[Sticks]

Episode IV – Under Suspicion

Who is the enemy?

Is it the man with the long beard and a black round metal sphere marked “bomb”

After nine eleven many turned their attention to the Muslim community and treated them with suspicion, in most cases unjustly. The tale is told of a man being removed from an aeroplane as the pilot did not like the sound of his Muslim name. That man turned out to be a secret service bodyguard for GW Bush.

Surely, the true enemy must be unfounded suspicion, especially in paranoid times. During the cold war, we feared reds under the bed; now we fear young men and women of certain ethnic origins should they be travelling on the same form of public transport that we are on.

We can rationalise this all we want, even pointing out that there are those out there who would do us harm, but at the end of the day it is unfounded suspicion, be it suspicion of the lone suicide bomber or the Zionist conspiracy on the other side that is truly the enemy.

Often, these unfounded suspicion ends up with us at each other’s throats while those who truly would cause harm slip by unhindered. Or have I just added to the fear and suspicion there.

For Sue-Lim Wang, this suspicion has caused her great distress as they have discovered the quarters she is sharing with her fiancé Pete Smith, (although at this point separate bedrooms), has been bugged with high end devices tuned to frequencies allotted to the National Security Agency.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, What is Colonel Samuel Peters to make of the fact that criminals who have abducted first Caer O’Docherty, the former Spirit of Fancying, and now her twin sister, Fidelity O’Docherty, the former Spirit of Fidelity, have been given access to technology only available to those in the agency known as Inter Dimensional Entity Control. The very one of which he was once acting UK director

+ + +

Offices of G2 Special Section
Dublin

[img=600x400]http://www.irishships.com/images/Photo%20Album/Cruise%20ships/Yacht%20Turmoil-Dublin%20city%20quay%206-6-08.jpg[/img]

“So what the hell were you thinking last night” Gerard McConnell yelled at both Captain Gregory O’Doyle and Colonel Samuel Peters, “Not only is our Caer missing but now you allowed them to take our Fidelity, my other niece” he added

“We are doing every thing in our power to” The captain tried to say, but again was interrupted by the irate uncle
“Those are my nieces, the children of my brother who died at the hand of your so called friendly fire” Gerard yelled pointing an accusing finger at the colonel.
“The people who took Fidelity threatened to kill Caer if we did not hand them Fidelity with in a certain time frame” Samuel told him, trying to remain as calm and as dispassionate as he could given the circumstances.

“So you just caved into them?” Gerard shouted back
“Your niece volunteered to go” Samuel replied
“And you let her?” Gerard spat back with increased volume and incredulity
“Sir” Samuel intoned forcefully, “Loosing your temper does not help matters”

“The colonel’s right” Gregory interrupted, “you need to remain calm. We are liaising with the Garda about the initial abduction”
“KEEP CALM!!!” Gerard replied in a quieter but menacing tone, “If those two had been with our family where they belong and not some farmer and his wife this would not have happened”
“You don’t know that” Samuel cut in, “They could still have gone after them if they were with you. In fact it could be argued that by demanding that they leave their farm where they were more protected you put them at greater risk”
“SO IT’S MY FAULT!!” Gerard shouted back, “You had one of my nieces safe and you handed her over to a bunch of criminals and you say it’s my fault”

“We’re not saying that” Gregory replied, trying to use as calming a tone as possible, “All we are saying is that where ever they were these individuals were out to get them”
“And why would that be?” Gerard asked adding “And don’t give me that bull s***t about being classified, I know they were once these so called minor spirits of virtue”
“Then you should know that for their sakes you keep that information to yourself” The colonel replied
“But why take them?” Gerard insisted

“We don’t know sir” Gregory told him, “That’s what we have also told Mr and Mrs O’Docherty”
“And what have they got to do with this” Gerard spat back, “They had no right to those girls, as soon as we got the DNA match between Caer and my brother they should have been returned to us, their true family”

“Mr O’Connell” Samuel said in a formal tone, “Caer and Fidelity’s legal status does not concern us at the moment, only their safe return”
“Well if and when we can find them” Gerard retaliated, “if they are still alive I am definitely going to see my solicitor about revoking their adoption orders”

“Well as the colonel has pointed out” Gregory told him, “that will be your prerogative, but we have to find them first”
“And what are you doing to do that?” Gerard asked angrily

“Before she was taken, I gave Fidelity a micro homing transmitter to swallow” Samuel explained.
“And any sign of a signal?” Gerard enquired, this time not as angry, as he realised they were at least trying to be on top of things
“Not yet” admitted the colonel, “but we are listening out for it, and if it shows, we will have a location with in three minutes of acquiring a signal”

“You better” Gerard responded, “Because if anything happens to them, especially Fidelity, I will hold you personally responsible” he added pointing at the colonel
“Is that a threat?” Samuel asked
“It’s a promise” Gerard replied, and then got up out of his chair and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

“Jerk” Samuel muttered under his breath.
“Now that doesn’t help either” Gregory chided the colonel
“I Know Gregory, but that bozo really was beginning to annoy me” Samuel admitted, then asked, “So what do we know”

“Well” began Gregory, “I suspect they grabbed Caer by mistake and they really wanted Fidelity all along, why I have no idea”
“Yeah, I would have to agree, but why keep onto Caer?”
“May be we were just too late and she was hanged” Gregory answered

Samuel sighed and looked out of the window, “I would hate to tell the O’Docherty’s that. I had to inform the parents of my commander and the parents of Jenny Green they were lost in the bomb attack on the Facility in London. At least they had got to adulthood, but these two are just kids”

“I know” Gregory commiserated, “When I was in the Garda, I had to tell a single mother that her ten year old son had been knocked down and killed by a drunk driver, who insisted on complaining how the child had damaged his new car”

Samuel remembered his daughter and his wife at this point, as both had been killed by a DUI in his home state back in 1998 and shook his head. “Yeah that’s one hell of a job to do”

#

Gerard stormed through the waiting room muttering how he would take certain legal action against G2, passed a young woman in the waiting room. She was wearing just a very thin cotton dress with nothing on underneath and she had bare feet. Luckily she had an overcoat lent to her by someone at G2. A female member of staff was due to take her shopping for more clothes, as soon as they had found some old shoes she could wear.

