Shadowwolf: Well, Bit and Leena have showed mercy.
Brad: Yeah…
Shadowwolf: So, I guess they can read the disclaimer.
Bit: Can I do it?
Shadowwolf: Sure.
Bit: *reads from piece of paper* Shadowwolf does not own Zoids or the Zoids characters, although she wishes she owned Brad…
Brad: O_O What the heck is that supposed to mean?!
Shadowwolf: *blushing* I think you're, um. *whispers in Brad's ear*
Brad: O_o Oh my. I'm scared of you now. Besides, you know I'm Naomi's boyfriend.
Shadowwolf: Ha ha!!!!!!! You took my bait! I got you to admit it in front of everyone!!!!! *evil laughter*
Brad: So? Everyone already knows.
Shadowwolf: … -_- Did you have to spoil my fun?
Brad: Yes.
Shadowwolf: _ Fine! The whole world is against me! *storms off into Brad's room*
Brad: Jeeze…huh? O_O What's she doing in my room?!
Leena: I don't know, but you'd better catch her.
Brad: *runs into his room* What do you think you're doing in here?!
Shadowwolf: Look what I found! *holds up picture of Naomi winking*
Brad: GIVE ME THAT!!
Shadowwolf: *runs out, shows picture to Bit*
Bit: *laughs* Interesting…
Brad: *grabs picture from Shadowwolf* Evil!!!!! *runs into Shadowwolf's room* Ooooh!
Shadowwolf: Not good!!! *runs after him*
Leena: Anyways, Shadowwolf doesn't own Zoids or Zoid characters; does own Lance Tontedna, the Dark Masters, and plot. Enjoy!
HUNTER'S PREY CH 7,
MEANING
The next day was stranger than usual. Brad seemed very disturbed.
"What's the matter Brad?" Naomi asked, she knew something was.
"Nothing, just a dream I had last night." Naomi sighed.
"Well, it must have been a pretty bad dream." She gave him a piercing look.
"I'll tell you about it later." As Brad tried to figure out what the dream meant, Doc walked in.
"Hi, um, we got a request for a battle from a new team. The Dark Masters. One man, tall, brown hair, green eyes, requested it. Didn't say his name though."
Oh, no. Not him, it couldn't be. Brad thought as he swayed like he was dizzy. Naomi gave him a concerned look. "Are you alright Brad?"
"I'm fine," Brad said as he snapped out of his thoughts. Naomi got the message that this was not the time and place to talk about it.
"Anyways, the battle is at 4:00pm this afternoon. So lets get ready gang," he looked at his watch, "it's already 2:00pm." As he walked off the team split up. Naomi and Brad were left sitting alone on the couch.
"Brad Hunter, what is it?" Naomi was very worried, he was never like this.
"I had a dream last night. It had this guy named Lance Tontedna in it. He's an old rival, very dangerous too. The guy will do anything for money. Even kill. It just so happens that he is tall, has brown hair, and has green eyes."
"Oh, do you think there's a good chance it's him?" Naomi asked.
"Yeah, unfortunately. If he finds me, he'll kill me, and everyone I know. That means the Blitz Team, other mercenaries, and worst of all, you."
"He won't lay a finger on you as long as I'm here."
"Don't try to protect me Naomi, he'll kill you without thought."
"Like I said, he won't lay a finger on you. Now, go get ready for the battle. If it is him, maybe you can get him in a Zoid battle." Brad sighed and walked to the hangar.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The Blitz Team versus the Dark Masters team…battle mode 0988, ready…fight!" The Judge started another battle. Two Lightning Saix and a Blade Liger charged the waiting Blitz Team. A video screen popped up in Brad's cockpit.
"So, Hunter. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" The voice sent chills up Brad's spine. Trying not to show his fear, he narrowed his eyes at the screen.
"Sure has Lance. How's your little operation going?"
"Fine, glad you asked. You know, I've been hunting you down for, let's see now, two years. Ever since you explained my little business to the police."
Up in the Hovercargo, Naomi cringed. So it is him, but he wouldn't dare try to kill Brad in an official Zoid battle, would he? Naomi thought to herself. Brad said he was a thoughtless killer, but would he be that crazy?
"So you know this guy?" Bit asked.
"Yeah, stay out of his way!" The Blade Liger charged the Liger Zero and Bit jumped out of the way just in time. The Gun Sniper was not so lucky. One of the Lighting Saix ran up behind Leena and blew her whole Weasel unit off. It crashed to the ground with a frozen system.
"Oh you two can have the Liger, I want the Shadow Fox," Lance said as he turned his Zoid towards Brad. Brad swallowed hard and turned to face Lance. Big mistake. The Blades on his Liger came out and sliced into the side of the Shadow Fox. The Fox crashed down as its system froze.
"Come on Fox! Get up, get up!" Brad yelled frantically as Lance walked towards the fallen Shadow Fox.
