Chapter 2: New Zoid On The Block

Organized under strict rules and regulations, Zoid battles are fighting competitions held on enormous battlefields, using mechanical combat units known as Zoids. The enthusiastic young warriors put their pride on the line, and sharpen their skills against one another.

Battle mode approved.

Area scanned.

Battlefield, set up.

Ready?

FIGHT!

* * *

The Rev Raptos slowly moved in on Talon. Denny gritted his teeth as the Gang members taunted him.

"Give it up kid."

"Run away and go back to mommy."

"We'll take your Zoid and give it to the boss as a nice present."

These jokers! I'll never give Talon away. It's strange, but I can almost hear him growling at them. Denny thought.

Talon hissed at the opposing Zoids, who roared back.

"Forget it, let's just blast the thing until it gets a Command System Freeze. Then we'll take it home."

The Rev Raptors raised their arms, aiming the guns that rested on them.

Not good! I'm toast if I get shelled right here. Denny thought. "Common, think. There's gotta be a way. Okay, I'll just rush them and out run them back to Hessa."

Talon crouched lower to the ground, his legs ready to spring.

Wait for it. Denny said in his mind.

"Fire!"

"Raaagh!!!" Denny pushed the controls to their limits and Talon dashed forward. A could of dust was picked up as the Raptor-Zoid ran. However, instead of just running by the Rev Raptors, Talon charged headlong towards one.

Sam watched, paralized with shock at how fast the new Zoid was going. It went right passed his shots and headed towards him, mouth open.

A clash of metal on metal and everything stood still.

The Rev Raptor was limp, Talon had it's mouth clamped around the other Zoid's neck as one of his foot claws was buried in the main torso. Chunks of armor clanged as they fell, and the straining of the Rev Raptor's stomach as a giant claw was slowly tearing through it. One clean swipe and the Rev Raptor's internal systems were visable.

Talon let go of the Rev Raptor's neck and the Zoid crashed on the ground, ceasing to move. The Raptor-Zoid looked down at the other before roaring into the sky.

"Blast it! That Zoid got Sam!"

"Shoot it now!"

The six remaining Rev Raptors openned fire. The bullets straiffed the ground towards Talon.

Denny saw the bullets causing the dirt to gyeser up and he pushed the controls forward. Talon dashed away as the shots hit Sam's Rev Raptor, more armor was blasted away.

"Why are you shooting ME?!"

"Damn it, that Zoid's too fast!"

"Scatter and find it, if we can box it in, there's no way it can escape!"

But it was already too late. Talon was already more than halfway back to Hessa City.

* * *

Denny rode his bike back from the Gustav Lot. His stepdad worked there and he knew many of the workers on the Zoids there. Talon was left there, hid inside one of the hangers.

"My mom's gonna flip when I tell her what happened."

He rode through the streets, past the buisness district and towards the residential. Hessa City was more ecology effeciant and trees dotted the city. It was a step up from the old abndoned part of the city. Way back when Hessa was just getting started and the older apartments were now empty. That was where the main gang of Hessa had their HQ.

"I can't even believe how fast Talon was. It completely side-stepped that Rev Raptor and sliced the main body apart. I don't even think a Lightning Sykes moves that fast."

His bike moved along a sidewalk and he waved to a few people that he knew. Denny pulled into a driveway and put his kickstand down before he headed inside. His home looked slightly older than the rest of the houses. Wooden panneling covered the outside of the two-story home. He openned the screen door and then the main door before stepping inside.

"I'm home mom!" he announced over the squeking of he closing door.

The door he entered in was the only real way into the house. One door lead to the laundry room, and the other was right by his computer. He entered through the kitchen and then walked into the dinning room. The only bathroom in the house was directly to his left before the enternce to the living room. There was a flight of stairs that headed to his room upstairs.

