Young Offender, Part 10:
"This..." Albert shoved a middle aged man in through the dormitory door, "... is Doctor Otto Dressler, a Black Ghost researcher. He happened to be giving a lecture at the University of Basel. I persuaded him to take a detour before going back home."
Francoise stood up from where she sat beside Jet on a cot. "But, Herr Heinrich, he didn't want to be here?"
"He wasn't thrilled to come with me. That's why he looks so put out, but we don't have much choice. I figured I needed to take the risk of bringing him here to help Jet recover, anyway." Albert held up his ray gun to the sweaty doctor's head. The man's glower deepened. Francoise caught a slight smile Jet gave towards Albert. The older man didn't notice, too busy with holding the doctor hostage. The German man lowered his gun and said, "Welcome to our temporary home. Once you finish the job, we'll let you go."
"How dare you! The Black Ghost is trying to improve humanity and save people from their own stupidity!"
"There is your patient, Herr Doktor. Fix him and I won't have to rattle your teeth," Albert threatened, to Francoise's utter shock. She didn't think the cool, logical man had it in him. This was something new in her German compatriot she hadn't seen. She wondered what had triggered it. The middle-aged scientist walked over to Jet and looked at his eyes and checked his pulse.
"What's wrong with him?" Dressler snapped.
"He was shot in the back. He should have been able to withstand it, but it nicked an electrical line," Albert answered.
Francoise averted her eyes as Jet took off his shirt with help from Jean-Paul. Dressler shouted, "What is this?! Some sort of sick joke! I'm a biologist! Not an electrician! How did he get that way? Who tampered with healthy flesh?"
"You should know; your friends at the Black Ghost did that to him. Now! Get to work, I'm getting impatient," Albert growled.
"I'll do what I can," the man mumbled, now looking pale and numb. Francoise joined Albert by a window while the man worked on Jet.
"What if the Black Ghost comes looking for Dressler?" she asked Albert in a whisper.
"He's not due anywhere until tomorrow morning. Ivan will handle Herr Doktor then," Albert said softly. Francoise nodded, exhaustion was beginning to overcome her.
"Done!" Dressler declared.
Francoise jerked awake at the pronouncement and realized, with dismay, she had fallen asleep on a cot. She sat up and walked over to where Jet was stretching and waving around his right arm.
"Best part is both my lungs work. Thanks, Doc."
"Don't thank me," the man snapped. "I don't understand how the Black Ghost did this or why. It serves no advancement to cut open a healthy body. I was able to repair those artificial muscles with such ease. They were amazing, so advanced."
"It doesn't matter," Albert said. "You need to go back and forget this happened."
Francoise moved aside as Ivan approached. He held up his right hand, right eye glowing. "You will go back to your apartment and forget everything over the last five hours. You'll get a good night's sleep and then go on with your travel plans tomorrow."
The man looked dazed, but nodded and walked out of the dormitory. Dressler ambled towards the beat-up sedan, started it, and drove off. Ivan groaned and tilted towards Francoise. She and Albert caught him. His nose was bleeding profusely. She and Albert managed to get him onto a cot; Jean-Paul and Jet joined them as Francoise and Albert stopped Ivan's bleeding.
"We'll need to leave tomorrow. Let's all get some rest," Albert said. He sat on the cot next to Ivan, tending the last of his bloody nose. Jet went and flopped on his cot again, only, he looked the happiest Francoise had ever seen him. Jean-Paul fell into a cot one down from Jet and fell asleep almost instantly. She walked to the end of the dormitory and lay on a cot apart from them, but she was too restless to get a solid night's sleep.
"Francoise, I need to talk to you a few minutes." She looked over to Albert, who stood in the shadow of the hanger bay. She glanced over again at the cargo plane at rest across the field. Jean-Paul was giving Jet another lesson. She could clearly hear Jean-Paul laughing at Jet's fowl-mouthed tirade on the math behind fuel consumption. Jean-Paul only gently teased about Jet being lazy, but Francoise was amazed the New Yorker didn't explode in anger at her brother. The New Yorker would just grumbled and redouble his efforts. It baffled her why Jet couldn't have that kind of patients with anyone else but Jean-Paul. Then again, she knew how her brother seemed to charm everyone.
