Hi everyone! Welcome to your favorite story! I hope your ready for this next chapter, because I sure am! **at least I should be! It's taken me, what? Two weeks?** well, sit back and relax!

                Kaze looked at her new watch. She checked the communicator on it. Bit's watch was on the floor, now useless with out its battery. She checked over Xnyl's receivers.

                "Okay, girl. I know you want to come, but this is my fight…" the Zoid growled in protest. It shifted forward. Kaze shook her head firmly.

"I know, you miss them too, but I can't take you yet. I need to do a bit of spying…besides, Dais is worth a hefty price…and that means more money for the team and them."

"Who ya talkin' to, little girl?" asked a new voice, low voice. Kaze whirled around to see Jack standing behind her.

"I'm not a little girl," she objected. He laughed softly.

"Sure. But where are ya goin'? Need a lift?" He gestured to his Zoid. Kaze shook her head. He grinned slightly as her hair tie came out, followed by a flood of curses.

"But there is somethin' you can do for me…give these things to two very important people," she delicately took out a watch, two notes, and two necklaces.

"Give the watch, this pendant…yeah, the one with the phoenix feather carving…and this notes…the one in red, to Hakai. Give the rest to Brad. Make sure you give it to them after noon," her throat closed up.

"Is there anything you want me to tell them all?" he asked gently. Something in her face gave him a sense of pity. For the mean time, at least.

"Yes…tell them the Taboo is broken," she said after thinking. She jumped on her hover board and then sped off. Jack watched her tiny form disappear against the rising sun. Xnyl moaned softly, and tried to follow. Jack shook his head.

"Look, Zoid. She needs to think. Now…let's see where they keep the food…"

Kaze put on her black sunglasses. She had dressed as a mechanic, not a warrior. The sands whipped past her.

Curse him! How could he do this! Doesn't he know when he's crossed the line…?

Brad searched high and low for Kaze. Xnyl was in; she hadn't gone for a run…all the work was finished…his heart plummeted when he saw Jack come forward. He noticed that her hover board was missing. He checked his watch. Ten past noon.      Hakai stomped over. Jack smiles slightly at her.

"Don't you smirk at me, Jack Sisco! Or did you forget it was me who demolished your last Zoid," she growled. Jack's grin broadened. He gave them the items. Hakai flinched suddenly.

"Kaze left at sun up. She needed to clear her head, I think. She said to tell you all that the Taboo is broken." Hakai's eyes contracted in fear slightly. She snatched the items and raced to her room, heart pounding furiously in her chest. Please, let this all be a misunderstanding!

Dear Hakai-

He has them. Ayden, Ann, Ward, Alan…even the cat. I have to help. I can't let him hurt them. I can't. He has involved family. This is the greatest breech of unwritten laws. He will pay. Please, don't shave Brad's head yet. I want to see his face.

~ Kaze

Kaze looked out at the desert. She had covered a lot of ground. But she had so much more to do...she gently rested her head down on the sand. Her eyes closed slowly.

Brad stared down at the letter. He still wouldn't open it. Hakai kicked open his door.

"Ok, boy. Have you opened the letter?" Brad shook his head, not saying anything.

Did I do something? Is that why she left? Is there someone else? Why would she tell Jack...

Hakai boxed his ears, leaving him with a ringing sound in his head. She glared down at him.

"Boy, open that letter, or I'll gut you right now," she growled, drawing her knife. Brad opened it slowly.

Brad,

I'm really sorry I had to leave so early. Please, it wasn't you. Hakai will explain when she thinks you're ready. I'll be fine, I promise. I hope to see you soon. Just so you know, I love you more than anyone else I have ever known.

Yours truly

Hakai read it over his shoulder. She snorted. Then she glanced down at Brad, who was still holding the letter tightly.

"Brad, do you want to know why she left? Can you handle it?" He nodded slowly.

"Ok. Some ass-hole kidnapped her family that thinks she's dead. She went to save them. She's probably gong to attack the fortress..." Brad jumped up and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her wildly.

"She's going to do that alone? Now?"

"'Course not! She's not that stupid...at least I don't think so...she'll go alone with quiet resentment for a while, and then she's gonna call me in so I can have some revenge too," she said, grinning wickedly. This didn't assure Brad.

"Can't I do anything?" he asked softly. Hakai shook her head.

"You can only stay put and safe. I won't have you wandering off to get blown up," she said, acting like a nursemaid.

"What does this guy gonna do to her?" Hakai looked at the ground.

"He'll keep her on to do maintenance work during the day…but at night…she's at his mercy," she said softly. Brad lunged for the door. Hakai hit him once. Just once.

She looked sadly down at his fallen form.

"I know you care about her Brad. But she cares about you too much to let you get caught up in this thing. We've already lost our childhood because of him; she won't risk your life." She hauled him onto his bed and then covered him with a sheet. She watched him for a moment, then scribbled co-ordinates for him. She turned swiftly and left.

Xnyl watched Phoenix take off. She paced in her area, worried sick. She suddenly stopped. Two…no, three voices. Naomi, Jack, and Brad.

"Naomi, I need your help. I have to find her," Brad said, pleading.

"Brad, she's a killer. You may think she loves you, but she doesn't…she's a murderer," Naomi said, inwardly trying to convince herself of that fact.

"How much are you paying for the job?" Jack asked in his gravelly voice.

"Anything. Name your price," Brad said, desperate.

Xnyl let out a rush of steam. He must care a lot. He's a miser, make no mistake…and he doesn't part easy with money.

Naomi looked at Brad. This was the man she loved. She couldn't bear to see the helps expression on his face. Bitch. I can't believe she did this to him! Damn her!

