Ch. 7 The Last Straw

Two or three weeks went by since the last attack from the Backdraft group and the team was making the best of the break. Jamie and Alisa spent nearly every waking moment together, when Alisa wasn't at Toros base Jamie was at Striker base. Bit and Leena spent quiet a lot of time together as well, Mike and Mallory spent most days working on their Zoids together.

Bit, Leena, Jamie and Alisa went to a movie to in a nearby city, and Mike and Mallory joined them later in the day for dinner, turning the whole day into a triple date of sorts.

"Well, I'm going to the Ladies room before we head back to the base," Leena said as she stood and headed that way,

"I think I should too, Alisa why don't you go to so we don't have to stop on the way back," Mallory said.

"Yeah, right behind you," Alisa said as she went with the other two ladies.

"Why do they always seem to go together like that," Jamie asked quietly.

"Who knows," Mike said as Bit shrugged.

Ten minutes passed and the ladies had yet to return so Bit, being the married one, went to check on his wife.

"They're not there," Bit said panting from having run back to the table.

Mike and Jamie jumped up from the table and all three headed for the Zoids as fast as their feet would carry them.

"Jamie, fly over head and see if you spot them, start at diner and head out from there. Mike, you get to a high spot and see if you can spot anything fishy," Bit ordered as he jumped in the Liger Zero.

Jamie flew out fast as he could without breaking the sound barrier. Mike took off to the highest point in the city and started looking. Bit got on the Com Link with Doc Toros and Eric and told them to get to the city as fast as the Whale King could carry them. When the Whale King got there they also had the Red Comets team, with Eric, David and Barrett on board.

"David, go north, Barrett head east, Brad head to the west, everyone else fill in the holes," Bit said as he flew through the small crowd of Zoids.

Two hours went by as the teams all searched for anything they could find, and they hadn't found anything yet.

"All teams meet up at Toros base, we'll discuss what we need to do next," Bit said as he turned the Liger back towards the base, Doc Toros had come by the hanger where Leena and Alisa's Gunsnipers and Mallory's Shield Liger were stowed and loaded them all into the Whale King with Eric's help.

"Jamie and Mike are out of communications range they headed off to the North West to check something they spotted on the horizon," David said as he turned his Konig Wolf towards the North West, to catch other two.

"Those two are in a bad way, catch them as quick as you can, they might try and do something very stupid," Bit said as he too turned the Liger towards the North West.

"All Zoid teams head for Toros Base, David and I will catch them faster than anyone else here," Bit ordered yet again to be sure no one tried to help them.

A some what comedic "Yes Sir" was all he got back from the group.

"Jamie have you got them yet?" Mike asked while running as fast as he could just trying to keep up with the young pilot.

"Yeah, they're right in front of us, see if you can get anyone on the com link and tell them where to head," Wild Eagle said as he pushed the Raynos just a little bit harder.

"This is Mike Devil calling any of the Zoid teams requested to help, can you hear me," Mike got nothing but static, "Jamie I think we are out of range, we should head back, I have got to stop, Shadow is starting to overheat," Mike half yelled through the com link.

"Alright I know where they're headed now, I'm pulling back now," Jamie said as he turned the Raynos around and headed back in the direction of the rest of the teams.

"Jamie, Mike did you find something," Bit called out as he spotted the two heading back towards the city at a snail's pace.

"Yeah we know where they're headed so we can gather the others and get them here," Jamie said.

"No way we need to get back so Shadow can cool his systems and I can't do anything until then," Mike said as he limped Shadow towards the base, Jamie flew ahead to inform the others what had happened.

It took almost two hours for the two Konig Wolves and the Liger zero to get back to Toros base. There they found way more Zoids than had helped in the search for the ladies. The three Dibison of the Stampede team and the four Gunsnipers from the Flame Tails as well as the entire Champ team, Harry's Dark Horn, Benjamin's Stealth Viper, and Sebastian's Heldigunner, had arrived at the base to discuss what to do next.

When the three men got into the base they saw Doc sitting with Jamie and thirteen other pilots. David pointed out who they were to Mike and Bit who both seemed at a total loss.

"That's Mark Hammer, Dennis Rider, and Harman Tenson, they make up the Stampede team, the Dibisons outside belong to them, and you should know the Flame Tails team and Harry and his bots," the black haired man whispered to make sure not to draw attention from the chat. The phone rang and Doc hit the button to answer it.

