It Could Be Worse
Episode 9: Revealing the Truth
By Sulia Serafine
[1-20-01. A Protector of the Small fanfic set in an alternate universe; all credit goes to Tamora Pierce. Lucky Charms doesn't belong to me either, and I stopped eating it a year ago. I'm broke, so you can't sue me.
Oh, one more thing: BAD LANGUAGE (I. E. cursing, swearing…). You have been warned!
E-mail me at silverwLng@aol.com, okay? Thank you and have a nice day.
P.S. I MADE A PROFILE FOR FALERON. IT'S NOT UP YET. I'M CHANGING ALL THE PROFILES TO .HTML INSTEAD OF .HTM BECAUSE THE LINKS ARE REALLY STARTING TO PISS EVERYONE OFF (INCLUDING ME). I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'M DONE.]
Faleron tilted his head to one side. "If I may say so, Officer--"
Keladry held her hand up. "I know that's how you should be addressing me, but I can only hear the word 'officer' so many times in one day. Just Keladry, or Mindelan. I don't care."
"Well, then, Miss Keladry, if I may say so-- you look like absolute shit."
She ran a hand through her short hair and blew her bangs out of her face. It didn't surprise her. She'd had no dreams, but she kept waking up every hour. The circles under her eyes probably made her look like a raccoon. "Really? That's just great."
Faleron nodded and ate another spoonful of his sugarcoated cereal. Cleon sat beside him, downing a tall glass of milk while casting long glances at him. Faleron was doing much better that day. As Keladry observed before, it was a shallow wound and wouldn't even hinder him by next week or so. He was much friendlier with everyone since he'd been shot and since Joren informed everyone about his past. Still, he acted with that invincible confidence that Keladry coveted.
"What is that stuff?" Cleon pointed to Faleron's cereal.
"Marshmallows. Lucky Charms to be precise with some powdered sugar I added myself. They are very tasty. Care for any, Mr. Kennan?"
"Uh, no thanks." Cleon stabbed at his eggs again. "You know, for a guy who talks like a dignitary of Mithros, you have some weird food preferences for sugar."
"And some weird career choices," Keladry added.
The dark haired young man beamed at them. "Just call me the world's greatest mild-mannered, sugar-addicted thief-- with schooling from the greatest etiquette teachers in all the country." He paused and muttered, "Thank you Father for dumping me in a boarding school for several thousand years. Didn't I turn out just great?"
The two other officers sensed the hostility of the words and dropped the topic. Keladry thought about the previous night, when she had screwed up so badly. She honestly knew that it was the worst thing she'd ever done in her short career. She forced herself to eat even though she was not hungry. There was no sense in punishing herself with starvation. "Hey."
"Yeah?" Cleon looked up.
"Stone said we were back on the Thom Trebond case, right?"
He nodded. "Numair and Daine are pulling rank even though they don't want to so we can continue where we left off."
"I think I remember Mr. Salmalin from one of my father's parties," Faleron said absently. "Hmm… It's good to hear about him."
"Yeah. Uh, so, where can Thom Trebond be hiding now that we crossed off about seven or eight cities off the list?" Keladry asked Cleon. She turned to the other man. "Faleron, do you know anything about him?"
He gazed at her for a long time.
"Faleron?"
"Oh, sorry. I spaced out a bit. What was the name?"
"Thom Trebond."
Faleron's eyes imperceptibly widened. He looked down at his bowl and resumed eating. Keladry frowned.
"Do you know something? If you do, you have to tell us."
The two officers grasped each one of his shoulders. He slowly put down his spoon and looked up. He cleared his throat and scratched his head. The topic seemed awkward for him. "Okay. So, a year ago, I heard some things about a great inventor building odd stuff for anyone who would pay him enough. Wilson told me he used most of his money working on his own little experiments. Even though he's much more an inventor and physicist, the things he buys are…"
"Are what?" Cleon demanded.
"Are biological. He's working with living things and machines. Strange for a scientist like him, right?" He took a sip of his glass of milk. "And that's all I know."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Now that's not true. You know something else."
"I don't want to be found out for the one who squealed to the DJPF. I'll be killed."
Cleon clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't let them frighten you. You stick with us from now on."
