Chapter Nine
Lauren and I have already spent two hours sitting in the same conference room as stated earlier. She sat in her chair and I on the table in front of her. In between us were books, maps, and information spread out all over the place. I had my laptop in my lap and was hunched over it reading it. So much information to go through and so little time.
"Hey! Lets stay at this hotel, they have a great Canadian Restaurant with some great food on its menu." Lauren said suddenly she held up the pamphlet she was looking at.
I looked up from my screen at the grinning woman in front of me. All I could do was shake my head at her antics.
"Lauren, normally I would love to go. However, we are on this important mission. We're trying to find the location of the Trumpeters, not some silly restaurant!"
"Sorry! Jeez, I'm hungry and we haven't eaten since this morning."
And, as if to prove her point, both of our stomachs gave a loud rumble. I smiled sheepishly at her.
"Where was that restaurant again?"
She laughed as she handed the pamphlet to me. I looked at the place closely and then when back to work.
"So how do you propose we approach this situation?" I asked after a few minutes.
"Well First we enter the restaurant and be seated. Then we look over the menu and order what we think is best. Then, after waiting awhile, we eat the food. That will take a while, especially for me, and finally we go and pay the bill before leaving. Yeah." Lauren said nodding her head.
I looked at her again and laughed.
"I meant how do we approach capturing the Cornick Brothers stupid. Jeez, get your head out of your stomach."
She stuck her tongue out at me and shrugged.
"I don't know. Lets play that by ear." She suggested, but I shook my head.
"We would easily be caught with a plan like that.
"Good point."
We got quiet again and she turned her head back to the pamphlet. I sighed and looked back at my screen. I did a search on all the Canadian Government Sites for information of the Cornick brothers or the Trumpeters, but all results came back blank. I sighed softly before an idea came suddenly to my head.
"That's it!" I yelled as I slammed the laptop closed.
The sudden noise made Lauren jump and fall out of her chair. She hit the ground with a loud thud and groaned loudly. I looked down at her and laughed.
"Sorry about that." I apologized sheepishly.
She glared up at me and got back in her seat.
"So what's your brilliant idea?" She asked when she was seated.
"Getting caught." I said simply, as if it was easiest thing in the world.
She just stared at me and raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Its simple. We go into the area with just a handful of people and search for them. Make lost of noise and announce our presence. Then everyone heads back while I stay there. I then allow myself to be caught and send a signal out. The others can come and catch me, and we use that moment to catch the brothers."
Lauren was quiet as I finished my plan. She stared at me with her zoned out look.
"That actually might work."
I smiled.
"It will work." I said confidently.
She raised her eyebrow at me again. I could only grin, like the stupid ditz I was, and went back to my screen.
"Aren't we arrogant?" She asked sarcastically.
"Well you love me for it."
"Whatever."
"Do you agree with it then?"
"I do, but Amanda and Mike are going to freak out when they hear it."
"Probably."
Lauren shook her head and I smiled. We went back to our information looking for something new or helpful. I glanced at the clock and winched. Lauren looked over at me when I sighed loudly.
"What's wrong?" She asked tilting her head.
"Do you realize that we have been in this room for the last three hours?" I asked tiredly.
"No kidding." She whispered and shook her head. "That's way too long, even for me."
"Totally. Lets use with what we have and bring it up to the others."
I closed the laptop, letting it make a soft click, and jumped off the table.
"But Cheryl, we don't have anything." Lauren reminded me.
"Then we BS the whole thing. I just want to get out of her."
Lauren agreed on that and she stood up. Stretching and making loud groans and moans, we left the room and headed down the hallway.
"So where are Mike and Amanda?" I asked looking around.
"Good question."
We walked up to the closest door and knocked. There was a clicks someone unlocked the door. Stephanie Brooks poked her head out at looked at us. She smiled when she realized who it was.
"Hello Cheryl, what can I do for you?" She asked cheerfully.
"Do you have any information on the Soprano Clan?"
"Yeah we have something. However, all of it is in codes and these weird symbols. It's going to take us a while to decipher them all."
"Alright, take your time. By the way, do you know where Mike and Amanda are?"
"Last I heard they were with Maria in the Entertainment Room. But that was an hour ago."
"Its better than nothing. Thanks Steph."
"No problem."
She gave us a large smile and closed the door again. Lauren and I turned and continued our way down the hallway. We finally stopped in front of a pair of doors. Engraved on a metal plate next to the door was the name Entertainment Room. I took a deep breath and opened the door.
