Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT!
Chapter 31
Promises, Promises…
"You are becoming a devious guy." --Xelloss to Zelgadiss
Practice had been uneventful, being mostly a sort-and-pack meeting in preparation for their recording date. There would be school the next day, and then they would load the vans and leave from Amelia's. Atlas City here we come! Again.
The pool game, which Val, Zel, and Xelloss had planned on their way over to practice, had become an 'un-event' that evening, too. Gourry passed on the invitation to join them; he had other plans loosely involving Lina, he hoped. Then Zelgadiss remembered that he and Xelloss had 'syndicate monitoring' to catch up on and so declined for the both of them, leaving Val to contemplate his possibilities. Filia saw an opportunity and latched onto him for a ride home. And that, as they say, was that for the pool parlor.
Lina and Gourry were in his truck winding down from the mayor's mansion.
"I'm pretty hungry still. Wanna get a donut or somethin'?" Gourry posed the innocent question as if he hadn't practiced this scenario in his head dozens of times since he had the idea to do it. Asking Lina out was not a simple task, if you wanted her to say 'yes'. Sometimes a casual approach worked best, other times a more studied or sophisticated one. Today, Lina had seemed more irritable than usual. This was going to be a little of each.
"Donut? Just one, heh, heh...sure. Who knows when and what's fer dinner right?" It wasn't as if she didn't know a diversionary tactic when she heard one, but she didn't expect one coming from Gourry at the moment.
"Roast with mashed potatoes and peas. Always what mom always cooks on Thursday night. Wednesday's chicken, Tuesday's pasta, Monday's..."
"I get it already! Yer mom's got a schedule worked out, but you're getting me hungry! Polly's is right down that street."
Gourry smiled, but made it look carefree, not smug like he felt right then with his little victory under his belt. He cruised into a parking space and released his safety belt. Lina already had her door open. "Don't lag behind, Gourry!"
Xelloss, Gourry recalled, had had considerable luck at this place. "Wanna drink, too?" He asked politely, seeing that she had picked out a dozen assorted 'goodies.'
"Milk!"
"Two," he added as he shelled out ten dollars at the counter.
Lina had whisked the tray of treats to a tiny window seat for two, leaving him the milks to contend with. Somehow everything fit. Gourry let her take the first one, but then even his chivalrous attitude broke down and he dove in, ending with a mild tussle for the last one. "You have it, Lina. I better leave room fer dinner."
She nodded, swiped and shoved it whole into her gaping maw... Her period had started that day, and it made her peckish...and easily annoyed...and tired.
"Weather calls fer snow in the mountains. Hope not much 'cause that'd make the road to Atlas City slow tomorrow."
Lina nodded. "Right. And as excited as I am to get our CD made, I would like to get it done early so we have some free time before classes start up again. Winter break will be gone before we know it."
Her voice sounded a bit sad, Gourry thought. "Oh, it'll go great, Lina. And we got a couple days of in the middle when the place is closed for solstice stuff. We can either come back here or stay there and explore the city."
"I vote for staying there. It'll give Luna more time out at the settlement without worrying about what to do with me, plus I like the exploring part of what you said." Indeed, her eyes were glowing in a familiar way again. "What about you? Your mom and dad probably want you to be around to help control your little brothers, huh?"
Gourry smiled. "Not this year. Joey's got that duty and my sisters can help too. They're all gettin' older and not so much trouble like they used to be. Alfie's quieter than Joey ever was and Chuckie's got a good friend he likes to hang out with. He's pretty mature fer a little kid. So...I told 'em I'd be stayin' in the city 'til the recordin' was done."
"Oh? So, that's...great, huh? Too bad Sylphiel and Filia have to go back."
"Xelloss, too," Gourry added, feeling more pleasure in that knowledge than he wanted to let creep into his voice.
"Yeah, him too. He said he arranged transportation for them all to save time, whatever that might be. That leaves just you and me and Zel and Amelia– at least she thinks she's staying with us, though I wouldn't be surprised if she tagged along with them at the last minute. I mean, she loves that parade, grand-show stuff!"
"And Val."
"Yeah, I gotta talk to him about that. He owes it to Milgasia and the Ul Copt's ta show up to their clan's function with all it's falderal he's been contributing to all week." Lina sat back and patted her full stomach with satisfaction. "He shouldn't mess up that connection."
Gourry nodded in agreement, although, Lina's imperfect notions of what constituted duty often confounded him, this was one point they could agree on. "Yeah, I told him that, too. He told me ta...um...leave off. But I think he was thinkin' more about it."
"Good for you. That's what I need, a little help. Yeah, I guess I can always count on you," she said with a sigh.
Gourry glowed. "I'm glad ya feel that way about me, Lina. You know, I told ya I'd always be there for you, and I still...ya know...mean it. A promise is a promise." Before he said too much, he wisely stopped and tacked to a new direction. "I was thinkin' about we could do there...in Atlas City this time? An' I got a list of events, if yer interested...here." He pulled out a thin newspaper from his inner jacket pocket and handed it over.
Their hands brushed as Lina took the paper. It was distractingly warm from the close contact with his chest. "Uh...yeah..." The back of her hand tingled from the contact. She couldn't miss how her simple compliments had added warmth to his tone as well. Was this love? Was Gourry really in love? If so, how did she feel?
"An' on the last pages are some of those re-sale shops and an ad for..."
"Outlet Plaza! I forgot about that place. Hey, this is great, Gourry! This place might have all kinds of things for the play. Zel would know or could get Xelloss' list...no...Xelloss has no lists... Anyway, this'll be a terrific place to go. Okay, so that's set. Now for the entertainment portion of our stay..." She shook off the dizzying, confusing feelings she had just experienced and buried her face in the business at hand.
