Full Metal Panic Fan Fiction ❯ Blood From Metal ❯ Chapter 2

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 2

 

“Sousuke,” came a voice from what seemed a long way away. “Sousuke, wake up,” the voice was gaining volume and clarity. “Sousuke! Wake up!” the voice screamed. Sousuke decided that he should probably heed the voice, whoever it might belong to. Not Kana's voice, he thought, opening his eyes. Sounds like… he winced as he swallowed. His throat was definitely sore.

 

“Thank god,” breathed the voice as his eyes focused. He found himself looking into the face of girl. From the look of things, his head was resting on her thigh. A moment after he focused on her face, he recalled who she was. Tokiwa, Kyoko. Best friends with Kana, he recalled. That thought spurred another, more serious one.

 

“Where's Kana?” he demanded, his voice rough. Sitting up, he gasped as his bruised and abused body let him know that it did not appreciate his choice to suddenly move. He pushed past the pain. Looking around, he didn't see Kaname anywhere. Turning back to Kyoko, he grabbed her shoulder. “What happened, Kyoko?!” he urgently asked.

 

“He…that man took her,” said Kyoko. “Kaname went with him on the condition that none of us were harmed,” she explained. Sousuke blinked.

 

“How long?” he asked levelly, already planning a rescue.

 

“You've been out for just over an hour, Sousuke,” came Kyoko's response. Sousuke nodded, ignoring the pain that caused. “Sousuke, Kana asked me to tell you that she is waiting for you to rescue her,” added Kyoko softly. Sousuke glanced at her.

 

“Of course I will rescue Kana,” he replied absently, his mind on other matters. His eyes noticed the darkening blood stain on her side. “You are injured,” he stated, reaching over and tearing her blouse enough to check the wound. Someone had put a clumsy, yet working, field dressing over it. Carefully checking the job, he re-organized his priorities.

 

“Are there any other serious injuries?” he asked the girl. She shook her head. “Well, that is good, at least,” he muttered, reaching for his secure satellite phone. Not feeling it, he swiftly checked his pockets, finding it to be missing.

 

“Oh, he took your cell phone with him,” noted Kyoko. Sousuke grimaced.

 

“I see,” he said, standing and moving toward where he had dropped the TMP. Finding it, he tucked it back into the smuggler holster behind his back, absently verifying that the magazine in it was loaded. Surveying the gym, he found that most of the students were grouped in a tight knot by the stage, most of them crying or nearly cationic from the shock. Moving toward the doors, he saw a young man rise from just beside the main doors. “Shinji,” he said, stopping as the young otaku raised his hand.

 

“They put bombs on the doors, Sousuke,” warned the young man. Sousuke nodded.

 

“I had anticipated such a move,” he acknowledged, moving past the young man. He noted that Shinji had pissed his pants. Common for civilians caught in their first firefight, he thought. At least he maintained control of his emotions, he mentally commended the young man. Approaching the doors, he spotted the device. Being careful not to touch the unit, he tried to determine what it used as a triggering device, rather or not it was linked to the others, and if it could be by-passed or detonated in a safe manner to allow for egress of the students.

 

“Do you have your cell phone, Shinji?” he asked the young man. Shinji nodded, but made no move to hand it to Sousuke.

 

“They're all showing no signal,” he said. Sousuke considered that. If it is jamming, then the likelihood of this unit being remote detonated is slim, he mused. Laying down, he pulled out one of his back-up knives, polishing the side of the blade on his pants before easing it under the gap in the door and turning it slightly.

 

“Sousuke! What are you doing?!” gasped Shinji. “You can't seriously be trying to disarm it from down there!” he continued. Sousuke shook his head.

 

“Negative, Shinji,” he said. “I am attempting to gather what intelligence I can on the nature and capabilities of this device,” he said. “It is possible I may be able to determine a way to get you students out of here,” he added, looking at the device in the slightly-distorted reflection on the side of his blade.

 

“Oh,” said Shinji, not sure what to say. Makes sense, I guess, he thought. But what did he mean by `you students'? “Hey, Sousuke,” he asked the young man, who had withdrawn the blade and was not carefully peering at the casing of the device through the narrow gap between the doors. “What was that man talking about? That MITHRIL thing, and that thing about Chidori, and whispering?” he asked. Sousuke turned to look at the young man.

 

“You misheard, Shinji,” he said quietly, staring at the young man.

 

“What? Sousuke, he said…!” began the confused young man. Sousuke grabbed his shoulder, squeezing just hard enough to make Shinji wince.

 

“Listen to me, Shinji,” he warned the young man. “You misheard. He is a stalker who is after young girls; nothing more. Chidori just happened to catch his eye - nothing else,” he warned the young man. Seeing the dark anger in Sousuke's eyes, Shinji got the feeling that any answer other than `ok' would be the wrong answer.

 

“O…ok, Sousuke,” he said. Nodding once, Sousuke made for the next closest door. Watching him go, Shinji considered what he had seen and heard, and what Sousuke had just said. It has to be something about Chidori, he thought to himself. It's the only thing that makes sense. Ever since he got here, it's always been about her. But, if it is about her, then where does he fit in?

 

Watching from where she was laying against the wall, Kyoko found herself smiling for the first time since coming to the gym. Recalling the immediate reply to her passing along Kana's message, he found herself almost giggling; though that would increase the pain from her flesh wound. Oh, he has it bad, she thought happily. She found that thinking about Sousuke and Kana was easier than thinking about her wound or worrying about Ono-D, who was still huddled in a ball by the stage. I wish that they had made it formal before this, she thought, watching Sousuke methodically work his way around the gym. Kana certainly sees him that way, so I wonder why they haven't taken that last step? she asked herself.

 

Part of the answer to that, she realized, probably lay in whatever the maniac had been saying about organizations and whisperings and the like. Something about Kana makes her valuable enough to him to give in to her exchange offer, she mulled over. Kana has always been a little different than most of us, and she spent all that time in America…maybe she got mixed up in organized crime? she hypothesized. But, I've never heard of the mafia having machines like those things. What did they call them? AS units? She shook her head, forcing those thoughts aside. I wonder how far Sousuke and Kana went? she asked herself, keeping her mind off the darker side of the day.

 

Sousuke was beginning to put together a plan to get up to the roof and check that out when he heard the muted sound of a MITHRIL chopper approaching for a landing. Listening to the faint sounds, he frowned. That sounds like two choppers, he thought. He could hear the higher-pitch of a cloaked passenger/observation chopper as well the throatier snarl of an AS heli-transport carrier. Glancing at his watch, he wondered who it could be. Tessa isn't due in for several more hours, and I suspect that my emergency signal was jammed by the same device that has the cell phones down, so who? he wondered. He heard the engines on the helicopters gain volume.

 

Hearing the sound of rotors again, the students began to panic. “Everyone, remain calm!” Sousuke yelled, jumping up onto the podium. “The arriving choppers are friendly,” he assured them. I hope so, anyway, he left unsaid. “Remain calm, and follow orders!” he yelled as the sound of the rotors came in louder. That sounds like a hot insertion profile, he thought to himself. An instant later, he heard and felt the impact of an M9 dropping from a heli-transport. Moments later, he heard the warbling sound that told him that the trans/ob chopper had done a combat insertion under the climbing carrier.

 

Hopefully, that means that a quick-response team from the De Danaan is about to hit the door, he thought to himself. “Remain calm! Stay where you are!” he yelled out at battlefield volume before jumping off the stage and jogging for the main doors, motioning Shinji away from them as he drew his machine pistol; just in case it wasn't MITHRIL out there. Under the soles of his shoes, he could feel the vibrations as an arm slave approached the gym. Definitely an M9, he thought, so familiar with the machine that he could distinguish it from other AS units by the sound and vibration of the machine walking.

