In the hotel like room in the government building in Rome, Jose's cell phone rings. Jose answers the phone. "Yeah? That's right." Long pause. "Understood."
 
Bink is sitting on one of the two beds. Her back is leaning against the headboard.  
 
There is a knock at the door and Enzo comes in. "Bad news." He says.
 
"He gave your team the slip." Jose tells Enzo.
 
"Yeah. . . . And how did you know that?"
 
"One of our teams caught up with him when he got on the train. They're on them now."
 
"Great."
 
"He actually just got off the subway."
 
"Where?" Enzo asked.
 
"At Cavour Station. B line."
 
"All right. I'll follow him." Enzo turns around and heads for the door.
 
"Okay."
 
Enzo opens the door. "Wait. Hold on. . . . If I'm not mistaken, that's one stop before the museum. If he's at the museum, do you know his real target?"
 
"No. At any rate. . . . It won't matter after we finish tonight."
 
Enzo starts to leave again. "I'll contact our guys there." Enzo opens the boor and closes it behind him.
 
Bink, who is still sitting on the bad with her back to the headboard says to Jose, "The backup."
 
Jose turns around to look at Bink.
 
"The backup is already here, isn't it?"
 
"Yes. I called for Rico and Triela. . . . We've planned for multiple contingencies, just to be safe. You know, it's going to be at least a few hours until we find out where they're hiding. . . . Why don't you try to get in a quick nap while you decide what you want for your reward?"
 
Bink crawls under the covers. "Actually. . . . I already know what I want."
 
Enzo trails Enrico while wondering what Enrico is up to. "He's not heading for the museum anymore."
 
 Enrico walks past the Roman Colosseum and stops to look before he keeps going. "He's going in the opposite direction . . . just kind of wondering around Rome. . . . What could his target be?"
 
 Enrico stops in front of Place d'Espagne before continuing on. Enrico walks along the street with the river to his right. He starts to cross a bridge, stops half way, looks behind him and then continues across the bridge. Enrico approaches a building where a chipmunk, with grey sideburns, is standing at the door. Enrico passes the chipmunk and enters the building.
 
 The door closes and the chipmunk pulls out a two-way radio. "Enrico is back."
 
"Copy." Says the voice on the radio.
 
 
In the apartment where Anne and Franco are staying, Anne is on the phone.
 
 "Enrico. . . . What are you still doing in Rome? You supposed to be gone. I'd feel much more comfortable making the deal in Ostia."
 
"Sorry, Anne." Enrico replies, "I wanted to scope out the location first before I commit."
 
"The longer you stay in Rome, the better the chances you'll get nabbed by this agency I've been hearing so much about. It's way too dangerous for you to stay here."
 
Enrico looks out the window. "Some guys were following me earlier this afternoon but I was able to shake them off. I'm certain they have their hands full right now . . . the diversion at the museum is working perfectly. Anyway, I'd rather do this tomorrow. Just remember to deliver it tonight by the time we already agreed on."  
 
Enrico hangs up the phone. "The bomb arrangements are already set."
 
"Did we really have to use them?" One of the men with Enrico asked. "I don't trust outsiders."
 
"Yes, we did. . . . Anne and Franco's bombs are nearly impossible to dismantle. They're simply the best in Italy."
 
Back in Anne and Franco's apartment, Franco says to Anne. "That guy is a lost cause."
 
"You're right." Anne answered. "There's no cure for a fool. Since this is an order from above, we'll help him out on this one . . . thought to be honest I'd prefer to have people like him just disappear."
 
Franco lays a briefcase on the table in front of Anne. "Where are they planting it?"
 
"If you knew that, you probably wouldn't want to give it to them."
 
"Should we go through with this?" Franco asked.
 
"I don't know. If they really are serious about doing it there. . . . Then maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to give them a fake." Anne gets up and walks out of the room. "I'm gonna get ready."
 
 
In the hideout where Enrico is staked out, one of the men watches the road on the other side of the river with a pair of binoculars. At the same time, a van is driving along that rode with a periscope sticking up looking in the direction of the hideout.  
 
Enzo, who is manning the periscope, looks down at his watch and speaks into his headset. "It's time, but the bomb makers have yet to show up. . . . Remain on standby."
 
"Roger." Says the voice from the headset.
 
At the hideout Enrico is looking at his watch as well. A guy standing behind Enrico has his arms cross and sounding a bit agitated. "You positive these two are gonna show up?"
 
"They'll be here."
 
"Enrico." Says the guy by the window with the binoculars. "Something's going on. . . . All the traffic beyond the bridge. It's just stopped. There's nothing."
 
Enrico goes to the window and pulls away the curtain to get a look. "What? Maybe there was an accident or something."
 
The guy with the binoculars is unable to make out what is going on. "It's too hard to tell from here."
 
In the van another guy, with Enzo, is on his headphones. "There's been an accident reported. The police have diverted all traffic on this block because of a three-car pileup east of here."
 
Enzo turns to the guy giving the report. "Dang."
 
 
Enrico gets on the two-way radio. "Hey, Simon. You there?"
 
The chipmunk by the door picks up his two-way radio. "Yeah. Go ahead."
 
"Can you see what's going on across the river?"
 
"No, but I can hear police sirens in the distance."
 
"Go check it out."
 
"Yes, sir." The chipmunk goes to check it out and as he passes a tree, Triela jumps out behind him, grabbing his neck with a garrote. The chipmunk lets go of his radio. Triela grabs the radio as it falls out of the chipmunk's hand and then she tosses it to Hilshire.
 
Bink and Jose rush the building as he talks to Enzo through the headset. "Enzo. . . . It's started."
 
"That's fine with me." Enzo looks through the periscope. "If the bomb makers were planning on showing, they would have been here by now. Take Enrico alive and grill the dog."
 
Anne and Franco, along with other pedestrian observers, are at the accident site. It is blocked off and they can't proceed. Anne and Franco are the only ones in the crowd wearing sunglasses at night.
 
"Is camouflage really necessary for a simple car accident?" Anne asked.
 
Bink and Jose barge through the door and start shooting. Two are taken down.
A mouse with long hair and a green jacket proceeds in the direction of the shooting. Carefully the mouse proceeds with a hand gun drawn. The mouse looks around the corner, sees a fallen comrade and retrieves a two-way radio. The radio is shot out of its hands by a bullet through the window. From across the river Rico fires two more shots and the mouse is down.
 
"Cut the lights!" Enrico yells. "Everyone stay away from the windows!"
 
From across the river, Rico speaks through her hidden mike and earphone. Jean is with Rico.  
 
"Lights out on the third floor. Southwest side of the fourth building."
 
"Enrico must be in there. Can you see him?" Jean asked.
 
"No, sir. Not from this position."
 
"Understood. . . ." Jose replies from a few rungs before the third floor. Bink is in front of Jose, one step away from the third floor hall. In the hall Bink sees the mouse in the green jacket on the floor and the broken window but not what's on the other side of the corner. Jose continues,  
 
"Hilshire. . . . What's going on down there?"
 
Hilshire is outside. "I've just ordered Triela to climb the wall on the west side."
 
"Good. I'm sending Bink in now so we can surround him."
 
There is an overturned table by the door to the room where Enrico is staked out at. Two armed men are stationed behind the overturned table.
 
Bink takes a step onto the floor. Several shots are fired by the men behind the table. Bink retreats. The bullets only hit the wall.  
 
With a tremble in her young voice, Bink says, "Please. . . . Don't shoot me." Bink steps into the hall with her arms raised. "Please. . . . Please help me. There's scary people downstairs with guns. And they. . . ."
 
"What the hell?" The gunman standing the closest to the door asked. "How did this little kid get inside here?"
 
"Perfect timing. . . ." Says the first gunman. "We can use her as a hostage." He then speaks to Bink. "Don't worry. Come to us. We'll keep you safe."
 
Bink, looking scared and with her hands up, walks slowly to the two gunmen.
 
"Hurry." The first gunman says. Bink stops. "Hurry up before the bad guys come after you."
 
Bink then hurries over to the two men hiding behind the table.
 
The first gunman grabs Bink. "Now be a good girl. . . ."
 
Bink slugs him in the abdomen and he doubles over in pain. This distracts the other gunman long enough for Jose to take him out.
 
Enrico and one other guy are left in the room. Bink removes her SIG P239 from behind her jacket, rushes into the room, takes out the other guy and trains her P239 at Enrico. Enrico removes a grenade from his jacket and is about the pull the pin. Triela bursts through the window and aims her M1997 at the rabbit. Enrico drops the grenade on the floor with the pin still in place and raises his hands.  
--------------------------------------
 
The following day, a clear winter day, Anne and Franco approach a police barricade on the bridge.  
 
Anne addresses them. "Officers. Did something happen here? Why is the bridge closed?"
 
"There was an arrest here last night. This area's off limits now."
 
Anne then quietly says to Franco. "Looks like Place D'Espagne was able to avoid the bombing after all."
 
Jose and Bink are walking down the steps of Place D'Espagne. Bink is wearing her red winter coat, carrying her Amati violin case while eating an ice cream cone. "Are you sure a simple ice cream is all you want for your reward?"Jose asked. "Especially in the middle of the winter."
 
"I'm sure. . . . Didn't you know there's a meaning behind ice cream in Place D'Espagne?"
 
As Bink and Jose were walking down the steps, Anne and Franco approach from a different direction, both Anne and Franco are wearing sunglasses. Bink accidentally bumps Anne with her violin case.
 
 "Oh, my." Anne says to Bink. "Are you okay?" Jose and Bink do not recognize Anne and Franco. Anne recognizes Bink as one of the girls from the Social Welfare Agency but does not let on that she does, not even to Franco.
 
"Sorry. . . . I'm really sorry." Bink answers.
 
"Well, I'm glad your ice cream is all right. You are in Place D'Espagne after all."
 
"Yeah." Bink replies.
 
Anne stands there as she watches Bink walk off.
 
"What is it?" Franco asked.
 
"That girl. . . . " Anne answers, not letting Franco in on what she knows. "She was wearing an expensive perfume."
 
"So what?" Franco asked.
 
Anne lets down her sun glasses. "Designer perfume . . . and an Amati violin . . . she must be a daughter of a well-to-do family. At the end of the day, it's girls like her that we Republican Factionists are out to protect."  
--------------------------------------
 

Jeanette enters the shower fuming. Taking a long shower, she pulls herself together, remembering how long it took for her own mom to pull herself together: six years.  
 
Jeanette (to herself): This is not even a pretend marriage.
 
 Miss Isabelle gets dressed, putting on her glasses and sandals; not her ring. Jeanette opens the door to a half blind squirrel:  
 
Jeanette : Darling, we are getting a divorce. DOS will be your co-pilot.
 
 Jeanette packs her suitcase, retrieves her purse, leaving the gun behind. She flings open the door and storms out. The Door shut quickly as if it hit something and bounced off.
 
 As this was taking place inside, Hondo was approachin' Fernando and J.I.'s room. He had a bad feeling about it, but he wanted to talk with Fernando an' get some further direction.  
 
 Hondo was not the type to be scared in a fight, but he usually fought alone. Now others lives, lives of team members stood in a balance, a balance that could be tipped either way by little things, thing he could do. He knew trial an' error was the way he worked, but with this they had only one chance, an' to Hondo they had to win. To lose was not an option, for if they lost death an'/or imprisonment for life would be the consequences.
 
  As this was going through his mind, he approached the door ready to enter. As he reached to knock the door flew open an' out came Jeanette in a huff. The door knocked him back an' the door shut on its own but was thrown open again by Fernando, who looked down the hall at the retreating Jeanette. He just mumbled something an' retreated to the room.  
 
 Hondo found himself on the floor wondering what happened. He stood up an' staggered back to his room, which he was using only because Fernando insisted that he not wast a good room.
 
Hondo (to himself): Women! That is why I'm still single! Maybe I should mail him a letter. It would be safer, especially since I believe someone is tryin' hack into our computers since the night at the restaurant.
 
 Hondo sent Fernando a note by special courier, namely Dale.  
 
Hondo (to himself):Ifin he gits smacked in the head no one'll know the difference.
 
 Hondo thought as he watched Dale deliver the note through his old '98 Compaq laptop, which he had used to hack into the hotels security camera system.  
 
Hondo (to himself):I'm glad they didn't use closed circuit, an' I'm glad I could shut off the cameras to our rooms.
 
 Hondo talked to himself all too often as he had been alone for a long time an' didn't usually have anyone else to talk to.
 
 In the lobby, Jeanette registered a single room, under her maiden name.  
--------------------------------------
 
 Frustrated at how this seems to be falling apart, he goes back to the cache of items he put into the bed. Thinking to himself, 'Why must this generation of women be so difficult. Its not like I am asking or demanding for anything that she is not willing to give...'
 
 Reaching inside the box, he pulls out a smaller cubish box from it and opens it. Inside there were smaller rectangular shaped boxes inside. He opens one and let its content slide into his hand.
 
Fernando (to himself): Good these are the Thorazine pens...
 
 Someone walks into the room without knocking. Instinctively Fernando throws a pen hard, catching who entered by his shoulder
 
Dale: OWW!!!! Why you dii....duh...
 
 Dale passes out.
 
Fernando: That sounded like Dale. Oh well, at least the Thorazine works... On him...
 
 Fernando then drags Dale in and ties and gags him up, locking the door. Once tied up, he pulls out the Thorazine pen from the shoulder, thinking, 'You're be out for the next 3 hours...'. He goes back to the box, pulling out the paint ball barrels and another Thorazine pen. He places the pen inside he barrel, feeling how it can slide in and out of the barrel up to a point: where the end of the Thorazine pen meets the start of the plunger mechanism, where a flange and clip-on were.
 
 Fernando thinks of how these would be cut off to fit into the barrel and slide through when shot. He takes the tools, the barrel, pen and a gun to where he was sitting. Slowly Fernando feels the gun for screw holes and attachment points. These are not air powered dart guns, but spring loaded dart guns. Slowly, Fernando dismantled the gun, and tries to refit the paint ball gun barrel on it. After more then an hour of fiddling with it. He manages to make it fit.
 
 The phone rings. Fernando finds it and answers. It was Gadget looking for Dale.
 
Gadget: Fernando, is Dale there with you?
 
Fernando: No. Why do you ask?
 
Gadget: Hondo sent him to you with a message...
 
Fernando: Funny, I have not seen anyone all day. (which was not a lie... almost)
 
Gadget: OK then, We'll keep looking for him. Let us know if you see him.
 
Fernando: I will.
 
 Gadget hangs up the phone first, saying something to Chip as she does which the microphone barely picked up. Fernando then hangs up and goes back to his work.
 
 He takes the Thorazine Pen and slides it in and out of the gun barrel, still finding that the flange and clip were still in the way. He carefully finds a scalpel in the tool box, and proceeds to cut the plastic with care. Now the Thorazine pen fits inside the barrel with just enough friction to hold in place but move freely when struck with the gun's hammer. He tests fire the gun, and works. Perhaps too well. In thinking, he thought that accuracy and range. At best, 25 to 50 ft would be optimum- the length of the room. A little more work to the guns, he carves out the plastic ammo holder to fit as many Thorazine pens as possible. 4 pens was the best he could fit.
 
 Minimal at best, Fernando takes a few more barrels and guns and start work them. With each gun, he was able to work a little faster than the one before it. He manages to modify and test 10 guns before Dale started to wake up.
 
 Putting down the dismantled 11th gun, Fernando turns to Dale.
 
Fernando: You finally woke up? Good.
 
Dale: HRMM...HMMMRMMM!!!!
 
Fernando: Calm yourself down before you find yourself wondering where you are and how you got there.
 
Dale: Hmmmm?
 
Fernando: Just sit there for a while, and I'll get to you when I'm done.
 
Dale: HRRRMMMMMM!!!!!!
 
Fernando: Alright, alright... you acorn muncher...
 
 Fernando walks over to Dale and begins to ungag him, not before he puts another Thorazine pen in his pocket.
 
Fernando: Remain quiet or else.
 
 Dale just nods. Fernando begins to ungag him.
 
Fernando: Now, why are you here?
 
 Dale does not answer at first.
 
Fernando: Alright, if you don't want to answer, I'll just gag you again since I do not want to be disturbed in my work.
 
Dale: Hondo sent me with a note!
 
Fernando: OK, now, answer why you would enter a private room without knocking?
 
Dale: Because it was unlocked?
 
Fernando: You Idiot...
 
Dale (interrupting Fernando): I'm Not an Idiot!
 
Fernando: Look, this is a mission- you just entered a room without warning or checking to see if it were clear? Consider Your Self Dead.
 
 Fernando then begins to untie him.
 
Fernando: Now, leave the note on the desk, and ask Gadget to come here... Alone. I need her technical help.
 
 Dale slowly gets up, puts the note on the desk and leaves the room quietly. Once the door closes, Fernando can hear Dale running down the hall at full speed. Fernando smiles to himself as he goes back to his work.  
 
 After finishing a 12th gun, Fernando get his satellite phone from his belongings and makes a phone call.
 
 After a couple of rings, the phone on the other side is answered but no one replies.
 
Fernando: We lost the frequency with the red-haired munk.
 
Voice on other end: Orders?
 
Fernando: Detain her and anyone she is with at the bird's nest until I get there.
 
Voice on the other end: Will do.
 
 The phone is hanged up on the other end.
 
 
 Soon after, there was a knock on the door.
 
Fernando opens the door, finding DOS and Gadget there.
 
Fernando: Two of yous.... OK, come on in.
 
 They both follow him into the room. As they walk in, Gadget tries to say something.
 
Gadget: That was not nice what you did to Dale, Fernando.
 
Fernando turns to her as he sat down: Consider him lucky that he's not dead. Like I told him, this is not a game, so stop treating it like one.
 
Gadget: I don't like what you did.
 
Fernando: I was being nice. If it were the actual rescue, he would be dead. When are you guys going to get that point?
 
DOS: What did Dale do?
 
Fernando: You don't enter a room without checking if it was safe. A simple knock on the door would have suffice for him, but no- he thought barging in would be the proper thing. So I hit him with a Thorazine Pen.
 
DOS: Thorazine Pen; searching... Generic name: Chlorpromazine Injection; a powerful tranquilizer and antipsychotic manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline. More Data available...
 
Fernando: Enough DOS.
 
Gadget: Now, why did you call?
 
 Fernando goes over to his work table and picks up a modified dart gun he had built.
 
Fernando: I need help finishing this.
 
Gadget: What is this?
 
Fernando goes gets parts from the boxes on the bed: A gun, paint ball gun barrel and a Thorazine pen.
 
Fernando: This gun must be able to fire this pen at the intended target. The clip on the pens must be trimmed at the back-end to fit into the paint ball barrels. The paintball barrel must be made to fit into the gun, and the inside chamber trimmed away to fit the pens inside and reload. Only 4 pens will fit inside.
 
Gadget: Seems simple enough.
 
Fernando: DOS, willing to help out?
 
DOS: Sure.
 
Fernando: Good. Tools are on my desk. Parts on the bed. Lets get busy.
They start working on modifying the guns to fire the Thorazine pens. It will take another 3 hours to complete this task. They take 4 hours, as they order food and take a few breaks.
 
 With all the guns modified and armed, the three of them pack them up as best as they can. Fingerprints have been wiped clean of guns and ammunition.  
 
 With 45 guns, and 21 mission operatives, everyone gets 2 guns each and 8 extra Thorazine pens to add to their arsenal long with a pair of rubber gloves, with written instructions on how to use and reload. Also added: mission directives. DOS and Gadget go out and distribute the guns to everyone except Jeanette. Fernando keeps 3 guns to himself, where Jeanette would have received one.
 
