Gunslinger Girl Fan Fiction ❯ Georgian March ❯ Chapter 1

Georgian March

 

By: A-Z Mark II

 

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't claim to.

 

Sitting at a small outdoor table at a small coffee shop in Rome, an attractive young woman sipped her drink and casually perused the magazine in front of her. Dressed in slacks and a blouse, she drew little attention; which was good, given her profession. Checking her watch, she realized that she had some more time to kill before her date arrived.

One whole week of vacation. she thought, turning the page of her magazine. It's been so long since I had time off that I can barely figure out what to do with it all! It was a fact that her job was a massive drain on her time and attention, but that went with the territory when you signed up, so she simply lived with it.

Besides, there were perks to her job - quite a few actually. Two and half years had passed since she signed on with the Social Welfare Agency, and was routed to Section 2. Fresh from her university degree work in communications technology, which had followed on the heels of her stint with the Italian military intelligence agency, the young woman had discovered that she had been head-hunted by what amounted to a spook division.

It wasn't upsetting for her, as she had planned to remain in the intelligence and covert ops profession, but it was a shock to realize how far over the conventional lines her new outfit went. The entire Agency was funded from a line-budget appropriation amendment to the national budget, but that was all it had in common with the other governmental bodies and entities. Within the Agency, there were two factions: Section 1 tasked with investigations, intelligence and information control, and Section 2, tasked with `laundry duty', as the ever-charming Jean called their profession.

Assassins. thought the woman, turning yet another page. We are government assassins, and our tools are disgustingly unorthodox. she reflected. After all, who would expect that innocent-looking little girl of being a cyborg assassin? The woman was not squeamish at all, but sometimes, it ate at her that the Agency used the girls like it did. Not much of an improvement, really. We take crippled children, rebuild them, brainwash them, teach them to kill on command, and shorten their lives in the process, then try to tell ourselves that we are `helping' them. She firmly pushed the thought aside.

“Not all the cases are bad.” she muttered to herself. Her favorite pair of Fratello were - without a doubt - Giuseppe - Henrietta, with Hillshire - Triela a close second. A slight grimace crossed her lips as she thought of the other Fratello teams. Jean - Rico were her least favorite, more because of Jean's attitude than anything else. How he and Giuseppe could be brothers is beyond me! It's like they are completely opposite people. As for the last surviving pair of Fratello, the Marco - Angelica team, well, she most likely wouldn't have to worry about them too much longer. Angelica was rapidly nearing the end of her `duty cycle' as the doctors called it, and would be dead sooner, rather than later. Her memory was nearly all gone, and her body was malfunctioning badly, to the point where the Chief had withdrawn the team from active duty.

It must be tough on Marco. reflected the woman. He and Angelica were the first Fratello team, and they seemed to be doing so well back then. But we didn't know all the side-effects of the serum used on the girls, and her series of upgrades were faulty, when compared to the current batch in Henrietta. The woman checked her watch again.

Company policy was strict on relationships within the section: only professional relationships were allowed - nothing personal. The woman understood the reasons for that, and didn't have a problem with it, per se, but she did occasionally daydream about the romantic possibilities with Giuseppe. Still, it wasn't anything she couldn't live without, and given the attachment he had with Henrietta and the girl's occasionally over-protective nature, she insured that it stayed just daydreams.

“Which is why I'm here.” she muttered, closing her magazine and leaning back. At twenty six, she was the youngest member of the field support staff for the Fratellos, and she was also the lead agent. It was a testament to her skill and dedication that none of the Fratello leads or older support staff questioned performance. But all that focus on work had a price. She had no love life. Hell, she didn't even really have a life outside of work. And damn it all, I get horny! she thought.

So, when she had been introduced to a handsome, confident man by a mutual acquaintance, she had allowed herself to be worked into a date with him. Doubtlessly, Section 2 had run him through the info system to make sure he wasn't a terrorist or a member of an enemy organization, but since nothing was said, she was going on the presumption that all was well. Who knows? she thought lasciviously, by tonight, I could be getting laid! Sometimes, fingers and toys just weren't enough.

“Ferro?” came a man's voice from the street near her table. Looking up, she spotted her date, sitting behind the wheel of a large Alfa Romeo sedan. Standing, she dropped some cash on the table and made her way to the car, slipping into the passenger seat. “You look lovely today, Ferro.” he said, eyeing her subdued outfit. Ferro smiled.

“Thank you.” she said simply. “So, where to?” she asked him as he shifted the car into drive and pulled smoothly away from the café.

-

The Fratello were assembled in the meeting room for an emergency meeting. As Giuseppe entered, he frowned, not seeing Ferro there. It was a habit with him to make eye contact with his preferred support lead before each mission. Not seeing her there worried him.

“You're late.” came his brother's voice from the head of the table, next to the Chief. Giuseppe ignored that comment, as his brother was always like that. Not to mention that I am precisely on time, thank you very little, brother. he thought, without any real resentment. He had had a lifetime to get used to Jean's attitude, and it failed to make much of an impression on him. Taking his seat next to Hillshire, he waited for the meeting to start. The chief didn't waste any time.

“Ferro is missing.” he said simply. “She went on vacation leave, and was accounted for up until the day before yesterday. When she failed to return this morning, we attempted to contact her, but were unable to do so. Our attempts to locate her were unsuccessful.” he continued. “All we have is this.” he dropped an enlarged photo on the table. Jean picked it up.

“And he his?” asked the lead agent. The Chief sat back in his chair.

“As near as we can tell, he is Ferro's boyfriend.” replied the head of Section 2. There were some muted sounds from those in the room, especially from Alphonse and Amadeo, the two support troopers who most often worked under her direct supervision.

“Didn't know boss lady had a boyfriend.” murmured Alphonse. A slight snicker came from his partner.

“She's probably just late because she had to bury the body.” he replied softly.

“Knock it off, you two.” interrupted Georgio. “If she had killed him, you two would have been tasked with planting him.” he sniped. It was true that they tended to get the dirty jobs, but they didn't complain as it was a sign that Ferro trusted them to be able to complete the assignments.

“All of you shut up.” came Jean's voice. “What else do we know?” he asked the boss. The older man lit his pipe.

“Not much.” he admitted. “He was introduced to her by a mutual friend, he has expensive tastes, is very charismatic and seems to have no visible source of income or support.” elaborated the man. “His `home', if you will, is a rented condo on the beach north of here. The records show that he has been living there for a couple of years, but the neighbors all claim he has only been there about two months. His bank accounts are out of Switzerland and the Cayman Islands, he pays cash nearly everywhere, and does not seem to have any commitments on his time.”

“Sounds like a plant.” mused Hillshire. “But even if he is, we can't get good intel on him because of his habits. He could just be a rich playboy, but it seems too convenient for that to be likely.”

“Have we gone back through the friend that introduced them?” asked Giuseppe. “If she was introduced to him by this friend, then the friend should know something about him, right?”

“Her friend is also missing.” replied the chief. “Due to the severity of the situation, I am going to handle this in-house as a probe of our organization. I want Jean - Rico to take his place apart. I want Giuseppe - Henrietta to look into the situation with her friend. Hillshire - Triela, work back through her movements and contacts from the last two months. Marco, you're…” began the Chief, but the senior agent held up his hand.

“I'm on backup with Angelica, right?” he guessed. Since Angelica couldn't really get out of bed, it was a fore-gone conclusion. The Chief nodded.

“No back-up, huh?” mused Hillshire.

“If any of you get in deep, call for assistance from another pair. Support elements will be available, but…” he paused.

“Without boss lady to ride herd on us, we aren't going to be in top form, right, boss?” guessed Amadeo. He was the clown of the support staff, and didn't seem bothered joking at his own expense.

