This is a sequel to Chapter Three of the original "The Right Things" fanfic by Andrew Joshua Talon. Part six if you read them all together.
The faint sound of foot steps echoed in the large empty hallway. The representatives and visiting ambassadors had long left the building and only she remained there. There was some thing going on, she didn't know what but she didn't like it. She was immediately informed of the problem in the prison system but from her current position located on planet Earth she couldn't tend to the issue directly. Not that she wanted to, she certainly didn't want to find herself in the center of a battle filed ever again. Still she wished the communications system was faster and more stable regardless of the circumstances that affected it. She had given her 'suggestions;' which were taken more like orders that is what they were. Now she turned her attention towards an issue that was taking place right there in her home planer of Earth. Some one was trying to kill her.
Penelope Lang knew full well that in such a public position although liked by the majority there would be a few that would go against her. It was inevitable, it happened in any high position of power. 'Ingrates' she thought bitterly. A cold chill ran down her spine and she stopped abruptly. She stood still for a few seconds before turning around rapidly aiming a previously well hidden laser gun at the empty space behind her. She blinked almost surprised to find no one there. Still she was relieved that she wasn't being followed. She placed her laser gun back where it had been hidden before and turned to continue on her way. Her foot steps continued to echo as she walked sounding a lot louder that they actually were in the still quiet of the empty building during the night. Again she had that odd feeling. She didn't like it at all. She felt a glare burning into her back and felt the urge to turn around once more.
Pausing she forced her self to focus on her destination and not look back. There was no one there she had confirmed that before. Besides she wasn't hearing footsteps other than her own though their echo sounded a bit louder than she expected. But that was perfectly normal after all she was in an almost empty building, save for him and the security crew. But Dylan wasn't with her at the moment nor was anyone else. She was to meet him in a few minutes. The building was extremely large so it was to be unexpected that it took a few minutes to walk from one area to another more secret area, an area inaccessible to most.
'What's wrong with me?' Penelope thought. She couldn't shake those images off her head. But the security team had neutralized that threat quite easily, perhaps too easily. Maybe the one who was after her was only creating a diversion or a test. No, she was overreacting. She continued walking, she wasn't going to stand there all night and keep Dylan waiting. He was in charge of her security as well as the security of the other representatives and ambassadors. She quickened her pace and tuned a corner as a light above her head flickered. Some thing was wrong, that wasn't supposed to happen. She looked up directly at the light but it looked normal. She lowered her head blinking several times until her eyes recovered from the sudden brightness. Maybe it was nothing but if felt like some thing.
In such an advanced building there was no room for technical difficulties of any kind including the simple flicker of a light. It wasn't produced from a low tech light bulb like it might have been in the past. This light was different, more efficient, more advanced, it didn't flicker. It could have some thing or some one creating a shadow over it mountainously and moving so quickly that it locked as if the light flickered. It was possible, after being in contact with aliens of many planets she knew of such things being possible. But how would the one who caused it enter the building in the first place? No even the best of shape shifter could get past the advance security, not the ones who could turn invisible, any kind of teleportation was blocked, no one could get in unnoticed, no one at all.
The elevator was in sight but it gave her an uneasy feeling. Such a small space, she had nowhere to run. Pushing the thoughts away she pressed a button. Her fingerprints were scanned at that moment. She brought her face closer to the same area with her right eye directly in from of the round button, the only sign of a way to control the elevator from outside.
All the necessary security equipment was built in to small spaces, small but very efficient. Though many things were integrated into each other they didn't depend on each other to function, they only shared a physical space. Earth would continue perfecting technology and go far beyond what anyone anywhere could imagine. No one would ever underestimate the Earthlings again. She would get to the bottom of this and end this small conflict then concentrate in the bigger one related to the prison system. She would use all her power as Earth's ambassador to make sure the peace lasts.