Gourry sat back, prepared to simply listen and nod appropriately. He had done his job and now Lina could take over. This day had been perfect and the next few weeks were shaping up nicely. Zel would be along so all the bad stuff would happen to him-- maybe Amelia, to keep Zel's mind off his problems... Gourry smiled at that. He shouldn't hope for Zel's dependable bad karma; it wasn't fair to his poor friend. Just true. If Zel was along things would go smoothly, for everyone but Zel. And if Xelloss wasn't with them, things would be great, maybe even for Zel. Who knows? Life was as good as you made it. Gourry knew that he couldn't change the world or even make a few things happen in the world of the Slayers, but he could ride out the bad times, do his part, do his best, and hope for the future. Well, he could try and make a few things work in his favor.
"Wanna come have dinner at my house? Mom said yer always welcome and she makes plenty. It's just that we outta be gettin' on and if you wanna look more at that paper thing..." He considered holding her hand. She'd let him do that once before.
"Dinner? Oh, yeah...sure. Good idea... Hey, isn't that Xelloss with Zel storming out of his car?"
Gourry looked again, and let out a sigh. Sure, why not? They were never far... At least…sigh… he got a few minutes alone with Lina.
Prior to that, however, were events leading up to Zel and Xelloss' jaunt to the pastry shop. They had just driven back home after practice and Xelloss had suggested that they play a few rounds of chess before tasting the dinner Mrs. Shearer had left for them. Zel wanted to, but duty restricted his activities more than Xelloss'. He needed to remind him. Often.
"We need to review the latest tidings from syndicate intelligence, Xelloss. Mail has been heavy and the encoding dense lately. I haven't had time to read it all."
"Gotcha!" Xelloss settled into his desk and began his scanning. "You weren't kidding. New code. Let's see if we can find a translator on a database...something new... Here try this one."
"All right...I'm running this one long one through. It's pretty garbled. Keep looking."
"Who's it from? Is that legible?"
"Ah...ends in 'ra' and there's an 'e' in there as well," Zel answered. "Whoa...I see your name here."
"Grauscherra, probably. Here's another recent decoder; see if it helps."
A few minutes later, Zel found that if he ran the file through the second one first, followed by the first, he could decipher about sixty percent of the writing. "It's mostly nonsense at the beginning, a jumble of words, and then it gets serious. Oh... wow... it says...
Metallium– leads good, marked
Seyruun- agent down, marked
Inverse- tagged
Gabriev- tagged
Gaav- N/A
Graywords- monitor, agent in place
Ul Copt- , action needed
Lahda- , action needed
That's what's easy to make out."
Xelloss read over Zel's shoulder, then said, "Oh my... What do you think the distinction is between 'marked' and 'tagged'?"
"What bothers me is that 'agent in place' phrase."
"Dilgear."
"Who? Oh, that guy. He's a grad student of Rezo's moonlighting for some security company. I don't think..."
"You did run a check on the guy, didn't you?" Xelloss pushed him aside and took over his computer. There was a hint of disgust in his voice that caused Zel to blush with embarrassment.
"Well, no..." Zel shook his head with chagrin. "I've known him for years..."
"How well? As well as me? You'd known me for years, too, and I was syndicate," Xelloss reminded him. "I thought you'd already done this or I wouldn't have let him stay this long!" Xelloss hadn't bothered to hide his irritation this time. Zel had let him down.
"I knew 'of' you. I've only known you one year and two months and two weeks and one day and six hours approximately." Zel knew he was only trying to cover for his blunder. He hoped that he hadn't endangered them all for ignoring the obvious and trusting an outsider.
"I seems like years to me." Xelloss was intent on this work, but his tone had softened.
"It certainly feels like years..." Zel sighed. Since his friend didn't appear about to fly off the handle at him, he tried a little humor and openness. "You know this time last year we were hostages of DuBois and facing a hospital stay. I thought you were going to die that time." He cleared his throat and changed topics, acutely aware of how close he was to sounding maudlin. "I can't believe our last confrontation with the syndicate, with Mazenda and Kanzel, didn't land someone at Seyruun General, like all of our other clashes with the syndicate. What's that...?"
Xelloss leaned back from the monitor and met Zel's eyes with a sigh of frustration. "I couldn't find a direct syndicate link, but then I haven't dug deep. I'm checking his bank account."
"Oh! And how are you going to do that?" Zel asked, and then realized that had just stepped into that. Why fight it? He had to make up for his negligence. "Ah…so… What do you want me to do?"
"Tell him you'd like to handle his pay directly and that you want to do direct deposits to his account. If he's smart, he'll turn you down, but he doesn't strike me as the smartest grad in the chem department. Hopefully he'll give you his bank deposit slip." Xelloss smiled and gestured to the door.
"This had better be worth it...then again, I hope he's innocent," Zel muttered on his way out.
A few minutes later, Zel returned, paper in hand. "Here, hope you're satisfied. Oh, and you'd better transfer $3000 into the account if you don't want to tip him off."
"You are becoming a devious guy," Xelloss smiled.
"Don't remind me..." he muttered although secretly he was pleased with the compliment. "What?"
"Bingo! Look at these deposits!"
"I don't see any...oh, I get it. He gets paid quarterly by the university and monthly by the Security Agency and...damn...two extra deposits...both for $3000. Not bad weekly salary to spy on our house." He nodded to his friend in acknowledgement of his accurate assessment of the situation and quick wits. "I'm sorry. I hope my misplaced trust hasn't put any of us in more danger."
"I hope so, too! But don't feel too bad. I can't imagine that he's learned much, if anything, in so short a time and maybe we can make this all work to our advantage."
Zel's eyes widened as new possibilities came to mind. "Like feeding him false information?"
