Master Six 2:

Truth and Consequences

Chapter 7

Ding Dong.

The usual doorbell sound, but then Shooter didn't expect much from this house.

It looked like any house in the world let alone Celadon City. But, apparently a very important person lived here. Agatha Carter is her name, and she might know something about Whistler's father. Shooter didn't know that much about Whistler's father. Heck, Whistler didn't know very much about Whistler's father.

He left her to live with her Aunt Janet at the age of five. And he helped Giovanni build Whistler's flute.

Shooter didn't know anything. But maybe this Agatha Carter did. What could she know?

"Don't we look encouraging," Velocity joked.

"How so?" Cyber asked, she really didn't seem to have a sense of humor.

"Look at us," Velocity answered, "five kids who look like trouble are going to go up to some strange lady and ask her about her past. Or ask her about her ties to a man hunted by the law. How do you think she is going to take this?"

"It doesn't matter how she takes it," Cyber answered.

"How so?" Whistler asked.

"It simply doesn't matter," Cyber urged, "we have full clearance on this mission. She will answer our questions or else."

"Or else what?" Whistler asked getting a little ticked off.

"That information doesn't concern you," Cyber poked.

"Listen up, slick," Whistler exploded, "you are really getting on my nerves. We were invited on this trip. And I will find my father now with or without you. I don't have to put up with your CPIA bull."

"Oh yeah..." Cyber threatened.

"Ladies please," Mon-Star interrupted, "I hear something. We'll settle any kind of dispute you have later. I invited The Master Six, and I'm glad they're here. So shut up and we'll handle this."

"Yes," Cyber replied.

"Yes sir!" Whistler saluted, "sir!"

He sighed.

Shooter chuckled to himself. Perfect.

The door opened rather slowly. And an older looking woman stood in the doorway. Behind the door there was a screen. And an average looking old lady stood behind it. She looked like the average old grandmother. She was thin, and kept her figure. Her blond hair was graying, and she had little wire-frame glasses perched on her nose. She had a flowered-dress on with an apron.

"Hello?" she welcomed slowly, looking at five strange kids standing at her door.

"Hello ma'am," Mon-Star started, "my name is Cid Tyrone, I'm an agent of the Global Police." He and Cyber flashed her a badge. "We are here to ask you some questions. Do you terribly mind?"

"No, no," she said, "come in. Come in. All of you."

She opened the screen and welcomed everyone inside. She led them into the living room and sat them down. She went to the kitchen and brought back a tray of fresh baked cookies. Ah, how grandmothery.

"Could I interest any of you in some cookies?" she offered.

"No ma'am we..." Mon-Star tried to interrupt.

"I would love a cookie ma'am," Velocity spoke up shooting a satisfied look at Mon-Star. Velocity stood and walked over to the tray. In the end, all of the Master Six had many cookies.

"Please sit down Ms. Carter," Mon-Star finally said.

"Okay," she said slowly.

"He's really strict isn't he Ms. Carter?" Whistler asked.

"Yes, he is," she answered as she took her seat.

"Okay Ms. Carter," Mon-Star started, "we're here for a reason. We need to ask you for anything, any information you have on Malcolm Lapier."

"Malcolm?" she whispered.

"Yes ma'am," Mon-Star answered.

She paused for a little while, and Velocity moved closer to her and held her hand. This was obviously a hard subject for her. None of The Master Six knew anything that she might know. Shooter suspected that these "cippies" knew more than they were letting on. Cyber was a joke, and Mon- Star he trusted only a little bit more. But whatever it took to find Heather answers, he would do it.

"Ms. Carter?" Mon-Star urged.

"It's okay," Velocity whispered to her, "we're only trying to help a friend."

"Okay," Ms. Carter said slowly and carefully, "I haven't heard that name in a long time. I thought that was all behind me. But I guess you can't out run your past can you? Heh, you kids want to know about Malcolm Lapier. Why?"

"That doesn't concern..." Cyber started.

"Ma'am," Mon-Star interrupted.

"Ma'am," Whistler spoke up and moved in to take Ms. Carter's hand, "please tell us. It is very important."

"Okay dear," she said looking into Whistler's eyes, "I will tell you. All of you. Malcolm Lapier was a scientist. I worked with him many years ago, him and his wife. My husband as well. We worked on an island, Cinnabar Island."

That got some attention from The Master Six. All three of them perked up with the mention of the mysterious island. Mon-Star and Cyber had know idea why, but The Master Six seemed kind of worried. Psycho, Specks, and Lindsey were all on Cinnabar Island now. And here this strange woman says that she worked with Whistler's father on that island.

Her story just got a little more interesting.

"We worked for an organization called Team Rocket. We did...experiments, special experiments. I...I don't think I can go into those right now. Don't ask me to do so, it will be too hard. I'm not very proud of the things I used to do there. About seven years ago, around the time Malcolm's wife died, I divorced my husband and left Cinnabar Island. I left him and our daughter on that cursed island to do their science experiments and came here. I have hidden here ever since."

