The large lecture hall was packed with students determinedly hunched over their papers. The only sounds were that
of shuffling paper, hectic pencils and an occasional cough or sniffle.
Sally shuffled her papers to produce her scan-tron. As she did so her eraser leapt from her desk and tumbled down
to her feet of the student in front of her.
Crap! Her mind shouted. She continued on with her test, hoping she wouldnt make any mistakes.
She filled in the bubble C.
No! I meant B, nerd!
Then you shouldnt have told me to mark C, freak!
Sally glanced down at the Pink Pearl lying between the tennis shoes beyond the step in front of her. She pretended
to flex her neck muscles as she looked to see if anyone was watching. All the students in the hall were concentrating
on their papers. She looked to the front of the room. The professor was calmly flipping through a notebook.
As she focused back on the eraser, it began to slide toward her. She decided to take it slow; she didnt want it
to catch anyones eye. It crawled toward her then slid up the step. She bent down and it flew into her grasp.
Sally closed her fingers tightly around it and she erased the C bubble and remarked the B.
- - - - - - -
"How'd it go?" asked Zarbon as Sally entered the den.
"Have I mentioned my dislike for chemistry?" Sally asked as she placed her backpack next to a chair and sat down.
As she was sinking into the cushions she sighted and added. "In depth study of chemistry was devised by the devil."
"Don't be like that," Zarbon scolded. "Chemistry has done wonders for modern science."
"Zarbon," Sally looked at him sternly. "Just let me feel miserable, okay?"
They sat in silence for a minute until Jed walked in.
"Oh, Sally you're home. I was just taking to... oh, never mind." She stopped herself seeing her friends expression.
"How'd the Chem test go?"
Sally glared at Jed. "I hate chemistry," she said sternly. Then she got up, picked up her book bag and retreated
to her room.
Jed looked at Zarbon and shook her head.
Sally entered the kitchen. Dee and Alec were sitting at the table. Dee's portable CD player was on the table
and playing music.
"Hey, Sally," Dee looked over at her as the blonde reached for a can of Dew from the frdige. "You HAVE to hear
this song. It reminds me of..."
"I can't right now, Dee," Sally interrupted. "I've got a five page paper due Thursday, 30 Calc problems to do before
Wednesday, and a test in my Graphics class tomorrow and I've got rounds tonight. I have to get busy."
Dee's eyes were big. "Whoa, okay. No need to bite my head off or anything."
"Sorry, I'm a bit stressed," the blonde apologized, closing the frig.
"Why don't you have someone else make rounds for you tonight," Alec suggested.
"Because that'll mean I'll have to make rounds another night this week. And I'd rather do it tonight than any other.
Now if you'll excuse me." Sally exited the kitchen and jogged up the stairs to her room.
- - - - - - - - - -
Abra Pirata heard the squealing of tires from halfway across town, then a sickening metallic crunch followed by an unceasing
car horn. She began to run in the direction of the din.
As she approached the scene she say before her two distorted vehicles. Crawling from the white Ram came three college
students, staggering in their drunken confusion. Abra saw no movement in the small blue car. She quickly ran over
an peered through the window. Wedged between the seat and the steering wheel a young man sat with his head buried in the air
bag.
Abra leapt over the car and tried to open the car door, but the bent metal wouldn not budge. She pried her fingers
around the door and with a massive yank ripped it entirely off, then tossed it aside carelessly.
Reaching in she felt the pulse in the mans neck: it was still strong. There was no sign of blood anywhere.
Perhaps he was just unconscious. Then he began to stir.
His hands felt for his head and he sat back in the seat, massaging his face.
"Are you all right?" Abra asked.
"Yes, I think so." As he removed his hands, the resemblance clicked.
"Face," she gasped.
The fiery blue eyes popped open and he also recognized her. He reached down to unbuckle his seat belt.
"Don't move," Abra commanded.
"I told you, I'm unharmed," he replied stepping from the vehicle.
"If you move, I will have to hurt you," Abra glared at him. "Get back in the car until the police arrive."
"Ah, Abra Pirata, I thought you knew me well enough by now to know that I have no respect for them."
"No, but last time I checked you still had respect for this." She fingered the hilt of her sword that was attached
to her belt.
"You wouldn't dare attack me, the victim of this horrible crash, in front of this crowd."
Abra looked around. Many people were crowding the sidewalks, trying to catch a glimpse of the crash.
