Author's Note: Okay, I know I made a lot of people hate Joe but believe me, he's the victim in this story and this chapter should portray that clearly. But you're free to despise Merry as you'll soon see her true colors. And yes girls, Francoise is going to kick some major butt coming up—those who've seen ep 34 know that the former ballerina is no shrinking violet and believe me she won't be here either. But before I reveal too much of the plot, read on. Thanks all the readers and those leaving reviews.

NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM

The ride back was silent for Joe's part, although Merry tried to make conversation but to no avail, 009 was just noncommunicative, staring sullenly out the window as the heartbreaking scene with 003 played perpetually in his head. She glanced over at the troubled young cyborg and shrugged as she drove the van out of the city limits and into the mountains. However, she did not give up, and still attempted to converse with her childhood friend.

"Your friends seem nice."

"Hmmm," Joe grunted still watching the scenery slide by the window, a dark scowl on his handsome features.

"Humph," Merry interjected, sighing. She turned her attention to the road driving and after a few minutes she tried again.

"How long did you live with them?" she wanted to know.

Joe sighed and broke his self-imposed vow of silence. "About a year," he said tonelessly.

"How'd you meet them?"

Joe stared ahead, deep in thought as he hesitated. Then he said softly, "They rescued me when my life turned upside down. You heard of the Black Ghost organization?"

"Sort of. They finance wars around the world, don't they?"

Joe nodded as his scowl deepened and his hands balled into fists. "Yeah, among other things," he muttered bitterly.

"Such as?"

Joe sighed as he replied, "I'd rather not say."

They came to an intersection and Merry took her right hand and squeezed Joe's reassuringly. "Hey Jojo, you can tell me. Remember, we could tell each other anything, we were best friends. I'll never say anything to anybody, not unless you want me to."

Joe gave her a small grin as he patted her hand. "Thanks, but trust me it's a hard story to believe. Even I have a hard time swallowing it and it's happened to me."

She gazed deeply at him with her forest pool eyes. "Try me."

Joe returned the regard as he again was drawn in and began. . . .

Back at the beach house the atmosphere was subdued, almost shellshocked as the 00 cyborgs all tried to digest what had transpired that concluded with the jettison of their leader, 009. Each cyborg bore a different expression that accurately depicted that individual's feelings of the unexpected and upsetting events of the afternoon. They all were in the parlor, except 003, who had retired to her room, behind a firmly closed door. Going around the room there was 004, who was stoically perplexed, 002 who was scowling deeply and muttering to himself as he stared stonily out of the window. Then there was 006 sitting and wiping away the occasional stray tear, 007 who sat disconsolately on the sofa beside 008 who was sitting and with arms folded across his chest. Finally, there was 005 who, sitting cross legged on the carpet with his eyes closed was in deep meditation. It was this melancholic scene that a tired Dr. Gilmore walked in on.

Setting down his briefcase he glanced about the room in puzzlement as he inquired, "Goodness me, what has happened that all of you are here looking like the world had ended?"

Albert strode over and handed the letter from 009. Gilmore looked at him inquisitively as he opened the missive and read. His eyes widened as he absorbed the impact of the words and then asked 004 incredulously, "Is this a joke?"

Albert sighed as he shook his towhead. "I wish it were, Professor. But just ask everybody else and they'll tell you the same."

Gilmore sighed and sank into an empty easy chair, weary. "So 009 has decided to leave us. And he had no real explanation as to why?"

"Nothing accept what he has written to you in that note," Pyunma said. "He didn't elaborate to us, at least. What did he say to you in the note?"

Gilmore read from the document:

Dr Gilmore,

I've decided since Black Ghost has for all intents been defeated, that I would explore my options, so I'm leaving the team. I appreciate everything you did for me and wish you and everybody the very best.

Sincerely,

Joe Shimamura

Cyborg 009

002 snorted in derision, "Short and sweet, see ya and drop dead. Nice, huh? Damn!" He turned and landed a punch on the window frame in abject frustration.

006 said in a forlorn manner, "I guess he just wants to find his own way. But I miss him already." He shook out a handkerchief and blew his nose loudly.

007 sighed as he interjected, "I suppose he has the right to his own separate life but I always thought that we'd all stick together.

