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Rose pulled Twilight into the hanger and steped out. On the ride to the hanger Reiku didn't tunch a thing he kept his hands far away from the intractive consol. Rose helped reiku out and let him go on his own to his house. Rose then walked to go find her father who was still unloading the Sunlight. She hop until the fender of the flat bed truck and shook her head. " Dad Is Reiku okay? He was acting weard on the ride back.. He didn't tunch any of the control's... He looked like he was afried of his own LFO did something bad happen when I was knocked out? " Her voice was a bit shaky as she chosed her words carefully.

Shock and fear were clear on his face and without saying anything he bolted back out of sight. Twilight turned and looked at him and then went back to his normal spot.

“He… he.... He saw it move I need to find Reiku!!" She yelled in her mind as she raced towards the pilots nearby beach house. '' Reiku! Reiku where are you!“

From his quiet musings, he turned slightly to see Ruby running towards him with fear in her eyes. "What... What happened Ruby?" She ran into his arms tears falling from her eyes.

"It’s Topher. He saw Twilight move and speak to me."

Reiku was shocked. He was about to bolt to find Tolly. "Get to the hanger and keep Topher out of there. I'll get Tolly and think up something to tell him.“ Ruby nodded as Reiku ran to James’ shop where Tolly was.

With a grin on his face James watched Reiku jump to the mecha’s and leaned into Tolly. “Okay. I give up. How did you know?”

“Know what James?” Tolly responded politely.

“Oh stow it. We’ve been hiding the fact that Topher’s here since before you arrived. What tipped you off? Was it the plate of food during lunch that my guy took to him? Or maybe Something Rose said?”

Tolly listened politely and picked up his jacket. The oily folds of leather felt good against his hand and he decided to put it on before heading outside.

“James, I’m his father. Do you really think I would let him wander off without knowing where he is? Topher may be a good mechanic but he’s a lousy programmer. I knew he’d never find the trace signals on that blue MAT of his and as long as he’s stayed away from Warusawa I’ve let him do as he pleases.”

James shook his head and followed the old man out the door. “So you knew. The whole time you knew he was here.”

“Well, I’ll be honest. I didn’t know he was staying with you for sure until I saw the smaller archetypes. Only Topher, or three other people in Del Ceilos, would have known how to clean the neural filaments in them. “

“Okay.” James said laughing. “Well like I said, there must be over a hundred more of those little ones down in the dig sight. So we’ll have plenty of time to learn the right way to do it while we’re bringing them up. Right now though. I should probably look for Topher. I don’t think he wants to talk to you.”

“Did he say why?” Tolly asked. His tone was a bit shrill and the words felt strained.

“Yeah,” James hesitantly breathed back, “He uh… thinks you’re an evil b*****d.”

Tolly said nothing. Instead he stopped and looked around the work yard of the shop. It wasn’t big but several scrap mecha were sitting in different stages of broken. Some were in humanoid form and others as vehicles. He climbed up on one of the vehicles and stared out across the yard.
“Evil. Is that what he said?”

“No,” James said staring up at the man. “Not exactly. I think the idea was more like he didn't want to be associated with an arms dealer and terrorist sympathizer."

ames watched as Reiku and the Twilight blew out of the hanger and soared off into the sky on a massive wave of Trapar.

"I wonder where he's headed in such a hurry?" the man said.

"Frankly I don't care." Tolly said and stared at James with an icy stare. "So what else did he have to say?"

James knew he had gone too far. Before he could respond another voice rang in. Loud and clear it carried a weight of pain and defiance.

"I said that I wished you were dead." Topher was shacking. His eyes were stained with streaks and red around the edges. "I just didn't say it to him dad."

"Topher."

"Yeah that's right. It's me. Now what? You gonna drag me back to your underground bunker? It won't work. I'm not going back!"

James watched the two of them and crossed his arms. He knew they would never realize it but both Marcius men had the same stony look on there faces. For a moment he thought of laughing and pointing it out to them. After a moment he decided against it.

Tolly was the first to speak. "No... that wouldn't be right. Son, when you left I knew you were mad but I didn't realize just how much it meant to you." Shifting his weight he stepped over to the ege of the scrap LFO he was standing on and sat down. "I suppose I haven't done the best job raising you."

