Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Geo-Moon Chronicles ❯ Crash and Burn ( Chapter 7 )

"They're doing what?!?" Darien asked at breakfast one day.

"They're massing an enormous armada." I replied. "Further more, it would seem that the several other planets are also massing armadas, though as for what purpose, we're not sure."

"If they were to assault us, with this armada, what are our odds of survival?" Serena asked. I smiled.

"Much better than they know." I said. "Though they outnumber us a hundred to one, our combined energy shields and static defenses will cut that number down by probably about seventy-five percent before they even get close enough for a bombing run." I said. "Add to that the skill factor of our pilots, as opposed to the novice pilots that Earth has a tendency to incorporate, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

"So we're good?" She asked.

"Yes, Serena, we're good." I replied.

"What is their problem?" Darien asked out loud. "Are they still after that damned crystal?" He asked.

"I don't know, Counter Intelligence has sent some agents down to infiltrate and find out the why, when, who, and what. We should hear back from them within the week." And we did. As it turned out, Felinine was massing an armada to lead a coordinated strike against the Moon Kingdom, several planets, including Mars were involved. Mars had gone as far as to storm the reservations designated for Moon Kingdom citizens and summarily execute any who were found. When this happened, the Admiral finally summoned his chief counsel members, including myself to a meeting, along with Serenity, Darien, Serena, and the High Counsel Elders, My grandfather, Luna, and Artemus.

"Something has got to be done before they launch this armada. Do we have any suggestions at all?" No one said anything.

"James, Security of the kingdom is your department, what do you suggest?"

"Well, sir, I can tell you all my suggestion, but I can guarantee that no one is going to like it." I said, shaking my head. "My suggestion, is that we take five imperial Warhammers, load them with bomber wings and execute a thorough Ion drop on Earth. Wipe out their technology, send them back to the dark ages, and our problems are solved." I said.

"What? Are you crazy? Millions of people will be killed!" Darien protested.

"It's either them or us." I replied. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I choose them." The room came alive with murmurs of agreement. "However, if what Counter Intelligence says is accurate, there may be another solution, more difficult and time consuming, but less costly to Earth." I stood up and walked around to the large map displayed at one end of the room with my pen. "Vincent Felinine and his chief counsel have several meeting facilities all around the planet, each of them superiorly equipped with Tachyon Emission Detectors and isolation particle beam static defenses..."

"We know that already, what's your point?" Another Colonel said.

"Well, if we send in one cloaked flight of bombers, we can drop ion bombs on those select targets, disabling their defenses, and then send in carrier ships loaded with foot soldiers to mop up the personnel and terminate Felinine once and for all."

"That's a suicide mission, Colonel Geo, who would be crazy enough to lead a charge like that? Whoever it is would have to either be stupid as hell or..."

"Or me." I replied. "I have three entire flights of pilots who are seriously getting bored with flight simulators and three proto-type designs sitting on the Admiral's desk. That armada will not be finished for at least another two months, that gives us plenty of time to test all three proto-types and get them into mass production. Equip three flights with the improvements, and send them in. By my calculations, we should be in and out of there with two weeks to spare."

"Well, are there any other suggestions?"

"What about diplomacy?" Darien asked. "Have we tried reasoning with them, yet?"

"I thought you had already tried that." The Admiral asked.

"Not me, you." He replied. "Do we even know what they're after?" I was staring at the map with a curious look on my face.

"Darien, sorry to interrupt, but what are these?" I asked, pointing to a group of fifteen structures in a small cluster outside the capital city.

"What are what?" He asked. "Oh, those are harvester icons, they erect one every year at the beginning of the harvesting season for sixteen years and then tear them down and start all over, it's a stupid tradition, why?" My eyes widened.

"The sixteenth harvest." I said quietly. "Sir, I know what they're after." I said turning around and facing him.

"They're after the crystal, yes I know." He said.

"No they're not, sir, I know what the goal of this strike is and it's not for them to gain anything, this armada is supposed to be annihilated."

