Chapter 43
Another return trip to the Galactor base, another round of Galactor attacks, another near miss for the Kagaku Ninjatai. Or in this case, another near miss for two of the Kagaku Ninjatai.
"I'm starting to feel like we're going in circles," Joe commented wryly. "How many times are we going to come back to this base and crush Galactor goons today?" he asked, annoyance tinged with sarcasm in his voice.
"I don't know, but I think we're really stuck now. We destroyed the room the main control panel was in earlier, and now we blew up the other half of the base. About the only thing left standing is the room we're in. On the plus side, I think we've taken out all the goons that were stationed here, and there's been no sign of Katse. Of course Ryu and Jinpei are now on our trail..." Jun paused for a minute, then practically wailed, "Oh, why did I have to have that dumb murder mystery party? This is all my fault!"
Joe's heart sank. He hated to see Jun in such despair.
"It's ok, Jun." Joe tried to console her, enveloping her in his wings. "This is not your fault." Then pushing Jun back slightly, Joe took her chin in his hands and forced her to look him in his eyes. Intently he added, "Do you hear me?"
Jun nodded, her eyes glistening, but not shedding a single tear.
"If Galactor didn't get us this way, they would have gotten us another way. So don't ever blame yourself for what they do. Ok?"
Jun took a step back from the Condor and quickly got ahold of herself.
"Understood. Now, what are we going to do with Ryu, Jinpei and the two Eagles?"
"Plan # 24 for today..." Joe replied with a smirk.
88888
"I wanna be a Ninja fighter, I wanna kick some birdie butt!" Jinpei sang as he ran through the ruins of the base.
"Jinpei, what are you doing?" Ryu asked, trying to keep up.
"Just having some fun while trying to find the enemy." Jinpei replied.
"Well, aren't we ninja birds too?"
"Yeah... And?"
"Shh! What's that?" Ryu quickly cut Jinpei off as the two entered one of the few rooms in the base that hadn't been destroyed.
"What's what?"
"I thought I saw a shadow on that wall." Ryu whispered. He and Jinpei turned to each other with evil grins on their faces.
88888
"Do you think they saw you?" Jun whispered, her back as flat to the wall as she could get it. She and Joe were hiding in an alcove on the catwalk above Ryu and Jinpei's heads.
"I think so." Joe whispered back.
"I'm not so sure about this. I mean, this is Ryu and Jinpei we're talking about. I couldn't take it if they got hurt."
"They're not going to get hurt." Joe retorted. "And it won't be our fault if they get caught in their own trap!"
A mischievous smirk crawled across Joe's face. Somehow Jun thought there was more to Joe's little plan than just an escape for them and the Eagles.
"On my count..." Joe ordered. Jun sighed and looked up at what she could only describe as a wagon-wheel light fixture hanging from the ceiling. She really wasn't sure about this.
"Three...two... one!"
Jun threw her yo-yo and cut the cord to the fixture, which came crashing down to the floor, entrapping Ryu and Jinpei in its interior circle. Simultaneously, Joe shot off his cable gun, wrapping it around the Owl's and Swallow's feet, binding them together.
"HEY!" the Owl and Swallow yelled out at the same time.
Joe jumped down from the catwalk with an Eagle on his back. Laying the Eagle down, he addressed the captives.
"Hi, guys. Pleasure to see you here. Too bad you're all tied up right now." he said dryly.
"DIE, CONDOR!" Jinpei yelled.
"Hmmm, nope. Not today." Joe said with mock thoughtfulness as he collected Jinpei's bolos from him.
"Give those back! Katsesama won't let you get away with this!"
Joe shook his head and replied, "I never thought I'd hear you say those words! Stop being such a baby." Joe couldn't help himself as he smirked.
Jun came down from the catwalk, carrying the other Eagle.
"I can't believe this worked..." Jun commented in disbelief.
"Of course it worked!" Joe fired back. "Now let's get us and the others out of here. And this time, for good!"