


Seattle Fraude

by Rhady



Category: iCarly
Genre: Crime, Mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2009-08-13
Updated: 2009-12-25
Packaged: 2013-09-14 22:50:38
Rating: T
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,915
Publisher: www.fanfiction.net
Story URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5299571/1/
Author URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1838611/Rhady
Summary: Ten years ago The last iCarly aired and after that very last episode the iCarlygang went their own ways. Follow them when America falls apart.





	1. MailBox

Seattle Fraude

Chapter One: Mailbox

Ten years ago the last iCarly aired. This resulted in many angry fans, death threads from fans, death treads from family, a hurrah card from Nevel and many hate mail. But although the many efforts to get iCarly back on the internet, some fans even organised a 'march on Seattle in order to persuade the iCarly gang to continue their web show the web show was history. Everyone went his own way:

Sam joined the Air Force and was stationed in the Middle East in an European base. Carly said jokingly that the Air Force only put her there to get her out of their presence: the Europeans had to deal with her now.

Carly didn't become an actress like everyone had thought, she didn't open an fashion design office either, since she couldn't draw nor design. No, she became a government spokesman, well spokeswoman. She caught eye in the white house because she could disguise even the worst of messages into thing people could laugh about. That was why she was asked by many candidate presidents to act as spokeswoman. She decided to choose one of them: Hendrick Ulysses.

Nevel on the other hand didn't realise his dream to become the proud owner of an haberdashery. He lost his interest in haberdasheries since he heard that the most of them went bankrupt after a few months. Instead he started a software company five years ago and Nevsoft became the biggest rising star of the software world of all time. Nevel succeeded to overdo even Microsoft in it's absolute glory days.

Freddie on the other hand started his own software company. In the beginning to went quite well but when Nevsoft started to conquer the market, Freddie saw his little company go down. When there where signs that Freddie could start his great comeback, Nevel took over the company and Freddie had to sod off. Since he was now without work he had to find a new job. He decided to call upon his old flame to get into the governmental institutions. Carly got him a job in the FED. Now the computer programmer sat behind a desk only accompanied with the most annoying accounts ever. It would be an understatement saying that is was extremely boring.

"Good morning mister Benson," Mister Wilson greeted Freddie cheerfully.

"A very good day to you to, mister Wilson, what brings you into such a good mood?" Freddie asked curious about this new development, normally this man he saw now smiling upon him wasn't that cheerful.

"I made promotion, my friend," he said showing a fax message.

"Congratulations, needless to say I'm impressed by what you did, is that why you're cleaning out your desk?" Freddie asked pointing at the empty boxes on the man's desk.

"Yes, I'm cleaning out the desk I occupied for the past sixteen years," Wilson stroked the desk with affection: he remembered the days he had been sitting here at this desk, year after year. And now in his late forties he was finally allowed to move to the post he always wanted.

Freddie smiled sadly he barely knew mister Greg Wilson and now he moved.

"Do you know who's coming to occupy your place?" he asked eager to know who he should expect.

"No, unfortunately that isn't said, but I know that it is a she, but anything further I do not know anything," Wilson said shaking his silver head.

"Well it will cause a lot of speculation on this floor," Freddie joked.

"Indeed it will but it's safer then speculating on Wall Street." Wilson replied.

"I'm not so sure about that," Freddie remarked, "we are talking about a woman after all."

"Hahaha, one thing I'll miss about you is your humour, Mister Benson," Wilson said laughing about the joke. Mister Wilson had always thought that Freddie's jokes were funnier then they actually where.

"Well mister Wilson, I you need me I'll be next door, you can see me anyway," Freddie pointed at the glass wall separating their offices.

Freddie left mister Wilson's office and went to his own. Once he got there he sat down and started his computer. As always he opened his mailbox. Three new messages. The first one was of the head of department.

_Dear__ Mister Benson,_

_Since your superior Mister G. Wilson is promoted to another department we are happy to inform you that you will be the new head of you section._

_The new employee will occupy and start her work on Monday, after the coming weekend. We have all confidence you'll show her around and assist her at the work waiting. Although this will require much of you we don't want to see your output reduced. We urge you to keep you normal line._

_You are allowed to keep your own office. It would be a waste of time changing. _

_About your new privileges and your raise There'll be a meeting later this week._

_Sincerely,_

_Deputy Director Director Second Deputy Director_

_R.__ Marchall S. Macmillan F. Newcastlefort_

Nice as always, Freddie thought while clicking on the second message.

_Hey Fredweird, Carls, Melanie _

_I'll make this short 'cause I ain't got much time, I have a mission to fly in two hours. No this EU camp is actually quite well build, I've been told that building camps the only thing the Belgian Army in excels. The accommodation is really great. I'm really exited: this is the last mission I'll fly in that crappy F-16. They have send some F-18's here, even some British harriers, you know those planes able to take off like a chopper AND A F-22 I didn't know they would bring that one into battle. Anyway there's a raid planned tomorrow but I'm not allowed to tell you were it is, you wouldn't understand the name anyway. I'll tell you about it when the raid is over. ;) _

_See ya,_

_Sam _

_PS could you send me some ham, Carls? They ran out of ham two days ago and the next delivery is in two weeks._

At least one of us was really enjoying the tension in the middle east. What would the next mail bring? Freddie thought. He clicked on the mail. The whole screen went black. Then fireworks started to explode.

_Hey Freddie,_

_The next-president elect of the USA has won another state for him: North Dakota. I'm so exited. Everyone said that mister Ulysses never would get this state at his side, but I managed to prove otherwise. Next stop will be Washington, I'm really exited to meet Spencer again, I've seen so little of him lately, I hope he will still recognise me after all those months._

_Of to the plane, mail me later._

_Carly._

_PS did you read Sam's mail already? I'm so happy for her. Bye!!!!!_

Freddie did watch the little exited emoticon on at the end of Carly's Post Scriptum. The little thing jumped up and down for and waved with his little arms, stopped looked around him and started jumping again. He wondered what could be exiting about those planes. But it was Sam's obsession since about six years now. But what could you do about it.

Freddie closed his private mailbox and opened his office box.

Two new mails.

The first one Freddie didn't even open he knew what was in it, after all she send him the same mail since he arrived here:

_Don't forget to wash your hands after you touched all those dirty files._

_Love, mum._

The other one was nothing new either. It was the one of the translations department who informed him that the dossiers C12, D4, H66 where translated to English. Well the names of the files where new everyday, but it would be strange if they weren't.

It reminded that he had to inform that guy that he should send the mails to the new girl next Monday.

The day went on quite normal: he checked the account of a suspicious enterprise, someone already had checked, and found out that everything should be correct only to send it to someone else who would do the same thing. The only difference was that they where was a floor between them. It was a boring job, nothing could make it more pleasant. But when he was head of the service he would be allowed to visit the 'suspicious enterprise'. It wouldn't make much difference but at least he could leave this boring place. It was so boring here that there weren't even flies, but that could also be due to the fact he didn't have a window.

