Chapter 3: Players Revealed
"You bastards." Was the only warning the twins had before they were forced to duck what they vaguely recognized as a potted plant from their waiting room as it went whizzing by them. They looked up expecting to see an irate "costumer" or family member of one or even a member of Gi-Joe not their own sister. Jerrica was standing in their waiting room fighting with their secretary over a stapler exclaiming that she had every right to throw it at them. Like any other intelligent, reasonably sane men who grew up with multiple sisters would do in this situation they looked themselves in their office.
"Cowards." She yelled as she banged on the door. "Get out here and explain yourselves."
"Now sister." Tomax said into the intercom.
"Dear sister." Xamot continued.
"What has"
"You so"
"Upset?" they both said, hoping this wasn't about Zartan; they really didn't want to have to explain that. Not to mention it would mean they lost an edge.
"Cobra." She stated simply and that was enough the twins ripped open the door and pulled her in just in time to slam the doors in the face of the security guards that had been summoned.
"How did"
"You learn about that?" they asked as they pushed her into a chair.
"When Eric first approached me I had some one look into your business." Jerrica explained as she tried to bring herself under control.
Unfortunately before she could do that the office doors were kicked in and in marched three members of GI Joe. "You two have…" Flint started to roar only to stop in shock as Jerrica stood up and smacked both brothers over the head with her purse and marched out.
"Great timing." The twins drawled as they watched their sister cow the security guards and storm over to the elevator.
Jerrica clung to her temper right up until she was behind the wheel of the Rocking Roadster then it was only then she let herself fall apart. But only for a moment she knew she couldn't let her guard down here. She had to get away go somewhere she would have privacy. She quickly pulled out of the lot into traffic not giving any thought to the storm clouds blocking out the sun.
Zartan could only stare in shock he had just barely managed to climb into Jerrica's car before she peeled out of the lot. When the car and her, suddenly changed it actually took him a moment before he adjusted for the change. Now he probably could have explained that away it was what happened when they reached their destination that threw him for a loop. No sooner had they pulled into a derelict drive in Jerrica jumped out of the Roadster and headed into one of the buildings. Zartan followed only to watch as Jerrica finally broke down. Now normally a crying woman didn't evoke much emotion in him, occasionally amusement but that was about it. What set Jerrica apart was that while she was crying she was also cycling through different forms. He watched as she morphed from one form to another. Jem, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, some guy who looked familiar, and an assortment of other people he didn't know.
Each time she sobbed "not enough." and flashed pink she changed, this went on for a couple of minutes before she pulled herself together. "Shows over" she breathed as she returned to what he assumed was her birth form. "Ok, need to find away to spin this. First none of the Starlight girls should find out. Second find away to separate the twins business from Starlight, the competition could handle that." She thought aloud as she pace. "Third find a way to do this without endangering the girls. We haven't seen the twins for years. The scene at the office was just a spat. But what kind of spat, romantic those two have run off how many of our boyfriends, while they do something, but doing what? How would those two court someone?" she asked herself. "Either they would buy them out or stalk them. Stalking it is." She decided as she headed back for the roadster.
Zartan followed after her absentmindedly he as occupied by compiling what he knew about her. She was loyal, protective of those she considered hers, not afraid of confrontation, willing to bend the rules and she can shape shift she was damn near perfect.
Tomax and Xamot felt a chill going up their spine as they sat boneless behind their desk. First they had as of yet unresolved argument with Jerrica followed closely by an altercation with GI Joe who was defiantly off their game, which they could understand considering what they had walked in on. So they were more than tempted to ignore that feeling of foreboding. But they had been in the game long enough not to. So as they were mentally running through the different operations they had in the works trying to find the one that could be the cause of the omen. So when Jerrica called and told them they needed to romantically stalk someone and back track it to before the argument in their office, they were very confused.
Jerrica had just set down her phone when the doors of her office were kicked open. She looked up half expecting it to be the group that had made a similar entrance at the twins office but was not really surprised to that it was only the Misfits. She watched with almost bored air. "Ladies" she stated dryly. "That hasn't worked in almost a year. All it accomplishes is me getting a new door." She continued "Get some new material." This seemed to throw the group as they attempted to stalk towards her.
"Why you…" Pizzazz growled as she stomped her way closer to the desk. Once there she slammed her hands down on the desk in the hopes of making Jerrica flinch. Which Jerrica did out of reflex but gave no other reaction. She didn't lean back and she made casual eye contact.
"Was there something you needed?" Jerrica asked.
"Yeah, for you to get off you high horse." The green haired woman snarled. "You seem to have forgotten just where you fit into this world."
"Oh, really." Jerrica drawled as she settled back in her chair with an amused air.
