Once to the hideout Valentine took gadget up to her and Hondo's room, as she was a mess. Gadget had continued to cry softly, and cling to Valentine.  
 
 
"Why ... what did I ... do to deserve this? I ... I tried to be a good wife .... i ... I tried to... to help people... I've ... I've lost everything ... again!" She said through the tears.
 
 
"Sometimes bad things happen to good people, its just the way the world works." Valentine said.
 
 
"i'm ... I'm not good. ... you ... you don't know what .. what i've had to do. .. I was .. was just trying to ..to survive, though. I ... I never hurt anyone else ... not since ... since ... God, am I being punished for what they .. they made me do??" She cried
 
 
"shh, it's gonna be okay. This isn't your fault or punishment. Unfortunately when people do bad things and get caught, those 'round them get hurt. Friends, loved ones , they are the ones who get hurt most from our actions and that's what happened." Valentine said
 
"but ... I wasn't a friend nor a loved one ... not at least for a long time. Just a wife... a play thing ... a tool to be used... I .. I should have left him a long time ago. I .. Was was afraid .. and .. and .. I was his wife and it was my duty to ... to stay and do ... do what I was told." She replied as she continued to cry softly.
 
 
"You are a person, not a tool!" Valentine said firmly. "You have friends here and now. Chip did you wrong and that's why you're suffering. Maybe you should have left him before now, but ..." She sighed. "Gadget, I've lost everythin' before too. We look back and see the things we should have done, people tell us we could have saved ourselves pain if we had done somethin' different, but ... the reality is though they may be right and though we might should have done different, when we are trapped in a situation its easier to say than to do. This is a new beginnin' for you. You need to trust us, your friends who are here though your bad times, and you need to move forward. Lookin' back will not help. Talkin' 'bout what could have been will not help, belittlin' yourself will not help."
 
 
"But ... but .. what if Chip gets out and orders me to go back with him?" Gadget asked
 
 
"Tell him no. Marriage is a partnership. He doesn't own you. If he's hurtin' you and others you need to say no. For yourself and for those you care about." Valentine replied.
 
 
What ... what if it was .. was Hondo? Could you say .. no? Gadget asked
 
 
"If Hondo hurt me and others I cared about, while only carin' 'bout himself I'd like to think I'd leave him." Valentine said a bit weakly.
 
 
"You don't have .. have to worry about that with him though... I know." Gadget said, trying to recompose herself.
 
 
Valentine gave her a half smile, "Yeah. I think you're right."
 
 
"I .. I know I am. I was a fool to treat him like that... maybe I did bring this all on myself." she replied
 
 
"We all play a part in what happens to us, but blamin' yourself now won't help. Makin' a new start, fixin' yourself, trustin' real friends, and findin' a new path in life, whether it is bein; a rescuer with us or somethin' else, that's what you need to do now. Maybe you should have stuck with hondo, but honestly, I'm glad you didn't." Valentine said.
 
 
Gadget gave her a smirk through the tears, "I'm sure you are. And know I'd never do anything to hurt that. I .. I think I have feelings for him still, but .. so much has happened. I just.. I just want to at least be friends again."
 
 
Valentine raised an eyebrow, "Well, we'd have problems if you tried to get into bed with him, again. Understand, he cares 'bout you as a friend. He may seem crusty and hard, but ... when he loves he loves with his whole bein'. When you turned your back on him you crushed him. He'll stand by you and help you and try to be your friend, but ... He'll be a bit harsh at times. It's just he way of dealin' with things. He'll get over it after a while, as long as you don't push him."
 
 
Gadget nodded, "I know, and I understand more now. Understand, I'd never try to push my way into a married man's bed."
 
 
"What about Fernando's then? He's a married man." Valentine said
 
 
Gadget turned away from her, "That's.. that's different. You .. don't understand."
 
 
"It's not different." Valentine said.
 
 
"It is. I ... I have to ... I need ... You can't understand... It's Fernando or Hondo... I ... please, try to just trust me. I ... I need someone I trust ... it has to be one of them. Tammy is pushing him away.... I can't ruin happiness... there is none there." Gadget rambled softly and almost nonsensically.  
 
 
"Please, I don't understand, and I want to. I want to help you." Valentine said
 
 
"Just be there for me, please. I ... I can't ... I can't explain ... I can't ... tell you." She stammered.  
 
 
"Then please, at least ... at least try to not ruin Fernando's marriage any further." Valentine pleaded.
 
 
About then the door opened and Hondo entered. Both of them looked at him a bit surprised, then they settled down.
 
 
Gadget turned back to Valentine, "I'm not sure if I can. I don't want to lie to you. Please don't ask me to promice anything like that."
 
 
"Anythin' like what?" Hondo asked.
 
 
"About not gettin' in ferando's bed or gettin' between him and Tammy." Valentine said.
 
 
"That's their business, not ours. leave it be." Hondo said flatly.  
 
 
"But .." valentine started to question.
 
 
"Leave it be!" Hondo said a bit harshly.
 
 
Both Gadget and Valentine looked at him with extremely surprised looks.
 
 
"You ... you don't want me to stay away from Fernando?" Gadget asked
 
 
"What I want is irrelevant. It is not my or my wife's business what you do." Hondo replied sounding a bit annoyed.
 
 
"You ... you don't care then?" Gadget asked.
 
 
He half glared at her, "Whether I care or not is also irrelevant. We asked, you want to push it, its not up to us to, so its not our business. Now, the news report will be on in a bit an' Fernando wants everyone to be out to see it, so there are no questions."
 
 
"I ... I don't know if I .. I can ..." Gadget started to stutter.
 
 
"Everyone means everyone." Hondo replied sternly.
 