"Something like that…I'm gonna call Sylphiel," Xelloss announced. "I don't like that 'action needed' notation."
While Xelloss was dialing, Zel picked up his cell phone. "I'll try Filia."
"Val's driving them back to the settlement tonight."
"Good. He can keep and eye on her...Filia? Yes, it's Zel. Sorry, it's the only voice I have. Yes, I have a purpose for calling you. Are you home yet? Oh...well we have reason to believe that... Us. Xelloss and I. We've been following some mail trails and you are mentioned by name. We think you are in danger. Ah...can I talk to Val...please?"
"Hello? Mr. Nels Lahda? Xelloss here. Fine, thank you, and you? That's good. Ah…I just tried getting Sylphiel on her cell phone but I got no answer. I was wondering... in the shower? Oh, no...don't bother getting her out. Have her call me later, but...well...Zelgadiss and I have found a syndicate-related memo, of sorts, highlighting her name with the notation "action needed'. No, I'm not sure what it means precisely, but I know she's in some kind of danger. The attack on the mayor using his nephew was the 'action' used to identify Lina, Gourry, and Amelia, at least the notation here indicates something like that. Oh, no. I don't think that canceling the recording date would be good idea. We'll hire bodyguards or security. Yes, like the one Rezo did but...different. I promise. We don't take chances, Mr. Lahda. Okay...sure...night then."
"Val, Filia is in danger. We can only guess... Yes, like the Mazenda/Kanzel thing. Both she and Sylphiel. It's on an inter-office syndicate e-mail Xelloss and I just decoded. No, you they've marked as 'not available'. The Agares name change was the best idea you ever had. That's right. We think...you and Milgasia should stay over at Filia's and of course she won't agree... Right. I'll let you take care of that. Have him call us when you get in if there's any doubt how serious ... Yes, we consider this a serious threat. All right then... Bye."
Zel and Xelloss exchanged 'what next?' expressions. "You call Lina at home, I'll call Gourry," Zel said.
Xelloss smiled, "Okay..."
After a couple rings, her sister answered. "Luna here!"
Xelloss explained, "Ah, I thought this was Lina's cell phone. Sorry. I must have dialed home instead."
"No, this is her cell phone, Xelloss. She left it on the sofa. Probably fell outta her backpack and she couldn't bother picking it up last night. I know, that's a mistake. I'll remind her, you can bet. So, I haven't seen your handsome face around for a long time. As I hear it, you have a girlfriend."
"Ah...yes, I do, but... Luna, this is actually an important call..." He outlined briefly why he was trying to get a hold of Lina. "...So she's been ID'ed. She needs to be wary...I know, she's tough. Would you have her call me when she gets in. Oh, Gourry was taking her home from practice so she might be either at his house or eating, just a guess... Ha! Yes, I know her pretty well! Thanks, bye to you too!"
Xelloss turned to Zel who was just getting off the phone with Gourry's parents. With a sigh Zel told him, "He's not home yet and he doesn't answer his cell phone. Get Lina?"
"No, she left her phone at home. I talked to Luna and it seems Lina's not home either. I told Luna they're probably at Gourry's or eating..."
Xelloss' cell phone rang, "Yes? Yeah, Zelgadiss called there too and they're not there. Okay...We'll check Amelia's then the old neighborhood and...the park? Okay, keep in touch. Thanks for calling, Luna...Oh, well...I...care...too...bye." He grabbed his coat and ran after Zel, who was already starting his car.
With Zel at the helm, they cruised the streets looking for 'lurkers' and Xelloss called Amelia.
"Amelia speaking! What?"
"Amelia? I can't hear you very well. Bad connection or something. Hold on, I'll call back."
"No don't! It's just...that's the water in the background. I'm in the shower. I always take my phone with me and keep it charged just like I promised, because you and Zelgadiss told me to. What? Okay...I'll hold..."
"Hey Zelgadiss! Amelia's in the shower...right this moment. Want to talk to her? She has her phone in the shower with her! Ha, ha... No, I'm not actually going to let you visualize that and talk and drive at the same time!" Xelloss laughed and then returned to his 'callee'. "I was just informing Zelgadiss of your situation. Too bad, he's driving so you'll have to be satisfied with me. So...tell me...are you all soapy or... Ouch!"
"Get on with it!" Zel warned him with a slug to the arm.
"Ooooh, Zelgadiss hit me and you screamed in my ear!" Xelloss whined. "Well, um...I was calling for an important thing. We're trying to locate Lina or Gourry. Yes, they left together we know that... You think possibly... Polly's Pastries and Pies? Sounds...perfect! Okay, thanks. We'll go there next. Thanks...Why? Well...it looks like Filia and Sylphiel may be in danger, but now we haven't been able to get in touch with either Lina or Gourry..."
He continued to jabber on to Amelia, filling her in on what they'd discovered, until they reached their old neighborhood.
"Isn't that Gourry's truck? Yes! Gotta go Amelia!" Xelloss opened the car door the moment Zel set the brake, and then they both flew to the pastry shop door.
"Lina!"
"Gourry, where's your cell phone!" Zelgadiss shouted.
Gourry pulled it out, then with a self-conscious look said, "Right here, but...um...battery's gone dead. Guess I forgot ta recharge it last night."
Zel sighed and collapsed at a table. Stressed to the limit, he simply rested his head on his arms and practiced his deep-breathing relaxation exercises.
"Lina left hers at home and yours... is dead," Xelloss shook his head with disappointment. "We were worried something had happened to you."
"Yeah? So we were outta touch a few minutes. It's not like we hadn't seen each other five minutes ago..." Lina started in, her defenses up.
"One hour and forty-six minutes ago," Zel supplied, still face down on the table.
"Okay, about two hours ago. So?" Lina looked at Xelloss for some explanation.