 

Outside the door, he spotted a familiar figure dashing toward the doors, an assault rifle in one hand, a bulky bag in the other. Blinking, he realized that he was looking at Mao. His momentary confusion was caused by the fact that his Sergeant Major was not dressed in her familiar clothes or an AS suit, but in a dress. Waving, he got her attention, swiftly signaling the situation to her. She nodded, signaled back her intentions, and opened the bag. Sousuke spun and ran back to the students.

 

“Everyone, get on this side of the gym!” he yelled, indicating the side where Kyoko was resting. “Move it! Go, go, go!” he yelled, pushing some of the more aware students and prodding the nearly incapacitated ones with his toes. Using his support arm, he dragged some up, led others and generally forced the mass of students over to the wall, making sure that they were crouched down. As soon as he had moved the principal over and the home room teacher, he faced the main entrance, seeing Mao watching him, and chopped his arm.

 

Instantly, there was a whistling thump and a section of the wall opposite where they were crumbled like a sand castle. An instant later, Mao dashed through, followed an instant later by a smaller figure, whom he instantly recognized. She wouldn't…! he thought, stunned. She would, he discovered a moment later as Tessa came to stop before him, also wearing civilian clothes, though in her small hands was a USP service pistol. Mao paused to briefly give him a once-over, then dashed over to the huddled students, methodically and swiftly checking them and treating the injuries as she found them.

 

“Sousuke,” began Tessa.

 

“Captain,” he interrupted her, “AMALGAM has taken Kana,” he spat out. “I need Arbalest sent here immediately, along with a CECMS pod. I am requesting type D armament and the authorization to…” he rolled straight in.

 

“Denied.”

 

“What?” gasped Sousuke. Tessa's expression didn't change.

 

“I said you request is denied, Sergeant,” she said levelly. “Once we have the situation stabilized here, we are withdrawing,” she said.

 

“But Tessa!” he yelled, frustrated.

 

“You have your orders, sergeant!” she snapped back. Sousuke's training kicked in.

 

“Yes, sir!” he yelled, saluting her. Tessa quickly glanced at the students, picking out the people she had met through Kana and Sousuke.

 

“How are they?” she asked quietly.

 

“No fatalities, sir,” he said. “Tokiwa is the worst of the wounded, and that is just a flesh wound,” he reported, falling in the habits of the seasoned soldier he was. “It was him, Tessa,” he said quietly. “He had the man-sized semi-autonomous AS units with him, too,” he added. Tessa held up her hand, palm out.

 

“I'll debrief you on the way back to base,” she said. We've got enough security leaks here already, she thought sourly. Mao finished up with Kyoko and dashed back over to the two standing away from the group.

 

“Finished treating the wounded,” she reported. Tessa nodded. Just then, there was a single shot from the AS cannon of the M9 outside. A moment later, the radios clipped to Mao's and Tessa's ears crackled to life.

 

“Jamming unit found and destroyed,” came the voice of Kurz. “The thing was attached to a balloon and shielded with a cloak!” he carped. “Orders?” he asked.

 

“Prepare to withdraw,” said Tessa, field signaling to her two on the ground. “Extraction in thirty, AS first, then personnel,” she directed.

 

“Roger that, Command,” came the acknowledgement from Kurz. Tessa heard the chopper pilots acknowledge the orders, then turned to her two on the ground.

 

“Mao, you're out first, then me, then Sagara,” she directed. Both nodded. “Anything here need securing?” she asked Sagara. He shook his head.

 

“Only the communication gear in the apartment,” he said. Tessa shook her head.

 

“It's non-compartmentalized, Sousuke; forget it,” she dismissed the issue. “Unless you left the coding key there?” she asked, almost suspiciously.

 

“Negative,” he answered. “Coding key was memorized, Captain,” he assured her.

 

“Then I'll have a detail team grab the stuff later,” she said. They heard the cloaked carrier swoop in, followed by Kurz reporting his unit was locked and ready to go. As the carrier powered up, the three heard the transport coming in fast. “Let's go,” said Tessa crisply.

 

“Roger that,” came the reply from Mao, who ran out the opening they had blasted. Behind her came Tessa, and close behind her came Sousuke. Mao had just reached the transport's door when Sousuke heard the whoosh! of a rocket, spotting an exhaust trail from the track field. The missile homed in perfectly on the cloaked carrier, exploding with a flash and bang just below the carrier.

 

“Carrier! Withdraw maximum speed! Withdraw maximum speed!” screamed Tessa in the radio. “Mao!” she yelled, seeing the Sergeant Major already emerging from the opening of the transport, a bulky grenade launcher in hand.

 

“Mao! Here!” screamed Sousuke. Without hesitation, Mao lofted the launcher at him, Sousuke catching it, spinning around as he knelt, disengaged the safety and aimed the device. “Fuck you, Leo,” he snarled, pumping the trigger, the twenty millimeter grenades coughing as they cleared the barrel of the weapon. When the stumpy ten-shot magi ran dry, Sousuke stood and ran toward the transport, which was already beginning take off. Throwing the launcher into the open door, he jumped up, Mao grabbing one arm, Tessa the other, the two heaving in concert as the pilot of the machine pulled full power and swooped sideways between the class buildings and the main quad.

 

“Hold on, sir!” yelled the copilot, the chopper twisting hard as it barrel-rolled over a row of trees. The pilot was flying like he had a death wish, staying scant feet off the deck, full throttle, the chopper's airframe groaning as he pushed it to its limits. The co-pilot was busy with the Black Technology electronics, looking out for threats and searching for any signs of pursuit.

 

“Pilot! Take us back over the track field!” yelled Tessa as Mao helped her strap in. Both Mao and Sousuke had managed to get themselves secured in their seats while the helicopter bucked like a bronco thanks to long practice under fire, while Tessa was practically a combat cherry.

 

“Sir, that's too big a risk!” yelled back the co-pilot.

 

“Minimal risk! Single high-speed pass November Whiskey to Sierra Echo, NOE at assault speed!” she yelled back, Mao finally fitting the intercom headset onto Tessa's head.

 

“Sergeant Sagara saturated that position, sir,” began the co-pilot once more.

 

“If there is anything left, we need to retrieve it, soldier!” shot back Tessa.

 

“Roger that, Captain,” the pilot interrupted. “Stand by; bringing her about, now!!” The helicopter pulled heavy gees as it card-edged around a department store, the wind and frequency of the suppressed engines cracking several of the panes of glass in the building. “Target in eleven seconds,” reported the pilot, skimming along the path of a highway, barely higher than the trucks on it.

 

“Captain,” came the voice of the co-pilot, “I'm getting a may-day from the carrier. They are clearing the outer bank of Tokyo bay, but the engine is losing power and they can't keep it in the air.”

 

“Radio them to go as far as they can, then ditch. Tell Urzu to set self-destruction sequence in his M9, then bail when the carrier goes down; the blast will destroy the carrier as well, so there won't be much to look at afterwards,” Tessa commanded.

 

“Roger,” came the reply from the co-pilot.

 

“Target in five, Captain,” the pilot said. Mao and Sousuke leaned over to look out the cramped windows. Climbing over the row of trees that edged the field, they saw a nice, solid pattern of air-burst shrapnel patterns, but no sign of any bodies or wreckage.

 

“Negative, Captain,” said Mao. Tessa sighed.

 

“Understood,” she said. “Climb and intercept the carrier, please, Lieutenant,” she directed the pilot. “I want my men out of the water as fast as possible,” she added, leaning back in the basic seat.

