


The Mask of the Fox

by Shadowwolf5



Category: Zoids
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2004-08-08
Updated: 2004-08-21
Packaged: 2013-05-24 04:24:55
Rating: K+
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,978
Publisher: www.fanfiction.net
Story URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2003484/1/
Author URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/236594/Shadowwolf5
Summary: ((FINAL CHAPTER UP!)) Lil' bit o' BradNaomi - Brad's Shadow Fox starts acting up due to some type of virus. Things get ugly when the Zoid turns violent and the ZBC interferes. Please R&R if you feel so inclined. XD





	1. Mystery

**Shadowwolf: **Hullo!! I live! 'Mazing, i'n't it? -cackles-

**All:** -blink-

**Shadowwolf:** You wanna go?! DO YA?!

**Brad:** -inspects coffee sitting near the coffee machine- I'm assuming this is fresh?

**Shadowwolf:** Well, yes, of course it's—HEY!

**Brad:** What? -sips-

**Shadowwolf:** I'm trying to do a fic, here. Could you help me out?

**Brad:** How? -sips-

**Shadowwolf:** Be quiet and drink your coffee. Let me do the talking, 'tay?

**Brad:** -sip-

**Shadowwolf:** -.-; Anyway…welcome! Yes. I found the first two chapters of this fic in an old notebook of mine. They were pretty short, so I combined them into one, producing -thunder claps in the background- THIS! The first chapter of a new fic. Amazing, yes?

**Brad:** Mystifying. -sip-

**Shadowwolf:** Grr…don't worry, you'll get it later on. -coughs- Please enjoy, my lovelies. -cackles- Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids, yadda, yadda, I suppose I own the plot, but it could also belong to my minions living in my head. Who's to know? Either way, don't steal it. You don't wanna steal it? Why, you… -raises fist-

**Brad:** -sips-

**Shadowwolf:** o.o Right…ENOUGH CHATTER! On to the fic! -bows out of the way-

-

**The Mask of the Fox**

_Mystery  
_

_-  
_

_ WHHHIIRRRRR…_

The catapult stopped at the top of its track.

"Mobilizing Shadow Fox," Brad said as the catapult charged. With a great rush, the Shadow Fox was launched into the air, and it soon landed on the battlefield. Beside it stood the blue Gun Sniper and white Liger Zero belonging to the Blitz Team.

"Okay guys, let's rack up another win!"

"Guys?! In case you didn't notice, Bit Cloud, you are in the company of a lady." Bit erupted into laughter over Leena's comment, while Brad sighed.

"Battle mode 0982. The Tigers Team versus the Blitz Team. Ready…fight!" the judge interrupted to do his duty, ending the "family" squabble.

"We'll show you that we aren't 'the Fuzzy Pandas!' We're the fearsome Tigers Team! You'll learn your lesson this time, Bit Cloud!" Kirkland shouted at Bit, ignoring Brad and Leena completely. Omari charged at Leena, who fired all of her guns at once. Knowing she would do this, Omari zigzagged through the fire, and reached her quickly.

"Weasel Unit Total Assault!" Leena shouted while each missile was launched, and pounded into the Saber Tiger's sides. Several caught the Zoid's front legs, causing it to fall forward, feet from Leena's Gun Sniper. "Ahahahahahaha!"

In his cockpit, Lineback sighed and sweatdropped. His eyebrow began to twitch. "How did he lose to Leena, of all people?" he asked himself.

"I'd say that's a fair question."

"Wha?" Lineback looked around and spotted a black Zoid several hundred feet in front of him. "Oh, it's just you Brad."

"_Just_ me?"

"Heh, ready to lose?" Lineback asked with a nod.

"Nah, I don't get paid as much if I lose," Brad said before he engaged the smoke dischargers and disappeared into a massive cloud of smoke.

"Er…" Lineback searched around frantically, the smoke starting to envelop his Zoid as well. A small signal appeared on his radar screen before proximity alarms went off. "Awh!"

"Strike Laser Claw!" Brad shouted before the Shadow Fox's glowing claws tore into the Saber Tiger's back. The Fox landed gracefully and the Tiger collapsed to the ground behind it. Brad looked over at the Liger Zero with a smirk.

"Urgh!" Kirkland let out, pouncing on the Liger. It was knocked over and the Tiger prepared to bring its oversized fangs down.

Brad fired his gatling gun at Kirkland in an effort to distract him. It worked, and he turned his attention to Brad long enough for Bit to get up. The Liger roared fiercely as it stood.

"Strike Laser Claw!" Bit yelled as the Liger leapt into the air and slashed the Saber Tiger's leg clean off. The Shadow Fox bounded out of the way to avoid the falling limb.

"No!" Kirkland shouted as his Zoid fell to the ground, sand flying into the air.

"The battle is over, the battle is over. The winner is…the Blitz Team!" the judge announced proudly before it blasted off as it had done so many times before. Leena began laughing again.

"Sorry guys, but it looks like you'll always be the Fuzzy Pandas. At least as long as I'm around," Bit said with a smile, and the Liger punctuated his statement with a growl.

-

"Hey, Brad," Jamie called as Brad walked by him in the hallway, "the Shadow Fox has been repaired, but it's acting strangely. I thought you might want to check it out."

Brad blinked. "Thanks, Jamie." He turned around and went back down the stairs and into the hangar.

He flipped a switch and the hangar lit up to reveal their recently famous Zoids. Brad smiled slightly as he walked over to his Shadow Fox and looked up at it. "So, you've been silly? What's the matter?" The Fox growled lightly. "Eh?"

Brad climbed into the cockpit and ran a quick system scan. "Hmm…nothing seems to be wrong." The Fox growled again. "Is there anything you want to tell me?" It growled again. "Okay then. If you're gonna be so grumpy, I'll wait until tomorrow to check you out. G'night, Fox," Brad said, thinking himself in a strange mood.

Brad left without another word and the Shadow Fox lay down with a great mechanical sigh.

-

"Good morning, Brad!" Jamie shouted over Bit and Leena. They were yelling at each other about something, but no one else really cared to know what. They found out anyway.

"It was MY cinnamon roll, Bit."

"I didn't see your name on it," Bit defended. Leena glared at him and pointed to the frosting on his chin.

Brad walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. With a sigh, he made his way into the living room, sat on the couch, and grabbed the newspaper. A headline on the first page caught his attention for some reason.

"REV RAPTOR MYSTERIOUSLY DESTROYED

Reported by Rita Net

ROMEO CITY – This morning a young Zoid warrior woke to the smell of fire and the sound of destruction.

At 4:50 Monday morning, 20-year-old Linda Stevens heard crashing sounds coming from her Zoid hangar. She went down to investigate.

'When I got into the hangar, all I could see were flames and some kind of reddish light. I turned on the ceiling lights to get a better look and saw my Zoid in several pieces on the ground. You could barely recognize it!' she told police.

'I know it was a Zoid that did it, because I looked out through the hole the thing must've made and saw it running away.'

Miss Stevens described it as 'black, fast, and doglike.' If you see a Zoid fitting such a description, be sure to contact your local police. Officers are warning that this attack may have been the work of a local gang, and more attacks could follow."

"_Black, fast, and doglike?"_ Brad thought. _Must've been some Command Wolf._ He set the paper down. "I'm gonna go do some work on my Fox. See ya," he said to Jamie before walking off. Bit and Leena's arguing could, unfortunately, still be heard.

"Bit Cloud, you coward! Get over here!"

"Eheheh!!"

The quiet of the hangar was a welcome change for Brad. He looked around slowly, as there was a small voice in the back of his mind that suspected his Zoid. The Shadow Fox was right where he'd left it. "There. Problem solved," he muttered to himself with a shrug. The Fox lifted its head and growled a comment to him.

Brad shook his head and climbed into the cockpit. Displays and numerous status lights came on, but one in particular caught his attention. The latest scan information was displayed and everything appeared to be fine.

"I guess we'd better run—wait," Brad gasped as he noticed a small skull and crossbones icon in the lower right corner of the screen. "What's that about?" Brad asked, pointing to it. The Fox growled and a strange new screen came up.

_…Failure…_

Auto Virus engaged

[ 71:59:31 ] remaining

"What the heck is this?" Brad asked with a frown as he read the information over and over again. A thought finally hit him, and it hit hard. "I have to find Laon. He _must've_ done this. It was his Zoid, after all." He frowned as he watched the numbers run down on the counter.

"Three days," he mused, and the timer kept running.

**Shadowwolf:** -pokes head out from around corner- Well? -cringes- I hope you liked it. If you did, I have a bonus for you!

-drum roll-

**Shadowwolf:** This fic is already finished, and I'll be posting chapters ever two days or so.

-much rejoicing among small collections of fans gathered at sleepovers-

**Shadowwolf:** Love to you all for reading! If you feel compelled to, have a look-see at my bio! I updated. -snickers- Review if it so tickles your fancy! XD


	2. Broken

**Shadowwolf: **Reviewers! n.n

_Saku_ – Thanks so much, Saku! I suppose we'll see what happens…yesh. Mhmhmhm…

_Tusume_ – XD Glad you appreciate that part. Thanks for reviewing!

_BlackHole Army CO_ – Thank you very much! It's only been two days, no need to worry. -grin- Sad to say that it seems the Zoids section is dying… x.x;

_Bluefly7_ – Thank you!! Brad? A sort of bad guy? … Hm. That's interesting…

**Shadowwolf:** Thanks again, mah behbies. O.o Please don't run from me. -clings to various readers' legs- Please!!

**Brad:** -sips-

**Shadowwolf:** I'm going to take your coffee away. Grahr. Disclaimer: I didn't own it before, why would I now? Hope you enjoy this chapter. It was written much more recently. It looks funny to me. :/ Ohr well. Enjoy!

