Chapter 7

Something was wrong. I gasped, sitting up, staring into the fire...

But it was only a small campfire. I was in a cave, seated on a blanket, with Mako, Ryu and Jinpei beside me. My helmet felt tight, as if my head was swollen. I groaned. realizing that I had likely suffered from a concussion.

A strange man stood next to my position. He wore a long, black cloak, and a brown hawk sat upon his shoulder. The man's rough beard gave him a gruff, defiant air.

"Aniki!" Jinpei cried.

"You're awake!" Ryu observed.

"What happened?" I asked, rubbing my head.

"The Galactor base was destroyed." Mako replied. "After the control center exploded, the missile detonated in place, since it wasn't fired. There wasn't much for us to do after that… except look for you."

"Me?" I asked, still confused.

"It was a close call." the strange man said. "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have survived."

"Huh?" Who was this strange man? Had he… saved me, somehow? "You were the one who helped me?"

"That's right." the man acknowledged. "I was very surprised when I saw your airplane crash."

"He said that you almost burned to death!" Jinpei added.

I thought about what I had seen in the plane… what I had heard. It hadn't been Joe, after all. It had all been a figment of my imagination.

"Be vigilant, Gatchaman." the strange man warned. "Galactor will attack the Earth once again with their powerful technology."

"What do you know of Galactor?" I asked suspiciously.

"I am a scientist who used to work for Galactor." the man admitted. "My name is Dr. Raphael. My tale is a long and tedious one. Suffice to say that I have more than enough reason to hate Galactor. Through my studies, I learned that a suspicious object came to Earth some time ago. I have been looking into it ever since. The disappearance of the transport plane on this island was too coincidental to ignore, and so I came here to investigate." The hawk on the man's shoulder fluttered its wings, leaning down to preen itself. When it pulled its head up again, it held a large white feather in its beak.

Dr. Raphael held the feather aloft, and in the shadows created by the campfire, he appeared familiar… the hawk on his shoulder created a curving beak in front of the shadow's face, and instantly I realized whom it was that we had mistaken for Joe.

Dr. Raphael threw the feather, landing it straight and true on a vine climbing up the cave wall.

"I thought you were Joe…" Jinpei bowed his head. But even as the Swallow admitted his error, I noticed that the bird feather, while straight, was hardly powerful enough to pierce a man's skin… certainly not enough to kill with one blow, the way the false Getz had died.

Raphael wasn't telling us the whole truth. Yet I understood that it would be more prudent to pretend to accept his words at face value. There was no point in letting this man know that we were onto him. In any case, there was no time to do so, as he turned to leave.

"Farewell, Gatchaman." he chuckled softly as he left the cave, his hawk now resting on his arm.

88888

As we flew back to G-Town in the New God Phoenix, Dr. Nambu contacted us, congratulating the Team on its first successful mission. My cheeks burned with shame. It had hardly been 'successful'. We had not determined that 'Getz' had been an imposter until it had been too late. Mako, Ryu and Jinpei would have been killed by the hand statue, if not for the mysterious explosive device. And I easily could have died as a result of my own careless actions. Hakase was putting a good face on things, but I knew that we had survived only through sheer luck.

"Hakase, we weren't able to rescue the people missing from the transport vessel." I reminded him of yet another failure. "I am sorry."

"It is likely that they had already been taken from the island before you arrived." Dr. Nambu admitted. "We have been receiving more reports of people being brainwashed and forced to work for Galactor."

I nodded, not feeling any better for knowing this information.

"The body of the real Getz was uncovered in a Sao Paulo hotel." the Doctor went on. "I'm sorry, Mako, but DNA analysis has confirmed his identity."

"Sao Paulo… we were there only two days ago…" Mako's voice trembled. "I went out for an hour, to gather supplies… he was there when I returned. But…"

"Yes, we suspect that is when the imposter Getz took his place." Dr. Nambu confirmed. "Galactor has now shown their hand to us, and we know that this is just the beginning. We cannot afford to underestimate them." The Doctor stared intently at us, and I sensed that there was far more to his words than their surface meaning. I was proven right when we docked at G-Town, only to be met by Dr. Nambu and a number of ISO Security personnel.

"Mako, I would like you to come with me." the Doctor said.

"Am I being arrested?" she asked coolly, her steady gaze taking in the reality of her situation.

"We need to debrief you privately." Dr. Nambu stated, his tone completely neutral. However I noticed that the Doctor hadn't answered her question.