As Gerard left, a man with what could only be described as dwarfism arrived.

The young woman was not fooled for an instance, this was a leprechaun, and from the way he was dressed an important one and not the usual run of the mill G2 leprechauns she had heard of.

“Hello?” She said to the Leprechaun in a nervous voice, , “I’m so sorry to cause so much trouble” she then apologised

“What do you mean by that my dear” the Leprechaun replied
“We were doing as we were told to sir” she explained, “The terms of our exile were we were to keep out of site, and we tried to do that sir”

The leprechaun looked at her quizzically

The young woman continued, “I only bothered the colonel because some one has taken one of us, and that was because she got in the way of a crystal imprisoning rod that was meant for me. Whatever crime we or I did to deserve this further punishment, I am sorry. Please tell me how we caused further offence” she pleaded

The leprechaun shook his head, “Allow me to introduce myself” he began, “I am a member of the Special Diplomatic Service for the Irish Government, and my name is Shamus McTuckle”

[img=200x300]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Leprechaun_ill_artlibre_jnl.png[/img]

“Well” The young woman began, but was interrupted by Shamus

“Clotho isn’t it?” Shamus asked
“Yes sir” Clotho replied nervously
“Well Clotho I’m afraid it’s us who should apologise to you” Shamus told her
“What do you mean sir?” Clotho asked totally confuse, “It was Lachesis, Atropos and myself who were banished from the Mystical Realms several winters ago”
“By the Lord Low Troll himself” Shamus said completing her sentence for her”
“But I do not understand?” Clotho added, still confused
“Clotho my dear, when you and your sisters were expelled, the Lord Low Troll had a crack down on all cross traffic between this world and ours. We had the treaty with the Irish government long before he had ascended to the throne as it were, but he had threatened to tear that treaty up for us and send his Manjura troll goons along with his Delethon troll allies to arrest every G2 officer if we contacted you or Graeme Andrews. Some of us wanted to call his bluff, the courts would never have allowed it, but some thought he was responsible for the murder of the Spirit of True Love, even though at the time it was ruled a suicide”
“But I never believed she would kill herself” Clotho protested
“Indeed she did not my dear” Shamus went on, “But it was not the Lord Low Troll who did her in, it was her own elven lawyer, Yagel Pen-Swift on the orders of the Spirit of Lust, her very own sister, except Yagel was not even an elf, he was a drow”

Clotho shook her head as she stared down at the floor, then looked back up at Shamus with tears in her eyes, “I still miss her, and now her two daughters are missing, along with Lachesis. Do you think they are connected?”

“I don’t know Clotho my dear” Shamus continued, “after the fall of the Lord Low Troll in the coup and Orc and Troll civil war that the Spirit of Lust precipitated, we had all but forgotten about you, and when we did think of you felt you were safer here while the war raged, then there was the aftermath and what with the cult of the Magnus Timor, I’m afraid you just slipped off of our radar”

“Radar?” Clotho queried

“I’m sorry my dear, it’s an invention of the humans, it is used to see things far off” Shamus explained, “Living and working with humans, we start to pick up their quirky sayings as well”

Just then Colonel Samuel Peters came down.

“Greetings again Colonel” Shamus said
“Hi” Samuel grunted, then asked the dwarf, “Have you told her”

“Told me what?” Clotho asked
“I’m sorry” Shamus apologised, “I was coming to that”
“What?” Clotho asked

“Shamus has been in touch with the new Clan Chief of the Rachtal and the Clan Chief of the Manjura” Samuel explained
“Yes my dear” Shamus beamed, “You and your sister will be free to return home to the Mystical Realms, as soon as the Judicial Appeals Court of the Mystical Realms has convened. They are now supporting the cancellation of your exile order and nobody will be opposing it”
“But what about Lachesis?” Clotho asked, “It won’t be the same if Atropos and I have to return without her, plus won’t the people who took her come after us?”

“She has a point Shamus” Samuel replied, “Who ever took her could be still after Clotho and Atropos, and we can’t rule out the involvement of our former renegade colleagues”

“That is true” sighed Shamus, “And I suspect you would be better protected here than back home, with the confusion due to the aftermath of the war and that cult”

“Clotho” Samuel spoke up, “We need to get you and your sister into protective custody”
“If you think that is best sir” Clotho replied, “I will need to send word to my sister where she has been hiding”
“And I will be going with you” Samuel replied, “Along with a G2 Leprechaun”

“Oh No” Shamus cut in, “Not this time”

“Why?” Samuel asked with a tone of annoyance
“Because it was the diplomatic service al those years ago that showed an unwelcome streak of yellow when you were first exiled, so it’s only fair that I go along”

“No way” Samuel responded, “You’re a diplomat, not a trained operative”
“I used to be a G2 leprechaun in my younger days” Shamus insisted

“You said it Shamus” came a female voice from behind, “Your younger days Shamus, but now you’re old and slow”

