The Girl With Pink Hair: Pt. 07

What was now in question was the divergence in opinion between the Centrists and the Adventists. Were they simply two sorts of weakly 'don't rock the boat' liberal conservatism? If so, they were about to get a shock.

"Ahoy me hearties," Elena murmured as they came to a stop. Three heads turned to look at her, one entertained, one gleeful, and one apprehensive.

"Aye, aye, cap'n," Alan responded amusedly to yet more consternation from their driver.

As they exited the car, there was a sharp 'clack' behind them, and the trio swivelled as one to assess the nature of the threat.

"Just the old duffers playing pétanque," said a voice behind them and they turned again to find a shrewd looking woman in well preserved middle age and wearing an apron, standing in front of one of the highly polished doors ranked along the houses of the square.

"Aristide?" Elena asked brusquely and felt the shock from her companions and the woman opposite. Politeness was almost mandatory in the middle classes. Well, Elena hadn't grown up with that and after recent events was about done with social niceties. She bounded to the top of the short flight of steps to stand on the little stone platform that bridged the gap to the lower ground floor. The other took a step back.

"Well? Are we going to stand here all day?" Elena let a fraction of the Queen's power come to the fore and the other winced.

"I'm Nancy Aristide," she announced holding out her hand. "I assume you are Elena Kowalski?"

Elena looked at the hand briefly and then ignored it. She wasn't here to make friends. "You assume correctly. Are you in charge of the Family?"

Nancy's gaze flicked to Judy Pendlesham who shrugged resignedly.

"No. I am her wife. Eleanor is inside."

"Then you'll take me to her. I have something I want her to do." Elena strode purposefully into the house with Mrs Aristide visibly collecting herself to follow.

Alan and Jess looked at each other and trotted up the steps after her, leaving the stunned Centrist agent standing by the car.

***

The Aristide spouse showed them through to a grand drawing room at the rear of the house. The doors to the garden were open and on the patio beyond, a small table was set for lunch. Sitting in one of the chairs was a white-haired, olive-skinned woman in a white two piece suit. It required a certain chutzpah to pull off the look with confidence. Eleanor Aristide certainly did not lack for chutzpah.

She rose to her feet. "I think we'll need some more chairs, Nancy, my dear. And could you ask Alfred to arrange for some more refreshments? Thank you."

She turned to welcome her visitors. "I know Jessica, of course." She inclined her head in welcome and smiled. "I know of Mister Forrester by his stellar reputation! One of our more able operatives. Or should that be former operatives?"

Alan bowed slightly in acknowledgement.

Her gaze came to rest on Elena. "Which means I am in the presence of Doctor Elena Kowalski. Or the Queen."

"I am not the Queen," Elena replied briefly. Eleanor Aristide's aura was like a mountain. Or a tidal wave. She would necessarily have to be powerful to be able to command a Family.

'Let me at her,' whispered the Queen. 'I'll show her who's boss!'

'Not right now. Softly, softly. To begin with at least.'

One of their host's eyes narrowed so slightly that Elena could not be certain that it had even moved but she was fairly sure that the other was evaluating her at speed.

"Perhaps not," Mrs Aristide replied urbanely. "But I'm sure you have her ear."

An older man appeared with a tray of crockery and food. Alan inspected the contents and looked quizzical. "Are you expecting more guests?"

There was the sound of voices in the house and Jess whirled, halfway to assuming the Sword before shrieking, "Mum!" and pelting into the drawing room.

"Some allies," smiled Eleanor.

***

Elena wiped her eyes after getting a bone-crushing hug from Jess' father.

"But how did you get here so quickly?" Jess asked her mother.

"The Family own a couple of the other properties in the Square, so we've been staying in one of those. Eleanor guessed you'd come here quite soon."

Judy Pendlesham hovered in the doorway, not knowing quite what to do with herself.

"Come and join us, Judy," Eleanor said firmly. "We had to go through with the motions, especially once the Americans were involved. You're not to blame for any of this."

Awkwardly, the other came to perch on a chair, not making eye contact with anyone, while the rest arranged themselves around the table on the patio. Jess set about piling her plate with food.

"Jessica! You'll ruin your figure," chided her mother.

"Not a chance now Ludi's on board. We run 10k every morning around daybreak and then lift weights in Tony's gym."

