This story was inspired by another fan of the pirates, so here is a story I am surprised that I did, but still, I think it will be a good one. Thank you for inspiring me Nono89. Hope you will like the story.

Callie looked at Corso. He had not come to see her if not for a very good reason. And since Sonny was not with him, this matter had to be about Sonny, since all the rest of his team stood in her living room.

"Corso, why are you all here? And since one of you are missing, where is Sonny? Has something happened?" she asked, feeling worry creep up on her.

The three pirates looked stressed.

Corso sighed.

"We need your help Callie. Sonny was shot in the chest by Technoid when we tried to flee them after mission. There a was a lot of blood. Before you ask, I know he is still alive, as I checked a system only he has in his body, that allows me to keep track of his vitals. We tried to get to safety,but this time,he couldnt get away from them .He started to stumble shortly after the hit, and was loosing blood way too fast.I could have carried him, but then they would have caught us both. I didnt want to leave him behind there, but Sonny ordered me to do it, said not to worry, that he would be just fine. Not sure why he said that, the injury looked bad. But I waited long enough in cover to see what went down when they reached him. Sonny was clearly unconscious at the time. This time, Technoid finally got him Callie, there was an ambulance present within minutes, so it seems they took care of him on site, before they took him with them and drove off. We need your help to find out where they took him. We need to know how Sonny is doing, how bad his injuries are. We will make sure to assist you in any way we can. But please, help us locate him" Corso managed.

Callie was confused.

"There was nothing about this on the news desk. I would have figured Duke Maddox to give notice that he finally got Sonny captured. He has been chasing him for years. I get a feeling Technoid is hiding something, and I agree, we do need to know that Sonny is safe, and that he is cared for. I am a mandated reporter, Duke Maddox knows that. If I can get my boss to hand the story to me, I can use this to make them let me see Sonny,and do a welfare check on him while he is captive. Do you want me to do that?" she asked.

Corso nodded.

"If the injuries are bad, they will hide him in an undisclosed location while he recovers. And that gives Maddox more time to fabricate evidence against him. They are not going to let him walk Callie,not now. Truth is, what Sonny is really guilty of doing is not going to amount to a serious punishment at all, Maddox knows that, as does Sonny. They will still have to hold a trial against him then, to get him convicted. Right now, time is on their side, since they got him captured. But not for lonng. They know we will be coming for him. We will find the location where he is held and get him out, and to a safe location, where we can nurse him back to health" Corso said.

Bennett was worried.

"Not in a million years did I ever think they would do this. That they would ever get him. This feels surreal" he said.

Artie tried to be cheerful.

"But no news could be good news too,right? If he is injured, even Maddox has a heart, and obligations towards a prisoner like Sonny. There are protocols to follow. He would have to make sure Sonny is taken care of, right?" he asked.

Corso sighed.

"I hope you are right Artie. If anything happens to him, Maddox is done for"

Duke Maddox sat at his desk in his home. This was going to be an eventful week.A great success had been achieved, a milestone of sorts. After all this time, they finally caught him. A small camera at the screen allowed him to keep an eye on the guest room,where Sonny Blackbones laid stretched out on a bed, heavily sedated, and hand cuffed. It was unreal, he could almost not believe it. Finally,after all these years, they had him captured. But it turned out, it was only because Sonny had been hit by a laser shot in the chest and gone down. The blood loss had drained him too fast for him to run, and even Sonny knew, he would put himself in mortal jeopardy by trying. So, he had surrendered, after making sure his right hand man got away. The Technoid medical team that had examined him, found the need to act immideately. The shot had missed his heart by just two tiny inches. And Sonny was pale upon arrival at his home, clearly he had lost a lot of blood before he passed out. The medics had used his old medical file to give him a blood transfusion to keep him alive,and the correct medical treatment. That was when Duke Maddox had one of his softer moments. They were not going to bring him to a hospital. Sonny was deemed too valuable for that. Duke Maddox had ordered him transported to his own home, for medical treatment there. By bringing Sonny to his own home, Duke Maddox would have his own doctors treat him in a location the pirates did not know. that increased their chances of finally brining him to trial and get him convicted,as soon as he was strong enough to handle a trial. For now, he was not. Duke Maddox admired his former employee for many reasons,his work in particular. Sonny had continued using his skills even after he became a pirate, and Duke Maddox had agents find ways to secure samples of the kind of things that was made by Sonny himself. His own agents had managed to get hold of a list, of a spesific brand,wich was all based in recipies that Sonny had mixed. He found that Sonny still made remarkable work,much of it highly advanced medical medicines, that actually worked, far better than what his own people could produce. Sure, Sonny made life difficult for them, with the long line of thefts he and his men made, but Duke Maddox eyed a chance here. If he was convicted, instead of sending Sonny off to prison,He wanted to make a special arrangement for Sonny to serve whatever time the judge said fitting, working for Technoid. He knew that Sonny would never return to them out of his own free will, so what if he could make sure Sonny served his time,working for them? If he could manage to convince Sonny to work with them,while serving out his prison time, giving him access to labs and the things he would need to actually help others, wich seemed to be his main drive, maybe he could make up for some of the damage he had caused him in the past. And even more so, help the pirate chief develop his skills even more, to help the galaxy. Sonny still had more to go on, he had not reached his full potential yet. Duke Maddox wanted to find a way to get him all the way to the top. It was no secret that Sonny was seen as the best scientist that he had ever had, and the work he had done in the past was flawless. He should have been allowed to continue that journey. But Bleylock had destroyed that for him,with his wheeling and dealing. If given a second chance, there was no telling just how far Sonny could go with his skills. And with him serving time, Duke Maddox decided to make up for the past,by having him do what he did best,and further it in any way he could. After the time was served, Sonny stood a chance of having a normal life again, maybe Technoid could play a role in rehabilitating him?

