Prologue.......
Somewhere in Hong Kong......
The room was dark. Lit only by the screen dominating one wall and briefly by the light from the hallway as the door was opened and then closed. The man proceeded to the table in the middle of the room, and sat. Only then did he look at the second man who stood in the shadows.
"Evening."
"Evening."
"I suppose you're wondering what you're doing here."
"I am."
"You were called here because you are the best detective we have. You're being sent to Japan. We want information on some strange going ons there." The first man thought for a moment.
"You're referring to these 'Senshi' that have been tearing up Tokyo and were involved in the destruction of the Booster rockets and tanks that were to lift the reactor flight last month at Cape Canaveral in America."
"Indeed. We have some partial information already." The Screen displayed a festival at night. No one in sight. Then there was a flicker and several shadowy figures appeared. One sprinted off into the trees, The biggest one picked up two and then bounded off, followed by two more. One holding it's right arm.
"Five minutes after this was taken, four girls checked into Tokyo General." A picture of a black-haired Asian girl flashed onto the screen. "Raye Hino. She was diagnosed as having a massive concussion, multiple bruises, and cracked ribs. She was treated for her injuries and released in the morning."
An new Picture flashed onto the screen. Another girl. Her Brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail. "Lita Kino. Diagnosed with dislocated arm, multiple bruises and a few cracked Ribs. She too, was treated and released in the Morning."
A third picture appeared. This one was a gorgeous Blond-haired girl. "Mina Anio. Multiple breaks in her right leg, bruises, and a slight concussion. Also, treated and released in the morning."
A fourth picture appeared. This one was also a girl, only her hair was cut short and dyed blue. "Amy Anderson. Diagnosed with multiple concussions, cracked skull, broken nose. broken ribs, punctured lung, and various other bruises and broken bones. Spent 3 days in the ICU, poor kid. Still, she made a full recovery, the only legacy being some slightly slurred speech and her right eye has trouble focusing."
"What could have done that? For that matter, how did she heal so well?"
"Wasn't easy. She was in Physical therapy for some time. But surprisingly, she has her full motor skills. A healing factor of some kind is suspected.
As for what did it, well the girls said it was muggers. But the level of damage is far too great for that. We think it was these guys." The screen displayed multiple images of men and women, some human, some only human- shaped. "We have no idea who they are, although they all seem to be extra- dimensional in nature. They're not human and are considered Class Zero dangerous.
"What does HQ think?"
"HQ thinks there's a war of some kind going on. These guys want the Earth and the energy it has. These 'Sailor Senshi' are doing everything they can to stop it. All these people on the screen have disappeared and are presumed dead." The Screen changed to display a man. His brown hair was thick and long. "Except him. This is J. Maxsfield Stanton. Playboy and Jet setter. Made his fortune in Real estate and World Banking." The screen displayed Stanton dissolving while a girl held him and sobbed as three Sailor Senshi looked on. "Taped recordings have identified Stanton as someone called Nephrite. From what we can tell, he died.
Officially, Stanton disappeared under 'mysterious circumstances'. That was 3 years ago. Two months ago, he returned. He told the media that he had been touring Europe and took up residence again at his mansion in the hills west of Tokyo."
"Is it Nephrite?"
"Doubtful. We think it's an extra-dimensional duplicate. So far he has kept mostly to himself except for once a week when he has been seen in the company of a local girl, the same one, in fact, that was in the picture you just saw. They meet at a coffee shop near Tokyo Tower. They have coffee and a Chocolate Parfait. They talk for a while, then part.
Her name is Molly Naru. She's New York born and raised. Her mother moved here some time ago and opened a Jewelry shop following a messy and nasty divorce."
"What's the mission?"
"Go to Tokyo. Track the Senshi. Gather intelligence. When you can't gather any more, contact them."
"Recruitment?"
"Affirmative. They're using level one class Alien technology. ."
"Level one class? But that means.."
"We know." The second man's voice was weary.
"If Elurius is mixed up in this, it could mean interstellar war. Earth has no allies and no way except for us to defend itself against that psychopath. Nobody is going to want to get in his way except Emperor Azusa, and if they fight, Earth will be devastated." Although the first man was saying aloud what both knew, it served to drive home the problem they faced.
A CD-ROM was set on the table near the first Man's elbow.
"That's everything we have on the Sailor Senshi. Powers, possible civilian ID, that sort of thing." The first man picked up the disk.
"Limits?" He asked, his mind already listing ways around them.
"Keep your cover. Howard arrived Last week."
"You're kidding."
"No. I don't need to tell you what might happen if that kid finds out about us. We've both seen his record." The first man nodded. The Howard kid had come very close to discovering The Project more then once.
"Keep your cover as best you can. Other then that, you're free to use your discretion."
"Yes Sir." The First man sat back and watched a tape of the Senshi battle various foes.
Mina Anio hopped off the back of the motorcycle. Her black T-shirt and Jeans hugging her slim form. Her long Blond hair was braided and swung as best as it could from where it hung beneath the shiny black helmet. The Driver, Lita Kino, pulled off her own helmet. Mina took off the helmet and set aside while she dug through the saddlebags.
Lita was nearly 17. An Orphan, she lived alone, but she had a rich social life. Mina was 16, but was subject to bouts of deep depression due to the death of her boyfriend. But the bouts came less and less these days.
They both gathered their stuff, and headed for the house.
The house was huge. A Mansion that had resided in the Catskill Mountains back in New York, it had been bought and shipped piece by piece to Japan. Where the Owner, one Henry Spencer, who had made a fortune back in the 50's when the U.S helped rebuild Japan after world war 2, bought a huge amount of land and reinstalled the house on it. He then bought up more land and built a company town for the workers at his textile and metal fabrication plants. Although the Plants went belly-up in the 70's, the houses remained and thanks to some ingenious marketing from the bank, had become a real estate hot spot for the rich and Famous of Tokyo's elite .
Spencer's old house was now the Residence of the Howard Family.
Instead of going up to the Front door they went around to the side of the garage and up the stairs to the Apartment above the Garage. Spencer's butler/limo driver had lived here. Now it and the Garage below it were home to Conrad Howard, a certified Genius and current victim of one hell of a flu. Lita cheerfully knocked on the door. Neither one had been in the Apartment before. The Door was opened by a spiky blue haired, black leather clad, gum chewing apparition.
"Yo. Welcome." Having divulged this, the apparition turned and walked away. Lita and Mina walked in. The Apartment was a pigsty. Video Tapes, papers with scrawled calculations, plates piled high in the sink dirty and unwashed.
"Jeez, no wonder he got sick, look at this place." Lita set her bags down. Mina shrugged.
"Conrad has been like this for years, his mind is always active and he can get so absorbed in something he forgets general hygiene."
"Well he can't get well in this." Having said that, Lita headed for the kitchen and soon the sound of dishes being washed could be heard. Mina shrugged and headed down the hallway, she opened the door on her left and squeezed through. The reason that the door didn't open very far was because of the fifty or so arrows stuck in the back.
The room was also a mess. Clothes lay scattered on the floor along with papers, circuit boards, books and duffel bags.
There were two other people in the room besides her. One was a young man, 16 years old, lying on the bed with an ice bag on his head and a thermometer in his mouth. The other was a woman who reminded her of Janine Turner as June Cleaver. The sick one was Conrad, the woman was his mother. Mary Howard, a brilliant chemical and computer engineer. She was also very absent-minded, tending to forget everything when she became caught up in a project. About the only thing that could distract her was her children needing her. She was seated on the bed and she reached over and plucked the thermometer out.
"104 degrees. A two degree drop. Hello Mina." She said without looking up. "Where's your friend Lita?"
"In the kitchen doing dishes."
"Oh good. I was going to do that next. I guess I had better go help Shellie."
"Shellie's here?" Mina thought back to the apparition that had answered the door. "Was that Shellie who answered the door?"
"Yes. She's 13 now and going through that whole teen angst thing. Her father and I have decided to let her go and wear that outfit, instead of fighting with her."
"Oh." Mina went back to the door and started pulling the arrows out.
"So how have you been?"
"I'm great, I've made some new friends. Without them, I don't think I......I....." Mina closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Almost instantly, Mary was off the bed and hugging her.
"There, there." She crooned. "Let it out." Mina sobbed hard.
"I miss him so much!" She cried between sobs. But even in her grief, Mina knew she couldn't tell Mary the truth about David's death. That she and her friends were the Sailor Senshi, Reborn Alien Princesses with superpowers. She certainly couldn't tell her that David had been The Crystal Knight, an armored warrior who had sacrificed himself to keep the Black Lady, an evil woman from the future and another dimension who had come back in time to take over the world. David had shoved her through a Portal into another dimension and then followed her in to make sure she stayed there. As a cover story, the Senshi had thrown his wheelchair off a cliff into the sea, then called for help. When they dredged the ocean bottom, they found only his chair. Officials assumed that the body had been dragged out to sea or smashed against the rocks below the cliff. The story they had told the cops was that David had rolled his chair to the cliff to get a picture of the sunrise, his chair brakes had slipped and he went over the edge before anyone could reach him.
They bought it, fortunately. Although there were a few people who refused to believe that David could have slipped. But they had no proof. Chris was quite good at covering tracks. There was simply no proof that David had been pushed. The Case was considered closed.
But now there was a new Crystal knight Operating. Only this seemed more.....Alien.......cold.
As though he was here to deal with the Negaverse, and that was it.
It was what was keeping Mina from going suicidal. She knew that she was clinging to false hope, that it probably wasn't David, but if he had come back to her, she wanted to know. She had to know. That need to know is what had been keeping her going. She had begun to eat again, even smile a little. Although much of it was due to Conrad.
Her eyes fell on the amazing Iggy, AKA 'Einstein', Conrad's pet iguana, who was watching her from Conrad's bed, his beady black eyes open wide. Mina sniffled, watching the iguana as Mary led her to the bed to sit down. Once they had sat down, Iggy promptly picked up something in his mouth, carried it to Mina, and offered it to her. It was the drumstick that Conrad and him played games of 'Bat-Iguana' with. Mina smiled weakly then picked up the drumstick, holding it level to the bed. Iggy promptly grabbed onto it with his hind feet and as the drumstick was raised, he came to be hanging upside down from it. Iggy blinked at Mina, an innocent 'I'm just a lizard ma'am, don't mind me' look in his beady black eyes.
Mina set the stick back down and Iggy crawled back to rest by Conrad's arm. By now, Conrad had dozed off.
"He's very intelligent for a lizard." Mina said. Mary shrugged.
"He's certainly loyal. He and Conrad haven't parted since David gave him to Conrad as a gift." She smiled, got up, and left.
Since it had to be done anyway, Mina began to clean up. The Clothes were tossed in the hamper, the circuit boards in a cardboard box. The Books and Papers she stacked and set on the desk. The duffel bags were tossed into the closet. Then she left the room and headed back down the hall. The Living room had been transformed. The plates were gone. The tapes had been stacked neatly on the coffee table. As had the papers. Everything was cleaned and polished.
"Wow."
"You like?" Lita was relaxing on the couch.
"Yeah......wow."
When Conrad woke up a few hours later, he found that Mina was sitting by his bed. She looked at the strange expression on his face.
"You look like you've had a killer dream."
"Yeah. These Penthouse Pets wanted to take me to Funkytown. So I went. Several times."
"Even your dreams are weird. You hate that song."
"Hate the song, enjoyed the company." He grinned wickedly at her. Mina rolled her eyes and jammed the thermometer in his mouth.
A Few days Later.
Conrad limped into the living room, his leg, as it often did, was hurting. He set himself on the couch and stuck his leg on the coffee table. Making sure his heel rested on a magazine.
A few minutes later, Shellie walked in, dressed in a T-shirt and cutoffs. Her hair was an off-blue today and she wore her usual sour expression.
Neither sibling greeted each other. Instead, they sat in silence. Another few minutes passed and their parents entered. Without a word, David Howard handed Conrad a brochure.
After reading it, he tossed it casually in Shellie's direction.
"I assume the paperwork has already been put through." As he often did, he said it as a statement, not a question. David nodded.
"We feel it is best. You both have many talents and we feel that Fugimyia Academy is the best place for you two." Conrad considered this for a moment.
"Alright." Shellie was bit more vocal.
"What?! You're willing to let them ship you off to-" Conrad cut her off
"-To where they are not." Shellie's mouth snapped shut as she too, considered the fact that they were going where there was no parents.
"Okay," she said quietly. I'll go."
That Night......
David Howard stared as Conrad raked the last of the poker chips into a pile.
"I don't understand how you can constantly beat me at poker even with a fresh, unopened deck." Conrad looked at him for a moment.
"Math."
"Oh?"
"Yes. 52 cards, 13 cards per suite. From top to bottom the suites are stacked in the order of Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and diamonds." He left the rest for his father to figure out.
"I see." David stacked up the cards. He knew very well that Conrad's IQ was light years beyond the 145 the Mental Aptitude test that Conrad had taken at age 11 had claimed. Statements like the one he had just given proved it. "So?" Conrad took the deck and held onto it for a moment. Then he plucked four cards from various parts of the deck and laid them on the table face down. David reached out and turned them over. Each one was an Ace. Then it clicked for him. Conrad had memorized the order of the deck, then watching him shuffle and using some math, he could calculate, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, what each card dealt would be. Amazing.
With a sigh, David handed Conrad the keys to the Sunboomer. He and Conrad had been playing poker to settle arguments for the past 5 years. This one had been to decide whether or not Conrad took the Sunboomer to the Academy. Conrad had won after 2 hours of solid playing. Which made Conrad's trick all the more amazing as he would have to keep track of the ever changing order of cards. With chagrin, David admitted to himself that he had been flamboozeled for the past five years. He decided not make an issue of it.
"You take good care of it."
"Like it was my very own."
One month later, Raye's temple. Thursday After School.
