As Lin pulled into the hub, he could see the preparations for the rescue mission were almost complete. Vert handed him the shock suit and he began to get dress. "Are you sure about this?"

"Do you have a better plan?"

"No, but there are a few changes to the original plan." Vert said continuing to get ready.

"If it increases our chances, great."

Sage came up beside him and tentatively asked, "Maxim?"

Lin's eyes turned a glowing blue though he continued to get ready. "Yes, Sage, I'm right here."

"I didn't think this could be done."

Maxim smiled, "Neither did I, but I had no choice but to try, a pleasant surprise actually. Please listen. The purple battle key that goes to the closed zone is much like a modem and router for Sentient, blue Sentients all over the multi-verse. Though I haven't finished all the details. Until the souls of our people are found, you cannot go there."

"Why?"

"A complete and healthy blue Sentient might activate the restore procedure prematurely. Until the zone is ready or all our people are located and moved there, it could begin to shatter the entire zone. Then the chances to restore our people become very bad."

"I understand, another reason to be within Lin instead of your own body. But if something happens to you how will the zone's construction be completed?"

Lin smiled and Maxim said, "Sage, you have assembled an excellent team. If the worst does happen, I am certain one of them can finish what I have started. Just make sure to remind them to show the key to the zone's sentry upon entry."

"Sentry?" Stanford asked stopping his work. "What kind of sentry are we dealing with?"

"A serious one to be trusted to continue a mission of the guardian," Maxim snapped. "Please continue the preparations. We must rescue Zoom soon. At least we now have my shell just in case."

"What do you mean?" Sage asked.

Maxim blinked, "In the Mobias we recovered. You did find my shell in my Mobias, didn't you?"

"No, there were no Sentient shells found," Sage explained. "I searched it thoroughly."

Maxim stared off a moment and nodded in annoyance. "I guess that means Lin and I are stuck together for a while longer."

"What else?" Sage asked.

"Let me think," Maxim said. Then Lin spoke up, "Vert, we are taking the Chopper, right? Zoom will need his ride more than me."

"Exactly my thought, I'll give you some of Zoom's pointers on the way," Vert said tightening the Chopper's tires.

"Thanks," Lin said.

"Lin," Tezz said holding out a sword. "I took the liberty of creating your new sword for the battle zones. It is make of specially condensed Hydron crystal making it virtually indestructible. Non-metallic naturally. And with my electromagnetism permanently sharpen to cut between modules."

"That does sound sharp, but I don't know what you're talking about," Lin said slowly, accepted the blade and drew his family's blade to compare them.

"I'll tell you later." Maxim said to them and continued, "Sage, the green key is not terrible important. I don't think anyone is going find that stash for a very long time."

"But what is the stash?" Sage insisted.

"About a year or so ago, did you notice that the Vandals seem extremely driven for new battle keys? And before that the Sarks were a little obsessed for battle keys?"

"Yes, I didn't understand why they were so crazy for keys all of a sudden…" Sage began and then smiled, "What did you do?"

Maxim grinned, "Actually, it was Lin's idea, once he knew they were important. How he did it, I still don't believe it. He managed to steal all of their keys, there weren't that many surprisingly, and the entire zone emits a signal that matches the signature of a battle key."

"I knew it," Spinner said. "I knew it didn't make sense why neither of them had battle keys when we first came together. There had to be a reason they couldn't come to earth through a different zone."

"How many keys?" Sage asked.

"I don't know. I kind of forgot as I was hiding the keys," Lin admitted. "I just wanted the task done."

The team suddenly applauded making him jump. "You ok?" Vert said.

Lin took a deep breath and whispered quite softly, "I'll get better."

"We know you will. All right team, let's move out."

In the Red Sentient stronghold, Zoom struggled against the field that held him. He frowned remembering the last time he was here (1). He looked over to where the red Sentients were. They were standing in a loose circle around Kyburi. She looked madder than usual.

"I cannot sense him. This must work," she snapped.

"It will," Krytus replied in a flat tone. "Do you doubt me?"

"No, never."

Kytren turned away and walked over to Zoom with a cruel smile. "So human, tell me, how does it feel to know you will be responsible for your comrade's capture and ultimate demise?"

Zoom threw himself against the field and snapped, "Don't count your victory yet, Kytren. The BF5 have come out of worst spots than this."

"Like when you attempted to save my brother and failed (2)."

"Sol was a smarter and braver Sentient than you'll ever be," Zoom fired back.

