It takes Fernando a couple of minutes to gather the girls and get directions for Student Council President Makiko Suzuki and Student Council Vice President Kioko Kawasaki’s homes in the Nakano near Minorigaoka High School. Depending on how long they take, it would only be about an hour added to their trip: 30 minutes to get to their home and 30 minutes to get to the palace and start to Hondo’s lodge plus what time they take packing and getting their things. He thought he was going to go both homes at the same time but the president and vice president live 10 blocks from each other with the school in the middle between them, their walk to the school each was 5 blocks in length but 10 blocks from each other. So it was 30 added minutes per home.
 
As the president was in her home gathering her things, Fernando gets the GPS Location to the Ranch from Hondo. He sends the information to his software map and figures out a route to get there. But it was getting late and decides that he would do some teleportation jumps every few miles when on the highway to shorten the trip considerably. He calls Hondo when he approaches the highway’s exit.
 
Hondo gives him directions to get to the ranch even though Fernando is following the GPS, he does have to follow by a few rules and silently wait by the gate until it opens and drive in slowly at around 10mph to the front of the main building wait for security to verify who he was, before leading him down the long, dirt road to the lodge, where it sat nestled in the trees and below the mountains. The girls were dropped off and taken to their room while Fernando parks the limo in the parking lot. Stepping out the limo, Fernando closes the door and looks at the Late Spring night sky, with no light pollution from Tokyo obstructing the stars.
 
“Figure Dracos would be over our heads.” Fernando says.
 
“It is late Spring.” Hondo points out.
 
“That I already know.” Fernando replies, throwing in “Being in the mountains would mean cold nights and hot days. So where are the girls being shacked up, vs. my room?”
 
“The high school girls? They have a couple rooms in the basement, and you are on the top floor.” Hondo explains.
 
“And Gadget?” Fernando asks.
 
“On the top floor on the other side of the building.” Hondo points out.
 
“I’ll take a look around but chances are I will be moving Gadget to be with the high school girls so they can have some adult supervision and be away from Dale and Monty.” Fernando point out.
 
“Gadget? Adult supervision? That's not one I've heard before... You can move her, but That would mess up the order of things.” Hondo stated.
 
“I’ll be responsible for what happens. And I’ll take care of the move. You just relax, the high school girls are my responsibility.” Fernando says.
 
“I’ll trust you in doing the right thing.” Hondo replies.
 
“Thanks.” Fernando tells him. He then adds, “Let’s go talk to the girls and then get Gadget moved in with them.”
 
Hondo nods though a bit uneasily. Despite what problems could have occurred, things went smoothly with the move: getting the girls into one room with Gadget like at the hotel, and the upstairs room emptied which Gadget separated her further from Dale and Monty. Fernando gets into his room upstairs and takes off his tuxedo jacket. Hondo gives his salutations before leaving to be in his room with Val.
 
Fernando unbuttons his shirt and looks out the window of his room; to his right was Mt Fuji in all its glory, to the left was the glow of the night lights of Tokyo. Normally he would think how grand it is, but he is tired though he can not show it. As he stands there unbuttoning his shirt’s cuffs, Hiromi enters his room with Naomi behind her.
 
“Sensei Fernando?” Hiromi calls to him.
 
Fernando turns to face her, seeing she is not alone but with Naomi behind her. He says to them “How can I help you ladies.”
 
Hiromi snaps into answering “Just wondering why you are not with us?”
 
Fernando lets out a slight sigh before answering, “Even though we are the only ones here for the weekend, this is a family orientated business. It would be bad for their image if I was downstairs with you girls in the minds of many ‘having an orgy with you ladies.’ So it is better if Gadget was with you and I stayed up here.”
 
“But nothing like that would be happening if you were downstairs with us.”  Hiromi complains.
 
“It’s not what we would do or not do but how it may appear to others.” Fernando tries to explain to her. He then asks, “And why are you here, Naomi?”
 
Naomi flatly throws out, “To make sure Ms. Hot & Ready does not try to seduce you or anything like that.”
 
Fernando holds back his laughter for a moment before answering “Like I said before, if given the chance to have sex with any of you girls, it would be an honor. But that is not the kind of relationship we have.”
 
“I know that.” Hiromi replies, “But just because I’m more vocal about how a girl feels, they think I want sex with you.”  
 
Naomi throws in “You have said many times that is what you wanted to.”
 
“So? Can’t I fantasize about having sex with one who is our senpai? You and the others do too, don’t lie about, because you all admit to it!” Hiromi throws out.
 
Fernando lets out “Girls, lets calm down first of all.” They both look at him before he continues, “You girls got your fantasies, we guys got ours. That is just the way things are. We can keep it within ourselves or we can sit down and talk about them. Either way it is how we deal with them that makes it acceptable or not. Now I ask, can you ladies return to your room? Tomorrow is another day.”
 
“Can I stay here with you? Sleep in your bed with you? Have my body against yours?” Horomi asks.
 
“Hiromi! What are you thinking?!!” Naomi throws out.
 
 “I’m just being honest to him about my intentions.” Hiromi explains.
 
Naomi smacks her forehead and shakes her head.
 
Fernando tells them, “Come on, ladies. Go back to your room and go to sleep.Tomorrow is another day to be had.”
 
Naomi grabs Hiromi by the arm, “You heard him. Let’s go.”
 
“But...” Hiromi complains.
 
“But nothing. He needs his rest as do we. Now let’s go.” Naomi tells her as she pulls her away.
 
For a moment Hiromi can be heard complaining as Naomi hauls her away. Fernando shakes his head, wondering how much of a headache Hiromi is going to be this weekend. He begins to take off his outer layers, folding them and placing them on a nearby dresser. But as he prepares his things for the next day he gets another visitor. He looks at her before taking-off his t-shirt.
 
She walks in with a bathrobe wrapped tightly around her, beginning to complain “What was that about? With those high school girls...”
 
“What do you want, Jeanette?” He asks of her.
 
“Cover yourself up at least.” She tells him.
 
“We seen each other in less, not that it matters.” He begins, adding “Why are you here?”
 
“To make sure you are cheating against Tammy with Gadget.” She tells him.
 
“And if I did? Whether you want to believe it or not, She cheated against me with Chip, and used drugs with him. And now she’s in Italy cheating with who knows who, and Chip is dead.So it does not matter either way. If I were married to you instead of her, things would be different. But no, you told me to marry to to save her, and she still is self destructing. Who’s fault is that? Not mine.” He tells her.
 
Jeanette stands there crossing her arms under her breasts.
 
“Well?” He throws at her.
 
“Well what?” She throws back.
 
“This is the honeymoon suite. So are you going to spend the night with me and continue where we left off or you going to leave me alone?” He throws at her.
 
“Don’t kid yourself. Nothing happened between us, and nothing is going to happen between us.” She tells him.
 
“Do I have to bring your Parallel Universe Self to talk to you again? She’s happy married to me over there, and happy being a mother you could have been. Now I do not know what I did for you to turn on me, but I’m sure Misao had a hand in it. Before she ever came in, despite our limited relationship, we were happy as the friends we were and planned for a possible future.” He tells her.
 
“Don’t kid yourself in that we had something then. We might have but you threw it all away.” She rebuttals.
 
“Do not blame me for the brain washing Misao put you through. Before you met her, we were as a couple could have been, at least good friends if not best friends, not demanding of things from each other but requesting them and understanding that there are times when such requests can not be fulfilled. I was teaching you about the basics of Time Travel, told you not to share that technology or information with anybody. Yet you did with her and she makes demands for you to give it to her because ‘her people needed help.’ I told you to go get it back and she makes excuses as to why she can’t. But when she demanded it from you, you gave it right away. Is that fair? No it is not. Is that right? Hell no it is not. So to let you know, I went to take it back. She made excuses, and I told her to shove it up her ass before taking what is rightfully mine. And when I brought it back home, I drained it of all its temporal energy, making it useless if you, her or anyone else decides to take it again. This is the hand you forced me to play, Jeanette. I am not gloating that I won from taking back what it mine, I am not happy with the action I had to take. I did what had to be done. So do not give me any lip, do not blame me for things others did. If you want to continue to be some sort of friend to me, you need do things for me you would do for me before Misao entered your life, you need to do things I can trust you with, even if it mean being intimate with me like we were. That is the price you need to pay for me to make up what Misao had taken away. If you think that is too high of a price to pay, then you can leave on your own accord.” He tells her.
 
“I have no money to get back to Tokyo to see Misao.” She tells him.
 
“Who said you are going to see Misao? You’re going back straight to New York.” He tells her.
 
“You would not dare.” She almost challenges him.
 
“I needed to kill people in order to protect others from harm and death, including you. I can send you and your things back to New York with a wave of my cane. Now, since you failed in help keeping Tammy in Japan, and you think you could win her back by play snitch by telling her I’m screwing Gadget, you think I can trust you? You either are on my side or you are not. If you think I’m screwing Gadget and want t stop me, what are you going to do to replace what she was giving me from between her legs? You got all that to think about while you sleep tonight and comeback with an answer unless you want to open that robe right now, get on my bed and practice making babies here and now. The choice is yours.” He tells her.
 
“This is not over, not by a long shot.” She says before she turns away to walk out of the room.
 
Fernando waits for a while as she walks down the all to her room. He then goes to his door and closes it and locks it. He walks back to the bed thinking, “Tomorrow is another day.”
 
(Edited for factual clarity. Blue is additions where strike through is removals. Dale is in the basement, thus moving Gadget to the basement moves her closer to him. Since He has stayed away from her, and Monty was the issue earlier, Dale should be less of a worry anyway, thus the change shouldn't change the character view or intent too much. Upstairs she was on a different hall from Monty, but moving her to the basement does add some distance, though during the day proximity cannot be helped.)