 

“Roger that,” came back the pilot, the machine climbing and increasing to maximum speed.

 

“Captain, about Chidori…” began Sousuke. Tessa held up her hand.

 

“Not right now, Sousuke,” she said, her other hand covering the headset's lip-mic. “I know what you are feeling; don't forget that Kana and I…have that unique bond,” she spoke obliquely about the resonance affinity they had for each other. “But now is not the time, Sousuke.”

 

“Yes, sir,” he managed, his frustration growing at this odd behavior from Tessa. Of all the ones he had thought would rally to his cause would be the girl who was all but inside Kana's mind. What is going on? he asked himself for far from the first time. Tessa was on the radio, setting up an aerial re-fueling for the chopper, since it didn't have the range to get back to Merida without the fuel. Originally, it was supposed to refuel at a MITHRIL-controlled airstrip in the country, but that had been scrapped when the mission parameters had changed.

 

Leaning past Tessa, Mao caught Sousuke's eye, her fingers telling him to switch to a different channel on the multi-channel intercom system. Sousuke switched his headset to the `gunner' channel - used only when the helicopter was re-tasked as a gunship. This allowed them a more-or-less private channel. Once on it, he flicked a finger in Mao's direction.

 

“You ok, Sousuke?” came Mao's voice, the woman facing out the window. Sousuke did likewise on his side.

 

“Not really,” he replied. “Why isn't anyone doing anything to recover Kaname?” he asked tightly.

 

“I don't know, Sousuke,” Mao answered him honestly. “But don't think for an instant that Tessa isn't feeling this just as much as you are,” she warned him. “Did you ever wonder how we got there so fast?” she asked him. Without waiting for his answer, she continued. “Tessa and I were barely half-way there when she suddenly began to tremble, and next thing I know, she screaming orders at the pilot to haul ass and prepare for a hot insertion. She tells me to put out the emergency gear and prepare for close combat before getting on the radio and ordering the emergency launch of Kurz in his M9, armed for bear. LT wanted to know what was going on, but she froze him out. It wasn't until we were over Jindai that she told me that Kana had been snatched,” Mao said.

 

“So, why…?” he wondered.

 

“Look, Sousuke,” sighed Mao, “there is something big going on in upper brass, and I think that Tessa suspects something is wrong, but so far, she hasn't let me in on it. With Mardukas gone…”

 

“What? Commander Mardukas is gone? What happened?” demanded Sousuke. He and the Commander had their share of disagreements, but he respected the man as a professional and a superior officer.

 

“Heart attack,” sighed Mao. “He's going to be fine, but when Tessa went to tell him that she was backing the doctor's recommendation that he be put on medical leave, he surprised us by asking her for her endorsement in his severance request.”

 

“So, the De Danaan is without a fist officer, then?” he asked.

 

“Yes, but it doesn't matter, really,” said Mao. “She's docked at Merida for refit and repair, and it looks like a month at the shortest,” she elaborated. Sousuke absorbed that information. Between them, the girl who was so central to the situation was still talking into her headset. “Look, we better get back on main channel; I'll tell you more once we're back at base,” said Mao.

 

The next several minutes passed in silence as the chopper homed in on the beacon from the downed carrier. Once they had spotted the pilot and co-pilot in their small raft, and Kurz in his inflatable collar, the transport hovered and Sousuke and Mao opened the door, extended and secured the lift, and proceeded to recover the air crew and pilot. First up was the pilot of the carrier, then the co-pilot, then Kurz.

 

As Kurz was being lifted, Sousuke saw that he was holding his left arm with his right hand, and his right leg was dangling in an odd way. As he got closer, the expression on his face told Sousuke all he needed to know. “Kurz is injured,” he said to Mao and Tessa. “Prepare the first aid kit,” he added, helping pull Kurz aboard the chopper. As Mao began to treat his fellow Urzu teammate, Sousuke stowed the winch and secured the door as the pilot exited the area. Turning to help Mao, he saw that the woman had already cut the AS suit over the arm and leg, and had begun to patch the deep cut to Kurz's arm. “Check the leg,” she muttered to him. Sousuke nodded, kneeling in the cramped area available and probing the leg.

 

“Agh! Damn it, be careful, Sousuke!” snarled Kurz as Sousuke checked to see if the bone was broken. “That's broken, you know!” he confirmed what Sousuke had suspected.

 

“Cause?” asked Sousuke, not seeing any blood on the surface, though the leg was swelling.

 

“Wouldn't you know it?” gritted out Kurz. “Ejection system misfired, and I clipped the compartment sill as I went out,” he managed a weak laugh. “I felt it go, you know,” he added, “and it fucking hurt!” Seeing Tessa behind Sousuke, he winced. “Begging your pardon, Captain,” he added.

 

“No problem,” came her quiet reply. Mao grunted, stabbing him with a field injector of drugs.

 

“Quit whining like a little bitch,” she muttered, hitting him with another in the other arm. Pulling out an inflatable immobilizer for the broken leg, she helped Sousuke position it and inflate it before the two of them sat back in their seats for the rest of the ride.

 

“How is he?” asked Tessa, looking at Kurz, who was lying flat on his back on the deck, eyes closed.

 

“He'll be fine,” assured Mao, patting Tessa's hands, which were holding each other in her lap. “That cut is deep, but it didn't hit anything but muscle and tissue, so it isn't as bad as it looked. His worse injury is that broken leg,” she noted. “Sousuke?” she asked him.

 

“Seems to be a single transverse fracture of his femur bone, no crushing or pulverizing that I could detect,” he reported. “I didn't see any signs of damage to his artery or nerves,” he concluded.

 

“So, six weeks minimum medical leave - possibly eight - and then another three to six weeks of rehab before he can be re-certified to pilot an AS in combat,” Tessa murmured to herself. Sighing, she leaned back, eyes closed. Sousuke and Mao watched as her hand once more sought out her braid, and began to slowly toy with it. When she started to brush the end of it along her cheek, they knew that she was close to a decision.

 

-

 

“Ah, I see you are awake again, my dear,” came the smooth, sure voice of Leonard Testarossa as Kaname awoke. The events of the previous day came crashing back to her like a nightmare. Glaring at the man, she said nothing. “You'll be happy to know that we have arrived at a…rest stop, if you will, in our journey,” he continued as if she wasn't glaring daggers at him. “We will be here for a few days or so, and since that school uniform doesn't suit you, I have arranged for some clothes for you. They are waiting for you in the bathroom,” he said, inclining his head toward a set of doors at the other end of the room.

 

Sitting up, Kaname realized that she had fallen asleep hours ago on a private plane that had taken off the moment that Leonard and herself had boarded. During the flight, she had dozed off, the toll of the day taking the last of her energy reserves. It bothers me that I didn't wake up when they moved me here, she thought uneasily. Drugged? she worried. Well, not much to do about it now, she realized to her irritation. Looking around, she saw that she was in a nice room, having been laid down on a bed. Thankfully, she realized that her uniform had not been taken off her.

 

The room was vaguely European, with a pair of comfortable chairs and a table beyond the foot of the bed, large windows letting in light, a dresser off to the side, and the bathroom behind the doors at the other end of the room. Getting off the bed, she realized that the entire bedroom had almost ankle-deep carpeting in it. Ok, so the room isn't so bad, she admitted to herself, but the company's shit! she added, scowling at Leonard. “Get out,” she snarled, turning toward the bathroom.

 

“If that is what you wish,” he replied indifferently. “But, before I go,” he said, causing Kaname to turn toward him, her hatred unchanged. “I should warn you that my children are guarding you, so I wouldn't try and slip away,” he said. “Oh, they won't kill you, but I have not yet perfected the correct parameters for `delicate restraint', and I would so hate for you to suffer a broken bone or heavy bruising,” he explained.