"What is it?" she asked, taking her attention off Jet and Jean-Paul banter.
"It's about your brother; I think you know what I'm going to say." Albert's dour tone cued her in.
Francoise nodded and joined Albert at a small table inside the hanger bay. It was covered in small bolts and wrinkled maps. "You're going to point out that he's a liability. That if he goes with us, he could be killed."
"Or even worse. Keep in mind what they did to us. I'm sure these twisted men have other evil ideas they want to implement. I'd rather not see a nice guy like Jean-Paul, or anyone else, become a victim of the Black Ghost. It's obvious to me, now, that we must be very careful who we allow to travel with us, for their sake."
Francoise could feel her throat tighten. She took a deep breath and looked at her hands. She could see Albert's gloved hand immediately drift towards her left arm, but he paused before touching her, and it was him that flinched back from her this time.
"Look," he said, firmly and flatly, "I don't want us to have to keep on the move all the time. After what just happened in Paris, I think we need to find a quiet place to settle down for a while. After a year or two, when I know it's safe, we can send for Jean-Paul. It won't be forever. Ivan says that the Merchants of Death keep slashing the funding, which is not good for us."
"What do you mean not good? They won't have the money to chase us around. That's good, right?"
"It means they'll want us back for sure. They won't spend another nickel until we're under their thumb again is what it means. We've cost them too much to make," Albert said bluntly. "Ivan is right. They spent too much money to leave us alone. They'll keep hounding us."
Francoise inhaled deeply and nodded. "I know you're right, even thought I wish it weren't so. Does this mean you think we need to all stay together?"
Albert nodded, with a clenched jaw. Her eyes widened. "Have you told Jet?"
"Not yet. I think he still has his obstinate heart set on New York, but I think I can persuade him to stay with us."
"How so? He's too obstinate," Francoise agreed.
"After almost getting killed the other night, I think he'll be more reasonable." Albert gave her a shallow smile. "A near death experience will change you. But I admit, with Jet, I don't hold much hope."
"Hey, you two!" Jean-Paul called out, Jet trailed behind as they walked into the hanger bay. "Lunch time. We found rations! Not tasty, but our bellies won't be empty."
"Let's sit down and talk," Albert said when they were all gathered around a table. "We need to make somethings clear before we leave," Albert started off, fixing Francoise with an intense gaze. She wilted, but said nothing as Albert had a firm heart-to-heart with Jean-Paul and Jet.
The flight to Stresa, Italy took barely half an hour. Jean-Paul let Jet do most of the work, occasionally correcting him. After their bumpy landing, Francoise looked over to where Ivan was wrapped in blankets beside her, his head on her lap. He was totally unconscious, with very few signs of life. Albert sat next to her, deep in his own thoughts.
After they landed, Jean-Paul and Jet joined them in the hull of cargo plane. "You two must promise me to look after Francoise. I don't like this, but you make a lot of sense, Herr Heinrich."
"I'm glad you understand," Albert said to Jean-Paul.
Albert and Jean-Paul had argued over his coming with them. That conversation over Francoise's well-being was intense. Jean-Paul loved his little sister a great deal, but had came around to common sense and agreed to let her travel with them for now. He admitted they could protect her better than him.
Eventually, in the conversation they had had, Jean-Paul also admitted he was a liability if he did travel with them. He agreed to stay in France, if they kept in contact and Francoise would visit him by next Christmas.
"I do understand, but I don't like it. I'll fly this plane back, and then Francoise will send me a postcard to Aunt Marie's Calais cottage. Address it to Renee Fonck. I'll assume that new identity." She nodded, unable to speak without crying.
Albert stood up and picked up Ivan with a struggle. "I'll wait for you two to say good bye."
He left, and Francoise's sorrow grew heavier. Jean-Paul wouldn't quite look at her. He cleared his throat and thrust his hand out towards Jet first. "You need to keep practicing, somehow. Good luck with it, Jet. I really hope you do take up flying. Nothing would please me more. You know, you're a better person than you think. Just believe in yourself more, and you'll go far. I believe in you!"
The New Yorker stared at Jean-Paul's offered hand. Jet, rather than shaking it, hopped up, and scrambled out of the plane without a word. He grabbed the suitcase on the way out and dragged it after him. Francoise glanced at her brother, who gave a baffled, but unoffended, amused shrug.
