Heyo! it's another chapter! anyway, trying to show that, although still a wreck, will is not as bad as he was in Deception. also, i'm curious as to how many of you caught that Mira's parents and family are still alive in the last chapter? anyway, i hope you all enjoy this chapter, and please pardon the fact that this is one long set up. (Normally i've had some action appear in a story by now) drop reviews with what your thinking so far!
Residential sphere, Ares station.
"The stationed is powered by a series of solar cells, catching Solar's light and transmitting it here to the station. It saves an unbelievable amount of money, and is only possible thanks to Ares location above the Lylat system's elliptical plane." Fox didn't really pay attention as the female attendant spoke to him, his mind still focused on the strange message, along with the image, that Katt had sent him just a few days prior. Fox nearly ran into the Feline as she stopped, a slight smirk on her face.
"And you haven't heard a word I've said. Alright, what's your game here?" he glanced around the exuberantly decorated hallway, absently scratching the back of his neck with his free hand.
"Uh, nothing, just looking to relax." She raised an eyebrow at him, her tail flicking around behind her.
"Alone?" he shrugged, realizing that it may have been smart to bring someone else along.
"Well, ah, I figured I'd try to find some company here…" he shuffled his feet, one of his legs bumping up against the heavy suitcase in his hand. She smiled at him, beckoning for him to follow.
"Well if you want, when I get off I could show you around a bit, until you find that company you are looking for." Fox's mind instantly became a battlefield, for more reasons than he could admit. On one hand, it would help his cover if he was seen just hanging out and relaxing, on the other, he wanted to start searching for Krystal right away. on another plane entirely, what would Krystal think if he accepted this woman's little proposal, would she be okay with it? would she ever even know about it? before Fox realized it, he had been silent for several minutes, leaving her answerless. "so, strong silent type huh? Ya kinda remind me of one of the guys I escorted earlier. He seemed to have something on his mind too." Fox sighed, speaking before he could catch himself.
"Just lost someone recently, that's all." She smiled to him, gently bumping his shoulder.
"Hey, at least you're here. Maybe that will help you through this?" he smirked, unable to keep from doing so. Whoever this woman was, her optimism was contagious.
"Yeah, Maybe, that's what my crew thought." He tried to shift from the total honest streak that broke out, trying to cover his tracks a little. "I think I'll take you up on that offer, what's a good club around here?" she smiled, finally stopping at a cabin and gesturing to it.
"I go to a place called solstice. I'm off in a couple of hours, if you want me to take you to it." he nodded and smiled to her as she opened his room's door.
"Sure, I'd like that. I'll be here, getting settled till then. Thanks." She smiled as he walked in, dropping his suitcase and assault pack, Krystal's staff rolling out of it's slot. He cursed, about to go pick it up when the attendant did so for him.
"what is that, if I may ask?" he shrugged trying to think up an excuse quickly.
"Oh, just an old gift. Thanks." He smiled as he accepted the small rod, it being barely a foot long at the moment.
"It's pretty. And kinda scary. Is it supposed to shock you a little?" he smirked, remembering the first time picked it up, and the massive surge of energy it pumped into him.
"Must've picked up some static on the trip or something. I keep it with me. Good luck charm of sorts." More like makes my luck. His thought almost slipped out of his mouth again.
"Oh, cool, well, my name is Savannah, if you need anything, just call me up on the communicator there, my number is already programmed in. I'll be off at nineteen hundred, see ya then!" with that, she turned and stepped off into the hallway, the door closing behind her. fox sighed and slumped to the bed, still holding Krystal's staff. He quickly found himself wishing she was lying beside him, a memory of a night nearly half a year ago drifting into mind. Before he let himself get lost in that memory, he dragged himself back to the present, opening the suitcase to reveal a small subspace comm device inside, as well as his faithful carbine and an equipment vest, which he quickly stuffed away in the closet. He also dropped his equipment belt, with his usual blaster still dangling off it, and hung that as well. This left him in his lightweight green cargo pants, white t-shirt and vanilla long sleeve jacket, his ever present red bandana wrapped firmly around his neck. He quickly turned the transmitter on, punching in a number from his personal wrist computer. After a few seconds, the screen lit up with a familiar black furred face.
"Hey Fox, you on Ares?" he nodded and she continued. "Alright, that picture I nabbed I got from an old friend that works there. Her name's Savannah. Try to ask her casually about it, if you can. I know that's not your strong suit." Fox scratched the back of his head, half grinning.
