Chapter Eighty-Two: My Fallen Idol, Part Two
TJ might have agreed
with Petunia and had a path going forward, but the fact that his
father, the father he had looked up to and idolized, the father he
wanted to emulate had turned a blind eye to the corruption of the
Pleasantville Police Force just to further his own career made him
feel sick. It was all he could think about that weekend, when he
SHOULD have been thinking about how he was going to tackle Dickson.
with Petunia and had a path going forward, but the fact that his
father, the father he had looked up to and idolized, the father he
wanted to emulate had turned a blind eye to the corruption of the
Pleasantville Police Force just to further his own career made him
feel sick. It was all he could think about that weekend, when he
SHOULD have been thinking about how he was going to tackle Dickson.
Also, he probably
should have had his mind on the game of cricket he was playing at the
tip.
should have had his mind on the game of cricket he was playing at the
tip.
“TEEJ! Are you
okay?!” Daniel cried as the bouncer he bowled hit TJ in the ear.
okay?!” Daniel cried as the bouncer he bowled hit TJ in the ear.
“Owch.” TJ fell to
the ground, clutching the side of his head.
the ground, clutching the side of his head.
“You've been
distracted all day, what's up?” Sammy asked as Petunia tended to
the wound.
distracted all day, what's up?” Sammy asked as Petunia tended to
the wound.
“Of course, if
SOMEONE would avoid bowling bouncers, that would be nice!” Petunia
rounded on Daniel.
SOMEONE would avoid bowling bouncers, that would be nice!” Petunia
rounded on Daniel.
“There is nothing
wrong with my bowling!” Daniel retorted.
wrong with my bowling!” Daniel retorted.
Ten minutes later, when
the argument had finished, TJ told his fellow Knights about the
conversation he'd had with his Dad.
the argument had finished, TJ told his fellow Knights about the
conversation he'd had with his Dad.
“Wow. I can't believe
your Dad just turned a blind eye to everything!” Tammy gasped. “I
mean, we all know your Dad!”
your Dad just turned a blind eye to everything!” Tammy gasped. “I
mean, we all know your Dad!”
“I just…” TJ
couldn't bring himself to say it. Sunny put her hand on his arm.
couldn't bring himself to say it. Sunny put her hand on his arm.
“Your Dad loves you.
He did what he thought was best to protect you and give you the best
he could. Try not to hold it too much against him.” She said
quietly.
He did what he thought was best to protect you and give you the best
he could. Try not to hold it too much against him.” She said
quietly.
“Not all Dads can be
heroes.” Daniel added.
heroes.” Daniel added.
TJ sighed. “I
just…what if I go against him and he finds out? What if he finds
out I'm a Knight of the Last Order?”
just…what if I go against him and he finds out? What if he finds
out I'm a Knight of the Last Order?”
“Then you have us.
We'll wear it if it happens.” Sammy said quickly and firmly.
We'll wear it if it happens.” Sammy said quickly and firmly.
“Exactly.” Tammy
agreed with her brother.
agreed with her brother.
TJ sighed again.
Petunia finished fixing up his ear and put her arm around him.
Petunia finished fixing up his ear and put her arm around him.
“You can't do any
worse with Dickson and your father than your strike rate I guess.”
She said slyly.
worse with Dickson and your father than your strike rate I guess.”
She said slyly.
Instantly, TJs father
was forgotten in yet another cricket argument. Stay classy Knights.
was forgotten in yet another cricket argument. Stay classy Knights.
—
“What's up Dorkster?”
Charlie poked his head out of his window. Belle was sitting in the
tree, looking up through the new leaves.
Charlie poked his head out of his window. Belle was sitting in the
tree, looking up through the new leaves.
“Something doesn't
add up. The protest was AGES ago. The government had plenty of time
to organize a raid, and something much more substantial then sending
the p- Dickson.” Belle had a small giggle to herself before
frowning again.
add up. The protest was AGES ago. The government had plenty of time
to organize a raid, and something much more substantial then sending
the p- Dickson.” Belle had a small giggle to herself before
frowning again.
“Shouldn't we just be
grateful someone is here?” Charlie asked.
grateful someone is here?” Charlie asked.
“Yes…and no.
Sometimes it pays to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not all gifts
are given with the best intentions.” Belle mused.
Sometimes it pays to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not all gifts
are given with the best intentions.” Belle mused.
Charlie looked at his
best friend. “I don't think the answers will be in Pleasantville.”
He said slowly. “We'll need to go to Brisvegas.”
best friend. “I don't think the answers will be in Pleasantville.”
He said slowly. “We'll need to go to Brisvegas.”
