<Episode 40>

Things in the new habitat were slowly getting better. After everybody realized what was where things started to feel like normal. The new garden center was coming together nicely under Sparky’s care, to the surprise of just about everybody. And once everybody gotten used to the new routine it was like they always lived there. A routine that was broken as people hanging around in the main chamber saw Rachel storm in looking furious. Quickly followed by Jack who was holding the back of his head, “What did I say?”

“You know exactly what you said,” she shot back angrily.

“Obviously not if I’m asking what in the hell I said.”

She turned around and got in his face. Jabbing a finger in his chest she said, “What exactly is going through that head of yours? After all the things I’ve done for you. After all the times I’ve fought for you. How can you even say…?”

“How about you stop poking me in the chest,” Jack raised his voice slightly, starting to get annoyed.

“Do not yell at me!”, Rachel told him.

“You slapped me in the back of the head for no reason!”, he did start yelling now. “If anybody got a right to be yelling right now it’s me.”

“Oh all the ungrateful,” she started. “Why do I even put up with you?”

“Who asked you to put up with me?”, he shot back. “I didn’t see anybody put a gun to your head.”

“You block headed,” she started to say. Then she turned around and stormed off again. This time he didn’t follow, but he did storm off in different direction. But her voice did catch his ear.

Turning around he shouted, “And if you’re going to cuss me out do it in English!” She started to swear louder in French. His hands flew up in frustration, “Gah!”

He passed Sparky and a couple of other sitting at a makeshift table. Sparky look at the others and said, “Lovers spat.”

“Shut up Sparky,” he snapped at him.

***

Melissa told herself she wasn’t going to get in the middle of it. That lasted all of five minutes before she told a couple of people to find Jack and bring him to her. As she waited she made a promise to herself, she wasn’t going to jump down his throat and she wasn’t going to go on the attack. They were going to sit down and rationally discuss what happened. After all there were two sides of every story and he did deserve to have his side heard. Then Jack arrived and she realized, based off what she was reading, rational probably wasn’t in the cards. “Sit, we have to talk.” Instead he crossed his arms. “I said sit down.”

“When I’m ready,” he said a little defiantly. Apparently he was still a little irked from the situation with Rachel.

Feeding off the irritation coming off of him her eyes went feral and she growled a bit as she told him, “I said sit.”

Looking at her for a moment or two he said, “I’m ready,” and promptly sat down.

This could have gotten off to a better start. Taking a second to calm herself she said, “I know things between us have been a little strained lately. And I don’t usually involve myself in the personal quarrels of those who live here.”

“Fine, then I don’t need to be here,” Jack said as he started to get up. She pushed him back down a little harder than necessary, just to get the across the point he wasn’t going to leave until she said so.

“But in the past few months,” she continued, “Rachel and I have gotten to know each other a little better. So I consider her to be one of my closest friends. And right now my friend in angry and hurting and I want to know why.”

Sighing tiredly he said, “If I knew why we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Something had to have happen Jack. Nobody has seen her like this. I heard Dusty found out and is coming in to crack your head open to find out what you did.”

“Then it’s going to be a long night because I have no idea what I did.”

She tried a different track, “Then tell me what was going on before whatever happen happened. Maybe we can figure it out and stop this fight.”

Sighing again he titled his head back before looking back at her. “Me, Rachel and Arron were straightening out one of the supply closest, and we were just talking. Out of the blue Arron, who I blame for all of this by the way, asked me if I thought Rachel would ever stab me in the back. I don’t know why it came up.” Melissa felt her gut tighten a little as she was afraid of what the answer was going to be. “I told him no, I fully expect to see it com…ing…,” he trailed off as it dawned on him what he said and dropped his face into his hand, “ah son of a bitch.” When he looked up she smacked him in the forehead, “Ow!”

“You didn’t hit yourself hit yourself hard enough,” she said.

Getting up he said, “I got to find Rachel. That wasn’t what it sounded like.”

“How can that be anything than what it sounded like?”

