AREM Part 4
*not mine. Author: Rachel Maxwell from the Town of Odyssey. However, author unknown in the long run*
When Tom Riley destroyed the Imagination Station, thwarting Andromeda’s plans for mind control, the Andromeda footwork was in essence over, and the paperwork began. The confusing part is that the computer at Forest Mountain shows a record of an abortion of the Launch Day before Tom Riley ever arrived. Whether or not this abortion would’ve worked when the Launch Time arrived is unknown. Case # 272467 was recently closed, but case # 422537 is open-for debate if not investigation. The case was compounded when John. A. Whittaker’s identity was stolen. (Case # 43368489)
From: Borland@Fbi.gov.mail
To: MitchelltheGiraffe@yippee.com
Subject-Call me
Call me this instant. Or at least answer your phone.
AREM-Hi there.
AREM-Remember me?
MitchelltheGiraffe-Who are you?
AREM-I’m a friend.
MitchelltheGiraffe-If you’re such a friend, why are you breaking into my account and using my profile?
AREM-To let you know that it can be done. And has been done.
MitchelltheGiraffe-I already know that.
AREM-But you don’t know who’s doing it. It’s someone you know.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Who?
AREM-Think about your prospective employer.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Someone at the FBI? Borland?
AREM-This is a test to see how well you follow orders. And you’re failing it. Stop investigating now, before it’s too late.
From:RayofSunshine@yippee.com
To:MitchelltheGiraffe@yippee.com
Subject: AREM
Mitch, I thought you weren’t using the profile. In any case, thanks for the birthday message!
MitchelltheGiraffe-I didn’t send you a b-day message Ray, Charles hacked into the profile. (Happy Birthday anyways.)
RayofSunshine-Why would Charles send me a birthday message?
MitchelltheGiraffe-I don’t’ know. I can’t think real good right now, alright?
RayofSunshine-Why?
MitchelltheGiraffe-I’m joining the FBI Ray.
RayofSunshine-What does Connie think about that?
MitchelltheGiraffe-She thinks I should.
RayofSunshine-O.
RayofSunshine-Hey, Mitch? Have you heard from Richard/?
MitchelltheGiraffe-You know I haven’t, and you know I won’t. He’s dead Ray.
RayofSunshine-I don’t think so. I believed you were dead and you weren’t.
MitchelltheGiraffe-That was different.
RayofSunshine-How?
MitchelltheGiraffe-It just was.
RayofSunshine-But why wouldn’t he have hacked into AREM and sent me a b-day message and you a warning that the FBI was trying to trick you?
MitchelltheGiraffe-For one thing the FBI wasn’t trying to trick me.
RayofSunshine-You don’t know that. How do you know the entire thing wasn’t rigged up by the FBI to see what you’d do under pressure.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Aw, c’mon Ray, they’d tell me now.
RayofSunshine-I don’t think so. In any case, Charles wouldn’t have told me happy birthday-he wouldn’t even have known it was!
MitchelltheGiraffe-Fluke.
RayofSunshine-Why are you so eager to pass this off?
MitchelltheGiraffe-Ray, I’m really really tired and I wanna go to bed.
RayofSunshine-WHAT’S GOING ON.
MitchelltheGiraffe-I don’t know.
RayofSunshine-Yes you do-what’s going on?
MitchelltheGiraffe-Look, Ray, I can’t tell you everything.
RayofSunshine-That’s what Richard said-and you turned out to be alive.
MitchelltheGiraffe-I’m not promising he’s alive, I’m promising we don’t know for sure he’s dead. Now go to bed.
RayofSunshine-ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
MitchelltheGiraffe-There’s nothing you can do for him now Ray.
RayofSunshine-Please tell me what happened.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Look, I’ll tell you all I can. We have a ‘source’, as Max called them, who was in the Chairman’s helicopter before it took off. Just before they took off, an agent for them showed up with Maxwell in tow. (supposedly they found him in the utility shack.) He was thrown (unconscious) into the helicopter. The door was slammed and the Chairman called for the helicopter to be taken up. They noticed Whit taking his car into the shack and called Charles. The next while is a mystery. We do know that Max woke up a ways into the flight, probably about the time I rescued Connie, just before they landed at their meeting place. Here is (from what we can piece together) what happened.
