DISCLAIMER
I don't own the characters of Generator Rex. This fic was written for fun!
THE LOST QUEEN
By Airshadow
CHAPTER XVI
BACKSTAGE
Vocabulary:
Buenas Noches. Good Night.
"Excellent work, Six, as usual," the Former mercenary looked at his superior; he still was wearing the Pawns' uniform and was more than willing to switch to his usual attire. Something that he would do, once he finished his report. Two hours had passed since the infiltrator's capture and the security levels had relaxed a bit. Calan had performed a deep check-up with the purpose to find any other non-detected infiltrator, who could compromise the security of the building; thankfully, no further suspicious activity was found so far. Once he had the certainty that no immediate danger threatened the inhabitants of the base, the Captain's attention was focused on an unscheduled trip to Hong Kong. Bobo, who for once in his life was following orders, had sneaked to the room he shared with Rex, and would most likely be snoring at that moment. Another one who was in her accommodations was Holiday, he guessed she would have insomnia; worrying sick for the minor's well-fare. He promised himself to verify if she's all right afterward his appointment with White was over.
"What about Morrison? What did you find out?" asked Chief of Providence while he saw at his subordinate from the security of his sterile chamber.
"He works for Van Kleiss. He was an undercover agent for years. It seems that he infiltrated shortly after we recruited the Kid when our security measures were a little more... relaxed," he answered dryly. The Albino man grunted; it wasn't a surprise to have spies among them. In fact, in this line of work, it was almost expected. But the most disturbing fact was the possibility to have more than one inside the HQ.
"What are you doing about that, Six?" he inquired.
"Calan and I are conducting a deep investigation in order to locate as well as neutralize other possible leaks. We will personally supervise the task once he leaves Morrison in our Prison."
"What about Special Agent Rex?"
"He has reported his arrival to his destination twenty minutes ago; he's with the Little One right now."
The Leader of Providence nodded approvingly, he added "It's all for now, you are dismissed."
The Former Assassin walked out of the office with a calmed stride, he headed towards the living quarters where he planned to take a well-deserved rest. While he headed towards his destination, his mind remembered the events of the last hours; particularly the talk he had with the boy, minutes after boarding the ship, afterward dropping Reggie into her improvised Safe House.
"Let's review the plan, we cannot afford to make mistakes," said Six. He looked around him. The tension was palpable within the chamber where the little girl had been a few hours before, recovering from her unwanted trip to Abysus. Inside it, at his side, also were the main protagonists of that daring rescue: Rex, Bobo, Calan as well as Holiday. Around them were a group of Troopers, ready to receive instructions. Close to the group, was the stainless steel trolley with the wooden box which was picked up on England together a wheeled.
The Second of Providence saw around as if he was waiting for questions. Then he spotted the Captain and the Young Scientist. Calan spoke, "Once we arrive at the Infirmary, the Pawns will leave the place; Holiday and I will depart shortly after."
The Agent nodded. He observed the Young EVO then dryly questioned, "Kid?"
"The Monkey and I have to trumpet aloud that we are leaving the base. I have to travel back to the city to babysit my sis in her improvised sleepover..." the adolescent responded.
"And I will sneak back to the base, that means I can take over of the room, right? Till' you are back," stated the Chimp when he noticed a disapproving look from his human friend. He aggregated somehow defiantly. "Still I insist to go with the Chief."
"We don't want to attract unnecessary attention, plus a chimpanzee is not a common pet," the Former Mercenary retorted dryly, while the aforementioned snorted, annoyed. Six noticed something odd in his unusually quiet pupil; he added, "What happen, Kid? You are quite fond to go out without permission."
"This one isn't actually 'without permission', Six, that spoils all the fun," the teen replied with irony, "Besides, how do you know he will appear? He may have buggered off by now. How will we convince him that Reggie is still here? We need to have somethin' good to make'im appear and fish him?"
"All the access are locked down, nobody can go in or out the base without my expressed consent," explained his Handler "Regarding how to convince him to show up, I have a good bait."
As he signalled with his head, some Pawns moved towards the wooden box, and they extracted a high-quality mannequin. It looked much alike to The Little One. The doll was dressed in pajamas, it had the same size as her. They placed the dummy on the stretcher once the soldiers stepped aside. The Ex-Assassin hid his manga blades among the sheets and he covered the doll as if it was a child tucked in her bed. He watched at the presents and continued telling his plan: "All of us will escort the stretcher to the infirmary, I'll disguise myself as a Pawn; next, I'll remain behind waiting for the traitor to show up. Calan will tell you the final details as well as when to leave each one. Holiday," the alluded saw at the Second of Providence "You will retire at your quarters, let me deal with the Mole. Anderson together Warren will stay outside in the first watch." resumed the Agent while the aforementioned troopers nodded. "Be careful, The Infiltrator might be desperate, making him highly dangerous. Kid, remember what we talked about and stick on the plan."
"Let me help to nab him," insisted Rex "I want to be sure he never is close to my sis!"
"I want you to stay with Reggie because I want to be sure she's safe. Don't worry about the mole, I know how to catch him, and trust me when I do it, it won't be pretty for him."
"I feel sorry for him."
"Don't be," his Handler replied coldly. "Now let's go, we don't have a lot of time."
The Former Assassin's thoughts came back to the present where he reached his accommodations, the mission was successful; besides all the security breaches, so far he saw, were closed. Now he was ready for a well-deserved rest, but before to do so he had one more thing to do. He headed towards a door in the living quarters and knocked on it. Holiday appeared. She looked tired, in addition, she hadn't changed her clothes.
"Is it over? Was he caught?" she asked, concerned.
"It's over," he confirmed. "Rest now, Holiday. It had been a long day."
She nodded with a warm smile, then she closed the door. Six retired to his lodging to have a well-deserved rest.
o0o – o0o – o0o
17 hours before the operation Ace in the Hole ended.
Beasly was deeply asleep. The place where he was resting was neatly organized: books were arranged by collections and themes on the bookshelves; trophies besides photographs of the various stages of his life were on display; on the white walls, medals, pictures and a poster of the Trendbenders were hanging. He was having a nice downtime visiting his parents on his weekend off. Being a Pawn in Providence was a job that meant 90% of routine missions plus 10% of frightening experiences. Those days off were a blessing in which discipline, as well as rules, are more relaxed than the martial environment of the HQ. He took advantage of the situation and decided to pay a visit to his parents, which meant spending the weekend with them, resting in his former bedroom.
