Simon found Khalon sitting on Allo's bed, staring off at the ominous-feeling blood streaks, fist bowls, and other signs of the fight. Strange that the blood didn't faze him, considering he was sitting right next to it all. Khalon's hand was bandaged but blood seeped through the old white sheet. Simon's presense made Khalon avert his focus for only a moment.

Simon stood there awkwardly yet again for a moment. He raised both arms slightly, palms up. "I don't really know your situation that well but... I'm sorry."

Khalon grunted. "Thanks for the empathy."

Simon looked taken-back. "Well. If you want me to leave then...

Khalon frowned. "No. You're coming with me."

conversation needs to be redone. goes from stubborn to opens up slightly.

Simon refers to Allo…

Khalon shrugged. "Look at it this way: Who said Hitler wasn't bad at the start?"

He nodded in response. "Yeah but in this case your his kid."

"Bastard child. Basically... In fact, both parents somehow disappeared and left me to whomever in my now good-as-dead Uncle and Aunt."

"What was this thing about interspecies marriage? Since you're not 'pureblood' you're just a..."

Khalon looked over. Slightly dark expression. He stared at him, head shaking slightly. "A what?"

"I dunno. I didn't grow up in your culture."

Khalon sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Yeah. My kind is hated. I'm no better than a dead Tyrranos. No wait, even they look down on my kind."

"Lowest of low?"

"Scum of the galaxy. I feel so betrayed by my own kind now. One moment, they shove pride for yourself and your race up the wazoo and next thing it feels like... You have betrayed them. Your a traitor."

Simon bit his lower lip again. "Alrighty... So what are we going to do now?"

"I was hoping to fix up a ship and get the heck off of this planet... But that's not going to be so easy. Once found I'm as good as dead." Khalon rubbed both hands across his face in a downward motion. "But why would the Elders want to get rid of me? It's not like I took Allo's place... And my team members took the other people's places, and the original task-force were put in history books."

"History books?"

"Yeah. Like honored. But not terribly as to seem like a cult. Just mentioned, honored, and respected when the topic ever comes up."

Simon just nodded and listened. Khalon looked over and searched his expression for a moment. "But that still doesn't explain why those Elders wanted to give me the boot." A huff, and a sigh. "Yeah they probably knew that I was a 'half-blood'. But how?"

"If they knew how then... Wouldn't they have to know about Allo and the Raptor?"

Khalon leaned forward and propped his elbow on leg, and held his chin with a hand. "Yeah. Mebbe that has to do with it all. But how? Reptilians sure are quick to give the boot to traitors. They wouldn't have accepted the information about whatever Allo found out that seemed to make the Elders want to give me the boot without it catching their attention."

"Mebbe someone's on the inside."

"Yeah. Or else a good puppet-master."

"Puppet master... Mebbe whoever was on the inside has ways of getting information about... Both sides?"

Khalon nodded and looked up at Simon. "Yeah. But that still doesn't explain who would be behind it all, and how he got to be on the inside. Or mebbe he's just somewhere on the Tyrranos' side, when in reality he just controls both."

Simon shrugged. "Didn't you say something about corruption?"

"Yeah but I was talking about how conservative things were not getting. As in, vie for cloning and genetic implantation when it's obvious the technology exists but the safety factors are a giant issue. Who would want to be born a... mutant or something?"

Simon shuddered. "The US government has banned cloning for good in the US. President Bush's attempts at banning cloning were lifted, and in the small time period human cloning was up for a free-for-all, there was some company that did it. But turns out the child just... Melted away. Or something awful like that due to some genes missing."

Khalon stared off at the ground. "And this Darien Allo mentioned. What about him? Or her?"

"Eh, that sounds like a male name."

A shrug. "At any rate. Many questions are to be answered. Including what to do now." And he suddenly remembered. "Ethan! I hope he's OK!"

"Ethan?"

"Oh sorry, I didn't tell you about that." He related the story of him crash landing on Earth in Ethan's Uncle's field, and eventually coming to Simon's lab. "I can't just leave the poor kid - Oh shoot! He's David and Sarah's kid! And David and Sarah were those two Secret Scouts that were taken by that raptor Tyrranos!"

Simon just bit his lower lip again. "Not good?"

"No. He could be in danger. I don't feel rested now until he's under my watch. That only means one thing - we'll have to find him. But I have no idea where he is..."

"You said you crash landed in his Uncle's field?"

"Well... Yeah."

Simon continued with finger raised. "And he talked to you, and gave you food."

"Yeah."

"The US Government likes keeping tabs on everything. I bet they took him just like they took you. Not in the same manner I hope."

Khalon got up. "Ok. We have no idea where he is. All we have is a capful of old dusty computers, a few old rusting ships, a few dismembered hoverbikes, a load of gut hunches, and that radio of the agent's. Except for some reading over where we were on the radar..."

"The radio!" Simon slipped it out from his pocket and put it to his ear. "Eh... just static. Nothing. Is there an amplifier in this place?"

