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EW -- Love your signature line -- that's funny! *** Jun popped the last cherry tomato into her mouth and stood up, clearing her place as she did so.  They dropped their tins, forks, and napkins into the nearest garbage can and headed back out of the plaza the same way they entered, only the moment they reached the sidewalk, instead of turning right, the way back in the direction towards the hardware store, Red Impulse went left. That was when Jun saw the sign and just the suggestion was enough. "Uh, could we stop for a moment?" she asked.  When he glanced at her, she pointed at the sign and gave him a small smile. "May as well," he said with a resigned air.  "I'll meet you back here in five minutes." Gratefully, Jun trotted through the door marked 'rest area' and slipped into the women's room. She was just finishing up, buttoning up the loose trousers over her own, when she someone enter, their heels striking loudly against the tiled floor, the clomping echoing off the flat, hard surfaces.  Jun was just about to push open the door when a voice stopped her. "They have to be here," the voice said sharply. Jun sucked in a sharp breath and held it.  The woman went on, clearly not concerned about being overheard. "Armand said he saw them head this way.  Keep a man on every exit.  Yes, every exit.  I don't want them out of our sight for too long.  We lose them, it'll be your head." Cautiously, Jun leaned over slightly, just enough to look through the gap between the metal door and short metal partition dividing the stalls.  She watched the blonde woman thumb off her phone and balance it on the rim of one of the utilitarian white porcelain sinks that lined the one wall.  The woman fluffed out her bangs and the back of her hair with her fingers, then pursed her lips as though kissing her reflection. Whatever she saw, she apparently did not like because she reached into a tight pocket and pulled out a small tube.  Jun watched as the woman applied the lipstick, puckered again, and now satisfied, put the tube back in her pocket.  The chirping of her phone was loud and Jun pulled back from the gap, her heart pounding. "Yes?" the woman answered.  Jun turned her head, putting an ear closer to the gap, though the woman spoke loud enough that anyone in the room could have easily heard her. "Well, they have to be somewhere, Eddie," she said, exasperation in her voice.  "They can't have just disappeared.  Are you sure?  Have you looked through the stores?  Is there a man posted at the back?  What about the fire exits?" Jun felt her stomach lurch.  To cover that much territory, it meant that there were far more than just three of them.  Now what were they going to do? The woman was irritated, annoyed, and she blew out a breath as she hung up for a second time.  Jun took another cautious look out and watched the woman primp a little longer before she snatched up her phone and walked out.  Jun forced herself to remain where she was, taking deep breaths and counting to thirty before leaving the stall.  She washed up and hurried out, relieved beyond belief to see that Red Impulse had stayed inside the building instead of going out.  She ran over to him and, with her free hand, grabbed him by the arm and pulled him over by the line of recycling and garbage cans, out of sight from any of the plate glass windows that formed the vestibule. "We can't leave yet," she blurted out. "Intestinal distress or feminine problem?" "I'm serious," Jun said, closing her eyes briefly and shaking her head.  She opened her eyes and stared directly into his.  "They know we're here and they have us surrounded." "You know this how?" he asked. "A woman came in.  The blonde ...." "Did she see you?" Jun shook her head.  "No.  I saw her first and stayed in the stall ...." "And you're sure she didn't see you?" "Positive, because I heard her talking to the others.  Some guy named Armand and another named Eddie.  They're out there looking for us and if she knew I was there, I don't think she would have left.  Or," Jun reconsidered, "maybe she did and she's out there out, watching this door." Red Impulse gave a thoughtful nod, but said nothing.  Jun went on. "She's having them cover all exits, including fire exits, so they know we're here." Jun could see the effect her words had on him; the small flicker of surprise that lit through his face when he realized, as she did, that there was more than likely more than three of them out there.  Red Impulse nodded again, then tilted his head up, as though studying the ceiling tiles for suggestions, and he pulled in a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Then he shifted his gaze to her as though he come to a decision. "All right," he said.  "Not the best scenario, but not the end of the world just yet. We still have another alternative or two." Jun gave a nervous glance towards the door.  "But they already have all exits covered ...." "True," Red Impulse acknowledged with a curt nod, "but that doesn't mean we can't still slip by them." Jun frowned and glanced around.  "How?" "Well, for starters, we look to see if there's another way out of this building," he said, already heading for the door marked "authorized personnel only."  Jun followed him, holding her breath the entire time, her grip on the plastic bag of clothes so tight that her knuckles were as white as the bag itself.

"Intestinal distress or feminine problem?" *snicker*

'Bag of clothes...' They can disguise themselves.

I had to laugh at the "intestinal distress or feminine problem" line! I love a good comedic line in the middle of something suspenseful! I'm anxious to see where it goes from here!

Originally posted by ChrisW "Intestinal distress or feminine problem?" *snicker*

Can't accuse him of mincing words, can we? LOL

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Nice, KT! Hoping it's a boy... Somehow can't see Joe with a daughter unless she's a tomboy, lol

Have I actually written Joe with a son yet? I know I have with daughters at least twice, in Lifestyle Choices and Three's Company he had daughters, so if you're curious, Kitsu, drop me a PM with your e-mail and I'll sent them to you. They are posted on Gatchfanfic, but rated adult so for members only, I'm afraid. I'll have to search through my back catalogue to see if I've ever given him a boy though. Will let you know. (Unless anyone else here remembers and can tell me!)

Come to think of it, I haven't read any fanfic where Joe had a son. The closest I can think of is one I've written where it's implied, but nothing explicit.

KT: Man he ended up with the right answers there, didn't he? I think it's easier to torment Joe if you give him a daughter, because he knows what he was like, and he's gonna be eyeing every boy nearby with his gun! Though I suppose giving him a son would mean that he might get his parents' and Nambu's curse that he get a kid just like himself. *grin*

Plus, it seems more fun if his little girl's just like him!

Good points, it would be interesting for him to have a girl that's just like he is. Makes me pity the boys she'd try to date!

Joe with a son could be a volatile mix, especially if his son is like him. Most guys go into automatic protection mode with a little girl, so he's got that strong-yet-gentle vibe going on that's so attractive, but with a son? That's a far different dynamic and opens up the whole can of worms about being strong role models for boys and not appearing too wimpy, but still wanting the boy to be sensitive, but not too sensitive. It's so hard to live up to expectations some times!