Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ An American Boy in Tokyo ❯ The Secret Revealed (or The Grand Finale) ( Chapter 20 )

When we pulled into the mall's parking lot it was deserted. The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. The three scouts lined up behind me just as Darien pulled up on his motorcycle.

"Well, what's going on?" He asked. "Is everyone okay?"

"Wait here, I should be right back, if I'm not back in five minutes..." I sighed and paused. "Just wait longer."

"Oh this is a great time for jokes, Alex." Raye said. "We're coming with you."

"No you're not, you're powerless. Darien, keep an eye out for them, we don't need to lose any more lives to these guys, take this, and use it." I handed him the laser pistol. "I'm going in." I walked through the doors and started searching the halls. Suddenly, Shenlong appeared in front of me, Mina was bound and gagged in his arms. He cut her ties and removed her gag, dropping her to the ground.

"You've served your purpose, Mina. You have two seconds to run before I kill you." She climbed to her feet.

"Shenlong, you leave her alone, this is between you and me."

"You don't have your armor, Alex, you're powerless against me." I held up a small disc shaped object.

"Do you know what this is, Shenlong?" He backed away a step, I smiled. "That's right, an EMP bomb, one blast will disable any electronic device within a two mile radius." He continued backing away. Mina ran up to me and embraced me.

"Alex, I was so scared."

"Go, Mina, the others are waiting for you in the parking lot." I said.

"But, Alex..."

"Just go and forget about me." I said.

"I can't, Alex, I love you." She replied.

"Then trust me and leave before it's too late." I said. She backed away slowly and nodded running out the doors behind me. I threw the disc on the ground and it broke.

"You were bluffing." His raspy voice said. I nodded. "That was a pretty smart move, Alex, you have successfully saved her life, for now. Now let's see if you can save your own!" He threw a punch that hit me in the stomach, launching me backwards into a brick wall. He then ran up and kicked me across the face, launching me outside into the parking lot, I struggled to fight off the pain and climb back to my feet. Just as I had accomplished just that. He charged through the doors and shoulder slammed me, launching me backwards, and knocking the scouts power pens out of my jacket pocket. Suddenly, I struggled to climb back up to one knee. I was less than ten feet in front of the scouts. He picked me up by my hair and turned me around to face them, drawing a large sword from his belt and holding it to my throat.

"Now your beloved Mina can watch your final moments for herself." He said. Before he could finish me though, he heard the sound of several rifles being cocked behind him. He dropped me to the ground and turned to face the new attackers. The roof top of the mall was lined with men in black suits and ties, all of whom were aiming their rifles at General Shenlong. "What? You can't kill me, it goes against your own laws!" He started laughing. Jackson stepped off the roof and walked up to the General, removing his sunglasses.

"No, not under these circumstances it doesn't." He said, smiling. "You see, Alex stole the scouts power pens, rendering Earth's chosen guardians powerless to defend the planet, being as he was inducted into the agency yesterday, that means he is now the natural guardian of this planet. "So without further ado, General Shenlong, you're under arrest for tampering with the natural proceeding of events on this planet."

"I'm not going to be arrested for something I haven't done, yet." He said. He then took aim at Mina and fired an energy blast from a cannon on his arm. Three things happened consecutively immediately after that: 1.) Jackson tackled Shenlong to the ground cuffing him and placing him under arrest. 2.) Mina recoiled in preparation to take the blast. and 3.) I jumped in the way, taking the blast in her place.

"What...what happened?" Mina asked after lowering her arms from in front of her, as did everyone else. They stopped when they saw me laying in front of them, with a hole burned clean through my clothing, and charred skin on my chest. "Alex!!!" she shouted dropping to my side with the others. "Alex, are you alright, answer me!"

"I...I did it...Mina..." I rasped out. "I...told you...that I would..."

"Why, Alex?" She asked. "Why did you do that?" She asked, tears were starting to run down her face. "Is this what you meant? When you told me that I had misunderstood?" She asked. I smiled and nodded. Blood started trickling from the corner of my mouth. "You...you did it, Alex...you saved the world...now you have to get better so we can celebrate...and get married...just like we dreamed." I smiled.

"Carpe...diem, Mina, live for today...and...pray for tomorrow...Prayers aren't always... answered though...ungh." I struggled with the pain. Jackson stepped up and smiled.

"Son, you're a mess." He said. He then kneeled down beside me and injected me with the green liquid. "Keep off your feet for at least a week, this stuff will make you good as new, but burns like that take a hell of a lot longer to heal." He said. Just then another man appeared beside him. "Commander!" Jackson shot to attention and saluted.

"At ease, Agent Calhoun, how's he doing?"

"Grandpa?" I asked. "Is...that...you, grandpa?" I watched in wonder as he appeared over the scouts shoulders.

"Well, Maniac, you did it. That plan of yours was right on the money. Even when it went sour, you still pulled it off. And because you were willing to give your life to defend a guardian, our laws have permitted us to forgive your actions and settle for a simple grade reduction, Lieutenant Maniac." I smiled and coughed.

"I'd salute, grandpa, but I'm kinda messed up."

"That's okay, Alex, you get your rest, you have a wedding to prepare for."

"Hey grandpa, did you know that you weren't dying?" I asked.

"Yes I did, Alex."

"Then...why did you tell me...that you'd be watching...from Michelangelo's Hour?" I asked. He smiled.

"Because I am." He replied. "That's the IROG's mother ships name: Michelangelo's hour." He replied. "We'll keep in touch Maniac, Mina, welcome to the family, and keep an eye on him, he's a dangerous one. He's gonna get his wreckless ass killed one of these days." He and Jackson disappeared in dual flashes of light. The girls and Darien got me into my SUV successfully and took me home where I was put into recovery.