"What are you talking about?"

"This is going to sound incredibly crazy, but I have a hunch on this. How many ships are in that armada?"

"Over sixteen billion including fighters, they out number our ships two million to one."

"Exactly, if they were trying to retrieve something, why would they have numbers more than sufficient to wipe all life of the surface? If their true goal is to retrieve something off the surface, they would be completely defeating the purpose."

"Okay, I think I see where this is going, continue." He replied.

"This armada is designed to annihilate the MDT." I replied. "Think of it as a battering ram. Opening the door for a much weaker force to invade."

"Why would Vincent Felinine be helping a weaker force?" Artemus asked. "The man's a power crazed lunatic."

"James, are you thinking what I hope you're not thinking." My grandfather asked.

"Do you remember that paper I burned on mars?" I asked him.

"Yes."

"The sixteenth harvest is one year away. There are already fifteen icons." I said. He stood up suddenly.

"By Jove...it is a battering ram!"

"What the devil are you two talking about?" Serenity asked.

"Your Majesty, do you remember the prophecy that I spoke of?" He asked.

"Yes, Jebidiah, but this is hardly the time for theories and theology."

"It's not a theory." I said. "It's reality, whether I like it or not." I said.

"James are you absolutely certain of this?"

"I would stake everything in my possession on it, Serenity, if we don't act now and neutralize that armada or it's controller, this entire kingdom will be leveled within two years tops." I said. "Unless we do something, the gates of hell will be opened, and Queen Beryl and all of her Nega-trash will wipe us off the plane of existence, and I will give you my personal guarantee on that one."

"But doesn't that prophecy also say that you will kill her?" Serenity asked.

"Your Majesty, I can protect you and Serena, I can even safeguard the people of this kingdom, but I cannot fight a war by myself." I said. "And I will not stand around and watch it happen either."

"James, what do we need to do?" Admiral Lovette asked.

"We need to covertly interfere with the completion of that Armada. If what Sailor Mercury has told me about the gates of hell is accurate, then it's based on the alignment of the planets and such, right?" I asked.

"That's correct, it can only be opened from the inside when the planets and their moons are all exactly aligned, which happens about once every twenty thousand years."

"Okay, so let's assume for a second that you're right, what will covertly interfering with the armada's completion do?" Darien asked.

"It will stall them, probably for quite some time, as they will have to trace the root of the problem first. If we hit them with some kind of computer virus, one that they don't have a definition for yet, it could stall them for as long as three months." I said. "In that amount of time, we can outfit our troops and pilots with the improved equipment and space craft, giving us a three hundred percent better chance at not only deflecting that armada, but putting a stopper on Queen Beryl's plans before they can ever take place." I said.

"I just have one question. When is the next scheduled time for the alignment phase?"

"Sailor Mercury..." I started.

"I'm on it." she lowered her eye piece and began hacking away at the keyboard on her wrist. "The next predicted alignment will take place...in six months." She said. The shockwave went through the room like a bolt of lightening.

"James, We'll do what we need to do." Admiral Lovette said. "But we're going to need you to lead us through it. Until this thing is over, I'm giving you a field promotion to the Rank of Vice Admiral, you lead us through a successful campaign, and I'll see to it that the rank stays permanently." He said.

"Yes sir." I said, saluting. "We'll need to start by getting those proto-types built as soon as possible. Also, I'm going to need access to the black ops rosters."

"Black ops?" He asked.

"You want a successful campaign? You'll get me those rosters." I replied. He sighed and pulled them up on the screen. I browsed through the names and highlighted four of them. "These four, I want to see them in my office tomorrow afternoon." I said. "As for the rest of the preparations, I want a counter intelligence agent working on the calibrations for that prediction, make triple sure that it's accurate. Flight Commanders, make sure that your flights are at one hundred percent battle readiness. Keep your ammunition supply units full as well as your fuel depots. I also want all pilots taken off the flight simulators and put into actual dogfight trials, cloaked with T.E.D's equipped. That way they'll get actual flight experience, and it'll keep our low profile. I also want to see the outer senshi in my office sometime tomorrow as well."

