1343 Words, this chapter

Chapter Eleven

"You did what?" Becker asked. He sat, lounging in a medical bed, the team sitting or standing around him.

"She was awesome," said Connor.

Jess giggled. "He's calling me Action Woman."

Connor smiled. "I am."

Becker stared in disbelief. Then he glared at Matt. "How could you let her?"

Matt laughed. "She was possessed. She just took off. We had no choice but to pray her plan worked."

"It did," said Jess, smiling a bit smugly.

Becker shook his head. "Of all the idiotic things to do..."

Jess raised her eyebrow. "Like jumping in front of a giant mutated stinger?"

He blushed. "That was slightly less dumb. There was only the one."

She laughed. "True."

"However, both actions were heroic," said Emily.

Jess blushed. "I had to do something. I'm not helpless."

"No. You aren't," said Becker. He stared affectionately at her. "You saved me." She smiled widely.

Then he smirked. "I guess."

She scoffed. "You guess?"

The others laughed.

"High praise coming from a smug super hero," said Matt. "Good work, both of you."

"Indeed," said their boss, strolling into the medical section. "First, may I say that I'm delighted you all returned and that I do not need to commence the tedious chore of job interviews."

They laughed.

"Secondly, may I say that I am astonished that you are actually laying in a hospital bed, Captain."

Jess giggled. "They gave him a sedative."

"For the pain," said Abby.

"It was unnecessary," said Becker. He smiled at Jess. "I don't feel pain."

She giggled. "I think the anti-venom Connor and Abby made is making him giddy."

"It might," said Connor. "We barely had time to test it."

"It works though," said Matt, "judging from Becker's recovery."

"Good, there are unfortunately, many people who need it," said Lester. "Some are in desperate need."

"We started shipping it out as soon as Becker showed improvement," said Abby, "but we did inform health officials that it hadn't gone through vigorous tests."

"In case we needed to cover our butts later," said Connor.

"I doubt that will be enough," said Lester.

"You don't need to worry," said Becker. "I feel fantastic."

Jess giggled. "You didn't add anything 'happy' to the anti-venom did you?"

They laughed.

Becker smirked. "All I need is to see your face."

She blushed and giggled more.

"I think it's having side effects," said Connor, laughing.

"Hmm. Disturbing ones as well," said Lester. He shook his head. "How about the wasp killer you came up with? It sounds dubious, adapted from the venom of a fly."

"A fly?" asked Becker.

"Asilidae," said Connor. "The robber fly family. It is a fly but it is notoriously aggressive, sometimes called the Assassin Fly."

"It sounds perfect for the job," said Becker.

"Yeah," said Jess.

"They have a wide range of prey," said Abby. "Including wasps."

"Oh..." said Jess. "So that's why it works, hopefully?"

"It does work," said Matt. "We tested it on the captive wasps. They were dead as soon as we injected them with the enhanced venom we created. We're calling it a killing agent, it's not really pure robber fly venom anymore."

"Why?" asked Lester.

"Because these creatures aren't pure wasps," said Abby.

Lester nodded. "It works?"

They all nodded.

"That's good enough for me," said Lester.

"Wait," said Becker. "You have to inject it? How the heck are you going to inject thousands of bugs?"

"The captain has a point," said Lester. "It sounds like a time-consuming logistic nightmare."

Connor and Matt smiled at the same time. "We shoot them," said Connor.

"Using tranquilizer guns and darts filled with agent instead of tranq," explained Matt.

"You're joking!" cried Becker. "I'm laid up in a hospital bed and now we get to use guns?"

Jess broke out in giggles.

"Sorry, Mate," said Matt. "That's how life works sometimes."

Becker growled. "How soon can I be cleared for duty? I feel fine."

"Sorry, Captain. You're on bed rest for a few days," said Lester. "And to ensure you stay put, I've put Jess in charge of Becker containment."

The others laughed.

"I've been promoted," said Jess, smiling at him.

Becker smiled back. "That sounds like a silver lining, but aren't you need in Ops?"

"Not if we bring Ops here," she said.

"We've got techs bringing the portable ADD and a few monitors to this very room," said Lester.

"Definitely a silver lining," Becker said. He smiled at Jess. She blushed but smiled.

"Maybe it isn't a good idea, after all," said Lester. "You do have a job to perform, Miss Parker. You don't need to be...distracted."

"How dare you!" she snapped, but then she smiled. "I'll be fine. I'm very professional. In fact, I'm on top of things. I've already lined up several deliveries of robber flies."

"Will we have enough?"

"No problem Lester," said Connor. "Asilidae are cosmopolitan."

Lester stared. "What are you saying, that they're city dwellers? Do they head down to the tube to catch the morning train, drinking a latte?"

Jess burst out giggling again. Connor laughed loudly. Abby shook her head.

"No, Lester," said Matt, grinning. "Cosmopolitan means they live all over the world, where they're are suitable habitats."

"Oh. So procuring them shouldn't be a problem?" asked the ARC director.

"Nope," said Jess. "Judging from the ease of finding contacts, I'd say we'll be knee-deep in them." She shuddered. "Yuck. Bugs."

"How soon can we have the stuff out on the streets?" asked Lester.

"Withing the hour," said Matt.

Abby nodded. "We've got troops standing by."

"And I'll direct them, with the other coordinators helping of course," said Jess.

"We'll coordinate one massive assault," said Matt, "all over the city."

"Wait til the bugs drop and then send in backup waves," continued Connor.

"And we'll have supporting forces rounding up stragglers," said Abby.

"We also have our people making more killing agent," said Matt.

"We are prepared," agreed Emily.

Lester smiled broadly. "Excellent."

They were quiet, but for once, they were happy.

Well, most of them.

"And I get to lay here," complained Becker. "Yay."

Jess giggled, leaning in to kiss his cheek.

"None of that! Miss Parker, perhaps you should remain in Ops."

"No! I don't trust Becker, he'll try to join his forces," she said, as Becker smiled.

"I will."

Lester sighed. "Fine. Just...be on your toes, Jess. You're crucial to the operation."

"I have faith in her," said Matt.

Jess smiled. "Don't worry, when it's time I'll be ready. Becker won't even distract me."

"No, I won't," said Becker. "I trust her too. Pity."

She blushed, but grinned at him.

"Well, let's get Operation Pest Removal on the move," said Lester.

The others nodded.

"Take it easy, Becker," said Matt, heading out.

"Take care," said Emily.

"Be good," Abby told him.

Connor just smiled. "Stay in bed and keep your paws to yourself."

Becker rolled his eyes but Jess giggled.

"Go on, get out of here," she said, "But be careful."

"No worries, Jess," said Abby, the last to leave. "We're finally getting out of this mess."

"I hope so."

Becker sighed, watching them leave. "I wish I was going."

Jess looked at him, as the portable ADD and monitors rolled in. "I sorry to say that I'm glad you're not. It's...selfish."

Becker smiled. "Thank you."

Jess laughed, rolling her eyes. "Don't get...a big head. I'm...just concerned...for a friend."

"Right, Jess," he said, smirking. "A friend you risked your life for."

She sat at the ADD. "You weren't holding back either, Hero. That's why you're laid up."

"Don't rub it in!"

She giggled. "Then behave."

"Yes, ma'am."

End of Chapter Eleven