Shamus turned around, “Rosie O’Brian!” he exclaimed

“I’m sorry about your cousin Hogan” Samuel cut in, “He was a fine member of my team”
“Thank you sir” Rosie replied, “He died a valiant death in combat. You spoke well at his memorial service”
“I’ve been speaking at quite a few of them” Samuel sighed

“Shamus here means well” Rosie went on, “But as you say, he is more a diplomat and with all due respect sir, you are a bit rusty”
“Rusty am I?” Shamus retorted
“Yes, rusty” Rosie insisted

“I suppose so” Shamus said with a twinkle in his eye, “I just feel so awful that we never stood up to the Lord Low Troll all those years ago. If we did maybe this would never have happened to Cloth’s sister”
“But to use a human term sir, no use crying over spilled milk” Rosie countered, “Samuel and I will go over and fetch Atropos”

“But I’m coming too” Clotho insisted, “You’ll never find her with out me”

“But someone found you and Lachesis” Rosie pointed out

“I know” Clotho replied, “But I do not know how. There should only be one way to find each of us, and those means are not here in this universe”

“What do you mean?” Samuel asked
“When we were exiled, the Judicial Court of the Mystical Realms had placed in it three orbs of location, to make sure each of us did not return secretly back to the Mystical Realms”
“And where about in this court were these orbs stored?” Samuel asked with a sudden air of suspicion.
“I do not know sir” Clotho replied, “They were stored somewhere in there, only those in the High Council of the Elves who were of the Law might know”

“Uh Oh!” Samuel whispered

Shamus walked up to the colonel, “What are you thinking there Samuel?” he asked
“Fidelity” Samuel replied, “She spent most of her life under Yagel Pen-Swift”
“That treacherous Drow ” Shamus retorted angrily
“Except for most of that time” Samuel went on, “Everyone thought he was nothing but an elven lawyer”

+ + +

Arrivals at Heathrow
London

Mr Vee walked bleary eyed into the arrivals hall at Heathrow Terminal five, he had tried to get some sleep on the plane, but he had been put near a couple with a baby that insisted on crying through the night.

He had a telephone number to track down supplied by one of his associates, obtained by an un-named source in the National Security Agency involved in illegal covert surveillance of a US senator. Mr Vee had spent much time in the UK before, after all this was where he had taken his informant back in 1975, and where she and him had had an affair resulting in the birth of his daughter Sue-Lim Wang, although as far as he knew, Sue-Lim was not aware he was her father.

He headed for the entrance of the airport, where he was going to take the Piccadilly line into the capital and on to the hotel he had booked near Russell Square, and his favourite place to visit, The British Museum.

Just before the entrance there was someone he recognised from his old days working for one of the intelligence agencies, his old MI5 liaison officer.

“Sir Sidney Gerald?” he called out as he got with in three feet of the man

The man came up to him and held out his right hand, which Mr Vee grasped. “It’s good to see you again James” Sir Sidney said with affection, adding, “And it’s just Sidney, I only use the title to get a places at restaurants or to get into my club in London”.
“Let me guess” Mr Vee smiled, “It was the attendant at the check in at Dulles who tipped you off” Mr Vee added
“What makes you think that James?” Sir Sidney replied
“It was obvious to me, an old hand that he was probably CIA or at least Ex-CIA, the way he made sure he served me and took slightly a bit longer to process me than his other colleagues on the check in”
“We never could get one past you James” Sir Sidney laughed, “Actually he is Ex-Army intelligence, when he finished there he worked for me for a bit in close protection duties for foreign diplomats.”
“That would explain why he was so easy for me to spot” Mr Vee mused, “CIA operatives are more subtle. So why is he working for United Airlines” Mr Vee then asked
“More regular income than the close protection business and more regular hours” Sir Sidney explained, “Although I pay him a small retainer to alert me to people of interest coming and going”
“You never did really leave the business” Mr Vee said with a grin
“Well I like to keep a hand in sometimes James and it does mean that my old friends don’t get fleeced by over priced taxis” Sir Sidney replied and then released Mr Vee’s hand and motioned for him to come with him.
“Thank you Sidney, I did not expect a ride” Mr Vee said to him, “I was kind of expecting I would be travelling on the subway, or what you Brits call the Tube”
“That would never do” Sir Sidney countered, “I tried the tube once. Never again”
“That’s very thoughtful of you Sidney” Mr Vee replied, “We could catch up on old times before you drop me off at the hotel”
“Hotel?” Sir Sidney questioned, “No – No, you must come and stay at my place” Sir Sidney insisted, “or at least have dinner with me at the Garrick”
“It would be an honour Sidney” Mr Vee replied, “But I am here on business”
“Maybe you could tell me about it on the way into London” Sir Sidney probed
“Come on Sidney” Mr Vee replied, “You know I can’t do that”
“I’m sorry James” Sir Sidney chuckled, “Ever since I left the Business for the City it has been hard to get out of that mind set. I do miss it though. Those days were fun”
“But dangerous Sidney” Mr Vee countered, “Remember Brisbane?”
“Yes James, that one was a close call”
“Anyway Sidney, you’ve not done bad for yourself” Mr Vee smiled back, “A knighthood for services rendered to British Industry”

“Yeah” Sir Sidney replied with a strange hint of sadness and then led the way to the car park.

