Fernando
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Fernando took his time as he drove to Rome. Tammy was still feeling a bit apprehensive of the whole situation but at least she felt better being around him. Fernando: You need anything besides food? Tammy: Huh? Fernando: Do you need anything, you know, like underwear, socks, shoes, clothes. I don't remember seeing a suitcase for you. Tammy: Oh. They 'took a suitcase from your closet and stuffed it with some clothing. I don't know what they put in though. Fernando sighs. Fernando: Alright- a typical run away kit is in order for you. Tammy: I'm a bit old to be running away. Fernando: You know what I mean- underwear, clothing, socks, sneakers, and a back pack to put it all in. Tammy: Alright. I guess I will be needing those things. Fernando: You moved up to fancy frills and lace on silk? Tammy: Fernando, I don't exactly like the way they feel on me! Fernando: Just asking. Tammy: I like basic cotton whites. They're easy to take care of and I like how they fit and feel on me. Fernando: Alright, alright... you can go buy them while I look at the food stands and buy food for us. Tammy: Wait- I thought you said not to leave your side. Fernando: I did? Oh, I did. Tammy: You just want to see me strut around in those fancy things. Fernando: Actually, I have no interest in what you strut around in. I just want you to be comfortable in whatever you are in. Whether its cotton underwear in blue jeans and a cotton shirt or silk or satin underwear in a LBD, you must look good and feel good in it. Most girls cant get either and have negative body issues because of it. Tammy: I'm rather plain looking but proud of what little I got. Fernando: You're not plain looking. Most girls guys drop their jaws for are the least pleasing in appearance. But because they know how to put on makeup by the layers, and how to squeeze themselves into a dress 2 sizes too small for them, and how to move in that dress without ripping it apart, the guys just fall for them. But take that all off, what you got- a naked ugly fat girl with negative body issues. You don't have those things, and that's a plus for you. Tammy: And why are we talking about this? Fernando: One day, I'm going to need you to put on the fancy lace silk underwear and the satin black dress for either personal or professional reason, and I want you to be comfortable in it when you do. Tammy: The only time I was comfortable with all that was when I wore my... Tammy pauses for a moment. Fernando: Wore your... what? Tammy (bowing her head down and saying it to herself): My wedding dress for you. Fernando: You still have it? Tammy: Its ruined. Fernando: Ruined? Tammy: Its covered with your blood. Fernando: I see. Can I ask you a very personal question? Tammy: A personal question? I thought we were beyond personal questions. Fernando: True. But... just in asking. You have regrets for marrying... Fernando? Tammy: Marrying you? No. Other than having you dead in my arms, I have no regrets, because I love you and you love me. Fernando: Loved. Tammy: What do you mean- Loved? Don't you love me? Fernando: I'm taking about him- he who lived in the past and not me in the present. Damn I swear, the life of a time traveler is not easy. Tammy: What do you mean by that? Fernando: I can get all stupid and live 'forever' with my first wife in an endless loop. There was true love if it ever existed. Tammy slugs him hard against his shoulder with her fist, making him swerve the car for a second, righting it when he gets in control. Fernando: Don't ever do that again. Now, as I was saying... Then there was my third wife. Also with wife number 8. Lovely women in their own right, but each one different. Tammy: 8 wives? Fernando: I'm a time traveler, and therefore immortal. Don't forget that. So, I'm talking about future ladies who, like you, fell in love with me and I with them and we got married. Tammy: How many wives did you have? Fernando: Don't know. I stopped counting at 2046. But Tammy- I was never married to any two at the same time. Each one was my darling and loving wife for the time we had together. Tammy: What about us? Fernando: I cant say. Tammy: WHAT!!! WHY?!!! Fernando: Let me finish! Now, as I was saying. For the time we had together, we were happy. Now that is not to say if it was the short time you and him were married or you, him and later I, because I can not tell you the future in fear in destroying it. But consider the time we have had and may have together as something special. It is very rare for Time to give a second chance, and I do consider you as something very special. Tammy: I consider you special too. Fernando: Tammy- I will tell you this much. Tammy: What? Fernando: In the very near future, in fact, within the next 48 hours, you will be told of something about me that you may not like. In fact, it might destroy our relationship. Tammy: What is it? Fernando: I can not tell you, but somebody else will. Somebody close. And I want you to keep in mind everything I have told you. I want you to consider all that has been said between us. Then if you want to break away from me, then so be it. I hope that the loss wont interfere with the mission, because frankly Tammy, I don't want somebody out there to finish what they started with me by killing you. Tammy: What can they possibly say that can make me hate so much that I don't want to be with you anymore? Fernando: Like I said. In 48 or so hours you will know. Tammy: Then can I ask, why are you telling me, and not in some Time bubble trying to stop it? Fernando: Why? Hmmm... I thought about it many