Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Keep On Rockin' In Midgar ❯ Filler Chapter Burn Our Corneas ( Chapter 5 )

Blood From Metal

 

By: Alpha Zulu Mark II

 

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I don't claim to own any of them, and this fic is meant only to explore an idea; so, bite me!

 

Chapter 5

 

The hard thing about being a guard is that it is difficult to maintain your focus. Being a guard is boring, tedious, mind-numbing work. It grinds down the will and mind of the unfortunate person doing it, and encourages the baser needs to press hard for satisfaction. Drowsing, indifference and indolence are the three most common effects of not properly rotating guard duty.

 

This was something that three people watching the house from the jungle knew well. They had been on station for two whole days now, and their notebooks were nearly full. As the sun set, the three of them traded short, two-hour watches while the others rested. They rested because in the short hours of the morning, they were going to pay the house a visit; and it wasn't the kind of visit that started with a greeting card. Such visits as they planned to make were the sort that caused guards to be placed around the property in the first place.

 

Half past one in the morning, the three crossed over the ridge they had used to hide themselves and made their way silently down the hill toward the spot they had selected to breach the perimeter of the grounds. Creeping through the brush, it took them until five past three in the morning to reach their target spot. Crouching in the tree line, the three surveyed the area one more time before moving on their target. One at a time, they crawled from the tree line to the base of the wall that enclosed the compound.

 

At the base of the wall, the leader pulled out a length of bamboo that had been cut earlier and carried in. It was five feet long, and cross-tied with wood steps. Leaning it against the wall, he carefully climbed up. With the added reach, he could peek over the wall. Doing so, he scanned for guards before quietly covering the razor wire and embedded glass shards with a folded field jacket. With that done, he scampered over the wall, landing silently inside the compound, his silenced pistol ready.

 

In short order, the other two followed him over. The last one to cross pulled the field jacket with them, cutting it some, but removing the signs of their crossing. Single file, the three dark-clad figures moved along the wall, following the observed gaps in patrols and suspected camera blinds. Nearing their next penetration route, the trio was surprised to find a guard ambling along on a patrol route that none of them had observed. From the lazy pace and irregular step of the guard, it was clear he was either half-asleep, or half-drugged.

 

Either way, he was an obstacle. And obstacles were to be overcome. Kneeling in the partially-shadowed lawn near the wall, the lead figure got a solid bead on the guard's head while the middle figure eased a fighting knife out of their harness and slithered forward, not unlike the snakes that were indigenous to the jungles of the country they were in. Closer and closer the two drew.

 

The guard noticed the infiltrator first, but it was too late for him. Fumbling for the SMG slung across his chest, he was caught off guard and ill-prepared for the attack. Springing up, the infiltrator grabbed the submachine gun and twisted it one hundred eighty degrees, the sling catching the guard's strong hand, binding it against the side of the gun, the support arm trapped by the looped sling. Without pause or hesitation, the infiltrator struck with a saber thrust that drove the combat knife straight through the voice box of the man's throat, silencing him.

 

Even as the blade impacted the spine at the back of the throat, the attacker was moving forward with the take-down, using a foot behind his heel to throw him to the deck. The smaller attacker rode his body down, hand still on the hilt of the knife. As soon as the guard had hit the ground, the knife was jerked out, flipped around in the hand, and driven straight into the man's heart. A moment later, the attacker withdrew the knife with a vicious back-and-forth wrench that completely bisected the heart.

 

Other than a single wet gurgle, the fight had been completely silent. Swiping the blade of the knife on the guard's rapidly-saturating shirt, the infiltrator grabbed the collar of the man's shirt and dragged him back toward the other two. Swiftly, they concealed the body as well as they could and hurried forward. Moving across open ground was a risk, but there was no choice. Sprinting to the house, the three paused while the lead person gained entrance by breaking a window lock with the blade of his knife. Moving inside, the three began the sweep.

 

Moving in a train, they negotiated the obstacles, clearing and locking each room they came to in turn. A pair of guards in a secluded security room never had a chance. When the door opened, the first was shot in the forehead, and the second was stitched down the side as he lunged for the alarm switch. After an insurance shot into his head as well, the three swiftly figured out the camera system and used it to locate the other guards and house servants.

 

With that done, they disabled as much of the alarms as they could, and used a grenade trap on the door as they withdrew. With a better idea of where the guards were, they broke up into single-person units. One took the bottom perimeter, tasked with silencing the guards in the yard and guard house at the compound's main gate. The second infiltrator was tasked with securing the primary target, and the third with securing the ancillary personnel, as well as being the back-up if either of the other two ran into problems.

 

Mao worked her way through the servant's wing of the house, securing the maids and butlers and kitchen staff without mishap. Each room had two servants in it, and whoever had set up the house was an anal-retentive sort, because as the ex-Marine methodically took down the sleeping servants, she found that each room was paired by gender and function. The maids weren't much of a problem, though one had woken up as Mao secured her roommate. She hadn't screamed, though, since Mao had jammed her silenced pistol's muzzle in her face and hissed “Silence!” at her. The older woman had understood the message perfectly and done as ordered.

 

The butlers weren't much more difficult, though she had had to hurt one pretty badly when he insisted on demanding to know if she had an appointment. Other than that one, though, the butlers were secured and stashed without mishap. Mao made a note to come back and gather intelligence from the rooms of the butlers. After all, the doormen always knew more than the master of the house.

 

The kitchen staff gave her some trouble, and a chef and a kitchen boy died when they tried to jump her. Mao had managed to slip free of their sloppy ambush and with the knowledge that they were under-strength against a large guard contingent, had put a pair of double-taps into the two, killing bother. The dull thwap! of the silenced gun's report had woken the last two cooks, but when Mao kicked their door open and rushed in, gun up, they had wisely surrendered. She had quickly put them into submission and moved to support Sousuke, who was tasked with taking down the main target.

 

As she passed the stairs leading down, she heard a man's scream and a single shot from the M16s that the guards carried. Dashing downstairs, she broke radio silence. “Yu, sit rep!” she hissed.

 

“Front side, left of door,” came the calm voice of the assassin. “Targets neutralized except for guard house. One down, one wounded. Moving to neutralize,” came the succinct report.

 

“Supporting from near corner,” said Mao, jogging through a drawing room to the corner window. Using her silencer's muzzle, she quickly broke out a pane of glass and knelt, getting a good angle on the door to the guard house. She saw a dark figure dashing forward, rifle in hand. Focusing on the door to the guard shack, she squeezed off a couple of shots to keep the guard's head down.

 

Reaching the brick wall of the guard house, Yu Fan shifted her rifle to her support hand and pulled a mini-grenade of late 60's vintage from her harness pouch. Slightly larger than a golf ball, the fragmentation pattern was nearly perfect for small, enclosed areas like the guard hut. Using her opposite forefinger, Yu Fan plucked the pin and leaned around the corner just enough to soft-ball toss the small device into the hut. Three and a half seconds later, there was a thump! from inside. Rifle back in hand, Yu Fan rolled around the corner and checked the room. The first guard had been shot from inside the house, and was sprawled out on his side, a hole in the side of his neck. The second guard was crumpled against the wall, his rifle in hand, apparently he had been trying to clear a jam. Advancing carefully, Yu fan prodded him with the barrel of her bull-pup assault rifle. Hearing him moan, she pulled out her knife and finished him off.

 

“Perimeter clear,” she whispered into her radio. Mao's voice came back immediately.

 

“Any sign of movement on the road?” asked the older woman. Yu Fan scanned the dark road. After a full minute, she radioed back.

 

“Negative movement,” she said.

 

“Secure the hut and withdraw,” directed Mao. There were prisoners to question, after all, and then it would be time to withdraw.

 

“Affirmative,” said the assassin, using a small tactical light to examine the guard shack. Seeing a useful item in the corner, Yu Fan quickly examined it, determined that it was in operating condition, and removed it from the crate it had rested in. “Securing main gate,” she radioed, slinging her rifle and moving to the gate. Swiftly running her leads, she armed the device and jogged back to the main house.