“Correct. I had thought to bring Priss up from research, but with her lack of field experience, it would not help the situation any. Therefore, I am giving the Fratellos direct command over you all.” he said to the support staff, who just nodded. Usually, the Fratellos told Ferro what they needed, and she made the assignments and decisions, but with her out of the loop, the Fratellos would have to assign tasks to the staff directly.

“Well, if that's all, let's go find boss lady.” shrugged Alphonse. God knows I don't want to have to listen to Jean barking orders more than I have to.

“One more thing,” said the boss as the Fratello leads stood, “you are to maintain a low profile while doing this.” he stressed. “Until we know more, treat this as a full mission. No leaks, no fuss, no mess. Understood?” he asked them. The leads nodded. “Go bring her back.” he said simply. The room emptied quickly. Seeing Marco about to leave, the boss asked him to stay behind for a moment. He had an idea, but he wasn't going to attempt it if Marco wasn't willing to risk it first.

-

Ferro blinked as she opened her eyes. “Ugh.” she groaned. Where the hell am I? she wondered. Starting to sit up, she realized that she was strapped to a bed in a small, windowless room. As her head cleared more, she realized that she had an IV in one arm, and was naked under a thin sheet. “What the fuck?” she muttered, trying to sort through her memories.

She had gone to an art exhibition with her date, then the opera, then to a charming, cozy restaurant with an incredible wine list, and then on to his place for some privacy. As they had arrived at his place, she had begun to feel a bit tired. At first, she thought it was just the day and wine, but as he helped her through the door to his condo, she wondered why it was hitting her so hard.

Well, put that with this, and you get… she thought to herself, ...either kidnapped or captured, depending on how lucky I am. Let's hope for a simple kidnapping. she thought, beginning to feel out the straps holding her to the bed. Ok, it's a sure bet that they took my cell phone, gun, and emergency transmitter, she thought, reviewing her situation, but I doubt that they know about the sub-dermal chips. Now, if one of the girls can just get close enough to pick up the signal…

The sub-dermal chip was a small safety precaution from the early days of the Fratello program, back when they were worried that one of the bodies might go out of control. It was implanted in the support staff to (hopefully) allow them to bring a body back in should the handler be killed. With the conditioning the girls underwent, they wouldn't obey anyone but their handlers or someone from the Agency - and that only if their handlers were killed or incapacitated. So, the chips were developed to give the support staff a nominal override for the conditioning. It had been Triela who observed that it was like a high-pitched squeal in her enhanced hearing. That had led to some testing and adjustment that allowed the units to identify and track the support staff by the interference generated by the chips. Handy, but until now, completely useless.

Her musing was cut short by the door opening and a hooded man entering. Ferro watched him silently. Walking over to her IV bottle, he checked the level of the fluid, then glanced at his watch. Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew a syringe and carefully injected the contents into the bottle of fluid via the rubber cap stop on the bottle. Chemical interrogation, then? wondered the woman. “I won't talk.” she said aloud.

“That'll be fine.” replied the man, his voice obviously altered electronically. Checking his watch, he turned and left the room. Looking at the fluid, she couldn't help but wonder what they were up to. Not to mention who they work for. They're pro, no doubt about it, but who are they working for and what are their goals? she wondered, waiting for the drugs to kick in. If I talk, it would be inconvenient, but nothing more. I know some of the project, but the core projects I know nothing about - for just this reason. Working her fingers around as best as she could, Ferro tried to find a way out of the strapping system. Before she could, the room got hazy, and she began to feel oddly detached.

She didn't notice the door to the room opening again, and a person entering the room. This person checked her vitals, checked the IV, and then put a pair of headphones on her, connected to a small digital device. Pressing the button that began the looped message, the person exited the room.

-

Jean and Rico stepped out of the sedan, surveying the condo as they did so. “Rico, be ready for close contact when we enter.” said the blonde man softly. Rico nodded. “Let's go say `hello', Rico.” directed the man. Falling into step with her handler, the girl moved forward, her hand falling to her Hi-Power under her jacket.

Reaching the door, Jean rang the door bell. Rico could hear the chime inside the house, but didn't hear any movement. Jean absently checked his tie as he waited. As always, he was wearing a black suit, white shirt, black tie, black gloves and sunglasses. Rico was dressed as she always was in the field with her Fratello handler: rolled-up boy's blue jeans, baggy unisex tee shirt, nylon flight-style jacket and sneakers with no socks. Her blonde hair was as indifferently tended as always. She sometimes wondered what it would be like to dress in girl's clothes like Henrietta or in neat, professional clothes like Triela.

Jean rang the bell again. After a moment of meticulously adjusting his gloves, he glanced at Rico. “Anything?” he asked the girl, withdrawing a thin case from his suit's pocket. Rico shook her head.

“No, Jean. Nothing.” she said. Jean flicked the case open and withdrew a lock pick and a tensioning bar. Slipping the tools into the lock, he picked the lock faster than if he had had a key.

“Well, he left the door open, so let's go in.” he muttered to the girl. Rico nodded and reached for the door. Jean grabbed her arm before she touched it. “Gloves.” he growled at his unit. Rico swiftly pulled the fine, thin leather gloves that Henrietta had given her from the pocket of her jacket and pulled them on. Jean just grunted as he opened the door and the two stepped inside. Closing the door behind them, Jean looked around. “Stay sharp, Rico.” he directed her.

“Yes, Jean.” she replied. Jean moved deeper into the condo, his eyes roving over the interior. Rico followed, her eyes roving as well. Swiftly finishing their first pass of the ground floor, the two moved up the stairs. On the top floor, they swept the master bath, the guest room and moved to the master bedroom. “Jean.” said Rico, pointing to the bed. Jean looked it over.

It had been slept in, recently too, but only sloppily made up. Approaching it slowly, Jean knelt down and looked under the bed, checked behind the headboard, and carefully felt the mattress over. Satisfied, he swiftly peeled the sheets back. At the foot of the bed, they found their first clue. “Are those Ferro's?” wondered Rico as Jean picked up a small patch of lace and satin.

“Most likely.” replied Jean absently, tossing them to Rico. The girl caught them, blinking at Jean. “Put them in a bag and keep them safe. We'll take them back with us.” he said without looking at her. Rico looked at the panties in her hand.

“I…didn't bring any bags, Jean.” she admitted.

“I'm not surprised.” said Jean flatly. “Just put them in your pocket, then.” he said. All we really need is a positive match to Ferro, anyway, and since Rico is logged, any contamination will be unimportant at best. he thought to himself, eyeing the bed. Behind him, Rico studied the rose-colored panties for a moment before slipping them into her jacket pocket. Her underwear had been boy's briefs until she moved in with Henrietta. Her roommate had been upset about that, and had asked her handler to let her get Rico some proper underwear. Now, she had comfortable panties, if plain cotton ones. From doing laundry with Henrietta, Triela, Angelica and Claes, she knew that the other girls had far more feminine and delicate panties and bras. But, Jean had not said anything about getting anything fancy, so she simply wore the plain, simple ones she had.

“Rico, let's check downstairs for any message traffic or signs of movement.” directed Jean, breaking her chain of thought. Her handler was already moving past her. Rico followed immediately. Downstairs, the team systematically tossed the entire condo, but came up empty. “We're done here.” announced Jean, pulling out his secure phone and dialing the number for the phone at his boss's desk. When he picked up, Jean wasted no time with pleasantries. “It's Jean. We found one item, but nothing else. Yes. The condo is a front, nothing more. Judging from the lack of food, toiletries, mail and garbage, this wasn't their primary blind, either. Agreed. We're heading back now.” he said, ending the call. Opening the door, he tossed his head toward the car. “Let's go, Rico.” he ordered.

-

Giuseppe and Henrietta knocked on the door of a small house on the far southern outskirts of Rome and waited for a reply. Henrietta was wearing one of her favorite skirt and top combinations, with knee-high hose and dark shoes. A light jacket that matched her skirt concealed her SIG handgun. Beside her, Giuseppe was sporting a dark suit and tie, much like his brother Jean.

