sorry about that here is chapter 2


The Group
Just something I wrote due to the voices in my head

by Josh Temple (or whoever I am this week) tarne_of_eat@hotmail.com
    don't blame me the voices did it, the voices

If you are offended at my poor writing skills, lack of originality, absence of plot, or anything else I do, stop reading now, don't flame me later.

If any characters are OOC just blame my poor writing skills same goes of and screw up in the timeline (relative to the cannon)

C & C welcome

Don't think of this as a SI think of it as a bad fic with a coincidence between the author's name and the main character's

I dropped the SI tag because many people told me that if I changed the main  character's name it would just be a bad new character alter-verse.

For chapter one just e-mail me with "chapter one" in the subject

Chapter 2

    A month and a half after that initial meeting the Nelson Cell of The Group had set up a temporary base in a small Nerima apartment.  In another two weeks they had finished setting up the surveillance equipment that had been held up in customs for two weeks.  Despite the fact that they had come over on a student exchange program Fuurinkan was never notified about the program, although a notice from the school was send over to Nelson.  This meant that The Group was able to keep taps on the locals 24 -7.
    Warren was at the kitchen table which was covered in gun parts and electrical equipment.  A half assembled rifle style blaster was in his hands.  James was at the computers that had been reassembled a week ago. Watching the a series of surveillance windows on the monitor.  "Bob turn left primary target is on approach," James said into his headset.  It was of the utmost importance that the targets did not find out about them. In a more frantic voice, "She's only two blocks away."
Waiting for a reply from Bob's wire.
"No she does not have line of sight but she may soon."
    James increased the size of the widow that had the street Bob was on and opened on that had the next street over.  A small overhead map of the ward had signals of all the targets and all The Group's members on it showed that the that street was safe.
    Warren had walked over to the computers still holding the half completed gun.  Picking up another headset, "Okay man stay cool they're not following you."
    "I told you that sending him there was a stupid idea," James said.
    "Quiet," moving back to the headset, "Don't worry the chef didn't contact anybody its just a coincidence."
    "We didn't have to put a mike in that place," James said turning to Warren, "The voice recondition system could do the job with our long range visuals or even our high resolution thermals."
    "But the program only works for English."  Warren pointed out.
    "I could edit the code so it recognizes Japanese."
    "That would take more time than we have, and  without audio we'd have no idea what's going on."
    Bob who had gotten increasingly worried about the silence from base demanded, as quietly as one can demand without attracting attention in a crowd, "What is the situation?"
    "Sorry man," Warren said looking at the monitor, "the site is clear of all targets you can come in."
    A few minutes later Bob came up and after Warren opened the door.  Who came in carrying two largish boxes of okonomiyaki, "Listen next time I go out I'm packing heat, I don't care if it blows our cover I don't want to be caught alone with one of them."
    Warren nodded there were a large number of powerful martial artists some of whom had just recently arrived and the only hope any of them had if attacked was using a blaster.  He also believed that for some of them a blaster would not be enough.
    Bob had dropped the boxes on the table while Warren slid his equipment and parts into a large storage box. "Hey James food, just put the system on alert."
    James got up after turning on a setting that would raise and alarm if a target would get within 2,000 feet of the apartment.
    "Okay here's the deal," Warren said as James got a six-pack out of the fridge, and Bob opened up the boxes, "The situation is bad, we have over a dozen highly skilled fighters, who all appear to have some type of mental instability, we have at least six shape-shifters (never mind the impossibility of that), one of home can take the form of Josh, and they have all our codes," Warren paused to take a sip of soda, "The situation could be interpreted as a group of unbalanced, yet highly skilled people, who have all our codes, and can change their appearance.  Command would tell us to go in with lethal weapons after getting as much back up as possible and killing them all."
    Warren paused so this could sink in they all knew how bad the situation looked since they started the surveillance.
    "But I don't think we have a hostile force here, one they seem to spend most of their time fighting each other, two they seem to have no control of the 'curses' as the call them, they have never talked about their plans of attacking The Group, the primary target also seems to act exactly like Josh, and most of them are only teenagers.
    "I know we're about the same age too, but remember we are still in training.  There are also explanations that could account for the problems in the hostile force option, but call it a gut feeling I think we have the second option here," Warren stopped and looked at his stunned friends they all secretly hopped that Josh might still be alive, but the severity of the first option and the sheer bizarreness of Nerima blocked out those emotions.
    "So what do you think we should do?" Bob asked, "It's your call."
    "Extract primary target."
    "Hard or soft?" James asked as he ate his food.
    "Soft."
    "Taking a big leap of faith, chief," Bob said.
    "That's why I want full intel on this mission, and the dead-man switch on full encoding."
    James nodded, he knew what that meant if the extraction failed command would be alerted and all hell would break loose.
    Warren continued, "James you'll be here giving us info and as emergency backup unless the situation is really fucked up then I want you to scuttle the base and get out of here, Bob you'll do primary confrontation, and I will take sniper point."
    "Time?" James asked.
    "Tomorrow," Warren stated.
    "Weapons?" Bob asked.
    "Non-lethal. If that's all we have some prep work to do."