 Checking the newly found bank records, Fernando cross references them with travel logs of planes, ships, trains, and rented vehicles, Fernando finds out that the Gunslinger Group are already in Milan. As per the last computer search finding, Milan and its people is in support of the independent (terrorist) factions. In short, Italy is in a midst of a civil war, with Bink being one of the soldiers in combat. How the rest of the city is going to act against this rescue mission? Better yet, how is the police going to react when the mission is in play?
Such questions are secondary, as the mission's goal primary. As before the Italian government was not cooperative in these matters, chances are, they will not be cooperative again. At worst, they might be detrimental to the rescue.
 
 Fernando grabs a few Thorazine pens and stuff them into his rear pocket. Taking his cane, Fernando walks out of his room and down to the main lobby, then to the hotel dining area. There he orders a flounder over pasta with some white wine, and in minutes, is served. He takes his time eating his meal.
 
 Somewhere in the the middle of his meal, he hears a familiar voice not too far away from him, along with several others. It was Bink, with other young girls and several men. They sit just a few tables away, ordering a meal for themselves. He tries to listen in on the conversation.
A few times he hears 'Le Mc'ridien Gallia Hotel', the very hotel they are in, and the rescuers are lodging in. Another hotel is mentioned, the Art Hotel Navigli, along with the various sites around the area. During his meal, Fernando pulls out a one of the Rescue Ranger business cards that they all carry, and writes on the back of it, 'the American girl does not belong to you. release her to us and there will be no repercussions.'
Then he waits, as he slowly finishes his meal. Their meal being larger, takes longer to prepare. They are served and begin to eat, Fernando finishes his meal and slowly gets up after signing off his bill.
 
 Taking his business card, Fernando slowly gets up, taking his cane and taps his way to their table. He stops by their table.
 
One the men speaks up: Why are you here?
 
Fernando (listening in to pin point Bink from the group, then turns to the male who spoke): It sounded like somebody I know.
 
Same man as before: I highly doubt it.
 
 Fernando slowly reaches into his pocket and pulls out a picture of Bink from his wallet and puts it on the table.
 
Fernando: I'm looking for this girl, she's been missing for many months Her name is Bink. Bink Squirrel.
 
 They all look at the picture, though nothing said, several gestures were motions for all to keep quiet.
 
Same man as before: We never saw her before.
 
Fernando (putting the RR business card on the table face up): If you do, let us know.
 
same man as before: Us?
 
Fernando: Her adult sister, Tammy Squirrel, is with me.
 
 Fernando starts to walk away, lightly tapping his cane, but continues to listen in on them as he does.
 
One of the other girls: Your family is looking for you Bink?
 
Bink: You are my family...  
-------------------------------
-------------------------------
 
At Charles Sinclair's room:
 
 There was a knock on the door. Sinclair was sitting in an armchair.  
 
Sinclair: Come in. Oh, it's you Gadget.
 
 She closed the door behind her and neared him, taking two guns from her bag.
 
Gadget: Fernando wants you to have them.
 
Sinclair: What's that?
 
Gadget: A tranquilizer
 
 She placed extra ammo on the table. Sinclair picked up one of the pistols and examined it.
 
Sinclair: Now, where would I put them?
 
 He wondered for a moment. Then, taking a holster that came with the guard uniform and a pair of scissors, he quickly cut a hole in it. He inserted one of the guns in the holster and the second one in trousers behind his back.
 
Sinclair: Not very handy with those lengthened barrels...
 
------------------------------------
------------------------------------
 
 Alex II and his men went to the hotel as they received information that the girl they were looking for and her handler, with others were at the hotel that the rescue Rangers and their team were staying at.
 
As Fernando walked away from the tables out toward the court yard Alex II walked up to him.
 
Alex II: (Lower Voice): Fernando it's me, Alex II, But we are using code names so call me Major. Don’t worry, the cameras are hacked so they can’t see us. We are using ghost projections plugged into the camera system so we have the upper-hand here.  
 
 Alex II then looking over and saw Bink. There were other girls with here as well as several handlers. He then turned back to Fernando
 
Alex II: I see Bink is here. Don’t worry my men will followed Bink's every move. They won’t get caught or be seen.
 
 Then he call the waiter as he came and order a hamburger pizza with 4 Pepsi. The waiter returned with the food a few minutes later and they began to eat.
 
Alex II: We must stop this agency and this corruption at all costs that is our mission.
 
Fernando: They are a government agency, Alex. A government on the edge of civil war. That is not bad enough, but that they are willing to use young girls to do their dirty work for them is whats disturbing me. I know what those girls are going through, having been there but through my own choosing. These girls do it because its forced upon them. I don't think we can Get Bink back even if they gave her to us. Look, view this file that I have pulled from their servers... until I say so, no one makes a move.
 
Alex II: That's why they must be stopped.
 
Fernando: I'm only here to rescue 1 child. Not turn over a corrupted government into civil war.
 
Alex II: That's not your decision. Until then, we are piggy backing our mission on yours.
 
Fernando: Eh. I scratch your back and you'll scratch mine.
 
Alex II: You got it.
 
Fernando: Then don't make a move until I make mine.
 
Alex II: That's why we're waiting for you.
 
Fernando: Then wait...
 
 Fernando starts to walk out of the hotel to the fountains and statue of Pegasus and Apollo that in front of the hotel. Standing by the edge, he lets the water fall cascade fill his ears as the rest of Milan goes by with time.  
 
 Seconds becomes minutes, minutes into hours. Fernando continues to stay by the fountain, listening to the water fall. His cane in front of him with one hand over the other by the top of its handle and the thumb of his right hand over the thong of the cane. A considerable amount of time had passed by when he hears a voice to the left of him.
 
Voice of young girl: Excuse me mister...
 
 Fernando pays better attention, finding a few around him, all the girls that were at the restaurant, except for Bink.
 
Fernando: Yes?
 
Young girl: How do you know Bink?
 
Fernando: I'm a friend of the family.
 
Young girl: Are they really here for her?
 
Fernando: Just her grown up sister and I.
 
Young girl: Only two of you?
 
Fernando: I'm not part of her family, just a friend that wants to help.
 
Another young girl: How can you, you're blind.
 
 Fernando slowly turns to face them.
 
Fernando: Just because I may be blind, but I can still see.
 
A third girl speaks: We are her family...
 
Fernando interrupts her: You're not her family, just her friends. You can still be her friend, I'm not stopping that.
 
Second girl: How can we trust you?
 
Fernando: You don't. You don't know who I am. You don't know what I do. But in the least, I am a man of my word.
 
Second girl: You're right, we don't know you.
 
Fernando: I do know about the guns in your violin cases.
 
First Girl: What guns?
 
Fernando: Just because I cannot see, does not mean that I don't know. There is ways for me to learn.
 
Second Girl: You are not going to try anything stupid, like try to take her away.
 
Fernando: Only if I have too. Not that I would want too.
 
Third Girl: You better not.
 
Second Girl: We take care of our own.
 
Fourth Girl: Lets go, we're wasting our time here.
 
First Girl: I don't think we are wasting our time.
 
Fernando: Listen to yourselves. Even if we have to fight to get Bink back, I will promise not to hurt any of you...
 
Third Girl: Now I know you're lying. Lets go home, girls.
 
 They started to leave, except for the first girl.
 
Fernando: Why haven't you left.
 
First Girl: Even though you promise that you won't hurt us if we have to fight for Bink, we can not make that promise to you.
 
Fernando: I'm not worried about that. All I care about is getting Bink to her sister. I keep every promise I make.
 
First Girl: You must really care about Bink to go through all this trouble for her.
 
Fernando: Now you see my problem?
 
 The girl starts to walk away slowly, then runs to her friends.
 
Another voice speaks from his left: You're willing to go through all that to help others but do nothing to understand a friend.
 
Fernando: You got that right, Jeanette.
 
Jeanette: I'll see you at dinner time, wherever everyone decides to eat.
 
 Jeanette starts to walk away. Fernando takes out his cellphone and makes a call on it. The phone rings on the other end, twice like before- no one replies.
 
Fernando: Change of orders, observe the red-haired munk.
 
Voice on other end: Repeat?
 
Fernando: Observer the red-haired munk, do not detain.
 
Voice on the other end: Will do.
 
 The phone is hung up on their end. Fernando turns around to face the fountain again.  
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
 
 Standing on the flight deck of the USS Enterprise, Ranger Ready stares out across the waters at the sparkling, electrically lit city beyond. Beneath the brim of this hat, an ear-bud buzzes gently, indicating an incoming message.
 
Ranger Ready: This is the captain. Go ahead.
 
Montego: Proceeding as ordered, sir. None of the locals seem to suspect that we're not exactly what we appear to be...tourists showing off our prized antique aircraft.
 
Ranger Ready: Good. That means that your cover's intact, so far.
 
Montego: So far...
 
 The captain's eyes narrow.
 
Ranger Ready: Is there a problem, Lieutenant?
 
Montego: Not as of yet, Captain. We have seen a few...suspicious looking characters, scoping us out. They haven't made any moves, and I don't think they suspect us. But I sure suspect them.
 
Ranger Ready: Hmm. Opinions?
 
Montego: I'd recommend observation within the city, sir. If we're going to keep tabs on this mission, we can't afford to be without accurate intel.
 
Ranger Ready: Agreed...
 
 Ranger Ready ponders for a moment, thinking over his options.
 
Ranger Ready: Keep to your cover. Don't make a move until you hear from me.
 
Montego: Aye, sir. But what'll you be doing?
 
Ranger Ready: What d'you think? Gathering intel!
 
 Closing the connection, RR hurries below-decks, passing crew members left and right at a run. His steps take him invariably to the VIP cabin, where he raps sharply on the door. After a few moments, an irate female voice answers from within.
 
Wild Irish Rose: All right, all right! For pity's sake, can't a girl wash her hair in peace?
 
  The cabin door flies open, and W.I. Rose steps out, a towel wound around her head. Turning slightly crimson, she peeks down the corridor.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Sorry. I thought it was that steward guy, seeing if I 'needed anything' again.
 
Ranger Ready: What's the problem? I told them to dote on you, remember?
 
Wild Irish Rose: Weeellll...all right. As long as they stop popping in here every five minutes!
 
Readjusting the towel, she looks up curiously.
 
Wild Irish Rose:: What was it, anyway? Some news?
 
Ranger Ready: No...but we might just make some. Go and raid your wardrobe, and dig out an evening dress...maybe that blue one, that looks so good on you. We're going on a bit of a stealthy observation.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Oh! Does that mean we'll be seeing the dashing captain in a suit and tie?
 
RR grumbles slightly, pulling his hat down over his eyes.
 
Ranger Ready: We'll see.
 
 The Steward heard most of the conversation as he past the door to Wild Irish Rose's room. He headed down the corridor to a place where he could make a private call to relay some information.
-----------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
 
 Hondo had been expecting trouble so, as was his custom, he kept an ace up his sleeve. That ace consisted of around 25 ruffians from local bars that would fight for a nickel. He had borrowed some money from the mission budget an' dropped in on a few of the ruffian leaders to make them a deal.
 
  Even though everyone had decided to try a local Italian restaurant, Hondo had told them he would be late. Hondo had decided, when in Rome do as the Romans. He 'borrowed a suit from the wait staff at the hotel an' forged a new scheduled to make sure he would be stationed at the door to take hats an' coats. He had heard of Captain Ranger Charles Ready an' intelligence officer Wild Irish Rose's recon idea, through an informant on Captain Ready's ship, an informant who only informed Hondo, and he decided to help out. Hondo dyed his hair black and put in some eye color changing contacts and darkened his skin with some make-up.
 
Hondo mumbled to himself: I hate using this stuff, but it is for a good cause
 
 Later in the evening, a well dressed couple strides over the docks, leaving behind a well disguised motor launch at a discreet pier. Looking resplendent in a pale blue gown, Rose pulls a white shawl closer around her shoulders, as she leans on Ranger Ready's arm. The tuxedoed captain nods in greeting to passers by, while keeping his eyes well focused on the shadows.  
 
  The walk to the snazzy hotel that Fernando arranged for the team is uneventful, but Ranger Ready knew that the passages to and from the establishment will be well watched, so he hides his usual demeanor behind that of a suitor and his lady, playing the tourists. At the entrance, Rose whistles softly.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Wow. Nice digs.
 
Ranger Ready: No kidding. When Fernando does something, he does it with class. Have you got that...insurance, that I gave you?
 
 Slipping a hand into her clasp purse, Rose runs her fingers gently over the curves of the small, nickel-plated Derringer that lies within.
 
Wild Irish Rose:Right where I need it.
 
 Approaching the entrance to the hotel's downstairs restaurant, Ranger Ready reaches into his inside pocket, subconsciously checking the old Colt .45 that rests at his vest, as he draws out a reservation slip. He hopes that the armory officer remembered to load the rubber bullets he asked for.  
 
 As RR an' Rosie entered they did not recognize Hondo. Of course he did not say much but just nodded. He knew if he said too many Italian words or English words his fake accent would break down. As he took Captain Ready's hat he managed to drop a small mic onto W. I. Rose's shawl an' it discreetly stuck there.
 
 Presenting the slip to the maitre'd's inquiring glance, he inquires after their table.
 
Ranger Ready: Captain and Mrs. R. Huntley, Glasgow Cruise-lines.
 
Maitre'd: Ah yes, senor! Right this way, your table is waiting.
 
 On the way, Rose nudges him, chuckling.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Captain and Mrs?
 
Ranger Ready: Don't look at me. It'd appear a trifle strange any other way!
 
 The pair are seated at a corner table, as Ranger Ready had requested, and are left alone with their menus...and with the crowd.  
 
 Hondo watched as they sat down. after they after they had been seated Hondo moved closer to get a view of their faces. From the ear-bud he had in he could hear all they said.
 
 Peering over the parchment folder, Ranger Ready makes a knowing sound.
 
Ranger Ready: I thought so.
 
Wild Irish Rose: What?
 
Ranger Ready: Look over there.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Who am I supposed to be looking at?
 
Ranger Ready: The vole by the door. That's Enrico Carreras...assassin, spy, and all around destruction for hire. He and I have crossed swords before...and if he's here, then there's others of his ilk lurking about, too. Which tells me only one thing about our friends' mission.
 
Wild Irish Rose: What's that?
 
Ranger Ready: It's not a secret. At least, not to someone. And knowing Carreras' kind...I don't think it's somebody Fernando planned on.
 
Wild Irish Rose: That still doesn't tell us why every agency on the face of the planet seems interested in this mission!
 
Ranger Ready: No...but it gets us closer.
 
 Hondo saw who he was talking about an' made a move to get behind him.
 
 When Hondo got in place behind this vole he pressed a button in his pocket. the vole showed no notice of his presence. All of a sudden a rabble, that appeared drunken, came through the front door, Hondo's ace.
 
 They were loud an' itching for a fight. They pushed past the replacement door greeter, past the host an' entered the main dining area. a few good men in the Hotel Restaurant tried to stop them, an' that was what Hondo had planned. A fight broke out. Chaos reigned. The fight drew the patrons attention, an' the wait staff tried to call the police, but the phones were out.  
 
 Later a unconscious guard would claim a masked stranger, wearing gloves, installed a device that remotely cut the phone connection.
 
 Everyone was shocked when the ruffians came into the dining room of the hotel, none were more shocked than W.I. Rose and Ranger Ready.
 
Both stand,
 
 Wild Irish Rose exclaimed: What the...?!
 
 RR pushes her behind him and stays out of the conflict.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Charlie, shouldn't we do something?
 
Ranger Ready: No, more we act like startled tourists, the better. We need to attract as little attention as possible
 
 While everyone was watching this deplorable display of violence, Hondo came up behind the vole and stabbed him with a Thorazine pen, which promptly knocked him out. he then removed him through the now empty, because of the fight, employee area and up an elevator to his room.
 
 Something catches W.I. Rose's eye and she nudges Ranger Ready on the shoulder
 
Wild Irish Rose: Charlie! Look!
 
 They both look just in time to see Carreras being dragged through the door to the employees area....by the man at the door!  
 
 Ranger Ready watches the scene play out impassively, his hand resting unobtrusively near his vest. Something about this entire encounter smells...and it's not the bleu cheese dressing on the salads.
 
 Hondo, who was draggin' the vole, looked for the clearest escape route.  He ended up removing the vole through the now empty, because of the fight, employee area an' up an elevator to his room.
 
Ranger Ready: Rosie...that fellow at the door...
 
Wild Irish Rose: Which one?
 
Ranger Ready: The one that took down Carreras. Did you recognize him?
 
 The blond mouse-maid looks doubtful.
 
Wild Irish Rose: He was familiar, sure...but recognize...?
 
 Understanding begins to dawn on Ranger Ready slowly, and he buttons his tuxedo's jacket, picking up a fork and digging back into his salad.
 
Ranger Ready: I'm not sure I recognized the guy implementing this hullabaloo...but I sure recognize the methodology. Hondo's around here, somewhere.
 
Wild Irish Rose: D'you think he knows we're here?
 
Ranger Ready: Oh, I'd say it's a pretty good guess. I wouldn't doubt that Fernando knows too, at this point. But for the time being, I'd rather keep as many other people in the dark as possible!
 
 A thoughtful expression passes over Rose's features.
 
Wild Irish Rose: What about Gadget?
 
Ranger Ready: What about her?"
 
Wild Irish Rose: If you dropped her a line, maybe she'd be able to help, in a pinch. She knows what's going on, on Fernando's end. We might be able to respond quicker if she knew where we were, and how to get to us.
 
 Ranger Ready mulls over the suggestion, nodding in approval.
 
Ranger Ready: Basic strategy 101. Nicely done, cute stuff!
 
 Chuckling at her apparent blush, the captain begins running possibilities in his head. If Gadget were to be contacted, in order to bring the two forces into coordination...how could it be done? Without tipping everyone's hand, of course.
 
Ranger Ready: The chip!
 
Wild Irish Rose: What about him?
 
Ranger Ready: No, no, not Chip, Rosie. The chip! The one in Gadget's head!
 
Wild Irish Rose: I thought they deactivated it.
 
Ranger Ready: They did, and as far as I know, it's been deprogrammed. But it's still a link into her brain. If I can dig the auto response frequency out of her file at the Cafe, I might be able to send her a message via it's on board transponder!
 
 Tossing down several large denomination bills onto the table, to cover the check and a generous tip, he offers her his arm, and the two depart the ground level restaurant quietly, on a course back to the ship. RR has seen much, this night, and knows that preparation is in order.
 
 Meanwhile, Hondo tied the vole up securely an' stuck him in the closet. He pushed another button, on his remote, that signaled the ruffians retreat, and the end of their paid job, for now. they scattered before the police arrived. Hondo and his captive were not seen by eye or camera as the fight held all eyes and Hondo had set a camera shut down on his laptop to mask their movement.
 
 Hondo left over the roof tops and made it to the Italian restaurant in time to eat his food that he had asked Gadget to pre-order for him. He did not tell the group what was done, as spies were still a threat.
 
 He did leave Fernando a note in a space only he would notice one. He had sent him a warning note earlier in the day as to his plans, but the messenger was shot and the note unread. He told Fernando, in the new note, to meet him in his room. He had a gift. he also said in the note,"If possible, come by way of the balcony. I'll be on the roof watchin' for your arrival."
 
 Hondo thought (as he ate his jalapeno extra cheese spaghetti): Well, I hope he doesn't blow up about having a prisoner. I hope either Captain Ready or Captain S.W. Eddie can keep him in their brig until we have to release him, until then maybe he will spill his guts.  
 
Hondo (thinkin'): I'll probably be wrong no matter what, but at lease I did wrong in style!
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
 
 That late evening, Bink and Jose were walking together in a deserted park. Jose walked ahead of Bink. From a distance Anne, the red-haired mouse from the restaurant, fires a tranquilizer sniper rifle at Bink. Before being hit by the single shot, Bink hears the sound and draws her P239. In the few seconds she remains conscious, she tries to determine the direction of the shooter. The P239 falls out of Bink's as she lands on the ground. With precision timing, a van pulls up. Starting from within the van, masked rodents take out Jose. With Jose's lifeless body now on the ground, the rodents from the van retrieve Bink who will remain unconscious for the next few hours.  
 