 
"She's embarrassed enough as is. Can't we watch from the door? We can see the TV from here, so in case .. in case she gets emotional again everyone doesn't see it." Valentine asked, pleading for her friend
 
 
Hondo sighed heavily again. He was far too tired for this shit.
 
 
"Yeah, that's fine." Hondo said. "I'll be in the livin'room."
 
 
With that Hondo turned and walked out, leaving the door half open.
 
 
Gadget turned questioningly to Valentine, "What was that about? I've never seen him like that before."
 
 
Valentine shook her head, "I don't know. I've seen him like that once before and it wasn't good."
 
 
 
 
 
 

Fernando sighs as he walks away. He walks into his and Tammy’s room before going outside. The sound of Gadget Bawling and Tammy throwing in a second act was just a bit too much to bear. He walks outside of the outside connecting balcony.
 
Hondo gets the clue and does the same, joining Fernando on the balcony as he leaves through his room.
 
They stand hung over the rail looking at the various cars they drove in on.
 
“At least Jeanette and the others will not be homeless with you in charge of the café and hotel.” Hondo throws out.
 
You actually think I want that piece of rot-wood stump?” Fernando asks. He throws in, “Hell No.”
 
“Why not?” Hondo asks.
 
“I’m a Tinker, Taylor, Soldier, Spy, Time Traveler – none of that says ‘Business man.’” Fernando replies.
 
After a bout of silence, Hondo asks, “What about Tammy and Gadget?”  
 
“Tammy does not want me to sleep in the same room with her despite what is going on right now. Gadget will get through this night.” Fernando answers.
 
“None of my business but where are you going to sleep?” Hondo asks.
 
“The couch. Though I can bet that Sabrina and Tabitha would want to share their bed with me.” Fernando answers.
 
“The Skunk Girls? But you’re adopting them, right?” Hondo asks.
 
“It’s something they reminded me of – poor families with little to share will share their bed to keep each other warm and comfortable. I remember being dirt poor as a child in Puerto Rico and doing what they said – sharing the bed with 8 or more family members. Now I will not take up on their offer, but I am glad that they would offer it. It’s a lesson we do not have to teach them.” Fernando explains.
 
“Yeah, I remember being dirt poor as a kid too.” Hondo throws in.
 
“It’s not the only time I slept on a couch anyways.” Fernando throws in.
 
“Tammy does not want you in her bed and Gadget does. What a problem that is.” Hondo says to himself.
 
“Last thing we need is Gadget going Robotic Assassin on us. I’ll do anything to stop that. I’m just wondering what happened to Chip to make him abuse Gadget “ Fernando begins, “I know some husbands would turn to drugs and abuse their wives to do drugs with them, and to get the drugs, pimp out their wives to dealers and other addicts with a supply. But would have Chip had gone that far?”
 
“It’s unforgiveable what he did to her.” Hondo throws out.
 
“Funny that coming out of you.” Fernando throws out.
 
“Yeah, yeah. That bitch spurned me. But she does not deserve the abuse that ‘munk gave her. No one does.” Hondo replies.
 
“Well, she’s going to be a widow and I a divorcee. To believe that when all this shit started years ago at the murder of Tammy’s mother and step-father, that Gadget wanted me to give up my life in exchange for theirs and to do so, she was about to drop her panties to seduce me into doing the sacrifice.” Fernando explains.
 
“What stopped it from happenin’?” Hondo asks.
 
“Jeanette.” Fernando answers.
 
“Interestin’. I do not want to know how.” Hondo points out.
 
“Well, from that you did get a wrecked Time Traveling Delorean.” Fernando says.
 
“Parts for that shit are hard to get.” Hondo complains.
 
“You’ll get running again. Just don’t transfer the Time Travel components to your pick up. They are not compatible.” Fernando throws at him.
 
“Not Compatible? How so? It’s a simple ‘Chop & Swap.’” Hondo points out.
 
“Doc Brown took the Delorean into the future and added a few options, including some protection to the Time Travel Device so it only works on the Delorean and not on anything else.” Fernando tells him.
 
“Hmmm... That would explain lot.” Hondo replies.
 
“Let’s go inside and get a beer.” Fernando says a he points to Hondo’s door, “Make sure Val is descent before I go in.”
 
“Now you’re talking.” Hondo says as he goes into his room, finding it empty. He thinks Val must be in the bathroom or in Gadget’s room. Fernando follows him into his room and out into the living room, the kitchen is on the first floor.
 
They get a couple beers from the refrigerator, standing about the kitchen as they nursed their drinks.
 
“Tomorrow is a free day for most. Just be careful out there and get what you need – food and things. I have to talk to the landlord in the morning about accessing the other rooms and with the Emperor’s men to hand over Dale and Monty to me. Then there is dealing with Gadget on top of all that.” Fernando explains.
 
“What time are Dale and Monty coming?” Charles walks into the kitchen. He sees them sipping on their beer and asks for one. Fernando points to the refrigerator for Charles to get it himself.
 
“Around 1 o’clock.” Fernando answers.
 
“I’ll be here for that then, though I might step out in the morning.” Charles replies.
 
“I’ll be here then too.” Hondo throws in, adding. I see a refrigerator and a freezer here. Is that enough for all of us?”
 
“I’ve been thinking about that, and I think we should get two more refrigerators and maybe a freezer chest but, I need to talk to the landlord first before making such additions. I’ll get some answers tomorrow when I see her.” Fernando answers.
 
“I can get them from the agency so you do not have to buy them.” Charles points out.
 
“Thank you, but let’s wait for me to talk to the landlord first. Then I will let you know what she decided.” Fernando tells him.
 
Charles nod before asking his next question, “Who will be taking care of Gadget?”
 
Hondo turns to Fernando who answers, “I will.”
 
“What about Tammy and the baby?” Charles asks.
 
“They too are under my care.” Fernando answers.
 
