Chapter Eighty-Eight: A Snit

“You got knocked out by a-,”

“Finish that sentence Teej and I will hurt so you so badly the DVM will be jealous.”

“So no dicking around-,”

“SAMMY!”

Daniel would never hear the end of it. His fellow Knights of the Last Order found his plight simply hilarious, especially now that the threat was gone. The Presidents Entrusted National Intelligence Service had cleared out, the last part of their mission forever failed. The group was at Bills restaurant, waiting for their meals.

“I'm just thankful Peter and Thomas are okay. They could have gotten really screwed up.” Sunny added the last part slyly.

“Will you all stop with the puns?” Daniel grumbled. “You all know how bad Carbon Power is. These two were MONSTERS!”

“Chill out mate, we're all just having fun.” Charlie said, using a rather miffed Belle as a back-rest.

“Fun, huh?” She snapped at him. “Like your Dad did pretending to be DEAD?”

“It was a JOKE, Belle-Belle.” Charlie rolled his eyes at her. “Relax, you've been tense since we got to Brisvegas.”

“WHY WOULDN'T I BE TENSE CHARLIE?!” Belle suddenly jumped up and yelled. “MY FATHER SOLD OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED FOR IT IF YOUR FATHER HADN'T BEEN NEARLY FATALLY INJURED! PLEASE TELL ME WHY I SHOULD BE ALL RELAXED LIKE YOU?!”

And with that Belle stormed out of the room and into the back kitchen to sulk.

“Well SOMEONE is moody.” Charlie also began to sulk.

“You're not gonna run off to Awesomica again are you?” Sunny asked slyly.

—

“He's such a MORON!” Belle grumbled at home later than evening after ranting for two hours, fifteen minutes and twenty seconds about how horrible her best friend and his father were.

“Him or his father?” Peter said with a slight hint of bitterness.

“ALL OF YOU!” Belle flopped to the sofa.

“Belle, I know you're a bit mad still over the whole Ruby Suit issue-,” Lara started.

“Leave it.” Belle snapped.

“You do NOT speak to your Mother that way!” Peter fired.

“SHE'S NOT MY MOTHER!” Belle stormed upstairs. Where on earth had THAT come from? Biologically they might not have been related, but it was accepted fact now that Lara Masters nee Vargus was the Mother of Belle Masters, especially by Belle herself.

Belle sighed, before jumping out of her window, shimmying down the tree and heading off for a much-needed walk. The whole business with the Ruby Suit had certainly thrown her for several loops.

—

“Where's Belle? I want to talk to her and apologise. I've been a bit rough on her recently.” Charlie poked his head into the Masters kitchen a hour later.

“She WAS in her room. Now she's gone walkabout.” Peter told him. “She's in a snit alright.”

“Between you and Dad and I we've really gone and done it. Why on earth did you steal the Ruby Suit?!” Charlie asked.

“I didn't STEAL the Ruby Suit, I just fixed it up behind their backs.” Peter told him.

“UGH!” Charlie stormed off in search of his best friend.

“Why would she be over here? She's not particularly fond of us at the moment.” Thomas said when Charlie went back home to check for Belle there.

“She's not here, although to be honest if I were her I wouldn't want you near me either.” Sunny looked down her nose at him when he checked at her place for his best friend.

“She's not here.” Daniel's place.

“Hasn't been here all week. Want some cake?” TJ and Petunitas.

“Not since she borrowed my sparkly blue nailpolish.” Tammys.

“Nope.” Sammys.

“Why the HELL would she be here Begly?!” Judith Jofrey chased him out of her apartment.

“She must be really mad at me.” Charlie slumped as he walked back home. He was just turning into the street when he saw his sister Izzy walking the baby Masters, Madeleine.

“What's up Charlie?” Izzy asked him.

“Charlie!” Madeleine waved her hands at her sisters best friend.

“Hi.” Charlie mumbled.

“Aww, c'mon, what's up?” Izzy asked.

“Belle-Belle!” Madeleine answered.

“Ah, you're still upset that you haven't been taking your best friend seriously and now you're angry because she's not around when you want to apologise.” Izzy smirked. Suddenly Madeleine let out a wail and grabbed her eye. “Sorry! She's still doesn't fully understand being Claused yet.” Izzy picked the toddler up out of the pram and began to soothe her.

“You are SMITTEN with that baby!” Charlie had to smile.

“If proper respect is given, then age should be no deterant to friendship!” Izzy poked her tongue out at him. “It's okay Madels, you're a smart girl yes you are!”

“Anyway, HAVE you seen Belle?” Charlie asked as Madeleine started giggling again.

“Nope. Have you tried calling her phone?” Izzy said dismissively.

Charlie blinked.

“Anyway, we gotta go, Sam is picking me up for a movie tonight and I need to be ready.” Izzy grinned. “We're going on a double-date with Tammy and her girlfriend.”

“Sounds good. Just don't scare Tammys date off.” Charlie brushed her off as he dialled Belle from his own phone. He vaguely thought that Izzy was as smitten with Sammy as she was with the baby Madeleine as the phone rang out. “DAMN!” He cried.

Belle must be totally livid if she wasn't answering her phone. Charlie couldn't stand it. He remembered the pain he had felt the day that Belle had woken up after her grandfather Joe died. She hadn't forgiven him then either.

He HAD to make this right. He was going to keep on calling until he got an answer. He called again. And again. And again.

After about the sixth time he finally got an answer. A cold voice simply said “She won't answer.” and hung up.

Charlie felt his blood run cold.

Belle Masters had been kidnapped!