Khalon motioned and quickly walked out the door. "Spotted one. Follow me."

Soon the radio was hooked up to speakers and the computer.

Khalon typed away on the keyboard. A few screens popped up. "Ok. See that white circle over there?"

"Yeah. Can't miss it."

"Stand in it. Its not only a hologram projector."

Simon was quickly up on it. He held it up. "Like this?"

"That's good." Voices came up on the speakers. "Here we go-"

Pssh. "Bounty taken, this is Eagle One, roger." Pssh. "Bounty is in custody?" Pssh. "Affirmative. But the Package has escaped." Pssh. Hurried tone. "What! Send out patrol, ASAP."

The radio suddenly cut off. Simon leaned out of the white light of the center white circle smirking. "Glad we got this thing."

Just then, something unusual came up on the speakers.

Reptilian. Khalon was about to speak to Simon, but he cut short. Then some more speech, and odd noises. Wavy, bleeping, and a heartthrob continuing through it all.

Khalon looked oddly over to Simon. "What did you do?"

Simon was perplexed. "I just... Leaned out of the circle." He stood up straight and leaned out again. The human voices turned to the Reptilian speech and the ominous noises.

Khalon stared hard at Simon. "Oh no. This is not good."

Simon blinked. "I don't have a pacemaker... That kinda sounds like-"

More Reptilian voices. Khalon squinted and looked off at the computer screen. "They're saying... They're using outlawed code. Tyrranos probably." He looked at Simon. "A human device doesn't have the capability to do that. So that must mean..."

"Hey. Remember what I said about those scars?"

"Oh yeah. Well I remembered that the Elders implemented some type of chip-system so they can 'strengthen society'. Yeah. Socialism."

"No. I mean... 'Just a coincidence.'"

Khalon looked at him oddly. The weird, pulsating, bleeping computer noises intermixed with Reptilian speech presided in the background. "Allo. He said something about a Darien, who apparently had his claws on... Everything."

"Including people's lives? Like... Humans and Reptilians? And whatever is out there?"

"I think these implants are more than chips, Simon. But questions are still unanswered. Well... Allo said something about everyone going to die. But mebbe that part is hogwash." He grunted. "Who knows!"

Simon stepped out of the circle. The noise stopped. Both looked at each other and to the computer screen. The signal indicator stopped waving like crazy once Simon stepped out of the white circle. "I remember now... for the past few months I've been having weird dreams with that same exact noise. Gosh that freaks me out! I hate that noise!"

"Simon. You mean you've been hearing that ever since... When?"

"Since after I recall those black-tiled floors and ceilings and walls and - Well what are you getting to?"

"Ok. This is not good. The Tyrranos agreed at the Council to not use the chip technology. Because it had to involve genetic testing and possibly cloning was involved. The type of chip they were making could only be used by a Reptilian because it was designed for a Reptilian. As in mapped to its DNA sequence, and basically tricks the body into thinking the chip is some missing gene that will help the body function better." Khalon sighed coldly. "I've heard just some minor but terribly rumors about this. This is not good."

"What kind of rumors?"

Khalon looked up slowly. "They've gone wrong. Reptilian DNA is too much of a step to do guesswork because its much more complex... much more than a human's. Humans have less DNA than Reptilians do, so that means... All those abductions are true, and David and Sarah could have been used in it because they were in Tyrranos hands." He continued on his last thought. "They've gone wrong, as in Reptilians and Humans possibly being... Permanently dependent on the chip. Brains re-wired to the point they need some outside force to make them keep functioning. But why would anyone want to do this? What purpose would it serve?"

Simon shrugged absent-mindedly. "Mebbe whoever is behind this really wanted the chips to do that.

"Yeah." Khalon snapped his fingers. "What a brilliant plan. For the people of Reptilian, and ultimately for one person alone. Opposite of what the Government preached. Bloodsucking money laundering Elders. Never should have trusted them from the start, just like getting myself into the Dinosaucers. Heck I should've felt my instincts and gone with the Resistance."

"Resistance?"

"Yeah. They're against both the Dinosaucers and the Tyrranos. The Tyrranos don't mind them as much as the Dinosaucers for some reason. Possibly... I wonder. Would they know the truth behind the Reptilian Government? They seem to be hiding something. It's not everyday some random pocket of resistance knows where to strike, and how to strike key locations, and really know how to cripple a force or station. I really do wonder." Khalon drummed his fingers for a moment. "I bet we should pay a visit to the Resistance. I know where one of their outposts are. Figured it out from nervous-types in some suspicious black-marketing bar. It's a long way away though. Gosh I hope those crafts in the hanger have enough juice left to get the engines started."

"And if we've got enough food."

Khalon stood up and headed for the hangar. "Yeah."

The few remaining ships were indeed rusting and the grouping of hoverbikes looked dilapidated. Except for the one Simon tried out, now in several pieces from his spill. They approached the sturdiest looking of the two remaining ships and took a good look at it. Khalon walked around it more slowly than Simon. Simon just skimmed over it.

