The sun bathed a soft glow over the airfield, the frosty mid-morning air beginning to warm with the coming day. The pilot walked with a casual stride, half-reading the folded newspaper in his clutches, sipping on his first cup of coffee. Nearing the Sesna, he slid the paper under his arm, using his free hand to dig into his pocket for the keys. That's when he was suddenly grabbed from behind, a firm hand clamping over his mouth.
"Keys." Victor's voice hissed into his ear.
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The containment van cruised on a small, open road, seventy-miles out of Munich, headed for the city. Traffic was non-existant, the van taking this quiet route for exactly that reason. In the back of the van, two Interpol agents sat across from each other silently. One was reading a morning paper, while the other fiddled with his Ipod.
Sitting next to one of them, the slick Asian frame of Nadia Li rested comfortably, a cell phone plug in her left ear. Every so often, she would nod and murmur something to the voice on the other end. Across from her, Ozzy Baxter sat silent, head down in thought. A massive, thick metal collar wrapped around his neck, connected down to an interlocking bolt-lock on his chest, and one in the middle of his back. His arms were behind him, locked into two thick titanium stocks that were being held by the bolt-locks.
He had said nothing since being captured.
Up front, the two drivers chatted back and forth, making small talk about the night before...
"{And you bought it for her?}" the driver asked, sipping on his coffee.
"{I want to actually have sex again, right?}" his passenger replied, shrugging.
"{Heh...see, that's what I'm saying...FUCK marriage, you know?}" the driver insisted.
His partner wrinkled his nose, and rolled his eyes, waiting for the normal diatribe about the ills of marriage. He wondered how long he would have to listen this time.
Luckily for him, the answer was four-point-seven-seconds.
That was the exact amount of time it took before their bodies were suddenly ripped straight out through the windshield by an invisible force.
The van rocked, tires suddenly locking up in a loud shriek of rubber. Everyone in the back were immediately thrown forward from the sudden descent in speed.
The enormous vehicle slid on smoking tires, slowing and slowing, until it finally slid to a final, jolting stop...
...an inch from the outstretched fingers of Phil Smith.
The back doors of the van suddenly ripped outwards, Grimm tossing them behind him with little care. Ozzy squinted from the sudden sunlight, as Grimm's massive hands clamped onto the restraining collar. His teeth gritted, as he slowly began rending the metal.
Nadia was pulling herself off the floor of the van, checking her nose for blood, when she felt the sharp tip-end of Lykopis' blade resting on her jugular.
"I wouldn't..." Lyly's voice came from the silouetted figure above Nadia.
The two Interpol agents were still a bit dazed, barely making out Victor's presence entering the back of the van. They didn't have too long to find their bearings, as his heels make single, quick jabs at their temples, releasing them of their consciousness.
"...Grimm?" Ozzy asked, just now getting a handle on the situation.
Outside, Phil signaled the Sesna in the adjacent field, Icarus nodding in the cockpit, hitting buttons to fire the engines.
"...hang...uff!...hang on a sec..." Grimm replied through gritted teeth, his massive strength making slow work of the thick titanium.
"How...how did you.....how did you find me?" Ozzy asked.
"Icarus was able to track Li's cellphone signal..." Lykopis replied still holding the woman at bay.
The metal collar finally snapped with a final grunt from Grimm.
"Okay...." he breathed, hoisting Ozzy by the shoulder. "...let's go..."
"No."
Grimm paused, looking back at the man.
"What do you mean, 'no'? Come on!" he barked, literally jerking Baxter out of the van.
Lykopis began backing away, sword still out.
"Don't bother trying to stop us." she said to Nadia.
"I won't ever stop coming for him. I promise you that." she replied to the Vanguardian.
"And we will never stop taking him back." Lykopis smirked, stepping out of the back of the vehicle.
"Grimm...GRIMM!! STOP!!" Baxter yelled, finally jerking away from the giant's grip.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Grimm yelled in kind. "We don't have time for this! We have to go!"
"I'm not going!" Ozzy replied.
"Ozzy? What's wrong?" Lykopis asked, walking up to the man.
He stared at her, glancing at Grimm for a moment, and back again.
"Lyly...." he began, his face contorted with guilt. "...I...I did it."
Lykopis opened her mouth to contradict him...
"No." he stopped her, holding a finger to her mouth. "I did it. I...I murdered...Drake Marshall. I've seen....I've seen the pictures.....the evidence."
"Ozzy, you don't know that to be true..." Lykopis insisted. "...they could fake anyth--"
"Why?" he interrupted. "Why would anyone...anywhere...fake those....fake what I saw."
The brutal images still burned in his mind.
"I killed him. Me." he said, his voice dropping to a rasp. "I killed my hero."
Grimm sighed with exasperation, flinging his arms against his side. Lyly just stared at the man, searching his eyes for something. Anything, besides the pain and torture that she saw.
"I killed my friend..." he whispered, looking down. "..I'm guilty."
"Come on!!" Icarus yelled from the field.
"Ozzy...we..." Lykopis began.
"Go." he said, suddenly looking straight back up into her eyes. "Just go. Now."
The two stared at each other for a moment, an unspoken emotion passing between them.
She took his hand, and held on to it even as she was stepping away. The fingers finally slid from her grasp.
"...this isn't over..." she said.
And Ozzy could have sworn he heard her voice crack a bit.
He smiled, watching her leave.
"I know." he finally said quietly.
She gritted her teeth, and with that, turned and ran towards the plane. Grimm just stared at the man another moment longer. Then, giving him an understanding nod, turned as well.
"...be strong..." he remarked over his shoulder, headed for the plane.
A small, sad smile came over Baxter's face, watching as the plane took off, climbing into the sky.
"Back at you..." he breathed.
Then, turning, he walked back over towards the van. Standing there in the back, staring at him with an obvious perplexion, was Nadia.
They looked at each other for a moment in silence. Then, Ozzy climbed back into the van.
"I.....I don't understand..." she finally said to the man.
He didn't look at her. He just sat there.
"No.....you probably wouldn't...."