"I don't think that's fair." I interrupted. "If you're going to question Mako's allegiances, then you'll need to hear what we have to say. 'Getz' may have been an imposter, but Mako worked well with the Team, despite her personal grief over this incident. Her assistance to the Team on this mission was invaluable."

"Yeah, she was a big help." Ryu agreed. "We couldn't have made it out of the temple if she hadn't been working with us. Mako had plenty of opportunities to hurt us, if that's what she wanted."

"She's okay." Jinpei muttered. Given how much he missed his big sister and his emotional distress at seeing 'Joe' again, I knew this to be as big an endorsement as the Swallow could give right now.

"I see." Dr. Nambu frowned. "I suppose the three of you can sit as observers. But I will not condone any interruption of our proceedings. You are not to speak out unless you are directly asked for your opinion."

I looked over at Jinpei and Ryu, assessing their reactions.

"Fair enough." I answered for all of us. Mako stepped forward and was instantly surrounded by guards. Dr. Nambu escorted her down the hallway and through a series of doors, bringing her to a secure interrogation area. He motioned to a seat in the middle of the room and she sat down, not displaying the least sign of fear. Rather, Mako appeared cool and reserved, despite her obvious anger. I realized with a start that her behavior reminded me of Joe.

Jinpei, Ryu and I sat in chairs at the side of the room, doing our best not to show any emotion. Given the severe security breach that the imposter Getz had created, I completely understood why Dr. Nambu was suspicious of Mako as well, yet something in me wanted to trust her. I had instantly disliked Getz, but Mako was someone I had respected, first as she had apologized for 'Getz's' behavior, and then later as she had stuck by Jinpei and Ryu, in the face of a personal disaster that had taken her completely by surprise.

Of course, it could simply be that she was an excellent actress… hell, Berg Katse had been the master of disguise and acting. But that was the purpose of this 'debriefing': to determine if Mako truly was who she claimed to be. Silently we observed as Dr. Nambu took a blood sample from Mako's arm. When this procedure had been completed, the Doctor sat down and looked calmly at Mako

"Mako, please describe your journey with Getz, from the moment you first left the Folkland Islands, until the moment you arrived at G-Town." Dr. Nambu began.

Mako began to speak, detailing every moment of her journey, stopping only to answer questions posed by Dr. Nambu as she related her tale. Jinpei, Ryu and I said nothing, but merely absorbed the information as it was brought forth. Mako's face revealed no emotion, and it seemed as if she had purposely suppressed all feelings in order to endure this grilling interview. My opinion of Mako began to rise as I watched her undergo Dr. Nambu's interrogation, remaining calm despite the emotionally charged memories she was being forced to relive.

In a way, I was embarrassed to bear witness to the intimate details of Mako's personal life (and her last moments) with Getz, yet a larger part of me appreciated this opportunity to see her not just as an ISO operative, but also as a person. I recognized that this knowledge would assist me in finding a better fit for her within the Science Ninja Team. With a start, I realized that I already thought of her as a comrade. It was then that I knew that I had heard enough to make up my own mind as to Mako's loyalties.

Other than a half hour break for dinner, the 'debriefing' carried on late into the evening, and when it had finished, Dr. Nambu insisted that Mako spend the night in a 'secure room', until her DNA analysis was complete.

"You mean a 'cell', don't you?" she asked, her face still completely without expression.

"We don't want there to be any questions about your motives." Dr. Nambu replied. "I would appreciate it if you would cooperate. It would make things easier."

"I understand." Mako nodded shortly, her eyes distant. "I don't like it, but I can see why you need to make sure of me. But you don't have to worry. I'm going to exterminate those bastards who killed Getz. You can count on that."

A dark shadow crept across my soul as I realized that Mako had a lot more in common with Joe than I had ever realized.

88888

None of us ever mentioned it to each other, but I was aware that Jinpei and Ryu visited Mako during the night, keeping her company from the other side of her 'secure' door, letting her know that she was not alone. I could tell that the harsh interrogation conducted by Dr. Nambu had unconsciously elicited their sympathy, and in itself had done more to make her 'one of us' than Hakase could have imagined. For my part, I arrived at 0400, only to find Ryu asleep outside of Mako's cell.

"Go to bed." I whispered, shaking him awake. "I'll stay."

"Thanks, Ken." he yawned, pulling himself to a stand and lumbering groggily down the hall to his quarters. I settled myself down on the floor, keeping an ear on the door, in case Mako wanted to talk. For perhaps half an hour, there was silence, and then I heard a voice.

"Ryu?"

"Ryu's gone. I'm here now." I told her.