“Yeah.” Belle
nodded. “Wanna come with me?”
nodded. “Wanna come with me?”
“And help you sift
through boring information on a dumb research project? Heck yeah!”
Charlie grinned. “We might need the Improbability Clause!”
through boring information on a dumb research project? Heck yeah!”
Charlie grinned. “We might need the Improbability Clause!”
“You're the worst
best friend ever you know that?” Belle scowled at him.
best friend ever you know that?” Belle scowled at him.
—
All being said, it
wasn't a bad car trip to Brisvegas.
wasn't a bad car trip to Brisvegas.
“You are NEVER
driving my car again.” Belle snapped at Charlie as they pulled into
their hotel.
driving my car again.” Belle snapped at Charlie as they pulled into
their hotel.
“You know it's a good
idea to change drivers every two hours.” Charlie lectured her as he
handed the key to the concierge.
idea to change drivers every two hours.” Charlie lectured her as he
handed the key to the concierge.
“WE WERE TEN MINUTES
AWAY!” Belle yelped.
AWAY!” Belle yelped.
“Semantics.”
They checked in with no
problems (except Belle pouting) and they headed to their room. Almost
immediately, Belle began to arrange the desk and Charlie closed the
curtains.
problems (except Belle pouting) and they headed to their room. Almost
immediately, Belle began to arrange the desk and Charlie closed the
curtains.
“We could have been
followed! You're pretty hot property at the moment!” Charlie
pointed out.
followed! You're pretty hot property at the moment!” Charlie
pointed out.
“Good point.” Belle
agreed. She pulled out her laptop and set it up on the desk, with her
pen and notepad. She grabbed another pen and notepad and shoved it
into her handbag.
agreed. She pulled out her laptop and set it up on the desk, with her
pen and notepad. She grabbed another pen and notepad and shoved it
into her handbag.
“We've got two hours
until the Brisvegas Council Library closes.” Belle said. “Let's
get out some information and bring it back here to analyse.”
until the Brisvegas Council Library closes.” Belle said. “Let's
get out some information and bring it back here to analyse.”
“How are we supposed
to get said information? Most of it would be top secret wouldn't it?”
Charlie asked as they walked out of the hotel room.
to get said information? Most of it would be top secret wouldn't it?”
Charlie asked as they walked out of the hotel room.
“A name is quite a
lot.” Belle smirked. “And my name tends to get me into a lot of
places others would fear to tread.”
lot.” Belle smirked. “And my name tends to get me into a lot of
places others would fear to tread.”
They headed to the
library, and got a hold of all the unclassified government records
that they were allowed. They got everything they could relating to
Pleasantville, and headed back to the hotel (with the all-important
detour for snacks).
library, and got a hold of all the unclassified government records
that they were allowed. They got everything they could relating to
Pleasantville, and headed back to the hotel (with the all-important
detour for snacks).
“So, what do we do
first?” Charlie looked at the huge pile of binders on the desk.
first?” Charlie looked at the huge pile of binders on the desk.
“We procrastinate and
watch the cricket, duh.” Belle told him, jumping on a bed and
flicking through the channels.
watch the cricket, duh.” Belle told him, jumping on a bed and
flicking through the channels.
“Now that sounds like
a plan!” Charlie grinned.
a plan!” Charlie grinned.
They watched an awful
game of Ostraya versus the Golden Isle. Towards the innings break,
they ordered room service (charged to the account of Peter Masters)
and continued watching the drivel before Belle got irritated and
started reading one of the binders. Charlie snickered behind his
hand, while watching the Golden Isle lose another wicket.
game of Ostraya versus the Golden Isle. Towards the innings break,
they ordered room service (charged to the account of Peter Masters)
and continued watching the drivel before Belle got irritated and
started reading one of the binders. Charlie snickered behind his
hand, while watching the Golden Isle lose another wicket.
Suddenly, the binder
was down and Belle was trying to breathe normally.
was down and Belle was trying to breathe normally.
“Belle? BELLE!”
Charlie jumped to her side. “What is it, what did you find?”
Charlie jumped to her side. “What is it, what did you find?”
Belle turned to him,
pale. She shakily pointed to a page in the binder.
pale. She shakily pointed to a page in the binder.
Charlie picked up the
binder and looked at it. He gulped. What he read could only mean one
thing, and one thing only.
binder and looked at it. He gulped. What he read could only mean one
thing, and one thing only.
Either Lara or Peter
Masters had sold the government the secrets of the Ruby Suit, long
before Belle had ever worn it.
Masters had sold the government the secrets of the Ruby Suit, long
before Belle had ever worn it.