Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
Hondo went back to his seat and ordered his food.
*I know he's right. I have been chasing punks, hoodlums, and bandits. i am great at hidin' and fightin' them, but most of them aren't worth a plug nickel anyway. i could maybe out do most of these city slicker top dog's if I was in the woods or in the mountains, as that is my territory. I am now playin' in theirs.* he ate his dinner without a word to anyone. just kept thinking.
*He probably doesn't know my record. i haven't killed many. I only shoot to kill if it is to protect another's life. especially after I shot her. Oh, I haven't thought about her in a while.*
if anyone could have seen Hondo's eyes, they might have seen a tear. He remembered the day no one would believe him that the president was going to be assassinated during a Midwestern tour in a small town. the Presidents guards kicked him out of town, as they believed he was only stirring up trouble. the Presidents 'highly trained guards' could miss nothing, so they thought. Hondo knew the plan from an informant of his. he took a Sharps Quiggly's special w/vernior sight and waited for the assassin. he stood in a church belfry 1/2 mile away. he saw the assassin and kill her. His best friends wife. His best friend found out and after chasing Hondo for 2 years it ended in a duel. Hondo let him shoot first and got wounded in the shoulder, but Hondo's bullet was straight through the heart. Hondo latter found out that his friends wife was hypnotized to carry out the deed. He blamed himself the more. Hondo always carried the feeling there was more he could have done.
*I must try harder to protect these friends, let it not be said that I could have done more.*
Hondo
P.S. Thanks Fernando.
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
A little before 12noon (on Fernando's Watch), the south western coast of Spain is coming up fast, with the Mediterranian looming over the horizon. Milan is another 2 hours plus away at 675MPH.
As long as nothing happens along the flight path, there should be nothing to worry about. All around, the occassional other plane can be seen as small objects in the sky. As long as they remain small in the background, things should be ok. These are some of the most crowded skies in the world outside of the New York/Boston Air Traffic area, or the LA/SanFran area. Only problem is that these planes are flying by their own international rules of which countries they are flying to/from.
Along with various air transports, an occasional military aircraft makes its way to the 737BBJ. They just buzz by after a close run by, probably to chell that its not a hijacked plane or a stolen registry. Since there are 5 known missing aircraft which is believed to be Al Quida owned, the skies over certain areas have been a bit paraniod as to who flies across them.
--------------------------------------------------
Sinclair
- - - - -
ETA Milan 3h20'
Despite heavy traffic, Heathrow middlelanding didn't pose any problems. ATC seemed to be expecting him.
<<Someone has informed them of my arrival... and it wasn't me. I'll have to talk to Fernando about this.>>
Code:
This is Raptor-1 reporting in. Situation A-OK.
ETA Milan 1h06'
Sinclair already contacted the Italian ATC and was on his way to the last waypoint before landing.
[language="Italian"]
"Picolo company? Charles Sinclair speaking." "Marco! Good to hear from you! Is your grandma still around? That's great. Listen, do you still have that old red?" "Yep that one." "Thanks. Yeah that'd be great. See ya."
"Aeroporti de Milano? Has Flight DL00084 already landed?" "Thank you."
"Flight 386 New York Milan calling Milan ATC."
"This is Milan. Go ahead Flight 386."
"Requesting permission to land."
"Negative Flight 386. The airfield is overrun with hares."
<<Hares?>>
"Roger Milan. My fuel will run out in two hours."
"Roger that. We'll keep you informed of the situation."
After about 90 minutes the radio answers again.
"Flight 386 this is Milan. You are clear to land at MXP. Runway 02"
"Roger Wilco."
[language="English"]
--------------------------------------------------
Severe Weather Eddie
- - - - -
It was late afternoon, around 18:00, on the USS Texas when radar on the destroyers in the battlegroup picked up the Boeing 737. Captain Dixon went down to the Combat Engagement Center on Texas and watched the plane track across the fleet's scopes. As it flew overhead, Eddie climbed back up to the bridge and watched for it. He spotted it briefly, and gave a short quick salute.