Face's lips contorted into his familiar sly grin as he sat back down in the car. Abra's ears began to pick up the
faint whine of sirens and she looked around to see if they were in view. As she was turned away, in one swift silent
movement Face was in the rear seat and exiting on the passenger side. Abra turned as she heard the door open.
Seeing Face gone from the driver seat she leapt to the top of the car. Then, pushing off from the roof, she soared through
the air toward the fugitive.
She landed gracefully behind him and gave chase. As she ran she tapped the small button in her glove, and heart
the faint crackle in her ear.
"Techno," she called. "Send backup." She turned sharp to follow the culprit.
"The Face is back, in pursuit, headed west on 11th toward Three Tree Apartments."
"Roger," she heard Techno in her ear. "West on 11th toward Three Trees."
Abra grabbed onto a light post as she turned another sharp corner. "Make that north on Arctic toward the park."
"Gotcha,"
Techno replied. Then she heard his call over the PA system. "Keep in touch with more updates."
"Will do, oh, and Techno, send one of the girls to intersection of Samson and 11th. Face was driving the blue car
in a wreck. Maybe he left something behind."
"Roger."
As Abra ran on in pursuit she noticed that she wasnt gaining on her goal. Face entered the park twenty yards in
front of her.
"We're in the park."
She dodged a trash barrel and hurdled a bench as Face made his way through the equipment. Abra landed softly on
the wood chips and followed. As she broke through the low bushes surrounding the park she felt her feet leave the ground.
In the next moment she realized she was in a net, ten feet above the ground, swaying briskly.
Crap! She released her hilt and protruded a small blade a proceeded to cut herself down.
"Girls!" Abra called. "Where are you?!" As the ropes gave Abra gently set herself upon the ground.
"Right here!" Called Slick Pimp Patti from next to her. "Don't shout. These things are loud enough as it
is." She was wincing and rubbing her ear.
"He ran off in this direction." Abra pointed as she began her chase anew.
"I'll fly up and get a hawk's eye view," Tygeress suggested as she zoomed up.
"He can't be more than fifty yards away!" Abra called after her.
"The hippie and the elf are checking out the car," Patti informed Abra.
The pirate only nodded to the info, being at a full sprint for ten minutes was beginning to wear her out.
Suddenly a flash of orange landed in front of them and all three super heroines crashed into the pavement.
"DAMN IT!" Patti yelled.
"Sorry," Ty gave an innocent look. "I didn't see any sign of him at all."
- - - - - - - -
As Sally came out of the locker room, the rest of the girls, Zarbon and Sebastian were sitting around the cave.
Techno was in his usual spot, typing away at the key board.
Zarbon was giving Tonya a backrub. Jed looked like she was about to fall asleep propped up against Sebastian.
The computer's screen changed with a beep.
"The tags trace the car to a Mrs. Victoria James from Garden City, who reported the car stolen two days ago." Techno
paraphrased the content.
"Did you find anything inside the car?" Sally asked.
"Nothing," replied Poopsie.
"Well, we might as well get to sleep then," suggested Sebastian, moving carefully, so as not to disturb Jed.
"'Bout time," Dee called as she ran up the stairs.
- - - - - - - -
Sally pushed her covers off. She had too much to do to just lay there staring at the ceiling unable to sleep.
She went into her study and sat down in front of the computer. As she recalled her research paper, she grimaced at the
lonely paragraph. Then she began to type.
- - - - - - - - -
As her mind slowly reached consciousness, Sally could feel every muscle in her body. She winced as she straightened
and slowly stretched. She heard the faint buzz of her alarm clock from her bedroom.
She sighed and nudged the mouse. As the screen appeared Sally rolled her eyes. Two paragraphs, I'm a
regular whiz with words, Geez.
- - - - - - - - -
As Sally was heading down the stairs to breakfast, the doorbell rang.
"Ill get it!" she called. She jumped the last couple of steps and bounded across the foyer. She swung open
the door and stopped, her face showed a look of shock and disbelief.
A young man with short dark brown hair stood on the steps. A smart smile on his lips.
"Well, Sal, aren't you going to invite me in?" The guy asked.
"Yeah, let him in, Sally," Jed called from behind her.
Sally turned to look at her roommate, puzzled.
"Surprise!" she said enthusiastically.
She returned her gaze to he entering man. "It certainly is," was all the audible words she could manage.
Jed took over, seeing that her friend was speechless. She walked over and threw her arms around the guest.
