Chapter 2



"First of all... why aren't the notes in braille?"

Megan shrugged. "Maybe whoever sent them knows that I read all of Leila's mail. I mean, it's not a big secret."

"It's true, Darien. Most of my mail is written. To tell the truth... I can barely even read braille."

Darien nodded. "All right... answers one question. The stalker is someone who knows you well enough to know most of your mail isn't braille."

"Good point," Megan said, "Wow... He's like a real-life agent, isn't he, Leila?"

Leila chuckled.

"Can we move past this? Please?"

Megan smiled, "Okay, we're embarrassing him now. Do you want to check out Leila's security?"

"Sure." Megan led the way out of the living room and into Leila's spacious bedroom. Hobbes followed, checking the windows for any sign of weakness. Megan leaned on the dresser and smiled. "The great Darien Fawkes..."

Darien turned and saw how she was leaning against the dresser, her hands crossed over her chest and a large smile on her lips. The past rushed back to him once more...

~~~~~~
1989, the championship game
~~~~~~

"The great Darien Fawkes."

He turned away from the field at the mention of his name over the din of cheers and whooping. "You!" It was the girl from the night before, only now she was dressed in a light blue sweater and had her hair up in a ponytail. She was leaning on the railing, arms crossed over her chest and a large smile on her lips. She tapped her boot on the concrete floor. Darien said, "You, uh... have me at a disadvantage. How do you know my name?"

"I asked around."

"Oh, yeah? How'd you describe me? Handsome, tall, athletic... did you say that I had an intoxicating stare that you just couldn't get out of your head?"

"No... I said I was looking for a goofball with bad hair. All signs pointed to you."

Darien bit back his snide comment and turned back to the field. "I see the bear made it to the game unscathed."

"Unfortunately. But I have a back-up plan, if you're interested."

"What makes you think I still want to do anything? Besides, it's too late. The game's already started."

"It's never too late for a good prank... or a good distraction. You in or out?"

"On one condition. What's your name?"

"Megan Winters. Now come on. We don't have much time before half-time." She grabbed his hand and dragged him away.

---

The Bear, otherwise known as Scott Graham, removed the oversized head of his suit and dropped into a folding chair. He was getting over-heated in the damn thing... He laid his head against the wall and closed his eyes. He was just about relaxed when he heard giggling. He stood up, opening the door to the locker room a crack. A girl was laughing... but what was a girl doing in the boy's locker room? He quietly entered and listened.

The girl said, "Shh! We're gonna get caught!"

"You're the one who wanted to do it in a public place."

Scott smiled. He was about to surprise two people in a loving embrace of the worse kind... Finally, the Bear would have someone to make fun of! The attention would be taken off of the kid in the giant Bear-suit and turned on the kids who had gotten caught with their pants down in the locker room. Timing his entrance just right, Scott jumped around the corner and said, "Gotcha!"

Megan was sitting on the bench, looking at her fingernails. She smiled at him and said, "Hi." Scott was disappointed to see she was fully dressed.

Darien stepped around the corner and grabbed Scott, wrestling him to the ground. Megan jumped up and said, "Help me get him out of this suit..."

---

The third quarter started and the Bears got the ball. But the mascot was nowhere to be seen. Darien and Megan came out of the locker room, Darien dressed only in his boxers. He shook his head. "I don't know about this, Megan... I'm getting a little nervous."

"Stage fright? Come on, Darien. You're wearing boxers, aren't you? You don't have any reason to be embarrassed." She handed him the Bear's head and said, "Now go out there and humiliate the Bears."

Darien sighed and put the head on. He stood in the entrance to the field, preparing himself. Right before he ran out onto the field, Megan hooked her thumbs in the waistband of his shorts. When Darien took off... so did his boxers.

He was halfway out onto the field before he felt the draft. He turned to see Megan twirling his tattered boxers on her index finger, laughing hysterically. Darien turned back to the field... to see what looked like every person on the planet earth frozen in time. Darien, underneath the furry bear head, muttered, "Aw, crap."

