Chapter 3

"Mustapha, can you hear me?" Goddess Marie, a battle angel with a fierce mind and wild side at heart, called on the DCP Resistance Dispatcher. "Marie. It's about time! How's Zay?" 32op questioned. Goddess Marie, known as a Leader in Training, was the spy for DCP and always managed to help foil Radkon's plans. "He's been better. They're getting ready to banish him into space." Marie continued, shocking the Resistance who were preparing to get to the Chemical Plant in Cream Soda. "What? You can't be serious!" Skylark exclaimed as he turned around while viewing the terminal at headquarters. "Radkon's been keeping him alive just to show him his completed empire before vanishing him into space," Marie suggested. And torturing Zay just to pass the time was relatively low, even for anybody this despicable. "Radkon's got wind of our plan. Time is ticking before he shuts us down." Vivala added. "But we don't even know where he is!" Aggie sighed as this mission stressed everyone. The last thing they could possibly end up doing is making the wrong step and letting Radkon win. He already had the world taken over except for Tundra, location of DCP headquarters. "Actually, we now do Aggie. There's a space station called the Death Iceball, made by IW which was rebuilt after being destroyed years ago. "The Death Iceball? Oh man, that's not good!" Gingersnap said. "None of this is good, Ginger," Nate replied to him in a grim tone of despair. "We've expected a miracle for months but I'm afraid we'll have to make our own. That's why this is called war." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement and prepared for action in space. "You all know what to do. Come on, let's go get Zay."

While the Resistance raids the chemical plant to grab a shuttle to the Death Iceball, Zay prepares for a bout with Freezie in Prison Hall…

The Death Iceball was a light blue spherical metal giant fortress and space station with gargantuan size; it can flatten forests, destroy mountains and possibly even destroy a planet upon impact. Laser turrets that are hard-hitting surround the interior and exterior defenses and have tight and heavy security that goes high alert upon detecting an intruder. In terms outside of weaponry, it's known to have a heavy source of energy and emergency auxiliary power for the defenses. The space station was also home to hostages and prisoners like Zay; most of the villains except Radkon came aboard the Death Iceball to prevent any prisoners from escaping. Freezie walked up to Zay's confinement cell and said, "This is the end, Zay." Zay sat peacefully on a bench mounted to a metal wall as prisoners all around outside of his cell gathered around behind bars and began chanting. It was Prison Hall but instead of vanishing Zay, Radkon decided to have him in a brawl. The floors layered as they watched a platform of hexagonal shape replicating a beehive. "Oh, sounds like the party's starting?" Zay joked in a sarcastic tone. "I forgot that you won't let me join in, you hate fun." He joked more. Suddenly, red alarms began blaring and sirens turned on, as the cuffs on Zay's hands broke. "Alright, let's see what you'll try when I'm free," Zay challenged. It was a while since he fought anybody besides a monster morphed from pizza dough back at home. But there was no chance to rejoice at that moment as the world was crumbling down. "Foolish jackal. Being set free from your chains does not make you free, now come face the inevitable." Zay got up from the bench and ran out of his cell right behind Freezie and said, "The only thing inevitable is you coming back to DCP!" Zay pointed a finger at Freezie as he broke into a charge to the platform where the brawl was to commence. Freezie came up on a giant mechanical bee with red LED lights directly on our hero. "Try anything yourself and I'll mop you up real quick!" Freezie said as he bashed his clenched fists together and began to control the beast. It shot a laser that circulated around Zay and sent in robot bees that crashed into each other as he continuously hopped above them. Freezie began to raise the bee up and slammed it into the platform, causing outer pieces to collapse. This flung Zay into the air as he quickly managed to perform a homing attack at Freezie. He groaned in agony and said, "Imputent runt! I'll savor watching you try to survive this." The mechanical bee he controlled began getting more angry and charged its stinger across the platform, the audience all around roaring. Most of them were hostages and hoped for Zay to win, and it was one more thing Radkon was paying for. DCP always wins, and that's how it's been since people expect you to be better until you do better. Freezie slammed into the platform once again as Zay began another homing attack and performed an action of moves. Zay roundhouse kicked and punched when he finished with a kick that knocked Freezie off of his machine. "Gah! How could I lose to the likes of you again!?" He said in the tone of defeat. "That was a cakewalk. Next time, don't get cocky." Zay said back as Freezie fell on one knee, tried to push himself back up but then fell in unconsciousness. Suddenly, the same cryptic aura that appeared on Shadow and the rest of the others except for Radkon appeared and what brought back memories to Zay, Freezie disappeared upon his eyes. "He disappeared and...it's that forcefield again." He wondered. The prisoners were escorted back to their cells as the alarms went off with a slight rumble, causing our hero to nearly lose his balance. "It's no time for thinking, it's for running!" He said as he dashed in a boost and tore through the Death Iceball until he was outside of the space station in the pitch black sky with millions of stars. Zay suddenly started grinding on a rail through loops and curves. Zay figured that Radkon had him tortured on the Death Iceball and believed that the "big ball of scrap metal just won't stay destroyed no matter how many times DCP came to wreck it. Zay continued jumping from rail to rail as he jumped onto a battleship that was flying down to the Death Iceball's defenses that were protecting where the shuttles were kept as the laser turrets shot each one down. "I want that jackal dead! Fire!" Radkon shouted on a loud PA intercom that the space station can hear. "Whew, they're packing a lot of firepower. Won't matter if they can't land every shot!" Zay suggested as the ships flew right above the metal surface. One of the lasers finally hit the ship Zay was flying on as he fell down a hole which was the entrance to Level 5, the shuttle gateways. Zay glided down the hole, avoiding lasers that blocked one side each. Once he landed, he saw who he didn't know was the Rookie being surrounded by a soldier each from the Redemption Force, Pirates and Ice Warriors. Zay came speeding up to them as they cornered the Rookie and drove them off. "You're here to rescue me? That sounds like the most peaceful news I've heard in awhile, and a friendly face at last! A radio dispatch called on the Rookie's wristband as 32op said, "Hey rookie, you still in one piece?" Zay decided to surprise everyone as he replied back. "Don't even bother to ask how I am!" He gladly said as Aggie's levels of hype went out of control and the joy of seeing Zay again almost filled tears in her eyes. "Zero! I'm so glad!" Skylark Nate interrupted her on the radio and said, "Hold on Aggie. We're all happy that Zay is alive, but he won't be for long if he doesn't escape that giant ball of ice in a scurry!" Zay told the Rookie to follow him back onto the shuttle where everyone was aboard as they flew off and back home to Tundra. "Zay, finding you alive is the best news we've had in months! The bad news is our intel says there's a weapons factory in our capital of Summit, pumping out munitions for his war effort." Viv said. "A factory? We can't take out Radkon's homebase in Mammoth if there's a factory supplying him." Rah said. "No kidding," 32op added to Rah's comment. "Look Zay, I know you just got back but we're spread out thin. Can you take care of this?"

