Full Metal Panic! Black Ops

by C. Mage

Sousuke Sagara is about to get some backup, only it's coming from a nonmilitary source. This operative is more than what he seems, and he'll need to be: Captain Testarossa is coming back to Japan. Let the property damage begin...

1. Chapter 1

Full Metal Panic! Black Op, Part I: The Goddess Returns & The Devils Awaken

By C. Mage

"Captain, it's time."

Teletha Testarossa stood up, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been waiting for the answer for some time, and with the command of the Tuatha De Danaan at stake as well as her own future, she had been pacing the waiting room for an hour. She had been twirling her braid ever since she'd waking up that morning, knowing that this day had been coming.

The door opened and she jumped slightly, tripping over her shoes and falling on her rump. "Aaaaah!!! Ow ow ow…"

Her XO, Commander Dannigan, cleared his throat. He looked decidedly unhappy, sterner than usual. "Captain, they're ready for you."

She nodded, getting to her feet and straightening her uniform. As she entered, she saw the seven members of Mithril's High Command waiting for her, and a young girl in her teens wearing a Mithril uniform. Black hair, purple eyes, a little on the tall side, with a slightly more mature figure than hers. She smiled as Tessa entered, nodding to her politely.

"Captain Testarossa, reporting as ordered." She saluted crisply.

"Captain Testarossa, we have reviewed both your service record and your request for re-assignment. With the state of the military readiness and the developments by the Whisperers, we now have the opportunity to grant your request. Keep in mind that the Captain in the interim will be Lt. Commander Kaori Tachbana." He turned to the raven-haired girl standing at the side, who walked in front of Tessa and bowed. "She has been fully briefed of the Tuatha De Dannan's capabilities, and she has developed considerable talent in tactical development. We believe that while you're re-assigned, she will be able to perform her duties competently in your absence."

Tessa smiled. "I understand."

"However, I feel it is necessary to ask, Captain Testarossa, if you are certain that you wish to be re-assigned as requested."

Tessa nodded. "I feel that in my service here, I have performed to the best of my ability, but there is something missing in my life. I do not feel that I can truly continue on as Captain until I have resolved this part of my life. Plus, I may be one of the Whisperers, but I am entitled to the same chance at a normal life as Miss Kaname Chidori."

The members of the Mithril High Command turned to each other. "We understand. However, in case of an emergency, we will require you to submit to voluntary suspension of your re-assignment as needed for the duration of of the emergency."

Tessa nodded. "Understood."

"Also, keep in mind that we are accepting this request with extreme reservations. We believe that this unit has achieved the success it has under your leadership, and the men may be resistant to the idea of your leaving this post."

"I have worked with Lt. Commander Tachibana, and I am confident that she is more than capable of fulfilling her duties." Tessa smiled. "Besides, with the construction of the Heracles under way, a new Captain experienced in the operations of the Tuatha De Danaan will be vital, considering their designs are almost identical."

The speaker nodded. "Then your request for re-assignment, as well as the assignments of Sergeant Mao and Sergeant Kurz, is approved. Until the Heracles is complete, you will be under the protection of Sergeant Mao, and she will be directed by Sergeant Sagara."

Tessa smiled. "I look forward to it."

His name was Jason and he was currently adjusting to being in a new home.

He was used to moving around, thanks to his father's work. Being the son of someone employed by the government had its eccentricities, but his father didn't discuss his work.

Besides, he didn't exactly have a nine-to-five job.

Jason sighed, unpacking the last of the boxes, then turned to his father. "Uhm, Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Why are we in Japan, again?"

His father chuckled. "Well, you've got a chance to study abroad, and it'll be good for you to learn about other cultures."

"And what's the real reason?"

"Well…Little Grandfather."

Jason nodded. "Oh yeah. He's not likely to visit as often, is he?"

"Nope. But don't think that means you're going to get a break in your training. Nothing changes about that, kiddo." He smiled and put the rice away. "Not the lessons, not the diet, nothing."

"Well, actually, Dad, I don't know if you know this, but I like the lessons. I can feel myself improve with each one."

"Maybe, but you're missing out on a lot of lessons that aren't part of training. Social lessons. You need to learn about what it means to be a teenager. You're sixteen already. You should be thinking about girls."

"But I know about girls. You taught me the full fifty-two steps."

His father sighed. "That's your training. A means to an end. I'm talking about relationships. Meeting girls, small talk, dating, making friends. I lucked out, came into my training when I was an adult. I knew about social skills like any other kid my age. You, however, you started out with the training part." He took out a couple of glasses and filled them with water. "When other kids were learning about baseball, you were learning about breathing correctly. While other kids were making friends, you were learning other languages and the history of the Art. You lived a sheltered life, Jason. You kinda got the short end of the stick that way."

Jason sighed. "I think I'd rather keep training."

"You need to know more about people than how to cause them damage, you know."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes, you have to. You have to learn how to deal with people. Home schooling can only do so much. I know you read a lot and I know you have access to a lot of information on the internet, but let's face it. You can't learn about life from books and the internet sure isn't the way." He put a hand on Jason's shoulder. "You have to, kiddo."

"Think I'd rather face a platoon of Marines," Jason said. "With automatic weapons."

"You've still got about five lessons away before you're ready for full auto, Jason. Remember how much trouble you had with five-round bursts."

"Hey, it only took me a few weeks. Besides, Dad, Little Grandfather told me how long it took you to keep your elbow straight."