)(-)(-)(-)(

Three months earlier the phone rang in a house, in a town, in a country.

"Hello?"

"Do you have the package?"

"Perhaps."

"How much?"

"Why discuss that now?"

"I'm in a hurry."

"I'm not…"

"This transaction must go quickly."

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"Doing this in a hurry can't be good."

"You're talking nonsense."

"Rubbish. Why would I talk nonsense? You know damn well enough that I don't have time for nonsense."

"Just listen: this is the deal: you bring the package to Seattle. I the money. Okay?

"…"

"Hello?"

"…"

"Damn her."

)(-)(-)(-)(

_That was the first chapter of a new story of mine. I hope you guys liked it. Please review. Reviews are fun. I'll send you cyber cookies of your cyber choice._

_~Rhady _


	2. Bring her Down

Seattle Fraude

Chapter Two: Bring her Down

The structure and the numbering of the FED headquarters was complex, disturbing and confusing. This was because the FED did numerous expansions and renovation during the years they had been located in these buildings, near the edge of Washington D.C.

Another reason for the annoying situation was that the buildings weren't new either. The previous owner had been the boss of a big international company. But due to the combination of the bad location, a new world wide crisis and the fact the buildings were old, brought the owner to the decision to sell them. When the FED occupied their new headquarters it was decided to build several new buildings around the older ones. This gave the impression a child had played with the model they made an then thought that the plans were wrong. Result FED 1 stood behind FED 8 and FED 2 had a splendid view of FED 5 and FED 7 but couldn't see any other buildings.

Not that this was of any concerns of a certain Fredward Benson who had helped his ex-colleague to move his stuff to FED 3 on the far end of the complex.

"Bye, mister Wilson," Freddie said to his older colleague after they put away his stuff.

"Goodbye, mister Benson, it has been a pleasure to work with you," Wilson said, " I hope you'll do well alone."

"You can be assured of that, Mister Wilson," Freddie replied. Mister Wilson nodded in agreement and escorted Freddie to the elevators.

"You don't forget to get the translated files won't you?" Mister Wilson said when Freddie pressed the elevator button.

"I won't. I'll deal with it just fine," Freddie said.

"I feel a bit bad about switching departments and leaving you to cope with all the work," Wilson looked down on his young colleague.

"It's only a few days I'll be fine until your replacement comes." The older man tapped Freddie on his shoulder.

"Goodbye, mister Benson," he said when the elevator doors opened.

"Goodbye, mister Wilson," Freddie said to him entering the elevator. The doors closed.

)-()-(-)-()-(

Another thing that could be assumed a strange was that fact that a certain Samantha Puckett, who had proved to be a skilled fighter pilot, was transferred to the military airport of Naquesh-e-Ristarn which was under the command of the European Peace force: EUPCME (European Union Peace Command for the Middle East). The small airport housed a squadron of four F-16's, two Americans, two Belgians, and three Super Etandards, all of them French. You can imagine that this certain Sam Puckett was a bit frustrated about all the odd accents around her, the occasional loss of words which resulted into long silences and the lack of excitement around here. Naquesh-e-Ristarn was a little village deep into the mountains, Sam guessad the none of them had ever seen a jet so close before.

Since they were in the mountains they had little space so the runway was just long enough for F-18's and the VTOL version of the F-22: the F-22 Mega Raptor. Besides that was the plateau nearly complete isolated from the rest of the world. There was no cell phone connection, they weren't allowed to have cells anyway, only a one day a week internet connection and only one phone in the village, the less talked about the rest the better. At least that was until the EU command decided to send a battalion Belgian troops around, specialized in building camps, to improve the camp's living quality. Sadly enough for the Belgian army that was everything they excelled in.

On the morning of February the fourteenth the normal so quiet camp was in full state of alarm. Later that day their would be a major assault on a city with the odd name of Alic-e-Arhoush, Sam's her escadrille had to do a last minute recon flight to clear the way for the helicopters.

"Bacon Leader to all welcome on a new flight mission, we have the authorization to shoot everybody who shoots at us, but don't be too excited we have three hours to fill, over." The leader said while taxiing to the runway.

"Bacon two to Bacon Leader, why the hell did you take that code name?" Sam nearly yelled through the radio.

"Bacon three to Bacon Leader, yeah why? You know it makes Bacon two hungry, over."

"Bacon Leader to Bacon three, well you know."

"Bacon four to Bacon three, instead of bickering to Bacon Leader you'd better take off. Over"

"Ohh, yeah… Over."

"Hello you guys down there this is Eye in the Sky to Bacon, I'll be your host for to the next few hours. Wanna hear the last news? Over."

"Bacon Leader to Eye in the Sky, sure, let it come. Over."

"Bacon four to all in the sky right now, all exited to find out what's wrong with the world. Over"

"Eye in the Sky to Bacon, here it comes: home news President candidate Ulysses has won North Dakota for him. Further there has been some announcements about the war, a press conference from all those who want to end this madness, well basically that was it for the home news. Now local news that concerns you all: there is a strong north west wind near checkpoint one and it is forty degrees Celsius. There are no helicopters of the US Army, nor any other friendly activities, you've got the whole place for yourselves. Over"

"Bacon two to Eye in the Sky, well except then for the enemies AA posts, isn't it? Over.

"Eye in the Sky to Bacon two, affirmative."

Of course you are, Sam thought. Her jet flew quickly over the landscape, but from her point of view it was slow, incredibly slow. A fully equipped and armed F-16 was more like a slug in her eyes, since during her training she'd had the opportunity to exercise in various different kinds of jets: her absolute number one was the F-18 Hornet, but the F-16 Fighting Falcon was a nice plane, yes and easy to fly too. But you couldn't get Sam exited about it, except for one memory: the US Air Force used the F-16 as training jet. That meant that Sam's first solo flight was in a F-16. She had been really nervous. But she remembered it as the day of yesterday:

"_Ready for your first flight alone?"__ Katie McDougall, Sam flight instructor, asked. Sam jumped out of her seat, very surprised._

"_How do you mean first flight alone? The solo flights are in two weeks," Sam asked surprised and confused._

"_I mean that since you are so good at flying that you are way further advanced then everybody else, so I asked the CO to allow you to do your solo flight now. I wanted it to be a surprise," Katie said smiling at her reaction._

"_Don't hug me," she said when she noticed the expression of extreme happieness on Sam's face, "our codename is Blondie, I'm Blondie Leader and you Blondie two."_

_)-()-(-)-()-(_

"_Ejection seat?" Katie asked through the radio. Sam felt some handles and checked the seat man separator. Her hand went automatically to the ejection control d-ring, the younger her would have pulled it, just to know what would happen, she didn't. she sighted and said as if it was a terrible word: "Check." Her first time alone in a jet. It was exiting._

_They had flown a few rounds above the immense terrain of Nellis A.F.B. Sam had felt as a bird, free and without care. If she had known that she was so good at flying she would have joined without doubt._

)-()-(-)-()-(

"BACON TWO!!!!!!." The yelling from her fellow pilots made her wake up. "Pull UP NOW!" What? Why the she noticed that she had been flying a bit around and forgot about everything. She quickly went back to the normal course and height.

