Grin heard his door open with a whoosh as he was returning a book to his shelf. The only one who would enter his room without announcement first would have been Tanya. Turning he saw he was correct in his assumption. She looked troubled.
"Are you alright?"
She took a moment to answer. "Yeah…I'm kind of getting this weird vibe." She straightened her glasses like she always did when she was nervous or agitated. "I know Airika heard me…what I said about Transmundanes. But- I've caught her staring at me now a few times. Do you think she's mad at me? Should I apologize?"
Grin drew towards a small table that had a decorative incense burner spouting delicate smoke trails. He sighed. "If I am to be honest. I've felt a difference in our young friend's mood."
"She was withdrawn before but now-" Tanya trailed off. "We never see her. Not even Duke sees her. And those two…well you've seen."
Grin shook his head. "Have you talked to Wildwing?"
Tanya looked at him. "Should I?"
Grin shrugged. "I would."
…..
Wildwing had just set the barbell back on its stand and sat up from the bench press when Tanya appeared in the doorway. He glanced over at Mallory who was plugged into her MP3 player and running on the treadmill.
"Hey." Tanya came into the room slowly, her gaze darting to Mallory a few times.
"Hey." He bent over and picked up a paper Phil had given him about some new promotion. He had no qualms about crumpling it and tossed it at Mallory, hitting her water bottle. She startled and shut the machine off, turning to look at him.
"What?" She then noticed Tanya.
"Something seems off with Airika and I don't know if it has to do with the conversation we had Sunday morning."
"Why?" Mallory panted. She was beginning to regret running nonstop for the past hour but Nosedive had stuck something sticky in her boots earlier. She had to run off the irritation before she made Wildwing an only child.
Now that she was faced with admitting it, Tanya felt silly for bringing it up to them. She knew Wildwing and Mal would understand but Wildwing was the de facto leader after Canard and while she knew Canard would have most likely dismissed her concerns, Wildwing would not. It's just facing an authoritative figure. I always have had issues expressing myself. Give me some quantum physics subject to talk about I'm on it, but talking about me…I can't.
"She's…been looking at me."
"S'up." Nosedive appeared, eating a piece of toast. He saw Mallory. "Hi Mal-Mal."
"Don't talk to me." She put a hand up as if to block him from her view. She kept her focus on Tanya. "Maybe you can make it up to her. Go do something."
"How am I going to do that? I doubt she wants to be dragged around 'Letric Land."
Nosedive stopped chewing. "You talking about Airika? She has been a little weird the last two days." He looked at his brother and then Tanya. "Dunno if I should say this but I did see her give Tawny a pretty nasty look yesterday."
"Nasty?" Mallory echoed skeptically.
"Uh yeah. That's what I said isn't it?"
"Dive." Wildwing finally spoke. "Knock it off." He stood. "Do you feel comfortable trying Mallory's idea?"
Tanya fidgeted and couldn't look at her leader. "I guess I could. I do feel bad Wing-"
"It's nothing to feel bad about." He glanced at her. "Everything you said is true…just doesn't fit her."
Tanya gave a jerked nod and left, not before hearing Nosedive say 'it was only a little magazine glue.'
…..
On her way back to her lab she saw dirty blonde hair in the Rec room hovering near the stairs leading to Drake 1. Before she lost her nerves she made a beeline for her. When she was half way across the room she greeted her.
"Hi. Airika."
Oddly enough the girl didn't turn to look at her.
Maybe she didn't hear me. I thought I was loud enough.
"Airika..?"
The girl turned, her eyes flickering around the room-almost like she's seeing if we're alone. "Hi." The return greet was short.
"Um..I was wondering if you'd be interested in doing something. You know get out of these four walls."
Lucretia tried to keep her face neutral but still felt her eyes narrow slightly. Were these idiots really this stupid? Was it really this easy to replace someone who had been living with them and have no one suspect a thing?
"Not particularly." She looked away; hoping body language would give the female a hint.
"Oh. Okay." Tanya turned to see Duke standing not far. Glancing back at Airika she saw a flicker of expression she couldn't decipher cross the girl's face at seeing him too.
"Are you looking for me?" Lucretia took a step forward, hoping the grey duck would rescue her from the moron next to her.
"No." Duke's answer was polite. "Tawn. Can you look at my shoulder? I think I screwed it up again with that slap-shot from last night's practice."
"Sure." She followed him. Once they were in the hallway she quickened her pace to catch up with him. "What's wr-?"