-

**The Mask of the Fox**

_Broken_

-

"Battle in five minutes!!" Doctor Toros shouted through the halls of the Blitz Base, startling Jamie so badly that he dropped a tray of dishes he was carrying.

"Aw, Doc…" Jamie half whined as he bent down to pick up the broken pieces. He felt a rush of wind and glanced up to see that Bit had just leapt over him. "Hey, Bit!"

"No time to talk now, later Jamie!" Bit said quickly without looking back. Jamie sighed and continued picking up the broken dishes. A few seconds later, another rush of wind hit him. This time, it was Leena who had done the leaping. "Hey, Leena!"

"Later!" she called back, only turning to look at him briefly. Jamie groaned and went back to his work, only to have a third rush of wind hit him. Without looking to see who it was, he reached out and grabbed the culprit's ankle, sending him to the ground. Brad let out a groan.

"Sorry, Brad," Jamie said apologetically before helping him up. "Can you help me clean this up?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, sure, Jamie," Brad said, sounding like he wasn't even there, and perhaps he wasn't. Without hesitation, though, Brad bent down and picked up some of the shards.

"Thanks a lot," Jamie commented without looking up to him. Brad nodded, gathered all the pieces he could, and carried them into the kitchen. When he put them down, one slipped and left a large cut on his palm. He cursed under his breath and blew on it a little, knowing it would have to wait. Jamie came in soon after, and Brad was determined not to let him know about the small blunder.

"Glad I could help, but I gotta go, battle in five, y'know," he said with a forced smile before running out to the hangar.

"Don't I know it," Jamie sighed.

-

Brad looked over his hand in the cockpit of the Shadow Fox as he waited for the battle to start. "Stupid, Brad…" he muttered. The Fox growled, as though prompting him to observe the Zoids on the battlefield, not his injury.

Brad did so and looked around the large desert area. Two Command Wolves and a Cannon Tortoise stood in front of him. _No problem, there._ His attention shifted back to his hand. _This is more of a problem, though. I didn't even get a chance to wrap it…oh, c'mon, Brad, stop being such a wimp._

He was so lost in his thoughts that he barely heard the judge shout, "Fight!" and saw the enemy Zoids charging. "Gahr," Brad growled, taking the controls and moving forward.

But something strange happened as soon as he took the controls. The cockpit lights all turned red, and Brad suddenly wondered if he should be piloting it. After all, he didn't even know what that "auto virus" was supposed to do. The lights weren't the only things that had changed, however, as Brad soon found out.

With a great burst of speed, the Fox charged ahead and targeted one of the Command Wolves. The pilot saw Brad approaching and turned his way before firing off several shots. Brad barely had to move, and his Zoid leapt back and forth to avoid each shell.

The Command Wolf pilot was unnerved by this and hesitated, allowing Brad time to leap into the air and come down on it with claws outstretched. The Wolf buckled under the force and Brad jumped off, landing gracefully. He turned the Shadow Fox around to make sure the Zoid was system frozen. A signal confirmed that it was, and Brad turned to the left, after the other Zoids. Or at least, he tried to turn to the left, but the Fox wouldn't have it.

"Hey, what's wrong with you? C'mon," he ordered, moving the controls forcefully. Still, the Fox didn't budge, and the controls slid back into their neutral position. Then, when the Shadow Fox let out an awful snarl and approached the Command Wolf's head, Brad realized he was no longer in control.

A thousand thoughts seemed to rush through his head. What was his Zoid about to do? Would it kill the pilot? Would the judge stop him? Would he be blamed? How could the Fox be stopped? Could it be stopped at all?

Through all these uncertainties, one thing was certain: if he was to help, he had to act fast. Brad opened a comm. link to the Zoid in front of him. Static was all that came up.

"You're kidding!" he shouted in exasperation, shaking the controls. The Fox stopped moving and growled angrily. Brad could tell it was growling at him. And so, new questions were added to his thoughts. Would he be able to escape? Would he survive? If the pilot in front of him didn't, Brad was sure he wouldn't want to either. "Knock it off!" he shouted at his Zoid, tugging at his harness, which now held him trapped in the pilot's seat.

The Shadow Fox shook its head like a wet dog and it didn't look unusual from the outside, but inside the cockpit the shaking was extremely violent. Brad was grateful that the harness held him, so he could hold onto consciousness.

He looked around the battlefield, his vision slightly blurry. It seemed that no one had noticed. He couldn't see the judge at all, and Bit's Liger was barely visible to the left. He tried the controls once more, and again, they failed him.

"Please, Fox…please…" he pleaded, suddenly resorting to begging for the pilot's life and his own. "Please, stop this…fight whatever's causing this…fight it!" Brad's Zoid didn't seem to mind him and lifted one of its front paws as it glowed a brilliant golden color. He knew what was coming, and he couldn't stop it.

**Shadowwolf:** Are you still here? You are? Wonderful! Brad's in a pickle.

**Brad:** Heh. Pickle.

**Shadowwolf:** -severe eyebrow raise- What the--? Nevermind…thanks for reading!


	3. Five?

**Shadowwolf:** MORE reviewers! XD

_BladesDeath_ – Ah, yes. Glorious cliffhangers. -evil laughter- Enjoy!

_Life is but a Dream2000_ – I did make him say "Gahr," because of _Dodgeball_…'twas fun!

_Nabooru_ – Thank you very much. I thought it was kind of interesting…and it sure is fun to write. Nehehe…

_Starheart_ – Purely evil? Why, thank you. XD

_BlackHole Army CO_ – I know it was short. ;.; Too short…and I s'pose you're right. It's still a shame…

_Saku_ – Or can it? -evil smirk-

_Bluefly7_ – -whistles innocently-

_MatrixSaix_ – Yeah, what's up with that? Where's McAfee or Norton when you need 'em? Thanks, Matrix. -hug-

_Rynn Abhorsen_ – Good to hear from you again! Your review is greatly appreciated.

_Zinou_ – -lashes out at Zinou- Wonderful stories, you've done. If I could just stop being so _lazy_ I could actually get through all of them. -sigh- Sorry about the short chapter! It hurt me too. But this one's better! Five pages! … I have not abandoned Inner Strength. Actually, I'm eager to finish it because you sound so interested in it. -stupid grin-

_ShadowLiger_ – Thank you!! Stupid words, why do they always run when you need to use them? Enjoy. -smile-

**Shadowwolf:** Wow. I feel so loved—

**Brad:** Not again. Just. Start. The. Fic.

**Shadowwolf:** -thinks- Okay! Disclaimer: Psh. See the last two chapters. -.- I hope everyone enjoys this, and thank you all for reading!

-

**The Mask of the Fox**

_Five?_

-

In a few seconds, Brad saw three things that were all very important to him.

First, he glanced down and spotted a small timer next to the skull icon on his status screen. It was still counting. He could see the seconds ticking by as his Zoid lifted its paw. This had an enormous emotional impact on him. The feeling of hopelessness that had first surfaced when he realized he couldn't control his Zoid had now grown into something that was nearly unbearable. Every second he watched tick by seemed to be in sync with the rapid beating of his heart.

Next, he saw the canopy of the Command Wolf below him open, and the pilot stumble out. He tried to shout to him, but no sound came out. It was suicidal, Brad thought, to get out of your Zoid in such a situation. But then, would it be better to sit and wait for that paw to come down and crush you, all while you know it's too late to move your Zoid or climb out? Surely not.

Finally, Brad turned enough to catch a glimpse of the judge waving its arms. It had clearly said something, but Brad couldn't hear it. He couldn't hear anything but the pounding of his heart. More importantly, something else caught his attention near the judge. It was a streak of white, black, and gold. He didn't have time to think before whatever it was hit his Zoid hard and forced it away from the Command Wolf and its pilot. Suddenly, the ability to hear returned to him and horrible metallic crunching sounds greeted him.

_Saved!_ was all Brad had time to think before the force threw him against the side of the cockpit and he lost consciousness.

-

Brad woke to find himself in his room, in his bed, back at the base. His head was pulsing, and he found it a very uncomfortable feeling. With a groan, he looked around and sat up.

The room was empty, he had no visitors. _But I'm in my room…_ he thought, _I'm not in jail…or dead…_ Suddenly, he was struck with dread. "The pilot! What happened to the pilot?! He must be…okay…I mean, I never got a chance to attack…" Brad muttered to himself, realizing his mistake in saying "_I_ never got a chance."

"_The Zoid_ never got a chance," he sighed heavily. This was all worse than he had imagined. He never thought the virus he discovered would turn the Fox into a vicious killing machine. That _was_ what it had become, right? He didn't know. Nothing seemed to make sense.

Slowly, Brad pulled himself out of bed and put on a hooded sweatshirt. This was also new, as Brad rarely got cold. But now, he found it hard not to shiver. Muttering and cursing to himself, Brad left his room and made his way downstairs, hoping to avoid everyone and make it into the hangar unnoticed.

Unfortunately, the entire Blitz Team and several ZBC officials were in the living room, and there wasn't a single one of them that didn't see Brad come down. He stopped dead in his tracks. One of the officials stood up and removed his hat, revealing a bald head.

"Brad Hunter?" he asked as he took a step forward. Brad didn't move.

"That's me."

"Pilot of the Shadow Fox?"

"Yes."

"Please have a seat. We need to have a word with you," he ordered, gesturing toward an empty seat on the couch. Brad nodded, mentally fired off every swear word he knew, and sat in the spot opened for him. Doc was on his left and Bit was on his right. Leena leaned on the shoulder of the couch and Jamie watched from the kitchen.

