Brother Mine

by
Nathan C. Weber

    Kim Kido was literally brimming with excitement.  She had made a remarkable discovery.  It had been a week since she and Trisha decided to do genealogical research on their respective backgrounds.  Kim, as it turned out was the only daughter of Japanese immigrants in San Francisco.  It turned out that her real name was actually Kimiko Kido.

    Approaching her family now could very well be asking too much of them.  Not only would her parents discover their long lost daughter, presumed dead, was alive and well, but also dramatically changed.  Kim didn't think they were ready for such discoveries just yet.  She had planned a discreet letter writing campaign that would help get them acquainted before further steps could be taken.

    Yet, this wasn't what had gotten Kim excited.  It was what she had discovered about Trisha that had her practically bouncing off the walls.   Trisha's parents, as it turned out had had a son before Trisha was born.  The son was staying with grandparents in the South at the time of the fatal fire that robbed Trisha of both her parents and a normal life.  Now, that son was living just outside Washington, D.C.  Trisha, it seemed had a big brother.  Kim couldn't wait to bring Trisha the news.

* * *

    Trevor Fate leafed through the dossier that his superior had handed him.

    "What's all this about?" asked Trevor.   "Who's this Kismet character?"

    "That's what we want you to find out," came the response.  "As a special agent of the NSA, you are the most qualified to handle this assignment."

    Trevor grimaced.  "Why don't you send out one of those STAT freaks out to catch this Kismet?"

    A heavy sigh.  "Because the objective is to gather information, not to capture her.  We want to know who she is, where she came from and who she's working for."

    "You think she's a threat to national security?"

    "Let's just say that Uncle Sam doesn't like unknown entities.  She claims to fight for those who need help.  We want to know her real objective.  Your plane to Monument City leaves tomorrow morning."

    Trevor stood up and tucked the dossier under his arm.   "Very well.  Since you seem to think this is of some importance, but I want the freedom to pursue things in my way."

    "Granted."

    Trevor turned and walked out of the office.  Great, he thought to himself, just great.  There goes my weekend plans with Simone.   He opened the dossier once more.  The photos they had of Kismet were blurred as if she were moving at high speed.  Most likely the photographer was an idiot, thought Trevor.  Trevor noticed a shadow had crossed his view of the documents.

    "What do you want, Carlyle," growled Trevor.  He didn't like Honey Carlyle in the least.  Not because she was a member of STAT, though that did go against her, but because she always flirted with him only so that she could show him up later on and make him look the fool.

    "Why, Trevor." reacted Carlyle innocently.   "One would get the idea that you didn't like me."

    "I see years of government training wasn't wasted on you after all," riposted Trevor.

    Honey faked a pout.  "You shouldn't be so mean, or I won't come with you to Monument City."

    Trevor's head snapped up in dismay.  "What?   What are you talking about?"

    In response, Honey produced cut orders along with two airline tickets.  Apparently, they were meant to work together.  A fact that was withheld from him.  No doubt due to his feelings about the STAT team in general, and Honey Carlyle in particular.

    "Gee, I'm all a-twitter," groused Trevor.   "Won't Satomi be jealous with you taking on another partner?"

    Honey didn't like the innuendo laced within Trevor's last statement, and her face showed it.  She snatched her orders and her ticket from Trevor's hands.   "Just be ready to leave tomorrow morning."  Honey turned around and walked off in a huff.  Trevor was stunned.  He won.  He actually won.   Maybe it was going to be a pleasant trip after all.

* * *

    Kevin Brown sat quietly at the small dinette table in Trisha Fate's apartment.  The anticipation was killing him.  Trish had never offered to cook him dinner before, but apparently something had come along to get her interested in cooking again.  According to her, she was a short order cook at some truck stop diner when she was a teen and had gotten out of cooking altogether since then.   Her current income as a computer programmer allowed her to either eat out or bring home pre-made meals whenever she pleased.  Kevin, however, suspected that Trisha had kept up with her skills from time to time.  You never really walk away from something you did for such a long time.

    As Kevin pondered his love's mysterious past, a knock came at the door.  Since, Trisha was busy in the kitchen, Kevin decided to answer the door for her.  Kevin unlatched the chain and pulled back the bolt; then, he opened the door wide.  There standing before him, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet, was Kim Kido, Trisha's closest friend and confidante.  Her barely contained exuberance was infectious, and Kevin found himself smiling in spite of himself.

    "Miss Kido, I presume.  Please, do come in," said Kevin sketching a reverent bow.

    "Sorry, Lieutenant, I didn't know Trish had company," replied Kim.  "I guess I should have called first."

    "Nonsense," harumphed Kevin.  "I'm sure she wouldn't mind you showing up."

    "Maybe," said Kim a bit hesitantly.  Her earlier excitement was beginning to wear off.  "But, I'm sure she's planned something special for your birthday."

    Kevin nearly tripped over his own feet in shock at Kim's last comment.  Birthday?

    "Are you okay, Lieutenant?" asked Kim with much concern.  "You look a little green about the gills."

    "Would you believe," said Kevin a trifle hoarsely, "that I forgot my own birthday?"

    Kim blinked in astonishment for a few moments.   Then, much to Kevin's dismay, she broke into fits of laughter.

    "Well, I'm glad you're amused," said Kevin in mock exasperation.  He had to admit, even to himself, that it was actually pretty funny.

    "I'm sorry, Lieutenant," managed Kim through giggles.

    It was then that Kevin noticed that Kim's arms were laden with a very thick folder.  "Burning the midnight oil, Miss Kido?"

    Kim looked down at the bundle of papers in her arms.   Her previous ebullience returned.  "I've made an amazing discovery," she enthused.  "Actually, it's good that you are here.  I think you will be as much interested in my bit of news as Trisha will."  Kim proceeded to seat herself at the table, and Kevin assisted her before returning to his own chair.  It was at that moment that Trisha appeared at the entranceway to the kitchen carrying two plates.  She smiled and nodded a greeting to Kim, then set a plate before each of them.

    Kim began to protest being served, but Trisha forestalled any arguments and returned to the kitchen.  It wasn't long before she returned again with her own plate and a bottle of port.  The meal, it turned out, was an old Creole dish: Shrimp and Crawfish Jambalaya.  A tossed salad and and a basket of French bread were already resting at the center of the table.  Kevin offered grace over the meal and the three immediately tucked into their food.

    Kevin was surprised and elated at such rich fare.   Even the port was a nice balance to the meal despite his natural inclination as a teetotaler.  Kevin knew now that they were celebrating his birthday.  He smiled as he thought back to Kim's reaction regarding his forgetting the event.  It really was funny.  What kind of an idiot forgets his own birthday?

    It wasn't long before the trio had finished their meals.  Kevin stood to clear the table, but Trisha intercepted him and forced him back into seat.  She crooked a finger at him in warning.  "Remember," said Kim with a wink, "you're the guest of honor, birthday boy."  Trisha and Kim cleared the dishes from the table and returned with a very intimate sized cake sporting a single lit candle.

    "Heavens, you didn't have to go through all this," Kevin protested gently.

