Note: The basic plot of this series reminds me of another older series but I don't remember which.
Returning to the end of the episode the Battle Force 5 team first met Rawkus.
As Rawkus revved his motorcycle to leave, Vert asked, "Rawkus, have you ever met anyone named Lin?"
"Lin? Lin Zang, you mean," Rawkus said looking back surprised. "You know him?"
"He is alive in the multi-verse after two years? He was… is my best friend. Do you know where he is? I've been searching, but…"
"He was alive last time I saw him which was months ago. He was completely lost, hopping battle zones somehow. Just can't find the right portal I thought," he said.
"Did you ever consider pointing him in the right direction?" Agura demanded.
Rawkus glared down at them, "No, he was protecting Earth when it had no defenders."
"But now we're here, we can get him home to his family. If you could just tell us where he is?" Vert begged.
Rawkus shook his head, "I'm sorry, but I haven't seen him recently. He doesn't stay in one place too long, which is wise. His bike died on the Vandal home world, I think. He's been using a Vandal vehicle or his own two feet ever since."
Vert looked disappointed at a knife he kept with him. "How was he, when you last saw him?"
The golem looked solemn, "Vert, physically he's one of the finest warriors I've seen. He's tough to have survived this long alone. It's mostly the alone part that was getting to him."
"If you do see him before us, could you send him in the right direction or contact us so we can come get him, at least?" Zoom asked. He saw Rawkus thinking about it and quickly grabbed a communicator tossing it to him. "You could use this?"
Rawkus caught it and said, "No promises." He rode off quickly without a backward glance.
"How depressing was that?" Spinner snapped. "We save his hide and he doesn't even say thank you."
"Let's head home," Vert said.
"Vert, who is Lin?" Agura asked.
"A friend, a good one," Vert began pointing the Saber toward home. "He was the best biker in the region and a bit of an adrenaline junkie. He's part of the Tiger's Claw House."
"Tiger's Claw, I've heard of them," Zoom said.
Vert smiled, "Did you hear about the young tiger that could wield a sword while riding his bike at around 70 miles per hour slicing melons accurately?"
Zoom looked over at him, "You're joking… he actually could. I thought someone was, you know, improving the truth."
"Yes, it's true, I was holding the stop watch… I promised his mother I would find him."
"How did you know he is in the multi-verse? Is the knife a clue?" Sherman asked.
Vert picked it up and released the blade. "Sort of, Lin went for a ride that day. By himself, took his truck with his bike in the back. He told his girlfriend he would be back in time for their date… but he never returned. Before they found his truck, some people actually had the nerve to say he ran away. But his cash was locked in the truck's toolbox with some other things he would have needed. Most of the town joined in a manhunt for him. My team followed his bike's tracks. They ended in a ravine not far from where many of the storm shocks appear. There was no Lin, no bike, and no gear. All I found was this knife engraved for my birthday, another and a birthday card. The other knife was for his younger brother's birthday along with the card. Our birthdays are about a week apart. There was nothing else. It was like he had just vanished." He flipped the knife back into its hilt. "Just like we do every storm shock."
"So the multi-verse is the only logical explanation," Sherman concluded.
"Exactly, I'm going to find him."
"We'll help you," Zoom promised.
Months later
"All right guys, storm-shock portal coming up, let's stay together," Vert ordered.
"We know the drill fearless leader," Stanford said.
"Understood, let's do this."
As they cross over into the battle zone, the team pulled up short in the canyon filled zone. Rawkus was leaning against his bike a few feet away from their fenders. "Hey Rawkus, what's up?" Zoom asked barely missing a beat.
"He's here and he's not well," Rawkus explained getting his bike ready.
"What do you mean? Who is he talking about?" Stanford demanded.
Vert shouted excitedly, "Lin, you found Lin."
"Who's Lin?" Stanford asked as Rawkus said, "Come on. We need to hurry"
"But what about the battle key? The mission?"
"Right," Vert said. "Agura, Zoom, and Cortez brothers go get that key. Stanford and I will go with Rawkus and get Lin."