“Hear anything, Henrietta?” he asked his partner. Henrietta shook her head.

“No, Giuseppe.” she replied softly. The man nodded. Pulling out a pair of gloves, he tested the knob. It was locked. Sighing, he reached into his wallet and withdrew a `C' shaped piece of steel. Pushing it carefully into the fitting between the door and the frame, he wiggled it a bit, then twisted it slightly. Pulling on the knob, he opened the door and he and Henrietta stepped into the house. Closing the door behind them, Giuseppe looked around. Henrietta did likewise. “Giuseppe, I don't hear anything.” she said softly.

“Let's look around a bit.” he directed. Henrietta nodded.

“Ok.” she agreed, moving through the small house steadily. Not finding anything in the living room, bedroom, bathroom or utility room, the two paused at the kitchen to regroup. “Do you think she might have left town?” asked Henrietta of her partner.

“I don't think so, Henrietta.” replied Giuseppe. “Her utilities are all running like she just stepped out for a moment, there are appointments for tomorrow and next week, and her purse is still in her bedroom. It's not that likely that she left on a trip with all that still here.” Henrietta considered that.

“Grocery shopping, maybe?” she suggested. Giuseppe smiled.

“Easy enough to find out.” he said, turning to the refrigerator. Opening it, sighed. “Well, that answers that.” he said, closing the refridge. Henrietta blinked, not having been able to see inside because Giuseppe's body blocked her view.

“She stepped out to get groceries?” she wondered. Giuseppe turned toward the door.

“In a way.” he said, pulling out his cell phone. “Let's go, Henrietta.” he said softly, dialing a number. Dutifully, Henrietta followed her handler out of the house, Giuseppe taking care to be sure that he wiped any surface that he had touched on the way out. Phone to ear, he paused as he made sure the door was locked behind them.

When his party picked up, he gave his report. “It's Giuseppe. Someone put her in the icebox. Yeah, nothing here. We're returning, unless another team needs us?” He glanced at his watch as he and Henrietta got into the dark sedan. “Yeah. We'll head on over there.” he said, ending the call. Seeing Henrietta's expectant look, he smiled at her. “We're hooking up with Hillshire and Triela at a small café downtown.” he explained.

“Ok.” she replied happily. Giuseppe started the car.

“What do you say we grab a light lunch while we're there?” he asked his charge.

-

“Over here.” came Hillshire's voice. The two looked outside the café, and spotted the second Fratello team, sitting at a small table, coffee cup in front of Hillshire, and a can of soda in front of Triela. The blonde cyborg waved to the darker-haired Henrietta as the two approached.

“Lunch break?” teased Giuseppe as he took one of the two free seats at the table. Henrietta settled in the other one. Hillshire just smiled.

“Something like that.” he allowed, a waiter appearing and bringing a menu for Giuseppe and Henrietta. Giuseppe ordered a coffee and some coffee cakes, while Henrietta asked for some of what Triela was having. The waiter disappeared and a few minutes later, their selections arrived. Hillshire stole a coffee cake from Giuseppe before he spoke again. “We are waiting for a waiter to show who served Ferro her last meal.” he said. Seeing the look on Giuseppe's face, he shook his head.

“Figure of speech, Giuseppe.” he said placatingly. “However, it could be fact, so let's not close our minds to the possibility just yet.” he added. Yeah, I know you two are close, Giuseppe, but if she got grabbed by an enemy faction, the chances of her being recovered alive are thin at best. he silently amended. “Anyway, Triela and I back-tracked her from her place to this place. This is the last place anyone saw her, and the waiter was the last one that spoke with her. End of the line, if we come up dry.” he said, sipping his coffee.

“It's ok, Henrietta.” came Triela's voice, catching the two off guard. “We'll get Ferro back.” she said confidently. Both men looked at the two cyborg units. Triela looked the two handlers over and sighed. “Yes?” she asked them both. Getting no response, she tried again. “Is something wrong?”

“No. Nothing.” replied Hillshire, looking away from the twin-pony-tailed girl. God, it's so easy to forget that they're not just combat units! he thought to himself. They're cyborgs, but at the same time, they are young girls, too. Glancing at Henrietta, Triela winked at her.

“Look, here comes the guy.” said Hillshire, draining the last of the coffee and setting his cup down as he stood. “I'll go say `hi' to him.” he said, his tone darkly eager. Triela silently stood and shadowed her handler while Giuseppe and Henrietta watched in case they were needed.

-

Ferro opened her eyes, blinking several times to clear the sleep reside from them. Still, they felt a bit gritty. When she tried to move her arms to wipe them with the back of her finger, she found she was still strapped down to a table. After a minute of orienting herself, she discovered that she was still in the same state as when she had first come to. “Great.” she muttered.

Looking over at the IV bottle, she saw it was nearly empty. She also became aware that she had to pee like all get out. I wonder how long it's been since I got captured? she mused. That thought just made her more aware of the insistent pressure on her bladder. “Have they heard of a bathroom break?” she growled.

As if they were waiting for her to ask that question, the door opened and a woman came in, hood in place. Once more, hoods so I can't ID the bastards. Definitely pros. she noted. The woman calmly flipped the thin sheet covering her off, pulled a catheter and collection bag from her lab coat's pocket and professionally inserted the catheter. While Ferro was relieving the pressure on her bladder, the woman checked her vitals, tapped on the IV feed and checked a single sheet of paper before withdrawing the needle in her arm and putting a bandage over the puncture mark.

Seeing that her patient was done, she withdrew the catheter and exited without a word. Ferro considered the latest development. Ok, I can assume that they are monitoring the room. I still don't know how long I've been out, or what those drugs were supposed to do. I'm getting professional care, but why? After several minutes of mentally struggling with the puzzles before her, she put them aside for the moment. I would really like to see one of the Fratello teams come through that door. Preferably any team but Jean-Rico. she added, acutely aware that she was lying there naked, the sheet not having been put back over her.

-

“So, we have one corpse, one pair of panties, and a description of a car that Ferro might or might not have gotten into.” recapped the boss, rubbing his temples. “Excellent work; really.” he said sarcastically.

“Your orders were to keep it quiet and be invisible.” pointed out Jean calmly. “If you want fast results, you should let us be a bit more forceful.” he added. The boss sent the lead agent a flat stare.

“Not necessary until we find out who needs to be pounded down.” he replied. “We have confirmation that those panties were Ferro's?” he asked. Hillshire nodded.

“She had another pair exactly like them at her place, as well as several with similar cut and fashion.” he answered crisply. And I am not going to go into detail about that! he thought. Even so, it was kind of fun to rummage around in her underwear drawer. Might have been better if Triela weren't there with that look of hers, but oh well.

“Since the friend who introduced him to Ferro is dead, that just leaves the man and the car. The panties indicate that Ferro was at his place at least once, so we will go on the assumption that he is bait for a person or organization.” he paused, thinking. “Find him. Be as rough as you need to be.” he directed.

“Should we ask for some assistance from Section 1?” asked Marco. The boss shook his head.

“No. In-house only, people.” he replied immediately. “No outside contact.” The meeting broke up quickly.

-

“Tell me why we're doing this again?” said the dark haired man to his blonde partner. The woman didn't look up from her work.

“Because we were paid to do it, Franco.” she said simply. Finishing her current job, she started over at the beginning, and traced the entire job from start to finish as if she hadn't just completed it, looking for anything she had missed.

Across the room from her, the dark-haired man finished off his own job and did likewise, running over the fusing and detonating sequence from start to finish, looking for any flaw he had missed. “Yeah, but I mean why are we doing this?” he repeated, eyes on the deta-cord. “This is a basic setup; anyone with half a brain and an hour's training in demolition could have done it.” he argued. “We're device specialist, not a demo crew.” he groused. No device we make can be disarmed - period! And yet, here we are, rigging a building for demo. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! he thought sardonically. “You listening to me, Franca?” he asked his partner.

