Hey guys! Hopefully you didn't mind the wait in comparison to the last one! (you probably did, but whatever…) Actually, it's my birthday today, so here's my present to you! Haha. Oh, and one minor thing. Just so you know, I do post updates on my personal profile once or twice every month, so make sure you guys check up with that if you're interested on how the story's coming along. Thanks again for all of your reviews guys, they really help me out! Here's episode 27!
-x-
The waves smashed against the rocky shoreline. The sun was just about to rise, so it was relatively dark outside. Luke was laying face down on the rocks, and his dark blue shirt was ripped all over. Blood-stained scratches were all over his face and his body. A flashlight was zipping all around him, until it finally hit his face. He tried to move his face away, but he had no energy.
"He's here!" The guard shouted
After a couple of seconds, three armed police guards jumped onto the rocks and examined him. One of them hit his face. Luke's eyes remained closed.
"He's out. Let's bring the little punk in."
Two guards dragged Luke into a large, empty room. They dropped Luke in the middle. A man with brown hair, sunglasses, and a black suit was the only other person in the room. He turned around when Luke hit the ground. He paced over to him and knelt down to Luke's eye level. Luke slowly opened his eyes. Once Luke had regained some form of consciousness, he tried to attack him, but the two guards held him down.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. We wouldn't want your friend to get hurt."
The man in the suit motioned behind him. A third guard pulled in a girl with blonde hair, blue eyes and a pink headband.
Luke: YOU LET HER GO!
"Not until I have answers." The man in the suit said firmly
The guard squeezed the girl's arm and had his pistol ready.
"Luke…don't worry about me. It's okay." The girl shook as she spoke
"Your friend's right, Luke. As you already are aware, these…Digimon, is it?…have gotten you in enough trouble. All I'm asking for is your cooperation." The man said slowly
Luke stared angrily at the man. He took off his sunglasses and his earpiece and looked Luke in the eye
"First of all, I want you to explain all this to me. How did a fourteen year old boy from Tokyo end up in the middle of Nagoya, Japan, on the wrong side of national security, Lucas?"
Luke breathed heavily. He looked back at the girl, who shook her head. He slowly closed his eyes
-x—
2 days earlier
It was pitch black outside. It had just rained, so everything outside was wet but peaceful. It was half past one in the morning.
A boy with a blue sweatshirt walked over to the far wall at the gas station. Luke pulled down his hood. He looked around to make sure that no one was there. He leaned his back against the wall and slid down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the dark digivice. He looked through the information on it. He pulled up Bearmon's profile. He moved to Grizzlymon's, then Grapleomon's. Finally, he pulled up Callismon's profile. He forced himself to stare at it for a while before examining the digivice itself. It was the exact same as his old digivice. Everything worked the same way. But now, it was completely black. Since he had gotten this, he never achieved a regular DNA charge, so there had to be something different. Something corrupted.
Luke: Not something…
He whispered
Luke: Everything's corrupted.
He wiped the dust off of the screen
Luke: So this is who I am.
He grabbed it firmly in his hand. He was ready to smash it to the ground, when suddenly, he saw a beam of light.
A dark red van pulled into the gas station and next to a nozzle. Two middle aged men stepped out of it. One of them was stout, had red hair and a beard, and wore a baseball cap. The other had dark skin, dark hair and a sweater jacket on. The one with the sweater jacket closely examined the van.
"This old thing's not gonna get us anywhere if it keeps running low on gas like this."
"It'll be fine." The other guy shivered while he defended his truck. "This baby's gotten me halfway across Japan on one tank before. Gosh, it's freezing out here!"
"Yeah, right. Maybe it did that six hundred years ago…"
The man in the baseball cap opened the hood of the car.
"She's gotten old, I admit. But that's why we're doing this, isn't it? With that giant check waiting for us at Morioka, I'd be able to buy…"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves…" his friend interrupted. "Let's just pay for the gas and go before a catch pneumonia out here."
"Go where?" The man with the cap retorted. "We're lost, remember? We've been lost for the last ten miles."
"Duh. Two birds with one stone" The man with the sweater jacket said insultingly "Just go inside, pay, and ask for directions"
The man with the baseball cap grudgingly took out his wallet and walked towards the gas station. The other guy was about to head back into the truck. Luke coughed twice. The man quickly turned around.
"Hello?"
Luke tried not to say anything and to hide in the darkness
"Who's there?"
He walked over to where Luke was trying to hide
"Hello?"
He felt a tap on his shoulder. He quickly spun around. The man with the baseball cap was standing behind him.
"Calm down man. It's me. What are you yelling about?"
"I think someone else is here"
He turned aback around
"So what? This is a public gas station."
"In the middle of the night? I don't think so, Vic. What if someone's on to us?"
"That's ridiculous. You probably heard a cat or something. I'm going to pay for the gas…"
Luke coughed again. Now the man in the sweater jacket was sure. He ran to the other side of the wall. His friend followed him. They both saw Luke sitting down.
"It's a child." The guy in the baseball cap said "told ya you were paranoid."
"Hey kid, what are you doing out here at this time? Don't you have a house?"
Luke stood up
Luke: Leave me alone
"Oh, so you've got a bit of an attitude there, don't ya, son?"
Luke gave the man a dirty look.
"You mind telling us what you're doing out here in the middle of nowhere?" The guy in the sweater jacket yelled
"Sam, he's just a kid. There's no way he's following us."
Luke: Following you guys where?
There was a shot pause
"Nowhere." Sam said. His friend was right. This kid was clueless. "Sorry for the confusion. Let's go, Vic."
Right as he was about to turn around, he noticed the digivice in Luke's hand. For a moment, he stood in shock. Luke put it in his pocket. It was still dark outside, and he had only seen it for a second, but the man was sure of what he just saw.
Vic: What is it, Sam? Let's go already.
Sam: On second thought…
Sam put his hands in his pockets and walked towards Luke
Sam: How would you like to take a trip with us?
Vic: Sam!
Luke: Excuse me?
Sam: My friend and I, here, are about to make a lot of money after this trip, and I'm thinking that a kid like you could help us out.
