"Where were you two last night?" That was the first thing Dwight asked them.
Mario and Molly had spent the night on the floating island, which Molly named Manana (heh heh, references!), looking at the stars. Mario, because he was still free when he was a Dark Soldier, pointed out constellations and showed her shooting stars. The night couldn't have been better because the moon was full and there was a meteor shower.
Molly and Mario shared a smile which just infuriated Dwight even more.
"Alright, you've got us here; what do you want?" Tim asked.
Sanjay smirked. "Krystal hacked a security frame in Victoria's castle and has come up with a way to play the Dimmsdale Memories on all screens in the world."
"That's great! What's the catch?"
"To set it up, are you ready for this?" Sanjay paused and waited for both teens to nod. "You'll have to infiltrate the castle and insert the data disk manually."
"What?" both exclaimed.
"There's no way we could do that! That place is guarded twenty-four seven!" Tim exclaimed.
Sanjay chuckled. "Heh, yeah, well, I thought you'd be up for it."
"Wait, say what? You're not still signing us up for that suicide mission, are you?" Trixie asked
Sanjay shook his head. "Nope."
Trixie and Tim blew a sigh of relief.
"There is no need to sign you up since Shade has already done so."
Trixie's jaw dropped and Tim smacked his forhead. "Hello death wish."
"Might as well start writing my will." Trixie cried out.
"Hey, hey, no need to be, er, sad. Heh, heh." Sanjay chuckled awkwardly. "In retrospect, maybe I should've asked first."
"No, gee. Ya think?" Tim shouted.
"You leave tomorrow. Gripe and groan all you want, but you know the rules."
Trixie flared her nostrils. "Right; you sign up, you do it."
"Only problem is we didn't sign up!"
"What is it you plan to do?" Crocker asked.
"I've been reading many books from the 'other world' and have discovered that some powerful world leaders would issue rallies to gain the people's support to make themselves more user friendly and to give the masses a false feeling of security and friendship. That's going to be my plan for now."
Crocker frowned. "That's not too violent." he stated.
"Yes," Victoria agreed, "But it will lead to a very...bloody battle." She spread out a map of Vicksdale and explained her plan.
Crocker's frown didn't leave his already crinkled face, however. "I fail to see how a policical rally promoting peace will provoke a bloody battle."
"Simple. The Resistance will no doubt try to kil me at the rally. Half of the attendees will be Ninjas in disguise."
"How will they try to kill you if you will be here?" Crocker asked.
"Actually, I'm going to be the speaker."
Chloe stretched her arms out wide. She and Shane had been on a train heading to Blightsdville with the enigmatic Mr. Blue. She looked at her friend. It was obvious what he had been doing the entire night; cleaning and priming his guns.
Shane looked at her and smiled warmly. "Morning sunshine!" he greeted.
"Hmph. Good thing it's not a 'good morning' from you, because of you I'm stuck here with a creepy dude with a passion for blue!"
"Hush!" Shane quieted the grumpy girl. "He can still hear you!" he hissed.
Chloe looked skeptically at Mr. Blue. He was sitting cross-legged in the darkest corner of the train car, eyes closed. "There's no way."
"I'm telling you, he's awake."
"Nope. He was sitting like that when I went to sleep. Now when I wake, he's like that again. There is no way on Earth that he's awake."
"You sure? He's been sitting like that for hours. He hasn't moved, but I'm pretty sure he is consious."
"No, no, no, and no again. He's asleep."
"You'd be surprised. " Mr. Blue spoke. "Meditation, on my level, is a mental place on the line between the subconsious and the consious." He slowly stood and faced the two teens. "Maybe you should listen to Shane more often.' He commented.
"Maybe if he'd listen to me more often I would." Chloe bitterly spat back.
"You still feel you can't trust me?" Mr. Blue asked.
Chloe nodded.
"Gee, that's too bad because soon I will be all you will have left."
"Good news, team." Sanjay entered the rec room waving a paper around in the air excitedly. "We have a prime time for the mission."
Michael snatched the paper from the older boy's hand and read it. "Wow. This is perfect."
"What?" Trixie approached the boy.
"According to this, Victoria is holding a rally at City Hall for the 37th Annual Weekend of Love Festival." Michael scrunched up his nose. "We've never had an annual thingy. Have we?"
Tim sighed at the announcement. "Yeah, well whatever Victoria says is truth here." Tim plopped down into the bean bag again and thumbed through his weekly weapons catalog. "And those cursed bar code things don't help much."
