We knew that morning had arrived once more, by hearing the VIP room's phone ringing. Until that thing rang, we were blissfully unaware of the passing of time, since I pulled the plug on our alarm clock. That thing lights up the whole room at night, so no thank you.

I take the receiver in my hand while still feeling half-asleep.
"Uggghhhhh....Essie. Ugh....V.....IP room?"

"Morning, Essie. Did I wake you?" It's Hayes' energetic sounding voice obviously. Who else would torment us this early?

"Y....yeah..." Well, it's the truth.

"Ouch...okay....well....it's 9.30 am. Thought you guys might want to have breakfast while you are working so hard to prepare for shopping. I want to see all three of you in my office at 10.30. Do you think....you can make it?"

"Yes, sir!" Oops...9.30 already?

"Ah, that sounds better. See you at 10.30 sharp. Don't worry about the coffee...my treat."

"Mmmm.......not fair, you know exactly how to motivate me. See you later, sir."

"10.30, Essie....." He then hung up, but I could swear he was grinning when he said that.

Breakfast arrived and the sandwiches were a welcome and good meal to start the day. Hayes must be teasing me, because there was only tea, no coffee, but I'm not complaining.

We got dressed pretty quickly, once more in a camouflage uniform. This time they provided us with Air Force caps, and they seem to do the trick just fine to hide the ears. It's just that the sounds are a bit muffled like that, but it works. Our tails are bound to our backs, which makes it look as if we're having a flat pillow on our backs underneath the uniform. But it's not too bad, you really have to look before you suspect anything. If anyone complains, we'll tell them it's a pillow we need to use for medical reasons.

We now look like normal, regular, good, old fashioned humans. Except for the fact that we're wearing a uniform. But Purcellville is probably swarming, no pun intended, with uniformed people, so they probably wouldn't mind seeing a few more.

 

After briefing my guests about life on Earth, in preparation for our little field trip, we found ourselves once more in Hayes' office. I didn't waste a moment, reaching for the coffee. My Kitsune friends are sticking with tea.

 

"I can't stop saying it, it's incredible how fast you can build these rooms, Hayes." Nanako sounds impressed.

"They were prefabs, em....pre-built. We only had to place them here." Hayes said matter of factly, making it sound insignificant.

"Even so, it's still amazing. Moving a home like that. We don't do that on Negawa."

"Yes, well, that's why we're learning from each other, right?"

"Mmm....always the diplomat, Hayes, but yes, I agree."

"Good. And know that we'll take a picture of you three in a few moments, so you'll have proper IDs. Oh, and don't forget to bring a radio along...just in case."

"Emm.....understood, Colonel." We just ignored the other Kitsune's faces, because they had no idea what Hayes just said.

"Very good. Now, Essie, I need to inform you about something else. You two are welcome to listen, but this is classified....restricted information. A secret if you will. Please don't discuss this with other people."

Both Kara and Nanako nod, waiting anxiously for Hayes to reveal the secret. Considering that he's addressing me, I'm feeling a bit nervous.

"Essie, the General has granted me permission to reveal the following to you. You have followed my orders to the letter and there's no sign of you having been compromised by the Queens, except for a few occasions which I will explain in a minute.

Simply put, we will need your help for what we're planning to do. While doubts about your loyalty will remain until the Queens have been wiped out, it's not enough to exile you. In retrospect, we shouldn't have sent you away. Our apologies, and welcome back, Essie."

I'm feeling a bit emotional now, and Hayes can see that I'm fighting to keep my tears from forming. "Essie...I'm sorry, but it was necessary. I know that you are smart enough to understand that our first priority was to ensure the safety of humanity. You've shown trust and loyalty and now the US Military is returning that trust."

"I'm sorry, sir...but I didn't expect to ever see Earth again." Now I'm starting to cry, and Kara is massaging my back, while Nanako is glaring at Hayes.

"Hayes, have you any idea how much you have hurt her?"

"I do have a pretty good idea, yes, Princess Nanako. Essie, take your time. Now let me continue.

Each and every time you held a press conference where you discussed our plans, the Phantoms moved instantly....predictable like pieces on a chess board."

"That....shouldn't be possible!" I almost shouted.

"And yet, the evidence shows exactly that. We have suggested a few tactics for you to contemplate as a test, but the Phantoms only repositioned their forces while you were giving a presentation. Never during our usual meetings."

"I can't believe it. Why only at those moments?" I removed a tear that rolled down from my right eye, slowly making its way down.

Hayes noticed that, but smiled for a moment to help me relax.
"Perhaps your attention shifted from keeping up the firewall to handling the press conference professionally?"

"Mmm.....that....yes! I remember feeling nervous, but at that time the pressure in my mind vanished! I thought it was a headache, but that explains it! Whenever I was nervous....she could hear my thoughts! Oh my god, Hayes! She heard all about our plans!"

"Shhh...we know, Essie. But can you feel the pressure now?"

"Em...yes! She's always trying to bypass my firewall, even now as we speak, but Oscar is helping me. But the poor guy needs more Phantoms...he's almost at his maximum. Simply put...more Phantoms in our Swarm equals a better firewall."

"Then find more Phantoms. Steal them from her, do whatever you have to do."

"Gladly, I will! But still....don't tell me critical information...unless I can help in an emergency."

"You have no idea how much I appreciate that comment. But still, our trust in you has been restored. If we want to beat the Queen, or rather plural...Queens, we have to cooperate. There's no other way."

"Yes, sir. Em....Colonel...how about simply feeding me....disinformation?"

"That thought has occurred to us, but you might put one and one together. We couldn't take the risk."

"Mmmm....but now that I already know.....I can try, right? If it's fake information, there's no loss, am I wrong?"

"True. These are extraordinary circumstances and we need extraordinary measures. I'll ask the General. If he agrees, we'll let you test this even before you go shopping. Please return to your VIP room for a while, I will need some time for this. You're dismissed."

 

Ah, that reminds me. Hayes didn't refer to my earlier phone call. I'm sure he knows that I called my mom, but damn decent of him not to mention it.

Our shopping preparations, if you can really call them that, since we're mostly discussing silly stuff like how to practice fluffing fluffy tails without barking, are going pretty well. But we also discussed the fact that my fox-fire has changed from a small light in my hand palm into dancing lights around me. One thing led to another and we're laughing almost non-stop. Somehow it feels like we're going on a field trip, and I feel all giddy about going on a real holiday this time. Not to a metropolis, but still a nice nearby city. Well....it's not supposed to be a holiday, but I can still enjoy it, right?

 

 

Knock Knock. Someone knocked on our VIP room's door.

"Enter!" Nanako shouts with her regal voice while sitting inside the sleeper.

"Yes, your majesty." Hayes said after closing the VIP room's door behind him.

"Hayes....." Nanako said. Do I even need to explain? Well, he's grinning and we're giggling, so all is fine.

"Essie, the General has approved Operation Fake News. Are you up to it?"

"Is that the official name?" I asked.

"Essie...no it isn't, now answer the question please."

"Sure, let's poke around in the hornet's nest and see what happens."

"Essie....make sure you don't get stung."

"Uh-huh...sure...piece of cake....not."

I take my place in the sleeper and wait until everyone is seated.

"Essie, we have a very large group of Phantoms heading for Japan this time. Instead of confronting her, could you try planting the suggestion that a massive army is waiting for them? That they will stand no chance of survival?"

"Em.....so you basically want me to pretend to be a loyal Phantom who warns the Queen?"

Hayes nods. "Something like that. Otherwise she'll know it's you."

"Okay....here goes nothing." I close my eyelids and focus on hearing Oscar.

 

 

[ POV Hayes ] 

Essie is frowning, it seems she's having difficulties bringing the message to its destination. I'll give it a few minutes more, and then I'll snap her out of it.

Essie is now trembling, as if she's about to go into a seizure. It's time for me to end this.

"Okay, that's enough, Essie. Stop what you're doing." But she doesn't even seem to hear me.

"Snap out of it! Now!" But again she totally ignores me.

"Hayes....let me try, trust me!" Kara said, and I can see that she means it. 

"Do it!" I ordered Kara to make Essie stop.

 

For some reason Kara forcefully tugs on Essie's uniform and pulls the hidden tail out from under it. Then she starts petting Essie's tail, which must be painful to Essie by the looks of it. This might work as a stop gap measure, because I was about to slap her cheek.

Even Nanako keeps saying "wake up, Essie, wake up!"

 

Only seconds later Essie's eyes open and she's looking at the ceiling. 

"ARF!" 

"What the heck? She barked? And what's with the glowing lights stuff?" I asked.

"We will explain later, Hayes." Nanako said. "She seems to be waking up now....it worked. But something happened, I can see it in her eyes."

