A/N: Thanks to the extreme lack of stuff to do and the fact that Jacey is
away, I have written yet another chapter. I'm pretty certain this fic will
have twenty chapters in total. Plus maybe a thank you chapter for people
who have stuck it out, reading this fic. But, for this chapter, thanks to
my mum for the lesson on morphine and to David for complimenting my typing
skills. The title name is from the Nivea song.
A/N2: Since my Dad takes his laptop on Wednesday, the action chapter might be a reasonably long time coming *winces* Sorry.
A/N3: My New Years Resolution is to not only finish all my fics, but to get 100 reviews for this fic, because its my baby. So, help me achieve my goal :D
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was pretty action packed after Syl make that declaration. I sort of took a moment. I mean, I had been thrown through a glass coffee table and into a dishwasher and that was a rather unique experience I never wanted to repeat again.
Luckily, none of the cuts and stuff the glass had made was so serious I needed a hospital. Brin bandaged me up by candlelight - only minutes after Logan found out about Max and Evie's capture, the power had gone out again and it was taking all of Syl, Alec, Zack and Logan's knowledge to put it back on, properly.
I noticed when Krit, Syl and Logan had gone to get dressed; they were all decked out in jeans, long sleeved shirts and jackets (standard X5-ish army get up).
"Well, Jondy," Brin smoothed a piece of gauze across my cheek and leant back. "You'll live."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, rather sourly, rubbing the gauze with distaste.
"Though for the record, baby sister, you did look better with long hair," Brin crammed all the supplies back in the first aid kit. "The waif-like look does not suit you as much."
It probably wasn't the best day for Brin to judge my hair - it was still growing out from its shortness, and the red-dye was almost out, which gave my hair a wishy-washy colour.
"I am trying to grow it long again," I stood up. "I better get changed - we need to head to Joshua's and do some recon and all. And get this place cleaned up." Okay, so Brin and I were having weird-ass conversations, but I guess that's all good. . .?
"Don't worry about cleaning up, Jondy. Lydecker will look after everything, trust me!" Alec called from the kitchen, where the electricity box was located.
"So, what? Do I get changed and get some weapons together?" I called back. There was a hiss of something electrical and Syl swore. I decided to stay out of the kitchen.
"Good plan, Jondy!" Zack called back.
Fine. Clothes. My attire was merely a top and some jeans but not really 'mission' sort of clothes. I left Brin and went to the guestroom (eww, I had to purge mental images of Syl and Krit from my brain) and pulled on some black pants, a black tank top and a black leather jacket. I looked very stylish.
Brin, ignoring Alec's instructions, was scrubbing at a bloodstain on the wall with a can of soda water and a rag. I said nothing (yeah, I know, first time ever) and kept moving - Brin and I have never been close, and with the whole return to Manticore and become loyal thing she had going on, I never know what to really say to her. Aside from the weirdness.
I slipped into Evie's bedroom. Painted pale pink, with white lacy curtains and more toys than in any local toyshop, it was usually a bedroom straight from that old Pre-Pulse magazine, Vogue. Today, however, there were two cots set up for Maxa and Rain and bedclothes everywhere.
Then, against the wall next to the door, was the most beautiful Victorian dollhouse. I don't know how Logan got a hold of it or anything, but it is breathtaking.
I grabbed the dollhouse's stand and pulled in away from the wall. It was as tall as me, on its stand, and as heavy as hell. But probably a good thing.
I knelt down, running my hand over the wall, looking for the ridge I knew was there. I found it, invisible to the eye. Working out the length of the ridge, with a beautiful kick, plaster crumpled and I was looking inside the wall, finding what I knew would be there.
I remember when Evie was born. Max was so paranoid someone would kidnap her (and someone did) that she made Logan cut open the wall and put a stockpile of weapons (in a huge wooden chest) in there, seal up the wall and paint it. In case of disaster. The weapons were the best - she got them on the black market from Israel or somewhere. They were the best, extremely cool and exceptionally useful on this occasion.
And no worries about the wall - Logan would have it re-plastered.
Anywhere, the series of guns Max bought were one of the best series made. Going through the stockpile - carefully, cause all the guns were loaded - I chose a gorgeous shiny silver handgun. It was black and silver, with a black holster. Ooh, and the *cutest* little dagger - six inch blade with a shiny silver engraved handle. And wonderfully sharp. Where does Max find such quality?
"Jondy?" Syl walked in, her hair in a ponytail. "Zack wants to know. . .oooh, toys!" Syl grinned at me. "This really is a good night - sex, violence and now guns."
"Sounds like the makings of a Pre-Pulse blockbuster," I said, grabbing some more ammo for my new pet.
"Life just rocks at the moment," Syl said. "Dontcha think?"
"No, not really - I expect you mean other than the fact that four members of our family have been kidnapped and we don't know where they've been taken, we've got to rely on Lydecker to clean out the entire apartment, you're in heat and I've been beaten by a glass coffee table and a dishwasher, our lives rock?"
"Of course," Syl said. "The X5s are back together and Krit and I are happy. It's all good."
"That's your take on it, Syl," I sigh and shove the chest of weapons towards her. "Go for your life. And everything that can be loaded, is loaded."
"Excellent. You got enough firearms?" Syl asked, eyeing my gun.
"As much as I feel comfortable with. I'm not Lara Croft and I refuse to pretend I am," I said. It's true; too many guns on my at once makes me flustered; I'm not gun shy like Max though. "And what did Zack want to know?"
Syl gave me a confused look for a moment. "What? Oh! He wanted to know what the crashing and banging in here was. Though you'd found yourself another solider."
"Nah, just beating the wall," I said. "I'll send the others in soon to get stuff, so pick your stuff and they can deal with the scraps."
"Jondy, these are all good quality weapons, there aren't any scraps amongst them," Syl shot me a dirty look like I'd sworn at her.
"Whatever."
I walked into the kitchen, dressed head to toe in black, with my silver and black gun. Wow, only a little while ago, I was preparing to break into that new facility to get information on what they wanted. Now, two of my sisters have been kidnapped, along with my nephew and my niece. I wonder how Maxa didn't get nabbed.
"What's up?" I asked the guys, who were hunched over Logan's laptop.
"We're going over hovercraft videos from Joshua's neighborhood from around the time of attack," Zack said, his eyes not leaving the screen. "Would you been particularly surprised to learn that there is no footage of Joshua's street at the time of attack?"