Lita bit into the cookie. tomorrow, she and the others would be boarding the bus for Fugimyia Academy, located near the north tip of Japan. She wondered what they would find there.
"Oooh! I can't wait!" Serena smiled happily. "No parents, open campus! Free Food!"
"At least she knows what's important." Chris commented sourly. Amy looked up from her Trig textbook.
"But what about the Negaverse? If we're there, and they attack here, what's to stop them?"
"Me, Chris, Kate and Hotaru, The Four sisters and Nephrite." Rose looked around. "Besides, if they want us, they'll find us."
"True."
The Next Morning.
Greg Morgan stood in front of his house. His luggage consisted of two suitcases, a military duffel, and his backpack. Conrad had offered to take him to the Academy. But he was late.
As soon as that thought entered his head, a dark blue convertible with the Top down turned the corner and right into his driveway. Conrad grinned at him from the driver's seat.
"Sorry I took so long, had to make some stops." He got out and stretched. He was dressed for travel. Under the baseball jacket was what appeared to be a Short-sleeved denim shirt over a T-Shirt that bore an Umbrella and read, "Hail the Sacred Umbrella, or get thwacked!" His jeans appeared to be well-worn and on his feet....Greg blinked. Conrad was wearing Bunny Slippers. The really strange part was that it made sense for Conrad. Greg had learned early on that Conrad did things that made no sense to anyone else but apparently made perfect sense to him. For his part, Greg was wearing his school uniform at his mother's insistence.
"Nice....slippers." He managed to get out.
"Thank you." Conrad picked up the backpack and tossed it onto the passenger seat. "Just stick it on the rear floor." Sighing, Greg picked up his duffel and was about to toss it in. That's when he saw that the back floor was covered in bags and suitcases and on top of it was Shellie, stretched out, her hands behind her head.
Seeing him, she snapped her gum and lifted up her legs.
"Suitcases first." She said simply. Conrad tossed in Greg's suitcases one on top of the other. Then in went the duffel. Shellie dropped her legs on top of it. Greg waved good-bye to his parents as he got in and buckled the seat belt. Conrad got in.
"Ready?" He said with a smile.
"I guess so." The engine roared to life. The car backed out of the driveway, pushing Greg forward against his seatbelt. Conrad shifted gears and put the accelerator pedal to the floor, slamming Greg against the seat.
"Nice huh?" Conrad took one hand off the wheel and took out a pair of mirrored sunglasses, turning the corner at top speed as he put them on. Greg gripped the side of the car, positive he felt the driver's side wheels briefly lift off of the pavement. Conrad didn't even bother slowing as they hit traffic, weaving the car in and out between other cars. Greg winced as horns blasted left and right. But finally they hit the stoplight. Greg discovered he was breathing so hard he was practically hyperventilating.
"What's wrong? You're white as a sheet." Conrad drank from a travel mug that bore the logo of the Statue of Liberty.
"What's wrong? You nearly killed us!" Conrad seemed puzzled.
"How did I do that?"
"Weaving through the cars like a maniac!" Greg's voice had risen to a fever pitch. Conrad shrugged and hit the accelerator as the light changed to green.
"Greg, do you, and I'm saying this as a friend, do you know what your problem is?"
"What?"
"You're too uptight."
Shelly popped up from the back seat and stuck her head between them.
"Yeah, you need to loosen up." She snapped her gum.
"Have a laugh now and then." Conrad said as he changed lanes without signaling.
"I--" Greg gulped out, But Conrad continued.
"See Greg, how we grow up shapes how we react to life, how we dress, even the kind of friends we choose. So if your parents are racist atheists, then you'll be one too, unless you encounter an opposing influence. That's one of the great things about being human you see, we can make conscious decisions to change our behavior if we so choose."
"Uh-huh," was all Greg managed to get out.
"So if you want to loosen up, you have to make a conscious decision to change. You told me that you wanted to learn how to relax and loosen up didn't you?
"Uh-huh." They changed lanes.
"So as the first step towards loosening up, why not lose the monkey suit?"
"My uniform?"
"Just the jacket." Greg hesitated then pulled it off.
"Now what?" He said, crumpling it up into a wadded ball.
"Chuck it."
"You mean just toss it away?"
"Yep."
"I dunno......I mean, I could hit someone."
"And?" Conrad looked over at him. "So what? You wanted to be adventurous right?"
"Well, yeah......." The Car stopped for a light.
"So chuck it." Greg looked down at the wadded ball in his hands.
"Where?"
"How about Cyrano over there?" Conrad pointed. Turing his head to follow the finger, Greg saw a tall guy dressed in a gi with a wooden sword in his hand reciting bad poetry to well-built redheaded pigtailed girl in Chinese clothes who looked like she wanted to cream the other guy. Off to one side stood a second girl holding a black pig with a yellow kerchief around it's neck. At that point, Shellie sat up in the back seat and yelled.
"Hey! Cyrano de Moron!" They all turned to look at them.
Figuring what the hell, Greg pitched the ball and smacked it right into the bad poet's face as the light changed. Turning his head to see the aftereffects he saw Shellie giving Cyrano the finger with both hands as they left the group in the dust.
Settling himself back in the seat as they turned onto the freeway, he felt a grin spread across his face.
"That was fun."
"You're so right Greg," Conrad steered them into the Fast lane. "Right as rain."
It was about an hour later that Greg turned his head to say something to Shellie and found himself face to face with a Lizard.
"AH!" He shouted as he reared back. Conrad looked at him.
"What?" Greg raised a trembling finger to point at the lizard, who was hanging on to the headrest and backrest with it's claws. Conrad followed the finger. "Oh. That's Iggy, short for Einstein."
"You have a Lizard for a pet." Greg said slowly. Conrad nodded. Despite the fact that he had always had an irrational fear of reptiles, Greg forced himself to relax. "Why am I not surprised?"
For some reason, Conrad found that hilarious, and laughed for the next five minutes.
Lita awoke with a start and looked out the window. The bus was traveling along a coastal highway. The sky was dark with Gray clouds, and the sea stretched out to the horizon. Seated as she was in the last row, she turned to look behind them. Nothing but road and trees and ocean. Most of the Students were asleep. The ones that weren't were talking quietly.
Across the aisle from her, Amy looked up from her book and smiled. Lita dug a soda out of the cooler someone had smuggled aboard.
"Want one?" Amy shook her head.
"No. But thank you for offering."
"Boring, aint it?" Amy closed the book.
"I suppose it is." She said quietly. "I'm looking forward to the science facilities there."
"Yeah. I hear the kitchen is something else. If it's food you can make it there.
"Yes, and I'm sure Serena will love that." Lita clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle a giggle.
"How much longer till we get there do you suppose?" She asked, when she had recovered. Amy glanced at her watch.
"We've been on the road three hours already. We should be there soon." She opened her book again. Lita leaned back against the seat and took a drink.
Frederick Myers, dean of discipline for Fugimyia Academy, made a note on his clipboard as the bus pulled up and began disgorging students. It was nearly Sunset. One by one, the students gave their names to the check-in clerk, picked up their bags and trudged off to the dorms. He leaned over the clerks shoulder and frowned. Three students still weren't here. He picked up the registration cards and went through them. Conrad Howard, Shellie Howard, and Greg Morgan.
There was nothing worse then tardiness Myers thought as he lit his pipe, nothing at all. It was at that point that the car pulled in. It was dark black blue, a convertible. The Top was down. Two boys sat in the front, while a girl sat on top of the back of the backrest. Even in the dim light, he could see that her spiked hair was red and green. Her shirt was Tie-dyed and she wore a leather biker jacket and ripped blue jeans. She did a backwards somersault, walked around to the passenger side, leaned over and started lifting bags and suitcases out. The Passenger got out to help, while the driver, his brown hair tied back and leaning heavily on a cane, walked to the clerk's table. The other two hauled the suitcases and duffel bags to the sidewalk. Then they all gathered around the hood of the car to fill out the cards. Myers drifted closer to listen.
"...My God. Conrad, we are going to be on the same floor of the same dorm hall." The Girl snapped her gum. "I go through enough crap just being your sister!"
"Since when have you been through crap?" Retorted the ponytail.
"The night you gave Snake O' Challahan a permanent case of the jitters."
"I warned him not to grab that live wire. That was 500 watts in there."
"You nearly killed him!"
The Ponytail seemed completely confused by the girl's reaction.
"And?" He said. The girl sighed noisily.
"Um?" The second guy spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"I don't understand." The Girl sighed.
"Conrad," She pointed at the ponytail. "Fried a gang leader's nervous system when he souped up a Harley as a favor."
Conrad shrugged. "He asked, I gave him what he wanted."
"You almost killed him!" The girl stomped up to the curb and lit a cigarette.
Myers stepped forward.
"This is a No Smoking Campus Young Lady." She looked at the pipe in his hand.
"Uh-huh." She blew some smoke. "You gonna stand there with a lit pipe in your hand and tell me that this is a no smoking campus?" Myers glanced over at the two boys. The Ponytail was sitting on the car hood eating a candy bar. The other one was standing in the parking lot next to the curb with his hands in his pockets, looking back and forth, unsure of what to do.
"As a matter of fact," Myers said with quiet authority, "As the Dean of Discipline at Fugimyia Academy, I am standing here with a lit pipe in my hand telling you that this is a no smoking campus." The Girl didn't even change expression. Instead, she dropped the cigarette to the ground and very slowly and purposefully, ground it out with her boot.
"I would recommend you all get to your dorms." He said. "Classes start bright and early Monday morning. You have until then to make yourselves at home." Ponytail stepped up to the curb and picked up a backpack, a briefcase, and a duffel bag. Taking out a remote from somewhere, he pointed it at the car and pressed a button. The Top came up and latched into place as the windows rolled themselves up. He pressed another button, the headlights flashed twice, and there was a double beep.
"I agree with the good dean. It is rather late." With that, he walked off to the dorms.
Shellie Howard stepped off the elevator. The hallway was wide enough for three people standing side by side. Graffiti and artwork covered the walls. People sat outside the doors doing homework or socializing. Dear God, co-ed dorms. She looked down at her registration card. Isaki Hall, 7th floor, room 48. She swung her duffel into the gut of a passing student.
"Hey! What's the big idea?" He glared at her.
"Bite me dipwad." She shot back. "Show me where room forty eight is and you can go back to your miserable excuse for a life."
"Forty-Eight?" He laughed. "You get to room with the Mouse."
"The Mouse?"
"Yep. Mary 'The Mouse' Mitchell. She's so timid she breaks into tears if the wind blows to hard." He pointed to her left. "End of the hall."
"Thanks."
Mary Mitchell stared at her exam book. Oh dear, she never should have tried for extra credit. She looked up as the door banged open and an apparition stood there. Spiked hair, leather jacket, torn jeans, boots. The Apparition snapped it's gum.
"Yo. You the Mouse?" Mary nodded hesitantly. "Great. I'm Shellie." She walked in. The room was immaculate. Not a speck of dust or dirt. "Jeez girl, how long do you spend cleaning this rathole?" She dumped her bags on the couch. "Never mind. So what's to eat around here?" She walked to the kitchenette and started opening cabinets and drawers. Mary walked over to her. The dorms were rather unique in design. A central living area with kitchenette and then two bedrooms on opposite each other, each with it's own private bathroom, and shower/tub. There was a big screen TV in the central living area, but Mary had never used it.
Shellie finished her inspection of the food supply. She had never seen so bland a food supply. Crackers, some fruit, a few veggies. She looked over at her new roomie. The Mouse was tall. She wore a baggy sweatshirt and sweat pants. Her brown hair was tied back and she wore glasses. She seemed to expect that she would get flattened or worse. Talk about your mismatches.
On the other hand, maybe there was someone she could get along with under all that baggy crap.
Conrad and Greg stood in the common area of their Dorm. a door to the left led to one of the bedrooms, a door on the right led to the other. Each with it's own private bath. That, and the Big Screen TV was the only luxuries granted to students.
"Right or Left?" Greg looked at Conrad.
"Huh?"
"Which do you want? The bedroom on the right, or the one on the left?"
"Uh, the one on the left I guess."
"Excellent." Conrad scooped up his stuff and walked into his room. Greg sighed. He had wanted Adventure.
Cafeteria, the Next Morning.
Shellie set her tray down with a thunk.
"Hi Shellie." Serena said, smiling. Shellie glowered. "Uh...Problem?"
"Yeah. My roommate has a nickname." The look on Shellie's face could have passed for Cherylnoble.
"Oh?" Serena was slowly backing away from her, a look of fear on her face.
Student Parking Lot.
Dean Myers smiled and nodded as the man next to him waved at the parking lot.
"....look at this! Students having cars! They are here to learn, not drive around! Did you know that there is a rumor that one student actually owns a Sunboomer? It's outrageous!"
And you wish you could have one, Myers thought as he glanced at the other Man's car in the next parking lot. Instead of voicing his thoughts, Myers said.
"Yes Headmaster Falk. Outrageous indeed." Myers gaze slid to the Headmaster's car. At one point it had been a '75 Datsun 210. But the years had not been kind to it. Rust showed in some places and the paint was peeling off in others. Still, Falk's record spoke for his skill as both an Educator and top Electrical Engineer. Of course, Myers reflected dryly as his gaze slid to his own '84 Trans AM, his car wasn't much better.
The headmaster opened his mouth to say something else, when a dark blue convertible, the top down, purred into the parking lot. Myers hid a smile when he saw it was the same car from last night. The Ponytailed driver got out. Myers was amused to see the Headmaster's face bristling with barely concealed wrath at the fact a student had a better car then he did.
"Good Morning Dean." He said as he leaned over the backseat to retrieve something.
"Indeed." Myers said Dryly. "And how do you like it here so far, Mister. . . Howard is it?"
