Chapter six: a phone conversation

Disclaimer: see previous chapters.

Note: this is not a Beverly/Holly ship, if anyone is wondering.

"Yes?" Jo spoke in a slightly hesitating voice into the phone. "Who is it?"

"Officer Lupo?" the senator at the other end of the phone line sounded actually slightly surprised. "You're back in Eureka? I thought that you have taken a leave of absence due to some personal issues?"

"I have," Jo nodded even though her interlocutrix could not see her. "But I came back for the obvious reasons – Zane is also missing, you know?"

"I do," the senator nodded, thoughtfully. "Officer, I won't mince words: the fact that Astraeus and its crew were lost on your watch is a black mark against you, so I am no longer sure that you remaining in charge of GD's security is a good idea. However," the senator paused, "you're still a better officer than sheriff Carter is – I've been unable to reach him at all for the last day or so."

"Oh, he's with Henry, doing something or other," Jo blurted quickly.

"Are they now?" senator Wen's voice did not sound very impressed. "I think I will have to talk to Dr. Deacon as well, later. Right now – officer Lupo, are you listening?"

"Yes," Lupo said quickly: Andy has switched the phone to the speaker mode. "I am listening."

"Good. Officer, I am thinking of having you replace Jack Carter as Eureka's sheriff in the foreseeable future."

"Pardon?" Jo said, incredulously: she (and the others) had thought that the senator would maintain the status-quo for a while yet.

"None taken," Wen replied in her best politician voice. "For all of your flaws, you're still relatively young and inexperienced, and yet you do not tend to go on wild goose chases as Jack Carter and Henry Deacon. There's hope for you yet." The senator paused and added: "Of course, on the other hand, maybe that's not what you want – you appeared to be pretty determined to leave before, so maybe all that you still want now is to leave Eureka behind. In that case, my apologies for trying to make you stay – you are free to leave Eureka. Of course, since Eureka and GD are classified-"

"Excuse me, but since when are you in charge of all the executive decisions?" Jo could not help but interrupt.

"Since the whole project Astraeus began," the other woman said flatly. "Apparently, it was a better decision than I have thought – neither Jack Carter nor Henry Deacon appear to be as competent as their reputation made them to be, and you... well, I still have several hours to set up all the paperwork, so why don't you figure out if you want to stay here or not."

"I see. Thank you, senator Wen," Jo said with more bitterness than she should have used, and put the phone receiver done. "Now what?" she turned and faced the others.

"Well, if Nathan Stark's secret cache hasn't been uncovered we could use his weapons to our advantage," Beverly shrugged.

There was a pause as everyone turned to the supposedly insane psychiatrist. "What secret cache of weapons?" Henry asked in a 'no arguments' voice.

"You mean you haven't discovered it yet?" Beverly replied, rather excitedly. "Then let me show you!"

TBC