Chapter 13: The Little Birdie that Shot Himself

It was now 4:30; the moment in which the sun began to say its good-bye to the western world, it rays ever so gentle even as the Earth's hemisphere slowly rotated right past it. "What a lovely sight" thought Rachel as she took in such a glorious view, her smile small yet apparent even with the melancholy twinkle evident within her chocolate eyes. Clearly, she appeared in much better spirits than she had been earlier.

"Hey Sir", replied a voice which startled her from her peaceful state, only to feel relieved upon seeing the smiling face of Jeffery himself.

"Oh, sorry about that Numbuh 600, I was just lost in thought", said Rachel, her tone calm despite the stained blush apparent upon her soft cheeks.

"Ah, don't worry about it. But Patton's right though; you really are easy to startle", replied the soft spoken Jeffery, oblivious to the stern expression she gave him response before reverting to her calm state once more.

"So, is there any particular reason you've arrived here so late", she asked, her tone stern yet calm and attentive.

"What? Oh yeah, Patton wanted me to deliver this to you; said he'd forgotten about earlier", the blue eyed boy explained as he handed to her a small folder she curiously began to open.

Surely enough however, her chocolate eyes began to light up ever so gently as she observed the object in question; why it was the weekly Cadet Evaluation, an item a Drill Sergeant could only dream of forgetting in most cases.

"Thank you", she replied rather sweetly as a smile brightened her soft face, at least temporarily. "Did he mention any other reason why he couldn't deliver this himself?"

"Well, he said he wanted to lock up the base by himself tonight", he chestnut haired boy explained, even as he watched his superior's face turn dim with blankedness.

"I see...", the young leader calmly replied. "Well, tell him I said thank you."

With a small sigh, she could only bring herself to turn and gaze at the radiant orb called Earth once more. Her melancholy expression however, did not go unnoticed by the concerned looking blue eyed boy as he opened his mouth to speak.

"You okay, Sir", Jeffery asked, his concerned tone enough to snap the young girl back into reality once more.

"Oh, I'm alright Jeffery...It's just this day...I'm just finding myself thinking about memories I'd rather not remember...", explained the calm yet melancholy sounding Rachel.

"Yeah, I know; it's hard hearing people talk about it. But lucky for me, I don't really have any bad memories from the incident", the blue eyed boy expressed rather pridefully, even as his wide-eyed leader turned to face him.

"Oh...well, how nice for you...", the young girl sweetly expressed, swarms of jealousy overcoming her before reverting to her usual passive composure.

"Oh, I almost forgot; how has Patton been today", she asked.

"Ah, he's been okay", the chestnut haired boy casually replied. "He went a little harsher on the cadets today, but knowing him, I guess that was bound to happen."

"I should have known", the young girl replied in disbelief, a small sigh escaping her mouth even as her gaze returned towards Earth one more. "Why must he be so stubborn when it comes to his own feelings?..."

"Well, he's never exactly been the most expressive person Sir,", Jeffery casually reminded her.

"I know...I just wish he would realize that he's not the only one who's suffering today", she expressed, the gaze in her chocolate eyes never wavering even as her tone grew with annoyance.

"I'm sure he does...but his report could only go so far", the boy casually expressed.

"What", the surprised young leader yelped as she turned to face her subordinate, turning in time to see his eyes widen as he clamped his hand to his mouth.

"What? Me? I didn't say anything", said Jeffery, his nervous tone an enormous tip-off for the now suspicious looking Rachel.

"You said something", the young leader sternly said as she watched her subordinates nervous twitching get ever more violent with every step she took towards him.

"I didn't say anything, you seriously thought I said something", the blue eyed boy asked, his nervous tone increasing ever so lightly in pitch as his superior's stern looking face appeared only a few inches away from his.

"Jeffery, you had better tell me what's going on", she explained, her stern tone ever more apparent as his nervous twitching continued.

"Trust me Sir, it's nothing you need to-"

"Jeffery", the young Supreme Leader sternly stated, her chocolate brown eyes fierce enough to leave even the mightiest of men scared shitless.

Surely enough, it appeared that the blue eyed boy's twitching had reached its peak as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry Sir! I would have stopped him, but I was a Citizombie at the time", Jeffery screamed as his arms wrapped themselves around the surprised looking Rachel ever so tightly.

"Please, you can't punish Patton! I mean, how many other people would make a contract to save a loved one", he continued on, yet through all the wailing and screaming did only one word seem important to the young blonde; contract.

"Contract? What about-"

"I mean, really, how else-"

"What about a contract", asked the young blonde, her eyes and tone reflective of anger, enough anger to silence the wailing boy as his eyes widened, he even smiled a bit as he freed his superior from his tight embrace.