"Says here that she's personally attending the meeting personally...even speaking!"
"Alright!" Jenny popped up. "It's settled. I'm gonna put a nice bullet through her head that day."
Sanjay winced. "Not as graphic as I would've said it, but yeah, that's the Idea."
Trixie and Tim both shook their heads.
"Why not?" Sanjay asked.
"Why would she be starting a festival now?" Trixie inquired. "She's trying to trap us; draw us out so she can have her Ninjas and Dark Soldiers pick us off."
"It's so obvious. Besides, if we do kill her, the people don't know what we know and would revolt and try to save her somehow." Tim put in.
Jenny sighed knowing they were right. "Okay then, what do you propse we do?"
A. J. entered the talk. "We go in." he handed a disc to Trixie. "This is a disc containing you-know-what. You're going into the castle when Victoria holds her celebration."
Michael scratched his head. "But if we don't attack then won't she know something's wrong?"
"True. We'll get Cassidy and Remy to lead an airstrike against the festeval. Nothing major, though."
Lawrence cocked a grin at his sibling. "So, I heard you showed Molly the sky, huh?"
"Yeah,"
"Is that all you showed her?"
Mario's face twisted in disgust. "What? No, you perv!"
Lawrence laughed. "YOu fool, I meant the fact that you could see the Tower from that point."
"And the fact that you could get to the main office above radar?"
"Yeah, that. Geez what were you thinking?"
Mario shook his head. "Naw, I was too int he moment. All she wanted was teh sky and that was all I wanted to give her. I didn't what to ruin her moment."
"Good choice. But as for this attack of the Tower that you propose is possible from Manana, do you really think it possible for your entire Resistance force to launch off of the island onto the Tower itself?"
"Of course. They can't move the Tower and we'll be too small for thier oh-so-advanced radar to track us" Mario assured. "Just talk with Shade and see if he gives the go-ahead."
Lawrence nodded and went to his task.
Shane dropped the bloody knife and looked at the body before him in disgust. He didn't deserve to die like that... The small cow's blood began to drench his shoe. "Ew."
Chloe laughed. "I thought you knew it all about camping and roughing it?"
Shane threw her a look of disgust. "I hate you."
"I know."
"Don't hate the enemy of your enemy. Instead embrace her." Mr. Blue said cryptically.
The two just stared at the man in false fascination. "Oh great wise one!" Shane proclaimed in an obvious mocking tone. "Tell us more of your proverbs, bestow upon us more of your wisdom!"
Chloe giggled.
"There is no need to mock me." Mr. Blue replied in a calm tone. "Soon you will want me to speak and I will not be there for you."
Shane rolled his eyes then dragged the cow's carcass over to the fire.
Today was the day that Victoria was holding her festival of celebration. All over town people were talking about the celebration; welcoming it with open arms and no questions. Many even spoke about how wonderful last year's festival was. Elmer shook his head in disgust. He was sent on a mission that was perfect for an Exile; reconnaissance. No one would remember him here. As long as he didn't make a scene and the Ninjas that were no doubt incognito in the crowd didn't notice him, he was able to relay everything that was happening at the fesival to the men and women back at the base.
Elmer's stomach growled. "I'm hungery," he whispered to himself. He looked to his sides and saw a food cart. He could easily swipe an orange from the stand, but there was a crowd of people gathering about the stand to buy the fruits. Oh, well. I'm an Exile. He calmly made his way to the stand and waited for a woman to buy an orange then he snatched the lovely fruit from her hand.
The Woman, who seemed to resemble a nice old lady with a hunchback and neck-ear, glared at him in surprise. "Hey that was-!" suddenly the look of shock passed from her face, replaced with a black stare into nothingness. Then she just turned away without even acknowledging the fact that she had been robbed.
Elmer smiled as he bit into teh orange, skin and all. Sometimes it pays to be the outcast!
Tim and Trixie looked out the window of Remy's super-jet. "Think we're ready for this?" Tim aske dhis good friend.
"Ah, are you doubting our abilities?" Joked the girl.
Tim shook his head. "I appreciate that you're trying to lighten the air but do you realize what we are about to attempt to do?"
Trixie gravely nodded. "We are about to parachute to the castle, one of the most guarded structures in NAA. Then we're gonna waltz down teh corridors and try to hack the video system to project your memories onto every screen in the world." She took a breath.
"Yep. so easy." Remy added.
"For you," Tim shot back, "All you have to do is fly the get-there plane."
