Chapters 12-20 of Tessa and The Stranger in the Plane

Posted by Goodsport from adsl-216-102-199-185.dsl.snfc21.pacbell.net on July 28, 1999 at 19:32:53:

: Chapter 12 [Killing Time] (written by Deirdre)

: The Atlantic sun was shining mercilessly on them. Tessa wished she had brought along her suntan lotion (about the only thing she hadn't brought along in her bag...who would've thought she'd we plane-wrecked in the middle of the Atlantic?!).
: The Man with The Hat lay lazily beside her and Tessa couldn't help but chuckle; to think that when she first had seen him she secretly had wished to be marooned out somewhere with this hunk of a man... but NOT like this!
: He STILL hadn't had told her why he had pretended to be Goodsport.
: Sighing, Tessa sat back and dozed-off, pushing all her problems out of her mind.

: - - -

: "May I have your tickets, Sir?" an attractive Malaysian woman in a stewardess's uniform held out her hand at the boarding gate.
: James Lambert handed her his and the Fiddlers tickets. The Fiddler winked at the girl but his attempt at flirting was futile; she just looked at him fleetingly and uninterestingly glanced away. Damn.
: "So, what has Madame Deirdre told you so far?" James asked his colleague as they entered the plane.
: "About all there is to know."
: "Which is?"
: "All." the Fiddler checked his seat number and sat down by the window.
: James rolled his eyes and took the aisle seat.Not only do I get to go and assassinate someone, but I get some James Bond for an accomplice who's as talkative as a rock!
: Several minutes later, the plane started moving and took off. By the time it was in the air, James had fallen asleep, tired of the earlier events in his day. His dreams were sweet: a beautiful belly dancer was dancing before him... on second thought she looked awfully a lot like his twin Jim Carib...

: - - -

: Deirdre sat motionless on the rooftop of the second tower of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, staring down into the abyss. She loved heights and couldn't help marvel at how beautiful and perfect the world looked from up here. Although some ancient fortuneteller had told her once that "...beware of heights, this will be your end!" she just couldn't stay away.

: - - -

: Some floors below her a sharpshooter was positioning his gun. He fired.
: Momentarily he heard a scream and a figure falling down the 88-story building.
: He smiled smugly to himself.

: ------

: Chapter 13 [Send in the Clones] (written by The Man with the Hat)

: Michaelson walked into the bright sunshine of the day, shielding his eyes.
: As he did, he caught the glimpse of an object fast approaching from above him.
: Michaelson quickly stepped aside as the body of Deirdre fell to the sidewalk, battered and broken on the pavement.
: The man didn't bother to check vital signs as Micah exited the building beside him.
: "She's dead," Michaelson said.
: "Too bad," Micah said, a smile threatening to transform into an all out laugh. "Activate the cloning machine."

: - - -

: The raft had been drifting for what seemed like days. The Man with the Hat took his hat off and wiped the sweat from his brow.
: "Damn! " The Man with the Hat said," It's hot as Hell here."
: Tessa said, "You have a definite talent for understatement."
: "Too hot for me," said The Man with the Hat as he stripped off his shirt.
: "What are you doing?" Tessa asked.
: "Cooling off," he said, as he flipped himself over the side of the boat and into the water.
: The ocean felt so good!!
: The Man with the Hat didn't see the shark's fin rise from the water about a hundred yards away.

: - - -

: The machine hummed as Michaelson and Micah stood and observed. Lights flashed as the cloning machine ended its cycle. A door slid open, and a conveyer brought forth an exact replica of Deirdre, naked as the day she was born.
: "Perfection," Michaelson said of the clone.
: "Thank you," Deirdre's doppleganger said.' You're not so bad, yourself."

: -----

: Chapter 14 [Nightmares] (written by the Fiddler & Deirdre)

: While swimming peacefully in the waters near the boat the Man with the Hat (still wearing his hat of course) looked up as Tessa, who had started to get up.
: "Coming In?" he quarried.
: "No." She replied simply, but with no emotion.
: "C'mon, it feels great!"
: "I'm sure it does." Again she spoke without emotion, but this time she did is as she pulled her pistol from her pocket.
: "Sh****t! Don't shoot me! Please don't shoot me! I'll tell you why I impersonated Goodsport, just pleeeaase don't shoot me."
: As Tessa took aim the Man with the Hat closed his eyes and prepared to die.
: The crack of the pistol marked his end, he saw blood in the water around him and figured this is how death must be, even though he couldn't feel any pain. Suddenly a hand grabbed him under one arm and started to heave him out of the water.
: "Your not dead you idiot! Now help ME get YOU out of the water!"
: Suddenly The Man with the Hat realized he was still alive! Pulling himself into the raft he sat down suddenly exhausted.
: "What the hell did you do that for? If you really wanted me to talk you could have just pointed it at me?"
: Smiling slyly Tessa answered: "I wasn't trying to get you to do anything. I was just keeping you from getting chewed up."
: "What the?..." he blurted, suddenly realizing where the blood must have come from. Sure enough, when he looked into the water where he had just been swimming he saw a fair amount of blood, and not far away the fin of a shark swimming directly away from them, mixing red blood with the blue of it's wake.

: - - -

: "Nooooo!" she cried out bursting into consciousness. Suddenly several nurses and a doctor were surrounding her, hands poised to hold her down should she make some violent action.... Then consciousness faded and soon she was sleeping peacefully again.

: - - -

: Several hours later Deirdre became conscious again, only this time it came slowly and without the horrible dream. Then she heard a voice; it spoke in her native language.
: "You had a nasty fall young lady!"
: "Wha... wher... where a a aaaamm I?" Deirdre queried.
: "Somebody decided they didn't like you, took a shot at you while you were standing on the top of the Petronas Twin Towers." Said a white haired, old Malaysian doctor.
: "I remember falling... and then, and then."
: "You where hit" he continued, picking up where he left off "--though luckily it went clean through you just to the left of your stomach which is a nonvital area--the bullet spun you around and you lost your balance, falling backward off the tower. But you got lucky today; some guy parked his convertible just where you happened to land. One in a million chance! Though you did break your leg over his door."
: "I ought to sue!" she said, smiling; which showed the doctor she really was going to be all right. Then flashbacks came... things that didn't fit into the story this doctor had just told her. Suddenly her smile disappeared and the doctor's face became concerned.
: "But... I... I was."
: "Oh, that, you had some bad dreams while you were unconscious. You see with your fall, the bullet wound, the antibiotics, and the painkiller your sleep wasn't exactly peaceful and you sleaptalked, so I think I know mostly what you were dreaming, don't worry, it was all a dream."
: "Bu... but..."
: "No" the doctor consoled, smiling "you aren't a clone, that was just your brains way of explaining the fact that you are still alive.... By the way they guy whose car you landed in wants you to pay for damages, you know the blood all over the leather seat and stuff."