 

Kaname sniffed dismissively. “Better that than you,” she dismissed it.

 

“Enjoy your bath, my dear Kaname-chan,” he said, slipping out the door. Kaname shivered in disgust.

 

“Now I really need a bath!” she complained to herself. His supercilious tone left her feeling like she was covered in slime. Moving over to the doors, she opened one to find herself looking at a bathroom that was more than half the size of her entire apartment in Tokyo. Blinking, she found herself looking at what seemed like acres of marble, polished brass, spotless mirror and transparent shower glass. “Wow,” she breathed. Looking around, she saw that there was a large tub in the corner, the glass-enclosed shower next to it. On the other end of the room was the toilet, and beside that was a linen closet, which, she discovered when she opened it, was fully stocked with the biggest, fluffiest, softest towels she had ever felt.

 

Smiling to herself, she moved over to inspect the tub. Seeing the jets, she surmised that the tub was a Jacuzzi model, which immediately sparked a debate about rather to shower or relax in the tub. Kaname decided on a shower this time, and tub next time, and in short order was naked under the spray of water. She had found that there was shampoo, body wash, and other bath essentials in the linen closet. For the next half-hour, she enjoyed a relaxing bath.

 

Upon emerging from the glass-walled shower, Kaname recalled that there was supposed to be clothes for her. Eyeing her school uniform, which was wrinkled and travel-worn, she debated steaming it and wearing it, but she disliked the feeling of dirty clothes after a shower, so she made the practical choice that she should see what the scum-sucking freak had put in there for her. Probably a lace G-string teddy and a pair of high-heels, she thought to herself sardonically.

 

What she found was a surprise to her. There was a silk and lace bra in perfect white, along with matching silk panties, both of which were a perfect fit to her. Neatly folded on top of a skirt was a silk blouse in a blue-on-white pattern, sleeveless, and with a generous neckline. Looking at it, Kana decided that it would be ok. Unfolding the skirt, she held it to her hips, looking at it critically in the mirror. It was black, and came to just past mid-thigh on her, and it, too, was made of silk. Looking closer at it, she found that it was layered and pleated, but still thin and cool. Trying it on, she found that it, too, had obviously been tailored to her.

 

“Guess there isn't much point in wearing my uniform,” she murmured to herself. Looking at the large vanity in the bathroom, she spotted a box under the padded stool. Curious, she fished it out, finding it to be a pair of elegant, but understated flats. And I'll be they are in my size, too! she thought, frowning. Stepping into them, she sighed. “Of course,” she muttered, kicking them off. So, that's his game, she thought sourly.

 

Exploring the rest of the drawers in the vanity revealed several types of hose, various kinds of make-up and hygiene supplies. She also found brushes, and sat down to brush out her long hair. As she did, she reflected on her situation. If I was the kind of girl that was swayed by money and power, I wouldn't have fallen for Sagara, she thought to herself. Yeah, I like to be pampered from time to time, but if that asshole thinks that showering me with gifts will change my opinion of him, he is sadly mistaken!

 

Emerging from the bathroom nearly an hour after she entered, Kaname explored the bedroom/sitting room part of what she considered her cage. Exploring the dresser, she found a jewelry box with many, many things in it. Rings, bracelets, necklaces, ear rings of both types; even several hair ornaments. Smirking, she instinctively brushed her hand over her left wrist, gasping when she realized that the bracelet that Sousuke had given her was gone. I was wearing it yesterday morning, so…! Her eyes grew cold.

 

Selecting several of the most valuable-looking rings - all set with diamonds - she marched back into the bathroom and flushed them down the toilet. “Asshole!” she snarled. That bracelet might not have been as valuable as even a quarter of one of those rings, but damn it, it was given to her by Sousuke! And that is why he took it, too, she realized. Calming her anger, she ran a mental inventory of what she had had on her that morning, versus what she had this morning. Bracelet, cell phone, tracking necklace, pictures of my friends, ID and money in various form, she tabulated. This morning, I don't have any of that. More importantly, I don't even know where I am at! Had she not had the experiences she had had over the last two and a half years under her belt, she might well have broken down and cried in panic at her situation. Now, however, she only found herself vowing that Leonard would pay for kidnapping her.

 

Forcing herself to resume her exploration, she found a phone, but when she picked up the receiver, it was - predictably - out of service. Moving over to the windows, she found herself looking at heavily-wooded mountains, thick with fog. There wasn't a road that she could see, so it wasn't likely that she was near any towns. She also didn't know where she was. Even if I got into a town, would I be able to speak the language? I can speak English and Japanese, and just enough German and Spanish to ask where the bathroom it, but that's it! Yeah, English is the single most common language on the planet, but it is far from the only language out there, and if I am in a remote enough location, I might not be understood in any of the languages I speak! she realized. “Sousuke, what I wouldn't give to have you here,” she murmured to herself. Strangely, the mention of his name calmed her down significantly.

 

-

 

Sousuke was roused from his brooding about Kana by a hand on his shoulder. Blinking, he turned to see Mao point down. Lowering his gaze, he saw that Tessa had fallen asleep against his shoulder at some point while he was lost in thought. Seeing the young woman sleeping against his shoulder pricked at his conscious. I have been taking my frustrations out on her, and that isn't right. Kana wouldn't like that, either, he knew. I'll apologize to her later, he vowed.

 

“Sousuke,” came Mao's voice in his headset, “we're on final to Merida,” said the woman. Sousuke realized that the sunlight was mostly gone; what was there was only because the chopper was flying high. “Don't wake her until we're down, but once she's up, get her to her cabin right away,” she instructed quietly. “I'll handle this end of things,” said the woman.

 

“Roger that,” said Sousuke. “I'll find you after I get Tessa down,” he said quietly. Mao nodded. In silence, they watched the bird descend toward the dark spec below them on the horizon. No lights showed, and no infrared or magnetic signatures gave away what was buried so deeply in the island. Black technology saw to the secrecy, and the vigilance of the staff took care of the rest.

 

As the chopper settled down on the pad, the slight jerk woke Tessa, the young woman sitting up and looking around as she hid a yawn behind her hand. Both sides of the fuselage opened and crewmen swarmed the helicopter. Medics removed Kurz, who regained consciousness long enough to complain about the pain, while the carrier pilot and copilot were whisked off to debriefing with the air wing. Sousuke saluted Kalinin as the Lieutenant Commander - and ground forces chief - of the De Danaan approached. Tessa caught sight of him as well. “Lieutenant Kalinin,” she said, returning his salute. “I assume you have been monitoring the situation?” she said, stepping out of the helicopter with Sousuke's aid. Mao jumped out after her, she and Sousuke bracketing Tessa.

 

“I have,” he confirmed. Tessa nodded.

 

“Good,” she said. “I want to start the debriefing right away,” she said. Kalinin delicately interrupted her.

 

“Captain, I would like to request a chance to review what Sergeant Sagara and Sergeant Major Mao have to say before we meet to evaluate this situation,” he said. “If we can take the time tonight to build a more comprehensive picture of what happened, then we can be better prepared to present you with a brief tomorrow morning.” He paused, gauging her reaction. “I recommend that you get some rest, as well,” he added. Tessa opened her mouth, but didn't speak, seemingly thinking of something.

 

“Very well,” she said, her face a mask. “I will see you at oh five thirty hours. I expect a full briefing on this incident,” she said crisply.

 

“Ma'am,” said all three, saluting her. Tessa returned the salute, then covered her mouth as she yawned. Over Tessa's head, Mao jerked her head at Sousuke. Silently, Sousuke gestured toward the passage that led to the barracks section. Tessa turned and walked toward it, Sousuke falling into step with her.

