Page 9
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Fernando
- - - - -
When Alex II and his friends had left, Fernando takes a plastic document envelope from his laptop's brief case, stuffing all the cards and letters people had left on the table for Tammy & Bink. Then places the flowers and teddy bears from the table and organizes them a better, on top of the document folder.
 
Fernando can not help himself but to think if he made the right choices, but in remembering what CCC said about Donelly escaping, he sighs to himself and thinks that he has. The problem being that it did not stop anything, only delayed it. But in that delay, everyone is more prepared to handle it.
 
As he sat down and thought to himself, Marco and Angelica arrives. Marco leave a small stuffed squirrel along with a card.
 
Marco: Hello Fernando. I heard rumors that you were around.
Fernando: Rumors be Damn, how's my little blood-cyborg.
Marco: Blood-cyborg? Oh, Angie is doing great. You would not mind donating a couple of pints for future emergencies?
Fernando: For Angie? I'll be a phone call away. As for donating my blood for storage? Hell No!
Marco: Why not?
Fernando: Too many hands wanting to experiment with it.
Marco: I see.
Fernando: If Angie needs, I'll be a phone call away.
Marco: Alright then. So, How are Tammy and Bink doing?
Fernando: They are doing fine, being in a medically induced coma so that the LSD does not do its damage. They should be fine in about 96 hours.
Marco: Good to hear.
..
.
Marco: Ever considered joining our organization?
Fernando: Considered, yes. Want to, No.
Marco: You would be a great asset to what ever team you join.
Fernando: Just pray I don’t ever end up on the bad guy's side.
Marco: So true.
Fernando: Well, I like where I am.
Marco: Well, since Tammy and Bink will be here for a couple of more days, I will return to see her when she is awake. Maybe you will be around then?
Fernando: Maybe.
Marco: See you then.
 
Marco leaves with Angelica in tow before Fernando could say a word.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Midnight Man
- - - - -
'Okay, let's see who else gets any benefits of knowing my position.' Midnight decides not to get rid of the GPS transmitter yet.
 
After a couple of hours of riding without any obvious attacks or attempts at pursuing him, he reaches his hotel in Rome and parks in a side alley. A page boy mouse helps him with the baggage as he checks in, gets the electronic key, and heads for his room on the 8th floor which is also the top floor. No more equipment is found in this room, but what strikes him is a large TV set which still uses a CRT. He checks the room thoroughly for explosives, bugs, and other unusual items, but he doesn't find any. What strikes him, though, is that the black screws which hold the TV's rear cover in place have been tinkered with. This may mean the device has been serviced before, but it doesn't have to. So to be sure, he decides to examine it. The power cord leads to a wall socket next to the room's entrance door. Midnight opens the door, steps outside and crouches behind the wall as he pulls the cord.
 
Nothing happens.
 
'They must think I'm stupid,' he figures. He carefully turns the TV around, gets his tool kit, and removes the cover.
 
"Bingo!"
 
He discovers six packs of C-4 which are duct-taped to the tube from behind. The ignition would have been triggered if he had turned the TV on. 'What a creative fragmentation bomb this is. But not good enough.' He decides against disarming the bomb. This might wreak some havoc and destroy a hotel room, but it's supposed to. Whoever is after him expects the TV to blow up, and chances are good that the hotel room is being watched, even though the curtains are closed. 'You shall have your fireworks.'
 
Midnight puts on his personal pair of black gloves, takes his time switch, sets it to switch on in about five minutes, puts it into the same wall socket, connects the TV to the time switch, and turns it on. Of course, nothing happens as the TV is still cut off of any electricity.
 
'I need to get the Hell outta here.' He takes all his bags and cases at once and rushes down the hallway until he reaches an emergency staircase. The door is locked but swiftly unlocked with the right tools. Midnight wonders how a hotel can have electronic door locks for every room, but a mechanical lock and not alarm trigger at all on an emergency exit door, not to mention a big tube TV in his room. He wonders what sort of TVs are in the other rooms as he closes the door behind him. He looks onto his wristwatch and counts down.
 
"Four, three, two, one..."
 
An immense explosion makes the building quake as the six explosives packs detonate and rip the TV set apart, sending shards of the tube all over the room and ripping apart whatever is in their way. Midnight hurries down the stairway as fast as he can with all the luggage before anyone else gets the idea to escape through it. As expected, the exit door leads to the same alley in which the Ducati is parked. He steps outside, squats down, sneaks past the bike, removes the GPS transmitter, and hides behind a dumpster while large black clouds of smoke rise up from his room. He gazes past the dumpster and spots a white Fiat van which is parked beside the street and opposite the hotel. That is, a few seconds later, the driver puts away his cell phone and drives away. 'Alright, so I'm dead now. Makes things a lot easier.'
 
Suddenly, a police car stops next to Midnight. One of the two squirrel officers asks him, "Is everything okay with you?"
 
"Yes," Midnight replies, "as long as my motorcycle is okay."
 
"Your motorcycle?"
 
"The black Ducati behind me. Say, what happened here?" As if he didn't have a clue. He figured that his installation of a time switch will make things look like a time bomb on the investigations which are likely to follow soon.
 
"Probably a bomb attack on a hotel room. We don't know anything more so far."
 
"I guess it's not safe to use the street now, is it?"
 
"It'd probably be closed now," the police squirrel supposes.
 
"Thanks, that's what I needed to know. Now I don't wanna keep you away from your duty. Bye!"
 
Midnight slowly sneaks back and away from the dumpster. As he notices that the police squirrels are about to get off their car, he attaches the GPS transmitter underneath it. 'For a bit of fun and distraction for whoever is receiving this.' Then he mounts the bags and cases on the Ducati and rides away through some alleys, his path being unclear and mostly hidden, but his destination being Nemi.
 
"I need to contact Chip and ask him where he knows these mice from," Midnight says to himself. "If it was his idea, that is."
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
Hondo had stuck 'round outside for a while. He was there long enough to greet Marco and Angelica. After they went in Hondo took off in the pick-up truck, got a few supplies he was sure the safe house would not have and headed for the safe house. He wanted to get there well a head of Fernando so he could get in some computer time, for studyin' on the LSD, and time to go through the basement and find any extras he could might use later on. He also hoped to make contact with the Enterprise and find ask how much longer it would take them to get there so he could have his copter at ready.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Severe Weather Eddie
- - - - -
OOC: I recently stumbled across an actual shell design for the Iowa-class battleships while surfing the web. It is an 11" sabot round with GPS guidance that apparently was actually proposed and/or considered by the Navy. The shell has a range of 100 nautical miles (about 115 miles, or 185 kilometers.) The shell still carries a respectable payload (175 pounds of submunitions) though it weighs only 525 pounds (compared to the 1900 pound "conventional" HE shell.)
 
Armed with these, the USS Texas has the capability to strike virtually anywhere in Italy with her big guns. Only targets in the extreme north-central part of Italy would be untouchable. (Of course, Italy is more than 115 miles wide in some places, and steaming around the country would take time.)
 
Just something I figured I should mention. We now return to your regularly scheduled story...
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
The AI, still in chipmunk shape, was soon standing on a bridge, overlooking a road, waiting.
 
"Hey, you!"
 
It watched the swirling traffic passing beneath...
 
"You there!"
 
The AI turned around. "Is there a problem, officer?"
 
"What are you doing there?" asked the policemouse. There had been a suicide off this bridge recently, and he did not want another.
 
"Waiting for a delivery van to pass underneath."
 
"Right. And then you're going to jump on it and ride it?"
 
"Exactly, officer."
 
"Did you know that jumping off bridges is illegal?"
 
"No, I did not. I shall have to find another mode of transport, then."
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
Alex II Was driving then he saw CCC with a police mouse on the bridge "OY *Then he stop next to the bridge then got out showing his Badge to the Police Mouse "It ok he with me Alex II NSA I will take it form here *To CCC* "Hay CCC There are laws you need to followed and you should ask me if you want a Ride to the Safe house i gladey to take you there on my way
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
The AI does wonder briefly how Alex II knew where it was going and what it looked like in it's chipmunk form, but decides that the most likely way is that Fernando had told him in both cases.
 
"Thank you." it said, and got in the car.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
Alex II Then Pull off "So Witch Safe House you heading too CCC? While he driving on SSR28
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
The AI, which has had time to look up the definition of 'safe house' and realized that you're not supposed to tell anyone about them without very good reasons, simply gives directions ("Left here. Right at the next robot.") and finally asks to be dropped off in front of a magnificent hotel a mere few kilometers from the safe house. It enters the hotel, and leaves fifteen minutes later in a different body (mouse this time).
 
After a couple more stops to change shape and ensure that no-one is following, the AI finally reaches the safe house as a mouselike hamster.
 
It walls up to the front door and peers at the lock. Easily removed with tripods, but it has no tripods here...
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
Hondo had made it to the safe house a head of CCC but he did not know that CCC was comin'. At the time of CCC's arrival Hondo was in the basement workshop. there was a monitor down there that attached to all the camera's and could be changed from camera to camera at the touch of a button. Hondo had left it on front door camera and had seen the small mouse. Hondo snuck out a small door to the rear of the house and came silently around to the front. His pistol cocked and that alerted the mouse that Hondo was there. CCC turned at the sound. "Hondo, I did not think you were here yet. Can you open the door?" CCC said. Hondo recognized the voice. non other sounded as mono toned and computer like with such an alive sounds still.
" Didn't recognize you. I can let you in." Hondo said.
"oh. I did not think of that." CCC said. Hondo let him in and showed him the computer room as he requested then Hondo returned to his work in the shop.
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
The AI mouse said "Thank you" as Hondo left the room. Once he was gone, it looked around the computer room, and then just stood still.
 
The AI had seen the password that someone had foolishly left taped to the computer screen, and that was enough; with that password, it could open the safe house's systems from the outside. Once in, it found a couple of truly obscure potential weak points in the system security, and plugged them up quite thoroughly. A quick run through the camera surveillance systems showed it the contents of all the rooms.
 