“Much as I'd prefer not to.” she muttered in response. “Removing safety from my end.” she said in a slightly louder tone, removing a small stay-pin, clipping her retard wire, and twisting the master arm wire to the chain lead. “Device one is hot.” she said, stepping off her chair after she replaced the grill.

“Device two arming now.” replied her partner, likewise running down the arming checklist, pocketing the stay pin, wire cutter and left-over wire. Carefully re-hanging the picture, he and his blonde partner triple-checked the room before exiting the small building. As they got into their car and cranked up, Franca sighed. “What was that for?” wondered her partner.

“Nothing. I'm just getting tired of working for amoral thugs with no passion in their lives other than power.” she said. Once, I thought I was fighting a just crusade to better the lives of everyone. Now, I'm trying hard to hang on to the belief that I'm not harming innocents. God must have a twisted sense of humor!

“You wonder where the justness is in this world, right?” asked her partner. She silently nodded.

“I doubt there ever was any, sister.” he said, pulling out into traffic.

-

“Stay away from me, you freak!” screamed a man as he swung a length of rusty pipe at the blonde girl chasing him through the alleys of Rome. The girl ducked under the swing, grabbed his arm and slammed her forearm into the back of his elbow, shattering it. Screaming, he collapsed to the dirty paving stones. The blonde girl tugged a stainless P230 from under her suit jacket and pressed it to the man's forehead.

“Enough, Triela.” came the calm voice of the man who had approached him less than five minutes before with some questions he preferred not to answer. “We were discussing this man when you decided to got for a jog, I believe.” said the man conversationally, flashing a picture of a handsome, dapper man in front of his eyes. “He lives in a condo on the sea, and you were the one that rented it to him.”

“So?” he sobbed. His shattered elbow hurt and he was having a hard time focusing.

“So, since when does a renter get paid to live in a condo on the shore?” asked the man, squatting down to look into the other man's eyes. “When we checked, you were making payments to his account. Now, seeing as he is supposed to be renting from you, isn't that a bit curious?” he pressed.

“I don't know what you're talking about.” he panted. The man sighed.

“I hoped you would be more cooperative, Estavio.” said the other man. “Triela.” he directed. The blonde girl brought her heel down on his ankle, snapping it like a toothpick. Fresh screams echoed down the alley. Damn it, this is more Jean's style than mine! thought Hillshire crossly.

“Why not just tell us about it, Estavio?” he suggested reasonably.

-

“Giuseppe?” came Henrietta's soft voice. The handler looked over and down to his charge.

“Yes, Henrietta?” he replied.

“Do you think that Ferro is going to be ok?” asked the girl. Giuseppe considered that. Henrietta seemed to be genuinely worried about the woman, which was a bit surprising, given her conditioning and what she was.

“I hope so.” replied Giuseppe. “Why ask?” he wondered. “Have you and she become friends?” he probed. If she is forming attachments to the support staff, I'll need to know about it.

“I…think we could be.” replied Henrietta, her cheeks coloring a bit.

“Could be?” wondered Giuseppe. “Do you think she likes you?” he suggested.

“I think she likes me, but not what I am.” said Henrietta softly, before looking up at the man. “I think Ferro doesn't like that I'm a unit.” She paused, then asked another question. “Do you…not like what I am, Giuseppe?” she asked, dread in her voice. Giuseppe smiled at her reassuringly.

“I don't mind at all, Henrietta.” he assured her. “And I'm sure that Ferro likes you as a person, too.” he added. Though she would have to be mental to like you being a cyborg in your situation!

“That's good!” said a relieved Henrietta. “I don't think that I would like it if Ferro got killed.” she noted, though the possibility that Ferro might be lying in a shallow grave somewhere didn't seem to bother her overly much, either. Giuseppe wondered how to reply to that. “There is the guy from the picture.” said his partner, inclining her head toward a man entering a shop a half block up.

“Good eyes, Henrietta.” praised Giuseppe. With all the work done on you, they should be. he thought. At his side, Henrietta smiled happily. “Remember, we're going to talk to him, not kill him, ok?” he reminded the girl. Her grip on her ARMANI case tightened.

“Ok, but I won't let him hurt you.” she said firmly.

“I know you won't, Henrietta.” he soothed her. Let's just hope he doesn't grab my tie! If Henrietta goes out of control in this place…ugh! That could get bad.

-

Jean fished out a cigarette and lit it as he took a seat in one of the comfortable chairs in the living room of a posh house in downtown Rome. In the middle of the room, Rico knelt on the prone body of a middle-aged man. Just outside the shattered door to the entrance hall lay the body of one bodyguard. Inside the room, another corpse lay crumpled against the wall. In the kitchen, the cook was lying in a pool of blood, a cleaver in his hand.

“You arranged for a man named Alberto Conillino to enter Rome without the usual hassles like immigration, inspection, or passport. Why?” he asked the man pinned under his unit's knees.

“Who are you people?!” demanded the man instead of answering. “Do you know who I am?!” he sputtered.

“Rico.” said Jean. The small blonde cyborg grabbed his wrist and snapped it.

“Once more, why?” asked Jean, taking a drag on his cigarette.

“Because that's my business!” gritted out the man. “I'm a smuggler, you idiot!”

“Who paid you to smuggle him in?” asked Jean. The man hissed as Rico tightened her grip on his broken wrist.

“I don't know! I was contacted through the usual channels, paid, and I delivered.” he said, trying to free his broken wrist from Rico's grip. Rico slapped his other hand away.

“Inside or outside source?” asked Jean, knowing that if it was through the normal maze of contacts, the man could have no way of knowing the origin of the request, and backtracking it would take far too long. So, he gambled on a jump in the information chain. The man was a professional smuggler, so he could tell if the request came from inside Italy or outside Italy by the manner in which the request was made.

“Inside.” gritted the man. Jean wasn't that surprised.

“Where did you pick him up at?” he asked the man. We'll work this from any angle to try to cut the time down. he decided.

“I got him from Greece.” said the man. Jean considered that. Greece was an odd place for a smuggler to import from if his target was Rome. He could have just hit Venice on a land route. Why the water route? wondered the Fratello lead.

“Who were you told to contact if something happened to him?” asked Jean. The man blinked.

“I wasn't given any contact information.” he said quickly. Jean considered the odds that he was telling the truth. If it weren't about a member of our support staff, I would let it go at that, but since it's about my section…

“Rico,” he said, “beat it out of him.”

“Yes, Jean.” said the girl, bringing her fist back. Ten minutes later, the two exited the house, leaving no one alive behind them.

-

“Ah, good morning, Ferro.” said a familiar voice to the woman. Opening her eyes, she saw her would-be boyfriend smiling at her. Ferro made no reply. “I must say, you are looking delicious like that.” smirked the man.

“I'm sure you think so.” she said sardonically. “Who do you work for?” she asked him. He approached the bed, letting his fingers trail over her legs.

“I'm just a simple business man, my dear Ferro.” he said depreciatingly. His fingers touched her bare sex. “Though the job does have some perks.” he admitted. Ferro ignored his touch. After a moment, his hand moved up her belly to her breasts. “You are truly a beautiful woman.” he said, smiling a warm smile at her. Ferro's eyes narrowed.

“It's a bit late for charm.” she said flatly. He sighed.

“I suppose it is, isn't?” he agreed, standing and reaching for his zipper.

“So, I'm a `perk' am I?” asked Ferro. “Let's just get it over with.” she said, staring at the ceiling.

“Don't sound so bored.” said the man. “You'll like it once you warm up, I promise!” he laughed. Ferro snorted.

