Author's Notes: Hi, readers. Here's chapter twenty-five of "Ride the Wind II: Justice Unbound." I'm glad it took just five days to get out. This chapter features more hinting that Lilli is Isabella. I will begin the process of bringing this crossover to an end very soon. Stay tuned for chapter twenty-six.

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Chapter 25: Off in the Distance

Clouds covered half the midevening sky above Northwest Adventure Park's aquatic theater and the ocean. The moon came out from behind a large one. A small cloud moved across the bottom of it. A gull flew past it with a squawk. Its silhouette seemed to meld against it. Trees dipped and swayed in the wind. Some branches appeared ready to break off.

Lilli surfaced in the middle of the tank. Jane and Izzy came up beside her with soft clicks. They darted underwater, their tails slapping on the surface. They did spyhops on the tank's right side. They went back underwater, squeals leaving their blowholes. They returned to the surface and opened their mouths. They folded their tongues before wiggling them. They closed their mouths.

Mark and Charles sat on the stage. They focused their attention on the trio swimming around the tank. They let out soft snorts. The orca and dolphins approached them. They opened their mouths and wiggled their tongues. The former petted Lilli's tongue. The latter did the same with Jane and Izzy's. The trio squeaked in much pleasure.

The men ceased their petting of Lilli, Jane, and Izzy's tongues. The orca and dolphins closed their mouths. They rolled on their sides to expose their flippers. They waved at them as they blew air from their blowholes. This made the water around their blowholes bubble. They stopped both actions before returning to right side up. Charles and Mark tried not to laugh, but they couldn't help themselves. Lilli, Jane, and Izzy swam away, going underwater.

"You ladies can't help but be such goofballs," Mark yelled and clapped twice.

"It'd be funny if they stood on the surface of the water and started dancing on their tails," Charles joked and blew a raspberry.

"If that happens, I will throw you into the tank, so you can dance with them!" Mark blurted out in delight.

"After you do that, I will climb out and throw you into the tank!" Charles yelled and slapped him upside the head.

"I don't think so," Mark said, shaking his head.

"I do think so," Charles said, nodding fast.

"I don't think so," Mark yelled and spoke gibberish.

"I do think so," Charles growled in playfulness.

"I don't think so," Mark retorted and made a weird noise.

"I do think so," Charles said and imitated a burst of air from a blowhole.

"I don't think so," Mark said and clapped three times.

"I do think so," Charles said, throwing his hands upward.

Mark tweaked Charles's nose and pretended to pull his underwear over his head. Charles moved his arms around as if he were blind. Mark acted as if he were putting his underwear back where it belonged. They smiled at each other before laughing.

"I love it when we pull that routine," Charles said in a warm voice.

"Me too," Mark agreed. "The best part is when one of us pretends to be blind."

"When Stanley told a gangster that it was just two seconds before he honked his nose and pulled his underwear over his in The Mask, he did both in a flash. The gangster tried go after him, but he missed. Stanley pushed him into his friends," Charles explained.

"I love that movie," Mark commented and became a little angry. "I hate it was ruined by Son of the Mask. It had no connection to that movie whatsoever, except for the mask."

Charles shuddered in disgust. "It was so painfully unfunny. It didn't have Jim Carrey's presence, so it bombed at the box office."

"That actor is what made the first film so good. He knew how to make people laugh," Mark said truthfully.

"He was to be in a sequel called The Mask II. It was announced in Nintendo Power. The magazine held a contest where the first prize would be awarded a walk-on role in the film. Director Chuck Russell wanted to direct a Mask sequel in his 1996 Laserdisc commentary. He was hoping Jim would come back as the title character. Jim revealed that he was offered ten million dollars to star in the sequel. However, he turned it down. He revealed his experiences on Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls convinced him that reprising a character offered him no challenges as an actor. The project never got off the ground, and the concept was changed. The winner of the failed contest was given five thousand dollars and other prizes. He or she was issued an apology in the final issue of Nintendo Power in 2012," Charles explained and moved his neck from side to side to stretch it.

"I don't blame Jim for deciding not to reprise his role as Stanley Ipkiss," Mark whispered sympathetically. "Many actors and actresses don't want to be typecast at all."

"At least he had fun playing Stanley," Charles murmured with much warmth. "He made The Mask so memorable for millions of people, especially children."

Mark snickered. "Some kids probably thought they could stretch themselves like his character. They were disappointed to find they couldn't."

Mark and Charles saw Lilli surface on the tank's right side. She went underwater, slapping her tail on the surface. She swam toward the tower. She spyhopped and cried out softly. She repeated both actions twice. Charles shook his head in disbelief. Similar distant cries sounded out, but they were too quiet for the trainers to hear them.

