A drizzly sky graced the area with a mild, cold mist, bathing the pristine green hills in a dingy gray. This was about average for Carlingford, Ireland, in March.
A flash of light appeared near a vacant hill, and from it stepped EB and Agent Justin.
“Oh, that always makes my head spin.” Justin held his head and stabilized himself after that instant magical transportation.
EB said, “Everyone says that.” He was uncharacteristically quiet as he stood there, looking at the quaint little Irish seaside town.
Justin took a step, but found EB hadn’t moved. “Something wrong? I thought you were all hyped about coming here.”
EB nodded, “I am excited to fix Arx and Adrianne. I... I just haven’t been back here since he died.”
Justin frowned and looked up. “Um... who?”
EB softly said, “Leprechaun, the Vexillian who lived here for years. Before he went all batty and did those bad things, he and I were good friends. This place was his home. I almost didn’t accept the offer of help for Arx because it would mean coming back here.”
Justin said, “I’ve never heard you so solemn.”
EB looked up at Justin, “All the Vexillians that survived the destruction of our world relied on each other. We lived here for centuries with each other as the only people we could talk to. We all became friends, closer than friends; we were a family. You don’t know how hard it was to have to fight those that sided with Jinn in the end.”
“I never thought about that. You are always so... bubbly.”
EB smiled, “I choose to live in happiness. But today, I’m going through a few things. Right now, let’s head for the lab and focus on this project. Hey, I know, a little chocolate never hurts.” He clapped his paws together, and two chocolate eggs appeared. He handed one up to Justin. “Chocolate always makes things better.”
Justin accepted the egg and ate it as he and EB walked into town. The small village seemed unlikely to be home to a top-secret laboratory, but that is part of how it is protected. People saw them, and some waved at EB and snapped pictures with their phones.
“Is it nicer now that you are famous and everyone knows who you are?” Justin asked.
EB said, “It is kinda nice. Ruins some of the mystery of being me, but I get to enjoy life with other people more. Oh, and I get to see people enjoying my chocolate. LOOKY, that store has all the new line of whiskey chocolates, and they look great. My ad department does an amazing job with the packaging stuff. Oh, and look at that, the kids’ store has the newest chocolate fountain.”
“How many of the chocolate factories are yours?” Justin asked.
“Most of them. Why do you think Cadbury’s mascot is a bunny?” EB grinned at him, his face smeared with chocolate.
Justin said, “Because it’s related to Easter?”
“What makes you think the bunny was an Easter icon before I came on the scene?”
Justin laughed as he said, “Oh, you're full of...”
“Here we are.” EB hopped up and down as he pointed at an old police telephone box.
“Where are we?” Justin frowned.
“She said to get in the police box and dial this number.” He produced a small slip of paper.
Making sure no one was looking, Justin joined EB in the tight space of the antiquated phone box. He picked up the old phone and asked, “The number?”
“72074.”
Justin dialed the number, and the floor jolted and then moved downward.
EB was as giddy as a preschooler. “Weeee, this is just like Harry Potter. I hope the Ministry of Magic is as amazing as in the movies. You know, the books were way better, but the movies were awesome too. I watch them all the time. Even though she got magic ALL wrong. I mean, who needs old Latin for spells? I...” The ride stopped with a jolt, and the door opened.
They were not in some mystical fantasy world out of a book, but inside a metal hallway with bright lights. A door at the end was the only other door along the way.
“This way!” EB ran ahead.
Justin said, “Glad you found your happiness again.”
EB said, “Chocolate helps, so does not being alone for this.”
Justin asked, “Is that why you brought me along?”
“Sorta. Plus, Nova said that he wanted you to be the official BADGE rep for this. You take better notes.”
“Great, I’m a glorified secretary,” Justin bemoaned.
EB laughed, “Don’t use shorthand, I can’t read that gibberish.”
Hopping up, he punched a button on the wall. A screen lit up, and an automated voice with a distinct Irish accent said, “Clearance ID, please.”
The ID card, which Justin updated with special clearance for the Section 9 labs, was placed on the screen. A quick beep later, and the doors opened.
Inside was a sprawling high-tech lab that appeared much like Dr. Henderson's lab on the station. A small group of scientists worked at stations, some examining data on computers while others peered at large morphon crystals inside devices.
