Author's Note: Here's where the cyborgs are shocked into action, suspicions about Joe's hasty departure prompting them to move—it's a bridge chapter to segue into the next where it'll really get interesting as the trap for 009 is finally set. Thanks for all the reviews and for all who are reading this—hope you enjoy it.
DESPERATE MEASURES
Joe finished unpacking and putting away his belongings and wearily lay on the bed, his hands under his head as he contemplated the past day's events. He closed his eyes but could not get the sight of Francoise out of his mind. Her tears tore at him as they always did, whenever she cried he wanted to do anything to make the crystalline drops disappear. But he felt even worse knowing that he was the cause of the tears she had shed today.
He sighed heavily as he glanced at the picture on the dresser and made a wish with his whole heart that these two days could have started over or better yet never happened. He then heard the sound of a car pulling up and then three doors opening and closing as Merry, Jan and Sam exited the van and then the front door opened and they came into the house.
"Hey Shimamura, where you at?" Sam called out as Joe emerged from his room and trekked down the hall to greet his new housemates.
"Hey, guys," Joe greeted everyone.
"Welcome to our humble abode," Jan said jovially. "I think you'll like it here with us. It's a pretty decent pad and we like it, right guys?"
Sam and Merry both nodded as Merry said, "Well guys let's fix dinner, 'cause I'm hungry."
"So what are ya planning to make us?" Sam asked.
"I wanted to do something different in celebration of Jojo's first night here with us, a special dish," Merry said as she turned to head to the kitchen.
"I can give you a hand, Merry," Joe offered. "I used to help Chang out at the beach house and at his restaurant and I'm a pretty fair cook."
She held up a hand. "No way, Jojo. Tonight you relax and tomorrow we'll do a new work roster so don't worry, you'll get your chance to cook but the kitchen's mine now." And she disappeared behind the door.
Jan came and slapped Joe on the back. "Forget it pal. You know Merry, you can't argue with her." Joe grinned and nodded as Jan led him to the sofa and they sat down.
Sam nodded as he joined them. "Jan's right. Besides," he said slyly. "Tell me more about that blonde goddess of yours."
Joe's easy grin faded as the haunting view of 003's reaction to his departure came to mind yet again. He said hastily, "Let's talk about something else, okay?" His expression became guarded as Jan and Sam exchanged glances and shrugged.
"Okay buddy," Jan said amiably. . . .
At the beach house, Francoise had scurried downstairs and ran into Chang as he was exiting the kitchen. She nearly collided with the rotund chef as he grasped her shoulders to halt her path.
"Leapin' lichee nuts, 003. What's the big hurry?" 006 wanted to know, startled.
003 apologized, "Oh 006, please forgive me. I have to speak to Dr. Gilmore right away, where is he?"
"He went into his study after dinner. Which reminds me, I left a plate for you in the kitchen on the stove. We all missed you at the table so you'd better go get it before 007 finds it and devours it."
She sighed as she said, "Thank you, but I'm not hungry, I just need to speak to Dr. Gilmore." And 003 turned on a dainty heel and hurried down the hall to the closed study door.
She knocked at the door and caught a whiff of the aromatic blend of tobacco that the doctor favored as he called out, "Come in."
003 stepped into the scientist's inner sanctum as he stood at the ash stand knocking the dottle from his pipe out of the bowl. He glanced up and smiled welcoming her in.
"Ahh 003. What can I--," Dr. Gilmore began then he saw the distress in the lovely visage of the former dancer. Immediately concerned, he put the pipe down and came to her. "What is it, 003?"
She pinned him with her trouble shadowed tropic eyes. "Dr. Gilmore, I have reason to believe that 009 could be in danger."
"Indeed?" Gilmore's eyes widened. "How did you arrive at that conclusion?"
Francoise sat down with a look of trepidation marring her delicate features. "I-I had a dream where I heard Joe's friends plotting something. I woke up and I could hear the plot as well as see the three and they were definitely Joe's friends from the orphanage."
Gilmore sat beside her and examined her closely. "Are you sure, 003? And do you know exactly where you saw and heard this?
She shook her head in misery. "No, but I was thinking of taking a drive to determine exactly where Joe and his friends are living. He didn't tell me where he was going to live."
"Hmmm, I think that might be the most expedient route. If 009 is truly in trouble, it may have something to do with the increase in Black Ghost activity I've picked up. Go get dressed and we'll leave immediately." He then had a thought. "Oh and 003?"
She turned from the door at his summons. "Yes?"
"If 001 is awake, bring him along. He may be able to pick up any psychic impulses that could help us."
