‘She Who Dares Wins’
Chapter Five: Identity Disorder
Saskia looked up at the great Negav city wall, she was so close she could barley see the large buildings that from a distance would be visibly towering from behind it. The new day was barely an hour old and so it was still dark. Strategically placed fixed glowing orbs lit up the massive city stone bridge over the Motamo River that Saskia had just crossed to get the city.
“Next!” called out the voice of one of the gate guards.
The person queuing in front of her went towards the stationed guards at the gate checkpoint. Saskia gazed over to the other side of the gate bridge, watching a horse drawn carriage exit the checkpoint from that end, heading the way out the city the way she came. Saskia reached into one of the pockets of the black and purple Hell Bunny Rock Tartan Dress that she wore and pulled out a pocket make up mirror. Flicking it open she admired her latest shape shifter disguise, Curly red hair instead of her usual black, cute green eyes where her purple ones used to be, and freckled fairly tanned completion replaced her ghostly white skin. She grinned at herself, loving her new pearl white teeth, much more attractive than her natural yellow ones.
“Next!” The guard called out again.
Saskia put away her mirror and walked up to the checkpoint, nearing the entry guard Saskia could see small group of heavily armed guards that stood on standby further in the gate, clearly to provide manpower if anyone who wasn’t welcome tried forcing their way in.
“Welcome to Negav.” The entry guard said, the soulless tone of boredom present in his voice, his eyes barely glancing away from the clipboard in his hands. “Have you already visited the city or is it your first time?”
“Och Aye, I’ve bin haur mony times.” Saskia said, easily dropping right into her current persona, complete with a distinct accent.
“Name?”
“Mah mammy named me Sheana Trotter. But a handsome laddie loch ye can caa me Shayshay.” Saskia winked.
“The guard lowered the clipboard and raised an eyebrow at her.
“Ms Trotter will do.” He said dismissively. “If you’ve been here before, then we should have your profile.”
He looked back down at the profile sheet on his clipboard.
”Sheana Trotter.” He called out.
The profile sheet morphed from the previous person’s into another existing profile. Saskia’s current face replaced the last person’s in the space reserved for mug shots and the details followed suit.
Name: Sheana Teàrlag Trotter
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Occupation: Traveling trader.
Residency: Safe Harbor.
Age: 35
Height: 4,9
Weight: 102lbs
BWH: - 36-24-36
Power Level: – ‘Non-existant’“Is this information still correct?” The guard asked, turning his clipboard to Saskia. “Your occupation, your place of main residence, none of that has recently changed?”
“Th’ only hin ‘at has changed is ‘at mah chebs hae groon bigger.” Saskia said, placing both hands on her ample chest. “Reit fun bags they ur noo!”
“Yeah they’re lovely.” The guard said, humoring the weird woman. “Stand right between the gate to be scanned.”
Saskia did as instructed and walked right into the middle of the gate entrance.
“Strike a pose for your mug shot update.”
Saskia paused, smiled a huge cheesy grin and raised her hand up to her face, making a peace sign with her two middle fingers. A purple wall of energy shot from the left side of the gate, it phased through Saskia and disappeared into the right side.
“Appears that you’re not carrying anything obviously illegal.” The guard nodded, not looking up from the readings on his clipboard. “The scan readings have picked up enchanted communication rings. I trust those are for your trading partners?”
“Aye, Ah am useless at hocus pocus myself.” Saskia smiled. “Ah tried readin' a speel book once, ah conjured a st'rm clood an' a lightnin' bolt stuck me oan mah erse. Ah didne e'en want a feckin' st'rm clood. Ah was actually tryin' tae conjure myself some neeps and tatties.”
“Really? How interesting.” The guard said uninterested, pulling a leaflet from a dispenser built into the side of the inside of the gate. “Here’s our our laws, terms and conditions, just in case you need to brush up on them.”
He handed the leaflet to Saskia.
“Have a good day.”
“Fare thee weel, my bonie lad!”
Saskia left the gate and proceeded further into the city. Wondering into the main street she casually glanced at the leaflet.
“Pfft!” She scoffed, crushing the leaflet into a paper ball with one hand and without even stopping to aim, she threw it over her shoulder, sending it flying back down the street and landed perfectly into a lidless litterbin twenty feet away.
“Swish.”