"Nope," I said. "So, obviously these people have connections high up, getting them to divert a hovercraft." Not that I'm the expert on hovercrafts - only five states use them now - the other four are Texas, Minnesota, Arkansas and Wyoming. Everywhere else abolished them.
"Not necessarily," Alec said. "Seattle now mainly have K223 hovercraft models - those hovercrafts sense certain movements and noises, like those of a fight or a bar fight or something, and head there so there is proof or whatever. So, if this particular hovercraft model was K223, all the attackers would have had to do was start some sort of fight in another street - even a small one - and the hovercraft would be diverted away from Joshua's until the disruption was resolved."
"So," I said slowly, "even if there was another disruption - like the attack on Joshua's - the hovercraft is programmed not to leave the first disruption until its resolved?"
"Exactly," Alec said. "Because what are the odds of having more than one brawl at once in Joshua's neighborhood?"
"Minimal," Krit agreed. "Okay, so does anyone see anything?" We all hunched over the footage.
"There," Logan points where four guys are yelling and threatening each other in an alley, on the edge of the sector. "Is that enough to attract the hovercraft?"
"Yeah, I'd say so," Alec said. "Which tells us that this company might not be tight with any of the local government."
"We need to head over to Joshua's," I said, straightening. "Syl's in Evie's room, choosing herself weapons."
"That stockpile Maxie 'installed' when Evie was a baby?" Alec asked. "Cool. Those were good weapons."
"We'll be back in a second. Coming, Cale?" Krit asked. The three of them headed into the bedroom. Wow, that thought is incredibly disturbing. Okay, Logan, Alec and Krit joined Krit in Evie's room to acquire knives and firearms.
I unplugging my laptop from the kitchen counter, where the casing was kinda cracked and damaged but I'd worry about that later. Cramming it into my satchel, I turned to Zack.
"We'll be back here," Zack said. "Organize a plan and such. Damn, I wish I knew where that X8 was."
"She'll be okay," I said. The file on the X8 had told us virtually nothing - I mean, the only photo of her we had was taken so long ago, we know practically nothing about her. She could be in Nebraska for all we know.
"Yeah, but she could've been captured," Zack ran his fingers through his hair. "I like being prepared."
Okay, so I think Syl's heat or whatever rubbed off on me, because with his hair kinda messy and him thinking and stuff, Zack just looked hot. If this had been different between us, I would have started making out with him right there and then. Maybe if we *had* been married I'd be able. . .
No, because the chances are, if the wedding had gone ahead and all, and Zack and I were together, I'd be a mommy by now and I'd be at Joshua's. . . man, me a parent. Wow, scary thought.
"We ready?" Alec called. "Cause Lydecker said he'd do the clean up, as long as no one was here. And I think one of those G.I. Joe dudes is beginning to smell."
I noticed Syl did look a little green.
"Yeah. Brin, have you got the First Aid? Tinga or someone might need it."
"Yes, Jondy."
We took our bikes - well, Krit and Syl took Krit's, Zack and I took mine, Alec and Logan rode with Brin in her car. Zack drove my bike this time and I really do think that I'm going into heat because, with my legs kinda wrapped. . . damn. I'll have to get some strong sedatives or something because I really don't want to do something that I'll regret.
We made it to Joshua's in record time. The house looked a bit battered - smashed windows, bullet holes in the front door and huge smears of blood on the concrete path, which made Syl turn green again and made me look away. It was dark, too, meaning it was lifeblood. A serious injury someone had sustained.
I leant against Logan, leaning my head against his shoulder. "I'm here, Big Brother."
".Thanks, Jondy." Logan's voice sounded so hollow. "Max and Evie.I know they're okay. They have to be."
We walked up to the house and pushed the front door. Where three guns were suddenly aimed at us.
"On edge guys," I joked, trying to lighten up the mood. But the somber faces that looked back at me were no way thought the joke was appropriate. So sue me.
"What's the damage?" Zack pushed past me. Okay, I was either about to go into heat - note to self, sedatives! - or I was just plain 'in the mood'. I think, other than this, the longest time I've gone without physical-y-ness was up until age sixteen.
"Jace sustained a head injury and a broken forearm, Max was unconscious and had a dislocated shoulder and Evie and Case were both taken down with tazers."
Every single one of us X5s winced at the mention of tasers. I remember when I was very small and Tinga was taken down with them. I wouldn't have been older than three, so she would've been six or seven. But she actually cried.
"Is mama dead, Aunt Tinga?" came Maxa's voice. She's got this amazing half- Spanish half-American accent.
"No, Maxa," Tinga hugged the girl. "Just caught. We'll get them back."
I looked at Charlie. "I told you superheroes screw up," I said softly. My sisters are back in hell.
Charlie rested one hand on Tinga's shoulder. "And I believe you'll get Case home safely."
"Does anyone have any idea where they are being held?" Brin asked.
"Nope," Zane said. He had a pretty nasty cut above his eye and he was keeping her weight off his left knee - during the Escape, Zane did some serious damage to his left knee - it was Krit and Ben who got him out that night. But it never healed completely and he's always had a weakness there. Call it arthritis for X5s. I have it in my wrist and I know Syl has a problem with her right ankle. But I'll bandage the others up soon.
"Alec," I said. "How good are you at hacking?"
"Passable. Why?"
"Set up my laptop - with Brin - and look for any army vehicle or what ever in the city. We need a location and we need an idea of the building in which they are being held," I said. "Zack, Logan, could you guys get some more weapons together. Syl and Krit - we need transport. And, the rest of you look like you need pretty bad first aid." I am Jondy, Original SIC, hear me roar. Girl Power!
Actually, all my brothers (I decided that, unfortunately, Alec will never be anything more than a brother to me. Even though he is really, really, really hot) had vaguely amused expressions, they complied with my orders.
I set up First Aid in the kitchen. I fixed up Charlie and Rain first. Charlie's forearm needed stitches and Rain had a slight concussion and a swollen wrist. Those karate lessons Zane's been forking out for really have paid off because Rain is almost as well trained in martial arts as we are.
Then poor little Maxa. She'd taken a knock to the head and a few cuts oozing blood on her legs.
"You okay, Maxa?" I asked, wrapping some gauze around her leg.
"I'm fine. I just want Mama back," she said quietly. I offered her a piece of chocolate (good for shock circumstances and it might make her feel a little better). She gave me a small smile. "Thank you, Aunt Jondy." Cool, I'm an aunt again. Seriously, Maxa has said nothing to me until now. So that was very cool.
