Avenging Angel Chap. 10

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Gypsy and Patrick watch as Nathan puts the body armor through its paces. The information they were receiving back was valuable. They found out during the flight testing that Nathan liked the other jetpack because of the wings. It gave him more maneuverability, over the other jetpack.

Gypsy already had a new design in mind for a new jetpack. It would give Nathan a longer range and had more flight time. Plus, she could mount weapons to it.

Nathan watches the gauges on his HUD display that showed him how much fuel, ammo, and power he had left. He loved the body armor and the gauss rifle. The commander of the base had come to watch the testing they were doing.

The base commander liked what he had seen and was curious if Gypsy and Pat were going to build more. Because if he had a squad equipped with that type of armor, they would be able overcome a lot of obstacles in the field.

The few soldiers that had been involved in the testing. They wanted to give the armor a try, but unfortunately, it was calibrated for him. This body armor was design with him in mind. They haven’t started on making a universal fit body armor yet.

Nathan lands at the command center and opens the face plate on the helmet. He inhales the cold night air and could tell that there was a difference in the temperatures inside the armor, compared to the night air. The armor kept a constant seventy degrees inside the armor.

He could lower it if he wanted too. He waits for Gypsy and Pat to come out of the command center. He didn't know if they were done testing for the night. He wanted a beer. He could attach a container filled with beer if he wanted too.

Pat and Gypsy steps out of the command center. They stop and look at him “so, how do you feel?”

“I’m fine and could go for a beer.” Nathan starts taking the body armor off.

The first time he took the suit off, it took him a while to remove it. He needed Gypsy and Pat’s help. Now, he could do it on his own and within
five minutes.

He steps out of the armor and shivers some from the cold air hitting some bare skin. The gel suit he is wearing keeps the rest of his body warm.

“Well, we have a six pack in the Command center for you. Let’s get you out of that gel suit and into your normal clothes.” As Gypsy starts putting the armor on the stand.

Pat helps her, while Nathan heads inside to switch out of the gel suit and into his street clothes. The two of them come in after ten minutes and start shutting things down.

“Hey Nathan, take a look at this new design for the new jetpack.” Gypsy pulls the image up and put it on the big screen.

Nathan watches as the animation of the new jetpack plays. It was different in design than the winged one they already.

“How far can I go and how high?” Nathan was curious about it.

“Same height as before 10,000 feet, but your flight time will be increased to thirty minutes of flight. I’m trying to get you an hours’ worth, but the more weight I add, the more fuel you have to burn.” Gypsy was doing all she could for him and the project.

“Well, I hope you succeed, Gypsy.” Nathan takes a beer out of the mini-fridge.

Gypsy just shakes her head and heads up to the cab and start heading back home. They stop just before they get to the gate and let Nathan pick up his car. The ride back to where Gypsy and Pat live takes about an hour and a half. Gypsy drops Pat off at his place. She heads back towards her place and locks the command center up. She and Pat take turns keeping the command center at their places.

As she walks into her place, she notices someone has ransacked it. She wonders who in the hell would have done this to her. She felt violated as she pulls her cell phone out and calls the police.

Gypsy doesn’t check anything and waits out on the landing till the police show up. She speaks to a police officer as crime scene techs go into her place and look for fingerprints and such.

Detective Whalebone was on her way home when she received the call of a break-in. The location was in the opposite direction of her home. She does a U-turn and heads towards the address.

When she arrived, she notices a young woman wearing blue jeans and a nice blouse. She walks up to the young woman.

“Hi, I’m Detective Whalebone, can you tell me what happened?” She pulls her notebook out and gets ready to write the information down.

“Yes, ma’am. I came home and found my door still locked, but when I opened it and came inside. I found my place had been trashed.”

“Do you know if anything was taken?”

“No, ma’am. I stepped back out onto the landing and called the police. I don't know if anything is missing, until I clean the place up.” Gypsy didn’t want to corrupt the crime scene.

“That was smart. What type of work do you do Mrs.?”

“Lapp, Gypsy Lapp.” Not many people knew Gypsy’s maiden name.

She kept her last name when she had her name changed. She did it to honor her parents. They didn’t understand why she didn’t come back or why she wanted to be a girl either.

“I’m a student at Penn State College of Engineering. I also work at a recycling center, fixing and scraping electronic equipment.” Gypsy couldn’t tell the Detective that her and Pat were developing the power armor for the government.

“So, you don’t know if anything is missing?” Detective Whalebone wonders why this young woman was targeted.

“Not till, I clean-up.” Gypsy didn’t see anything missing so far.

“Alright, if you come across anything your missing, call me.” As Detective Whalebone hands her one of her business cards.

“I will Detective.” Gypsy accepts the card and tucks it into her back pocket.

Detective Whalebone turns and leaves. While she is walking towards her car, she wonders why they broke into Ms. Lapp’s place. She gets in and heads towards her home.

Gypsy spends most of the night getting her place in order. It looked like whoever ransacked her place, was looking for something, but what? As she stands and looks around her place.

There wasn’t anything missing, that she could tell. She’ll have to replace some of her electronic instruments that got damaged. The prototype gauss rifle she built was damage. It looked like someone used it like a baseball bat.

Her laptop and portable drive were with her. She double checks her apartment and double lock the front door. She heads into her bathroom and takes a shower. She turns the remote security cameras on inside the Command center and records everything.

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Comments

Cameras

WillowD's picture

I am surprised that Gypsy doesn't have hidden security cameras recording the inside and outside of her place when she is not there. She has easy access to high tech stuff. And she strikes me as pretty security conscious.

Cameras

I thought about Gypsy having hidden cameras inside her place. As much as she is security conscious, some of her Amish background comes through, plus she doesn't keep any thing of value at her place. She keeps all her research on her laptop and backup hard drive that is encrypted and with her.

Even when she is home, she keeps them near her. The first prototype Gauss rifle she built is from the internet, the updated version that she tested and shot the driver with is secured in her Mustang. The full revised version is with the suit of armor in the command center.

Scarlett.jpg“If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
― Toni Morrison

Since she's working for darpa

Since she's working for darpa wouldn't they require her to inform them of the break ins and the attacks since it could affect the project they are funding?

Strange break in

Jamie Lee's picture

Is Nathan hooked or what? Unless more suits are made, Nathan may become a squad of one once the suit is approved.

The test suit is made to fit and work only for Nathan, so no one else can use it. They talked about making a universal suit which could be used by anyone. It this wise, giving ANYONE the ability to use a suit. What if the suits fall into enemy hands, or criminal hands? Then it would only take them to discover how to work the suit before others would be in danger. It would be better if each suit is made specifically for each user and keyed only to them.

Gypsy found the door to her house locked? What burglar makes sure the place is locked up before they leave? Or destroys things during a search? They may rifle through things which may break during the search, but deliberately destroying things just to destroy things?

Because none of the cushions or mattresses were cut up, that break in sounds more personal because nothing was missing. Someone is mad at Gypsy.

Others have feelings too.