Then it went back to Tammy's and Bink's hospital records, which it had secured earlier, and picked up a log of everyone who had tried to access those records - and got a surprise at the security levels around them. Finding that someone had tried to break through, it followed that trail backwards, link by link; it was easy enough to do so. The trail ended in a small internet cafe in Rome... analysis of the cafe's computer system simply showed that the customer had paid cash. No help there.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
Alex II Calling Fernando again "hay nando this is Alex II I want you to call Marco telling him that we need his Service We plaing to send Triple X to Ljubljana, Solviana to a Factory see if they are Proudcing LSD aka Ergot Acorns and if they are then we will send the Specal Forcese to Raide the Factory also find out were there boss is hideing too so we need SWA Serveice to Send One of there Girls and there handles to help us Triple X will be possing as a Travier but It need a Girl and another One to help the plot so we need a Handler and a Girl to assised Triple X Plans so you in this way we can Put a Hult to the LSD Traficers
 
--------------------------------------------------
Sinclair
- - - - -
I've been quite busy for the past weeks and now the plot advanced so far it would be impossible to catch on in a convenient and believable way. So I'm bailing off officially. Good luck for all involved, Tammy and Bink especially.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Charles_Roberts wrote:
Alex II Calling Fernando again "hay nando this is Alex II I want you to call Marco telling him that we need his Service We plaing to send Triple X to Ljubljana, Solviana to a Factory see if they are Proudcing LSD aka Ergot Acorns and if they are then we will send the Specal Forcese to Raide the Factory also find out were there boss is hideing too so we need SWA Serveice to Send One of there Girls and there handles to help us Triple X will be possing as a Travier but It need a Girl and another One to help the plot so we need a Handler and a Girl to assised Triple X Plans so you in this way we can Put a Hult to the LSD Traficers
 - - - - -
Crossing borders would be taken as a military maneuver, and incite a war between Solviana and Italy; something that Italy does not want. At best, the trafficking would have to be captured at after the border crossing, and that is if they are trucking it. They could be flying it in as far as we know... need more intell!
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
3 Days later, though they have been wake for the past couple of days, they feel like they have been ran over by steamrollers over on the hi-way in slow motion. Fernando comes in with a big thermos and a couple of plastic cups. He fills the 2 of them and places them on the night stand by their beds.
 
Fernando: Hello Ladies.
 
They both look at him as if they wanted to plant their claws into him and drag him back to the Hell from which they came from. Its not they are mad at him, they just look like they were sent to Hell and back.
 
Fernando: Ladies, there is some coffee on your tables... grandma's secret fermented formula. Warning though, it wont taste good. It never did, but tastes is not the reason why you would drink it.
 
They both look at their cups.
 
Fernando: Drink up.
 
Fernando takes the cup from the thermos and fills it with the rest of the dark brew. He then quickly swigs it down. It tasted awfully bitter regardless of how much sugar cane juice was put into the mix. But it starts to kick in as soon as makes contact with the tongue and starts to cascade into the rest of the nervous system. The rest that falls into the empty belly gets absorbed and works as soon as it enters the blood stream: about 30 seconds. Fernando just tenses himself up as his fur and bushy tail puffs out, then shakes it off in wild convulsions.
 
Fernando: Oh yeah...
 
They both look at him, unsure whether or not to follow his lead.
 
Fernando: If you want that 2-ton boulder off your pointy little heads, I would advice you to drink it.
 
They pick up their coffees, and take a sip of it. They both spray out the first tiny sips they took.
 
Tammy: That's Disgusting!
Fernando: Just a tiny sip woke you up... but you still need to drink it all. Ignore your taste buds.
Tammy: No Way!
 
Bink on the other hand tries to drink the rest of it, gulping it down and holding back on her gag reflexes. She then drops the cup and curls up into a trembling ball of fur. After a minute, it stops.
 
Fernando: Feeling better Bink?
Bink (as she unballs herself): I'm better now.
Fernando: No more boulder on your head?
Bink: No more boulder on my head...
Fernando: Good. Tammy? Your turn.
Tammy: No way!
Fernando: I can always put it into your intravenous bag, and the convulsions will last hours instead of a minute.
 
Tammy wanted to throw the coffee filled cup at him.
 
Fernando: Just ignore your tongue screaming at you and fight back the gag reflex. You'll be better afterwards.
 
Tammy does not want too but has too, and fights herself to get it done. After gulping it down, Tammy tenses up and tries to fight off the convulsions, balling up tightly but like Bink, fails. After a while, she relaxes and turns to face Fernando.
 
Tammy: How can you drink that stuff?!!
Fernando: Do it long enough, you get used to it. Now you're felling better.
Tammy: Yeah.
Fernando: Almost normal again?
Tammy: Just a bout.
Fernando: Squirrelly again?
Tammy: Bushy tailed squirrelly again.
Fernando: Good. You two relax while I go see about getting you released from the hospital. In fact...
 
Fernando lifts a suit case onto Tammy's bed and opens it. He then tosses a new set of clothes at them.
 
Fernando: I'll be back.
 
On his way out, he runs into Marco and Angelica who were about to enter the room.
 
Marco: Explain to me who is this Triple X guy and why he us wants to cross the border into Slovania!
Fernando: Easy Marco... I don’t have the full details yet, but Alex II and his pals are excellent intell gatherers. If they are to cross borders, its because they are chasing a lead. In chasing that lead- they are going to need protection. You guys are to provide that protection.
Marco: I'm not going to do it!
Tammy: Bink and I will do it.
 
They both turn to Tammy.
 
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-End Page 9

Page 11
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CCC
- - - - -
Hondo I. Sackett wrote:
Hondo stopped by the computer room and told CCC he was goin' out to watch at the hospital for a while.
 - - - - -
"Noted." says the AI as Hondo hurries out.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
Hondo was glad Rosie joined him as it got lonely on the road at times and they seemed to be travalin' further from the Roman safe house all the time. Rosie had changed out of her sea clothes before leavin' the ship and had changed into a black hat, leather coat and boots combo that closely resembled Hondo,s brown hat, leather coat and black boots. She had also brought along her shotgun and matchin' pistols, which were loaded for bear. They chatted 'bout this, that and the other, but the main topic was the present situation. gadget had Radioed the Enterprise earlier 'bout the problem with Chip and Dale, and had Given them Midnights local, only to be shared with Fernando and Hondo. Rosie relayed this all to Hondo. they talked 'bout that and what to do. Hondo began recognizin' the scenery after a while.
"I've been here before." Hondo said.
"really? when?" Rosie asked.
"Last time I believe, but . . . wait! i think i know where he is takin' them." Hondo said.
"Where?" Rosie asked.  
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
Alex II was going over the maps of Solviana as he got a call
 
Alex II: Yea this is Alex II talk to me
 
Officer of the NSA: Hay This is Agent Smith of NSA We Trace that Letter to Chip and Dale and it came from Solviana also that we learn that the Solviana government is Tie in with the LSD means that we may got a shady government on our hands
 
Alex II: Why the Government of Solviana want to help LSD Trafficers? Well we got a Problem now and Thanks
 
Agent Smith; Your welcome
 
*Then he Calling Nando
 
Alex II: Hay Nando This is Alex II My Agent told me that the Letter was addrest to Chip and Dale it came from Solviana also he say that the Government in Solviana is Tie in with the LSD Trafficers Yea so let them know also I Need to find your hide out so were are you I am coming to see you anyway too later on *While he stay on the phone*
 
--------------------------------------------------
Severe Weather Eddie
- - - - -
It had been several days since the brief stop in Gaeda. Now, the battleship USS Texas was just weighing anchor in La Spezia. The large Italian port had been a welcome two-day stay, and many of the locals had come out to see the giant ship. The crew had had a good time, and no crises had occurred. It was a good stay in Captain Dixon's book.
 
Captain Dixon was on the bridge, watching as his crew prepared the Texas prepared to depart for the next stop on the tour: Geona. The large port was about a day's worth of constant steaming up the Italian coast. The battleship would spend another few days there, and then turn around and head south back towards Rome, bound for Italy's main naval base at Taranto.
 
A crewman approached the vulpine captain from behind.
 
"Sir, Intel received a message for you."
 
Eddie turned around, and the sailor saluted quickly. Eddie returned the salute and then accepted the message. He read it quickly. Basically, it briefly stated that there were suspicions that the LSD traffickers were possibly operating in Slovenia, and might actually be being aided by the government of Slovenia itself. It mentioned neither Alex II nor whether there were any operations to investigate further. Eddie guessed that they probably were, since they had taken the time to notify Texas.
 
"Thank you, sailor. Dismissed."
 
"Yes, sir." the sailor saluted again, and then turned and left.
 
Eddie had been keeping tabs on the situation in Italy. Or rather, Fleet Intelligence had, and had been sending daily reports to the Texas. Eddie had insisted on reviewing all of them. He didn't know exactly what these "Cafe" people were up to this time, but he figured that it would be worthwhile to find out. Particularly given what had happened the last time he had been to Italy.
 
We'll probably be making for Trieste, soon enough, he mused. The Italian port of Trieste was right on the border of Italy and Slovenia. If the Slovenian government was sanctioning drug running, an American battleship right off their coast just might make the government think twice about it. Particularly with a few well placed words from Washington, and the knowledge that the 11" sabot rounds developed for the Texas's main guns could reach 90% of the country. The shells had been tested, and had a maximum range of 115 miles. They were GPS guided, and accurate to within three feet of a target.
 
The blast of the ship's whistle interrupted Eddie's thoughts as she cast off. A pair of tugs had pulled alongside in order to help the ship ease away from the pier. The USS San Jacinto was already underway, and was ahead of the Texas heading for open sea. Eddie casually strolled into the wheelhouse to watch his crew working.
 
"All ahead one-third."
 
An Italian pilot was guiding the battle wagon out of port and clear of the harbor. It was a bit of tricky maneuvering for the battleship, since she was so large. She had barely fit at the Italian Navy's larges pier. The Italian base was protected by an artificial sea wall, the opening of which was barely large enough for the battleship to squeeze through. In fact, in order to exit, Texas had to literally spin on a dime around 45 degrees. This is where the tugboats would come in handy, as the ship had no thrusters or azipods.
 
"Ten degrees right rudder."
 
Slowly the battleship began to turn towards the sea wall opening.
 
"Dead slow."
 
As the ship drifted, inching ahead, a tug attached itself to the stern of the ship and started to push sideways, acting to spin the warship in place an align it with the exit. The entire process took about fifteen minutes, but finally the bow of the ship pointed seaward.
 
"Ahead one-third."
 
The battleship began moving again, as the tugs cast off from the ship. They gave parting blasts on their horns, and then moved off. After clearing the sea wall around the naval base, the Texas had to clear another sea wall at the entrance to La Spezia harbor. After that, she was ready for the voyage across the open sea.
 
After clearing the sea wall, the harbor pilot left the ship to return to shore. Eddie took the opportunity to thank him.
 
"Oh, no, thank you! Your ship, she is a dream to handle! Very maneuverable, she turns quite nicely! I would not have thought it possible from so large a warship!"
 
