Space-Time of Death: an Al Squires of the Protectorate Novel

Ch. 14.1: Thou Shalt Suffer a Witch to Snitch

"What do you mean that you were under some geese?" the Lt. Col. said in a confused outrage. "How the deuce does poultry fit into the whole ordeal?"

Sorry, couldn't resist starting out this chapter from this point. Those lines were so absurd, how could I not start this chapter with them? However, perhaps I should do a brief recap of what happened between where we left off and this moment; to bring some needed clarity to the scene:

Having 'captured' Grammy Elise, we regrouped with everyone else and checked if everyone was OK. Since Jorge was the one who screwed the pooch this time around, he let Lady Lane be the one to contact and quickly update the Lt. Col. the situation before we returned. We then quickly returned to our Division's HQ in the 'present;' but not before saying our farewells to Vincient, Pap, and Lt. Killpatrick; who stuck around the soundstage to help with cleanup and damage control.

Regarding that update, I should point out that Lady Lane only told the Lt. Col. that they were bringing Sister Time as their prisoner and left it at that. So, imagine his bewilderment and outrage when we materialized with an old woman instead of a young woman. Still, not wanting to not look the proverbial gift-horse in the mouth, he reluctantly took the win; figuring that Grammie Elise would know about her younger self's when and where abouts. He'd have ordered Grammy Elise to be taken to an Ouroboros holding facility to question her, but he said that he couldn't take the risk of taking her. Not when there was still the suspicion of a leak within the organization. So, with the Chief's permission, Grammie Elise was taken to one of our interrogation rooms. Jorge had gone in with her to... 'interrogate' her. I didn't know him well enough to be sure he wouldn't torture an old lady, even a witch with dampened powers. But, remembering that he almost shot Na'Riah/Norah to protect Manson's place in the Timeline, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd go that far.

As for finding out more about who 'Elise Hester Shackleton' was, is, will be- ugh, my head- Lady Lane made a call to Ouroboros HQ on a private comms channel, and told whoever she contacted to find out what they could, with discretion about who our girl was before she became Sister Time. I also overheard her telling them to cross-reference the name with the Ouroboros' list of Time Magick practicing Magick-Users who're noted 'Time Coyotes;' just in case of any overlap.

While we waited for the information on both fronts to bear fruit, (pardon the mixed metaphors), Norah and I told everyone what had happened out in the fog last night before we were even summoned into this mission. But not before a quick debriefing of how the recent op went FUBAR, thanks to Jorge.

On a side note, Lady Lanee got the information she requested while Norah and I were halfway from our explanation. From what she could tell us, there were records of an Elise Hester Shackleton being born sometime in the late 21st century, and that all records of her ceased around the time she was eight years old. Roughly about the age I suspect 'Lil-Sis Time' was when we first encountered her. She also mentioned that she couldn't narrow down any one Time Coyote that might've done business with anyone named Shackleton mostly because there's so many operating in that era.

Lady Lane was about to suggest that both details might support our theory that she was a time refugee, that she might've been on the wrong side of a future event. However, the Lt. Col. put the kibosh on her before she could say anything else; claiming that 'any information on relatively future events must be on a need-to-know basis, even when among allies.' Apparently, we were under the 'don't-need-to-know' category.

Getting back to our explanation, Norah and I also told them how we learned that Sister Time and Grammie Elise were the same person before the latter turned herself in. Of course, the Lt. Col. demanded to know why were unable to say anything. I told him about the Power and what it is, and, well, that's where you came in, dear Readers. Let's return to the narrative, shall we?