After I sent Charlie and Rain off for food (army and its stomach, blah, blah, blah), I started on Zane.
"You know, I could use you as an experimental case," I said, as I began to wrap his knee. "You know, to try and work out why our limbs didn't quite heal correctly."
"Doesn't bother me 90% of the time," Zane shrugged. "Just managed to get Rain out of the way and they got a lucky shot."
"You'll have to watch yourself, don't want it getting any worse, okay?" I warned. "You aren't completely invincible."
"Neither are you, Jon," Zane reminded me. "You got hurt back at Logan's, didn't you?"
"A bit. Glass coffee table, dishwasher, you know how it is," I shrugged. "How can you tell?"
"You're bending over slower than normal," Zane smirked at me. Damn, he always was perceptive. "Take some painkillers already."
"Can you imagine Zack if I took a shot of morphine now, before we go on a rescue? It'd be worse than.than.god, its so bad I can't imagine how angry he'd be," I replied, getting out a needle and surgical thread.
"He'd rather you being too relaxed than in too much pain to move normally," Zane said. "And he'd be mad if Syl or Alec or I shot up with morphine before a rescue. With you, he'd be very concerned - covering it up by yelling at someone else."
"Yeah, yeah," I said sourly, plunging to the needle into the flesh above Zane's eye. He winced in pain. Well, I was going to warn him, but he annoyed me. I actually would know where I stand with Zack, but I am not going to go fussing about my relationship or lack thereof right at this moment. Hell, maybe not for awhile. I mean, yeah, I still think he's hot and sexy and all - but how does it feel about me? Love or just an old fling?
"Jondy, you've got the look of the sexually frustrated," Zane said, as I kept stitching his face.
"Bite me, big brother."
"Suit yourself. And that's positively rich coming from you - have you actually had a date since that Gothic girl from Jam Pony - Abby or whatever?"
"Abby?." Zane gave me a confused look. "Oooh, um.no. I have a girlfriend a few years ago. Her name was Miranda." The way he said that meant the discussion was over and I was not to say any more on the subject. Hmph.
After I finish practicing embroidery on Zane's face (totally not my fault if it scars), it was Tinga's turn. She just needed a couple of stitches and some burns cream on both her arms.
"How the hell did you acquire burns, Tinga?" I asked, offering her some chocolate.
"Those godforsaken tasers," Tinga said, frowning. "On high beam."
I winced. "Ouch. But then the question is, how did you get tasered and not get captured?" I began smearing the cream up her arms.
"Charlie grabbed me," Tinga looked away. "Not a word, not a breath, not a sentence or even a loud thought, baby sister."
"Not a thing coming from this girl," I said. "You were lucky, though."
"I know."
After that, everyone returned. Zack and Logan had tracked down major weapons, Krit and Syl had stolen a pretty big van - -complete with some sort of video feed equipment in the back (Krit said it was a van from the local television station or something. I didn't care, as long as it was unmarked, it was all good.)
"Jondy," Brin called. "We've found a location but your laptop isn't secure enough to double check everything."
"Okay," Zack said, as Rain and Charlie walked in with three pizzas and some oranges. Wow, random food sources. "We eat. Alec, call Lydecker and find out if we can go back up there to finish our hacking. And find that godforsaken X8. Is everyone patched up, Jondy?"
"Uh huh." I sat down quickly and pain flooded my back. Morphine was sounding so good at this point. Actually, the pain in my back was going up my neck and I had a slight headache but morphine was not the way to go just yet.
A concerned look for me, but we all ate. Alec did ring Lydecker and we were free to return to Logan's at any time.
Zack, Alec and Tinga walked with Maxa - to protect her if any TAC teams jumped us. I noticed Rain and Zane having what looked like a very personal conversation.
"Hey," Krit flung his arm around my shoulders. I winced slightly. "Sorry, Jay. Thought you'd be hooked up with some painkillers by now."
"Nah, Zack would be furious and it's not worth the trouble," I said, leaning against him slightly. Krit and I aren't exactly close per se, but we have a special relationship. We can not talk for years but when we do talk, we tell each other everything and know we won't say anything to any of the others. Krit is the only brother (noting I haven't thought of Zack as my actual brother since I was seventeen) that I can show weakness in front of and not be judged. Krit's pretty lucky - he has Syl (girlfriend), Max (twin sister), me (confidant) and Zane and Zack (older brothers) as his safety net and he never worries about anything, really. Well, I guess if something happened to Syl, he'd been pretty freaked. . .
I'm off track. I think what I'm saying is when I lost all the feeling in my knees and almost crumpled to the ground. Krit's reflexes kicked in and he grabbed me.
"You are so not okay, Jondy," Krit said.
"No, I'm fine," I said, incredibly aware all I could feel was pain.
"You can't even stand up. Jon, I didn't think your injuries were that bad."
By now, the others had realized we were arguing and Syl was looking very unhappy - or exceptionally pissed off - that I was all over her man.
"Right." Brin took my bag and Zack actually picked me up. "You are going to take a half dose of morphine at Logan's," Zack said. "I'd rather have you drugged out of your mind than in agonizing pain. At least drugged, you can be of some assistance."
Okay, so have a billion shards of china and glass rammed into you makes you vaguely sick. In fact, I think if I had been more relaxed, I just would have passed out in Zack's arms, my head hurt that bad.
Then we got to Logan's. Oh. My. God. The second we got in the door, I worked out how to walk again.
The dishwasher was completely repaired and some brand new dishes were stacked neatly in it. The carpet and walls were immaculate, broken picture frames were replaced and the coffee table had been replaced with one that was pretty much identical.
Then I checked Evie's room and grinned. The weapons were there, but the doll's house was back against the wall and the wall have been re-plastered but not painted.
"Jondy," Zack said in a commanding voice. "Painkillers, now."
Okay, about morphine. A normal Ordinary dose makes an Ordinary sleep and the world all shiny and glazed. An Ordinary dose for an X5 makes the world a shiny, happy place without the sleep factor. To get an Ordinary result for an X5, we need to take a triple dose. A half dose for me would kill the pain and make me very agreeable. Possibly make me happy.
Actually, Zack only lets us take drugs when he's really concerned - because morphine is so addictive, he's usually very against it. . .
So, Brin (who knows how to administer drugs, from Manticore) took me to the bathroom and gave me a half dose. Yay. . .