 The van drives off. Bink's P239 remains on the ground, close to Jose's body.
 
On her two-way, Anne calls out
 
Anne: The RF has Bink.
 
Franko: Copy.
 
Anne: Do you have satellite feed?
 
Franko: Affirmative. Coming in clear.
 
Anne: Anyone else tracking them?
 
Franko: Negative.
 
Anne: Roger.
 
 In a villa located in the mountains, the sedated Bink is brought into a secured room awaiting for her.  
----------------------------
----------------------------
 
 Fernando gives the note to DOS and has her read it for him and to give a basic summary with as few words as possible. Though his eyesight is 40% restored, he cant see minute details and is still relying on his other (enhanced) senses to make up for the loss.
 
 DOS whispers to Fernando what the notes says.
 
Fernando whispers to DOS: I'll deal with it after dinner. Tell Jeanette after I leave.
 
DOS: Anything else?
 
Fernando: Finish dinner. I'll say what I have to say during dessert.
 
 DOS nods at Fernando.
 
 With dinner's main course done, the waiters come over to with the dessert trays, everyone picking up something they like. Fernando takes a dark chocolate moose covered cheesecake.
As the waiters leave, Fernando call to the attention of the group. Once he has their attention, he speaks.
 
Fernando: Look people. Everyone has been handed an extra set of guns and ammo. These are your primary weapons, do not use your own guns unless it is necessary to use deadly force.
 
Chip: I don't understand why we need weapons in the first place.
 
Fernando: Chip, I bet you're one of those idiots that would go to a gun fight with a mouth full of words...
 
Chip: Non-Violence is the way to go.
 
Fernando: Don't give me that pacifist bull. Everyone who went that route was killed by the very means they tried to avoid. If anything they have taught me is self-preservation is number one! Self defense is close behind as number two. So if you want to end up like Ghandi, Christ, or M.L. King Jr. - then shut up!
 
 Chip just stares at Fernando as if he was certifiable. In fact, most were, in silence.
 
Fernando: Now, if you all been reading your Palm updates, you will know that this nation we are in on a verge of civil war. Government corruption is at its all time worse. Crime is organized and rampant. In short, the people here just do not care! And since they dont care, some have taken extraordinary measures to insure success at any cost. That cost includes the lives of others. That includes our lives are worthless to them.
 
 Everyone stare in awe and disbelief.
 
Fernando: I see that everyone has been reading my updates. Sheesh, I swear. Look. All our lives are at stake, some of you take it seriously, the rest of you are not. We all understand that we are to rescue Bink. The problem is the group that has her has conditioned her to not want to come back. Worst yet, they turned her into a killing machine. Now, if we can capture Bink for the rescue, and bring her back to the Cafe, what prevents her for killing us when we least expect it? She needs to be de-programmed, and that is a minor concern I have.
 
Chip: We can deal with that when we get there.
 
Fernando: Just like you dealt with Gadget? Lets get real. If we are going to rescue Bink, we are going to neutralize those dealing with her in a non-lethal way. Deadly force is used as a last option, use only as necessary. In short, I do not want this rescue to be a cause for a country to use as an excuse for their private little war.
 
Gadget: You expect this to happen? I mean, because we rescue Bink, for civil war to break out?
 
Fernando: Bink and several others is being used by the government to stop terrorists from starting this war. Terrorists are looking for a way to stop the government. So if Bink disappears, the government is going to think the terrorists did it, and escalate their anti-terrorist activities. The terrorists will take their actions further. To be honest, I don't care about government policies or terrorist activities. As far as all are concerned, we are terrorists because we are going to go after one of their own. This is why I want minimal damage. This is why we are going with the tranq guns I built.
 
 Everyone remains silent to allow for what was said to sink in.
 
Dale: I think we all get the point.
 
Monty: Just as long as we kick some major tail...
 
Gadget: Monty...
 
Fernando: There are two draw backs with this: 1) the Thorazine takes 5 seconds to kick in, so timing is everything.
 
Chip: Whats the second?
 
Fernando: I was about to get to it... 2) Its can only be used at close range. 50ft at most.
 
Chip: I see.
 
Fernando: We will have 1 last day of intel collecting. Then we will attempt a rescue tomorrow night.
 
Chip (as well as a few others): Tomorrow night?!!
 
Fernando: We need to do this quickly, and effectively as possible.
 
Gadget: That's not enough time to prepare!
 
Fernando: We'll have 2 more meal meetings, then we strike.
 
Chip: That is not enough time!
 
Fernando: If you were reading the palm updates, you would know...
 
Arik: I agree with them, its not enough time.
 
Fernando: We don't have time anymore.
 
Chip: Why not?
 
Fernando: They are here, in this hotel as far as I can tell. Furthermore, everybody and their mommas have been observing us ever since we walked off the planes.
 
Monty: Why are we being observed?
 
Chip: By who would be a better question to ask.
 
Fernando: Think about it Chip. A nation on the verge of civil war. A group in their fanciest hotels. Unlimited budgets. Open held meetings. Not that any of would matter, but since everyone is walking on glass here, everything that happens is under scrutiny. To them, we could be a funding source for their war in the way of investors, or as hostages. A source of information... like it or not, we are targets. And we're being targeted by anyone and everyone who has some form of power... so if you don't mind, I would like to get this done and be out of this place as soon as possible! No better time than tomorrow.
Most disagree. But somebody speaks upon his behalf.
 
Jeanette: Fernando's right. We need to get this done without wasting any more time.
 
DOS: We have all the necessary information.
 
Chip: Then explain how are we to rescue Bink?
 
Fernando: I'll do that tomorrow. Right now I have to go.
 
 Fernando gets up and walks away to the rest of the group. He makes way to Hondo's room and waits by the balcony. After several minutes, Hondo shows up.
 
Hondo: I have something to show you.
 
Fernando (following Hondo back into the room): And what would that be?
 
Hondo: This.
 
 Hondo opens his closet, showing a tied up body inside, barely conscious. Fernando was not impressed.
 
Fernando: Who is he?
 
Hondo: That's Enrico Carreras, a spy, assassin, all around scum...
 
Fernando: Why is he here?
 
Hondo: He got too close for comfort.
 
Fernando: Hmmm.... OK. Now that you have him, what are you going to do with him?
 
Hondo: I thought you would approve.
 
Fernando: Look, I would otherwise. But not this time. Consider that you're swimming in pool full of sharks. Take down one shark, and the others might go into a feeding frenzy with you in the pool with them. The only way to save yourself before the feeding frenzy begins is to get rid of the shark you just got.
 
Hondo: I understand; I'll call the Navy to come pick him up.
 
Fernando (as he closes the closet door): Just do it without stirring up much attention.
 
Hondo (as Fernando starts to walk out the room): Will do.
 
Fernando (as he stops by the door): Good work.
 
 Hondo nods back. Fernando then walks away. Eventually making his way to his room, and rests on the bed, covering his eyes with the pillow though still remaining dressed as he was for dinner, except for his shoes which were on the floor. His cane leans against the night stand by the bed.
 
 3AM; some 7 hours later.
 
 Fernando was not able to sleep; though sleep was not his intent. The White-Out of his retinas is reduced to 80%, things are still like in a thin fog, even in the darkness of night.
 
 He stretches on the bed, causing several joints to slip and pop loudly. Then he relaxes on for a moment before sitting up. He takes his shoes and walk to the window. Far into the distance, he can barely see the fountain in the distance, perhaps some 140 yards, and 85 feet below.
 
 Something did not feel right for some reason. Too quiet, perhaps. Sleep would be good. but the nerves crave for something more. He is not sure if Italy has their own flying squirrels, perhaps bats and a couple of nocturnal birds. So, putting on his glasses, he takes his cane and secure the items in his pocket before taking a running start, and a leap out the window.
 
 Within a few seconds he softly lands just a few feet from the fountain. He takes a couple of steps to the fountain, and puts the tip of the cane on the ground, where it meets with the fountain. He placed on hand over the other, on top of the cane, with the thong of the cane over his thumb.
 
 The cascading water fall of the fountain fills his ears. His only thoughts other than the mission or those involved is that he would be rather peeved if somebody takes a sniper shot to his head, than to his back where layers of bulletproofing that protects him.
Nonetheless, he continues to stand there.  
 
 Fernando's thoughts go back to just a few days ago, right before the the start of the mission, the meeting with the other suits as he checked out the 737BBJ.
 

...Fernando: They can kill me, but I'll will kill you as they kill me. No one threatens my daughter- Not you, not god. And now that you have, you are going to pay for that stupid comment.
Squirrel Suit: And for yours, you just made this mission a one way trip, at least for you.
Fernando: We'll see about that.
 
 
 Fernando begins to wonder how much of this is personal and how much of this is just agency greed. Or even just a hollow threat made? Governmentally speaking, child assassins makes the best warriors for short term projects, but things goes unstable in the long term. The CIA would love to get their headshrinkers on Bink and the others to pick apart and reconstruct onto others.  
 
----------------------------------
 
  After Fernando left the room, Hondo dressed as a hotel bag boy an' loaded the vole into a large trunk. He then wheeled said trunk out of the hotel. No one noticed him as big luggage was often moved to an' from the hotel. Hondo delivered the trunk to his hired ruffians, who he had called in for further assistance. He arranged a meeting between the ruffians an' a contact from RR's ship. They gave them the trunk which was then transported to the ship and its contents emptied into the brig.
 
  After Hondo dropped off the trunk to the ruffians he hauled luggage for a few tourists, as not to raise suspicion, then retired to his room. Hondo sat in the shadows on the balcony to keep watch.  
 
  Later in the night he saw Fernando fly down to the fountain. He knew Fernando just needed to think so Hondo kept watch to make sure of the commanders safety.
 
Hondo (thinkin'): Well, another day will dawn soon. What have we gotten into?
 
 With that in mind Hondo assents to the roof, being careful not to skyline himself an' does one of his nightly patrols.  
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hondo gets to an unused janitorial closet, where he hid his wait staff uniform, and changes into those clothes. He then pulled out an envelope. On the envelope Hondo wrote, From your dear friend Odnanref, (Fernando backwards) He put the note, that they had received earlier, inside the envelope, stuck it in some  flowers that he borrowed from a hallway vase an' exited the closet without being seen. Hondo then delivered the flowers to Alex II. Alex did not Recognize him, but took the flowers inside, immediately noticing the note.
 
  Hondo left and swung through the Hotel kitchen, still in his disguise, and 'borrowed' some real vanilla extract and a large pot of coffee. He then retrieved his clothes from the closet and returned to his room. He put on the black clothes, he had laid out earlier, put on his guns, strapped the dart gun to his back, under his duster coat, added a couple guns to his collection, safely stowed everythin' else, an climbed out onto the roof to a hiding spot to sleep an wait for the night meeting. He laid the coffee and Vanilla extract close, as a wake up drink, and drifted off to sleep.  
----------------------------
 
 Chip and the gang arrived at the airport in bad moods.
 
Chip: I don't see why are we being sent back.
 
Gadget: Look Chip, I also don't like it, but Fernando thinks it's too dangerous for us to stay here.
 
Chip: But apparently not for Tammy.
 
Sinclair met them at the door.
 
Sinclair: Gadget, DOS, Zipper, Chip...
 
Chip: I'm staying!
 
Sinclair: Chip!
 
Chip: What?!
 
Sinclair: Look, you might not like it but this is a military operation. I have strict orders to take you and the others to a safe place. Period. This is too dangerous for any of you. I've been assaulted today by a fake taxi driver. If you want proof, check the luggage locker, third row on the right.
 
Gadget turned around: Hey where's Monty?
 
 An answer was heard right below them.
 
Monty: Oi'm no goin' on no blimey plane!"
 
Sinclair grumbled: Great another one... I don't have time for this.
 
 He took out a gun and tranquilized the Aussie before he even knew what was going on.
 
Sinclair: Now, all of you get inside.
 
 Sinclair took Monty on his back and carried him into the plane, with Dale closing the door behind them. He then walked to the cockpit and begun preparations for takeoff.
 
Sinclair: Flight 386 to tower. Requesting permission for takeoff.
 
 There was a long moment of static. The answer came in just as DOS was taking her seat.
 
Tower: Negative flight 386. All runways busy. Delay 30 minutes.
 
Sinclair answered: Roger that tower.
 
 Charles Sinclair then turned off the radio.
 
Sinclair: Busy runway. Bull. The runway is empty and there is no flight scheduled for the next two minutes.
 
DOS: Why would they lie?
 
Sinclair: To buy time. Now they know who we are and knew also which plane we're using since you arrived here. They've probably called for an anti-terrorist team or something.
 
DOS: So what do we do?
 
Sinclair: What do you expect? We take off.
 
 Sinclair increased the throttle, unlocked the brakes and started taxing toward a runway, ignoring angry and frightened calls on the radio.
 
 He chose the one closest to him from which a 737 just took off. There was a good reason to believe that the activity will cease for some time there.
 
 He aligned the plane, extended flaps, put on the brakes and increased the throttle to maximum. The whole jet started shaking, eager to lift of the ground.
 
Charles took the internal line' mic.
 
Sinclair: This is your captain speaking. Please make sure your seat belts are in place and relax. We're in for a little fun!
 
 He released the brakes and, slightly tapping the left pedal, carefully watched the velocity.
 
Sinclair: Hold on to your fur!"
 
 When the plane reached 250kts he pulled on the yoke, at first lightly, just to loose contact with the ground, then suddenly very sharply, going into a 75deg climb.  
----------------------------------
 
 Hondo did not sleep long, his system had always had a high tolerance to meds an' he had a lot of caffeine in his system. He slept lightly until about 4:00, then woke up, being very groggy still, and started drinking his 'wake-up' drink.
 
Hondo (thinkin'): If cold coffee an' vanilla extract won't wake ya, nothin' will.
 
 After a little bit he pulled out a couple items he had stashed up here, a bowie knife( that he wore upside down under the back of his vest), a throwing knife( that he wore up his sleeve) his royal flush throwing cards( that he had a special holder for inside the left part of his vest) a boot knife, an' a derringer strapped inside his hat. After he pulled these items out an' put them in place, he hunkered down and waited.
 
Hondo (thinkin'): I still hate waitin'.  
----------------------------------
 
 Alex II Was Reading the note then talking to Razale in thought talk
 
Alex II: Razale Fernando say that the other girls made contact with Him, Hondo, and Tammy. This must mean RF is involved with this.
 
Razale: Man this is not good. We should head to Fernando location. I can pull the coordinates from Aisapi's GPS. It will be on you Navigation systems in two minutes.
 
Alex II: Right
 
Razale: Codey Mouse is on Rote heading towards Fernando location I already told him Keep out of sight
 
Alex II: Ok and I am on my way *Driving on A-51 To Fernando Place*
 
Razale: Batoza, Kazaupa, Tosaga and Sastoba have it on there cars too and they will meet you at Fernando's hideout.  
 
Alex II: Right
 
 Alex II races his car to speeds of about 90 Kph as he heads towards Fernando hideout. As soon as he arrives he calls Fernando as he knows he probably has a security system setup.
 
 
 Fernando wakes up at the ringing of the phone, and manages to answer it within the 3rd ring without wrecking the room, waking up Tammy, or dropping his gun.
 
Fernando: hello?
 
Alex II: We're outside.
 
Fernando: Who's we?
 
Alex II: Me, Batoza, Kazaupa, Tosaga and Sastoba are outside. We can't get in until you turn off Aisapi's anti-theft system.
 
Fernando: Alright, alright. Let me know when the headlights flash twice.
 
 Fernando presses on the button on the box on his key chain.
 
Alex II: THERE! It Flashed twice.
 
Fernando: OK, walk to the door and wait for me to open it.
 
Alex II: OK, see you.
 
 Fernando hangs up the phone, and then shakes the sleep off him. He finds his cane and makes his way down stairs to the main doorway. Holding his gun behind him, he slowly opens the door, finding Alex II and the others there.
 
Fernando: Come in, but don't make too much noise. Tammy is still asleep upstairs.
 
 Of the group, Alex II walks in all the way with Fernando. Two stay outside and to stay inside by the door, all to guard the door.
 
Alex II: So, tell me what happened during brunch?
 
Fernando: Whats to say? The RF tried to slip us a mickey and kidnap our sleeping butts into their hide outs. We managed to get away.
 
Alex II: What about the thing with the gun-girls?
 
Fernando: I don't see them as a problem. I do with the SWA though. And if the girls are second thinking as to why they are fighting a rescue, then better. Its their handlers I worry about. If they see their girls hesitating, then they will act in their place. I see no option here but try to rescue them all.
 
Alex II: Rescue who, them all, you mean the girls? Its a huge organization!
 
Fernando: If anything, rescue these 4 other little ones. Believe me, being a programmed child killer is not an easy thing.
 
Alex II: Been there?
 
Fernando: No comment.
 
Alex II: But everyone has a past, right?
 
Fernando: Look. I think I got to the girls so they are on my side, or at least hesitate for that one second before blowing my head off. Its the handlers I worry about. But if I can rescue that little group, then so be it. May the SWA and RF fight with each other all they want, but they are not going to use little girls as their soldiers.
 
Alex II: And if Italy goes into Civil War because of this?
 
Fernando: I don't care, despite it all when one works for god and country, but when country forces you to do the wrong things, the line has to be draw and all efforts made to stop it.
 
Alex II: You are a lose canon.
 
Fernando: I only care for doing what is right, not what some desk jockey tells me.
 
Alex II: Give me a good reason why I should not stop this rescue mission?
 
Fernando: Its the right thing to do, Alex.
 
Alex II: Rescuing just Bink, or all the others?
 
Fernando: Bink First. Then who ever wants, the rest of the girls. With Hondo's accidental tampering of the hotel security systems, Rachel's got video feeds of all the halls and room, and I found which rooms the girls and their handlers are in.
 
Alex II: Who's Rachel? She's not on any list...
 
Fernando: She's my laptop.
 
Alex II: Oh...sorry.
 
Fernando: I'll email the info tonight. you get a few 'plumbers' and fill the sprinklers with sleeping gas. I'll get the girls when they are out cold. The Handlers can go rot in hell as far as I'm concerned.
 
Alex II: And we can take the girls from there.
 
Fernando: No you're not!
 
Alex II: Why not?
 
Fernando: No way I'm going to let the CIA or any other agency have those girls! They need to heal and be kids again. They need to regain their lives. Its going to be hard with Bink, but I'm sure that together as a group, it will be easier on them.
 
Alex II: Can I ask why?
 
Fernando: Those girls had enough killing in their lives. Its best to take them out of it. You're read Dr. Spock's report on brainwashed children and what kind of lives they have. Its time to end it.
 
 Alex II takes a sigh.
 
Alex II: OK, We'll be there for Bink's rescue, but you're on your own in rescuing the others.
 
Fernando: I'll accept that.
 
Alex II: we cant waste time, money and operatives on selfish missions.
 
Fernando: Everything by the book, I see. OK. Just give me an extra 24 hours after rescuing Bink to get to the jet and I'll be there, with or without the girls.
 
Alex II: Deal.
 
 They both shake hands on this.
 
Fernando: Just one thing.
 
Alex II: What is it?
 
 Fernando reaches over and snatches the dark glasses off Alex II's face.
 
Fernando: I'm going to need these.
 
Alex II: HEY!
 
Fernando: Pull rank on the others. You know I have a sensitivity to light.
 
Alex II: Alright, keep them. But just one question?
 
Fernando: Shoot.
 
Alex II: Who shot that terrorist waiter in the head when you fought off the other two?
 
Fernando: The girl who was not there... you should know her- the bunny- Triela.
 
Alex II: And how do you know this?
 
Fernando: I don't. But being girl assassins, and her not being there, it only makes sense that it was her. If it were the handlers themselves, then I would have been shot and not the terrorist waiter.
 
Alex II: I see.
 
 Fernando walks into the kitchen and makes some extra strong coffee.
 