"A goody-goody?" Faleron snorted. "Oh, if only the boys could see me now. A thief hanging with the DJPF. It's not like I can't stop stealing. It's no problem. I can live a respectable life. Lord knows I've done it before, right Officers? So, I hang out with you until they put me in jail for all the things I've stolen."
The redhead interrupted. "They'll only put you in jail if someone from Rogue's Bay is pressing charges. And we already returned every single thing you ever stole." He stretched his arms over his head. "By the way, that was some back-breaking labor that you now owe us."
"I thought I would be put in jail whether or not I'm being pressed with charges," he replied.
"Oh, no. That's only if you're a citizen of one of the major cities like Tortall. The others don't enforce it. So, are you going to tell us or what?" she poked him in the shoulder lightly.
"Okay, okay." He took a few more bites of cereal and chewed. When he swallowed, he started to speak. "I hear they call him the Wizard. I heard from a man in Corus that he lives in the Carthakian slums."
Keladry groaned. "Not there again."
"We get to go to Carthak?" Cleon brightened. "I've never been there before!"
"My first failure," Keladry mumbled and rested her forehead on the table. "Could things possibly get worse?"
"What's for breakfast?" Joren demanded more than asked when he walked into the hotel's breakfast nook.
"Apparently, it can," she sighed.
"Can't catch my Lucky Charms!" Faleron snickered to himself. "You're welcome to the cereal. And there's toast and bagels, too. Not enough sugar for me, though."
The rude, stoic blonde peered at him for a moment. Then he sat down. "Damn. He's conscious. And he's even worse than before."
"Faleron, tell him what you just told us," Cleon said.
"Okay."
Joren picked up two bagels for himself and reached for the cream cheese. He started to spread it on with a butter knife. "What is it now? And it better not be bad news." He glared at Keladry. "We've got enough as it is."
"Thom Trebond lives in Carthak."
The knife fell to the floor. Joren stood up, leaned over the table, and violently grabbed him by his collar. He yanked Faleron to his feet and stared him in the eye. "What did you just say?"
He dropped his spoon. It hit the floor with a clatter just like the knife. "I… I said Thom Trebond lives in Carthak."
Joren let him go and left the table in long strides. He called back, "Grab whatever food you want, and get all your stuff to the car in less than five minutes! We're leaving right now."
Cleon hastily stacked as many pieces of toast and bits of bacon onto his plate as he could, covered it with a napkin, and stood up. "Right now? Really?" He took another sip of milk. "Well, you heard the man! Let's go! I want to see Carthak!"
Keladry sighed and picked up a bowl of orange slices and Faleron's box of cereal. "No, you don't, Cleon. Carthak isn't anything at all to be excited about. It's sheer torture to be down there."
"Yeah, and the pickings are slim," Faleron said as he followed the two officers. "No room for the likes of me at all."
"You would know, huh, Faleron?"
~~
"Let's go!" Joren yelled. "Move it, move it! We're running late here!"
The remaining three nearly sprinted to the car. Cleon popped the trunk, where they piled their stuff. Keladry got into the driver seat, Cleon in shotgun and Faleron in the back seat. When Joren saw that they were ready, he sped off. Keladry mumbled something to herself and drove after him.
"Hey, can you drive well?" she asked Faleron while looking in the rearview mirror to see him. He was munching on his cereal while he and Cleon passed the plate of food back and forth.
"Yeah. For a long while, I got stuck as the designated driver at Emry Haryse, my school."
Cleon turned around in his seat. "You went to Emry Haryse? No way! My little brother goes there!"
"No kidding! I bet he hates it, right?"
"Pretty much."
Keladry rolled her eyes. Leave it to Cleon and Faleron to find something in common and start talking a mile a minute. It wasn't a complete conversation though. It would not be a full conversation until Neal and Owen were there. Those two for the biggest loudmouths that she knew. She smiled in spite of herself and started to listen to them while she drove.
A few minutes later, Cleon turned back around. "Hey, where's Joren?"
"We'll see him when we come around the bend. He doesn't believe in speed limits, remember?"
They drove on after Joren. Halfway to Carthak, Faleron and Keladry switched places. She was so tired to begin with, and keeping her concentration on driving didn't help her status. She put her seat belt on and laid her head back. Keladry could sleep for a week if she wanted to… Or at least until they reached their destination.