Duke Maddox looked at the screen, making a sound indicating activity in the room where Sonny lay cuffed to the bed.

The screen indicated Sonny was waking up from the sedation he had been given. They were not sure how much Sonny knew about what had gone down,and a racing heart, with the injury he had sustained,where a tear in a blood vessel leading to his heart,had been stitched, could easily be torn open, and cause internal bleeding,that could kill him. It would not be a good thing for that to happen right now. The sedation had kept him calm up till now, but now, he was coming out of it. His doctors had stitched the wound in his chest tightly and dressed it with thin bandages, slightly loose,to make it as comfortable as possible for him. But they were worried. The hit had been very close to his heart indeed, it was pure luck it didnt kill him, and they strongly pointed out to him, because of the injured blood vessel,Sonny needed stay calm while it healed. No activities that would elevate his heart rate until he was starting to heal. For four days now, Sonny had been kept sedated and in a state of sleep to allow for this to happen. But they could not keep it going forever. Sonny would need to wake up naturally, and when he did,They had to inform him of his rights as a prisoner,and prepare him for what was coming. As Duke Maddox saw Sonnys eyes flutter open,the monitors that was attached to his body, to monitor his respiration and heart rate started giving off alarms. Sonny was panicking, waking up in an unfamiliar room. He had possibly not realised that he had been arrested, and now his heart rate was causing the alarms to go off.

Duke Maddox buzzed the doctor.

"Give him something to calm the heart rate immideately. Also,Check his breathing, if need be,give him something to help calm him some. I will make sure he is well cared for while in our care. As soon as he is calm enough, I plan to talk to him about things"

Sonny felt like it was a difficult thing just to open his eyes. Breathing, it felt like it was... obstructed somehow. He tried to calm his breathing a bit,wich made it easier under the oxygen mask he realised he had on his face. Sonny tried to lift his hands to remove it, but couldnt reach it. The reason being, both his hands were cuffed to the bed he lay on. He tried to recall what had happened. He remembered the jolt as the laser hit him in the chest,throwing him backwards, he tried to get up, with a burning pain in his chest, he saw Corsos frightened look as he saw the hole in his chest,and as he removed his hand, he found his hand was covered in his own blood as he tried to get up off the ground. Corsos frightened look when he reached him,offering to carry him to safety,despite the risk, and himself ordering Corso to leave, how he somehow felt all would be fine. Corso being hesitant to do as told,and him giving a sharp order that finally made Corso react. Sonny tried to clear his head. After that,it was all dark. The hand cuffs suggested one thing. He had been arrested, seemed Technoid finally had him cornered. And his transmitter was missing from his wrist too. As his head cleared some more, Sonny noticed the beeps indicating medical equipment was in use. He noticed a thin strap of some kind, holding a small monitor in place to monitor his heartbeats, and he was wearing an oxygen mask. As his eyes got used to the dim light, Sonny understood this was not a regular hospital room. It had colours more suited to a private home. Someone had to have placed him somewhere private to nurse him back to health. Sonny tried to twist the hand cuffs some, and gasped as a strong pain shot through his chest. He then noticed the bandages he was wrapped in, and came to realise how weak he felt. Could the cuffs have another purpose than tell him he was a prisoner? Were they restraining him for a medical purpose as well? It seemed plausible. The constant beep of the heart rate monitor started to turn annoying. Sonny tried to find a way to turn it off. Before he could think it more through, the door to the room opened. Sonny saw Duke Maddox enter. Somehow he was not surprised to see his nemesis. Duke Maddox nodded,as he approached the bed.

"Good to see you are awake Sonny, I hope you are feeling better. It was a close call this time,too close for comfort" he said.

Sonny could only nodd, and make a gesture towards the oxygen mask that obstructed his breathing, and he did not feel like he needed it.

