Chapter 28: The hunter becomes the hunted

The pirates worked relentlessly to figure out how Bleylock could have survived the kind of blast he had been subjected to with the Multiflux bomb. Even Sonny had wondered how that could be. So had a frightened Clamp. The two former Technoid scientists had worked together, and gathered samples from Bleylock's remains, to conduct the necessary research. Sonny also kept Duke maddox up to speed on things. Off course, his date with Calleigh, had not gone unnoticed. Even Clamp had teased him about it.

«You still got a way with the ladies, eh Sonny?» he laughed.

«Clamp, what are you talking about?» Sonny laughed as he rigged the testtubes to check the results.

«Oh come on Sonny, like you haven't read the frontpage of the newspapers today!» Clamp said and handed it to him.

Sure enough, there was a big photo of him and Calleigh on the dancefloor. The headlines read, «Is there a new, secret romance between Calleigh Mystic and Sonny Blackbones?», and a long article, describing Sonny as how Technoid had protrayed him, and versing todays version of him.

«Never believe what they print Clamp. If it's that important to know, then ask!» he suggested.

«It's not really my place to do so Sonny. It's your life, and last time I checked, you were old enough to make your own decissions».

Sonny giggled.

«That's good to know, I was starting to wonder if I was under somekind of restraint in that respect».

«putting restraints on a pirate, is that possible?» laughed Clamp.

Sonny pretended to think.

«Last time I checked, the answer was no. It's a no do!»

The two friends laughed for a little while more. It felt good to be able to work like this, side by side, like they used to, when they were still working for technoid. Clamp and Sonny vigilantly watched the mix they had, to see what it was that could have made Bleylock survive a seemingly fatal bomb. Before long, Sonny knew the answer.

«Clamp, look!» he exclaimed.

Judging from how the components reacted, Sonny knew what had made it possible.

«The fact that he was halt man, half robot enabled his survival» Sonny stated.

«How Sonny?» Clamp wanted to know.

«The Nano technology connected to the proceedure of fusing his dismembered body after the first fight between him and I, made it possible. Bleylock became a living dead, but not an undead. His robotic enginering enabled him to breathe without air, and that made it possible for him to get picked up elsewhere and salvaged» Sonny said trough grinding teeths.

He should have thought of this sooner. Bleylock had managed to ambush him because he had neglected the pirates safety code. That kind of mistake was inexcusable, even for him. Now, he needed to find out more.

«But, who helped him?» Clamp was confused.

«Clearly, Baldwin. He's the one that stood to gain from Bleylock's survival» Sonny thought out loud.

«But Sonny, Baldwin withdrew from Technoid after you gained possession of the metaflux again» Clamp said.

Sonny nodded.

«He wanted us to think that. What he had planned, I don't know. But he's been hybernating for some time, before he resurfaced, and then, he's used everyone as pawns, to gain control of Technoid. But, I'll put an end to that»

Clamp looked at the pirate chief. He didn't have to ask if the pirate chief had a plan. He had to ask what he was planning.

«So, how will we catch him?»...

Duke Maddox did not expect company. He had told Sonny everything he knew. But, the guard announced Sonny's arrival. But when Sonny entered the room, he was not alone. In a stroller, he brought the next generation of Blackbones.

«I hope you don't mind Duke, but I agreed to help my son and doughter in law babysitting, so I brought my little granddoughter along» he smiled.

Duke maddox stared at the young babygirl.

«She is truly a beauty Sonny, she reminds of her grandmother, in her younger days» the Duke said.

Sonny nodded. It was still painful to be reminded that Niobe wasn't allowed to parttake in all of this. He had to do it for the both of them. Sonny turned away for a sec, but Duke Maddox had seen the sad glimpse in his eyes.

«You know, her death wasn't your fault Sonny».

«No matter how much people keep telling me that, it will still feel that way. I should have done more to save her».

Duke maddox looked at him.

«Sonny, you know as well as I do, what would have happened if things were differently. They would have cought you. You would have been tortured, and possibly killed. Then, D'Jok would not have had the father he is so proud of, with him today».

Sonny knew the Duke to be right.

«I'll never be able to say the things I tell you in this room, out in public Sonny, you realise that?» the old Duke asked.

«I know» Sonny replied, before lifting Hope, who was turning grumpy.

«Bleylock was Baldwin's accomplisse.»

«What?» Duke maddox was clearly taken by surprise.

« We found how he could survive the bomb» Sonny said, and pulled a picture of Bleylock, half man, half robot, from the inside of his pocket.

Duke maddox stared at it, like he had seen a ghost. Then, as if he realised the truth, he looked up, and his gaze met Sonny's.

«Can he be stoped?»

Sonny nodded.

«I have a plan, it will be effectuated on the weekend to come. I'll arrange for you to have access to holo tv, be prepared for great changes» Sonny adviced.