A sudden high pitch noise made him jolt and fell from his bed. He was a bit stunned when his hand stumbled to find the cellphone. Leaning on the bed, he watched the alarm clock marked 7:48 am on the nearby nightstand, and he mumbled sleepily, "Sorry, we aren't interested to buy anything."
"Excuse me?" said a cold tone at the other side of the line. The trooper straight up when he recognized who he was talking was. The image of a man dressed in a green suit with sunglasses came to his mind.
"My apologies, Sir, I didn't expect that you will use... this way and less in my... weekend off," he babbled as he stood up.
"I admit this is a big inconvenience; don't worry, you will be compensated for it. I guess that you have been explained about the situation and what are you requested to do," replied the voice on the other side of the line.
"Yes Sir. I thought it was one of her silly pranks..."
"Well. It isn't the case and no; I'm not amused what happened in the HQ. Calan will send you the coordinates of our rendezvous point. We will be arriving around the One-Seven-Zero-Zero hours, Nevada time. Be ready when I call you again, I want you there on time."
"Yes, Sir!" answered the trooper with a more martial tone. The call finished. He glanced at the alarm clock. It was 7:55 am; it was pointless to come back to bed. He sighed while started his day by taking a shower. As he did so, his mind wandered over what had happened yesterday...
The end was near, and the battle was fierce. The Life Points of the final boss were decreasing quickly. It was at the half to claim victory and defeat the console. 30% closer, now 25%, 10%... a high pitch ring tone in his cell phone made him jump; when he looked back at the TV, he had lost his virtual fight against the game. The character was mockingly looking at him with the legend 'GAME OVER' across the TV's screen. Annoyed, Beasly threw the control onto the nearby couch. He took some deep breaths, then looked at his cell phone. He recognized the number instantly: it was Wade.
"I hope it is important," thought the young man before he spoke. "Hey! What's up? I thought that you will be having a nice weekend with your parents, helping to babysit your nephew."
"Well, something happened..."
"What? A giant slug attacked the HQ? Or Six overthrew White and took over his position?" joked the trooper.
"The HQ was infiltrated also Reggie was abducted hours ago..."
"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" he shouted with disbelief.
"George, stop yelling! The neighbors can hear you across the block!" cried a feminine voice coming from the kitchen.
"Sorry, mom," he apologized, then, lowering his voice, continued talking to his friend "Wade, if this is one of your silly pranks, it isn't funny."
"I'm not kidding, we have a... leak in the base. Somehow the security system that keeps Breach out was messed out; the Little One was kidnapped shortly after. Don't worry, we were able to rescue her."
"Where was she?"
"Abysus."
"That son of - "
"GEORGE! WATCH OUT THAT MOUTH!" scolded Mrs. Beasly's voice.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he apologized again, and continued his chat with his friend. "So, is she safe? How about Rex? How is he?"
"Reggie is ok, Doctor Holiday is monitoring her constantly; Rex wasn't amused by Van Kleiss's stunt; I never have seen him so upset besides worried. Right now, it's together with his baby sister. He spent hours outside her room in the ship's infirmary, waiting to come in," replied his friend then she added, "Listen, I need your help. Could you go tomorrow to my parent's house and pick up some clothes for me. Don't worry, I just called my parents, they promised to have them ready on time."
"Wait a minute! aren't you on a mission? Why do you need civil clothes?" exclaimed the young one, suprised.
"Agent Six determined that our Safe Houses could be compromised due to some security problems, it's why we needed to take some... alternative measures, so I have to look less conspicuous," she explained.
"Where are you?"
"Right now? Flying over the Atlantic Ocean. We will arrive tomorrow in the evening, Six will call you as soon as possible to give you further instructions, and maybe the rendezvous point."
"Count with me," he assured, "Keep me posted."
"See you soon."
The call finished.
Beasly sighed when he ended his bath and started to get dressed; a pair of jeans, a T-shirt in addition to a pair of tennis shoes was his chosen attire. He checked his watch, it was 8.15 am. Then a ring tone alerted the trooper. He quickly took the device and read the text message. He recognized the number; it was the Second of Providence, who sent the necessary instructions of his unforeseen as well as unusual mission. While he mentally started to plan how to carry it out, a delicious smell came to his room, distracting him from his plannings.
"Breakfast is ready!" a feminine voice called downstairs.
"I'm coming mom!" the young man replied eagerly. He went down the stairs, and started to help his mother to set the table. Mrs. Beasly, despite being in her middle age, still was very attractive: she had a medium build, an oval face, a delicate nose, thin lips, and a pair of bright brown eyes. Her beautiful black hair had a Lob style, and that day she was wearing a yellow cloth headband that matched her blouse. She was wearing white jeans along with tennis shoes of the same color. She heard the water boil in the coffee maker; she started to prepare it. The Kitchen was well lit, apart from being spacious as well as organized. The cabinets together the stove occupied the central part. To the right was the sink and dishwasher, next to them was the door to the backyard. On the left side was the refrigerator. The table was in the middle of the place.
Shortly after Beasly arrived, came from the garden appeared the final member of the family: George Beasly Sr. He looked like an elder version of his son, but a little broader than him, and he had a bald spot. He lovingly kissed his wife on the cheek as she served the scrambled eggs with bacon. Her husband served a cup of coffee for everyone; after that, they sat down and started to eat.
"Dad?" the Pawn cautiously inquired.
"Yes, son? enquired the Patriarch of the Family.
"Can I use the hummer? I need to do some stuff..." he babbled when he sensed his parents' inquisitive look.
"Is for something related to the call from your friend from work?" asked his mom.
"I'm afraid that that's classified..." he stammered. He had heard that Six's interrogation techniques were quite effective, but his mother could give him some tips on how to get the subject nervous. Luckily for him, she decided not to ask further.
His father threw the keys while he retorted, "Bring it back in one piece, still, I have three payments to do."
The young Pawn caught them effortlessly, and he drank his orange juice and finished his breakfast. Then, he walked towards the garage; in few minutes, he drove towards his friend's Parents' house to pick up the requested items. He parked the car in the house parking lot. With a determined step, he paced towards the front door and pressed the doorbell, then a manly voice called, "Coming!"
