A/N: I have to agree. I like Joe too, he would be good for Jun. I like Ken too, he's cute but I always wanted him and Jun to get together. Heck with all that..."my duty first". So onward with the story.
Jun was sitting on her bed, strumming her guitar when Jinpei came in. He came in and stood there with his arms crossed. Jun looked up and struck a bad cord making her little brother cringe.
"Not nice, Jun. Why did you make Ken mad? You kissed Joe, why? Did you know Ken hit Joe?"
"Ken?, none of your business, he did what? Why?"
"He saw that kiss, he doesn't want anyone around his girl." Jun put the guitar down softly and stood. Her hands on her hips.
"I am not his girl. I belong to no one. Ken has no rights at all."
"But Jun....." He whined. "You are meant for each other, we all know it. One day..."
"One day we may all be dead. One day we might end the war and have a life too. I am tired of waiting, tired of responsibility and being alone. I wasn't coming on to Joe either."
"I want you to be happy. I will talk to Ken." She grabbed his arm as he was leaving.
"You do, and I will break your arm. Leave it alone. Ken made his decision." She sat back down and began to play a tune. Jinpei left the room and walked back downstairs. He wanted his sister to be happy.
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Aboard their ship later that evening, everyone was quiet, there was a heaviness in the air. Ryu had mentioned he had found a nice girl and was considering asking her to marry him. Ken had been giving Jun strange looks ever since the announcement before they had taken off.
Okay we have a base to destroy. Now I want no one" He looked at Joe. "To go it alone, and no grandstanding. We are a team. Jun I want timed explosives, and Joe I want you to get me Doctor Mescar. That scientist has some new discoveries that must not go to Katze and his people. The doctor has agreed to give us his info if he we rescue him. Now we have half an hour to do it. Joe study the map, that the good doctor provided.
Everyone prepared themselves. Jun went in the back and got her explosives, Jinpei was bouncing on the balls of his feet, ready to go. Joe sat memorizing the map. He wondered if Katze was in any of the rooms on the way? He could stop, they could have a cup of tea and he could kill him.
Jun came back and stood waiting. As they came into range Ken stood up and motioned for the others. Joe and Jinpei followed. Together they rode up to the top and the clear dome opened, and they flew gracefully out and over the installation. Ryu stayed nearby waiting.
Gliding down to the ground they found the entrance that had been marked on the map. Ken looked cautiously around and down the hole. It was partially concealed with shrubbery, a ladder lead down into darkness. He glanced at the others then jumped.
Landing softly and without a sound he looked around. No one was there. The hall was dark, it led off to two other hallways. The others quickly landed beside him. Joe went to the left, Jinpei went with him. Jun went right, and Ken followed.
Two hundred feet down the hall at a curve Joe and Jinpei found trouble. A half a dozen of Katze's men came out of a room. Seeing two of the Gatchaman they attached. Joe leaped into the air, and struck out with his foot, breaking the neck of the nearest man. Then he struck out with his hand and the man grabbed his chest, and found he could not breath, as his ribs were driven into his lungs. Jinpei was fighting his own little war. He was yelling, and Joe could hear the clacking sounds.
When there was only one left, he ran silently down the hall leaving Jinpei to finish the last one himself. He turned a corner, and kept going. A single man came out of another room, and Joe dropped him with a shuriken to the throat.
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Jun set the timer and moved off down the hall. Ken has disappeared at another turn off. A big arm came around her neck as she turned. It tightened around her throat, and a raspy voice spoke.
"Well if it isn't the lovely swan. Come to play with me?" He lifted her off her feet with the arm. She swung her yoyo around and behind her, and felt an explosion, and the arm go slack. She moved away and didn't look back to the damage it had caused.
Ken had heard the explosion and knew it had to be Jun. He was worried, and couldn't stop that. But she would be mad if he ran to check on her. He would finish what he was doing. He wondered if maybe he should do what everyone said he should. Let himself have a life with Jun. But he didn't want to end up leaving her like his father had left him and his mother. He didn't think his father had been a good husband and father. Maybe he wouldn't be either. Joe had no problems with his love life. He got all the girls.
He turned the corner and he came to a door partially open. He heard a voice speaking. His blood turned cold.
"Yes I understand. Let the Gatchaman take the scientist, who is our best assassin. Who is rigged to explode twenty minutes after they leave here. Killing our enemy. Such a good plan."
Ken turned and ran back the way he came. He spoke into his wrist band. "Everyone back to the ship, it's a trap! The scientist is a bomb, meet me at the exit."
"Right Ken, I am coming." Jinpei said.
"Alright, but I could just kill him."
"No, Joe. Do not go near him. Report back to me."
"Jun?" He waited and no reply. "Jun!" He could feel panic rise, and he knew the others would be coming to help search. The other two arrived, looked worried.
"Where is she Commander?"
"I don't know, Joe. We split up back there at the last turn." They all went that way, and began to search.
After ten minutes the explosives began to go off. Sealing off the way they came. "Ryu, lock on where we are, about 6 feet in front of us, blow it. We need a way out of here. Joe turned on Ken.
"You leaving Jun? You go ahead you coward, but I wont leave her." Ken grabbed him by the shoulders.
"She isn't here, they have taken her. We will get her back, don't you think I care about her?" Joe looked him in the eye.
"No commander, I don't." Ken stood there, then dropped his hands, as the explosion opened a hole for them to get through.