14. Day One (The Egg Roll Prophecy)

Monday, June 24th, 6:29 AM, Eastgate time
Monday, June 24th, 2:29 PM, Cairo time
COTQ Building, Quarters 2-G
-20 Days
Kimi slowly rolled onto her back in a pre-coherent haze as the crisp electronic ring of the phone pealed through the quarters. She stretched out an arm and retrieved the phone, slowly slipping it along the pillow to her ear. "...Hh'mllo," she muttered.

"Good morning!" the deep, cheerful voice boomed through the earpiece.

Kimi winced, moving the phone from her ear for a moment. "Cap'nnn Maarrrk," she groaned, "It's sooo not all about morning people."

"Breakfast is at 0700," Mark returned. "Were you up late playing backgammon?"

"...Nnnot laate...about 10:30...I'm just not a morning people...." Kimi said, placing the phone to her other ear and nuzzling back into her pillow.

"Well, I've made up your schedule for during the week...you'll have to get at least a little used to getting up this early."

Kimi's attention focused on a slightly different tone in Mark's voice this morning which surprised her a bit - not harsh; but with less of the friendly, allowing nature she had come to know him by. A little bit less of the "Mark" and a little more of the "Captain." "It's not the getting up early," she replied, slowly working to a sitting position. "It's all about Planet Fuzz for the first few minutes when I wake up. A shower and a cup of tea perks me right up."

"Come on down after your shower," said Mark. "I've got some teas down here in my quarters. I'll call the main desk today and put in for a pot and heating plate for you. Bring your gym bag and a fresh outfit."

"Okay, Cap'n Mark," Kimi said. "Thanks." Her curiosity got the better of her after a short pause. "Cap'n Mark...? Is...everything alright?"

Another short pause - then Mark let out an exhale. "Everything's okay, Ki," he said resignedly, "at least here, anyway. Just a little setback in one of the cases back in Cairo...not related to your mother, though...I'm sorry if it sounded like I was taking it out on you."

"You weren't, Cap'n Mark. You just sounded...I don't know...all about a little more...business-like."

"It's got nothing to do with you, Ki...I promise. I'll work on my mood before you come down for tea...but also rememeber, this is your first official day of training. It'll be a little more 'business-like' from here on out."

"I know," replied Kimi, with a bit of relief to her voice. "I guess I'd want to know if you were mad at me for any reason. I remember how you were with that guy who hit me in the legs on Saturday."

This disarmed Mark, who gave a sudden laugh. "I guess you know by now that I don't like when people under me play dirty. I don't think you're capable of that...--" there was now a hint in his voice "--why, you're not even capable of making us late for breakfast..."

Mark laughed again as he heard Kimi spring from the bed. "It's all about shower, Cap'n Mark!" she said into the phone while hurrying to the bathroom. "Hear that? It's the shower - it's running now! I'll be down in fifteen! It's all about keep the tea hot Cap'n Mark! Orange and black pekoe!"

This was followed by the phone quickly clicking in Mark's ear. He continued to laugh as he went into the kitchen, turning on the heating plate and filling a carafe with water.

6:46 AM.
Mark had brought two clean cups from the sink and set them on the counter, tearing open two packets of tea and setting a bag into each cup. He was pouring water into the second cup when a knock came at the door. "It's open," he called over his shoulder.

Kimi walked through the door, sitting into an overstuffed chair next to the couch and placing her gym bag on the floor beside it. "Morning, Cap'n Mark," she said. "Tea ready?"

Mark brought the cups from the counter along with a small plate, setting one on the table in front of the couch, and holding on to the other. "It's just steeping," he said. "Give it another minute or two." He then crossed the room to his desk and took a paper from an open folder, handing it to Kimi. "This is the schedule we'll be following during the week."

Mark picked up the string drooping over the side of his cup and gently dipped and rose the teabag as Kimi took the paper, giving it a slight ruffle to make it rigid, and began reading the printing on it:

0700: breakfast
0800: tone exercises/low-impact aerobics/stretching
0900: karate training(MWF) exercises(TTh) (Speed Room on Fridays)
1100: shower
1130-1230: dinner
1300: firearms training/exercises (set up for house clearings in second week)
1700: supper

"Do you take anything in your tea?" asked Mark.

"One sugar and some milk, if you have it," Kimi replied, smiling. Mark nodded once, setting his cup on the table, and went to the kitchen, retrieving a container of milk from a small refrigertator and a packet of sugar from a bowl on the counter. He brought both to the table and sat on the couch while Kimi read the schedule. Mark lifted the teabag from his cup and set it on the plate. "Your tea should be about done," he said, lifting the cup and taking a sip.

Kimi rose from the chair and sank to her knees on the floor at the end of the table, placing the schedule on it and reaching for her cup. "Do you have a pen, Cap'n Mark?" she asked as she dipped her teabag several times. Mark brought a pen from his shirt pocket and passed it to Kimi. He watched as she took the pen in her left hand, clicked it, and traced the tip along each line, reading it again.

Kimi stopped at the "MWF" on the third line, looking up at Mark. "Monday, Wednesday and Friday," he said. She then pointed to the "TTh," giving another inquisitive look. "Tuesday and Thursday," he replied, prompting a small smirk from Kimi.

"It's all about acronyms," she smiled.

Kimi turned her attention to her tea, dipping the bag a few more times, then holding it just above the cup, waiting a short moment as it dripped, then moving it to the plate. She opened the sugar packet and tipped it into the cup, then opened the milk and poured in a bit. She brought the cup to her mouth and took a sip, smiling in approval at the mix. "Dad drinks coffee sometimes...but he likes Earl Grey tea. I tried coffee, but it's all about bitter."

"I usually do coffee, too," said Mark. "I'm rather fond of Darjeeling tea, but I don't have any here. I might have to stop by the commissary and pick some up."