"Yes sir. Please, call me Conrad.." He came up with a paper bag and a terrarium. Myers took the opportunity that the morning sun offered to look him over. Conrad Howard stood at about five feet 10 inches. His weight was probably about one-thirty. He was wearing mirrored sunglasses so it was difficult to discern eye color. Caucasian Male. Pale Skin told Myers that he spent a lot of time indoors. His Hair was Brown and shaggy. The tip of the pony tail was probably just level with his shoulder blades. He was Handsome on the cute side, medium build and his face suggested a Welsh Ancestry.
Next, Myers took a look at his clothes. A Black Denim Jacket over a Tourist's T-Shirt for the Empire State building. Blue Jeans and Hightops. He appeared to be evenly distributing his weight on both legs, although Myers saw a slight angle to his body which suggested the right leg was weaker then the left. Falk stepped forward.
"Did you say your name was Conrad Howard?" Conrad nodded. "The Conrad Howard? Designer of the Electrical Bypass System?"
A Nod. "Yes Sir." Conrad set the terrarium and paper bag down. Falk stepped forward, offering his hand.
"I'm Christopher Falk, Headmaster of the Academy." Howard shook the proffered hand.
"Falk...Doctor Falk? Of MIT? Sir, it is an Honor to meet you. Your Modular Current theory was the inspiration of the EPS. I had to alter it rather drastically I'm afraid though." Myers saw Falk's face redden ever so slightly as that statement. Conrad popped the hood. "Let me show you." The two fell into a highly technical discussion with Conrad doing most of the talking and Falk nodding as head as he listened, asking occasional questions. Myers however, was skilled at reading body language and saw something different. Falk was at a loss. He had no idea about half of what Howard was saying. It gnawed at him that Howard not only had a better car, but had altered his designs and then had the nerve to patent it.
Myers had traveled all over the world in his career. Insomnia on a Night Flight had left him with time on his hands and he had read Falk's paper on Modular Current which had been a gift from an engineer friend. His hobby of Building Remote Control planes from scratch had given him some electrical knowledge, and he saw that Falk's design was good only in massive structures, such as Battleships and Aircraft carriers. He tuned his attention back to the conversation.
Conrad he saw, had read the dean the same way and was deliberately being overly technical. Myers took a few steps away and lit his pipe, unable to shake the feeling that a storm was brewing.
Charwar.....
Bertie tugged at the collar of the high necked formal uniform and stood in the throne room, behind her, the assembled hosts and hounds and things she really didn't want to think about watched her.
With a shimmer, Seekay, Lord of the Negaverse, her master, materialized on the raised platform.
My loyal followers, I wish to announce that the Senshi have deserted Tokyo A hearty cheer went up, and Seekay let it go for several minutes, before finally raising a hand for silence. Bertie cheered as loud as anyone there, she had suffered defeat twice at the hands of those thrice be damned Sailor Senshi. Her hand tightened into a fist. She was looking forward to freezing them solid from the neck down and then, inch by inch, shattering them. A grim smile spread on her face and then she realized Seekay was standing right in front of her.
Bertie....Perhaps you would like to tell me why my hall is now covered in ice? Startled, she looked around to discover that the room was iced over.
"I apologize My Lord, I was fantasizing about what I would do to the Senshi....I'm afraid I got out of control." She bowed her head.
And what was that Fantasy?
"I was going to freeze them solid from the neck down and then shatter them inch by inch....while they still lived."
Impressive. You are now my new Commander in Chief.
"WHAT?!" Malachite roared. Skeet's hood turned ever so slightly, as though he was turning his head to look at Malachite. Malachite paled and then he stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it. "Forgive me Master." He said. "I had something in my ear and couldn't hear you." He jerked his finger out, revealing a truly nice-sized ball of wax.
Impressive. Bertie couldn't tell if Seekay was referring to the ball of wax or Malachite's bold faced lie in an attempt to save his skin. She knew what sparked it though, Malachite had seniority and she was being promoted over his head. You will be dealt with for your transgression later. Perhaps I will let Bertie practice the plans she has for the Sailor Senshi on you. He turned back to Bertie. Take a Squad to Earth. Specifically to Fujimya Academy, located on the North coast of Japan. The Senshi have moved there and I want them distracted. Rubius.
Rubius appeared as Seekay spoke his name. "Yes Master?"
Begin operation Red Diamond, and no screw-ups! There are only a few months left until The Lady arrives.
"I beg for My Lord's forgiveness for my forwardness," said Rubius, executing a short half-bow," But are you sure that The Lady will be pleased with the gift? If she is as powerful as you say, might this not anger her instead of pleasing her?"
You speak with wisdom Rubius. Unusual for one such as you. But this is not an attempt to please her, no. She expressed a desire to see it. So she see it she shall.
"As you wish my Lord. I shall set out on my task immediately." Giving Seekay a full formal bow, Rubies vanished.
Now then. Malachite, we shall discuss your transgression.
Outside the Hall, the guard shifted his lance to a more comfortable position in the crook of his arm and completely ignored the screams of pain and terror coming from within.
Saturday Afternoon.....
Mina rolled her eyes. "Yes mom. I'm fine." She said, leaning against the pay phone, one hand absently twisting the diamond ring on her finger, a gift from David. "No, I haven't seen the Counselor yet. What? No. No bouts of depression. Yes, I'm taking the medication." She managed to bite back a snarl of annoyance. "Yes, I'll go see the Counselor Monday, as soon as class lets out. No, I don't think you need to call and ask if they want my psych tests. Mom, I'm not Maniac-Depressive. Yes, I agree, but that was right after the funeral." She sighed. "Fine. Send them the damn psych tests. Yes, I love you too Mom. Give my best to Dad." With that she hung up.
"Moms." Lita said dryly from her perch across the sidewalk on a low wall. She hopped down. She was dressed in shorts, a Mandai Memorials team jersey, and sandals. "Yours almost makes me glad I don't have one any more."
"Ha ha." Mina retorted sourly.
Monday Morning, Ms Judith Efflick's English class.........
Mina slipped into the seat next to Lita.
"Morning." Lita said cheerfully. Mina just growled.
"Sod off." She snapped. "Mornings are an evil invention by people who don't need sleep." With that, she folded her arms on the desk in front of her and dozed off.
Conrad nodded to Lita and picked a seat in the second to last row. He set his cane on the floor and opened his binder.
"Nice Cane." Conrad looked to his right. There sat a young man, not much older then he was. He had straight blond hair and signs of Acne. His blue eyes were bright.
"Thanks." Conrad replied.
"Don't mention it. Name's Rob. Rob Corbin."
"Conrad Howard."
Mina's head snapped up and she stared across the room to where Conrad was talking to a blond boy.
"Oh shit."
"What?"
"Conrad's making friends." Mina's head dropped back to her arms. "We're all doomed."
The teacher was an athletic woman, with large shoulders that suggested a swimmer. Her platinum blond hair was cut short, and her blue eyes were bright and expressive.
"Good Morning class," She had a slight British accent "My name is Ms Efflick, and I shall be your jailer for the next hour." A ripple of laughter ran through out the classroom. "Now then. We will read four books. Huckleberry Finn, Catcher in the Rye, To kill a Mockingbird, and a novel of your choice. After each one I will expect a book report no more then two pages, double spaced on each one. There will also be a Mid-term and final report. We'll get into those later. I would also like to point out that I speak and understand German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish. I also can make myself understood in Korean. So no snide comments in foreign languages." She picked up a clipboard.
As you know, this Academy is structured on a basis similar to the American Universities. Academic standards however, are Japanese. This is a high school and you are expected to behave like high school students. The Academy is also designed to locate your hidden strengths and exploit them. So therefore, we will move around the room, and when I point to you , you tell me your name, what you are interested in, and what you like to be."
So it began. Finally, she came to Conrad.
"And your name is?"
"Conrad Howard."
"Nice to meet you Conrad. What are you interested in?"
"Electrical engineering mainly. I like to tinker with stuff."
"So you would like to be an Electrical Engineer?"
"Actually, I would like a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering...." Ms Efflick began to move the next student when Conrad spoke up again. ".....So I can be a railroad hobo."
The clipboard clattered to the floor.
"A--A railroad hobo you say?" Conrad nodded, his face perfectly serious. Mina groaned under her breath and slouched in her seat. Efflick cleared her throat. "Uh...surely a career as a railroad hobo is far from the best use of your talents.
"On the contrary." Conrad said, "It's perfect. Wide open spaces, you get to travel and meet all sorts of people. Plus it takes brains to be a railroad hobo. You have to memorize train schedules and routes, plus timing algorithms to hop into boxcars."
"Yes.....well....." Efflick cleared her throat again and pointed at the boy at Conrad's right.
"Robert J. Corbin." He said, then pointed at Conrad. "I'm gonna be a railroad hobo just like him." Then both boys folded their hands on the desks in front of them and gave the teacher big smiles.
Lita leaned over to Mina.
"He's kidding.....right?"
"I can never tell." Mina said quietly, slouching further and then falling off her seat.
After class, Mina caught up with Conrad.
"What was all that about?!" She demanded.
"What was what all about."
"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" She jabbed a finger at the classroom. "Just what was all that crap about being a railroad hobo?"
"I thought you said you couldn't tell when he was kidding." Said Lita.
"Shaddup Lita." Mina snapped. She turned her attention back to Conrad. "Well?"
"Oh Mina. Don't you know that you never get a second chance to make a first impression?" With that, he turned and walked away. Lita turned to Mina to find her banging her head against the wall saying something over and over. Lita leaned closer to listen.
"We're doomed. We're doomed. We're doomed....."
Gym Class......
The gym teacher hailed from Texas. A broad shouldered man, he paced back and forth in front of the students.
"Alright. Now here's what y'all gonna do, yer gonna jump in that there pool and do ten laps." He paused. "Now git!" The students all stood up and jumped in and proceeded to flounder about. Except for Mina, who struck out for the far end with swift and smooth strokes.
"...And then, just because I could swim, he singled me out for extra laps! Its not my fault I can swim!" Mina swung a vicious kick at the wall. Amy watched her. "I'm from Southern California damnit! Swimming is one of the few ways to stay cool in the summer! "She swung another kick at the wall. "He's an ass!" She exclaimed, her kicks punctuating each word. "A stupid- stogie smoking-hasn't-shaven-in-three-days-ASS!"
"Um...kicking the wall won't do you any good Mina. Perhaps you should talk to him."
"I tried that. You know what he said?" Amy shook her head. Mina hitched up her pants and squinted as she launched into an impression of the teacher.
"'Well now little lady. I can't rightly see what you're so mad about. Its like advanced math. The best students get more work.'" She straightened. "I'm not the best! I'm just the only one out of that whole sorry mess who can swim!" Amy chose not to point out the holes in Mina's logic.
"Oh God, I miss David." Mina sagged against the wall and then slid down it. "He always knew how to make sense of this kind of stuff." She covered her eyes with her hands and sobbed.
That evening, at 7:16 PM, Isaki Hall Lobby
Mina, Amy, Raye, Lita, Serena, and several of their schoolmates, stared at the overlarge hammock in the middle of the room. The hammock was filled with mannequins dressed in various pieces of lingerie and in evocative positions. There also was one crash test dummy, and three blow up dolls, Marlin Monroe, Meryl Streep, and a young Yohko Ohno, respectively.
Shellie snapped her gum, looking vaguely bored. She looked over at Conrad, who had somehow managed to look smug and innocent at the same time.
"You forgot the dragon lady mannequin." Conrad shrugged.
"The store didn't have any."
"Like that ever stopped you." Shellie retorted acidly as she grabbed her roommate's sleeve and dragged her out.
Mary let herself be dragged outside where Shellie lit up a cigarette, completely ignoring the No Smoking sign.
"Um....there's a...no smoking sign." Mary said. Shellie looked up at the sign, then pulled a wrench and with a few minutes work, took down the sign and tossed it and the bolts into the bushes.
"What no smoking sign?" Mary stared at the audacity of the act.
"But there's.....I mean, there was.....which you......" Shellie looked at her expectantly.
"No wonder they call you the Mouse." She scoffed. "I've met up with actual mice less timid." She paused to finish off the cigarette and grind it out with the toe of her boot.
"You have?" Mary asked, curiosity overcoming her shyness.
"Yeah. In the Subway system of New York." Shellie stuck her hands in her jacket and walked down the steps "I'm going into town to grab a movie. See ya, don't wait up!"
The Scout craft materialized just before setting down on the hillside. Bertie studied the veiwscreen as the sensors took their readings.
"Twentieth century's are the same everywhere." She observed, her eyes flickering over the running column of data scrolling up the side of the screen.
"Not nessacarily true ma'am," one of the pilots ventured. "There's the inhabitants of dimension one twenty four who--GAACK!" He screeched as a collar of ice formed around his neck, just enough to put pressure on his windpipe. "--Are of no interest to any of us!" He gasped out. The collar vanished. Bertie resumed staring out the window. This attack must be handled carefully. Yes.
Raye frowned as a familiar but unpleasant tingle rippled across the back of her neck. She raised her head from the book long enough to take a quick glance around the room and out the windows. Nothing. It was probably just her imagination.
"Miss Hino!" The voice cracked across the room like a whip. "We are here to study, not to sightsee!" Raye bent her head back down to the book, silently seething at the old Englishwoman who was her math instructor. Raye looked at Shellie, who was one row away and a seat up. Shellie was slouched in her seat her math book standing up. Behind it, she was reading a tome of cyber- gangs. Raye focused her gaze on the book before her and tried to ignore the increasingly insistent tingle at the back of her neck.
Mrs. Abigail Horton Harriwether stared down at the math test before her. The Howard girl's name was scribbled out across the top and the answers penned rapidly and without much thought. Still. Reluctantly, she picked up the answer key. The young tramp probably cheated her way through the test and she felt no surprise when all the answers proved to be correct. It was obvious then. The girl had cheated.