    "And he wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't," chuckled Kim.  Kevin winced inwardly.  It was a hope beyond hope that Kim wouldn't say anything about his blunder.  Trisha had turned to Kim with a quizzical expression playing across her features.  Kim leaned close and whispered into Trisha's ear.  She didn't really have to.  Kim could telepathically speak to Trisha, but the two had long ago determined that it was rude to do so in front of polite company.   Trisha's head snapped back toward Kevin.  Her eyes were wide with surprise.   Then with a jaunty smirk, Trisha performed an about face and began returning to the kitchen with the cake.

    Kevin nearly leaped out of his seat.  "Oh, no you don't!  It's too late to turn back now," he cried reaching for the cake.   Kim was nearly to her knees, laughing hysterically, while Trisha's face was split by a toothy grin.  Kevin found himself laughing as well.  A tinge of regret hit him, as it oftentimes does when dealing with Trisha in these intimate moments.  Kevin knew that had she vocal cords for speaking, she too would be laughing alongside Kim and himself.  He pushed the thought aside as foolishness.  Trisha accepts who she truly is, and so should he.

    Trisha finally set the cake on the table.  Kevin made a wish, as was customary, and blew out the candle.  Trisha produced a cake knife and three small saucers and began slicing and serving the cake.  Kevin had to admit that this was the most pleasant birthday he had experienced in quite a long time.  Having eaten their fill of cake, it was now time to find out what was so exciting that Kim had discovered.

    "I don't know if you know this, Lieutenant," started Kim, "but about a week ago, Trish and I decided that it would be a good idea to track down our past.  You know, find out where we come from."  Kevin nodded for Kim to continue.  "As it turns out, Trisha's family tree is actually easy to track down, because the circumstances of her childhood were well recorded."   Kevin had before read about the hotel fire that had killed Trisha's parents.   "Well, it turns out that Trisha wasn't the only orphan left behind by the fire."

    Trisha turned to Kim with a look that was part surprise and part question mark.  Kim smiled at her friend and proceeded to pull out sheets of paper from the large folder.  "There's no doubt about it.  Your mom and dad had a child a few years before you."  Kim handed the papers to Trisha.   "It seems you've got an older brother out there somewhere."

    Trisha read through the documents Kim had handed her with eyes wide in wonder.  One of the papers was a birth certificate for one Trevor Fate, born approximately five years before Trisha was born.  I have a big brother? thought Trisha to herself.  Then why don't I remember him?

    Kim seemed to sense her question and proceeded to put the pieces of Trisha's past together.  "This is what I've come up with," she began.  "Your brother was apparently sent to live with your grandparents when you were still a baby.  Apparently, they had enrolled him in a school for gifted children.  You, being so much younger, stayed with your folks.  No doubt they hoped you would become as much a wunderkind as your brother and enroll you in the same school."

    Trisha nodded at what was said so far.  It certainly explained some things.  On the other hand, when her parents died, why wasn't she sent to join her brother at her grandparents' home?

    Kim had anticipated this question as well.   "The reason why you weren't placed in your grandparents' care was because no one did any checking for next of kin.  Your parents were apparently celebrating their anniversary and wanted some time together.  I surmised this because the hotel fire occurred on the same day of the year as their wedding anniversary."

    That made perfect sense, thought Trisha.

    "You were placed in care of a friend for one evening," continued Kim.  "After the incident, that 'so called' friend simply turned you over to the state.  No one did any kind of background check on you.   The system was pretty corrupt back then."  Kim frowned a bit.   "I think later someone went back and tried to cover up Trevor's past.  A lot of what I found I stumbled upon accidentally."

    "Cover up," mused Kevin.  "That sounds vaguely Federal in nature, if you ask me."

    Kim nodded.  "I tend to agree."   She turned back to Trisha.  "I think your brother works for the government.  Probably in some high level stuff.  There was some sophisticated encryption on a couple of things."  Kim smirked, "Nothing I couldn't handle, of course.  Still, he should be approachable enough for you to meet him."

    Trisha didn't know what to think.  She had a big brother who was apparently doing well for himself.  Not only that, according to the papers Kim had industriously collected, she had grandparents, too.  They were alive and well living in New Orleans.  Trisha gave Kim a big hug.  She was no longer an unknown entity.  She had roots; a history she could trace.

    Thanks, Kim, thought Trisha as she broadcast to her friend.  But now it's time for you to make a polite exit.

    Kim cleared her throat.  "Well, I must be going," she said with a knowing smile.  "I've got to prepare for a new case tomorrow."

    "Thanks for stopping by," said Kevin.   He stood and walked Kim to the front door.  After saying final good-byes, Kim left.  As Kevin shut the door he turned back to Trisha.  "Well, isn't that something," said Kevin smiling.  "I'd certainly love too meet the family that produced such a wonderful lady."

    Trisha simpered at the compliment.  Kevin glanced at his watch.  "I guess I should be going, too.  It's getting late.   Thanks for dinner."

    Trisha held out a staying hand.  "Not yet," she signed.  "You have to unwrap your present."

    "You got me a present, too?" asked Kevin bewildered as Trisha pulled him by the hand down the hall toward her room.  As they approached the bedroom door, Kevin could make out a faint scent of lavender and strawberries.  When Trisha opened the door, Kevin noticed several candles were lit about the room.  Strewn about on the bed were rose petals.  Trisha sat Kevin down on a corner of the bed and asked him to wait a moment.  She then stepped out of the room.  Kevin took the opportunity to take a look around the room.  This was terra incognita.  He had never been in Trisha's room before.  It was rather plain looking, much to his surprise.  But then, Trisha had always admired efficiency.  On the wall above the bed was a picture frame.  In the frame was a faded paper flower.

    Kevin's attention was drawn by the sound of the door knob turning.  When it opened, his jaw dropped.  There standing before him was Trisha wearing a pink, satin teddy, tastefully trimmed with lace.  She also wore a garter belt which held up the first pair of stockings Kevin had ever seen Trisha wear.   Kevin's mouth was still hanging open, so Trisha sauntered up to him, reached out and pushed his jaw shut.

    Kevin blinked a few times as if waking up from a deep slumber.  "S-so, where's my present," he asked, still in shock.

    "I'm it," responded Trisha in sign language.   "So, start unwrapping, birthday boy."

    Trisha pushed Kevin back onto the bed.

* * *

    It was a bright sunny morning, when Trevor entered Dulles Airport with Honey Carlyle.  This sunshine did nothing to improve Trevor's disposition.  Despite her previous admonition, it was actually Honey who showed up late that morning at the office.  As it stood, they had just enough time to check in their luggage and get to the gate.  Trevor said nothing during the cab ride out to the airport.  Fortunately, Honey was also in no mood to talk.  Trevor didn't know why, but then he didn't much care either.

    Checking in at the ticket counter turned out to run much quicker than expected.  In no time, the two agents were on board their flight to Monument City, New York.  Trevor took his seat and stowed his laptop computer case beneath the seat in front of him.  Carlyle had no carry on luggage to speak of.   Just then Trevor's cell phone rang.  Trevor quickly pulled it out of its belt clip and flipped up the cover.  The Caller ID was listed as private.  Trevor figured the call must be from the office.  Pressing the Talk button, Trevor responded to the call.

    "Fate here."

    "Trevor, this is Julius down in surveillance."

    "Hey, Jules, what's up?"

    "Well, apparently someone's been digging through your personal information files," said Julius.

    Trevor's eyebrows went up.  "Really?   Any idea who it was?"