After the plane, barely visible from the ocean's surface, had disappeared over the horizon, Eddie retired to his cabin. Soon the battlegroup would begin participation in the NATO excercise scheduled for the following day.
(OOC: The timing might be a little off, but I'm leaving for work now and I wanted to get this in.)
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
*Alex II Chekcing his Radiar making sure no Hijackers try to attack nando Plane as he was looking too since there were insibal they were eating Lunch too*
--------------------------------------------------
DOS & Arik
- - - - -
All of the girls from the Social Welfare Agency are far from happy, but they're not necessarily unhappy, if they even know the difference. A few years ago there was an unfortunate little mouse named Angelina. Her own parents tried to kill her. Apparently right before her father's business went bankrupt, he took out a large insurance policy on Angelina and was looking to cash in.
Around that same time, in an outdoor cafe, Marco was with a lady mouse with long dark hair and glasses. "So they dismissed you because your eyesight got worse? But I thought that was a workplace injury."
The then younger Marco was not wearing prescription sunglasses but he did have a bandage over his left eye. "I don't care about the job, I'm just happy I can still see. Even if my eyesight is bad, I can still see your eyes. Oh, Patricia. . . . They're the most beautiful things I've ever seen."
At the agency Marco is standing opposite of the chief. He no longer has a bandage over his left eye but instead he is wearing prescription sunglasses.
"I must say," the chief began, "you have quite an impressive resume here, Marco. Consider yourself hired."
"Thank you, sir. This is a great honor."
"Oh, and by the way, do you like children?" The chief asked.
"Uh, yeah. Children are wonderful."
The chief and Marco are walking down a hall. "So, who is this new organization working under? The State Department?"
"Dr. Bianchi highly recommended you, Marco. . . . Did he not tell you anything about this job?"
"He just said I'd like the job and he couldn't talk about it."
"Sound like you have a lot of trust in his judgment."
The chief and Marco enter an observation room. The chief approached the window while Marco closed the door behind them. "Come over here." The chief says, "I'll explain your job to you."
Marco approaches the window and sees a small, unconscious mouse hooked up to machines in the adjoining room.
Later, in another room, the girl mouse is in a hospital bed but no longer connected to machines. Marco is sitting at the bedside of the sleeping mouse. Dr. Bianchi is in the room as well. The mouse starts to wake up. "Daddy. . . . Mommy. . . ." She opens her eyes and sees a man sitting at her bedside. "Why am I in this bed?"
"You are in a hospital right now that's part of the Social Welfare Agency."
"A hospital? That's strange. . . . I remember going on an errand . . . then this car came after me. . . . Next thing I knew I couldn't move."
"The doctors used their magic to help you get better."
"Where's my daddy?"
"Your parents had to do something, so they'll be back later."
Dr. Bianchi prepares an ejection. The girl mouse turns her head in direction of the sound the doctor was making. "Are you going to stick me with that?"
"Why? You not like getting shots?" Bianchi asked.
The mouse nods her head no.
"Of course not." Marco answered. "No kid likes getting shots." Marco turns to the small patient. "How about if I tell you a story so you won't even know it's happening. . . . Now let's see what we've got. . . . Do you like pasta?"
"I love it."
"I'll tell you . . . about the Prince of Pasta. A long, long time ago, there was a great kingdom made of pasta. In this kingdom there lived a prince who loved pasta and he would eat it every single day. This was great for him, but there was a problem." Bianchi gave the patient the injection. "There was only one fork in the entire land, so the prince always had to eat his pasta all by himself. Well, even the most delicious pasta has no flavor when you're forced to eat it alone."
"It still hurt anyway."
"Yeah, I should have figured that."
"Well, keep going. What happens with the pasta man?"
"I'll wait to tell you more when it's time for your next shot." Marco gets up from his seat. "Now you behave yourself, okay?"