His father grimaced. "Remind to thank him some day. The point is, you need to learn what it means to be a teenager. If you don't learn to understand people, you're nothing more than a guided missile waiting to be aimed. People can be good or bad, but if you don't learn to figure out which is which…"

"Okay, okay…I get it, Dad." Jason sighed and sat down. "Learn how to be a kid, go to the prom, junk like that."

"Try not to sound so enthusiastic." He took a drink and smiled. "How does rice with duck sound tonight?"

Jason brightened. "Sounds like a feast!"

"Yep. Now wash up, because after dinner, we're going to go for a run so you can get the layout of the surrounding area, as well as the area around your school. By the time school starts in the morning, I want you to be able to run between here and school and back with your eyes shut."

Jason smiled. "Piece of cake."

His father smiled back, wider. "Using nine different routes."

"Aw, DAD…!"

"Okay, kid. What are the rules?"

"I'm an exchange student from America, and my Dad is a security consultant. Grew up all over the place, learned some languages, been here before." He buttoned his shirt. "No talking about the village or what I've learned from you. No showing off at all. Try to talk to people, but spend more time listening than talking. Remember not to be conspicuous about my diet. Don't try to correct my teachers if they talk about history and my versions differ from theirs…okay, what am I forgetting?"

"You forgot to add, 'It'll be okay if I make mistakes.' You've learned to be superior at a lot of physical activities, and it's been a long time since you didn't pick up a skill relatively easily. You're going to eventually run into doing things that will be difficult for you to do, and that means you have to accept the fact that you will make mistakes. You're going to fall. What will determine what kind of person you are will be whether you choose to get back up or not. Remember that."

"Come on, Dad…"

"I'm serious. I don't want you to get frustrated by thinking you can learn to be a success with the first attempt at everything you do. It may sound corny, but you might learn more by failing at something. Just keep that in mind, son." He put his hands on his son's shoulders, facing him. He was tall, strong with a solid frame. He was in his fifties, but he still looked like a man in his late thirties. He had dark hair, high cheekbones, slightly sharp features, handsome, but in a slightly cruel sort of way. His eyes were dark, his iris and pupils almost indistinguishable from each other. His eyes were the eyes of Death himself.

Jason smiled. He looked a lot like his father, handsome, same cheekbones, slightly wider in the nose, less hawk-like, much less cruel. His eyes were brighter, giving him the air of someone much gentler. Jason's hair was the same color as his father's shade, and they both had one other trait in common: both of them had thick, strong wrists, like tomato cans.

"You're going to do just fine, Jason…" He noticed the sad change in his son's face. "What's wrong?"

"I miss Mom…I wish she was here."

His father grew somewhat misty-eyed. "Me too, Jason. But I have no doubt she sees us, and she's just as proud of you as I am. Now scoot, you're going to miss the bus."

"Why can't I take my car?"

"Remember, no showing off. Maybe when you've shown you can exercise a little self-restraint…"

"Come on…I've got a license and everything."

"Move it, Jason Williams. You are not going to be late your first day of school."

Jason sighed and picked up his briefcase. "Hate using the bus."

"That's the biz, sweetheart. Run." Jason's father, the man known as Remo Williams, Reigning Master of Sinanju, waved as his son jogged towards the bus station. Now I know how Chiun felt when I went out on my first mission. He turned to the mirror on his left and nodded. Yep. Same smile, too.

Sousuke Sagara met Kaname Chidori at her door, escorting her to the train station. "Did you sleep well, Miss Chidori?"

She smiled winningly. Kaname had a truly shining smile that could brighten any room. "Why, Sousuke…you usually wait until we're on the train before asking me that."

"It is the first day of school after the summer break, and I was concerned," he said in his trademark crisp tone.

Kaname looked at Sousuke knowingly. "Sounds to me like that's not all you're concerned about."

"What do you mean?" Sousuke asked, feeling a pit opening in his stomach.

"I got a call from Mao last night."

Sousuke felt the pit widen. "So you know."

"OH yes." Her voice grew a little harder. "I heard about how Tessa's going to be going to school here, and she's not going to be here for a couple of weeks, like before. She's going to be attending school indefinitely."

"I was informed that she would be staying with Sergeant Mao."

"Yep…but she's going to be moving next door to you."

Sousuke gulped. "I'm sure that her stay will not complicate matters."

"I'm glad to hear it, Sousuke. I'm very glad to hear that." There was a dangerous edge in her voice that made Sousuke sweat. In fact, he had not slept so well after receiving the call from Commander Richard Mardukas the night before, and his concerns about Tessa's safety, well-being and modesty. His comment about firing Sousuke out a torpedo tube with explosives strapped to his body was once more reinforced as punishment, and Sousuke had spent a few hours making arrangements to ensure that Tessa would be protected, even from Kurtz Weber's attempts to get a look at Melissa and Tessa in states of undress.

"No need to worry, Miss Chidori. It's all arranged to maintain complete security and privacy for the Captain."

Kaname smiled brightly again and Sousuke visibly relaxed. "Good! I'm looking forward to seeing Tessa again."

Sousuke wasn't entirely convinced of that.

Tessa took her seat next to Sousuke on his right. With Kaname on his left, Sousuke immediately knew he was flanked by them in a classic pincer movement. As he was contemplating the feasibility of changing his seat assignment to one more tactically favorable, Ms. Kagurazaka called for the class to tear their attention from Tessa and move it to the front once more. "Class, I'd like to introduce you to our newest student, another exchange student from the United States of America. At least, I would like to, as soon as he…"

The door to the classroom opened and Jason poked his head inside. As he did, he was suddenly aware of every eye in the classroom turned towards him. He actually had to suppress the faint, but distinct impulse to kill everyone in the room and leave undetected. "Uh…hi…"

"Mr. Williams, so happy you could join us," the teacher said in English. "Please come in."