"It is so nice to finally meet you."
"Yeah, same here. You look just as I pictured you," he said with a grin.
"We're having breakfast, care to join us?"
"Actually I've already eaten, but some juice would be nice." As Jed led them to the kitchen he turned to Sally.
"Was it a good surprise?"
"I'll tell you later, it has to sink in first."
As they entered the kitchen T, Alec, Sebastian and Poopsie glanced up from their breakfasts.
"Bo, this is T, Alec, Sebastian and Poopsie," Jed introduced the gang. "We have other roommates too. Tonya
is at class. Dee is still sleeping. And Zarbon had an errand to run." The group nodded and gave salutations
as they were introduced.
"So how do you know these girls?" asked Sebastian trying to evaluate the grin on Jed's face.
"Oh, Sal and I go way back," he said with a smirk as he put a hand on her shoulder. "And Jess has been a friend
ever since we met."
Techno casually went back to reading the newspaper.
"Are you from this area?" Alec questioned.
"Originally, yeah, I grew up near Salina. But now I live in Oregon." Watching as Sally went to the cupboards
and retrieved two glasses, he sat down at the table.
"So what brings you back?" Sebastian interrogated.
"Well, the department of Archeaology is holding a conference here at UTH and, as a promising young anthropologist, I
was invited to come."
"Wow," Poopsie stated. "You must bet he next Indiana Jones."
Bo looked up at Sally as she set a glass of apple juice in front of him.
"My favorite. How'd you know?" He smirked.
"Some things never change," she stated as she took a seat. Bo's smirk widened into a smile.
"When's your first class?" he asked her.
"In forty five minutes."
He nodded and drank from his glass then answered more questions from various people.
- - - - - - - - -
Sally walked down the driveway, her book bag hanging off her shoulders and Bo right beside her. Her eyes were fixed
on the ground in front of her. Bo stuck his hands into his pockets as if he were nervous.
"So was it a good surprise?" he asked cautiously.
Sally bit her lip. "In some ways I guess."
"I thought about telling you first, I know you don't like surprises, but you know how I am."
"Yeah," she answered with a slight smile.
"Its kinda awkward though, huh?" he looked over at her from under the brim of his cap.
"Well, we can't expect it to be the same. After all, I've got a boyfriend now."
"Hey," he reprimanded, "You didn't go all domestic on me now, did ya?"
"No," she shot back. Then she smiled. "You should meet him, he's a really great guy."
Bo rolled his eyes at her.
"Oh, shush."
He put his arm around her shoulders. "Don't you just wish you could go back for a moment?" His blue eyes
searched her face.
"Bob," she stated slowly. "It cantt be like old times."
His arm slid from her shoulders.
"When I first saw you standing on our porch, thousands of emotions rushed through me. Emotions that I had thought
I had dealt with. I thought when I saw you again that I'd never have to deal with them, but they were there."
"That's funny," Bo retorted. "I was just simply happy when I saw you." He kicked a pebble with his shoe and
watched it bounce off the edge of the sidewalk.
Sally glared at him.
"Well," he slid his hands back into his pockets as they walked across campus. "If you still have feelings why'd
you back out?"
"This is my stop," she said as she bounded up the stairs toward Taft Hall.
"Sally!"
"Gotta go, bye." She went through the door, leaving him on the sidewalk.
- - - - - - - -
Sally sat at the table pouring over her notes as she took a bite of her sandwich. Tonya walked in and grabbed some
bread and the jar of Peanut Butter.
"So, when do I finally get to know who this guy is?" she asked as she spread the PB with a knife.
"He's at his conference or something," Sally replied between bites. "It gets over at five. You'll probably
meet him then."
Not getting the answer she wanted, the long-haired brunette began to whimper.
"Oh, please," came a voice from below the table. Out stepped Bowie. "It's more like.." and he produced a
genuine puppy whine.
Tonya stuck out her tongue as Sally smiled and tore off a piece of her sandwich and gave it to him.
She finished up her meal and cleared away the mess, ignoring her pleading roommate al the while. She placed her
notebook in her bag and shouldered it.
"See ya," she called as she left the kitchen.
"Am I but a mushroom to you?" Tonya's voice followed her to the foyer.
Bowie walked up to her and licked her leg. "You don't taste like mushroom to me."
As Sally opened the door she almost ran into Bo. He was wearing dress pants and a polo shirt.