"Where have you been? I was worried sick!" Denny's mom replied form the living room. "I got a call saying that Sharron spotted you getting in a fight with three members of the Hessa Gang." Denny's mother was just less than 12 inches shorter than him, with black hair that was greying and brown eyes with a slight green tint. Her hair was in a ponytail as usual and she was wearing a shirt that had an unusual saying that would make many people do double takes. "And what's this call I got saying that you left a new type of Zoid in one of the hangers at the Gustav Lot?"

"I just mouthed off to them once, and they chased me into the jungle." he replied. His mom was one of two people who would listen to him reaccount a series of events especially like this, his stepfather was the second person. "Listen, I managed to out run them until I got to a cliff. When I leaned against it a part of it broke and I fell in. I looked around and ....... then I hid Talon at the Gustav Lot and headed home."

"Well, the important thing is that you are safe, for the time being. You know better than to head into the jungle alone!"

"I was hoping to lose them. Can't blame me for trying."

"The second thing is you can't leave Talon sitting at the Gustav Lot, they do charge a parking fee and we can't afford it."

"I was hoping they wouldn't charge us because of Pat working there. Besides Gary said that it would be just as safe in one of the older hangers."

"Okay, we'll talk about it later. I want to talk to Pat about this when he calls tonight, you in the mean-time will stay here until we have officially discussed this."

"Okay mom." Denny went upstairs. Kicking off his shoes, jacket, and glasses, he fell on his bed and was asleep in no time.

* * *

The next day Denny sat and waited for his mom to come home. He had been asleep when Pat had called and hadn't had been able to catch his mom this morning. She had gone to the cafe to work and he really didn't want to leave right now.

He had been watching television when a News broadcast came on.

"Live, from the abandoned part of Hessa City, the Hessa Raptors, the city's main street gang, have kidnapped a woman from the Rip City Inn and have brought her here. Police have tried to rescue her but Rev Raptors have hindered any head way. I belive that their leader is about to say something."

Laurence Killata was a well-known member of Hessa City, most of the fame comming from leading the Hessa Gang through most of their activities.

"I demand that the warrior who has the newest Zoid from the jungle yesturday. If he does not come forward, I don't wanna say what could happen to his mother."

"Mom!" Denny was gone from the house in a flash.

* * *

Denny leaned into the turn as he rounded a corner on his bike. His lungs burned as he peadled. In five minutes he reached the Gustav Lot. Gary was in his office when Denny rushed by. "?! Denny?!"

He ran towards an old worn-down hanger, number 88. Jumping off of his bike, letting it crash into the wall, Denny ran and entered the code to open the hanger. A snarl from the dark let Denny know that Talon was still inside.

"Sorry Talon, but we've got a problem. I really need your help!" Denny replied. Talon's head lowered so Denny could get inside the cockpit.

"Denny! What are you doing?!" Gary shouted.

"Mom's been kidnapped by Laurence!"

"Laurence? You're not....?!"

"I'm going after him and get my mother back!" Denny replied as the hatch closed on the cockpit.

Talon roared before dashing out of the hanger and ran along the street. It wasn't far before two Rev Raptors jumped in from opposite sides.

"Hey, there he is!"

"Tell the boss we've got him!"

The two Zoids openned fire on Talon as the Raptor-Zoid dashed towards them.

"I don't have time for this." Denny said as shots hit Talon. With a snarl Talon sped at the Rev Raptors, mouth gapping.

One of the Rev Raptors locked their scythes in the attack position and ran towards the oncomming Zoid. Talon chomped down on the scythe and broke it off in one tug. Not skipping a beat, Talon side-swipped the second Rev Raptor on its way past. After both Zoids fell, Talon spit out the broken scythe down to the ground.

* * *

Along the edge of the old industrial park, Gojulas sentries were placed to stop the public from going in and the Gang from comming out. The Gojulas were he symbol of the police force and could easily blast away a Rev Raptor, if they could target them.

Denny and Talon came up to the police blockade. They never stopped running towards the giant Zoids.

"Halt! This is a secure area, no civilians in or out." one of them said.

