The crowd begins to walk into the house, forcing Fernando to gather them in the living before taking them to the kitchen.
 
“I see some of you brought in your own meals, but the landlord will also be providing a dinner meal as well. I suggest mixing the two to extend what you have. I’ll get the trays and dishes ready for you. The landlord brought in Chicken Katsudon (Chicken on white rice – with vegetables), some Zaru Soba (cold Soba Noodles with separate sauce) and some Kare Pan (Curry Bread). I will serve you and you take your meals upstairs to the livingroom or to your personal rooms. Hondo is doing me the favor of keeping those things that need to be warm – warm and those things that need to be cold, cold. Go to the bathroom and wash up and I’ll see you downstairs.” Fernando explains.
 
Fernando does downstairs and uses the bathroom there to wash up before serving the food. He then goes into the shelves and pulls out trays, plates and bowls along with other utensils on the dining table with the pots of food. Kei and Yuri were the first to step up to be served.
 
“Excuse me if I make a mess here, ladies. But what would you like?” Fernando tells them as he shows off the food Maria brought in.
 
“I’ll take it all.” Kei says to him.
 
“I bet you would but I can’t give it all.” Fernando tells her as he starts fixing the plate with the Chicken Katsudon and a bowl of Zaru Soba Noodles. A small bowl with Soba sauce is placed next to the bowl and the Kare Bread placed on top of and beside the Chicken Katsudon. He asks, “Anything else?”
 
“This will be fine.” Kei answers, throwing in before she goes into her room, “Yuri, your turn.”
 
Fernando prepares a similar tray for Yuri as well.  He continues preparing trays for the others as well: the Goon Squad; Rachel, Michelle, Sabrina and Tabitha; A few of Charles’ crew, Aiesha and Jeanette. The only one who did not want from the food was Tammy, who stayed upstairs in her room.
 
Fernando calls to Monty and Dale, “Fellas, come and get it.”
 
“It’s ‘bout time!” Monty starts to get himself together to enjoy the meal. He looks at it, as it is not what he is usually used to Japanese Food but food is food. Dale takes his tray without saying much of a word.
 
‘’hat about ‘hat we poot together?” Monty asks.
 
“That is Hondo’s personal food for him and his wife. They are going to share with Gadget and make sure she eats so she can get her strength back.” Fernando tells him.
 
Hondo gives Fernando a slight nod before staking the pots with his meal and a couple of plates and trays to take upstairs. Fernando takes his share of Maria’s food, but there was enough for some to have seconds if they so liked.
 
Monty breaks down, “Tell me, matey – how bad is she? Gadget I mean.”
 
“She’ll recover if she is given her space, time and peace. She has me as a doctor and my two adult daughters as doctors. We’ll take her to the Emperor’s Medical Facility to get her totally examined and determine what treatment she needs. Thus I do not need any of you hawking over her for any reason as it will set her back. Understand what I am telling you?” Fernando explains.
 
“I gettin’ ya.” Monty replies.
 
“What’s this about the abuse?” Dale asks.
 
“If you were blind to what was going on in your own home, then maybe you should not know about it.” Fernando tells him.
 
Dale looks down at the floor and lets out a sigh.
 
“We didn’t know.” Monty says in Dale’s defense.
 
“I’ll give that some people go about their lives blind to what is happening to others around them, even in their own homes. But that is no excuse. That is ignorance, and ignorance is no excuse for turning a blind eye to what is happening around you.” Fernando tells him.
 
“What makes you such an expert?” Dale throws in.
 
“I have over 35 years of training including crisis intervention and handling of emergency situations while working at a Suicide Hotline for high school and college. Then there are years I spent as a lifeguard, police officer, first responder on top of the years I spend studying to be a doctor and all that before I joined the agency. Not all rescues are where you have to jump in and carry someone out of a burning building. Some involve you having to talk somebody from jumping off a bridge, or know what to say so they can give you their gun they have pointed to their head. To give somebody hope when they thought they had none.” Fernando begins to explain to Dale sternly, “One does rescues in order to make this world a better place for themselves and for others. It is never about how many rescues one could do or how many rewards and awards one can collect for each rescue done. Rescuing is not a job, it is a necessity. It is something done to make this world for a better place for all. You get that through your thick head, then you will understand where Chip had failed and I will always succeed. Now, enjoy your meal.”
 
“I was not expecting an answer.” Dale says to himself.
 
“You asked. I gave you answer. Whether you like it or not, you do not have to eat it if you do not like it. But let me put it to you this way – while I was studying my ass off to be a doctor, what were you doing? Joining forces with Chip to attack Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Goofy and Pluto? So in that time you thought it was funny to give somebody grief and discomfort? You thought it was alright to bring harm to others? Only bullies do that, and I can’t stand bullies. Understand where I am coming from?” Fernando tells him.
 
Dale looks away from him, slowly losing his appetite. Fernando notices his actions.
 
“Dale, this is Japan – a nation that has been through disaster, famine and war. They do not waste food here. So you better eat what is on your plate or never ask for another bite of food again because I will make sure you will not get it. When I come back, that plate better be empty and your belly full.” Fernando tells him as he stacks up his plates and bowls on his tray. He then takes his food items upstairs. “I will be back to do the dishes. Since you and Monty helped in cooking the food, then the both of you do not have to wash the dishes. I will give that job to somebody else to do today. But on a day you do not cook, you will be washing dishes.”
 
