Yeah…sorry about deciding to change it. And sorry it took so long to update.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Just an overactive imagination.
The Black Angel
Chapter 5
True Colors
Caleb and Amanda Schubaltz walked into the medical unit. General Schubaltz grudgingly carried a fruit basket, a get well card, and a large amount of balloons that continuously drifted in front of his face. Amanda carried a bouquet of flowers and a stuffed animal cat.
"I do hope she likes the gifts," Amanda said as she fretted over a tilted lily. "When Karl said that he had gotten word she was up, I knew she would need some cheering up."
"That's fine and all Amanda, but this is going over board," General Schubaltz snorted.
"Poor thing, being used like that by all those people, theses are probably her only 'get well' presents."
The couple made their way to the reception desk the receptionist looked up when they approached. "Can I help you?"
"We're here to see Alexandria," Amanda said happily. "I'm sorry but I'm unsure of a last name."
"We have three Alexandria's," receptionist replied.
General Schubaltz slapped a balloon out of his face. "She has about four bullet wounds and was brought here from the ceremony."
"Oh…that would be Major Kruger," the receptionist replied as she looked through some paper work. "She was released last night."
"What?" Amanda screeched.
3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3
Major Ford caught Major Kruger around the waist as she tried to speed past him. "Hold on Alex, you shouldn't be running like that."
"Let me go Matt, I'm late."
"Fix your uniform," Major Ford snarled. "We don't need you rushing in looking like a slob."
Alex stopped struggling and Ford placed her carefully on the ground. He helped correctly button the uniform and laughed as she tried to smooth down her hair.
"Calm yourself, I was only teasing," Major Ford replied.
"You and every other man in this base," Major Kruger groaned. "I hate hospital time."
"We all do Alex, just don't put your self back in there because you rush," Major Ford said as the two Republicans began to head to the conference room Major Kruger was supposed to be at ten minutes ago.
Major Kruger walked silently for the most part, and Major Ford knew her well enough that he shouldn't bother her. She was thinking, and the door to her meeting was looming closer.
"How do I look?" she finally asked.
Major Ford snatched a pack of cigarettes that were making a clear bugle in her pocket. "Like a major. And if you want these back, meet me on the roof at nine tonight."
"A date?"
"Only if I get kiss," Major Ford said as he slipped the cigarettes into his own pocket and headed back the way he came.
3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3
"If the person who we are waiting on isn't here in another five minutes…"
"It doesn't work that way Thomas," Rob groaned. The Imperial Lt. was wearing down everyone's patience, more so than the missing member.
Karl sighed. "I'm beginning to agree with my brother."
"She'll be here soon," General Kruger promised.
The Guardian Force stared at the door as if by his words alone, General Kruger had called the missing member. But it was another few minutes before it finally opened.
"Alex?" came the unanimous response as the major slipped in.
"General Kruger, Colonel Schubaltz, Colonel Herman, Captain O'Connell, Guardian Force…" Alex said as she saluted the men and women in the room.
"Major Kruger," the General said with a smile, "why is the hospital staff complaining that you checked yourself out of the hospital."
"Do you really want to do this now John?" Alex said as her shoulders droop. Rob began to laugh.
General Kruger smiled.
Alex sighed. "I checked myself out early. I don't like hospital time. You were there when I left to visit Chaz."
"She's visiting the prisoner?" Thomas said with his eyes narrowing.
"Don't worry," Rob said as he waved Alex over to the empty chair in between himself and O'Connell, "she's with us."
"I would have never guessed," Karl grumbled.
"We had to act like we didn't know her, otherwise you might get suspicious," Rob pointed out.
"Alexandria, why did you check yourself out of the hospital with out discussing it with me first?" Kruger pressed Alex.
"Because I'm a grown woman and no longer need to," Alex responded.
"This is going to take a while," O'Connell said with a groan.
"Yeah…but it makes life amusing," Rob pointed out.
"I know you don't mind having this conversation in front of Rob or Jake, they've both heard it before," Alex said with a smile. "But do you really want to do this in front of them?"
General Kruger eyed the Schubaltz brothers and the Guardian Force, and sighed. She knew him much to well.
"Fine, on to business," Kruger groaned. "Major Kruger, your usefulness as a spy has expired."
The jaws of the Guardian Force and Captain O'Connell dropped. Alex gently tapped Jake's up to try and help him save face.
Karl nodded his head in agreement. "My Father mentioned that Chaz said that they knew you were a turn coat."
