Watermelon 5 & Blue Raspberry 29
Author: Casey
Story: Marina's Dragon World
Challenges: Watermelon 5 (sound the alarm) & Blue Raspberry 29 (front row seat)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel (superCaramel), Chopped Nuts (Triple D), Milkshake (Carrie and DW are Marina’s)
Word Count: 1,076
Rating: PG (PG-13 insinuations - Dean and Carrie like embarrassing their children)
Summary: The Surprise Theater Job Part 1
Notes: More Triple D: Kaylee kicking ass. Maybe more of it later, although my initial WOO has faded a bit. Might still have to do Taffy for them at some point. For today's Olympics for my team!
Kaylee Dakamar was just handing over a ten when the man rushed up, wide eyed, to the portable bar. “They’re going to kill someone!” he gasped. The man himself was nondescript, medium-valued suit, placid brown hair, brown eyes, but his statement was anything but.
“Excuse me, sir?” the bartender asked, barely glancing up.
“I can hear it through the vent. I don’t know who, but they’re plotting to kill someone.”
All of Kaylee’s antennae went up. “Thank you,” she murmured as they returned her change.
“Sir, the vents are merely air conditioning vents. I’m certain that no one here is plotting to kill anyone. Would you like a beverage?”
“No, I…” The man wilted. “No, thank you,” he mumbled.
“Excuse me, you’re holding up the line,” someone said loudly behind Kaylee. She shot the impatient woman a contemptuous glance and then quickly threaded through the crush of people after the man.
“Sir,” she called, stepping forward and tapping him on the shoulder.
He jumped like a scalded rabbit and turned to her. “Yes?”
“I heard you at the bar. I was just wondering if you could show me the vent you were talking about.”
He looked her up and down. “I…”
Kaylee was prepared, having fished into the secret inner pocket of her purse on her way over. She now flashed a splitting replica of a U.S. Marshall’s badge at the man. “I’m with the U.S. Marshall’s, sir,” she said, lowering her voice, “and I take any such insinuation of a threat very seriously. Do you mind showing me?”
“Aren’t you a little young?” he asked, but obligingly turned and headed back into the theater proper and presumably his seat.
“I’m pretty new,” she said, flashing him a smile. “But I can certainly get back up if I hear anything.” In fact, Kaylee was only twenty and looked it, but she also had no problem faking confidence, which usually convinced people to go along with what she wanted.
“I swear I heard it. My wife did too. Here, we’re on the far side.” They passed the couple on the end of the row and moved towards the wall.
Kaylee strained her ears over the hum of voices, pressing her ear close to the air conditioning vent. A moment later, faintly, she could hear it.
“I say we just kill the bastard and get it over with.”
“It’s too dangerous. What if we get caught?”
“Who’s gonna catch us, you moron, if you don’t squeal? Hm? I run this joint and I say he’s got to go.”
“Can’t we just fire him?”
Kaylee had heard enough, pulling her head back to look at the man. “I’d go talk to the front office and see if you can’t get your seats changed so you don’t have to listen to this for the rest of the play. We’ll get it fixed up, all right?” she said, smiling comfortingly at him.
“Thank you!” he said, clutching her arm and pumping it. It took a moment to extract herself and then, cursing the heels that slowed her down, she worked her way back to her family’s seats. Her parents were who-knew-where, but both Bethy and Nora still sat in their seats - Bethy people watching and Nora’s face buried in her program. Kaylee suspected she’d just missed one of their typical arguments. She flopped into her seat, tossing Bethy her requested bag of pretzels.
“You look flushed. Find a cute guy?” her littlest sister asked with a smirk.
“No, I found myself a murder plot,” Kaylee said, sketching out what she’d heard. “Nora, can you find me where that duct goes?”
“No problem.” The middle child fished into the small messenger bag at her feet and emerged with a netbook, which she fired up.
“You really should switch to tablets,” Bethy said.
“Tablets type too slow,” Nora said absently as it booted up in record time and she got typing.
Before she could find the schematics, their parents appeared at the end of the row, Carrie slipping in next to her oldest, Dean on the end. “Nora, put that away, please. Family outing,” he said in exasperation.
