(Author's Notes:
1: This story will be updated daily until it is completely uploaded, which with over 20 chapters, will be a while.
2: This story is meant to be 100% fictional. Any similarity to recent world events simply means I'm drawing inspiration from the world around me. This is not a political statement about real-world politics, but rather a fantasy based around them. Thank you, and enjoy the story)
Part 1: It's So Hard
Time has a way of creeping up on you. One moment you think you've got everything you could want, and will keep it close for years to come. The next thing you know, something you love is suddenly gone. Someone you love can disappear in a heartbeat with no reason or explanation. Time is a harsh mistress, coming for all without regard for good or evil, right or wrong. Death is something that nobody can escape... not even the greatest of men.
The rain fell in sheets from a dull gray sky, punctuated by an occasional thunderclap. None of the gathered crowd had umbrellas however. This was a hastily assembled gathering, for though one man's life had gone, they had much to do in his wake. But three teenage girls didn't care about any of that. They watched the rain pound the casket as it slowly disappeared into the Earth.
"Jerry was a great man." A priest spoke as the casket moved ever closer toward its final resting place. "A leader for us all. Even with his great responsibilities, he never lost his sense of humor... his concern for others... or his kindness." Alex choked back a sob, staring down at the casket. Looking at her, one couldn't tell if the moisture running down her cheeks was rain, tears, or perhaps a mixture of the two.
"May he rest in the peace that he fought so hard to give us all." The priest lowered his head, moving his hands in a cross over his chest. "Amen." The gathered WOOHP and family members repeated the word, then turned to leave slowly. Alex, Sam, and Clover stayed behind, staring down at the casket now settled firmly into the six-foot grave.
"I can't believe the old goat's gone..." Clover muttered, almost in a daze. Just last week Jerry had sent them on another mission, same as ever. He'd seemed perfectly fine... but now he was gone just like that. They didn't even know how he'd died. They'd been sent a memo saying there was an investigation underway, but that was it.
"We knew this would happen girls..." Sam gulped, looking around at her friends. She was thankful that the rain concealed the tears flowing down her cheeks. "We knew his time would come before ours... he lived a good life, and he was happy through all of it. We can only hope to live like he did." She said. Clover nodded slightly, but Alex broke down and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.
Sam sighed and pulled Alex into a gentle hug, letting her rest her head against her chest. "We should get out of here. We still have to go to school tomorrow." Sam stated softly.
"Alright..." Clover looked down at the grave, kneeling down beside it. She kissed her fingers and placed them against the top of the casket. "I'll see you Jerr... but don't think me a bad person for hoping it's not soon." She smiled and chuckled sadly. "Goodbye..."
"Bye Jerry..." Sam echoed her friend. Alex was still crying into her chest, so she stroked her friend's hair and turned to guide her back to the small WOOHP helicopter that had brought them here. They climbed into it and waited for the pilot to take off, ferrying them back toward Beverly Hills. It wasn't raining there, but the sun was vanishing beyond the horizon as night crept up on the world.
The helicopter landed in the back yard so the girls could climb out without being spotted. Sam gave the pilot a brief salute before turning to help guide Alex into her large home. "You two can stay with me tonight, I think we could all use some company."
"Sounds good to me." Clover yawned as the three girls made the weary trek up to Sam's bedroom. They stripped off their sopping wet clothes in favor of some of Sam's small collection of nightgowns, with Sam helping Alex get hers on. Clover dropped herself on the edge of the bed, lying face down with her head cradled in her arms.
"Come on Alex..." Sam helped Alex climb to the middle of the bed, laying her down and pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Are you okay?" The red-eyed Latino girl forced a small smile and nodded before rolling to her side, hiding her face underneath the blanket.
Sam sighed and pulled the blanket over herself, lying down on the bed. Alex was taking this harder than either Sam or Clover. Of course, it was pretty hard for all of them anyway. They'd only known him for one year, but it felt like he'd been there their whole lives. He hadn't been just a boss to the three girls... he'd become their father.
Before she even knew she fell asleep Sam was awakened by bright morning sunlight streaming in through the window. She pushed herself up to a sitting position, trying to shake the typical morning fog out of her mind. She blinked when she saw Clover still snoozing on the other side of the bed, but Alex missing from the middle.
Curiously she pulled herself out of bed and walked toward the hallway. She could hear a soft electrical hum coming from the bathroom. She approached cracked open door and pushed it open slowly. Alex was huddled on the tile floor with her compowder in front of her. It was connected with Jerry's line, showing an image of the empty desk and chair that had been his.
Alex looked up as Sam's footsteps approached her. "I thought... when I woke up maybe it was a dream... you know? And then when I called he'd yell at me for wasting my compowder's battery over a nightmare..."
"Yeah... I know." Sam knelt down beside her and reached out to close the compowder. Alex stared down at it blankly.
"I miss him Sam... I wish he'd WOOHP us right now and send us off to almost die or something." Alex sighed. Sam smiled and wrapped her arms around Alex from the side, resting her chin on Alex's shoulder.
"I know Alex, it's okay." Sam reassured her. Alex looked over at her and smiled softly, staring into her eyes. "Come on... we should get ready for school." Sam told her softly. Alex nodded and they both stood to go get ready.