«What kind of changes?» Duke maddox looked suspiciously at him.

«Wait and see» smiled Sonny, as he and Hope left, to get some new toys to irritate Mei and D'Jok even more...

The trap was all set. Sonny had held many balls in the air lately. He had almost forgot to check back with Calleigh, untill Corso reminded him.

«I forgot!» Sonny said, and walked over to his computer.

Corso sipped his beer and laughed. It's wasn't like Sonny to be this stressed out, and therefore, it amused the second in command quite a bit.

Sonny had thought of Calleigh. When he lay in bed, alone, trying to gather his thoughts, new thoughts of a future that not long ago seemed unrealistic to any pirate began to set root. Both Bennett and Artie had met girls, and were now in relationships. Both concidered getting a place to live outside the pirate's safe holding. Sonny didn't blame them, he could very well understand their needs for a life of their own. Corso was a different case. Sonny had thought about his close friend a lot in that regards. His conclution was, that Corso had lived a pirate's life for too long. It wasn't that he didn't want to live a full life, it was more that he couldn't. As for himself... Sonny knew that to be the hardest part. He wanted so many things from his life, and Technoid had robbed him of almost all of it. His beloved Niobe, had paid the price in the end. Not by his hand, but by giving birth to D'Jok. Sonny knew, without a shaddow of doubt in his mind, that she would have wanted him to move on. He was the one that had postphoned it, time and time over.

«Sonny?» the question in Corso's voice, brought Sonny back to their world.

«What is it Corso?» he asked.

«You talked about a trap, to capture Baldwin?» Corso seemed anxious.

Sonny smiled.

«Yes, I know how to make him come out of hiding. Now that Bleylock is contained safely, I can focus on the real mastermind in this».

«What do you intend to do?» Corso asked.

«It's simple...just listen» Sonny said and told Corso of his plan.

Corso's mouth dropped open.

«If you plan to do this, Sonny, you need to be a houndred percent sure your calculations are right, if not, this could be a new catastrophy».

Sonny nodded. He was aware of the risk.

«I'll need something to distract Baldwin, whereever he is hiding, while I get the final numbers confirmed».

« Where?» asked Corso.

«The Akillian mountains» Sonny replied...

In the mountains, a secret underground bunker had been made. Baldwin was pleased with his work. He had made the pirates rid him of Bleylock, how fitting, concidering the old love connection between the pirate chief and the former technoid general, that he should fall for the hands of the one he loved. As for Blackbones.. he had suffered a great deal over the years, but not enough in Baldwin's eyes. The Technoid scientist was unable to see past his own hatred for the pirate chief. So cought up in his hate was he, that he failed to remember that he only had Bleylock's word for things. He never actually asked Sonny. Sonny had taken his place, and later on, broken Bleylock's heart, when he chose his wife to be over Bleylock. In spite of what Bleylock had done to his heart, Baldwin couldn't make himself hate him. It was easier to aim the hate at Sonny. Baldwin had concidered hurting Calleigh Mystic when he found out about her date with Sonny Blackbones.

But, they had only gone out once. Baldwin needed to make sure Sonny felt something more besides a friendship to the woman, before he struck.

Bleylock had paid for leaving him, with his life. Soon, Sonny Blackbones would have to pay the price too.

A beeping on the monitors in the akillian mountains, made Baldwin check the cams. Someone was out, riding a snowmobile! It didn't mean the person was deliberately there, it could have been a case of trespassing without knowing.

But for some reason, Baldwin took an interrest in the lone snowmobile rider. Why was he here? All alone? It was dangerous. The Akillian mountains was a treacherous place to be, with unsuspecting blizzards striking at a moments notice.

This man was either very brave, foolish, or on a deathmission. Baldwin kept an eye on him. From the clothing, it was impossible to tell who he was. It could be anyone, from a pirate, to a technoid emlpoyee. Baldwin watched, as the man pulled out a piece of equippment that would allow him to make exact measurements. Why was he doing that? It didn't seem he was looking for anything. The man seemed to take notes. Then, he marked some spots with poles. And then, he left. Baldwin was confused. Why had the man marked the place with poles? Then, he looked at the flags on the pole. Something about them struck him as familliar. He pulled up his binooculars. He was right. The flags was familliar. They carried three symbols. Technoid, the snowkids and...THE PIRATES!

What did this mean? Baldwin didn't know. He watched the man decend a little more, before a ship picked him and the snowmobile up. He had not seen the ship on radar, or gotten any indications a ship of that size was on the way in. But, the colours was known throughout the galaxy. The red, blue and black. The pirates colours. And the man that swung himself onboard had to be...Baldwin could see him remove the hood and googles. Sonny Blackbones in person! What was he doing here? He had not been out looking for Baldwin, that much was sure.