    "Not a clue.  They even got into some high level files.  Whoever it was was a real pro.  They cracked the government's best encryption codes.  But here's the kicker.  They weren't after any sensitive ops info related to you.  They were after your personal background info.   Particularly about your childhood."

    "Who would want to know about me when I was a kid?" asked Trevor puzzled.

    "You got me," responded Julius.   "Whoever it was got what they were looking for."

    "Any chance of tracing the hack?" asked Trevor.

    "We tried," sighed Julius.  "They didn't leave a trail.  The only way we knew the info was accessed from the outside was because they used a nonstandard user ID."

    Trevor was silent for a moment.  His assignment to find out about Kismet and this hacking incident may not be a coincidence.  "Keep trying to find something, Jules, and keep me posted."

    "Will do, Trev."

    Trevor closed the cover on his cell phone and returned it to its belt clip.

    "Trouble on the home front?" asked Carlyle.

    Trevor studied her face for a moment, but saw that she was being sincere.  "Someone hacked into the database mainframe.  Julius said it was a real tech jockey.  Apparently, they were after info about me?"

    "You?" asked Honey puzzled.  "Who'd be interested in information about you?"

    "You make it sound like no one should be interested in me," said Trevor defensively.  It was a stupid thing to say, but he was in that kind of mood.

    "I didn't mean it like that," said Carlyle.   "I meant that you haven't been in any of the high level operations to warrant such an attack."

    "They weren't after ops info," said Trevor.   "They were after personal info."

    Carlyle's face went blank.  "Somebody got a vendetta against you?"

    "Not that I'm aware.  Anyway, Julius will figure it out, I'm sure."

    Carlyle nodded.

* * *

    Kevin Brown awoke when the sunlight hit his face through the bedroom window.  Judging from the shadows in the room, it had to be around nine o'clock in the morning.  Kevin found himself lying on his back and staring at the ceiling.  Trisha's arm was draped across his chest as she slumbered.  Kevin himself was exhausted.  He should have expected that, but then he hadn't expected any of last night at all.  Kevin figured that Trisha had finally come to a decision regarding the consummation of their relationship.

    Kevin learned a few things about making love to Trisha the previous night.  The first thing he learned was that it was her first time.   Kevin didn't know why that surprised him.  He supposed that a woman like Trisha should have had some kind of relationship earlier in her life, but then her unusual childhood made it difficult for her to trust people intimately.  In that regard, Kevin felt extremely blessed.  The second thing Kevin learned, or more precisely was reminded, was that Trisha was a genetically engineered superhuman whose stamina seems limitless.  Naturally, this explained why Kevin was currently immobile and slightly sore.

    Trisha's performance was astounding, if not excessive; not that Kevin didn't enjoy himself.  He did, however, feel overwhelmed at times.   It was as if she had been starved of another's intimate touch all her life and last night she released all of those pent feelings and frustrations.  Still, Kevin didn't want to discourage Trisha in any way.  On the other hand, if this was going to be a regular event between the two of them, Kevin was going to have to start taking vitamins and increasing his workout schedule.  Otherwise, he was going to end up missing a lot of days at work.  Perhaps when they were more comfortable with one another, Kevin could bring up the subject of restraint.

    Kevin decided that he should make an attempt at sitting upright.  He slowly and carefully eased himself from under Trisha's arm and turned his body so that his legs draped over the edge of the bed.  Upon sitting up, Kevin realized just how worn out he truly was.  That simple act of sitting caused him to breathe heavily.  This was going to be tricky.  Kevin had entertained the idea of preparing breakfast for the two of them, but he seriously doubted that he could even pour a bowl of cold cereal in his current condition.

    The rustle of skin against linen informed Kevin that his lover was awake.  The touch of a warm hand was felt against his back and traveled up to his shoulder.  Two hands appeared in his field of vision.  They signed, "Good morning," followed by, "Sorry."

    "Sorry?" asked Kevin concerned.   "For what?"

    "I got a little carried away," signed Trisha.

    Kevin couldn't help but smile to himself.   "Perhaps a little," said Kevin.  "I just hope I'll be in shape to go to work tomorrow."

    Trisha eased over to the same side of the bed Kevin was sitting on.  "I'll go fix us something to eat."

    Kevin was in no position to protest.  "You go ahead.  I'll catch up."

    Trisha smiled.  She stood up and approached the closet.  Kevin studied Trisha's naked body as she walked away from him.  Kevin had never really appreciated how toned Trisha's muscles were.  Each muscle group was well defined.  Trisha pulled out two terry cloth robes from the closet.  She turned and held them up for inspection.  One robe was lavender, the other was pink.   Trisha cocked her head to one side inquiringly.

    "Well," said Kevin with a smirk, "if those are my choices, I'd have to say that pink was never really my color."

    Trisha tossed the lavender robe so that it landed on Kevin's head covering his face.  When Kevin removed the robe, he caught a glimpse of pink cloth flapping around the door frame and disappearing.  Kevin collapsed back onto the bed.

    Yep, he thought, Gotta visit the precinct gym a little more often.

    Kevin decided to give himself another ten minutes of recuperation before pulling himself to his feet.  Luckily for him, it was not a long walk to the dining table.  Already, Kevin could hear the distinct sound and smell of fresh country sausage cooking.  Kevin sat and made himself comfortable at the table.   Moments later, Trisha entered the room and began to set the table for two.

    "Anything I can do?" asked Kevin, mostly out of courtesy, while attempting to rise.  Trisha laid a staying hand on his shoulder for which he was most grateful.  He doubted he could even pour orange juice.   Almost immediately, Trisha returned with two juice glasses and a carton of orange juice.  She smiled and poured into both glasses.  Soon, she was off into the kitchenette again.  Kevin took a sip of his orange juice and relished the cool refreshment.

    Once again, Trisha returned with two plates laden with sausage, eggs and toast lightly buttered and set them on the table.  Then, she proceeded to seat herself.

    "My goodness," remarked Kevin.  "I thought my birthday was yesterday."

    Trisha rolled up a cloth napkin and playfully bopped him on the top of his head.

    "Uncle, uncle!" Kevin chuckled.   "But seriously, I want to thank you for making this a most memorable birthday."

    Trisha smiled and nodded.

* * *

    The flight had lasted only forty-five minutes as flying conditions were quite favorable.  After collecting their luggage, Trevor and Honey picked up a rental car and headed for the hotel.  Honey insisted on driving, and Trevor let it go since he didn't really care one way or the other.  As they were cruising up the access road, Trevor's phone rang.  Trevor plugged the phone into the car's stereo speaker and activated it.

    "What's up Julius?"

    "The hacker struck again.  This time I was able to get an origin for the signal."

    "Where?" asked Trevor leaning forward a bit.

    "Monument City."

    Trevor and Honey glanced at one another.   "Can you be a little more specific?" asked Trevor.

    "Not really," said Julius.  "As I told you before, this person's a real pro.  I really got lucky this time."

    "Good work, Julius," said Trevor.   "Keep me posted."

    "Will do, Trev."

    Trevor disconnected the phone and sat back in his seat.

    "You think this Kismet knows we're trying to track her down?" asked Carlyle.

    "How could she?" asked Trevor.   "That would have to mean that she has a mole in our organization.  I don't think she's that sophisticated.  And why investigate me and not you?  No, I think this is just a coincidence, but it means I'm going to have to keep my eyes open."