Luke: What kind of a trip is it?
Sam: We can call it a business trip, right Vic?
Vic had no idea what his friend was up to
Vic: I guess…
Sam: We're headed out north to Nagoya, but we're kinda lost right now. You look like you're from around here, right?
Luke: yeah…
Sam: So if you help us out of this maze of a city, then we'll let you drive up with us and get a little bit of the profit that's waiting for us up there. We can have you back at this station by tomorrow. Does that sound good to you?
Luke didn't say anything. Sam slowly knelt down to his level.
Sam: Come on kid. You're out alone in the middle of the night, so you're obviously searching for something.
Luke began to shiver a little bit
Sam: What do you have to lose?
Luke stopped moving and paused right before he whispered
Luke: absolutely nothing.
Sam smiled and nodded as he stood up.
Sam: Then let's head out. This is Vic by the way. And your name?
Luke: Luke…
Sam: Well Luke…Fasten your seatbelt. You're about to go on the adventure of a lifetime.
Sam shut the hood
-x-
Luke and Vic sat in the back seat as Sam drove. The entire van was extremely messy. The trunk had a gigantic pile of various things in it. The three of them had to have been in the van for about two hours. Sam kept checking the rearview mirror to see if Luke had fallen asleep, but he hadn't. He was simply looking out the window.
Sam: Now that's just odd.
Luke: What?
Sam: A thirteen year old kid is usually in bed by nine. It's half past three.
Luke: Fourteen
Sam: What?
Luke: I'm fourteen.
Sam: Well what a big difference.
There was a short silence
Sam: So fourteen, huh? And your parents let ya stay out that late?
Luke didn't respond. He saw no point in talking to him.
Sam: You know, we've been in the car for two hours and you haven't even said a word to us that weren't directions
Luke took off his sweatshirt. He was getting hot
Luke: So what?
Sam: Well aren't you excited? Scared? Anything?
The car ran over a bump. For a split second the car jumped.
Vic: Sam, could you watch your driving before all the equipment breaks?
Sam: I am!
Luke: What equipment?
Sam: It's nothing Luke
Luke: I thought you said I was a part of your team now. I think I deserve to know what's back there
Vic: Well he speaks!
Sam looked at Vic through the rearview mirror. Once Vic noticed, Sam nodded. Vic hesitantly nodded back.
Sam: Well, if you have to know, it's filming equipment.
Luke: Filming equipment? I thought you said you were going on a business trip.
Sam: We are. But not the kind of business trip you're thinking about.
Luke: What are you talking about?
Sam: I'm talking about alien monsters
Luke quickly looked up at him. Sam continued to look straight ahead at the road
Sam: Sound's crazy, right? Like something out of a sci-fi movie. But it's got the entire area scared pantsless. Apparently, there's a creature roaming around that looks far from earthly. That thing struck three areas in Nagoya already, and the broken houses are the only things left to show for it.
Vic: In other words, no one's been able to get a snapshot of that thing.
Luke: Why not?
Vic: Because they don't have the guts to
Sam: It's not that no one has the guts, Vic.
He sounded annoyed
Sam: It's that no one's successfully been able to put a camera in its face without having it shut off all of the sudden. I think it's something cryptic about the monster itself. No policemen have even come in contact with it yet as far as I know.
Luke: So…when did it show up…
Luke asked quietly
Vic: The first sighting of it was reported about a week ago. Not a very clear description was given of it though.
Luke: So you guys are going all the way here to try and film it.
Vic leaned down and picked up a small towel from under the driver's seat. He slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny bottle of liquid.
Sam: That's correct
Luke: So what do you need me for?
Before Luke finished his question, he somehow knew what the answer was. It was all beginning to come together. Luke realized that these men were dangerous, and that he had just gotten himself into a lot of trouble.
Sam: Unfortunately, you won't be around long enough to find out
Luke quickly jumped to the other side of the car and quickly tried to open the door. It was locked. He tried to punch through the window, but Vic had come up behind him and shoved the towel over his face. Luke tried to yell and fight his way free, but soon, he became drowsy and then fell over unconscious.
Vic: He's out.
Sam: Good. Check his pocket
Vic: Sam, what's going on? If we were just gonna knock him out then why did we bring the little squirt with us in the first place?
Sam: Check his pocket and you'll see for yourself.
Vic complied, and patted his pockets down. He found the right one, and pulled out the dark digivice.
Vic: What the heck is this?
Sam: It's the key to getting up and close to that monster.
Vic: What, this thing? It looks like a game boy.
Sam: A game boy that can control those aliens
Vic: How do you know that?
Sam: I've seen someone use one of those before. It's a long story. The point is that I saw him use it right before we were about to leave. That means that he has some connection to the aliens. So now, if we can't get to the alien…
Vic: then the alien will come to us because of him
Sam: that's what I figured
Vic took another look at the digivice, and then a look at Luke
Vic: He's just a kid. How can he be connected to them?
Sam stopped the car. He turned around and looked at Vic
Sam: You think I have all the answers, Vic? I don't. But we need to ditch this Luke kid before he wakes up and we find out the hard way.
Vic looked out the window. They were stopped on a relatively deserted bridge. The bridge itself was on the top of a downward incline which led straight into the lake, but the sides of the road each had a metal barrier.
Vic: So we'll just drop him off here?
Sam: Do you have a better idea? If we keep him around for any longer then he might wake up and take his device back
Vic: But if he wakes up out here alone then he'll get the police
Sam: What's the worst that he can do? He has no cell phone on him, he doesn't even know our last names, and he has no idea where the police even are! Just drop him already!
Vic opened the door and dragged Luke out onto the side of the bridge. He quickly ran back into the passenger's seat and the van sped off.
Vic silently toyed with the digivice
Sam: Don't worry, by the time he wakes up we'll be long gone. All we have to worry about now is how we're supposed to use that thing to find…
Vic accidently pressed a button. Dark energy began to erupt from the digivice. Vic quickly dropped it on the ground.
A couple miles massive metal Digimon's orange eyes turned on.
Sam: You idiot, what did you do?
Vic: I don't know!