"I did too," 005 said taciturnly. "But every living thing has to walk their own path."

Gilmore sighed deeply and looked around the room, missing the presence of the blonde former dancer. He asked, "And where is 003?"

"She went straight to her room right after he left and we haven't heard a word from her since," Geronimo informed him.

"I see. I'll go up and check on her, she must be quite upset by this." The elderly scientist rose to his feet and headed for the stairs. "Perhaps she knows more, she and 009 were always very close."

Albert stepped forward as he said, "I don't know if she does or not but she did go up and talk to him while he was getting his things. I had a feeling something was happening but it was between them because both were really uptight when they came down. 009 left and she became hysterical, 005 had to pick her up and carry her to her room. She's been there ever since."

"Hmmm. Then I'll go up and speak with her." Gilmore ascended the stairs and stopped before 003's closed bedroom door. The sad strains of Satie were heard from within along with muffled sobs. The good doctor rapped on the door.

"003? Are you all right?"

There was a faint rustling sound and the door opened as a disheveled 003 in a pink bathrobe answered, looking very much worse for wear. "D-Dr. G-Gilmore. I-I didn't know you had gotten home." She glanced at the folded paper in his hand as she said numbly, "So you know."

Gilmore nodded as he requested, "May I come in?"

Francoise shrugged her slim shoulders as she stepped aside to allow him in and closed the door. He glanced about at the rumpled bed and clothes strewn about the usually neat room and said, concerned, "003, 004 informed me that you spoke with 009 before he departed. Did he say anything other than he was leaving?"

Francoise went over to the moaning CD player and turned the music down. She then sat on the bed, her head down as she replied tonelessly, "He said that he never really felt like he belonged here so he decided to move in with some of his friends from the orphanage now that Black Ghost is gone."

"Hmmm. I wish that were the case but I'm afraid that's not so. 009 may have defeated Scarl but he had proven himself to be quite resilient in the past. And my contacts have informed me that there are signs of a Black Ghost sponsored operation beginning in the Middle East so I regret to say they are still in business. He glanced at the bassinet in the corner where a slumbering 001 lay. "Any sign of 001 awakening, he's been sleeping for ten days now."

003 shook her flaxen head. "No, but other than checking on him from time to time to make sure he was still breathing I've been busy with planning 009's surprise party." She sighed as she got up and went to the bassinet to adjust 001's blanket. "I guess that's really unnecessary now."

Dr. Gilmore came over and grasped her shoulders. "Francoise, I'm sure that we haven't seen the last of 009. He has developed bonds with all of us but most especially you. He cares deeply for you, you know that."

The pretty cyborg shrugged as she said in a forlorn voice, "I'm not so sure of that, Dr. Gilmore." A fresh onslaught of tears flowed forth as she added, "And it's my fault that he's gone."

"003, that's not true."

"Yes it is. He trusted me more than anyone and I betrayed that trust by shutting him off and avoiding him." She ran to the bed and threw herself on it, sobbing.

The fatherly scientist sighed as he was at a loss at what to say to make things better. . .

It was late afternoon as the VW van pulled up the steep driveway to the mountain ranch style dwelling. The two in the vehicle had been silent for the most part, Merry having given up on trying to converse with Joe, who had wordlessly brooded during the entire ride. She cut the motor and sighed.

"Well, here we are," she announced.

"Uh-huh," was the toneless answer as he opened the door and climbed out as Merry exited the vehicle as well. She came to him and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes.

"Yoo hoo, Jojo are you there?" she teased.

He glanced at her with the same vacant expression and bleak cinnamon orbs. "Huh? Oh yeah, sorry."

She gazed up at him with worry furrowing her brow. "Are you all right?"

Joe returned the gaze as he offered a weak smile. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Let me get my gear and I'll meet you inside."

"Okay." She grinned at him and headed into the house.

Joe sighed and opened the rear door to withdraw his bags, his mind still on the view of Francoise on her knees sobbing. His own heart ached as his mind also played back the scene in his bedroom, adding to his torment.

"Why did I leave? I didn't want to leave. They're my friends, my family, and the girl I love. Why'd it have to turn out this way?" Joe said aloud to himself as he threw the bags to the ground in frustration.