“This is a facial composite of the suspect based on further Intel gathered from Bailey and his clan.” Bishop said, handing out A4 sketches to the assembled group of agents and uniformed officers at their desks around the ISD boardroom.
Winona picked up her copy as soon as Bishop dropped it in front of her, the Elf looked as Bailey had described, long straight hair shaded in a teal shade of blue. Midnight blue shaded eyes. Very pale skin.
“She seems to be of Shamshi descent.” Winona said. “Possibly a crossbreed, her hair looks too bright to be a pureblood.”
“We tried running the census for any mug shots matching this sketch.” Cyrus said from his desk at the front, facing everyone. “No matches, which is why I’ve assembled this meeting.”
“Obviously anyone who can bypass our surveillance is a serious matter.” Bishop said. “Even if they give us false details, we should at least have the details of their gate scan on profile to match up with any witness accounts if they were to commit a crime. And the gates can detect any illusion shape-shifting magic or indeed any magic; no one comes in our out without us knowing something about them, not even our own agents. So the question of the day is, why is there absolutely nothing on the census about this ‘Sonya Tine’?”
“It’s obvious!” An agent said from the back. “The assassins clearly gave us false Intel, there’s no other explanation.”
“All members gave the same story as Bailey did, with a roughly similar description of the suspect.” Bishop said. “We’ve kept them apart since we captured them. The stuff that we sedated them with would have suppressed any telepathic or hive mind characteristics they might have possessed. They obviously never expected to be caught, so in all they shouldn’t have had the means or opportunity to plan a cover story between them and it’s highly improbable that all five members by chance made up the same story on the spot. And Bailey was interrogated by ‘Princess Flimflam’ over there.”
"Yo!” Winona gave him the thumbs up in response.
“And she’s better than any lie detector.” Bishop smiled and nodded back. “So the Intel must be legit.”
“Which only brings us back to the question of how the fuck this bitch bypassed the system?” Cyrus said, slamming his copy of the sketch angrily on his table.
“We all know the system isn’t perfect.” Bishop said. “Even if the high council likes to boast otherwise.”
“Our little friend must have tricked it somehow.” Winona mused, “Not with magic, it has to be something else. Something we haven’t encountered before.”
Cyrus sat in silence for a moment; right hand over his forehead. He took in a big breath and breathed out.
“Have you sent messages to our informers and contacts?” He then asked, his gaze not leaving his desk.
“I have ordered them to keep an ear out for the name Sonya Tine." Bishop said. "Maybe we will get lucky and our suspect will use the alias again at some point.”
“If she can bypass city security, then she could slip into the que for the Negav Dimensional Gate without being found out by the border control.” Cyrus said. “She could escape off-world without leaving any trails for us to follow. Heck, for all we know, she has already left.”
“But we have a massive advantage.” Winona said. “The public still thinks we are still searching for ‘Lady Theron’. No one outside the government knows she’s been found dead. So if the suspect is a local, she should still be in the city with no reason to suspect that one of her her assoicates was even involved with the kidnapping, let alone that it has been linked back to her. She won’t run as long as we don’t raise attention to ourselves."
“So where exactly do we go from here?” Racheal asked, sipping her mug of Tetleaf Tea at her seat next to Winona's.
“I say we have a little chat with the Dridder.” Winona said.
“The beast that you caught several days ago?” Cryus frowned. “Why talk to that wretched thing?”
“According to Bailey, our suspect befriended the creature before the whole scheme took place.” Winona said. “And since we have the creature now contained at the Research Division, we can simply send someone down there to persuade it into giving us Sonya’s true identity.”
“And how exactly are we supposed to interrogate a man eating monster lady?” Bishop asked. “Our Psionics can’t read their minds anymore than they can read mages.”
“I am sure I could convice the Research Division director to allow us to apply a little pressure on the creature.” Cyrus said. “As long we promise not to hurt it too much.”
“Forget it.” Winona said. “Dridders are a race culturally known for settling disputes with fights to the death. Not exactly the type that can be intimidated by violence to themselves. But I might have another way.”
“Well, what is it?” Cyrus asked.
A smug grin started to grow on Winona’s face, she licked the back of right hand twice and then rubbed it against her white Neko hair.
“Babies.” She purred.
