Chapter 5: A Little Instigation
"She's an interesting character, isn't she?"
"I suppose so, Skippah." Private turned the television off and joined Skipper and Kowalski at the dining table of the little cabin they were in. Rico was busy making their dinner while the other two were busy looking over some files. The two folders between them had Marlene's and Selena's pictures. "Wait, who?"
"Selena..." The boy murmured while scanning down her paper. "She doesn't have a suspicious record, but apparently she's been to a mental hospital a couple of times, both of which she'd been cleared." Private sat in the vacant seat opposite from Skipper, twiddling his thumbs as he looked at the paper before his friend.
"She looks sane to me. I wouldn't know why they would put her in the loony bin." Kowalski rolled his eyes and handed Marlene's file to Skipper, who exchanged it with Selena's.
"How would you know if she's sane, Private? Don't tell me you can see inside brains now. Wasn't being a lie detector enough for you?"
"Well, no, but she does seem normal. And I do know how to follow my gut." The boy spoke knowingly, blinking his baby blue innocently at Kowalski, who glared at him.
"I do as well, Private." The younger boy stuck out his tongue at him with his reply.
"Do not."
"Do too."
"Do not." Before Kowalski could retort again, Skipper slammed a hand on the table and frowned at them.
"Enough. If you two want me to start your training early, say so. I'll happily oblige." The two looked away from him and Skipper turned back to the file before him. He had been surprised by the girls' reports, most especially Selena's. For a seemingly unstable girl, she has lived a perfectly normal life, except for the visits to the doctor. But there were just some things that words cannot hie and or describe. Like the other day with those bullies and that notebook of her.
He'd seen everything; right from when one of those boys took the notebook from her, to when the girl took her down with two moves and she didn't flinch much up until when Marlene saw her friend. He had hid when the Californian looked around, probably for her friend's adversaries. For some reason, he didn't want to be caught. He didn't want her to know that he was a witness to everything. He didn't want her to thinking any less of him, especially after that time in the girls' dorm. He was really looking forward to the tour but it didn't happen. As he peeked past the trunk of the tree he was hiding behind, he could see her shouting after her friend and running after her. And then he did what any curious person would do. Follow after them and call for back up.
Skipper closed the file and pushed it away. He was glad he did what he did, but it didn't seem to satisfy Selena, who wasn't as thankful as her best friend. She looked out of place, disoriented and disturbed, and if you were really observant like Skipper, disappointed. And why would she be disappointed? The question went about in his head over and over again. It didn't want to stop or let him sleep. He was just plain confused. He didn't know anything about the girl, despite the file, and it was killing him. He hated not knowing anything. But he was ready tobet she did. Selena was hiding something and the words she 'whispered' to Barbie was proof.
"We need more." Skipper suddenly blurted out and turned to Private, Kowalski and Rico. The former two were careful not to disturb Skipper while he was thinking and kept quiet. Even Rico, who had finished with their grilled fish, had managed to place the table setting, utensils, plates, food and drinks without making a noise. It was also a good thing he remmebred to oil the chairs as he sat down like an angel. If not, Skipper would have him pinned to the wall by now. All three looked at each other before turning back to their frined."
"More what, Skipper?" The youngest of them asked.
"We need more." The boy repeated. "She's hiding something."
"A little more clarification on 'she', Skipper?" Kowalski questioned tiredly. "We have two girls at topic."
"Selena. She's hiding somthing."
"You've mentioned that..." The tall boy murmured quietly, and even though the other three could hear him, they just ignored it.
"How do you know, Skippah?" The boy paused, not wanting the three to know what really happedn. He had told them that he had heard Marlene shouting while he was on a stroll and came to investigate. What would they think of him if they found out that he was a watching a poor girl get beat up and didn't do anything to help?
"I just do." He waited for the private's reply, almost sighing out loud when the boy just shrugged..
"Oh well. Your gut has never been wrong."
Rico nodded with a grin. "Yup. Plan o' ac'ion?" Skipper merely smiled at them and shook his head.
"Not now, boys. For now, we just wait, and watch. She'll slip, and we'll be there to catch her." The three looked at each other again. "How about that fish, Rico?"