Brin, I know, was completely laughing at me as she lead me back to the lounge room. But I felt great. I love my family. I curled up on the lounge next to my Krit and rested my head on his shoulder. Alec and Brin were doing their research and Rain and Zane (hehe, rhyming names) were talking, looking way too serious.
Zack came in and sat down. "Are you all okay?"
I gave him a big smile. "Yah huh."
Zack rolled his eyes. "I forgot how strong meds and Jondy react together."
"We're X5s, we don't forget anything," I reminded him. Zack is so forgetful. But he can't be. Hehe.
"Zack," Rain stood up, looking very serious. "I-I have something that I really need to tell you."
Krit and Syl instantly shut up. Actually everyone did.
"What's wrong, Rain?" Zack asked.
"I'm.I.I wasn't born with the name Rain or the name Helen," she said. "I was born X8-282 in Manticore branch Gillette."
Silence. Complete and utter silence. It just never occurred to any of us that Rain's 'epilepsy' was seizures.
I can look back and all the clues are there. But I've only ever been this shocked once before. . .
Zack stood up, glaring at Zane. Tinga pulled Rain out of the way and both went into the kitchen.
"You should have told me. She was a liability," Zack said in a low, angry voice I know far too well. The morphine had killed all my pain (and half my motor control, actually) but I was pretty stone cold sober at that moment.
"She was a little kid, Zack. I actually have a heart," Zane retorted. "I don't dump people like you do, when the going gets tough."
"No, you endanger everyone by not being honest!" Zack was yelling now, which is a hell of a lot safer than the quiet voice. "Jesus, Zane, you haven't had a god-damned functional relationship with anyone, how the hell did you think you and Rain would work out!"
"Unlike you, Zack, I don't have to screw every female relation I have! You tried to with Max, put the hard word on Brin and you somehow managed to nail Jondy! Rain's like a baby sister or a daughter to me!"
Right, I'm not talking to Zane.
"No, when it comes to girls, Zane, you mistake lust for love! Even Krit doesn't do that anymore!"
Wow, I'm pretty sure this argument was ten years coming.
"You, Zack, don't know how good you had it with Jondy! Dumping her with some lie and not admitting to yourself you got scared! She deserved the truth!" Zane matched Zack's volume and anger. "I don't know how you got her into bed, and I don't give a damn. But she deserved a hell of a lot better than what she got!" And then there was silence.
Well, I regained motor control and leapt to my feet, standing in between them both just as Zack threw a punch.
O-W. Well, Zack just reminded me how hard he could punch. The right side of my face felt like it had been shattered.
"Oh, god, Jondy," Zack's focus was instantly on me. "I."
"Why didn't you marry me?" I demanded, in a voice that I've only once heard myself use. It was a Scary-Jondy voice. Zack stood there, with a poor imitation of Tinga's kicked-puppy look. I glared at him. Fine.
"Zane, why did Zack not marry me?" I said. I know I'm going to end up in tears. But my face won't hurt till tomorrow when the morphine wore off. Then I'd inflict some pain on him. "Why?"
"Because Manticore was after us," Zane said quietly.
Okay, so my face was actually aching. And I knew I was going to cry in mere moments. Why? Why do I want to have a cry? I don't understand. But I knew that in less that three seconds my face was going to be covered in tears and there was no way I was going to give Zack the satisfaction of seeing me cry over him.
Okay, so I tried to get out of the room as fast as I could, which was actually quite fast considering I was upset and drugged.
"Jondy." Zack said. I stormed into the bathroom and locked the door. I wanted to break something. Hurt something or maybe even inflict copious amounts of pain on Zack.
I sat down, with my back against the bath. My face felt like it had been shattered and, well, shattered felt like a pretty good description of everything at the moment. I don't know why.
He left me for security reasons. How could he? I thought I rated high enough on his scale of importance to deserve a proper explanation. But apparently I was one more thing that didn't really matter to him. Didn't he know how much I loved him and how much his 'betrayal' hurt me? Those few months after I left Seattle had almost killed me.
A gentle knock on the door. "Jondy? Are you okay? Do you want to talk?" It was Tinga, I think. I didn't care.
"I-I'm fine. I just need a second," I called out, my voice shaking a little. Get stuffed all of you. Every one of them knew the really reason that Zack left me, but I was fobbed off with some wimpy excuse I actually cannot believe I believed.
I wiped my eyes on a towel. There was another knock, but no one said anything. I crawled over the door and flipped the lock open. I crawled back to my nice little position against the bath.
"It's open," I called. Wanting to crawl into a relatively small hole and stay there for a long time.
Oh fuck. Okay, so I'm not one for the strong language. But I really thought it was Tinga at the door. No such luck.
"How's your face?" Zack asked in a quiet voice.
"Sore," I said.
"You and I need to talk," Zack said, closing the door behind him. "Do you mind?"
"No." I shuffled over a bit so he could sit down. "Has Brin found the location?"
"We think we've found the place, they're checking out entries and stuff," Zack looked directly at me.
"We'll need to leave here soon," I said, looking at the white tiles of the bathroom.
"Jon, please." I looked at him. "This wasn't a way I'd want you to find out that what I told you was a lie. But, at the time, I didn't want it to be Manticore that split us up. I didn't want you to have a life that Manticore was always apart of."
"Zack," I said. "I'm Jondy. I have a tattoo on the back of my neck. I am an X5. Every time I have a seizure, every time I go into heat, I am reminded who I am and where I came from."
"But I'll always be CO. I always have to be there for the others. I thought maybe you could do better than that. But I wanted it to be a normal thing that split us up."
"Normal? You and Max?" I asked skeptically.
"Best thing I could think of. I couldn't walk out on you, Dee," Zack's look said it all and more.
"Why couldn't you have just said Manticore was back?" I threw up my arms. "I thought I meant more to you than that. You meant a lot to me."
Zack gave me a half smile. "Dee, I've never been good at talking. I had fears and doubts and the Manticore thing. And you mean more to me than anything in the world."
Mean. As in I still mean something to him. As in, present, current, at-the- moment sense.
"So, we okay?" Zack asked me.
"Other than the fact you slammed your fist into my face, we're fine," I said, standing up.
"Good."
I think Tinga might have hoped for us to be found making out on the bathroom floor. Maybe after we save the world. Or, at least, save our world.
