Chapter 13

The goon holding Jason down looked up for a second. His boss turned around, for no more than a second, but that was enough. With reflexes honed by a lifetime of training, Jason lifted his right arm and hit the officer in the face. At the same time, he aimed a kick, first at one guard, then at the other. The goons landed on the floor. The one he had punched in the face raised his gun. With another kick, Jason threw it in the air, then caught it in his right hand, training it immediately on the officer.

"Sorry to break up the party, but it's time for the guest to leave. No one moves, or I shoot. You two, stay down. You", he pointed at the goon whose weapon he had taken, "join them. Now!" he barked, feeling his energy returning, now that he had a blaster in his hands. He shot at the communications' equipment, to prevent the guards from notifying anyone of his escape. He had no idea what the alarm was about, but suddenly he started to hope again that G-Force had arrived.

While the guards complied with his orders, he moved towards the door, his weapon still trained on them. There was a panel next to the door, where he had to enter the code for opening it. The guards had not been particularly keen on keeping it secret, obviously underestimating his chances of escaping. He punched the numbers. The door swung open and Jason breathed a deep sigh. Quickly, he stepped outside, shut the door, and found himself pointing his gun at Mark.

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A huge grin of relief broke out on Jason's face.

"Commander, you're a sight for sore eyes! Come on, follow me, I know where they keep the ammo. We can destroy the base on our way out. Are the others with you?"

For a second or two, Mark didn't move. Jason's face darkened, as he understood in a flash what was bothering Mark.

"It's not a trap, Mark. I'm not leading you to an ambush, the same way I did not lead you into an ambush at Traitor's Pass. I know what they did, that they tried to convince you that I betrayed you and defected. They told me! They wanted to make me wonder whether indeed G-Force would come to rescue me, and, trust me, at some point I did! They planted the evidence for you to find on your arrival! I'm sure we can find somewhere the data proving all this, if we look at their command centre".

Jason glanced around nervously, certain that any moment now more goons would appear. Mark still looked at him, saying nothing. His determination to trust Jason was fighting to overcome his suspicions about the latter. Then he looked more closely, taking in Jason's dishevelled look, the swollen lips, the arm hanging limply by his side. Instinctively, he hugged Jason by the shoulders, and grinned.

"You're right! Let's go!"

As they turned down a corridor, Mark raised his wrist communicator.

"Princess, Keyop, I've got him! Heading towards the command centre of the building. Sending you coordinates now. Meet us there!"

"Big ten, Commander!"

"Jason, are you okay?" he asked as they ran, Jason still in civvies as he couldn't transmute.

"Well enough to blast this place, although I'll feel better when I'm back in birdstyle – assuming, of course, that ISO will let me do so", he tried to joke.

"Don't worry about it now. Which way?"

They had reached an intersection.

"Down here. Here's the command centre".

They saw Princess and Keyop running down the corridor towards them.

"Jason! Thank God!"

"Toor-roo-root good to have you back!"

"Thanks Princess, shorty".

Princess gave him a quick hug, and Keyop grinned. They reached the door to the control room. The sound of guards running towards them could be heard.

"Princess, open the door!"

"Stand back, everyone!"

Princess threw her yo-yo, blowing up the door. They rushed in, overcoming the resistance of the goons guarding the officers working in the control room. Princess's yo-yo and Keyop's bolos were taking care of the guards around the room. Mark and Jason were engaged in close combat with the officers – although Jason, by necessity, was limited by his lack of birdstyle and his injuries.

"Where are the records of the intelligence operations? Quickly!" said Mark, his blaster aiming at the three officers manning the command centre.

"What...what do you mean?" asked one of them.

"The records of the latest campaign! The attack at Traitor's Pass and the disinformation campaign that followed!" growled Mark, training his weapon on the officer.

"Mark...Anderson told us to get out as soon as we got Jason", said Princess, looking at Mark without understanding.

"Princess...I'm sorry, Anderson gave me another task...to find some data...I'm sorry I couldn't tell you before..."

"But why didn't Anderson tell all of us?" asked Princess, hurt that Anderson and Mark – Mark too! – didn't trust her. Keyop also looked crestfallen.