"Bacon two to all, Sorry guys I was thinking at something else," Sam said.

"Bacon Leader to all we are entering the enemy zone, make sure you only send messages by radio if necessary. Of and Bacon two don't go away again. Over."

PEEP. The peep made Sam look down at her radar again, a little square with the number two in had appeared on the screen. Great, she thought, now we are caught by a radar.

"Bacon Leader to all, we have clearance to attack and destroy the radar, probably there are Sam rockets near so pay attention.

"Bacon three to Bacon Leader understood. Over."

"Bacon two to Bacon Leader, show time. Over"

"Bacon four to Bacon Leader, Action. Over."

"Bacon two to all, visual, twelve o'clock. Can I shoot it?"

"Bacon Leader to Bacon two, be my guest."

"Fox one." Sam said to inform them she had fired a missile at the radar.

The radar was destroyed but suddenly one of the Belgians yelled: "APEX IMBOUND!!"

"Shit, break break." All the jets threw themselves aside and pulled up very sudden, Bacon Leader and Bacon three where able to lose the SAM rocket behind them but bacon four was hit.

"Bacon four is down, I repeat Bacon four is down."

"Eye in the Sky here, go back it's way to crowed here, how come there are so many of them here? Is Bacon four safe?"

"Negative, eye in the Sky, we lost him."

"How is the rest?"

BOOM.

"Bacon two here I'm hit! Bacon two ejection." Sam got out of her jet just before it was hit by six other missiles. She had been the lowest because she had attacked the rader and thus had been an easy target.

"Bacon Leader here to all remaining: climb to 10.000 feet and let's get back."

"Bacon three here, I'm in to that." He said climbing quickly to 10.000 feet.

)-()-(-)-()-(

_Ohwww, What will happen too Sam? And when we'll hear something again of these two on the phone? Soon.__ Next chapter will be about Carly. Time to document my self on how a American campaign is held. _

_I don't know much about military aviation as I'm writing this there is a comic book lying next to me that gives a realistic view of the American Navy: Buck Danny. Wikipedia was also a great help, the official site of Lockheed Martin wasn't up-to-date and the site of Nellis A.F.B. wasn't interesting._

_This song, originally in Dutch is from the Dutch singer Boudewijn de Groot is called Welterusten__, mijnheer de president, (Good Night Mister president), 1966 _

_(I'll leave it to you to what war it is all about.) If you like to hear it: .com/watch?v=_-wEG8wF9R8&feature=related_

Mister president, goodnight

Sleep easily in your fancy White House

Don't think too much about those coasts far away

Where your boys are, lonely, far from their house

Don't think about those forty six killings

That mistake lately with that bombing

And forget about the fourth of the ten commandments

Which you know all as good Christian, of course

Don't think about all those Young soldiers

Lonely dieing in the far tropic night

Let that silly pacifist clique talk

Mister president, sleep well

Dream of the Victory and the glory

Dream of your great peace ideal

Which has never been concluded by bloody killings

Dream that'll succeed this time

Don't think about all these people who are dieing

How much women, how much children are killed

Dream that you'll be victorious.

And don't listen to all this opposition

Bajonets with bloody hilts

Are guarding far away on your command

For the glory and the honour of the free West

Mister president, sleep well

Don't be surprised when in your dreams

You see all those innocent victims

Who were killed in combat

And ask you how long this will last

And you too should start to realise

That there are men who are sick of the violence

Who can't forget the blood and the misery

And for whom a life still counts

Don't dream too much of all those killings

Just dream nicely of victory and power

Don't think about all these peace wishes

Mister president, sleep well

_I thought it would fit__… _

_Anyway some of you might notice that it should be Seattle Fraud but I noticed it too late and I kinda like it that way, so I'll only change it if it really bothers you. _

_~Rhady_


	3. Move On

Seattle Fraude

Chapter 3: Just Move On.

Everyone who had known the little Carly Shay during the web show time would never have imagined what she would become later.

It all started when iCarly ended. It began with a letter. Just a letter. Nobody who touched it in-between the envelope's closing: the interdepartmental courier, the man who posted it, the postman and Spencer and the opening by Carly Shay, could gave known what a live changing letter this little piece of paper wrapped in a bigger piece of the same matter actually was.

If the postman would have known it he would gone upstairs to give the letter personally to shake Carly's hand because it would have been his last chance to do so, instead of just putting it in the Shays mailbox. Spencer on the other hand would have tried to keep her away from the letter, to hold his little sister away from the government because there was another thing he learned in his three days of law school, aside of knowing that there was no contract without a way out, that was that politics was all about cheating and overdoing each other and that those who didn't apply this holy rule would be crushed, in politic there was no mercy, they didn't learn you this at school, but he nor the postman knew this. And Spencer gave her the letter and the next day already she went for an application. A week later she was a governmental spokeswoman and two years later senator Ulysses recruited her to co-write his speeches. But the senator had failed again and again to gain power, but now Carly wrote the speeches herself and now they made a good chance.

Despite all this good luck for Carly Spencer was sad that he wasn't able to hold her sister away from that world made by jealousy and lust for power. But every time they were in touch he mastered to sound happy for her.

Yes, the youngest Shay had changed and yes she got more and more into the politics: the influence it had on her life was way too big for one person to stay healthy, but Carly was still single. Although she'd had some attractive and gentle lovers it never worked out, but she didn't care.

Her first taste to power began in September 2007 when the web show first aired. The second time she came in touch with the sweet taste of power was in 2020 when she was added to the crew of senator Ulysses. Nowadays she knew damn well that popularity was one of the keys to power. Another key was nerve, and the last one was having a heart made of stone ready to put everyone aside if necessary.

Gaining popularity was Carly's cup of tea, nerve she knew she'd never master, and a heart made out of stone she thought she was working on. You see little Carly Shay had great plans. But her hearth of stone was shattered when a ruined Freddie phoned her on a dark yet sunny august day: his company was taken over by Nevel: Freddie had been thrown out and needed a new job, quickly. Carly couldn't find any interesting jobs quick enough and thus give him a job in the FED she knew he would dislike. But it paid well.

Another thing that had an influence on Carly was the fact that Sam had joined the army and left to fight in the Middle East. It had been a change for Carly, of course she'd made new friends but a lifelong friendship like theirs is hard to replace quickly. Since Carly had been relatively alone she had decided to work harder. And build high walls around her.

When you looked at her without any make-up and out of the press' sight you saw a sad girl, a tired woman. And this woman was now sitting in a chair on a plane staring blankly at a computer screen. She was far away.