As he took off for the end zone, the Bears defensive line took off as well. Darien ran as fast as his feet would carry him, almost losing his footing a couple of times before finally clearing the goalpost. He ducked through the player's entrance and slid into a janitor's office, slamming the door behind him. He held tightly to the knob as he felt the earth tremble; the players were running past.

When all was silent again, Darien breathed a sigh of relief and leaned against the door. Only to see a janitor seated in the back of the office, chewing on a sandwich. The janitor shook his head. "These damn mascot costumes are gettin' worse every year."

~~~~~~
Present Day
~~~~~~

Darien grumbled, "You know, I was the laughinstock of the school after that..."

"After what," she asked innocently. "And, I know... we went to the same school. I especially enjoyed the full-color lay-out in the school paper the next day: Local Student Disgraces School With Childish Prank."

"You didn't hear what the principal wanted to do... A line-up."

"You're kidding."

"She said that using the photos taken that night as guides, she could pinpoint the exact student who had shamed the school. All she needed was for every boy at school to drop trou in her office."

"Is that why she was fired?"

"Partly."

"And it doesn't matter... you made sure they found out who it was."

Megan chuckled.

Hobbes turned. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

"Nothing, Bobby... just an embarrassing moment from my past."

Megan checked her watch and said, "Look... Leila and I haven't had breakfast yet. Maybe we could grab a bite at the cafe across the street?"

Darien shrugged. "What the heck..."

---

The outdoor cafe was nearly empty when they arrived; ten o'clock was the dead hour between breakfast and lunch rushes. The four of them were seated immediately and the waitress approached, casually taking their orders. Once the orders were placed, they were alone once more.

Megan was the first to speak up. "May I ask who Claude is? You guys seemed to recognize the name on the phone."

Leila answered, "Claude was my boyfriend for two years... it wasn't until I met Darien that I learned he was truly an assassin known as The Chameleon. Darien... unfortunately, killed him in the line of duty."

Darien winced at the mention of Claude Escoffier's death. It had occurred while Darien was quicksilver mad and without control of what he was doing. In any case, it had left the Agency with an extra ten grand in their pockets. He brushed the memory aside and focused on the beautiful woman seated across from him.

She seemed so... together. Completely different from the wild and crazy girl he'd known in high school.

~~~~~~
1989, the day after the championship game
~~~~~~

Darien wiped the grease from his hands as he came from the garage and into the kitchen of his aunt and uncle's house. Kevin was sitting at the table, reading a thick book and making notes in a notebook. "Hey, Kev. Homework?"

Kevin muttered, "Nope..."

Darien sighed and opened the fridge. Kevin said, "Oh... by the way... some girl came by to see you earlier. Megan something."

He stood, looking at Kevin. "Megan? Megan Winters?"

"I don't know... She said she'd be waiting at the drive-in until five if you were interested in meeting her. Could you grab me a..." He looked up. Darien was already gone. "Damn it. I swear that guy can disappear sometimes..." He bent over his notebooks and absent-mindedly scribbled the word 'invisible' in the margin.

---

In the small town where Darien lived, 'I'll be at the drive-in' could mean one of two things. One, someone was going to the drive-in movies but not for the double feature. And two, the one Darien figured Megan had meant, they were going to the local drive-in restaurant, Sonic. It consisted of a small building where the food was prepared connected to a long row of parking spaces. Each space was wired with an intercom where you could buzz the kitchen and order your food. A few minutes later, girls in short shorts would skate out and bring you your order.

At this particular Sonic, the kitchen was located at the far end of the lot and the parking spaces were lined up in a row heading out from the building. In the area between the spaces was a small food court-like area where the local high schoolers would congregate to talk about school, the opposite sex and whatever crossed their minds. Every now and then they even ordered.

Darien dropped onto one of the benches and pressed the button for the intercom. A scratchy voice returned, "Welcome to Sonic, how may I help you?"

"Uh, I'd like a Sonic burger, no onions... Sonic fries, a Sonic Dr. Pepper and, uh... Sonic size that for me."

"Total comes to four dollars and eighteen cents."

Darien leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and looking around at the kids who were hanging out there that particular day. He recognized one group as football players for his high school, rightfully angry at their loss the night before. One particularly large kid punched the table and said, "If I ever find the moron who decided to streak during OUR championship game, I'm gonna pound him! I swear! I'm going to pound him within an inch of his life."