The team separated. As they followed Rawkus, Vert warned Stanford, "Lin wasn't one for loud music, so keep it down for him."
"All right, since he's a friend of yours."
"Thanks. Rawkus, what did you mean by Lin not being well?"
"His mental state's… not completely sound."
"Guess he's been here too long," Vert said.
Moments later they heard the sounds of a fight. Rawkus frowned, "They found him."
"Who?" Vert said slipping his goggles on.
"I had to trap him to keep him from running. The Red Sentients have been hunting him for a while."
"Stanford, give me some cover fire. Rawkus…"
"No Vert, this is your fight now. Lin's survival is in the hands of Battle Force 5," Rawkus said. "I'm sorry." Rawkus turned his bike away and rode away.
"What he leaves us now?" Stanford complained.
Vert quickly contacted the rest of Battle Force 5, "All right, Zoom continue looking for the Battle Key. Everyone else get to our location we've got Red Sentient to deal with."
"Roger that," the team chorused.
Vert and Stanford practically flew over the ridge and saw the Red Sentients trying to break through a wall of rock. Behind the wall someone was moving about.
"Get in there, I want that human," Krytus screamed.
"Sir, we have company," Kyburi, the female Sentient snapped.
"Stop them," he ordered just before the wall came down. A figure wearing a series of scarves and ragged clothing that mostly matched the canyon colors leaped up and nearly brought a sword down on Krytus's head. Krytus dodged and brought forth his blade. "Finally, you have no where left to run, human scum." His opponent said nothing just got into a battle stance. With a scream Krytus attacked.
Stanford and Vert engaged their opponents trying to get to Lin. One of the Reverb's shots knocked away a Red Sentient that was coming up behind Lin. Lin held his own against Krytus. When the Tangler and the Buster joined the fight, Vert was almost to Lin. "Get away from him!" he shouted. Lin jumped and landed in front of Vert's windshield somehow missing the Saber's weapons. Krytus activated his vehicle in time. As the two vehicles slammed together Lin nearly lost his balance and grabbed hold of the top of Vert's vehicle. In his hand was the battle key. "Zoom!" Vert shouted over the com, "Lin's got the battle key. We need you here."
"On my way," Zoom said.
Then Vert watched as Lin turned his upper body to attack him. The sword pointed to crash through his windshield. The young man's head wrapped in a turban-like hood, the dark eyes showed no recognition. Vert grabbed the knife and slammed it against the windshield hoping he might remember it. The eyes flicked to the knife and confusion entered them. Lin looked back to him blinking. "Lin, it's me," he said. "Your buddy Vert. Come on re…"
"Vert, look out!" Agura shouted. Krylox, in the red buster was racing toward the Saber.
"Lin, hang on," Vert ordered throwing the Saber in reverse. Lin leaped aside taking the key with him. Krytus followed, their blades locked and Vert whipped the Saber sideways pulling Krytus in Krylox's way. The Sentients shouted before they hit and the two streaks of red energy flew off. Vert looked around for Lin and saw him walking toward Kytren, the scout, as the Sentient sped up to run him down.
"Is he crazy?" Agura yelled. Zoom was racing to intercept, but there was too much distance.
Just as Kytren was nearly on top of him, Lin rolled aside bringing the sword up. The sword missed the vehicle's blades slicing the wheel frame and sent it crashing. Zoom stopped the Chopper admiring Lin's work. "That's impressive. How…?" he asked but Lin was sprinting away back into the place where Rawkus had imprisoned him. "Hey, where are you going?"
