Disclaimer: I do not own Storm Hawks or any of its characters. I do, however, own my own character and plots.

Chapter 20

Just like last time, Repton was forced to watch nothing useful for the beginning of the night.

Luchas went ahead and disconnected Adam from all the machines that surrounded him. The child looked unbelievably small and delicate, and with no signs of life, it was a sore sight to see. After that had been done with, other doctors arrived and saw Luchas at work. They said nothing, but their eyes were dark. They approached and picked up Luchas' business for him, and he didn't need to be told that he should get out. He exited and walked down the hall, but he didn't make it far until another doctor went up to him. The one named Seth.

"...Hello," Luchas said. The younger man scrutinized him. The difference between him and the other doctors was that he had no harsh, cold aura to him currently. It was more melancholy, disappointed. Repton wondered what his anger was like. He cleared his throat.

"I think it's time for you to return to your place of residence," Seth said formally. "There's no other purpose for you to remain here any longer."

"Have I been fired...? Or have I been...?"

Seth's lips pursed for a moment. "Not quite. The Chancellor's final word will determine what happens to you. For the time being, you just have to turn in for the night. Be warned, though... if you try to run, they will catch you."

Repton heard Luchas gulp. "I have nowhere to run to. This is my only chance of home."

"We'll see how that turns out for you. I will escort you out of the building."

The men continued down the hall until they reached the elevator. Once inside, they climbed up the stories in silence, the edge of unease pressed against Luchas' throat like a knife. Repton looked back at Cyclonis' desk and saw the file that he left open. It was beckoning to him. Once the Cyclonian was in his home, nothing else would happen, and he would be free to look back at the record's contents. However, the thought of reading what happened to Nakoto seemed more foreboding than it had before.

The secretary at the front desk looked immediately over to Luchas when he and Seth walked by. Her reaction was a little different. Once she saw him, she picked up the magazine she had and posed it up, blocking her view of him. She didn't want anything to do with him, and he probably didn't even know her name. When strangers knew you for something you did rather than for being who you were, it was hard to prove yourself.

Luchas made for a small door that blended in with the wall, and when he opened it, it was revealed to be a closet. He removed the Eye from his doctor-attire and stuffed the white article onto a hook. He then retrieved his own overcoat, and through some fumbling, he put it on and attached the Eye back onto his breast. Seth waited quietly.

The two men reached the automatic doors and stopped. Seth turned to Luchas.

"I trust you'll return to your lodgings without trouble?"

Luchas nodded his head. "...I... truly mean no harm or trouble."

"So you say." It was now that Seth unleashed a cold look. "How much suffering did Nakoto go through under your care?"

The unease from before made itself even more known; the metaphorical blade could have drawn blood from Luchas' throat by now. Everything was tense and taunt as Luchas didn't —or refused to— find the words to explain himself. The younger man stared, then sighed through his nose.

"She really is a beautiful person; I hope you know that. Raptor or not, she has a good heart. She didn't deserve what she got, and if you try to hurt her again..." Seth shook his head. His anger was a different type of blaze; it was silent and controlled, which meant he could direct its full power at Luchas at any time.

Luchas dipped his chin. "I promise I'm here to help... I apologize for what I've done."

"Oh, it's not me you have to apologize to," Seth sighed again. He shook his head again, then gestured to the door. "Well then. Good night."

Luchas nodded, a sound in his throat starting but not finishing a thank-you. He stiffly stepped out through the door and entered the night. The light from the office faded as Luchas walked further away, and soon the human had to walk in total darkness. There were no streetlights nearby yet, so the facility must have been a little separate from the city. The doctor seemed to know his way though.

Soon he came out into the familiar parts of Atmosia. Repton never stepped foot there other than the time he stole the remains of the Aurora Stone. Even at that time, he never bothered to explore the town. There were still a considerable amount of people out, socializing and eating dinner with one another. They passed by the doctor without giving him any heed. It was like he was invisible, and frankly, maybe Luchas wanted to feel invisible at that moment.

