The Enemy Within
Chapter 4
By Lisa Leonard
Roxanne laid on her bed hugging her pillow. She'd been up all night thinking about how to undo everything she caused. Her eyes just stayed focus on the window watching the sunrise over the horizon. Gloria walked into the room, with a tray of food and set it down on a nearby dresser. She then sat down next to Roxanne and started to rub her back. Gloria expressed a deep concern for Roxanne. It was understandable for her to be devastated about her father's absent, but she was keeping all her feelings and emotions trapped within a cage inside her heart. Gloria remembered the long sleepless night she had occasionally awaking from Roxanne whimpering. From the looks of it, Roxanne didn't get any more sleep then she did.
The rest of the MASK team left, before the crack of dawn to re-examine the crash site of Thunderhawk. Roxanne knew it would only be a matter of hours before they'd come back to arrest her, for the possible murder of her father. That bag, in the back of her father's car, had her name written all over it in big bold letters. Roxanne felt a bit relieved that Gloria was the one who volunteered to stay with her and Scott, during this difficult time. She was more then positive she could sneak by Gloria without getting caught. On top of that, Gloria was the least likely person to kill her, as soon as she received word of Roxanne involvement.
Gloria tried to cheer her up, "Come on Roxy, everything going to be alright. You have to have faith. I'll bet the team will have him back sooner then your realize, then you'll be so sick of him you'll be wondering why your crying."
Roxanne rubbed her eyes and looked at Gloria trusting face, " I know I'm just scared that I'll lose him."
Gloria smiled, "Matt's one tough cookie Roxanne, he's had a lot close calls and we have yet to lose him. Now I want you to eat up and get some more rest. Those bags under your eyes are going to scare your father, when you see him again."
Roxanne smiled a fake smile, "Thanks Gloria, I appreciate it."
Gloria moved the tray of food next to Roxanne. She then left the room to check up on Scott. As soon as Gloria left, Roxanne jumped out of bed already fully dressed and ready to go out on an adventure. She grabbed a few pillows and fluffed them up and set them under the covers. Roxanne hastily headed to the door, but stop as she looked back at the tray of food. Roxanne could hear her stomach growling, so she grabbed a biscuit and left the rest untouched. She stormed out of the hotel with the biscuit in her mouth, and just as Roxanne turned the street corner and munched on her breakfast, Scott was standing there against the building, as if he was expecting her.
Scott looked at his watch, "Good morning Roxanne. I trust you slept well." Roxanne was shock to see him and started to choke on the biscuit that she almost swallowed whole. Scott pats her back, "You shouldn't take such big bites."
Roxanne pushed him away from her, after she finish swallowing, "What are you doing here? Gloria just left to check up on you. How on earth did you beat me out here?"
Scott shrugged with a smile, "We'll that was easy, I put T-bob in my place and I changed T-bob voice signature to match mine. How's that for an amateur?"
Roxanne smirked and rolled her eyes, "Oh I'm so impressed. Now tell me why are you out here?"
Scott added a hint of suspicion to his voice, "Maybe I should ask you the same thing?"
Roxanne pushed him aside, "I don't have time for this. I'm going for a walk to clear my head."
Scott crossed his arm, "Then why sneak out, especially when we were both told not to leave the hotel."
Roxanne was getting irritated by the little pest, "I need to be alone, besides nobody is going to come and kidnap us, if that's what their thinking."
She tried to keep walking, but Scott stepped in front of her stopping her in her tracks. Every time she attempted to walk around him he'd just cut in again. Scott was starting to get fed up with the game and grabbed her arm, "What are you hiding? You were worried all day yesterday and now your acting like nothing happened."
Roxanne pointed her finger in his face and threatened, "Scott if you don't leave me alone I'll do something that you'll surely regret."
Scott says bluntly, "You'll what? Kill me like you probably killed dad."
"You jerk!" Roxanne slammed her fist into Scott's nose, "I didn't mean to hurt dad!" Roxanne covered her mouth, as if she had heard something repulsive. She felt bad as she saw Scott standing their covering his blood nose, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to."
Scott pulls away and says with anger, "Save your apology for the cops. How could you do it? Dad loved you and you tried to kill him. Don't you feel anything about what you did?"
Roxanne sighs and looks down to her feet, " I don't expect you to understand. I was so angry with him for calling me a liar. I didn't know what I was thinking when I accepted Rax's offer."
Scott face was red with anger and he couldn't believe she'd gone back to her old tricks, "So VENOM got you to deliver dad right into their greedy hands."
Roxanne shook her head with tears, "No, you got it all wrong. I planted the bombs at the PNA conference center, as my little revenge. Dad caught me when I was leaving and said he was going to take me back to the hotel. I'm such an idiot, I was too worried about not getting caught I forgot about last bomb in my bag. I thought I could get rid of it later, but dad got called away. I didn't know what do about the bomb in his car."
Scott says upset, "You...You could have radioed him. If it wasn't for you dad would be here right now."
Roxanne covered her face ashamed of herself, "I was scared Scott. I thought he'd ship me away or lock me up and disown me for doing it."
Scott turned his back to her, "Well then what's worst killing your own father or thinking selfishly about yourself?"
Roxanne walked around to face Scott, "I admit I made a horrible mistake, so if you don't mind I'm going to find dad and set the record straight once and for all."
"You know where dad is? Why didn't you tell somebody?" his voice turned from serious to excited.
"I don't really know where dad is, but I know a great place to look for clues. Scott the reason why I didn't tell anybody was because I wanted to be the one to bring him back to fix everything, " she explained.
Scott watched her closely and started to understand, "Well then let's go save dad."
Roxanne looked at him funny, "Who said anything about 'we'? I told you I was going to handle this."
"Are you forgetting something? Like I could run back up to Gloria and tell her every little detail you just told me," Scott snickered at his brilliance.
Roxanne put her hands on her waist, "What's the difference of them knowing now or a few hours from now?"
Scott shrugged, "Well I don't know. I guess the team will be coming back sooner then expected to put you in the hot seat."
Roxanne started to walk towards the apartment Rax had taken her a few days ago. She then stops and looks back at Scott, "Are you going to stand there all day, or are you coming? We don't have a lot of time."
Scott caught up to Roxanne and the two of them stopped at the apartment building. Scott asked her curiously, "Won't they still be in there?"
She rolled her eyes at him, while he wasn't looking, "They're not going to go back to their stake out spot. Their not that stupid to return to the scene of the crime."
Once they reached the room, Scott tried the door, "It's lock how are we going to get in?"
Roxanne pulled out a set of lock picks, "I planned ahead." She kneels down and starts to work on the lock.
Scott continues to pester her, "Where did you get those at? I thought dad swiped all that stuff from ya after you...."
Roxanne smiled wishing he'd stop his talking and drop the stories, "Rax gave me a new set." She pushes open the door, "Enough with the chit chat were here to look for clues."