*~*~*~*~*~* Wow. This is winding itself up pretty fast. Did anyone guess Rain was the X8? So, now its time for the big question. I would really enjoy writing a sequel-esque story to this fic because I love writing this Jondy, but would anyone read it? So, sequel, or no sequel? Let me know, when you review ;)
A/N2: Since my Dad takes his laptop on Wednesday, the action chapter might be a reasonably long time coming *winces* Sorry.
A/N3: My New Years Resolution is to not only finish all my fics, but to get 100 reviews for this fic, because its my baby. So, help me achieve my goal :D
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was pretty action packed after Syl make that declaration. I sort of took a moment. I mean, I had been thrown through a glass coffee table and into a dishwasher and that was a rather unique experience I never wanted to repeat again.
Luckily, none of the cuts and stuff the glass had made was so serious I needed a hospital. Brin bandaged me up by candlelight - only minutes after Logan found out about Max and Evie's capture, the power had gone out again and it was taking all of Syl, Alec, Zack and Logan's knowledge to put it back on, properly.
I noticed when Krit, Syl and Logan had gone to get dressed; they were all decked out in jeans, long sleeved shirts and jackets (standard X5-ish army get up).
"Well, Jondy," Brin smoothed a piece of gauze across my cheek and leant back. "You'll live."
"Yeah, yeah," I said, rather sourly, rubbing the gauze with distaste.
"Though for the record, baby sister, you did look better with long hair," Brin crammed all the supplies back in the first aid kit. "The waif-like look does not suit you as much."
It probably wasn't the best day for Brin to judge my hair - it was still growing out from its shortness, and the red-dye was almost out, which gave my hair a wishy-washy colour.
"I am trying to grow it long again," I stood up. "I better get changed - we need to head to Joshua's and do some recon and all. And get this place cleaned up." Okay, so Brin and I were having weird-ass conversations, but I guess that's all good. . .?
"Don't worry about cleaning up, Jondy. Lydecker will look after everything, trust me!" Alec called from the kitchen, where the electricity box was located.
"So, what? Do I get changed and get some weapons together?" I called back. There was a hiss of something electrical and Syl swore. I decided to stay out of the kitchen.
"Good plan, Jondy!" Zack called back.
Fine. Clothes. My attire was merely a top and some jeans but not really 'mission' sort of clothes. I left Brin and went to the guestroom (eww, I had to purge mental images of Syl and Krit from my brain) and pulled on some black pants, a black tank top and a black leather jacket. I looked very stylish.
Brin, ignoring Alec's instructions, was scrubbing at a bloodstain on the wall with a can of soda water and a rag. I said nothing (yeah, I know, first time ever) and kept moving - Brin and I have never been close, and with the whole return to Manticore and become loyal thing she had going on, I never know what to really say to her. Aside from the weirdness.
I slipped into Evie's bedroom. Painted pale pink, with white lacy curtains and more toys than in any local toyshop, it was usually a bedroom straight from that old Pre-Pulse magazine, Vogue. Today, however, there were two cots set up for Maxa and Rain and bedclothes everywhere.
Then, against the wall next to the door, was the most beautiful Victorian dollhouse. I don't know how Logan got a hold of it or anything, but it is breathtaking.
I grabbed the dollhouse's stand and pulled in away from the wall. It was as tall as me, on its stand, and as heavy as hell. But probably a good thing.
I knelt down, running my hand over the wall, looking for the ridge I knew was there. I found it, invisible to the eye. Working out the length of the ridge, with a beautiful kick, plaster crumpled and I was looking inside the wall, finding what I knew would be there.
I remember when Evie was born. Max was so paranoid someone would kidnap her (and someone did) that she made Logan cut open the wall and put a stockpile of weapons (in a huge wooden chest) in there, seal up the wall and paint it. In case of disaster. The weapons were the best - she got them on the black market from Israel or somewhere. They were the best, extremely cool and exceptionally useful on this occasion.
And no worries about the wall - Logan would have it re-plastered.
Anywhere, the series of guns Max bought were one of the best series made. Going through the stockpile - carefully, cause all the guns were loaded - I chose a gorgeous shiny silver handgun. It was black and silver, with a black holster. Ooh, and the *cutest* little dagger - six inch blade with a shiny silver engraved handle. And wonderfully sharp. Where does Max find such quality?
"Jondy?" Syl walked in, her hair in a ponytail. "Zack wants to know. . .oooh, toys!" Syl grinned at me. "This really is a good night - sex, violence and now guns."
"Sounds like the makings of a Pre-Pulse blockbuster," I said, grabbing some more ammo for my new pet.
"Life just rocks at the moment," Syl said. "Dontcha think?"
"No, not really - I expect you mean other than the fact that four members of our family have been kidnapped and we don't know where they've been taken, we've got to rely on Lydecker to clean out the entire apartment, you're in heat and I've been beaten by a glass coffee table and a dishwasher, our lives rock?"
"Of course," Syl said. "The X5s are back together and Krit and I are happy. It's all good."
"That's your take on it, Syl," I sigh and shove the chest of weapons towards her. "Go for your life. And everything that can be loaded, is loaded."
"Excellent. You got enough firearms?" Syl asked, eyeing my gun.
"As much as I feel comfortable with. I'm not Lara Croft and I refuse to pretend I am," I said. It's true; too many guns on my at once makes me flustered; I'm not gun shy like Max though. "And what did Zack want to know?"
Syl gave me a confused look for a moment. "What? Oh! He wanted to know what the crashing and banging in here was. Though you'd found yourself another solider."
"Nah, just beating the wall," I said. "I'll send the others in soon to get stuff, so pick your stuff and they can deal with the scraps."
"Jondy, these are all good quality weapons, there aren't any scraps amongst them," Syl shot me a dirty look like I'd sworn at her.
"Whatever."
I walked into the kitchen, dressed head to toe in black, with my silver and black gun. Wow, only a little while ago, I was preparing to break into that new facility to get information on what they wanted. Now, two of my sisters have been kidnapped, along with my nephew and my niece. I wonder how Maxa didn't get nabbed.
"What's up?" I asked the guys, who were hunched over Logan's laptop.
"We're going over hovercraft videos from Joshua's neighborhood from around the time of attack," Zack said, his eyes not leaving the screen. "Would you been particularly surprised to learn that there is no footage of Joshua's street at the time of attack?"
"Nope," I said. "So, obviously these people have connections high up, getting them to divert a hovercraft." Not that I'm the expert on hovercrafts - only five states use them now - the other four are Texas, Minnesota, Arkansas and Wyoming. Everywhere else abolished them.
