“Hey, babe, I got the Director down here.”
“Good. And don’t call me babe.” Chase walked past EB.
EB hopped along after her. “Okay, sweetheart, darling, cutie pie...which works best for you?”
“How about Chase, or you can call me Chase-who-will throw-you-out-an-airlock if you use one of those names again?”
“Aw, not far.” EB pouted.
Chase found Gar talking with Prime Minister Shizue. “Gar, where is he?”
“He is in the corner over there.”
Chase said, “I’m going to get Nova so he can make sure he knows.”
“Chase, I hope you aren’t running off so soon. I’ve barely had time to speak with you.” Shizue smiled.
Chase gave the Prime Minister a proper bow greeting, as was the tradition for her people. “Sorry, it seems even when I’m supposed to be at a party, I’m still on duty.”
“Don’t overwork yourself. We have all earned a rest.” Shizue said. “My own Second Minister wanted me to go over the legal paperwork for the Osteen case with the head of the United Nations security council and I told him I’m not talking business tonight, not like that.”
Chase said, “oh, that’s right, they’re going to hold Dr. Osteens official trial in your country.”
“Yes. The United Nations will hold the trial while inside our borders. We’ll allow the U.N. to combine his transgressions against our people, as well as what he did for the World Corps. I simply hate that the worst we can do to him is a life sentence.”
Gar said, “his testimony and evidence he had secretly gathered against the World Corps has been wonderful.”
Chase added, “yes, without his testimony, the United Nations might still wonder if BADGE was a willing part of the World Corps plans.” Chase grabbed a champagne flute from a passing tray. “I have some questions about the children you had been protecting, those orphans with superpowers.”
“Oh, things are going great. We’ve established a special school where a few BADGE heroes and one agent are teaching and guiding the children. We also have some adults coming forward who had hidden their powers out of fear of being executed by our former leader.”
“Oh, excuse me for a moment.” Chase pointed across the room. “Gar, go get Peyton and take him to talk with Nova. Tell them I’ll be over in a moment.”
“Oh, sure. Nice to talk to you, Prime Minister.” Gar bowed out and sidled through the gathered officials.
“Excuse me, excuse me, oh, sorry, yes, excuse me. Sorry. Hello. Nice to see you..excuse me...”
“You should be in movies with a face like that.” A reporter said loud enough to grab Gars’ attention.
He turned to find Strange Quark standing with Craig, formerly Arx, as they were talking with the INN reporter.
Craig gave off his amazing smile and puffed up his half naked chest. “So I’ve been told.”
Quark said, “Craig here is a recent addition to our team up here on the station. He’s just learning what he can do.”
“I wouldn’t mind doing a movie or two. I love acting,” Craig said.
Chase joined them. “But BADGE discourages their representatives from getting involved with acting and movies. Our jobs are to protect the planet and that’s a full-time job.”
“Why, yes, it is. And you are?” The reporter smiled at Chase.
“Agent Chase, I work directly with Director Nova.”
“Yes, I thought I had seen you with the Director during some of the League Wars events. Tell me, we’re curious about the condition and current whereabouts of the augmented people left from the World Corps situation.”
Quark answered, “BADGE has no official response to that yet. However, I can say that we are treating them as victims. Even though the few still out there are resisting detention and view us as the enemy, that was programmed into them. They’re innocent people. If we can undo the damage and release the real person under the augmentation, we will.”
“That sounds pretty official to me.” The reporter stated.
Chase added, “Nova will draft an official response soon for press release. Now, if I can leave you with our friend Craig, Quark and I have to speak with the director for a moment.”
She took Quark with her and left Craig to do what he does best, glow for the camera.
Quark said, “are you sure it’s wise to leave him alone? Nova is worried that they’ll find out he was Arx.”
“Trust me, Craig is far more worried about that being discovered than anyone else. He’ll keep his secret. Besides, BADGE needs a good front for meeting the Media. Nova comes across as a grouchy old grandpa. I would rather be much more discreet, you are...let’s face it...strange. Craig is handsome, charming, and knows how to speak well during interviews. He’ll do good in this role for now.”
They continued swimming through the throngs of guests, dodging a few more interviews from other media outlets, requests for attention from dignitaries, and greetings from fellow heroes. Finally, they came upon Nova, who was speaking with EB, Peyton, and Rutkowski.
“Sorry it took so long. There are many people here who want our attention. I still don’t understand why you wanted to invite all these media and UN reps.”
Nova said, “we’ve been on the barrel end of the media’s cannons for months. They’re finally admitting we aren’t the villains. It’s time we reestablished relations with them and the politicians. I hate media and politics, but they are necessary evils for a properly running society.”
EB said, “speaking of necessary evils, what is Rat-kowski doing here?”
“Dats RUTkowski, you little vermin.”
EB threatened with an exploding egg, but Nova stopped him.
“Enough. I asked Rutkowski here for a special reason.” Nova stepped back, guiding them even further from the crowds.
“What’s up?” Peyton asked.
“We’re among the very few on this planet who know what happened in the alternate timeline. We have a special connection. But, we must keep the alternate history to ourselves. What almost happened could start a panic.”
“I ain’t gonna spill, if dats what yer worried about.” Rutkowski stated.
Nova said, “I wasn’t worried that you would, though it’s nice to hear you say that. I wanted to say we have a few loose ends. First, Rutkowski, you may be a low-life, despicable, greedy, power hungry criminal, but you showed genuine heroism that I cannot dismiss.”
“That is the best backhanded compliment I ever got.” Rutkowski said.
“What I’m trying to say is that, even though there is no way I can prove it to the courts, you have gained some trust in my eyes. I know you would rather rob a bank than start a food pantry, but when the cards are down, the safety of this world matters to you. That means a lot to me. As far as BADGE is concerned, your slate has been cleaned.”
Rutkowski looked astonished, maybe even misty eyed. “I don’t know what to say. Thanks.”
“Just try to keep your nose clean when it comes to BADGE related matters. You want to keep your seedy antics going in Neo Utopia. That is between you and the police.”
“I’ll try. Is dat all?”
“No. We have another problem, one that I might need your help with.”
“What now?” Rutkowski’s congenial nature vanished.
Quark said, “Father Time. He never returned the clock.”
Peyton slumped his shoulders. “That clown is still at large?”
EB said, “Father Time is slippery and powerful. He could pass as one of my kind if I didn’t know better.”
Chase asked, “do you think he’ll use the clock and mess with time again?”
“I have no doubt he’ll try. But he’ll wait. He knows we’re on to him. He’ll go deep into hiding and bide his time. I doubt we’ll be able to hunt him down right away. But, we, with time powers, need to be aware that he will try something, eventually. I want all of you to stay alert and inform me the moment you sense something unusual.”
“Dat’s no problem. If I get one sniff of his sorry hide, I’ll let ya know. Now, I want to go an enjoy dis here party. I ain’t no mob boss, I’m a real estate mogul.” He put on his businessman smile and strode away to meet the rich guests.
Peyton followed behind. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”
Nova watched them leave with Quark, Chase, EB, and Gar around him.
EB said, “Father Time is still out there.”
“Yes.”
Chase said, “the Augments are still causing trouble.”
“Right.”
Gar asked, “The World Corps isn’t gone, is it?”
“Nope.”
Quark laughed, “the world is still a mess, but then we’d get bored if it were any other way.”
Nova put on a gracious smile as another politician approached to greet them. “You know, I think I’d like to try some boring peace for just one day of my life.”
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