Max (groans)
Chairman-Hello Mr. Maxwell. Pleasure to see you.
Max-Wish I could say the same. (coughs and laughs)
Chairman-You don’t give up do you.
Max-Not often.
Chairman-(grunts) Maxwell, I have a couple of options. I can let you be taken over like the rest of the little people, or I can have the distinct pleasure of killing you now.
Max-Dilemma.
Chairman-You can quip all you like, but the time is very very soon.
Max-You talk like a guy in a movie.
Chairman-You are trying my patience.
Max-Good. That’s good for you.
Max stood up and held onto a bar or something. He was bleeding pretty badly, I understand he had a nasty blow to the head, and he was coughing hard.
Chairman-You don’t sound so well Maxwell.
Max-No, you know me. Max is always well. (Laughs, coughing again.)
Chairman-Very funny.
Max-Whaddaya gonna do if it doesn’t work?
Chairman-I might actually worry about that if we thought you’d been in there longer Maxwell. Even I acknowledge your intellect and, how shall I say, ingenuity.
Max-I say ingenuity N-je-new-it-ee.
The Chairman hit him in the head and Max hit the floor.
Chairman-Smart-aleck.
Max-Oh quit your soliloquizing and hurry it up, I’m tired.
Chairman-Stand up Maxwell.
Max stood. The Chairman pulled out a pistol. Max shrugged, threw open the chopper door, and jumped out. (He needs to get a new trick.) That’s all we know.
RayofSunshine-Then he’s as good as dead-he jumped out of a helicopter.
MitchtheGiraffe-That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you honey.
RayofSunshine-Then why did you say you don’t know for sure that he’s dead?
MitchtheGiraffe-He was over water Ray. There is a very real possibility that he could’ve survived-they were coming down for a landing and weren’t as high up as they had been.
RayofSunshine-So he’s alive.
MitchtheGiraffe-We don’t know.
RayofSunshine-But he could be.
MitchtheGiraffe-It’s possible. Not a very large possibility, but it’s possible.
RayofSunshine-He jumped again.
MitchtheGiraffe-Again.
RayofSunshine-G’night Mitch.
MitchtheGiraffe-G’night Ray.
When nabbed, Bennett Charles admitted to almost everything in Case # 43368689-except being AREM. He claimed he was instead going to call and given an anonymous tip to the FBI that Mitchell had been working with him in Andromeda the whole time, or some such nonsense, but hacked into Mitchell’s files just before doing so and saw the conversation-and and decided to use it for his own advantage. Mitchell, of course, thought it was us, but as you know, it wasn’t. As you know, a lot of case # 43368689 was a test, but AREM was not our invention, though we did hack into his account and view his files. Whether Charles was lying or not is unknown, but the general theory is that Mitchell was/is the only AREM. This marks the closing of Case # 272467. Signed,
Peter Borland
From:LucyC@yippee.com
To: DareAngel@yippee.com
Subject: Well?
Well? I just got back from my trip and it looks like the AREM thing worked. Did you ever get another source after I left?
From: DareAngel@yippee.com
To: LucyC@yippee.com
Subject: Source
Yeah, Mitch was my source. Thanks for all your help.
From:LucyC@yippee.com
To: DareAngel@yippee.com
Subject: Da Nada
You’re very welcome. Thank you for letting me help! Where are you? I called your phone the other day and you never answered-your apartment building manager said you haven’t been in in ages, Richard they cleaned out your apartment!
DareAngel-Look, Lucy, please don’t tell people you’ve talked to me.
LucyC-Why?
DareAngel-I’m kinda s’posed to be dead. Long story.
LucyC-I wanna hear it!
DareAngel-I jumped out of a helicopter.
LucyC-Please tell me you’re kidding.