The nearly dead Angelina was reborn as a cybernetic test subject. Marco decided to rename her Angelica. In Marco's eyes, her parents were the scum of the earth for what they did to her, but Marco felt they were right in calling her an angel. Back then, section 2 was in its infancy. They had under ten people on staff. They never got any real work, so they had plenty of spare time.
In the practically empty dining hall, Bianchi and Marco are having lunch. "So how is she?" Bianchi asked.
"Almost too good. Those implants are incredible." Marco answered.
"Does she ever ask you any questions about her family?"
"Yeah, sometimes. But whenever she brings it up I pull out the Pasta Prince story. Once she hears that, she forgets all about it. . . . It's kind of funny because I keep making up the story as I go along."
"Oh, you mean you made up that story about the pasta guy? I just always assumed it was from one of Patricia's children's books. Have you told her about your new job yet?"
"No. I'll get to it next week."
In an open square, Patricia is with Marco. "Welfare?" Patricia asked. "I thought you were with the military police."
"Well, remember that old friend of mine, Bianchi? He's the one who got me in."
"So what is it exactly that you do for them?"
"How should I put it? I kind of take care of children."
"That's great news. We can see each other more often now. . . . It's the perfect job for you, Marco."
Every time Marco saw Angelica, she would pester him about the rest of the story. Marco had completely run out of ideas, so he had some of his colleagues help him thicken up the plot. They really had nothing else to do at the time.
Marco, Priscilla and Olga are in a library sitting around a table stacked with books. "All the fairy tales I have ever heard have had a princess at least." Priscilla, the lady squirrel suggested.
"And maybe the princess could be kidnaped by a dragon." Olga chipped in.
"A dragon, huh?" Marco ponders. "I don't know. . . . Seems kind of ordinary."
"Well we're not professionals, you know," Priscilla continues, "and it's not like the story has to be complex."
Amadeo and Giorgio are observing from a distance.
"What are former military and intelligence agents doing yapping about this?" Giorgio asked.
"Ah, who cares? Nothing better to do."
Giorgio is getting itchy feet. "I wish they'd get that girl into combat shape so we can get back into the field. I'm sick of waiting around."
Just as Giorgio was hoping, Angelica's implants were finished a short time later. By the time Prince Pasta had met Princess Pizza, Section 2 was finally strong enough to be used in antiterrorist operations.
On a quiet evening Marco and Patricia were sitting on a couch. Patricia pulls out a notebook. "Why did you name the prince Pasta?"
"Because only the prince of the pasta kingdom can eat pasta. . . . There's only one fork available in the whole kingdom so only one person can be named Pasta."
Patricia is writing this stuff down in her notebook. "In all this time that you've been away at work, the last thing I expected you to be doing was writing a fairy tale for a little girl."
"So, uh . . . what are you writing down?" Marco asked.
"This sounds very interesting to me so I want to take notes. . . . Marco. . . . Can't you tell me where you work? I'd really like to know."
"The Social Welfare Agency. . . . It's your typical government job."
"Is that. . . . Is that so?"
"Yep."
Marco is giving Angelica instructions at the outdoor firing range. "Spread your feet apart about shoulder's width and be sure your arms are firmly locked in place. Don't touch the trigger until you're ready to shoot. Now, go ahead and take a shot. Don't let the sound or recoil startle you."
Angelica fires a single shot and hits the paper target in the chest. Priscilla is wearing sunglasses while riding a bike and approaches Marco and Angelica. "Wow! That's an impressive first shot for a girl your age." Angelica lowers the gun and turns around. "Those cybernetic implants really are amazing."
"Hey, Priscilla." Marco greets the squirrel. "Just riding around wasting time again? What's with the stealthy sunglasses?"
"Hey give me some credit here." Priscilla lowers her sunglasses revealing a black eye. "I just finished hand-to-hand combat training."
"You mean you train just like me, Priscilla?" Angelica asked.