Fernando takes his meal upstairs to the living room, not waiting for an answer. Looking around, he finds Hondo and Val in Gadget’s room, the three of them silently enjoying what Hondo had made. He takes his meal and sits down in a corner of the room. Though she was eating, Gadget was not eating much, perhaps half of that Hondo or Val was having.
 
“Hondo – thanks.” Fernando says as he begins his meal.
 
“Anything you want from what we have, you’re welcomed to it.” Hondo tells him.
 
“I’ll take a little something after I finish with this first. Thanks.” Fernando says to him.
 
“Any plans for tomorrow?” Hondo asks.
 
“I will have to take Gadget out, you know where and why. Other than that, everyone is free to do what they want.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Good. I was thinking of going to that ranch with Val we spoke about.” Hondo answers.
 
“Taking the car or the motorcycle?” Fernando asks.
 
“Probably the motorcycle.” Hondo answers.
 
“Not to separate you two or anything like that – but take both, just in case you have to ditch one, you still have the other.” Fernando explains, adding, “Not that I am expecting trouble, but it is better to be prepared.”
 
“Alright. Val and I will discuss the details in the morning.” Hondo replies.
 
They continue eating for a moment. Gadget managed to eat a bit more than expected with a smaller helping of seconds. Fernando had a bit of what Hondo made after having eaten what he originally brought up.
 
“Who’s going to clean up the kitchen?” Val asks.
 
“I’ll figure it out later.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Then I volunteer to help out.” Val insists.
 
“I said ‘I’ll figure it out later.’ Right now you’re with Gadget. I’m not going to stop that to have you do the dishes.” Fernando tells her.
 
“I’ll be there with ya cleanin’ up.” Hondo says.
 
“You cooked, you do not need to clean up.” Fernando tells him.
 
“My mess, I’ll take care of it.” Hondo throws back at him.
 
“Alright. I’ll give everyone another half hour to finish eating and then we’ll clean up.” Fernando says.
 
Hondo nods as he begins to pile up the trays, bowls, dishes and pots, asking, “What shall we do with the leftovers?”
 
“I think we have some Tupperware we can put them into and stash them away in the frig.” Fernando says as he begins to stack up his tray items. He gets up and picks up his tray, “I’m going to take head-start. Hondo, see you downstairs.”
 
Fernando gets his things and heads downstairs. He finds his older girls downstairs cleaning up in the kitchen, or more like Rachel and Michelle telling Sabrina and Tabitha what to do.
 
“What is going on?” Fernando asks.
 
“We’re cleaning up here, like you said – if you don’t cook, you clean.” Michelle points out.
 
“This is more like Sabrina and Tabitha cleaning up and you two sitting down and ‘supervising.’” Fernando tells them.
 
“It’s OK. We don’t mind.” Tabitha says to be heard.
 
“We all earn our place, like we did at home.” Sabrina adds.
 
“It’s unfair to do that to you girls.” Fernando says to Tabithia and Sabrina, turning to Rachel and Michelle, “Bad enough you two did the same thing to Aiesha and Nicole. Now you moved onto Tabitha and Sabrina? I swear!”
 
“We were going to check on their work before turning on the dish washer.” Michelle points out.
 
Fernando turns to Tabitha and Sabrina, “Girls, go upstairs when you are done. But do not turn on the Dish Washer. I have things to add to it.” He then turns to Rachel and Michelle, “And you two stop bossing them around. They got a lot to learn, being bossed around is not going to teach them a thing.”
 
“We were not bossing them around...” Rachel says.
 
“I’ll pretend I did not hear that.” Fernando says to her as Tabitha and Sabrina wipe down their hands. At the same time Hondo comes downstairs with his pots and things.
 
“We’re done.” Tabitha says as she trots over to Fernando. She gives him a kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs with Sabrina behind her.
 
Rachel and Michelle goes upstairs with Rachel saying “We’ll be watching TV upstairs. Chances are they will be with us.”
 
“Don’t boss them around. Seriously.” Fernando tells them.
 
“We won’t, dad.” Rachel says to him before they disappear upstairs.
 
“What was that all ‘bout?” Hondo asks as he looks to the shelves for the Tupperware.
 
“I’m making sure that the older girls do not boss the younger ones around.” Fernando explains.
 
Hondo brings over the various sized Tupperware along with the pots that are on the stove, “I see. But it is like that in most families.”
 
“Granted. I just do not want the younger ones to feel like they have to do something because the older ones told them it has to be done. Only I have that authority in the family.” Fernando explains as he takes a couple of the Tupperware and starts putting in the Soba Noodles, Rice and the Chicken Katsudon and vegetables into separate Tupperware, and the Kare bread in its own Tupperware.
 
Hondo puts his vegetables, Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes into separate Tupperware before taking the food into the refrigerator while Fernando takes the pots, trays and dishes to the sink for a rinse down before putting them into the dishwasher.
 
Soap and Dish Washer fluid is added to the machine and dialed in to do the job within an hour. The ‘Start’ button is pressed and the dishwasher sent to do its job.
 
“I’ll take care of the rest, Hondo. It’s early so do as you like – Lights out for you and Val is at midnight, 11PM for everyone else.” Fernando explains.
 
“I’ll hang out down here for a while. Too much Estrogen upstairs, if you get what I mean.” Hondo points out.
 
“I know exactly what you mean.” Fernando replies.