: - - -

: In the meanwhile agents Jerico and Meg were sorting through information in the Indyfan.com.

: "According to this, the last forum novel was IJ and the Aztec Spear," Indiana Jerico said, clicking away on his laptop.
: "But there's still another one going on: IJ & The scrolls of the Prophet", Meg interrupted, leaning over in her seat and pointing at a recent post.
: "Yes, that's true," Short Round said.
: "I thought you didn't read them?" Goodsport raised a mocking brow.
: He grinned back, shrugging, "Yeah but I see 'em posted on the forum!"
: Indiana Jerico, put his chin in his hand and wrinkled his brows, "The Scrolls of the Prophet have nothing to do with this."
: "How could you be so sure?!"
: "I am so sure, Miss Meg," Indiana Jerico said matter-of-factly, "because the DWO (*Dark World Order) are after TESSA... and as you might have overseen, the only people who have contributed to this forum novel are a certain Man with The Hat and Deirdre Campbell, the latter who just contributed a measly Prologue."
: "But--"
: "He's right!" Goodsport confirmed, "It's clear that they are after Tessa. She must have hit a soft spot with her forum novels!"
: "But what did she discover?!"
: He sighed. "Too bad we didn't read those forum novels."
: "Well," Meg smiled, "it's never too late to catch up!"
: She stood-up opened the baggage compartment over their heads and took out her attache case. "Here!" She slipped out 3 thick black Herlitz folders and threw each guy a copy. "We have," checking her gold Rolex, "about five hours till we land in Poland's capital."

: ----

: Chapter 15 [A Ray of Hope and a Sliver of Dispair] (written by Goodsport)

: Deirdre lay in her hospital bed long after the doctors and nurses had left. She examined herself, surprised that there was no IV line in her arm, but instead a metallic wire attached to a computer.
: Satisfied that everyone was gone or asleep, she carefully pulled the wire out of her arm (why was there not even a droplet of blood in the puncture?) quietly stood up and put on a bathrobe, and tiptoed out of her room. Once in the cold, sterile corridor, Deirdre walked down it, surprised at the lack of... anybody.
: She finally passed by a large tinted window and carefully peeked through it. What she saw made her want to shriek in horror, but the sound would not come out of her mouth. She saw a body, all bloody and mangled, but still barely recognizable. The body was hers.

: - - -

: After two hours of reading with the rest of the group, Goodsport stood up.
: "This is interesting, people," Goodsport said as he stood up and stretched his arms, "but I have to make a visit, if you know what I mean."
: "Fine," Short Round answered half-heartedly, as he was embroiled in his reading.

: - - -

: "Okay, here's the story," The Man with the Hat said to an intently staring Tessa, "The reason I was impersonating Goodsport is..."
: The sentence was interrupted by a deafening shrieking sound a short distance away.
: "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?" Tessa screamed as she pointed to what looked like a large rubber-like bubble bouncing towards the raft.
: "Where did they come from?" The Man with The Hat continued, as he pointed to both the bubble and the helicopter right above it, with the helicopter's loudspeakers blaring, "ORANGE ALERT! ORANGE ALERT!"

: - - -

: Meg noticed the laptop screen suddenly change from showing the Indyfan Forum to a live shot of the middle of the ocean, a large rubber bubble rapidly overpowering a man and a woman on a raft.
: "What the hell is that?" Indiana Jerico asked, "A live feed on a laptop? Where's that coming from?"

: - - -

: Goodsport jumped back when he opened the door to the washroom as he saw an old gentleman in there. The old man stroked his long white beard, adjusted his tall pointy hat, and taking a step forward in his robe said, "To save all, you and your friends must find the way to Valinor! You must find Aragorn - he can help you find the way!"
: "Uh... oh-kay!" replied Goodsport, dumbfounded.
: Just then the plane shook, shutting the door to the washroom with a thud. When Goodsport opened the door again, it was empty.

: - - -

: Tessa shot the last two bullets of her gun at the bubble in vain. As the bullets bounced harmlessly off it, a unified cry of "OH SH..." escaped the mouths of the raft's passengers as the bubble closed in on top of them.

: - - -

: "Hey, we lost the feed!" Meg pointed out, as the laptop screen once again showed the Indyfan Forum.
: "Ladies and gentleman, this is your pilot speaking," the voice on the intercom speakers announced, "Due to heavy turbulence, we will be making a short stopover in Reykjavik, Iceland. It will only be a momentary delay, and we apologize for any inconvenience."
: "Uh guys," Goodsport told the group when he returned, "you won't believe what just happened!"
: "Neither will you!" responded Indiana Jerico.

: -----

: Chapter 16 [Escape] (written by Aragorn)

: Brett Lambert stood in the library. His eyes scanned across the volumes on the shelf, coming to rest upon a curious, red, leather-bound tome with faded gold leaf where the title had once been. It had worn off in time, though not long, for the leather was not worn nor its color diminished. In curiosity, Brett pulled it down from the shelf, only to be taken aback by it's tremendous weight. He had not been expecting so much, and the book toppled from his fingers and down onto his foot.
: "Gosh-darn it!!" he whispered, as he leaned down to retrieve the book. Brett placed it on the table, and opened it, and was taken by surprise through two things. One was the title. "The Lord of the Rings". He knew of this one, all right. Matt, that guy who called himself 'Aragorn', was always ranting on about it, through always ever email or forum.
: Number two was the card inside the book, telling who had checked it out and when. The most recent name was at the top, and it said 'Tessa'. Brett knew her from the forum as well. More curious was the date on the card. The day after tomorrow, 1999.

: - - -

: In the grayness of the morning mist, a gray-cloaked stranger hastened toward the sea, silently as a shadow. Had none been searching for him, he might have never been seen; had his enemy's eyes not grown to be so sharp and clever, he might have passed without incident. But the determination of darkness was strong, and the stillness was interrupted by the wrenching scream of shadow. They were upon him.
: Aragorn was escaping. Long had he suspected; for a mere moment had he truly known. A servant of that Dark Lord of an age past had taken up his master's mantle, in hope of bringing those lonely lost days of darkness back to the world, and it was through Aragorn that he wished it done. The curse of having survived, or endured! Aragorn could remember the ancient days well, though his memory of his life now would go back for only 19 years. His Arwen was gone, and the common life he lived now was all that he had, with the books by a man named Tolkien. There had been no warning in them, and yet he knew, as now he tried to make his escape.
: Black rivers of substanceless darkness crawled upon the road behind him, sliding silently toward him, preparing to do their master's bidding. Aragorn broke into a run as they drew nearer, knowing that escape would not come easily.
: He prayed that Gandalf had delivered his message; what happened through time might have already come to pass, and he would be taken away. There were friends he had to reach, before his journey to Valinor, that land that was West of the World.

