Here we are at Chapter 25. Now that the new Geno Storm-blade is in action, time for Team Lockhart to get back in the game. But many questions are still left unanswered for them. I do not own Zoids. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs. Here's chapter 25. Enjoy.
Chapter 25: Back in the Game
Team Lockhart look around as the ZBC workers move all over the place, trying to clean up the massive mess and destruction left in the wake of the previous battle.
"Man, this is a mess. I hope these guys are getting hazard pay," Grace notes.
"We got lucky here, but only because of Sarah and Vega Obscura. Things would've been quite different if otherwise," Colt notes.
"Hey guys, how ya doing?" they hear Rickie shout out as he and his older brother join them.
"Us? Where the Hell have you've been?" Grace asks, hands on her hips.
"Hiding from the chaos," Rickie replies, nonchalant, while Grace just stares at him. "What, I'm not a zoid warrior, and besides, I'm not crazy enough to jump into the middle of this mess," he defends himself.
"Not the first time," Sky notes.
"Hey!" Rickie retorts.
The others laugh a bit, "Well, anyway, at least we're all okay, though most of our zoids need repairs," Sarah says, looking at her teammates' zoids. Grace and Colt's zoids need quite a few repairs. Sky's zoid has some damage to the armor, but not as badly as the other two. "This is going to cost us big, and we haven't been in a zoid battle in a while," Sarah says.
"I wonder how often we'll get to fight in zoid battles like we used to, now that the NBG has made such a bold move against us," Grace says.
"They're not the NBG," Sarah says, getting their attention. "During the battle, when that Whale King showed up, I saw a man standing in its mouth, and I heard him say over the comms that their real name is Nexus. NBG is just a front, just like Pierce and Stoller originally thought. He also said something else that's far from the Backdraft Group. He said that zoids are made and meant to be used as weapons for war. That the ZBC has taken that purity of battle away from zoid battles and turned it into a game. That's why they're doing this. He said that the world has gone soft, and that they're going to change that," Sarah explains.
The others think upon what she just told them, "You think that guy was the leader of this 'Nexus'?" Grace asks.
"Could be," Sky says.
"They've never been this bold before. Maybe they've finally taken the gloves off, or maybe they got bold after making this attack here," Colt suggests.
"How did they know about this place, or what we were doing here? We're not exactly broadcasting our secret mission here," Rickie asks.
"I have a theory about that. I don't want to think about it, but it's the only plausible explanation. When the enemy knows too much, it can only mean one thing... a traitor," Colt declares, surprising the group a bit.
"You think... someone in the ZBC has betrayed us?" Sarah asks.
"Or that they were a Nexus spy that was planted here a while back and started leaking intel to them. We don't know how far their reach goes. It's the only explanation I can think of that makes sense," Colt explains.
"But who then?" Sarah asks.
"Not many people know about this little operation, so the number of suspects isn't that high. No one from the old Backdraft Group would do this, I know that for a fact. Besides, it would be too obvious for it to be one of them. My father always said that obvious isn't always the answer. That leaves us, the ZBC chief, 1st Lieutenant, a few others, and the soldiers that were here guarding the place. I know it isn't the chief. His heart has always been in it for the zoid battles of today. He would never betray that. Of course, none of us are the traitors, so that narrows the list even further," Colt theorizes.
"You think it's the 1st Lt.?" Rickie asks.
"I don't think so. Roderick has been in the ZBC for a long time. I can't see him being the bad guy here," Colt says.
"Well, who then?" Sarah asks.
"I just... don't know. What I do know is that we have to be careful from now on, and keep an eye out on anyone suspicious," Colt says, and the group nod in agreement.
After having their little huddle, the team meet with Sarah and Vega, telling them what they learned. However, it seems Sarah herself has something to show them as well.
"What do you mean you have something to show us?" Colt asks.
"Come with me," Sarah says. They follow her to the security station inside the base, and she turns on one of the monitors, showing the area where the Geno Ritter was being upgraded.
"Isn't that where Geno was being fixed?" Grace asks.
"Yes, but these cameras picked something up during the battle earlier. Here, let me show you," Sarah says, and plays the video back and stops at one point during the battle between Sarah and the Geno Scissors. "I noticed something odd and played it back, and this is what I found," she says, playing the video, showing the Geno Scissors' eyes glowing and dimming several times in a weird way.
"So what, the zoid's eyes are having problems?" Rickie asks.
"Wait, I think that's morse code," Colt realizes.
"Agreed. I had someone decipher it and the message reads as this: 'Hunter Krato... no choice... spy in ranks... stop Kaiser...'. And that's it," Sarah explains.
"So, our hunch is right. There is a spy in the ZBC that's working for Nexus," Grace notes.
"Not just that. But now I know that the pilot of the Geno Scissors really is Hunter Krato," Sarah says.
"Hunter Krato?" Colt asks.
"I've been doing some digging of my own, trying to figure out who the pilot of the Geno Scissors could be. I found this one article about a boy that went missing years ago named Hunter Krato. I don't know, something just felt clear about him being the pilot. He went missing after an attack by an unknown source. Now I know," Sarah says.