"Uh, well, what if I told you that I already ran into her. and I may have been asked out on a date by her?" Katt giggled hysterically before she spoke.
"Wow, that is just perfect. Anyway, just, you know, talk to her, with out scaring her with your gruesome war stories. How Krystal ever fell in love with you is beyond me. Anyway, then try to bring him up. Subtly. Or try to at least. I'll try to find a back door into their systems, see if I cant get camera access or something from here on Katina. By the way Fox, good luck, and I hope you really do find her." he smiled before letting his finger hover over the end call button.
"Thanks Katt. And thank you for helping me with this." She smirked on the screen before they both ended the call, Fox closing the suitcase and sliding it into the closet. It didn't take him long to unpack the two other outfits he brought from his assault pack, packing them away in a drawer before he flopped onto the bed to wait.
Will finished reassembling his pistol on the small vanity inside his room, having just made sure that it was perfectly cleaned and oiled, ready for a fight. He had also brought a small hybrid weapon, made by humanity. It used a hydrogen based round, but fired a lot more of it than Cornerian blasters. It was designed to be a small but powerful personal defense weapon, filling the same nich that sub-machineguns used to fill. It was a very boxy weapon, with a large magazine to give it a couple hundred of it's powerful blasts, even though it was still out powered by the Cornerian SAW, shot for shot. It looked a lot like the Kriss vector in some ways, with a very similar fold out stock and set up. But the front of the weapon was taller and more rectangular, holding a built in flashlight and laser, with the boxy magazine right behind that. That particular weapon was sitting on the vanity as well, it's single point sling draped off the edge of the furniture piece. All of the furniture was made of hand carved wood, and the room was surprisingly large, with it's own small kitchenette and everything. Heck, the bathroom itself was bigger than the entire apartment Will was looking at renting on Corneria. The bed was on a raised dais, a single massive window looking out into space behind it. the vanity was on the wall beside it, with the bathroom being across from that. A wall with a closet separated the bedroom area from the rest of the room, being a small living space, just a couch and two recliners, situated on the closet wall, where a massive screen resided, and both the latest in Cornerian and human gaming consoles below it, as well as an array of games and movies. The small kitchen space was on the same wall as the bathroom, with a full stove, fridge and dishwasher. Behind the couches and closest to the door was the dining table. Suddenly, a quiet chime rang through the room, causing Will to sigh as he stood, slipping his blaster into his holster with a mag in as he moved to the door. He opened it to find Ramirez on the other side.
"Come on Will. I want your eyes with me for this one." Will raised an eyebrow at Ramirez, leaning up against the door jam.
"With what?" Ramirez grinned, grabbing his shirt and pulling him out.
"Investigating this club, Solstice. Now let's go." Will groaned, straightening his grey t-shirt, a faded game logo in the center of it. he had left his customary jacket in his room, leaving him in the shirt and dark grey combat cargo pants, bloused into a set of black combat boots.
"I doubt you want me as your partner on this one Ramirez. Combat gear and a blaster aren't the best wingman." Ramirez turned to him, grinning.
"Sure it is, it'll scare 'em away from you and right into my wonderfully comforting arms." Will rolled his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest as he walked. "Hey, maybe you'll find yourself a cute Lylattian gal while you're at it. Maybe one that's not scared by your psychotic craving of combat and warfare." That comment managed to get a small smile onto Hawkins face, but not much more. Hawkins suddenly started thinking of a friend of his back on Corneria, a half cat half fox named Mira, remembering how she had called him the second she found out about the incident with his now ex-wife. Through the entire process, she had been there to comfort him and support him. He sighed, doubting that she was even single, and knowing that, since she had joined the IBTTF, it was highly unlikely that he would ever see her again. Before Hawkins had noticed, they were walking into the club, and he couldn't help but let his jaw drop. All thought of Mira disappeared from him as he looked around the club, complete with several tiers of floating bars and dance floors, several round stages floating around with dancers and one with a live band,. The dark room was filled with pulsing lights, a light mist, thin enough to not really be seen, but thick enough to catch the light and lasers that were being shown through it, crisscrossing and flaring across the area. It was undoubtable one of the coolest clubs he had ever been in. and beyond that, there were hundreds of clearly single women, both human and Lylattian, moving around. Most were wearing less than normally appropriate clothing. But, surprisingly enough, Will didn't stick out as much as he thought, given several males throughout the bar were also armed, still half in combat gear, just like him. Ramirez led the way to one of the many bars, ordering himself a beer. Will on the other hand, ordered a bottle of hard liquor and a glass so he could just pour it himself.
