Warning: Rated for language, some violence and adult behavior.
The main characters of this story are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.
In her dreams she was staring at a huge pile of gold. It was set before her to watch and take care of. Yumi had never seen such a fortune before in her life, and it frightened her.
Every now and then, a little version of her, sprouting devil's horns, would creep up and try and take one of the gold pieces. When it did, she would run over and swat it away. Then another imp would appear, then another. Soon there were thousands of Imps, all looking like her, stealing the gold that she was given to watch over.
"Yumi, you've got to lighten up," said a voice.
She turned and saw him, her Love, her Life. Ulrich stood there smiling at her.
"You know you're not that way," he gently chided her. When he did, all the little Imps disappeared, and all of the gold was returned.
"It still scares me, Ulrich," she told him, "I've never seen this much money before, let alone be responsible for it."
He walked up to her and took her in his arms.
"Yes you have, we all have," he told her, hugging her to him, "you've just never seen it in this form before. And as for trust, do you think Mr. Hopper would have given it to you if he didn't trust you?"
"That's the part that truly frightens me," she said.
"Alright class, pages 156 to 223 in your books for next time," the teacher said as class dismissed.
Yumi groaned with the rest of the class and packed to leave. She had to get to the bank before it closed.
Ever since she first went to the bank, she would return each day at lunch time. She left the satellite phone in the safe deposit box, because she didn't think it would be safe at school. Several of the girls, including Yumi, had already had things stolen from their dorm rooms.
Any papers relating to the Kadic Group that came to her in the mail would be put in the box along with the phone. Especially the book of checks for the checking account she was in charge of.
Yumi got to the bank, asked for her box, and signed in. She was escorted back to the room, and the safe deposit box brought in. After she was alone, she called Desmond.
"And how are classes today?" he asked her.
"Hectic, I'm still getting the hang of things here," she replied, "boy, college is a lot harder than high school was. It's almost like they were trying to get rid of me or something."
"College can seem that way at first," the man reassured her, "and maybe, in some ways, it is. The first year classes may well be designed as much to weed out the unprepared as much as provide a basic foundation."
"Anyway," he continued, "I have news for you. General Maxwell is in Washington, and will be contacting you shortly. I have the office space all set up, and he will execute the lease on our behalf. You will need to be there to write the check."
"Okay," she replied, "when do I need to be there?"
"Allen will contact you. Yumi, do you keep the phone with you?"
"No, I've been leaving it here in the safe deposit box. I'm afraid it will be stolen at school."
"Ah, that explains some things. Don't worry about theft, dear. The phone is fully insured, plus there are safeguards in place to disable its use if someone other than you tries to use it."
"Are you sure? I'm still nervous."
"Trust me Yumi, technology can be a wonderful thing sometimes."
Yumi was sitting at a table on a plaza, eating her lunch. The plaza was between the bank and school, and Yumi frequently ate there. When she left the bank, she took the phone and the check book with her, not knowing when she would need either one.
"Well, I seem to have found my wayward lamb at last," came a man's voice from behind her.
Yumi turned around and saw him, General Allen Maxwell, USMC, Retired.
He hadn't really changed all that much in three years. He still looked like a general, even without the uniform. He stood there, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. She stood and greeted him.
"General, it's been years! Have a seat!"
Allen took the proffered seat next to her.
"Well, Ms. Ishiyama, how have you been? It's been, what, two, three years?"
"Three," Yumi replied, "Mr. Hopper told me that you..." General Maxwell cut her off.
"I can't believe it's been that long! You know, I had heard you were attending school here, but I can't believe I just bumped into you," he said, giving Yumi a look that said play along.
Yumi nodded and smiled, "yes, it does seem to be a small world after all." She took the last bite of her lunch and said, "look, I need to get back to class now. How about giving me your phone number and I'll call you later on so we can catch up."
He pulled out a pad and a pen and wrote a telephone number down. "How about over dinner tonight? I think we'll have a lot to catch up on."
"Okay."
After classes ended for the day, Yumi called the number that General Maxwell gave her. A woman picked up on the second ring.
"Could I speak to General Maxwell please?" she said in greeting.
"Dear, General Maxwell is no longer a general," the woman replied, "Allen! Telephone!"
There was muffled noises in the background, then General Maxwell spoke.
"Allen Maxwell."