The two stepped into the room and they couldn't believe the mess they saw. Food, beer bottles, garbage, and turned over furniture everywhere. Scott stepped over a box of pizza, "It's like a tornado just swept thru this room."
Roxanne started to dig thru the garbage, "What do you expect four of the sloppiest VENOM agents used it for their hideout. Oh and make sure you don't touch anything."
Scott was picking up a magazine off the floor, "Why not?"
"Because when the cops come and dust the place for finger prints, you'll lead them right to ya," She snickers.
Scott drops the magazine on the ground and a piece of paper falls out of the middle of it. Scott kneels down and picks it up, "I think I found a clue in this magazine."
Roxanne rushes over to Scott and swipes the paper out of his hand. The crinkled up paper contained a map to a secret location in Austria, "This is exactly what were looking for. Those guys are such pigs they're always leaving their orders around. It's almost like their trademark." Roxanne reached for the magazine on the floor and smirked at Scott, "Oh yeah you just so happened to pick up the latest edition to Penthouse Magazine."
Scott looked down at the magazine and blushed slightly, "I...I didn't know it was..."
Roxanne laughed at Scott and made her way towards the door, "Don't worry about it. I was looking for something like that anyways. Dagger has a habit of forgetting where he puts his orders.
The French police marked up the crash site with yellow tape, and did their best to keep trespassers and nosy reporters away from the scene. Bruce shook his head as he saw what was left of Thunderhawk. It lay there upside down in that ditch untouched with pieces of it barely hanging on. "Lifter on!" Bruce shouted as his mask picks Thunderhawk up in the air, then sets it back on the ground right side up.
Hondo walked over to his teammates after taking with the local authorities, "The police comb the area and turned up empty handed. All they can do is put out a missing persons report. We can only hope that something will turn up."
Buddy was walking around the Thunderhawk, while the rest of the team discussed possible ways to look for Matt. He was lost in deep thought and had to know the truth about why Matt crashed landed as he did. Buddy put all his strength into Thunderhawk's hood, but it was dented making it impossible to open. Buddy always spent hours everyday making sure the vehicles were well maintained and functioning properly. A failure in the middle of a battle could result in death, and he couldn't accept letting his team down, not after they took him in from the underground. He scratched his head trying to figure out a puzzle, "What am I overlooking?" The paranoia was getting to him, and the frustration of the whole ordeal was increasing his anger.
Alex put a hand on his shoulder, "Buddy we all know you take care of these cars as thought they were your own children, but you can't assume you caused the crash before we get all the evidence."
Buddy grabs a crowbar from the back of Firecracker and starts to pry the hood open with force, "I know I just feel like I let Matt down."
Dusty confessed still thinking about Matt falling out of the sky, "Your not the only person who feels that way."
Buddy looked under the hood, "From the looks of it everything is hooked up properly." Bruce then used Lifer to lift Thunderhawk up in the air again, while Buddy check underneath the car for possible sabotage. After Bruce set the car back down, Buddy removed his hat and felt a bit relived he wasn't the cause of Matt's crash, "Well one thing defiantly for sure he didn't have any car trouble."
Jacques brought out the white bag that was in the back of Thunderhawk, "This bag was smoking in the back of Thunderhawk yesterday."
Bruce added, "Yet there is no sign of a major explosion in the back of Thunderhawk, except the spot where Mayhem hit him."
Jacques pulls out a metal ball, "Does this look familiar to anybody?" He then tosses it to Bruce so he could get a good look at it.
Alex wasn't too surprise at the finding, "We found a whole bunch of those in the ventilation system at the Conference Center. They must of sent in another agent, somebody who knew what he was doing, and when he recognized the Thunderhawk parked out front, he must of decided to give Matt a welcoming gift."
"That's a cleaver obvious theory, but how many VENOM agents are going to be walking around with a blue sweater that just so happens to be Matt's size, you guys care to hear my theory?
Buddy approached Jacques and looked at the sweater, "I remember seeing Matt talking with Roxanne right outside the Conference Center. We were leaving and caught her walking the opposite direction. I'm pretty sure she had a bag in her hands, and I could of sworn I saw her pull out a blue sweater to show Matt."
Hondo pounded his fist together, after realizing how the whole operation was pulled off, "It makes perfect sense. The guards were told not to let anyone in, except authorized personal. Matt invited her and Scott into the building the day before. The guard probably figured it was already ok to let her pass. She's the only one who could of pulled all that off in such a short time."
Buddy put the sweater back in the bag and just couldn't believe it, "She's a sweet kid. I just can't picture her trying to kill Matt. I mean why would she do it?"
"You weren't there two nights ago when she passed out drunk on a park bench. Her and Matt were yelling most the night, and I say she had a grudge to settle with him," Jacques added.
Alex pointed out to Buddy, "You even said yourself you saw her with the bag, and she had the perfect opportunity to plant it in his car."
Buddy wasn't satisfied with his companions had already made up their minds, "It just doesn't add up. I mean I've only gotten to know her for a week, but I don't think she could of pull it off."
Brad wasn't sure what side to take, "But we can't underestimate her. We did it once and we got burned big time. Yet I just can't picture her doing this either."
Alex broke up the debate, "Guilty or innocent we need to question her, she might know where Matt is."
Buddy was still thinking of Roxanne, "It bothers me so much because, when I told her about Matt she was pretty broken up about it."
Dusty couldn't believe he was trying to defend her, "Yeah well she could have been acting as she usually does. I'm going to call Gloria and have her put under house arrest until we get back there."
"That would be a bad idea my friend, it would alarm her that we know the truth, "Bruce suggests.
Alex ponders, "But maybe we should assume she'd already taken off into hiding or gone back with VENOM."
Brad wasn't convince, "I still say she's not working for VENOM, you're making a quick assumption."
Dusty figured he settles this once and for all, "Then we'll just call Gloria and get an update on the kids. That way we can confirm if she's still waiting at the hotel."
Gloria headed down the hall towards her hotel room, after having a nice healthy breakfast in the dinning hall. Gloria reached for her cell phone as it went off, "Hello?"
Dusty speaks hiding his anger, "Hey Gloria, I'm calling to check up on the kids."
"Oh their pretty silent this morning. Both of them are late sleepers," Gloria replied.
"Can you do me a big favor and double check on them, were pretty worried that's all, " He says trying to hide the real reason for calling.
Gloria entered her hotel room and walked over to Roxanne bed. She wasn't an idiot when she saw the funny shaped figure underneath the bedcover. She pulled the cover off anyways, "Oh dear, I guess she skipped out."
Dusty was surprise at her statement, "What do you mean she skipped out?"
"She left a nice stack of pillows, Dusty. Let me check up on Scott he probably knows where she's at," Gloria explained. Of course as soon as she enters his room, she noticed it was empty as well. Dusty knew something was wrong, because Gloria sounded a bit frustrated on the other end of the line, " Scott and T-bob are missing as well." She headed out of the room and towards the hotel lobby. Gloria hoped the desk clerk knew if the kids had left the building. By the time she reached the first desk, she caught a glance of T-bob, Scott, and Roxanne exiting the building. Gloria says in a loud voice hoping not to alarm them of any trouble, "Hey guys where do you think your sneaking off too?"