"Lilli is having one of her moods again," Charles mumbled, sighing heavily.

"It astounds me how she enjoys performing during the day and gets moody at night," Mark said, giving a shrug.

"Some captive orcas were well known for being moody. Kanduke is a good example. He lived at Marineland Ontario for twelve years after his capture in 1975. He did waterworks, though he could be aggressive at times. He was sent to SeaWorld Orlando in 1987. He sired two calves named Taima and Katerina with Gudrun and Katina respectively," Charles said in awe.

"Taima took after her father," Mark added, raising his eyebrows. "Though there aren't any details on incidents, she was known to be a little aggressive with her trainers. She attacked her first two calves named Sumar and Tekoa because she observed Gudrun trying to drown Nyar. She was a good mother to Malia."

"It is likely she would've been a good mother to her fourth calf had they not died during labor in 2010," Charles mumbled with a frown. "Placenta previa caused their deaths."

"That condition is where the placenta is close to or covers the cervix. It can cause miscarriage and hemorrhaging," Mark explained.

"According to reports, Taima delivered the placenta before her calf. She couldn't deliver it because it was in an unusual position. If it had been in the normal position, she would've been able to deliver it immediately," Charles pointed out seriously.

"Trainers moved to intervene, but her condition was too severe for them to help her," Mark whispered in much sadness. "She was such a beautiful orca."

"Yeah," Charles agreed. "What do you say we take our break right now? Maybe Lilli's mood will have passed by the time we get back."

"Sure," Mark said with a nod. "I need to smoke a cigarette."

"Just don't turn into a chimney," Charles joked with a snicker.

Mark slapped his friend in the shoulder. They ran up the stands very quickly. Lilli spyhopped and emitted a soft cry once more.

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Mark lit up a cigarette with his lighter while standing next to the statue with Charles five minutes later. He slipped the lighter into his pocket. He puffed on it and took it out of his mouth, blowing out some smoke. He tapped it gently, ashes falling off the tip. Charles stretched his arms above his head. He put them at his sides.

"Mark, you ought to try French smoking, like Frenchy does in Grease. It's really cool," Charles said.

"Maybe I could. Everyone knows it's how she got her nickname. I have to say I like it," Mark replied and chuckled.

Charles laughed in a quiet manner. "Me too. She also ate a lot of French fries."

"I love French fries. Maybe we could have a little sword fight with our fries next time we have them," Mark suggested.

"You're on. I bet I'll beat you," Charles insisted and smirked.

Mark shook his head. "You wish."

Mark put the cigarette back in his mouth. He puffed on it for five seconds before taking it out and blowing smoke into the air. Charles watched the smoke fade away.

"There's nothing like having a cigarette after watching an orca and two dolphins for hours," Mark commented and put the cigarette back in his mouth.

"I was never a fan of smoking, but you have a right to do that," Charles said and crossed his arms. "Just don't ever blow that smoke in my face."

Mark winked at his friend and removed the cigarette from his mouth. He turned away from him, blowing the smoke out. He shifted his attention back to him.

"People always say you shouldn't smoke because it can give you lung cancer, but I don't give a damn. I love my cigarettes because they help me relax, especially after a long night," Mark said, turning his nose upward.

"The night is still young, but it will be a long one. It always is when we are assigned to night watch," Charles pointed out and uncrossed his arms.

"I just wish Lilli wouldn't get into her moods," Mark muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. "We have no idea when she will do that."

"I understand your frustration with it, but we can't do much about her moods. We just have to let them pass," Charles explained gently.

Mark nodded in agreement. "I know. Perhaps she will be out of this one when we get back."

Charles showed some uncertainty. "I hope so. At least we can take breaks often. Dial isn't here to look over our shoulders."

Mark and Charles heard approaching footfalls. They spotted Brenda coming their way. They could see she was wearing a waist pack. She stopped before them, a small smile crossing her face.

"Hey, guys," Brenda greeted in sweetness.

"Hey yourself, Brenda," Mark said, giving her a wink. "You came to see the ladies tonight, didn't you?"

Brenda nodded. "Mm-hmm. How are they doing?"

"Jane and Izzy are fine, but Lilli is in one of her moods again," Charles griped with a huff. "She swam over to the tower and began calling out to the bay just before we were leaving to take our break."

"Has she acted abnormally in any other way?" Brenda wondered curiously. "I just want to know."

"Not at all," Mark admitted, putting his cigarette into his mouth. He puffed on it for five seconds before taking it out. He blew smoke out after turning away from her. He returned his attention to her. "She did float near the back of the tank an hour ago. It appeared she was resting."