Fernando’s sensitive ears heard the popping of the silenced gun shots in the infra-sonic range which is felt like an ear-popping sensation to him. He gets up out of his seat and runs into Tammy’s room. Tammy bitched and complained while he searched his things and pulls out his 1911-M2A2 double stack .45.
 
“Shut up and arm up and stay in this room!” Fernando tells Tammy before he runs out of the room. One thing Tammy learned long ago is if Fernando tells her to ‘Arm Up,’ she is to do so without putting up a word of complaint or question.
 
Fernando runs up the stairs to the attic with his gun in his hand. It does not go unnoticed, as the Older sisters tells the younger ones to go their room and wait for further orders. He barges through the attic-workshop door with his firearm pointed out and switching back and forth for a target that is not there. He finds Monty and Hondo standing over a body.
 
“What happened?!!” Fernando tells them as he lowers his firearm.
 
Hondo points to the dead fly on the floor. Fernando approaches it, “Report Number Two.”
 
Hondo replies, “Charles brought this thing in saying it was Zipper. But I had my doubts. While we were in South America, you said ‘No one knows where Zipper went off too.’ But you need to look at this.”
 
Fernando looks at the remains, finding them to be electro-mechanical. He sees the circuit board with the Nazi Swastika on it, and beside it in Brazilian/Portuguese “Feito no Brasil.”
 
“A cyborg?” Fernando asks.
 
“A Nazi Cyborg from the looks of it.” Hondo points out.
 
“I can see that.” Fernando throws back at him, point to the circuit board, “’Feito no Brasil’ is Portuguese-Brazilian for ‘Made in Brazil.’”
 
“What you two talkin’ about?” Monty asks.
 
“It’s too much for your Cheese rotted brain to understand.” Fernando throws at him.
 
“Try me, skippah...” Monty throws back.
 
Fernando looks at Hondo who nods at him. Fernando then explains, “Our last mission was in South America searching for Nazi reformation, not stupid ass Nazi Political Party bullcrap but the recreation of the German Nazis of World War II in South America. We found a lot of things in terms of Nazi Biological Experiments such as prolonging life, mind/brain switching and immortality though cloning. And that was the nice things we found.”
 
“Nice things?” Monty asks.
 
“We found assorted species specific poisons – poisons that can wipe out an entire race.” Hondo points out.
 
“Poisons to ‘ipe out an entire race?” Monty asks.
 
“Poisons keyed to wipe out the Asian Mice – not just the Japanese, but any mouse that is Oriental in genetic background. But given to Hondo, Val, you or Gadget, you’d be sick for days as your recover but it won’t kill you though it will kill them.” Fernando points out.
 
“What about ‘Munks and Squirrels?” Monty asks.
 
“It won’t affect us though they had a separate poison for us.” Fernando answers. He takes out his smartphone and makes a call. It is answered on the second ring. “Hello, Aki? Yes, we have a situation here you need to see personally, and a ‘clean up in aisle six.’ That’s right. 45 minutes? We will be waiting.”
 
Fernando hangs up the call before making another one, though it is within the area confined to the house. “Hello Yuri? I need you and Kei to be dressed and armed and in the attic as soon as you can get here – five minutes or less. All will be explained when you get here.” He hangs up the phone as Charles walks into the attic with his firearm drawn.
 
“What’s going on up ... what happened to Zipper?!!” Charles throws out.
 
“That’s not Zipper. Look closely.” Fernando points out.
 
“What the – are those circuit boards... coming out his head?” Charles asks.
 
“A cyborg made to look like Zipper.” Fernando answers.
 
“If that is a cyborg made to look like Zipper, then where’s the real Zipper?” Charles asks.
 
“Probably dead in the lab he was captured in.” Hondo points out.
 
“Dead, lab, captured?” Charles asks.
 
“You think Zipper would allow an evil cyborg doppelganger take his place without a fight?” Fernando asks.
 
“Zippah would fight every chance he would have until he wins or he dies.” Monty points out.
 
Charles shines the flashlight on the end of his gun on the cyborg remains, he sees the Nazi Swastika on the circuit board. His only reaction is, “What the...?”
 
“It does not say ‘Made In America,’ that’s for sure.” Fernando says to him.
 
“It says ‘Brazil.’ You and Hondo were in South America searching for Nazis. I seen the reports.” Charles points out.
 
“We did not find any cyborg technology. We only found Cloning Technology and Mind Transference Equipment.” Fernando tells him.
 
“And they say that ‘The Boys from Brazil’ was only a movie.” Charles let his thoughts known.
 
“You and I know that every movie made out there has some truth to its background story.” Fernando tells him.
 
Kei and Yuri arrive with their weapons drawn, looking at the men and the “dead body” on the floor.
 
“What a mess.” Kei lets her thoughts known.
 
“It will be taken care of by Aki and his boys.” Fernando tells them, adding “No one goes in or out of this room unless Hondo or I is with them. So, you two have the sad duty of body guarding this thing until it is removed from the room. We’ll talk about it later.”
 
“Oh swell. We get to protect a corpse.” Kei throws out.
 
“Kei – look at it closely, it’s a cyborg.” Yuri throws back at her.
 
“Again?” Kei asks.
 
“How about ending your argument so you two can do your jobs!” Fernando tells them. He then turned to the others, “Fellas, lets vacate this place. Aki and his men will be here soon.”
 
As Fernando left the attic, Hondo caught up with him, asking, “Why don’t you use your Time travel Tech to get rid of the body?”
 