    Honey just nodded and said nothing further.  Just then Trevor's phone rang again.  Trevor activated the speaker phone once more.

    "Trev, Julius again.  You're not going to like this."

    "Just spill it, Jules."

    "Well, whoever this is, they now know that you're in Monument City.  Apparently, they tracked down your flight info and purchasing records.  I can't figure out how they keep getting by our security.  We've tried everything, even some new experimental stuff.  If they can crack that, it means that they are encryption prodigies, man.  It really boggles the mind.  This guy practically accomplishes the impossible."

    "Are we looking at some new type of cyber-terrorist?" asked Trevor.

    "You'd think so with all the talent this person has, but the only thing that's been taken is personal info about you.  We even tried to bait him with some recently declassified stuff.  Real high level.  He just ignored it.  It just doesn't add up."

    "So, someone has a real keen interest in me and my past, and now, based on what you've told me, they apparently want to meet me in the flesh."

    "You think?" asked Julius.

    "Why take information about my whereabouts if you don't intend to actually locate me?" said Trevor.  "I think this would be a good time to work out a plan of action.  I'll talk to you later, Jules.  Thanks for the heads up."

    "Be careful out there, man."

    "So what now?" asked Honey.  "We can't go to the hotel.  If they got our flight information, they most certainly got our accommodation info."

    Trevor smiled.  "I'm counting on it.  I want our mystery hacker to see us arrive.  Then we work from there."

* * *

    R'y'sha stormed into the room and quickly flipped a switch.

    "Hey, what's the big idea, Kim?  You want to get caught snooping around Federal databases?  I told you, you have to turn on this modified firewall device."

    Kim Kido sat up in surprise.  She could have sworn that she turned the firewall on.  "Oh jeez," she cried out in dismay.   "Have I been discovered?"

    R'y'sha walked over to the terminal where Kim was sitting.  She reached around Kim and tapped out a few keystrokes.

    "Fortunately, I got here just in time.  They now know that you're hacking from Monument City, though."

    Kim's head drooped.  "I'm sorry, Star Child.   I should have been paying closer attention to what I was doing."

    R'y'sha smirked, "So, what's so God awful important that a defense attorney has to break the law?"

    Kim cleared her throat nervously.  "Well, if you must know..." began Kim.

    "I must!  I must!" responded R'y'sha gleefully.

    Kim raised an eyebrow.

    "Sorry," giggled R'y'sha.  "That's a line I heard from a Mel Brooks movie."

    "You watch too much cable," said Kim.

    "Satellite, dear," said R'y'sha with faux snobbery.  "There is a difference.  So, why are you snooping through Uncle Sam's mainframes?"

    Kim proffered a folder to R'y'sha who took it and began to skim the contents.

    R'y'sha's eye went wide.  "Trisha has a brother?  Stellar!"

    "Indeed," said Kim.  "The problem is that he works for the NSA under heavy security.  I was trying to work out a way to arrange a meeting.  I found out that he's here in Monument City.  Right this minute."

    "Sweet!" responded R'y'sha.  "So, what's the problem?"

    "No doubt he knows that I've been fishing for information on him," sighed Kim.  "He won't trust anyone who'll just walk right up to him and say, 'Hi!  I'm a friend of your sister!'"

    R'y'sha leaned her head against her knuckles while her index finger tapped on her cheek in thought.  Suddenly, she snapped her fingers.

    "I've got it!" she exclaimed.   "What you need is a 'go between.'"  She added with a sly wink, "and I happen to have an available candidate."

    Kim shook her head.  "I don't want you involved if there's trouble.  What if they find out you're an extra-terrestrial?"

    "Pish-posh!" said R'y'sha.  "They won't find out.  No one ever has before.  I'll just discreetly slip him a note and disappear mysteriously."

    Kim bit her lower lip.  "Well, I suppose that would be alright."

    R'y'sha grinned.  "Trust me."

* * *

    "Okay, explain to me why we just rigged your room with surveillance equipment," said Honey Carlyle.  She sat on the love seat of her hotel room pouting.  Having the politically conservative and sexually repressed Trevor Fate in her room was not her idea of a fun evening.

    "Think about it, Carlyle," said Trevor while fine tuning the reception on one of the surveillance cameras.  "Whoever has been hacking into our system knows that I'm here in Monument City, and whom were we sent here to track down?"

    Honey's eyes widened and her mouth formed a quiet, "Oh!"  Trevor nodded as he saw the light of realization dawn upon his partner.

    "So, you think it's this Kismet who's been hacking into the system," said Honey.

    "It could be coincidence," said Trevor, "but in my experience, I don't have much faith in coincidence.  Especially, when it's this many coincidences."

* * *

    Wearing a full-length leather coat and sunglasses, a mysterious woman with purple hair walked into the hotel lobby.  She glided up to the front desk and rang the service bell.

    "Can I help you, miss?" asked the clerk.

    "I'm here to see Mr. Trevor Fate," the woman replied calmly.

    "Is he expecting you?" asked the clerk.

    "Not really," answered the woman.   "It's something of a surprise.  Is he in?"

    "Uh, yes he is," said the clerk.

    "Thank you," cooed the woman, and blew the clerk a kiss.

    R'y'sha noticed the slight pause in the clerk's last response.  Something was up.  Apparently Kim was right, and Trevor knew someone was tracking him.  R'y'sha stepped in a waiting elevator and selected a floor.

    The clerk at the front desk watched the strange woman cross the central lobby and into the elevator.  Once the doors closed, he immediately picked up the telephone receiver and dialed one of the rooms.

* * *

    Carlyle picked up the telephone receiver.   "Yes?"  Carlyle listened intently.  "Purple hair?   Are you sure?"

    Trevor perked up.  Purple hair?

    "Right, thanks," said Carlyle.

    "Care to tell me what that was all about?" asked Trevor.

    "That was the front desk calling," said Carlyle.  "He said a woman in a leather coat with purple hair asked for you.   She's on her way up."  Carlyle turned toward Trevor.  "So what now?"

    "I'm not sure," mused Trevor.  "I didn't expect our perpetrator to be so...flamboyant."

    "Purple hair isn't flamboyant," said Carlyle with a smirk.  "It's certifiable."

    "Maybe not," said Trevor, "from what I've seen on television, anyway."

    "You watch television?" asked Carlyle with an exaggerated expression of shock.  "Will the madness never end."

    "Stow it, Carlyle," growled Trevor.   "I was just starting to get used to you being around, and you have to go and ruin it for me."

    "Aww, poor baby," cooed Carlyle.

    Trevor shrugged on his jacket and headed for the door.

    "Where are you going?" asked Carlyle.

    "I'm going to meet our mystery woman," said Trevor.

    "What's the matter Trevor, aren't I woman enough for you?"

    Trevor turned, raised a finger, opened his mouth, and froze.  He slowly dropped his hand, shook his head and said, "I am going to be a gentleman this time and not rise to the bait.  See ya."

    Trevor turned and exited the room.

    "Hmm," thought Honey Carlyle, "I must be losing my touch."

* * *

    R'y'sha walked up to the door she had been looking for and knocked.  There didn't seem to be any answer.  Perhaps the clerk was mistaken.  She was about to knock again when a man wearing a tan, suede jacket and casual slacks walked up to her.  "Can I help you, miss?"