"The outer senshi? They're not on our payroll, sir."

"No, maybe not, but maybe they'll do us a favor." I replied. "Get morale up, get efficiency up, and keep the noise down. That's our goal. There will be no recruiting operations either until this is over, we can't have rookies up there costing us airspace and equipment. All foot soldiers are to take up advanced marksmanship training and advanced hand to hand and rifle fighting training as well. Sid, any word on the Tachyon field generators?"

"We're almost there sir, another couple of weeks and they'll be finished."

"Good, I want one installed around Imperia as soon as the proto type has been successfully tested. Also if you could find time to miniaturize it in the three month time frame, we could install them on the space craft as well, boost our odds even further." I scratched my head thoughtfully. "What are the static defenses at?"

"Eighty-nine percent, sir."

"Get them as close to one hundred percent as possible." I sighed. "I think that's about it, if I think of anything else I'll let you know though."

"Okay then, you have your orders, if there are no objections, I'm gonna close this meeting." Admiral Lovette said.

"I don't have an objection, but I would like to say something." Darien said. "I think I speak for everyone in this room when I say that I am still in a tail spin over all of this information, and I'm still not quite sure why we're basing our defense strategy on a prophecy that's twenty thousand years old. But I do know this, Colonel...excuse me, Vice Admiral James Geo has proven me wrong before, and when he has a hunch about something, I can speak from experience, it's usually the right thing to do, so I'm going to give him my full support in this matter. I realize that until our wedding day, I'm not really a member of your chain of command, but I'd like to think that my opinion matters."

"It does, Prince Darien, we hold your opinions in high regards." Admiral Lovette replied. Darien smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that, because I'm about to tell you what it is. My opinion, despite the fact that it involves an assault on my home world, is that we should follow James. He's never lead any of us anywhere but to victory before, and I don't see why he'd start doing otherwise now. Just so you know." He said.

"Thank you for that vote of Confidence, Prince Darien, it's much appreciated."

"Well then, I think we're all in agreement here, and that being the case, let me close by saying that there is no room for failure here. We are to support James to our fullest, and no expense will be spared in the realization of this plan. We will deliver one powerful blow and crush the Negaverse once and for all, before the entire universe falls prey to their power." And with that the meeting was dismissed. I was relocated to a residential suite on the top floor of the palace, only five people resided up there. Serenity, Serena, Admiral Lovette, Darien, and now Myself. It made it much more convenient for Amy as she was only moments away from her night post now. My chambers was about twice it's normal size and consisted of three bedrooms, an exercise gym, a kitchen, dining room, two living areas, an indoor pool and an office furnished with a computer that had access codes to every file in the entire MDT library. In addition to all of this, it was also equipped with a small gun closet loaded with weapons of all natures. Admiral Lovette told me that the weapons had been put there by Jonathon years ago before the top floor had been renovated and he moved into what used to be the Queen's Chambers.

Even though I had been promoted through the ranks, I still went down every morning to train with the RPU, and I still ate breakfast and lunch with them every day. In times of peace, the Sailor Scouts were only assigned to guard Serena when she left the palace, which very seldom happened. So when she wasn't busy with scouts, Amy acted as my secretary. She had made several trips around the palace, delivering memos and documents from me to the other officers under my charge.