A tall and stocky man appeared, his face had a strong, square, and neatly shaved jaw. His graying hair had a military-style cut. Even in his casual attire, Beasley's expert eye could identify the posture as well as self-assurance, of who had a military background, which was the case. Richard "Rick" Wade had an admirable history in the army, now he had a well-deserved retirement in the suburbs after his honorable discharge.
Beasly was a familiar face in his friend's home, so the old veteran's greetings were less dry than for other regular visitors. "It's you, boy. Jessica told me that you will come to get some stuff for her."
"That's right," responded the Pawn.
"Wait a second," said the man. "Martha, they already came for Jessica's things."
"Let me finish to pack," answered a feminine voice somewhere upstairs.
"Let me help! I want to help to pack the stuff of Auntie Jess," begged a faint childish voice.
"They will have everything in few minutes," commented the Veteran, who added, "May I know what is going on? Jess was pretty vague in her explanation of the situation."
"I don't know much, and I'm not quite sure how much I can tell..." replied the Young Pawn.
"Tell me what you can."
Beasly hesitated a second then responded, "Take into count that this information is strictly confidential, also this conversation can't go out between us. We had an internal affair serious enough to revoke permits for security reasons. The safety of someone under our protection had been compromised, but she's all right. I can't say more because I think it's classified."
"Jess told me about someone named Rex is involved somehow," the old verteran asked with an inquisitive tone. "She mentioned, too, that she was granted special permission to stay with us and two guests. Do you know what is going on?"
"I'm afraid that this information falls in the category of classified," retorted the young man.
The retired soldier frowned, but he didn't insist on those points; after a heavy silence, the Veteran queried, "That Rex. Is he the one who rescued you along with my baby daughter from a mission that went wrong not long ago?"
As Beasly vacillated if he should say something or not, the man insisted, "Yes or not? It's the only answer that I want!"
"Yes," replied the young Pawn. Fortunately, the old veteran didn't question further.
Some hurried steps approached from the background. Seconds later a middle-aged woman appeared. Martha Wade was tall and a bit chubby. She had short dark brown hair, besides a contagious smile that matched her sparkling brown eyes. She was dressed in a pair of jeans with a pink t-shirt. In spite to have forty-four years old, she still was a younger look besides a vitality, that could rival many women younger than her. Her natural smile widened when she saw Beasly. He was an old acquaintance due to his friendship with her daughter.
"Hi George!" she greeted cheerfully while handed to the young man a black sports bag with her daughter's belongings. "Glad to see you, Jess told us she was allowed to come for some days, she also said she will bring some guests."
"George!" exclaimed a tiny childish voice. A small boy popped up behind Martha. He looked to have around five or six years old and had a certain likeness with his friend: the same type of hairstyle and hair color. But his eyes were round as well as brown. The little boy grinned widely because he had been seen his Auntie Jess's acquaintance many times when he visited his best friend.
The young Pawn noticed the kid and greeted him warmly "Hello Ozzie, enjoying your weekend?"
"Yeah!" he said cheerfully as his grandparents smiled warmly. He asked with a glimpse of hope, "Is Auntie Jess coming this weekend?"
"That's true," he replied. The child's face lit up even more.
"This little man will stay a week with us here whilst his mother is on a business trip," the retired soldier mentioned affectionally while the child giggled, then he aggregated, "A bull in a Chinese shop would be quieter, I ain't complaining, noise isn't a problem for me. But I don't know about our visitors."
"Well one of them is around the age of Ozzie," commented the young man whilst he took the sports bag. Ozzie looked happier than ever at the thought that he would have a playmate. "I think that he and Reggie will get along, magnificently. "Then he added, "Well, I have to go. Still, I have to do some errands before I pick up Jess."
His friend's parents nodded then gave him their farewells. Beasly headed towards the hummer. He started to drive, once more, on this occasion, towards the local mall, to get some things requested by his superiors.
After he brought the items, he parked in a fast-food restaurant. He walked inside and made an order to take: three black coffees, a hamburger with double cheese, one mini-burger, and three medium chocolate milkshakes. He carefully put the drinks in the cup holder, the shakes inside a cooler, and the bag with the food, behind the copilot's seat. He checked his watch; it was almost 3 pm. He knew that it was about time to start driving if he wanted to arrive at the rendezvous point on time. He refilled the gas tank, this time preparing the Hummer for a long trip. In less than an hour, he left the city, taking the interstate highway.
After a long journey, he parked on the side of the road and stepped out of the vehicle, and contemplated the desert landscape, whilst a light breeze cooled the atmosphere; the sun was beginning to set. It wasn't long before the sounds of engines moved toward the area, then a small Providence scout ship approached.
o0o – o0o – o0o
Inside the aircraft, the rhythmic sound of footsteps was heard through the metal corridors. The ex-assassin, followed by Calan along with a White Pawn, who had a blanket in his hand, both paced through the corridors till they reached the medical ward. More specifically, the room where Reggie was. The door slid, letting them in. The place was dim when Six entered. A beam of light illuminated a small part of the space, allowing him to distinguish the little girl asleep while she hugged her new teddy bear. Bobo was snoring at the end of the bed; Rex sat up drowsily when he heard the sound.
"Wake up, kid. We have work to do," his handler called dryly when he passed alongside him, followed by the Pawn. They headed towards the little one. The Agent took the blanket from the Pawn, then removed the sheets that covered the child. He handed the plushie to the Captain and carefully wrapped the girl, trying to not wake her up. He took her in his arms; a gesture of The Second of Providence was enough to command for the trooper together with the young EVO to follow him. They walked through the corridors towards the exit, where Wade joined them without saying a word. The timing was essential. In five minutes the transport would land, he knew that around an hour's trip await them; this time would be covered by Holmes, he would report their departure four hours late as if they just left; with the purpose to cover this detour as well as its real reason.
The group stopped several feet away from the entrance, four White Pawns were waiting close to the hatch, they had received the instruction by their superiors that once it was opened, they would verify it was safe to leave the vehicle.
"Where is Holiday?" asked the Agent to the young Pawn.
"Switching to her regular attire, sir," she answered. "She thinks it could pass as civilian clothes besides being less notorious."