Charles, Widget was in the Hot Tub with Dale and Foxglove as they were relaxing. Charles need have a Talk with Hondo later. After he clam down and then decide need to whisper into Dale ear about something.  
 
“Dale mind I talk to you while Widget talk to Foxglove.” Charles saying
 
“Sure.” Dale saying
 
As Widget went to Foxglove to talk while Dale went next to Charles.  
 
“Ok What you want to say?” Dale saying.  
 
Then Charles whisper into Dale Ear.  
 
“I Need you talk to Montetary Jack about Chip being Dead. But Don’t talk to Gadget about that or don’t see her right now. Nando orders. I will deal with Hondo. So Later on once Monetary Jack wake up. Talk to him and let him know what going on. Also Told him never talk or See Gadget. Until Nando say so. Reason why I am whisper this to you. I don’t want Foxglvoe to know. But Widget already know about Chip being dead. I told her. If you ready to tell Foxglvoe. Then let her know. But Tell Foxglove not to talk to Gadget for now. Ok.” Charles saying to dale ear.  
 
Dale Wisper back. “Ok I will tell Foxglove and Montray Jack not to talk to Gadget Until Fernando is Ready. Also will tell Jack about Chip being dead too.”  
 
“Thanks.” Charles saying. As Dale went back to Foxglove while Widget went back to Charles and they enjoying they day in the tub.  

Hondo slept on the couch in the little pub until the morning sun hit his face and woke him. As he woke up he found himself covered up, but alone. The faint sound of grease sizzling, and the light scent of bacon, coffee, and fresh biscuits wafted in the air, telling him that Valentine had got up and started breakfast. He was not sure he wanted to get up and face the day, but he did anyway, sitting up with a groan and squinting at the light that shone in the day. He did not know what the day might bring, but he hoped it would better that the night before.
 
As he awoke, he looked around briefly, squinting at the sun that shown through the back doors of the little Irish pub. He sat up with a groan, grabbing his side as he did. His ribs and guts hurt, almost every muscle was sore, and his head throbbed. He tried to stretch out, but he groaned in pain again. He frowned at it all, and sat there for a moment, hoping Monty hurt far worse.
 
After a minute he threw the blanket that was still half on him and then stood up, sucking air through his teeth and cussing under his breath due to the pain. He looked around again, and walked over to the back door and looked out onto the patio. It was empty out there, so he figured he had not woken too late.
 
He stared at the empty patio for a few minutes, thinking about the night before, days past, and what he had came up with, while thinking last night. He sighed and gingerly shook his head after a bit, before turning away from the door, as he knew he had to face her and speak his peace, while it was still fresh on his mind.
 
He limped back to the couch, stuck his pistol into his waistband, and headed towards the kitchen. As he passed the hot tub/sauna room, he noticed there was movement in there, though the curtains were pulled so he was not sure who was using it. He continued on, not seeing any other movement on either side of his path as he continued into the kitchen.
 
In the kitchen he found Valentine in a camisole, open flannel shirt, and a pair of jeans on, standing over the stove frying up some hash browns. She looked up at him, after a moment and frowned.  
 
“Oh! Uhm, good mornin’, my love… Are you alright?” She asked softly, not seeming to want to make eye contact.
 
He looked at her for a moment, and from her red eyes, and the rings around them, he figured she probably got less sleep than him. Aside from her clothes, she was barefoot, and had no bra on, the former more normal than the latter, as she said she was too self-conscious about her nipples printing on her shirt. She had showered, brushed her hair, and put on fresh clothes, but even how she wore them and stood, said she was exhausted and hurting.
 
“I don’t know yet… You?” He asked flatly.
 
“*sigh* … I.. I’m sorry.” She replied softly.
 
He raised an eyebrow and grunted, “Hmm?”
 
“I.. *sigh* I’m sorry for pushin’ you away… You.. you can’t .. *sigh* … You can’t understand how much I miss my dad… I know you and your dad are not close, and he was hard on you as a child, but my dad and I were close… I never knew my mother, as she disappeared when I was three an’ dad did not want to talk about her, so we were all each other had… I.. I love you more than you can know, but I felt hurt when you said you kept that from me… I know you did it for my own good, and you were right… I didn’t know you or love you enough back then to have listened and stayed. Even now it’s a struggle to not want to run off an’ try to find him, but I won’t as I know you are right an’ I couldn’t leave you.” She replied softly, “I wish I could make it not hurt, but I can’t… I was wrong for pushin’ you away, though. I felt like I needed space to think, but layin’ in that bed alone, I realized how wrong that was… It hurts, my love, but I need you.. I don’t want this between us, I don’t want to lose you over this… If you can’t forgive me..”
 
He interrupted, “Val, you aren’t losin’ me unless you walk out on me, or turn into a complete bitch like Tammy did to Jefe. If you did that I would suspect drugs, as that’s not your character… You hurt me last night, an’ I understand what I told you was hard to take, but I never meant to hurt you. I was tryin’ to protect you.”
 
“I.. I know.” She said softly. “I didn’t mean to make it hard to protect me either, I just… I just was not expectin’ that. I do need you more than I knew I could ever need another person, and I want forgiveness, if you can forgive me.”
 
He nodded, “*sigh* … Yeah, I can forgive you, an’ I will.”
 
She looked up at him and then back down, “Thank you… I’ll .. I’ll try to make it up to you somehow.”
 
“If you weren’t in the middle of cookin’, I’d make you go into the hot tub with me, an’ give me a massage, then take you upstairs an’ have you wash me in the shower, then after you sucked me off good, I’d bend you over the bed an’ #$@!ed you until you could only babble nonsense an’ squeak!” He said, grinning at her with that ornery grin of his, though it was a bit lopsided due to one of the blows Monty managed to land.  
 
She blushed and smile softly, “Maybe I can show my penitence to you like that later… I am cooking, and uhm, Charles, Dale, and their women went into the hot tub a little bit ago… Maybe if.. if I get like that again, you should just hold me down and #$@! it out of me.”
 
“Some places call that rape.” He replied, “Though I like the idea, an’ was thinkin’ ‘bout somethin’ like that last night. Take your mind off the bullshit, an’ remind you I’m still your husband, an’ leader of our household, whether you agree with my decisions or not.”
 
She looked up at him, still blushing, “I am your wife, so no matter what anyone else says, it’s not rape. My body is yours, as yours is mine. It’s part of the deal when I said ‘I do’. And it’s part of our faith that I am to submit to you, obey you, and honor you. You lead and I follow. You protect, I support. It is the way of things.”
 
“It is the way, an’ the only one that really works... I half thought I was gonna have to lay into you an’ would probably make you mad, but you beat me to the punch this time. Now, next time you misbehave, I’ll bend you over, pull down whatever is coverin’ that ass of yours, an’ #$@! ya like the bad girl you are!” He said, grinning evilly.
 
“In our room, of course, right?” She asked.
 
He shook his head, and his grin got bigger, “Hell no! You act up, its bend down, an’ #$@!! Argue with me an’ I might forget myself an’ do it here an’ now.”
 
Her eyes got big, “But!.. But, there others around! Gadget will be up to see if coffee is started for Fernando, and Charles, Dale, and the others are just down the hall! They might would hear us and come watch, or somethin’!”  
 
He shrugged, “So? Let them watch.”
 
“You’re just teasin’ me, now.” She said, eyeing him warily.
 
He took a step closer to her and leaned down so their noses almost touched, and stared her in the eyes, “Try me, woman.”
 
She stared back into his eyes, and it was as if a jolt of electricity went through her system, and she felt her panties start to grow moist. Between his firm gaze and his deep voice, she felt a fear and a thrill she had not known with him yet. She thought she should feel bad, as she knew she had pushed him too far, but she liked this. He had always been firm, but tried to handle her with kid gloves as well. While she wanted him to be soft and talk nice at times, still, she also half wanted him to make good on his promise, and to be scared and embarrassed by him #$@!ing her and others walking in. It was sort of a new feeling for her, and she liked it.  Much had scared her as of late, since those men tried to rape her, and she still fought with mental images of it in her head. The way he looked at her, and stood firmly over her, threatening her with #$@!ing and embarrassing her, almost seemed to make her desire to be raped again, but by him.  
 
She did not realize that she had started to tremble but he noticed, yet he acted like he did not notice. Last night he had done a lot of thinking, and as much as he loved her and needed her, he knew he could not let her emotions mess with his, as she and others needed him at the top of his game. He realized, after fighting Monty, he needed to remind her of her place a bit more often, as part of his losing it with Monterey Jack was because he was feeling hurt because of her pushing him away. Valentine had always said the right words, when it came to understanding what he expected from her and himself in a relationship, but as of late she had not lived them. It was not a flagrant disregard of his position over her or her place under him, but more of an unwitting rebellion, from her hiding from him and not letting him help her or touch her, to her pushing him away when she did not like the decisions he had made for her safety and well being. Even as she lay against him last night, he was fighting with turning off some of his emotions, the biggest one the fear of losing someone he loves again, but he knew he had to or he risked losing her anyway, and maybe more so.  
 
She looked down after a moment and shook her head, “No, I believe you mean it… I probably deserve it and more too… I’ve not been a good wife, lately, have I?”
 
“No, you have not, but I realized I have not been a great husband either.” He said. “I thought I’d risk losin’ you if I pushed you, but seems like I’ve lost more of you from standin’ back an’ givin’ you time an’ space, while I just waited. If I pushed you away, when you wanted me, sayin’ I needed space an’ time, you’d either mope from thinkin’ you’re not good enough, or feel ill used for me not takin’ care of your womanly needs an’ desires. Women seem to think they deserve full access but space when they want it, but we get space only when they want it, an’ have to avail ourselves to their desires always? No. That’s not happenin’ with me, not again… I’ve bent over backwards too many times, an’ not just for you. Gadget, Red, Laurie, Rose, an’ a couple others. You’ve been pretty good, Val, better than most of the others were at the start, but things have been slippin’ lately, an’ I can’t let us go that direction. Jefe an’ I need your support to keep things runnin’, but I’m not tip-toein’ ‘round you anymore, understand?”
 