"Better hope they never find out who that was, huh?"

Darien turned. Megan was approaching, smiling as always. She was dressed in a dress so short he was sure it was just a long shirt. Her orange t-shirt, which was a few sizes too small for her, hugged her curves nicely, proclaiming "BRAT" in sparkly letters across her chest. She sat across from him, taking off her sunglasses. "Hey, Dar-Bear."

Darien rolled his eyes. "Oh, good... a nick-name."

Megan chuckled. "Look, I'm sorry. I had every intention of letting you run out there in boxers. But at the last second inspiration struck."

"Some inspiration."

She sighed, looking around. "Look. How about I make it up to you? The movies. My treat."

Darien drummed his fingers on the table, finally looking up to meet her eyes. He sighed. "Why not?"

Megan batted her eyelashes. "No one can resist these baby blues," she winked. The wait-ress then arrived and placed Darien's food on the table. As he pulled a five from his wallet, Megan took a drink from his soda and let her eyes wander the car-hops body. When the girl rolled away, Megan shook her head. "Damn... I wish I could pull off an outfit like that."

Darien laughed. "This coming from the girl wearing a Kleenex and a baby's shirt."

Megan shrugged. "When you got it, flaunt it."

Darien sighed and took a handful of fries. "You're going to be trouble. I know it."

"That's what everyone says when they meet me. So what movie you wanna see?"

~~~~~~
Present Day
~~~~~~

The waitress arrived with their food and Megan checked the girl's figure. When she was gone, Megan shook her head sadly. "The requirements for waitresses must be getting easier."

Darien stifled a laugh. "Oh, really. She didn't seem that bad to me. What do you think Hobbes?" Bobby Hobbes was staring across the restaurant. "Bobby? Hey, bud, you all right?"

Through clenched teeth, Hobbes said, "When I give the word... duck."

"The word is duck?"

"No... when I give you the word, I want you to DUCK."

"What's the word then?"

"Forget the word," he grumbled. "We got assassins at ten o'clock."

Darien turned and saw only an old man eating dinner a few tables away. "Hobbes, the guy has a cane... he doesn't seem that threatening."

"He's wearing a Goodwill suit, his haircut looks like it was done by a sheep-shearer and he's eating with a senior-citizen's discount. He's wearing a scuffed watch and his eyeglasses need repaired a few times over."

"So he's retired," Darien said. "He might be short on cash..."

"Check the shoes, Einstein. Those are Louis Vuitton Pony-hair loafers. They go for five-hundred clams at the cheapest."

"And you just happen to know this?"

"No... I went shoe-shopping last week. Happened to glance at a pair. There's no way an old guy on a budget can have shoes that nice."

Darien stood and said, "Megan, Leila... come with me." The two women stood. Darien and Megan flanked Leila and headed for the exit of the restaurant as Hobbes headed for the old guy's table. As soon as the man noticed Leila was leaving, he stood.

Hobbes drew his gun. "Federal agent! Don't move!" The man turned, raising his cane. The bottom dropped away, revealing the black hole of a gun barrel. Hobbes froze. "Aw, crap."

The old guy fired. Hobbes dove out of the way, crashing into a table and destroying a couple of wicker chairs. The old man, realizing his cover was blown, began tearing at the prosthetics that covered his face and ran towards the restaurant's exit. Hobbes was immediately on his feet, running after the man. "I'm a federal agent! When I saw don't move, it means FREEZE, dumbass!"

He hit the street in time to see the assassin jump into a car. Planting himself in the middle of the road, Hobbes raised his gun. The car pulled away from the curb, roaring right at Hobbes. Bobby grit his teeth and said, "Damn, damn, damn..." He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger.

Tires squealed and Bobby waited to get slammed into... a collision that never came. He opened his eyes, only to see the car had swerved onto the sidewalk, taking out a parking meter and a mail box. Hobbes straightened his jacket and said, "You do NOT mess with Bobby Hobbes, my friend. You mess with me, you get burned. Badly."