“I see.” Charles says, adding, “Let’s hope Tammy does not get jealous of Gadget getting attention. Women can be... strange about that.”
 
“We noticed.” Fernando says.
 
Finishing their beers, the bottle goes into the recycle bin. They say ‘good night’ to each other as the bottles are put away. Charles goes into his room which is there on the first floor. Fernando and Hondo go upstairs to the living room area before Hondo goes into his room. Fernando checks out the sofa before taking off his jacket, tie, shirt and shoes to lie down on it to sleep.
 
A couple hours pass with everyone sleeping in their rooms, somebody walks out of their room and steps into the living room. The room itself was dimly lit, with the lights set on a dimmer/timer. It was Gadget in a see-through negligee.
 
“This isn’t the bathroom...” She says to herself. She sees Fernando sleeping on the couch, “Oh! Why is he sleeping here? Hmmmm... I need to go to the bathroom first!” She runs back into her room and find the bathroom. She comes back out the living room and walks over to him. She kneels down on the floor by his face. “Why are you here? Tammy threw you out or something?”
 
She shivers for a second as a wind blows through the house, “Brr... it is cold out here.” She gets up and trots to her room coming back out with a blanket which she puts on him. A second cold breeze makes her get into the blanket with him. With her back to his front, she pushes herself against him and tightens the blanket around each other, feeling his warmth build up under the covers. She sleeps lightly.
 
An hour later Hondo walks into the living room, saying to himself, “Eh? This is not the bathroom...” Then he realizes there was more than just Fernando on the couch. “What The?!!” He trots over to the couch and yanks the blanket off them. He keeps from yelling, whispering loudly, “Gadget!”
 
“Huh?” Gadget wakes up slowly, “Hondo?”
 
“Girl – git your scaly tail back to your room – now!” Hondo tells her.
 
“But... It’s cold...!” She tries to say under her sleep clouded mind.
 
“Git to your room before Tammy comes out and sees you sleeping with her husband!” Hondo whispers loudly at her.
 
Gadget slowly gets up. Hondo gives her the blanket and watches her go to her room.
 
When the door closes, Hondo says to himself, “Damn it, that was close.”

Hondo cleaned up and dressed in decent, everyday clothes,  which for him was jeans without oil stains or holes, and clean grey shirt, and black vest. He put on some concealable weapons, the same as he had on in town the day before, and went down to the driveway where Valentine was waiting for him in the car.  
 
 
As he approached he checked under the car for bombs or anything that looked out of place.
 
 
"There's nothing there. I checked." Valentine said through the open window
 
 
"Doesn't hurt to double check." he replied plainly.
 
 
She sighed and nodded, "True ... What did you need to talk to Fernando about?"
 
 
"Just business." Hondo replied as he climbed into the car and fastened his seat-belt.
 
 
"What kind of business?" She asked warily.
 
 
"Don't trust me to talk business with Jefe now?" He asked unemotionally.
 
 
"NO! It's nothin' like that at all. I just ... I was curious. You usually tell me unless its a secret. Is it a secret or is it ... were you talkin' ..." She stammered
 
 
"We weren't talkin' 'bout you, if that's what you're askin'." Hondo replied as he started the car and pulled out of the drive.
 
 
Valentine sighed with relief, "I thought maybe ..."
 
 
"I was talkin' 'bout you cryin' in your sleep again?" He asked
 
 
She nodded timidly, "yeah."
 
 
Hondo sighed and shook his head, "No. Though I'd like to talk 'bout it when you're ready. an' no, it's not big secret what we talked 'bout. Just a bit of a sensitive nature."
 
 
"And you don't feel like I need to know." She said
 
 
Hondo gave her a slightly annoyed side glance.  
 
"Gadget brought out a blanket an' crawled onto the couch to sleep with Jefe last night. I caught her when I got up to use the bathroom after you pushed me away last night, an' I went out the wrong door, ended up in the livin'room, an' that's when I found them. I was askin' Jefe if he was involved willin'ly. He wasn't, which he sleeps like the damn dead when he finally sleeps, so I doubt doubt it for a minute. Gadget could have caused big problems had Tammy came out an' found that so I sent her to her room an' let Jefe know so he can confront her." He said an a slightly irritated tone.
 
 
Valentine frowned, "Why didn't you want to tell me?"
 
 
"You have enough on your plate right now, an' you'll go after Gadget 'bout it." He replied
 
 
"but ... I'm confused why you don't want me to keep on Gadget about leavin' Fernando alone." she replied in a questioning tone.
 
 
"It doesn't matter." Hondo replied flatly.
 
 
"It does matter, to me! I ... I know I'm a mess but I can't have you handlin' me with kid gloves." She replied slightly angrily.
 
 
"Kid gloves? Is that what its called when you're tryin' to comfort your wife when she's upset?" He asked
 
 
She tried to give him an angry look but it dissipated. She frowned and looked at the floor.
 
 
"No ... I didn't meant to. I just ... it's just ...." She stammered quietly.
 
 
She paused and they sat quietly for a moment. She sighed again loudly and shrank down into her seat.
 
 
"I dreamed that those monsters were ... were trying to ..to ..." She stammered
 
 
"Rape you?" Hondo asked
 
 
She nodded and replied quietly, "Yeah...  I .. I tried to fight them off but all of a sudden Tammy was there helpin' them hold me down. She told me I was weak and worthless. She said that if I just let them do it you could be free of me, you and Gadget could have each other, and she and Fernando could fix things ... if I just let them ...."
 
 
She sat quietly for a moment trying not to cry. She recomposed herself a bit but spoke in a shaky voice.
 
 
"When ... when you touched me ... all I could feel was ... was ....them! Even after I realized it was you I ... I just couldn't... I ... I can't explain .... every touch was just as if it was them!" She exclaimed.
 