She stared at the floor and nodded.
 
“That won't do... Look into my eye’s when I’m talkin’ to you, woman.” He said firmly, to her.
 
She looked up slowly and into his eyes, and the firm look, and the growl in his voice made her clench her thighs together in fear that she would cum right then and there.
 
“Do you understand?” He asked again firmly.
 
“Y.yes. my love. I understand and.. and I want this… I want you.. I want you to be my lord and master, and to force me to do right when I need corrected… I.. I want your love and softness too, but maybe.. maybe I need this more.” She replied in a soft, trembling voice.
 
He reached out and gently cupped her cheek in his hand, “I don’t want to be hard on you, darlin’, I really don’t, but I can’t lose you or lose control. I will be soft to you when I can be, an’ when I can’t I’ll try to firmly remind you of you place, so we can go back to bein’ soft between us, whether it’s spankin’ that firm ass of yours with my belt, leavin’ welts across it that you’ll feel for days, or #$@!in’ you until you can’t walk, whether you are ready to #$@! or not. I said I’d never give sex as a reward, nor deny it as punishment, but I’ll sure as hell use it to remind you that you’re the woman an’ I’m the man, understand?”
 
She nodded again, but more vigorously, “I understand, and.. and if I didn’t have things to cook I’d ask you to show me my place now, as I need to know my place, I know that. I'm sorry.”
 
He grinned a bit again, “You seem a bit too eager. If I didn’t know better I’d think you want me to humiliate you.”
 
“M.maybe I d.do, a bit… I.. I’m kind of confused at the moment, about a lot of things. I can't make my head think right or my heart feel right lately, and maybe if you punish me, I can finally feel better.” She said, as she still felt a tingle run through her at the thought of him manhandling her and others staring at her while he took her.
 
“Well, not sure ‘bout givin’ those high schoolers any ideas at the moment, but I’ll spank your ass so you won’t want to be pounded from the rear for a while, if you waste food.” He said, with a smirk as he pointed at the stove.
 
“Oh! My Hash Browns!” She exclaimed, as she dashed to the stove and quickly turned them, frowning at the pan as she did.
 
“They ruined?” He asked.
 
She shook her head, “No, but browner than I wanted on that side. Luckily, I just put them in when you walked in, or they would be.”
 
“I guess no ass whippin’ at the moment.” He replied still smirking as he leaned against the counter. She glanced at him and them looked away, blushing a bit again at the thought.
 
“Well, I might still deserve it, as I’ve failed to get coffee in your hand, yet.” She said, with a soft smile and a blush still playing on her cheeks.
 
“For that, I might have to tie you to a tree with your top off an’ take the lash to your ass!” He replied with a mock seriousness.
 
Her blushed deepened, “You wouldn’t like me anymore with my skin all scarred like that, so I’d better get that coffee now.”
 
He shrugged as she poured a cup from the coffee pot, and added a splash of bourbon to it.  
 
“I do like that pretty, soft skin of yours, but I’d not stop lovin’ you even if that pretty back an' round ass were all scars. Looks have little to do with it, it’s who you are an’ how you treat me an’ those I care about.” He replied.
 
She nodded as she handed him his coffee, “True, but looks help. If I was fat and frumpy you’d not be so attracted to me.”
 
“Attraction an’ love are different thin’s, but you are right. If you were fat an’ frumpy, though, you’d not be the woman I know an’ love, as that is part of your mindset, attitude, an’ ambitions. I know this all too well.” He said, though he did not elaborate on how he knew.
 
She nodded, “That is true too… I am sorry, Hondo, I really am, and I believe you mean what you say. I know you love me. Why, I don’t know, but you do. And you try so hard to do your job, while making me happy. The truth is, you should not worry so much about my happiness. If I am helping you succeed, I will be happy. If I am not, then I deserve to be spanked or humiliated, or somethin’, to remind me how good you really are to me, and how good a life we have together.”
 
“Yeah, that was kinda my thinkin’ last night… I knew you were there, but I wasn’t ready to give you an answer.” He said.
 
She nodded, “I had a feelin’ you knew, and were not ready to talk, but I couldn’t bear to be away from you any longer… Next time, just remind me of my place, and remind me how I feel without you there with me, however you feel I need it. Just don’t hit me in anger, that’s all I ask, unless it’s on my backside. I can take your anger there, if needs be.”
 
“I promised I’d never lay a hand on you in anger, an’ I’ve not, though you’ve rarely made me angry until recently. Though if I need to, it will be on that ample backside of yours.” He replied with a smirk before taking a sip of his coffee.
 
She twisted herself and tried to look at her own backside, “It’s not that big, is it?”
 
“I don’t know.” He said with a shrug, “Might need to start runnin’ a few extra laps before it gets out of hand.”
 
She looked at him, with a worried stare, but then she saw him wink at her over his coffee, and she relaxed and sighed.
 
“*sigh* … I thought you were serious for a moment… If it does get too big, let me know.” She said.
 
“It’s fine, an’ if that happens we’ll deal with it then, but for now my main worry is my wife behavin’ an’ food.” He replied, seriously.
 
“Food will be a bit still, if you want to shower up and put on some fresh clothes. As late as we were getting in last night, I was planning on more of a brunch, so just cooking what will stay warm in the oven, for now. I figured to serve food around ten or eleven, even, unless I saw a bunch of the others get up sooner, though if you are hungry I can cook some eggs for you.”
 
“Maybe in a bit, but I think I’ll get that shower first. Might help some of these aches.” He replied.
 
She nodded, “I understand. I heard Monterey stumble in last night. He was so loud I peaked out the door to see if something was happening, and saw him beaten up. I figured you two got into it, but I wasn’t sure until I saw you early this morning. I take it you won?”
 
He nodded, “Yeah, I guess I won, but I made a mistake an’ it cost me some.”
 
“A mistake?” She asked.
 
He nodded, “Yeah. I tried to beat his ass fairly, an’ honorably, especially since he thinks so little of me, but I should have fought as dirty as he claims I am, as he fought dirty from the start.”
 
“What happened?!” She asked worriedly.
 
He shook his head as he absentmindedly rearranged his balls and dick in his pants, “Bastard nail my balls, an’ then knocked me down while I was doubled over. He then put the boots to me, #$@!in’ asshat.”
 
“Are you alright?!” She asked, quickly moving to his side and grabbing his arm.
 
“I’m fine. Just sore. I’ll be bruised an’ sore for a few days. I’ve had worse, like when that warehouse practically came down on my head in Italy!” He said, trying to make light of it.  
 
She gave him a worried look, “Alright… Well, if you don’t feel good, please at least tell Fernando.”
 
“Don’t worry ‘bout me. I’m fine.” He replied, “A shower would feel good, an’ then some more coffee.”
 
She nodded, “Then get your shower, and I’ll have some fresh coffee made for when you are done.”
 
“Alright… If you need help, get Gadget to help you. Everyone should be able to get some rest, an’ she doesn’t need to be freeloadin’.” He said as he headed out of the kitchen.
 
He headed out and limped to the stairs. As he got to the bottom of the stairs the spa room door opened and a familiar voice called his name.
 
“Hey Hondo! Wait up! We need to talk!” Charles voice rang out.
 
Hondo half turned to see him trotting his way in nothing but a speedo and a towel over his shoulder, followed by Dale in a dry pair of Hawaiian shorts.
 
Hondo turned away from them and closed his eyes, as he pinched the bridge of his nose, “What do you need?”
 
“The boss will want Dale to talk with Monty, but I thought you should know we were heading to talk to him.” Charles said.
 
“The boss?” Hondo asked, half turning to them again and raising an eyebrow at him.
 
“The boss! Fernando! I might have my people and you yours but we all know he’s the boss.” Charles said.
 
Hondo frowned at him, “Funny, as ‘the boss’ told me to keep these two apart, an’ I’ve had no change in those orders.”
 
“Well, he did not so much say those words,” Charles said, “But, my main man Dale and I were talking, and we know Monty is stubborn as a Karen thinking they deserve free food for their fries being cold, and we think the only way for him to understand and listen to you, is for him to lay a few truth bombs on him, if you know what I mean?!”
 
Hondo shook his head slowly, “Frankly, I don’t.”
 
“Listen, I know Fernando doesn’t want them together, but he doesn’t want them around Gadget more so, and we all saw Monty attempt to talk to her last night. We heard about what happened to you and Monty in the palace morgue, from the security report my agency gets. Monty doesn’t listen well, as is, but he seems to have a grudge with you. You let Dale talk to him, I’ll stand by and watch them, I promise I’ll not let anything bad happen, and then hopefully the big bastard will listen and make life easier on you and Fernando, and Dale can get some things off his chest. Win-win for us all!” Charles said.
 
Hondo shook his head, “I swear you should have been a used care salesman.”
 
“So, that’s a yes then?” Charles asked. “My sales pitch worked?”
 
“*sigh* … If you were sellin’ car’s I’d buy from anyone else! But, whatever.” He said. “Frankly, I could care less about the fat #$@!, an’ I’m close to bein’ done with him. Might as well let you give a try, as if I have to beat his ass again, he won’t get up the next time.”
 
“Wait, next time?” Charles asked.
 
Hondo ignored the question, and started slowly up the stairs, “I’m not seein’ how Dale has anythin’ to offer, but fine. If this get’s him to listen to Jefe’s orders then fine.”
 