"Damn Will, startin heavy tonight?" Will just glared at him, staring into the glass in front of him. "Alright, at least play a little game with me, help me guess what people's occupation's and shit are." Will sighed and turned around, resting his elbows on the bar.
"Fine. Who's first." As odd of a game as it sounded, it was something the two of them had done in bars across the sol system, back when they were both single and deploying to the colonies.
"Alright, the orange fox over there, the one with the white Mohawk." Will chuckled, taking a second look at the man.
"Too easy, I've met the guy, Fox McCloud. Mercenary, fighter pilot, and war hero. He's a Lylattian big shot as far as celebrities go. Killed Andross and the Aparoid queen." Ramirez looked at will with an eyebrow raised.
"You're shitting with me." Will shook his head, gesturing at a few of the female Lylattians around them.
"Nope, watch the women whenever he moves. They all want to be where that Cheetah is." Sure enough, it seemed that most of the Lylattian women were keeping an eye on him, several of them watching him and just about nothing else.
"Alright, alright, that gal, there. Canine, looks like a white cocker spaniel." The women in question had extremely long curly white hair, almost hiding her features. She was wearing simple light grey cargo pants that barely fit her and a long sleeve hoodie, and honestly looked less than comfortable in the club.
"Engineer, maybe works here, maybe works on one of the ships that's here. Not much of a party goer, probably just got dragged here. Given she's watching that lynx out on the dance floor, she's either white's friend or white is a lesbian." Ramirez started laughing as Will downed another shot. "Alright, your turn. That guy over there, in the business suit." The man in question was a human with average length black hair, combed back in a very organized way, and was sipping on a fruity cocktail as he talked with a similarly dressed bulldog.
"Toy salesmen." Will looked at Ramirez and shook his head, laughing quietly to himself.
"No way, now you are really just guessing." Ramirez glared back at Will elbowing him in the side.
"Oh yeah, and white over there being an engineer wasn't just a guess?" Will shrugged and Ramirez continued on his own. "Alright fine, you go talk to white, I'll go talk to the guy in the business suit. If we're both right, nothing happens. If were wrong, hundred credits to the other player. What do ya say?" Will smirked and accepted Ramirez's hand.
"And if it ends up that you've failed one more than me, you're covering my tab." Will kept his grip on Ramirez's hand, preventing him from back out while the idea ran through his brain.
"Alright, done. Meet back here?" Will nodded and let go, already moving toward the female canine. Will slowly made his way through the crowd, stopping just behind the female canine. It took him a few seconds to decide exactly what to say, finally settling on something.
"Hey there." She jumped a little, clearly not expecting someone to say anything to her.
"Um, hi?" she looked both confused and startled, clearly very wary of the armed human that just approached her.
"My name is Hawkins, and well, me and my friend have this bet going…" she suddenly cut Will off, speaking very quickly.
"No, I wont have sex with you, creep." Will froze for a second, stunned. He chuckled a little as he recovered, trying to sound calm as he continued.
"Yeah, no that wasn't the bet. What do you do for a living?" she glanced at him, suddenly seeming a lot less hostile, but still cautious.
"I'm an engineer, here on the station." Will smled, unable to help but pump his arm a little. She smirked, her cautious stance relaxing a little.
"Ok, now I have to know, what was this bet?" Will shrugged, trying to remain friendly.
"Oh, just a stupid old bar game we have. We try to guess the occupations and so on of the people in the bar, maybe a little about them. And when we're feeling brave, or bored, we check and see after our guesses." She couldn't help but smile and roll her eyes at him.
"Okay, what ll did you guess about me then?" he froze, clearly very uncomfortable.
"Um, well, I guessed you were an engineer. Annnd that you either got dragged here by that lynx over there, or that you have an affinity towards females, and the lynx happened to catch your eye." The canine laughed, glancing out at her friend as she responded.
"Well, one of those was right. I hate clubs, but Miyu always drags me with her, I'm her back up should some guy start creeping to much on her. although she says she's trying to get me to find somebody." Will grunted, clearly still a little embarrassed.
"Glad I'm not the only one who got dragged here. What's your name?" she smiled, holding out her hand as she spoke.
"Fay Collie. But just call me Fay." Will accepted her hand, finally relaxing a bit.
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you Fay." She smirked, a third voice joining the conversation.
"Oy, I thought the plan was to see if your guess was right, then meet back up?" Will glared at Ramirez, his arms crossing.