She nodded. "Of course I'll help, Brad," her heart flopped over as he smiled at her. Anything for you…

Hakai scanned the horizon.

"Foolish mullet. Even with Naomi and Jack, you still won't make her stop…then I'll just get rid of Jack." She carefully took aim and fired. Jack went down. Brad and Naomi stopped, pausing. He must have told them to continue, because they then went back to running.

Naomi checked the time; noon. Her sharp eyes picked out a small figure lying on the sand. Brad had seen it too. He was racing over to it. He was out of the cockpit, and down by its side. Two blue eyes opened.

"Brad! I thought I told you not to come!" Kaze choked, voice dry with sand. Brad helped her up, and gave her a sip of water.

"I wasn't going to let you face him all alone," he said softly. Kaze cringed, and then shivered uncontrollably.

"He'll kill you, Brad. He'll kill you just to spite me…I won't have that! Enough blood is on my hands as it is!" Her voice, which had been rising to almost unbearable heights, suddenly dropped to a low murmur.

"I won't have your blood on my hands…I couldn't stand it…that happens and the next person I kill after Dais will be myself…" Brad tightened him arms around her, and forced her to look at him.

"I'm not going to let you go to some creep just so he can use you as his toy!" He hissed into her hair. Kaze tried to escape his grasp, but he held her even tighter. He kissed her forehead lightly.

"Brad, please, he has my family," she begged. It tour his heart out, seeing her plead to him.

"I owe them, Brad. I have a debt to repay. I would love more than anything for you to be in my family too," she covered her mouth suddenly. Brad grinned and gently pealed away the fingers. He kissed the lips that had previously spoken.

"Oh, I want it too, Kaze…" he whispered to her. He stood up with her cradled in his arms.

"Brad, I can't let you go…not yet. Hakai was going to tell you when you could come," she said as he put her down. She saw Naomi watching them keenly from a few feet away. She drew a tiny needle from a belt pouch.

"I'm not leaving you," he said angrily. Why was she being so difficult! Kaze saw his face and kissed him softly with trembling lips. That kiss said so much. She was scared out of her wits; she doubted she would come back alive.

"Open the pendant," she whispered. He opened it to see pictures of them flashing on either side of the pendant. There was one when he was helping with the mechanics…there was when Hakai had asked him to test her fluid…he and Kaze sitting on the roof…the last one was of them asleep together, on opposite sides of the bed, but hands firmly clasped. The hands filled the screen. A message appeared.

Live a long, happy life. I will love you forever and a day. ~Kaze

He looked up. Kaze's face was shadowed as she looked at the ground. He put his arms around her gently, and felt her arms rise around his neck. She kissed his lips again, quivering with yearning she could not express. He felt a slight pain in his neck. He saw a needle coming from an injecting gun. Naomi was running over, screaming.

"BRAD! NO! STOP IT!" Kaze pulled away. Brad looked at her, confused. Kaze smiled softly and kissed his eyelids.

"I won't let you get hurt, Brad. I won't let him hurt you. You promised to protect me. I'm returning the favor," she said as she helped him to the ground.

"Kaze…why…"

"I love you, Brad. What ever happens, live long, live well, live life to the fullest. I gotta go…" she stood up. Brad was unconscious. Naomi was running to her, face drawn.

"You bitch! What did you do to him! He never did anything but love you…" she screamed in her face. Kaze swiftly reloaded the gun and coldly placed it against Naomi's forehead.

"Give me a reason, and I will. I will kill you here and now, Naomi…" she glared at the other woman. This threat would have been extremely alarming, if tears had not been trickling down her face, to softly hit the sand. Naomi stopped her tantrum.

"I won't let him be hurt, Naomi. What ever you think of me…" her voice trailed off. Naomi raised an eyebrow.

"I know you love him. I didn't mean to 'steal' him. I love him." She paused.

"I won't be coming back…so take good care of him. Promise me," she said. Naomi looked into her face. She saw so many small similarities, it was frightening. They had both loved the same man, and, if they had had more time, they most likely would have been good, solid friends. Kaze saw the same thing. She held out her hand.

"Promise me," she repeated. Naomi took the hand and nodded. Kaze backed away slowly, glancing down at Brad, and then grabbed her hover board and ran. Naomi watched the figure disappear.

"Sorry," she whispered.

Hakai watched as Kaze ran to her. She jumped onto the wing of Phoenix.

"Take me about 20 miles. I'll see what I can do. And then, we have some unfinished business to discuss. What's the word from the ZBC?"

"All battles are canceled until they find this guy. We could bring in some nice cash for turnin' him in," Hakai said through her headset. Kaze nodded.

"I'm going easy on him for a week. Then, we attack!" Her voice was metallic, without any feeling other than hatred. Hakai felt an insane grin coming to her face.

"Then we can pay him back for stealing our lives," she hissed. Kaze nodded.

"He had our lives destroyed, or his father did. Pay back is coming," Hakai said. They soared off into the sky. Kaze looked back only once. She waved down to Naomi as they grazed right above her camp. She looked at Brad's still form.

Oh, you'll pay, all right. I'll make sure of that!

The madness came over her. She roared, like some untamed animal. Her challenge echoed through the night sky. She and Hakai flew on, carried by the wings of a fallen angle, seeking revenge.

Ok, cheesy, I know! Short, I know! But oh well! ^ ^ So, once again, we all have to ask; what is the whole point of this? I myself am not so sure, but please, stay tuned for the next exciting episode of……….

~**~Fallen Angle~**~

                  Z