"Yes, sir." 003 disappeared and headed upstairs. . . .
An hour later, 003 and Dr. Gilmore carrying the now awake 001 drove away from the beach house in the red Karmann Ghia as they both determined their tactic. It was decided that they would drive through Tokyo and then 003 would use her cybernetic powers to pinpoint the exact location. 001 would lend his assistance as well, alert to any telepathic impulses or vibrations in the psychic realm.
003 was behind the wheel as they traveled through the heart of Tokyo, Shinjuku Center and headed for the northern outskirts, where the mountain range with Fujiyama stood. She stopped the car at a heavily wooded area and got out, staring off and with her ears pitched to pick up any sounds or views.
"So 003, how will you try to track down where 009 is?" Gilmore asked.
She replied, "I studied the license plate number and I know the color of the VW van they had. I'm sure I can find it. Plus I can pick up the coordinates of where I saw the first view that indicated 009 was in trouble."
Gilmore approached her with 001 cradled in his arms. "Can you pickup anything now, 003?"
She stood still as she strained to hear and focused her vision into the distance. "Nothing so far but I'll turn in another direction and try again." She made a 180-degree turn and repeated her actions but again there was nothing.
"What about you, 001?" Gilmore asked, not wanting to entertain the thought that the love-struck 003 may be the victim of grief induced hysteria.
The infant Ivan Wisky sat up and cocked his head in the same direction. Then he perked up as he began to pick up something. He communicated telepathically to 003.
003, I'm picking up some high frequency and inferred waves emanating from about 35 kilometers to the north northeast.
"001 says he's picking up high frequency and inferred waves from 35 kilometers to the north northeast," 003 informed Gilmore.
The scientist frowned as he said, "Those could be the signals from any theft deterrents that surrounding homes may have activated. It is quite late."
Tell him that I entertained that thought but these signals are much more intense then the average homeowners' alarms. They are less detectable but much stronger.
"001 says that the signals are more intense than the average alarm system," 003 relayed.
Gilmore frowned, deep in thought. "Hmmm. Sounds like the kind of tactics Black Ghost employs for surveillance purposes. Can we go further in that direction and have you try again, 003?"
"Yes sir." She climbed behind the wheel again as he and 001 got into the passenger side and they took off.
They drove for another 10 kilometers and stopped as 003 took up her stance, gazing off into the distance, focusing her vision intently. Then she started as she announced, "I see a house in the distance and the van that Joe and his friend Merry used to pick up his things, parked right outside."
Gilmore was by her side instantly. "Are you sure?"
Francoise nodded vigorously. "It's the one. That's the same license plate that I saw and the van is the same color, I'd stake my life on it."
Gilmore nodded with a grim expression on his leathery visage. "Then let's return to the beach house and get some rest. In the morning, we'll inform the rest and plot our strategy."
003 nodded silently as they got into the car, turned around and headed back.
The next morning, Dr. Gilmore and 003 were both the first ones down for breakfast, beating even 007 whose voracious appetite always had him the first to the meal tables. They were sitting and talking softly among themselves when the shapeshifter joined then, halting the conversation.
"Good morning, Dr. Gilmore, 003," he sang out cheerily as he joined them.
"Good morning to you, 007," Dr. Gilmore responded as 006 came out of the kitchen with fresh juice and began pouring in the glasses set on the table.
Francoise got up and took the pitcher from Chang. "Let me do that, 006." And she took over the task to burn off her nervous energy. GB watched as she completed the job and his sharp eyes picked up on her unease.
"003, are you all right?" the bald pated actor asked solicitously.
"Huh?" she replied then flashed him a too bright smile that did not reach her eyes. "Don't worry I'm fine, 007, really."
He gave her a dubious look just as the rest of the cyborgs filed in and took their seats for the morning meal. They all noticed the strained look on the girl cyborg's pretty face as they prepared for breakfast.
"Hey 003, how ya doin'?" 002 asked as he studied her closely.
"Yes, how are you feeling?" 004 asked in a caring tone. "You had us worried yesterday when you skipped dinner."
003 gave a wan smile as she replied, "I'll survive but we need to have a meeting, right Doctor?"
Gilmore nodded as he poured a cup of coffee. "Yes. 003 saw and heard something that we both believe is an attempt to destroy 009. We both investigated and discovered where 009 is staying I think we need to put a plan together to rescue him."
002 rejoined, "Are you sure that 009's really in trouble? I mean he did leave under his own accord, maybe 003 imagined it."
She bristled, "I did not imagine anything. I woke up from a dream last night where his three friends and some other man were planning to destroy him. When I woke up I saw it clearly happening with my cyborg abilities so I told Dr. Gilmore and we went for a ride and I saw where 009 is staying."
