CAST OF HEROES

Chapter Twenty

Uriee's black marble coffin laid to rest at the bottom of the harbor surrounded by rocks and algae. James, Millennia, Hard Drive, Finder, Wavelength, Green Thunder glanced at each other, sitting at the round metal table from the main bridge of the ship. Hard Drive held on to Finder's hand. Millennia drew up a holographic  map of the globe, placing blue dots in certain areas. 

"This is where we will strike together after Saladin." Millennia pointed at the first dot. "The other two spots might be where he is heading next for the crystal."

James frowned with glowing green and blue eyes as he leaned his hand on the table.

"Hard Drive, you still didn't explain to me how Saladin escaped with Covac?" Millennia inquired, leaning his elbow on the table and rubbing his chin.

Hard Drive pushed buttons on a flat tablet, checking on the ship's schematics. "I was ambushed by Covac's attack. My scans didn't detect him. He used an electromagnetic pulse to render me offline. When I came too, they were gone."

Millennia nodded. "Okay, that's all I need to know. Wavelength do you have anything you want to say?"  

Green Thunder clapped. "Yeah, your silence speaks volumes." Light flashed and his armor faded away, making Green Thunder vanish and Charles appeared in his place, stretching out his arms. 

Charles leaned forward, waiting for Wavelength's response."I can't wait to hear this."

Wavelength was sitting in a chair with his elbows on the table, his hands folded. "No, I have nothing to report."

Finder shrugged her shoulders. "So, what are we going to do with that map? Saladin won't stop until he gets his grubby hands on it."

James pounded his fist on the medal round table. Everyone turned to his direction."Uriee must be avenged! Forget the map---I want Saladin dead!" His eyes glowed a darker green and blue color.

Millennia turned his chair to James."James, we understand your need for revenge, but we must focus on the mission at hand."

James eyebrows creased down. "The mission at hand! Saladin killed Uriee! One of your own. I don't know about you. I will not let that go. One way or the other Saladin dies."

"Uriee was an honorable warrior, teacher, and friend. Those of you that don't know, Uriee taught many at the Dojo. Even Saladin. Saladin was one of his prized pupils. Until one day he murdered fellow students to gain more power. Uriee discovered this and banished him from the Dojo," Millennia paused. "But one day he said he would return to exact his revenge and that day had come."

James' eyes shifted to Millennia. "That explains why Uriee never told me about his history with Saladin."

Millennia rested his hands on the arms of the chair. "Now you know. We all will be heading back to Uriee's Dojo tonight to find and locate the map. We leave in two hours."

Everyone got up from the table. "James, can I have a word with you?" Millennia asked. James walked over to Millennia.

"James I know you've been going through a lot. You don't have to come with us on this mission. You can stay home with your mother." Millennia reached for James' shoulder.

James backed away from his touch. "No, I'm going on a mission. I won't rest until Saladin's gone." 

"I know I haven't been much of a father to you. I would like to try."

 James sighed, tightening his fist and cracking his knuckles."Yeah, whatever. All you care about is finding the map. You don't even care what Saladin did to Uriee. You are no different than him and to think I share the same DNA with both of you."