Kaylee looked up, explanation on her lips until she got a good look at her parents. The two of them held hands, both all but glowing, and a bit ruffled, in a manner all three girls recognized too well. Nora took one look at them, turned scarlet, and returned her gaze fixedly to her screen. Bethy groaned loudly. “You two are the most embarrassing parents in the history of the world.”
“Where…?” Kaylee started and then shook her head. “Never mind, I really, really don’t want to know.”
“If we were really that embarrassing, you’d know where,” Dean said with an intense look of smug satisfaction.
Kaylee barely stifled a groan. “The point is, though, that Nora’s looking up the schematics of the theater.” She again repeated what she’d overheard.
“Got it!” Nora said, grinning as she looked up from her netbook. “Now where’s the vent in question?”
“At our eight o’clock, set in the wall above the seats.”
Nora glanced that way casually and then tapped a few buttons as the others leaned in. There was a moment of silence and then: “Well, that makes sense,” Bethy said, tracing the line from that vent straight to the theater’s offices, “since you said the guy said he was in charge.”
“Can it wait until after the second half?” her mother asked with a sigh.
Kaylee and her dad exchanged a glance. “We could just plant a bug for now in the office,” he said. “Be back in plenty of time for most of the second act.”
“I didn’t bring anything with me,” Kaylee said, gesturing at her slim fitting dress and small purse. “It was pure luck the U.S. Marshalls’ badge was even in here.”
Nora rolled her eyes, flicking off her computer and pulling her bag into her lap even as the lights flicked to tell everyone to return to their seats. “Here,” she said, handing out their little ear buds. “I’ll keep one and both of you get one.” Then she leaned past her sister and mother and handed her father a small bug too. “Should be more than strong enough to transmit.”
“You’re a gem, Nora,” Kaylee said, gently punching her sister in the arm.
Carrie sighed again, loudly, but rummaged around in her purse and handed both her daughter and her husband an ID. “Brought one set of extras. Don’t burn them. I happen to be extra proud of these.”
She grinned, kissing her mom on the cheek. “Thanks! C’mon, Dad,” she said, standing and slipping past her mom’s knees. Dean popped his microphone into his ear and stood, leading the way up the aisle towards the lobby.
Story: Marina's Dragon World
Challenges: Watermelon 5 (sound the alarm) & Blue Raspberry 29 (front row seat)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel (superCaramel), Chopped Nuts (Triple D), Milkshake (Carrie and DW are Marina’s)
Word Count: 1,076
Rating: PG (PG-13 insinuations - Dean and Carrie like embarrassing their children)
Summary: The Surprise Theater Job Part 1
Notes: More Triple D: Kaylee kicking ass. Maybe more of it later, although my initial WOO has faded a bit. Might still have to do Taffy for them at some point. For today's Olympics for my team!
Kaylee Dakamar was just handing over a ten when the man rushed up, wide eyed, to the portable bar. “They’re going to kill someone!” he gasped. The man himself was nondescript, medium-valued suit, placid brown hair, brown eyes, but his statement was anything but.
“Excuse me, sir?” the bartender asked, barely glancing up.
“I can hear it through the vent. I don’t know who, but they’re plotting to kill someone.”
All of Kaylee’s antennae went up. “Thank you,” she murmured as they returned her change.
“Sir, the vents are merely air conditioning vents. I’m certain that no one here is plotting to kill anyone. Would you like a beverage?”
“No, I…” The man wilted. “No, thank you,” he mumbled.
“Excuse me, you’re holding up the line,” someone said loudly behind Kaylee. She shot the impatient woman a contemptuous glance and then quickly threaded through the crush of people after the man.
“Sir,” she called, stepping forward and tapping him on the shoulder.
He jumped like a scalded rabbit and turned to her. “Yes?”
“I heard you at the bar. I was just wondering if you could show me the vent you were talking about.”
He looked her up and down. “I…”
Kaylee was prepared, having fished into the secret inner pocket of her purse on her way over. She now flashed a splitting replica of a U.S. Marshall’s badge at the man. “I’m with the U.S. Marshall’s, sir,” she said, lowering her voice, “and I take any such insinuation of a threat very seriously. Do you mind showing me?”
“Aren’t you a little young?” he asked, but obligingly turned and headed back into the theater proper and presumably his seat.