Fernando: Will that be all?
 
Alex II: I think that will be it. We'll keep in touch.
 
Fernando: I'll be at the fountain later tonight. Don't be there.
 
Alex II: I understand.
 
 Alex II walks with the others, and leaves. Soon the sound of car engines can be heard, and drive away. Above, Tammy wakes up from her bed, and slowly walks down the stairs, finding Fernando in the kitchen. She looks like Road Kill that has not died yet.
 
 Eventually she gets into the kitchen and sits by the serving island. There Fernando puts on some coffee and sandwiches. She reaches up to take a sandwich and eats it.
 
Fernando: Sorry if the bread's a bit stale. They don't rotate the food rations here as much as they should.
 
Tammy with her cheeks stuffed but still 1/2 sleepy: Its ok. I'm starved.
 
Fernando: Here, you'll need your strength back...
 
 Fernando pours a cup of coffee for Tammy. He then pour a glass for himself and sits to eat and drink as well.
 
Tammy: Hows you're eyes?
 
Fernando: Better, but still cant see perfectly, its like flying in a cloud...  doing 600 mph and you hope really hard that nothing's in front of you.
 
 Tammy had to stop from laughing hard.
 
Fernando: I'm serious. I can see some things, but its like standing in a thick fog. Better yet- like how TV depicts heaven... all cloudy and bright and you can only see things when they are close.
 
Tammy: How long before you can see again?
 
Fernando: I see with my other senses, but to have eyesight again, I figure in another 6 hours. 4 if I sleep.
 
Tammy: I see.
 
Fernando: Nothing to do for the next 2 hours before we go back to see Hondo. Care for some TV?
 
Tammy: Italian TV is too full of violence and sex... How about we just sit and talk?
 
Fernando: OK then... we talk.
 
 And that they did.  
------------------------------
------------------------------
 
Ranger Ready: On your feet, flyboys! Sound off! Scramble! Scramble!"
 
 Throughout the corridors and crawl-ways of the USS Enterprise, the cry from the bridge echoes like the knell of distant thunder. The great, blaring klaxons flare to life, filling the ship with a murky, blood-red light, as the alarms sound in every cabin and corner.
 
Ranger Ready: All hands, this is the captain! This is a general quarters alert. Man your battle-stations! I repeat, man your battle-stations. Red alert!
 
 From his chair at the center of the bridge, Ranger Ready watches the command crew rush about, issuing orders over the various department channels that operate the massive ship. In his heart, a glowing feeling of pride grows by the moment, as those that serve the famous ship prepare her for a meeting with destiny.
 
Wild Irish Rose: T-minus five hundred kilometers, stand by torpedoes!
 
 From the weapons station, Rose's voice rings out amid the clambering commotion, breaking through the electrical sensation of tension.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Torpedoes ready, all depth sensors and radar stations report alpha-one status!
 
 Staring at the blue-lit targeting screen, her eyes flicker slightly, searching the flashing grid for the first alert that might present itself.
 
Wild Irish Rose (whispering):Let them come,
 
 Ranger Ready turns in his chair, seeking out the communications officer.
 
Ranger Ready: Did Indy manage to find the frequency I asked for?
 
Wild Irish Rose: Aye, sir, it's running through the program, now. We should be ready to transmit.
 
Ranger Ready: Good...
 
Wild Irish Rose: Out of curiosity...what message should I send? Gadget tends to shock easily, you know.
 
 He considers for a moment, processing the options as best as the moment allows.
 
Ranger Ready: Simple message, Ensign...'Stand by...be ready...RR'.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Aye-aye, captain.
 
 Voices echo from the speakers.
 
Voice over Intercoms: Birds away...flight deck ready.
 
Ranger Ready: Good. We need a nice, easy landing atmosphere...those Learjets are bigger than what we're used to."
 
Ranger Ready relaxes, slightly. Perhaps...just perhaps...Enterprise will have a mission that will conclude quietly.
 
Voice over Intercoms: Gunners to stations! Incoming fighters!! Repeat, incoming fighters!! Lock targets, all gunners, lock targets!!
 
 With a cross expression, the captain of the Enterprise rises from the center seat, staring out the open portal before the bridge, eyes flashing.
 
Ranger Ready: So much for that! All gunners, aim for engines only. No purposeful kills! None at all, if you can help it.
 
 Silence reigns....the deep breath, before the plunge.
 
Ranger Ready: Fire at will!
-------------------------------
 
 Captains Eddie Dixon, Linda Hale, and Jim Dooley, of the USS Texas, USS San Jacinto and USS Mahan, respectively, were seated in a small outdoor Cafe in Toulon, France, enjoying their day in town. Together, the three captains formed most of the core command group for Battleship Strike Group-1. Eddie was the group's Surface Warfare Commander, Linda was the Air Warfare commander, and Dooley was the group's Undersea Warfare commander. But right now, those roles were far from their minds as they sipped at their beverages of choice.
 
Dooley: ..so anyway, these Greenpeace guys were trying to stop the Trident test,So they parked their dingy right on top of the sub, next to her periscope. They figured that with them in the way, the Navy wouldn't launch the missile. Well, the countdown continued anyway. And with about 30 seconds left to go on the clock, another periscope popped out of the water on the other side of the battle group, about 1,000 yards from where the protesters were. It looked around, dropped back under the water, and then, FWOOOOSH! The Trident shoots right out of the water, and lights up perfectly, and away she goes! Greenpeace had parked themselves over the wrong sub! They got the attack sub, not the boomer! Boy, were they mad!" the cougar laughed.
 
 The two foxes chuckled. Dooley had been entertaining them with funny stories all afternoon.  
Now it was Eddie's turn.
 
Jim: What about you, Dixon? You've been around enough, you oughta have some good ones!
 
S.W. Eddie: Well, about ten years ago, I was a navigation officer on the Enterprise. We had one of the catapults on the bow replaced and we had to test it. Well, the CAG, good ol' Tom Evans, had this old clunker of a Ford Falcon that he wanted to get rid of. So he figured he'd ditch the car and test the cat at the same time. Made a big show out of it, too! Half the ship was out there. Man, Evans fired that baby right off the end of the Big E! You should have seen her fly! And she made quite a splash when she landed, too!
 
 The threesome were still chuckling when the waiter came up.
 
Waiter: And 'ow are we doing here?
 
Linda: We're doing just fine, thank you.
 
Waiter: How is your drink, Mousier?
 
Dooley: I could use a top-off, thank you, sir!
 
 The waiter turned to Eddie.  
 
Waiter: Would Mousier Renard like another drink? One for the lady-friend, per'haps?
 
 Eddie choked on his water and spat it across the table, while Dooley roared with laughter. Linda giggled when Eddie blushed, which made Dooley guffaw even louder.
 
Waiter: Is there something ze matter?
 
S.W. Eddie: Ah-actually, she's a friend...a co-worker...a fellow captain...
 
Linda: Le non, lui et moi ne sont pas des amoureux. Collegues justes.
[[No, he and I are not lovers. Just colleagues.]]
 
Waiter: Ah! Parlez vous franˆßais ?
 
[[Ah! You speak French?]]
 
Linda smiled: Oui. Capitaine Dixon ici peut etre un officier naval experimente et capable, commandant un cuirasse, mais il sait peu des manieres de l'amour."
[[Captain Dixon here may be an experienced and capable naval officer, commanding a battleship, but he knows little of the ways of love.]]
 
 At this the waiter threw his head back and laughed long and hard. He was still laughing as he walked away.
 
S.W. Eddie: What'd you SAY to him?!
 
Linda: Oh, I simply explained to him that he was mistaken.
 
S.W. Eddie: Hmmph. Showoff.
 
 Dooley was still chuckling. Eddie looked over at the waiter. He was at the front counter, talking with other members of the wait staff and gesturing in the direction of the three officers. The wait staff laughed, and Eddie sank lower in his chair.
 
S.W. Eddie: Linda, one of these days I'm gonna find out what you said. And then I'm gonna get you for it.
 
 Linda smiled sweetly in reply and sipped at her drink. Dooley chuckled again.
 
Suddenly Linda jumped in her chair.  
 
Linda: I'm vibrating!  
 
 She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her cell phone, which was vibrating away.
 
Linda: I forgot I had it on silent! (answering the call) Captain Linda Hale speaking.
 
 Eddie's phone went off, too. So did Captain Dooley's.
 
S.W. Eddie: Dixon here.
 
 Officer of the Watch: Officer of the Watch reporting, sir. Command just sent us a packet that you need to see immediately. They also ordered us to terminate our port call and get underway as soon as possible."
 
Eddie muttered several choice expletives: Alright, I'll be right there.
 
 He put his phone away and turned to the other two captains.
 
Dooley: You've gotta go, to?
 
Linda: Yes.
 
S.W. Eddie: Yup.ASAP. Get the ships ready to move.
 
 Eddie pulled out a wad of cash and stuffed it under his glass.  
 
S.W. Eddie: Let's go!
 
 The waiter came running after them.
 
Waiter: Mousier! Your bill!
 
S.W. Eddie: There's money on the table! Keep the change!
 
 Eddie then took off down the street. Linda had already flagged down a cab, and the three captains piled in.
 
S.W. Eddie: Driver! Take us down to the docks! Fast!
 
 The driver made a gesture indicating he didn't understand.
 
S.W. Eddie: Linda! Use that wonderful French of yours, please!
 
Linda: Le conducteur, nous portent vers le bas au pilier de marine. Nos bateaux sont attachˆ©s lˆÝ. Et hˆ¢te si vous plait, nous devons obtenir de nouveau ˆÝ nos bateaux immˆ©diatement."
[[Driver, take us down to the Navy pier. Our boats are tied up there. And hurry please, we must get back to our ships immediately.]]
 
 The cab driver nodded and then proceeded to get the three captains down to the pier as quickly as he could. When they got there, Eddie handed him a $50 bill.
 
S.W. Eddie: That should cover it!
 
 Eddie then sprinted for Texas's launch.
 
S.W. Eddie: Sailor, get that launch started ASAP!
 
Sailor: Yes sir!
 
 Within minutes, the launch was underway and heading back to the huge battleship. Captain Dooley and Captain Hale were also on their way to their ships. Another fifteen minutes after that, and Captain Dixon was sprinting up the ladder that led to Texas's deck. After two more minutes, the fox was in the wheelhouse, heading back into the armored conning tower.
 
S.W. Eddie: Radio, I hear there's an urgent message for me,
 
 Eddie Huffed and Puffed as he spoke. All the running had taken a toll on him, and though he was in good shape, he was not as young as he used to be.
 
 The radioman saluted, handing Eddie an envelope.
 
Radioman: Sir, It just came in from the boys down in BBIC [Battleship Intelligence Center, center for intel processing in the BBBG]
 
 Eddie tore it open and pulled out the message contained within.
 
TO CO USS TEXAS BB71. SCSG-13 CV-6 ENTERPRISE REPORTS ENGAGING HOSTILE AIRCRAFT. OPERATIVES IN ITALY POSSIBLY COMPROMISED. SOME OPERATIVES EVACUATED TO CV-6. REPORT RECEIVED VIA CENTINTEL. NAVSOC DIRECTS BSG-1 BBBG 2TX38 TO STATION OFF GEONA FOR SUPPORT/RESCUE/ASSISTANCE OF OPERATIVES AND REINFORCEMENT OF SCSG-13. LANTFLEETCOM WILL SEND FURTHER ORDERS. CSG-7 WILL PROVIDE REINFORCEMENT AND AIR SUPPORT. BSG-1 WILL PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE TO SCSG-13 CV-6. PROCEED WITH ALL DUE SPEED AT WARCON 3.
 
Eddie nodded as he read the message. He stuffed it into his pocket and strode back out into the wheelhouse.  
 
S.W. Eddie: Officer of the Watch!
 
Officer of the Watch: Yes, sir?
 
S.W. Eddie: Initiate a recall of all the men ashore. Prepare the ship to weigh anchor and leave port immediately. Bring her to watertight condition Yoke.
 
 The OOW nodded, and set about giving orders to bring the ship ready to leave port.
 
S.W. Eddie: Blow the ship's horn to bring all hands back to the ship. Use the choppers if it'll get them back faster.
 
 The gigantic battleship's horn was sounded. It bellowed out with an earsplitting moan that could be heard for miles. All around the city of Toulon, sailors of the US Navy perked up when they heard the blasts. The citizens of the city watched in bewilderment as sailors dropped whatever they were doing and rushed out of shops, establishments, and restaurants.
 
 Soon enough, all were scurrying down to the Navy piers as fast as they could. They had all been briefed that this may happen. Every launch available from the battle-group went out to meet them and bring them back aboard. SH-60 Sea Hawks from the Texas, San Jacinto and the destroyers landed at the piers to pick up sailors. A prearranged coded signal-made up of letters from the international flag alphabet-was flown from the Texas's masts. The code informed the returning sailors that the ships were preparing to set sail and leave port, and would do so under wartime operating practices.
 
 Amazingly, it took less than an hour to get all of the crews back. The destroyer USS Mahan was the first to weigh anchor and get underway. She led the San Jacinto out, who was followed by Texas herself. The destroyers USS Roosevelt and USS Churchill flanked the battleship astern. As soon as the battle group was clear of the harbor and into open waters, they turned northeastward and pushed their engines ahead to flank speed. Straining her engines, Texas could make 31-32 knots. With her escorts barely able to keep up, she would reach her assigned station in a little over four and a half hours.  
----------------------------------
----------------------------------
 
 Hondo continued to watch an' wait. He had his laptop up with him, to keep an eye on the security cameras, but was not much interested in it. His mind wandered back to those poor kids, gun-slinger girls they were called.
 
Hondo (thinin'): What an awful thin' for a youngster. I'm a gun-slinger by choice (more like destiny), a lose canon out to help those in need, but these kids were forced into it, at such a young, critical time in life, too. I'm glad were helpin' Bink, but what of the others?
 
 Hondo pondered further, thinking about the success rate of an extraction of the others (not too good) who would be against them (many) and the fire power they would go up against (enormous), but only one answer could he reach in his mind.
 
 
Hondo (thinin'): We have to rescue them! If I've t'do it myself, without Fernando. I do believe though that he is thinkin' the same about those little gals, but ifin he thinks he is going to leave me out of it, he has another thing comin'!
 
 Hondo resolved to get all of them out or die tryin'.
 
 
Hondo (thought to himself): If they get away with this it will not stop. We must cut this at the source or it'll spread an' no place will be safe for any child in the future!
 
 As the sun starts to slide down the western sky Hondo get ready for the meeting. He sets up his laptop in remote user mode and sticks it out of the elements. With his weapons ready, Hondo starts a slow circling process. He know he will be looked for around the hotel.  
 
 Hondo, using the evening shadows to hide in, makes his way to a spot, well hidden, opposite of the Hotel and fountain. He then resumes the task of watching and waiting.  
---------------------------------
 
 (Fernando and Tammy finishes up their conversation, about a 1/2 hour before they leave to see Hondo)
 
Tammy: You've been blind that long? So tell me, if I can ask, what you find attractive in a woman? I mean, how do you find it in the first place...
 
Fernando: Well, I've been partial to red heads. With Green Eyes. I like green eyes. And Whiskers! Long Whiskers!
 
Tammy: Lets change the subject. You have not answered my question.
 
Fernando: Its not an easy question to answer. Looks have something to do with it. But so must her voice, and her scent. Most of all, her personality. She must like me as much as I like her. But all those things I can not describe, and are all different to every lady I ever gone out with.
 
Tammy: What about Aiesha's mom?
 
Fernando: Lets not talk about that. OK?
 
Tammy: Why not?
 
Fernando: What happened then was something that should not have, and her hiding the baby from me for 19 years, is something I would not have done to her.
 
Tammy: So tell me, what happened?
 
Fernando: I'd rather not. In fact, if I were you, I'd leave it alone.
 
Tammy: And if I don't?
 
Fernando: This mission is over.
 
 Tammy sits there and stares at him in shock and awe, not believing what she just heard.
 
Fernando: You ladies pride yourselves in having a couple of skeletons in your closet, we men have a couple of secrets we have to live with. I don't pull out your skeletons and dance with them, you don't with my past.
 
 After a while of gathering herself together, Tammy looks up at Fernando.
 
Tammy: I'm sorry. I did not mean to pry into your past.
 
Fernando: Just don't ever do it again.
 
Tammy: I promise I won't.
 
Fernando: Good.
 
Tammy: Just one question?
 
Fernando (sounding a bit annoyed): What is it?
 
Tammy: Were you ever married?
 
 Fernando gets up and fills the coffee cups with the last of the coffee in the pot, not wanting to answer that question.
 
Fernando: How old are you now?
 
Tammy: Just turned 20.
 
Fernando: have a boyfriend, a guy you go steady with?
 
Tammy: No, no one there.
 
Fernando: Well... Once a upon a time, I was married; we just turned 20, and it lasted for six months...
 
Tammy (interrupting him): You married too young.
 
Fernando: I did not finished. She died 6 months later, killed by a government operative, its a long story which I would not want to talk about. But unlike what you think or say, those were the happiest 6 months of my, make that our life. It would have lasted forever if given the chance. Look Tammy- marriage is for those who are ready for it, not for those who think that they can do so and try to work on it. Yes, you have to work on all relationships, but its a lot easier when you and your other self are ready to take on those challenges.
 
Tammy: Why you never remarried?
 
Fernando: For me to put that much trust into another person, would mean that I would have to lower my standards.
 
Tammy: Lower your standards?
 
Fernando: Trust. Faith. Hope. Understanding. Least of all Love. Its a heavy investment for me to give that much again to a person who does not exist.
 
Tammy: What if she does exist?
 
Fernando: Believe me, she does not.
 
Tammy: What if I were the one?
 
Fernando: Trust me, you're not the one.
 
Tammy: Yeah, you're too old for me.
 
Fernando: Love has no age, no face, no race... when you find that Mr. Right, and your heart goes to him, remember what you just told me.
 
Tammy: Why do you ask that?
 
Fernando: You'll understand when that day comes. Until then, you won't.
 
Tammy: I've been in love before...
 
Fernando (interrupting her): Little school girl crushes don't count. Believe me, when its for real, you will know.
 
 Tammy is unsure what to say, because for every statement, comment or question she throws at him, he sends it back.
 
Fernando: Its getting to be that time to go.
 
 Fernando gets up and puts his hand in his sports jacket pocket, finding the Phoenix hearing aide there. He slowly pulls it out and looks at it in his hand.
 
Tammy: Whats that?
 
Fernando: Its one of the girls' hearing aids. But it is and is not a hearing aid.
 
Tammy: Then what is it?
 
Fernando: Its a Phoenix Hearing aide with a FM receiver, used in schools by deaf students. They give the teacher the FM transmitter and the teacher is supposed to talk to into it for the student to hear it. But in this case, its being used for the girls to listen to orders at long range from their handlers.
 
Tammy: I see.
 
 Fernando continues to look at the hearing aid.
 
Tammy: Whats the problem?
 
Fernando: She gave me this for a reason. As dealing with most deaf kids when I taught, if you're not careful, you can easily loose them. Problem is, its too small for me to wear.
 
 Fernando then looks at Tammy.
 
Fernando: But not for you.
 
Tammy: I'm not wearing that thing.
 
Fernando: Trust me, OK?
 
Tammy: You've been saying that all day.
 
 Fernando hands the hearing aid to Tammy.
 
Fernando: Just put the hook over the back of your ear and loop it over the front. Then put the plug into the ear hole. Its uncomfortable, but you'll get used to it.
 
 Tammy looks at it. Then she puts it in her pocket. Fernando signals to her to give it back if she's not going to wear it. She complies and he puts it back into his pocket.
 
Fernando: Lets go.
 
 Fernando takes his keys and presses on button on the small box on his keys. They then walk to the car. Fernando gets into drivers side and signals to Tammy to get inside the passenger side; opposite as to where they were before.
 
Tammy: You can't drive, remember.
 
