Thanks for the review X.
I do not own.
The next morning Six found himself hovering near Holiday's door. He was waiting for her to come out. He knew he was being silly but he wanted it to look like he was just bumping into her.
"Why are we standing around?" Rex whispered behind him.
"We're not standing around. You are going to do your morning laps in the Petting Zoo." Six corrected without missing a beat.
"Aww, come on! I do laps on weekdays. Today's a weekend." Rex complained.
"Well, today you're doing three laps."
"But…"
"Do you want to make it four?"
Rex walked away grumbling.
Six turned back to watching the door.
"You know you can just knock on her door." Rex was suddenly back.
"Why are you still here?" Six queried. "You want 100 laps?"
"Okay, sheesh. Just saying, you don't have to stalk her. You know where she is." Rex countered.
"Rex! Go." Six was losing patience.
"Going, going... Can I have breakfast first?"
"Whatever, just go." Six was not really listening.
Waiting to make sure the boy was truly gone now. He turned around… only to come face to face with Holiday. She had her arm crossed and had an amused look on her face.
"Waiting for me?" She asked.
"No. I just happened to be walking to the… cafeteria." Six said quickly.
"The cafeteria is the other way, unless Providence changed its layout." She smirked.
"I wanted to go the scenic route." Six knew he had been found out but would not give her the satisfaction of knowing.
"So I guess we're going to the cafeteria?" She asked thoroughly enjoying his discomfort.
"That's where I'm heading." He walked ahead as if that was what he had been doing all along.
They walked without speaking until Holiday broke the silence. "So what does White have planned for me?"
"White?" Six asked slightly surprise.
"Yes, I'm sure he has questions, or tests, or something for me." She said impatiently. "I'm surprised he hasn't called me in already."
"White, actually, has decided to leave you alone." He answered.
Holiday frowned. "Why?"
Six shrugged. "Why not?"
"Because that doesn't sound like him."
"Well, our world is very different."
"I see.
Silence ensued again.
"How are you different, Agent Six?"
"I'm not sure how to answer that since I don't know what I was like in your world."
Before Holiday could answer the EVO alarm started blaring. Six immediately turned around and ran to the conference room.
When he got there, White was speaking to the agents in the room. Rex slid in unnoticed from the side.
"What do we have?" Six asked.
"Seems to be a level 3 EVO rampaging through the suburbs of Toledo." White answered as a holographic map appeared in the center of the conference table.
"Characteristic? Things to look for?" Six questioned.
"That's all we know. You'll need to go in to confirm its location and physiology." White answered gruffly. "The usual."
"You're going in blind?" Holiday suddenly spoke up.
White glared at the interloper. "Standard procedure as you should know, even if you are from another universe." He turned back to his soldiers. "Well, what am I paying you for? Go!"
"You're not paying me anything." Rex reminded him.
White glared at him. "You know you are expendable." With that the screen went black.
"Blah, blah, blah." Rex yawned dismissively. "Hey, Six, ready to go check out the big bad EVO?"
"Wait. You shouldn't go barging in willy nilly without a plan." Holiday protested.
"Well, willy, nilly is sort of a plan." Rex scratched his head.
"I mean it's foolhardy not to know what you're up against." Holiday clarified.
"We've been through this before." Six said gently. "Don't worry, we'll be fine." He and Rex walked out of the room.
"That's what you said before you got killed." Holiday said under her breath.
0o0
Six's jump jet landed in a middle of an empty street. Identical houses lined each side while giant holes littered the ground.
"Looks like swiss cheese. So what are we looking for?" Rex asked. The ground started shaking. The ground burst open and a giant worm-like EVO came out. It then came straight at them. Rex and Six scattered. The worm slammed into the ground and disappeared underneath.
"I think we found it." Six said dryly.
All was quiet again.
"So how are we going to get this thing?" Rex asked.
"Very carefully." Six answered.
"Haha, very funny." Rex made a face at him. But Six stood silently.
"Six? What are you doing?"
"Shhh."
Both stood quietly.
"You feel that?"
"No."
"Wait for it."
The ground trembled again.
"Now!" Six and Rex moved out of the way and the worm came out again. Six was prepared as the worm went past him. He stabbed his magna blade into the worm's side. The worm, however, didn't even seem to notice. It continued its descent into the hole it bore in the ground dragging Six along with it. Six had to pull his blade out lest he be dragged down.
"I got it!" Rex formed his BFS but the worm had burrowed into the ground already. "Okay, I'll get it next time."
They waited again. This time the didn't have to wait long. The worm burst through the ground. "Okay, now I got it!" Rex yelled as he slashed his sword.
"Rex! NO!" It was Holiday." She had pulled in unnoticed in another jet. "Don't cut it!"
But it was too late. The worm lay in two pieces on the ground with ooze coming from the area where it had been cut.
"Doc? What are you doing here? Did you see me take care of the EVO?" Rex asked.
Holiday face palmed. "Rex! That is a nightcrawler EVO! Do you know what happens when you cut a nightcrawler EVO in half?"
"They, uh, die?" Rex guessed.
"No, they…" Suddenly, one half of the worm started moving as did the other half.
"…regenerate." Holiday finished with a sigh.
"Oh, that's a bad thing." Rex gulped as flesh closed over the wounds. Both worms burrowed under the ground.
"Usually, the head regenerates while the tail dies but because of the nanites both halves form new worms… like in mitosis." Holiday explained wearily. "That's why you don't go in blind."