Sam got dressed in a pair of black shorts and t-shirt, not bothering to do much more than simply brush her hair. Alex wore one of Sam's small black mini-skirts and sleeveless shirts, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. When Clover finally emerged from dreamland, she grumpily put on one of Sam's pairs of blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt similar to the one Sam had on.
As they left the house the same storm clouds from the cemetery were just beginning to find their way over Beverly Hills. Sam went back inside and grabbed an umbrella before they climbed into Sam's convertible and took off down the road toward Beverly Hills High School.
Bev High was bustling with activity, as yet another of the many school dances they enjoyed was looming nigh on the horizon. The three girls went mostly ignored as they walked in a single file into the school, silent and dressed in almost all black. They were halfway to their first class when a nasally voice interrupted them.
"God, who died?" Mandy smirked, staring at their black clothes. There was no way she could have known how inappropriate that remark was. She didn't know Jerry existed, let alone of his recent passing. Clover, however, didn't seem ready to let it go.
Clover's arm shot out, slamming into Mandy's chest and shoving her roughly up against the row of lockers with a metallic thud. Mandy's eyes went wide in shock. "Listen Mandy, I'm not in the mood for you today, so stay off my back and maybe you'll keep your fat head on your shoulders." Clover's voice cracked slightly, punctuating the redness in her eyes from the tears she'd shed the previous night.
Mandy stared at Clover as the blonde pushed herself away, marching down the hall with clenched fists. Mandy's gaze changed from shock to something Sam had never seen in them before... guilt. Sam turned to follow Alex and Clover down the hall, rushing to catch up with them as they vanished into the chemistry lab that they had for first period.
Chemistry sucked... for Clover and Alex at least. Sam breezed through the class as-per usual, though she wasn't quite up to par with her usual performance with Jerry's still lingering in her mind. All three girls were grateful when class let out and they could spill out into the hallway, leaning against the lockers.
"Okay, this is like the worst day of my life." Clover muttered.
"Totally, I feel like a sloth." Alex agreed.
"I know it seems bad, but really it only feels that way. The day is actually going pretty good..." She trailed off when they noticed Mandy walking toward them from further down the hall.
"You were saying?" Clover mumbled grumpily. She glared at Mandy as she approached, putting her hands on her hips.
"Okay, don't you dare take this the wrong way Clover." Mandy glared acidly at the blonde-haired blue-eyed beauty. "But... I'm sorry for what I said earlier. If I knew someone actually died I wouldn't have said it." Mandy marched past them, holding her back straight and not looking at them again. The three spies stared after her in shock.
"Did I just hear Mandy use the words 'I'm sorry'?" Alex asked wondrously.
"Not only does this day suck, but it's weirding me out now." Clover shook her head, staring after the violet-eyed witch.
"Even Mandy's not heartless." Sam pointed out, smirking. "I bet you two would have a lot in common if you gave her half a chance."
"In common? With her? Puh-lease Sammy, I have never been so insulted in my life." Clover huffed and looked away from her, crossing her arms over her chest. Sam rolled her eyes and gestured for the girls to follow her.
"Whatever. Come on, we have more classes to get through." She stated. The rest of the school day passed without further incident. Even Mandy made herself scarce, though they spotted her in the hallway several times throughout the day. By the time the final bell rang to let school out for the day Clover was beginning to wonder about her.
As they left the school through the front door Clover looked at her friends. "You two go on ahead to the car, I'll catch up with you." Alex looked confused, but Sam smiled and nodded.
"We'll be waiting." Sam waved as Clover went off in another direction, looking around for the purple-haired witch that had been the object of her ire for so long. It freaked her out that Mandy had actually apologized. That totally shattered her image of her as a heartless bitch. And she wanted that image back, otherwise she wouldn't have anything to compete with anymore.
She caught up with Mandy heading down the parking lot, walking toward her hot-pink convertible. Clover ran to catch up with her. "Hey, Mandy, hold up for a second!" Mandy looked back in surprise after dropping her books into the back seat. Clover slowed to a walk as she neared, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What do you want? I left you alone like you wanted me to." Mandy snapped, watching her with distrust in her eyes. Clover stared at her for a moment. She looked like the same old Mandy, those same fiery, almost vengeful eyes that always shone. But she wasn't snapping at her or taunting her. How could kindness come out of this cold witch? Why couldn't she just be her normal bitchy self? It would make things so much easier.
"Yeah... and I guess I wanted to apologize for shoving you against the locker earlier..." Clover replied nervously. She wasn't a shy person, but this was something she'd never imagined doing. "You didn't know someone close to me just died... I guess I've just been strung up since it happened."
"Yeah, death tends to do that to people." Mandy blew a large bubble and let it pop before sucking her gum back into her mouth. "But don't think just because someone died that I'm going to let you upstage me at the Spring dance."
"Oh I don't have to upstage you, your ego couldn't even fit on the stage!" Clover spat back with her old fire. Mandy smiled strangely and looked at her out of the corner of her eye.
"See you 'round Clover." Mandy climbed into her car and turned the ignition, pulling out of the parking lot. Clover watched her go, blinking confusedly. She'd smiled? Since when did an insult and a threat make someone smile at you? She could have yelled, screamed, shouted, bitten her, anything else would have made her happier.
