A/N: I really have to get a jump on this updating thing. grins sheepishly I'm not too regular, I'm afraid. But luckily I think I've finally settled into the groove of school again... sort of. I have a ridiculously easy semester, so there's really no excuse to shirk my fanfic account. But I do.
Enough whining. I need to put a quick disclaimer in. The band Stingray 5000 (mentioned briefly in Missing Identity) is featured in this chapter. None of the characters involved with them are mine. DiamondTopaz was toying with a fic about them, and she came up with all their names. And she also wrote a very short story concerning an incident in which Dennis actually met Zack and Justine. So there's a reference to that in there. Just thought I'd pay her back somehow for all the help she's been on planning this story.
One more thing: I deleted my forums. First of all, there were a couple of problems of late with spammers, and I realized that I really don't have time to moderate a forum in addition to all the other stuff that's rapidly crowding in my life. So sorry, guys. Just have too much on my plate.
Anyway, hope you enjoy the fifth chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own SpongeBob or any related characters. Stingray 5000 fancharacters belong to DiamondTopaz.
Part Cinco: Of Life
There was a warehouse just south of the city that had been abandoned for years. Flames had consumed it one cool night, igniting all the dry cardboard boxes that were stacked in heaps in the corners. No one ever bothered to repair it, or even tear it down.
That's where Toby Cullen was headed: Warehouse D-119, not too close to the landing docks but not too far away. Some instances required that their group have easy access to ships.
This was only about the third time he had ever been there, even though he'd been in the gang for almost a year now. He was mainly an intelligence man, sending messages by cipher when something needed to be reported. But the message he now carried was too important to rely on anyone but himself.
The light on the warehouse door flickered as he approached, the wires attached to it almost completely severed. He surveyed the area. No one in sight. He opened the door and stepped inside.
The smell of burnt wood still lingered, but faintly. Aside from the blackened ceilings and walls, there was little evidence of the fire. The windows were still there, and a workbench even remained in a tiny office where the guards used to sit. Toby shed his coat and walked into the office.
Celesa was stretched out in her chair, her boots struck across the desk. Cameron leaned against the wall, his arms folded. Reggie was sitting in another chair, cleaning a gun with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. And old Jones was there, too, sitting quietly in the corner, knitting, looking completely out of place.
"Toby?" Celesa asked, looking up, her eyes confused. "What are you doing here?"
"Something's happened. I thought I should let you know." Everyone's head snapped up.
"What?" Celesa said slowly.
"It seems there's been a breach..."
"What?" Celesa repeated, her face growing pale.
"You'll recall Chris's sister, Alain?" Celesa nodded, as did the others, remembering their former comrade. "This morning she went into the princess's room, where she left a threatening warning that Princess Mindy should leave the country."
Celesa scrunched up her face in puzzlement. "Why would she do that? I know she never agreed with us, but she wouldn't help the royalty, after what they did to her brother..."
Toby shook his head. "Someone put her up to it. Someone who didn't want the plan to follow through. Someone who knew what was going on."
Three heads twisted toward Jones. Toby followed their gaze. Her face was going red.
"Jones?" Celesa said testily. "What did you do?"
"...I don't think she should die..." Jones mumbled.
Celesa slammed her fist down on the table. "Look, either you're all the way in or all the way out! We can't have someone who informs on us just because we think differently than they do... If you weren't older than dirt..." Jones colored. Celesa trailed off. She looked furiously at Cam. "You all need to get your priorities in order! We are going with the original plan! We are not going to back out or take matters into our own hands! Anyone who disagrees can leave right now!"
No one spoke a word. Toby cleared his throat hesitantly.
"What?" Celesa growled. Toby was sure her eyes were a shade darker.
"Umm... okay. It's not all bad. Alain delivered the warning, but... ah... the princess never even saw it."
Celesa straightened. "Well, what happened to it?"
"Umm... someone kind of... caught Alain in the process..."
Celesa turned bright red and lunged to grab a heavy lamp.
"But the incident wasn't reported!" Toby said quickly. Celesa stopped mid-throw.
"What?" she said for the fourth time.
"The guy let her go. He cleared out the room, talked to her for a while, and then let her go--without even so much as getting a name! I'm told that he went to talk to the Council about heightened security, but they refused to see him..."
"Who was it?" Reggie asked suddenly.
"Umm... it was the princess's boyfriend."