The fact that all of her tests were written at her home and kept in a triple-locked archive in her computer which was kept in a safe making it all but impossible for anyone but her to get at them had no bearing on the conviction that Shellie Howard had quite obviously cheated. One only needed to look at the girl. Her hair was dyed, she wore clothes more suited to the life of a call girl, and her attitude was dreadful. She was obviously a cheater.
Mrs. Harriwether huffed to herself, gave the girl a F and then wrote a scathing note underneath it before placing it in the pile of papers that was to be returned to the pack of monsters before her.
Raye rubbed the back of her neck. The tingle had turned into a solid ache. Where was it? She risked another glance and saw a huge shadow at the door. There was no way she could transform in here. She would have to wait. Her hand tightened around the wand as she kept her face in an expression of studious concentration. But her eyes kept drifting to the door. What was it waiting for?
The answer came moments later as the monster ripped through the door like a hot knife through butter. It was an ugly beast, at least eight feet tall, with a rounded head, no neck that could be easily seen, a large, muscular body with large claws at the end of its four fingered hands.
The students screamed. Raye raised her wand, hoping the confusion would hide her as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Sit down!" Mrs. Hariwether's voice, accompanied by the sound of the meter stick smacking against the blackboard served to quiet most of the students down and the rest soon followed. "Resume your places."
"But its a monster!" A student called out.
"Rubbish." Mrs. Harriwether snorted. "This is obviously a prank by some of the seniors."
"Aroo?" The monster stared at her then raised his arm, claws gleaming. "Rahwrrr!"
"Oh quit that you stupid child." She smacked his arm with the stick. "You may have fooled these students but you will not fool me with such an obviously fake costume. Now come along and we will go see Mr. Myers." She turned to the class. "I expect to be back in ten minutes and you all seated in those seats studying and that mess by the door cleaned up." She turned and walked out, the monster following.
Raye pushed the transformation pen back into her shirt pocket before she joined the kids who were putting the desks back into place. Now she had seen everything.
Myers looked up as one of the Math Instructors, Mrs. Harriwether, walked into his office, followed by a monster.
"This student," She said, indicating the beast behind her. "Saw fit to interrupt my classroom, and break the door to do it. I leave the matter in your hands." With that, she turned and walked out. Myers looked up at the monstrosity before him.
"I take it you have quite a tale to tell." The monster nodded. There was a pause. "You're not some student in disguise, are you?" Again the nod. "You're here to trash the school and kill some people, or are you here for a certain group of people in particular?" The Beast shrugged.
"Rohr groop savanar." Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Myers was having trouble believing he was having this conversation. Maybe it was a dream.
"I see. And who are these people?"
"Soonshi."
Soonshi? Senshi?
"You're here to kill the Senshi?" It nodded. Myers gestured to the bench against the wall. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Rrrroooo." It was at that moment that Conrad Howard walked by. Then he came by again and stopped. He wasn't staring, just watching. Then he walked forward and opened the door.
"Good Afternoon sir." He looked at the monster. "Discipline problem?"
A shrill whine split the air and Raye sat up straight. She was in her room, and the clock said it was time to get up. She looked around, making sure everything was in its place. She held her hand to her head. That was the last time she tried Serena's cooking before bedtime. Then with a heavy sigh, she got out of bed and ready for school.
The air was sweet this morning, and Raye took a deep breath as she left the dorms and headed across campus to class.
She was passing near the athletic field when she saw Conrad talking to one of the Gardeners. As She got nearer, she could see that the Gardener was huge. Then Conrad spotted her.
"Hey Raye! Check out the new Gardener." The Gardener turned around to reveal that it was the Monster.
"AH!" Raye sat up straight in her seat to find that she was sitting in her chair in Mrs. Hariwether's class, and everyone was staring at her. She looked down, there was a bit of drool on her math textbook. She must have fallen asleep. What a weird dream.
"Miss Hino, report to Mister Myer's office." Raye sighed and stood, her face flushed with embarrassment."
"Yes Ma'am"
Myers looked at the note and then at her, his expression politely but firmly requesting an explanation.
"I disrupted the class."
"Why?"
"I fell asleep and woke up from a nightmare." Raye said quietly, her attention fastened on Myers' nameplate on his desk.
"I see." His voice paused a moment and Raye sensed someone else enter the room. "Ah, thank you. Just set it down here on my desk." Myers said to the other person. Curious, Raye looked up and stared as she saw the monster, dressed in a receptionist's outfit, set a tray of tea down on the table.
"Conrad, shut off the damn machine!" Lita looked down at Raye. Wires ran from sensor disks on her forehead to a machine perched on her night stand.
Raye had been suffering from insomnia and had asked Conrad if he knew of a way to help her sleep. A few hours later, Conrad had shown up at her door with the device. When asked what it was, he said something about Alpha waves and sleep frequencies. When Mina demanded he say it in English. He told them it was to help Raye sleep. That had been three days ago and excuses were running out.
"Why isn't it shutting off?"
"It's on a timer."
"Well where's the timer?" Conrad examined the machine.
"I forgot to put one in."
"You WHAT?!" Mina screeched, reaching for the lamp so that she might inflict intense bodily harm upon his person.
"Come on Conrad." Lita said. "Didn't you put in a power switch?"
"Well of course." He hit a button. "I had to turn the power on didn't I?" Mina stormed out and they could hear her kicking the couch and screaming about all the things she was going to do to Conrad.
"I think she's upset." Serena observed.
The next night.
"...And the rain will continue to hammer Northern Japan until late tomorrow and possibly through the weekend with lows continuing in the high sixties until the middle of next week." Myers tilted his head as he walked into Isaki Hall. The Night manager, who had been listening to the radio, waved her hand in passing greeting. Pausing only to hang his coat up to dry, Myers headed for the lounge area.
Word was that Howard was a closet insomniac and would spend hours in the lounge, playing his guitar or in one of the labs that were open all night to students desperate to finish their projects.
Myers had already checked the labs
He found him on the lower floor of the Lounge. He had stoked the fire in the fireplace and was seated in an overstuffed easy chair that had been dragged close to the fire.
One leg was hooked over a chair arm and he was playing his electric guitar. An iguana was perched on top of the chair back. Conrad had plugged in headphones and was playing something. Myers sat down opposite him and waited.
Finally, Conrad opened his eyes.
"Rainbow Connection. I always get a kick out of it." He shifted the guitar to a more comfortable position and began idly picking at the strings. "So tell me, what brings the Dean of Discipline to Isaki Hall at 1 in the morning during a storm?"
"You." Conrad said nothing. "I've been going over your record and I found a few things that...intrigue me."
"Such as?" Conrad began plucking at the strings faster.
"The Mental Aptitude Test you took when you were eleven, it's very intriguing.'
"How so?"
"Most people know better then to answer multiple choice with an essay question and vice versa. The answers were correct though."
"Some people get those confused." Conrad looked to his playing. His fingers moving faster, playing something that was probably a song written for the Spanish Guitar.
"Also, questions that even an idiot would get right, you got wrong."
"Really?"
"Yes. I find it interesting that someone would make these mistakes, unless they had something to hide."
"And what would that be?"
"I re-tallied your score. If you got ninety-eight percent of all questions right, your IQ is, or close to, three hundred. Perhaps more."
"So?"
Myers leaned forward. "You deliberately threw the test, didn't you? You wanted to hide your real IQ and you knew that the scores were tallied by computer so that nobody would catch you until years later, when you would be firmly entrenched in the School system and it would be too late to move you to a school for people like you." Conrad's eyes seemed to go from blue to green and then black.
"Assuming your right, why would I do something like that?"
"That's what puzzled me. You obviously had a good reason for what you did. But what, what could make an eleven year old kid want to hide how brilliant he was? So I started delving into your background and I found out that your father believes that everyone should be well rounded and be skilled physically, mentally, and socially.
That's what made it click. You had the physical and mental skills down, but not the social, and if you were moved to a Special School, you wouldn't have that. After all, you had a promised position at Sunboomer designing electrical and Computer systems for the 21st century on the next generation of Supercomputers. You would have to deal with people and you wouldn't get the social skills you needed to do that at some Special school. So you flubbed the test."
"An amusing theory, and assuming it's true, why are you telling me this?"
"Because your record also indicates you masterminded several incidents at past schools. Each incident is different, except the exploding toilets. That seems to be your trademark. Of course, there is no proof, just speculation."
"Of Course." Conrad's voice was level and his face composed. There was no telling what he was thinking.
"I run a tight ship Mr. Howard. Your secret is safe with me, but I don't want to catch you causing any incidents on my watch."
"Oh don't worry, you won't"
"Good, I'm glad we agree on the Rules."
"Me too."
Myers got up and left the lounge, as soon as he was out of sight, he darted up the back stairs to the upper floor of the Lounge. There he crouched and watched.
Conrad set his guitar aside and coaxed Iggy down from his perch. Iggy looked up at him and Conrad could almost hear the words in his mind.
"What was that all about?" Conrad considered for a moment, ever since Iggy had hatched, he and Conrad had a.....connection. Even though it was just body language on it the lizard's part, it spoke volumes to Conrad, and Iggy apparently understood what he was saying.
The Iguana thumped his tail against his arm and glared at him.
"Well?" Conrad looked down at the one being who truly understood him
"The good dean challenged me. He bet that he could catch me red handed."
Iggy flicked his tongue out.
"Why?"
"For the challenge I suspect. He's bored. This school is new and nobody wants to cause a ruckus, too caught up in school work. All the Troublemakers are carefully screened out, the poor man is going bored. Then here I am. Someone who trouble seems to follow."
Iggy looked at the fireplace
"It's a game then."
"Yes, and one I'm only too happy to play."
Iggy looked back at him.
"What if he catches you?"
"What if he does?"
"Iggy looked back at the fire, his curiosity satisfied. Conrad studied the flames as well. He hoped he had read Myers right. He had never fully mastered the art of reading body language, so he wasn't a hundred percent sure. But he was pretty certain he was right. He hoped he was anyway.
Conrad scratched his nose. He already had plenty of ideas. He mentally ran a finger down the list. Which one? No not that one, too complicated. Nope, not that one either. While the farm animals were readily available, he didn't have access to the equipment he needed.
Best keep it simple.
No, that one had been over used in Cartoons and he would need people and a few hours to pull it off.
Hmmm, Yes. That one would do nicely, but he would need Shellie's help.
Humming softly to himself, he set Iggy on his shoulder, picked up his guitar, and went off to find his sister.
Myers woke up and staggered into the bathroom. What a night. He took look at himself in the mirror. A transvestite stared back at him. He was instantly wide awake. Good Lord! He looked himself over. Makeup, a wig, nice dress, he had on the whole nine yards! Myers sighed. He was pretty sure he even had the appropriate underclothes on. The Phone rang. He went to answer it.
"This is Myers"
"Uh Mr. Myers, Sir? This is Fredricks, night security. Um, we just got a report from the drama department head. Somebody got into the Wardrobe and took one evening gown, a wig, some perfume, and some of the makeup. They also took some women's underwear that were to be used as a prop in the next play."
"What kind of Dress?"
"Black Velvet with Satin trimming."
"Tell Erin to come by my Room in about half an hour, I'll have the missing clothes and wig waiting."
"She's already on her way there sir." Myers took a moment to compose himself.
"How long ago did you speak to her?"
"About two minutes ago." There was a knock on the door. That Had to be Erin.
"She Just Arrived." Myers Hung up, took a deep breath and answered the Door. Erin Florence entered and he closed the door, turned and waited.
Erin Florence was a Acting Coach and Talent Scout who in very high demand. She had been lured to the Academy by the promise of a king's ransom for her salary, the position of the Drama Department head, and complete autonomy to run her department as she saw fit. She and Myers often wound up in the same area. They had an on again, off again romance. But they were both too career-minded to settle down. On the other hand, neither of them were getting younger.
Erin for her part said nothing. Just looked at him, trying very hard not to smile. Finally she walked up to him and took the wig off.
"Fred, I had no idea." She was trying very hard not to laugh.
"I assure you." He said stiffly. "This is not my usual choice of wardrobe."
"No, I see you in more of a springtime motif. Something flowery and light." She giggled. "Fred, what are you doing in that?"
"I woke up like this, and judging from the stuffy head I have, whoever did this gassed me before getting me into this." Erin simply sat him down and proceeded to get all the makeup off of him. Then she waited while he took off the dress although she had an absolute laughing fit when she saw the underwear.
Afterwards, once they had dressed and left, the door opened again, to admit Conrad and Lita. Conrad snuck into the bathroom and opened up the mirror. Behind the mirror was a medicine cabinet, here, on a shelf was a high-tech, hi speed, palm-sized video camera. Conrad removed it, stopping the tape at the same time.
"Did you get it?"
"Think so. I hope we did anyway." Conrad said as he plugged up the hole that had been made so the camera could see out the one-way mirror they had installed.
Myers wandered through the maze of tables in the cafeteria. Students were laughing and joking. Some had out newspapers and books.
"Good Morning Dean Myers."
"Good Morning Mr. Howard.
"Excuse me for asking sir, but are you wearing makeup?" Instead of answering, he turned and moved on. Howard was behind this he was almost sure of it. Unfortunately, there was no clues, and he probably had an ironclad alibi. Something also told him that this affair was far from over. Howard still had one more card to play.
The last card came at noon, when everyone had filed in for lunch. On a blank section of the wall was Myers, in full drag, larger then life. Across the top was a sign that read, "The Dean practices for his role as a cross dresser in the play "Little Shop of Horrors." Myers mentally fumed.
Of course, the cafeteria staff would've heard or saw nothing. Howard stepped up next to him.
"Wonder who did that?" He said, his face thoughtful.
"First blood to you Mr. Howard." Myers murmured, then he turned to walk away.
Somewhere in Hong Kong......