“I doubt it.” she said. “The funny part is that if you hadn't been a fucking plant, I would have given you a night to remember.” she said, her tone disinterested.

“Well, I'm sure you can still give me a night to remember.” he replied, climbing onto the bed and beginning to un-strap her legs. Ferro sighed silently. I'd even settle for Jean-Rico right about now. she thought sourly.

-

“Stop the car.” said the long-haired girl. Obligingly, the man slipped the car into an open spot at the curb. “It's getting stronger.” said the girl, touching her head. The man looked around. Old office buildings surrounded them, most of them deserted. Turning back to the girl, he looked her over.

“Are you sure, Angelica?” he asked his partner. The girl nodded.

“It's definitely the right pitch and tone for the implant. And it's close.” she said. Marco glanced in the rearview mirror and caught the eye of his passenger. Taking off her glasses, she set them aside.

“Angelica is correct. Contact the others.” said the cyborg. “I'll begin narrowing the area down.” Reaching to the seat beside her, she withdrew her VP-70 and checked the magazine before clipping the machine pistol to the stock. Reaching for the door handle to get out, she looked back at Marco once more. “Call them in.” she repeated.

“Wait. We'll go with you.” said Angelica, reaching down to the floor of the front passenger seat and pulling up her AUG and racking the bolt. Marco and Claes gave the prototype unit identical looks.

“You are not field-ready.” said Claes simply.

“They didn't even want you out and about, Angelica.” protested Marco. Angelica looked at her handler.

“They repaired me.” she said simply, her eyes intent. “I'm your partner, aren't I? I can't let anything happen to you!” she protested. Besides, I'm going to die soon anyway. I want to be useful before then, instead of just holding you back! she thought, but didn't say. “I won't fail you! I promise!” she practically begged.

“Angelica,” began Marco.

“Let her.” said Claes. “I'll make sure she doesn't compromise us.” promised the test body. Marco turned to stare into Claes's eyes. He remembered Captain Raballo, Claes's short-lived Fratello, even if she didn't. Even if she doesn't remember him now, she is just like him.

“Please.” begged Angelica. Marco knew that she was at the end of her service life anyway, and with her failing memory and malfunctioning body, she was likely to end up dead. But is that any different from dying in her bed? he wondered.

“Fine. But you obey my orders, Claes.” he said to the other girl. There was no response from the girl other than a slight smile.

“I'm just protecting my family.” said the girl as she slipped out of the car and absently smoothed her simple brown dress over her dark blue top. Rather she was referring to Ferro or to Angelica he had no clue. Her thumb swiped the fire select of her gun to three-round burst. Marco pulled out his cell phone and hit the emergency number. As he followed the girls toward the building on foot, he gave the boss his location, told him that he, Angelica and Claes were moving in to scout the area and were requesting backup from all Fratello units. The boss told him that Claes was not cleared for field ops. He told the boss that he felt that her presence could mean the difference to Ferro's recovery and their survival. The boss told him that he would be responsible for her actions.

Ending the call, he saw Angelica watching him intently, her assault rifle at the ready. She's moving well enough, and her attention is good. Maybe those repairs will be enough. he thought to himself. Knowing that she was running on a high dose of conditioning agent after the repairs, he was acutely aware that she would crash hard once they wore off. “Let's hurry this up.” he said softly, knowing that the two could hear him easily with their enhanced hearing.

Claes nodded and moved up a small flight of stairs toward a second-story row of offices. As she neared a door, she stopped and crouched next to one, holding up her left hand, fist clenched. Angelica and Marco froze in place, half way up the stairs. Just like Raballo taught her. thought Marco, pulling his SIG free and waiting. Even if the doctors say that they erased her mind after he was dealt with, she still remembers him, even if she doesn't know it. It was not a topic for conversation, but Claes's Fratello had been a boy-scout Captain with the Military Police. He had high ideals. Those ideas were tested by his partnering with Claes. Ultimately, he felt he had to act to save her.

In acting, he knew the risks. He had planned to put the facts of the Agency out in the papers to force a halt to the program. His aim was noble: to save all the candidates undergoing the processing that made them into cyborgs. The price was his life. Jean had quietly arranged an accident, and it was over. Claes was transformed into a test model, and the Agency moved on.

And yet, Claes is still very much the product of his teachings. mused Marco, seeing the girl tense as the door opened. A man in his mid thirties stepped out and seeing the innocent-looking Claes standing there, froze. Without a flicker of emotion, Claes drove her fist into his side, snapping short ribs and pulping organs. As he gurgled, she jerked her arm back, using the momentum to twist around into a spin kick to his head. As he fell to the ground, she drove her heel down on his skull, crushing it. Bringing her gun up, she motioned them to follow her and entered the room.

Entering on the heels of Claes, Angelica and Marco found themselves in a row of interconnected offices and store rooms. Claes was at the edge of the door frame leading to the next room. Holding up her hand, she motioned to her eyes, pointed left, held up one finger, pointed to her ear, pointed right and held up one finger. Marco frowned. Claes twirled two fingers, closed her fist, then made a flat-handed side-to-side motion and stepped around the corner. “Shit.” muttered Marco. “Cover left.” he said to Angelica. She jogged to the edge of the door frame and crouched down, peeking around the corner as Marco stacked just behind her.

-

“They're early.” murmured the blonde. Her dark-haired partner nodded. “Oh well.” she said, easing back from the edge of the roof two blocks over where she had insisted that they watch the place.

“You didn't have to tip them off, you know.” said Franco. The blonde shrugged.

“Call it a protest against their treatment of that woman.” she said. Not to mention that it can help me out if I find myself at the mercy of these people at a later date. she thought. “Initialize the charges.” she said as they swiftly moved down the stairs and into their waiting car. Franco withdrew a small transmitter and held down the safety button as he pressed the initialization button.

“Done.” he said. Franca nodded.

“What do you want for supper?” she asked. “And don't say pasta.” she added, giving him a half-smile. The car slid into traffic and moved off.

-

Ferro tried to ignore the actions of the man as best she could, determined to give him the least satisfying rape he could imagine. Since she was concentrating on anything but him, she frowned when she caught a faint sound. If I didn't know better, I'd say that it sounded like someone tripping and landing on the floor. she thought. Just then, the door opened.

“Ferro.” said an unexpected voice, followed by a three-round burst from a gun and a warm, wet sensation all over her face and chest. An instant later, the man was gone. “Are you injured, Ferro?” asked the voice.

“Claes?” wondered Ferro.

“And Marco and Angelica, as well.” came the confirmation. “No, don't open your eyes yet.” cautioned the girl. A moment later, Ferro felt her face being wiped off with something. “Ok, I got most of the blood and brains off now.” said the girl as calmly as if she had announced that she had wiped up a bit of pasta sauce. Ferro opened her eyes to see Claes looking at her, her machine pistol held easily in her hand.

Just then, there was a short burst from an assault rifle, with a double-tap immediately after the burst. “I have to go now.” said Claes. “Wait here for us.” she instructed the woman, turning and jogging to the door. Ferro started to ask her to undo the straps holding her chest down, but found that Claes had torn the straps loose. Getting out of the bed, she found the stained sheet that Claes had used to clean her of the remains of her kidnapper and did a more thorough job. Not seeing her clothes, she looked around for an alternate solution to her situation, and spotted the man's pants. He had been wearing his shirt, and it was now soaked with blood and brains, so she stepped into the pants and waited.

She heard another couple of short bursts from Claes's weapon, followed by a long one from the AUG favored by Angelica, then silence for a bit, followed by single shot from a pistol. Hearing footsteps approaching her room, she stepped to the wall by the door and waited. “Ferro?” called out Marco.

“In here.” said the woman, relieved. Marco stepped around the corner, gun up. Seeing the mess that Claes had left, as well as a half-naked Ferro, he swiftly stripped off his suit jacket and handed it to her. “Ready?” he asked her.

