THE
THREE KEYS
Part
One: The Key of Spirit
Chapter
2: Riding in Planes With Boys
"Ready?! Of course I'm ready!
What makes you think I'm not ready?!" GWB yelled to Fury. The tall
agent tried to calm GWB down. "Relax! I just asked if you were
ready to lead a team of your own! Calm yourself!" The two
agents were on a charter jet heading for London. Onboard with them were
the four members of the Agency's newly created Beta Team: Ultimategamer90,
Deathwing, Shadow the Ultimate, and Ness.
UG90 was patiently trying to put together a
small remote control device as Ness began to harass him. "What the
hell is that thing, kid?" he asked. UG90 looked up with a sigh.
"It's a multitask remote, capable of overriding almost any electronic
device. Too bad your brain wasn't mechanical, or else I'd shut it down for
you," he joked. Ness was not amused. "Well, is it working
yet?" UG90 looked at the back of the remote. "Let's try it
out on that radio you've brought." He pressed a red button, and
suddenly the lights on the plane went out. The engines stopped, and the
plane began to descend. He quickly pressed the button again, and the
lights went back on as the pilot regained control of the jet. UG90
blushed. "Looks like it still has a few kinks for me to sort
out."
"So they tell me you are a
ninja." Deathwing snorted as he awaited an answer from Shadow.
The ninja just stared at the Draconian. Deathwing began again.
"So, what exactly are you a ninja OF?" he said with a hint of sarcasm.
Shadow took out his blade and began to shine it. "I belong to a
secret society based in Hong Kong. Long ago, our people dabbled in the
secret arts, and we became a band of nomads, traveling from place to place,
looking for a cure." Deathwing looked oddly at Shadow. "A
cure? For what?" Shadow stared out the window.
"During a full moon, we become lycanthropes, shape-changers. I have
been searching the world over for a plant known as Silversap. Its nectar
can supposedly alter our genetic code and erase our lycanthropic traits."
"Isn't that a tad... dangerous?"
Deathwing asked. Shadow looked at Deathwing for a moment. "I
believe it is worth risking my life to find a cure. I do not wish to
become the abomination ever again. Wouldn't you risk everything to improve
your life and the lives of others?" Deathwing thought for a moment.
"I suppose I would. As a matter of fact, it was an incredible risk
for me to enter this dimension in the first place. I guess you could say
we are in the same boat."
Shadow stared out the window again, then
turned back to Deathwing. "Perhaps. Do you believe in destiny?
Do you believe that our lives have been predetermined from the start?"
Deathwing shook his head. "I don't fully believe that. I think
that we are given a preset goal, but it is up to us to fulfill that purpose in
life. We decide how and what measures to take to achieve that goal.
That is my belief." Shadow half-smiled. "Then you and I
truly are 'in the same boat,' as you'd say."
GWB turned around in his seat to face the
Beta Team. "All right, ladies. We're nearing the target.
We're gonna drop in unnoticed, sneak into the museum, and find that friggin'
Key. Any questions?" Ness raised his hand after a moment of
silence. "Are we gonna eat? I'm starving." GWB
looked up at the ceiling and sighed. "Fine. We'll head to the
local tavern first." He turned back to Fury who was smiling.
"What the hell are you smiling at?" Fury shook his head and held
in his laughter. "Nothing, man. You're doing good, you're doing
good." Fury turned his head to the window. "We're coming,
brother. We're coming," he said quietly to himself.