Misfit Mercs Saga

Double Edged Blade

Part 1

Sandstorm

By Nick Maro

"I don't care if we're charged extra for using the air conditioning, I'm turning it on!" Clash put her hand out to turn the dial.

Eric gently grabbed her wrist and stopping her turning it. "No. We don't have the money to spare. Go sit by the fan if you want to cool off."

"I can't. Pizzazz, Jetta and Roxy took it to their room." Clash pouted. "Just for an hour? Please? I'll pay for it and you can sit in here and enjoy it also. Please, Eric?"

Closing his eyes Eric nodded his okay Clash squealed with delight and turned the unit on. He let out a sigh of relief escape and fell back on the bed relaxing. "Clash, you pay the first hour and I'll pay for the second hour."

"Mr. Raymond, I was just asking around about – oh my, that does feel good," Techrat said walking into the newly cooled room. "I'm glad that someone finally decided to turn that unit on. But as I was saying, I couldn't find anyone who knew about the Azure Blades. It's going to take some work to find them."

"That's okay Techrat, you tried your best. But we're going to have to find the underworld. You know the gangs, the scum, and the black market. Don't worry about it right now. We'll find them soon." Eric sat closer to the air conditioning unit. "Why don't you sit down and just enjoy the cool air. I can tell you're overheated from asking around. It's boiling out there."

Techrat nodded his thanks and sat next to Clash on the bed. "Roxy and Jetta were talking about seeing the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx later today. Everyone is of course invited along."

Clash cuddled next to Techrat. "I wouldn't mind seeing them. How about you, Eric?"

"I need to get over my jet lag first. I might just take a nap."

"Now you're acting how you look. Old." Clash smirked as she rested her head on the wall behind her.

"Get going before I chase you with my cane." Eric picked up the antique cane and shook it in a mock threatening way.

Clash laughed quietly with her eyes closed. "I'm not going anywhere until my hour of nice cool air is over."

David paced back and forth in the small hotel room. He stopped and rubbed his eyes with his index finger and thumb. "I still don't see why we have to stay looking like this. We're far from home. No one knows us here."

"I see your point, David and I agree but we're still dead to the world. I want my life back more than anything."

David flopped on the bed in frustration. "Y'know Mary, I think it's time that we got rid of our disguises. Just about no one here knows us." He sat up and looked at his half sister. "I should know. I looked over the sales reports for your album. Hate to say it but you bombed big time in this region."

Stormer began laughing softly. "Then that's great news for us! No one will know us or think we're dead. I can't wait to look like myself again."

"Yeah, I'm sure the rest of The Misfits feel that way too. I'll talk about this later with Phyllis and the rest. The one thing we'll have to do is keep using is our new identities. I can't go around calling you Mary or anything." David aimed the fan at his face.

"But my name is Japanese and I certainly don't look Japanese without this hair dye and latex. I-I guess I can come up with a new one." She smiled and grabbed the fan. "Quit hogging it!"

David wrestled with Stormer for the fan for a few moments then stopped. He let her have it. He looked at his feet then slowly looked up at Stormer. "Mary, did you want to talk about what you learned in Ross' office? I mean I am your friend and family."

"Y-yeah," Stormer said quietly, her mood no longer jovial. She put her head on David's shoulder, aiming the fan on the both of them. "I feel so stupid for not seeing it earlier. I'm half Gabor and Kevin has a grudge against all Gabors. So why couldn't that include me and my family?" She sniffed back the tears that were now starting again. "Stores don't just explode. I still feel guilty that I didn't go with. Do you know what I'm talking about?"

"Yes, I do. I still feel guilt over Hiroki Bayushi. He shouldn't have had died. Not the way he did. Deep down Hiroki seemed to regret a lot of the things he did. He raised Kyoko to be a respectable, honorable woman. Even Ayumi grew to be a talented artist and a very sweet person." David hugged Stormer lightly. "I miss Japan."

Stormer pulled away and wiped her wet eyes. "I hope that fucker Ross fries for what he did."

David sat there speechless and somewhat amused. In the short time he knew Stormer he rarely heard her swear and say things with such hatred in her voice. "I just hope justice is served in some manner, Mary. In all honesty, though, I think he'll walk. There's no evidence."

"I know, I know. It's so unfair that he can take away my mother from me and get away with it. Not to mention all of the other people who were killed in that explosion. The families he hurt and destroyed in the name of his revenge."

They sat together in silence, supporting the other without words. David finally stood and walked to the door. "I'm going to talk to Phyllis about the whole disguise thing. We should get this out of the way first."