Kimi turned back to the schedule, circling the "MWF" and drawing a line to an open area, writing in "Monday Wednesday Friday." She did the same with the "TTh," then focused on the fifth line, giving Mark a wrinkled-nose smirk and drawing lines through "dinner" and writing above it, "All about lunch," and underlining it.

"Heh," Mark chuckled, shaking his head slowly. "Civilians."

Kimi sipped at her tea, then pointed to the second to last line of the schedule. "What's a...'house clearing'?"

"It's a firearms training exercise," replied Mark. "More of a real-world situation than just aiming at targets. You'll go through a maze that's set up like the inside of a building, with doorways and windows. As you go through, cardboard figures will pop out from behind the doors and windows. You'll have about a second to decide if the figure is hostile or friendly, and whether to fire or not. This is after you're more comfortable with your weapon. That's why you won't go through the 'house' until the second week...then your firearms training will be almost exclusively in the 'house.' It's the closest simulation to the conditions you might face in Cairo." Kimi looked at the schedule again and took a few more sips of her tea with a pensive expression. "Still thinking about the darts?" Mark asked.

Kimi's brow lowered a bit as she raised her head to Mark. "It's...not that," she said. "I trust you when you say that I can't...kill anyone with the gun. It's--" she hesitated for a few seconds. "It's one thing to shoot at a cardboard target...but I'm not sure I'm all about, like..."

"--I think I know what you're going to say," Mark cut in. "Firing on a live target?"

"...yeah," Kimi said quietly, lowering her eyes slightly.

"I...think I can help you past that, too," Mark said. "Would it help if you were to actually see the effect of a dart on someone?"

Kimi sat for a silent moment. "Maybe..." she said.

"I can set that up in the next day or two. The more familiarity you have with your weapon, the more trust you have in it...and the more efficient you can become in using it--" Mark looked at his watch, then smiled to Kimi. "--but right now, let's get going on the schedule for today. Let's get some breakfast in us first," he said, rising from the couch - then smirking at Kimi. "You...do call it 'breakfast,' don't you..?"

Kimi was taking a sip of her tea when Mark said the last. She stopped and brought the cup from her mouth, an exaspirated expression crossing her face. "No, Cap'n Mark," she said in a sarcastic, slightly mocking tone, "I call it 'bleen.' I've always called it 'bleen'."

"Right," Mark replied. "I've always said...nothing starts the day like a nice hot bleen!"

The two looked at each other for a second. Kimi rose quickly to her feet, trying to hide a smirk of concession. "Shut up, Cap'n Mark." she blurted through a grin, turning to retrieve her gym bag. Mark doubled over slightly in helpless laughter as he got his laptop case and keys from the desk.

7:09 AM.
Base Exchange
Kimi and Mark walked through the doorway to the eating area and approached the food line. Mark tapped Kimi on the shoulder with a large smirk on his face and pointed to a blonde woman standing in line with her hair in a bun. "Watch this," he whispered, then put his finger over his mouth in a "shhh" motion as he quietly walked behind the woman and stood for a moment - then blurted out as she reached for a tray, "What? No arugula and radicchio salad for breakfast??"

The woman's head whipped around at this. "Mark! You nut! Hahaha!" Carole said, slapping his upper arm lightly, then turning her head to the teen, who was also snickering a bit. "Hi there Kimi."

"Hi Carole!" Kimi said.

"Don't tell me you're hanging out with this guy," Carole giggled.

"Well...yeah," Kimi snickered again. "In fact, he's buying me bleen this morning!"

Carole gave Kimi a puzzled look until Mark offered, "That's what she calls it...she told me herself," and motioning to the various containers and plates of food on the counter, just beyond the clear plastic "sneeze shields" - then shrugging his shoulders, trying to choke back a snicker as Kimi now took a swipe at his arm.

Carole's expression changed to a small smile. "Well, the bleen looks good this morning."

"Join us?" Mark asked, picking up a tray of his own and setting it on the rails that ran the length of the counter, then handing one to Kimi.

"Sure," Carole smiled. "Most of the people I knew when i was here have transferred out or are out on TDY. I hardly know anyone here, outside of a couple of the people in the encryption office."

Now Kimi gave a look of puzzlement. "TDY?" she asked.

"Temporary Tour of Duty," Mark replied - then grinned, "It's all about acronyms."

Kimi then looked past Mark as Carole made her choice for breakfast - creamed chipped beef on two slices of white toast. "Ummm...Carole?" she asked. "Do...you actually eat that stuff?"

"Why not?" said Carole, taking the plate from the food clerk and setting it on her tray. "It's not that bad...really. You should try it."

"You know the...other name for that, don't you?" Kimi winced.

Carole giggled at this. "Kimi...you can't judge a book by its cover -- or in this case, a meal by its nickname -- the 'shingle' thing is just an ugly name the men gave it." Carole motioned to her left as she spoke, as Mark had selected the same meal. "Have you ever had biscuits and gravy?" Kimi nodded in response. "It's kind of like that," Carole said. Carole and Mark slid their trays a bit along the rails, leaving Kimi in front of the food clerk. She looked at the container of white gravy - then behind the clerk, where a cook was standing in front of a large griddle, breaking eggs into a bowl and whipping them with a large whisk to scramble them. On the left side of the griddle was an array of bacon and sausage, cooking slowly, should someone order it.

Kimi steeled her cuisinary resolve, then let out a sigh of resignment. "Okay...I'll try a...shingle--" she said - then turned quickly to Mark "--but if I chuck, it's all about a whole new meaning for 'breakfast is on you'." Mark and Carole broke into laughter, joined by the food clerk. They moved to the beverage counter, where Mark poured a cup of coffee, while Carole and Kimi chose orange juice. At the cashier, Mark charged the three meals to his ID card.