The room was dark. Lit only by the screen dominating one wall and briefly by the light from the hallway as the door was opened and then closed. The man proceeded to the table in the middle of the room, and sat. Only then did he look at the second man who stood in the shadows.
"Evening."
"Evening."
"I suppose you're wondering what you're doing here."
"I am."
"You were called here because you are the best detective we have. You're being sent to Japan. We want information on some strange going ons there." The first man thought for a moment.
"You're referring to these 'Senshi' that have been tearing up Tokyo and were involved in the destruction of the Booster rockets and tanks that were to lift the reactor flight last month at Cape Canaveral in America."
"Indeed. We have some partial information already." The Screen displayed a festival at night. No one in sight. Then there was a flicker and several shadowy figures appeared. One sprinted off into the trees, The biggest one picked up two and then bounded off, followed by two more. One holding it's right arm.
"Five minutes after this was taken, four girls checked into Tokyo General." A picture of a black-haired Asian girl flashed onto the screen. "Raye Hino. She was diagnosed as having a massive concussion, multiple bruises, and cracked ribs. She was treated for her injuries and released in the morning."
An new Picture flashed onto the screen. Another girl. Her Brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail. "Lita Kino. Diagnosed with dislocated arm, multiple bruises and a few cracked Ribs. She too, was treated and released in the Morning."
A third picture appeared. This one was a gorgeous Blond-haired girl. "Mina Anio. Multiple breaks in her right leg, bruises, and a slight concussion. Also, treated and released in the morning."
A fourth picture appeared. This one was also a girl, only her hair was cut short and dyed blue. "Amy Anderson. Diagnosed with multiple concussions, cracked skull, broken nose. broken ribs, punctured lung, and various other bruises and broken bones. Spent 3 days in the ICU, poor kid. Still, she made a full recovery, the only legacy being some slightly slurred speech and her right eye has trouble focusing."
"What could have done that? For that matter, how did she heal so well?"
"Wasn't easy. She was in Physical therapy for some time. But surprisingly, she has her full motor skills. A healing factor of some kind is suspected.
As for what did it, well the girls said it was muggers. But the level of damage is far too great for that. We think it was these guys." The screen displayed multiple images of men and women, some human, some only human- shaped. "We have no idea who they are, although they all seem to be extra- dimensional in nature. They're not human and are considered Class Zero dangerous.
"What does HQ think?"
"HQ thinks there's a war of some kind going on. These guys want the Earth and the energy it has. These 'Sailor Senshi' are doing everything they can to stop it. All these people on the screen have disappeared and are presumed dead." The Screen changed to display a man. His brown hair was thick and long. "Except him. This is J. Maxsfield Stanton. Playboy and Jet setter. Made his fortune in Real estate and World Banking." The screen displayed Stanton dissolving while a girl held him and sobbed as three Sailor Senshi looked on. "Taped recordings have identified Stanton as someone called Nephrite. From what we can tell, he died.
Officially, Stanton disappeared under 'mysterious circumstances'. That was 3 years ago. Two months ago, he returned. He told the media that he had been touring Europe and took up residence again at his mansion in the hills west of Tokyo."
"Is it Nephrite?"
"Doubtful. We think it's an extra-dimensional duplicate. So far he has kept mostly to himself except for once a week when he has been seen in the company of a local girl, the same one, in fact, that was in the picture you just saw. They meet at a coffee shop near Tokyo Tower. They have coffee and a Chocolate Parfait. They talk for a while, then part.
Her name is Molly Naru. She's New York born and raised. Her mother moved here some time ago and opened a Jewelry shop following a messy and nasty divorce."
"What's the mission?"
"Go to Tokyo. Track the Senshi. Gather intelligence. When you can't gather any more, contact them."
"Recruitment?"
"Affirmative. They're using level one class Alien technology. ."
"Level one class? But that means.."
"We know." The second man's voice was weary.
"If Elurius is mixed up in this, it could mean interstellar war. Earth has no allies and no way except for us to defend itself against that psychopath. Nobody is going to want to get in his way except Emperor Azusa, and if they fight, Earth will be devastated." Although the first man was saying aloud what both knew, it served to drive home the problem they faced.
A CD-ROM was set on the table near the first Man's elbow.
"That's everything we have on the Sailor Senshi. Powers, possible civilian ID, that sort of thing." The first man picked up the disk.
"Limits?" He asked, his mind already listing ways around them.
"Keep your cover. Howard arrived Last week."
"You're kidding."
"No. I don't need to tell you what might happen if that kid finds out about us. We've both seen his record." The first man nodded. The Howard kid had come very close to discovering The Project more then once.
"Keep your cover as best you can. Other then that, you're free to use your discretion."
"Yes Sir." The First man sat back and watched a tape of the Senshi battle various foes.
Mina Anio hopped off the back of the motorcycle. Her black T-shirt and Jeans hugging her slim form. Her long Blond hair was braided and swung as best as it could from where it hung beneath the shiny black helmet. The Driver, Lita Kino, pulled off her own helmet. Mina took off the helmet and set aside while she dug through the saddlebags.
Lita was nearly 17. An Orphan, she lived alone, but she had a rich social life. Mina was 16, but was subject to bouts of deep depression due to the death of her boyfriend. But the bouts came less and less these days.
They both gathered their stuff, and headed for the house.
The house was huge. A Mansion that had resided in the Catskill Mountains back in New York, it had been bought and shipped piece by piece to Japan. Where the Owner, one Henry Spencer, who had made a fortune back in the 50's when the U.S helped rebuild Japan after world war 2, bought a huge amount of land and reinstalled the house on it. He then bought up more land and built a company town for the workers at his textile and metal fabrication plants. Although the Plants went belly-up in the 70's, the houses remained and thanks to some ingenious marketing from the bank, had become a real estate hot spot for the rich and Famous of Tokyo's elite .
Spencer's old house was now the Residence of the Howard Family.
Instead of going up to the Front door they went around to the side of the garage and up the stairs to the Apartment above the Garage. Spencer's butler/limo driver had lived here. Now it and the Garage below it were home to Conrad Howard, a certified Genius and current victim of one hell of a flu. Lita cheerfully knocked on the door. Neither one had been in the Apartment before. The Door was opened by a spiky blue haired, black leather clad, gum chewing apparition.
"Yo. Welcome." Having divulged this, the apparition turned and walked away. Lita and Mina walked in. The Apartment was a pigsty. Video Tapes, papers with scrawled calculations, plates piled high in the sink dirty and unwashed.
"Jeez, no wonder he got sick, look at this place." Lita set her bags down. Mina shrugged.
"Conrad has been like this for years, his mind is always active and he can get so absorbed in something he forgets general hygiene."
"Well he can't get well in this." Having said that, Lita headed for the kitchen and soon the sound of dishes being washed could be heard. Mina shrugged and headed down the hallway, she opened the door on her left and squeezed through. The reason that the door didn't open very far was because of the fifty or so arrows stuck in the back.
The room was also a mess. Clothes lay scattered on the floor along with papers, circuit boards, books and duffel bags.
There were two other people in the room besides her. One was a young man, 16 years old, lying on the bed with an ice bag on his head and a thermometer in his mouth. The other was a woman who reminded her of Janine Turner as June Cleaver. The sick one was Conrad, the woman was his mother. Mary Howard, a brilliant chemical and computer engineer. She was also very absent-minded, tending to forget everything when she became caught up in a project. About the only thing that could distract her was her children needing her. She was seated on the bed and she reached over and plucked the thermometer out.
"104 degrees. A two degree drop. Hello Mina." She said without looking up. "Where's your friend Lita?"
"In the kitchen doing dishes."
"Oh good. I was going to do that next. I guess I had better go help Shellie."
"Shellie's here?" Mina thought back to the apparition that had answered the door. "Was that Shellie who answered the door?"
"Yes. She's 13 now and going through that whole teen angst thing. Her father and I have decided to let her go and wear that outfit, instead of fighting with her."
"Oh." Mina went back to the door and started pulling the arrows out.
"So how have you been?"
"I'm great, I've made some new friends. Without them, I don't think I......I....." Mina closed her eyes, fighting back tears. Almost instantly, Mary was off the bed and hugging her.
"There, there." She crooned. "Let it out." Mina sobbed hard.
"I miss him so much!" She cried between sobs. But even in her grief, Mina knew she couldn't tell Mary the truth about David's death. That she and her friends were the Sailor Senshi, Reborn Alien Princesses with superpowers. She certainly couldn't tell her that David had been The Crystal Knight, an armored warrior who had sacrificed himself to keep the Black Lady, an evil woman from the future and another dimension who had come back in time to take over the world. David had shoved her through a Portal into another dimension and then followed her in to make sure she stayed there. As a cover story, the Senshi had thrown his wheelchair off a cliff into the sea, then called for help. When they dredged the ocean bottom, they found only his chair. Officials assumed that the body had been dragged out to sea or smashed against the rocks below the cliff. The story they had told the cops was that David had rolled his chair to the cliff to get a picture of the sunrise, his chair brakes had slipped and he went over the edge before anyone could reach him.
They bought it, fortunately. Although there were a few people who refused to believe that David could have slipped. But they had no proof. Chris was quite good at covering tracks. There was simply no proof that David had been pushed. The Case was considered closed.
But now there was a new Crystal knight Operating. Only this seemed more.....Alien.......cold.
As though he was here to deal with the Negaverse, and that was it.
It was what was keeping Mina from going suicidal. She knew that she was clinging to false hope, that it probably wasn't David, but if he had come back to her, she wanted to know. She had to know. That need to know is what had been keeping her going. She had begun to eat again, even smile a little. Although much of it was due to Conrad.
Her eyes fell on the amazing Iggy, AKA 'Einstein', Conrad's pet iguana, who was watching her from Conrad's bed, his beady black eyes open wide. Mina sniffled, watching the iguana as Mary led her to the bed to sit down. Once they had sat down, Iggy promptly picked up something in his mouth, carried it to Mina, and offered it to her. It was the drumstick that Conrad and him played games of 'Bat-Iguana' with. Mina smiled weakly then picked up the drumstick, holding it level to the bed. Iggy promptly grabbed onto it with his hind feet and as the drumstick was raised, he came to be hanging upside down from it. Iggy blinked at Mina, an innocent 'I'm just a lizard ma'am, don't mind me' look in his beady black eyes.
Mina set the stick back down and Iggy crawled back to rest by Conrad's arm. By now, Conrad had dozed off.
"He's very intelligent for a lizard." Mina said. Mary shrugged.
"He's certainly loyal. He and Conrad haven't parted since David gave him to Conrad as a gift." She smiled, got up, and left.
Since it had to be done anyway, Mina began to clean up. The Clothes were tossed in the hamper, the circuit boards in a cardboard box. The Books and Papers she stacked and set on the desk. The duffel bags were tossed into the closet. Then she left the room and headed back down the hall. The Living room had been transformed. The plates were gone. The tapes had been stacked neatly on the coffee table. As had the papers. Everything was cleaned and polished.
"Wow."
"You like?" Lita was relaxing on the couch.
"Yeah......wow."
When Conrad woke up a few hours later, he found that Mina was sitting by his bed. She looked at the strange expression on his face.
"You look like you've had a killer dream."
"Yeah. These Penthouse Pets wanted to take me to Funkytown. So I went. Several times."
"Even your dreams are weird. You hate that song."
"Hate the song, enjoyed the company." He grinned wickedly at her. Mina rolled her eyes and jammed the thermometer in his mouth.
A Few days Later.
Conrad limped into the living room, his leg, as it often did, was hurting. He set himself on the couch and stuck his leg on the coffee table. Making sure his heel rested on a magazine.
A few minutes later, Shellie walked in, dressed in a T-shirt and cutoffs. Her hair was an off-blue today and she wore her usual sour expression.
Neither sibling greeted each other. Instead, they sat in silence. Another few minutes passed and their parents entered. Without a word, David Howard handed Conrad a brochure.
After reading it, he tossed it casually in Shellie's direction.
"I assume the paperwork has already been put through." As he often did, he said it as a statement, not a question. David nodded.
"We feel it is best. You both have many talents and we feel that Fugimyia Academy is the best place for you two." Conrad considered this for a moment.
"Alright." Shellie was bit more vocal.
"What?! You're willing to let them ship you off to-" Conrad cut her off
"-To where they are not." Shellie's mouth snapped shut as she too, considered the fact that they were going where there was no parents.
"Okay," she said quietly. I'll go."
That Night......
David Howard stared as Conrad raked the last of the poker chips into a pile.
"I don't understand how you can constantly beat me at poker even with a fresh, unopened deck." Conrad looked at him for a moment.
"Math."
"Oh?"
"Yes. 52 cards, 13 cards per suite. From top to bottom the suites are stacked in the order of Spades, Hearts, Clubs, and diamonds." He left the rest for his father to figure out.
"I see." David stacked up the cards. He knew very well that Conrad's IQ was light years beyond the 145 the Mental Aptitude test that Conrad had taken at age 11 had claimed. Statements like the one he had just given proved it. "So?" Conrad took the deck and held onto it for a moment. Then he plucked four cards from various parts of the deck and laid them on the table face down. David reached out and turned them over. Each one was an Ace. Then it clicked for him. Conrad had memorized the order of the deck, then watching him shuffle and using some math, he could calculate, with a reasonable degree of accuracy, what each card dealt would be. Amazing.
With a sigh, David handed Conrad the keys to the Sunboomer. He and Conrad had been playing poker to settle arguments for the past 5 years. This one had been to decide whether or not Conrad took the Sunboomer to the Academy. Conrad had won after 2 hours of solid playing. Which made Conrad's trick all the more amazing as he would have to keep track of the ever changing order of cards. With chagrin, David admitted to himself that he had been flamboozeled for the past five years. He decided not make an issue of it.
"You take good care of it."
"Like it was my very own."
One month later, Raye's temple. Thursday After School.