Brad remained calm on the outside as he looked to each one of the officials. There were five of them. A visit from one meant you'd messed up; three meant you wouldn't be piloting for some time; Brad wasn't sure what five meant. He'd never wanted to know.

"Now, Mr. Hunter, we are all very aware of the events that unfolded in the battle this afternoon," the bald man stated. Brad was compelled to look at the clock. It was nearly 9:00pm. As fast as he looked to it, his eyes were snapped back to the man as he continued his spiel, "But are you aware of the consequences?"

"Excuse me, Mister…?"

"Inspector Stevens."

"Right, Inspector Stevens, I—" Brad stopped. Stevens? He'd heard that name before, but where? _The paper! Linda Stevens had her Zoid destroyed…_

"Continue, please," the inspector prompted, interrupting Brad's thoughts. Brad cleared his throat.

"Right, uh…I'm sorry, but are you related to Linda Stevens?" he asked tentatively.

"I am. She's my daughter."

"Oh…I see."

"So, Mr. Hunter, can we stay on topic?"

"Er, yeah. Um, I…I didn't _willingly_ attack the cockpit."

"Not _willingly_?" the inspector said with a raised brow. Brad shook his head.

"I lost control of my Zoid. It just…it was unstoppable. The controls didn't work," Brad explained, knowing even as he said it that he would lose his Zoid no matter what. If they didn't believe him, he would go to jail and the Shadow Fox would be sold. If they did believe him, it would be destroyed.

"Really?" Inspector Stevens asked with interest, leaning forward slightly. Two of the officers behind him began to whisper to each other. Brad nodded slowly.

"I tried to communicate to the pilot, and it didn't work. Nothing worked. I would never purposely attack the cockpit, you can ask any of my teammates and they'd tell ya," Brad said, glancing sideways at Bit. No one said anything until Inspector Stevens piped up.

"Well?"

"He's right. He'd never do it on purpose. Brad's a mercenary, but he's not scum," Bit said slowly, as though he was thinking on each word. It was Bit in the Liger who had tackled him, stopped him from doing something awful, and saved the pilot's life. He had come to Brad's aid again. Brad sighed slightly with relief, but it didn't last.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hunter, but I don't think that will be enough to convince me and prevent the consequences of your actions," the inspector said roughly. Jamie looked up from the kitchen.

"Actually, Inspector, the Zoid has been acting strangely lately. I did a few scans, and nothing came up, but the problem could be deeper than a simple scan can reach," Jamie stated timidly, surprised at his own boldness.

"Really, now?" the inspector asked, although he didn't expect a response. He seemed to ponder the information given to him before speaking again. "Here's what we'll do: I want to get a look at this Zoid and analyze it for myself. If I agree with what has been said, Mr. Hunter will not be jailed. The Zoid, however, will have to be confiscated and destroyed as deemed by ZBC law. Is this understood?" he finished, looking Brad right in the eyes.

"Understood," Brad answered, mixed emotions leaving him looking rather blank.

"Good. If I _don't_ agree, off to jail you go, Mr. Hunter. Your Zoid will be sold, and your license revoked. Just like a car," he added with a harsh chuckle. Brad decided, then, that he didn't like this man. "Understood?"

"Understood," he replied once more, slight bitterness in his voice. The bald inspector nodded and returned his hat to his head. His eyes pierced Brad with a look that seemed to reach into his very thoughts.

"In case you're wondering, Mr. Hunter, I am considering you as a suspect in the Romeo City case. The one involving my daughter," he stated in a low growl. Brad blinked and froze where he was. _And here I thought it couldn't get any worse…_

-

What seemed like an hour-long process only took twenty minutes. Inspector Stevens had looked over the Shadow Fox and had come to a decision. Brad, his teammates, and the ZBC officials all stood, waiting.

"I, Inspector Julius Stevens, have concluded," he began, "that this Zoid, the Shadow Fox, is indeed malfunctioning. As Mr. Jamie Hemeros hypothesized, there seems to be a problem that has worked its way deep into the Zoid's system, and cannot be found with simple scanning. Therefore, Mr. Brad Hunter is not to be jailed, but his Zoid is to be confiscated immediately and destroyed within the next twenty-four hours."

Brad watched him carefully, mentally repeating every word as it was said. He thought of how harsh the ZBC laws were. _Why couldn't they just repair the Zoid? Naw, too easy…nothing's ever easy with them._

However, he couldn't help wondering why the inspector was suddenly using such intelligent words. Truthfully, it was getting on his nerves. There was a clicking sound behind him, and he turned just enough to see one of the officials turn off what looked like a tape recorder. Brad sighed and turned back to the inspector. "Thank you, Inspector Stevens," he said as he shook the man's hand, his voice laced with bitterness.

"You're welcome, Mr. Hunter. I'll have you know that I haven't taken you off my suspects list, but I shouldn't need to visit you again anytime soon, with your Zoid gone."

"Right," Brad responded, trying to sound as amused as the inspector, although the thought of losing his Shadow Fox was painful. He looked up to it, his face showing nothing more than tiredness. A siren sounded shortly outside the base, and one of the officers opened the hangar door.

"Ah! They're here," Inspector Stevens exclaimed as three blue Saber Tigers and a red Lightning Saix came to a stop just outside the base. A man jumped down from the Lightning Saix and approached the inspector. They turned away from Brad and started a rushed conversation that Brad only caught fragments of.

"The Zoid is too unpredictable, we'll need to put a control chip on the console and lead it out that way," the inspector commented.

"Then our Zoids can escort it the rest of the way," his assistant finished. They both nodded and continued on, but the rest of the conversation was lost in Brad's thoughts.

_Should I have told them about the virus? No…no, they wouldn't understand. Besides, I _stole_ the Shadow Fox. Even though I took it from that Backdraft coward of a man, Laon, they wouldn't let it go. It was still theft. I couldn't tell them…I can't tell them._

He looked down to his watch. During the inspection, he had placed a small chip on the controls, which transmitted the timer and various other bits of information to his wristwatch. The whole system was a way for Brad to keep track of his Zoid, even when he was far from it, but now, if he'd done it right and nothing had changed, he had a copy of the timer right there, on his wrist. Brad wasn't sure why he'd bothered doing such a thing, but it made sense at the time, and it reassured him for one reason or another.

Two young men exited their Saber Tigers and climbed into the Shadow Fox's cockpit to install the control chip. Brad hoped they didn't find his. As the men climbed down and closed the canopy, it seemed they hadn't. He couldn't hold back a smirk.

"Everything's ready," Inspector Stevens said as he shook Brad's hand again. "Find a new, more reliable Zoid, and behave yourself. That way I won't have to come back."

"I'll do that. Thanks," he said, not sounding grateful at all. The inspector and the officers boarded a Whale King Brad didn't remember noticing before. As soon as the giant transport Zoid was off the ground, the others climbed into their respective Zoids and cleared a path for the Shadow Fox.

Brad turned and looked around to see that his teammates were gone. He was alone in the hangar. With nothing else on his mind, Brad stood and watched as the Fox's eyes began to glow and it came to life with the assistance of the chip. It began to walk forward, to exit the hangar, when it turned its head slightly and seemed to look at Brad. He blinked up at it and sighed, as though saying there was nothing he could do.

The Zoid looked ahead once more and continued to walk. Brad thought about Laon suddenly. It looked like he wouldn't have to speak with him after all. That was one positive thing to come from this, he thought.

The Fox's tail disappeared as it passed through the giant hangar door. Brad walked forward and stood in front of the open door, watching his Zoid continue its march. The Lightning Saix pulled ahead of it, and the three Saber Tigers took positions to its left, right, and rear. Brad couldn't help thinking the procession resembled that of a prisoner on the way to his execution. And maybe, Brad thought, that's what it was.

Before they had made it even one hundred yards from the base, something went wrong. The Shadow Fox must have stopped, as did the others. Brad took a few steps out into the desert sun to get a closer look. The Lightning Saix was turning around, but the rest of the Zoids stood in place. Then, without warning, the black form of the Shadow Fox leapt high into the air, over one of the Tigers, and landed on the Saix's back. There wasn't time for a struggle before the Fox ripped a huge hole into the Zoid's neck, and it fell to the ground in a heap.

All three Tigers turned to confront the rogue Zoid. Brad watched in disbelief as they fired round after round, missing nearly every shot. The few shells that did hit had no effect on the Shadow Fox, as it charged forward and disabled one Tiger, and tackled another. The third pilot must have been horrified, because he hesitated as the Fox came after him. He committed an awful blunder by rearing up on his hind legs and allowing the Fox access to the Tiger's underbelly. As Brad continued to watch, motionless, the Shadow Fox tore off one of the Tiger's rear legs and ripped into several power cords, sending it to the ground where the others lay.

When all four Zoids were on the ground, it began to walk around and tear at the carcasses and play with the pilots. Some of them were sure they would be crushed, but were thrown around instead, shaken to death. Another, unfortunately, left his cockpit and was chased around on foot until his own nasty demise. Brad felt his knees weaken and shake. Deliberately, the Shadow Fox turned and looked back to the base. Brad was sure it was focusing on him, deciding the gruesome way in which he should meet his fate.

**Shadowwolf:** I did it again. -giggle- Hope that was okay. Please review no matter what your comment! =3


	4. Reflection

**Shadowwolf:** More!!

_fire inu_ – Glad you liked the chapter. Thanks for reviewing!