Reggie nodded profoundly, smiling to himself. "You're coming with me tonight, ain'tcha, Toby?"
"Yeah."
Reggie smirked, then turned to Celesa. "Then you probably won't have to worry your pretty little head about him much longer..."
---
"Please, Mindy, just stay at home!" If there was one thing Dennis had learned through the years, it was to never take unnecessary risks.
"Come on, Dennis, it's Addie's birthday. And she was nice enough to get us tickets. It would be rude to refuse."
"But… it could be dangerous."
"I'm fine. I'll take it easy, like the doctor said…"
"That's not what I mean!"
"Well, then what do you mean, Dennis?"
"I mean…" He hesitated, wondering how much he should tell her. "I mean… there are so many people there… and no bodyguards…"
Her cheeks flushed hotly. Her mouth set in a cold, firm line. "No. I refuse to bring any."
"But it's important to be safe. No one will think any less of you…"
"No guards. That's final. We'll be leaving at 8:00." She whirled around, her shoulders hunched, a pained look on her face. Dennis stared after her quizzically as she left the room. It wasn't like her to be so… adamant about something as trivial as an extra bodyguard or two.
Well, now there's no alternative, he thought. I'll be the only one able to help her. Beneath his numbing fear was a kind of thrill, a morbid exhilaration at the prospect of a real challenge, a chance to prove he hadn't lost his touch. It was also a chance to prove that his… skills… did come in handy; he had to demonstrate through actions that he had changed, that he had abandoned his old way of life.
But this wasn't a game. A life was at stake, perhaps the most important life of all. Cold fury rolled through him. They'd tried to take her life once. He'd be damned if he let them do it again…
---
The concert was held in a fairly small building, large enough to house about 1,000 people. He had expected a huge sell-out stadium, from the way Addie and Mindy raved on. No matter. A small crowd was less dangerous.
Addie presented her tickets with flair to a sullen-looking taker. He scowled and roughly handed back their stubs. Dennis ushered the girls inside. Some people were just always cynical that way. Some people were assassins. And usually there was no way to tell the difference.
Chairs had been set up in long rows with wide aisles in between. The inside of the hall had concrete floors and brick walls; high metal rafters obscured the ceiling. Lights and projectors hung from every angle. A small stage had been erected in the back of the room. Microphones, speakers, drum sets, keyboards, and instrument cases littered the stage. People milled about, their voices rising in an excited din. A table was set up near the stage, filled with rows and rows of albums. A huge line streamed from it, fans waiting to get autographs before the show. Addie quickly steered them to the line.
"Did you bring paper?" Mindy asked. Addie smiled and opened her backpack. It was filled to the brim with CDs, hats, shirts, and posters, all bearing the Stingray logo.
"And one of those guitars is mine," said Addie, nodding to a row of cases against the wall. "I had one of my friends deliver it here."
"I thought we were your friends…" Mindy teased.
Addie rolled her eyes and snapped her bag shut.
"I just want to meet them…" she muttered.
"Well, let's go!" Mindy exclaimed, grabbing Addie's hand. Dennis walked quickly behind them, trying to watch everything at once. Mindy pulled Addie past the line, ignoring the protests of the agitated fans, and drew to a halt right in front of the table.
"Excuse me. I'm Princess Mindy, and my friend is your biggest fan."
"Hey." The man sitting at the table smiled a friendly smile. His black hair hung flat around his ears. He was skinny, and a plain black collar circled his thin neck. "I'm Alex. This is Rocco, Charlie, Shaw, and Zack. And this is Justine, our unofficial mascot."
Addie trembled slightly. It only took her a moment to dump her merchandise on the table and start babbling about how their band was her inspiration. Zack and Alex cast sidelong glances at each other, but listened politely, markers flying.
Dennis stared at Justine. She had a petite build, for an octopus, her pale green skin almost glowing in the dim light. She had long wavy auburn hair and a sweet smile on her face. It was the wild hair, that brilliant shade of golden red, that jolted a memory. Her face was familiar. Justine apparently remembered, too.
She clutched Zack and stared at Dennis, her round eyes trusting. She whispered something in Zack's ear and he nodded.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't the 'knight in shining armor'," Zack said to Dennis. "I wondered why Justine had her eyes on you…"
Justine beamed.
"What's going on?" Mindy said slowly.
Justine looked at Mindy and curtsied dramatically. "So you two are together? Hang onto him, Your Grace. He has a heart of gold."
