Shadowwolf:  HOLY COW, that only took 3 days to get the next chapter up!  YAY!

Brad:  Big deal.

Shadowwolf:  Yes, it is.  I forgot a disclaimer last chapter. @.@ Oops…DISCLAIMER: I don't own Zoids or anything I talk about, but I do own the plot.  Yay, now that that's done…thanks so much for reviewing, Sakura and Warp da Warp Liger! *hugs* I love you guys……just kidding.

Brad:  *eyebrow twitch*

Shadowwolf:  *cough* So…ONTO THE STORY!  Please enjoy and review! ^.^

1,000 EYES

Only the Beginning

            I had only been Backdraft leader for two hours, and I already had problems.

            A small group of Bowen's closest friends had attempted to avenge him.  Luckily, Jet and Alex were still outside and stopped them.  Nathan only had to shoot one of them for the rest to understand that we weren't playing around.  The four men left came along without much of a fight.  I requested that the dead man's body be put on display on the first floor as a friendly reminder that I was no blundering idiot.

            With my friends' help, the four would-be assassins were led into a basement room.  I had Alex handcuff them and make them bow down to me on the cold floor.

            "What are your names?"

            "La-"

            "Don't tell him anything!" A rather large and scruffy man shouted.  He looked up at me in total disgust.  I returned the expression.

            "Your name?" I raised an eyebrow at him.  He dropped his gaze from me to the floor and spat.  Alex kicked him in the side and he cringed.

            "J-James…"

            "James?  Well then, James…do you think you could tell me who the leader of this rebellion is?"

            "…Me…" Alex and Jet scoffed.

            "You?  Wonderful.  That means I don't have to waste any more of my time learning anyone else's name…" I looked at each of them.  One was very thin and nerdy looking, with glasses.  Another looked strong and had a large scar across his cheek.  The last one had light blue hair and red eyes, obviously contacts.  Each of them looked at me with fear, except James.

            "Please, Merciful Master, let my friends go.  I'll accept the consequences of my actions…." None of his "friends" objected to this in the slightest.

            "No, you must all pay the price for your stupidity.  I ask you, James, why were you foolish enough to follow a weakling like Bowen?"

            "Bowen was not a weakling!  I swear, he was a better leader than you'll ever be!"

            I nodded and held my hand out in front of Jet.  He smiled and deposited his gun in my palm with a bow.

            Without blinking I shot each of them fatally, and they fell like dominoes.  I returned the gun to Jet and walked out of the room.

            Nathan was walking down the hall when I came out.  He turned around and walked with me.

            "So, what were they all about?"

            "Just some of Bowen's pals…they thought they'd get me back for killing him, I suppose."

            "Ahh," he nodded, "I'm afraid that's only the beginning of the rebellions…I do have some good news, though."

            "Really?  What is it?"

            "You have followers, too.  People that completely agree with you.  And, they're a good chunk of the Backdraft population in this area."

            "How many?"

            "Around two hundred, if you can believe that."  My jaw dropped.

            "Two…hundred?  How…?"

            "I was just as surprised," he shrugged, "they all gathered downstairs and Jack nearly had a heart attack when he saw them.  At first, he thought they were against you, but they all started shouting, 'Sirus! Sirus! Sirus!'…"

            "That's fantastic."

            "I'd say that's an understatement." We turned around to see Rick walking behind us.

            "Yeah, you'd say that." Nathan chuckled.  I smiled and continued walking, Rick and Nathan at my side.

            "I'm going to make an announcement today, and I'd-"

            Five, maybe six, shots were fired outside; one shattered a nearby window and would've hit me if Nathan hadn't knocked me to the floor.

            "What-"

            "Rebels!" Rick shouted as he whipped out his gun.  Nathan helped me up.

            "Are you all right, Sirus?"

            I looked over myself.  "Yes…you?"
            "I'm fine."  He nodded, but I saw him hide his right arm behind his back.  "We'd better get out there now.  Go get Jet, Alex, Jeremy, everyone.  I'll get Sirus to safety, then set up-"

Jack ran up to us, his gun drawn.  "Everyone all right?"  We all nodded.

"Good.  Listen, according to some guys down there, a guy who looks exactly like Jeremy was shot.  So either it's him, or his nonexistent twin brother."

"You really think it was him?"

He nodded solemnly.  "I do…" Everybody froze.

"Okay…everyone head down there, I'm getting Sirus to safety."  Nathan broke the chilled silence.

"No, Nathan.  I'm going out.  Get three Dark Horns and two Iron Kongs down there.  Surround the crowd."

He stared at me, and then nodded.  "Sure thing, Sirus."

"I'll get 'em." Rick said.  He went down the hall to get Alex and Jet, and then walked with them upstairs.  I looked to Nathan.

            "Take up position on the roof, if you see anything suspicious, shoot it."  Nathan nodded and went upstairs to retrieve his rifle.  Jack put his hand on my back and we walked up the stairs after him, until we came to the third floor.  We entered a fancy room and crossed to a sort of balcony.  As we stepped out, Jack cocked his gun and gripped the trigger lightly.

            The moment I stepped out there was unbelievable racket.  Booing, shouting, cursing, even glass breaking.  There must have been one hundred people showing their disapproval of me.  Jack went on high alert.

            "SILENCE!" I roared.  Most of the noise died down.  I don't think people wanted to respect me as much as they wanted to hear me defend myself.

            "If you do not-"

            A gunshot rang out, and a man holding a gun was narrowly missed by a bullet.  Jack picked up slack and shot him with his own gun.  I could picture Nathan cursing on the roof.  This was only the second time he'd ever missed a shot in his life.  I knew immediately that he was injured.

            "If you do not agree to work under me, I will have you all slaughtered!  Those of you willing to serve under me, bow down!"

            No one did.  At least, not at first.  Slowly but surely, people went down.  Five total.  I smirked.

            "The rest of you are fools!"  As I said this, the Dark Horns and Iron Kongs I had called for surrounded the crowd.  There were gasps and yells, a few tried to run.  "FIRE!"

            All at once, the Zoids fired their respective weapons into the crowd.  I smiled, listening to screams and pained yells.  The Zoids ceased fire only when the noise died down.  Dirt and dust cleared to reveal every person dead.  Even the ones that had surrendered to me.  Jack cocked his head at me.

            "May I ask, Sirus, why you killed the ones that gave up?"

            "Yes, Jack.  I had them killed because they were not sincere in joining me.  Even if they were, by some speck of hope, cowards that give up anything to save their own pitiful lives do not deserve to serve under me…or live, for that matter."  I turned and walked back inside.

Shadowwolf:  Those of you writing English papers on this story may want to remember that part…hahaha…just kidding again…

Brad:  -.-;;

Shadowwolf:  See what school has done to me?!  UGH.  So…this guy's pretty evil…and cruel…and he must be stopped!  WHOOHOO!  Y'know what?  I'm gonna leave now, before I dig myself into a deeper hole…I do hope you enjoyed though, and please review!

^_^