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He landed before the Vanguard soldier, his mind controlling the armor instead of moving his body. He swung, the ridges of his knuckles forming into spikes, disruptive nano-materials coating it. He gouged a line through the armor, and the sensors registered blood. Fortunately, the coating only attacked the polymers in the soldier's armor, keeping it from repairing itself. He didn't intend on killing anyone here, but Tucker was ready to do so if it came down to it to protect Theo.

Two soldiers ran at him, but one was intercepted by a screaming Cass, the armors colliding, Cass rolling and throwing the soldier away. Tucker turned, armor flowing over his foot, flattening it. It impacted with the soldier's helmet and it shattered, the collie's feet flying out from under him and landing on his back. He ground his teeth to bite back a snarled order at Cass to stop goofing around. Now was not the time for him to play with his new toy.

The armor registered laser blasts; the readout showing the absorbed energy increasing. He diverted most of it to the nanites in charge of the outer layer, increasing its thickness. Eventually, those Vanguard soldiers were going to realize they were adding power to his armor and switch to hand to hand. Until then.

He shunted some energy into the legs of the armor and jumped, arching toward the firing soldier. He extended his arm, a blade stretching out of his hand. The soldier kept firing and Tucker redirected the energy, adding an electrical arc to the edge of the blade. He sliced the soldier's hand off at the wrist, cauterizing the wound. He planted a foot in his chest and kicked him toward the ocean. If he was smart, he'd stay there, but Tucker didn't hold out hopes. Vanguard soldiers were known for their dedication, not intelligence.

The impact registered on his back, sending him flying after the soldier he kicked. He turned in the air, the armor altering to create the needed air baffle to let it do most o the work and get him to land faster. Tucker scanned the battlefield while it worked.

Cass was fighting four soldiers, jumping from one to the other, being a pest more than disabling them. In the distance, soldiers were returning to the battle. Six registered as out of commission, his armor programmed not to give details. If they were dead, Vanguard would leave them behind. He didn't need to think about them now.

He landed, feet digging furrows as he shed momentum, claws in the ground to help.

One soldier was missing. The commander. He hadn't run. Vanguard commanders did not run. There was also no one where this readout told him someone had stood when he was hit. He scanned the air but it also registered as free of opponents.

Which meant Vanguard had upgraded their stealth tech.

He instructed the armor to activate all sensors, which dropped the range to a dozen feet. He'd let the researchers analyze the fight and work you what Vanguard did. All he wanted now was to find Taavir Doramok and subdue him.

An echo registered in the sensor field, and the armor reacted without Tucker having to give instructions. The target was no longer there. Another echo, this time he stepped aside, but not fast enough. The impact unbalanced him, the armor compensating, studying the damage, running calculations. There was an unidentified substance in the damage. The armor quarantined it. Vanguard still hadn't cracked the coding on the Orr nanotech, the researchers would be pleased with that.

Three more echos, moments before a hit happened, and Tucker was bounced around. He lost armor, but it was replaced. He landed on his back, and when the next echo registered he had an extra second to react and roll out of the way. He jumped to his feet; the echo was now a distortion in his sensor field.

He stepped aside, and something impacted him in the chest, taking Tucker off his feet and sending him a dozen feet away. He landed and studied his surroundings. His opponent had to realize that with each attack he was providing Tucker with more data for his sensor and predicting program. He'd need to strike hard and fast.

The echo appeared above him, coming down too fast.

Tucker stepped aside and managed to avoid the full impact, but lost more armor to the foot scraping his back. The readout told him he could only take a few hits like this before it became compromised, so he changed tactics and made alterations to the armor's behavior.

The shadow swung back to strike. The predictive programs indicated an elongated edged weapon with a fine point, targeting his heart. It annoyed Tucker Vanguard knew about that weakness. The nanites couldn't react fast enough to high kinetic energy impact. A small point increased that energy.

He stepped aside, and the spike missed his heart but went through his lung. Nanites were already repairing the damage, but they wouldn't be able to finish the job until the obstruction was removed, which wouldn't be right now.

Tucker's armor flowed over his opponent's hand before hardening. He still could only see an echo of the man, but knowing where his hand was allowed his predictive program to work out the rest of him.

He put a hand on Commander Doramok's shoulder and locked it in place, his other hand he made into a fist, adding layers of armor to it and punched his opponent in the face repeatedly. The man hit him back, but Tucker had planned the attack, while Taavir was reacting to it.

The echo before him became a better-defined form with each hit, and the returning impacts registered with diminishing force. With another punch, Tucker released the Vanguard commander, and he staggered back, his stealth compromised to the point part of him remained visible as others winked in and out.

Tucker stood still, giving the nanites time to seal his lungs, but even once that was done he didn't rely on them, having the armor synthesize a voice for him.

"This is over, Commander Doramok," the digitized voice said.

The Vanguard tiger snorted. "I do not yield to the likes of you."

"You aren't yielding, you are beaten. Do a scan, commander. Your division is incapacitated. Your entire division was dealt with by two Orr soldiers, do you really want to continue this?"