DareAngel-I’ll tell you, but it’d be a lie.
LucyC-I don’t understand.
DareAngel-Don’t worry about it Luce. Just…don’t believe everything you hear, K?
LucyC-Yeah. Alright. You jumped again?
DareAngel-Pardon me for not being original. It was better than being shot.
LucyC-Where are you?
DareAngel-I can’t tell you.
LucyC-Why not?
DareAngel-Cause then it is very possible somebody could come after you looking for me.
LucyC-You’re teasing me.
DareAngel-No I’m not. But I do have to go.
LucyC-Can we talk again soon?
DareAngel-I promise to try.
LucyC-Good enough. See you later Richard.
DareAngel-Cya, and thanks for everything.
LucyC has logged off
DareAngel-I love you.
The End?
ALTERNATE ENDING:
Text Messages between Richard and Lucy Cunningham-Schultz(633-555-5829)
Richard-Hey Luce, jst telng u I m alrght.
Lucy-I v bn wrrd about u. Whts up?
Richard-Sry. Bn busy.
Lucy-I was about 2 write u off as dead.
Richard- IM me.
DareAngel-You on?
LucyCS-Yeah. You can’t imagine how relieved I am to hear from you. 99% of the people I’ve talked to don’t know what happened to you at all. The other 1% say you jumped out of the chairman’s helicopter, whether u r dead or alive is unknown.
DareAngel-Jumped out of a helicopter nothing, and very much alive thank you. Look honey, here’s what happened. I was at the shack and I aborted the Launch Program. Somebody snuck up behind me and conked me on the head. Dunno what happened after that, till I woke up in the helicopter. I glanced out the window and we were nearing Connellsville. I sat up and baby I’ve never felt that bad in my whole life. Made me feel bad for conking Whit-like somebody stuffed a bowling ball in my ear. I’s lying on the floor and my eardrums felt like they were about to bust cause it was so loud in there. It made my head hurt worse and I sat up and there’s ‘Chairman’ standing over me. He kicked me in the ribs, not real hard you know, just enough to let me know he’s there, and is waving this gun around. He said to stand up and hold my hands in the air and I did. I’ve never been so scared in my life. Then he looks down at the gun and then at me and grins.
Chairman-Nice to see you again Richard.
Me-Yeah. Ain’t it.
Chairman-You know, you told me something once that’s stuck with me.
Me-I did?
Chairman-Yes. Let’s see if I can remember it.
He pretended to think for ages.
Chairman-I have it! It was ‘see ya’. So see ya Maxwell.
And he pulled the trigger.
LucyCS-Would you care to explain how you lived?
DareAngel-No.
LucyCS-Richard
DareAngel-He missed me by a fraction-I hit the ground the second he fired and knocked his feet out from under him. He dropped the gun, I tossed it out the door and then we were having a vulgar street fight in a helicopter (and the noise was still hurting my ears. THWPTHWPTHWPTHWP) and he was on his feet by then and we pretty much looked like we were ballroom dancing cause we were just kinda circling each other, like you see in the movies, (except scarier) and all of a sudden he lunged at me (impatient twerp) and took a swing at my head with one fist and I ducked and kicked out at him, trying to hook his knees and pull him over but he righted himself and took ahold of my shirt and shoved me hard. I lost my balance and fell out of the copter. Though jumping sounds much cooler.
LucyCS-That’s it?
DareAngel-That’s it.
LucyCS-What started the jumping story?
Dare-Angel-For one thing, I don’t think ‘Chairman’ wanted to be charged with attempted murder. (Successful for all he knew). For another, I started it myself.
LucyCS-WHY??
DareAngel-O c’mon baby, I couldn’t let Andromeda know I was alive!
LucyCS-But they’re all in jail!
DareAngel-But they won’t all stay in jail kid. Plus, you know how Capone ran his racket from jail. Chairman’s even better.
LucyCS-Why do you still call him the Chairman?
DareAngel-I dunno. Cause he’s some different I guess. Smarter.