Many thoughts had run through her mind in the fraction of a second it took the elevator's doors to open for her. Pushing all ridiculous and irrational fears aside she stepped into the elevator. She still felt as if she wasn't the only one there but she ignored it. Maybe she had been working too hard, even so she would continue to work hard. She would not let her planet down. She pressed the correct button for the floor she wanted to access it. She needed to get some files from her office than she could go speak to Dylan about some new plans that would bring positive changes for Earth. He was one of the most knowledgeable people in technology she knew.
Her office door was closed and locked as it should be. A similar security process like the one in the elevator took place plus a password. Of course the elevator would be quite time inefficient if it worked that way always. Usually it only scanned finger prints when the button was pressed and opened upon detecting some one who could pass, it could scan regardless of what kind of skin the person had, gloves or not. Those who were allowed could use it in such a way that they wouldn't even notice this precaution even if they knew it was there. But now it was late and the building was almost empty save for Penelope, Dylan and a few members of the security crew that needed to be there at night. Such an important place, containing so many important documents and information could not be left unguarded. After everyone left and an intruder was more likely, though still unlikely, to come security was increased.
Penelope entered her large office. Everything was exactly were she had left it. The odd feeling from before was starting to fade away. 'It was nothing she told her self. Quickly making her way to her desk she opened a drawer taking notice of the box placed beside her desk. It was filled with letters. Many people wrote to her, the letters were to be screened. Penelope let it happen. If she didn't she would be stuck with more letters than she could read in a life time. It's not like they were personal letters anyway. They were letters to the ambassador Penelope Lang from those who still held a certain attachment to paper mail which was considered rare now. All kind of letters arrived they were summarized for her and somehow converted into information that could fit in a single sheet of paper. People thought she was doing a good job apparently. Only a small note was left at the bottom to indicate a little statistical information. Ninety two percent of the letters received were positive. There was the other eight percent but it was so small.
She wasn't amused by the irony. Apparently the death threats were getting lost in the mail or they weren't being sent. Maybe the letters weren't as accurate as any other method that could be used to come to a conclusion. They all pointed towards the same answer. More than ninety percent of the population of planet Earth agreed or at least accepted Penelope Lang as their ambassador to represent their planet. Maybe that small percent that hated her guts matter more than she had expected. It was a cruel irony really one that would not be ignored. Weren't the earthlings considered insignificant and easy to conquer before? That insulting theory was certainly proven wrong. Always consider all the options. Nothing is to be taken lightly, nothing, no exceptions. Not even when most think the threats are contained they should not be left unattended. They should be eliminated until they are no longer an issue of concern and anything is an issue of concern a long as it exists. It all mattered, every detail, every thought, everything. Like the one who was after her life and the others that were sent away.
Penelope had the disk containing the files she needed. She was about to head out the door when her own thoughts repeated themselves. She stopped cold. 'Every detail' she turned her head towards the box of letters. That hasn't happened in a long time. She didn't get a box of letters like that because they were summarized for purposes of obtaining data of the public opinion and she was given a summary. The letters themselves or a sample of them if there were too many should have been delivered to the secretary's office after the screening process to eliminate junk mail was done. Why didn't they just eliminate paper mail instead?
Penelope retreated away from the door and picked up a letter from the open box. It hasn't been opened, that wasn't supposed to happen. She dropped it. Some one was planning some thing. Some one was calculating how long it would take for her or the security personal to notice such a simple detail. She rushed towards another area of her office running across the room and opened a door. She let it automatically close behind her.
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The brown haired young woman exited the office determined to put her worries to rest. It may sound ridiculous to worry about such a small detail but she wasn't going to let it pass. She would find out exactly what happened and why. Besides if some thing small could happen so could some thing big. The door to the secretary's office was locked. She opened it with password. The voice was not recognized but the password was and the door opened. Her eyes went wide at the sight before her. There was a large pool of blood around the death human in the office. The secretary was murdered and laid there loosing blood for who knows how long.