"Why, thank you, sir," Eddie replied. "Have a good day."
 
"You too, captain, you too! Arrivaderchi!"
 
After the harbor pilot left, Texas crew took over again.
 
"All ahead, standard!"
 
The engine telegraph rang, and the battleship started picking up speed as she gracefully turned northwards, following the San Jacinto.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Fernando's cell phone picks up the message Alex II sends, as he continues to drive. 'No way I'm going to answer that while I'm driving over 150...'
 
From Nemi, they arrive at the former safe house that they used before in a couple of hours, parking the Porsche in the rear of the house. Tammy and Bink go into the house as Fernando waits outside A pick up truck drives into the driveway, Hondo and Rose step out when they stop the vehicle.
 
Fernando: Good afternoon Hondo...hello Rose.
Hondo: Howdy... I see you went back to the old place.
Fernando: Its just a lay over. Just enough to the hospital funk off the girls. Then we go to Rome, though this would be a better place for operations. Its too obvious to stay here for any length of time.
Hondo: I know what you mean.
Fernando: The girls have a hour to wash up and dress up, so we can leave. The frig is open to all, but I cant promise if it was restocked since our last visit.
Hondo: I brought a few things, for just in case.
Fernando: Save it until we get to the Roman Safe House. By the way- Anybody followed you?
Hondo: We went too fast for anybody to keep up.
Fernando: Still. Rose, you saw anyone?
Rose: Nobody as far as I could see.
Fernando: Good.
 
They waited for Tammy and Bink to wash up and dress up, though it too longer than expected. Fernando sent Rose in to check upon them. Hondo and Fernando raided the frig, and took what little was there. After another hour of watching TV, the girls came down, much better looking and smelling than they had when they came in. All gotten into their prospective vehicles and drove for the next 2 hours to the Roman Safe House.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
They arrive late in the afternoon when they get to the Safe House in Rome. Frankly, at this point, Fernando is tired, but he pushes on to get them their as fast and safe as possible. After parking the car, he tells the girls to go inside the safe house. He goes in after them, walking past the others who were already milling around the first floor. He goes up the stairs to a locked room, putting a key into the door's lock.
 
Fernando (yelling for all to hear): I DONT WANT TO BE DISTURBED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS!! DEATH TO THOSE TRY WILL TRY!!
 
He walks into the room, letting the door slam locked, putting his under the pillow of the bed and gets on the bed after kicking on his shoes. For the first 1/2 hour, he just laid there staring at the ceiling.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
there were not many rooms in the safe house so Hondo allowed the girls all to have a room. Rosie tried to get Hondo to use a room and told him she would share one, but there were not enough beds for that. So as it was evenin' now, Hondo won the argument and Rosie took a room. Hondo stayed up another 4 hours and when over the vehicles for minor maintenance and looked over the place some more just to see what was a bout that he might have missed earlier. he finally got a shower and went to the livin' room. it was quite there and the couch was soft. Hondo cocked his .45 colt and laid it in his chest as he laid back to get a little sleep before mornin'.
'*who knows what were in for this time?*' Hondo half thought and have muttered as he drifted off into a light sleep as was his custom on a mission.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
After a couple of hours of napping, Fernando wakes up. Not exactly 100%, but he'll take what he has as long as its just above passing. He freshens himself up, uses the facilities and goes down stairs. He raids the freshly stocked refrigerator for some food. He looks at everyone staring at him as he stuffs his maw.
 
Fernando (with a mouth full of food): What?
CCC: Do you have any input as to where we should concentrate our efforts on?
Fernando: Actually, no. That’s your job. My job, for now is to keep Tammy safe and get her strength up to a respectable level again, and I got 3 days to do it. Until then, there is too much to do and too little time to do it in.
 
After a brief pause (to swallow the food being eaten)...
 
Fernando: Access the SWA and Police computers for patterns in drug dealing arrests and dealers whereabouts.
 
CCC and Alex II research for the data with what little computing and internet access power the research pc had. At first it just looks like random data, but even Randomness has a pattern to it, it has to be found.
 
Fernando: You know, Alex... Tammy maybe related to you, but you are allowing yourself to be too involved because of the relationship. That will only get in your way of doing a proper job and somebody is going to get hurt. Its best to keep such feelings locked up and allow people- including the ones you love, get hurt. All you can do is pick up the pieces later. This is the only way that SHE is going to learn on how to be a good spy in this game, and in learning, she is going to have to go through some pain. She is just realizing that now. Tammy- see you in an hour in the basement. Your advanced training begins then.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
Alex II hearing Nando Saying this "Nando I know but I won’t let Tammy know that until This Mission is over and once we got rid of the LSD then I will Tell her but Just Part of it she have to Figure out the past her self too also that ring she got on her finger too she have to Do that by her self but I am just giving her some clues to the past and Future also I just then he lead nando to another part of the room so Tammy and Bink can’t hear them "I don’t’ want Tammy or Bink to here this but her Mother made me Promest that I will keep a Eye on them and I can’t brake that Promest I never Brake Promest Rember I never quit on the job When it Finshnes I Never
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
as soon as Hondo drifted off to sleep everyone else got up. they were ready to Eat and talk and Hondo just wanted a nap. He knew if sleep were to be had it would not be here. Rosie tried to get him to use a room again, but He didn't want to be that close to the noise and any little noise wakes him easily when he is in this mode. Hondo instead grabbed a couch pillow and his heavy duster and went to the basement. He heard Fernando enter the kitchen behind him, but he was tired and if Fernando wanted him he could find him. Hondo found a nice clean spot back under a bench in the open spot in the basement and he crawled back there and settled into sleep again it took him 15 minutes to settle back down and start to doze off. It was too bad he did not know Fernando and Tammy had a meetin' at this spot in 45 minutes for trainin' and too bad no one knew where he was.
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
After finishing his meal, Fernando washes his dish, glass and silverware; putting them away where they belong on the dish rack. He takes a time out and go through the channels of the satellite TV, finding nothing on the 9999 channels. The local and national news were still going through their daily commentary, which Fernando knew was government printed material since the government controls over 95% of the news media.
 
Bink and Tammy come down stairs and sit on the livingroom chairs. Bink had her viola case, with her FN-P90 inside. She pulls out the machine gun and starts to disassemble it and cleans each part with such expertise that it belies that she is just a child and not a preprogrammed child cyborg assassin proficient in using many weapon and being able to kill with what every was put into her hand, even if that thing put into her hands was a bible. all Tammy was able to do was to stare at her sister as she worked.
 
Fernando: What's wrong Tammy, not used to having your sister do that?
Tammy: No.
Fernando: Just observe. See how she throws all her concentration on completing the task. How deliberate her actions are, in not making a mistake.
 
Tammy does not answer, being fixated on her sister's actions. Fernando rests back against the sofa. Within a 1/2 hour's time, Bink has her P90 cleaned, oiled and reassembled. She goes through the motions to make sure that every component moves freely and without binding or sticking. She then takes out her SIG Sauer P239 and dismantles it to be cleaned. She makes easy work of the handgun, taking less than 1/2 the time to take it apart, clean it and put it back together. Tammy takes her SIG Sauer P239 and places on the table in front of Bink. Bink looks at it and then at Tammy. Tammy just nods at her, moving closer to see how its done. Bink unarms the weapon and places the single bullet in the chamber back into the magazine, and the magazine at the far end of the table. Bink goes slower in dismantling Tammy's hand gun, pointing out how she lays out each part on the table and how she cleans each piece. As the gun is reassembled, each piece is pointed out and oiled. After a few tests, Bink rearms the gun and hands it back to Tammy. Tammy looks at it.
 
Fernando: Its not for cracking acorns, you know.
 
Tammy looks at him with a mean look. Fernando pulls out his American Arms .45 Model 1984 and places it on the table. The AA.45 is about 3 times larger than the SIG Sauers.
 
Fernando: Now, that’s for cracking acorns... and Brazil nuts.
 
Tammy looks at the gun, and has a difficult time in lifting it up. Bink reaches for it, and lifts it out of Tammy's hand as if it weighed nothing.
 
Tammy: How...
Fernando: She's not 100% Squirrelly you know. You forget that she is, from what I can figure, 30% cybernetic mechanized artificial body.
 
Bink slides the mechanism, finding it being able to move with little effort and as smooth as glass on glass. A bullet round pops out and lands on the table. She stops herself from dismantling it. Fernando picks up the bullet and slowly takes the gun from Bink, placing it on his lap. He then takes Tammy's gun and ejects a round from it, and then places the two rounds side by side.
 
Fernando: Lesson 1- the size of the bullet does not matter, but it does help. The type of bullets is another factor to deal with, but lets say that in all cases, we are dealing with cheap rounds. Only way to effectively stop anyone is to put 2 rounds to the middle of the body or one to the head. Don’t let the adrenaline keep you from holding the trigger down and wasting all your bullets. Don’t waste time using your sites to aim. By the time you have got them aimed, they would have shot you. Its best to point your arm and hold your gun straight in the general direction at close range and that should be enough to hit your target. Finally, you have to remain calm while in a gun battle. The calmer you are, the easier it will be to win. One panicked thought enters your hand and you'll so something crazy or stupid and those shooting at you will take you out. Do I make myself clear?
Tammy: Yes sir...
Fernando: Understanding theory is one thing, Tammy. Applying theory into practice, is something totally different.
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
The AI bat had been quietly sitting in the corner of the room, watching. It had also generated a four-dimensional graph of Italian drug dealer arrest places and times and tried a half-a-dozen different regressions, all falling well outside acceptable error bounds; it had tried comparing them with maps of the cities and found little; the best pattern it had found so far, in fact, was that arrests seemed to be related to the weather. If it was raining, arrest rates went down. If it was not, arrest rates went up.
 
It had then compared arrest rates to the time of day (both the solar and sidreal day), with some success - unfortunately, nothing useful had come from the analysis.
 
It was therefore now trying to find the drug dealers by running through email servers; hundred, thousands, millions of emails, trying to see if any of them appeared to be related to the drug trade...
 
--------------------------------------------------
WildIrishRose
- - - - -
Hondo hadn't listened to her and she got sick of arguing with him. Fine! If he woke up in a bad mood it wasn't HER fault. But....where had he gone?
 
Rosie was trying to read in a chair on the other side of the room from where Fernando was instructing the girls. However, she was an easily distracted person and watching Bink re assemble her guns was far too interesting. She then peered interestedly around her book at the three as Fernando went over Lesson 1.
 