Duke Maddox removed it and sat down beside the bed. Sonny sighed, as he could now breathe easier.

"So,you finally succeeded in winning this little cat and mouse game Your Excellency. You finally caught me. Congratulations,I honestly did not think you would be able to do it" Sonny said.

Duke Maddox nodded.

"We finally did Sonny,but the victory feels hollow. If you had not been injured, it never would have happened" he said.

Sonny nodded.

"So, what happens now?I got no way to escape, you had me cuffed to the bed, not like I can go anywhere at the moment. Must feel good to finally tell the galaxy you won, that you defeated Sonny Blackbones" he said.

Duke Maddox nodded.

"The cuffs is to make sure you rest Sonny. The laser hit close to your heart, missed it by just two inches,the doctors said you need bed rest for a while, and should not be stressed. There was a tear in a blood vessel to your heart. My doctors fixed it, but it causes issues for your level of activity. The harder your heart beats, the more at risk you are of the blood vessel ripping open again, wich can cause an internal bleed without you knowing it. It could end up killing you. I dont want that to happen. When we found you,you were bleeding pretty badly,and you were unconscious. I decided it would be best to keep you here in my own home,while you recover. I expect it is only a matter of time before your men will come looking for you. There has been breaches and hackings into databases in Technoid, clearly searching for any information regarding you, I guess because your arrest has not been announced yet. But it will be" Duke Maddox said.

Sonny was surprised to hear that. To not announce it..he had a hard time understanding why it had been withheld.

"You havent shared the news of my capture to the galaxy? It would calm things down if you did. Finding nothing at all is going to be seen as a bad omen for the pirates. Corso is going to go crazy without any news,and sick with worry. They may act hastily, and more bloodshed could be the result. Not to mention how my son will react when he learns of this. The opinion of the people of the galaxy could turn against you as a result" he said.

Duke Maddox nodded. He had already thought the same.

"You do realise that I cant just let you go this time Sonny. I will have to put you before a judge to have you sentenced, not because I want to, but because my board of directors will expect me to. The trial wont happen in a while yet.I need you strong enough to handle the stress of a court case. And you are not there yet.I have kept an eye on your charts. You are still weak, and may need time to recover properly. For the time being, you will receive treatment here, and my personal doctor will be in charge of any examinations taking place. Our concern is at the moment,your heart.I know you to be strong, but the shot hit so close,we will need to monitor you for some time, to make sure it did not cause irreparable damage. If you were to escape and not know of this, you could end up dying,and the pirates would blame this on us, claiming we did not give you proper care. We will keep you restrained until we are satisfied your heart works as it should. The doctor is worried about stress causing your heart rate to rise and possibly burst the injured blood vessel and cause you to bleed to death. Until that checks as being safe, you will have to stay on bed rest. If need be,we will sedate you. My hands are tied on this. For your own sake, This time, I will have to put you before a court and have you convicted. We will speak more of this when you are stronger. For now, do know that you will be cared for the best possible way to get you back to health" he said.

Sonny didnt like what he heard. This could cause problems down the line. But he was not about to tell Duke Maddox that.

"You know it wont go that far Your Excellency. And you know your own role in why things are as they are as well.I may be guilty of some of the things you accuse me of, but far from all of it. We steal, true, but only because you left me and my men no other choice to survive. We are still the scavengers of the galaxy, and keep thefts to a minimum .And since I cant communicate with my men directly, you know they are bound to come, sooner or later. They wont leave without me. It would be an idea to get the story out, through a mandated reporter, before Corso decides to act. With his background, he is the one that you need to be aware of. Dont push him too far, or he will explode in a rage not even I can calm him down from "Sonny suggested.

His chest felt as if it was burning again, and Sonny was not sure how much longer he could manage to stay awake. The thought of what Corso could do if worry got the better of him was enough to cause stress for him. He could not recall having felt so weak ever in his life. And then, the pesky alarm, on his heart went off again. The thought of how Corso was likely to react, had set Sonnys heart rate to beat extremely high. And it was beyond what was good for him at the time.

Duke Maddox said nothing, he just went to turn of the sound off on the monitor that was tracking Sonnys heart. It was showing red at the charts. Sonny could put on a brave face all he wanted,but this time, Duke Maddox had the charts for his heart rate to tell him how the pirate chief really felt, Sonny was not calm any more,talking about his second in command and what he could do, had stressed him, and a lot. From the read out, he would say, Sonny was in a a state of panic, not for himself, but for his men. He would protect his men with his own life it it came to that, Duke Maddox had no doubt about that. He needed to calm the pirate chief down, and fast, before something bad happened.