"Drive off the other Red Sentients," Vert ordered following the fleeing man. Lin picked up a bag and turned to escape but Zoom and Vert blocked him. Lin settled the bag on a shoulder and brought his sword into a guard position. Vert opened the Saber's hatch and jumped out. "Lin, it's Vert. Your friend." He held out the knife. "Don't you remember? This is the survival knife you were planning to give to me on my birthday, I found the other one too for your brother and his birthday card." Lin didn't budge though his eyes searched for an escape. With the last of the Red Sentients gone the rest of Battle Force 5 covered the other exits. Vert pulled off his goggles and slowly walked forward remembering Rawkus' warning. "Lin, your family never gave up on you. Your mother said I would find you and bring you home. I promised her I would. Please, let me keep that promise." Lin glared at him but it wasn't angry Vert saw in those eyes, it was fear. "Lin, it's all right. We're not going to hurt you. We want to help you, please." Vert stopped tossing Lin the knife, his only weapon keeping both his hands in view. Lin caught it hardly taking his eyes off everyone. He held the knife before him to maintain his guard and released the blade.
"Great, give him another weapon." Stanford said, "What is wrong with him? We need to get out of here and lock down this zone."
"Stanford be quiet," Agura snapped. "Can't you see he's been through a lot?"
Lin turned the knife over and suddenly his attention was completely on the knife. Vert smiled knowing he was reading the engraving. Lin's eyes looked to Vert's. He slowly spun the sword and slid it into a sheath on his back. He folded the knife's blade back into its hilt. Lin pulled the cloth wrapping his face and lowered the hood. His skin was lighter under the cloth, the dirt made him look darker. His long black hair was tucked into the cloth and perhaps down his shirt as well. He needed a shave too. He licked his lips thinking, extremely hard. He began to speak, then stopped. He tossed Vert back the knife. Trying again, he said, "Vert… How long?" It sounded like he hadn't spoken a word in a really long time.
"Nearly two years, Lin. I'm sorry it took so long," Vert said stepping forward. Lin jumped back and frowned. "It's all right. Take your time."
Lin nodded, "Do you have food?"
Vert's shrugged, "Not with us but I'll order up your favorite pizza as soon as we're back home. My treat."
"Home," Lin said slowly, as though he was testing the word out. "Do I still belong there?"
The team stared at him. "Of course you do. Why would you even say that?" Vert demanded.
Lin looked up at him with haunted eyes, "Vert, you don't know… what…" He looked away.
"I don't care," he said coming beside him. "You have been out here fighting alone for too long. It's time to go back." He stepped back seeing Lin's hands shaking.
"How? Which… goes home?" Lin sounded so frustrated.
"We know the way. Can I have the battle key?" Vert asked. Lin just stared at him. Vert pointed and explained, "That's a battle key, you found it here, right?" At Lin's nod, he continued. "Battle keys open portals and locks them behind us. That's what we're doing." Lin handed over the key and then opened his bag. He pulled out a few more keys.
"Whoa, he's been busy," Spinner said.
"But how'd he do it without equipment?" Agura asked.
Vert only smiled, "Never did fail to amaze me. Let's go." Lin tried to smile putting the keys away and grabbing another bag shoved into a wedge of the rocks. "Stanford, open up. Lin, the Reverb is the only one with a passenger seat so you need to ride with him. Or… Do you have a vehicle?" Lin shrugged and pointed to some wreckage nearby. "I don't think we can salvage that."
Once inside the Reverb, Lin wasn't very comfortable. He made Stanford nervous, so the music was turned off. Finally, Stanford had to ask, "What's wrong?"
Lin glanced at him a moment before watching the terrain again. "Too quiet."
"Too quiet? Well, of course it's quiet. Vert told me you didn't go for loud music, so I turned it off."
"Too quiet," Lin repeated taking holding of his sword.
Stanford stared a moment and quickly conferenced the team into his sound system, "Vert, Lin insists it's too quiet. Someone say something."
"Hey Lin, how did you survive out here?" Agura asked quickly.
"Quiet," he said watching for something.
"Stanford, I think you need to put on some music. I asked you to keep it down not off," Vert suggested.
Stanford quickly turned on his music but at a fourth of the volume. Slowly, Lin did relax enough for the portal jump and the ride to the hub.
At the hub, Sage waited with Tezz as the vehicles pulled up. As Vert exited the Saber, she said, "I see your mission went well."