7:14 AM.
The three chose a table near the far wall of the dining area, with Mark sitting across from the two women. Carole took the salt and pepper shakers from the table, applying first a sprinkle of the salt, then a fair dusting of pepper over her dish, then passing the shakers to Kimi, who chose to forego the salt and sprinkled just a bit of the pepper before passing the containers to Mark. Kimi then picked up her fork and cut a corner of the toast which had just a small amount of the gravy on one edge, then sank the tongs into it and brought it near her mouth, sniffing at it slightly - then into her mouth, her expression slowly changing from one of skepticism to slightly more than cuisinary tolerance.

Mark studied Kimi's face as she tried the dish. "Not that bad, is it?" he said.

Kimi nodded slowly in apprehensive agreement. "It's...not something I'd be all about every day," she said, "but not...so bad."

"Especially once you get past the name the men pinned on it," added Carole with a smirk.

Mark cut into his toast. "...who told you that men gave it that name?"

Carole tittered. "You think a woman would give a name like that to a meal that they themselves would eat??" She again dug into her meal. "Besides, it wasn't a woman who came up with the 'mess kit' either." Mark brought his hand to his slowly shaking head in response, a smile crossing his face. Carole then turned with a smile to Kimi, who was eating her meal. "Kimi wisely said nothing during this and continued to work steadily on her piping hot plate of bleen!" she quipped. Mark burst into laughter, and Kimi had to hold her hand over her mouth to contain both her laughter and her mouthful of food.

Kimi recovered, swallowing her food, then turned to Carole. "Have...you ever been through a 'house clearing'?" she asked.

"The weapons exercise?" Carole returned as Kimi nodded. "A couple times...why?"

"How did you do?"

"Not so good the first time," Carole said. "I was kind of nervous...and accidentally shot two friendlies."

Kimi thought for a second - then "Well, I don't think I have to worry about that...there's only one 'friendly' in Cairo, and she will probably be all about locked--"

Mark was staring intently at Kimi and fanning his fingers back and forth across his neck in a blade fashion.

"--away...somewhere..."

Carole stared at Kimi as she spoke, one eyebrow rising. She looked at Mark, who slowly stopped his hand in mid-fan and began to scratch his neck - then back to Kimi with an even more incredulous look. "Kimi...why would you have to worry about...shooting friendlies in Cairo...? What's going on, hon?"

Kimi now looked down at her plate, wishing she could crawl under her toast. "I...--" she stammered, glancing up at Carole, then back to her plate.

Mark exhaled a surrendering sigh. He gave Kimi a reassuring look and a small nod, as if to tell her he knew her speaking out was an honest mistake, then turned to Carole, leaning toward her and lowering his voice. "Carole," he started, "I know I can trust you to the Nth degree...but this has to stay one-hundred-percent on the QT...if the right people hear about this the wrong way, I'm looking at a shitstorm from my CO, and possibly higher - not to mention the UN sticking their nose in." Carole nodded, and her expression slowly turned to one of wide-eyed, concerned discovery as Mark continued. "Kimi's mother...is a Celler...she's lived here for over fifteen years. A little over a week ago, she was abducted while the family was on vacation in Cairo. A friend of theirs who works at Cairo West knew better than to involve the local police, and called me in to investigate. It got more hairy from there...hairier than just a suspected terrorist action. You know about how Cellers cross here, right?"

"The Resonance Conduit," said Carole.

Mark nodded, closing his eyes for a few seconds. "And you know that the Conduit is usually restricted from any evil Celler element making a Cross..." he said, Carole nodding affirmatively in reply. "About a month ago, there was a breach...a couple of villains from the show that Kimi's mother worked in hacked the Conduit...bad people...they've hooked up with some people in Cairo, and they put together a plot--"

Kimi had kept her gaze on the table in front of her as Mark talked. She remained silent, but a tear had rolled from her cheek and dropped to the napkin in front of her plate as Mark reached explaining Drakken and Shego's goal. At this, he stopped. "...Ki..."

Kimi's right hand rose from the table to her forehead and her mouth curled into a frown as she tried to choke back a sob. "I-I'm s-sORry Cap'N-M-ark..." her voice trailed away as Carole reached for Kimi's left hand, then turned to embrace the teen as she slowly leaned against Carole's chest, trying to restrain her emotion.

"You're...not just here to 'tune up her karate skills'...are you..." Carole said softly while stroking Kimi's hair.

Mark's face fell a little. "No...I'm not," he said. "I'm training her, within the limits of the CENAP...for a mission to rescue her mother. She has the talent - and Lord knows she has the motive and the drive...but because of CENAP...she is her mother's last hope."

Carole turned to Kimi, bringing her face up into her hands, studying the path of a tear moist on the teen's cheek and wiping it lightly with a napkin. Not only was this girl subjected to the tragedy of having her mother stolen from her - but because of restrictions and circumstances, she must now put herself into harm's way as well in an attempt to save her own mother?

Carole softly brushed the hair from Kimi's forehead with a finger, and spat a silent curse at the United Nations and the Cross Agents for the lack of foresight of the possible consequences of their decisions. She then looked at Mark, her brow furrowing as part of a pleading expression. Having known Mark for over seven years, she was sure he was echoing the same curse in his own mind. "Tell me what I can do to help, Mark," she said as Kimi straightened in her chair. "Please...anything at all."

A smile spread over Mark's face. His friend of these many years hadn't let him down at her discovery of his plan. He sat for a few seconds, thinking. "How's your karate?" he asked. "Are you still practicing with that five-foot Jo staff?"

"You remembered!" Carole beamed. "Yep...twice a week, religiously. I've been talking with the head of the karate club here on base and I'm seriously thinking about joining."

"There are a bunch of the members of that club helping us now," Mark said. "We could use someone with weapons experience in the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We had someone who was pretty good with Escrima...but he turned out to be a bit of a hot dog. I trust you still have a KISS suit..." Carole nodded. "Think you can wrangle about six days out of your CO on short notice? If you want, I can call him this morning and talk to him."

"I've got three days vacation coming," Carole said, "and one personal. I can work on Sundays to make up the rest. I'll talk to him this morning and set it up. It shouldn't be a problem, especially since it's not six days in a row." She looked at the large clock over the serving line. "I'm on an 0800 shift today. What time are you planning dinner? I should know something by then."