Six approved, this part of the mission needed maximum discretion. Hurried steps were heard from behind, and the former mercenary noticed that the young doctor appeared, followed by Calan. She carried the little one's sports bag with her. Everyone noted she wasn't wearing her usual lab coat. She always had a change available, with it, her clothes could pass as a civilian's.
"We are ready," she said.
The Second of Providence nodded then looked at the Pawns, he commanded, "Open it!"
The nearby soldier obeyed and pressed some buttons. The hatch opened and subsequently the Providence Troopers stepped out.
"It's clear!" confirmed a voice outside the vehicle, several minutes after they went outside. Wade rushed towards the exit. While the young Pawn came back, the rest of the group discussed if Rex should go with them or not to Reggie's temporal lodgings.
"He will come; he must know where his baby sister is," the former mercenary replied firmly. "Besides, he must go out the base, in order to our mole will be tempted to do something rash."
"But, it's really necessary this elaborate charade?" retorted Third of Providence.
"I have a plan to force our mole's hand," countered Six. "For that, I need the kid out the base, and doing what supposedly an older brother has to do: Taking care of his baby sibling."
Outside, Beasly watched the aircraft land, as well as how his companions exited it. Afterward a quick check, they warned the rest of the crew that everything was safe and came back inside. Minutes later he saw his friend, and rushed out in his direction. He took the sports bag sent by her family and handed it to her.
"Hi Beasley!" she greeted whilst she took it.
"Hey! Where are the others?" he replied.
"Inside discussing some details, they don't take long to arrive. I will be right back in few minutes," she said while she came back to the scout ship. "I owe you a big one!"
Wade rushed inside the ship once more, where Six and the others where. She saw them still discussing some details about the next step of the mission, but while she approached, they noticed her presence.
"I'm almost ready," she said with a calm tone. The group looked at her, carrying her sports bag, "I just need to switch my clothes and we can leave."
"Hurry up," replied the Second of Providence dryly. "We don't have time to lose."
The trooper nodded and headed towards the living quarters, few minutes passed till she reappeared but this time she wore a black hoodie, a blue t-shirt, jeans in addition to white tennis shoes. She was the perfect image of a young woman who was hanging out with her friends.
"I'm done." Wade said.
"Good. Let's move," the second of Providence replied.
Outside, Beasley, a few minutes later, he spotted his friend, now dressed as a civilian leave the transport followed by Rex, Doctor Holiday, and Six with Reggie in arms together with his immediate superior, Calan. As the group approached at the hummer, the cold afternoon breeze made the nipper stir, waking up.
"Are we at home?" she asked drowsily.
"No. We are going to somewhere else whilst the necessary repairs are made in your room," the Agent replied dryly.
"Where are we going?" she inquired while the group walked towards the hummer.
"Well," intervened Wade. "We have been talking and decided that for a day or two, you will need to be in a quiet besides nice place to rest as well as have some fun..."
"Are we going to vacation?" the child asked as she beamed.
"Sorta..." Rex answered evasively, now his little sister wanted so badly to know more about it when they arrived at the Hummer. She recognized Beasley and greeted him warmly. He acknowledged it with a kind gesture, and took from the women the sports bags then left them in the back of the vehicle.
Wade went inside the hummer and sat in one of the back seats. The former assassin passed her the little girl, she settled her close to her. The teen took a seat nearby. Beasly handed the bag with the hamburgers to the young EVO whilst he said, "I brought you a snack, I left the milkshakes in the cooler." Looking at the Agent as well as the doctor, he added, "I brought some coffees, though I'm afraid that they cold now."
"We don't mind," the Second of Providence replied. He gestured to command the young to go in the car. The young Pawn gave him the car's keys and sat alongside Rex.
"Also I got new slippers for Reggie, as Doctor Holiday instructed me to do so; I hope she likes them," he aggregated as he took a bag from the floor. The child beamed when she saw her new lamb-shaped slippers which were to replace the ones left in Abysus.
The top Providence's scientist asked at the same time as she moved close to Six, "Are you sure you want to drive? Unless you want to remove your sunglasses, it's better that I do it."
The former mercenary pondered quickly and concluded that she was right. It was almost night, the possibility to be stopped by a patrol car was high; not to mention all the wasted time spent on clarifications would be a tad detrimental to their plans. He passed her the keys then took his place in the seat of the copilot, while the young doctor sat in the driver. She turned on the hummer's engine and started to drive back to the city. The trip was quick and uneventful. The nipper ate her snack as she watched her hermanito, as well as Wade did the same. The little child observed the car approaching the city, she felt confused when it headed towards a suburban neighborhood. It definitely didn't look like a hotel zone, it seemed that their vacation wouldn't be as she had imagined.
The hummer headed towards the garage, where the lifted doors allowed the automobile in. It was empty. Whilst the car's engines turned off; a middle-aged man together with a woman appeared at the entrance's threshold. The garage closed after the car's occupants left it. Wade didn't waste time and jumped out of the car, she rushed towards her parents, who hugged her warmly. She was happy to spend time with them after stay seven long months quartered. Rex jointly Holiday, left the hummer, then started to retrieve the bags from the trunk. The young EVO couldn't avoid feeling a pang of envy, for a second he wished to be him along with his little sister in their parent's arms. He would gladly give all his abilities in exchange. A few seconds later, he brushed off his feelings. His parents as well as brother were there somewhere and he would find them. The young scientist noticed his painful gaze, she couldn't avoid feeling sadness for the young one. Before she could say something, the teen walked towards Wade's parents to greet them.
Beasly, together with Six, left the hummer. While the young Pawn moved away from the others to text something on his cell phone; the former mercenary, on the other hand, calmly paced towards little one's side. He opened the car's door and took the child in his arms, then went calmly where the others adults were. He left her gently in front of Wade's parents; the female trooper looked at her superior, the minor, moreover her other companions.
"Let me introduce you to my mom and dad!" Wade said excitedly with a bright smile on her face, who added, looking at her parents, "Mom. Dad. They are Rex; my superiors, Agent Six, plus Dr. Holiday. Besides this little cutie is Reggie, who I'll babysit for some days," the aforementioned nodded as Wade mentioned their names. When the little EVO saw the young Pawn's father, she thought he appeared strong and severe; her mother seemed to be funny and kind; she concluded that both were nice people.