Sam: Well pick it up and make it stop!
Vic: I don't know how.
Just then, the digivice automatically shut off. Vic hesitated before he picked it up from the ground.
Vic: Well…I guess that works. That's some gameboy huh?
Sam: Do you mind explaining what the heck just happened?
Vic didn't respond. He himself was utterly shocked. Sam exhaled heavily
Sam: It's okay. Let's just find the Digimon, take the picture and go.
In a giant computer room, a short man in a white lab coat ran up to a man in a black suit whose back was turned. The man in the lab coat was holding a stack of papers
"Sir! Sir!"
The man turned around. He had brown hair and a pair of sunglasses on. The man in the lab coat spoke again
"we picked up an energy fluctuation around the area. It was just outside of Nagoya."
The man in the suit took them and quickly thumbed through.
"You guys sure work fast. This is from five minutes ago. I'm impressed." The man in the suit said
"Well, we understand the gravity of the situation. We still don't know exactly what caused it" the scientist continued. "but we were thinking that maybe…"
"It could have something to do with those monsters. I understand. Well then, there isn't much of a point in waiting, is there? Let's move in."
"But…don't you think that you should check in with Detective Moore first before we…"
He looked at the scientist in the eye
"I'm in charge of the division out here. I'll check in with the Detective when I see fit. Understand?"
"Yes sir."
"Alright."
He read through the pa
papers once more
"Let's search the area."
-x-
Luke's eyes twitched. He slowly rolled over and opened his eyes. When he did, he flinched. He could see the river that was a long ways down, and the hill that sloped all the way down into it. He grabbed onto the metal barrier and slowly pulled himself to his feet. He suddenly felt really cold. He had left his sweatshirt in Sam's car.
Luke: oh no…
He quickly reached in his pocket. There was nothing there. They had taken the digivice from him. Luke kicked the ground in frustration and yelled. He was out in the middle of nowhere with no phone, no warm clothes or anything. He grabbed onto the barrier and looked down into the cold river. After staring down for a couple moments, he knew what he was going to do. Jump. It was the only thing he wanted to do. He was tired of everything. He was tired of living. He stepped back onto the road to get a running start.
-x-
"maam, I don't think your that would be such a good idea."
A sharply dressed driver with a black cap said it. He was driving a black luxury car.
"Come on, Hobson." A young girl with blonde hair, bright blue eyes and a pink backpack that matched her headband complained from the back seat. " The store said that the only bike available was in Setagaya. If we take the helicopter there and back then we'll be back before daddy even notices."
Hobson: It's a quarter til four in the morning and we're still on the road! Aren't you tired?
She laughed
"Come on Hobson, you've been working for us for three years now and you still don't know that I never get tired? Let's get that bike before that one goes too!"
Hobson: Your father would not approve…
"My father is an over-burdened workaholic who would much rather sit in a dark room and bury himself in the family business all night then worry about whether or not his daughter's home on time for her curfew."
Hobson: I'll be sure to tell him that…
"Oh please do"
Hobson looked back at her as she angrily crossed her arms and sat back in her seat. Hobson sighed. He pulled out his cell phone from his pocket. He looked at the screen.
Hobson: The battery's almost dead, but if you want to call your father and explain the situation to him yourself, then be my guest.
He held the phone up while keeping his eyes on the road. The girl smiled and sat up to grab the phone.
The car hit a bump.
Hobson dropped the phone in the back of the car.
Hobson: oh dear. Can you get that?
"Not unless you take me to the helicopter." She smiled as she said it
He quickly looked ahead in the road and undid his seatbelt. He looked down to the seat behind him and tried to feel for his phone. The girl grimaced as she looked up. Suddenly she screamed.
Luke was in the middle of the street. The headlights temporarily blinded him from the side. He looked to his right as the car speed towards him.
"HOBSON STOP THE CAR!"
Hobson looked up. Luke put his hands up, turned his head and closed his eyes.
Hobson quickly turned the wheel of the car. The car had just missed Luke, but it was far from safe. It smashed into the barrier and broke it down. Hobson's face hit the front and he was knocked unconscious. The car began to tumble down the hill. The front door broke open, and an unconscious Hobson rolled out of it. The girl inside screamed. The car continued to roll down the hill. Luke looked behind him and then ran for the car. He jumped over Hobson and tried to catch up to it. It didn't seem like he was going to make it. The car was about to roll right into the lake. Luckily, the car began to roll less rapidly. Then, right before it hit the lake, the car was stopped, but it was upside down. It was still going to tumble right in. Luke caught up to it and took a quick look inside the window. He could see a girl with blond hair inside. Her eyes were closed. Luke found a nearby rock on the ground. He picked it up, and used it to smash the window. He reached inside and unlocked the door, and climbed inside as fast as he could. The girl was attached to her seatbelt, so she was literally hanging upside down. He reached up and undid her seatbelt, and she fell down on top of him. After a little bit of hassle, he successfully dragged her out. He jumped out after her. Right after, the car tipped into the lake and began to sink.
Luke: Hey! Hey!
He shook her.
The girl slowly opened her eyes. She had a couple blood stains but she seemed okay. After looking around for a couple seconds she looked up at Luke and smiled. She spoke quietly
"So you just totally saved my life back there."
-x-
Sam kept looking straight at the road. Vic wouldn't stop staring at Sam's face. Neither of them had said anything for the last several miles. Without turning his head, Sam finally spoke up.
Sam: Are you just gonna look at me like a dummy all day or do you want to say something
Vic: Does a question qualify?
Sam: I promise, I filled up your van all the way to the full mark.
Vic: It's not about that…
Sam: Then what?
Vic: What are we getting ourselves into?
Sam: What are you talking about? You already know. We're filming that monster, getting our reward and getting the heck out. That's what we're doing
Sam looked at Vic
Sam: You're not thinking about that Luke kid, are you?
Vic: Sort of…
Sam: He'll be fine, okay? He said it himself. Fourteen years old. He seemed mature for his age too.
Vic: How do you know he's still alive?
Sam: It's not like we dropped him out in the middle of the street.