Charles looked at Dale with a confused look, and Dale just shrugged.
 
“*sigh* … He could be easier to deal with too.” Charles muttered after Hondo had made it up the stairs and entered his room.
 
Dale shrugged, “I don’t know. He’s sorta always been a bit harsh on some things, but he wasn’t treated too well by anyone, the Rangers included and he just tried to help.”
 
“It would still be nice if he at least pretended to like everyone.” Charles said.
 
Dale nodded, “Yeah, it would, but sometimes he’s right… I do need to grow up and prove to him and others that I’m not just a screw-up goof-ball.”
 
“The only one you need to prove that to is yourself.” Charles said. “And Foxglove. And I believe in you, but as your boss you could prove it to me… and you team… so, maybe more than one you should prove it too.”
 
Dale scowled a bit and shook his head.
 
“Alright, Let’s go talk to that big Aussie!” Charles said as he started up the stairs.
 
Dale’s scowl turned into a frown as he thought about how hard this was going to be to admit.  
 
They headed up and knocked on Monty’s door.
 
“ ‘oo is it?” a weak, mumbling voice was heard from within.
 
Dale popped the door open, “Uhm, it’s me, Monty. Can I come in?”
 
“Yeah, matie.” He responded quietly.
 
He came in and in the dim light saw that Monty looked a mess.
 
“What happened to you?!” Dale exclaimed.
 
“Oy… I bit off more than I could chew.” He grumbled.
 
“It looks like you were hit by a truck!” Dale exclaimed.
 
“It feels loike I was too, mate… What ya need?” Monty asked, still laying but putting his arm over his eyes to block any light.
 
Dale sat down on the end of the bed, “I need to talk to you right now, and what I have to say isn’t going to be easy to say.”
 
“What’s on you mind, chum?” Monty asked.
 
“You need to stop making Hondo and Fernando more angry at you. And you need to stay away from Gadget until Fernando says otherwise, and not Talk about Chip, especially around her.” Dale said quietly.
 
“You too now, eh? Why?” Monty half snarled.
 
Dale frowned, “*sigh* … Chip is dead, Monty. The one with us was a clone, or fake… He’s been dead for a long time, I know, and I’ve known for a while.”
 
“I don’t believe it! I won’t believe it!” Monty snarled
 
“You need to believe me! He’s dead, and that’s the real deal!” Dale countered. “Listen, I noticed the biggest change after we were poisoned by those acorns, though I suspected something before. He had seemed different, but the change was too much, and then I saw him beating Gadget and…..”
 
Charles listened at the open door as Dale told his tale. Monty seemed to listen and the horror on his face as he listened, then emptiness in his voice and eyes after told Charles that he believed it all. True or not, Monty swallowed it all and only time would tell if his plan to get Monty to mentally submit would work or not.  
 
-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-,-
 
Hondo shut the door behind him and shook his head, wondering what that agency spook and the goof-ball had cooked up now, but he did not care too much about it.  
 
He limped over to where his bags were and pulled out some fresh clothes, laying them on the bed before gingerly stripping down bare. He was able to stretch out a little more now, but his ribs still complained the most, though nothing else was really happy about it either. He then limped into the bathroom and took a look at himself in the full-length mirror. The bruising was worse than it felt, as from just under his nipple, down to almost his knee on one side was one big bruise. There was a cut on his cheek, his lip was split, there was gashes from his teeth in his mouth on one side where Monty landed a good blow, and one eye was a little on the dark side. His balls ached a bit too, and he checked them out, though he was not sure how much was from Monty hitting them and how much was sympathy pain from his guts. Though he ached, he still half wanted to rough #$@! his wife for her part in his frustrations, but that would have to wait.  
 
HE shook his head at himself after a moment, both from his loud thoughts and his haggard looking form, before limping to the shower. He started the water and let it get good and hot before stepping into it. As he stepped in, he sucked air through his teeth as the near scalding water hit his body. HE endured it though, and soon it started to feel good. He leaned his arm and head against the wall as he let the water sooth his sore form, and just stood there, lost in his own thoughts for a good twenty minutes.
 
The water stayed hot, thanks to the Lodge’s industrial sized instant hot water heater, so instead of relying on the water getting cold to signal for him to get out, he just figured it was time, after a while, and climbed out. He toweled off and headed into the bedroom again and to where his clothes lay on the bed, He picked up his shirt and looked at it for a moment before setting it back down, and then laying back on the bed beside them. He meant to only lay there a moment but ended up falling asleep instead.

The high school girls soon finish up their breakfast and stack their dishes on the table, making them easier for Valentine to handle. At about the same time, Fernando’s daughters start trailing in to get their food.
 
Valentine, meanwhile, added some more hot food to the island bar, and cleared a table off, but not before Rachel got off a few snarky comments about lack of good service, and expecting the food quality to be sub-part and probably cheese covered, since a hick mouse-woman was in the kitchen. Valentine frowned, but she tried to ignore it and the fact that her and the others cutting remarks hurt more than she showed. Even had she shown it or said something, she was sure they would not care, and maybe even reveled in destroying her. Normally, she would write it off, but with feeling so vulnerable lately, especially after being at odds with Hondo, it was harder to deal with those feelings today.
 
Gadget kept her distance, knowing Fernando’s daughters hated her, and after their verbal assault and threats of physical harm, she wanted as little to do with them as possible. Gadget was no weakling, though all she had been through lately had left her weaker than normal, but she was also no fighter, and she knew it. Even if she was, she was not sure she could match their cruel, uncaring nature, and in that she would surely lose. Once they had sat down, she walked over to Valentine.
 
“You alright?” She asked
 
Valentine shrugged, “I don’t know… *sigh*”
 
“You need to talk or need some help cleaning up?” Gadget offered, knowing there was things she was keeping to herself that bothered her.
 
Valentine shook her head, “No, I’m fine, really, and.. I can handle things.”
 
“Listen, I know I’m not a good friend, and I’m a bit airheaded at times, but I’m not so fragile you have to worry about me, Val. And I’m trying to be better. Sorry I’ve not been a good friend, especially after how hard you tried for me.” Gadget replied.
 
Valentine gave her a soft smile, “I appreciate it, Gadget, I do, but there are some things I just need to sort out in my head before I can talk about them. I know you understand that.”
 
“I do.” Gadget replied, “But, I hope once you do, you can talk to me about them. It helps to talk sometimes, I know, but I also know that sometimes…”
 
Valentine cut her off, “You just have to keep them to yourself as words can’t fix them, and all you really want is someone to #$@! your brains out.”
 
Gadget tilted her head at Valentine, curiously, as though she was right, though that’s not what Gadget was going to say, she did not expect her to be feeling that way with Hondo around. She figured things were worse between them than she had thought.
 
“Golly! I was not going to put it that way, but I do know what you mean!”” Gadget replied.
 
Valentine forced a soft smile, “It’s alright, Gadget. It’s not worth worryin’ about me, honestly. I’ve.. been through worse. You and the girls should go have fun and relax like Fernando said.”
 
“You should too.” Gadget replied. “I guess I am supposed to talk to Hondo about the lake and the hot springs, but I have not seen him today. You should let us help, quick and then come join us! I’m sure the girls wouldn’t mind.”
 
A couple of them had been standing close and listening, and one spoke up, though Valentine was not sure of any of their names.
 
“We do not mind!” She said. “And we would not mind hearing more about your husband. He is handsome and big! We don’t see many men of our kind that size. Most around here are much shorter and smaller, so we would love to hear about him and how you met him, and we could have a girl’s day together!”
 
“Fernando is more handsome.” One of the other girls said almost indignantly.
 
“A girls day sounds awesome! As long as that Lantean lover, Jeanette, is not invited.” Another added.
 
Valentine blushed slightly, “Well, maybe some other time, but I need to clean up, neither Hondo nor Monty have eaten yet, nor has Fernando’s friends or Yuri and Kei, and I need to talk with the staff when they arrive, about meals and such. Besides, I am not sure I feel like it today. Maybe tomorrow I’ll join you.”
 
Gadget grabbed one of her hands, “Are you sure you are alright?”
 
Valentine could not fake a smile this time, but just nodded, speaking softly, “I’m fine, really. I’m.. always fine.”
 
Gadget sighed and then nodded, “Alright, Val. But if you need to talk, I’m here.”
 
“Thanks.” Valentine whispered before turning back to the kitchen counter.
 
“Do you know where Hondo is?” Gadget asked.  
 
Valentine shrugged, “I don’t know, honestly. I know he went to take a shower, but that was over an hour ago. If he’s not in our room or one of the sittin’ areas, maybe in down in the shop, or sittin’ in the pub.”
 
“The pub?” Gadget asked.
 
Valentine nodded, “Behind the stairs is an Irish pub like room.”
 
“Golly… This place really does have everything!” Gadget exclaimed. “We’ll go look for him, and .. Thanks.”
 
Valentine nodded, and turned back to her work, trying not to think more on how badly she had been treating Hondo lately. His talking to her almost made her feel worse, that she had pushed him to the place where he felt he had to keep a firmer hand on her. She wanted him to be firm with her, but that did not change the fact that she felt bad, and more than that, he had not come back from his shower, so now her mind toyed with her, telling her he was avoiding her, as he was still angry.
 
Meanwhile, Gadget and the girls headed out of the kitchen/ breakfast nook area and headed out to look for Hondo. The girls offered to split up and look for him, and though Gadget tried to argue that it was a bad idea, two had split off to go look in the pub, which they found empty. As they discussed it, standing beside the stairs, Hondo was just coming down stairs again, from checking on Monty, who was still in bed.  
 
