"So you worked with Maxfield...I mean, Nephrite?" Molly asked Zoicite. He had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. This was way too easy; Molly was under his thumb the second he opened his mouth.
Zoicite had noticed that Nephrite took an inordinate amount of attention in this human girl. Her energy was very powerful, and it made sense at first, but Nephrite hadn't gathered her energy in quite some time.
And then Zoicite noticed the Black Crystal Nephrite had created. It was a tool to help him find the Silver Crystal, and Zoicite could not allow that. If Nephrite found the Crystal before Zoicite did, Beryl would never advance Zoicite's position. Indeed, he'd be considered a total failure forever, even more than that loser Jedite, whom Malachite had mentioned had been eliminated due to his incompetence.
So Zoicite needed this Black Crystal, but going after Nephrite directly would be dangerous. He was powerful, even Malachite had mentioned he was not a foe to take lightly. Until his failures against the Sailor Scouts, he had been in Beryl's personal favor as well.
But now seemed the perfect time to steal that crystal from Nephrite. Zoicite knew he used his astrological powers in order to create it, which means that the stars and planets would need to be in perfect alignment. If it was stolen, he would not be able to create another. And with it, Zoicite could find the crystal first. Perfect plan.
"Tell me, Molly. What has Nephrite told you of our mission?" Zoicite asked politely.
"I know he's looking for a really bad man named Jed Hanson with weird powers." Molly stated.
"Jed Hanson?" Zoicite wondered. Who was that? Did he have the Silver Crystal?
"And what do you know of that person?" Zoicite tried to play it cool.
"Nothing, really. Just that Nephrite's looking for him and something about a crystal. A silver crystal, that was it."
"There we go." Zoicite thought.
"Does Jed Hanson have this crystal thing?" Molly asked. That was proof enough for Zoicite not to dwell on the topic further. It must have been something separate Nephrite was looking into.
"It doesn't seem so. However, Molly, I think there's something you can help me with." Zoicite enticed. While Zoicite didn't know what Nephrite and Molly had discussed, she seemed absolutely eager and willing to help.
"What is it? I'll do anything!"
"Did Nephrite ever show you something called the Black Crystal?" Zoicite asked.
"No...no I didn't see a crystal." Molly replied.
"Drat." This would make things tougher. At first, Zoicite thought to have Molly steal the crystal and replace it with an illusionary fake. But if Molly didn't know what she was looking for, that plan wouldn't work. Zoicite racked his brain for another idea, but wasn't very good at thinking quickly on his feet.
"What can I do, Mister..." Molly stated, and Zoicite realized he had never given his name.
"I have to think for a moment, discuss with him. Do me a favor and don't mention we spoke. Nephrite thinks it's wrong to involve you, but I say as long as you're willing. I'd rather avoid an earful later. I need to look into this Jed Hanson character." Zoicite left Molly and walked down the street.
This Jed Hanson was truly of no concern: Only the Silver Crystal mattered. As he walked down the street, he attempted to think of a plan that would give Zoicite that Black Crystal. Molly would be key to this: She was the only one who could get close.
And then, he had a sneaky idea.
"Morning, Jed." Raye and her grandfather were enjoying a cup of tea in the morning as Jedite came in. It was almost time for Raye to go to school, and Jedite to head to work, so only Grandpa was in traditional clothes. Jedite did not look like he had slept well.
"You look tired." Raye noted.
"Long night." Jedite replied. It may have been code for something they couldn't discuss in front of Grandpa, but Raye didn't have time for something long and protracted. Jedite could teleport, she could not.
"Well, we better get going." Raye could at least talk with him as he walked down the steps.
"Enjoy yourselves!" Grandpa continued to gulp down his tea.
"So, anything interesting?" Raye asked as she and Jedite headed out into the temple courtyard.
"I saw Nephrite last night." Jedite replied, and Raye paused.
"A fight?" Raye asked.
"No, actually. Not a single blow was thrown." Jedite replied, and Raye seemed perplexed.
"I'm just as confused as you are. It's almost like he's abandoned his mission."
"That's good, right? If he's leaving, you can tell him where to hide, and how to avoid being seen. And you can get information from him."
