Chapter Six: Bikinis, Tradecraft, and Firefly

Disclaimer: Same as before…

Kapaa Beach Park
8 June 2003, 1611
Kapaa, HI
United States

Nani Pelekai stood up in the lifeguard tower at Kapaa Beach Park. Why do I get the weird sensation that I'm being watched?

She took a quick glance at her cell phone, seeing a missed call from David from around lunch time. I wonder if it's over that? Of all the days to fill in for Karen in Kapaa? I don't get off for almost an hour and...Why do I feel like someone's watching me.

Nani glanced back out at the ocean, at the beachgoers playing in the surf and a couple folks surfing. The skies were slightly cloudy. And together with the crashing of the waves she could hear the lyrics of a song from the radio in the lifeguard tower.

"It was an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, that she wore for the first time today. An Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini so in the locker she wanted to stay."

Nani thought she vaguely recognized the white Nissan Sentra that had pulled into the parking lot about five minutes ago. But she couldn't be too sure about the occupants, because they'd parked it an an angle that would have the sun in her eyes.

Must be Lindsay or Henry, Nani thought. But what would they be doing hanging around the beach?

Five minutes earlier.

Henry put the car in park, leaving the engine running as he glanced out over the beach parking lot and the crowd.

Not bad tradecraft at all, Tresckow, Lindsay thought from the car's passenger seat. Parking with the sun behind us. It'll make it harder for Nani to know we're watching her.

After another scan of the beach Henry said, "Doesn't look like there's anything suspicious, yet."

"Great," Lindsay replied, "Now for the people watching part."

The car radio played a soundbite of news, "According to the BBC public opinion polls in Russia on Ivan Radek continue to show the former army general in a favorable light."

Lindsay sighed as she switched the radio off, "He'll start World War III if he's ever elected."

"Why so keen on Russian politics?" Henry replied.

"I studied abroad in Russia after college and taught English there for almost two years after college," Lindsay replied.

"Interesting," Henry said. This might be something to discuss later on.

"What, did you think I went straight into the CIA as soon as I graduated college?" Lindsay replied.

"The thought had crossed my mind," Henry replied.

"And what about you, Henry?" Lindsay asked as they both kept their eyes on the parking lot and the beach, "Had you been a soldier your whole life?"

"More or less," Henry replied, "But I did manage to finish my degree, albeit in six years instead of four because of my National Service."

"Well, I could always say you were a slow learner," Lindsay smirked.

"You try getting your degree when your education is interrupted by six week stints of military duty even after your initial term was up. And these are six weeks with one of the more forward deployed regiments of the Rhodesian Army," Henry countered.

"Where did you go to school?" Lindsay asked. Of course I know this from his dossier, but I do want to know more about the man than what's on paper.

"Rhodes University, in Grahamstown, South Africa," Henry replied.

"She was afraid to come out of the locker. She was nervous as she could be. She was afraid to come out of the locker. She was afraid that somebody would see," The song's lyrics echoed into the car.

Two can play at the teasing game, Henry thought with a grin.

"I can't help but notice a parallel between the song on the radio and the knot just above the collar of your t-shirt," Henry commented.

"One. Two. Three. Four. Tell the people what she wore," the song continued.

"We do have to look like we're nothing more than a couple tourists in a rental car," Lindsay replied.

"I can't help but notice, however, the connection of your swimwear and that song," Henry smirked.

"That was entirely a coincidence, Tresckow," Lindsay replied.

"It was an Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini, that she wore for the first time today. An Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini so in the locker she wanted to stay," the song continued.

"Oi," Henry began, "Silver Mercedes to the left. Far end of the parking lot."

"I'd call that bad tradecraft," Lindsay replied, recognizing the bespectacled raven haired woman in the driver's seat. She wrote down the license plate number on a scrap of paper and stuck it in a hidden pocket sewn just above the hem of the short denim skirt she wore.

"Well she is a baroness," Henry observed.

"And she's also an espionage expert," Lindsay replied, "So why pick such a conspicuous vehicle?"

"Wonder if she's got a team around here?" Henry asked.

"Well, if anything we'd better just maintain our cover. Just a couple going to the beach," Lindsay said with a wink.

"Of course," Henry deadpanned as he stepped out of the car after shutting the motor off. He could hear and see Lindsay following his lead.