"But what about Malcolm Lapier?" Mon-Star asked urgently like he had lost all time, "do you know where he is right now?"

"Malcolm," she started to cry, "I...I...I'm not sure. I..."

She looked right at Whistler. She made eye contact and held it for what seemed to Shooter like twenty minutes. Whistler squeezed her hand, with tears beginning to form.

"Please," Whistler pleaded.

"Malcolm Lapier," Ms. Carter started, "the last I knew, Malcolm Lapier still worked on Cinnabar Island. I'm pretty sure he's still a scientist there."

"We have to go!" Mon-Star said suddenly standing up.

He headed for the door, Cyber jumped and followed him.

"What!?" Velocity jumped up, "what are you talking about?"

"Ms. Carter still works for Team Rocket," Mon-Star explained, "do you think they would abandon her from a secret job on Cinnabar Island and let her go? No! She took so long to greet us because she was checking us out. She called them and told them we were here. No let's go!"

Shooter jumped to his feet and started to follow. He didn't really trust this Ms. Carter very much. And Mon-Star had a believable story. It was really understandable. And Shooter didn't want any Team Rocket trouble right now. He shot a look back at Whistler and Ms. Carter. Ms. Carter looked sad and worried. Whistler looked worried, yet kind of relieved.

Mon-Star and Cyber were out the door, and Shooter was following. Velocity moved to Whistler and grabbed her arm to pull her towards the door.

"C'mon Whistler," Velocity said, "we've got to go."

Whistler allowed Velocity to pull her away from Ms. Carter, but before they got to the door Whistler broke free and ran back to Ms. Carter. She knelt down in front of her and took her hand.

"I'm Malcolm's daughter," she told Ms. Carter.

"Heather!?" Ms. Carter whispered putting her hand over her mouth. Heather nodded. "Oh my God Heather. Go my dear. Find him." She kissed Whistler on the cheek and patted her shoulder.

Whistler ran out the door. Velocity took one last look at Ms. Carter, then followed the group out the door. She found quite the argument.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Whistler shouted at Mon-Star.

"My job," he shouted back.

"What are you talking about?!" Whistler shouted again.

"I knew that Ms. Carter still had contacts to Team Rocket. And I knew they were following her and keeping tabs on her. All I needed was the current location of Malcolm Lapier. And I got it!"

"Good for you! What else do you know?!" Whistler shouted again.

"More than you need to worry about!" Cyber shot in.

"Keep out of this!" Shooter shouted at Cyber.

"What is going on Cid?" Whistler said more calmly this time.

"I invited you on this mission as a friend Heather. I thought you might want to know about your father. What is the problem?"

"You! You come into this lady's home and make her dredge out the past that she isn't comfortable talking about. You treat her like crap, and now you and your little flunky over here seem to be hiding something from us."

"Flunky?" Cyber asked angrily and she started to glow.

"Heather," Cid warned holding his arm up to stop Cyber, "don't get started. Team Rocket will be here soon. They know you are here, and they will try to get you. And know I realize what a mistake this has been. Don't go to Cinnabar Island Heather, I'm warning you."

"First of all Cid," Heather practically screamed, "let all of Team Rocket come to get me, I don't care. And Second of all. Second of all! What do you mean 'don't go to Cinnabar Island'? Who are you to order me around? I've got news for you Cid; the other half of my team is currently on Cinnabar Island. So get out of my face Cid! I have a job to do!"

"What is your team doing on Cinnabar Island Heather? You shouldn't be there Heather?"

"Shut up Cid! You don't tell me what to do. Okay! You don't tell me, or my team what to do! Neither one of you. Now get out of my face!"

"Don't go Heather," Cid warned quietly as the three members of The Master Six marched off, "Don't go."

Then, Whistler heard a whooshing sound. They turned, and next to Cid now stood what appeared to be a robot. It matched in color to Cyber's bodysuit, and shined under the sun. Cyber was now taller than Cid, and decked out with armor and possibly weapons. The robot's appendages and body were boxy and metallic. There were metal "fins" slicing off from all sorts of places. In a way, the armor resembled a Gyarados. She was dangerous looking. She wrapped her arm around Cid's waist, and they started to blast off into the sky from rockets on the suit's feet.

"Don't go Heather," Cid repeated, "there is nothing for you on Cinnabar Island."

"You're wrong Cid," Whistler shouted to him, "my whole life is on that stupid island!"

And she watched as her old friend flew off into the sky with the help of his little sidekick. It only took a minute, and Heather had already decided that they were going. Who knows what Psycho, Specks, and Lindsey had gotten themselves into. It could only be trouble.

And her father.

Her father might be down there.

Her father!

"Um...Whistler," Velocity spoke up. Velocity stood behind Whistler, and Whistler turned to see what was wrong.

"We have company," Velocity said.

"Who the heck are you?" Whistler asked the two new arrivals.