Mmm....I wonder if I could take apart my Peacemakers. Rosie thought with a yawn. The guns were tucked carefully in shoulder holsters under her jacket. Nah! I'd probably never get them back together again.
 
Rose decided she wanted a drink, so she wandered downstairs to the basement. She started nosing around in the spare fridge for a cream soda. What was that noise? Sort of a soft sighing....a gentle snoring even... Snoring?? Rose instinctively put her other hand to one of her guns and turned around. Her bright green eyes searching the space behind her.
 
She let go her gun and shut the fridge, soda in hand, when she saw what it was. Kneeling beside the bench with an amused smirk, Rosie drew the heavy duster further over the sleeping form.
 
"Goodnight, Hondo." she said quietly enough to not wake him as she left the basement.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Sometimes in an investigation, you have to look outside of the events and find of there are other parallels going on at the sametime. What outside influences are there, how they are influencing the course of events.
Known facts:
-Italy has been at edge of civil war for several years now.
-Former political groups have became terrorist groups. They are known as Padania and the Five Republics
-Population on the Northern 1/2 of Italy is supportive of the terrorist. They want to remain isolated from the larger political scheme that is hitting the rest of Europe: Globalization.
-The Southern 1/2 of Italy and ruling political parties is in favor of Globalization.
-The Italian Prime Minister is control of the 80% of the Italian News Media. The most of the remaining percentage follows with the majority. The tiny percentage that goes against the government backed media are labeled 'Tabloids'
 
Other facts:
-If the North is successful in separating itself from the South, The Italian people would not want a divided Italy, and thus, another civil war will break out to unify the nation with the North to rule over the South. Some believe that the North is already being influenced by outside factions.
-During this time, the north will be open to invading influences from surrounding nations, i.e.: Slovania.
-The SWA Section 1 and 2 were created to stop these political radicals and terrorists from being successful in their task. Section 1 is more militaristic in their policing, and have not been successful in their intell gathering (like the FBI in the USA). Section 2, and its use of child-cyborgs in their intel and policing tactics, have been highly successful because they are able to hide within the population and bend the rules to their needs.
-SWA Section 2 is the only unit using cyborgs, and are using this technology on children who lives have been brought back. This version of the technology gives normal abilities that are augmented by a factor. This means at the minimum- 10X stronger, and faster. But it also shortens their lives, as medication is required to keep the pain that the cyborgnetic implants generates to a minimum. This medication also alters the emotional and mental conditioning of the cyborg. Past experiments with Adults cyborgs have failed, at least in Italy. Other nations have their own versions of their own cyborg programs; including: The USA, French, Germany, China, Russia...
-Events in the rest of the world goes along the lines of Globalization: Nations unifying their economies and resources (and eventually their borders to form a super nation) to over empower smaller organized nations and alliances ( i.e.: OPEC ).
 
Other facts are to be found.
 
Fernando: The problem is in your head, Tammy. To be a number one player in this spy game, one has to get to believe in themselves that what they are doing is for a greater that is outside of themselves. Whether it is for a national belief or a societal belief, or a personal ideal to a national or societal belief, it is not for one's self to take for themselves. This is the wrong type of game to be a mercenary in; in short, you must be willing to die, but before you do, you are going to fight on levels you though at one time were impossible for you to do. All those promises you made for yourself of being a girl and that you would not hurt anyone during your lifetime to you could go to heaven- will all be broken.
 
Tammy: Why are you telling me all this?
 
Fernando: Its something for you to know. The actions you take, do not judge you into going into heaven or not. It is the ramifications of those actions, if it advances others to a betterment of themselves, no matter how small, is what does. it is that belief that has driven others into martyrdom, in taking on greater forces, and fighting battles that they would lose, but only finding themselves as winners. Now I can not tell you whether there is an after life or not, because that is based on a personal belief, but I can say this much is true- there is an afterlife once you are gone and that it is based on the history you had created for all to remember you by. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?
Tammy: I think so.
 
Fernando: Then explain it to me.
 
Tammy: Uhm... Do what I think is right for others...
 
Fernando: Yes...
 
Tammy: Even if I do bad things, if it helps others, then I would be remembered in a more positive light...?
 
Fernando: In the most simplistic terms- yes.
 
Tammy: But there is more?
 
Fernando: People are evil, Tammy. All that they care about is of their own self righteous causes. You are no worth to them than a worn pair of soiled underwear. You are either to be cleaned and fixed or eliminated. You have just a few choices to make, and right now, you have decided to follow a certain path that you think is right. I'm not here to question it, but I am here to make sure that you follow it through to the end.
 
Tammy: How do you think this will end?
 
Fernando: I'll be lying to you if I told you that it will be happily ever after. Look, do be doing this thinking that there will be a reward or a medal when its over. Now, Rose...
 
Rose: Yes... sir?
 
Fernando: Wake Hondo, feed him some of the poisoned java-juice to wake him. I'm going to need the basement in 15 minutes. And while I'm using it, Rose...
 
Rose: Yes?
 
Fernando: Don’t worry if you hear screaming while we are there.
 
Rose: OK...
 
--------------------------------------------------
Jeanette Isabelle
- - - - -
OOC: As much as she despises the SWA, I am beginning to believe Anne would be a better handler for Bink than her sister Tammy.
 
--------------------------------------------------
-End Page 11

Page 13
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
The bat read the note, and then pulled a piece of paper out of nowhere - "The tripods are back at the Cafe; I wasn't sure I could get them through customs."
 
Ten minutes, on a low-bandwidth line - it took the AI three minutes to locate the black van in satellite imagery, seven to confirm that it stopped nearby at regular intervals. And fifteen minutes to locate its numberplate in the camera from a shop ten miles away... and ten seconds after that, it had the name, home address, and current location (via his cellphone) of the owner.
 
He appeared to be in or near the safehouse at the time... probably because Midnight had just bought him in for questioning.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
as Fernando requested Hondo set out after the food. Hondo drove his truck with Rose sittin' beside him and Alex II beside her. it was not too far to the store, but Hondo's mind was even turnin' and this time was no different. he thought 'bout the gal beside him who often had been referred to as a Gadget look a like, but if you knew her and her looks you would know there was a big difference. they were the same hight, but gadget was built with a larger frame and was really strong from heavy mechanic works, while Rose was of a smaller, thinner build, while still strong, but not as much as Gadget, which made her depend on others a little more. Gadget had an orange tinted yellow hair, that was straight, Rose had red/gold curly hair that shone like the sun and bounced with a light/softness that was ever so nice. Gadget had blue eyes that burnt with a fire of a single goal and a hint of a twinkle of naiveness, while Rosie's were a sea green that shone with a determined/carin'
light and sparkled with a pureness far greater than a pure diamond.
Gadget was mostly self reliant, and really didn't need others except for emotional issues and company. Rose was more of an involved with everyone and needed to be needed. They were both sweet, but he saw so much more in Rose than he ever saw in Gadget. he wondered to himself, * is there really a guy good enough for her?* He steeled his resolve to help her and protect her until the right one did come along.
 
They arrived at the store long before he had finished thinkin' on this issue. he had decided on his resolve by the time they got back out to the truck. Hondo drove back and they got back to the safe house in less than 40 min. from leavin' it and with no issues. when they got back, Fernando was waitin' for them and with somethin' on his mind.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
Alex II Came back with SOme Pizza, Food, Drinks and Chips also Furt too like Bananas and Apples
 
Alex II: OH Hay Nando
 
*
Triple X saw Onxy Cars turn off on 35A to SS28 were Nando is
 
Triple X: Alex II You got Onxy cars heading your way in 50 Minnents
 
*
Alex II: Right *To Nando* "We got to Eat Fast They on there way 50 Minnents
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Fernando: Leave them to me, Charles.
 
Fernando goes back to the basement and goes into the ammunitions section, finding a rare find. Spent Uranium .45 caliber hyper ballistic rounds. He quickly finds 4 empty .45 magazines and the rapidly fills them. He then looks over the hand guns and finds 2 1911-Goverment Automatic .45s, where he puts the magazines into. He fills his own gun with regular Federation Hollow Point rounds and holsters his weapon. He pockets the other two in his pants pocket. Looking around, he finds a couple of older flack jackets and bullet proof vests. He puts one of them on, adding to his own.
 
Going through the basement, he finds an old .50 belt fed aircraft machine modified for Personal Usage (as done in WW2, Korea, and Viet Nam). He puts in a 500 round belt to it and puts it over his shoulder before heading upstairs.
 
Fernando steps up to the living room and puts the .50 cal on the floor.
 
Fernando: Hondo, want to dance?
Hondo (as he looks at the belt fed .50 cal): What you mean by that?
Fernando: I need backup. You can have this little toy if we live through it.
Hondo (jumping over a chair to a closer view): Oh Yeah!
Fernando: CCC, Arm the house. I would advise everyone to go hide in the basement until we return. Bink, Guard the door. Hondo, you take the roof.
Hondo: Where will you be?
Fernando (handing Hondo the flack jacket and bullet proof vest): I'll be in the drive way. By the way- put those on.
 
Hondo puts on the added layers of protection.
 
Fernando: Lets roll.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Fernando waits outside, hiding behind a tree right to the driveway entrance (its right, Fernando's left). A few minutes, nothing. But when things seemed to have been winding down, a Black van quietly pulls up to the driveway. Fernando draws both 1911's and aims at each end- front and back, releasing 4 rounds from each gun at it. Both the gas tank and oil pan goes up, throwing the van back into the street in a huge explosion. A Black Chevy Suburban pulls up to the far side of the street from the house, where several Onyx Agents step out to surround the place, only to be cut down by Hondo's Gun Work. A third Suburban drives by the first, momentarily pauses and then drives away with several of the wounded Onyx Agents missing. Only the dead and a burning van remains.
 
SWA Section Two Pizza van arrives a couple of minutes later, driving around the burning wreck. Fernando yells at Hondo to let it go by, as it parks itself behind the house. Marco and Hillshire step out of the van with Angelica and Triela. Three others, including Ferro, inside. The girls take their guns and position themselves in the open.
 
Marco: Looks like the party has started without us.
Hillshire: We'll need a clean up crew for this.
Fernando: Well, you guys know the number. Make the call. Now lets go inside.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
They gather inside the living room, the younger girls taking a corner to themselves to exchange notes. The adults on the seats in front of the 72" plasma Screen TV.
 
Hondo: How in Damnation you blew up that van?
 
Fernando drops the magazine and tosses it at Hondo.
 
Fernando: Look at the yellow bullets- they are Spent Uranium rounds. Upon impact with metal, they liquidify to 2000 degrees, and melt through anything. I just aimed for the gas tank and the oil pan.
 