"Zelgadiss and I decoded a file, a recent file, from Grauscherra to someone, someplace I haven't deciphered yet. We couldn't figure out much, but what we did was disturbing, to say the least..."
"You haven't told us much yet..." Lina grumbled and using all her very limited forbearance, especially under her current physical conditions, not to just kick him into getting to his point.
"I was just getting to that..." Xelloss smiled faintly. He recited the text, pointing out that every one of the Slayers, with Val the one possible exception, was susceptible to some form of harm or harassment now that they were being targeted by the syndicate. "We wanted to alert everyone and to especially contact... Oh, lets hope that call is her now... Hello? Ah, yes, Sylphiel. I was hoping it would be your lovely voice I heard next."
Xelloss held the phone out from his ear mouthing 'shrieking' to the others and fanning his ear dramatically. Lina ripped the phone out of his hand and barked Sylphiel to silence. After a brief conversation, where Lina tried to convince her excitable friend that the danger was not on them AT THAT MOMENT, she hung up and sent the phone skittering across the table back at Xelloss. "Done," she announced.
Xelloss took up his phone and was about to thank her when one of the shop owners approached him. "Xelloss? Why... I haven't seen you in a long time, my boy."
"Oh, hi! I'm sorry I haven't been by in a long while, but since we moved, it's not so convenient."
"Ah, and since little Kiki's been away it hasn't been quite so attractive a place for you either, eh? Heh, heh… Well, the news isn't good. She won't be here until after the holidays...maybe a few days before, if she can push her folks out the door sooner. Her mother wanted to finish the semester in Paris, then her grading, then come here in time for the second semester at Seyruun university. But of course...you know all that...seeing as how you are...so close and how you kids have all that e-mail and internet stuff these days for your secret communiqués...heh, heh..."
"Ahhh, yes. Mostly I think Amelia, the mayor's daughter, has been writing to Kiki, but I'm glad to know they'll be here soon. This is Gourry Gabriev who did a lot of the work on their house." Smooth as ever, Xelloss transferred attention off himself to another. But not for long. Zelgadiss was lost in thought, Gourry had little to say, and Lina never seemed to want to help him out of tough spots any more, so the conversation was thrown back into Xelloss' court. He began to tell stories.
"When I was a little boy, I remember my teacher...kindergarten maybe, saying that she was going to test us to see how well we follow directions. She asked that only the not-so-smart students stand up. So, I stood up. She said, 'Xelloss, so you don't think you are very smart?' And I replied, 'No, it wasn't that, but I didn't want her to be the only one standing.' That got me sent to the principal's office for the first time...that day. I wore out a path to that office that year...and the next from my next classroom... and the next...and every year from there on out."
Kiki's uncle laughed. "Ah, ha! That was an old joke. Good, but old. Well, I see more customers coming in. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of you soon!"
"Bye," Xelloss said weakly. He wondered at that entire conversation.
So did Lina, apparently. "What was that all about?"
And Zelgadiss. "What did he mean by 'secret communiqués'? Is there something we should know about, or are you keeping secrets from us again?"
Xelloss frowned at them all. Why hadn't they asked the man when he was sitting here? Why hadn't they joined in? Why were they all looking at him as if he were at fault here? "I have no idea what any of you are referring to!" He stood and announced. "I'm walking home."
Gourry followed him out the door with his eyes, and then with a hand, stopped Zelgadiss from chasing after him. "He'll be back."
"Oh?" Lina raised an eyebrow. "You a Clairvoyant now?"
"Claire, who? Oh, yeah...fortuneteller. Nah, he probably just fergot he moved and mile away and besides...just take a look outta the clean part of the window."
"It's...SNOWING!" Lina said with a gleeful shout.
Zelgadiss stood at the glass door, opening it for Xelloss on his return moments later. He had completely forgotten why he'd run out; hurt feelings pushed away to make room for the fun notions flooding his brain. "It's snowing out there!" he laughed and danced around.
"No school tomorrow, if it keeps up," Gourry noted.
"Good. Then we can leave sooner. The vans have chains. We'll get there in time for a late lunch if we leave here at seven..." Zel computed.
"Seven? In the morning!" Lina croaked. All her aches and pains were monstrously worse all of the sudden.
"All you have to do is dress yourself and wait at your door," Zel pointed out with no little antipathy toward her sluggish attitude. "Less than for a regular school morning."
"Not exactly all..." she muttered.
"Maybe we can get to work on that CD sooner?" Gourry said hopefully. "The sooner the better, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. Well, time ta go. Take me home, Gourry ...ah...for dinner."
"Bye," Xelloss waved and held open the door for her. "Have fun!"
Gourry assured him, "We will."
Xelloss suddenly felt left out of Lina's inner circle again, and if he was to put a finger on it, he would have to say Gourry was the cause.
"Come on. We'd better get back while the roads are still safe to drive on. My car has no chains." Zel tugged on his friend's sleeve and directed him outside.
"O-kay do-kay!"
Val's Suburban did have chains, but they were in the back on the floor under a tarp and not on the tires, naturally...it wasn't snowing when he had left the mayor's place. The snow began as they reached the outskirts of the Cephied clan settlement. Val put in a new CD and loud music roared from the twin amps in back.
Filia winced. "Slow down," she cautioned him for the third time. "The roads get icy here because of the riiisinnnng ...ahhhhhh!"
Filia's scream ended when the spinning vehicle came to an abrupt halt. The van listed slightly to the right.
"Where did that fer come from!" Val yelled. "If I hadn't swerved...he woulda smashed us! Filia? Filia! Are you all right!"
"Ughhh," was all she managed.
Val unhooked the seat belts, jumped out of his car, and raced around to her side. He ripped open her door and wrapped her in his arms. "Filia..."