Her thoughts jumped from parts of conversations she heard during the day to things she bothering her to parts of the new speech Carly had to write.

"_all know that he'__s on the way to beat us…"_

"_Don't worry we can defeat him easily__…"_

"I can see right though him, he doesn't want to do anything he says…"

"_Obi123: I thought Carly Shay was a nice girl but I never imagined that…"_

"_Rhy'd: It is surprising…"_

"The rebel general Ali-Ben-Yhassouf has claimed to have brought down five American F-16's the Pentagon has denied this and claims that only three F-16's were shot down by enemy fire. According to a communiqué of the EU they have lost five men, whom one is a pilot. One man is still missing…"

"_Education has made our country great, without education general Grant would never have vanquished general Lee, without education we'd never arrived on the moon, without education we all would live in huts…"_

Besides all this she was also thinking about her life, emotions, Sam's last words spoken directly to her: "Don't worry Carls I'll comeback without a scratch.

Carly shook her head, sat up straight and started typing:_ "Friends, Compatriots, Americans today I'm standing here on exactly the same place…" _

)-()-(-)-()-(

At nine past nine Freddie finally locked his office door. Only behind a few windows the light was still on. Freddie felt sad. He shook his head and left the parking lot. During the subway ride home Freddie remembered how it had been back in the days. It looked all such a long time ago. Freddie sighted. Times had changed, people had changed: Gibby had been put away, Sam had become a pilot, Carly a government spokeswoman and then writer of speeches, Nevel a successful businessmen, Spencer a known artist, … and he was a loser and they winners. It wasn't fair.

The subway doors swung open and Freddie left, he stopped at the coffee shop and the cheap Italian Take Away. And set of for his own little apartment.

Perhaps he could go and have a drink? No, he thought he tried that before and it nearly costed him his job and life and it did cost him his car.

Freddie wasn't poor, on the contrary: he had still many savings from the time things were okay, he'd never thought that his mum would have been right when she said that he had to create a special account for such life savings. It had served him well.

But now Freddie's life felt empty. He was all alone.

The little flat he lived in was clean and cosy. But he hated to live there: it was so far away from everybody he knew. He entered his 'home'.

"I thought that I closed this window?" Freddie said to himself, he always spoke to himself when he was alone. But he didn't expect to hear a soft, cold, female voice reply: "You did."

Freddie turned and faced the woman sitting in his usual seat. It was a pretty woman with long curly black hairs, a strong, small nose, cold green and brown in the middle coloured eyes and she played casually with a gun.

"Mind if I smoke?" Freddie asked breathing heavily. The woman smiled. Freddie took a cigarette out of a box on his dining table. And lit the thing. But before he could turn back to her she hat lifted her gun and she shot the cigarette out of his mouth with a soft plop. Freddie turned shocked to her. Her smile was even wider: "I mind."

Her gun was again laying on the fluffy handrail of the seat. Freddie took a chair and fell upon it: he was terrified by her action. Freddie tried to relax again and put the things he knew about her on one clear line: she was a pretty, sharp shooting girl who hates smoking, she can get through a window on the fourth floor without being noticed and was clearly not from here, her accent made him think that she might be British, perhaps Scottish but he wasn't sure, she had also something familiar.

"I'm Eluned, Eluned Moon," she said. Now Freddie knew who she was she was the British investigator known to discover anything, everywhere, every time.

"Seeing your reaction you have heard of me," she said, someone else would have smiled brighter but her smile faded when he nodding in confirmation.

"But what are you doing here, I mean…" Freddie wasn't able to finish this sentence: Eluned had shoved him into the wall with incredible ease. The she came so close to him that Freddie became nervous.

"Rule one," she whispered in his ear, "never ever ask too much." Freddie nodded.

"Fine," she let him go, "I'm glad that we understand each other."

They both sat down again in their respective seats.

"Do you want promotion?" she asked very serious again.

"Yeah, I want to get out of that dull place," Freddie said, I wished I still got my own… my own."

"That's what you get when you make powerful enemies," Eluned said casually, the thing about Eluned that irritated Freddie most was her constant mood swings. It confused Freddie.

"I didn't make powerful enemies Nevsoft was just better then my company," Freddie defended himself.

"You didn't check the Stock Exchange since you were thrown out?" Eluned asked surprised.

"No," he answered confused.

"Idiot, you would have seen Nevsoft got an immense boost since your company got in the Nevsoft Holding," Eluned said while her face was fighting against a mocking smirk and pity. In the end a comforting smile took over the lead. It wasn't really convincing. Freddie thought that Eluned Moon was an arrogant lunatic.

"Yes dull, "she said changing the subject so abruptly that Freddie didn't catch it, "I can imagine that checking other's administration isn't the most exiting thing to do, isn't it? And you'd rather do a more exiting job, like flying a jet or writing speeches for the next Prime Minister."

"Don't you mean President?" Freddie asked, but Eluned ignored him.

"Your friends never get a e-mail longer then two hundred words, don't they?" Eluned asked but before Freddie could interrupt her again she continued, "of course when nothing happens." Now she paused.

"Something happened," Freddie said.

"If that something involves that girl working for the Translations Department on the third floor in FED five being in love with you I'm not interested," Eluned said quickly.

"No," Freddie said, he didn't trust this woman at all: she knew to much and she was still playing casually with that gun and how did she know that that transation girl was in love with him, Freddie didn't know it himself, "I mean that I get a new colleague."

"Melanie Puckett?" the woman asked she smirked as she said, "Exiting"

"What?" Freddie asked astonished, "I didn't know who my colleague would be, how do you know?"

"It's quite obvious that I know more then you do," she said yawning. Then they could here a huge bang outside. Eluned was distracted for a moment and Freddie grabbed the gun and aimed it at her. She was surprised but recovered quickly. Then she grinned and stood up.

"What are you going to do?" she teased. "Shoot me?"

Freddie swallowed but held the gun tighter, that woman was clearly completely insane. "If I have to, you must know that I have a secret camcorder hidden recording this!" Freddie shouted, pointing the gun at different parts of her body.

She raised her eyebrows. "You mean this?" she asked holding up the tiny camcorder he had designed back when business were well and times were happy.

"Don't come closer!" he yelled when she stepped forwards. She stepped back again.

"Good choice, English girl," Freddie said, "now I call the police and have you arrested."

"Before you do that, one question: don't you agree that that gun is not that heavy at all?" she asked. In fact she had a point the gun was light, too light. Eluned grinned her mischievous grin: "Some guns are heavy others aren't, this type is only that light when unloaded."

"So this gun is not loaded?" Freddie asked. Eluned shook her head.

"But my friends gun is."