"Ken?" Mako sounded surprised. "I didn't expect you to… be here."

"Why not?" I shrugged. "You're on my Team. I know it can't be pleasant for you being under the microscope like this. But I'll do my best to make sure that your name is cleared tomorrow."

"You're that sure of me, then?" she asked.

"I know what I observed yesterday." I told her. "I'm not sure how much Hakase told you, but I'm able to see what goes on from the New God Phoenix. I know how difficult it was for you to find out what happened to Getz. And even so, you stuck by Jinpei and Ryu. That kind of loyalty means a lot to me."

"Your loyalty means a lot to me." Mako whispered in a trembling voice. "No one but Getz ever… well, you, Jinpei and Ryu have treated me more decently than most people I've encountered."

"You mean the ISO didn't…?" I began to ask, but Mako interrupted my question.

"I was a street rat." she laughed, but there was no humor in the sound. "I picked Getz for an easy mark: someone whose wallet I could take, and be far away before he even knew it was missing. But he saw through me… in more ways than one. He knew I was starving, and he took me in. He fed me, but he also opened up a place for me… no one had ever done that before. He's the one who brought me to the ISO and saw me through my training. And when I earned my agent designation, he and I were teamed together. I never thought we'd ever be separated, and certainly not like this…" Her voice caught in a sob, and she stopped speaking for a few moments.

"He's the only person who ever gave a damn about me." Mako said. "That is… until you three spoke up for me today."

"We didn't say anything that wasn't true." I reminded her.

"Still, it's more than most other people would have done." she insisted. "I won't forget it."

"I just hope we can get you out of there quickly." I told Mako. "We need you. I'd like to get you involved in our training sessions, so we can better coordinate fighting techniques. And it looks like you were struggling a bit with the Auto Swan. Your file says you're good with motorcycles, but I know this one is different."

"I'm used to a Harley." she admitted. "This Auto Swan is powerful, but it needs a lighter touch. And of course, it's capable of a lot more."

"You'll be fine; you just need the practice." I assured her. "We all did, when we got our new weapons and machines."

"How long have you been preparing for this… for Galactor's return?" Mako asked.

"Nine months ago I barely wanted to get out of bed and face the world." I admitted. "But Dr. Nambu explained to us what was happening, and since then it's been nothing but intensive training every day."

"Why didn't you want to get out of bed?" Mako asked.

"It took me a long time to cope with our losses from the first war." I explained. "But eventually I learned that to honor the memories of those who were gone, I had to keep fighting… so that their deaths wouldn't be in vain."

"That's how I feel about Getz." Mako agreed. "Like I need to keep fighting, and to remember what he taught me."

"You'll remember." I assured her. "When you lose someone you love, you never forget."

88888

A few hours later, it was Dr. Nambu's turn to find me asleep outside of Mako's door. He awoke me with the news that her DNA test had confirmed her to be the same person who had registered as an ISO agent years ago. He had gone so far as to directly test her blood from the original sample she had provided when she had first applied, and matched it with the sample he had obtained last night, so there could be no doubt.

"I apologize for keeping you here, Mako." he told her. "But I'm sure you understand that knowing that Getz had been compromised, we had to ensure that you were the person we thought you were."

"I understand that Galactor will pay for taking Getz away from me." Mako muttered, her eyes cold. She was still dressed in the Swan Birdstyle, and the expression I saw there was so unlike Jun that I was taken aback by the incongruity of her appearance.

"I believe you have a training session scheduled for 0800?" Dr. Nambu asked me. "You should be able to make it on time. But first, Mako needs to stop by my office."

I knew a dismissal when I heard one. I nodded briefly, walking away as Dr. Nambu led Mako in a different direction. I grabbed a quick breakfast, then headed over to the training gym, where Jinpei and Ryu awaited me. They were already in Birdstyle, and I suspected that like me, they had never detransformed after our mission of the day before.

Mako arrived a moment later, but it took me a few seconds to process this fact. She was wearing a different Birdstyle. It only took me an instant to realize that this was the uniform that Dr. Nambu had designed for Mako all along: red wings, grey dress, black boots and gloves. It had been ready and waiting for her.

Something didn't sit right with me. If Dr. Nambu had her uniform ready, why hadn't he given it to her yesterday, before our mission?

The only answer I could think of was that he hadn't wanted to. Hakase had known. He had known that there was a problem… that either Getz or Mako, or perhaps both, was an imposter.

He had known… and he hadn't told us.

