Ziggy's Corner: Okay chapter 17! By the way, My Avatar Fiction, Kiss and Tell is one review away from getting a tie with this fiction. Wow, look out Everything's Relative fans, you might just lose your silver medal.
Carmen and Olivia walked through the door of the building, and closed it gently behind them. They were in Greece now, just a few hours after they had been in Turkey, and were now checking out a lead in this country. From what she had gathered, by her mother's information, Carmelita had disappeared nearly two days now, starting when she hung up the phone on Friday night, up until now, just an hour or two from midnight in Paris.
"Okay, so we know the what, when, where, and probably the how, but what about the why?" Olivia grumbled.
"That's what we're doing here," Carmen smiled, happy to be dressed back in her nunly robes. "You claim to be an internet freak, so you can hack into this system and find out what we need to know."
Olivia looked around the room, small and dark, with plans' leaves and branches hanging from the ceiling and drooping to the floor. She was also happy to be back in her regular clothing, and relished the gawking stares from men as she pranced through their numbers in the streets. "So why the hell did we have to go to Greece to get this information?"
"You do know where we are, don't you?" Carmen snapped, slapping her in the back of her head for cursing. "We raised too much suspicion to go to an Interpol office in Turkey, so we headed here, the next best thing."
"That explains all the espionage, but do you really think that father would have approved of us, sneaking into an office like this, without proper authorization?"
Carmen looked at her sister, and blinked. "You really think with all this oddity that's been happening that he would care? Mother told me that he did the same kind of stunt earlier today. Something is not right, there is something pulling the strings. And we have to find out what it is. Besides," she said with a sly smile, "you used to hack into Interpol computers all the time when you were little, what's the difference now?"
"Someone with a worse attitude than father's officer is likely to find out, and take his or her vengeance."
"Family is worth that chance, do you not think?" Carmen asked her tone dark.
"Must you really ask me that question?" Olivia asked, with a raised eyebrow.
Carmen stared at her little sister and sighed. "Must my punishment on this world forever be your shepherd? Your keeper!"
"That's what older sisters are for, right?" Olivia quipped.
"Not forever! Yes I should watch out for you, but to constantly babysit you? Grow the hell up! What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you being so stubborn? Can't you think of anybody but yourself, damn you!" Each word grew louder and louder, until she was screaming. Tears ran down her cheeks, and she felt like her head was going to explode.
"Carmen, you're swearing," Olivia said with a cute grin. "Not much of a very good nun if you can do that?" She began laughing, but was cut down by a fist from her sister, who turned to the computer and began typing buttons frantically. "For God's sake, sister, why would you even give up your life for them? All our family has done is hold us down."
"If you can say that, after all we've done, been through, then get the hell out, you seem to have forgotten everything good that ever happened to you with our family. Yes, little sister, there were good moments that even you had. All you have to do, is look away from your selfishness, and remember the past."
"My, my, how touching," a very harsh, Cockneyed voice cooed. It seemed to come from the computer. The girls looked and watched as the same evil symbol that they had seen on the page fill out on the computer screen.
"What in the world?" Olivia asked.
"Not this world, but the next, really," the harsh voice said. "I truly must thank the two of you, I never thought anyone would follow the breadcrumbs they left to bring me back to this other side yet again." The image faded and a purplish pink panther appeared on the screen. She smiled, and cocked her head.
"What are you?" Carmen asked.
"And what do you mean by they?" Olivia snapped.
"My, oh my, so many questions, I would answer them, but I really must conserve my strength now that I'm awake again." The panther smiled and let loose a smug cackle. "Well, I suppose one answer wouldn't hurt. I used to work with your sister, Carmelita at Interpol. Before she betrayed and killed me."
"Carmelita didn't kill anyone," Olivia snapped. She stunned herself and Carmen by her harsh reaction.
"Oh but she did, or at least she destroyed my physical body, my mind I was able to download into a computer after some kind of voice told me to. And I've waited for this day ever since." Now they could see a paw stroke her chin as she smiled. "I say, I wonder how long it's been since that night? Well, no matter."
"Neyla," Carmen said softly. "You're Neyla. But you betrayed Carmelita, tried to possess Clockwerk's body, tried to kill everyone!"
"I see your sister didn't waste anytime poisoning your minds against me," Neyla growled. "But that's the price of family I suppose." Her dark eyes twinkled. "Now that I'm awake again, all I have to do is wait for their next orders, and I do suppose we will met one another, when I get a new body that is. Until then ..," she cackled, and disappeared before they could ask any other questions.
"Evil energy from the netherworld, a card shark with overly ambitious intentions, and now a dead treacherous coworker talking to us from the computer," Olivia glared at Carmen. "Gee, sis, thanks for the glorious holiday you've taken me on."
"Olivia?" Carmen said softly.
"Yeah?"
"Shut up for once," the nun snapped. She shivered from head to toe, and knew this was only the beginning. Something unearthly was pulling a lot of strings, and for what reason, she could only guess it could only be answered by one word… apocalyptic.
"Wait, where are you going?" Olivia asked.