_Zinou_ – They may be long, but I still want ter read them. I love your writing and the summaries draw me in. XD Apparently you're right, I like having the law after him. Y'know, I think I could get along with your muse. Nehehe. I'm working on Inner Strength, and I'll have it done before 2007, I promise! -innocent whistling- And that's very clever! But I don't wanna say anything…so…I won't. -joins in the shushing-

_Saku_ – Yeah, Bit needs _some_ purpose. Don't get me, here it comes! -demented smile-

_BlackHole__ CO_ – Thank you! Sorry it's short. -sweatdrops- At least it's more than 80 words. x.x

_Starheart_ – I love being purely evil. XD Glad you share the experience. Thank you very much!

_BladesDeath_ – Yes…'cause I like to do that kind of stuff. o.o Thanks!!

_Final Genesis_ – I'm sorry, I haven't seen Neon Genesis Evangelion. But it sounds cool! Glad you like the fic!

_Bluefly7_ – Okay, okay! Thanks!

_Rynn Abhorsen_ – Ahh…yes, the Brad/Naomi goodness. Not for a chapter or two, I'm afraid. But there will be _some_. Thanks for reading!

**Shadowwolf: **Ahh! Good song on the radio!

**Brad:** -elbows Shadowwolf-

**Shadowwolf: **Right, sorry! **Thank you** all so much! Hopefully this will be a good chapter. Disclaimer: See the first two chapters again, 'kay? Enjoy!

-

**The Mask of the Fox**

_Reflection_

-

As Brad stood frozen in place, he watched his Zoid take three careful steps toward the base. He could hear his heart pounding and was sure it would fail any moment. After those three steps, the Shadow Fox stopped and raised its head.

For some reason, this movement snapped Brad out of his daze and he was able to move again. As quickly as possible, he hit the switch to close the hangar door. While the motor came to life with a buzzing sound and the door began to lower, the Fox took two more steps in the base's direction. Again, after only a couple steps, it stopped. Brad was, to say the least, confused.

"I don't believe this," he said somewhat shakily, his heart still pounding. The door continued to move, slowly closing the gap between itself and the floor. Brad kept watching his Zoid as it stood and looked in his direction. When the door was nearly closed, he crouched down to take a last glance at the Zoid that was threatening him. It hadn't moved.

The door closed with a quiet thud and the motor shut down with a click. Brad listened for any movement outside and couldn't detect any. He spotted some large wooden crates stacked up to one of the hangar's high windows and didn't hesitate to use them. Once crouched on the highest one, Brad looked out the window anxiously.

His Shadow Fox hadn't moved since he last saw it. Brad couldn't figure out what it was doing to save his life. After a few minutes of eerie silence and stillness, the Zoid turned away from the base and began trotting off. Brad's jaw dropped and he nearly slipped off the crates.

-

Sleep didn't come easy to Brad later that night. His brain was swamped with too many questions, guesses, and other thoughts to allow sleep in as a priority. On top of his wandering mind, he found that the images of the night's events had somehow been recorded and were playing back repeatedly.

He saw the inspector, the officials, and his teammates, but only briefly. Those mild images were quickly overrun by the Fox's macabre escape. No matter how he tried to drive the pictures from his mind, he couldn't stop watching each pilot's death. Every time he saw one of them executed, he cringed and shut his eyes tighter. This action may have only made matters worse, as the scene would replay or a new one would begin again.

Finally, his mind wandered too far and drove him to think that he was responsible for their deaths. After all, he didn't tell them all about the virus. Maybe there was something they could have done. Maybe they had dealt with a virus like that before. If that was the case, it was indeed his fault, he figured. He should have told them, plain and simple.

Brad rolled over onto his right side and felt a sudden chill. With a small grunt, he pulled his covers up over his bare shoulders and sighed. He found closing his eyes only resulted in more gruesome visuals, and so decided to look out his window in hopes of distraction.

The moons were glowing bright, and full. Many stars could be seen around them, but some were hidden by dark clouds outlined by the moons' light. The sight was a little calming, and Brad finally found sleep after watching for nearly an hour.

-

Brad's clock changed to 8:00am and, with a quiet click, his radio turned on. An upbeat song had just ended, and a news report was coming on. Brad opened his eyes and groaned loudly, then sat up and shook his head. His hair was messy, and only served as small irritation after his restless sleep. With a yawn, Brad swung his legs off the bed and listened to the morning news.

"In business, Zoid Com. announced that it will introduce a new information system that will allow pilots to get the latest scores, ranks, and results from battles all over Zi without a fee."

"Hazzah," Brad muttered sarcastically.

"In sports, the Lightning Team earned a victory over the Champ Team, and Leon Toros, formerly of the Fluegel Team, has begun recruiting for his new team, the Wildcats. More sports later."

"Again, 'hazzah,'" he muttered just as sarcastically with a shake of his head.

"And in top stories, three more attacks took place in Romeo City last night. Police say a Command Wolf, Gojulas, and Cannon Tortoise were destroyed on the city's outskirts. Officials are looking into this and requesting any available information."

Brad stared at the radio with an indescribable expression. He growled and knocked it to the floor, shifting the radio to fuzz. After the events of the day before, Brad had no doubt in his mind that the Zoid causing so many problems was his. It fit the description and it just plain sounded like something the diseased Shadow Fox would do. But now, he had to confront it. He muttered a curse, stood up, dressed himself, and walked down the stairs to meet his teammates.

"Can I borrow your Zoid, Leena?" Brad asked as he watched her eat breakfast.

"Borrow my Zoid? What for?" she asked suspiciously.

"I need to go into town, get some things," he replied coolly, with no intention of doing so.

"Mm…I guess. But if it comes back with one scratch, you're dead and buried, understand?" she almost hissed. Brad nodded calmly.

"Right. Don't worry," he replied and turned to the hangar. Leena turned back to her eggs and Jamie piled pancakes on her plate.

Once in the hangar, Brad took a quick look at the Gun Sniper before climbing in. As much as he despised the Gun Sniper's controls, it was his best chance. He opened the door remotely and waited for it to lift while the Zoid warmed up. Brad glanced down at his watch and the timer.

"Forty-eight hours, two minutes, seven seconds."

The door came to a stop at the top of its track and Brad piloted the Sniper forward. As soon as he had cleared the base, he engaged the boosters and ran toward Romeo City at top speed.

**Shadowwolf:** -dodges things thrown by readers preferring long chapters- I know! It was short…sorry. But the next one is longer! … Well, too short or not, I hope you liked it. Please review! -dances-

**Brad:** -shields eyes-


	5. The Mask Removed

**Shadowwolf: **You're all too nice. :3

_Nabooru _– Glad you enjoyed it. Leena won't be happy about this chapter. XD

_Bluefly7_ – It's not _that_ much longer…but…it IS longer. And Naomi shows up soon. -cackles-

_BlackHole__ CO_– Ahh, yes, isn't that a wonderful feature? -kicks it- Well, that's very impressive. Kudos to you for being able to write so much! XD Thanks so much!

_Saku_ – Bodyguard. -snickers- Ah, yes, character torture. What fun.

_BladesDeath_ – Yes, the Liger would have been Brad's first choice, but it sorta goes nuts about anyone else piloting it…so, I can't blame him for taking the GS. Thanks for reviewing!

_Mercenary Pen_ – Heh, maybe he did. Guess we'll find out in this chapter. Thanks for reading!

_Final Genesis_ – I should look for it. -snickers- Thanks for the great review!

_Rynn Abhorsen_ – Hehehehe…not too much longer. Thanks!

_MatrixSaix_ – 'Tis okay, Matrix. -hugs again- Brad/Naomi's coming…oh yes. Glad you like it. I love the Fox playing with people part too.

_Starheart _– Pizza…mm… -leaves in search of food- … -returns- Making you look bad? Aww, that's a huge compliment, but I'm definitely not making you look bad. I plan to read your story, even if it is only one chapter. Glad you like the turn of events, too! This is a fun chapter for character torture, I think. XD Hazzah! -wink-

_Zinou_ – Glad that's okay…I think the last chapter is the longest. Eeee, evil Brad, that sounds wonderful. I read your Hiltz not Irvine theory, and LOVE it. I'm excited that I'm not the only one that doesn't believe the Irvine stuff. Anyway, I'm getting sidetracked again. XD I would rather not be bitten by your muse. -is very careful- Hey, if I don't have the story done by then, you can -pokekillmaulmaim- me to your heart's content! And you're right, Brad doesn't need a conscience. -snickers- Leena won't be happy.

**Shadowwolf:** I have so much fun reading reviews. -bounces around-

**Brad: **-hits her over the head with week-old French bread-

**Shadowwolf:** Ow. Disclaimer! I don't own Zoids 'n' stuff. But I own the plot, mmtay? Yay. On to the fic!

-

**The Mask of the Fox**

_The Mask Removed_

-

A figure blocked out the sun and cast an enormous shadow over a blue Gun Sniper traveling alone in the desert. The Zoid stopped and tilted its head upward with a hiss. Inside, Brad prepared for a fight.

The figure was that of a black and red Whale King as it flew over Brad and the Gun Sniper. Brad recognized it as a Backdraft craft with its black body, red cockpit, and skull emblem. He cursed it as Leena's Zoid steadied itself defensively.

_Please just keep going. I'm nobody important.  
_

Unfortunately, the transport didn't pass as Brad had desperately wished. Instead, it began to come down near him and a comm. link was opened in the Gun Sniper's cockpit. Laon was on the screen.

"You?!" they shouted in unison, each with their own look of disgust. Laon scowled and pounded his fist on the console in front of him.

"Brad Hunter! Just **what** do you think you're doing wandering around in that Gun Sniper, letting _your _Zoid mosey about?" he asked with a sudden change of tone and a smirk. Brad growled and gripped the controls.

"I knew you had something to do with this!"

"Clever," he mocked and clapped, "I commend your intelligence. However, I'm still upset about this whole thing. You're the reason for it, y'know."

"Me?! You're the one who built the thing!" Brad seethed.

