On board the Condor, now racing across Atmos's open skies, everyone had gathered on the bridge.
"This isn't your problem" Ace continued to stress as they all, apart from Stork who was at the ship's controls, sat round the central table.
"People are in trouble and it's our duty to help" Aerrow said firmly, voicing everyone's insistence on accompanying him to Terra Greenfield.
"What do you think the emergency is?" Starling, who had also volunteered to stay and help, asked. Ace could only shrug.
"I don't know, but if Spencer's disappeared it's bad" He said, sounding very worried.
"Who is Spencer, how do you know him?" Piper asked.
"Well, years ago the old Storm Hawks use to know him quite well as he was always exploring ancient cities and legends and we helped him when the problems in Atmos quietened, we even stayed at his mansion every so often" Ace explained.
"Mansion, why didn't you say before!" Finn, who had been in a mood because of the shortened break, exclaimed, having instantly cheered up.
"Finn!" Piper immediately scolded as Ace placed a photo he had found onto the table.
"I'm just concerned about Molly, Spencer's daughter, Skyler would have said in his message if she was ok, I hope she's not gone missing too" He said, looking down at the photo which showed a medium built man with short grey hair holding a girl no older than seven or eight with dark blond hair and bright blue eyes. "He sent me this a few months ago, Molly's mother died when she was a baby and now with Spencer gone.." Ace said as he trailed off.
"We'll find them and stop whatever has done this" Aerrow reassured.
"As long as whatever made him vanish doesn't get us" Stork moaned over his shoulder.
It didn't take them long to find the small Terra and, as they prepared to approach and land, they got their first view of it. Though small, Terra Greenfield was know right across Atmos as a popular beauty spot, attracting hundreds of people each summer to it's lush forests and parks, all surrounded by fields of sunflowers.
With it's landing gear landing gently on the grass, the Condor's ramp then lowered as everyone rode their rides out before stopping to check their maps.
"Why do I need to come I'm better on the ship" Stork complained, having no skimmer of his own, he was sharing Junko's.
"Because we don't know what were dealing with yet" Aerrow replied, smiling at his pilot's excessive paranoia before turning to Piper, who had her map out. "Where do we need to go?" He asked.
"According to this, Spencer's mansion is just over that hill" She replied, indicating a sloping hill a short distance away.
When they reached the top of the hill, however, they got more information about the emergency than a map, photograph or message could ever tell them as they all gasped in horror at the sight. In front of them was a indeed view of the town as the map showed, but, unseen from the air due to the the surrounding hills and forest, just beyond that the greenery had been replaced by a low mist and a strange ice blue surface which seemed to be coming from and what could only be described as a huge crystal flower with two huge points sticking out.
"Please don't tell me that thing is blocking the mansion" Stork said as they all stared at the sight.
"That thing is the mansion" Ace said quietly.
"What happened to it?" Junko asked, voicing what everyone was thinking.
"I don't know but its spreading" Piper said, having brought out he binoculars, as she passed them to Aerrow.
"She's right and its moving fast" He said as he looked through the lenses and saw more and more of the greenery get taken over by the strange surface and mist. "Come on, were best finding Skyler" He added before they all set off towards the town.
Within the strange structure, in what was once the dinning room, the Unknown had formed into a large ball shape, circling and facing inwards as they continued to turn more and more of the greenery outside into frozen crystal.
Having stopped at the first building they could, a small inn, the Stork Hawks and Starling parked their rides and entered to find a warm, slightly smoky but cosy and welcoming room with a few customers sitting in small clusters and a innkeeper, who was standing behind the bar.
"Are you sure we can find out where Skyler is here?" Stork asked in a whisper as they all glanced around the room.
"It's as good a place as any, besides I don't want to get any closer to that thing before we know more" Aerrow said indicating the view of the large structure visible through a window.
As it turned out the innkeeper, an elderly looking man with greying brown hair, did know where to find Skyler.
"You're in luck, he's in the garden going over some old research" He said, nodding in the direction of a back door. "It's very odd though, what's happening to Spencer's place" He added, speaking almost to himself.
"Thank you" Piper thanked quickly as they all headed out through the door which lead out into a small garden with a clear view of the town. Skyler was sat on one of the tables, surrounded by stacks of papers and books, looking exhausted from lack of sleep and worry.
"Skyler!" Ace called as they walked over, causing Skyler to look up and smile for the first time since the problem had started.
"Ace, thank the Atmos your here!" He said, greeting him like an old friend before looking towards the others. "I'm guessing your Lance's son?" He asked Aerrow, who nodded.
"Aerrow" He introduced as Skyler nodded.
"So, I take it the rest of you must be the new Storm Hawks?" He asked.
"Except me, Sky Knight Starling" Starling introduced before the other Storm Hawks also introduced themselves.
Once they were all introduced talk quickly turned to the problem in hand.
"What's going on?" Ace asked, causing Skyler to look defeated again before he rapidly explained all that had happened, starting with Spencer's disappearance.
"So these Unknown did all this, how?" Piper asked after Skyler had finished.
"I don't know, they're not even meant to exist" Skyler said with a shrug.
"So Molly's with them, inside the mansion?" Junko asked. Numbly Skyler nodded.
"Last time I saw her she was surrounded by them, I doubt she even knows how dangerous they are or what they've done" He said, looking lost. But Aerrow had already made up his mind.
"We've got to get in there and fast" He said, looking towards the looming structure.