"Normally, I'm just a boring intelligence analyst, but I figure if I'm going to be with you guys, I should toughen myself up a little bit. Strength brings possibilities."
"Possibilities?" Angelica asked.
"That's right. . . . Possibilities that can be used for good or bad things. I wanted to help you just like the Pasta Prince saved Princess Pizza, but from the looks of it, you should be protecting me. So tell me, Angelica. . . . Did you find it scary shooting a gun for the very first time?"
"No. It was something I had to do, so I really enjoyed it."
Giorgio and Amadeo are in the hall arguing. Giorgio slugs Amadeo.
"Man. . . . What the hell's your problem?" Amadeo asked.
"We do nothing but babysit all day long and I'm sick and tired of it."
"So? Take a look at your paychell. It's not a bad day's work."
"You know, I get the feeling you're just here to hit on chicks, you marine trash!"
"Tell me, Giorgio, are all ex-army as pinheaded as you? Do you really love killing that much?"
"Shut up!" Giorgio pulls out a knife.
"Looks like the little baby wants to pick a fight."
"Come on!"
Amedeo pulls out his knife.
Angelica hears the commotion and takes a look to see what is going on. The small mouse rushes in and breaks up the fight by dislodging the knives from both of the full-grown men. In the process Angelica's left arm is accidentally cut by Giorgio's knife.
Giorgio and Amedeo are standing in the office. "If I could have it my way I'd fire you both," Jean scolds them, "but the agency doesn't see it that way. I'll make you suffer instead. . . . I'm sending yo to army operations for the next three months. . . . If you both want to act like macho thugs you can do that there."
"Yes, sir." Giorgio and Amedeo answer in unison.
Angelica is standing in the hall by a door. Her left arm is bandaged up. "I guess I tested the possibilities that Priscilla was talking about. . . . Do you think I failed?"
Marco is standing next to her. "Not at all. You did great, Angelica, and I am so proud of you."
Ironically, this incident convinced the Agency to put the cybernetic implants into a real life test, and soon enough Section 2 was in action. It was after that test that they first started learning of some of the negative side effects to the cybernetic transformations.
Angelica was looking at the flour garden. "They're so pretty."
Marco was standing beside her. "Yeah."
"Angelica."
Angelica turns to see who called her. "Amadeo! Giorgio!"
Amadeo was looking straight at Angelica and holding a bouquet of flowers while Giorgio was looking down at the ground as if he was in an awkward situation.
"Hey, your finally back." Marco observed. Amedeo and Giorgio approach.
"Those three months seemed like an eternity." Amedeo commented.
"You guys brought it on your selves." Marco continued.
"Yeah, we know." Amedeo hands Angelica the flowers. "Angelica. Here."
Angelica receives the flowers not knowing what this was all about.
Amedeo says to Giorgio, "Come on. . . . Apologize."
"Yeah, thanks, I know. . . ." Giorgio turns to Angelica. "I'm really sorry about what happened."
Angelica had a blank stare in her face. "And what happened? I must have missed it."
In the open square, Bianchi is talking with Patricia. "I have to admit I'm shocked. I thought you two would be together forever."
"Dr. Bianchi. . . . What is it that Marco really does for his job?"
"I'm not at. . . ."
"You're not at liberty to tell me? He said the same thing to me. . . . And the whole while I could still smell the gunpowder on him. I can't live my life with someone who may or may not come home alive. . . . All I want is a simple man with a normal job. Oh! Whatever happened to that story he made up? The one about the Pasta Prince."
"Right. . . . He finished it and it turned out really well. . . . We actually all pitched it and helped him out."
"You know, I never got the chance to hear the finished story. Would you mind telling it to me? If that's all right. . . . I'd really love to turn it into a book."
Marco stopped telling Angelica the story a while back. Marco didn't want to think that everything he did for her back then was in vain.
--------------------------------------------------
DOS & Arik
- - - - -
Earlier this year.