LucyCS-Must’ve learned from you.
DareAngel-Nah, he wouldn’t’ve shoved me out the copter if he’d learned a whole lot.
LucyCS-I guess.
DareAngel-I need to go-thank you for helping me out early in the thing.
LucyCS-I’m about to get used to getting information for you.
DareAngel-Hey, I didn’t lie to you this time.
LucyCS-True.
LucyCS-Are you afraid the Chairman’ll catch up to you?
DareAngel-No. I’m kinda afraid he’ll catch up to you though.
LucyCS-You rescued me from him once before.
DareAngel-Yeah, well I may not be there next time, so be careful Lucy. Be very careful.
LucyCS-He’s after you-not me.
DareAngel-Just be careful.
LucyCS-I will. I promise.
DareAngel-Good.
LucyCS-I need to go-I’ve got an article to finish.
DareAngel-Alright-I’ll see you around.
LucyCS-Really?
DareAngel-Someday.
LucyCS-O. OK, someday is better than no day. Cya later.
DareAngel-Bye.
LucyCS has logged off
DareAngel-I love you.
RayofSunshine has logged on
DareAngel-Hey Ray.
RayofSunshine-RICHARD
DareAngel-Hiya.
RayofSunshine-You’re alive?
DareAngel-Obviously.
RayofSunshine-But Mitch said you jumped out of…I’m confused.
DareAngel-Never mind. What’s up?
RayofSunshine-Not much I guess…aw Richard I miss you.
DareAngel-I miss you too kid. But I can’t come home now, so don’t ask.
RayofSunshine-Why?
DareAngel-Guess.
RayofSunshine-I knew you weren’t dead.
DareAngel-I knew you knew.
RayofSunshine-I absolutely have to go-this computer automatically cuts of in a couple of minutes-I’m at the library.
DareAngel-Alright, we’ll talk again soon.
RayofSunshine-I love you.
DareAngel-You too kid. Bye Ray.[i]
RayofSunshine has logged off
MnJyFh wishes to chat. Accept?
Yes
MnJyFh-I’ll get you Maxwell
DareAngel-I love you too.
MnJyFh-If it’s the LAST THING I EVER DO
DareAngel-You get near me and it will be the last thing you ever do.
MnJyFh-Pretty cocky aren’t you.
DareAngel-Being alive will do that to a guy.
MnJyFh-Watch your back Maxwell.
DareAngel-You are so boring I can only repeat what I said before: Catch me if you can. I dare you.
MnJyFh-I caught you before.
DareAngel-And I’m alright aint’ I. Maybe I should rephrase it…Catch me and keep me if you can.
MnJyFh-You’re dead.
DareAngel- *breathes in. Breathes out. Feels very alive*
MnJyFh- *isn’t laughing*
DareAngel- As fascinating as this conversation is, I really must say goodbye.
MnJyFh-YOU IMBECILE DON’T YOU KNOW I HAVE THE POWER TO KILL YOU THIS SECOND?
DareAngel-Oh, you mean that dude you sent over? Poor thing, had to rush him to the emergency room. Skull fracture.
MnJyFh-You didn’t really. You couldn’t.
DareAngel-He FELL. That’s what happens when you try to climb in a window instead of coming through a door. Next time hire a sniper.
MnJyFh-What makes you think I haven’t?
DareAngel-For one thing, several of the top snipers in the world are former friends of mine. If anybody can spot a sniper, I can. And you ain’t got one staked out for me.
MnJyFh-I will.
DareAngel-You can try. I move around a lot. GTG fishy-fishy-fish.
MnJyFh-I’m not giving up Maxwell.
DareAngel-Good. You make life interesting.
MnJyFh-Are you wanting to die?
DareAngel-No. But I don’t think I’ve got a whole lot to worry about from you man. I need my sleep (I’m a growing boy you know), so, I must say again buddy…see ya!
DareAngel has logged off
MnJyFh-You can run Maxwell. And you can hide. But you will not get away from me again.