)-()-(-)-()-(

O…o

o…O

_What's gonna happen next? Another phone call, a speech, a rescue mission to rescue a rescue mission, perhaps… of course more life threading activities at the Benson's place… etc, etc_

_Long chapter this one but I felt a little guilty about letting you wait so long, and I'm also talking to you Drag0nl0rd. Your concerns were … appreciated, We have to say it like it is._

_~Rhady_


	4. They Have a

Seattle Fraude

Chapter 4: They have a

"Indeed it is," another voice said, unlike Eluned this man was clearly American. Freddie felt the eyes of this mystery man burn in his back and he felt the cold steel of his gun in his neck. The cold touch made him shiver.

"I would appreciate it if you would give me my gun back," Eluned said. It was more an order then a request. Still the British woman felt the urge to clarify it: "Now."

Freddie's brains where working overtime: why did Eluned want the gun back so badly? Perhaps it was still loaded?

"Mister Benson, please, be reasonable: are you really thinking about killing yourself?" Eluned smirked.

"I'm not gonna kill myself," Freddie said angrily.

"If you don't give me this gun now, you _are_ quite suicidal," Eluned sounded very serious but she continued smirking, completely destroying the seriousness. Freddie would have given all the money on his secret bank account (the account he had been forced to establish by his caring mum because 'times could turn' it kept him alive) to prove her wrong but something in him said that the time to be heroic was over: slowly, as a machine he gave the gun back to it's previous owner.

"Can I say that I think you made the right decision?" Eluned smirked. Later Freddie would wonder how Eluned got rid of that constant smirk. But now he was only able to grimace.

"Okay you can lower your gun now," Eluned said to the mystery man the she focused back on Freddie, "back to business."

Eluned told Freddie that she was hired by the CIA to help them solve a delicate case. She didn't want to let go much of it but she did slip that the whole case was centered in Seattle. She also told him that it was something like a big scam and they needed him to provide them with the necessary information about which companies could be endangered.

------------------

Freddie's POV

------------------

"How do you mean: I can get you the information," I asked puzzled.

"Your department is busy with making a database with all the companies that are making big profits and are very promising in the future, isn't it?" Eluned asked rhetorically.

"Yes, in order to refresh the Dow Jones, or making a new index, but I don't get how I could help." I replied intentionally ignoring the rhetoric.

"That's an incredibly easy and safe job: every file coming from Seattle or the state of Washington you get, you copy and you bring home, I'll be waiting for you here every Friday," Eluned pointed at the seat she was sitting in, smiling. If she thought that I was gonna fall for that smile she was completely wrong, besides she was about ten years older then me.

But all sudden her smile faded, her glare was confused and even … scared? She looked like she was about to throw up but she could prevent it. As if it had been nothing she smiled again. But I looked behind me to see what had distracted her, she had been staring above the table with pictures of me Sam, Carly and many other friends of mine: Gibby, Spencer, etc. Above all that hung a crucifix, what about could have been so scary about that crucifix?

I suddenly something came into my mind: "I say, miss Moon, why don't you talk to my superiors, I bet they can give you everything you desire."

"And much more," she laughed, not the cold laugh from in the beginning of the evening but a warm friendly one, "But I happen to know that they are more politicians then honest people."

"How do you mean?" I asked.

"Well I see from the photographs on that coffee table of yours, you are befriended with Carly Shay aren't you?" she said.

"Yes."

"When was the last time you met her face to face?"

"Last year before she ran away with that Ulysses."

Eluned laughed again: "As I can deduce from you tone and expression you don't like the leading candidate."

"Well, I'll say it like this," I said trying to find the right words, "there are potato peels floating down the Potomac who'd make a better leading candidate, but since words are superior to deeds in politics…" I didn't need to finish my sentence. She understood.

"Your vision of politics is not completely correct but in essence true, but what I mean is that there are no politicians who want to change things that could make their position less profitable, and where ever you go in governmental institutions you'll find someone who wants more money then they deserve."

"Do you mean by that that you can't trust the top because it's infiltrated?" I asked getting annoyed because she didn't get to the point. Wasn't this supposed to be a serious matter?

"We do not know if it's infiltrated but it's a possibility, yes. And now were are talking about the leading candidate, he should be on now," Eluned said turning the television on.

A big crowd was yelling in ecstasy when suddenly Ulysses appeared out of nowhere:

"_My friends, fellow Americans," _he yelled into the microphone then he paused giving the mass time to cheer,_ "This evening I'm here in the Northgate Mall. Exactly on the same place where the current president promised you change. Change in healthcare, change in education, changes for elderly and disabled people, and many more changes."_

"You see?" Eluned said matter-of-factly, "He is mysterious, this is a popular show not a campaign. He is something new, he is like that guy in the movie Man of the Year: new, refreshing, not on the menu.

"_Education my dear friends is a __necessity,"_ Ulysses continued, "_but it's neglected by my_ _predecessors. Because of this neglecting attitude our education, the education of the most powerful nation in the world, is not at the top of the lists where it should be. There are countries in Europe with less inhabitants then New York who can achieve a better educational level then America._

_My predecessors failed to see that without education general Grant, for example, wouldn't have vanquished General Lee, that without education we wouldn't have invented the atomic bombe first and that without education we wouldn't have walked upon the moon's surface several times._

Eluned laughed and whispered: "I walk on America's surface." I didn't catch it first but then I remembered that her surname was 'Moon' I had to grin involuntarily.

"_The list is endless. All these known men and women who have made the world like it is now wouldn't have arisen without education…"_

Eluned killed the sound: "We could continue watching but I don't have until eternity nor do I have enough interest.

Did you see? He is nothing different, just the way he acts, the people chanting slogans, the mystery, and all that stuff people want to see. Politicians don't live in our world, they live in a world in which they can do everything with money, with lies etc. That's why you can never ever trust a politician. Politics is a world on its own it only cares about itself, not you, not me. Itself."

"Wow, miss Moon you really dislike politics." I said surprised.

"I know politics. In politics it's adapt and disappear in the masses or be crushed." Eluned said rubbing her right temple, "I'm no Nazi, but Hitler was right at one point," she said getting up. I looked at her eager to know what she meant.

"You can't predict the moves of one individual, but you can predict and direct the moves of a mass, because, I quote '_a big mass is blind and dumb_'." I watched her and her friend leave. But before she closed the door she turned once more to me, sadly smiling: "They have a lean and hungry look, they think too much, such men are dangerous."

After she said these mysterious words she vanished.

)-()-(-)-()-(

_Well another chapter finished. I really want to update sooner but there are only two days left of my holyday as I'm writing this. I have other things to do. |:-(_

_But I'll will continue writing. The speech was supposed to be longer but since I have no ambition becoming the first Belgo-American President I did make it a bit shorter. _

_Who ever notices something odd about Eluned please tell me._

_~Rhady_


	5. Haram

Seattle Fraude

Chapter 5: Haram

------------------

Sam's POV

------------------

I fell down on the hard rock. After I got rid of the parachute three masked man came out of a cave a bit higher on the hill. I ran towards them it was better that the flying Bacons wouldn't notice me.