With a sigh Clover walked back to Sam's red convertible, climbing into the back seat since Sam and Alex were already waiting in the front.
"That looked like it went well." Sam said as she fired up the engine and pulled out of the parking space.
"Yeah... she almost seemed like a normal human being. Why did she have to do that?" Clover smirked. "Why did she have to be so nice and understanding?"
"That bitch." Sam rolled her eyes sarcastically. Clover shot her a dark glare, but Alex held up her hand.
"Can we not do this today girls? Listening to arguments is the last thing I feel like doing." Alex pleaded softly.
"Sure... sorry." Sam replied softly while Clover sat back in her seat. They pulled up to a red light and rolled to a stop, though there was nobody going past them in the other direction. They waited for several minutes. "Man, this is one long red light."
"Maybe it broke." Alex shrugged. Suddenly the street underneath the car began prying itself open, swinging downward to let the girls fly down a long tunnel. The convertible slammed into the solid steel floor with a massive bang, slamming Sam and Alex into their thankfully deploying airbags. Clover slammed into the floor between the front and rear seats, not having an airbag or her seatbelt on.
"Ugh..." Sam groaned and lifted her head up, seeing that they'd fallen into Jerry's office. "What's going on?"
"Good afternoon girls." A strong voice said. Sam looked at the desk to see a man with a full head of silver hair watching her. His skin was stretched taught over his bones, with piercing brown eyes set deep into his skull. He was wearing a formal black tuxedo, similar to the one Jerry always wore. "I thought we should get acquainted, since Jerry's files have you labeled as his best agents."
"Really?" Alex sniffled. "I didn't know he thought THAT highly of us..."
"And who are you?" Sam asked. Clover grunted and pulled herself up from the floor, leaning on the back of Sam's seat and rubbing her head painfully.
"I'm Richard Myers. The new WOOHP director." The man stood from the desk and walked around to approach the car. Sam climbed out of her car and met him halfway, taking his hand in a firm shake.
"I'm Samantha Simpson. These are my partners, Alex and Clover." She gestured to each girl in turn, with them waving as their names were called. "I'm kind of surprised they found a replacement for Jerry so fast..."
"WOOHP's business is very important." Richard replied. "We can't afford to take a long time finding replacements for anybody in the organization. It could spell disaster for the world peace if we're not here to protect it. Besides, Jerry hand-picked me as his successor in his Will."
"I see." Sam replied. "Well if Jerry trusted you, you have our support."
"I'm glad to hear it." Richard smiled companionably. "Oh yes, speaking of Jerry's will. He wished you girls to have this." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a long, short box, holding it out to Sam. She took it in both hands, looking down at it curiously as Alex and Clover walked up behind her.
"What is it?" Alex asked. Sam pulled the top of the box off and moved it aside. Inside the box there were three glittering golden necklaces with silver star shaped pendants on them. Sam pulled out one of the pendants. It clicked open, revealing a picture of Jerry the three spies in full spy uniform standing in front of the White House. The girls had their arms around each other, while Jerry stood calmly off to one side, though he had his somewhat droll smile on his face.
"Wow... these are some totally killer pendants..." Clover reached into the box and pulled one of them out, popping it open. "Who knew Jerry had such a sentimental side...?"
"Ooohhhhh I knew he loved us!" Tears were running down Alex's cheeks. She already had the necklace around her neck, clinging to the pendant with both hands. "I'll never take it off!"
Sam smiled and turned back to Richard, her own eyes growing a little moist. "Thanks Richard... at least now we have something from Jerry we don't have to return to WOOHP after our missions."
"Don't thank me, thank Jerry." Richard winked. "I also want you girls to know nothing will change around here. We can't afford to let our best agents sit by on the sidelines of international crisis', so you'll be going back into service as soon as another situation crops up."
"We understand." Sam nodded.
"Good. Well then farewell spies, until we meet again." Richard reached into his pocket, and suddenly the floor opened up beneath the girls. They plunged screaming into the hole, clutching their new pendants as tightly as possible until they emerged into the parking garage near the mall. They hit the ground in a heap, slowly untangling themselves.
"I guess when he said 'nothing will change' he wasn't joking around..." Clover growled, climbing to her feet.
"One thing changed... he kept my car." Sam huffed. The three girls looked up in surprise when the roof opened over their heads again. Screams erupted as they lunged out of the way of the falling convertible before it hit the ground with a heavy bang, echoing through the entire parking lot. The car alarm went off suddenly, alerting everyone in the structure of their sudden presence.
"So much for SUBTLETY." Clover shouted over the deafening roar. Sam reached into her pocket and used her remote to turn off the alarm.
"Let's get to my place and relax." Sam said, pulling the chain around her neck before sliding the pendant down the front of her shirt. The three spy girls climbed into the convertible and took off toward Sam's house, flying down the highway with the wind blowing through their hair.
"Did anyone else think Richard looked kind of creepy?" Alex asked.
"Well so did Jerry the first time we saw him, remember?" Sam asked. The three girls laughed at the memory of Jerry glaring down at them like a bull ready to spear them through the gut and throw them aside. He'd been as surprised to see them in WOOHP headquarters as they were to find WOOHP headquarters. "Besides, looks aren't everything. Just look at Clover and tell me she looks like she has a brain."