 
Hondo shook his head, "I'm sorry, darlin'. I don't understand what you're goin' through, but I understand what you mean. Sometimes the images in our head are more powerful than those who the images are of."
 
 
She nodded and spoke quietly, "Much too powerful... then after how you snapped at me last night ...about not askin' Gadget to stay away from Fernando .... MY mind asked if what Tammy said in my dream wasn't right..."
 
 
Hondo frowned, "I wish I could give you the trust in me to not believe all that."
 
 
Valentine sighed, "I... I trust you ... but ... I don't know."
 
 
Hondo sighed again, "You have to leave Gadget alone concernin' Jefe."
 
 
"But why? Please, I need to know. I need to stop that voice in my mind that is shoutin' at me these aweful things!" She pleaded.
 
 
Hondo sighed yet again. He made a mental note about sighing a lot more than normal.
 
 
"The chip in Gadget's head could still be .... sort of active." Hondo said carefully.
 
 
"Active? But you told me Fernando gave it instructions that put it into a loop waitin' for no new instructions, and The rangers fried it once, and Fernando EMPed it a couple times! He told me he did himself!" She exclaimed
 
 
Hondo nodded, "Yup."
 
 
"Then, how is it still active?" she asked
 
 
"How are you an' I nearly immortal an' agin' slower than Willie Nelson?" Hondo replied with a question.
 
 
Valentine shrugged and shook her head.
 
 
Hondo shook his head too, "Jefe doesn't know how or why either. IT could be partially shielded, it could be some sort of organic tech that we don't know 'bout. For all we know those grey alien bastards are responsible for the tech! I don't think it will accept new orders or anythin'. Jefe is afraid too much emotional trauma could set it off. From what he said an' didn't say, I'm guessin' that after he fried it last most of it was destroyed but a part remains. what part of the program it runs or what it could do is not know, but as much as I down right hate it, Jefe is gonna hafta bed her once Tammy leaves."
 
 
"But if she's on drugs I might be able to get her to tell .." She started to say but Hondo cut her off.
 
 
"It's not just the drugs! If she snaps ...!" he paused.
 
 
"What?" Valentine asked in a worried tone.
 
 
Hondo lowered his voice a bunch and a sad tone hung on the edge of his words, "If she snaps ... I will have to kill a friend again. As much as I don't want that for her, I don't want it for me either."
 
 
He glanced over at Valentine, then back to the road, "That would mess me up mentally. I've done it once before ... had to. I had no choice."
 
 
"But ... but .. we could subdue her .." Valentine started.
 
 
"NO! IF that killer information is still in there she will kill fast an' without emotion. Fernando would do it but he might not be there or able. I'd not want it on his conscience either. an' I couldn't let her hurt you ... or the others. No, she'd be too unpredictable." He said with a growl.  
 
 
"But there has to be a way." Valentine said
 
 
Hondo nodded, "yeah, it's lettin' Jefe #$@! her, calm her down an' see what else needs done to heal her."
 
 
"But what if Tammy find out?" Valentine asked
 
 
"It's part of the job. If she can't accept it then #$@! her." Hondo said flatly.
 
 
"If it's part of the job ... why him and not you?" She asked hesitantly.
 
 
"You want me to #$@! my ex?" Hondo asked
 
 
"No, I ... I didn't mean that. I ..." Valentine stammered.
 
 
"Listen, If I was needed to to save someone an' it was asked of me I would. You'd know 'bout it as soon as I could tell you an' I'd hope you'd try to understand. I'd hate myself for it but ... I'd do what needs done." Hondo replied.
 
 
"And Fernando knows how you feel so he'd never ask you to .. to bed her and hurt your conscience?" Valentine asked
 
 
Hondo nodded, "For the most part. If it was needed an' he couldn't he'd ask, for we both know the job. If I was single an' he was happily married I'd insist on bein' the one. I'm happily married, he's ... he's in a rough patch. HE also has the advantage of Tammy bein' gone an' Gadget pickin' him."
 
 
"Gadget and I talked a little about all that.... If it wasn't for me she'd try with you first, I think." Valentine said.
 
 
"Just as well she doesn't. Look, I want to help her but she's never made that easy, either." hondo said
 
 
"And I'm makin' it easy to help me, I imagine." She replied  
 
 
Hondo chuckled, "She's put me through ten times the hell in tryin' to help her."
 
 
Valentine sighed, "I wish I could let you help me like you want to. She doesn't know all what she missed by turnin' her back on you, but I think she sees some of it. I'm selfishly glad she left you."
 
 
"As much as it hurt I'm glad I have you, though I think you're the one who got the raw end of the deal. You'd probably found someone better had it not been for me. You'd not be drug all over the world an' the space time continuum. You'd not have had that experience here either." he replied with a frown.
 
 
"No, I'd not had any of that 'cause I'd have died back in Italy, scared, alone, and never knowin' the love of a good man. I hate that I'm so messed up right now, but I don't regret any of what we've been through." Valentine replied
 
 
Hondo nodded, "Maybe you're right. Just wish I could be what you needed."
 
 
She lightly placed her hand on his arm, "You've always been what I needed and more. Just please be patient with me, my love."
 
 
He nodded again, "I'm tryin', darlin'. Just please don't barger gadget 'bout JEfe. Be there for her, as a friend, if you can be, an' let Jefe an' I handle the rest.
 
 
She bit her lip and nodded, "I'll try."
 
 
Less than a minute later they pulled up to the mall where they had been the night before.  
 

The girls did not like finding their father sleeping on the couch. At least Tabitha and Sabrina turned on the TV with a set minimum volume and sat on the floor. Jeanette and Aiesha make their way to Tammy’s room, not sure what to make of what is going on. Gadget comes out in her standard purple overalls and goggles though she was told not to go outside looking like that.
 