“Let me explain it to Rachel first then I’ll explain it to you.” He quickly turned into the hallway. She heard a, “Excuse me Emily,” that was followed by a loud crack and an, “Ow!”, before Jack came hopping back into view holding his right shin. “What the hell, is this hit the Fusion guy day?!”

“What did you say to that poor girl?”, Emily demanded as she waved her cane at him.

“I’m going to go work it out with her,” he quickly said. “If people would stop hitting me before I can find her.” He hobbled off as they watched. Melissa was hoping he found her quick because he wasn’t going to last long at this rate.

***

Rachel didn’t know if she should cry or tear him a new one. After all this time he still didn’t trust her. She hugged her knees to her chest as she sat in her bed, trying not to stare at his cot on the other side of the tiny room. Still low on space her ass. She had a half a mind to throw all his stuff out in the hallway. That way he could bunk with somebody he could trust. The doorknob shook a little then there was a knock on the door. “Rachel open up,” she heard him say.

She remained quiet in hopes he’d eventually go away. But he kept knocking and calling her name. Getting fed up she called out, “Go away Jack.”

“Let me explain,” he said, “that wasn’t what I meant.”

Rachel got up and almost shouted at the door, “So what, you expect me to stab you in the side now?”

“I don’t think your going to betray me or anything.” Then his voice went a little lower and she heard him say, “Do you mind? I’m trying to have a conversation here.”

“Whatever man,” a new voice said.

“Rachel,” he said talking to her again, “you are my closest friend right now…”

“Yeah right,” she cut him off, “some friend. You’d never say that about Richie.”

“Yes I did,” he said immediately, “hundreds of times. And he said the same thing about me.”

Against her better judgment she opened the door. Before she got out of the way and let him in she wanted to make one thing perfectly clear. “The only reason why I’m even listening to you is because I’m curious about what story you made up to make me believe that.”

“I know you’ll probably won’t believe it but it isn’t a story.” He walked in and she closed the door. He sat on her bed, “Please sit down.” Again against her better judgment she sat on the bed too, as far away as she could. He scooted away to give her a little more space before explaining. “All of this goes back to a stupid E-mail Richie got a few years ago. One that supposedly explained the differences between a friend and a real friend. One of them just happened to be ‘A friend will stab you in the back, a real friend will look you in the eyes while he stabbing you in the heart’. I don’t know how but somehow that became one of our personal mottos.”

“It’s a stupid motto,” she said softly.

“You know what? I agree with you,” he told her. “It was the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard and I always hated it. Besides I was pushing for a friend will help you move a real friend will help you move the body.” She almost cracked a smile but stopped it. Jack didn’t look like he saw it. Looking at her he said, “Look, what I’m trying to say is until today Richie is the only person I said that about. And when I say it I’m saying I trusted him completely. And I was saying I trust you completely Rachel.”

“Did you have to word it like that? I was thinking we didn’t get past all of that after all. Do you have any idea how much that hurt to hear?”

“I didn’t mean to hurt you like that. I was so used to saying it with Richie I didn’t think. Rachel I l…,” he stopped himself closed his eyes for a second. Part of her briefly worried if he was having a relapse. “I’m sorry and I would never intently hurt you. Sparky’s going to be disappointed when he finds out but you are my best friend. Sometimes I think you’ve been my only friend in this whole mess. You were there when it started and I really want you there if it ever ends.”

“I listened to you,” Rachel said after a moment. “I don’t know if I believe you, but I listened.”

“That’s all I wanted.”

“Can I have some time to myself please?”

“Sure,” Jack agreed as he got up, “take as much time as you want. If you want to talk to me I’ll be hiding somewhere because just about everybody wants a piece of me now. And apparently Dusty coming in to kick my ass too. The way things have been going somebody will get you a video of it before the day’s over. So enjoy.”

Alone again Rachel wondered if she could get him to repeat that in front of Melissa. It wouldn’t be the most accurate assessment but it’d be something. But then again she was sure Jack wouldn’t use Richie like that. So she didn’t know what to think. But looking over at his plant she was wondering if it could give her the same peace of mind it apparently gave him.

