Chapter 13
Natasha eventually managed to buckle Dyami into his car seat, all the food and excitement had worn him out but she could still see the spark of eternal energy that he carried inside of him.
"Dadda…" He mumbled as he rubbed his tired eyes that became bluer when he became exhausted from playing.
"He'll be home from work tonight sweetheart, get some sleep so you have more energy to play when he comes home…" She gently kissed his forehead and winked at her father as he opened the front passenger door of the family sedan.
Dyami smiled lazily as she tightened the safety clips and she handed him his pacifier, he began sucking on it hard and she quickly kissed his cheek before closing the door and running around to the driver's side of the car.
"He'll be asleep before we're on the road." She said starting up the car and she pulled out from the curb and drove towards home.
"Take the highway, at this time of day it's quicker." Grandpa insisted.
"How do you know dad, since you don't drive any more?" Natasha rolled her eyes, he father always liked to give directions when she drove him anywhere- Even if he wasn't that familiar with the territory.
"The last time we came this way… they freeway was choka block and it was around this time… Tash I know what I'm doing." Dad let out an exasperated breath to get his point across.
Knowing her life would be made a misery if they got onto the freeway and it was blocked she looked for the signs that led to the old highway instead.
"Satisfied dad, it would have been quicker on the freeway…" She waited for the lights to change to green and she turned onto the Highway that would take them home.
The thing she didn't notice was the car following her, and the three motor bikes that sped up to catch up with them…
* * * *
Matt came to a screaming halt just outside of the Day care centre and turned off the engine, before he even jumped out of the car he saw in the distance Natasha's car turning right at the traffic lights.
Good he thought I'll be able to catch up with her… Thinking fast he turned over the engine, It stalled, cursing he turned the key again, ever second it stalled meant the further away from him they became. After what seemed an eternity it kicked over and drove off after them, turning right at the intersection he realized the delay of the car starting had been enough time for her to be out of sight on the main road heading towards home.
Which way would they have gone…he mused knowing the old highway and the freeway would lead them home.
The new Freeway… Matt decided, it would be the quickest route to home and at this time of day Dyami would be getting irritable.
Following the signs Matt turned onto the freeway and sped up so he could catch up with her. Dodging slower cars he weaving through traffic Matt became more and more impatient and more worried as to why he couldn't see them even though he had been breaking the speed limit all the way along the freeway.
Crossing the overbridge that the old highway passed under he began to doubt he had taken the right course of action and something happening on the old highway caught his eye. A black polished car and three motor cycles descended on a car that looked like Natasha's.
"Shit," Matt cursed loudly, the car had to be hers and watched helplessly as she swerved from the motor bikes trying to force her off the road. From his vantage point on the freeway he could do nothing about what the events unfolding before his eyes, he had to get to the exit looming before him. Speeding up he drove down the break down lane to get past cars slowing down to exit towards the exit. He had to do something, he couldn't sit back and watch Galactor steal his only family from him. If his car could change and become a jet Matt would have done it in an instant if it meant saving them from the fate he had been warned of that morning.
* * * *
Ken went to knock down the front door with a swift kick that was before Jun stopped him.
"We should try knocking first…its polite…and this is Dyami's home." She said putting a firm hand on his arm and pulling back before he could do any damage to suburban house.
Ken grunted but followed her lead, Jun knocked on the door only to be met with silence.
"They're not here, we should go inside and have a look around…" Ken said walking around the back of the house.
"No cars," Jun noted following him, she watched his shaggy dark hair nod from behind, his shoulder squared like he had begun to prepare himself for something bad.
"We'll have to pick the back door lock." Jun began to fiddle with it, for some reason she didn't want their house left open to potential thieves after they left. The thought of Galactor was enough for her bear for now.
"We're in." Jun indicated and she opened the door slowly out of habit. You just never know who could waiting for you on the other side.
"Stay frosty Jun…" Ken whispered.
"I know…"She replied.
Silently they slipped into the laundry keeping frosty while they began to search the house for any Galactor goons that could be waiting for the family to return home. Using sign language and eye contact Ken and Jun walked past the kitchen towards the staircase.
She tried not to look at the personal items that made the house a home. The way a shawl that obviously belonged to Natasha was flung casually over a chair at the dining room table, and the toddler bike sitting close to the table on the tile floor. Those things stood out to her. A normal unpredictable life, just like she had always dreamed about. Day to day activities a family with a young child might participate in. A glimpse into the life the son she gave up to someone else.
Ken stopped in the hallway to stare at family photo hanging on the wall. The little boy with a big beaming smile and shinning blue eyes stared back at him. She watched his struggle as he stared at Dyami…Then she watched him suppressing his feelings once more.
Gently she placed her hand on his broad shoulders. "We should check upstairs."
