To Be A Killer

Chapter 11: Life's A Happy Song

"Better notice next time, mate," Jaime snaps as he runs beside me. "I got dressed so quickly I put my boxers on back to front, and Five's T-shirt is inside out. I can see the label."

My face burns, and my shoulders scrunch up to my ears. Sam and I slept in the coms shack last night, and I wasn't actually supposed to have a run today, but this morning the shack was invaded by a woman who practically threw my running clothes at me and demanded I get changed right there and prepare to leave. She said it was important. She wouldn't even let me go somewhere private to change since she said that would waste time, so I had to get dressed while Sam called Jaime to the gates.

Let's just say it was embarrassing for both of us.

"Sorry. Sorry," He says, and I can hear the embarrassment in his voice. "It was uh... short notice for me too. Isabel here-oh, I guess you don't know who she is, Jaime. Um, the woman running beside you is Isabel Marriet from the Ministry of Recovery. Not to, you know, point any fingers of blame, but Isabel only briefed me and Five five minutes ago."

I huff at the brunette, who has a neutral look on her face. I'm beginning to notice that Ministry people believe they can come and have any of us at their disposal at any time and not have to feel any sympathy for any chaos they may cause.

"I did arrive in Abel last night," She replies. "Hoped to brief you then, but I couldn't find you."

"Um, I was busy."

"Playing Demons and Darkness with the Radio Cable posse before runnin' off with Runner Five at curfew," Jaime scoffs with an eye roll.

"We spent half an hour patrolling the perimeter fence looking for the Phantom of Abel. We did something useful," He says. "And-and do you see that bruise on Five's face? She wouldn't tell me who hit her in front of everyone in the dorms, so we went to the coms shack so she'd tell me."

"Did she?"

He sighs. "No, not-not really."

Jaime huffs. "I thought you thought that Phantom of Abel stuff was rubbish, 'cause it is."

"It's down right stupid, that's what it is," I say with a nod. "Really, Sam, why on earth do you think this might actually be real? It's just Santa Claus or the Boogyman-a myth people make up in attempt to scare children."

"But Santa Claus wasn't meant to scare children."

"An old fat man breaks into your house when everyone is sleeping, eats your food, and depending on what he thinks you are, leaves you coal or presents-presents which are made by tons of elves who have basically no choice in what they can do because they're taught that their entire self worth is based on how well they help the old fat man who never dies."

"Wow... you-you've put a lot of thought into this, haven't you? Anyway, Eugene swears blind he saw a masked man going through the bins on Friday night," Sam says, and I can see Jaime struggling not to facepalm.

"Friday night?" Jaime scoffs. "'Moonshine Friday Night'? 'Moonshine and Strip Poker Friday Night'? That's when he reckons he saw it? Was it before or after he told Janine she was his best mate and he really loves her and if he was gonna go straight for anyone, it'd be her?"

I cover my mouth to keep my laughter from being heard. I never go to any gatherings like that, but I do like to hear the stories of what happened on those nights. It's pretty amusing.

"Anyway," Sam says quickly, and I giggle harder, "the important thing is we're all here now, and we've got a new lead on Comansys."

"Yeah? As good as the giant robot? What're you sendin' us after this time? Godzilla?"