"Sonny, try to slow your heart rate a bit. If you need help, let me know and we will inject you with a substance that will help you do it. You capture will be announced today. I am not a monster, I will allow for your son and your men to know that you are receiving medical treatment while here, and request a mandated reporter to do the mandatory welfare check on you. I got a list of mandated reporters right here that I can use. I will bring you the list in a second. You will have to meet the reporter too, and answer honestly the questions he or she will have for you, to let the galaxy know you are treated well and not being harmed. It has to be someone we are both satisfied are neutral in the matter, and whom will report the facts of the matter. As soon as you are strong enough to handle it, you will be placed in an undisclosed location, awaiting sentencing. As soon as that is taken care of, we will speak more of your imminent future. I will tell you more of a suggestion I got, it would benefit the both of us, especially you" he said.

Sonny tried to compose himself. The damn monitor had just given Duke Maddox an advantage, his heart rate had sold him out, and the hand cuffs did not allow him to raise his hands high enough to tear it off. It dawned on him, this time, it was not a cat and mouse game like before. This time, he most likely did face trial,and it did not sound like prison was the Dukes plan for him, but he could not be sure. And the heart rate made him suffer a burning chest pain. He had to calm down, preferably without assistance. It appeared he would be struggling with this for a while, he might as well find coping mechanisms from the start. As soon as he was back with his men, he would have to go underground while he recovered. That would block any and all attempts for him to actively be in the front line. Duke had surprised him with this move. Duke Maddox had played his hand well,and not told the galaxy of his capture yet. That was sure to stress out Corso and the others, and since he could not reach them, he needed a reporter he could trust to speak to, someone that could convery that he was infact fine, under the circumstances. Sonny wasnt sure about it, but he hoped Callie Mystic was on the list of Mandated reporters he could choose from. She was a friend, and allied that he trusted. More than a friend now as it turned out, but that was still so new, he was not ready to share it yet. It helped him calm down thinkning of the memories from their last meet up. Callie Mystic managed to calm him, in ways no other women could. He felt a growing connection with her, and where this was headed. If she was an option, he would go for it. Maddox was doing his best to help him stay calm, he would use that to his advantage now. Not revealing that they knew one another, that was too risky. But she would send the message the galaxy needed to hear. He had no idea how long he had been held captive, nor wich of Maddox homes he had been placed in. Corso was sure to see his elevated heart rate on his system and grow sick with worry, as he could see the signs of his stress. Duke Maddox eyes met his hazels. It was clear he got what he was thinking.

"Yes Sonny, We finally got you cornered. And this time, there will be no escape before you are starting to serve your time. So, here is the list I promised you, find a mandated reporter you feel is neutral"

Callie arrived early at the news station. Still no message on the news desk about Sonny. And it didnt just worry her, it downright frightened her. It had been five days since his capture already, and no word as to how he was doing. If Corso had not stayed with her and shown her Sonnys vital signs in real time, she would have feared the worst. But the readings all said the same thing. He had been doing fine, until late last night. Corso had worried when the reads showed elevated heart rate. Sonny was trained to withstand all kinds of factors that would cause such reactions in a normal human being,that was why Corso was stressed out over it. For Sonny to react like this, something had to have happened. Corso also cared for Callie. He could tell she was worried, so He had told her of stories other pirates had told about Technoid. How former employees was used involuntarily, as test subjects. He feared that this was being forced on Sonny now, and since they had no idea where he was held, Corso was getting increasingly anxious had to find him and bring him to safety.

"When this is solved, we are going to upgrade the transmitters, so I can track him no matter what. They could be doing harmful things to him for all we know." Corso had growled.

Artie had scanned all frequenzies pertaining to Technoid.

"I dont think he is in any hospital that is Technoid run Corso. There is no patients on record under his name. I fear.. They may have won this time, If we cant find him...We may have lost him" Artie said.

Callie could tell he was trying to hide the tears. Artie was as scared as himself and so was Bennett. He was silent, but even his face spoke volumes of what he was thinking. These four men were a tight knit group, and they were all seriously worried for Sonnys safety and his health. They didnt trust Technoid to treat him the way a prisoner should be treated.

"He is not in any hospital Corso. I hacked the cameras in all Technoid operated hospitals. He is not there, so where could he be?" Bennett reported.

Corso nodded.

"They are hiding him in a private home then, where we have no blueprints to study the layout. We need to get Duke Maddox talking. They are not gonna let go of him that easily, not after all this. And with Sonny wounded, he may not be able to fight them either. If they did anything to hurt Sonny further, I swear, they will live to regret it, If we cant find him, we have to wait for the trial they are sure to hold against him. They cant hold him forever without putting him before a judge." he said

Callie was about to start her day when she was called to her boss office. As soon as she entered, Aaron told her to lock the door.

"I take it, the pirates have informed you that Technoid had Sonny arrested? And that Sonny is seriously wounded? We have no info on the situation, and we need to get eyes on him, fast" he asked, not able to hide the worry he himself felt. Aaron was a secret agent for the pirates, and knew of her ongoing interview with their famous chief.