The people grew less in number the further Luchas went on. He entered a more neighbourly place, where everyone was inside comfortably. The streetlights planted themselves every few meters, ensuring both sight and security. His footsteps echoed down the spacious street, giving a more lonesome atmosphere. Repton's thoughts wandered to the contents he read previously on Oasium until Luchas reached his home.

Luchas turned and stepped through a small fence, then he walked up the steps of a small old house. As a doctor, he should have had plenty of money to spend on a more appropriate house, but he didn't, most likely because it wasn't permanent. The porch creaked under his feet as he stepped up to his door. He fished the keys from his overcoat pocket and fumbled in the dark until he found the right one. The next moment, he opened the door and strode into a deeper darkness.

The door shut, and he turned the lights on, which flickered pathetically for a moment. The place wasn't all that impressive... no decorative furniture spiced up the place. It was barren, save for the simple furnishings. The hall he took his shoes off in immediately opened up to a living room to his right, and there was nothing but a couch, a table, and a small television. To the left, there was an even smaller kitchen. There were stairs that lead upstairs, but there was only one door in view.

Luchas, finished with putting his shoes aside, turned the light off again and climbed these steps. He turned left and passed this door, revealing that there was another, above the kitchen below. He entered, and it turned out to be his bedroom. He turned the light on. Papers and notebooks were strewn all over the desk and bedside table. A radio sat under the windowsill. There were used clothes piled up in a hamper, some sleeves poking out like tongues. At least the bed was made. The curtains were drawn back, but then Luchas pulled them closed.

"Master Cyclonis, there must be some other way," he persisted. "I can't do this."

Repton looked around. Cyclonis was nowhere, nor had she snuck up on him again.

Luchas reached for the Eye. "Master Cyclonis?"

With an indecisive frown, Repton reached out and touched the surface of the Eye gingerly.

"...she's not here."

Luchas made a bewildered gasp. "Who is this?"

"Does it matter?"

"Your voice... you must be a Raptor."

"Very good. Maybe you aren't as clueless as you come out to be," Repton mused. "Cyclonis has me planted here to watch the little things. Waste of my time, if you ask me."

"I don't think it's wise for you to say such things."

Repton shrugged, despite Luchas' inability to see it. He voiced sarcastically: "Maybe you can figure out why I'm here?"

Luchas stayed silent. He reached up and set the Eye down on the desk. He took off his coat and hung it on the back of the chair before sitting in it. Again, Repton was able to take in the middle-aged man's tired features. He had a pensive look on his face.

"You don't know why you're there?" Luchas asked. "Master Cyclonis didn't tell you?"

Repton rolled his eyes, snarling impatiently. "I'm here because of Nakoto."

A look of realization crossed the human's face. "Oh, I see now. You're Repton. You're the one who discovered her."

"Yes, but so what? I pointed her out to Cyclonis. The only other reason she told me was that I was needed because I was a Raptor. Something about anatomy, but I don't buy it."

Luchas eyes misted as he stroked his chin. "You're responsible for observing Beta?"

"I thought that much was obvious."

"...perhaps only you are able to do what no other human can. Maybe that's why Cyclonis has you involved."

The words seemed simple enough, but they took their time going through Repton's head. They sunk in and he leaned toward the Eye. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

Luchas closed his eyes. "I'm only suggesting the possibility that, maybe, Master Cyclonis wants you for breeding purposes. You may be a candidate for Beta."

Now these words couldn't even enter Repton's head properly. It felt like they sped forward and crashed into his skull before crawling, pitiful and crippled, in through his ears. "So... what? I'm here because Cyclonis wants me to size Nakoto up?"

"Or maybe build some attraction for you. Do you find yourself attracted to Beta?"

Repton's teeth clenched. That wasn't something he was going to discuss with some old man.

