“Weber!” the distant screech of Sergeant Major Mao could be heard echoing from down the hall. Several people opened their doors and peeked out in curiosity then quickly retreated when a loud boom sounded immediately after.
“Hey, calm down!” he said backing up against the wall outside the ladies locker room. “I swear I was only just passing by. Come on, you know me.”
“Exactly,” she said standing before him dripping wet with only a towel scantily covering her. “You’ve tried to sneak your last peek, soldier.”
His back thudded against the wall and with a quick glance he noted all his possible escape routes.
“Honestly, Sergeant Weber,” Tessa exclaimed as she walked off in embarrassment fully clothed her hair still dripping wet.
Kurz giggled nervously as Mao advanced on him like a bird to its prey. “Did you get a good look, Cowboy?” she asked as the vein in her temple twitched lightly.
“Oh, I got a good look, doll,” he replied with a smirk and a confident chuckle.
Her response was to reach out and grasp him tightly by the throat and he winced in pain. “Relax!” he squeaked wincing in pain. “I only came here to give you this,” he said holding up a small earpiece transceiver. She snatched it from his hand letting him slump against the wall in relief.
“Sousuke says we have to be on high alert,” Kurz said standing up tall. “But then that guy is always on high alert,” he added with a chuckle.
“Yeah, no kidding, but this time we might just need it,” Melissa replied stuffing the transceiver in her pocket.
Later that evening, Sousuke and Kurz walked down the hall casually to Kaname’s door. Sousuke adjusted the earpiece, assuring it was hidden from sight under his hair. “Radio communications are a go?” Sousuke asked before knocking.
“Check,” Kurz replied.
“Read you loud and clear,” they both heard Melissa reply over the transceivers. Her plan was to stay mostly in the shadows, watch from a distance. It would ensure a concentrated eye on things that maybe Kurz and Sousuke might miss with all the commotion of the party.
“Our mission is simple...find the mole and extract the threat by any means necessary,” Sousuke said his voice filled with a rage Kurz had never heard in him before.
“Whoa, calm down soldier,” Kurz said calmly. “We don’t even know if there is a mole here at the base. Just relax and try to act natural.”
“I am acting natural,” Sousuke said his eyes dark with conviction, knocking lightly on the door.
Kurz grimaced. Sousuke was right; this was acting natural for him. “Oh boy! Tonight is going to be another one those nights,” Kurz added with a giggle before Kaname answered the door.
She smiled sweetly as she swung the door open. Sousuke nodded, as was his typical greeting and Kurz smiled widely. “Ready to go, Kaname?” Kurz asked with a wink.
“Yep!” Kaname replied cheerfully.
Sousuke showed no emotion as they walked along the corridor. The fact that he had seen her episode was really eating away at her. She didn’t want him to know about that part of her. Hell, even she didn’t want to face it at times. Hearing that voice echo in her mind; it was like nothing she had ever experienced—not even with Tessa. Tessa’s resonance was kind and welcoming, almost the same feeling she got when she talked to her sister. That voice held nothing but cruelty and fear in it.
“Exactly what kind of dinner party is this going to be?” she asked as they started walking down the hallway trying to take her mind off that horrible thought.
“Oh, you know Tessa; she’s probably going to go all out. It’s been a while since we had a party here and she likes to throw them to keep our morale up.” Kurz smiled widely trying to hide his nervousness.
Sousuke was still as silent as stone and Kaname couldn’t help but notice he kept patting all his secret weapons hidden under his clothes. She cast a confused glance his way but he was too distracted to notice. He was slightly on edge and that’s saying something for Sousuke, she thought.
Kurz walked in ahead of them. “Catch you guys later. I think I spy the lovely Private Hyndman over there,” he said with a wink.
Just before she was about to enter she felt Sousuke’s hand on her back in a protective manner. It took her off guard and she felt her cheeks blush slightly. This whole business of their relationship was going to take some getting used to. And the fact that he actually touched her in public around his colleagues and superior officers just made it even more special. She looked over and his eyes held hers for just a second before he nodded urging her inside.
The entire hangar was filled with soldiers and base personnel standing around chatting. If this was supposed to be a party, it sure didn’t look very relaxed in the least. Everyone still looked on duty to her, she thought, even Tessa standing across the room still in her captain’s uniform talking with Commander Mardukas.