Each person got their own breakfast meal, even Charles and his group managed to make their breakfast with the supplies that had though Charles said to his group, “We need to get more food in here.”
 
Tammy eventually got dressed after getting Francesca fed and the both of them washed up. Everybody cleaned up after themselves so there was no issues about clean up duty. By 8 o’clock they gathered into their groups and left the house to explore the area and figure out how to get to Tokyo and the 24-hour Market Malls there. Only Fernando and Gadget remained behind, he needing to do business with the landlord at 10AM and the Emperor’s guards at 1PM. He was awake as much as he did not want to be awake.
 
He sees Gadget in her purple overalls, “Gadget, I hope you are not wearing that. You got to dress to impress, not look like a chief mechanic at Joe’s Car Repair Shop.”
 
“But I’m comfortable in this!” Gadget complains.
 
“Comfortable or not, this is Japan - you need to look like you are serious for doing business.”  He tells her.
 
Gadget unzips her overalls in front of him, taking off the overalls, and standing in front of him in her t-shirt, bra and panties, “There, that better for you?”
 
“Unless you want to practice making babies, I advise you to put on a dress or at least a shirt and skirt combo.” Fernando tells her.
 
Gadget walks up to the couch he was lying on and kneels next to it to face him, “You don’t want to practice making babies with me? You did a beautiful job with Tammy’s baby.”
 
“Gadget, that is the type of talk I do not want to hear. Now go into your room and put something on to make yourself look presentable. The Landlord will be there in less than 2 hours.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Could you forgive me? I mean, for the things I say and do? I’m just under a lot of stress. Chip is in jail and I’m about to get a divorce thanks to an executioner putting his life to an end. If I could stop it, I would. I’m just... just so stressed out, that I want to be held and loved and be told that things will be alright.” Gadget tells him.
 
“I can hold you in private and tell you that things will be alright after all these things come to pass. I’ll love you as a friend, nothing more. If we end up having sex, it better be agreed to by both of us. Do I make myself clear?”  Fernando tells her.
 
Gadget nods before saying a soft “Yes.”
 
Fernando reaches with his neck and kisses her on the forehead, “Now go to your room and put something on.”
 
“Only if you come with me.” Gadget tells him
 
“Gadget...” He tries to get her attention.
 
“Nobody’s here, and I would want you to hold me for a while. Please?” She says to him.
 
“OK. I’ll be there in a second.” He tells her.
 
“Don’t have me waiting too long.” She tells him before she goes to her room.
 
Despite promising that he wouldn’t make her wait, Fernando closes his eyes and goes back to sleep. In her room, Gadget had taken off her t-shirt as she tried various mode of dress she puts up against her. After a while, she puts her clothes on her bed and head out to the living room in just her panties and bra. She finds him sleeping on the couch. Again she walks over to the couch and kneels in front of it and him. She puts her hand onto his shoulder and tries to shake awake again.
 
“Come on Fernando, wake up!” Gadget tells as she shakes him. It wakes him up after a while.
 
“I’m awake, I’m awake! What’s going on?” He says as the first things he sees when he opens his eyes are her bra covered breasts. He shakes his head to remove the sleep from his brain, “Gadget...”
 
“You said you would come with me.” Gadget tells him.
 
“You are wearing just your bra?” Fernando asks.
 
“I got my panties on too.” Gadget answers.
 
“What’s to stop me from pouncing on you and having my way with you?” Fernando asks.
 
“Nothing, in fact I would allow you to take me and ravage because I want that attention and maybe more.” Gadget looks away as she fidgets with her fingers.
 
Fernando slowly gets up to sit on the sofa, in a type “man-spread” style. Gadget shifts over on her knees to get between his, whether she knows it or not. She puts her arms on his legs to hold herself up as she looks up at him.
 
Gadget?” He calls to her.
 
“When are they going to kill Chip?” Gadget suddenly throws at him.
 
“He as to go through trail first, and then found guilty. And then, 10 to 30 days after that, I believe.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Oh.” Gadget replies, adding, “Then I would be a bad wife if I seduced you while he is in jail.”
 
“If he’s found guilty, he will be executed soon after. It’s like if he was in the final stages of terminal cancer with only days remaining, and you start looking for a replacement guy to date and maybe marry. It is a very hard call to say.” He tells her.
 
“But I am still being a bad wife in trying to seduce a married man – you.” Gadget replies.
 
“How about Gadget work on being Gadget – the good girl she is, not the wife she is expected to be.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Fernando... what do you expect a wife to be like – for you?” Gadget asks.
 
“That depends on the girl. But I want the girl who is to be my wife to be strong, self reliant, thinking, problem solving, no excuses, no drama, type of woman. I don’t want the problems over petty things, thus if she runs into petty things, then she must be able to eliminate them before it catches my attention. She must be supportive my needs, my actions and my decisions as I will of hers.” Fernando explains.
 
“What about sex? How often do you want it? What do you want:” Gadget asks.
 
“Well, let me put it this way – what do you want, and when do you want it?” Fernando asks.
 
“Well...” Gadget begins. “A girl has her needs and sometimes those needs can be hard to fulfill. So any time he wants and I want it, I’ll take it.”
 
“What about what you asked me: Vaginal, Anal, Oral?” Fernando asks.
 
“Well... Anytime you want a blowjob, I’ll gladly give it.” She tells him.
 
“Because you want to, because you like doing it or because you think you have too?” He asks.
 
“All the above.” She answers.
 
“What about the others?” He asks.
 
“Well, as often as possible, especially vaginal.” She answers.
 
“Not many girls like Anal.” Fernando points out.
 
“I don’t mind anal, I mean, with the right man back there. I need to show him, you, that I can take from any direction it comes from.” Gadget says as she looks away.
 
