Kurz walked casually down the corridor of the Tuatha de Danaan with one intent in mind and that was to enjoy his dinner in the mess hall. It had been a long day and immediately after dinner he had a long overdue date with Miss February in his monthly playmate calendar. She had always been his favorite due to her long shapely legs and seductive smile. How could he resist such a tempting creature?
“Psst!” he heard coming from the other side of the corridor.
He turned suspiciously looking around clueless as to where the sound was originating from. “What the hell?” he whispered to himself.
“Weber, you idiot, over here!” the female voice whispered loudly from one of the utility closets. “Get in here!”
He smiled widely. “Woo-hoo! My dream come true!” he cried slinking to the closet door rushing inside. “Now be gentle, I may look strapping but I’m just a meek kitten underneath.”
“Shut up, you moron,” Mao yelled as he began to grope in the dark managing to brush up against one of her breasts.
“Mao?” he asked in confusion his voice a high pitch.
“Mr. Weber, please keep it down,” Tessa reprimanded him.
Kurz’s eyes bugged out of his head like a dog in heat. “I hit the jackpot!” Two women at once!
Mao sighed rolling her eyes. “You are such an ass. Tessa and I are hiding.”
“I like this game,” Kurz said moving closer to the two ladies with hunger in his eyes but was stopped dead in his tracks by Mao’s fist planted firmly in his face. “Alright, I give,” he mumbled.
“I have to talk to you two about something that is of the utmost secrecy,” Tessa said her voice just a scant whisper.
“It’s about Sousuke and Kaname,” Mao added obviously knowing a little more than he did so far.
Kurz straightened up but still kept his pervert radar on for the opportune moment. “Are they alright?”
“I have known their location for sometime but I have told no one in fear of a leak,” Tessa began moving closer to them. “But my sources have alerted me to a growing concern; they have been spotted in the Middle East. They cannot be caught!”
“What do you want us to do?” Mao asked worry evident in her voice.
“I need you both to fly there immediately and convince them to come to the de Danaan,” Tessa said knowing it was the only way.
“Sousuke won’t come here, Tessa,” Kurz replied knowing his friend all too well.
“You’re right,” Tessa agreed scratching her chin. “There must be a way to get them safely somewhere without anyone knowing.”
Mao’s eyes widened quickly then narrowed angrily when she felt something touching her backside. “Weber, get your hand off my ass!”
He chuckled. “That’s not my hand.”
“You asshole!” she screamed elbowing him in the face.
“I’ve got it!” Tessa cried with excitement over her own genius. “I have a contact in the United States that owes me a favor. If we could get them to Unites States soil they would be under the protection of the Army, safely tucked away on one of their bases.”
Both Melissa and Kurz halted their physical struggles and turned to face Tessa. “Is that really safe? Won’t the people after Kaname figure that out very easily?” Melissa asked a little worried.
Tessa looked down at her folded hands as her nerves rose to a crescendo. Should she tell them? Would it affect their mission if they knew? Perhaps it was time Sousuke knew as well, she thought looking back up.
“What I am about to tell you must never leave this room,” she began feeling guilt about breaking protocol but it was needed. “The organization in question is called Amalgam and they are not after Kaname.”
.o.o.o.o.
Sousuke winced against the pain that had now dulled to a pounding throb through his upper right leg. It had finally happened, he had let his guard down enough that his instinct and judgment was clouded. Nothing to do now but just lay here and wait for the full on assault. He opened his eyes and stared up at the ceiling feeling his entire body go lax, no longer filled with that usual fight inside of him.
He sighed heavily and was about to close his eyes when his phone began to ring silently in his pocket. He pulled it out and stared at the caller ID contemplating whether he wanted to answer it. It was probably Sergeant Weber checking in on them and he just wasn't in the mood right now. But he’d be a fool not to answer; it might cause an unnecessary alarm to be raised and that would only worsen the situation.
He flipped the cellular phone open, “This is Sagara,” he said waiting for the other voice to answer.
“Well, I had half expected you to not answer,” Leonard replied haughtily on the other end.
“What do you want?” Sousuke snapped in no mood to deal with this man right now.
“It appears you’re not doing a very good job of watching over our Miss Chidori,” he said disappointed. “Did you really think taking her to the desert was such a wise choice?”
