Part 1:
“Imagine my surprise,” said the Belgian gentleman next to us, “when the Hadlin Ruby turned up in my stables! Astonishing.”
The man’s name? Renee Bourjean, the famed jewel thief named ‘The Down Wolf.'
He and his wife, Shandoleesa, were also members of our team.
We sat aboard the QCP’s private jet, rushing toward Batavia and the King of Clouds.
“The third largest gem of its kind,” Renee added. “I took responsibility – the lord of the manor holds account for his lands.” Sunlight lit up his silver temples. “But certainly I had no idea how it happened.”
“What did you do?” Dale asked.
“I told the authorities it was all a mistake. And gladly paid fines to expedite any legal complexities.”
“Renee is never shy about spending money on a good cause,” Del said. “In fact, that’s how he came to know his wife.”
Shandoleesa batted glittering eyelids shadowed in orange.
“Agent Ford, you do love the sound of your own voice.”
“Refresh my memory,” Del said. “You were a model in Argentina before the circus, correct?”
“That life was not for me. Posing for hours for a photo, strutting on a catwalk? The trapeze offered no such tedium.”
The man’s name? Renee Bourjean, the famed jewel thief named ‘The Down Wolf.'
He and his wife, Shandoleesa, were also members of our team.
We sat aboard the QCP’s private jet, rushing toward Batavia and the King of Clouds.
“The third largest gem of its kind,” Renee added. “I took responsibility – the lord of the manor holds account for his lands.” Sunlight lit up his silver temples. “But certainly I had no idea how it happened.”
“What did you do?” Dale asked.
“I told the authorities it was all a mistake. And gladly paid fines to expedite any legal complexities.”
“Renee is never shy about spending money on a good cause,” Del said. “In fact, that’s how he came to know his wife.”
Shandoleesa batted glittering eyelids shadowed in orange.
“Agent Ford, you do love the sound of your own voice.”
“Refresh my memory,” Del said. “You were a model in Argentina before the circus, correct?”
“That life was not for me. Posing for hours for a photo, strutting on a catwalk? The trapeze offered no such tedium.”
“After modeling, Shandoleesa became as a circus performer. A real crowd-pleaser, as they say.”
“I did my job.”
“But that was before the accident. A horrific fall shattered her right leg. Until Mr. Bourjean swooped in to help. He paid for the best doctors; they built the finest prosthetic ever seen."
“All true."
“How much can you press with that thing, five-hundred pounds? One-thousand?”
“Sadly for you, Agent Ford, my legs are none of your business.”
“It drives him mad with envy,” the Down Wolf said, “that a beautiful, intelligent woman consorts with the likes of me. But the life of a civil servant is no way to snare a fetching bride.”
“True. But someone’s got to keep the jewel thieves in check.”
“Agent Ford, so quick to accuse. Perhaps tell us more about this so-called King of Clouds?”
“Fair enough, Renee. He is a new threat. Able to turn clouds into solid rock, which he can then drop with amazing precision.”
“Scary,” Dale said.
“Think about it: any cloud, anywhere, can become a deadly weapon. A giant shadow appears and tons of rock thunder down.”
I thought about it all right.
There were now dark clouds all around our jet.
Yikes?
“I did my job.”
“But that was before the accident. A horrific fall shattered her right leg. Until Mr. Bourjean swooped in to help. He paid for the best doctors; they built the finest prosthetic ever seen."
“All true."
“How much can you press with that thing, five-hundred pounds? One-thousand?”
“Sadly for you, Agent Ford, my legs are none of your business.”
“It drives him mad with envy,” the Down Wolf said, “that a beautiful, intelligent woman consorts with the likes of me. But the life of a civil servant is no way to snare a fetching bride.”
“True. But someone’s got to keep the jewel thieves in check.”
“Agent Ford, so quick to accuse. Perhaps tell us more about this so-called King of Clouds?”
“Fair enough, Renee. He is a new threat. Able to turn clouds into solid rock, which he can then drop with amazing precision.”
“Scary,” Dale said.
“Think about it: any cloud, anywhere, can become a deadly weapon. A giant shadow appears and tons of rock thunder down.”
I thought about it all right.
There were now dark clouds all around our jet.
Yikes?
“We believe it to be a science-based ability. Not genetic. Odd signal waves were detected right before the crash in Norway. Then hundreds gone in a moment.”
That somber notion left us all speechless.
Another newcomer, Jossen of the Red Shell, broke the silence.
“We are not a violent people, but our justice would be swift.” His voice lilted as if a boys’ choir mixed with whale song.
“Interesting,” Del said, leaning back in his chair.
“Justice sometimes whispers, sometimes shouts.”
Jossen wore wetsuit bottoms adorned with red shells. His swimmer's physique was so pale as to be luminescent. His hair resembled asparagus, bouncing when he spoke.
“You seem to have adjusted easily to being in our environment. Uubiquatus made a good choice.”
“The credit must go to my king, the great Festilon the Twelfth. He selected me once your spirit envoy made his plea.”
“No troubles, then?”
“All of us who serve in the Red Shell undergo rigorous training. Our methods are the finest in all the Doralesh Sea.”
"What would happen to a criminal on your world?"
