.
Once aboard, I was put into a holding cell at the back of the craft while my two captors manned the flight controls; deja vu or what! It wasn't long before we docked into a larger cruiser that was 'parked' just above the atmosphere of the planet.
After releasing me from the holding cell, my two captors led me down the ramp of their fighter, onto the floor of the docking bay and then down a long corridor.
"In here," the slender Triceraton said, opening a door.
I gave him a disdainful look, but then complied with the order. As soon as I was in the door closed behind me, but I continued to walk down the short corridor unperturbed by the door. The room at the end of the corridor was dimly lit; the corridor itself wasn't lit at all. I could see a sofa of sorts against the far wall of the room and I had a good idea what was waiting for me when I reached it.
"So nice to see you again, my dear," said an all too familiar voice as I entered the room from the corridor.
I looked to my right and saw none other than the Triceraton Prime Leader sitting smugly on the far side of the sofa.
"Zanramon," I said coldly, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Nice to see you remember me as well."
"You're a little bit difficult to forget." I was so-o hoping the 'little' remark would create some kind of disliking in him, but, unfortunately, he didn't seem bothered by it.
"Come have a seat will you?" he asked, patting the space next to him.
"I would rather stand thank you," I replied, making sure I was at my full height.
He just smiled to himself.
"Funny. I don't recall you being this stubborn back when I first met you," he said.
"I was your employee; I had no choice but to behave myself. I assure you that I am as stubborn as they come, Zanramon; and then some," I replied.
He just smiled the annoyingly smug smile of his again. During the silence I was trying to figure out how to get out of here or how I could contact Cloak without Zanramon knowing. Zanramon looked like he was about to say something, but a 'donk' from above us cut him off. He quickly pressed an intercom button that was on the armrest of the sofa.
"See what that was," he said.
"We're on it, sir," came the quick reply.
"Your little friend had better not try anything, my dear; my men have been instructed to destroy him on sight if he makes it so much as within a kilometre of my cruiser."
Suddenly, through the ventilation system of the ship, thick greyish-green smoke began to pour in.
"What in blazes?" Zanramon exclaimed, quickly standing up from his chair.
It wasn't long before the room was filled with smoke and the pair of us were rendered semi-helpless due to our coughing and spluttering.