“Let's go.” she said. The two stepped through the door, to find Angelica waiting for them, gun up.

“Where's Claes?” Marco asked his unit. Angelica pointed down the hall.

“She heard another one, and went after him.” said the girl. Ferro saw that her skirt had been torn by gunfire.

“Have you been hit, Angelica?” asked the support agent. Angelica shook her head.

“No. It was just a bit close, that's all.” she replied. The three flinched as they heard Claes empty her pistol. A moment later, the small assassin flashed around the corner, changing magazines as she went.

“There're explosives set! Get out now!” she yelled, grabbing Ferro and throwing the agent over her shoulder. “Move!” she repeated to the two, running flat out for the exit. Marco and Angelica ran after her. Claes didn't bother with the stairs, simply jumping over the railing from the second floor, catching Ferro as she landed as if the woman weighed nothing. Three seconds behind her, Marco was two steps from the door, Angelica just behind him, when the charges detonated. Her hearing caught the click of the electronic cap firing, and Angelica threw herself at Marco, shielding him with her body as her enhanced strength and mass hurled them through the doorway.

-

Henrietta and Giuseppe were just getting out of their car when Claes cleared the railing with Ferro in her arms. Behind them, Triela and Hillshire were just braking and the Jean-Rico team were two minutes away when Claes yelled “Down!” and dropped her chassis over Ferro.

Trusting the girl, Henrietta dove at her Fratello, tackling the man and putting her body over his. She was a split second ahead of the explosion. Pinned under his partner, Giuseppe tried to see if Marco and Angelica were anywhere to be seen, but couldn't find them. As explosions went, this one was modest, but it dropped the building flat and left it on fire. For several seconds, the teams were still, then they began to get up.

Henrietta got off her lead and looked him over. “You aren't hurt, are you?” she asked him anxiously. Giuseppe checked himself over.

“No, I don't seem to be.” he said. “And you?” he asked his unit.

“I'm fine!” she assured him happily.

“Hillshire! Triela! You two ok?” he called to the second support team to show.

“We're good!” called back Hillshire, crawling out from under Triela, who had covered him as soon as Claes had yelled. “Marco, Angelica and Ferro?” he yelled back.

“Claes and I are ok save for some small injuries.” came the voice of Ferro, who was getting to her feet with the help of Claes. “Where are Marco and Angelica?” she called out. The teams immediately began to look for the two.

It didn't take them long to find the pair. Marco was face-down on the ground, unconscious, with Angelica's smoking body covering his back, her clothes torn and burnt and her waist-length hair singed to her shoulders. Blood could be seen on both of them. “Call in. We have to get them back to base.” directed Ferro, touching Marco's neck. “Marco's alive.” she reported, touching Angelica's neck. “Angelica has a pulse, but it's faint. Claes, take Angelica. Giuseppe, give me a hand with Marco. Tell Jean-Rico to break off and head to base ASAP.” she directed. Thirty seconds later, the three cars were moving off and by the time the fire department and police arrived, no one was left to tell tales.

-

Marco opened his eyes. Other than a headache and some ringing in his ears, he felt pretty good. “Ugh.” he groaned. What the hell happened? We were rescuing Ferro, then Claes said there was a bomb, and we were running for the exit…and then I wake up here. Frowning, he looked around. It took him a moment, but he recognized the Section's medical facilities. You'd think I'd recognize them more quickly, seeing as how I've spent more time here than anywhere else lately, visiting Angelica. he mused. The door opened and Jean stepped into the room.

“Ah. You're awake.” he said, stopping by the bedside. “The doctor said that you can return to duty by tomorrow.” he said without preamble. “As soon as you are back, you are to start looking for your next unit.” he directed the man.

“Angelica was killed?” asked Marco, not knowing if he was glad or sad. Maybe both; at least it was a fast end, and she was doing what she wanted to be doing. he thought. Jean interrupted his thoughts.

“Not killed, but with her condition and the damage done, she is being scrapped.” he said. Marco blinked at Jean.

“Scrapped?” he bit out. Jean eyed him.

“Yes. She is off the duty roster, and the doctors are monitoring her to learn more about the signs of a unit's failure to perfect the diagnosis of life-cycle termination in the units.” he explained. Marco closed his eyes, knowing that Jean saw the girls as nothing but living machinery.

“Thanks for those kind words.” he managed stiffly. Throwing the sheets back, he moved to the edge of the bed. “Which room is she in?” he asked tightly. Jean hesitated. “Just tell me, damn it!” snarled Marco.

“She's next door.” said Jean, moving aside as Marco moved toward the door. “Report to the boss when you've seen her.” he added.

Making his way next door, he paused to steady his nerves before he opened the door and walked to the bed. Angelica lay there, apparently unconscious, the damage done by the bomb partially visible. Her hair was now raggedly shoulder length after the staff had trimmed off the singed and burnt parts. Bandages covered her sides and he knew that her back must be far worse. Still, she was breathing and looked peaceful enough. Marco studied her for about five minutes before he decided to go see the boss and get it over with. “Marco?” came her soft voice. When he turned back to her, he saw that her eyes were open.

“Yes. How are you feeling, Angelica?” he asked her. She smiled.

“I'm feeling ok. My body tingles all over, and I keep getting light-headed.” she said. “But I'm glad you weren't hurt.” she said quickly.

“I need to thank you for that, Angelica.” he said honestly. “If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have made it.”

“I will always be there.” promised the girl. “I'll be repaired soon, and I'll be back at your side.” she went on. “The last time, they got the problem fixed, so now I won't be holding you back any more, and can help you on missions.”

“I can't wait for that day, Angelica.” he said, forcing his voice to calm, reassuring tones. Angelica smiled at him. “Ferro said to say thank you, as well.” he said, knowing it would be true if he had seen the agent before seeing Angelica. Angelica frowned.

“Ferro? Is that someone I am supposed to know?” she asked him, obviously confused. “Did I know this person before? Did I forget more people?” she worried. Marco touched her shoulder carefully.

“No, it was my mistake. I thought you knew Ferro, but I was wrong. You've never met her.” he said. Angelica's frown disappeared.

“That's good!” she sounded relieved. “For a moment, I thought I had forgotten some more.” Marco managed a weak smile.

“No, you're doing fine, Angelica.” he said, standing. “Now, if you will excuse me, I need to see the boss, and you need your rest.” he said. Angelica nodded.

“Will you come see me when you can?” she asked him. He nodded.

“Of course.” he said without looking at her.

-

The boss took one look at Marco's face and nodded to himself. “Jean told you.” he stated. Marco nodded. “I see.” said the man. “You had something to say to me?” he asked levelly.

“Actually, yes.” said Marco. “I can see Raballo's point now.” he said simply. The boss considered that.

“No one said the job was fun or clean.” said the older man. “What are your intentions?” he asked directly. Marco looked the man in the eyes.

“Nothing. I am not Raballo; I don't live in an ivory tower.” he said simply. “But at the same time, I am not Jean, either. I want to wait to select my next partner until Angelica is dead.” he paused. “I owe her that much, at least.” he noted.

“I see.” mused the Director. Marco let out a slow breath.

“A workman treats even his broken tools with respect.” he said softly. Slowly, the boss drew on his pipe.

“Very well. You have your request.” he said.

“Thank you.” said Marco. The boss moved on.

“Now, give me your report on the situation with Ferro. I also want to hear about Claes's field performance.” he directed. Marco began his report.

-

“So, there it is.” said Jean, dropping the integrated reports onto the boss's desk. “A neat case of kidnapping her for information.” he said. The boss was silent, knowing that Jean had more to say. Finally, seeing as the old man wasn't going to play his game, Jean went on without waiting to dazzle the man with his brilliance. “But, it's too neat.” he said.

“Go on.” prompted the boss. The two were having a meeting about the incident with Ferro. For the time being, Ferro was on leave until they worked out a couple of things.