 

“What happened, Mao?” asked Kalinin bluntly. “You know that the middle of a firefight is not the most effective place for Captain Testarossa to be,” he almost-accused her.

 

“Couldn't be helped, sir,” said Mao. Kalinin dipped his head toward the working section of the base, and the two of them moved toward his office.

 

“I see. Your report?” he asked her. Mao took a breath and filled in what she knew, starting with Tessa's sudden orders for a hot insertion. She shared her suspicions with Kalinin that Tessa had resonated with Kaname yet again and gotten wind of what was happening at Jindai through the other Whispered's eyes. Her field report was concise, and covered only what she knew from her end.

 

Sousuke found them a half hour later, and without any preamble, he laid out the situation, starting from the moment he gave Kaname his Glock. His accounting of the actions in the gym and the fact that the man was identified as Leonard Testarossa was concise, brutal and cold - exactly the way that Kalinin preferred his battlefield reports. Sousuke didn't offer excuses for how it turned out, knowing that what had happened couldn't be changed. So, he focused on what details he could recall about the AS units, his impressions of Leonard, and what sketchy intel he had gathered from the use, placement, type and organization of the devices. He also gave the other two a brief nutshell about the limited success he had had going against the new AS types.

 

“So, Urzu is down to me, Sousuke and the LT,” sighed Mao. “Tessa is kidnapped, Kurz is busted up, an M9 and a carrier are down, and the whole incident is very public. Not one of our better days,” she summed up. Sousuke's dark eyes fixed on Mao.

 

“What is going on that my request was denied?” he asked her. Mao shook her head.

 

“Not sure yet,” she replied. Kalinin surmised that they were referring to something that they hadn't mentioned.

 

“What request, Sergeant?” he asked. Sousuke faced him.

 

“I requested transport of Arbalest with type D armament and a snoop pod to pursue Chidori. My request was denied. Do you know why, sir?” he asked directly. Kalinin was silent for a moment.

 

“No, sergeant, I do not know,” he said after a few moments of introspection. But I suspect why, he left unsaid. “How is Captain Testarossa doing, Sergeant?” he asked.

 

“She is tired, sir.” said Sousuke. “It was a trying day for her,” he added. Who knows what was going on between her and Kana while this all went down, he reflected darkly. The three got to work on processing their individual reports, combining them, and preparing the brief for Tessa.

 

In her room, Tessa was sleeping, though her mind was far from still. Swirling in her head were the memories from Kaname of the ambush in the gym, her thoughts and fears of the last year, and as always, the whispers in her mind. Used to the presence of the tell-tale proof of her status, she found that tonight, it was hard to push the voices out of her mind. Finally, her subconscious - tired of the fight - focused on the whispers.

 

Kana? she asked, suddenly realizing why she hadn't been able to push the voices aside. She was hearing the whisper of Kana in her mind. We're resonating again, Kana, she projected toward the other girl. Kana, can you hear me? It's Tessa, she tried again.

 

Slowly, the maelstrom in her mind calmed. Tessa? came the voice of Kaname Chidori. In her sleep, Tessa sighed.

 

Yes, Kana, it's me, she `said' to Kaname's presence in her mind. Are you ok? Do you know where you are? she wondered. For a moment, the whispers receded, then came back.

 

I'm not sure, Kana admitted to the shorter girl. I feel like I am moving, she revealed. Is Sousuke ok? wondered Kaname.

 

He's fine, confirmed Tessa, he wants to come after you right away, added the girl.

 

How long until you come for me? wondered Kana. Tessa paused.

 

As soon as we can, Kana, she promised. My…Leonard's new AS are a problem we aren't sure how to address right now, she explained. Kana pulsed in her mind.

 

Tessa, you aren't worried about the AS units, said Kana. Tessa had hoped that they weren't far enough merged that Kana could see into her mind, but what the dark-haired girl had just said proved that they were even more deeply linked than she had thought.

 

You can see what I am dealing with, Kana, Tessa thought back to Kaname. I promise you, we will come for you as soon as we can. Please hold on until then, she begged. Kana pulsed stronger in her mind.

 

Of course I will! she fired back. Tessa could feel the depth of the other girl's hatred for her brother. It doesn't matter what he tries, I'll never give in, she promised. A moment passed, then Kana's voice came again. Do you have any idea what he might want with me, Tessa? she wondered. I mean, he's a Whispered, too, so it can't be that, so what does he want with me?

 

I'm not really sure, Kana, came the reply from Tessa. Seeing as how he is in AMALGAM, it can't be anything good, though, she mused.

 

Yeah, I figured that, came the wry reply from Kana. After a moment, Kana's voice pulsed stronger. Hey, Tessa?

 

Yes?

 

I think we should try and resonate as much as possible from now on; at least until you rescue me, she proposed. I can share anything I learn with you, and help you find me. And it will make holding on easier with you in my head, she added, her tone amused.

 

Sounds fine, Kana, agreed Tessa. We've done this so much already that it can't be altered, so why not go for broke?

 

My thoughts exactly, Tessa, approved Kana. Gradually, the two separated, falling asleep.

 

-

 

“Hungry, my dear Kaname?” Kaname looked up from the book she had been reading to find Leonard in the doorway to the room she had been cooped up in for the better part of a day. Earlier, she had gotten breakfast and lunch on a tray, delivered by the AS units. But now, at dinner time, he had chosen to come himself. Interesting, thought Kaname, closing the book.

 

“Yes,” she said distantly, standing.

 

“Then please get your shoes on; dinner is waiting, and so are the guests,” he smiled at her. Kaname's eyes narrowed.

 

“Guests?” she asked tightly. Leonard nodded.

 

“Yes, guests,” he confirmed. “Our hosts are having a bit of soiree this evening, and it would be bad manners to refuse a personal invitation,” he said.

 

“And if I refuse?” asked Kaname. “Last I heard, kidnapping was even ruder than refusing an invitation,” she noted.

 

“Oh, I'm afraid that I really must insist, Kaname dear,” he said causally, though his eyes got a little cooler. Kaname evaluated the situation swiftly. Not seeing a point in fighting over this, she turned and stepped into the bathroom, shutting the door with exaggerated obviousness. Scowling, she used her toes to fish the shoes out from under the vanity.

 

“Officious little toad,” she muttered hatefully. “Showing me off like some trophy! Who does he think he is?!” Suddenly, it occurred to her that this was an excellent chance to fill in several of the blanks. Guests mean that I can find out what language is being spoken, as well as getting a few names. Maybe I can find a way to get some sort of message out, she realized. Her anger forgotten, she jerked open the vanity drawer, swiftly finding a pair of fine silk stocking and hurriedly working them up her legs. Once they were settled, she checked her appearance and stepped into her shoes, turning to the vanity and applying a little makeup before doing a final check of her appearance.

 

Satisfied with what she saw, she opened the door. “So let's eat,” she said petulantly. She deliberately paused for a moment to let him get a look at her, then moved forward, toward the door. As she passed him, he took her hand and placed it on his elbow. Just outside the door, she spotted two of the AS units that were her `guards'. Hiding her sneer, she kept her expression neutral as he guided her down a long, ornate hall, in what was clearly a huge mansion. Kana tried to pick out any features that might tell her where she was, but other than general European features, she didn't spot anything.

 

“I must say, you are even more beautiful then when you were on that rooftop,” Leonard said, smiling at her in a warm, yet unwelcome, way. Kaname's scowl was immediate.

 

“Well, I must say, you are more an asshole than when I first met you,” she said with fake sincerity smothered in poisonous hate.

