Ophilia Villa, Willow Creek, 2000
Bella had overreacted. She could admit that to herself, privately at least.
She and Cassandra had fought after Doug had left with that girl. (Dear God, that girl. The implications were terrifying.) Of course, Cassandra had been incensed about being required to do something as simple as calling home to let them know where she was. God forbid she show Bella the slightest bit of courtesy.
Still, Bella admitted with a sigh, she could have handled it better.
Mortimer had once again stepped in to play mediator, letting Bella rant until she admitted to herself that she had, in fact, overreacted. Dear, sweet man, he hadn't pushed. He was insightful enough to recognize that Bella's concerns where somehow related to Vickie and Ari's mysterious shared Past, and to Bella's own secret Work, but he never asked for explanations.
She loved him for that, while at the same time thinking he was an idiot. The man trusted too easily.
Mortimer knew enough to understand her Work... the long hours, strange disappearances and vague lies about what she did during them. He never asked for specifics, simply accepting that his wife would tell him what he needed to know. He hadn't even questioned when she'd taken over the secret room in the house to work from.
In that room, with its secure computer and communication lines, she started doing what she had been trained to do - digging for secrets. As a field agent for the Strategic Intelligence and Multinational Security Agency (commonly just called the Agency), secrets were her stock and trade.
"Nothing," she muttered to herself. "No incident report. No sign of even a cursory investigation. Not even a back page article in the Windenburg press. Just an obituary that tells me less than Doug did. Glimmerbrook could give Operations lessons in cover ups."
With a sigh, Bella dialed a number.
"Control," the distorted voice responded.
"Rose Red," she replied.
"You have 60 seconds," Control stated.
"Message for Command," Bella said, smiling slightly. "Message reads - 'Can she meet for lunch at our usual spot?'"
Magnolia Prominade, 2000
Shantel Bridges, Region One Director of Intelligence.
In a covert community dominated by men, Shantel was smart enough, tough enough and ruthless enough to have seized that position with both hands and held onto it. The men who ran things called her the Dragon Lady and made jokes to cover their insecurities.
Despite them, and sometimes in direct response to them, she had assembled a hand-picked team of agents who were among the best and most dedicated in the Agency - including Agent Bella Goth.
"I assume there's a reason we couldn't meet in the office," Bridges said. "Not that I object to the chance to breathe fresh air."
"I have word from a reliable source that Arianrhod Silveroak and her mother Ceridwen were killed recently," Bella said. "In a home invasion."
"The names ring a bell, but refresh my memory," Bridges replied carefully.
Bella took a deep breath, "Ari was one of the first psychokinetic actives I profiled, back when I was working for Section 6. Ari and..."
"Victoria," Bridges finished for her. "I remember now."
She paused, soberly, before continuing, "I assume the mother was also an Active."
"No first-hand profile, but yes," Bella nodded. "I rated Ari as Alpha or Alpha Plus. Based on what we know about inherited Active potential, and things Ari let slip, Ceridwen was certainly an Alpha Plus."
"Two Alpha Plus Actives, killed in a home invasion?" Bridges looked skeptical. "Did this 'home invasion' involve a Special Forces team, tanks and air support?"
"I can't find any information," Bella admitted. "Just a vague obituary in a Windenburg parish register... but they lived in Glimmerbrook."
"It may as well have happened on the moon," Bridges nodded. "Worse, since we actually know exactly where the moon is."
"I'm sorry for your friend, Bella," she continued, "and I admit I'm curious about the circumstances, but this is a matter for the Windenburg office or Section 6. You could have copied me on the memo. Instead, you asked for a face-to-face where no one is likely to listen in. What haven't you told me?"
"Ari's teenage daughter was in my house last night," Bella said. "She's in Willow Creek... and she's become friends with my daughter."
"Shit... She's an Active," Bridges breathed. It wasn't a question.
"Almost certainly a strong one," Bella agreed. "Given her apparent age, probably Delta or Beta... but it's not impossible for her to be an Alpha herself."
"Bella," Bridges started with a deep breath. "I understand your feelings about Section 6..."
"You mean what they did to me, or the part where they're responsible for Vickie's death?" Bella said bitterly. "I don't want Section 6 anywhere near my daughter, Shantel!"
"Bella, she's not..."
"Don't start," Bella snapped. "I get enough of that from her."
"I was going to say, she's not an Active," Bridges continued calmly in the face of Bella's outburst. "Her profile shows high extra-sensory potential but no psychokinetic ability. You tested her yourself... and no one has any reason to doubt those results. Doctor Key shouldn't have any interest in her."
"Key's funny about what he is and isn't interested in," Bella said, visibly containing herself.
"Bella, we're talking about a traumatized teenage girl with access to potentially catastrophic psychokinetic powers," Bridges said gently. "That makes her dangerous. Section 6 is trained and equipped to deal with situations like this."
"You and I see a traumatized teenage girl," Bella said. "Key will see a weapon of mass destruction wearing a school blazer."
"You could have buried this," Bridges said. "Instead, you brought it to me. That means you know how serious this situation is."
"I know, I know," Bella sighed. "I'm hoping you can see a way out, for me and for Gwen. That's her name, Shantel. Gwen Silveroak. Maybe she is a WMD, but she's still a seventeen-year-old girl... with skinny knees."
"You're trying to play me," Bridges smiled, "and damn you it if it isn't working."
"Alright," she smiled. "Standard protocol for an unknown Active is observation and profiling. You're Section 6 trained and you already have contact with the subject. I might be able sell that to Key. Besides, he's wanted you back on his team for years. You know the old monster will see this as a chance to lure you in. We have to inform him. No way around that, but if we play it exactly... and I mean exactly... right, we can get you leading the operation.
"From there, it will be in your hands. I'll back you up as far as I can, but if you fuck this up, and this kid destroys half of Willow Creek, it'll be both our asses."
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Author's Note: The character of Shantel Bridges was created by my fellow SimLit writer DaniRose2143 for her excellent story Under the Tartosan Sun and is used with her permission. - L