: -----

: Chapter 17 [Loose Ends] (written by the Fiddler)

: As Indiana James waited silently in the dark his mind began to wander. Should he give this up? This whole thing was crazy, first he was just supposed to crash the plane and make sure that Tessa didn't get away, then he is told he is supposed to kill her. Now he is out here sitting in the rain of a Polish spring, waiting to kill some guy dressed in a gray cloak who is supposed to come walking down the road. And once this guy is dead, then he is supposed to go back to looking for Tessa so he can kill her.
: What the heck? Well maybe if he does it right the Fiddler will kill them both and he can start working on clearing his conscience... again. No, how was he supposed to change if he aided in killing these people? Something had to be done... He COULD kill the Fiddler here and now, tell Deirdre there was an accident and when he met with her he could kill her to. That was it! Then he could clear his conscience! No that wouldn't work... there was still Big Boss Nobody, sitting in his office high above the Malaysian cityscape he could just give the order and eventually his men would catch up to Lambert and kill him.
: "Fiddler, there he is, get ready."
: It was time to make a decision, the man was coming down the road, it was Aragorn!

: - - -

: As she climbed aboard the helicopter Tessa sighed:
: "Goodness! You guys had me scared with that big balloon thing for a while there. Is there a reason you had it inflated like that?"
: "No," replied the diver that had helped her into the copter, "it's a new thing we are testing out and we have been having problems with it."
: "Explain, exactly, what it does?" The Man with the Had inquired suspiciously.
: "Well, if a small boat, or plane, is sinking slowly enough and we think there might still be time to save some passengers, us divers swim this thing under the wreckage and then inflate it."
: Leaning back from the cockpit the copilot handed the Man with the Hat a set of headphones. Putting them on he heard the pilot's voice in them:
: "Where did you two come from?"
: The Man with the Hat explained and then told them where he guessed the other survivors were.
: "I'll radio for a full-scale rescue operation, for now lets focus on getting the two of you to a hospital, you look dehydrated and a little overexposed.

: - - -

: After having Goodsport explain his experience to the others and then having the group explain their's to him, Indiana Jerico took his laptop back from Meg, Short Round, and Goodsport.
: Double clicking his ICQ icon he found that Bret Lambert was also online. Quickly he typed in a message:
: "U at the library as agreed?"
: A few seconds later he got the answer:
: "Yep, found out we must be hot on Tessa's trail, she checked out a book here."
: Jerico raised his eyebrows on reading this message, then replied:
: "Her plane went down, she was one of only a few whose bodies weren't found."
: "You're behind on the times Jer, many lived, she was one of the few suspected to be alive who weren't found." --came the answer.
: "All right, we are about an half an hour out, we will meet you there at the library in an hour."
: "K" was Brett's reply.

: - - -

: This time when Deirdre awoke, there were tears in her eyes, she hugged her pillow tightly and checked to make sure the IV was really an IV and not some wire. Hitting the nurse call button she sat up in bed. It was time recuperate, this place was not helping her mental state.
: "You need something Madame?" the nurse queried poking her head into the room.
: "Yeah, get me some crutches, I am going to be out of here by this time tomorrow night!" she demanded in her icy-powerful way.
: "...but crutches could tear the bullet wound open, ruining everything the surgery did for you."
: "Then get me an electronic wheelchair, and a coat, I'm going outside! I want some air that isn't contaminated by the disinfectant smell that permeates everything in this place."

: - - -

: "Now" Indiana Lambert said as he made his decision.
: Indiana James Lambert grabbed the man in the gray cloak as they jumped from their hiding place.
: Stepping quickly in front of the now captured Aragorn, the Fiddler pulled a Glock 19 pistol from his pocket and aimed it at the man's forehead.
: "No, we take him alive," commanded Lambert.

: -----

: Chapter 18 [To The Rescue] (written by Indy)

: "I think not," The Fiddler said as he put two hands on the Glock and steadied himself. "We have orders, and I don't wanna fail Dierdre!"
: James looked with horror, feeling more helpless than he ever had before.
: Just as The Fiddler was about to pull the trigger, someone jumped in and tackled the Fiddler. He quickly grabbed the gun and held it at The Fiddler and James.
: "Don't make a f***in move."
: "Who are you," James demanded.
: Just as the tackler opened his mouth to speak James saw, out of the corner of his eye, Fiddler pull a small revolver from his jacket.
: "No!" he yelled as he knocked Fiddler unconscious into the side of the building.
: "Well, I wasn't expecting that," the mystery man said as he eyed James.
: "Neither was I," James replied. "Who are you, anyway?"
: "I am an avenger for truth and justice, liberty, and the American way of life!"
: "Really?"
: "No, I'm a nobody from the Indyfan forum keeping an eye on Aragorn. Looks like I stepped in just in time. Call me Indy. JUST Indy."
: Aragorn suddenly unsilenced himself.
: "Thank you for saving my life, Indy. I never feared; I knew you were there. Meg sent you?"
: Indy looked over at Indiana James, them back at Aragorn. "She sure did. But I have no idea what I'm supposed to do know."
: "I do. But first we must take care of these two."
: Indiana James suddenly looked startled. "Whaddaya gonna do with me!? Please don't kill me. I didn't wanna do this! Really!!!"
: Indy adjusted the fedora on his head and suddenly punched James in the face, knocking him out cold.
: "Well Aragorn, I think we take them both to the others."