Vic: Right. The side. Much better.
Sam: We dropped him in the most deserted road in town. And what's your issue with him anyway? Don't tell me you're turning into a softie?
Vic: I'm not concerned about the boy! I'm concerned about our own safety!
Sam: And what about "our own safety" are you concerned about?
Vic: How did you know that this thing was important?
He held the digivice in his hand
Vic: As in…how did you figure out that it would lead us to the alien?
Sam: I didn't figure it out, Vic, I told you. I saw someone use one of those things before.
Vic: When? Was it another kid?
Sam: No. Well, sort of. A teenager. It was all the way back in Osaka before we left.
Vic: What did he look like?
Sam: I didn't get that good of a look at him. All I could see was the back of his head. I was driving home and I saw the whole thing. The kid had red hair, I could tell you that much. But what I did see was incredible. Aliens from left and right. I could have sworn they fell from the sky. They charged for him. I was terrified, and I wasn't even in plain sight. But this kid, this tall, red haired teenager didn't even move. He pulled out one of those and another alien came out of it. It grew and grew…and then it took out all of those aliens in less than a minute. That's how I knew these aliens were no myth, and that I could make some good money…and a good lifetime story finding them, and seeing them for myself.
Vic: You know how crazy you sound right now?
Sam: Do you remember four years ago?
Vic: What do you mean?
Sam: When the sky looked like it was falling? You remember that? Everyone was so panicked. We all could have sworn that there was another world hanging from the blue sky.
Vic: Yeah, I remember that, but everything came back to normal. They said it had something to do with all the pollution, so parts of the city were being reflected in the sky…
Sam pulled over to the side
Sam: Scientifically impossible. You know what I think, Vic? I think it's all connected. Everything. These aliens, these monsters, these daily abnormalities. These kids…all of them. Connected. That's why when I saw Luke with one of those, I needed to take it from him and explore this world of aliens for myself.
Vic: Well isn't that inspiring, but we're still missing the point here!
Sam: Which is…
Vic: That if Luke is really connected to these aliens through this gizmo, then maybe what we did to him's gonna come back to bite us, and that bite's gonna come in the form of an eighty foot monster
Sam: Well then in that case, I hope you charged the video camera's battery.
Sam stepped on the gas pedal
-x-
Luke's ear was by Hobson's mouth. He stood up. The girl was standing behind him.
Luke: He's breathing fine. He must have gotten knocked out.
He turned around
Luke: Look, I'm sorry about what happe…
"what are you sorry about?" the girl asked. "If it weren't for you you would be apologizing to my dead body right about now."
Luke: Still…I didn't mean to cause you and your driver more problems. Speaking of which we should probably call an ambulance. Do you have a phone?
"No. Hobson had one but it's down in the bottom of the river by now. "
Luke: I don't have one either.
He coughed.
"Oh my gosh. you must be freezing."
Luke: I'm fine
She took off her backpack and reached into it. She pulled out a blue jacket with black stripes on the arms.
"Is blue your color?"
Luke: I don't need a jacket
"Oh would you shut up. You're such a guy!"
Luke looked up. Lena instantly reminded him of his younger sister. That was something that she would have said. In fact, just about everything about her reminded him of Leslie.
"It used to be my brother's, but he grew out of it. I wore it once, but it was too big. Just take it."
She tossed the jacket over to him. Luke stared at her blankly.
Lena: Well are you just gonna stare at me like an owl all night or are you gonna put it on?
Luke slowly put it on. The girl smiled
"What do you know? Blue is your color!"
Luke: You're already giving me gifts and I don't even know your name.
"You can call me Lena. How about you?"
Luke: Luke
Lena: I like that name.
Luke remembered about Hobson
Luke: So what are we going to do about your driver?
Lena: I don't know
Luke: We could wait for another car to come by
Lena laughed
Lena: We'll be waiting until both of us are a hundred years old. No one goes on this road.
Luke: If this road's so deserted then what were you doing on here?
Lena: I should ask you the same question…
Luke didn't say anything
Lena sighed
Lena: No one's coming, and if we leave him out here in the cold there's no telling what he'll wake up with
Luke: not us. One of us should go get help.
Lena: Where would we go? Do you know where we are?
Luke: I figured you did
Lena: Hobson knows where everything is. I just sit in the back of the car and watch.
Luke: well that's just perfect
He said it sarcastically.
Lena: Well you don't seem to be too fond of the area either, so don't blame me!
Luke: This is why I wanted to be alone
He turned around and began to walk away
Lena: What do you think you're doing?
Luke: Leaving. I don't need to be dealing with this
Lena: Oh for crying out loud. You're just like my brother.
Luke gave her an annoyed glance
Lena: Look. Can we just find a place where the three of us can rest for the night?
Luke: You getting tired?
He tried not to smile
Lena: No. I'm just saying…
Luke: Fine. We'll both carry him out.
-x-
Vic yawned.
Vic: Let's stop somewhere
Sam: And miss the chance to watch the alien come out? Not a chance.
Vic: So what are you gonna do, just drive all night until you see it?
Sam: Why, do you wanna drive?
Vic closed his eyes
Vic: Don't expect me to keep you company for much longer. If anything interesting happens shake me.
He closed his eyes. Sam snickered and looked back at the road. Suddenly he yelled and slammed on the brakes. A blockade of black SUVs stood in front of them.
Vic: That was fast…
Sam: What on earth…
A suited man with brown hair and sunglasses stepped out of the car in the middle. He made his way to the van. Sam rolled down his window.
Sam: uh, can I help you officer?
"Do I look like an officer to you?"
Sam: If you're not with the police, then what do you want?
"Oh I'm with the police alright. Well, you can call it national security anyway."
Sam: So you work for…
"Detective Moore. Granted. But as far as that hierarchy goes, I'm second in command. I'm his eye in the other areas that he's too busy to reach."
Vic: So what did we do?
"It's not so much what did you do, Victor."
Vic looked up in shock
"It's what you can do for me."