*******************************

    I knew perfectly well that my friends from Nelson had  been watching me for the last month but this was only because of the telepathic abilities of  my girl side. I was very freaked out when all of a sudden I heard James' thoughts.  I only got glances of their minds. I never saw them or the cameras and microphones they had obviously hidden, and the others had know idea that they were being watched. I will give them this when it comes to spying they were GOOD.
    During the last two months Ryouga, Ukyou, and the Amazons had shown up.  Despite the fact that we did not take the cliffs to leave Jusenkyou and he didn't get cursed and still blames Ranma,  despite the fact that we weren't followed Cologne still found Nerima, and Ukyou ended up here.  Aside from some slight differences things happened  exactly the way I remembered them.
    That was another issue a few months ago I was sure that I was some sort if inter-dimensional traveler who knew what was going on because I read a novel or something in my original reality that was about Nerima, but now I'm sure that, those were just some hallucinations that were grated so I could cope with the curse.  That the reason I didn't go mad was that I thought it wasn't real, and now that I've gotten used to the curse the need for those false memories had diminished.  And I realized that my ability to know what's about to happen, precognizance, was just another one of the psychic abilities I had developed. I think my precognizance was just an extension of my telepathic abilities, because I could sense what people thought I would know what the wanted to do, and could infer what might happen given what others want to do or normally do.  This only works for the near future in a vague way and fails completely if something unexpected happens. I knew that Ukyou and Ryouga were coming and why because when I scanned Ranma's memories, the were standing out because they were unresolved and troubling, although the years had dulled its presence to Ranma himself.  Because my precognizance was just analyzing the minds of others I could do it in either form; although when I was in male form I was less accurate because I couldn't get current readings.
    Of course knowing what's going to happen to Ranma when a new person enters town usually follows a set pattern.  New person shows up waiting some obscure thing, has a very bizarre or silly method of martial arts nearly beats Ranma who then learns some new method so that he can beat him. Now I hope Warren doesn't try to do something rash, although The Group's methods are very different, than anything Nerima has seen.
    I had tried to follow Bob when I felt him a few minutes ago, but I ended up loosing him after a few blocks.  I didn't know why I wanted to find their base, it seemed a bad idea to just walk up and tell then who I was, they'd probably think it was an attack, paranoid nuts.
    It was about lunch time and I decided that some okonomiyaki would be good and that I might be able to find any of the bugs that had been planted in Ucchan's.

    Ukyou looked up and noticed the blonde entering the restaurant.  She liked Josh he seemed to be one of the only people who tried to stay neutral on all the fianc�e issues, but he was unnerving at times between the telepathic powers and the small gun he always carried.  Josh-chan scanned around the room, looking for something eyes faintly glowing. "Can I help you?"
    I stopped looking for a device and turned to her, "Yeah, lunch special number three."
    "Ok," she said turning to the grill
    <Idiot,> I thought to myself, <The only way I'd find anything was if I personally searched every inch of this place personally, twice.>
    "Something wrong?" Ukyou asked handing me a glass of water.
    Using the warm liquid to change, I said, "Nothing just that I feels like something's about to happen."
    "Hmm," Ukyou muttered as she tended the grill.  Over the weeks she had come to trust Josh's abilities, "Anything more specific."
    "Nope," I lied.  If The Group  was here there was almost no telling what they would do, or when they would strike, and telling people would just worry them.