"But what does 'no choice' mean?" Rickie asks.
"Force to fight," Sky figures out.
"...They've even kidnapped people and are forcing them to fight for the Nexus? That's low in so many ways," Colt voices the group's disgust.
"When I was with the Backdraft Group, I had Vega fight, but I never forced him to do anything. When he fought in zoid battles, he did it of his own free will. No one forced him to, and I wouldn't let anyone force him either," Sarah says.
"So, what does that mean for us? I mean, this kid tried to kill us, and he even hurt Geno that one time? Do we just forget about that?" Grace asks.
"No. We can't forget that, but we can't forget that now we know that he was forced to. If he wanted. He could've escaped when he got his zoid, but didn't, so there must be something keeping him on their lease. That must be why he sent that morse code to us, to communicate without tipping them off. I'll bet it was risky though," Sarah explains.
"So, what, they have some kind of mind control going on?" Rickie asks.
"Or booby-trapped," Sky suggests.
"I think Sky might be on to something. This Nexus may have rigged his zoid to explode should he try to escape or do something they don't want. They may have something for when he's not piloting a zoid also," Sarah says.
"Okay, then what? Why find a way to save him?" Grace asks.
"I'd like to try to learn more about him. If possible, then yes, I'd like to save him. From what I can see, the one's leading Nexus don't seem to care about their subordinates. The foot-soldiers that kill themselves to prevent intel leaks may do so either from fierce loyalty to their cause, or because they're afraid of what their leaders would do to them should they find out they betrayed them. Either way, it's all rather ruthless. Even the Backdraft Group wasn't that bad, from what I've been told," Sarah says.
"Alright, then we find their hideout, look for their spy, save the psycho that's been trying to kill us, not that I'm fond of that last part, and save the day. What could possibly go wrong?" Rickie notes with a goofy smile, but then everyone glares at him. "What?"
"Well, we'll figure out the 'save the day' part another time. As for the spy, you guys can leave that to me," Sarah says as she finishes her work.
"Okay, but then what will we do?" Colt asks.
"Well, you are still a zoid warrior team, and a well-known one at that. I suggest continue your journey, participating in zoid battles, and travelling. One suggestion is going to Hunter Krato's old village to find out more about him there, and what exactly happened to his family. I'll look for that information and send it to you," Sarah says.
"Okay, but what about when Nexus shows up again?" Grace asks.
"Well, with the Geno Storm-blade, you guys will have a better chance of dealing with them. Plus, you've all been getting stronger in battle, even against the Nexus. I'm not too worried about your team," Sarah says.
"Okay then. Once all of our zoids are fixed up, we'll head on our way then. Sound like a plan, guys?" Sarah asks her team.
"If Sarah is cool with it, then so am I," Grace nods.
"I'm down," Colt agrees.
"Same here," Rickie adds, while his brother just nods his head.
"Then it's a plan," Sarah says.
…
"The Geno Scissors has been extensively damaged, and what's worse, you failed to completely destroy the Geno Ritter and Team Lockhart. Yes, the Berserk Fury prevented our forces from helping you, but even that shouldn't have been much of a problem," the man with the beard says. He walks around the pilot of the Geno Scissors, a young man with tanned skin and black hair running slightly past his shoulders, who is sitting in a chair, although his wrists and ankles are cuffed to the chair. He is wearing a black leather suit with boots and a gray zipper on the front. "And because of that, they still have one of the only two zoids in existence with a working Z-link system. This will set us back a bit. Plus, we don't know if they figured out that we have a spy in the ZBC's ranks, but if they do, it's only a matter of time before they find them. You failed in your mission," the man says, and holds up a remote in his hand, pressing a button on it.
Suddenly, electric currents flood the man's body, causing him to grit his teeth, close his eyes, and silently curse in pain for a few seconds before the older man stops the surge. The boy takes a few ragged breaths from the pain.
"However, despite that, that fact remains that you are the only one we have that is compatible with the Z-link system. All the other candidates died from the tests with the system. How Sarah Lockhart came to be compatible is unknown, though it doesn't matter much," he says, and hits the switch again, causing the boy more suffering for a few more seconds before he stops. "Now the ZBC will be more prepared for our troops. However, they still don't know the full extent of our reach, and we've come too far to stop now. The goal of Nexus must be realized. Luckily, we've managed to obtain enough data on the Z-link system that we can remove it from the Geno Scissors and implant it into something else, something strong enough to deal with the reborn Geno Ritter. For now, you will remain on standby. Don't expect me to be so merciful should you fail again," the man says, emphasizing his point by shocking the boy again for a little longer this time.
The boy grits his teeth through the pain again until finally the older man lets up.
"Take him back to his quarters," the man says. Two other men wearing black uniforms and wearing helmets that cover the upper half of their skulls and faces walk in and retrieve the boy after he is released from the seat, almost dragging him out as he barely has the strength to stand up. "And inform the others to engage in phase two of the plan. It's time to kick things up a notch," he says, and one of the soldiers nods in reply before the three of them leave. "We must act swiftly if we are to restore this land to its former glory. This fragile peace is only a child's dream, and it's time for everyone to wake up to reality," the man says.
