XVII. Early meetings. Redactor Billy Flenagan wasn't into his best mood, when he entered his office at the begin of working day. His secretary look at him wondering but try keep silent and unnoticed. In fact, she can't remember time in last month, when he was happy, as he get all time pressed between owner, who wanted profit, and reality, that by raising price or cutting staff he will get newspaper without readers. Secretary Alexandra Steel too know that. And for that reason she don't appear at work into miniskirt and wear minimum of cosmetics to avoid anger attacks, boss sometimes had. And she also had been as effective as only possible. It had had some unsuspected side effect to her. Her last boyfriend had leaved two days ago, accusing her for being too busy to look at him. So she too was into bad mood. But, instead of boss, she hadn't anyone to spill it out over. She need hide it. Two mins after redactor was left in his cabinet, the signal bell start ring. Alexandra jump up and fastly walked in. "Yes, mister Flenagan?" "Syril returned?" redactor coughted and get a glass with water. At least, he pretended, that it was water. But redaction staff all know, that he used to drink whiskey with soda - "to calm nerves". After few small gulps he regain breath. "Yes. She was here yesterday morning. I dont see her personally, but guard on entrance telled me, that she was back." "Send her to me." "She isn't here at moment..." "What?!" William jumped up to feets and bellowed into his low voice. So doing, he really resembled his nickname - 'bullfrog'. "Where is she?!" "She left, when found out, that you will be only at afternoon. Said, she will be back, but yesterday don't reappear." 'Same as you' she added mentally. William crossed room into fast steps and stand before big painting. It was like window to city, window, that was impossible two levels under ground. "When arrives, send to me. Straight! I want her story at morning printout!" "Yes, ser," Alexandra made quick note into her notepad. "Who is responsible for all catastroph and crime column?" "Syril, ser." Feeling that there will be another outburst of anger, Alexandra quickly added: "And into her absence, Blansh." "Send Blansh to me. Now." Alexandra turned, then stopped. "Will there be another orders?" "If will, i will call you! Go!" Alexandra disappear from room and silently clossed door. Walking to her workplace, she pulled cork from talking tube. "Blansh Schwartz, to boss. Quickly." Saiding that, she fall back into her seat. After min or two main office doors opened, and in timidly step black and white coloured mouse. "Hi, Alex."she said. "Hi, Blansh," Alexandra reply weakly. "Bad mood?" Blansh whispered, pointing with head at closed doors to inned office. "Worse that usual. Yelled. And start drink as soon as went in." "Ok, wish me good luck." Alexandra open different talking tube. "Blansh is at me. Send her in?" Roar of reply was so loud, that even Blansh hear it - over all room. "Go in," Alexandra said. Blansh look like rabbit going into cage with big and hungry pithon, when she stepped through the doors. Redactor still stand at the big painting of city at evening, when Blansh entered room. "Ser," she timidly asked. "Aaa... Mis Schwartz... Staff of crime and catastrophs column at last get enough time to arrive..." William said slowly. Blansh try look unafraid, yet her hearth jumped as mad, near out from the mouth. All the redaction staff perfectly know states of their boss mood. If he talk so slow, there was really bad news. "Yes, ser. I..." "This morning i have a meeting. With our owner..." William said in same slow temp and tone. "With millionaire Harold III. And what you think he said to me? Do you know?" Blansh shaked her head energically. "He said : "YOUR PAPER IS BORING!!!!!" " William yelled. Blansh winced. "Yes, boring! And that means, that if we don't change something soon, we get closed! We all get thrown out!!! Where is sensations? Its your job to dig out any sensational things to print about! Where they are?!" Blansh gathered, what remain from her will after that outburst, and start defending. "Ser, we do as much as possible! Here is todays printouts - "Wolcano eruption at Hawaii. Ten wictims reported, two hundreds lost without tracks, presumebly dead." "Row of wild robberies stopped without any seeing reasons..." " "Yes, thats the root of problem!" William yelled to her. "'Unknown reasons'! Who cares about unknown reasons! Readers want rewealings!" "But its facts! There is even photos from Havaii. Our correspondent sent them to us through Internet..." Blansh said weakly. "And stories! What a lame words!" "You personally ordered, that we don't press indecent stories..." Blansh whispered in shock. William pull in air, to say what he thinks about the indecency, but there appear sound from speaking trube. "Mister Flenagan. Syril Statsey is entering at main door. When you want her to you?" said voice of Alexandra. "Send her to me NOW!!" William roared into tube and then turn back to Blansh. "And now, miss 'r-reporter'..." XVIII. "Dont try outsmart me, dear!" Desire slowly walked down the street. She use canalization tunnels to cross busy streets, but immediately resurfaced after, and again step close to house walls. The smell down there was too bad for her nose. Up here was some movement too. It was midmorning, and many humans walked here - some to work, some from work, some simply wandering around. Desire carefully avoided being squashed under some of feets. Usually mices used the roads at nights and dawns, when traffic was less. De Lury walked fast, near running. For sure, there wasn't any reason for her to rush - there wasn't a time pressing. Except that she get fun from it. As she had a 'tail'. She had expected that. These rats will be stupider that rainworms, if they will trust her immediately. But one thing was tail, who know his work, and completely different - amateur one. Stopping a moment at shop's glass window, Desire lazily peered aside and back. Yes, he still was here. Jonny. Also called 'Lucky'. Bad choice, as later today he will be anybody but lucky one, Desire grin, resuming her walk. Jonny was into white shirt and black pants, and even had a kerchief. He will regret dressing that too, Desire's grin grow wider. It will cost her some sweet, but it will be worth it to teach Jonny a lesson, she thinked, turning wrong way. Hour later, she still walked. She