CHAPTER 5

GREESED WHEELS

Present: Last week of May

Candy she is running all dirty and even has a few scrapes and while she's doing it there is the Sphere that's clamped between her arms and chest. From some of her jeans which have a few cuts along with one shoulder part of her long sleeve shirt is cut from all the branches and bushes she cut though. She then suddenly sides down and both her feet hit what looks like a ditch of some sort as there is a lot of running water and some sort of small tunnel it's running toward.

Candy looks at it and hears more of the engines and they're getting closer, Candy then goes toward the ditch and goes underneath the ditch. She then hears a lot of vehicles that are all passing by. Despite the discomfort of running water and mud underneath her she doesn't dare nor care about getting up, she just continues to maintain her position and ponders what her next move is and most importantly Darrien and what's happened to him.

After she doesn't hear any more vehicles, she then crawls out of the ditch, her clothes muddy and wet. She is then running in the western direction of the Sherwood Forest, retracing her steps someplace looking around and sees there is what looks like an abandoned two-story house from a long time ago, as there is a lot of faded paint and even some wood in disrepair. She then just runs up the step and goes thought the front door and as she gets in, she runs to what is supposed to be the living room except for how bare it is. She is looking around desperately wondering where else to go and what else to do. Suddenly she hears a noise, and she then looks in a direction and she suddenly backs away.

Flashback: Six Months before Gravity Falls science fair.

Darrien is walking with just a black trench coat and has a black veil on his head. He is looking around and sees that he is walking in what looks like an old school gymnasium, there are no lights. And then suddenly there are spotlights that shoot down on Darrien and then he hears an automated voice.

The voice says, "Follow the row of lights."

Darrien then sees spotlights that are switching on and lined up. Darrien just walks the lighted path, and he looks up and sees a theatrical stage for the gymnasium, on the stage there is a light that's shines down on table and a chair and on it there is what looks like a glass pitcher full of iced tea and some paper cups. Darrien, he walks toward it and as soon as he climbs up the small stairs to the stage.

Darrien approaches the table, and he sits down. He relaxes a little and then suddenly sees someone who is in a uniform that looks almost like a flight suit with grey and red coloring. And a helmet on which looks like one for a motor bike or space from how slightly big it is; there is a visor that is yellow orange. This person sits down and the man in the mask faces him as Darrien sees his own reflection on that yellow orange visor with an automated voices says, "You can have some iced tea if you want, it actually takes some of the pressure away; you can also take off your mask."

Darrien, he sits down and then says, "Not until you take yours off first."

The masked man doesn't move, and Darrien continues, "I already know who you are and what you look like, so the mask doesn't make much difference."

The man doesn't make a move and says, "How come you don't take off your mask?"

Darrien looks down and says, "Because…. because you may not like what you see."

The man folds his arms and says, 'I also know who you are and what you look like behind that veil; personally, I don't' care about looks I only care about who you are inside."

Darrien has a small smile which makes a small fluster and says, 'You know that's actually part of my dictum in life."

Darrien he then has his hands on the veil and before he raises it, he says, 'Still I have to warn you, what you see won't be pretty."

The man makes a small nod and in agreement and soon both remove their masks. The man in the uniform he has blond hair that is in a wild style and has a rugged look like actor Kefer Sutherland in the 80's.

Darrien says, "I knew it was you, Matt Tracker."

Matt looks at Darrien's face and can't help but feel bad from all the slash wounds that marked it but a little fascination as he sees several scars that cover it in many places, that really tell a tragic story.

Matt says, " I know who you are, despite what your face has been through it doesn't hide who you really are Darrien Macready."

Darrien, he sits back and says, "So you know me."

Matt leans back on his chair and says, "Of course your picture was on a few of the magazines, you were quite the science kid."

"And I still am, science is one of the biggest parts of my life and joy which no one could take away from me, nor dare to."

"Nor should they, though I also know that you it wasn't just science you tackled but also it looks like the paranormal."

Darrien, he leans back and takes a breath; Darrien says, " I may talk about that someday, but I want to focus on you, I know there were a lot of negative stories n the paper on you, but personally I never believed most to all of the news as most is sensationalist garbage, but I digress."

Darrien sits and takes a breath and says, "As you know one of my talents is computer hacking and from this is how I get my real news and facts, but also from a particular science magazine that I read called "Strange Logic."

Matt says, "Yeah, I'm a fan of that magazine too, which is why you saw a lot of articles about me from that particular mag.

Darrien takes a sip of his iced tea and then continues, "From that I've read about you Matt, from the magazine along with two other people that were from your team Alexander and Bruce Sato and that all three of you had projects on automotives, VR technology, motion control, just about all the works."

Matt says, "What else do you know?"

"I know that you were a real whiz kid since elementary school to M.I.T., won lots of science fairs, got popularity there as you won several fair competitions this of course led to a job at some corporation called V.E.N.O.M which is "Visionary Elite Network Optimum Mechanics."

Darrien sips his iced tea completely and then puts the cup down.

"I also know that this is a front and its actual name is "Vicious Enemy Network of Mayhem." which actually deals in terrorism, black marketing, cybercrimes, just about everything imaginably bad for profit and power. They framed you and your friends for certain crimes you didn't commit and ever since then you've been hiding but not running as you've been resisting that corporation; you've been helping people in danger no matter what garbage a lot of those corrupt news companies and authorities have said."

Matt takes a breath and says, "I see you have courage, insightful, spunk and very sharp but also not too quick with your trust."

"Personally, not a fan of trust, trust is a dangerous thing."

Matt leans back, looks down a moment after that response, and then he looks up at Darrien again and continues, "Have to warn you that what we do in M.A.S.K. isn't a game, it's a war that requires a deep commitment so I must ask the question; What is it you really want from this?"