 

“Hmm,” he replied. “I think you will come to see me differently in time, my dear,” he said. “But, as for the matter of tonight, I think it would be best to warn you that our hosts are part of my association, and therefore, you will not find the sympathetic ear you no doubt hoped to find,” he smiled indulgently. “Though I can assure you that with the way you are dressed and hold yourself, we will be the center of attention.”

 

“I'd so much rather not have to share anything with you; even the attention of your stooges,” she replied distantly. Leonard only laughed.

 

“Well, here we are,” he said, motioning to two costumed doormen, who opened up a set of double doors. Before Kaname, she saw a huge room, with a wall of glass facing the mountains, a long table of food and drink, and perhaps two dozen people inside, most of them men, a few women, in a variety of styles. Leonard pinned her hand to his side with his elbow. “Do behave yourself, my dear,” he murmured as they entered, “some of my hosts' friends can be…excitable.”

 

Over the next three hours, Kaname had become convinced that she was in some weird version of a schizophrenic hell. It was like moment by moment, the room changed. One second, she was getting her ass pinched by some slovenly man in a poorly-fitted suit as he whispered indecent suggestion in her ear, and the next, she was discussing literature with a obviously well-read young woman. Of course, it was never predictable, and that grated on Kana's nerves something fierce.

 

Still, the food was good, and the drink plentiful. She steered clear of the alcohol, sticking to the chilled water in the crystal decanters. The entire time, she had tried - subtly - to get Leonard off her arm, but he had seemed to know what she was trying to do, and he stuck her like glue without being obvious about it. That frustrated the girl more than anything else at the party.

 

She had managed to get him off her arm once by going to the bathroom, but had discovered that the AS units accompanied her into the bathroom. Not that she had really thought that he would be that sloppy, but it rankled her that he had his toys sticking so closely to her. Predictably, when she emerged, he was ready for her. Eventually, the party had broken up, and she found herself being escorted back to her room by Leonard.

 

As tired and pre-occupied as she was, she didn't notice that when they reached her door, Leonard turned her to face him and leaned forward. She was jolted from her mental note making when she felt his lips on her own. His tongue attempted to slip past her lips, but she locked her jaw and shoved him away from her. “Asshole!” she yelled, rushing through the door and slamming it as hard as she could. She hoped that he had followed her, so the door would break his nose, but he hadn't. Throwing the lock, she stood panting behind the door for a moment before her eyes went wide and she dashed into the bathroom.

 

She barely made it before she was violently sick in the toilet. Once she had herself under control again, she washed out her mouth, brushed her teeth and tried to calm herself. Washing her face off, she raised her eyes to catch her reflection. Seeing the look in her eyes, she felt reassured that she could make it. That girl is tough, she told herself of her reflection. She's the kind that makes it.

 

Slowly, she got undressed and ready for bed. Looking around, she realized that her school uniform and the underwear she had had on were gone. Hanging up next to the vanity was a gauzy, transparent night gown. Snorting in derision, she left it hanging and slid into bed in her silk underwear. Like I'm going to give him the satisfaction of wearing that thing! she scoffed as she switched off the light. She found herself eager to sleep. Sleep, after all, meant Tessa.

 

-

 

“And that, Chairman, is the situation,” concluded Tessa. Once more, the girl was in the conference room. With her in the form of holograms were her uncle the Admiral, the Chairman, the head of Intelligence, the head of Research and Development, and the interim head of the Technical branch. Tessa was not happy to see the General again, and to say that she mistrusted Technical was an understatement.

 

“I see,” said the chairman, thoughtfully.

 

“Tactical is preparing a rescue mission even now, and we expect to recover miss Chidori before anything bad happens to her,” Tessa went on, glancing at the notes in her hand. “Allocation for…”

 

“Denied,” said the Chairman. Tessa blinked.

 

“Excuse me?” she asked, surprised.

 

“Permission for a rescue mission is denied,” the man repeated. Tessa's eyes narrowed.

 

“Kaname Chidori is a verified Whispered, Chairman, and she has been taken by AMALGAM operatives. What possible reason could there be for not retrieving her?” she bit out tightly. She's my friend, she left unsaid.

 

“That information is above your pay grade, Captain,” came the snide reply from the head of Intelligence. Tessa locked eyes with the man.

 

“That answer is unacceptable,” she shot back evenly.

 

“You don't have the authority to demand answers, Testarossa,” the general smiled.

 

“Then consider it a formal challenge from Tactical,” came the voice of her uncle. “I myself am very curious what reason could possibly prompt such a rash decision,” he added.

 

“Challenge all you want, it is above your entire section,” said the general. “If you are so worried about her, shouldn't your man - Sagara? - of done a better job protecting her?” he asked.

 

“Perhaps we should follow Intelligence's example?” she purred back acidly.

 

“Enough,” came the voice of the chairman. “In response to your formal challenge, Admiral, I will say only that any action in regard to this incident will cost us an intelligence asset that has taken us a year to develop, and only this past week has started to pay off. So, we are not going to risk an operation that might cost us this source,” he said.

 

“What source could be worth so much?” demanded Tessa coldly. “To leave a Whispered in the hands of the enemy is beyond reason,” she said.

 

“Not for this source, Captain,” bragged the head of intelligence. Seeing her look, he muted his feed, obviously talking to the chairman on a private channel. After a moment, he came back. “Since you in Tactical are so concerned, I will agree to share a bit more information with you,” he said. “The source that has taken so long to develop is a member of AMALGAM's inner council.”

 

“And for that reason, no action is to be taken,” repeated the chairman. “Let me be clear on this: Intelligence is heading up this aspect, so it is hands-off for Tactical. Is that understood?” he pressed.

 

“Yes, Chairman, it is understood,” said the Admiral. Tessa was silent.

 

“Captain Testarossa?” prompted the chairman.

 

“I want it in the transcripts that I vehemently oppose this decision as fundamentally unsound and dangerous,” she bit out.

 

“So noted,” came the bland reply from the head of Intelligence.

 

“Then it is understood,” she bit back. Minutes later, the meeting broke up.

 

“Tessa, do you have a minute?” asked her uncle as the others logged off. Tessa hesitated.

 

“Only a moment, Uncle,” she said.

 

“What you did back there was reckless, Tessa; you know that, right?” he asked her. She nodded.

 

“It was also necessary,” she said simply. “Intelligence is wrong. The Chairman is wrong to trust them to handle this. And all of us in MITHRIL are wrong to throw Kana to the wolves,” she said, standing. “If you will excuse me, I have pressing matters to attend to,” she said, closing the link on her uncle's attempt at a reply.

 

Outside the secure council room, she found Mao and Kalinin waiting for her. Handing her folder with the briefing to Kalinin, she shook her head. Silently, he nodded. Mao growled. Tessa and her two subordinates moved down the corridor in silence. “Where is he?” Tessa asked Mao quietly.

 

“He's in the armory,” said the Sergeant Major. “He's been looking for a solution to our problem,” she added. Tessa sighed.

 

“I see,” she said quietly. Turning to Kalinin, she had a question. “What do you think?” she asked him.

 

“Sousuke is not some rookie, Captain,” said the man. “I think he will be fine,” added the Russian. Tessa nodded.

 

“Very well,” she said. “Inform him of the decision of the council, then tell him to meet me this evening at twenty hundred hours in my office,” she said. Kalinin saluted and moved off. Mao was fuming beside her.

 

“Melissa, come with me,” she said, moving off briskly. Caught by surprise, Mao had to scramble to keep up with her captain. To Mao's surprise, Tessa led her straight to her office and locked the door behind her.

 

“What's up, Tessa?” wondered Melissa. Tessa sat down behind her desk.