Clover gaped at Sam in surprise, then growled. "Well you're just how you look at least. Like an arrogant jerk." Alex laughed for the first time in the last week, smiling at the memories of Jerry from way back during their first few missions. Finally they pulled up to Sam's house and made their way inside the large, comfortable living room.
Alex plopped herself down on the large couch, putting her leg up over the back and heaving a huge sigh. Clover plopped down at Alex's feet, lying back with her arms dangling over the back of the couch. Sam checked her answering machine, then joined her two friends on the couch.
"So, who's up for a movie?" Sam held up a DVD of 'Fellowship of the Ring', looking at her friends. They both grumbled incoherently. "I'll take that as a yes." She popped the DVD into the player and plopped back down on the couch again, lying back to watch the movie.
The movie was long, as all three of this particular trilogy was. None of the girls particularly enjoyed it thanks to the events of the last two days or so. But it occupied their time and took their minds off of Jerry, and in Clover's case, off of Mandy.
Clover pushed herself up from the couch halfway through and made her way toward the bathroom. Sam blinked and watched her leave, looking over at Alex lying limp as a doll against the arm of the couch. Sam sighed and sat up. "Alex, come on, cheer up. Moping too much is bad for your skin." Sam smiled slightly. Alex looked over at her with a horrified expression.
"Great, I lost Jerry AND my smooth skin!" She buried her head in her arms, sobbing into the arm of the couch. Sam rolled her eyes and scooted over to her, rubbing her back.
"Oh bah, I was just trying to get you to cheer up, your skin is as smooth as ever." Sam rubbed her back gently, trying to lean around her head to look at her eyes. "Come on, give me a smile or something. You're too cute to keep pouting." Alex sniffled and looked away from her, so she moved to the other side, catching Alex's eyes with her own. "Come on grumpy."
Alex chuckled slightly despite herself, sniffling into the arm of the couch. "There you go, now sit up." Sam grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shoved her against the back of the couch. Alex looked surprised at her forceful movements, but she didn't complain. "I know it's sad Alex... but we said our goodbyes, and he lived the best life a person could possibly hope for." Sam smiled and wiped a stray tear from her friend's cheek. "Besides... if we get WOOHPed, we have to be ready... okay?"
"Okay..." Alex nodded. "But I didn't say goodbye..."
"Then let's go do it." Sam stood up and pulled Alex up with her. "I'll leave a note for Clover and we'll be on our way." Sam walked to the table and took a small notepad and a pad of paper, leaving a note attached to the TV before pulling Alex out to her car. The sun was moving down toward the horizon across the dark clouds that still loomed overhead, but she ignored it as she pulled out of the garage and took off down the street.
Alex watched the sun fall toward the horizon as they left Beverly Hills altogether, flying down the road at the highest speed the engine would allow. The road was empty thankfully, so high-speed collisions didn't seem like a very serious risk. The sun was halfway past the horizon when they pulled up to the small cemetery, reserved for those who'd performed special services for the government.
Alex climbed out of the convertible and stopped at the cemetery gate, but Sam put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her inside. Alex walked slowly, gulping when she saw Jerry's headstone looming ahead of her. She stopped at the foot of the freshly dug grave, staring down at it until Sam nudged her.
"Uh... hey Jerry." Alex knelt down beside the grave, clearing her throat. "I'm... sorry I left without saying goodbye yesterday... I just... it was just a lot to handle so fast." Sam knelt down and put her hands on Alex's shoulders. "Anyway... thanks for the pendant. It's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me." Alex put her hands around the pendant hanging from her neck.
"I hope you're happy up there... you certainly earned it." Alex smiled slightly, reaching down to stroke the soil over the grave lightly. "Goodbye Jerry..." Sam gripped her shoulders and pulled her up away from the grave, turning to lead her back to the convertible. They climbed into the car and drove away from the cemetery, with Alex staring out across the passing fields again.
Sam let her remain in silent contemplation as they reached Beverly Hills again. The sun had sunk behind the horizon by now, inviting the moon hovering over a sea of stars to shine down on them. They pulled up to the house and walked inside, finding that the movie had been turned off and there was a second sticky note attached to the TV.
Sam pulled it off curiously, reading it aloud. "Dear Sam and Alex. Since you're busy tying up Alex's situation, I have a few of my own problems to take care of. I'll be back soon. Hug/Kiss and all that. Clover." Sam smirked and looked over at Alex, who had her hands on her hips.
"She went to see Mandy." Alex stated simply.
"Hey, maybe they'll finally bury the hatchet. It would certainly make our lives easier." Sam grumbled. She and Alex had been caught in the crossfire of Mandy and Clover's feud many times in the past, occasionally being burned by Clover herself in her attempts to outdo Mandy.
"So what do we do until she gets back?" Alex asked, sitting down against the arm of the couch.
"Well, there are two more Lord of the Rings movies if you're up to it." Sam suggested. Alex shrugged and Sam turned to pop in the second in the trilogy. Clover should return soon, then they could decide how best to spend their second Jerryless night.
TO BE CONTINUED
1: This story will be updated daily until it is completely uploaded, which with over 20 chapters, will be a while.
