The Void: War of the Worlds (Book 1)

Chapter 3

       Loco Cruz recognised the pilot of the star fighter that passed low over his head. It was the commander of the Crystal Warriors. This worried Cruz; if the Crystal Warriors are part of this war or anything in any way, then the Rebellion would be stronger.

He was only a short jog away from the Rebellion base. He didn't bother running; he had all night. Cruz arrived shortly, though, and passed through security out front without a single glance back. He walked down the long main hallway, keeping his eyes and head moving. He was a bit distracted and almost missed the group of men coming towards him; one of the men was his target. He quickly darted behind a stone pillar, gun already in hand, taking aim and waiting for the perfect moment.

This is it, Cruz thought.

This was his chance. 

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        Jet Ryder felt his stone grow hot, and knew something was wrong. He channelled his energy through the stone and saw an image of a dark figure crouched behind a stone pillar and aiming a gun at someone. Jet snapped back to reality, whirling around to face the stone pillar closest to him, with fire in his hands. He heard a loud bang and a bullet whizzed past his head, striking the wall behind him. He channelled his energy again and created two portals made of fire, one at his hands and one behind the pillar.

A second bang happened and a bullet soared into the portal at his hands. Jet quickly closed the portal and looked up in time to see the same bullet shoot out from behind the pillar. A dark figure rolled out from behind the pillar a second later, blood spurting from his shoulder. Jet closed the second portal as the guards around him rushed to apprehend the injured man. Jet considered himself lucky. LeRoy had only been gone an hour and a half and a bounty hunter had already figured out a way in.

The guards pulled off the figures mask and revealed the man behind it: Loco Cruz, the most notorious bounty hunter in Star System Three. The guards tied his hands behind his back and gagged him. They hauled him away and put Cruz in a dark, secluded room. Jet alerted Storm Hunter and LeRoy Jonez. LeRoy couldn't make it back at the moment, but Storm was there within five minutes. They needed to be ready for anything else that comes their way.

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     Emperor Jorgon Draco was not happy when Virgil Vulture, his personal guard, relayed the news that Loco Cruz had been captured by the 6th Rebellion. Vulture told Draco that one of their insiders, Hawk Johnson, who was also a Shadow Warriors Tech Soldier, was the messenger.

"I trusted Cruz to get the job done, Virgil, and he failed."

Draco looked Vulture directly in the eyes.

"Contact Commander Skies of the Blue Triad and have him and Commander Klinga create a plan. We need to attack the Rebellion again, but this time, we need to use the Void to lure them in."

Vulture nodded and left the Emperors office. Draco was left to his thoughts. He vowed to win this war, but his first priority was more important to him at the moment: killing Loco Cruz.