"Do you want to pass to eat something? We ordered Pizza for supper; it still hasn't arrived, but it won't take long," Wade's mom suggested with a warm smile.
"You are very kind, Mrs. Wade, but we have some extremely important matters to attend to," the ex-assassin declined politely. "The kid will come back later to help to babysit his younger sister."
"I understand," uttered the woman with a slight disappointment. She added, "If you allow me to ask..."
"Granny! Grapy! Is Auntie Jess heeere!? When Auntie Jess will come to play?" screamed a childish little voice coming from the house, then a sound of little steps approached at the door. Ozzie appeared, wearing blue pajamas and green slippers. His grin widened when he noticed the presence of Reggie, he quickly advanced and welcomed her.
"Hi! I'm Ozzie!"
"Hi! I'm Reggie!" replied the little girl.
"Oh! You are the girl that Auntie Jessy will babysit this weekend?"
"That's right champ!" confirmed Wade with a wide smile, whilst her nephew rushed to hug her. She hugged him back and greeted him, "Hello, little man!"
"Jess, please take the kids to the house," her father requested kindly. "We will be there shortly."
"Little one," the nipper looked at Hermanito's tutor. The Second of Providence said with his usual cold, controlled voice tone, "As you know, Wade kindly offered her parents' house to spend some time while we fix some mishaps in our home. I expect and trust that you will be on your best behavior, also you will obey every indication she or her parents made. As you know, your brother will come later to stay with you. Understood?"
"I promise to be a good girl, Six," assured Reggie seriously.
The Agent smiled dryly, then spoke, "I know you will. Now go ahead and have fun."
"I'm quite sure she will behave like a perfect angel, will you cupcake?" Martha said friendlily, whilst Reggie nodded strongly. Wade's mom added, "Jess, take the kids in the house, we will be there shortly."
"C'mon, my favorite cartoon will start soon," begged Ozzie, who appeared again with a toy of his favorite superhero in his hand.
"Oh! Do you have a doll? My hermanito has many like this!" the little girl's acute tiny voice exclaimed, making Rex facepalm, and except for the former mercenary, who for few seconds smirked, the rest of those present chuckled.
"First, they aren't dolls; they are action figures!" uttered the teen while he tried to clarify that embarrassing situation. "And second, I don't play with them... I just collect them!"
"Suuuuree..." teased his baby sister.
"C'mon sweetie, you've messed around your elder brother enough," Martha said gently, almost in a motherly way, then looking at her daughter, "Jess, take the kids inside, please."
"Yes, mom."
Reggie grinned and rushed inside the house, followed by Ozzie and Beasly. Mrs. Wade said kindly, "I have a question; does the little one have any allergies or have a special diet?"
"Oh! She is a perfectly healthy little girl," clarified Holiday, who added tactfully "We just are concerned that... due to an unpleasant experience, she might experience nightmares and... nocturnal accidents."
"I see," Martha said sympathetically. "Don't worry, we can handle it perfectly. Are you sure it wouldn't the best that Rex remains here? It's getting late for driving; it could be quite dangerous for him."
"Don't worry, he is very careful and he has done it before," assured the young doctor. Mrs. Wade nodded then excused herself, she entered the house to assist her daughter to take care of the minors. The young scientist walked towards Beasly to finalize the details of the next phase of the operation.
The Second of Providence approached the veteran and spoke with his professional tone, "We appreciate your help us in this predicament, I know that this situation is unexpected. Perhaps you may still have some questions."
"Actually I have some for this young lad," retorted the veteran, he looked at the adolescent and questioned straightforwardly, "Are you the one who bring back my baby daughter safe from an area full of EVOS? I think that it's named the Bug Jar. "
"Er... Yeah." he responded hesitantly, not knowing what to expect.
"Then no more questions asked," said the veteran, and added, "You brought back safely my youngest daughter; I'm thankful for that. Don't worry about your baby sister. She's safe here."
"Thank you," the teen replied sincerely.
"We have to go, kid," said the Agent and put a hand on the teen's shoulder. His pupil nodded. He and the young doctor climbed to the hummer, followed by Beasly and the teen, who took their position in the back seats. The vehicle left the garage, then headed outside the city. They started their way back where the scout ship was. The Top Providence's scientist was driving again; she only did a brief stop to fill the tank. The trip was fast, besides smooth. After a while, they came back where Providence's aircraft landed. As soon as they approached the place, they could appreciate that Calan was waiting for them outside the Shuttle. The hummer's occupants got out; Rex, Holiday, and Six walked toward the Third of Providence to inform him about the mission's progress. The ex-assassin checked his watch, they had to come back to the HQ to start the second phase of the plan, but still, they had time for some last-minute recommendations, especially for the kid. He knew time was tight, they couldn't arrive before the scheduled hour to avoid raising suspicions.
The Captain greeted them, "I guess everything is going according to the plan."
"That is the case." the Second of Providence commented coldly. "How much time is left?"
"One hour."
"Approximate travel time?"
"Forty to forty-five minutes."
"We have to leave now to start phase two," remarked Six whilst the others nodded. They looked at the young Pawn, who was talking with someone on his cellphone. Calan signaled at him, then he approached without finishing his call.
"Sorry, mom, I know I'm late… Yeah, I know you don't like that I drive at night," said the young one. "I know but a friend called me, he needed help." After a brief silence, he continued, "Don't worry, I saw a place where I can spend the night." He kept silent for few moments. "Yes, I have enough money and it's safe enough; don't worry when I arrive there I'll call you to let you know."
"Ok George, please call me when you are coming back home tomorrow morning," a female voice stated on the other end of the line.
"Don't worry, mom, I'll be fine. I'm an adult. I can take care of myself."
"No matter how old are you, it's my job to be concerned about you. Understood?" replied his mom.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Goodbye, son. Don't forget to call me."
"Goodbye, mom."
He finished the call and sighed, some things never changed.
"Everything is all right, Beasly?"
The young Pawn looked at his Captain then responded, "Yes sir. Just the usual stuff. Anything else that you need to be done, sir?"
"Still, your assistance is required," the Second of Providence said dryly. "I need you to help Wade while she's keeping an eye on the little one whilst they are outside the HQ."
"I'm always ready to do what it's needed to do," assured the young adult whilst Rex moved close to them.
"I know but we want to cover all the bases. Help her in case that it's necessary," said his superior.