~~
Carthak was exactly the same as how they left it. The three officers wore civilian clothes instead of their field uniforms. Keladry and Joren opted to wear the same clothes as they did last time. Cleon wore dark blue jeans and a white T-shirt under a dark green jacket. Faleron wore some clothes borrowed from Cleon and Joren. Being arrested did not allow him to bring some of his own stuff along on the trip. He ended up with black pants and a button-down blue shirt and a black vest. Now Keladry almost swore he could pass for some intellectual college boy or businessman.
Cleon grinned. "So, this is Carthak."
"Not all you expected, huh?" Keladry asked. She glanced insecurely around her. They were a block away from the Crypt where she knew Joren and her wouldn't be welcome. Some of Ozorne's men probably spread the word to watch out for the two DJPF officers. She wondered if anyone would actually attack him.
"I bet this place is really exciting."
"That's not even the half of it."
"Hey, Thief-boy," Joren called Faleron.
"I'm not Thief-Boy," he said with a pout.
"Fine," Joren drawled. "King, what other specific details do you know about our Wizard?"
He shrugged. "He has connections with all the gangs in Carthak. You could waltz up to any club and get someone drunk enough to tell you all about him. Well, that's how it was when I was here last."
The blonde biker nodded. He folded his arms. "Let's head over to the Crypt. Faleron and Cleon, up front. And keep your hands to yourself, King." He stared at him. "Ahem?"
"What?"
"That means return Cleon's wallet."
Faleron smiled sheepishly. "It seems you have a keen eye, Stone. As you wish." He reached into his pocket and produced the redhead's wallet. "So very sorry, chap. You… dropped it."
"Sure I did," Cleon muttered and shoved his wallet back in the back pocket of his jeans. "Don't do that again, Fal."
"I'm not promising anything." Faleron started whistling. They were nearing the club. "So, do we go as we are or do I suddenly become the millionaire playboy Maxwell Smith?"
"What!" Cleon laughed.
"Wear this," Joren said and handed Cleon and Faleron two fake wrist IDs. The two men put them on and put their originals in their pockets. When everyone was ready, they got in line for the entrance. Once again, there were two burly men guarding the entrance checking IDs. There was still a discount for couples, but this time Faleron hooked arms with Keladry. He played the part very well. His charisma counted for acting as well, she guessed.
"I wonder what type of drinks they have here," Cleon whispered when they got in. His eyes were wide. He stared at the holo-projections crossing the ceiling and then to the people on the dance floor.
"No, drinking. We're on duty," she replied sternly. "You know that, Cleon."
"Than shall we take a trip to bar?" Faleron asked with a sweep of his arm. His other arm was still hooked around Keladry's. He led them to the bar to sit down. Joren remained quiet, hunched over on his stool, motioning for the bartender to give him a glass of scotch.
"How come he gets to have a drink?" Cleon whined to Keladry. She glared at him. He shut up and traced circles on the bar top.
"Faleron, let go," she told the thief. He chuckled and let go of her arm. He also ordered a drink-- a simple shot of brandy. Cleon folded his arms and protested some more, but she glared at him. Faleron wasn't a member of the DJPF and she didn't dare to cross Joren.
"Ah, it seems you have quite a few man troubles, yes, Adalia?"
"That voice," Keladry thought. She turned around. "Who knows me by my sister's name?" Her question was answered. A woman with long dark hair, long eyelashes, and full lips stood with a smirk on her face. She wore a blue duster this time over the same white halter- top and black flared pants. It all came back to her.
"Lalasa Isran," she said finally.
"Adalia!" Lalasa shifted her hips once. "I didn't think I'd see you and your boyfriend-- oh excuse me," she said in a stage whisper, " I mean partner-- around here again after you busted most of Ozorne's men."
"She knows--" Cleon gasped.
"Shh! Lalasa, not so loud," Keladry urged. She looked around. "Why don't you have a seat?"
Lalasa winked dangerously at Kel's companions, producing an interested raised eyebrow from Faleron and a goofy grin from Cleon. Joren cast her a sidelong glance and snorted. She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "So, honey, who are these two fellas? New boyfriends?"
"Faleron King, of the Street Pirates," he said, not caring about his fake ID. He held his hand out to her. She shook it. "And may I say, Miss Isran, you look stunning tonight. Right?"
Cleon nodded vigorously, although he remembered his new name. "Right! I'm Hugo Longleigh. Can we buy you a drink?"
