Apoidea

What Do You Mean That Wasn't A Penalty?!

Chapter 4

To say that Les felt out of place in the rink would be an understatement. He stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the people crowding into the building. The only colours visible seemed to be black and gold along with blue and white. He was surrounded by hardcore hockey fans and he had somehow managed to lose Mel in the crowd.

“There you are!” He spun around to face Mel, who was clad in blue and white. She had a blue maple leaf painted on one cheek and on the other was a blue and white TML logo. She also wore a white tuque with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo on it and their white away jersey. He wondered where she had managed to get all the Leafs stuff but decided it was better not to ask.

“Where were you?” Mel just grinned at the question and started dragging him off.

“Making sure we had good seats!”

“We aren’t here to watch a hockey game Mel; we’re here to talk business.”

“Why not do both? A hockey game in one of the last places that Walter Goodman and his associates would be found at.” Les shook his head but followed her close behind.

Soon the two found their seats and it didn’t take long for them to be surrounded by hockey fans. Mel seemed absolutely ecstatic to be there and Les couldn’t help but let a small smile appear on his face. With how worried and frantic Mel had been since Rowan’s disappearance, she needed sometime to take her mind of off things, even if it was only for a few hours.

“Who are we meeting here Mel?”

“An old friend of ours from school. She’s our way into the lab.”

“So she works there then?” Les still couldn’t figure out who it was that was coming to the game to talk with them.

“Not exactly, she has a way to get us into the lab. I’m not exactly sure how but she said she could get one of us in.”

Les looked around them hoping to see their new ally coming towards them but there were to many people to see through. Mel saying that they were an old friend from school didn’t help matters either. Not all their friends had their hands in crime but the majority of them did. Some were just in deeper than others, and the few who weren’t in crime were on the right side of the law, or at least mostly on the right side. Les was so deep in thought trying to figure out who it could be that he jumped when Mel flew out of the seat.

“Sam! It’s been forever!” Mel wrapped her arms around Sam in a hug.

“We saw each other in London five months ago, Mel. It hasn’t been that long.” Samantha Greyson, a skilled fighter, especially for her height, sighed but had a grin on her face as she returned the embrace.

“Yeah that was five months ago. Now sit down so we can talk before the game starts.” Sam rolled her eyes and was doing as instructed until her eyes landed on Les.

“Les!” She exclaimed as she jumped into his lap and gave him a bone crushing hug. Mel laughed at the slightly winded expression that Les shot at her.

“It’s good to see you too Sam.” The three friends caught up as they waited for the game to begin. As soon as puck was dropped, Mel left the conversation and forgot her two friends were even there. Les and Sam on the other hand completely ignored the game in favour of making plans.

“So Rowan actually managed to get caught? I find that hard to believe.” Sam rested her chin on her hand. “If it was Mel, it would at least male sense.”

“I was surprised too, though we don’t know if Rowan was actually caught of if she’s just in hiding. We want to make sure nothing bad happened.”

“It shouldn’t be all that hard to get Mel into the lab and the only way she’ll be recognized is if Goodman already knows her face.”

“So when will you be able to get her in?”

“Monday night probably. I should be able to make some sort of excuse. I’ll call to let you know for sure, and if worse comes to worse Mel will have to break in.” Just as Les was about to reply he was interrupted by the crowd cheering, though Mel was not among them. Apparently the Bruins had scored the first goal of the game.

“That wasn’t a goal! That should have been a penalty! That was goalie interference!” Both Les and Sam rolled their eyes at Mel before continuing their talk.

***

Long after Mel and Les had gotten back to the hotel, Mel was still a bit pissed at the fact the Leafs had lost, even though it hadn’t come as a surprise to her. She had also been filled in on what Les and Sam had planned out and she was now working on a Plan B just in case Plan A didn’t work out.

“You know Sam will pull though, she always has in the past.” Les sat on the couch watching Mel work.

“I know, but it doesn’t hurt to have a back up plan just in case we need it.” She picked up her glass of Dr. Pepper and took a drink. “I’m ready to find Rowan and help her if she needs it.”

“I’ll help you as long as you need me to Mel.”

“Good because I have a feeling Rowan is going to need all the help she can get.”

“We don’t even know if she needs any help yet.”

“I’ll be calling in nearly all my favours I think with this. Come Monday night I suppose I’ll find out for sure.”

“You and Rowan both have friends that will be more than willing to help Mel, don’t worry about anything.” Mel smiled and held up her glass.

“To friends and hoping everything works out for the best.” Les clinked his glass with Mel’s.

“To friends.” They both finished off their glassed. Hopefully things would be easy.