 

Mao was still in her position, watching Yu Fan's back. Once the other woman was in, she closed and locked the front door. Tossing her head, the two moved upstairs to check on Sousuke. Entering the bedroom where the main target was, they found Sousuke dragging the body of a guard past the bound and gagged target. “Everything ok here?” asked Mao.

 

“Affirmative,” said Sousuke. “Target is secure,” he assured them. “Servants?” he asked.

 

“Secured,” Mao reported. “Two dead, the rest secured, and the guards have been put down, as well,” she added.

 

“Very well,” said Sousuke. “Assemble the servants for interrogation,” he said. Mao frowned.

 

“Shouldn't we just…?” she began.

 

“It will be more efficient to interrogate them as a group,” he said, cutting her off.

 

“Tennis court,” said Yu Fan cryptically.

 

“What?” wondered Mao.

 

“Agreed,” Sousuke said. “Mao, go with Yu,” he said, reaching for the main target. “I will be along shortly,” he said, his tone causing a shiver to run down Mao's spine. Yu Fan was already moving, so Mao hurried to catch up with her. Forming the servants into a single group was easy enough, and getting them to obey orders was likewise simple; at least, after Yu Fan cut the ear off a butler who spoke out of turn.

 

“Proceed single-file to the tennis court,” the assassin said emotionlessly as the butler - clutching his bleeding head - sobbed at her feet. “If any of you try to escape or attack us, they and the two closest to them will be executed,” she directed. “Mao, you take the lead,” she said. Mao, nodded, trying to suppress the unease she felt.

 

Winding her way down the stairs, she found herself recalling what Yu Fan had said about herself and Sousuke. She and Sousuke are pure-blood mercenaries, while I'm still, at the very core, a United States Marine, she reflected. Wincing, she pushed those thoughts aside. Concentrate on the mission, soldier, she ordered herself sternly. As they reached the tennis court with the dozen or so servants, Yu had them all kneel on the court, warning them that if they stood or moved, they would be shot dead immediately. With herself and Mao watching them, they waited for Sousuke to appear.

 

They didn't have long to wait. The door that led to the pool and tennis court crashed open, and the naked form of their target was propelled through it by a hefty helping of combat boot. Tripping and falling, the bound and gagged man writhed on the stone walkway before Sousuke grabbed his hair and jerked him to his feet. To say that the young mercenary's handling of the man was rough was an understatement.

 

When the man landed in a heap in front of the servants, Sousuke put his foot on top of the bruised and scraped man's back, driving him face-down onto the tennis court. “I am looking for a woman who was kidnapped,” he said slowly and clearly in English. “Her name is Kaname Chidori. Japanese national, she is one hundred sixty six centimeters tall and masses fifty kilos. She wears her hair long, and has no distinguishing scars or tattoos. Have you seen her?” he said. There was some murmuring from the staff, but no one spoke up.

 

“Very well,” said Sousuke, pulling his main knife free and bending over. Using the edge, he cut the material gagging the primary target away, nicking the man's cheek in the process. “Where is Kaname Chidori?” he said the man.

 

“How dare you!” screamed the man, “I have powerful friends!” he threatened. Sousuke pricked his neck with the tip of his knife.

 

“Tell me about your friends,” he said coldly. “But first, tell me where Kaname is,” he ordered.

 

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” he huffed.

 

“That is most unfortunate,” said Sousuke conversationally. Looking at the assembled servants, he asked them once more. “Have you seen Kaname Chidori? Where did they take her? Who was with her?” Getting only silence, he glared at them. “You will answer me,” he said ominously. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a length of thin wire.

 

-

 

Kaname Chidori sat up, yawning. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she clumsily climbed out of bed and made her way to the bathroom. Still so weak and tired in the mornings, she thought to herself as she started the shower. It was her third day on the island, and she was already getting restless. Last night, she had had a decidedly erotic dream of Sousuke, and right as the dream reached the best part, she had realized that Tessa had fallen into a heavier resonance than she had anticipated, being consumed by the swirling memories and dreams of her fellow Whispered.

 

It was a two-way street, of course, as Kaname experienced Tessa's first time. That Sousuke and Tessa had had sex didn't surprise or anger her, since it had been clear for a long time that things were heading that way. In fact, it was a relief to Kaname to know that Tessa and Sousuke had taken that step so soon after she and Sousuke had. After all, when you share your mind with another, it is hard - even uncomfortable - to keep that kind of thing a secret. And Tessa's really, really cute, too, she thought, stepping into the shower.

 

During their resonance, she and Tessa had shared information. Kaname knew that Sousuke and Mao were after her, at risk to their career and standing in MITHRIL, and she knew that Tessa was risking everything to get her back. Tessa learned all that Kana had seen, and when the two had shared the visit to the man-sized semi-autonomous AS plant, Tessa had promised that that plant wouldn't exist for very long once her De Danaan was back in the water. As they had neared waking, the two shared their dreams, and Tessa had found herself liking the little fantasy that Kaname had dreamed up with the two of them on a beach with Sousuke.

 

But now, I am awake and back on my own; well, sort of, she thought, washing her hair. As prisons go, this isn't that bad, though the company sucks, she admitted to herself. Leonard had been persistently pursuing her for the last two days, and had found herself under pressure from the other three women as well, so she was finding it hard to leverage the situation in her favor.

 

“Kana? You up yet?” came the voice of Kari, preceding the girl herself by about a half second. Entering the bathroom, she grinned at Kaname. “Oh, you are,” she said. As usual, she was wearing bikini bottoms and not much else. “Breakfast is almost ready,” she said. “Hurry up,” she urged Kaname. Kaname smothered her groan and rinsed the last of the body wash off herself.

 

“I'm coming, I'm coming,” she grumbled, accepting her towel from Kari. The girl giggled.

 

“You'd cum a lot more if you'd stop being so stubborn,” she suggested. Kaname didn't react to the bait.

 

“I'll pass,” she said, drying her hair. Kari disappeared into the bedroom, returning a few moments later with a bikini bottom for her. Kaname took the offered garment and stepped into it, pulling it up her legs and settling it comfortably. She had discovered the first morning here that Leonard preferred the girls to be topless, and while she was not going to give him the satisfaction of being a `good girl' and following his directives, she had also discovered that there were no tops to be had; at least as far as she could tell. Kaname had countered that by ripping a strip of her top sheet off and fashioning a simple tie-tube top.

 

Moving into the bedroom, she fished her strip of cloth out from her pillowcase and tied it in place, feeling Kari brushing her hair. As she adjusted her breasts for maximum comfort, the younger girl patted her rear. “You're ready!” she chirped.

 

“Thanks, Kari,” mumbled Kaname. Together, the two moved out of her room and into the dining room, finding Leonard waiting for them with Gretchen and Sari.

 

“Ah, my beautiful Kaname,” he said, smiling at her, “at last,” he added. Kaname ignored him. Sitting down, she began to dish up her food.

 

“So what are we doing today?” wondered Kari. Leonard smiled at Kaname.

 

“Actually, I was thinking that I would show Kaname a special place,” he said, causing Kari to giggle wickedly. Kaname's eyes narrowed to angry slits.

 

“Yeah, you just try it,” she hissed. Leonard blinked at her innocently.

 

“It's not like that, my dear,” he said. “There is a small little island a few hundred yards off shore that has the most breathtaking orchids on it; that's all,” he assured her.

 

“So go show them off to the others,” said Kaname. Kari and Sari immediately turned to silently beg Leonard to take them. “These two are certainly eager,” she noted, smirking at him.

 

“Sadly, though,” sighed Leonard, “this is not something that just anyone can experience,” he declined to take his two toys with him. “You are the only one who can truly appreciate the orchids, my dear Kaname,” he zeroed back in on her.

