The Crop Circle Syndrome
Part 2: From Bad to Worse
A pug sat near a stack of tabloids on the newsstand as the two agents arrived.
"Hey stool pigeon," Di greeted him, "What's new?"
The alien in the dog disguise backed away, "Look, I don't know nothin' about nothin'."
"Sure you don't." Di teased, flipping through a paper with a heading that read 'Elvis Spotted on Government Satellite Photos'.
"Alright Franky," Chase stepped up and grabbed the dog by the collar, "time to spill your guts."
Di rolled her eyes, "That a boy Chase, scare the useless information right out of him."
"Useless?" Chase asked.
Di shoved a paper in his face and he read it aloud, "Crop circles appear in field outside city. Farmer's niece and nephew claim aliens were involved."
"Now drop the dog and let's get going." Di instructed, "If we hurry maybe Zed will put us on the case instead of Daycare Duty."
"Looks like you're off the hook this time Franky," Chase set the annoyed alien down, "But keep your paws clean."
The pug growled as the two aliens walked away. "That guy's lucky I just got back from my walk or I'd soil that suit of his."
******
Commander Meg was studying a map of the farmland below the ship when Uta entered her chambers and announced the arrival of Gent.
"What kept him?" Meg boomed and shoved past the startled crew member.
"Pardon my lateness oh terror of the skies but I was taking care of some---lose ends for the Emperor Marscosh." A well-built green alien with black scales spoke solemnly.
The yellow alien smiled wickedly, "I trust your mission was a success?"
"Naturally." Gent gave her a toothy smile that suggested the 'loose ends' had met with an untimely end.
"Excellent, now I have a little assignment for you." Meg began, "It seems that the MIB pose a threat to our mission here on Earth."
"What would you have me do about that?" Gent inquired menacingly.
"Distract them, they need something to occupy their time while the crew and I drive the farming humans from their fields and harvest what we came for."
"Did you have any particular distraction in mind?"
Meg grinned savagely, "Just make it good."
"Kidnappings usually work well for this sort of situation. I could take a prisoner. Hold them at bay. And then collect a large reward for my captive's return." Gent offered.
"That would work out perfectly for you." Meg sneered, "Get the ransom money and the fee you've charged us. It's ludicrous."
"It's business." Gent replied calmly.
"Very well." she agreed, "But if you fail to keep the MIB off our backs, I'll put a Retubian laser sword through yours."
Gent bowed slightly and made his way out of the main room.
Once he was gone Uta turned to the commander, "Commander Meg, do you think it's wise to trust Gent to take care of the MIB on his own?"
Meg was silent for a moment, "He'll do my bidding, no hit man in the universe is dumb enough to double-cross me or return having failed. And if Gent's to be the first, I guarantee he'll be the last."
******
Di and Chase rushed into the chief's office as soon as they got back. Any other agent would've done the same, the dreaded Daycare Duty was something NO ONE wanted to handle. One would prefer paperwork over screaming alien children any day.
"Sir!" Di burst through the door with Chase on her heels. She waved the paper at the white haired man looking at her smugly.
"Yes Agent Di? Back so soon? I see you're looking forward to Daycare Duty." he mused. Finally, a chance to pay back these two headaches and reduce his intake of aspirin for the day.
"Uh…actually Sir. We've got some news about crop circle appearances." Di stated, handing him the paper.
"Hmm…" he read what was typed thoroughly then placed the paper down on his desk. "A hoax Agent Di. It has to be. Nothing was taken and no cattle were present to behave strangely afterwards. There's just nothing in this article to suggest to me that this little encounter with aliens was real."
"So let us investigate it!" Di pleaded, "Anything but Daycare Duty Sir!"
Chase nodded, "We would be out of your hair for the day Sir."
He thought this over, "And if this turns out to be more than an elaborate hoax?"
"We'll report the matter to you ASAP and wait for backup before making a move." Chase said the words, though he didn't mean a single one. And Di knew that.
'We're gonna be in more trouble than before when this case is over.' she sighed to herself. But even the hotheaded antics of her partner were worth suffering if she could get out of alien spit up and playing human sacrifice during a game of Indians and Agents. Why Agent W put up with that was beyond Di.
"Very well," the head of the MIB agreed, "but if you two screw this up and blow your cover…"
"We know, we know," both agents groaned, "Daycare Duty."
"…for a month." he added.
The two agents exchanged looks of terror but before Di could back out and cut her losses Chase agreed for her, "We won't let you down Sir. C'mon Di, let's roll!"
Before she could object Di was being dragged out of her boss's office and down to the garage. "Chase!" she shouted once they were both buckled in.
"What?" he asked innocently.
"What were you thinking?!" she demanded, "Daycare Duty for a day is bad enough, but for a month?!"
Chase shrugged and turned the key in the ignition, "Don't sweat it, all we have to do is go down to that farm and interrogate the witnesses. What could go wrong?"
Di bonked her head on the dashboard, "Jinx, thy name is Chase."
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*Read and review please. I've gotta kinda rush through this one since I'm illustrating it too. UGH! Anyways, hope everyone's enjoying the second chapter. The next one should be up soon…I hope.*