She giggled, but once again, as Keladry observed, not in a ditzy way. "Sure you can. Mr. I'm-Not-Telling-You-My-Name over there should remember perfectly what I like to drink, " she nodded towards Joren. "Aww, come on now. What's with him? He seems a chillier than last time. I don't know how you put up with him, Adie."
Keladry sighed. "It's part of the job."
"I see. Well, what about that Dirty Martini, huh?"
Cleon hailed the bartender while Faleron made small talk with the captivating woman. Keladry waited a few minutes before interrupting. She tapped Lalasa on the shoulder. The woman turned to her with a friendly smile. "Yes, Adie?"
"I was wondering if you could help us again."
Joren slammed his fist down on the bar top. "No."
Lalasa glared at Joren. "Now, excuse you, Mr. Grumpy, but I don't believe she was talking to you. Now, what were you saying Adie?"
"She was asking for help," Cleon beamed happily, anything to please her.
She nodded. "Ah, yes. Sure, honey, if you let me tag along."
"Oh, I don't think it would be safe for you, Miss Isran," Faleron clasped her hand. Cleon, a little jealous, took her other hand. He had stretched past Keladry's lap to take Lalasa's hand, annoying the female officer stuck in the middle. Lalasa's personality did not intimidate Keladry at all like Joren's nor did it make her jealous like she was of Faleron's smooth personality. She just wished she could have that flair of style that made the others fawn over her.
"Well, I get bored around here. Especially since Ozorne's goons got taken away and Mr. Tasikhe himself is hiding."
"Absolutely not," Joren said-- the second thing he had spoken since they entered the Crypt.
"Well, what is it that you want me to help you with?"
Keladry elbowed Cleon. He withdrew his hand, and so did Faleron, a smug look on his face. She rolled her eyes and faced Lalasa again. "We need help finding Thom Trebond. Rumor says he lives in Carthak."
Lalasa laughed. Her laughter was the same as Keladry remembered it, rich with amusement. "Oh, you mean Uncle Thom?"
"Uncle Thom?" the three asked her in bewilderment.
"That's what he lets me call him," she nodded. "Sure, I'll take you to see him. I like you three a lot."
Out of the corner of her eye, Keladry could see Joren grip his scotch glass tighter. She stood up. "Well, let's go. No point in staying here, right?"
Cleon and Joren left some money for their drinks. Then they left the Crypt. Lalasa was at the front of the group with Cleon and Faleron on each of her sides. Keladry fell behind, listening absently while walking beside Joren. He seemed in a worse mood than when he was yelling at her. His silence always made her suspicious.
~~
"Uncle Thom! It's me, Lalasa! I brought some friends! Come and meet them!" She held the door open for the other four. They entered a rundown basement in the middle of the slums. Posters of the city scattered the walls, as well as maps and blue prints for buildings and machines alike. Stacks of books and magazines lined the walls. There were several racks of data CDs and primitive disks. The concrete floor wasn't swept. A quilt with holes was flung carelessly on a sagging brown and gray sofa off to the right. There was a coffee table with empty mugs and bowls with spoons.
"I told him to clean up last time," Lalasa mumbled and picked up the dishes. She went through a door on the left to what was presumably the kitchen. The other four walked around, looking at the different items that were scattered everywhere.
"Uncle Thom! Where are you?" Lalasa called as she came back. She took off her duster and slung it over her shoulder. "Come on. He's probably in his fancy lab sleeping on the table while drool drips onto his precious blueprints. I bet he hasn't even fed the animals today."
"Animals?" Cleon brightened. "What kind of animals?"
Lalasa shrugged. "Oh, all sorts. Come on, I'll show you."
They followed her through another door and down another set of metal stairs until they reached a door with a wheel on it. Lalasa spun the wheel until the door popped from the wall. She slowly opened it and walked inside. Inside was a large underground atrium filled to one side with plants and the other side with computers and other large machines that Keladry could not even figure out what purpose they served.
A golden retriever ran over to Lalasa, barking. She immediately stooped down to scratch it behind its ears. "Hey, you! Where's Uncle Thom, huh? And while you're at it, has he fed you?"
The dog whimpered.
"I guess not. Could one of you grab that bag of dog food in the corner? There are so many different kinds of animal food over there."