"Oh, yes, but you started this whole process of destruction and mayhem," he commented quite cheerfully.

"How?!"

"Come inside and I'll show you!" he shouted just as cheerfully as five Zabats dove from the Whale King's underbelly. Once near the ground, the transport opened its mouth and three red Saber Tigers strolled out. The Gun Sniper hissed and Brad cursed once more.

Before Brad had a chance to attack the Tigers rapidly approaching him, the wave of Zabats flew over and bombed him viciously. The explosions set off around Brad caused the Gun Sniper to lean from side to side and nearly knocked it to the ground several times. Unfortunately, one last bomb hit its target dead-on and threw the Gun Sniper to the ground anyway, with a massive gash in its back.

Consciousness started to leave Brad, due to another head injury, and the Tigers reached their target. One held the Gun Sniper down and ripped off its leg, another bit into its neck with its oversized fangs, and the third held one large paw over the cockpit.

-

Brad regained consciousness in a cold, simple room lacking a window. His head was pounding again. He wasn't strapped into a chair, to his relief and disappointment; escape could be easier than before, but he would have to find a new manner of escape. He wasn't bound to anything as before, but his wrists were held close by icy metal shackles.

Brad heard a key enter the lock and watched the door slide open to reveal Laon, who wore a nasty smirk on his face. He closed the door behind him and stood proudly in front of his prisoner, his head held high and arms crossed ominously.

"I'd like to thank you for your cooperation."

"Who says I'll cooperate?" Brad snarled and punctuated with a flurry of insults. Laon wasn't fazed and kept his stance.

"Oh, you'll cooperate, you little fox. There aren't any holes for you to slip through this time."

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Brad growled, forgetting he wasn't held back by anything. Laon raised an eyebrow and frowned, then smiled and nodded just as quickly.

"Don't you want to know why your Zoid has destroyed its reputation, and soon yours?" he asked calmly. Brad tilted his head slightly and huffed.

"I do. But I won't do anything in your favor to find out."

"Oh, no, no. I don't require that you do anything for me."

"Then what's the catch?" Brad asked apprehensively.

"No catch. Just information and satisfaction for you," Laon finished with the same smile worn when he started. Brad locked eyes with him and nodded slightly.

"Okay, then. Explain. Explain why the Fox has a virus and what will happen to it."

"To start, it has a virus because I installed it, as you undoubtedly guessed. I built the Shadow Fox to fight against the Liger Zero. It was meant to destroy it. After you stole my creation, it couldn't fulfill its purpose. But I had a plan, as I was afraid that might happen."

"Go on," Brad prompted in a harsh tone.

"When I built the Shadow Fox, I installed the virus, which was set to activate if I failed to enter a code to cancel it within a set time limit. I would have entered the code after the Liger was destroyed, but it wasn't, and I never canceled the virus. Time expired, and the virus activated itself. After activation, another time limit, of seventy-five hours, was given. You see, as you must have also guessed, the virus was designed to turn the Shadow Fox into a very powerful, destructive, and self-reliant Zoid."

"Guessed? I didn't have to guess, I got that fact handed to me on a silver platter," Brad spat, irritated. Laon only smiled more.

"Ah, see? It's working perfectly."

"Don't start with me…what'll happen when time's up?"

"The Shadow Fox will shut down permanently, and its programming will be destroyed beyond the point of repair. Another genius plot of mine was to set up the Shadow Fox in such a way that it could only function with special programming done by yours truly."

"Brilliant, how fortunate I am to be in your presence," Brad said in a sarcastic tone that completely destroyed any trace of seriousness in his words. Laon shot him a cold glare.

"No matter. There isn't much time left. If the Liger crosses its path, I win. If it doesn't, I go home with a participation ribbon."

"You're an idiot," Brad muttered, looking down to check the timer on his watch. But his watch was gone.

"Clever of you," Laon commented and Brad's head snapped up, "to keep track that way. Though, it wasn't necessary, so I relieved you of it. But if you're curious," he pulled Brad's watch from his pocket and glanced at it, "forty-five hours, five minutes, and ten—no, nine seconds remain," he added with a smirk. Brad grumbled to himself and started on his escape plan. Laon sighed and cast Brad's watch to the floor where something clearly broke, to Laon's satisfaction.

"Nice to chat with you, Hunter, but I have things to work on. Take a nice little nap and I'll come back to inform you of your duties under my command," he said arrogantly before exiting and locking the door behind him.

While the door was briefly open, Brad saw a guard standing outside. Something snapped in his brain and he rose with a smirk. He walked to the door and knocked hurriedly.

"Excuse me?" he called. Although he couldn't see, he could hear the guard's boots and figured he had turned to face the door.

"Yes?"

"I need to use the restroom."

There was a pause.

"Hello?"

"Yes, yes. I'll escort you," the guard replied and Brad could hear the key enter the lock again. He took a step back and the door opened. "Come out slowly."

"Yessir," he replied and did as he was told. The guard had a hand gun, and wasted no time placing the muzzle against Brad's back. He wasn't unnerved, though, and moved forward slowly when the guard pushed him.

They walked down a long hallway in this manner, until they reached a door that read "Restroom." Brad turned the handle and walked in slowly, realizing the gun was still against his back. The guard was going to follow him inside. He couldn't hold back a slight smirk.

"We're here, now do your business," he commanded, and Brad faced the urinal. He looked back to see the guard watching him.

"Er…excuse me?"

"Yes?"

"These shackles…they're…well…"

"Fine," the Backdraft recruit said sharply, taking a key from his pocket and removing the cuffs from Brad's wrists. Brad stayed where he was and noted that the guard was still watching.

"Uh…excuse me, again?"

"Yes?" the guard said with as much irritation as Brad had before.

"Could you…y'know…look away? Turn around?" he asked slowly, looking rather hesitant. The guard blinked and scowled.

"Are you serious?" he asked. Brad nodded.

"Please?"

"Fine," the guard grumbled and turned around, facing the door.

"No peeking."

"I won't peek, now hurry up!" the guard barked angrily. Brad smirked and turned to face him, making no noise with his steps. The guard tapped his foot lightly, listening for Brad. When he didn't hear him, he turned his head to glance back.

Brad leapt at his chance by grabbing the base of his neck and throwing him into the door. It worked perfectly, and the guard hit his head against the metal hard enough to lose consciousness. Brad put his hand on his waist and smirked.

"You peeked. I told you not to peek."

Brad opened the door slowly and looked down the hall in both directions. Fortunately, the hall was empty. He nodded slightly to himself and took the right, following a sign that read "HANGAR" with a red arrow leading the way.

To Brad's surprise, he found no one in the halls and made it to the hangar without a problem. He slipped in and crouched down behind a large ammunition container, where he looked over the Zoids available. Two silver Storm Sworders, one damaged Zabat, five red Saber Tigers, five black Command Wolves, a black Blade Liger, and a black Zoid that Brad didn't recognize stood in front of him. He looked over the unknown Zoid first.

It was a large tyrannosaur-type with two shield-like pieces on its back, each with two claws attached. Everything about it was massive, and Brad couldn't imagine how they got it inside. He shook his head and looked to the Blade Liger, dismissing the Storm Sworders, Zabat, and Command Wolves right away. He knew he needed something larger and stronger than the Fox. But would the Liger be stronger, even with the virus? He didn't know, and he didn't have time to care.

A group of pilots had just entered the hangar. Brad ran forward and hid behind different crates, cases, parts, and Zoids to reach the Liger without being seen. Carefully, he climbed up the leg and lifted the canopy. Until then, the pilots had been too busy talking to hear anything unusual, but the sound of the cockpit opening was too obvious to them. Each one turned and saw Brad climb inside.

"It's the prisoner! Stop him!" one shouted, while another hit the alarm. A loud and repetitive drone started through the Whale King, and it seemed to echo in the hangar. Brad lowered the canopy as quickly as possible and the Blade Liger roared and stretched. Before any Backdraft lackeys could reach him, Brad pulled the blades out and charged ahead to tear at the Whale King's side. It didn't take long to weaken it, and without a second thought, he leapt forward and clawed his way out, into the open air.

Brad in the Blade Liger, with no ground beneath it, pulled its blades in and prepared for a rough landing.

**Shadowwolf: **Brad forgot Blade Ligers can't fly. -cruel laughter-

**Brad:** o.o;

**Shadowwolf:** I got too much sleep last night. Hope you enjoyed!


	6. Last Effort

**Shadowwolf:** Ahh! Second to last chapter! -tear- This has been so fun.

_Life is but a Dream2000_ – And you passed that visual on to me. -stupid giggling- I'm glad you liked that line. Über-glad. -wink wink- I agree. He has some type…but I've been known to disable it. Muahaha. Thanks!

_Starheart _– Laon's a great guy, huh? XD I'm not a morning person either! -cringes- Morning…eww. That is SUCH a compliment to me, you have no idea. I hate being predictable, but I've been that way before. -sweatdrops- Thank you so much!!

_Enigma of Despair_ – I wouldn't say I'm a midget, but I've been called evil. Thanks!

_Final Genesis_ – I despise Fuzors. -grumbles- Thanks so much for the great review, and I'll check out those movies. -nod-

_Zinou _– -nearly dies laughing- The poor Backdraft can't do anything right, it seems. And yes, 'twas a Geno Breaker in the hangar. -evil smile- Blade Ligers are annoying, unless piloted by Brad as you suggest. Kill…? Possibly… -dances around-

_Saku_ – Eviler is indeed a word, eh? Muaha. I'm abusive to Ligers. Thankses. -grin-

_Nabooru_ – That it is. -smile- Thanks!