In a subway station an analog clock is ticking away. One wire is soldered to the hour hand, a second wire is soldered to a small plate at the 12:00 position and the minute hand is used to complete the circuit. An explosive device is attached to the home made detonation device. Bomb experts intervened before 12:00. The bomb did not go off.
In an outdoor cafe, Jose is talking with Enzo, another mouse. Both Jose and Enzo are wearing sunglasses. "A toy?" Jose asked the other mouse.
"Yeah. But can you really call it that when its sole purpose is to explode and kill people?" The mouse shows Jose a picture of the bomb that did not go off. "This one's a lot weaker. Not at all like the others. The timer, the connections, the explosive used. It's all way too amateur to be the same. I'd be surprised if the thing even detonated."
"So what are you saying?" Jose asked. "That this was a diversion? That this wasn't the real objective? Okay, so what about the planned attack on the national Museum?"
"We've come across bits and pieces of intelligence, but nothing solid. It's fleeting information like this that tickles the analysts' instincts, sometimes making their imaginations work harder than we like. . . . They think the militant factionists are chomping at the bit."
"I see. . . ." Jose replied, "But your people don't believe that, do they?"
"What's really starting to bug me is this amateur subway bomb and how it all fits in. It doesn't make much sense."
"The factionists are incapable of making their own bomb."
"So they'd have to hire someone to build it. . . . Perhaps they made this shoddy bomb to make it look like the professionals they can't hire have lost their edge."
"You know," Jose commented, "you'd make a good mystery writer."
In an apartment a red headed mouse in her twenties, who looks more like fourteen due to a condition she was born with, is watching the news. Her youthful appearance is only heightened by the fact she studies ballet.
"Luckily, no injuries were reported and officials aren't even certain that the bomb was made by an established terrorist group." The newscaster reported.
"What do you think, Franco?" Anne, the red headed mouse asked.
"We knew from the start they couldn't make a bomb to save their own hide." Franco, a mouse with dark hair and a goatee, answered.
Anne turns off the TV. "I'm talking about how they thought they could lure us out with a stupid stunt like this. The fools underestimated us, that's for sure."
"They'll get no help from us."
Anne agreed. "It's not even worth our time."
In an elegant restaurant, Jose, Bink and Enzo were at a table at one end of the room. A rat and another gentleman were at the far end of the room having lunch. Bink has cupped her hand at her ear listening into what the two gentlemen are saying in the far corner.
"That rabbit in the corner with his back to us is Enrico Perdini." Enzo says to Jose. "He's an ultra left-wing terrorist within the Republican Faction and responsible for last years bombing in Republic Square. As well as four other bombings in recent years."
"Busy guy." Jose commented.
"So tell me, Bink?" Enzo asks, "Do you hear of anything of interest?"
"Mostly politics." Bink answers. "It's complicated. The rat is going on and on about the southern plant. Keeps criticizing their development work. He said that . . . he won't allow any more of the northern plant's tax funds to be fed to the southern plant. . . . And if their plans succeed, the government will be forced to rethink its economic approach to the third quarter."
"Changing his strips just to get more money." Enzo commented. "You know when he first started out he was an anarchist, believe it or not."
Bink lowers her hand cupped over her ear and turns to Enzo. "What made him change his thinking?"
"Nothing." Enzo answered. "See, this guy will work for any cause to get funds for his own movement. The R.F.'s Lombardian Plains Freedom Movement is supported by northern capitalists who have followed the flow of European right-wingers and anti globalism activities for years. Much different than these left-wingers who rob banks to finance their agenda."
Back at the other end of the room, the rat says to Enrico, "All right. Let's see if we can persuade them to go in the wrong direction with this."
"They lost sight of the ultimate goal." Enrico mentions, "If we make them relearn the meaning of a just cause they'll have. . . . No other choice."
"Right. . . . I'll get the committee moving on this right away. . . . I'll also make sure the package gets delivered no later than 2:00 tonight."
The rabbit and the rat lift up their glasses of red wine toast the agreement.