*******************************

    Warren walked down the dark Nerima street. He paused at the building after scanning around for witnesses and getting the clear from James he pulled out the grappling hook.  He designed and build it himself.   It was essentially a small tube that had a small charge, courtesy of Bob, that launched the grapple. It was a one shot device, but that was all that tonight's mission.  After aiming he hit the button on the side. The hook flew up into the air and latched onto the air-conditioning pipes on the top of the building. Warren clipped the rope that dangled of the top of the building onto his harness.
He had climbed up this very building a week ago to install some thermal cameras, normal imaging cameras, and some sound scopes.  The building was a bank that was over six stories tall and was an excellent vantage point.
Once on the roof Warren pulled the rope up after him. He took off his pack and put the coiled rope inside it. He keeping low he checked all the surveillance equipment on the roof. "Systems are clear," Warren stated into his headset.
    He pulled a collection of parts out of the pack an re-assembled them into a large scoped rifle he was building earlier that day.   Crouching low he walked over to the western edge of the building.   Lying down he put the rifle into his shoulder, and looked into the scope.  Flipping a switch on the side the scope's field illuminated with a ghostly green light. He connected his headset to a composite of the data from the bugs in the target and the sound scopes focused on the target.
    Warren checked his watch, "4:00 AM two hours to mission start."  He then shifted to the view of the exterior of the Tendou residence.  The sound systems were only picking up background noise as all the residents were asleep.  He then switched the infrared system.  The scope showed a blur that contained the furnace, heating ducts, hot water heater, the hot water pipes, and somewhere in that mess was the heat generated by the people inside.
    Pressing another button that eliminated all the temperatures that were not at the range of normal body temperatures.  He then overlaid the night vision sensors on the field.  Warren was presented with a view of the building and the people inside it.  This method had its draw backs I couldn't tell  you who each person was but for his needs it was adequate.
    Warren reflected on the plan  Bob would go up to the  house and ask for Subject 1 a.k.a. Josh.  James would stay off to the side as backup, and Warren would be in the sniper position.  Something could go wrong they might be walking into a nest of rattlers, although he honestly believed that the conspiracy option was a load of crap.  There were too many holes for that theory to work, but that still didn't deny that there was a lot of weirdness in this borough. Considering their unstable personalities and their unbelievable abilities Warren wanted to stay on good terms with them.  He still had another hour to change the mission plan.
    Although once he got within 30 minutes of the mission launch, even command couldn't change the parameters.  He still had time to change it to a hard extraction.  Bob would launch a small missile that would enter the building and fill it with sleeping gas.  It would fill most of the house, but not all of it that's why right after the launch Bob and James would rush in, with gas masks,  and quiet any resistance.  Warren would once again take sniper and catch anyone escaping the building. Once the people in the house were unconscious Subject 1 would be taken to base for interrogation.
    Warren knew that there was more to the situation than met the eye.

*******************************

    I awoke with splash of cold water. Looking over, I saw the Ranma was the primary target of water.  Genma was standing at the entrance to the room with a bucket.
"Your getting sloppy boy you should have been able to dodge that," Genma said just before Ranma attacked him.
    After closing the door, I got dressed, khaki pants and a tee-shirt.  On my girl body they were very loose but a blonde wearing baggy clothes was a normal American fad, and despite my language work I still have a slight accent, identifying me as an American and explaining my clothing.
    I checked the change on my blaster. "Damn Kunou," I muttered, because of that idiot I had to charge the extra power packs nearly every night.  Once holstered, I put on my windbreaker. I passed Nabiki in the hall.
    Once downstairs I entered the kitchen, Kasumi was there making breakfast. "Hello Josh," she said looking up from the stove, "How are you doing today?"
    "Fine," I said, while pulling the instant coffee mix out of the cupboard.  I grimaced when I picked up the ever present kettle from the stove, is was almost empty.  Deciding that caffeine was more important that changing back. I pulled out a mug and mixed the coffee and the remaining water.
    "Oh looks like I have to boil some more," Kasumi observed.
    "Good," I was still wary of Kasumi.  She acted just like Sandy.  Only my sister was just acting nice.  However, Kasumi was being sincere and genuinely good, being a part time telepath helps gain insights on people.  I shuddered remembering my sister, if only I had known her true nature earlier, things could have been so much better.  Because of Sandy I went into The Group and then things started to get weird.
    Walking to the slinging door to the backyard, I looked outside.  Ranma had just gotten knocked into the koi pond. "Looks like Ranma will be needing some too."  I sensed Akane enter the room.
    "What's with you?" the groggy girl asked, every morning the teip was up  at the crack of dawn.
    "Just watching them spar." I took a sip from my mug.
    "Why?"
    I raised my eyebrows.
    "You're not scanning me are you?" Akane said getting irritated.
    "Its not like I can just turn it of."
    Akane looked at my mug then back at me.
    "Okay fine, I could change back, but I need the practice,"  pause to take another sip, "do you know what its like to constantly get streams of information from people."
    Akane snorted.
    "I mean it's a constant flood of images.  It takes concentration to even sort the data."