“I’m pretty new,” she said, flashing him a smile. “But I can certainly get back up if I hear anything.” In fact, Kaylee was only twenty and looked it, but she also had no problem faking confidence, which usually convinced people to go along with what she wanted.
“I swear I heard it. My wife did too. Here, we’re on the far side.” They passed the couple on the end of the row and moved towards the wall.
Kaylee strained her ears over the hum of voices, pressing her ear close to the air conditioning vent. A moment later, faintly, she could hear it.
“I say we just kill the bastard and get it over with.”
“It’s too dangerous. What if we get caught?”
“Who’s gonna catch us, you moron, if you don’t squeal? Hm? I run this joint and I say he’s got to go.”
“Can’t we just fire him?”
Kaylee had heard enough, pulling her head back to look at the man. “I’d go talk to the front office and see if you can’t get your seats changed so you don’t have to listen to this for the rest of the play. We’ll get it fixed up, all right?” she said, smiling comfortingly at him.
“Thank you!” he said, clutching her arm and pumping it. It took a moment to extract herself and then, cursing the heels that slowed her down, she worked her way back to her family’s seats. Her parents were who-knew-where, but both Bethy and Nora still sat in their seats - Bethy people watching and Nora’s face buried in her program. Kaylee suspected she’d just missed one of their typical arguments. She flopped into her seat, tossing Bethy her requested bag of pretzels.
“You look flushed. Find a cute guy?” her littlest sister asked with a smirk.
“No, I found myself a murder plot,” Kaylee said, sketching out what she’d heard. “Nora, can you find me where that duct goes?”
“No problem.” The middle child fished into the small messenger bag at her feet and emerged with a netbook, which she fired up.
“You really should switch to tablets,” Bethy said.
“Tablets type too slow,” Nora said absently as it booted up in record time and she got typing.
Before she could find the schematics, their parents appeared at the end of the row, Carrie slipping in next to her oldest, Dean on the end. “Nora, put that away, please. Family outing,” he said in exasperation.
Kaylee looked up, explanation on her lips until she got a good look at her parents. The two of them held hands, both all but glowing, and a bit ruffled, in a manner all three girls recognized too well. Nora took one look at them, turned scarlet, and returned her gaze fixedly to her screen. Bethy groaned loudly. “You two are the most embarrassing parents in the history of the world.”
“Where…?” Kaylee started and then shook her head. “Never mind, I really, really don’t want to know.”
“If we were really that embarrassing, you’d know where,” Dean said with an intense look of smug satisfaction.
Kaylee barely stifled a groan. “The point is, though, that Nora’s looking up the schematics of the theater.” She again repeated what she’d overheard.
“Got it!” Nora said, grinning as she looked up from her netbook. “Now where’s the vent in question?”
“At our eight o’clock, set in the wall above the seats.”
Nora glanced that way casually and then tapped a few buttons as the others leaned in. There was a moment of silence and then: “Well, that makes sense,” Bethy said, tracing the line from that vent straight to the theater’s offices, “since you said the guy said he was in charge.”
“Can it wait until after the second half?” her mother asked with a sigh.
Kaylee and her dad exchanged a glance. “We could just plant a bug for now in the office,” he said. “Be back in plenty of time for most of the second act.”
“I didn’t bring anything with me,” Kaylee said, gesturing at her slim fitting dress and small purse. “It was pure luck the U.S. Marshalls’ badge was even in here.”
Nora rolled her eyes, flicking off her computer and pulling her bag into her lap even as the lights flicked to tell everyone to return to their seats. “Here,” she said, handing out their little ear buds. “I’ll keep one and both of you get one.” Then she leaned past her sister and mother and handed her father a small bug too. “Should be more than strong enough to transmit.”
“You’re a gem, Nora,” Kaylee said, gently punching her sister in the arm.
Carrie sighed again, loudly, but rummaged around in her purse and handed both her daughter and her husband an ID. “Brought one set of extras. Don’t burn them. I happen to be extra proud of these.”
She grinned, kissing her mom on the cheek. “Thanks! C’mon, Dad,” she said, standing and slipping past her mom’s knees. Dean popped his microphone into his ear and stood, leading the way up the aisle towards the lobby.