Joan Calamar looked suitably baffled. "Who is Ludi?"

Jess smiled and relaxed to allow her avatar to come fully to the fore. Ludmilla rose to her feet and executed a short and stiff formal bow to her host's mother.

Until now Alan had never appreciated how it could be said that someone's eyes were about to fall out of their head. Joan Calamar's face was a picture.

"You're the Sword!"

The warrior waggled her head side to side. "I prefer Ludmilla. I like your daughter. We are a good team."

"I've seen you in action," Joan replied. "You're quite something!"

The Sword inclined her head. "You are welcome. It is a pleasure to serve." And with that Jess was back with perhaps some lingering gilding on her form. She sat down and proceeded to take the largest possible bite out of a Cornish pasty.

Eleanor Aristide looked to how Elena and Alan watched their partner with love and pride, their auras reaching and encompassing one another. She smiled at Joan, who was still looking a little shell shocked.

Doctor Kowalski turned to face her.

"About that," Elena said. "If you didn't order it, who did? I'd like a word."

"It's not like that - may I call you Elena? - once you started to be positively identified and the magnitude of the threat established then matters were almost entirely out of my hands. Yes, I'm the head of the Centrist Families but that's not as powerful a position as you might imagine."

"If I may?" Alan said, and Elena could feel the Shadow close to the surface. Judging by the unease on some faces, they felt it too. "This is our problem. The Folk's problem. Too many loose actors. That needs to stop. Elena wants to address the Heads of the Families en masse."

Eleanor Aristide inclined her head. "I assume you don't want them to have prior notice?"

"No. I want them off-guard and unprepared. No chance to mount a combined opposition." Elena responded.

The other nodded thoughtfully. "What then?"

"I intend to impose a monarchy."

The older woman smiled fractionally, and Elena and Jess were taken aback, but Alan chuckled. "You expected this!"

"Let's just say it was a preferred outcome."

"You want this?" Elena said, incredulously. "I would be setting myself above you! You, the leader of the most powerful faction in the country!"

There was a grimace. "It's not all it's cracked up to be. I welcome the idea of a figurehead with teeth! You do have teeth?" she added as an aside.

Elena stared at her, and the Queen put forth a minute amount of Her power. Everyone apart from Jess and Alan winced. Even Eleanor.

"You have teeth," Joan Calamar agreed. Then to the party's complete amazement, she bounced on her feet and threw her arms round her husband. "Oh George! Jess is going to marry these lovely people!"

"Congratulations," Eleanor Aristide offered, as Jess' cheeks burned crimson.

Elena sighed. "There are some hurdles first."

***

Keeping one metaphysical ear on the discussions, the Queen watched Judy Pendlesham out of Elena's peripheral vision. The woman's expression was neutral, but the Queen could see the wheels turning in her head. Judy had been the lead officer on a field op and the leader of her clique had withheld vital information from her. Had success even been possible? From what she had seen of the Trinity's capabilities, she doubted it. Had her squad's lives been in jeopardy all in the course of some large power play?

The Queen didn't miss the little downturn in Judy's mouth. Despite being notionally 'forgiven,' she was - what was that wonderful word that Elena had introduced her to? Oh yes! 'Nettled.' From where the Queen was, err ... standing, Judy Pendlesham was very much nettled.

She could see that George Calamar had also noticed. She took quiet amusement in this inversion of the stereotypical view of human interactions. It was supposed to be women who were more emotionally intelligent! However, Eleanor Aristide was far too important to take account of the feelings of foot soldiers. This the Queen considered to be a flaw in her leadership. One that could be exploited!

'I want a word with Ms Pendlesham before we leave,' She murmured in Elena's head.

Her host wondered at this but could see no reason to demur so forty-five minutes later she caught Judy's arm on their way out.

"Could I have a word?"

Judy looked apprehensively at the hand on her arm but allowed Elena to draw her into one of the front rooms for a little privacy.

"I, that is, my avatar wants to talk to you. Just talk."

Judy's eyes widened, and then widened still further as the Queen came forward.

"I'll make this quick Ms Pendlesham, as the powers that be will be wondering why I am manifesting on their home turf, but I thought it was important for you to hear this from my own mouth. I know from my spymaster that you are a capable and personable woman and I think you have been treated rather shabbily. Would you be willing to consider an alternative employer?"