"We have to talk, Sal," he stated as she sidestepped him.
"Yeah, well, not now. I've got a test." He followed her off the porch and halfway across the lawn.
"Sal," he pleaded.
"Fine. Tonight, 9:45 in the library. Be there or be square."
"Hey, Sally," Daniel called as he approached from his parked car in the driveway.
"Hey," she smiled. "Ummm Daniel, this is Bob. Bob, this is Daniel. Now I really gotta go."
With that she headed down the driveway.
"Good luck on your test!" Daniel called after her, smiling as he watched her leave. "She is such a serious student."
He turned back to the new acquaintance. "Bob is it?"
"Actually everyone calls me Bo. She's the only one that calls me Bob, it's a little pet name she uses." He
held out his hand and Daniel took it. "I've heard little about you Daniel, but I suppose youre her boyfriend, although
she didn't introduce you as such."
"Well, I'm sure she would have, but she's a bit preoccupied at the moment," Daniel replied.
"You're a botanist, right?"
"Studying to be the best. And what are you in for? I don't recall her mentioning a Bob... or Bo."
"Oh, Anthropology. And no, she probably wouldn't bring me up on a whim. I bring back hard memories.
But if you ask her if she ever still thinks about me, she'll say every once in a while."
Daniel gave a little grin. "If you're trying to make me jealous, it won't work."
"No, I would never do such a thing intentionally." He smiled then his eyes focused behind Daniel. "Hey Jess,"
he called to the young woman approaching.
"Hi guys," Jessica called back as she approached. Daniel excused himself and busied himself with yard work. "I
thought your meeting today didn't end until 5," she said as her and Bo turned to walk toward the mansion.
"It was. We were suppose to hear Dr. Book's discovery of an ancient sword that he believes to be Excalibur. It
was sure to be and outstanding lecture, but halfway through the introduction some crazed guy stole the dang thing."
Jessicas eyes grew wide, "What?"
"The relic was in this glass case at the base of the stage in the front of the lecture hall. And in the middle
of Dr. Book's introduction, before any of us could do anything, some guy in the front just jumped up, smashed open the glass,
grabbed the sword and ran off."
"Do you remember what he looked like?"
"Well, like I told the police, he was very plain looking, about in his mid-thirties, slightly balding. But the
most prominent thing about him were his eyes. He had these very bright, almost glowing, blue eyes. And his grin,
his grin made him look like he ruled the world, kinda crazy like."
"Whoa."
"Yeah, it was weird. I hope they find that guy soon." They entered the mansion. "Dr. Book couldn't
finish the lecture, he was so shook up. He's spent half his life looking for that piece. And if it is the real
Excalibur, it could be a very dangerous weapon."
Jessica found an excuse to leave Bo with Sebastian and Alec as she slipped away to tell the others of the crime.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Do you really think it's The Face?" Jed asked.
"Do you know any other flashy-eyed, grinning idiots?" Dee asked.
"And we know he's in town," Poopsie added.
"Sally is going to go nuts. She's already got so much going on," Jed commented.
"And she takes it personally every time he comes back," Tonya added. "All because she had him in her grasp the
first time."
"Are you saying we shouldn't tell her?" Jed's eyes widened. "She'd kill us if we didn't."
"She doesn't have to know," Techno said with finality.
"But, T, if she finds out..." Poopsie started.
"She won't."
Dee glared at him. "If she does, I'll personally tell her it was your fucking idea and allow her to use my spatula
on your sorry ass."
- - - - - - - - - - -
Instead of going home after her test, Sally made her way to the library. If she was going to get all her work done,
she would need as little distractions as possible.
She unloaded her notebook and calculus book and settled at a large table. An hour later Sally stared down at her
paper. The strings of integrals tangled upon her page. Frustration was about to set in as she looked at the problem
again.
How the heck am I suppose to integrate that? She flipped through her notes then the chapter for the ninth time.
Urg!
She looked away from her paper and around the quiet building. Seeing a student she recognized, she stood and walked
over, grabbing her paper.
"Hey, Lisa," Sally called as she approached. The ebony haired young woman looked up and smiled. "I was wondering
if youve finished your Calc yet. I can't seem to get number thirty-seven."
"Well, I'm not done yet, either." She reached into her book bag to remove a notebook. "But I'm past 37."
"How'd you integrate it?" Sally showed her classmate her paper.
