Hello friends. Suewe ;-) Hope you are not burried under the snow by now. Well, here is something to warm you up.


The General´s Secret

The monsters were in the desert. They had gathered at the edge of the canyon in what they used to do their training games. Though today they didn´t play at all. They were just standing there, unsure what to do. Monger had send them out. The Lieutenant he had send them to deliver this very message, had not given any explanation. Only the order to go out and do training as usual. Now they were waiting for each other to start the conversation. It was B.O.B. who finally broke the silence.

„What is going to happen now?" he asked like there could possibly be some mystery to be solved.

The others sighed somehow relieved but also still worried.

„Thats exactly what I say." Link started and threw up his hands. „Why are we here anyway? Is Monger trying to pretend, that nothing ever happened?"

„What happened?" B.O.B. cried worried. Link ignored him. He said: „I mean … He can´t be serious with that, can he?"

Susan looked into the distance, without any reason at all and suddenly spotted something flying that approached them. „I don´t think he is." she said.

The others looked the same direction. When they spotted Monger they grew silent again, waited for his arrival. Susan instantly checked the area behind Monger, if there was someone else coming along with him. But there was no one else. Just him. Suddenly she felt that she started to sweat, even in her cooling extraterrestrial suit. What was about to come now? Monger landed in front of their little congress and switched off the jetpack. He seemed contemplated.

„General." Susan greeted unsure.

He gave her a short look and stepped forward. His feet shuffled a little in the sand of the desert.

„Monsters." he said. „I need to have a talk with you."

Dr. Cockroach, Link and B.O.B. shared a glance. They all thought the same thing. The Doc opened his mouth to say something but then changed his mind and closed it again. They would wait for Monger to start. And he did. He said: „Listen. I never was someone for difficult words so I come straight to the point. You figured out that there is something … strange about my age."

„We didn´t mean to upset you." Susan interrupted without being able to stop herself.

He looked at her puzzled. Then he lowered his gaze. His feet were shuffling again.

„I just need to say … you´re right." Now he finally looked up. His gaze was the gaze of a man that was ready to face his judge. „You are right." he repeated. Nothing more.

After a while of silence, Dr. Cockroach asked: „But … why did you never tell us?" Then he thought about it and added: „Okay. I can imagine why you didn´t. But … I mean …Well …"

„I think, what he means to say, General, is …" Susan took over to save the situation from getting too embarrassing. „We are sorry … that we had to find out this way. I´m sure you would have told us one day on your own conditions."

Monger looked at her with a mixture of disbelieve and gratefulness. Then he nodded but lowered his gaze again. In this moment he was so less the General they knew than he had ever been before.

„I doubt that I ever would have told you." he said. „The reason why I came out here today is … I need to know what you plan to do with your knowledge. And if I should prepare to step back."

Now it was them that looked puzzled. „Stepping back?" B.O.B. asked. „Why? Do we smell or something?" he whispered.

„B.O.B., please." Dr. Cockroach said uncomfortable. He turned to Monger. „General … you don´t need to fear anything from us."

„Yeah, we … already agreed not to tell anyone." Link explained.

„We came to the conclusion …" Dr. Cockroach added with a switching look from one of his friends to the other, like he would search for confirmation. „… that we like to let things remain the way they are."

Monger stared at him. He was too stunned to say a word, quiet like he had been the day before. At last Susan leaned down a little and addressed him carefully. That finally woke him up and he looked around from one to the other.

„I don´t know what to say." he admitted.

The monsters smiled. „No need to say anything, General." Dr. Cockroach said. „Everything is the same."

Monger nodded. „Well, then … I suppose its better to go back to work." he said.

A general relief was the result of these words. The monsters smiled and looked at each other with a certain happiness.

„Well, what are you standing here?" Monger finally yelled in his old mood. „Back to your training, monsters."

„Sir, yes sir." the monsters answered unisono, saluting to him. He returned the salut with a wide grin. Without saying another word, he activated his jetpack and flew back to the base. His base.

...

That evening when Susan was on her way back to her quarter, she spottet Monger on the promenade level. He undoubtedly was on his own way, to whatever his target might be. Probably back to his office after he finished some business around the base. It was only seven and it was likely that he wasn´t completely finished yet.

Strange, she thought. That he even was able to focus on his work after all that had been today. She wouldn´t be, that was for sure. The only thing that she would be able to think of would be the future. What would happen now? Would it change her (if she would be in his place) relationship with the monsters? What could happen if one of them had a slip of the tongue in front of the wrong person? Things like that. He didn´t seem to bother about that at all. Did he?

She hesitated a moment. Then she saw him stopping just before the railway turned around the corner. He touched the handrail and leaned over it, looking into the distance. Thinking. He hadn´t noticed her, yet.

