"QUINN!" Anna's voice echoed through the upstairs hall. A moment later she appeared at the rail overlooking the kitchen island.
Quinn tipped back his glass of lemonade and took a long drink. "Nanna…"
Anna's almond-shaped eyes stared down at him for a moment. "Is that my lemon-squeezy glass?"
"It is," Quinn affirmed before taking another drink.
Anna wrinkled her nose and was about to make an issue of it before she stopped herself. "Never mind that! There's a live stream on our website."
Quinn shrugged slightly, he was aware that the TAP NPCs were very popular. "Not enough views?"
Anna looked like her face might explode, she calmed herself by slowly exhaling. "Just the opposite, it's quickly going viral."
Quinn stretched his arms overhead, the business part of TAP was more Anna's domain than his. "Isn't that good?"
"They are naked, Quinn!"
"Serious?" Quinn's smile could melt butter as he made his way toward Anna's room. "Isn't there a censorship hammer that should kick in?"
Anna nodded. "All questionable streams will be blurred once enough complaints are lodged."
Quinn squeezed past Anna and took a seat behind her desk. "Let me guess… No complaints yet?"
Anna frowned slightly. "This is serious, Quinn."
"Fine. I'll send someone to investigate." Quinn glanced at the HUD, it was obviously the Silverleaf woman. "Looks accidental since no one is looking at the camera."
"You think?" Anna resisted the temptation to pull his ear. "And they are naked!"
*********
QJ saw the shadowy figure prowling near the stored jugs, It walked in a quick circle before looking in his general direction.
[Spider: Angel] Big black cat heading toward you. Which one is that? Jali or Bali?
QJ didn't dare answer, slowly he retreated deeper into the bushes. He'd already met Mojo and Leah's Shadowfiend. Bali had crimson eyes while Jali's were green. This was a result of the transference from their owners. This one, however, had sky-blue eyes.
[Spider: QJ] Not sure…
[Spider: Angel] Prepare for pickup, QJ! I'm getting you out of there.
[Spider: Jacob] What about me?
[Spider: Angel] I suggest you run for it.
[Spider: QJ] Nobody move. Just wait a few moments.
The big cat's outline slowly took form as it stalked toward the boy hidden in the brush. QJ continued to back away until he butted up against a large boulder. Silently he wished he had taken Angel up on her offer to retreat.
The sky-blue eyes moved closer until QJ could make out its cat-like face inches from his own. Images instantly flashed into the young boy's mind. Three shadowfiend splashing in the Ravenwood fountain together, a beautiful Silverleaf woman with blond hair nearly dark enough to be called brunette. QJ fixated on her thin face and sky-blue eyes.
"You belong to her?" QJ whispered.
More images flashed, this time they were of QJ following the shadowy cat.
[Spider: QJ] It wants me to follow. Let's meet back at the tent in an hour.
[Spider: Angel] Okay! Let's start a strategic retreat, we'll fall back. Keep in contact.
[Spider: QJ] Yep.
QJ nodded to the cat and touched its soft muzzle with his hand, pausing momentarily at the familiar noise.
[Spider: Angel] We have two bogies inbound on jetpacks. Scatter! Every spider for itself! No squealing if you are captured.
[Spider: Jacob] Bogey? What's that? Do they bite?
QJ followed the shadowfiend as it moved silently through the thick bushes. Within a minute they exited between some boulders that marked the border between the rocky foothills and the orchard. At this point, an image of QJ riding the shadowfiend popped into his head, so he climbed on its back when it knelt in front of him.
[Spider: Angel] Amazing! We are in the clear, that was Leah and Crow.
[Spider: Jacob] I'm back at the tent.
[Spider: Angel] You're a fast one. Are you okay, QJ?
QJ lay across the large panther's back, his fingers sunk into the cat's soft fur. It moved swiftly, but in such a way as to not unseat its rider.
[Spider: QJ] It's taking me upriver a bit. I'm fine, don't worry about me.
[Spider: Angel] As expected, the son of the Nemesis is not easily frightened.