+ + +

IDEC Headquarters
At an undisclosed location
Washington DC
United States of America

[img=600x400]http://www.solarnavigator.net/geography/geography_images/Washington_DC_Monument_White_House.jpg[/img]

Sophie arrived at her desk to find that the chairman had turned up early, which was not that frequent, so gingerly she knocked on Kathryn Cooper’s door and ventured into the chairman’s office.
“Morning Miss Cooper” she opened with, “I’m sorry I didn’t realise you were coming in so early. Do you want me to get your usual coffee?”
“Not this time Sophie” Kathryn replied icily, “Get me the director of the National Security Agency”
“Do you want that on the MTAC?” Sophie asked
“NO” Kathryn snapped back, “I want him here, in person, today. He is cleared to know of our existence”
“Yes Miss Cooper” Sophie replied, slightly un-nerved by Kathryn’s angry tone, “If he asks why?”
“Tell him he will find out why when he gets here”
“Yes Miss Cooper” Sophie replied and then went back to her desk. She was uncertain that the director of another agency would “come running” at the request of another, but her boss seemed in so foul a mood that she did not want to put that to her. If only she would agree to an interview over the MTAC system that would have made life a lot easier.

A phone rang.

Sophie was going to answer it when she realised it was on Kathryn’s direct line, and not the others that went through her secretarial phone system. Carefully she got up and closed the door to give her boss some privacy.

#

Kathryn looked at the handset, the number calling was that of Colonel Samuel Peters.

She picked it up and answered it, “I hope this is to say you are at Dulles Airport and are ready to appear before the Senate committee today”
“Kathryn” Samuel began, “Tell them to wait, something has come up which is more urgent than pandering to a bunch of over cosseted senators with over inflated egos”

“I take it this means you are still in Ireland” Kathryn ventured, “Even though I said that G2 are just as professional”
“I’m on my way to London” Samuel cut in over the phone
“To catch a flight back to DC?” Kathryn asked

“I take it that means that Sophie did not pass on my message last night when you were out at some social function” Samuel replied with a touch of irritation in his voice.

Kathryn narrowed her eyes, breathed in and then answered, “Actually I was at the quarters of Miss Wang and Mr Smith with Miss Henshore”
“Very cosy” Samuel remarked sarcastically, “Meanwhile I was freezing my but off trying to save the life of the former Spirit of Fancying and witnessing the former Spirit of Fidelity being abducted by renegade IDEC agents using an artificial wormhole generator that was not developed until after they went AWOL when IDEC UK policy was changed”
“You’re saying someone was using an artificial wormhole generator” Kathryn asked as she had a sudden sinking feeling.
“Yes that’s what I said” Samuel replied, “And if you had not been at your dinner party we could have tracked them with Sky guard since Sophie does not seem to think she can ask for what we are paying for”
“I was not at a social” Kathryn cut in with a slow and deliberate tone, “Someone told the chair of the senate oversight committee about Paddy McGurty’s betrayal”
“How” Samuel asked with an angry tone, “We were keeping that under wraps”
“Last night we were at the quarters because Mr Smith was conducting an anti-surveillance sweep and we found numerous listening devices which seem to have come from the NSA”

“Are we being investigated?” Samuel asked
“If what you are saying about someone using an artificial wormhole generator, that could be a possibility” Kathryn answered, then she changed tone, “Samuel”
“Yes Kathryn”
“Last night when we found out that the devices came from the NSA, Miss Wang was very upset and went up to her room in tears and would not even allow Pete in to see her”
“I sense that is not all there is to this Kathryn” Samuel said over the phone
“Yes, Pete rang me this morning, Sue-Lim has packed a suitcase and left”
“I can see where this is headed, Sue-Lim recreated the artificial generators on the orders of Mr Davies after that traitor Timothy Zachary developed it. If one has fallen into renegade hands, she would be prime suspect”
“Don’t you think I have not just thought of that as well” Kathryn cut in
“Yeah but there’s one problem with that Kathryn” Samuel said over the phone, “She is no Timothy Zachary, she would never betray us like he did”
“I know that Samuel” Kathryn insisted, “But remember what happened in Florida”
“I remember Kathryn” Samuel insisted, “I’m assuming you’re calling in the NSA director”
“You’re darn right I am” Kathryn replied
“Then don’t tell him about what I saw last night, we don’t want to give them rope to hang Sue-Lim, she’s innocent” Then Samuel added a barbed, “I don’t want her hung out to dry like you did with Corporal McCaskey, remember her, sentenced to five years in a military prison and a dishonourable discharge because some moron lost a DOD laptop and her identity was stolen by a fraudster”
“She got a fair trial” Kathryn replied “and like I said it would have been inappropriate for us to act”
“Fair trial my a**s” Samuel swore, “Even though the civilian authorities said she was totally innocent all three members of that Courts Marshall said she was guilty of bringing the army into disrepute for being falsely accused of a crime that occurred in a state she had never been to while she was on active service in the UK. Are you going to let the same thing happen to Sue-Lim as well?”
“Not if I can help it Samuel”
Then Samuel told her “My flight has been called, I have to go” and then he hung up.

Kathryn sat there for a moment, and then got up and opened her door, “Sophie” she said in a stern tone, “I want to see you in my office now!”

+ + +

Deep inside a lava tube
Inter Dimensional World 02
(According to the IDEC cataloguing convention)

Commander Mark Johnson held Jenny Green in his arms as they sat with their back to a wall. They could feel the heat from the low level volcanic activity. The pair of them had lodged in a small side tunnel suggested by Timothy, while he sat with the Spirit of Lust elsewhere in the cave system.

