Zorg was still studying his empty gun when the display on the bomb flashed.
Bleep!
Ten second warning!
00:09
00:08
Zorg pushed a hidden button on the side of the ZF1 and held it directly over his head.
A mauve-colored magnetic force field descended from the gun, enveloping him in an indestructible protective sarcophagus.
High in the polar mountains of the planet Fhloston, a figure clambered out of a sarcophagus-shaped hole in the snow.
Zorg.
Bruised, battered, bloodied . . . But unbowed.
He was carrying a cellular phone.
"Can you hear me better now?"
"Yes, Mr. Zorg, I can hear you perfectly. How was the concert?"
"Listen up, instead of running off at the mouth! My batteries are almost gone."
"Sorry, sir!"
"Send me another ZFX200, immediately!"
"Right away, sir. I'll send it to the hotel."
"I'm not at the hotel! There is no hotel!"
Bleep.
"Hello! Hello!"
Battery dead.
Silence.
A silence broken only by the cold howling of the polar wind.
Zorg sat down on a hummock of ice. "I need to think," he muttered.
My hat was taken from my head as I sat at the desk. I work in the Zorg offices. I'm on the top floor with the big cheese. I'm not his official secretary, I'm the aid. My attire is usually pinstripes. Said attire is built of white blouse, pinstriped jacket over that, pinstriped pencil skirt or pinstriped dress pants. My shoes are high heel boots that go to my knees and lace up the front or high heel Mary Jane's. My uniform never really differs.
My hair was in a dramatic sling bob. The front reached my collar bone and the back covered the nape. It was black as ink, it reflected like ink or oil too. My eyes were a dark blue like a cross between Mediterranean blue and sapphire blue, more of the sapphire blue though.
Whatever. I sat the pinstriped fedora on the desk as I put my small briefcase by my feet. I glanced up as Zorg's man rushed out. I hoped it worked out.
I didn't waste my time by learning most of the people's names when they worked here. I set to work on the meetings and appointment book. The other woman, the secretary, wrote them in the book. I put them in the computer and did the other work requiring the computer.
Zorg marched by me later that day.
"Have a good day, sir," I say in a calm, happy tone. I left not long after.
I had a car that was last year's model. It was black and looked like new, ran like new also. I parked it in the garage I paid for on top of the apartment. I lived closer to the trash. It was cheap, no trouble. No one messed with me here. My apartment was one small room. It was clean and comfortably set. The refrigerator was never empty, my TV shut off when I wanted it to. Nice.
I locked the door behind me. Nothing new. I had the radio on as I ate.
"Is tha-tha-that a b-b-b-b," Ruby Rod stuttered in fear.
Ah. I like this segment. I had been listening to people yelling and panicking for the last twenty minutes. I had shifted from my favorite music station to this.
I listened blissfully until the end.
Bling! Bling!
What the hell? I snagged the phone without sitting up. I yawned before putting it to my ear.
"Ander residence," I say in to the phone with sleep thick in my voice.
"You're needed at work," Zorg's secretary says into the phone.
I glanced at the time. I had been asleep for almost one and a half hours.
"I just got to sleep. Can it not wait until morning?" I growl into the phone.
"Mr. Zorg is in need. He called in need of a ride and his phone died before he could say where."
She sounded desperate. No one else would help her. I groaned as I sat up.
"Send over what you have. The phone should have left a hint to where. Where was he supposed to be?"
"Flousten Paradise. But they're saying it blew up over the news and radio."
"Then I have a clue of where he is. I'll bring him back. Just relax."
I hung up without a goodbye. I stood and pulled on a pair of jeans I had taken off not too long ago. My top was a baggy truck stop shirt I used for sleeping in. I didn't have time to tuck it in. I pulled on socks and threw on my work boots.
I snagged my briefcase; a duffel bag stuffed with clothes and other things; wallet; keys; blanket; and food. I ran out the door and to my car. I threw everything in the passenger seat. I stuffed the food and blanket in the bag before rushing for the place I rented a parking place for my ship. It was in a storage yard. I parked the car in the area I rented.