…
A couple days go by before everything at the base are back to full operation, including the zoids of Team Lockhart getting all the repairs that they needed. With all of that done, the team are outside the base, loading up their supplies and their zoids on their Gustavs, preparing to continue on their journey. Currently, Sarah is talking with Vega.
"So, you guys heading out?" Vega asks.
"Yeah, we can't stay here forever. Besides, we still have zoid battles to take care of. I may be helping you guys out, but I still have my own goals to complete, and I can't do that being stuck here," Sarah says.
"That's too bad. With you guys around, things were actually pretty interesting around here. Now it's gonna get boring again," Vega pouts a bit like a child (even though he is one).
"Well, I'm sure we'll bump into each other down the road. You guys just be careful on your end, and we'll be careful on ours," Sarah says.
"Yeah, but don't forget, you still owe me a zoid battle, and one of these days, we're gonna have it. Fury is itching to duke it out with your new partner," Vega notes.
"I'll need to get my class rank up first. And master Geno's new strength. But, yeah, someday," Sarah says.
Suddenly out of nowhere, Grace comes in a traps Vega in a big hug, lifting him off of his feet.
"And I still owe you one for saving my back the other day. But don't worry, I promise I'll repay my debt. A girl always keeps her word," Grace says.
"Hey, put me down! I'm not a little kid!" Vega yells as he tries to break free.
"Aw, you're so cute when you try to act tough. I always wanted a baby brother!" Grace coos, but then shows him some mercy and lets him down. "But fine. Anyway, thanks again for helping Colt and I in that battle. Hope to see you again soon. Come on, Sarah, we're all loaded up and ready to head out," Grace says and walks back to the others.
"Ugh, I hate it when people do that to me," Vega complains.
Sarah giggles a bit, "Just be glad she's merciful. Well, take care of yourself, Vega," she says, holding out a hand for him.
Vega eventually smiles and shakes her hand, "Sure thing. Come back stronger, okay," he says.
With that said, Sarah leaves to join with her team, and they leave the base, heading back out onto the open road. Sky and Rickie are in Colt's Gustav, while Grace is still in Sarah's like usual.
"So, what's the plan again exactly?" Grace asks.
"We find out what Nexus is planning next, and we look for info about Hunter Krato. For the second one, we'll head to his hometown and start gathering info there. Sarah sent me the details on its location. The name of the place is Kuze Town, but it's a great distance from here. So, along the way, we'll have another zoid battle. We've been out of action for a few days and people might be getting suspicious. I want to make Geno's grand debut in his new body. Plus, I've been missing a good battle where our loves aren't on the line," Sarah explains.
The boys come on over the comms, "Don't forget the prize money. Luckily, the ZBC covered the costs for our zoid repairs after the last battle, but they won't pay for everything. We need to rake in some more cash," Colt says.
"Yeah, I want to smell that money baby!" Rickie cheers.
"Enough," Sky tells his younger brother to cool it.
"This Nexus wants zoid battles where death is involved to return, that the zoid battles of today are a sham of what they once were. But if you ask me, I prefer the new way. We don't have to worry about dying, so we can fight to our heart's content. There are many zoid pilots out there that feel the same way. We have to stop them," She mutters.
"Don't forget about our own goals. We were just a regular zoid team before all of this happened. I still need to show people that my Spinosapper can be an awesome zoid for zoid battles, not just for mining work," Grace says.
"Hey, don't forget about us. We have our goals too," Colt says.
Grace waves her hand, "Yeah, yeah, whatever," she blows him off.
"So, any ideas about our next zoid battle?" Rickie asks.
"Well, the battle commission hasn't released anything about our next zoid battle just yet, but I do have two hopes for it," Sarah says.
"What's that?" Grace asks.
"One, that our next opponents will give Geno a decent challenge, or else he'll get pissed-," Sarah says, and they hear the Geno Storm-blade roar in agreement from the back. "And two, that perhaps there will be a special prize for us besides money. Because I gotta admit, us moving our zoids around on these two Gustavs may not cut it for the rest of our journey. Especially since they're out in the open where bandits might try to steal or sabotage them. After our previous issue with the Grun Team, I don't want that to happen again," Sarah explains.
"You got a point there. We're gonna need a new set of wheels. Unfortunately, that's gonna cost a LOT of money, which is something we don't have right now," Rickie reminds them.
"Then we'll just have to win some. And then, we focus back on finding out more about Hunter Krato," Sarah says.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Colt agrees as they continue on their way.
"...I don't know what happened to you, Hunter Krato... But, I'm going to find out," Sarah thinks.
And that's the chapter. The team get back on track with both their mission and their careers as zoid warriors. Whatever happens down the road, it's about to get a lot more interesting. Will they learn more about Hunter Krato? Will they be able to stop Nexus' plans? Until then, please Read and Review.