"Uh, thanks." He entered the room, looking around. He felt a blush rise to his cheeks. Great…I'm not trained for this. "Sorry about being late, I don't know my way around the school just yet, but I can speak Japanese pretty well, so, uh, don't worry," he added in Japanese.

"Splendid," Ms. Kagurazaka said with a gracious nod, "that's a commendable achievement. Please stand right here," she added, indicating the spot next to her desk. As he did so, she felt the slightest flush of heat and looked back towards the class. "Class, this is Jason Williams. Mr. Williams, feel free to introduce yourself to the class."

"Uh, hi. My name's Jason. I moved here from America with my Dad. He's a security consultant. He taught me a lot and he's been to Japan before, so he taught me Japanese. I hope that if I make any mistakes that you'll help me get a handle on the language."

As he spoke, Sousuke looked at Jason carefully. Sousuke couldn't shake the feeling that Jason was not an ordinary student. He carried himself with a certain grace that could only come with some sort of martial art, but he didn't recognize the style. Being unable to identify this made Sousuke more concerned. He turned to look at Kaname, who was looking at Jason with some interest, but only the kind of interest that comes with harmless curiosity.

He turned to Tessa and realized that Tessa was watching Jason with something a little more profound. It wasn't recognition, but it was more than just casual interest.

"I like swimming and different kinds of sports, and I also like reading, computers and computer games. I'm looking forward to learning more about Japanese culture." He bowed politely, his heart pumping a little harder than normal.

"Very nicely done. Please have a seat…well, we have one open desk left." The teacher indicated the seat directly in front of Tessa. Jason nodded, picking up his briefcase and walking to the seat. He put the briefcase on the desk and looked up, finding himself looking right into Tessa's eyes. For the space of a heartbeat, he forgot to breathe in the method his father taught him and swallowed.

"Uh…" Jason tried to find the words to say to impress the platinum-haired young goddess in front of him, but his mind went blank and he couldn't think of something to say. However, despite his brain not functioning, his mouth decided to move on without waiting for the brain. "…I like your hair." Only when the laughter came from his classmates did he realize his blunder and his cheeks burned. He slid into his seat, looking around for a conveniently-located crack in the Earth's crust he could slip into, but no such luck.

Tessa blinked, then blushed herself. Sousuke watched closely, a mixture of feelings going through him. On the one hand, he felt oddly relieved to see Tessa show an interest in someone else besides him. On the other hand, he was suspicious and wrote down Jason's name and a description of him, for further study and investigation. Jason certainly didn't seem like some two-bit Lothario. If anything, he was more embarrassed than Tessa was.

Unless…that was his plan all along, to paint himself as a seemingly normal boy, perhaps even one of substandard social graces, in order to lull the Captain's guardians into underestimating him. I see. This Jason Williams is an expert, and is deliberately trying to ingratiate himself to become closer to the Captain in order to subvert her defenses. Clever. Clearly this Jason must be an infiltration genius, not to be underestimated.

Jason's thought processes, however, were slightly different.

I am SUCH an idiot…! I can't believe I said that, right in front of the class! This was such a bad idea…

"And now, class, it's time to see how well you all caught up on your reading. For Wednesday's test…"

Jason's groan of mortal pain joined the others.

So this is high school…now I know where Guatemalan torturers get their inspiration. I've never been so nervous in my life. Jason didn't find the schoolwork tough at all. In fact, it was a breeze. It was the other students that made him nervous. He caught sight of some of the other girls looking at him, pointing at him, and some of the guys smiling as they looked at him. I hate this…I feel like I'm in Biology Class and I'm the one under the microscope.

No one was more glad than he was to hear the lunch bell. As he got up and picked up his briefcase, he turned to find himself face-to-face with Sousuke. Kaname and Tessa looked up, curious.

"Uh…hi." Jason smiled.

Sousuke didn't smile. "Hello. My name is Sousuke Sagara."

"Well, uh, nice to meet you. Listen, I'm kind of new around here. I don't suppose you could help show me around?"

"Actually, that's a good idea." Kaname stepped to Sousuke's side. "Hi. I'm Kaname Chidori, School Vice President."

"Oh. Nice to meet you." Jason smiled.

"And my name is Teletha Testarossa. But please, just call me Tessa." She smiled winningly as she stood next to Sousuke on the other side.

"Wow, uh hi, uh, Tessa…" He looked at the three of them. "Are you guys, like, the school welcoming committee?"

"No. We're just school representatives who wish to make a positive impression on foreign students," Sousuke said crisply.

Jason stared at Sousuke. "Uh, okay…" This guy sounds like we're in military school, not high school. "Well, let's go get something to eat."

"Oooooh, they're got some really good bread in, but we're going to have to hurry before they're all gone."

"Uh, I kinda brought my own lunch…can we just meet?" Jason asked.

Kaname smiled. "Sure, I'll show Jason to our usual place."

"Actually," Tessa said, taking Jason's arm, "I'll take him there."

Sousuke blinked. Kaname blinked. "You will?" they asked in unison.

"Of course!" Tessa said indignantly. "I remember from when I was here last, and I am perfectly capable of showing him the way."