“What’s with the convention?” He asked, before they even noticed him.
 
“Hondo?! We were just looking for you!” Gadget exclaimed.
 
“Well, you found me, so what’s the bad news?” He asked.
 
Gadget cocked her head a bit, “Bad news?”
 
“You’ve not come to look for me when it’s good news, not in a lot of years.” He replied.
 
Gadget blushed a bit and looked down, “S.sorry about that. I wasn’t a good girlfriend back then, and haven’t been a good friend either. We’ve not really talked since I apologized a few nights back, have we?”
 
He shook his head, “Nope, an’ from the looks of it, you aren’t here to have a friendly conversation either.”
 
“Looks?” She asked.
 
He pointed at her and then the girls, most still with robes clutched, but a couple with them open, though only one seemed to be doing so more so to show off what little she had on. They were horny senior high schoolers, so he did not expect much different, and with the age of sexual activeness and consent being so much younger than in the USA, he expected it more so.  
 
{Note: Timeframe before age of consent was moved up, per Fernando’s post notes.}
 
“Well, from the looks of those shorts an’ tank top, an’ the strings hangin’ out from that top, an’ the girls in their robes an’ swimsuits, it sure doesn’t look like you’re all here for beers an’ conversation.” He said.
 
“I’d take a beer and talk!” The one with the open robe, who seemed to be showing off said, and a couple others nodded in agreement.
 
“Behave!” One of the others scolded.
 
“Oh!” Gadget exclaimed, “Uhm, Fernando said to talk to you about the lake and the hot springs, if we can use them and any rules! We should probably know about the pool too.”
 
Hondo nodded, “They all can be used, the hot springs, lake, pool, all of it. The pool is pretty self-explanatory. No horsin’ ‘round, as there’s no lifeguard on duty, an’ only swim for your level. Shower before usin’ it to help keep it clean, an’ showerin’ again after is advised to get off the chemicals. No divin’ in the shallow end, an’ no glass wear at the pools edge. We’ll probably be grillin’ out there later, for supper, so I’d hold off on the pool until this afternoon, unless you want to relax there most of the day. The lake, everyone should wear lifejackets, as it’s pretty deep. You can swim along the shore without them, but if usin’ the canoe, paddle boat, kayaks, or out fishin’ on the dock, please wear them. The boat house has equipment to use, as well as life vest, fishin’ poles, an’ tackle, an’ some other stuff, as well as a couple small change rooms an’ a cold-water shower to hose off. If you fish, be careful an’ catch an’ release, unless you intend to clean, cook, an’ eat what you catch, as well as clean up after yourselves.”
 
“What about the hot springs? That sounds fun.” One of the girls asked.
 
“Those are ‘bout a half mile away, along a trail behind the shop.” Hondo said.
 
“That’s a bit far for us all to walk, especially out here alone, isn’t it?” Gadget asked.
 
“We’re pretty isolated out here, honestly, an’ no one other than the ranch staff an’ my partners know we are even here, so we are safe as we can be. Safer than if we were back at the apartments. There’s not a lot of dangerous wildlife this low, nor out at this time of day either, so as long as everyone stays on the trail an’ together, that won’t be an issue either. An’ it’s not too long of a walk, I just walked out there an’ back while you all were eatin’, but there are a couple golf carts at the hanger we can use to get out there an’ back.” He replied.
 
“We get to drive golf carts?!” One of them asked excitedly.
 
Hondo shook his head, “No. At least not until Fernando or I evaluate your skills on one, an’ now isn’t the time.”
 
“Awww.” Several of them groaned in disappointment.
 
“You girls stay here. Gadget an’ I will go get them.” He continued.
 
“Where are they?” Gadget asked.
 
“Just down in the hanger.” He replied. “You good to walk down there in those sandals?”
 
She nodded, “I’ll be fine.”
 
“Hmm.” He grunted with a nod before headed off to the hanger.
 
The girls whispered to themselves as they left them behind, but Hondo paid it no mind, as teenagers tend to do that, and they were not really his responsibility, at least no more of a responsibility as anyone else at the lodge currently.
 
Gadget followed quietly for a bit, waiting until they were out of earshot of the girls.
 
“Uhm, how’s Val doing?” She asked. “She seemed a bit upset today.”
 
Hondo frowned, “She gave me hell last night for doin’ somethin’ to protect her. We had a talk an’ I thought we sorted it out, but if she’s still mopin’ then she’s feelin’ sorry for herself still. Why? She say somethin’?”
 
Gadget shook her head, “Not really. She just said there were some things in her head that she needed to sort out. Not sure why she would be upset with you for protecting her, though.”
 
Hondo glanced at her and raised an eyebrow, “Really? You don’t understand turin’ on a man for protectin’ you or tellin’ you a truth you didn’t want to hear, claimin’ you couldn’t trust him, though he put his life on the line an’ was wounded badly to protect you??”
 
Gadget looked down in shame, “When you put it that way… *sigh* … There is no forgiving that, is there?”
 
“I’ve forgiven you, but I’ve not forgotten it.” He replied. “You shouldn’t either, as if you are with Jefe, it’s bound to happen again, an’ you need to either trust him or walk away.”
 
“I won’t make that mistake again, please believe me.” Gadget replied somberly. “He saved me from too much for me to make that mistake again. I know you saved me from a lot too, but I was young and stupid... Had you not come along that day and saved me from Fat Cat’s goons, I’d have been dead. Maybe that would have been better than hurting you or going through all Chip put me through, but I don’t know… There was a few other times you saved me and the others, but I was so naïve and didn’t understand what you risked for us. I saw Ch.chip as my savior still, as he took me out of that lonely hanger when I wasn’t but about those high school girl’s ages. I.. I was so lonely and afraid back then… That.. that salesman who raped me, not long after dad’s plane crash, when I was so young, weak, and vulnerable… It hurt and it scared me, but I was angrier that I wanted it again. I.. I wanted someone to come take me and give me some attention. I hated all salesmen because of what he did but I wanted someone to come take me. Chip, he.. he and the others didn’t ask that of me, or force it from me, but just gave me attention and wanted me for me, or so it seemed at first at least. It obviously changed over the years, but I blinded myself to that fact. Even when we got married, I still ignored it all. Maybe he rescued me from that lab for selfish reasons, but he rescued me again. The pastor, I went to for counseling after it all, said I should marry Chip, as I needed to let myself willingly be had by a man again, and in the right way before God. I knew he was no good for me, but he saved me twice and even had the pastor believing he was a good guy. I knew he wasn’t but I did not trust myself. I brought up a few things he had done to me and others in the past, but I’m not sure the pastor believed me. I think he thought I was pushing my trauma onto Chip. He told me to forgive and forget… I tried, but it only hurt me more in the end.”
 
“Forgive an’ forget is church bullshit, spun to sound biblical, but it ain’t. Nowhere does the bible say to forget. Forgettin’ is stupid. You forget an’ the person may hurt you or others, but I reckon you know that too.” He replied a bit softly.
 
Gadget nodded, “I do… *Sigh* … I am sorry for turning my back on you and hurting you.”
 
“I know. Doesn’t change a lot, though.” He replied.
 
She nodded again, “I know. But maybe we can all be friends and work together better if you know it and if.. if Fernando can love me.”
 
He raised an eyebrow at her, “You have reason to think he doesn’t?”
 
“Maybe. He seems a bit ashamed of me at times, and he said he can’t say he does because of all that is happening between us and our spouses.” She replied. “I understand it all, and he’s proved he cares about me, after all he’s done. Besides him, you and my father are the only ones who have so selflessly helped and cared for me. Even if he and I are just friends, I’d not trade that for anything, but I wish we were more than that… There are times I feel like he wants someone younger, more innocent, and less broken than me, though. I don’t know. Maybe it’s my brokenness talking… Either way, I hope we can all be friends, You, Fernando, Val, and me… You know I’ve never been good at making friends, and part of that is because I’ve always been so afraid to lose them, like I lost dad. I don’t take loss well.”
 
“No one takes loss well.” Hondo replied. “I’ve had my share of that too, an’ I know I didn’t take it well.”
 
She nodded, “Yeah. I heard a bit about your first wife. Didn’t know you were married before Val until she told me about it the other night. I knew you were dating Rose, and even unofficially engaged for a while, due to the mission, but she cheated on you and left over that buffoon Captain Ready. Honestly, I’m glad you two did not work out. She would have weighed you down, and she was not the type to be willing to be a good wife. Not that I have much room to speak. I never was a good wife for Chip, not like Val is for you. I just let him #$@! me whenever he wanted so he wouldn’t get angry and hit me, and then hid in my workshop the rest of the time. He was an abusive asshole, but that doesn’t absolve me of being a poor excuse of a wife.”
 
Hondo chuckled and shook his head.
 
“What’s funny?” Gadget asked.
 
“Heh! Apart from you finally callin’ him an asshole, like I told you he was? I guess it’s hindsight.” He replied.
 
“Hindsight? She queried.
 
He nodded, “Yeah… I loved you more than anythin’ once upon a time, but maybe it wasn’t supposed to work out.”
 
She nodded, “Maybe not, though I know I’d have been a lot better off with you.”
 
“Not bein’ boastful, but yeah you would have.” He replied. “But you’d not have been happy either. You wanted the adventure, fame, an’ all that. I’d already seen enough to just want an’ cherish a peaceful life, but I also hadn’t seen enough. We were on different paths, an’ though I’d never tried to hurt you, we’d probably have made each other miserable. I wanted a wife an’ an honest, quiet country life, an’ you wanted the wild, dramatic adventures.”
 
She smirked, “Heh… How things have changed. I only want involved in the adventure, now, if it means being with Fernando, and you two, but I’d rather we were together in some nice quiet setting, maybe in the country, or on the edge of a city, where I could get parts and supplies for my projects, and stay out of the hustle, bustle, and noise. And here you are in the middle of the adventures I longed for as a girl and young woman.”
 
