Eye of the Needle

by Fox the Writer

It's a known fact that when a person's world view is transformed by an idea, realization or event, they will start to restitch their world by first replacing their lenses with a pair of a different color. But does that entail the size of the eye of the needle? Part of the Sticks, Stones, Potentials and Bones series.

"My eye has grown dim from vexation,
and all my members are like a shadow."
- Job 17:7

PROLOGUE

Even though he recently cleaned his twin pair of monocles, the window peering into the outside world still appeared dark and dismal to Thomas. Had been that way to him ever since the former leader of the Toppat Clan vanished without a trace. Even now as he concentrated on monitoring the command station and monitors, thoughts and questions popped up from time to time all centering on the disappearance of his criminal comrade. What happened to him? Where did he go? Why did he vanish?

Was he lying helpless somewhere in a ditch and so close to - No! Thomas shoved that thought out of his mind. "Concentrate," he told himself. "Focus on your work. Don't let Reginald know you're distracted again." The first time it happened he was on the receiving end of a lecture about distractions from the man.

All the more reason why he was upset when the former, and newly crowned leader of the Toppats went missing - he usually let some of these things slide.

A loud, and frankly annoying, combination of irritating bee vibrating with a high-shrilled and pompous ring tone interrupted his thoughts. Reginald's cell phone flashed and sang to life. It quieted down once the current chief of the criminal clan picked it up.

"Yes, hello? ...Henry?"

Thomas whipped his head around in unison with Reginald's own confusion. Henry?!

---

A/N: Enter Mr. Thomas Chestershire. Member of the Toppat Clan. Toppat Class Rank - Third. A highly educated, respectable and well-dressed member of the criminal pack who, like the rest of his kind, found themselves scattered and puzzled when their former alpha was spirited away from their world into the unknown. And now, he and the other Toppats will track him down after receiving his distress call.

But little does he know that the current alpha will intercept the former's call and instigate a great change in him - on the inside, a spirit of rebellion. And on the outside - a new pair of lenses to look deeper into the complex world of the Toppats, more than he could ever have wanted, and within the world of sticks, stones, potentials and bones.

I apologize - I should be working on "Through Smoke and Bitter Distance", but the plot bunny wouldn't stop biting me so I wrote this down to appease the horrible creature. This serves as another 'What-If': what if Thomas saw Reginald drop Henry at the end of The Betrayed? What would he do then? We do know that he stood by Henry's side in Toppat Civil Warfare, and according to his card in Fleeing the Complex, he was upset when Henry went missing in action. So it would stand to reason that Thomas cared about Henry to a degree and want to do something to help him.

But how far is he willing to go to help Henry? And at what costs - to himself, Henry and the clan?

References:
-Job 17:7 comes from the Bible, and that chapter is a very hefty and emotionally-packed one with Job's having had to confess that he was a low point in his life with all of his friends deserting him. No mere coincidence here.

Enjoy!