"O-okay. I'll be here enjoying the fan by myself." Stormer jumped up and hugged David quickly. "Thanks for talking."

Pizzazz bounced the pen off her bottom lip deep in thought. She stopped, sighed and looked at the two other women in the room. "So, neither of you have any idea where we're getting the money to pay for this?"

"Sorry, luv." Jetta tied her hair back into a braid.

"Yeah, I'm drawing a blank here as well," Roxy said aiming the fan on her face.

Pizzazz put the pen down and leaned back in her chair. "David is getting the money from someplace and I want to know where. Something about what Techrat said about our money being taken care of is bothering me. Just what the hell did David tell Techrat to do that's so damn secretive?"

The knock on the door was soft and quick. David opened the door before anyone could answer. "Hey, I wanted to talk to Phyllis about something. So, uh, Roxy, Sheila could you guys let us talk in private?"

Roxy and Jetta exchanged shrugs and stood. "I think we should find out who's coming with to the pyramids anyway, Sheila." The two women brushed past David with a small smile.

After they had left Pizzazz stood herself and walked up to her twin with a determined look in her eyes. "David, how the hell are we affording this? We have no money remember? We're dead. No income. So what the hell did you tell Techrat to do?"

"Don't worry about it. Everything has been taken care of." He sat in the chair by the fan. "The less you know the better."

"What the hell does that mean?"

David swallowed not realizing how dry his throat was. "It means what I did what I had to do. It might have been legal, it might not have been. The less you know, the safer you are just in case it is illegal." He shot her his disarming smile. "Once this whole fiasco is over I'll tell you."

Pizzazz stood in front of the fan, blocking the breeze. "Dammit, David, I'm taking this shit from you again. I'm tired of not being told of plans. I'm in charge of The Misfits. Not you, Techrat or Eric. I am. Period." She pushed back her brown hair and stared at her brother. "Now, are you going to trust me with your precious secret or not?"

"I can't tell you right now. I'm sorry but I can't."

"How did I know you were going to say that?" Pizzazz shook her head. "I guess you really can't trust me, can you?" She started to walk away but turned back to face David. "I'm really hurt that you can put your complete faith in Techrat and Eric but not me, your own flesh and blood."

David stood and faced his sister. "Phyllis, I trust you. Believe me that I do. It's just that I don't feel comfortable telling you just yet." He reached out and touched Pizzazz's upper arm which she slapped away.

"I don't care if you feel comfortable! I want to know!"

"Well you're going to have to wait!" David was now losing his patience with her constant questioning. "I'll tell you when I'm ready!"

Pizzazz went to slap David across the face. He blocked the attack easily and glared at her. "Both of you stop it!" Stormer cried from the shadowed doorway. "Everything is difficult as it is without the two of you fighting. Now just stop it!" She stepped into the sunlight. Tears were running down her cheeks. "The Misfits need you to act like adults not fight like children. This is a hard time for all of us and we don't need in fighting. So just stop it!"

David turned from Pizzazz and Stormer to look out the window. He let his head rest on the glass and he could feel the heat of the day through it. "I had Techrat transfer all of our money to a Swiss bank account," he said quietly. "He did it before the banks were able to freeze our assets. The money is broken up into small accounts and under different names. I've been drawing out small amounts everyday so no one would get suspicious." He turned to look at Pizzazz. "Happy now?" The look of shock on Pizzazz and Stormer didn't surprise him. "That's what I thought." He began to leave the room when Stormer grabbed his arm gently, his face softened and he smiled at her. "I'm sorry you had to hear and see that, Mary."

"That's not it, David," she said softly. "I wanted to know if you asked her about what we discussed."

David started to answer when Pizzazz interrupted. "Now you're talking about plans with Mary? What's going on here, David?"

"Phyllis, I had an idea that I needed to bounce off someone. Mary was the only person in the room. This was the whole reason why I wanted to talk to you alone." David sat Pizzazz down on the edge of the bed. "I think we should get rid of the disguises now. We're in an area where no one will know us. And if someone does happen to recognize us we're impersonators. What do you think?"

Pizzazz sat on the bed in thought. "I dunno, you could get rid of the disguise with no problem. You're not as well known as The Misfits are. I guess it should be up to everyone. Let them each decide if they want to get rid of it."

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll go talk to the rest about it."

