Previously: Yi Fan told Twain she was helping him because he told her he loved her. And now…

“When did I tell you that?” Twain asked.

“A couple of weeks ago,” she said. “You told me then that you wouldn’t know me the next time we …

Previously: The mysterious Yi Fan smuggled Twain to a safe place in a crate. And now…

He was in some kind of workshop or gardener’s shed, cinderblock walls hung with tools. Dust tickled his nose and danced in the late afternoon sunlight slanting in through …

Previously: Twain was escorted to safety and hidden away from the Cobalt Czar’s men by the mysterious and beautiful Yi Fan. And now…

A little over an hour after she had left, Yi Fan opened the door to the storeroom and waved Twain over. In …

Previously: Twain escaped from the Czar’s men and was led to apparent safety by the mysterious Yi Fan. And now…

“Wait here,” said Yi Fan. “I have an errand to run, and then I’ll make arrangements to get you someplace safer.”

“How do I know you …

Previously: Digger and Cole were on the Defcon 5 jet, headed for China, propelled by Metalord’s magnetic powers.. And now…

“What does ‘golden ticket’ mean, exactly?” Digger asked.

“A few years back, we not only saved Mongolia from being overrun by the Czar, but we also …

Previously: Metalord offered to take Digger to Mongolia by way of China on Defcon 5′s private jet. And now…

As soon as the acceleration had lessened enough for Digger to trust his balance, he got up and ran to the cockpit. He threw open the …

Previously: Cole took Digger to the airport to board Defcon 5′s plane for the trip to China. And now…

“This isn’t a plane,” Digger said. “This is an airliner.”

The plane looked pretty much like any civilian airliner to Digger’s eyes–not a jumbo jet, more like …

Previously: Cole told Digger that their sponsor had credited Digger assisting in taking down a robot, which carries a cash prize. And now…

“Okay, you want the truth? Truth is, you got credit for downing it and I only got credit for the assist,” Cole …

Previously: While Twain traveled to Mongolia, Cole Chen–a.k.a. Metalord–offered to take Digger after him. And now…

Once they were seated in his classic Porsche, Cole didn’t even bother to start the engine. The gearshift put itself in neutral and the car glided silently away from …

Previously: Twain faced off against the Cobalt Czar’s men in an alley, watched by a mysterious, beautiful woman with a scarred face. And now…

The big man stepped forward grimly. Twain had first thought to just use the kung fu to taunt his opponent, then …