"You really aren't as good as I heard you are." Lance said and cocked an evil smile. Two gunshots rang out.
"Did you forget I was here?" Bit asked.
"What?" Lance looked around to see two disabled Lightning Saix. "Man, hired help these days," he turned to face Bit.
"Get out of there Bit!" Brad yelled from the fallen Shadow Fox.
"Buzz off kid," Lance fired two missiles from a missile pod on his back. They hit the Liger perfectly and sent it crashing down, without a frozen system. "Now, back to you," Lance turned to the Shadow Fox.
"Come on Fox!" No matter how hard Brad tried, the Shadow Fox just couldn't get up. The Blade Liger lifted its right paw over the Shadow Fox's head. "Time to say goodnight," Lance laughed evilly.
"Warning, warning, aiming for the cockpit is an illegal…" the judge was cut off as Lance destroyed it too.
"Enough interferences, time to die, Hunter." He brought the Liger's paw down on the Shadow Fox's head with such force that the glass shattered and flew everywhere.
"NO!!!" Naomi shouted. "How dare you!" Bit yelled. Jamie, Doc, and Leena were silent. Lance just laughed evilly.
"It's been great, but we have to go now," he said as a Whale King flew over and beamed the team's Zoids into its hangar. "Goodbye!"
"Brad!" Naomi shouted as she wheeled herself over to him. (Not so easy in the desert.)
"Naomi! Are you alright?" Brad asked as he pulled a shard of glass out of his left arm. A huge explosion went off behind the Shadow Fox. "Naomi!" Brad shouted, but there was no answer. Smoke filled the battlefield. A smoke bomb, Brad thought. He suddenly felt like he was flying. The smoke started to clear, but not before Brad passed out from his injury.
"BRAD!!!" Naomi shouted at the top of her lungs as Leena ran up behind her. Bit was close behind, and jumped out of his Liger.
"Where'd he go?!" Bit asked, as he looked around frantically. "And what's his problem with Brad?"
"I don't know, but he better bring him back!" Leena replied. Naomi dropped to the ground.
"His name is Lance Tontedna. He's Brad's old rival from what I understand. He must have kidnapped him," Naomi stared up at the sky and trailed off.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brad slowly opened his eyes. It was dark, very dark. Suddenly, a light turned on above his chair. He blinked as his eyes burned from the sudden burst of light. He tried to reach up to rub his eyes, but it was then that he realized he was chained to the chair.
"So, you're alive, are you not?" It was Lance. Brad looked around, trying to see where he was. His neck was also chained down, so looking around was extremely hard to do. Not to mention that he felt drugged. Brad looked down at his arm. It was covered in blood. Looking at his arm brought the pain back and he cringed. I'm not coming back from this one, he thought. Then Naomi's face flashed before him. He couldn't give up that easily.
"Well, are you?" Lance said impatiently. Brad swallowed.
"I guess I am."
"That's too bad. I had so hoped to kill you on the first try. But you've always been that way, haven't you? Always appear to be beaten, then rise and save the day. Not this time, Hunter."
"Depends on what is happening this time. Why did it take you so long to find me?" Brad asked as he thought, Lucky it did.
"Well, the fact that you were a mercenary made it difficult. Every time I got to a team you'd been on, you were already gone. Lucky for me you've stayed on the Blitz Team for so long." Brad smiled. Lucky he had, or he never would've met his best friends.
"I guess it's time to cut to the bloody death of the hero, huh?"
"Just one more question. Did you have anything to do with the testing of a new Zoid? A modified Gun Sniper."
"Fool! You didn't figure it out? Jack Rankite is one of my men. He was completely faking that whole incident. I was the one who instructed the Zabats to attack you." Brad snapped.
"Why did you hurt Naomi?! She has nothing to do with this!" Lance stepped out of the shadows and Brad spit in his face. Lance wiped it off and smiled an evil smile.
"Let's just get on with it. I told you I'd get you for exposing me to the police. And now it's time for my revenge." He held a knife above Brad's head.
Shadowwolf: Cliffhanger! I hate cliffhangers but I thought this was a good place to stop for now. Next chapter will be a flashback of what happened between Brad and Lance. He, he, he, he.
Leena: I hate you! You said we'd get bigger parts!
Shadowwolf: I know, I know, you'll get them in later chapters.
Leena: You idiot! These are later chapters!
Shadowwolf: I mean like chapters 9 and 10 maybe.
Bit: We're trusting you on this one.
Shadowwolf: I know… *rubs hands together while laughing evilly*
Brad: Do I die in this one too?
Shadowwolf: Do you think I'd tell you and the readers right now and spoil it?
Brad: No, but can you tell me?
Shadowwolf: Do you have a good poker face?
Brad: Yeah.
Shadowwolf: Okay. *whispers in Brad's ear*
Brad: *blank look* Thanks.
Shadowwolf: No problem. Hope you enjoyed and please review!!! ^ ^