MnJyFh has logged off
DareAngel-I bet I will…Myron.
When Tom Riley destroyed the Imagination Station, thwarting Andromeda’s plans for mind control, the Andromeda footwork was in essence over, and the paperwork began. The confusing part is that the computer at Forest Mountain shows a record of an abortion of the Launch Day before Tom Riley ever arrived. Whether or not this abortion would’ve worked when the Launch Time arrived is unknown. Case # 272467 was recently closed, but case # 422537 is open-for debate if not investigation. The case was compounded when John. A. Whittaker’s identity was stolen. (Case # 43368489)
From: Borland@Fbi.gov.mail
To: MitchelltheGiraffe@yippee.com
Subject-Call me
Call me this instant. Or at least answer your phone.
AREM-Hi there.
AREM-Remember me?
MitchelltheGiraffe-Who are you?
AREM-I’m a friend.
MitchelltheGiraffe-If you’re such a friend, why are you breaking into my account and using my profile?
AREM-To let you know that it can be done. And has been done.
MitchelltheGiraffe-I already know that.
AREM-But you don’t know who’s doing it. It’s someone you know.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Who?
AREM-Think about your prospective employer.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Someone at the FBI? Borland?
AREM-This is a test to see how well you follow orders. And you’re failing it. Stop investigating now, before it’s too late.
From:RayofSunshine@yippee.com
To:MitchelltheGiraffe@yippee.com
Subject: AREM
Mitch, I thought you weren’t using the profile. In any case, thanks for the birthday message!
MitchelltheGiraffe-I didn’t send you a b-day message Ray, Charles hacked into the profile. (Happy Birthday anyways.)
RayofSunshine-Why would Charles send me a birthday message?
MitchelltheGiraffe-I don’t’ know. I can’t think real good right now, alright?
RayofSunshine-Why?
MitchelltheGiraffe-I’m joining the FBI Ray.
RayofSunshine-What does Connie think about that?
MitchelltheGiraffe-She thinks I should.
RayofSunshine-O.
RayofSunshine-Hey, Mitch? Have you heard from Richard/?
MitchelltheGiraffe-You know I haven’t, and you know I won’t. He’s dead Ray.
RayofSunshine-I don’t think so. I believed you were dead and you weren’t.
MitchelltheGiraffe-That was different.
RayofSunshine-How?
MitchelltheGiraffe-It just was.
RayofSunshine-But why wouldn’t he have hacked into AREM and sent me a b-day message and you a warning that the FBI was trying to trick you?
MitchelltheGiraffe-For one thing the FBI wasn’t trying to trick me.
RayofSunshine-You don’t know that. How do you know the entire thing wasn’t rigged up by the FBI to see what you’d do under pressure.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Aw, c’mon Ray, they’d tell me now.
RayofSunshine-I don’t think so. In any case, Charles wouldn’t have told me happy birthday-he wouldn’t even have known it was!
MitchelltheGiraffe-Fluke.
RayofSunshine-Why are you so eager to pass this off?
MitchelltheGiraffe-Ray, I’m really really tired and I wanna go to bed.
RayofSunshine-WHAT’S GOING ON.
MitchelltheGiraffe-I don’t know.
RayofSunshine-Yes you do-what’s going on?
MitchelltheGiraffe-Look, Ray, I can’t tell you everything.
RayofSunshine-That’s what Richard said-and you turned out to be alive.
MitchelltheGiraffe-I’m not promising he’s alive, I’m promising we don’t know for sure he’s dead. Now go to bed.
RayofSunshine-ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
MitchelltheGiraffe-There’s nothing you can do for him now Ray.
RayofSunshine-Please tell me what happened.
MitchelltheGiraffe-Look, I’ll tell you all I can. We have a ‘source’, as Max called them, who was in the Chairman’s helicopter before it took off. Just before they took off, an agent for them showed up with Maxwell in tow. (supposedly they found him in the utility shack.) He was thrown (unconscious) into the helicopter. The door was slammed and the Chairman called for the helicopter to be taken up. They noticed Whit taking his car into the shack and called Charles. The next while is a mystery. We do know that Max woke up a ways into the flight, probably about the time I rescued Connie, just before they landed at their meeting place. Here is (from what we can piece together) what happened.