Saskia stood before the large three floor stone building of the Negav police station. She was still in the form of ‘Sheana Trotter’. In one hand she held an almost empty large bottle of Vodka, which was getting her a few glances from passing citizens but otherwise everyone paid no attention to her. Putting a hand into one of her dress pockets, she produced a small handful of golden rings.
“Ugh...which one was it?” She murmured to herself.
Her face brightened up when her eyes laid on the ring she had marked ‘Fairies’ with an ultra fine black permanent marker. She put away the other rings and placed this one onto her right index finger.
“Good morning Audree.” Saskia’s thoughts echoed while being telepathically sent to her new fairy friend.
“Morning Saskia!” Audree’s voice echoed back. “Whoa, these rings are trippy!”
“You’ll get used to it.” Saskia replied. “So, You and Kyle up for some human flavored delicacies?”
“Yes please!”
“Of course you do.” Saskia nodded. “Okay, I’ll give you the heads up when they are being delivered. See you then.”
“Buh bye Saskia!”
Saskia pulled the ring off her finger and put it away. She then raised the bottle to her lips and gulped down the remainder of her bottle, letting off a small-suppressed belch when the bottle left her lips.
“Pardonne moi.”
It’s time for the fun to begin. Saskia started to steadily climb up the flight of stone steps leading up to the building.
“In Five…”
She made her way up the stairs.
“…Four…”
She reached the top.
“…Three…”
She casually slid the empty bottle into a nearby dustbin at the top of the stairs.
“…Two…”
Headed towards the great doors.
“…One…”
Her perfect posture and steady footing broke into the act of an unsteady stagger and she crashed forcefully through the great doors, causing the two human police receptionists to jump out of their skin.
“Awrite officers?” She exclaimed loudly, falling back into character. This time her voice much more slurred and her steps disoriented.
“Ah shit!” One of the Police station receptionists said to her male co-worker when they saw the red haired coming their way. “Damn drunks.”
“A bit lost deary?” The other receptionist asked while the two got up from their post and made their way over to Saskia.
“Can ye help a lass?” Saskia said, wobbling side to side. “Ah want to report a crime.”
“Do you now?” The female receptionist asked as the two got hold of Saskia by both sides and started guiding her further into the building. “Well let’s put you in a cozy cell for now and you can tell me about it later once you’re sober.”
“Anyhoo, mah ex-best frein’ has only gain an’ swiped aw mah bevy!” Saskia said, continuing to ramble regardless. “Ah am absolutely livid ah am!”
“That’s tragic.” The male receptionist said in a patronizing tone.
“’Er name is Sonya Tine.”
“What did you just say?” The two receptionists asked in unison, finally looking Saskia in the face. “Did you just say that her name is Sonya Tine?”
“Aye, She’s a feckin fannybawbag, that’s whit she is!”
“That’s the woman the feds are looking for.” The male receptionist said.
“Let’s put her in the most secure cell.” His female partner nodded.
“Would ‘Lord Archimedes’ like a carrot?”
Cyrus stood in the main ISD worker office room, a small carrot in hand while looking up at the division’s pet miniature Jaykay bird that had perched itself onto the top of one of the book cases.
“Alakazam!” Archimedes squawked, waving his rainbow colored featured wings in excitement.
“My lord,” Bishop said, hastily entering the room and making his way past the workers at the desks. “The Negav police have sent us someone who claims to be an associate of our suspect, a human called Sheana Trotter. Seems like they had a little spat and she is willing to turn her in to get back at her.”
“Sonya Tine and Sheana Trotter?” Cyrus frowned, reaching up to Archimedes for the bird to take the carrot.
“Yummy!” Archimedes grasped the vegetable with his beak.
“Yeah it’s weird how they both have the same initials.” Bishop said. “But the police have made damn sure that she has no illusion spells or enchantments in effect. And let’s just say she hardly looks the part of a scheming criminal, more like an unsophisticated boozehound. I’ve just spent ten minutes questioning her and she wouldn’t shut up about her stolen drink and how large her breasts are. Besides, if she really was Sonya, then why would she report herself to the law under a different alias?”
“Good point.” Cyrus said. “Have you checked the census for this Sheana?”
“She’s a traveling trader. Resides at the small settlement of Safe Harbor and according to the market census she has been frequently coming to Negav to trade salvaged items with the adventurer guild for the last several years. She’s also a valued customer at ‘The Lit Ciggy Bar’.”
“Any criminal record?”