"Oh...yes...a contract...", he said with a nervous chuckle as he backed away, only to feel his body freeze upon feeling the soft yet firm hand of his superior grasp his shoulder.

"Jeffery...would you be so kind as to inform me of this contract", asked Rachel, her tone calm despite the venom it hid. Yet even in spite of his previous state, the blue eyed boy could only sigh as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry Sir, I can't tell you that", Jeffery explained, only to feel surprised wash over him as he came to face her stern yet suspicious expression once more.

"Perhaps I haven't made myself clear; you will inform me under direct order. Should you disobey, I'll have you scrub the Kids Next Door Super Convention Centre five times over", she explained, her tone never wavering despite the obvious face twitching her subordinate had going on.

"You wouldn't", he squeaked.

"Don't think I won't hesitate", the young girl expressed in that same calm yet venomous tone. "Now tell me, what's going on?"

Slowly but surely, he could feel his twitching peaking once more. Though this time, it only took a mere instant as opposed to seconds before he opened his mouth to speak once more.

"Patton made a contract with Grandfather to sell him his youth", he screeched before clamping his mouth shut once more.

Slowly but surely did the young blonde's stern grimace weaken, her chocolate eyes glazing over with horror as her expression became indescribable.

"What", asked the despondent Rachel, her expression ever indescribably as she loosened her grip upon the boy's shoulder.

"See, I told you you didn't want to hear that", Jeffery replied, his nervous tone ever prominent as he stared at his superior's expression.

"But...But that's impossible...How could he make a Faustian pact...", she asked herself as her voiced raised in pitch even as her subordinate began to raise an eyebrow.

"Okay, I don't know what that means, but I can tell you that it didn't last long. In fact, it ended when Grandfather was defeated", the blue eyed boy explained, oblivious to the vigorous switch from indescribable, to suppressed emotion.

"May I ask why...", the young blonde asked, her tone curious yet lethal.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that Sir", he explained in a regretful tone, her expression as blank and suppressed as ever.

"I see...Very well then...Thank you for your time Jeffery...You're dismissed...", replied the despondent leader, her words enough to widen the blue eyes of the chestnut haired boy.

"Really? Well, that was pretty-", he began, only to feel himself panic upon watching his superior make her way towards the automatic doors. "Hey, where are you going!"

But he was too late; for by the time he could even comprehend what was happening, she had already made her way out the door. Rather briefly did she cross paths with Fanny, who's emerald eyes lit up at the sight of such an expression carved upon her superior's face as the doors closed behind her.

"What's wrong with Rachel", asked Fanny, her tone a mix of confusion and concern.

"Oh, what do I do! What do I do! Patton's dead meat and it's all my fault! Oh why did I have to tell her about that contract he made with Grandfather", Jeffery rambled on in a panicky tone, completely oblivious to the angry glare developing upon the Irish redhead's face as she opened her mouth to speak.

"What! Freezer Boy made a contract with that old geezer", she asked, catching his undivided attention with her shrill tone.

"Yes, and now...Wait, how long have you been standing there", he asked, his confused tone enough to further aggravate the Irish girl.

"Does that really matter", she asked in an annoyed manner.

"Well, I guess not. But that's not the point; Patton's a goner now that I let his secret slip out to the one person he didn't want to know about it", the blue eyed boy explained as her stern glare remained ever prominent upon her face.

"Let me guess; he did it for love, didn't he", the Irish girl asked, emphasizing the word "love" as she did so.

"Wow, you catch on pretty quick", he replied, only to get from her a subtle groan in reply.

"Typical; thinkin' ahead is what you boys never do", Fanny said in a rather aggravated tone, one which caused Jeffery's own face to begin budding with anger.

"Oh right; like you wouldn't do the same", he replied, only to revert to his regretful state shortly after. "Oh, what's the use; pretty soon, Patton's going to be decommissioned, and it's all my fault..."

"I doubt that", the Irish girl replied rather calmly, even as she remained oblivious to the look of disbelief he shot at her.

"Okay, you did see how angry she was, right", he asked as she groaned in aggravation once more.

"Simmons, use that peanut you call yer' brain fer' once ; if she was so gung-ho te' decommission him, why would she be goin' te' meet him all by herself", Fanny asked, her tone clearly one of aggravation.

"Yeah, but why would she...Oh...Oh...OH...Oh I get it now...I think", the blue eyed boy replied rather curiously, leaving the freckled redhead no choice but to raise her hand to her forehead as she unleashed an aggravated sigh.

End chap. 13