"Better than that," Vert said pointing at the Reverb, "We found him." Lin tossed his bags out and slowly got out looking not at all certain of his surroundings. "Lin, I'd like you to met Sage. She's…"
"Blue," Lin said quietly. He came toward them but stayed out of reach. The rest of the team looked at each other but didn't say anything.
"That's right, I am a Blue Sentient. Your friend Vert rescued me… He has told me much about you."
"That was a lifetime ago," he said. The silence stretched out until Lin began looking around nervously and reached for his hilt again.
"Hey, Lin buddy, you're all right. How have you been?" AJ shouted coming in. Lin spun drawing the sword. AJ stopped with the tip under his chin. "Lin?"
"Vert," Stanford said quickly. "Didn't you promise your friend a free pizza?"
"Of course, I'll call it in," Vert agreed slowly walking toward Lin. "It takes a bit longer to prepare."
"Why?" Zoom asked watching for some reaction from Lin.
"Very few people ask for wasabi on their pizza," he explained.
"Seriously, I'll go picked it up," he said trying to sound normal.
"Thanks, Zoom." Vert stepped beside AJ facing Lin. "Lin, you remember AJ, our friend. Please put it away… Just calm down, you're safe here, I promise." It took a few moments, but Lin did sheath his sword and back away. He turned covering his face with his hands. They could hear him breathing slowly and deeply.
"Lin, perhaps you should come with me to the infirmary and make sure you are all right," Sage requested.
Lin stared at her wary and uncertain. "Then you can send him for a shower," Agura said, "No offense, Lin, but you are ripe."
"He can borrow some of my clothes." Lin didn't even react. "Lin, I'm going to go get your mother. Are you going to be all right enough to see her?" Vert asked.
"Whoa, wait, get her. As in here, to the hub?" Spinner said.
"Logically speaking, what explanation could we give his family that would cover his disappearance for two years and his current state besides the truth?" Sherman said. AJ tried to put a hand on Lin's shoulder but Agura caught his hand and shook her head.
"Vert is correct. For Lin's sake, at least some of his family must know the truth," Sage stated.
"The lady is also a licensed psychologist. Stanford, I need to borrow the Reverb."
Stanford nodded, "Sure thing. I will be staying away from him."
After Vert and Zoom left and Sage led Lin toward the infirmary, the rest looked at each other then at Lin's bags. From one moment to the next the team emptied the bags on the ground and began sorting through the contents. Among them were five battle keys, a very battered copy of the Hobbit, a water bottle, strange bundles of leaf-like paper, and other items.
"What is all this stuff?" Stanford asked picking up one of many small rolls of cloth.
"How did he survive with only this as his gear?" Tezz demanded.
"I wonder what he ate," Agura said.
Sherman was looking at one of the leaf bundles. "Fruits, fish, nuts… He tried almost anything he saw the Vandals eating."
"Ack. How do you know that?" Spinner asked.
Sherman turned the bundle around showing them what was written on them. "It appears these are his journals. And he recorded his daily life as though he used them to remain grounded."
"What did he use for ink?" Tezz wondered.
Agura was looking through another bundle and frowned, "Some sort of fruit possibly."
"What?"
"You can smell something citrus," Agura explained.
"That's just foolish. Why would he go to such lengths to write down such mundane information?" Tezz asked. Agura wordlessly handed him the bundle she was looking at and pointed to the first sentences. "To whoever finds this: My name is Lin Zang of the House of the Tiger's Claw. If you can, please attempt to return this journal and other belongings to my family, so they may know their son loves them and will never stop trying to find the way home. If you are lost as I am, this journal will help you survive, find food, water and shelter. I wish you the best of luck. Oh."
"Doesn't sound so foolish anymore does it?" Agura asked coldly. "You had allies at least. Lin had himself and he still thought about others that could be just as lost as he was."
"Does this mean he has other journals in the multi-verse?" AJ asked.
Sherman nodded, "More than likely. We should find out what these other belongings are. Could be more keys?"
Tezz frowned, "I doubt he is that good."
"You did not see him fight Krytus," Stanford countered.
"If there are more keys, we need to find them before someone else does," Agura insisted.