Anyway, months passed by, four of them to be exact, Jacob had lead a black ops team to Earth and successfully implanted ten high teck virus's to slow down the production. Commander Rocky Tenure had come up with another idea as well, and the Lightening Strike Unit was formed. These marines were armed with short range pistols, swords, and jet packs that fired in ten second bursts, effectively allowing them to `drop in' on the enemy surprising them and wiping them out from within their own ranks. Lieutenant Commander Jason Tilano, a master drill instructor and former RPU squad leader, had revealed a secret of his own for use against the armada. He was a Vortecian General, and had been abandoned by his own unit, leaving him with a multi-trillion dollar piece of equipment known as Legacy unit Beta. Legacy Beta, was as large as an Imperial Warhammer, which was one of our destroyer/carrier ships. The advantage that Beta had, however, was that it could transform into a humanoid robot that mimicked it's controller's movements via Virtual Reality inhibitors placed in the cockpit. One would think that due to it's enormous size that it must be slow as all get out, but one would be wrong. Sid Steffano, now a Colonel, left Counter Intelligence and transferred to Black Ops as a hacker and weapons designer. All of them together formed my staff, unofficially dubbed `the five star'. Using proto-type knowledge inhibitors, designed by Sid, I had all four of them trained in all types of weaponry, as well as the art of Crystalis and swordsmanship. After the preparatory missions were completed they acted as covert security for Serena and Serenity. Finally the predicted day of the Earth armada's completion came, and then passed. Admiral Lovette called a second meeting, many of the same faces were there, but there were also some new ones as well.

"Okay, what's going on, it's been a week since the armada was completed, what are they waiting for, an open invitation?"

"Sid, how long do we have until we're lined up for the Gates of Hell?" I asked.

"Four weeks, two days, and six hours sir." He replied.

"Okay then, we're good, here's what I propose." I said. "We'll use a little sleight of hand on them." I smiled. "Three days from today, there's going to be another Royal Ball." I said. "All of the officers in the MDT, that is everyone with a rank of Sergeant and above, is invited." I said. "But none of them will be there. We'll have duplicates there, prominent figures will have to be there in person, but for the most part it'll be civilians in disguise. Sid, you will hack into counter intelligence and kill the video and audio feeds, I want a total security black out." I said.

"Sir?" He asked.

"Inside the Queen and Princess's chambers, will be a squad of black ops marines, armed and armored to the max. Mina and Raye will be with the Princess, Lita will be with the Queen."

"What about Amy?" Admiral Lovette asked.

"I'll be at the ball, Admiral, it will probably look rather strange if she isn't there with me." I replied.

"Okay then, where will the marines be?"

"The marines will be in the docking bays of every flight we have, foot soldiers will be equipped with sensor ghost units and tachyon dissipaters, the pilots will be in their cockpits and the cruisers will be completely powered down. All cruisers will be fully armed and fueled, ready for a cold fusion start up."

"James, that's suicide."

"Not with the new engine designs it's not."

"What?" Admiral Lovette asked. "Why wasn't I informed of this change?"

"No one was." I replied. "The only people who knew about the change, was myself and my command staff. That way I know for a fact that they'll have the same reaction you just did. What I've done here, gentlemen, is completely removed our known weaknesses from existence, granted they were replaced with new weaknesses, however Earth's forces are only aware of the `currently existing' ones." I said. "As a result they will try to exploit those weaknesses and in return they will be totally annihilated. All space craft have been outfitted with Tachyon field generators, a device that emits an energy field that dissipates any kind of energy it comes into contact with, absorbing the energy and channeling it back into the ship's internal systems."

"You're kidding." Commander Ackbar said.

"No, I'm not, commander, also, the cloaking field generators have been coupled with a miniaturized tachyon emission dissipater, which makes them invisible to even tachyon detectors at the cost of becoming slightly more visible to the naked eye."

"So they can see it?"

"No, because all of the cruisers recently had a paint job as well." I said. "And they're all black." I smiled. "Have you ever thrown a small black ball in the sky at night, and then tried to catch it?" They smiled. "Now imagine that instead of an opaque black ball, it's a smoked crystal sphere. How hard do you think that would be?"

"Pretty damn difficult."