"I'm glad you did survive, you recon anyone heard me say when you had to jump out?" the man with the red mask said.

"Nope, no one will have noticed," I said confidently. The man nodded in agreement. "Let's go," he said.

We ran back to the cave. The masked men ran to the far end of the cave and pushed a rack away. He showed me in. The others didn't intend to come along which confused me. But the redhead lead through endless caves some natural, others man made. It was a perfect labyrinth, no one who didn't know the way would never come out again. After a while the labyrinth came out into another cave. In the distance I saw a village.

"You'll be safer in a village until we have some transport," he said removing his mask.

"I know, Arkan, 'haram'," I answered. He nodded and smiled glad that I knew about this. We entered a small hut near the town centre and the mosque. "Welcome in your new home," Arkan said proudly. I on the other hand wasn't nearly as impressed as he was. The fact that I wouldn't be able to have some ham here wasn't making the case any better. Muslims with their stupid rules.

"You don't seem to be that enthusiastic," Arkan said a little disappointed.

"I don't know if this was a good decision," I said. Arkan rolled with his eyes, I couldn't blame him: we had been discussing this over and over again.

"Listen, it only will be for a few days then you go back to," Arkan stopped dead.

"Seattle?" I asked.

"Or somewhere else."

"Why somewhere else?" I asked confused.

"Because when all this is over, miss Puckett, the state of Washington will be one of the poorest regions in the world," a mans voice said. I was shocked it though I had scanned the entire hut before entering but here he was a tall man in his late fifties, with clever eyes and hair as black as his shoes. He had a strong nose but a weak chin, his eyebrows came together above this strong nose. But most remarkably were his eyes: they where as blue as the sky on a cloudless day. All this together made an intimidating impression.

The first thing that crossed my mind was that he looked like an old eagle. An old grumpy eagle that didn't like to be fooled around, yes if you paid attention to every little detail you were considered as smart.

"Hang on," I said angrily, "you are going to steal all the money of Washington.

"Like my good old friend Rune Moon would say: something's rotten, "he smirked, "in the state of Washington."

"Rune Moon? Who's that jerk?" I asked, how could one have such a silly name?

"He's no jerk and his name is rather fascinating, his can be interpreted as…Pleasant Secret. But why am I telling you this?"

"I don't know it was your choice," I mumbled.

He laughed: "Indeed it was, miss Puckett, indeed it was. You really are as funny as Arkan so kindly informed me." He took something from the table and put it in his pocket before he continued. But before he could his sparkling eyes met mine, not really a pleasant experience: he had a very penetrating look, as if he was looking right through me.

"Well," he finally continued, "clothes are in this box here, and now if you would be so kind to hand over your weapon," he held out his hand, although he said it casually as if it was nothing, but something I missed made it sound… mandatory. Plus I thought I had hid my weapon well.

"Hang on, what am I gonna do here all day? There is not even a television," I asked handing over the iron killer.

He shrugged: "I donno honour the code."

I grinned: "It says that if I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and aid others to escape."

"And the same article says: I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy. If you do keep the code honoured I have to remind you that you violated at least three paragraphs already, so why don't you violate some more and stay here?" he replied

"Why did you suggest it, then? Did you want to remind me of my dishonor?" I shouted.

"I had no intentions to remind you about your dishonour, I only wanted to know what I found out," he replied.

"Why do you guys always have to speak in riddles?" I asked slowly cooling down again, well cooling down wasn't the best word, it was 40 degrees Celsius in the shadow after all.

He smiled and said: "Welcome to Erised-Al-Noekoed, now you'll have to excuse me I have to phone someone.

)-()-(-)-()-(

"Hello?"

"Hi."

"It took a while before your servant found you, isn't it?"

"Don't smirk he's still new."

"Indeed he is, dear."

"Get to the point I have little time."

"She's in Erised."

"Already?"

"I know. It was easy because she was willing to cooperate. Apparently jetfighter pilot isn't that exciting anymore for her."

"Everyone has his own opinion."

"Shame."

"Yeah but you know Caesar said once: one who conquers a land should get absolute power of it."

"We haven't conquered yet."

"Nor do we have absolute power. What did you tell her?"

"I'll tell you this: we do have some power."

"Great."

"Anyway about that other matter, how is that?"

"I put our best agent on it, that will do."

"Do you think it will succeed?"

"I trust her with my life."

"Of course. If she goes and gets that artifact…"

"I hope this reassures you?"

"It does. Good evening."

"See ya."

)-()-(-)-()-(

_Another chapter done. Written quickly as a goodbye holyday present, __and now you know what Sam has to do with it. _

_The name __Erised-Al-Noekoed is no coincidence._

The new guy is clearly the one who phoned in the first chapter. _You should be able to tell me where our new friend without name comes from._

_About _Haram_, for those who don't know, according to my source _haram_ means both dirty and house, Muslim houses however are not dirty. _Haram_ (the primitive of the word harem) as house is also holy: there will be no killing in the house, everyone, even your greatest enemy, is when he enters a house, a guest and has to be treated like this. This means that the same person who just gave you tea and cookies can shoot you in the back when you have left the village. Since the rebels in our fictional Middle East country are very religious it is indeed likely Sam will be safer in a village then in those caves._

_My source was the Russian version of Full Metal Jacket: the 9__th__ Company. The first Russian movie I really wanted to see completely. _

_Trailer: _

.com/watch?v=FVB9Xz2DyME

_The man speaking Russian is the source I used._

_~Rhady_


	6. 5 Weeks later

Seattle Fraude

Chapter 6: 5 weeks later.

"Excuse me, is Eluned Jane Moon present this evening?"

"No, I'm sorry sir, she is at home today," the woman replied politely. "Shall I phone her to say she has someone who wants to see her?"

"No thank you, I'll visit her at home," the young man replied.

"Does she expect you?"

"No, why?"

"She is a member of the upper-class, sir, you can't just enter her house."

"Trust me: she won't mind."

"If you say so." The woman turned away to help other guests.

The young man smirked at her. No, dear Lune certainly would let her in. Then he left the white light of the Opera building.

He walked through the snowy streets to his BMW.

He stepped in his car and took a list.

"Opera, check," he whispered, "and so far for London, now let's check the Welsh border." He took out the remote control of his Galileo system and typed Shropshire Llanymynech, North Road.

He smiled and started his engine.

He would get her. No matter how.

)-()-(-)-()-(

In most dramatic cliché movies he would have arrived at night, in the rain, in this story however he would not have found a room in the Bradford Arms Inn at that time and it would snow. But since I'm not such a sadist to leave him without any comfortable place to sleep but a BMW Does he arrive the next day at noontime.

And stopped at one of the local pubs: the Bradford Arms Inn. The innkeeper of the Bradford Arms Inn was in his late fifties and never in his whole career of serving drinks to his fellow villagers he had seen someone like the man who had just come in.

