Thanks again To EmperorDraco7 for beta reading my story and giving me your Feedback

Foreword: This chapter picks up at the end of the last battle, with subsequent destruction of Heliopolis. The Shadow is still missing, so where is it?

Disclaimer: i don't own Anything except forRyan Black The Shadow, Eric Torrico, The Black Hawk, and Roxanne Smythe

Chapter Three:

Serpent's Strike

Newly Formed Heliopolis Debris Field:

James groaned as he came to. "Someone get the License plate to that Space Colony that hit me." He rubbed his head and shook the fogginess from his head and began to assess the situation. His eyes widened in horror as he realized he failed to keep the colony safe. The man punched the screen of his machine and noticed a beacon light that was flashing. He flew over and said, "Well, well, well What do we have here?" He saw the cockpit of a destroyed GINN. Ryan grabbed it and boosted to the opposite side of the debris belt. He tried to find the comm frequency of the machine. "Pilot of the GINN are you alive?" He tapped the cockpit and The young blonde inside groaned and heard someone ask if he was okay. He groaned again in pain and said, "Yes I am? Where am I?" The Shadow took off to the Ship that was coming into sight. James smiled and said, "I am taking you somewhere to get help. Are you injured?" The younger pilot said, "Other than a splitting headache I feel fine." Then he noticed blood drip into his face. "I am bleeding." He grimaced and said, "The name is Miguel Aiman not pilot by the way. Where are you taking me?" James nodded and said. "I am James Black a mercenary from Serpent's Tail working for Morgenroete. I am taking you to our HQ to get treated. Get some rest we are almost to the ship now." Miguel nodded, "But what will happen to me after that?" James said, "We will talk later. Rest for now." "Okay," Miguel said in defeat and closed his eyes as the Shadow boarded the unknown ship. The doctors took Miguel to the infirmary and began treating him. Ryan watched him go and sighed. Just then a man he knew came up and said, "Ah Ryan welcome back to the ship." Ryan smiled and shook his. "Ah Professor Kato it is good to see you again. What are you doing here?" Kato laughed and said, "Good to see you too, I was on my way back from seeing Un No for you. When we picked up your encrypted message. We were the closest ship to will be at HQ in two hours." Ryan nodded and said, "Good so why did you see Master Un No for me? I havent seen him in four years." Professor Kato smiled and pointed to a package carefully strapped to the wall and said, "Something for us to hardwire to the Shadow, for your use as I know how much you like them." Ryan smiled and said, "Is that what I think it is?" The older man said, "Yes it is your new Gerbera Strait Katana." Ryan whistled and said, "We will take care of it when we get back to the base." Kato nodded.

In the Infirmary:

Miguel woke up with his head bandaged and his arm in a sling. He looked at the other bed and had a feeling of familiarity come over him, but couldn't figure out why. He stood up and the doctor did some final checks and said, "Ryan is waiting for you." Miguel raised his eyebrows. "Who?" The doctor said, "Oh sorry I mean James is waiting for you in the hangar." Miguel nodded as two armed gurads led him to the Hangar. The doctor turned his attention to the young man still on the bed and continued to examine his vitals and the wound in his shoulder. He shook his head and said, "I hope you survive my boy, you have the potential that Master Ryan is looking for." The boy groaned and shifted slightly. The doc said, "Easy young man. You had quite the day today."

Hangar:

