|
ALICE - A PAUL PURPLE STORY [ part 7a ] Paul The voice echoed in the house, almost as if it was carried by every speaker in the place. I gestured to Pauline to continue down to the basement while I walked to the front door. Billie-Jo remained with Sharon in the study. I checked that Pauline was down the stairs before I opened the door, a helicopter of a design I didn’t recognise was slowly powering down, it’s blades making a lazy circle. Two people wearing suits were running towards me, guns drawn. The pilot of the helicopter took off her helmet and waved to me, it was Mavis – the police officer from Ropeville. I shook my head, “Can you guys do anything quietly?” I said when they were close enough to hear. They both slowed up and, after seeing no sign of any weapon, the one in the lead holstered his gun. I looked again . . . yes, that was definitely a man running there! I stepped to one side of the door as the man arrived. He held up a badge and redundantly repeated, “F . . .B . . .I. Spe. . .Special Agent . . . Smith.” He panted, “Are you . . . alright sir?” He asked. I nodded my head, “I’m perfectly fine, why?” I asked He pointed to Sharon’s car, “Our scan showed that car had recently arrived, we thought that Fornalski had found you.” I sighed, more in relief than anything else, “That is Doctor Sharon *****’s car, she’s here to attend to Alice Fornalski. I think you’d better come in.” I said gesturing to the door. The second agent, who I noticed was female, had also arrived by this time. She was wearing an earpiece and I assumed she was in contact with Mavis as the helicopter blades started to speed up. As I watched it take to the air the second agent spoke up. “She’ll be back when we’ve finished, I’m Special Agent Jones . . . get it out of your system!” I must have looked blank because she had to explain, “It was an old television program, ‘Alias Smith and Jones’ ever since we’ve been partnered everyone’s been laughing about it.” She said. “Well I’m not laughing. I’ve got a young girl downstairs who’s worried that her step-father is going to get her.” I said as I escorted Agent Jones into the house. As I closed the door I pressed a button. Agent Smith turned “What have you just done?” He asked me, his hands moving to his gun. “I have sent a code signal down to the basement to tell Pauline that everything’s okay. If I didn’t she would have taken Alice to a secure holding area and would have defended it with her life.” I told him. He looked at Jones who nodded her head, “He’s talking the truth.” The voice was slightly changed and I realised what had happened. I spoke to Smith, “Does it need two of you to talk to Alice, or could just one of you do it?” I asked him, I didn’t want to influence Agent Jones – although I knew I could. “Well it would be better with two as we can be witnesses for each other; it’s just for evidence sake.” He said “What if Doctor Sharon goes with Agent Jones, Alice already knows Sharon, and Sharon would be able to keep an eye on her, no disrespect to Agent Jones intended.” I said. “None taken Mr. Purple, it will give Agent Smith a chance to question you.” Jones said and smiled sweetly at me, I nodded and walked to the study where Sharon and Billie-Jo were waiting. There was a scared look on Billie-Jo’s face. “It’s okay Billie-Jo, they’re from Ropeville.” I said smiling and then made the introductions. Sharon gave a small laugh while Billie-Jo looked blank. I turned to the two agents and gave an apologetic shrug. I quickly explained what I wanted and Sharon quickly agreed, she got up and went with Agent Jones to the basement, I turned on the monitor, and had the sound turned off, it showed Pauline talking to Alice, they were both sitting on an examination table – which I assumed Sharon had found down there. “Sit down Agent Smith, do you want a drink of anything? I’m sure Billie-Jo would be happy to serve you.” I noticed he was watching my naked slave closely. “Err . . . No, no thank you.” He said, I wondered if he thought I was suggesting something other than a drink? “I think you’d better go to your room, you seem to be distracting the nice FBI man.” I said to Billie-Jo who thanked me and left the study, I could hear a giggle as she closed the door. I turned my attentions to Agent Smith, “Well Agent. Do you want to get it out of your system? You’ve been briefed on me and should know what to expect.” I said to him. Agent Smith sat, or nearly fell, into a chair. “Being told and seeing is a different matter; doesn’t she mind being undressed like that?” He asked. “At first she did, but since she was kept in a kiddie brothel she’s been seen by hundreds of men and made to do things that no child should have to. She’s happier with me.” I said. Agent Smith looked interested, “I read a report about that, wasn’t there some problem with missing girls?” He asked. “Was there? It was a bit confusing with everyone around, has there been any word on them.” I said knowing full well what had happened to the missing girls (see ‘Billie-Jo lost from her master’ by Turner2Corners) “No. And it’s believed several of your colleagues left with a few extra bundles.” Smith said. “I think we’d better leave that subject for now. What do you want to know about Alice?” I said dragging his attention back to the subject. “How did you choose Alice in the first place?” He asked. “Pure luck, she was the right age and in the right place. Billie-Jo made the final decision and was the one who orchestrated Alice’s capture. As far as Alice is concerned Billie-Jo was my target, and she was just an innocent bystander.” I said “So she wasn’t a main target? She was just unlucky?” Smith asked and I nodded, “So much for that idea, we had hoped that you had an agenda and was baiting this Fornalski.” He watched me closely. I shook my head, “Never heard the name before, but you seem to be taking him seriously.” I said. “You didn’t read the zip file you sent to Commander Evans?” I shook my head, “A person answering the description of Red Fornalski was seen entering the Milton Bradley complex by the surveillance team, he didn’t come out until 16:00 hrs, and an hour later there’s an explosion. We’ve read the report of the investigation team, John Watson’s body was found, badly burnt, tied to a chair in the kitchen. All the gas jets were on full but there was no pilot light. What was found was a timer attached to an electric light.” Smith paused as if waiting for me to say something. I thought for a moment and then shook my head in disgust. “A room full of gas and a spark when the timer turned on the lamp, then ‘BOOM’!” I opened my arms expressively Smith nodded, “It’s a well known way to start a fire, used by arsonists and property developers trying to improve a site for renovations, but this time we’re clearing the owners of Milton Bradley.” I almost did a double take. “That was dangerously near a joke agent?” I said. “Yeah! I failed serious class.” Smith said dryly. “So why are you here with Agent Jones?” I asked. “I’m not sure, we’ve been paired up at Ropeville, it’s strange you know?” He said. I nodded, “What is? Being the only male agent in a town?” I asked. “How did you know?” The look on his face was priceless. “Let’s try a hypothetical situation. You have a possible purp., who somehow is able to influence any female he comes into contact with. How do you ensure that he doesn’t evade the procedure by making the women to look the other way?” I said smiling. Smith was quick on the uptake, “You send out either a team of men, or a mixed team and ensure minimum contact between the female agent by keeping him with the male.” Smith had a thoughtful look on his face. “You were told not to leave me with Jones for too long.” I said - he nodded his head. “In my line of work it’s a useful talent, it’s natural with me.” I smiled, “I know it’s a bit X-files, but you should be used to the strange at Ropeville. You did grow up there didn’t you?” I asked him. He looked at me in surprise, “How did you work that out?” He asked. “You weren’t fazed by Agent Jones’s truth sense; it has to be one of her aspects. I take it she was an orphan at Ropeville, just like my Pauline, I’d suggest you never cross her, she’ll have extra special training.” I said. The look on his face was priceless. |