 

“Mao,” she said quietly, “I want you to listen carefully to what I have to say without interrupting.”

 

Sensing that something was up, Mao nodded.

 

“Yes, sir!” she replied, Marine-style. Tessa locked gazes with her and began to speak. Five minutes later, Mao's mouth hung open. “Y…you can't be serious!” she gaped.

 

“Deadly serious,” came the immediate reply from Tessa. Mao shook her head.

 

“It's impossible, Tessa,” she said. “Not even he could pull it off,” she said. Tessa nodded, not breaking eye contact.

 

“I can't ask you to do this, but I have to, Melissa,” she said. Melissa saw the look in Tessa's eyes.

 

“Well, don't bother, then,” she sighed, flopping back in her chair. “I volunteer, sir,” she said, fumbling for a cigarette. Tessa said nothing as the woman lit up and exhaled a cloud of smoke.

 

“You do understand what doing this means, right?” she asked quietly. A bark of laughter was her reply.

 

“Oh, I am fully aware of what volunteering means,” confirmed Mao. “But shit, attacking is what Marines do, right?” she managed a smile at Tessa.

 

“I…Melissa…” Tessa shook her head, lunging over to hug the startled Melissa Mao. “Thank you,” she whispered. Hugging her friend and `little sister', Mao assured her it was nothing, and she was only doing it for kicks. Never wanted to be an officer anyway, she told herself.

 

-

 

“Reporting as ordered, sir!” came Sousuke's voice as he stood at attention in Tessa's office. The young woman had been very, very busy all day, and had been caught off guard by Sousuke's appearance. Looking into his dark eyes, she asked herself once more if this was really something she could do. He'd do it with or without me, she told herself.

 

“At ease, Sergeant,” she said. Sousuke relaxed nominally. “I am aware that you have been told of the decision not to recover Kana,” she went on. Sousuke's aura darkened. “I don't agree, Sousuke,” she whispered quietly. “Kana is our friend, and someone,” she paused, her lips compressing, “no, the enemy has taken her from us. I won't let it go unchallenged,” she continued more firmly.

 

“Sir,” he urged her on, his expression nearly eager.

 

“Sousuke, I'm asking you to volunteer for a black mission. Volunteering will have serious repercussions. It is entirely possible that MITHRIL will be ordered to hunt you down; much like we did with Blueno,” she cautioned him. “The mission is to rescue Kana and bring her to me.”

 

“I volunteer!” he said instantly. Tessa sighed.

 

“I knew you would,” she whispered. “You understand that you will be acting without sanction, and therefore cannot draw weapons or use your AS, correct?” she asked him.

 

“Not a problem,” he said darkly. “I have sufficient contacts and materials to execute the mission myself,” he assured her. Tessa shook her head.

 

“I'm not asking you to go on a suicide mission, Sousuke,” she said. “Another volunteered to be your partner for the duration,” she confided. He frowned.

 

“Can I trust them, Tessa?” he asked her. She nodded.

 

“You can trust her, Sousuke,” she said. “You are going to be partnered with Melissa this time.”

 

“Excellent,” he approved. He and Mao knew how to operate together, after all.

 

“That's not all,” said Tessa. “There will be another in your group.”

 

“Another?” wondered Sousuke, confused. Tessa nodded, removing a key from her safe and tucking it under her uniform blouse.

 

“Yes,” she said, moving toward the door. “Though I doubt that you can trust her,” she added, sighing. Sousuke followed Tessa as she made her way through the sparsely-populated corridors. Past the medical wing, Tessa led him into a high-security area of the base. It was seldom used, and highly automated. Using the key, Tessa passed them through several doors.

 

“This is her,” said Tessa, stopping in front of a reinforced observation window. Looking through the window, Sousuke spotted a slim, lithe figure exercising in the room below. Seeing her, he felt a shiver run down his spine.

 

“Xia Yu Fan,” he breathed. Tessa nodded.

 

“After Hong Kong, the salvage crews picked up her Chodarl D unit. Much to everyone's surprise, she was still alive,” said Tessa. “I managed to keep it a secret, and Peggy had to put in nearly twenty hours of surgery, but she has healed, recovered and has been here ever since.” Tessa touched a button by the window.

 

“Yu Fan,” she said, “have you made your decision?” she asked the woman. In the room, the young woman turned to moved in front of the observation window. She was wearing a pair of spandex bike shorts, but nothing else. Her hair was longer, but other than that, she was just as she had been when Sousuke had seen in her Hong Kong; well, except for the scar on her belly.

 

“I will do it,” she said. Her voice was dead and lifeless. “But his life is mine to take,” she stipulated. “When do we start?” she asked.

 

“Soon,” said Tessa. “You should get some rest,” she added. Tossing her head, Tessa led Sousuke away from the assassin. As they moved out of the security section, she filled in some background for Sousuke.

 

“I've had Kalinin working on her for a while now,” said the short girl. “He finally managed to convince her to work with us against AMALGAM. Basically, she is going to be bird dog on this mission. She will take you to the places where AMALGAM has personnel. Your job is to fine Kaname and rescue her,” said Tessa. “She is planning to kill all of AMALGAM, and I don't see a reason to try and stop her. However, you should never forget that this is a partnership of opportunity, and act accordingly.”

 

“So, I cannot fully trust her, then,” translated Sousuke. Tessa nodded. Leading Sousuke, she arrived at her destination.

 

“Sousuke,” said Tessa, pulling him into her cabin, “You can always trust me; please remember that,” she said, hugging him. Sousuke hugged her back. Seconds passed, then Tessa spoke again. “Promise that you will bring her back,” she begged.

 

“I will not lose Kana,” confirmed Sousuke firmly. “Nor will I allow you to be hurt by losing her,” he added. Tessa inhaled sharply at his words. Looking at him, she saw the look in his eyes that made her weak in the knees. Burying her face back against his chest, she hugged him tighter.

 

“I…know about you and Kana,” whispered the girl softly after several minutes had passed. “Could…do you feel that way about me, too?” she wondered. Sousuke nodded.

 

“Yes,” he said. “Kana and I meant to talk with you about that after graduation,” said Sousuke. Or rather, Kana did; she seems to have some sort of plan about all this, he left unsaid. Even now, the workings of Kana's mind was a mystery to him, let alone the weird connection she and Tessa had forged. He had never seen anything like it before; no had in all likeliness.

 

“I know, Sousuke,” Tessa said softly, her face still pressed to his chest. “We resonated again,” she confirmed his earlier suspicions. “Is this going to be ok with you?” she asked him. Sousuke had never gotten the impression that he was offered a choice in the matter, but if he was offered a choice, it would be fine with him.

 

“As long as you and Kana are in agreement,” he assured her. Tessa smiled at him.

 

“I can't see you off,” she said, her cheeks coloring, “but if you can, you're welcome to stay with me tonight,” she offered, her heart racing. Sousuke looked down at her, seeing her emotions play across her face.

 

“If you are sure,” he said quietly, leaning closer to her, “I would like to,” he said, gently pressing his lips to hers. Tessa would have fainted with relief and excitement, had she not been distracted by Sousuke's kiss. Eagerly, she responded as best as she could.

 

Sousuke realized as he kissed Tessa that the young woman was less experienced than Kana. Taking the lead, he guided Tessa through the kiss, finding that Tessa required little prompting. Before either knew it, they were caressing each other's tongues. Eventually, Tessa pulled back. “Sousuke,” she breathed happily, feeling him rubbing her back through her clothes. Finally! she thought, relieved and eager at the same time.