: -----

: Chapter 19 [A Clearing of Mists] (written by Indiana Jerico)

: After about thirty minutes, the plane landed in Reykjavik, Iceland for a short stopover. Goodsport, Indiana Jerico, Short Round, and Meg, however, were still busy sifting through the numerous Forum posts. Goodsport snickered as he again read Groo's parting post. So did Short Round. Meg glared at them, indicating that this is serious business.
: Suddenly, Indiana Jerico's cellular phone rang again.
: "Indiana Jerico," Jerico said.
: "Jer, this is Aragorn," a voice said. "I'm already at the airport."
: "Aragorn! Thank God you called. Things have developed." Jerico asked.
: "Lemme tell my side first," Aragorn said.
: "Okay," Jerico replied.
: "Someone knew I was coming to Poland," Aragorn said. "Two guys tried to abduct me. Fortunately, someone from Meg's group was watching my back."
: "Meg???" Indiana Jerico exclaimed. Upon hearing her name being mentioned, Meg looked at Jerico.
: "Yeah. She's a new recruit, picked by Micah and Michaelson themselves. Heard she's an ace, top of her class," Aragorn said. "Sorry I didn't tell you 'bout her earlier. Just knew it myself a few hours ago."
: "She's here," Jerico answered. "Anyway, what about the two people?"
: "They're slumped cozily in the back of my car as I'm speaking to you now," Aragorn said. "By the way, where are you guys still?"
: "Reykjavik," Jerico replied. "Stopping over. By the way, is Brett already there? He ICQed me. Said something about finding a book read by Tessa. Hmmm....since when have Tessa been at Poland before?"
: "Maybe she went here for a few weeks," Aragorn said.
: "Maybe." Jerico answered.
: "Brett'll be here in about a few minutes," Aragorn said. "What about you? Any news."
: "Many," Jerico said. "Goodsport said something about an old man appearing suddenly in the washroom! And check this, Aragorn, the old man knew you!"
: "How???" Aragorn asked, perplexed.
: "Beats me!" Jerico said. "And he also said something about Valinor...or something."
: "Valinor...what's that?" Aragorn said.
: "I don't know.... maybe you could ask Brett to check it out in the library. Must be a place or something. "
: "Will do," Aragorn said. "Jerico, there's one thing that's disturbing me."
: "What?" Jerico asked.
: "Our enemy seems to know our every move." Aragorn said.
: "A leak in the organization, maybe?" Jerico asked.
: Aragorn sighed on the other end. "I don't know."
: "Well, keep me posted," Jerico said. "We'll be there soon."
: "Check." Aragorn said. "Aragorn out."

: - - -
:
: In the penthouse, the mysterious person was looking out of the whole city. Then, he spoke. "Any news of Deirdre?"
: "Yes, Sir" a goon said. "She was taken to the Kwong-Ringse Hospital. Our boys said that she wants to go out."
: "Have a limo pick her up," the man said.
: "Yes Boss," the goon replied.
: "And the gunman?" the man asked.
: "We're still digging up information about him, Boss," the goon replied.
: "Could he be one of those from our good old friend in the States?" the man asked.
: "Micah and his organization, Boss?" the goon asked. "Could be."
: "Well, keep searching," the man said, ice in his voice.
: "Yes boss," the goon said.
: "And any news about Tessa and our operative?" the man asked.
: "Y'mean The Man with The Hat, Boss?" the goon asked. "As a matter of fact, yes. They were recently rescued from the plane's wreckage."
: The man fell silent.
: "Y' want me to contact The Man with The Hat, Boss?"
: "No," the man said. "I want him dead. And overrule Deirdre's order. I want Tessa ALIVE. I want to know how she got the story. I want to know who her sources were. Everything."
: "Yes Boss," the goon said.
: "And what about our operative in Poland?"
: "Indiana James and the Fiddler, Boss?" the goon asked. "We lost track of them. Our transmission's been cut off."
: "Things haven't been going well," the man said.
: The goon remained silent.
: "Dismissed," the man said.
: The goon left. In the silence of his luxurious office, the man was thinking.
: I have to have it, he seemed to think. The key to the ancient city of Valinor.

: -----

: Chapter 20 [In Poland] (written by Deirdre)

: "Get your hands off me!" the Man with The Hat snapped at the nurses who were trying to get his blood pressure and feed him some medicine. "I'm perfectly healthy! See? I can see straight, I can walk, I can talk! I shouldn't even be here! I got better things to do!"
: One of the nurses at the St. Vincent Hospital whispered something to the other nurse.
: "I head that! I am NOT hysterical!"
: Tessa who'd been watching the little scene snorted clearly amused & couldn't resist a laugh. "Uh... I didn't know that the Man with The Hat was afraid of some lil needle."
: "This is not funny Tessa. God knows where that needle was before--"
: "Finished." the nurse said, smiling and winked at Tessa, "Thanks for keeping him distracted, Mrs. Schaefer."
: The Man with The Hat groaned and was about to rub the place where she had pricked him. Immediately the nurse flicked away his hand. "But SIR!"
: A few minutes later Tessa and the Man with The Hat exited the Hospital.
: "I hate hospitals," he mumbled flagging down a taxi. Tessa just grinned to herself keeping her sarcastic reply to herself.
: "Where to?" the taxi driver asked.
: "Take us to the Forum Hotel Warsaw" the Man with The Hat said in perfect polish, earning an impressed look from Tessa. "Okay okay... I learned when I was in the Army; my roommate was Polish. And wipe that stupid grin off yer face."

: - - -

: Punctually, the long black and elegant limousine pulled up in front of the Kwong-Ringse Hospital. The chauffeur opened the door for the lady and the nurse helped her inside with the crutches. Without thanking her, Deirdre resolutely shut the door in her face and ordered the driver to get going.

: - - -

: "Ohhhhh..."groaning James, touched his head. He had a terrible headache... "Shit!"
: He groped in the dark trying to make out where he was. His hands touched cold cement beneath him, it smelled of rotten vegetables and old shoes. Slowly as his eyes adjusted to the dimness he could make out that he was in some sort of cellar, a place where they stored the food. "Sheesh! At least I won't starve." he mumbled to himself. This mission had gone out of hand the very minute that it had started. He should've not listened to that mindless bitch's commands and taken things into his own hands. What did "Women" know anyway?!
: He sat down on a sack of potatoes, pondering what to do next.
: Where the heck, was the Fiddler?

: - - -

: "Hotel Forum polozony w samym centrum miasta, gdzie znajduja sie najwazniejsze urzedy i centrum handlowe." the taxi driver was babbling.
: Tessa gave her companion a curious look.
: "He said: Hotel Forum is located in the heart of the city, close to main business and entertainment areas" the Man with The Hat said as the cab halted in front of the hotel. "He even suggested we go out and visit one of those nightclubs down the street. Hah! Fatso here, probably thinks we are honeymooners." He handed the man some bills and helped Tessa out of the car.
: "Thank you Mister! See you again next time!" the taxi driver shouted in perfect English and drove off.

: -----

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: : Chapter 12 [Killing Time] (written by Deirdre)

: : The Atlantic sun was shining mercilessly on them. Tessa wished she had brought along her suntan lotion (about the only thing she hadn't brought along in her bag...who would've thought she'd we plane-wrecked in the middle of the Atlantic?!). 
: : The Man with The Hat lay lazily beside her and Tessa couldn't help but chuckle; to think that when she first had seen him she secretly had wished to be marooned out somewhere with this hunk of a man... but NOT like this!
: : He STILL hadn't had told her why he had pretended to be Goodsport.
: : Sighing, Tessa sat back and dozed-off, pushing all her problems out of her mind.