"Raising me?" Topher spat, "You didn't raise me. Your employees did. Bobby was the one that got my clothes for me and Laura was the one that always said when I had to be in bed. What did you ever do except show me how to shoot a gun and fix a mech? Yeah, you did a great job showing me how to strip down an engine but then you'd go and sell it to a merc for his pirate ship.
You're a crook dad."

"Topher, I know what I do and I know how it looks, but there's more to it than just money." Tolly's words felt hollow, even to him. "It's not like I'm looking to help the bad guys. It's just that the line between good and bad is blurred. I'm not perfect but I've tried to do right by you."

"Like the time the Voderak's Hand threatened to kill me if you didn't give them the UF soldiers? Let's face it dad. You'll do what ever they want and they know it. You took them straight to those soldiers just to save my life. I don't know what was worse; them wanting to torture those UF guys, or the fact that the UF killed their selves to keep it from happening."

"I..I'm sorry that happened. I'm sorry that I've let you see so much so soon." Hopping down Tolly hung his head. "I can't really argue with what's happened Topher. I've made some back choices and you've grown up without a proper childhood. There's no doubt that that's my fault."

"Sorry..." Topher mimicked, "You're sorry. What's that worth?"

A dead silence settled. Tolly knew this was going bad but he had no idea how to fix it. Topher was so mad. All these words. They had been bottled up and building for months. Now they flowed out of him like molten hate.

James Acumen watched the two of them and continued to stay quiet.

"Topher." Tolly started finally. "If not an apology then what can I do for you?"

"You can go away. Just leave me alone." the boy replied.

"That would only prove how horrible a father I am."

Topher rubbed his eyes and shook his head. "I didn't think you would. Okay.. how about this. Stop selling weapons."

At that James couldn't help but snort. Both Marcius men looked at him then, as if they had forgotten he was there. "Sorry," Acumen said, “But hey. That is the point isn't it?"

Tolly turned and looked up at the junk LFO behind him.

Topher just kept staring at his new boss Acumen and wondered. It occurred to him that he was hungry and that he had seen a girl talking to Reiku's LFO earlier. It also occurred to him that he was still without transportation to get of of this town. All in all everything seemed to really suck at the moment.

"Okay."

Topher looked at his father. "What?"

"Okay," Tolly repeated, "I'll stop selling weapons."

"Bullshit."

"Topher!" James exclaimed.

"No," Tolly said cutting the man off, “That’s pretty much what it sounds like, but I promise you son. If that's what it will take to get you back then I'll do it. I swear no more weapons. Not a gun, not a bullet, not even repairs on KLF's. I'll quit."

"How am I supposed to believe that, dad?" I know you've got contracts all over the place. You can't just stop like that."

"Actually you'd be surprised how many of those contracts are in limbo because of the Second Summer of Love. With the fall of the towers, money is tight for everyone. It might take a heavy investment to get it started but construction machines would be far more useful in the world right now than military ones."

"You're serious?" Topher said in shock.

"Topher, you mean much more to me than business. I know I haven't been the best dad but I do love you and I want you to know that."

The boy took a step forward and stared at him. For a moment Tolly smiled, but it was too much for the young man and he stepped back quickly. "No. I'm still not going back the Del Cielos."

"Son, there's no need for us to be in Del Cielos anymore. In fact, I wouldn't ask you to go back." Looking at the quiet man near him, Tolly smiled again. "Besides, James here said that you were working for him. I can't ask you to quit your first real job."

James smiled at this. "That's right. The bo- I mean this young man is a good worker and he's already promised to help me with these new type 2's that the diggers will be bringing up from the ground."

Topher looked confused. "You mean it?"

James laughed out loud, “As a heart attack, how else am I gonna know how much to charge your old man for them."

Tolly laughed and cussed. "Hey those are corporate secrets."

"Shame you never made your son sign a confidentiality agreement." James laughed back.

"Oh now that's low." Tolly said becoming very serious.

"Wait a minute," Topher rang out. "So.. You’re saying I can stay and you'll get rid of the weapons. I don't get it. What are you getting out of this?"

Through clear and unclouded eyes Tolly looked at him then. "The only thing that really matter son. Your respect and love."

" It looks like my dads shop I think.. " Sead the young pilot.