“Look, Gadget. I’ll do what she likes and what we agree to do as often as she wants it. But I’m rather ‘Plain Vanilla’ as sex is concerned – whatever she wants, chances are I’ll agree to it.” Fernando tells her.
 
Gadget gets up on one foot and steps towards to him at the same time, clumsily putting her lips against his for a moment, and trying to initiate a French kiss between them. It lasts for a few seconds before he tries to push her away.
 
“Gadget!” He calls her out.
 
“I know. I know.” She replies.
 
“Oh what the hell... you are not going into your room unless I pick you up and carry you there.” He says to himself.
 
“Huh?” Gadget replies.
 
Fernando leans over to her and picks her up in his arms, taking her to her room. Gadget puts her arms around his neck as he carries her. It takes him a few seconds to carry her to her bed and place her on it. She ends up sitting back on her ass and elbows with her legs bent up and open with him kneeling in front of her. In this position he can see most of her body. So far he sees nothing in terms of needle marks on her arms and legs.
 
“Like something you see?” Gadget asks.
 
Fernando lets out a sigh “No... I mean, Uhm, let me honest with you.”
 
“OK...?” Gadget replies.
 
“I’m looking for evidence of drug use and abuse. And as I can tell, I don’t see any.” He tells her.
 
“If you found something, would you, could you, somehow fix it?” She asks.
 
“Depends on the drug, yes.” He replies.
 
“Depends on the drug?” She asks.
 
“Every drug has different treatments but yes.” He tells her.
 
“And the abuse?” She asks.
 
“Again, depends on the abuse.” He answers.
 
“Oh.” She replies.
 
“Well?” He asks.
 
“Well, what?” She asks.
 
“Any drugs, abuse? Be honest with me.” He says to her.
 
“Drugs, yes. Abuse, more so yes.” She replies.
 
“What kind of drugs?” He asks.
 
“It started with pot, then it went to cocaine, heroin, crack and then mixing them. All smoked, never injected.” She explains.
 
“Who got you the drugs, and why?” He asks.
 
“Chip got me the drugs and made me take them. Why, because he said it is something a good wife is supposed to do – do as their husband says. That includes having group sex with his friends, not Dale and not Monty however. They did not know.” She tells him.
 
“Heh...” Fernando lets out, adding, I have a restoration treatment but basically it will turn you back to a near pristine virgin condition. Thing is, if you go back to taking those drugs again, at the level you would were taking them in, it could kill you in an overdose. Understand where I am coming from?”
 
“Yes. Err...” Gadget begins. But she stops herself from going further.
 
“Is there something wrong?” He asks.
 
“Uhm... what about cravings for it?” She asks.
 
“Physically, they will be gone. But most craving can be more mental than physical. It’s up to you to be strong and ignore such cravings. You won’t go through withdrawals but I know stress can be hard to deal with.” He explains.
 
“I hope that with your help, I can deal with the stress.” She replies.
 
“My help, as in how?” He asks.
 
“How should I spell it out for you? You’re a male who I can trust and I’m a female. Care to do the math?” She says and asks.
 
“You know I can’t do it. Not now in the least.” He tells her. He then adds “Let me figure out a cure for you first, if anything if we do something, it will be after then.”
 
“Uhm... It would not take much for us to do something right now.” She tells him as she puts her hand on her panty covered crotch and pulls it over to the side to show him what she has to offer.
 
Fernando takes his hand over hers and slowly makes her cover herself as he leans over her, “Look, Gadget. I need this little mousie that you are to be and act as my secretary while I protect you from those who Chip has allied himself with and want to harm us for revenge of his arrest. So pretty yourself up for me and be presentable for business. OK?
 
Gadget just nods as she bites down on her lower lip.
 
“Good.” Fernando replies, adding, “Just remember one thing above all.”
 
“What would that be? Gadget asks.
 
“The word ‘SECRET’ is in the word ‘SECRETARY.’ Got it?” He tells her.
 
“Uhm, I think… OH! I DO! I REALLY DO      ” Gadget replies.
 
“Good. Now get dressed, and maybe later I could chase you about the desk and give you some ‘hard’ work to deal with.” He tells her before sticking his tongue out at her.
 
Gadget nods before he gets up and leaves for the living room. He goes back to the couch and rests on it like before.
 
Gadget lies down on her bed thinking about what just happened. Did she pass or did she fail? And if so, how? What was won, what was gained, what was lost? She just can’t seem to wrap her mind around all that had happened and how it turned out. It is not what she wanted, but it is what she needs when it is all said and done. She just needs to be patient enough for her to see it through to the end. Question is, can she?
 
“Gosh, I showed him my goods and offered it to him like a plate of horderves!” She says to herself. “And he refused me.” She shakes her head for a second. Pulling her panties back into place, she can’t help think how stressed out she is, how she either needs a hit from the drugs or good hard pounding from some hard penis buried deep inside her. But without either or, she feels cold and alone.  
 
After a couple minutes of unintentional touching of herself down there, Gadget sits up and looks at her clothes she has put aside. She looks about them before choosing a pink blouse and a dark navy blue knee-high skirt. It takes her a while to put it on as she thinks as to why she has too but comes to the thought that if Fernando wants it done in a certain way, then it will be done in that way.
 
If Fernando says it has to be done in a certain way then it has to be done in that way. No other way will it be acceptable, even it is succeeds. Fernando thinks what is best for the group and what is best for other before thinking what is best for him and his team. Though this would be at odds with some (like Chip), it seems that one does a better job when doing something for others than if they are doing something for themselves. This is where Fernando’s team succeeds where Chip’s team fails.
 
