Sonny slowly woke up with his head spinning. Where in the galaxy was he? Then, the images came to him. Corso charging at the hologram, falling through, him not being vigilant enough for a second while searching the shadows, Corso yelling, as Keirans arm shot out of the dark alley way and grabbing him in a choke hold. His throat still felt sore from the attack. Keirans grip was as strong as it used to be, and he had not changed tactics since his pirate days. He remembered starting to fight to break free, knowing how dangerous this was, and then...darkness. Stiffness to the back of his neck made him realize what had happened. A stunner. Kieran took the coward's way. Probably not too surprising as Sonny would have taken him on easily, being equally as strong as him when it came to brute strenght. And when teaming up with Corso, the two of them were experts on tiring their oposers as a tag team. Sonny throat felt sore from Kieran's grip. That thing hadn't changed from his time with the Pirates. But the damage was not bad, Keiran had made sure it would not leave any marks. Corso said something about that being in the contract to capture him. Seemed the traitor wanted his blood money more than doing the right thing.

Sonny recalled hand to hand combat with Keiran was something most Pirates avoided. His strength and recklessness made people weary. Sonny recalled Corso having partnered with Kieran once and how he nearly passed out during a chokehold during a training session at the lair. And the bruising… Corso couldn't turn his head properly for a good week. As a Bounty Hunter, Keiran was known to use this hold to subdue his marks. It seemed to work well, and probably made his marks easier to handle.

That wasn't why Kieran had the upper hand at the moment. That was actually on him, and him had made the wrong call, not staying in safety, and running with his son and Corso to capture him. Keiran knew them both and their ways as a former pirate, and he used their own impulses against them. He had not taken any chances and used weapons to subdue him in the fight. He knew he couldn't take on both Corso and him at the same time. So to level the playing field, he took out one of them. Things were still unclear but he was determined to get some answers. He thought about Corso, the look of terror in his eyes when Kieran attacked him. This was the one thing Corso had tried to avoid at all costs. He could imagine how Corso was feeling right now. The guilt he was struggling with. After what happened in the Genesis reservoirs, Corso had pulled Sonny aside and they had talked it out. Sonny promised Corso to not do this to him again and Corso made it clear that next time, he made sure Sonny wouldn't escape him. Sonny started to try to find a way to deal with his current situation. He tried to reach his transmitter. He found he could not move his arms as they were tied behind his back. Sonny was beating himself up over this. He had acted on impulse, completely disregarding his safety in an attempt to solve this matter. So focused on what could happen, how he now had a chance to gain a pardon for the pirates, he forgot about the present and the contract on his own head. Now he had no backup and made life so much harder for everyone. He made a mistake, and as a result, he was Kieran's prisoner.

Sonny tried hard not to panic. He was alone and helpless.

"Calm down, Blackbones. You've had worse. Just focus. "he reminded himself.

Sonny recalled how Magnus Blade and Corso had pushed him to learn how to survive and thrive even in the direst situations. He remembered how he had been woken up late at night and being pushed into an interrogation room for endless interrogation sessions. Lack of sleep, and endless interrogations by Magnus was meant to harden him, and prepare him for his future role. Even when deprived of sleep, he had to preform at top functionality. He could not break, and spill the beans, no matter what he was exposed to. He recalled how he quickly learned to control himself. The memories served him well as it helped him get into the right mindset to solve his current problem.

First things first, he needed to get out of these ropes. Corso's rigorous training sessions came to him and he got to work. The fact that Kieran was a former Pirate became an advantage since he had those same techniques as the pirates. He used the same ways to handle his prisoners. For Sonny, it was an advantage, since he had been trained in how to flee these ways. Then again, Kieran would also know how to prevent him from escaping. Still, he had to try. Most of the knowledge he applied was from things he had learned with the Pirates, but a few he learned from more… personal issues. Then, his mind drifted back to Corso.

Corso was so much more than a friend at this point. Sonny had never really allowed himself to dwell on their relationship but their bond went beyond the call of duty. He even heard some whispers that they were seen as an item back in the day. Sonny needed to unpack that at some point but not right now. Right now he needed to free himself and escape from wherever he was. A look outside the porthole of the room he was in let him know, he was not at Genesis.

He tried to relax the muscles in his wrists enough to loosen the rope. He just had to remember Corso's lessons.

"Sonny, sometimes, instead of fighting, try fake giving up the fight like you don't have the strength for it anymore. Your captors will underestimate you and get lax." he had said when Sonny had tensed during a training session and tried to fight his way out of the ropes. That advice had helped. and he managed to flee in the excersise.

Sonny was about to start on freeing himself when he heard the door to the cabin he was in opening. He turned to his captor. It was Kieran. His eyes met Sonny's and from his smirk, Sonny knew Kieran was on to him. Keiran was carrying a tray with a meal.

"You're awake. Good, I was afraid I was being too rough on you." He said as he sat down on a chair next to the bed where Sonny laid, bound. "The contract states that you should be handed over alive and well. That means I cant go rough on you, so I will make sure you are made more managable without injuries" He said, checking the bindings that held Sonny. Sonny looked at him. Even when he was exiled, he and the pirates had no problems with Kieran until now.

"Why are you doing this Keiran? Why are you betraying all that the Pirates stand for by capturing me for our number one enemy? You know the pirates will come looking for me, and they will find me. You also know Corso, he won't give up until I'm safe." Sonny explained. He wasn't comfortable with Keiran sitting down next to him. He tried to create distance between himself and his captor. Keiran noticed. He sighed, putting the tray he carried down on a small table.