“The Emperor needs to see this, his men need to dissect that thing and get exact details we cannot do here. Now, if you can I need access to your room so they can come in and remove the body.” Fernando tells him. He adds, “I do not care as to who fired the first shot, Hondo. But unless shot at first, don’t ever pull out your firearms in the hideout. You just forced my hand to abandon this damn place for another one and I refuse to do another search. This is our only place we have left and we are going to stay here. But I have the task to calm down the girls, for silenced or not, we squirrels are sensitive to the infra-sonic low frequencies silencers do not block, so they know there was a shoot out here. Making it worst is you emptying out a whole magazine – 16 rounds. You cannot tell me that you could not have taken him down in 4 or less shots. Now if you excuse me, I got a clean up to do. You better make sure that the women are calm down and relaxed.” Fernando tells him. He then turns to Charles who was behind them, “And you sir, emergency or not, I better not see you run around the house with a firearm in your hands – it better be holstered until you get to the scene. Do I make myself clear on all this?!”
 
“Yes sir!” Charles says to him, holding back the urge to salute.
 
Fernando gives Hondo a stern look. Hondo eventually replies, “Yes, Jefe...”
 
Fernando then turns to Monty, who replies, “'hat you lookin’ ah me for?”
 
Fernando just stops at the staircase, holding the three of them back as he tells Monty, “You have an equal part in this as well. So don’t give me any bull – people here are not what they seem to be. There are more lettered agencies and private involved than there are in a bowl of alphabet soup. So you need to take a second to think before jumping in head first into a situation or else that pretty little head of yours will get cut off from above your shoulders, because at the rate you are going, sir – chances are you may not see to live tomorrow. So you need a lot to learn about self control and not letting your emotions get the better of you in a situation or you will end up dead or worst.”
 
“’Hat can be worse than dead?” Monty dare asks.
 
“Missing - never to be found. Under the influence of some drug doing somebody’s bidding at the command at the end of a radio microphone tied to your ear. Finding yourself underneath the Brooklyn Bridge as a homeless beggar not knowing who you are or how you got there but you understand that you like it there and it is your new home. At least ‘Super Dave Osborne’* was able to live out a career of living and rescuing in the parks, and look where it got him – Dead.” Fernando tells him.
 
After a brief moment of silence, they continue down the stairs.
 
“Hondo, I’ll see you at the balcony.” Fernando tells him.
 
Hondo just nods, knowing that saying anything would invoke Fernando’s anger.
 
Fernando walks into his room he is supposed to share with Tammy, telling her, “Emergency’s over. Put away the pop-gun. I have to wait for a clean-up crew to come in and deal with mess Hondo made upstairs.”
 
“Figure it would be that country cowboy idiot.” Tammy says out loud to herself.
 
“It was justified – so leave it at that.” Fernando tells her.
 
“I bet it was.” Tammy let out.
 
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Fernando throws back at her.
 
“Hondo has been nothing more than a bullet magnet. Everything has than happened has happened to him and Val. None of us, as out in the open as we are like them if not more has attracted any trouble.” Tammy tells him.
 
“Oh, so you forgot about the raid in the hotel? Or the explosion at the party? This is the mission Misao wanted you to be in so you can take some award home like some trophy – you only took it because Chip was going to be there while my ass was in South America. Look at how well it went so far – Chip is in jail facing the death penalty for crime against Japanese Society and Terrorism, The Rangers have been disbanded, Admiral Ready is about to lose his commission on the Enterprise, Gadget is dying from cancer because of the abuse Chip gave her unless I do something about it, and who knows where the damn hell Misao is at – she disappeared after the dinner party. And then there is you, you’re acting like a little bitch who wants to end this marriage. Well, guess what – that pre-nuptial you signed says you came into this marriage with nothing, you leave it with nothing – not 50% of anything I own, and if you challenge it, you might even lose Francesca because I have evidence that you cheated on me through Chip, including him bragging his mouth off about how he #$@!ed your ass while I was in South America.” Fernando tells her.
 
Tammy can only look at him for a moment, a look that only says that she was shocked and awed to the core of her very being, as if she was caught in crimes against their marriage.
 
He tells her, “Now if you would excuse me, I got work to do.” He leaves through the main door to step out onto the balcony.
 
As he waits, Hondo prepares his room to be the In-and-Out for the Emperor’s men to do their job. Dale steps out through Hondo’s room and onto the Balcony.
 
“You knew Super Dave Osborne?” Dale asks as he approached Fernando.
 
“If you know his name and who he was then you knew him as well as everybody else did.” Fernando tells him.
 
“No, did you know him, personal like?” Dale asks.
 
“Does not matter who or what I know. But if you want to be a rescuer, you need to do rescues at the level he did.” Fernando tells him.
 
“But they killed him.” Dale says.
 
“Those bullets he took were meant for somebody else he tried to protect, and protect he did at the cost of his life. To be a rescuer, you need to operate at that level because you do not know if your next rescue will be a success or a failure and at what cost you will have to pay whether you succeed or fail. Rescuing is not about getting awards or rewards, you will get one in the form of a fancy grave stone when they bury your ass in a wooden box, and maybe your name will be on some newspaper article and put to some archive. But understand that they killed him because he was protecting somebody from being killed. That is a level of rescue I work on, one Chip and the Rangers never did, one Chip would never do but wants the rewards of such rescues. You do not become famous unless you work on that level that Super Dave did, for that is where you will find me working on that level. I’m not there to be collecting rewards and awards. You want rewards and awards, you should have become a bounty hunter.” Fernando tells him.
 