For the first time, the officers and thief noticed the cages among the plants and the specialized habitats for each one. There were a few monkeys, only one cat, lounging in a tree while birds nested at the top where the cat could not climb. All of a sudden, Keladry noticed how fresh the air was. It was even better than the air back up top on the surface of Carthak. The walls were painted blue, but covered with plants and vines anyhow. If she turned her back to the machines, she could swear she was out in the countryside.
Lalasa happily fed the dog. Cleon petted the cat when it leapt down from the tree and onto his shoulder.
"Lalasa?" a man called from nowhere.
"Uncle Thom! Where are you!"
"I'm stuck under the Reactor and Jump's eating my dinner! I can almost reach the plate… No! No, Jump! Stop it! I'm hungry!"
Lalasa started to laugh. She motioned for them to follow her. "What do you want us to do, lift?"
"There are other people with you?"
"Yeah, don't worry. They're friends. Come on, guys, grab the edge of this one. Yeah, this machine. Just stay calm, Uncle Thom. We'll have you out in a second. What were you doing anyway?"
The man grunted as he tried to move. "I was repairing it but the support gave way when Jump accidentally bumped into it. Confound it, Jump, stop eating my food!"
There was a little bark from under the metal box shaped Reactor. Lalasa held on to the plastic moving parts on top of it. The others lifted. Soon, a gray-white dog with black splotches on his nose, his only whole ear, and his rump trotted out. He wagged his twice broken tail, healed crookedly and barked at the newcomers. Presently, a man crawled out. He was as tall as Cleon but with redder hair and an unshaven face. Surprisingly, when he looked up at them, he shocked them with his violet eyes.
"You can go ahead and set it down. Thanks," he said and ambled over to a clear metal table. Unnoticed before, there was a bag of bagels. He took one out and started to eat it. "Jump, you little rascal. I take you off the streets and this I my thanks?"
The dog sat on its behind and tilted his head to one side, then barking as if to say, "Well, why should I give you thanks? Lalasa brought me off the streets!" And then he bound over to the young woman and jumped up, wanting to be picked up. She laughed and did as she was asked.
"Nice to meet you all," the man said. "I'm--"
"Thom Trebond," Joren finished. "The Wizard, a famous genius who went missing ten years ago, still holds Tortallian citizenship, ID number 736620. And the twin brother of Advisor Alanna Olau Trebond."
Thom narrowed his eyes. "Is he always like this?"
"Worse," they chorused. Joren shot them dirty looks, but they pretended not to notice.
"Well, what exactly do you want with me?"
Keladry strapped on her real wristband and flashed him her ID. "We're from the DJPF of Tortall--"
"Not me!" Faleron inserted.
"--And were sent by Numair Salmalin and Daine Sarassri to find you."
He nodded. His features became serious. "I know exactly what they want. I've been watching Tortall closely, and I've been listening around. I know why they need me, but you have to tell them I'm still working on it and I'll come to them as soon as I finish."
Keladry shook her head. "We can't do that. Our assignment is to find you and bring you home."
Thom finished his bagel and sat down in a black office chair on wheels. He moved over to a computer and started typing rapidly. "Well, I can't leave right now. I'm at a critical point of my work and the animals--" He stopped short. "I… I just can't leave, okay? Lalasa, show them out."
Lalasa moved forward with Jump but Joren stepped forward. "No, Mr. Trebond, we're not leaving. I want to know about your work, and I want to know why the hell Councilman Salmalin and Council lady Sarassri need you."
The Wizard stopped his typing. Without turning around, he said, "Ask Ozorne while you're at it."
"Ozorne isn't here. He's ditched Carthak," Lalasa interjected.
Thom scowled. "Well, I guess you would know, huh, Lalasa? You're his daughter, after all."
Silence. The other four people in the room stared at the dark haired woman, then to the redheaded Wizard, then back to her again. One single thought reigned supreme in their heads. The stylish, flamboyant Lalasa Isran was the daughter to the notorious rebel leader Ozorne Tasikhe? The Ozorne Tasikhe?
"…" Cleon's mouth formed an O. "Y-you're his d-daughter?"
"Yes," she said quietly, her eyes downcast. "But since he ditched Carthak and his cronies got arrested, I've been half living with Uncle Thom and half living with the rest of my friends." She looked up at them suddenly. "I swear, I don't have anything to do with his rebellions. I don't even know that much about them. Uncle Thom does! Ask him!"
