Suspects
Dinner was awkward. We always sat next to each other, but this time, we sat on opposite sides of the table. The world is more like it. I sat next to Bobby, who was on my right and Logan, who was on my left. Sitting next to Logan always made me slightly nervous, especially when he used his claws to grab some food that seemed out of reach. Bobby was telling me about his newest efforts on winning Amora, but my mind was focused on more important matters.
Bobby wouldn't betray us, would he? He is new, and his loyalty could be bought. No, what are you thinking? Bobby's one of us. He's been at the mansion longer than you have. What about Jubilee? True, she has been here in the past, but she left, and returned shortly after you arrived. In that time, she could have been swayed to spy on us.
Don't let this go to your hear Arnold. I heard a voice in my head say. It was the professor, sitting at the head of the table as usual.
How can I not Professor? I mean anyone sitting here is a prime suspect. The only ones who are ruled out are, you, Kurt, Helga, Kitty, and me.
Why not me?
You run the school. What would you have to gain by trying to scrutinize it?
True, very true. Why have you ruled out Kurt, Kitty, and Helga?
Well, Kurt was with me when the intruder attacked, so that rules him out. Kitty, because I saw her in her room when the intruder attacked, and Helga because… I faltered.
I guess I didn't know if Helga was above suspicion.
I guess, Helga's suspect too.
Very well, now, don't consume yourself with this, take a break for a few days. You've done more than enough in one day.
Yeah, but…
"You know you two, it's very rude to have a physic conversation at the dinner table." Jean suddenly said.
She meant it as a joke, but it made me very nervous. I felt like I had been caught in the middle of robbing a bank, but the professor answered very calmly.
"Sometimes, certain items of conversation are private, and cannot wait for a later time. Arnold was just passing along some information I required." The Professor told his students.
"What kind of information?" Bobby suddenly said. I guess he was a little ticked off I had a conversation while he was going on about Amora.
"Just some mechanical information from the jet. Since Kurt is absent from giving me the daily report, I had Arnold do it." The Professor lied.
The Professor was a convincing liar, I however was worse for wear.
"Well, how is the old gal doing Arnold?" Logan asked.
I knew enough about planes to fly one, and how they fly, but not the internal workings of a SR71 Blackbird.
"Well, the fuel pressure was a little low, but I managed to stabilize it, um, the wings had some boxing on the edges from that hail storm we encountered last week. Other than that, normal." I told Logan, my voice slowly getting higher as I went on.
"Oh yeah, the hail storm. Kurt was so broken hearted; he just got done repainting the thing. You know, someone could've made it stop, but it would've 'disrupted the local weather patterns'." Logan said, mocking Storm.
"It very well would have, and you know it!" Storm responded to this criticism.
"Yeah, for a whole two minutes!" Logan argued back.
"I remember that flight. Logan was yelling at Storm to 'make it stop!' and Kurt was looking out the window like 'I spent hours repairing that wing', and the professor was just holding his temples like, 'I would so very much like to freeze all of you until this flight is over'!" Bobby recalled.
Everyone laughed, including the professor. Its times like these I have a hard time believing anyone of us would betray the others. Then I look over at Helga, who is signaling me to come out into the hall with her.
I rise from my seat, and head towards the exit. Helga rises too as I pass her. We both walked out, and went into the rec room.
"Hey, look, I'm sorry for all the stuff…" Helga interrupted me with a kiss.
"No, you were right." She said after she pulled away, "I should've remembered not only what this place meant to you, but what it means to me. I just saw this search was consuming you, and you will always be the most important thing in my life."
I knew she was right. I had been consumed with this quest, and it was time to begin my search for suspects with a relaxed attitude. Even though I knew, whoever the intruder was, I would be shocked to find out. But, that day would come, and I need to live the days in between with the same amount of trust I always put in everyone.
We kissed again. Suddenly there was a noise from the couch.
"Oh, hi guys!" It was Kitty, who was laying on the couch, and Kurt, who was standing beside her, looking disheveled, and embarrassed.
"Hi Kitty, Kurt." Helga greeted them.
"You two carry on, we'll leave." I told the pair of love birds.
"Ja, thank you." Kurt stated, in a very timid voice, as he kept his blue face down.
We left, and closed the door behind us.
"Well, they looked surprised. It's as if they forgot anyone else lives here." I told Helga.
"Yeah, that's often a problem with date night in this place. Very little privacy." Helga said.
"Well, you know what they say, you date someone, you date their family." I said jokingly.
We then walked aback to dinner to finish our meal, and return to where we left off.