"Because it concerns me", snarled Jason. "Don't worry, we'll fill you in later. You!" he growled at the officer. "How's it going with those records?"

A monitor flickered to life, and Mark quickly scanned it. Unlike the previous records, these showed that the encounter at Traitor's Pass had indeed occurred by chance, and that the decision to attack the Phoenix had been taken by Zoltar himself, on the spot. There was also information about his decision to use the fact that Jason disobeyed Mark's order to return to the Phoenix in order to spread suspicion among the ISO, and his orders to actually tell Jason about this, so that he would be more amenable to the interrogation. Mark was sure that the goons in the first building he had entered had been instructed to put up a token fight, then allow him to find records that were almost certainly planted. Now he had copies of both sets of records for Anderson. In his own mind, there was no doubt any more which set of records was genuine. He only hoped ISO would also see it like this.

"Should we take back with us the intelligence officer? The one who actually told me about their plan?" asked Jason as Mark and Princess were destroying the equipment in the command centre.

"No. We don't have time to go back. I'm sure Zoltar is sending reinforcements as we speak. Forget about the ammo too. We're out of here. Tiny, come in".

"Coming to get you, Mark", Tiny's voice crackled over Mark's wrist communicator.

They sped down the corridor and blasted open the first door they found, bursting onto a courtyard. Princess turned around and gave covering fire to Mark, Keyop and Jason as they ran towards the approaching Phoenix, Mark now supporting Jason who was beginning to wobble. Then the Phoenix landed and Tiny opened up the top. Princess ran back too, quickly grabbing Jason by one shoulder while Mark grabbed him from the other and together, they pulled him up to the Phoenix's bubble, this time Keyop covering them. Once on the Phoenix, Tiny opened the top and they slid inside, while he took off immediately. Jason slumped in his usual seat and prepared the rocket launcher.

"Jason, sick bay", ordered Mark.

"Are you kidding? I'm fine", he said dismissively, despite the fact that the exertions of the last few hours had left him pale, shaking and breathless, now that he could allow himself to relax a little.

Mark sighed.

"I don't have time to argue with you, Jason", he said, in a flash taking a hypodermic needle from his medpac and jabbing Jason in the thigh, the tranquilizer taking effect immediately. Jason slumped even lower in his seat. Mark pulled him off and with Princess's help carried him to the sick bay, where they strapped him down. Mark ran to Jason's seat, taking over the rocket launchers, while Princess and Keyop kept feeding him data on the targets, as Spectran ships were quick to take off and pursue the Phoenix.

"Tiny, maximum power! We have to outrun them!"

"Got it, Mark! Hang on!"

Tiny manoeuvred the Phoenix, increasing her speed until they were out of range of the Spectran ships.

"Next stop, Centre Neptune!"

"Okay Tiny, good work!"

Mark relaxed a bit, but felt the interrogative gaze of Princess and Keyop.

"Well, Commander? Will you tell us what was that all about?" asked Princess.

"What was what all about?" said Tiny.

"Mark is hiding something from us", said Princess crossly.

"About...toot...Jason", piped Keyop.

Mark sighed again. He was angry with Princess and Keyop for bringing up the subject, but he also felt that Anderson had made a mistake in not trusting all of them with his suspicions. Mark valued the opinion of his team-mates, and he wanted to consult them on this issue.

"Anderson suspected that Jason's decision to disobey me and stay behind at Traitor's Pass was actually part of a plot of his to defect. He suspected Jason gave Spectra the information on our data transfer, then arranged to be picked up by them".

He looked at Tiny, Princess and Keyop as he said this. His friends' reaction made him proud – it also made him even more certain that he was right in trusting them.

"Mark that's horrible!"

"How could the Chief ever think of something like this?"

"Poor...toor...roo...root... Jason!"

"We have to do something about it!"

Mark raised his arms in a placatory gesture.

"I know! I agree with you! But Anderson also asked me to look for evidence that would prove Jason innocent or guilty".

"Well?" asked Tiny expectantly.

"Well...I found both".

To be continued.

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