Disclaimer : Still not mine… Can't you see it ?! I'm desperate !

Chapter Two : Have you seen Thunderhawk ?

"Well, let's see what's not right" Locke pondered out loud.

Sojourner was sitting on a metal table, in the lab. His feet were dangling in the air, and a feeling of uneasiness came over him. He has never really liked to be near those chirurgical tools Locke kept working with. He swallowed, hard.

Arms crossed, Thunderhawk was leaning against a wall, trying not to burst out laughing. The sight of his son pissed off by a pair of boots was just so hilarious, the lavender echidna could not help a few chuckles.

Sojourner snapped his head up.

"Father, I don't see what you're laughing about !" The annoying feeling of weakness was enough, no need to twist the knife !

Locke approached, looking curiously at the boots. After a few minutes while he appeared to be in deep thoughts, he took one shoe in his hands.

"I wonder…"

He tugged at it, gently at first, then harder, and Sojourner had to grip the table not to fall off it. The younger shook his head, a knowing smile making its way to his lips.

"That's what I thought…" he whispered.

"What ? What did you think ?" Sojourner asked.

"Somehow, the sole got glued to your foot. How, and when I don't know. But you can be sure you won't be able to remove it without ripping your skin off…"

Sojourner swallowed another time. What was he going to do then ?

"How… how can I remove it ?" he asked, slightly frightened by the answer he was going to get.

"I can only see one way…" Locke paused to mark his point, then finished. "We have to cut it open."

"The legs ?!" Thunderhawk and Sojourner exclaimed at once.

Locke blinked, surprised by the strength of the cry.

"No… the boots I mean."

Thunderhawk released a relieved sigh, but Sojourner was looking hesitant.

"Do we… really have to ?" he asked. "I mean, not that I care more for my shoes than my legs, but still… Is there no other way ?"

"I knew you were going to say that… Well, I guess we could pull them off by force. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try."

"Speak for yourself…" Sojourner mumbled.

Not so far from there, in the corridor, Athair was having fun walking on the ceiling. He was singing under his breath, when he heard a blood freezing scream.

Immediately dropping the act, he flew full speed toward the place the scream had come from. Before he even reached the door, voices were heard, coming from the room. Well, it was the lab, he realised after a while.

What was going on ? Was Locke torturing small animals for 'the benefit of science' ? No, it couldn't be… The brown echidna tilted his head on a side, and listened carefully.

"Stay still, will you !"

"I can't help it, it hurts !"

"Tell me something I don't know…"

"What about 'you're stupid' ?!"

Athair frowned, concerned. He recognised the voices to be Locke's, Thunderhawk's and Sojourner's. What were they doing ?

"Don't move, for Haven's sake !"

"It's easy for you to say that ! I don't see your skin being ripped off !"

"Son, you put yourself in this mess…"

"That's it ! Thunderhawk, hold him down ! I'm going to cut them open !"

"You wouldn't dare !"

"Watch me ! Make sure he won't move, Fifth-father."

"No ! Father, you can't let him do that to me ! No ! Help !"

Athair paled as understanding dawned on him. They were going to hurt Sojourner ! He was NOT going to let them, family or not !

"Don't worry, Second-father !" he announced. "I'm coming !"

Letting out a big cry that sounded more like a howl, Athair charged toward the door. It opened, and he came in screaming his head off, flying furiously in circles. He was yelling things such as "I'm here to save you !" and "Let my grandfather go, you monsters !"

After a while, he stopped abruptly in mid-air, aware now of three pairs of eyes staring at him. Locke's were wide open, and he was gaping at the brown echidna. He held some sort of big scissor in his hands, half-way opened. Thunderhawk was holding his son's arm and was also looking at Athair, one clueless eyebrow raised.

From where he was hiding under the table, Sojourner groaned.

"Great, another weirdo…"

Remembering suddenly, Athair floated down to meet Locke's gaze.

"What were you doing to my Second-father ?!" he scowled.

"I was NOT doing anything ! HE put himself in this mess !" Locke retorted.

"I bet you were ! Remember that time when it was raining and that-"

"Don't you dare bring that up ! And beside, the floor was already slippery then, I don't have a thing to do with-" Locke began, but was immediately cut off by his Second-father.

"You did ! You pushed him ! I know you, big meanie !"

"Excuse me…" Sojourner tried.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn ?!" Locke said.

"Sons…"

"I am not ! You've pushed him, admit it !"

"Did not !"

"Did too !"

"Now who's being stubborn ?"

"ENOUGH !" Sojourner cried. He sighed when the younger ones turned to him. "Thank you. I'd just like to say that while you were politely discussing, Thunderhawk vanished !"

"What ?!" Locke exclaimed. "How could it be ?"

"Oh, goody !" Athair said, clapping his hands. "He wants to play hide-and-seek ! It's going to be funny !"

"Whatever… Where do you think he is ?" Sojourner asked. "I can swear he practically disappeared before my eyes ! He couldn't have just gone out !"

Locke put a hand to his chin, apparently in deep thoughts. Watching Athair bounce on the walls, he said :

"Strange things seem to happen at once… I wonder if it has something to do with-" He shook his head. No, it can't be Spectre…He doesn't even know how to tell a joke !

He let out a sigh. "I guess it's just bad luck, that's all. The glue in your boots was probably an accident, Thunderhawk left because he got annoyed, nothing more. No need to be paranoid about that…"

At least I hope…

"Come on, the sun is setting…"

"Breakfast time !" Athair cheered happily before flying out of the lab. "Quick before Sabre eats all the toasts !"

"Don't tell me this guy is part of the family…" Sojourner moaned.

"I'm afraid he is, Fourth-father."

Next chapter will be coming soon ! Stay tuned on !!!