Chapter 10: My Favorite Furon

In the early morning hours Crypto awoke to a sharp banging sound in his head, he groaned as the noise only increased the headache from his hangover. It took a moment before he realized the banging was not in his head but at his door. He growled a little, "Whaat?"

"Crypto the restaurant opens in 10 minutes; get out of bed!" Pox nagged

"10 minutes? That's great, I got 5 to lay here and regret last night."

"You're hung over aren't you? I thought you said you were going to cut back!"

"Yes mommy dearest," he hissed as he got out of bed, "but it doesn't happen overnight ya know!"

"Well this should sober you up; your new waitress will be here any moment for her first shift. Get down there and get her working so she doesn't come looking for you! I don't want her up here!"

"Alright fine just quit yellin' already it's like a knife to the side of my head!"

"It serves you right for being so foolish!" Pox remarked before going back to his lab.

Crypto grumbled and got dressed, not bothering with his appearance too much and heading downstairs, he unlocked the restaurant doors and got the kitchen ready to go. He really wasn't in the mood to cook all day with his headache but his attitude changed almost instantly as Angela nearly glided into the kitchen and put on her apron, "Morning Crypto!" she smiled, washing her hands, "Am I too early?"

Crypto was silent for a moment as he took in her beauty, his headache practically vanishing all together.

"Crypto?" she asked again and waved a hand in front of his eyes.

He blinked, "Uh, no not at all doll face, yer, just in time."

"Great, maybe you should have some coffee quick, wouldn't want to space out like that when you're frying eggs."

"Right, uh, good idea." He grinned

The next week or so went by fairly well, Angela fit in to the restaurant perfectly and she worked well with Crypto who spent any free time he had gawking at her when she wasn't looking. She was friendly and content with her job though she did occasionally ask about her mysterious employer to which Crypto quickly made an excuse as to why he was never available, usually saying something along the lines of him being unsociable. It was on a quiet Sunday afternoon though that Pox called Crypto upstairs telepathically. He left the kitchen when he got a chance and headed up to Pox's room, by then he had the Communication Array's base completed but not the main components as he was waiting on another part. "What's up Pox?" Crypto asked when he walked in.

"How are things going down there?" he asked as he turned to face Crypto.

"Kinda slow, Sundays are like that once noon hits."

"Good, a part I'm waiting for is back ordered, do me a favor and go get me a few brains quickly, I'm sure "Angela" can handle things for a couple hours."

"Uh okay, sure." Crypto got his gun I'll get a few from that group of houses down the street."

"Actually I want you to go to a place north and slightly east of here called "Rock City."

"Rock City? What for?"

"It would seem that the low population in this town is causing people to become suspicious of all the "disappearances" we're causing. I don't want the humans onto our presence. This "Rock City" has a much higher population density and they shouldn't miss a few humans here and there as much."

Crypto smiled, "Right on, I'll reduce ol'Rock City to gravel!" He headed back downstairs and went into the kitchen where Angela was "Hey hot stuff I gotta go ext-er-pick up a couple things, think you can keep an eye on the place till I get back?"

Angela smiled, happy that Crypto was trusting her with the place, "No problem, I'll take care of everything."

"I know you will doll face." He grinned "I should be back before closing time but start the clean up without me just in case." He ran outside and got in the saucer, being sure to keep it cloaked so it wasn't heard or seen by anyone and flew off to get brains.

Angela tended to the customers for the rest of the shift. Crypto still wasn't back when it got close to closing time but she figured he would be walking in any minute. She cleaned up the tables, the dishes and the kitchen and no sooner had she finished that the clock over the stove said 5pm. She headed to the front of the restaurant and turned the sign in the window around so that it read closed. She peered out the window down the street and saw no one. "I wonder why he's not back yet…" she said to herself but went to the till and got the bag they put the money into every night before Crypto took it upstairs and proceeded to empty the register out and fill the bag. When that was done she zipped it closed and then wasn't sure what to do. Crypto had yet to return and he always took the money once they were done and went upstairs while she went home. She thought of leaving the bag by the till but that didn't feel right. She looked toward the stairs; this could be a perfect opportunity to actually meet her boss. A smile crept over her face as she carried the money bag over to the stairs case. She was nervous but also curious and headed up there slowly.