_tYp0_ – Hah, you're the second person to comment on the "powerful, sleek, sexy Zoid" that had a cameo. I agree, by the way. -cackles and winks- I'm so glad you like the story. Thanks for reading!

_MatrixSaix_ – -a certain white rabbit runs by in costume- Mmm, yes. XD Some lucky guy that just proposed, eh? Hahah! Thanks, Matrix!!

**Shadowwolf: **I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. I liked it. But, then again, I just like this story for whatever reason.

**Brad:** Because you turned my Fox evil and violent and there's blood and—

**Shadowwolf:** Indeed. Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids, as you all know by now. Enjoy this chapter really a lot, okay? XD

-

**The Mask of the Fox**

_Last Effort_

-

As the Blade Liger fell through the air, the clouds parted enough to show the rocky ground rushing up at Brad. He was confused by this, because the Whale King should have been flying at a much greater altitude, and it should have taken much longer to reach the ground.

Regardless, Brad let out a cross between a growl, grunt, and groan as the Liger hit. The Liger reacted with its own creaking, snapping, crunching, and roaring. Before it had a chance to steady itself, large rocks slid out from underneath it and began to pull it down a small slope. Brad couldn't keep the Liger up after the impact-inflicted damage and the sudden slide, and it collapsed on its side.

"Come on," he growled, desperately attempting to dig the Liger's claws into something, anything to stop the movement. Nothing held and the Zoid continued to slide down the slope and gathered speed. A large boulder that had stayed in place made contact with the Liger on its way down, and one blade, one booster, and several armor pieces were torn off. The cockpit was also rocked violently, and Brad realized there was a horrible pain in his back.

For a few minutes the Liger spun, shook, and clawed at the ground, then finally flipped onto its other side. Brad was barely holding on in the cockpit as the Liger's momentum seemed to slow. He tried to see what was happening outside, but his vision was badly blurred, and nothing was clear. Suddenly, the Liger slowed dramatically and seemed to go uphill for a change, until it finally stopped. Brad blinked several times and started to shift, but he realized immediately that something was wrong.

Although he couldn't see it, he was right, and he could feel that the Liger wasn't sitting firmly on the ground. It seemed to be balancing. Brad sat still in the cockpit for a minute, until his vision returned to him. When he could see clearly, he raised himself up slowly, despite his back pain, and looked outside.

Ahead of him, he saw the Liger's rear legs and tail hanging dangerously over the edge of a cliff. He stifled a gasp and turned his head to look behind him. There he could clearly see a path of mild destruction where rocks, plants, and dirt clumps had been pushed aside. Amazingly, the "small slope" he had just slid down was in fact the side of a large, dry mountain that ended abruptly.

Brad stayed perfectly still as he thought to himself. He knew he needed to save the Liger if he were to make it to Romeo City, or even to survive. Moving the Zoid in the wrong way would send it over the edge. It would be lost, and if he didn't escape, he would be lost with it. On top of that, he didn't know how extensive the damage was, because he couldn't get out to inspect it properly.

Before Brad could sort out the mess he was in, something caused a good deal of noise above him. He looked up the side of the mountain and saw the large boulder that had ripped into the Liger's side tumbling down toward him. He swore at the oversized rock and took the first action that came to mind.

Although the boulder had ripped off one blade, the other was still intact. Brad, hoping the blades still functioned, used the controls to draw them out. The remaining blade was opened without a problem and sliced into the soft ground beneath it, where it formed a kind of anchor. Brad turned the Liger's head just slightly and braced himself.

The boulder bounced around in a way that caused it to avoid the cockpit completely and slam into the Liger's side instead. The Zoid shook with the impact and the boulder rolled from the Zoid's side to its legs. Briefly, Brad thought the boulder might have pushed the blade further into the ground and improved the anchor. Whether that was the case or not, the weight of the stone on the Liger's legs tilted it and ripped the blade from the ground.

Brad could feel some of the ledge slipping away under his Zoid as it slid down and started its fall. His heart was pounding, and his stomach seemed to leave his body completely. He closed his eyes, waiting for the earth to meet him.

No sooner than he had closed his eyes than the Zoid hit solid ground and rolled several yards. Something in its path stopped its roll and it came to a shaking stop. Brad opened his eyes again and looked around through blurry vision once more. Even so, he could see the edge of the mountain only a hundred feet above him. The fall wasn't a great one.

"All this for that?!" he shouted angrily, and his lungs and back pained him as he did so. Apparently, from the cockpit, Brad hadn't been able to judge the height of the ledge properly. He cursed under his breath and opened the canopy, then stumbled out. His feet fell on a flat, smooth rock and it slid out from under him, sending him to the ground where he landed on the stones that had tumbled down with his Zoid.

Brad took in a sharp breath and coughed painfully. He closed his eyes and tried to fight the pain, but it had become immense, nearly unbearable. _I'll end up dying here…for no good reason…_he thought bitterly. Slowly, consciousness slipped away from him again, and left him alone at the base of the mountain, on a bed of sharp stones.

-

When it returned to him, his pain had died down enough to allow him to move. He groaned and coughed again as he sat up and rubbed his forehead. Night had fallen over the desert, and the moons weren't lighting the area very well. Brad cursed and muttered to himself as he walked around the Liger with extreme care.

After assessing the damage, Brad crawled back into the Zoid's cockpit and turned it on. The cockpit lights flashed twice before giving off steady light, much to Brad's irritation. He grumbled more to himself as the Liger growled, then took the controls and started the process of bringing the Zoid to its feet.

The operation wasn't easy. Smooth rocks like the one Brad had slipped on littered the ground, and the Liger couldn't keep its footing. On top of that, Brad was shivering after exposure to the chilly night air. With a great deal of effort, he managed to get the Zoid up and lead it onto the soft desert sand surrounding the rock pile. Every joint seemed to give a mechanical sigh and a few sparks flew from loose power cords. Brad knew it was severely damaged, even before it leaned forward on its right leg.

It would be a long journey to Romeo City. With a pained sigh, he pushed the Liger forward at a steady walk, not daring to take it into a run. Each part was creaking with every bit of movement.

On his way, Brad's mind drifted. He wondered why the Backdraft hadn't seized him again. It would have been easy. He was unconscious and the Zoid was nearly disabled. Brad threw off his questions on the matter with a shrug that made him wince.

After a little napping, he wondered why he was still going to Romeo City. After all, the Shadow Fox was probably in a different city or town by then. Though it was taking Brad so long to reach the city in question, there was always the possibility that it was still there. The only known attacks had taken place in Romeo City, he remembered.

Besides, he had other matters there. Maybe his Zoid wouldn't be there when he reached the city, but another object of interest would be. And something had to be done about it.

Though Brad completely lost track of time, it took him over four hours to reach his destination. It was two in the morning when he entered Romeo City's streets. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful, and Brad was convinced the Fox was gone. He continued marching, however, despite the loud noise the Liger started making.

It took him twenty more minutes, but Brad finally reached his true target. He stopped the creaking Liger in front of a small base just past the main urban area of the city. Without realizing what time it was, he opened the canopy and climbed down, then approached the door. Before he could ring the doorbell, a wave of dizziness hit him and he fell to the ground again with a sigh. Above him, a window lit up with warm light and a figure moved swiftly across the room.

-

Brad woke to a more pleasant sight after his latest black out. He was in a warm bed, in a relaxed bedroom, with an ice pack on his forehead. He blinked a few times and yawned before trying to sit up.

"Don't you dare," a female voice warned from beside the bed. Brad recognized it immediately.

"Naomi?"

"Who else? You passed out on my doorstep, Brad. Don't be surprised that I'm here."

"That I did," he said with a slight chuckle that quickly changed into a hacking cough.

"Easy…" she said, gently placing a hand on his chest. "Man, Brad, I don't know what you got yourself into, but I hope this is the last time it happens," she said with genuine concern.

"Oh, I wouldn't get my hopes up," he replied when his coughing subsided.

"What happened?"

Naomi had just asked a question that spawned half an hour of explanation and coughing from Brad.

When he finished, Naomi stayed silent and mulled over the information without a word. She seemed to realize something and nodded to herself, then looked back to Brad with concern in her eyes.

"Lucky you got away from Laon _and_ managed to survive your ordeal. I'm glad you're alive, but what hurts?"

"I'm fine. It's going away already," he lied. Naomi didn't take it for a second and pushed down on his chest. This action got a horrible wince and gasp from Brad, no matter how he tried to fight it.

"Don't lie."

"…Everything…no kidding…"

"I'll take you to the hospital, then. It's obvious you need professional help."

"Naomi, please," Brad pleaded, "I'll be all right. I just want you to get out. Just in case the Fox comes back."

"I'm not planning on leaving because of that. Now, come on," she said before helping him to his feet. Brad hadn't lied completely; some of the pain was leaving him, but there was still enough to prevent easy movement.

As carefully as possible, Naomi led Brad down two short flights of stairs and into her Zoid hangar. A loud crunching noise came from outside, followed by the sound only something falling into sand can produce. Naomi stopped and Brad cringed.

"This base is usually so sound proof."

"It's just the Liger falling apart," Brad told her, not even looking up from the floor, where his eyes rested. Naomi nodded and helped Brad past an old Command Wolf to the Gun Sniper. This sparked questions.

"I didn't know you had a Command Wolf. How long have you had it?"

"Oh, years. It would probably fall apart if you touched it," Naomi answered, flipping a switch to open the door before starting to help Brad into the cockpit.

As the door rose, a small amount of moonlight filtered in and cast shadows on the floor. Brad stared at them briefly and realized they had to have come from outside, and must belong to the Blade Liger. More metal crunching and crashing sounds rang out, and the two pilots looked out as the door opened fully.