"Looks fine to me. I hope the insides this good."

Khalon picked at a flake of rust. "I doubt it. But it stays cool down here, so it must be fine."

Simon tapped at the hull. Dull thinking sound of heavy plating. "Where' the button to open this thing?"

"I think its this..." Khalon pressed his hand on a sort of plate underneath the wing of the craft. It sat high on the four landing legs. Something clanked loudly in the craft and a motorized door opened, a ramp leading up into the ship. "Here we go."

The two peeked inside the rather small craft. It could hold at least fix or six comfortably, and carry a good amount of cargo. The cockpit was roomy and looked like it was kept in good conditions. The entire board behind the two sets of steering devices was complete flat and polished to a dull metallic shine. Both angled boards met in the center of the cockpit. From the ceiling extended two pairs of the steering arms - one extending down from above each of the two front seats - both having grips, buttons, and triggers and polished to a chrome shine. On the floor were corresponding sets of chrome petals. Everything was accented by black and blue thunderbolts, stripes, and wavey designs.

Simon grinned. "Looks like someone has a sense of fashion."

Khalon and Simon ventured back to the cargo/hold area. It was average sized, seats lining walls and straps corresponding with a few empty crates. Controls for the door lied in a gap in between two seats. "Looks fine to me." The interior was well taken care of despite obvious years and years of use. The two went back to the cockpit.

"My guess is this is Bronto-Thunder's." Khalon pressed a finger on the center consol. Something whirred and clicked and a screen popped up on the dark metallic dashboard. "Because he always did like to spiffy things up."

The screen flickered a few times. The word: 'Passcode?' flickered in Reptilian, then English. Khalon just pressed the enter button and the screen flickered off. The screen disappeared into a line forming at the top of the dashboard and numerous instruments and screens glow to life. "Ok. It's alive and well. Recharged most of the way too. I guess Thunder wanted to keep his baby and take it back home."

Simon sat down in one of the chairs and placed his hands on the two controls. "It's a bit high."

Khalon pressed some button on the ceiling. They lowered and he grinned. "That's because it's not made for humans." He turned and went to leave. "I'm gonna go check on those hoverbikes. They'll be much quicker than walking back. If Ethan is over."

The hoverbikes were clumped together in the far corner of the hangar. A few cobwebs had collected on them over the years, and rust prevailed as the main color. Khalon pressed the red button on each to see how much charge there is. Out of the five, only three had any charge. And out of those three only one was usable at the moment. Khalon hooked up two to the power supply box and went back to the ship.

Simon was busy typing away on the counsel. He looked up when Khalon entered. "This things got charts, plots, records, logs, all kinds of stuff. Good escape vehicle if I'd say so myself."

Khalon plopped down in one of the seats. He took a look at the instruments. "I'm letting two of the hoverbikes recharge in case we have to go poking around."

Simon pressed a button on the consol. "There." The sound of a radio came on, with voices. Human voices this time. "Hooked up the radio to the speakers in this thing."

Khalon peered over. "Your pretty handy, you know that?"

"That's why my good government loves me."

The radio emitted static and someone spoke. "He's in custody. Still not speaking." Pshht. More static, and a voice trailed in. " What is the name of the subject?" Pssht. "Ethan Hemmingway."

Khalon stopped toying with the steering grips and pressed a few buttons on the counsel. A virtual knob lit up on the center counsel and he twisted it around. The radio buzzed a few times and became clearer.

Psssht. "Ethan. Get Ethan out of Colorado quickly. We've picked up some activity in the area. Some dam workers spotted two people matching the escapee's descriptions."

Psssht. "When?"

Pssht. "Hour's time."

Pshht. "Affirmative."

Khalon looked at the time. Eleven-twelve Earth Hours. "Ok. We got forty-five minutes. We better hope those hoverbikes charge up quickly, because if they don't, we're gonna have to fly this thing. And I don't wanna do that. I've broken enough rules already."

Simon stood up and scratched his head. "We got any weapons? They got these new generations tazors that are long-range. Really irritating."

Khalon slipped his pistol out and waved it in the air. "Fossilizer. Completely immobilizes whoever gets shot. But dangerous. Lets go!"

A few minutes later the two were fitted each with a pistol. Khalon took the remaining rifle and a few more necessities. They then checked up on the status of the bikes and found that both were half-charged. Khalon quickly disconnected them and turned them on.

"Ok. Enough to get us there and back. These type of fusion engines don't do well with recharging. And... Please be careful. Just lean only enough to help you turn."

"Alright."

Khalon led and Simon followed. The two walked the bikes out of a small door in the hanger. Khalon quickly closed it and readjusted the camouflage. "Conspicuous stone."

Simon looked at his pistol uneasily. "I don't know about using this thing... I just don't feel right."

Khalon looked over his shoulder. "Don't worry. It's not like your killing them."