"And lead a minor air strike!" Remy replied with the same amount of urgency.
"True."
"Yeah, get ready, the point is almost here."
The two teens suited up for the dive. Like the mission to steal the chair, they were outfitted with the latest Resistance tech. Their suits were skin-tight jumpsuits that could bend light around any body able to fit snuggly into the suit. The suits were also tear-resistant, fire-resistant, and insulated to prevent electric attacks. They did recall the words of the one who gave them the suits; "Jus don't get shot!" Not teh best parting words, but still, they felt safer in these suits than in the ones from their last infltration mission.
"Jump!" The two infltrators leaped from the plane for the forboding mansion that waited below them.
As soon as they were below radar, the opend their dark chutes and parachuted down with little sound. "Voporal Sword ready. Dark daggers sheathed but ready." Tim read off each of his weapons and their status. Due to a near fatal error during a battle between his squad and some Ninjas, Tim carried more blades than guns now. "Trusty pulse gun primed. And energy rifle carbine with sniper settings primed."
"Same here, 'cept for teh pulse gun part."
"Let me guess, Trixie; the Soul peeler?" Tim asked unimpressed.
"Oh, yeah." Trixie looked into the dark view plate of Tim's visor but didn't need to see his face to know the look she was receiving. "I'm positive it will work." She began the usual tangent about how she had tweaked some part of the weapon that was supposed to drain a person of his or her life force.
"Let's just go before we get spotted." Tim sighed as he and Trixie vaporized their darkchutes then stealthily ran to the nearest guard tower. Tim hacked the lock and Trixie tossed a gas grenade into the room to take out the guards. As soon as the last body hit the floor, they entered and made their way to the video room.
Elmer was running scared. He was hungry again and had stolen again thinking that nothing bad would happen, but he had stolen from a Ninja. Needless to say the Ninja was chasing him ready to squash him like a fat, boiled bug. I sure hope the airstrike come soon! He thought as he raced down the street. He saw Victoria get on the stage and reached for the trigger to call the airstrike, but then felt a burning feeling on his left leg. He looked down in horror to see that there was a hole about two inches in diamiter through his left thigh. With a scream he fell and the Ninja was on him.
"Was that it?" Cassidy asked skeptically. "What signal was pretty weak."
"Yeah," Remy buffed up the receiver onthe nose of his plane. "But that's the only signal that comes through this channel so that must be it."
Cassidy sighed adn banked with his firend. He and Remy had never really spoken much before, but as soon as the two were put together for this mission, they struck up an awesome bond. Both loved planes and both were about the same age, Cassidy just two years older at 19 years and Remy at 17. The flying aces slowed their birds as they neared the target. "Yep, there she is in all her dictator glory." Cassidy hissed his teeth as he watched the young dictator talk to the poeple, her red hair flowing like fire. "Time to fake a bombing run!" He released teh minor explosives housed in his plane's belly and Remy did the same.
"So this is what it looks like?" Lawrence stared at the sky. "But not why I'm here. Where is it?"
"Over yonder." Mario gestured to the top of a dark tower just above the clouds. "That's the Tower."
"Where are the Spires?" Lawerence looked in every direction from Manana but did not see the pointier towers.
"No where. That's why radar doesn't work up here. Why radar a place that they think no one has access to?"
"True."
The two brothers looked at what they could see of the Tower for a little while longer. "No what?" Mario sighed anxiously.
"Sh sh shut up." Lawerence whispered. "You've seen it, Molly's seen it. My turn."
Tim and Trixie were walking thorugh the royal corridors of the Castle. Not a guard was in sight. "This is really eerie." Tim mentioned.
"Quiet!" Hissed Trixie, "They might hear us!"
Tim shook his head, "We are wearing helmet and are using radio contact, there's no way they can hear us. Look ahead." There was a room with three guards. "Take 'em out. I'm gonna go down this tunnel and see what's there."
"Roger."
Trixie moved with cat-like grace to teh door and rapped on it. "Who is there?" Came a dull response. THe door slowly opened and the Dark Soldier stepped out, "Hello?"
Trixie placed her camouflauged hand on his chest and the sonic palm fired, shattering his chest. Immediatly the other two werer upon her, tryng in vain to slash at her with their knives. But the suit really was tear-resistant and she knocked one of the two unconsious with a fierce uppercut.
She turned to the last one, "Guess what? You're next." she removed her prototype weapon and pulled the trigger. Tiwn beams of energy flew from the device and struck the poor soldier, sapping him of strength. "Hm. It worked." She entered the room.