I locked every thing on my car. I threw the things I brought in the kitchen like area. ZFX200. I kept it looking like new and working better than new. I took no time in leaving.
How the heck? I searched and worked with what there was. I settled on the area he should be in as I reached the planet of Flousten. I didn't have a coat with me. I set the ship to hover a mile above the ground. Auto pilot was on as I opened the door and stood on the docking platform. Wind whipped at my messy hair and lean form as I looked with magnifying goggles. They were military issue, built by Zorg Enterprises.
I was freezing as I looked. He is in this area, but where? I pulled out the flare gun. Maybe this will help. I shot a flare towards the ground. I threw the gun down so it would land under the flare.
I shut the door and stared out the window. He better hurry. I had pushed my ship more than I should have. I needed to fix it. The leftovers from the blown up ship had not been friendly.
Booft!
Red came to view. I sighed. I snatched the blanket and attached myself to the harness so I could get him. I checked the bag to make sure I wouldn't loose it.
Without hesitation I dove from the platform like I was diving in the Olympics. I flipped through the air gracefully. The harness slowed the fall as I worked the controls on the remote I had connected to the harness around myself like those ones they use for rock climbing. My feet touched the snow softly. I yanked the tether to get more so I could move around.
Mr. Zorg was a mess. I ignored it and threw the blanket at him before dropping to my knees in the snow. I opened the bag and pulled out the extra harness.
"One moment and I'll have you hooked up," I say in that voice that is calm and any flight attendant would plead for.
I was used to being close to people, but not like this. I put the harness like mine back. Too much trouble for him. I pulled out the vest harness. It will do.
"Please slip this on, Sir." I was nothing but professional.
He took the vest as I closed up the bag and stood. I was thankful I had brought the ship down a bit. I connected the vest to the tether that I had jumped with.
"Cover up while you come up. The winds up there are a pain," I say quickly.
Before he could speak I jumped up and gripped the tether I was on. I had taken the harness off. I climbed up the tether quickly.
I pulled myself up onto the platform. I sat calmly before using the controls up here to pull him up. The tether had him dangling right under the platform. I gripped the tether and pulled. The dang thing had shut off on me. He was calm as my worn muscles held the tether in place for him to get his feet.
He stepped into the ship. I let go of the tether with a grateful sigh. He took the vest off as I closed the door. I went into the cockpit and sat in front of the controls. I worked quickly at switching to a destination.
The energy supplement was wearing off. I sat back and yawned again. I heard Mr. Zorg come to the doorway of the cockpit. I stood after stretching.
"There is food on the table. There is a bed in the back you can use as well," I say while not looking at him.
"Did my secretary find you to get me?" he asks while I shuffle around some cabinets.
I laughed to myself. I'm out of energy shots. I turn to face him while using a hand to pull my hair from my face. I rested my butt on the counter.
"Mr. Zorg, I'm the aid for you. I mainly do the things your secretary can't, like use computers to fill in your appointments and such. She called me in a panic after you called her," I open the cabinet by my head and pull out the caffeine pills without looking away from him. "In the bathroom there is a set of clean clothes. Medical supplies are in the case on the wall. I will have to stop at the nearest place available to fix the ship."
"The ship is broken?"
"Yes. The mess those stupid creatures left did a number on the ship alone, with the need of fuel. It's fine though. I just like my ship to be set for anything."
His eyes kept going to my arms. There were pearly scars on my forearms, just a few. I shifted my arm to cover my wrist.
"Excuse me," I say heading to the cockpit with my duffel bag.
I closed the door quickly. My gloves went on to cover my wrists. The guns were put in the usual hidden places I use. I put a smaller gun in the front of my jeans after the safety was put on.
The door opened later to Zorg. He fit the jeans perfectly. The shirt was a white tank with the sections in the back gone, the tanks of our times. I had the radio on music from the 1990s - 2010. I was listening to the rock, alternative and whatever.