"I see," Brenda murmured.

Charles gazed at her pack. "Always one for bringing your pack, aren't you?"

"Yep," Brenda said, patting it three times. She put her hand at her side with a contented sigh. "My shorts don't have pockets, so I need a place to put my stuff."

"Like your IPhone," Mark said, pointing his finger at her.

"That's right," Brenda said, nodding in a slow manner. She showed a bit of annoyance. "I hate it when people text and walk at the same time. It puts them at risk for getting hit by cars."

Mark groaned. "They might as well glue their phones to their noses. They can't seem to put them down."

Charles and Brenda voiced their agreement. They and Mark recalled a young man coming down the stands while texting just before a show three months ago. They saw him miss a step and come tumbling to the bottom of them. They rushed over to him. Mark called for an ambulance. The man was taken to the hospital and was found to have broken his right arm. He vowed never to text while walking again.

"Not every pair of shorts and pants has pockets. That is why waist packs were invented," Mark said, motioning toward Brenda's pack.

"Some people don't like waist packs, so they use clip-on holders to store their phones," Charles pointed out.

"You don't have to worry about going to your car to get your phone because it is right there," Mark said warmly.

"Some people listen to music on their phones. They do it on earbuds, so they don't disturb the people around them," Brenda said, rubbing her hands together.

"For example, some people don't like rock music. They hear it blaring from someone's phone. They become irritated," Charles explained.

"If they ask nicely, the person just might turn it down. Then again, he could irritate them even more by turning it up," Mark said with a roll of his eyes.

"Talk about being inconsiderate," Brenda said with an annoyed huff.

"You got that right," Mark agreed, nodding sharply. "That person probably wasn't taught manners by his parents."

"Either that or they did teach him manners. It just didn't stick with him," Brenda commented and shrugged. "Some people who got addicted to drugs were once very responsible. Now, all they care about is getting their next fix." She shuddered in disgust. "They will even kill people for it."

"After an addict commits murder, that is the end for them. There is no turning back," Charles mumbled, snorting.

"Yeah," Brenda responded and looked toward the entrance. She turned back to the men. "Anyway, I'm going to see the ladies now."

"Okay," Charles said and cleared his throat. "We will be in there in a minute."

Brenda winked at her friends and headed inside. Mark tapped his cigarette, the ashes falling off the tip.

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Brenda came out at the top of the stands. She could see Jane and Izzy swimming across the tank. She observed them going underwater and surfacing on the right side. They slipped beneath the surface quickly. They spyhopped in the middle of it. They emitted a series of clicks and whistles. They came back down up to their heads. They opened their mouths and wiggled their tongues. They closed them quickly.

Brenda shifted her attention toward Lilli, who was still at the tower. She saw her go beneath the surface and spyhop. Lilli emitted a soft cry while opening her mouth. She went back underwater as she closed her mouth. She spyhopped again, another cry leaving her blowhole. Several distant cries came, but Brenda couldn't hear them at all.

Brenda narrowed her eyes at Lilli as she did one more spyhop and cried out again. More distant cries came, this time being a little louder. She was able to hear them. She watched Lilli go underwater once more. Lilli proceeded to swim around the tank. She dove downward, coming back up on the right side. She spouted air from her blowhole. She slipped beneath the surface with a soft squeak.

Brenda pressed her lips together before breathing deeply. She began to wonder if Jesse, Randolph, and Dwight were right about their suspicions regarding Lilli. She recalled Dial telling her about Willy acting in a similar manner. She speculated that Willy heard orcas calling in the nearby bay and started responding to them out of loneliness before Jesse discovered the truth. She believed Lilli was doing just that as she still wasn't sure about her being Isabella.

Brenda sighed in relief as she was lucky that she brought a syringe and a tube with her in her pack. She decided to bring them with her in case she saw Lilli going into one of her moods like she did last night. She knew she needed to act quickly before Charles and Mark came back in from their break. She didn't want them becoming suspicious if they caught her taking a sample of Lilli's blood before her actual medical examination.

Brenda went down the stands quickly. She headed over to the stage and got on her knees. She put her hand in the water and proceeded to make ripples. Lilli surfaced in front of her. She emitted a happy squeak as her trainer petted her on her nose. Brenda couldn't help but smile. Jane and Izzy came up near the orca. They chattered in a soft manner as they got closer to her. Brenda scratched each of their melons.

"It's nice to see you three tonight," Brenda said and patted each of the trio's melons. "Now, I need to do something very important with you, Lilli. Is that okay with you, Jane, Izzy?"