Callie nodded.

"Corso told me. They are worried sick for him. Is there a reason you called me here this early, other than the news of his arrest has leaked?" she asked.

Aaron nodded.

"This time, you will be able to help the pirates, and Sonny in a big way Callie. Duke Maddox has no choice but to release this story now, or risk the pirates attacking Technoid in an attempt to find Sonny. Since Sonny is whom he is, he is a high profiled prisoner, and that turns the entire galaxys eyes on to this. Duke Maddox made the mistake of hiding The fact that Sonny has been held captured for several days, while it is now claimed that Sonny has been held sedated till now, due to an issue with a blood vessel leading to his heart. The pirates are infuriated by this, and demanded answers, or there would be retalliation. Duke Maddox reached out to me. A mandated reporter has been asked for, to do a welfare check on Sonny, this means, you dont only get to speak to Maddox about the matter, you will be mandated to see Sonny too, and do a welfare check on him. The mandated reporter was, from what I am told, picked by Sonny. He chose you to do it. I got a list of medical questions you are to ask him, it will allow for the pirates to get an idea of his state of health" he said.

Callie felt her heart race when she heard that. Sonny had picked her, out of all the mandated reporters, and some were even better than her. This showed her how much he trusted her after these short meetings. And she had to stay professional through it. It would hurt to see Sonny captured, but she could not let her feelings for him as a friend overcome her. Sonny depended on her being professional about this,and she had to deliver.

"What do you need me to do? Anything in particular I need to look for or ask of him?" she asked.

Aaron nodded.

"The concern is for the blood vessel to his heart. Corso said the shot hit close to his heart,it barely missed, if not, it would have instantly killed him. When Corso left him, Sonny was still alive, and from all data they have, he still is. What we need to know, is the extent of his injuries. Ask him what he knows, and what Maddox can tell. After that, Corso will find a safe place for them to stay for an extended period of time, before they will find a way to rescue Sonny. They are planning to go into hiding, while Sonny recovers. Corso is worried about the values on his vitals at the moment. They are lower than expected. As soon as Sonny is safe, The pirates will bring in a doctor of their own choosing to examine him more thoroughly, and see what he needs to recover faster" Aaron said.

Callie nodded.

"Tell Corso, they can use my home as a safe house for as long as they need to. Sonny will be safe there." she said.

That made Aaron smile. Callie was clearly having a good tone with the pirate chief, and was genuinely concerned with his well being.

"Seems he has made quite an impression on you Callie. Not entirely unexpected. I have heard women on Shiloh describe him as charismatic and handsome before. A real gentleman, but not one whos heart could be won." Aaron said.

Callie could not hide a small blush. Aaron noticed. Clearly Callie had taken an interest beyond the professional level with Sonny.

But she had to be professional on this.

"I will notify the pirates to sneak in the equipment needed to treat Sonny to your home, in the cover of darkness. As soon as Sonny is safe, we must make sure Technoid cant locate him. Corso will stay with Sonny around the clock. He has medical training from the military, and would know how to tend to Sonny should anything happen. Other than that, get hold of how he feels, what kind of treatment he receives, and try to make a health assessment while you speak to him. Dont let Duke Maddox know that you already know him. That could lead to Sonny being relocated, making it harder to find him, keep it light and at a level that wont stress Sonny. He needs to rest" Aaron warned.

Callie nodded.

"I will get ready at once"

Corso was visibly relieved when Callie told him what she had found out.

He had come over and brought a near invisible camera, disguised as a bug that served as part of a necklace that complimented her outfit.

"This will allow us to get eyes on him, and see how he is treated, as well as any watch schedule we need to work around. Trust me, as soon as we know the best time to act, we will free him" Corso said.

Callie nodded.

"Did Aaron tell you to camp out here at my house while he recovers?It is safer for Sonny too. They wont think to look for him here" Callie said.

Corso smiled for a second.

"I can imagine several reasons why that is an excellent idea. Sonny will appreciate the offer. Not to mention the extra attention I am sure you will give him. There is nothing a wounded pirate appreciate more than female love and care. It will do him good" he said.

Callie blushed. And Corso noticed. Clearly, things looked very bright for Sonny in the love department too when it came to Callie. That really had been a while. They had women in Shiloh too, beautiful women, but Sonny always made himself emotionally unavailable to them. In fact, in the years Corso had known him, he had only seen Sonny attend a date a handful of times. But nothing ever led to a second date. Either, he was still hurting from the loss of his wife, or Sonny was far more picky when it came to women than he let on. There was a third option too, something that many pirates in shiloh did for each other all the time. Corso knew his close bond with Sonny had led to speculations about wheter he and Sonny had a private secret of their own. But he was not about to rat on his best friend like that. Their secrets stayed between them, and that was how it was going to be.

