Sonia pushed through the undergrowth frantically, gaining more and more ground with each harried step she took. Briars caught in her hair and clothing and leaves slapped in her stunningly blue eyes. Sonia ignored these hazards and continued plunging through the woodland area, searching for Mrs. Bailey's house.

I know she's here somewhere... And if I can find Jim, he'll help me... I have to get away from Simon before--

She ran into a thick branch at eye-level; it cut an awful bruise across the bridge of her nose.

Um...ouch...

She winced, savoring the pain.

Damn it. Something else to slow me down...

In haste she recovered and continued on the way to the Bailey residence. When she emerged through the tangled mess of plants and trees, that was exactly where she found herself.

This is it...

She walked over to the house, paying no mind to the shabbiness of her appearance, and knocked on the door.

Sonia's frantic knocks on the door were soon answered by a harried Mrs. Bailey, who ran to the door mumbling a dozen put-offs under her shortened breath.

"I'm coming, I'm coming... Jim, is that you...?"

She opened the door wide in a rather welcoming fashion, much to Sonia's relief on the other side. When her face greeted Jim Bailey's mother for the first time, the poor woman uttered a cry of distress and jumped back, placing a reassuring hand on her blouse. "My Lord...!"

"It's ok, calm down! I'm a friend of Jim's--and David's," Sonia rushed to explain. "My name's Sonia Lear and I'm in a hurry here. Can you tell me where I might find Jim and David?"

Mrs. Bailey looked around through the screen door, to check if there were any
passers by outside her dwelling. When she satisfied herself that no intruders were near, she opened the screen door. "Come in, dear. There's something you should know about the two of them before I send you in their direction..."

Grateful for the invite, Sonia thanked her benefactor and followed a coaxing Mrs. Bailey into the dwelling. The screen and main doors were shut securely behind them, even locked by Mrs. Bailey before she turned her back on them a final time.

"Sit down, Sonia. Anywhere you like."

Sonia chose the large sofa in front of a neatly organized entertainment center, and curled her hands nervously in her lap. What's so secret about David and Jim...? She has the doors locked, for Christ's sake...

Mrs. Bailey took a deep breath. Sonia was sure that whatever came out of her mouth afterward would be of utmost importance.

"Would you like something to drink?"

Needless to say, the hybrid's hopes were dashed with those innocuous words. "Um...yeah. Sure." She added a smile to her reply.

Mrs. Bailey nodded curtly and headed for her kitchen, emerging minutes later with two steaming cups of tea on china saucers. She set one down before Sonia on the coffee table, explaining politely, "Two lumps of sugar and a teaspoonful of honey. I hope you like it that way..." A pause. "There's little time. I'm afraid they might be on the move again even as I'm speaking..."

Sonia took the cup and saucer and brought the tea to her lips, all the while keeping her icy blue eyes on Mrs. Bailey. She means them...

Mrs. Bailey continued, "David, Jim, and a few other friends of his are involved in a sort of assassination job... I'm sure I don't have to say much more on that... Their operations are very covert ones, so even I can't say that much on them, I don't even know--"

"What CAN you tell me? Can you tell me where they are, at least?"

Mrs. Bailey paused. Sonia found her staring at her intently for a moment. "You know...I could tell as soon as I saw you that you were like him." A wan smile.

What's she--?

"David. You're a Tyrusian, aren't you...?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Mrs. Bailey nodded, still smiling gently. "It's the face, the eyes--they gave you away, dear. They really do."

Sonia nodded, eager to change the subject. I'm here to find information on how to get away from here--seriously. I have to find David. He has to know... Dragit's still after him. The war's not finished yet as long as he sits on Tyrus' throne. "So you can't tell me..."

"I'm afraid you won't get anywhere by foot." Mrs. Bailey sipped her tea, then continued. "I...I can drive you, if you wish. We can search Glenport for a trace of them, and see if they're still in the area. How's that sound?"

Sonia's eyes lit up. "That's...that's perfect, actually. Thank you." She placed the teacup and saucer back on the table, then rose. "Well then, what're we waiting for?"

----

A bold knock interrupted Gordon and Lomac's conversation.

"We'll continue this later," Gordon said. Then, a bit louder: "Enter."

A tall, lean girl of about twenty-one years strode in, her mossy green eyes offset by dark, violet-streaked hair. A slightly mocking expression spread across a vaguely Asiatic face at the sight of Major Lomac.

"Imre Orrin reporting, sir. Mission accomplished." Her light voice, lacking an accent, carried well through the abandoned hangar.

"Good work," Gordon smiled. "I have another assignment for you. It differs a bit from your usual. Feeling up to a change in venue?"

"Yes, sir!" Unbeknownst to her, her oddly shaped eyes dilated with excitement.

----

Coming back from the hospital seemed to take years. Each one with a different thought swarming in their heads. David slumped against the back seat window, Jim, still a tad queasy, rested his head on his fists. Doc was on the other side of Jim. Phil was in the driver's seat with Angie on the passenger side. All sat quiet and staring straight ahead.

David started to twirl his gun with his index finger. And that unnerved Jim.

"Uh...... David... Do you have to do that?" He said, breaking the silence.

"Yes." David responded nonchalant, not really hearing Jim's plea. David looked towards his pale face. "Uh.. sorry." He stuck the gun back into his holder around his waist.

Doc leaned back onto the seat. "You think the Tyrusians are coming back?"

Phil turned on the blinker to the car. "It's a very good possibility."

"Then we better be prepared." Angie turned to him.

"I know."

"But won't TFAO back us up?" Jim asked.

"They will, but how many Tyrusians are there? You got to remember there's a planet full of them and the Bounty Hunter are with them too." Phil turned into their house.

Sonia... Her name popped into David's head for the first time in a while. "We could use more allies right? Why don't we find more people for our team?"

"Good idea kid." Phil opened the car door and got out.