"Almost like." Jedite corrected. "I'm not certain that he has. I wouldn't want to reveal our plans to him. I'm...I don't know what he's after anymore. He was always emotional, difficult to figure out, but...this is just plain odd."
"Hmmm...I'll talk with Serena and Amy after school."
"Yeah, I gotta big day of shooting. I've got the hotel scene today and the club at night. Sometimes I don't even realize what I get myself into."
"Hotel scene?" Raye questioned.
"I'm not supposed to spoil, but apparently this scene is all about giving the audience eye candy. According to the reviews, they like to see me wearing as less as possible."
"Well, I can imagine." Raye blushed.
"I mean...I mean, the reviewers! The reviewers like to...oh jeez!" Raye looked away to hide her embarrassment. But Jedite said nothing.
"You're nervous?" Raye asked.
"Well, let's see. I'm completely covered in scars from the airport explosion, the time I was betrayed, and now they're nothing more than to tease all the women watching." Jedite commented sourly. "My suffering, their titillation."
"Hey, don't be so down on yourself. You...you look good, despite all of that," Raye tried to compliment, but found herself embarrassed again.
"Thanks." Jedite commented.
"Umm...I mean it." Raye tried. "Yeah, you got all beat up when Queen Beryl left you, but now you're better than you ever were. I mean we fought against you before and we've worked together now, and you've...you've become a lot stronger. You're much improved." Raye had never said things like this before, and she was certain that she bungled it. But Jedite actually seemed to cheer up with the news.
"Well, we need to split here. I need to head out on location, not the studio. But...but thanks, Raye. You're a...you're a beautiful, I mean, a...a...thanks." Jedite, more unused to real praise than Raye was, scampered off quickly, and Raye couldn't help but laugh a bit before she headed back to school.
"Morning, Jed!" Saffron greeted when Jedite made it to the hotel they were using for shooting today.
"Morning. I didn't you were shooting today."
"I'm not, but how could I resist not watching this scene?" Saffron teased. Jedite gave a nervous laugh.
"All right everyone, places!" Director Abernathy called. Jedite quickly grabbed the suitcase prop and took his position.
"Action!" Director Abernathy called.
"So the plan's solid?" The actor playing Patrick was immediately in character, seated on the bed.
"I came up with it." Jedite, now Derek, returned. "According to the profile, we're looking for a girl who's alone, not wearing lipstick. She goes after guys that are alone. So once we reach the club, we separate. Keep your pager on, that's the signal to get back here."
"I thought it was Elle who came up with the plan."
"Elle noticed a few key details. Green shirts, blue jeans, no cologne. Very little alcohol. But the plan is made, and approved. We can catch this killer before she strikes again."
"I sure hope so. The club's gonna open soon, we should get ready." Patrick started to change out of his plainclothes suit into the green shirt and jeans combination needed. Jedite went to his own suitcase and pulled out his own attire. He hesitated slightly, before changing his own clothes.
"Whoa, what happened to you?" Patrick was fastening his shirt as he looked over at Jedite, and saw the lines of scars and burns spidering over his back.
Jedite knew what the script had said, but the question still took him by surprise.
"It...it was an explosion." Jedite answered, trying to stay in the part of Derek Flannigan as best he could.
"An explosion?"
"Yes, not very long ago. If you haven't heard of it, I'm not surprised." Jedite was supposed to not put his shirt on for this scene, as much as he wanted to. "I nearly died, but I didn't."
"What happened?" Patrick asked.
"Betrayal." Jedite replied. "I was betrayed, by a partner." Jedite was sticking to the script, and he was amazed at how closely Director Abernathy hit the nail on the head.
"You were betrayed?"
"I don't care to discuss it." Jedite replied. "But...I learned from it, and moved on. I just wish I didn't have to see them everyday." Jedite's frown deepened. "Let's go."
"Cut! Perfect! Fantastic!" Director Abernathy praised.
"All it needs is one of the hotel maids peeking through the keyhole." Jedite commented sarcastically. Patrick's actor laughed.
"Nah, scene's too serious. Did consider it though. All right, tonight at 10 we convene. Expect to work all night, all of you!" Director Abernathy replied. This might be beneficial: Perhaps Jedite needed to take his mind off of Nephrite for a moment, and think about other things, like the things Jedite believed were worth saving in the world.