was tired, legs ached, but the look over shoulder satisfied her. Jonny now for full reason may be called 'unlucky'. Desiree smiled by himself, remembering past hour. She had used it well. She had walked on feets four city blocks. She had stopped at women shop and little rest, while her 'tail' need bake out into sun rays near entrance. Two times she had jumped into passing busses, and poor 'tail' get really worried about not losing her. In fact, last time he failed, and Desire need return and let her be 'found'. And only now they had reached city park, what was their target from beginning. By now, she see new promising chance of teasing. Someone had dropped near untouched waffle with ice cream. Desiree usually dont eat leftovers, she was raised into aristocratic traditions, but she get grounded long from that time. And one lesson, she had learned, was, that no traditions was worth staying with empty stomach. Fast rip with nails, and dirty waffle reveal insides. It was strawberry - her favorite. Eating, Desire time from time looked at her follower. Jonny seemed interested into participiating, but don't come closer. "Spite yourself, dear," Desire grin without anger. Jonny had now removed his kerchief and his shirt was half opened. He look like ready to blow up any moment - tired and angered. Okey. Time to end this. "Desire. Each De Lury need always know, that any joke is joke only for some time. After that, it becomes bad joke, and noone laughs more..." Desire imagined the voice of her old 'pa' still talking with her. Good old 'pa'... He will turn over into his grave, seeing his small girl turning out into something she was now. Desire finished her dinner and smiled. Then into few fast steps she reached Jonny. 'Tail' get caught off-guard before he get chance to run and escape. "I see you following, Jonny." Desire said into rats face. "Think, you calculed that by now himself. Then why stay pretending we dont see each other? Why dont stop and have some food, while i relax near?" Jonny looked at her, saying nothing. Close he look even worse - sweated, tired and angered. "I figured that after that woman shop, you hid into," he said after some silence. "I only dont understand, why? You look as tired as i am." "To teach you a lesson, Jonny. Next time, you think about following me, get someone who knows his job better." "Next time i will hire few flies to do dirty job," Jonny said sharply. "Or put a better mouse into it," Desire smiled warmly. Jonny tried resist, but soon smiled back. "Okey, i think, we both get orders from same boss. Lets don't get angry one at other." Desire said. Jonny bowed head, agreeing. "O, God, how low i get falling - im making friends with rats," Desire mentally sighted, but her face remain smiling. "Fine from me, unless you dont repeat that trick on me." Desire pressed out her most charming smile and waved with hand toward half-eated ice cream. "Dont you like..?" "Ok, if you can wait!" Desire patiently sit and wait for Jonny to finish remains of ice-cream. Raf devoured it with fascinating speed, don't caring much about getting his hands messy and his moustashe coloured white with cream. Another thing, she don't like into rats. They was less careful about their outlook. Jonny was better that rest of gang, but not much. She looked at her own hands. Carefully cleaned and polished claws, and no stains of cream, even after good meal. "Okey, im ready." Jonny's voice returned her to reality. Rat had eat all ice and even some waffle, and now clean his snort with upper side of hand. "Where we will walk?" he asked. "Its few steps from here." Yes it was close now - tree, on what lived Vinny. Vinny Woodpecker lived into old bird house. For original, it was created for starlings, but Vinny changed it little, and with his beak pounded his rights into heads of previous owners. He for sure may easily make a much better and larger house for himself. If not his only disadvantage - his lazyness. Desire can't count, how many times Vinny had arrived late, or even fully forget about his settings. First try to lift that bad-luck chair from museum had been vandalized mainly by Vinny not arriving at time. Desire imagined Kid's face into similar situation and smiled by herself. They climbed up easily - after Fatty had fall and need spend two weeks to cure his broken shoulder, she had demanded Vinny to cut some improvised ladder into tree bark. Poor Fatty... He always was little slow on reacting... But house was empty. "And where he is?" Jonny sigh. "Maybe spending his share of loot at closest bar?" Desire guessed, looking over room. "Ok, whats now?" "I will leave him a letter. To go to the woodsaw as soon as possible and wait for me. And then we will go to second." After minute writing she folded paper and drop it at Vinny's bed. "Now, there remain only ShortTail. We had three hit-mens, but Fatty get crushed under car recently," Desire explained, walking toward river. ShortTail's house was only few steps from Vinny's. In theory, he may always chech for friend, but in practice lizard refused to climb up tree. He was afraid of heights, he said, and all. Lizard lived into cave, between rocks at river shore. Alone. As opposite to Vinny, who changed girlfriends twice a day, when managed. If he may, he will be keeping a harem. Cave was one, no one in his/her own mind will look for. Small and wet, and into winters could as hell. But ShortTail sleep through the winters and dont feel any needs to improve his living place. Desire pulled doorknob to her. Closed. That mean nothing. Even if ShortTail was more accurate that Vinny, he had another disadvantage. He was sleepy. Desire knocked once, then repeat louder. Still no answer. "And what now?" Jonny asked, fanning himself with oak leave. "We will go in and leave similar message as for Vinny." "Through locked door?" Jonny raised eyebrow. "Just look and learn." Desire pulled out one of her hairpins and kneeled to lock. Few secs of manipulating, and Jonny heard tiny 'clikt'. "Voila!*" Desire smiled, pushing door open. "You have many talents," need admit Jonny, following her in. Inside of house was long time no cleaned, but there was marks of recent living. Desire looked over shelves, get paper and wrote similar note as for Vinny. Placing it to bed, she turned to Jonny. "We will..." Door creaked. "Okey, creeps!" angry voice stated from outside. "Whoever is in, come out!" * - Voila (fr.) - See now! |