He grabbed a bag out of the back seat of the car before heading out to the beach. Setting the bag down he pulled out a towel and spread it out onto the sand. His eyes moved to the left as Lindsay tugged on the hem of her Phillies t-shirt, pulling the garment over her head and setting it onto the towel.

Henry shed his own Springboks t-shirt, setting it beside Lindsay's as she tugged her skirt down and setting them beside her flip flops, revealing that indeed she was wearing a yellow polka dot bikini underneath her clothes.

"It seems I was right on the matter of your swimwear," Henry quipped. But damn does she wear it well.

Lindsay fixed him with a mild smirk and headed for the water at a sprint, looking for all the world like a girl on vacation. Returning the smirk with a grin of his own Henry followed Lindsay to the water, diving in, going underneath a breaking wave.

"Henry?" Lindsay began, when she noticed he hadn't surfaced, standing in the waist deep water.

A man can drown in less than six inches of water, Lindsay thought just as a pair of arms grabbed her from behind.

"Haha!" Henry laughed from behind her, having just surfaced. With a twist at his hips he pulled them both into the water.

"God, Henry, don't do that again! I thought you got swept out to sea in an undertow!" Lindsay snapped as she surfaced, sputtering sea water and rising to her feet.

"Nope, just saw the perfect opportunity to use the element of surprise," Henry replied.

Despite herself Lindsay laughed as well, "You got me, Sneaky."

The Rhodesian laughed as he let go of her. After a bit more goofing around in the waves, the better to maintain their cover as a tourist couple on vacation, Henry and Lindsay began to swim and then wade out of the sea.

When they'd reached somewhat shallower water Lindsay kicked a leg out, causing Henry to trip forward in a splash of seawater and foam.

Laughing Lindsay walked from the surf, exclaiming, "Now we're even."

With that she walked with a slight sashay of her hips as Henry stood back up, sputtering water. He got to his feet, following her out of the water back to the beach. He noticed his eyes immediately moved to the swaying of her hips as she walked out of the water.

That was Henry and Lindsay, Nani thought as she focused on the two with her binoculars before tucking them away. I wonder what they're doing out here? Probably just scoping around the island and taking some time to just mess around in the water. Oh well. Back to some people watching.

Nani noticed, briefly, the woman in the black bikini sunning herself about twenty paces from the lifeguard tower. There was a certain arrogant aloofness about the dark haired woman.

Just another rich haole, Nani concluded.

Nani, of course, was unaware that she had just caught sight of the Baroness. Nor did she know that the Baroness was watching her.

So this is where the elder Pelekai sister works, The Baroness thought. Useful information in case we need to take a hostage.

She had initially wondered about the couple she had seen in the white Nissan Sentra earlier until she saw them start to frolic in the surf. Tourists. Most likely, but my instincts say there's more to those two than meets the eye.

She hadn't survived years in Romania's intelligence services and later in Cobra's service by being mentally lazy. Alright, the brunette wearing the yellow bikini under the Phillies T-shirt and denim skirt and the dark haired fellow with the Springbok's T-shirt and tan shorts are going to be people I'll keep a watch out for today.

She checked her cell phone, seeing a message from Firefly. Reconnaissance on the Pelekai house as well. Good idea.

Pelekai Residence
8 June 2003, 1615
Kokua Town, HI
United States

Firefly hid in the woods behind the house, up in a tree. Gnomekop was perched on his shoulder as both of them were using binoculars to get a longer range view of the Pelekai residence.

He had noticed that Nani Pelekai's green Jeep Renegade wasn't in the parking space underneath the house. The better to sneak into the house.

It'd be a bit too hard for me to sneak closer to the house, it'll be best to wait until nightfall...unless, Firefly thought before his eyes rested on Gnomekop, moving away from his binoculars.

"Gnomekop," Firefly began, "I need you to get a closer look at the Four Eyed Giant's fortress. But do not engage Turbo Troll even if you see him. They must not know you are here."

"Gnome power!" Gnomekop shouted and jumped down from the tree branch.

Oh crap, Firefly thought.

Gnomekop ran directly towards the house saying, "Must find Turbo Troll."

You idiot...Firefly thought to himself as Gnomekop ran across the grass, vaulting up onto the front steps of the house only to encounter Turbo Troll on the landing.

"Turbo Troll!" Gnomekop bellowed angrily, beating his chest with a roar and charged forward.

Turbo Troll let out a hissing rasp and met Gnomekop's charge and the two grappled with each other on the landing of the stairs leading up to the front door.