Pox was trying to create an upgrade for the Disintegrator Ray, so it dealt more damage, without burning his phalange pods off, he was glad Crypto hadn't taken it with him and left with only the Zap-o-matic and the Ion Detonator. He paused in his work as he suddenly felt a presence outside his door that definitely was not Crypto. He swallowed a little hard as the half closed door behind him was pushed open carefully. He turned his chair quickly and seized Angela with his superior mental abilities just by locking his gaze on her; she let out a startled shriek as she was suddenly hoisted off of the ground and held above the floor several inches by her mysterious employer. She looked around frantically, seeing the lab, the experiments, the brains and it quickly sunk in what she was truly dealing with, "Oh my God you're REAL ALIENS!"

Pox growled slightly at the terrified human female "Yes, and thankfully you won't be able to run and inform the local constabulary and the military of what you've seen here."

Angela whimpered a little as she felt a terrible pressure building up inside her skull as Pox glared at her sharply; ready to extract her brain by causing her head to explode. "Please, don't!" She cried as the pressure got worse.

Lucky for her Crypto had just returned and heard her pleading. He rushed up stairs and into Pox's room, "Pox wait!" he shouted as he saw what his mentor was about to do. Pox shifted his gaze to Crypto and Angela was relieved as the pressure in her head ceased but he still did not let her down from the air. "I have no choice Crypto! I knew hiring a human was a bad idea, they're far too curious for their own good! If I let her go we'll have to flee Floodlight and start over yet again! We'll be hunted down and-"

"Damn it Pox calm down!" Crypto interrupted him, "That's not gonna happen!"

"Oh you think not? Tell me that when we're both lying open on a dissection table! I had no problem with her while she was downstairs and oblivious but now she's seen everything!" Pox looked back at the terrified Angela. "You, stop seeing everything!"

She quickly shut her eyes, she'd do anything not to get her brain splattered everywhere. She cracked an eye open though as Crypto moved closer to Pox, "Look Pox you don't have to pull her brain out we could just wipe her memory and let her keep workin' here."

Pox thought about it "Well…"

"Um, excuse me," Angela said timidly, "do I get a say in this?"

"No!" Pox exclaimed.

"Sure thing cupcake." Crypto overruled his frantic commander, "Would you rather we wipe yer memory or extract yer brain?"

"Don't give her a choice you dolt!" Pox hissed, "She's a risk to our mission and our existence! She's dangerous!"

"I won't turn you in!" Angela said quickly," I promise!"

"Oh you promise? Oh that makes this loads better. What kind of fool do you take me for?"

"A merciful one?" She asked nervously, "Please, give me a chance, I really won't tell anyone!"

Pox was about to say no when he looked back at Crypto who was giving him a sad puppy face. "Don't… don't give me that look!" Pox hissed.

"Aw c'mon Poxy have a heart." Crypto stuck his lower lip out a little, "I know ya got one under that tough guy act you put on."

"I'm not giving in, I refuse to give in! This is absolutely unacceptable and, and…"

"Aaand?" Crypto grinned, seeing Pox was about to break.

"Oh fine!" he threw his hands in the air in disgust with himself. He let Angela down and spoke sternly to Crypto, "She gets ONE chance, that's it, if the army shows up at our doorstep or I catch her going through anything she's not supposed to I will not hesitate to remove her brain."

"Got it Poxy." Crypto flashed a smug expression.

"Wipe that triumphant smile off your face!" Pox hissed and returned to his work quickly.

Crypto looked back at Angela who was a little pale from the shock of what happened. "T-Thank you Crypto."