 

 

[ POV Essie ] 

"What.....what the heck happened?" Ik look at Kara and see a tear in her eyes. But mine aren't dry either.

"You didn't respond to my orders, Essie." Hayes said.

"Hayes...it worked. She heard the suggestion. Oscar and his friends helped me...they said it felt real...or something. And don't worry....my firewall is on."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Both Queens held me hostage, Colonel. They didn't know the message came from me, but they still found me...in their mind-space. They are working together now, both ready to wipe us from existence. I won't be able to do this again....they are too strong, especially now they are actively working together. They tried to take over my mind and body again....and nearly succeeded."

"Shit. But there is more, right?" Hayes asked.

"Yes. 3 Phantoms from my own Swarm protected me....they sacrificed themselves to break the link. They're...dead, Hayes! I let her kill them! I promised them freedom!" I'm shivering, feeling cold.

"Shhh...calm down."

"No, you don't understand! She then killed 40 others near her who were about to defect, planning to join me!"

"....ouch...."

"...she's pure evil! I was about to attack her....but I couldn't. Then I suddenly woke up. What happened?"

"I fluffed you." Kara said while hugging me.

"Oh......thank you...I guess? It must have worked."

She gave me her wonderful smile once more.

"Essie, did they reveal any plans to you?" Hayes asked.

"Yes. The Queens are about to start their attacks. Both Queens...both worlds...at the same time.  She doesn't know I heard that....she only focused on me here...not the me who was pretending to be a Phantom. Hayes! She taunted me....laughing that I was incapable of leading a Swarm. She was about to wipe my mind blank!"

"Essie....focus...you are safe now. WHEN are they going to attack?"

"Within a week or so. They're still positioning themselves. Wait....I need to recall the memories first..... it's like trying to remember a dream. Oh nooo....first she wants to reposition her forces.....here. ALL of them, Hayes. Then free the portal on both sides, and join forces with her sister. She demands total and complete devastation!"

"Well done, Essie. See? You are incredibly valuable to us. I'll brief the General. How about you take a few moments to recover? Are you still planning on going shopping after this?"

"Em...yeah, I think so? Hayes, WAIT!" He almost left the room.

"What?!!!" 

"No, no, nothing happening, sorry. Just another update. It only dawned on me this morning that you should point every satellite transmission you have at the Queen! She hates that! It disrupts her thoughts! This should free many more Phantoms and let them join our cause!"

"We will take that under advisement. Now keep that firewall up and.....Princess, while Kara and Essie are taking a breather, I'd like you to tell me about...fluffing?"

Nanako looks at Kara and me, hugging. And she seems to understand.
"Of course, Hayes."  And then follows him out.

 

 

After only 10 minutes, Hayes and Nanako joined us again. 10 minutes we used to calm down and feel in control of our own lives again.

Hayes seems happy when he announces the following. "Essie...it worked. The Phantoms are retreating from Japan! It gives us the time we need to prepare. Their Prime Minister sends his gratitude. Even though he doesn't know it was you. The Japanese Self Defense forces were about to launch a preemptive strike. Something which hasn't happened since WWII."

"Yes, sir. Just....please don't give me those details anymore. She's too dangerous. I don't want to be responsible for the downfall of humanity."

"Alright, I see you are serious about that. But will you still help with delivering fake news?"

"Not so sure about that. I need plenty more Phantoms to pull that off, sir. She nearly killed me."

"Understood. No more disinformation for now. Find more Oscars, that's an order."

"Yes, sir." I saluted with a smile. I mean, without them I'll basically die anyway. The Queen is too strong for me, let alone two of them.

I already told Oscar that I would work hard to free more of his family, so he can have some R&R as well.

"Good, then it's time for you three to finally have some fun. God knows you deserve it. See you three tomorrow...and kids...behave."

"Ha ha ha..."

Hayes then gives me a credit card. "This one's yours, Essie."

"A credit card? Wow, thanks!"

"No, you don't understand...this is your credit card."

"Ohhhhh..."

"Exactly, it's linked to your Air Force account. So it's up to you how you want to spend your own money."

 

Anticipating the start of our little shopping spree, we're in the best of spirits. We're dressed in our camouflage uniforms, which shouldn't surprise the locals.

Nanako asked what she should expect next, so I explained in a way they could understand. I wanted to keep it a secret to enhance the thrill of leaving the park, but they can't seem to wait.

Basically we will first use a military truck which acts as an hourly shuttle bus to the same motel as where my weird adventure began, and from there take the bus to downtown Purcellville. Even that alone should prove to be pretty interesting to my friends.

We'll be having lunch in a family restaurant, visiting a pet shop for purely scientific fluffing reasons, and visiting a 7-Eleven as well. It's not exactly a marketplace, but it will have to do. I'll try to keep everyone entertained until sunset, hoping to show them the many decorative lights in the surrounding shops. We'll end our trip with hamburgers and fries, and simply call a taxi to get us back to base.

 

 

When we finally reached Gatekeeper, approaching the barrier to freedom, our shopping spree came to an untimely halt. Unfortunately for us, Kara and I must have angered the lazy gods one time too many, so they decided to reward us with their wrath, plus interest.

"Em....sorry, ma'am, but all personnel are ordered to stay on base." An armed security guard told me.

It didn't require many years of research to understand what was going on. He pointed at a crowd gathered in the distance, where at least 10 newly arrived buses were unloading their human cargo. More buses must have arrived earlier, and quite the crowd is forming there.

"Understood. Any idea what that's about?" I asked, probably sounding as disappointed as I felt.

"Yes, ma'am. Tourists, that's what's going on. They have been gathering here for an hour. The police are keeping them away from us, but they're still obstructing base operations.

It seems that their presence isn't illegal, so we can't really do anything about it. Due to potential security risks, General Pearson has ordered personnel to stay away from our security barrier. He's trying to find a way to get rid of the tourists...legally, if you know what I mean." He grinned in a very infectious way.

Of course I can't resist returning the grin. "I see what you mean. I'd love to solve this little problem for everyone, but I think it would get me a court martial."

"Yup, life sure is full of temptations. Excuse me, I'm needed." He left me, still grinning, after someone shouted at him.

 

 

Nothing helped to improve Nanako's impressive foul mood, while we slowly returned to our VIP room.  I even took a detour to prolong our long voyage back, but Nanako's mood only got worse and worse. 

She's acting like a spoiled child, complaining non-stop. She's continuously saying things like "not fair" and "Hayes did this." Thank god that she finally stopped cursing, yes she progressed to cursing, when we approached our VIP room. I think the extra-long walk through the park was enough to make her come to her senses once more.

She even apologized at some point, but her foul mood didn't really want to leave. I know, she was seriously looking forward to seeing the "real" Earth, but it just wasn't meant to be. Only when I promised for the tenth time to make it up to her, a careful smile returned on her lips. And just in time too, because Hayes intercepted us, right before entering our VIP room.

He apologized for the situation outside, but we all understood that Hayes wasn't at fault. These things happen, and thankfully Nanako can see the wisdom in that now. He said that some of the tourists started taking pictures, which gives the military a legal reason to send them back to wherever they came from.

Even if the situation would resolve itself within the next hour, our afternoon is in shambles. Only when Hayes started to grin, we knew that something else was going on.

"Essie?"

"Yeeeeeees......sir?"

"Do you remember the first day here, when you talked to that Phantom you shot? And that some scientists were very interested in meeting you?"

"Meeting, talking, yes. Dissecting, no."

"Exactly, that's what you said."

"No, I mean......okay, yes. Still applies."

He pats my shoulder a few times while grinning mischievously. Definitely up to something.
"Right. So, that guy just happened to arrive today. Now listen carefully, as I will deny ever having said this. Promise me that."

"Yes, sir. I promise that we never had this very discussion. Now why is this so funny?"

"When we initially received the request from the Pentagon to set up an exploratory meeting with you, we expected that military personnel would speak to you, considering the needed security clearance.

Not only the portal or the existence of the Kitsune, but also your above average human capabilities are classified. The fact that you are now a Kitsune yourself only adds an additional layer of security clearance a visitor would need. As I already implied, the guy who is about to visit you unfortunately isn't one of ours.

Now imagine my surprise when I heard that someone got wind of our little operation here, and they demanded...let me emphasize that for you....they demanded from the President himself, to send a civilian here. I'm not sure what they're using to force the President to go along with this, but it can't be pretty.

The civilian arrived about an hour ago, and we were planning to give him a very relaxing, long holiday where we would use any trick in the book to keep him away from you.