*******************************

    Bob and James were waiting at a street corner each was wearing a small headset.  They were dressed in military style black clothing.   A large black duffel bag was on the ground between them.  Bob was wearing a pair of slim wraparound shades.  "Time check," pause, "alright," turning to Bob, "Load up we're going in."
    James put his hand on the grip to his holstered gun, while Bob knelt down and unzipped the bag. First, he pulled out two helmets.   After handing one to James he put his own on.  "Gotta love military surplus."
    James nodded as he maneuvered his helmet so it wouldn't block his shades.  Now the reason that James Edison was wearing sunglasses during a mission (albeit a supposable nonviolent mission), was that the weren't just shades.
About a year ago James found a company that specialized in micro projection. One of their products was glasses that had a small screen on the interior surface of the lenses.  The screen could project translucent images.  The software was programmed so that the translucent image on each lens of the glasses was combined into a single image.  The software used the  focusing abilities of the human eye to interpret the images.  There were also minute cameras on the fame that traced how far the eye was focusing.  This prevented the user to have to focus on what they were seeing then shift the computer display.  Currently James had only the time and some basic status information the far right of his display.
James is technophile to the extent that if he's not in contact with computers he will get extremely nervous and paranoid. He even showers wearing his watch.  Said watch is really just a very small palmtop.
Meanwhile Bob had pulled out two large assault rifles. They were energy weapons, Warren had been very specific on this matter, no lethal. Bob was annoyed he KNEW that this was a trap.  Josh had died and these people were working to infiltrate The Group.  As much as Bob doubted Warren's optimism, he wouldn't disobey him. He never could his loyalty was too much.  Bob would do the mission to the best of his abilities, they would acquire subject one or  die trying.
    James had taken one of the rifles from Bob.   Holding a gun with a status bar off to the side.  It seemed just like a computer game. They would do the mission then go back to the states.   He knew that the illusion of a game was completely false especially after Berlin.
    This was not a game that mission proved how inexperienced they really were. They failed.  Their first real mission and they screwed it up.  And now Warren was making them go amateur on this job. Bob though about telling Warren off for a second; only for a second.  His loyalty was too great he had to admit there might be a change that Josh was alive.
    Bob had the rifle slung over his shoulder.  He checked to make sure that James was still covering him. As he unpacked the rest of the equipment he thought of how all the preparation and surveillance of the last month was converging on this morning.  The preparations weren't  new to him they had been on dozens of missions, and trained hundreds of times.  He was calm and collected, even the incident in Germany couldn't shake his resolve.
    All the equipment was unloaded. Each had an assault riffle, two handguns, assorted power packs, and various electronics equipment strapped to their bandoleers.  Talking into his headset, "We're ready," Bob said just before he and Bob walked off.

*******************************

    I turned seeing the red-head and the panda enter.
    "Hey," Ranma-chan said.
    "Morning," I replied. The panda glared at me.  I responded by focusing my powers on him. I wouldn't do any thing aside from revealing his thoughts to me. I had scanned the idiot dozens of times and there was little I didn't already know.
    Genma-panda recoiled as the blonde's eyes started to glow even more fiercely. Why did she have to pick on him; granted he didn't like her, but that was no reason for her to make a fool of him.  Suddenly the burning eyes reduced to the standard faint glow.
    <Damn,> I thought, <Not now.> I had just sensed Bob and James entering the compound.  I grabbed the kettle and used it. Now was not the time for me to be a girl.

*******************************

    "We're going in," Bob said into the headset.
    "Right, thermals indicate nearly all personnel are centered around kitchen," Warren's voice stated over the headset.
    Bob had point while James was a few feet back and off to the right.  Their weapons were raised.  They were halfway up the walk when the front door opened. Josh started walked out.  Under his glasses James' eyes bulged, to see Josh on camera was one thing but to see him in person.
    Bob had a different opinion, he saw Josh crushed, he was at the funeral, Josh was dead.  This was just a loose end to be taken care of.  In his most professional voice, he clearly stated, "Come out of the building and drop your weapon."

*******************************

    "Josh?" Ranma asked.
    "What's going on?" Nabiki said as she entered the kitchen.
    I walked passed her silent toward the front door.  Ranma and Nabiki followed while the rest of the people stayed in the kitchen area.
    "What the?" Nabiki said as she looked out the door.  A figure dressed all in black rushed through the gate to the property; shortly another followed.  They both had guns in similar design to Josh's side arm.
    I put my hand on the door knob.
    "Josh," Ranma said worry in his voice.
    "Temple what's going on?" Nabiki demanded, "Why are there SUMP(1) goons on the front lawn."
    Ranma eyed the two as they approached the porch.
    "Whatever happens stay out of this.  This is matter only I can settle. I'm sorry." And with those solemn words I exited the house.