"No sweat doll face." He purred, "Pox talks a tough game but he's really just a big softie."

"I am not!" Pox squeaked in complaint but it was wildly obvious that he was, even if he wouldn't admit it.

Angela calmed herself down, "Well, this wasn't how I thought my first encounter with my employer would go but I uh… I'm glad it turned out well. So you're really Aliens…"

"You know it sugar." Crypto said as he sat on Pox's bed. "My full name's Cryptosporidium and he's my commander Orthopox 13"

"14" Pox corrected him curtly.

"Oh yeah, 14" Crypto said, not fazed by Pox's mood in the slightest. "We're from the planet Furon."

"I have to admit, I've always been fascinated by the thought of extraterrestrials coming to earth but I never thought it would really happen, at least not in my life time, it's a little hard to take in. But I'm very pleased to meet you." She said excitedly.

"Please to meet you too." Crypto smiled, "You got any questions you want answered?"

"Lots but right now I'm not sure where to begin." She admitted, "I think I need a little time to adjust, this is quite a shock and things are hectic at home too."

"Oh? Somethin' wrong?"

"Sort of, my landlord is evicting me from my apartment so his son can move in with his new wife, so I have to move. Would it be OK if I took a day off to find a place?"

"Take all the time you need or uh you could just stay here."

"What?" Pox coughed, practically choking on his coffee.

"Really?" Angela asked, a little surprised.

"Sure, we got an extra room you can use, its right next to mine."

"Crypto!" Pox hovered over, "Are you insane?"

"Aw c'mon Poxicle, unless you want her out there amongst all the monkeys, being tempted to tell them stuff."

"I loathe you." he grumbled, "Very well, Angela, you may stay here until you find another place to live, and that's it."

"Thank you Orthopox, I really appreciate it!" She exclaimed happily, "I'll be sure to work extra hard to make up for my being here."

"Yes…well, you had better get your stuff then." Pox said a little uneasily, not sure how to take her gratitude.

"Alright," she nodded, "Crypto, could you help me?"

"I thought you'd never ask." The warrior beamed and quickly followed her out.

Pox watched them leave and turned toward his desk. What was he thinking, letting a human live with them? If the home world found out he'd be stripped of his rank and likely imprisoned… or killed. He shuddered at the thought, he would just have to make absolutely sure no one found out about this, at least it was only temporary. He felt a little better at that but he couldn't get his mind off of the worst case scenarios. What if Angela tipped someone off about them? What if she jeopardized their mission? Or worse, what if she was under cover and had really been sent there to kill them both.

His mind was so full of these kinds of thoughts that a knot formed in his gut. He didn't even notice how much time had passed and jumped when he heard the two reenter the restaurant with her stuff. Pox took a deep breath to regain his composure and listened to the bustling as Crypto helped Angela move her stuff into the spare room across the hall.

It was easy to get Angela moved in, she didn't have much for possessions and with Crypto's psychokinesis it made the job go even faster. She looked around "well that's it, Thanks for the help."

"Hey anytime doll face." He grinned

She smiled a little, "I'd better get some sleep tomorrow will be busier." She took off her shoes and let her hair down, "Good night Crypto."

"Yeah, night." He watched her for a moment longer before leaving and shutting the door with his PK, he pouted a little since he'd hoped she'd have shown him the "gratitude" he was hoping for.

Pox could sense his disappointment as he walked by; "Losing your edge Crypto?" he teased him telepathically.

"No!" he growled back, "I'm just workin' up to makin' my move, she totally digs me"

"Ah, of course, it couldn't be that your vulgar forward nature is off-putting to some."

"Bark all you want Poxy but how many ladies have you been with since getting your package back?"

"I'd hardly call those scantily clad floozies you normally hang around with "ladies"."

"Whatever, I'm goin' to bed. " He grumbled and went to his room, flopping onto the mattress, uniform and all.