Sousuke gritted his teeth. “Where exactly do you fall into all of this, Testarossa?”
Leonard chuckled. “Tsk-tsk, Sergeant. If I told you everything, it wouldn’t be as fun to watch you two scurrying across the world, now would it?”
“Dammit, Testarossa!” Sousuke snapped about to throw the phone across the room at the wall. “Quit toying with me!”
“You’re so predictable, Sagara,” Leonard said with arrogance. “I know what your next move is before you even make it. Bring her to me and I will make sure no one ever harms her again. She is after all destined to be mine eventually, why not just allow that little inevitability to happen sooner than expected?”
“I’d kill you first,” Sousuke replied with malice. “I’m beginning to believe that this was all a setup. Do you really think I’d listen to a complete stranger when it comes to her? My mission is to protect her, especially from the likes of you.”
“And who will protect her now, Sergeant?” Leonard asked with equal contempt. “When you’re lying there vulnerable like a newborn baby? Do you really think yourself capable in your present condition?”
“Giving her to you would be the biggest failure of my entire life,” Sousuke sneered.
“As we speak, the enemy is closing in on you, Sagara.” Leonard chuckled sarcastically again. “You really are a novice, aren’t you? Letting yourself become emotionally attached to your objective. It’s laughable, truly, Sagara. I’ll allow this to go on for a little longer but I am only a mildly patient man.” Sousuke could feel his fingernails digging into his palm as his hand balled tighter and tighter into a fist. “One day, she’ll beg me to take her away from you.”
Leonard ended the call and Sousuke threw the phone across the room smashing it into tiny pieces. “Dammit!” he swore pounding the mattress beneath him. “That son of a bitch!”
“Sousuke?” Kaname asked from the doorway, her eyes confused and searching.
“Chidori!”
“Was that him?” she asked walking over to the bed and kneeling down. “What did he say?”
“Get me up,” he demanded trying to push himself into a sitting position.
“Are you crazy? Your leg is broken, you’ll only damage it further!” Kaname screamed shoving him back down.
“Chidori, get me up! We have to go now!” he growled and Kaname knew instantly by the tone of his voice something was wrong.
Just then Ana burst into the room panic spread across her face. “You have to leave! I’ve been tailed since I left the market.” She frantically scurried around the room gathering up their things and tossing them into their suitcases. “I may have thrown them off my trail but it will only slow them down. They will find you here.”
Kaname glanced to Sousuke looking for his cue. “Quickly,” he said and she helped him to his feet. He grimaced against the pain trying to control it just the way he was taught in training.
“I have a vehicle outside waiting,” Ana said grabbing their bags. “Take it down the east road until it forks off onto the main road. Then follow it north until you see a big fenced in field. It’s an airstrip, just tell them I sent you,” she said urgently. “They’ll know what to do.”
By the time she was done her speech they were outside about to get in the car. She and Kaname helped Sousuke in and Kaname climbed into the drivers seat.
Ana knelt down beside Sousuke in shame.
“Ana-” Sousuke began but she cut him off.
“No,” she simply said lowering her eyes. “When you showed up all I could think of was myself. All I wanted was to have you in my life again and I refused to believe that you could have moved on. I see now how much Miss Chidori really cares for you and how much you truly care for her. It was wrong of me to expect anything less from you, Kashim.” She sighed deeply as a tear rolled down her cheek.
“Please forgive me all the wrong I have done to you,” she said nodding toward his leg. “I never meant for anyone to get to hurt. I can only hope that Allah may see it in his heart to forgive me for such a disgusting deed, but to expect it from you would be wrong. “
Kaname just sat there in anger wanting to deck the girl but at the same time feeling extremely sorry for her. How does someone become so clouded by obsession that they would hurt someone just to achieve a goal?
“Go, quickly before they arrive! I will stay behind and slow them down!” Ana yelled as more tears stung her eyes. “Know that I will always love you, Kashim!” she added as she backed away from the car.
Sousuke looked ahead not wanting to deal with what he was hearing and focused on their getaway. “Drive, Chidori,” he said lowly closing his eyes against the pain.
As they pulled away she felt a mixture of feelings coursing through her: anger, betrayal, fear, empathy. Glancing over she noticed Sousuke’s face had taken on its old emotionless state as he stared out the window quietly. He had to be feeling something, she thought looking back at the road. Ana had just admitted to setting the trap that could have killed him! Anyone would be upset by that, even Sergeant Solemn.
