Interlude Thirtyeight point One, Catching a Star
As night began to loosen its grip on Port Alexander, morning would be
coming soon. Siberian Star perched on the old clock tower waiting for Flex
to show. He had sounded concerned when he paged him and the Russian hero
felt it his duty to meet up with his partner.
Flex was tired, it had been a long night and he knew he had a busy day ahead
of him. But as much as he wanted, even needed his bed, he wanted to clear
things up with himself a Siberian Star. Seeing the clock tower ahead, Flex
leapt the final distance easily ran up one side.
Star had his back turned to him, so Flex called out so that he knew he had
arrived. In his mind Flex had gone over his conversation a hundred times
already, but knew he had to play it by ear. As he approached he felt it
best to try and get the surly Russian to talk. "So I wanted to ask you
where'd you think this the investigation now?"
"Maybe closer," he whispered as if in contemplation. Siberian Star paced
over to face the east, "The Dark Lord will contact me if he hears of
Saruva, in the mean time we continue to learn things on our own."
"You seem unsure, do you think we've done the right thing?" Flex offered
back, seeking to find out how far Siberian Star had genuinely agreed to help
the Dark Lord.
"Definitely," Siberian Star replied with icy confidence. "We have utilized
our resources, all we can do now is wait and be ready if it pans out. The
Dark Lord is not unreasonable, we have mutual problems and if he delivers
then Saruva will be eliminated. Then the people will be safe."
Flex fought to keep an edge out of his voice. The thought that the Dark
Lord was reasonable at all struck him as more than a little odd. He began
to wonder if the Siberian Star was more than a little gullible, the man was
a killer. He'd set out and, so far succeeding, in putting himself in charge
of all illegal action within the city.
"Hmm, yes some people will be safe, but for how long? Don't you think with
Saruva out of the way, the Dark Lord will eventually want to take over your
area as well?
"Are you questioning me?" asked Siberian Star. "We deal with one problem
at a time, right now it is Saruva."
"Yes and tomorrow, it'll be the Dark Lord! What were you thinking?
Flex paused then slowly and again deliberately more calmly he spoke again,
"Did you really mean it when you suggested that the Dark Lord can have his
wicked way with Saruva, when we'd caught up with him?
"Oh, I see where this is going" exclaimed Siberian Star. "You're upset
because I made a deal with the Dark Lord. Well everyday we make deals with
people. We buy a loaf of bread at the market giving our money as a deal
that the bread is fresh; we catch criminals every night in Port Alexander
under the deal that the police and the courts will pronounce justice on
them. Everything we do is based on a deal being made. The Dark Lord is no
different."
Siberian Star took a deep breath and added, "All I did was increase our
chances of removing a blight upon the city. If we catch Saruva on our own
then there is no deal with the Dark Lord. If not, then we still have
Saruva."
"Well when you make a deal with the devil and you'd best make sure what's
included in the small print. You don't know how a deal like this could come
back and bite you." Flex warned.
He was tired, the desire to catch Sting's killer weighed heavily on him. He
was also cross his worst fears confirmed. Siberian Star was playing a
dangerous game, a game he clearly thought he could win. Well like it or
not, when he got a moment Flex would let the others know what was going on.
Stepping off the clock tower, Flex sped home tired, frustrated and in need
of sleep.
Siberian Star watched Flex leave and just shook his head. The morning
would arrive soon marking the beginning of a new day, a day that hopefully
would lead to the capture of Saruva.
Last Updated 8 March 2005