Simon just shrugged. The two then quickly zipped off down the valley and the way they came back. Water splashed from the river as they grazed its flowing edges as dust and leaves rattled up in the luminous trail. It took them about fifteen minutes to get to the lake, and another three to get over the hill and down by the field. The bikes were shut off and hidden behind the overhang of a depression in the hill underneath an overhang of roots and dirt.

Khalon motion Simon to keep quiet. Two armed men stood at the entrance they had came out of just hours before. Khalon slipped off the rifle and aimed it down the field. Simon watched clutching his own fossilizer. Khalon pulled back on the trigger and a whitish shot flew across the field and hit the first guard in the chest. He immediately fell over in a convulsion. The other had enough time to just look over before he was shot. The two raced across the field and got to the door. But only with one problem - it was locked.

Simon retrieved the keycard from his pocket. "Tada." He handed it to Khalon, who tried it in the corroded slot. Nothing.

Khalon tried again and still nothing. "Must have changed the locks. Mmm. You got the radio still?"

Simon pressed the piece to his ear. "Yeah. I'll try to figure out where Ethan is."

Khalon tested the door with his weight. The single lock mechanichism was not the best. It creaked and clanged around when the door was moved. "I bet I can kick it in."

Simon took a step back. "Knock yourself out."

Khalon snap-kicked at the door right by the lock. Something cracked at the door jolted at an angle but still didn't open. Khalon kicked again. The door flew open and came off of its hinges and landed with a disrupting clank! Not only but it obliterated a few tables of instruments and tools. Both entered with guns wielded. No one was in the room. Shouting was heard outside of the door with footsteps and running.

Khalon tensed. "Crap. That's not good. But anyway..." Khalon approached the morgue door and found it was unlocked. It was swung open. More shouting was heard and the scream of a women. "There it is!"

Khalon walked out into the hallway and scanned down the two other corridors. from the morgue door. Guards suddenly shouted and were quickly met by Khalon's rifle. Simon just kept to Khalon's shadow as a nervous expression jolted from his features. A guard appeared out from a corner and he accidentally fired on reaction. The guard suddenly shouted in surprise and turned to a stone color. The gun dropped from his hands. "What...! What did I just do!"

Khalon did not respond. He had a look of game on his face. An agent-looking figure bumped into Khalon as he ran by - Khalon skidded to a halt and pointed the now fallen agent.

"Where is Ethan?"

The agent had a look of utter horror on his dark features. His teeth chattered but no reply came. Khalon stepped forward. "Answer or I shoot!"

A finger hesitantly pointed down the corridor the agent had come from. Khalon subdued him with the rifle shot and both were on their way. Simon muttered a "Sorry!" as he passed. The hallway came to a T-intersection with a single door at the doorless hallway on the end.

"Only one. This has to be it!"

Alarms suddenly sounded. A quick second later some agent opened the door and peered his head out. He was met with the butt end of Khalon's rifle and he charged into the room. It was a small kitchen. A women turned around at the noise with coffee cup in hand. She shrieked and passed out.

Khalon rushed out of the room with Simon at his tail. "Where is it? Where is it? Anything on that radio?" The two turned right at the intersection.

Simon replied quickly. "Yeah! They're moving him out of here fast!"

"Khalon!" Ethan's voice sounded from behind them from down the hall. The two turned around and were met with Ethan being shoved past a corner and led by two agents. One of the agents withdrew his gun and fired. The shot hit Simon in the shin and he fell to the ground with a cry.

"Aug!" Khalon quickly reacted - he crouched in front of Simon to protect him from any more bullets and fired a direct hit at the agent. The agent slumped over on the ground and shouting was heard from that direction. Several guards with automatic weapons charged around the hall and opened fire on the two. Khalon grabbed Simon and started to run down the nearest corridor. Bullets pinged loudly from the walls - one grazed Khalon's shoulder before he slipped from their view. A flurry of agents and Ethan ran past in an intersecting corridor. Khalon darted down the nearest parallel corridor and ran into a group of guards. Drat! Khalon pulled out a spherical object and tossed it at the group. "Here, catch!"

One of the guards caught it and yelled. "Put it down! Run!" Yelled one. The guard didn't drop it. He had a look of surprise on his face - changing to a twisted look of horror as the spherical ball emitted a smoke screen.

Khalon grabbed the opportunity and charged shoulder-first into the guard, still carrying Simon over his shoulder. Though Simon was actually quite lighter than Khalon figured, it was still a burdening weight to run with. The guard toppled over in the confusion of smoke. Khalon took a sharp right in hopes of not meeting any more armed guards. He rushed down the hall. At the intersection where Ethan and the agents had supposedly passed, there was a closing of a door. Khalon caught the blur of Ethan's blue jeans right before the door closed.

"Simon! You OK?" A muffled reply. "I'm going to have to set you down." Khalon searched the hallway. A water fountain was fastened to the floor in a small tiled area. Simon was gently put down in it and was handed some sort of palm-sized device. "Keep holding onto it and you'll be cloaked. Don't let go and keep low. Your outline can still be seen."