"Hello, sir, it's Yumi."
"Ah, yes. About dinner. My house at 7 pm."
"Well, this is rather sudden," Yumi told him, "we've just met and you're inviting me to your house?"
"Believe me, Ms. Ishiyama, it's the most secure place I can think of, outside of the Pentagon," was his reply, "do you need a ride, or do you have transportation?"
"A ride would be fine, sir."
And what a ride it was. At 5:30, a limousine pulled up to the dorm building, and the driver asked for Ms. Ishiyama. She walked out, saw the car, and almost ran back inside. She had changed for the evening, but she had changed into jeans and a casual shirt. The limo almost made her go back to try and find something a little more dressy.
It took almost an hour to drive from the school to the Maxwell residence. The car actually pulled into a gated compound, with a big southern plantation style house. The driver pulled up to the front door, and someone opened the door for her and ushered her inside.
General Maxwell and a woman met her in the foyer. "Welcome to my home. I'd like to introduce you to my wife, Sandy."
"How do you do, Sandy," she replied.
"Good to finally meet you, Yumi," Sandy replied, "now, I'll go and make sure dinner is on time."
Maxwell led the girl to his study. When the entered, he shut and locked the door. That made Yumi nervous. He then went to his desk, punched a button on his telephone, and dialed a number. As the phone rang, he indicated a seat for her to sit in. She sat down.
"Kadic Group, Ishiyama speaking," came her mother's voice. The telephone was set up as a speakerphone.
"Hi mom!" Yumi said. General Maxwell smiled.
"We're all here, Miko," he said, "is Desmond ready?"
"Yes I am," came Desmond Hopper's voice, "Yumi, when you left the bank today, did you take the satellite phone with you?"
"Yes, sir, I did," she replied.
"Good, keep it close. I should hear from the realtor sometime in the next few days about the office. As soon as I hear anything, I'll give you and Allen a call. You will need to be ready to cut a check for the lease, do you understand?"
"Yes, I do."
"Good. With that out of the way, I wanted the two of you to get together so we could go over the nature of your working relationship. Allen, do you remember the conversation we had before you left Paris?"
"Yes, Desmond. Even though she's a kid, we're partners, she doesn't work for me. And in certain matters, her decision goes."
"Yes, that is correct. Yumi, did you understand that?"
Yumi had a deer-in-the-headlights look on her face. "I understood what was said, but that's it. What 'certain matters' are you talking about?"
"Most importantly, anything related to gathering and disseminating information about the followers of XANA. Of the two of you, you have the most knowledge about what we are dealing with."
"Sir, remember what I told you before I left. I know about XANA, but it was always rather obvious in its attacks. Even after it escaped, it was still rather easy to tell when it was involved in something."
"I know, Yumi, but that information is more than what Allen knows. One of the first things I want you to do is give him a complete briefing on everything you know about XANA. Then, I want you to go through the intelligence we've been gathering and see if there are any telltale patterns that might be a clue."
"But I can't do that! I wouldn't even know how!" the girl said.
"Jeremie, Aelita, Odd and Sissi have been doing it for a while now, and have found out some very interesting things," Desmond said, "even your mother has discovered some patterns. I will compile what we have and send them to you. Do you have access to a computer?"
"No, not yet," Yumi said.
"Then take some money and get one, preferably a portable," Desmond said, "Yumi, have you used any of that money?"
"Well," she said, "I did take a little to get my school books. And to get some clothes."
"And that's all?" came the response.
"Well, yes. You said that was for setting up the office here."
"I was afraid of that. Yumi, forget what I said earlier. That money is not only to get the office set up, but also to get you set up. You are going to become more than just a foreign exchange student studying in the United States. You are about to become a socialite."
"Huh?" Yumi said in surprise.
"You will have to take your classes, of course," Desmond went on, "but you will also be getting out in the evenings, meeting people and ferreting out information. Allen will help you, of course, but you will probably be doing most of the sleuthing."
"How am I to do that?" she said.
"You didn't tell her, Allen?" Desmond said.
"No," was the reply, "we only met briefly at lunchtime, and the situation wasn't the best for that kind of conversation. That's why I invited her out here. There's no way in Hell anyone is going to hear us."
"All right. Yumi, we've had conversation on how best to utilize you in America. The best thing we could come up with is a socialite, making the rounds of the DC party circuit. That will be a good starting point to pick anything up, and we can send you or someone else out from there when needed."
