Zeus threw Robert's bit from him, standing there for a second as though to check he had heard what he thought he had. After the brief confirmation the bit slammed a large black hand down over where the man stood, his purple hair making him stand out. He lifted his hand slowly, expecting to see mushed Robert on his hand. When there was nothing he looked at Brooklyn expectantly.

"If you don't understand that you're simply too slow I'm afraid I can't help you with that." A taunting familiar voice spoke up from behind and as he turned he saw a slightly dirty Robert. Otherwise unharmed.

Straightening out his jacket Robert dusted the shoulders off smirking cockily. He was still standing and if anything he just seemed amused, as he stared at his bit, Zeus stared from his hand to Robert, confused as to how he managed to make it over there in such a short period of time.

"As I said, you were stored away and I was practicing. My team may not have been strong enough to take you down but I most certainly am. I have trained none stop since the day we left and now I can confidently say. Brooklyn, I will take you down before you take even one step closer to our leader. Voltaire loses today."

"Mighty strong words you have there. Let's see if you can back them up."

"Try me, I guarantee you you won't take me down as you did my companions."

The two climbed onto their bit's shoulders, grasping tightly to their necks to keep themselves balanced.

"You're strong Robert, I'll give you that. But you're definitely not strong enough to take me down. I am the greatest battler this planet has ever seen, you will not defeat me."

"Enough stalling. Griffolyon take him down for the resistance." The griffon charged, claws digging into the soil and tearing it up, sending debris all over, scattering through the trees as he head-butted Zeus, knocking the large creature down with a mighty crash.

"Zeus, don't you dare go down. You are a fighter, stay on your toes god dammit!"

"Quickly before he gets up!"

Panic welled in both their chests as the bits clashed, they clung on for dear life as they slashed at one other. They had no chance to issue demands to them as they wouldn't be heard over the clashing of claws. The two were being thrown about madly by their beasts, not giving in for anything.

Robert tried to pull Griffolyon back, give him the distance he needed from Zeus to use one of his attacks. Unfortunately all the good ones aren't close distance. But Zeus wouldn't let him, he reached out and grabbed his feathers each time he tried to retreat from him. Even if only for a minute.

The bird cried out in frustration as it swiped at Zeus with his taloned feet cutting him above the chest and pulling a hiss of pain from the bit beast. Griffolyon was one of the greatest hunters on the planet, his claws were at a knife's edge.

Brooklyn glared angrily at the bit beast as he stroked a hand lazily down Zeus' face. He has the air about him of a crazed man, unable to understand the simplest of things to do with morality, but he never had any problems with his bit.

"Griffolyon, we don't have the time to spend any more time playing with this fool. Be sure to finish this!" He commanded, his voice booming as the bird dived for the redhead talons barred and wings spread wide and sharp as razors.

Something in Brooklyn changed and the man dived from his bit's shoulder, suddenly uncertain that he could win. It was that look, the look in Robert's eyes of a man who would give nothing to lose.

"Zeus! We're out of here!" He cried up to his partner, just in time to see Griffolyon's claws bury themselves in him. Horror crossed his face as the bit cried out in pain, wrenching himself free. Zeus had never been hit before, not seriously, he had received scuffs during battle but nothing like this.

He had made a terrible mistake. All those years locked away had left him behind in the fight for power. He wasn't on top anymore.

The bit shattered himself and returned to Brooklyn giving the redhead just enough time to make a sprint for the trees.

He made it, barely, leaping from tree to tree never giving Robert enough time to follow where he was or where he was going.

"You coward Brooklyn. I swear I will find you and I will take you down." He called as Griffolyon lowered him to the ground, the beast crying out in annoyance as he was forced to calm himself down without the rush of victory he was used to. "I understand. Come though, we have no time to be bitter. If what he said is true then the others might be out here somewhere in trouble." They would never accept his help normally, but considering the circumstances they would have to relent this time.

He stopped Griffolyon from taking off again, holding the chip out and commanding him to return to it.

"You'd attract too much unwanted attention." He explained to the bit when he felt the annoyed aura radiating from him. "I apologise, but I would like to avoid battles and focus on my sure to be injured crew." He took off into the woods, his mind racing as he tried to think where they'd be. "Were they all beaten?" The thought wasn't a pleasant one, they were among the strongest, if they were beaten what chance did the others have?

Pushing his worry aside he picked up the pace to find them, his hand clenching around Griffolyon tightly, he'd find Brooklyn after and take him down for good.

oooo

"Alright, everyone stop. We're nearly there, I need you all to be as quiet as possible. Past those trees are some of the robotic guards Voltaire has. They focus in on sound predominantly so keep low and quiet." Ray instructed, everyone bunched around him while he pointed out the castle.

There weren't any living guards or fighters outside, the presence of the robotic ones giving a much more ominous feel to the surroundings.

"How about one of us goes in there and distracts them?"