A large black and red, steel building stood in front of him, Hammers could be heard from the outside.

" Or its a military base.... one of those two... " His ruby eyes scan the area for a route passed the doors. He found one and slowly made his way.

The young pilot kept himself hidden as he itched himself passed the wide door to the cent of a massive runway.

As he passed the door he took a peek in to see a shadow looking LFO and a Silver looking mecha sitting just across from the hidden shadow one.


" You know Holland.. the SOF unit is waiting just above us waiting for you to get on the mission don't ya think you should leave? "

A older mans voice spoke as a younger looking soldier rubbed his head.


" Ya.. but I have a unsaddling feeling somethings not right.... Eureka has been acting weard since she was in the first fight with the refugees a week ago."


The older man let out a sigh.


" Don't worry about it Holland she'll get use to the Type Zero after a while don't forget she was thrusted into it. "

Holland nodded as he climb into his LFO.



" Oh Holland... I need you to promise me something... If any one ask about the project T002 don't tell them I'm making it.. And Mary's having my child a baby boy this LFO is gonna be his if you can after hes grown up a bit... Come get him so he doesn't get taken by Dewy okay? I want him to be with some one I trust.. "


Holland turn and nodded.

" Just don't let him tunch that six barrol gun thats sitting in the far corner. And I promise."


The hatch shut as the machine roared passed and took off into the air with a rush of the trapar wave be hide it.


---- back to realty----



Twilight was moving ever so slowly within the cave towards the center. Reiku was unconsensus as his machine drove it self deep within the massive tunnel.



--- back to the flash back---




Reiku eyes went wide as he looked in to see his father his own flesh and blood bending over a table looking at a blue print.


" Hold on little on you can still be use to us..."


A young girl walked out of one of the large working like doors.


" How is it coming mr. gearfried.'"


The man looked at her.


" Its getting there Ruby..... ever so slowly T002 is coming to its full version."


She nodded as she tunched T002's leg.


The young pilot went to step into the hanger then stoped as he felt a rocky feeling.


" What the...''

The rocking got louder until it was a crash. Reiku woke up with a jolt and was sitting dead smack in the middle of a darken cave. He looked around trying to figure out where he was.


It hit him. He was in twilight's dig site. The rocking he felt was Twilight sitting down where it was dug out off.


He turned on his lights to see green looking flashes all over. The room was lit up with crystals.


" My father talking with Holland about you and me being taken aboard the gekko state? "


Twilight's headed nodded back and forth slightly.


" I kinda under stand I think.... its a bit cloudy but I can understand what my father was trying to do for us both.. and ruby as well.. He was trying to protect us all from Dewy's plans.."


The young pilot closed his eyes as tear drop's came down.


" Twilight lets go home please..."

The boys voice was cracking as he started to cry. The control's came alive as He drove Twilight out of the cave and back towards james shop.

day or so passed since Reiku had gone to the cave but he hadn't return at all. Both Ruby and Rose where starting to get worried sick.


" He should have been back by now... "

Sead ruby as she sat down next to rose who was half asleep on the floor. The sun was coming up over the ocean.


" You two should get some rest.. You've been up none stop waiting for him to return... If he's not back by tonight i'll ask tolly, and topher to go search for him."

Rose looked at her father and nodded as she slowly got up. and headed for the house. She stoped and looked over her shoulder at Ruby.


" Ruby, you should rest too.. "

She looked at rose oddly.


" Go if he shows up I'll come get you two."


She nodded as she followed rose to the house.


Out on the gravel road Twilight was making good time. Reiku hadn't slept since he left the cave. He could barely get radio connection to james shop. But if he could get there by sun down he would feel much better.


---a few hours later---




The sun started to head towards the water. This made james get all tense. He didn't what to ask tolly or topher to go serach for reiku it wouldn't be right.


In the back of reiku's mind he needed to get into ocean city's outskirts just to make contact. As He passed the city's battered sigh he sent out a radio transmission to james shop and to tolly's mecha. " He..y If... You... ca...n he..a..r me I... Jus...t Enter... th....e city.... out....skirts... be.... back... soon..."


He closed the signal, it was kinda blurry from what he could tell but if any one got it they would know it was him. Thats what he hoped.