2: This story is meant to be 100% fictional. Any similarity to recent world events simply means I'm drawing inspiration from the world around me. This is not a political statement about real-world politics, but rather a fantasy based around them. Thank you, and enjoy the story)
Part 1: It's So Hard
Time has a way of creeping up on you. One moment you think you've got everything you could want, and will keep it close for years to come. The next thing you know, something you love is suddenly gone. Someone you love can disappear in a heartbeat with no reason or explanation. Time is a harsh mistress, coming for all without regard for good or evil, right or wrong. Death is something that nobody can escape... not even the greatest of men.
The rain fell in sheets from a dull gray sky, punctuated by an occasional thunderclap. None of the gathered crowd had umbrellas however. This was a hastily assembled gathering, for though one man's life had gone, they had much to do in his wake. But three teenage girls didn't care about any of that. They watched the rain pound the casket as it slowly disappeared into the Earth.
"Jerry was a great man." A priest spoke as the casket moved ever closer toward its final resting place. "A leader for us all. Even with his great responsibilities, he never lost his sense of humor... his concern for others... or his kindness." Alex choked back a sob, staring down at the casket. Looking at her, one couldn't tell if the moisture running down her cheeks was rain, tears, or perhaps a mixture of the two.
"May he rest in the peace that he fought so hard to give us all." The priest lowered his head, moving his hands in a cross over his chest. "Amen." The gathered WOOHP and family members repeated the word, then turned to leave slowly. Alex, Sam, and Clover stayed behind, staring down at the casket now settled firmly into the six-foot grave.
"I can't believe the old goat's gone..." Clover muttered, almost in a daze. Just last week Jerry had sent them on another mission, same as ever. He'd seemed perfectly fine... but now he was gone just like that. They didn't even know how he'd died. They'd been sent a memo saying there was an investigation underway, but that was it.
"We knew this would happen girls..." Sam gulped, looking around at her friends. She was thankful that the rain concealed the tears flowing down her cheeks. "We knew his time would come before ours... he lived a good life, and he was happy through all of it. We can only hope to live like he did." She said. Clover nodded slightly, but Alex broke down and buried her face in her hands, sobbing.
Sam sighed and pulled Alex into a gentle hug, letting her rest her head against her chest. "We should get out of here. We still have to go to school tomorrow." Sam stated softly.
"Alright..." Clover looked down at the grave, kneeling down beside it. She kissed her fingers and placed them against the top of the casket. "I'll see you Jerr... but don't think me a bad person for hoping it's not soon." She smiled and chuckled sadly. "Goodbye..."
"Bye Jerry..." Sam echoed her friend. Alex was still crying into her chest, so she stroked her friend's hair and turned to guide her back to the small WOOHP helicopter that had brought them here. They climbed into it and waited for the pilot to take off, ferrying them back toward Beverly Hills. It wasn't raining there, but the sun was vanishing beyond the horizon as night crept up on the world.
The helicopter landed in the back yard so the girls could climb out without being spotted. Sam gave the pilot a brief salute before turning to help guide Alex into her large home. "You two can stay with me tonight, I think we could all use some company."
"Sounds good to me." Clover yawned as the three girls made the weary trek up to Sam's bedroom. They stripped off their sopping wet clothes in favor of some of Sam's small collection of nightgowns, with Sam helping Alex get hers on. Clover dropped herself on the edge of the bed, lying face down with her head cradled in her arms.
"Come on Alex..." Sam helped Alex climb to the middle of the bed, laying her down and pulling the blanket up to her chin. "Are you okay?" The red-eyed Latino girl forced a small smile and nodded before rolling to her side, hiding her face underneath the blanket.
Sam sighed and pulled the blanket over herself, lying down on the bed. Alex was taking this harder than either Sam or Clover. Of course, it was pretty hard for all of them anyway. They'd only known him for one year, but it felt like he'd been there their whole lives. He hadn't been just a boss to the three girls... he'd become their father.
Before she even knew she fell asleep Sam was awakened by bright morning sunlight streaming in through the window. She pushed herself up to a sitting position, trying to shake the typical morning fog out of her mind. She blinked when she saw Clover still snoozing on the other side of the bed, but Alex missing from the middle.
Curiously she pulled herself out of bed and walked toward the hallway. She could hear a soft electrical hum coming from the bathroom. She approached cracked open door and pushed it open slowly. Alex was huddled on the tile floor with her compowder in front of her. It was connected with Jerry's line, showing an image of the empty desk and chair that had been his.
Alex looked up as Sam's footsteps approached her. "I thought... when I woke up maybe it was a dream... you know? And then when I called he'd yell at me for wasting my compowder's battery over a nightmare..."
"Yeah... I know." Sam knelt down beside her and reached out to close the compowder. Alex stared down at it blankly.
"I miss him Sam... I wish he'd WOOHP us right now and send us off to almost die or something." Alex sighed. Sam smiled and wrapped her arms around Alex from the side, resting her chin on Alex's shoulder.
"I know Alex, it's okay." Sam reassured her. Alex looked over at her and smiled softly, staring into her eyes. "Come on... we should get ready for school." Sam told her softly. Alex nodded and they both stood to go get ready.