Mindy waved a hand at Justine's formality. "You know them, Dennis?"
He blushed and shuffled his feet awkwardly, the memories rolling silently through his mind like a movie in fast-forward.
"Oh, it's nothing… it's just… about a year or so ago, I saw her with the band at a bar… some guy was giving her trouble, so I helped her out… it's not a big deal, really…"
"So modest," said Justine. "He saved my life!"
"Seriously?" Mindy's voice was quiet.
"Uh, yeah… so… thanks," Zack said bluntly. "Woulda been terrible if something had… happened to her. I guess I gave you kind of a hard time…"
"It's okay," Dennis said quickly. "I don't blame you. I'd probably act defensive too, if… if I were put in your place."
Zack nodded, obviously as uncomfortable as Dennis. Mindy's brow was creased with thought.
"So you knew Zack all this time?" Addie quipped. "And you didn't even tell us?"
"We didn't leave on the best of terms. I wouldn't say we knew each other, anyway…"
"Guys, five minutes," said a stagehand.
"That's our cue," Zack said, relaxing. "Hope you guys enjoy the show." The band left but Justine lingered, fingering a lock of red hair.
"Like I said, Princess Mindy, you're one lucky girl!" She gave Dennis a peck on the cheek and hurried off to center stage. Dennis blushed again, well aware of his heated face.
Addie scowled. "She's nice and all, but almost too nice. I don't understand what Zack sees in her."
Mindy brightened, smiling mischievously. "Yeah, you're just jealous."
"Hm-hmm. Miss Perfect is stealing both our guys at the same time."
There were loud protests from both Dennis and Mindy. The loudspeaker hummed suddenly, rising to a piercing shriek. Justine adjusted the mike.
"Hello, Bikini Bottom! And welcome to Stingray 5000's Live Concert Jam Tour! We have a couple of announcements before we start:" Justine shuffled through a pile of sticky notes in her hand. "First, a very happy birthday to Addie Stevenson! Where are you, Addie? For your special day, a free Stingray T-shirt!"
Addie caught the wadded shirt as Justine threw it. She shook her head in disgust. "I already have this one."
"Next: a message to all Underground members. 'Be ready to roll at 11!' Sorry you'll have to leave us, guys…"
11 o'clock. Underground. A sharp pain worked its way through Dennis's spine. He recognized it as that premonition of fear, that almost-dread he felt before a kill. 11 o'clock.
Underground. Maybe he could work the girls out of here before 11. It wouldn't be much of a respite, if these guys were for real, but at least it would buy him more time to get proof of the danger. Right now not even Mindy would listen to him.
Justine went on about rules and regulations, and the exclusive deals offered at the merchandise stand. At last the lights darkened, leaving a blue fog on the stage.
"Now please welcome to the stage Stingray 5000!" A cadence of rapid drumbeats began. The bass and electric joined in, then the keyboard with swift chords. Strobe lights flickered blindingly. The concert had begun.
The threesome settled into the nearest chairs, Dennis guarding the edge of the aisle. He tapped his foot to the beat for a while, then stopped. It wasn't exactly his favorite kind of music.
Besides, that wasn't the important thing here. He shifted his eyes around the room, hoping to find the telltale signs of an assassin. It was too dark to see much of anything.
"What are we sitting down for?" Addie yelled over the dissonant notes. She yanked Mindy and Dennis to their feet (tail, in Mindy's case).
Most of the night passed uneventfully. Dennis trailed Mindy wherever she went, looking fearfully for weapons hidden in the darkness. He kept his hand on a knife in his pocket and his other hand on Mindy's shoulder.
Addie was talking to another boy about her age. She waved them over excitedly.
"Thanks for bringing my guitar," she was saying. "I'm going to get it autographed after the show."
"No prob," said the boy. He had wavy dark hair and pale brown eyes. He wore a creased leather jacket and cowboy boots. There was a spark of mischief in his eyes, something that made Dennis a little uneasy.
"Toby, my friends, Dennis and Mindy. Dennis, Mindy, Toby."
"Enchante," Toby said, reaching for Mindy's hand. Dennis surreptitiously pulled her out of reach, eyes wide.
"Nice band," Toby continued, unperturbed.
Dennis shook his head slowly. It was a coincidence… No. What were the chances?
