*All characters copyrighted to Poseidon Simons

Chapter 9

Hope?

"So...now wha--MARY!" Ace shouted and ran to the door. What were they doing with HER?!..she was supposed to see him...Damn...Wait. She would have brought Griffy with her...where was he? Did they..."Mary..." Instead of placing her with the rest of them, the robot holding her continued on, "What? But--but..." He scowled and stormed away from the door, whispering, "Damn bastard..." He settled in a corner of the room and curled up, crying.

Griffy blinked and woke, "Mom?.." She'd thrown him pretty hard...he'd been knocked out. But now where was she? He was still at Ace's apartment, and the door was still locked, "Did they leave me here?" At first, the thought made him angry...he couldn't under--the robot! That's right! He remembered hearing his mom scream when she saw it. She'd pushed him out of the way...it must have taken her!..was that why Ace had never answered the door? Why would he keep her out?..did the robot catch him too? Griffy's eyes went wider when he heard rockets overhead. He looked up. One with a white face was grinning and diving toward him, but the rockets seemed too loud to be coming from just him...He ducked as something shot over his head. When he looked up, ANOTHER robot, this one with brown scales, had rammed into the first one.

"Where are they?!!" Babe shouted. He still didn't have his mask, but, at this height, he doubted anyone could find out who he was without the absolute perfect camera, "Damn it, Kain, I know it's you! Where are they?!!! TELL ME!!!!!!" He knew this Kain was the real one. Every fake he had fought so far hadn't shown any emotion. This one had smiled.

Kain shifted and backed away, then slowed, coming to a hover, "You'll have to catch me to find out! And good luck to you!" Kain dropped down and went for the boy again.

Babe snarled, dropping to meet him halfway. Why wasn't Kain trying? Normally he flew circles around Babe...this time Babe had managed to hit him TWICE!

Kain growled and fled, gaining speed far too fast for Babe to follow

Maik sighed and gave up. It was hopeless. There were, at the VERY least, thousands of anthros on this island. Most lived here, in Yann city. How was Maik going to search through that many people?.."No..." That wasn't--it couldn't be...how did he miss it before?! It was hanging in plain view in a damn window! Maik walked over to the house and knocked on the door. A little boy answered it. Maik knelt down and smiled, "Eh...hi."

The boy only waited a moment before shouting behind him, "DAD!!!!" The boy's father came up as the boy continued talking, "Dad, do you think he's here for the helmet?"

His dad looked at Maik, "Probably...but he doesn't look like the pictures we've seen..."

Maik nodded, "I'm not him...but...I know...how to find him...and he asked me to get his helmet back...he couldn't really do it himself." Maik tried to smile at that last statement. He was sure these people weren't going to believe him.

The boy's eyes suddenly went wide, "Wait a minute, you're MAIK! Dad, this guy's a rock star!"

Maik groaned..."Yeah yeah...I'm him. Can you keep it down?!" He hoped they only thought he wanted that because of people running to get his autograph...he wanted them to shush because of the new robot going around..."...the helmet?"

The boy ran inside, shouting that he'd met a rock star, but the father hesitated. Eventually, he asked, "Why are you really here?"

"Sir, I need that helmet. I was not joking about the Protector. Please..."

The father sighed, "Well, as much as I don't enjoy strangers in this house, I'd rather NOT have that helmet here. I want to keep my family safe until the Protector gets rid of that false one flying around...so come in."

Maik gratefully walked inside. It felt good to be surrounded by solid walls...Babe's home was too unstable, "The Protector has been running himself ragged trying to get that guy..."

"I would HOPE so! No one feels safe right now. We're all counting on him so much...I wonder how he manages all the stress he has to face..."

Pleasent conversation? Wow...this guy was trusting!.."He has his ways...he's been unhappy though...he told me he doesn't feel like he ever helps! He tries so hard too...this false protector has been beating him every time they meet. He's even built fake fakes..."

"There's more than one false protector flying around?!"

"Yeah..."

The father dashed to the wall and grabbed the helmet. He thrust it in Maik's hands, "Then get this to him now! If it helps him do a better job, I don't want to have been holding him back!"

Maik held the helmet awkardly in his hands, "Okay...thanks. I'm sorry I had to bring this sort of news..." Maik turned and headed out the door. He stopped and turned back, "If you like, I can tell the Protector who had his helmet. After this is all over, he'll want to thank you for giving it back."

There was an excited shout from another room...the boy, "COOL!!!!!"

Maik smiled and left.

Babe flew over the city, trying desperately to find some sort of trace of Kain...he felt someone contacting his signal, "What?.."

It was Maik, "Babe! I have the helmet!"