***

Anderson, in one of the few times in his life, was feeling confused. The rebels had been quiet since they relocated, outside the occasional small outburst here and there. But then there was a Drakan found dead in a junkyard recently. Davidson doing, there was no doubt about it. The big question was why. Normally he’d be in his office overlooking his city pondering the situation. But today he was in a monitoring room looking through a different window. “Any news on the corpse Mr. Taylor?”

“Not a whole lot Mr. Anderson,” his VP said. Looking through the report in his hands briefly he shook his head. “As far as we can tell his name was Mullen. He only just arrived in the city a few months ago and tried to keep a low profile since then. Our contacts were able to do some digging though, he saw himself as a gangster of sorts. One of there exacts words were ‘he saw one too many mafia movies’. Outside of that there’s not much.”

“Any idea if he crossed the rebels in some way?”, Anderson asked scratching his chin slightly still keeping his attention on the window.

“None that we can find,” Taylor admitted. “At most Mullen had a situation with a human named Harrison, who is a gangster himself apparently. A turf war if you will.”

“Interesting,” he thought out loud. “Find this Harrison, perhaps he knows something about the situation. Have Perez make him talk if need be.”

“He… disappeared sir,” Taylor said.

For the first time since he entered the room he looked at him, “Excuse me?”

“He disappeared sir,” Taylor repeated. “Apparently after whatever happened he left town. In a hurry from what I’ve been able to determine.”

“So we have a dead Drakan, from all signs by Davidson hands, and we have a human he was connected to him who left town for whatever reason. So how do Davidson and the rebels figure into this picture?”

“I’m not sure sir. I can keep digging if you want.”

“Put a man on it.” He quickly changed his mind, “Cancel that. It doesn’t matter in the long run. This person wasn’t part of my pack and apparently had no desire to make himself known to me. Mark it off as blip in the rebels’ usual pattern.”

“As you wish sir,” Taylor said.

“Besides,” he added, “there is an outside possibility I may get the opportunity to ask Davidson about it personally. Depending on the mood he is in when he sees Davidson that is.” Returning his attention to the window he looked down at the specialized training area below. He watched a figure dressed in a black body suit with red armor systematically take out the targets around him. The blue lenses on his helmet the only thing keeping Anderson from seeing his eyes. “And depending on what condition Davidson is in if he does.”

***

“A friend will stab you in the back, a real friend will look you in the eyes…,” Dusty repeated as he thought it over. Jack was right, he was coming over to kick his ass. He better be grateful she was able to intercept Dusty as soon as he arrived. “That sounds like something that would come out of his mouth. You happen to have him run this line of bull past Melissa?”

“He already talked to her,” Rachel told him. “According to her he was telling the truth.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” Dusty said as he sat down. “You guys really know how to take the wind out of a old man’s sails, you know that little lady. I was all set to knock some sense into that block he calls a head.”

“You can still beat him up if you want,” she said as she sat next to him.

“Wouldn’t be the same little lady,” he told her. “It still be fun but it wouldn’t be the same.” They shared a chuckle. “So where‘s that boy at anyway?”

“He’s hiding round here somewhere,” she informed him. “I thought he was joking to be honest with you, but nobody has seen him since he talked to Melissa. I’m sure everybody knows where he is, they’re just letting him think he’s succeeding.”

“He’s that afraid of the old man huh?”, Dusty laughed. “I don’t blame him, I could hold my own back in the day.” Rachel had to hide a smile as she heard Jack’s response to that almost immediately in her head. “Not that I wouldn’t fix him up afterwards. I’m still a doctor after all.”

“That’s one way to stay in business, busting up your own patients.”

“Whatever works darlin’,” he laughed again. “So how about you, how are you doing?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Well you’re the only one who does. Nobody can tell you.”

“I now he didn’t mean to be hurtful, but…”

“He could have worded it a little better,” Dusty finished for her. “We both know he didn’t mean anything by it. And sometimes he’s not the brightest bulb out there.”