"We're doing training this morning at the gym," said Mark. "We'll be back here after a shower...around 11:30, for about an hour. Can you make it?"

"I'll be here, no problem," Carole said. She then turned to Kimi, who had mostly recovered from her slip in emotion. "Kimi..." she started, "I know what you're going through right now. I've got friends who went through what you're going through. I know how tough it is, and how it can tear you up inside...but you're not just sitting around waiting for it...you're doing something that anyone in your position would want to do...but very few would do. Kimi, I want you to know that, now that I know what it is you're getting ready to do...I think you're probably the bravest person I've ever met in my life." With this, she reached again for Kimi, giving her a warm hug - then pulling back to arm's length. "I can also tell you that I can't think of anyone who could prepare you for what you're doing better than Mark here...and...I know I can't offer much...but as of right now...any way I can help you...you got it.."

"Thanks, Carole," Mark said. "I...think you know that your help is appreciated, and means a lot...to both of us." Kimi nodded in agreement.

"For something like this, I'm more than glad to help," said Carole. "Given these circumstances, you of all people should know that you could count on my support." She then looked at the clock over the serving line again. "I should get going. I'll talk with my CO right when I get there." She rose from her chair, giving Kimi a squeeze on her shoulder and a warm smile. "Be on your toes, Kimi," she said. "I'm pretty good with a Jo staff."

Kimi gave a sly smile. "The man who works with Cap'n Mark calls me 'Liquid Murder'."

Carole broke into a quick titter. "Sugoi, Kimi! Okay, you two - see you back here at dinner!"

"You mean lunch??" Kimi perked.

"That's what I said...dinner." Carole replied.

Kimi grimaced, slapping her hand against her forehead. "Ahhh, not you, too!" she groaned as Mark burst into laughter.

"See you soon," Carole giggled, waving back as she walked toward the doorway.

Kimi turned back to the table, picking up her glass of orange juice and taking a sip. Her eyes slowly shifted back to Mark. "I'm sorry Cap'n Mark," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to say anything in front of Carole. Cairo just...slipped before I knew what I was saying..."

"No damage," Mark replied. He took a drink of his coffee. "Actually in a way, I'm glad you said something. Carole is a good person. I've known her for years...and I should have asked her when we ran into her on Saturday."

"She's way diamond, Cap'n Mark," Kimi said. "After you told her about the sitch, she was all about jump in and help any way she could."

"Yeah...very neat. Once I told her about your mother, I knew I could trust her." Mark then drank the rest of his coffee and glanced at his watch. "Are you about done with your breakfast? We should be getting to the gym."

Kimi took another sip of her juice and nodded. They rose together and walked down the stairway to the Jeep to head to the gym. As they approached the vehicle, Kimi asked, "Cap'n Mark? That thing that Carole said when I told her what the other guy called me? 'Sugoi'...what does that mean?"

"That's Japanese," Mark said. "When she was last here at the Air Base, before I went to Cairo, she used to hang around with a couple of people who were studying Japanese...they hung out a lot in online Japanese forums. If I remember right, 'Sugoi' is Japanese slang for 'awesome' or 'very cool'."

"Oh...it's like when I say 'shiznekkin' then."

Mark looked at Kimi for a second, canting his head. "Uh--sure!" he nodded quickly. Kimi responded with a quick giggle as Mark backed the Jeep from the parking slot.

8:04 AM.
Upon entering the gym, they went directly to their respective locker rooms and changed into workout clothing - Mark in a dark gray sweatsuit, and Kimi wearing dark purple sweatpants and a "midriff" t-shirt in a lighter shade of purple. They each brought a towel with them from the locker rooms.

They went to the front desk where Mark asked for a paper listing the machines one should focus on in order to attain more flexibility and range of motion. He read for a moment, then led Kimi to a bench with an adjustable incline, surrounded by a system of pulleys and long, flexible bars made from carbon steel which provided progressive amounts of resistance.

Mark motioned Kimi to the bench, and she returned a slightly puzzled look. "Umm, Cap'n Mark? ...Shouldn't I...do a little stretching before this?"

"I used to think that, too," Mark said as he looked at the paper. "One of the trainers who helped me get my first black belt told me that muscles are like rubber...they stretch better when they're warm." He then reached toward the back of the machine, making a couple of adjustments to set a weight resistance. "For about the last six years or so, I've been doing my stretching after my exercises...and it's made a world of difference. There's also less chance of straining a muscle that way."

Kimi held an arm out in front of her, studying it as she turned her palm up - then smiled. "Makes sense," she said, curling her hand into a fist and releasing it. "I just never thought that way before...but it makes sense."

Mark walked about four feet to his left to an identical machine, reaching to set the weight resistance, then sitting on the bench. "Let me show you the first couple of exercises. Then you can do them along with me." He reached over his head, retrieving a couple of looped hand grips on the ends of cables, and pulling them down a few inches, taking up the slack. Kimi followed his instruction, reaching for grips above her and doing the same. Mark ran through the first exercises for Kimi, raising his hands together over his head and pulling down in an arc; then a variation, this time moving his arms outward, down to his sides, and up again. He then placed his feet through the grips, tightening the loops, and did a couple of exercises, raising and lowering his legs, first straight until vertical, and back - then another, bending his knee, bringing his leg to his chest and straightening it again.

"Now you," Mark said. "Ready? First with the hands together." Kimi imitated the movements she was shown as Mark went through them again in sets of 20 repetitions each. She noticed that while the effort to go through the motions of the exercises wasn't great with the resistance Mark had set, she could immediately feel the arm exercises having an effect on the muscles in her upper chest and shoulders, and the leg raises awakening the muscles in her thighs. "All of these exercises will tone your muscles at the limits of your range of movement," Mark said as he slipped the grips from his feet. "Just a half hour every morning and you'll really notice a difference."