Darrien says, "I want in because the same thing in a way has happened to me, has took my arm and has even taken my face which is part of why I wear what you see."

Matt is silent for a long moment and Darrien is just wondering what the guy is thinking as he has his eyes on him that whole moment. Matt also looks at Darrien's eyes wondering what he's thinking, he looks carefully at a scar or two that intersects the eye of Darrien but doesn't touch them as he sees his eyes are untainted. Darrien, he looks toward the pitcher, and he pours more iced tea into his cup but also, he sees Matt's cup and pours some more into his and then sets the pitcher down. Both Matt and Darrien take up the iced teacups and drink slowly at the same time while both keep their eyes on each other. As soon as both are finished with their iced tea, Matt then sits up and says, "Darrien what I offer is a chance for you, to do more for us and your own life."

Darrien says 'This is no surprise asking but if I say no."

"Then you go back to your own life, Matt then stands up and says, 'I will give you one hour to decide, it may not be much time but time waits for no one."

Matt then continues, "To make it simpler if you have this circle of light then you will never see us again, but no guarantees about anything."

Matt takes a breath and continues. "But if you stay within this light once time is up, then I will know where you stand. Matt then activates the digital clock and before he leaves he then looks at Darrien and says, "Darrien, I honestly know where you've been, I've been there too before you step out that circle ask yourself, do you ever want to go back there."

Matt then walks away and Darrien he looks at the digital clock and looks at the seconds ticking away and with each second subtracting he thinks about each second from different time periods of his life.

Three weeks later

Darrien is driving with a white body uniform and mask which looks almost like a space suit but skinner. Darrien is driving what is a four-wheel drive orange red truck. As he is driving, he is driving on the roadways with all cracked and though streets that could be war zone with all the decaying and demolished buildings, all which have plenty of Graffiti. He stops in one spot as he looks on the tracker to where the location of the vehicle he hunts is. He drives but then he sees there is just a wall to the signal he's following. Darrien then presses some buttons on his computer and has the computer analyze the signal blip. The computer then locks onto the signal's source and it shows the wall but then zooms in and Darrien sees that it's a tiny homing device that was nailed onto the wall. Suddenly Darrien hears something and it's to his left and there are a couple of laser bolts heading toward him and then there is nothing but a flash of light. After that, suddenly Darrien sees the visual screen from his visor suddenly turn dark and then suddenly it displays another view where the display shows what looks like a big room and there is a lot of florescent and blue and soft light. Darren then lifts the visor and then he opens the door and gets out and he looks, and he looks at the big white rectangle simulator vehicle he got out of. There is another next to it and Darrien sees there is another person that gets out and is in the same suit as him. He lifts the visor and Darrien sees its mat.

Matt says, "Got to learn to be more careful whenever you chase after blips also make sure to watch and protect your blind spots.

Darrien says, 'Yeah, your right it won't happen again."

Matt says, "I saw some nifty driving and I'm sure you have the talent, but you shouldn't rely too much on the technology as their tools, tools to aid your own instincts."

"I'll remember that too, can't wait to get my own car though."

"You have to get to the end of training before you do."

"I know."

Matt then holds his fist out and Darrien does the same and both do a little bump.

Both they come out of the simulator room and then they both go to the snack and break room, and both just get separate drinks. Matt an iced tea bottle and Darrien a bottle of Lighting cola and both drink up. After Darrien had his drink he looks at Matt and says, "You know I really did like some of those theories and findings on man and machine working as one, I remember reading that essay several times."

"Never knew I was a good writer."

"Well you're not Shakespeare, but to me reading science is like reading Shakespeare."

Matt has a small smile and says, "You make a really strange bold comparison, wait are you giving me the smolts because you want your vehicle sooner."

"No….no….well ok a little."

"Nice try, still thanks for the compliment."

Both then take a sip of their drinks again and then Darrien looks down and then looks up and says, "Matt, do you believe that what you're doing makes a difference?

Matt looks down and says, "I feel I must even though there are times I 'm not sure I do; but what I do know is one thing and that is there isn't another weapon or piece of tech that is getting into the enemy's hands."

Matt looks at Darrien and says, "What about you?"

Darrien looks and says, "I'd like to think that I'm starting to make a difference, trying to set everything wrong back to right because that is where we should belong."

"I've told you most of why I'm fighting V.E.N.O.M. but you haven't' really told me a lot about your fight."

Darrien looks and says, "Maybe I will… someday but I'll just say V.E.N.O.M. is one of those threats not just because of what their doing but all the lies they spread about you and everything, and I hate lies more than anything they're like a disease and like every disease must be destroyed."

Matt senses a deep pain when he says it and thinks about pressing it on but decides not to and says, "Yeah, I believe you will tell me in time but I think that's probably enough for today; you need to rest up as Gloria is going to give you your physical fitness and martial arts training, while Alexander and Bruce are going to teach you more on scientific engendering."

"But that's really exhausting."

"It is so getting some rest."

"When will I get to participate in a mission?"

"You already know the answer to that."

"Yeah, I know it's just…I just like being sure."

Matt has a smile and says, "Patience Darrien, you'll be on the road sooner than you think."

"I am patient, it's the world that's not patient with me."

Darrien holds out his palm and Matt then does the same and both give each other a light high five and then in the building they go to their separate rooms. Darrien he is back in his room and as he is he then goes to a black chair and as he sits down, he rolls up to the main desk and then he then takes out what are pliers with his right hand. On his left hand he is turning his laptop back on. He then looks in front of him and hanging from a miniature clamp frame with several wires hooked up to it, is a silver face plate, and resting to the left side of the desk with a lot of other wires hooked up is a deep blue samurai like helmet.