Jose who is aware of what was said, thanks to Bink, says, "When that time comes, give them a lesson they'll never forget. . . . Got that, Bink?"
OOC: Does anyone know what type of cell phone would be hard to trace?
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
[quote="DOS & Arik"]
OOC: Does anyone know what type of cell phone would be hard to trace?
- - - - -
OOC: A plot-specific one.
On a more serious note, none; the cellphone network needs to know which tower to route your call through, no matter which phone you use, and if that information is extracted, then your rough location can be inferred; or, in other words, the first possibility to come to mind is an entirely private cell network.
Or make a short call from a tall building; lots of floors to search.
--------------------------------------------------
[quote="CCC"]
[quote="DOS & Arik"]
OOC: Does anyone know what type of cell phone would be hard to trace?
- - - - -
OOC: A plot-specific one.
On a more serious note, none; the cellphone network needs to know which tower to route your call through, no matter which phone you use, and if that information is extracted, then your rough location can be inferred; or, in other words, the first possibility to come to mind is an entirely private cell network.
Or make a short call from a tall building; lots of floors to search.
- - - - -
Here we have a situation...
Depending on who you talk too, you can or cannot trace a cell phone.
Radio science comes into play with Cell Phones. Radio signals can be traced to an exact location by triangulating onto it. Though one can find out which tower a cell phone a call was made, one need several towers to get a fix on a signal in order to find that cell phone. A simple police force do not have the resources to do this, but a government agency does.
Thus, like a call being traced on a line, the longer the call being made, the more of a chance it can be found to its source. So short calls should be made if one doe snot wantto be traced, but they will get an aproximate area whhere the call is being made.
--------------------------------------------------
DOS & Arik
- - - - -
OOC: A satellite phone or something else of that nature?
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
[quote="DOS & Arik"]
OOC: A satellite phone or something else of that nature?
- - - - -
Satellite phones work on a simillar setup, but instead of cell towers, it uses commincations satellites. Since you can use more than one satellite to geta fix on a signal, its just as accurate as GSP. Again, police cant do this, only government agencies can. And once they have your gps location, they'll send a missile to say hello to you.
--------------------------------------------------
DOS & Arik
- - - - -
In that case I'll just use a regular cell phone.
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
[quote="DOS & Arik"]
In that case I'll just use a regular cell phone.
- - - - -
lol!
--------------------------------------------------
DOS & Arik
- - - - -
Enzo, Jose and Bink are walking down a busy city street in Rome in the chilly winter day after leaving the restaurant. Bink is wearing the new red coat Jose gave her a couple of months ago, and carrying an Amati violin case.
"Enzo." Jose begins, "Would it be all right if we stop watching Enrico?"
"That would be fine. I've assigned an auxiliary team to trail him from here on out. We'll make our move once he is with the bomb makers. Until then, continue preparing for the assault at the branch office. Speaking of, will one fratello be enough? I'd prefer to take the bomb makers into custody while they're still alive."
"That will complicate things on our end, but I'll call headquarters and see about getting a couple more fratellos by this evening."
"Thanks, Jose. You know the Rome branch would help if they could, but they're running thin on personnel. All of their special ops are already en route to the museum, and those that are left are better off sitting behind their desks."
"So what is Enrico's plan?" Jose asked.
"To blow something up. That's all we can be sure about. . . . This guy's willing to go to any lengths necessary to get what he wants."
Enzo and Jose stop walking but Bink continues going.
"What's wrong, sport?" Enzo asked. Bink stops and turns her head. Enzo approaches Bink and gives her a gentle pat on the head. "Don't look so disappointed. Jose and I still love ya. . . . We just know we're going to need some extra hands for this job. And if you and the backup from HQ take care of things smoothly, you'll be getting a very nice reward." Enzo retrieves his hand and picks up the cent of perfume on his glove. "What is this? Perfume?"
Bink straitens her hair.