Because they turned their backs on you the insidious voice that he had been hearing recently purred. They no longer considered you important enough to be told anything. And you had been their commander, more powerful than any of them. They probably were jealous of that.

The voice continued you never really belonged anywhere. As a child, nobody ever wanted to adopt you because you were different. That's why you're here, your old friends from the orphanage always accepted you because they were outcasts themselves. Just like you.

Joe contemplated the words as he reached for his belongings. "I guess that's right. It's true, I never really belonged and the team has cut me off from everything. So I guess it's time for me to move on."

"Jojo!" Merry called from the door. "C'mon in and I'll help you get settled."

"Okay," Joe said as he hoisted his luggage and made the trek up the stairs to the door.

Inside, he followed Merry as she led him to the room he had occupied the night before, the bed made and turned down invitingly. He tossed his bags on the bed as she showed him the layout. She gestured to a slatted door.

"Here's your closet. There are plenty of hangers and a bag to put your dirty clothes in every night. Later, I'll show you the laundry room." She then walked to the empty bookcase next to the closet. "Whatever books or things you have you can put here."

"Okay."

"And this door," Merry said gesturing to a door by the dresser. "Leads into my room." At his raised eyebrows she laughed as she said, "Don't worry, I'm not inviting you to sleep with me."

"I-I know that," Joe stammered, blushing.

She smiled as she said shyly, "I just want you to know that if you need to talk, just knock and I'll answer, okay?"

Joe smiled back. "Okay." He then opened the larger of the two suitcases and began to unpack. He took in a sharp breath as he saw the object at the top of the pile.

Alarmed Merry came over and asked, "Jojo, what is it?"

Joe stared at the object, a framed picture that he had meant to leave behind but in his haste to pack and leave the beach house he had taken it along with him. It was a picture of him and Francoise, kissing beneath the mistletoe at Christmas that, unknown to them at the time, Jet had snapped. When he had given them the pictures (which he had made into two copies, one for each of them), Joe had been embarrassed and annoyed by the blatant disregard for their privacy until Francoise had thanked Jet, so glad that he had done the deed. He then took his copy of the photograph and purchased the gold frame for it as it had become one of his most treasured possessions.

Merry looked at him as Joe idly ran his hand over the face of the glass and stopped at the image of Francoise, almost caressing it. She glanced at the picture as she remarked dryly, "A Christmas picture, huh?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded, his hand still stroking the photo as his eyes became soft with the memory connected to it.

Merry felt a slight rise of annoyance as she commented, "She's really very pretty."

Joe nodded again as he said almost reverently, "She's beautiful. Inside and out."

Merry lowered her head as she said softly, "I'm sorry that things worked out the way they did, Jojo. Maybe you'd like me to get rid of that so you have no reminders?" She reached for the picture but he grabbed it away.

"No, don't touch it!" Joe snapped. At Merry's hurt expression he softened as he apologized, "I'm sorry Merry, I didn't mean to bite your head off."

"I just wanted to help," she sad with a pout as she turned with her head down.

"I know," Joe immediately wanted to make amends. He placed his hand on her slumped shoulder. "Forgive me?"

She smiled as she said, "You're forgiven." Heading to the door, she turned and said, "I'll just leave you then. I have to go pick up Jan and Sam from work anyway. Want to come?"

Joe shook his head as he smiled benignly. "No thanks. I'll just stay here and get myself settled."

"Okay, see you later," Merry called over her shoulder. "When we get back, we'll all have dinner."

"Okay. Drive carefully,"

The front door opened and closed, signifying her departure and Joe got back to his task at hand. Sighing, he picked up the framed picture of him and Francoise and placed it carefully on the dresser so it would be facing him as he lay on the bed. There just were some things that were too precious to part with. . . .

In his lair, Monstore cackled as he surveyed the Japanese cyborg as the latter unpacked and the messages from his brain were coming through on a continuous print out. The maniacal doctor tore the sheet off and read the data, a cruel smile coming to his rat like countenance.

"Hmmm, this is good, I'll send message to the assassins so they can continue to set the trap." He smirked as he said to the video screen where Joe's image unpacking was displayed and said, "Get comfortable, 009. Make yourself at home and enjoy yourself while you can because your days are numbered."