"Sonny, you know there's no escape. I wish there was another way but I'm turning you over to protect the Pirates, especially those on the Black Manta,by doing this. You used to say it yourself; one life is a small price to pay to protect thousands. By you being held captive by Technoid, The pirates stay safe. They are of no interest to them any way. And you know why you would be. You are a threat to them,you always will be. So by letting them lock you up, the others go free. You wont be harmed,They gave me a written promise of that" He said. Sonny saw how Kieran tried to reason with him with regards to his impending imprisonment, but being so close to finally having freedom again, living a normal life, he was not in the mood to play this game. Sonny was determined to get out of this, come hell or high water. He was too close to his goal to let this stop him. However, he needed answers. Keiran sighed, Then he leaned over him. Sonny tried to maintain distance but to no avail. Kieran grabbed him under the arms and lifted him into a sitting position on the bed.

"I'm going to make sure you're treated well Sonny. I'm not a monster. That said, I will prevent you from escaping. Then we can talk things over." He said and pulled a small syringe from inside his pocket. Sonny recognized the syringe, it was a mix meant for violent prisoners. Pirates issue. This concoction was strong enough to knock out an elephant. It would prevent movement for at least eight hours. If Keiran forced this on him, all chances of escape would be lost. He tried to move away from it. Keiran smirked at his attempt to escape the inevitable.

"It's either this or I will have to feed you. Neither of us would have the patience for that. The formula will affect your legs only." he said as he reached out and grabbed Sonny, wrestling him into a position where Sonny was unable to fight back and pushed him against the wall of the ship. Sonny sent him a glare over the shoulder, as he tried to stop the inevitable. Keiran used his leg to further restrain Sonny, and stretched his right leg, to make the injection. Sonny fought the panic and tried his best to make this difficult, but Keiran was on top of the situation and manouvred him into a position where Sonny could not fight him.

Without mercy, he injected the syringe into Sonny's right thigh. Sonny let out a small yelp of pain as the needle hit the recently healed muscle. Kieran ignored it, and emptied the content into his thigh. Sonny knew he would be unable to escape now. In just seconds, he would start to numb, he could already feel the numbness set in, at the sole of his feets. Trying to flee in this condition was too risky. Gathering information it was.

"I don't get you Keiran. You know what Technoid stands for. What made you turn on us? Why work for them when you know how much harm they do?" Sonny asked. Keiran sighed.

"Forgive me, Sonny, I have nothing against you,I never did. but this was bound to happen at some point. Technoid is a powerful enemy to have, you know that better than anyone, Not even you could escape them forever. They would have caught you sooner or later, but thanks to the negotiations I made, You will be treated well. And stay unharmed." Kieran said. Sonny looked at him.

"You were told to take me alive. Why? Who within Technoid do you work for? Certainly not Duke Maddox. " He asked, looking at Kieran, who sighed.

"I negotiated that part for you Sonny. I spent time making them see that if they want to avoid problems with the Pirates, no harm can come to you. Corso alone would tear them apart. They know the pirates will look for you, so you will be held in a secret base, where you cant be easily found" He said. Sonny nodded.

"We both know Corso is already in the process of pulling the Galaxy apart to find me. He won't stop and if anything happenes to me, I pity whoever did the deed. And you know exactly what they face when he finds them." Sonny said. Kieran nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing. Whatever plan they have for your imprisonment, I don't know, but you will be treated well. They just want to make sure The pirates dont meddle in their affairs. You are the insurance of that" He said Sonny looked suspiciously at him.

"And you trust them to honour that agreement?" He asked. Kieran nodded. Sonny wasnt sure if he should laugh, this was about the most naive idea he had heard in years, coming from a former pirate."You know by this point there are more capable people that will take over if something happens to me." He said.

"You and I know that, but not Technoid. They think you are the key to control the Pirates." Kieran answered. Sonny smirked.

"Not really. No one controls them. All I ever do is ask them to stay calm and do their jobs. Other than that, Corso is more than capable of taking my place" He said. Kieran nodded.

"They may force you to make a video to urge them to stay calm. Or tell them not to look for you, like that would help for anything" He said. Sonny nodded.

"It won't help, Corso will have tracked me down by then. I will not answer for what He may do when he finds them" He said. Kieran looked at him.

"Impossible. No transmitter we ever had is strong enough to penetrate thick walls. Corso has no way to track you" He said. Sonny smirked"It has nothing to do with my transmitter. It's a new system we had for a few years. activsted by certain body functions and Corso has already remotely activated it. He's already tracking me. That is all I will tell you. " He said. Kieran nodded.

"My ship is in stealth mode Sonny. No matter how hard Corso tries, He won't find us. That said, I like the idea of a new system to track pirates. I doubt they will be able to contain you for long any way. You are simply too clever. But they don't know that, and that's to your advantage. As long as they think they can keep the Pirates at bay by keeping you imprisoned, you will remain safe." He said. Sonny looked at him, feeling sad Kieran had this naive outlook on his enemy. Kieran wasn't like this back in the day. What happened to him?

"If it was just Duke Maddox, I would have agreed, but he's not the one running Technoid, Keiran. They're unknown to us but far more dangerous than Duke Maddox. Those are the people that put this contract on me, not Maddox. When the truth surfaces, expect a backlash" Sonny said, knowing he couldn't escape anymore. Keiran let go of his hold of him, and pulled Sonny away from the wall, then checking if the syringe had its desired effect. As soon as he was satisfied Sonny could not go anywhere, He lifted him into a more comfortable position. He looked at the ropes that tied Sonnys hands.

"Those ropes must be chafing. Let me help you with those." Kieran said as he untied Sonny." Your arms won't be affected, I just need to make sure you can't go anywhere." Sonny nodded as Keiran handed him the bowl of soup from the tray.

"Here, it's your favorite. I'll make sure you eat healthily. Get used to the cabin, it's where you'll stay until I have to hand you over to them. Don't even think about escaping; I'm prepared." He said. Sonny looked at him. It was true that he had loved that special soup and always had seconds, but that was in his rookie days. For now, he could not do much else, and he was hungry, so Sonny took the spoon and ate slowly, keeping a watchful eye on his captor.