Putting on the shirt and skirt, Gadget looks like a school teacher who had a rough day in class. Finding a brush, she brushes her hair to make it less puffy than in its usual manifestation. It takes her several minutes to get it done. An elastic band ties up her hair into a pony tail so her hair won’t be all over the place. Though there is a mirror in the room above the room’s dresser, she walks out of the room and to the couch Fernando is lying on. She goes up to it like before and kneels down in front of it. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she lightly shakes him to wake him up.
 
“Fernando, you awake?” Gadget calls to him.
 
“I’m awake Gadget...” He says to her. “You’re looking lovely right now. If I wasn’t married and this were a bar, I’d buy you a drink and ask you out.”  
 
“And then take me to your place or a hotel? I would gladly say yes but only to you.” Gadget tells him.
 
“Good.” He says to her. “Now, sorry to trouble you, but I need you to go downstairs and bring up 2 seats from the dining room set to up here. Then we will set them up outside later while we wait for the landlord to come.”
 
“Alright...” Gadget says as she looks away from him. She then turns to him, “You coming down to help me?”
 
“I love too but can’t. I have not had a good night’s sleep in months, I’m tired and cramping up if I push myself too hard. So I need the rest. But I can trust you to do the work, right?” He explains and then asks.
 
“I... I understand.” She says to him before she gets up and heads downstairs to the kitchen and dining area. She takes two of the chairs there and stacks then one on top of the other before taking them upstairs. They were lighter than she expected, making carrying them a lot easier than she thought. It only takes her a couple minutes to get them up the stairs and places them separately by the couch.
 
Fernando was in a light sleep on the couch.
 
9:45AM
 
“Hello?” Charles steps into the kitchen from the exit of his room, “Anybody home?”
 
Gadget wanted to answer but doesn’t. Charles comes up upstairs to the living room where he finds Gadget sitting on a chair and Fernando lying on the couch.
 
“Fernando still asleep?” Charles throws out, “Wake him up!”
 
“It’s not time yet.” Gadget replies.
 
“This is Japan, Gadget. Everyone is 15 minutes early and if you are 2 minutes late, you are not allowed to be in the meeting! They are quite serious about their time here. So wake him up or I will.” Charles throws at her.
 
Gadget reaches over to Fernando and starts shaking him again, “Fernando wake up...”
 
Fernando wakes not happy that he is being waken up.
 
“Welcome to the world of the Living.” Charles tells him as Fernando pushes Gadget arm away.
 
“Oh, what time is it?” Fernando asks as he calms down.
 
“9:45” Charles says.
 
“Oh God, she’ll be here any minute...” Fernando says as he puts on his shirt, tie and then jacket before getting his shoes. “Gadget, put on your shoes and you and Charles set the chairs by the fence on the balcony.”
 
“I did not hear ‘pretty please’.” Charles throws at him.
 
“Pretty please with sugar on top.” Fernando throws back him.
 
“Thank you. I’ll get these chairs outside and ready for you then.” Charles says as Gadget runs into her room to get her shoes. He stacks the chairs and carries them through Fernando and Tammy’s room and out to the balcony.
 
“Thanks.” Fernando says. He slowly gets up and gets his shoes, taking them outside to put on. Gadget follows him as she enters his room and out the door.
 
As soon as Fernando steps up to the fence of the balcony, a dark blue Honda Accord drives up into the driveway and a couple white mice step out from the front of the car, one of them opens the rear of the door, helping a elder woman step out of the car.
 
“Maria! How are you going?” Fernando waves from the balcony.
 
The elder woman nods and waves.
 
“Shit, I just realized... leave the chairs up here and come down with me.” Fernando says to Charles and Gadget. Together they go downstairs to Maria and her boys Fernando met before. As soon as they reach the main floor, Fernando calls to them, “You have the lease update and keys for me to sign?”
 
“I do, but before I hand them over, tell me how you find the place?” Maria asks.
 
“The place is great. No complains in that it has. But we need a little more. With your permission I would like to add two refrigerators, another freezer chest in the basement, and a microwave oven in the kitchen. When we move out at the end of the lease, those items are yours.”  Fernando explains.
 
“I’ll accept those terms. But I will need to send in an electrician to boost the power of the house to handle the equipment load.” Maria tells him.
 
“When can you do that?” Fernando asks.
 
“I can be here at 3PM to do the job.” One of Maria’s grandsons answers.
 
“I can accept that.” Fernando says, turning to Charles, “Charles, can you get those items in after 4PM? Make sure they are ‘Energy Star’ and ‘Energy Saver’ Compliant.”
 
“Will do, sir.” Charles says out loud.
 
Maria hands Fernando a leather folder and a pen, “Sign both copies and keep one, then I’ll give you these.” She holds up the keys to the rest of the place.
 
Fernando opens the leather binder and finds both copies of the lease’s addition, and signs both copies. He takes the copy behind the one on top. Closing the leather binder, he gives it back to her and receives the keys.
 
They both bow down sharply as she says “Pleasure doing business with you.”
 
“My pleasure, and many thanks. This is a great help you are doing for me and my crew.” Fernando tells her.
 
“I’ll be by later on at 5PM with some meals if anyone is interested, Chicken Katsudon (Chicken on white rice – vegetables optional), some Zaru Soba (cold Soba Noodles with separate sauce) and some Kare Pan (Curry Bread).” Maria explains.
 
“I’ll gladly accept that. Arigato.” Fernando tells her.
 
“Then we will see you later.” Maria tells him. She then turns to her boys, “Let’s go, we got things to wrap up!”
 
They get into their Honda Accord and drive away.
 
“Rooms and food?” Charles asks, “Who side she works on?”
 
“I had the Agency check her out before I accepted anything. She’s also a Dual Citizen – American and Japanese.” Fernando explains. He adds, “The point is this place was for room and board which includes food, we are not going to be starving here for one. And as you seen, that has half mile is a long one of turns, so no one is going to attack us without they being seen by us first.”
 
