Harlock paled as he heard that it was the Hunter brothers that had captured Falco and cursed angry as he heard of that they had done to their friends.
"Damn, I had hoped I would never hear that name again." Harlock cursed. Two of his old friends had been killed by them, back in the days of the Illumidas invasion.
"Meaning time is not on our side at all. It's a small wonder that they are alive still." Ligthing growled. He knew well the rumors of the hunter brothers and could not forget the sight of their friends that had been killed by them, when they came to late.
We can not be late again. Not again. Lighting growled to himself. Mimee looked to the wolf. Her hands were shaking as she remembered how bad Harlock had be tortured, and now Falco was going though the same thing. The mere fact that the hunters were torturing Fritz as well scared her, as she did not know humans could be so cruel to a child.
"Indeed, we will need to hurry. Lighting, let Fang and young Harlock know. We will head to cut them of. I fear we might not have time to wait for them to came to us." Harlock said and took his cape on as he started to go to the bridge.
He could feel Tochiro sr growl in anger, as it seemed the ship shook.
"Your friend is angry as well." Mimee said quietly. Harlock nodded and he and Lighting left the captain's room.
"Fang!" Ligthing sent out his voice hiding none of the anger in him.
"What wrong dad?" Fang asked worried. Lighting calmed down a little hearing his son's voice.
"Where are you? Have you picked up the hunter's ship on the radar yet?" He asked yet he knew that they had not got so far.
"Not yet, we are just left Jupiter behind us now. What has happened?" Fang asked.
"I just got word from my friend Mind. They are heading towards earth alright. I know I don't have to ask, but you have heard of the hunter brothers.. It turns out it's them who is holding our friends." Ligthing growled.
"The hunter brothers? Oh no... are they?" Fang asked as all his blood went cold hearing that name.
"Alive for now, but Falco got some bad rounds with the ring it would seem and they even tortured Fritz, just to tick of Falco." Lighting growled again.
"I'll rip them limb from limb." Fang snared angry.
"That we will son, but we need to get to them and fast. We are heading towards the meteor belt now. Hopefully we will lock them in." Ligning said snaring low.
"Right dad, I'll tell young Harlock." Fang snared.
"Just hurry." Lighting said as he finished to conversation.
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Falco was surprised to say the least as Hitteki returned into his room with his brothers. His black eyes glowed in hate and he was shot breathed. His face was twisted in anger. Falco quickly looked over to the other two brothers, and he became worried as he did. Haraise looked to his brother with worry in his eyes and Kataki looked unsure. Falco looked back to Hitteki. The hunter seemed to breath normal now but he was clearly still furious.
"What the HELL did you do?!" He screamed to the pirate. Falco narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
"Damn you!" Hitteki screamed and struck Falco to the ground. Falco coughed as blood from his wound came into his mouth.
"What... are you.. talking about?" Falco gasped as he forced his body back up to his knees.
"That ship of yours... A contact we have on Titan said that it took of shortly after your capture." Haraise said looking to the pirate with curiosity.
"What.. has that.. to do with... me?" Falco asked again, it was true hell to try and speak, his his cut hurt like hell as well as his neck. Hitteki growled in front of him and suddenly kicked Falco in the stomach. Falco coughed as the strike hit him and he nearly fell forward.
"Don't play dumb! You have some kind of tracker on you. Either you or your son has! Now you tell me were it is, or I'll beat it out of your son!" Hitteki growled to him.
"Let's just beat it out of him right now." Kataki came up to his brother standing in front of Falco.
"There... is no... tracker." Falco admitted. "I... have no... idea why... the Atlantis... took of." He gasped, hoping that if he did not lie about it, he could keep them from hurting Fritz. Kataki suddenly kicked Falco in his side, nearly tipping him over but Falco managed to hold himself up right. Falco was gasping for air.
"Lies! Tell the truth" He screamed to him.
"He was not lying, Kataki. That would mean the Atlantis took of for some other reason." Haraise said as he came out to them standing at Hitteki's left side. Falco looked up to him, his eyes glassy by pain but still strong and angry.
"What was the reason?" How could the Atlantis know that you were not on Titan any more?" Hitteki growled. Falco did not answer. If he told them that the wolf Mind was there, he would doom not just the wolf but as well himself and Fritz. He looked to the hunters coldly.
"Bastard!" Kataki growled and kicked him in the side again, this time Falco could feel one of his ribs break and he gasped up in pain, falling to the ground. Before he even landed, a kick hit him in his other side, and a rain of kicks and hits fell over him. All three of the hunter grinning like demons, as they stood over him, beating him up. Falco did not even now outer other noises then a few growls of pain.