Hondo can only stare at the yellowish bullets.
 
Fernando: They will tear up a barrel, which is why I did not put it into my gun, but used it on these spares.
Hondo: I see.
Marco: So what’s in store for Tammy?
Fernando: You know how you send your girls for their first kills? Well, its going to be applied to Tammy in a few hours. Right now, how about some dinner?
 
Fernando goes to the kitchen and look over the supplies, sorting things out. Tammy walks into the kitchen, and starts helping him. Bink joins them. Dinner is being created: Pasta, Fillet Minion with mushrooms and onions, small salad, and wine.
 
The cleaning crew cleans up the mess in Aisle 6.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
while the clean up crew worked and Fernando and Tammy got food ready, Hondo moved his truck inside the garage and got to cuttin' and weldin' a turnin' cradle for that .50 cal on his truck. He had not started long, when he noticed Rose standin' near by and watchin'. Hondo smiled and nodded for her to come closer. she Came closer to him. they talked and worked untill super was done, then after they finished. it only took 1 and 1/2 hours to complete.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Dinner is completed and served, as all gathered around the table. The girls helped Bink set the table, as Tammy served each plate with pasta and the Fillet Minon on top with the sauteed mushrooms and onions on top (a special set was made for those with mushroom allergies). Fernando remained in the kitchen as he put out pots and pans of prepared foods on the island that separates the kitchen from the dining area. All others sat down to their meals.
 
Fernando, though usually does not give or demand grace, asks Alex II to give thanks, which he does. Fernando adds, "Today at this meal, we shall eat like kings and queens for tonight we may die like warring sewer gang rats..."
 
Rose: Was that really neccessary?
 
Fernando: I do and say as I must. For this mission to be successful, Tammy has to return as unharmed as possible. Even with us as back up, the sheer numbers alone makes it looks like its not in her favor. But I'm not one for numbers...
 
Rose: Some people I know are Rats, and they are the nicest people I know.
 
Fernando: So was the Shah of Iran. But you know, Its not Rats themselves who are in statement, but that tiny population that commits crimes for their self promotion. Thos who believe that They belong on top and everyone else is just in their way, and anyone who does not move out of their way, will be moved by their actions.
 
Rose: The same can be said about Squirrels.
 
Fernando: So it can.
 
Marco: So, you intend to send Tammy into a 'first mission'? You know we tried before and she failed. The girl is afraid of guns and even more afraid of using them.
 
Fernando: She failed because she does not want to hurt anyone. She believes in a justice system where if you bring them alive that the courts will send them to prison. She does not understand that the system is corrupt. She did not know what it is like to be a victim, to have her life threatened. Now she does, and in that, where you say she had failed, will fail no more.
 
Marco: You are putting too much faith in the girl.
 
Fernando: I may be, but she is a woman, and not a girl. And you're beginning to sound like Jean.
 
Marco: I'm only stating what he would say, for somebody has to do his job in his absence.
 
Fernando: Hillshire, what’s your take on this?
 
Hillshire: I think she is too young to be in the field, in the business that we do.
 
Fernando: Explained the girls then.
 
Hillshire: They were built and conditioned to do the job that they do. Tammy was neither built nor conditioned.
 
Fernando: I used to be married to a girl who was much like Tammy. But she learned how to arm and defend herself, and defend herself she did.
 
Hillshire: What happened to your wife, she left you?
 
Fernando: She was killed, even though she tried to defend herself, that who killed her was more powerful than most of us. Tell me Hillshire, how could you cope with having a cyborg go rogue in your compound?
 
Hillshire: Said rogue cyborg would be outnumbered 10 to 1...
 
Fernando (interrupting him): What if said cyborg killed the other cyborgs 1 at a time, and then went after the staff? It seems to me that with the right amount of intelligence and planning on her part- you guys would be... well... put between a rock and hard place.
 
Hillshire: Why bring this up?
 
Fernando: I was the one who brought down my wife's killer. Simply put, somethings are when you plan for them. They are not you least expect them. He planned out his schemes and crimes, he did not expect me to be knocking at his door around midnight, wanting to kill him for what he did. Your organization operates in the same way, as does your opponents. Tammy's attack- was not planned, but they managed to get nonetheless. How do you think she feels?
 
Tammy: Enough!... Please... Stop talking about me even though I here to listen to it.
 
Fernando: Its for your own good. Many doubt your abilities.
 
Tammy: And what if I fail like the other times?
 
Fernando: Unlike the other times, this time, you will be killed. Before it was just street thugs and young punks. Now its organized members of a syndicated crime group.
 
Tammy: Why are you so willing to send me out to be slaughtered, if I fail?
 
Fernando: Everyone in this room has been put through this before, and pass or failed, they are still here. You can not be different.
 
Tammy: All I can do is try.
 
Fernando: Are you having second doubts?
 
Tammy: Second doubts, third doubts... many doubts- yes! I scared! Cant you see that?
 
Fernando: I can see that- I'm not 'totally blind.' But Tammy, Its OK to be scared. It is not OK to let the fear overwhelm you to do nothing. It is not OK to allow yourself to hide when your life or the life of others depend on it. You have to take that negative thoughts and feeling and turn it into some action that will allow you to get through the mission.
 
Tammy: And how do you propose I do that?
 
Fernando: For me- I take those feelings of fear and wants of hiding and turn it into anger, and let the anger lash out into action. Then when its over, I'll cry about it when I am alone. You have to do the same.
 
Fernando takes the wine bottle and refills his glass.
 
Maybe it is too much to ask for Tammy to act in this manner. To fight back and if needed, take a life to save her own. But it is something she has to do. Only time will tell if she does it.
 
Fernando: Anybody for seconds?
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
Fernando wrote:
Fernando: Everyone in this room has been put through this before, and pass or failed, they are still here. You can not be different.
 - - - - -
"I haven't." says the AI, quietly. It hasn't touched its food.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Midnight Man
- - - - -
"Neither have I," Midnight remarks, "unless you count that air chase against Gio Pinin and his Mustang turned flying bomb, or Onyx's two attempts at blowing me up a couple of days ago."
 
"And what about the Onyx spies today?" Marco asks.
 
"That doesn't count either. I attacked them, and those I attacked are all still alive, just asleep."
 
--------------------------------------------------
RangerReady23
- - - - -
"The system isn't always corrupt. Sometimes it just needs to be reminded of it's job. That's what the Constitution's for."
 
*The unexpected voice drifts out of the darkness, just before RangerReady steps into the room, his eyes shadowed by the brim of the old fedora he's broken out of storage for the occasion. Ignoring the myriad number of guns at the meal, he throws a sheet of paper onto the table, bearing the insignia of the USN.*
 
"I'm afraid we have a bigger problem, at the moment."
 
*Rose picks up the note, glancing at it.*
 
"What's this?"
 
"A nightmare. Read it."
 
"Two guards assaulted at Johns Hopkins University...massive property damage in the experimental wing. Path of destruction ends at the nearby local airport. All forces alert. The sleeper has awakened."
 
*RR nods his head, looking rather grim even for the current surroundings.*
 
"You'd better have a lot of those special bullets you're fond of, Fernando...you're going to need them!"
 
--------------------------------------------------
Jeanette Isabelle
- - - - -
OOC: From everything I'm reading, Tammy just cannot handle this job. Tammy cannot be a handler even if her life depended on it which I am afraid will be the case. Some characters can handle it, some cannot. Fernando, is it your intent for Tammy to remain Bink's handler no matter what?
 
I have not done much with Anne for the time being because I don't know what you are planning and I'm afraid whatever I do will mess with your plans.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Fernando: Sit down and enjoy a plate, RR.
 
Captain RR: Well, it has been a long ride.
 
He looks the others and what they are eating. Tammy sets a plate in front of him as Bink piles on a bit of the pasta. Then fillet minion goes on top.
 
Fernando: I figured as much. Though promising as America sounds, there are too many places where mistakes are made, and mistakes are made.
 
Captain RR: You sound like you know it all.
 
Fernando: A high price was paid in the last mission, a price we are still all paying to this day. So, if things are not dealt with on a permanent basis, they will forever be repeated.
 
Captain RR: Things do not last forever.
 
Fernando: Would you like to be part of a History Channel Special 20 years from now- How the Enterprise, her crew and captain, along with the Rescue Rangers and help with the Italian Government- COULD NOT STOP a Secret Project That Went Rogue? Not once, But TWICE? How The CIA and UN were involved, and several killed in the missions that were doomed to failure? Some would say there was a conspiracy to make the missions fail, and those killed- were targeted for elimination. Seriously Captain, how will history judge you and those under your command?
 
Captain RR: How will history judge you?
 
Fernando: All I know that there is a black star on a marble wall in a building that many say does not exists in my honour. It wont have my name, but it has the date of the last mission and the explosion of the 737. Any geek with a cheap processor and internet connection can assemble the rest. But we are not here about history's honour, are we?
 
Captain RR: I just dropped by to bring on some bad tidings and see what can be done about it.
 
Fernando: The admiral was and always will be, your problem. My problem is trying to keep Tammy alive in her next and current mission.
 
Captain RR: So, Is that it?
 
Fernando: Enjoy the meal... Dessert will be done once I get the custards to set.
 
Captain RR: Rose, we need to talk.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Jeanette Isabelle
- - - - -
There is someone at the door. Bink goes her SIG P239 before she sees who it is.
 
"Who is it?" Fernando asks.
 
"It's the volunteer from the hospital." Bink turns around and looks at Fernando. "She's not in her uniform."
 
"What does she want?" Fernando thinks the red head mouse can be an annoyance sometimes; he believes she wishes them no harm.
 
Bink cracks the door open just wide enough to talk.
 
"Sorry for interrupting dinner like this, Bink," Anne begins with a pleasant voice then changes to a more serious tone, "I need to speak with your sister."
 
Bink does not budge at first.
 
"It's all right," Fernando tells Bink, "let's hear what Anne has to say."
 
Bink lets the door open for Anne, who cuts to the chase. "Tammy. Say you and Bink are on a mission and Bink goes down. What would you do?"
 
"What?" Tammy asked. "First Fernando, now you."
 
"How bout it?" Anne asked. "Would you say '[Bleep] this mission' or would you see it through?"
 
Tammy does not answer though it is an easy guess as to what she would do.
 
"Do you even want to be on a mission or even a handler for that matter?" Anne does not wait for an answer. "Tammy, some people are cut out for this line of work. Some are not. You are not cut out for this no matter how much the SWA, Fernando and even your sister try to train you." Anne gets stern. "You are putting your sister's life in danger."
 