"You do?! I'll be right there!" He homed in on the signal, "Finally...some more good luck..." He soon found Maik shouting and waving from the ground. one hand held the helmet. Babe landed, "Where was it?!"

"A kid had found it. I saw it hanging in the house right by their window!"

Babe hugged Maik...gently, "I can't thank you enough for this..." He took the helmet and made sure it was clasped firmly on.

Maik grinned, "Actually, there's a boy who would love to meet you when this is over."

"Really? I'll look for him..." Babe took off, hopes rising with this small bit of fortune.

Kia's mother left again. Today was the day...she had schedualed a meeting with someone who would help her. She left a note at home telling her husband she would be gone for a few hours, "Less, if this guy proves he can do what he says he can do." She had to fix her daughter's idiotic mistake! It was something to hide the fact that she had a lover, but a completely different one to hide that it wasn't even her kind! Kia's mother felt she could have dealt with Kia being secretive about having an affair with one of her own...after all, it was common among the younger generation to do such things...this was too much though. A damn amphibian was...was sickening! She sat down inside a small diner, where she was supposed to meet this man.

A mountain dragon, one that looked very jumpy, sat down on the other side. Once down, he lost that look of fear, "Alright. What do you want me to do?"

"Simple enough. Get rid of Pik Rance. My daughter isn't thinking clearly. Can you handle it?"

"Yeah...I even know where to find her son, if you want me to get rid of him to."

"You do?" This was a surprise.

"Yeah...remember when that scientist...Kain, was working on his "Creation" way back?

"Yes..."

"Well, he became one himself. I work for him...keep it quiet. I don't want the organization thinking I've left them. Kain's a robot, so I figure it doesn't count."

"Just get on with it. You can get rid of her son, and Pik?"

"Easily...you know this is gonna cost...even THOUGH you and I are part of the same group?"

"Yes, but you'll not get anything unless at least ONE of them is gone. I don't take well with people who do nothing if they've already been paid. I expect at least half the job done before you get anything."

"Fair enough. Who first?"

"Either one. I just want some proof you actually did it."

"Alright...I'll bring something from the kid...I'll be halfway done in...at most...a week."

"Good enough." She got up, "Now, our business is finished until I see some proof. You need my number?"

"Nah. I know how to use a phone book."

Kain flew high above everything...he was looking for someone specifically...and he didn't want Babe there to botch everything up. He checked his arm, wondering...it stuck for a moment, "What did Bill do to me?! I've never been this slow!" He growled. That next victim would have to wait. Right now, he needed to see why he was so slow. He made it back to the old factory with no sign of Babe and stormed to Bill's cell, "What's wrong with me?! What did you do?!!!!"

Bill looked up, startled, "What? N--nothing!"

"Don't lie to ME! Babe managed to hit me TWICE! What did you do to make me so slow?!"

Bill scowled, "Exactly what you wanted! I water-proofed you, remember?! I had been trying to warn you what could happen, but you didn't listen! Putting on those things caused easier passage for dirt and dust! You're slowing down because you need to be cleaned! Damn it, you LIVE in that thing! You should KNOW how to take good care of your body!"

Kain raised a hand to strike Bill, then lowered it...slowly. He kept his voice soft, for Bill alone, "Listen well, Bill. I know more about this body than you probably ever will. I DESIGNED it. I take perfect care of this thing because it's all that's giving me a chance to kill Babe. You have the gall to tell me I am not taking care of myself? Come with me." Bill walked out, still looking defiant...still looking sure he was right. Kain took him to the room with the fakes, "Now, do you see these? They are built exactly like me." He stared at Bill for a moment, smiling when Bill started to look a bit nervous, "You did the exact same thing to them that you did to me. I checked, yet they are in fine working condition. Please explain, if you still think I did this to myself, how I am the only one suffering from whatever so called "disadvantages" this extra protection gave me." Bill was looking back a little, each time trying to edge closer to the doorway. Kain smirked, knowing he had won, "Tell me Bill. I want to hear your explenation."

"..."

"Nothing? Nothing at all? You've even ruled out sabotage? You've ruled out that it was you who did this to me, on PURPOSE?! You honestly think I wasn't able to see straight through your pathetic trick?!" Kain was about to laugh, "Guards! Take him to a spare cell. I have some special ideas for HIM." Kain did laugh after that. They dragged Bill to his new cell. He shouted and fought the whole way, but it didn't help him. Kain, once he had finished laughing, checked up on Pik's mother. Even with the water, she looked deathly pale. It was about time to stage another death...this one Kain wouldn't kill by dropping, he would stay out of Babe's reach until she died from her own sickness!