Chapter 10: Hell Breaks Loose
Had it only been a year since Kurz had left? It didn't seem possible. The house felt empty without her brother there to make mischief. At least the General doesn't have to worry about him anymore, she thought with a trace of humor.
"Captain Davis!"
She growled under her breath as Nora Donnelly ran up to her again. "What?" she demanded angrily.
"Captain, I know for a fact that General Carroll has ordered you to talk to me."
"Unfortunately, you always seem to catch me when I'm busy."
Donnelly signaled her companion to turn off his camera. "Are you hiding something, Captain? I will find out what it is."
"Good afternoon, Ms. Donnelly." Angela walked away, clenching her fists angrily.
"Hey! Captain Davis."
She looked up to see Ed Blake, her second, approaching her wearing a crooked grin. "Why don't you just talk to her? Tell her how you eat babies for breakfast and spit fire when you're pissed off."
She shook her head and chuckled. "You know the only thing more obnoxious than a reporter is a smart ass."
He barked out a laugh and sauntered off whistling a saucy tune. Maybe her brother wasn't as far away as she thought.
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"Mother, I think I may have found what you were looking for."
Eleanor looked up from her embroidery into the eager eyes of her eldest son, Luciano, Jr. "Yes?"
"That Air Force Captain you were so interested in?"
"Yes," she said again, becoming impatient.
"She may be one of the Whispered."
Her eyes widened. "Are you sure?"
"As sure as we can be without testing her."
"You have done very well, my son. Tell me. When does the story air?"
"In about five minutes."
"Perfect. Now go home, Luke. I must speak with your father."
"Of course. Goodnight, Mother."
Eleanor let herself in to her husband's study.
"What are you doing?" he demanded. "You know you're not allowed in here."
"I have news for you, dear husband."
"Well, what is it?"
"I have found your daughter."
He leaned forward in his chair. "Oh?"
That certainly got his attention. Without a word, she reached for the television remote and turned the set to the news story profiling Angela Davis.
Rizetti's jaw fell open. "Angelina!" He pounded his fist on the desk. "I had one in my own house and never knew it!" He turned toward his wife. "What do you want?"
She leaned over the desk. "I want to be there when it's done."
His face twisted into an evil grin. "Agreed."
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Angela was awakened by a strange sensation. She felt as though her mind were being torn apart. What the hell? As she shook off the remnants of sleep, she recognized the feeling as the touch of the Whispered. She opened her consciousness and saw almost immediately two Whispered, both young women, were resonating in a big way. Gently, she probed the contact, not wanting to get caught in it.
The girls were both sixteen. One was an otherwise ordinary high school student from Japan. The other… What the? A submarine commander? How could that be? Angela probed a little deeper. Mithril. Interesting. I need to remember this girl. She may come in handy some day.
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Several weeks later, Angela was leading her team off the training field when she spotted a pair of federal agents. They stiffened when they spotted her and started walking toward her. Here we go.
"Hey, Captain," Blake piped up. "What do you think that's all about?"
"The beginning of the end."
"Huh?"
The agents reached her at that moment. "Angelina Espinosa?" the older of the two men said. She recognized him instantly.
"Captain? What's going on?"
"All of you," she said, turning to face her team. "Hit the showers. Take the rest of the day off."
"But, Captain…"
"Don't argue with me, Lieutenant!"
Blake looked like he wanted to say more but thought better of it. "Yes, ma'am."
Once they had gone, she turned back to the agents. "It was only a matter of time wasn't it, Nick?" The younger agent looked surprised that she knew his partner. He must be a rookie.
"Come with us, Mrs. Espinosa."
"Only if you promise to take me directly to jail," she said flippantly.
"It'll be your first stop."
She followed the men to their car. "Oh wait," she said, stopping just short of entering the vehicle. "You haven't shown me your badges or your warrant."
The younger agent immediately showed her the order calling for her arrest. Everything appeared to be correct. "Your badges," she reminded them, keeping the paper in her hand. Both appeared genuine. "Patterson, hm?" she said, looking up at the older agent. "Special Agent Nicholas Patterson. Your mother must be very proud of you."
He stiffened but said nothing.
"So why are you here, Nick?"
"I heard a voice whispering in my ear that I should come get you myself."
"And is that voice now lying in pieces at the bottom of the ocean?"
He recovered from his surprise quickly. "Your father misses you terribly. He's anxious for your safe return."
"Hey! What the hell's going on here?" Jake demanded, jogging toward them.
"These men have come to arrest me, Major Tobin," she told him calmly, handing him the arrest warrant. "Let me talk to him for a minute," she said to the agents.
"No. We need to go now," Nick commanded.
"Let me talk to him, or this canary will start to sing."
He didn't move to stop her.
"I don't get it, Ang," Jake whispered when they were alone. "This thing looks legal, but…"
"Oh it is. Rizetti wouldn't make that kind of mistake."
"Is this true?"
"More or less. Listen, Jake, I need you to do something for me."
"What?"
"In my bedroom, in the closet, there's loose floorboard. Under it, you'll find an old knapsack. Bring it to me at the jail. Then go to General Carroll and tell him that every word of this is true. Talk him into discharging me immediately."
"But…"
"Don't argue, Jake. I know what I'm doing."
"All right. I'll be there as soon as I can."
She walked back over to the car and got in without another word. Neither agent spoke to her on the way to the county jail. Once there, she was quickly processed and given a cell to herself. As soon as she was settled in her cell, she opened her consciousness to search out the girl who had gotten her attention.
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Tessa was sound asleep in the early morning hours at the base when she was awakened by a voice thundering in her mind. "TELETHA TESTEROSSA!"
She sat bolt upright, trying to catch her breath. "Wha-?"
"Teletha Testerossa," the voice came again, much gentler this time. She recognized the sensation. One of the Whispered was resonating with her. Cautiously, she surrendered to the contact.
Who are you?
A face materialized in her mind. "My name is Angela Davis. I'm a Captain in the U. S. Air Force."
"I've heard of you, Captain Davis. Why are you contacting me like this?"
"Very soon, you will see a story on the news about my recent arrest. Your people are going to come and pick me up at the prison."
"And why would we do that?"
"Because, Miss Testerossa, I have something you want. Something which I will give only to you personally."
Tessa was suspicious. Something didn't seem quite right. "Wait. How do you know who I am?"
"You and Miss Chidori resonate quiet loudly."
"What exactly do you have that would justify us helping you escape from prison?"
"I know who hired your friend to attack the Whispered. If you want that information, you'll have to come get me."
Tessa paused for a moment. The woman was right. She did have exactly what they wanted.
"You have forty eight hours, Captain Testerossa. After that, I'll most likely be dead."
"We'll be there."
"Don't be late." The woman withdrew her contact.
Tessa pulled on a robe and phoned the security office.
"Captain?"
"Have Commander Mardukas and Lieutenant Commander Kalinin awakened and sent to my office. Tell them it's urgent."
"Aye, Captain."
Quickly throwing on a uniform, she headed out. Mardukas and Kalinin arrived at the same time she did.
"You said it was urgent, Captain?" Mardukas asked.
"Yes. Sit down, gentlemen. This is going to take some explaining."
When she was finished, they both agreed that it would be in their best interest to retrieve Captain Davis. A team was assembled and dispatched within the hour.