Susan wasn´t sure anymore. Perhaps she misjudged him again. He was troubled after all, there was no denying. She sighed and went over to him. She had no idea, what she wanted to say. She just felt that she owed him some more words of apology.

„Sir." she addressed him.

He jumped a little when her voice broke the silence.

„Ginormica. I didn´t hear you coming."

„I just … wanted to say, sorry." she said.

„There is no need for that." he assured her.

„But there is." she insisted. „I was the reason, why the Doc started the research on you in the first place."

„Why you?" he asked puzzled.

„I asked him about your age." she admitted. „I was just wondering." she hastily added. „You didn´t seem like someone that is over fifty … thats why I was startled. I just couldn´t understand and so …"

„And so, curiosity was stronger." he finished the sentence for her. He nodded like someone who was used to hear things like that. And he probably was.

She smiled and bit her lower lip. Monger couldn´t help but smiled at this. He knew he was right. Of course he knew. Susan wasn´t the best pretender, when it came about hiding the truth.

„If I just could do anything to make this right." she said. „I mean … I know that it isn´t easy suddenly to be so exposed." She chuckled and opened her arms to show herself. „How couldn´t I?" Then she stopped laughing and became serious again. „Sure there is nothing I can do for you?" she asked. „A favour perhaps? I still have to pay you back that you safed me from that court." She smiled and then laughed. „Wow. I actually owe you more than I thought myself."

„Its all right." he said. „Don´t worry about that. I don´t call in my favours. Not that way." he added, leaving open which way he meant exactly.

He looked into the distance again, only this time he smiled slightly. Susan just waited. She couldn´t stop herself but suddenly had that picture in her head about Monger as the Godfather, who collected his favours years after with a phone call and a very very husky voice. A giggle was about to start in her, when she suddenly noticed the Generals face. He seemed to think about something. Like he just had had an idea. He looked at her, hesitating. She gave him an asking look, encouraging him to talk.

„Well." he finally said, rubbing his neck. „Perhaps there is something you could do, to do me a favour."

Susan couldn´t help but thought: The Godfather has spoken. She bit her tongue to stop the laughter.

...

Susan climbed up the mountain that was above their base. When she reached its top, she sat down on the edge, her legs dangling over the ground. Monger already had been waiting for her there. He had flown forward with his jetpack. Now they were sitting there next to each other.

„What is it?" she wanted to know. He had asked her to follow him up here. Now she expected something that she was supposte to do for him. Though she had not the slightest idea what it could be. Moving a big rock? But for what reason and purpose? No that couldn´t be it.

„I just wanted to show you this." he said with a motion of his hand, that included the whole area. „Did you ever see the sunset in the desert?"

Susan blinked in stunned surprise. „Actually yes." she said. „Since we are here and … you know, no longer imprisoned … I´ve watched the sunset several times out here."

„But I´m sure you never saw it from this point of view." Monger continued without any doubt. „Look at this."

And she did. It was a gigantic view. Even with her new size, she was amazed by the height they were at. It looked like she could see into eternity. Like the sky would be endless and the horizon so far ahead that someone could doubt there would be something else beyond this desert. It was almost like standing on the highest point on earth.

„It is beautiful." she said.

„All this will be yours one day." he said. „Everything the light touches."

Susan looked at him puzzled. He kept a straight face for fife more seconds, then he grinned and burst out into laughter. „Sorry, I couldn´t resist." he chuckled and wiped a tear away from his eye.

Susan blinked in surprise. But it was a positive form of surprise. She never had expected Monger to show sense of humor. Especially not such a hilarious kind of humor. Just when you think you have a guy figured out … he starts to quote from Disney films.

„Why did you bring me up here?" she asked him gently.

He shrugged. „Well, I just wanted you to see this." he said. „You asked me, what you could do for me. Now that was it."

He straighted his back and looked out into the distance, keeping his eyes strictly away from hers. His face was straight and motionless. Susan understood and smiled warmly at him. She was sure he knew it, even if he didn´t look at her.

„Thanks." she whispered, almost as if she was afraid that she could disturb the moment by speaking too loud. „Thanks for sharing this."

For a moment his face softened. But only for a moment. They sat there for a while until he broke the silence again.

„I wasn´t born with it." he suddenly told her out of the blue. Susan knew immediately what he was talking about.

„Your mutation." she said.

He nodded. „It was like with most of you monsters. An accident."

Finally Susan understood. So that was the reason why they were here. So he could tell her his story. He probably wasn´t a man that could talk about something that personal just like that. He obviously had first needed to create a situation he could control. By bringing her up here, he had been able to do that. Or, she added, he just had to make sure, no one else could listen in. All right then, she thought. The General needs a counselor. So it may be. I´m Ginormica. No reason why I shouldn´t be able to extend my job description in this facility.