“The police never even encountered her until today. I think she simply has made a few bad choices when it came to friends. She looks the sort of simpleton that Sonya would prey on, just like she did with Bailey.”
“Barley?” Archimedes stopped nibbling on his carrot and looked about excitedly.
“Bailey, not Barley.” Cyrus said to the bird.
“Barley?” Archimedes asked again, starting to bounce up and down. “Want some Barley!”
“Does she know where to find Sonya?” Cyrus asked Bishop, ignoring Archimedes.
“She claims that Sonya has a hideout in the Chomikai Commons.”
“So she’s been hiding in the forest around Negav has she?” Cyrus said in thought. “Okay, once Sheana sobers up, get her to lead two of our uniformed officers to the hideout. Get an Isolon Fist squad to escort them safely through the area and provide backup just in case they need it. But the important thing is that I want Sonya alive so we can make her explain how she’s been dodging the census system.”
“Understood.”
Archimedes jumped down on Cyrus’ head and started thrashing his wings about.
“Squawk! Give me Barley! Give me Barley! Give me Barley! Give me Barley!”
Winona and Rachael followed Lab officer ‘Doctor Khan’ through one of the underground ‘Investigator Research Division’ wide stone arched corridors. Not far behind was another lab technician pushing a self-levitating fifty-five gallon container labeled with a biohazard sign. The place illuminated by a combination of glowing orbs and built in light bulbs.
“Can get a bit gothic down here.” Khan said, his voice echoing off the dank brickwork. “In such a dangerous place like Felarya, you don’t get much chance at expanding the city. So if you want a secret lab right underneath the higher tier you have to work with the already existing architecture. This place used to be the original fallback network built over millennia ago, they have long since dug out bigger and longer tunnels so now this is a secret testing ground.”
Khan turned his face to Rachael.
“So Agent Bittersweet, this is going to be your first time seeing a Felaryan beastie in person, right?” he asked, brushing his light brown tweed waistcoat and loosening his dark blue bowtie.
“Yeah.” Rachael nodded. “Have seen plenty of them in photographic documents, but since I am not an field agent I’ve never actually seen one in person. I am just here today to make sure Agent Mousetrap treats your lab with respect, complying with your conditions of giving us access.”
“Jeez, you guys act as if I was going to blow up the place.” Winona rolled her eyes.
“This installation has a substantial Skevol value attached to it.” Khan said. “And while we here at Research don’t judge too harshly the shady type of people you recruit into your Internal security, we aren’t exactly keen on allowing them to poke their fingers about either.”
“Don’t worry, she normally behaves when on the job.” Racheal said. “It’s when she’s off duty that you have to watch out for. We would have sent another agent, but no one knows predator behavior better than she does."
“Well, while I am familiar with Mousetrap’s infamous underhanded exploits, I know almost nothing about you.” Khan said. “So don’t blame me for being cautious, you look like the enabling type to me.”
“I can control my agent.” Rachael said defensively.
“Lets hope so.”
They stopped at a large metal door guarded by two heavily armored uniformed officers armed with assault shotguns.
“The agents have clearance.” Khan said to one of the officers. “Let them in, please.”
One of the guards silently nodded and then knocked into the metal door a number of times in a Morse code like fashion. After the last knock was entered, the door started to emit a series of loud clunks while a series of locking mechanisms unlocked one after another ending with a small click of the door handle. The guard then pushed the door open, making the door give out a deep metallic whine. In reaction to the door, lights within the room beyond started to flick on one by one, each giving out a click sound as they went.
“Go right in.” Khan said once all the lab lights were lit.
Winona confidently strode right in without hesitation and Rachael cautiously crept behind. Doctor Khan waited for the technician to pass by with the container and then was the last to follow them in; the guard closed the door behind him, the door giving out a loud clang.
The laboratory, though built inside a large stone chamber, did a better job of looking habitable than the hallways. Featuring wooden flooring, smoothed walls and of course filled with lab desks and equipment. At one of the chamber was a massive pitch-black screen like window.
“I’ve had the team clear out of here in advance so there won’t be any interruptions.” Khan said.
“This is what the Agency’s new carnivore labs look like?” Rachael asked.
“Yup, if this trial using the Dridder turns out to be a success we might see more in the future.” Khan said. “This particular facility is for creatures ranging from six to twelve feet in height. Many Felarya predators come in different sizes, so there is a lot to learn by studying the smaller counterparts. And of course the smaller ones are easier to catch and are not so much effected by Negav’s Anti-giant predator field.”