However, as fate would have it, I was ordered to send you over to him. I know you can keep a secret, so I'll trust you on this one. Apparently the President has called our General Pearson, and he promised to do anything to remove this guy from our base....but he needs a damn good reason first. And this is where you come in.

Essie, again, listen carefully. I will deny having ever had this conversation with you. You are smart enough to understand how to deal with this. Make sure your companions understand as well, as this guy has the word danger written all over him. Simply put, don't trust him and stay safe."

I'm feeling worried right now. Worried for our safety.
"Yes, sir, I'll explain it to them. Should they even join me?"

"They are members from another state and enjoy diplomatic immunity. It's up to them to choose whether to join you or not. I would recommend joining." He grinned again.

"Ahh....like that. Okay, Nanako, Kara, would you like to join me? A man will most likely ask about Kitsune life, the Swarm, mind-space and such things. But you have to be careful with that guy. Whisper your question to me first if you aren't sure. In any case....I think we could still have a very interesting afternoon."

"Sure, count me in." Kara said without giving it another thought.

"Hayes, this man is not to be trusted?" Nanako asked, sounding very serious.

"No, this man is dangerous. I can't even guarantee that all of you will stay safe. Be careful. I'll put a few guards outside, but that's all I can do."

"Mmm.....sounds like trouble. May we....toy....with this guy?" Nanako asked.

"I have absolutely no idea what you just asked, nor do I think I want to know. But if it means you'll help Essie, then do it."

"Alright, Hayes, then I'm in too. This might be a fun afternoon after all." Nanako gave him a very creepy smile.

"Very well. Essie, now let me give you your un-official orders, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir. I never received any orders except for the order to visit the moron. Sorry, I meant to say civilian. Just a sincere slip of the tongue, sir."

"It seems we understand each other perfectly. Essie, get rid of him. I trust you to keep sensitive topics from him. I don't care how he got his clearance, I don't trust him with any classified information. He should have been a military officer, not an unscreened civilian.

Be creative, stall for time. Play some ridiculous games with him, and if possible, try to make him cross the line. If he does, call me, and I'll kick him out myself. But whatever you do, stay calm and polite and don't antagonize him, because I won't be able to protect you if you do. This one reports all the way to the top, even above the General. If you fail, you'll find my footprint on your behind. Now go there, and show him who's the boss."

"Sir, yes, sir. Excuse us." I shouted at him while saluting, and the other two copied me, albeit while grinning.

"Godspeed, ladies. Oh, and if you're successful, dinner will be on me tonight. And Princess Nanako, I WILL find a way to show you the real Earth."

"Thank you, Hayes. For what it's worth, I understand and won't complain."

Hayes nods politely, appreciating her remark, then walks away while barely able to hide a grin.

 

 

I spent the next five minutes discussing a few scenarios with Nanako and Kara, so they'll understand not to reveal too much information. I basically told them that he's a spy, and that helped them understand just how dangerous this guy supposedly is.

The three of us leisurely walk towards meeting room 2, which is conveniently located next to Hayes' office. The 5 well-armed guards, their presence being a welcome courtesy of Hayes, allow us entry and we wait for the person inside to stop using his laptop. 

He doesn't appear to have noticed us entering the room, so I take a few moments to try and see who we're dealing with. He looks to be in his early thirties, and his expression seems to say "don't mess with me." I instantly know what Hayes meant by "the guy has written the word danger all over him." Simply put, I don't trust him, even though we haven't even introduced ourselves yet.

His short black hair looks a bit greasy, perhaps due to using too much conditioner this morning. He's wearing a black business suit and his necktie is dark blue with diagonal white lines, giving him a professional look.

"Of course, I'll make sure to check that. Yes, of course. This afternoon, not sooner. Understood. Okay, later." 

Ahhhhh...so that's why he didn't hear us entering the room: he was talking to someone using his ear buds, which are now put inside his briefcase.

When he notices us standing there, his expression changes substantially, even showing a professional smile. We're soooo not gonna be friends.

 

"Good morning, you must be the Kitsune delegation." He closes the laptop's lid and walks over to us.

He extends his hand and I accept it, resulting in a firm handshake caused by both parties. 
"Everyone, I'm Frank Greene, NSA. Nice to meet you."

Oh no...not them. The NSA? This simply can't be good for us. Then again, even revealing that might be a lie for all I know.

"Airman Whitfield, Air Force. Likewise, sir." Yeah, not really happy to meet, only pretending because Hayes wants me to be nice.

Kara and Nanako copy the gesture and shake hands as if it were the most normal thing for them to do.

"I'm Kara, Essie's personal assassin." She points at me.

"You're an assassin? Did you really just say that?" He glanced at me, then took a few moments to study Kara's face and noticed that she's dressed in a similar uniform to mine.

"Yes, I really did say that." Kara said, replying matter of factly. Well, he did ask for confirmation.

"Okaaay, then I'll get back to you about that later." He then shook hands with Nanako.

"I am Princess Nanako, Princess of the Athana Kingdom. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." 

"Yes, I've heard that you would be visiting us today. Your majesty, it is an honor. Please, do sit down. Are any of you hungry or thirsty perhaps?" He looks at my uniform's insignia for a moment.

Call me impressed, this guy is smooth and seems to be paying attention to details. I wonder when the fun will start.

"Thank you, no, we're fine. You can start the meeting whenever you wish." I said.

"Alright, no time for small talk, I can respect that. First of all, welcome to our first meeting."

He motioned us to take a seat and we did....except for the fact that I pulled the chair back more than would be considered polite. I simply want a distance between us. The others once more follow my lead. He probably wanted to comment on that, but Nanako beat him to it.

"First?" Nanako asked.

"Oh yes, this is only an exploratory meeting. The next few meetings will go into more detail, mainly depending on feedback provided by the NSA's Board of Investigation."

"I'm sorry, but I will not be here for any future meetings. I am only visiting Earth today." Nanako said, after which she crossed her arms. Yup, it seems Nanako has made up her mind as well.

"I see, that is unfortunate. In that case I will ask Miss Whitfield to answer on your behalf where possible."

Nanako glanced at me for a moment, and I understood all too well. This guy is dangerous, he's not polite, he's too polite.

"Is something wrong?" He asked me.

"Em, no, sir. I will try to answer those questions, of course."

"Thank you very much. Just a heads up, this meeting is being recorded. The video camera is right there." He points at a rather professional looking camera setup to our left, standing on a tripod. "And this little device is recording your voices. Do you understand what I said?"

"Yes, you are recording the meeting so you can review the footage with your Board. By the looks of it, it is professional equipment, probably full HD or more, since I don't see any analogue connections. Nanako, Kara, it means everything we say will be reviewed at a later moment by his...em...masters. For them it's like watching TV."

"Ahhh....okay, I understand." Nanako said, and Kara nodded as well.

He once more carefully observed our facial expressions, probably uncertain how easy or difficult it is to read Kitsune emotions.
"Now that's interesting. It seems you are familiar with Earth's technology and terminology, and are even able to explain it to them."

"That's a correct assessment, sir."

"Oh, excuse me, it was only a rhetorical question. Very interesting nonetheless. How did you acquire that knowledge, if I may ask?"

"Before I answer that, I must point out that it is considered polite to first tell us why we're having this meeting. Could you please explain that first, before we continue, sir?" I made sure to sound polite, but I'm sure he could sense some sarcasm in there.

"Huh? Oh, of course. It's my job to make a threat assessment of the Kitsune presence and the Phantom situation as well. My questions will mainly focus on those two topics. The NSA's Board of Investigation believes that you are a threat to this nation, just like the Phantoms are. These meetings will allow you to prove the Board wrong. It would therefore be in your own best interest to cooperate." He politely answered the question, but I could taste a bit of annoyance there.

"Okay, I understand." Sure....smart guy, like he's the one deciding our fate.

"Excellent, then please answer my question. How did you acquire this information? Even your sentences sound natural, almost human."

Almost human?
"Something tells me you already know......sir." Maybe I should start the game? Let's see how he reacts?

"Tell me anyway." His serious expression tells me that I should answer him, or else face the consequences. Bingo, he's definitely dangerous.

"Of course, but the reason is pretty straightforward. I know about human life in general because I used to be human. My family name should be fairly easy to find in your records." These guys tend to know things about people, so look it up already!

He looks surprised, but quickly composes himself.
"Interesting. Then how did you change into a Kitsune?"

"It was an accident, sir. Involving magic."

"Are you being serious now?" He looks at the camera, and I follow his gaze. Yep, the red light is still blinking, so it's still recording.

"Very serious. On Negawa, all kinds of magic exist. Look at this." I showed him my blue necklace. "This necklace will glow in a bright blue color when a Phantom approaches us. It's only one form of magic though."

