Hondo I. Sackett
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*"words in blue linked to previous posts"* As Hondo and Fernando went to work on the bassinet, Valentine went over to where Gadget was standing awkwardly out of the way. Valentine sat down on the couch and Gadget joined her. "That's a different look for you, isn't it?" Valentine asked Gadget looked down at herself, "yeah. I can't say i'm comfortable in it, but Fernando said I'm his secretary now nd I have to dress like this." Valentine looked her over, "hmm ..." "What's wrong?" Gadget asked "Well, I could give you a few pointers. I can't help you dress more like you, but I could help you look a little more like I think he'd want for an assistant." Valentine offered. "I'd not mind some pointers, but ..." Gadget hesitated "But what?" Valentine asked "Well, If I'm close, but not perfect he gives me more attention. If I was perfect I'd have to work harder for him to notice me." Gadget replied "I know us women have to do some things, at first at least, to get noticed, but ... I think you're goin' about it all wrong. You need to learn to blend in a little better, but you need to be yourself. If Fernando doesn't love who you really are, why would you want him? Don't you want a man who loved Gadget?" Valentine asked "You don't understand... I had someone who loved me for me once. I ... I broke his heart. I tried to be myself with Chip and ... and ... well you know." Gadget said "I have an idea, but I don't know. I wish you'd tell me." Valentine said "I ... I can't." Gadget said "Gadget ... I know you haven't had a lot of friends, and I can't change the past, but ... I want to help you. I want to be your friend. If you can't talk about it yet, I understand, but ... but I want you to feel like you can talk to me. If you don't get it out it will fester inside of you. I know. I was there before." Valentine said "Valentine ... Val .. can I call you Val? ...like Hondo does?" Gadget asked Valentine nodded, "Sure. I like my friends to call me Val." "Thanks, Val. I ... I want to talk about some of it... I ... I really do." Gadget said hesitantly. "Then tell me. I'm right here." Valentine said. About then Fernando stepped out of his room where he and Hondo had been working on the bassinet. Valentine saw him out of the corner of her eye and he did not look happy. “Val, Gadget.” He calls to them, “Dale and Monty will be coming soon. Go into Gadget’s room and remain in there until I call for you both.” “Sure thing, uhm... sir.” Val replies. “Uhm, yeah.” Gadget says before they get up and leave for Gadget’s room. As they entered the room Gadget shut the door about half way closed behind them. She looked at Valentine and cocked her head a bit. "You see how Fernando looked?" She asked "Yeah. He looked a bit pissed." Valentine said. "Yeah. Golly, I hope I didn't do something wrong." Gadget said quietly "If he overheard us, which he has ears like a damn bat, then that look was probably for me." Valentine said. "Why you?" Gadget asked "Well ... Hondo said Fernando didn't ... he didn't want me pushin' you or questionin' you anymore." Valentine said hesitantly "Why?" Gadget asked "I ... I don't really know. you have any idea?" Valentine said, half lying as she knew what Hondo had said but didn't completely understand it. Gadget shrugged, "I'm not sure. Golly, maybe it's because of the secret in secretary! I thought he meant something else." "Meant somethin' else? What happened while we were gone?" Valentine asked "Well .... promise you won't get mad?" Gadget said warily Valentine paused a bit then nodded, "Ok, I can't say I won't like it, tough." Gadget shrugged, "Fair enough. I ... I showed him my goods." "Your goods... as in?" Valentine asked cautiously "My ... pussy." Gadget said as she cringed, waiting for the yelling. Valentine sighed, "And?" "And ... he looked me over and left." Gadget said still cringing. "Looked you over. Why?" Valentine asked. Gadget looked at her, "You're not going to yell at me?" "I said I wouldn't." Valentine replied. "Golly, Chip usually said he wouldn't then would anyway." Gadget replied "I'm not Chip. Non of us are. We just want to help." Valentine said. "I ... I'm not used to that... I guess ... I can tell you some ... Fernando he ... he was looking for ... for needle marks." Gadget replied. "Why?" Valentine asked. "Because ... because he thought I ... I might be using drugs." Gadget replied Valentine walked up to gadget and she cringed a bit until Valentine wrapped her in a hug. "Aren't ... aren't you going to ask me if I was?" Gadget asked hesitantly as she was being hugged by the other mousette. "No." Valentine said. "No? ... why?" Gadget asked. "I just realized Hondo and Fernando were right about one thing, despite their reasonin's, whatever they are. They were right that I shouldn't push