Roxy dragged her feet behind Jetta and the rest of the tour group. She was somewhat annoyed that David didn't want to come with but happy to have her real hair color and voice back. But she couldn't get her mind off of what Kevin Ross had said in his office. She kept many secrets of her past from her friends, secrets that she was ashamed of doing and now they were coming out one by one.

The tour guide pointed to a wall with hieroglyphics. Roxy looked at what she had pointed at. The group laughed at some joke that the tour leader must have told a thousand times. She half heartedly looked in the direction. Must've been funnier with the joke, she thought to herself.

"Hey, Roxy! Hurry up, will ya! You're missin' the tour." Jetta called back to her quietly.

"I'm coming." Roxy jogged to Jetta's side. They stayed a couple of steps back from the group for some privacy.

"So, what's eatin' at ya?"

Roxy shook her head. "Nothing. Well, no, not nothing. You ever get that feeling something isn't quite right?"

Jetta wrapped her arm around Roxy's waist. "More often than not, luv. Why?"

"I have it right now. Something is out of sync. It's not this tour it's this whole thing with the Blades. I thought for sure that they didn't exist anymore." Roxy leaned into Jetta as they walked. She tried to pay attention to the rest of the tour but couldn't focus.

As they came out of the pyramid Roxy boarded the crowded taxi-bus. "I'm going back to the hotel. I'll see you there."

Jetta waved to Roxy. "Okay. Tell David and the rest I'm goin' shoppin'!" she yelled to the fading vehicle. She flicked her black hair out of her face and stared looked at the covered shops that lined the street. She stopped at a small shop selling necklaces.

A browned haired woman looked like she was ready to explode. "You speak English." she said very dryly and the shop keeper just nodded. "Wonderful. I struggle to speak your language as a courtesy and you speak English." She let out a breath regaining her composure. "Now, how much is the necklace?"

"Katherine! Hurry up! The plane leaves in the hour!" yelled an older man dressed in an old tweed suit.

"Okay, Professor Waltross," she yelled back. "Now, what did you say the price was?"

Jetta laughed to herself and moved along the shop row. She stopped at another jewelry shop when a young boy brushed past her. She put her hand into her purse to find that it was missing. "That little blighter," she mumbled while looking around she spotted him moving quickly through the crowd.

"Thief! He stole me purse!" she yelled as she began chasing him. "Stop that boy!" She almost caught up to him as the crowd started parting for her. Jetta leaped in the air and tackled the boy to ground. They wrestled on the ground until she saw the familiar tattoo that she shared with him on his neck. Her eyes went wide in shock. The boy looked at her for a long moment threw her purse at her feet and ran away.

By the time Jetta came out of her shocked state the boy had disappeared. She picked up her purse and walked into a police officer. "Oh, um, hello officer, I'm sorry to have yelled and caused a commotion."

"Let me see your ID." The officer said in a voice that spoke of authority. Jetta pulled it out of her purse and he looked it over. "You don't have red hair like in your passport. Why?"

Confused by the question, Jetta stared at him for a heartbeat. "Oh! I just dyed it before my trip. I'm sorry I'm not used to it yet."

The guard seemed to be satisfied by the explanation as he handed her the passport. "I don't want to see anymore trouble out of you."

"Don't worry. I'm goin' back to me hotel." She told the officer with a forced smile. He let her pass and she made her way to a taxi-bus. On the ride back she contemplated telling her friends what had happened or not. She had found what they were looking for and it wasn't quite what she had expected. Now she knew what Roxy had meant by something was out of sync.

Pizzazz turned the television off and rested her head in her hands. She huffed out a breath. "I am so bored! Why can't they get any decent television stations in this lousy motel?"

David grinned at his sister. "Phyllis relax already, Eric and I have a few leads on where to start looking for them." He brought over a hand drawn map to her. He pointed at a spot that was south of the pyramids. "There's a few taverns and café's that have a questionable clientele. We figure we can start there. One of them has to be a regular hang out."

"Okay, so who's going to go and check it out?"

Jetta opened the door interrupting Pizzazz. She went to the small refrigerator and poured herself a glass of cold bottled water. "Did Roxy come back yet?" she asked sounding scared and exhausted at once.

"Yeah, she's in your room," Eric said without looking up from his map.

"Thanks."

"Hey, Sheila, wait a sec! I need you to—," David was cut off by the door shutting behind her, "dammit." He sat back down in his chair.

Pizzazz poked him in the shoulder. "Hey, who's going to go and check these out?"

"Oh, I was thinking Sheila and I would go. It would look better than Roxy, Sheila and I going. Two women and one man would be too conspicuous but a tourist couple is just fine." David rocked his neck back and forth, getting rid of the stiffness that was beginning to set in. "We'll be wearing the microphones so you can keep in touch."