“Hmmm... Spicy Curry Bread?” Charles asks.
 
“I do not know but I’ll take the Chicken Katsudon with vegetables. I need to get my stomach to relax from last night’s party food.” Fernando explains.
 
“It’s all that Sushi and Wasabi you had last night would wreck anybody’s stomach.” Charles says to him.
 
“Well, it’s my stomach to wreck.” Fernando replies, adding, “So, if you can do me that favor and get those things in by 4PM?”
 
“It will be done.” Charles replies.
 
“Thank you. Now I have to wait for the Emperor to get here by 1PM with Dale and Monty. You got three hours of free time before they come here.” Fernando tells him.
 
“No such thing as Free Time when you work for the agency.” Charles reminds him.
 
“Don’t remind me.” Fernando tells him.
 
“I’ll see you later then.” Charles throws in before he leaves.
 
“Alright Gadget, let’s go upstairs and put away the chairs.” Fernando tells her before going up the stairs. She follows him up the stairs. He stacks the chairs and takes them into the house from his and Tammy’s room with Gadget behind following him. He unstacks them by the couch before he takes his jacket, tie, short and shoes off and lies down the couch.
 
Gadget takes one of the chairs downstairs to the dining area before coming upstairs and sits on the remaining seat next to the couch.

Roll Back: Approximately 1 hour
 
It does not take too long for Gadget to nod off into a light sleep. But being a light sleeper hunger wakes up Gadget around an hour later (11:30AM). She yawns and stretches and then paws at her stomach. Usually during an inventor’s storm, Gadget would work through the day without eating or drinking.
 
She gets up and looks around, figuring out where she is and why she is there. She sees Fernando sleeping on the couch before going downstairs to the kitchen. Looking about the kitchen, there was nothing much there, with the refrigerator slowing getting stacked with leftovers, but otherwise there is nothing there to eat that would need some time to prepare and cook. Not liking what she is seeing, she goes upstairs to wake up Fernando.
 
With her hand on his shoulder, she gently shakes to wake him up. Fernando curses most of God’s creation for the interruption of rest he was enjoying. And then he looks up at her.
 
“What’s the problem now?” Fernando asks.
 
“I’m hungry and there is nothing to eat downstairs.” Gadget complains.
 
“I bet you would prefer some hard sausage...” Fernando says to himself.
 
“I would but I would still be hungry afterwards...” Gadget replies.
 
Ignoring that comment, Fernando slowly sits up. “Come on, let’s see if we can do something about lunch since we can’t order out from here for a while.” He says before getting up and heading downstairs. Gadget follows him to the kitchen.
 
“Can you cook?” He asks her as they approach the kitchen area.
 
“Besides making Ketchup Soup?” Gadget asks.
 
“OK...” Fernando answers, “Get the following and put it on the table: The Kosher Beef Bacon, get the open package that is open if there any, the leftover rice, Teriyaki Sauce, the frozen vegetables, and a couple eggs. I’ll get the pot and pan going.”
 
“OK then...”  Gadget replies as she goes get the various items from the refrigerator and to the table.
 
Fernando rinses out a frying pan and a cover for it, along with a couple of paper plates which he puts to the side. Less than a quarter cup of water in the frying pan on low heat, Fernando takes the frozen vegetables and throws a handful into the frying pan to slow boil with the cover on. Five minutes or so, Fernando open the package of Kosher Beef Bacon and cut up several strips into squares, throwing them into frying pan as the water slowly evaporates. With the cover on, he shakes the frying to frying pan to mix things up. Taking the cover off, he flips the squares of beef slices to cook their other side. Resting the frying pan on the stove, he throws in the rice – about three mounds that he can pull out with the spatula. He then throws in a tiny bit of oil, Teriyaki Sauce and a bit more water sprinkled over the rice. He stirs up the mixture and then let hot under the cover for a while. While it heats up, he gets a small bowl to scramble the eggs to a smooth consistency. Uncovering the frying pan, he pours the eggs into the rice and stirs about. The heat of the items in the frying pan cooks the egg into broken bits mixed with the rice, vegetables and beef. The flame is turned off and the mixture is allowed to cook in its own heat as it cools down. When done, he pours the mixture into the two paper plates. Searching about he puts a fork into one of the pile and hands it to Gadget. The other he gets a pair of chopsticks and uses it to eat from the other plate he picks up.
 
“What’s this?” Gadget asks as she tries a bite.
 
“Improvised Japanese Beef Fried Rice.” Fernando says to her.
 
“How you know how to make this?” She asks.
 
“Like you like to tinker about with gadgets and make thing from it, you can do the same with cooking – take various parts and put them together to make something better with it. I learned that a long time ago from my grandmother.” He tells her. She just looks at him as he adds, “But sometimes, if you fail in your experiments in cooking – you still have to eat it. So you learn quickly where the line between Great Tasting and Yuck Foo!’ lies.”  
 
“Oh... Gadget says as she eats her lunch time meal. Since she’s not complaining about how it tastes, it must be good. But she is more intrigued with how Fernando is eating with chopsticks as easily as she is eating with a fork.
 
“Soda?” Fernando asks her as he puts down his plate and chopsticks on the stove and then goes to the frig.
 
“Yeah.” She answers and he hands her a can of Coke. He takes a bottle of water for himself.
 
They go back to their meal, drinking their beverage along with the food. They were done eating before 11:30. Clean up only took a couple minutes.
 
“Feeling better?” Fernando asks.
 
“Yeah.” Gadget replies.
 
“Then I’m going back to sleep.” He tells her.
 
Gadget follows him upstairs and sits down on the chair where she was sleeping before. Fernando lies down on the couch and both were sleeping again.
 
After few minutes, Gadget wakes up due to Hondo’s and Val’s activity near them.