Chapter Eight: A Betrayal?
Iggy woke at dawn, as he normally did. Once he changed, he check to see if Meadow was still asleep then contacted Emperor Palpatine.
"How is your plan going, Senator?" Palpatine asked.
"It is going w'll. Sh' has agre'd to meet my 'friend' later tonight," Iggy replied.
"Please tell me one more time about how we will capture her?"
The senator sighed, and said " W' alrighty gon' over this, but this is th' last tim' I'm going to say it. After the get together, I will tak' her to the next planet ov'r. Sh' will think that w' ar' meeting my 'friend' at an op'n night concert. Th'n I will walk her back to the ship, wher' w' will b' ambush by stormtroopers. Than you can hav' her."
"Good, good. Good luck to you." Palpatine said.
"Thank you." Then he ended the conversation.
Iggy went out on to the balcony and watched the morning sun rise. He closed his eyes, a quick picture of a white butterfly appeared and a sweet voice said, "Not everything is as it seems." He quickly opened his eyes again and looked into the room where Meadow was still sleeping. That voice sounded just like her. He shook the thought away and moved back into the apartment.
An hour later Ash woke up to the smell of some fresh fruit sitting on the stand next to the bed. Ash grabbed a piece of fruit and got up. She was slightly embarrassed about the night clothes she was wearing, which was a pair of black plaid pants and a brown fabric poncho, but walked out onto the balcony, leaned on the railing and took a bite of the fruit. She was going to enjoy this peaceful morning.
She glanced downward, and saw Iggy talking to some Stormtroopers.
"What is he up to?" Ash asked herself.
She brushed off the concern when he dismissed them and went inside. Ash went back inside the room and got dressed. A few minutes later, Iggy knocked at her door.
He came in and said, "Good morning."
"Morning," she replied.
"Looks lik' you ar' going som'wher'. Wher' ar' you headed?"
"Oh I just have to run a few aarons," Ash said as she put a few items in her bag. "I should be back within an hour or so."
"Okay, don't want to stop you then," he said with a gentle smile.
Ash turned around and saw the smile, then said, "I have a feeling like you are flirting with me. Am I wrong?"
"I'm not flirting with you. I - I just don't want you to g't in troubl' out ther'."
"Yep you're flirting with me. Well I'm going to head out," Ash said as she put on her bag. "See you within an hour."
"Okay. B' car'ful." He replied.
"I will."
Then she walked out of the building and on to the street. She glanced up and saw Iggy on the balcony. Ash shook her head and made her way through the crowd. After a mile or so she turned into an ally way. Ash quickly changed her appearance, pulled her hair into a high ponytail, leaving her bangs down, and stripped her eyes with some black paint. She pulled out her white spray paint bottle and painted a white butterfly declaring that she was here. Then put it away and went to go pay a trip to Iggy.
She made her way on top of the build and jumped from roof to roof. Finally she reached the top of the appartment building. Ash jumped from balcony to balcony until she reached Iggy's. She landed silently put her symbol on the ground and stood up. She put her head down slightly, angled her body facing slightly away from the door, and made her hands into fists.
After Meadow left, Iggy stood on the balcony and watched her move through the town. He went inside and took the time to catch up on some work for the senate. Ten minutes passed and he looked up to see a girl standing on the balcony. She jumped on the rail and waited for him to come out. He moved quickly and opened the door.
"I have a message for you," She said hurriedly.
"Than what is it?" Iggy replied.
"Be warned of the two people you trust," She said looking him in the eye. "They are not what they seem."
The girl pointed at the symbol on the ground, and said, "Beware."
Then she stood up on the rail and turned toward the town.
"Stop! Don't jump!" Iggy shouted.
She jumped any way. In the next moment Iggy was at the rail and he saw her on the rooftops jumping from one to another, then finally disappeared. Iggy took a few steps back and looked down at the symbol. The two people you trust are not what they seem.
"What do's that m'an?" he asked himself.
A few moments he went back inside and got back to work. After what seemed like an hour, Meadow finally returned.
"How was your outing?" Iggy asked.
"It was good. Made my runs." She replied setting down her bag. "How was your peaceful hour?"
"It was long," Iggy said.
"Yeah? How so?"
"I was working and this kid land'd on our balcony and told m' to b'war' th' peopl' that I trust. And that kid l'ft this symobl' on ther'."
"Would you mind if I take a look at it?" She asked curiously.
"Go ah'ad." Iggy replied as he gestured toward the balcony.
She stepped outside and looked at the symbol. She quickly took a few steps back and went inside.
"What's wrong?" Iggy asked.
"I know that symbol," Meadow said. "Legend has it that there is only eight left of her kind. They are really rare. Seven of them live in hiding on their home planet, while she rome's from galaxy to galaxy, dimension to dimension. No one knows how but her. And her trust for people is really tight. If someone mess up she leaves them question themselves."
"How do you know this?"
"I have meet several times by accident, while she was on her missions."
"What's h'r nam'?"
"She changes it all the time but right now, I think it's Ash Rider."
"Okay. Now w' know what to look out for," Iggy said. "Ar' you r'ady for that get-togeth'r?"
"Guess so."