Tim ran to the end of the corridor and saw that it led to a large balcony. He warily made his way, pillar to pillar, to the ceter of the large grey room. THe re was a sound of scuffling of feet then the slam of a door. "Crap." Instantly his camoflauge was on and he stood straight as an arrow like he had been trained.
"Your Highness, please..." It was the unmistakable voice of a Dark Soldier. He was trying to reason with someone. Tim prayed it wasn't Victoria.
"Please, Greg, just leave me be!"
"But you must understan-"
"NOW!" The female of the two bellowed at the soldier. The door slammed again and there were footsteps coming closer and closer. Though he knew the voice was too sweet to belong to Victoria, Tim was still afraid. Finally the person walked past the pillar and Tim let out a sigh of relief. Wait...what? Why was I afraid? I'm invisible! He reminded himself.
The girl, no older than his age of thirteen, was in a crystal blue dress with pony tails he knew all too well. Tootie...
The girl turned at Tim almost gasped. She was beautiful. No braces, no glasses, wonderful figure. And she's evil. Tim had to remind himself, And I love Trixie and i think she loves me!
"I know you are here, boy." Tootie spoke. "You can't hide from me, I know where you stand."
Tim prayed that she was talking about another Dark Soldier. But she walked right up to him and smiled coyly. "C'mon out, kid," She said again.
Tim knew there was nothing he could do and turned off the camo. "Gonna sick the guards on me?" he asked her.
"Are you gonna save me from my heritage?" she asked sweetly staring into his visor with her brown eyes.
Tim knew he might regret what he was about to do, but he did it anyway. He removed his helmet and met her sweet innocent gaze with a hard, but curious gaze.
Tootie sighed. "You have no Idea what it is like living with the Dictator-forever for an older sister."
Tim refrained from smirking. In his alternate life Vicky had babysit so much that he was pretty sure he had an idea. "Nope." he replied.
"Great. I thought the Resistance sent you here to save my ass, not to just steal."
"We are not stealing," Tim sneered. "We are hacking and freeing the people."
"Wait what? You mean that what Mr. Blue told me was wrong?"
"What? Mr. who?"
"Blue, he's an agent of yours. Level 5 he said he was."
"Not that I know." And I know a lot. Tim shook his head. "look, my partner is waiting for me, if you're not gonna call the guards, them I'm gonna leave."
"Wait!" Tootie wrapped her arm around his. "when can I see you again?"
A hot girl likes me? Then again it IS Tootie. Same personallity, different body. Tim was unprepared for the question. "Uh, can you get out of the Castle?"
Tootie released his arm and gave him a look. "I maybe stuck living with red dragon, but I'm no damsel in complete distress, here."
"Okay, meet me in towns square tomorrow and 11:53 p.m."
"I'll do that! Until we meet again!" She threw a handkerchief to him.
Before Tim could say anything, there was the painful sound of nails running down a metal door. Tootie pushed Tim to the corridor he came out of. "Hurry! before Crocker gets in!"
"Crocker? why-"
"Shhh! I'll explain later!" Tootie gave him one final shove then instructed him to activate his cloaking device.
Elmer awoke in the street alone. The Ninja had left him for dead, people were running in every direction and buildings were collapsing. A Dark Soldier on a megaphone was instructing everyone to stay calm and there was a rope hanging in front of him with an angel holding out his hand. No it was only Cassidy trying to airlift him to his jet.
Trixie ran. She was almost to the video room but two Dark Soldiers were hot on her tail. There was a scuffle and then a bang. She chanced a look behind her and saw one Dark Soldier dead and the other fighting with Tim. Tim placed his hand squarely on the man's head and the sonic palm jellied the man's brain. "Go!" he shouted to her.
With a nod the girl was off. She opened the door and pushed the disc in. She looked back and threw a thumbs up at Tim, but he wasn't there. In his place was a large hole in the floor and two Ninjas with rifles firing into it. Ho, crap! Trixie checked her HUD and was relieved that his vital signs were still good, though his adrenaline meter was barely stable. I have to get out of here and fast! She though. The disc was finished, and she turned to leave but ran ito the worst person possible; Crocker.
The old man stretched out his hands and zapped her with his gauntlets. She was out cold. Crocker smiled a great victory against the Resistance was finally granted.
A/N: Sorry for the late update. I kinda ran behind! Hope it was wrth the wait!
