All's Fair In Love and War - Page 22/88

"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."

-Confucius

R.O.S.S. Headquarters, Belle City, 9:19p.m

"John, we need to talk." Denella said as she barged into his office.

"Oakley, I've been thinking of lifting your suspension, but Switz convinced me that I shouldn't because of what you did." John said.

"Listen, this isn't about my suspension. But, speaking about that . . . you can lift it now so that I can help because you guys are failing miserably without me, and you can suspend me after we finish this mission."

John thought about it and then said, "Fine."

"Fine? That was really vague, don't you think?"

"That means yes. It's a deal. What was the thing you were so off of your feet to talk to me about?

"Well, you must have heard about the man who shot himself on that building beside the La Belle Nuit restaurant. That was the guard who got away with the Amarillo Starlight."

A questioning look came upon John's face. He looked like he had just found out about a two year old who devoured a fire truck.

"I found the Amarillo Starlight and this note in his pocket and I think I know what it means." She showed John the note and after he read it, she said, "Celcus is not the man we're looking for. Someone is using Celcus as a distraction. There is someone else behind this whole thing, and it's our job to figure out who."

"Then what are we waiting for?" John asked as Denella smiled.

Denella's House, Belle City, 9:52p.m

Denella pulled into her driveway with her white Ford Shelby, that had dark blue stripes on the top and down the back, and to her surprise, someone was waiting on her porch, sitting on her front steps.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she locked her car.

"You sound as if you're not happy to see me." Brandon said as he used the smile that wound win any girl over.

"No, that's not what I'm trying to say. I meant to say--" Denella started as she was interrupted.

"It's okay, I was just joking," Brandon started, "I just wanted to apologize for making John not lift your suspension. You must have heard about that."

"Yeah, actually I went to his office and he did lift my suspension, but I will face my consequences after we solve this mission."

"What? He did?"

"Now you're the one who sounds like you're not happy."

"No, no." He forced a laugh.

For a moment there was silence. They could both hear nothing but the crickets chirping. The moon was full tonight and the sky was filled with glittering jewels.