Ryan stood there with his arms crossed and his military uniform's sleeves once again rolled up past his elbows as he has always done before becoming James. He left them down to cover his tattoos on his arms. Ryan dropped his arms. The tattoos on his right forearm were a katana broken in four pieces that had a banner saying Death Before Dishonor, the other was a Dragon coiled around his arm breathing fire around a cross on his right bicep that said RIP Dad. His Left fore arm had a Vampyre Ankh(A gothic version of an ancient egyptian ankh.) On his left bicep was a tasmanian devil in a grim reaper outfit. Then on the entire length of his left arm was covered in dark clouds. Miguel walked in and said, "James you were looking for me." James smiled and said, "My name is Ryan Ford former Lieutenant Commander of the Earth Alliance, thought dead and now returned. My own side tried to kill me." Miguel gasped, "But why would they try to do that?" Ryan turned to him after pulling his contacts out and revealing his Hazel eyes. Miguel took a second look and understood what it was he did. Ryan said, "Because I am a coordinator." Miguel nodded and said, "Oh okay." Ryan rubbed his hair and said, "I can't wait for this dye to fade out." Miguel laughed and said, "What did you want me for?" Ryan looked at him and said, "ZAFT will no doubt think you were KIA after the Aegis gets back on the ship, So I have a proposition for you the Magic Bullet of Dusk. But before that what was your reason for joining ZAFT?" Miguel nodded and said, "I joined to help pay for my brothers hospital bills." Ryan smiled and said, "That is a noble cause to fight for. Your brothers hospital bills will be paid for and he will be brought from the PLANTs with your family to the HQ of Serpent's Tail for their protection. I ask you to join Serpent's Tail and join my personal squad. The ShadowWolf Squad." Miguel raised his eyebrows and said, "Join you? How can you guarantee that won't charge me as a traitor." Ryan handed him a sheet of paper. "This is a signed agreement by all major powers with Terminal and Serpent's Tail, saying that they will not pursue any soldiers deciding to join either of these two "corporation's"" Miguel nodded and held out his good hand. "I will do it for my brother and family." Ryan nodded and said, "Then when we get to the HQ in a little bit. We will do the paper work and get you a new machine." Miguel nodded and smiled. "Thanks for saving me Ryan." Ryan nodded and said, "It was nothing."

Heliopolis Debris Field:

Athrun sat there in disbelief at what happened and made his way back to the ship and said, "Miguel hasbeen killed by the Strike." Nicol was shocked to hear that and deeply saddened. "That makes Rusty, Miguel, Matthew, and Olor. Was this worth the loss of four friends," He asked Athrun. Athrun shook his head and said, "I dont know. But i dont think so." They landed on the ship and got out of their machines.

Two Hours Later:

A ship was docking in the docking bay of the giant base. Ryan stood there with Miguel and said, "You ready?" Miguel nodded and said, "Yes I am." The older man led the young one off the ship followed by the dr and the wounded boy behind them. They took the boy to the infirmary at the base. Ryan said, "Doc good luck and keep him safe please. The potential he possesses is as great as Miguel's here." The doc nodded and Miguel turned to Ryan, "What does that mean?" Ryan laughed and said, "Miguel my boy I look for specific qualities in any person I pick for my squad. You and that young man are the first two members of my squad." Miguel nodded and puffed his chest a little swelling with pride at being handpicked for this squad. Miguel said, "So who is that young man?" Ryan laughed andsaid, "You will find out after he fully heals." Miguel nods and said, "Okay. I will wait then." Ryan smiled. He thought, 'This young man has a lot of passion and fire. Let's hope his abilities develop in time.'

With the Shadow:

Professor Kato was busy gettingthe Katana mounted to the Shadow when a damaged Orange GINN. "Ryan come over here please," said the Professor. Ryan and Miguel walked over to the professor and Ryan said, "What can I help you with Kato?" Kato said, "This machine was just delivered by a scout of ours. It was found amongst the debris of a space battle several hours from Heliopolis." Miguel gasped as he saw the machine and said, "That is my personal machine. The GINN Aiman custom. It was given to me when I earned my nickname." Ryan smiled and said, "Men get this machine up and running please." They respondedwith a chorus of, "Yes sir." The crew set to work. Miguel began telling the crew what special adjustments were made to the machine so they could set it to the way it was. Ryan watched the work on the Shadow and said, "Kato did you get into the OS okay?" Kato nodded and said, "Thanks for allowing me to guess at the password." Ryan laughed and said, "No one would have ever thought of it as I was supposedly killed at Carpenteria." The professor nodded and smiled. Ryan said, "So everything is at least useable? I will make the adjustments on the fly in the field." After that he left and went to the infirmary.

Infirmary:

Five minutes later Ryan was sitting in the infirmary thinking as he was watching the young man lay there fighting for his life. He took note of the bandages over the young mans left shoulder where the bullet tore through his shoulder.