"This is humiliating," he seethed. "I thought being pushed aside was bad enough. I'm being treated like a pet, used to spawn children for Cyclonis! What does she need them for? I thought she only wanted Nakoto. She wanted a perfect soldier!"

"Beta is one of the last of her kind. Alpha is still around, if what Mr. Ion said was true," Luchas said. Repton had to remind himself who Mr. Ion was...it was the disgruntled-looking official who first escorted Luchas to the building. Even if the man didn't say Farida's name, the term other one gave it away. "Master Cyclonis would want more than one. If Beta was able to produce offspring, they would hold even greater power and potential. The accumulation of crystal grows stronger as the lines continue."

"Even when Nakoto hasn't been drinking contaminated water for years?"

"I haven't been able to do any tests on her, so I can't be sure, but I believe her bones still remain strongly crystalline. Throughout the years she had grown without the water, the crystal would still be able to form as a part of her, hence Beta being named a "living" crystal. I have no doubt that her children will hatch in the same way she had; ten-times more powerful than her parents."

"And say that I did... mate with her," Repton said slowly, "Wouldn't my genes interfere with this accumulation?"

"It wouldn't matter. Only one parent needs to be a crystal being."

Repton took his hand away from Athene's Eye and rubbed his temple. It was a big hunch to make, but it seemed so likely and possible... was he really just there as a variable for Cyclonis' plan? He knew that he was to play as her pawn from time to time, since he worked for her, but this was passing the line. He didn't think that things would go this far.

He could only imagine Nakoto's face. She was smiling. It was definitely the face of a mother. He could just imagine how devastated she would look if she had her possible children taken away from her, to be used as test subjects and soldiers. Or what if they wouldn't even survive past their hatching? That was a big likelihood. After all, Nakoto herself said she was the only surviving hatchling in her nest. Probably only one would survive, and Cyclonis would probably not be satisfied.

And then, there was the chance that Nakoto couldn't procreate at all. Repton would be forced to mate with Farida instead, if she was ever brought to Cyclonia. In general, Farida would probably come before Cyclonis willingly anyway, so that alternative would be a possibility. And what would Cyclonis use for Nakoto, then? She would never agree to fight under her rule. She would be tested on instead, as she had been when she was a kid. They would use her blood to create weapons, while all the same keeping her alive, to ensure that the blood remained usable. What kind of life was that?

"Maybe you should feel proud," Luchas said, breaking through Repton's thoughts. "You'll be the father of very powerful warriors."

Repton felt no such thing. He wasn't focused on becoming a father, because he was pretty confident that he didn't need an heir anytime soon. If he did, sure, he'd want them to be strong, but not to be used by Cyclonis like some tame animals. They needed to be wild; Raptors who did what they wanted whenever they wanted, and nothing was to have them back down from doing so. Those were the strongest that deserved to rule Bogaton. He believed he was like that once, but Cyclonis' hold on him diminished that. No, his kids didn't deserve a fate like his, nor whatever Cyclonis planned for them.

And Nakoto didn't deserve a fate like hers. He would mate with her because he loved her, not for some cursed benefit.

Repton tried to double-take that, but the thought was gone. It just passed through his subconsciousness, leaving nothing behind; not even an echo. Had it really existed? Had he really thought it?

He reached forward and touched the Eye. "I don't want to hear any more of this," Repton said rigidly. "Besides, this is about you. Your performance hasn't left Cyclonis impressed. She expects you to clean up after yourself."

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Luchas sighed, leaning back. Repton wasn't used to humans being so comfortable in his presence, but he had to remind himself that he was many leagues away. He expected Luchas would start showing fear if he was in the room with him, or at least much closer than he was now. "How? There has to be some other way."

"What's the matter with staying close to Nakoto?" Repton asked. "I'd say that was the safer bet."

Luchas fingers closed in on one another and he fidgeted. He looked down and examined the scratches in the desk.

"...you're afraid of her." Repton shook his head. "Even I know that she's harmless."

"You don't understand."