"Mr. Hopper, I don't know anyone like that! I've barely gotten to know my roommate!"
"Yes, and some ways, that makes things easier. No one knows how you really are, so they won't think it unusual if you suddenly started partying with the elite crowd."
"But, how am I supposed to get into that crowd?"
"That would be my job," General Maxwell said, "I'll be escorting you to some of these affairs, giving you to opportunity to do what you need to do."
Yumi got a strange look on her face. "You will be escorting me?"
"Yes, and if things work out the way we hope, word will start to get around that you're my mistress."
"WHAT!"
"Yumi, calm down," her mother said, "everyone who matters knows that this is a cover."
"What about Sandy? What about Ulrich?"
"My wife already knows," Maxwell said, "she had pretty much the same reaction as you had. I'm hoping we'll only have to carry on if someone starts asking around. And even then, we'll only have to do it for a little while. And nothing will happen between us, I assure you. If I were the cheating kind of man, Sandra would have had my balls long ago."
"I don't like it."
Desmond said, "sometimes, adults have to do things they don't like because it is necessary. No one here doubts your love for Ulrich, and I'm sure he will understand. Even so, I will see to it he knows that this is a farce, so he doesn't worry."
"Ulrich will find out, probably tonight," Yumi said. Allen Maxwell looked strangely at her.
"How?"
"Oh, nothing," she replied.
Dinner was quiet. Allen and Sandy talked about small things that happened during the day. Yumi just ate quietly and felt like a fifth wheel.
After the meal, Sandy said to her husband, "Allen, why don't you go have a brandy and a cigar. I think we two ladies need to have a little talk." Allen just nodded and left them alone.
"So, you are the new and improved model," Sandy said with a slight smile, "poor old Allen has been put out to pasture, and needs something to make him feel young and alive again. So this comes up, and now the old war horse can now feel important again."
Yumi got a frightened look on her face. What if she thinks he's really going to take me as a mistress? Could he really be trying to do that, and conned Desmond and the others somehow?
The girl's confusion deepened when Sandy laughed out loud.
"Had you goin' for a minute there, didn't I?" she said with a big smile on her face, "don't worry, Yumi, I know it's a sham. Besides, I ruined him for all womankind a long time ago."
Yumi visibly relaxed, a little.
"Look, I know this is strange to you, but I've been through this a couple of times. And believe me, those were a lot worse than this!"
"How?" Yumi asked.
"The last time, Allen disappeared for three years, and what little I heard about him indicated that he turned traitor and defected. About a year ago, he told me that if things had gone just a little bit wrong, that's how everyone would have remembered him. Even his closest friends, Taylor Thompson and Ann Grace, didn't know about it, until they had to extract him. At least this time, I know what he's doing."
"Everything?"
"No, not everything. I don't know why you two are doing what you are doing, but I know that you're doing it. And Allen wouldn't be doing it if it weren't important."
In her dreams that night, she stood naked before Ulrich, and was ashamed.
"Yumi, what's wrong? I've never seen you like this, here or in the real world," said her Love, her Life.
"Ulrich, something's come up, and I don't know how you're going to take this," she said nervously, "I've found out a little more about what I'm going to be doing for the Kadic Group."
"Good! what is it?"
"I'll be on the lookout for XANA related activity in Washington," she said.
"That's great! Where do I sign up for that gig?"
She smiled, "there's something else. I've got a partner. You remember General Maxwell, right?"
"Yeah," Ulrich said warily.
"Well, he works for the Kadic Group here in Washington. We'll be working together. And, there's something else..."
"What?"
"I'm supposed to play his mistress," she said. Now she waited for the explosion. There was none.
Ulrich looked at her intently for a moment. Finally, he said, "okay."
"What?" she replied, almost shouting, "I thought you would pitch a fit! I was waiting for the tantrum of my life here! You don't have a problem with this?"
"Yes, I have a problem with it, but there's nothing I can do about it," Ulrich said, "when you said it, I looked at you, and I saw the whole conversation with him, with Mr. Hopper and your mother, with Sandy, everything. Of course I'm concerned, but I Trust You. Remember what those two told us, that there are no secrets between us here. The only thing I can do is pray you stay safe and send my Love to you whenever I can."