Dale can only stand there not believing in what he is hearing – rescue others at the cost of your life if needed. But it is what rescuers do, it is a lesson one has to adhere too as their next rescue could be their last because rescuers are selflessness in their nature and their actions. It is a lesson Dale needs to learn, a lesson Chip refused to learn.
 
Fernando tells him, “You need to go back inside and make yourself scarce while the crew comes in and cleans up the mess that is in there. That means I better not see you, Hondo better not see you and Charles better not see you – in other words – lock yourself up in your room for the next couple hours until one of us tells you it is safe to come out. Now leave.”
 
Dale stands there for a few seconds to take those words in before he leaves, hopefully to do as Fernando told him. Hondo approaches Fernando after Dale leaves, “I thought he’d never leave.”
 
“You secured your things in your room?” Fernando asks.
 
“Secured and locked up.” Hondo replies.
 
“I do not want any unpleasant surprises.” Fernando tells him, adding, “I need to speak to Charles about bringing others in here. I do not care who the #$@! they are – friends, family or what have you, no one should be brought here. That includes you too.”
 
Hondo lets out a disgruntle sigh, holding back the urge to say something. No matter what he had to say, Fernando would find little excuse to accept it as such.
 
“What about Gadget and Val? You checked up on them?” Fernando asks.
 
“I’ll check on them right now.” Hondo says.
 
“Good. For here they come. Make sure they door is closed and then no one comes out to be freaking nosey during the clean up.” Fernando says as an ambulance followed by a couple of SUVs and a Limo enter upon the driveway. They both look at the vehicles drive in before Hondo goes to check Gadget and Val.
 
Fernando waves to the men gathering outside the building, “Take the outside stairs up to me.”
 
They follow his directions, taking the outside stairs to get to the second floor and then follow him into the house through Hondo’s room. He then signals them to follow him up the indoor stairs to the attic where Kei and Yuri guard the area.  The Emperor’s men set up the gurney to take the body but Fernando signals them to wait for a second. He then takes a pen from one of the ‘EMTs’ pocket and crouches down to the body, signaling for the Emperor and his men to do the same.
 
“Aki, Look at this.” Fernando says as he moves the exposed circuit board from the cyborg’s head with the pen.”
 
They notice the Nazi Swastika on the circuit board.
 
“I see.” The Emperor says, “Men, restrain this thing before we take it to the lab. Fernando, when can I see you about this?”
 
“I’ll be there at around 11AM. I need to use your medical facilities to check on the health of one of my staff. Then we can talk about this constructed individual and other things I think we should bring you and your men on.” Fernando answers.
 
“Alright. 11AM at the Palace. I’ll see you then. Men – restrain this device.” The Emperor says. He adds, “Fernando, I’ll get Dr. Yamaha and Dr. Suzuki and their staff to examine this thing.”
 
“Tell them to do as they must, even if they have to be destructive to get at its secrets but to use caution as they do.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Will do.” The Emperor say as they get up and the men restrain the cyborg with handcuffs on its arms and legs before putting it on the gurney and restraining it further with its leather binding belts. It is covered with a blanket before it is taken away. The other men clean up the area as best as they can with what they brought in to do the clean up with. The Emperor and his personal body guard remains to leave last, telling Fernando, “Thank you. I’ll see you at the Palace tomorrow – it will be open for you to arrive any time.”  
 
“Thank you. I’ll see you at 11AM.” Fernando tells him. They both bow at each other before the Emperor and his personal guard leaves.
 
Fernando looks at Kei and Yuri, “You two are relieved of your guard duty. Thank you for your service.”
 
“Thank you for understanding.” Yuri says to him.
 
Kei asks, “You going to the Palace tomorrow? We would like to go with you.”
 
“This is a personal visit, but let me figure out a few things. You two might as well be in the know as well. See me in the morning at around 10AM for my decision. Now go to your room and be ready for bed soon. Tomorrow will be a long day.” Fernando tells them before leading them out of the attic.
 
Downstairs in the living room, Hondo was there with Charles.
 
“It’s over.” Fernando tells them before turning to Charles but talking to all, “Don’t bring no one here. I do not care who it is, I do not care if they were former Rangers or part of the African Booty Scratchers Squad. It is just us in here, no one else. I do not want to clean up another mess like I had to clean this one up. I don’t like needing to write reports and put in facts I do not know, and I do not want to drag your names and make you guys write reports. But because of this, all of you, Including Dale and Monty need to write up a report about this. It will be saved on your personal thumb drives and the agency servers for now. It will not be handed in unless it is requested, so make sure there is a back up somewhere. Tomorrow is your day to do as you think you need to do. It is not a free day, but it is an independent work day to do as you need to do. Now Lights out is still 11PM. The TV and living room is still available, but let’s not too comfortable in here. Any questions”
 
Hondo shakes his head as the others say “No.”
 
“Charles – get Monty and Dale from their rooms. Ladies, you’re free to do as you need to. Hondo, check on Gadget and Val. I’ll check on my girls.” Fernando tells them.
 

---

 
*Note: Super Dave Osborne can be found here:
https://planetfurry.com/~elfen/dandilions/chpt14.html
https://planetfurry.com/~elfen/dandilions/pt05.html

Hondo stuck his head into Gadget's room. Valentine was standing over Gadget, with her hand on her gun.
 