“Lily!” EB called out.
A beautiful woman with red hair and a cheery face, wearing a white lab coat and protective glasses, leaned over and looked deeply at a morphon crystal. “Over here, EB!” she said as she jotted down notes.
Justin followed EB as he asked, “You know her?”
“We’ve talked a lot over the comms. She's really cute.”
“Don’t say that to her, we’re professionals representing BADGE. No flirting.”
EB stuck his tongue out at Justin. “You’re no fun.”
As they arrived at the station, they quickly curtailed their brief argument. The woman took off the glasses as she said, “The radiation of this specimen is not dangerous. We can dispense with these. Cole, check the data logs and make sure they are all saved. Everyone else, take a lunch break.” She turned to EB and Justin with a bright smile. “It’s nice to meet you in person. And you are just as cute as you said you were. I could just pick you up and pet you all over.”
EB smiled as he said, “Sounds like we have plans for later.”
Justin pinched the bridge of his nose as he tried not to comment on this highly unprofessional behavior. “Dr. Fagan, I’m Agent Justin with BADGE.” He held out his hand.
She shook his hand, “Nice to meet you. I’m surprised I don’t recall meeting you when I was at the BADGE assessment.”
Justin said, “You remained at the Ground Base location before they completed the station. You cleared as a low-level morphonic. I read the report about you. At the time you were being assessed, I wasn’t working in that area. I worked in the office at the United Nations.”
“I see. Well, I’m glad to meet you. I hope I can help with the problem.”
EB said, “I looked at all the stuff you sent me. Really smart stuff. You’re a super genius.”
She blushed and waved a hand at him. “Oh, I’m not all that smart. I got my doctorate in morphon studies, and it really has become a big passion of mine.”
Justin asked, “How do you think you can help with Arx and Adrianne?”
She led them over to a computer where she pulled up a selection of data. “I looked over all the information your Doctor Henderson sent about them. It is the most fascinating situation; I’ve never seen morphonic crystallization like this before.”
“Morphonic crystallization?” Justin asked.
She gestured to the crystals being studied around the room. “You know that since morphons became highly concentrated in our atmosphere, these crystals began showing up. They are not a byproduct of morphons, but rather a gathering of high levels of morphons. Where there are stronger morphons which are going unused by people for powers, they turn into these things. They are a mystery to geological sciences; they really aren’t a rock, but energy. Anyway, as I looked over Doctor Henderson’s data, I saw a correlation between these crystals and the ice that makes up the two frozen heroes.”
Justin asked, “So, they aren’t actually ice... they are morphon crystals?”
“I don’t know. I need to look into this more. But I think there is more to them than just water-based ice. And if that is the case, we might reverse-engineer the entire process that made them turn this way and discover a cure.”
EB said, “See, I told you. This isn’t just a mild hope, but a substantial chance.”
Justin asked, “Okay, what do you need from us?”
“Access,” she said. “If I’m going to figure this out, I need to get closer to the subjects.”
EB hopped up and stood on the computer panel, carefully avoiding punching buttons with his bunny feet. “That’s why I’m here.”
“What can you do?” Justin asked, with a strong hint of sarcasm in his voice.
“I’m not a scientist, though I’m smarter than you guys give me credit for. What I can do is teleport. I’ll help her study, and when she needs to pop up to the station for a scan, I can take her. Or, I can do the scans myself and bring back the data. It’ll be far quicker, and less bother for Doc Henderson.”
Justin let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll have to let Nova know this was your plan. You really should have made this clear before we came all this way.”
“He’ll be fine with it.” EB stated with all confidence.
Justin’s comm beeped at him, and he held it up. “Agent Justin here.”
Gar’s voice came through. “There is a strange issue coming through, and Nova said not to bother him while he is on the planet unless it was a present danger. Can you come take a look?”
“I’ll be right there.” Justin clicked his comm off. “Okay. EB, you work with Dr. Fagan. I trust you won’t cause any mischief. I’ll make sure to get Nova to clear this. And...” he let out a deeper sigh, “Can you send me back up.”
“Sure thing.” EB clapped his paws and created a mint green chocolate egg and handed it to Justin. “Here, in case you feel queasy from the trip.” Justin took the egg, and before he could say thank you, EB zapped him away.
