Well, here goes a new chapter :) One of my favorite chapter in this story. Oh, and. You'll need a song for this chapter. I indicate it in the story where you should start the song' but just so you can get it ready to listen to, I'll let you know here. It's called 'Orchard of Mines' and it is a song from Globus :)

Oh, and btw, my dear Dory. No, they didn't suspect that Lioness might know what Shark was up to. It is more like they suspected that there might be an emotional deal between the two, which might have led Shark leaving the team, and which will obviously make Lioness very unhappy :)

Anyway, with the ongoing chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own A.T.O.M., it belongs to Sip animations and Jetix, and I'm bored of writing this over and over, but oh well ^^

--

'So... That's your style.'

'Garrett, will you please keep your voice down? I'm trying to keep the cool here.'

'Well? Is the device working?'

Shark looks at the little device in his hand, where Garrett's voice is coming ever so slightly, like an alphacom, but a really little one, so little even to the point one can't notice it.

'Like magic.'

'It's called technology.'

Shark rolls his eyes.

'Whatever.'

'So when is the big act?'

'As soon as I can lure them in a trap.'

'What if it will be too late?'

'You are worrying too much.'

At that time, a ringing voice interrupts them.

'Sorry Garrett, gotta go.'

Shark turns off the little alphacom as he pulls his cellphone out. He sighs his boredom.

'What now?'

Magnus's voice, as bored and indifferent as his, reaches through.

'We are going out to have fun. You better come quickly. Daddy is NOT in a good mood.'

'Where are you going? I'm outside.'

'How on earth could you be outside while the whole law enforcement is after you - and us?'

The suspicion in her voice disturbs him, and he frowns.

'I can disguise myself quite successfully, unlike you.'

By the change in her voice, he imagines she is frowning, too.

'Were you talking to someone?'

'No. Do you think I'm left with ANYONE after the event in that government building?'

'You sound upset about that.'

Shark hisses at his sister. 'Never!'

'I. don't. trust. you.'

'Yeah' like I do.'

They don't say anything for a moment.

'We are going to Hotel Silver.'

'Where they will hold a...'

'Top secret meeting. Be there.'

'Gotcha.'

The call ends. After waiting for a good five minutes, Shark turns on his little alphacom again, connecting to Garrett a second time.

'Hotel Silver. I'll be there in ten minutes. Give me twenty minutes before sending the alarm to the team.'

'Gotcha. Shark... Be careful.'

'Don't be late, or I might have to do something bad to cover up there.'

'I won't.'

They end the conversation...

--

(Orchard of Mines - Globus)

Axel enters the living room, carrying a big cardbox in his hands. He sees Lioness, perched on the sofa, her legs crossed, holding her hands in her lap. She looks at him, her expression hard to read.

'Are you finished?'

Axel looks at the box in his hands and, after a second, shrugs.

'These are his stuff. Let's see him coming back and trying to get them.'

Lioness turns her head and says nothing. Axel does the same thing as he continues out to the elevator.

The door of Shark's room is shown. There are lots of cardboxes like the one Axel carried in front of the room, and the door itself is sealed with a huge, X - shaped tape.

Their portrait on the wall is shown. Shark is now missing. They couldn't completely paint him off, it seems more like they just pulled some wallpaper over his side. They had continued the portrait over the wallpaper, which is the original color of the wall behind it. A rather unusual scene, but a good cover up.

There is a general sense in Acquatics. Change. The place has also changed, along with its inhabitants. There is also another, stronger sense.

There will never be another change.

Never another chance.

It is over.

--

Shark meets his father and sister in a deserted area in a back street, near a bar. Because that it is an early time, the bar is also empty. There are a few motorcycles standing in front of the doors, but no big deal.

Magnus scoffs at her little brother as he approaches.

'Yeah - how are you planning to just barge into the hotel? I'm not helping you this time.'

Shark just rolls his eyes and pulls the buttons of his biker shirt open. Magnus looks awed as she sees two sets of hidden gun holders, and two small, but effective looking .38s.

(Do you know the gunholders the police wear on their shoulders? These are those kind of holders. And the .38s... They're just some kind of gun I read about a while ago.)

He raises an eyebrow.

'You were saying?'

Magnus scowls as she turns her back, arms crossed. Shark couldn't help but smirk slightly.

Paine turns towards the building.

'Let's go.'

They start toward the building...

--

- Sir! Sir, you can't just...

The young woman in the lobby gasps as Paine turns to her. He approaches the woman with an evil smirk.

'Excuse me, I think you were in the middle of something. Please continue. What exactly... CAN'T we do?