"How do you know Addie?" Mindy asked politely. Dennis grabbed her hand and pulled her away into a screaming mass of bodies. It was 10:50.
"Dennis! What are you doing? I was trying to have a conversation!"
"That kid is bad news. I've heard things about him."
Mindy looked at him incredulously. "Of all people to judge by appearance…" she breathed. "Believe me, Dennis, I've heard bad things about you. You think you were magically permitted to be with me? Every day my father tells me you're bad news. Every day he threatens to never let me see you again…" There were tears in her eyes. "And now you're telling me he's bad news? You've talked to him for two seconds and you assume the rest based on what you've heard?"
"I just want to protect you…" he pleaded, but it was useless.
"Some people think I need protection from you," she said coldly.
A slow song wafted through the room, the first pleasant song he had heard all night. He saw Toby go off with Addie, and several couples were wandering off into pairs. He grasped Mindy's hand and pulled her tightly around him.
"You don't believe that, do you?" he asked softly.
She hesitated, then leaned toward him. "No…"
"If I act crazy sometimes, it's only because I love you…" he said, feeling a warm tide of emotion coursing through him.
She sighed. "I know. I-I love you, too…"
His lips brushed hers, and there were tears in his eyes.
There was a loud clap that filled the room, easily carrying over the soft music. A sharp pain roared through his arm. Dennis convulsed as white hot flashes filled his eyes. He steadied himself until they focused. He wavered dizzily, groaning.
"Dennis? What is it?" Mindy cried, her eyes with panic. She gripped his shoulders to keep him from falling. She pulled her hand away from his left shoulder.
"You're hurt!" she cried, a sob of disbelief escaping her. Her hand was covered with blood.
Blood was soaking through the sleeve of his jacket, a dark stain growing larger with every passing second. He tightened the sleeve and held it with his other hand, trying to stop the flow of blood.
No… His mind echoed with a series of images, as always ending with her broken body. He shuddered and grabbed her hand just as another shot rang out. She screamed.
He moved his arm around her, wincing as the bullet in his arm shifted, sending fresh tremors of pain rolling through him. With his good arm he withdrew a gun.
There were cries of alarm and terror from the crowd, a vast majority of them cowering to the floor, arms flailing.
"Are you okay?" It was Addie, forging her way through the panicked throng. She gasped as she saw Dennis's arm, blood dripping onto the concrete floor.
"Where's Toby?" he asked gruffly. She shook her head.
"He went off a couple of minutes ago. Why?"
Another shot echoed off the walls. It embedded itself into the wall behind them. Mindy clutched his waist, all color gone from her skin, her face shining with tears. Her lips were open in a silent cry. He hated to leave her…
Gently, he pried himself from her grip, easing her gently to the ground. "Get out of here, both of you," he said to Addie, who merely nodded, her face as pale as Mindy's.
He turned away, careful to conceal his gun. The last thing he wanted was to be accused of the shootings.
He leaped onto the stage, his gray eyes searching. There. Someone was sitting on the rafters, waiting to climb down on one of the dangling ropes. He caught the glint of what might be a weapon.
And there was Toby, sidling towards one of the doors. He decided Toby would be easier prey.
Dennis was blocking his way before Toby had time to react.
"Who's shooting?" Toby said wildly. He was playing the role of innocent teenage boy perfectly.
"Yes, who?" Dennis growled. He grabbed him by the shirt collar and slammed him against the wall. "I'll fill your brains with lead right here unless I get some answers."
"I don't know nothing," Toby said calmly, but his skin had turned paler.
"Don't give me that. Someone wants to hurt Mindy, and you're in on it." He was surprised how much his own voice shook.
Toby stared at him, those ocher eyes displaying nothing of his intentions.
Dennis pressed the gun against Toby's side. Toby's breath caught, but he regained it steadily, raising a hand in surrender. A slow smile spread across his face.
"You're Dennis. Mindy's friend."
"What of it?"
Toby just smiled. "Don't worry. I can promise you that no one was aiming for her."
Toby rested his elbows against the wall and delivered a swift kick between Dennis's legs. Dennis dropped the gun, his face a mixture of shock and agony. Toby was gone. The shadow in the rafters was gone as well. No more shots rang out. Mindy and Addie were being led outside with a police officer that had shown up. It's seemed they were safe… for now.
Dennis cursed himself, Toby, and Great Neptune for his clever idea of supplying mortals with such painfully sensitive body parts…