"It took you long enough ambassador. I've been watching you" An ear piercing scream echoed as a blade was stabbed on her back. The poison in the blade took its effect causing an unusual reaction as the victim started to rapidly degenerate. The assassin stared at the young woman until she was recognizable. There was some thing out of place... that wasn't her. "She got away... for now"
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The real Penelope Lang ran as fast as she could towards the security office. They had relied too heavily in keeping everyone out and didn't pay enough attention to guarding the inside. This was not supposed to happen no one was supposed to get past security, how? How was it possible? Wasn't Dylan seeing all of this from the main office?
Arriving at the entrance to the main security office she slammed her hand against the wall. Apparently there was nothing there but it was in fact the place where a scanner was hidden which spanned her very DNA. She was recognized. She looked at that same spot on the wall for the next scan at the same time as she said a password. This time not only the password had to be correct but also the voice had to be recognized as that of some one allowed inside. The doors opened. Everything was calm inside. She quickly entered and the doors closed. "Is some thing wrong?" Dylan asked. The question was to be taken more like 'what's wrong?'
"Show me what you saw outside my office" Penelope said.
Dylan didn't quite follow where she was going with that but showed her the recordings anyway. "Nothing, there was no one there."
"I stopped to get this" Penelope said handing him the disk.
Dylan looked serious. "You got this from your office when?"
"Now, Elizabeth went to check my secretary's office while I came here. The mail wasn't processed as it usually is. I knew there had to be some thing going on. There's a problem with the system, the recordings you're receiving are inaccurate. I was there" Penelope said.
"I'll notify security" Dylan said. He didn't see Penelope anywhere near her office on the screen but she said she was there. But how could have the system been hacked? Earth had all the most advanced technology. This building had no flaws unless it was some thing else entirely. But what?
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Each second appeared to drag on forever as Betty and Maximus watched the ship land. They would leave soon, very soon. They approached the ship after it had landed completely. When the ship opened from inside came Lamprey. Betty was pleasantly surprised to see admiral Degill's nephew, he might not have been the best galactic guardian in the past but he had improved and he was there to help she assumed.
He looked in her direction glad that Atomic Betty had been found so quickly. She would be of great help in the near future. Everyone in this planet would be. They would be free from this unjust imprisonment and help take back the galaxy that Earth stole from the Galactic Guardians. They were the protectors, the ones who have kept the peace for so many years. Without the Galactic Guardians the Earth and many other of the worlds in the Alliance of Planets would have been destroyed a long time ago and this is how they repaid. Mars betrayed the Galactic Guardians after they had come to their rescue. Mars joined with Earth but Earth was the on that started it all. Atomic Betty was from Earth but she was different, she wasn't like those other ingrate Earthlings, she fought on the right side. He didn't know what plans his uncle had for them but he trusted they would be effective.
"Lamprey" Betty said remembering the first time he went on a mission against the Pharaoh long ago. Back then he decided to take cooking classes instead of being out on missions but eventually he joined in. At that time the Galactic Guardians were in need of all the help they could get and so they were now. She couldn't wait to get off that prison planet where she didn't belong, where she shouldn't have been sent in the first place.
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Though the Messiah's crew including Paloma was quite busy at the moment she couldn't help it but to pause and try to take in what her powers were trying to tell her. In time her ability to predict the future grew acting on its own sometimes to bring her a warning. She hardly ever concentrated to call her special skill anymore, she was more like an earthling now or she tried to be. But still her abilities didn't disappear from not being used, maybe they weren't as clear as they could have been if she had taken the time to develop them but they were accurate when interpreted correctly. This time it was hard to tell, she wasn't sure what this feeling meant and the images in her head were not clear enough to decipher. She wasn't sure what was going to happen but some thing would happen, some thing important. That wasn't of much use if she didn't know what but this wasn't the time to try to figure it out.
End of chapter three's sequel aka the 6th part.
Disclaimer, I do not own Atomic Betty. The original "The Right Things" fanfic was written by Andrew Joshua Talon, the sequels in "The Right Things: Episode Two" were written with permission.