Sonny was trying to take in what Clamp had just told him. It seemed impossible, he had seen him fall, over fifty storeys from the look of it. And they had been mid pole when he slipped. There would not be any ledges to break his fall. So how could Clamp have seen what he thought he had seen? There was the chance he had dreamt it. A part of Sonny hoped that was the case. But the other side of him, the more cautious pirate, warned him not to think so. Bleylock alive was a threat, not only to him personally, but to the galaxy at large. If he was alive, Bleylock would seek revenge, on him, for escaping his attempt to kill him four years earlier. But more so, it put his son and wife in danger. Sonny knew that if Bleylock was alive, he would go after D'Jok or Helena, if he could. Sonny didn't need to think twice. He called Corso to the bridge.
"You asked for me Sonny?" he said.
Sonny nodded slowly. Corso wasn't going to like what he had to say, at all.
"I just spoke with Clamp Corso. It may be nothing, but somehow, I feel it is not. If Clamp is right, we may have a major problem on our hands" he said.
Corso looked confused.
"What are you talking about Sonny?Please explain" Corso asked.
Sonny sighed, then proceeded to tell him what Clamp had seen.
Corso shook his head.
"That is impossible Sonny. Bleylock cant be alive. You were the one that told me you saw him fall, over fifty storeys. No one, man or humanoid, could have survived a fall like that" Corso objected.
Sonny wanted to believe him, wanted it so bad to be true that Bleylock was really gone. But Sonny had his own dark past with the humanoid. If anyone could have defied the odds, and had powerful friends to scoop him up and hide him while he recovered, it was Bleylock. Sonny knew his status as a general from the Abraxian forces, tied to technoid for the last two decades. This man, unless he knew for sure, was a danger to the galaxy, and they could not dismiss the threat.
"Until we know for sure Corso, put extra guards to watch over Clamp, my son, and Helena. I will meet her tonight. She is coming with Ahito, to tend to his health" Sonny informed.
Corso nodded.
"I know she asked for your input on that. Something about his narcolepsi being tied to his flux. Did Dame Simbai tell you or did you discover that on your own?" he asked.
Sonny nodded.
"I got more work to do before I can conclude. And by the way Corso,Duke Maddox sent me three VIP tickets for the all star match. I plan to bring Helena, and since I go nowhere without my bodyguard, I guess you are the third one" he said.
Corso nodded.
"Speaking of that, I guess you are aware of the change in the line up for that event? Rocket is suspended, for using his flux off the pitch. He wont be ready in time for the all stars. So, Aarch, as the all star coach, replaced Rocket as team captain for the snow kids and put D'Jok in his place" Corso said.
Sonny rubbed his chin. He already knew of this. His son was still full of his own importance. To give him this honour could become a double edged sword. And as his father, Sonny decided to put it on his calendar for the very next day.
Tonight, he had reserved for his wife.
"Corso, make a reservation for me at a nice place to eat for Helena and I. We got reason to celebrate. No alcoholic beverages" Sonny said.
Corso grinned as he was about to make it.
"No alcohol huh? Must be a reason for that. You both like the fine wines" he commented.
Sonny smirked.
"We wont be doing that for a while Corso. Helena told me last night, she is pregnant again. Our second love child" Sonny smiled.
Corso embraced him with a smile.
"That is one of the best news I have heard in a while. A new member of the Blackbones clan. How is that making you feel?" He teased.
Sonny chuckled.
"Happy and young. I am looking forwards to a second chance at being there for it all" he stated.
Corso smiled as he proceeded to book a table at Genesis most classy restaurant for the expectant parents.
There, the snow kids shuttle had docked. Sonny watched from a distance. Maybe he had immunity for now, but with Technoid, you never knew how long that would last. Sonny preferred to stick to the pirates ways as much as he could. You never knew when the good things would come to an end. They usually did when you least expected it.
