The skynight stared down, at his lover and newborn son. His heart was wrenched in several direction and the one he had to take was the hardest of them all...
Taren, the childs mother, stared up at him, different emotions flitting through her eyes as she decided between calling for security or listening to what he had to say. Maybe it was the way he stared at the child in her arms.. mayb it was that she still loved him, deep down... maybe it was the knowledge that if she called for help, people were going to get hurt or killed... whatever it was, she made the decision to see what had brought him back here, to the very place from which he had managed to escape.
"What do you want Strike?" His eyes met hers, and she fought not to look awy. She needed to hear what he had to say...
"Taren.. I... Im sorry. I never mean for any of this to happen..."
"For what to happen? The whole undercover thing getting blown? Ruining my life? Having a child?" She felt tears pooling in her eyes, and blinked them away.
"Yes and No... I knew my cover would be blow sooner or later... I just didnt intend to... to find you and... the baby..." He sighed. "Taren, I just came to say that Im... Im sorry... And that I was right. The different families have infiltrated the main structure of Terra Cyclone... They are planning to take over the Terra... Its not safe here... For you or the baby..."
"His name is Ace... Ace Striker... And you came here to tell me that?"
"No, I came here to ask you to come with me... You and the ba... You and Ace... We can keep you safe..."
"What? You and your litte band of teenagers...?"
"They have learnt... we all have... Please Taren? Its not safe here... I dont want you getting hur..."
"Hurt? Too late for that Strike. I cant go with you... Im sorry. I cant leave my family..."
"There is no time, Taren. They are planning to start the takeover tonight..."
As if to put emphasis on his words, a sudden burst of flames shot into the sky, close to the centre of the city. He looked a her, desperate.
"Taren, I..." They were interrupted by a sharp face, covered in spiky black hair, poking in at the window.
"I dont mean to interrupt boss," said Flint, "But we gotta go..." Another blast went off, nearer this time, "Like now!" Strike turned to Taren again, ready to grab her if need be, but instead he felt a warm bundle being thrust into his arms.
"Strike. I cant leave... You know that... But take Ace... Please... Keep him safe..." She started to run out of the room. buckling on armour, But Strike grabbed her arm.
"Taren, I..." She pulled him in and stopped his words with a quick but passionate kiss.
"Take Ace... When this is over, I will meet you... I dont know where... But I will... Strike, please. Take him..."
The red hair flicked to the side as he nodded, and she was gone before he could say good-bye. Getting a firmer grasp on Ace, he jumped on he skimmer behind Flint and they were in the Condor in a matter of moments. Handing the baby to Flint, he head over to his own ride and prepared to set out again.
"Yo, Boss..." Flint was holding the baby at arms length, glaring at his Squad Leader, "Where are you going?"
"I cant leave Taren down..." He was interrupted by another explosion, and looked back to see Taren's family's house exploding...
Strike felt arms hoding him back as he struggled to get to his ride.
"Le'me go... shes in there... Taren!"
"Strike... Shes gone..." A soft voice this time, "Taren's gone... Come on, we need to get out of here..."
Looking back at the smouldering remains of the large buiding, he let Flint's sister, Crystal, lead him back into the Condors Hangar bay, letting tears fall freely down his cheeks and trying to hold in the strangled sobs as he muttered her name over and over. A few minutes later and he couldnt see past the smoke...
1 MONTH LATER
Strike felt a sharp pain in his chest as the young woman took Ace away from him. He longed to take him back, but knew that he couldnt look after the baby... Not with the life he led. He was giving him to a young couple to look after... Adoption, though he would regularly visit... If he could. When Ace was older, maye he could be a good father... But he coudn't... not with everything that had happened and what was happening... He had promised Taren that he would keep Ace safe... he couldn't do that on the condor... The baby's cries nearly changed his mind, but he turned himself around and forced himsef to look away. Walking out, he felt Crystal's hand on his shoulder.
"It'll be fine, Strike. You made the right choice... It wouldnt be safe for Ace..."
"I know Cryss..." he replied, using her nickname and trying to smile, "And we can always change things... Maybe when he's older... I dont know... He could..." He broke off and sighed. There was time later to think about things... about the future. All he wanted to do now was try to forget about the past and focus on the present...