Kaname held up her hands. "Easy, Tessa. Just wondering…"

Tessa humphed and steered Jason away, getting some envious looks from both the girls and the boys. Jason looked around and noticed the expressions of the students around him. Oh yes, this is so much less pressure… "So, Tessa, you're an exchange student, but you've been here before?"

She smiled and Jason felt something in his chest go BOOM, BOOM, CHURN, CHURN. "Yes, I came here before when my father stayed here for just under a month, but his business brought him back here for a longer period."

"I know what you mean. My dad's job makes him move around a lot, too."

"Oh? What does your father do?"

He's the most dangerous assassin in the solar system. "He's a security consultant."

"What does a security consultant do?"

"Oh, he works for all kinds of people, governments, corporations. They hire him to find flaws in their security so they can tie them up." He looked around at the grounds, the small flower gardens and the other students, eating and talking. "This is a really nice place."

"Mine is a professor at a college in Shinjuku. He teaches history."

Jason listened to her, felt the way her pulse changed, the way the voice tightened. She was lying, but he wasn't sure why and he didn't think it was polite to ask. "Maybe you can help introduce me to some of your friends. I don't have many friends here…don't have many friends, period. I never, uh, really picked up the skill. Never spent enough time in one place to hold on to any."

Tessa looked up at Jason sympathetically. "That's terrible."

"Well…don't really know another way." He sighed, stopping and looking down at his feet, then looking up. "Guess that sounds kind of pathetic."

Tessa looked at him and she realized that he was like her. It struck her so profoundly, like seeing a sunrise for the first time. All she'd known was the structured life of the military, learning tactics and creating the Tuatha De Danaan. She nodded. "Tell you what, I…" She stepped back and she felt her heel skid slightly. "Wha-waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!" Tessa felt her foot slide and she fell backwards.

Jason saw her start to fall, then realized that her fall would place her head directly in contact with the concrete lip of the garden behind her. Before he could even think, his Sinanju-trained reflexes kicked in, and he crossed the distance between his location and Tessa's and caught her, all in a split-second.

She looked up at him, then turned her head. Her eyes widened as she deduced what almost happened, then she turned back to Jason just as Sousuke and Kaname came around the corner.

Sousuke stood there for a moment, locking eyes with Jason. Jason looked at him as he lifted Tessa back to her feet, then his eyes went wide as Sousuke launched himself into the air, drawing his pistol in mid-flight. Kaname stared; she'd seen this before the last time Tessa visited. The last guy who even talked with Tessa had found himself on the ground, Sousuke's pistol rubbing a dent into the back of his head, and she had a bad feeling history was about to repeat itself. She readied her fan to beat some sense into Sousuke when she suddenly saw the impossible.

Sousuke was about to spin Jason around and bear him to the ground, when Jason's right hand moved…no, it blurred, and Sousuke found himself flying backwards, twice as fast. He landed in the garden, disappearing among the flowers.

Kaname followed Sousuke's flight, then turned to look at Jason. Tessa was likely staring as well. In fact, everyone in the area who'd heard Sousuke's yell of outrage was now staring at the one boy who'd ever thwarted the gung-ho Sagara.

Utter silence. Jason looked around, hearing nothing but the katydids. His face turned red. Well, Jason, you sure got their attention now, didn't you? Any second now, they're going to report you to the teachers and you're going to spend the day…

To a student, they rushed towards him. He backed up, not wanting to kill anyone even accidentally, then felt himself grabbed, then…lifted up? Before he could even register what was going on, he was hoisted into the air among cheers and congratulations. What the heck is going on and where did they get those banners and confetti from??

Kaname watched as they carried him off, then turned to find Sousuke. He was flat on his back, limbs askew, a dazed expression on his face. She looked at Tessa and saw her looking at the departing Jason, a thoughtful look on her face.

She smiled. "I sense a shift in the balance of insanity around here," she said triumphantly.

"Dad? I'm home!"

His father, Remo, walked out of the kitchen, an apron hanging from his neck. "So, kiddo, how was your first day at school?"

"Uh…well, it was interesting." He put his briefcase by the door.

"I know that tone, kid."

Jason's heart fell. Lying to Dad was about as possible as telling the sun to take the day off. "I'm sorry, Dad, but it wasn't my fault."

"What happened?" He sat down, kicking up his feet on the table.

"Well…this girl I met was going to fall and hit her head, so…I caught her."

"Doesn't sound too bad."

"…I was just over ten feet away from her when she started falling."

"How many saw you?"

"I don't think that went noticed by more than a few people in the quad."

"Well, that doesn't sound too bad."

"There's more."

"Uh-oh."

"This guy, some hardcore military-fanboy named Sousuke Sagara jumped in out of nowhere, like I was trying to kidnap this girl…"

"Is she cute?"

Jason smiled. "She's the most beautiful girl I've ever…" He noticed his father's slow smile. "What?"

"Aww, that's so endearing. You get this dreamy look on your face when you talk about her."

"Dad!"

"Okay, okay, if you really want to change the subject, let's get back to the part where you messed up."

Jason cleared his throat. "Well, we could talk about her a little more…"

"Too late, missed the boat. What happened with General Nuisance?"

"Well, he came at me, and he had his pistol out…"

"Pistol? This kid had a gun? In Japan?"

"Don't look at me, I didn't give him permission."

Remo nodded. "Did you kill him?"

"What? No!"

"What did you use on him?"

"I used the Resplendent Crane technique."

Remo sighed. "So he's alive. Did he make a lot of noise when he attacked?"