She doesn't even budge, seeming paralyzed with terror. Paine turns to Magnus and Shark.

'Samantha, guard the doors and prevent any 'help'. Shark... We have a party to crush.'

Shark smirks evilly and he and Paine walks over to the staircase leading down. Magnus makes a face as they disappear, muttering to herself.

'So he's your favorite now?'

--

The hall where the meeting is held.

Some great foreign businessmen are gathered in the small assembly room of the hotel to discuss the economic relationships of their firms and trade, unaware of the fuss going on outside the room.

Suddenly, the sounds of gunshots come from outside the room. Very surprised and frightened, they turn their heads to the door...

... As the door bangs open and Paine and Shark comes in, their guns drawn.

'Do you mind if we join?' Paine asks mockingly.

A brave businessman tries to reach down the heavily polished mahogany table, apparently aiming to push the police call button, which is put there just in case. But Shark has seen it. He quickly jumps onto the table, towering over the man, his drawn gun pointing carefully under the man's chin, pressing slightly.

'Don't make a move... or we will have to make our move.'

The man looks up at him with fear actually written on his face. Another one looks at Paine, even his voice shaking as he speaks.

'What do you want from us?'

Paine takes a chair and sits down, clasping his hands in front of him. A manner which is very like a businessman. A cold irony.

'Just some financial support for our projects. We hope you will give it... willingly.'

They look at Paine and Shark, clearly terrorized by the very presence of the father and son...

--

The Acquatics.

The four are sitting in the living room now, not talking much to each other. A quick glance around the place shows that the cardboxes have been moved away from the door to Shark's room, which now seems very lonely.

A ringing voice suddenly rises over the sounds from the television. Axel takes his cellphone out.

'Garrett? We're listening.'

He pushes a button so the phone is now in conference mood, making the others able to hear Garrett's voice.

'Guys, you better head for Hotel Silver quickly. There was an important finance meeting there and someone pushed the emergency police call. They are on their way.'

'Don't tell me. Paine, Shark and Magnus.' says King.

A moment passes through silence.

'I'm afraid so.' Garrett replies finally.

Axel closes his eyes and sighs.

'Okay, I'm getting really bored of this. Let's go and finish it. Team, gear it up!'

--

Paine gets up, his face showing dismay.

'Okay. This didn't end up in the way I had expected.'

He raises the big gun he is carrying.

'I guess it's time to say goodbye.'

Seeing this, Shark steps in.

'Father, let me deal with them.'

Paine looks at him, a bit suspicious that Shark could do so much as to injure these guys. But then he lowers the gun.

'Don't take too long. We have to go.'

Shark nods curtly. Paine goes outside.

Shark looks down at the man he is still holding the gun to. Seeing this, the man panics.

'You can't kill us! We have family, children! Have mercy!'

Shark rolls his eyes.

'Chill out. I'm not gonna kill you.'

The man looks skeptic as he sighs.

'Yeah, and I'm Santa.'

Shark has no patience for this. He hisses.

'Well, nice to meet you, Santa. Where were you when I wanted that bicycle for my seventh birthday?'

He sighs, gets up and turns his back to the man.

'And you don't have to do that, the police are already on the way.'

The man with whom he is talking to freezes in mid action, surprised that the blond sensed him even with his back to him. One of the other businessman now speaks to Shark, perplexed.

'Who are you? Why are you doing this?'

Shark looks half back at them, kind of a sad look on his face.

'I don't know. I'm just doing what I have to do.'

He turns to the men watching him intently, and shrugs, almost in an innocent way.

'I guess you can think me as a secret agent.'

They blink, these words sounding a bit weird, coming from a young man who was threatening them just a few moments ago. Shark looks at them one by one.

'At least until you hear the police sirens, play dead, or something, I don't know. Because if those other guys so much as to learn that you are still living... this time I can't help you, and you'll never see your families again!'

He couldn't keep the bitterness and harshness away from his voice. He passes his hand through his face, and looks up at the men again.

'This might hurt a little.'

--

Paine smirks as he and Magnus hear the gunshots and moans of pain from the meeting hall...

--

Mr. Victor and some of his men are in a police car, driving to the hotel, followed by at least a dozen of other police cars.

Suddenly, gunshots are heard from the hotel.

Mr. Victor creases his forehead with worry.

'Damn!'

--

Shark gets out of the room, closes the door and walks upstairs, where Paine and Magnus are waiting for him.

'So you did it?' Magnus asks, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

'You had doubt?'

She raises her eyebrows. He shakes his head and sheathes his gun. As the police sirens are begin to be heard.

'Let's go.' Paine says.

They walk out of the doors, leaving a total chaos behind...