"Anne, where are you going with this" Fernando asked.
 
"Bink needs a handler who can protect her." Anne answered. "I can protect Bink. Tammy can't."
 
"You are a bomb maker for hire who hates the SWA. Why are you asking to take Tammy's place?"
 
"Fernando. You should know why I dislike the SWA. I can protect a cyborg and still hate the SWA for what they've done."
 
Fernando sees the seriousness in Anne's eyes; he also has a lot of serious reservations. Her ability to do what she says is not one of them. "To be Bink's handler, Tammy must die. That I wont allow." Fernando then sees something in Anne he did not expect: a sense relief from his reassuring words.
 
Anne looks at Fernando. "In that case, I hope Bink will never need a third handler. I will see my self out."
 
After Anne left, Hondo asked. "What was that about?"
 
"It would seem Anne places a greater value on Bink's life than her own." Fernando answered.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Jeanette Isabelle
- - - - -
"Fernando?" Tammy asked.
 
Fernando turns around and looks at Tammy. "Yes, Tammy? What is it?"
 
Tammy hesitates. "Was she serious?"
 
"Was she serious about what?"
 
"Was she serious about willing to be Bink's handler?"
 
"I think so. Why?"
 
"I don't know that girl and she was willing to take my place to protect Bink because I was too scared to do it my self." Tammy looks up at Fernando. "If I can't even protect my own sister. . . ." :t-sad:
 
"You will."  
 
--------------------------------------------------
RangerReady23
- - - - -
"Rosie, we need to talk...but in a minute."
 
*Reaching behind his belt, RangerReady pulls out a battered, nickel-plated old Peacemaker, well worn but well oiled. Laying it on the table, he taps the grips lightly.*
 
"I've had that pistol for years. I've used it to take a lotta chunks out of a lotta bad guys...but it's never found a mortal mark. Why? Because I don't work that way. As a kid, I practiced with it for two hours, every day...the barrel's been replaced once from all that target practice, and the grips've been fixed twice. Why'd I do it? So I could use it in a pinch, without a casualty."
 
*Reholstering his weapon, the captain buts one boot up onto his chair, leaning on it.*
 
"That's the way I work. If that makes me weaker than you covert types to your mind, Fernando...so be it. But I'd reckon I sleep a lot easier at night than you do."
 
*RR reaches for his hat, slipping a satellite cellphone into Rose's pocket as he does. With a nod, he heads for the door.*
 
"How will history judge me? I don't particularly care. Are we here about history's honor? You're right, we're not. What we are here about is honor itself. Now then, the schematics on Donnelly's experimental cybernetics should be waiting for me on the ship, because I sent for them about an hour before I left. I'm going out there, and figure out how we can take him down for good, without causing any harm to any bystanders. Call me if you need me. And Fernando?"
 
*Turning, RangerReady's eyes glitter with a wintry look, in the low light.*
 
"You can take shots at me all day long, and all night. But don't ever insult the integrity of the crew under me, again."
 
*Slamming the door behind him with force enough to rattle the surround glass, RR heads back to his transportation, vanishing into the darkness. Dawn and Donnelly await.*
***************************************************
 
OOC: Wow...I got a chance to rant! Had to think about it for a while...I'm a little rusty.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
'For a Secret Safe House, this place is more popular than the Waldorf Astoria...', Fernando though to himself. 'And if everyone is so mortified by killing then so be it. 2 attempts have been made against Tammy's life that I know off, and there will be more because she such an easy and willing target. It has to stop somewhere. As for insulting the crew under RR's charge, insults are to be taken like complements, because that is how people sees you, if you dont like what is being said, then you can go do whatever you like but that does not change people's minds about you. I just say what I see.'
 
Fernando tosses his plate and glass into the sink, taking off the apron and hangs it on a nearby closet door knob.
 
Fernando: I'll be on the roof if anyone wants me.
 
Everyone looks at him as he leaves, following his footsteps out the area and up the stairs.
 
'I wonder how many people RR has killed through those under his command by aerial bombardment, aerial fighter support and patrols, and missile launchings through the rest of the fleet? No captain of any ship or fleet can claim to have clean hands or use the excuse that "I was just following orders..." No one... even though he has never fired a killing shot through his own personal arms, he has through his commands and actions of his crew.', Fernando continues to think.
 
Fernando steps out onto the roof to its fenced in edge before the slope and looks out at the night starry sky.
 
'Orion looks bright tonight...', Fernando thinks.
 
Tammy steps out onto the roof.
 
Tammy: Fernando?
 
Fernando: I thought I said I wanted to be left alone.
 
Tammy: No... you said, if anybody needed you, you would be on the roof.
 
Fernando: It was an expression, stating where I would be but would want to be alone... nevermind. What is on your mind?
 
Tammy: I'm confused.
 
Fernando: And?
 
Tammy: I dont know what to do.
 
Fernando: So?
 
Tammy: And you know that I am scared.
 
Fernando: What are you getting at?
 
Tammy: What are my options and choices?
 
Fernando: In?
 
Tammy: Dont... Do This... please. Not to me.
 
Fernando: What? Give you a hard time? I'm giving you a hard time so that you can make those decisions for yourself. I am not going to put a dog collar on you and lead you about to your predefined tasks. You have your life to lead, I have mine. You want to be part of Bink's life, you are going to need to do certain things as her parent and guardian that you may not have normally done otherwise.
 
Tammy: I dont want to hurt anybody...
 
Fernando: They seem to want to hurt you. Furthermore, they almost succeed in killing you and Bink just a couple of weeks ago. Dont you think that if people are going to be after you to do harm against you, that you should at least fight back?
 
Tammy: But that is not how the Rescue Rangers work.
 
Fernando: The Rescue Rangers win by luck. If it were not by sheer luck, they would have been dead a long time ago in their first mission. You can not tell me that they had skills and abilities. Come off it Tammy... Outside of luck, all they have is attitude and garbage tech. Its the rest of us that supplement their technological and knowledge base. Without us, they would still be a bunch of nosey rodents living in a tree in some park.
 
Tammy: That is not...
 
She pauses.
 
Fernando: Not what? Nice to say? I can say many things, much of it not nice, but most of it being the truth. Or would you prefer for me to lie to you and tell you nice things? The world is not nice, Tammy. Be glad you're in Italy or the United States, because no matter how hard things seems to be out there, its worse everywhere else. At least you and your sister are not being put on TV to gather sympathy so that people can donate their monies to a Christian Organization, where the children will never see a penny of the donated funds! Do you want to exploited?
 
Tammy: I feel like I already am!
 
Fernando tosses his Porsche keys at her.
 
Fernando: The choice is still yours. Leave and go home to the Cafe, and you will be dead before the week is over, and Bink will be in some laboratory being dissected into little pieces to see how she ticks and her parts tried on others. Or you can stay here with people are willing to protect you, but at the same time, you will have to work for them. People who do care about you, despite some of the negative thoughts they may have about you because you wont harm another, but at least they respect you.
 
Tammy: What about these others- Padania, the 5 Republics and now Onyx?
 
Fernando: They are terrorists factions, and they respect no one, not even themselves. But because they see you in their way, they are willing to destroy you to get you out of their way. And my dear- they have already tried- twice, almost succeeding in the second time. If you allow them, I will be going to your funeral after the third time...
 
Tammy: What about you?
 
Fernando: Me? Dont my action speak for themselves?
 
Tammy: Your actions speak of an overbearing buffoon with his own manipulative agenda, who is willing to tie me up with puppet strings and put my up on stage for the world to see the show he is about to throw. You do not care about me or Bink...*
 
Fernando just slaps her hard, she immediately silences herself from the shock of it.
 
Fernando: I did not give up the life I had because I do not care. I do not put on a show for the world to see, nor do I go about manipulating others into actions that I would not otherwise take for myself. If you do not like what I am doing for you and everyone else, you can simply walk away and leave me alone. Remember- in the last mission to get you and Bink back together- Chip, Dale, Gadget, Monty and Zipper sat around getting fat on Pasta like stupid tourists while the rest of us risked life and limb for you. Dont you ever tell me that I do not care, because I do more than most.
 
"That must be the coldest Damn thing I have ever heard...", a voice said as footsteps walked out from the door.
 
Fernando: You too Hondo?
 
Hondo: I was saying what I heard. That was the coldest Damn thing I have ever heard, but it is the truth.
 
Tammy: That is not true!
 
Hondo: Lets see... Chip and Dale argued all the time, Gadget was constantly being kicked out of the Enterprise's hanger bay and her tools being constantly confiscated, Monty hid out in the galley behind a couple of crates of cheese, and Zipper was in the galley's garbage pile. They did not do much of anything.
 
Tammy: Fernando did not allowed them to do much of anything!
 
Hondo: Fernando took them out of a situation to keep them safe when real bullets started to fly. If Fernando did not do that- they would have been killed. As much as they spend time gabbing about, terrorists dont like gabby prisoners. They do prefer quiet or dead prisoners, so Fernando did them a favor by taking them out. But they could have been useful on the Enterprise- instead they only got in the way. They are not cut out for this type of action, not at all.
 
Fernando: They can play their Double-O Dale fantasies all they want, this thing you and I do is the real thing. Its not fancy suits, nice gadgets, parties and dating the girl all to get secret plans from the enemy. Far from it. What we do is the real deal action drama of the game. There is a lot of intell gathering, thinking, and taking appropriate actions. We fight back when we are threatened with harm, and use equal force as used upon us. If they try to kill us, we have to kill them because that is the level they are playing on and they wont stop until one of us is dead. I prefer to be the one left standing when all is said and done. But if you think I like killing- you are so wrong. I dont like it, but I do when I have too, when a threat is put on my life and on the lives of those I care about. Dont you think that little attack before dinner was just a friendly neighbor knocking on the door to give us some pie. It was a show of force determined to eliminate us. Instead, with Hondo's help, and a bit of technology, I, We... stopped the attack from happening. If you dont believe me, go down and talk with the clean up crew and see what they had found... And when you do, consider this to be the third attempt against you, even though it was an attempt against us all.
 
Tammy remains silent for a moment. She wipes away a tear that she has been holding back for so long. Bink, Rose and the other girls walk out onto the roof.
 
Bink: Tammy?
 
Tammy: Yes, Bink?
 
Bink: What ever you decide, I will go with you.
 
Tammy (wiping away another tear): I think we have a couple of missions to do first before we can go anywhere. (She tosses back Fernando's Porsche Keys to him.)
 