Over at the beach house the somber mood resulting from the day's shocking events had permeated the atmosphere around the 00 cyborgs. They all were still listlessly sprawled in the living room as Dr. Gilmore came downstairs after speaking to 003 and everybody turned as he sighed.

"Poor girl. She feels that it's her fault that 009's left us." The scientist came to the center of the room and addressed all the cyborg men. "Did 009 happen to say anything else to any of you?"

At their negative responses Gilmore sighed again as he said, "Well I guess we should get used to it."

"ARRR!" Jet expostulated in annoyance. "Why should we? What if Black Ghost should plan another attack, we need him, he's a part of the team. I say we should go and get him and bring him back."

"That's good in theory," Albert, the voice of reason pointed out. "But we can't force 009 to come back if he's made up his mind."

"That's very true," Geronimo agreed. "One must determine one's own path, whether it is the right one or the wrong one."

Gilmore nodded than went to an easy chair and sank down, suddenly very weary. "I'm afraid 002 may be correct though. I have reason to believe that Black Ghost is planning something and without 009, we'll be rather unprepared to confront them."

"Professor, are you sure?" Pyunma asked.

Gilmore replied with a nod, "There have been some transmissions that point in that direction. As soon as 001 awakens, I will ask him to monitor things, but I too will be at my computer, to watch for anything. In the meantime, all of you be ready should we need to move out at a moment's notice."

Everyone nodded in agreement. . . .

At the Proto-Ex factory complex, not far from the mountain ranch that was 009's new home, Merry stepped into the glass door that led down a corridor to an office suite that was hidden within. She pushed a sequence of numbers on a keypad and the door slid open, allowing her access.

Once inside, she approached another door and at her presence it too slid open to a mini amphitheater where her two friends waited. Sam and Jan turned and greeted their companion.

"Hi," Jan said.

"Hi," Merry answered.

"So is everything all set?" Sam inquired.

"Uh-huh. I just left him at the house getting settled in." She glanced about as she asked, "So where is he?"

"Right here, cara." The silky tone of Dr. Monstore answered as the corpulent scientist came into view. He approached the trio and addressed them. "Well, what have you all to tell me?"

Merry began, "Phase one of the mission completed. 009 is moving into the house as we speak. Going to the cyborgs' home and getting his things was a bit hairy, especially when he was packing. He was alone with 003 in his room and from the way they looked I got there just in time, I'm sure she was trying to get him to change his mind."

"And you made sure she was unsuccessful," Monstore stated.

Merry smiled a feline smile as she responded, "I did but it wasn't easy, 009 is quite smitten with 003 and to gain his trust and turn him against her will be an uphill battle, but it can be done. Just leave it to me."

Monstore nodded as he informed them. "The emotion and brain wave sensor is constantly supplying me with data about 009 and the inferred cameras will have his every move broadcast so that when the time is right, the real objective, the complete annihilation of the 00 cyborgs will take place. But we will give 009 the chance to join our side and if he does, we'll have him do the honor of destroying his comrades."

Jan and Sam nodded, smirking as Jan said, "You can count on us."

Monstore smirked in agreement with the men as well but he turned to Merry as he said, "I know but it's you, bellisima mia that will be the lure to ensnare 009."

She smiled evilly as she said, "I'm looking forward to it."

Meantime a slumbering 003 lay with her arm over her eyes, having cried herself into a fitful sleep was dreaming. . .

It was dark and the room was filled with a sense of foreboding, an eerie place where Sam Jan and Merry were in conference with a plump man with dark hair. They were in deep conversation about someone and as the discussion continued then they mentioned 009. The next exchange spoke of a brain wave sensor and annihilation and destruction of the 00 cyborgs. . .

"Oh no JOE!" Francoise sat up bolt upright and she continued to hear the malevolent plans as her super sonic hearing picked up the words clearly. She bounded from the bed and as she passed the bassinet was halted by the telepathic communication of 001.

Don't worry, 003. We can save 009 before they can succeed. Go and inform the team.

She needed no further prompting as she wrenched her door open and scurried downstairs to do just that.

NEXT---DESPERATE MEASURES