    R'y'sha turned to the man, and her jaw dropped.   The man cocked his head to one side.  R'y'sha tried to say something but only managed to open and close her mouth a few times.

    "Would you mind coming with me, please?" asked Trevor.

    R'y'sha nodded her head and allowed herself to be guided by Trevor to another hotel room.  Trevor unlocked the door and motioned R'y'sha inside.  There, on a love seat, R'y'sha saw a dark skinned woman with bleached hair wearing rather tight fitting blouse and slacks.  As the two entered, the blonde sat up in her seat.

    "Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she groused.  "It can't be that easy."

    "Never look a gift horse in the mouth," quipped Trevor.  He pulled a chair from the small dinette table and gestured for R'y'sha to sit.  R'y'sha, in the mean time, had a hard time taking her eyes off of Trevor.  She quietly walked over to the chair and sat down.

    Honey Carlyle got up and walked over to where R'y'sha was sitting.  She walked around their purple haired charge, studying her intently.   R'y'sha didn't know what it was all about, but the one thing she did know was that she did not like this woman in the least.

    "Well, now," said Honey Carlyle, "I understand that you are looking for Trevor Fate."

    Before she could stop herself, R'y'sha automatically reacted with the dislike she felt.  "What's it to you?"

    Honey looked as if she were lost in thought.   "Well, let's see.  Hacking into government IT systems, theft of federal information..."  She leaned over until her face was close to R'y'sha's.   "Any of this ringing any bells, dearheart."

    There were times when R'y'sha was sorely tempted to use her powers on another being like she did back in the early days of civilization.   This was definitely one of those times.  R'y'sha was able to get a handle on her emotions, however.

    "I came here to see Trevor Fate," said R'y'sha with resignation.  "You don't look like Trevor Fate."  She turned toward Trevor.  "You, on the other hand, look just the way I would have imagined you'd look."

    "Good God, girl," said Honey, "if you're looking for a date try the personals in the paper."

    R'y'sha ignored Honey Carlyle.  "I have a message for you," she said to Trevor.

    "Do we know each other?" asked Trevor.

    R'y'sha shook her head.  "Not exactly.   I'm simply the messenger."  She reached into her coat pocket, which prompted both Trevor and Honey to draw their pistols.  R'y'sha paid their actions no mind and proceeded to produce a slip of paper.  She handed it to Trevor, but before he could take it, Honey Carlyle snatched it up and opened it.  That action pushed R'y'sha past her limit.   Her eyes glowed violet for a moment and Carlyle froze in her tracks.  R'y'sha took the paper from her stiffened hand and once again handed it to Trevor.

    Trevor took the paper and looked up at Honey Carlyle.   "What did you do?"

    "Nothing," said R'y'sha.  Suddenly, Honey swore as she realized that the paper had mysteriously disappeared from her grasp.

    "What the hell...?" she started as she looked up and saw Trevor reading the paper.  "Hey, how'd you do that?"

    Trevor looked at R'y'sha for a moment then replied, "You need to pay closer attention to what you're doing, Carlyle."

    "Look, what's this all about?" asked Carlyle not without some frustration edging into her voice.

    "You got me," said Trevor.  "This note is a request for a private meeting."

    "Who with?" asked Honey.

    "One Kimiko Kido, Attorney at Law," read Trevor.

    "Okay, I've had it with the cloak and dagger bit," growled Carlyle.  She grabbed R'y'sha by the shoulders.  "Who put you up to this?  What's this all about?  Talk!"

    "You know, you seriously need to work on your people skills," said R'y'sha calmly.

    "That's enough, Carlyle," said Trevor.   "As far as I'm concerned, I'm still in charge of this operation, and I'm going to have a nice private chat with this young lady."

    "Are you nuts?" cried Carlyle.

    "Look," growled Trevor.  "We are going to my hotel room, and you are going to stay here."  He gave a sidelong glance to the hidden surveillance monitors.

    Carlyle puffed out an exasperated breath.   "Fine, have it your way."

    It was a short trip back to Trevor's room.  After he closed the door, he offered R'y'sha a seat.  Then, he walked over to the room's mini-bar.  "Would you like a drink?"

    R'y'sha shook her head.  "I'm a teetotaler."

    "Alright then," said Trevor, "a glass of ginger ale, perhaps?"

    Trevor poured a glass for them both and joined R'y'sha.

    "First of all, I'd like to start with the basics," began Trevor.  "Such as, what is your name?"

    R'y'sha smiled.  "Quite the charmer, Mr. Fate.  You may call me Star Child."

    Trevor sat back with a grin.  "I figured as much.  You're one of Kismet's accomplices, aren't you?  I pretty much guessed that when you time lapsed Miss Carlyle back there."

    "I am not a criminal, sir," said R'y'sha rather coldly, "and as for your Miss Carlyle, I have no idea what you are talking about."

    Trevor chuckled.  "Okay, we can play this game.  Earlier, you said you didn't know me, yet I got the distinct impression that you recognized me."

    R'y'sha chewed her lower lip a bit.  "I know someone that looks very much like you, Mr. Fate.  I was taken back by the rather uncanny resemblance."

    "Oh?" said Trevor a trifle puzzled.   Things were taking a different direction than he expected.  "Then why did you come looking for me, and who is this Kimiko Kido?"

    "To be honest with you, Mr. Fate, I am simply the messenger.  I have no real direct connection with what's going on."

    "What is going on, Miss Star Child?" asked Trevor a tad impatiently.

    "I'm not at liberty to say, Mr. Fate, and please just call me Star Child."

    "Very well, Star Child, then you shall call me Trevor.  Mr. Fate was my father."

    R'y'sha smiled coyly.  "I would very much like to, Mr. Fate, however, I don't feel that would be...appropriate.  At least not yet."

    What the hell does that mean, thought Trevor.

    "Please, sir," continued R'y'sha, "you must meet with Miss Kido.  It is a matter of great importance to us, and to you."

    Trevor tilted his head.  "If you don't mind, I'd like to be the judge of what is and is not important to me."

    R'y'sha nodded her head.  "Of course," she said, "I figured you would be stubborn that way as well."

    "I beg your pardon?"

    "I said you are a stubborn man," amended R'y'sha.

    Trevor smirked.  "So, I have been told by many.  What is this Kimiko Kido to you?"

    "She is a very dear friend," answered R'y'sha.  "I am doing her a small favor.  I have already stayed much too long.  My job was to simply give you the note and leave."

    "I see," said Trevor stroking his chin a bit.   "And pray, tell me why I should visit this Miss Kido?  I know that my personal information has been compromised, and that I was tracked here.  This would seem to me to be the makings of an ambush of some kind.  Are you and your friend trying to kill me?"

    R'y'sha looked up at Trevor with a horrified look on her face.  "Is that what you think of me?  A shepherd leading the lamb to the slaughter?"

    Trevor eyed her face carefully.  "No."

    R'y'sha breathe an intense sigh of relief.

    "You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that you held great store in my opinion of you," said Trevor musingly.

    "I would truly like to be your friend," responded R'y'sha earnestly.

    Trevor stood up and paced the room a bit.   "Then if we would be friends, you must tell me why I should meet with your lawyer friend."

    R'y'sha dropped her head.  "I can't," she said meekly.  "I promised I wouldn't.  I shouldn't even be here."

    Trevor walked towards the balcony window.   "Then I'm afraid I'm going to have to arrest you under suspicion of..."   He had turned back to face Star Child.  There was no one there.   "Crap."