Kimi also took the grips off her feet, slowly letting them retract to their positions over her head as Mark stood from his bench, putting his towel around his neck. "Tomorrow, I'll show you some exercises to add to the ones we did today," he said. "By the end of the week, you'll be going through all eight in the regimen." Mark then pointed to the exercise floor, where a small group of people had taken up places, and were going through a short warm-up. "This is a low-impact aerobics class that meets every day...there's a lot of stretching toward the end of the routine...that'll take us up to 0900, then we have the floor for karate until 1100."

Mark guided Kimi to a place on the floor as the instructor called the class to order, started some music on the small stereo beside her, and began the exercise. Kimi thought of the routine as a sort of dance as she followed the instructor's moves, swinging her arms in wide arcs as she bounced slightly to the beat of the music.

As they neared the end of the routine, the instructor told everyone to sit on the floor for their "cooldown." They took up places on the floor, their legs spread wide, and reached in slow arcs to either side, first over their head and bending to their side, then moving their arms toward each of their feet. Kimi could feel the warmth spreading through her torso as she dipped her head, her fingers outstretched toward her toes. As they stretched, Mark looked toward the door and smiled slightly as several of Kimi's karate opponents began to file in, all carrying gym bags. They gave a small wave to Mark as they walked past the exercise floor on their way to the gym

8:58 AM.
The aerobics instructor had gotten to her feet, thanking the class and reminding them that there would be another session the next morning. Mark and Kimi also stood. "Feels better stretching after exercise, doesn't it," he asked as Kimi retrieved her towel from the floor.

Kimi brushed lightly at her neck. "Yeah," she said, slightly surprised. "For years, I've always stretched before a workout, either for exercises or practicing moves. I don't know why, but...this morning, I feel more..."

"Loose?"

"Yeah," Kimi replied, a smile widening over her face. "All about loose." She punctuated this by bringing her left knee up a bit - then again while jumping slightly and suddenly firing her right leg into the air, her foot reaching far above her head, her knee nearly touching her nose.

"Whoa," said Mark, noting the height of Kimi's kick. "See? Your range of motion is already increased, just from a single session. That's the highest I've seen you kick yet."

Kimi reached to the back of her thigh. "I don't think I'll be all about doing that again right away...I felt a little...ping...back here."

"Heh," Mark chuckled. "It's best not to overdo, anyway. The range will come soon enough...and the...'ping' will go away." Mark then motioned to the back of the gym, where a few of the opponents were coming through the entrance to the locker rooms, having donned their KISS suits. "Good timing," he said. "Looks like school's about to start." Mark then pointed to a double doorway about halfway along the wall. Craig had entered the gym, and was rolling the cart carrying the folding table and chairs from the equipment room. "Stay here," Mark said. "I'll get my keys and get my laptop case out of the Jeep."

"Umm...do I need my Escrima...?" asked Kimi, motioning slowly in the direction of the locker rooms.

"Not today," Mark replied. "I'll be teaching you a few moves this morning, and you'll be working them against opponents."

"I'll help Craig set stuff up," Kimi grinned as Mark started in the direction of the locker rooms. She greeted Craig as he wheeled the cart along the edge of the exercise mat, then helped unfold the table and chairs, setting them near one of the connection terminals in the floor. After a few moments, Mark returned from outside with his case, and set up his laptop and microphone as he had on Saturday.

Mark spent a few minutes addressing the fight trainers about the sequence of events on this morning, then started the session. He would demonstrate a strike or block on an opponent in "real time" - then go through it again for Kimi, step-by-step, explaining each part of the move and the reasoning behind it. Then he would ask Kimi to come forward and repeat each of the motions on an opponent, then execute the complete sequence. After they had gone through three or four moves in this fashion, Mark would have an opponent square off against Kimi, telling her to defend herself only with the moves she had just learned. Toward the end of the session, in the second hour, Mark turned Kimi loose on opponents, instructing her to focus on integrating the new strikes and blocks into her repetoire. At the end of the session, Mark thanked each of the fight trainers for their morning's work as they filed past the table, their face patches removed. In turn, some of the fighters talked with Kimi, remarking on her skills and movements. Mark and Kimi then headed to the locker rooms themselves for showers as Craig dismantled the table and chairs.

11:26 AM
Base Exchange
The two entered the dining area, and Kimi immediately began to scan the room, looking for Carole as Mark took a place in line. Kimi gave the room another quick look-over - then took a tray from the stack at the end of the rails and joined Mark in line. "I don't see Carole anywhere, Cap'n Mark," she said.

Mark looked up at the clock over the serving line. "Well, it's not quite 1130 yet," he said. "She should be along any moment now, though." They slid their trays a few feet along the rails. Mark turned to Kimi as a phone rang by the cashier. "What do you feel like for dinner, Ki?" he asked.

"Some lunch," Kimi retorted quickly in a matter-of-fact tone, a hint of a smirk on her face.

Mark couldn't help but snicker. "Well, there's plenty of both."

The clerk behind the serving line was the same one who had served breakfast. He returned to his place at the serving line after answering the phone, and perked slightly as Mark moved before him in front of various containers. "Are you Captain Mark Broderson?" he asked.

"Yes," Mark replied, "that's right."

The clerk reached for a small covered dish under the counter. "Someone asked that this be saved for you," he said, passing Mark the dish over the "sneeze shield." Mark gave a puzzled look first to the clerk, and then to Kimi as he took the dish, and slowly lifted the cover. The dish was filled with bare lettuce - and a handwritten note sat on top:

-...you were expecting maybe arugula and radicchio??
P.S.: Check your six-

Mark's eyes slowly closed as a smile crossed his face. "....Caarrolle..." he drew out, his head raising slightly. Kimi turned quickly to the blonde woman, who was now standing behind Mark, trying to stifle a smug grin.

"Hi Carole," Kimi said. "Where were you? I was all about check the room just a minute ago, and I didn't see you."

"You forgot to check the restrooms," Carole smiled.