 

Feeling his hands slide along her waist from her back to her front, where they followed the curves of her body up to her throat. Silently, Sousuke began to unbutton her blouse. Tessa closed her eyes as she leaned her had back to give him more room. She knew that her nipples were already noticeably hard and her pussy tingled. Sousuke swiftly made his way down her blouse until he reached her uniform skirt. With a deft tug, he freed her blouse from her skirt, swiftly finishing unbuttoning it and slipping it off her pale shoulders. A soft moan came from the platinum-haired girl as her blouse landed on the floor of her room.

 

Beautiful, though Sousuke, taking a moment to enjoy the view. Different from Kana, but absolutely beautiful. Using just his fingertips, he traced the swell of her modest breasts, contained in a lace and satin bra. With his fingers, he traced her bra, finding that there were no hooks in the back. Front fasten, he realized, recalling that Kana had some like that. Moving back to her chest, he felt her hard nipples slip under his fingertip, earning a gasp from the girl. Concealed under a pale pink bow was the single clasp, joining the cups of the garment between her breasts. It was the work of a moment to work the clasp free, causing the cups to part.

 

Breathing deeply, Sousuke brushed the straps from her shoulders, the bra falling on top of the blouse. Immediately, he cupped her free breasts, gently caressing and fondling her proud monuments to her gender. “Yes,” hissed Tessa, placing her hands over his as he explored her breasts. She knew that she was smaller than Kana, and it had occasionally worried her that Sousuke might like Kana's larger breasts more than her own shapely rack. Feeling Sousuke's warm, wet mouth attach to her bare nipple, she realized that she needn't worry about it ever again.

 

Panting, Tessa wrapped her arms around Sousuke's head, holding his lips to her nipples, unconsciously wriggling her hips as her pussy throbbed with arousal. Gasping and moaning, she luxuriated in the sensations generated by the attention he was lavishing on her breasts. Sousuke's own hands were running all over her chest, belly, waist and back, one of them pausing to free her braid and shake her hair free into a shiny fall to the small of her back.

 

Switching breasts, Sousuke combed his fingers through her freed hair, finding that the feeling of her soft, silky, cool strands felt much like Kana's, save for the slight curl to Tessa's. I will never have to worry about mistaking one for the other, he thought absently, his pants feeling tight and uncomfortable. Forcing his hand out of her soft hair, he explored the waistband of her skirt as carefully and observantly as if he were disarming an improvised explosive device.

 

Finding the button at her right hip, he unfastened it and drew the fine zipper down, feeling Tessa wiggle her hips as the skirt haltingly dropped to circle her ankles. Sousuke found himself dealing with an unexpected obstacle. Tessa was wearing a slip under her skirt; not something that Kana usually did, but then, her skirts were usually shorter than Tessa's uniform skirt. How should I deal with this? wondered Sousuke, absently stroking Tessa's hips and ass through the thin, sheer, slick material.

 

“Pull it down,” breathed Tessa, her hand guiding his to the elastic waist and helping him pull the barrier down to rest on top of her skirt. Glad I didn't wear hose today, she thought, leering to herself. She knew that her panties were already wet with her juice, and hose would have only delayed things longer. Feeling Sousuke pull back, she blushed harder, nervously putting both arms behind her so Sousuke could get a good look at her.

 

Sousuke studied her nearly-naked form for several seconds. He could tell that - much like Kana - Tessa seemed to wear matching panties and bras when possible. Tessa's were both in a ivory-green color, and like her bra, the panties were lace trimmed, though the main body was cotton. Having seen all of Kana's underwear at one point or another, he knew that the cut and fashion of Tessa's panties were relatively conservative. Conservative or not, he loved how they looked on her slim hips. “Tessa-chan.” he breathed, meeting her eyes. Her face was crimson, but her eyes were clouded with lust.

 

“Sousuke,” she replied, swallowing nervously. Sousuke hissed as his dick informed him that it was very unhappy with the situation. Growling a little, Sousuke struggled with his pants, Tessa's small, soft hands joining him a moment later. It took both of them to get his pants and boxers off him, thanks to his persistent hard-on. Tessa gasped when his shaft bounced free of his boxers. “It's huge,” she murmured to herself. How can that fit in me?! she wondered in awe.

 

To Tessa, Sousuke's manhood looked as long and thick as a torpedo. Swallowing a mouthful of drool, she instinctively reached out and touched the wide, thick tip. The instant that her fingertips touched the warm, soft skin of his dick, an electric tingle ran up her arm, through her chest, and detonated in her groin. Without thought, her hand closed around as much of the shaft as she could, marveling at the contradictory sensations of soft skin over hard shaft. Her hand slowly began to stroke the extraordinary tool in her grasp.

 

Lustfully, Sousuke pushed his fingers under the waistband of her panties and jerked them off her, baring her sex to his gaze. Seeing the neat, carefully-tended patch above the glistening lips, he felt his pre-cum begin to leak, coving Tessa's hand. Reaching out, he cupped her sex, rubbing it briefly before easing a finger between her lips explore her sex.

 

“Mm,” hummed Tessa, spreading her legs to give him better access. She almost toppled, however, as her skirt and slip conspired to trap her ankles. Grabbing her, Sousuke lifted her by her hips as if she weighed nothing, moving toward her bed after carefully stepping out of his own pants. Feet dangling in the air, Tessa impatiently kicked off her shoes. His display of desire and strength only fueled her hormone-driven lusts. When he set her down on the bed, she immediately spread her legs wide. “Please, Sousuke,” she begged him.

 

Hearing her tone, Sousuke discarded his planned exploration of her, knowing the signs of an impatient girl. Quickly mounting the bed, he settled between her legs, her hand immediately once more closing around his tip, tugging insistently as she sought to get relief from her throbbing pussy by scratching the itch with his itch-scratching tool. Her resonance with Kana had proven that his dick could certainly scratch the itch in her drooling flower. Sousuke settled his tip at her opening and began to press forward, Tessa's hand sliding up her belly before wrapping around his chest.

 

“Ugh!” grunted Sousuke, feeling how incredibly tight Tessa was. Kana had been tight as well, but Tessa was even tighter. Given her own lubrication and his generous pre-cum, the tightness of her virgin passage was not a problem. Pushing harder, he worked his thick tip into her; to Tessa's enthusiastic approval. Neither of them noticed when his persistent penetration of her tore her hymen, both of them being far too busy with more important matters. “So good,” they breathed in unison.

 

The two of them noticed when he finally reached her cervix, however, and after a shared wide-eyed glance, Sousuke began to pump into her, the pace building at fever pitch as the pair surrendered to their long-denied desire and attraction. Tessa experienced her first `real' orgasm before Sousuke, the feelings running through her consuming her like a tidal wave. It was, she would later contemplate, not unlike resonating with Kana. When Sousuke suddenly held himself deep inside her and flooded her with his own cum, she was rewarded with a small set of weak, but fast, orgasms. God, yes!! she screamed in her mind.

 

Panting, Sousuke gradually became aware of himself once more, his shaft slowly, slowly softening her still-twitching womanhood. Covered in sweat, he focused on Tessa, who was staring blankly at the ceiling, a wide, smug smile on her face, her arms still tight around his chest. “Tessa?” he said softly, freeing a hand to stroke her face. Other than an uncoordinated head move, she didn't react. Sousuke had seen this reaction before, and decided that Tessa would recover after a little rest.

 

It took some doing, but he managed to get them both under her covers. Tessa refused to release her grip on him, and that smug smile never left her face, even after he realized that she was sleeping peacefully. Sousuke snuggled her close and closed his eyes for a few hours sleep before he did what he and Tessa both knew had to be done. Kana, he thought, pressing his lips to Tessa's forehead before closing his eyes, we're coming to get you. To hell with orders, and to hell with anyone who gets in our way! Tessa and I won't abandon you.