you." Valentine said as she still hugged Gadget. "Why? Why do you say that?! Do.. do you not want to be my friend anymore?" Gadget asked as she pulled away and was near tears. "No, it's not that. I ... I shouldn't push as ... Gadget, it's like I'm pryin' information out of you. Friends tell each other things. I want to help and would be honored to know but ... I can't make you trust me, I can't make you tell me, and I can't keep pushin' for information. It's just not right. I'm here for you, but ... like Hondo said, I shouldn't push you anymore." Valentine said softly "But ... but what if.. what if I want you to ... to push." Gadget said at almost a whisper. "I don't know you that well, Gadget. I'm tryin', but ... I don't know. Fernando and Hondo think I shouldn't but .." Valentine said "Please, Val. Don't give up on me. I ... I need your pushing." Gadget said "I'll be there, but I can't keep fhisin' for information." Valentine said. "I like your asking. It ... it makes me feel like someone cares. Fernando care, I know, and Hondo might, but ... they don't ask about me. They expect me to fall in line ... to spell out whats wrong... to .. to just behave as if I'm not hurting. Val ... I don't know how to even survive right now, let alone know what to say!" Gadget said in a desperate tone. "Gadget, We all care. Hondo and Fernando are just ... men. They don't show feelin's, other than anger, easily. They don't understand how us women need to talk through our problems, even wen it sounds like idle chatter at times. My only woman friend I've had recently was Tammy, and she ... she decided I'm not worth it anymore. I've been alone with Fernando and Hondo for months on a mission with no one but them and you see how open they are to listenin' or knowin' what questions a woman needs asked. I understand how that feels, but ... I can't guide you to the answers or the questions always. I asked what happened and you gave me one answer and that was it. I can't keep asking for the next thing in line every time." Valentine said Gadget sighed and nodded, "I understand. I'll try to be better about it. Give me time, please." Valentine nodded, "I said I'm here. You have to let me know when you're ready." Gadget nodded and paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Fernando checked me for needle marks, because he thought I was using drugs. .. I am, but not injecting, and I'm using a little bit of several. Why? ... I ... I need them right now.. Chip told me to take them and when I tried to argue he said that good wives don't argue. There was a lot more to it all but ... but I'm having trouble sorting it out in my own head. The stress of everything is killing me. I did the drugs because I was told to... at first. Then I did them to hide from what... from was doing. I... I lied to you yesterday. I ... I did have sex with multiple partners, but ... honestly I didn't want to. Chip... he... he told me a good wife made his friends feel good...." Gadget paused trying to keep herself together. "Oh, Gadget ..." Valentine said as she wrapped her in a hug again, "I'm so sorry. It.. it had to be horrible for you. Oh God. I can't even begin to imagine." Gadget fought back the tears. She had cried a lot recently, and was tired of crying. "Thanks, Val. I hope you never can imagine... thank you, though. Golly, you're the first person I've just said that too. Fernando... he knows, but ... He had to ask all the questions." Gadget said softly "It's alright. I'm glad you told me." Valentine said. "I hate to bother you, but ... but can I tell you more?" Gadget asked "Any time." Valentine said. Gadget nodded, "Thanks." Valentine let her go and they set on the edge of the bed. Gadget told Valentine about what happened the day she and Hondo parted ways and was just getting to her kidnapping when a voice called to them from the livingroom. It was Fernando. “Gadget, Val. I need you downstairs now.” Fernando called out “We will be there in a minute.” Val tells him. Fernando almost growls at her, “Now Means NOW! Not In A Minute! Now Let’s Go!” Gadget nods at Val, “We’re coming.” "We'll talk more later, Val... again, thank you." Gadget said quietly Valentine nodded, "Anyime." They follow him across the house and out Tammy’s bedroom doors before going down the stairs. Once downstairs outside, the girls see the guys slapping Dale and Monty about. Monty and Dale start to come around to some sort of reality. “Welcome to the world of the living.” Fernando tells them. Dale and Monty look up at him. Fernando continues, “Let us begin. You two now work for me and the agencies we are part of. The Rangers have been disbanded. The Danger Rangers have been given control of your former headquarters and homes. Fellas – remove the ball gags.” Hondo and Charles do as they are told in ungagging Monty and Dale. Fernando continues, “We are