: : - - -

: : "May I have your tickets, Sir?" an attractive Malaysian woman in a stewardess's uniform held out her hand at the boarding gate.
: : James Lambert handed her his and the Fiddlers tickets. The Fiddler winked at the girl but his attempt at flirting was futile; she just looked at him fleetingly and uninterestingly glanced away. Damn.
: : "So, what has Madame Deirdre told you so far?" James asked his colleague as they entered the plane.
: : "About all there is to know."
: : "Which is?" 
: : "All." the Fiddler checked his seat number and sat down by the window. 
: : James rolled his eyes and took the aisle seat.Not only do I get to go and assassinate someone, but I get some James Bond for an accomplice who's as talkative as a rock! 
: : Several minutes later, the plane started moving and took off. By the time it was in the air, James had fallen asleep, tired of the earlier events in his day. His dreams were sweet: a beautiful belly dancer was dancing before him... on second thought she looked awfully a lot like his twin Jim Carib...

: : - - -

: : Deirdre sat motionless on the rooftop of the second tower of the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, staring down into the abyss.  She loved heights and couldn't help marvel at how beautiful and perfect the world looked from up here.  Although some ancient fortuneteller had told her once that "...beware of heights, this will be your end!" she just couldn't stay away.

: : - - -

: : Some floors below her a sharpshooter was positioning his gun.  He fired.
: : Momentarily he heard a scream and a figure falling down the 88-story building.
: : He smiled smugly to himself.

: : ------

: : Chapter 13 [Send in the Clones] (written by The Man with the Hat)

: : Michaelson walked into the bright sunshine of the day, shielding his eyes. 
: : As he did, he caught the glimpse of an object fast approaching from above him. 
: : Michaelson quickly stepped aside as the body of Deirdre fell to the sidewalk, battered and broken on the pavement.
: : The man didn't bother to check vital signs as Micah exited the building beside him.
: : "She's dead," Michaelson said.
: : "Too bad," Micah said, a smile threatening to transform into an all out laugh. "Activate the cloning machine."

: : - - -

: : The raft had been drifting for what seemed like days. The Man with the Hat took his hat off and wiped the sweat from his brow.
: : "Damn! " The Man with the Hat said," It's hot as Hell here."
: : Tessa said, "You have a definite talent for understatement."
: : "Too hot for me," said The Man with the Hat as he stripped off his shirt.
: : "What are you doing?" Tessa asked.
: : "Cooling off," he said, as he flipped himself over the side of the boat and into the water.
: : The ocean felt so good!!
: : The Man with the Hat didn't see the shark's fin rise from the water about a hundred yards away.

: : - - -

: : The machine hummed as Michaelson and Micah stood and observed. Lights flashed as the cloning machine ended its cycle. A door slid open, and a conveyer brought forth an exact replica of Deirdre, naked as the day she was born.
: : "Perfection," Michaelson said of the clone.
: : "Thank you," Deirdre's doppleganger said.' You're not so bad, yourself."

: : -----

: : Chapter 14 [Nightmares] (written by the Fiddler & Deirdre)

: : While swimming peacefully in the waters near the boat the Man with the Hat (still wearing his hat of course) looked up as Tessa, who had started to get up.
: : "Coming In?" he quarried.
: : "No." She replied simply, but with no emotion.
: : "C'mon, it feels great!"
: : "I'm sure it does." Again she spoke without emotion, but this time she did is as she pulled her pistol from her pocket.
: : "Sh****t! Don't shoot me! Please don't shoot me!  I'll tell you why I impersonated Goodsport, just pleeeaase don't shoot me."
: : As Tessa took aim the Man with the Hat closed his eyes and prepared to die.
: : The crack of the pistol marked his end, he saw blood in the water around him and figured this is how death must be, even though he couldn't feel any pain.  Suddenly a hand grabbed him under one arm and started to heave him out of the water.
: : "Your not dead you idiot!  Now help ME get YOU out of the water!"
: : Suddenly The Man with the Hat realized he was still alive!  Pulling himself into the raft he sat down suddenly exhausted.
: : "What the hell did you do that for?  If you really wanted me to talk you could have just pointed it at me?"
: : Smiling slyly Tessa answered: "I wasn't trying to get you to do anything.  I was just keeping you from getting chewed up."
: : "What the?..." he blurted, suddenly realizing where the blood must have come from.  Sure enough, when he looked into the water where he had just been swimming he saw a fair amount of blood, and not far away the fin of a shark swimming directly away from them, mixing red blood with the blue of it's wake.

: : - - -

: : "Nooooo!" she cried out bursting into consciousness.  Suddenly several nurses and a doctor were surrounding her, hands poised to hold her down should she make some violent action....  Then consciousness faded and soon she was sleeping peacefully again.

: : - - -

: : Several hours later Deirdre became conscious again, only this time it came slowly and without the horrible dream.  Then she heard a voice; it spoke in her native language.
: : "You had a nasty fall young lady!"
: : "Wha... wher... where a a aaaamm I?" Deirdre queried.
: : "Somebody decided they didn't like you, took a shot at you while you were standing on the top of the Petronas Twin Towers."  Said a white haired, old Malaysian doctor.
: : "I remember falling... and then, and then."
: : "You where hit" he continued, picking up where he left off "--though luckily it went clean through you just to the left of your stomach which is a nonvital area--the bullet spun you around and you lost your balance, falling backward off the tower.  But you got lucky today; some guy parked his convertible just where you happened to land.  One in a million chance!  Though you did break your leg over his door."
: : "I ought to sue!" she said, smiling; which showed the doctor she really was going to be all right.  Then flashbacks came... things that didn't fit into the story this doctor had just told her.  Suddenly her smile disappeared and the doctor's face became concerned.
: : "But... I... I was."
: : "Oh, that, you had some bad dreams while you were unconscious.  You see with your fall, the bullet wound, the antibiotics, and the painkiller your sleep wasn't exactly peaceful and you sleaptalked, so I think I know mostly what you were dreaming, don't worry, it was all a dream."
: : "Bu... but..."
: : "No" the doctor consoled, smiling "you aren't a clone, that was just your brains way of explaining the fact that you are still alive....  By the way they guy whose car you landed in wants you to pay for damages, you know the blood all over the leather seat and stuff."

: : - - -

: : In the meanwhile agents Jerico and Meg were sorting through information in the Indyfan.com.

