ALICE - A PAUL PURPLE STORY

BY CORNER GHOST
cornerghost@hotmail.com

[ 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.