This one is for the readers. You took this to #140 today...

– S C O R P I O N –

I shot through the sky like a comet.

My speed was fuelled by my anger as well as my urgency.

He had ruined everything. Again. This would not happen a third time. He will draw his last breath today. I thought with complete certainty as the rain started to crash into my visor between the towering buildings.

"Incoming comm link from Proximo Dartega." The robotic voice sang in my ear.

"Confirm." I growled.

I dodged a slow craft and dipped sharply into a gap between two buildings. I was minutes from them now.

"Scorpion. We have him in our sights. We are losing our opportunity every second that we leave this—"

"You will wait for my arrival." I snapped in the helmet.

He paused for a fraction of a second. "Yes, commander."

"I will be there momentarily." I confirmed before shutting off the comm.

It had been 10 days. Why did he choose now to surface, and why was it in the outer storage facilities. The very same one that pathetic Ruben decided to store my weapons and build his own criminal empire before I had ended him.

I didn't continue my line of thought as I approached the storage base. It was a sprawling network of warehouses. Many of which contained a strong supply of items heading for the black market. Thunder crashed overhead and briefly turned the world white.

It couldn't of been better timed. It shrouded everything and it would only draw darker soon as night approached.

I commed my team and swiftly found where they had set up surveillance. My cycle was hidden down one of the many side allies and I went to join Proximo upon the roof of a warehouse. He dropped me a nod when I crouched beside him. His dark hood was pulled low over his eyes and his fusion rifle remained scanning the area carefully. That scope could pick out a bread crumb from a mile away. Full night vision optics as well as thermal for complete visibility to human targets.

"He has been inside that warehouse for 45 minutes." Proximo murmured as he continued to look down the scope.

"Motive?" I questioned. I flicked a nod to one of my guards and he handed me a plasma rifle. I took a look for myself.

"He must be expecting some rather valuable cargo if he is risking being in the open like this." Proximo noted.

"Indeed." I twisted the dial and focused through the rain on a group of guards pretending to chat and admire a nearby fusion craft. All were hooded and all were masked. No way to tell if any one of them was Hades.

"I saw him with my own eyes. He's in there." Proximo almost growled next to me.

"How many do we have on standby?" I demanded. I knew we would need a strong force to confront him and I wanted nothing left to chance this time.

Proximo smiled grimly. "Enough."

I knew I didn't even need to press the matter. Proximo was nothing if not thorough. He also had a certain affinity for over kill...

"Then we wait." I murmured. I then linked in every other comm in the area. "The bastard has to come out eventually. When he does, I don't want anything fancy. You have a line of fire on any of them and you shoot to kill." I stated.

Confirmations filled the comm in response and just by hearing the many voices, I knew we had the place surrounded with at least 50 units. I smiled and drew my hood over my head. No escape this time.

"Incoming comm link from Makayla Xavier." The cheerful voice alerted me.

My body froze for a moment. Then I lowered my rifle and stepped over to the other side of the warehouse roof. When I was out of hearing distance from my guards I accepted the link.

"Makayla." I breathed. "This isn't the best time."

"Where are you?" Her voice rushed out. I chill travelled through me and I instantly knew that something wasn't right.

"Sector 40, Karbello road. Why?" I asked unsure.

"God. She was right..." Makayla almost choked on the words.

"Who was right? What is going on Makyala?" I demanded with growing concern.

"Movement. Scorpion, they're making their move we need to prepare." Proximo's voice barely carried across the roof. The rain continued to beat down on all of us but I couldn't focus on anything.

"Makayla!" I spoke as loudly as the situation would allow. "Who was right?" I repeated.

"Matty. The maids in the tower. They gossip but she keeps me informed--this seemed too impossible to believe. It's Hades, Alex. He's working with my father. You need to get out of there now. Their weapons are—"

An explosion erupted to our left and took out an entire team concealed on top of it. The blast took me and those around me off our feet. I hit the ground hard and my vision blurred. Ringing filled my ears in a scream and I was momentarily deaf. Proximo was at my side seconds later and yanking me to my feet.

He dragged us off the edge of the roof moments before a fireball erupted above us.

Both of our thrusters from our boots activated before we hit the ground from 30 feet off the building. I'd have to remind myself to thank the designers again if we made it out of this...

I could see Proximo shouting something but his words were lost. I had no idea if he was in a similar state. But he quickly resorted to hand signals and we wound our way through alleys until he lead us towards a large object covered in camouflaged tarp. He yanked it off swiftly and revealed a gunship underneath.

Oh, you did come prepared...

I grinned at him before punching the key pad at the side and opening the entrance hatch. If they were going to play with fire, so were we. Proximo quickly found the controls and began pulling us into the air. I climbed the ladder to plasma turret and threw myself into the seat.

My hearing had finally started to make its return and the comm link was chaos. Shouts were coming from everywhere. Numbers were falling and the ones standing were doing all they could. From what I gathered, the enemy had gotten hold of seriously advanced weaponry over night. What Makayla tried to rush out... it had to be true. The son of a bitch was working with the emperor and all of the bullshit about being a revolutionary--I shook my head.