Callies blushing told him she was most definetely smitten by him. But she needed to stay focused.

"Make sure not to give Duke Maddox any indication that you know each other. Be sympathetic, like you would with a friend, and above all, gentle. If possible, touch his hand, and give him the signal I will teach you. He will know the meaning. As soon as we have the location where he is held, we will start the next phase,to get him safely out of there. You just be ready, We will let you know as soon as we are on our way. Where do you want us to place him when we return?" Corso asked.

Callie smiled.

"My bedroom. Its the best place for him. And if anyone is watching him, one can lie down beside him to rest. He wont be alone" she said.

Corso felt humoured at the thought. But he agreed. This sounded like a perfect solution. A peaceful oasis for Sonny to get better.

"Got it. Good luck and tell him, be safe" Corso said as Callie left to meet Duke Maddox

She had been prepared that Technoid would attempt to hide Sonnys location, but they did not. But the guarding of Duke Maddox home was tight. Breaking in would not at all be an easy thing to do. Callie had to show her press card repeatedly, and her mandate for the story. Technoid was unusually aggressive about this. Callie decided to shrug it off, and foucs on her mission at hand.

She parked in a garage, where robots scanned her again. You would think they guarded a big treasure here with this security. She smiled for a second. In fact, they did. This was where Sonny Blackbones was held captive. And they had no plans to let him go. The most wanted man in the galaxy was a treasure worth while guarding.

Callie was met by an armoured guard as she exited her car. As soon as she was scanned, and cleared for entry, she was led inside the building. Callie had a look around.

Tasteful arts, and high prized paintings. All very valuable. But none of it more worth than Sonny Blackbones himself. At present time, he was the most valuable posession they had.

Duke Maddox came to meet her. And he was cheerful. Callie really had to pull herself together to be professional.

"Congratulations Your Excellency. After several decades of chasing, you finally succeeded. You captured Sonny Blackbones" she said, sounding far more cheerful than she felt.

Duke Maddox nodded.

"Yes,we finally got him. Normally, I would be starting to prepare a trial against him at this point, but it may drag out. Sonny took a hit to the chest, merely two inches from his heart. My doctors has taken care of him, and made him as comfortable as can be. As a mandated reporter, I need to be honest with you about his situation. Sonny is alive, but he is very weak at this point. The doctors that examined him has expressed concern for how close the shot hit to his heart.A ruptured blood vessel has made it necessary for him to remain calm. As a result, Sonny has been given sedatives though these days,to help him stay calm. Any kind of stress that elevates his heart rate right now, is not a good thing. I let him choose reporter for this, as part of making him relax more. He chose you. I have made my statement about this on behalf of Technoid for now. Now, I have to fulfill the part of the mandate that allows for you to see him for the welfare check. I must warn you. Sonny is wearing a heart monitor. If he gets stressed, it will go off, and we will have to give him a shot to the arm to help bring it back down. He tires easily. But he is concerned with letting the galaxy know his side of things, so lets go see him right away"

Callie was glad Duke Maddox had not noticed the camera bug in the necklace she wore. It was directly connected to Corsos transmitter, giving the pirates a blueprint for how to move around in the building to locate their leader. The hallway they walked was long and she felt like she walked forever, until they reached a heavily guarded room. But off course, she had expected nothing less. Duke Maddox allowed them to be scanned before they entered.

Callie could not hold back an involuntary gasp when she saw him. Sonnys hands was hand cuffed to the bed, and thin bandages covered his chest,where a thin strap was holding a monitor over his heart. Sonny raised his head off the pillow as he heard them enter. He looked pale, and exhausted.

Sonny managed a faint smile when he saw her.

"Callie Mystic, I am sorry I dont get up and greet you like a gentleman should." he managed.

Callie forced a smile. She could not let her friendship to him be known at this point. She decided to greet him as formal as she could.

"That is fine Mr Blackbones. Or do you prefer that I call you Sonny?" she said.

Sonny smiled.

"Just Sonny will do fine, if you allow me to adress you as Callie" he said. Callie walked up to his bed and sat down, rigging her drone camera for the interview.

Duke Maddox remained standing close by as Callie started her drone camera. She made sure to act professional, and asked Sonny about the questions she was mandated to ask. She could tell Sonny did his best to appear strong, but his energy faded fast. To see him drain so fast, made Callie change her line of questions. Callie asked more spesifically about what triggered pain for him, and how bad it was. It hurt to hear the answers he gave. Sonny explained the chest pain, how it would set of his heart monitor and how the doctors would medicate him to keep this to a minimum. He could sit up to eat on his own, but not much more than that. And he felt very drained.

Callie asked about what kind of care he was given, and Sonny went into detail about the treatments he received. As she could tell Sonny was starting to get tired, she decided on one last question.