Lisa's face produced a pondering expression. "I don't remember doing one like that." She studied the paper
harder. "Oh, you're doing the wrong side of the curve." She pointed to the sketch on Sally's paper. "It's
the area above y squared, not below."
"Oh, duh." Sally shaded in the correct area. "Thanks."
Sally returned to her table to rework the problem and finished it with ease.
* * * * * * * * * *
Bo walked into the kitchen to find Daniel sipping a glass of water and scratching Bowie behind the ear.
"Hey, Dan," he acknowledged Sally's boyfriend.
Daniel looked up at him. "Hey," he mumbled. He hated being called Dan.
"Do you know if Sal's back from her test yet?"
"No, her test should have gotten out an hour ago. My guess is she needed some time away you." He looked into
Bowie's eyes and nodded.
Bo grinned. "Yeah, you're right. She probably just needs some time to calm herself. I get her pretty
excited, you know."
Daniel rolled his eyes as he drank another sip. "You won't get me jealous that easily. I believe her when
she says she loves me."
"So did I," Bo said softly as if hurt.
Daniel's eyes slowly crept from his glass to the man standing across the table from him.
"Oh, yeah," he continued, noting Daniel's response. "We went way back, she and I. Then just like that," he
snapped his fingers, "She dumped me. He shook his head and turned toward the cupboards to retrieve a glass. With
his back turned toward Daniel, a suppressed grin made a quick appearance. "I mean, don't get me wrong, she is one hell
of a gal," he paused and sighed as he filled his glass with water. "It hurts sometimes, ya know, seeing her with other
guys. And I think, 'That poor schmuck, he don't know what hes in for.'"
"Well," Daniel stated as if to convince himself. "I believe her."
"Listen, Dan," Bo walked back over to the table. "If there's one thing I know about Sal, it's ...well, I definitely
know her just all 'round, but what I'm trying to tell you is: if you wanna keep her, you've gotta be more suave than I.
And let me tell you, I know suave."
Daniel looked at him doubtfully. "Well, if she's such trouble why are you so hung up on her?"
Bo smirked and tried to look bashful. "Just call me a sucker for blondes with blue eyes and ... and she's got everything
I'm a sucker for." He paused, looking as if he were pondering something pleasant. "Believe me," he said as he
started to walk from the room. "I'll have her in my arms again tomorrow." And with these final words he exited.
Daniel looked down at the puzzled dog that was looking up at him, wondering where those talented fingers had gone.
He looked into the big brown eyes of Bowie and said, "I don't believe him, do you?"
- - - - - - - - - - -
Sally practically snuck into the house. Tip-toeing up to her room, she entered the study and sat down by the computer.
As she waited for her paper to appear, she felt relieved to have only one major thing left to accomplish. Math is
done and ready to turn in tomorrow, now just four and a half pages to go.
She began to type all that she remembered about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Her Lit class kept
her busy, but she like that they actually read interesting fiction. As she started a paragraph about the kings quest
for the Holy Grail her mind wandered to her favorite movie.
"He chose poorly," she mimicked the last and bravest brother who was left behind to guard the sacred cup.
She smirked and stretched, her mind wrapping around the image of Indiana Jones as he grabbed his chest and took
the leap from the lions head. Then the image of the Nazi guy slapping Henry Sr. with his glove.
"What does it tell you that it doesn't tell me," she said in a German accent.
"It tells me," she said in a British accent now, "That goose stepping morons like yourself should try reading books instead
of burning them."
And then the look in both Jones' faces as embraced. "I thought I'd lost you, boy."
If only life was like the movies, she thought. Then we would have caught The Face. She
angered at the thought that he had eluded them once again. She began to get determined to get up and look for him.
Hey! she reprimanded herself. You've go stuff to do. If the girls find out something, they'll
let you know.
Yeah, you're right. She sighed and surrendered to her typing. She started a new paragraph about
King Arthur's famous Excalibur.
- - - - - - - - - -
The Others minus one were out on roaming the streets as soon as the sun went down. Shashani and Tygeress were in
the assembly hall where the crime had occurred, looking for clues.
"Doesn't this guy have fingerprints?" Ty shouted, frustrated upon seeing the thin dust left by the CSI.
"Dontt give up, Ty," Shani encouraged her teammate. "He had to have left some sort of clue." She ducked between
a row of seats to search the ground.
"This is real life, elf girl. The bad guys dont just drop their addresses."