Hondo nodded, “I can’t say I wanted this life, but I’m good at it. I’m good at it an’ I make a difference, so I do it. Plus, I owe some folks for what they have done for me an’ more so for Val. But, you are right in all that, an’ I understand. As the sayin’ goes, ‘the only thing that stays the same is that everythin’ changes.’”  
 
She nodded, “True enough, though I’ve never been good at accepting change… Are you and Val going to be alright?”
 
“That was a change in conversation. Why do you ask?” He asked.
 
“Because I only recently realized I do care about you a bit, still, and about her.” Gadget replied. “I don’t want you two to fight, or hurt. I see how you look at her, and how she looks at you. I’ve seen the small touches, and soft smiles you bring to each other’s faces, even when things are bad. I know how you talk about her and how she talked about you. I wish I knew how it felt, but even if I never do, I want you two to keep that.”
 
He smiled softly, “Don’t worry ‘bout us. It’s just a storm in our relationship, an’ we’ll weather it.”
 
She paused for a moment before speaking again, “… Oh, and, uhm, I’m sorry for being snippy with you about Fernando, early on. I was a bit lost, and being around you brought up old, unresolved feelings, and I felt he was my only friend at the time, you understand? And I’m also sorry about accusing you of taking advantage of me when you tried to warm me up when I had that fever.”
 
“No worries. Just forget it. I understand you were feelin’ lost, an’ I shouldn’t have laid with you to keep you warm. Maybe I got sucked in to old memories too. Seein’ you like that, an’ havin’ Val push me away after the attempted rape, an’ everythin’ that had been goin’ on, I let myself worry ‘bout you too much to escape all that was in my head, for a bit. I should have known you were dealin’ with too many demons to understand I was tryin’ to help. I told myself it was better for me to help than to bother Jefe, as neither of us had gotten any decent rest in months, an’ I figured I wasn’t goin’ to sleep much with Val as she was, so figured only one of us should miss out. Then his trouble with Tammy on top of it, an’ worryin’ about Francesca… It was flawed logic, so I’m the one who should be sorry there.” He replied, as they approached the hanger’s man-door.
 
Gadget got in front of him, to stop him for a moment. She shook her head at him.
 
“You don’t have to be sorry, Hondo. I knew you better than that, once, and though it was a long time ago, I should have known you were only trying to help. You are a good man. Honestly, other than my dad, you and Fernando are the only good men I know. There were a few decent ones at the café, but not any good ones. They might not have hit on me, like many of the others did, but they still stood by while others raunchily hit on me, and Chip abused me, sometimes right there in front of them. Many would then would slap him on the back and praise him for being a great leader, even if it was just some trivial mission we had been on, or him telling his version of past exploits… it was like I, the person I am, never really matter to any of them. The only thing that mattered was being in the inner circle… I thought Uncle Monty was a good guy too, for a long time, but.. you know how that went.” She replied.
 
He nodded, “I know… The café is a lost cause. I went there to hide from some of my pain, an’ hoped to do good to make up for perceived failures, as I thought it was a group who wanted to make the world a better place. I was wrong. Only found one likeminded person there, an’ that was Jefe. The rest, I think too little of to hate anymore, though I hate the establishment still, as it fosters their ilk… As for Monty, I thought some better of him too, long ago, but he let me down then aw well. I’ll make him regret that an’ get him to workin’ on makin’ up some for it, though he can’t ever fully make up for it. Talkin’ ‘bout him, though, he’s been told to leave you alone. If he comes to you with anythin’ other than a message from me or Jefe, you come get me, an’ I’ll wire his damn jaw shut! That will get him to shut up an’ lose weight at the same time, damn overstuffed cheese-aholic!”
 
“I will, and thank you. I’m not sure I can face his reasons, apologies, or excuses yet.” She said with a soft smile.
 
“Well, we’d better get these carts, before those girls start talkin’ ‘bout us bein’ gone too long.” Hondo said, as he pulled keys out of his pocket.
 
Gadget blushed a bit, as she stepped out of his way, “Oh! Right… And they do talk, that is for sure, and their imaginations do run a bit wild about certain things.”
 
He chuckled, as he unlocked the door. “Heh! I’m sure they do.”
 
“I do have a question.” She said.
 
“What is it?” He asked as he shoved the keys back into his pocket.
 
“Are you going back to the café after this? I know it’s been thinned out, and the Danger Ranger’s have taken over HQ, but have you thought about going back?”
 
He shook his head, “I’ve not really thought about it, but no. I’ve no plans to go back. Even if I did, they kicked me out an’ took my room away from me not long after Rose cheated on me.”
 
“I didn’t know that!” She exclaimed.
 
“What ‘bout you?” He asked.
 
“You mean, will I go back?” She asked.
 
He nodded, “Yeah.”
 
She shook her head, “No, I.. I don’t want to go back, ever… I hate that place.”
 
“I understand.” Hondo replied with a nod. “Alright, ready to grab these carts?”
 
She nodded.
 
 “Alright, now, no droolin’ over the airplane, an’ no comin’ in here without me or Jefe, alright?” He continued.
 
“Wait, there is an actual plane in there??” She asked.
 
She followed him in and he turned on the lights, to reveal the restored Zero, and her jaw dropped. After the initial surprise wore off she started talking a mile a minute and he had to interrupt her and again tell her not to come in here alone, though he was pretty sure she only half heard him.  
 
Once he was finally able to drag her away from it, he opened a bigger car sized door, leaving the main hanger door shut, and climbed into a golf cart with two rows of seats, while setting her up in a golf cart with three rows of seats, explaining that they should all fit on that one, but he’d take a few out in this one and drive it back. They fired them up and headed back up to the lodge, to where the girls waited.
 
“What took so long?!” One asked.
 
“Fernando-san won’t like it if you are playing around with his girlfriend!” Another said.
 
“I’d not mind it, as then it would easier for him to be mine!” another replied.
 
“Behave, all of you!” Another chided.
 
Hondo ignored them all, “Alright, all of you get in one of them.”
 
“I’m with the cowboy!” The one with the open robe, who seemed to want him to look at her said, jumping onto the seat beside him.
 
“I’d better go make sure she behaves, this time.” another said that climbed on behind them, who he recognized from this morning, outside Fernando’s door.
 
Another climbed in the back seat with her, while the rest climbed on with Gadget.
 
“You know sex without love is allowed in our country, if you are married!” The one beside him said.
 
He looked at her and nodded, “So I’ve heard.”
 
He then looked over at Gadget and quickly spoke before the girl could continue, “You all ready over there?”
 
Gadget nodded, “I think so.”
 
“Then let’s go!” He said, stomping on the gas pedal and making the girls slide back in their seats as the cart took off with a lurch.
 
Luckily for him, the trip through the graveled path in the woods held the girls’ interest as he drove, as they did not get to see nature like this often, as they all lived in the city or in one of the close suburban areas, that were almost as bad.  
 
A few minutes later and they arrived at the hot springs. The area was a bit steamy as some of the hot water ran down over rocks that protruded from the mountain. The hot springs were surrounded by a solid log fence, and at the opening stood two doors, and a wooden cabin like building. On the two doors was a mix of Japanese and English. The writing on door on the right indicating it was for men, and the left for women. Hondo parked off to the far left, leaving a spot for Gadget and the cart she was driving closer to the door. He shut off the cart, and climbed out of the rig, before heading up to the door with the key ring he had out earlier. He unlocked the paddle locks on both doors, and headed into the woman’s side.
 
“This is the side for you ladies to come in. There are storage cubbies with baskets, hangers by them for robes or the like, changin’ rooms, an’ a hot an’ cold water shower, with soap, an’ shampoo, an’ a cool tub fed from a spring in the mountains, if you need to cool off. There is a water fountain too, so use it an’ heep hydrated.” He explained. “There is plenty of fresh towels too, in small an’ large sizes. When you are done, throw the ones you’ve used in the hamper an’ bring the hamper back with you, since this place isn’t staffed full time. There are lights inside an’ out, an’ a phone that calls the lodge if anythin’ is needed. There is a radio too, if you want music. The hot spring is set up like most Japanese baths, an’ I was told one is supposed to use them naked, but that’s up to you all.”
 
“Wait, we are all supposed to be nude? Together??” Gadget asked, seeming half alarmed and half unbelieving.
 
“All Japanese baths are supposed to be shared in the nude.” One of the girls said with the others nodding.
 
“But… even with the guys?!?” Gadget asked, seeming more alarmed.
 
“Sometimes.” Said one of the girls Hondo thought was either the student president or vice president, though he was not sure which. “Most are segregated between men and women, now, but there are still plenty that are not, especially in smaller communities.”
 
“You mean they just all… all get naked together?!?” Gadget asked.
 
“No.” The girl continued. “They usually still have separate changing rooms, though not all as big or nice as this, but you still undress separately. Women often wear a towel to the water and take it off at the waters edge. Everyone brings a small towel to wash, keep cool, or such with, depending on the use of the bath, and many men use it to cover their penises before they get to the water, as well.”
 
 
“You shouldn’t say that with a man here!” Another girl scolded.
 
“Why not?” The other replied. “He is an adult and has one. There is no shame in talking about it, either.”
 
“So, is this one all together?” Gadget asked, turning to Hondo. “If so, I might want to go back and get my one piece. I only wore a small bikini under these and I don’t want Monty, Dale, or that group that Dale is with to leer at me.”
 
“Charles an’ his team, you mean?” Hondo asked.
 