Those words were enough to distract him and Ken walked quickly ahead of her, and took the stair two at time. When she reached the top stairs she found him again standing in the door way of one of the bedrooms. This time he had unshed tears standing in his blue eyes threatening to undo him.
"I could never have given him this." Ken said hoarsely.
"Don't do this to yourself Ken… " She didn't look into the bedroom knowing it was Dyami's. She knew it would be too personal to see things like his bed and other personal items.
"We shouldn't be here…" Ken abruptly pushed past her she could feel his anguish radiating from him as he pushed past her. Jun closed the door to the bedroom before she could see anything.
She ran after him, and bolted down the stairs.
"Jun, we gotta run…" Ken sounded like he had discovered something.
"Were too, we have no idea where they'd be." She exclaimed joining him in the kitchen, Ken pointed at a board. "We know at least where Natasha and Dyami are…"
She followed his finger to a black board…Luncheon- Tiny foot prints day care 12am today. Pick grandpa up along the way…Don't forget.
"Lucky we 'borrowed' that sports car from the …"Jun felt some relief at seeing a small card with address of the day care centre on it near by on the bench.
"Joe," Ken spoke urgently into his bracelet. "We need you buddy and the rest of the team."
"I'm hearing you Ken, Ryu told me you'd be calling…" She heard Joe faintly reply, and then Ken filled him in…
"We'll take the old highway…" Ken said running out the back door. "It'll be quicker."
"No it won't." Jun said coming along side of him. "The new freeway is much better you should let Joe know that we'll be-"
Ken's raised finger cut her off." I'm driving, and when I'm driving we go in direction I say."
"Whatever, just get moving Gatchaman." She said jumping into the passenger seat she felt the power of the Ferrari as it raced out of the driveway…
* * * *
Dr Nambu had been in meetings all day trying to find a way to end the constant conflict against Galactor.
Tired and frustrated over nothing but more problems cropping up instead of solutions be had begun to doubt his reasoning for taking on the top job in the ISO after director Anderson's death. He thought by taking on the promotion he could change things, and make it better for the conservation of the world. All he found so far was more politics and he less time to work with his team.
sat his brief case on the coffee table of his 'office' in the ISO building. He rarely stepped foot in his mansion by the sea any more, so the office had to accommodate his busy working lifestyle. Wanting to just drop into the comfortable bed in the room adjacent to where he stood and instead opted to for a glass of cold water to try and bring him back to his usual alert state.
Then he had another matter that had come to light in the past few weeks. Some of the doctors and scientists working on the team's equipment had begun to question the radiation levels of the hypershoot, and its effects on the Eagle. One doctor had been insisting they run tests on him, just to be sure. He knew they cared deeply for the team, but why were they so determined to do these tests? It didn't add up and had decided to get to the bottom of the issue before alarming the rest of the team over something that could result in an over zealous doctor wanting to cover his bases.
Exhausted…he felt so exhausted these days…Closing his tired eyes he threw some of the icy water over them. Better he thought, taking out some high caffeine pills to enable him to stay sharp for the many hours still left in the day.
The light of the computer screen in the next room made him slowly put down his glass and he walked into the office. This office was his private sanctuary, no one but Gatchaman had access to it.
He hit a button on the keyboard to bring up the screen.
"Strange," He said out loud pulling his moustache in deep thought. Ken hadn't indicated a need to use his private computer.
So he began running a trace on searches conducted using the access codes. One place the trace led to made sit down and he began to look further into the searches Ken had run.
"Jun…what did you do…" He gasped. He thought he knew everything about his team. How could he not know this secret.
"They had a son…" found the idea so remote. Ken and Jun had always been responsible in their actions within the team, how could Ken not say anything to his mentor about a child being born before the beginning of the second war?
Astounded by this new discovery he began working quickly to compile information about this child from the Utoland adoption and social services agency.
Should he confront them? He thought. He loves Ken as if he had been his own son, and Jun as a daughter. He could only imagine Ken's reaction at walking away from his son. He knew how devastating it had been for him when he discovered Red Impulse was his long lost father. He figured Ken of all people would quit the team before losing his own child. Dr. Nambu now knew he had been wrong. Ken was more like Kentaro Washio than he realized.
After an hour he sat back slowly in his chair, he had some decisions to make regarding the both of them. His first move would be to protect the adoptive family, like he did for Ken and his mother when Kentaro disappeared. Should he tell Ken he knows the truth? Dr. Nambu felt a sudden wave of tiredness sweep over him as his memories turned back the clock to hours he spend trying to find a way tell Ken about his father…
I'll just keep an eye on things. decided. I know of Captain Matt Butler, in his day as a UN fighter pilot he was amazing. At least Ken chose the right man to raise a Washio…he figured. That made him smile. But this boy could also be a danger to the Science Ninja Team…he could be their undoing if Galactor discovered he exists. With that thought in mind picked up the phone and began to dial the secret service so he could have unseen eyes watching over the Butler family.