The first thing I noticed when we walked in was that the whole room was dark, I could hear music coming from some where and there was a soft glow from the TV in the corner. We walked up to the couch and smiled. Sitting on the couch, totally engrossed with the movie they were watching, was the three top leaders. In the middle was Amanda, and she had a bowl of popcorn in her lap. On her left holding the remote in his hands, was Mike. And to her right was Maria, who was laughing at the TV.
"So why are you three watching the 2003 band video?" I asked loudly.
The three of them jumped at the sudden noise and turned around. When he noticed who it was, Mike glared at us as he pushed the pause button on the remote.
"You know, it's not nice to sneak up on someone. Especially someone who has the power to kick your butt in jail." He threatened.
I smiled at him and said smugly, "You cant do that. I am the law."
"Watch us Cheryl." Amanda said with a smirk.
"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa!" Maria said holding her hands up. "Before the four of you kill each other, lets hear what you have to say."
I opened my mouth to explain but then closed it again. A confused look appeared on my face as I turned and looked at Lauren.
"Why are we here again?" I asked curiously.
She smacked her forehead and shook her head.
"We're here to tell them about our plan on catching the Cornick Brothers." She reminded me.
"Oh yeah!" I said cheerfully.
"Cheryl, you are too much." Amanda said, whipping away an imaginary tear. "What are we going to do with you?"
"Tie her up and send her to the circus?" Lauren asked in a hopeful voice.
"Only if you come with me." I said in a singsong voice.
"Hell no!"
Mike cleared his throat and we smiled sheepishly at him. We walked around the couch so that we were standing in between the couch and the TV. I spoke first.
"Your Royal Highness. We have come up with a way to defeat the Cornick Brothers!" I announced striking a pose. I was standing with my legs apart and my arm out stretched to the ceiling. Lauren made the same pose.
"I thought we were only catching them." Lauren said looking over at me.
I broke the pose and put my hands on my hips. Lauren did the same.
"We are, but defeating the Enemy sounds cooler. Don't you think?"
"Well your way of thinking is weird." She said crossing her arms across her chest.
"So, I'm still better than you." I said turning my back to her.
"Oh whatever." She replied, flicking her hand at me.
I turned my head and stuck my tongue out at her. She turned and did the same.
"Will you two knock it off and continue with the plan." Mike finally snapped at us.
"Or at least start it." Amanda reminded us with a smile.
"You two and your senseless bickering." Maria said with a laugh.
"Its not senseless." I complained.
"That's because you're senseless." Lauren joked.
"Oh be quiet you." I snapped, sticking my tongue out at her again.
"Ladies." Mike warned.
We jumped and smiled sheepishly at him.
"Yes sir." We said politely.
"Just begin already." Mike said rubbing his temples.
"Right-O..." I paused again and looked at Lauren. "Why are we here again?"
"The plan!" All four of them yelled at me.
"Of right!"
Lauren smacked her head again and the others sighed loudly.
"Okay, this is what we have so far. First I shall take a small regiment of Clarinet Agents to Canada..."
"The last know place of the Trumpeters and their hideout." Lauren put in.
"Right. Then something happens here..."
"As in Europe." Lauren explained.
"Yeah...um...oh Yeah! And after all of the agents have left I go off on my own and."
"Hopefully." Lauren threw in.
"Do you mind?" I finally said irritated. I turned and glared at her.
"Sorry, just filling in some of the information."
"Yeah well your giving me a headache."
"You are a headache."
"Same to you."
"Ladies." Mike warned again, while the others laughed.
"Then, hopefully, I get caught by a Trumpeter and taken to their base..."
"Where the Cornick Brothers are located." Lauren added.
"Lauren!"
"Continue!" Mike and Amanda yelled over us.
"When I get caught." I said loudly, to drone out Lauren. "I will send out a signal to where I'm located..."
"And in comes the Calvary!" Lauren called out before jumping behind the couch. She appeared behind the leaders and offered me a grin. I rolled my eyes at her and turned to the leaders.
"So that's my plan. What do you think?"
The three of them stared at me with wide gapping mouths. Lauren raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged. Finally Amanda spoke.
"That is by far the most outrageous plan you have ever come up with." She said angrily.
"What about the time I suggested we bring disco back?" I asked with a smile.
"This is no laughing matter Cheryl." Mike reminded me sternly. "So many things can go wrong with that plan."
"But..."
"Its too dangerous." Mike put in. "I forbid you to use it."
"But..."
"Don't whine Cheryl. I have to agree with Mike and Amanda." Maria said softly.
"Very well. I shall go and think of a new plan." I said in a defeated voice.
Bowing low to them, I turned and left the room. I could see the sad expression on Laurens face, but I ignored it.
Oh well, back to the drawing board I guess.