I will admit I lost the original inspiration for this fic but after such a long time and re-playing X7 and X8 some how it all came back to me. I'm sorry for the long wait, hopefully you will like this chapter.

Disclaimer: Same as the last 5 chapters, I own nothing.

"Looking for you"

By: Nyago

-X POV-

It has only been a couple of hours since we discovered Axl had gone missing. I had put up search parties to look for him anywhere near the locations of the city and even into the forest behind HQ. Nothing….our hope to finding him was getting thicker and thicker as the minutes grew by. My heart, or rather the mechanic that was my heart, began to beep faster and faster each time one of the members had reported in. No sign. "Axl…" I whisper, it was enough to make me go insane and look for him myself as Zero wanted to do earlier. But his emotions as well as mine were too unstable and it wasn't wise to search for him, yet; although I hope to believe there is someone out there who can hear me right now, please tell me Axl is safe.

Just the though of knowing Iris was alive was enough to bring shiver down my spine. Even Zero was afraid to face the facts. Both of us knowing each other past and knowing what Iris was capable….No! We have to believe he is alright, I have to believe he is alright. I have never felt fear before, not like this…nothing like this and yet just the though of knowing Axl might be with a maverick was enough to bring that deep fear I always had. You would think I would be angry with Axl because he had disobeyed my orders, got kidnap by Zero ex-girlfriend and taken some place I had no clue where it was. All my anger wash away just the though of knowing he was kidnap. I will never admit, not even to Zero who has known me for a long time but…I care for Axl. He may be reckless and sometimes stubborn but he is just a kid, what could possibility would he had known?

Iris, she may not be the real Iris we meant and killed 7 years ago, might be just another reploid copied as her and with her memories or maybe no memories at all. There were more and more reploids like Axl as each day when by. More reploids with the ability to copy themselves into other reploids with the use of DNA samples, that could had been similar to Iris situation. I sighed, first thing I need to do is clear my mind, once I am able to push those emotions, and then I can be able to search for Axl. The entire city has been searched, nothing here to see, but that gave me less places to look. They couldn't gotten far, considering Axl been missing for 5 hours, and no one saw them teleport, so there is no way they could had gotten far. Maybe they are closer than we think…

Hurrying down the stairs I ran toward the underground gate, I grad the nearest hover bike in hopes to looking for him myself, with a clear and cool head. Getting my helmet ready and set, I started the engine and began slowly to move toward the front of the gate. To my surprise Zero was already there.

"What you are doing?" I asked.

"The same thing you are after, we can't just go one by one, is better if we go together on this one. Beside I know her better than you, if it a fight we are going into is me the only one to deal with Iris." Zero grad a hold of his helmet and started his engine, as both of us waited for the gate to open, we started to take heat and speed up as soon as they open. Flying out of the city is how you would describe us. We were fast and furious while driving, voiding every car and traffic sign in our way. Taking the metro trail tracks, we speed up, almost as if racing the trains. Hopefully soon to reach Axl faster if we ran like maniacs….

"Zero, that Iris, I was thinking she might not be the one we knew 7 years ago" I told him through the communicator.

"I know that, but that doesn't mean she may not possess Iris memories. For all we know, she can be Iris programming but act differently." Zero reply.

"Yeah but, are you sure you can deal with this? It's been 7 years, you never really liked to talk about it or enjoyed when anyone said anything about Iris." I took a deep breath as I just voided a car coming towards me.

"X….The Zero we know, is here right now. I may have fallen in love once, but that doesn't mean I will hesitate on my mission. What happen 7 years ago, happen, I can't do anything to change the past. If this is a suppose to be a "Copy" of her, then I will deal with it my own way when I face her. Stop worrying over me, right now our main point to get Axl home and safe. Lets' not get my "feelings" mixed into this subject." That was the longest talk I ever heard from Zero, then again he was right, there was no point to worrying about it when you have yet to face what's up ahead. As we both rushed toward the exit of the city, the night began to clear itself, and a new morning will begin rise soon enough.

-Axl POV-

It hurts, my head hurt so much. I guess this is what it feels like to have been hit/run over by a truck. I will say it wasn't the most wonderful feeling, even if I was a reploid I could still feel the pain. I open my eyes slowly, trying to adjust to the light that was hitting my face. Wait... A light? Trying to focus my eyes, I looked around to the room only to notice I was no longer outside but more like inside of a cell. "What the hell?" I spoke up while trying to find my balance.

"I am glad to see someone got some sleep…." That voice..!?

"Iris!" I yell angrily. Staring at her with cold eyes, trying to reach my gun; 'Wait, my gun!? Is gone!' gasped and looked around.

"Don't bother; your gun is someplace else." She looked at me with another one of her cocky grins. "I suppose you wonder why I brought you here…" I stare into her eyes, a mix of emotions inside of me. How could I let her treat me like that…if it wasn't because I seen her face before, I probably would have walked away from her. But now...

"Where are we…?" I asked, looking around once more before turning my attention back to the woman before me.

"You are in a Maverick Hunter base, or what USED to be a Maverick Hunter base until Zero and X destroyed it with their so call 'Peace' actions."

"They are bringing peace to this world! It's you Mavericks who don't understand anything, destroying and claiming the planet like it was yours!" I yelled, I was angry, frustrated and lonely. Shaking my fits to her face, she stare at me with displease.

"Mavericks have the right to rule; after all we are superior to those humans."

"Doesn't make it right…" quick respond, turning my head towards the floor. I heard her laugh in front, amused by whatever I said.

"Sure, whatever kiddo" She smiles, walking away from the cell, as slowly she turns her head to see me "I will see you in a few hours, if you are still alive that is…" another laugh as she slam the door behind her leaving me alone inside the cell.