Sam got dressed in a pair of black shorts and t-shirt, not bothering to do much more than simply brush her hair. Alex wore one of Sam's small black mini-skirts and sleeveless shirts, pulling her hair back into a ponytail. When Clover finally emerged from dreamland, she grumpily put on one of Sam's pairs of blue jeans and a plain black t-shirt similar to the one Sam had on.
As they left the house the same storm clouds from the cemetery were just beginning to find their way over Beverly Hills. Sam went back inside and grabbed an umbrella before they climbed into Sam's convertible and took off down the road toward Beverly Hills High School.
Bev High was bustling with activity, as yet another of the many school dances they enjoyed was looming nigh on the horizon. The three girls went mostly ignored as they walked in a single file into the school, silent and dressed in almost all black. They were halfway to their first class when a nasally voice interrupted them.
"God, who died?" Mandy smirked, staring at their black clothes. There was no way she could have known how inappropriate that remark was. She didn't know Jerry existed, let alone of his recent passing. Clover, however, didn't seem ready to let it go.
Clover's arm shot out, slamming into Mandy's chest and shoving her roughly up against the row of lockers with a metallic thud. Mandy's eyes went wide in shock. "Listen Mandy, I'm not in the mood for you today, so stay off my back and maybe you'll keep your fat head on your shoulders." Clover's voice cracked slightly, punctuating the redness in her eyes from the tears she'd shed the previous night.
Mandy stared at Clover as the blonde pushed herself away, marching down the hall with clenched fists. Mandy's gaze changed from shock to something Sam had never seen in them before... guilt. Sam turned to follow Alex and Clover down the hall, rushing to catch up with them as they vanished into the chemistry lab that they had for first period.
Chemistry sucked... for Clover and Alex at least. Sam breezed through the class as-per usual, though she wasn't quite up to par with her usual performance with Jerry's still lingering in her mind. All three girls were grateful when class let out and they could spill out into the hallway, leaning against the lockers.
"Okay, this is like the worst day of my life." Clover muttered.
"Totally, I feel like a sloth." Alex agreed.
"I know it seems bad, but really it only feels that way. The day is actually going pretty good..." She trailed off when they noticed Mandy walking toward them from further down the hall.
"You were saying?" Clover mumbled grumpily. She glared at Mandy as she approached, putting her hands on her hips.
"Okay, don't you dare take this the wrong way Clover." Mandy glared acidly at the blonde-haired blue-eyed beauty. "But... I'm sorry for what I said earlier. If I knew someone actually died I wouldn't have said it." Mandy marched past them, holding her back straight and not looking at them again. The three spies stared after her in shock.
"Did I just hear Mandy use the words 'I'm sorry'?" Alex asked wondrously.
"Not only does this day suck, but it's weirding me out now." Clover shook her head, staring after the violet-eyed witch.
"Even Mandy's not heartless." Sam pointed out, smirking. "I bet you two would have a lot in common if you gave her half a chance."
"In common? With her? Puh-lease Sammy, I have never been so insulted in my life." Clover huffed and looked away from her, crossing her arms over her chest. Sam rolled her eyes and gestured for the girls to follow her.
"Whatever. Come on, we have more classes to get through." She stated. The rest of the school day passed without further incident. Even Mandy made herself scarce, though they spotted her in the hallway several times throughout the day. By the time the final bell rang to let school out for the day Clover was beginning to wonder about her.
As they left the school through the front door Clover looked at her friends. "You two go on ahead to the car, I'll catch up with you." Alex looked confused, but Sam smiled and nodded.
"We'll be waiting." Sam waved as Clover went off in another direction, looking around for the purple-haired witch that had been the object of her ire for so long. It freaked her out that Mandy had actually apologized. That totally shattered her image of her as a heartless bitch. And she wanted that image back, otherwise she wouldn't have anything to compete with anymore.
She caught up with Mandy heading down the parking lot, walking toward her hot-pink convertible. Clover ran to catch up with her. "Hey, Mandy, hold up for a second!" Mandy looked back in surprise after dropping her books into the back seat. Clover slowed to a walk as she neared, crossing her arms over her chest.
"What do you want? I left you alone like you wanted me to." Mandy snapped, watching her with distrust in her eyes. Clover stared at her for a moment. She looked like the same old Mandy, those same fiery, almost vengeful eyes that always shone. But she wasn't snapping at her or taunting her. How could kindness come out of this cold witch? Why couldn't she just be her normal bitchy self? It would make things so much easier.
"Yeah... and I guess I wanted to apologize for shoving you against the locker earlier..." Clover replied nervously. She wasn't a shy person, but this was something she'd never imagined doing. "You didn't know someone close to me just died... I guess I've just been strung up since it happened."
"Yeah, death tends to do that to people." Mandy blew a large bubble and let it pop before sucking her gum back into her mouth. "But don't think just because someone died that I'm going to let you upstage me at the Spring dance."
"Oh I don't have to upstage you, your ego couldn't even fit on the stage!" Clover spat back with her old fire. Mandy smiled strangely and looked at her out of the corner of her eye.
"See you 'round Clover." Mandy climbed into her car and turned the ignition, pulling out of the parking lot. Clover watched her go, blinking confusedly. She'd smiled? Since when did an insult and a threat make someone smile at you? She could have yelled, screamed, shouted, bitten her, anything else would have made her happier.