--------------------------------------------------
-End Page 13

Page 15: Last Page of the Cafe's GsB II Entries.
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
Hondo looked over the mess 'round them and gave a sour look.
 
"well, at least we took them out fast." Hondo said.
 
"we did make short work of them. I'll go check if Marco needs any help." Alex II said.
 
"Fernando, did you really get hurt or was that a fake?" Hondo asked.
 
"You'd like to know." Fernando said.
 
"Yah, I would! if it was a fake, you could have warned us somehow, i believe. if Marco had not been there to hold me back i'd have ran in there and then takin' everythin' in sight down to the last bullet. I almost did when you went down." Hondo said
 
"Don't worry about what happens to me." Fernando said.
 
"Well, i do. and you can't stop that. you and yere Mr. Hard-cold act. You care 'bout all of us and those girls outcome more than most and you act as if you could shot us all without blinkin'. You can't fool me! I wasn't born yesterday yah know!" Hondo said.
 
"You just think you know." Fernando said.
 
"no, I know. well, until you tell us what next, i'm gonna go make sure Rose is ok, and Tammy too. You scare Rose, you know. she's too scared to tell you what she really thinks, but I think she knows your doin' your best, but she also understands the female frailness better than we do. Well lick this all yet. Just get us the next plan, boss squirrel man and well fall in line." Hondo said as he turned to go to Rose and Tammy's location.
 
Hondo
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
(story continuation)
 
After the wounded were rounded up and questioned (and subsequently arrested by the SWA), nearly all of the men gather around Fernando, while the girls gather around Tammy and Bink. Hondo returns after talking with Rose.
 
Hondo: How many can your fancy sports car fit?
 
Fernando: 5, almost 8 if I let a couple sit in the hatch area.
 
Hondo counts off the number of men in the group: Alex, himself, Fernando, Marco, and Hillshire.
 
Fernando: If you're thinking that Tammy should not ride back with me, just have you and Alex take their place and have them in the Mercedes with Marco and Hillshire.
 
Hondo: Then give me your car keys.
 
Fernando: What for?
 
Hondo (pointing to an apparent stomach wound): You're in no shape to drive. In fact- you're going to the hospital.
 
Fernando: Its raspberry jelly. Here-sniff.
 
Fernando wraps some of the liquid around his finger and places it under Hondo's nose. Hondo did not want to do so, but catching the strange fruity scent made him do a double take to make sure what he was really smelling.
 
Fernando: See?
 
Hondo: What the...?
 
Fernando Its the outside lining I added so if I were to be shot or stabbed, they would think they had scored. The rest of acting on my part.
 
Hondo: But how did you... is the vest damaged?
 
Fernando: There is a paper thin puncture proof lining protecting the vest against stab wounds from a knife.
 
Hondo: I see. Hmmm...
 
Marco: Shall we get moving?
 
Fernando: I'll stay with Hondo and Alex. You two take Tammy and Bink back to the hideout. We should be back in an hour or so after you get there.
 
Marco: Alright.
 
Marco just stands there for a moment about to ask a question but is not sure how to ask it. Eventually he does.
 
Marco: What about sleeping arrangements?
 
Fernando: Huh? Oh... yes... there are 4 bedrooms and 3 office space upstairs. There are foldable cots in the basement and sleeping bags if you need them. Room in the right at the end of the hall is mine. The girls can have 2 and you guys can take the rest of the office space and remaining bed rooms. Make sure that there are enough toilet supplies for everyone. Drop by the store along the way and pick up a couple of rolls and whatever lady's stuff the girls may need.
 
Marco: You say you will be back in an hour?
 
Fernando: More of less. Just dont be waiting around for us. I dont like that.
 
Marco: We'll probably be cleaning out our guns when you return.
 
Fernando: Fair enough then.
 
Fernando starts to walk further away from the path of trees that they had entered, signaling to Hondo and Alex II to follow.
 
Fernando: Midnight! I expect you to keep an eye on them while we are gone!
 
Midnight does not answer, just looks at the three of them as they walk away. He then turns with Hillshire and Marco as they round up the girls and take them back to the Mercedes. Once in the car, they drive for 'home.'
 
(Back in the park)
 
Hondo: Whats next in the plans?
 
Fernando: I have not figured that out yet. Having Onyx involved means that they want control of the Northern government once civil war breaks out. Once civil war breaks out, I can see water supplies being contaminated across the south and as a weaponized form, being sprayed on troops in the battle field. This madness must end and we are the key to ending that.
 
Alex II: You need some intell on Onyx and their operatives? I think I can get some from the AIA computers.
 
Fernando: Thats CCC's job. But I would like for you to tail Agent 47 and see what his involvement is in all this. Somehow I dont see the Russian Church getting involved on the wrong side. Knowing how the church operates I would guess that this is a big mistake on their part and once they find out, willing to correct that mistake.
 
Alex II: And how do you know of all this?
 
Fernando: I'm not a devoted and confirmed Roman Catholic for nothing. I do know about church policies and politics, as much as I dont like getting involved in them.
 
Hondo: I never figured you out to be a church boy...
 
Fernando: Operor non exsisto a responsal of vestri pius. Illic es plures res vos operor ignoro super mihi
 
Hondo: What did you say to me?
 
Fernando: I said, 'Do not be a representative of your kind. There are many things you do not know about me.'
 
Hondo: I thought you called me a pussy...
 
Fernando: Pussy?... Oh! 'Pius' is Latin for 'Kind'. Besides, you're a mouse, not a cat.
 
Alex II: While I'm tailing Agent 47, what are you guys doing?
 
Fernando: Gathering more intell on Onyx and any other factions that are involved. What else... Oh, by the way, when you think its safe- talk with Agent 47 for us. You will be our representitive.
 
Hondo: I'm not much for gathering intell. Observation and taking action is more my style of work.
 
Fernando: There will be plenty of action for all of us to take before this mission is over.
 
Hondo: Good. Just show me who are the bad guys and I'll take care of the rest.
 
Fernando: Dont hog up all the action now... dont want you to get all tuckered out 1/2 through the job!
 
Hondo: Dont worry about me.
 
Fernando: I'm not. I'm worrying about Rose. And she is your responsibility. By the way, we will need to access the AIA's computer's so she can get an agency transfer from the Navy so she is not labeled as AWOL from her crew's manifest.
 
Hondo: Then lets get going home then and get that done!
 
Fernando: We will... after winding down a bit. Dont know about you guys, but I need a stiff drink.
 
Hondo: You're definitely not driving then.
 
Fernando: Aisapi can drive us home.
 
Alex II: Who's Aisapi?
 
Hondo: Thats that new fangled computer driving system Fernando has in the car. It makes KITT look like a mental retard.
 
Alex II tries not to laugh, but at the same time not take offense to it since he does know KITT-2000.
 
Alex II: I see. You guys know a good bar around here? I'll just take a soda. Somebody has to be sober, you know.
 
Fernando: We'll let Aisapi take us. I think there are a couple by Piazza di Spagna. By the way, dont worry about the alcohol, Alex, I have a RU-22 pills.
 
Alex II: RU-22?
 
Fernando: Dont tell me that you work for the agency and dont know about RU-22?
 
Alex II: No I dont.
 
Fernando: Ever wondered why or how James Bond can drink so many vodka martinis and not be drunk? RU-22 pills neutralizes the alcohol in the blood and keeps it from getting you drunk or sick. It also stops some poisons from killing you. You should keep a few for yourself.
 
Alex II: I see.
 
Hondo: Lets keep going. I dont like how quiet this park has gotten.
 
They leave the park for the car, and find themselves at a bar near the Piazza di Spagna, drinking and talking about how the mission is going and where it is expected to go. They get 'home' 3 hours later than expected, just before the crack of dawn. Alex II takes a rest before setting out on his mission to find Agent 47.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Jeanette Isabelle
- - - - -
Fernando wrote:
In the original GsB started by Arik- Tammy's mother and newly-wedded step father were killed off, and Bink butchered and left to die (as like Henrietta's history in Gunslinger Girl).
 
Originally this was not about Bink or writing a violent story. Arik wanted to rescue Henrietta and integrate her back into society. Whether the main character is Henrietta or Bink, what has happened has happened and Arik simply wanted to get her out of there.
 
DOS & Arik wrote:
I am not interested in writing a violent story. The idea I have came up with is reintroducing a "conditioned," skilled assassin back into society.
 
 
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=16841
 
--------------------------------------------------
Hondo I. Sackett
- - - - -
Hondo had not ordered anythin' alcoholic, but at one point wondered if Fernando was tryin' to switch his spicy ginger ale for an alcoholic one. They got back and Hondo was met by Rose, she didn't look happy. she had a tired, worried?mad look on her face. He had faced many things but the wrath of a woman, no man was strong enough against.
 
"Now Rose, don't be a lookin' at me like that." Hondo said slowly.
 
"I was worried sick when you didn't get back on Time!" Rosie said.
 
"Don't worry, He's not drunk." Fernando said.
 
"Drunk?!?!" Rose almost shouted.
 
"yah, we went to a bar to relax a little and talk things out." Alex II said slowly. It is thought that Fernando did switch drinks on him, but is not certain.
 
"I told you not to worry . ." Hondo said.
 
"Worry?!? I didn't sleep at all! and with all the shootin' and all I.. I didn't . ." Rose said, but she started to get teary eyed toward the end. Hondo felt like a heel. He walked up to her and put his arm 'round her and took her back in the house so she could sleep a little. Hondo had her calmed down soon. they sat on the couch and talked and soon Rose fell asleep in Hondo's arms. He looked down at her, smiled and fell asleep himself as well.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
Fernando: Rose- Hondo's been a boy scout all night long.
 
Rose: Dont you give me any grief... you... you...!
 
Fernando: I'm Not A Female Sheep!
 
Rose can only look at him in shock from that response. Fernando makes it to his room and into his bed. But rest he wont find.
 
--------------------------------------------------
Charles_Roberts
- - - - -
THen Alex II Car Kitt 2 Came out
 
Kitt (Voice by William Daniels): I Heard that Hondo
 
Hondo: WHAT?
 
Kitt: Next time don't say around me and Alex II Agent 47 Agree to meet us in the Tevenoral Cafe in Citta Del Vaticano in Rome so we be levening ringt now
 
Alex II: Right *Calling Triple X* "Hay X Make sure no Onyx Member is following me or Nando Group
 
triple X (Phone): Yep
 
Alex II: Ok see you later and Don't be too hard on Tammy
 
*THen he get into the car as it drive away towards E-45 to A1/E35*
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
Location: Onyx HQ
 
The AI bat announced it's presence by jumping straight to business. "I'm here - "
 
The man behind the desk looked up, shocked that anyone had located and entered this inner sanctum. "Who are you and how did you get here?"
 