"Tipped the clerk to my approach with a phone call," said Mark as he turned.

"Thaaat's what cells are for," Carole smirked, waving a small silver phone in her hand.

"And the arugula score at mid-day is tied at one-all," Mark said. "Grab a tray."

"Don't mind if I do," said Carole, moving to take a tray from the beginning of the serving line and sliding into place just behind Kimi. "Good session this morning?"

"Yeah," Kimi replied. "Cap'n Mark showed me some new blocks. One is a joint-lock arm takedown. It's all about drop an opponent quicker than I could just by wrapping their arm."

"She learns quick," Mark added. "Even quicker than I thought she would."

Kimi had turned her attention to the serving line as Mark and Carole talked. She picked out a small salad and French dressing, coupled with a dish of cut watermelon, cantelope and honeydew melon. Mark chose a fish filet sandwich with some fries, and Carole went with a "hoagie" sandwich and a bag of potato chips. At the beverage counter, Carole and Mark got large glasses of Coke, while Kimi chose iced tea. They picked out a table near the far wall again and sat to eat.

Kimi opened the packet of dressing and applied it to her salad, then reached for a slice of watermelon from the other dish. "You two get along as if you've known each other a long time," she started, "Cap'n Mark...you said you've known Carole for years...how long?

"I've known Carole for...man, it must be almost eight years now," Mark smiled first at Kimi, then to Carole, and dribbled a line of ketchup over his fries.

"Yeah," Carole added. "We first met here at the 111th, back when I was still a network admin assistant. I transfered into Encryption a bit after Mark got married. I was one of the alternate bridesmaids for the wedding. Mark transfered to Cairo about a year after that."

Kimi's gaze slowly lowered to her dish. "...After his wife was killed there..." she said quietly.

Mark was picking a few fries from his plate when Kimi said this. He raised his head quickly, exchanging a look with Carole, then looked at Kimi, his eyebrow raising. "How did you know that, Ki?"

"One of the men who came to take me to the helicopter told me what happened," Kimi returned slowly. "He said he worked with you in Cairo after you transfered there."

"That would be Johnny," said Mark with a bit of a smile. "He was on the primary investigation team after the bombing. He started the preliminary work while I came back here and took care of some business, then put in for the transfer to Cairo West to join the investigation."

"He--" Kimi corrected herself "--Johnny...said that you didn't rest until you got them all."

"Captured every one of them...those who thought they could fight it out were killed." Mark took a drink of his soda. "I learned something, too...there's no negotiating or dealing with terrorists. They want what they want...whether it's to protest, or just to make a point...they will use the most shocking and horrific means to do it...and they don't care who gets in the way. The bombing in that store was meant to kill a cabinet member visiting Cairo from another country, who had very strong opinions against the country the terrorists were from."

Kimi's eyes returned to her dish. "I'm sorry for bringing it up, Cap'n Mark," she said. "I hope you're not mad at me."

Mark reached for Kimi's hand. "I'm not mad, Ki," he said. "Not at all. I was just surprised that you knew about my wife." He punctuated this with a slight squeeze and a few pats on her hand. Kimi responded with a small smile and a slow nod. Mark then turned to Carole. "How'd things go with your CO?"

"Piece of cake," Carole beamed. "You said Saturday that the sessions would be in the mornings--" Mark nodded. "--so I told him I needed to take half-days on the next three Tuesdays and Thursdays. I said it was to clear up some personal business. He said that he had no problem with it, and just signed the request and let me fill it out. I won't even have to work any Sundays to make up time."

"Good deal," Mark smiled.

"So you can come tomorrow?" Kimi perked.

"I'll be there with bells on," replied Carole.

"You'd better be there with more than that on," Mark smirked. "Ki here knows moves they just don't teach normal red belts." Kimi's response to this was a slight blush.

Mark sipped at his soda again and perked slightly. "You know what, Ki? Just to prove that I'm not mad...I'll spring for dinner at my place tonight. Carole, you come too. I'll get Craig to come." Mark then looked at each of the girls. "What sounds good to you two?"

Kimi looked down at her salad and fruit; at the same time, Carole studied her sandwich and chips for a moment. They then raised their heads simultaneously, looking at each other. Carole reached for Kimi's hand, turning it palm up and lowering it below the table, hiding the view from Mark as she traced something on it with the tip of her finger. A sly grin spread across Kimi's face as she did so, accompanied with a quick nod. They turned to Mark, still with that sly grin, and uttered their response simultaneously:

"Chinese."

"Ooo-kaayy," Mark smiled widely. "But the only close Chinese place is off-base. We get done about 1700, Carole. Head over to the COTQ about that time. I'll drop Kimi off and let you both in while I go get the food."

"Sounds like a plan," Carole said. "Bring on the egg rolls."

"It's all about crab rangoons," Kimi added, popping a slice of melon into her mouth.

They went through the rest of their meal, and Carole rose to leave, wishing Kimi luck in the afternoon's activities. Kimi and Mark followed shortly after, heading for the Jeep to go to the firing range. For the first hour, Mark let Kimi become more comfortable with her pistol, instructing her on how to improve her aim, especially in "quick fire" situations - having her lower the weapon to the counter until he barked "fire" - and she would have to quickly raise the pistol and hit the cardboard silhouette, first just hitting it anywhrere, then focusing on specific parts of the body that Mark would call out.

As the afternoon progressed, Mark introduced Kimi to the holster she would be using, made of a black, stiff nylon material and softer nylon straps with "quikclick" buckles, and showed her how it fit to her body; the large strap over her shoulder, the gun hanging about six inches under her left armpit, along the middle of her ribs; another, smaller strap around her torso to keep the pistol against her side; and a third strap running from her left shoulder to under her right armpit, to keep the large strap on her shoulder during vigorous physical movement. Mark showed her how to adjust the straps to provide a snug fit to her torso without restricting movement, and how to position the weapon for quickest retrieval, while still being out of the way when she had to fight. Mark gave a tug on the holster, making sure it would hold position. "How's the fit?" he asked.