Sam: I'm sorry, sir, but with all due respect, you have no right to stop us in the middle of the street and tell us to join your task force. What we're doing now is none of your business
"When you break the law it becomes my business, Sam. Do you know that it's illegal to have any possession or affiliation with Digimon of any sort, Sam?"
Sam: Digimon? What's that?
"Your favorite aliens. At least, that's what we think the term is. Moore doesn't believe in them, but I know the truth. Nevertheless, you get to be involved in this alien hunt that you've always dreamed of, Sam."
Sam: But how did you…
The man held up a small speaker. It quoted what Sam had just said. ". It grew and grew…and then it took out all of those aliens in less than a minute. That's how I knew these aliens were no myth, and that I could make some good money…and a good lifetime story finding them, and seeing them for myself."
While the speaker was playing the man reached in Sam's car and pulled out a miniature bug that was in it.
"You see Sam, we keep watch over everyone who pushes too far. This isn't the first time you've gone on, chasing these Digimon around, is it?"
Sam: We are here for a perfectly legitimate reason. They said that if anyone got a picture of it, then they will get
"A reward? Newsflash, Sam. I am the police, and so much more. That ad was my doing, even though I was shying away from Moore's direct orders. Nevertheless, we're all here, so let's cut the chat and get to the chase. Where did you get that device?"
Vic had been trying to hide it.
"You heard me I said where?"
Vic: A kid, alright?
"What did this kid look like?"
Vic didn't answer.
"Sam, you want to help your friend?"
Sam said nothing, too.
"Alright, if you both refuse to cooperate then you're not driving off, you're coming with me. Let's go! Up and at it, out of the car!"
He banged on the outside of the car. He turned to his entourage of his policemen behind him.
Check the area where the signal was first picked up. I want an unending search until that kid's found and brought to me.
Vic: He's blonde okay! His name's Luke! I don't know his last name, but let us go!
"I'm afraid that's not gonna happen, but thanks for the information anyway. He's a blonde name's Luke! Find him! As for you two, we're going to get a couple questions answered."
He led them both into the SUV and drove off
-x-
Lena: Hobson, why do you have to be so heavy?
Luke: There's no point talking to him if he's already unconscious genius
Lena: It's a figure of…agh just forget it.
They were both taking turns carrying him on their back. Now Lena was carrying him.
Luke: You want me to grab him again?
Lena: I'm fine Luke!
Luke: Whatever.
Lena yawned.
Luke: Tired?
Lena: I think so…
Luke: That's a surprise.
Lena: Can we just take a breather here?
They were by a couple boulders.
Luke: Why not
She dropped Hobson gently and leaned on one of the boulders.
Lena: You know there's room here. Sit down.
Luke: I'll stand
Lena: No you wont
She pulled him down. Luke slipped and landed on his back.
Luke: What the heck is the matter with you?
Lena: I should ask you the same question. Why are you always frowning?
Luke: What? What kind of a stupid question is that?
Lena: I haven't seen you smile once this entire time
Luke: I don't like my smile
Lena: I'm sure your friends do
Luke: I don't have any friends
Lena: really…
Luke: I thought I did once, but I realized that I didn't. There, are you happy?
Lena: Why would I be happy to hear that?
Luke: Because you talk more than my sister and she's always happy about everything
Lena: You have a sister? How old is she?
Luke: She's my twin.
Lena: Aw how adorable
Luke: I can't stand her and she can't stand me. All of her friends hate me almost as much as I hate them too.
Lena: yawn…
Luke turned his head in disbelief
Lena: I'm sorry, I'm really playing the world's smallest violin right now.
Luke: Well you're pretty arrogant aren't you?
Lena: Alright, I'll keep quiet. Is there more?
Luke: I guess not…
Lena: So where are you from, Luke?
Luke: Tokyo. Not that it matters
Lena: Oh that's cool. I used to live there but we moved a couple years ago. My brother has a job around there now.
Luke: Wonderful
Lena: Hey! You're not coughing anymore
Luke: I guess not
Lena: That must mean the jacket's keeping you warm
Luke: sort of.
Lena: It's my brother's old one, so you should just keep it.
Luke: Where did he get it?
Lena: Well he got it from America.
Luke: How much was it
Lena: Meh, he paid somewhere in the neighborhood of eight thousand dollars for it
Luke stared at her in disbelief
Luke: You're kidding
Lena: What?
Luke: Nothing. So you just live in a lap of luxury don't you?
Lena: Well I don't have much of a choice. My father's now the head of a major business ever since he bought controlling shares, and my brother's doing his own thing, he probably makes twice as much as my dad makes.
Luke said nothing
Lena: So what do you parents do, Luke?
Luke: Well if you must know my parents are divorced
Lena: But at least one of them's working right?
Luke: Well, my mom works at wherever she can get a job. At a grocery store, as a waitress, whatever.
Lena: What about your dad?
Luke: I don't want to talk about him
Lena: Fair enough
Luke: He's a part time mechanic and a full time alcoholic. I haven't even seen him in years, not that I want to. So there, you got your scoop of the day.
Lena didn't really know what to say to him
Luke: So what was a prep like you doing out in the middle of nowhere anyway?
Lena: I don't know. I just like to have Hobson take me out.
Luke: Because you get bored of your billion dollar mansion….I live in an apartment.
Lena: I'd trade with you. Sometimes I just wish I had a normal life, you know? But my life has been far from normal for a lot of reasons.
Luke: I can't imagine…
He said sarcastically
Lena: So what were you doing out there? You were like a deer in the headlights.
Luke: I was gonna jump off the bridge
Lena laughed. But when he didn't react at all, she realized that he wasn't kidding.
Lena: Wait. Why?
Luke: Let's just say the world would be a better place without me. Both of them
Lena: What?
Luke: Oh, nothing.
Lena: Well, what does your twin think of that?
Luke: I doubt she cares. No one does.
Lena: So is your twin your only sibling?
Luke: I had a younger sister.
Lena: Oh, where's she now?
Luke: Dead
Lena: Oh my gosh…what…what happened
Luke: I don't wanna talk about it
He turned around
Lena: Luke.
He didn't respond
Lena: Luke!
She shook him
Luke: What?
Lena: You're an idiot!