With a sigh Clover walked back to Sam's red convertible, climbing into the back seat since Sam and Alex were already waiting in the front.
"That looked like it went well." Sam said as she fired up the engine and pulled out of the parking space.
"Yeah... she almost seemed like a normal human being. Why did she have to do that?" Clover smirked. "Why did she have to be so nice and understanding?"
"That bitch." Sam rolled her eyes sarcastically. Clover shot her a dark glare, but Alex held up her hand.
"Can we not do this today girls? Listening to arguments is the last thing I feel like doing." Alex pleaded softly.
"Sure... sorry." Sam replied softly while Clover sat back in her seat. They pulled up to a red light and rolled to a stop, though there was nobody going past them in the other direction. They waited for several minutes. "Man, this is one long red light."
"Maybe it broke." Alex shrugged. Suddenly the street underneath the car began prying itself open, swinging downward to let the girls fly down a long tunnel. The convertible slammed into the solid steel floor with a massive bang, slamming Sam and Alex into their thankfully deploying airbags. Clover slammed into the floor between the front and rear seats, not having an airbag or her seatbelt on.
"Ugh..." Sam groaned and lifted her head up, seeing that they'd fallen into Jerry's office. "What's going on?"
"Good afternoon girls." A strong voice said. Sam looked at the desk to see a man with a full head of silver hair watching her. His skin was stretched taught over his bones, with piercing brown eyes set deep into his skull. He was wearing a formal black tuxedo, similar to the one Jerry always wore. "I thought we should get acquainted, since Jerry's files have you labeled as his best agents."
"Really?" Alex sniffled. "I didn't know he thought THAT highly of us..."
"And who are you?" Sam asked. Clover grunted and pulled herself up from the floor, leaning on the back of Sam's seat and rubbing her head painfully.
"I'm Richard Myers. The new WOOHP director." The man stood from the desk and walked around to approach the car. Sam climbed out of her car and met him halfway, taking his hand in a firm shake.
"I'm Samantha Simpson. These are my partners, Alex and Clover." She gestured to each girl in turn, with them waving as their names were called. "I'm kind of surprised they found a replacement for Jerry so fast..."
"WOOHP's business is very important." Richard replied. "We can't afford to take a long time finding replacements for anybody in the organization. It could spell disaster for the world peace if we're not here to protect it. Besides, Jerry hand-picked me as his successor in his Will."
"I see." Sam replied. "Well if Jerry trusted you, you have our support."
"I'm glad to hear it." Richard smiled companionably. "Oh yes, speaking of Jerry's will. He wished you girls to have this." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a long, short box, holding it out to Sam. She took it in both hands, looking down at it curiously as Alex and Clover walked up behind her.
"What is it?" Alex asked. Sam pulled the top of the box off and moved it aside. Inside the box there were three glittering golden necklaces with silver star shaped pendants on them. Sam pulled out one of the pendants. It clicked open, revealing a picture of Jerry the three spies in full spy uniform standing in front of the White House. The girls had their arms around each other, while Jerry stood calmly off to one side, though he had his somewhat droll smile on his face.
"Wow... these are some totally killer pendants..." Clover reached into the box and pulled one of them out, popping it open. "Who knew Jerry had such a sentimental side...?"
"Ooohhhhh I knew he loved us!" Tears were running down Alex's cheeks. She already had the necklace around her neck, clinging to the pendant with both hands. "I'll never take it off!"
Sam smiled and turned back to Richard, her own eyes growing a little moist. "Thanks Richard... at least now we have something from Jerry we don't have to return to WOOHP after our missions."
"Don't thank me, thank Jerry." Richard winked. "I also want you girls to know nothing will change around here. We can't afford to let our best agents sit by on the sidelines of international crisis', so you'll be going back into service as soon as another situation crops up."
"We understand." Sam nodded.
"Good. Well then farewell spies, until we meet again." Richard reached into his pocket, and suddenly the floor opened up beneath the girls. They plunged screaming into the hole, clutching their new pendants as tightly as possible until they emerged into the parking garage near the mall. They hit the ground in a heap, slowly untangling themselves.
"I guess when he said 'nothing will change' he wasn't joking around..." Clover growled, climbing to her feet.
"One thing changed... he kept my car." Sam huffed. The three girls looked up in surprise when the roof opened over their heads again. Screams erupted as they lunged out of the way of the falling convertible before it hit the ground with a heavy bang, echoing through the entire parking lot. The car alarm went off suddenly, alerting everyone in the structure of their sudden presence.
"So much for SUBTLETY." Clover shouted over the deafening roar. Sam reached into her pocket and used her remote to turn off the alarm.
"Let's get to my place and relax." Sam said, pulling the chain around her neck before sliding the pendant down the front of her shirt. The three spy girls climbed into the convertible and took off toward Sam's house, flying down the highway with the wind blowing through their hair.
"Did anyone else think Richard looked kind of creepy?" Alex asked.
"Well so did Jerry the first time we saw him, remember?" Sam asked. The three girls laughed at the memory of Jerry glaring down at them like a bull ready to spear them through the gut and throw them aside. He'd been as surprised to see them in WOOHP headquarters as they were to find WOOHP headquarters. "Besides, looks aren't everything. Just look at Clover and tell me she looks like she has a brain."