"Especially when that sphere is traveling at speeds in excess of five hundred miles per hour." I smiled back. "and so, gentlemen, that's our strategy. We'll make them think that our defenses are lowered, that we've gotten cocky, and they'll have their personal invitation to attempt an invasion that they'll be so sure of, it will be almost too easy to wipe the smirk off their faces with the fighter craft. And while they're away attempting to invade this poor, defenseless, pitiful kingdom. A fleet of twenty Warhammers already cloaked and in Earth's orbit will commence bombing selected targets and busting up their databases eliminating all knowledge of space travel, as well as anyone who might be able to revive that knowledge, sending them back through time about three thousand years."

"James, I thought we agreed to not bomb the planet." Darien said.

"We agreed to not bomb the entire planet, Darien, and I'm not bombing the entire planet, the bombing will consist of regular non nuclear payloads and will be fired at military installations around the planet. after the bombing is complete, the black ops flight is ready to move in, annihilate the personnel within those installations, and hack the databases giving us all inclusive knowledge of their defense program. I've already got three moles down there who have earned Felinine's trust and are ready to take him out on command."

"Then why don't we just do that?" Darien asked. "Why must the whole planet suffer for the actions of one man?"

"Because the whole planet has united behind him." I replied. "The whole planet has decided that the blasphemous ways of our people must come to an end. Which is why after the technology has been removed, we will send out a disruptor frequency across the airwaves of the planet. This frequency is harmless to the physical body, however, it will stun everyone it comes into contact with for a period of four days. When they wake up afterwards, they'll have a severe case of amnesia, and they will only remember some things about their personal life."

"This sounds really risky, James." Admiral Lovette replied.

"It is, we'll probably lose some of our men to that frequency as well, but what are a few losses when the entire kingdom's life is at risk? The Earth poses a continuing threat, despite numerous failed attempts to destroy us, and an equal number of humiliations, they still insist that we are evil and we must die, well, I don't know about you gentlemen, but I think enough life has been lost to this petty little grudge that they're carrying." The room was filled with murmurs of agreement. Darien stood up.

"So you're going to end it by stealing everything from them?!?!?"

"Why not?" I asked. "How many things have they stolen from us?" I replied.

"Not one thing, James." He replied.

"Oh really? That's why my mother is dead in a mass graveyard on mars somewhere? That's why there are countless widows in the kingdom, suffering because their husbands had to run off to defend the crown and never came back, leaving them to raise three kids alone? No, Darien, they've stolen enough. Vincent Felinine is working in conjunction with Queen Beryl, I don't know how, and I don't know why, but I know he is, I can smell her stench all over this situation."

"James, please tell me that you're not leading us on a personal vendetta." Admiral Lovette said.

"I'm not, sir." I replied. "But I should be."

"What?"

"If this kingdom means half as much to you as it does to me, then this should be personal, for each and every one of us." I said. "Regardless of my motives for stepping up, yeah so what, he pissed me off when he shot my mother between the eyes. What difference does that make? Does it change the fact that there's a menace on that planet with a gun big enough to wipe out this galaxy?" I asked. "Because if we let him take us, do you honestly believe that he'll stop there? Why should he? After we're gone there's no one else powerful enough to stop him."

"That's a little egotistical, don't you think?" Serenity asked.

"Yes it is, your majesty, and it's very well justified, but do you know what?" I asked. "It's true. I've done my homework, our equipment is three light-years ahead of anyone else in this galaxy, with the exception of Earth. This kingdom was established with one goal in mind, safeguarding the weaker peoples of the system without a thought of self preservation. This entire MDT could be snuffed out in the battle that's coming, but you know something, as long as every last one of those bastards responsible for this act go with us, I will rest in peace." I looked around the room and saw the faces of the other officers, they were starting to sway my direction.

"He's right, to hell with Felinine, my father died in one of Earth's senseless attacks, this has got to end now! By any means necessary." Colonel Stafford of the Foot Soldier division stood up and snarled. "I want to be able to go home and find my wife and kids waiting on me, just like always, if we let Felinine live, there's nothing stopping him from dropping an Ion bomb on my home."