My foot tapped to the beat, they were on the control panel where there weren't any buttons. I had my computer on my lap. I was surfing the web.
"What are you doing?" Zorg says while sitting in the other seat.
His hair was out of the plastic head piece. It hung down one side just like it would if it were in the plastic cover. I didn't pay him much mind as I paused on an article.
"You should be thankful of Mr. Dallas," I say while scrolling again. "He has covered for you. The bomb was not yours that blew up the ship, Leeloo has not admitted any damage, and your men have covered for you. Your ship was confiscated by the government, though badly damaged. The news has it that you were on the ship, but have not been found."
I pass the computer to him before standing. Zorg had not taken care of his wounds. I set the controls on lock. Only the password would unlock them.
"I'll be in the shower. I would prefer that you not try the phone. The trash from the explosion cut the connection."
I leave him to the room as I snag the duffel bag. The shower was what I needed. I slipped into the military pants and white tank quickly. I dropped into a seat at the table. Zorg was eating. I pulled socks on and left my work boots off.
I had my wet hair slicked back. I had things to do. The ride to the nearest port is a few minutes off. I can get started on the work inside.
I dropped the duffel in the seat with me. I pulled out the medium sized case. Opening the case I pulled out the old fashioned gun oil, cloth, bullets, and pulled out the gun.
I took the pieces and carefully cleared them. The pieces gleamed like new as they lay on the table. Zorg seem surprised by the weapon. I quickly reached out and started putting it together. I set the gun down and stared at it.
Heaving a heavy sigh was all I did after checking how long it took. 24.7 seconds. Not bad. I pulled the clip out and put the bullets in. I set the gun down again, along with the gun in the back of my pants. I pulled out the gun holster and attached it to my belt. The straps rested on my shoulders and fit perfectly. The older gun went in the right and the new one in the left. I strapped them in before standing and glancing at the boots.
Time to get those on. I went back to the cockpit with them. The lock was released before putting the boots on. I frowned at the city as I saw it. Alright so change clothes.
"Mr. Zorg can you land this for me?" I call as I rushed to the bathroom.
"What's wrong?" he calls from the pit.
I don't respond. I come out a few minutes later. I had a pinstriped pencil skirt, thigh highs, Mary Janes, and the small jacket to make it look professional. My hair was brushed and hanging like normal.
I leaned over Zorg and removed all shields. The sound of knocking on the door in back caught our attention. I reached down and the ship shut down all together. I pulled the key out quickly.
My steps were unhurried. I opened the door and looked at the men with an innocent and confused gaze. I played at the innocent, pretty city girl. I made sure my voice was soft and sweet like a bell.
"Is there something wrong?" I ask.
"Hello ma'am," one says while smiling crookedly at me. "Are you alone on this ship?"
I purse my lips in a nervous, but confused look. They lap it up, like they always do.
"No, sir," I say dipping my voice with a hint of the nervousness that was on my face.
"Ander?" Zorg calls as he comes up behind me.
He stopped short a little behind me to my left. I lifted a delicate hand up slowly. I placed my hand on my cheek. I had the absolute look of a lost thought or small shock.
"My goodness," I gasp in a revelation. "I have forgotten to introduce you."
They all looked at me. I had a slight blush.
"My mind slips me some times. I'm Alexandria, this is Jean."
"Who might you be?" Zorg asks the men with a look.
"Just two traveling men," one of the men says shifting his crooked look to a polite one.
"Oh!" I say excitedly with my soft voice. "So you know of the news then?"
"Why yes we do," the other man says.
"So can you spare any of it? Any thing I should worry about if I go out on my own?"
"There has been news of the rise in crime."
"I'm so glad it isn't anything too bad, like those hellish bounty hunters. Either way I have work to do. If you will excuse us."
I had a small purse that I had pulled from the shelf by the door. I stepped carefully past the men and to the paved ground. I turned back to the men.
"Where are you headed?" Zorg asks watching me.
"Shopping," I say in a happy chirp.