Helena had breakfast with her son this morning. Sonny would have loved to be there, but his schedule was a busy one this morning. Bennett and Artie had found something last night while on patrol, and that demanded his immediate attention. Corso would go with him, to investigate it.
Helena remembered the talk from last night. It had been deeply emotional for Sonny. All the pain, the uncertainty and the issues from when they were separated had been brought to the table, with Corso as a witness. Sonny had laid it all on the table, making himself more vulnerable than she had ever seen him before. He was encouraged by Corso to be honest. And she was so grateful to hear of it all. Those years spent apart from her, what he learned about her employer, his now mortal enemy, Bleylocks role in it all, how he went years, hiding this information, his own role in the disaster on Akillian, and the truth about Bleylock, and what he wanted to do. Helenas heart ached for her husband. He had carried much of this all alone, until he finally came clean, with Corso. Corso was the silent type, but she could tell there was a close friendship between him and Sonny. He was his right hand man. His bodyguard and protector. Corso even shared stories from when Sonny was new to the pirates, and his rise to power as their elected leader. And some stories that had cemented their friendship. Corso had been with him, though it all, helped him heal and grow into whom he was was clear to Helena, Corso was someone that she could trust to always protect Sonny. Then, Sonny had spoken of the side effect of the snow kids all having the meta flux in them when in the womb. He wanted Clamp to call in the parents of all the players of the team, to check wheter they had residue of it left in their bodies. And he needed her to get checked, today. Sonny had set it up with Clamp. He would join her for this as soon as he returned from whatever he and Corso had rushed off to tend to.
D'Jok was in a good mood after last nights win with the All Stars. In fact, that was all he wanted to talk about.
Helena tried to keep up.
"D'Jok, I am sure there are more people on the team than just you. You really need to focus on being a team player. If you wont listen to me, will you listen to your father instead? I could ask Sonny to sit you down and talk of things. He is coming back later. I have to do a screening to see if I got meta flux residue in my body, now that I am pregnant.." she said.
That made her son look up from the sandwich he was eating.
"Mom..did you just tell me..I am going to have a sibling?" he asked after several silent minutes.
Helena nodded.
"Yes D'Jok. We are having a baby girl, you will have a baby sister in a few months" Helena told him.
That changed the conversation, from All Stars, to the new future for the redhead that now had a sister on the way.
Sonny and Corso had walked for a long while, until they reached the sphere where Bennett and Artie had seen Rocket last night. However, now the place looked deserted. Clearly, whomever the players were, they convened around midnight, to play their ten minute games. From what they were told,the games was extremely aggressive. Artie had described Rocket as completely posessed. The game they had witnessed, was Rocket versus Sinedd, whom had gotten injured in the process. No doubt, Artegor Nexus would not be happy be about that. But that was not their problem. Sonny and Corso circled the sphere. Odd. The thing had not been down here long, but the way it was built, made it look very old. Sonny wasn't buying it. If Technoid was behind this, what could be their motivation? If it was Bleylock.. Sonny didn't want to think that thought all the way through. Instead, he pointed to what looked like a ladder.
Corso nodded and let Sonny go first.
Once on the top, Sonny opened a panel. Technoid components all over the place. But just as he was about to close it, he noticed something. This was odd. That was not a technoid component,but someone else had made it. Sonny scratched his head. Whom in the galaxy could be behind this?
Deep down, if he was being honest, he knew the answer. Bleylock. Who else with connection to Technoid, could have set something like this up? As they got back down, Corso took another walk around it, Sonny in tow.
His hands slid over the sides, searching for hidden panels.
"Its just like the other side. This sphere is completely sealed Sonny" he reported.
Sonny was confused.
"I don't get it Corso. It is been altered on the outside, made to look old, but one thing is for sure, it has not been here very long" Sonny commented as he looked at the shiny sphere.
Corso just nodded.
"So, what are you thinking then? Another Technoid operation?" Corso asked.
Sonny sighed.
"Who else but Technoid would build such a thing Corso? The odd thing is, I don't think this is Maddox doing. It is someone else..someone with access to Technoid. I don't know how he did it, but this smells like Bleylock to me" Sonny concluded.
Corso gave him a look.
"You know Sonny, we got no evidence whatsoever that he is still alive. This happens to all of us. You two have been enemies for so long, its now getting to you" he tried, putting a hand on Sonnys shoulder.
"Maybe Corso, but I cant just let this slide and take the chance. If Bleylock is alive, he has power, and friends in high places. Remember, we never checked after his fall. That is on me. I should have. If it is him, he will be out for blood. And he might target my wife and son to get to me. I am not going to let him do that" Sonny said.
Corso nodded.
"Lets get out of here Sonny. You have an appointment with Helena and D'Jok has a match tonight. One where we are not invited to Technoids box. You can go alone with Helena and the other parents" he smiled.
Sonny smiled back. Corso always knew what to say to set his mind straight.