"Good day sir, what can I serve you?" he asked covering his surprise with his famous smile. He had all right to cover his enormous surprise at the mere sight of the man who stood before him: he looked absolutely flabbergasted, tired and had a determined look in his eyes. He had the aura of someone who had lost everything.

"A pint," he said in a hoarse voice, "and a room."

"A pint of what, sir?"

"I donno, something with alcohol," was the annoyed reply.

Carwyn, that was the Innkeepers name by the way, took a bottle of his more expensive low alcoholic drinks (he didn't want to have a fight in his pub), and versed his early customer a pint of it.

"Thanks."

"You are not from here," Carwyn tried to start a conversation."

"You're kidding me," the sarcastic reply was.

"What wind has brought you here?"

"An extremely cold one as you can see outside," the customer answered. Laughing at his own joke for less then two seconds.

Carwyn laughed politely with him but stopped when he looked in the cold eyes of the man. They scared him.

"What do you know about the mistress of the Manor?" the man asked suddenly after he drank half his pint.

Carwyn a bit taken aback by this sudden question asked: "You mean Eluned Moon?"

"Yes that one, what do you know 'bout her?"

"Where to start? She has many weird things, the whole family is weird, you know."

"Doesn't surprise me at all," the man muttered, "please do continue."

"Well, hue… yes, in the first place we don't even know where she, her brother and sister went to school. And her job is also odd. She investigates the most curious murders you can imagine."

"In other words you don't know her don't you?"

"She isn't a very social type."

"Understandable."

"But she is nice, every Sunday evening she gives a violin solo concert for free in my pub. But you know, you need to talk with Celyn."

"Celyn, who's Celyn?"

"Her best friend," Carwyn answered, "but what happened to you? You are an American not?"

"Yes." Carwyn nodded as if to say: that solves the question.

"Why do you ask?" the customer asked.

"Well… your accent," the innkeeper replied. But his customer didn't believe that was the real reason.

"Are you happy?" the customer suddenly asked.

"I have no reason to complain, I have a great social life, a nice wife. It's nothing too exiting, but it is nice."

"You are to be envied," the American said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I said you are to be envied, everybody dreams of a life filled with excitement and danger, a life like Rambo's or a life like the Ancient Greek hero's.

You know someone said once to me that you never know what's going to happen until you die, after that event there's no need to worry about anything anymore. I thought she was wrong," the customer drank from his drink and continued, "I thought that the economical boom times we lived in were a real Utopia. A garden of Eden, a safe heaven on earth. I was wrong, my company was taken over and I was thrown out. And then 'it' happened. The Great Scam of Washington. That whole state was drained of all it's money, it was like magic.

As the high buildings fell, was I in the middle of it, looking around and see how it fell, like a house of cards, I grabbed the money I had left, changed it in Euros and left for Belgium, a country I didn't even know it existed before I was on the plane to it," the man fell silent for a moment. "_Why does it rain over Utopia_?"

)-()-(-)-()-(

"Yes, I know what to do, mum, I live in this house for over ten years now, of course everything is alright with the kids, what could be wrong?" Eluned Moon said into her mobile phone. "Okay but would you mind not reading that list again? It makes me tired and you know how well I sleep, don't you? No, the kids aren't up anymore. No not even Cadi, at the moment I'm just watching television. What, you want proof?" Eluned aimed the mobile phone at the television that was showing the late evening news, "Do you believe me now? Okay bye, yes I love you too, bye."

"That was close, mum."

"Just make your next move Cadi," Eluned replied, laughing at her youngest.

"Checkmate," Cadi said happily.

"Hu? … Cadi, before I got on the phone there was a queen of mine standing right there, protecting my king against that very move, where did it go?"

"I'm off to bed," Cadi squealed, gave her mum a kiss and ran to bed. Eluned smiled, after she couldn't hear her youngest daughter anymore, she put the chessboard away and prepared to go to be herself.

The doorbell rang.

"Who could that be?" Eluned wondered. When she opened the door the cold steel of a gun was aimed at her. she was shocked, didn't know how to react for a moment, but then she seemed to recover.

"Hello," the stranger said in triumph.

"You'd better come in."

_Now that took long to write this, but I was a little mixed up with the plot. But the problem is as you probably noticed solved. I'll send some e-cookies to the one who can say me where the phrase about Utopia comes from.__ I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger. I bet you already know who the stranger is?_

_~Rhady_


	7. Eben Emael

Seattle Fraude

Chapter 7: Eben-Emael.

(A/N Character death)

"You'd better come in," Eluned said her voice was trembling. The young man entered without averting his eyes, it was like he was drinking her fear and for sure enjoying it.

"I've found you at last," the man said with a glimpse of in triumph in his eyes.

"What do you mean, I've found you at last?" Eluned asked, she was getting freaked out by this person who came into her house while aiming a gun at her. A cheap gun.

"What you don't remember me?" the man asked while making his way through the hall.

"No, and that's the door of the cellar you're opening there," Eluned said, she felt her fear fade away like snow in the sun because of his mistake.

"Oh, so it is, my mistake," the man said laughing and went into the direction of the sitting room, "come on."

Eluned followed him into her own sitting room.

"Please sit down," the man said.

"But who are you?" Eluned asked visibly annoyed by being told to sit down in her own house.

"You are not telling me that you don't remember me don't you Lune?"

"Don't call me Lune, want you?"

"You have nothing want anymore, Lune. But since you clearly don't recognise me, I think that I should tell you who I am."

"And who are you?"

"I'm Freddie Benson, doesn't that ring a bell?"

"To be honest no, I never heard about a certain Freddie Benson before."

"I have to admit that I'm quite disappointed, my dear. I was after all all over the news, back across the sea."

"You are some kind of celebrity then?" that would solve the problem, some teen tv star who got to old to stay a teenstar and freaked out. She was dealing with a madman.

"Some kind is a well chosen verbal construction. My disappointment grows with the second, Lune, I would have expected that the man who was credited for having destroyed a large part of the American economy was known to you."

"Then, you are some kind of criminal, not celebrity."

"Perceptive and accurate, if it were true."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm innocent, someone has been fooling me around, making me take guilt of things I didn't do, by claiming to be working for the CIA."

"Who was that person then?"

"You."

Eluned looked at him is disbelief, completely nutters.

"I believe…" Eluned began but was cut of.

"I believed too, dear, I only found out after your last visit, when you accidentally left this, which I luckily read and was able to leave before they came hunting me down!" Freddie had raised his voice while taking a dossier from his pocket and throwing it on the coffee table in front of them.

Eluned took the thing with shaking hands, how could they?

"Voila, like they say in my new homeland, operation Eben-Emael."

"Eben-Emael?"

"Yes, what do you know about it?"

"Quite a lot actually, I've been there."

"How do you mean: you have been there? It's an operation not a place!" Freddie shouted at her a bit louder then he wanted, but that give his unsaid statement (you are so stupid) more force.