Max (groans)
Chairman-Hello Mr. Maxwell. Pleasure to see you.
Max-Wish I could say the same. (coughs and laughs)
Chairman-You don’t give up do you.
Max-Not often.
Chairman-(grunts) Maxwell, I have a couple of options. I can let you be taken over like the rest of the little people, or I can have the distinct pleasure of killing you now.
Max-Dilemma.
Chairman-You can quip all you like, but the time is very very soon.
Max-You talk like a guy in a movie.
Chairman-You are trying my patience.
Max-Good. That’s good for you.
Max stood up and held onto a bar or something. He was bleeding pretty badly, I understand he had a nasty blow to the head, and he was coughing hard.
Chairman-You don’t sound so well Maxwell.
Max-No, you know me. Max is always well. (Laughs, coughing again.)
Chairman-Very funny.
Max-Whaddaya gonna do if it doesn’t work?
Chairman-I might actually worry about that if we thought you’d been in there longer Maxwell. Even I acknowledge your intellect and, how shall I say, ingenuity.
Max-I say ingenuity N-je-new-it-ee.
The Chairman hit him in the head and Max hit the floor.
Chairman-Smart-aleck.
Max-Oh quit your soliloquizing and hurry it up, I’m tired.
Chairman-Stand up Maxwell.
Max stood. The Chairman pulled out a pistol. Max shrugged, threw open the chopper door, and jumped out. (He needs to get a new trick.) That’s all we know.
RayofSunshine-Then he’s as good as dead-he jumped out of a helicopter.
MitchtheGiraffe-That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you honey.
RayofSunshine-Then why did you say you don’t know for sure that he’s dead?
MitchtheGiraffe-He was over water Ray. There is a very real possibility that he could’ve survived-they were coming down for a landing and weren’t as high up as they had been.
RayofSunshine-So he’s alive.
MitchtheGiraffe-We don’t know.
RayofSunshine-But he could be.
MitchtheGiraffe-It’s possible. Not a very large possibility, but it’s possible.
RayofSunshine-He jumped again.
MitchtheGiraffe-Again.
RayofSunshine-G’night Mitch.
MitchtheGiraffe-G’night Ray.
When nabbed, Bennett Charles admitted to almost everything in Case # 43368689-except being AREM. He claimed he was instead going to call and given an anonymous tip to the FBI that Mitchell had been working with him in Andromeda the whole time, or some such nonsense, but hacked into Mitchell’s files just before doing so and saw the conversation-and and decided to use it for his own advantage. Mitchell, of course, thought it was us, but as you know, it wasn’t. As you know, a lot of case # 43368689 was a test, but AREM was not our invention, though we did hack into his account and view his files. Whether Charles was lying or not is unknown, but the general theory is that Mitchell was/is the only AREM. This marks the closing of Case # 272467. Signed,
Peter Borland
From:LucyC@yippee.com
To: DareAngel@yippee.com
Subject: Well?
Well? I just got back from my trip and it looks like the AREM thing worked. Did you ever get another source after I left?
From: DareAngel@yippee.com
To: LucyC@yippee.com
Subject: Source
Yeah, Mitch was my source. Thanks for all your help.
From:LucyC@yippee.com
To: DareAngel@yippee.com
Subject: Da Nada
You’re very welcome. Thank you for letting me help! Where are you? I called your phone the other day and you never answered-your apartment building manager said you haven’t been in in ages, Richard they cleaned out your apartment!
DareAngel-Look, Lucy, please don’t tell people you’ve talked to me.
LucyC-Why?
DareAngel-I’m kinda s’posed to be dead. Long story.
LucyC-I wanna hear it!
DareAngel-I jumped out of a helicopter.
LucyC-Please tell me you’re kidding.
DareAngel-I’ll tell you, but it’d be a lie.