"I am Commander Taavir Doramok, of the Vanguard army, I will die rather than let filth like you best me."

Tucker brought an item to the surface of his suit and took it. "I'm not interested in killing you, Taavir." He flicked the small container at the commander who stepped out of the way to let it fall to the ground. "You're going to want to pick it up," Tucker said. "The outer casing is inert, so you don't have to worry about getting infected, you can scan it, all it contains is data about your father."

"Vanguard is my father," Taavir.

"I'm sure your masters love that you believe that, but it isn't true."

"If you expect me to betray my corporation because of your lies, you do not know me."

"I don't give a fuck what you do with the information in there. Give it to your masters if that's going to make you feel like a good lackey. Let them know the Orrs are onto what they did. Use getting that to them as the excuse to leave this place alive if it's going to soothe your ego. Or keep fighting me and I'll end you permanently, even if I'd rather not, the choice is yours."

Tucker scanned their surroundings while Taavir made his decision. He hadn't lied. Knowing what was within the data container, Tucker didn't want to kill this man. He hated what had been done that allowed Taavir to exist, but he'd already known about it on a subconscious level before Uncle told him. Theo was evidence of it, and only an idiot thought Vanguard would stop at one.

The armor didn't give him details on the downed soldiers. He still didn't want to know. Cass was approaching, keeping Tucker between him and Taavir. If he'd seen any part of their fight, he knew to be wary. If not, hopefully, this standstill would keep him from doing anything stupid. Stupider than everything that had led to this.

Taavir picked up the data container and studied it. "This will contain lies."

"I don't care," Tucker replied, tired. "You have an excuse to leave. You need to report to your masters how an Orr soldier handed you a piece of information. So go to it and pick up your garbage too. Whoever owns this island will appreciate you cleaning up after yourself."

Taavir looked at Tucker, then turned, heading toward the shuttle. The other soldiers got to their feet, helping those needing it, but they all left. Tucker's breathing eased. No death at his hand. He didn't put soldiers on his wall, but they still weighed on him. He stood for the fifteen minutes it took the Vanguard division to reach their shuttle and leave, watching them via the satellites until they were too far to launch anything at him. He never put it past Vanguard to try to cover up their defeat with one last 'gift'.

"That was impressive fighting," Theo said, behind Tucker.

Tucker spun and punched the other tiger in the visor, sending him flying back. "What the fuck is wrong with you!" He strode toward Theo as he stood, locking Cass out of the armor's control. "Are you looking to get yourself killed?"

"Look, I appreciate you saving my--"

Tucker punched him.

Theo's armor automatically responded to keep him standing.

"Saving you?" Tucker yelled. "Why couldn't you stay where you were already safe?" He stuck him again. "Do you have any idea what we had to do to find you? And Vanguard almost got you!" Another punch.

"Cass, do something!"

"He can't," Tucker snarled, striking him again. "This is on you, not him. You ran away." Tucker grabbed Theo by the shoulders and shook him. "You hid from us. You opened yourself up to Vanguard finding you! How can you be that stupid knowing they've already tried you kidnap you?"

"Wait, are you Frank? Pete?" Theo asked. "I can't tell with you in this thing."

Tucker pulled Theo against him, hugging him tightly enough the armor sent warning signals. "You fucking idiot," he said softly, crying. "Don't you get it, I don't want to lose a brother, no matter how hard you deny being it."

"Tucker?"

"Who else did you think would come to rescue you?"

"Tucker?" this time the question sounded disbelieving.

Tucker took a step back and had the helmet melt away. "There." He wiped his eyes.

"You know how to fight?"

Tucker rolled his eyes. "No, I don't. I just love standing in this armor while being flung around by someone else remote controlling it. What do you think?"

"But you're Tucker! All you do is fuck guys and try to get me in your bed. Damn it, can you let me move?"

Tucker glared at Theo. "First off, I didn't aim for the bed, I'd have fucked you anywhere you'd said yes, still will. Second, you, of all people, don't get to be surprised at someone being other than what he pretends. And third, you're not moving from that spot until our ride is here. Cass stop wasting your time, you're not taking control, that isn't just a clothing belt, the security on there is top of the line and Uncle added stuff just to stop you."

"Do you know how frustrating it is to be locked out?" Cass answered.

"I do, Theo's been locking me out of his ass for as long as I've known him."

"You control this armor, you could do what you want," Cass said.

"That's repugnant, Cass," Tucker said. "He hasn't said yes."

"And I won't," Theo said. "Why is your voice digitized and not coming from your mouth? Taavir's gone."

"Lung's still being repaired. The nanites are dealing with most of my respiratory needs at the moment. I can probably talk, but I don't want to stress them. By the time we're back home, I'll be fine."

"I can't go back there," Theo stated.

"Come on! Wasn't this enough to show you how dangerous being out here is? What the fuck did Sebastian tell you that made you want to run away this badly?"

"I don't know who Sebastian is."