"Doesn't hurt to try to be friendly about it. meet Fay Collie. She's an engineer, here on the station, oh, and she got dragged here by her friend, the lynx out on the dance floor." Ramirez grumbled, looking totally defeated.
"The guy was a friggen hover car salesmen. Was meeting up with his Cornerian counterpart." Will laughed, clapping his shoulder.
"Guess you have my tab for the night. Guess I'll have to find a way to run it u on ya." Ramirez looked sour for a few seconds before something hit him, grabbing Will by the arm and yanking him away, much to both Will and Fay's surprise.
"You said Fay is an engineer on this station right?" He nodded at Ramirez's hushed words, looking very confused. "We could use her, she might be able to help us find that supposed lab, if it even exists." Will smiled, rolling his eyes at his larger companion.
"Alright, I'll ask her." he stepped back to Fay, Ramirez hot on his heels.
"Ask me what?" she had gotten back into her defensive stance when Will pulled his badge out, holding it out to her.
"We're IBTTF agents, and we could use your help with an investigation."
Fox tried to seem relaxed as he lounged in the booth style bench he was sitting on, the attendant from earlier beside him in jean shorts and a bright yellow filmy top that was just a little too small for her, making her curves pop more than Fox was comfortable with.
"So, Fox, most of those interviews don't say a lot about what you do in your free time, so what do you do?" Fox shrugged, watching the crowd around him.
"Well, honestly, I almost never have free time. But I used to sit on this park bench in my younger days and guess what people did for a living. Hell, it's probably why I'm any good at bounty hunting actually." Savannah smiled, her eyes combing the crowd for a few seconds, spotting the two IBTTF agents she escorted to their cabins earlier.
"Alright, the two humans by the bar there, what do they do for a living?" Fox glanced at them, seeing that one was in a T-shirt and jeans, the other wearing a half tucked T-shirt with an equipment belt, a blaster hanging off the belt and strapped to his thigh.
"Cops of some sort. Given one has an equipment belt, I'd guess they are supposed to be on the job right now. And since they aren't in an official uniform, I would lean toward that human counter bio-terror agency, cause they seem to fit the few of them I've met before. The one who's armed I would guess is either just an alcoholic, or just is trying to forget something. And given the blaster, I get the feeling that he was dragged here by his partner, which leans me toward trying to forget something. The other, he's single, and a partier. starting easy on the liquor so he remembers more of the night." She looked shocked, smiling at him.
"And what if I told you that you were just about spot on? They are IBTTF agents, I just escorted them earlier. And the one who is armed was all business, didn't care one bit about the resort. The other was trying to get him to loosen up." Fox grinned, unable to contain it. His uncanny skill of judging people like that had carried him far as a mercenary, and even shocked the telepath on his team.
"Told ya so. I got a good eye for people. It's really useful as a mercenary." As he watched, the two of them made a deal of some kind, leaving their empty drinks on the bar as they split apart. Curious, Fox watched them, seeing the unarmed one talking to a human in a suit, the other chatting with a Cornerian gal. after a few seconds, the unarmed one seemed to finish whatever conversation he was having, moving over to where the armed one was, still talking to the gal. his attention slipped away from them as the woman beside him spoke.
"Um so do you have anyone special in your life?" he shrugged, not really sure what to say. He had proposed to Krystal, just hours before her abduction.
"I was engaged but, well, it's complicated." The woman nodded, remaining silent. "What about you?"
"No, cant seem to hold a boyfriend for more than a few months. I've never understood it." Fox smiled, unable to stop himself.
"I'm sure you'll find someone, someday. We all do. It's just a matter of having the guts to say it, and being willing to open our eyes to see it." she smirked, resting her head on one of her knees.
"yeah, that seems to be everyone's opinion. Doesn't seem like it's true though." Fox smirked kicking back, not even realizing how much he was relaxing.
"I used to think it was just an opinion. Hell, I have for most of my life. That changed when I met her…" his voice slipped off, unable to continue.
"If she was so perfect, why aren't you with her?" Fox's face darkened, looking away.
"Because I have to find her. I just hope it's not too late now." he mentally kicked himself, realizing he had said too much.
"So she's gone? Did she just leave or did you two fight, what?" he sighed, realizing that he had gone too deep to really pull out now.
"No. she was kidnapped. And I know who took her." he opened up his communicator, finding the photo Katt sent him, the blurred image of a dark figure, nothing more than an outline, except for one of his eyes glowing red. "His name is Wolf O'Donnel. And when I find him, I will kill him."