Roxanne kicked T-bob slightly and spoke in a soft threatening voice, "Motor scooter mode now!"
T-bob crossed his arms, "You know I'm tired of the abuse you give me Roxanne. This robot is on strike and you're not my master."
Scott stepped in and ordered; "T-bob motor scooter mode now or I'll strike ya with a street sign."
T-bob looked at the two angry eye teenagers and transformed, "Hey all ya had to do is ask politely." The two of them hop on and drove off.
Gloria started to chase after them, but knew they were going to fast for her to catch up "Come back here!"
Gloria dialed up Dusty to tell him the bad news, "Dusty the two of them decided to rebel and take matters into their own hands. There isn't too much those two can do to get into trouble out here. I'm more then positive they'll be back in time for dinner."
Dusty replied in a serious tone, "Gloria we think Roxanne gave VENOM Matt as a forgive me gift."
Gloria wasn't sure if she could take him seriously, "How could you even think that?!"
"Don't argue and I don't have time to tell you all the evidence. The fact of the matter is she knows where Matt is and is probably taking Scott as a hostage like she did last time, to persuade matt to give information. Every minute you waist is another minute we lose them, " Dusty instructed.
Gloria wasn't completely convinced of Roxanne guilt, "Alright I'll track T-bob and bring them in."
Dusty was pleased that she was willing to listen to reason, "Good! We'll be down there as soon as were finish looking at the crime scene."
Gloria rushed down to the garage and hopped into Shark, "Computer bring up radar and track T-bob's homing signal. I just hope they didn't shut if off." Shark headed out of the garage as soon as it picked up on the signal.
Roxanne had an arm around Scott waist and was trying to read the map she tapped to his back, "T-bob slow down I can't read the map!"
T-bob spoke with an attitude, "Maybe you should have looked at it before you told me to hit the road. Where are we headed anyways?"
Roxanne puts the map away figuring that as soon as they left the city they could sit down and get a good look at it, "That's for us to know and you to find out."
"Sounds more like me getting turned into scrapped metal for accompanying you on this journey," T-bob huffed, "I'm turning around. I don't like what the two of you are planning."
Scott pleaded to him, "Come on T-bob were going to look for dad, we already have a lead to his whereabouts."
"Then why can't we just notify the grown-ups and let them come along too," T-bob tried to use logic.
Roxanne wanted to scream at his overly cautious mind. Instead she came up with an idea to trick him before Scott opened his mouth and caved in, " I guess I have no choice but to tell you this. We didn't want to say anything, but those grown-ups think you planted the bomb in dad car."
With that statement T-bob turned his head around 90 degrees and looked Roxanne in the face with wide eyes, "I did WHAT!"
"KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!" Scott shouted as T-bob was aimed directly with an oncoming car, which was honking its horn.
T-bob turned his head around and waited for Roxanne to give a good explanation, "The guys say you were the last one of us in the Thunderhawk, why do you think Gloria shouted for us to come back."
"I...I didn't do it...you believe me Scott don't you?" T-bob said with a slight jitter in his voice.
Scott tried to reinforce Roxanne story, "We know that T-bob that's why were going to bring dad back and clear your name."
Roxanne turned her head around and notice shark 6 cars behind them, "Hey guys heads up were being followed. T-bob Gloria coming to get ya. What do you say we speed up and try to lose her?"
T-bob says in a shaken voice, "Scott don't let her take me away."
"Pick up the gas and lose her then she won't catch up to us," Scott insisted.
Gloria notices how fast T-bob was moving, "I guess their not willing to talk about this."
T-bob headed off the road and down a narrow alleyway. Sharks stopped at the end of the ally and watch as the three escape. Gloria shook her head, "From the looks of it T-bob not even noticing that I'm tracing his signal. I'll let them think they got away. Maybe they'll lead me to Matt."
An hour later the kids were several miles from Paris. T-bob pulled over to the side of the road so they could discuss their situation. Roxanne laid the map across the grass and pulled out the small map she and Scott found earlier, "Well...were here and we need to get all the way to Salzburg, Austria."
"Uh how far, " T-bob pushed Roxanne away from the map. His expression on his face turned from curious to surprise, "Are you nuts I can't drive the two of you that far."
Roxanne laugh, "What you have too much mileage on ya as it is?" Her tone became more serious, " You know he's right it's very far, what if we get their too late?"
Scott wasn't ready to give up, "Don't say that. We haven't event tried yet and your thinking the worst. Let's get going we'll save him I know we will." Again the three headed on their way, while unsuspected Gloria followed behind cautiously.
The day was coming to an end and they were nowhere near the French-Switzerland boarder. Roxanne sighs, "Stop T-bob STOP!"
T-bob grumbled, "Hey will you cut that out! This is the tenth time you've asked me to stop. What if she's still behind us? The more time we waste the sooner she's going to catch up."
Roxanne hops off and stretched and cracked her back, "Oh man that hurts. Scott you need to make T-bob bigger because my butt is so numb from hanging on the end."
Scott also walked around, "He wasn't made for two people. Besides it was your idea to take him along."
T-bob looked between the two, "What do you mean it was your idea to take him along? I thought you two were trying to help me out?"
Roxanne ignored T-bob, "Grrr this is getting us nowhere. T-bob doesn't even drive the speed limit we should be at the boarder by now."
"Hey I'm driving as fast as I can with the extra weight added on?" T-bob protests to defend himself.
With that statement, Roxanne grabbed a rock off the ground and threw it at T-bob. He jumped out of the way before the rock could scratch him. Roxanne sits down on the grass, "We need a better idea as to how to get there."
Scott shrugged, "Well we left the city so fast we didn't think of all the options."
Just before Roxanne could criticize him for blaming her for the bad planning, all three of them heard a train in the distance. Roxanne suggested, "I don't know about you boys but I think an answer just came to me."
Scott and Roxanne both took off on T-bob and headed towards the train they've heard. T-bob sped up as he drove closer to the back of the train. Roxanne was the first to attempt the jump. She grabbed on to the railing of the caboose and pulled herself up. She then reached a hand down for Scott. T-bob was starting to wear down and was losing speed.
Scott tried to reach for the rail, but his hand missed it. Scott yelled, "T-bob come on put some more gas into it I can't reach." T-bob was trying as hard as he could to muster up the strengths to carry on. Scott left hand reaches out and grabs the railing. Just as Scott tried to pull himself up, T-bob hit a rock on the side of the railway that sent him flying off course. T-bob headed towards the ditch, meanwhile Scott dangled from the side of the train by one hand. His legs were scraping up against the ground as his left hand slides down the railing. Scott was panicking and he knew his grip was loosening. He cried out in pain as his leg get bruised and cut as they drag from the train.