A short while later, they arrived at a dock. The Silverleaf woman from the flashed images sat with her bare feet dangling in the water. She wore a blue, one-piece swimsuit that could only be referred to as extremely modest. Her hair was wet and slicked back from her face, making it appear even darker.
"We haven't met, my name is Belle." The woman turned slightly, presenting a profile that emphasized her slimness.
QJ slid off of the cat's back when it stopped and followed as it padded down the dock toward the woman. The shadowfiend sat down after nuzzling the high elf so QJ sat on the other side of the creature.
"I'm QJ. It's nice to meet you." QJ glanced from the cat's face to the woman's. Having seen Leah interact with her cat, he knew that during transference owner and fiend would switch eye color. "Why are you still using transference?"
"I'm blind, QJ. I can only see through Mali's eyes." Belle said the words without the slightest trace of self-pity. She caressed the cat's soft neck with her hand. "Can you do something for me?"
"Maybe," QJ answered noncommittally. "Why did you help me?"
Belle laughed at his words. "You really are like your father. Leah contacted me, you are live streaming. Do you know what that means?"
QJ nodded. "Everyone can see what I'm doing." He quickly opened his HUD and noticed the blinking green light. It immediately turned red when he touched it. "I meant to take a screenshot."
Belle's full lips curved in a smile. "The HUD icons are similar, the screenshot is square and the streaming one is round."
QJ grinned at the Silverleaf woman. "Thanks!" The young boy leaned against the cat. "I'm great friends with Jali and Bali."
Belle smiled and nodded. "No doubt. The Shadowfiend feels its owner's relationships. Since Leah and Mojo are part of your family, naturally, Jali and Bali have accepted you."
[Fora: Belle] QJ is at the dock with me. I'll bring him back to the town square in a few minutes.
[Fora: Leah] Thanks, Belle.
Leah closed her HUD and fixed the Silverleaf group with a green-eyed stare. "What are you guys doing out here?"
"Just swimming, Leah," Ru answered. Her violet-colored hair looked black now that it was wet.
Crow waited patiently while the group dressed. "That sounds made up, Ru. Do you really want to lie to me?" Her dark hair was pulled back in a braid, and although she was somewhat attractive when she smiled, Fora's Executioner barely ever smiled.
Ru's expression froze on her face. Crow's reputation was well known, it was even rumored that she had killed several members of Fora before she joined them. "This is a nice place to swim. It even has a tree where we tied a rope for swinging."
Before Crow could reply, her HUD buzzed. Without pausing she activated it.
Angel's pretty face popped into view a moment later. "Special Operative Angel reporting back, Crow."
Crow bit her lip to keep an uncharacteristic smile off her face. "Report."
"We were able to track the orchard trespassers to their meeting point," Angel stated.
"I see," Crow smiled suddenly, but her eyes seemed cold and dark like a predator. "Did you find anything suspicious?"
Angel nodded. "There is a contraption hidden in the bushes, along with several jugs of unknown liquid."
Leah moved toward the bushes, kicking them aside she clucked her tongue loudly when she found the device. "Hmm… Is this what I think it is?"
[Ravenwood: Crow] This is rather amusing.
[Ravenwood: Leah] Don't be too mean.
[Ravenwood: Crow] I'll just mess with them a bit.
Crow moved the last of the branches, pausing to rap her knuckles against the brass pressure cookers. "It's a still." She knelt and removed one of the jugs. The cork made an audible pop when she opened up. Without pause she took a long swig.
[Ravenwood: Crow] Holy crap. This is hooch, the hard stuff.
[Ravenwood: Leah] Quinn's birthday is coming up, he loves presents like this.
Crow nodded slightly, her little brother enjoyed the virtual booze nearly as much as Pops. "So… What's the crime here, Leah?"
"Peach stealing for one," Leah stated with a straight face. "Also… This is a big stash, could be they are cutting into our brandy business. We should levy some sort of fine against them."
"At least a few thousand credits," Crow nodded in agreement. "Who set this up?"
Ru raised her hand. "I did."
"I see," Crow frowned at Ru. "Report to our workshop in the morning."
[Ravenwood: Leah] Going to put her to work?
[Ravenwood: Crow] Of course, or else she'll just build another one somewhere else.