“Do you believe her?” Jenny asked
“I think I do” Mark replied, “We were taught to spot liars and she did seem genuinely shocked to be accused of killing the Spirit of Friendship”
“Why would someone do that?” Jenny then asked, “Remember how Rebecca was upset when she learned she was an orphan, I just wanted to hold her in my arms”
“I know Jenny” Mark replied, “I was there too”
“I’m so glad she found a home with her uncle and his family in America” Jenny went on
“I still think we have to go along with Timothy” Mark ventured, “Even if it does mean that the Spirit of Lust is back in circulation” then he added, “plus I’m not sure I can stomach any more baked Mudpod”
“Yeah Mark, that was awful” Jenny agreed, “How has he been able to live off of that while he has been here?” she asked. Then Jenny thought for a moment, “If the Earth is still there and we are able to get back Mark, won’t The Spirit of Lust just try and pick off where she left off” Jenny asked, “It will mean Mr Andrews stopped her for nothing”
“I don’t know love” Mark told her, “But look at it this way, someone murdered a major spirit of virtue and made it look like her, Whoever that was they could still be a threat and they need to be stopped and brought to justice”

Jenny suddenly felt concerned and looked at Mark in the eyes, “Do you think who ever did it, will come after Rebecca?”
“Well they haven’t so far” Mark replied, “And I would have thought they would have done by now”

Jenny turned back around and laid her head on Mark’s shoulder, “I just feel so helpless here”
“Well” Mark continued “He did say even if he had our talismans the wormhole generator will only work in the open, so we are stuck here until that solar storm passes”
“So what do we do until then?” Jenny asked

Mark kissed Jenny on the head, “Well he did say he would let us have time to ourselves”
“I just so want you Mark so much” Jenny told Mark, “But here, in this cave? What if He decides to watch?”
“Then” Mark said as he started to unbutton his shirt, “we will have to put on a good show”
“Yeah” Jenny agreed as she too started to undress.

#

“It is happening like you said it would Master Zachary” The Spirit of Lust said to Timothy across the embers of the cooking fire, “they are indulging their lust for one another”
“Feeling better now Lusty Babe?” Timothy asked, “Now you’ve had a chance to taste some genuine sexual lust”
“Much” The Spirit of Lust replied with a smile, “They are so into each other and I can feel that they have no inhibitions as they roll around on the floor, it is so exquisite”
“I know” Grinned Timothy, “I can just about hear them”

The Spirit of Lust stood up and breathed in deeply, then looked down at Timothy, “I sense you to lust after sexual union with the female as well”
“But she does not lust after me” Timothy pointed out, “For you to get your powers up to help make the generator work I need you at full strength and if she lusts after the commander, then while we are stuck here together, I am willing to make the sacrifice”
“And should we get back to our worlds?” The Spirit of Lust replied
“We go our separate ways if you want, I get to be back in civilisation and you get to play around with all the other major spirits of vice”
“And I will once again be worshipped by the humans”
“Except this time, you try a more subtle approach” Timothy went on, “Let us worship you without realising it”
“And you will fully release me?” The Spirit of Lust then asked
“I’ll think about it Lusty Babe” Timothy replied, then asked “How was your mudpod”
“Vile as ever”
“Yeah, I really thought so too, I mean after roast Stinger Fan it had to be an improvement” Timothy sighed.

+ + +

Driving through the streets of Central London

[img=600x400]http://www.richard-seaman.com/Wallpaper/Travel/Europe/ParliamentFromLondonEye.jpg[/img]

Sir Sidney Gerald sat in the back of his Rolls Royce as he looked at his unconscious friend, Mr Vee, the slow acting knock out poison he had on his hand, had worked. While he had taken an antidote prior, the effects on Mr Vee after he got into the car were predictable. Mr Vee never saw it coming.

A phone rang in the back and Sir Sidney answered it, “Sir Sidney Gerald” he said into the phone
“Sir” an American voice came over the phone, “They found the listening devices we planted in the chairman’s office”
“So now they will think they are safe from our eves dropping then” Sir Sidney replied, “Excellent” he added
“Just like you predicted sir” the American voice replied, “We even managed to get a tap on her direct line”
“Anything of interest?” Sir Sidney asked
“I can play you it back sir if you want”
“Just give me the headlines” Sir Sidney told the man on the phone
“Well the colonel is headed your way on a flight to London, they found the listening devices at the quarters of Miss Wang and Mr Smith but they are blaming them on the NSA and Miss Wang has gone missing”
“Has she now?” Sir Sydney purred
“Yeah, the colonel obviously saw your associates in Ireland use the generator you supplied and they were speculating that Miss Wang might be under investigation for passing its details on to them”
“Really” Sir Sidney mused, then after a moment’s thought, “We’ve done this before to cause the IDEC some embarrassment so I suppose we can do this again”
“Sir?” the voice on the phone queried.
“Do we still have our little mole in the FBI?” Sir Sidney asked
“I believe so?”
“Well” Sir Sidney began with a large grin, “They have sown the seeds of the idea of their latest humiliation, why not run with that?”
“Yes Sir Sidney” the voice on the telephone replied, “I’ll get straight on it” he added before hanging up.

Sir Sidney then dialled a number on his phone, and after three rings it was answered.
“Charles?” Sir Sidney began, “It’s me, can you inform James’s hotel, that Mr Vee is indisposed and will have to cancel his booking”
“Yes sir” replied another English voice over the telephone
“And can you get in touch with Mr Swales and tell him the target is returning to London”
“Very good sir” the man at the other end of the phone replied, and then he asked, “Will you be wanting Celeste to be informed of any progress of your other matter sir?”
“No!” Sir Sidney replied, “Let’s not bother her with that for the time being. We can just let her keep busy with looking after her father’s duties while he is our guest. She may be needed should Mr Swales be more successful, but let’s cross that bridge when we come to it shall we?”
“As you wish sir” the voice on the phone replied, “How soon will you be arriving back at the office?”
“About half an hour to an hour, depending on Traffic over Tower Bridge” Sir Sidney replied before hanging up.

