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Zoids

Ch. 14-A Readers Confusion.

PG-13

General, Drama

Leon sat on the couch with his hands in his lap, eyes closed, and mouth persed in a tense line. He was slightly hunched over, his head hung at a downward angle, and his feet were firmly planted on the ground. No one said anything. No one did anything. All eyes were on the young man who had just received the news. Finally, he spoke.

"There is only one thing we can do." He said, "We must get Jamie back at all costs." He looked up to the others, concern set deep in his eyes. "The ZBC has given you no support?"

"None." Oscar grumbled, "And after everything I did for them."

"Have you asked anyone else for aid?" Naomi asked

"We don't know who else to ask." Steve said.

"If your plan is to succeed, you will need more help, Dad. We won't be enough." Leon replied

"Do you have any ideas Leon?" His father asked.

"Yes. Hire some help."

"Hire some help?"

"Yes. I know just the people to ask also."

"Who?"

"You'll see. Just make sure you keep tracking that machine. I need to make a phone call." Leon stood and walked out the door, Naomi on his heels. Leena was about to follow, but her dad stopped her.

"Leena, I would like you to do me a favor."

"Ueah dad?"

"Your pretty good at it, so could you try and get me some statistics off old battle scenarios?" Lena looked at him in shock and pointed at herself.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"But…I'm terrible at that stuff!"

"Actually, no your not. You just lack the attention span to do it accurately. But I need you to do this for me. Bit is hopeless, I have no clue about anyone else, and Brad is helping Sanders out with a few other things. You're the only one I know can do it right now. I need to work some things out with Oscar and Stoller, other wise I would do it myself."

"You mean, I'm not that terrible?"

Steve chuckled. "That's right. Your actually pretty good at it. Just put our mind to it and don't let it wander."

"Uh, sure, okay dad. I'll try." Steve smiled as he watched his daughter leave.

"You are such a liar." Oscar murmured from behind him. Steve turned around and gave Oscar an innocent look.

"I have no idea what you mean." He replied. Oscar grinned.

"All you have to do is have her transfer the data to your office and you can do it while we work. In fact, that would be the better deal."

"In a way. But I would prefer to just have the data instead of doing the work myself. Plus…." He turned to look over his shoulder where Leena had disappeared, "I'm hoping she learns a little something about her techniques in doing this. As good a job as she's done so far, what we're about to do is not just a game." He turned to Oscar seriously, "It could very well mean her life, more so then any other Backdraft scenario we have ever run against. If she doesn't learn to conserve ammo, if she continues to…."

"I understand Steve. I'm sure everything will be fine though. No need to worry. Besides, Leon is getting us help, right?"