The press was all over them, especially Ahito, whom didn't seem sleepy today, but a bit worn out. And then, he saw her. Helena. Knowing of the little life she carried inside of her, gave her a special glow in his eyes, one only a pregnant woman would hold. Sonny decided to stay low until they reached the hotel. He was about to leave, when a hooded figure bumped into him. The bump could have been accidental, but it felt planned. Sonny felt a bit annoyed by that. He himself was a big guy, taller than the average. It wasn't as if the hooded man had not seen him. Infact..it felt almost as if he had been bumped on purpose.
That caused Sonny to turn, for just a split second. The hooded man continued to move forwards, but for a split second, he turned. And Sonny caught a glimpse of a set of yellow eyes, evil to the core. Sonny felt like his heart froze at that second. Clamp had been right. And this could only mean one thing. Sonny considered pursuing him, but when he tried to find him, Bleylock had disappeared in the crowd. Sonny felt the sweat drip down his back. His eyes could not have played tricks on him. Maybe he was affected by Clamps story. Clamp had seen quite scared when he told him. Sonny decided to not overanalyze things. He would, on the other hand, have Corso send out the men to look for Bleylock. He had made sure their identification visors were updated with Bleylocks identification in the log. If it was really him, someone would know soon enough. With that, Sonny turned and hailed a taxi.
He was headed to his wifes hotel to meet her and their son.
Bleylock made sure to get out of Sonnys sight as soon as he could. He had noticed the shock in his nemesis eyes that short second their eyes met. Sonny was..bewildered, it looked like he was not at all sure he had seen him. He looked like someone had hit him in the face. And for a second, there was share, utter fear in his hazel eyes. Good. He deserved to suffer for what he did to him four years ago. In Bleylocks twisted mind, he had not slipped and fallen. Sonny had made him slip. Only in a mad mans mind would that make any sense, but Bleylock was a changed man now. He was going to get revenge on Sonny, his son, even his wife if he had to, for the pain and suffering he had endured. And as a bonus, he had a new plan for how to obtain flux. Clamps machine had sparked the idea, and with Harris help, they had stolen components meant to produce holo trainers, a prototype that was safe to train in,while using flux. Those spesifics was what he needed to carry out his new plan. And Clamp and Sonny had helped him, not even realising it. If they knew, he would have them on his neck already. Soon enough though. He had a few plans to put into motion first. And he had planned stage one to be Sonny and his pirates loosing their immunity and become fugitives again. Later, he would deal with Sonnys wife. He had been moved from Akillian while she was on holiday. Bleylock counted on her not to realise whom he really was. Let Sonny and his men sweat for a while, while they had to cozy up to Duke Maddox to keep things civil. Then, when the time was right, spring the trap. If all went according to plan, this time, Sonny would end up in jail, where he rightfully belonged. And while he prepared, Bleylock and Harris had recruited The Shadows Sinedd, to be the conductor of an underground football club, playing a game named Nether Ball. With the real, hidden purpose of it all being to give him the unlimited power that mixed flux would provide.
Sonny had snuck into the hotel lobby undetected. Not that he really had to. The pirates had immunity and could not be arrested. As usual, he wore a hood while he moved around in public. Sonny knew, not wearing the hood, still led to unwanted attention for him as a pirate. After all, he was their leader, and a face everyone in the entire galaxy knew. They had gained more support now for their cause, but as things were, they could not really defy Technoid all the time. They had to be civil. Corso found that hard, as did many of his men. Technoid was the enemy still, they just could not openly defy them, if they did, they could jeopardize the precious immunity. Sonny approached the desk.
"Excuse me Miss, could you notify Mrs Helena Blackbones that her husband is here to see her?" he asked.
"Certainly Sir. Who shall I tell her you are?" the young lady at the desk asked.
Then, she looked up and saw him.
"Oh my, you are Sonny Blackbones, former most wanted man in the galaxy" she said.
Sonny smiled.
"And I emphyzize that it is former. Is my wife in?" he asked.
The young lady checked.
"She is Mr Blackbones. Room 404" she smiled.
Sonny nodded, as he headed off to the elevator.
Helena sparkled in her dress. Her baby bump didn't show yet. But Sonny had still put his hands on top of her stomach as they met,letting his calm flow to the unborn little one growing inside her. His second love child.