not here to earn any rewards. We are not here to seek any medals. We are here to a job as requested to me as a favor by the Emperor of Japan. Thus you are not working for Misao anymore. At the rate she is going, she is going to end up with Chip when he faces his Death Sentence. You two work for me. In that, you will be given free room and board. You will eat what is given to you. There will be no snacks or in between meals -meals. We have a workshop, though you may assist in it, you are not to be in there alone without supervision. You are not to go out and act on your own. You are to follow orders as given to you by your supervising officers. Monty – Hondo is your supervising officer. You do as he tells you. No questions are to be asked. Dale – Charles is your supervising officer. You do as he tells you. No questions are to be asked. Now – give them a problem means you give me a problem and if you give me a problem you will be sent back to jail with Chip. Become a danger in the field and to your teams, and you will be shot dead on sight without question. So if you value your freedom and your lives, you will take the easy way out of doing your best to do as requested of you to do. Do I make myself clear?!” Monty and Dale both look at him and nod. Fernando signals to Gadget to be at his side. They both see her. “We were told you were dead, luv!” Monty lets out. “I got better.” Gadget says. “Better?” Dale asks. “A mistake in the body count, there was confusion in identifying the wounded and the dead, and from that I was misled to think that she was killed. I found her later in one of the medical room receiving treatment for her wounds after being given the news of her death. But whether she is here or not, she is off-limits to you two. She is under my care until this mission is over.” Fernando explains. He adds as he gives Hondo and Charles keys to their basement rooms, “Men, untie them, and show them to their rooms. Give them a key to the room and then take them out. Charles, take your people with you. The electrician will be here in a couple hours to do some rewiring work, to power to the house will be shut off during that time.” “I completely understand.” Charles tells him. “These ‘men’ are now yours, fellas. Do with them as you need. Except for the few favors I asked to be done, the day is yours. I expect this place to be empty until 4PM, and I hope the electrical work will be completed by then. Take care. I’ll be on the sofa resting.” Fernando tells them. “So we are to show them their rooms first and then take them away, Jefe?” Hondo asks. “Yes.” Fernando tells him. “We will be back with the refrigerators and things.” Charles says before uncuffing Dale from his seat. “Come on Dale. You got a lot to learn.” They watch Charles and Dale leave to the side of the house to where Charles’ room is at. Hondo then uncuffs Monty and pulls him up onto his feet. “Come on, you are with me.” Hondo tells him. He adds, “You too, Val.” The three of them leave together. Hondo leads towards the house with Monty following and Valentine, silently, bringing up the rear. She wasn't sure how much trouble she was in with Fernando at the moment, but she would deal with it. Some days she wondered if he liked her at all or not, too. Hondo opened the door to the basement bedroom and then tossed the keys to Monty. "Here is where you're bunkin'. Look it over an' meet us on level two in five minutes. We are gonna make a run to town here an' make ourselves scares for a bit. Do not stop in the kitchen. It's off limits unless you're supervised." Hondo said gruffly "Come on, pally. I've not eaten a decent morsel since before they locked us in thet cage!" Monty whined "IF it were up to me you'd still be in that #$@!in' cage for endangerin' my wife an' the friends I call family!" Hondo growled deeply. "But ... but .. Thet was Chip!" Monty replied, trying to defend imself "I don't give a #$@! who said it! You were there.. You knew it.. an' you said nothin' to stop it or warn us!! You're just as guilty, Jack! So you'd better just shut up an' do what you're told. You're gonna hafta do a whole lot to ever EVER earn my trust or respect! An', you hear me good, one, just one #$@!in' cheese attack an' I'll shoot ya without a second thought!" Hondo growled even deeper "But ... but.." Monty stammered. "I'll shoot ya like the murderin' scum ya are!" Hondo growled again before turning and walking upstairs. Valentine looked away from Monty. She was not happy at what he had done, but that tone her husband used made her want to beg for mercy from him, and he was not even talking to her at the moment! Monty walked sadly into his room and sat down. He sghed and looked up at the ceiling. "Zippah, me old mate, where-evah ya are, I #$@!ed up big time, mate." He said quietly.
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