Kytren growled and drew back his open hand for a clawed strike. Krytus caught his wrist, "No Kytren, Maxim's capture is more important." He glanced at Zoom. "We will kill the humans after there are no blue Sentients at all in the multi-verse." Then they heard the sound of several motor vehicles heading towards them. "Speaking of them. Take the human down and bind his hands. Kyburi with me."

The Sarks grabbed Zoom before he could try to escape. Once his hands were secure, Kytren shoved him toward the gate of the stronghold where the other Reds were waiting. At a distance, he could see the team in an inverted wedge: the Buster, the Splitwire, the Tangler, the Saber, and his Chopper with Lin on it. The Chopper was at the center hanging back. "All right, Krytus. We brought Lin. Now, where's Zoom?" Vert demanded.

Krytus grinned, "And if I said I didn't know, what would you do?"

Each of the vehicles readied their weapons. "Take a wild guess," Vert answered coldly. "Zoom, now."

Krytus shrugged and motioned to Kytren. Zoom was shoved forward into view.

"Zoom, you ok?"

"He is alive," Kyburi snapped grabbing Zoom by the throat. "Now, brother. You will surrender to me."

"A trade then," Maxim said. The Chopper slowly drove midway to the stronghold. "Release Zoom and allow him to walk to his Chopper and I will come to you at the same time. Agreed?" The Chopper parked and Lin hopped off.

The Reds looked at their leader. He was still a moment before nodding to Kyburi. "As we agreed."

Kyburi grinned and Zoom saw their expressions. He shouted, "It's a…" Sarks flew out of the corners to surround Lin.

"Trap," Kyburi finished.

Then the Saber, Splitwire, and Buster opened their doors and the drivers came into view. All of them were wearing Lin's shock suit and helmet. "But where am I?" Maxim asked them.

"Maxim would never think to do this?" his sister hissed shocked.

The drivers disappeared back into their vehicles. Lin said, "He wouldn't, but we humans would, dear huntress."

Krytus growled and snapped, "Catch them all and we'll sort it out later!" The other Reds charged transforming into their vehicles as Krytus and Kyburi stayed with Zoom.

"Several some ones are angry," Spinner said setting the helmet aside and then grabbed the Buster's controls.

"Nice work boys," Agura said. "Lin."

The Saber shot forward tearing through Sarks. Then the Saber paused beside the Chopper. "Not bad," Vert said looking at Lin in his ride jumping back onto the Chopper.

"Let's get Zoom."

"Now, for stage two. Let's move out," Krytus ordered. He and Kyburi transformed and Kyburi grabbed Zoom.

"Not again," Zoom shouted frustrated as Kyburi dangled him from her claw by his boots.

The two Reds drove away from the stronghold. Then the Saber sliced into the Venikus as the Chopper flew over and yanked Zoom away. Kyburi glared as they pulled away.

They stopped on a rise to change vehicles. Lin got out of the Saber drawing his sword to cut Zoom's bonds. "Something's wrong," he whispered.

"It was too easy," Vert said going to the Saber quickly. "Way too easy."

"But why?" Zoom said rubbing wrists.

"I'm sure they will let us know," Vert said heading to meet some Sarks. "We need to regroup and get out of here."

Zoom settled on the Chopper. "Come on Lin, let's get in this fight."

"We need to spread out their primary target. They can't be certain I'm here yet." Lin looked about and said, "You go, do your thing. Agura, would you mind a hitch-hiker?"

"If you can hang on, sure."

Lin jumped off the ledge as the Tangler drove by. He landed on the rear axle. His sword sliced into a red Sark that was about sideswipe her.

"Denied," she said and took a swipe at Kyrosys.

He dodged her and Lin jumped onto Synthrax for a second strike. Kyrosys began jerking his vehicle back and forth trying to make Lin lose his balance at the high speed. Lin hung on unable to use his blade to any affect. "I have him," Kyrosys shouted.

"Vert," Tezz said as him evaluated the battle. "I think I know what they are up to."

"Well, what? Battle Force 5 regroup."

"They're kidnapping Lin through a portal."

Lin heard and glanced behind him. Krytus and Kyburi were going through the portal and Kyburi shot a snare at him. 'Just my luck,' he thought. He moved to the other side of the Synthrax letting the snare hit the vehicle. Jumping off was not safe. "Vert, go for their respon chambers, if you can. Don't worry about me."

"Lin, no, not again."

"Vert, I'm all over it." Zoom slipped in behind Kyrosys. "Lin, I got your back."