The technician pushed the container into the centre of the lab.
“Anything else Doctor?”
Khan glanced over at Winona, who shook her head.
“No, that’s all, thank you.”
The technician nodded, walked to the back of the laboratory and sat down at a bench, waiting to be called upon again. Winona, Rachael and Khan then slowly walked up to the large black window.
“I take it that the Dridder is in there somewhere.” Rachael said. “I can’t see anything, even with my Neko eyesight.”
“The holding cells magically recreate the creature’s natural habitat to reduce stress and to discourage any thoughts of attempting to break out.” Khan said. “The Dridder thinks that she is currently in an underground cavern. It’s almost completely dark in there, just how they like it.”
“‘The Gilded Cage’ approach.” Winona said matter of factly. “Some methods never go out of style, even if their execution changes.”
“And the window is one way?” Rachael asked, “So the lab’s lights won’t bother her?”
“Yup, the other side just blends into the illusion. The creature has no idea that we are here.”
Khan walked to a nearby lab storage tray, pulled out a handful of green-lensed vintage round spectacles and passed them around.
“We use a low level of light in there that only the Dridder and these lenses can pick up.”
The three of them simultaneously unfolded the golden temples of their spectacles, brought them up to their faces and planted them over their eyes. Through the emerald green hue of their glasses, the black window became transparent and they could see beyond into a damp stone cavern about the size of a football pitch. Many of the walls were covered in thick webbing and embedded in it were Pigs of varying sizes, struggling to free themselves.
“Oh my god…” Rachael whispered, raising her hand to her mouth and taking a few steps back from the window.
“Ugh…yeah…we are trying to see if we can condition her towards processed meat rather than live prey.” Khan shifted uncomfortably. “But so far she won’t touch the stuff, so we are trying to let her acquire a taste for pork using these live domesticated pigs and then hopefully once she’s accustomed to them we can scale it down to raw meat.”
“So all that would change is that humans would be killing the pigs before handing them over to her?” Winona frowned. “Want to keep the thrill of the slaughter to yourselves?”
“Ignore ‘Captain Cynical’.” Rachael said to Khan. “For what it it’s worth, I think your trying to do the right thing.”
Rachael drew closer to the window, looking back and forth around the chamber.
“So where is this Dridder then? I can’t see her…”
The view of the Dridder’s undercarriage appeared right in front of Rachael from above while the creature wall walked downwards on the other side of the window.
“…RRAAAGHHH!” Rachael leaped back in surprise.
“She’s a beauty isn’t she?” Winona grinned, watching the creature’s abdomen pass by and move out of sight underneath the widow.
“’Creepy as fuck’ is the term I would rather use.” Rachael said, quickly taking her glasses off.
“Well that’s a unfair assessment considering all you’ve seen of her is her groin and arse.” Winona smirked. “Once you’re more familiar with them, you can appreciate their charms. When a Dridder puts her all into the hunt, it can be quite exhilarating. Shame this one was spoiled by the assassins; they encouraged her to be lazy and predictable.”
“You find something like that, charming?” Rachael asked, putting a good distance between her and the window.
“I would be bad at my job if I couldn’t appreciate the form taken by my natural competitors.” Winona said. “Or have you never heard of the phrase, ‘Keep your friends close, and keep your enemies closer?’ I can’t exactly learn their behavior and outwit them if I am too busy looking away in disgust.”
“But there is such a thing as getting too close.” Rachael said.
“I know my limits.” Winona said. “Wait till I am running around naked trying to eat everyone in sight, then you can worry. Anyway it would be highly advisable if you dropped the attitude when I speak to her, she already wants me dead for putting her in here in the first place, let’s not antagonize her further or there will be no chance of her cooperating.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep quiet and let you do your thing.” Racheal said.
“Right then, Doctor Khan,” Winona said, spinning round hastily on the spot to face Khan. “Is there a way to communicate with the Dridder from here?”
“There’s the sound system we use to communicate to cleaners when the cells are empty.” Khan said.
“I would prefer to talk to her face to face if possible.” Winona said.
“Well I guess I could deactivate the window camouflage. Hopefully she won’t freak out too much.”