"Consider it done, sir," replied the young Pawn.
"Good, you are dismissed," stated the Agent, at the same time as Holiday gave Beasly the hummer's keys; after he uttered his goodbyes, the young trooper started his trip towards the small hotel where he planned to spent the night. Whilst the lights of the vehicle were lost on the horizon, the young EVO, together with his friends, went inside the aircraft. It didn't take long until it took off and headed towards the HQ.
The trip was quick, without incidents. As soon as the ship landed inside the hangar, the plan's second phase started. Bobo, the young doctor, in addition to the rest of the Pawns stayed in a corridor near the exit, the stretcher with a mannequin was nearby. They were waiting for Calan's signal to exit the Shuttle. The former assassin had left a while ago. Several minutes had passed since he had gone when the sound of footsteps approaching was heard.
The Third of Providence walked towards the exit and pressed the buttons; he waited for the hatch to open. Then, he went out. It didn't take long before they received a message from him through their ear-comlink. "The coast is clear. Time to move Reggie to the infirmary."
"Roger," answered one of the Pawns. They surrounded the stretcher and pulled it towards the entrance, moving as one. The Captain of Providence along with a 'Guard' that was outside, joined them as soon as they were out. They moved quickly towards the assigned space, the two apportioned guards to protect the place, left shortly after. One of the soldiers removed his Balaclava, revealing that it was Six. He took his manga blades, which were hidden among the sheets. All who remained inside started to review the final steps in the plan. The Second of Providence looked at all the presents; finally, his attention centered on the troopers.
"Gentlemen, you will leave in five minutes; go to the omega room; I want you to wait there. Calan and Holiday, your turn will be in twenty-five minutes after them. Holiday, I suggest you go to rest," He pointed at the Third of Providence "We will deal with the mole."
"Once I arrive there, I'll wait with the rest of the team, till the traitor does his move in order to offer backup," said the Captain.
The ex-assassin smiled, then he added as he saw his pupil, "Rex and Bobo, you will leave ten minutes after; do you remember what do you have to do?"
"I'll take a detour to our place..." replied the monkey.
"And I'll sneak out, to spent some days babysitting Reggie," aggregated the teen.
"Good," approved the Agent. "Everyone knows what to do."
Things started to run according to the plan. The Pawns had left, everyone inside started to count down the minutes; the Captain along with the Young Scientist was the next to go. The ex-assassin didn't stop to check his watch, then looking at the young EVO he stated, "Your turn. Try to sound convincing. Kid, don't give in immediately."
The simian plus the teen nodded; they walked outside through the corridor. The adolescent was tired, all the situation had paid a toll, but still, he had to pull the last acting for the night. They strode away from the room where his sister's double was. Except for guards as well as the laundry operator, the place was empty. They starting to advance towards the exit. The teenager still wasn't very convinced that leaving was a good idea.
"Hey, Chief! All this mess made me feel hungry, what about ya?"
Rex stopped and looked at his friend. He guessed if he would pull that farce, he would have to make it credible for the unseen eyes of the mole. He remembered clearly how much Six stressed to do his part in a way that sounded real. Although he was unconvinced to leave the base with all the things happening, at the same time, he knew that his little sis would be better protected with him close. He replied unenthusiastically, "Well, we can go to chew something in the Mess hall and come back..."
"Why not get some burgers? Our favorite spot closes at eleven; if we hurry up, we will arrive on time."
"I don't think it's a good plan. With all the things that happened, I don't want to leave Reggie alone..."
"Comm'n!" insisted his friend, "It will be a quick trip; nobody will notice besides nothing' will happen while we are out. The Green Bean is busy talking with the Snowman and Calan; the Doc went to hit the sack... Who will notice?"
"I don't know..." doubted the teenager when he noticed the worker leaving a room with his hands full of bedclothes in addition to dirty towels. It was the same? Or was another? The teen usually never paid attention to who is in charge to clean up the other's mess, but he was quite sure that he was taking his time to do his job, it shouldn't be the case, the area was empty tonight. He added, "You know? Someone can always rat you out..."
"I didn't hear anything... Go, have some fun," said the worker as he left his load inside the cart.
"Thank you, I owe you one," replied the young EVO. He walked towards the exit, but he had the feeling that something wasn't quite right.
"I'm glad to help."
The ironic tone made the juvenile turn his back. For few seconds, he looked at him suspiciously. Something was really off with this guy.
"Are you coming, Chief?"
His friend's voice made him react, they went towards the nearby entrance, and left the place. They moved away, following the plan, it took a while before to find a familiar face, who made them stop. Doctor Holiday was on the corridor holding a backpack, which, judging by the volume, seemed to be full.
"Doc!" greeted the teen. "I thought that you will be snoozing right now!"
"I was about to do it when I realized you will be out the base for some days," assumed the young doctor as she gave him the bag. "So I took the liberty of packing you some clothes in addition to other stuff. Also, I put a fifty-dollar bill in one of its pockets; in case you and Reggie need something or want to go out somewhere with Wade."
"Thanks, Doc!" he replied, touched for her gesture.
"You are welcome. Now, go and drive carefully" the young scientist said kindly.
"You're startin' to sound like worry mom hen, Doc," the teen teased, laughing.
"Someone, besides Six, must be concerned about Reggie and you," she retorted.
Rex put on the backpack, said his goodbyes, and he and the chimp continued their way towards their hidden exit was, whilst Holiday retired towards her bedroom to rest. But not everything was ok, something was nagging the young EVO's mind. Doubt was growing. After some minutes, they were far away from the area, the teen suddenly stopped and said, "Bobo, are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"
"That we will have a great time in our own way, for the next days?" responded the monkey shamelessly.
"Ha, ha, how funny," replied the teenager, then added, "I was thinkin' another thing, like something about the laundry guy really stinks, and it ain't the clothes."
"If you are thinking to chase that lead, Chief, I suggest you beat it. You have to gotta out to babysit your lil' sis, remember?" countered the primate.
"So who are you, and what did you do with the real Bobo?" retorted the juvenile. "I'm starting to believe that you're Robo-Twin of my friend. because your Bad Influence's attitude is missin'!"
"Well, it doesn't apply when our lil' lady needs our protection... Don't worry about Stinky, the Green Bean'll give 'im a bad while, that's for sure."