"No, I heard they've been updated with laser equipment, I don't want to risk any of you being sawn in half." A sudden look of terror crossed their faces at that, the colour in their skin lightening my four shades. "Don't look like that. We're just going to have to take the more subtle approach to our more usual crash and bang style." A look of boredom arose next, only to be shot down with a quick glare from Ray. "Do you want us to die?" They shook their heads, he didn't respond but the pointed look he gave showed he was losing his patience with them.

He moved closer to the border of the trees, his head poking out slowly. Being a neko had its advantages, one of which being extremely light on their feet. Getting past sound controlled guards would be easy for him and the others, but for the few non-neko in the group it would be damn near impossible.

He stopped just before he made a break for it, that very thought crossing his mind.

"Lee, Gary, take Kai and Tala across."

"Alright,"

"Whatever you say boss." They responded, their voices hushed as they crouched in front of the two brothers, waiting for them to climb on. Tala stared at Kai briefly before climbing onto Gary while Kai reluctantly used Lee.

The two neko hid their slight distaste at being used as horses and followed after Ray when he took off out of the forest, silently leaping over the robotic guards and cleaning a path for the others to follow. They followed in twos, taking the same path exactly to their leader, Mariah hanging back 'til everyone else had crossed over.

They hid behind the foliage at the castle walls, Kai and Tala being returned to the floor while Ray scanned the area around.

"There seems to be less guards this way. You two will still need to be carried though." He spoke so quietly even a fly's wings would overpower it, but they managed to understand through shaky lip-reading skills and strained ears.

They took off again, this repeating another two times before they were at the back of the castle, where they had broken in to get Kai not long before. Tala opened his mouth to tell Kai the little nugget of information but decided against it when a falling branch triggered the guards to start shooting it with their very operational lasers. They shot the charred ground, the twig nothing but cinders by this point.

Ray cast a glance around the group, watching as each one shuddered at the thought of that being them. Knowing they'd be even more careful now he started to assent the wall, his cat like abilities making the feat far easier than it would have been otherwise. As Tala watched him he couldn't help but wonder why Ray wasn't a more widely used agent in the resistance. From what he had seen the neko was rarely used for the important missions and watching him now he couldn't see why.

Lee and Gary carried them up the wall, the two letting them drop as soon as they entered the castle.

"Thanks." Kai attempted, only to be shushed loudly by Lee who motioned with his fingers for him to keep his mouth shut.

They tiptoed into the castle, the twins staying at the back, if there was any danger they were fairly certain they'd get in the way. They shared glances with one another as they followed, the dread in their hearts starting to swell.

It was almost too quiet, they'd faced no real challenges. Surely something was bound to jump out at them.

But nothing did. They walked down hall after hall and nothing happened.

"Alright where the hell is everybody?" Lee asked, speaking louder than intended and wincing as he waited for the sound of guards running for them. After a few seconds of nothing everyone turned to glare at him but couldn't deny what he had said.

"I don't know. We'll keep looking, if we can't find anyone we'll switch to finding Voltaire." He assured, walking slightly heavier, as though he were trying to trigger a guard to come after them.

They carried on walking and ran into a few guards, their body shape and colour saying they were an older model. They went down quickly, with maybe a hit to the back of the neck or claws from one of them or their bits.

The smallest of the group stopped as they turned another corner, folding his arms over his chest and huffing out an annoyed comment about being dragged along to a boring mission.

"What's wrong Kevin?" Ray asked halting the group to walk over to the smallest boy.

"This is pointless. What are we even doing here?"

"We're infiltrating. If you don't want to help go off and fight people. You're doing nothing but holding us up." The youngest boy huffed, folding his arms across his chest and glaring after them for a moment once they continued on before running after them, not wanting to be left behind in the maze like corridors.

oooo

Ray stopped a few halls down, testing one of the many locked door before carrying on. He was trying to plan out his next move but the restlessness of his team was beginning rub off on him too. He turned down another hall and froze causing the rest of the group to barge into him and knock him over.

Standing with the help of an outstretched hand from Mariah he turned his gaze back to what had captured it in the first place.

It looked like an ordinary door but the strange lock on it compelled him to believe it was something more important.

"Hey, it's a touchpad lock." Tala stated, coming up beside Ray and catching what he was staring at so intently.

"What's that?"

"A type of lock used to protect things that're important, they're more secure than lock and key."

They go towards the door and stare at it intently, Ray reaching out to place his hand over the sensor pad in wonder. Tala snatches his hand away, shocking the boy.

"Don't touch it, you'll trigger it."

A beeping sound reached his ears and all eyes turned to Kai who had settled his hand over the pad.

"What are you doing?" Tala askes in exasperation, looking around in panic for guards as two red lights flickered back and forth on the touch pad. They shut of for a second before a second beep ran out and the lights flickered to green and stayed on.

Lifting his hand and clicking the lock down the door slowly swung in, revealing a large computer lab type room. A large dome in the centre covered by a thin sheet.

"What the hell is this place?"

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