"Where are we heading?" He asked. Kieran looked at him.

"I was told to bring you to felt that would be a fitting prison for you" He answered. The name of his home planet sent cold chills down Sonny's spine. The planet where all had gone so wrong. Only by keeping his distance had he been able to process the emotions surrounding his past. Now, it would serve as his prison. As he had finished eating, Kieran took the bowl.

"No need to tie your hands up again. We'll arrive before the effect of the drug wears off. I don't expect you to cause any trouble. a busy man like You must be tired, I suggest you take time to rest instead. Sorry, I can't bring you your girlfriend Callie, she seems like a nice lady, good match for you." Kieran said. That made Sonny look up. Did he know about him and Callie? How?The dagger in the bench off course. Callie and Mei had been outside for some fresh air. Sonny realized Kieran had to have been a lot closer to the guests of the baby shower than he had thought. A little too close to his loved ones for his taste.

"She's safe, and so is my son, my daughter in law and my grandchild. I feel almost sorry for you, Kieran. You sold all your values out for nothing more than money. Unless there is something to this contract that you left out?" He asked as he raised an eyebrow, looking at Kieran for an answer, who all of a sudden looked very uncomfortable. Sonny knew he had tocuhed a sore subject.

"Did that hit a nerve?" Sonny asked. Kieran did not reply. "You once had standards Keiran, not anymore. Maybe it was a good thing you were exiled from the pirates. We already had one greedy Pirate, it didn't work out with him either." Sonny let out. Kieran's face turned red with that accusation, and without warning, he hit Sonny in the face with a flat hand, Sonny turned in time to have it land on his cheeck.

"Don't you dare compare me to Magnus Blade!I am nothing like him" He yelled.

"Yes, you are, you are his twin in many ways. The truth hurts, doesn't it?" Sonny shot back. Being abducted, he was not in the mood to be pleasant. The only one that really talked back to him like that was Corso, and Kieran wasn't Corso. Not by a long shot. Kieran looked at Sonny, angry.

"We all knew you were Magnus' golden boy. It didn't take half a year to make it obvious you would inherit his mantle. Granted, you had the skills he sought in a future leader and I have no clue what else he gave you, but you rose in rank far faster than anyone else. There were even rumors you slept your way to the top. Until Corso came along and you started sleeping with him. Must have been one juicy deal you got with him, as word is, he still sleeps next to you at night,I wonder how Callie feels about that" Kieran said. Sonny was getting irritated.

"What in the Galaxy are you talking about Keiran? That I didn't earn where I got? That I didn't work my ass off. Also, leave Corso out of this. What's going on between him and me is none of your business. He had nothing to do with what happened with Magnus. He chose to train me as his successor because I had the skills he wanted for the Pirates, that's IT." Sonny said as he was starting to get angry. He felt he was talking to a three-year-old throwing a tantrum. A jealous three-year-old. "Look, I don't know what kind of trouble you got into with Magnus, but it had nothing to do with me. Magnus sent me off on a mission to keep me away from the process of exiling you. He knew I would have sided with you and asked for a second chance."Sonny said, trying to get nodded.

"That's all in the past Sonny. He was rotten, and you knew it, thats why You challenged him for the title, and took it from him, and the Pirates have prospered under your reign. I hope they'll find someone good to replace you. I am not sure you will be able to escape them this time, and if so, it will take time to do it, someone must fill your place meanwhile." Kieran said. Sonny looked at him.

"Until I return, Corso will be acting as a leader in my absence." He said. Kieran was not deterred.

"Once you're delivered to Technoid, you will not return Sonny. They will make sure of that" He said. Sonny gritted teeth. Keiran knew something, and he wasnt going to tell from the look of things.

"You're not the first one to say that Keiran, and you won't be the last. One way or another, I will get out of this." He said. Kieran looked at him.

"Not this time Sonny. You'll see why."

Callie was lying on the bed in the captain's cabin aboard the Black Manta, and tears were rolling down her cheeks. They failed to protect Sonny, the one pirate that was a real threat to Technoid with his knowledge, He had been abducted by a former pirate,a error the pirates themselves had overlooked could happen and now they had no idea where he was. She woried for what could have happened to him. They had been searching for over a week and found no trace of him. But the pirates refued to give up assured her daily, that Sonny was alive, they just hadn't been able to find and track his signal yet. Corso assured her, they would not give up trying. They would find him and bring him back, safe and sound. If not, someone would pay for it. The cabin felt so empty and cold without him. Would their adventure end before it even got started? Would her interview with him be the first and only one the Galaxy would ever see? and the worst thought of them all, would they find him in time to rescue him alive or would Corsos worst fears be realized? Callie recalled how Corso had sat down with her and told her of some nightmares he had a few years ago. Nightmares where he came too late and found Sonny, cold, in a pool of his blood. The Pirates took omens like this very seriously, and even if Sonny had assured Corso time and time again that nothing would happen, the nightmare had haunted Corso. The fear of losing Sonny was very real for the Pirates, because it could happen. And it seemed now, their worst nightmare had come to pass. Corso admitted they had no one ready to step up and replace Sonny fulltime. Sonny always escaped, there had never been a need for it, until now. Callie had an awful feeling about it. What if they couldn't find him? Would that be the end of the Shiloh Pirates? And would they ever find out what had happned to him after he was taken. She grabbed Sonny's pillow, pressing her face into it, to silence her sobs. She missed him, missed feeling his arms around her, hearing his voice, leaning on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Where could he be? Would she ever see him again?

"Sonny, hang in there my love, we will find you and bring you home." she whispered.

D'Jok and Mei had also come with them. With what had happened, they decided staying with the Pirates would be the safest thing to do. Callie heard a knock on the door.

"Come in." She said. It was D'Jok. She could tell he had been crying too. He tried to appear calm and collected, but he was afraid.

