Chapter 5: Ten years after the fact.

The busy city of Heifong was alive with bustling people going about there business, hover cars flew through the inter city sky-ways at incredible speed. It was in industrial sector 17 that the abandoned building resided, the yellow writing on the rusted metal read 'Starwind and Hawking Enterprises' it was obvious the building had long ago been left to rust.

The 21-year-old Jim Hawking sat at his computer typing furiously at the transparent keyboard and started at the holographic-screen as the latest design plans for his invention scrolled across it.

It had taken Jim 3 years to land this job at Arc Tech, but it was worth it, he had worked for Arc Tech since he was 15, working in the Research and Development designing new devices for various use from the military to everyday things.

In fact Jim designed several of Arc Tech's most successful products including the anti-graviton generator. Jim looked over the Design plans once more for his latest device a Sub orbital sensor, when it was finished hundreds would be deployed around the planet, to create a sensor net to stop pirates from making planet fall undetected.

Jim continued to type away, he yawned briefly and glanced at the Digital clock on the desk -3am. Damn, late night again. He would have to stop putting in such late hours it was killing him to be up till gone three in the morning then waking up at 7am for work.

Aisha approached from behind quietly stifling a yawn with her hand, he purple night dress coming to just above her knee, and hugging her like a second skin. She rubbed Jim's shoulders slowly messaging the knots and tension from them. Jim couldn't help but relax into her arms at her touch. His typing slowing to reflect this.

"You know Jim, a Wife likes to sleep with her husband every once in a while" she said as she continued to slowly rub the tension out of his muscles.

"I know", he said smiling weakly knowing he was neglecting her, part of him still couldn't believe the gorgeous C'tarl C'tarl was really his wife and that she loved him. They had been through a lot over the last ten years it had made them closer but he had been neglecting her over the last six months he always did when he had a major project. He always seemed to get so caught up in his work he would forget his friends and family.

Family

He smiled inwardly at the word; she really was his family now, his wife and his lover.

"Come to bed honey, you can continue in the Lab tomorrow, I'll make it worth your while" Aisha spoke winking.

Jim laughed "Really? You do know I have to be up in 4 hours for work?"

A sly grin crept across her face, "you'll just have to be late won't you" she said, heading back to the bedroom. Within mere seconds, Jim had saved his current work, and shut down the computer console faster than even he thought was possible and joined his wife for late night bedroom activities.

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Gene watched the three hooded men exit the car and head towards the closed skyscraper building, the building itself was quite impressive from the ground level.

It had been many years since Gene had been this low down before, after the great collapses the city's of Heifong could no longer expand outward due to space conservation and land unsuitability so it expanded upwards, there were three levels above him and about 8 skyway's.

Arc Tech of course maintained the systems that not only kept the city from falling on its arse but also the systems that kept the traffic moving, basic commodities, anti-pollution systems, the space ports, security, military, in fact you could say Arc Tech were regular miracle workers. It was Arc tech research and funding that allowed the planets cities to be rebuilt in the first place.

Gene hated Miracles, he didn't trust them and seemed to remember there used to be a saying about absolute power.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of alarm klaxons and the three hooded men running out of building and down the ally where gene was waiting for them in the shadows.

"Well it if isn't the Amateur sky convention", Gene said simultaneously making a crack about the ski-masks and aiming his duel shotgun like pistol that was by today's standards considered an antique

The three hoods back-pedalled to run in the other direction gene aimed for the legs, and fired, one of the hoods dropped to the floor as the bullets embedded themselves in his leg.

"Shit, fuck", he cursed as the burning sensation caused through his body; "Bastard" he yelled just before Gene hit him across the back of the head with the butt of his gun, and gave chase on the other two hoods.

Gene holstered his shotgun-pistol at his hip and drew a gun from the opposite side; the gun looked more like a piece of artillery than a handgun. It looked quite similar in design to the one used by Duce, he smiled inwardly at the memory of the Lizard man he had come to think fond of in there many encounters.

Gene loaded the specially built bullets into the firing chamber and cocked the gun. The loud crack filled the area as gun propelled the cartridge down the street at twice the speed of sound into the hoods body armour, the force of the impact throwing the man forward ten feet and breaking six of his ribs.

The man passed out immediately as he hit the ground and rolled, Gene could see the man was badly injured but to his dismay still alive… oh well.

The third hood just stood shell-shocked as Gene approached, he looked left and right, there was no escape or cover if he ran he would surely suffer the same fate as his two comrades and so he made perhaps the most sensible decision of his life – he surrendered.

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Thirty minutes later, Gene pushed the three men into the police station each of whom fell onto the floor unable to keep their balance handcuffed. Gene Flashed a grin to the blonde rather well shaped Desk sergeant. The buttons of her powder blue shirt seemed to heave outward with every breath she took; this did not escape Gene's attention.

"Scratch three thieves", Gene spoke proudly.

"Only 3 thieves Gene? I'm disappointed… you normally don't go after cheap hoods", said the desk sergeant

"Oh come on Clara, I was bored, they were there, I need the money", Gene replied.

"I can give you 250 Wong for all three", Clara replied. Adjusting her glasses.

"What, you got to be kidding", Gene replied almost furious at such a low bounty.

"I did say they were cheap hoods, Gene", Clara smiled.

"Bah, fine, give me the money", Gene replied after some thought.

Clara disappeared for a few minutes and then returned with a small roll of cash, she handed gene the roll as she sat back down on her stool. Gene noticed the white undershirt she was wearing through the tight top and mentally started to undress her.

"You ok Gene?" Clara asked worried.

"Huh…what...I'm fine"; Gene said shaking himself out of his daydream.

"You were drooling…" Clara began but Gene had gone before she could finish her sentence.

Gene pushed open the police station doors and stepped into the cool night air, it had been an ok night, he had a bit of a work out and got 250 Wong burning a hole in his pocket.

"To the bar!" he shouted to no one but himself and pointed in a northerly direction suddenly feeling a cold chill like he was being watched.

The lone figure on the roof watched from her perch, her black cloak covering her body, concealing her identity and keeping her warm at the same time, several blue bangs escaped from the hood and flicked out from the wind.

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Authors Notes:

Ok kids, been a while, due to popular Demand this story is continuing AND it now has a plot, it might not be a good plot but it's a plot non the less, so won't be a series of disconnected stories like the first 4 chapters.

Please Save you're out of character complaints as remember 10 years have past, people have grown, things have happened good, bad and ugly, people have lived, people have died and some live only to die, people have moved on. Some you'll hear about others you won't.

Just where is Melfina? All will be revealed in time.