"Not necessarily," Alec said. "Seattle now mainly have K223 hovercraft models - those hovercrafts sense certain movements and noises, like those of a fight or a bar fight or something, and head there so there is proof or whatever. So, if this particular hovercraft model was K223, all the attackers would have had to do was start some sort of fight in another street - even a small one - and the hovercraft would be diverted away from Joshua's until the disruption was resolved."
"So," I said slowly, "even if there was another disruption - like the attack on Joshua's - the hovercraft is programmed not to leave the first disruption until its resolved?"
"Exactly," Alec said. "Because what are the odds of having more than one brawl at once in Joshua's neighborhood?"
"Minimal," Krit agreed. "Okay, so does anyone see anything?" We all hunched over the footage.
"There," Logan points where four guys are yelling and threatening each other in an alley, on the edge of the sector. "Is that enough to attract the hovercraft?"
"Yeah, I'd say so," Alec said. "Which tells us that this company might not be tight with any of the local government."
"We need to head over to Joshua's," I said, straightening. "Syl's in Evie's room, choosing herself weapons."
"That stockpile Maxie 'installed' when Evie was a baby?" Alec asked. "Cool. Those were good weapons."
"We'll be back in a second. Coming, Cale?" Krit asked. The three of them headed into the bedroom. Wow, that thought is incredibly disturbing. Okay, Logan, Alec and Krit joined Krit in Evie's room to acquire knives and firearms.
I unplugging my laptop from the kitchen counter, where the casing was kinda cracked and damaged but I'd worry about that later. Cramming it into my satchel, I turned to Zack.
"We'll be back here," Zack said. "Organize a plan and such. Damn, I wish I knew where that X8 was."
"She'll be okay," I said. The file on the X8 had told us virtually nothing - I mean, the only photo of her we had was taken so long ago, we know practically nothing about her. She could be in Nebraska for all we know.
"Yeah, but she could've been captured," Zack ran his fingers through his hair. "I like being prepared."
Okay, so I think Syl's heat or whatever rubbed off on me, because with his hair kinda messy and him thinking and stuff, Zack just looked hot. If this had been different between us, I would have started making out with him right there and then. Maybe if we *had* been married I'd be able. . .
No, because the chances are, if the wedding had gone ahead and all, and Zack and I were together, I'd be a mommy by now and I'd be at Joshua's. . . man, me a parent. Wow, scary thought.
"We ready?" Alec called. "Cause Lydecker said he'd do the clean up, as long as no one was here. And I think one of those G.I. Joe dudes is beginning to smell."
I noticed Syl did look a little green.
"Yeah. Brin, have you got the First Aid? Tinga or someone might need it."
"Yes, Jondy."
We took our bikes - well, Krit and Syl took Krit's, Zack and I took mine, Alec and Logan rode with Brin in her car. Zack drove my bike this time and I really do think that I'm going into heat because, with my legs kinda wrapped. . . damn. I'll have to get some strong sedatives or something because I really don't want to do something that I'll regret.
We made it to Joshua's in record time. The house looked a bit battered - smashed windows, bullet holes in the front door and huge smears of blood on the concrete path, which made Syl turn green again and made me look away. It was dark, too, meaning it was lifeblood. A serious injury someone had sustained.
I leant against Logan, leaning my head against his shoulder. "I'm here, Big Brother."
".Thanks, Jondy." Logan's voice sounded so hollow. "Max and Evie.I know they're okay. They have to be."
We walked up to the house and pushed the front door. Where three guns were suddenly aimed at us.
"On edge guys," I joked, trying to lighten up the mood. But the somber faces that looked back at me were no way thought the joke was appropriate. So sue me.
"What's the damage?" Zack pushed past me. Okay, I was either about to go into heat - note to self, sedatives! - or I was just plain 'in the mood'. I think, other than this, the longest time I've gone without physical-y-ness was up until age sixteen.
"Jace sustained a head injury and a broken forearm, Max was unconscious and had a dislocated shoulder and Evie and Case were both taken down with tazers."
Every single one of us X5s winced at the mention of tasers. I remember when I was very small and Tinga was taken down with them. I wouldn't have been older than three, so she would've been six or seven. But she actually cried.
"Is mama dead, Aunt Tinga?" came Maxa's voice. She's got this amazing half- Spanish half-American accent.
"No, Maxa," Tinga hugged the girl. "Just caught. We'll get them back."
I looked at Charlie. "I told you superheroes screw up," I said softly. My sisters are back in hell.
Charlie rested one hand on Tinga's shoulder. "And I believe you'll get Case home safely."
"Does anyone have any idea where they are being held?" Brin asked.
"Nope," Zane said. He had a pretty nasty cut above his eye and he was keeping her weight off his left knee - during the Escape, Zane did some serious damage to his left knee - it was Krit and Ben who got him out that night. But it never healed completely and he's always had a weakness there. Call it arthritis for X5s. I have it in my wrist and I know Syl has a problem with her right ankle. But I'll bandage the others up soon.
"Alec," I said. "How good are you at hacking?"
"Passable. Why?"
"Set up my laptop - with Brin - and look for any army vehicle or what ever in the city. We need a location and we need an idea of the building in which they are being held," I said. "Zack, Logan, could you guys get some more weapons together. Syl and Krit - we need transport. And, the rest of you look like you need pretty bad first aid." I am Jondy, Original SIC, hear me roar. Girl Power!
Actually, all my brothers (I decided that, unfortunately, Alec will never be anything more than a brother to me. Even though he is really, really, really hot) had vaguely amused expressions, they complied with my orders.
I set up First Aid in the kitchen. I fixed up Charlie and Rain first. Charlie's forearm needed stitches and Rain had a slight concussion and a swollen wrist. Those karate lessons Zane's been forking out for really have paid off because Rain is almost as well trained in martial arts as we are.
Then poor little Maxa. She'd taken a knock to the head and a few cuts oozing blood on her legs.
"You okay, Maxa?" I asked, wrapping some gauze around her leg.
"I'm fine. I just want Mama back," she said quietly. I offered her a piece of chocolate (good for shock circumstances and it might make her feel a little better). She gave me a small smile. "Thank you, Aunt Jondy." Cool, I'm an aunt again. Seriously, Maxa has said nothing to me until now. So that was very cool.
After I sent Charlie and Rain off for food (army and its stomach, blah, blah, blah), I started on Zane.