LucyC-I don’t understand.
DareAngel-Don’t worry about it Luce. Just…don’t believe everything you hear, K?
LucyC-Yeah. Alright. You jumped again?
DareAngel-Pardon me for not being original. It was better than being shot.
LucyC-Where are you?
DareAngel-I can’t tell you.
LucyC-Why not?
DareAngel-Cause then it is very possible somebody could come after you looking for me.
LucyC-You’re teasing me.
DareAngel-No I’m not. But I do have to go.
LucyC-Can we talk again soon?
DareAngel-I promise to try.
LucyC-Good enough. See you later Richard.
DareAngel-Cya, and thanks for everything.
LucyC has logged off
DareAngel-I love you.
The End?
ALTERNATE ENDING:
Text Messages between Richard and Lucy Cunningham-Schultz(633-555-5829)
Richard-Hey Luce, jst telng u I m alrght.
Lucy-I v bn wrrd about u. Whts up?
Richard-Sry. Bn busy.
Lucy-I was about 2 write u off as dead.
Richard- IM me.
DareAngel-You on?
LucyCS-Yeah. You can’t imagine how relieved I am to hear from you. 99% of the people I’ve talked to don’t know what happened to you at all. The other 1% say you jumped out of the chairman’s helicopter, whether u r dead or alive is unknown.
DareAngel-Jumped out of a helicopter nothing, and very much alive thank you. Look honey, here’s what happened. I was at the shack and I aborted the Launch Program. Somebody snuck up behind me and conked me on the head. Dunno what happened after that, till I woke up in the helicopter. I glanced out the window and we were nearing Connellsville. I sat up and baby I’ve never felt that bad in my whole life. Made me feel bad for conking Whit-like somebody stuffed a bowling ball in my ear. I’s lying on the floor and my eardrums felt like they were about to bust cause it was so loud in there. It made my head hurt worse and I sat up and there’s ‘Chairman’ standing over me. He kicked me in the ribs, not real hard you know, just enough to let me know he’s there, and is waving this gun around. He said to stand up and hold my hands in the air and I did. I’ve never been so scared in my life. Then he looks down at the gun and then at me and grins.
Chairman-Nice to see you again Richard.
Me-Yeah. Ain’t it.
Chairman-You know, you told me something once that’s stuck with me.
Me-I did?
Chairman-Yes. Let’s see if I can remember it.
He pretended to think for ages.
Chairman-I have it! It was ‘see ya’. So see ya Maxwell.
And he pulled the trigger.
LucyCS-Would you care to explain how you lived?
DareAngel-No.
LucyCS-Richard
DareAngel-He missed me by a fraction-I hit the ground the second he fired and knocked his feet out from under him. He dropped the gun, I tossed it out the door and then we were having a vulgar street fight in a helicopter (and the noise was still hurting my ears. THWPTHWPTHWPTHWP) and he was on his feet by then and we pretty much looked like we were ballroom dancing cause we were just kinda circling each other, like you see in the movies, (except scarier) and all of a sudden he lunged at me (impatient twerp) and took a swing at my head with one fist and I ducked and kicked out at him, trying to hook his knees and pull him over but he righted himself and took ahold of my shirt and shoved me hard. I lost my balance and fell out of the copter. Though jumping sounds much cooler.
LucyCS-That’s it?
DareAngel-That’s it.
LucyCS-What started the jumping story?
Dare-Angel-For one thing, I don’t think ‘Chairman’ wanted to be charged with attempted murder. (Successful for all he knew). For another, I started it myself.
LucyCS-WHY??
DareAngel-O c’mon baby, I couldn’t let Andromeda know I was alive!
LucyCS-But they’re all in jail!
DareAngel-But they won’t all stay in jail kid. Plus, you know how Capone ran his racket from jail. Chairman’s even better.
LucyCS-Why do you still call him the Chairman?
DareAngel-I dunno. Cause he’s some different I guess. Smarter.
LucyCS-Must’ve learned from you.