times. But the only answer I can come up with is that I'm pain-free. No more headaches. No more conflicting memories. Just, what is the word for it? Tammy: Peace? Fernando: I was thinking acceptance, but peace can be there too. Fernando pulls into a parking spot not far from the department store district. Together they head out to the largest of stores to get Tammy a few things before going out for food shopping. During their absence, several large trucks and the limo park themselves across the street, and several men go to the gate and start measuring it. They write down measurements and make notes of design, style and points of fixtures. The police officer walks to them, but is intercepted by the mousette in the limo. Jeanie: They're here to fix the gate and house, so you guys wont have to stay here for too long. We'll need you to move the car so they can remove the old gate to repair or replace it. Hearing the commotion, Hondo gets out of his truck and to the front near the gate. He shakes his head as e sees the construction crew setting up across the street, and a few engineers measuring the fence and gate. He walks to Jeanie and the police officer, keeping inside the complex's yard. He talks to them from between the bars. Hondo: Miss, what's the meaning of this?!! Jeanie: On nothing. I just hired a few men to repairs to the place., starting with this gate. Hondo: Fernando gave no such orders for this! Jeanie: I know. Consider it a gift from me. Hondo steps away from the fence, pulling out this cellphone. He makes a call to Fernando. Though as short as it was, they decided to at least get a few things fixed that were to big to take on themselves and then send the bill to the SWA. Hondo closes up his cell phone before going back to the fence. Hondo: Fernando said it was OK for now. But he only wants those things that are too big to fix and give him the bill to give to the SWA. Jeanie: Goodie. We'll get started on everything right away. Jeanie puts a couple of fingers into her mouth, letting out a very loud and ear piercing shrill of a whistle that gets everyone attention. Jeanie (yelling): Alright! Work starts now and to be finish as quickly as possible!!! More men walk out of the trucks, some carrying large boxes into the hide out complex's yard. Hondo shakes his head at the scene. Hondo (yelling as the noise increases with the work being started): Lady! I'll be in the back working on my truck! The basement if off limits! Remember that!! Jeanie: I got that... Hondo walks away to the rear of the complex, not knowing that there were several men following him carrying some large tools, including an industrial chemical spray unit. He stops at the truck when he notices them pass him by as they continue to the garage. They look over the graffiti, scraping it with their fingernails and small scraping tools, and then rubbing it between their fingers. One of them puts on a chemical protection suit as the others walk away. He then takes a hose as others turn on the chemical spray unit and begin to spray a foam to the side of the building. The foam is allowed to sit for a while before being hit with a spray of water. Soon there was a bare wall in front of them, devoid of graffiti, as well as paint. Soon several men came in with industrial paint sprayers and started repainting the side of the garage. A truck is driven to the back where Hondo was at, putting an empty dumpster next to the full dumpster. Then it takes the full dumpster and hauls it away. Other men begin working in the house, fixing and cleaning the place, replacing lost items with new, though it was not matching to the old attire. Book shelves were put in and a large 72 inch flat screen tv where the old 42 inch unit used to be. The kitchen was replaced with new appliances, and shelving. The service island was taken away and a new one put in its place. In what would have taken days, took hours as nearly 1000 men worked all at once to fix the place, making it new. Even the bedrooms were worked on, being careful that personal items of those who were in there were not thrown out, but everything else was. Several men walked up to Hondo's truck and left laptops behind that they had found inside. Several men were on the roof, checking on its integrity, and another group were installing mirrors around the perimeter of the complex. Occasionally, a laser mesh was turned on and area holes fixed. The dumpster had to be replaced two more times as the several hours of work wound down to an end. A gardener and her crew was there replanting small brush and flowers around the house. As the workers left the place as they finished their work, Hondo could not help think how a fresh coat of paint improves the value of the place. But this was just more than just a coat of paint. With the gate once again repaired and closed, the police leave the area with the last of the work crew. A foreman gives Jeanie a remote control box to open and close the gate with. With the last of the work crews having left, Jeanie activates the gate to close. Jeanie and her crew walks in the house, carrying large filled bags of unknown stuff. Soon they were in the kitchen packing away a large amount of food. The limo driver takes a few of the items and starts making dinner. Hondo walks in after he secures his truck, carrying the laptops the workers left by his truck. He places them on the dining table, looking about the place. Hondo: What have you done?!! Jeanie (walking out of the kitchen and walks about the place): You like? I have everything fixed or replaced. Hondo: You replaced everything from the looks of it! Jeanie: Not