Fernando: I can with help from Aisapi.
 
Tammy: Oh, I forgot.
 
 Fernando turns on the car's ignition. After voice verification, Aisapi asks for directions and programmed driving mode. Fernando tells it, "AI Assisted Driver Controlled."
 
Fernando: Put your seat-belt on, girl.
 
 Before Tammy could reach over and put on the belt, Fernando whips the steering wheel around and floors the gas pedal, spinning the car full 180 degrees before hitting the streets, with gauges arching up to the vertical position. Tammy manages to put on her seat belt, and just in time as they entered the highway as Fernando downshifts the transmission from 4th to 3rd, letting the engine rev high and then slam it into 5th gear. The car lurches forward and the speedometer seemed to have skipped from 100kph (60mph) to 190kph (90mph), pinning Tammy to the back of her seat. Fernando looks like he been possessed by some demonic force, but it is just the way he drives when he can get away with it.
 
  The trip going to the hide out was about 45 minutes. Going back to the hotel took 15 minutes, as Fernando pushed the Jaguar past 240kph (140mph). Another 5 minutes was spent putting the car away in the garage.
 
 Fernando helps a very shaken Tammy out of the car, shaken because she remembered what he said... "its like flying in a cloud... you're doing 600 mph and you hope really hard that nothing's in front of you." , and realizing that he could not see 3ft beyond the front of the car, yet managed to drive it in the maniacal way that he did.
 
 Tammy takes a few seconds to recompose herself before they continued onward to the fountain.  
 
 Though early, Fernando and Tammy made it to the fountain in front of the hotel; established meeting place with Hondo. But yet Hondo was not there to be found. Fernando figure that he has to be nearby, eying the place.
 
 The city seemed a bit more active than usual: more police and ambulance sirens, people more of a rush to get where they are going, businesses closing earlier than on previous days. If Fernando did not know better he could have sworn he just heard a volley of gun fire in the back ground in rapid secession.
 
Tammy: Here we are, now where's Hondo?
 
Fernando: Sometimes you have to wait, he's probably not that far away looking over here to see if we had arrived.
 
Tammy: How long are we going to wait?
 
Fernando: Considering that we are early, I'll give an hour.
 
Tammy sits by the rim of the fountain.
 
Tammy: That's a long time just to wait for somebody.
 
Fernando reaches into his pocket and pulls out a smaller set of keys.
 
Fernando: Here, go into my room and get my laptop from the secure travel trunk.
 
Tammy: Must I go?
 
Fernando: It will keep you from getting bored.
 
 Tammy takes the keys and leaves to retrieve the items asked for.
As soon as she enters the Hotel, Hondo makes his presence known.
 
Hondo: Hello Fernando.
 
Fernando: Anything new?
 
Hondo: According to Free European Union (BBC Shortwave), there has been several more assassinations of top level crime figures. They believe it to be some kind of Mafia war.
 
Fernando: But you and I know better, right?
 
Hondo: There's also been a several police officers kills and many innocents, and that's just here in Milan. Rumor has it that a part of a military based was bombed by some pizza delivery boy.
 
Fernando: Sounds to me that things are about to bust at the seems.
 
Hondo: You think? I think it already started.
 
Fernando: Lets not argue over semantics.
 
Hondo pauses for a second.
 
Hondo: Is it true that you're going to try to save the other girls?
 
Fernando: I'm not going to ask where you got that information from, but yes.
 
Hondo: Count me in then.
 
Fernando: Why?
 
Hondo: Because you're right. The higher ups may not agree with you, but no child should go through what these poor girls are going through right now. And in that, they must be saved from who ever is controlling them.
 
Fernando: The SWA?
 
Hondo: From who ever it is in their bowl of alphabet soup of agencies.
 
Fernando: The problem is, if in rescuing them, the CIA will want to sink their claws into them as well. Figure out their programming, see what makes them tick, try to copy them onto others that, I don't want.
 
Hondo: I understand fully.
 
Fernando: OK then. Now, what's keeping Tammy so long?
 
Hondo: Where did she go?
 
Fernando: To my room to get my laptop.
 
Hondo: You didn't
 
 Hondo starts running back tot he Hotel. Fernando quickly follows, and decides to fly up to his balcony instead. Fernando land a floor short of his window and must climb up the missing distance, more than what Hondo had done, as he enters the building. Unfortunately, it takes Fernando just as much time to scale up the side of the building as it does for Hondo to run up the stairs, with both being equally tired when they arrive to the room.
 
 Fernando climbs into the room, finding that it was still untouched, as if she never arrived.  
 
 Hondo start to throw himself against the locked door, trying to break it down.
 
Fernando: Hold your horses, will ya!
 
 Fernando walks over to the door and opens it, letting Hondo in. They head back to the main area. Fernando takes his trunk from under the bed, and opens it, finding the laptop still there, along with other important items. Taking a spare set of keys from with inside, he hands them over to Hondo as he removes a couple of more items before locking up the truck.
 
Fernando: There's an ambulance in the basement parking lot. Take the trunk and secure it there. Just press the button on the box and wait for the headlights to flash twice. If they flash once, press the button again.
 
Hondo: Just like your typical car alarm, I see.
 
Fernando: Actually, its not your typical car alarm, but it seems to work that way. By the way, it's the only ambulance there. You cant miss it.
 
 Fernando pulls the rest of the trunk from under the bed. Pulling on a couple of levers on the outside of the trunk, a handle and wheels pop out for easier transportation. He lifts it up and rolls it next to Hondo.
 
Hondo: And what will you be doing?
 
Fernando: Thanks to you, I can access the hotel security camera logs, what else am I going to do?
 
 Hondo takes the trunk and starts heading out the door.
 
Hondo: I'll be back in 5 minutes.
 
 Hondo leaves the room, closing the door behind him. Fernando turns on his laptop and starts combing through the security camera, and their logs. First with finding Tammy entering the hotel, walking through the hotel lobby, and entering the elevator with several people. With the elevators unnumbered, Fernando goes through each and every of the 12 elevators that was there. After going through each of the elevator video logs, only one was found with a dead camera. The one Tammy went on.
 
 Going through the elevator lobby logs again, he noticed that it seemed like Tammy was deliberately herded into that one elevator with the dead camera. Another thing that struck him as off were elevator operators in the two elevators, telling Tammy where to go.
Fernando says to himself: There are no elevator operators in this hotel.
Tammy was last seen going into an elevator with two men and what appears to be a young looking woman in her teens. Continual search of the the floors finds nothing. Fernando does back to the main elevator lobby and and looks at the elevator floor indicator carefully. Though it was blurred, one can count the number of flashes for each floor.
 
Fernando (to himself): 1, 2, 3, wait, it did not stop on 4, it past 3, but not to 4, wait, there it goes 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
 
 Fernando scans through the video logs of the 8th floor, finding nothing.
 
Fernando (to himself): Wait, if they did not get off on 8, then they had to have stopped the elevator between the 3rd and 4th floors and sent it down. That would put them on the second level of the parking garage.
 
 Fernando connects to the video cameras of the garage, finding that 1/2 of them were not working as well.
 
Fernando (to himself): Figures, I'll bet the hotel security staff is on this as well. How else would you have 1/2 your security cameras not working, and yet no one complaining.
 
 Going through the camera logs, Fernando finds that the garage entrance camera has a peripheral view of the exit. Going through the video logs, Fernando sees a black car slowly driving out and then rush into the street. It was the only vehicle to enter or leave within the last hour.
 
Fernando: They got her, who ever they are.
 
 Fernando locks up his laptop in a small carrying case, and takes it with him out the door. Hondo was just entering the room when he was about to leave.
 
Hondo: Where are you going?
 
Fernando: Tammy's been snatched.
 
Hondo: I could have told you that. But do you know by who?
 
Fernando: It seems that you're not the only one with access to the security cameras. Many were knocked out of action, but it leads a trail to the parking garage where a car left several minutes before you went down there.
 
Hondo: And where were you going?
 
Fernando: A place this secure can not have so many broken camera, I was going to have a talk with Security, who else.
 
Hondo: Alone?
 
Fernando: If I must. You're welcome to come along.
 
Hondo: You're not leaving me out of the fun.
 
 Together they walk down to the lobby, past the registration desk and down to the security office. Walking inside, Fernando nods to Hondo, who locks the door and props a waiting room chair against the handle. The secretary was about to ask the nature of their business, only to have Fernando point his gun at her face. She freezes in place, like a scared deer staring at a pair of incoming headlights. With items found in the room, Hondo ties her up. And together, they walk into the executive security officer's office. The head of security remains frozen at his desk with a pair of guns pointed to his head.
 
Fernando: Where is she?
 
 The head security officer rambles on in Italian.
 
Fernando: Look you idiot- I know you can speak English, because we spoke the other day about securing a few important belongings of mine. Now start speaking or start bleeding!
 
Head Security Officer: OK, I'll talk! Just put away the guns!
 
 Fernando reaches over and grabs a fist full of shirt, pulling the executive security officer out from his chair and slamming him on the floor away from his desk. He then plops a knee hard to his chest and the gun to the temple of his head. Hondo starts to ransack the desk drawers, pocketing various items and document which may look important. Found was a small gun locker with keys, two 9mm automatic pistols inside, and a folder containing files and pictures of Fernando and the group.
 
Fernando: Where Is She!
 
Head of Security: I don't know who you are talking about!
 
Fernando: Tammy- the red head squirrel! She was taken no more than 30 minutes ago!
 
Head of Security: And how would you she was taken?
 
Fernando: Its in your video logs!
 
 Hondo walks into a closet and finds a couple of servers inside, labeled video 1 - 25 and 26 - 50.
 
Hondo: Hey, these look like important computer stuff.
 
Fernando: Just find a handle and pull until something rips out of them!
 
 Fernando turns back to the security officer.
 
Fernando: Now you idiot. No way a place this secure can have so many broken cameras, which leads a trail to the subbasement garage. You must know something as to why they are broken. I want names, places, and who's in charge.
 
Head of Security: You're Not going to get away with this!!
 
Fernando: By the time they find out what happened, there will be one dead head of security. Now Start talking!
 
 Hondo steps out of the closet with a pair of hard drive drawers.
 
Hondo: You should tell him everything that you know. Last person I saw him this angry at, they had to use DNA to figure out who it was, from a large smear of body parts that they found of him.
 
The head of security gulped: They are going to kill me if I say anything!
 
Fernando: And you think I wont if you don't? You have a choice- don't say anything and die now, or sing your heart out to me and then leave the country and hope they don't catch you.
 
Hondo (as he searches the room): I'd choose singing my heart out to him, preferably in opera.
 
Head of security: OK, They Got Her!
 
Fernando: Who's they?!! I Want Names!
 
Head of security: The RF.
 
Fernando: Who's Their Leader!
 
Head Of Security: I Don't Know!
 
Fernando belts him hard with his left.
 
Fernando: Names!
 
Head Of Security: Shes some young looking woman, calls her self Anne.
 
 Fernando slowly gets up.
 
Fernando: Hondo, help this gentleman onto his feet.
 
Hondo: Fernando?
 
Fernando: Just do it. I got my answer.
 
Hondo: But what about where they had taken Tammy?
 
Fernando: I got enough information to know where she is.
 
Hondo: I don't know about this.
 
Head of security: You're not going to get away with this!
 
 Fernando spins around hard, giving a round house kick to the jaw of the security officer, breaking it. He falls flat on the floor out cold.
 
Fernando: Now try to say something with a broken jaw. Hondo, lets get out of this stinking place.
 
 Together they leave into the waiting area, and then to the lobby. A minor security officer stand by the door as they open it. Fernando grabs the officer by his arm and hauls him in, taking a Thorazine dart from his pocket and jabbing it into his back. In seconds, he falls flat on the floor, not knowing what just happened.
 
 Hondo has his own trick up his sleeve, fighting with the door knob for a few seconds before they walk out. They take the stairs to the parking garage.
 
Fernando: What did you do up there?
 
Hondo: Oh, nothing major. Just crazy glued the locks, that's all.
 
Fernando. Good. I like a man who can think outside the box.
 
Hondo: Where are we going?
 
Fernando: We're going to move a few cars around, and then we are going to rescue Tammy.
 
Together, they walk to a group of cars and the ambulance.
 
Hondo: You know where she is?
 
Fernando: I've been down this path before, and some people are just too stupid to change their patterns of thinking, so in that case, yes. You take the ambulance, and follow the GPS to a hideaway we have. I'll take care of the rest of the cars.
 
  Fernando presses the button on the box on his set of keys. Several cars blink their headlights twice, including the ambulance. Then he walks over to the Jaguar, and starts it. After voice authorization, Fernando gives Aiaspi commands to release controls of the ambulance to Hondo, and set the GPS navigator to the hideaway. He also sets the hideaway's security system to turn off when Hondo gets there. He then rolls down the window and tells Hondo to go ahead of him.  
 
 Hondo step into the ambulance and drives away.
 
Fernando: Aisapi, Convoy mode with the other vehicles. We're moving out of this place.
 
Aisapi: This place has gotten too dangerous for mission objective?
 
Fernando: Yes.
 
Aisapi: Convoy mode set. Destination Coordinates inputted into nav-con computers. Ready when you are.
 
 Fernando set the car into gear, and starts slowly to drive away. The other cars, a Porche 911, a Ferarri Dino, Rolls Royce Silver Wrath, and a couple of Corn Victory limos line up behind Fernando. Once in position, they start to drive off, with as little as 6 inches between them. The train of cars follow the Jaguar down the streets of Milan and onto the highway.
Keeping the drive there slow as to not cause an accident, they arrive at the hide away in about 40 minutes. Fernando drives into the drive way and to the rear of the house. There, the cars park themselves. In a couple of minutes, Fernando walks inside, finding Hondo raiding the frig.
 
Fernando: I doubt you'll find any roast beef in there. As much as I ask for it, they simply wont send any.
 
Hondo: You know how they are. budgets, limits, nothing to the mission at hand or to the safety and comfort of the agents at hand.
 
Fernando: Same excuse as to why they wont bulletproof the Porches. Too much money!
 
 Not fining much good to eat, Hondo grabs a wedge of extra sharp cheese, a hand full of jerky and a beverage that looks like it should be highly caffeinated. he hangs his coat on a chair and plops down on the couch. Fernando grabs a bit to eat as well and goes and sits in the easy chair. Hondo eats his food and waits for Fernando to give his plan.
 
Hondo (thinkin' to himself): Now we have to rescue Tammy, too. I hope they didn't find her gun.
 
 Hondo pulled out his palm pilot and used the remote function on his laptop, that was hidden at the hotel still. He checked the cameras to see the chaos that was reigning at the Hotel.
 
Hondo: Well, the Party's in full swing."
 
 Hondo looked up at Fernando, who seemed to be ready to speak.
 
Hondo: Well, let's hear it, boss squirrel. What your plan for cheatin' the grim reaper this time?
 

Earlier at the scene where Jose was killed, as the body was taken away, Jean, (the brother of the deceased) and his charge Rico, were investigating.  
 
Jean's cell phone rings. "Yes. . . . Yes, sir." Pause. "Yes. All right." Pause. "Section 1's investigating?" Pause. "No I understand." A car pulls up. "They're here now."
 
Pietro Fermi addresses Jean. "This is Eleanora Gabriella. I'm Pietro Fermi."
 
"I've been expecting you. Good to meet you."
 
"Who's this?" Pietro asked, referring to the girl mouse.
 
"Rico. My cyborg."
 
"Rico? Isn't that a boy's name?" Eleanora asked.
 
"Each cyborg is named by her handler. We can give them any name we want."
 
"She have a last name?" Eleanora continued.
 
"No." Jean answered.
 
"So what have you guys come up with as possible suspects?" Pietro asked.
 
"We are still running it down but in our particular business we tend to have enemies everywhere."
 
"You insist on having the cyborgs do all the killing for you?"
 
Jose puts his arm around Rico. "They are more efficient killers than anyone I have ever known. They don't think or feel. They just do. They just kill"
 
"You make it sound these cyborgs you developed are perfect killing machines."
 
"Effective but not perfect."
 
Pietro walks up to Rico. "So are you saying these cyborgs follow the orders they are given?"  
 
He puts his right hand on Rico. "They are never free to exercise their own judgment when they go on a mission?"
 
Jean brushes Pietro's hand off of Rico. "Every handler is free to train his cyborg as he sees fit. Strict discipline and conditioning are used to ensure that every one of them does their job right but they do think for them selves especially when their handler is in danger. They would die protecting him."
 
"Interesting. So they are not just puppets."
 
"So now you know what makes the cyborgs tick."
 
Eleanora makes an observation. "Bink drew her gun but no shots were fired."
 
 
 The four drove to the hotel where the teams were staying.
 
Rico escorts Eleanora and Pietro to the hotel room where she and Bink were staying. "This is where Bink and I were staying." Eleanora and Pietro look around the room. "Triela and Claes are sharing a room and Angelica has a room to her self."
 
 In Triela and Claes's room, Claes was on her bed with her nose in a book as Triela is at the table, with her back to the door, playing with her teddy bear as she is humming "Ode to Joy." This was her latest bear in her collection. She has nine stuffed bears all together.
 
Rico opens the door. "Triela. . . ."
 
"Rico. You're back already?"
 
Pietro is at the door. "Can we come in?"
 
Triela looks behind her and stands up. "Who are you?"
 
Pietro makes a quiet observation. "Books, stuffed bears, they are like regular kids."
 
"This is Miss Gabriella and Mr. Fermi from section 1. They want to talk to you about Bink."
 
- - - - -  
 Jean gives Section 2's report to Pietro Fermi of Section 1. Rico is with her handler.
 
"The American CIA was responsible?" Pietro asked.
 
"Retired operative Fernando G. led a team including seven agents and fourteen unknowns. They were working with the RF operative, Anne Rossellini."
 
"The American CIA is going to great lengths to obtain a cyborg?"
 
"Yes."
 
"This concludes Section 1's investigation in the matter."
 
"We still don't know how the American CIA was able to track Jose's team but they obviously marked them, tranquilized Bink and terminated Jose that night. Bink managed to draw her weapon but failed to fire any shots before being succumbed by the tranquilizing agent."  
------------------------------
------------------------------
 
 The Texas and her escorts made record time from Toulon to Geona, arriving in just under four and a half hours. Reports coming out of Italy were grim. The United States State Department was now advising against travel to Italy and recommending that any American tourists there currently leave. Immediately. To that end, the Navy was sending three Wasp-class amphibious assault ships, and the USS San Antonio, the Navy's newest amphibious landing ship. Together, the amphibians would help evacuate American tourists before Italy devolved further into war. Unfortunately, though, the amphibians were not as fast as the carriers or Texas, so it would take time for them to arrive.
 
 In the meantime, Eddie had been studying reports coming out of Italy. The violence was escalating: shootings and bombings were becoming more frequent, and not just in Milan. Geona had seen several incidents, as had Venice, Rome, Turin, and Naples.
 
 The fox paced the wheelhouse of Texas. The ships in the battle group were currently operating at Wartime Condition 3, which was just one step below General Quarters. As soon as the ship's alarm bell rang, all 1,592 crewmen aboard would rush to their battle stations on Texas in a matter of minutes and the ship would be ready to deal with virtually anything that the Italian Navy, Air Force, SWA, or the terrorists could throw at her.
 
 The air aboard the ship felt stuffy and tense. This was partly due to the reduced ventilation throughout the ship: at watertight condition Yoke, many (but not all) hatches and vents had been closed off. But it was also due to the high anxiety level throughout the ship. The entire crew knew very well that within the next 24 hours, the sound of Texas's big guns might be heard, and not for a training exercise or test firing.
 