    Moments later, Honey Carlyle burst into the room.

    "Sorry, Carlyle, I thought I had her well spooked.   She must have been awfully fast to get out of the room that quick, and without making a sound with the chain lock."

    Honey stood with her arms akimbo.  "If you'll just pay close attention to your door, you'll notice that I broke the chain lock bustin' in here.  She didn't leave through the door."

    Trevor looked at Carlyle in surprise.  "She's still here?"

    Honey shook her head.  "I don't know how she did it, but she just vanished.  I saw it all on the surveillance monitor."

    Trevor blinked at Honey a few times.  "Well, I'll be dipped."

* * *

    The next day, a very meek and contrite Star Child was making quite a nuisance of herself in Kim Kido's office.

    "Look, Star Child, it wasn't your fault," said Kim.  "I pretty much figured that they would be watching for someone.   Under the circumstances, you did just fine.  Now please, stop trying to clean up my desk!  I just got this case organized and you're destroying my filing system!"

    Kim reached out and grabbed R'y'sha by the arm and sat her down in one of the chairs she used for clients.  "Girl, you're going to run yourself into a frazzle.  Now, just relax."

    "But because of me, he probably won't even come," whined R'y'sha.

    "Oh, I'm not so sure about that."

    The two women turned toward the strange new voice at the office doorway.  Both gasped involuntarily.

    "Good night!" exclaimed Kim.  "You weren't kidding, Star Child.  He's the spitting image!"

    Trevor cocked an eyebrow.

    Honey Carlyle pushed past Trevor and strode into the large office.  "What the hell is going on here?"

    Kim placed an index finger beside her mouth.   "Hmm, you're right.  She does have lousy people skills."

    Honey Carlyle had reached her breaking point.   With a primal scream she lunged for Kim Kido before Trevor could even attempt to intercept her.  Kim calmly stood in front of the attacking NSA agent.  With lightning quick reflexes, she grabbed both of Honey's arms at the wrist and forced her down on her knees.  The sheer pressure from Kim's inhuman strength literally took Honey's breath away.  Her wrists were on fire with pain from having her arms crushed to near the breaking point.

    "Stop," she managed to gasp.   "P-please..."

    Kim quickly released Carlyle's wrists and Trevor lunged forward to catch her before she collapsed.

    Kim shook her head sadly.  "My apologies for injuring your comrade, Trevor Fate, but unfortunately I am trained to react decisively to an attack.  She is lucky that I have also learned to control my responses, else she would have two broken arms right now."

    Trevor looked up at Kim and Star Child with a grimace on his face.  "Who the hell are you people?"

    Kim heaved a heavy sigh.  "This is all my fault, Mr. Fate.  The computer hacking, the gathering of information about you, Star Child's visit; all of it was my doing.  I had hoped our meeting would have been a more joyous one.  Heaven knows I wish I could have planned things a little better, but your being in Monument City at this time was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."

    Trevor guided Honey Carlyle toward a small leather sofa that was nestled between two cases full of law books.  He turned back to Kim and Star Child.  Things were really taking a bizarre turn, and he hadn't even started on his true mission here.

    "Why am I so interesting to you people?" asked Trevor.

    Kim pursed her lips a moment, then decided to press on.   "Do you remember how your parents died?"

    Trevor was silent a long time.

    "I ask," continued Kim, "because I want to see if you know the whole truth."

    "And what is the whole truth?" roared Trevor.

    Star Child flinched, as if in pain.  Kim closed her eyes.  This was not going well.

    Trevor, having seen Star Child's reaction, cleared his throat and asked the question again in a much calmer voice.

    "The whole truth," said Kim soothingly, "is that you aren't alone."

    "And what is that supposed to mean?" said Trevor regaining some of his ire.  "If you've got something to say, then spill it.  No more riddles and double-talk."

    "Do you remember Trisha Fate?"

    It was Trevor's turn to flinch.

    "I am sorry if this brings you pain, but...," began Kim.

    "Are you?" retorted Trevor coldly.   "Are you really?  It was bad enough that I had lost my parents that day."

    "Then, I must tell you...," Kim began again.

    Trevor raised a pointing finger at Kim.   "Not...another...word!"

    Kim could see through the vibration of Trevor's partially clenched fist that his anger was barely contained.  Honey Carlyle looked from Trevor to Kim to Star Child.  Tears were welling in R'y'sha's eyes.  Trevor took a cleansing breath and slowly lowered his hand.  Honey got up from the sofa and flanked him, still rubbing the life back into her arms.

    "I am leaving," spoke Trevor in a low voice.   "If I find that you have been digging into my life or my family's again, I will have every government agency possible come down on you so hard that you will no longer exist."

    "Please, hear me out," Kim whispered.

    Trevor turned and walked out of the office with Honey Carlyle close in tow.  When the door closed, R'y'sha openly wept.

* * *

    Trevor Fate and Honey Carlyle were able to move out of their hotel and make last minute accommodations with a small motel on the outskirts of town.  Trevor hadn't said much since they had left the lawyer's office.  Only what was necessary to carry out their business.  Trevor drove the car this time.   Suddenly, all of the games that Honey usually played on Trevor seemed so trite to her.  It was going to be a bit of a drive, so Honey decided to try and get Trevor talking again.

    "Trev, did you notice something odd about that lawyer?"

    Trevor didn't respond.  Honey decided to press on.

    "Her skin looked metallic.  As if she were made of gold, or something."

    Trevor remained silent.  Honey tried another tack.   One that was quite risky.

    "Trev, who's Trisha Fate?"

    Silence.

    Honey sighed and resigned herself to a quiet ride to the motel.  Since she hadn't expected Trevor to say anything, she nearly jumped out of her seat when Trevor spoke.

    "My parents were killed in a hotel fire while they were celebrating their twelfth anniversary.  Trisha was my baby sister.  It was believed that she also died in the fire with them."

    "It was believed?" asked Honey.

    "They never found a body," said Trevor quietly, "but she was nowhere else to found."

    "How old was she?"

    "Five.  I was ten."

    "Then, where were you when this happened?" asked Honey.

    "I was staying with my grandparents.  I had been enrolled in a gifted child program where they lived."

    Honey nodded, but asked no more questions.  Still, something in the back of her mind was rolling around over and over again.  If only she could call it to fore.  The car eventually pulled into the motel parking lot.   It wasn't long before they were situated in a pair of connecting rooms.   Trevor had decided to forge ahead with their plan to locate and, if possible, question the elusive Kismet.  Honey produced a map of Monument City.  On it were marked sightings of the famous vigilante and the dates of those sightings.

    "I think if we concentrate our search around here, we'll have better luck," said Trevor.

    Honey nodded.  "She seems to focus quite a bit around this building here, the Chambers Commerce Building.  I wonder why."

    Trevor picked up a field book of Monument City landmarks.  He smiled.  "A-ha.  There's a clock tower up there.   A good vantage point from which to see virtually any part of the city."   Trevor thought for a moment or two.  "Why don't you check out the clock tower.  I'll cover a two mile radius around it.  We'll keep in touch via cell phone."

    Honey agreed.