In the infirmary, Sage watched as Lin pulled off his wraps and shirt. On his bare arms and torso were scars and other injuries both fresh and healing. His build was lean but solid. He stared at the floor waiting. There was something terribly sad about him. "You have been through much," she said. Lin shrugged. "Please lay back on the exam bed, this won't take long." Lin did as instructed. "Is it true you were alone all that time?" He nodded. "Why won't you talk to me?"
"Noise drew danger. Better to listen for danger than attract it," he said softly.
"Understood," Sage answered, realizing Lin had yet to speak above a whisper, and started her tests. "You are such a brave person. You know Tezz was trapped in the multi-verse as well. Perhaps, you two can find a connection." Lin turned away from her with a strange look. "Lin, what's wrong?"
"Brave… Every day there I lived with fear. Vert… says I am safe now but I'm… I don't know of what or why," he whispered and Sage could tell it had taken a great effort to say that.
Zoom pulled up to the diner and strolled in. "Hey Zeke, is the pizza Vert ordered ready?"
"Almost, but I am wondering why Vert ordered a Lin's special when he doesn't like?" Zeke asked quite interested.
Zoom shrugged, "Well… because… I… I wanted to try it. Wasabi on pizza sounds cool."
"You mean hot." Zeke frowned and slid the pizza into a box. "Sorry I was kind of hoping… it was for Lin. You probably would have liked him. He was a good kid. I mean is, he is a good kid." Zeke handed him the pizza and Zoom paid. Zoom saw Grace dusting off a picture at the back of the diner, one of the many in Handler's Corners Wall of Fame. The guy in it looked a lot like Lin, but younger and certainly happily. Zoom wanted to tell Zeke the truth but decided against it. Lin needed time.
Vert drove down the road with Lin's mother. The woman looked every bit a proper Asian woman who was currently staring at Vert in shock. "You better explain that Mr. Wheeler."
"I found Lin," he began. "He didn't run away. He didn't have some terrible accident, well not exactly. He has been lost and searching for the way back all this time."
"Lost, where exactly?"
Vert nervously thought of how to tell this woman that he respected like a favorite aunt. "This will sound crazy, but I promise it is the truth. It's called the multi-verse. Somehow that day Lin stumbled upon a storm shock portal, which looks a lot like a tornado. It transported him into a place called a battle zone. There are dangerous creatures, which go to those zones via their own portals, hunting for a way to come to Earth and other worlds to conquer them. Lin has been, unintentionally, protecting us all this time. He just couldn't find the portal that would take him to Earth."
"How many people know about these portals and zones?" she asked cautiously.
"You're going to met all of them. I just hope seeing you will help Lin."
"What's wrong with my son?"
"I'm not sure, Mrs. Zang. He's been through a lot, like a soldier returning from a terrible war. He's on a hair trigger. He barely recognized me," he explained. "I think… it got to him, being alone all that time."
"Am I to assume these portals are a secret and we can't tell just anybody?" she asked. Vert nodded. "What are we going to tell people, then? We can't hide Lin somewhere for the rest of his life, Vert. They will find out he is back and want to hear about what happened. You know that."
"I don't know, ma'am. I wish I did."
"What do we say Vert, when tough times come?"
"We get up and keep trying," Vert said. "Thank you, this stuff always made more sense after talking with you."
She nodded, "By the way, this interior smells awful."
Vert laughed, "I'm sorry. We keep telling Stanford to clean it but it doesn't seem to get through to him." He continued to explain the war and his team to her as they headed for his garage.
When they arrived at his garage, they saw the Chopper blazing around his track, but Zoom was standing with most of Battle Force 5. "Zoom, please don't tell me that's Lin on your bike?" Vert asked handing Mrs. Zang out of the Reverb.
The team turned around and Zoom politely bowed to Mrs. Zang. "Sorry, Vert but he needed some fresh air. And I thought a lap or two would help ease his mind. He was… you know."
"It probably was the correct thing to do," Mrs. Zang said. "Could you call my son in, please? This reunion has been a long time coming."