"I don't see the connection," Jet insisted with arms folded.
From his basket 001 telepathically communicated, Don't be dense, 002. I too picked up some subtle but high frequency surveillance waves from where 009 is now living that have me sure that Black Ghost is up to something.
008 nodded as he said, "I agree. The way 009 left us yesterday just seemed too quick and not like him at all. He always analyzes his decisions very carefully. I have a bad feeling about it."
"I do as well," 005 agreed. "009 is quite sensitive and passionate and he appeared very strange, cold and remote."
004 then spoke up, "Well, I think we all agree that we all feel that 009's leaving us was too sudden and hasty to be believed."
007 sighed as he said, "I suppose you're all right."
The door to the kitchen swung open and 006 came out bearing a platter of eggs and pancakes, which he set on the table. "What is all right?"
"Dr. Gilmore, 001, and 003 have reason to believe that 009's in danger and we all agree," 007 informed him.
"Well I'm glad I'm not the only one that feels that way. I've had a funny feeling ever since he left yesterday that it just wasn't right. So what are we going to do?"
Dr. Gilmore replied grimly, "We are going to rescue 009 before Black Ghost can do any damage to him. After breakfast, we'll go pay a visit to the house where 009 is residing to investigate the situation more thoroughly."
"Humph! Forget breakfast, let's go now," Jet jumped to his feet and everyone followed as Dr. Gilmore gave the command.
"Everyone to the Dolphin!"
They hurried out leaving the untouched breakfast on the table. . . .
At the house Joe and his friends were sitting around, trading stories about the old days growing up in the orphanage and they all were laughing as the anecdotes flowed back and forth.
"Hey Joe, remember the time we all went into town and water bombed that bully Jake and his buddies with water bombs we made with those baggies we filched from the kitchen," Jan remarked.
Joe grinned in remembrance. "Yeah, I remember. He was always giving us grief, calling us 'nobodies' and it really ticked me off. So me and Scarnose ripped those baggies from the kitchen and filled 'em up with the garden hose."
"Yeah we filled 'em up and then shoved them in Scarnose's big overcoat so nobody'd know what we were doing," Jan added.
Sam snickered, "Yeah then 'Operation Drench the Loser' commenced. The creep never knew what hit him when we ambushed him by the candy store where he hung out. We broke into that abandoned building next door and got 'im from the windows."
Joe threw his head back and laughed as he said, "I laughed so hard, I almost peed my pants. Then he finally figured out it was us and we ran like hell back to the orphanage with Jake and his goons in hot pursuit."
"And I let you guys in the gate then locked it so he couldn't get in," Merry piped up. "He was so mad he swore he was going to kill us all but he never could get us." Her verdant eyes then clouded as she continued, "Until that time at the candy store he tried to--," and she let it drop off, her head lowered.
"Don't think about it, Merry," Jan said comfortingly as the men all hastened to reassure her. "Remember, we didn't let that SOB touch you."
"That's right," Sam said. "Nobody was gonna hurt our little bunny."
Joe put a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, I really kicked his ass after you told us what he tried to do to you."
"You were something, Shimamura," Jan said. "After Merry came home crying you were so pissed I thought you were gonna kill him."
Joe nodded as he remembered Merry coming home from the candy store, crying with the sleeve of her dress ripped and how furious he was when she told them what Jake had tried to do to her. He had taken off with fire in his eyes and confronted the bully then proceeded to wail on him, using martial arts moves from the karate classes the Father had arranged for the boys at the orphanage. After that, Jake the town bully never bothered them again.
"Yeah, we had to protect our bunny," he commented as Merry blushed.
"Bunny! I haven't heard that in years." She shook her head as she smiled in reminiscence.
"That's what we called you, 'cause of that sorry lookin' brown bunny you used to carry with you everywhere. You never let go of that thing, Merry why?" Jan asked.
She stared off into the distance, her mind a million miles away. "Because it was the last thing my mother gave me before she dumped me off at the orphanage." She grabbed her shoulders and closed in on herself looking like the little lost waif she was back then, her auburn tresses shadowing her face.
A strong feeling of sympathy assailed Joe and he wrapped an arm around her. "At least you had that, Merry. I had nothing from my mother to remember her and my father had split long before I was born."
Sam nodded as he said, "My folks died and I had nobody to take me in so that's why I ended up at the church. It was either that or the street and I was glad to have a bed and three squares a day."
Jan nodded as he said, "My old man was too busy getting drunk to take care of me after my mother left so he dropped me there at the orphanage too."