* * *

    Night had fallen upon Monument City once again.  Unnoticed by everyone below, a single figure hopped along from rooftop to rooftop, surveying the city's vast landscape with both ears and eyes.   Kismet was puzzled.  Her two closest friends had been avoiding her of late.   Such behavior was uncharacteristic of them.  She would have to pay them each a visit and find out what was going on.  Whatever it was, she had a feeling that they were both connected.

    Kismet's thoughts were suddenly distracted by the sound of an alarm bell going off.  Immediately, she was off heading toward the sound, leaping from building to building until she finally came to rest in a mini-mall.  The shop window of a convenience store had been smashed.  Kismet positioned herself until she stood right above the window.  Since the alarm had gone off, the police would be here momentarily.  All she had to do was detain the thief inside for a while.

    Kismet pulled her grappling cable from her belt and made a lariat.  She then crouched down and edged forward until her toes hung over the roof ledge.  Slowly she lowered the lariat until it was spread on the sidewalk in front of the shop window.  There she waited, like a lioness preparing to pounce upon an unsuspecting gazelle.  She didn't have long to wait.  Like Kismet, the thief knew that he had very little time before the police responded to the alarm.  As he stepped out through the window, his feet landed squarely in the center of the lariat.   Kismet wasted no time.  Before he could take  another step, she hauled back upon the cable, sweeping the legs from under the felon who, in turn, landed face down on the pavement.  Then, she proceeded to haul him upside-down into the air.  The crook's sense of caution gave way to fear and desperation as he began to scream for assistance.  At that point, the urgent wail of police sirens drew nigh.  Kismet pulled the cable taught and tied it to a nearby vent pipe, leaving the thief hanging a good six feet off the ground.

    That ought to hold him for a bit until the police arrive, thought Kismet.

    Just then, two squad cars slowed to a halt in front of the convenience store.  The four officers carefully stepped out of their cars.  They all stared at the man hanging by his ankles in front of the broken window.  Still clutched in his hand was the sack of food he had intended to make off with.

    "Okay," prompted one of the officers, "exactly how do we get him down?"

    "I got a set of bolt cutters in the trunk," said another.

    Soon, the officers had the thief cut free and eased him to the ground.  One the cops had handcuffed him and began to "read him his rights."

    "Wait!" cried the thief.  "I didn't do nothin'!"

   An officer picked up the bag of food the man had dropped earlier and looked into it.  "I hope you have a receipt for this."

    Another officer was studying the storefront window.   "I'm willing to bet that brick on the floor in there will have your finger prints all over it."

    Kismet was uncharacteristically watching everything from her vantage point above.  Usually, she would move on once the police arrived.   This time, however, she felt like being entertained.  Eventually, the police cars left with their charge and any related evidence, and Kismet moved on as well.  As she leapt once more from building to building, traversing an expansive area at great speed, Kismet heard a loud beeping coming from her belt.

    What? thought Kismet with alarm.  Someone's in the clock tower.

* * *

    Honey Carlyle was able to muscle her way into the Chambers Building and up to the clock tower.  With her, she carried a duffel bag.   Honey made a quick scan of the belfry.  The place was completely free of dust or cobwebs.  There were no bird nests, either.

    "It would seem that someone has been doing some house cleaning up here," said Honey aloud to herself.

    The clockworks were below the belfry floor.   Between the two chambers, where the bells normally hung, was a trap door leading down to the gears and mechanisms that ran the clock.  There was a combination lock on the hasp.  Honey reached into her duffel and pulled out a microfine steel cord attached to two grips and began to saw through the lock.  In minutes, she cut through the lock and pulled the door open.  There was a ladder leading down into a small room just below the main gears.  Honey descended into the room to find several tables and cabinets.  Honey made a quick inventory of everything while touching as little as possible.  Much of the items in the cabinets were weapons of a medieval or ancient East persuasion.  There were shiraken, nunchaku, crossbow bolts, and a set of identical daggers.  There were three small, one-handed, high powered crossbows and an assortment of grappling hooks.  In a lower cabinet, there was a large spool of braided steel cable.

    The things that interested her most were the laptop and photo album on a small desk.  Quickly, Honey pulled an electronic device shaped like a diskette and inserted it into the computer's drive.  While the device proceeded to create a duplicate image of the hard drive, Honey pulled out a digital camera and took snapshots of the photos in the album.  Just as she completed filming the pictures in the photo album, Honey received a warning signal from the computer.  She quickly went over and checked out the machine's specifications.

    "What the hell...?" said Honey in shock.   "This thing has a thousand terabytes of drive space?  That's impossible.   No operating system could handle that much space."

    Honey checked the the random access memory.   "What?  Five terabytes of RAM?  This machine shouldn't even exist!"

    Honey checked her drive imaging device and discovered that not only was she not able to copy anything, but the entire system was destroyed.   The flash ROM was wiped clean and the electronics were fried by an amazing surge of power.  Honey decided to cut her losses, dropped the damaged device back into her duffel bag.  As an afterthought, she pulled the flash card memory from the digital camera and slipped it into a hidden compartment in the heel of her boot.  Quickly, she climbed up the ladder and into the waiting point of a Japanese sword.  Honey had stopped just as the sword point reached the tip of her nose.  Carefully, she leaned back a bit and looked up at a tall woman clothed in an oddly cut, blue skintight outfit.   Her face was covered in a mask.

    "And what, may I ask, do you think you're doing down here?" said the woman, but Honey noticed that her lips did not move when she spoke.

    Honey didn't say anything, and she didn't dare move, save for a slight depressing of her wrist against her cell phone.

    "Allow me to help you up," said the woman, who reached down, grabbed Honey by her jacket lapels with one hand, and bodily lifted her out of the pit.  Honey staggered from the roughness of being let down hard to the floor.

    "Well, there's no doubt about it," she said.   "You have got to be Kismet."

    "And you are trespassing," said Kismet.

    "The same could be said of you," retorted Honey.  "Unless, of course, you actually own this building."

    "What were you doing down there," asked Kismet.

    "Admiring your handiwork," said Honey with a smirk.

    Kismet stepped forward and dropped the twenty foot distance to the room below.  At first, Honey cried out in surprise, but when she looked down she saw that Kismet had landed perfectly at the bottom of the ladder.   She took a quick survey of the room, looked up through the trap door opening, then leapt straight up and somersaulted over Honey Carlyle.  Honey was more than impressed, she was amazed and not a little terrified.  What did it mean when someone like this had such power?

    Kismet studied Honey for a moment.  It was obvious that Honey had compromised her situation.  She wasn't really sure what steps to take next.  It was a bit unnerving to be at the mercy of someone you've never met before.   Kismet twirled her katana and resheathed it into the scabbard on her back.

    "So, what now?"

    "Well, that's not up to me to decide," said Honey.

    "Who then?" asked Kismet.

    "That would be me," called a voice from behind.

    Instinctively, Kismet leapt to one side and drew her sword.  She looked closely at this surprise attacker.  How could he have gotten in without being heard?  Then Kismet's eyes went wide.  She had seen that face before in a folder given to her by her sister Kim Kido.  The katana dropped to the floor with a metallic clatter.  Honey scrambled to grab the sword, but when she touched it, she got a shock.

    "Ouch!  Damn it!"

    "You okay, Carlyle?" asked Trevor.

    "Yeah, but the damn sword is booby trapped," she responded between sucking her fingers.

    Trevor walked into the belfry and moved closer to Kismet.