  The Italians knew very well that Texas was there. At nearly 950 feet long, 125 feet wile, and displacing 75,000 tons, Texas would make a huge blip on any radar screen, especially since she was constructed long before stealth technology had been developed. There was no possible way that they could miss her. And lying offshore just barely in international waters, the huge ship was easily visible to anyone on shore with a halfway decent pair of binoculars.
Despite this, Eddie wasn't particularly concerned about an attack on his command. Oh, he had planned for one, but after studying intelligence reports on the Italian military, he had concluded that there wasn't much they could do to the massive battle wagon. Both he and naval planners back in Washington were pretty sure that any missile would bounce of the thick armor of the ship. Torpedoes were more of a threat; a lucky hit to the ship's stern area could cripple Texas's steering capabilities. The Italian Navy did have several modern ultra-quiet diesel submarines. Six torpedoes, while not enough to sink the battleship, would almost certainly cripple her. That was what the destroyers and the USS Cheyenne were for.
 
 However, at the moment at lest, Eddie didn't think it likely that elements of the Italian Navy would challenge the battle group directly. A missile attack was more likely, perhaps from a shore launcher commandeered by separatists. But even that wasn't too terribly likely at the moment. In short, there was nothing for the battle group to do but wait. Its presence would hopefully buy time for Americans in Italy to get out.  
---------------------
---------------------
 
Alex II was driving on MA-51 when he saw a van who's driver was a known RF agent.
 
Alex II: They looking for me. Time for the plan.
 
 He then floors the accelerator in his car and speed off at about 180 mph to catch up with the van speed as they were doing about 120 mph when they first saw him. Alex II leaned out the window and shot out the van's tires with his gun.  The shot to the tires throws the van into a building. it's sign out front read: Salavatones Bar. luckily, it was close.
 
Alex II: Hope this guy have insurance  
 
 He then climbed out of his car and walked over to the van. He opened the back doors as a couple of the agents with him covered him with their pistols. Alex found only one left alive in the van. He was a big red-headed fellow, but he was currently out cold.
 
Alex II: He's ok, He'll come with me. The other two are dead.  
 
 Alex II then took the red mouse and put him in the trunk of his car handcuffing his hands and legs. He then put a time bomb on the van set for one minute, and then got in his car and drove off. After a few seconds a blast could be heard behind them. very soon they heard Police and Fire truck sirens that were heading towards the bar and the blown up van. The bomb was an total self destructing incinerary bomb. No evidence, other than the van frame would be left for the police to find.
 
 Alex II drove on without any interference as he headed back to the safe house. Alex II's car radio beeped so he answered it.
 
Alex II: Speak to me.
 
Razale: Did you make sure no evidence was left behind?
 
Alex II: Yea I blew it up good. The Police and the SWA will find nothing of use to lead them to the RF. I captured one of the RF members. I will bring him to the safe house for questioning.
 
Razale: Good! Fernando will want to see him.
 
Alex II: Yeah, I'll call Fernando and tell him what is going on.
 
Razale: Right! over and out.
 
Alex II (thinking to himself): Time to Tell Fernando and Tammy the truth that I am Tammy and Bink cousin.  
 
 Alex II then made a call to Fernando to tell him about the catch of the day and some other matters.
 
 
 Back at the safe house a captured RF Agent who happened to be a rouge CIA Agent was hanging upside down in the Underground Hideout under the safe house. Alex II came in wearing a German Uniform also wearing glasses and a German officers hat.  
 
 Alex II's Cyborg hand was flexing as the two of his other agents bring a TV and DVD Player with a DVD of Barney the Purple Dinosaur. He whispered for the guards to leave as the RF Agent was waking up
 
Alex II: HEISSEN Sie gut, wem Sie sendete, um nach mir zu kommen und zwei ist Ihr Fell heraus waren
 
RF AGent: I WILL NEVER TALK
 
Alex II: Brunnen haben wir Weisen, Sie Gesprˆ§ch zu bilden, das ich ein DVD ALSO Horbal spielen werde, er Sie Scream bildet und dann gebrochen Ihnen fˆ§ngt an zu sprechen, wenn meine Freunde hier erhalten
 
He then put the DVD into the DVD Player. When it came on Barney was on the TV Singing his song
 
RF Agent (OS): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! NOT THAT!! NOT THAT!! ANYTHING BUT BARNEY!! TURN IT OFF!!!!
 
Alex II: (OS): Sprechen Sie?
 
RF Agent (OS): GRRRR NEVER!!!
 
Alex II: (OS): Brunnen gehe ich zum leve es 3 Stunden lang weiter, bis meine Freunde hier Hoffnung erhalten, die Sie IHN sprechen kunnen ER ER
 
Alex II then left the room, locking the door as he left
 
RF Agent: I CAN BEAR THIS! I CAN BEAR THIS!! I CAN SURVIE THIS!!! . . . . AHHH!! WHO I AM KIDIING?!?!?! I CAN'T SURVIVE THIS!!! ARGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!
 
 Alex II was out side listening to the RF Agent crack
 
Alex II: Give it 2.5 Hours he will crack.  
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-------------------------
 
 Fernando kept thinking about who kidnapped Tammy, and why. Its like something was missing.
The main players in this game was the Italian Government with the SWA being its hand. The other was a mish mash of groups and master planners of self indulged leaders involve in anti social and at times, violent activities- often filled with wanna-bes who took credit for other people's work.
 
 For several minutes on Fernando's laptop, Jeanette Isabelle and him discussed their misunderstanding. Though they had not gotten to an agreement of sorts, at least there was an understanding or sorts. It would depend on how things play out with them, though they know that their interpersonal relationship does not affect the outcome of the mission. If anything, if Fernando got killed in the mission, Jeanette knows to send black roses and to keep the Ex-From-hell away from the coffin.
 
 But Fernando keep thinking, hacking into every computer system he can in the Italian Network. Nothing was found as to who would have kidnapped Tammy, not even some power hungry schmuck wanting to take credit for it. Perhaps the overkill on Fernando's part. For no one wants to admit defeat by the hand of a very angry squirrel with the access to some technology who managed a 25 to 0 body count.
 
 Either way, Fernando, though still wanting to continue the mission, is having to second guess himself and he does not like it. He continues with hacking the Italian internet in search of clues.
Fernando satellite cell phone rings. He was not happy since it is a VERY private number. It was Alex II telling him that he had a prisoner for interrogation and a more personal matter- he relations to Tammy and Bink. Fernando tells Alex II to hang the Prisoner by his ankles at the hideaway and use him as a pinata until Fernando's return, and to not let the mission get personal, before hanging up the phone.
 
Fernando: Tammy, do you have any cousins working for the government, military, post office?
 
Tammy: None that I know of, but we are a large family...
 
Fernando: Most squirrel families are.  
 
 Fernando goes back to the Italian government computers and finds a new file in one of the many personal directories trash bin, slated for a file shredding during system maintenance. He reassembles the file and sector links, then downloads it to his machine (translated from Italian):
 
Section 2 investigation of agent Jose Assassination and Cyborg Bink Abduction:
Following the instability of Northern Italian society has been of late, the murder of an operative, many criminal elements are involved, none has been successful in infiltrating, much less targeting an operative. It is the view of this committee of the following:
-Retired USA CIA Agent Fernando G has been around asking questions about a missing girl fitting the cyborg's description.
-Retired USA CIA Agent Fernando G arrived to Italy with 21 other individuals, 7 of them are known CIA agents. The others are deemed to be mission specialist of sorts; one with red hair and green eyes posing as his wife.
-Both the CIA and Agent Fernando G were seen working with RF Terrorist agent Anne Rossellini.
-CIA has been working on their own cyborg program with little success. As in the past, the CIA is more than willing to steal a working cyborg for their own study and replication.
-Operative Jose was found dead with Cyborg Bink unfired weapon nearby. Security cameras of the areas recorded the final moments of Jose and Bink being accosted, Bink was hit with a tranquilizing agent, Operative Jose being murdered and Bink being dragged away by masked individuals in a dark van.
This shows that Section 1 was being monitored and followed by a covert group for the most opportune moment to strike. Jose taking Bink for a walk was the opportunity that they needed to make their move...
<end of file>
 
Fernando stares at the report, not wanting to believe what he is reading but knows why it is there- CIA...
 
 He closes the window and then shuts down the laptop, before leaning back against the seat and closes his eyes, then sighs.
 
Fernando: Hondo?
 
Hondo: Yes Squirrel Boss man?
 
Fernando: Take me back to the hide out. Alex II has a prisoner there for me interrogate.
 
Hondo: Want me to drive fast?
 
Fernando: No, take your time, I want to enjoy the moment when I get there.
 
Tammy: Fernando?
 
Fernando: Save it for later.  
 
 Hondo pulled out and started down the road to the hideout.
 
Hondo thought: Shoot! I like fast better.  
 
 Hondo stayed silent for a bit before sayin' anythin'. After a while he spoke.
 
Hondo: They think it's you, don't they, Boss?  
 
Fernando (soundin' irritated): Who thinks it's me? What are you talking about, Hondo?
 
Hondo: You know who. This agency we are up against, the SWA, or whatever the heck it's called.
 
Fernando: I'm not asking how you know that, but yes. I found a file on their computer in which they stated me personally and they know a little about what we are up to and are blaming it all on us.
 
Hondo: I thought so, an' the CIA's involved some how too eh?
 
Fernando: Yeah, too much involved.
 
Tammy: I want to know how you knew, Hondo.
 
Hondo: It's a long story. You won't believe it anyway.
 
Fernando: We have time. Might be good entertainment for her.
 
Tammy: I would like to hear it.
 
Hondo: I label it as the 6th sense. If I am not concentratin' on what a person is a doin', I can sometimes sense what they are thinkin'. I also can some times perceive future events, sense danger an' answer the phone before the first ring.
 
 He was serious and looked serious, but Tammy did not believe him.
 
Tammy(sarcastically) : Right, yeah, and I see dead people.
 
 Tammy sat back and looked insulted like Hondo had made it up to make her look foolish.
 
Hondo: Don't get ugly on me, Tammy. I told ya, y'wouldn't believe me, but it's the truth.
 
Tammy: It can't be!  
 
 She was not as angry now , but still was completely disbelieving.
 
Fernando: Tammy, there are thing in this world we will never understand, and I have seen plenty. I don't disbelieve Hondo. 6th senses has gotten me out of trouble before.
 
Hondo: I didn't want to stir up anyone. Besides, we need to stick to the situation at hand. If we figure to succeed, we need to keep on track.
 
Fernando: Hondo's right about that Tammy. You need to prepare yourself for the worst, but set your mind to accomplish the best.
 
 Tammy only nodded and set back. She was very tired and wanted to sleep, and both Fernando and Hondo were deep in thought about what would transpire next. They were in silence the whole way back, and no obstacles got in their way.
 
Hondo (as they pulled up to the hideout): We're here, Boss Hombre.  
 
 After parking the ambulance in the rear of the hideout, Hondo, Tammy and Fernando enter through the front of the house. Once inside, Fernando walks past the living space, nodding at the few CIA Agents that were there, going to the basement entrance. He finds Alex II with a couple of agents who had the spy tied up and hung upside down as he asked.
 
  The prisoner was tortured but still held on to his strong will, refusing to answer. Fernando stops the torture, and takes off his emergency medical team jacket and hat, then puts on a pair of black leather gloves with long gauntlets, clenching his fists hard thus making his finger joints and knuckles crack and pop loudly.
 
Fernando: Leave us.
 
All: Huh?
 
Alex II: That would not be wise.
 
 Fernando finds an intact and whole phone book within a pile of many, which are used to test small firearms with. He walks over to the hanging prisoner. Yet, no one has left the room as they were told.
 
Fernando: You can leave here alive or dead, either way, you are are to talk for me.
 
 Fernando grabs the spine of the phone book, bending it until it cracked, and then start to rip the book in 1/2 slowly. Then he slaps the prisoner in the face with one of the 1/2 of the phone book.
 
Alex II: We prepared him for you. Another hour or two, he will crack.
 
Fernando: I need him to crack now. Take him down, untie him and seat him down at the chair (that he points too).
 
 Alex II signal to the others, who take him down and untie him, leading him to the chair. The prisoner cooperates until he was told to be seated. He pounces on one of the agents, and try to take his gun. Others draw their weapons, ready to fire upon him if he succeeds in wrestling the weapon from his capture.
 
 The prisoner collapses onto the ground after being hit on the forehead with one of the phone book halves. He lays on the floor, conscious and aware, and in a lot of pain. Everyone turns to face Fernando, who stood there with other 1/2 of the phone book in his right hand.
 
Fernando: Everyone, leave.
 
 All put away their weapons, and start walking away, all except Tammy who was behind him, and Hondo, who stood by the doorway.
 
Tammy: What ever you do, don't kill him.
 
Fernando: Like they have probably done to you or your sister?
 
Hondo: Do unto others as they would have undo unto you...
 
Fernando: ...But do it first. Now I need you two to leave.
 
Hondo: Yah, somethin' like that.
 
 They remained silent for the moment.
 
Hondo: Come on Tammy. Lets check out the news on the TV.
 
 After a while, Tammy can be heard walking away, followed by the closing of the door.
 
Fernando: Now, you are going to answer my questions and give me the answers I want to hear. Anything less will bring my wrath upon you. Silence will bring upon you my wrath. Understand this little man- I have ways of making you talk, but I have much more enjoyable ways of watching you die. Now which one will it be?
 
 The prisoner looks back upon Fernando with fear in his eyes.
 
<back in the living room>
 
News: Terrorist Factions out Northern Italy as started their attacks on major cities and several key military bases. Local law enforcement has done little to thwart the attacks, though they claim to be doing their best. It is in this reporter's opinion that the some of the terrorists are righ.......<BEEEEEEEEEEP.....> Due To Technical Difficulties, This Show Is Interrupted. Please Stand By.
 
Tammy: Huh?
 
Hondo: It has begun.
 
Tammy: What has begun?
 
Hondo: Censorship an' Disinformation.
 
Alex II: Disinformation can be fun.
 
 In the background, they can hear the load moans of someone in the throws of death pains. They look at each other, unsure what to say or do. Alex II shakes at each, to tell them to ignore it. Hondo turns the TV to the cartoon channel. They try to ignore the loud thumping that seems to echo through out the building.
 
 After a couple of hours, Fernando comes out from the basement with the gloves covered in blood.
 
Fernando: Alex II, know of any gay hangouts?
 
Alex II: Eww... why?
 
Fernando: Dress him up as a dirty fairy and drop him off by their alley way. Maybe somebody will take a liking to him, if you know what I mean. Make sure he's wearing a red and black bandanna. The black on his left rear pocket, the red on the right...
 
Alex II: What is the significance of that?
 
Fernando: Believe me, you don't want to know.
 
Hondo: You really don't wanna know.
 
Fernando: Just do as I say, that is all I ask.
 
One of the other agents: Got what you wanted?
 
Fernando: Yes; unfortunately, after a while, anyone being tortured will say anything to make it stop. You have to know where to draw the line.
 
Tammy: What did he say?
 
Fernando: How much would you sell your tail for?
 
Tammy: Huh?
 
Fernando: If you had to sell your tail, how much would it be sold for?
 
Tammy: I would never prostitute myself.
 
Fernando: Its been done for you.
 
Hondo: You mean...?
 
Fernando:... both the Italian Government and the RF have put a price on our heads; and the group that kidnapped you, Tammy, was an independent seeking to collect the reward- from the RF. They had the meeting for the transaction set and the mo-fo downstairs was supposed to meet with them to verify the catch before the exchange.
 
Tammy: They what?
 
Hondo: Someone put your tail on the Special Sales Bin... I just wonder for how much?
 
Fernando: 100,000,000 Lira, I would say about $1,000,00 US.
 
Tammy: $1,000,000?
 
Fernando: My bushy tail is set for $10,000,000 US.
 
Hondo: How much for me, boss?
 
Fernando: $1,000,000 for the group, $10,000,000 for the leaders. An added $500,000 if its a  
CIA Agent.
 
Hondo: I think I'm worth a lot more than $1,000,000...
 
Fernando: Don't worry about it.
 
Hondo: I'm not worried, but I'll see what I can do to up my price!
 
 A couple of Alex II's men come up with the beaten prisoner. Remarkably, very little bruising was to his face. Though if he were to be x-rayed, it would show that it would appear that he was beaten with a baseball bat from a piece of 2X4 lumber, even though Fernando only used his fists. They dressed him up in a 'tough man' attire, with the handkerchiefs in his back pocket pants the order Fernando stated. They leave to dump his barely conscious body by the alley of a gay bar in Milan.
 
 The three are now alone again.
 
Hondo: found out anything else?
 
Fernando (taking to his laptop and start typing, send the information to the others): More than I needed. Tammy, they were going to reunite you with your sister, but somewhere in the Italian Alps.
 
Hondo: Where to now?
 
Fernando: We rest up a bit. Then we go to deal with a couple of handlers when they least expected.
 
Hondo: When would that be?
 
Fernando: People are at their weakest between 3am and dawn. We have to be at our best to deal with them
 
Hondo: I understand.
 
 Fernando walks over to the kitchen, and washes himself up before resting on the sofa. He takes a bit of food with him as he sits down.  
 
 Hondo, who had already eaten a bit before Fernando had came back from the basement, laid on the floor in the living room. He was wearing his glasses to keep his eyes rested, but would return to using contacts when they took off again.
 
 Hondo laid his glasses on the T.V. and put his hat over his eyes.
 
Hondo: Wake me 30 minutes before we have to leave an' tell those CIA boys to make some strong coffee. We'll need the caffeine.
 
Fernando: There are beds you can sleep in.
 
Hondo: I'll sleep to hard in one. Take me too long to wake up then.
 
Fernando: What a waste.
 
 Hondo just mumbled something incoherent.
 
Hondo (mumblin' to himself): Could have got that fella to talk faster with thorns soaked in alcohol under the finger nails followed by rattle snakes and breakin' his fingers one at a time.  
 
Hondo soon drifted off to sleep.
--------------------------
--------------------------
 
 Steadily, the distance between the Learjet and the silver Mustang grows.
 
A voice with an Italian accent comes from the radio: You're fast, but not fast enough. When you're over the Ligurian Sea, you're still within reach of my guns.
 
Another voice can be heard on the same device: Well, then guess who's aiming at you right now. Go on following the Learjet, but slowly.
 
 Gio takes a look around and discovers six U.S. Air Force F-16 jets, all of them armed to the teeth with nothing but AIM-9 "Sidewinder" heat-seeking missiles and a couple of AIM-120 AMRAAM radar-guided air-to-air missiles, just in case. One of the jets is right behind him, and he can be sure that it has got its missiles locked upon him.
 
A voice crackled from the speakers in both the Learjet and the Mustang: Got it? One false move, de Luca, and you'll experience an inferno which even Dante would never have imagined. LJ-Alpha, hurry up and come back home, we'll keep that bloke at a distance. You'll have an estimated five minutes to clear the runway once you're down. Good luck.
 
 Some minutes later, the USS Enterprise crew watches for the second time that day as a much too large aircraft approaches the carrier. Even though this has happened before, many hold their breath as the Learjet touches down on the very end of the runway, skids a few meters on its tires due to the locked brakes, and finally hits the net and stops. The net is quickly removed, the Learjet rolls away from the runway and unloads its crew, passengers, and all of its luggage.
 
Sinclair: I still wonder why they made him follow us. Are they gonna shoot him into smithereens over the open sea?
 
Wild Irish Rose (welcoming the four returning Rangerphiles): No, as Midnight wished us to do, we won't damage the plane unless it's necessary. We'll guide him here and hold him for ransom. Fernando's got a prisoner from the RF, now we'll have one from the government's side. He's supposed to have a lot of connections to the SWA and a lot to tell us.
 
Midnight: So you'll have him land on this carrier? What if he turns his approach into a suicide mission and slams his plane into the ship at as much speed as possible?
 
Wild Irish Rose: First, he'd be shot before he reaches us. Second, a P-51D Mustang can't do that much damage to this ship. And third, he simply won't. We've found out a whole lot about this guy. Giovanni de Luca is not only a marvelous pilot and an assassin, he's working on his career in the government. In his training, he has been taught better than to die, and he knows he's much too valuable for the government. Besides, he puts enough faith into his employers that he might actually believe they can get him outta here. Not to mention that we're dealing with a Catholic and not with a Muslim or Japanese.
 
