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Chapter 8 – Chandra

Arles sat on a table top in his classroom. He was wearing a nice suit, with the jacket hanging on the back of a chair. Nine children, of various ages, sat around another round table listening to him.

"So! That's what we need to do. Imagine, I have taken a dump truck, loaded down with dirt and dropped it in Doctor Bennett's office."

The children laughed.

Arles smiled. "And it creates a lovely square box of dirt. The box measures 6 feet by 8 feet and is….ummm, 2 feet high. How much dirt have I thrown in his office? Write it on your papers."

The students continued to laugh as they worked out the problem.

Samuel walked into the classroom and stood against the wall.

Arles smiled, "And here is my brother now. Doctor Bennett, we're just discussing a hypothetical situation that involves you."

Samuel crossed his arms and smiled, "I really hope it's hypothetical."

One of the students asked, "Well, have you been to your office, Doctor Bennett?"

The students laughed.

Samuel grinned, "Just came from there. Okay, Arles. What have you hypothetically done?"

The students continued to laugh as Arles repeated the problem. "So, how much dirt is in the office?"

The children wrote down their answers on a bit of paper.

Arles waved his hands, "Alright! No one say! Because this is part two of the problem. Doctor Bennett, returns to find this box of dirt and says, 'What? Why is this here?'"

The students laughed again.

"But, he knows it is me who has done such a thing."

Samuel smiled, "Oh yes. Without a doubt in my mind."

Arles continues. "So, he moves it back to my office. But, he puts it into a cone shape. Now, if he didn't lose any of the dirt, I want you to tell me how tall the cone of dirt is if the base is…ummm. Doctor Bennett?"

"Seven feet in diameter." Samuel decided.

Arles pointed at his brother. "Perfect. And that's all I have for today. Go outside and play before you do anything in a book. It's supposed to rain later today."

The children all gathered their things.

Arles stood up and rubbed his hands together. "And if any of you see the Headmistress, be sure to shout, 'Congratulations!' Very loud. And if you speak to her, remember that she can't hear because of her cold. So, speak loudly to her."

The children all filed out of the room as Samuel rubbed his face to hide his laughter. "The Headmistress has a cold?"

"Well, I'm not telling them she's hung over. As much as she had last night? She has to."

Samuel laughed. "I'm talking to a dead man."

Arles grinned and buttoned his top button to his oxford, and tightened his tie. "Yes!"

Samuel smiled, "So, did I miss surfing this morning?"

Arles wiped off the board. "No. I didn't go. I knew Legate wouldn't make it, I guessed that Karen would have you busy, too."

Samuel nodded, "Two married men-"

"Nah, not that. Just…it was a late night."

Samuel wasn't buying his excuse. "Whatever, Arles. You weren't home this morning when I came by."

Arles sat down his eraser and looked at his brother. "Are you sure about that, man-"

"Hell yeah, I am. Where were you?"

Arles grinned and shook his head as he pulled on his jacket. "I was probably in the shower, Sammy. I didn't hear you. Was Tony still there?"

"Oh, I have no idea. I popped my head into your room, not his. You know, with the bed that hasn't been slept in?"

Arles grinned and looked back at his brother. "Maybe, I just know how to make up a bed properly."

"Phhh. Tony is back?"

"Yeah, and he says that he owes you an apology. So, give him a few minutes before you hit him."

"Not promising that-"

"Give the man the opportunity. He's your…uncle. He deserves at least that."

Samuel crossed his arms and sighed.

"It is possible that we're making too much out of his….recent behavior?"

Samuel nodded. "It's possible. I don't think so, but it's possible."

Arles pat his brother's shoulder. "I'm going with it's possible. You know how he is-"

"That doesn't excuse it."

"I'm not saying it does-"

"Please tell me you were not out fighting again last night." Samuel said quietly.

Arles sighed. "I wasn't. If you must know, I went to Florida. Slept on a ship I have copied there in the bay."

Samuel rose his eyebrows. "Really, then? Alone?"

Arles grinned. "Sammy! What is with all of this interest in me? Come on. We have papers to sign. We need to get to New York. Grandfather is waiting!"

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Soli sat on at the bar of the island home. "Ice cream, Pepper!"

Pepper shook her head. "Nope. I think it's time for real food."

Soli groaned. "Really?"

"A full day of nothing but ice cream can't be good for you."

"But, my leg is completely better!"

"All the more reason." She told him as she put a plate of pasta in front of him.

Soli picked up his fork and started to eat as Tony walked into the room. "Do you need to go to New York today?"

"No, that's tomorrow."

Tony nodded. "Okay, tomorrow. I can work with that."

"And CNN is going to do a video interview at 5:00."

Tony groaned.

Soli asked, "Can we go play in the water?"

Pepper smiled at him. "Yes. After you eat."

"What is this?" Tony grumbled and tossed some of the pasta in his mouth.

"Tuscan Pasta Salad." Pepper told him without looking up from her phone.

Tony made a face of disgust to make Soli laugh. He pointed at him. "We'll go play in the water together. I need to do something first, so eat. I'll be right back."

"And Jane says she can do today." She looked up from her phone. "What are we doing with Jane today?"

Tony picked some more of the pasta Soli ate and tossed it in his mouth. "Pictures. She's taking our pictures."

Pepper smacked his hand. "That's barbaric-"

"What? Eating?"

Soli smiled. "You're supposed to use a fork, Tony."

Tony grinned. "And you're right. Okay, eat. I'll be back."

Pepper looked back at him, "Where are you-"

He popped away.

She sighed and shook her head. Then pointed at Soli. "Eat, young man."

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Tony popped to the back deck of Arles' flat on the island. He slid open the glass door and called inside. "Hello?"

No one answered.

He looked down at the display that the bracelet printed on his arm. He didn't see anyone in the flat.

He jogged up the steps and looked inside the bedrooms. He put his hands on his hips. "Which one is Tyler's?"

He walked into one room that looked the most unused. He opened the top dresser drawer and found rolls of cash. "What the-"

He closed the drawer and opened the next one. Inside, he found a box that contained rolling papers and a large bag of weed. "What are these guys into?"

He closed the drawer and walked into the bathroom. He picked up the trash and saw the receipt from a restaurant in Florida. He put it back in the rubbish and decided that this must be Arles' room. After all, he had been staying in Florida with Karen's family while Samuel had been gone.

He walked out of the bedroom and into the next one. The bed was made and the windows were opened to allow the breeze inside. Tony opened the top dresser and found a notebook. He opened it up and saw a list written. Tony didn't recognize any of the words such as "Caracalla", "Lostuyria", and "Chandra" along with several more.

"Chandra?" Tony asked quietly. "Sounds Buddhist."

He closed the notebook and put it back in the drawer.

He looked around the room a bit more, but didn't find anything but clothing.

Pulling something out of his pocket, he fastened a small, black device to the side of the window, and then another one to the headboard of the bed. He looked around the room again and nodded. "I've got you now, you shit."

He typed something on his bracelet and popped away.

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