The Raptor's nostril's flared. "No? I think I do. I've spent some time with her. She doesn't have that ruthless streak we Raptors do."

Luchas said nothing. Repton tilted his head and watched the older human until an idea sprouted in his mind. Something Cyclonis mentioned earlier.

"Nakoto tried to kill you, a long time ago."

Luchas flinched.

"It's true, then? I guess that's an exception of what I didn't know," he said. He frowned. "But as a youngling?"

"Even as a child, her capabilities were vast," Luchas muttered. He closed his eyes. "She almost sliced my body open. My organs could've spilled out, if she had been any closer."

Repton tried to imagine the sight, but couldn't. Child Nakoto didn't fit into the picture. Hell, adult Nakoto wouldn't have fit into the picture. He wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't noticed the pale scar poking up from under the human's shirt. The aftermath.

"Every time I see that hand of hers, I shiver. Every time she raises it, I cower." The man shook his head pitifully. "I could only imagine what damage she could do now!"

"But who says that damage will be deliberate this time around?" Repton stopped, then growled. "I don't know why I'm bothering with telling you this, but you're acting like a fool. Nakoto won't hurt you if you play your cards right."

Luchas scratched the back of his neck, then his fingers returned to the table, twitching slightly. "I'm afraid of the moment when I slip up, and thinking of that moment will only ensure that it happens."

"Then don't think about it. All you're supposed to do is stay by her. Earn her trust."

"Earn her trust? After our history together? There is no possible way she can forgive me, let alone look at me like a friend."

The Rogue rolled his eyes up and regarded the ceiling.

"You give her too little credit."

"I beg your pardon?"

Before Repton could repeat himself or say anything else, there were voices coming from outside. Or one voice, extremely loud and rough. The man was singing a drunken song. Luchas stood up and leaned toward the window, pulling the curtain back a little. Then, he cautiously opened the window. Another voice boomed.

"Rio! Not so loud! You'll wake up the whole neighbourhood!" Laughter followed, as well as the clinking of glass.

"You're doing the same!" the man slurred. The broken Aquanosian was loose now, seemingly forgotten of his son's death. This was completely unheard of, inconsiderate, heartless... which meant that the man was not being himself. The clinking of glass before... that was alcohol. Rio was intoxicated.

Nakoto must have caught up with Rio, because her voice was taken down a notch. Still loud enough to hear down the way from Luchas' window. She too must've consumed her fair share.

"We should save the singing for the fire," she told him. "You think that boy set it up for us? I paid him good money to give us a head-start. It'll be up near the eastern edge."

"Oh, he better!"

Nakoto laughed again. "Come on! Cheers to Adam! We're going to send him off with a bang!"

"Adam was a fine lad," Rio bellowed. "My boy! He would've grown strong!"

"Come on...! We don't want the Enforcers coming in... We're making a public disturbance..."

Despite her own warnings, Nakoto's voice rose up in song along with Rio as they walked away. Luchas pressed his face against the glass pane to follow them, then immediately jumped away. He snatched up his coat and ran out of the room. Repton was shocked.

"Hey!" he roared. "Come back here, idiot! You've forgotten something!"

Luchas returned, striding smoothly to the desk and picking the Eye up. It was strange; it was as if the Raptor was being held in the human's palm. He put the Eye back on his chest.

"This may be my chance," Luchas said as he left his darkened room. "To earn her trust. If I let this pass me up, I won't get another one. I better catch up with her."

The Raptor blinked. He knew that Nakoto was harmless, but he had no idea how she was when she was drunk. Maybe she had some deep, locked-up brutality that only surfaced when she had no mind to control it. But even that idea seemed ludicrous. He chose not to say anything, in case Luchas backed down. They Cyclonian didn't act on impulse enough. Always over-thinking things, making himself hesitate at the moment of action.