The portal closed behind them. Vert ordered, "All right team, take the rest of the Reds out. Tezz…"

"Already contacting Sage," he said. "I need Lin and Zoom's coordinates."

"I am tracking them," she said. "…Strange."

"Strange, how?" Vert said putting pressure on Kytren.

"They were taken to a battle zone created by the Red Sentient elders. What possible purpose could they have to take Maxim there? He doesn't have their codes. Does he?"

Kyrosys and Zoom landed in a battle zone edged by half broken structures. Lin stared ahead at the massive, red fortress like structure. "Not here," Maxim whispered jumping off the Sentient's vehicle. He grabbed Zoom's arm. Lin insisted, "We need to hid now."

"From what?' Zoom asked following him.

"The outer guards," he said slipping behind a wall. Krytus signaled his team and the Reds deactivated their vehicles and followed the humans. Once they were hidden Lin yanked off his helmet, his eyes glowing blue and got in Krytus' face. Maxim snapped, "All right, why are we here? By the treaty, no Blue Sentients are ever to come here." Zoom activated the Chopper's blades but the Reds were gathered too close to Lin for a decent strike. From the Red's expressions they knew it.

"With the war going on, do you honestly think either side honored the treaty?" Krytus laughed.

Maxim started to say something and stopped frowning.

"I hate to say it, but he's got a point," Zoom said.

"Whose side are you humans on?" Maxim snapped.

They heard something on the other side of the wall. Lin used the reflective surface of his helmet to see around the wall. "Single guard."

"How do you know that if you haven't been here?" Kyburi asked coldly.

Lin rolled his eyes, "Your brother hasn't, but I have. I got stuck here a few days on and off. Explored the place a bit."

"What's here? Is there a battle key?" Zoom asked.

"They still guard it, I think. The guards used it to send me out of their zone… a few times. They look harmless and as long as you don't fight them, they won't hurt us." Lin looked at the Chopper's wheel blades and shook his head at Zoom. Zoom nodded and sheathed the blades.

"Then why are we hiding?" Kyrosys asked.

Lin glared at him and explained slowly as though speaking to a small child, "You saw that yellow line in the floor about midway between us and fortress." Kyrosys nodded. "That's the outer border. The outer guard, once they see you, they will monitor your movements till you leave. As long as you stay on this side of the line that is. So being seen, destroys any chance of getting pass that line to the gate, which is what I assume your boss wants."

Krytus watched Lin closely before stating, "You're rather helpful now, why?" He proceeded to examine his claws as though he was warning them against any defensive actions.

Lin shrugged, "Survival, Krytus. I am smart enough to notice you have Zoom and I out-manned and out-gunned. Just buying us some time."

"True, you're at least that intelligent."

Lin nodded to Kyburi and Maxim said, "It runs in the family." Kyburi frowned but held her temper.

"So, what is this place?" Zoom asked trying to make the best of the bad situation. He carefully activated his com system so that Sage could heard the conversation undetected.

Maxim answered this time, "Good question it's a Red Sentient zone. The purpose was always unknown to any Blue outside the council."

The humans looked to Krytus. "I am not sure. The elders used this place to protect their secrets from everyone."

"So… you want Lin or Maxim to help you bust into this place? Don't you have the access codes or something?"

Lin chuckled, "I don't think the Red elders trusted Krytus and his team." Krytus snorted and tried to cover it. "I thought as much. I can hardly believe this is why you have been hunting me, us. Oh well, the problem with fortress."

"Problem?" Kyburi repeated stepping up to face the human that wore her brother's eyes. "What problem, brother?"

"FYI: He's not talking right now. Kyburi, there are not just the outer guards to deal with. Each ring has its own set of guards. Get caught by any of them and they haul you out passed the yellow line… as long as you don't fight them."

"Each ring?" Zoom asked.

"I know there are four rings of protective walls, each with a different kind of guards and a different purpose. Beyond that, I haven't seen."

"Why would the elders do this?" Krytus snapped.

"Shush. Do you want that guard to know we're out here?" Lin hissed. "I don't know what was going through their heads. Maybe they didn't want nosy people like us going through their stuff."

Krytus looked away and Lin felt Maxim's thought pattern guessing Krytus had done something to that affect. "So how do we get passed the first gate?" Krytus ordered glaring at them again.

Lin glanced at Zoom but saw no exit strategy and then looked over at the lone Sark that came with them. "Very well. We have to go on foot vehicles attract too much attention. Order that Sark to exit its vehicle and come over here."

"Why?"