Did he want to say something to his friends whom worried for him? Sonny gave a nodd, as if he could barely say anything.

Callie leaned closer, till her hand touched his. That was when she realised, Sonny was faking things. His fingers clutched her hand, just a few secs, but the strength was enough to tell her, he was stronger than he let on. She handed off the signal from Corso, feeling Sonny repond back, that the message was received. As he leaned heavily back on the pillows,Sonny made a quick message for his friends and son, before he winced from the chest pain that hit him. Callie turned off the camera to spare him more stress, as Duke Maddox had a doctor come in and give Sonny an injection to help stop it. Sonny fell asleep imideately after the shot was given. She saw them pull the duvet better around him, to keep him from getting cold, before they left the room.

As they left the room, Callie was rattled. Not so much for Sonnys health, he seemed fine, but the medications seemed stronger than it needed be. It made her fear they used the meds to keep him under control.

Duke Maddox looked at her.

"He will be fine Callie. We will take care of him. Just make sure the galaxy knows, this time, he will be convicted for his crimes. Like he should have been a long time ago" he said.

Callie felt disgusted with the idea. Sonny was far from guilty of all they tried to blame him for. To her, it sounded like Technoid was plotting against him, in an effort to lock him away for good. She said good bye and headed back to the arcadia news to prepare the launch of the story

Callie felt sick to her stomach when she reviewed the footage she had of Sonny. Maybe it was the dim light in the room, she wasnt sure, but Sonny appeared very pale. And were those hand cuffs really necessary? It was not like he had made any attempt to even get up, he seemed too weak. As she did the review, she was joined by her boss, whom also looked at the footage with worry.

"He is very pale. And that heart monitor worries me. Technoid would not use equipment like that, unless there is cause for alarm. The use of meds are also alarming. That suggests they are keeping him drugged up to avoid him making an attempt to flee, like he normally would have by now. I will suggest Corso cut the bandages off once he is safe, to have a further look. He will make sure Sonny is getting the medical attention needed. After that, the pirates has some awesome things that will help speed this along. His heart may be unaffected, but the surrounding lung tissue and the blood vessel to his heart is another story. It will take some time for him to heal from this. Time and patience, something the pirates happen to be good at doing" Aaron concluded.

Callie was thinking.

"To move him... Is there any chance that could worsen things for him? I really dont want him to take an overload of stress if it could cause his death" Callie said.

Aaron could understand her worry.

"Corso will make sure Sonny is completely safe during a move. Without Sonny, he would fall apart, as all the pirates would. Trust me, they are not going to gamble with Sonnys life. However they choose to do this, trust that Sonny is in safe hands while it goes on. Corso will let you know as soon as it has happened" he informed her with a smile.

Then, his transmitter buzzed.

Aaron hurried into his own office to take the call. Callie continued the editing process, forcing herself through it. As painful as it was for her to see Sonny like this. the story had to go out today, the message had to be shared.

Then Aaron came back. And he looked at bit annoyed.

"I knew the pirates would act fast, but not this fast. I was just on call with a furious Duke Maddox. Callie, I need to check your call log, and if need be, delete all calls between you and Corso. Duke Maddox is suspicious of your involvement, since the pirates, according to him, has kidnapped Sonny" he stated.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Callie handed him her phone with a smile that told him Duke Maddox anger amused her. Aaron deleted the relevant call log. As he was done, Aaron chuckled.

"This is going to give Corso a hearty laugh attack. He is accused of kidnapping his best friend and boss..." Aaron managed.

Callie had to laugh too, despite the seriousness of the situation.

"That is one for the record books. Does that mean Corso will get a wanted poster for kidnapping? We have not even broken the story on Sonnys arrest yet" she managed.

Aaron smiled.

"Oh I bet you he would want to charge Corso with that. But then, he would also have to break the story on Sonnys arrest. At the moment,he wont do that. That gives us some level of control. Keep editing the story. I know its hard to see him like that, but you know as well as I do, its only a matter of time before Sonny is safe and sound at your home. He will grow stronger while there. You will be able to witness it with your own eyes. I will have Zoe dig into this thing with Maddox and Technoid, its better to keep you off it. You went in as a mandated reporter, there is no wrong doing on your end. You saw him, and you spoke to him. And you will report a story I know makes you sick to your gut to put out, but I got your back. Put it out in the next news segment, and get it over with. Then, you go home, I have a feeling you will find yourself not alone" he smiled.

Callie nodded.

As Aaron left, Callie finished the editing, and went to the make up room to ready herself to share the story.

The galaxy had been in a state of shock as Callies story broke. And the lines to the station had been glowing. Everyone wanted to know more about Sonnys condition. Callie was already exhausted, and considered doing a special to explain her observations, when she noticed Technoid robots entering the main entrance. It was accompanying two board members from Technoids board of directors. What could they possibly want here? Callie was glad Aaron had done a sweep of her things, removing any and all things linking her to contact with the pirates.