Then he poured himself a small brandy and raised his glass in a toasting gesture towards the unconscious body of Mr Vee, “Well James, to telling me everything I need to know and to ruling this world and the other one, the proper way. My way”

+ + +

On the Road to Central City
The Mystical Realms

Johnny Adair looked at the city through his binoculars; in the air he could see the occasional pseudo dragon in flight and +the occasional exotic bird, but no full blown dragons. They stuck to the mountains in their wild state. The amount of traffic on the road was light at this time of day. They had come across the occasional goblin and Halfling traders. Some had tried to engage them in conversation, but once Johnny had shown them the Kalashnikovs, they kept their distance. Thanks to the former cult of the Magnus Timor they were well aware of the “metal rods that spit death”

They had expected a troll patrol but so far they had been lucky, as for orcs, they were few and far between, having been on the loosing side in the civil war.

One Troglodyte slave trader they encountered had asked how much they would be selling the slave girl they had with them, and even went as far as to say that they would get a better price if she was completely naked.

A warning shot at his feet from Johnny soon put him right about interfering

“Move you” Gerry Malone said to Fidelity in a cruel manner as he pulled on the leash attached to a collar around Fidelity’s neck

Fidelity tried to pick up the pace, but it was hard with her hands still tied behind her back and the collar and leash made things awkward. She was terrified of these two men. They seemed to hold all the cards. They had even fitted her with a collar that could be made to tighten up by remote control, so she would strangle to death if she broke free.

They had told her that her sister was still alive, and had shown her a photo of her next to someone she vaguely recognised from her time with Yagel, but could not place. They had told her that she would only stay that way if she did exactly as she was told. What that was at this point they did not say. She had tried to tell them she no longer had any special powers as she was as fully human as they were, but they just told her that she did not need special powers for what they wanted from her. What it could be, she did not have a clue. The only way to stay alive and keep her twin sister alive was to do exactly as she was told.

“I said move” Gerry repeated and yanked on the leash again.

Fidelity missed her footing and tripped over and fell on face on the ground. The pain was agony, as she had not been able to use her arms to break her fall.

She tried to get to her knees, with blood streaming from her nose. She was not sure if it was broken, but it felt like it could be. She had also bitten her lip in the fall badly. The last time she had felt this bad was when she had been beaten black and blue by Mr Blue in his “Robust Interrogation” of her at that dreaded place called “The Facility” in North London

“That was really clever Gerry” Johnny said to Gerry, “She’s not much use to us if you go and kill her”
“She’s dawdling” Gerry complained as if Fidelity wasn’t there
“I’m sorry” Fidelity whimpered. Her knees were also hurting as she had scraped them in the fall as well.

Johnny came and pulled Fidelity to her feet and then took the lead from Gerry. “Can’t you do anything right” Johnny asked him.

Fidelity just looked down and dejected. She was not even sure if they would kill her as soon as they got what they wanted anyway.

Suddenly there was a rushing wind, and behind them a blue dot appeared in mid air, which became a small vortex

Out stepped what appeared to be a teenager of Fidelity’s age, wearing a black leather jacket, black Jeans and a black tee-shirt. It was obvious she was braless. She also had Jet black hair. This was the young woman next to her sister in the image on the camera phone.

“Long time no see” The young woman said to Fidelity

“Celeste, what are you doing here?” Johnny asked, “The boss said we were just going to be on this little mission to your central city over there”
Celeste turned to face Johnny and Gerry, “I know” Celeste replied, “I had a brief lull in collecting souls from the recently departed so I thought I would drop by, and catch up with Fidelity here, I mean we did briefly meet many years ago at some convention of Elven lawyers and apothecaries”

Celeste then looked at Fidelity as Fidelity looked at the ground, tears mingling with the blood falling from her face.

“And it’s a good thing I did drop by” Celeste continued, as she walked up to Fidelity and placed her right hand lightly on the top of Fidelity’s head. Fidelity flinched, expecting further pain as Celeste caressed the side of Fidelity’s head “What did they do to you?” Celeste asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

“The clumsy b***h tripped” Gerry sneered

Celeste gave him a look of contempt, “You’re almost as bad as Mr Swales” she retorted.
“Please don’t hurt me Celeste” whispered, “I’ll do what you ask, just please don’t hurt me or Caer”
“Don’t you remember me?” Celeste whispered to Fidelity, in what Fidelity interpreted as a menacing tone
“Sorry, only vaguely Celeste” Fidelity replied, trying through the pain of her injuries to remember who Celeste was and her time with Yagel, which for two years she had tried to blot out.

Then Fidelity slowly remembered, “You’re the daughter of the Spirit of Destiny and the Spirit of Death” she mumbled, still looking down at the ground
Celeste gently lifted Fidelity’s head so she could look her in the eyes “Yes that’s right” Celeste replied with what seemed like a genuine smile
“I remember Yagel saying that your mother was dead” Fidelity went on, as more distant memories started to trickle back
“Yes” Celeste replied with a tinge of anger, “And daddy let her die”
“Please don’t hurt me or Caer Celeste” Fidelity pleaded, “I promise I will do what ever you want”
“Of course you will dear” Celeste said in a soft but menacing tone

“Can we get on now please” Johnny cut in
“In a Moment” Celeste yelled back. Celeste sighed and looked at Fidelity’s injuries, then she placed both her hands on Fidelity’s shoulders, and then Celeste’s eyes turned into two dazzling green lights.

With in five seconds Fidelity was totally healed.