 Absolutely complying with the plans, the silver Italian Mustang lands on the USS Enterprise. The six jets, however, fly past as it is too dangerous for any of them to land behind the old warbird. In the meantime, Midnight is digging through his tool trolley. He finally takes two wooden boxes out of it.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Midnight, what are you doing there?
 
Midnight: Are any armed forces out there?
 
Wild Irish Rose: No, the flight deck crew is unarmed. But you have still not answered my question.
 
 Midnight opens the boxes and removes its contents. The sub-machine gun is practically ready to go, albeit unloaded, but the sniper rifle has to be assembled. While he does so, Midnight, like the others, already hears gunfire out on the flight deck.  
 
Midnight: Rose,you forgot to mention that this guy is insane. This doesn't sound like handguns, and the guns on his plane are not firing straight but up into the air.
 
 With the Micro Uzi in his left hand and his right hand holding the sniper rifle loaded with tranq ammo, Midnight hides behind the half-open door.
 
Midnight: Get outta your blinking plane, you fool, and fight like a man! You can't hit anyone anyway, and these bullets from your cannons don't hurt this ship at all.
 
  As if he had heard it, Gio stops his Mustang and, even before the propeller stops spinning, opens the canopy and climbs out of the cockpit. He then draws two Heckler & Koch MP5 sub-machine guns. The bulky figure that he is, there are little doubts that he is actually able to aim and fire both of them at once. With the guns in his fists, he heads for the door behind which Midnight is waiting.
 
 One single bang sounds across the ship. Gio drops his guns and sinks down onto the deck.
 
Midnight looks up from his rifle: Bullseye.
 
 As everyone dares to breathe again, Ranger Ready speaks via the Tannoy system: Good shot, whoever that was.
 
 A moment of silence follows as Ranger Ready checks if the rat is losing any blood. This is not the case, so he figures that tranq ammunition has been used, and that Gio is still alive.  
 
Ranger Ready: Alright, take him inside and put him in chains. And I mean chains!
 
 Sinclair got what he wanted. Several hours later the converted LearJet is ready to go. Charles Sinclair approaches Midnight, who is staring at the Mustang, as the deck crew readies the catapult.
 
Midnight: Marvelous, isn't it?
 
Sinclair: Indeed. Looks like the Cafe gets a new warbird...  Are you planning on keeping it?
 
Midnight: Probably... That pilot just earned POW status, which means his plane can be "confiscated".
 
- - - - -  
Ranger Ready: You know something, pal? You're really starting to get on my nerves!
 
 Within the pilots' ready room aboard Enterprise, Ranger Ready walks slowly around the chair that holds the bound and chained de Luca, eyeing the rat wrathfully.
 
Ranger Ready: First, you undertake to try and blow a million little swiss-cheese holes in my ship...then you add insult to injury by trying to do the same to my crew. I am not a happy mouse! Do I make myself clear?
 
 To the surprise of all, the prisoner smiles widely, baring his fang-like teeth in imitation of a good-natured grin.
 
De Luca: It is, how you say, all in the line of duty, Captain. You decadent Americans understood such things, so I thought.
 
!CRACK!
 
 Even the seasoned officers in the room cringe, as their captain deals a close-fisted right cross directly to de Luca's jaw. While the rat is a large adversary, Ranger Ready is no small fry himself, and the strength behind the blow leaves a conspicuously open space where the spy's front canines once resided.
 
Ranger Ready: Chew on that for a while. Oh wait, I forgot...you'll have a hard time chewing on anything, for a while. Remember that, the next time you insult my country.
 
 As the room slowly empties of nonessential personnel, W.I. Rose follows Ranger Ready down the outer corridor, a look of concern on her face.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Was that really necessary?
 
Ranger Ready: Don't worry about that pile of hog-slop. With the money that's backing him, he can get new ones.
 
 Her green-blue eyes snap reproachfully, causing the austere captain to shrink inside his boots.
 
Wild Irish Rose: I wasn't talking about his teeth. I meant losing your cool, like that.
 
Ranger Ready: Rosie...it's no-accounts like that that make this world a bad place. And when he added that last crack...well, I couldn't help cracking him myself.
 
 She nods, beginning to understand.
 
Wild Irish Rose: It wasn't just about your ship.
 
Ranger Ready: No. It wasn't.
 
 Pausing by the elevator to the bridge, RR leans against the wall, and smiles.
 
Ranger Ready: Y'know...when this whole thing's over, how's about a bit of a pleasure cruise? This whole ship's earned it's share of shore leave. What d'you say to a couple of weeks traveling the Emerald Isle?
 
 A sparkly grin comes as the expected answer.
 
Wild Irish Rose: As long as we don't have to fight any spies to get there.
 
Ranger Ready: Scout's honor!
 
Number 1: Bridge to Captain!!
 
 Ranger Ready frowns, hitting the wall comm control with an open palm.
 
Ranger Ready: I was on my way up, Number One. Are you your captain's keeper?
 
Number 1: Uhhh...sir...we have a problem. Big problem!!
 
Ranger Ready: What? Did the cook forget to start lunch in the galley?
 
Number 1:No...it's...it's about that war-bird that we took prisoner...
 
Ranger Ready: Come on, spit it out!
 
Number 1: Well, how can I put this delicately...
 
Ranger Ready: Delicately?
 
Number 1: The whole thing's a flying bomb. She's packed to the wingtips with explosives. And the timer's ticking!
 
 Ranger Ready and W.I. Rose don't even wait for the message to finish, already dashing into the lift.
 
Ranger Ready: Just when you thought this day couldn't get any better!
 
 Ranger Ready contacted Charles Sinclair over the ships intercom from the lift.
 
Sinclair: It's a WHAT?!
 
Ranger Ready: A bomb.
 
Sinclair: Great! Just great! How much time do we have left?
 
Ranger Ready: Less than three minutes.
 
Sinclair: No qualified explosives experts within 20 meters I presume?
 
Ranger Ready: Unfortunately.
 
 As Ranger Ready enters the bridge, he finds his crew all staring at something. Curious, he looks out of the window, spotting the LearJet ready for takeoff, with the Mustang behind it. The intercom cracks as a message is received.
 
Sinclair: Fire the catapult!
 
Ranger Ready: Do it!
 
 As the steam is vented through the system, the jet lurches forward, taking off just before bow. The P-51 rolls behind, attached to the other plane by a rope.
 
Number 1: What in the seven seas is he doing?
 
Ranger Ready: Trying to get that thing away from us...
 
 Both aircraft fly or rather glide several hundred meters. Seconds pass. Suddenly the LearJet slows down, causing the rope to fall off the hook. Sinclair slams the throttle and pulls the stick, quickly moving away as the doomed Mustang falls to the waves.
 
Sinclair: Tell the captain he needs to repair the railing... and prepare nets, I'm coming around.
 
 The silver Mustang hits the water surface, but not so hard that it'd dive down and catch enough water to sink. Instead, it floats beside the carrier.
 
 From behind the ship's thick window-panes, it is watched and expected to explode. The time passes, but nothing happens.
 
Arik: What's up now?Why doesn't it go boom as expected?
 
Midnight: Looks like the plane's watertight enough, but the ignitor's electronics aren't. Sloppy work if you ask me.
 
 When it was explained that the ignitor switches of the Mustang's bombs were ruined by the salt water. Rose collapses against the captains chair open mouthed in a sigh of relief.
 
Wild Irish Rose: You know....We're always just this close to total destruction.
 
 Captain Ranger Charles Ready stands and stares at the silver object in the water, shining under the setting sun.  
 
He is thinking Rapidly: Alright, we need to get it back up here. There are some on this ship who wouldn't like to see a beautiful war-bird go to waste for nothing, so we should keep it. Besides, the explosives are to be removed, dried, and stored. In our situation, you never know when they might come in handy.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Now there's an idea. You never know when you'll need some good explosi....Oh Charlie!
 
Ranger Ready: What?
 
 Gently, she picks up his right hand, which shows several bright red cuts from where he hit de Luca in the teeth
 
Ranger Ready: Oh! I didn't even notice.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Come on, we have to tend to that.
 
Rose practically was dragging the captain as he made up excuses.
 
Ranger Ready: But we have to retrieve the Mustang.
 
Wild Irish Rose: This will take five minutes,and I am sure the crew is competent enough to handle it.
 
 RR gives in, seeing the mouse-maid can't be argued with.
In the captain's cabin, W.I. Rose has Ranger Ready sitting on the bunk as she drags the chair over from the desk
 
Wild Irish Rose: You know, if you hadn't hit that idiot, I would have.
 
Ranger Ready: You?
 
Wild Irish Rose: He can insult me all he wants but slurring my country is inexcusable, as you said. I've just never seen you lose it like that. I mean, I have a temper and I know it! But I thought nothing ever made you crack.
 
Ranger Ready: You'd be surprised.....OW!!
 
Wild Irish Rose: Sorry, this stuff can sting. What are you going to do with de Luca?
 
Ranger Ready: Oh, let him stew for a while. He can cause less trouble tied up.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Done! See I told you it would not take long.
 
Ranger Ready: Great, and I have to appear before my crew like this!
 
 Ranger Ready holds up his right hand, the knuckles of which are wrapped in a crisp, white bandage.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Just be glad I didn't use hot pink tape!
 
Ranger Ready: You wouldn't dare!
 
Wild Irish Rose: Ohh I considered it!
 
 W.I. Rose ducking a good-natured swat from Ranger Ready as they head back to the bridge.

The attack on the villa is set for 4am, right before dawn. Fernando and Hondo takes turns driving to the villa, but first go to the hide out to pick up a couple of military frequency ready radios. After the radio pick up, they head on their way (only adding another 20 miles to the trip), making 1 stop for fuel. Inside Fernando and Tammy's pockets is a leather document folder with Bink and Claes' pictures in them. Fernando also carries a few Thorazine Pens/Darts in his rear pocket..
 
 On the radio, the attack group keep communications to a minimum, only reporting in on designated points of destination. Within the last 10 miles, visual contact with the ambulance was made as it approaches the side road that goes to the villa. The Hueys and Apaches take their positions, as does the ambulance. Tammy and Fernando goes on ahead while Hondo prepares the mini-copter.
 
 The fight has begun, as the seals with their silenced heckler & Koch 9mm MP5's go against terrorists. They go for head shots against their targets, this insures that a wounded or killed terrorist would not make any verbal noises that would alert the others.
 
 Electronic intel stated that there were about 25 terrorists patrolling the area, and another 10 inside the villa. With 6 seals per Huey, they divide themselves into groups as they approach the house. First group surrounds the edge and area perimeter, taking care of any terrorist patrols. Second group takes targets near the house. The third group surrounds the house and fourth group with Fernando and Tammy inflitrate the house, rescueing Bink and Claes.
 
  The other perimeter is cleared within 10 minutes, as the seals strike fast and hard. The inner perimeter to the house is cleared in another 10. The house is checked with InfaRed to find the location of those inside. Once everyone was accounted for, a two prong attack was initiated. One prong stormed in through the front door. The second prong blows out an entrance in the rear, both simultaneous attacks take those inside by surprise, making the fight as short as possible.  
 
 Fernando and Tammy enter the building last, with 2 seals behind them. They reach Bink first in one room, cutting the restraints that was used on her. Tammy tries to reacquaint herself with her little sister, but Bink does not say a word to her. Fernando goes into the other room and retrieves Claes, and then reunites with Tammy and Bink. With the girls recovered in the compound, Fernando gives the order to pull out and leave the area. The Hueys land by the building and the seal teams enter them. The last Huey signals to Fernando to enter it for the escape.
 
 Fernando refuses, as Hondo arrives with the ambulance. Fernando takes Tammy and the girls to rear of the ambulance, and secures them. Hondo drives away, back to Milan.
 
 Fernando makes a conference call to the admiral and captains, telling them that the girls are with him and are safe. He also tells them of his next mission, which they do not approve.  
 
 After an argument with them, Fernando hangs up the phone, and looks over to Hondo. Fernando reaches over to the center console, and claws at the top. It rips. A panel of labeled buttons and switches. Smoke, oil slick, radar jamming, cal trips, and many other functions are exposed. Hondo looks over the panel of switches.
 
Hondo: Nice...
 
Fernando: Enjoy. We're going to need them.  
 
 The next two hours, Fernando his way over to the rear of the ambulance where there girls were. They sit there in silence, Tammy being saddened that her sister not recognizing her, or not wanting too.
 
Claes: Where are we going?
 
Fernando: Back to Milan.
 
Claes: Back to the others?
 
Fernando: Yes and No.
 
Claes: Explain please.
 
Fernando: Do you trust me in doing the right thing?
 
Claes: You rescued us, You're taking us back to Milan. Are you with section 1?
 
Fernando: Remember in our last meeting? I made a promise and I am here to keep that promise. But, there is a problem.
 
 Fernando looks over to Bink.
 
Fernando: Don't you remember your sister, Tammy?
 
Bink: No. Who are you, mister?
 
Fernando (turning to Tammy): At least she remembers English.
 
 Fernando takes the leather folder inside his jacket and opens it up, placing a few pictures on her and Tammy upon lap. Then he takes the hearing aid from his ear, placing it on Claes' lap.
 
Fernando: Funny, you gave me that, but I don't even know your name or who you are.
 
Claes: Claes. My name is Claes.
 
Fernando: And my name is Fernando. Fernando G.
 
Claes: I know.
 
Fernando: From where?
 
Claes: You're the next mission.
 
Fernando: Let me tell you a little story...
 
 Fernando reaches into his jacket, pulling out his gun, holding it barrel first, and pulls it out, giving the handle end to Claes. She takes the gun, dropping the magazine from handle. She then pulls the handle and releases the one on the chamber. Then she looks at Fernando.
 
Claes: The story?
 
Fernando: Well, there was once this boy about you age. Like you, he was a gunslinger, being told what to do, when to do it. He did not like doing it, but had too.
 
Claes: What happened to him?
 
Fernando: He grew up.
 
Claes: Where is he now?
 
Fernando: He is me.
 
Claes: You?
 
Fernando: You can not be gunslinger boy or girl forever. One day you have to grow up.
 
Claes: I'm not old enough to be grown up.
 
Fernando: Right now, you're a grain of wheat... just the grain. One day you sprout and grow and make more grains of wheat, but until the day you fall onto the ground, you're just a grain of wheat.
 
Claes: Are you taking me back to Section 1?
 
Fernando: I'm taking you back to your handler. But I offer you and your 'sisters' an opportunity, to grow up into something that you can be and not forced to do.
 
Claes: Will you be my new handler?
 
Bink: What happened to Jose, my handler?
 
Claes: He was killed when you were abducted.
 
  Bink reaches over and takes the gun and magazine from Claes, reloading the magazine into the gun and chambering a round into firing position. She draws the gun to her head, but is stopped by Fernando, who had grabbed the barrel of the gun. Slowly and with little effort, Fernando takes the gun away from Bink
 
Fernando: You and your sister need to be reacquainted.
 
 Fernando then takes the magazine out of the gun and unchambers the bullet, putting it back into the magazine. He then puts them on Claes' lap.
 
Fernando (pointing to the empty front passenger): I will be over there.
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
 
 At the SWA, the graveyard shift is almost up. Rarely does anything interesting happen during this shift but this time they receive a signal. They reacquired the signal from the tracking beacon on Claes.  
 
"Someone get the chief. We regained Claes's tracking signal. She is heading back to the city."  
------------------------------
------------------------------
 
 Fernando makes his way back to the seat next to Hondo who was driving. He pretends to ignore what he hears behind him but is aware of what is going on.
 
Hondo: Whats next on the plan, chief?
 
Fernando: Rescue of the others.
 
Hondo: It will be after 6AM when we get back.
 
Fernando: I know.
 
Hondo: You know that you'll they will be bright eyed and bushy tailed.
 
Fernando: So?
 
Hondo: Just letting you know Chief.
 
Fernando: Just get us there.
 
 In the back of the ambulance.
 
Bink: You're my sister?
 
Tammy: Yes you little furball.
 
Bink (looking at the pictures): Why do not I not remember you?
 
Tammy: You been through a lot, Bink. After they killed Mom and Step-dad, I went looking for you, with them telling me that you were in hospital after hospital and then in the care of the Social Welfare Agency. The Social Welfare Agency told me that they did not have you, then told me that this or some other orphanage had you. I've been looking for you for so long...
 
 Tammy started to cry.
 
Bink: Don't cry... miss.
 
Tammy: It's Tammy, I'm your sister, Tammy.
 
Fernando (turning in his seat): Bink- trust her as you would your handler.
 
Claes: We don't know her.
 
Fernando: Do you trust me?
 
Claes: You've shown no reason for me not too.
 
Fernando: Hold off on that, I am going to need your help in rescuing the others.
 
Claes: Rescue? The others?
 
Fernando: Its time to grow up, Claes- you, Bink and the others. Its time to stop being Gunslingers and to be young ladies who will grow up to be young women, like Tammy there.
 
 Claes turns to Tammy.
 
Claes: What is it like to grow up?
 
 Tammy smiles a timid smile before answering. Bink continues to stare at her.
 
Tammy: It was not easy, that's for sure. But everyone goes through it differently as far as I am told. Some have it easier than others.
 
Fernando: Its not easy for a gunslinger without an excellent handler.
 
Tammy: I guess you're right.
 
Claes: How did you managed...?
 
Fernando: I got by with a little help from my friends.
 
Tammy: He's a good friend to have.
 
Fernando: From Gunslinger to Rescuer, that was not easy to do.
 
Claes: Were there other gunslingers with you?
 
Fernando: Many.
 
Claes: What happened to them?
 
Fernando: They are all dead before they could grow up.
 
 Sadness fills Claes upon hearing what he said.
 
Hondo: We need to stop for gas.
 
Fernando: Take the nearest gas station. We'll stop for food and bathroom too.
Within 5 minutes, they stop for a break of gas, food and restrooms. It takes several minutes to fill the tanks, though they could have kept going with what they had.
--------------------------------
--------------------------------
 
Ranger Ready: How did I ever let Fernando talk me into this? I do not send my crew out on bloodletting missions!
 
 W. I. Rose follows along behind the ship's commander, trying to calm him down just a bit.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Easy, Charlie, easy! You remember what the CMO said about keeping your blood pressure down.
 
Ranger Ready: Bones is always was overprotective.
 
 Staring out the nearest portal, Ranger Ready paces the bridge, waiting for word that the gunships and support vehicles are en route back to the Enterprise. As usual, the fine details of the mission that have been supplied to him are somewhat...incomplete. Various agencies and agents have always considered RR and his command to be rather...naive, and holding to too-high standards. Not that he's bothered by their misjudgments.
 
Ranger Ready: I suppose there's nothing for it, now. ETA for Hueys' return?"
 
Number 1: One hour, Captain.
 
 RR resumes his pacing, nervously.
 
Ranger Ready: It's too long.
 
Number 1: Sir?
 
Ranger Ready: They're being exposed for too long! The return route concentrated too much on sleight of hand and secrecy. They should have been barreling all out for the hangar deck.
 
 He sighs, and returns to the center seat.
 
Ranger Ready: How long until Fernando's next rescue commences?
 
 W. I. Rose checks the information packets.
 
Wild Irish Rose: Not long. They're already on their way, now.
 
Ranger Ready: Lets hope they can pull it off, is all I can say.
 
Comm Officer: Captain?
 
 Nearby, the comm officer looks up from her console, a bit shaken.
 
Comm Officer: I have Admiral Donnelly on the secure line, sir. Your eyes only.
 
Ranger Ready: Terrific...pipe it into my office.
Comm Officer: Aye, sir.
 
 Captain Ranger Charles Ready went into his office to receive the call. The Admiral dispensed with all pleasantries and got right down to business. A business that Ranger Ready did not want to hear.
 