"How is Mei holding up?" She asked. D'Jok had a pained look on his face.

" She's speaking to Corso about things. I think, to protect me. They've known each other for a while, trying to protect me when Dad couldnt be around. Corso is beating himself up over this so hard. I've never seen him like this. He feels like he failed" He said, looking defeated. "I don't know what to do Callie if we can't find him. I cant loose my dad, not before the baby comes into this world" He let out a sob. Callie wiped her tears. She wasn't the only one being hurt by this. And now she needed to cheer Sonnys son up some.

"Let's stay positive. Corso keeps checking the signal. Sonny is still alive and from what we can gather from his real time reads,he is unharmed. According to Corso, we would know if something bad happened to him" She said. D'Jok nodded, wiping away a tear as he embraced her. His fathers girlfriend was the best. No wonder his father fell in love with her.

"I'm so happy he met you Callie, that he can have a fresh start with you. I've seen the changes in him since then. I just hope it won't end now. He is so close to have a new life, a fresh start, all the pirates are" He said. Callie didn't know what to say, nor could she hold her tears back. D'Jok had a compassionate look on his face. He pulled her into a hug and wiped her tears.

"I understand Callie. I just hope he's well.I dont want to think of how life will be if not" D'Jok said. Callie nodded.

"This is all so new to me. I feel like I have been living in a bubble for so long. Meeting him made me remember how much more life can be. And then, just like that, this happened. I should have stopped him. If they hurt him, I don't know how to live with myself." she admitted.

"Hush," D'Jok said as he hugged her. "Dad will pull through, he always does."

Corso was tracking Sonny's transmitter constantly on his screen. It had been over a week with no signal, making Corso very tense, when all of a sudden, a sound indicated contact with Sonny's transmitter. Corso tensed up as he checked the data. It wasnt real time, but just a few hours separated them. He now had a heading for Keiran, whom he would choke if Sonny was hurt.

"Found you" He smiled, relieved.

"You got a signal? That would be a nice starting point," Bennett said as he and Artie looked at him with anticipation. Corso nodded.

"Yes, it is not real-time but according to the last information, we're closing in. The ship he's on is in stealth mode. We can't pinpoint them until Kieran reaches his destination. We're not far behind them though. We will free Sonny as soon as possible" He said. Callie looked tense as she watched the curves and gauges Corso had put on one of the big screens of the ship, allowing them to track Sonnys vital signs.

"I hope he's ok." She admitted. Mei placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I pity them if they did anything to harm him." She said. Corso smiled at Mei.

"She's right. Kieran will find out the price of this betrayal. He lost the trust of all of us. Till now, Sonny might have forgiven him for the past, after this, I doubt that option is on the table anymore" He said. Callie nodded, still not entirely percent convinced.

"We'll free him, I'm sure of it." D'Jok tried, sounding slightly more optimistic than he felt. He was also worried. Corso managed to hack the security cameras in the area where they had been ambushed so they had seen everything that happened; from Corso being struck in the head, to Sonny being knocked out with a stun gun. D'Jok noticed that the bounty hunter tried not to hurt Sonny, finding both Corso and Sonny teaming up to be too much. He'd seen the face of the bounty hunter as he lifted Sonny on his shoulder, and carried him into a nearby flying pod.

"If I ever meet this guy… !" D'Jok clenched his fists. He looked at Callie, who was holding Sonny's pillow to her chest. A sad smile formed on the striker's face.

"You're afraid we'll be too late, aren't you?" He asked. Callie could only nod as her tears started rolling again.

"I am scared. What if something happens to him?" She asked. D'Jok didn't answer. He couldn't. The possibility that Sonny wouldn't make it, was one he refused to think about.

"I don't know. We'll do everything in our power to free him. I won't accept losing him now, he has his very first grandchild on the way and never has he been closer to getting his freedom back. I won't accept it all ending for him." He said. Callie wiped her tears. A determined look appeared in her eyes.

"You're right. We'll find him and free him, together."

The ship landed near the hidden Technoid base on Akillian and Kieran entered the cabin. Sonny sent him a silent but hateful glare. Despite the treatment Keiran had given him as a prisoner, Sonny felt no compassion. Keiran had chosen to part with the Pirates' values altogether. It mattered little to nothing, that he had negotiated good terms for Sonny's imprisonment. Technoid wasn't known for sticking to their promises. He knew to never trust a promise from Technoid.

"Time you meet your new bosses. Or jailors as I am sure you would call them" Keiran informed him. Sonny shot him a glare.

"We're done talking Keiran. And so are the Pirates." He said. Kieran sighed. Sonny was completely hostile to him and he could not blame him. He took another syringe from the inside of his coat. Sonny once again tried to keep his distance when he recalled the last time Keiran gave him a syringe to the tigh. Keiran did not seem surprised at that.

"Easy there, hands on your back Sonny. As soon as you're cuffed, I will give you something to make you walk again." Kieran said. Sonny knew he had no choice in the matter, so he silently did as he was told. Once Keiran had secured the handcuffs around Sonnys wrists, he gave him the neutralizing syringe to his thigh and held his handcuffs as Sonny could feel his body start to have normal functions again.

"I'll give you some time to adjust, I don't plan on carrying you" Kieran said. Sonny shot him a glare.

"I'll get out of this, Kieran. One way or another. I hope you realize what you did to yourself by acting on this contract. Remember the Pirate's code. Corso and the others will know you're not just an exiled former Pirate. To the pirates, you will forever be labelled a traitor because of this. If I tell them I don't trust someone, that's the end for you. And trust me, With me imprisoned, you will have to deal with Corso. and it wont be pretty" Sonny said coldly.

Kieran nodded.

"I'm aware of the risks but this is my job. You're just another, albeit lucrative, assignment." He said as Sonny looked at him.

"Enjoy your blood money, traitor." He said. Kieran nodded.