"Yeah, but this is still dangerous. We're planning on attacking a Whaleking head on. And who knows how many Zoids they have."

~~~~~*~~*~~*~~~~~

"What have you been up to?" Shadow demanded from the grinning Marker.

"Nothing." Marker replied innocently, "I was just finally able to get a little point through that brat's thick skull." His grin grew a little at the thought of her fear filled eyes staring up at him. Tears streaming down her pale cheeks.

Shadow, though, wasn't so happy. Shadow rose from the chair and, threw a rasping voice due to trying to keep a whisper, almost shrilled the words out.

"What do you mean!? You better not have harmed her or you are in serious trouble! Have you any idea how disastrous it will be if anything happens to that child!?! I told you not to touch her! She better be…." Marker muted the screen and watched his 'silent partner' get hysterical. When shadow realized Marker was not listening he calmed down. Sitting back down in the chair, Shadow glared at the screen, or at least that's what one would assume, since you can't see Shadow's face. After awhile Marker put volume back to the screen and spat out the next sentence.

"Do you figure me for that big a moron? I know very well what will happen you idiot! Don't tell me how to do my job. The worst thing I did to her was to hold her against the wall, blocking her airway! Just enough to scare her into obedience!" Shadow stayed silent for several minutes, then cautiously spoke again.

"You test my patience boy, and that is something I do not appreciate. If you value your life any longer, you will not persist in such chaotic…."

"Shut up Hilz." The Shadow froze. He looked at Marker for a long time before speaking again.

"My name is not Hilz. Do not refer to me as that…traitor of a failure."

"Yes, yes, so much failure in the past will do that, won't it?" Shadow grabbed the monitor and pulled it close to his face, showing half a mask of metal, the other half scarred flesh. What looked like a crimson streaked tatoo was barley visible and now looked rather pink. Half his head wore long once sliver now dull gray and stringy hair, the other half was bald, metal scalp connecting to the metal face.

"Don't toy with me! I hold your life in my palm!"

Marker sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yes sir, sorry sir, I won't do it again sir." Marker replied half heatedly. Shadow collapsed into his shadowed chair and rubbed his temple. When he spoke, it was calm, but tense.

"Also, I remembered something I should not have forgotten."

"And that is?"

"The boy. Jamie Hemeros. Most likely his split personality has taken full control of his mind. The weaker half of himself has locked itself away. Someplace where it feels safe. The stronger half probably tried to get the weaker half stable, but failed. You just made things difficult for us by doing what you did top his mind."

"How do you know?"

"Because through genetic manipulation, I found a way to stop one of my more troublesome foes. That is all you need to know for now."

"Um…huh?"

"Moron. Never mind, it's something that happened decades ago. Starting with the baby of two aireol pilots."

"Um…okay."

"Just ignore the kid for now. He'll be fine in the dark room. Make sure no one goes in there or anything. Got it?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Has the little spy made any slip ups that could prove useful to us?"

"No sir. Williams is resourceful. They chose the right boy for the job. Unfortunately. We can't even prove he is a spy. Treisa has him watching Vega's sister for now. Have I told you about her yet? No, I don't believe I have. The child is a menace sir. No one can stay in her room without having something thrown at them. She's a menace."

"Runs in the family." Shadow muttered

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

"What do you know that you aren't telling me sir?"

"Everything! Now do as your told!"

"Yes…sir." Marker replied in a strained voice

"Very well. Now, about this Bit Cloud character. Exactly how much information has been gathered on him?"

"Not a whole lot sir. There are no records of his family or anything like that. It's as if he didn't exist until he joined the Blitz team. It's all rather odd."

"I see. He could very well be who I think he is then. Now, you told me Shasta mentioned something about a boy named Ban earlier, right?"

~~~~~*~~*~~*~~~~~

"Hey, Bit." Harry called as he entered the hanger, "You in here?"

"Yeah, over here Harry, what's up?" Bit replied next to the lyger zero.

"I was just wondering…do you think it's working ?"

"What?"

"The Leena thing." Harry sighed. "I mean, she's avoiding me as much as possible."

"Oh, yeah, that. Well, she thinks your only here to get her attention, that you don't really care about getting Jamie back." Harry closed his eyes and leaned against the wall.

"Of course. No matter what I do…it will look like I'm being superficial and shallow."

"Are you here just because of her?" Bit asked.

"No! Of course not! I look at Jamie as her younger brother, I find it highly important to get him back. I know how she feels about him, he is family to her! Always has been. I have known the Blitz team for a very long time now and I value each member…I always respected Leon to a very high degree."

"So, you care because he's important to Leena?"

"Yes. No! Wait. I don't know." Harry slid to the floor and put his hands in his head. "I just don't know."

"Let me put it simpler. Do you really care if Jamie comes back?"

"Do you think me to be so uncaring? Of course I care! I like Jamie! I find all of you to be close friends of mine! You are probably the only constant items in my life right now! When I first heard of Jamie's predicament, I was immensely worried! Anything could happen to him in the hands of such ill intended villains! I was not asked to lend you the use of my fathers tracking system I lent it without qualm! I didn't bring it to impress Leena either, If that's what your wondering! I am absolutely sincere about wanting to retrieve Jamie! In fact…my father will most likely be quite upset that I gave you this system without his knowledge."

"Okay, okay! Sorry I asked such a stupid question!" Harry sighed and left the room leaving Bit to himself. "Sometimes, I just don't get that guy." Bit murmured

"Neither do I." Lina stated as she walked into view. "You were right Bit."

"Told ya!"

"Shut up. It doesn't change anything."

"Doesn't it?" Lina looked at the door that Harry just exited for a long time.

Maybe…it does.

Keemew2: I don't know how confused you guys are, or if you think you understand what is going on, but I just couldn't think of a title right now.

Mewkit: Hope ya guys like this chap!

Keemew2: Please review.