"Oh, yeah," Shani stated as she stood back up. "What's this then?" She held out a slip of paper in her hand.
They both glanced down, studying it carefully.
U22 S9+JIM
Ty looked at Shani, puzzled. "Any ideas?" She glanced back down at the symbols again. "We don't even
know it's his."
"Dr. Book would never have left this here. Remember Sally telling us how anal he got that time he found a small
piece of notebook fringe near the trash can. He almost ripped the whole class a new one."
"That's right." Ty's face brightened then dimmed again. "Now only to decipher it."
- - - - - - - - - -
"Maybe it's a love note." Lucy noticed the looks she was being given. "What? There's a plus sign." She shook
her head. "I'm just brainstorming like everyone else."
"You two two es nine plus jay I em," Tygeress muttered.
"It's gotta be a code for something," Patti suggested.
"Maybe a chemical equation?" Shani asked.
"Uranium Sulfide?" Ty questioned.
"Then what would the JIM stand for?" Lucy asked.
"Hell if I know," Patti burst throwing her arms into the air.
"Maybe we should bring it back to Techno," Shani added, thinking the four of them were probably nowhere close the real
meaning and extra brains couldnt hurt.
"Abra could probably get it," Ty commented.
The group looked at her in shock in saying aloud what they all were thinking.
Ty sighed. "I wouldn't tell her, I was just stating my opinion."
With the shaking of heads from the other three they headed back to the cave.
- - - - - - - - -
Techno typed the characters into the super computer, as the girls watched. He had installed a decryption program
four months earlier. It had kept Sally and Tonya busy making up weird codes for it to solve. But this was the
first true test.
Techno pressed the enter key to initiate decoding, then turned to the awaiting girls.
"No sign other than this?"
"Not a trace," Lucy replied.
He glanced back at the screen as numbers wizzed across it.
"This could take a while," he stated flatly.
Suddenly the computer beeped. Techno whirled around to face it.
"That was quick," Zarbon stated.
Techno pushed a few buttons and up popped the deciphered code.
DONT DANCE IN WET STREETS WITH AUNT JANES PINK TUTU
"Ooo Kay," Shani showed her disbelief and confusion.
"So it decoded into another code?" Ty asked with her head cocked to the side.
"Just great, Genius, "Patti scolded. "Now we're right back where we started."
"It's okay, girls," Techno tried to settle them down. "I didn't expect this to be so easy. We'll run it a
hundred times if we have to." He pushed the buttons to run the decoder again.
- - - - - - - - - - - -
"Hello?"
Sally looked up from the computer to see Bo tapping at her study's door.
"Hey square," he said as he entered.
Sally's expression was puzzled. Then it registered as she glanced down at her watch. 2155.
"Sorry, Bob. I'm trying to become familiar with military time, guess I got a little confused."
"Why?" He walked over to her and started to read the paper she was typing.
She shrugged. "To become more well rounded I guess." She snickered. "Hard to do though if it's going to make
me a square, huh."
Bo smiled. "King Arthur, huh?" he pointed to the screen. He wanted to tell her about the afternoon, but knew
he couldn't keep putting off what they had to talk about.
"Yeah, its' for my Lit class; five pages for Thursday. I've only got three so far." She began to fidget with
a pen.
"I'm sure youll think of something, you always do."
"Yeah, but it's taking forever."
Bo nodded and pulled out a chair to sit down next to her. "You'll manage."
They sat for a moment in silence, realizing they were no longer speaking of the paper. In the silence, Sally's
watch beeped to signify a new hour.
Bo smirked, "It's that time again."
Sally smiled warily, then sighed, leaning back in her chair.
"And you're not getting away from me this time. " His blue eyes met hers and she smiled slightly, as he always made
her do.
"I've been doing some thinking," Sally stated slowly.
"Oh, is that the squeaking I heard earlier?" Bo asked with a smart look.
Sally rolled her eyes. "If you'll permit me to settle thin in our usual way," she glanced at him for agreement,
to which he nodded. "What Might Have Been, by Little Texas."
Songs were the way they communicated to each other: songs and movie quotes, but mostly songs. Both people who found
it hard to express what they really felt with words, they found that song lyrics could convey it unblemished.
"We can sit and talk about this all night long and wonder why didnt last," she said. "Yes they may be the best days
we will ever know, but we'll have to leave them in the past. So try not to think about what might have been, because that
was then."
Bo looked to the floor and bit his lip. His eyes then refocused on her. "And we have taken different roads.
