Hello everyone! So…. It has been awhile XD I am sorry this entire year has been extremely tough with the pandemic, the lockdown and personal things on top of that but now I can't get this story out of my head and at the moment it's what is keeping me sane. I hope all of you are happy, healthy and following the rules in order to stop the spread of Covid 19. Take Care my lovelies! 3

Chapter 11

After the success of getting MechaBandicoot working, everyone is getting ready for the rescue mission. Crunch is in the kitchen packing food for everyone, Coco and N. Gin makes final touches on the MechaBandicoot and Crash and Nina walks around see if they can help in anyway.

"Alright everyone, we need a plan." Aku aku says,

"We now know Dr Cortex is not in the labs anymore and is in some sort of cave with Nadia who is encased in crystal by Dr N. Troy along with Uka uka who is keeping them captive." he continued while giving Nina a worrying look.

"So, what's the plan?" Crash starts and then mimes the square over his head. Aku aku knows what he is saying,

"You want to go and save Dr Cortex?" Crash nods his head rapidly. Nina is shocked and slightly confused by Crash's answer. Her Uncle said him and Crash are sworn enemies? So why is he adamant to save the guy that tried to kill him?

"Fine. But you can't go in there alone. I shall go with you so I can protect you from Uka uka while you deal with N. Tropy."

"I want to come too!" Nina interjected which makes Aku aku give her a stern look.

"No Nina, I promised your Uncle that I will protect you from Uka uka and you being in the same room as him would put your life at risk. You will stay here where we know you are safe." That statement makes Nina furious,

"You can't be serious! I can't stay here and do nothing!" Aku aku understands her outbursts but his patience is wearing thin, however, he stays calm while trying to reason with her.

"I understand you want to save them, but I also know your safety is there top priority, the very reason why your Uncle brought us here, and I intend to keep you safe. For them." he added when he saw Nina was about to protest and got the final word when he turns away from the conversation, bringing Nina in a brink of tears. She feels a tap on her shoulder, she turns to see N. Gin giving her a smile.

"Don't worry. You can come with me, Coco and Nadia. We are going back to my labs so we can get the plasma ammo for the MechaBandicoot." Nina just nods her head.

"WAIT!" Coco interjected,

"Are we splitting up? What happens when one of us be in the same position as Cortex? Plus we don't know which cave they have been held captive. I say we all go to the labs together so neither of us get taken or even worst killed." she said with aggression with her arms crossed giving Aku aku a challenging look while everyone can feel the tension between them. Aku aku looks closely at Coco's eyes and noticed purple specks in her emerald eyes and started to grow concern, but decided to let it slide for now.

"You might be right," Aku aku said with a sigh. "N. Gin, is there any room for us in your robot?" N. Gin scratches his head, thinking.

"Well, it will only fit three people max so unless two people can ride on the shoulders while it's flying? And with it set to a certain speed, I suppose it could work." Aku aku nodded his head ,

"Then it is settled, we will go to the labs first to get more prepared, get the ammo and figure out where they keep Dr Cortex and Nadia. I know all of you are worried but we all know Dr Cortex. He is very determined, something that I find annoying yet admirable." That comment gets a little chuckle from everyone apart from Coco who just simply rolls her eyes. She can also hear a chuckle along with a loving sigh from Nadia, making Coco pull a face in disgust. Then, everyone hears a crash from the house and sees Crunch coming out with rolled up sleeping bags, a basket full of food and a cooler. As he puts everything down on the ground, he sees everyone staring at him.

"What? You never know when we need them." Nina immediately run towards Crunch.

"I can help you," she said, shocking Crunch that the little Cortex wants to help him.

"Well, if you are sure little lady," he gave her the basket and a sleeping bag. With them, she runs towards the MechaBandicoot where N. Gin opens the back for her.

"Nina, can I talk to you?" she turns to see Aku aku that looks like he wants to talk to her about something important. She puts the items in and follow Aku aku away for the others.

"I just want to apologise for earlier. I shouldn't have lost my patience with you, especially when you are, understandably worrying about your family." Nina looks down, feeling depressed when she starts thinking about her Uncle and her mother. Aku aku continues,

"You can come with us as we need as much help as we can plus I don't want you to be alone at our home, however you must stay close to one of us so that we can protect you." Nina stares at Aku aku and smiled,

"Thank you! I hsall help as much as I can, and I am sorry too. I know you just want to protect me and I shouldn't have gotten angry at you." Aku aku smiled back,

"Apology accepted." Nina beamed at him before she runs back to the group when Aku aku's smile dropped to a worried expression. Crash noticed this an gave Aku aku a comforting hand on his back.

"It's nothing Crash, just worried about this little adventure," he said with a sigh as he watches Nina already in the robot using her bionic hands to bring N. Gin and Coco into the compartment.

"Come on Crash, we best get moving."

Back in the cave, Neo Cortex is still chained up to the wall, sitting on the ground, looking at his late wife who is still encased in crystal. He can see Dr N. Tropy focusing on his machinery that involves with his tuning tuning fork connecting to the very crystal. He can't believe the colleague he has been working with for years is the reason for his wife's sudden disappearance. He can feel his hatred for N. Tropy running through his veins and desperately wants to murder him for taking his life away.

"Tiny brought water for master!" he looks up to see Tiny Tiger in front of him holding a bowl of water out to him. Neo realises how thirsty he is when Tiny brings the bowl to his lips and drinks all the water down in one gulp. After he is done, Tiny sits next to him.

"Master knows pretty lady!?" All Neo could do is weakly nod his head.

"Who is pretty lady!?" Just as Neo was about to answe, they hear a loud clang from N. Tropy, causing them to jump.

"Tiny!" N. Tropy shouted.

"Don't converse with him! I want to him to rot while dealing with his wife's last final moment alone, making him realise how much of a failure he is," he said with a sinister smile while Neo is giving him a venomous look. Tiny is hesitant, he is terrified of N. Tropy but he doesn't want to leave his alone in misery.

"Tiny! Get here now!" Neo gave him a smile and a nod to show Tiny that he is fine. With one final look, Tiny gets up and quickly run towards the intimidating time lord.

"I need you to go back to the labs in there are any….intruders wanting to go in and snooping around. I can trust you to not let anyone snoop around in the labs, right?" he said looming over Tiny, making him crouch to the ground, cowering in fear. Tiny rapidly nods his head before he immediately ran out the caves before Dr N. Tropy does anything to him.

"Now then, Doctor," he hissed, holding up his tazor with a sinister smile.

"It's just you and me."

Tiny ran out the cave and stopped to see the sky darkened with grey cloud, heavy rain pouring down and lightening flashing above his head. Then, he hears an electric static from inside the cave, follow by his master's painful screaming and crying. Tiny feels helpless as he listens to his master begging for the torture to stop. His ears goes back, trying to cover up the sound while his eyes is welling up with tears. All he can do is follow his orders and walk back to the labs, shivering in the cold rain, crying along the way.