Roxanne reached over the edge to grab Scott's left hand, "Give me your other hand I'll pull you up!" Scott reaches his other hand out to her. Roxanne got a good grip of it, and then pulled him over the railing. The two sat on the platform feeling beat and breathing heavily. Roxanne look at T-bob who was just getting out of the ditch, "T-bob hurry up your going to miss the train."
T-bob shouted back with exhaustion, "I don't think I can do it. I'm running out of gas."
Roxanne encouraged him, "T-bob we need ya. You can do it just need to make it far enough to reach."
T-bob drove up on the tracks behind the train and picked up speed, "I think I can...I think I can...I think I can..." T-bob eye were closed shut as he put every last bit into increasing his speed. T-bob arms increased in length as he reached them out to the railing. He just barely touched them at 20 feet. Once his hands clamped down on the railing, T-bob reeled his body towards the train.
Roxanne laughed as T-bob hoped over the railing and slumped down, "See that wasn't so bad."
T-bob arms felt limp at his side, "Easy for you to say, I'm the one who was doing all the work."
Roxanne looked over at Scott, who was admiring his legs. Scott jeans were cut and stained with blood and dirt. Roxanne helped Scott up, "That looks pretty bad."
Scott tried to hide his discomfort, "Hey it's not as bad as it looks."
Roxanne opened the door to the caboose, "Yeah well I hope your telling the truth for your sake." The caboose was empty and contained a few boxes covered with blankets. Roxanne set Scott on the ground, and then sat down next to him.
Scott grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight, as she glanced at his injury, "We'll get to dad sooner now. That's all that matters." Scott yawned from exhaustion and rested his head on Roxanne's shoulder and fell asleep. T-bob pulled off a blanket from one of the boxes and covered Roxanne and Scott.
They were all tired and she knew a goodnight sleep would better prepare them for the coming challenge. She wondered if she'd have to leave Scott behind. Sure he might of sprain both his legs, but that would slow him down when they got to VENOM headquarters. Roxanne rested her head upon Scott and thought about how nice sleep sound. T-bob smiled as he saw the brother and sister sound asleep, he himself shut himself down to regenerate his used power cells.
Everything was upside down, the air was cover in a blanket of white smoke, and the sound of a dying engine could be heard. He just couldn't breath, couldn't see, and couldn't move from his seat. The mask was design to give air to its wearer, yet he was over come with claustrophobia. He slid his hand around his body until he could feel the door. The latch on the door wouldn't budge. He attempted to ram the door with his shoulder, but the seat belt held him back. He reached down for his pocket and pulled out a knife. The blade sliced right thru the belt and sent the man flying forward to the hood of the car. A crack is heard from his left leg, which was caught between the dashboard and the gas petal. He screamed out in agony, yet nobody could answer his cries. The pain was too much that he found breathing more difficult the longer he stayed put. Again he attempted to ram his shoulder into the door, this time the door budge and nearly fell off. He breathed heavily and looked at his caught leg. "Got to get free," he faintly muffled out. The energy reading on the mask was low, and he was far too weak to pull the dashboard off his leg. His only option was to cut himself free before Mayhem got his pray caught in a rabbit's trap. "Spectrum x-ray vision, and set laser to cut around organic target, " he order. He could feel the heat of the laser right next to his leg; it felt like his own flesh was caught on fire. He hesitated to move; one mistake and his leg could be taken off. Spectrum slowly, painfully traced around his leg like a scroll saw. Once Spectrum completed its task, the dashboard fell straight down to him as well as his leg. His left pant leg was perfectly sliced up on both sides. He could see the blood dripping down his dirty leg, and as he lifted his loose pant leg up, the bone was sticking out of his fractured leg. A shiver went down his spine and his stomach turned as he closed his eyes. He crawled out of the rubble that was the Thunderhawk. The pain in his leg felt worst with every inch he moved. He threw off Spectrum, in hope to relieve his fears, yet his blue eyes saw nothing but bright smoke. He just kept moving with the faith of being met with his friends, on the other side of the thick smog. With ever step he grunted and cringed in agony. He started to feel lightheaded from the gases in the air and his body was slowly shutting him down. He shook his head, "Not safe can't...can't rest yet." He made it about 20 yards from the crash site, before the smoke stared to clear up. His hand touch somebody black shoe, he was so certain it was Jacques he wanted to cry with joy. This dirty blond hair, glassy blue eye man looked up and starred blankly at Miles Mayhem witching his mustache, with an evil grin on his face laughing. The man just rest his head back on ground knowing escape wasn't even possible and his face was expressionless. What was the point he was a dead man, he laid there letting the toxin take over his body without a fight, for the first time in his life he just gave up.
Matt open his eyes, he hoped it was all a nightmare, yet it wasn't long before his nightmare became his reality. His hands were chained to the wall in an old medieval dungeon. Matt tested the chains; despite the setting they were strong and sturdy, "Just like mayhem old-fashion." Matt glanced down at his leg. Even thought he was still wearing his beaten up uniform, his leg was bandaged up. What was even funnier to Matt was he wasn't feeling anything at all. Matt looked around puzzled, "He wants me dead, yet he patched my leg up, and now he just wants me to rot in a dungeon. He wants something from me, and it can't be anything good."
Mayhem headed down to the dungeon in such a good mood. He unlocked Matt cell and twitched his mustache, "Well...well...well Matt Trakker how long has it actually been? I can't imagine how stupid I was not to think you'd be my number one nemesis."
Matt wasn't too trilled to chit chat, "We'll I'm sorry to disappoint you Miles. Can we skip the small talk; I know you want something from me. Last time I check you don't give POWs medical attention."
Mayhem crossed his arms, " You should be grateful Mathew considering the circumstances. I have to admit you manage to pull a lot of fast ones on me, yet this time it looks like I got the winning hand. I want the access codes to the Informational Satellite, as well as the list of every member of MASK."
Matt snickers, "You know I won't give you that. If it means losing my life to save my men who will go nameless and this whole world from the likes of you, then so be it."
Mayhem cracked his knuckles and socked matt a good punch to his jaw. Matt spit out blood and looked into the red angry eyes of Miles Mayhem. Mayhem smiled, "Oh I shouldn't worry too much about that. You're too stubborn of a man and very emotional. Behind that hard-shell is the weak Matt Trakker I remember. The one who couldn't protect his brother, his wife, or his children."
Matt threaten, "You leave my kids out of this."
Mayhem shrugged, "Why should I? This has always been a family issue between us. After all killing your brother just brought us closer together."
Matt fist tighten in anger, "You won't finds my kids, my men will protect them with their lives."
Mayhem nods, "I kind of figured that and count on it. I'll give you time to think of your precious babies futures. Then later on you can get better acquainted with Bruno and Cliff Dagger. And if you ever feel like spilling your guts, don't hesitate to scream." With that final note Mayhem left him alone.
Matt eyes drifted over to the bared window, where he could see the sun setting. Matt silently prayed to himself, " Oh God please protect them and tell them I love them. Please forgive me for not being there for them."