He then leaned over and gave her a fierce hug. "Stay safe. I'll see you by next Christmas. Okay?"
She hugged him back and said, "I love you."
"I love you too, little sister."
He helped her stand up and get out of the plane. A thought hit her suddenly right before he ducked back into the plane. "Wait! Jean-Paul! Your watch!"
She ran up towards the plane, retrieved the gold pocket watch from her sweater, and held it up towards him. He smiled warmly and clasped her hand with the watch. He curled her fingers around the watch and shook his head. "You keep it and give it back to me next year."
She nodded; a surge of joy hit her. "So long as I have to give this back to you, I'll always make sure I return it."
He gave her the warmest smile. "I count on it." He ducked into the plane and closed the door. After Jean-Paul took off, Francoise followed Albert, carrying Ivan, and Jet, carrying that awful suitcase, down a small dirt road. They remained quiet all the way to the small city.
Countess Manma Yana bowed, "Yes, Lord Scar. I've carried out your orders. My team is ready."
"Good!" The masked man beckoned her to follow him down the hallway. She followed, gently playing with the charm bracelet on her wrist. Six charms, one for each type of chessman, dangled from the silver loops.
"I hear my husband won't be back for a while."
"Yes, General Issimo has reassigned him to research and development because of the reduction in funds, however, the sooner you find the missing Double Zero Cyborgs, the sooner you will be reunited with your husband." Scar turned to her, his black cape lapping her ankles. "If your men fail, he won't be back."
Being Japanese, Yana pushed her moss green-locks back from her forehead and gave a small bow. "I understand the risk, Lord Scar. I will not fail you. The men I've chosen for this task are all capable. The twins are unpredictable, but very aggressive and not afraid of violence. That family man, I chose him as well."
"Ember?"
"Yes, he wants a good place to raise his daughter and to make sure his wife is well taken care of. He's a simpleton, but one of the best snipers on the payroll. I also..."
"I know, that mute oaf! I don't see why you chose him. He's the real simpleton."
She let out a sinister chuckle and nodded. "He is strong and fast for someone of his bulk, but, more importantly, he is loyal to Ember, and he hasn't resisted any order I've ever given him. Show a beaten dog a little kindness, and it won't bite."
"I can see I was wise in choosing you for this mission. You have no heart, unlike other women."
"I gave it away a long time ago," she agreed somberly. "Now, with your leave, the five of us will start tracking the errant Double Zero Cyborgs."
"They must be under my control within two months. If not, our plans my be pushed back further. We need to continue the Double Zero project soon."
"It will be done." She turned down a darkened hallway, parting from Scar. A group of scientists passed her. They, Gilmore, Uranus, and Gaia, were in a heated discussion. For a slight moment, Gilmore caught her eye, his eyes grew blank. He shook his head, as if disoriented, and continued on with his two colleges.
Yana arrived at the hanger bay where her team was assembled. The spiky-haired twins were playing cards. Why they bothered, she never knew. They could read each other's thoughts plainly. They knew what was in each other's mind. What was the point?
Meanwhile, Ember, the sharp shooter, was watching the redheaded oaf swing a five-year-old girl around by the hands. Ember let out a whistle and took the small girl in his arms after she'd had her "fun ride."
Yana walked up to the men who now gave her their attention. The small child buried her face against her father's neck and asked, "Are you going now?"
"Yes, sweetheart." He lowered the childed and patted her head. "Go find your mother. She should be in our apartment now."
The little girl, Anna, nodded and ran out of the hanger bay. The man was lucky enough to have a child! Why risk the child's life? Yana controlled her sneer and said, "The Cyborgs have a large lead on us, but we should be able to catch them. We start in Paris and track them. That was their last appearance."
"How long do we have?" Ember asked.
"Two months."
Ember nodded grimly. "Let's hurry."
"Finally, some action," Pollux said with glee.
His twin, Castor, snickered. "I was getting bored, too. This promises to be full of action."
"Go to my personal plane," Yana ordered. Ember and the twins ambled towards her large, silver jet. She turned to see the giant, red-headed teenager stare at her. "You, too." He nodded and followed her to the plane.
To Be Continued.