DareAngel-Nah, he wouldn’t’ve shoved me out the copter if he’d learned a whole lot.
LucyCS-I guess.
DareAngel-I need to go-thank you for helping me out early in the thing.
LucyCS-I’m about to get used to getting information for you.
DareAngel-Hey, I didn’t lie to you this time.
LucyCS-True.
LucyCS-Are you afraid the Chairman’ll catch up to you?
DareAngel-No. I’m kinda afraid he’ll catch up to you though.
LucyCS-You rescued me from him once before.
DareAngel-Yeah, well I may not be there next time, so be careful Lucy. Be very careful.
LucyCS-He’s after you-not me.
DareAngel-Just be careful.
LucyCS-I will. I promise.
DareAngel-Good.
LucyCS-I need to go-I’ve got an article to finish.
DareAngel-Alright-I’ll see you around.
LucyCS-Really?
DareAngel-Someday.
LucyCS-O. OK, someday is better than no day. Cya later.
DareAngel-Bye.
LucyCS has logged off
DareAngel-I love you.
RayofSunshine has logged on
DareAngel-Hey Ray.
RayofSunshine-RICHARD
DareAngel-Hiya.
RayofSunshine-You’re alive?
DareAngel-Obviously.
RayofSunshine-But Mitch said you jumped out of…I’m confused.
DareAngel-Never mind. What’s up?
RayofSunshine-Not much I guess…aw Richard I miss you.
DareAngel-I miss you too kid. But I can’t come home now, so don’t ask.
RayofSunshine-Why?
DareAngel-Guess.
RayofSunshine-I knew you weren’t dead.
DareAngel-I knew you knew.
RayofSunshine-I absolutely have to go-this computer automatically cuts of in a couple of minutes-I’m at the library.
DareAngel-Alright, we’ll talk again soon.
RayofSunshine-I love you.
DareAngel-You too kid. Bye Ray.[i]
RayofSunshine has logged off
MnJyFh wishes to chat. Accept?
Yes
MnJyFh-I’ll get you Maxwell
DareAngel-I love you too.
MnJyFh-If it’s the LAST THING I EVER DO
DareAngel-You get near me and it will be the last thing you ever do.
MnJyFh-Pretty cocky aren’t you.
DareAngel-Being alive will do that to a guy.
MnJyFh-Watch your back Maxwell.
DareAngel-You are so boring I can only repeat what I said before: Catch me if you can. I dare you.
MnJyFh-I caught you before.
DareAngel-And I’m alright aint’ I. Maybe I should rephrase it…Catch me and keep me if you can.
MnJyFh-You’re dead.
DareAngel- *breathes in. Breathes out. Feels very alive*
MnJyFh- *isn’t laughing*
DareAngel- As fascinating as this conversation is, I really must say goodbye.
MnJyFh-YOU IMBECILE DON’T YOU KNOW I HAVE THE POWER TO KILL YOU THIS SECOND?
DareAngel-Oh, you mean that dude you sent over? Poor thing, had to rush him to the emergency room. Skull fracture.
MnJyFh-You didn’t really. You couldn’t.
DareAngel-He FELL. That’s what happens when you try to climb in a window instead of coming through a door. Next time hire a sniper.
MnJyFh-What makes you think I haven’t?
DareAngel-For one thing, several of the top snipers in the world are former friends of mine. If anybody can spot a sniper, I can. And you ain’t got one staked out for me.
MnJyFh-I will.
DareAngel-You can try. I move around a lot. GTG fishy-fishy-fish.
MnJyFh-I’m not giving up Maxwell.
DareAngel-Good. You make life interesting.
MnJyFh-Are you wanting to die?
DareAngel-No. But I don’t think I’ve got a whole lot to worry about from you man. I need my sleep (I’m a growing boy you know), so, I must say again buddy…see ya!
DareAngel has logged off
MnJyFh-You can run Maxwell. And you can hide. But you will not get away from me again.
MnJyFh has logged off
DareAngel-I bet I will…Myron.