"Don't fucking give me that. I have the sensor record of him sending you a data transmission." He had it play on the inside of Theo's visor. "Seb hasn't told us what's in it yet, but believe me, if Uncle doesn't get him to talk, Dad will."

"He doesn't know anything," Theo said after a long silence. "He's just the messenger."

"You think that makes a difference? Grandma loved him."

"Damn it, Tuck, what do you want me to say! I didn't start this okay?"

"Tell me what the fuck is going on?"

"I can't!"

"Well tough fucking luck, because we're going home. I will not let you kill yourself out of whatever this is. I don't let family commit suicide!"

"I'm not trying to get myself killed," Theo growled.

"Yeah, how about I replay you this fight, starting where you were about to kill yourself with that hand of yours?"

The silence stretched.

"You were more than five hundred meters away," Cass said.

"Top of the line military armor," Tucker said slowly. "This thing can scan the entire island if I don't mind losing definition and the kind of power that was registering in Theo's hand would have blown alarms in orbit if anyone had been paying attention."

"You don't understand," Theo said.

"Because you aren't explaining! We saved you from SolGov, we took you in because you are family and you keep treating us like we're your enemy!"

"I have a job to do! Fuck it, Tucker, let me move in this thing or I swear I am going to find a way to castrate you."

Tucker grinned. "You'd be willing to touch my cock?" He enabled basic motion to the suit, and Theo yanked himself off his feet.

"Oh, that was hilarious," Theo said dryly, getting to his feet. "How about removing this helmet now?"

Tucker sent the instructions, and it melted away, revealing a black-furred face. "Dad can give you pointers on how to make fur color changes interesting."

"The point was to blend in, not stand out even more."

Tucker queried the hover, "You have ten minutes to convince me not to take you back home. That's when the hover gets here."

Theo narrowed his eyes. "Isn't there one already over this island?"

"That's an orbital shuttle. Not really designed to be in the atmosphere."

"You dropped from an orbital shuttle?" Cass asked.

"Are you insane?" Theo added.

"Not according to the military shrink program I've been put through," Tucker replied proudly.

Theo studied him. "Someone might need to look at that program. It's clearly faulty."

"Nine and a half minutes," Tucker said.

"I told you, I have a job to do."

"So do I, mine's getting you back home where you'll be safe. The ideal version of that is having me assigned as your very personal bodyguard from this point forward, but I'll settle for you being restricted to the Cisco Islands from now on."

"I'm not doing this with you," Theo said, turning and walking away.

"How far do you want me to let you go before I get you to walk back here?"

"What about fucking consent?" Theo screamed, turning.

"When it comes to keeping family safe, that law becomes pretty flexible." He crossed his arms over his chest. "We can keep this going for nine more minutes."

"You don't understand," Theo said.

"Repeating yourself isn't making it any clearer."

"Earth is in danger."

"Okay, that's only a little clearer, still not going to let you run loose on that."

Theo closed his eyes. "It turns out," he said reluctantly, "that the technology behind the rogue AI on Mars came from the group I'm affiliated with. A rogue element in it," he added quickly, "just one person. He fled before he could be caught there, and now he's on earth."

"And you consider it your job to bring him to justice because of how you got tangled into that?"

"I'm not that self-centered, Tucker. Even if the bastard is who told those Anarchists I was on Mars. No, he's here with the knowledge and technology to create an AI. Can you imagine what happened on Mars happening here? The way every city is interconnected. It's going to take over everything in minutes."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Uncle said.

"Of course you're listening in," Theo said, giving Tucker a dirty look.

"Considering the amount of energy I invested in tracking you down, I believe the words you are looking for is 'thank you'," Uncle replied casually. "Now, who and where is that would be destroyer hiding?"

Theo closed his eyes. "Give them the coordinates," he finally said.

Tucker access the global map. "There's nothing there." He looked for any kind of historical data, but the middle of nowhere never attracted attention. He did note the way the network seemed to interfere with itself in that area.

"Interesting network dead zone," Uncle commented. "Anything could be operating in there and we wouldn't know."

"Now you know why I need to do this," Theo said.

"No," Tucker said. "We send our troupes in there, clear it all out."

"The instant they find out you're on your way, they unleash the AI," Theo said. "This is a one-person job. In, makes sure the AI is destroyed and get out. If I can do it before they drop whatever interferes with the network, they won't be able to rush releasing the AI."

"Can you create your own interference bubble, Uncle?"

"No, all I can do is block connections, and I can't see those until they connect, at which point they'll release the rogue AI. Theo is right that we can't send in the army."

"Good," Theo said, sounding relieved.

"Which is why you're going with him, Tucker."

"No!" Theo exclaimed. "Do you have any idea how quickly he's going to..." He trailed off, looking around.

Tucker waited, smirking.

Theo rubbed his black-furred face. "Okay, I guess having him with us won't be such a disaster."

Tucker smiled. "I told you it was just a question of time before you actually wanted me at your side."

"That isn't helping, Tucker," Uncle said. "It might be best if you stayed in military mode until this is over."