Simon flashed once he gripped the object. Khalon ran off down the hall. He tested the door which Ethan and the group of agents had entered and it was locked. Khalon sheathed his pistol and strapped on some goggles from his head-gear. A button was pressed and a yellow-ish hue enveloped his vision. He took out another smoke grenade and readied it and readied his pistol. He then hit sharply at the door and it immediately broke open. The grenade was tossed in and exploded in thick, impenetrable smoke.

"Cover him!" Came a shout in the room. Khalon's goggle's made the smoke appear as though it were just a mere thin haze. Khalon then went to work with the pistol. One by one the fearful-eyed agents were turned to a stone-color with the gun. All were confused appearing and very disoriented except for one agent.

He was holding Ethan in a chokehold and held a pistol to Ethan's head, looking straight at Khalon.

"Drop it!" Ordered the agent. Ethan had his hands gripping on the arm. "Do it now!"

Khalon frowned. That agent couldn't be able to see him! Khalon darted to the left but the agent's eyesight followed him. The gun suddenly was pointed at Khalon now. "Get away from me! I will shoot you!"

Ethan wiggled to get free but failed. The arm was strong about his neck. "Stop it boy! Don't make me put some lead in you."

Khalon rose both hands. Even though he had armor on, it wasn't enough to protect him from a bullet. Just help slow the projectile. "I want the boy. That's all."

"Never. He's coming with me!" The large pistol motioned. "Drop the gun!"

Khalon hesitated for a moment. "Do I have to ask you again?" He grunted, and tossed the pistol down on the floor. "Walk to the door slowly, backwards."

Khalon narrowed his eyes. He searched the agent closely. He was blinking often. Suspicious. "Having trouble with those? Tyrranos scum?"

The agent gave a slight look of question. "...What are you talking abo-" Shouting sounded from the hall. Confused cries, and running. Footsteps sounded at the door but no one apparently came in. Khalon glances back and caught a glimpse of Simon's faint outline. The agent was searching but didn't see anything. He was blinking fiercely still.

Khalon murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "Shoot him."

"Ok." Came the response. The agent, now confused, pointed the gun towards the response. A beam of purple and yellow light emitted from the source and came towards the agent. The agent fired and Simon's body came into view. The cloak device from his hand fell and he tumbled to the ground. A second bullet wound found itself in his stomach. Khalon stared in horror.

Simon's shot hit the agent's leg. The stone color enveloped him and he was immobilized. Khalon rushed over to Simon after he was. Ethan was ignored at the moment. "Simon! Speak to me!"

Simon rolled over on his back. The bullet had entered just about below his rib cage and had exited from his side. He moaned. "Oh, crap, I'm gonna die..."

Khalon placed Simon over his shoulder despite Simon's yelling from the pain. He looked over to Ethan. "Just break his arms off!"

Ethan had already done so, and was staring horrible at the now decrepit and shattered agent. The agent was now a crumbly stone on the floor. Ethan looked over to Khalon, face white. "I killed him!"

Khalon motioned with his gun. "I'm sorry, but that thing happens. Let's go!"

The pile of stone shifted. A long object fell out and rolled towards Ethan's feet. It was a black cylindrical device attached to some nasty looking whip-like tail. The tail had numerous wires protruding from it and had three large wires coming out the end.

Khalon gawked in horror.

Simon groaned. "What!"

"An implant. Ethan, take that with you."

Ethan hurried over to Khalon. He looked over at the remains of the agent horribly and color drained from his face again. "Why?"

"Just do it." Khalon motioned at Simon's gun on the floor and headed out the door. "Pick that up too. Let's go!"

Ethan did so reluctantly and left. He dared not look back at the agent.

The three were immediately met by pointing guns - guards and agents. Khalon began firing and took down two. The remaining lunged behind the nearest doorway or hallway. Khalon took the closest hallway and tried to keep up with his load and Ethan. For good measure he threw another smoke grenade down an intersecting hallway that the trio had passed.

Now to find the morgue. "Simon, you ok?"

A slight moan and groan. "Been better."

"How do we get to the morgue from here."

"Uh..." Simon peered around, craning his neck. He motioned with his head. "Go left down that hall."

They followed suit with Ethan at Khalon's heels. He held the long object in hand with a sort of distrust and disgust. It did come from the inside of a now deceased human, after all.

"Take a right," Simon said. The long hallway came to a T-intersection. They went right. The end of the hallway turned right sharply and their destined door was on the left. Ethan tried it but it wouldn't open.

Khalon gently set Simon down. Footsteps suddenly sounded down the hallway and Khalon chucked his last grenade down it. But mistakenly it wasn't a smoke grenade. It was a shrapnel grenade. A shower of sparks and a blast of sound concussed through the narrow hallway. Pieces of the tiled ceiling and walls showered everywhere with the preceding accompaniment of metal debris. Khalon had barely enough time to think about the distinctive pin sound before he could lunge behind the hallway. He took numerous small metal pieces to his legs. It was indeed like a shotgun blast - Khalon and Ethan fell to the ground. Khalon's large mass protected Ethan with Simon on the ground around the corner. Khalon immediately got up and snap-kicked at the door. The door burst open and flew into the morgue. Simon was hauled over shoulder and the three painfully trudged away. Gunshots followed their leave.