“For old time’s sake” Celeste told Fidelity with a grin, and then as she removed her hands from Fidelity’s shoulders and showed Fidelity the homing micro-transmitter she had swallowed earlier, “And you won’t need this”

Celeste then dropped the homing micro-transmitter to the ground and crushed it with her shoe
“I’m sorry” Fidelity said trembling with fear, “The colonel told me to swallow it”
“And you’re a good little girl who always does as she is told” Celeste said back to her.
“I told you I will do what you ask” Fidelity whimpered, trying to guess what Celeste would say next.
“I know” Celeste whispered, “Even when we were growing up together you always did what ever Yagel told you to do”
“I didn’t want to get another beating” Fidelity replied with tears forming in her eyes.

Celeste then gave Fidelity a hug, “I wish it had been me that had killed that brute instead of the Troll Clan Chief of the Manjura” she whispered into Fidelity’s ear.
Then Fidelity felt the cable tie holding her hands behind her back vanish and the collar disappear.

“You don’t need these” Celeste called out to the two Irishmen as she held out the cable tie that had bound Fidelity’s hands and the choking collar and leash, “Miss Fidelity is going to be a good little girl and show you to what the boss wants you to get hold of for him”

Then the objects disappeared in a violet flame in Celeste’s hand, and then she told the two men, “Fidelity and I go back a long way, and as my old friend I know she will do what you ask”

Fidelity could only nod in agreement, from what she could remember of Celeste, she was always the one who was actually able to demonstrate any powers, because back then she had been told she was the Spirit of Fancying, and as a result she had never been able to be effective as a minor spirit of virtue. There was no way that Fidelity was going to cross Celeste

Celeste walked towards the two men, “I have to go now, but make sure you treat her right” she said with an air of menace.

Just then another blue vortex opened up, and Celeste was gone.

“Who the hell does she think she is” Gerry swore
“She’s the boss’s new fixer” Johnny explained
“Only for the moment” Gerry replied
“Until then we do what she tells us, just as if the boss had told us” Johnny replied and then he pointed his gun at Fidelity, “Now you, move we still have to make the city before nightfall”

All Fidelity could do was comply, her restraints had gone, but they still held all the cards, and if Celeste was working with them, what else could she do?

+ + +

Starbucks, 7th and H
Washington DC

Charlene Henshore had had a hunch when she had heard Pete call on the Chairman’s cell about Sue-Lim going missing, as to where she might head, and she was hoping she was right.

She had never seen Sue-Lim in such a state before, even when she dropped in on her early in the morning the previous day to go shopping for a wedding dress. That seemed so long ago now.

As soon as Sue-Lim had heard that the listening devices were from the NSA she just about lost it. Sue-Lim had run upstairs to her room, closed the door on Pete, locked it, and sat down behind the door sobbing. Charlene had kind of guessed it had something to do with how she had been treated by the immigration authorities at Florida.

As far as Charlene herself was concerned, immigration had been a pain as well, even though she had been in the US briefly at the start of the ill fated excursion by US Marines to try and liberate the Mystical Realms Central City. It was probably her early activism against various actions by the US government, like the Iraq War and the Afghan war that had caused difficulty with her visa and her green card.

But this was nothing compared to what Sue-Lim had been through. She had actually been incarcerated in an immigration detention centre, even though she had helped save the planet! The crew of endeavour, much to their credit, had made a protest, which for security reasons had to be hushed up, but it seemed the immigration officials could not see it that way. Sue Lim had to go back to Russia according to some international treaty.

When Sue-Lim was finally released a week later, from bruising on her face it was obvious that someone had assaulted her and the way she was unexpectedly nervous about men, and even her reaction when Pete first tried to hug after her release her indicated something else unspeakable had happened in there. What it was, Charlene did not know for sure, but Sue-Lim did not want to talk about it and in some sense seemed frightened to talk about it. At least Pete realised something had been up and on Charlene’s advice had given Sue-Lim space for the first two weeks, by then it seemed things were slowly getting back the way they were. In retrospect, the two of them sleeping in two separate bedrooms may have been a big help for Sue-Lim

Charlene had sensed that Sue-Lim had been making great efforts to recover the intimacy she had had with Pete, such as it was before she had gone into space from the little time she had known them prior. Whatever had gone on in that detention centre, Sue-Lim still adored Pete, and Pete was devoted to Sue-Lim. But at odd times prior to this incident with the listening devices she had thought she had caught Sue-Lim crying, but Sue-Lim kept saying it just was a cold she had picked up at Baikonur Cosmodrome. A cold that lasted over a month?

Something must have happened to Sue-Lim in that detention centre in Florida, something that the shock revelation concerning the listening devices having come from the NSA, had brought back.

Charlene looked from across the road at the coffee shop, this was the one Sue-Lim had suggested they go to the previous day, before Charlene had been summoned over the issue of the senator hearing about the betrayal of a certain leprechaun traitor. It was obvious from the way Sue-Lim had suggested it, this was a favourite coffee shop.

Pete had wanted to go with her, but Charlene had told him, that as for some reason Sue-Lim had not wanted him to come into her room that night, as if she were suddenly afraid of him, so maybe it would be best if another woman tried to find out what was going on in Sue-Lim’s mind. Bedside’s Pete was supposed to be sweeping hers and the chairman’s residence for further listening devices

Charlene crossed over the road and wandered into the coffee shop. It was quite busy with the breakfast traffic. Charlene pulled out her cell and tried Sue-Lim’s number to see if she could hear Sue-Lim’s cell-phone’s distinctive ring tone.

And there it was, coming from a table near the doors to the staff room and the lavatories. There was her friend was seated at a small table with a small suitcase on the floor next to her chair. She watched as her friend picked up her cell phone from her coat pocket, look at it, put it back without answering and then rest her head on her right hand, with her right elbow on the table.