Luke: Excuse me!
Lena: So this is how you live? You just go around focusing on all the negative things in your life and blaming yourself for everything that went wrong?
Luke: I'm not one of the good guys, Lena so there's no point in trying to sympathize with have no idea what I've been through
Lena: You have no idea what I'VE been through, alright? So why don't you just shut up and pay attention.
Luke tried to ignore her
Lena: You jumped into a tumbling car just because you saw a total stranger in it. If you were really as bad as you say you are, then you would have turned around and left.
Luke annoyingly looked at Lena
Lena: Look, I didn't know your younger sister, but I think she really had to have admired you, and just because she's gone doesn't give you the right to look down at the world, and all your friends around you.
Luke: What do you know? You're just a spoiled rich kid.
Lena: For your information, I know what it's like to be hand in hand with death. I know what it's like to watch my friends, my family fight over whose fault it would be if something terrible happened to me. And in those moments I realized how precious my own life and how everyone around me was doing nothing but wasting theirs blaming other people until the day that they died. I know what it's like to lose people too, except I don't go around pouting about it all my life long. Have I effectively answered your condescending question, Luke?
Luke:…sorta
He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.
Lena: I personally don't care if you killed your sister yourself
He opened his eyes
Lena: You're still a hero to me
Luke: it…
Lena: yeah?
Luke: what happened to my sister…it wasn't my fault
Lena closed her eyes and began drifting to sleep
Lena: I know it wasn't
Lena leaned against Luke's arm as she fell straight to sleep. Luke wanted to move away, but was too tired to. He eventually closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep
-x-
Lena: Luke.
Luke was fast asleep. It was early in the morning, but the sun hadn't risen yet.
Lena: Luke! Get up!
She shook him. Luke slowly opened his eyes.
Lena: Luke we need to get out of here now!
Luke: Why?
He slowly composed himself as he stood up. Hobson was still laying in the same spot
Lena: Shhhh
Now Luke could hear it. There were footsteps all around them.
Luke: What's going on
Lena: I think someone's looking for you and I don't think they're too friendly. They've been shouting about a blonde kid named Luke.
Lena tried to whisper
Luke: Alright, let's go
Luke started to sneak away. Lena followed him.
Lena: What about Hobson?
Luke: We'll come back for him
Luke and Lena began running away. Luke could see the helmet of a police guard across one of the bushes. He tried to stay low the best he could.
"THERE HE IS"
Luke heard it from behind him. An armed police guard already had a stun gun aimed at him. He shot it.
Lena: Luke look out!
She helped him duck down and they both sprinted away, not caring who saw them. The police guard spoke on his communicator.
"The boy is in sector E6 repeat sector E6 with an unidentified female. Stun and detain the boy for further questioning. Use any force neccecary. As for the girl….consider her an accomplice. Stun and detain her too."
Lena: What do they want with us?
Luke: I don't know
He lied. He figured it had to do something with the digivice. Since it fell into the wrong hands, he expected it to come back to him sooner or later, but he didn't want to explain any of that to Lena.
As they were running, another guard stepped out in front of them. He appeared to have come from nowhere. He shot another stun dart and they both dodged it. Luke knocked the guard to the ground and continued running.
Lena: Should we split up?
Luke: Maybe, it's me who they want not you! You should get yourself to safety!
Lena: Yeah because anywhere is safe right now…
She was being sarcastic.
Lena soon ran out of breath and began running a lot slower.
Luke: Lena, get yourself somewhere safe!
Lena: No, it's ok.
She continued to run but began breathing heavier. Soon the two of them made it to a dead end. They were on top of a cliff that was right on top of a lake.
Luke: Lena are you okay?
Lena: Don't worry about me I'm fine.
She didn't sound fine.
Luke looked around. He couldn't see any guards
Luke: What should we do? We're at a dead end!
Lena: I don't know. Let's turn the other way
"That's not going to happen."
Lena was shot in the shoulder with a stun point. Three guards ran up.
Luke pulled the dart out of Lena's shoulder
Luke: Lena!
Lena: Luke, you have to jump!
"Don't be stupid Luke. Come with us peacefully."
Lena: don't let them…
She was growing drowsy again
Lena: don't let them get you!
Shut up.
The guard knocked her out with his gun and grabbed onto Luke's arm.
"Now you're coming with us, Luke."
Luke: I don't think so.
He pulled out of the jacket and stepped to the edge of the cliff.
"Stun him!"
Luke closed his eyes and jumped. He yelled on his way down.
-x-
The waves smashed against the rocky shoreline. The sun was just about to rise, so it was relatively dark outside. Luke was laying face down on the rocks, and his dark blue shirt was ripped all over. Blood-stained scratches were all over his face and his body. A flashlight was zipping all around him, until it finally hit his face. He tried to move his face away, but he had no energy.
"He's here!" The guard shouted
After a couple of seconds, three armed police guards jumped onto the rocks and examined him. One of them hit his face. Luke's eyes remained closed.
"He's out. Let's bring the little punk in."
Two guards dragged Luke into a large, empty room. They dropped Luke in the middle. The same man with the brown hair, sunglasses, and a black suit was the only other person in the room. He turned around when Luke hit the ground. He paced over to him and knelt down to Luke's eye level. Luke slowly opened his eyes. Once Luke had regained some form of consciousness, he tried to attack him, but the two guards held him down.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. We wouldn't want your friend to get hurt."
The man in the suit motioned behind him. A third guard pulled Lena in
Luke: YOU LET HER GO!
"Not until I have answers." The man in the suit said firmly
The guard squeezed the girl's arm and had his pistol ready.
Lena: Luke…don't worry about me. It's okay. Lena shook as she spoke
"Your friend's right, Luke. As you already are aware, these…Digimon, is it?…have gotten you in enough trouble. All I'm asking for is your cooperation." The man said slowly
Luke stared angrily at the man. He took off his sunglasses and his earpiece and looked Luke in the eye
"First of all, I want you to explain all this to me. How did a fourteen year old boy from Tokyo end up in the middle of Nagoya, Japan, on the wrong side of national security, Lucas?"