Chapter 4
By Lisa Leonard
Roxanne laid on her bed hugging her pillow. She'd been up all night thinking about how to undo everything she caused. Her eyes just stayed focus on the window watching the sunrise over the horizon. Gloria walked into the room, with a tray of food and set it down on a nearby dresser. She then sat down next to Roxanne and started to rub her back. Gloria expressed a deep concern for Roxanne. It was understandable for her to be devastated about her father's absent, but she was keeping all her feelings and emotions trapped within a cage inside her heart. Gloria remembered the long sleepless night she had occasionally awaking from Roxanne whimpering. From the looks of it, Roxanne didn't get any more sleep then she did.
The rest of the MASK team left, before the crack of dawn to re-examine the crash site of Thunderhawk. Roxanne knew it would only be a matter of hours before they'd come back to arrest her, for the possible murder of her father. That bag, in the back of her father's car, had her name written all over it in big bold letters. Roxanne felt a bit relieved that Gloria was the one who volunteered to stay with her and Scott, during this difficult time. She was more then positive she could sneak by Gloria without getting caught. On top of that, Gloria was the least likely person to kill her, as soon as she received word of Roxanne involvement.
Gloria tried to cheer her up, "Come on Roxy, everything going to be alright. You have to have faith. I'll bet the team will have him back sooner then your realize, then you'll be so sick of him you'll be wondering why your crying."
Roxanne rubbed her eyes and looked at Gloria trusting face, " I know I'm just scared that I'll lose him."
Gloria smiled, "Matt's one tough cookie Roxanne, he's had a lot close calls and we have yet to lose him. Now I want you to eat up and get some more rest. Those bags under your eyes are going to scare your father, when you see him again."
Roxanne smiled a fake smile, "Thanks Gloria, I appreciate it."
Gloria moved the tray of food next to Roxanne. She then left the room to check up on Scott. As soon as Gloria left, Roxanne jumped out of bed already fully dressed and ready to go out on an adventure. She grabbed a few pillows and fluffed them up and set them under the covers. Roxanne hastily headed to the door, but stop as she looked back at the tray of food. Roxanne could hear her stomach growling, so she grabbed a biscuit and left the rest untouched. She stormed out of the hotel with the biscuit in her mouth, and just as Roxanne turned the street corner and munched on her breakfast, Scott was standing there against the building, as if he was expecting her.
Scott looked at his watch, "Good morning Roxanne. I trust you slept well." Roxanne was shock to see him and started to choke on the biscuit that she almost swallowed whole. Scott pats her back, "You shouldn't take such big bites."
Roxanne pushed him away from her, after she finish swallowing, "What are you doing here? Gloria just left to check up on you. How on earth did you beat me out here?"
Scott shrugged with a smile, "We'll that was easy, I put T-bob in my place and I changed T-bob voice signature to match mine. How's that for an amateur?"
Roxanne smirked and rolled her eyes, "Oh I'm so impressed. Now tell me why are you out here?"
Scott added a hint of suspicion to his voice, "Maybe I should ask you the same thing?"
Roxanne pushed him aside, "I don't have time for this. I'm going for a walk to clear my head."
Scott crossed his arm, "Then why sneak out, especially when we were both told not to leave the hotel."
Roxanne was getting irritated by the little pest, "I need to be alone, besides nobody is going to come and kidnap us, if that's what their thinking."
She tried to keep walking, but Scott stepped in front of her stopping her in her tracks. Every time she attempted to walk around him he'd just cut in again. Scott was starting to get fed up with the game and grabbed her arm, "What are you hiding? You were worried all day yesterday and now your acting like nothing happened."
Roxanne pointed her finger in his face and threatened, "Scott if you don't leave me alone I'll do something that you'll surely regret."
Scott says bluntly, "You'll what? Kill me like you probably killed dad."
"You jerk!" Roxanne slammed her fist into Scott's nose, "I didn't mean to hurt dad!" Roxanne covered her mouth, as if she had heard something repulsive. She felt bad as she saw Scott standing their covering his blood nose, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to."
Scott pulls away and says with anger, "Save your apology for the cops. How could you do it? Dad loved you and you tried to kill him. Don't you feel anything about what you did?"
Roxanne sighs and looks down to her feet, " I don't expect you to understand. I was so angry with him for calling me a liar. I didn't know what I was thinking when I accepted Rax's offer."
Scott face was red with anger and he couldn't believe she'd gone back to her old tricks, "So VENOM got you to deliver dad right into their greedy hands."
Roxanne shook her head with tears, "No, you got it all wrong. I planted the bombs at the PNA conference center, as my little revenge. Dad caught me when I was leaving and said he was going to take me back to the hotel. I'm such an idiot, I was too worried about not getting caught I forgot about last bomb in my bag. I thought I could get rid of it later, but dad got called away. I didn't know what do about the bomb in his car."
Scott says upset, "You...You could have radioed him. If it wasn't for you dad would be here right now."
Roxanne covered her face ashamed of herself, "I was scared Scott. I thought he'd ship me away or lock me up and disown me for doing it."
Scott turned his back to her, "Well then what's worst killing your own father or thinking selfishly about yourself?"
Roxanne walked around to face Scott, "I admit I made a horrible mistake, so if you don't mind I'm going to find dad and set the record straight once and for all."
"You know where dad is? Why didn't you tell somebody?" his voice turned from serious to excited.
"I don't really know where dad is, but I know a great place to look for clues. Scott the reason why I didn't tell anybody was because I wanted to be the one to bring him back to fix everything, " she explained.
Scott watched her closely and started to understand, "Well then let's go save dad."
Roxanne looked at him funny, "Who said anything about 'we'? I told you I was going to handle this."
"Are you forgetting something? Like I could run back up to Gloria and tell her every little detail you just told me," Scott snickered at his brilliance.
Roxanne put her hands on her waist, "What's the difference of them knowing now or a few hours from now?"
Scott shrugged, "Well I don't know. I guess the team will be coming back sooner then expected to put you in the hot seat."
Roxanne started to walk towards the apartment Rax had taken her a few days ago. She then stops and looks back at Scott, "Are you going to stand there all day, or are you coming? We don't have a lot of time."
Scott caught up to Roxanne and the two of them stopped at the apartment building. Scott asked her curiously, "Won't they still be in there?"
She rolled her eyes at him, while he wasn't looking, "They're not going to go back to their stake out spot. Their not that stupid to return to the scene of the crime."
Once they reached the room, Scott tried the door, "It's lock how are we going to get in?"
Roxanne pulled out a set of lock picks, "I planned ahead." She kneels down and starts to work on the lock.
Scott continues to pester her, "Where did you get those at? I thought dad swiped all that stuff from ya after you...."
Roxanne smiled wishing he'd stop his talking and drop the stories, "Rax gave me a new set." She pushes open the door, "Enough with the chit chat were here to look for clues."