"Of course," Zoom said grabbing a headset.
"If there is anything we can get for you," Sherman offered.
Mrs. Zang eyed the pizza box. "A pitcher of water to go with that inferno of his as well as someplace private to talk would be splendid. Thank you. And Stanford?"
The man jumped and didn't realized she don't know which one of them he was. "Yes?"
"I want your car's interior cleaned properly and completely before I am ready to leave. Is that clear?" Stanford stood there with a deer in the headlights look. "I said is that clear young man?"
Cautiously, Stanford answered, "Yes." Several members of the team were stifling their laughter.
"Very good… Such a sweet young man," she said watching the Chopper pull up beside Zoom. She slowly walked toward them. In one smooth motion, Lin was off the Chopper and handing the helmet back to Zoom. His mother looked her son over. His longer hair was still damp from a shower. The cloths he wore hung on him. The light of ever-present mischief was gone from his eyes. There was a tension about him where ease should have been.
He nodded to Zoom like a thank you. He paused, frowned, and softly said, "Thank you… Great bike."
"Your welcome, nice driving," Zoom said.
"He was and is the best on two…" AJ stepped over to them and tried to clap Lin on the shoulder. Lin slide under his arm grabbing it and twisting it around, also tripping AJ dropping him to his knees. Lin pinned him quickly. His eyes were wide and searching for other possible dangers. "Lin?"
The team moved to intervene, but Mrs. Zang waved them back and snapped, "Lin Michael Zang! Let Mr. Dalton go this instant!" Lin jumped off AJ like he had been burned. He stared at his mother stunned for a moment and then confused. She walked right up to him and held his face between her hands. "My precious cub, you've been living a nightmare I hear. It's time to start waking up and get out from under the bed," she whispered.
"Mother… I…"
"Shush, it's all right my cub. You're here and I'm with you now," she continued softly stroking his face. "Come on, I see brought they brought that crazy dish of Zeke's for you. Let's eat and get to know one another again." His mother led him away taking the pizza and water with them. She leveled AJ with a glare that could have peeled paint before they disappeared into the hub.
"A take charge kind of woman," Agura noted.
Vert nodded, "She is a psychologist and philosopher, besides being his mother, are the main reasons I knew she was the best person to bring to Lin." He looked to AJ. "I hate to say it, but smooth move."
"I thought he was calm," AJ explained.
"He was calm before you send him into survival mode," Agura snapped, "AJ, you need to start thinking that the Lin you knew didn't come home quite yet. Rawkus warned us he wasn't well."
More than an hour later, Mrs. Zang entered the control center of the hub where the team was having a bit of a meeting. "Sage, where do you think these keys go?" Agura asked.
"Battle zones, you have not been to, I suppose. Ah Mrs. Zang, it is good to meet you. How is Lin?"
"Ms. Sage, the honor is mine." She bowed and sighed, "My son is asleep for now. Is there a way for sound to be sent to him?"
"Of course, but why?"
"For Lin, absolute silence now means danger approaches. If you could manage typical night time sounds: gentle wind, crickets, that sort."
Sage quickly worked on her interface and said, "There, it is done. Hopefully, Lin will find it soothing and pleasant."
Vert chose to speak up then, "Mrs. Zang, did Lin tell you what happened?"
There were tears in her eyes. "Vert, it was an accident. The storm trapped him in that ravine and when he tried to escape… He ended up in one of those zones you spoke of."
"I am sorry for the trouble the multi-verse has caused your family," Sage apologized, "but I must ask did Lin say anything about these five battle keys he was carrying or anything else he may have found."
The woman nodded, "The keys led to zones where he was force to leave things behind. Things he knew he needed to go back for when the time was right."
"Then the choice is clear, we must go to these zones and retrieve his treasures," Tezz said.
"Ah moment," AJ said worried.
"What is it now?" Tezz said annoyed.
"Vert, remember what happened the last time Lin intentionally hide something?" AJ asked.
Vert thought a moment and when the memory arose the expression on Vert's face didn't look good. "That was a nightmare."