Jane and Izzy nodded rapidly. Brenda smiled and kissed each of their noses. She scratched their melons before giving them gentle pats. They let out small bursts of air.

"I'm glad you don't mind," Brenda cooed. She watched the dolphins swim away. She made eye contact with Lilli. She unzipped her pack and reached inside. She pulled out the syringe and the tube. She licked her lips and became very determined. "I need to take a sample of your blood, sweetie. It is for an important test. Can you do this for me?"

Brenda turned her arm in a circle. Lilli nodded and swam away in which she went underwater. She came back up beside Brenda, rolling upside down. Her trainer moved over to her tail. She rubbed the left fluke until she could feel a vein. She stuck the syringe in and pulled the pump back until it was full of blood. She took it out with a relieved sigh. She injected the blood into the tube before capping it.

Brenda heard Mark and Charles talking quietly. She peered at them coming out at the top of the stands in the corner of her eye. She turned back to Lilli, who darted underwater. She put the syringe and tube in her pack and zipped it shut quickly. She rose to her feet and ran her fingers through her hair. The men came down the stands to her side. They observed Lilli surfacing at the back of the tank. She headed underwater, spyhopping in the middle of it. She let out a loud squeak. Mark couldn't help but chuckle as Charlie slipped his hands inside his pockets.

"It seems Lilli is no longer acting moody," Mark whispered in relief and crossed his arms.

"Something tells me your presence cheered her up," Charles said, looking at Brenda.

"Oh, it did," Brenda admitted, smiling warmly. "I hear anti-caps say all the time that orcas and dolphins are complex beings that need to have others of their own species as companions." She shook her head. "Some orcas and dolphins would rather be with other species than with their own kind."

Charles became serious. "What they want for a cetacean may not be it wants."

"That's right," Mark agreed with a nod. "We can't force cetaceans to become friends with each other."

"Orcas and dolphins aren't the only complex animals. Elephants, gorillas, chimps, and orangutans are just as complex," Brenda pointed out honestly.

"People will throw temper tantrums if any of these animals don't have a companion of their own species in a zoo, but they don't say a word if the animals are the same way in a sanctuary," Mark muttered, rolling his eyes. "What a double standard."

"Yep," Brenda said with a heavy sigh. "At least Lilli is doing better now. Let's hope she is in the mood to perform tomorrow."

Mark held up a finger. "Let's not forget about her medical examination on Wednesday."

"I know," Brenda said, swallowing hard. "Dial called me earlier tonight and said he wanted to observe the medical examination. I told him it wasn't the best idea, but he insisted he be there. I relented."

"What the boss says goes, even if we don't like it," Charles said with some annoyance.

"If you make any snide remarks, he will be on your ass like a bat out of hell," Mark said, looking very disgusted.

"None of us have ever made snide remarks toward him or his partner," Charles whispered, biting his lip. "We don't want be on the receiving end of his wrath."

Brenda huffed. "Nope."

Charles looked toward the water as Mark uncrossed his arms and placed his hands in his pockets. They and Brenda proceeded to watch Lilli, Jane, and Izzy swim around.

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Brenda made her way toward her truck that was parked in the middle of the mostly empty parking lot forty-five minutes later. She got in once she reached it. She unzipped her pack and reached inside to grab the tube. She stared at it as the blood trickled down to the bottom of it. She pressed it against her chest, her breathing soft and steady.

She pulled the tube away from her chest to look at it once more. She wanted to let Randolph know that she had already gotten a sample of Lilli's blood. However, she didn't have his phone number. She needed to search for it on Google. She didn't think it would be too hard to find, especially since he was an orca researcher.

Her thoughts shifted to Jesse and Randolph. She knew they would be delighted to know about what she did, though she anticipated them being shocked at first. She understood their need to know the truth. She was confident the DNA test would prove that Lilli wasn't Isabella. At the same time, she understood it was possible what they and Dwight had been telling her was true. She hoped Dial wouldn't find out what was going on.

She started thinking about Lilli. She hoped the young orca wouldn't be in another one of her moods tonight. She hated seeing her get that way, but she knew she couldn't do anything about it, except let her get back to normal. She was grateful to Charles and Mark for being there for her. She believed their presence did her some good, even if she got moody from time to time during their entire shift.

Brenda shook her thoughts out of her head. She knew she needed to get home and go to bed. She had to be at work at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. She slipped the tube back into the pack. She zipped the pack shut before taking it off. She opened the glove compartment to place it inside. She closed the compartment with a loud slam. She fastened her seatbelt and started the engine. She pulled out of the lot and proceeded to drive down the street.