"Roxy was disappointed that couldn't come with, David," Jetta said walking slowly next to him. She loved how the city looked at night. It was so beautiful.

David opened the tavern's door for Jetta. "I know but it would have been too dangerous with her along." They sat in a booth near the front door. A waitress came along and took their orders. "See that boy who tried to take your purse?" he asked under his breath.

Jetta shook her head. "Nope." The waitress came back with two beers. Jetta sipped her drink and David put a coin in the waitress's hand.

"Excuse me, Miss," he said not so quietly, "but my wife and I were wondering if you knew where we could buy some souvenir blades. Preferably ones with a blue or an azure handle about the size of a dagger. Would you happen to know of a shop would sell such a blade?"

The waitress pulled her hand away. "N-no, sir," she whispered quietly, "I'm afraid I wouldn't know of such a shop." She walked away slightly nervous.

David kept a careful eye on her as she left. A couple of men on the other side of the bar were starting to walk towards them. "Heads up, three locals at three o'clock." David whispered to Jetta. "Are you carrying?" She opened her jacket to reveal a forty-five caliber pistol. "Just be ready for trouble," he told her quietly. He took a gulp of beer and signaled to Jetta they were leaving.

The lead man arrived as David was putting down the money. David turned and almost walked into him. "Sir, why are you leaving this fine establishment so soon?" he asked in a thick Egyptian accent.

"My wife and I didn't realize how late it was getting. We wanted to get back to hotel so we can do more sightseeing early tomorrow," David said flashing an innocent smile.

"Yeah! You know how it is for newlyweds." Jetta said picking up where David left off. She kissed him deeply and moved his body in front of hers. David watched the three men in the reflection of the window, while Jetta used David's body as a shield to reach into her jacket for her weapon. She flicked the safety off and made sure it was loose in the holster.

David let out a breath when Jetta let him go. "Umm, as you can see she really wants to get back. So if you'll excuse us—."

"Of course I'll excuse you but the exit is back there." He pointed towards the way the three men had come. "If you want we can escort you out. There's a not so nice element here." He gave David wicked grin.

"That's very kind of you. Isn't it, honey?"

"Oh gag me," Roxy mumbled while listening to Jetta and David on the headset.

Jetta smiled at David. "Yes, it is."

"Just back there?" David asked as the man nodded. "Okay. Thank you for the escort."

The man moved out of David's way. He moved past the man and signaled to Jetta. She put her hand in her jacket and grabbed her pistol. David grabbed the chair he was near and flung it at one of the men behind the leader. Jetta pulled out her gun and fired it in the air. The other patrons in the tavern dove for cover. The leader took a step back in shock as David rammed the table that the chair was near into the remaining two men. He then grabbed Jetta's free hand and ran through the door as a man came running through. They knocked him over while bolting through the open door.

David let go of Jetta's hand and looked over his shoulder. "Sorry," he yelled. The three men were now running for their motorcycles parked by the tavern. "Shit. We're gonna need to get off foot."

Jetta followed David around a corner to find two horses on the far end of the street. The motorcycles finally coughed to life. She heard the revving of the engines getting closer. She hopped on the back of the closest horse and quickly undid the reins and harness. David's horse led hers down sidestreets and alleyways. The motorcycles were right behind them.

The men shouted behind them while David led them out of town and into the desert. They stayed ahead of the motorcycles for about ten minutes. David's horse finally buckled under him after tripping over what looked to be part of a wall. Jetta's horse stopped and threw her off. He helped her up and they took cover behind a wall about ten feet high. Jetta peeked around the corner of the wall and fired off a couple of shots. "We're so fucked, David."

Gunfire rang out on the otherside of the wall, sending pieces of brick flying. "We've been in tougher situations." Jetta just frowned at him. "Well we have!"

Jetta fired a couple more shots around the wall. "You sure know how to show a girl a good time. Is this how your dates with Kimber go?"

When David didn't answer she looked at him. The leader of the men from the tavern was pointing a gun at David's head. She now saw the dagger in flames tattoo on his neck. "Drop your weapon." Jetta did as commanded. "I know who you are Sheila Burns." He moved the gun from David's head to hers. "And now False Blade, you will die like the rest." He pulled the hammer back of the pistol and began squeezing the trigger.

TO BE CONCLUDED IN "AZURE SKIES, AZURE BLADES"

PART 2 OF DOUBLE EDGED BLADE