„What happened?" she asked, ready to take the role of the therapist. Imagining Monger lying on a couch almost made her giggle again. But then he started to talk and the laughter died. Something in his face made her listen attentionally.

„It was … when? 1939? Something like that. I was still at the military academy. I shared my room with a guy named Frank Donahue. He was a little lab crack. In a matter of fact, he was a lot like our friend Dr. Cockroach. Always in the lab, always searching to find the one big invention. His baby was a substance that he tried to create to make some sort of Captain America out of our soldiers. I believe he read to many comics."

„Did he test it on you?" Susan asked carefully.

Monger started to laugh. „My god, no. Do I look so stupid? No no. As I said, it was an accident."

His smile faded and he looked into the distance like the memory alone was enough to let it happen again in front of his eyes.

He said: „I can´t remember what it was exactly. I never found out. I only know that there was smoke crawling out under the door of his lab, when I came there. I ran in and everything was burning. I believe something exploded. There were splinters and fragments of glas all around the table. Frank was lying right in the middle of all this. Unconscious. I ran to him and grabbed him to get him the hell out of there. I´m not sure how it happened but, in that moment, I cut myself on one of those glas splinters. It cut my hand and for a moment, I saw that there was a green liquid in the wound. But I had no time to think about it, so I took Frank and brought him out. Though I forced myself to focus on Frank and not that tiny little cut of mine, I can remember it vividly. Even now." He raised his hand in front of his eyes as if he really could still see it. „When he was in the clinic of our base and the doctors took care of him, a nurse asked me about my hand. I noticed that the liquid was gone but the cut looked awful. She bandaged it and that was all I had to think about that." He sighed mutely. „An hour later I learned that Frank didn´t make it. He was already as good as dead, when I got him out."

„I´m sorry." Susan said quietly.

Mongers face showed a lot of regret. He never looked up at her.

„So that substance … it went into your bloodstream." she came back to the point.

Monger nodded. „After Franks death, I packed his stuff to send it to his family. While I did this, I found his files in his locker. I started to read them. I can´t even tell you, why I did this. I surely didn´t look for some secret in there. I just … I never was very interested in what he was doing in his lab. I always laughed about it and called it crap. Just fantasies that would never come true. He was never offended by that. It was the way we treated each other. But suddenly … when I had these files in my hand … I felt guilty."

He hold his hands in front of him like he would hold a file right now. Susan wasn´t sure if he even was aware about it.

„I never listened to him." Monger went on. „Never gave his ideas a chance. Reading these files was like reading the last letters of him. Letters in which the beloved dead had written the last truth from the depth of his heart. The kind of thing you never hear from him as long as he lives and everything is all right."

Susan felt a tear rolling down her cheek and wiped it off.

„It wasn´t easy to read them but I did." Monger told her without noticing it. „I read them all. And on the last page I found something … well, rather shocking. It was the file about his Captain America Project. Thats what he called it. There were uncountable pages with notes about his tests. All failed. But on the last page, very much at the edge of the paper, there was a note, that seemed to be very new. I still remember the words as vividly as I remember the cut in my hand. They said: `Original experiment failed. Success on other level. Spontaneous regeneration of cells. Have to test it again tomorrow. Memo: Don´t forget the note with the formular. I think, I truly found the fountain of youth´."

Susan gasped in silence. „What did you do?" she wanted to know.

„I burned the note." Monger said. „Not to save my secret. And though I always tried to convince myself that I did it, so that none of these guys in the government would get crazy ideas … I think the real reason why I did it was ´cause I thought with burning the paper, I could also delete my memory of ever reading that words."

„You were afraid." Susan understood.

„It scared the living … out of me." Monger said smirking. „But after the funeral … and since there was no effect on my health or anything that was worth to be noticed … I actually could forget about it. At least I didn´t think of it that often anymore. But like every dark secret … you know. They always come back to you. I was reminded on it again and again. Especially when people told me, how young I looked for my actual age. When I was in war I got wounded several times, but my wounds always healed much faster than they should. The M.A.S.H. doctors called me the Lucky Lieutenant." He smirked and then shrugged. „Then on a certain day, I just knew it. It was no special day or anything. It was just about time, I think. Maybe its true and there is a time for everything. And that was my time to accept that I was …"

„Different?" Susan offered. He looked at her surprised. Then he smiled.

„Yes." he said and lowered his gaze again. „After that I was worn out. I wasn´t sure about myself anymore and if I still could serve my country, knowing about what I was. Knowing that I could only stay in duty when I kept lying. I asked for vacation and went on the road. At least I planned to."

