Wood Oak City was caught in a citywide shower. The rain did not just pour. It beat down, pounding against the pavement without remorse. Rain was everywhere; every surface on every building had been coated in a dreary shine as a result of the deluge. Water streamed into drains happy to gurgle it down. Those unlucky enough to be caught in the downpour rushed home in the safety of their cars or shielded themselves with umbrellas that were not nearly big enough.

To Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding and Eddie Hunter, the rain outside was little more than soft pitter-pattering against glass. They were so jovial that even rumbling thunder did not provoke more than a quick glance from Eddie who was by far the youngest among them.

"Again! Again! Tell me the story of how you guys and my big brother stopped Mr X!" He pleaded with childlike eagerness. As attractive as she could be fierce, Blaze cocked an eyebrow at him with a quizzical smile.

"Really? Again? The whole thing?" Even if both she and Axel had enjoyed their time on the streets, she didn't fancy recounting the story for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"Maybe later, Eddie. The less said about him the better. Let's just enjoy ourselves " Axel said, raising a glass in celebration. Eddie's cup was filled with orange juice as opposed to wine.

"A toast. To a safe Wood Oak City." "To a safe Wood Oak City!"

The others cheered whilst their glasses clinked. Blaze was the first to eye it but Eddie grabbed a slice of recently ordered pepperoni pizza. Pizza was not the only food they had available; all manners of food from garlic bread, cookie dough, to burgers were spread out before them.

"Speaking of your brother, he was supposed to be here a while ago. Where is he anyway?" Axel asked, sounding as if he was more worried than curious. Eddie's mouth was much too full with cheese to offer any proper answer, only shrugging in response.

"Don't worry," Blaze reassured, placing a comforting arm on the man's shoulder, "He's probably just caught in the rain. I'm sure he's fine. Let's just watch some TV." As if their very words were cursed, the television transitioned to black-and-white buzz and then to an appalling sight. A spotlight shone on a dimly lit room, revealing their closest friend writhing about on the floor as he helplessly tried to escape the tight ropes strung around him. They did not budge at all to his brute force.

Adam had been kidnapped.

They were enraged by the obvious fact. So enraged in fact that they had failed to notice another captive; a woman with cherry curls that extended ever so slightly past her waist. Their mouths had been covered by tape. Screams of terror came out as muffled cries of desperation. Axel sprang up from his chair and tightened his fists. He knew all too well who the figure shrouded by darkness was. The group watched, equal parts captivated and equal parts horrified. He wasn't supposed to be alive. He was supposed to be dead.

"Good evening, all. I imagine seeing myself is quite the surprise." Only half of Mr X's face remained shadowed which only served to emphasise his dark smile. Blaze wished badly to punch him through the TV box and wipe that smug grin off his face, and Eddie more so. Quite the surprise indeed. A very unwelcome surprise.

"As we are all aware of, the Syndicate's first attempt to seize control of this city did not end in success. Axel Stone banded together with two other ex-police officers, effectively putting an end to our operations. However, contingencies are in place, and I am afraid we will not be caught off-guard on our second attempt." A dark, hulking creature stood next to him. Its giant, almost demonic tongue suggested that whatever it was, it was far from being human and looked strong enough to tear a man limb from limb. The creature emitted an odious growl and Eddie gulped.

"Anyone is welcome to try and stop us." Axel felt as if the half-shadowed man was looking directly at him. "And you will, Axel. If you want any hope of getting your precious Adam back!" Mr X and the thing next to him cackled. Video feed turned to eerie static, and Axel's anger rose to a boiling point. He swung a fist towards the TV with enough force to split it in two. He hung his head, knuckles clamped so hard they had gone white. Both he and Blaze did not shed a tear. Violence and the saddest of tragedies had surrounded their lives ever since joining the force. But Eddie was just a child. He knew very little of tragedy and even less of the criminal world from Axel's stories. Those stories were real, and that fact was painfully clear now.

"That's it." Axel's smile was completely gone. He walked towards the door without so much as a backwards glance. "Get your gloves on Blaze. We're going."

Much to their shock, Eddie appeared between them, fighting back a dam of tears.

"That's my brother Mr X has kidnapped! I gotta go out an' save him with you guys!" Axel opened his mouth so as to speak before Blaze stopped him. She knelt down to Eddie's level and attempted to comfort him with a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Look, Eddie. I understand how you're feeling right now, and how much you want to take action, but you're just a kid. It's way too dangerous out there for someone your age.

"Just a kid, huh? Fine! If you guys wanna look down on me, then I'll just go out on my own!" No longer could he fight back. Droplets filled his eyelids and tears streaked down his face like running mascara.

Axel seemed as if he would have allowed Eddie to just coast past the two had it not been for the look Blaze gave him. Shaking his head, sighing, then hesitating some more, he called out reluctantly: "Wait."

Eddie turned away from the door.

"Alright. You can come with us, but we're not letting you out of our sights for so long as a second, and you don't do anything without us telling you to. Understand?"

He nodded and faked a sulk. Eddie tried his best to not look excited but couldn't help letting a slight grin slip. He was beyond excited. Finally, a chance to prove that he wasn't just Adam's little brother and was every bit as capable as him. And a chance to fight crime himself instead of merely hearing the fables. His happiness lent well with his innocence; something Blaze and Axel had little of. If being on the force had hardened them, dealing with hordes upon hordes of Mr X's underlings had turned them to stone. They were not excited. They were ready. Ready to do what had to be done. Axel fastened his headband, looking on either side of him.

"Ready?"

"Ready", they both confirmed.

And so, once again, Axel Stone and Blaze Fielding set forth on the streets of rage..with Eddie skating close behind them.