"It took hours," AJ explained. "When Lin hides something, it's an absolute pain to find."
"Hey, I can track any trail," Agura said.
"Even one that is a year old?" Mrs. Zang asked. Agura blinked. "What about months?"
"Well, I…"
Mrs. Zang sighed, "You will need Lin's help."
"No," Vert said. "I can't ask him to go back in there. We just got him back. Maybe, he can just tell us where to look."
From one of the doorways they heard Lin say, "But I need to."
"You were resting."
"Why Lin? You don't have to do this," Vert insisted.
Mrs. Zang interrupted, "Which bike do you need? The Knucklehead or the Kawasaki Off-Road?"
"You kept them?" Lin asked surprised.
His mother leveled him with a look, "You earned the money to buy them and restore the Harley… technically. They are your bikes."
"Whoa, hold up. You own a Knucklehead, a Harley Davidson Knucklehead?" Zoom asked.
Vert laughed, "It is a pre-1950 fully-restored Harley Davidson Knucklehead. And it looked like a hunk of junk when Lin first found it. Now, a beautiful sandy gold."
"How could you afford it?"
"It was headed for the junk yard," Lin said rather sharply and turned to his mother. "The Kawasaki, please."
"If someone can transport it here, I can upgrade it to suit your personality and skills, providing you with the greatest amount of offensive and defensive capabilities," Sage offered, smiling at Mrs. Zang. The woman nodded to the Sentient relieved.
Sherman placed Lin's motorcycle before Sage. "Interesting choice of color. Did you intent for it to match the surrounding salt flats?" Lin shrugged. "Camouflage, to be unseen while traveling and before striking. Lin, you are a quiet warrior whose precision is unparalleled. You are also an impressive kendo fighter, the skills you have honed while traveling in the battle zones." She began the process of upgrading his bike and creating his battle suit. "Please name your vehicle to complete the bond."
Lin carefully walked around his new bike, still the same color as before. Like the Chopper it had two pairs of wheels set side-by-side in the front and rear. The frame was lower to the ground and the front and rear forks extended further from the engine and frame than most bikes he was familiar with. He fingered the handle bar and pressed a button he felt there. The case covers surrounding the front forks popped open and a sword hilt was revealed on the right side, on the left side looked like the back end of a rifle. Pressing the button again caused the covers to close.
"This bike and your suit are capable of altering their colors to match their general surroundings as well as emitting a signal that will make you invisible to Sark and Sentient radar. It won't be true cloaking like my Mobias, but it should be quite difficult to detect you."
"The Guardian," he said softly.
"So, Lin, which key first?" Vert asked coming beside him and then stepping back at Lin's glance. Lin pointed to the blue one. "OK, so just how much stuff are we looking at finding there?"
Lin thought it over and answered, "I actually don't really remember. It was the first key I kept."
"All right, Lin, Zoom, Tezz, and Cortez brothers. We'll check out the zone. Agura, you're in charge in case a portal shows up."
Mrs. Zang held her son's helmet as he sat on the Guardian checking out its systems. "Please, come back." He nodded and took the helmet. "I will be thinking of a way you can safely come home and not reveal where you have been."
Lin nodded and said, "I made a promise… in that card. I will keep it." He started up the Guardian and followed the team out.
Once they were gone, Sage asked, "Mrs. Zang, why did you agree to allow your son to go back to the battle zones?"
"Because fighting and surviving in the zones is now what defines him. Taking that away completely and expecting him to adjust to a world and a life that he barely recognizes would not be the best idea. I am hoping by going back and forth, Lin will find a new definition, purpose, and heal."
Author's Note: The character of Lin was motivated by an article about trauma and how soldiers returning home from war are sometimes not treated because it is believed their trauma is not real. So this story is for anyone who has suffered from scars that are not physical. Trauma can affect anyone and the people who suffer from it should be helped. Some may not ask for help but inside they are probably screaming for the symptoms to stop. They should always know their friends and family are there for them even if they must stay at arm's length.