 

“Fine! Whatever!” Kaname groused, viciously biting into some fresh mango slices. Mumbling angrily, she consumed the food on her plate. Done, she rose and moved back to her bedroom to brush her teeth and use the bathroom. As she finished up, she realized that if her memory served her correctly, she was due for her period sometime in the next day or two. Well, I can only hope that they have hygienic supplies here, the girl thought irritably. A cursory check of the bathroom didn't reveal any of the supplies she anticipated needing, but with three other girls in the house, she was reasonably sure that the supplies would be somewhere around.

 

With the thought of locating those supplies in her mind, she departed her room and made for the dining room, looking for Kari or - if necessary - Gretchen. In the dining room, she found Leonard and Gretchen sitting at the empty table, Leonard with a laptop, and Gretchen with a note pad, taking occasional notes. Kaname scratched Gretchen from her list and moved to find Kari.

 

“Ah! I see you are ready,” said Leonard, catching sight of Kaname. Closing his laptop, he rose. “I'll leave you to finish up the details, Gretchen dear,” he said.

 

“Yes, Leonard,” said the woman, rising. She collected the laptop and moved toward the office. “When will you be returning, sir?” she asked him.

 

“Oh, I anticipate that we should be back by lunch, though if we are not, don't be overly concerned,” he replied airily.

 

“Very well,” conceded Gretchen, her eyes resting on Kaname for a moment before she entered the office, closing the door behind her. Leonard wrapped an arm around Kaname's waist and guided her out of the house.

 

“Shall we be off, then?” he asked her. Kaname sent him an annoyed glance, but didn't respond verbally. Approaching the beach, she found that Kari and Sari were just turning a boat around. It was a large inflatable boat, like they had on yachts, with an outboard motor and a rigid floor. She spotted a water-resistant bag in the front of the boat. “All ready?” asked Leonard of the two girls.

 

“Ready!” came the cheerful chorus from the two girls.

 

“Are you sure we can't come, too, Leo?” asked Kari, giving him her most adorable look.

 

“We promise we will not get in the way,” seconded Sari.

 

“We would be glad to help, too!” assured Kari.

 

“Please?” begged Sari. Leonard smiled at them.

 

“Sorry, but this is something that is for Kaname and I alone,” he declined their begging. Both pouted. “None of that,” he admonished them. “There will be time later for you two help,” he assured them. Both brightened up instantly.

 

“Really?!” came the excited outburst from Kari, her eyes on Kaname. For some reason, Kaname found herself feeling uneasy with the girl's vibe. Something is not right about this, thought Kaname uneasily. Leonard guided her into the seat in the middle of the boat, taking the rear-most himself.

 

“Be good and help Gretchen if she asks for it,” Leonard said, starting the motor and moving them out of the cove.

 

“We will!” called out the two in synch with each other. Kaname glanced back, seeing the two watching them. Turning forward, she memorized what she could of the shape and form of the island. The better to find this place again and have Tessa-chan drop some ordnance here, too! she thought irritably.

 

The island was irregular, with the majority of the shore being rocky escarpments. It was apparent that the island had been worked on heavily to form the place where the house and landing strip were. Recalling what she could of Merida island, it occurred to her that the two bases were very similar, if not in size. Both hidden in remote areas, both low-profile, and both run by a Testarossa, she mused. Thinking back on her last several days, she had another thought. I definitely prefer Tessa-chan, she decided.

 

The boat worked its way along the coast, riding the modest half-meter swells with ease. As it rounded a rough horn, Kaname saw a smaller island about a mile distant, this one low and deep, rich green. Leonard directed them toward the island. It took them about twenty minutes to reach it, and when they did, Kaname found themselves about fifty yards off a rock and sand beach. “Be a dear and drop anchor, will you?” said Leonard, the engine going to idle.

 

“Here?” asked Kaname, eying the open water between them and the island. “Why not beach it?” she wondered. Leonard chuckled.

 

“Oh, I would, but there is a nasty sandbar between us and the beach,” he explained. “It is easier to just walk to the beach,” he went on. Looking over the side, Kaname found that they were over a mottled sand bar, the water maybe a meter deep. Looking back, she saw that the greenish water suddenly turned deep, dark blue, indicating a steep drop-off behind them.

 

“There is plenty of water to get closer to the beach,” she argued.

 

“Yes, but the tide is going out, and if we get closer, we will be stranded her for almost the whole day,” he said. “But, if that is what you wish,” he shrugged, engaging the engine and moving forward.

 

“On second thought, I'm dropping the anchor,” muttered Kaname, finding the spade anchor and tossing it over the side, the metal biting into the bottom. Kaname tied the rope off on a cleat, then, after a moment of thought, secured another knot to a different cleat. No way am I going to have the boat drift off, she thought. Standing, she shielded her eyes and looked around the boat, the clear water letting her see bottom easily. “Don't see any sharks,” she muttered.

 

“Oh, I placed some anti-shark pods along the perimeter of this beach,” Leonard said. “We I came here for the first time, one of my workers got attacked by a Bull shark in the cove, so I whipped up some shark-repelling devices and planted them along both areas. There hasn't been a shark either place since,” he assured her. Kaname felt the Whisper in her mind grow louder, concepts and materials and even basic plans filling her head. Forcing the Whisper back, she slipped into the water, finding it to be just below her breasts. Rolling forward, she stroked easily for the beach, finding two sandbars between her and the beach, both of them only about a half meter below the surface.

 

Looking back, she found that Leonard had tossed the bag into the water before stepping over the side as well, and was now pulling it after him. Kaname maintained her pace, reaching the beach several minutes before Leonard did. Looking around, she saw few signs that anyone had been on this island, but had to admit, there was a diversity of plant life that she found impressive.

 

Leonard came ashore and picked up the bag, moving it to the base of a palm tree, opening it to pull free a short machete before closing it up again. Swinging the bag over his shoulder, he glanced at Kaname. “Ready to see my orchids?” he asked her.

 

“Lead on,” came her bored reply. Leonard began to hack a passage into the middle of the island. Not that it was a big island, being about half a klick square by her estimation. Following behind Leonard by a fair length, she looked around to see if anything looked familiar. Other than jungle, it didn't look familiar, though she saw some familiar plants here and there.

 

“Finally,” huffed Leonard, “we're here!” he announced. Looking forward, Kaname saw a shallow pool of water, which seemed to be absorbed rather than running to the sea, around which grew a thick carpet of vines, bearing hundred of richly-colored orchids the size of a dinner plate. Sniffing, she smelled a perfume-like scent coming off the field.

 

“Mm,” she hummed. “That smells really good,” she noted, bending over to get a better smell. “This would make an incredible perfume,” she noted. “What kind of orchid is it?” she wondered.

 

“It is the Testarossa orchid,” replied Leonard with false modesty. “I bio-engineered it myself, actually,” he added. “Bio-engineering is not unlike developing Whispered talents, you know,” he added. Kaname said nothing, letting him rant on, merely enjoying the scent of the orchids.

 

“Kaname, have you ever wondered why Whispereds exist?” he asked her. Kaname had never really bothered to ask herself that question. “Well, I have,” he continued. “I have looked at it from every conceivable angle, and it has become apparent that Whispereds are the successors to mankind.”

 

Kaname snorted. Not this grandiose crap again! she thought sardonically. “Let me guess,” she replied contemptuously, “we are here to take the world from mankind, to be their lords, or maybe gods, right?” she accused. “Sorry, I'll pass on the megalomaniacal course,” she added acidly.

 

“Actually,” Leonard replied calmly, “we are not going to take anything from them,” he said. “We are, in point of fact, going to inherit from them the future.” Kaname didn't comment, but her expression told him plenty. “What would you say if I were to tell you that Whispereds are becoming extinct because of people like the old `superpowers' trying to capture them and use them to make weapons that in turn kill thousands? What if you knew that - given the abilities of the Whispered - the destruction of the Earth could be halted; maybe even reversed. You have seen for yourself that Black Technology is clean, safe and efficient, and although used most for war machines, could just as easily be used to reach out into space, or to make ecologically-safe, inexpensive, renewable energy for the world. I know that MITHRIL has shown you how advanced their medical sciences are, and I can assure you, that is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

 

“You sound like a fifth grader,” grunted Kaname. “Utopia is a theoretical state for a reason, Leo!” she reminded him. Human nature is self-destructive, after all, she philosophized.