Suddenly Hitteki kicked Faloc right in his right shoulder. Falco screamed out in pain, as he could feel his wound get ripped up. He could feel every seam on it get riped out, and he could feel the wound tear even more up. The hunters stopped as Falco screamed out and looked at him.
"Heh, we made him scream at last." Kataki grinned to his brothers.
"Finally, this one was a hard one to crack... Still I feel better now. It does not matter if the Atlantis is looking for him now or not. Even if the Atlantis contacts the Harlocks it would be to late. We will arrive earth in a few hours." Hitteki said, as he returned to his cold self.
"And then it would be the end for this pirate and his friends." Kataki grinned and kicked Falco one more time.
"Indeed... Well I need some food, all this exercise have mad me hungry." Hitteki said and turned to leave.
"Me too." Kataki said and followed his brother. Haraise looked at Falco lying on the floor. Falco lay on his right side, he was not far from passing out. He lay gasping for air, every muscle in his body hurt. Haraise's eyes widened as he suddenly saw that around Falco's right shoulder, the floor where colored red by the blood.
"Shit.." He cursed as the door closed, behind his brothers. he moved up to Falco and lifted him up, as that Falco was sitting supported to the wall. He walked up to the wall and locked up another panel in the wall. Pulling out a white scarf, he took it over to Falco and bandaged his shoulder with it.
"Why... are... you... helping... me?" Falco coughed out in pain as he looked to the hunter. Haraise met his eyes for a few seconds.
"I do not share my brothers blood and death lust. Believe me, if I was not doing things like this, we would not get paid. My brothers loves to hurt others, I just try to keep you and your son alive. They would have hurt your son a lot more by now, if I had not stopped them." His black eyes seemed pained as he said this.
"Fritz.." Falco gasped, cringing a bit in pain as the hunter tightened the bandage.
"Rest for now. I will see what i can do about sowing that wound later." Haraise said and stood up and left. Falco were left, wondering why Haraise tried to help them.
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Mind growled something was very wrong. He could feel Falco was being hurt by the hunters. Still he had to put it behind him, as he walked up to the door where Fritz where. Scraping on the door to tell them he was there, he looked around one more time.
"Mind?" Silvereye asked.
"It's me. Are you two okey?" He asked worried.
"Yeah. They have not been back here. What about dad?"
"He is okey, he is feeling hope. Harlock and the others are coming. They are not far of now." Mind answered. Fritz smiled glad hearing this and Silvereye came with a muffled yip of joy.
"What can we do, I don't want to just sit here and do nothing." Silvereye whined.
Mind had to smile.
"And you wont. I am getting you out of there now." Mind said. Fritz and Silvereye looked to each other. Fritz smiled.
"I need your help to do this. Fritz, behind you there should be an air went on the wall." Mind said remembering the room next to them.
"Yeah, its there." Fritz said.
"See if you can pull of the bars in front of it. I know it will be hard, but try." Mind said feeling every hit Falco felt. Fritz took hold of the bars and pulled even as much as it hurt in his wrist. He suddenly pulled it of.
"Ow." Fritz cursed, as he landed hard on the floor as it came lose.
"Are you okey?" Mind asked quickly, as he heard the boy land.
"Yeah, just got surprised, thats all." The boy answered honestly.
"Now what?" Fritz asked as he came up to the went and looked into it. It were a small went with two ways to go.
"Pick up Silvereye and lift him into the went." Mind said calm. Fritz lifted his wolf friend up and let him into the went.
"Where do I go?" Silvereye asked looking to his left and right.
"Head to the right, you should come to a office room of some sort." Mind said and moved up too the door on the right side of the door Fritz were in.
"I am here. If I ram into the bars hard enough, it should come lose right?" The cub asked and slammed into the bars on the inside.
"Careful, Silvereye!" Fritz called looking after his friend, as he heard the slam in the bars.
"Don't overdo it." Mind said, feeling bad for leaving this to the cub. Silvereye rammed into it a couple more times, not giving up even as much as it hurt in his head and shoulders now.
Suddenly to the cubs surprise the bars came lose and the bars as well as the young cub fell to the floor with a loud bang.
"Silvereye! Are you okey?" Mind asked, fearing for the cub.
"Ow, yeah I had no idea how high up I was. What now?" He asked looking around a little.