"I made my choice Sonny. If not me, someone worse. I know about your previous experiences. That was when Magnus decided to make you his successor. I was away when it happened. I reached the lair with my ship a week later, only to find that no one answered when I asked about you. All I knew was that you had been starved in captivity and was held aboard the Black Manta to recover. Magnus kept you at his side at all times." He said. Sonny nodded.

"I needed the protection at the time.I wasnt even there during the exciling process. Magnus sent me off with a small convoy, to keep me out of matters, knowing I wasnt fully recovered yet. When I was strong enough, after your exile, they started training me as a future leader." He said. Kieran looked at him.

"I'm curious; have you trained someone as your successor?" He asked. Sonny shook his head.

"No. In my absence it's Corso. and in due time, should he choose so, my son. I won't force him to be a Pirate if he doesn't want to." Sonny stated. Kieran nodded.

"Fair enough. I just wondered. All I could do was negotiate that they didn't harm you. Everything else is out of my hands." He said. Sonny looked at him.

"And you trust Technoid to keep their word? That's not a good idea. I should know; I worked for them. I just hope you haven't made a deal with the Devil. I tried trusting General Bleylock once. That nearly became the end of me. I'm not trusting Technoid. Not now, nor ever" He said. Kieran pulled him to his feet.

"Since when do you talk this much Sonny? Scared?" He asked as he took his taser and held it to Sonny's back, forcing him forward.

Duke Maddox was reading through reports on Technoid facilities when irregularities showed up on the Akillian base. He checked all plans; none of this new facility had been approved. Duke Maddox clenched his fists. Something was going on behind his back, with his company's money. Duke Maddox called his assistant.

"Your Excellency?" A nervous man asked as he entered.

"Get me the schematics for the new facility on Akillian base. Also, call a board meeting on the double. I've had enough of this." Duke Maddox ordered.

"At once, Your Excellency!" The nervous man said as he left the room. Duke Maddox contacted Dame Simbai.

"I need to get in contact with Sonny Blackbones, I may know where the hostile takeover is being planned." He told her. Dame Simbai put him through to Clamp, who immediately put the call on stealth mode.

Corso had finally managed to compose himself enough to function as a commander on board the Black Manta. The abduction of Sonny had been a shock to the entire crew, and they were still trying to deal with it. The deed being carried out by one of their own, did not help matters.

"Corso, Clamp is on the secure frequency. He has Duke Maddox on the line." Benett said, looking at his very tense friend.

Corso growled when he heard the name. If he knew something about all this, it was gonna come to the forefront right now.

"Put him through, he'd better have some answers" Corso said. Bennett could understand his frustration. What happened to Sonny was taking its toll on all of them but it was particularly hard on Corso, who was lost without his best friend present. However, he was also acting like a powder keg that could go off at any minute and no one could talk him down like Sonny did. And Sonny being missing, was the reason for Corsos current behaviour. Bennett hoped they found their leader and friend soon. For theirs and everyone standing between Corso and Sonny's sake. Corso took place in front of the screen as Duke Maddox appeared.

"You!" Corso said, having a hard time, not outright snarling.

"Where is Sonny? I need to speak to him. "Duke Maddox asked. Corso gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.

"Why don't you tell me where Sonny is? You were the one that sent out that Bounty Hunter after him. A new, hidden contract on Sonnys capture. We never should have trusted you. If any harm comes to him, you are next to feel my wrath" He hissed.

"What?! This is impossible. What happened?!"Duke Maddox asked loudly.

"Don't play dumb with me. A bounty hunter, hired by Technoid, hunted him down. You paid ten million for his capture, this time a professional took it on. He took Sonny a week ago. I suspect he is in Technoid custody now. If anything happenes to Sonny, you're dead within the week. Or do you deny ordering a bounty hunter to track him down and have him captured, being held at an undisclosed destination?" Corso threatened. Duke Maddox realized he wasn't joking.

"I had nothing to do with that contract. I never set a bounty for ten million on Sonny, I wouldnt be talking to you now if I already had him. I'll arrange a meeting with us, you won't risk getting arrested. I have some information on who has done this. It's so obvious." Duke Maddox informed.

"I'm just happy you admit to your incompetence" Corso said as he realized Duke Maddox had nothing to do with Sonny's capture. He could help them though, finding out what happened and where they needed to look for him. "You better not be lying. Sonny's gone so you'll have to deal with me and I don't feel like being kind to you. If anything happens to him, I'm coming for you. This goes double for that bounty hunter you hired. I don't care what Sonny says about playing nice. That said, priority number one is to find Sonny and free him. Even if it takes having to work with the likes of you to do it" he spat. Duke Maddox nodded.

"I have the documents we need, and if I'm right, I have the building plans for where he's held captive. It's heavily guarded. In a location where they think he wont be found" he explained.

Corso nodded.

"It makes sense when they've paid ten million for his capture. And the contract was just strange… "

Corso made up his mind.

"We'll share what we have in exchange for your help to find and free Sonny." He said with a deep sigh. Duke Maddox looked serious.

"You better get here fast. If I'm right about things, we don't have much time. whomever is behind this abduction and contract, may have ulterior motives for capturing Sonny. I will get all documents ready by the time you get here. I hope I am wrong about their intentions towards him" he said.

Corso nodded as he ended the call.

"Bennett, get team two and three ready, Artie and D'Jok as well." He ordered. Bennett nodded.

"What about Callie?" He asked. Corso nodded.

"Bring her too, it is time she sees Technoid's true face."

On Akillian, Sonny was led into a building on the Technoid Akillian base that was appearing very new. He had been here before, this was where it had all started. Sonny tried not to dwell on it. He just needed to focus on trying to escape. Kieran led him into a building, and towards an elevator. Sonny put on a stone-cold expression. They entered an elevator and Sonny could feel they were going underground. Felt fitting for a bunch of rats. As the elevator stopped, Kieran ordered him to move through a tunnel and stopped him at the end. Miller appeared from a panel door on the side.