A welt was rising over her temple. "My head hurts..."
"Yeah, hold on, lemme get you moved." He slid open the side door and returned to her. "I'm gonna move ya to the back seat here. Let me know if anythin' I do hurts ya."
After a grunt or two, from him mostly, he had her stretched out. "Yer gotta bump here." He tried to remember everything Zel or Xelloss had told him about head injuries. "Can you see okay? How many fingers am I holding up?"
Filia looked him straight in the eye. "None, you idiot. You have one hand in my hair and the other on the back of the seat. Oh...it just hurts, that's all. Is the car okay? Can you get us the rest of the way home?"
"I'll get you there. Promise."
"That call of Zel's...his warning of possible...trouble. You don't think that driver was trying to run us off the road, or anything, do you?" Filia asked.
She was seated at the table at home holding a bag of ice to her head and sipping at her hot tea. Milgasia and her father were talking in the hallway joining the kitchen to the front room.
"I said I did, and I meant it. That's why I'm here and Mil too. That car came outta nowhere..." Val replied.
"Actually, there are a couple of small side roads out that way. It's too dark and too snow-covered to tell anything, or I'd go out with you now and check it out," Milgasia said.
"I thought you agreed with me that it was just an unfortunate accident?" Mr. Ul Copt did not want his child beset by danger once again.
"And it most likely was. It's just...the driver didn't stop to help or see if the kids were okay. Coming from that direction, if it were clan, they'd have stopped. Anyone would have stopped...should have stopped, unless..."
"Unless it was some fool kid driving wild and scared to death..." Ul Copt grumbled.
"Or some syndicate hit man scarin' the shit outta us to...to...to test me... I don't know what...It didn't prove shhhh..."
"Val!" Filia knew he was stressed out, but the language was not suitable.
"What did he figure I'd do? Roll a Suburban? Gaav wasn't good fer much, but he did have some dudes train me ta drive good. Oh... Well, I ain't the only dude that knows how ta drive right. Don't prove nothin'!"
"I agree with you son," Milgasia said kindly. Trying to mollify a wound-up Val was tough. "But just in case, you and I will be staying here and I have the patrols up at the borders. I don't want someone thinking that they can enter the settlement to dig up some evidence confirming your identities and connection to last summer's events...and the spring before." He pulled the ice pack away and examined Filia's bump. "Not pretty. Lets hope they put off the photo session for the cd covers until after the festivals."
"Ohhhh!" she moaned. "I hadn't even thought about that! How awful do I look?"
Val smiled making the lines of worry smooth out at last. "Ya look beautiful, Fil." Best of all, he had really meant it.
Rodimus was driving the Slayers; Zolf with Dilgear guided the van of valuable musical equipment. This time they were taking everything that they preferred over the studio's equipment offerings; it comprised their most precious personal effects, thus the added 'security' of Dilgear's presence. Lina, Zel, Gourry, and Xelloss were grouped together in the back, heads together.
"I'm thinking 'proactive' here," Lina told the others on their way to Atlas City the next morning. Her back was bothering her from cramps, not improved from the aspirins she'd taken for her headache earlier, but after stop for breakfast to-go her aches and pains were soothed, somewhat.
"Oh?" Xelloss cocked his head, curious as to what Lina could mean. He hadn't said anything to her about his and Zelgadiss' discovery concerning Dilgear's duplicity. He wondered if Zelgadiss had and looked up examining his friends face. But Zel's eyes remained hooded, his face betraying no emotions. No, Zel had told her nothing, he was sure.
"Instead of waiting for the next syndicate attack, I say let's make the next move and attack them!" she clarified.
"That's what I thought you meant." Xelloss rubbed his temples. "Listen, it isn't that easy. First, you have to know who to go after. I mean, you don't just go up to someone you suspect and punch them out and tie them up. Pick the wrong person and you'd be dead. The leadership may be thinned out currently, but the underlings are following someone's directives. Secondly, by attack... Do you mean...?"
"You know the 'who', or know how to find out whom. I bet you know at least three syndicate people right now, don't you?" Lina was insistent and evasive at the same time. Three was a guess-- one more than she was certain of (Sherra and Grauscherra).
"Ah...it's a secret," he uttered seconds before Lina's bony little fingers began to wring his neck. At that magical time of the month, Lina's patience vaporized on contact with a test of it.
"Stop that." Zelgadiss separated the two, receiving a growl in return from Lina. "I know of some, but I don't think attacking him...or her...makes any sense. But...don't interrupt me, Lina...we could play a trick on them to expose them or make fun of them."
"Making them lose face would be very damaging," Xelloss agreed. He smiled, relieved that Zel's train of thoughts was paralleling his own for a change. "Okay, Lina, we can play a game with one and see how you like it, okay?"
Lina nodded. "I wanna part in this, a big one, got that?"
"Yes, you'll be the lead character," Xelloss assured her.
"I don't think that's such a good idea," Gourry submitted. "We don't want anything to happen to her."
"Well, then..." Xelloss looked him in the eye, "...we'd better play our parts perfectly, right?"
Gourry was about to take exception again, when Lina said, "You bet you will. Now, who will be first? Grauscherra or..."
"Shhhh..." Xelloss pressed a finger to her lips. "No names just yet. I have an idea, but I'd like to discuss it with Zelgadiss and Gourry and...Val first. It needs to come as a surprise to you, Lina, I think, to look real...but Gourry will need to know what's going on. He and Val may both be needed so that things don't get messy."
"Messy?" Lina's eyes narrowed.
Gourry pulled a bag of potato chips out of a large grocery bag and recommended Lina go up front and pass them around. That Xelloss had some underhanded plot up his sleeve involving Lina had him troubled, however, he was consoled by the fact that he wanted to include not only Zel and Val but himself in the planning. That had to count for something in his favor, and so, he decided to go along with him.
