The Dark Sky

Chapter 3: Little Birdie

It was a bright morning, hopefully meaning good things for our Signers. Today was the day they leave for New Domino City; all they needed to do now was to pack a few more things. Crow herself was having her own personal issues. Despite being the one to insist this, she was shaking since she was going head first into danger. If she were caught it would boil down to two things: either get brainwashed into one of those things or the worst case scenario. . . . As she was thinking about it Jack gave her a firm pat on the back.

"Everything ok?" he asked her, while stoically looking forward.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine," Crow answered softly.

"You don't sound it," Jack cocked his head.

"Yes I'm OK Mr. Atlas," she stressed with annoyance traced in her voice.

"That's great," he replied. "I trust in you Crow, you should as well."

"What are you trying to say?" Crow asked.

"Well it looks like your having second thoughts, which is perfectly fine," he assured. Crow processed what she just heard and began to laugh aloud.

"You must be imaging that Jack," Crow laughed. "I already told you I'm fine."

"You don't have to hold it in Crow," Jack assured her. "This is a lot I'm asking of you."

"You big dummy," Crow insults with her eyes closed. "I've lived in the Satellite since I was a baby so I know this place like the back of my hand. Not only that I've escaped the old Security plenty of times. Who's scared of a couple of pawns who have just touched a runner in the first time in their lives," As Crow ranted off, Jack glanced at her clenched fist and noticed that it was violently shaking. Jack grabbed her and pulled her into a loving embrace.

"I'm sorry Crow you've been through a lot for us," Jack whispered to her.

"Ja-Jack what are you doing?" Crow was expecting an answer from the man, instead she received a quick kiss on the lips.

"Your not shaking anymore," Jack smiled letting go of her. "Your coming back in one piece, right?"

"Yeah I am," she smiled at him. Soon the Signers have left for the junk chute, leaving Crow on her own. Getting on her Runner she smiled as she got herself ready.

"What a dummy," she laughs revving up her Runner. Soon she was out in the open with one mission attract the Dark Signers pawns for 30 minutes. "Let's get this show on the road!" she cheered starting her reckless drive through the Satellite. This caught the attention of a couple of pawns, which sort of disappointing Crow. "Oh come on, I'm worth more than two pawns," Crow complained but when she looked in front she nearly drove into a pack of pawns. "Now this is what I'm talking about, gotta keep this up for another 25 minutes," she cheered. She drove past a couple of road blocks the pawns set up and kept the others on her. Though with every turn Crow made, it seemed like more and more pawns was right behind her. "Holy crap this was more than I was expecting," Crow looked at the clock 7 more minutes. "Let's see where am I?" Crow took a quick glance at her surroundings and something clicked in her head. "This route. . . . I see your looking after me Yuusei," Crow began making turns the pawns couldn't keep up with, for her everything began to flow. "The one route me and Yuusei always used to drive through," Crow reminisced her and Yuusei driving together before all of this happened. Crow seemed to be so into her memories that it appeared that Yuusei was speeding up right in front of her. That was until purple flames cut off the road in front of them, the vision of Yuusei crashing into those flames gave Crow of absolute terror. "Yuusei!" she screamed turning her Runner. She looked behind her and her body went cold from what she saw.

"Haha! You won't get away like that Little Birdie!" The very last person Crow wanted to see in her life right now was right behind her. Catching up to her on his nightmarish Runner, looking at her with those mad gold and black eyes, Kalin Kessler. Crow began to panic and made reckless turns not caring where they went; all she cared for was to get away from him, far away from him. Kalin's laughs began to invade her ears making her panic even more so, making her turn to a life-threatening drop. Crow began plummeting to the streets below; her life flashing before her eyes, seeing the smiling faces of Yuusei, Jack and everyone made tears come out of her eyes and into the air. The last conscience sight she saw, was that of the Dark Signer Kalin watching her fall to her death.

With the Signers, everything went smoothly for them, actually too smoothly which made Jack nervous. That was when he suddenly gripped his chest; to him it felt as if a knife had punctured his heart and continued to drive itself in.

"Crow. . . ." Jack said unconsciously.

"Jack did you say something?" Leo who held onto him from behind saw his dark expression.

"N-Nothing," Jack stuttered.

"Look New Domino!" Akiza shouted from behind, indicating the light at the end of the tunnel. As they left the tunnel Akiza felt wonderful to finally get out of that stuffy tunnel, Jack however would disagree. "Now we just need to find some place to shelter ourselves," Akiza smiled. Little did the Signers know, they were being watched from above by none other than Carley Carmine.

"It was like Kalin said," Carley memorized the plan Kalin gave to her.

"This is what we'll do," Kalin began to explain. "Since the Signers are heading to New Domino they'll most likely send Crow to distract the pawns. I'll give them a helping hand and have nearly all the pawns after her, giving them a safe trip to New Domino. I'll tell you exactly which tunnel they'll crawl out of, and you'll have to continue monitering them until further notice."

"What about Crow?" Carley asked out of curiosity.

"Oh her," Kalin made a sick smile. "Well I'll give a friendly illusion, and the rest well that's my business."

Carley watched Jack drive away noticing his hand on his chest. "What exactly are you planning Kalin?"