"Mister O'Keefe, it's a pleasure to see you again." He said before he turned to Sonny.

"Mister Blackbones, it's an honor. You've caused a lot of problems for us, making it a necessity to detain you indefinitely. Your men wont meddle in our affairs with you imprisoned" He said. Sonny looked him over. This was not the man behind the hostile Technoid takeover. He didn't quite know why he felt like that. Something about him didn't feel like the leader type. The word 'flunky' came to Sonny's mind. But he had no need to speak to him, at least not yet.

"Not one for talking, I see," Miller said with mock kindness. Sonny didn't reply. He just observed his situation, trying to figure out a way out of it. Keiran stepped forward. He grabbed Sonny by the cuffs of his hands, stopping him from moving forwards.

"Not so fast. I'm not handing him over until I get my pay." He said. Miller smirked.

"Of course, a deal is a deal." He said as he pointed at two suitcases at his feet.

"Open them. Let me see that I'm not being conned." Kieran said still holding Sonny back. Miller nodded and opened the suitcases to reveal the money. As soon as Kieran was satisfied, he placed his hand on Sonny's back, pushing him forward as he handed the keys to his handcuffs to Miller. "There, he's all yours." he said as Sonny took a step forwards. Keiran picked up the suitcases, but he had one last warning for the Technoid represenative Miller.

"Remember what I said Mr Miller. If any harm comes to him, the Pirates will be pissed. They will find you and make you pay. If you are honest about what you claim, stick to it" Kieran said as he turned to Sonny one last time. "Sorry Sonny, I hope they'll treat you well and honor their words for once" he said. Sonny sent him a look that spoke volumes. This wasn't over, and Sonny hoped Kieran slept with one eye open. The Pirates would be on his ass sooner rather than later. As Keiran left,The Technoid robots of Miller surrounded him and led him down a hallway in the tunnel as he followed Miller. When they reached a door, Miller stopped. He ordered Sonny to step forwards and into the room before he removed his handcuffs.

"I hope you will enjoy your new home, Sonny. It's custom made for you and has all the luxuries of a high-class Technoid apartment. As soon as you've settled in, we can begin the process of preparing you for the next stage " he said. Those words made Sonny break his silence.

"What process?" He asked. Miller didn't say anything as he just locked the door behind him. No surprise there. The lights came on in the room and Sonny shielded his eyes for a moment, adjusting.

"No one told you the real reason you're here?" Miller asked from behind a two-way mirror. Sonny gritted teeth.

"I didn't ask." He said through the mirror. Miller smirked.

"Things will be clear to you soon Sonny. It's no accident you're here. But don't worry, we'll make sure you'll be taken care of. For the first stage of the process, you will be kept isolated. This will make you easier to work with. As soon as you are ready, we can start stage 2" He said. Sonny let out a sarcastic laugh.

"I don't know what you are up to yet, but it won't be enough to break me. You have no idea what kind of training I've had. Any Technoid program made, The pirates has counter measures for." He said. Miller nodded.

"I know, Mister Blackbones. When you're ready, you'll be fully assimilated to will be a real blessing to have our best scientist back ."he informed. Sonny looked at him, hands on the two-way mirror.

"What? You think I will work for Technoid again, you are even crazier than I thought" He asked. Miller nodded.

"Soon Sonny, you'll forget all about the hardships that you had with the Pirates, even your Pirate name. All of these things will soon be nothing more than a distant memory. We have been worried about you, I'Son. We know what happened made you confused and hateful, but trust us, we will help you get back to your normal self. You are in good hands here" he promised.

Duke Maddox looked at Corso as he pulled up the file in question. Corso read it.

"Who's this guy?" He asked, looking at the file. Duke Maddox sighed.

"He's the highest-ranking professor we have within Technoid. One of our best. He has been doing studies on artificial Flux for years and lately, he has taken an interest in mixing Fluxes." he explained.

Corso nodded.

"He's working in the same field as Sonny then. Did they ever meet?" he asked.

Duke Maddox nodded.

"He was Sonny's mentor after Bleylock. He was the one that taught Sonny how to create artificial Flux. The basic skills for the process anyway. The process in its entirety is only known by Sonny himself. He's a very dangerous man and must be stopped." Duke Maddox explained.

Corso nodded.

"And where does the abduction of Sonny play into this?" He asked. Duke Maddox nodded.

"Professor Montague was hired by Miller. He's the real danger here,a disgruntled emplyee and boardmember, big fan of Bleylocks work. If he comes to power, he may take over the entire Galaxy. I've found out he has siphoned off money from other projects to build a special compound at the Akillian plant. This building is not approved. As I obtained maps and building plans, I saw it had a high level of activity for an area that's used as storage." he said, putting the plans on screen in front of the pirates.

Corso nodded again as he saw the plans. D'Jok looked over the building plans as well.

"There's a lot of movement underground. Is this in real-time?" He asked.

Duke Maddox nodded.

"Yes, there's a high level of activity on sublevel 9. It looks like a single person apartment with access to a laboratory that is also sealed off. I would say it looks like a rather luxurious prison cell." he said.

Callie agreed.

"Could that where Sonny is being held captive? What do they want from him?" She asked. Duke Maddox nodded.

"This is where it becomes frightening Im afraid. A few months ago, the files of a classified project were stolen. Looks like they want to use him as a guinea test a project that was closed down. I am aware it has happened before but not with someone like Sonny" he admitted.

Corso tensed up. This felt like a clue to what lay in store for Sonny.

"Start talking." He ordered.