"Noted. So how do we stop this thing?" Six folded up his blades.
"Well, like any nightcrawler they can't handle extreme temperatures." Holiday answered him.
"How extreme?" Six asked.
"Prolong exposure to temperatures above 95 degrees can kill them." She told them.
"Ah, got it. Fry 'um." Rex nodded. Then he stopped. "Uh, how?"
"Try your Blaster Caster or Funchucks. It generates electricity hot enough to cause burns." Holiday suggested.
"Got it." From Rex's back a turbine grew while his hand became a whip. They waited but neither of the worms came out.
"Maybe they left?" Rex suggested.
"We can draw them out." Holiday said. "Rex, start pounding the ground rhythmically. Nightcrawlers respond to vibrations."
Rex rescinded his Blaster Caster and formed his Punk Busters. He began jogging in place. The ground shook with each step.
"If this… doesn't… work… at least… I… got… a good… workout." Rex panted.
"Rex wait." Six stopped Rex.
A different set of vibrations seemed to shake the ground. Everyone got into defensive positions. Six being more sensitive than the others lunged for Holiday and pushed her aside as one of the worms busted through the ground.
Rex immediately formed his Blaster Caster and wrapped his whip around the tail. Electricity flowed into the giant worm. Six and Holiday were sprawled on the floor with Six holding her tightly.
"Six? You can let go of me now." Holiday said a little breathlessly. Whether it was because Six was so close or she had the wind knocked out of her, she couldn't tell. Six didn't answer. Instead he pulled her to her feet all the while keeping one arm around her waist. The second worm appeared from one of the already formed holes.
Six pushed Holiday behind him and stood between her and the worm.
"Run!" He told her.
"I can help you…"
He roughly grabbed her and pulled her close.
"I'm not losing you again. Get out, now!" He said with wavering voice. Then he pushed her roughly away. Without looking back, his blades slipped from his sleeve and he charged the worm, keeping it at bay.
Holiday stumble backwards and glared at the stubborn ninja.
Why won't anyone listen to her?
She ran to her jump jet.
Six slashed at the worm being careful not to completely cut it in half. The worm writhed but the slashes did not deter its attacks.
Swishing its tail it knocked Six off his feet. His swords clattered to the ground. The worm positioned itself over Six. Its mouth opened up showing rows of razor sharp teeth. The head came down on Six.
Before it could reach him, however, a hook pierced its hide. The worm was lifted high in the air. Six looked in shock. Holiday was using the grappling hook on the jump jet like a fishing line. She lifted the wiggling worm higher and higher.
"What's she doing?" Rex suddenly appeared next to Six who was grabbing his magna blades.
Six looked questioningly at Rex.
"Oh, it's deep fried." Rex pointed to a shriveled piece of worm on the side.
"Remember she said extreme temperatures?" Six asked as he replaced his blades.
"Yeah, so?"
"She's lifting it to the upper atmosphere where the temperature can be as low as -60 degree Celsius."
"Wait, can the jump jet take that kind of cold?" Rex asked in shock.
"No. We need to get up there before the plane falls apart!"
Rex quickly formed his Boogie Pack. Six grabbed one of the turbines and they flew after them.
Holiday had a good head start. Rex could see icicles forming on the worm and the wings of the jet.
"Hang on!" Rex yelled at his mentor.
Six's insides twisted with fear as he saw the wings of the jet start to crack. Then they flew off. The jet began plummeting down to Earth.
"Punch out! Punch out!" Rex screamed.
Rex raced after the falling plane.
"Come on, come on, Holiday." Six whispered to himself. "Get out."
Just as the plane reached an altitude where the parachute would be useless, the hatch popped open and Holiday flew out. Her parachute opened but she was falling too fast.
Rex sped up and flew underneath the falling woman. Six caught Holiday and with his blade sliced the strings to the parachute. Meanwhile the jet crashed in a fiery explosion below.
"I told you I could help." Holiday said before passing out.
Six gritted his teeth. "Rex! Back to base now!"
0o0
"You're fine, bonita." Caesar said as he finished examining Holiday again. "You might not want to steal jump jets and crash them next time, though."
"Caesar, she saved our lives." Rex protested.
"I know mijo. And I am grateful for that. But White isn't happy." Caesar explained.
"Since when is White ever happy?" Rex grumbled.
"Are we done? I'd like to go to my room." Holiday said tiredly. Six was not there when she came to. She was told that White Knight wasn't happy and that Six had gone to deal with him. She was glad he wasn't there. She didn't want to deal with all the emotional turmoil that he was causing in her.
"Sure, do you want Rex to escort you?" Caesar asked absentmindedly.
"That won't be necessary." Holiday got off the exam table and walked out. Truth was she wanted to be in her room before Six showed up. Turning the corner she plowed right into none other than Six.
"Sorry. Excuse me." She mumbled with eyes on the ground. But his hands firmly gripped her arms.
"Holiday, we need to talk." His voice was strained.
"I..I'm tired. Can this wait till tomorrow?" She tried to pull from his grasp.
"No." He said firmly. "We can talk in your room, if you want."
Holiday was about to protest when Six cut her off. "I'm not leaving until we have a discussion. If I have to, I'll sleep by your door."
"Fine, you have five minutes." She twisted from his grip which had loosened. She opened the door to her room. Six walked in after her and the door slid shut behind him.