"Uh…yeah."

He sighed again. "So everyone within earshot saw you toss this guy twenty feet and it looked like you didn't touch him."

"Uh…thirty feet."

Remo's eyebrows neared his hairline. "Well. I'm impressed. So what happened next? Detention?"

"No."

"You got suspended?"

"No."

Remo leaned forward. "You didn't get expelled, did you??"

"No."

He blinked. "What did you get?"

"I got carried away by the students, raised over their heads as if I just won the Superbowl. I get the impression that a lot of them thought he needed to be taken down a peg."

"Hmmm. Didn't see that one coming." Remo considered, then smiled. "Tell me about the girl."

"Dad, she's…God, she's beautiful. Platinum hair, long, tied in a braid, my age, maybe a year younger, didn't think it polite to ask. She's petite, delicate…"

"Is she athletic?"

"Actually…she kind of a klutz. When she fell, it was because she tripped over a crack in the pavement."

"That doesn't make her a klutz, son."

"Dad, the crack was so small, only I could see it."

"Okay, so she's a klutz. Compared to you, everyone's a klutz. Besides, from the look of it, you saved her bacon, right?"

"Yeah…her skull would've cracked open if she had fallen."

"Then you're her hero! And it's only your first day."

"DAD!" Jason said, reddening noticeably.

"All I'm saying is that now you've got the inside track."

"Dad…I was thinking. Could I use the Fox's Grace technique on her?"

"No. Absolutely not."

"Why not?"

"Did that myself once. Ever hear of an Olympic gymnast years ago named Josie Littlefeather?"

"Wait…I heard about that. Did a bunch of flawless floor routines and on the balance beam, won the gold, then disappeared after a news report about her being unable to do a couple of handstands and cartwheels…" His voice trailed off. "You didn't!"

"Gave her Fox's Grace, thought I was being nice to someone who wanted to do good by her tribe, talked about how she couldn't have gotten there without their help. As soon as I gave her a little bit of Sinanju, it all went to her head and she turned her back on her tribe. So I took back Fox's Grace…with interest." Remo put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Never give somebody something they didn't make an effort to try to attain on their own…with the exception of romance, of course."

"She could sure use it."

"She's survived this long, son. Now she's got you to look out for her." He looked up as the phone rang. "Hang on. I'll be right back." He went to the phone and picked it up. "Hello, you're on the air."

A pause, then a lemony voice came over the line. "Are you alone, Remo?"

"Smitty! Well, me, my son, and a couple of girls he invited over from school to meet his still-virile old man. You know me…" Remo grinned.

Harold W. Smith, leader of the super-secret organization CURE, knew better than to take Remo seriously when he was using that tone of voice. "Where's Chiun?"

"Probably in Zurich, staring at all the gold. What's up?"

"Is this a secure line?"

"You tell me, Smitty, you installed it."

A pause, then a series of clicks. "I keep forgetting that you've given up your habit for destroying anything technical."

"Well, it helps when your son explains it in terms you can understand, unlike some people I know. So, what's the occasion? You coming down for a housewarming party? You sly dog, you."

"Nothing of the sort. I have an assignment."

"Goody for you. You know I'm in semi-retirement."

"Remo, have you ever heard of the Tuatha De Danaan?"

"Nope. Not much into pop music nowadays. Stopped listening to the radio right about the time when Britney started getting her Spears."

"The Tuatha is a ship, a submarine, the most advanced ever built. It's commanded by a Captain Testarossa, and it's part of a multinational task force named MITHRIL."

"Hurry up and get to the part where it becomes my concern, Smitty."

Smith sighed. "The Captain is currently on indefinite leave, returning to her command when a second ship of the same class has completed construction. Another captain has been placed in command of the Tuatha for training purposes."

"So what's the big deal? Let her get a break, sun herself by the pool, go shopping, whatever."

"The Captain is also the designer of the Tuatha De Danaan. It is imperative that she not come to any harm, or worse, be kidnapped by hostile forces."

"And you want me to be her bodyguard?"

"Actually…no."

Remo blinked. Twice. "Smitty, is this some kind of joke? Have you suddenly had a nervous breakdown of some kind and discovered humor?"

"No. You see, having you guard her would draw too much attention to yourself."

"Why?"

"Captain Testarossa is sixteen years old."

Remo paused. "Please tell me you just said that she's six-TY years old. Six-zero."

"No. Six-TEEN. One-six."

"Man, talk about your prodigies…probably some bookish type, wears glasses, clumsy as heck…" He stopped. "Describe her for me."

"Somewhat short for a girl her age. Her most striking feature is her platinum-white hair…"

"…tied up in a braid," Remo finished.

A pause from the other end of the line. "How did you…?"

"I'm telepathic, Smitty. Comes with being enlightened. You said you didn't call to ask me. Are you telling me you want Chiun to do it, because he's not here and I know for a fact that he'd rather gargle with ground glass."

"No, Remo. I need a field agent who will blend in."

Light dawned. "My son is NOT under contract, Smith. Chiun and I might be obligated, but Jason's going to grow up to be a normal kid."

"Who will someday take over the family business?"

"That's low, Smitty."

"Come now, Remo, you weren't a fifth as progressed as he is now when you went on your first mission. As I recall, you survived that."

"That's not the point."

"Remo, MITHRIL is a joint-operated organization. Many of America's secrets are in their hands. It's a matter of national security that she stays out of enemy hands. The current MITHRIL agents in place are competent, but the President wants to be sure, and he asked me to send in my best people."