*******************************

    Outside in the early morning sunlight.  Two of my best friends had guns pointed at me, by the look of them they probably weren't lethal, probably, my newest friend was behind me perplexed and unable to help, and the last was most likely on some roof top.
    How had my life changed to this, across the world, cursed to become a female telepath, and now the target of the very society I was sworn to protect.
    Then again my life was no where near normal to begin with, a sister that was pure evil and a member of a clandestine organization.
    "I said put down the gun." Bob said though clenched teeth.
    Ranma watched from inside the door way. The one without the shades was talking in English, while the other had yet to speak.  He knew that these people were from Josh's past and that they were connected with that strange gun of his.  Nabiki also observed, Josh was an enigma and this only compounded things further.
    I slowly moved my hand inside my windbreaker. This was the crucial moment, if they though I was doing anything funny they would take me out at this moment.  My hand grasped the grip. I pulled out the gun slowly moving it an inch at a time.  Once it was outside my jacket. I threw it on the ground.  Bob knelt down, scooped up the gun, and pocketed it.
    "Okay lets go." Bob said as he motioned for me to leave the compound.
    <Odd,> I thought, <How are they moving me. It isn't like Warren to drive. He'd be sniper and they wouldn't have gotten a fourth this soon.  So who'll be the driver.>
    "Where are you taking him?" Ranma ordered charging out of the house.
    "Stop." Bob said clearly in Japanese leveling his gun at him.
    "Ranma, stay out of this." I said.
    Ranma appraised the situation.  Josh was ten feet away and the  shorter of the two gunmen was fifteen and the quiet one was about thirty feet away.  Both were calm and focused their ages and physical features were obscured by the black gear they were wearing.  These were professionals they would shoot him if he did anything funny.  Josh was oddly calm about this almost as if he knew this was happening.  Another thing how much did he really know about Josh's past.  The curses didn't really phase him; neither did the whole fianc�e issue.   Did Josh have to deal with weirdness when he was in Nelson.

    Warren looked on the scene though his scope.  The pigtailed boy (subject 4) was trying to confront Bob.  He kept the crosshairs on him.  Warren did not want this to screw up.  If subject 4 attacked the fight would start.  They could easily take him, but Warren had a gut feeling.  Warren sighed, then spoke into his headset, "Conduct the interview here.  Ike cool the car we'll be here a while."

    Bob grimaced, he was really starting to doubt Warren's judgment.  "Sit," He ordered Ranma.
    "Do it man," I said.
    Ranma reluctantly sat down on the porch.
    "Your turn."
    I complied sitting on the sidewalk.
    "James gear," Bob said as he stepped back still keeping his gun ready.
    James pulled a small device out of  his pocket.  After slinging  his rifle on his shoulder, he unfolded the device.   He then pulled out a hand blaster, and gave me the tablet.   I knew what to do.  I put my  palm on the tablet.  The surface of the device flared red then died down.
    James nodded.
    I then put my other hand on the tablet.  James grinned slightly. He took the tablet and handed me a retina scanner.  After using that device James gave another approving nod.
    Bob was unconvinced all this proved was that the fraud was some sort of clone based on Josh's DNA.  This proved nothing.   Now, he would start his part of the interrogation.

    Ranma looked at the scene.  After the short one took back the devices and resumed guarding.  The other one started asking questions.  He couldn't understand what was being said, it was in English,  but the questions were sharp and accusatory.  Josh would simply answer the questions.  This would only make him angrier, but the gunman would still keep his cool.  The other would crack a smile every one in a while.

    Warren watched the scene, Subject 1 looked like Josh, acted like Josh and knew things that only Josh would know. Once their was the choice somehow Josh survived and ended up here, or Subject 1 was the tip of a massive anti-Group conspiracy.  However that option seemed less and less viable.   He could see that James was also convinced, but Bob was skeptical.  Speaking into his headset, "Okay two last questions:  How did you get here? and Why does your body change?"

    After hearing the latest questions that Bob asked I mentally grimaced.  "Okay I'll tell you but first have him," pointing at Ranma, "get some hot and cold water."
    Bob reluctantly nodded, "Don't try anything funny," he warned.

    As Ranma entered the house, Nabiki said "What are they doing to him?"
    "I'll explain later," Ranma said as he rushed to the kitchen.