 
"What happened! I head silenced shots and swearin'! Valentine exclaimed
 
 
"I'll talk tell ya 'bout it later. Just stay in here until I come back." Hondo said gruffly.
 
 
"Are we in danger?" Valentine asked
 
 
"No more than usual. Gadget still asleep?" Hondo asked still growling, unintentionally.
 
 
"She jerked a bit when the shots went off, but she's out cold... You ok?" Valentine asked cautiously
 
 
"I'm fine!" Hondo shot back
 
 
"You seem angry ... and a bit offended. I know your moods. Don't lie to me." Valentine said softly, and in a caring way.
 
 
Hondo exhaled rapid through his teeth, "It's not important right now. I'll be back. Just stay in here."
 
 
He shut the door a bit harder than needed and stood guard in the living-room. The anger in the air hung thickly about them, its icy chill kept the other in the rooms without question.
 
Charles fumed silently as he paced about the living-room. Hondo leaned against the wall and watched him through squinted eyes. They said noting to each other as the Emperor and his med did their work and left.
 
 
After a bit Fernando returned to the living-room.
 
 
“It’s over.” Fernando tells them before turning to Charles but talking to all, “Don’t bring no one here. I do not care who it is, I do not care if they were former Rangers or part of the African Booty Scratchers Squad. It is just us in here, no one else. I do not want to clean up another mess like I had to clean this one up. I don’t like needing to write reports and put in facts I do not know, and I do not want to drag your names and make you guys write reports. But because of this, all of you, Including Dale and Monty need to write up a report about this. It will be saved on your personal thumb drives and the agency servers for now. It will not be handed in unless it is requested, so make sure there is a back up somewhere. Tomorrow is your day to do as you think you need to do. It is not a free day, but it is an independent work day to do as you need to do. Now Lights out is still 11PM. The TV and living room is still available, but let’s not too comfortable in here. Any questions”
 
Hondo shakes his head as the others say “No.”
 
“Charles – get Monty and Dale from their rooms. Ladies, you’re free to do as you need to. Hondo, check on Gadget and Val. I’ll check on my girls.” Fernando tells them.
 
 
Hondo turned to Fernando briefly before heading back to Gadget's room.
 
 
"We need to talk... alone." Hondo said trying to refrain from growling.
 
 
"Later." Fernando said gruffly as he turned to go check on his girls.
 
 
Hondo turned back to Gadget's room without saying another word. He knocked lightly and opened the door.
 
 
"Y'all alright?" He asked sort of flatly
 
 
"I'm fine. Gadget's still asleep. Not sure if she's that tired or part deaf from all the explosions she's been through." Valentine said as he entered and closed the door.
 
 
"If she's part deaf, that will change with those bio-pills she's on." Hondo said a bit gruffly.
 
 
"Somethin' is botherin' you. What happened?" She asked
 
 
"It's none of your concern... darlin'." He replied, growling unintentionally at first but caught himself and tried to soften his tone.
 
 
"You're my husband. If you're bothered, of course it's my concern." She replied, sounding a bit worried.
 
 
He sighed, "Charles captured someone he thought was Zipper, Monty's friend. When Monty an' I went to talk to him, I knew something was wrong. Guess it didn't like my lack of trust or ..."  
 
 
"Or what?" Valentine asked
 
 
"Or it was sent to take me out to make Jefe an' everyone else more vulnerable. Maybe the Nazi's didn't think they could take us both out at the same time, so they went for the weakest link first... me." Hondo said
 
 
"Weakest link? I don't think anyone thinks you're the weakest link." Valentine said.
 
 
"No? Well, Jefe sure thinks I handled takin' out tat cyborg badly, an' his wife thinks I'm a #$@!in' bullet magnet an' the source of all their troubles!" Hondo growled
 
 
"A cyborg? Zipper was a cyborg?" she asked
 
 
"More of a droid, as I didn't see much in the way of organic matter... It was made to look like Zipper for a reason. To blend in an' do a job, but what? .... Val, it was fast, damn fast. Maybe faster than Jefe. An' it picked up Monty with one hand an' tossed him like a rag-doll. I knew what it was when it's eyes lit up red... it came at me a second time an' I sot it through the eyes. It didn't stop comin' towards me until I had half emptied the mag... It didn't fall until well after the mag was empty..." He said in a light growl.
 
 
"So, what didn't Fernando like?" Se asked
 
 
"He thinks I should have shot no more than four times or maybe not at all ... There's a baby, a sick woman, an' young girls in the damn house! ... I couldn't risk it gettin' past me... couldn't risk it callin' for more.... But I'm a bullet magnet an' apparently a bullet happy, unexperienced punk!" Hondo growled
 
 
"He said that?" She asked.
 
 
"Tammy said I'm a bullet magnet. she either forgets the rooms are not sound proof, an' I have better than average hearin', or didn't care. Jefe... he didn't say that so much as insinuated... He just assumed I handled it wrong." Hondo growled, but his face looked more hurt.
 
 
"He probably was just angry and worried was all. Like you said, his baby, wife, and daughters are here. This isn't out usual setup, but things change. This wasn't supposed to be this sort of mission, but things happen. Tammy... I don't know what happened to her, but she's not herself and obviously never saw us as friends or equals." Valentine said.
 
 
Hondo nodded, "Maybe... maybe you're right but ... I'm thinkin' 'bout movin' back to the plane or findin' a hotel room."
 