"You are right Corso. I need to let this go. Focus on my family, and the new baby to come" he said.
Corso smirked.
"Anything to help you get back on track buddy. Now, lets get out of here".
Clamp looked at the screen and the gauges. Helena had no idea what they all meant. She was a nurse, the closest comparison she had, was to see patients on life support. Sonny held her hand while the process completed. She knew he had done this himself, and it had not caused him any harm. If it did, he would never put his unborn daughter and her at risk. As the scanner roamed over her body, she felt a slight tingling. Almost as if it was a tiny eletrical shock.
"There, all done" said Clamp as he bade her to rise.
Sonny helped her to her feet, then he looked at Clamps screen.
"No residue from what I can spot. Good" he said, sounding relieved.
Clamp nodded.
"Does she know of what I saw?" he asked.
Sonny nodded.
"Helena, do you mind telling Clamp what you told me, when we spoke of the possibility that Bleylock could still be alive? I am not sure just how, but I think,between the three of us, we have all seen him, and to me, he looked very much alive. Corso and the others may not believe it, they think this is me chasing a ghost. I know better. I wish it was over, but since I never saw an obituary for Bleylock, I just assumed his family took care of things. It is possible,I was wrong" Sonny said.
That made Clamp look at him.
"If You saw him too Sonny. That isnt a coincidence. He made himself known, to both of us, to warn us, this isnt over. Now, we have to wait for his move. Whatever that move is, you know, it isnt going to be pretty" Clamp said.
Helena looked at them both. She had known them since forever it felt like, and never had she seen the two of them this worried. Well, except for the Meta flux maybe.
"Last time I spoke to Bleylock, was before he tried to kill Sonny. He was not being nice. I had a moment, where I was upset over the questions he asked, and slung an accusation in his face. I don't know..maybe it hit bullseye without me knowing. All I remember, is he grabbed my wrist hard, and those eyes.." Helena recalled.
She felt Sonny pull her to his chest. She had not told him this, and now, she could feel from his embrace, this upset him. Bleylock had threatened her, his wife. That had just put a target on her back as well. Maybe he hoped she would be safe. But he knew better.
Sonny tilted her head slightly upwards, so she could see his worried hazels.
"You should have told me Honey. If he lays a hand on you, or hurts you, its all because of his past with me. I worry I wont be able to stop whatever he has coming for you. Its more than enough that I got a target on my back. And from breaking the agreement he made to save me, Bleylock will have a beef with D'Jok too. And knowing this, he now has my entire family as his mark. I will arrange for some of my men to follow you discretely, you wont know they are there unless they make themselves known. D'Jok has the protection of being a celebrity, Bleylock wont attack him in the open. I am so sorry this had to happen. Just when all seemed so well.." Sonny said.
They could hear the frustration in his voice. He did his best, for the galaxy, for his men, for his family and everyone, and this was the reward he was given.
Helena touched his arm.
"Would it feel better if I stayed aboard The Black Manta with you Sonny? If that drops the level of tension I sense in you right now, it would benefit you,and surely your men too" she asked.
Sonny thought it over. His son was safe, surrounded by his friends on the team and other players. Helena was a different story. And with her being on board, he could keep an eye on her, and the pregnancy, and also, protect her, and their unborn child. When he looked at it the right way, this was a win win situation for him.
"The pirates would thank you for that Honey. They know I can get a bit moody when I am under high pressure" he said.
Clamp chuckled.
"Really?I must have missed that memo. Who would think Sonny Blackbones the pirate chief, has human traits like that?" he laughed.
The words had the desired effect. Sonny raised his hands, in a surrendering motion, before he too fell into a heartfelt laugh with them.
Perfect. They now had all the flux needed, to make a flux bomb. With the time needed to mix the fluxes, this should be ready in time for the shadows versus pirates match. The perfect trap. Sonny was Duke Maddox special guest of the season. He would be there, watching his team play the shadows. The pirates, the eternal underdog team. Off course, he had heard the rumours that the pirates actually had a flux of their own, but Sonny was either reluctant to use it, or he knew that it was strong enough to act as a beacon to track them after a match. And since it seemed, the entire team was serving aboard his ship, them having a beacon on them, served to put a target on Sonnys back. His caution was well known. Sonny Blackbones would only appear with Duke Maddox, if he felt it was safe. What a perfect little surprise for him. Make sure the shadows lost their flux, by attacking Obscuriantis, and wipe out the smog. Off course, the Shadows would loose their match. It would be a win for the pirates for once, but a bittersweet one. Bleylock grinned. This would be a stretched out torture. Sonny deserved every last bit of pain for what he had done to him. Just like he suffered pain that was not possible to explain, Sonny would also be made to suffer. Bleylock smirked, as he wrote down his orders for Harris.