"That's what I love about you, Smitty. You can be so apologetic." He sighed. "I'll ask him." He turned to Jason. "How about it?" he asked, knowing full well his son had heard both sides of the conversation.

Jason smiled.

Sousuke Sagara frowned.

"What are you so frustrated about. Sagara?" Melissa Mao walked over to him as he worked on the computer. Kaname was busy talking to Tessa in the other room.

"I've just received word that a new operative is being assigned to our detail. The problem is, it turns out that the operative was actually in place at our school before MITHRIL decided to make known their intent to have him protect the Captain. The profile of his qualifications is…unusual. For one thing, the source of his training is a blank. He's not on file anywhere in the world. It's as if he just appeared in Japan. I find it very suspicious."

"Got a picture of him?"

Sousuke pulled up a picture. Melissa smiled. "Wow. He's not too bad-looking. No wonder Tessa's got an eye for him."

"That's something else. I don't trust him to remain a gentleman in the presence of the Captain. In fact, I suspect that he may try to take advantage of her in some perverted fashion."

Melissa stared at Sousuke. "I think you're reading far too much into this."

"When I saw him, he had her in his arms."

"I reviewed what happened and what Tessa told me. She fell and he caught her before she hurt herself."

"Hmmmm," Sousuke said simply, and filed his report. "We'll see whether or not he's capable of performing such important duties. I took the liberty of establishing a perimeter and setting up several defensive measures." He pulled up a map of the area on his screen.

Melissa peered over his shoulder. "Land mines? Motion trackers? Perimeter defense pods? Laser detection? Don't you think those are a little extreme?"

"No more so than what the enemy might employ to deter us from our mission. If he is capable of getting through those defenses without dying, then I will accept him as being a peer in our mission team." Sousuke peered at the screen. "Now all we have to do is wait."

Melissa watched the screen over Sousuke's shoulder. Ten minutes went by. Twenty. Thirty.

At thirty-two minutes and twenty-eight seconds, both Melissa and Sousuke heard over their shoulders, "So, how long are we going to have to stare at this screen?"

Melissa and Sousuke slowly turned their heads to see Jason watching the screen intently, a curious look on his face.

Kaname opened the door to Tessa's room rapidly at the sound of Melissa and Sousuke's screams of surprise, seeing Jason standing there, looking at them. He looked up and, for a moment, Kaname felt her heart stop as she looked at Jason. Then she shook herself and looked at the two soldiers sitting on the floor, looking up at Jason in shock. "Jason?"

Tessa peered around Kaname at the sound of her inquiry, and gasped slightly. Jason wore a T-shirt and jeans, and from the look of his arms and torso, Jason looked like he hadn't even heard of the words "body fat". He was extraordinarily toned and muscled, just from the frame under his shirt and the exposed arms extending from his short sleeves. He looked like a fighter born, but with thick wrists. He didn't look particularly aggressive at the moment, simply curious. As he saw Tessa, he blushed and said awkwardly, "Uh, hi…"

"How did you get in here?!" Sousuke demanded.

"Through the doorway. Do you know that some goob set up enough explosives in the front yard to put this apartment building into low Earth orbit?" He walked over to the fridge as the two soldiers composed themselves. "Got any bottled water?"

"What are you doing here?" Tessa asked, trying not to show how glad she was to see him.

"Oh, sorry. I've been assigned to your protection, Tessa…or should I say, Captain Testarossa?" Jason smiled, bowing.

"Oh! Uh, yes…" Tessa said, embarrassed.

"It's okay, I know you have security clearances and all that. Well, I'm in the loop now. I'm entitled to a few more pieces of info." He smiled.

"I'm glad you feel that way, Jason, because I have a few questions." Sousuke stood up, walking over to Jason. "You don't work for MITHRIL, so who do you work for?"

"Sorry, that's classified. If I told you, I'd have to kill you, and I'm not joking." Jason said in a normal tone of voice.

"Please, Jason," Tessa said. "We shouldn't have secrets from each other if we're going to be working together."

Jason sighed. "All I can tell you is that I'm here on behalf of my Dad and the United States of America."

Kaname nodded. "Well, Jason, I hope you're going to be well-mannered and not do anything sneaky while you're here."

"Does that count for when I got here, too? I was trying to be sneaky then."

Kaname smiled. "Hungry?"

"Starved."

"Jason, are you sure you don't want anything else?" Melissa asked.

Jason looked down at his bowl of rice, two slices of lemon and the sliver of chicken on the plate next to him. He looked up at Melissa quizzically. "Why?"

"Well, excuse me for saying so, but it doesn't look like you're eating much of anything."

"Are you kidding? Haven't eaten this good in weeks." He smiled and began to eat as the others dug in to their respective meals of fish, rice, pork, shrimp, chicken, with a wide range of sauces and seasonings to choose from on the table. "My dad has me kind of on a strict diet, because of my…uhm…medical condition. My body doesn't agree with a lot of fatty foods or any kind of additives. I can't eat any kind of meat or pork, although poultry's okay, long as it isn't too oily."

"You mean, you don't like hamburgers or steaks?" Kaname asked curiously.

Jason looked at her as if she just asked if he'd like a dish of raw rat with a side order of rotten potatoes. "Ewwwww…no thanks, that'd probably kill me."

"I would imagine that it would make it easier for someone to poison you in that way," Sousuke said idly.

"Sergeant Sagara!" exclaimed Tessa indignantly.

