Chapter 38

Slowly Ken tip toed around the corner and waited as Count Egobossler was reaching the climax of his victory speech over his defeat of Dr Nambu and soon the Science Ninja Team. He'd discovered this secret passage by accident, the lack of guards proved Count Egobossler's arrogance and over confidence in the effectiveness of his attack on Dr Nambu's grave.

We can rebuild headstones…we can never bring back Dr Nambu. Ken thought angrily.

Drawing out his gun Ken didn't want to mess up his one opportunity to take the Count by surprise and kill him the same way he killed his beloved mentor, taking his cue from the roar of the crowd in the courtyard below he stepped out of his hiding place.

This is way to easy…he thought, sticking his gun into Count Egobossler's soft velvet coat just below the red symbol of Galactor Ken knew too well, he felt Egobossler stiffen from its subtle touch before any words were spoken.

"I'm impressed Gatchaman…after our last encounter I didn't think you were man enough to come after me again." He sneered tilting his head side ways enough to see him.

"Stay where you are Mekandor…any closer and he's corpse." Ken threatened secretly hoping Mekandor would try to stop so he would just get on with it. Ken wasn't a cold blooded killer, yet he deeply yearned to pull the trigger and put an end to Egobossler forever. The internal torment tore at his soul.

Ken snickered and dug the point of the gun in harder to steel his resolve, and Egobossler drew in a sharp breath knowing Ken's intentions… Ken was preparing to pull the trigger when the sight of the Gatchasparten distracted him. And the explosion that followed told him he'd taken to long…

The ground began to shake and Ken knew he had to get out of there or die. Egobossler had already managed to slip from his grasp and run for cover with Mekandor.

Running down a set of stairs towards the court yard Ken ducked for cover when a laser beam coming through the wall next time threatened to slice him two.

What the hell was that? Ken thought stopping just in time.

"Quick Ken…get down here I only have a second before they get here." Ryu said urgently.

"Who gets here?" Ken quizzed while watching the Owl do a daring landing in the middle of hundreds fleeing goons.

"The giant robots…they look like something out one of those old silver screen science fiction movies…" Ryu informed him. Looking up at the sky line Ken secretly agreed with him.

Ken ran faster down the staircase, he figured he still had time to catch Count Egobossler as he noted the direction the Count fled in, and at first he ignored Ryu's pleas for him to come to the ship when he reached the bottom of the stair case. Torn between wanting to finish him off for good or destroying the robots Ken had to fight the urge to ignore the threat and leave to the team to take care of it.

"Ken we need you." Jun's voice sounded desperate." Ken I've found Dyami…if we finish this we can go to the Almeron its located deep in the Himalayan Mountains."

Those words snapped him out of it, and he knew what he needed to do and that was rejoin his team and them catch up with Count Egobossler.

Running onto the top he told Ryu to start take off while he made his way to the bridge. Ryu sounded relieved when informed him he was joining them.

"Ryu, we need to create a diversion." Ken said when he reached the bridge, "Bring the ship around starboard and go straight between them."

"Okay boss." Ryu said casually, obeying Ken's command.

"I see what you're up to." Joe smiled knowingly, the smile dropped when Ken leapt from his seat and began heading back towards the doors of the bridge.

"Ken, what are you doing?" He asked suspiciously.

Avoiding Jun's worried eyes he looked back at his second in command. "There is only one way we'll finish those robots off, and its with the hypershoot."

Jun stood up instantly from her seat. "Ken, can separate and do a dodge attack, force them to blow each other up-"

"We don't have time for that Jun…Egobossler is getting away and this time I'm not letting him go." Ken's determination only worried her more, pretending he didn't see it he ran up to the top of the Gatchasparten ad Ryu turned around to and dove in sharply to give him the best attack position.

Raising his sword he swooped down on his prey and beheaded the first robot in a fiery rain of explosions crippling it and causing its partner to look on as he swopped down again to end its rampage with the same swift manoeuvre.

Looking up he watched a Satellite descend from the sky and a transporter of some kind lifted Count Egobossler and Mekandor from their still position on the ground from an explosion then sent them flying earlier.

He's escaping again damn it. Ken cursed, gritting his teeth he spoke into his bracelet.

"Ryu keep up with it…that has to be Sosai Z…" Ken ordered as the ship lifted off the ground to return to outer space.

"Us…go into space with you on top of the ship? That's crazy…" Ryu said in disbelief.

"Yes now do it." Ken ordered. Ryu began a slow upward assent moving in closer to the huge ship Ken readied himself again to break through thick steel to access the Satellite.

The something very strange happened… The hypershoot didn't even leave a mark on the ships outer skin. Instead when he touched he felt an incredible amount of torturous pain shoot through his body… For a split second Ken felt truly afraid of the image that appeared before him. The idol with glowing eyes seared into soul like it wanted to control everything about him. Ken resisted screaming in pain he lost his grip on his sword and fell from the ship landing ungracefully on the bare ground below.

The pain still throbbed through his body, and the image wouldn't go away. Every part of his body ached when he tried to stand up. By this time the Gatchasparten had landed and the team raced to his side.

"I failed." He said, hanging his head in shame.

"We'll get him Ken- I won't stop until we have avenged Dr Nambu's death." Joe declared.

"In the mean time we go to the Himalayan Mountains." Jun said walking over to stand beside him. "Rest on the ship Ken…" she whispered. "I know nothing could stop you from coming with us…and I wouldn't want to leave you behind anyway."

Ken nodded, knowing how weak he felt yet he still had to go, it could be their last chance to save Dyami.