situation to act as a goodwill ambassador
across a great many star systems.”
“If this 'offer' of yours involves much travel, I'm going to
have to decline. My first priority is my education.”
Alexandre grinned slyly, “Well, it does involve a small
change to your current routine. You return home to Afon and never come back.”
10
Theodore didn't know what to expect, but that certainly
hadn't been it. “Excuse me?”
Alexandre's grin became more sinister, “We don't want any
trouble, and we are far less draconian than the Bella-Shoana. No violence, no
fuss. You just go home and stay there.”
Theodore's mind raced as he tried to soak it all in. After
such a cordial opening, the turn of the conversation was still a shock to him.
Apparently more of a shock than he realized as when the pair looked up, both
fencing teams had closed in on the pair at the table with Bill Burges and the
Major front and center glaring down at Alexandre.
“I don't know who you think you are, but no-one tries to
rough up the kid. Not you, not now, not ever,” growled Bill.
“Do you have any idea who I work for?” sneered Alexandre.
“No clue! Let's find out; hold him until the Federals get
here!” barked the Major.
That was obviously not what Alexandre had in mind as
his sneer vanished in a flash... literally.
Theodore reeled in pain as his eyes and ears were overloaded
at the detonation of a flash-bang grenade. His armor was up fast enough to
soak the secondary concussion wave, but not fast enough to protect from the
light and initial sound. His armor extended, his weapons instantly followed,
but he was unsure where to direct them, he didn't want to stab at where he thought Alexandre was out of fear of hitting any of the bystanders that had
surrounded the table. Confused and befuddled, he held is ground and refused to
move until he could make good use of his senses again. That, it turned out,
was quite a while.
A uniformed officer waved his hand in front of Theodore's
face. Vision slowly returning he nodded and snuck a quick look around.
Several of the fencing team were being treated by first responders and a small
army of police, local and federal, were fanned out across the room with three
standing cautiously in front of him. He sighed and relaxed, just a bit, and
let his armor fold away in its comforting blanket of sparks. “I was too
slow... If I raised my armor earlier my eyes and ears wouldn't have gotten
hurt...” he murmured to no one in particular.
“Theodore Foxdale?” asked one of the agents carefully.
“Theodore Foxdale-Blackford, yes...” His head hurt, a lot.
He all but collapsed back into the chair, unaware that he had been perching on
the back of it the entire time.
“Can you explain what happened? This 'business man,' what
did he say to you?”
“He told me I ought to go home, right away. That his
associates were more obliging than the 'Bella-Shoana' or something...”
“'Bella-Shoana?' Is that what he said? Did he provide his
name by any chance?”
“Yeah, that is what he said... name... Alexandre Phebeson...
assuming that was his real name...”
The two coaches approached and the Major spoke, “We saw the
conversation going down and then Theodore here, his fur spiked, so we came en
masse to check on him. He tried to name drop, that's when I called on my
boys to hold him until you Federals got here.”
“And that is when the stun grenade went off...” finished the
agent. “Theodore, son, what in the world do the Bella-Shoana want with you?”
“Apparently they want me dead,” Theodore half laughed half
cracked. “Who are they? What are they?”
“The Bella-Shoana are a very large and well financed
organized crime syndicate. They have their meat hooks dug in on over twenty
systems. They are a minor influence on this planet, but they are gaining
strength and presence...”
“So who was this Phebeson
across a great many star systems.”
“If this 'offer' of yours involves much travel, I'm going to
have to decline. My first priority is my education.”
Alexandre grinned slyly, “Well, it does involve a small
change to your current routine. You return home to Afon and never come back.”
10
Theodore didn't know what to expect, but that certainly
hadn't been it. “Excuse me?”
Alexandre's grin became more sinister, “We don't want any
trouble, and we are far less draconian than the Bella-Shoana. No violence, no
fuss. You just go home and stay there.”
Theodore's mind raced as he tried to soak it all in. After
such a cordial opening, the turn of the conversation was still a shock to him.
Apparently more of a shock than he realized as when the pair looked up, both
fencing teams had closed in on the pair at the table with Bill Burges and the
Major front and center glaring down at Alexandre.
“I don't know who you think you are, but no-one tries to
rough up the kid. Not you, not now, not ever,” growled Bill.
“Do you have any idea who I work for?” sneered Alexandre.
“No clue! Let's find out; hold him until the Federals get
here!” barked the Major.
That was obviously not what Alexandre had in mind as
his sneer vanished in a flash... literally.
Theodore reeled in pain as his eyes and ears were overloaded
at the detonation of a flash-bang grenade. His armor was up fast enough to
soak the secondary concussion wave, but not fast enough to protect from the
light and initial sound. His armor extended, his weapons instantly followed,
but he was unsure where to direct them, he didn't want to stab at where he thought Alexandre was out of fear of hitting any of the bystanders that had
surrounded the table. Confused and befuddled, he held is ground and refused to
move until he could make good use of his senses again. That, it turned out,
was quite a while.
A uniformed officer waved his hand in front of Theodore's
face. Vision slowly returning he nodded and snuck a quick look around.
Several of the fencing team were being treated by first responders and a small
army of police, local and federal, were fanned out across the room with three
standing cautiously in front of him. He sighed and relaxed, just a bit, and
let his armor fold away in its comforting blanket of sparks. “I was too
slow... If I raised my armor earlier my eyes and ears wouldn't have gotten
hurt...” he murmured to no one in particular.
“Theodore Foxdale?” asked one of the agents carefully.
“Theodore Foxdale-Blackford, yes...” His head hurt, a lot.
He all but collapsed back into the chair, unaware that he had been perching on
the back of it the entire time.
“Can you explain what happened? This 'business man,' what
did he say to you?”
“He told me I ought to go home, right away. That his
associates were more obliging than the 'Bella-Shoana' or something...”
“'Bella-Shoana?' Is that what he said? Did he provide his
name by any chance?”
“Yeah, that is what he said... name... Alexandre Phebeson...
assuming that was his real name...”
The two coaches approached and the Major spoke, “We saw the
conversation going down and then Theodore here, his fur spiked, so we came en
masse to check on him. He tried to name drop, that's when I called on my
boys to hold him until you Federals got here.”
“And that is when the stun grenade went off...” finished the
agent. “Theodore, son, what in the world do the Bella-Shoana want with you?”
“Apparently they want me dead,” Theodore half laughed half
cracked. “Who are they? What are they?”
“The Bella-Shoana are a very large and well financed
organized crime syndicate. They have their meat hooks dug in on over twenty
systems. They are a minor influence on this planet, but they are gaining
strength and presence...”
“So who was this Phebeson
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