He leans forward to better see my gemstone, then sits back again. He takes a paper notebook out of his suitcase and flips through it until he makes a few notes. "Alright, that was very interesting. Please bring it with you next time, so we can run a few tests on it."

"Sure."

"Excellent. We have many other topics planned for today, but we're making steady progress already. Essie...may I call you Essie?"

"Em...considering this is being recorded, sir....it would be polite to address me as Airman, or Miss Whitfield. I'm with the Air Force."

"Understood. So your rank is not honorary, but you are truly enlisted, working as military staff for the Air Force? Not a civilian?"

"Yes, sir. That is correct."

"I see. I will get back to you on that during our next meeting. May I please ask you to show your ears and tails? I noticed you are trying to conceal them, but I would like to record them on video."

"By all means, we don't have anything to hide." I remove my air force cap and free my tail as well. I needed to stand for that, so he could see it move in all its glory. And yes, I made sure to correct the fluff a bit, since it looked a bit flat. My friends do the same when I nod at them.

"That's not something I see everyday. But why did you feel the need to conceal them? I already knew that my visitors would be the Kitsune delegation."

And here we go....getting less polite already.

"Because the general public on Earth should remain unaware of our presence for the time being. Simply put, we're trying to keep a low profile. And as you can see, we complied with your request without delay."

"Alright, that makes sense. However, there is no need to feel threatened, it was only a question for archival purposes. Essie....sorry, Miss Whitfield, another topic. It seems your brain is capable of extrasensory perception. I would like to test that ability, would you consent to that?"

"It depends on what you have in mind...sir."

"A simple card game." He again opens his briefcase for a moment and takes a few cards out of it. After shuffling them, he puts three of them on the meeting room table, all with their faces down.

"These are three random cards. Can you tell me what image is shown on the other side?" The card's backsides are all white, and so is the table.

"Em...no, I can't, they're lying upside down." I looked at the cards for a moment, then made sure to look innocent when we made eye contact.

He grins for a moment. "I know that. But the idea is that you use your other skills to find out anyway. Question is....can you?" He touches his chin for a moment, which seems beyond smooth. There isn't any stubble to be seen.

"Em.....okay, I don't see the harm in that. First, check the cards yourself."

He's staring at me, and then takes a quick peek. When he drops the cards, I touch his arm for a moment. "Oh my god...sorry, I just got a splitting headache for a second." He's massaging his temples for a few seconds. "Why did you touch my arm?"

"A star, a car, and a banana." I said matter of factly, ignoring his question.

"Exactly right! Very impressive. It seems the reports were right about your skills. Would you please share with me how you managed to pull that off?"

"Sure, I simply linked with your memories for a moment." It's the truth, no reason to hide it.

"You......you saw my memories? What else did you see?" He asked, probably afraid that I saw some juicy state secrets.

"Nothing, I only saw what you saw, then broke the connection. Forcing you to share anything else would be insanely rude, so I wouldn't do that." I hope he understands that I expect the same from him...politeness.

"Is that like a Kitsune code of honor?"

"Em...not specifically. It's more like the polite thing to do. And you asked me to give you the answer to determine my skills, so I assumed you didn't mind. I would never read your memories without permission, and I only focused on the answer you were seeking."

"Alright, but I hereby inform you that I do not give permission to try that again."

"Understood."

"Just like that? You won't abuse that power?" He's frowning.

"Why would I? You would instantly feel the connection as a brief headache. It's not like I could try again without you noticing. So what's the point in me trying?"

"Good point. Alright you two ladies. Do you have this skill as well?"

"No, sir." Kara said, avoiding his eyes completely.

Nanako replied "I don't have that ability. Essie is quite unique in these matters. Mind-magic is a very uncommon skill in our world."

"So you are apparently not a race of telepaths, good to know." Again he made a quick note.

"I'm afraid I don't understand that word." Nanako looks confused.

"Ignore it, it's alright. Our assumption was that all Kitsune had this skill. For now I have no reason to assume that any of you is lying. But more tests are required in the future. One of those will require an MRI, so we can see if your brain is attempting to make a connection, even though you say that you aren't. But again, so far there is no reason to assume you are lying." Greene said while making a few notes once more.

"That's good to know, sir." I said, trying to sound polite.

"Now why would you say that?" He leans back in his chair, forcing me to think of an answer to something which was only meant as a polite reply.

"Because I'm assuming that so far you are also telling the truth about your intentions." Does that answer the question or do I need to explain it Barney style?

"Okay.....fair enough. Let's continue. Can you now hear my thoughts?"

"No, sir, it's very quiet."

"Mmm...sarcasm, a human trait."

Wait, did this guy already forget that I was born a human? Seems like it. "No, sir, only a fact. There are no thoughts, so it's pretty quiet." I hear Nanako quietly snickering to my right.

"I see, let's move on. Can you also talk to dead people?" He's reading a checklist, a long one at that. Guess we're in for much more "fun" today.

"No, sir, only if they are alive." This time Kara is giggling, but she stops when he glares at her.

"Alright, then let's save this list for another day. What do you think of Major Hayes, Airman?" He's staring at me, almost glaring. Did I do something wrong?

"He's a Colonel now."

"Let me check." He scrolls through a spreadsheet on his laptop, then says "it seems you are right, he's a Lieutenant-Colonel now. I stand corrected. Now please answer the question." He uses his open hand to gesture to me to continue.

"He's my commanding officer, I trust him."

"That's it? You trust him? What about his orders, do you agree with them?"

"I don't really understand what you are trying to ask. As an Airman, I don't question his orders, I'm supposed to carry them out."

"Typical military conditioned response. Alright, I can respect that. I should note that all three of you are allowed to answer my questions, so please don't think that I'm only speaking to Miss Whitfield."

Kara nods, not really interested to answer him. But Nanako says "thank you, but kindly direct your questions at Essie. Kara and I don't understand most of your expressions."

"Ah, of course. Alright, next one. Do you, Miss Whitfield, believe that the military should continue to run this operation? All three of you are Kitsune, not humans. As outsiders, do you believe that the military presence is still required here?"

"Sorry. I don't understand your question. Can you be more specific, sir?" Please dumb it down for me, because I'm already fed up with this interrogation, and I need to stall for time.

"Of course. Should the military keep guarding the portal, or would you....being outsiders...also accept a civilian organization to do the same?"

"Em....first of all, I'm biased for being in the Air Force. But I don't see any issues if a civilian organization would take over. It's up to the US government to decide, not me."

"A diplomatic answer, noted. Now let me ask you something unrelated. Your record states that you shot one Phantom yourself. Do you have any prior experience using guns or weapons in general?"

Wow, he just keeps jumping from topic to topic. This is definitely an interrogation, not a meeting at all!
"It was a rifle, not a gun. And no, I never used a weapon before. I just took the damn rifle and shot that thing."

He smiles for a moment, probably because I share my aversion to Phantoms with him.
"Noted. What do the Kitsune expect to receive out of the cooperation with the Air Force or more accurately, the US Government?"

Nanako stands up and leans forward to him. "I don't like your tone of voice, nor the way you keep asking questions. You seem to forget that I am a Princess, who is tasked with promoting peace and trade between our peoples, just like Essie is.

For now, humans have only agreed to fight the Phantoms on our side, and we have offered to teach humans about magic. Essie will help with future proposals between our worlds, but the Phantoms need to be dealt with first. I would appreciate it if you would take a more courteous approach towards my people. That includes Essie." She pointed at me to emphasize my inclusion. Thanks Nanako!

"Of course, your majesty, no disrespect was intended. This might be one of those cultural differences we're bound to run into at some point. I'm currently only investigating if your people might be a threat to the people in this world. At this time I only see three polite people who have cooperated in the investigation. Please do not worry, and I apologize if my tone of voice might sound disrespectful."

My god, this guy is smooth! Is that the language a true diplomat needs to speak? If so, then I still have lots and lots to learn.

"On behalf of the Royal Family, we accept your apology." Nanako said in her usual regal voice. Yep, she doesn't like him one bit and makes sure he feels it.

"Thank you, Princess. Now, Miss Whitfield, if I would refer to the Kitsune in my report as aliens, how would you feel about that?" He seems serious about the question, staring at my ears for a few moments.

Changing topics again? Sure, why not.
"I would be very upset if you did, Mr Greene. We are not aliens. We are people like humans and wouldn't refer to humans as aliens either."

"I see, point taken. It would work both ways, of course, and it might sound condescending. Noted."

Why did he even ask? As if I would ever agree to being called an alien! Is he testing my patience? Well, it's wearing thin!

I see Kara glaring at him, probably thinking about different yet original ways to strangle him for being...well, a jerk. But Hayes ordered me to stay polite, and orders are orders, even though he didn't officially give them. I gave her a covert wink when he was writing something, so I hope he didn't see that.