"Family." I said, motioning towards him. "That's one of the guiding principles of this kingdom. Not all of us have one yet, but how many of us that don't, want one?" I asked. "I know I do." I said. At that, everyone stood up and nodded in agreement.

"My family comes first." Commander Roeser said, tightening his pony tail. "I say, we do it." Everyone else began murmuring in agreement.

"Now hold it!" Admiral Lovette shouted, silencing everyone. "There's nothing saying that your families will be safer if we do this." He said.

"They'll be safer if we do it, than if we don't." I replied. "I would rather die leaving my loved ones with the memory of an honorable man, who died fighting for his queen, his people, his kingdom, and more important than that, for them."

"And if we fail?"

"Who gives a god damn, at least we tried, and this is the best shot we have. I'm not even suggesting that we'll come out of this without casualty one, we're gonna have casualties, someone is gonna die, that's a fact of life, you live, you die."

"And if I say that under no circumstance we're to do anything?" He asked. Everyone looked at me curiously. I stared the Admiral straight in the eye and crossed my arms over my chest, lifting them to my shoulder boards and removing my ranks, slamming them down on the table and glaring at him.

"Then I say, you're a coward, and I will not serve in the company of cowards. I was raised by one." The room was dead silent and everyone's eyes bounced back and forth from me to Admiral Lovette.

"Put your ranks back on, James, I was only joking." He said shrugging. "You seem to have a fix on things, I'll just leave you to it." He turned around and slowly walked out, wiping the sweat off his brow and sighing. I replaced my ranks and smiled at his back as he left.

"As I was saying, you have each been given a disc. Take this disc to your personal chambers, view it's contents, take notes, and then destroy it. Secrecy is the name of the game. My adoptive father, whom all of you know at least by reputation, was an informant, and none of the people in his charge even knew about it, until it was almost too late. Well I'm not making his mistakes, people. Those are your orders, move out!" The meeting was adjourned with a renewed hope of victory. I headed straight up to my chambers and sat down in the computer room accessing the satellite photos of Earth. Amy walked in a few minutes later.

"James? Are you in here?"

"I'm in the office, babe." I replied, taking a drink from the can of pop in my hand. She walked in and smiled at me.

"That was a pretty impressive maneuver you made down there." She said.

"Thank you, it was a pretty good bluff don't you think?" I asked. She laughed.

"It was a bluff?!?!? I don't think any poker player in the universe would have stood against that."

"Yeah, well, I was half way serious." I replied shrugging. "I just can't stand political beurocrats that think they know how to run a war."

"So which half were you serious about?" She asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you said you wanted a family, was that a bluff too?" She asked again, biting her lip and looking hopeful.

"No, that wasn't a bluff, I do want one." I replied.

"Well, why didn't you say something?" She asked straddling me and sitting on my lap. "We could have started one by now."

"I don't want to start something that I might not live long enough to finish." I replied. "I don't want to leave you like Jonathon left my mother, Amy."

"James..."

"Well, listen for a minute, I have a proposal to make." I said. she smiled.

"Oh, so now you're proposing to me?" She asked. I smiled and reached under the desk, the sound of ripping tape was heard as I pulled the ring box out from it's hiding place and opened it in front of her.

"Well, actually, yes I am." I smiled back. "As soon as this is over, Amy. As soon as I know that I'm going to live through this, I want to share the rest of my life with you, if you'll have me, that is." I said. Her face was impossible to read as she stared at the ring inside the black velvet box. The Diamond inside was two karats, and shaped like a sphere.

"James...I...am I dreaming?" she asked. "Pinch me, let me know that I'm awake." I slyly reached around and pinched her behind. A jump and a squeal was my reply. "That is not what I meant, James Geo!" She smiled.

"Marry me." I said. "Let me make you my wife, so we can have that family, together."

"James, I don't know what to say..."

"Remember my advice on Mars?" I asked. "Your first answer is always the right answer." I said.

