Seven paced back and forth in front of the plasma spark tower with his arms crossed edgily over his chest, as he waited for Ultraman to arrive. He had sent him a message to meet him there, but didn't give him any explanation as to why, other than that it was very urgent. Seven couldn't help but bring to his utmost attention that it had been two days already and Zero still wasn't back yet. He knew certain errands could take a considerable amount of time, but if that was the case he was sure that Zero would have at least checked in by now. This wasn't like him at all and Seven was becoming sincerely worried. He was starting to wish he had decided to send someone out to look for him sooner, and now he felt like an idiot for not doing so.
"Zero, where are you?" Seven thought to himself as he continued to pace anxiously.
Just as Seven was beginning to mentally curse himself for sending Zero out in the first place, Ultraman then approached and greeted his friend.
"Hello, Seven. You said you wanted to talk to me about something?," Ultraman asked just before seeing the look of distress planted on Seven's face. This immediately struck him as odd, since Seven was always one for keeping a calm exterior.
"Is something wrong, Seven?"
"Maybe, but I'm not sure," Seven said in the calmest voice he produce.
"Well, what is it?" Ultraman asked with concern, "I can tell your upset about something."
"To be honest, I am," Seven admitted "It hast to do with that problem we discovered in sector 9 the other day."
"You mean where we exposed abnormal levels of gamma radiation?" Ultraman asked.
"Yes, you see two days ago I -" Seven started.
"What, do you mean the readings on the scanners have gone up again?" Ultraman now sounded serious "If that's the case, anything in the same vicinity could be terribly affected. We should go report this to Ultra Father before it gets worse."
"No!" Seven said forcefully, taking Ultraman by surprise. "It's not that."
Ultraman paused a moment, slightly perplexed, as he waited for seven to continue in his obviously stressed state of mind.
"It's just that ...," Seven had a hard time continuing, "I sent Zero to go check up on the whole situation."
Ultraman was puzzled as to why this would be a problem, but decided it best not to interrupt, and allowed him to go on.
"But, it's been two whole days now, and I haven't heard anything from him. There hasn't been any S.O.S signal, but I still can't help but feel that something is wrong," Seven said knowing his anxiety was clearly visible.
"You mean you haven't heard anything?" Ultraman sounded alarmed by this.
"No, and I don't know what could have happened."
"Do you suppose he ran into some sort of trouble," Ultraman suggested.
"I'm afraid he must have. There's no other explanation," Seven stated remorsefully.
"Do you have any idea what could have happened?"
"No, but I know one thing, we have to begin a search for him right away. Waiting any longer could have unpredictable consequences. I'll go myself if I have to," Seven said sounding very determined.
"You can't go now Seven," Ultraman stated, not wanting to rebuke him, but having no other choice he continued, "You need to stay to help straighten out the whole situation with Ultra Father concerning that transmission we received from Salamandria. He read the reports, but since they were seemingly lacking in detail, he was planning to bring them up in the conference an hour from now. And since, you were there he specifically requested your presence."
"But I can't just stand by and do nothing, when Zeros in the middle of who knows what, right now!" Seven objected. "We have to send someone to locate him."
"And we will," Ultraman assured him.
"Then, who?" Seven questioned. " It hast to be someone with enough experience, considering we have no idea as to what the situation is, and how dangerous it could be," Seven said, knowing that no matter how worried he was about his own son, he still couldn't mindlessly send someone out completely blind, and end up creating a second victim.
"I know what you mean, but you don't need to worry. I've got the perfect ones for this job," Ultraman confidently affirmed.
"Ones?"
Location: Salamandria
Nephthys conceitedly gazed into her vanity mirror as she prepared to initiate the next phase of her sinister plan. Step by step, she carefully applied her facial makeup, from everything to face powder, to eye shadow, creating the most alluring appearance she could muster. She wore a long black silk dress that clung tightly and opened up half way down her back, and was opened down the sides of both her legs. Nearly anyone would perceive her to be a stunning beauty. But what this beauty had in store for her victim was not so pretty.
Once she had completed her full apparel, she proceeded to her final aesthetic appliance. Her lipstick.
She reached for the small bottle of potion she placed on her table and with care pulled out the tiny cork covering it. As soon as she did, a bewitching fragrance seemed to drift into the air, which only further intrigued her. She then dipped a slender makeup brush into the liquefied potion, and then lifting it up to her face, elegantly applied it to her lips. Once settled, the potion created an unusually luscious and mystifyingly velvet color. "Perfect," she thought as she resealed the bottle and hid it from view.
"Guard!" she called from within her room.
Immediately she got a response from the soldier that had been posted right outside her door.
"Yes, your highness?"
"Is the Ultra still completely sedated?" she asked while still sitting at her vanity table.
"I think he has begun to regain partial consciousness again, but he's still very lethargic," he replied.
"Is he able to stand?" she unexpectedly inquired.
"Uh, perhaps, but-" the guard began.
"Good. Have him delivered to my chambers at once," she swiftly insisted, catching the soldier off guard.
"What?! But your majesty that wouldn't be-"
"Do as I say!" she commanded. "Just be sure he is properly restrained so as to avoid any further mishaps. Is that clear?"
The guard was obviously hesitant, but complied nonetheless and with a bow left to carry out her orders.
The queen stood up and sat punctually on the edge of her oversized bed, and with her hands folded on her lap waited eagerly for them to arrive. After what seemed like hours, a knock finally came to the door. She instantly stood up and with one last quick look in the mirror to check her lipstick, she requested them to enter.
Two guards entered, each supporting a seemingly weak Zero by an arm. The queen stepped aside and gesturing a hand to her bed said, "Sit him down."
The guards looked at each other for a moment, befuddled by this, but then obliged and sat a half conscious Zero on the edge of the queen's bed.
"Leave us," Nephthys ordered them.
"But your majesty it's not safe!" one of the guards objected.
"His hands are restrained aren't they?"
"Yes, but-"
"Then that should suffice. Now leave!" she insisted while pointing towards the opened door.
With a tentative bow, both guards left leaving the two of them completely alone.
Zero appeared somewhat oblivious to what was happening, since some remnant of the drug was still in his system. He merely sat imperceptibly and could barely even keep his head up. He felt extremely apathetic and almost didn't even notice the chains back on his wrists.
Nephthys, happily wanting to take advantage of his present state, wasted little time to advance in her plot. So with great intimacy, she swayed her way over to her partly anesthetized victim. She then without hesitation, reached out and caressed the side of his face to see if he would respond. This sudden contact instantly caught Zero's attention and with significant effort, caused him to look up.
Even in his rather unperceptive state, he was at once able to distinguish his wicked captor. He then groaned in abhorrence as he attempted to evade her touch, but was scarcely able to do so in his condition.
"What do you want from me?" he angrily mumbled under his breath.
She simply smiled at this, knowing he was completely at her mercy.
"What do you think I want?" she asked as she proceeded to run a hand down his chest. She rather enjoyed watching him trying to pull away, only because she knew that soon this would no longer be the case. "Pretty soon I'm sure you will have a change of heart," she further taunted him.
"And what makes you think so?!" he spat as he continued to refuse her flirtatious intentions.
This was the moment she had been waiting for, so she quickly took the opportunity. Bending down to meet him at eye level, she gripped the sides of his face with her hands, and before making another move said, "Now let's see if this does the trick, shall we?"
Then without giving him a chance to respond she hastily closed the distance between them, and pressed a forceful kiss to his mouth with her potion induced lips.