Talon didn't skip a beat. The Zoid sped up, hopped, and then curled up into a ball and rolled under the Gojulas gaurds. Talon, now behind the Gojulas', uncurled and still ran into the abandoned area of the park.

The Zoid slowed down as it neared a bare area. Building debrigh lay scattered around a baren circular area, as buildings lay at an angle away from the clear area. Talon was now more cautious in its stepps, the elongated head piviing back and forth, scanning the area for any possible sign of an ambush. Its sensors gave away something dead ahead of Denny.

A Zoid with red and black armor stepped out from behind the shell of a building. Denny recognized the shape and make of the Zoid: a Strike-Zilla.

"That you Laurence?!" Denny demanded.

The Strike-Zilla stopped and the cockpit openned. There was Laurence, standing as smug as he had earlier. "So, you're Denny. The kid with my new Raptor Zoid."

"Your's?! I don't think so. I'm going to save my mom, and kick your sorry *** from here to the moons!"

"Tut-tut." Laurence replied, waving his finger. "I wouldn't do anything so rash. I have your mother captive." The Strike-Zilla openned one of its claws and there was Denny's mother, tied up. "I also have you surrounded."

From out of nowhere Rev Raptors popped up. On top of buildings, ruble and on the ground. Their snarls rang through the sky, as Talon and Denny looked everyway a new Zoid sprang up.

"From the way I see it, you have two choices. One: Give me your Zoid and I'll let you and your mother go, unharmed. Two: You fight the entire Hessa Gang, and I can't ensure that nothing will happen to her."

Now what? I'm outnumbered, and he has mom. What do I do? "What do I do?"

"I'm waiting...." Denny's mom slipped off the claw but was snagged again. Now she was hanging by a thin rope.

"Denny! Go! Save yourself and then come back and kick their arses!!!!!" his mom shouted.

"Mom!" Talon reared up and let out a screeching roar into the sky. The Zoid roared again, silencing the Rev Raptors. It let out a roar that sounded like a hoarse cough, echoing off the metal scyscrapers.

"Attack it! If he won't give it up, tear it to pieces!" Laurence ordered.

The Rev Raptors that were on the ground charged first, their guns blasting. Talon jumped forward, dashing at them head-first.

"Out of my way!" Denny shouted. Talon dashed through the line, three Raptors fell, sparks shooting from the sides of their flanks. The Raptor-Zoid spun around and jumped onto the back of another Rev Raptor, pinning it. With one slash of his hind leg, Talon stopped the Zoid from struggling. More Rev Raptors began to close in and Talon snarled in reply. "You're going down."

A fury of metal claws and teeth ensued. Talon, bit, slashed, and clawed his way through the hoard. One swipe brought a Rev Raptor to the ground. A jump kick knocked two more over. Talon crouched to the ground, the Ion Thrusters blasted on and the Zoid tripped three more out from under their feet.

The Raptor-Zoid stood again and faced the remaining Zoids. Over 20 still remained and Denny was starting to feel the exhaustion affecting him. How long can I last?

Two shots rang out and exploasions blasted the Rev Raptor hoard apart. A rumbling announced the approch of the Gojulas sentries that Denny had ran by earlier.

"Stay where you are. You are all under arrest!"

Some Rev Raptors ran while others gave up. Laurence sat back down and piloted his Strike-Zilla away from the oncomming police. Denny saw Laurence back off and chased after him.

* * *

In the maze of deserted buildings in the Hessa industrial area, Talon dashed forwards, not detouring from his mission. Laurence's Strike-Zilla was still only a few blocks ahead.

"When I catch him, I'm tearing his Zoid's head off." Denny mumbled as Talon rounded another corner.

At the latest intersection two of the escaped Rev Raptors blocked his forward motion and fired on sight. Talon jumped to a hault and was rocked by the shelling.

"Blast it! Other than claws and teeth, Talon doesn't have any other weapons. Get out of my way!" Talon steadied itself and the blue rectangles on the Raptor-Zoid's forearms openned up. Two target sights appeared on Talon's main screen and locked on to the Rev Raptors infront of it. Without thinking or blinking, Denny depressed the trigger button and blasted the Rev Raptors out of his way.