The two stepped into the room and they couldn't believe the mess they saw. Food, beer bottles, garbage, and turned over furniture everywhere. Scott stepped over a box of pizza, "It's like a tornado just swept thru this room."
Roxanne started to dig thru the garbage, "What do you expect four of the sloppiest VENOM agents used it for their hideout. Oh and make sure you don't touch anything."
Scott was picking up a magazine off the floor, "Why not?"
"Because when the cops come and dust the place for finger prints, you'll lead them right to ya," She snickers.
Scott drops the magazine on the ground and a piece of paper falls out of the middle of it. Scott kneels down and picks it up, "I think I found a clue in this magazine."
Roxanne rushes over to Scott and swipes the paper out of his hand. The crinkled up paper contained a map to a secret location in Austria, "This is exactly what were looking for. Those guys are such pigs they're always leaving their orders around. It's almost like their trademark." Roxanne reached for the magazine on the floor and smirked at Scott, "Oh yeah you just so happened to pick up the latest edition to Penthouse Magazine."
Scott looked down at the magazine and blushed slightly, "I...I didn't know it was..."
Roxanne laughed at Scott and made her way towards the door, "Don't worry about it. I was looking for something like that anyways. Dagger has a habit of forgetting where he puts his orders.
The French police marked up the crash site with yellow tape, and did their best to keep trespassers and nosy reporters away from the scene. Bruce shook his head as he saw what was left of Thunderhawk. It lay there upside down in that ditch untouched with pieces of it barely hanging on. "Lifter on!" Bruce shouted as his mask picks Thunderhawk up in the air, then sets it back on the ground right side up.
Hondo walked over to his teammates after taking with the local authorities, "The police comb the area and turned up empty handed. All they can do is put out a missing persons report. We can only hope that something will turn up."
Buddy was walking around the Thunderhawk, while the rest of the team discussed possible ways to look for Matt. He was lost in deep thought and had to know the truth about why Matt crashed landed as he did. Buddy put all his strength into Thunderhawk's hood, but it was dented making it impossible to open. Buddy always spent hours everyday making sure the vehicles were well maintained and functioning properly. A failure in the middle of a battle could result in death, and he couldn't accept letting his team down, not after they took him in from the underground. He scratched his head trying to figure out a puzzle, "What am I overlooking?" The paranoia was getting to him, and the frustration of the whole ordeal was increasing his anger.
Alex put a hand on his shoulder, "Buddy we all know you take care of these cars as thought they were your own children, but you can't assume you caused the crash before we get all the evidence."
Buddy grabs a crowbar from the back of Firecracker and starts to pry the hood open with force, "I know I just feel like I let Matt down."
Dusty confessed still thinking about Matt falling out of the sky, "Your not the only person who feels that way."
Buddy looked under the hood, "From the looks of it everything is hooked up properly." Bruce then used Lifer to lift Thunderhawk up in the air again, while Buddy check underneath the car for possible sabotage. After Bruce set the car back down, Buddy removed his hat and felt a bit relived he wasn't the cause of Matt's crash, "Well one thing defiantly for sure he didn't have any car trouble."
Jacques brought out the white bag that was in the back of Thunderhawk, "This bag was smoking in the back of Thunderhawk yesterday."
Bruce added, "Yet there is no sign of a major explosion in the back of Thunderhawk, except the spot where Mayhem hit him."
Jacques pulls out a metal ball, "Does this look familiar to anybody?" He then tosses it to Bruce so he could get a good look at it.
Alex wasn't too surprise at the finding, "We found a whole bunch of those in the ventilation system at the Conference Center. They must of sent in another agent, somebody who knew what he was doing, and when he recognized the Thunderhawk parked out front, he must of decided to give Matt a welcoming gift."
"That's a cleaver obvious theory, but how many VENOM agents are going to be walking around with a blue sweater that just so happens to be Matt's size, you guys care to hear my theory?
Buddy approached Jacques and looked at the sweater, "I remember seeing Matt talking with Roxanne right outside the Conference Center. We were leaving and caught her walking the opposite direction. I'm pretty sure she had a bag in her hands, and I could of sworn I saw her pull out a blue sweater to show Matt."
Hondo pounded his fist together, after realizing how the whole operation was pulled off, "It makes perfect sense. The guards were told not to let anyone in, except authorized personal. Matt invited her and Scott into the building the day before. The guard probably figured it was already ok to let her pass. She's the only one who could of pulled all that off in such a short time."
Buddy put the sweater back in the bag and just couldn't believe it, "She's a sweet kid. I just can't picture her trying to kill Matt. I mean why would she do it?"
"You weren't there two nights ago when she passed out drunk on a park bench. Her and Matt were yelling most the night, and I say she had a grudge to settle with him," Jacques added.
Alex pointed out to Buddy, "You even said yourself you saw her with the bag, and she had the perfect opportunity to plant it in his car."
Buddy wasn't satisfied with his companions had already made up their minds, "It just doesn't add up. I mean I've only gotten to know her for a week, but I don't think she could of pull it off."
Brad wasn't sure what side to take, "But we can't underestimate her. We did it once and we got burned big time. Yet I just can't picture her doing this either."
Alex broke up the debate, "Guilty or innocent we need to question her, she might know where Matt is."
Buddy was still thinking of Roxanne, "It bothers me so much because, when I told her about Matt she was pretty broken up about it."
Dusty couldn't believe he was trying to defend her, "Yeah well she could have been acting as she usually does. I'm going to call Gloria and have her put under house arrest until we get back there."
"That would be a bad idea my friend, it would alarm her that we know the truth, "Bruce suggests.
Alex ponders, "But maybe we should assume she'd already taken off into hiding or gone back with VENOM."
Brad wasn't convince, "I still say she's not working for VENOM, you're making a quick assumption."
Dusty figured he settles this once and for all, "Then we'll just call Gloria and get an update on the kids. That way we can confirm if she's still waiting at the hotel."
Gloria headed down the hall towards her hotel room, after having a nice healthy breakfast in the dinning hall. Gloria reached for her cell phone as it went off, "Hello?"
Dusty speaks hiding his anger, "Hey Gloria, I'm calling to check up on the kids."
"Oh their pretty silent this morning. Both of them are late sleepers," Gloria replied.
"Can you do me a big favor and double check on them, were pretty worried that's all, " He says trying to hide the real reason for calling.
Gloria entered her hotel room and walked over to Roxanne bed. She wasn't an idiot when she saw the funny shaped figure underneath the bedcover. She pulled the cover off anyways, "Oh dear, I guess she skipped out."
Dusty was surprise at her statement, "What do you mean she skipped out?"
"She left a nice stack of pillows, Dusty. Let me check up on Scott he probably knows where she's at," Gloria explained. Of course as soon as she enters his room, she noticed it was empty as well. Dusty knew something was wrong, because Gloria sounded a bit frustrated on the other end of the line, " Scott and T-bob are missing as well." She headed out of the room and towards the hotel lobby. Gloria hoped the desk clerk knew if the kids had left the building. By the time she reached the first desk, she caught a glance of T-bob, Scott, and Roxanne exiting the building. Gloria says in a loud voice hoping not to alarm them of any trouble, "Hey guys where do you think your sneaking off too?"