"Ya," Stormer chimed in.
"You are nothing more than a second rate manager love." Jetta continued "As such you answer to us not the other way around."
"So whatever scam you and your brothers are running is over." Roxy stated.
"So unless you want life to get real uncomfortable you are going to get us out of this." Pizzazz threatened.
"Ladies let me point out what is wrong with these statements." Jerrica said as she leaned as she forward and rested on her elbows. "One I don't work for you or you for me as such any actions against me could and will be answered with criminal charges." Jerrica explained. "Second, I am a better manager then Raymond if only by the success of my bands." Jerrica continued as she sat up straight. "Third I haven't seen much less spoken to my brothers for years. Last night was the first time I had seen them in four years. As such there is no way for me to scam you with their help. Fourth and foremost I am too tired to put up with your temper tantrums so unless you want to be working for my brothers. I suggest you turn around and get out." She concluded as she stood up and gestured to the door. "Also keep in mind ladies that I am not Jem, I am more than willing to hit back."
Whatever the Misfits were going to say in response to that was interrupted when the holograms coming in and ushering them out.
"What do you Holotwits think you are doing?" Roxy snapped.
"Saving your necks." Shana replied once they had the Misfits herder into the conference room.
"What?" Pizzazz demanded.
"If you four make Jerrica pull out, then you will have signed yourself over to Expansion Enterprise." Aja explained
"So we will be working for some goodie goodies." Pizzazz stated only to watch in confusion as the holograms shook their heads.
"The twins follow Raymond and Riots methods only worse." Kimber explained.
"They once started a restaurant franchise which they then sold to retirees." Shanna explained. "They then had a biker gang force those restaurants out of business, so that they could buy the restaurants back a fraction of the cost. They then turned around and sold the franchise to another company that was a front for a terrorist group."
"We have no illusions about our brothers. Neither should you." Aja concluded.
The Misfits could only stare in shock before Pizzazz snapped "We are out of here." prompting the rest of her group to follow after her.
"We know that they are up to something." Lady replied.
"But we have not yet defined what it is." Spirit added. "Only what it is not."
"It isn't gun smuggling, sabotage, smuggling drugs, embezzlement, smuggling or any other known snake trick." Roadblock continued.
"You sure it's not smuggling?" Shipwreck asked.
"It's not smuggling." Roadblock snapped.
"Settle down, now the closest this fits is when they are setting up money laundering operation or a front." Duke said.
"What about that woman the blonde, the one they went home with one night and got smacked around by the next morning?" Shipwreck asked.
"Her name is Jerrica Benton. She is CEO of Starlight Music and manager for a couple of well known groups. She is also runs a foster home for young girls, which currently houses 12 girls between the ages of 16 and 9." Duke recited as he read from a folder and passed a photo around.
"I have seen her before." Lady Jaye mused.
"We have already checked her against their known contacts." Duke replied.
"This was somewhere else." Lady Jaye said as she started to drum her fingers as she tried to remember.
"Well go ahead and find it, till then I want her under surveillance, dismissed." Duke ordered
Jerrica was fighting the urge to laugh when she called her brothers earlier about them stalking someone she had only been half serious. So when she met up with them at their apartment she found their choice of pictures hilarious. There were several photos of dancers around their apartment it took her a minute to realize that the subject was Giselle Dvorak, aka Danse. The photos were taken from music videos that had Danse in more traditional costumes "Flowers in my Hair" and "Falling in Love with a Stranger" were two of the ones that she could name off the top of her head.
"So Danse?" she asked as she accepted a drink from Tomax.
"We're a fan." They both replied.
"Alright let's get this over with." Jerrica said as she moved away from the pictures towards their couch. "I can't know about you being in Cobra." Jerrica explained.
"Yes, that could put you in a bit of a pickle." Tomax said as he reclined across from her. "But we left our memory wiper in another pair of pants." Xamot added as he joined his brother.
"Cute." Jerrica replied "But seriously these soldiers that burst into your office are aware of your membership. As such they are going to start looking at me and that could cost me my girls."
"We understand." The twins replied.
"We need to,"
"Create a story,"
"For the argument."
"By the way,"
"What in the world do you have in your purse?" they asked as they rubbed the bank of their heads.
"A brick," Jerrica shot back. "So how do we want to spin this?"
"We will need time to think it over."
"Don't worry about the Joes."
"We will handle them."
"That doesn't really fill me with comfort." Jerrica replied as she smirked at her brother's, which they returned.
"The trick is to stay as close to the truth as possible." Xamot replied as both of the twins reclined into the same position.
"So I am aware that you have shady dealings but just not how shady."
"Precisely,"
"This leaves a bad taste in my mouth." Jerrica muttered. The twins just grinned.