“Ferro reported that they had her pumped full of drugs for most of her captivity. And truth serum was found in her blood work. However, what Ferro could have told them is of virtually no value, and for the cost of this operation, it was a foolish move.” he said. The boss nodded.

“So, what were they really doing with her?” asked the boss. He had a few suspicions, but he wanted to see if Jean headed down that path as well before he made any choices. The lead Fratello agent considered his words carefully.

“I think this was misdirection for something else.” he said simply. “I have no idea what, but it has to be camouflage for something bigger; something worth the manpower and materials invested in it.” he said. A pause proceeded his next sentence. “I would like to set up a trap.” he said.

“A trap?” wondered the boss. Jean nodded.

“I suggest that we return Ferro to duty, but quietly keep an eye on her. Marco is without a unit right now, so he could do the job easily. Let her run. See what happens. If they are using her for a plant, we can back-track them to the source, then burn it down. If this is a case of lack of imagination on their point, then we can be sure that we got the core group. If it is but the first stage of something bigger, then we can be prepared for them.” he said.

“You would use her as bait, and Marco as the hook?” verified the boss. Jean nodded. “That's risky, Jean. Recklessly risky.” he noted.

“It is a calculated gamble, sir.” replied the blonde. “I will assume responsibility, if you like, sir.” he said. The boss considered the possible outcomes.

“Let me think about it for a bit.” he said at last.

-

Henrietta poured herself some tea and dumped some sugar into it as she sat at the table in Claes's room with Triela and Rico. Claes was on her bunk bed, reading another of her endless books. “So, did you enjoy getting outside the compound?” asked Rico of the currently-glasses-wearing girl.

“It was no big deal.” said the dark-haired girl. She turned a page in her book. Her headphones were on, a tape of hip-hop music playing in her ears. “Just a matter of protecting my home.” she murmured.

“Oh.” said Rico. She didn't really understand Claes at all, and found it hard to talk to her most of the time. Claes was not as outgoing as Henrietta or Triela, but Rico had come to respect her more for her surprising capabilities in the field and in processing complex situations.

“Hey, did Giuseppe say anything about Angelica?” asked Triela. Hillshire hadn't said anything to her, and she had an odd feeling since the staff hadn't let the others in to see the girl. Henrietta shook her head.

“No.” she said, sipping her tea. “But she wasn't killed, so they must be busy repairing her.” she said hopefully. Claes closed her book.

“I wouldn't count on that, Henrietta.” said the girl, rolling off her bunk and landing cat-like on her feet. Gracefully, she moved between Triela and Rico to take a cup and pour some tea into it. “Angelica might not be returning to us.” she said.

“Really?” asked Triela, frowning. “She didn't look like she was hurt too badly.” she wondered.

“It's not so much about her injuries, Triela,” said Claes, leaning against her bed frame as she sipped her tea, “but rather about her deteriorating condition.” she said. “Angelica is the first of us, and she will be the first to reach the end.” she said. The other girls were silent at that pronouncement.

“Do you think Marco will visit her?” wondered Rico.

“I'm sure he will!” assured Henrietta. Giuseppe would visit me, no matter what! And I know that Hillshire would want to see Triela! “Wouldn't Jean come see you?” she asked. Rico was silent. Claes set her tea cup down.

“It's a beautiful day outside.” she said. “I'm going to go check on my vegetable garden.” she announced. Henrietta got up as well.

“I'll go with you.” she said. “I want to see if the cucumbers are growing good.”

“I'll tag along.” said Triela, flicking her twin pony tails back over her shoulders as she stood. Rico stood as well.

“Jean wants me to practice at the range.” she said.

-

Two weeks. thought Marco as he opened the door to Angelica's room. Each visit, it was getting harder and harder. It was clear that Angelica was failing fast. She didn't recognize anyone but him and - occasionally - the doctor monitoring her decline. He had know that this day would come. He had thought that he could handle it, but the reality was far worse than he had thought at the time. Raballo, what I wouldn't give to live in a world of principal like you did. he thought. Sometimes, hiding behind a `white knight' outlook on life was easier than accepting the truth.

“Angelica?” he called out, wondering if she was sleeping again. The lower her bios ran, the more she slept. “Are you asleep?” he asked her, pulling the copy of `The Pasta Prince' from under his jacket. For a children's book started by the first agents here to help with Angelica's roll-out, it had proven costly. He had lost a long-term relationship over the Agency, and then Angelica's memory began to fail, and now, here he was, reading her the book again, just like in the beginning, and she was about to exit his life. “Angelica?” he asked.

Looking at the bed, he saw her propped up with pillows, looking out the window. Strange that she didn't answer. thought the agent. “Ready for the next chapter?” he asked her. She turned to look at him.

“Oh, hello. Who are you?” she asked him, her gaze puzzled. “Have you seen Marco around? He said he would come visit me again, but I haven't seen him lately.” she said. Marco felt his knees tremble. Willing strength to them, he eased himself into his chair.

“Marco had an important meeting come up, but he asked me to come read the next chapter to you.” he said, trying his damnedest to keep his voice steady. “I'm…a friend of his.” he added lamely. Angelica smiled a polite, distant smile.

“I…see,” she said. “What were you reading?” she wondered. Marco held up the thin book.

“The title is `The Pasta Prince', and we were about to read about his search for the Pizza Princess.” he said. Angelica nodded slowly.

“Oh.” She leaned back a bit. As Marco drew breath to begin the next chapter, she spoke again. “Excuse me, but have you seen Marco around anywhere?”

-

“Sir.” came the voice of the head doctor. “Angelica is missing.” he said simply. The director nodded to himself. Touching the speakerphone button, he spoke.

“I see. What is her condition at last check?” he asked the man.

“Barely able to move. It was the consensus of my team that she would cease function within twelve hours.” he read off a sheet.

“I see. That will be all, doctor. This matter is being handled by the Fratello under Jean's leadership.” he told the man. Ending the call, he dialed another number. “Angelica is gone. Where is Ferro?” asked the director.

“She signed out for a doctor's visit a half hour ago, sir.” came the front desk's report. The boss grimaced.

“Thank you.” he said, ending the call. He punched a speed-dial number. When the line picked up a little later, he wasted no time. “Ferro took Angelica. Grab her now.” he said simply. “What's your location? I'm sending the entire team in.” he added.

Marco's voice came back. “We're outside her place. She went in about ten minutes ago.” he said. “I'll go get her.” he added.

“Careful, Marco, she might attack you. It would seem that there was more to that kidnapping than just interrogation.” he added, ending the call. Hitting another series of buttons, he summoned his Fratello teams to an emergency meeting. As his teams assembled, he considered the next move.

By the time the last of the Fratello leads were in the room, he was ready. “It would seem that there was more to the issue with Ferro than we had initially thought.” he began without pre-amble. “By some means, they got her to take Angelica's body off base. The mission is simple: first, find and secure Ferro. She was last reported at her apartment. Marco is there alone, and is going to attempt to capture her. I want Georgio, Alfonso and Amadeo over there now. If possible, take her alive so we can find out how they did what they did. If that proves impossible, insure that nothing is left for the police, understood?” he directed. The three nodded. “Get going.” he said. As they ran out of the room, he looked at his Fratello leads. “Jean, fill them in.” he said.

“Yes, sir.” said the blonde. “We suspected that there might be more to the previous incident, so we put Marco on Ferro to watch her, but as an additional precaution, we implanted a tracer in Angelica's body. Orders are simple. Once Ferro is secured for examination, we recover Angelica's body and capture or kill those responsible.” The other two Fratellos traded looks.

“I'm taking field command. Get your units ready to go.” he finished calmly. Giuseppe stood and looked at his brother. Jean returned the look.

“Fine work, brother.” murmured the dark-haired man to his sibling.