Roxanne kicked T-bob slightly and spoke in a soft threatening voice, "Motor scooter mode now!"
T-bob crossed his arms, "You know I'm tired of the abuse you give me Roxanne. This robot is on strike and you're not my master."
Scott stepped in and ordered; "T-bob motor scooter mode now or I'll strike ya with a street sign."
T-bob looked at the two angry eye teenagers and transformed, "Hey all ya had to do is ask politely." The two of them hop on and drove off.
Gloria started to chase after them, but knew they were going to fast for her to catch up "Come back here!"
Gloria dialed up Dusty to tell him the bad news, "Dusty the two of them decided to rebel and take matters into their own hands. There isn't too much those two can do to get into trouble out here. I'm more then positive they'll be back in time for dinner."
Dusty replied in a serious tone, "Gloria we think Roxanne gave VENOM Matt as a forgive me gift."
Gloria wasn't sure if she could take him seriously, "How could you even think that?!"
"Don't argue and I don't have time to tell you all the evidence. The fact of the matter is she knows where Matt is and is probably taking Scott as a hostage like she did last time, to persuade matt to give information. Every minute you waist is another minute we lose them, " Dusty instructed.
Gloria wasn't completely convinced of Roxanne guilt, "Alright I'll track T-bob and bring them in."
Dusty was pleased that she was willing to listen to reason, "Good! We'll be down there as soon as were finish looking at the crime scene."
Gloria rushed down to the garage and hopped into Shark, "Computer bring up radar and track T-bob's homing signal. I just hope they didn't shut if off." Shark headed out of the garage as soon as it picked up on the signal.
Roxanne had an arm around Scott waist and was trying to read the map she tapped to his back, "T-bob slow down I can't read the map!"
T-bob spoke with an attitude, "Maybe you should have looked at it before you told me to hit the road. Where are we headed anyways?"
Roxanne puts the map away figuring that as soon as they left the city they could sit down and get a good look at it, "That's for us to know and you to find out."
"Sounds more like me getting turned into scrapped metal for accompanying you on this journey," T-bob huffed, "I'm turning around. I don't like what the two of you are planning."
Scott pleaded to him, "Come on T-bob were going to look for dad, we already have a lead to his whereabouts."
"Then why can't we just notify the grown-ups and let them come along too," T-bob tried to use logic.
Roxanne wanted to scream at his overly cautious mind. Instead she came up with an idea to trick him before Scott opened his mouth and caved in, " I guess I have no choice but to tell you this. We didn't want to say anything, but those grown-ups think you planted the bomb in dad car."
With that statement T-bob turned his head around 90 degrees and looked Roxanne in the face with wide eyes, "I did WHAT!"
"KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!" Scott shouted as T-bob was aimed directly with an oncoming car, which was honking its horn.
T-bob turned his head around and waited for Roxanne to give a good explanation, "The guys say you were the last one of us in the Thunderhawk, why do you think Gloria shouted for us to come back."
"I...I didn't do it...you believe me Scott don't you?" T-bob said with a slight jitter in his voice.
Scott tried to reinforce Roxanne story, "We know that T-bob that's why were going to bring dad back and clear your name."
Roxanne turned her head around and notice shark 6 cars behind them, "Hey guys heads up were being followed. T-bob Gloria coming to get ya. What do you say we speed up and try to lose her?"
T-bob says in a shaken voice, "Scott don't let her take me away."
"Pick up the gas and lose her then she won't catch up to us," Scott insisted.
Gloria notices how fast T-bob was moving, "I guess their not willing to talk about this."
T-bob headed off the road and down a narrow alleyway. Sharks stopped at the end of the ally and watch as the three escape. Gloria shook her head, "From the looks of it T-bob not even noticing that I'm tracing his signal. I'll let them think they got away. Maybe they'll lead me to Matt."
An hour later the kids were several miles from Paris. T-bob pulled over to the side of the road so they could discuss their situation. Roxanne laid the map across the grass and pulled out the small map she and Scott found earlier, "Well...were here and we need to get all the way to Salzburg, Austria."
"Uh how far, " T-bob pushed Roxanne away from the map. His expression on his face turned from curious to surprise, "Are you nuts I can't drive the two of you that far."
Roxanne laugh, "What you have too much mileage on ya as it is?" Her tone became more serious, " You know he's right it's very far, what if we get their too late?"
Scott wasn't ready to give up, "Don't say that. We haven't event tried yet and your thinking the worst. Let's get going we'll save him I know we will." Again the three headed on their way, while unsuspected Gloria followed behind cautiously.
The day was coming to an end and they were nowhere near the French-Switzerland boarder. Roxanne sighs, "Stop T-bob STOP!"
T-bob grumbled, "Hey will you cut that out! This is the tenth time you've asked me to stop. What if she's still behind us? The more time we waste the sooner she's going to catch up."
Roxanne hops off and stretched and cracked her back, "Oh man that hurts. Scott you need to make T-bob bigger because my butt is so numb from hanging on the end."
Scott also walked around, "He wasn't made for two people. Besides it was your idea to take him along."
T-bob looked between the two, "What do you mean it was your idea to take him along? I thought you two were trying to help me out?"
Roxanne ignored T-bob, "Grrr this is getting us nowhere. T-bob doesn't even drive the speed limit we should be at the boarder by now."
"Hey I'm driving as fast as I can with the extra weight added on?" T-bob protests to defend himself.
With that statement, Roxanne grabbed a rock off the ground and threw it at T-bob. He jumped out of the way before the rock could scratch him. Roxanne sits down on the grass, "We need a better idea as to how to get there."
Scott shrugged, "Well we left the city so fast we didn't think of all the options."
Just before Roxanne could criticize him for blaming her for the bad planning, all three of them heard a train in the distance. Roxanne suggested, "I don't know about you boys but I think an answer just came to me."
Scott and Roxanne both took off on T-bob and headed towards the train they've heard. T-bob sped up as he drove closer to the back of the train. Roxanne was the first to attempt the jump. She grabbed on to the railing of the caboose and pulled herself up. She then reached a hand down for Scott. T-bob was starting to wear down and was losing speed.
Scott tried to reach for the rail, but his hand missed it. Scott yelled, "T-bob come on put some more gas into it I can't reach." T-bob was trying as hard as he could to muster up the strengths to carry on. Scott left hand reaches out and grabs the railing. Just as Scott tried to pull himself up, T-bob hit a rock on the side of the railway that sent him flying off course. T-bob headed towards the ditch, meanwhile Scott dangled from the side of the train by one hand. His legs were scraping up against the ground as his left hand slides down the railing. Scott was panicking and he knew his grip was loosening. He cried out in pain as his leg get bruised and cut as they drag from the train.