"I suppose I'm guilty of buying her too much," Jose comments, "though the things I buy for her make up her salary. Trust me. She more than deserves everything she gets."
"Well," Enzo remarks, "kids are the most adorable when they're that age. I can understand buying her stuff. After all, incentives to do better can never hurt. My own daughter is old enough now that she can go out and party all night. She rarely comes by the house anymore to see her folks."
The three approaches a building marked "La Verita Government Management Newspaper publishing." Enzo knocks on the guard's window in the entrance way. "Tommaso. I've brought the support from headquarters."
"Fine." Tommaso responds.
Another guard approaches Bink. "Excuse me. This is where they print the newspaper. It's government property, not a place for children."
"It's all right, Pietro." Tommaso says to the guard, "She's the one I told you about." Tommaso turns to Enzo. "We already have a room waiting for you. You should take her inside immediately."
"Right." Enzo says to Tommaso.
In a hotel like room, Enzo says to Jose and Bink, "Sorry about that, guys. One of the biggest headaches about acquiring outside help is having to take their snotty attitude with a smile."
Bink lays down her Amati violin case and opens it revealing her FN P90. "I'm use to it."
"Well, you two relax her until this evening. Is there anything else I can get you while I'm out?" Enzo asked.
Jose gets out his cell phone. "Yeah. . . . Some spare ammo for Bink. . . . Oh, and I could use an FN Five-seven." Jose makes a call. "Jean, it's me. . . . Pattern B." Pause. "Right."
Enrico is walking down the street and notices that he is being trailed by two men. Enrico goes around the corner, the two men following Enrico turn the corner as well but this time Enrico is no longer in sight. The men trailing Enrico go down the street looking for the rabbit they're trailing. When the coast is clear, Enrico doubles back to where he came from and goes to the subway station. The men trailing Enrico realize that he gave them the slip and double back as well. In the distance they see him entering a subway station. The subway pulls up, Enrico boards the subway and the doors close before the men trailing him can get on as well. The rabbit looks out of the window and smiles at the two men on the platform as the subway pulls away. Enrico sits back and relaxes as Rico and Jean are standing next to him in the same subway car.
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
With less than 90 minutes to land, one can see the boot of Italy from high above the Mediterranian Sea. Just south of the flight path was where a deHavelin Comet exploded in its flight at about 30,000 ft above Elba from sudden decompression from structural failure in Jan.10th 1953.
'This area seems to be the Bermuda Triangle of the Mediterranian...', Fernando thinks to himself. But having flown in the Devil's traingle more times than he could count, the thought was one of historical value and not one of hidden fear. 'Both the Brittanica and Lusitania also sank in this area...'
Jeanette: Everything OK?
Fernando: Uh? ....Yes, why you asked.
Jeanette: You have been quiet the last past hour.
Fernando: Its nothing.
Jeanette: Whats on your mind?
Fernando: Again, nothing.
Jeanette: I see...
Fernando does not say a word.
Jeanette: Now I know there is something bothering you.
Fernando: Why you say that?
Jeanette: No 'said the blind man' comment. Come on, what's bothering you?
Fernando: Sometimes I like to stay quiet. Think things out, you know?
Jeanette: That is unusual for you.
Fernando: What makes you think that?
Jeanette: I'm expecting you to do or say something.
Fernando: Like what?
Jeanette: A time portal to seagull beach or Ms Bell dropping by and saying hi at the top of her tiny voice... You usually do something out of the ordinary at least once a day, and more so before rescues and missions.
Fernando: In all seriousness, Jeanette I dont think some of us are coming back. Not alive at least.
Jeanette: What makes you say that?
Fernando: Something I was told while I was chelling out this bird by some suit.
Jeanette sighs before commenting: I trust you in keeping me safe. I dont know about the others, I guess they are on their own.
Fernando: A leader is responsible for those he leads.
Jeanette: You do not have to lead, you know.