It felt strange to see his mother leave the hotel like this, when she was there, working with Dame Simbai to help Ahito. Sure, Ahito was better, but it was a slow recovery. It put stress on him, to have to rely on Yuki, their cousin, to guard the snow kids goal. In D'Joks opinion, she wasn't up for it. He feared loosing the entire cup, and the chance to do it for a second time in a row, because their goal keeper wasn't up for it. His team begged him to reconsider. In their opinion, Yuki was improving. Mark did good as Rockets replacement, and had found his breath early on. Just as things started to get on track, and he could let his guard down, this happened.
Sonny had not gone into detail about what had caused them to make this decision. All he said, was for his son to keep focused on the game, and leave all the worries to him, as he was better equipped to deal with it.
D'Jok concluded, it was the new baby that made his parents want to be closer, now that they had the chance. But it still didn't explain the extra protection he knew his father had put in for him. Sure, the pirates were discrete, but he had both sensed and seen them. That made him feel like a child. Wich he didn't like.
And on top, Mei was pouting because they hardly had any time together as a couple anymore. That had been the case for Rocket and Tia too, when he was the captain. But Rocket had bolted off, instead of sticking it out, and that he still had not forgiven him for. Micro Ice tried to be the voice of reason, but D'Jok didn't pay too much attention to him either.
He was captain of his team now, and with that role, came a lot of responsibility.
Sonny had sat him down and talked about what being a captain, and in that regard, the leader of his team, meant. It didn't mean to fly off solo and just do his thing. He had to be a team player, with his team and with his coach. D'Jok valued his fathers opinion, but he also needed to find his own way in all this. How to be a captain, and do the best thing for his team. And if he had it his way, they would be the winners of the cup once again, just like The Lightnings. D'Jok pushed his worries aside. He had work to do.
Shadows versus Pirates. It felt strange to sit here again, this time without Helena. She had looked tired after all the stress with moving her safely on board the ship. Sonny had made agreements with Dame Simbai, not really listing his true reason for this solution, just that he wanted more time with his pregnant wife. Dame Simbai had been understanding. Sometimes, he wondered if she knew more than she let on. It would not surprise him. She was a member of the flux society, the guardians of the galaxy. If anyone had a way of knowing the truth without telling, it was her. Helena had decided to rest,and would not join them for the match. She was safe and sound asleep by the time he and Corso took off. This was probably the best for her. This match was not as much about football as it was made out to look like. This was an attempt to gather information. Did Duke Maddox or any of his staff that would be there, know anything about Bleylock and possibly his whereabouts? They didn't know, but Sonny was determined to find the answers, one way or another. If not for himself, then his family and the galaxy. He was more sure than not, Bleylock was alive, and that meant terror to the galaxy. A terror he was going to stop, by all means necessary. He nodded to Corso as they took their seats.
Duke Maddox looked over at him,noticing he was a late arrival today, along with Corso.
"There you are Sonny. I was beginning to think you werent gonna make it" Duke Maddox commented.
Sonny crossed his arms as he sat down.
"Duke, do you really think I would want to miss this match?" he asked.
Duke Maddox looked at him.
"With anyone else,I would not be so kind as I am to you. And I think you are capable of almost anything, so it would not surprise me if you skipped it" he stated.
Corso and Sonny exchanged looks.
Duke Maddox made no attempt to hide the fact of what he thought the pirates capable of doing.
They had to thread carefully. Someone might actually know something. They sat down, ready to listen for any off word that would point them in the right direction.
In space, the ship with the flux bombs had reached their destination. The droids on board were waiting for the command to launch. Bleylock made sure to check all the screens of Genesis stadium. There, Sonny sat next to Duke Maddox, none the wiser. It was time to serve him to technoid, along with his right hand man Corso. Hopefully, Technoid would be able to deal with him properly this time. Bleylock smirked. Time to test his little cocktail. It would not permanently destroy the planet, but it would be enough to frame the pirates, that was all he really looked for. They were getting too nosy as it was. He had seen some of Sonnys men sniff about around the sphere. If they were there, that meant Sonny himself would not be far. And he wasn't ready to let Sonny destroy all he had worked to create just yet. By having the immunity revoked, it would limit Sonnys movements alot. Being wanted once again, with the possibility of bounty hunters chasing him, that would slow Sonny down. Bleylock had tried to locate him that way before, once he realised Sonny had joined the pirates, he even had been willing to triple the bounty Maddox put out, if it meant Sonny was found and delivered to him, alive. And what he found was, Sonny was too protected, and clearly a favourite of the leader of the pirates then. It would be impossible to capture him undetected. He was not aware how close he had come to have it happen. How only luck and quick reaction from the pirates had saved Sonny that day, after six weeks in hellish conditions. Bleylock saw the red planet was within launch reach.
"Launch!" he ordered.
As soon as the flux bomb hit the planet, Bleylock had his droids release some pirate wreckage he had. How he had obtained it, was not important to him. A pirate was expendable the way he saw it.
"Once they find the wreckage, they will have no one to blame but you Sonny. Prepare to become the galaxys most wanted and hunted man, once again".