"To get the attention of all the outer guards on it rather than us."

With the Sark facing Lin, he said, "Sark, listen closely. There's a yellow line that circles the main structure of this zone. I want you to go to that line and follow it till you are ordered to stop. Understand?" The Sark processed the order and looked to Krytus. "It knows who its daddy is," Lin muttered.

"What?" Krytus snarled.

"Easy," Zoom said, "Earth reference that basically means a male that is obeyed. Geez, don't know much about us."

"Why should he?" Lin grinned.

Zoom shrugged, "Point."

"Ridiculous humans," he muttered. Krytus still frowned and commanded the Sark, "Obey the human's command till I summon you."

Sark nodded, turned and began walking. The outer guard growled at the Sark. It looked like a robotic dog with a Sark like hide. It watched confused as the Sark walked the line. The guard shoved the Sark away from the line. The Sark merely got up and continued walking the line. "Here it comes," Lin said.

"What?" Krytus demanded. The outer guard howled and shoved the Sark again.

"He's calling for the other outer guards to help him."

Three other guards of the same type ran to join the first. They began to act mean, growling and snarling. The Sark just kept walking.

"They're trying to scare the Sark?" Zoom observed and looked at Lin to confirm it.

Lin nodded, "Yes, it doesn't work too well. Come." He led the way to the gate. Zoom's and Lin's helmets transmitting every word to Sage.

Agura and Vert drove out of the Red's stronghold. "Anything?" Sherman asked as the rest of the team focus on the leaderless Sark.

"No respon chambers at all," Agura said.

"You would think something would have been here," Vert said. "Pull back so these Sark leave us alone." The team regrouped into a different battle zone. "Now, any updates on Zoom and Lin?"

"Of course," Tezz said. "Zoom has activated his communication system allowing us to hear what they are saying as well as the Reds nearby."

"Way to go Zoom!" Vert shouted.

"Agreed, they have passed through the first gate of the Red fortress. We can enter the zone without their detection."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Spinner said.

The odd group slipped about the first ring. "This stuff looks like cargo containers," Zoom whispered looking about the stacks of different colored blocks.

"True, they are hollow," Lin hissed. "But the ones with their doors hanging open are empty."

"And the closed ones?" Kyburi asked with her hunter's interest.

Lin shrugged, "This ring's guards don't like it when the doors are handled."

"Where are they?" Krytus asked.

"The columns with the stripes," he answered simply.

"The columns?" Kyrosys asked looking at them.

"They're more for watching out for intruders and thieves while the actual guard is at the next gate. Come," he said leading them toward the next gate.

Kyburi suddenly purred, "You know, this brings back memories brother."

Lin eyes glowed brightly, "Yes, it does. You are two up on me." His sister grinned.

"Huh?" Zoom whispered. Krytus looked back at him with a confused glare. He didn't know either.

Maxim sighed, "We have a private competition going. Answering the question of who is better at as many tasks as we can possible compete in."

"How often did these competitions take place?" Kyrosys asked.

"Whenever my sister cornered me."

Krytus frowned, "So, that's where you were going?"

"Forgive me, my lord," she said but didn't seem at all sorry.

"Shush, we're here," Lin whispered.

Zoom got down and was able to look around Lin's knee and the container they were hiding behind. "Whoa, he's big," Zoom whispered staring at the guardian that looked like a blind Red Sentient with Kylox's bulk but double the size. He and Lin stepped back so that the Reds could take a look.

"If it can't see, can we simply slip pass?" Kyrosys asked.

Lin hung his head, " Sure Kyrosys, of course it's that simple. Why don't you just try that?"

Zoom looked to Krytus and Kyburi. He asked them, "Have you ever wondered why we only try to speak to the two of you?" The Reds only glared.

"There's an easy way and a hard way to pass this gate," Lin said. "Which do you want?"

"What's the easy way?" Kyburi asked. Lin held her eyes and pointed his chin at Kyrosys, who was watching the guardian. He then made a shoving motion. Krytus saw and thought about it.

"It's easy, but not exactly pleasant," he continued. Zoom saw what Lin was suggesting slipped further away from the Reds into a better defensive position. Kyburi looked at Zoom to see that human wasn't about to cooperate.

"Very well," Krytus agreed.

"Kyrosys," Lin said. The Red turned to him. "This will be tricky shot. Come over to the corner."

Kyrosys went right to the corner and looked about. "What am I aiming at?"

