Chapter Six

The next day seemed to drag on for Carla. She was anxious about seeing her father after so many months. She had dressed in her blue sailor dress, to Joe and Francoise's delight. There was a lot for her to do. For instance, Chang was teaching her how to stir-fry. Then there was Gj, their resident spiritualist. He was trying to teach her how to meditate, which Carla kept insisting was pointless. What she didn't realize was they were trying to prepare her for being a part of their family. No one had told Carla, but the cyborgs had decided to take her in as their own.

As she sat at the dining room table, putting a puzzle together, Carla thought about all that she would say to her father. She would first hug him, and tell him she loved him. Then she would tell him how wrong he was for working with Black Ghost and putting her in danger. Yeah, that would do it for her. Then she would ask is he would go home with her. As much as she loved the cyborgs now, she couldn't see herself living with them forever. She still had her science career ahead of her.

"Carla, did you hear me?" Chang's voice broke into her thoughts.

"No, I'm sorry. I wasn't listening."

"It's alright. 00-I mean Pyunma, GB, and Jet are going into town for a while. Joe and Francoise are going with you to meet your father."

"I really don't see why they want to. It's just my father, Chang. He won't hurt me."

"Yes, I know. But he might not be alone. Joe and Francoise will call you when it's time. I'm going to the store. We're out of seaweed." Chang left before Carla could argue further.

I don't need them to come with me! Carla thought angrily, as she pieced together more of the border. I'm not a child! I can take care of myself! The angry mood lasted the rest of the afternoon, until just before sunset. That's when Joe called her into the parlor. "Yes?"

"Sit down, Carla. I want to talk to you about something really serious."

"What is it, Joe?" She thought she might know what he going to say, but she wasn't sure.

"I talked to Ivan late last night about your dream. "

"What? I thought you said you wouldn't say anything!" Carla glared at Joe.

"The more I thought about it, the more it sounded more like regressed memories. So I asked him about it. Ivan thinks what you had was a prophetic dream, that showed you something that perhaps you weren't meant to see."

"You mean…the man in the dream was my real father? Then…who was it on the phone last night?"

"We don't know. I want you to use extreme caution tonight,okay? It could be a trap."

"Okay, Joe." She stood up, and put on the coat that Francoise had altered for her. "Can we leave now?"

"Yeah. 003's warming up the sub." He put an arm around her shoulder, and led the way.

"Joe? I just wanted to say thank you, for everything. I know it can't be easy for you guys to be looking after me like this."

"It's not a problem at all. You make Professor Gilmore feel young again, and Kasumi too." Joe grinned.

"And Ivan looks to me as a sister. He had me changing his diapers last night." She giggled.

"Yeah…he may not act like a baby ,but he is definitely a baby in a lot of respects." Joe remarked, as he helped Carla into the sub. "Alright. We're ready,003. Take us down." Joe settled in front of the navigational device, and looked at Carla. "I hope things are as you hoped they would be."

The girl merely nodded,lost in her own thoughts, and fears.

When Carla stepped out of the submarine, Joe pulled her back. "Take it easy,Sweetie. Let me and Francoise go first. We don't want you to get hurt."

"Look, I played along long enough. Let me do this alone!" Carla yanked away from Joe, and ran.

"Carla! Wait!" 009 sighed, and looked at 003. "This isn't good…."

"You're right. I have a very bad feeling about this." She went back into the sub. "We've got the others on the look out, but it might not be enough."

"Stupid child! She's going to get herself and us killed!" 009 grumbled.

"Maybe not…" 003 tried to remain positive. "Besides, children do make mistakes."

"Yeah….well……" 009 was too upset to say much else.

Carla stared around the boardwalk, looking for her father. He'd said he'd meet her by the shop with the instruments that night before when he'd called back. She walked down the street, keeping alert.

"Carla…Carla sweetheart, over here." Her father's voice came from a gray Sedan.

"Daddy!" She walked right over to the car. "I've been so worried!"

"Me too, baby,me too. Come on and get in the back. The studio's a couple of miles away from here."

"Okay." She was about open the door to the back, when a slender man pulled her back. "Hey!"

"Carla, you're supposed to be with your mother." The man winked at her. It was 007.

"My mother's dead, and I don't know you!" Carla shoved him away, and got in the car. "Creep!" Carla glared at 007 from the window.

"Carla! No!" 007 knocked on the window, until the car sped off.

"You're going to love this place, Baby. But it's a long way from here. Why don't you take a nap?"

Before Carla could respond, she felt a pain that reminded her of a misquito bite, and instantly became very dizzy. "D-daddy…."

"You'll never see your father again, little girl. You belong to Black Ghost now."

"Impossible……" That was the last thing Carla said, before falling into darkness.

"How could you let her go like that,007? What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking she's supposed to be alone, and if I tried to stop her, we would be found out." 007 responded crisply. "Anyway, 001 can pick up her brain waves. We'll find her."

"I just hope we're not too late." 009 sighed, as he turned the submarine back towards the compound. "There's no telling how much time we'll have."