Brad was partly right. The shadow did belong to the Liger, and it was falling apart. But it wasn't falling apart without help from a black Zoid standing at its side, ripping at its limbs and armor. The Zoid and its red eyes were unmistakable as it turned to look at them.

"Naomi, get in the Gun Sniper," Brad whispered before he stepped down from Naomi's Zoid and started to sneak back toward the Command Wolf. The Shadow Fox looked on with curious calm and stayed still. Naomi did as she was told and secured herself in her Zoid while Brad pulled himself into the Command Wolf's cockpit with pained effort.

The Shadow Fox looked away briefly and went back to its work on the Blade Liger. In a few more attacks, it pushed the Liger to the ground with a crash and turned back to see the Command Wolf step out of the hangar, growling angrily. If Zoids were capable of facial expressions, the Shadow Fox would have worn a smirk that would put Jack Cisco to shame.

Without waiting for an attack, Brad pushed the Wolf forward and raced away from the base, leading the Fox away from Naomi. To his temporary relief, the Fox took the bait and chased after him with incredible speed. It wasn't long before Brad realized that he may have made a deadly mistake.

The Fox overtook the old Wolf with ease and clamped its jaws around its shoulder. Brad growled as the Fox pulled the Wolf down and it tumbled through the sand, agitating his injuries and causing him to cry out. When his Zoid stopped sliding, the Shadow Fox was out of sight.

Brad started to pull the Wolf up, unable to hold back a nervous shudder, but he never made it. The Fox reappeared and came down on the Wolf's back, digging its claws in and biting at its neck. Brad struggled to shake the rogue Zoid off, but the Command Wolf couldn't manage it and just sank into the sand.

Without warning, a shot rang out and a bullet flew over the Command Wolf's neck and past the Shadow Fox's head. The Fox turned immediately to see a red Gun Sniper tail aiming in their direction. With a fierce growl, the Fox stepped down from Brad's Zoid and began to walk slowly and deliberately toward Naomi.

Free from the Shadow Fox's grip, Brad stood and watched as Naomi fired another shot. The Fox moved to the side casually, and the bullet only grazed its shoulder. Nothing fazed it, and it kept coming. Without panicking, Naomi readied herself for a third shot.

Just as Naomi prepared to pull the trigger, her old Command Wolf stood in front of her, placing itself between her Zoid and the Shadow Fox. The approaching Zoid raised its head lightly, but didn't stop its advance. The Wolf growled, mimicking its pilot.

Naomi watched motionlessly from her position in the Gun Sniper. The Shadow Fox kept coming, but the Command Wolf never flinched. He didn't stand a chance. Even together, Naomi was sure she and Brad couldn't stop it. But now, it was only Brad against the monster approaching.

The Shadow Fox took two more steps and stopped. It stood still for a few agonizing minutes, before it turned and sulked away. The Command Wolf stopped growling and its legs buckled under its own weight. It had made its last effort and fought its final battle.

**Shadowwolf:** I killed a Zoid.

**Brad:** Nothing new.

**Shadowwolf:** At least you're not dead yet.

**Brad:** Riiiight.

**Shadowwolf:** Pshah! Let me know what you thought. :3 The exciting [or semi-interesting attempt at being exciting] conclusion is coming up!


	7. Forfeit

**Shadowwolf:** Last…chapter… -cries-

_Final Genesis_ – -snickers- Y'know, it might've been the Geno Breaker Jet. Guess we'll never _really_ know. -snickers some more- Thanks for reviewing!

_Saku_ – I'm a murderer of a lot of things. -evil smile- Poor Zoid, though…and at least I have a bodyguard. Enjoy this chapter, otay? XD

_Mercenary Pen_ – It is a shame, isn't it? Oh well. I had fun. Thanks!!

_Nabooru_ – You don't have to wait anymore! Thanks!

_Enigma of Despair_ – Add a nuke, eh? Hmm… -scans chapter- Nope, no nuke. Sorry to disappoint you. But thanks for your review!

_Rynn _– Thank you very much-eth, Rynn. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

_BlackHole__ CO_ – Last chapter now! I don't know if I'll add something to the end of this or not…oh well. Thanks for reviewing again!

_Life is but a Dream2000_ – -pets Dream's head- Yessssssss…that's a good Brad/Naomi fan girl…yessssss. Now, now, Dream. Put Brad down. On the ground. Safely… -pats-

_MatrixSaix _– In-character! Wheeee! I laughed, too. Which is sad. I laugh at myself too much. -sweatdrops- Glad you liked, Matrix! Hazzah!

_Starheart _– Even if it was short, it was lovely. -sniffs- I really hope you enjoy this chapter. -bounces-

_Bluefly7_ – Don't fall off! Last chapter now! Thanks!

**Shadowwolf:** Thank you all so much! Most of you have been around the whole time, and you deserve many, many cookies. I'll really miss your reviews.

**Brad:** Yeah… -starts backing away-

**Shadowwolf:** Meh. This was fun. I hope you all enjoy this chapter really a lot and decide to BOW DOWN AT MY FEET. XD

**Brad:** Eh… -pokes Shadowwolf-

**Shadowwolf:** What? I'm trying to take over the world, here—

**Brad:** STORY!

**Shadowwolf:** Oh. Right. -nervous laughter- Disclaimer: I don't own Zoids. Okay? Yes. Read on, loves! -toothy grin-

…

**The Mask of the Fox**

_Forfeit_

…

When the Shadow Fox was out of sight, Naomi rushed up to meet Brad. He had to open the Command Wolf's cockpit manually, and climbed out without much grace. As soon as Brad's feet touched the ground, his back injury made itself known and he lost his balance. Naomi caught him.

"Brad, are you crazy?!"

"I'm fine, thanks for asking," he told her with a groan. She started to lift him up and he was forced to clench his teeth to keep quiet.

"You weren't kidding. It has to be stopped!"

"I know," Brad growled with a nod, "but it's near impossible. The thing was built to destroy the Liger, remember?"

"Maybe that's the case…but…maybe Laon didn't plan on a different kind of attack," she said slowly, almost hopefully. Brad winced slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe the Fox is prepared for close combat, but not long range attacks."

"You mean you want to—" Brad started, and Naomi nodded. "No way, it's too dangerous."

"Brad, don't start that with me. I've made up my mind."

"I don't want you to!" Brad growled, forcing himself to stand. Naomi shot him a piercing glare.

"Then you'll have to stop me," she said casually as she turned and began walking back to her Gun Sniper. Brad grumbled to himself and walked after her, forcing his pain out of his mind.

"Naomi, don't," Brad demanded, but Naomi ignored him. She settled herself in the cockpit and lowered the canopy without another word. Brad stood in place and watched as her Zoid hissed at him and ran out of the hangar.

…

Nearly two hours after the Shadow Fox's attack, Naomi found herself anchored on one of her favorite ledges. The sun was finally rising and giving a beautiful orange glow to the desert. While she waited for the Fox, or any Zoid at all, she thought about Brad holding her back and resorted to talking to herself.

"Who does he think he is? First he shows up half-dead at my door, then he gets my Command Wolf destroyed, and then he has the guts to try to hold me back. I don't believe him," she muttered, watching the open ground in front of her. Something moved, but it was out of her sight very quickly. She turned and set her sights on whatever it was, then zoomed in to get a better look.

To her disappointment, it wasn't the Shadow Fox., but instead a blood red Saber Tiger. Not used to seeing Tigers of that color, she growled and put her guard up.

The Tiger seemed to be looking for something, and it found it when it looked up at Naomi's Gun Sniper perched high above it. As the strange Zoid started making its way toward Naomi, she kept her sights on it and prepared to fire. The Tiger had climbed up the side of the hill and nearly reached Naomi when a comm. link came up.

"Naomi, it's me," Brad told her right away, seeing she was still aiming at him.

"Brad?!" came Naomi's reply, and she nearly pulled the trigger on accident. As soon as the temporary shock was gone, she turned away from the Tiger and returned to the main cockpit. "How did you find me?"

"I know the kind of places you like to be," he said as he walked his Zoid over and stopped it next to hers.

"Where'd you get that Zoid?"

"It's a rental," Brad said slowly, "I'll owe the ZBC a lot of money after this."

"You shouldn't have come. I can do it alone," Naomi told him with a sigh. Brad's face suddenly became serious.

"You can't do it alone. Did you ever think about what would happen if the Fox came up behind you, like I almost did? You know close combat isn't exactly your thing, and you know even I had trouble with the Fox! No offense to your piloting skills, but you wouldn't have made it!" he nearly shouted, the Tiger growling quietly. Naomi didn't move, and kept her eyes on his.

"What's wrong with you? You're acting like I can't handle myself!" she shot back, amazed she had said it. Naomi knew he was right, and didn't understand why she couldn't just admit it was so.

"Normally you can, but this is different!"

"It's not different, because you've played the role of the 'brave, all-powerful man' coming to my aid! I've seen it before, now leave me to do this!"

"I won't! I'll take you down myself if I have to," Brad said angrily, but his voice was laced with worry and Naomi sensed it. The Tiger took a step forward and raised its head menacingly.

"Why are you doing this, Brad?" she asked, her Zoid sinking a little and hissing.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt!" he shouted forcefully, and the Tiger roared with him. The Gun Sniper hissed and looked ready to leap forward when a loud growl caught the pilots' attention to the side. Both Zoids turned and their pilots saw the very thing that had started the argument standing a few hundred feet away.

Brad brought his Zoid forward and stood in front of Naomi protectively, then watched as the Shadow Fox lowered its head and growled more fiercely. The Tiger responded with a threatening roar, showing its fangs proudly. Brad didn't wait any longer and charged forward, but turned away at the last minute in hopes of luring the Fox away. His plan worked, and his old black Zoid gave chase.