The adolescent sighed. His friend was right, it was time to leave the base and go to Wade's house. He nodded at his simian friend. The chimp didn't lose time, he took from one of his pockets a small Swiss Army knife. He carefully extracted a small screwdriver and quickly removed a nearby panel, revealing the ventilation net. It was one of their many private exits, used when they want to go to one of their walks without permission. As this was one of the less frequented corridors, it made it their favorite departure spot. Rex crawled in and advanced in the intricate maze of the system whilst his friend set the panel in its position. The teenager moved forward with difficulty towards the end of the tunnel, the backpack, made things a bit difficult. But he didn't stop until he reached the end of the tunnel.
He carefully removed the grille that covered the other end, the night breeze refreshed him. The vent was in the highest part of the canyon, two miles away from where the Keep rested between missions, in its own hangar. Without hesitation, the juvenile summoned his Boogie Pack, grabbed the backpack, then took off. Before departing, the teen managed to set the grille in its place and flew towards the outskirts of the city. The two-hour trip was reduced considerably to less than ninety minutes. He carefully landed and switched to his Rex Ride to drive towards Wade's parents' house. The streets were empty; it was late at night. The young EVO arrived safely at his destination. The porch's lights were turned on, it seemed that someone still was awake, judging by the lights seen from inside. He noticed the garage's entrance was opened, what's more, someone was there, were her parents waiting for him? That was weird.
For a second, the teen thought they were the vivid image of a worried mom and dad waiting for their son to return home safely. Do all the parents behave like that? He would consider it normal if they had a kind of kinship between them. Maybe their concern was just kindness. The teenager entered the garage; whilst its door started to close, he reverted to his normal self then walked towards the couple. Both were wearing pajamas and robes. Mr. Wade strode to the garage threshold, at one of its sides was a button that the veteran pressed. The gate started to slid down, while the old veteran, looked at his young guest and exclaimed, "Good that you arrived, we were starting to get worried; Jess, as well as the kids, went to sleep a while ago. Come. It's late, I guess you'll want to eat something and have some rest."
"Thank you, sir," answered the young EVO, remembering the good manners that the Doc had taught him when he was younger.
"Please, come in," invited Martha with a warm smile. "Did you have a good trip?"
"Yes ma'am," replied the teen as he came in. The house was a comfortable, cozy middle-size place. At his left, Rex could saw the laundry space; at his right, few steps away, was the kitchen in addition to the dining area. In front of it, was the living room, nearby were the stairs, it led to the upper floor, towards the bedrooms. At the bottom of the stairs, was a door made with wood and glass; he knew it was the front entrance.
The juvenile walked some steps inside the kitchen when he noticed a pizza box. Mrs. Wade, who was behind him, offered kindly, "Are you hungry? We left some slices. Take a seat, I'll heat them for you."
"Thank you, ma'am," answered the adolescent while he sat down on the other side of the countertop and left his backpack on the floor.
"Oh! Please! Call me Martha," she replied as she served two slices of pizza as well as a glass of milk.
"Thank you."
"Come on, love!" uttered the retired soldier. "Go to sleep. You must be tired after you and Jess tried to avoid the two little angels tearing the house apart. I will handle this, let me show our guest, his bedroom."
"If you insist," said the woman as she kissed her husband's cheek. "I'll wait for you upstairs. Good night, Rick, Rex."
"Did Reggie cause any trouble?" asked the young EVO, a bit worried.
"The usual things the toddlers do," responded the man while he served himself a glass of water. "The little angels built a fort with the sofa cushions, played pillow wars plus Jess had some trouble to quiet them down; they got around five bedtime stories before my wife had to put her foot down and declare it was time to go to sleep. Nothing that we couldn't handle."
The young one was a bit more relieved, knowing that his baby sister's antics weren't so serious. He finished his dinner; he was about to take his dish to the sink, when the old veteran suggested, "Leave them at the dishwasher, we will worry about them tomorrow. Come, let's go to sleep. For the little of what Jess told me, you had a large day."
"You don't have an idea," said the teen while he left the dishes as instructed. The retired soldier had grabbed the backpack and walked towards the stairs. Rex followed him. They reached the upper floor. It had a large corridor, in both of its corners, was a door. It was another one in front of the stairs. When they reached the upper floor, a little movement of the doorknob caught their eyes; a small figure peeked up.
"Reggie? What are you doing awake?" Rex questioned, surprised.
"I wanted to be sure that you would come." replied the child, who was barefoot and still wearing her pajamas.
"Well, chipmunk, he's here," the old veteran assured kindly.
She smiled sleepily, and suddenly Wade appeared behind her. She had awoken but still was a bit drowsy. She was wearing pajamas under her robe. She looked at her father and asked, "Is everything ok, dad?"
"Yes, dear, your other guest has arrived," he answered.
"Oh? Hi Rex!" welcomed the young Pawn.
"Hey!" he greeted.
"Good that you arrived," replied the young woman, then she saw to the girl, her voice had a bit severe tone. "Reggie, naughty little girl, come back to bed."
The little EVO pouted. She didn't want to go to sleep but she had promised to be good. She watched at her older sibling and uttered, "Buenas noches, Hermanito."
"G'Nite, sis," responded the teen. The little one went inside her temporal accommodations, joined by the young Pawn, closing the door. The veteran led the teenager to one of the corridor's sides. His host opened the entrance afterward turn on the lights. Then, he stepped at the side to allow his guest to come in. Rex looked at the place assigned to him. It was a pretty comfortable space although it didn't have a TV, for once he didn't mind at all. It had two nice night tables on each side of the bed, each one with a lamp. It also had a bureau, a chair was nearby. The windows had a nice view of the backyard. Some steps away was another door that leads to a full bathroom.
"Well, young one. I bet you had a hard day," stated Mr. Wade. "I'll retire so you can have some rest. Have a good night."
"Thank you," said the young EVO "Have a good night too, sir."