Gadget nodded, “Yeah. I feel like they stare at me and a couple get a bit over friendly with me, like they know me well. I know Charles married Widget, and she’s my sister, but I barely even know her! She tried to kill me once, too, and though that’s behind us, she is barely an acquaintance! It’s not like we do holidays or family meals together. Even if Chip had allowed it, I would not have been comfortable spending time with them after all that! I just feel.. weird around them, especially the guys. Foxglove I don’t mind, as long as Dale isn’t with her, and Widget I can tolerate alone, though she makes me nervous still, even if she promises it’s all over and she’s not a threat anymore.”
 
“Well, don’t worry ‘bout it. The pool is open, but there is a heavy curtain that can be pulled across it, with weights on the bottom, to divide it. I’ll lock the men’s door from the inside, an’ you can lock the woman’s door once I leave. There is an intercom at the front that I’ll tell anyone else to use, to let you know that they are here. If it’s any of the other ladies, I’ll leave that up to you if you want to split the pool area. If it’s any of the guys, go ahead an’ split it. I’ll make sure they all know to leave you gal’s alone. An’ if there are any issues, call me on the phone an’ Jefe an’ I will be here to crack heads.” He replied, giving her a soft grin.
 
Gadget seemed to relax and smiled back, softly, “Thank you, Hondo. Sorry, I’m still a bit of a nervous spaz at times.”
 
“After all you’ve been through, it’s understandable.” He replied. “Now, let me show you ‘round, lock that door, an’ get the radio on an’ setup so the intercom goes through the outdoor speakers.”
 
He showed them around quickly, showing Gadget how to work the radio and comms system, as well as the door locks, and curtain mechanism. He then locked them men’s door from the inside, and after telling them he’d see them later, an’ even come check on things in a couple hours if he heard nothing, he headed back to the lodge, leaving the ladies to enjoy themselves.  
 
He drove the smaller cart back, and parked it up in the lodge parking, before heading inside. Inside he met up with Fernando’s hood friends and Kei, who were just leaving the kitchen. They conversed with him about the amenities, and he gave them the same information, plus added about the hot springs to call on the intercoms for Gadget, if the doors were locked. They chose to hang out by the lake, and Kei said she would go with them, flirting and giggling about all they said. Before they were even out the door, she had her robe off, and sported an almost micro sized bikini. While they did what they wanted, she laid a towel on the grass near by to sun herself, being close enough to flirt with them while they did what they wanted, and occasionally join in, if it meant some attention.  
 
Hondo merely shook his head at her, and wondered why Yuri was not with them, as she seemed the more flirtatious of the two. He had ideas as to why, but hoped they were not the case.
 
From there, Hondo headed to the kitchen, and found Valentine working somberly, while Monty poked at some scrambled eggs, gravy, and shredded cheese, that were mixed together on his plate.  
 
“Everybody eaten?” He asked.
 
Valentine looked up at him quickly, seeming surprised, “OH! Uhm, yeah! Uhm, I mean everyone but you.”
 
He furrowed his brow and frowned as he looked at her, “You alright?”
 
“I’m alright! I swear!” She said quickly.
 
He continued frowning, “You sure don’t sound alright, an’ that look of surprise when I came in… I move quiet, but you always hear me.”
 
She looked down with a frown and sighed, “*Sigh* …I don’t always hear you, but I was sort of lost in thought.”
 
“Hmm.” He grunted. “Same thoughts that had Gadget askin’ what was wrong?”
 
She blushed a bit in embarrassment, “Yeah.”
 
“What were these thoughts?” He asked.
 
She shrugged, “I don’t know… I just.. I keep feelin’ like I’m going to lose you for being such a bad wife lately. I’m.. just not enough for you… I’m too weak.”
 
Hondo noticed Monty glance up at them, “That’s somethin’ for us to talk ‘bout alone.”
 
“Heh!” Monty chuckled wryly, “Don’t want me ta know ‘ow ya can’t keep a woman ‘appy, skippah??”
 
Hondo looked over at him as Monty leered at him, his jaw a bit crooked, one eye swollen shut, and a couple bandages where the skin on his cheek had split from Hondo pummeling him.  
 
“Want me to drag you out front an’ beat your ass again, in front of a crowd this time?!” Hondo growled.
 
Monty rubbed his sore jaw on the one side he was not opening as much, and then gingerly shook his head.
 
“I reckon not, skippah. Not sure I’ll survive another go, jest yet.” He said with a frown. “You are one tough bastard, I’ll give ya thet. Been a long time since anyone’s bested me in a fist foight. Though ta be fair, been a while since I’ve ‘ad anyone thet could put up a foight too. I thought Fernando was gonna ‘ave a go a couple times in the past, but ‘e’s a roight vicious bastard. Pulls those weird karate moves an’ puts ya down without even a blow thrown or a fair chance ta defend yurself! ‘e scares the livin’ dog-shite outta me, but strewth, ‘e doesn’t give a bloke a fair chance! Nothin’ honorable ‘bout thet slant-eye karate shite.”
 
“An’ kickin’ a man in the balls is honorable?!” Hondo snarled.
 
Monty frowned and shook his head, “No, it ain’t. I reckon I ain’t as honorable as I used ta think I was.”
 
Hondo fully turned to him, “What do you want, Jack? Want to piss me off this mornin’?!”
 
“No. Honestly, Skippah, I’d loike to parley a bit.” Monty replied. “Ifin ya don’t moind, skippah.”
 
Hondo looked at him for a moment before half turning to Valentine.
 
“Darlin’, finish your cleanin’ up, an’ we’ll talk after.” He said.
 
“Okay, my love.” She said quietly. “Uhm, you want anything to eat?”
 
In truth, he did not feel really hungry at the moment, but he figured it was for the best to eat something.
 
“Sure. Uh.. couple biscuits, sausage gravy, eggs, an’ some Bacon. Throw some of those dried hot peppers, tabasco, an’ a bit of syrup on it.” He replied.
 
“I only have scrambled eggs made, at the moment. You want some fresh over-easy ones?” She asked, knowing that is what he preferred.
 
He shook his head, “No, just give me what you have made up. No used wastin’ them.”
 
She nodded, “Okay… Sit down and I’ll bring it over in a minute… You want something to drink with it?”
 
“Coffee with a shot of bourbon, an’ some milk.” He replied.
 
She nodded, “Yes, My love.”
 
Monty raised an eyebrow at him, “You made the missus your servant, now?”
 
Hondo scowled, “You do want me to beat your ass, again.”
 
Monty frowned a bit angrily, “If you’re ‘urtin’ ‘er, you’ll ‘ave ta go ahead an’ kill me, skippah. I failed protectin’ one woman by ‘idin’ my ‘ead an’ not readin’ the signs. I won’t do thet again, not even for you or Fernando, even if it means my loife.”
 
Hondo’s frown relaxed some, but his tone stayed firm, “Your commitment is late, but better late than never… One thing you do need to learn, to go with this new-found passion of yours to stick your nose into other’s business, in the name of savin’ some damsel, is how to read a damn room!”
 
“Jest what do ya mean by thet?” Monty asked coldly.
 
“Val isn’t my servant, first off, an’ I’m tryin’ to help her. Almighty knows I’ve failed her at times, but I try damn hard!” He replied. “How I deal with her is between her an’ I, but you can ask her if I’m wrongin’ her, if you’d like. I’ll even step out of the room.” Hondo replied coldly.
 
“Maybe you should.” Monty replied.
 
“No.” Valentine interjected, causing them both to look at her as she approached with a plate of food and a cup of coffee, and set in in front of Hondo. “My Hondo has not done anythin’ but try to help others, you and the other former Rangers included, and even after you all hurt him and turned your backs on him! I’ve not been a good wife lately, but I’m tryin’. Servin’ him like this is what a woman should do for her man, and that is somethin’ I’ve failed on. Maybe its because of the feminist brainwashin’ the world seems to put out anymore, or maybe because I’m too proud, or afraid, or maybe I’ve not let myself trust him enough, and am just blamin’ it all on how other men have treated me, I don’t know! He’s never hurt me, but there are times I probably deserved for him to.”
 
“A man should nevah ‘urt a woman!” Monty protested.
 
Valentine looked down for a moment, before looking up at Hondo, “I used to think that, but maybe if he had, if he had manhandled me or spanked me, or somethin’, maybe I’d focus more on what I can do for him, as my man.. my lovin’ man, then I have on myself and how I feel alone…” She looked back at Monty, “I can’t explain it, but even if I did, I’m not sure you’d understand. I am pretty sure Gadget does, but it’s somethin’ neither of us can verbalize, so don’t ask us to, and don’t question our men again.”
 
“*sigh*… maybe yur roight. I mean…” Monty started saying before pausing and looking at her questioningly. “Wait, yur men? But, Gadget’s is…”
 
“I wasn’t talkin’ about Chip.” She said, before turning to Hondo, “I’ll be right back with your milk.”
 
He nodded, “Thanks, Darlin’.”
 
Monty looked at her and then at Hondo, “You aren’t talkin’ about Fernando, eh? ‘e’d bettah not be screwin’ with Gadget! ‘e’s a married man!”
 
“What happens between him an’ Gadget is their business, an’ you are to stay out of it.” Hondo replied firmly, before taking a sip of coffee.
 
“But it’s immoral!” Monty exclaimed.
 
Hondo slammed his cup down, slushing some of the bitter brew onto the table, “I Said IT’s between Them! Leave It Alone!”
 
Monty frowned and looked down, “I jest want ‘er ‘appy an’ safe… She can’t be jest used again an’ thrown away.”
 
Hondo gave him a firm look but made himself relax, as he knew he had been on edge a bit since hearing that Valentine was still moping, though he hoped to rectify that soon.
 
