Chapter 12: Family Reunion

Kurz arrived to find the others waiting for him. "You're late," Mao said curtly. Can't she be even a little nice to me on my birthday?

"Sorry," he yawned. "Guess I overslept." He hadn't been sleeping well since Angela had called, and he hadn't heard his alarm this morning. "Did I miss anything?"

"Word is there's some VIP watching today. I couldn't find out who it is."

"Hm. I wonder what's going on."

"I don't know, but we should put on a good show for him."

"I hear that, babe. How about afterward, you and me put on a show."

He had the satisfaction of seeing her roll her eyes as she walked away. Sometimes it was just too easy to push her buttons.

Kurz walked over to his M9 and greeted the tech crew. "Hey. Where's Guerra? he asked when he noticed the missing face."

"Dunno. He hasn't shown up yet."

"Guerra? But he's never late."

The man shrugged his shoulders.

Another guy spoke up. "I saw him in the South Wing last night with a woman. Didn't get a good look at her, but she seemed kinda pretty."

"Who?" Kurz asked.

"Never saw her before."

No way! He shook off the thought. It couldn't be her. Quickly, he climbed into his machine and followed the others out to the AS battleground.

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"Are those M9's?" Angela asked incredulously when she saw them.

"They are indeed, Ms. Davis," the young Captain answered. "What do you think?"

"I think I'm in love. They're beautiful."

The Captain preened under the compliment. "That they are."

Angela held up her binoculars to observe them more closely. One of them was different than the rest. "What's that?" she asked.

"What's what?"

"That machine is not an M9, Captain. What new toys are you cooking up here?"

"I'm not authorized to share that information with outsiders."

Angela smiled inwardly, but said nothing more on the subject. Let her keep her secrets for now. "Is my brother in one of those machines?"

"Yes he is."

"Is he any good?"

"All of our people are good, Ms. Davis," the girl replied primly.

Angela suppressed a chuckle. "I don't doubt it, Captain." She was silent after that as she watched the battle simulation.

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Six AS's had marched out onto the battleground, and now it was down to Kurz and Sosuke. Kurz was beginning to sweat. Sosuke was giving his all as he always did, and Kurz had never beaten him in a fair fight. Unfortunately, he had no more room to maneuver to play a dirty trick and was rewarded by seeing a ball of bright red paint coming straight at him before he even knew his opponent was there. "Damn!"

"Direct hit," came Kalinin's voice over the communicator. "Sergeant Weber is dead. The simulation is over. Pull it in. There's someone here who would like to meet all of you."

They did as they were ordered and climbed out of their machines a few yards away from the Captain and her guest. "I don't believe it," Kurz said out loud. "It's her."

"It's who?" Mao asked.

"Isn't that the American AS pilot that was on the news the other day?" Sosuke added.

"It is," Kurz replied. "Captain Angela Renee Davis."

"Are you sure?" Mao asked.

He turned to her. "You think I wouldn't know my own sister?"

She said nothing more as Angela and Tessa approached the group.

Kurz resisted the urge to run over and hug her. He could see that she was being official.

"Well," she said addressing the group. "That was very impressive. I don't often get to see so much talent in one place."

Kurz stood a little straighter, knowing how rarely she gave out that kind of praise.

"But you still need some work. Which of you were the team leaders?"

Melissa and Sosuke stepped forward.

"Sergeant Major Melissa Mao, ma'am."

"Sergeant Sosuke Sagara, ma'am."

The both saluted, and Angela returned the gesture. She examined Sosuke very closely. "You look a bit young to be a Sergeant, Mr. Sagara."

"I'm quite capable, ma'am."

"So I noticed."

"And you, Sergeant Major," she said turning to Mao. "You lost your temper and started making stupid mistakes. That's what got you killed. We'll need to work on that."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Does that mean you'll accept the job then?" Tessa asked softly.

"Yes, Captain. I believe I will." She turned to face Kurz. "If that's all right with you."

Huh? What's she asking me for?

"Can you take orders from me, Kurz?"

He smirked. "I usually do."

"Then I'll leave you all to get acquainted." Tessa left the group alone with their new teammate.

"All right, Ms. Mao. You and I will meet this afternoon at 1400 so you, can familiarize me with the M9."

The others filed out to take their M9's back to be serviced. Angela put an arm around Kurz' shoulders. "You sure you and I work together like this?"

"I think so."

"You looked good out there."

"Thanks."

"So," she said, changing the subject. "What was your favorite birthday present this year?"

He looked down into her eyes, only then realizing that he was now slightly taller than her. He smiled at her, feeling a little choked up. "You are," he told her.

He saw a few tears escape her eyes as she embraced him. "I've missed you."

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Later that evening, they sat alone in her quarters. "You said you were going to explain everything."

She nodded. "Yes I did. I assume I don't have to tell you not to repeat anything I'm about to say."

"Of course."

She looked uncomfortable, something he rarely saw in her. "How much to you know about the Whispered?"

The question surprised him. "I've seen one in action a couple of times, but I don't really understand what I saw."

"The Whispered are born with knowledge of very advanced principles of science and engineering. They don't learn any of it. They just know."

"Oh." That certainly explained what he had seen those times. "So what does that have to do with you?"

She sighed heavily before continuing. "I'm one of them, Kurz."

He couldn't speak. All this time, and he'd never suspected anything. "And that's why Father came after you like that?"

She nodded.

"So what does this mean?"

She grinned. "For one thing, I have an unfair advantage in an AS since it was a Whispered who originally designed them."

"So how did you get out of jail?"

She told him the story, leaving out the communication with Captain Testerossa. She thought that tidbit might be a bit much for him to digest. Besides, she got the impression that the Captain didn't want many people knowing about that power or that she herself was Whispered, and Angela agreed.

"So you really gave Nick the disc?"

"Well. I gave him a disc. I even wrote his name on it."

Kurz narrowed his eyes. "What exactly was on that disc?"

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"Where is she?" Father demanded.

"I'm sorry, Father. Her escape was well planned. She anticipated every move I made."

Father growled.

"She left me with this disc," he said, placing it on the desk.

"What's on it?"

"She told me it was everything she knew about our family and Espinosa's"

Father picked up the disc and inserted it into his computer. After a moment, he rose up and backhanded his son. Nick landed heavily on the floor. "I don't understand, Father!"

"Come see what your sister has given us."

Nick peered cautiously at the screen. He saw a large yellow smiley face with its tongue sticking out. Beneath it in bright red letters it read, "RASPBERRY!"

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Well, that's it. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please feel free to let me know what you think. Thanks.