Chapter 13: Shar Investigates

Shar waited against the side of the building, his arms crossed over his chest and his goggles clinging firmly around his child-shaped head. He shifted his feet (only two), twitched his head a fraction of a millimeter to the left, allowing his eyes to follow the tall, sleek forms of Bress and Yaidom as they made their way down the bright corridors of Star City's open deck. The crowds were thin that afternoon, a state that helped Shar out immensely, but he was still forced to keep a sharp eye on the pair, in fear of losing them to a bend in the walkway or the entrance of a building. They strode passed him without a thought, speaking quietly to one another. "It's only for a day, Yaidom. You've already decided you're not interested in the current clutches, so what's there to worry about? You won't be missing anything." "I will not have myself ordered about by your girlfriend, Bress. It's unspeakable. I am a Prince, I will not be forced to shake hands with some insolent stranger, friend to a girl who dresses in...in..." "Victorian earth fashion,"Bress' eyes became watery at the thought. Yaidom shook his head,” I won't do it!" A prince? Shar pushed off the building and sank into the steady thrum of traffic, following a few feet behind the pair. "Yaidom, I will do absolutely anything to ask. I'll never bother you about taking your time to choose a clutch again." "She's got you wrapped around her little finger,"Yaidom sneered, and Shar caught the barest glimpse of it from his profile,” I don't like it." "She's very pretty." "Oh, is that all?" Bress blushed,” Either way, she's already informed her friend that you're coming...so you have to, Yaidom. Or she'll never speak to me again!" "Did she say as much?" "No, but you can't embarrass a girl and not expect her to be angry." Yaidom sniffed,” I wouldn't know." "If this friend knows something about you, he must know something about...the business. He might be interested in investing in it." Business? Shar strained his ears to hear more. This made Yaidom pause,” Perhaps I could take a day or two to, to speak to him, if he's interested in the business,” he snapped his head toward Bress,"Ask your girlfriend if he is. I won't agree to anything until then." 'Thank-you, Yaidom." Yaidom waved his hand dismissively, scowling. Oh, this was interesting. Shar smirked and inched a few steps closer. .:.:.::.:.:. McKale slipped out of the shower, humming a merry tune under her (or perhaps his) breath, and swinging his (or perhaps her) hips. She (he?) dropped their towel and made their way toward the discarded dress. They bent over, digging through the lace and silk. McKale's brow creased significantly and he/she lifted the dress to eye-level and shook it out. The silhouette and corset fell from the confines of the material, but nothing else. McKale's heart hammered in his/her chest. Dropping the dress, he/she quickly snatched up their robe and raced for the door. The watch was gone. .:.:.::.:.:. "Jeffrey!" bangbangbangbangbang "Jeffrey, open the door!" Startled out of his book, Jeffrey jumped off the couch, knocking the novel to the floor and subsequently loosing his page, before leaping to his feet in a state of momentarily stunned confusion. The banging continued and an increasingly desperate rate. Smoothing down his lapels and reaching behind his head to tighten his hair ribbon, Jeffrey strode calmly toward the door and opened it. McKale, in mid-knock and leaning at a dangerous angle toward said door, lost her (or perhaps his) balance as was flung against him. Jeffrey let out’oof’ and stumbled backward with him (or her). Clearing his throat, he pushed her to his feet and brushed them both off before stepping back to give them both a bit of distance. "Good afternoon sir...miss." McKale chewed his/her cheek, before flinging his/her arms into the air with an exasperated sigh,” Dash it all, I don't care today, Jeffrey!" Jeffrey coughed into his fist,” It would make it decidedly more convenient with the matter of addressing you, miss...sir." "Well then someone bally well better come up with a unified t- Oh, bloody hell, Jeffrey! Forget the titles!" gender undecided, McKale slumped back against the nearest object to sit on, which just so happened to be a fluffed and stuffed, pinstripe footstool,” Jeffrey, the watch is missing!" "Missing, m- s-,"he shifted uneasily,” Missing?" "Yes, Jeffrey, missing! I know we're not on the best of terms right now, but do you think you could come down and look for it?" McKale wrung his/her hands in the robe,” I haven't a clue where it might have gone off to, I'm sure I had it when I stepped in the door,” he/she peered up at