What the hell was going on? A surge of fury rose up in me, but I knew that now was not the time. I would settle this later. And when I did, there would be nothing to stop me from getting the answers I sought.

But for now, I had a training session to run.

Mako worked with us, learning our fighting styles and adapting her own accordingly. She was a good fighter, but definitely below the standard set by her predecessor. When I looked at her, I couldn't help comparing Mako's tight, awkward movements against Jun's flowing grace.

Grimly I pushed the memories of Jun from my mind. No matter how much I wanted her back, she was never going to return. I had to make do with what we had, and to be fair, given that she had never trained as a Science Ninja before, Mako was pretty good raw material.

"All right everyone, cool down." I ordered. "We'll break for lunch." As was our habit, almost in unison, Ryu, Jinpei and I detransformed, shedding our Birdstyles as we readied ourselves for the mundane task of heading to the cafeteria.

Mako hesitated slightly, then followed our lead. In a flash of light, her Birdstyle melted away to reveal a bright red shirt with the number 5 on it, and white pants. Her hair was long and dark, but with a slight greyish cast to it, rather than Jun's dusky emerald highlights. Her grey eyes were piercing as they took us all in. Her gaze encompassed the three of us, falling lastly on me.

"You two are about what I expected." she motioned to Jinpei and Ryu. "But Ken… Wow. No one would ever suspect you of being Gatchaman. Look at you. What are you, some kind of teenybopper pinup?"

Her comment was made plainly, without any hint of judgment or innuendo, but I had to fight to keep my embarrassed blush off of my face.

"It doesn't matter what we look like." I told her. "All that matters is that we defeat Galactor. In any case, I need to go see Dr. Nambu. I'll meet you all in the cafeteria." I left the room before anyone could question me further. It was something of an awkward departure, yet I had spoken truthfully. It was important that I speak with Hakase as soon as possible.

"Ken." the Doctor said, looking up as I entered his office, yet not seeming surprised to see me there. "How are things working out with Mako?"

"She's not up to Jun's standard, of course," I replied, "but I think with some intensive training, she could be, in some areas. Regardless, she's a useful addition to the Team. I just wish she'd arrived earlier, so that we could have had more time to train together."

"She's here now. That's what's important." Dr. Nambu replied, lowering his head back to the papers in front of him. His manner clearly indicated that I was being dismissed, but I purposely failed to acknowledge this silent message.

"You knew, didn't you?"

"I know a lot of things, Ken." the Doctor sighed, regretfully pushing his papers aside and raising his gaze to meet mine. "To what, specifically, are you referring?"

"You knew that Getz was a plant, and you suspected Mako as well." I accused, refusing to play these games any longer. "That's why you gave them Joe's and Jun's old uniforms, instead of their new Birdstyles. And yet you sent them out on a mission with us, and put Getz in charge of the field operation."

Dr. Nambu did not answer, yet neither did he look away. His eyes merely bored into mine, as if he was simply waiting to see if I would have the nerve to say anything more.

"Two days ago, you told me that Galactor was more devious than you had ever given them credit for," I went on, accepting his challenge, "and then you warned me to be careful… you had received a message from this 'source', and he had told you that Galactor had gotten to Getz and Mako, hadn't he?"

"The message stated that Getz had been replaced with a Galactor operative, and Mako's status was unknown." the Doctor admitted. "I wanted to stop 'Getz' in his tracks, but I knew that the information we might possibly glean was too valuable to ignore. If we could let this man think that we had accepted him, then we might be able to catch him off guard, to question him…"

"So you sent us off into a Galactor trap with an imposter in charge?" I raged. "We deserved to know!"

"I didn't want him realizing that we were onto him." the Doctor defended his actions. "If you had known, you wouldn't have been able to hide your true feelings. I never imagined that he would act so quickly. I presumed he would want to take time to uncover classified ISO information."

"You can justify it however you want, Hakase, but the truth is that you sent us to Eastern Island undermanned and underprepared." I accused.

"You all understand the risks associated with being on the Science Ninja Team." Dr. Nambu replied evenly. "I was doing what I thought best at the time. In hindsight, perhaps I should have acted differently."

"You…" I shook with rage, ready to lash out once more. But then my anger drained away. Whether I liked it or not, I recognized that the Doctor's loyalties were split, just as they always had been. He had his duty to us, his foster children, but he also had his duty to the ISO. Like my biological father, Dr. Nambu's loyalty to me was secondary to that other duty.

"Are there any other 'secrets' you're keeping from us?" I asked pointedly.

"No."

We both knew that he was lying.