Authors Note: This fanfic takes place four years after The prisoner's dilemma. In every story there are multiple sides to a character. I tried to pursue some of the lesser seen sides to certain characters. Wish me luck- this is my first fanfic. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I Do NOT own anything of the Mysterious Benedict Society. (Although I wish I did!)
Of Deadly Sprints and Other Secret Dangers
Reynie's breath came in short bursts, ragged and heavy. Kate jogged in place next to him. "Come on, Slowpoke! Let's go," She smiled. Up ahead, Milligan stopped to look back. He raised a questioning eyebrow, to which Kate responded, " We'll catch up with you!" Reynie looked with wonder at Kate- she seemed invincible. After running for over four miles straight, his lungs felt like bursting. Yet she barely looked fazed. Reynie took a deep breath. For two years now, Kate and Milligan had been on his case about shaping up. Sticky and Connie-girl had the right idea, Reynie thought, they thought I was nuts for agreeing to this. Kate shoved him forward, "Here we go!" she laughed. He sighed and fell back into the rhythm of pounding feet and struggling for air.
As they eventually neared the old House again, Reynie breathed a sigh of relief. The house meant an end to this torture, and a refreshing, ice cold shower. His footsteps slowed gradually, but Kate kept sprinting. Fondly, he watched her run up to the gate and effortlessly leap over it. Smiling still, He counted the years on his fingers. He was 16 now, so that was one, two, three, four years now, since the society had first come together. Four years since he first saw Kate vault herself over the nearest fence, with her long blonde hair flowing from the hastily tied ponytail. Four years since he'd first met Constance, cranky, stubborn, and full of bad poetry. And even Four years since he'd heard Sticky begin to sort though his encyclopedia brain, and recite the entire history of everything. Reynie smiled thinking of his best friends, and sprinted after Kate, ignoring his aches.
Kate and Milligan were already on the front steps when he got there, but Reynie didn't mind. They would have the door open and he could get out of the august heat that much faster. Milligan reached out and ruffled Reynie's sweat drenched hair, like he was a little kid. "Nice job Reynie. You beat your record!" Reynie smiled sheepishly at Milligan. It felt like being congratulated by the father he'd never had. Kate smiled too. "Race you to the kitchen!" She challenged. Reynie just groaned, summoning a round of chuckles from Milligan. "No pie until AFTER dinner Katie cat," Milligan teased. But Kate was already off running, with Reynie chasing after her.
Upstairs, everything seemed normal. Sticky and Mr. Benedict were having a heated debate about something or other, and Number two was chasing Constance with a towel. The seven year old poet had chocolate smeared across her face, and mud up to her knees. But what else was new? Kate fled into the kitchen to greet Mucho, but Reynie hung back. Part of him wanted to sit on the couch and pass out for a few days. His legs throbbed and his knees felt weak. His heart was still running, even though he'd stopped almost five minutes ago. He raised an arm to wipe the sweat off of his brow, and caught a whiff of his own B.O. Constance wrinkled her nose in disgust as she passed. " Reynie smells like dirty socks, Pencilla moves as slow as an ox, but I rather be caught by Number two, for if I have to Smell HIM again-I don't know what I'd do!" Reynie blushed red as Sticky and Mr. Benedict turned to see him. Sticky grinned at him, " I see you didn't asphyxiate!" Sticky was lucky that Reynie's vocabulary was decent, other wise he might have taken the compliment poorly. "No, I didn't choke," Reynie grinned back, " I beat my record too!"
"I might choke if you don't move soon!" Constance called from the stairwell. Number two's face was crimson with irritation and exhaustion. She sighed angrily and took off in the direction of Connie-girl's voice, muttering about how much trouble Constance was in if she EVER touched her chocolate again. Mr. Benedict shook his head, chuckling to himself. This was quite a dysfunctional family they had- but at least they had each other.
A dark shadow passed across his mind as he recalled the news story from the afternoon. He hadn't even told Milligan yet, considering that it was probably nothing. Still… Mr. Benedict pushed the thought aside, deciding to resolve it later- no need to trouble the kids. Everything was finally starting to calm down, and become normal again( whatever normal was anyway). Reynie interrupted his thoughts.
" Guess I'd better go wash up," he shrugged. "yeah! Before your stink makes me barf into a cup!" Constance yelled. Footsteps thundered on the stairs as Number Two and Constance raced back and forth in an epic battle of cat and mouse. Reynie winced at the poetic slap in the face, and headed towards the stairs. Sticky shrugged and turned back to Mr. Benedict.
"So as I was saying, Mr. Benedict, you really should contact the newspaper courier. The afternoon paper has not shown up yet, and it is nearly seven o'clock. That surely is a mistake." Mr. Benedict sighed inwardly, and feigned agreement with his companion. Truth be told, the paper had in fact come on time. But He couldn't let the children see until he and Milligan had determined the threat level of the Front Page article.
Where was Milligan any way? Determined to find out, Mr. Benedict agreed to call the courier, and took his leave of Sticky. "Oh, and Sticky," he called as he left, " Make sure you and the others remain inside tonight. I have a surprise." Sticky nodded, confused, but trusting Mr. Benedict's word. Mr. Benedict turned and descended the stairs to the Wetherall apartment. Secretly, he hoped that Sticky hadn't seen his concern through the mask of normality that he wore. Secretly, he had a gut feeling that their perfect little family was about to come crashing down. But he needed to confer with Milligan first.