"Miss Whitfield, now let me ask you a few difficult questions. Quite often the Army is reluctant to share facts outside the military, like with the NSA. It's my objective however to shed light on those matters and protect the people of the United States. So...."

But I interrupted him, by raising my hand for a moment.

"One moment, please. We're the Air Force, sir. Not the Army."

"I stand corrected once more. You are most likely aware of the military efforts to kill the Queens?" Now it was my turn to look surprised for a moment, but he continued. "Yes, I know there are two of them. It says in my file that you are the one who somehow acquired this information. Tell me how exactly you managed to procure that information."

"I'm sorry, but that information is classified." I said, crossing my arms to show my reluctance to cooperate. I think I've cooperated too much already.

Greene is glaring at me for not cooperating, and the others must have noticed as well.

"Miss Whitfield, what if I said that humans worldwide don't trust you? And only your answers right now will prove that you can be trusted?"

What kind of silly question is that? Is he serious? This is a conjecture!
"It would be a pity. I talked to them during the press conferences and I assumed that they trusted me, and they seemed very polite too."

Again he leans back in his chair, now also crossing his arms. "So you're saying that I'm not polite?"

"I didn't say that at all. Only that other humans are."

"That's basically the same thing. In any case, you will answer my questions today, even though you may say that the information is classified. Trust me on that, because I really do have the security clearance needed to get those answers out of you. Of course Miss Kara and Princess Nanako are guests of the state, so that only leaves you, Miss Whitfield, well within my jurisdiction since you are working for the US Military.

That reminds me of another important topic. Do you consent to being examined by medical specialists today, not here, but by researchers who have access to the latest medical equipment? We want to know all there is to know about Kitsune physiology. Will you cooperate?"

"No, sir, I will not." Are you fucking insane? Not in a billion years!

He's giving me a death glare while leaning on the table and moving his face closer to me. Definitely agitated. Boo hoo, am I supposed to cry now?

"Why the sudden hostility, sir?" I said, trying to sound professional in front of the camera.

"Because you are suddenly going into the defensive, no longer answering my questions, and I want to know what you are hiding. Now stop beating around the bush and give me some straight answers. You know that I have the maximum possible security clearance, granted by the President himself. Now kindly start answering my questions. And I will have all of your answers."

Stay calm...stay calm...stay calm.

 

He stands up, surprising us, and walks behind our backs, but he doesn't get very far. Suddenly he finds Kara standing next to him, with a knife against his throat.

"Ahhhh!!!!!!" He shouts, while gesturing wildly.

Nanako and I exchanged glances, both still needing some time to process what happened. How could Kara even move that fast? She's truly an assassin! And how the heck did she manage to hide a knife in that uniform?

"Oh my god, Kara....please release him! He is only playing games, that's how things work on Earth." I tried to reason with her.

Kara however ignores me and puts the knife closer against his skin, so he can actually feel the metal. "Sit down....and don't sneak up on my master like that...ever again. I am sworn to protect her, even if it means that I will be punished. I will now release you and you will sit down again. Be calm and I won't harm you, do you understand?"

"Y...yes!"

Kara lets go and keeps following his every move until he's out of range, then she sits down as if nothing had happened. Let's try to salvage this meeting while I still can.

"Kara, thank you very much for protecting me. Mr Greene, you really should be more careful. Kara is an assassin and she was appointed by the Palace, so she's the best of the best."

When I can see a smile forming on Kara's face, I know that she understands that she did well, and more importantly, that I still love her.

"I will remember that. I apologize if it seemed that I wanted to harm you. In any case, Miss Whitfield....I'm certainly not playing any games." 

We never stopped following him for a single second until he returned to his seat. He carefully adjusts his necktie, while sitting down in his chair.

 

After a few moments of silence, Nanako feels that the time is right to play a game. A mana flame appears in her right hand's palm, probably hoping it will interrupt this interrogation session. It's nice of her, but a futile attempt. It still might frustrate Greene, so I'll allow her to have some fun.

"What is that?!!" He said, sounding surprised. It seems her tactics are working....he's easily distracted.

Nanako looks at me, and continues after I gesture to her to go on.
"This is the flame of truth. It will burn until you start lying. Do you want to play a game?"

"A game?"

"A game of truth. Nothing dangerous. I'll give you the flame, so you can experience a mana flame for the first time. Don't worry, it won't harm you in any way."

He extends his hand, and receives the flame...very cautiously.

"Amazing....it's...a real flame, but it doesn't hurt!" Yep, easily impressed. Oh....I acted similarly...nevermind. At least this helped him calm down from his near death experience.

"Now that you have the flame of truth....it will vanish if you start lying." Nanako said with a grin.

"Interesting, but I'm not going to play that game...not today." And just like that the flame disappeared. I didn't know it worked like that? "Finally we are getting some interesting results. Can you do the same, Essie?"

"Sir, as a reminder, since you are recording this, it's professional courtesy to call me by my rank Airman, or call me Miss Whitfield since you are a civilian...just not Essie....sir."

"Alright, I stand corrected, Airman. I will remember that. Something tells me that you don't like me."

What the heck? I don't like you? Ha! What gave you that idea? Why would he even care if I'd like him?
"This is not about liking, sir. I'm only here because I was ordered to be."

"For god's sake, our conversation started so well! Why can't you suddenly give me a straight answer anymore?" Finally he's getting agitated.

"Because I can only reply to non-classified and non-personal questions, sir."

"Miss Whitman, .." 

"Whitfield...."

"Miss Whitfield...Once more, I have the highest possible security clearance and I don't care about personal matters at all. Tell me about the Kitsune, the Phantoms, and your plans to kill the Queens and how your abilities might help with that."

"Sharing state secrets with you is not in the best interest of the US Government, the military, nor the potential trading partner on the other side of the portal." I looked at Nanako for a moment, then continued staring at him.

"Did Hayes ask you to do this? This....this whole I'm in the military so I'm being stubborn thing?" He's using his arms to emphasize his aversion to the military.

"Sir, he only ordered me to join you, and I followed that order."

"I don't believe you. He must have ordered you to keep certain information away from my ears. What did he tell you? I'll ask the President to make you talk if you keep refusing to answer my questions."

"Yes, sir, that is your prerogative. But you are not my commanding officer. In no way am I ordered to reveal any classified information to you. That might even bring me a court martial. But I will answer general questions to the best of my abilities."

"My god, you military people are all the same. Okay....then let me dumb it down for you. Are you a threat to this world?"

"No, sir."

"This is still going nowhere. Nanako, can you answer?"

"I am only a visitor, invited to witness this interrogation, nothing more. Don't expect any secrets from me, because I simply don't know about them. This uniform is only for the weather, or so I understand. And it is Princess Nanako. Please show me the courtesy I deserve."

"My apologies...Princess, I forgot for a moment. It's not my intention to insult a guest of the state. Kara, can you please help?"

"Em.....eh....." She looks at me, but I only stare at her. I know he's watching me... I can feel it.

"I have no idea...sir? I'm only an assassin as you know. My duty is to protect her, not to answer your questions. Please forgive me if this answer insults you or my master." She bowed while still sitting, perfectly playing the game along with us.

"Did you just speak to her? I mean telepathically?" He asked me, while frowning.

"No, sir, I only looked at her, curious about her answer."

"Okay, you know? WHATEVER. You will now cooperate or.....or I'll have you escorted off base to a more secure facility where you will answer my questions. You won't be able to return here...ever again."

"Finally....your true nature has emerged." I said, really calmly.

He grins. "You have absolutely no idea about my true nature." He opens his briefcase again and retrieves a gun which he clearly demonstrates to us. It's similar to the gun Hayes gave me for use on Negawa, a compact, black gun. "You know what this is?"

"Em....you really shouldn't have that here...sir." I mean, didn't they even bother to check his suitcase?

"I don't care about that. Let's cut the crap, the bullshit, and pointless answers. I want real answers. And you will give them to me now."  CLICK CLACK, he loaded the gun, then put it on the table near him. "I won't continue playing this game. Seriously, this is your last chance, Miss Whitfield. If your assassin approaches me again, so help me god, I will shoot her. Do you understand? All of you?"

All three of us nod, while giving him a death glare.

"Now answer me. There are really only two Queens, right?"

"Alright, since you are obviously threatening to kill me or my companions, and that event has been recorded on video, I assume that I now should answer your questions." I don't want to get shot. Not now, not tomorrow, not ever.

"See? You are as smart as your files say you are. Now answer the question."

Should I call for the guards? He might shoot Kara if I call for them, better wait.
"Yes, there are two of them. And I think that you shouldn't use the adverb only so casually with them."