Kimi swung her arms in slow arcs, testing her range of movement with the new equipment. "Kind of tight," she said. "Will it restrict me much in karate, though?"

"It shouldn't," Mark replied. "Starting tomorrow, you'll be wearing it during your karate sessions, so you can get used to moving with it on. Next week, you'll be wearing it with the pistol in the holster, to get you used to the weight. I'll also have you go through some combined exercises in the last week where you'll be doing both fighting and shooting against your opponents...you'll be using a paintball gun for that." Mark then instructed Kimi in how to holster and unholster her pistol, showing her how to undo the Velcro strap that went around the back of the grip with her trigger finger so she could unsheath the weapon in one quick, seamless motion. Kimi spent the rest of the afternoon practicing drawing the pistol from the holster and firing on the cardboard target. Mark was pleased to note that her work in karate sharpened her hand-eye coordination; targeting for Kimi was not proving to be the problem that he had thought it would be, once he worked her through the initial fear of handling a firearm.

After the practice, Mark and Kimi made their way back to the COTQ, where Carole had been waiting at the front desk for only a few moments. Mark knocked on Craig's door, and the four went into Mark's quarters, where they decided on the evening menu before Mark called the order in to the Chinese restaurant, which was about a mile outside the front gate of the base. While Mark went to retrieve the meal, the other three engaged in a couple of games of Rummy.

6:14 PM.
A loud banging at the door startled the three. Craig rose from the couch and looked through the peephole - then quickly unlocked the door to help Mark, whose arms were full of large bags from the restaurant. Carole and Kimi also stood from their seats on the floor, each taking a bag. Mark set the rest of the bags on the coffee table, then went into the kitchen for plates and utensils as Carole began to sort food from the bags. "Look at how much wild rice they gave us!" she exclaimed, pulling two large packages from one bag.

"Yeah," Mark said as he set the plates and a handful of silverware onto the table. "There's also ten egg rolls in that bag. The guy behind the counter was throwing in all sorts of extra stuff, since I ordered such a large quantity of the almond chicken." He pointed to another bag. "That's full of soy sauce, duck sauce, hot mustard for the rangoons--"

"Hot mustard!" Kimi chimed. "Shiznekkin', Cap'n Mark!"

Carole gave Kimi a quizzical look. "It's her word for 'Sugoi'," Mark chuckled. He then turned to Craig, who now had his own expresson of mild confusion. Mark motioned a thumb in Carole's direction. "It's her word for "awesome," he said.

Craig looked at both women and shrugged. "I speak English...mostly," he offered. This brought laughter from everyone.

Mark patted Craig on the back. "Thaaat's why we keep you around," he snickered, and Carole giggled. Mark then turned back for the kitchen as Carole took a spoon and dug into the wild rice, scooping some onto her plate. "What are we drinking?" Mark asked as he opened the refrigerator.

Craig looked from his chair to the refrigerator; Carole leaned from her seat on the couch; and Kimi scooted a bit along the floor, turning and leaning to look. The three uttered a nearly simultaneous "Coke." Mark pulled four cans from a plastic-ringed six pack and brought them into the living room, setting the last one in front of Carole as she scooped a fair amount of the almond chicken onto her plate, then passed it to Mark, who sat and had just taken a scoop of wild rice and passed the box to Craig. Kimi went light on the almond chicken, deciding to fill up more on an egg roll and four crab rangoons, with a generous amount of hot mustard which she pooled on her plate.

7:02 PM.
Kimi sopped up the last bit of mustard on her plate with a bit of crust from one of the rangoons. "Thanks for the meal, "Cap'n Mark," she said. Craig and Carole echoed this.

"That was great chicken," Carole groaned, "but I think my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I don't even have room for one of the egg rolls."

"Well, you did take a lot of the chicken," Mark said. "I can see why you'd be full...but take a couple egg rolls with you for later when you leave."

"Yeah," Kimi nodded, agreeing. "I'm full now, but with all the training and stuff all day, I might be all about snack before bed."

"I know you have the karate in the mornings," Carole asked, "but what is the rest of your day like?"

"After lunch--" Kimi started, then gave Mark an exaspirated look as he tried to conceal a snicker. She continued with a mock frown, her bottom lip pouting slightly "--after, 'diinnuurrr'," she drew out, "Cap'n Mark and I go to the firing range and I practice with my new gun...well, my first gun ever, actually."

"She got aquainted with her chest holster today," Mark said, smiling at Kimi. "We went through about an hour of the draw-and-fire motion...not bad for her first day, if I do say so myself."

Kimi suddenly rose from her seat on the floor, walking to her gym bag by the chair Craig was in. "Cap'n Mark made up a time schedule for during the week, if you want to see it." Carole nodded, and Kimi crouched next to the bag, searching through it. "It's not here," she said, slightly frustrated. "I must have left it in the Jeep."

Mark pointed in the direction of his desk. "I've got another copy printed out, Ki. It's in the open folder on my desk."

Kimi turned back, smiling at Mark - then sprung to her feet and crossed the room to the desk, hunching slightly over it and shuffling through a couple of sheets of paper until she found the schedule, sliding it from the folder. She began to stand straight - and then froze.

The small framed picture at the back of Mark's desk.

Kimi reached for the frame, picking it up and turning to Mark, still studying the picture. "She's beautiful, Cap'n Mark...who is she? She looks like a Cel--"

"Her name is Melfina," Mark interjected slowly, then paused. "...she was my wife."

Kimi's eyes, now wide with a mix of wonder and realization, slowly raised to Mark - back to the picture - then up to Mark again. She suddenly felt as if she were holding a priceless work of art. "You..." she started haltingly, the amazement of her discovery now sifting into the tone of her voice, "...you were...married to a Celler...?" She crossed the room slowly, moving to the couch. Carole shifted slightly to the left to make room as Kimi sat on the center cushion between her and Mark.