We can't go back again. There's no use giving in. There's no way to know what might have been."
"That same old look in your eyes. It's a beautiful night"
"I'm so tempted to stay."
"But too much time has gone by. We should just say goodbye and turn and walk away."
"No we'll never know what might have been," he leaned closer to her. "That is the perfect song," he whispered,
then smiled, making her smile in return. He put his arms around her in an embrace of everlasting friendship.
"I can't believe you actually did it!"
The friends looked to the door to see Daniel staring at them with wide eyes. His gray eyes flashed between them
in a look of horror an disbelief.
"Daniel," Sally said. "You've..."
"I'm going home now," he interrupted, throwing up his hands. "Goodnight." And he turned and left.
The two stared at the empty doorway for a moment. Then Sally turned back to Bo who was grinning.
She slapped him in the shoulder and asked sternly, "What did you do to my boyfriend?"
- - - - - - - - - - -
"'The parrot who has fleas never sneezes?'" Dee read the screen. You have got to be kidding."
"I don't understand," Techno frowned. "This should be working."
"We've ran it forty two times now, T," Jed commented. And this makes no more sense than 'The ball that smokes never
burns.'"
Poopsie sighed, "At this rate, we'll never decode the thing before something else happens."
"What was the original code again?" Tonya asked.
Techno handed her the slip of paper by the keyboard. She frowned as she looked at it. It made no more sense
than it had two hours ago.
"I can't believe out of the eight of us, no one understands it," Sebastian stated.
Zarbon shook his head. Even though he was skilled in many of the languages of Earth, these nine characters made
no sense to him.
"Maybe we should ask Sally," Tonya finally stated what was on her mind.
Z
arbon gave her a quick glance. "If you tell her, she'll never get her school work done."
"We can ask her casually, without telling her why we want to know," Poopsie spoke up.
"Yeah, I'll just say I made it up to test the program," Tonya said as she copied down the characters then started to
ascend the stairs.
Techno rolled his eye as he shook his head.
- - - - - - - - - - -
"Sal?" Tonya called as she knocked at her roommates door that stood open. From in the study room she could hear
laughter. As she popped her head into the smaller room she cocked it and raised and eyebrow noticing the young man laughing
with her friend.
"Oh, hey Tonya," Sally said as she noticed her long haired friend, who was eyeing Bo. "This is Bob," Sally introduced
them.
"Bo actually," he smiled at Tonya. "She only calls me that for the fun of it."
Tonyass whole face lit up with happiness for she was finally no longer a mushroom. She chirped a couple times,
bouncing across the room. Then she flopped down in a chair by them, her braid swinging wildly, and sat innocently as
if nothing had happened.
"She calls everyone Bob at least once. Itss definitely a pleasure to meet you. Shess been keeping me in the
dark and feeding me bull shit whenever I ask about you."
"Yeah," he commented. "She has a real green thumb when it comes to mushrooms."
Sally shook her head. "What is it what you wanted exactly, Tonya?" She said turning the conversation away
from her secretiveness.
"Oh, well if itss not going to interfere with the homework you're suppose to be doing.."
"Oh," Sally looked at the dark screen of the computer. "So much for that. I still have tomorrow, I guess."
"Well, you know those codes weve been making up? I made up a new one and wanted to test it on you."
"Oh, sure," Sally said as Tonya handed her the slip of paper she had copied the characters down on.
"You make up codes?" Bo asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Yeah, well rounded, remember?" Sally commented as she glanced at the paper. "Hmmm..." She bit her lip.
"You didn't write this." She looked up accusingly at Tonya.
The braided brunette tried her best to put on a confused aire.
"This isn't your style," she commented turning her attention back to the paper. "But you did think to copy it down,
so I would think its yours." The blonde bit her lip again concentrating on the content itself. "This is a little
harder when I don't know who wrote it."
"Well, I'm not telling you," Tonya said haughtily. "It's your turn to be the mushroom."
Bo smiled, suppressing a laugh.
Sally concentrated harder on the characters. "Well, it's either two words or two phrases," she talked out her thought
process. "But I'm going with phrases because of the plus sign." She leaned back in her chair. "And I don't
think it's a literal code, you know, where each letter stands for one other. It's gotta be symbolic." Now she
leaned forward in the chair setting her elbows on her knees, holding the paper in front of her face. Suddenly her head
popped up. "Is the 22nd a Thursday?"
