Chapter Eight

Stephen Baker looked down at the girl he'd been calling his daughter. They had put her to sleep, in order to assess what could be done with her. Black Ghost's information on the girl was in the folder he held. "Oh Carla, baby…I'm so sorry this had to happen." He turned from her to his partner. "She is asleep. You may proceed."

"Thank you. You are dismissed. " The professor nodded, and turned his back on Baker. "Now then, Carla. Let's see what exactly we can do with you."

Stephen stepped out of the room, before he let himself cry in grief. Carla was so young, so innocent. How could Black Ghost live with himself? He might not be Carla's natural father, but he loved the girl as his own. "It's not right!" He spoke through clenched teeth, as he walked back to his room. When he walked in, the guards there locked the door. He didn't care. His work was done, as far as he was concerned. They couldn't make him feel much worse than he already felt. He wondered if Carla would ever forgive him for what they were going to do. His worse fear was no. He sighed ,and laid down to sleep.

001 was trying very hard to get through to Carla. He was having a hard time though. "I can't get a lock on her. It's like her mind's closed to us forever."

"Keep trying, 001. They won't have time to search the entire base."

"I know." The infant concentrated harder. ~Come on Carla,answer me!~

~001! Where are you?~ Carla's thought wave came back to the baby in the Dolphin.

"I have her! She's in the operating lab. Tell the boys they don't have much time. They're doing analysis."

"Okay." 003 picked up the radio. "009. We've found her. She in the West quadrant. The operating lab."

"Gah! Okay,003. We'll have her out in a jiffy!" 009 looked over at his partners. "She's getting ready to join our ranks! She's in the operating lab."

"Oh no! We don't have room for another girl." 004 replied. He looked over at 007. "I've got an idea. 007, pretend you're a guard, and you can take us into the base like prisoners. Then we'll split up to look for Carla."

007 nodded slowly. "Alright. That's a good idea." He shifted into the form of one of Black Ghost's minions. "Let's go." He guided 009 and 004 into the base.

"Halt. What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm taking these traitorous cyborgs to Black Ghost." 007 replied, shoving them ahead, past the nosy door man.

"Carry on…." The doorman turned back to his post.

"Good job,007." 009 stood up straighter. Then turned to 004. "So, you've been here before, right?"

"Yeah. Quadrant Four is upstairs. That way." He pointed ahead of them.

"Well, let's get going then!" 007 exclaimed. "I couldn't stand the thought of her being hurt!"

"Make that five of us." 006 replied. "We all feel the same way." The cyborgs split up then.

"We don't have the parts for that. They won't come in until November."

"It's September. What are we supposed to do with her until then?"

"We freeze her. That's all there is to it." Dr. Morris replied. He looked at the rest of his team. "I'll inform Black Ghost. Get the tank ready."

"Yes sir." They replied in unison, before pulling out an ice tank.

007 gasped, overhearing this. "Oh no! What happens if they do that to her? She'll die!"

"We must not let them get that far!" 004 exclaimed. "007 you go in there and stall them. 009 and I will intercept the real guy."

"Wait. I'm the only fast enough to get her out of here. 004, you keep a look out here." 009 waited while 007 distracted the team of scientists, then entered swiftly,scooping the unconscious Carla up. "Okay,007! Let's go!"

The team stared at 007, gawking, as their commander turned into the bald former actor. "Stop them! They've got the child!"

"Accelerate!" 009 dodged the laser blasts cuddling Carla in his arms tightly. "Take this!" He shot out sound waves from his gun that knocked the team out. "Take a nap on me!"

"009! Behind you!" 004's warning came from the doorway, just before Dr. Morris tried to grab for Carla.

"Oh no you don't, buddy!" 002 shot the doctor just in time, having rushed in behind 004. "Go, 009! Get her to safety!" 002 shouted over the chaos that had erupted.

"Be careful you guys!" 009 was gone a millisecond later.

"These guys are persistent! Take them all down!" 004 instructed. "Make your way out!"

"Easier said than done, 004!" 006 retorted, as he set fire to one of the lab tables.

"Have a rest!" 007 slammed one of the scientists into the wall, knocking him out. "I'm heading out."

"Go ahead. 005 and I can handle this now." 004 set off one of his knee missiles. The explosion rocked the quadrant. "Come on,005."

006 and 007 left the room. "What a hassle!" 006 stated. "At least she'll be safe now."

"I'm afraid she might be in more danger now than before." 002 interrupted.

"That is true. Just by associating with us." 006 frowned. "I'd gladly give my life for her. She's got hard days ahead of her now." He looked at 007 and 002. "We'll help her adjust, won't we?"

"Count on it." 002 climbed aboard the Dolphin. "Come on."

Just before the Dolphin was about to take off, 004 and 005 climbed aboard the giant air craft. "She's safe." 004 declared in satisfaction.

"For the time being. And she's got a family now. She just doesn't know it yet." 009 replied. He steered the Dolphin away from the base. "Where should we go?"

"Anywhere but here. We'll need time to explain things to her." Dr. Gilmore instructed.

Meanwhile, 003 was tending to Carla, who was still out cold. "You're home now, Sweetie. With all our strength, we will take care of you." She spoke as though Carla would respond. She couldn't wait to learn more about this young child. But it would take time. "Welcome home, Carla." She sat down, and waited until it would be time to hear Carla's whole story.

(A/N:And that ends Part One of The Ties That Bind. Part Two to come soon,starting with Chapter 9)