The robots approached her desk.

"Callie Mystic, you are asked to come with us. This is a matter of high concern and must be addressed at once" said one of the board members.

Callie looked at them.

"May I ask what this is about?" she said.

"It concerns your mandate and the brief interview you did with Blackbones while he was in our custody" came the reply.

"But why? Has something happened to him since I left?" Callie asked, pretending to be confused. The pirates had taught her this tactic, as a means to gain the upper hand if she wanted to gather more information about something more than the interview subject intended to give. As a matter of fact, Sonny had even drilled her in how to use it, ending up revealing some pretty personal information about himself in the process.

The board member seemed annoyed.

" The doctor sounded the alarm when he was not in his bed at the time of the daily visit. The hand cuffs had been opened. It seems his men came for him, although, Duke Maddox insists on calling this an unlawful abduction. Sonnys men have no one but themselves to blame if Sonny dies now. They have kidnapped him way too soon" he said.

Aaron had joined them, as her boss, and he was feeling annoyed with Callie being attacked for what the pirates had done.

"Surely, Duke Maddox must have known that this would happen? I am sure they will find a way to let the galaxy know that Sonny is in a safe place and being cared for. What Technoid should clarify, is why you are obsessing so much over this now. Sonny Blackbones escaped imprisonment, that is not really a shock, and he and his men has support out there, why would you else think no one has been able to track him down? Not even high end bounty hunters has been able to bring him in. Callie went in, as a mandated reporter, to report the facts and do a welfare check on Blackbones. I have seen the report. Callie is not guilty of any wrong doing. She did as asked. And now I ask you stop harassing my employee" he demanded.

The Technoid board members looked at them.

"Then I expect you two to answer a few questions, right now"

What a day! The interrogation had lasted for hours, with Callie and her boss defending her. She had done her job, as a mandated reporter. If the pirates had somehow followed her, she had been unaware, and was not to blame for Sonnys escape.

Callie opened the door to her house, ready to drop dead on the couch, when a hand gently graced her arm. She looked up. Corso smiled at her, a tired and worn smile, as he lifted a finger to his lips, telling her to be silent.

He stood in the doorway of her bedroom.

"How is he doing, Corso?" she whispered.

Corso smiled.

"I gave him something to sleep on. He wont wake for at least eight more hours. I examined him myself. We will need a specialized doctor to come see him. For now, I have used some herb salve that I make myself, to help him. It smells rather well, and relaxes him at the same time. Dont worry, he will be feeling better when he wakes up. What about you? You look horrible, and that is not meant to offend you" Corso said.

Callie smiled and told him what had gone down at the station. Corso nodded as he paid careful attention to her account of events, even Callie knew, at the moment, Corso was the acting chief in Sonnys place.

Once she had finished, Corso smiled.

"You deserve a good nights rest Callie. I will have Aaron give you a sick day tomorrow, with pay. You need some rest after this, and I happen to know one thing that works wonders for me when I am stressed. Follow me." he said mildly.

He led Callie into the bedroom. On her bed, she could see the silhouette of someone sleeping.

"Lay down next to Sonny Callie, and get some sleep. Having him close by always calms me, and I think he will do the same for you too. He is safe now, and there is no threat towards him here, just friends whom want to see him recover" Corso said.

"I dont want to disturb him..." Callie whispered.

"You wont. In fact, one of the last things he said before he fell asleep, was to send you in here when you arrived. He wants you here, and I suspect, you want to be here for him too. So go on, lie down next to him. I put on a specially made bandage on him, it will help him heal faster, and also, it has an inbuilt heart rate monitor, wich he will wear for a few days, it will allow me to keep track on him till I know he is fine. You wont hurt him" Corso smiled.

Callie smiled, then did as Corso told her. She could feel the body heat radiating off of Sonnys body where he slept. His clothes lay neatly folded on a chair next to the bed.

Callie gently touched his lips with her finger as she laid down. Sonny didnt even notice. he kept breathing easily and remained in deep sleep.

Callie then pulled the duvet around herself and fell asleep next to him.

Corso looked at them. Sonny was safe, thanks to her bravery and effort. They still had issues to deal with as a result of Technoid lashing out. He would spend the night hacking into their systems, find out how he could get the bastards off Callies back. Seeing her next to Sonny like that was a beautiful sight.

"Sleep tight you two, and let me handle the rest" he whispered as he closed the bedroom door to go work.

its a multi chapter story. We will all learn more deeper truths about the relationship between the pirates and Technoid and we will also keep an eye on Sonnys healing. And he might have a surprising plan of action to present Duke Maddox too, when it comes to pirates, expect the unexpected.