: : "According to this, the last forum novel was IJ and the Aztec Spear," Indiana Jerico said, clicking away on his laptop. 
: : "But there's still another one going on: IJ & The scrolls of the Prophet", Meg interrupted, leaning over in her seat and pointing at a recent post.
: : "Yes, that's true," Short Round said.
: : "I thought you didn't read them?" Goodsport raised a mocking brow.
: : He grinned back, shrugging, "Yeah but I see 'em posted on the forum!"
: : Indiana Jerico, put his chin in his hand and wrinkled his brows, "The Scrolls of the Prophet have nothing to do with this."
: : "How could you be so sure?!"
: : "I am so sure, Miss Meg," Indiana Jerico said matter-of-factly, "because the DWO (*Dark World Order) are after TESSA... and as you might have overseen, the only people who have contributed to this forum novel are a certain Man with The Hat and Deirdre Campbell, the latter who just contributed a measly Prologue." 
: : "But--"
: : "He's right!" Goodsport confirmed, "It's clear that they are after Tessa. She must have hit a soft spot with her forum novels!"
: : "But what did she discover?!"
: : He sighed. "Too bad we didn't read those forum novels."
: : "Well," Meg smiled, "it's never too late to catch up!"
: : She stood-up opened the baggage compartment over their heads and took out her attache case. "Here!" She slipped out 3 thick black Herlitz folders and threw each guy a copy. "We have," checking her gold Rolex, "about five hours till we land in Poland's capital."

: : ----

: : Chapter 15 [A Ray of Hope and a Sliver of Dispair] (written by Goodsport)

: : Deirdre lay in her hospital bed long after the doctors and nurses had left.  She examined herself, surprised that there was no IV line in her arm, but instead a metallic wire attached to a computer.
: : Satisfied that everyone was gone or asleep, she carefully pulled the wire out of her arm (why was there not even a droplet of blood in the puncture?) quietly stood up and put on a bathrobe, and tiptoed out of her room.  Once in the cold, sterile corridor, Deirdre walked down it, surprised at the lack of... anybody.
: : She finally passed by a large tinted window and carefully peeked through it.  What she saw made her want to shriek in horror, but the sound would not come out of her mouth.  She saw a body, all bloody and mangled, but still barely recognizable.  The body was hers.

: : - - -

: : After two hours of reading with the rest of the group, Goodsport stood up.
: : "This is interesting, people," Goodsport said as he stood up and stretched his arms, "but I have to make a visit, if you know what I mean."
: : "Fine," Short Round answered half-heartedly, as he was embroiled in his reading.

: : - - -

: : "Okay, here's the story," The Man with the Hat said to an intently staring Tessa, "The reason I was impersonating Goodsport is..."
: : The sentence was interrupted by a deafening shrieking sound a short distance away.
: : "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!?" Tessa screamed as she pointed to what looked like a large rubber-like bubble bouncing towards the raft.
: : "Where did they come from?" The Man with The Hat continued, as he pointed to both the bubble and the helicopter right above it, with the helicopter's loudspeakers blaring, "ORANGE ALERT! ORANGE ALERT!"

: : - - -

: : Meg noticed the laptop screen suddenly change from showing the Indyfan Forum to a live shot of the middle of the ocean, a large rubber bubble rapidly overpowering a man and a woman on a raft.
: : "What the hell is that?" Indiana Jerico asked, "A live feed on a laptop?  Where's that coming from?"

: : - - -

: : Goodsport jumped back when he opened the door to the washroom as he saw an old gentleman in there.  The old man stroked his long white beard, adjusted his tall pointy hat, and taking a step forward in his robe said, "To save all, you and your friends must find the way to Valinor!  You must find Aragorn - he can help you find the way!"
: : "Uh... oh-kay!" replied Goodsport, dumbfounded.
: : Just then the plane shook, shutting the door to the washroom with a thud.  When Goodsport opened the door again, it was empty.

: : - - -

: : Tessa shot the last two bullets of her gun at the bubble in vain. As the bullets bounced harmlessly off it, a unified cry of "OH SH..." escaped the mouths of the raft's passengers as the bubble closed in on top of them.

: : - - -

: : "Hey, we lost the feed!" Meg pointed out, as the laptop screen once again showed the Indyfan Forum.
: : "Ladies and gentleman, this is your pilot speaking," the voice on the intercom speakers announced, "Due to heavy turbulence, we will be making a short stopover in Reykjavik, Iceland. It will only be a momentary delay, and we apologize for any inconvenience."
: : "Uh guys," Goodsport told the group when he returned, "you won't believe what just happened!"
: : "Neither will you!" responded Indiana Jerico.

: : -----

: : Chapter 16 [Escape] (written by Aragorn)

: : Brett Lambert stood in the library.  His eyes scanned across the volumes on the shelf, coming to rest upon a curious, red, leather-bound tome with faded gold leaf where the title had once been.  It had worn off in time, though not long, for the leather was not worn nor its color diminished.  In curiosity, Brett pulled it down from the shelf, only to be taken aback by it's tremendous weight.  He had not been expecting so much, and the book toppled from his fingers and down onto his foot.
: : "Gosh-darn it!!" he whispered, as he leaned down to retrieve the book.  Brett placed it on the table, and opened it, and was taken by surprise through two things.  One was the title.  "The Lord of the Rings".  He knew of this one, all right.  Matt, that guy who called himself  'Aragorn', was always ranting on about it, through always ever email or forum.  
: : Number two was the card inside the book, telling who had checked it out and when. The most recent name was at the top, and it said 'Tessa'.  Brett knew her from the forum as well.  More curious was the date on the card.  The day after tomorrow, 1999.

: : - - -

: : In the grayness of the morning mist, a gray-cloaked stranger hastened toward the sea, silently as a shadow.  Had none been searching for him, he might have never been seen; had his enemy's eyes not grown to be so sharp and clever, he might have passed without incident.  But the determination of darkness was strong, and the stillness was interrupted by the wrenching scream of shadow.  They were upon him.
: : Aragorn was escaping.  Long had he suspected; for a mere moment had he truly known.  A servant of that Dark Lord of an age past had taken up his master's mantle, in hope of bringing those lonely lost days of darkness back to the world, and it was through Aragorn that he wished it done.  The curse of having survived, or endured!  Aragorn could remember the ancient days well, though his memory of his life now would go back for only 19 years.  His Arwen was gone, and the common life he lived now was all that he had, with the books by a man named Tolkien.  There had been no warning in them, and yet he knew, as now he tried to make his escape.
: : Black rivers of substanceless darkness crawled upon the road behind him, sliding silently toward him, preparing to do their master's bidding.  Aragorn broke into a run as they drew nearer, knowing that escape would not come easily.  
: : He prayed that Gandalf had delivered his message; what happened through time might have already come to pass, and he would be taken away.  There were friends he had to reach, before his journey to Valinor, that land that was West of the World.