"Point taken. How are you exactly planning to get rid of them?"

"Em, not me....but the military is getting rid of them."

"How?"

"Sorry, that is classified information, and I won't reveal it. You see, if I should leak this information, they will shoot me before your next scheduled meeting. And if you are planning to shoot me right now for not answering, at least I will have protected the lives of people on two worlds."

"Okay, this is going nowhere. Let's try a different approach. Why are you here?"

"Because Colonel Hayes has ordered me to talk to you. My two friends only wanted to see if they could help me."

"Exactly, then talk to me, those were your orders. You will now do as I ask, or I will personally call the President and demand that he arrests you for obstructing an investigation relating to national security. It says in your file that the Queen could talk through you. I want to talk to her now, make it happen."

I stand up from my chair and shout "are you fucking insane? She nearly killed me last time!"

"You are obviously stronger than you think." He takes his gun in his hand, points at it and says "it's loaded, don't make me shoot you for threatening me.

Ater you take a seat, I will have your answers, or I will have you transferred to a location specialized in interrogating people. So it's your choice....cooperate now, or we will be having this conversation elsewhere. I won't ask again."

Nanako looks at Kara and calmly says "Kara, now."

Kara immediately uses what looks like a short stick to hit Greene's hand, hoping it will make him release the weapon.

The next few events happen in mere seconds. Greene cries out in pain from Kara's stick hitting his knuckles, but his finger was still on the gun's trigger at that time.

 

BANG! The gun fired.

 

 

Before I realized what happened, I found myself lying on the floor, crying out in pain. He shot me!
"AAAAAAAAAAH!!!"

 In a reflex, I cover my leg with my hands and see blood...my blood...on my hands.

 

 

[ POV Nanako ] 

I knew he could not be trusted! He gunned Essie! She's screaming from pain while Kara once more puts a knife at that idiot's throat, this time I see his throat bleeding as well. He's screaming, definitely terrified, but Kara relies on her training to keep him restrained. At least he dropped the gun, so he can't use it against us.

I quickly sit down next to Essie, trying to heal her, but for some reason the mana just won't flow. Curse this planet, there's no magic here!

I however didn't get the chance to help her in any other way, since many soldiers rushed inside. Both from outside and from inside the building. At least a dozen are now standing inside, making sure that everyone inside the room has at least two weapons pointed at them. Without thinking I shout "that man gunned Essie! She's bleeding! Help!" After a few more seconds, the soldiers have restrained Kara, making her drop the knife in no time. 

Then I hear one of the soldiers shout "MEDIC!!! MEDIC!!!" When another soldier rushes out, he then touches a device on the desk and speaks to it. "Gatekeeper? Medical emergency conf room 2. Gunshot. Need MEDEVAC to Isolation stat. Yes....a Kitsune...acknowledged." He then simply smashes a part of the device on the desk and sits down next to Essie who's still screaming from pain.

At this point Hayes rushes inside as well and some other soldiers as well.

One of the new soldiers shouts "I'm a medic, everyone out NOW!"

The soldiers are forcefully escorting everyone but Essie outside. 

 

 

Hayes then orders the soldiers to wait so he can speak to me first. Kara and that fakwa have already been escorted towards another building after their hands were tied with strange blue ribbons, which seems to be very painful. And of course, they do the same to me as well, and I can confirm the pain.

"Ahhh!" I shout, not expecting to be hurt.

"STOP, I will question her first." Hayes said, and the soldiers seem to respect his authority. "Release the tie wraps, she's a VIP. I'll take full responsibility."

"Yes, sir!"

From further away I can hear Kara's voice, shouting, filled with raw emotion. "Essie! Essie!" Three soldiers are needed to keep her from breaking free, but there's nothing I can do to help her right now.

My restraints are released and Hayes looks at me. "Nanako, quick, what happened?"

But before I could reply, I saw them carrying Essie out of the room and putting her into one of their carriages which arrived moments ago. A soldier approaches Hayes and says "she's stabilized, but needs surgery. Following MEDEVAC protocol to AFDW, sir."

"Understood, go go go." Hayes shouts.

They close the carriage's door and immediately leave at a near impossible speed towards the park's entrance.

"Nanako...now please." Hayes seems impatient, but this time I understand the need to cooperate.

"H...Hayes! I tried to heal her! But it won't work!"

His hands grab my shoulders, and he gently shakes me. "Calm down, Nanako. Talk to me. I need you to tell me what happened. I know you can do that."

"Yes. He....he pointed a gun at Essie, demanding that she let him speak to the Phantom Queen. She refused. That's when I ordered Kara to protect Essie. She used a bruiser on him, trying to make him drop the weapon. But when she hit his hand, he gunned Essie!"

"So he shot her? Is that what you are trying to say?"

"What? He used the gun, Hayes! What is it that you don't understand?"

"Calm down, Nanako."

"What...what is that sound? It sounds familiar." I hear a loud noise in the distance.

"It's a helicopter, they are bringing her to a medical.......em...they are going to heal her."

"Oh....I see. Can I join her? She needs my protection."

"No, not now. Later, okay? I'll make sure that Essie is safe. I want you to join these soldiers, who will treat you respectfully." He looked at the soldier.

"Yes, sir, understood." The soldier finally seems to understand that I'm not the one who hurt Essie.

"Hayes?" I said, trying to get his attention because he was about to leave me.

"I don't have the time, Nanako, can't it wait?"

"No, Hayes. There is a thing inside the room. It's like a TV?"

"You mean a camera?"

"Yes, that's what Essie called it too."

"Excellent thinking, Nanako! I'll check the evidence first. Don't worry, nobody will injure Kara either. They are only talking to her."

"Hayes....I trust you to keep them safe."

"I know....keep trusting me. I won't fail you." He puts his hand on my shoulder for a moment, motions something to the soldier, then rushes into the room, presumably to look at the TV thing. The soldier politely asks me to follow him, and of course I do as I'm told, showing them I won't cause any trouble.

 

 

[ POV Essie ]

"Beep.........beep...............beep.............beep.....beep..........beep.....beep......beep.beep.beep.beep.beep." A very annoying beep is waking me up. God what happened?

I feel tired...a bit dizzy maybe?

CLICK   I heard a strange clicking sound near me, and thankfully that must have killed the insanely annoying beeping sound.

"Hi there. Welcome back." A kind female voice to my right said.

My heavy eyelids are slowly opening, struggling to stay open, until they finally manage. It seems that I'm lying in a hospital bed, and judging by the darkness outside, it must be evening already.

"Wha....what..."

"What happened?"

I try to swallow, but my tongue and throat are dry, so I nod instead.

"You are safe in a military hospital. Before I continue, would you like to drink some water?"

I nodded and after a few moments she raised the bed so I could sit up straight. The water was very welcome and I'm feeling better already.

"Ahh!! My leg!" I tried to reposition my leg....big mistake. What the heck?! So that wasn't a dream? He really shot me?!

"Easy now, you've had surgery and we kept you asleep for a while. Today at around 12.15 pm, someone shot you in your upper thigh. Your CO will soon tell you all about it, so please don't ask me for details."

"Yes, ma'am." I'm responding in a military fashion, since this seems to be a military hospital.

She gives me a kind smile. "The surgery went well, so you will make a full recovery. However it's likely that you will have some scarring in that area. You should also expect to be confined to a wheelchair for a few months. Then, after a few months of intense physical therapy, you will be able to walk as usual. Just know that your duties will not permit you to over exert your muscles. Trust me, you don't even want to try."

"Yeah...I already thought as much. Thank you ma'am, at least there's still hope for me. Am I supposed to stay in this hospital?"

"Unfortunately, yes. This is an isolated section, reserved for people who need to stay in a maximum security environment. Considering that you're not quite human, that qualifies you as one of them."

"Ah...right, I forgot for a moment. Did my tail hinder you during surgery?"

She smiles and winks for a moment. "I wasn't there, but I heard that it protested somewhat."

"Ha ha ha....why am I not surprised? Anyway....thanks for all the help, really appreciate it."

"You are most welcome, Airman." She looks at the wall behind me and then says "it's now 7 pm, meaning your CO should be walking in here any moment. Are you hungry, or do you wish to see the Colonel first?"

"Em...hungry, yes, but I first need to see my CO."

"Of course, very understandable. I'll go check if your visitor has arrived. Oh, and I'll explain how things like the TV work later, okay?"

"Sure, I'm not going anywhere."

"Ha ha ha....humor...that's a good thing. You sounded almost human."