They rushed through the morgue and out of the building, not stopping to look as they went out into the field. Several shouts sounded from beside the doorway. Khalon twisted around and shot the two guards down. The original guards must have been replaced or revived. At any rate they were out cold. Now for the hill.

Khalon was breathing heavy as he trudged on two feet and one arm up the hill. "Gosh, I hope I never have to do this again."

Simon, bouncing. "Ow! Ow!" A snort. "Tell me about it!"

They found their hoverbikes where they were left. Khalon directed Ethan onto one. "Drive it like a bicycle - be careful not too lean too much though. Press the red button to start it."

Pain shot through Khalon's legs as he straddled the bike. But he ignored the shallow shotgun-like wounds. Simon was set behind him on the two-seater and he held on for dear life. The two were off in a puff of leaves and wood debris. They traveled the exact way they came back up to the secondary exit. The door automatically opened, sensing the bikes, and the door quickly closed behind the three now protected in the wake of a battle.

Senses returned to the three. Heavy breathing ensued. Simon was the first to voice his feelings for the matter.

"Uh. You guys got any med tools?"

Khalon looked back. "Oh yeah." He got up and preceded to lift Simon over his shoulder again. At that Simon cowered.

"Don't be too rough."

Khalon smirked. "We don't have to run this time."

Ethan was still seated on the hoverbike. His unfocused eyes suddenly came back as Khalon walked out of his field of vision, but he didn't say anything. Too stunned to say anything. Pain from the shrapnel caught up with his mind which persuaded his contemplation to cease for the moment. He quickly caught up with Khalon and Simon.

Medical supplies were found in the bathroom area. The doorway from the main room led to a hallway with two more doorways. Khalon guided. "I remember someone saying that he hated the bathroom because it was so near to the infirmary." Door open, viola. "And here we have it."

The infirmary was a rather spacious room with beds lining both walls. Two metal operating tables ran along the middle with various unorganized tools laying about portable tables by the operating tables. More equipment was tucked between some of the beds. Simon was layed down on one of the tables. Ethan was directed to lie down on the other table-

"Unless you can help me," Khalon added.

Ethan got off though limping. "I'll be fine... You got any Tylenol?"

Khalon thought for a moment. "Uh... Pain medication. That cabinet over there." He pointed to the end of the room. "On second thought, I'll take a look at it. You stay here."

Khalon's legs were dripping a small amount of blood. But he ignored it. He trudged over to the cabinet and came back with a tray on wheels with several syringes and bottles. He also picked up some sort of machine filled with liquid. The syringes were placed in the machine and it was turned on. A vibratic hum emitted from it.

Khalon gathered other supplies and things. "Ethan, I need some gauze and cloth. They're over by the cabinet."

Ethan limped over. He responded slightly agitated. His expression demoted great pain. "I thought you went to the cabinet already."

"I did... But I kinda forgot it." Khalon looked down. Slight drops of blood covered the floor from his wounds, while Simon's clothing began to soak around the wounds. "Ok... Simon, you wanna go under for this?"

"I don't care, just please stop the bleeding." He looked down the table. His face flushed white. "I hate blood!"

Khalon took the syringes out from the tank of the small machine. "In that case I won't need to knock you out." A syringe was filled from a bottle. It was promptly stuck in Simon's arm.

"Ow!"

"Sorry. Supposed to help with pain." The syringe was set aside. "I hope the meds haven't expired yet."

"I hope not. Hate to get addicted to something that doesn't work."

About an hour's time later, Simon lay bandaged, resting on a bed. Ethan did too but he say upright with back against the wall. Khalon was sitting with one leg dangling over the edge of the operating table. He was removing the shrapnel from his own legs.

A low growl issued from his mouth. Ethan looked over oddly. Khalon forced a smile while plucking the piece of metal and depositing it in a metal cup. Plink. "It'll be over soon enough... I hope." The wound was then injected with a sort of liquid from a syringe with a wide applicator. A burning sensation shot up his leg. "Ow! Gosh, I hate grenades!"

Simon apparently was sleeping up until the moment. "Uh..." Sluggish speech. "These drugs are pret-ty mmmgooood."

Khalon plucked another from his leg. Growling ensued. "Yeup. Wish I could use it."

Ethan quirked a brow. He responded quite sluggishly too. "Wa-ey can't ya use it?"

"I need to be able to focus." Wince. More liquid injected into the wound. "If I can't see straight then I probably will have a hard time tending to myself. I have enough trouble even when I'm conscious, let alone half-dead."

Simon remained quiet. Ethan's eyelids drooped more and more. Khalon plucked out the last piece and sighed loudly. "Yes! Finally. Last one." He tossed the tweezers and the metal piece half-hazardly onto the tray. The loud noise did not make the two budge a bit. Ethan's eyelids just twitched and closed the last bit completely.