"You know, I could use you as an experimental case," I said, as I began to wrap his knee. "You know, to try and work out why our limbs didn't quite heal correctly."
"Doesn't bother me 90% of the time," Zane shrugged. "Just managed to get Rain out of the way and they got a lucky shot."
"You'll have to watch yourself, don't want it getting any worse, okay?" I warned. "You aren't completely invincible."
"Neither are you, Jon," Zane reminded me. "You got hurt back at Logan's, didn't you?"
"A bit. Glass coffee table, dishwasher, you know how it is," I shrugged. "How can you tell?"
"You're bending over slower than normal," Zane smirked at me. Damn, he always was perceptive. "Take some painkillers already."
"Can you imagine Zack if I took a shot of morphine now, before we go on a rescue? It'd be worse than.than.god, its so bad I can't imagine how angry he'd be," I replied, getting out a needle and surgical thread.
"He'd rather you being too relaxed than in too much pain to move normally," Zane said. "And he'd be mad if Syl or Alec or I shot up with morphine before a rescue. With you, he'd be very concerned - covering it up by yelling at someone else."
"Yeah, yeah," I said sourly, plunging to the needle into the flesh above Zane's eye. He winced in pain. Well, I was going to warn him, but he annoyed me. I actually would know where I stand with Zack, but I am not going to go fussing about my relationship or lack thereof right at this moment. Hell, maybe not for awhile. I mean, yeah, I still think he's hot and sexy and all - but how does it feel about me? Love or just an old fling?
"Jondy, you've got the look of the sexually frustrated," Zane said, as I kept stitching his face.
"Bite me, big brother."
"Suit yourself. And that's positively rich coming from you - have you actually had a date since that Gothic girl from Jam Pony - Abby or whatever?"
"Abby?." Zane gave me a confused look. "Oooh, um.no. I have a girlfriend a few years ago. Her name was Miranda." The way he said that meant the discussion was over and I was not to say any more on the subject. Hmph.
After I finish practicing embroidery on Zane's face (totally not my fault if it scars), it was Tinga's turn. She just needed a couple of stitches and some burns cream on both her arms.
"How the hell did you acquire burns, Tinga?" I asked, offering her some chocolate.
"Those godforsaken tasers," Tinga said, frowning. "On high beam."
I winced. "Ouch. But then the question is, how did you get tasered and not get captured?" I began smearing the cream up her arms.
"Charlie grabbed me," Tinga looked away. "Not a word, not a breath, not a sentence or even a loud thought, baby sister."
"Not a thing coming from this girl," I said. "You were lucky, though."
"I know."
After that, everyone returned. Zack and Logan had tracked down major weapons, Krit and Syl had stolen a pretty big van - -complete with some sort of video feed equipment in the back (Krit said it was a van from the local television station or something. I didn't care, as long as it was unmarked, it was all good.)
"Jondy," Brin called. "We've found a location but your laptop isn't secure enough to double check everything."
"Okay," Zack said, as Rain and Charlie walked in with three pizzas and some oranges. Wow, random food sources. "We eat. Alec, call Lydecker and find out if we can go back up there to finish our hacking. And find that godforsaken X8. Is everyone patched up, Jondy?"
"Uh huh." I sat down quickly and pain flooded my back. Morphine was sounding so good at this point. Actually, the pain in my back was going up my neck and I had a slight headache but morphine was not the way to go just yet.
A concerned look for me, but we all ate. Alec did ring Lydecker and we were free to return to Logan's at any time.
Zack, Alec and Tinga walked with Maxa - to protect her if any TAC teams jumped us. I noticed Rain and Zane having what looked like a very personal conversation.
"Hey," Krit flung his arm around my shoulders. I winced slightly. "Sorry, Jay. Thought you'd be hooked up with some painkillers by now."
"Nah, Zack would be furious and it's not worth the trouble," I said, leaning against him slightly. Krit and I aren't exactly close per se, but we have a special relationship. We can not talk for years but when we do talk, we tell each other everything and know we won't say anything to any of the others. Krit is the only brother (noting I haven't thought of Zack as my actual brother since I was seventeen) that I can show weakness in front of and not be judged. Krit's pretty lucky - he has Syl (girlfriend), Max (twin sister), me (confidant) and Zane and Zack (older brothers) as his safety net and he never worries about anything, really. Well, I guess if something happened to Syl, he'd been pretty freaked. . .
I'm off track. I think what I'm saying is when I lost all the feeling in my knees and almost crumpled to the ground. Krit's reflexes kicked in and he grabbed me.
"You are so not okay, Jondy," Krit said.
"No, I'm fine," I said, incredibly aware all I could feel was pain.
"You can't even stand up. Jon, I didn't think your injuries were that bad."
By now, the others had realized we were arguing and Syl was looking very unhappy - or exceptionally pissed off - that I was all over her man.
"Right." Brin took my bag and Zack actually picked me up. "You are going to take a half dose of morphine at Logan's," Zack said. "I'd rather have you drugged out of your mind than in agonizing pain. At least drugged, you can be of some assistance."
Okay, so have a billion shards of china and glass rammed into you makes you vaguely sick. In fact, I think if I had been more relaxed, I just would have passed out in Zack's arms, my head hurt that bad.
Then we got to Logan's. Oh. My. God. The second we got in the door, I worked out how to walk again.
The dishwasher was completely repaired and some brand new dishes were stacked neatly in it. The carpet and walls were immaculate, broken picture frames were replaced and the coffee table had been replaced with one that was pretty much identical.
Then I checked Evie's room and grinned. The weapons were there, but the doll's house was back against the wall and the wall have been re-plastered but not painted.
"Jondy," Zack said in a commanding voice. "Painkillers, now."
Okay, about morphine. A normal Ordinary dose makes an Ordinary sleep and the world all shiny and glazed. An Ordinary dose for an X5 makes the world a shiny, happy place without the sleep factor. To get an Ordinary result for an X5, we need to take a triple dose. A half dose for me would kill the pain and make me very agreeable. Possibly make me happy.
Actually, Zack only lets us take drugs when he's really concerned - because morphine is so addictive, he's usually very against it. . .
So, Brin (who knows how to administer drugs, from Manticore) took me to the bathroom and gave me a half dose. Yay. . .
Brin, I know, was completely laughing at me as she lead me back to the lounge room. But I felt great. I love my family. I curled up on the lounge next to my Krit and rested my head on his shoulder. Alec and Brin were doing their research and Rain and Zane (hehe, rhyming names) were talking, looking way too serious.