Em.....great, and here we go again. Almost human. This lady probably thinks I'm a born Kitsune. You know what? I'm not going to worry about that right now. Could be worse. Considering that a Phantom almost killed me, and now this idiot who shot me.....I should be really grateful to still be alive. It just makes me worry that I won't have this much luck a third time. That idiot could have killed me!

 

While looking outside the window, staring at the passing traffic on the highway, the door behind me and to my left opens. I hear Hayes' voice and those of my friends as well. After a few moments, all three of them are standing in front of me.

 

 

"Heeeeeey....you guys okay?" I said, trying to smile, but my wound is now throbbing....not so nice.

Hayes wisely waits for Kara to greet me. She rushes over to me and gives me a gentle hug, then kisses my forehead. "I'm so sorry, Essie. Can you please forgive me?"

With my left hand, I pull her closer to me and take a moment to kiss her sweet lips.
"Does that answer your question, my love?"

She nods and shows me a wonderful smile, but doesn't say a word, then returns to stand between Hayes and Nanako again.

I guess it's my turn to say something. "I'm happy to be alive, let's just keep it at that. Kara, Nanako, thank you for protecting me. Having a loaded gun lying there was a recipe for disaster, so that idiot would have shot me anyway. Please don't feel guilty for what happened. And sir, it seems I'll be using a wheelchair for a while, and then will need a few months of physical training. In the end I should be able to use my leg as usual."

"Disaster magnet Essie strikes again." Was the first thing Hayes said, earning him a glare from Nanako. Well, everything is still the same I see. "But it's good to see that you are recovering, and you seem in good spirits too."

"Em....you know, you three can just take a chair if you like? I won't be able to leave this bed though, it really hurts when I move."

All three take a chair and sit next to my bed.

"Essie, are you up for a debriefing?"

"Of course. But first let me say that I'm sorry, sir, I tried to stall him, but he was just like you said he would be....dangerous."

"Don't worry, Essie, you did great. All three of you did great. Not the getting shot part, but in general. We reviewed the footage and you obviously tried to prevent sharing any classified information with him, just like I didn't order you." He grinned for a moment. "The fact that he pointed a loaded gun at you will work in your favor, should the Pentagon insist on holding any formal hearings. In any case, we will thoroughly investigate how he got the gun through security."

"Good to know, but hearings? Great, that's exactly what the doctor ordered."

"No, the doctor has ordered rest, and she's not going anywhere for the time being." An unfamiliar voice behind me said. He walked over to us, so I could see him. "Excuse me, I didn't intend to eavesdrop. I am doctor Holman, and Airman Whitfield will need to rest soon. Please keep your visit brief."

"Of course, doctor, we will bring her back to Vanguard Base in an hour or so, and we'll make sure she'll get plenty of rest there." Hayes said, surprising both me and the doctor.

"Excuse me? She's under our medical care, and she's not fit to return to her duties, Colonel. I'm afraid that my authority exceeds your own when her health is concerned."

"You may find that your authority is not applicable in this case. Doctor, would you please leave us? I'm in the middle of a debriefing right now. Expect a phone call from Air Force Major Wallace at 7.30 pm. He will relay the order to release her. The order originates from the White House Chief of Staff, so you might want to take the call. In any case, Miss Whitfield will return to Vanguard Base this very evening."

"I see. In that case I will kindly ask you to wait for the phone call, since I can't and won't sign her release papers any sooner."

"Of course, doctor, I respect that. See you soon." Hayes once more looks intimidating.

The doctor simply nods and leaves us.

"Wow....thanks, Colonel." I said.

"Don't thank me, Essie. It seems you have friends in high places. These two managed to convince the General to bring you to BETA for healing. But more on that later."

Both Kara and Nanako are beaming, probably for being able to convince someone as important as the General to trust them.

"Now let me explain what happened while you were unconscious. Together with the General, I reviewed the recorded audio and video of your interesting meeting. Suffice to say that Kara and Nanako were released instantly, and Mr Greene has been placed under arrest.

He definitely crossed the line....multiple times even. Why would an outsider willingly contact the Queen just to have a chat with her? What kind of idiot does he think he is? And pointing a gun at a US Air Force Airman...you....I don't even have the words for that. He will probably not be held fully responsible for pulling the trigger, since Kara might have indirectly caused him to fire. But again, none of you are to blame. Kara clearly only wanted to disarm him, and succeeded in that, but with unfortunate consequences."

I see Kara grimacing again, but when I smile at her, she manages to smile again.

"The most interesting part however is yet to come. While questioning Greene, we learned that the NSA has been very suspicious about his activities for a while now. This event was the last bit of evidence they needed, so with a little bit of teamwork between the NSA and the Air Force, we were able to uncover his true motives.

Mr Greene has apparently covertly been working for a US Senator named Daniels. This in itself is already highly unusual, but it gets even worse. The Senator apparently hired him to make you, Essie, reveal any and all information about the portal and our plans to kill the Queens. It was the Senator's intention to go public with this information and blame not only the Air Force, but also the President himself for not protecting the American people.

Surely revealing this kind of information would win him quite the number of sympathy votes during the next election, making him a likely candidate for the Presidency.
And now the most interesting part. How does a Senator demand, from a President of all people, to go along with this scheme and give a civilian top security clearance in one of the most classified projects in history?"

"Tell me!" I almost shouted. Now I want to know!

Another grin appears on his lips. "Friends of Mr Greene invited the President's wife and children to stay a while in a closed room at the kids' school. They were held hostage in broad daylight, and only the President knew about this, since only extortion would force him to approve such a security clearance."

"You've got to be kidding me? It sounds like a movie!"

"Yes, it does, Essie, but this is reality. Let's just say that the President will be occupied with a number of difficult hearings in the near future. Again, none of you will be called to court for obvious reasons. One, the information discussed is classified. Two, the existence of Kitsune is classified. Three, there is enough evidence to exonerate any of you in the form of video footage, which is also classified. Such a recording beats a formal hearing any time."

"So......what time is it? Is 7.30 pm already?" I asked with a grin of my own.

Hayes grins too. "It's 7.35. Seems like a difficult phone call. Anyway, we have an ambulance standing by for you, since you won't be able to take a seat in my car. Just relax in the ambulance and enjoy the ride. You should be back on BETA within the hour. Then Kara and Nanako will know how to proceed." He looked at Nanako, to tell her it's her turn to talk now.

 

"Thank you, Hayes. Essie, we will carry you through the portal and heal your leg there. I don't know why, but I couldn't heal your wound earlier. There simply isn't enough ambient mana in the air for me to heal you. It's really strange. When I woke up with a headache on Earth, I could heal it myself, but when I wanted to heal your leg...it simply didn't work. It doesn't always seem to work, and I apologize for that."

"There is no need to apologize, Nanako. It's been a weird day....again. A lot has happened today...again. We didn't see the real Earth....again. Well, unless you find this hospital interesting?"

"No, not quite. And I must agree with Hayes. Without any doubt, you truly are a disaster magnet, Essie."

"Ha ha ha.....but that puzzles me." I replied.

"Why?" Nanako said, glancing at Kara who simply shrugged.

"Do you even know what magnets are?" I asked.

"Of course I do! Some stones attach themselves to each other, others repel. Does that make sense?"

"Yep, same as on Earth. So once more we have the same things, and the same sayings. Kara, one more for our list."

"Yep, magnets for lazy gods, check." She said, sounding more and more like an Earthling herself.

"Ha ha ha...exactly." But our conversation was interrupted by the approaching doctor.

"Colonel Hayes?"

"Yes, doctor?"

"You were correct, Miss Whitfield will soon be released into your care. However, her health will now be your direct responsibility. You should know that, for the record, I put your name on the release form. I highly recommend not letting her return to active duty for a few months at least. Kindly sign the form when you agree that we are no longer responsible for her treatment."

"Of course, just tell me where to sign. We'll make sure she recovers properly."

"I understand. Well....technically I also need to ask Airman Whitfield if she agrees." He looks at me. "Ma'am, do you agree that Colonel Hayes will be responsible for the proper healing of your injuries?"

"Yes, doctor, I fully trust my CO in this matter."

"Very well, then kindly sign the release papers, Colonel."

"Excuse me, please. Duty calls." He winks at me and leaves the room to take care of the paperwork.

 

After only ten minutes, Hayes put me in a wheelchair...very carefully of course. We Kitsune are hiding our ears again by wearing a cap, and their tails are concealed as well. My tail can't be hidden since I'm not wearing my blood soaked uniform but a hospital gown. Sure, I'm covered in blankets right now, but I'd rather wear proper clothes.

Kara is pushing me outside where an ambulance is waiting for me. Yes, the leg hurt quite a bit, but we arrived back on base not even twenty minutes later. Of course they didn't drive with the emergency lights or the sirens on, but that's hardly a surprise. Kara stayed with me, while Nanako drove back with Hayes.