“He’s smarter than he lets on,” she said quickly, She had no idea why she was defending him.

He gave her a smile she was all too familiar with, “If he all that smart why hasn’t he hooked up with you by now.”

“Could we not go through that again,” she told him. “It’s bad enough you tried to shove that idea down my throat when we were living with you.”

“Is it my fault you and Jack are both hard sells. I swear it’s like taking down a brick wall with a hammer. So you gonna let him off the hook?”

“I’m going to follow some advice Emily gave me a while back and let him grovel a bit.”

“Good for you darlin’. Maybe that’ll teach him to think a little more in the future.”

“I doubt it but there’s always hope.” She gave the old Drakan a hug, “Thanks for listening Dusty.”

“Anytime little lady,” he said as he hugged back. “Just remember, anytime he giving you any trouble just give me a call, I’ll set him straight.”

“Actually we have his mom on speed dial now.”

Dusty’s grin got bigger after remembering some of the stories Jack told him about her, “Even better.”

***

Sometime he wondered if his uncle ever felt this nervous every time he picked a lock in the middle of the night. Of course Jack usually had people watching his back while he did it. Then again he was usually on their good side. After his last couple of decisions he was lucky Sparky was still talking to his like he usually does. The locked popped with no problem, “We’re in.”

“Alright let’s go,” Sparky said as he waved Arron, Rachel and the others into the factory they were breaking into. This had better be worth it.

“I know I’m not in the best of graces with everybody right now,” Jack whispered, “but seeing what happened the last time we did a favor for another cell why are we doing this again?”

“Because Lance’s cell heard about this and couldn’t spare the man power to check it out,” Rachel reminded him. “And if we can’t trust Lance who can we trust?”

“Did Lance himself ask us to do this?”, he went on. “Or did somebody who said they were with Lance or whatever ask?”

“When did you get so paranoid?”, Arron asked. “I’ve never seen you this jittery.”

“Since nobody could tell if we had a C site ready or not,” he told them. That and he wasn’t sure how he was suppose to be acting in situations like this now. God, this champion crap needed to come with a manual or something.

“A, it was Lance who asked us to check this out,” Rachel told him. “And B, even if he didn’t Melissa would have double checked. She doesn’t want us to move again either.”

“Too bad they may have to,” a new voice said as the lights above them came on. They found themselves surrounded by a small squad of Anderson’s shock troops. A tall, skinny guy in a dark suit with a really noticeable nervous tick was apparently in the lead. “You rebels are either really desperate or really gullible,” he said as his head twitched.

Sparky just kind of looked at him, “Is he having a seizure or something?” Jack and Rachel looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. A couple of the troopers laughed.

“I’d asked you to come quietly,” he said looking annoyed at the comment and the reaction, “but I know you rebels won’t do that. So take them by force,” he told the troops, who extended their shock sticks,

“Jack,” Sparky started.

“I know the drill,” he said as he got his left arm up. “Keep her safe.” Doing the activation movements and shouting, “Henshin!”, he slammed his right hand on top of the belt. The armor formed around him as he got in front of everybody.

“Be careful,” Rachel said in his ear, “if they found a way to turn that metal into bullets you won’t be bulletproof any more.”

“I’ll worry about it if it happens,” he told her. “By the way, please tall me none of these guys are a Drakan.” None of them were coming foreword to tell him one way or another. “Please tell me it’s not twitchy.”

“Ok I won’t tell you,” Sparky said.

“I am going to hurt you,” Jack told him. The trooper made there way toward them cautiously while “Twitchy” stood there fuming.

“Nobody makes fun of my twitch,” he said a lizard like tongue flicked out of his mouth and he changed into a red chameleon. His head still twitched as he eyes turned wildly.

“You’re just cheesing off everybody today,” Arron smirked as he went wolf.