Khalon chuckled to himself. "Sleeping just like babies."

While Simon and Ethan slept Khalon trudged about Lavadome II by himself. Though painfully. A slight limp had collected from the leg facing the grenade blast with a good amount of pain. Khalon thought aloud through the pain.

"Ok. Collecting crap for the ship." His eyes scanned the storage room. The equipment that was taken was either blown up down the valley, or lay in the infirmary. He then eyed the ration boxes. Three metal containers, one partially used and the two others unmolested. He devised a plan.

"Ok. Food. Gotta get more somewhere..." A box was lifted, though very painfully, and he head towards the hangar. "Anything better than this crap."

Moments later all the boxes were loaded up into the sleek ship. Khalon spelunked about some more and collected what he could get his claws on. The tools in the infirmary were taken, with the medical equipment machines and such. Simon and Ethan lay sleeping still as he painfully moved things into the ship.

While scrounging about for the last few salvageable objects, he came across the long black object he had told Ethan to grab. He had overlooked it while looking around in the infirmary for supplies and tools. The object was set down on the second operating table. He picked it up and turned the bright light on and sat down in the chair. Couldn't stand standing for long from the pain any longer.

The object was about three and a half feet long. The entire surface was scaled, and a dark glossy black color. The bottom portion was a sort of rounded cube with shallow depressed circles on the six faces. Along the rear portion of the cube jutted out a long whip-like object. It was segmented, and hand numerous short wires jutting out from between the segments. At the top were three thick, large wires with large electrodes. The whip-like part of it bent easily and was flexible.

Khalon lined up the object across his chest. But he hesitated. The metallic black wirey-object was quite creepy, as if it would jump at him and attack him, and who knows what it would do. But it did nothing. It rested against his chest contemplatively. Possibly not attacking until the right moment, then. He then measured the object up next to Ethan. The cold prick of one of the wires jolted Ethan awake.

Once noticing, Khalon hid the object behind his back. Ethan relaxed when he noticed Khalon. "Ah... Thought you were one of those agents."

His speech was improved from the last time he spoke. And thankfully, he didn't notice the black object yet. Khalon took note, but still hid the object. "I see. What did they do to you?"

Ethan shrugged. "Just questioned me. Nothing big I guess. But they asked a lot of questions, that's what's annoying."

Khalon searched Ethan's face. "They ask anything out of the ordinary?"

"Well, yeah. It's not like you crash landed on earth and..."

"I mean. Oh never mind. So, uh, you OK?"

Ethan sighed. "Yeah I guess. Could be better but hey I could be worse."

Khalon's hand went to check on the black object behind him. A small portion popped of it peered from behind him. "I need to tell you something. I-"

Ethan noticed the object. Khalon quickly shoved the other side from view. "What's that?"

Khalon held his breath for a moment. "What is what?"

Ethan squinted in thought. "Is that that thing you told me to bring?"

Khalon looked off to the floor. He nodded and reluctantly put it into view. "Yes, the implant." Khalon took another look at it himself and let his arm drop with the object on his knee. "Since it was in a human, it means bad news."

Ethan look slightly frightened. He looked down at his chest, and prodded with a finger. He looked back up again meeting Khalon's concerning gaze. "You mean, I might have one in me too? Think those agents put it in me?"

"I dunno. I have no idea. But it's possible. Too possible."

Ethan remained silent. Simon stirred. Both looked over at Simon, who sat up and wiped his eyes. He then looked over. "How long was I out?"

Khalon. "At least an hour. Not exactly sure." He held up the object in view and sighed. "And this from the underground compound."

Simon gestured for the object, and it was handed to him. Well, Ethan didn't touch it. He just looked at it disgustingly and shook his head. Khalon had to walk it over. Simon took the object rather hurriedly and huh-ed to himself. "Interesting. But." He handed it back. "Looks wicked."

Ethan looked over his shoulder. Simon met eyes. Khalon gestured embarrassedly. "Sorry! Ethan, Simon. Simon Ethan." He looked towards Ethan. "I picked up Simon from the place you were at. No problem with that, because I'll need somebody who knows computers."

Simon shrugged. "Hopefully I can adapt quickly to the Reptilian computers."

Ethan narrowed his eyes. "You mean your leaving with him?"

Simon nodded. "Yeah! Better to be out there than on this waste. I got no life here, so what have I got to lose?"

Ethan frowned. And remained quiet for a short moment. Expressions twisted on his features as he looked away and he replied simply: "I'm not going."

Khalon had been listening intently and reading Ethan's expression. He immediately stepped forward. "Ethan, I hate to say this but I'm sorry... You have to come."

Ethan crossed his arms defiantly. "Well. I've got a life here. If I leave I have a lot to loose. I'm not done with High School, less College, and I don't have some job that I wanna get into, and I got my family and new friends and-"

Simon looked to Khalon, and Khalon sighed. "Let me be blunt with you. There's a lot behind this-" He held up the implant. "-and with some other things we found out."