"Go to the door. there should be a button on your side to open the door." Mind said. Silvereye looked to the door. Just as the elder wolf said there was a button next to the door. Jumping up a couple of times, he managed to put his paw to it.
As the door opened, Mind froze as he saw the young cub. His silver grey fur and markings reminded him instantly of Silver flash. The cubs head were bleeding after slamming into the bars like he had, and he could see how the rope were cutting into his skin. But what really froze him fast, was the silver grey eye he had. Looking into this familiar eye, the elder wolf feel into a world of sorrow.
"Mind?" Silvereye asked, seeing the elder wolf froze. Mind shook his head realizing that he was staring on the cub. He smiled kindly.
"Good work little one, lets get that rope of you." He said and carefully took his fangs around it. With on quick bit the rope snapped and Mind carefully pulled it free. Silvereye opened his jaws a couple of times.
"Thank you, it was starting go numb." He growled. Mind smiled a little and moved up to the desk. Taking what looked like a card he turned to the cub again.
"Lets get your master out of there, shall we?" He smiled and lead the cub back to the door.
"Fritz!" Silvereye called.
"Silvereye! Are you okey!" Fritz asked, hearing his wolf talk normal again. Mind jumped up and used the card on the door making it open up. As the door opened Silvereye ran up to Fritz again. Mind walked in behind him. The elder wolf got a look of worry as he saw how the hunters had treated Fritz. His cheek was bleeding and so was his neck and wrists.
"Let me get those chains of you." Mind said and walked up to his hands. He looked at the cuffs for a little while, and then carefully placed his fangs around it. Again he only did one swift bit and the chain came of like nothing.
"Thank you." Fritz said and turned to the cub next to him in the bed. "Silvereye, your head!" Fritz said, and lifted Silvereye up looking to the wound on the cubs forehead.
"I am okey, don't worry about it." Silvereye said.
"Let's get your dad. " Mind said. as he gave Fritz the key card, he could still feel how the hunters were beating up Falco.
As he led them out of the room and a little down the hall, suddenly Mind tripped as his right shoulder screamed out in pain and gave in, he uttered a painful sound as he fell. As he landed all three of them could hear Falco's scream.
"Dad!" Fritz called, scared.
"Mind, sir are you okey?" Silvereye asked as Mind forced himself up again.
"I am okey, we need to hurry." He said, as he forced himself on.
"What are they doing to my dad?" Fritz asked as they hurried down the hall.
"You don't want to know kid," Mind cursed, as he could feel his shoulder hurt like that.
Suddenly he jumped back, pushing Fritz and the cub back into the hall, they here leaving. Mind growled low as he saw Hitteki and Kataki leave in the hall further down. They were laughing and enjoying themself. He could feel both the boy and cub tense up in anger.
"Easy you two. The time for revenge will come." He said low in mind speak and he saw Haraise leave as well. As the hunters had left he turned to the two.
"Stay here, I will see that it is clear." Mind said and moved into the hall were the hunters had been. Listening intensely he noticed that hey had left.
"It's clear." He called to them and they came up to him.
"Listen to me now you two. This door will only open to a human, so Fritz you have to open the door for me. I will go in first. I know you want to see Falco as soon as possible, but I have to make sure that they have left. Silvereye, I need you to be my eyes and ears now. Keep Fritz safe. Let me know if they are returning, and hide if they do." He said serious. The two looked disappointed to not be allowed in right way, but Silvereye nodded proud that Mind trusted him so much. Fritz nodded as well and opened the door. Before the door got open all the way, Mind jumped in and blocked any views the two could see. As the door closed, he sighed.
For now it will be better if they do not see what state Falco is in. I have no idea of what is waiting me here. he turned around and looked around. The sight that met him, terrified the wolf more, than he belived it would. Falco sat up against a wall, passed out. His right shoulder was a bloody mess and the white scarf over it was covered in blood, the ring around his neck had maked some bad burn marks. Mind moved carefully up to him and whined seeing the cut across his face.
"Falco... Can you hear me? It's me, Mind. Please Falco, wake up." He whined and carefully nodded his head with his nose.
To his relive Falco suddenly growled in pain. He painfully opened his eyes and looked into a couple of dark blue eyes.
"Fang?" He asked confused. As his eyes cleared up a bit, he saw the the marking of lighter black fur was different from Lighting and Fang.
"It's me, Mind." Mind said, glad to see the pirate return to himself. "Are you okey?" He asked worried.
"Fritz!" Falco suddenly called out, fearing what the hunters would do to him.