Zack came in and sat down. "Are you all okay?"
I gave him a big smile. "Yah huh."
Zack rolled his eyes. "I forgot how strong meds and Jondy react together."
"We're X5s, we don't forget anything," I reminded him. Zack is so forgetful. But he can't be. Hehe.
"Zack," Rain stood up, looking very serious. "I-I have something that I really need to tell you."
Krit and Syl instantly shut up. Actually everyone did.
"What's wrong, Rain?" Zack asked.
"I'm.I.I wasn't born with the name Rain or the name Helen," she said. "I was born X8-282 in Manticore branch Gillette."
Silence. Complete and utter silence. It just never occurred to any of us that Rain's 'epilepsy' was seizures.
I can look back and all the clues are there. But I've only ever been this shocked once before. . .
Zack stood up, glaring at Zane. Tinga pulled Rain out of the way and both went into the kitchen.
"You should have told me. She was a liability," Zack said in a low, angry voice I know far too well. The morphine had killed all my pain (and half my motor control, actually) but I was pretty stone cold sober at that moment.
"She was a little kid, Zack. I actually have a heart," Zane retorted. "I don't dump people like you do, when the going gets tough."
"No, you endanger everyone by not being honest!" Zack was yelling now, which is a hell of a lot safer than the quiet voice. "Jesus, Zane, you haven't had a god-damned functional relationship with anyone, how the hell did you think you and Rain would work out!"
"Unlike you, Zack, I don't have to screw every female relation I have! You tried to with Max, put the hard word on Brin and you somehow managed to nail Jondy! Rain's like a baby sister or a daughter to me!"
Right, I'm not talking to Zane.
"No, when it comes to girls, Zane, you mistake lust for love! Even Krit doesn't do that anymore!"
Wow, I'm pretty sure this argument was ten years coming.
"You, Zack, don't know how good you had it with Jondy! Dumping her with some lie and not admitting to yourself you got scared! She deserved the truth!" Zane matched Zack's volume and anger. "I don't know how you got her into bed, and I don't give a damn. But she deserved a hell of a lot better than what she got!" And then there was silence.
Well, I regained motor control and leapt to my feet, standing in between them both just as Zack threw a punch.
O-W. Well, Zack just reminded me how hard he could punch. The right side of my face felt like it had been shattered.
"Oh, god, Jondy," Zack's focus was instantly on me. "I."
"Why didn't you marry me?" I demanded, in a voice that I've only once heard myself use. It was a Scary-Jondy voice. Zack stood there, with a poor imitation of Tinga's kicked-puppy look. I glared at him. Fine.
"Zane, why did Zack not marry me?" I said. I know I'm going to end up in tears. But my face won't hurt till tomorrow when the morphine wore off. Then I'd inflict some pain on him. "Why?"
"Because Manticore was after us," Zane said quietly.
Okay, so my face was actually aching. And I knew I was going to cry in mere moments. Why? Why do I want to have a cry? I don't understand. But I knew that in less that three seconds my face was going to be covered in tears and there was no way I was going to give Zack the satisfaction of seeing me cry over him.
Okay, so I tried to get out of the room as fast as I could, which was actually quite fast considering I was upset and drugged.
"Jondy." Zack said. I stormed into the bathroom and locked the door. I wanted to break something. Hurt something or maybe even inflict copious amounts of pain on Zack.
I sat down, with my back against the bath. My face felt like it had been shattered and, well, shattered felt like a pretty good description of everything at the moment. I don't know why.
He left me for security reasons. How could he? I thought I rated high enough on his scale of importance to deserve a proper explanation. But apparently I was one more thing that didn't really matter to him. Didn't he know how much I loved him and how much his 'betrayal' hurt me? Those few months after I left Seattle had almost killed me.
A gentle knock on the door. "Jondy? Are you okay? Do you want to talk?" It was Tinga, I think. I didn't care.
"I-I'm fine. I just need a second," I called out, my voice shaking a little. Get stuffed all of you. Every one of them knew the really reason that Zack left me, but I was fobbed off with some wimpy excuse I actually cannot believe I believed.
I wiped my eyes on a towel. There was another knock, but no one said anything. I crawled over the door and flipped the lock open. I crawled back to my nice little position against the bath.
"It's open," I called. Wanting to crawl into a relatively small hole and stay there for a long time.
Oh fuck. Okay, so I'm not one for the strong language. But I really thought it was Tinga at the door. No such luck.
"How's your face?" Zack asked in a quiet voice.
"Sore," I said.
"You and I need to talk," Zack said, closing the door behind him. "Do you mind?"
"No." I shuffled over a bit so he could sit down. "Has Brin found the location?"
"We think we've found the place, they're checking out entries and stuff," Zack looked directly at me.
"We'll need to leave here soon," I said, looking at the white tiles of the bathroom.
"Jon, please." I looked at him. "This wasn't a way I'd want you to find out that what I told you was a lie. But, at the time, I didn't want it to be Manticore that split us up. I didn't want you to have a life that Manticore was always apart of."
"Zack," I said. "I'm Jondy. I have a tattoo on the back of my neck. I am an X5. Every time I have a seizure, every time I go into heat, I am reminded who I am and where I came from."
"But I'll always be CO. I always have to be there for the others. I thought maybe you could do better than that. But I wanted it to be a normal thing that split us up."
"Normal? You and Max?" I asked skeptically.
"Best thing I could think of. I couldn't walk out on you, Dee," Zack's look said it all and more.
"Why couldn't you have just said Manticore was back?" I threw up my arms. "I thought I meant more to you than that. You meant a lot to me."
Zack gave me a half smile. "Dee, I've never been good at talking. I had fears and doubts and the Manticore thing. And you mean more to me than anything in the world."
Mean. As in I still mean something to him. As in, present, current, at-the- moment sense.
"So, we okay?" Zack asked me.
"Other than the fact you slammed your fist into my face, we're fine," I said, standing up.
"Good."
I think Tinga might have hoped for us to be found making out on the bathroom floor. Maybe after we save the world. Or, at least, save our world.
*~*~*~*~*~* Wow. This is winding itself up pretty fast. Did anyone guess Rain was the X8? So, now its time for the big question. I would really enjoy writing a sequel-esque story to this fic because I love writing this Jondy, but would anyone read it? So, sequel, or no sequel? Let me know, when you review ;)