Flashback: Ryan was fighting the DINN. Suddenly a Missile locked onto him and he began trying to shake it off. He flew around and dived close to the ocean. Just as the missile was about to strike he blew the cockpit hatch and fell into the ocean. He hit the water hard and felt his left shoulder blade shatter and his right shoulder dislocate as the visor on his helmet shattered and gashed his face really bad. As he went under the water he sunk for a moment before passing out. The next thing he remembered was waking up in a hospital bed covered in bandages and in a lot of pain. He felt the sharp pain in his arms as he tried to sit up. He noticed stitches in his arms and told the doctors to leave the scars.

End Flashback:

Ryan opened his eyes and smiled at the reddish brown haired kid as he knew he would pull through. He looked int he mirror and frowned at his hair. Then looked at the scar on his face and his eyed narrowed.

Archangel:

Roxanne was still trying to reach the Shadow. "GAT-X 606 Shadow come in. James are you there? James answer me." Roxy glanced at Murrue and said, "Ma'am I think the debris is interfering with..." Suddenly a message was incoming. The radio crewman said, "Ma'am incoming message the person requests you specifically." She nodded and stood going over. She took the headset and said, "Murrue Ramius here." Ryan smiled, "Murrue it is good to hear your voice. I am fine. I am not in the Debris field. I returned to Serpent's Tail HQ to get some medical attention for a pilot I rescued and to get some upgrades done to the Shadow. I will be back in three hours. You can sit still or you can head for Artemis. Either way I will hook up with Archangel again and I will have a squad member of mine accompanying me this time." Murrue let out a sigh of relief and said, "Thank goodness your okay Ry.. I mean James." James said, "Call me Ryan from here on out. It is time for James to slip in to the depths of space and it is time for the ShadowWolf to start his great Hunt." Murrue smiled and said, "Okay Ryan. We will head for Artemis. I hope you get here before we get there." He said, "Dont worry I will Murrue. My job isn't finished yet." With that he closed the comm. Murrue smiled and said, "Ryan is fine. He will be here in three hours. Set course for Artemis. Fire a decoy towards Artemis and then launch to go in that direction. We will come up behind them and attack them. We will ambush them and keep them on their toes. Lieutenant La Flaga you will go after the Vesalius by launching just before we get close and you will use the debris to hide. You are to damage the ship. Kira you need to try and hold your own against the Aegis, Blitz, Buster, Duel, and Black Hawk." Kira nodded unsure of himself. "I will try my best." Roxanne looked at Murrue and said, "Why would James just abandon us when we need him?" Murrue said, "His name is Ryan Ford and he didnt abandon us he need to get a pilot back to Serpent's Tail." Roxy said, "Wait as in the ShadowWolf of Carpenteria? The man that was killed by that DINN?" Murrue laughed and said, "If you believe that propaganda then yes." Roxy said, "He was a hero in my book, but what do you mean propaganda?" Murrue shook her head and said, "Ask him when he gets here." Roxy nodded.

Serpent's Tail Hangar two Hours later:

Ryan was standing there in his pilot suit that was only covering from his waist down. He had white tank top on that was stretched due to his well toned and battle hardened body that revealed he had several more tattoos that were covered. "Are both machines and the shuttle ready for launch," he asked. Kato said, "Yes it will have you near the Archangel in an hour." Ryan nodded and said, "Miguel suit up we are heading out. We have to meet up with the Archangel. I need to know. Are you one hundred percent sure you want to do this?" Miguel looked at him and said, "Yes I am ready to fight anyone including my friends on the Vesalius. I won't dishonor them by holding back." Ryan looked at him and said, "If you can help it try not to damage their cockpits and they will survive." The young man said, "Okay." With that they finished getting changed and climbed on board their machines in the shuttle." Ryan said, "We are moving out. I'll be in touch when I get the chance." With that the shuttle launched and they were on their way to the Archangel. "Miguel you nervous about this at all," Ryan asked. Miguel laughed and said, "Sir I am, but it won't last long." Ryan smiled and said, "Good. I need to know you have my back out there." The younger man nodded and replied, "Of course ShadowWolf. I will always have your back. You saved my life." The older man smiled and nodded.

A/N Why is Kato helping Serpent's Tail still? It seems he has an agenda of his own with helping Ryan or is he a member?. These will be answered in later chapters. Who is the mysterious kid that they are hoping pulls through, Why is the Archangel setting up an ambush instead of making a run for it? Will Ryan and Miguel make it to the archangel in time? I know this chapter is short but I wanted to focus on James/Ryan and Miguel's interactions in this review