everything. The light fixtures were fixed. Hondo: Fernando is not going to be happy about this! Jeanie: We will see what he likes and don't likes. Until then, I spend enough money at Italy's versions of Ikea and Home Depot to pay for your salary for a couple of years getting this place fixed. Hondo: Thank you, but the help was not needed, as the SWA was going to replace everything that was stolen or destroyed. Plus there are certain things in this place that are not privy to the likes of you. Jeanie: Really? We'll see about that. Hondo: You are a newspaper reporter and editor and not allowed to certain information of this place or this mission. Until then, know your place. Jeanie gives him a mean scowl for the moment. The limo driver taps a wooden spoon against the newly placed service island, getting their attention. Limo Driver: Dinner is ready, master. Jeanie. Good. Feed yourselves, I'll eat when Fernando returns. Limo Driver: Thank you, master. Hondo leaves to check on his room, carrying the laptops he had brought in. He was not all too impressed with the changes she had made. A quick search of his room showed that his personal belongings were still there, in an approximate location to where they were before. Not to his liking, Hondo takes a sleeping bag from the closet and takes it to the roof with a few other items. Fernando drives back home with Tammy and the rear of the Porsche filled with food and assorted goodies. Fernando: We have enough food for a week, but should not be here that long. Maybe 3, 4 days at the most. Tammy: That's all? Fernando: That's more than enough. Tammy: How? Fernando: 2 days to find my murderer, and 1 day to enact justice. Tammy: You going to arrest your murderer? Fernando: When life loses its value and is taken for naught, then the pact is for revenge. Tammy: Revenge? Are you are going to kill your killer? Fernando: If I fail they are going to kill you. Only way to stop that is to be successful in the hunt. Tammy: But... Fernando: But nothing, Tammy. This person who killed me is part of the same group that killed your mother and her husband and almost killed Bink. Tammy: You know who this person is? Fernando: You would not believe me if I told you. Tammy: Who? Fernando: The red headed mousette named Annie. Tammy: Annie?!! I thought you killed her back at the cemetery! Fernando: Somehow she survived, and returned me the favor. Tammy: Then, why would she kill me? Fernando: For two reasons. 1) Because of me you are a target. 2) She wants Bink for herself and her Padania terrorist organization and 3) You now work for the SWA, and they, along with you, were involved with her uncle's disappearance. Tammy: You said two reasons, those are three. Fernando: There are more reasons, she stated them all to me before she let me have it with my own gun. Tammy: Your own gun? Fernando: I got careless around her and she picked it up. The rest is history. Tammy sighs. Tammy: I see. Fernando: It was not deliberate. It was a moment of stupidity on my part. I can assure you that it wont happen again. But the point is she is now after you. Since she thinks I'm dead, she wont expect me to return the favor that she has given me. Tammy: I can see how you can return from the dead, but how are you going to guarantee she wont return from the grave? Fernando: That little gun I put in your purse may not be as powerful as the AA .45 she stole from me but a round or two to her head from it will guarantee her not to return from the box she will be placed in. Its that simple. Tammy takes out the gun from her purse, looking at it. Fernando: It's the same gun from the first mission when I, he, reunited you with Bink. I, he, never told anyone of the specifications, but it shoots a supersonic explosive bullet. Unlike the .45 that shoots a slug of metal that punches a hole in you, this thing hit you and explodes on impact. They both kill but on different principles on how to do it. I suspect that Annie was given cybernetic parts, that's how she survived, but she wont survive with a few rounds exploding inside her head. Tammy puts away the gun in her purse. Tammy: Sometimes I wish there was no need to kill. Fernando: Tammy- believe it not, neither do I. But she is now targeting you, I am not going to allow myself to bury another wife. I will bury her though. An eye for an eye. A life for the one she took from me and for the life she said she would take from you. There is no other way. Tammy thinks for a moment. Tammy: If there were, another way, would you take it? Fernando: Would you want me too? Tammy: Yes... Fernando: Unfortunately, there is none. Tammy: Why do you say that? Fernando: Remember what I told you. This is Italy, the courts are corrupt here. She's from a rich and powerful family, a family that killed yours. In this, you are in a war, a war where innocents have died and many by her hand- including me. Tammy: Fernando... tell me that you are not going to kill you because she killed you? 