„What happened?"

Mongers face softened. „At the station, I meet a young woman." he told her and also his voice had gotten much softer now. „Elisabeth Walker. It was just coincidence that she was there. She smiled and we started to talk. For some reason that …" he shrugged. „I don´t know. It made it better somehow. She would just listen, you know. She was so lively and innocent but also wise in her own way."

„She became your wife." Susan guessed. He nodded.

„One year later. She was the only person I could ever talk to about everything, without being afraid she would call me crazy." he laughed and Susan smiled in sympathy.

„Did you tell her about your condition?"

He nodded again. „Before we got married. I wanted her to know before … you know."

Yes she knew. Oh, how she knew what he meant.

„She accepted it. She always understood those things. She also understood, that I had to take over the command of Area 52, even if it meant that I couldn´t come home very often. She understood, why I had to."
„Because you understood the monsters."

He nodded. Susan sighed mutely. He had had a person that was willing to understand. To accept the one thing that was almost unacceptable. That he was something … different. Lucky him. She never had known that herself. It wasn´t meant to be. Not for her. For a moment she had to fight the feeling of jealousy and anger, because he had been so goddamn lucky while she had had to face rejection and treason. But then she remembered what he had been through and the bad emotions went away. It wouldn´t be fair to be mad with him, just because he had had a wife that loved him.

She thought for a moment. Then she said: „You talk about her in the past."

„She died twenty-two years ago." Monger said. „On a Saturday in 1983."

„I´m sorry." Susan said. He didn´t answer. Then she said: „You still love her."

„I still miss her." Monger corrected in a very sad tone. „I miss the talks we had. I´m not sure if you can love a dead person." he added.

„I believe you can." Susan said. He looked up in surprise and that was the moment when she realized, that she had actually said it loud. „Ehm, and you never married again?" she hastily asked to get over that embarrassing moment.

Monger chuckled. „When you work in a place that is so x-file like this, you don´t meet a lot of women that are not carrying weapons or rings … or both."

Susan understood. This time she knew, she was about to say it loud. But this time she did it willingly. She asked: „Are you lonely, General?" but in this very moment, Monger stood up and rubbed his hands. „I start to get cold, don´t you?" he said. „Time to go back inside."

He started his jetpack and led the way. Susan wasn´t sure if he even had heard her last question.

On her way down the mountain, he remained at her level. It was already dark and Susan had her problems seeing where she had to grab the rocks. On a certain point she actually slipped. She was able to catch herself but her heart pounded hard against her ribcage. Monger was with her immediately.

„Careful." he demanded. „We don´t want you to hit the roof of our hangar."

„Don´t worry." she said. „I won´t hurt it."

„Good." Monger stated. „Because the sand cover is pretty new." With that he flew forward to the door that was right beneath Susan now. She watched him land and smiled. That man would never change, would he?

She reached him when he already had entered the code into the keyboard and the door opened. When they entered the facility, Susan spotted the big clock and learned that it was already close to midnight. God, she hadn´t even noticed how long they had been sitting up there. Now they walked side by side – she on the floor and he on the promenade level, silent all the way. When they passed his office they stopped for a moment.

„More work?" she asked him.

„No, I just … I just want to check on something, before I go to my quarter."

She smiled and nodded. „Well." she said. „That was nice." Some softer she added: „Thank you."

„I have to thank." he said straighting his back again.

Susan shrugged. „Perhaps we could do that again." she suggested.

Monger hold her smiling gaze with his straight one for a moment. Then he raised his chin and said: „Perhaps."

She bowed over to him and placed a kiss on his cheek so fast that he couldn´t do anything against it. She wasn´t even sure why she did it. It just happened. He frowned and looked at her in surprise. She was smiling at him like a playful child. But when their eyes met, her smile faded. Slowly she inched closer again and before any of them even knew what happened, he had touched her face and they kissed softly. His lips were much smaller on hers of course, but it didn´t matter. It felt just right anyway. For a moment it didn´t even matter, that she was 50 feet tall and he her General. In that moment they were just two people that did what their feelings told them to do. But the moment passed by and as soon as they realized what they were doing, they broke off and stared at each other in shock. The silence between them was tensing. None of them knew what to say. Finally Susan made herself to brake the silence. She said: „I think, I better go now."

He didn´t answer. Perhaps he couldn´t. So she walked away without another word. Monger watched her go, a split feeling inside, that threw him in two directions the same time. He never should had allowed this to happen.


All right. I´m really anxious to hear what you say about this. So please tell me.

And see you next week at the same place ... I hope.

Have a good time and thanks for reading.