"Dad!" Fritz called out side the door.
"I got him out like I promised." Mind smiled as he saw Falco's face as he heard his sons voice.
"Come in you two." Mind said smiling as the door opened. Fritz looked shocked at first but ran up to his dad, throwing himself around his neck.
"Dad!" Fritz cried. Falco cringed in pain, but his face was relived, seeing his son as good as unharmed.
"Could you sit up a little?" Mind asked, seeing his hand were still bound behind his back. "I'll get those of you." He said and nodded to the cuffs. Falco nodded and painfully liftet himslef up enought for the wolf to get behind his back and bit of the cuffs. Falco took his left hand around his son. His rigth was hanging lifeless at his side and was as good as useless to him.
"Easy fritz, I okey. I am glad to see that your are okey." Falco smiled and ruffled his son's hair, as his son looked up at him with tears in his eyes. Silvereye whined next to him, worried and glad at the same time.
"Don't worry. He will be okey." Mind said coming up to the cub and smiled down to him.
"Thank you, Mind." Falco said, smiling faintly to the wolf. Mind smiled.
"Don't thank me yet, we are not safe yet. We can't stay here." He said. "Can you walk Falco? I know here we can go, but we need to get moving." Mind said bringing seriousness back to the room. Falco nodded slowly.
"It is only my shoulder that is useless. I'll walk as long as it is needed." He said as he got back up with Fritz help.
"Good, then lets go." Mind smiled and walked out the door and listened for the hunters. He turned to the others and nodded. Silvereye followed next to the elder wolf and had his ears sharpened for any sound of the hunters. Falco followed supporting himself to the wall but made sure that it was his left shoulder that touched the hall to not make a track for the hunters to follow.
"Where are we going? Towards the hangar?" Falco gasped as he walked. Mind turned his head and shook it.
"No, I we would try to take of in a ship, they would be over us long before we would get anywhere. The hangar would also be the first place they will look for you, when they find that you are missing. No, I am taking you to the last place they will look." Mind said, smiling a bit. Falco looked at him confused. Mind suddenly stopped and listened. He growled low and took to the left. Leading them away from where he could here the three hunters argue over their food.
Silvereye growled angry.
"Easy little one, like I said, the time for revenge will come. Be patient." Mind said to him, smiling a little.
"Dad can't keep walking for much longer. Mind, where are we going?" Fritz asked worried. Mind looked to Falco's pale face.
"We are almost there, just a little further." He said looking down the hall. Falco nodded and moved on.
"There." Mind said, as he had lead them to a room in the far back of the ship. Falco looked down to Mind with a look of curiosity.
"The captain's room?" He asked confused. Mind smiled and moved up to the door.
"Last place you'll look right?" He smiled and opened it. Falco laughed a little.
"Yes last place any one would look." He smiled as he lead his son into the room. He closed the door behind him and locked it. Moving over to a chair, he sat down and sighed in relief and pain.
"Fritz, help me with this." Mind said, and the two of them pulled a desk over to the door, making it even harder to open the door. Mind nodded to the boy and walked over to Falco.
"Sorry for the long walk." He whined sitting down in front of him. Falco smiled and looked to Fritz and Silvereye that were walking around looking at different things. He turned his head back to the wolf and smiled.
"Thats okey, at least we are safe for now." Falco said and petted Mind over the head. The elder wolf smiled and closed his eyes.
Suddenly a sound in the hall made Mind spin around, snaring. The hunter Kitteki was returning to his room. Mind snaring ready to protect his new found friends with his life. To their surprise and relief suddenly an alarm were blaring, making the hunter run down the hall, towards the brigde.
"Seemes like one of the pirate ships have arrived." Mind smiled turning to Falco. He smiled faintly.
"Dad! Look what we found!" Fritz came up to his father, holding and gun. Falco took it from him and smiled.
"Good work you two, we might just need it yet." Falco smiled.
Authors note:
Yes another chapter done, and now things are really getting interesting right?
btw forgot to put this in the last chapter's authors note but gemini found the names for the hunter brothers. this is what they mean as they are japance names:
Haraise: Revenge
Kataki: Enemy, rival, foe, revenge, enmity, grudge, feud, harm
Hitteki: Rival, equal
thanks gemini.
hopefully the next chapter will come in not to long as well, since it would finally seem I am out of the writers block woods with this one. One or two more chapters will be following up I think.
Look forward to it. (",)
Feel free to tell me how I did.
Ligthingtooth