"A little over a year after she crossed," Mark said, looking at the picture as Kimi cradled it in her hands. "We met in the spring of 2012. I had been doing a little work with one of the Cross Agents for a few months, helping her with the wording of the CENAP Pact...we actually became good friends during that time, and she learned that I was a fan of Japanese anime. She would bring disks of different anime series for me to watch...and all the old movies from decades ago...the Akira series...Bubble Gum Crisis...Galaxy Express. One night she gave me a copy of the series 'Outlaw Star'...I couldn't take my eyes from the screen the first time I saw Melfina. One thing led to another, and one night, the Cross Agent gave me some things, and told me what to do. There was a small crystal that looked kind of like a vase with a cap on it...a paper with writing, kind of like poetry...and a--"

"--a candle," Kimi finished, almost in a whisper.

Mark's eyes were soft with remembrance as he looked up from the picture at the teen. "Yeah...a candle. A few nights later--"

"--the first night of the new moon," Kimi said.

"Yeah..." said Mark. "I set the crystal in front of a mirror...lit the candle, and read from the paper. There was a bright light - the brightest thing I've ever seen - but I wasn't blinded by it--"

"--because you believed."

Mark nodded. "Melfina...walked right out of my mirror...she was just as much here as any of us...but she just...walked out of my mirror and said hi."

"Just like my mom did with my dad," Kimi said in a soft voice. "He saved all the things from her Cross. He has them in a big display case, along with the mirror. It's in the front room of our house." She paused for a moment. "--all except the crystal. He shattered the crystal the day they were married, and he had the cap made into a necklace for her to wear."

Carole listened as Kimi spoke, marveling at her knowledge of how the two worlds interact. "You...know about all this from your mother?" she asked.

"They came home while I was watching some tapes of her show that I found. That's the day I found out she was a Celler. She told me everything about it that night...we stayed up all night talking." Kimi looked down at the picture again, studying it for a second - then turned back to Mark, tipping the picture to him slightly. "What was her fragrance, Cap'n Mark?"

Mark slowly closed his eyes for a second, calling back the memory. "Jasmine," he said.

"Mom has vanilla," Kimi said. Then "Do you remember which Cross Agent brought you the candle and stuff?"

"It's kind of hard not to," said Mark with a slight smile. "I still talk with her often. She's one of the three originals who started Crossing Cellers...and for years, she's been working as a sort of liason between the environments, educating Fleshers and Cellers alike about their counterparts. Her name is Misty. Misty Visione."

"Mom has told me about her before. Mom's Cross Agent was Angelica...G-something...Guardia."

"Misty and I have talked about her more than once," Mark said. "She really did a lot of work with Cellers, and was close friends with a lot of them. Angelica originally wrote most of the incantations for the Crosses."

"Mom and Dad still talk with her, once in a while," Kimi said. "Even I have."

Mark gave Kimi a puzzled look. "Ki...How is that possible...? I thought Angelica was killed in an accident over 15 years ago..."

"It was...kind of like a dream...only it wasn't. She pinched me...and when I woke up, I had a red mark on my arm where she pinched me." Kimi's face fell a little now. "She talked to me the night I called you...she helped me decide to try and save Mom...she...took me to a dark place...she told me she couldn't tell me what to do...but she said to 'let my heart be the anchor...and anything is possible'."

Mark's eyes widened. The straw.

"That was what helped you decide to do this," he said. "I was worried that something I said had scared you into it."

"No," said Kimi, "you didn't scare me, Cap'n Mark. Angelica did, though. She showed me things I...don't really want to talk about...and she told me a lot of things." Kimi's eyes now widened as she recalled Angelica's words to her. "She even said to tell you something, Cap'n Mark...I just remembered. She told me to tell you...the answer is yes."

Mark looked at Kimi, his brow furrowed as he searched his memory.

"...She said that you had been...kind of praying for an answer."

Mark's gaze on the teen suddenly intensified for a second, and his jaw went slightly slack as the connection of what she said hit him. He then shuddered a bit as if to shake himself back to reality, his expression becoming softer. "Dreams are nice, Ki," he said, "but wishing alone doesn't make something come true, or undo something...especially something as final as--"

Kimi reached to take Mark's hand. "Angelica told me that..." she paused, trying to remember the statement word for word "...that if there is even one iter--...iteration of a Celler left in either environment...that other iterations that...have passed...can be brought back." She then moved to place the picture frame into Mark's large hand, putting her other hand under his, cradling it and the picture between her hands. "Cap'n Mark...I couldn't be about make this up even if I tried...and I don't think that Angelica would make this up, if it was really her that talked to me." She then perked for a second. "Talk to Misty! If Angelica still talks with Mom and Dad, I bet she talks with Misty, too. See if you can call her or e-mail her or something, and talk about it."

Kimi then glanced at the clock on the wall in the kitchen. "I'm going to go back to my room. I kind of promised the kids from the youth club that I would be online tonight for some more backgammon." She rose from the couch. "I think I'll take a couple of egg rolls for later," she said, removing them from a box and wrapping them in a napkin. "About 6:30 tomorrow, Cap'n Mark?"

Mark's face had melted into a slightly blank expression. "Yeah...0630 tomorrow," he said.

"Bye, Craig," Kimi waved. "I'm all about ready for you tomorrow, Carole," she smiled, opening the door.

As it closed, Carole turned to Mark. "...Do you believe her...?" she asked softly.

Mark's expression didn't change. "It...it sounds just too incredible," he said, slowly shaking his head, "but she's right...I have been...praying for an answer...for about three years now." He turned to Carole as a tear escaped along his right cheek. "...If Angelica actually talked to her--" he choked back a sob "--I've never known a Cross Agent to lie...about anything." Carole reached for Mark as his voice trailed off into sobs. "I have to get a hold of Misty," he said heavingly and falling into Carole's arms, "and see what I have to do for my Melfina-to come ba-aa-c-ck--"

to be continued...