“Listen, she is Jefe’s secretary for now, as he wants to keep an eye on her, especially after removin’ that shit that was put in her head, an’ the meds he gave her to speed up detox an’ recovery. He’s doin’ everythin’ he can to help her, an’ care for her. He’s givin’ her what she needs, an’ that is all. Understand?” Hondo replied.
 
Monty interpreted that as they were not having sex, so he felt fairly satisfied with the answer. He also knew Hondo did not need to lie to him, as he could kill him with his bare hands, if he wanted, and being a part of the agency under Fernando, he figured that if Hondo claimed that he was a threat, the agency would even take care of his dead body, after Hondo had strangled the life from it.
 
Monty nodded, “Alroight. If thet’s the case, then I’m glad she’s with ‘im.”
 
“An’ you’re to stay away from her, alright?” Hondo replied firmly. “She’s got a lot of healin’ an’ processin’ to do still, an’ you stirrin’ her up with apologies, information, an’ the like isn’t helpin’ her. Jefe an’ I will tell her all she needs to know. She is Jefe’s responsibility first, an’ mine second, as his number two. That is all you need to know. An’ you may like to question us, but neither of us have a track record for abusin’ women. Like it or not, you have to trust us, as the alternative is to be sent back to the states to figure out your life alone. How much you stick your nose in our business, or interfere with our operations, both with our family and other members of this group, determines in what state you go back in; on your feet or in a body bag.”
 
Hondo’s voice wasn’t harsh, but his tone was cold, and his glare firm, which made shivers run through Monty’s spine, as he knew he was not just trying to scare him.
 
“.. I undahstand, skippah. *sigh* … I can’t say I loike it any, but you’re rioght. I’m an angry man, Skippah. Angry at meself, angry at God, angry at Chip, angry at everyone an’ everythin’ ‘round me. Angry like the cornered rat I am. I’ll not cause you any more issues, though I can’t say I’ll be pleasant company either.” Monty replied.
 
Hondo shook his head slightly, “I didn’t exactly take you on for company, Jack.”
 
Monty nodded, “I get thet.”
 
Hondo took a sip of his coffee, and then poked at his food a bit, stiring most of it together as he spoke, “So, what is on your mind? I can’t imagine that is what you wanted to ‘parley’ ‘bout.”
 
“No, thet wasn’t it.” Monty replied. “I wanted ta talk ‘bout a bit ‘ow we move forward an’ get along, from here, but more so, ‘bout somethin’ Dale told me. Somethin’ ‘bout it jest doesn’t seem roight.”
 
Hondo ate a little while they talked back and forth about what was expected, mostly for Monty to mind his own business, and even if unhappy, keep the smart-ass comments and remarks to a minimum, as well as follow orders, and just be ready to help. When not needed, he was to keep exercising, and figure out a diet plan proposal to give to Hondo, of which he would be expected to follow.  
 
After that, Hondo ate more as Monty told the tale Dale spilled to him, though he grimaced at it all.
 
“So, what ya think, skippah?” Monty asked.
 
“I think it sounds like a load of horseshit to me!” Hondo replied. “That bastard Chip was a lot of things, but queer?! #$@! no! Hell, I hate that shit too, but I’m not as rabidly vocal ‘bout it like he is. I don’t like queers, don’t want to be ‘round them, an’ definitely ain’t gonna be friends with them, as our ideals, values, an’ ways of thinkin’ are too different, but Chip… no way.”
 
“Then what do ya think thet was all ‘bout?” Monty asked.
 
Hondo frowned and through for a moment as he took a bite, chewed, and swallowed it.
 
“… If it happened, an’ that’s a huge if, it wasn’t Chip, but some clone or cyborg like what I showed you, but that I don’t think is likely either, as they wanted that machine to think an’ act like Chip, with just a few alterations. That would have been too big of a character change. No way they would have chanced that for anythin’, as it wouldn’t have helped.” Hondo replied.
 
“Then me little buddy lied ta me?” Monty asked, seeming a bit defensive.
 
Hondo nodded, “Most likely, but you have to understand, Dale isn’t exactly Dale anymore.”
 
“Wait.. Are you sayin’ ‘e’s a cyborg too?!” Monty leaned forward, and questioned a bit loudly, due to the other worries that thought brought.
 
Hondo shook his head, “No, an’ calm down! I need you to start controllin’ those emotions until there is time to let them out!”
 
Monty frowned and set back in his chair, “*sigh* … aye, thet I do need ta work on… So, if ‘e ain’t a cyborg, why is Dale not Dale?”
 
“He’s in agent trainin’, first off. Second, he’s always been a bit of a weak-minded goof-off! You think that would fly bein’ an agent for Charles’s agency?”
 
Monty’s frown deepened, “I reckon not.”
 
“Then, you do the math.” Hondo replied, pausing a moment before continuing, “… They are trainin’ that out of him. One thing all the agencies, especially the FBI, an’ NSA train, is deception an’ manipulation. They are pushin’ him to be somethin’ he hasn’t been, a reliable operative, though I disagree with what they call a reliable operative to some degree. In all thet, they will test him in manipulation, an’ where better than to start at home.”
 
Monty’s brow furrowed angrily, “So he was tryin’ to manipulate me?!”
 
“Did it work?” Hondo asked.
 
“I… I guess it did… I swallowed his story an’ all. But why?” Monty asked.
 
“Who was bein’ an asshole an’ causin’ issue? Issues that potentially could endanger the group?” Hondo asked.
 
Monty’s anger faded some, “Moine.”
 
“An’ who was he closes here too, to test what he had learned?” Hondo asked.
 
Monty sighed and looked down, “*sigh*… me.”
 
Hondo nodded, “That’s right. So, it was a test for him an’ a deception to get you into line.”
 
“I feel loike a roight bloody fool.” Monty said.
 
Hondo shrugged, “Don’t feel too bad. They are good at that shit, an’ they knew how to use the assets they had to get the results they wanted.”
 
Monty nodded, “I guess you are roight. They were too, as I ‘ave ta stop foightin’ you an’ bein’ all belligerent. I need ta leave Gadget ta Fernando, an’ just try ta make meself bettah an’ useful.”
 
Hondo nodded, “That would be a good start.”
 
“Yeah.” Monty replied, before looking back up at Hondo, “Uhm, Skippah? Why did ya say the FBI an’ NSA especially do thet shit, but left out the CIA?”
 
Hondo grinned a bit evilly, “Because the CIA focuses more on deception than manipulation.”
 
“Why not manipulation?” Monty asked.
 
“Because, if the deception doesn’t work they try to buy you off. An’ if that doesn’t work, they kill ya an’ find someone else that can be bought off.” He replied.
 
“Oh.” Monty replied, unsure how he felt about that other than even more scared of Fernando and Hondo since they worked with the CIA, though often under protest.
 
“Well, if that’s all, you should go clean up your room an’ then rest or whatever you want to do. For now, stay away from the hot springs as Gadget an’ the high school girls are there now, but you can use them later if wanted.” Hondo said after a few moments of silence.
 
Monty frowned a bit angrily again, “Don’t trust me ‘round them, eh?”
 
Hondo glared at him, “Have you given me cause to trust you?!”
 
Monty looked back down, the anger fading again, “No, skippah.”
 
“Well, that should be enough, but know that’s not it.” Hondo replied. “What is it, is that Gadget still is uncomfortable ‘round you, an’ though there is a divider to keep men an’ women separate, if wanted, an’ it is required for you all, understand that, but I’d rather she have some time to relax without thinkin’ ‘bout you on the other side of that divider.”
 
Monty nodded, “I understand.”
 
Hondo added, “Also understand that if you do bother them, I’ll beat the shit out of you again. An’ if you actually molested any of the women in any way, I’ll beat the shit out of you, an’ then have one of Fernando’s daughters castrate you, without pain killer, understand?!”
 
Monty swallowed hard and nodded, “*GULP* I understand, skippah, an’ trust me thet is not needed, as I’d nevah ‘arm any of them, I swear upon God Almighty!!”
 
“Swear not on thin’s in Heaven, on thin’s in earth, or in thin’s under the earth.” Hondo replied.
 
“Skippah?” Monty asked.
 
“It’s in the bible.” Hondo replied. “When someone says the bible says not to swear, that’s what it says. It’s not talkin’ ‘bout damn cussin’ there. It’s talkin’ ‘bout what you just did. “can’t say I’m an expert, but seems to me it’s talkin’ ‘bout bein’ a man of your word, an’ not hangin’ your word on anythin’ else that exists, other than yourself. BE a man of your word an’ you won’t need to. That’s what I take from all that.”
 
Monty nodded, “Understand, skippah. My word ain’t worth much, I know, but I promise ta leave them alone for now, an’ nevah evah lay a hand on them loike thet.”
 
“Then let your words stand for themselves an’ do what you say.” Hondo replied.
 
“Aye, Skippah, I will.” Monty said.
 
Hondo nodded, “Good. Now, clean up your room if needed, an’ go relax somewhere until I need you.”
 
Monty nodded, “Aye. My room is good, but I’ll change inta some shorts, an’ lay by the pool with a book, if ya don’t mind for now. I’d go take a walk, but I’m jest a roight bit too sore for thet, I reckon.”
 
Hondo nodded, “Alright.”
 
Monty left and Hondo finished his meal, before taking both his and Monty’s plates, cups, and silverware to the sink.
 
“I can take that.” Valentine said, as she reached out for them.
 
Hondo handed them to her, “You need any help?”
 
Val shook her head, “No, I just have to rinse these and stick them in the dish-washer, then I’m done until the staff gets here.”
 
“Then we should go upstairs and talk, when you are done.” He replied.
 
She nodded, “Alright.”
 
She soon finished and they headed up to their room together, quietly shutting the door behind them.
 
(To be continued…)