 
"I'm not sure that's the best thing to do right now, but I'll follow you where ever you go." Valentine replied
 
 
"No, I mean I will move. Not you. You can stay here. It'll be safer for everyone with me gone an' on my own." He said
 
 
"No, that's not safe! you could be killed." She said worridly.
 
 
"Better me than anyone else here. If I'm not trusted to handle situations right an' thought to be the reason they happen, I need to go. Jefe an' Gadget need you here. Monty can act as your body guard." He replied
 
 
"No, please don't." She begged
 
 
"I'm not sure there is an option. I'll stay tonight, but tomorrow, after we see the ranch, I'll probably head out. Now, keep Gadget safe. I'll take over for ya at midnight." He said.
 
 
Valentine started to say something but he left quickly and headed to his room to check things over and start separating is clothes from hers. It wasn't his best idea to date, but If Tammy and Fernando were right, they were better off with him away from them.

Before Hondo left he went back to Gadget's room. The others seemed to be eyeing him strangely as he passed through the living-room, but he gave it little thought. He knocked again lightly and opened the door. Valentine looked over to where he stood in the doorway.
 
 
"Jefe an' I are makin' a store run. I'll be back." He said
 
 
"You two talk?" She asked
 
 
"No... not yet." Hondo said flatly
 
 
"You gonna be alright?" She asked
 
 
"I need to go. We'll talk later." He replied quickly before leaving again, unceremoniously.
 
 
Valentine sighed and sank back into her seat.
 
 
"You ok?" a voice asked
 
 
Valentine jumped a bit and turned to the bed where the voice came from.
 
 
"Oh! I didn't know you were awake. How you feelin'?" Valentine said.
 
 
"About the same, I think but ... I need to use the bathroom. Just... just not sure I can get there myself." Gadget replied.
 
 
Valentine stood up, "That's why I'm here, to help. Let's get you up."
 
 
She helped Gadget to the bathroom, and back once she was done, and tucked her back in.  
 
 
"You need anything else?" Valentine asked
 
 
Gadget shook her head, "No, just to talk a bit, maybe. I'm sleepy, but not ready to sleep again yet."
 
 
Valentine nodded, "OK, what you want to talk about?"
 
 
"How about you and Hondo. I heard you both a bit ago. Something is wrong, I can tell." Gadget said
 
 
"It's nothin' you need to worry yourself with. You have enough to deal with, without worryin' 'bout our troubles." Valentine replied softly
 
 
"Didn't you say that friend's tell each other things and don't have to pry for information? Come on, Val. How can I learn to rescue again if I can't help a friend? " Gadget said
 
 
Valentine gave her a half grin, "Usin' my own words against me isn't fair ya know?"
 
 
Gadget just looked at her expectantly.
 
 
Valentine sighed and nodded after a moment, "Somethin' happened and Fernando didn't like how Hondo handled it. They are at odds over that now. Tammy also pointed at him as the source of our problems, and he's takin' it badly. I ... I've not been much of a wife the last few days. He tries to hold me and love me, but I keep pushin' him away. Now he's angry, hurt, and needs me, but ... *sigh* ... I can't get out of my own way long enough to be there for him. I think he's tryin' to hold me at arms length right now too, to protect me from it, and that just makes me feel worse."
 
 
Valentine refrained from telling her what happened, as she knew Gadget did not need that stress.
 
 
"Tammy really blamed him for everything that's happened?" Gadget asked
 
 
"I guess. He was in our room and overhear her yelling at Fernando about him." Valentine said.
 
 
Gadget sighed a weary sigh, "Unfortunately, I'm not someone who can give good advice on being a good wife. I tried ... I tried so hard and ... and it was a nightmare. I know it's different as there had there been a mutual trust and respect, he'd never asked me to hurt myself like that nor have hurt me. Hondo wouldn't do that to you, I know. he .. he's one of the few good ones. .. I find myself questioning all men these days, but it's not because of the men.... its because of me. I chose badly. The warning signs were there... Val... just do what I was too blind to do. Love him. Love Hondo no matter his moods nor is choices or actions, just as long as he treats you well, which I know he'll always try to do. I... I know you are feeling vulnerable.... I understand feeling vulnerable.... but you can't let it ruin what you have. ... Don't push him away.... let him love you... its ... it's the only way for ... for you to heal and.... and for ... you to help him."
 
 
 
Gadget was starting to fade and it was very noticeable.  
 
 
"I'll try... we are quite the pair, aren't we?" Valentine said
 
 
"Yeah ... both #$@!ed up. But... t lest you have a good man... at least you have Hondo." Gadget replied.
 
 
"And you have us. Maybe it's not the same, but ... for what it's worth we are here." Valentine replied
 
 
"That ... that is worth more than you may ever realize... thank you." She said sleepily.
 
 
"You should rest." Valentine said.
 
 
Gadget merely nodded, and shrugged deeper into the covers. In a couple minutes she was back asleep.
 
 
 
 
Hondo went in and found a couple Items. Valentine had never been big on flowers, and she only wanted chocolates during a certain time of month, but he knew that wasn't happening. Instead he bought her some hard candy and caramels, and eleven red roses. They only would sell in a dozen rose bundles, so he took a single yellow rose for an old friend who he didn't know how to talk to, but needed to know she had friends. He also bought Valentine a bottle of 21 year old Macallan. He thought as he looked around, about what happened, about what Fernando and Tammy said, about Gadget, and about Valentine, the most important person in the world to him. Whether Fernando knew it or not, Hondo had tried to hold his wife since, but since the events of three nights prior, she had not allowed him too. Whether is was because she felt unworthy, or if she had some sort of PTSD from it all was unclear to him. The words of Hector Hatfield AKA El Jefe Grande came to is mind again. Though he defeated him that day, the dead man's words hung with him still.
 