“She will freak out alright.” Winona said, taking off her green spectacles and folding the temples. “Just the sight of me should put her in a blind rage.”
Charlotte the Dridder was trapped in this place looked like a place she would love to live in, a vast dark carven. But she knew it was some form of human constructed prison, and the way out of this place was sealed off. But at least the food was tasty. Charlotte dropped down onto the cavern floor and headed towards the sounds of one of the struggling piggies that she had webbed up on the cavern walls at floor level. The creature, having heard her coming, started to squeal loudly and fought harder to escape its bonds, it’s sound echoing within the cavern.
“And this little piggy went ‘wee wee wee’ all the way to my tummy!” Charlotte giggled, licking the droll from her lips.
She grabbed the creature with both hands and effortlessly tore it free from the wall webbing. Staring down at it with hungry eyes she then drew it towards her watering mouth.
“Salutations Miss Dridder.” A loud familiar voice came from nowhere. “I apologize for interrupting your meal.”
A bright glaring white flashed on from somewhere above and behind her. Even though it wasn’t directly in her face, it still made her flinch.
“What the…?”
Charlotte turned and squinted upwards. When her eyes adapted to the light and her vision cleared she could see that the figure who was fifteen feet up the cavern wall did indeed looked familiar, a Neko with short white hair, black and white garments. With a satchel like thing slung on her shoulder...
“Mousetrap!” Charlotte fumed, carelessly releasing the pig and letting it fall to the ground. “You’ve got some nerve to show your face!”
“Aw she remembered my name.” The Neko said. “I must of have made quite an impression on you. And that’s saying something since you carnivores find it hard to tell us ‘delicacy’s’ apart.”
“That’s definitely you!” Charlotte said. “I know that smart mouth anywhere! Now prepare to feel my wrath!”
Charlotte leaped fifteen feet into the air, flying towards the Neko with all eight legs stretched out while screaming a Dridder war cry.
“SSSCRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECCCTTHHHHHHH!”
Winona watched as the purple haired, Nine-foot-tall Dridder collided with the viewing window, the rebounding bang echoed through the chamber and the shatter proof glass vibrated in it’s frame while she fell back down to the cell floor with a heavy thud.
“Fuck!” The creature cursed from below.
“Well we certainly felt that.” Winona smirked. “Though I have to say your wrath is somewhat lacking in punch.”
“We weren’t supposed to hurt it.” Rachael said.
“Oh come on,” Winona smirked. “That was a mere pratfall to a tough girl like her.”
After a moment, The Dridder popped from under the window, having wall crawled back up. She stared at Winona, and then perplexedly glanced about the lab before curiously tapping the window with her right index finger.
“What kind of sorcery is this?” She asked, pressing her face against the glass.
“It’s called a window.” Winona said.
“Damn you and these ‘Windows’.” The Dridder cursed. “Stupid things!”
“So, has your time in our lovely cavern been a pleasant one?”
“I am offended that you think you can distract me from the fact that I am a prisoner by giving me a nice home and giving me piggy treats.” The Dridder said pulling her face away from the glass.
“But not offended enough to refuse the treats?” Winona asked.
“Well it would be a shame to let them go to waste.” The Dridder shrugged.
“The Dridder doth protest too much, methinks.” Winona said, pulling nearby lab stool close to the window and sat down before the nine-foot-beast. “Now Miss Dridder...”
“My name is Charlotte!”
“…Right, Charlotte.” Winona nodded. “The thing is, we have heard about this friend of yours, the one that arranged for the humans to feed you. We would like to know about her.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Charlotte said. “I’ve had no friends since my tribe banished me.”
“Yeah yeah yeah.” Winona sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “Now that you have gotten the most predictable response out of the way, how about you answer again but with the truth this time?”
“I am not lying!” Charlotte growled.
“Fluctuation of voice pitch, visible increased pulse rate in your neck, your pale skin has become even paler, sudden perspiration coming from under your armpits.” Winona said. “And I’ve just seen you angry so I know they aren’t angry signs, most of these were not even present until I mentioned your friend. So you’re definitely trying to hide something.”
“I am still not going to tell you anything!”
Winona just sat in silence for a moment, staring directly at the Dridder.
“Well, if your going to be like that, then I will leave.” Winona said, getting off her seat.
“Is that it?” Charlotte asked. “You’re giving up?”