"Whatever is going on, I think we'll find the answer in Australia." She turned to her sister, "If you want to come, find, if not, I don't really care. But this nightmare is going to end tonight."
S L Y
Gabriel did not know what had overcome him, but he sensed an energy that was so great he knew he just had to follow his instincts. He passed through the guards as if someone had painted a line for him to follow, so they wouldn't even see him. Hall by hall, room by room, the nine year old made his way farther and farther into the headquarters, until something told him to stop and open a small silver door.
He slipped through it, and latched it tight, focusing his eyes to the dark until he could finally find a power switch. In front of him were dozen's of jars with strange liquid in them. He smiled when he came across a group of them called, "Charlie's collection of exotic poison antidotes". He came across a scorpion poison, and snatched it from the shelf.
"Bingo!" he said with a large smile. It didn't last for long. A massive hairy paw grabbed his wrist, and held it tight.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" Doctor Goren snarled, squeezing the boy's wrist. "A little thief?" he pulled the boy to a counter and held his arm down tight. "Tell me boy, have you ever been to Saudi Arabia? They have a special way of dealing with thieves that I think is the perfect punishment."
Gabriel felt ice run through his body as the light shone on the cold blade that the hyena was grabbing of the counter. He could only close his eyes and scream as the evil doctor raised the blade, and began to bring it down.
S L Y
Ivan Fox knew something was wrong, he could feel it in his gut. And he knew better than not to share it with his wife. He came to their room, told her everything and looked deep into her eyes. "I have to go, something is very odd, and I have a feeling I just have to go to Australia."
"Before you say another word, or trying to argue with me, know that I've already packed and bought two tickets to Australia," Marie snapped. She smiled and put her hands on his hips, as if daring her husband to argue the point.
Ivan could only laugh. "I figured you'd do this." He sighed. "Fine, together then. Whatever is transpiring down in Australia…,"
"It'll end tonight," she finished for him. He nodded his head.
S L Y
Miguel looked over at his sister's apartment, mentally quoting the five first rules of a scene investigator. Don't touch anything, don't touch anything, don't touch anything, don't touch anything, and don't touch anything. It was driving him batty, and finally, after hours of just looking at things he had enough. He pickup up his cell phone, dialed the airport and registered a flight to Australia.
"This isn't going to help you much," his brother, Ivan said.
Miguel looked at his older brother, "I don't care. I have to do something, and just because you're a priest, don't you dare try to stop me."
Ivan looked like a combination of his father and his father's father. He smiled and shook his head. "Well, if I can't stop you, then at least I can go with you to keep you out of trouble."
"And what about Gracia?" Ivan snapped. They turned to look at their fourteen year old sister, who was watching a show on her game pod.
Ivan sighed thoughtfully and closed his eyes. "Well, I guess we'll either have to kill her or bring her with us."
The teenager smiled, "Cool, either way gets me out of my homework," she said without ever looking up at them.
"And since murder is a mortal sin, and you have a major geography test next week, I guess we'll have no choice to take you and your homework along with us," the twenty six year old priest chuckled.
Gracia Yoana Constance Fox looked up, her dyed purple looks shining in her older sister's living room light as she stared at her brothers. "That's so wrong on so many different angles," she moaned.
"Part of being a big brother," Ivan chuckled.
So it was settled. He didn't like bringing them along, but he wasn't about to overrule his own older brother. Whatever was going on in Australia, they were going to be a part of it. It was only four hours since father had called; it was only three o'clock here in France. So whatever was going on, in that country. It would end tonight.
He looked over at his sister, and felt his jaw drop as she opened the fridge and take out a soda, opening it up. "Aw come on. Don't touch anything means, don't touch anything!" he wailed. She looked at him and stuck out a studded tongue. Ivan looked at his younger siblings and chuckled, silently saying a prayer for all of their safety.
S L Y
He was uneasy as he swam back and forth in his aquarium. The color of his water went between pitch black and dark red. "Nyoko, Dr. Goren," he roared. When only the ninja appeared, Charlie the Great felt his eyes explode. "Something has happened!" he screamed. "To hell with the chips, I want that weapon operational now!"
"Charlie-San," she began.
"I don't want to hear that Cooper has been put behind bars, things are out of place. I can feel them! And I won't be beaten now!" He edged toward the glass and glowered at her. "I will not, do you hear me! Activate the weapon now, and aim at the capital of Australia. And prepare my aquarium for combat. What ever happens here, it is going to end tonight."
She had never seen him like this, and for once, she was frightened of him, and whatever possessed him. She bowed, and nodded. "Yes Charlie-San. It will be done."
The evil shark looked at her and grinned so demonically it would have made Satan piss his pants.
Okay. That's the end of this chapter. It all comes down to this, a grand battle royale for the fate of Australia. The beginning of a three part fight between Sly, Carmelita against Charlie the Great begins next chapter. The Fox family gathers to encounter the threat, and the twins will realize their destiny. And when the smoke clears, we'll be only HALF way through the story! Dude and dudettes, let's get ready to rumble.