Charlene walked up to her friend and sat down in front of her, “Not answering your mobile then?” she asked Sue-Lim. Then she noticed Sue-Lim had red eyes from crying.
“Hello Charlene” Sue-Lim said rather tearfully
“I thought I would find you here” Charlene continued, then added, “We have all been worried about you, especially Pete”
“Oh sorry” Sue-Lim replied, then after a few seconds thought removed her engagement ring and passed it to Charlene. “Make sure he gets this back, I believe it was his aunt’s”
Charlene shook her head in puzzlement, “Why?” she asked
“Because I love him” Sue-Lim answered
“That doesn’t make sense” Charlene countered

“I don’t want to drag him down as well Charlene as it’s obvious they were investigating me” Sue-Lim replied and then broke down as she said, “He’s better off with out me, your all better off without me”

Charlene moved her chair around so she was sitting next to Sue-Lim and put a gentle arm around her.
“That’s not true Sue-Lim, he’s devoted to you” Charlene told her, “And we all care about you”
“But if they are investigating me and he is married or engaged to me, then they might investigate him and then he will loose his security clearance and he will no longer be able to work for the I D E C” Sue-Lim sobbed, “I can’t do that to him because I love him so much” she squeaked out then after a few seconds added, “It has to be, they think I’m a security risk because my mother was from Vietnam”
“That’s rubbish” Charlene replied, “They gave me a security clearance and I’m not exactly been seen as a fan of Uncle Sam” the Charlene gently asked, “What makes you think that anyway?”
“Because of what happened in Florida” Sue-Lim replied, trying to recover some composure,
“You never did say what happened there” Charlene pressed
“Because I thought it was over kind of when Miss Cooper got me out and I wanted to put it behind me”

Charlene thought for a moment, “That bruise you had on your face when you came out” she went on, “That was not caused by what happened in space like you told us was it? Come on Sue-Lim, you can tell me, did someone do that to you while you were in detention centre?”

Sue-Lim was unable to speak, but just nodded with tears dropping from her eyes.

“Is everything ok?” a voice came from behind; it was a barista from the store.

“My friend has had a nasty shock that’s all” Charlene explained and then handed the Barista a ten dollar bill, “Can I have a medium skinny latte please”

The barista took the note and said “Coming right up” and left

Charlene returned her attention back to Sue-Lim, “Was it a fellow detainee who hit you?” she asked.
Sue Lim shook her head very briefly, “No it was some of the guards” she squeaked out.
“What?” Charlene said in disbelief
“There was this one male guard in his sixties I think” Sue-Lim went on between sobs, “As soon as he saw me, he could tell at least one of my parents was Vietnamese. He said it was because of the Vietnam war, he lost his brother and hated anyone who was as he put it contaminated with Vietnamese blood and one of them”
“And he hit you?” Charlene asked
“With his fist Charlene, He did it as I was just coming out of the shower” Sue-Lim whispered, “And he got two other male guards to hold me against the wall while he did it, he also bribed another detainee to keep watch”
“They attacked you in the showers?” Charlene whispered back with shock, surprise and anger in her voice, “Did you manage to get a towel?”
“No, Charlene, I never got a chance to get a towel, I was still naked”

A sudden horrendous thought crossed Charlene’s mind which made her shudder and surge with anger at the same time. It was not a nice question to ask, but it had to be asked. So with gentleness and determination Charlene asked Sue-Lim, “And did this older guard rape you?”

Sue Lim dissolved into tears, and leaned into Charlene “I tried to tell them I was saving myself for Pete, but they wouldn’t listen” she sobbed, “The man said he wasn’t going to do it but there was only one thing our kind were good for and the two other guards raped me”

Tears welled up in Charlene’s eyes as well, some of sorrow and some of anger. Sue-Lim had helped save the Earth from having another planet crash into it and risked her life in a space craft that could never re-enter Earth’s atmosphere safely, endured the ordeal of a space walk, and this was how they treated her.

Sue-Lim then continued as she rested in Charlene’s arms, “The older man dragged me back into the shower and washed away the evidence. He said if I told anyone, he would say it was me who initiated it and that he had friends who would make sure I would never contaminate anyone else”

Charlene held Sue-Lim in her arms for what seemed an age, the Charlene said to Sue-Lim, “Come on Sue-Lim, we will finish our coffee and then I will take you to Kathryn and we will see what we can do about those guards” and then with her voice trembling with anger, “We can’t let the b****ds get away with it”

Before Sue-Lim could respond, Charlene suddenly noticed that the staff and other customers were being ushered out by men in suits showing badges.

Then two men approached Charlene and Sue-Lim with automatic pistols drawn. Charlene looked at the badges they were showing, they were FBI

“Sue-Lim Wang” said one of the men
“Yes?” Sue-Lim said tearfully and nervously
“Stand up slowly and hands behind your back, you under arrest” the man instructed

In a state of shock and utter horror slowly Sue-Lim complied, “What have I done?” she whimpered”

The second man stepped forward and placed handcuffs on Sue-Lim’s wrists and then grabbed her by her right arm and started to frog march her through the coffee shop to the entrance.

Charlene stood up and glowered at the first FBI man, “What the hell is going on?” she demanded
“What’s it to you mam” the FBI agent said bluntly
“She’s my friend” Charlene spat back

“Well your friend, a foreign national is being arrested under the patriot act for aiding and abetting terrorists and for espionage”
“What!” Screamed Charlene
“And I suggest Mam” the FBI agent continued, “You stay calm and stay back or I will have to arrest you for obstructing justice”

Charlene stepped back and in disbelief watched as the FBI agents dragged a terrified and distraught Sue-Lim out of the coffee shop and forced into the back an awaiting car.

To Be continued