    Bob smirked he had to admit, Subject 1's  story was creative.  Mystical caves, Chinese Curses, Amazons.  It did explain the weird crap in the area but they were just lies to cover up the truth.  Subject four had just steeped off the porch kettle in one hand pitcher in the other.  "Pour some on yourself first."
    Ranma did not like being ordered around but what could he do. He probably could take out one of them. He might knock out the other before he shoot back, but something tingled in the back of his mind.  He could almost feel someone watching him someone who could take him out at will.  So he poured the water on himself.
    Bob's eyes bulged he had seen the change on screen dozens of times, but in person was another matter.  The shapely redhead glared at him.
    As soon as Josh mentioned water James realized that there was a correlation in all the changes.  Previously they had ignored water because of its constant presence and the sheer stupidity of some of the changes.  This was another confirmation.
    "Now on him," Bob said pointing at Josh.
    I felt the change.
    Noticing my glowing eyes, "What was the other curse you have?"
    "Telepathy," I said verbally and mentally.
    Hearing the voice in their head James and Bob both tensed up.  Warren was out of range but after seeing the reaction he knew it was true.  This was bad it could have been replicant that simply read their minds for the answers.  Sure Warren might be out of range so he could ask a question that only he and Josh knew but what if he wasn't out of range. There was only one thing to do  "Seven Five Spoon" Warren said weakly.

    I couldn't hear code word as it was transmitted to their headsets, but I could sense it as it entered their minds.  It was Group policy to change codes every mission so I didn't know what it meant until Bob and James recalled what the code meant.  NO it couldn't be Warren told them to give Scorched Earth.  It was the abort code, dispose of all witnesses and destroy all evidence.
    I was out of options Ranma couldn't stop them, I couldn't.  We were all dead.  It was over.  My mind raced in a second they will shoot us.  Then they will kill us.  I had to convince them that I was the real Josh.  I focused my power and . . .

    Bob was satisfied.  Warren had seen this fraud for what she really was, and was taking proper action.  Granted a little late.  The blonde's eyes started to glow fiercely. Bob felt something burning into his mind.  He tried to fire, but the energy overwhelmed him and he blacked out.
    James heard Bob hit the ground he was about to shoot at Subject 1 (why did he delude himself) when she collapsed.   He didn't fire neither did Bob nor Warren.
    Ranma-chan was in shock.  Josh seemed to be getting the situation under control but the second she mentioned being a teip.  All hell broke lose. She eyed the lone gunman;  he was twenty feet away and had his gun raised.  Ranma-chan narrowed her eyes and moved into a stance, while the gunman's shades just reflected the morning sun.
    Warren say the two face off. He could easily pick off  subject four, but something was still off.  Warren was reluctant.  He then saw Bob push himself up.
    James eyed Bob getting up. "Okay man?" he said while keeping the gun on Ranma.
    "Don't do this.  This is the real Josh." Bob said.
    "What?" Warren and James said simultaneously.
    "He, she, whatever send his memories into me.   All that Josh knew and is was sent into me."
    James turned under his shades his eyes were twitching.

    "Are you absolutely sure about this." Warren said into the headset.  Great things had flip-flopped, Just like the Berlin mission. "Okay."  This seemed to change everything the pieces did fall in.  If Bob was convinced then the teip thing could be reconsidered.  Warren breathed in "Stand down, I repeat Stand down.  I'll be coming myself.  Looks like you'll be staying in Ike"

*******************************

    I awoke with a splitting headache and four faces over me.  One was pigtailed while the others were wearing black fatigues. "Okay what happened?"
    Ranma looked at the others, "I really don't know."
    Warren handed me my gun, "Welcome back Josh."
    "Scorched Earth?"
    "Sorry man," Warren said as he took off his helmet, "You how much damage a teip could do to operations."
    "True," I could tell that they were working in The Group's best interests, and that they were convinced that I was the real Josh.  "So now what?"
    "Um, we go back," Warren said.
    Noticing Warren's hair,  "Why did you change it?"
    Warren shrugged.   His hair was shaved on the  sides and the hair on the back and top of his head was pulled back into a pony tail with bands every two inches securing it.  "Um yeah I thought just having long hair made me look too much like a girl." Warren said grinning.
    "So Bob sorry about what happened."
    "No problem, just don't do it again."
    "So Bob.  What's it like to be have all of Josh's memories?" James asked
    "Strange.  Kinda like having two lives."
    Something then occurred to me, "Ranma kettle please."  After using the water, I saw  Bob's face change.
    "Gone" he said simply.
    "Just as I suspected.  I didn't send the data to you I just created a link."
    "And when you changed to a form that had no powers the link died." James finished.
    I nodded.
    "Okay," Warren said, "lets get you packed."
    I followed Warren and the others inside, Ranma lingered for a second and accompanied.