Sonny was inspecting his prison thoroughly. It seemed solid enough from the inside. They also didn't take his devices from him, either they thought Kieran did it or they were sloppy. Or they suspected this place to be escape proof. Too bad for them then. Sonny checked his transmitter. Being this deep underground, he wasn't sure the signal would get through, but it signalled that it was connected to Corso's transmitter. That meant he was already looking for him. In the meantime, Sonny had to make sure he knew his surroundings. For a prison, he had been allowed a fair amount of freedom. The place had hallways that reminded him of plastic tubes that a lab rat would run around in. Technoid was no stranger to using former employees or enemies as a guinea pig. Once he had finished inspecting his surroundings, Sonny decided to look at what he could do to pass time. Sonny took off his red jacket and his boots. He had time to kill while he waited for help. This was a good time to focus on his Tai Chi practice. It had been a while since last time he had practised it. Sonny took a few deep breaths, centering himself and closed his eyes. The masters of the Elder council of the Pirates trained him in this,to be led by his inner vision, rather than rely on his physical sight alone. Sonny felt strangely peaceful as he started the exercises.

At an observation room in the Akillian plant, the professor watched Sonny doing his Tai Chi. Miller entered the room.

"How is he adjusting to isolation so far?" He asked. The professor turned to him.

"For now, he is calm, much calmer than expected. It's not going to be easy to break him. We have no idea of the kind of training he received from the Pirates when he was selected for training as their future leader. From what I can tell, he will fight this process. Hard. He is smart, a brillian scientist, but an extremely dangerous adversary" He said. Miller nodded.

"You know quite a lot about him." He said. The professor nodded.

"I do Mister Miller. He was my best student.I have seen his work and how he does it. His diciplin back then was uncanny. He could have gone very far if Bleylock hadn't messed everything up for him. It's a good thing he's detained with regard to his field of expertise. If he knew of the current Flux mixes we have here, he could easily put a stop to our plans. As long as we can send the Pirates footage of him being unharmed, assuring them he is alive, well and will remain so as long as they do as we say, they will not pose a risk to our plan. They wont risk harm coming to him. I am recording his moves as we speak, to prepare the first message and sign of life to send the pirates. They are a big risk factor as of now" He said. Miller nodded before he looked at Sonny, who looked very relaxed.

"What about him? Is he a risk factor to our plan as of now?" He asked. The professor nodded.

"I can create the most powerful mixes of Flux that has ever been made. A galactic takeover will be easy, and the Flux society can do nothing to stop me. The only man that can, is the one we're watching right now. If he gets suspicious of our activities, I would not sleep well with him not being restrained at night. If he finds any weakness at all, he will use it to his advantage" He said. Miller looked at Sonny, who was moving around, eyes closed. There was no hesitation in his movements, it was fluid.

"I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him." He said. The professor nodded.

"I need him isolated for several weeks before we can start working on him. Sonny will fight this with all he has. The only way to win is by wearing him down. And that is sure to take time" He said.

Corso read the file Duke Maddox had on the stolen project. He looked at Duke Maddox seriously.

"I hate to do this but we need your help." He said. Duke Maddox nodded.

"I will bring my robots Corso. Sonny must be freed as soon as possible, the longer he is held captive, the less chance there is that the process can be reversed." he said.

Callie looked at Bennett. The pirates all had a look of concern on their faces when they heard this.

"What does that mean?" She asked, not sure she wanted the answer. Duke Maddox looked at her, somewhat confused as to why she was there. Corso decided to tell The Duke the truth of Callies status.

"She's Sonny's girlfriend. She's involved and deserves to know. Especially with how things are now. Sonny would not keep her out of the loop" Corso said. Duke Maddox nodded as he looked at Callie.

"I'm happy for the two of you. I'm sure the two of you will make a great couple. I hope we will be able to free him in time, that he will still be himself." he said

Callie frowned when she heard that.

"Explain please." She said as Duke Maddox nodded.

"I'll do so while we're on our way to Akillian. We can use the flight time there to look into matters."He said as Corso nodded.

"You will come with us. Bring your robots, we can manage the extra load. What matters is to find and free Sonny. The Black Manta is the fastest ship in our fleet. She will get us there in no time." He said.

Sonny was taking a walk inside his confined space, nothing much to do in here, but he sensed there was a purpose to the silence. His first guess was that it was part of breaking their opponents , they dealt with the leader of the pirates now, and he was trained in how to survive just this kind of treatment. That made him smirk. The Pirates had rescued enough people to know of this tactic. Their leaders and captains were trained to deal with prolonged exposure. Sonny checked the walls as he walked through the hallways. Then he stopped. There was a door to his right that he missed earlier. It could be a way out and he had time to spare. May as well try to escape now. If he made it out, he had contacts here on Akillian, Aarch, the snow kids, someone would help him stay hidden till Corso and the others could arrive. Sonny put his hand on the door, not expecting much to happen, as it silently slid aside.

The lights came on and Sonny was looking into a fully equipped laboratory. This made him raise an eyebrow. What was the purpose of that? Allowing a former scientist access to a fully equipped laboratory sounded like a bad idea. While he was here, why not have a look at what toys were available? Sonny stepped into the laboratory. As he went through the airlock, he found a locker. His old name, I'Son, was the name tag used on the equipment he found. It dawned on Sonny what their plan was. He heard about the project but didn't know if it was ever used. Maybe he should have paid more attention to what was going on around him. But he had his projects and devoted all his time to them and his wife.

A flicker of a screen made him look up as a written message appeared.

"Put on the coat" it read.

Sonny suppressed a laugh. Technoid had no idea what they were up against. This was an excellent time to put his Pirates training to the test. Sonny silently did as he was asked. He would comply as long as it benefitted him, not a second longer. He had no problems recognizing his old Technoid attire. Having changed clothes, Sonny stepped into the light. He looked at the screen again. The message had changed.

"Good, you're still able to take orders. You've earned a reward." it read.

Sonny had to try not to laugh. This just became a battle of wits. This could be kind of fun. It had been a while since he played a good game. He started to investigate the contents of the laboratory. What a pirate saw as a reward was wastly different from Technoid. Curious to what the reward would be, Sonny awaited the next message.