"And I speak for many people when I say we need her alive," Rob agreed. "It's just not the Panther Gang that Alex has her claws in."
Kruger sighed at the lame joke and Irvine grunted in response.
"So that means plan B," Alex said with a smile.
Kruger nodded and Rob rubbed the back of his head.
Thomas blinked. "Uh what's plan B."
"Only one of my most brilliant creations," Alex said with a smile.
"Basically Alexandria is going to just hang around some of our more wanted bandits and keep us updated on their doings and whereabouts. She'll report back to us by transmission daily and report to what ever base Colonel Herman is at least once a month," General Kruger chuckled.
"What makes that brilliant?" Irvine scoffed.
"Because that makes me free," Alex said as she started up a little victory dance.
Irvine's face dropped. "That is brilliant."
"Still don't get it," Thomas whispered to his brother.
Karl jabbed him in the rips and turned to Kruger. "How is this going to work, with Alex moving between sides so much?"
"That's were fate comes into play," Kruger said, looking down slightly. "Years ago my brother, sister-in-law, and niece are killed when a group of bandits destroyed my home village. Around that same time I pull a teenage girl out of a zoid wreck. The teenager I saved and my niece had a lot in common. They looked the same. They were around the same age. And most importantly, their names were very similar."
"So in other words, Alexandria Claws can become Alexandra Kruger," Alex said with a smile.
"But how can you take someone's identity?" Fiona asked.
"My mother," Rob replied. "The idea at first was to protect Alex. When we found her hard to tame, she began to use the duo identities to help us catch the most wanted."
"Why would Alex need protection? She's the daughter of the leader of the Panther Gang!" Moonbay shot back.
"That's who we were protecting her from," Kruger replied.
"That zoid wreck that Jonathon pulled me from," Alex said, before pausing for a breath, "that zoid wreck was no accident. It was meant to kill me."
Silence hung over the room. It felt heavy to everyone. Even Moonbay and Irvine had never realized how dangerous life had become for Alex. Then again most outside the Panther Gang could truly comprehend what Alex had been through.
"Now this is how this plan B is going to work," Herman said breaking the silence quickly. But for who he had broken it for was really unclear.
3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3
"Karl! Thomas!" Amanda Schubaltz screeched. "Where is Alexandria?"
Karl paled at the sight of his mother leading his father, who was loaded down with get well presents.
"What are you doing?" the younger Schubaltz demanded.
"They're presents for Alexandria, but she has already checked herself out of the hospital. Do you know where she is?" their mother begged.
In all honesty, neither brother knew where Alex had disappeared to. When Kruger had released them: Herman, O'Connell, and Alex had headed off in a direction to an unknown destination. Van, Fiona, Irvine, and Moonbay had also left together and their whereabouts were a mystery.
Kruger, who had just left the conference room himself smiled as he caught the tail end of the conversation. "That is very kind of you Mrs. Schubaltz. Alex is my niece and I'm sure she would love to thank you personally, unfortunately she's unreachable at the moment."
"What do you mean?" Amanda sniffed.
"Where she got it from, I don't know, but Alex enjoys smoking. She is on the roof right now, with some of the others," Kruger responded.
General Schubaltz nodded. "Amanda, the roof would be considered the soldiers' territory. We'll catch her later."
"But…but…" Amanda sniffled.
"I'll show you to her room so you can at least set your gifts down," Kruger said. "She'll track you down once she finds your gifts."
And with that, General Kruger led the family to a quiet part of the base. Alex's room was bare, which didn't surprise Karl much. His mother quickly dashed into the dark room and sat the gifts on Alex's bed.
Despite how dark it was, Karl thought he caught a flash of gold. He turned to General Kruger.
The older man had seen it too and sighed. "Alex is with Major Ford right now. Major Ford and Cat don't get along, so they avoid each other."
Karl scowled. That didn't seem right at all.
3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3
On the roof, Alex and Matt Ford sat side by side, smoking the cigarettes Matt had taken from her earlier. There were others too, but most go the idea that couple should be left alone.
Karl came up to the roof, already changed out of his uniform. The men, also free for the time being, waved a hello. However, they were not who he was looking for.
When Karl finally saw Alex, she was laughing, at what he wasn't sure. Then suddenly Matt Ford pulled her into a kiss. She immediately relaxed into the kiss and the couple seemed to melt together.
Karl then understood why they were alone.