"Gnome power!" Gnomekop shouted.

"Troll strength!" Turbo Troll shouted back.

"Gotcha!" Jumba shouted as he attempted to aim his rocket powered net launcher to ensnare both Gnomekop and Turbo Troll. However he stepped on one of Lilo's roller skates and wound up falling backward and launching his net up into the air. The net, obeying the laws of physics, went up and then landed on Jumba.

Pleakley, who had heard the commotion, ran outside to help Jumba. Once he got outside he started shouting, "Oh no! Oh no! Robots going nuts! Jumba's been snared! Gotta help! Gotta help!"

"No! Pleakley don't grab the…" Jumba began just as Pleakley's three fingered hands grabbed hold of the net.

"ZOOWWWWWW!" The two aliens shouted in stereo as electricity coursed through them.

Maybe I can go grab Turbo Troll while those two are distracted, Firefly thought.

Firefly sneaked through the woods, unaware that he was being watched…

Stitch, thanks to his enhanced hearing, could hear the sound of rustling through the grass. The distinct bellow from Gnomekop as he sighted Turbo Troll was a dead giveaway as to who was causing said rustling.

And it sounds like Jumba and Pleakley failed to capture them, Stitch thought. Running outside in time to see Firefly approaching, trying to grab a hold of Turbo Troll.

Gotta act now, Stitch thought. He saw one of the bouncing skunk bombs just then and leaped from the underside of the eaves of the house where he had been literally hanging around.

Then he grabbed it and ran towards Firefly, pointing the tail end of the bouncing skunk at Firefly. A cocktail of liquid skunk scent from the onboard odor generator and pepper spray splattered into Firefly's face, soaking through his balaclava.

"GAH!" Firefly shouted at the combination of smelling concentrated skunk stench and being burned by pepper spray.

"Baka Zika!" Stitch shouted as he jumped upward, rolling into a ball intending to hit Firefly in the stomach.

However Stitch wound up impacting somewhat lower than Firefly's stomach…

"OH MAMA THAT HURTS!" Firefly shouted as he fell to the ground.

Stitch laughed as he unrolled from his ball shape and landed, feet first, onto Firefly's stomach.

"OW! KAMEHAMEHA!" Firefly shouted.

"Hahahahaha! Choota!" Stitch laughed.

Stitch jumped up again only to be struck by a blast from Gnomekop.

"Belt Blaster!" Gnomekop shouted.

Firefly staggered to his feet as Stitch was shot out of mid air.

Gnomekop ran by him, "We must withdraw!"

We wouldn't have needed to 'withdraw' if you hadn't gone nuts and try to attack Turbo Troll, Firefly thought as he staggered and managed to run into the woods. Arguing right now would be a stupid idea, especially given Stitch was rising to his feet.

Cobra Safehouse
June 8, 2003,1740
Kokaua Town, HI
United States

The Baroness stepped out of the shower just in time to see Firefly stomping into the house with Gnomekop in tow, eyes bloodshot and red.

"What happened to you?" The Baroness said.

"Two words - Gnomekop," Firefly growled.

"Technically Gnomekop is only one word," Baroness replied.

"Whatever," Firefly snapped.

Gnomekop bristled and said, "I sighted Turbo Troll, the Scourge of the Elven Realm and…"

"That's not how you carry out reconnaissance!" Firefly snapped, "They shouldn't have even known we were there!"

"We learned that Turbo Troll is working in conjunction with the Four Eyed Giant and has claimed his stronghold and its formidable defenses," Gnomekop protested.

"We did," Firefly said, "And I got attacked by said formidable defenses that include a mechanical skunk that sprays a very nasty mixture of skunk scent and pepper spray at the same time."

"I thought it smelled bad in here," the Baroness replied.

"Ha ha ha," Firefly grumbled, "I'm off to go take a shower."

"Firefly, you might not want to…" the Baroness began.

"Oh shut it," Firefly grumbled as he stomped into the bathroom before slamming the door shut.

"Suit yourself," the Baroness said, "You'll see that pepper spray tends to be aggravated by water."

The hissing and splashing sound shower starting up could be heard and a few seconds later another drowned it out. Firefly's agonized screams as the pepper spray on his face reactivated.

"AAAIIIEEEEEEE! ARGGHH!"

"Well, you can't say I didn't warn you," the Baroness deadpanned as she went back to sketching out a diagram of the Pelekai household.

To Be Continued...