    "Be careful, Trev," warned Honey.   "She's not normal."

    As he moved closer, Kismet realized that she had been unconsciously stepping back with each forward motion Trevor took.

    No, not this way, she pleaded to the unknown.   Don't let him find out this way.

    "Trev," said Honey hesitantly, "I think she's...afraid of you."

    Kismet was breaking out in a sweat.  Her knees were beginning to buckle.  For once in her life, her superhuman abilities were absolutely useless to her.  Finally, her legs gave way and she fell to her knees.   Trevor rushed forward to catch her.  Kismet found it hard to breathe.   Her emotions threatened to completely overwhelm her.

    "Are you alright?" asked Trevor.   "Are you sick?"

    "Careful," said Honey, "it could be a trick."

    "I don't think so," said Trevor.

    He lifted Kismet's chin.  She was crying silently.   Trevor became disturbed.  There was something in this woman's eyes that was familiar to him.  He felt he should know her.

    "You've finally come home," said Kismet.

    Trevor looked up at Honey.  "What did you say?"

    Honey shook her head.  "It wasn't me.   Somehow she's able speak without moving her mouth."

    "My brother," said Kismet, "has come home."

    Suddenly, as if a shattered mirror had magically pieced itself together into a whole, Trevor realized why this strange woman whom they had been hunting the past couple of days, looked so familiar.

    Her eyes are like mother's, thought Trevor.

    Trevor reached out and touched Kismet's mask.   "May I?"

    Kismet nodded.  Trevor slowly, carefully pulled the mask up and over Kismet's face.  He too felt tears welling up into his eyes, blurring his vision.

    Honey Carlyle gasped.  "Jesus Christ," she whispered.  "She looks like...you."

    Honey felt as if someone had just played a cruel joke on her and the world actually had been flat all these millennia.  She soon found herself sitting on the floor in front of Trevor and Kismet, looking from one to the other as if half expecting one to disappear like an illusion.

    Trevor had been silent now for some time.  There was a word he had been dying to utter, yet he couldn't command his throat to speak.   Honey spoke it for him.

    "Trisha.  You're Trisha Fate, aren't you?"

    Trisha turned to the blonde whom she had caught snooping about her hidden ready room.  She nodded slowly.

    "It's not possible," said Trevor.   "Trisha died in the fire with my parents."

    Trisha shook her head.  "I wasn't there," replied her disembodied voice.  "I was under the care of someone else.  After the fire, I was sent to an orphanage.  After that, things happened to me that made me wish I had died with mother and father."

    "What things," asked Trevor.

    Trisha lowered her eyes.  "Not here.   Not now."

    Just then the room filled with a violet light.   When it faded, two new figures were present in the belfry.

    Kim Kido stepped forward toward Trevor, Trisha and Honey.

    "Oh, dear...," breathed Star Child.

    The clockface above them began to glow an orange color, as if it had become a small sun.  Suddenly, through the access hatch which led to the clocks outer face came a woman in a yellow and white costume with flaming hair.

    "I heard the alarm, so I...oh, $#!t."

    "Come on down, Hellspawn," said Kim Kido

    Hellspawn glided gently down to the belfry floor.

    "So, this is what you were trying to tell me," said Trevor.

    Kim nodded solemnly, "Although, not quite this much.  I wanted you to meet your sister.  I didn't want you to meet Kismet."

    "It's alright," said Trisha.  "I don't mind any more."

    "What about her?" asked Hellspawn thumbing over her shoulder at Honey Carlyle.

    Honey looked about her and realized that she was surrounded.  She also realized that her partner could no longer be trusted to complete their mission.

    "Trevor," she said, "We came here to do a job."

    Trevor looked at Honey.  "We've done our job."

    "What?  You can't be serious."

    "The parameters of the mission were to find Kismet and question her motives," said Trevor.  "Well, we've found her.  As for her motives, I don't think we need bother to ask."

    Honey jumped up and reached for her sidearm.   "You are not going to jeopardize this mission simply because the target is your sister."

    "Honey, please, put the gun away," said Trevor.

    "What gun?" asked Star Child.

    Honey suddenly realized that she was empty handed.   She turned toward Star Child.  "You purple tinted freak!"

    "Sounds like someone needs a nap," said Star Child.  She snapped her fingers and Honey Carlyle collapsed into a deep slumber.

    Trevor stood up and walked over to Honey's still form.   "What did you do?"

    "Don't worry, Mr. Fate," said Star Child.   "She's just sleeping.  I'm afraid she can't remember anything that's happened here today."

    Trevor looked up at Star Child.  "You're going to erase her memory?  Isn't that dangerous?"

    "For short term memory?  Nah," said Star Child dismissively.  "She'll only remember that she came in here and found nothing."

    "I guess that's best," sighed Trevor.   He turned back to Trisha and helped her to her feet.  "There's so much I want to tell you.  So much I want to ask.  This really changes a lot in my life."

    Trisha nodded.  "There is much about me that you need to know.  But, for right now, I'm happy to know that I still have family."

    Trevor looked confused.  "You mean you don't remember me?"

    Trisha replied, "As I mentioned before, some terrible things happened to me when I was younger.  Much of my memory of my past is spotty at best.  For a long time, I never even knew I had a brother."

    "You know, I can't stay," said Trevor.

    "There is the matter of visiting grandparents I've never met," said Trisha.

    "Good God, that's right!" exclaimed Trevor.   "But, let me break the news to them first."

    Trisha smiled.  "I just can't believe it.   I have a big brother."  She hugged Trevor tightly.

   "And my baby sister is alive and well," enthused Trevor returning her affection.

    Star Child was wiping her eyes with a handkerchief.   "I just love happy endings."

* * *

    It had been a three day search, but Kismet was nowhere to be found.  Trevor Fate and Honey Carlyle decided to call it a day and head back to Arlington.

    "What about those two women who hacked into our database?" asked Honey.  "Shouldn't we do something about that?"

    Trevor shook his head, "I think my threat to pour government bureaucracy down their throat was enough to warn them off.  Besides, Julius can change the access port numbers to make it harder to track down again."

    At first, Honey looked as if she were going to argue the point further, but she changed her mind.  "Trev?"

    "Yeah."

    "I'm sorry about your family.  I mean, for a minute there, I thought there was a chance that your sister was still alive."

    Trevor smiled, "Don't you worry.  One thing I have learned is that you can't take things for granted.  When we get back, I'm going to start my own investigation.  If my sister really is alive out there, I'll find her."

* * *

    "I really ruined everything," said Kim sadly.   "I wanted your meeting to be perfect, but I just screwed everything up."

    She was sitting on the sofa in Trisha's living room.   Trisha sat in her favorite armchair.  Both were drinking herbal tea.

    Nonsense, said Trisha.  You merely wanted the best for me, and it came out alright in the end.

    Kim sighed, "I suppose so.  Still, I certainly didn't want him to learn that you're Kismet.  I figured that was for you to tell him."

    Trisha smiled.  And in my own way, I did tell him.  So, stop being a sour puss.  This has been a fantastic week for me.   I have a new brother and closer relationship with Kevin.  Things couldn't be going any better.

    "Speaking of which," said Kim.  "How did Kevin like his birthday present?"

    Trisha put her finger to her lips in a shushing motion.   Now that's a secret no one will discover.

    Kim giggled and sipped her tea.

T H E   E N D

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