Clover gaped at Sam in surprise, then growled. "Well you're just how you look at least. Like an arrogant jerk." Alex laughed for the first time in the last week, smiling at the memories of Jerry from way back during their first few missions. Finally they pulled up to Sam's house and made their way inside the large, comfortable living room.
Alex plopped herself down on the large couch, putting her leg up over the back and heaving a huge sigh. Clover plopped down at Alex's feet, lying back with her arms dangling over the back of the couch. Sam checked her answering machine, then joined her two friends on the couch.
"So, who's up for a movie?" Sam held up a DVD of 'Fellowship of the Ring', looking at her friends. They both grumbled incoherently. "I'll take that as a yes." She popped the DVD into the player and plopped back down on the couch again, lying back to watch the movie.
The movie was long, as all three of this particular trilogy was. None of the girls particularly enjoyed it thanks to the events of the last two days or so. But it occupied their time and took their minds off of Jerry, and in Clover's case, off of Mandy.
Clover pushed herself up from the couch halfway through and made her way toward the bathroom. Sam blinked and watched her leave, looking over at Alex lying limp as a doll against the arm of the couch. Sam sighed and sat up. "Alex, come on, cheer up. Moping too much is bad for your skin." Sam smiled slightly. Alex looked over at her with a horrified expression.
"Great, I lost Jerry AND my smooth skin!" She buried her head in her arms, sobbing into the arm of the couch. Sam rolled her eyes and scooted over to her, rubbing her back.
"Oh bah, I was just trying to get you to cheer up, your skin is as smooth as ever." Sam rubbed her back gently, trying to lean around her head to look at her eyes. "Come on, give me a smile or something. You're too cute to keep pouting." Alex sniffled and looked away from her, so she moved to the other side, catching Alex's eyes with her own. "Come on grumpy."
Alex chuckled slightly despite herself, sniffling into the arm of the couch. "There you go, now sit up." Sam grabbed her shoulders with both hands and shoved her against the back of the couch. Alex looked surprised at her forceful movements, but she didn't complain. "I know it's sad Alex... but we said our goodbyes, and he lived the best life a person could possibly hope for." Sam smiled and wiped a stray tear from her friend's cheek. "Besides... if we get WOOHPed, we have to be ready... okay?"
"Okay..." Alex nodded. "But I didn't say goodbye..."
"Then let's go do it." Sam stood up and pulled Alex up with her. "I'll leave a note for Clover and we'll be on our way." Sam walked to the table and took a small notepad and a pad of paper, leaving a note attached to the TV before pulling Alex out to her car. The sun was moving down toward the horizon across the dark clouds that still loomed overhead, but she ignored it as she pulled out of the garage and took off down the street.
Alex watched the sun fall toward the horizon as they left Beverly Hills altogether, flying down the road at the highest speed the engine would allow. The road was empty thankfully, so high-speed collisions didn't seem like a very serious risk. The sun was halfway past the horizon when they pulled up to the small cemetery, reserved for those who'd performed special services for the government.
Alex climbed out of the convertible and stopped at the cemetery gate, but Sam put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her inside. Alex walked slowly, gulping when she saw Jerry's headstone looming ahead of her. She stopped at the foot of the freshly dug grave, staring down at it until Sam nudged her.
"Uh... hey Jerry." Alex knelt down beside the grave, clearing her throat. "I'm... sorry I left without saying goodbye yesterday... I just... it was just a lot to handle so fast." Sam knelt down and put her hands on Alex's shoulders. "Anyway... thanks for the pendant. It's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever given me." Alex put her hands around the pendant hanging from her neck.
"I hope you're happy up there... you certainly earned it." Alex smiled slightly, reaching down to stroke the soil over the grave lightly. "Goodbye Jerry..." Sam gripped her shoulders and pulled her up away from the grave, turning to lead her back to the convertible. They climbed into the car and drove away from the cemetery, with Alex staring out across the passing fields again.
Sam let her remain in silent contemplation as they reached Beverly Hills again. The sun had sunk behind the horizon by now, inviting the moon hovering over a sea of stars to shine down on them. They pulled up to the house and walked inside, finding that the movie had been turned off and there was a second sticky note attached to the TV.
Sam pulled it off curiously, reading it aloud. "Dear Sam and Alex. Since you're busy tying up Alex's situation, I have a few of my own problems to take care of. I'll be back soon. Hug/Kiss and all that. Clover." Sam smirked and looked over at Alex, who had her hands on her hips.
"She went to see Mandy." Alex stated simply.
"Hey, maybe they'll finally bury the hatchet. It would certainly make our lives easier." Sam grumbled. She and Alex had been caught in the crossfire of Mandy and Clover's feud many times in the past, occasionally being burned by Clover herself in her attempts to outdo Mandy.
"So what do we do until she gets back?" Alex asked, sitting down against the arm of the couch.
"Well, there are two more Lord of the Rings movies if you're up to it." Sam suggested. Alex shrugged and Sam turned to pop in the second in the trilogy. Clover should return soon, then they could decide how best to spend their second Jerryless night.
TO BE CONTINUED