"Before they attacked us I used Turbo Clone Mode to get Berto to safety and took down all of the DreddNaughts." Max explained when we were standing in the Com Room.
"Wait what's 'Clone Mode'?" I asked as Shock hovered beside me.
"Basically Max can create unlimited copies of himself." Steel explained and I nodded.
"That is pretty cool. Thanks for helping rescue us guys." I said.
"Actually it was all Berto's idea so you should thank him as well." Steel told me and I grinned.
"Speaking of Berto I wonder where he is?" I asked them as I realized that I haven't seen him since we back to N-Tek. "I wonder if he's back in his lab."
"Probably. Maybe you should go and check." Max suggested and with a shrug I left with Shock. The second I left Steel looked at Max.
"We know where Berto went so why didn't you tell Jessie?" He asked and Max grinned. "Just what are you hiding?"
"Berto wanted to see Jessie about something. And before you ask I don't know what it's about." Max told him.
As I walked towards Berto's lab I wondered why Max didn't tell me where Berto was. As if he could read my thoughts Shock asked what was on my mind.
"I'm kind of curious about something. I'm sure Max knows where Berto is so why didn't he tell me himself?" I asked and Shock shrugged, a question mark appearing on his face. The instant I stepped into the lab Berto looked up from his keyboard with a grin on his face.
"Did Max tell you to meet me here?" He asked me as I walked over.
"Actually he didn't even tell me you were here. I just figured that this was the most likely place to find you." I replied and he scratched his chin.
"Hmm remind me not to ask for his help next time. Anyway I wanted to speak to you about earlier." He told me and I couldn't help feeling guilty until he smiled and shook his head. "Why do you think I'm mad at you? I actually wanted to thank you for keeping your promise."
"Hey you did. You let Max and Steel take care of Dredd and Naught." Shock pointed out and I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Could you not sound so surprised?" I grumbled and Berto laughed.
"Considering that you usually rush into a fight it was pretty impressive." Berto replied and my eyes narrowed at him this time. "I meant that as a complement." He added and I sighed.
"Sorry. I'm just a little ticked that I had to pretend to be helpless. That and the fact that someone knocked me out at some point." I answered and Berto stared at me. "Umm hello?"
"You never told me that. Let me see your head." Berto asked as he stepped over and put his hands on either side of my head.
"I'm fine. You worry too much." I replied and he took his hands away, looking embarrassed. "If you're going to give me that look…fine you can check if it'll make you happy." I sighed and with a smile Berto pulled a chair over to me. Motioning me to sit I did so and he leant down.
"I'm going to put my hands on your head. If your head hurts at any time tell me, okay?" He told me.
"Sure. Go ahead." I replied and he began to move his hands over the back of my head. "Nothing yet." I said after about a minute. As he moved his hands over the side of my head I flinched suddenly and Berto instantly removed his hands.
"Where does your head hurt? On the left or right side?" He asked and I told him the left side. Putting his hand on the left side he gently touched the area and I winced when his fingers grazed the spot directly level between my eye and my hairline. Finding a bump there, he looked down at me. "Right there, huh? Is it painful?" When I blinked at him he shrugged. "Sorry dumb question huh?" He added as he took his hand away.
"Who did that to you?" Shock asked and I shrugged, confusing both guys.
"Hey I was worried about the DreddNaughts hurting you, Max and Steel so you could say I was kind of focused on that instead. I woke up already in their secret headquarters with a headache." I told them.
"I just glad that you didn't get hurt. Well other than the headache of course." Berto replied and I rolled my eyes, making my head flare up. With a gasp I put my hand on the side of my head and accidently knocked the bump. That just made things worse and I cringed, squeezing my eyes shut. In pain I didn't notice Berto ask Shock something. It wasn't until a few minutes later that I felt something very cold being pressed against the bump. At first it hurt then the pain lessened.
"I thought this might help." Berto said as I slowly realized that he was holding an icepack against my head. "Feeling better?" He asked me as I reached up and put my hand against the ice.
"Thanks." I replied as I held the pack against my head. "Much better." Grinning Berto stood and thanked Shock for bringing it to him.
"You should thank Max really. I had no idea what an 'icepack' was." He replied and I giggled in response.
"Anyway my head feels a lot better. Thanks guys." I told them as I went to stand only for my head to flare up. "Then again…" I groaned and sat heavily.
"Maybe you should take it easy." Berto suggested as I rubbed my eyes. "You do have a pretty big bump."
"So I noticed." I muttered, keeping the icepack against the left side of my head. "I'm just going to stay here." Trying not to laugh Berto reached down and gently stroked my hair.
"I asked you to stay out of a fight so you won't get hurt and you listen, for once. But you still get hurt anyway. You just attract trouble, you know that?" Berto said and I tilted my head slightly, giving him a look.
"All the fun of being me." I replied and he snorted. Taking his hand off my head Berto walked over to his computer.
"Okay before I completely lose track of what I had to tell you, I was wondering …" Berto started to say when his computer beeped. "Man talk about bad timing." He grumbled and I managed not to laugh at him. Tapping a button on the keyboard brought up an image of Forge. "What's up Commander?"