Luke closed his eyes.
"…well?"
Luke: you're making a mistake.
"Am I?"
He stood up.
"So then that must mean that I found this by mistake too, huh?"
He pulled out the dark digivice from his suit pocket. In fact…I think your two other friends might have something to say about this.
He snapped his hands. The guard dragged Sam and Vic inside the room. Luke looked disgusted at them. They refused to look back at him.
"And of course you can't forget the girl's friendly driver."
One last guard appeared escorting a handcuffed Hobson inside
"So now that we're one big and happy family, why don't we share some secrets for crying out loud?"
Lena: What secrets do you even wanna hear? There's nothing to tell
"This doesn't concern you maam. It only concerns the one who's directly related to all of this other world business. And I have the device here to prove it. Am I right Luke?"
He held the digivice to Luke's face
"I want to know about every inch of power this thing has, and I want to know everything you do about these Digimon."
Just then, the ceiling exploded. The walls began to fall in. A gigantic, metallic Digimon was looking inside. The suited man stood in shock. Luke took this as an opportunity to break free of the guards and to snatch the digivice from the suited guy's hand. Luke ran over to Lena and knocked down the guard who was holding her.
Lena: Thanks
Lena stared up at the Digimon.
Luke: Lena let's go!
Lena: What on earth is a MachineDramon doing here?
Luke: I don't know but we have to…
Something had just clicked. How did Lena know that it was…
Machinedramon attacked. The suited man barely jumped out of the way of his giga cannon, but fell on his face. He rolled over and re-adjusted his sunglasses as he shouted
"Well what are you waiting for guards, shoot it! Kill it now!"
Sam and Vic could not move. Maybe it was because of excitement, amazement, or just plain fear. The guards who were holding onto them let go and began shooting at Machinedramon. All of the bullets deflected as if they were plastic.
Machinedramon smacked the guards and they all smashed into the rubble. He once again raised up his claw to attack.
"It's him! It's him!" The man in the suit shouted. He was pointing at Luke, who was running out with Lena. "He's the one you want! He has the device!"
Machinedramon turned his head. He mechanically switched his eyes to an X-ray mode. He saw Luke and Lena's skeleton and then saw the digivice in Luke's pocket. He turned around and leaped towards them. He landed in front of them both.
Machinedramon spoke in a robotic sounding voice
Machinedramon: Identifying.
Luke froze in one spot
Machinedramon: Subject 02117605. Luke. Traitor, Destroyer and threat to master Exogrimmon.
Lena: Luke, what's he talking about?
Luke: Trust me. You don't want to know.
Machinedramon: The Dark Digivice is possessed by you. Give it to me and no further complications shall occur.
Luke: Why don't you go rust somewhere you bucket of bolts? How's that for complications?
Lena couldn't help but giggle
Lena: You're starting to sound like me
Luke: A cross between you and another annoying kid I used to know…
Machinedramon: Failure to comply…response received. New objective. Destroy until obtained.
Lena: That doesn't sound good
Luke: Run!
They were already too late.
Machinedramon: Dragon Fire!
Machinedramon's right arm flew away from his body and followed Luke. Luke tried to outrun it, but couldn't. It was about to plunge right into him. Luke tripped and landed on the ground. He put his arms over his head.
Lena: Luke!
"Power Metal!"
The fist was completely deflected by a metal orb. Luke looked up. At first, he couldn't see anyone else. Then suddenly, Machinedramon fell face first to the ground. Behind him flew a purple, furry Digimon with wings. He landed in front of Machindramon. Lena helped Luke up.
Lena: What is that?
Luke: I…I don't know….
Lena: Well don't just stand there, check it on your digivice!
Luke wanted to play dumb, but realized that for some reason, Lena seemed to already know about…
"Power Metal!"
Machinedramon and the purple Digimon were at it again.
Machinedramon: Giga cannon!
He charged up a massive cannon on his back and blasted it at the Digimon.
"Cannonball!"
The Digimon rolled up into a ball and spun. Once he blasted off the ground, he was moving at virtually the speed of light. He sliced into the bullet and cut it in half.
Luke: And I thought Jodixmon moved fast
He took out his digivice and looked at the digimon's profile.
Luke: Dorugamon. Champion level? But Machinedramon's a mega.
He looked up. Before he knew it, Dorugamon's cannonball was drilling into Machinedramon's chest.
Sam and Vic jumped climbed over the crumbled walls and watched the battle. After a moment of silence, Vic spoke
Vic: Unbelievable.
Sam: That's him.
Vic looked at Sam
Sam: That's the same Digimon I saw from before.
Vic: woah…
Machinedramon tried to grab onto him but couldn't.
Machinedramon: Identification failed…Identificaiton failed.
Dorugamon spun faster
Machinedramon: Error. Fatal error…..function terminated
Machinedramon deleted and formed into a digi egg.
Dorugamon landed on the ground. He turned back and looked at Luke. Luke didn't move. Dorugamon looked up in the air and flew away at lightning speed.
The man in the suit hopped over the rubble.
"Guards! Detain them now!"
No response
"Guards!"
He turned around. All of them were unconscious.
"Weaklings. Good thing I always come prepared."
He pulled out his stun gun and aimed it at Luke.
"Say goodnight."
Hobson knocked him out from behind.
Hobson: You first…
Lena turned around
Lena: Hobson!
Hobson made his way over to them
Luke turned around and faced him too
Hobson: Just for the record madam, that's the last time I listen to you.
Lena laughed and hugged him. Luke put his hands in his pockets and looked the other way.
The Digiegg behind them began to rattle. Then it suddenly faded until it vanished.
Vic: So now what? We went all this way and we didn't film anything.
Sam: It doesn't matter. We saw it all happen. Now there's no doubt in my mind that there are monsters living among us. Let's just hope that Luke and whoever he works with has the ability to take down those things.
Vic: I guess you're right…
-x-
Half an hour later a jet pulled in. It slowly landed on the ground.
Hobson: There's your ride Lucas.
Luke: You two aren't coming?
Hobson: I'll be taking Lena home myself.
Luke: You don't have a car
Hobson: We'll figure something out.