 

“But it need not be that way!” replied Leonard earnestly. “Consider what might be possible if one were to nourish the Whispered, rather than treat them like commodities or war resources.” Seeing he had her attention, he went on. “By cherishing the talents, rather than fearing them, we could reach higher than any `regular' human could believe,” he preached. “Together, Whispered can take the future and create a better world for themselves! Kaname, won't you join me on this quest for a better world? Just think: no more being hunted. No more being the `odd one out' because you can hear the whispers in your mind. Being acknowledged for your gifts, rather than ostracized.” He paused, gauging her reaction. “All we have to do, Kaname, is stand together,” he whispered in her ear, kneeling to wrap his arms around her.

 

-

 

“Something bothering you, Mao?” asked Sousuke. The oldest of the three teammates flinched at his words. The three of them were back in Manila, in the hotel room. They had arrived back the day before, and were currently discussing what they had learned from the owner of the house and the staff.

 

“No, nothing,” said Mao. Sousuke studied her.

 

“Something is bothering you, Mao,” he said seriously. “You are obviously uncomfortable around me and Yu Fan since the take-down of the target,” he said. “What is the problem?” he asked her directly. Mao considered that.

 

“Sousuke, you tortured that man and half the staff,” she said after a moment. “Was that necessary?” she asked. Yu Fan silently emerged from the bathroom, toweling her hair dry.

 

“It was the most expedient way to obtain the information we sought,” he said. “It is regrettable, but there was no better way to do it.” he stated with absolute certainty.

 

“Was it also necessary to execute all the prisoners?” wondered the Sergeant Major. “I mean, they were just hired help, you know?” she prompted.

 

“Survivors are loose ends we cannot afford,” said Sousuke. “They knew that we were after Kana. They likely could figure out that we are related to MITHRIL. It is even possible that they could positively identify us to AMALGAM. That is a chance we could not take.” stated the young man.

 

“But, we could have…” began Mao, only to have Sousuke interrupt her again.

 

“Could have what, Melissa?” he asked her coldly. “Called in for MITHRIL to pick them up? Handed them over to the local law enforcement?” He leaned closer to Melissa, who unconsciously leaned back from him. “Kana's in danger, these people not only failed to help her, they were part of the organization that kidnapped her,” he hissed. “We are operating in the black, Melissa; not covert, not secret - BLACK,” he emphasized. “None of this will ever be recorded or documented, and that means, no loose ends.”

 

“Perhaps you should return to MITHRIL,” came Yu Fan's voice. “Sousuke and I can recover Chidori on our own, if necessary,” she stated. “If you will not or cannot adapt to this mode of operation, we are better off without you.”

 

“You little cunt!” hissed Mao.

 

“She is correct, Mao,” seconded Sousuke. The wide-eyed stare she directed at him told him that she was shocked at his agreeing with the assassin. “If your heart is not in this, it is better if you return to MITHRIL,” he said quietly. “I would not ask, or expect, you to compromise your value system, Melissa; and neither would Tessa,” he added quietly.

 

Mao sighed. “Guess that is where it comes out,” sighed the woman. `Once a Marine, always a Marine', eh? Well, guess that is just not sufficient in the real world, she told herself. “I'm staying,” she said.

 

“I admit I am relieved,” confided Sousuke, reaching over to briefly squeeze her shoulder. “However, might I suggest that should you find us in that situation again, you take Yu Fan's advice and busy yourself with something else?” he suggested. Mao blushed slightly, recalling that as Sousuke had worked on the target, Yu Fan had noticed her agitation and suggested that she go police up any intelligence from the house while she and Sousuke `dealt with the personnel'. She had refused, citing the number of enemy combatants. Most of whom were pissing and shitting themselves and begging for mercy, she recalled uneasily. Sousuke had shown her something during those hours that she had hoped never to see again.

 

“Deal,” said the woman. I wonder if Kana knows how dangerous he can be? she asked herself. She recalled some scraps of conversations and odd physical reactions over the last year from Tessa. I bet Tessa knows how dangerous he is, she realized. Her respect for Tessa gained a notch at that realization. “So,” she pushed that topic away, “what's the next play?” she asked the two. Yu Fan draped her towel over her shoulders and sat naked next to Sousuke, who was going over the hard intelligence that they had removed from the house before demolishing it. The demolition charge that Yu Fan had found in the guard shack had been pressed into duty as the primary of a two-stage demolition charge that leveled the house and burned the remains.

 

After he and Yu Fan had finished extracting all the intelligence they could from the household staff, they had killed the survivors and dragged the bodied back into the house proper, leaving them littering the first floor. Sousuke had found the mechanical room, and from there, he and Yu Fan had devised a demolition plan for the house. First, they killed all the power, and locked out the fuse panel. Then, they had gone through the house, finding the propane feed line, and opening it in several places, flooding the house with gas. With that done, Sousuke had rigged a simple time fuse on the demolition charge and set it up near the center of the house. In effect, it acted like a contained FAE unit.

 

Mao had been curious about the feasibility of the plan, but when she heard a literally earth-moving rumble, she had to admit that Yu Fan and Sousuke knew more about demo than she did. As they had climbed the hill one ridgeline away from the containing mountain where they had set up their initial OP, she used her binoculars to take a look at what she could see of the house. It looked, she discovered, like someone had laid an air strike on it with a blockbuster bomb. Debris was everywhere, most of it on fire, and the main house had that nasty shallow crater look common to car bombs, professional demolition jobs and gas main explosions.

 

“Well,” came Sousuke's voice, dispelling her memories of the demo job, “The intelligence from the house indicate that there are three likely places where she might have been taken. One is in a region of the former Soviet Union where we have operated before,” he mused. Glancing at Mao, he asked if she remembered when he had tossed a Mi-24 attack helicopter. Chuckling, Mao nodded.

 

“That made you a celebrity, you know,” she reminded him. He shrugged.

 

“Well, the lab mentioned is like the one that the Whispered escaped from,” said the young man. “Our intelligence had reported that it was destroyed, but I am beginning to suspect that all intelligence passed to us from Command to be suspect.”

 

“No kidding!” agreed Mao. “Second target?” she asked.

 

“Southwest France, about two miles from the Spanish border, intelligence indicates that Leonard has a base. What it does and exactly where it is remains unknown,” he added. “Third target has no location data,” he revealed. “It is possible that it is this location that is his main lair.” His tone went hard as he finished the sentence.

 

“So,” Mao said slowly, “we run the course, Russia first, then France, then this other base?” she wondered. Sousuke was silent.

 

“If we are to succeed, then we need to get ahead of Leonard, rather than following him,” said Yu Fan. “The longer that Chidori is in his possession, the less likely it is that we will recover her,” she warned.

 

“What do you mean?” asked Mao. Yu Fan was silent.

 

“Yu?” prompted Sousuke. The assassin girl looked at him.

 

“Sensei told me and my sister once that Leonard was expanding his reach into bio-research. He is a very charismatic man, and given time, can likely program Kaname to obey him,” said the assassin. Sousuke's hands balled into fists.

 

“We have to get ahead of them,” he said. “Any ideas?” he asked the two women. Minutes passed. Then, one spoke up.

 

“Perhaps,” said Yu Fan, “I might have a way to narrow the search.” she quietly.

 

“Well, let's get to it!” said Mao. Yu Fan looked at her.

 

“You will likely not find the means to your delicate liking,” warned the assassin girl.

 

-

 

“Captain Testarossa!” bellowed her Uncle. Tessa looked up from her paperwork as the man barged into her office. “Are you aware of what you have done?!” he snapped at her.

