A gentle wind swept through the busy streets of Pantora, carrying with it the secrets of the galaxy. Hunter, along with Echo and Wrecker, walked with a heavy silence hanging over them. Omega had been ripped away from them, captured by Royce Hemlock, the lunatic scientist in the employ of the Empire. With Omega captured, Tech dead, and Crosshair who knows where, the three of them were on their own in saving Omega. Desperation fueled their determination to find her, to rescue her from the clutches of the tyrannical regime.
Their only lead was a name whispered in the shadows of the galaxy, and a name that they had heard before: Fennec Shand. The bounty hunter carried a reputation that sent shivers down the spines of even the most hardened of criminals. She had once been on Omega's trail, and now, they hoped she held the key to their younger sister's whereabouts.
Hunter observed Fennec Shand's every move, tracking her through the dimly lit streets of Pantora. He knew she was their best chance, but he couldn't help but wonder if she'd lead them to Omega willingly or if they'd have to pry the information from her. Most likely the latter.
Shand suddenly turned down a dark alley, disappearing from sight. Hunter motioned for Echo and Wrecker to stay put while he continued after the bounty hunter. He stepped into the shadows of the alley, catching sight of Shand again.
Slowly, Hunter began to make his move. He approached Shand with the stealth of the huntsman he was, pulling out his vibroblade, which glinted in the faint lighting of the alley. As she turned a corner, he moved forward and pinned her against a stone wall, his blade poised threateningly against her throat.
Shand didn't so much as flinch when she felt the buzz of the blade against her skin. Instead, she met Hunter's gaze with a raised brow. Without hesitation, she raised up a slender blaster and pressed it firmly against his chest. He hadn't even noticed her unholster it.
Their faces were inches apart, breaths mingling in the air. Hunter's voice was demanding. "Tell me what you know about Omega, Shand."
Shand's lips curled into a sly smile, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she replied, "Well, Hunter, aren't you charming. But if you want information, you're going to have to lower that blade."
Hunter hesitated for a moment, then slowly withdrew the vibroblade. He kept a watchful eye on her, but she didn't make any sudden moves. She lowered her blaster slightly but kept it at the ready.
"Talk," Hunter growled, his voice edged with urgency.
Fennec exhaled softly, her gaze never leaving his. "I was hired by Nala Se to find Omega and return her to Kamino. She intended to hide the girl from someone by the name Hemlock. That's all I know."
Hunter's brow furrowed. This was new information. He knew that Shand had been hired to take Omega away from the Batch, but he had no idea that she had been working for Nala Se, who had been trying to actually protect Omega.
"When was the last time you were in contact with Nala Se?" he asked, keeping his voice curt and low.
Shand answered without a beat. "Around a year ago, when Cad Bane had taken Omega. Bane had been going to turn Omega into the hands of Lama Su, who would have most likely given her to Hemlock. Nala Se hired me again, this time to free Omega from Bane and then follow with the original plan, which was to give her to Nala Se. Of course, you and the rest of your friends got Omega out of there before I could."
Hunter's head was reeling, but he wouldn't let that show.
"I could help you find Omega," Shand said after a moment, her tone less hostile now. "You clearly need her back, and I am not sure that I want to find out what the Empire will do to her. She is just a child."
Hunter considered her words for a moment, then lowered his vibroblade completely. "Fine. But don't make me regret this."
As Hunter unpinned her from the wall, he couldn't help but notice the striking looks of the woman standing before him. Her slender frame clad in black leather and her predatory gaze were a stark contrast to the eyes of most women. Something rumbled in Hunter's chest and boiled in his stomach, but he didn't know what to think of it.
With an uneasy alliance formed, Hunter, Fennec Shand, and the rest of what was left of the Bad Batch set out on their dangerous mission to rescue Omega from the clutches of the Empire. In the treacherous streets of Pantora, where alliances shifted like the winds, they would need all the help they could get to bring the girl home.