"Actually, Sousuke, it kinda makes it harder. I can sense if something unhealthy is in my food before it's halfway to my mouth." Jason smiled, then turned to Tessa. "No offense taken."

"What sort of weapon do you use, Jason? Pistol, rifle, shotgun, assault rifle?" Sousuke asked. "If you were unable to bring your weapon of choice, I do have others here you can use."

"I don't use guns." Jason took another bite of the rice, adding some lemon juice for taste, then took another bite. When he looked up, he realized that everyone was staring at him. "What? My hair turn green?"

"You do not use guns," Sousuke said flatly.

"Uh….no, is that a problem?"

Kaname smiled. "Actually, Jason, that's kind of a relief." Her eyes slid to Sousuke dangerously. "There are too many nuts with guns around here as it is."

"How do you expect to protect the Captain without the use of guns as a means of defense?" Sousuke asked.

Jason took a few more bites, then wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Look, Sousuke, I don't know what your problem with me is, but contraptions that throw little pieces of metal around don't protect people. Brains and heart protect people. I don't need, or ever will need, a gun to do my job." He stood up with his empty bowls. "Where's the kitchen?"

Melissa pointed and Jason walked into the kitchen. She turned to Sousuke. "Sagara, what's going on?"

"I am unconvinced of his ability to protect the Captain in a combat situation."

"Give it a rest, Sousuke! You've been on his case since he got here," Kaname hissed. "What's it going to take for you to accept him?"

Sousuke looked at the doorway to the kitchen. "A test. I want to see how he performs in a hostage scenario. If he can defuse the situation, then there will be no doubt in my mind that he can hold his own on the team. I will require your cooperation."

"Fine, if it's going to help you get off his back, I'll do it." Kaname turned to Tessa. "Are you in?"

"I must admit to a small interest in seeing how Jason conducts himself. Very well. Make the arrangements."

Sousuke took out his cellphone and began talking into it. Melissa watched the others with a critical eye, wondering if Sousuke wasn't over-reacting as usual. Sousuke closed the cellphone and looked at the others. "It's done."

And that's when the windows of the room exploded inwards.

Jason ran back into the room to see Tessa and Kaname with knives to their throats, held by men in black jumpsuits and hoods. Melissa and Sousuke were on the ground, guns held to the backs of their heads. Jason turned to look at the man holding Tessa.

The man said in a voice that brooked no disobedience, "Get on the floor, right now, or I'll slit her throat, then hers." He nodded back to Kaname. "And if you even TWITCH…!"

Then Jason moved.

The men holding Tessa and Kaname expected Jason to comply, rather than risk the girls' safety. They expected him to think like a soldier, to weigh his options. They expected him to surrender rather than risk the two girls being harmed.

What they didn't expect were their knives dropping from nerveless fingers and their hands and forearms going numb from precise pressure point strikes. They didn't expect a hand moving against the sides of their heads with just enough force to reduce their brains to Jell-O in their craniums.

They didn't expect to die so quickly.

The men holding their guns on the two soldiers raised them to fire, pumping round after round into were Jason was…or used to be. He moved in close, seeing the fingers starting to pull on the triggers, slapping the guns so that by the time the fingers reacted to the messages sent by their brains, the barrels of the guns were right under their brains, too fast for them to rescind the orders to fire. Melissa and Sousuke got to their feet as they heard the twin reports, Tessa's shriek as the ceilings were suddenly repainted in Arterial Red mixed with Brain Matter Gray.

Sousuke drew his gun, looking around, staring at Jason. There was a cold look on Jason's face, critical, as if he'd finessed an opponent in chess, yet cared nothing about the game. Kaname and Melissa stared in shock. Tessa saw the bodies and had to fight back a whimper of horror, looking up at Jason.

Melissa turned to Sousuke. "Are you NUTS? Why did you tell them to use live rounds on a test??"

"I didn't…!"

"TEST??" Sousuke looked up and Jason was there, grabbing Sousuke by the shoulder, pain unlike anything he'd ever felt blossoming in his brain. "This was some sort of exercise??"

Sousuke gritted his teeth until he thought they would shatter in his head. "I…did not…call for….live rounds…!"

Melissa pulled off the masks of the men who hadn't blown their brains out. "I don't recognize these guys. Whoever they are, they're not from MITHRIL." She looked up at Jason. "He's telling the truth, this wasn't a test. This was the real thing."

Jason looked down at Sousuke, then released him. He turned to Tessa, wanting to explain, only all he saw was the look on her face at the blood and gore in the room. "Tessa, are you all…?" he asked, reaching out to her, then he saw her pull away as he did, his voice trailing off. "…right…okay…I'll just….check the perimeter, make sure they didn't have any backup." He moved out the window.

Everyone watched him go. Sousuke recovered first. "We need to move to another safe house. This place has been compromised."

The others nodded, Melissa already packing up their gear. Kaname walked over to Tessa, who was still staring at the window. "Tessa?" Kaname asked, then saw Tessa jerk, as if woken out of a bad dream. She turned to Kaname, the question all over her face: "Why?"

Kaname wished she had an answer. "Come on. We've got to go."

Tessa nodded, still in shock. She allowed herself to be led past the bodies to the door. Kaname turned the lights out as they left. She was sure Jason would be able to find them.

What bothered her was what she was now aware of what else Jason could do.

Remo heard his son come in and turned off the TV. "So, son, how'd it go?"

Jason walked in, not saying anything. "I'm going to bed."