Lina knew that Gourry was just trying to get rid of her, and as old as that 'divert Lina with food' thing was getting, she went along with it knowing that she could pressure the plan out of him later. On the way, she bumped Val's arm and signaled him.
"Zel wants you."
"Oh?"
"Xelloss, too."
"Oh...right." Val released Filia's hand– to which he'd been glued all morning– and crept carefully to the open seat on Zel's side. "Whatsup?"
Once Lina was out of earshot and Val in place, Xelloss began. "Dilgear is a syndicate plant. Rezo doesn't know it, of course. They are both just a pawns in the game. The syndicate uses guys like that up...Alfred was another, although, it seems to me he was more of an asset than he was used for– another reason why I think whoever is in charge is not a seasoned veteran. Sloppy...nearsighted. I mean, I could do a much better job!" Xelloss smiled and chuckled.
Gourry cleared his throat and shuffled his feet. "Go on…"
"In fact, I have...but...that's not the point. We need to set him up, make him look bad, maybe reflect poorly on whoever it is that has hired him, hopefully flush him or her out."
Val nodded. "Lina wants this?"
"Yep!"
"Dilgear, huh? Well, he likes chicks...a lot, but his luck with 'em ain't hot. I noticed him eyein' Lina this mornin'."
"Yeah, I about punched his lights out," Gourry grumbled.
"He also answers to Zelgadiss first. So, if Zelgadiss were to get him into a compromising situation..."
"Me? What do you mean?" Zel interrupted Xelloss.
Xelloss smiled. "Oh, yes...I think we'll go for it tonight..."
Before settling into the house (Bobby's Uncle's place again), the Slayers met up with their other van at Macross Studios. Everything was unloaded and set up. Getting there early put them a whole day ahead, so they took their time to do things the right way and not rush the recording process. It would be a day of test runs anyway.
They couldn't really sing with full stomachs, but Lina wasn't working without one, so eat they did, hotly dispensing with Zelgadiss' arguments against it.
"What if fans mob us? I personally do not want to get torn apart today," he said loudly enough for everyone around them in the studio to hear.
"I'm not hiding from the world," she snapped back venonmously. "That's your schtick!"
Amelia wondered at them. Didn't Zelgadiss know better than argue with Lina when she was hungry and during that time of the month?
Zel's turn to flinch at her attack. "All I am suggesting is that one of us go and get food and bring it back here. There's no reason for all of us to go out and draw attention to ourselves. Now if you can't see the logic in that, then… I'd say you were becoming a regular dumb girl like the rest."
Amelia felt Filia bristle at her side. Hastily, Amelia whispered to her, "I don't think he was including us in that statement, although…I can't figure out why he's being so..."
"Cutting?" Filia asked. "I guess he's just getting tired of being nice for a change and has to lash out at someone. Be glad it's Lina, who can and will defend herself."
From the sidelines Zolf and Rodimus tried to remove themselves from the scene with some dignity. Dilgear chuckled into Rodimus' ear, "Looks like the guy's got some balls to stand up ta that hot little chickie."
But Rodimus simply shook his head and returned to work.
Lina's face turned scarlet. "Okay, you stay here and hide. I'm goin' out with all my dumb friends! Come on, guys. Let's go get somethin' ta eat!"
Gourry walked by Zel, squeezing his shoulder as his passed to join Lina in the lead. Val took Filia by the arm and moved her away before she could give Zel a piece of her mind.
Xelloss, seeing a pattern here, place his arm over Amelia's shoulders. "He'll come along, don't worry. He just doesn't want to see you get hurt, you know?"
"Thanks, Mr. Xelloss." She flashed Xelloss a smile thinking that he was a comfort at times.
"Zelgadiss?" Sylphiel whispered shyly. "You okay? Would you walk with me in case I slip? The ice is really hard for me to see. My father thinks I might need glasses, but ooooh…that's just too terrible for me to even think about! Me in glasses! Of course, I could get contacts, I suppose, but…you know…"
Zel sighed and fell into step behind Xelloss and Amelia. "You'd look nice in glasses. A beautiful girl is beautiful, no matter what."
Her eyelashes fluttered in astonishment. Had Zelgadiss just complimented her? "Really? That's really…nice of you to say!" Especially after the way you spoke to Lina…
Later, they returned to the studio and put in a few more hours of testing, and then they broke for dinner, shopped for groceries, and moved into their house. Dilgear was to sleep on the pullout couch in the den, while Zolf and Rodimus found a place near the studio where they had old friends to visit. The plan was to return to the studio at seven and attempt recording until closing at midnight.
Zelgadiss ripped into Lina first thing in the door. "Give me the keys. All of them, including the car out back."
"No," she snapped back. "Why do you want them?"
"I had the car keys before. I want them again. They make me forget my car's back in Seyruun. Now, hand them over."
"Are they really that valuable to you?" Lina teased. She didn't know what had gotten into Zel, but she wasn't going to give him anything of value. That was for her to control. She hadn't forgotten or forgiven him for his obnoxious behavior earlier, although she'd been willing to just caulk it up to another 'Zel attack', and leave it to smolder. Well, if he wanted to stoke the fires again, then …
"Yes. What? You want me to pay you for them? I'll do that, just name your price."
"$5000." Lina smiled and looked smug.
"What! They're just keys! That's a ridiculous amount." He checked his watch. "Listen, I have to go now and start dinner, but I'll be back, and when I return you'll give me those keys or...I'll make you pay." That was lame, he knew, but he hadn't really thought out what he should say.
"Yeah, sure!" she laughed and turned her back on him. On her way to the game console arena where Amelia and Filia were gathered, she noted Dilgear's eyes following her. She didn't like his leer.