 

 

Being pushed through the portal in a wheelchair was quite the experience, but we didn't even have to go far before Nanako and Kara both used their healing magic on me. Would you believe me when I'd say that I could walk again instantly? The only part requiring some effort was the removal of my bandages.

I hugged both my friends and pushed back the wheelchair myself, while seeing quite a few confused faces following me back inside.

Hayes waited for our return and started clapping, which suddenly everyone around me started to do. This made me blush intensely until Kara hugged me once more. Somehow she has this calming effect on me, which helps me forget about my surroundings. Yeah....I really love her.

Hayes said he would take care of the wheelchair and asked us to wait in our VIP room for a while.

 

 

It took longer than expected for Hayes to visit us in our VIP room, at least half an hour. I'm so hungry that I could eat anything by now, but we still have to wait for Hayes.

Hayes smiles. "Another news update. Meeting room 2 is unavailable for a while, until we can find a way to remove the few gallons of dried Kitsune blood in there."

I grimaced.

"Ha ha ha, just kidding, Essie. We will simply replace the floor tiles."

Why didn't that make me feel any better? Now let me switch the topic, preferably one not involving any blood.

"So..... are his wife and kids safe now?" I asked.

"Yes, Essie, it took some time to assemble a SWAT team and verify the location before they could free the hostages. But it's all over now, including the Senator's career. We'll keep an eye on him, when he's released from prison in..say....twenty or so years? These bastards have a tendency to seek revenge. But don't worry, we'll make sure he doesn't try anything stupid."

"Wow.....so we did good today?"

"Very good, Essie."

"So...that means that you will take care of dinner?"

"Huh? Ha ha ha ha! That's Essie for ya! Alright, dinner is on me."

"Thank god, I'm starving." I said, and I see that the others are also quite hungry.

"Of course, you missed lunch."

"True. There's still one thing I don't understand, though. No disrespect intended, but why did you send me to a hospital when these two could heal me, right next door?"

"Essie....I can't blame you because you missed many of today's events, but they were being held for questioning. Gatekeeper simply followed protocol and a helicopter brought you to the hospital. Our priority was to stabilize you."

"Ahh, like that. Thanks, that makes perfect sense. But maybe next time we could send base personnel to BETA for instant healing?"

"I assume that you are always there, waiting for them?" Hayes crossed his arms.

"Oh, good point, guess not."

"That's why we have these protocols, safety first."

"Yep...have to agree with that." I said.

"See? You can be really smart, if you want to be."

"Duuuuuuh." I rolled my eyes, causing Hayes to shake his head and the other two to giggle.

"But Essie, seriously. Let me ask you something. Didn't you lose connection to Oscar in the hospital?"

"Wow....that's actually a very good question. Let me check... nope. Oscar knew I was injured, and he was about to jump through the portal in order to protect me, but apparently I told him to stay put to prevent him from being shot."

"You mean that you don't remember telling him to stay there?" Hayes asked, looking a bit confused.

"No, better not ask. It's like having a personal assistant living in your mind, taking care of stuff for you, but she's not telling me what she exactly does. Anyway, I already thanked Oscar for taking care of our Swarm for me while I was out."

Hayes nods a few times, looking serious. "It seems like we were lucky today, in the grand scheme of things. Excuse me, I need to take care of dinner." And just like that he left us.

 

 

Kara suggested a quick fluffing, but I'm not really in the mood on an empty stomach, so we'll save it for later.

While it was super refreshing to eat something other than sandwiches and pizza on Earth, which is probably my own fault, it was the company that made for a great dinner. Even though we had to eat it in Hayes' office. Nanako was impressed with Hayes' Chinese cooking skills, until he finally admitted to simply having bought the food.

 

After our meal, we returned to our VIP room, hoping to start an early fluffing session. God knows we need to unwind tonight.

But imagine my surprise when we noticed a small package lying on our compact table, together with three really expensive looking flower bouquets. Honestly, it would have been nice if they had been roses, but I guess that would have sent the wrong message.

The others are as surprised as I am, but seem to love the gesture, smelling at the flowers immediately. And since the bouquets' labels were hard to miss, I could right away tell them there's one for us each.

I wonder if flower bouquets exist in their world too. Their world....is it truly theirs? Or is it mine now too?

I slowly opened the gift wrapped package, which gave me an early Christmas feeling. It's basically a shoebox, but inside I find a cell phone and a card.

The card reads "Dear Miss Whitfield. This phone can only be used once, so please push the green button when you have the time. President Mcdowell." It's an old-fashioned cell phone, so definitely not a smartphone and the only green button is hard to miss.

I motion the others to join me for a moment and listen in on the conversation. They're now standing next to me, studying the cell phone when I push the green button.

It's weird to hold a phone close to one's ears on top of your head, but it works. After ringing only two times, the phone is answered. The phone's loud volume startled me, making me hold the thing further away.

"Miss Whitfield, how nice of you to call me." Definitely the President's voice.

"Em...yes, Mister President...sir."

"Relax, this phone call is off the records, so let me thank you. You did a very remarkable job today, getting rid of Greene."

"Thank you, Mister President."

"Didn't I tell you to relax? Anyway, how is your leg? I heard you took a bullet?"

"Sure did, sir. But my Kitsune friends already fully healed me, so I'm back on duty."

"Amazing...well, thank heavens for that, since we can't have you watching the project from the sidelines. In any case, your actions revealed a US Senator scheming against me and worse, democracy itself. You have, in a way, saved my wife and kids. It's not something I'm happy to admit, but they finally got to them. The long dreaded moment happened this morning. And while it would seem impossible for them to hide a kidnapping in broad daylight, even in their own school......nobody noticed, not even our intelligence network. Let's say that we will work on that, but not now.

I couldn't tell anyone about them pressuring me, since my wife and kids are more important to me than anyone else. I know this might be unbecoming of a President, but I'm still a father and husband. Surely you can understand?"

"Absolutely, sir."

"Good. Considering the pros and cons, I decided to take my chances and simply trust you. Your track record speaks for itself, Miss Whitfield. I knew you could fix this mess....just not in the way you did."

"As far as I'm concerned, none of this ever happened, Mister President. Just glad it's over."

"Same here, and thank you. That makes life a lot easier for me. At one time in the far future you'll meet a few real scientists who will respectfully ask you a few questions. Decent people, backed by the military and myself. But that's far into the future, so don't worry about that. You did some good work there, miss Whitfield and I owe you one. You took a bullet because I approved his presence on Vanguard Base, so I feel directly responsible. And since I don't like people cashing in on IOUs, I'd like to ask you what I can do to repay you."

"Em...I don't think that's appropriate, sir. I only followed orders. And being shot was an accident."

"You are too modest. I'm sorry, but I don't have the time for pleasantries, so kindly answer the question. I insist."

"Yes, sir. Em....the Kitsune really, really like their sleepers. You know, those doggy basket kinds of beds? Anyway, we could use a few of those as a gift for the Royal Family on Negawa."

"Ha ha ha, always the diplomat. I have read about those, really funny actually. How many do you want?"

"Em....I dunno.....a handful for the Palace, and...maybe one for our cottage? It would be incredibly respectful to his Majesty and would go a very long way in maintaining diplomatic relations with the Kitsune. The sleeper we use here on the base is worth its weight in gold, not lying."

"In that case, consider your wish granted. This was hardly a personal request, I would have approved this in a heartbeat. Time is running out, so tell me what you really want for your trouble today."

"Em...in that case, I'd love to see my parents more often..sir."

"Now that is a good one. I'll make it happen, but it might take a while. And Miss Whitfield?"

"Yes, mister president?"

"Report to the General's office after this call ends."

"Yes, sir, as you wish."

"Any last words, Essie?"

Em.....before being executed? Surely he didn't mean that?
"Yes....thanks for the flowers! There are three extremely happy Kitsune here right now, and the room smells amazing."

"Ha ha ha ha...you deserve nothing less. Thank your companions on my behalf. Until next time."

"Yes, sir."

And then he hung up on me.

 

 

Why did I have to report to the General's office? I mean, there's no way I am going in there alone without some form of backup, so Hayes joined me.

Well, let me tell you. It seems the Pentagon has approved my immediate promotion to the rank of Senior Airman. Let's just say I was beyond surprised. Things surely go fast around here.

Sure, being promoted is nice, but not if you get shot first. Is it really that much to ask to just give me some peace and quiet now and then? I just want to relax with my friends, have some fun. But everyday the universe is conspiring against me. Or.....don't tell me...did I perhaps really insult a few gods? For god's sake...someone fluff me, I really need it!