The restaurant was fantastic. Sonny had deliberately chosen food this time that was not shellfish, to avoid exposing her to allergens. It was clear that his mind was on the little one growing inside her. Or was it?
Helena found that Sonny appeared thoughtful tonight, not all there. And she wondered why.
After more than two hours, with Sonny still having a very thoughtful face, Helena decided to call him out.
"This is an urgent call for Sonny Blackbones. Your wife has tried to reach you for hours. Are you with us?" she teased.
Sonny looked up from his plate, knowing he had been cought being distracted by something else than his gorgeous wife.
"Busted. Im sorry honey. Something happened today that has my mind a bit preoccupied" he confessed.
Helena looked at him.
"Sounds to me like its not a little thing. Want to tell me about it?" she asked.
Sonny smiled.
"I am probably just imagining it, just like Clamp. I don't want you to be scared, as it is probably nothing at all. But I saw you arrive at the astroport. A guy bumped into me, and when I looked to see who it was, I could have sworn it was Bleylock" Sonny said.
Helena nodded.
Off course it had to be something like this that had him stressed out. Helena knew Sonny had a dark past when it came to this humanoid. From what she had heard, it had not started off so dark though. Bleylock had been a recruiter for Technoid, scovering the galaxy to find the young talents that stood out, to put into Technoids programs for gifted youngsters. Sonny himself had been one of these gifted youngsters. Rumours had it, Bleylock made him his protege, and mentored him, making sure he got ahead of others in the game. But whatever advantage Sonny had been given, had come at a price. Helena could remember the haunted looks when they first started dating, as if he was worried someone tailed them. Seemingly, there was no need for this caution, but Sonny was always a bit on edge. And if Bleylock was around, it was even worse.
She had never asked about the nature of their friendship, simply because she had the feeling Sonny didn't want to talk about it. But four years ago, it was evident just how bad his relationship with Bleylock had been.
Mortal enemies was the best description. A battle between them would ultimately end in just one of them surviving. Last time, it was thanks to Corso, Sonny had made it. Corso had told her while they were at Shiloh. It had given her a new found respect and love for the other man, whom saw Sonny as the one they could not afford to loose. It had become clear to her just how deeply Sonny was loved by the pirates. His men would do anything to keep him safe from , she came to remember something, from right before she went to Shiloh.
"That reminds me Sonny, back on Akillian, before my trip to Shiloh, I was assigned a patient that was gone when I returned. That confused me, as his injuries was very severe. A Mr Brower. He was placed there by a friend, but I suspected he had something to hide. He was there recovering from a fall. I have never seen anyone wrapped up in so many bandages. You would think he had plastic surgery, not just getting stronger prosthetics fitted. When I think of it..he did have the same height and looked a lot like Bleylock. It could have been him, under an alias" Helena said thoughtfully.
Sonny nodded this. But now, it seemed his own worries affected his wife. That was not how he wanted this evening, to celebrate their second child, to go.
"Now you are getting affected by my worries Honey. Corso is probably right. I am seeing ghosts. The past with Bleylock is a grim one, one I would love to close the book on permanently before the second baby is here. This time, I want to be here, for all that I was robbed of with our son. I wont let Bleylock or anyone else destroy that. Tell you what. Look at the menu, there is some really good things here. Want to explore some meaty dishes tonight perhaps? You will need the energy for the little one growing" he tired.
Helena sent him a look that told him loud and clear, that was not at all what he was thinking and she knew, but if it made him stop worry about a ghost, she would rather play the game, than continue to see him stress. And if he was lucky, maybe she had a surprise or two for him later on. Sonny had already regulated his schedule. All his men knew, he was with his wife tonight. They would not expect him to show up for an early shift the following day. Infact, they would encourage him to sleep in, and if his wife was the remedy to make him get some much needed rest, they would be more than happy for him to stay the night. Helena knew all this, and she would not mind her husband staying the night. Sonny smiled at her, knowing what she thought. Well, she didnt call him on it. And any distraction from this worry was most welcome.
He made a mental memo to make Corso check this Mr Brower more closely.
But now, Sonny shifted the conversation, to the appointment for Helenas check up the following day and the plans for the new baby soon to be a part of their family.