Winona walked back to the large container and with a little struggle she removed the lid. She then reached in and pulled out a white, football sized, gelatin like spare.
“I will just put these back into storage then.” She said. “Sad really, after all this effort to get them here, and I really was looking forward to witnessing the joyful reunion.”
“My babies!” Charlotte cried.
“That’s right.” Winona said, carefully holding the Dridder egg to her chest while getting closer to the Window.
“You kept your promise?” Charlotte asked, not taking her gaze from the egg before her.
“Well they did prove to be a good leverage last time, didn’t they?” Winona said, gently stroking the egg. “I figured it would be worth going back for them in case I needed to coax something from you again. You were a prime culprit to the crime I was investigating after all.”
“So you’re using them against me again after I let you have my mother’s necklace?” Charlotte said. “That’s cheating!”
“Not at all, I just thought I could offer an expansion of the deal.” Winona said, walking back the container and gently putting the egg back in. “Now, I’ve promised that the eggs will not be harmed and will be re-adopted. But what would you say if I was to offer you a chance to spend a moment with them before they go?”
Winona walked away from the container and back to the window to face Charlotte.
“I don’t think I could sleep at night without offering a separated mother a chance to say goodbye to her unborn children.” She then said.
“Laying it on a bit thick aren’t we?” Rachael murmured to Winona.
“Piss off.” Winona murmured back. “Damn critic.”
Charlotte frowned at the two Nekos.
“You seriously think I would just turn my best friend in for some time with my babies?”
Winona smiled and quickly nodded.
“Go jump down a giant’s throat!” Charlotte said, stubbornly looking away, crossing her humanoid upper arms.
“Come on Charlotte,” Winona said. “She is not one of your kind. By your standards she should be in the food category. Why pass up this chance just for her sake?”
“She’s not like the rest of you prey.” Charlotte said. “She doesn’t judge me. She doesn’t walk about like she owns the place and she certainly wouldn’t have put me in a cage and gawk at me inside a magic wall! She rescued me from this small group of Dridder hunters, and since then has helped me with my pregnancy cravings by getting that nice group of humans to fetch meals for me. As far as I am concerned, she has the soul of a Dridder who had the misfortune of being born as prey. She even has a Dridder sounding name, Saskia. That’s a name of inner strength if I ever heard one.”
Winona’s ears perked up.
“So that’s the name she gave you?” Winona asked.
“Oh shitty webs!” Charlotte cursed, realizing what she had slipped out. “I didn’t realize you didn’t know her name!”
“Good chance it’s still not her real one.” Winona said. “But thanks for giving us a lead.”
“Well, no matter, it’s just a matter of time before she comes to rescue me and tear you a new asshole!” Charlotte said, shaking her right fist.
“That’s wishful thinking I think you will find.” Winona said. “For starters, She wouldn’t have any idea as to where you are, she probably found your cave empty and figured likely that something bigger came along and ate you.”
“That’s what you think.” Charlotte said. “You know my necklace? The one you took as a “Memento”? Well it allowed me to talk to her with my mind, I managed to secretly tell her I was caught just before you took it off me.”
“Pull the other one.” Winona smirked, waving her hand dismissively. “Your necklace was a Dridder heirloom and I know for a fact that Dridders aren’t exactly good at dabbling in magic. Communication spells and devices are extremely rare for anyone outside the Negav corporations and powerful mage groups. Your necklace simply couldn’t have had such an enchantment.”
“Saskia was nice enough to take it to someone she knew who could place the enchantment on it and then returned and gave it back to me. Just in case I ever wanted to talk to her.”
Winona just stood there wide-eyed, a seemingly everlasting awkward silence followed.
“…………..Ah.” Winona finally said softly. “…Bugger.”
“Not feeling so clever now, are you?” Charlotte smirked. “So much for misses smarty-pants. Your just a stupid, weak little Neko.”
“So you told Saskia that someone had caught you, was that all?” Winona asked, not dignifying the Dridder’s childish remarks with a response.
“And that my captor was hunting the people that were feeding me.”
“Okay, so she would figure the captor had it in for Bailey and his clan.” Winona said. “But still there’s many factions and groups in the city, she wouldn’t immediately conclude that it was the government looking into it. She would more likely assume it was another clan.”
“The link between my necklace and Saskia’s ring allows for her to know who is currently wearing the necklace. It reveals everything about the wearer.” Charlotte stuck her tongue out.