Hector: You have gotten much more ruthless since we last met. There was a time when you would have spared that rats life, all of them in fact, in hope the system would rehabilitate them. I take pride in believing I helped you become the vicious, heartless killer you have become.
 
Hondo: You may have pushed me to it but . . .
 
Hector: But what? It is for a good cause? To save those you care about? That is a load of bull-shit, and you know it. You just tell yourself that to cover up your guilt.
 
Hondo: This isn't about me. I've overheard your plans you sick, twisted bastard.
 
Hector: As far as I see it my way is far more humane.  
 
Hondo: Humane?
 
Hector: Yes. You "save" her from me and she falls for you then you drag her around on these missions of yours you will either get her killed or at the very least make her life be filled with guilt until her heart is as black as yours and mine. She will then loose her soul. Is that what you want?
 
Hondo: And your way is somehow better?
 
Hector: Yes, of course it is.
 
Hondo: How so?
 
Hector: When I turn her and that bitch of your bosses into my slaves they will feel no guilt as they will have no will of their own. Their hearts will not be filled with hate as they will feel nothing. Their souls will be saved as their action will be mine, not theirs.
 
Hondo: You are more sick and twisted than I thought.  
 
Hector: And you are an angel? I think not
 
........................................
 
Hector: ....Your friend, that would be super spy Fernando G. for some reason hasn't given up on you. Be sure of this your friendship with him is the main reason he will die too... Give it up, Sackett. You will never win. You were born to fail. You have failed your friends, two fiancees, a wife, your family, and yourself. You, Hondo Israel Sackett, are the epitome of failure.  Can you not at least die honorably?"
 
 
He grabbed a couple other things and made it back to the car before Fernando did. He sat in the car thinking as he waited, and not all good thoughts.
 
 
Fernando got back after a bit and climbed in after putting away his purchases in the trunk. HE noticed Hondo was in deep thought, but the look on his face wasn't a good one.
 
 
"You think anymore about what I said?" Fernando asked
 
 
"That an' other things.... I don't usually feel the need to explain myself but hear me out. We don't have to agree on how I handle things, but I didn't handle it wrong. I had hydros in that pistol. I thought I was goin' up against flesh, not a damn robot! AN' I only had a fairburn on me besides the pistol. I wasn't ready for that. That is my fault. Jefe, that bastard was fast, maybe faster than you. It knocked me off my feet and threw Monty like a rag-doll before I could half react. I emptied the mag 'cause it didn't stop. Those damn hydros did far too little damage. I... I couldn't let it past me. Like it or not, I did what I felt I had to for the protection of the baby, Tammy, the rest of your girls, Val, an' Gadget. If it was just us I may have reacted different, bit I couldn't take a chance with their lives an' I reacted. Maybe it just wanted me dead an' I should have let it...  I heard what Tammy said. She may be right, I don't know. I'm thinkin' of movin' to protect y'all. If I go stay at a hotel an' make it known maybe they will come after me an' leave all y'all alone. Outside of Val, There's no one that means more to me than you an' your family. I've failed Val, I know. I've tried to hold her an' kiss her, but ... she pushes me away. I'm at a loss with her.... Makes me wonder if Hector was right..."

Hondo sighed and nodded, "Alright. I'll stay for now, but if I see that I'm definitely drawin' danger to everyone, I'll distance myself... I'm sorry 'bout what Tammy is puttin' ya through. If somethin' happens, know we'll do what we can to help you take care of Francesca... I worry that she's right 'bout me, but from what ya said, I'll try not to take it personally. Sound's like she's dealin' with some issues. I hope to God Chip didn't get to her somehow like he did with Gadget. The Japanese won't have a chance to hang him, cause I will."
 
 
"You will have to beat me to him." Fernando said.
 
 
"You have daughters who need you. Better for me to take that trouble on than you, even if the Emperor is your friend." Hondo replied
 
 
Hondo paused for a moment, "I'm still lost on how to gt through to my wife, but I appreciate the understandin' there. I'll sit with Gadget tonight, after I spend a few hours with Val. She told me 'bout what she asked you. It wasn't right, but I reckon you understand why she asked, though. I tried to explain to her your answer, but I'm not sure how much I'm gettin' through to her right now."
 
 
"You willl get there. You just have to show her. It might not be her idea to be ready yet, but the longer you wait the harder it will be to get back to where you were, if not impossible." Fernando replied  
 
 
Hondo stayed silent for another couple minutes before speaking again.
 
 
""Bout Hector ... you have a point. I know you said to not give his words any thought back when it happened, but its easier said than done. I reckon I'm my own worst enemy at times. Just had a rough few days. Escaped six or more attempts on my life, had my wife fall apart, ad my ex come back into my life as a victim that needs my friendship again which brings up past issues, an' on top of all the other shit, that poisonin' has me still tired." Hondo said in a bit of an annoyed tone, not at Fernando but at the situations.  
 
 
About then they pulled back into the drive.
 
 
Hondo turned to Fernando as he shut the car off, "Before I forget, you have plans for Monty tomorrow or is he comin' with Val an' I tomorrow?"