"Hello this is Toros base," He said with an exhausted tone.

"Doctor Toros are Bit Cloud, Jamie Hemeros, and Mike Devil there?" the voice on the other end asked.

"I know that voice," Eric said quietly before bringing up the video call system, "Yeah Ryyft they're here."

"What have you done with my daughter?!" Doc asked loudly as Mike and David held the now enraged Doc to keep him from attacking the screen.

"We, the Backdraft group, have your daughter along with the girlfriends of Mike and Jamie there," Bear said after he steeled his nerves from Doc's sudden outburst. "We will give them back unharmed if you three agree to stay out of the way of the Backdraft Group, We expect an answer within 48 hours, this will give you time to think over your decision," the silver haired man finished with a tone cold as ice.

"Ryyft your fight is with me and you know that, so why take them?" Eric, still the only one to call him by his birth name, asked with a low growl in his throat.

"This has nothing to do with you this time, this is a Backdraft order," Bear said as he ended the call with a laugh.

"Well we've got 48 hours to get the girls back, lets load up the Whale King and head for the base, we can take them by surprise and get them back quickly," Mike said and the others agreed.

"NO… what we need to do is get everyone together, tell the ZBC and get their help in this," the Blitz team strategist said making everyone stare at him. 'Maybe I shouldn't have said that so loud, oh well too late now,' Jamie thought as he scratched the back of his head.

"I agree with Jamie," Bit said even though he looked ready to kill someone.

"Same here, we need more of a plan then jumping in head first without looking," Leon said while Doc nodded his head, and walked towards the phone.

"Hello Steven, it's been a while since you called me," the Director of the ZBC said as his face appeared on the screen, "Have you got a plan for taking out the Backdraft this time or what?"

"Yes we have a team together, but no official plan, but we only have 48 hours to organize and put it into play," Toros said.

"Why the rush?" the Director asked.

"They have Leena and two others who are very close to my team," Toros said trying his best to hide the anger he felt.

"We've got your back whatever you decide to do Steven," the Gentlemen said also trying to hide his anger.

"Thank you, We know where they are and can be at Mount Iselina in two and a half hours once the Zoids are loaded," Toros said as he walked away to help in planning with the video phone still on to include the ZBC in the planning.

After two hours of planning, and three more of getting things put in place on the ZBC's part, the Zoid teams were ready to roll out of Toros base.

"The Stampede team will use their Megalow Max, to draw out the enemy, the Flame Tails will already be in prime sniping positions along with Naomi when that happens, Bit, Mike and Jamie will then enter the base at the southern entrance." Doc stated to the whole group of them now gathered in the Whale King hanger and headed for the Backdraft base, "Then when they have the girls they will exit through the same place, the remaining members of the Shadow Blitz team will cover their exit along with Harry, after that the ZBC will take over giving orders when needed, get to your Zoids we are nearly there," he finished with his briefing he stepped of the podium and wished each pilot the best of luck.

After another half hour they arrived at the base unnoticed, and started to deploy the teams. The Flame Tails already had a few places picked out and were in place with Naomi within minutes of touch down. The Stampede team was walking their way towards the bases main entrance while Jamie, Bit, and Mike headed around to the southern entrance.

"We're in place, and ready when you are," Jamie said climbing out of his Raynos and readying himself for a long run.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Mike asked him seeing the nervous look on Jamie's face.

"Yeah, and when it's over I plan to marry her so I don't regret never having tried," the spiky black haired young man said with a fire in his eyes that let both the older men know he was ready for anything.

"Stampede Team hit the guard towers only we don't know where the girls are in the base, and that should be enough to get their attention," Jamie said through a hand held radio.

"You got it," Mark said as he charged the Megalow Max and took aim at one of three guard towers. "Let's hit it boys," He yelled as he let loose his Megalow Max.

This attack out of the blue definitely got the Backdraft's attention as they scrambled out of the base.

"Flame Tails start taking out whatever you can," Mark said as he and the Stampede team started to unload on their opponents.

"You guys head in now, we got the outside covered," Naomi said from her tail gun while firing off a round. The Shadow Fox and Blade Ligers along with Harry's Dark Horn, Sebastian's Heldigunner and Benjamin's Stealth Viper were all roaming the field taking out whatever got in their way, the same for the two Konig Wolves of the Shadow Blitz team.

"Alright lets go," Wild Eagle said as he started into a dead run for the southern entrance followed closely by his two blonde haired partners.