: : -----

: : Chapter 17 [Loose Ends] (written by the Fiddler)

: : As Indiana James waited silently in the dark his mind began to wander.  Should he give this up?  This whole thing was crazy, first he was just supposed to crash the plane and make sure that Tessa didn't get away, then he is told he is supposed to kill her.  Now he is out here sitting in the rain of a Polish spring, waiting to kill some guy dressed in a gray cloak who is supposed to come walking down the road.  And once this guy is dead, then he is supposed to go back to looking for Tessa so he can kill her.
: : What the heck?  Well maybe if he does it right the Fiddler will kill them both and he can start working on clearing his conscience... again.  No, how was he supposed to change if he aided in killing these people?  Something had to be done... He COULD kill the Fiddler here and now, tell Deirdre there was an accident and when he met with her he could kill her to.  That was it!  Then he could clear his conscience!  No that wouldn't work... there was still Big Boss Nobody, sitting in his office high above the Malaysian cityscape he could just give the order and eventually his men would catch up to Lambert and kill him.
: : "Fiddler, there he is, get ready."
: : It was time to make a decision, the man was coming down the road, it was Aragorn!

: : - - -

: : As she climbed aboard the helicopter Tessa sighed:
: : "Goodness!  You guys had me scared with that big balloon thing for a while there.  Is there a reason you had it inflated like that?"
: : "No," replied the diver that had helped her into the copter, "it's a new thing we are testing out and we have been having problems with it."
: : "Explain, exactly, what it does?" The Man with the Had inquired suspiciously.
: : "Well, if a small boat, or plane, is sinking slowly enough and we think there might still be time to save some passengers, us divers swim this thing under the wreckage and then inflate it."
: : Leaning back from the cockpit the copilot handed the Man with the Hat a set of headphones.  Putting them on he heard the pilot's voice in them:
: : "Where did you two come from?"
: : The Man with the Hat explained and then told them where he guessed the other survivors were.
: : "I'll radio for a full-scale rescue operation, for now lets focus on getting the two of you to a hospital, you look dehydrated and a little overexposed.

: : - - -

: : After having Goodsport explain his experience to the others and then having the group explain their's to him, Indiana Jerico took his laptop back from Meg, Short Round, and Goodsport.
: : Double clicking his ICQ icon he found that Bret Lambert was also online.  Quickly he typed in a message:
: : "U at the library as agreed?"
: : A few seconds later he got the answer:
: : "Yep, found out we must be hot on Tessa's trail, she checked out a book here."
: : Jerico raised his eyebrows on reading this message, then replied:
: : "Her plane went down, she was one of only a few whose bodies weren't found."
: : "You're behind on the times Jer, many lived, she was one of the few suspected to be alive who weren't found." --came the answer.
: : "All right, we are about an half an hour out, we will meet you there at the library in an hour."
: : "K" was Brett's reply.

: : - - -

: : This time when Deirdre awoke, there were tears in her eyes, she hugged her pillow tightly and checked to make sure the IV was really an IV and not some wire.  Hitting the nurse call button she sat up in bed.  It was time recuperate, this place was not helping her mental state.
: : "You need something Madame?" the nurse queried poking her head into the room.
: : "Yeah, get me some crutches, I am going to be out of here by this time tomorrow night!" she demanded in her icy-powerful way.
: : "...but crutches could tear the bullet wound open, ruining everything the surgery did for you."
: : "Then get me an electronic wheelchair, and a coat, I'm going outside!  I want some air that isn't contaminated by the disinfectant smell that permeates everything in this place."

: : - - -

: : "Now" Indiana Lambert said as he made his decision. 
: : Indiana James Lambert grabbed the man in the gray cloak as they jumped from their hiding place.
: : Stepping quickly in front of the now captured Aragorn, the Fiddler pulled a Glock 19 pistol from his pocket and aimed it at the man's forehead.
: : "No, we take him alive," commanded Lambert.

: : -----

: : Chapter 18 [To The Rescue] (written by Indy)

: : "I think not," The Fiddler said as he put two hands on the Glock and steadied himself.  "We have orders, and I don't wanna fail Dierdre!"
: : James looked with horror, feeling more helpless than he ever had before.
: : Just as The Fiddler was about to pull the trigger, someone jumped in and tackled the Fiddler.  He quickly grabbed the gun and held it at The Fiddler and James.  
: : "Don't make a f***in move."  
: : "Who are you," James demanded.
: : Just as the tackler opened his mouth to speak James saw, out of the corner of his eye, Fiddler pull a small revolver from his jacket.
: : "No!" he yelled as he knocked Fiddler unconscious into the side of the building.
: : "Well, I wasn't expecting that," the mystery man said as he eyed James.
: : "Neither was I," James replied.  "Who are you, anyway?"
: : "I am an avenger for truth and justice, liberty, and the American way of life!"
: : "Really?"
: : "No, I'm a nobody from the Indyfan forum keeping an eye on Aragorn.  Looks like I stepped in just in time.  Call me Indy.  JUST Indy."
: : Aragorn suddenly unsilenced himself.  
: : "Thank you for saving my life, Indy.  I never feared; I knew you were there.  Meg sent you?"
: : Indy looked over at Indiana James, them back at Aragorn.  "She sure did.  But I have no idea what I'm supposed to do know."
: : "I do.  But first we must take care of these two."
: : Indiana James suddenly looked startled.  "Whaddaya gonna do with me!?  Please don't kill me.  I didn't wanna do this!  Really!!!"
: : Indy adjusted the fedora on his head and suddenly punched James in the face, knocking him out cold.
: : "Well Aragorn, I think we take them both to the others."