 

“I have no clue what you are talking about, Admiral,” she replied, meeting his gaze. “What is this about?” she asked. Her uncle was furious; she could tell that without being his niece. So, has it begun? she wondered.

 

“You will accompany me to the conference room, Captain,” he snarled tightly. Tessa rose.

 

“Of course,” she said, smoothing her uniform skirt as she did so. In silence, the two and her uncle's assistant moved to the conference room, where the Admiral's aide stood guard at the door. Inside the room, the two logged onto the secure network, the hologram projectors quickly filling in the other MITHRIL officers there.

 

When Tessa saw who was there, she knew that things were going to get ugly, but didn't react at all. Unlike Tessa, the General in charge of MITHRIL intelligence did react to her logging in. “Why isn't she locked up?!” he screamed at the Admiral.

 

“It's nice to see you, too, General,” she replied with poisonous sweetness.

 

“Captain Testarossa,” came the voice of the chairman, “I advise you to refrain from making glib comments,” he warned her ominously. “Serious charges have been laid against you, and if things are as they are presented, you will be handled as a traitor to MITHRIL.”

 

“Oh?” came her reply. “And what charges have been leveled at me?” she asked. Though her guts were in knots, she maintained a cool, collected front.

 

“Let's start with the initial accusation, shall we?” said the Chairman. “You were ordered not to pursue Whispered asset code-named `Angel' because it would endanger the penetration of AMALGAM by MITHRIL intelligence, but Intelligence reports that you have disobeyed that direct order.”

 

“I have not,” stated Tessa. “As Admiral Testarossa can attest, I have done nothing to attempt the rescue of Chidori,” she said.

 

“Liar!” screamed the general's hologram, pounding on the table with a fist. “I know you sent two of your subordinates out to interfere with our operation!”

 

“I did no such thing,” she replied calmly. “As a matter of fact, my crew is on leave,” she reminded the man.

 

“Tell me, Admiral,” hissed the General, “have you confirmed the whereabouts of Sergeant Major Mao or Sergeant Sagara?” he asked.

 

“I have not,” said the Admiral tightly. “An order for emergency recall was logged, but they failed to respond,” he reported factually.

 

“And what does that prove?” Tessa interjected before the General could speak. “At most, it proves that someone might have made them a better offer,” she suggested. “Wasn't it you who said that that was an inherent weakness of the system MITRHIL uses? And even if no one else has bought them off, they could have decided on their own that they wanted no further part of an organization that is so reckless and ill-considered as MITHRIL has shown itself to be with the Chidori matter,” she added, locking gazes with the Chairman.

 

“Chairman,” complained the General, “she is using that as a smokescreen to hide her duplicity in the matter!”

 

“My duplicity?” asked Tessa. “I have written and signed orders, Chairman. If anyone is being duplicitous, it is Intelligence,” she threw back at him.

 

“If you are so innocent, why haven't you done anything about your two deserters?” challenged the head of Intelligence.

 

“I have sent directives to the MITHRIL personnel that the Sergeants are AWOL, and are to be returned to base to be disciplined,” said Tessa. “That is the extent of my authority at this point, per MITHRIL code of conduct,” she added.

 

“Chairman, she…!” began the general again, only to have the chairman raise his hand, silencing the man.

 

“She has correctly followed procedure, General,” noted the chairman.

 

“How can you say that?” grated the General. “I have shown you the reports of what her two sergeants have been doing, haven't I?” he asked.

 

“And what are they doing, General?” challenged Tessa.

 

“Well, to start with, they killed a MITHRIL contact in Tokyo,” began the General. “They are also wanted by the Tokyo police for assaulting two detectives investigating the incident at Jindai High.”

 

“They killed a MITHIL contact?” repeated Tessa. “You don't mean Minister Tatuwake, do you?” she asked.

 

“You see, chairman! She knows full well what her sergeants are doing!” crowed the General. “If that isn't proof of her involvement, I don't know what is!” he added.

 

“How would you know the name of the contact, Captain?” wondered the Chairman. Tessa smiled.

 

“I connected the name to the person from a report I got from Intelligence months ago about a leak in our information pipeline,” she said. “It was stated at the time that the primary contact in Japan was believed to be a double agent and that no class `A' sensitive data was to be passed to or through him.”

 

“What does that have to do with anything?” barked the general.

 

“Maybe Sagara found out where the leak came from that resulted in the incident in Jindai High, and dealt with it as a mercenary is apt to,” she suggested. “Strange how you call this man a `MITHRIL contact' today, isn't it?”

 

“Do you have this report, Captain?” asked the chairman. Tessa nodded.

 

“I do,” she confirmed.

 

“I would like to examine it,” he said. “Admiral, I want you to secure that data and send it to me soonest,” he directed.

 

“Yes, sir,” said Tessa's uncle.

 

“Chairman, that is but the start of her crimes,” the General insisted. “In fact, it is even one of the lesser ones,” he added. “There is still the matter I called you about this morning,” he said.

 

“What happened this morning?” asked Tessa.

 

“Your two men attacked and destroyed a house in the Philippines. In doing so, they killed two MITHRIL agents who were working to infiltrate AMALGAM,” he accused her. “Their actions have set up back a full year!” he yelled.

 

“If that is so, then there is no reason not to recover Chidori, is there?” she countered. “If your agents were killed, then we should recover Chidori soonest, as there is no further purpose to be gained by leaving her in the possession of AMALGAM.”

 

“Let's not be hasty,” said the Chairman. “Intelligence is still working on turning the certain council member, you will recall.”

 

Tessa stared at the Chairman. “It had been the track record of Intelligence that it is they who get turned, rather than the reverse,” she noted. “And even so, sacrificing Chidori for so dubious a goal remains wrong, ill-considered and even unethical.”

 

“Captain Testarossa,” said the Chairman, “you are being insubordinate,” he said.

 

“I am standing for what I believe in, Chairman,” said Tessa. “If that is not the MITHRIL way, then what is?” she demanded.

 

“It is like I told you, sir,” said the General. “She is a danger to the operation, and needs to be dealt with, along with her two men.”

 

“I am sure that…” began her uncle, only to have the Chairman raise his hand, cutting off the Admiral.

 

“It pains me to say it, but Intelligence is correct,” said the Chairman. “Therefore, I am ordering you to relieve the Captain of command, and confine her to quarters, Admiral. Furthermore, Tactical is to apprehend Sergeants Sagara and Mao. If they cannot be apprehended, then they are to be eliminated,” said the Chairman. “Priority has been given to penetrating AMALGAM, and I will not tolerate rogue elements disrupting that effort,” he ordered sternly. “Captain, I suggest that you take this time to prepare you case for your court martial,” he said.

 

Hearing the General smirk, the Chairman turned to him. “As for you, General,” he cautioned the man, “I expect results. Fail to deliver them, and I will hold you personally responsible. That is all,” said the chairman, ending the conference. As the two stood, the Admiral looked at Tessa, a pained expression on his face.

 

“Tessa, I tried to warn you,” he said. Tessa looked at him, her face as stone.

 

“I meant what I said before, Uncle,” she said evenly. “MITHRIL is wrong to do this. Now, let's be about it,” she added, marching toward the door.

 

Exiting the room, she found Kalinin waiting with the aide. “Captain,” he said.

 

“Captain Testarossa has been relieved of command, Commander,” said the Admiral. “She is also to be confined to quarters pending a court martial,” added the man.

 

“I see,” said Kalinin. “Who is commanding, then?” asked the Russian.

 

“I suppose I am,” sighed the Admiral. “Commander, you are to issue orders to Tactical that Sergeants Sagara and Mao are to be taken into custody immediately, where ever they might be. If they cannot be taken into custody, authorization has been given to sanction them.”

 

“Sir,” was all Kalinin said.