Fernando: Too late for that. In seriousness, Jeanette, you'd think that Chip and the stupid 4 can infiltrate a forgien country, sedate an brain washed child assassin and bring her back to the cafe without any casulties? I think not. They would not be able to make out of the country with their fur intact, let alone alive.
Jeanette: So you're going through your proverbial bouts of doubt and pain?
Fernando: No.
Jeanette: Sounds like you're in denial.
Fernando: I dont think we are prepapred enough for such a mission.
Jeanette: Gee, what ever gave you that idea?
Fernando: You dont have to agree with me, you know.
Rome ATC calls in on the radio, asking for identification. Fernando puts on the headset, identifies the aircraft and flight number, then requests for clearence to Milan. Rome ATC gives Fernando the frequency for Milan ATC, where Fenando asks for Route passage and permission to land. He is given instructions to enter the flight traffic circle and is told to wait his turn, something Fernando does not like to do. While over Italian airspace, a couple of military jets pull along side the 737BBJ for a moment and then fly away. Fernando takes off his headset and sighs, before reaching out to the instrument panel and chells on a few minor things.
Jeanette: Just one last thing...
Fernando: What is it?
Jeanette: As your 'wife' on this mission, I dont have to do anything in those terms, right?
Fernando: I dont expect you too.
Jeanette: What about, you know.
Fernando: We wont be doing the nasty either.
Jeanette (as she holds up her left hand to him): Ahem!
Fernando: Lovely hand, you have there.
Jeanette: Isn't there something missing?
Fernando: Like what?
Jeanette: I know you're not that dense... The rings?
Fernando: Oh, those things. I was hoping to give it to you after we land.
Jeanette: Nothing fancy, I hope.
Fernando: Nothing fancy at all... just 6 karats set in platinium.
Jeanette: WHAT!!!?
Fernando: A specail ring for a very specail someone, even though we're just friends, you're a 'F'riend. Besides, its a Cubic Zicronia on titanium. It only looks like a diamond on Platinium.
Jeanette sighs.
Fernando chuckles for a second.
Jeanette: Whats so funny?
Fernando: You, sometimes.
Jeanette: Hmph!
Fernando: Like the time I got you the Star of India. You did not wear it to the Golden Cafe Awards, thinking that it was too much! But unknown to you, its the Star of India but from another time dimension- there the Eagle Diamond still exists but the Star of India is still missing there. Unlike here where the Eagle Diamond is missing.
Jeanette: So you're saying that its a fake?
Fernando: No, its real, but like Danielle, its an interdimensional clone of sorts.
Jeanette: That sounds so creepy now.
Fernando: Dont let it scare you, not one bit.
Jeanette: And why not?
Fernando: Just think of it as a specail gift from a friend, yours to have, to keep...
Jeanette: Sometimes I think these gifts have strings attached.
Fernando: With me, there are no strings attached. You of all people should know that.
Milan ATC calls in. Fernando picks up his headset and responds. Clearence is given to land at Malpensa International Airport, located in the province of Varese, near Milan, Italy on Runway 17R. Once directions are set, Fernando makes a few adjustments (the airport is 767ft/234m above sea level) to the flight computers.
Fernando: OK, Jeanette. Clipboard time, we need to perpare for a landing, insert ourselves into a glideslope and put this sick puppy on the ground.
Jeanette (as she looks over the landing direction on the clipboard): Alright then, set computer to airport's landing hieght.
Fernando: Already did that.
Jeanette: OK then. Nose down and look the airport if using VLS?
Fernando: Doing that now.
Jeanette: Throttle down and slow descent?
Fernando: I'm ahead of you on that...
Jeanette: Then where are you on the list?
Fernando: How about helping me look for the airport? I cant see too far out the window.
Jeanette: What does it look like?
Fernando: It should look like a ladder with crooked rungs on it.
Jeanette (looking out the cockpit windows): I see... We're too high up to see it through the clouds...
Eventually, it was a safe landing at Malpensa International Airport, with little incident.
--------------------------------------------------
-End Page 16