The doctor was out his door with his heels not completely in his shoes yet. He hopped down the steps, fixing his feet, and he ran down the path. He turned to one direction, listening, and for sure, there were still boisterous voices echoing down the way. He stole away after them, making sure to keep his distance. Soon he left his neighbourhood into another, and into another, until the houses grew fewer. Eventually the pavement ended and jumped onto a dirt path. The doctor inspected the ground and found their three-toed footprints. He looked up and saw that, at a higher elevation, a warm glow was burning. A fire. Figures were already up there; black silhouettes.

Luchas walked up this path, very quietly, and he climbed through the trees that surrounded the bonfire. His progress was slow for good reason, to keep himself from snapping any twigs. As he approached, Rio's singing was much louder, and his words were more coherent. He was singing an old sailor's shanty by the sounds of it. It was sad one, one of those melancholy songs that weren't meant to by sung while working on the ship. More meant for singing in the moonlight. Nakoto joined in, with no fault in the words. How she knew them was beyond Repton.

Luchas made it to the treeline right by the fire, having gotten to his knees. He peeked past the trunk of the tree he hid behind. The leaves of a bush blocked him from view, but he and Repton were able to see through between the leaves. Rio and Nakoto were sitting on a fallen tree, arms on each others' shoulders as each free hand held a bottle. They swung them from side to side, swaying their torsos from left to right to the slow words that escaped their throats. They soon ended their song and they clashed their bottles together.

"To Adam!" Nakoto shouted. "He was a good-hearted kid! And very strong; he fought his battle well!"

"He was an extraordinary boy!" Rio joined in. He shook his head roughly and laughed at the sky. What wasn't evident before was that his face was streaming with tears. "How I loved him!"

"And he loved you!" Nakoto bent down, placed her bottle down, then hooked two glasses with her claws. She brought them up to Rio, who unlatched his arm from her shoulder and took hold of one of the glasses. She reached down and took a new bottle, uncorking it with ease before pouring the contents into these glasses. "He will be missed, but he's in a better place now. Free of all pain!" she said more sincerely. "Let us drink to his memory!"

Rio approved Nakoto's proposal and had one last song verse. The two of them struck their glasses together and threw their heads back, guzzling their glasses. Whatever it was, it was strong. Nakoto finished and jerked her head, her eyes blinking away the taste. She looked over to Rio, who was still posed as he was until he tipped backwards entirely, off the fallen tree. All you could see of him were the legs that poked over his previous seat. Nakoto chuckled.

"Oops... I guess that was too much for you."

She pushed her knees and stood up, swaying for a moment. She considered the fire for a moment as it burned the timber to cinders, until she straightened up.

"Come out, doctor, where I can see you."

Luchas flinched, his fingers cracking on the bark he clutched. He hesitated in the darkness, not saying anything, but staying that way would do nothing. There was no use in pretending she was speaking to nothing. He climbed up the trunk to get to his feet, then stepped around it. Nakoto watched him as he got out of the undergrowth and put her hand on her hip.

"Why didn't you just simply join us?" she asked. Luchas stopped. "It can't be that comfortable in the bushes, can it?"

"How did you know I was—?" Luchas halted when Nakoto motioned to her nose lazily.

"Even over the fire, I could smell you." She turned her attention to Rio and smiled crookedly. "I was going to need someone to keep me company anyway. I've done what I could for Rio."

She went over to him and pulled him from out of the bushes behind the trunk. With a heave, she got him down closer to the fire, his back to the seat. She made sure he was on his side securely, so that he wouldn't choke or drown on his possible vomit. After that was done, Nakoto went and sat down on the opposite end of the log. That left a space between herself and Rio. She looked at Luchas expectantly.

"Come join me, Luchas," she said. She gestured to the space. "Let's have a drink."

End of Chapter

A/N: Okay. From now on, I won't be putting any more author notes for this story, since I keep forgetting to do them upon uploading XD

There's nothing that important to say anything in these things anyway. If I find that there's something I need to explain down here, I'll do that. But for now, I'll spare you any more of these.

Chao!

~Vixen