"Don't say that." she replied shaking her head, tears were forming in her eyes, and she quickly got up and started walking off. "I...I have to go...James...I...god, um, let me sleep on it...okay?" She asked. I lowered my gaze to the ring box and forced a smile.

"My timing was off..." I said nodding.

"No, James, it's not you, believe me it's not you, but...I just...I need time to think...please don't be upset." I shook my head and held out the ring box.

"I'm not upset, but uh, take this with you." I said. "It's engraved, it won't do anyone else any good." I said. "So either way, I want you to keep it." She reached out and took the box, tears were now tracing paths down her face.

"James...I...I'm sorry...I just..."

"Go." I said interrupting her. "Take whatever time you need, go anyplace you need to go, I'll wait for you." I said. She nodded and quickly ran out of the chambers, coming close to knocking Darien and Serena off their feet as she ran.

"Good lord!" Darien shouted. "James, are you busy?"

"No, I'm in the office." I replied struggling to maintain control of my voice, I quickly dabbed my eyes, drying the tears and stood up, saluting them as they walked in.

"Carry on." Serena replied. "What's wrong with Amy?"

"You two didn't just split did you?" Darien asked.

"No, um, I proposed." I replied plopping back down in my chair. Serena clapped a hand over her mouth.

"She didn't say yes?"

"She didn't say anything." I replied. "Said she needed to sleep on it."

"Are you okay?" Darien asked. I nodded.

"I'll be fine." I replied.

"But are you okay now?" Serena asked. I paused and lowered my gaze from the satellite photos still pulled up before burying my head in my arms and breaking loose, sobbing freely and shaking my head. That's when another knock came on the door.

"Who is it?" Darien asked.

"The scouts, minus Mercury." Mina replied. "Arriving for the nightly briefing."

"James?" Serena asked. I nodded, not raising my head.

"Come on in." She replied. "I'll keep them out in the living room, okay?" She said before walking out. "Hey guys, how's it going?" She asked.

"Not bad here, how about James? Is he okay?"

"How did you find out?" Serena asked.

"Amy bolted past us and ducked into her old room, sobbing her eyes out and clutching this little black box like it was a life line. She told us what happened, and that she was afraid that James was mad at her." Darien patted me on the shoulder and walked out to join them.

"Mad isn't the word that I would use." He said.

"Oh my, how bad is he?" Raye asked.

"Destroyed would probably fit the bill better." I finally shut the water works off and removed my jacket, hanging it up on a hanger. I then blew my nose with a handful of tissue and grabbed another handful to dry my eyes again. I then stood up and walked out slowly. They gasped when they saw me.

"James, are you okay?"

"That seems to be the question of the night, tonight, `James are you okay?'" I replied sarcastically. "I just had the woman I've been in love with ever since I knew what love was throw my words back up in my face, what do you think?" I replied. I walked over to the gun closet and did the combination, opening the door.

"James, don't do that!" Lita said walking up to the door. She sighed and looked sheepish when she saw me holding a bottle of whiskey. "Oh. sorry."

"I'm not going to shoot myself, Lita." I replied. "Though death by alcohol poisoning is sounding pretty good." I walked back out looking at the bottle's label.

"James, you're not mad at her, are you?"

"No, I'm not mad at her...oh look at that, Jonathon must have put this in here when the place was built." I popped the cork and took a drink, stomping my foot and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "Damn! At least he got something right."

"So you're not mad?"

"Oh, I'm mad." I replied. "But not at her, right now, I'm mad at Jonathon, Felinine, and Beryl, though if everyone keeps questioning me all night, I might just change my mind." I said.

"James, we're your friends, and we're concerned about you." Raye said. "Regardless of whether or not she says yes, we're still your friends."

"Yeah, we're almost like your family." Lita said. I smiled at first.

"Family." I said the word quietly, still trying to make it to my bedroom. Suddenly I jumped forward a step and threw the bottle against a wall, shattering glass and spraying whiskey everywhere before dropping to my knees and sobbing so hard that I was shaking.