 

“Marshall,” he said, speaking to his aide, “escort the Captain to her quarters,” said the Admiral. “I will have some security officers relieve you shortly,” he said. Looking at Tessa, he saw that her face was still impassive. “Captain, if you would tell me where the report you mentioned is, I would appreciate it,” he said. Tessa glanced at Kalinin.

 

“Commander, provide Admiral Testarossa with all pertinent reports and intelligence briefings,” said the young woman.

 

“Very well,” he said, saluting her. She returned the salute.

 

“This way, Captain,” said the aide, motioning Tessa toward her cabin. Tessa didn't even glance at her Uncle as she strode toward her cabin. Sighing, the Admiral jerked his head toward the command area of Merida base.

 

“Let's get this over with,” he said. Together the two walked to the main command center. Entering, the Admiral returned the salutes of the on-duty personnel. “I need to make a base-wide announcement,” said the Admiral. Silently, the communication tech handed him a microphone. Touching some buttons, she nodded.

 

“Attention all hands,” said the Admiral. “This is Admiral Testarossa with an urgent message for all personnel.” He waited a few heartbeats, to make sure that everyone was listening. “As of oh nine forty one hours this morning, Captain Testarossa has been relieved of command and confined to quarters, pending her court martial. I am assuming command of this base and the De Danaan. That is all,” he said, ending the announcement. Everyone in the room was staring at him, most of them with ill-concealed mistrust and/or hate. Tessa was well-liked and highly respected, after all, and this was the De Danaan's home base. I can't wait to see the reaction of her crew, thought the Admiral unhappily. Mutiny was not out of the question.

 

In her cabin, Tessa took off her uniform, donning a pair of comfortable shorts and a tee shirt. On a whim, she unbraided her hair and shook it out, smiling as she thought of Kana's long, dark hair. Sitting down at her small coffee table, she opened the laptop she had hidden in her apartment and in short order, she was online. It helps that I know this base better than anyone not stationed here, she told herself. It was likely that the tech in the command room would notice her going online, but unless she severely underestimated her, the woman would say nothing; especially after her uncle made that base-wide announcement of her situation.

 

“Confine me to quarters to keep me out of the way?” she muttered out loud to the general. “Ha!” she sneered. And even if they had of completely isolated me, I can still resonate with Kana, she didn't say. It was time to turn up the heat.

 

-

 

Kaname moaned softly as Leonard kissed her neck. She was lying on her back in the middle of the orchid patch, Leonard was lying half on top of her, half beside her, one hand rubbing her bare stomach while he supported himself with his other. Kaname knew that something was wrong with the picture, but wasn't quite sure what it might be. Her mind felt sort of fuzzy, and the things that Leonard had said made a certain amount of sense, really.

 

“Don't you want to help everyone, Kaname?” came Leonard's voice before he kissed her on the lips. “You and I can bring about real, true peace through our gifts as Whispereds,” he added, his hand moving to the knot that held her make-shift top in place, his fingers beginning to untie it.

 

“But,” she mumbled, “what about…?” she began. Her nipples were hard by now, and the fuzzy feeling in her mind was gaining strength. Leonard managed to untie her simple top, flicking it off her proud breasts, immediately palming on of her mounds and gently kneading it.

 

“Certainly, there will be those who oppose us,” said the young man, kissing his way down her neck, across her collarbone and up the swell of her breast to capture her hard nipple. “It is regrettable, but if they can't see the big picture, we will have to eliminate them,” he said before sucking on her nipple, tugging gently on her opposite tip. Kaname writhed a little.

 

“You will be giving your friends a better life,” he murmured, moving over to attack her other breast as his hand rubbed down her taunt belly to her bikini bottoms, pausing only briefly before dipping under the thin material to cup her sex directly. Kaname didn't even notice her legs spreading in response to the touch of Leonard.

 

Kyoko, Rin, Mizuki, Ono-D and Shinji would be better off with a safer, simpler world, wouldn't they? she asked herself, her hand moving down toward Leonard's swim trunks. Touching him through the fabric of the trunks, she felt his erection. Kaname whined with disappointment when Leonard released her nipple from his mouth. Smiling at her hungrily, he leaned back a little.

 

“Patience, my dear,” he soothed her, using both hands to pull her bikini bottoms off. As he threw them aside as well, Kaname managed to get her hand back on his hard length. In the back of her mind, something was happening, a sense of something not being right growing in her even as her arousal increased. Tugging on the drawstring of the swim trunks, she used both her hand to pull his trunks over his hard member, seeing it for the first time.

 

Leonard sat back on his heels, relishing the feeling of her soft, warm hands on his bare dick. Humming in pleasure, he watched her hands caress and stroke his dick. She is mine now, he thought smugly, all that patience paid off, he congratulated himself. Well, that and the treatments, he allowed. Feeling Kaname pumping his shaft with her hand, he felt himself growing dangerously close to cumming. Better get to the main course before I lose control, he thought.

 

This feels…wrong, thought Kaname hazily, stroking the penis in her hand. It's too thin, she thought, struggling to recall why she would think that. And too…light? she wondered. Why would I think it was too thin? And definitely too pale, she thought, trying harder to focus her mind. Why do I think that? It's not like I've handled any penis but Sousuke's…!!! “Sousuke,” she breathed, her mind focusing slightly.

 

Sousuke, came an odd echo in her mind, followed by a presence flowing into her, embracing her. Is this…? she focused a little more. This is familiar. This is…Tessa, she managed to recall. That connection pushed the fuzziness aside, and she and Tessa merged together. Just as they had on the De Danaan more than a year ago, she and Tessa became one.

 

Tessa and Kaname knew each other's situation. Kana was confined to quarters on Merida, while Tessa was stroking her brother's dick, though it was Tessa who was in her cabin on Merida and Kaname who felt Leonard start to move between her legs. United, the two acted. Kaname's hand tightened around Leonard's shaft like she was trying to crack Macadamia nuts with her bare hands. “Gah!” screamed Leonard, feeling Kaname's nails catch his delicate skin as her hand squeezed his shaft like a vise.

 

“Kaname is ours,” came the overlapped voices of Kaname and Tessa. Leonard blinked, trying to focus past the pain. “You cannot have her, brother,” Kaname said. Looking into Kaname's brown eyes, Leonard found them dull and clouded. What is this?! he wondered. Never had he seen something like this. In her death grip, he felt his dick twitch, and dimly he was aware that he had cum, though none of his semen could escape her vicious grip.

 

Shoving her hard, he managed to free himself from her grip, his seed splattering over her as his abused dick slipped free of her grasp. He scrambled backward on his heels and hands before cradling his bruised and scratched dick in his hands. Kaname stood, looking at him dispassionately. “You disgust us, brother,” said the plural voice of Kaname.

 

Gradually, Kaname and Tessa separated in their minds, the two regaining their individual identities and sense of self. Both of them were stunned at how deeply they had resonated. Both of them were keenly aware of the triggering factor for this as well. As Kaname became aware of herself again, she looked down to see spots of whitish good on her arm, chest and belly. Seeing Leonard holding his dick, she made the logical conclusion. “You little fucking shit!” she screamed, closing her hand to slug him harder than she had ever nailed Sousuke.

 

She never swung, though. When her hand closed, she felt thick, ropy goop squeeze between her fingers. Looking at her fist, she saw semen covering her palm. That's his…! she thought, dazed. Suddenly, she felt very sick to her stomach. Grabbing her mouth with her other hand, she bolted for the sea. God, I'm gonna be sick! she realized, feeling her stomach try to escape her body. Staggering out of the narrow trail it the woods, Kaname collapsed to her knees at the edge of the surf, and was violently sick.

 

There are few things less sexy than a not, naked girl puking her guts out. Even after all her breakfast was gone, she was still dry heaving. When her stomach finally settled down enough for her to stand, she was feeling ill and weak. Moving into the water, she sank to her knees and furiously scrubbed her body clean of every last trace of his cum. When Leonard finally emerged from the woods, he found her kneeling in the water, looking greenish, but her eyes glared at him with a ferocity that he had never thought anyone was capable of.