Zay was sitting down in a comfortable seat of the shuttle and was looking out the window as it entered Earth's atmosphere. When 32op asked the question, he turned his attention to him. "Yeah, and I'll bring the rookie with me." He replied. Gingersnap looked at me and asked, "Are you sure about that? That kid was shaking like a leaf while we were at the Death Iceball." Goddess Marie added, "That's because it's cold there! The factory is nice and warm, when it's burnt to the ground. Just make sure the Rookie takes some good notes." Zay nodded as the shuttle soon began landing right outside of headquarters. The engine's roar slowed as it came to a landing point until it released the emergency skids, stopping the engine and blowing steam. The shuttle entrance slid upwards open as folding stairs folded out, ready for the passengers to get off. The rookie followed alongside Zay as they both sped off to the Arsenal Pyramid in Summit, where the factory was. The Rookie had a grapple and Zay had his boost. Soon enough, they both found themselves right at the entrance of the weapons factory. "Energy readings are picking up multiple enemies ahead. I can send reinforcements if it's too much for you to handle," Skylark Nate said. "No need," Zay said. "The two of us are more than enough." The factory was inside a pyramid here at Summit which was completely full of desert and sand caused by Radkon's industries. The vista waterfalls that used to be the highlight of the city have been replaced by sand and dust as mechanized pyramids, big and small, were visible in the distance. Metal pipes connected throughout the bottom. There were large metallic scaffolds and roads leading up to the factory. "Time for the two of us to team up. It doesn't matter what obstacle they put in our way, we'll blitz through the place and open up a path for the Resistance. Right, partner?" Zay asked the Rookie as they both skid on a pipe and flew from the grapple. Just up ahead, forces of Redemption Force robots who were equipped with artillery guns and cannons spotted the duo. "Here goes partner! When we join forces, the sky's the limit!" Zay said as they both leaped into the air as a swirling aura formed around them, and the sound of a turbo spin started emerging as the duo spun in an airborne ball and boosted faster than Zay normally does, running around the speed of sound. The robots entered high alert and began shooting at our heroes but it was too late as the both zoomed through the defenses, flinging the robots in all directions until they blew up. "Just gotta keep this up for a little longer!" Zay said to the Rookie as they ran up a side of the pyramid and stopped their double boost. "Bingo! Found a way in!" Zay called headquarters. His communicator sprung back to life as Aggie called back. "You should be able to find a way through. Be careful!" Zay was surprised to hear Aggie giving him orders. Sure it's been a while since he got to do something for the Resistance, but after being tortured, he was glad to be back home. Zay and the Rookie glided down whilst dodging lasers just like back at the Death Iceball. Except on the last set of lasers was spinning on the right side. They dodged it but it was a close one to look out for. Once our heroes dropped in, they were inside to see conveyor belts and machines carrying large metallic shells that they manufactured. They both hopped onto a spinning platform in the shape of a gear as a circle of robots surrounded them. But the Rookie has some tricks up his sleeve. He had a burst Wispon equipped which was a flamethrower and spun around, destroying every robot that stood upon our heroes. They hopped from platform to platform and then climbed onto the metallic claws grabbing shells and landed on a boost pad. They destroyed more robots until nothing but a pile of scrap remained. "All we need to do is make it to the factory's core. Now it should be here somewhere," Zay suggested as the Rookie grappled onto a spinning gear mounted on the wall and swung into another room where a loud roar could be heard. "These stasis pipes control the factory. Better get to work, partner!" Zay said as he started homing attacking one pipe as the Rookie used his Wispon on another. When one was destroyed, a laser that spun around the room suddenly activated to catch intruders. Once the second pipe was broken, the factory began to crumble as the pipes, robot pieces and machines started falling from above. Luckily, our heroes made it out of the factory as a huge explosion broke out of the pyramid as alarms of emergency sounded. Thick clouds of smoke shot out from the top side of the factory, and Radkon's supply of war efforts were no more.

A few months ago, a Morningstar warrior soon prepared to join the struggle of now after a breach at the Chemical Plant...