: : -----

: : Chapter 19 [A Clearing of Mists] (written by Indiana Jerico)

: : After about thirty minutes, the plane landed in Reykjavik, Iceland for a short stopover. Goodsport, Indiana Jerico, Short Round, and Meg, however, were still busy sifting through the numerous Forum posts. Goodsport snickered as he again read Groo's parting post. So did Short Round. Meg glared at them, indicating that this is serious business.
: : Suddenly, Indiana Jerico's cellular phone rang again.
: : "Indiana Jerico," Jerico said.
: : "Jer, this is Aragorn," a voice said. "I'm already at the airport."
: : "Aragorn! Thank God you called. Things have developed." Jerico asked.
: : "Lemme tell my side first," Aragorn said.
: : "Okay," Jerico replied.
: : "Someone knew I was coming to Poland," Aragorn said. "Two guys tried to abduct me. Fortunately, someone from Meg's group was watching my back."
: : "Meg???" Indiana Jerico exclaimed. Upon hearing her name being mentioned, Meg looked at Jerico.
: : "Yeah. She's a new recruit, picked by Micah and Michaelson themselves. Heard she's an ace, top of her class," Aragorn said. "Sorry I didn't tell you 'bout her earlier. Just knew it myself a few hours ago."
: : "She's here," Jerico answered. "Anyway, what about the two people?"
: : "They're slumped cozily in the back of my car as I'm speaking to you now," Aragorn said. "By the way, where are you guys still?"
: : "Reykjavik," Jerico replied. "Stopping over. By the way, is Brett already there? He ICQed me. Said something about finding a book read by Tessa. Hmmm....since when have Tessa been at Poland before?"
: : "Maybe she went here for a few weeks," Aragorn said.
: : "Maybe." Jerico answered.
: : "Brett'll be here in about a few minutes," Aragorn said. "What about you? Any news."
: : "Many," Jerico said. "Goodsport said something about an old man appearing suddenly in the washroom! And check this, Aragorn, the old man knew you!"
: : "How???" Aragorn asked, perplexed. 
: : "Beats me!" Jerico said. "And he also said something about Valinor...or something."
: : "Valinor...what's that?" Aragorn said.
: : "I don't know.... maybe you could ask Brett to check it out in the library. Must be a place or something. "
: : "Will do," Aragorn said. "Jerico, there's one thing that's disturbing me."
: : "What?" Jerico asked.
: : "Our enemy seems to know our every move." Aragorn said.
: : "A leak in the organization, maybe?" Jerico asked.
: : Aragorn sighed on the other end. "I don't know."
: : "Well, keep me posted," Jerico said. "We'll be there soon."
: : "Check." Aragorn said. "Aragorn out."

: : - - -
: : 
: : In the penthouse, the mysterious person was looking out of the whole city. Then, he spoke. "Any news of Deirdre?"
: : "Yes, Sir" a goon said. "She was taken to the Kwong-Ringse Hospital. Our boys said that she wants to go out."
: : "Have a limo pick her up," the man said.
: : "Yes Boss," the goon replied.
: : "And the gunman?" the man asked.
: : "We're still digging up information about him, Boss," the goon replied.
: : "Could he be one of those from our good old friend in the States?" the man asked.
: : "Micah and his organization, Boss?" the goon asked. "Could be."
: : "Well, keep searching," the man said, ice in his voice.
: : "Yes boss," the goon said.
: : "And any news about Tessa and our operative?" the man asked.
: : "Y'mean The Man with The Hat, Boss?" the goon asked. "As a matter of fact, yes. They were recently rescued from the plane's wreckage."
: : The man fell silent.
: : "Y' want me to contact The Man with The Hat, Boss?" 
: : "No," the man said. "I want him dead. And overrule Deirdre's order. I want Tessa ALIVE. I want to know how she got the story. I want to know who her sources were. Everything."
: : "Yes Boss," the goon said. 
: : "And what about our operative in Poland?"
: : "Indiana James and the Fiddler, Boss?" the goon asked. "We lost track of them. Our transmission's been cut off."
: : "Things haven't been going well," the man said.
: : The goon remained silent.
: : "Dismissed," the man said.
: : The goon left. In the silence of his luxurious office, the man was thinking.
: : I have to have it, he seemed to think. The key to the ancient city of Valinor.

: : -----

: : Chapter 20 [In Poland] (written by Deirdre)

: : "Get your hands off me!" the Man with The Hat snapped at the nurses who were trying to get his blood pressure and feed him some medicine. "I'm perfectly healthy! See? I can see straight, I can walk, I can talk! I shouldn't even be here! I got better things to do!"
: : One of the nurses at the St. Vincent Hospital whispered something to the other nurse.
: : "I head that! I am NOT hysterical!"
: : Tessa who'd been watching the little scene snorted clearly amused & couldn't resist a laugh. "Uh... I didn't know that the Man with The Hat was afraid of some lil needle."
: : "This is not funny Tessa.  God knows where that needle was before--"
: : "Finished." the nurse said, smiling and winked at Tessa, "Thanks for keeping him distracted, Mrs. Schaefer."
: : The Man with The Hat groaned and was about to rub the place where she had pricked him. Immediately the nurse flicked away his hand.  "But SIR!"
: : A few minutes later Tessa and the Man with The Hat exited the Hospital.
: : "I hate hospitals," he mumbled flagging down a taxi. Tessa just grinned to herself keeping her sarcastic reply to herself.
: : "Where to?" the taxi driver asked.
: : "Take us to the Forum Hotel Warsaw" the Man with The Hat said in perfect polish, earning an impressed look from Tessa.  "Okay okay... I learned when I was in the Army; my roommate was Polish. And wipe that stupid grin off yer face."

: : - - -

: : Punctually, the long black and elegant limousine pulled up in front of the Kwong-Ringse Hospital.  The chauffeur opened the door for the lady and the nurse helped her inside with the crutches.  Without thanking her, Deirdre resolutely shut the door in her face and ordered the driver to get going.

: : - - -

: : "Ohhhhh..."groaning James, touched his head. He had a terrible headache... "Shit!"
: : He groped in the dark trying to make out where he was. His hands touched cold cement beneath him, it smelled of rotten vegetables and old shoes. Slowly as his eyes adjusted to the dimness he could make out that he was in some sort of cellar, a place where they stored the food. "Sheesh! At least I won't starve." he mumbled to himself. This mission had gone out of hand the very minute that it had started. He should've not listened to that mindless bitch's commands and taken things into his own hands. What did "Women" know anyway?!
: : He sat down on a sack of potatoes, pondering what to do next. 
: : Where the heck, was the Fiddler?

: : - - -

: : "Hotel Forum polozony w samym centrum miasta, gdzie znajduja sie najwazniejsze urzedy i centrum handlowe." the taxi driver was babbling.
: : Tessa gave her companion a curious look.
: : "He said: Hotel Forum is located in the heart of the city, close to main business and entertainment areas" the Man with The Hat said as the cab halted in front of the hotel. "He even suggested we go out and visit one of those nightclubs down the street. Hah! Fatso here, probably thinks we are honeymooners." He handed the man some bills and helped Tessa out of the car.
: : "Thank you Mister! See you again next time!" the taxi driver shouted in perfect English and drove off.

: : -----

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