Talon continued forward until he found the Strike-Zilla waiting for them.

"Glad you could make it. It looks like I can't stay here much longer. I'm taking your mother too, unless you are still willing to make the trade."

Denny gritted his teeth. Like I'd make a trade with a sleeze like you.

Talon lunged forward, moving too fast for Laurence to react. The Raptor-Zoid bit onto the Strike-Zilla's arm which held Denny's mother in it and ripped it off. The Strike-Zilla screeched in pain as Laurence cursed.

The Raptor-Zoid laid the arm down and with a gentle slice, freed Denny's mother from the ropes.

"You.... Take this!" The Strike-Zilla fired its three remaining guns right at Talon.

The Raptor-Zoid protected Denny's mom and took the brunt of the assault. When the shelling let up, three shots blasted into the Strike-Zilla's underbelly from Talon's Laser Machine Guns. Now Talon dashed towards the other Zoid and jumped onto it. The Raptor-Zoid's claws locked in, Talon slashed with it's hind claw and ripped the Strike-Zilla's belly open.

The other Zoid fell to the ground and Talon placed a foot on the Strike-Zilla's neck. Talon reared up and roared into the sky.

* * *

"Did I get anything today?" Denny asked as he came back from the Gustav Lot.

"Yes, your package from the Zoid Battle Commision has finally come in." his mom replied. "Seriously, why do you wanna go and battle?"

It had been three weeks since Laurence had kidnapped Denny's mom. Laurence and most of his gang were in jail, charges pending. Laurence had been wanted for other things but this was the one case to get him for a lot of things besides kidnapping. After hearing about Denny's one-man war against the Hessa Gang, the Zoid Battle Commision sent Denny the registration papers to become a Zoid Warrior. He had sent them back and waited for his registration mini-computer.

He tore apart the box and held the small computer in his hands. "Because, it's an adrenaline rush, it's fun, and .... and Talon enjoys it." Denny entered his designated Warrior number into the computer. "7890D2. There, now the info's in the computer, all I have to do is insert it into the slot on Talon's HUD before a battle."

"Denny, I want you to be careful. You could get really hurt out there on the battlefield." his mom said.

"Mom, you once told me that you would back everything I do, as long as I was happy and it was legal. This is legal, and I'll have fun doing it. I'll be fine, I promise." he replied.

"Good luck honey. Send me a message on how you're doing, alright?"

"Okay, I promise."

---------------------------------------------

Denny: Well, I'm on my own finally. With Talon with me, no one will stand in my way. We wonder the desert and come across a Zoid pilot caught in an ambush planned by members to something called the Order of Kiaser. Let's go Talon! Nothing's standing in my way, next time on ZOIDS: LEGEND OF THE ULTIMATE X'S, Ambush: Enter the Order of Kiaser. Ready? Fight!!

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ZOID DATABASE: WARRIOR FILES

Name: Laurence Killata
Age: 26
Sex: Male
Discription: 5' 3", about 150 lbs. Green hair and black eyes. Wears red and black clothes to show off his gang's colors.
History: Laurence started as a member of the Hessa Gang. Working up in the ranks he managed to grab control of it after the original guy in charge was charged and arrested. Laurence is smart and ruthless and will not give in until he gets what he wants
Zoid: Strike-Zilla
Team: Hessa Street Gang, also known as the Raptors.

ZOID DATABASE: ZOID FILES

Name: Strike-Zilla
Type: Allosaurus
Class: 3
Function: Light Assult
Alingment: Unknown
Designation: RHI-8
Height: 10.8m
Length: 13.7m
Weight: 62.0T
Max Speed: 170 km/h
Crew: 1
Armaments: Two Twin 30mm Cannons, Robotic Gripper Claws
Distinguishing Features: Lightly armed, but highly adaptable to a variety of specific mission requirements