Thom and Lalasa glared at each other.
"Tell us, Mr. Trebond," Keladry said. "Please, we need to know what's going on. How else are we supposed to help?"
"No one asked you to help. It's not your problem," he said and returned to typing.
Cleon stepped forward. "No, disrespect Mr. Wizard, but if it involves Tortall, it is our problem. Which I'm guessing, it does involve Tortall."
"You're not going to like what I have to say," he warned him.
"I think we're all used to disappointment," Faleron said. He folded his arms and leaned on the wall. "Go ahead, Mr. Trebond."
The middle-aged man sighed and put his head in his hands. He took a deep breath. "Okay. A few years back, when I had already left Tortall for isolation in this place here in Carthak, some guy trying to follow in my footsteps back at the presidential labs got some funding from President Conté for some top secret experiments on special creatures eventually called Immortals."
"Wait, the government outlawed all experimentation on animals," Cleon protested.
"Exactly. That's why no one knows."
Keladry shook her head. "And President Conté was funding it?"
"Is," Lalasa corrected. "The top scientist left, but the followers he left behind were now so obsessed with the project that they continued with approval from the President. My father found out some how and that's why he's rebelling. And even though it's supposed to be for a good cause, I don't want to support him. He kills people in his rebellions."
"Ozorne Tasikhe does this for the Immortals?" Keladry whispered.
"The Immortals are, as far as the public is concerned, extinct. It was so long ago that they existed that there are merely bedtime stories for young children," Thom explained. "Some say the Immortals have extraordinary powers. And the government has been genetically engineering different animals and fusing them with cybernetic parts in hopes of reviving the Immortals and bringing them back into existence. And they steal from the taxes to do it. And they steal from under-funded but vital departments of the federation. And they… they kill many, many test subjects in the process."
"That's terrible!" Cleon exclaimed
"That's the truth," Joren said. "And I suppose Salmalin and Sarassri want help to stop the secret projects. And if they threaten to reveal it to the public, the President can have them framed for some great offense and they'll be gone." He stared at Thom. "Is there anything else?"
"I've been informed with different things about what they really do," Thom amended. "Maybe it's not so bad as it sounds. But I trust my source with my life. He wouldn't lie to me about these matters after all we've been through." He turned around in his chair and smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry that you found out your government is a sham."
"We've been working as the DJPF to counter-attack the good guys," Cleon shook his head. "It makes you feel like all the years you've been at the academy have been spent to become a hypocrite and a villain-- and the whole time, you don't even know it!"
"Nobody knows," Keladry said. "They think the DJPF does good by personally going up against every single Ozorne faction that arises in every single city on the face of this country. By Glory, we've been fooled." She looked to where Cleon punched the wall angrily. "You know, why don't we just quit?"
Everyone stared at her. Cleon leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. "You're saying, after all that hard work, we just quit? Just like that?"
She nodded and thought, "I threw away most of my life trying to be like Alanna Olau Trebond. And if she's the President's Advisor, she knows about this all. God, this isn't fair." "Let's quit. I'm not going to be apart of this."
"I never liked this job anyway," Joren said with a shrug. "And we'd probably get demoted when we got back."
Thom walked over to another table and picked up a small circular disk. He handed it to Cleon, the closest by. "Please send this to Numair, Daine, and my sister. I'd send it myself, but they'd track my location. If you do it, you have a better chance of disappearing from their eyes than for a middle-aged man already settled down in the slums of Carthak." He looked to Lalasa. "You go, too. You'll be safer with them. Eventually the gangs that Ozorne offended will be after you now that he's gone."
She turned to Keladry. "Is that all right, Adalia?"
"That's fine with me. But call me Keladry. Keladry Mindelan."
"And Cleon Kennan," Cleon piped up. Jump leapt out of Lalasa's arms and ran towards Cleon from where he was against the wall. The redhead was licked repeated by the dog while holding Thom's disk out of reach. "Oh, and Mr. Grumpy's real name is Joren Stone. Welcome to the new batch of unemployed men and women!"
Faleron snorted. "I'm not unemployed. I'm just my own boss."
"Are there any other centers for experimentation besides the President's property?" Joren asked.