 

-

 

“Sousuke, you need to see this,” said Mao, entering the small hotel room. Sitting up in bed, Sousuke looked at the small scrap of paper in the older woman's hand. Beside him, Yu Fan sat up as well, reading over his shoulder.

 

“We have been designated as targets?” he glanced at Mao. She nodded.

 

“Tessa emailed my blind account. Because she used a web-hosted service, and not `official' channels, she must be in trouble,” the woman noted.

 

“Any specifics?” he asked. Mao shook her head. Sousuke considered that for a moment. “Nothing has changed,” he announced, fishing around for a moment before finding a cigarette lighter and burning the paper. “Mission is still a `go'.” he said. He glanced at Yu Fan. “Any response from your contacts?” he asked the assassin girl. She shook her head.

 

“Not yet,” said the younger woman. “I will ask again,” she said, rolling off the bed and pulling on a shirt and stepping into her shoes. She was wearing shorts already, but skipped any additional clothes save for the thin jacket that hid her knife and gun. “I will return in one hour,” she said, slipping out of the room.

 

“One hour,” repeated Sousuke, glancing at his watch. Mao sighed, pulling off her sweat-soaked tee shirt before moving into the bathroom and ducking her head under the shower. The room was hot and muggy since the ancient air condition unit had failed the day before. The fan had shorted out when Mao tried to turn up the speed, and now, they were relying on what little air came through the partially-opened window. None of them wanted to risk drawing attention by asking for the air conditioner or fan to be repaired, and frankly, they were all hoping to be on their way soon.

 

Coming out of the bathroom, water dripping from her short hair, Mao saw Sousuke lying back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, his face concerned. “Something wrong?” she asked, fishing a beer out of the Styrofoam cooler they had bought and filled with ice and salt to cool their water and beer. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Mao worked her combat boots off before wiggling out of her fatigues, leaving her in just her panties.

 

“Hmm?” wondered Sousuke, glancing at Mao as she lay back next to him. Her body shown with a thin coating of sweat mixed with droplets of water from her hair. “Just worried about Kana,” he said. Mao took a pull from her can of beer.

 

“She'll be ok, Sousuke,” Mao assured him. “She's tough; you know that,” she continued. “Besides, if he didn't need her alive and healthy, he wouldn't have bothered being so careful with her.”

 

“I know that,” said Sousuke, “but the thought of her being at his mercy infuriates me,” he snarled. Mao giggled.

 

“Well, there is a normal guy in there after all,” she teased him. Sousuke considered that.

 

“I…suppose so,” he replied, almost sounding puzzled by that thought. Mao considered her teammate.

 

“You seem surprised,” she noted. Sousuke frowned.

 

“Perhaps I am,” he admitted. “I…didn't use to be like this,” he murmured, obviously deep in introspective thought.

 

“Well, you never had Kana before, either, right?” she suggested. Sousuke found himself slowly nodding.

 

“It would be reasonable to say that the changes in me are due to her and Tessa,” he confided. Things have changed drastically in the last couple of years, but I didn't notice until Kana was kidnapped, he thought to himself. Silence fell for several minutes. At last, Mao spoke up again.

 

“It's not a bad thing, you know,” she offered him. Sousuke had no real answer for that. Dropping that thread, Mao tried another. “What is up with you and Yu Fan?” she asked him, draining her beer and tossing the can in the corner. “You two have gotten really tight lately,” she noted.

 

“Do you think so?” replied Sousuke. “Yu Fan is our teammate, and we need her contacts. That is all that is between us,” he said. Mao considered that.

 

“You haven't forgotten about her allegiance, have you?” challenged Mao. Sousuke shook his head.

 

“No, I have not,” he said. Bringing a hand out from under his head, he showed Mao the pistol he was holding. “She and I, however, do work well together in this role,” he noted.

 

“Is it because you and she were brought up a lot alike?” guessed Mao. Sousuke shrugged.

 

“Perhaps,” he said. “Lately, I have found myself wondering what will become of her if she survives the mission to recover Kana,” he shared.

 

“If she survives?” wondered Mao. Sousuke's face closed down.

 

“I will kill her if she threatens Kana,” he said simply. Mao had no doubt about that statement at all. “However, if she does not threaten Kana, and we make it back to MITHRIL intact, what will become of her?” he wondered. Mao sighed.

 

“It depends on what we find when we get there, I guess,” said Mao. “If Tessa is in a position to have a say, then it will be her call. If we are still wanted by MITHRIL, then…”

 

“If Tessa is not in command of the base, I will not take Kana or Yu Fan into the base,” announced Sousuke. “I will, in fact, rescue Tessa from MITHRIL if necessary,” he promised.

 

“Sousuke!” gaped Mao. He turned to study her.

 

“In the last two years, can you honestly say that MITHRIL is always correct?” he asked her. She considered that.

 

“No,” she said reluctantly, “and Tessa as much as said the same thing,” recalled the woman. “But, what would we do if worst-case comes true?” she wondered. Sousuke gave Mao and assessing look.

 

“I have been making contingency plans for the last six months,” he said quietly. “Those plans include scenarios for me, me and Kana, me, Kana and Tessa, and me, Kana, Tessa, and up to five others from MITHRIL,” he said. “I am reasonably sure that tailoring one or another will cover you and Yu Fan, if necessary.”

 

“You mean…cut loose from MITHRIL?” considered Mao. Sousuke nodded.

 

“Affirmative,” he confirmed. “We can live reasonably comfortably, given the situation.”

 

“I…never thought beyond MITHRIL,” Mao thought aloud. “But then,” she added after a few heartbeats, “I never thought beyond the Corp, either.”

 

Sousuke gave her a half-smile. “I always wondered what you did to get dishonorably discharged,” he related. Mao found herself smirking.

 

“Ah, what does it matter?” she said. “You see, back in the day, I was the best AS pilot in the Marine Corp Arm Slave battalion, and had actually been lined up for promotion to Lieutenant,” she said. “But then, the day before the official bestowal of rank, the Major General of the Corp came to the base. I had been out celebrating my impending promotion, and was a little drunk…”

 

Ten minutes later, Sousuke was shaking his head in disbelief. “I thought that they hung soldiers who did that,” he observed.

 

Mao giggled. “And they even let me into MITHRIL with that on my record, too!” she breathed. “Imagine my surprise when I reported to my new commander and found out she was barely out of diapers,” the woman said fondly.

 

“That isn't a nice thing to say about Tessa,” came Sousuke's voice.

 

“Well, when I first met her, it was true,” shrugged Mao. “She's grown into quite the officer and commander, hasn't she?” she said quietly. Sousuke nodded.

 

“Affirmative,” he concurred. “I have never had a finer or more trustworthy commander than Captain Testarossa,” he verbally saluted her.

 

“Me, either,” agreed Mao. “I just hope that they don't fry her for this,” worried the Sergeant Major. Sousuke straightened and leaned over so he was face to face with Mao.

 

“I will not forgive them if they do,” he said firmly. “And I will not serve under another,” he added, holding her gaze. Mao slowly nodded.

 

“Amen, brother,” she confirmed his stance. Settling in, the two waited in silence for Yu Fan to return to the room; hopefully with news.

 

-

 

Kaname carefully stepped it the bikini bottoms that Leonard had casually tossed into the shallow pool, settling them before retrieving the top and tying it on. Re-dressed, she made her way back to the beach, where Leonard was sitting naked next to the bag. She hadn't said a word to him since she had recovered from her near-rape experience. He seemed to be preoccupied with something, and that suited her just fine.

 

Moving over to the bag, she pulled it away from where he was before opening it and rummaging inside it. There was a beach blanket in there, and some snacks, and in the bottom, she found a tube of water-based lubricant and a small box. Opening the box, she found a gold ring. Baring her teeth, she snatched the ring up, spun and hurled it into the water with all her might. “Bastard,” she breathed heavily.