Val unloaded groceries, while Sylphiel and Xelloss were put to chopping duty. Gourry washed salad makings and Zelgadiss rinsed and measured dried beans into a pot, then added water. He put the pot on the burner and turned it up. "Dinner for tomorrow in process. Now for tonight...are those potatoes ready?"
"W-What do you want me to do with them?" Sylphiel asked. She was astonished by his abrupt change in demeanor, but seeing as how Gourry and Xelloss weren't commenting on it, she wouldn't either. "Boil or bake?"
"Bake."
"Can I toss'em with olive oil and seasoning, that okay with you?"
"Fine. Would you keep track of them then so they don't burn up?"
"Uh, huh..."
"Got anythin' for me ta grate?" Val chuckled.
"Actually, yes. There's a block of cheese setting on the counter. About a cup...to here. Thanks. Xelloss? Broccoli?"
"I just finished the onions, peppers, and tomatoes. You want broccoli, too?"
"Ye-es, for tonight. The other things go in the soup later. I need the broccoli now, er...soon."
"O-kay..." Xelloss tossed the bag of green to Gourry. "Wash'em; Zelgadiss' orders."
"Right..." Gourry grinned. "Lettuce is ready fer a spin dry. I'll do that after."
Zelgadiss was melting a nub of butter and measuring some flour and milk for a cream sauce. "See if there's any nutmeg in the cupboard, would you, Sylphiel?"
"Cheese is done," Val announced victoriously. "Want this in that pan of bubblin' stuff?"
"I'll do that!" Zel would not trust a cheese sauce in Val's hands yet. "You can halve pears and core them...put them in that bowl of water with the lemon floating in it."
"Do what?"
"Xelloss can show you how. Nutmeg? Wonderful. Just about...half a teaspoon...now. Thanks, Sylphiel."
"What should I do next? I can do caramelized pears. Would you like me to do that?" She liked this Zel and wanted to keep him occupied and complacent.
"Sylph...that would be terrific. Yeah."
"I can do it!" Val slapped at Xelloss' hands. "I got it the first time. Slice and scoop. No-brainer there..."
"Broccoli is ready!" Xelloss' call.
"I smell 'taters," Gourry reminded Sylphiel.
"Oh! I almost burned them up!" She wailed and dashed for the oven.
Xelloss beat her to it and, using potholders this time, pulled out the cookie sheet. "No, they're perfect! All browned and ummmm...oh my...I could eat them all right now."
She giggled. "Wait until you try my pears!"
"How about that broccoli, Xelloss? In the pot, please," Zel sighed. "Stay focused here guys. We need more than lettuce in that salad. Check the bag for a cucumber, radishes...mushrooms."
"'Kay." Gourry squeezed past the pear posse and rummaged through the bag. "Found'em."
"Wash, then give Xelloss the radishes..."
"Oh sure, give me all the tedious little tasks..." Xelloss mock-complained. He knew that he got those jobs because he cut them up exactly how Zel liked them– exactly how Zel had patiently taught him. He also knew that Zel was nervous. His hands were shaking after his altercation with Lina.
"That's right. Tedious tasks for tedious people. Ah...want to taste this and tell me what it needs?" Zel knew to amend his cutting remark with a complimentary one, and asking for a second opinion on his sauce was a compliment.
Xelloss smiled and took up a spoon. He blew on the sample and tasted. "Pepper and a little salt, that cheese is a little blander than what you usually use."
"Really?" Zel tasted a bit. "You're right. I couldn't find that one we got in Zephillia. That was a great goat cheese. All right, now try it. Better?"
"Yeah." He leaned closer and whispered, "That was good. You can do it, little brother." He straightened. "I'll set the table. Is anyone else free to help? No? Well, you know where the dining room is when you are..."
The meal was served and eaten with little conversation. Dilgear noted the lack of animal muscle. "No meat?"
"Not during Solstice, if we can help it. I can't cook to the clan's requirements but..." Zel began to explain.
"Ya better not or we'd all kill ya," Val put in. "It's star-va-tion time on the plan-ta-tion. Yer can getcher fill at lunch. Buy whatever yer wantin' then."
Dilgear looked to Zelgadiss for confirmation. Zel nodded. Dilgear sighed and speared a potato. "These are good."
Everything was, including the pears.
Filia and Amelia were on cleanup duty. So was Lina, but she was first head-to-head with an increasingly belligerent Zelgadiss. "So? Change your mind yet? Just hand them over," he ordered.
"I don't think so, Zel. There's not a chance in hell I'd give you anything with that attitude!" Lina barked back. She had reached her limit with Zelgadiss. In fact, she'd already passed it with just about anyone else.
"I think...you need to ponder that decision over a little longer, in private!" Zel had been gearing up for what he had to do next. He hadn't had to test his strength or fighting skills against Lina for a very long time, and he wasn't looking forward to it now. With a sigh to start, he seized her wrists and clamped them together in one hand. With the other hand he patted her pockets down.
Teeth bared, Lina hissed, "Get yer hands offa me, bub, if ya treasure yer treasures!"
Zel knew he had to protect himself from a painful kick. "Keys not on you? Where did you put those keys, huh?" he asked while rapidly moving both hands to clamp her arms to her sides. "This way!" And he shoved her backwards out into the hallway.
It was so unexpected, that she hardly put up a fight– or maybe because he was such a good friend whom she knew so well as to guess that such remarkable, aberrant behavior on his part had to stem from something besides mere greed. He spun her around and manhandled her into one of the bedrooms before she could really land a good kick to… his shins. Once in the room, Zel noted with relief that Xelloss had done his job. Two men's ties were lying on the coverlet of the large four-poster bed. This had to be Bobby's aunt and uncle's bedroom. Great. He hoped nothing would get broken.