He silenced her with his hand and gestured to her lab office with his head as they entered the infirmary. He shut the door behind them and then looked at her, his face serious. "That is not Airika."
She couldn't think of what to say. The only thing that came to mind was, "what?"
"I've been around her enough. Been around her more than any of you. I'd know." He crossed his arms. "Not to mention I ran the Brotherhood back home. I'm the master at picking out imposters. Twins aren't any different."
The reality of his words were setting in and making her feel cold. "If she's not Airika…. she's Lu-" She halted her words. She couldn't acknowledge it. "What should we do? We have to find her."
"We can't let her know we know. We have to act normal." He took a breath. "And we gotta find that ship."
….
The Raptor
"Anything?" The Saurian lord's heavy footfalls shook the room.
"Nothing Lord Dragaunus." Siege turned to face him. "She hasn't said a word. Beginning to think she's forgot how to open her mouth and speak."
"Siege's been making threats all day." Chameleon added.
"I can get her to talk." Siege cracked his knuckles loudly.
Dragaunus rolled his eyes. "Shut up both of you. Like you got her to talk the last time? She could barely open that beak of hers after you."
"Guess she ain't as useful as you make it sound." Siege snapped. "If she had any value she'd be able to shoot her thoughts and future predications right into your head-"
"I fear this plan will have dismal consequences Lord Dragaunus." Wraith interrupted.
"You fear huh…?" Dragaunus shoved between Wraith and Chameleon. "You better hope this plan doesn't have a dismal outcome because we're relying on that girl to do her part."
Siege snorted. "Honestly I don't see her doing her part well. Those feathered freaks are gonna figure her out if they haven't already."
Smoke unfurled out of the saurian's nostrils at the sheer thought. "Move." He growled. Punching a code into a side panel a door opened. He disappeared inside, pausing only to wait for it shut so his three cohorts wouldn't follow him.
She was waiting for him. He had taken the initiative to not chain her this time. He didn't have a fear in her trying to escape. Once the door was shut she was stuck in there until it opened again.
"So." He clasped his hands behind his back. "Do you have anything you wish to convey?"
She kept her eyes down on her own hands. "Not to you."
He heaved a dramatic sigh. "You know you really are making this more difficult than it has to be."
No answer.
"I am being very accommodating for you Miss DeCoy. I am here in place of Siege. You don't want Siege to come in here do you?"
No answer.
Her silence was starting to pique his mood. "Maybe I will send him in."
"There is nothing he or you or anyone else can do to me that hasn't already been done."
He almost missed her response it was so quiet. "I see." He watched her for a moment. "Is that your final answer?"
Silence.
"So be it."
…..
"What up A!"
Lucretia dropped her cup and spared what moment she could thankful it wasn't glass as it landed on her foot.
Nosedive was undeterred. "Oops. Scare ya? Sorry about that."
She rolled her eyes. "You didn't scare me." She looked down at her foot, annoyed at the mess she'd now have to clean.
"Damn. Here." The teenager extended a roll of paper towels. You made me make the mess. "Well. At least it's cleanable and won't even be sticky afterwards since you're cleaning it up so quickly."
She forced herself to not glare at the kid. Twice that week the redhead had wigged about something he had done to her. Lucretia was beginning to feel empathy for the female despite her true motives for infiltrating the Mighty Ducks. "Is there something I can do for you?" She kept her tone as light as possible.
"Nah. Just hidin' from Mal-Mal. She's still looking to kill me after last night."
"Can you blame her?" It was out before she knew it.
"Nope." Nosedive flashed her a big goofy smile. "Can't say I do."
She finished cleaning up the mess and stood awkwardly with the wet towels, not remembering where the trash can was.
"Over there." His chin still resting in his hand, he pointed with his other hand.
She had a sneaking suspicion he was thoroughly enjoying himself. His smile faded at seeing something behind her. She turned and saw Wildwing.
"Be in the Rec room in five. There's something that needs to be addressed."
Much to Lucretia's annoyance the redhead was Wildwing's shadow. Like always. Are they ever separate? She must revel in the status of being the Mighty Duck leader's bitch. She noticed with a jolt that Wildwing was staring at her, clouding her mind with doubts again. Does he know? I can't read him. Then he was looking at his brother.
"Dive you too."
She expected some wisecrack from the teenager but none came. He simply nodded. Wildwing gave a slight nod and left, Mallory following silently in his wake.