Roxanne reached over the edge to grab Scott's left hand, "Give me your other hand I'll pull you up!" Scott reaches his other hand out to her. Roxanne got a good grip of it, and then pulled him over the railing. The two sat on the platform feeling beat and breathing heavily. Roxanne look at T-bob who was just getting out of the ditch, "T-bob hurry up your going to miss the train."
T-bob shouted back with exhaustion, "I don't think I can do it. I'm running out of gas."
Roxanne encouraged him, "T-bob we need ya. You can do it just need to make it far enough to reach."
T-bob drove up on the tracks behind the train and picked up speed, "I think I can...I think I can...I think I can..." T-bob eye were closed shut as he put every last bit into increasing his speed. T-bob arms increased in length as he reached them out to the railing. He just barely touched them at 20 feet. Once his hands clamped down on the railing, T-bob reeled his body towards the train.
Roxanne laughed as T-bob hoped over the railing and slumped down, "See that wasn't so bad."
T-bob arms felt limp at his side, "Easy for you to say, I'm the one who was doing all the work."
Roxanne looked over at Scott, who was admiring his legs. Scott jeans were cut and stained with blood and dirt. Roxanne helped Scott up, "That looks pretty bad."
Scott tried to hide his discomfort, "Hey it's not as bad as it looks."
Roxanne opened the door to the caboose, "Yeah well I hope your telling the truth for your sake." The caboose was empty and contained a few boxes covered with blankets. Roxanne set Scott on the ground, and then sat down next to him.
Scott grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight, as she glanced at his injury, "We'll get to dad sooner now. That's all that matters." Scott yawned from exhaustion and rested his head on Roxanne's shoulder and fell asleep. T-bob pulled off a blanket from one of the boxes and covered Roxanne and Scott.
They were all tired and she knew a goodnight sleep would better prepare them for the coming challenge. She wondered if she'd have to leave Scott behind. Sure he might of sprain both his legs, but that would slow him down when they got to VENOM headquarters. Roxanne rested her head upon Scott and thought about how nice sleep sound. T-bob smiled as he saw the brother and sister sound asleep, he himself shut himself down to regenerate his used power cells.
Everything was upside down, the air was cover in a blanket of white smoke, and the sound of a dying engine could be heard. He just couldn't breath, couldn't see, and couldn't move from his seat. The mask was design to give air to its wearer, yet he was over come with claustrophobia. He slid his hand around his body until he could feel the door. The latch on the door wouldn't budge. He attempted to ram the door with his shoulder, but the seat belt held him back. He reached down for his pocket and pulled out a knife. The blade sliced right thru the belt and sent the man flying forward to the hood of the car. A crack is heard from his left leg, which was caught between the dashboard and the gas petal. He screamed out in agony, yet nobody could answer his cries. The pain was too much that he found breathing more difficult the longer he stayed put. Again he attempted to ram his shoulder into the door, this time the door budge and nearly fell off. He breathed heavily and looked at his caught leg. "Got to get free," he faintly muffled out. The energy reading on the mask was low, and he was far too weak to pull the dashboard off his leg. His only option was to cut himself free before Mayhem got his pray caught in a rabbit's trap. "Spectrum x-ray vision, and set laser to cut around organic target, " he order. He could feel the heat of the laser right next to his leg; it felt like his own flesh was caught on fire. He hesitated to move; one mistake and his leg could be taken off. Spectrum slowly, painfully traced around his leg like a scroll saw. Once Spectrum completed its task, the dashboard fell straight down to him as well as his leg. His left pant leg was perfectly sliced up on both sides. He could see the blood dripping down his dirty leg, and as he lifted his loose pant leg up, the bone was sticking out of his fractured leg. A shiver went down his spine and his stomach turned as he closed his eyes. He crawled out of the rubble that was the Thunderhawk. The pain in his leg felt worst with every inch he moved. He threw off Spectrum, in hope to relieve his fears, yet his blue eyes saw nothing but bright smoke. He just kept moving with the faith of being met with his friends, on the other side of the thick smog. With ever step he grunted and cringed in agony. He started to feel lightheaded from the gases in the air and his body was slowly shutting him down. He shook his head, "Not safe can't...can't rest yet." He made it about 20 yards from the crash site, before the smoke stared to clear up. His hand touch somebody black shoe, he was so certain it was Jacques he wanted to cry with joy. This dirty blond hair, glassy blue eye man looked up and starred blankly at Miles Mayhem witching his mustache, with an evil grin on his face laughing. The man just rest his head back on ground knowing escape wasn't even possible and his face was expressionless. What was the point he was a dead man, he laid there letting the toxin take over his body without a fight, for the first time in his life he just gave up.
Matt open his eyes, he hoped it was all a nightmare, yet it wasn't long before his nightmare became his reality. His hands were chained to the wall in an old medieval dungeon. Matt tested the chains; despite the setting they were strong and sturdy, "Just like mayhem old-fashion." Matt glanced down at his leg. Even thought he was still wearing his beaten up uniform, his leg was bandaged up. What was even funnier to Matt was he wasn't feeling anything at all. Matt looked around puzzled, "He wants me dead, yet he patched my leg up, and now he just wants me to rot in a dungeon. He wants something from me, and it can't be anything good."
Mayhem headed down to the dungeon in such a good mood. He unlocked Matt cell and twitched his mustache, "Well...well...well Matt Trakker how long has it actually been? I can't imagine how stupid I was not to think you'd be my number one nemesis."
Matt wasn't too trilled to chit chat, "We'll I'm sorry to disappoint you Miles. Can we skip the small talk; I know you want something from me. Last time I check you don't give POWs medical attention."
Mayhem crossed his arms, " You should be grateful Mathew considering the circumstances. I have to admit you manage to pull a lot of fast ones on me, yet this time it looks like I got the winning hand. I want the access codes to the Informational Satellite, as well as the list of every member of MASK."
Matt snickers, "You know I won't give you that. If it means losing my life to save my men who will go nameless and this whole world from the likes of you, then so be it."
Mayhem cracked his knuckles and socked matt a good punch to his jaw. Matt spit out blood and looked into the red angry eyes of Miles Mayhem. Mayhem smiled, "Oh I shouldn't worry too much about that. You're too stubborn of a man and very emotional. Behind that hard-shell is the weak Matt Trakker I remember. The one who couldn't protect his brother, his wife, or his children."
Matt threaten, "You leave my kids out of this."
Mayhem shrugged, "Why should I? This has always been a family issue between us. After all killing your brother just brought us closer together."
Matt fist tighten in anger, "You won't finds my kids, my men will protect them with their lives."
Mayhem nods, "I kind of figured that and count on it. I'll give you time to think of your precious babies futures. Then later on you can get better acquainted with Bruno and Cliff Dagger. And if you ever feel like spilling your guts, don't hesitate to scream." With that final note Mayhem left him alone.
Matt eyes drifted over to the bared window, where he could see the sun setting. Matt silently prayed to himself, " Oh God please protect them and tell them I love them. Please forgive me for not being there for them."