"No. But they're doing some terrible things with the taxes and manual labor in Copper. You can see where a good part of the money goes to." Thom said and walked them to the door. "Lalasa, go pack your things."
"Yes, Uncle Thom." She went ahead of them out the underground atrium and up the stairs.
"All these corrupted government officials," Faleron huffed. "It's just like my father, except worse." He nudged Cleon with his elbow. "And by the way, I'm sitting with Lalasa in the back seat."
Cleon turned red. "No, you're not! I am! You drive because Keladry's still tired, then she sits in shotgun, then Lalasa and me will sit in the back!"
"Oh, brother," Keladry groaned. She pulled the two men apart. "I'm driving for tonight. And in any case, Lalasa sits in shotgun and the two of you are in the back seat." Before Faleron could speak, she put a hand over his mouth and said. "And when Faleron drives, Lalasa will be in the back seat with me while Cleon moves back to shotgun."
"You're so cruel!" Cleon cried. "It's Joren's influence, isn't it?"
Joren snorted from where he was behind them.
"We have no time for this childishness! Look at all the shit we've been thrown into!" she nearly screamed.
The two men shrank back. The redhead whispered to the thief, "She must be pissed. She never curses!"
Keladry growled and went up the stairs. Thom blinked.
"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Trebond," Faleron bowed. "I hope to do business with you in the future. Here's my card--"
"Let's go, Thief-boy. Keep your fucking business deals for later," Joren said and grabbed him by the collar. They marched upstairs. Thom shook his head.
"Good luck. You'll need it."
~~
Keladry waited impatiently in the car. She rested her forehead against the steering wheel, trying hard to calm her breathing. Everything she worked for her whole entire life was for nothing. The DJPF directly corresponded to the government as its enforcers, its army. And the government wasn't even all that good.
Her pager beeped. She answered it. "Oh, hi, Neal."
"Hey, Kel. I tapped into Wyldon's frequencies again. You got put back on the Trebond case?"
"Yeah. Uh, Neal?"
"Yeah?"
"I can't talk to you any more."
There was a long gap of silence. "W-why?"
She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "The guys and I have to… to disappear for a while. Something bad is going on, and if someone else finds out that we know, than they'll tap this line. Don't tell anyone, though. Just keep on acting as if its okay. And if anyone asks, you tried calling my pager, but I wouldn't answer. And if you really do, I really won't answer."
He seemed at a loss for words. The first time ever. "But, I don't understand. What's going on? Why can't you tell me?"
"You're going to be stuck at Headquarters. That's the last place to be in when in my situation. Just trust me, okay?" she whispered in a shaky voice. "Neal, don't believe anything they tell you about us."
"Yeah. Sure. Should I tell Owen not to call, too?"
"Yeah."
"Okay. Take care, Miss Tough Stuff."
"You, too. Bye."
Just as she ended the transmission, Lalasa loaded her stuff in the trunk and they got into the car. Joren modified the license plate number on the back of the car by painting over the older number, than did the same to his bike. He got on the Black Knight and moved forward. "We drive toward Copper for four hours. Then we sleep. We keep our fake identities. Cleon, use my program on this database and construct another one for Isran." He handed it to him. "And when we interact with other people on the way, remain inconspicuous. We're still officers on the search for Thom Trebond."
"But--"
"That means, Kennan, just because we're not responding to Headquarters, doesn't mean we're not officers. We need our positions to get access to the city hall in Copper and wherever else we go to find out the real truth to all this Immortal bullshit."
They nodded in agreement. He grabbed his helmet. "Okay then. Let's go."
"We're still officers," Keladry chanted to herself. "We're still officers, Mindelan. Not because we want to-- it's for convenience. We're still officers… We're still officers… We're still… we're still…"
"Are you okay, Adie--I mean, Keladry?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
~~
Closing Credits:
Special thanks to those who helped me with descriptions:
( Note: these people are VERY cool. Do not mess with them.)
Kestrel
Erin (Hyper Girl to the Rescue)
Sullychkk (Ack! All I remembered was your e-mail! I'M SO SORRY! E-MAIL ME, OKAY?)
And also to the people who volunteered to help with my web page:
FireLily
Jaelawyn Noble (please e-mail me)
And if anyone is good with fixing web pages, please e-mail me. My e-mail is listed at top.