Things never change.

Proximo skilfully dipped the ship between cover of two buildings whilst giving us a line of fire on the enemy forces. They had ten heavily armoured fusion crafts spread out now and equipped with imperial grade fusion canons. It was no wonder they almost blew us to hell.

I set the targeting systems on one right in the centre and unleashed an entire payload of missiles. They raced off at impossible speeds, a trace of blue light following them briefly before they found their mark and obliterated not one but 4 crafts in a fireball to rival the sun.

Cheers exploded down the comm link as men and women saw the battle turn in their favour.

"Sometimes, I feel like we cheat in fights..." Proximo said dryly in the comm.

But I didn't have time to respond as the ships warning alarm blared though the hull.

"Enemy targeting. Hold onto your hat." Proximo growled before he threw the ship sharply to one side--clipping a stone building and taking a sizeable chunk out of it. A plasma round the size of person flew past the overhead window. I cursed loudly.

Then Proximo punched the thrusters and we started to climb into the sky rapidly.

"We have two gunships on our tail. Care to do something about that?" Proximo informed me down the comm. It was if we were deciding which restaurant to dine at. He never once lost his cool in these situations... again, this is why he was my right hand.

"My genuine pleasure." I retorted.

We continued to race into the clouds and find cover between the rain. A tactical advantage and also a risk with the weather. I spied our tails. They flew together in formation before dividing off in separate directions.

"They're splitting. Watch your 12 I've got our 6!" I shouted.

"Confirmed."

Thunder cracked around us and Proximo turned sharply to the right. The pursuing gunships would be forced to follow and would hopefully give one of their positions away.

There. A trail of blue light through the thick cloud and rain. I switched from missiles to fusion rounds and fired a roar of them towards the ship. I saw another flash and thought it was lightning but it was a fusion engine detonating. The rest of the enemy ship soon followed and an explosion of blue and white light lit up the sky.

"No time for celebrations, there's still—"

A hit threw the ship to the side as a rain of fusion rounds tore into its side. Both of us swore into the comm as we felt the damage. Caution signs flared all around the ship but we ignored it.

"Hit from above. No engine damage but we can't take another on of those!" Proximo shouted.

His cool demeanour had actually taken a hit too. That greatly concerned me.

"Then find that goddamn ship." I snarled.

He quickly spun the entire ship in response as a pair of missiles cruised past us. I whipped the turret around in search but couldn't sight the bastard. Clouds were no longer our ally and I felt like we were being played.

But I lived for changing the game in a fight.

"Proximo! Take us down, direct straight shot!"

He didn't hesitate. He plunged the ship back towards the city and I felt the force of it. But I made myself focus because at the right moment that ship would dip to get a shot on our tail and—got you. Just as predicted the enemy ship aligned himself directly behind in pursuit and I took my shot. My finger held the trigger tightly and unloaded hundreds of rounds behind us tearing into the enemies wings and shredding them.

But not before it could launch two final missiles that collided with the side of the ship.

Flames burst out on my right not feet away from the glass. The ship shook mercilessly and started to lose control. "Scorpion! Unlock the manual hatch to your pod!" I flipped the safety hatch and slammed the red and yellow button. Now was not the time for hesitation.

"Activating ejection! I'll see you on the ground!" He roared as the ship continued to spin relentlessly and burn through the sky.

Suddenly with a sharp hiss I was detached from the rest of the ship. My pod flew through the sky for a moment before the parachutes activated and my descent stabilised. But I didn't give a shit about my position. My eyes were glued out of the window, watching for that second pod to eject.

The spinning ship blew out more flames until the wing snapped off. I beat a fist against the glass. "GET OUT! DON'T YOU DARE DIE! DAMN IT GET OUT!" Moments before the entire ship erupted in blue and white light a single pod raced away from it and a grin broke across my face.

Leave it right until the last second you arrogant bastard. The parachutes opened seconds later and a painfully smug voice sounded in my comm.

"Well, if I was going out, I had to do so in style..." He drawled.

I laughed with more relief than anything as I tried to control my emotions. "Always." I told him.

"It's not over yet." He stated, seriousness returning to his voice. "The gunships were a must to remove but who knows how many fusion canons they have in their possession..." He ventured.

"I won't disagree. When we get down there we can organise the men left and push to finish the final crafts. Although something tells me Hades won't be among them." I growled.

"Hmm." Proximo mused. "It was one hell of a distraction. I should of seen this. Apologies Scorpion."

"Nothing of this is a fault of yours. If anything, I should of given you the shot when you had him in sight. But now is not the time to dwell. When we get to ground, we rally and pull back. There is no more point in fighting when the real enemy isn't here." I stated, more annoyed at myself than ever.

He murmured his agreement into the comm and I could do nothing but watch the lightning and rain rage on as I fell slowly to the ground.