“This isn't the boy scouts, brother.” said the blonde in return. As the teams armed up for the hunt, Marco called in to report that he had managed to secure Ferro. Apparently, she had been in the process of assembling a bomb in her apartment, and had attacked him when he forced her door. But, forewarned, he had been ready for her, and managed to get in position to use a stun gun on her. Even as he called in, he and the three support members were on their way back to the base. The boss commended Marco and told him that medical was ready to see if they could find the means and hopefully reverse it.

Jean assembled the three teams by the helicopter. The tech crews were finishing up the fitting of the high-gain sensor pod that would track the beacon in Anglica's body. Henrietta was dressed in blue jeans for the first time he could remember, with a dark shirt under her bush jacket. Triela was dressed in black BDUs and a tac shirt under her harness and had a field jacket over her harness. Rico was - as always - in boy's pants and a tee shirt. Added to that was a dark camo jacket. All the girls wore hiking boots and had gloves on in addition to the heavier weapons they were packing.

Each girl carried their handgun, but their primary weapons this time would be assault rifles and machineguns. With the enhanced strength the bodies gave them, they could efficiently man a field machinegun. Rico had an MG-3 machinegun in her arms, and Triela held two cans of ammo for the machine gun. The long-haired blonde had a SIG assault rifle over her back, and her harness had six mags for the gun at the ready. Henrietta also had a SIG rifle in her hands, and a mag carrier had six magazines for her weapon as well. The leads were decked out in basic black BDUs and were carrying less weapons, but of a far greater yield. Hillshire held a 40mm M79 grenade launcher in one hand, and a belt of shells in the other, the shells mixed in their nature. Giuseppe held a PSG-1 rifle, and Jean was packing a satchel charge and an incendary satchel.

“Ok, let's go find that unit!” yelled Jean over the whine of the helicopter's engines stating up. The teams swiftly loaded and they headed out toward Rome, swiftly getting a hit on the southern edge. Following the trail to the south, they soon narrowed down the signal to a pair of trucks and a car headed into a large compound between Napoli and Rome. Looking it over from the air, Jean quickly pulled together an assault plan. Directing the chopper to set down in a small field about five klicks north west of the site, he signaled the heads to get ready.

-

Ferro came to in a bed in a room she recognized as the medical ward of the Agency. For a change, she wasn't strapped down naked. Sitting up, she felt her body protest a bit. Looking at her arms, she saw some defensive bruises. What happened this time? she wondered.

The door opened and the head of the medical team came in. “I see you're back with us.” he said.

“How did I get here? And what the hell is going on?” she demanded.

“You stole Angelica and turned her over to an outside agency, then tried to blow yourself and your apartment up.” he said. Ferro frowned.

“Why would I do that?” she asked.

“Because that was their real goal.” replied the man. “They used the truth serum to lower her defenses, then implanted a post-hypnotic order in your brain. that order was to kidnap or capture one of our units and bring it to them. You were then to kill yourself. Fortunately, the boss figured that there might be more to their plan, so he had Jean keep an eye on you.”

“Is that…?” she began. He nodded.

“We had Marco keeping tabs on you since Angelica was down. He got to you before you could blow yourself up. We did a little work and found the order. Don't worry, we dug it out and erased any other bits that might have been missed.”

“Erased?” she asked warily. He nodded.

“Yes. We used a bit of serum and some minor conditioning on you.” he stated evenly. Ferro was silent and still for a bit.

“I see.” she said at last. That's why there are these blanks in my memory. she thought resentfully. “And have we recovered Angelica?” she asked. The doctor nodded.

“She was recovered shortly after she was taken.” confirmed the man. “Any more questions?” he asked. She shook her head. “Then go see the Director.” said the man, exiting the room. Ferro did as he instructed.

Entering the briefing room, she saw that Jean was there as well. “There you are, Ferro.” said the old man. “Feeling better?” he asked her. She nodded.

“Yes, sir.” she said simply. Jean lit a cigarette.

“The doctor told you what happened?” he asked. She nodded. “Good. He and I agree that we have resolved this issue, and you are cleared to resume your duties. Unless, of course, you wish not to?” he asked. She shook her head.

“No, sir. I would be happy to get back to work.” she said. Bit by bit, I am becoming like them.

“Excellent.” said the man. “Then, let's get right to it, shall we?” he asked, handing her a folder. “This is the location where we recovered Angelica from. As you can see, it is no longer an issue. What is an issue, is that it was owned by a bio-tech lab that enjoys great favor with the current regime in Rome. During the course of the recovery, the teams collected data about the project and the aims of this group.” he began. he left unsaid the means of that data collection. “This brought to light some issues that will need to be addressed in the future.” he said. “Starting now, I want you to put together a contingency plan to see that no unit falls into outside hands. I want you to write it up, give it to Jean for review, then, when you both have an agreeable plan, present it to me. Understood?” he asked her. She nodded.

“I'll get right on it.” she said. Waving a dismissal at her, the boss turned to Jean.

“So, the matter is settled now?” he asked the man. Jean nodded.

“Yes. Angelica is dead, and Marco is out looking for a replacement now.” he said. The boss contemplated that.

“What about the other units?” he asked. Jean tapped some ash from his cigarette into the cigarette tray.

“What about them?” he asked indifferently. “All the current ones are paired with Fratello except for Claes, and she isn't an issue in this regard. Truthfully, I am more concerned with Giuseppe's reactions to this.” he admitted. “He is too delicate sometimes.” he grunted.

“You and he have different jobs, Jean.” said the boss. “Still, I think it best to get them all back out in the field as soon as possible.” he said. “Let's start with this bunch.” he decided, tapping a second folder. Jean smiled a thin smile.

“I'd be delighted to.” he agreed.

-

The four girls sat sipping tea in Claes's room once more. They hadn't been very talkative since the recovery of Angelica's body. It wasn't that they were depressed, exactly; the conditioning made that state nearly impossible for them. It was more a sense of imbalance. Claes was listening to classical this time.

“Has anyone heard if we have any jobs?” asked Triela. Both of the active girls shook their heads.

“Don't be concerned, Triela,” came Claes's voice, “I am sure that you will have a job shortly.” she said. After all, they won't let this attack go unanswered. thought the test unit to herself. Turning a page in her book, she kept reading.

“Do you think we got enough kills to make them happy?” wondered Henrietta. Triela shurgged.

“We killed everyone there, Henrietta. How could they not think that was enough?” she asked. She knew that Henrietta still counted the bodies she made, and seemed to have a thing about getting at least as many kills as Triela or Rico each month. It was truthfully a bit scary that the nice, cute Henrietta had such a disturbing quirk. Triela herself didn't bother to count the bones, and Rico didn't even think to care about kills, as Jean didn't show any interest in her body count.

“I…hope I don't end up like Angelica.” said Rico softly. “I'd rather die on a job than just waste away.” she said.

“Of course you would; you're conditioned to do that.” scoffed Triela.

“I wonder if Marco will miss her.” interjected Henrietta. “If I died, I would want Giuseppe to miss me.” she said.

“I'm sure he would.” said Triela. Though I have no clue of Hillshire would miss me. Still, it's better than Rico's situation, as I know that Jean won't care when she dies. thought the blonde girl.

“Stop thinking about it.” said Claes coldly. “None of us will live forever, you know.” she said simply.

“But we still want to live happy lives.” said Henrietta. Claes turned to look at the girl.

“Happiness is a state of mind.” she said evenly. Just then, the girls heard their partners approaching. Time to get back to work. Claes turned back to her book. “Have fun.” she said, turning up her music a bit. Once the others were gone, she slipped off her bed and moved to her desk. Opening the top drawer, she withdrew a thin, black book. Flipping the pages, she stopped at a picture of herself and Angelica having tea. Studying the picture, she slowly turned it over. “Sleep well.” said the girl softly, closing the book.

 

End