Winona’s mouth dropped open, her mind quickly rewinding backwards to when she first got the necklace.
“Why would you want that?” The Dridder asked. “It’s just something my mother made for me, it’s of no value to your kind!”
“It’s valuable to you” Mousetrap smiled. “I love mementos”
The Dridder stopped to think, conflicted over the choice of giving up the only thing left of her mother to save her babies.
“Okay okay okay!” She finally said, taking the necklace off and throwing it at Mousetrap, whom caught it with her spare
hand.
Mousetrap reached over her head and placed the necklace around her neck, the jewelry itself being intended for a bigger creature than her meant it dangled around her stomach as apposed to her chest.“…I put the necklace on when I got it.” Winona grimaced, returning back to the present. “Then once I got back to Negav the first thing I did was…”
“I’ve got you a gift!” Winona said taking the Dridder necklace that she was wearing off and placing it on Rachael.
Rachael did not ease up at all, taking no interest in the necklace that hanged from her neck.
“You don’t like it?” Winona asked tilting her head.“You tricked me!” Winona said astonished. “I thought I had simply coerced you into handing it over, but you also did it in the hopes that I would put it on and reveal myself to Saskia so she could save you…I think I need a sit down.”
Winona slowly walked away from the window, overcome with shock.
“Oh yes.” Charlotte said smugly. “Take that, bitch!”
“Put the window camouflage back on.” Winona said quietly.
“Aw is Mousetrap feeling a bit humiliated?” Charlotte jeered. “Poor baby!”
“I SAID TURN IT BACK ON!”
Khan quickly moved over to the Lab control panel and fumbled with the buttons, Charlotte’s constant taunting echoing around the room.
“Is Mousetrap going off to cry now?”
Khan pressed the final button and Charlotte’s voice was cut off and her image at the window was replaced by blackness again. Winona quietly pulled a stool at a bench and sat down with her back turned to everyone. She pulled out her catnip and rolling paper from her hand bag and started to prepare another joint.
“Ugh, can you not smoke in the lab please?” Doctor Khan said.
“…Fine…” Winona hissed, picking a small pinch of catnip out of its bag and sticking it directly into her mouth.
“You let her do nip while she’s on duty?” Khan frowned at Rachael.
“It’s prescription.” Rachael whispered back. “Calms her down.”
Rachael walked over to where Winona sat and pulled a stool besides her.
“So, the suspect knows the Negav government is on to her.” She said solemnly
“She also knows that we have the one witness who knows her real identity.” Winona said, swallowing the contests of her mouth and licking her fingers. “She is aware of me and knows what I am capable of. She would have realized that I would think about questioning the Dridder.”
“You caught Charlotte seven days ago, Saskia could long gone by now.” Rachael said. “We might never find her.”
“Not so simple.” Winona said. “We can use the necklace to track her down, but the problem is that Saskia might have already realized that. So rather than running away she would have immediately started to seek out a way to discourage us from even thinking of perusing her.”
“Discourage the Negav government? How?”
“Only she would know that.” Winona said.
ISD Officer Wilkes swerved his black jet bike vehicle to a halt, the trailing dirt cloud passing behind them for a couple more yards before settling onto the thick forest glass of Chomikai Commons.
“How much further is it Miss Trotter?” Wilkes asked, looking down at his side carriage where Saskia sat wearing a bright pink colored crash helmet. “We are nearing the outskirts of Negav’s magical barrier. I thought you said Sonya was hiding within it?”
“We shoods be oan ‘er erse onie moment noo!” Saskia said. “Jist behin’ th’ next tree.”
Wilkes pressed a button in the side of his dark green helmet, activating the built in microphone.
“Okay, pass the upcoming tree and we should be there.” Wilkes recited the directions to the vehicle coming up behind.
An eight-wheeled armored personnel carrier came from behind and passed by, the Isolon Fist solider mounting the 20mm Autocannon at the top met his gaze and gave an acknowledging raised hand. Wilkes returned the gesture and watched the vehicle proceed further into the forest as Wilkes had instructed, easily driving beneath an arching tree root of the giant tree up ahead.
“Nearing destination.” Wilkes reported back to HQ.
Subject: Re: 'She Who Dares Wins' 
Sat Jul 13, 2013 6:09 pm