It was an understatement to say that Judy was taken aback. Her mouth opened but no words came out. The Queen grinned conspiratorially.

"You needn't answer now. Jess will give you a contact number. Think it over. I think we could work quite well together."

And with that She was gone. Elena rolled her eyes and Judy had the most peculiar feeling of kinship with another clever and capable woman trying to navigate the divers stratagems of powerful and mercurial people.

***

Camden 4pm 19 ^th June

After all the arrangements were made, the Trinity bade the Aristides and the Calamars farewell and exiting the Aristide residence onto the leafy square, the trio decided to walk back to Elena's temporary headquarters. It was only two or three miles; a small shower was dropping light rain, but it was quite warm, and the they decided that the joy of each other's company was worth getting a little damp for.

The raindrops danced on the surface of the Regent's Canal as they made their way to Camden Market.

"You do know where you're going?" Jess teased.

"Sort of. Anyway, I have my stalwart companions with me. What can happen?" Elena replied, threading her arms through theirs. "This is how we should be living our lives, not running around trying to avoid being shot or abducted or whatever other mad idea someone has about what to do with us. If Eleanor and your mum can whip up that meeting with the heads of the Families in the next couple of days, then we should start to get on top of the situation."

"I admire your optimism," Alan murmured.

She leaned her head on his shoulder. "Problems?"

"Well, the Adventists and the Centrists are most of the Families in the UK but there are still fifteen or sixteen independents of one flavour or another. Whether we can get any engagement from the Orpheans is moot. Even with the big groups there are lot of different cliques in play. Jess' mum isn't head of her Family, although she and George are very influential."

Rain dripped off the end of her nose and Elena stuck out her tongue to try and catch it.

"Who's the big shot for the Adventists, then?"

"Charity Vaughan," Jess said, shortly. "Remember Aunty Claire from that shindig at my folks last year? Bit like an older version of that. Likes the sound of her own voice. Mum can probably get round her this time, but she'll want to be in charge of anything in the future."

Elena chuckled, "Queenie will take care of her!"

"You can't wheel Her Majesty out every time you meet a problem!"

"No, she can't," interjected the Queen. "She's going to have to learn the principles of statecraft."

"I wish you wouldn't do that!" Elena complained, rubbing her lips. "It makes my mouth feel funny."

Her companions laughed as they ambled along the towpath towards Camden.

***

Half an hour later, Elena was starting to wonder quite where they were and trotted up the next set of steps from the towpath to the street.

"We could always use our phones. They have this great map utility built into them," Alan commented.

"Don't you ever like to get lost?" Elena replied, looking about for a street sign.

The rain had eased off and the sun was starting to poke holes in the clouds.

"Let's try down here," and Elena set off down the street.

"What was all that about not running around after people?" Alan murmured to Jess as they hastened to follow her.

A couple of hundred metres further on they came upon a small square with a colonnaded building on one side and a grassed area in the middle. It was already dotted with people sitting on travel blankets, eating and drinking. Others were ambling about with leaflets and their smartphones. Quite what they were all doing there was a complete mystery until they came across a poster for a cultural fair in concert with the museum.

"Which is presumably that building with the impressive frontage," Alan deduced.

The Shadow was suddenly alert to the purposeful movement of individuals in the crowd. "We have company," it whispered.

"Oh, what now?" Jess complained.

"Possibly one of the secret services," muttered Alan.

"Bollocks!" Elena swore. "Bollocks! Bollocks to the tenth, no, the hundredth power!" She clenched her fists.

"She's so sexy when she puts on her maths hat!" Jess kissed Elena on the cheek. She seemed completely unworried about the hostiles and after their recent adventures Elena realised that her lover had complete and utter faith in her. If she was perfectly honest it made Elena feel a little uneasy.

"It's entirely possible there are channels of communication between the Families and the Government, if only to reassure the administration that the Folk pose no threat. However, recent events will have altered that calculus," Alan surmised.

"You mean me bringing the storm?"

His lips quirked. "I am reminded that my fiancé is a genius astrophysicist and a witch queen out of legend. I'd want to keep tabs on you if I were them."