'Because you are on some act for fulfilling some strange form of self revenge? Fernando: I would lie if I say its not. It is part of the reason. But more so, it is to protect you from her. She is not going to stop until we are all dead, and if she could get Bink, that's another prize for her to have. She does not care about anyone, Tammy. Thus she is a very dangerous person to all involved. If you put her in jail, she can still reach you from her connections within the system. Killing her will put an end to all that. Tammy sighs. Though they take their time through the highway, Fernando takes the turn to the hideout's drive way as fast as he was going. The lights reflecting on the gate and lack of the police car told him to slam on the brakes. From 65mph to 0, the Porsche stops within inches of the closed gate. Putting the car in neutral and the parking brake on, he steps out of the vehicle and looks at the gate. He reaches out to the gate, grabbing it, and pulling on it to slide it over from all the strength he has that lies about his fitness and condition. As difficult as it was, he manages to slice it over. Despite the alarms going off inside the house, Fernando drives into the driveway and into the rear parking area. Jeanie's body guards run out of the house with their guns in their hands, then walk to the rear parking area where Fernando put the Porsche. He walks to the passenger side to open the door for Tammy. They walk 1/2 way up to him, about to shoot first and ask questions later. The limo driver and Jeanie stood by the doorway of the rear entrance. A voice from above got everyone's attention. Hondo (from the roof): You rats put your guns down or else! They slowly turn to face him, seeing Hondo with both revolvers pointed to each one of them. Fernando gets his gun from Tammy who still sat inside the car, then walks to the rats. He pokes his gun to their sides before taking their weapons. A shove tells them to go back into the building. Fernando walks to Jeanie and hands her their weapons. Hondo disappears into the attic of the house, making his way down to the main level outside. Fernando: Tell your boys to stop being so trigger happy before somebody gets hurt around here. Jeanie: I'll have a talk with them, but they were following orders. Fernando: Orders, for what? And who put up that gate?!! Jeanie: I had it repaired. Hondo makes it to the rear entrance of the house where they were at, adding to the conversation from what he heard. Hondo: She did a lot more than fixed the fence and gate. She had everything in the house replaced, including the beds in the bedrooms that you just bought. Fernando gives her a stern look. Fernando: I see. Hondo, come help with the groceries I bought for us. Jeanie- I don't want to see you until tomarrow morning. Go that?!! Jeanie (miffed at the whole situation): I'll see you in the morning. Hondo walks out to the Porsche and opens the door to let Tammy out. He then goes to the rear of the car, opening it's rear hatch and start taking bags inside to the house. Jeanie and her limo driver had already left when he got there. Tammy and Fernando gathered the other bags and brought them to the kitchen to be put away by Hondo who had volunteered for the job. 2 more trips later they were done, Tammy carries the last smaller bag to the room upstairs. Fernando finally notices what was done to the place. Fernando: I don't believe this. Hondo: You telling me? She replaced everything! Fernando I can see that. Hondo: What are we going to do about it? Fernando: For now nothing. Anything else? Hondo: The workers who 'cleaned' up the place gave me some laptops that they found. What to do with them? Fernando: We'll deal with it tomarrow. Right now I'm going to make a small dinner for Tammy and myself, you're welcomed to the food supplies we brought in. Hondo: Your Asian 'girl friend brought in some food as well. There is some chicken terri-yucky on the stove if you want it. I saw how it was prepared and didn't like it at all. Fernando: Its Chicken Teriyaki. And I can agree with you on that. Asian food is best when its fresh, not when its been sitting around getting cold. Hondo (getting into the kitchen and opening the frig): I'll take to some of the roast beef that's left over from yesterday. I'll be fine. Hondo takes a few items with him upstairs, and goes back to the roof. Fernando prepares a light meal and takes it upstairs to his room. Tammy was in a robe and underwear, having left the shower moments before. She is on the bed, fluffing out her tail with a brush. Fernando puts the meal on the table in the room, looking over the changes that were done to it. Functionally it was the same: bed though larger than the original that was there, nightstands to either side of the bed, small round table with 4 chairs, a large dresser by the door, and desk with a leather chair at the corner of the room beside a bookshelf. Even the closet door was changed. But appearance wise it was a totally different story. Fernando takes to one of the chairs at the table as he starts to put out the food. Fernando: Tammy? Tammy: Yes? Fernando: Was everything where you found it to be? Tammy: Everything? Fernando: You know- clothes, books, stuff in the closet and dresser? Fernando looks at the corner desk and the computer on it. It was not the Macintosh unit he had placed there in the last mission but a cheap Dell. Tammy: Everything seems to be in place. I mean, despite the furniture being changed and all that, all my stuff was neatly in its place. Most of my stuff is still in the luggage. Fernando: I see. Want to eat? Tammy finishes fluffing out her tail, giving it a few flicks to see how it responds. Happy with the results, she walks over to the table and takes the chair next to him. Together they had their meal, a change of clothes, and went to bed. Fernando has a hard time trying to decide which pillow to take as none of them had his scent on it. Eventually he take the firmest one and folds it in half under his head. Tammy was not too picky, taking what was there, and putting an arm around him before she went to sleep. For him, it was a restless night, though by the time several hours had past by, he started to go into his sleep cycle.
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