Ranger Ready: Admiral...you can't be serious.
 
Admiral Donnelly: I am deadly serious, Captain. My orders are that you and your crew are not, under any circumstances, to allow Fernando G and his accomplices to succeed in their second rescue.
 
Ranger Ready: May I inquire as to why?
 
 Donnelly's eyes shift suspiciously.
 
Admiral Donnelly: That information is classified, I'm afraid.
 
Ranger Ready: Is it, now? Classified by whom? Or is that classified, as well?
 
Admiral Donnelly: Actually, I'm afraid it is.
 
Ranger Ready:And you expect me to go along with this based on your word alone?
 
 The admiral rises, an angry expression on his bearded face.
 
Admiral Donnelly: I expect you to follow the orders of your immediate superior! Is that clear, Captain?
 
Insight begins to dawn upon Ranger Ready suddenly.
 
Ranger Ready: So that's it. Certain individuals plan on double-crossing Fernando and his team.
 
Admiral Donnelly: That is not something that you should be actively puzzling over, Captain. Consider that a friendly warning.
 
Ranger Ready: Aye, sir.
 
Admiral Donnelly: Just carry out your orders, my friend. There may be a promotion in it for you, if you do this right!
 
Ranger Ready: A promotion. Of course.
 
Admiral Donnelly: I'll be in touch, as the day progresses. Keep me posted, Captain.
 
Ranger Ready: Affirmative, Admiral.
 
Admiral Donnelly: Donnelly out.
 
 As the transmission fizzles into static, Ranger Ready sits back at his desk, trying to make sense of the twists and turns that have risen in this mission. Closing his eyes, he reflects on his career...the honor of serving as commander of Enterprise...the excitement of being among those who followed the Rescue Rangers. And in the midst of remembrance, he makes a decision. One that he will stick with.
 
Ranger Ready: Bridge, this is the captain.
 
Comm officer: Sir?
 
Ranger Ready: Get me Fernando on the horn. I don't care where he is, or what he's doing, or even if he's in radio silence. Get him. We've got trouble!
--------------------------------
--------------------------------
 Fernando sits on the rear bumper step to eat a bit of breakfast and coffee. Claes walks up to him and hands him back his gun. Fernando does not take it back, continuing to eat. Claes pulls on the left flap of his jacket and inserts the gun back into the holder he has there. Then she slowly withdraws away.
 
Fernando: Claes, why?
 
Claes: Because I trust you.  
 
Everyone gathered back into the ambulance, and rode the remaining 30 minutes to Milan. Soon they were within the city limits, needing to go through a check point set up by the US Military. The closer they got to the hotel, the more check points they went through until they got to the hotel.
 
Fernando: Hondo, enter the basement garage slowly.
 
Hondo: Will do Boss Squirrel Man.
 
 As they enter the garage, several US Army troops follow them. They stop at the parking spot at the far end of the garage. They get out of the Ambulance and are surrounded by the troops.
 
Fernando: Good morning boys.
 
Most of the troops nod in acknowledgment.
 
Fernando: I'll need 4 ahead of us and 4 behind us. Everyone else support the elevator and stairways.
 
 They make their way to the floor where the SWA and the girls were staying by elevator. They step out into the halls, where the other troops had secured themselves earlier.
 
Fernando: Claes, Bink. Get the other girls and bring them to the handler's room. Fernando walks right behind them.
 
 As Claes and Bink walk to the girls' room, a member of the SWA steps into the hallway.
 
SWA member: Claes, Bink- Stop and return here!
 
Fernando (as he draws out his gun): Go get the other girls and bring them here. (To the troops) The girls are not the target, the adults are.
 
 In the background, the sound of several automated weapons can be heard. Claes and Bink go into the girls room. The 4 troops that were in front of him were beside the doorway with their rifles drawn into the room, targeting the others inside.
 
Fernando: Tell your friends to not even try it. You will either walk away as free men or be carried away as dead men. The choice is yours.
 
SWA member: This is not your jurisdiction. You are interfering with the affairs of the Italian Government.
 
Fernando: It became my jurisdiction when your agency would not restore Bink to her sister.
 
 One by one, the girls walk out, armed with the weapons of their choice, except for Cleas and Bink. Seeing this, Fernando waves down the armed troops and point to the handler's room.
 
Fernando: Not restoring Bink to her sister is where you went wrong. Later I found out that you were using little girls as weapons of murder. Again you are wrong.
 
SWA member: You are out of your jurisdiction.
 
Fernando: UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/54/263 states that it is a war crime to use children as armed soldiers for combat resolution, for conflicts internal or external. You, Italians, as UN members are bond by this resolution.
 
 The SWA member just stares Fernando, too angry to give a reply. Fernando steps to the front of the doorway, with his gun at the SWA member. He signals Tammy to stand close to him, and then Bink. They walk to him and stand at his sides.
 
Fernando: Now, I'm taking Bink back to her family. That rights a wrong that is to be should have corrected a long time ago. Instead, you decided to commit child kidnapping, brainwashing, conditioning and create a child assassin using her.
 
SWA member: You have now her, leave our country.
 
 Tammy takes Bink's hand and they both quietly walk away. The troops escort them out the building. Hondo stays behind.
 
Fernando: That is not enough. For doing the same thing to the other girls, I am taking them too, and reunite them to their families.
 
SWA member: That is all? You want them, we can get more.
 
 Fernando signals to Claes. She walks over to him. He signals to her to continue to Hondo. She walks to him slowly, stopping 1/2 way and signals to the other girls. The girls run into their rooms and back out with their violin cases in tow. They slowly followed Claes to Hondo, and they were escorted down by the several of the troops.
 
Fernando (To the troops): Call for back up and arrest everyone over the age of 25 in this section. Gather evidence, and get your men ready to do more arrests elsewhere. CIA Operative Alex II will tell you where and when. Charge them with Child Rights violations and send them to the Enterprise.
 
 More Troops came in from the elevator, walking into each room, arresting everyone inside. People are escorted out in plastic handcuffs behind their backs. Fernando finally leaves.
 
 In a lone room, Fernando types up a long story on his laptop, as more arrests are made throughout Italy. Once he is done, he send the file out to several news and email houses, where it is circulated to all the news editors around the world. It was late in the day and he is relieved that he had finished this part of the work.

 
Corrupt Italian Officials Arrested in Child Prostitution, Weapons and Drug Ring
Earlier today US, UN and Italian forces raided many houses of ill-repute and drug markets, arresting many dealers in drug, weapon and child porn industries. Many arrested were government officials, high raking law enforcement officers, and military officals...
 
 
 
 
Fernando thinks to himself that this job is not finished. There is still managing to get these thugs into the arresting arm of the UN. And rehabilitation of the girls while searching for their families. They are going to need a lot of support along the way.  
---------------------------
---------------------------
 
 A knock sounds at Fernando's door, which momentarily swings open to reveal the captain of the Enterprise, an exasperated expression on his face.
 
Ranger Ready: You're a hard squirrel to track down, you know that?
 
 Not waiting for pleasantries, Ranger Ready closes the door behind him, and turns a chair around, planting himself on it.
 
Ranger Ready: You moved quicker than I thought you could, on that rescue. It's a good thing you did, because it saved me having to plan out some way to keep your hide out of the fire. Well, any more than it already is. The long and short of it, my superiors are breathing down my neck to bring you in, and reverse the fortunes of your mission at any cost. Which I am not inclined to do, naturally, but I do have questions. Who do you know that wants this little trip to fail?
 
 Sitting down with the Captain, Fernando answers his questions.
 
Fernando: This is more personal than it is professional. Furthermore, UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/54/263 states that you cant have children do your dirty work, the Agency wants this technology to create their own. That is something I will not allow.
 
 The Captain rubs his chin as he listens to his statement.
 
Ranger Ready: Personal?
 
Fernando: It goes back to a mission I was in back in the 1980s, where the Agency had a run-away military special ops agent. That agent killed many during his reign. One of those was my wife, and since the agency was not going to do anything about it- I did.
 
Ranger Ready: I see. But I still have my orders.
 
Fernando: I understand. But, in my statement- I am a retired agent who will do what is right because it is the right thing to do. Not because its convent to follow orders. I know you have a reputation to maintain and a career to uphold, but the choice is yours- You can throw me in the brig, or...
 
Ranger Ready: Or?
 
Fernando: Ever read Milton?
 
Ranger Ready: If you are referring to "I would rather rule in hell than to serve under heaven", then yes. I have.
 
Fernando: Give me an escort back to Rome. I will deal with it from there.
 
Ranger Ready: Where would you go?
 
Fernando: The Vatican.
 
RangerReady: That's not the point.
 
Fernando: I know, you have your orders. But Sir, if you will excuse me saying so. There are a lot of good men out there who went in with me, despite orders to the contrary. Good men who did the right thing. So... give me a name, and I will deal with it from there. Besides, if you send the girls back, where would they go? The agency is shut down. The officers running it are in your brig and the UN alerted to their crimes. In the words of an admiral who said this to my friend, "I don't know whether to give you a medal or to arrest you." So it stands, and the choice is yours to make. But Captain, you send the girls back- you send Bink back too. I will deal with what ever consequences that thrown at me.
 
Ranger Ready: Brave words. Mind if I use them in a speech?
 
Fernando: If you like.
 
Ranger Ready: I'll give you my decision within 24 hours. Until then, enjoy your freedom, courtesy of Admiral Donnelly.
 
Fernando: I see.
 
 Ranger Ready gets up and walks away, pausing at door.
 
Ranger Ready: By the way, Fernando.
 
Fernando: Yes Sir?
 
RangerReady: This is not the Hotel Hilton. Everyone here has a job. Your job is to take care of those girls and keep them out of my hair!
 
Fernando: Yes Sir. I will take care of them when they arrive.
 
Ranger Ready: See to is that you do.
 
Captain Ranger Ready walks out of the room. Fernando takes to his laptop and starts typing on it.
 
Fernando (to himself): Hmmm... Admiral Donnelly is it? Well... We'll see about that.  
----------------------------------
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Triela, Rico and Angelica cooperated and watched as their handlers were taken away in hand cuffs by the U.S. troops. They were simply waiting for the right moment of their opportunity. The deception of these highly condition assassins paid off. They opened fire on their "rescuers," retreating to the SUV where Jean, Hilshire and Marco are detained.  
 
  Those surrounding the SUV had no choice, they had to protect them selves. As the girls were charging the SUV, Angelica receives several shots in the abdomen. Triela takes out the driver as Rico calls out, "Angelica's been hit." Triela takes the wheel as Rico helps Angelica in the SUV. The three girls were back with their handlers. Triela drives off as Rico breaks off the handcuffs before attending to Angelica's wounds.  
 
 The SUV is followed. Hilshire takes over the wheel as Triela and Rico get into position to fire back if need be. These brainwashed kids would die to protect their handlers.  
 
Marco then attends to Angelica's wounds, "You were great back there. I am so proud of you."  
 
 Angelica smiles back at Marco through the pain.
 
"Just hold on, Angelica." Rico encourages her.  
--------------------
--------------------
 Hondo had stayed behind to watch over things as Fernando had gone back to the ship in the first load to prepare things for the other girls, Bink an' Claes were with him.  Hondo had stayed back so far as he didn't trust the girls yet. He knew they didn't have enough time to win the others trust over enough to have them see their handlers hauled off.  He had told the rescue troops to do different, to get the girls out of there before haulin' away the handlers but they didn't listen to him. They said it was out of his hands now. So Hondo just stayed back an' watched.
 
 Hondo was leanin' against an outside wall of the hotel when all hell broke loose. He dove back behind a dumpster for cover an' just watched. He didn't like it, but they didn't listen to him. if they had it would not have happened, or so he thought.  After they left Hondo took to the shadows an' disappeared. The place was crawlin' with agents an' troops of all kinds an' he didn't feel like answerin' any questions.
 
 Fernando still had a radio and Hondo still had the other. Hondo made sure no one fopund him or made him go aboard the ship. He had completely slipped off the radar, which confused the heck out of all involved, especially the navy folks.
 
  Hondo 'borrowed' a small pick-up that was not being used for anythin' important near town an' put his fold-up copter in the back. He then found a place to hide out in the woods near the shore where he could see the ships with a small telescope he had commandeered From there he tried to contact Fernando.
-----------------------
-----------------------
 
 Captain Eddie Dixon, commanding officer of the battleship USS Texas, was breathing much easier. The raid had gone as planned and most all the operatives were back aboard Enterprise, which the Texas was now steaming within sight of. And with the arrest of many of the corrupt government officials, it looked like Italy was moving away from the brink of war. Thanks to the intervention of Fernando and his team and select elements of the US Marines, though tensions were still high, it appeared that the crisis had passed. Much of the anxiety on the ships had lifted since it seemed that they wouldn't be going to war after all.
 
 At least, not yet. There was always still a small chance that violence would flare up. And there could still be elements of various agencies left in Italy: after all, some of the higher-ups in the SWA, with all the resources at their disposal, could make it very difficult for themselves to be found. And they might not like having their power taken away.
 
 But for now, all was well as the battle group continued steaming off the coast of Geona. Now that the crisis point had passed, it was unlikely that anything significant would happen with such a powerful presence in the area. But one never knew...  
----------------------------
----------------------------
 
 Within the hour, a knock comes at Fernando's door once again, and the captain steps in, a grin on his face as they had not gotten the word about the escape yet.
 
Ranger Ready: You realize, of course, that I would've answered you on the spot, but I had to make it look good, in case I was being watched. Incidentally...my communications officer dug up something which might interest you. It sure interested me.
 
 Watching the squirrel's eyes widen as they traverse the folder he's been given, RR nods in appreciation.
 
Ranger Ready: Lieutenant Nyota can be quite the little hacker, when she wants to be.
 
Fernando: Is this certain? It's not a plant?"
 
Ranger Ready: I checked with certain...sources that I have. I've got a cousin located pretty high-up in the JAG office. It makes it a bit easier when I need to get my hands on certain...items.
 
Fernando: Like this report.
 
Ranger Ready: You don't know the half of it. "Project Warrior-maid", as the Navy brass termed it. It was instituted about ten years ago, as a partnership with various other covert ops agencies around the world. It's known to very few...and understood by fewer. Your SWA has been hand in hand with some very powerful people, Fernando...look at the signature on the authorization papers.
 
 Fernando looks down, and tosses the papers across the cabin's small table in disgust.
 
Fernando: You have got to be kidding me.
 
Ranger Ready: I wish I was. The joint partnership was chartered, on this end...by then Commodore Ignatius Donnelly.
 
 RR sighs, resting his hands behind his head.
 
Ranger Ready: Which means we've got more trouble than either of us bargained for.
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
 
In the countryside, not far from Milan, a fighter jet started moving.
 
---------
The SUV containing three gunslingers and their handlers smashed through the surrounding troops at high speeds. They were currently more interested in getting away than taking any immediate revenge.
 
 Mere minutes later, they were on the road, racing away as fast as they could.
 
 Behind them, swooping out of a clear blue sky, evading the bullets of the US army choppers in the area, came a fighter jet, painted in Italian colours. It had no canopy, only a smooth metallic top.
 
It came down lower... and lower...
...and very shortly, was skimming over the road, with the wings barely clearing the buildings to the side.
 
 It fired something downwards; below, the SUV shuddered as something hit the roof and unfolded in a complex pattern.
 
The fighter jet turned, and flew off.
 
 Down below, three gunslingers and three handlers saw a small group of three-legged robots rushing from the roof, down the windows, under the car. There must have been about a dozen; there wasn't the opportunity to destroy them all as they passed.
 
 Ten minutes later, the SUV was no longer under their control. It sped up and took the quickest road out of the city.
 
The car radio crackled.
 
"Please rest assured that I intend to bring you to a place where medical treatment will be available." The voice was flat, toneless - synthesized. The AI Bat had struck again.  
 
 Every time a tripod was in visual range, either Triela or Rico would take it out. All the tripods were taken out however the SUV was still not under their control. They resort to simply turning off the ignition. By the side of the road Triela manages to disable remote devices and they are back on the road again.  
  For now the AI Bat gave up chase and called Fernando to fill him in on the radio he had laying on the dresser in his room.
 
CCC: Fernando, are you within hearing range?
 
Fernando: CCC? Is that you?
 
CCC: Yes it is I. I have some bad news about the rescued gunslinger girls and the rescuers that had them . . .
 
The AI Bat filled Fernando in on what was happening. Fernando was not pleased.
 
Fernando: What about Hondo?
 
CCC: I am sorry, but there is no word on him. If he hasn't contacted you yet he is probably dead.
 
Fernando swore and shook his head.
 
Fernando: Not Hondo. I can't believe he's dead. Until I hear for sure that he is I won't believe it.
-------------------------------
 
Fernando walks out of his room, asking to see the Captain. He was denied to be taken to Ranger Ready, and told to stay in his room. Fernando takes to his laptop and sends the following message to all Mission Rescuers:
 
 
ABORT! ABORT! ABORT!
DO NOT ENGAGE THE ESCAPEES!
ALL TROOPS AND MISSION OPS, RETURN TO BASE.
...
..
.
Sometimes you have to know when it is over.
We tried our best and have to take what we have as our Victory.
The UN will be arriving soon, and will deal with the remains of the Italian Government and the SWA.
The remains of the SWA may still been trenched within the Italian Government, but their reputations have been smeared and all but destroyed. Their attempts in putting together their agency again will be difficult, if not impossible.
...
..
.
You men and women have done well in the face of adversity. I can not give any reward other than my thanks. May God and country give you more than I can.
With best wishes to you all,
Your Mission Commander;
Retired Agent Fernando G
 
 
 
 
After sending the message, Fernando continues typing. As his fingers flies across the keyboard, he thinks. Then he went on to another message:
 
Admiral Donnelly;
Who watches the watcher, is a question often asked. I ask, who is watching you? It seems to me that you have signed a Faustian contract in order to promote yourself and your carreer. My only recourse is to excorsise that evil that you have implanted within the those who are supposed to protect us but instead protect themselves.
I hope you are aware that UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/54/263 prohibits the use of children as soldiers and weapons. It also contains other prohibition against project such as 'WarriorMaid.' For that, I hope you understand my position and consider my ultimatium not as a threat but as a solution. You are the threat against the rights and liberties you are supposed to protect, a threat that has to be eliminated.
Your options are as follows:
-Withdraw the orders you have stated against the rescue mission.
-Retire and Vacate your post within 24 hours.
-Never become an associate or consultant to the democracy and its military which gave you your position.
FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL RESULT IN THE FOLLOWING:
Within 36 hours:
-The Heads of State and The Chiefs of Staff wil be alerted to your activities.
-The UN Child Rights Agency will be alerted to your work in 'Project WarriorMaid.'
Within 48 hours:
-Electronic Release of 'Project WarriorMaid' to the Press and News Media
-Your image posted along with the the report.
-Congress will be made aware of your involvement.
In short, you will either disappear into obscurity on your own or become a fugitive on the land you were paid to protect. The choice is yours.
-Sincerely
One Very Angry and Pissed Off Squirrel
PS- Any hostile move made against me or any rescue mission ops will invoke these actions. The Servers based around the world require my input every 12 hours. If three consecutive inputs are missing, the servers will spew out the contents of this ultimatium onto the internatinal news community, and to the authorities stated above.
In short, destroy me, detain me, and you destroy yourself.
.attch: Project WarriorMaid
 
 
With hitting the [ENTER] Key, the message is sent.  
---------------------------
---------------------------
 
the AI bat sent a short message to Fernando: "Noted."
 
 A longer message is sent to the escapees via car radio: "The nearest medical facility lies two blocks east of your current location. Goodbye."
 
Above them, the fighter plane... disintegrated. Each of the separate pieces was designed to land gently and contain no sharp corners, nothing else.
 
Back at the Cafe, the AI bat relaxed. "That must mean they are on their way back.
 
But are they?