From: Jason Self Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2022 13:48:14 +0000 (-0700) Subject: Publish new installment X-Git-Url: https://jxself.org/git/?a=commitdiff_plain;h=86d9c83465553ca087b13b9502520e37bbe54486;p=universe.git Publish new installment --- diff --git a/agalder.txt b/agalder.txt index 597e031..c657947 100644 --- a/agalder.txt +++ b/agalder.txt @@ -1416,4 +1416,164 @@ we've ever been introduced." And stuck his hand out. "John Behan." Harlan took the hand and shook it warmly. "Harlan Tavis." he said. Behan's eyebrows rose as he realized the true relationship between the -Chief he had admired so much and the cocky young thief. \ No newline at end of file +Chief he had admired so much and the cocky young thief. + +==== John Behan: Detective ==== + +The three of them talked for hours. Harlan had decided to trust Behan. +His father had trusted the man. He told him everything, including +their participation in the Resistance, although he refused to name +anyone else in the organization. + +"Don't blame you. You need to keep that information secret." + +Behan stood up and started pacing around the small room, pulling at +his lower lip and muttering to himself. Finally he stopped and looked +at the younger couple. "As I see it, we have three problems to solve." + +He sat down abruptly. "First, we need to find out who killed your +father, Harlan." His gaze switched to Mellie. "Second, we need to find +out if Sam's killer is the same person who tried to kill you, Mel." + +Standing up, he walked to the kitchen and fixed himself a cup of +express. He walked back into the living area. "And third, we need to +kick start this revolution before the whole planet withers away." + +==== Mellie: Detective ==== + +Mellie's jaw dropped. "What!?" she squeaked. + +Harlan came to his feet. "What have you got to do with it?" + +"I have some responsibility in the Resistance." Behan said. + +"He IS the Resistance." said a voice. Santorini entered from the +kitchen. + +"Is my door wide open?" grumbled Mellie. + +The Boss grinned at her, then let his gaze include Harlan. "You think +I'm the Boss? Actually John is." + +Harlan stared at the detective. "He's what!?" His voice had risen. + +"Calm down, Harlan." said Behan. "Greg just checks in with me once in +a while." + +Mellie's eyebrows rose. "Greg? Who's Greg?" + +Santorini laughed. "I am, Mel. My name is Gregorio Santorini." + +"Oh." was all that Mellie said. "Okay. Let's drop the comedy act. Tell +us what's going on." + +The two older men exchanged glances and Behan gave a slight nod. + +Santorini sat down. "We are about to launch the revolution. And you +two will play important parts in winning it." + +Harlan opened his mouth, but Mellie said "Shut up, Harlan.", her +attention focused on the Boss. Harlan's mouth stayed open as he stared +at his sweet, cuddly girlfriend whose face had turned to stone. + +Santorini continued. "You, Harlan, are going to organize the thieves, +destroy the Syndicate, and get the remnants to join us." + +He raised his hands as Harlan started to protest. "No, it's not going +to be impossible. You will find many allies in this coming war and a +number of them are in the underground. You even have friends in the +Syndicate now." + +He made placating motions with his hands as Harlan half rose. "Relax, +kid. Like I said. You have friends. Lots of them. And they will be +there for you. You and I will go over the general outline later." + +He turned to Mellie. "Mel, you are going to take over the police +headquarters and hold it until we can break through." + +Mellie stared at him. "Oh. And can I call on the Gods of Olympus and +Saturn and the Titans to help me?" + +"You'll have real help, Mel. Do not doubt it." said Behan. + +Harlan and Mellie looked at each other. Mellie shrugged, then grinned +at the thief. + +"What do you think? Should we throw our lot in with these crazies?" + +Harlan just gazed at her for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Hell, +yes!" + +==== Harlan: Thief ==== + +Hours later, Mellie shooed them all out of her home and fell onto the +bed fully clothed, asleep with a smile on her face after one last +thought about Harlan. + +The thief himself decided to be a smartass and slipped through the +same window he had used earlier. He appeared in Mellie's bedroom with +a big grin and was greeted by a snore. + +He sat on the bed next to her and kissed her. Then he kissed her +again. Then he shook her gently. Then he shook her a bit less gently. +All he got was snores. + +With a rueful smile on his face, he undressed her and got her under +the covers. Tucking her in, he kissed her gently on the forehead. Then +he looked at her for a minute and lay down on the floor and went to +sleep. + +He woke before she did and quietly left the condo after making sure +all the windows and doors were locked securely. + +He arrived at John Behan's little house about ten minutes later. After +disabling the security system and entering through a window, he crept +silently down the hallway toward a bedroom. He eased the door open +without a sound and went to the bed where a lump lay motionless. Too +motionless. + +It took him a second, but by the time Behan put his stunner behind +Harlan's ear, the thief had figured it out. + +"You coulda just knocked." the detective said grumpily. "Now I have to +reconfigure the security system." + +"That's no fun." said Harlan. "But how did you know?" He stepped away +from the muzzle of the stunner. + +The detective chuckled. "I have a secondary system. It goes to an +earplug that I wear whenever I'm at home. I heard you breathing." + +Harlan turned and looked at the somewhat slovenly, middle-aged man in +front of him with the protuberant belly, the thinning hair, and the +tired eyes. "You're the Resistance?" + +Behan smiled. "Greg and I founded the organization about seven years +ago. I went undercover and Greg has always been a bureaucrat. So he +runs things. I just try to keep him informed." + +Behan sat on the bed and looked up at Harlan. The thief noticed that +he still had the stunner in his hand. "So why are you disturbing my +beauty sleep when we've been over just about every detail." + +Harlan turned and looked out the window at the back of another +building, two disposal units, and a burned out aircar. "I just don't +like what you have lined up for Mellie. So much can go wrong. I would +rather she didn't have to do that." + +Behan looked at him and shook his head. "First, if she knew you were +here trying to take her assignment away from her, she'd probably shoot +you. Second, she really is the best person for the job. The department +is riddled with moles. There aren't very many people I can trust like +I do you and Mellie. She is bright, capable, and deadly. She can +handle it." + +He stood up, holstered the stunner, and placed a hand on Harlan's +shoulder. "I know it's tough letting someone you love go into a field +of danger. Especially after your dad died a week ago. But you have to +trust her. And me. And Greg. You do your part. We'll do ours." + +Harlan's eyes turned to Behan and held his gaze. "You think she can do +this and come out alive?" + +Behan nodded. "Yes. She really is that good." \ No newline at end of file