"I called to update you on Dredd and Naught's whereabouts." He told us and I stood up, walking over to the computer.
"Good news I hope." I said and he raised an eyebrow when he saw me holding the icepack against my head.
"Why are you...never mind. Unfortunately the news isn't good. After Dredd and Naught took off, Jefferson and Kat went looking for them. So far we haven't found any trace of them and it turns out that where they were keeping you wasn't their headquarters after all." Forge explained and I frowned.
"Then why did they have to knock me out?" I grumbled and Berto chuckled. "Jerks."
"Is that why you have the icepack? Anyway we'll keep looking but it doesn't look good." Forge said and disappeared off-screen.
"So they've disappeared for the umpteenth time and knocked me out for no clear reason." I muttered as I sat, keeping the icepack against the bump. "Wonderful." Walking over Berto placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Don't let it get to you. It happens a lot around here." He pointed out and I looked up.
"So I've noticed. Actually I wanted to thank you for coming with that plan." I told him and he smiled at me. "Thanks for saving me and Shock."
"De nada. Besides I wasn't going to let my girlfriend and her Ultralink stay hostages." He answered and I smiled at being called his girlfriend. "I just wish you hadn't gotten hurt."
"I second that. Berto. I really wish that hadn't happened. Hey where are you going Shock?" I asked and Shock turned around.
"There's something I want to know. I'll be right back." He said and left, making me wonder what he meant.
"I wonder what he meant by that?" I asked as I sat there with a puzzled expression on my face. Still trying to figure out what my Ultralink meant I was caught unaware when Berto hugged me. Now really confused I didn't move.
"Just thanking you for not putting yourself in harm's way and keeping your promise." He explained as I grinned.
"Then remind me to listen to you more often." I replied and I heard him laugh. Before I had time to react he reached down and gently pulled me to my feet, causing me to drop the icepack. As I stood there, getting more confused by the second, he pulled me into his arms. "This is…interesting." I muttered as he held me. "Another thank you?"
"You could say that." He replied and I giggled. My laughter was soon cut off when he kissed me and I couldn't help thinking that I should keep my promises more often. Definitely worth considering if this is the thanks I get, I thought to myself as I kissed him back. As we kissed I wrapped my arms around Berto who tightened his grip on me at the same time. When he broke off the kiss I frowned at him and he chuckled. Then he took me by complete surprise when he leant down and began to kiss my neck. Unable to help myself I started to laugh and he stopped what he was doing to raise an eyebrow at me.
"That wasn't the react I was expecting." Berto commented and I giggled.
"Sorry but you were tickling me. Continue." I said and he stared at me for a moment.
"I'm not so sure I should now. I think the moment's gone." Berto replied and I rolled my eyes at him. After a moment he grinned and resumed kissing my neck. This time I managed not to laugh and after a while I sighed, enjoying myself. Distracted we didn't hear someone enter the lab a while later. When I heard someone speak I sighed, in frustration this time, and I turned my head to glare at Max who had his eyebrow raised at us. Though Steel didn't look too surprised.
"Why does this keep happening?" I grumbled as I reluctantly let go of Berto.
"Hey it's not my fault. Maybe you two should stop making out in view of everyone." He commented and I rolled my eyes at him.
"Why are you jealous?" Berto replied as he adjusted his lab coat. "Oh and for the record, we weren't in view of anyone until you two showed up. Anyway this is my lab so maybe you should knock first next time"
"Or start wearing a bell." Steel said before I had a chance to and I snorted.
"So what did you need?" Berto asked as I fixed my hair. "Did Forge send you?"
"Actually I'm here to tell you that Sydney and Kirby have asked about you two." Max explained and I stared at him surprised until I remembered that the last time I'd seen them, they were running away from the Dredd Naughts.
"I completely forgot. I'll give them a call." I replied and excused myself for a few minutes. Walking just outside the lab I took my phone out. As Berto and Max waited for me to return, Max asked what he had just walked in on.
"You know I'm not going to tell you." Berto replied, arms crossed against his chest and Max laughed.
"I really don't have to ask because I saw everything. You two seem to be getting closer." Max said to Berto, who was now leaning against the keyboard.
"Close being the operative word here." Steel added and Berto rubbed his face with his hand.
"I'm kidding Berto." Max said. When I did return I wondered why Berto was glaring at Max.
"What did I miss?" I asked and Steel told me that Max was making fun of Berto. Rolling my eyes, once again, I asked Max why he was making fun of my boyfriend.
"Not my fault if some people can't take a joke. So what did Sydney and Kirby say?" Max said changing the subject.
"Well they're both glad that no one got hurt. Plus they were pretty impressed when I told them that Dredd took me hostage. Shock and I both of course but they don't know that." I explained and Steel looked impressed.
"Even without using your powers you stood up to Dredd and Naught." Steel said and I blushed slightly.
"It wasn't really that impressive. I just didn't want him to think I was a pushover." I said and Berto grinned at me.
"You are definitely no pushover." He replied and I grinned back. "Not to change the subject or anything but does anyone know where Shock went?"
"I'm not sure though he did say that he wanted to find out something. Maybe I should go looking for him." I suggested and Berto gave me a nod. Moments later I went looking for my partner.