“This criminal would be left in the Ikano Straights until the Death Anemone ripped him to shreds.”
That somber notion left us all speechless.
Another newcomer, Jossen of the Red Shell, broke the silence.
“We are not a violent people, but our justice would be swift.” His voice lilted as if a boys’ choir mixed with whale song.
“Interesting,” Del said, leaning back in his chair.
“Justice sometimes whispers, sometimes shouts.”
Jossen wore wetsuit bottoms adorned with red shells. His swimmer's physique was so pale as to be luminescent. His hair resembled asparagus, bouncing when he spoke.
“You seem to have adjusted easily to being in our environment. Uubiquatus made a good choice.”
“The credit must go to my king, the great Festilon the Twelfth. He selected me once your spirit envoy made his plea.”
“No troubles, then?”
“All of us who serve in the Red Shell undergo rigorous training. Our methods are the finest in all the Doralesh Sea.”
"What would happen to a criminal on your world?"
“This criminal would be left in the Ikano Straights until the Death Anemone ripped him to shreds.”
From behind a curtain, the final member of our team emerged from the rear of the plane.
The Lark, who'd been doing her daily meditation, came and sat among us.
She had blonde hair, kind eyes, and wore a blue and white jumpsuit.
“How are you?” Renee asked. “I hope our chatter didn’t disturb you. We read that piece in the Times about your struggles.”
“I should never have agreed to that story.”
“Courage, young lady, courage; I believe you can overcome this bump in the road.”
“Ah yes,” purred Shandoleesa. “The poor girl who lacks focus. Some years in the circus might cure you. Boss Cardiñal would have left me roadside had I acted in such fashion.”
“Yes, yes, it was ‘hard work’ that made you such a star.”
“I’ve worked every day of my life. I did not whine about my troubles.”
“My apologies. I meant no insult to your impressive twirling and wiggling abilities.”
“How dare you?” Shandoleesa said as she stood. “You mock me, after your sniveling cries in the media? The rehab I endured would crush the likes of you!”
“I did not mock your injury,” the Lark answered. “Now get out of my face before I slap the circus clean out of you.”
The Lark now looked quite angrier than her photo in the Times.
The Lark, who'd been doing her daily meditation, came and sat among us.
She had blonde hair, kind eyes, and wore a blue and white jumpsuit.
“How are you?” Renee asked. “I hope our chatter didn’t disturb you. We read that piece in the Times about your struggles.”
“I should never have agreed to that story.”
“Courage, young lady, courage; I believe you can overcome this bump in the road.”
“Ah yes,” purred Shandoleesa. “The poor girl who lacks focus. Some years in the circus might cure you. Boss Cardiñal would have left me roadside had I acted in such fashion.”
“Yes, yes, it was ‘hard work’ that made you such a star.”
“I’ve worked every day of my life. I did not whine about my troubles.”
“My apologies. I meant no insult to your impressive twirling and wiggling abilities.”
“How dare you?” Shandoleesa said as she stood. “You mock me, after your sniveling cries in the media? The rehab I endured would crush the likes of you!”
“I did not mock your injury,” the Lark answered. “Now get out of my face before I slap the circus clean out of you.”
The Lark now looked quite angrier than her photo in the Times.
Del leapt up, quickly inserting himself between them.
“Save your rage for our foe.”
“Darling, please, this is unseemly.” Renee reached for her hand. After a moment, she took it and resumed her seat.
“For the record,” Del said, “that article was a complete hatchet job. I’ve never heard her whine once. She’s as brave as I’ve met.”
“You struggle with your meditation?” Jossen asked. “I shall be pleased to offer my help.”
“It's just, after years of it? I need a break. But I can’t. What if my powers fail at a key moment?”
“We all struggle at times, even those of us in the Red Shell. Our techniques might assist you.”
“Possibly. Once the mission is complete.”
“I, too, would be happy to put you through your paces,” Shandoleesa said. “Circus discipline has many, many uses.”
“Perhaps some other time.” The Lark slunk down and leaned against the window. “No more interviews. Never again.”
Del unpacked some gear and handed out coats to everyone, even a poncho that fit Dale.
Outside we saw craggy mountaintops covered with snow.
Our automated jet soon landed at the destination.
It was time to go find the King of Clouds.
“Save your rage for our foe.”
“Darling, please, this is unseemly.” Renee reached for her hand. After a moment, she took it and resumed her seat.
“For the record,” Del said, “that article was a complete hatchet job. I’ve never heard her whine once. She’s as brave as I’ve met.”
“You struggle with your meditation?” Jossen asked. “I shall be pleased to offer my help.”
“It's just, after years of it? I need a break. But I can’t. What if my powers fail at a key moment?”
“We all struggle at times, even those of us in the Red Shell. Our techniques might assist you.”
“Possibly. Once the mission is complete.”
“I, too, would be happy to put you through your paces,” Shandoleesa said. “Circus discipline has many, many uses.”
“Perhaps some other time.” The Lark slunk down and leaned against the window. “No more interviews. Never again.”
Del unpacked some gear and handed out coats to everyone, even a poncho that fit Dale.
Outside we saw craggy mountaintops covered with snow.
Our automated jet soon landed at the destination.
It was time to go find the King of Clouds.