Lena: Yeah, and I really want you to get to meet my brother for yourself. He's inside the helicopter now, and I think you two will get along! He works in Tokyo, you know.
Luke: Whatever.
He turned around.
Lena: Hey!
She ran up to him and gave him a hug
Luke: What are you doing? Get away from me!
Lena: Yeah, yeah, "I hate hugs just like I hate everything else". Heard it all before. I just wanted to say thanks
She let go of him.
Luke: Well I guess I'll see you later. Or not.
Hobson: Oh wait, before I forget.
Hobson quickly went back into the room and came out with the jacket.
Hobson: You're lucky I grabbed this off the ground before they escorted me over here.
He threw it over to Luke. He slowly put it on
Luke: Thanks I guess
Luke stepped on the jet
Lena: You're a good person Luke!
He turned around. She had to shout to be heard over the jet engine.
Lena: Don't let anyone tell you differently. Even yourself. And who knows? Maybe I'll see you again, and if that happens, I swear I'm gonna make you smile at least once!
Luke rolled his eyes and went into the jet
Hobson: You really think those two will get along?
Lena: I know so.
She smiled
Lena: Tommy loves meeting kids like him
Luke stepped walked through the short aisle. It was heavily decorated. He picked one of the soft chairs and sat down. One smartly dressed man who was cleaning up turned around.
"Oh, hold on one second. Dr. Norstein will be with you shortly."
He walked past him. Luke turned around in shock
Luke: Dr. Norstein. You mean…
"Looks good on you!"
Luke turned back around. Thomas walked over and took a seat across from Luke.
Thomas: The jacket I mean. You should keep it
Luke: Wait…Lena's your…
Thomas: Younger sister. Relena is actually her full name, but for some reason she preferred the L first. She amazes me in many ways. You know that I have a medical license and a nobel prize today because of her
He took a sip out of a mug.
Luke: I don't get it
Thomas: What?
Luke: Why are you offering me a ride home? You just spent the last few days…
Thomas: Fixing a problem that you caused. Yeah, I assumed that the store was all out of "sorry for making you design a complex algorithm since I destroyed the digital world" cards, so I decided to let that go.
Luke: Who says I'm sorry for doing that?
Thomas: Well Relena did on the phone. I couldn't believe what she had gone through in the last couple days, but she wouldn't stop talking about how you're the one who saved her. The last time she talked about someone like that, she was talking about me when I helped her with her medical condition. And that was years ago.
Luke: Look, Thomas, or Dr. Norstein or whatever you call yourself. I'm not going to join your side again, so if this is some way to bribe me into being a digidestined again you…
Thomas: The best part about being a digi destined is that you don't have much of a choice either way.
Luke: I'm the destroyer!
Luke shouted in anger
Thomas: And you'll continue to be as long as you keep telling yourself that. That's not what Relena thinks of you, anyway.
Luke: It doesn't matter what Lena thinks. I am what I am, and nothing can change that.
Thomas: anyway I didn't fly all this way just to have a shouting match with you. I personally came on this flight for another reason
Luke: Which is?
Thomas: Look Luke. I know what you're going through
Luke rolled his eyes
Thomas: I know what you're feeling right now, I've been there.
Luke: really
He couldn't have sounded more sarcastic
Thomas: When I was faced with the thought of losing Relena forever it drove me crazy. I went against my friends, against my own conscience, against even thing I had ever stood for. But in the end it turned out that those very people who I was ignoring turned out to be the ones who helped me out in the end.
Luke: Is that supposed to move me
Thomas: No, it's supposed to give you perspective on why I'm choosing to hire you
Luke: hire me?
Thomas: It's not a big job. Well it's as big as you make it, but essentially, it's an assistant. Since I'm really busy I can't be everywhere at once, can I? So I'll pay you to help me out when I need it.
Luke: And what's the catch?
Thomas: Catch? There's no catch. Just work and a lot of it. Look, you're free to say no without having me throw you off of this airplane. But I just wanted to let you know that there's still hope for you. Even if you can't believe it yet.
Luke: You sound just like your sister
Thomas: Except she believes in you more than I do.
Luke: The both of you seriously won't let go of this will you?
Thomas: Well I don't know about me, but she won't. She believes that there's a full life ahead for you. Look like I said you can either take it or leave it, but you can start that new life by accepting this job
Luke: If I even thought about doing this, then I'd need an absolute guarantee that I won't have to work with the others. Not my sister, not Matt, not Keenan, not anyone. I don't trust them
Thomas: You won't have to. I know how much you like to be alone and I think that the job I have in mind for you will accommodate that. So, with Exogrimmon, the dark digivice, all anger that we have against each other aside, let's do this for Relena.
He put down his mug and held out his hand
Thomas: Or Lena as you call her.
Luke sat still for a moment. Then he slowly moved his hand and shook Thomas's.
Thomas: Well then, Luke. Welcome to my world.
Thomas suddenly remembered something
Thomas: Oh, before I forget, Relena mentioned something on the phone about a Digimon coming to your rescue. Would you happen to know who that Digimon was?
Luke: no. It was a Dorugamon but I had never seen it before. It destroyed that mega Digimon like it was nothing
Thomas: Well, we'll just throw that into the pot of unsolved mysteries, won't we? But I guess it's more of a tradeoff
Luke: What are you talking about?
Thomas: It's about Grey Mask. I think we found out who he really is.
-x-
Talk about ironic on so many levels. What adventure is Thomas talking about? Find out in the next episode! And here's a small spoiler: you WON'T want to miss it. It's gonna be crazy because (small spoiler part) a MAIN character who has been there since EPISODE ONE will die. Legitimately. not one of those "and…guess what? he/she's back!" deaths. Human? Digimon? Adult? Child? We'll see. Also, another old character will return in the form that we're used to seeing him/her in. (What the heck am I talking about? just wait and see!)The plot will immediately accelerate very rapidly after that so get excited. More battles, more digivolutions, more answers, a few more characters and more excitement will follow in episodes to come. So to reiterate it one more time: You do NOT want to miss the next episode of digital crisis!