Lita bit into the cookie. tomorrow, she and the others would be boarding the bus for Fugimyia Academy, located near the north tip of Japan. She wondered what they would find there.
"Oooh! I can't wait!" Serena smiled happily. "No parents, open campus! Free Food!"
"At least she knows what's important." Chris commented sourly. Amy looked up from her Trig textbook.
"But what about the Negaverse? If we're there, and they attack here, what's to stop them?"
"Me, Chris, Kate and Hotaru, The Four sisters and Nephrite." Rose looked around. "Besides, if they want us, they'll find us."
"True."
The Next Morning.
Greg Morgan stood in front of his house. His luggage consisted of two suitcases, a military duffel, and his backpack. Conrad had offered to take him to the Academy. But he was late.
As soon as that thought entered his head, a dark blue convertible with the Top down turned the corner and right into his driveway. Conrad grinned at him from the driver's seat.
"Sorry I took so long, had to make some stops." He got out and stretched. He was dressed for travel. Under the baseball jacket was what appeared to be a Short-sleeved denim shirt over a T-Shirt that bore an Umbrella and read, "Hail the Sacred Umbrella, or get thwacked!" His jeans appeared to be well-worn and on his feet....Greg blinked. Conrad was wearing Bunny Slippers. The really strange part was that it made sense for Conrad. Greg had learned early on that Conrad did things that made no sense to anyone else but apparently made perfect sense to him. For his part, Greg was wearing his school uniform at his mother's insistence.
"Nice....slippers." He managed to get out.
"Thank you." Conrad picked up the backpack and tossed it onto the passenger seat. "Just stick it on the rear floor." Sighing, Greg picked up his duffel and was about to toss it in. That's when he saw that the back floor was covered in bags and suitcases and on top of it was Shellie, stretched out, her hands behind her head.
Seeing him, she snapped her gum and lifted up her legs.
"Suitcases first." She said simply. Conrad tossed in Greg's suitcases one on top of the other. Then in went the duffel. Shellie dropped her legs on top of it. Greg waved good-bye to his parents as he got in and buckled the seat belt. Conrad got in.
"Ready?" He said with a smile.
"I guess so." The engine roared to life. The car backed out of the driveway, pushing Greg forward against his seatbelt. Conrad shifted gears and put the accelerator pedal to the floor, slamming Greg against the seat.
"Nice huh?" Conrad took one hand off the wheel and took out a pair of mirrored sunglasses, turning the corner at top speed as he put them on. Greg gripped the side of the car, positive he felt the driver's side wheels briefly lift off of the pavement. Conrad didn't even bother slowing as they hit traffic, weaving the car in and out between other cars. Greg winced as horns blasted left and right. But finally they hit the stoplight. Greg discovered he was breathing so hard he was practically hyperventilating.
"What's wrong? You're white as a sheet." Conrad drank from a travel mug that bore the logo of the Statue of Liberty.
"What's wrong? You nearly killed us!" Conrad seemed puzzled.
"How did I do that?"
"Weaving through the cars like a maniac!" Greg's voice had risen to a fever pitch. Conrad shrugged and hit the accelerator as the light changed to green.
"Greg, do you, and I'm saying this as a friend, do you know what your problem is?"
"What?"
"You're too uptight."
Shelly popped up from the back seat and stuck her head between them.
"Yeah, you need to loosen up." She snapped her gum.
"Have a laugh now and then." Conrad said as he changed lanes without signaling.
"I--" Greg gulped out, But Conrad continued.
"See Greg, how we grow up shapes how we react to life, how we dress, even the kind of friends we choose. So if your parents are racist atheists, then you'll be one too, unless you encounter an opposing influence. That's one of the great things about being human you see, we can make conscious decisions to change our behavior if we so choose."
"Uh-huh," was all Greg managed to get out.
"So if you want to loosen up, you have to make a conscious decision to change. You told me that you wanted to learn how to relax and loosen up didn't you?
"Uh-huh." They changed lanes.
"So as the first step towards loosening up, why not lose the monkey suit?"
"My uniform?"
"Just the jacket." Greg hesitated then pulled it off.
"Now what?" He said, crumpling it up into a wadded ball.
"Chuck it."
"You mean just toss it away?"
"Yep."
"I dunno......I mean, I could hit someone."
"And?" Conrad looked over at him. "So what? You wanted to be adventurous right?"
"Well, yeah......." The Car stopped for a light.
"So chuck it." Greg looked down at the wadded ball in his hands.
"Where?"
"How about Cyrano over there?" Conrad pointed. Turing his head to follow the finger, Greg saw a tall guy dressed in a gi with a wooden sword in his hand reciting bad poetry to well-built redheaded pigtailed girl in Chinese clothes who looked like she wanted to cream the other guy. Off to one side stood a second girl holding a black pig with a yellow kerchief around it's neck. At that point, Shellie sat up in the back seat and yelled.
"Hey! Cyrano de Moron!" They all turned to look at them.
Figuring what the hell, Greg pitched the ball and smacked it right into the bad poet's face as the light changed. Turning his head to see the aftereffects he saw Shellie giving Cyrano the finger with both hands as they left the group in the dust.
Settling himself back in the seat as they turned onto the freeway, he felt a grin spread across his face.
"That was fun."
"You're so right Greg," Conrad steered them into the Fast lane. "Right as rain."
It was about an hour later that Greg turned his head to say something to Shellie and found himself face to face with a Lizard.
"AH!" He shouted as he reared back. Conrad looked at him.
"What?" Greg raised a trembling finger to point at the lizard, who was hanging on to the headrest and backrest with it's claws. Conrad followed the finger. "Oh. That's Iggy, short for Einstein."
"You have a Lizard for a pet." Greg said slowly. Conrad nodded. Despite the fact that he had always had an irrational fear of reptiles, Greg forced himself to relax. "Why am I not surprised?"
For some reason, Conrad found that hilarious, and laughed for the next five minutes.
Lita awoke with a start and looked out the window. The bus was traveling along a coastal highway. The sky was dark with Gray clouds, and the sea stretched out to the horizon. Seated as she was in the last row, she turned to look behind them. Nothing but road and trees and ocean. Most of the Students were asleep. The ones that weren't were talking quietly.
Across the aisle from her, Amy looked up from her book and smiled. Lita dug a soda out of the cooler someone had smuggled aboard.
"Want one?" Amy shook her head.
"No. But thank you for offering."
"Boring, aint it?" Amy closed the book.
"I suppose it is." She said quietly. "I'm looking forward to the science facilities there."
"Yeah. I hear the kitchen is something else. If it's food you can make it there.
"Yes, and I'm sure Serena will love that." Lita clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle a giggle.
"How much longer till we get there do you suppose?" She asked, when she had recovered. Amy glanced at her watch.
"We've been on the road three hours already. We should be there soon." She opened her book again. Lita leaned back against the seat and took a drink.
Frederick Myers, dean of discipline for Fugimyia Academy, made a note on his clipboard as the bus pulled up and began disgorging students. It was nearly Sunset. One by one, the students gave their names to the check-in clerk, picked up their bags and trudged off to the dorms. He leaned over the clerks shoulder and frowned. Three students still weren't here. He picked up the registration cards and went through them. Conrad Howard, Shellie Howard, and Greg Morgan.
There was nothing worse then tardiness Myers thought as he lit his pipe, nothing at all. It was at that point that the car pulled in. It was dark black blue, a convertible. The Top was down. Two boys sat in the front, while a girl sat on top of the back of the backrest. Even in the dim light, he could see that her spiked hair was red and green. Her shirt was Tie-dyed and she wore a leather biker jacket and ripped blue jeans. She did a backwards somersault, walked around to the passenger side, leaned over and started lifting bags and suitcases out. The Passenger got out to help, while the driver, his brown hair tied back and leaning heavily on a cane, walked to the clerk's table. The other two hauled the suitcases and duffel bags to the sidewalk. Then they all gathered around the hood of the car to fill out the cards. Myers drifted closer to listen.
"...My God. Conrad, we are going to be on the same floor of the same dorm hall." The Girl snapped her gum. "I go through enough crap just being your sister!"
"Since when have you been through crap?" Retorted the ponytail.
"The night you gave Snake O' Challahan a permanent case of the jitters."
"I warned him not to grab that live wire. That was 500 watts in there."
"You nearly killed him!"
The Ponytail seemed completely confused by the girl's reaction.
"And?" He said. The girl sighed noisily.
"Um?" The second guy spoke up.
"Yeah?"
"I don't understand." The Girl sighed.
"Conrad," She pointed at the ponytail. "Fried a gang leader's nervous system when he souped up a Harley as a favor."
Conrad shrugged. "He asked, I gave him what he wanted."
"You almost killed him!" The girl stomped up to the curb and lit a cigarette.
Myers stepped forward.
"This is a No Smoking Campus Young Lady." She looked at the pipe in his hand.
"Uh-huh." She blew some smoke. "You gonna stand there with a lit pipe in your hand and tell me that this is a no smoking campus?" Myers glanced over at the two boys. The Ponytail was sitting on the car hood eating a candy bar. The other one was standing in the parking lot next to the curb with his hands in his pockets, looking back and forth, unsure of what to do.
"As a matter of fact," Myers said with quiet authority, "As the Dean of Discipline at Fugimyia Academy, I am standing here with a lit pipe in my hand telling you that this is a no smoking campus." The Girl didn't even change expression. Instead, she dropped the cigarette to the ground and very slowly and purposefully, ground it out with her boot.
"I would recommend you all get to your dorms." He said. "Classes start bright and early Monday morning. You have until then to make yourselves at home." Ponytail stepped up to the curb and picked up a backpack, a briefcase, and a duffel bag. Taking out a remote from somewhere, he pointed it at the car and pressed a button. The Top came up and latched into place as the windows rolled themselves up. He pressed another button, the headlights flashed twice, and there was a double beep.
"I agree with the good dean. It is rather late." With that, he walked off to the dorms.
Shellie Howard stepped off the elevator. The hallway was wide enough for three people standing side by side. Graffiti and artwork covered the walls. People sat outside the doors doing homework or socializing. Dear God, co-ed dorms. She looked down at her registration card. Isaki Hall, 7th floor, room 48. She swung her duffel into the gut of a passing student.
"Hey! What's the big idea?" He glared at her.
"Bite me dipwad." She shot back. "Show me where room forty eight is and you can go back to your miserable excuse for a life."
"Forty-Eight?" He laughed. "You get to room with the Mouse."
"The Mouse?"
"Yep. Mary 'The Mouse' Mitchell. She's so timid she breaks into tears if the wind blows to hard." He pointed to her left. "End of the hall."
"Thanks."
Mary Mitchell stared at her exam book. Oh dear, she never should have tried for extra credit. She looked up as the door banged open and an apparition stood there. Spiked hair, leather jacket, torn jeans, boots. The Apparition snapped it's gum.
"Yo. You the Mouse?" Mary nodded hesitantly. "Great. I'm Shellie." She walked in. The room was immaculate. Not a speck of dust or dirt. "Jeez girl, how long do you spend cleaning this rathole?" She dumped her bags on the couch. "Never mind. So what's to eat around here?" She walked to the kitchenette and started opening cabinets and drawers. Mary walked over to her. The dorms were rather unique in design. A central living area with kitchenette and then two bedrooms on opposite each other, each with it's own private bathroom, and shower/tub. There was a big screen TV in the central living area, but Mary had never used it.
Shellie finished her inspection of the food supply. She had never seen so bland a food supply. Crackers, some fruit, a few veggies. She looked over at her new roomie. The Mouse was tall. She wore a baggy sweatshirt and sweat pants. Her brown hair was tied back and she wore glasses. She seemed to expect that she would get flattened or worse. Talk about your mismatches.
On the other hand, maybe there was someone she could get along with under all that baggy crap.
Conrad and Greg stood in the common area of their Dorm. a door to the left led to one of the bedrooms, a door on the right led to the other. Each with it's own private bath. That, and the Big Screen TV was the only luxuries granted to students.
"Right or Left?" Greg looked at Conrad.
"Huh?"
"Which do you want? The bedroom on the right, or the one on the left?"
"Uh, the one on the left I guess."
"Excellent." Conrad scooped up his stuff and walked into his room. Greg sighed. He had wanted Adventure.
Cafeteria, the Next Morning.
Shellie set her tray down with a thunk.
"Hi Shellie." Serena said, smiling. Shellie glowered. "Uh...Problem?"
"Yeah. My roommate has a nickname." The look on Shellie's face could have passed for Cherylnoble.
"Oh?" Serena was slowly backing away from her, a look of fear on her face.
Student Parking Lot.
Dean Myers smiled and nodded as the man next to him waved at the parking lot.
"....look at this! Students having cars! They are here to learn, not drive around! Did you know that there is a rumor that one student actually owns a Sunboomer? It's outrageous!"
And you wish you could have one, Myers thought as he glanced at the other Man's car in the next parking lot. Instead of voicing his thoughts, Myers said.
"Yes Headmaster Falk. Outrageous indeed." Myers gaze slid to the Headmaster's car. At one point it had been a '75 Datsun 210. But the years had not been kind to it. Rust showed in some places and the paint was peeling off in others. Still, Falk's record spoke for his skill as both an Educator and top Electrical Engineer. Of course, Myers reflected dryly as his gaze slid to his own '84 Trans AM, his car wasn't much better.
The headmaster opened his mouth to say something else, when a dark blue convertible, the top down, purred into the parking lot. Myers hid a smile when he saw it was the same car from last night. The Ponytailed driver got out. Myers was amused to see the Headmaster's face bristling with barely concealed wrath at the fact a student had a better car then he did.
"Good Morning Dean." He said as he leaned over the backseat to retrieve something.
"Indeed." Myers said Dryly. "And how do you like it here so far, Mister. . . Howard is it?"