"Yeah? Well like what?"

Khalon sat down on the bed and began to relate to him about how they had got here, learned information, saw the logs and the video, and about the Dinosaucers, Reptilian, Resistance, Tyrranos, along with his abrupt leave of Reptilian with other background information. All the while Ethan interrupting every now and then out of internal denial.

"And the implants..." Khalon gestured with his hand. "A lot of questions are still unanswered."

Ethan remained silent with thought. Simon had got up and stretched and sat down by the two again. Khalon continued. "The ship is ready. All we have to go is get in it and get out of this place."

Ethan sighed and layed down on the bed. "I dunno. Eh. I keep thinking this is all some dream. It's happening so fast." He shrugged. "Never gone through anything like it so..."

Simon took the implant from Khalon and looked at it again. "The sooner the better?"

Khalon nodded. "Yes. The sooner we can get out of here, the sooner we can get to safety from any watchful eyes of Earth people and get needed questions answered. And to the Moonbase Outpost."

Simon continued to examine the object. "Moonbase outpost?"

Khalon nodded but was interrupted by Ethan. Ethan spoke through a mind full of thought. "I'm not gonna be an Earthling any more?"

Khalon nodded. "Yes, and Simon too. If you leave. Which I hope you do, Ethan. Simon has made his mind up..." Simon nodded. "And so have I."

Ethan went silent. Khalon continued. "The Moonbase Outpost is a trading outpost. It thrives on trade. Without it it wouldn't exist. Black market, slaves, prisoners, rubies, diamonds, gold - you name it, you could probably find it there."

Simon flexed the spine of the implant. "What about these?"

"I don't know. Mebbe. But not to sell or buy..." He shrugged. "Unless you're going to buy a slave or prisoner with one of 'em in them."

Silence settled over the three for a while. Ethan lay with his own thoughts; Simon continued to examine the object; and Khalon just sat there. He stared at Ethan as if waiting for an answer.

Ethan was the first to break the silence. He slowly got up and stood on his feet and announced his decision. "I'm not going."

Khalon started. "Ethan. Your life is possibly at stake. In fact, all our lives are at stake. You must come because your past lies out there. In space."

Ethan grunted. "So you meant that David, my father, and Sarah, my mother, were abducted and I was a guinea pig?"

"Yes. You may have an implant." He looked over to Simon, of which who looked over. "So your involved with this as much as anyone."

"Anyone?" Ethan questioned.

Khalon nodded. "Remember what I said about someone possibly being behind this all?"

"Yeah."

"If what we have concluded is true, then that means everyone - humans, Reptilians - are in this. Everyone. Including you."

Ethan frowned. "But what if it isn't?"

Simon gave the implant to Khalon and said, "Either rate I'm gettin' out of here."

Khalon took the object and tossed it to Ethan. "Then that means that this is a figment of our imagination, it wasn't in the fossilized agent, and I wouldn't be here speaking to you."

Ethan did catch it but held it as if it was a stick of dynamite. He held it out for Khalon to take it. "Eh... Get it away. It was in a dead person. I mean, fossilized...?"

Khalon took it back. "Yeah." He then stood up and looked from Simon to Ethan. He sighed as his gaze rested on Ethan. "Ethan, it's now or never. We're leaving in five minutes."

Both Simon and Ethan gave puzzled and curious expressions. But Simon's turned to a slight shrug and attempted to rise to his feet. He nearly stumbled over before Ethan stood up and caught him. At that, Khalon smiled and said simply: "We need each other for this." He walked off.

Ethan helped Simon hobble off. Simon was breathing between wincing and catching his breath. "You got any more of that pain medicine, Khalon?"

Khalon picked up some crutches he had left along the hallway. "Yep. I collected everything we could use out there."

The three quickly arrived into the hangar and entered the ship. Save all for Ethan. Simon hobbled up on the crutches given to him. He turned and looked back at Ethan. "Arn't you coming?"

Ethan looked off at the door to the main room. "I..." His voice trailed off. Khalon appeared from beyond the view of the cargo door.

"Ethan. It's now or never." Slightly impatient sounding. He shook his head and looked to Simon. "Ok, I'm at a loss for words."

Simon shrugged. Ethan looked again to the door. "I just don't know, I don't know. I've got a life here, and all, and stuff..."

Khalon reappeared from the cargo hold with a gun. "I don't wanna have to force you to come. Again. For the sake of your life and my sanity, please just... Step in."

Ethan backed away from the cargo door. Khalon aimed and grunted. "Sorry, Ethan."

Fsheaow! The rifle fired a round and scored a direct hit. Ethan fell to the ground. Khalon ran down the cargo door and picked him up. He checked his pulse. "Alive." He traversed the ramp and pressed the button in between the two seats and the door closed.

All the while Simon objecting, twisting around as fast as he could on the crutches. "What... Why did you shoot him? He's just a kid! We could've just grabbed him and tied him up or something..."