*******************************

    Inside Warren had gathered everyone in the tea room He stood at one end with Bob and James flanking him.  Ranma and I were off to the sides.  The others were seated at the table.  Genma was nervously eyeing Warren, Soun was on the verge of tears,  Kasumi was either oblivious, apathetic, or in denial of recent events, Akane was scowling at the new arrivals, and Nabiki had her poker face on.
    "The events that took place this morning were a simple exercise used to confirm Josh's identity.  No injures resulted and no property was damaged," Warren said.
    "And why are you in military gear," Akane asked.
    "We are information services," Warren stated
    "Fancy way of saying mercenaries," Nabiki said.
    "Are you interested in hiring?" Warren asked.
    "I'd have to look at your price sheet."
    "Understandable."
    "I can't believe your thinking of working with these thugs," Akane demanded.  Nabiki just took pictures and extorted people, but these people used weapons.
    "So," Nabiki continued, "What are you skills."
    Warren looked at me.  I gave a slight nod.
    "I work in long range weapons.  The one with the buzz cut is a demolitions expert.  The one in the shades it our tech guy."
    "So a gun nut, a mad bomber, and a hacker," Nabiki said.
    "So what does Josh do?" Akane asked.
    "Josh is our mole.  He can go into nearly any situation and gather information."
    "That Josh," Nabiki said pointing at me.
    "Hey, when I want to I'm really good at it."
    "I think that explains everything," Warren said, "Josh pack we're shipping out."

*******************************

    I was in the room that I shared with Ranma putting all my stuff back in my pack.  There wasn't much I kept most of my stuff in my pack already.
    "All this time and you were really just a mercenary," Ranma said as he entered the room.
    "It looks that way," I said while cinching up my pack.
    "I trusted you."
    "And what did I do?" I said hefting the pack up, "I'm one of the only people who aren't out to get you or marry you."
    "But you boss said that, you were the information guy."
    "So you think I got myself cursed and followed you here of what reason again," I said while cinching the straps on my pack.
    "Um no," Ranma said pausing.
    "Look if these people were unscrupulous, Warren could easily be an assassin,  Bob would be an international terrorist the likes of which never seen, and James could extort billions from Swiss banks."
    "But your still."
    "Ranma believe me what we are doing is not wrong."
    "And what do you do?" Ranma asked skeptical.
    "Can't tell you man, sorry."
    "So this is it you're just leaving?"
    "Looks that way," I said leaving the room.
    I silently walked down the hall, and down the stairs.  I met up with the other Group members, and we left the house.  I saw a large black van pull up alongside the gate.  Bob opened the side door.  As I took off my pack and handed it to James,  I looked back.

*******************************

    "Who's he?" I asked pointing to the driver.
    "That's Ike." Warren said.
    "And Ike is?"
    "Group Attach� to the Japanese government," Ike said flatly.
    "Where are we going?" I asked.
    "A local safe house," Warren said.