"Yes sir. Please, call me Conrad.." He came up with a paper bag and a terrarium. Myers took the opportunity that the morning sun offered to look him over. Conrad Howard stood at about five feet 10 inches. His weight was probably about one-thirty. He was wearing mirrored sunglasses so it was difficult to discern eye color. Caucasian Male. Pale Skin told Myers that he spent a lot of time indoors. His Hair was Brown and shaggy. The tip of the pony tail was probably just level with his shoulder blades. He was Handsome on the cute side, medium build and his face suggested a Welsh Ancestry.
Next, Myers took a look at his clothes. A Black Denim Jacket over a Tourist's T-Shirt for the Empire State building. Blue Jeans and Hightops. He appeared to be evenly distributing his weight on both legs, although Myers saw a slight angle to his body which suggested the right leg was weaker then the left. Falk stepped forward.
"Did you say your name was Conrad Howard?" Conrad nodded. "The Conrad Howard? Designer of the Electrical Bypass System?"
A Nod. "Yes Sir." Conrad set the terrarium and paper bag down. Falk stepped forward, offering his hand.
"I'm Christopher Falk, Headmaster of the Academy." Howard shook the proffered hand.
"Falk...Doctor Falk? Of MIT? Sir, it is an Honor to meet you. Your Modular Current theory was the inspiration of the EPS. I had to alter it rather drastically I'm afraid though." Myers saw Falk's face redden ever so slightly as that statement. Conrad popped the hood. "Let me show you." The two fell into a highly technical discussion with Conrad doing most of the talking and Falk nodding as head as he listened, asking occasional questions. Myers however, was skilled at reading body language and saw something different. Falk was at a loss. He had no idea about half of what Howard was saying. It gnawed at him that Howard not only had a better car, but had altered his designs and then had the nerve to patent it.
Myers had traveled all over the world in his career. Insomnia on a Night Flight had left him with time on his hands and he had read Falk's paper on Modular Current which had been a gift from an engineer friend. His hobby of Building Remote Control planes from scratch had given him some electrical knowledge, and he saw that Falk's design was good only in massive structures, such as Battleships and Aircraft carriers. He tuned his attention back to the conversation.
Conrad he saw, had read the dean the same way and was deliberately being overly technical. Myers took a few steps away and lit his pipe, unable to shake the feeling that a storm was brewing.
Charwar.....
Bertie tugged at the collar of the high necked formal uniform and stood in the throne room, behind her, the assembled hosts and hounds and things she really didn't want to think about watched her.
With a shimmer, Seekay, Lord of the Negaverse, her master, materialized on the raised platform.
My loyal followers, I wish to announce that the Senshi have deserted Tokyo A hearty cheer went up, and Seekay let it go for several minutes, before finally raising a hand for silence. Bertie cheered as loud as anyone there, she had suffered defeat twice at the hands of those thrice be damned Sailor Senshi. Her hand tightened into a fist. She was looking forward to freezing them solid from the neck down and then, inch by inch, shattering them. A grim smile spread on her face and then she realized Seekay was standing right in front of her.
Bertie....Perhaps you would like to tell me why my hall is now covered in ice? Startled, she looked around to discover that the room was iced over.
"I apologize My Lord, I was fantasizing about what I would do to the Senshi....I'm afraid I got out of control." She bowed her head.
And what was that Fantasy?
"I was going to freeze them solid from the neck down and then shatter them inch by inch....while they still lived."
Impressive. You are now my new Commander in Chief.
"WHAT?!" Malachite roared. Skeet's hood turned ever so slightly, as though he was turning his head to look at Malachite. Malachite paled and then he stuck a finger in his ear and wiggled it. "Forgive me Master." He said. "I had something in my ear and couldn't hear you." He jerked his finger out, revealing a truly nice-sized ball of wax.
Impressive. Bertie couldn't tell if Seekay was referring to the ball of wax or Malachite's bold faced lie in an attempt to save his skin. She knew what sparked it though, Malachite had seniority and she was being promoted over his head. You will be dealt with for your transgression later. Perhaps I will let Bertie practice the plans she has for the Sailor Senshi on you. He turned back to Bertie. Take a Squad to Earth. Specifically to Fujimya Academy, located on the North coast of Japan. The Senshi have moved there and I want them distracted. Rubius.
Rubius appeared as Seekay spoke his name. "Yes Master?"
Begin operation Red Diamond, and no screw-ups! There are only a few months left until The Lady arrives.
"I beg for My Lord's forgiveness for my forwardness," said Rubius, executing a short half-bow," But are you sure that The Lady will be pleased with the gift? If she is as powerful as you say, might this not anger her instead of pleasing her?"
You speak with wisdom Rubius. Unusual for one such as you. But this is not an attempt to please her, no. She expressed a desire to see it. So she see it she shall.
"As you wish my Lord. I shall set out on my task immediately." Giving Seekay a full formal bow, Rubies vanished.
Now then. Malachite, we shall discuss your transgression.
Outside the Hall, the guard shifted his lance to a more comfortable position in the crook of his arm and completely ignored the screams of pain and terror coming from within.
Saturday Afternoon.....
Mina rolled her eyes. "Yes mom. I'm fine." She said, leaning against the pay phone, one hand absently twisting the diamond ring on her finger, a gift from David. "No, I haven't seen the Counselor yet. What? No. No bouts of depression. Yes, I'm taking the medication." She managed to bite back a snarl of annoyance. "Yes, I'll go see the Counselor Monday, as soon as class lets out. No, I don't think you need to call and ask if they want my psych tests. Mom, I'm not Maniac-Depressive. Yes, I agree, but that was right after the funeral." She sighed. "Fine. Send them the damn psych tests. Yes, I love you too Mom. Give my best to Dad." With that she hung up.
"Moms." Lita said dryly from her perch across the sidewalk on a low wall. She hopped down. She was dressed in shorts, a Mandai Memorials team jersey, and sandals. "Yours almost makes me glad I don't have one any more."
"Ha ha." Mina retorted sourly.
Monday Morning, Ms Judith Efflick's English class.........
Mina slipped into the seat next to Lita.
"Morning." Lita said cheerfully. Mina just growled.
"Sod off." She snapped. "Mornings are an evil invention by people who don't need sleep." With that, she folded her arms on the desk in front of her and dozed off.
Conrad nodded to Lita and picked a seat in the second to last row. He set his cane on the floor and opened his binder.
"Nice Cane." Conrad looked to his right. There sat a young man, not much older then he was. He had straight blond hair and signs of Acne. His blue eyes were bright.
"Thanks." Conrad replied.
"Don't mention it. Name's Rob. Rob Corbin."
"Conrad Howard."
Mina's head snapped up and she stared across the room to where Conrad was talking to a blond boy.
"Oh shit."
"What?"
"Conrad's making friends." Mina's head dropped back to her arms. "We're all doomed."
The teacher was an athletic woman, with large shoulders that suggested a swimmer. Her platinum blond hair was cut short, and her blue eyes were bright and expressive.
"Good Morning class," She had a slight British accent "My name is Ms Efflick, and I shall be your jailer for the next hour." A ripple of laughter ran through out the classroom. "Now then. We will read four books. Huckleberry Finn, Catcher in the Rye, To kill a Mockingbird, and a novel of your choice. After each one I will expect a book report no more then two pages, double spaced on each one. There will also be a Mid-term and final report. We'll get into those later. I would also like to point out that I speak and understand German, French, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish. I also can make myself understood in Korean. So no snide comments in foreign languages." She picked up a clipboard.
As you know, this Academy is structured on a basis similar to the American Universities. Academic standards however, are Japanese. This is a high school and you are expected to behave like high school students. The Academy is also designed to locate your hidden strengths and exploit them. So therefore, we will move around the room, and when I point to you , you tell me your name, what you are interested in, and what you like to be."
So it began. Finally, she came to Conrad.
"And your name is?"
"Conrad Howard."
"Nice to meet you Conrad. What are you interested in?"
"Electrical engineering mainly. I like to tinker with stuff."
"So you would like to be an Electrical Engineer?"
"Actually, I would like a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering...." Ms Efflick began to move the next student when Conrad spoke up again. ".....So I can be a railroad hobo."
The clipboard clattered to the floor.
"A--A railroad hobo you say?" Conrad nodded, his face perfectly serious. Mina groaned under her breath and slouched in her seat. Efflick cleared her throat. "Uh...surely a career as a railroad hobo is far from the best use of your talents.
"On the contrary." Conrad said, "It's perfect. Wide open spaces, you get to travel and meet all sorts of people. Plus it takes brains to be a railroad hobo. You have to memorize train schedules and routes, plus timing algorithms to hop into boxcars."
"Yes.....well....." Efflick cleared her throat again and pointed at the boy at Conrad's right.
"Robert J. Corbin." He said, then pointed at Conrad. "I'm gonna be a railroad hobo just like him." Then both boys folded their hands on the desks in front of them and gave the teacher big smiles.
Lita leaned over to Mina.
"He's kidding.....right?"
"I can never tell." Mina said quietly, slouching further and then falling off her seat.
After class, Mina caught up with Conrad.
"What was all that about?!" She demanded.
"What was what all about."
"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" She jabbed a finger at the classroom. "Just what was all that crap about being a railroad hobo?"
"I thought you said you couldn't tell when he was kidding." Said Lita.
"Shaddup Lita." Mina snapped. She turned her attention back to Conrad. "Well?"
"Oh Mina. Don't you know that you never get a second chance to make a first impression?" With that, he turned and walked away. Lita turned to Mina to find her banging her head against the wall saying something over and over. Lita leaned closer to listen.
"We're doomed. We're doomed. We're doomed....."
Gym Class......
The gym teacher hailed from Texas. A broad shouldered man, he paced back and forth in front of the students.
"Alright. Now here's what y'all gonna do, yer gonna jump in that there pool and do ten laps." He paused. "Now git!" The students all stood up and jumped in and proceeded to flounder about. Except for Mina, who struck out for the far end with swift and smooth strokes.
"...And then, just because I could swim, he singled me out for extra laps! Its not my fault I can swim!" Mina swung a vicious kick at the wall. Amy watched her. "I'm from Southern California damnit! Swimming is one of the few ways to stay cool in the summer! "She swung another kick at the wall. "He's an ass!" She exclaimed, her kicks punctuating each word. "A stupid- stogie smoking-hasn't-shaven-in-three-days-ASS!"
"Um...kicking the wall won't do you any good Mina. Perhaps you should talk to him."
"I tried that. You know what he said?" Amy shook her head. Mina hitched up her pants and squinted as she launched into an impression of the teacher.
"'Well now little lady. I can't rightly see what you're so mad about. Its like advanced math. The best students get more work.'" She straightened. "I'm not the best! I'm just the only one out of that whole sorry mess who can swim!" Amy chose not to point out the holes in Mina's logic.
"Oh God, I miss David." Mina sagged against the wall and then slid down it. "He always knew how to make sense of this kind of stuff." She covered her eyes with her hands and sobbed.
That evening, at 7:16 PM, Isaki Hall Lobby
Mina, Amy, Raye, Lita, Serena, and several of their schoolmates, stared at the overlarge hammock in the middle of the room. The hammock was filled with mannequins dressed in various pieces of lingerie and in evocative positions. There also was one crash test dummy, and three blow up dolls, Marlin Monroe, Meryl Streep, and a young Yohko Ohno, respectively.
Shellie snapped her gum, looking vaguely bored. She looked over at Conrad, who had somehow managed to look smug and innocent at the same time.
"You forgot the dragon lady mannequin." Conrad shrugged.
"The store didn't have any."
"Like that ever stopped you." Shellie retorted acidly as she grabbed her roommate's sleeve and dragged her out.
Mary let herself be dragged outside where Shellie lit up a cigarette, completely ignoring the No Smoking sign.
"Um....there's a...no smoking sign." Mary said. Shellie looked up at the sign, then pulled a wrench and with a few minutes work, took down the sign and tossed it and the bolts into the bushes.
"What no smoking sign?" Mary stared at the audacity of the act.
"But there's.....I mean, there was.....which you......" Shellie looked at her expectantly.
"No wonder they call you the Mouse." She scoffed. "I've met up with actual mice less timid." She paused to finish off the cigarette and grind it out with the toe of her boot.
"You have?" Mary asked, curiosity overcoming her shyness.
"Yeah. In the Subway system of New York." Shellie stuck her hands in her jacket and walked down the steps "I'm going into town to grab a movie. See ya, don't wait up!"
The Scout craft materialized just before setting down on the hillside. Bertie studied the veiwscreen as the sensors took their readings.
"Twentieth century's are the same everywhere." She observed, her eyes flickering over the running column of data scrolling up the side of the screen.
"Not nessacarily true ma'am," one of the pilots ventured. "There's the inhabitants of dimension one twenty four who--GAACK!" He screeched as a collar of ice formed around his neck, just enough to put pressure on his windpipe. "--Are of no interest to any of us!" He gasped out. The collar vanished. Bertie resumed staring out the window. This attack must be handled carefully. Yes.
Raye frowned as a familiar but unpleasant tingle rippled across the back of her neck. She raised her head from the book long enough to take a quick glance around the room and out the windows. Nothing. It was probably just her imagination.
"Miss Hino!" The voice cracked across the room like a whip. "We are here to study, not to sightsee!" Raye bent her head back down to the book, silently seething at the old Englishwoman who was her math instructor. Raye looked at Shellie, who was one row away and a seat up. Shellie was slouched in her seat her math book standing up. Behind it, she was reading a tome of cyber- gangs. Raye focused her gaze on the book before her and tried to ignore the increasingly insistent tingle at the back of her neck.
Mrs. Abigail Horton Harriwether stared down at the math test before her. The Howard girl's name was scribbled out across the top and the answers penned rapidly and without much thought. Still. Reluctantly, she picked up the answer key. The young tramp probably cheated her way through the test and she felt no surprise when all the answers proved to be correct. It was obvious then. The girl had cheated.