 

Hearing her stomach growl, she dug into the food, glad to have something back in her stomach, now that she had it back under control. After she had finished dry heaving, she had washed the taste of bile out of her mouth with a handful of sea water, which left her tasting only brine; infinitely better than her breakfast going the wrong way. Now, though, she was hungry. Finding sandwiches, she ate them all, then drained the thermos of tropical punch. Wiping her chin with the back of her palm, she casually tossed the empty thermos back into the bag.

 

Kicking the bag until it resembled a pillow, she lay down, and thought through what had happened. My head started to get fuzzy shortly after I got here, she recalled. Did they spike my meal? Or was it the flowers? Is it possible to bio-engineer an orchid to act like a date-rape drug? she asked herself. And how was it that I was able to push the effects aside once I resonated with Tessa? she asked herself. Closing her eyes, she tried to fit the pieces together.

 

A ways away from her, Leonard was asking himself much the same question. How could she be resistant to the two-pronged attack? he wondered. Was the dosage wrong? Or is she more resistant by some quirk of her biochemistry? He reviewed his failed conquest attempt. No, she was reacting to the medication, I'm sure of that, so what did happen? Looking at his sore dick, he grimaced. It had to be some sort of unknown Whispered ability, he decided.

 

Looking over at her, he saw her lay back with the bag as a pillow, her entire aura still radiating anger and pestilence. It looks like whatever happened took a fair amount out of her, he noted. I believe we will stay here for a few hours before returning. It will probably be for the best if she cools here, he decided. Watching her lay there in the sun, he found one thought over-riding all the other thoughts. I want her more than ever!

 

When Kaname stirred a few hours later, she felt much better. Sitting up, she saw Leonard resting, his back to the palm tree and his swim trunks back on. Looking at the sand near her, she was relieved to find no other prints but hers. She also noticed that the tide had come in. Looking at the boat, she found herself mentally reviewing if she remembered how he had operated the motor. Stretching, she moved into the water, quickly making her way to the boat. Pulling herself over the side wall, she moved back to the engine.

 

“You'll need this,” came a yell from the beach. Turning, she saw Leonard waving something in his hand. Looking back at the motor, she realized that there was a small key hole near the control arm. Baring her teeth, she looked around to see if there were any oars in the boat; there wasn't, of course. Hearing splashing, she saw that Leonard was swimming out toward her. For a moment, she considered pulling the anchor up and letting the current take her out, but only for a moment. If I get swept out to sea, Sousuke will never be able to find me, she told herself. Kaname moved up to the middle seat and waited while Leonard made his swim and climbed aboard.

 

Starting the motor, he waited while Kaname raised the anchor. As soon as it was back on the floor of the boat, he turned the handle and twisted the throttle, the boat turning and moving back toward the main island. Watching Kaname's hair blowing in the wind, Leonard was reminded of why he had selected her to his. No one else came close to her, and only one other could even be in the same general class as her for what he envisioned.

 

Returning to the main island, he beached the boat, finding that Kari and Sari were sunbathing on the beach. Kaname marched past them without a word, her mood clear to the two younger girls. Leonard got out of the boat and instructed them to return it to storage. The two did so, asking him how it went. He didn't answer, having other things to attend to.

 

Reaching his office, he found Gretchen busy with status reports on several projects. Seeing him enter, she stood and offered him his chair. “Was it successful?” she wondered. Leonard shook his head.

 

“It is fascinating, but I think she is resistant to the drug,” he shared. “And she displayed a Whispered talent I have never even heard of before,” he breathed, opening a file on his laptop.

 

“But, you were unsuccessful,” noted Gretchen, frowning from where she stood behind him. “Should I have the doctor prepare the lab?” she asked. Leonard sent her a `are you crazy' look.

 

“Of course not,” he scoffed. “Kaname is different; special,” he said. “I will not have her treated like the rest,” he stated firmly. “She will be my treasured partner in the birth of our new world,” he purred to himself. Gretchen watched as he electronically flipped through his `Kaname File'. It was stuffed with photos, videos, surveillance reports, physical data and - lately - DNA and physiological analyzes of her.

 

“Should I increase the dosage, then?” prompted Gretchen. Leonard made an enquiring sound, his attention on the data before him. “I asked if I should increase the dosage,” repeated Gretchen.

 

“No,” he said. “In fact, reduce it slightly,” he said. Gretchen bite back the sigh that wanted to escape her lips.

 

“She is already difficult to control, sir,” said the older woman. “If we reduce the dosage, she could become violent,” warned his assistant.

 

“And?” asked Leonard, clearly not caring what she was saying.

 

“She could hurt Kari or Sari; or even you,” Gretchen clarified. “At least let me bring one of the Alastor units back on-line,” she asked.

 

“Absolutely not,” he replied. “She is starting to respond,” he said, adding some notes to one file. “I won't have all that work blown by starting over again,” he said.

 

“And if she attacks you?” asked Gretchen. Leonard had to think about that for a split second.

 

“Then I expect you to subdue her without hurting her, my dear,” he said. “I will take some precautions, of course, but I doubt that she will attack me,” he dismissed the topic.

 

“Can I at least give her something to keep her calm?” begged Gretchen. Leonard shook his head.

 

“No, you may not,” he said. “Such chemicals might compromise her health or cause her to destabilize emotionally.”

 

“So, then, you really don't care what she does, then?” asked Gretchen, hiding her exasperation. Leonard shook his head.

 

“Correct,” he said. “I trust you will maintain control of her while I am otherwise engaged,” he ordered her.

 

“Yes, sir,” said Gretchen. She started to leave, but paused. “Could I keep you company tonight?” she asked him softly. Leonard considered that.

 

“Since I was not able to have Kaname today, you will do,” he replied off-handedly. Gretchen tightened her jaw. “Come to my room after Kaname is asleep,” he said, closing Kaname's file and opening another. “And be sure to check on Kaname; make sure she is comfortable and has whatever she might need,” he added.

 

“Yes, sir,” said Gretchen, exiting the office.

 

-

 

“I have a contact,” said Yu Fan, slipping into the hotel room. Mao and Sousuke looked at her expectantly. Yu Fan stripped down to her panties and fished a cold bottle of water from the cooler. Moving over to the crowded bed, she carefully settled close to Sousuke.

 

“When and where?” asked the young man intently.

 

“Tomorrow night, at the docks,” said the girl. “We will be meeting up with a ship that is transporting good for a Russian vor that controls the area where the lab is. The ship will take us to the headquarters of the head of that unit for southeast Asia,” said the assassin. “In fact, we are going to a place where my sister and I spent a lot of time,” she said.

 

“Where is that, exactly?” wondered Mao. Yu Fan almost smiled.

 

“A place in Thailand,” she said. “It was there that we spent a year learning our craft,” she said.

 

“You mean terrorism,” muttered Mao. “Oh, this is going to be fun,” said the ex-Marine, standing. “Give me five minutes to stand under some cold water and I'll take first watch,” she said.

 

“Do you know who this courier is or what they look like?” asked Sousuke as Yu Fan lightly rolled over him and settled beside him.

 

“No,” said Yu Fan. “I was told the dock and time, and that the contact would be made with someone named Dutch,” she related. “Oh, and we are AMALGAM hitters out of China, just so you know,” she added. Sousuke nodded.

 

“Noted,” he said. Yu Fan drained the water bottle, tossing the empty into the corner of the room with the rest. “Are you looking forward to going back to Thailand?” he wondered. His own feelings about Himajistan were mixed, at best. Yu Fan considered that.

 

“Without my sister, there is nothing to bind me to that place,” she whispered, her arms slowly wrapping around Sousuke. Familiar with her habits, he spared one hand - not the one holding the gun - to hug her to him. Moments later, she was peacefully asleep. Seeing Mao come out of the bathroom and pick up her rifle, he nodded to her once, then joined Yu Fan in sleep.