"Zel...what are you doing! I'll kill you, you know that!" she yelled.
With a push, he had Lina flattened on the bed. He sat on her hips. "Ensuring that you stay put," he told her with a smirk belying his deep seated fear that she really might follow through with her threat before he could subdue her. "So you can think about where you put those keys and give them to me."
She tried to buck him off, but, to her great offence, she found he had the better leverage and weight. Zel had grown. Her little friend was strong and agile. "You're...TYING ME UP! ZEL! Mumph"
He stuffed the corner of a pillow into her mouth. Quickly as possible, he tied one wrist to the bedpost, then the other, and then wished that he had more ties for her legs when she finally twisted a leg out and kicked him off the bed.
She spat out the gag. "GOURRY! KILL ZEL!"
Zel brushed himself off dramatically. He saw a dark shadow at the door. Someone knew his cues... "I don't think so... Ah, Dilgear. Miss Lina has something I want, something of mine, which she refuses to turn over. Maybe you can convince her?"
The man licked his lips and eyed her wolfishly. "If that's what you want..."
Lina glared at them both defiantly. "I've got nothing of yours. And there's no way I'm lettin' you get within..." She gaged the length of her striking distance a moment, then continued, "...four feet of me, you low-life scumball!"
Zel nodded to Dilgear and left the room.
Right outside the door stood Gourry and Val at the ready. Amelia, Filia, and Sylphiel filled the hallway beyond. Zelgadiss held a finger to his mouth signaling 'silence'. Then they waited.
Lina started screaming and cursing like a banshee. However, whatever he was doing to her was nothing like what she was doling out in return, judging from the grunts and moans coming from Dilgear. Both Val and Gourry looked like they were about to stampede right over Zel to get past him, but he stood his ground and pointed to his watch, 'not time yet.'
When a resounding slap was heard, which temporarily silenced Lina, the action took a new direction. "Got it!" cried a voice from within the bedroom, and it wasn't Lina's or Dilgear's.
Zel punched open the door with Val and Gourry on his heels. It took both of the bigger guys a split second at most to land on the man and shove him hard to the floor with more force than necessary, and hold him there.
Zel launched himself at Lina, untying her wrists and apologizing effusively over and over.
She finally convinced him to stop when she said, "Okay, okay...Hey, the only reason you got that far was because I letcher. I figured something was up. Why else do you think you got away with all this? You don't think you could really overpower me, do you?"
He was so relieved that she wasn't going to kill him that he forgot himself for just a second and he did something rare. He clasped her to his chest a moment and gave her a huge hug. "Thank you, Lina," he whispered. Realizing what he'd done, he released her instantly and fell backwards with a gasp. Without wasting another second, he scampered to his feet and raced out the door to hide in the kitchen...no...there's knives in there...bathroom...yes...lock door...
Xelloss closed the closet door where he'd been hiding, and handed his video camera to the closest person, which turned out to be Amelia. He withdrew his cell phone and called the police. "Yes, I'd like to report an assault and attempted rape at the following address..."
"I wasn't gonna do nothin' like that..." Dilgear grunted with effort. Gourry was a heavy man and so was Val and both were occupying the assailant's back while at the same time immobilizing his arms and legs.
Xelloss put a hand over the phone mouthpiece. "Ah...it is too bad. You can't find good help anywhere these days." He smiled and said directly to the man splayed on the floor, "I could just hang up, if I had the right incentive." Xelloss continued to smile down at Dilgear, but now demanded in a harsh voice. "A name. Just one."
"What? What kinda name do you want?"
"The name of the person who hired you, of course."
"Rezo..."
"Seriously, now, Dilgear. If you have any idea who I am, and I think you do because you are not a stupid man, then you will tell me the name of your real employer. Quickly now!"
"I-I can't...I'd be killed. You know that!"
"I am very good at keeping secrets. They will not discover my source. Besides... Would you like to know how many deaths I'm responsible for? I can add another..."
Dilgear resisted. "You won't kill me..."
Val bent an arm back painfully. Something snapped at the man's elbow. Dilgear let out a howl of pain. "Maybe not, but I will..." Val growled menacingly.
"O-kay... b-but just Xel-loss," Dilgear gasped.
Xelloss knelt by his head, "Yes?"
The man whispered a name and Xelloss frowned and rose to his feet. He set the phone to his ear again. "Are you still holding? Pardon me. The address is dfggfh… … That's right. Thank you."
"You! You...but you promised! I told you!" Dilgear sputtered in anger and fear.
"The name you gave me was bogus. If you change your mind, I might lose the tape or...well, you know how easily damaged these old videos can get, right? You have about ten minutes. In the meantime, would you girls like to review the tape in the other room while these guys just sit this one out awhile longer?"
The Slayers were late arriving back at the recording studio that night, but they made it. They even made a little progress on the music, which was good because they had had a very busy day, and it was not to be expected. Most importantly, Lina was satisfied. She was tired of being a target; playing the target was a lot more fun, especially when the outcome was so gratifying.
The arrest made front page news the next day. The security agency, a syndicate front organization, lost its credulity and licensing in one blow and was totally and utterly damaged beyond repair. Oh, yes, and somewhere some syndicate middle management officer was being disciplined for poor judgment, very poor judgment– she just knew it. Xelloss had told her it was so, and she believed him. And that made him feel good. Trust was everything, in the end. Well, that and keeping those promises that you trust IN.
One more point for the Slayers' team!
From the Authors:
Where are the pictures?
Seyruun High Jinx has a home. Please go to the author profile for Kaeru Shisho and choose the link. You will find the contest results as well as pictures under Seyruun High Jinx NEXT. Pictures for each of the other stories are associated with their links.
KS
End Seyruun High Jinx –NEXT! Chapter 31.