The fact that all of her tests were written at her home and kept in a triple-locked archive in her computer which was kept in a safe making it all but impossible for anyone but her to get at them had no bearing on the conviction that Shellie Howard had quite obviously cheated. One only needed to look at the girl. Her hair was dyed, she wore clothes more suited to the life of a call girl, and her attitude was dreadful. She was obviously a cheater.
Mrs. Harriwether huffed to herself, gave the girl a F and then wrote a scathing note underneath it before placing it in the pile of papers that was to be returned to the pack of monsters before her.
Raye rubbed the back of her neck. The tingle had turned into a solid ache. Where was it? She risked another glance and saw a huge shadow at the door. There was no way she could transform in here. She would have to wait. Her hand tightened around the wand as she kept her face in an expression of studious concentration. But her eyes kept drifting to the door. What was it waiting for?
The answer came moments later as the monster ripped through the door like a hot knife through butter. It was an ugly beast, at least eight feet tall, with a rounded head, no neck that could be easily seen, a large, muscular body with large claws at the end of its four fingered hands.
The students screamed. Raye raised her wand, hoping the confusion would hide her as she opened her mouth to speak.
"Sit down!" Mrs. Hariwether's voice, accompanied by the sound of the meter stick smacking against the blackboard served to quiet most of the students down and the rest soon followed. "Resume your places."
"But its a monster!" A student called out.
"Rubbish." Mrs. Harriwether snorted. "This is obviously a prank by some of the seniors."
"Aroo?" The monster stared at her then raised his arm, claws gleaming. "Rahwrrr!"
"Oh quit that you stupid child." She smacked his arm with the stick. "You may have fooled these students but you will not fool me with such an obviously fake costume. Now come along and we will go see Mr. Myers." She turned to the class. "I expect to be back in ten minutes and you all seated in those seats studying and that mess by the door cleaned up." She turned and walked out, the monster following.
Raye pushed the transformation pen back into her shirt pocket before she joined the kids who were putting the desks back into place. Now she had seen everything.
Myers looked up as one of the Math Instructors, Mrs. Harriwether, walked into his office, followed by a monster.
"This student," She said, indicating the beast behind her. "Saw fit to interrupt my classroom, and break the door to do it. I leave the matter in your hands." With that, she turned and walked out. Myers looked up at the monstrosity before him.
"I take it you have quite a tale to tell." The monster nodded. There was a pause. "You're not some student in disguise, are you?" Again the nod. "You're here to trash the school and kill some people, or are you here for a certain group of people in particular?" The Beast shrugged.
"Rohr groop savanar." Somewhere, in the back of his mind, Myers was having trouble believing he was having this conversation. Maybe it was a dream.
"I see. And who are these people?"
"Soonshi."
Soonshi? Senshi?
"You're here to kill the Senshi?" It nodded. Myers gestured to the bench against the wall. "Would you like some coffee?"
"Rrrroooo." It was at that moment that Conrad Howard walked by. Then he came by again and stopped. He wasn't staring, just watching. Then he walked forward and opened the door.
"Good Afternoon sir." He looked at the monster. "Discipline problem?"
A shrill whine split the air and Raye sat up straight. She was in her room, and the clock said it was time to get up. She looked around, making sure everything was in its place. She held her hand to her head. That was the last time she tried Serena's cooking before bedtime. Then with a heavy sigh, she got out of bed and ready for school.
The air was sweet this morning, and Raye took a deep breath as she left the dorms and headed across campus to class.
She was passing near the athletic field when she saw Conrad talking to one of the Gardeners. As She got nearer, she could see that the Gardener was huge. Then Conrad spotted her.
"Hey Raye! Check out the new Gardener." The Gardener turned around to reveal that it was the Monster.
"AH!" Raye sat up straight in her seat to find that she was sitting in her chair in Mrs. Hariwether's class, and everyone was staring at her. She looked down, there was a bit of drool on her math textbook. She must have fallen asleep. What a weird dream.
"Miss Hino, report to Mister Myer's office." Raye sighed and stood, her face flushed with embarrassment."
"Yes Ma'am"
Myers looked at the note and then at her, his expression politely but firmly requesting an explanation.
"I disrupted the class."
"Why?"
"I fell asleep and woke up from a nightmare." Raye said quietly, her attention fastened on Myers' nameplate on his desk.
"I see." His voice paused a moment and Raye sensed someone else enter the room. "Ah, thank you. Just set it down here on my desk." Myers said to the other person. Curious, Raye looked up and stared as she saw the monster, dressed in a receptionist's outfit, set a tray of tea down on the table.
"Conrad, shut off the damn machine!" Lita looked down at Raye. Wires ran from sensor disks on her forehead to a machine perched on her night stand.
Raye had been suffering from insomnia and had asked Conrad if he knew of a way to help her sleep. A few hours later, Conrad had shown up at her door with the device. When asked what it was, he said something about Alpha waves and sleep frequencies. When Mina demanded he say it in English. He told them it was to help Raye sleep. That had been three days ago and excuses were running out.
"Why isn't it shutting off?"
"It's on a timer."
"Well where's the timer?" Conrad examined the machine.
"I forgot to put one in."
"You WHAT?!" Mina screeched, reaching for the lamp so that she might inflict intense bodily harm upon his person.
"Come on Conrad." Lita said. "Didn't you put in a power switch?"
"Well of course." He hit a button. "I had to turn the power on didn't I?" Mina stormed out and they could hear her kicking the couch and screaming about all the things she was going to do to Conrad.
"I think she's upset." Serena observed.
The next night.
"...And the rain will continue to hammer Northern Japan until late tomorrow and possibly through the weekend with lows continuing in the high sixties until the middle of next week." Myers tilted his head as he walked into Isaki Hall. The Night manager, who had been listening to the radio, waved her hand in passing greeting. Pausing only to hang his coat up to dry, Myers headed for the lounge area.
Word was that Howard was a closet insomniac and would spend hours in the lounge, playing his guitar or in one of the labs that were open all night to students desperate to finish their projects.
Myers had already checked the labs
He found him on the lower floor of the Lounge. He had stoked the fire in the fireplace and was seated in an overstuffed easy chair that had been dragged close to the fire.
One leg was hooked over a chair arm and he was playing his electric guitar. An iguana was perched on top of the chair back. Conrad had plugged in headphones and was playing something. Myers sat down opposite him and waited.
Finally, Conrad opened his eyes.
"Rainbow Connection. I always get a kick out of it." He shifted the guitar to a more comfortable position and began idly picking at the strings. "So tell me, what brings the Dean of Discipline to Isaki Hall at 1 in the morning during a storm?"
"You." Conrad said nothing. "I've been going over your record and I found a few things that...intrigue me."
"Such as?" Conrad began plucking at the strings faster.
"The Mental Aptitude Test you took when you were eleven, it's very intriguing.'
"How so?"
"Most people know better then to answer multiple choice with an essay question and vice versa. The answers were correct though."
"Some people get those confused." Conrad looked to his playing. His fingers moving faster, playing something that was probably a song written for the Spanish Guitar.
"Also, questions that even an idiot would get right, you got wrong."
"Really?"
"Yes. I find it interesting that someone would make these mistakes, unless they had something to hide."
"And what would that be?"
"I re-tallied your score. If you got ninety-eight percent of all questions right, your IQ is, or close to, three hundred. Perhaps more."
"So?"
Myers leaned forward. "You deliberately threw the test, didn't you? You wanted to hide your real IQ and you knew that the scores were tallied by computer so that nobody would catch you until years later, when you would be firmly entrenched in the School system and it would be too late to move you to a school for people like you." Conrad's eyes seemed to go from blue to green and then black.
"Assuming your right, why would I do something like that?"
"That's what puzzled me. You obviously had a good reason for what you did. But what, what could make an eleven year old kid want to hide how brilliant he was? So I started delving into your background and I found out that your father believes that everyone should be well rounded and be skilled physically, mentally, and socially.
That's what made it click. You had the physical and mental skills down, but not the social, and if you were moved to a Special School, you wouldn't have that. After all, you had a promised position at Sunboomer designing electrical and Computer systems for the 21st century on the next generation of Supercomputers. You would have to deal with people and you wouldn't get the social skills you needed to do that at some Special school. So you flubbed the test."
"An amusing theory, and assuming it's true, why are you telling me this?"
"Because your record also indicates you masterminded several incidents at past schools. Each incident is different, except the exploding toilets. That seems to be your trademark. Of course, there is no proof, just speculation."
"Of Course." Conrad's voice was level and his face composed. There was no telling what he was thinking.
"I run a tight ship Mr. Howard. Your secret is safe with me, but I don't want to catch you causing any incidents on my watch."
"Oh don't worry, you won't"
"Good, I'm glad we agree on the Rules."
"Me too."
Myers got up and left the lounge, as soon as he was out of sight, he darted up the back stairs to the upper floor of the Lounge. There he crouched and watched.
Conrad set his guitar aside and coaxed Iggy down from his perch. Iggy looked up at him and Conrad could almost hear the words in his mind.
"What was that all about?" Conrad considered for a moment, ever since Iggy had hatched, he and Conrad had a.....connection. Even though it was just body language on it the lizard's part, it spoke volumes to Conrad, and Iggy apparently understood what he was saying.
The Iguana thumped his tail against his arm and glared at him.
"Well?" Conrad looked down at the one being who truly understood him
"The good dean challenged me. He bet that he could catch me red handed."
Iggy flicked his tongue out.
"Why?"
"For the challenge I suspect. He's bored. This school is new and nobody wants to cause a ruckus, too caught up in school work. All the Troublemakers are carefully screened out, the poor man is going bored. Then here I am. Someone who trouble seems to follow."
Iggy looked at the fireplace
"It's a game then."
"Yes, and one I'm only too happy to play."
Iggy looked back at him.
"What if he catches you?"
"What if he does?"
"Iggy looked back at the fire, his curiosity satisfied. Conrad studied the flames as well. He hoped he had read Myers right. He had never fully mastered the art of reading body language, so he wasn't a hundred percent sure. But he was pretty certain he was right. He hoped he was anyway.
Conrad scratched his nose. He already had plenty of ideas. He mentally ran a finger down the list. Which one? No not that one, too complicated. Nope, not that one either. While the farm animals were readily available, he didn't have access to the equipment he needed.
Best keep it simple.
No, that one had been over used in Cartoons and he would need people and a few hours to pull it off.
Hmmm, Yes. That one would do nicely, but he would need Shellie's help.
Humming softly to himself, he set Iggy on his shoulder, picked up his guitar, and went off to find his sister.
Myers woke up and staggered into the bathroom. What a night. He took look at himself in the mirror. A transvestite stared back at him. He was instantly wide awake. Good Lord! He looked himself over. Makeup, a wig, nice dress, he had on the whole nine yards! Myers sighed. He was pretty sure he even had the appropriate underclothes on. The Phone rang. He went to answer it.
"This is Myers"
"Uh Mr. Myers, Sir? This is Fredricks, night security. Um, we just got a report from the drama department head. Somebody got into the Wardrobe and took one evening gown, a wig, some perfume, and some of the makeup. They also took some women's underwear that were to be used as a prop in the next play."
"What kind of Dress?"
"Black Velvet with Satin trimming."
"Tell Erin to come by my Room in about half an hour, I'll have the missing clothes and wig waiting."
"She's already on her way there sir." Myers took a moment to compose himself.
"How long ago did you speak to her?"
"About two minutes ago." There was a knock on the door. That Had to be Erin.
"She Just Arrived." Myers Hung up, took a deep breath and answered the Door. Erin Florence entered and he closed the door, turned and waited.
Erin Florence was a Acting Coach and Talent Scout who in very high demand. She had been lured to the Academy by the promise of a king's ransom for her salary, the position of the Drama Department head, and complete autonomy to run her department as she saw fit. She and Myers often wound up in the same area. They had an on again, off again romance. But they were both too career-minded to settle down. On the other hand, neither of them were getting younger.
Erin for her part said nothing. Just looked at him, trying very hard not to smile. Finally she walked up to him and took the wig off.
"Fred, I had no idea." She was trying very hard not to laugh.
"I assure you." He said stiffly. "This is not my usual choice of wardrobe."
"No, I see you in more of a springtime motif. Something flowery and light." She giggled. "Fred, what are you doing in that?"
"I woke up like this, and judging from the stuffy head I have, whoever did this gassed me before getting me into this." Erin simply sat him down and proceeded to get all the makeup off of him. Then she waited while he took off the dress although she had an absolute laughing fit when she saw the underwear.
Afterwards, once they had dressed and left, the door opened again, to admit Conrad and Lita. Conrad snuck into the bathroom and opened up the mirror. Behind the mirror was a medicine cabinet, here, on a shelf was a high-tech, hi speed, palm-sized video camera. Conrad removed it, stopping the tape at the same time.
"Did you get it?"
"Think so. I hope we did anyway." Conrad said as he plugged up the hole that had been made so the camera could see out the one-way mirror they had installed.
Myers wandered through the maze of tables in the cafeteria. Students were laughing and joking. Some had out newspapers and books.
"Good Morning Dean Myers."
"Good Morning Mr. Howard.
"Excuse me for asking sir, but are you wearing makeup?" Instead of answering, he turned and moved on. Howard was behind this he was almost sure of it. Unfortunately, there was no clues, and he probably had an ironclad alibi. Something also told him that this affair was far from over. Howard still had one more card to play.
The last card came at noon, when everyone had filed in for lunch. On a blank section of the wall was Myers, in full drag, larger then life. Across the top was a sign that read, "The Dean practices for his role as a cross dresser in the play "Little Shop of Horrors." Myers mentally fumed.
Of course, the cafeteria staff would've heard or saw nothing. Howard stepped up next to him.
"Wonder who did that?" He said, his face thoughtful.
"First blood to you Mr. Howard." Myers murmured, then he turned to walk away.