Chapter 15

Suddenly, there was a loud crash heard from the kitchen area.

Ken, Joe and Jun raised their eyes to look at each other.

"You know, we never did search the kitchen..." Joe said.

"Some detectives we are!" muttered Ken disgustedly. "Come on!"

The entire team raced into the kitchen, only to see that the dead man now had a gaping hole in his right arm. A bloody trail led to the kitchen window, which was now open. A few pots and pans lay on the floor, obviously the source of the crash they had just heard.

"Do you think he heard the tape when we played it?" Jinpei asked.

"We have to assume that he did." Ken said grimly, even as Joe dashed through the window, chasing after the fleeing suspect. Jun followed quickly behind him. Ken suppressed the urge to yell at them to stop. He knew that they wouldn't listen, and he didn't want to alert the suspect that he was being followed.

"Why is his arm all cut open like that?" Ryu's face had a slight greenish cast to it.

"I'm guessing that he had a microchip embedded in his body." Nambu replied. "The left arm is generally the location such things are placed."

"I think we need to identify this guy." Ken said. "Jinpei, Ryu, you co-ordinate with Hakase on this. I'm going to follow Joe and Jun in my car, and hopefully we can catch that guy."

"Roger!" Ryu and Jinpei replied.

88888

Joe raced after the suspect. The Condor had caught a fleeting glimpse of a man dressed in green turning a corner just as he had exited the Snack's kitchen window, and he followed at top speed. Vaguely, his mind recognized the sound of someone coming behind him, and he assumed that Ken had joined the chase.

Joe turned the corner, only to find himself in a dead end... an empty alley.

"Where did he go?" he muttered to himself, looking around.

"Right here, Sucker." the goon popped up from behind a trash can, holding a laser rifle.

"Thanks for coming out." smirked Joe, just as Jun arrived at the alleyway. The Condor moved to strike, not noticing that six more green-uniformed soldiers were emerging from a hole in the wall that had just opened up behind him.

Jun threw herself at the nearest goon, hoping to distract them so that they wouldn't fire upon Joe. Her high spiked heel made contact with the man's eye, piercing it with a squelching sound.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!" the man cried out in pain, as three more soldiers began to surround the Swan. Jun whirled, her blue dress a swirl of color around her body as she turned, striking each opponent as he approached.

Meanwhile, the Condor had managed to deal an iron punch to the first goon, killing him instantly. He then whirled around, dealing death to two more Galactors before his first victim's body hit the ground.

Less than twenty seconds after Joe had entered the alley, the two Science Ninjas stood, bloodied, but no worse for wear, with seven dead goons at their feet.

"They came from here." Jun pointed out, gesturing to the still open secret door in the alley wall.

"Then let's go." Joe grinned, taking Jun's hand and going through the entranceway with her. The door closed behind them.

Less than a minute later, Ken's car pulled up at the alleyway. He got out and took a look around, quickly noting the dead bodies sprawled on the ground.

There was no sign of Joe and Jun.

Ken sighed. What had they gotten themselves into now?