----

As they travel down the empty roads, X and Zero kept their eye sharp and open for any enemy that might appear, to Zero displease none came. "Where the hell are they?" He said in aggravating growl.

"Its better this way, we might be able to cover some ground to find Axl."

"But it's not normal NOT to have enemies attacking us, I feel like all the fun of this chase is gone"

X laughed, not because of what Zero said, but rather the childish way his best friend acted. "Come on Zero…there is more to life than fighting Mavericks. I do, however agree this is not normal. Anyone should have being attacking us by now…"

Zero smirked, "This goes to prove how scare they are!" he grin his teeth together. As the two made pace, a rather large beam came towards them in rapid shots, making X and Zero loose control of their bikes and sliding down to stop. "What the..." Zero said, looking around to find the source of his enemy.

"Well, well what do we have hereeeeee?" The voice echo around the area, moving slowly and steady. "A couple of Maverick Hunters I seeeee..."

"For the looks of things, I say you are a snake reploid" Zero spoke, looking around.

"Ah…very clever Maverick Hunter Zerrrooo…" right in front of them a snake-like reploid made his appearance. His golden armor glee with the light, and his tails held up spikes that could easily damage any reploid on his way. "Welcome to your death Maverick Hunterrrsss…"

"Humph, dream on Maverick" taking his saber out, Zero double jump away from his bike and landed only mere feet away from the enemy. His hair falling down around his shoulder as he, position himself for battle. "I was dying to fight one of you idiots."

"Wait!" X called out, putting the bike down and settling his helmet right. "Where is Axl?"

The snake-like reploid look at him with curious eyes, "Ohhhh… you mean the boy?" he smirked. "Taken care offff…"

"What did you do to him?" X demanded he wanted to find Axl; he wanted to make sure the kid was ok and was still on their side. X didn't mean to hurt his feelings earlier; he just wanted the kid to get used use things and not get cocky. He wanted him to live, not just for his sake, but for his own as well.

"Tehehehehe" Maverick laughed.

"Answer me!!" X was losing his patience, walking next to Zero side and holding up his buster.

"Why do you want to knowww…" before the maverick had time to finish his sentence, X had manage to sneak up behind him, grad him by his shoulder, spin him around and smash his body against the cold ground, leaving X on top of him and pointing his buster mere inches from his face.

"I would talk if I were you…" Zero smirked, when his friend wanted to get serious, he got deadly serious. "Unless you want to end up with a hole right through your head, not that I wouldn't mind but I would prefer you to die under my saber".

"Calm downnnnnn!" Maverick shiver in fear, he knew they had power but he didn't know they were this good and still this skillful even after all these years. "He is down an old Maverick Hunter base down this roaddddd.. " He spoke, holding his hand in front of his face on defense. "He should be there with 2 other Mavericksssss"

Taking his buster away from his face, X moved away from his enemy, still watching his movements. "He better be in one piece, because if I find one hair missing, I will make sure you and your friends suffer" With that said, X grad his hover bike and looked at Zero before going.

"I will make you there as soon as I am done with this idiot" Zero grinned, crashing his hands together into a fits. "Now about a certain reploid…" Zero started, walking towards the Maverick.

----

Axl, who was still looking for a way out, closed his eyes and tried to think a way out. "Damn it…" Axl said, running towards the cell bars once again only to fail on his attempt. He though since he was a reploid he could knock it out but the bars prove to be much stronger than he was. Axl cursed, he wanted to get out badly, he could feel his air supply running low, even though he was a reploid they were only certain temperatures he could take. "So this is what she meant, if I am alive by the time she comes back…"

Finally giving up, Axl sunk to his knees and place both his arms around his head, "Damn it…" Axl cursed again. His time was limited, if he didn't get out who knows what may happen…Would X be mad at him? Would Zero be mad at him for dying this way? No, no this was no time to think about those thoughts.

Gathering what little strength he had within, he grad the wall behind him and push himself up, focusing his attention towards the bars. He had little time to act…but he had to make sure he would get out, even if it's the last thing he does.

----

Finally reaching the abandon building, X put his hover bike to the side and began to walk towards the entrance. 'This must be the place' X thought, walking pass the broken doors, looking around he put his scanner up to look around. "Where is he…?" X spoke out loud, looking, searching for any clue. Making a sharp face turn, X jumps from his current location to another, getting his buster canon ready for action.

"Who's there?" He demanded for answers but only found laughter.

"Well, well didn't think we would meet again X…" The voice spoke, moving away from the shadow from where it attacked. "It's been how many years now?" She smiles.

"Iris…So the rumors were true, you are alive!"

"Would you actually listen to rumors X? You don't seem like the type to do so…" Another smile.

"Where is he…?"

"Now changing the subject? Wow you sure have changed X….but if you must know, the kid is still alive…just depends how long he has to live that counts."

"How…long?" X mumble, getting ready to run.

"But before you get to him, how about a little fight?" She asks.

"I don't have time for that!"

"At least that much hasn't changed about you." Getting herself ready, she takes out two large swords, one on each hand. "If you defeat me I will tell you where he is, but if you don't, well…I will leave that to your imagination."

Recharging his buster, X gave one last look at her before closing his eyes, he had to fight her in order to know where exactly Axl was located but at the same time he didn't want to fight her. Being Iris didn't help him either, Zero was suppose to do this fight not him…but he couldn't go back to get him just for this. Opening his eyes once again his mind was set; he was going to fight this time, not for his sake but for Axl. He just hopes by the time he was done, Axl was still alive….

He hopes…

-To be continued-

I am not very good at making fighting scene, especially for reploids but I will try my best next chapter. Again sorry for the long wait. Like always, Reviews are nice. :D