Tonya's eyebrows raised.
"There's a calendar on my dresser," Sally suggested. Tonya skipped out of the room and was back in a couple of
seconds.
"No, the 22nd is a Sunday this month."
"Hmm...," suddenly Sallys watch beeped again.
"Is it eleven already?" asked Bo.
"Actually," Sally stated looking down at her watch. "Itss 2300 hours." Sally's eyes widened. "Thursday
at 2200, er... ten pm." She looked at Tonya for acknowledgement.
"Don't look at me. I didn't write it. Remember?"
"Well as much fun as this is, I gotta run," Bo said as he stood. "I've got the conference at 8 am; if we're even
still having it."
Tonya's eyes grew wide as she noticed the puzzled look on Sally's face.
"Why...", she started.
"Well, see ya later, Bo," Tonya interrupted escorting him out of the study. "It was nice to meet you and have a
good night's sleep." She quickly shooed him from Sally's room and waved as he walked confusedly down the hallway.
"Why wouldn't they have the conference?" Sally asked as her roommate reentered.
"Well, the lecture hall got its schedule mixed up and they started to paint while the conference people were on break,
and they can't go back in if the fumes are too horrible." It was the only thing she could think of. "So, what
do you think it says?" she nodded to the slip of paper.
"Well, if it's Thursday at ten, then the rest of it has to either be what or where. Now, Jim definitely sounds
like a name, a name of a place, because I'm betting the plus still means and. Therefore if it's a place and place it
sounds like and intersection, si?"
Tonya nodded as her friend spoke her thoughts aloud.
"Es nine," Sally stated slowly. "South 9th perhaps?"
"The intersection of south 9th and Jim?" Tonya asked.
"But there isn't a Jim street in Tequila Heights," Sally frowned.
"Jim could be James; there's a James Avenue," Tonya suggested.
"That must be it," Sally grabbed her pen from beside the keyboard and jotted down their solution.
Thursday 10 pm South 9th and James Ave
"So will you tell me who came up with it now?" Sally asked her roommie.
"Oh, it's just an appointment of Sebastian's," Tonya lied. "He thought his shorthand would fool you."
The blonde shook her head as she exited the study room with her friend. "Well, goodnight. After all the work
I've done today, my brain needs a little rest."
"Yeah, mine too. G'night."
- - - - - - - - - - -
"You're joking," Sebastian stated dryly as Alec blinked in surprise.
"It was all really that simple?" Jed asked.
"Yup," Tonya explained. "It wasn't a code at all but simply shorthand."
Dee turned to Techno. "HA! And you had us down here for two hours staring at a stupid computer screen that was
pull in fictitious phrases out of its ass!" She glared at the one eyed man sitting in front of the large computer.
"Hey," he retorted, "This program was designed for codes, NOT shorthand."
"Well, maybe your puny little brain should conjure up something that would know the difference!"
"Well, it knows a hose beast when it sees one!"
"Only because that's your screen name!!"
"GUYS!" Jed shouted. "Please!!" Techno and Dee backed into the separate corners, still steaming.
"At least we know what it is now," Zarbon stated.
"Right," Poopsie agreed.
"And tomorrow night we'll be there to catch him."
"Wait a minute," Jessica looked puzzled. "If he dropped his reminder, how's he going to know when and where to
show up?"
Tonya blinked as Dee rolled her eyes.
"Jessica, dear," Poopsie explained, clasping a hand on her friend's shoulder, "Even if The Face doesn't show up, whoever
he's suppose to meet will."
"And we'll be ready for whoever shows up," Tonya stated with a determined look in her eye.
- - - - - - - - - -
"Does anyone know where I can find Dan?" Bo asked as Tonya, Jed, Zarbon and he sat around the table eating lunch.
"He should be here after his classes get out at three thirty," Zarbon stated.
"And calling him Dan is a good way to get on his bad side," Tonya added.
"Yeah, I kinda had that impression yesterday," Bo replied.
"What do you need to talk to him about?" Jed asked.
Bo smiled quietly. "I kinda did something I shouldnt have; and Sal'll kill me if I don't apologize to him."
"What did you do?" Tonya asked excitedly. For once she wasn't the one in the doghouse.
"I kinda purposely made Dan jealous," Bo said softly, fidgeting with his fork.
"Kinda purposely?" Zarbon asked with raised eyebrows.
- - - - - - - - - - -