Baldwin felt nervous. He was no longer in control of anything, he just had to do his best to stay clear of Sonny, and try to figure his game before Sonny put things into motion...

Back at the SecTech lab, Sonny checked his readings. As he thought, the first calculations called for recallibration. But, it was no problem. Clamp had joined him, and Sonny told him what he wanted to do.

«Are you serious Sonny? You think it can be done?» he asked.

Sonny showed him the calculations on screen and how it would work, in theory. He needed to make a replica in small scale, with all weight calculated down, to see what the effects would be.

«Clamp, I need to know, can you build something like that?» he asked.

Clamp rubbed his chin.

«I'll need a day, but yes, I can do this».

Sonny smiled when he heard that.

«Good, then, I leave that part to you»

Clamp looked at him.

«And exactly, what will you be doing?» he asked his friend.

A sly grin formed on Sonny's face as he turned to leave the room.

«I'll be out, catching a rat» he said...

Baldwin could not figure out from a distance, what the marking sonny had made, meant. But it was part of something, that much he knew. But what? There seemed only one option to figure the pirate chief's plan. He had to do the most risky operation yet. Infiltrate the pirate's lair. Not an easy task at all. Everyone knew that getting close to the pirates was almost impossible. And if they didn't know you in any way, it would be even tougher. Baldwin was a coward, that was why he used Bleylock, after making him believe that if he could just rid the galaxy of Sonny Blackbones, by using his own invention against him, if he succeeded making them create it off course, and be rid of him for good. Bleylock's neverending desire for vengance had not failed him. Sonny and Clamp had been trapped. But, Bleylock had been walled too. Sectech's intervention into matters was not a forseen part of his plan. The fact that Duke maddox had given the pirates the autorizationonly to survey all in and outgoing traffic in the company, suggested that he had a change of heart. Baldwin knew Sonny had gone easy on the old man, and placed him in housearrest in his own home, under heavy guarding. Did the pirate chief suspect that Duke Maddox could be a target for the invisible enemy within technoid? It was almost impossible to know what the pirate chief planned, he never told anyone in advance, except for a select few, his personal team of three, the top dogs that always worked together. Baldwin ground his teeths. That cursed Sonny Blackbones. No matter how well one planned things, he and his pirates always started to snoop into other people's buisness. Despite several attempts to rid them of Blackbones, even taking him prisoner, and intending to kill him, had failed. Sonny had a close nit net around him, and trusted his men. If he was in trouble, they would find him and free him.

The only thing that would kick the feets away under the pirates, was if they lost Sonny. Baldwin had heard whispers of it before. Whitout Sonny, the pirates would be done for. So, what was the pirate chief's achilles heel, besides his son? Baldwin had to find out. He made carefull preparations to disguise himself, and head into the pirate's hangout place in Akillian. Maybe this way, he could stop Blackbones for good..

Sonny carefully searched the screens of the bar. He had been notified that a person, posing to be a pirate, tried to mix in, and act like one of them. However, the pirates had gotten suspicious, and told him. Sonny therefore chose to remain hidden, in a closed room. There, he watched the videosurveilance of the bar. It didn't take him long to see the newcomer. Sonny frowned. There was something familiar with him.. he had seen him before. Then, it struck him. The scientist that came to get him, when Bleylock abducted D'Jok, and blackmailed him, years ago. This was the villain.

«Corso, set someone to trail him!» Sonny ordered.

«Is that him?» Corso wanted to know.

Sonny nodded.

«That's our man Corso, follow him, at safe distance. And be carefull!».

Corso nodded, before he snuck out the backway, and made ready to trail the villain.

Sonny was worried. If Baldwin would show up here, on their ground, it made him unstabile, and dangerous. And Sonny didn't like that at all. They had to proceed with caution. Sonny made a quick decission.

«Bennett, make sure Mei, and Hope is equipped with a bodyguard. D'Jok too. Baldwin has surfaced, in our territory».

«Either he has balls, or he is very stupid. Everyone at the lair would figure he wasn't one of us» Bennett argued.

«It doesn't matter. Do as I ordered!» Sonny bit him off.

The minute he had ended the call, Sonny called Clamp.

«Don't open the lab to anyone Clamp, unless it's me using our signal».

« Ok, but, is there a problem?»

«possibly. Baldwin is seen in our territory. We don't know what that means, other than we're being cautious».

Clamp got the message.

«I finished what you asked me too» he told his friend.

«Good, we'll conduct the tests tonight, and tomorrow, we will rigg for the final show. It will be a spectacular sight» Sonny smiled.

«I bet» smiled the old man.

Time to settle the score with Technoid, once and for all.

The chapter started to grow long, so with what I have planned, there will be one final chapter and this story is done. Hope you guys like the story so far. Drop me a rewiew to tell me what you think? Is there anything I have forgotten to adress that I should have? Do please tell me.