Jess started to laugh, and despite her concerns, Elena cracked a smile. They had been blooded in battle and were indeed a force to be reckoned with. She felt the Queen give a haughty sniff of agreement.

Alan tapped Jess on the arm, "C'mon Jess, let's get out of here."

Jess turned to him. "I've got a better idea. Queenie's told our lot to keep their distance. How about we give the mundanes the same notice?"

"Agreed," said the Queen. "Get me one, Jessica. Alan will choose. I'll disguise you."

Jess raised an eyebrow at Elena, who shrugged.

"It's just easier if I don't try to manage situations that I'm not really equipped to deal with."

Alan discreetly identified a man in a yellow and black polo shirt sporting a pair of RayBans.

"Duck down, dear."

Jess knelt for a moment and then rose as a fine-featured young man with spiky blonde hair. Elena and Alan stared at him.

"I'll not be able to maintain the illusion if you get too far away or if you attract too much attention."

The young 'man' grinned and slipped away. The others retreated to the shadows under the colonnade on the southern edge of the square.

"Still being tracked, although I detect some consternation at Jess' disappearance!" the papery whisper chuckled.

"That laugh of yours belongs in a horror film," Elena said, shaking her head.

No more than a minute later, Jess reappeared sans disguise. The young man looked calm, confident that the trio represented no real threat and that his support would shortly be on scene.

"Let's go inside, shall we?"

Their new companion said nothing and walked along with them as if they were old friends. His aura was calm and placid.

The museum was cool and echoey, with small groups of people scattered about. Ascending a wide and shallow staircase brought them to a more sparsely populated mezzanine level where glass cases housed the results of a local archaeological dig. There were a number of small side rooms and they found one that was being prepared for an exhibit. Ducking under the security tape, the operative looked about him and the trio detected amusement, although his expression was unchanged.

"Right, let's be having you," said the Queen cheerfully.

His eyes widened at the new voice coming out of Elena's mouth, and then the Queen put forth Her power and gripped his mind in a vice. He gasped, staggered, and clutched a display case for support.

"Your colleagues will not be coming to rescue you. Whether you survive the next ninety seconds rather depends on what you tell me."

'Queenie!' Elena chided internally, 'no killing!'

'I'm not going to kill anyone. But he doesn't have to know that!'

This exchange, happening solely inside her head, was inaudible to the others, although Elena had a good idea that Jess and Alan knew what was going on.

The young man's eyes darted fearfully about, but he found no reassurance in the other two. Alan was subtly darker, more angular, his avatar shading him with menace. Standing alongside him, almost at parade rest, Jess held Ascalon, idly tapping it with her index finger.

Elena took a moment to admire the metallic shimmer of Jess' hair and then turned her attention to their captive.

"I ..." he started and then stopped.

"So, you have a voice. That's a promising start. Now tell me which faction you represent," said the Queen.

He gawped at her. "Faction? MI5 isn't a faction!"

Alan was nodding. "I was wondering when you lot would show up."

Jess looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You were expecting this?"

"I concluded that there had to be some high-end contact with the mundane-"

"Hey!" said their captive in outrage, only to subside when Jess bent her attention on him. Elena motioned Alan to continue.

"... authorities. Possibly other parties made representations to our government when their own interventions failed."

Elena shook her head. "More bad actors."

The young man's eyes flicked from one to the other, assessing his situation. He spoke. "The rest of my team will be here very soon. You will be taken in for interrogation."

Jess guffawed. "You and whose army?"

He glared at her, and she smiled sunnily in return.

"Speak of the devil," Alan said, turning to greet the people filing in round the edges of the room.

Elena surveyed the opposition and judged that the Queen was best suited to handle the situation. The transformation was suitably dramatic. Eyes widened; mouths opened. She most certainly had their attention.

"Now, which of you are soldiers?"

Unwillingly, some straining not to comply, all raised their hands.

The Queen smiled. "I suppose I should feel flattered. Where is your commander?"

A compact unassuming woman with short brown hair and shrewd eyes strolled through the entrance and stood with her hands behind her back, evaluating the situation. Catching sight of the spook she rolled her eyes and advanced to stand in front of the Queen. She seemed undaunted by the royal presence and the Queen gave her a nod of approval. The officer's lips quirked.