“Sousuke, talk to me,” she pleaded with urgency.
“There’s nothing to say,” he replied his voice monotone and steady.
“Everything is going to be fine, Sousuke,” Kaname said holding the steering wheel firmly as she watched the road.
“No, everything is not going to be fine, Chidori.” He winced again trying to hold his emotions inside but it was too much to bare at the moment and they poured out like a fountain. “I made too many mistakes! I trusted the wrong people and now everything is all messed up! I never should have brought you here!”
“What? Because of that idiot Leonard?” she snapped back.
“Yes,” he said slumping back down in the seat. “His intentions are real enough but tainted for his own purpose. He wants you safe so he can have you for himself.” He wanted to take out a gun and shoot the next thing that moved. “He’s right, one day you will beg him to take you away from me. I’m a failure, I shouldn’t even be a soldier any longer.”
Kaname slammed her foot down on the brake pedal and the car came to screeching halt in the middle of the road. “What is wrong with you!” she screamed swiveling around her face riddled with fury. “You have spent your entire life building up to nothing and now that something has come along, you feel like you can’t measure up. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and face the facts!”
She moved real close to him making sure he would hear her crystal clear. “I’m in love with you, you stupid idiotic dumbass! And you are far from perfect, let me tell you. But that’s what I love about you the most. So, if you’re going to sit there and tell me that you’re giving up this easily, I swear I’m going to kick your ass so bad you’ll regret the day you were born!”
His head snapped around and he almost wanted to laugh. How the heck did she always manage to pull him out of his self loathing like that?
“Now,” she added reaching in the back seat grabbing one of the M16 rifles and laid it on his chest. “Start acting like Sousuke and let’s go!”
“You’re right,” he said with a small smirk.
“Of course I’m right,” she said with a bright smile. “I’m always right, you should know that by now.”
But just as she was about to start driving again, a huge thump shook the earth beneath them. She let out a gasp unaware of what made the sound, but Sousuke knew better. “AS!”
“Who’s AS?” she screamed loudly as a chopper sounded above them.
“Well, well, well,” Kurz said over the loudspeaker of his M9. “Looks like the cavalry arrived just in time.”
Mao laughed. “Now it’s our turn to help you, Sousuke.”
The helicopter landed several feet away and dust flew in every direction as the propeller blades spun at lightning speeds. A man in uniform appeared beside the car pulling open the door. “Sergeant Sagara, I’m Private Ferguson with Unites States Army. We’re here to escort you to the infirmary at Fort Dix, just outside of McGuire Air Force Base.”
“Unites States?” he asked as the man and another soldier helped him out of the car onto a stretcher.
“Miss Kaname Chidori,” a woman said on her side of the car. “If you’ll follow me.” Kaname reluctantly got out and walked beside the woman. “My name is Amy Miller, 1st Lieutenant of the Unites States Armed Forces at Fort Dix. Captain Testarossa is a good friend of mine. She said to give you guys the VIP treatment!” she said with a wink.
“Tessa?” Kaname said the roar of the helicopter almost drowning out her voice.
“Hurry up, your friend looks in bad shape,” Amy said leading her on so she could stand next to Sousuke’s gurney.
“Take good care of him, Kaname!” Kurz called as he passed by in his M9. “We’ve got some trouble to deal with behind us. Let’s go, sis!”
“Right behind you, cowboy!” Mao said as they advanced forward into the dust.
Kaname gasped as she watched some very large AS units closing in fast. If Mao and Kurz hadn’t shown up they never would have made it in that little car. And Sousuke being injured only made matters worse because his stubborn ass would have fought to the death. She closed her eyes as the helicopter lifted off the ground and upward.
“What’s going on?” Sousuke asked reaching for her hand.
“Tessa,” she said with a smile. “Now, close your eyes, soldier. That’s an order!” she added with a grin.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said letting the exhaustion finally claim him. His mind raced with thoughts as he lay there on the verge of unconsciousness. How did Tessa know where they were? Had she known all along? What was their next move once they reached the United States? Before he could form another worry he started slipping into a deep sleep, for the first time feeling a sense of peace since they first started running. It felt good.
To Be Continued...
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