Naomi watched as Brad led the Fox down the hill and into her shooting range. She nodded to herself and slid back into the tail gun compartment, where she put her finger on the trigger and focused on the Fox immediately.

It wouldn't be an easy shot. Her target was moving quickly and Brad's Zoid was constantly getting in the way. Brad was doing better than he had with the Command Wolf, but even he knew he wouldn't last much longer. The Fox was more vicious now, and had already ripped off several armor pieces and the main cannon. As Brad tried to bite down into the Fox's leg, it turned and ripped a large gash in the Tiger's chest, sending it to the ground. Naomi steadied her aim and pulled the trigger.

The shot was loud enough to catch the Fox's attention. It turned to look up at Naomi as the bullet flew into its side and forced it to the ground. Naomi blinked and shifted to get a better look. Brad's Saber Tiger was standing shakily, and the Fox was motionless on the ground.

"I…did it?" she whispered, not bothering to reload. Brad finally had the Tiger on its feet and was walking around to make sure it was over when the black Zoid pushed itself up and snarled, sparks flying from its wound. The Tiger recoiled, but it wasn't fast enough, and the Fox was able to clamp its jaws around its neck.

Brad let out a pained yell as the force of the attack slammed his back against the seat. While he was paralyzed by pain, the Shadow Fox threw the Tiger to the ground and began to bite at its head.

"Brad!" Naomi shouted as the gun was reloaded and she prepared to fire a second time. The shot was extremely dangerous, with the two Zoids so close together. _I can't believe a shot to the side didn't end it…maybe a shot through the cockpit would do the job…_ Naomi thought desperately with a quiet sigh. She steadied her shaking hands and focused on the Fox's head.

Her finger had nearly pulled the trigger to its limit when the Fox stopped and looked up at her. The Zoid's piercing gaze shook her for a moment, and she eased up. The Fox then shook its head and gave a loud, eerie howl, leaving the Saber Tiger struggling on the ground. It was about to run for her, and Naomi predicted it.

"Shoot, Naomi!" she barked at herself before steadying her aim and firing. The shot was perfect, and hit the Zoid in mid-howl. It drove through the Shadow Fox's jaw and exited though the canopy, leaving a silver streak resembling a spear driven through the Zoid's head.

The Fox's howl took on a higher pitch as it fell backward and toppled to the ground. When the sand and dust cleared, everything was silent and the Fox lay motionless, its canopy strewn in chunks around it. Naomi turned just a little to look at it, and Brad brought the Tiger to its feet once more. With difficulty, the red Zoid made its way to the black one mangled before it.

"Be careful, Brad! Remember what happened last time!" Naomi warned over the comm. system. Brad nodded and terminated the link as he stopped several feet from the Fox.

"Have any more tricks you'd like to share?" he asked the Zoid in an irritated tone. The Fox didn't move or make a sound, and Brad decided to make sure it was gone. He took a few steps forward and saw its eye had no glow, and the damage was extensive for such a shot. Oil and other fluids were running from the wounds and pouring out onto the sand. With a sigh, he decided it was done for. "Guess not."

As he turned back to Naomi, something hissed behind him. He figured it was the Fox's machinery shutting down, but he didn't dare risk an assumption. As fast as the Tiger could, which was very slow at that point, it turned and faced the Fox. Brad took in a sharp breath and held the controls tightly.

The black Zoid was bringing itself to its feet with great effort and determination. One of its eyes, as Brad had seen, wasn't glowing red, but the one he hadn't seen was. Badly damaged as it was, the Shadow Fox had survived the shot meant to destroy it, and had had enough of human resistance. Something about its stance showed great rage; as much as a machine could ever have.

Brad didn't have time to react, but he knew it was useless anyway. His Saber Tiger was too badly damaged to fight any longer, and the Fox was clearly bent on fighting. The Shadow Fox dug into the sand and launched itself at Brad with its claws outstretched and its jaws open.

The Tiger was hit hard and crashed to the ground with a crunch as the Fox clamped down on its neck. Brad was tossed around inside the cockpit, but managed to hold on, only to hear the infamous command system freeze signal. Something behind him made an awful noise and the harness that had saved him failed and released him. A few drops of blood ran from his forehead down his cheek.

Before he could move, the Fox bit down on the canopy and crushed it, then ripped it off and threw it to the side like a toy. Brad looked up and saw the Shadow Fox's bad eye facing him as the Zoid nudged the Saber Tiger and tipped it enough to shake Brad loose. His body was limp as he fell out and landed in the sand beside various Zoid pieces.

Naomi gathered herself frantically and fired on the Fox once more, hitting it in the shoulder and causing it to lean to the side. The black Zoid ignored the attack and opened its jaws, then lowered them over Brad, who was still flat on the ground.

As Brad looked up, and some of the Zoid's fluids dripped down on him, he wondered if it was really the end. The Zoid had so many opportunities to kill him before, why hadn't it done so then? Would it spare him this time?

_I'll know soon enough…_

Naomi returned to her main cockpit and turned the Gun Sniper around, desperate to do anything to stop it. The Fox continued down to Brad's level and began to close its jaws around its former pilot as Naomi pushed her Gun Sniper to its top speed and rushed down the hill. Before she could reach Brad, the Shadow Fox's teeth were already touching and shaking him while the Zoid wobbled with effort.

"BRAD!" she cried out shakily as the mouth began to shut. It was bad enough that it was going to kill him, but it was drawing it out, and Naomi knew she still couldn't reach him in time. She cursed her Zoid, her pitiful attempts at rescue, and her own selfishness. Brad was dying because he wanted to save her. She couldn't believe they had just argued so coldly. If she couldn't save him, she only wanted to apologize.

To her surprise and disbelief, and certainly Brad's, the Shadow Fox stopped biting down with the pilot resting between its fangs. It stood still for a few seconds before releasing him and slumping to the ground, where it lay motionless. Brad opened his eyes and looked directly at it in time to see its glowing eye fade out as the Zoid gave a great hiss.

"Fox…"

"Brad!" Naomi called, jumping down from her Zoid. She ran over and crouched down beside Brad, tears threatening to run.

"Naomi, it stopped," he whispered, still watching the Shadow Fox. Naomi blinked, looked over to it, and sighed.

"Come on, Brad, let's get out of here before it comes back—"

"It won't…"

"What?"

"It's over. The virus shut it down," he explained barely above a whisper. Naomi blinked and tried to support him as he forced himself to his feet. He wiped a little blood from his cheek and approached his old Zoid with a limp. Naomi stayed beside him with her arm around his back and his arm around her neck. She didn't know why, but somehow she knew Brad was right, and the Shadow Fox would never attack again.

Brad reached forward and put a hand on the Zoid's still warm metal. When it didn't stir, Brad had all the proof he needed. He turned to Naomi with a small smile.

"It's over, and we're okay. Laon failed, and—"

"You're not okay, Brad, you're hurt badly. Your back must be seriously messed up now, you're bleeding—"

"Naomi?"

"—and…what, Brad?"

"Shut up," he said in a normal tone, without anger or frustration, as he turned to face her. She stopped and looked at him with a small smirk before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him as tightly as she dared with his injuries. Brad blinked in mild surprise before smiling and hugging her back.

"I'm glad you're okay. It looked pretty grim back there…"

"Tell me about it," he sighed. "But I'll be fine, thanks to you."

"What do you mean? My shots didn't do any good."

"Yes they did. They delayed it. If that battle had been any shorter, I'd be dead," Brad told her, still holding her close. Naomi blinked, realizing he was right.

"I…guess so."

Brad nodded and smiled a little more, then leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead without a word. Naomi blinked and smiled in silence as Brad let her go and looked back to the Zoid. The inside of the cockpit was easily visible after the canopy had been torn off by Naomi's shell. He moved forward and stepped around the oil soaking into the sand to reach a spot where he could climb up. Naomi didn't follow him and watched with a warm look in her eyes as he stepped down and slid into the damaged seat. There he sat quietly and looked ahead at the controls and screens. Naomi nodded and smirked to herself, wondering what he was thinking.

What Naomi couldn't see was what had Brad staring. He wasn't lost in thoughts of victory or sadness, but he was thinking. Ahead of him, two pieces of information were still on the Zoid's main status screen. In the top left it read, "Shadow Fox" and in the lower right corner the timer and skull sat. If Laon was to be believed, the Fox should've had everything erased by then, and nothing should've been showing. Brad took a closer look and noticed that the timer was still counting, with eleven hours left. While he watched it count down, the screen dimmed little by little until it blacked out and the Zoid shut down permanently.

Brad blinked and came to a conclusion that made him smile slightly. The virus hadn't shut the Fox down; it had shut itself down. Brad looked up to see Naomi smiling at him. He smiled back and looked down again, staring at the blank screen. Laon really had failed, but Brad had succeeded in several ways after all.

**Shadowwolf: **That was untypical of me. I had the good guy win and he "got the girl"…

**Brad:** What do you mean "got the girl"?

**Shadowwolf:** You don't own Naomi. I do! AHAHAHA!

-Shadowwolf is sued by Tomy/Hasbro/everyone-else-who-owns-stuff-

**Shadowwolf:** Mmm. No more of that. -MatrixSaix runs by and beats Shadowwolf- Ahh, yes. She owns Naomi, now. Whee.

-awkward silence-

**Shadowwolf:** Yesss. Well. I hope everyone enjoyed (if you hadn't guessed that by now XD) and thanks to you all for reading! This is dedicated to all of you, for being such fun, wonderful, magnificent—

-is slapped by Brad-

**Shadowwolf:** People. Hopefully I'll see you again sometime soon. ;)


End file.