His father sobered. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

"What happened?"

Jason walked to the den and sat down on the floor. Remo knew full well that Jason usually sat on the floor when he was depressed. "I blew it, Dad. Big time."

"Don't tell me that the two girls are dead…"

"Worse."

"How could it be…oh. The girl you liked saw you practice."

"Worse than that." He told his father about the intruders.

As Jason finished, his father sighed. "She saw you work. And she got freaked out, right?"

"She hates me. I know she does. She thinks I'm some kind of monster. And she's right. I'm not normal and I'll never be normal." He hung his head.

"Stop it, Jason. You are NOT a monster. And believe me when I say that I'm an expert on monsters. Now look at me." Jason slowly raised his head. "Do you love this girl?"

"I…I don't know. I don't know what I feel."

"Good answer. That means you're still keeping your mind open. You're assigned to protect her. That's something you have to do. Loving her, that's something you have to find out whether you have to do…or just want to do."

"And what if she doesn't love me? What if she hates me?"

Remo sighed. "That's the biz, sweetheart. You can't make someone love you."

"Yes I can…"

"Uh-uh-uh, Jason. No using the fifty-two steps. Besides, that's lust, not love. Trying to mistake lust for love is like telling yourself that a glass of acid is a glass of water. Might look similar and act similar, but you'll taste the difference real quick…and it'll leave you empty inside."

Jason nodded. "I just want to get some sleep."

"Just remember, Jason. Love doesn't come easy or quickly. Give it time. You've got plenty of it, and so will she, if you do the job right."

Jason stood up. "No lectures on taking the job too personally?"

Remo grinned. "I take the idea of anyone trying to kill me pretty personal. Now get some sleep."

Jason was not looking forward to class today. It was Friday, and that meant the weekend was coming. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he saw Tessa next, but he wasn't looking forward to spending his weekend in awkward silence. Now I know why all those cop shows talk about "being too close" to the job…and why it's such a pain in the ass.

He walked onto the school grounds. If I'm lucky, I'll be able to make it to class without running into…

"Jason!"

Jason stopped and bowed his head. "Crap." He turned slightly as he saw Kaname and Sousuke walking towards him. "Uh…hi, guys."

"Jason…" Kaname looked him sternly in the eyes. "We would like to have a word with you."

"Great. Hey, I've got a wonderful idea, you two. Let's pretend for a few minutes that I already feel like total dog doo and move on?"

"This will not wait, Mr. Williams."

"Fine. Where do you want to chew me out?"

Sousuke blinked. "I do not understand."

Jason dropped his briefcase and looked right at them, frustration turning to anger. "Don't play games with me! I know I screwed up, and now Tessa thinks I'm some kind of monstrous killer, and she doesn't want to be around me and I screwed up my part of the mission and…whatever else you want to hit me with!"

Kaname looked around as some of the students stared at him, then said hastily, "Guys, come on, we need to do that skit for the Drama Club with the rest of the actors, okay?"

Sousuke looked around. "Maybe it can wait a few minutes."

Sousuke closed the door to the shed. "Now, I think there's been a misunderstanding. We didn't come here to punish you for doing wrong."

Jason blinked. "What?"

Kaname stepped forward. "Considering the situation, and as much as I hate to admit it, you did do the right thing. Tessa and I would have probably been hurt or killed and you did save our lives. Although it was a little more violent than I would've liked…"

"I suppose you would've preferred I ask them politely?" Jason sat down on the floor.

"The point is, we're alive and it's because of you." Kaname smiled.

"Your execution of your abilities…" Sousuke began.

"Thanks for your impeccable choice of words," Jason groused.

"…was quite effective. It is my opinion that you are indeed qualified to fulfill your duties as a guardian." Sousuke nodded. "So, I submitted my report of the incident as a recommendation of your continued service."

"Thanks a heap. Now all I have to do is somehow manage to get Tessa to think of me as something bordering as human and everything will be just hunky-dory."

Sousuke blinked. "Is this to say that you are…attracted to the Captain?"

"You say one word about it, pal, and you're going to end up MIA, got it?"

Kaname held up her hands. "No, no, we're not going to say anything. But we think this is a good thing…right, Sousuke?"

Sousuke considered. Having the Captain fall for an assassin might be a disaster, and yet, it would shift the focus of Tessa's affections away from him, which meant that Kaname would be less prone towards hitting him with her fan. Disaster…versus…less fan use. Less fan use...disaster.

"Sousuke?" Kaname asked again.

"Still thinking."

"Well, while you two think this over, I'm going to go to class. Let me know if there's anything else I can screw up today." He walked out of the shed, turned the corner and headed for Homeroom.

Kaname watched him go, then turned to Sousuke. "Remind you of anyone?"

"I can't say I've met anyone quite so clueless."

Kaname chuckled. "I have. Let's get to class."

A phone rang in an apartment far away, on another continent. A young girl picked up the phone, listening carefully. After hearing what she wanted to hear, she put down the phone and turned to the other girl in the room. "Sister, the men assigned to kill the MITHRIL agents and take the Whispered captive have failed. All four men were killed."

The other girl sat by a bed where a man lay, covered by a sheet, his face bandaged. Life support machines sat by the bed, tubes and wires leading to different parts of his body. He was alive, if only a few degrees above technically alive. "Sensei will not be pleased. Vengeance against MITHRIL must be complete and absolute. We must find out what happened." She turned back to the man in the bed. "They must all pay for what they did to Sensei...they must all die."

TO BE CONTINUED...