"Both unimportant. I am here to ask you kindly to please stop trying to kill people."
 
"I see. And no doubt any attempt to kill you will result in the police hearing about it?" The Onyx representative drew a revolver and shot the bat in the heart. It looked down at the wound, then up.
 
"Don't do that again."
 
There was a crashing noise as the other Onyx rodents outside the door, attracted by gunfire, found that the door was locked.
 
"And what if I do?" He aimed at the bat's head and pulled the trigger.
 
The gun, blocked by a Protocol 7 plug of metal, exploded.
 
There was a thump outside as someone tried to smash in the door.
 
"Remember." said the bat, blood pooling around it on the floor. "Stop killing."
 
There was another crash from the door. The Onyx representative glanced at it and back. In that moment, the bat had vanished, together with the blood.
 
"What's going on?" asked the newcomer.
 
"We have a problem."
 
--------------------------------------------------
Jeanette Isabelle
- - - - -
I mean no disrespect to you, CCC; I don't believe that would work. Nevertheless I can see it is a heart felt response.
 
--------------------------------------------------
CCC
- - - - -
(OOC: Of course it probably wouldn't - but the AI is supposed to be a terribly naive character, and doesn't realise that. The 'problem' to which the Onyx rodent refers is that somebat tracked down their HQ, and vanished without trace while another Onyx rodent was trying to break down the door from the outside.)
 
--------------------------------------------------
Fernando
- - - - -
[OOC]
I Think CCC did a wonderful portrayal of what his character can do with the limitation imposed by its programming.
 
I would like to add that Furmanity (Furry version of Humanity) is not an equation but a condiction. Good and Evil are part of that condictioning.
[/OOC]
 
As the sun rises from the East, Hondo walks into Fernando's room, waking up and having a .45 pointed to his nose. How Fernando manages to do that, is an instinctive reflex that took years to develop.
 
Hondo (gently pushing the gun away): Yo- Boss! Chill with that!
 
Fernando (in a very tired and sleepy tone): This better be good... Is Rome burning again or what?
 
Hondo: CCC left.
 
Fernando: So?
 
Hondo: Dont you care?
 
Fernando (sitting up on the bed): I care, just I am not going chase after anyone who freely decides to take on their own actions whether they stay or not, or what ever actions they would so take as long as it does not interfere with the mission. All I can say to that it, Trust is something that has to be built from a strong foundation.
 
Hondo: That is rather cold of you...
 
Fernando: So be it.
 
Hondo: Alex II brought KITT over so we can meet Agent 47 later today.
 
Fernando (diving back under the blankets): Go on without me.
 
Hondo: You know- you make it difficult at times.
 
Fernando (stuffing his head under a pillow): Life is never easy.
 
Hondo: What was that? When I speak to somebody- I like to see their face and heard their voices clearly.
 
Fernando takes the pillow off his head and stares at Hondo with his eyes glowing bright red.
 
Fernando: I said- Life is never easy. Now if you want it to be easy- I can have you locked up in a mental institution for the rest of your life where you will be served and waited upon, or give you the winning numbers for the national lottery for $237.3 million... and see what happiness that money get you. Better yet, how you like being Amish? Country living... nothing but tending to farms and animals and having lots of babies... The choice is yours.
 
Hondo: No thank you. I prefer working for what little I got.
 
Fernando: Then you know how I feel.
 
Hondo: I dont know what is gotten into you, but you are a changed squirrel.
 
Fernando: Believe me, I am not a changed squirrel. You just looking at another side of me that you never seen before. One side that many people do not like. Now, if you dont mind... I have a date with this bed, its blankets and this pillow.
 
Somebody knocks on the door.
 
Fernando: As you leave, tell who ever that is that I am not to be disturbed.
 
Hondo continues to stay there digesting on the words thrown at him. The one knocking at the door opens the door steps 1/2 into the room. It was Bink.
 
Bink: Mr. Fernando?
 
Fernando (to himself): Not another one...
 
Bink walks over to the bed.
 
Bink: Mr. Fernando. I'm worried about Tammy.
 
Fernando: What is wrong with her?
 
Bink: She hardly slept, crying all night long. And when she finally got to sleep, it was when you came in at 5 in the morning.
 
Fernando: You did not sleep either?
 
Bink: I'm worried about her, so I stayed up all night to make sure she was OK.
 
Fernando: I will deal with Tammy, after I get some rest.
 
Bink: Thank you...
 
Bink walks away from the room and closes the door behind her.
 
Hondo: Now you done it.
 
Fernando: Done what, Hondo?
 
Hondo: Tammy is all upset about what happened.
 
Fernando: Just find a bible and leave it on the dining room table. I will find some answer that will help her in all this.
 
Hondo: I hope so.
 
Hondo gets up and leaves. In his room he goes through his belongings and finds the 'good book', leaving it on the dining room table with a note on it say "For Fernando and Tammy".
 
Of all the passages in the biblical text that Fernando can run through his head, '2 Samuel 23:12' was one of the few that he could think of. But he hopes that it would not go that far, for as much as people may praise religion, it does not belong in the business of Furdom.
 
Fernando manages to get another 1/2 hour of rest, as the others leave to do various tasks, including some shopping that was needed to update dwindling supplies. Bink had left as per her sister's instructions with the girls for some shopping. Only Fernando and Tammy remained in the empty house. After a brief shower and personal hygiene routine, Fernando gets dressed in casual attire and goes downstairs to make breakfast for himself.
 
Tammy walks downstairs (also in casual attire) to the dining area, seeing Fernando making breakfast in the kitchen. She takes a seat that faces his general area.
 
Tammy: Can we talk?
 
Fernando: Anything you want to talk about, go ahead.
 
Tammy: Do I have to worry about going to Hades?
 
Fernando: No.
 
Tammy: How can you be so sure?
 
Fernando: In whatever god you may believe in, He/She/It does not punish those who have acted in self-defense or in the defense of others. In fact, I believe that he prefers it that way... in defense of self or others.
 
Tammy: But I took a furson's life last night.
 
Fernando: One who was going to do harm to you. One was ordered his men to prepare you to do things to you against your will. One who you saw tried to take my life away from me.
 
Tammy: Why aren't you dead then?
 
Fernando: I prepare myself for such battles to the best of my ability... Do you want some breakfast or something?
 
Tammy: No thank you.
 
Fernando: You sure?
 
Tammy: I'm sure.
 
Fernando: Look, Tammy... I asked Hondo to leave the bible there for us to look over, but I realize that it is a book made from the blood of others, wars fought over it, men on robes who have written in it. To me, it is not a fair assessment of what one should think... But consider this- Good vs. Evil, sometimes one side has to die in battle. Unfortunately it is often Good. Some times it is Evil. Most of the time I wish it was neither. In short, Tammy- Bad things happen to good people. And whether the rest of the group agrees with it or not, you stood up for the first time and fought against something bad that would have happened to you...
 
Tammy: How many people have you killed?
 
Fernando: In the line of work? Too many to count. Personally? 1.
 
Tammy: Personally?
 
Fernando: Personally... out of revenge, out of anger, in a time where I cursed out God and all of creation for allowing a bad thing to happen to a good person. So I took an action that I should not have and opened the gates of Hades and hand delivered somebody who did me such a wrong that he dared take the life of the one I loved. So to answer that question- Am I going to Hell? I am for that 1 act, not for the ones I did in the line of work and in saving and defense of others.
 
Tammy sits there stunned, unable to say a word on the subject.
 
Fernando: I do not care about what others have to say about this about forgiving and love thy neighbor. Thy neighbor does not often love you. If you want to beyond all this, to be so good that you can be claimed as a saint- well... You should abandon Bink and go into a convent to become a nun.
 
Tammy: I would never abandon my sister.
 
Fernando slides a bagel omelet and coffee at Tammy, and places another for himself at the far end of the table.
 
Fernando: You ever went to see you mom's grave yet?
 
Tammy: No... I was too busy looking for Bink at the time.
 
Fernando: Maybe its time you should. Eat up... as we'll go when you're done.
 
Tammy: But...
 
Fernando: Eat.
 
They both sat in silence, having a small meal. Fernando puts away the plates and cups in the dishwasher when they are done. He then takes Tammy by the hand and takes her to his Porsche, telling the AI unit inside to find the location of the Former Mrs. Squirrel's burial site. The AI finds it in the public records, and plots a course for them to follow. They take along drive to the cemetery, on the other side of Rome. A note on the bible on the dining room table was left for anyone to read.  
 
After a few minutes, they find the grave of Mrs. Squirrel. Her face carved on stone, her current married name above the date of her murder. 'Beloved mother of Tammy and Bink'. A few feet away, the grave of her stepfather who she blames for splitting up the family, now realizing that this was somebody who her mother cared for about that she would spend the rest of life with- and has. Tammy kneels down on the earth by the engraved stones and cries... releasing all that which has been held in for so long until now.
 
Fernando (to himself): To be dead is forever. To be remembered depends on what you leave behind.
 
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-End of GsB II Cafe thread, at Page 15.
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Hondo and Rose were sittin' outside as Fernando and Tammy left. They talked as Hondo cleaned and oiled his guns. Alex II came by shortly and asked For Fernando. Hondo told him Fernando and Tammy were gone and he wasn't sure where they went. Alex II said he'd wait inside for Fernando's return.
 
Hondo realized how much He had grown to Love this blond female mouse at his side. He had done what Fernando had told him to do, earlier 'bout her transfer out of the navy to keep her from gettin' in trouble.  
 
it was a while before Fernando and Tammy came back, and Hondo could tell somethin' had happened by their looks. Fernando wore that look that told him someone else had died and it was someone Fernando had trusted. Tammy look a little upset, but had a more confident look as well. Rose stood up and went to Tammy. Tammy just stood there for a second until Rosie grabbed her arm and led her inside to talk.
 
Hondo stood up as Fernando approached him.  
 
"So what happened?" Hondo asked.
 
"Anne and her partner are dead." Fernando said.
 
"Well, its not like they weren't askin' for it." Hondo said.
 
"You know what it is like to kill a former friend?" Fernando asked.
 
"No, and I hope I don't have to learn. I'm sorry." Hondo said.
 
"Don't be. it had to be done. she left no choice." Fernando said.
 
"I see. Alex II is waitin' inside to talk at you. you need a few minutes or shall we start plannin' on whats next?" Hondo asked.