Miller looked at the professor.

"How long are we going to keep him isolated? He's a clever one." He said. The professor nodded.

"Sonny Blackbones is not just physically fit, he is exceptionally strong mentally, as well. It will take weeks to break his defenses." He said. Miller nodded.

"Won't it cause irreparable damage to his mind to keep him completely isolated over long time?" He asked. The professor nodded.

"With anyone else, this would have been the case. but Sonny Blackbones is different. He trained with the Pirates, he has been their leader for over twenty-five years. He's truly an amazing subject. He is trained to withstand all of our methods, the question is just how long he can do it. We will need to study him first to find out how to go about re-assimilating him. The mind is a dangerous thing to tamper with, we must proceed with caution, so we don't cause irreparable damage. He's very valuable to our cause if we can manage to reprogram him to our specifications. It may be a good idea to allow my old student, I'Son some human contact. Through the screen of course." he suggested.

Corso finished reading through the file on the classified project. He looked white as a sheet when he looked back at Duke Maddox.

"How long has this project been running?" He asked, looking at Duke Maddox, deadly serious. Duke Maddox looked down in shame.

"For about two decades. About the same time..." he started

"The same time Sonny took a seat as our leader. Is this what you had planned from the start if he was ever captured? Forcing him back into the company he ran away from, fearing for his own life, causing the death of his wife, through mind control?" Corso's tone of voice revealed just how much anger he tried to suppress. Duke Maddox remained silent as he looked down. Corso was shaking with anger now.

"Taught so." He hissed through his teeth. Now they knew what had been in store for Sonny if he was captured. An identity crisis was a major possibility. Corso checked his transmitter, still locked onto Sonny's coordinates. He quickly switched over to check Sonny's health. Pulse was calm, health stats normal, as was his heart rate. Whatever was going on, Sonny was managing to cope. For now.

"Hang in there Sonny, we're on our way." he said.

Sonny knew he had several possible options available with the liquids in front of him. Should he ever need to make extra weapons to escape, he had all the tools available. His gaze fell on a picture on the desk.

Helena.

Sonny felt like someone punched him in the gut. He'd done his best to deal with the ghosts of the past, moving forward with D'Jok. Helena was not here anymore. Even if she had been, she would have told him to move forward with Callie. It dawned on Sonny that nothing of his identity as Sonny was around. It dawned on him what Miller said; reassimilation to the company. They tried to treat him as if he was still I'Son. Sonny still had sides to his personality that were like I'Son but those sides had grown very faint and weak. Sonny smiled for a moment. They wanted to play a game. He took the picture and looked at the screen.

"You have to try harder than that. I am far from breaking yet" He said as he put the picture down and crossed his arms. "Your move." He said. He didn't have to wait long for a reaction.

The screen started to flicker and a face appeared.

"Hello I'Son. It has been a while. I was worried the Pirates had hurt you." the other man said.

Sonny stared at the image.

"Professor Montague? You don't have to worry. The pirates never hurt me. Unlike Technoid. If anything, the pirates saved me when I had nowhere to go. They are at least honest, unlike Technoid" He said. The professor nodded.

"That is what you think, I'Son. The reality you live is a distorted image of the truth. We will show you what the truth is, during the next weeks." he said.

Sonny looked at his former mentor.

"First of all, Professor, anyone working with Technoid is not my friend and that raises a second question; why are you doing this? You are either forced or you are convinced they tell you the truth. You would be surprised to learn the truth of their deeds. I found out the hard way" He said. Professor Montague looked at him.

"I'm here to save you, I'Son. This was not how your carreer with Technoid was meant to end" he replied.

Sonny let out a laugh. Maybe it would be a good plan of action to humor his old mentor some and try to find out what they were planning.

"Save me? Really? Now that is a story worth listening to, I am all ears to hear this" He said. Professor Montague looked at him.

"I'Son, please listen to me..." he tried.

He was cut off by Sonny.

"My name is Sonny. Mister Blackbones if you want to get formal... I'Son is my past ,that I'm done with. And for the record, what I was trained to do, the knowledge I have acquired, I will use to make the galaxy a better place. You can't change that. If that is your plan, forget it. It wont work" Sonny said through gritted teeth.

Professor Montague looked at him.

"If you insist, 'Sonny Blackbones'." he said, sounding resigned.

Sonny nodded.

"It is my name and will stay that way." He said. Professor Montague nodded, looking resigned.

"Fine. I knew you would be a tough nut to crack. But I am hired to do a job. I'm sorry you are not more cooperative. What comes to pass, is on you now." he said.

Sonny stared back at him. This was a perfect opportunity to test the training he had, which hadn't been tested in years. He could even take notes. Sonny felt like a mischievous side of him was about to shine. They had no idea who they were dealing with. Sonny smirked.

"Ok Professor, for old times' sake. Let's play."

A/N: Let's stop there for now.

Sorry for the previous chapters kind of lacking a certain degree of action but there come times when those chapters become necessary to build the story further.

I know, some tedious details there, and off course, the blooming love story.

I have to admit, when I started this, I had not pictured Sonny and Callie to be this good a match.

I find it to flow more naturally than I imagined.

I've played around with several ideas, and I may use some of them in later chapters.

I would love to hear what my readers think, is this pairing to your liking?

Many thanks to my friend and beta reader Paranoidgirl, she's doing an outstanding job at beta reading my two ongoing fics.

I can't put into words how the help and suggestions she makes enhance the stories.

I have to emphasize that she sometimes has an even better understanding of Corso than I do. The one I feel I understand the best, would be Sonny off course.

Every time I read her beta-ed versions, I'm just in awe at how much she can elevate the conversations and the story with small suggestions.

If we had fan clubs for beta readers, I would join hers.

I hope you like the story so far, it is about to become a lot more action-packed.