*******************************

    The van pulled up to a tree story brown stone.  The building was on a business street, but there were vacant lots on either side.  I could see the occasional camera on the building.  The van drove down a driveway alongside the  building, and went around the back.  There was a open space behind the building also.  The van pulled up to a heavy garage door.   It opened and it dove in.  Ike turned of the car and got out.
    "Nice setup," I said surveying the garage.
    "Come on we have the debriefing to get to,"  Warren said.
    Ike pressed some keys next to a steel door. After it slide open he motioned for us to walk through.   The corridor lead to had a few doors on the sides. I could see that one was a  restroom.  "What is this place?" I asked.
    "Bob take his pack," Warren stated,  "You and James will start to pack all of our equipment."
    I followed Warren and Ike to the front of the building.  The front room was full of antiques and other odd trinkets.  There was a counter on the side, and a bunch of extremely thick store windows.
    "I this a real store?" I asked.
    "Yes, The Group also uses this facility to transport certain items," Ike said turning an open sing in the window.
    "I know there's no Japanese node, but is there at least a cell in this country?"
    "Nope," Ike said, "The nearest node is in Sydney, and the nearest cell is in Malaysia."
    "Warren can I speak to you in private?" I asked.
    'Sure."
    I followed Warren to the hall.  He opened a door.  Behind it was another door this one a steel security door.  While, Warren punched in a code and placed his had on a scanner,  I noticed the camera pointed at us.
    "You see Josh," Warren said as we climbed the stairs and passes through more security doors,  "the second floor is where Ike lives, and has some storage.  The third floor is where we're currently staying and is the safe house."  The third floor had a common room at the head of the stairs, and a corridor down the center with three apartments on a side.   Warren lead me into one of the apartments.  I recognized the setup.  It was very similar to the dorm we used back in Nelson.  Bob and James had some crates out and were loading equipment into them.
    "Attention," Warren said, "Josh will now debrief us on what exactly was happening here."  The three of them sat down on a couch in the corner of the room.
    I inhaled and then spilled my guts.  I told them everything how I got here, the fianc�e mess, the curses, the insane martial arts, the total lunacy of the area, why things happened around here, and all the other stuff common around here.
    "Just as I suspected," Warren said, "a bunch of powerful, overemotional, slightly unhinged people.  Interesting.  This clears up a lot of  the stuff that our surveillance missed," Warren then leaned back thinking.
    "Back to work," James said to Bob.
    "Don't you guys care about my curse?" I asked confused.
    "Not really we've had a few weeks to get used to them, granted we didn't know it was you," Bob explained, "And anyway you don't seem to care."
    "Besides," Warren said, "this could help out on missions.  You are a telepath now."
    "True," I said, "I think we should stay here."
    "What?" Warren said, his voice was inquisitive not angry, "explain why."
    "First of all we have a better facility here.  Second we all know the language.  Third a surveillance network is already in place.  Fourth because of the 'unique' people around here we would never run out of clientele.  And fifth the people in Nelson are starting to wise up to us."
    "Hmmm," Warren thought.  "Bob, James your thoughts?" he asked.
    "It is easier to get tech  here," James said.
    "I have no problems staying here.  We've been here a month why go back." Bob added.
    "Okay then.  Aside from local gun laws I think we're set.  I want the stuff we have in storage back in the states sent here."

*******************************

    Ranma was sitting on the roof thinking.  The full moon hung in the night sky.  His friend Josh, probably the only person who never wanted anything from him,  left three days ago.  He knew Josh had skeletons in his closet but this, a mercenary.  Soun and the old man were happy that he was gone saying that they always suspected as much.  Akane and Nabiki were glad that the annoyance was gone, and Kasumi well who knows what she thought about it.
    Ranma heard a slight rustle behind him.  He turned to see a shadow slip behind the peak of the roof.  He dropped into a stance and started to climb over the roof.   On the other side was a figure.  Ranma recognized the kevlar armor, the helmet, the harness, the blasters, and  the bandoleers. "Josh?" Ranma asked.
    "Yes, it is I," I stood up, "I've come to tell you that The Group has decided to say."
    "What is The Group?" Ranma asked, "Is that what you call your friends?"
    "It is more than that and less," I sighed, "One day you will be told.  You will know the truth." And with those words I zip-lined off the roof and disappeared into the night.

*******************************

    An elegant woman sat alone on an airport bar.  She was in her twenties reasonably tall,  she appeared to be of Asian decent perhaps Hawaiian.  She had a charming face, trusting, the kind of person you felt safe telling all you secrets too.
    <Damn spaz,> she thought, <I knew you weren't dead.  Your little friends clued me into that>  Why else would they suddenly get transferred.> She remembered seeing them at her brother's funeral hiding in the back pews.  She saw the forms indicating which school they would be transferred to.  She smiled, it was good that the she took that language.  She knew something was up when all four of those idiots took the same language.  She would have to be cautious; she knew there was more to this 'Group' than met the eye.
    A stewardess walked up to the woman, "Excuse me Ms. Temple the plane is boarding now."



End Notes:
1) SUMP is the Japanese equivalent of American SWAT

Congratulations to all of you who read the second chapter to the end.
Tell me what you think.
I really need the feedback.

Thanks to my pre-readers

Rebeka Thomas <beka_thomas@yahoo.com>
Jack Moody <thejak@mad.scientist.com >
and anyone else who sent in C & C

more Pre-readers are still needed
tarne_of_eat@hotmail.com




      /| *>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>* |\
     / | ^ "There is no spoon."                v | \
    /  | ^    The Matrix                       v |  \
   /   | ^                                     v |   \
  ( <> | ^ "Are we still in the game?"         v | <> )
   \   | ^    eXistenZ                         v |   /
    \  | ^   Josh Temple                       v |  /
     \ | ^      tarne_of_eat@hotmail.com       v | /
      \| *<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<* |/

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