Some party, she thought rolling her eyes. It looked more like Sousuke planned it than anyone else.
“Kaname!” Tessa cried waving her over her from across the room.
“Here we go,” she mumbled as they walked over to greet her. “Hi Tessa.”
Tessa was her usual bubbly self as she conversed with Kaname politely over the next hour or so, catching up on old times—mostly just Tessa asking how everyone was doing at Jindai High. Kaname got to walk around the room greeting everyone again and Sousuke followed closely behind.
He scouted the room, noting each person and their activity to himself. Johnson was eating a plate of food from the buffet table, Tanaka was laughing at something Machinsky said, Weinstein was sitting in a chair staring off into space...
He just needed Kurz and Melissa to report in on their side of the hangar. Sousuke turned away slightly, holding his collar up to cover his mouth. “This is Urzu 7 to Urzu 6, what is your location?” he whispered.
“Urzu 6 here,” Kurz replied in a hushed tone, “I am at the punch bowl. No suspicious activity noted yet.”
“Roger that.” For now, he thought glancing around the room. He reached down and ran his fingers over the fabric covering his 9 mm noting the time on the clock on the wall—1900 hours, and so far so good.
“Urzu 7 to Urzu 2—
“Sousuke, what are you doing?” Kaname asked behind him tapping her foot impatiently.
Then out of the corner of his eye he saw it...the cold gleam of a steal blade headed right for Chidori. He didn’t have to time to assess—just to move. He quickly reached inside his shirt yanking his gun out and tackled the man to floor, a collective gasp sounding from everyone around. It wasn't until the commotion had stilled that he realized what he had just done.
“Sergeant Sagara!” Commander Mardukas screamed his plate of food now smashed into the front of his uniform, sprawled out on the floor underneath Sousuke.
I am sitting on top of my commanding officer, a gun pointing at his head. How did I...how could...
Even the words in his mind were incomprehensible at this point. He quickly jumped up and backed up holstering his weapon. He had let the stress of the situation and his concern for Kaname’s safety cloud his judgment. What was wrong with him? All his life he had prided himself on his ability to control himself under pressure.
Kaname stood there in shock. Why had he done that? Why does he do anything like he does? she thought. She had to feel sorry for him, he had just assaulted Commander Mardukas; even she was scared of the idea. As much as she wanted to go to him and either comfort him or whack him over his witless head, she stayed back. The last thing he needed was her embarrassing him further in front of his colleagues.
“Commander, are you alright?” Tessa said helping him up.
“I’m fine,” he huffed casting an annoyed glance at Sousuke.
Kurz suddenly appeared grabbing Sousuke by the arm and yanking him toward the door. “You’ll have to excuse my comrade here, he’s not feeling well.”
Sousuke blindly followed him into the hallway just grateful to be out of the room. “You need to calm down, buddy,” Kurz warned him. “What’s gotten into you lately? You’re more of crazed maniac than usual.”
“I don’t know what happened,” he replied still in shock over his own actions. The overwhelming drive to protect Kaname; the need to prove to her that she could depend on him was so intense that it made him shiver inwardly with fear.
Fear...of the past not repeating itself, he thought.
“Go get some air. Sis and I will keep an eye on things,” Kurz said sympathetically walking back into the hangar leaving him alone in the hallway.
Slowly he walked down the hall and out onto the helicopter pad, the entire time wondering how a lifetime of training could just suddenly dissolve overnight. Was getting emotionally involved with Kaname jeopardizing her safety? It was making him react very differently to various situations and it was...uncomfortable. Maybe he should back off, he thought as he leaned against the railing.
No, she was so furious with him the last time and that wasn't even his fault. He just needed to find his focus again and still be able to keep her happy and safe. There was no turning back from this and he knew it. He never wanted to feel that empty desolate feeling he felt back in Hong Kong when he thought he had lost her. His whole existence meant nothing to him if she wasn't in his life.
“Sergeant Sagara,” a refined voice said from behind him.
Instinct kicked in and he spun around his gun aimed at the shadowy figure now before him.
This was it, his mind echoed.
To Be Continued...
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