Chapter 15

Ken marched down the hallway towards Kamo's office- he needed to get the team back into the air as soon as possible and without Joe's G-2.

"Ken," Kamo's jolly smile seemed out of place with how he felt inside.

"We need to get the Gatchasparten up and running now Kamo, how long will it take to put together another G-2?"

Kamo chuckled to himself and his forever smiling eyes turned on the Condor standing behind the Eagle. "He wrote it off again did he?"

"You can say that." Joe said slowly.

"Don't need to say any more Joe- I can have a new G-2 up and running in an hour." Kamo promised.

Ken gritted his teeth- an hour felt like a lifetime, every minute that passed meant the trail grew colder…He could see Jun from the corner of his eye, he wanted to pull her into his arms and tell it was going to be alright, they'll find them before Egobossler could harm them in anyway- but he couldn't look into her eyes and say things like that when in his heart he couldn't certain of anything any more.

So he worked to maintain his composure which had begun to ebb away from the moment his fingers missed the landing rail of the helicopter by mere inches. He could feel the weakness that prevented him from reaching it wrack his body at the last vital second, Joe saw his struggle and his momentary black out, the next thing he knew Joe had a hold of him mid air, he forced him to let go of him and managed to glide the rest of the way to the ground on his own. He knew he had to speak to him before he breathed a word of it to Jun. He couldn't have her worrying about his health and well being at a time like this.

"Get some rest team, I'll let you know as soon are you able to be up and running with a new G-2 machine." Kamo's jolly nature for the first time grated on Ken, how could he be so happy and positive when Dyami could be hurting from being in the clutches of Galactor.

It took Ken a few seconds to realize Kamo knew nothing about Dyami his son and his adoptive family. As far as Kamo was concerned it was just another mission the team completed and they needed repairs done to their equipment, a normal day at the office.

I would useless to leave without a new G-2, the only thing they could was to wait until Kamo's team constructed a new one.

"What do we do now big bro.?" Jinpei spoke to him for the first time since the left the highway.

"We…wait." Ken said. He felt Jun's hand on his shoulder. He needed her right now, but the pain of being with her and knowing he'd blacked out during a critical moment could unglue him.

"I need…" Ken struggled to say what he needed to say." We…I have to get some rest before we move out again."

He saw the hurt in her green eyes, did she feel brushed off by him. Ken wondered tearing his eyes from her least his own eyes betray him.

No, Jun he thought. It's not like that at all…I want to be with you right now and support you…Can't you see we need to focus right now?

He moved away from the heartbroken Swan and stood in front of the Swallow. "Jinpei please take care of her."

Ken silently strolled he could feel Joe's steely grey eyes boring into the back of his helmet as he followed him down the hallway

"We needed to talk." Joe bluntly said.

"It's about that blackout I had…Then you don't need to go telling Jun about it, she's got enough to worry about without you adding to it." Ken stopped when they were a long distance from the rest of team.

"I was wondering when you were thinking of talking about that." Joe folded his arms and waited with his usual unreadable expression.

Ken's eyes burned into the Condors. "Is there a problem?"

"I think something really going on with you Ken, your sick and I think you know it." Joe confronted him.

"Sick to death of this war maybe…other than that I'm fine." Ken spat and transmuted out of birdstyle. He could feel his temper rising and when it did he could no longer control it like he used too.

"Lying bastard!" Joe transmuted back to civilian and swang at him hard knocking Ken across the jaw hard. "You passed out after using the Hypershoot on a mission not so long back, and then today?"

"I call the shots on this team not you Joe." Ken struck back at Joe with a hard punch to abdomen. Joe flinched only a little at his strike.

"You're so selfish Ken, you couldn't even give Jun five minutes of your time or show her some compassion when she's obviously hurting as badly as you are, and now you want me to keep secrets for you from her?" Joe spat the words and the fight intensified between them.

"Hypocrite!" Ken ripped into him. "You who had a week to live and couldn't admit you were sick! Where did that leave the rest of us?"

"At least my problems didn't bring anyone else down with me. You're our leader Ken, we need you- don't you get it?" Joe's last words hit him harder than any of the blows they exchanged during their discussion.

What did he mean by that? Ken thought starring at his second in Command. I'm Gatchaman…if I die…Ken looked down at his beeping bracelet.

"Yes Doctor." He addressed his mentor.

"I need you to come to ISO building at New Jork-bring the team and I'll explain my reasons when you get here." Dr. Nambu ordered.

"We have to go." He told Joe running down the hallway towards the launch bay. I hope they have the Gatchasparten ready for take off.