The lighthearted mood of the group was sobered by the bittersweet trip down memory lane as Sam said hastily, "Let's change the subject. Remember how we all used to talk about when we would finally grow up and get out of that orphanage?"
The other three nodded as Jan said, "Yeah, I wanted to race cars and the Father would let me tinker on that old bucket of bolts station wagon. But I never got anywhere with that"
Sam grinned as he rejoined, "Yeah and I wanted to be an astronaut." He patted his girth and said self-depreciatingly, "But I never could stay on a diet long enough to try for the military."
"So we ended up working at Proto-Ex and test prototype technology for a living," Jan said resignedly. "Well, the pay's good and the benefits are nice, so who are we to complain. We'll get you an application, they could always use another good man."
"Thanks," Joe said. He turned to Merry. "And you work there too?"
She nodded, "Uh-huh. I'm a receptionist at their main office building."
Joe grinned as he said, "I'm sure that wasn't your dream, huh?"
"Uh-uh." Merry smiled as she entwined her arm around Joe's. "I always wanted to be two things, a wife and a mother." She gazed into his eyes and he felt a rising unease as Jan and Sam exchanged glances and discreetly left the room. She then shook her head as she continued, "I'm so glad you told me all about what happened to you last night, I'm sure you never thought your life would be the way it is."
Joe gave a short bitter laugh. "You got that right," he admitted.
Merry pressed on. "But to have been turned into a cyborg after being accused of murder. How horrible for you!"
Joe tried to disentangle himself but the girl held fast so he tried to ignore it. "Yeah, it was a real nightmare and it happened out of the blue."
She shook her shimmering auburn head. "Never in a million years would I believe that you could murder the Father. I mean out of all of us, you were closest to him, you spent a lot of time with him."
"Yeah, he was always there for me. Like a real father I felt he was the only one there who really cared about me."
"He wasn't the only one." She placed her other hand on his other arm, causing her face to be inches away. "You know, Jojo I always did have a crush on you." Her sultry voice flowed about him like a breeze and her eyes beckoned to him as she slid her hands slowly up to his shoulders and cradled his face.
Joe's cinnamon eyes flew open as a blush stained his cheeks. "R-really Merry?"
"Uh-huh. Those times we talked alone in the old baptistery were some of my happiest memories. But I was disappointed that we never kissed."
Joe was having mixed emotions, both dismay and desire warred within as her closeness was getting to him more and more. He opened his mouth to speak but she laid a finger on his lips to hush him.
"It's okay, Jojo. We can rectify that now." And she drew closer, his mouth a mere half inch away as the front doorbell rang.
"Y-you'd better get that, maybe Jan or Sam locked themselves out," Joe stammered, his insides in turmoil as he tried to hold her off.
Merry sighed irritated, as she got to her feet and headed to the door. Whew, saved by the bell Joe said to himself as he heaved a sigh of relief and then his face became dumbstruck as he saw who was at the door. He leapt to his feet and rushed over to the door.
"Yes, may I help you?" Merry said politely and then did a double take as she recognized the lovely blonde with the crowd of men behind her.
"Francoise," Joe said in awe as he stared at the sight of his love, the sun turning her hair to newly minted gold as the breeze gently ruffled it causing it to undulate in flaxen waves giving her the appearance of an angel with a golden halo.
"Hello Joe. I hope you don't mind us coming to see you," Francoise said shyly as Jet stepped up.
"Yeah, we thought we'd drop by and say hi," he added cheerfully. "Right, guys?"
"Yep, you can't get rid of us that easily," Albert stated with a grin.
The rest of the cyborgs and Dr. Gilmore all smiled as they stood on the stoop and staircase, waiting as Merry stood there, barring the doorway and not making any welcoming gesture.
Francoise decided to take the bull by the horns and spoke in her soft slightly musical voice. "Aren't you going to invite us in?"
At the risk of being rude, Merry stepped aside and opened the door for the 00 cyborgs, all clad in their street clothes. They all filed in as Francoise stopped before Joe and much to Merry's chagrin, the French former dancer kissed him on the cheek as she said to him, "We miss you already."
His eyes became infused with warmth as he smiled at her. "I miss you, too."
Merry observed the tender exchange between the two and saw with a sinking heart before her a situation that abruptly changed her plans. She scowled as she closed the door abruptly in annoyance but she planted a bright smile on her face as she turned said in assumed heartiness, "So glad you could come. Please have make yourselves comfortable."
Everyone stepped into the living room as inwardly sighing she followed. . .
NEXT---UNEXPECTED GUESTS