"Eben-Emael is not just a name out of nowhere, it's a town in Belgium, known for it's fortress."

"Go on." Damn, I'm wrong.

"If you insist: well, in short then, I want to get this over with:

In 1939, as you probably know, Hitler invaded Poland, to the shock of all other West-European democracies, not much later France and England declared war on Germany, Hitler, who just finished invading Poland, now was happy to have an excuse to get revenge for the disgrace of the Versailles Treaty after World War One and wanted to attack France and Britain, but in-between these superpowers there was the Benelux*. All this was seen by Belgium, it's king and ministers. Knowing that Germany woul want want to pass through the small nation to have Antwerp as port to attack Britain and as passageway to reach Paris earlier and in the knowledge that in an open battle they never could stop the Germans, the Belgians started building defence lines all across the Kingdom. And the pearl on the crown was Eben-Emael, a vast complex of bunkers and heavy cannons. All what the Belgians feared happened, while in Brussels German diplomats were visiting the Prime Minister to present him a last ultimatum, German troops invaded Belgium.

Like in WWI the Belgians were no match for the German Wehrmacht, and in no time they arrived at the first strong Belgian line of defence and the fortress famed for being the strongest in Europe and in the world: Eben-Emael.

The Germans, didn't only have better troops, but also had a better HQ. The General in charge saw that Eben-Emael was indeed strong and would be hard to take.

To make a long story short, the Germans waited out of the reach of Eben-Emael's cannons for the solution. That solution was to use a new kind of attack, the attack from above, so the Germans dropped about hundred paratroopers above Eben-Emael with a new kind of bomb that blasted the roofs of the bunkers and cannon houses away. The Belgians were completely stunned by an attack from above and were although they had more troops then the Germans had inside the fort and they had artillery support by neighbouring forts incapable tio retake the fort.

It was a signal for all nations that the stronghold concept was something from the past."

"What has all this to do with MY problem?" Freddie asked impatiently, although the history part didn't bore him.

"Well, everything together I think the attack on Eben-Emael is similar to the attack on the financial sector of the State of Washington, I'm I right?"

"You are," Freddie said, his voice was just a faint whisper.

)-()-(-)-()-(

"Hallo?"

"It's me again."

"Halleluja."

"No time for jokes, woman. That Fredward guy escaped."

"What?"

"Where is he now?"

"We spotted him at Eluned's."

"He is in good hands then, I'm sure Lune will play her part well."

"Life is like a play, no matter how long it takes, no matter what you play, only if you at least have a good exit."

"Why was that good for? That Nero quote of yours?"

"Forget it. Now something more important at the moment, how's Samantha?"

"A bit worried, but fine. She is almost ready."

"Is she ready enough for the last test?"

"Yes."

)-()-(-)-()-(

Seattle had changed over the past few weeks and sadly enough not for the better: the Washington Scam had made most of the inhabitants poor, homeless and above all angry. Many also lost their jobs, although the police department was able to keep the streets reasonably safe in the centre, the outskirts were reasonable dangerous especially at night.

But still a young woman, who hadn't visited the city is years, needed to go there.

Melanie Puckett hadn't visited her mother in years, thinking that Sam and her were better of without her. She saw herself as very smart, an opinion not shared by everybody, apart from Sam, her ex-boyfriend thought she was stupid and her only quality was to learn well. And talk like an upperclass parrot.

In fact Melanie wasn't smarter then Sam, there was only one difference: Melanie liked to work hard, Sam didn't.

So from where did the belief that Melanie was stupid from then? Simply, Melanie was hopelessly naïve. Really: hopelessly.

Melanie was relieved about what happened, now she had got a good reason to get her mother out of that… sewer people dared or had to call their home.

The 'sewer' was an old warehouse of the company Nevsoft, Nevsoft had abandoned it a few years ago and another (unofficial) firm had made n pathetic excuse for apartment building of it. It was one of those buildings of which you are surprised that rats remained alive there.

Melanie entered the building and tried not to read the disgusting doodles and graffiti on the walls. Which was hard, the drawings were all over the place, one above the other, each one fighting a silent battle for the title of the most ugliest and for the most obscene.

The absolute winner of this battle (both categories) was on the first floor. And unfortunately for Melanie Puckett in was also the door of her mothers apartment. She rang trying not to get her hands dirty. But it wasn't her mum who opened the door, it was Sam.

"Hey, Sam, what are you doing here?" Melanie asked surpirised by the appearance of her shortly lost twin sister. "I thought you went missing during a mission in the Middle East?"

"Yes, I was, but I'm back now," her twin said holding her hands open for a huge welcome back hug. Huge is her to be understood as the duration of five seconds

"It's not that I'm unhappy that you're here Sam, but does the army know?" Melanie asked after she was released from the iron grip of her sister.

"Of course they do," Sam replied casually.

"I haven't received anything…"

"Aren't you coming in?" Sam asked cutting of her sister. "Now tell me why are you here?"

"Actually I'm here to convince mum that life is better in Europe, certainly now that we lost a huge part of our GDP."

"Oh well, it will end the war," Sam replied confidently.

"No, it doesn't!" Melanie nearly shouted.

"How do you mean?" Sam asked.

"Don't you see? They will use this war to get our economy back on the tracks, just like we did in Europe after WWII, the Marshall Plan, remember? History?" Melanie added after she saw the look on her sisters face.

"Doesn't ring a bell, no."

"Oh, I wished that you paid more attention at school you could've got such a brilliant future, anyway where's mum?" Melanie asked. Sam was visibly shocked by the question and murmured something like: she isn't feeling to well at the moment.

Melanie got up and walked to the room of her mother. What she saw made her sick, her mother was laying next to her bed, bleeding from various wounds, her hand was shacking a little, the last spasms. Melanie ran back to the living room.

"Sam, what happened to…" Sam had left. "SAM!" Melanie yelled running to the corridor. Sam had vanished. Suddenly she felt something hitting her head hard. Everything went black.

)-()-(-)-()-(

"Hello, ah, Deirdre, listen to this Sam had done what she had to do, she is now officially a member, but she almost messed it up she was seen, no, no don't worry, by her twin sister, yes I was surprised too when I heard, the good news is that her twin sister is in a crate onboard of one of our planes, I think we can give the Americans somebody to moan about. Yes, the horrible Talibs have yet menaced another brave American soldier… blablabla. I'm sure they will say something like that. …What, yes we considered that but pilots are precious and after all the hours and money we spend on her that would be such a waste, not?

Oh yes before I forget, Freddie is still in good hands, but we are going to be more carefully in the near future, one of Eluned's friends nearly phoned her, luckily we could prevent it. I'll see you next Sunday at the Parc Du Cinquantenaire in Brussels, we need to discuss things."

_*(Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxemburg, technically spoken the Benelux didn't exist at the time)._

_And yet another chapter, okay, okay and finally another chapter. Thanks for reading._

_~Rhady_


End file.