Lin grabbed the top of the lowest container for leverage swinging his legs up. "Sorry, but you're not shooting." He planted one foot between Kyrosys' shoulders and the other his mid back shoving him face first into full view of the guardian and the nearby tower.

The tower blared its alarm shining a light over Kyrosys. The guardian charged and before the Red could stand the Guardian scooped him up and was hauling him toward the first gate. Kyrosys shouted insults at Lin and searched for the others but they weren't behind the container anymore. Before the guardian turned the corner he saw Krytus leading the group through the second gate.

Battle Force 5 was waiting on the outer rim of the battle zone. Agura and Tezz were out of the outer guard's sight. Two outer guards were eyeing the Saber and Buster. The other guards were probably following the Sark they heard about.

They were listening to the conversation about passing the second gate. "What do you think Lin did?" Spinner asked.

"Who knows?" Agura said. "Remember, Lin does a lot of talking without speaking."

"Well, we know Kyrosys is being brought back here," Tezz said. "So, the odds are now about even for our comrades."

"Even? How?" Sherman asked. "The Reds can still transform and the Chopper's out here."

"Lin and Zoom are hand to hand-combat experts. Lin has his sword that I made to crack their shells. He has warned them against transforming if they want to get to the center of this structure. And most important, his experience and knowledge here surpasses the Red Sentients. The odds, as you would say, are in their favor."

"Thanks Tezz, that is a relief," Vert said. "Let's get out of sight and give Kyrosys a nice surprise."

"What is this area?" Krytus asked. They stood just inside the gate with a knee-height field around them.

Lin looked up getting tired of hearing that question and all ones like it. "My best guess is that the first ring is for supplies and materials that your elders brought in. This ring and next one are probably for testing. We get to run an obstacle course from this box to the box way over there in front of the third gate."

"You're kidding," Zoom said.

Lin smiled, "I wish. Just watch out for the nets that aim for you when you're still a little too long."

"That's the guard? Nets?" Krytus asked.

"They wrap you up, carry you out passed the line, and drop you," Lin continued.

"Kyburi," Maxim said bowing to her. "Shall we see who's faster?"

Kyburi smiled and sprinted into the ring.

"Maxim, is she really ahead?" Zoom whispered.

"We're even, but it makes her happy enough not to want me dead," he answered running after her.

"That's what I thought," Krytus grumbled. Zoom and Krytus rushed into the course.

"Man, it sounds like they're having a blast," AJ said.

Sage glanced at him and stated, "AJ please. Maxim, Lin, and Zoom are still in danger. Krytus and Kyburi are ruthless."

"Sorry, but hey Adrena-Lin can handle it," he insisted.

Vert laughed, "That old nickname."

"Really?" Spinner said. "He doesn't seem like that much of a risk taker."

"He was… before. Although, he was never the adrenaline junkie AJ is."

"No," AJ argued, "he's just… you know."

"Quieter?" Vert offered.

Columns rose out of the ground in front of Kyburi and Lin. Kyburi slowed and changed direction. Lin jumped, planted his feet on a column, and pushed off to an open path. Krytus used his superior strength to jump over most obstacles. Zoom bypassed the obstacles with the same ease he would at the test track on his Chopper. As they all near the box in front of the next gate, Lin slowed down allowing the Reds to get ahead of him. When the Reds entered the box, Lin caught Zoom's arm stopping outside. He shouted, "Looks like you win this time."

Zoom laughed even as a glowing net wrapped them. "You had this planned out, didn't you?"

"What is…?" Krytus snapped. The humans waved as the net lifted to a cable that was stretched all the way out of the fortress. "We will still get the elders' treasures."

Zoom stared behind the Reds. "Lin, what's that?"

"The next guardian," he said as the Reds turned to an even bigger guardian than the last one. He waved at it, pointed, and said, "That's Krytus." The guardian turned to them and the Reds gaped at it.

"Bye," Zoom taunted.

The team reunited, laughed as Zoom described what happened in the fortress. Lin settled in the Splitwire resting his eyes with a grin. Tezz nodded respectfully and then asked, "Can they get to the center?"

Lin shrugged, "Doubtful, but it doesn't matter. Trust me."

"You lied about not getting to the center, correct?"

"No, but Krytus is not allowed to pass from that last guardian's orders."

"Really?" Zoom exclaimed. "Its bigger than Rawkus."

Lin stretched, "I stopped coming here for a reason."

"Good work team. Let's head home," Vert said. "First pizza's on me."

(1) Episode – Stone Cold Warrior

(2) Episode – Sol Survivor