“I’m hurting you next,” Jack said right before he went toward the chameleon. He punched one of the troopers who was dumb enough to come at him before blocking a punch at his head from the Drakan. He let loose a right cross but the Drakan was as quick as he looked as it got out of the way. Jack was able to jump over a leg sweep but was hit with a punch to the gut as he landed. The chameleon came at him with a series of punches and kicks that kept him off balance. He took an extra step back to avoid a back roundhouse than ran in catching him around the chest, picked him up and ran foreword before slamming him to the floor. Jack picked him up and started to punch him in the gut repeatedly. The Drakan was able to twist out of his grip and quickly kick to the head that rocked Jack back.

The chameleon jumped up, wrapped his legs around his head and flipped backwards sending Jack flying forewords Jack rolled out of the way as a reptile like foot came at his head. Thinking quick he swung his arm out, catching the Drakan just below the knees knocking it down to his back. Jack jumped up and planted his elbow into its’ chest. He rammed his knee into his head repeatedly before using a rail next to him to get up. Then he realized this place had a basement and that was a long way down. Kicking the Drakan in the head as it tried to get up he took a quick moment to check on Rachel. She was holding her own using his old staff. In fact she was able to knock a couple of them down. “Who have you been practicing with?”, he wondered out loud. The chameleon recovered faster than he figured and caught him off guard with a charge. Both of them hit the railing and fell over.

“Jack!”, he heard Rachel scream as they fell.

***

Melissa sat in Emily’s room enjoying a quick talk, mainly to calm her nerves as always when she sent people out on a mission. “I mean what would you do in my position? Jack told me he has feelings for her. Rachel told me she has feeling for him. But they haven’t told each other yet. I wasn’t going to say anything at first because I figured they would have by now.”

“So what have you been doing to get them to do that child?”, Emily asked as she watered her plant.

“Outside of making them roommates again and trying to convince Rachel she should make the first move, nothing,” she said. “But I keep getting these feelings off of them, especially when they’re together. And quite frankly it’s starting to drive me a little nuts.”

Emily laughed as she put down the flower pot, “And to think just a little while ago we were wondering what she saw in him.” Then she stopped laughing and froze slightly. Melissa felt a nervousness coming off her and that amped her nerves up a couple of notches.

“Emily what is it?”, she asked trying to snap her out of it. “What did you see?”

“Jack,” she gasped.

“What happened to Jack?”

“Nothing yet child,” she said trying to get herself under control. “But his next challenge is appearing faster than I expected. And I’m not sure if he’s ready for it yet.”

***

“Oy,” Jack grunted as he rolled to his stomach and slowly got up. That fall was longer than it looked. Luckily the armor absorbed most of the impact as he landed. Still hurt like hell though. He looked up to see the chameleon stumble toward him. “Oh you have got to be kidding me.” He blocked the foot coming at his head, then jumped foreword and slammed his shoulder into its’ gut. The Drakan held on tight as he did everything not to fall backwards. The chameleon stayed tight across his shoulders as Jack got to his feet. “Get off,” Jack grunted as he used his arm strength to force the Drakan up and over his head. As it fell in front of him Jack quickly brought his knee up and slammed it into its’ head. The chameleon crumpled to the ground. Jack picked him up and tossed him as the meter started flashing. Twisting the pod down he waited for the chameleon to get to its feet. Then he ran in, jumped and kicked it in the chest. The chameleon flew back and exploded.

Jack panted as he deactivated the system and looked around, how was he going to get back up there? For that matter how was everybody else doing? “Rachel!”, he shouted at the story above him. “Sparky! Arron! Anybody!” no answer came down. “Hell I’d settle for the chimp right about now. No,” he quickly corrected himself, “no I wouldn’t. There’s got to be a staircase or something around here somewhere.”

Then he heard a slow clapping sound and tried to locate it. He found somebody coming toward him in the shadows still clapping his hands. He could tell from where he was he was wearing a World Inc. assault team uniform. “I got to tell you something buddy,” the figure said. “I was worried when I found out you were having problems. But it looks like you actually gained a step or two since I last saw you.”

He stepped into the light and Jack got a good look at him, but he already recognized the voice, “Mitchell.”