The veteran left. The teen started to get ready to go to sleep, he was so tired. After finishing his normal night routine, he walked towards the bed. He threw his jacket at the chair subsequently left his gloves on one of the night tables. He lied down in the bed, without bothering to switch clothes. As soon as he closed his eyes, he was asleep.
o0o – o0o – o0o
Few days had passed since the dangerous mission in Abysus and what happened in the aftermath. Inside the HQ, many changes had been implemented. One of those changes was where Reggie's quarters would be moved more close to Rex's as well as Six's; in order to increase the level of safety. Also, in case of another breach of security, they could respond more quickly. All the arrangements along with movements were closed supervised by The Second of Providence plus Calan. There were still small details pending regarding the installation of additional security measures in the girl's room plus the decoration. Another thing it was determined by the Agent jointly White, was that even though no EVO threat was registered in the lasts days, it was a matter of time that something happens when Rex's skills have to be required; not to mention Reggie's improvised hideout could be an unsafe place to stay for long without her rebellious brother around. So, it was determined that while the final touches of the renovations were finalized, the girl could sleep with the young doctor, who agreed. It wasn't surprising, she was very protective of the girl.
It was why it was determined that four days after the event, it was time to bring the minors to the HQ; Six together with Holiday were commissioned to bring them to the Base. They decided it was less noticeable if they drove their way toward Wade's parents' house to pick up the minors, and came back in the same way. it could be a long round trip, but for the good of all, they would have to go as unnoticed as possible. This time, he was behind the wheel of a standard four-door car. The young scientist, who was casually dressed, sat at his side.
The two-hour trip was done without incident. Soon, they were parking in front of the house. They left the car then walked towards the entrance. The former mercenary pressed the doorbell and both waited. They could hear hurried steps approaching the entry. As soon as it opened, the friendly presence of Martha appeared.
The woman smiled when she saw who was at her threshold. She warmly greeted them, "Hello! Six and Holiday, right? Rex and Reggie's tutors? How are you? Are you here for the kids? Oh geez, where are my manners? Please come in!"
The kind woman stepped at the side to allowed them to pass in.
"I assume, Mrs. Wade, that they had behaved and don't have done a lot mischief?" questioned the Agent with his characteristically cold tone.
"I couldn't ask for better guests," the woman replied cheerfully. "Rex helped us to take care of Ozzie as well as his little sister. By the way, he did a good job. Reggie and my grandson had become good friends in no time, you will be glad to know that they had a lot of fun playing together."
"I see," the top scientist of Providence commented.
"I guess that you are here to pick up the children," said Martha.
"That's the case," confirmed the former mercenary, "Can we know where they are?"
"The children wanted ice cream, so Jess and Rex took them to the corner shop to get some," informed the woman. "They left ten minutes ago, they will be back soon."
"Who's there?" spoke a male voice that came from the kitchen.
"Rex and Reggie's tutors," his wife corroborated.
The sounds of some steps approached where they were. They realized that it was the retired soldier, who was today wearing a more informal attire: tennis shoes, shorts, along with a t-shirt with the logo of the local baseball team.
"Good day," he welcomed.
"Good day, Mr. Wade," the Second of Providence greeted back.
"I'll go to pick up Reggie's things," declared Martha.
"Do you want help?" Holiday asked kindly.
"If you wish," the other woman replied. "Follow me."
Both women headed stairs up while happily chatting, the men sat down in the living room. Mr. Wade looked at the Agent then said, "Do you want something to drink?"
"No, thank you. I have to drive," he responded. "Has the kid behaved? Did he cause any trouble?"
"He did nothing that deserves to be grounded."
"Good to know. Rex sometimes tends to disobey at the most inopportune times, not to mention that he's prone to make a lot of mischief. But in general, he is a good kid."
"Well Mister Six, you should remember that teenagers are a bit madcap; but usually outgrown with age."
"I doubt it."
"What? Have you forgot all the problems that you run into when you were one?"
"I would rather not think about it."
"I assume that you ran into a lot of mess," said the old veteran whilst he laughed heartily.
"You have no idea," the Agent retorted coldly while his mind wandered in a time where the worst things he had to worry about had nothing to do with getting bad grades or failing his attempt to get a driving license. His reflections stopped when they heard childish giggles approaching before the sound of a door opening announced that they had arrived. The teen and the young Pawn had already eaten their snack, the children were finishing, each one, what had been an ice cream cone; traces of ice cream still staining their face as well as clothes. Both Reggie's overalls plus Ozzie's blue T-shirt had traces of vanilla combined with chocolate. The little girl smiled when she saw her hermanito's tutor, and rushed to hug him. The former mercenary, even though he wasn't very expressive, stroked her hair.
"Did you have fun, little one?" asked the ex-assassin, as Holiday together Mrs. Wade walked down the stairs with the minors' bags.
"YEAH!" the child replied happily. "Ozzie and I played with his toys, we watched cartoons, it was the BEST WEEKEND EVER!"
"Good. Because it's time to come back home," he stated dryly.
"AWW! can we stay a bit longer? We are having fun!" pouted the little girl.
"PLLLEEEEASE! Just a little longer?" joined the boy.
"We really would like to stay a bit longer," reasoned Holiday kindly, as she kneeled down and, with a washcloth, cleaned Reggie's face. "But, we need to go somewhere else before come back home."
"Where?" she inquired sadly. She would like to spend more time with her new friend than go back home where everyone ignored her because they had important grow-up stuff to do.
"Guess who leaves the quarantine today?" said the young scientist with a warm smile while she showed a picture on her cellphone.
"Whiskers!" she beamed when she recognized her beloved pet.
"Is that your bunny?" Ozzie asked curiously at his new friend when he looked at the picture.
"YEAH! it isn't cute?" asked Reggie.
"I WANT ONE LIKE HERS!" begged the boy as he tugged his Granny's arm. Martha chuckled. Holiday, Rex, Reggie, and Six pronounced their farewells to Wade and her family.
The Second of Providence took the nipper's sports bag while his pupil carried his. Together with the teen, he walked towards the car's trunk. They left the bags in; before they closed the trunk, the ex-assassin took out an empty grey fabric pet carrier. Whilst they were doing that, the young doctor buckled Reggie, who was sitting in the back seat, in. Before the door closed, he placed the pet carrier, just at the middle of the child along with the kid, who took a seat then buckled himself. After the final farewells, the Agent and Holiday entered the vehicle, and he started up the engine. He drove towards their subsequent stop, to the vet's office to pick up Whiskers. The little one's head popped up between the seats, she said in a high-pitched tone, "Ozzie invited me to his birthday party next Saturday, can I go?"
"I'll talk with White about it," Six replied impassively as he continued driving.