Jeffrey with puppy-dog eyes,” You don't think it's stolen, do you?" "It is a fine looking watch, mi- si-." McKale sighed,” Sir, then. I'm tired of being female." "Thank-you, sir,” Jeffrey continued,” I don't believe it unlikely that it may have caught the attention of someone, sir." "But who Jeffrey?" McKale stood and grasped Jeffrey's wrist, tugging him toward the door,” The only person I've been spending any amount of time with lately is Bress, and-" he gasped, slapping a hand over his mouth,” You don't think...?" Jeffrey's mouth quivered,” It is a possibility, Sir." "Oh. Oh rum, Jeffrey, that's no good at all,” he shifted his weight from foot to foot,” No...no it can't be. I've simply misplaced it. Come along, Jeffrey, have a look with me." He led him outside the door and down the hall. He paused, after a moment, turning to him,” I’ll have you know this is in no way a go ahead, even if Bress did steal the watch. I'm not at all impressed with your tuberose." "No, Sir." "Nor am I forgiving you." "Certainly not, sir." "Good, then,” he turned down the hall,” So long as that's clear." "As crystal, Sir." .:.:.::.:.:. Shar slipped back into the apartment, his grin incomprehensibly large. Cyilume was instantly at the door, her body fair wiggling with her excitement. Shar's form shimmered back into that of his natural state, and he hung his goggles on the hat rack. Cyilume cocked her head,” So, what did you find out?" "Enough,” he moved toward the couch and squished himself against the cushions. He crooked a finger at her. Cy trotted to his side, ears perked attentively. "Yaidom is a prince,” he started, shifting until he was comfortable. Cyilume leapt up on the couch to sit at his side, leaning toward him,"Yeah, and?" "Do you remember the other names Jeffrey told us were on Mr.Winquist's letter?" Cyilume furrowed her brow in thought,” A few of them." "Allow me to help; The Necromancer Iavordar, a Prince, Lord Uul, no longer a Prince, but having once been one, Kutoth, title equivalent to a prince. The list even went so far as to list 'Prince Charming', the name of a sentient wolf-like creature residing on the planet Venial. Not a prince, but the name still applies." "When did you learn this?" Cyilume sniffed,” If I remember right, you were born the same day I was. I don't remember learning about politics while waiting in my egg." Shar grinned,” The internet is a spectacular, device, Cy." Cy rolled her eyes,"Alright, alright, carry on. So they're all princes, what does that mean?" "I also took the liberty of looking up Wilbur Winquist's name." "Yes? And? He's not a prince too, is he?" Shar's eyes glowed gleefully,” Not exactly, but-" "But there was a connecting factor, I get it. So, what of it? Why is he trying to collect princes?" Shar shook his head. He hadn't gotten that far,” But there's more." "Oh?" "Bress is preparing to send Yaidom to Mr.Winquist." "Well that doesn't matter now, does it? I've got the watch." "But neither Mckale nor Jeffrey knows that. And that's not the point. If Bress sends Yaidom, Miss McKale will be ecstatic, and Jeffrey will still have the lingering fear of being let go." "Well I hope he is!" she wrinkled her nose,"McKale is horrible to him...and us!" "Correct. But Bress will not take to going through such means to try and keep McKale out of trouble." "So?" "If Jeffrey is let go, McKale will be in danger." "How? From who?" "Do you know who McKale's aunt and uncle are?" "No, and I don't know how, or why, you'd know either." "They have a title equivalent to that of 'king' and 'queen'." "What do you mean, 'equivalent to'. McKale's human, isn't she? She's from earth." "No,” said Shar,"She...he...is not. And he...she...they are fifth in line to become a Prince under said aunt and uncle's rule." "So...McKale could very well be part of Winquist's list, too?" "Precisely." "And why do we care?" "Because Jeffrey cares." Cyilume frowned, but nodded,"Alright. So what are we going to do about Bress?" "You understand he's interested in her because of her semblance to Victorian ladies?" Cyilume nodded. "Well, Bress would not be in the least be impressed if he were to find out McKale did not always don dresses and petticoats." "Alright,"Cyilume cocked her head,” So what do I get to do?" "You will get to set in motion the most vital part of my plan." Cy grinned. "But you'll have to give up the watch." "What?! Why?! Shar!" .:.:.::.:.:. "It's not here! Jeffrey it's gone. Unless you've found it?" "I regret not, sir." Jeffrey finished brushing the dust and crumbs (taco shell, he noted with an unpleasant twist of his lips) off McKale's last set of leggings. He set them over a hanger and hung them in the armoire. The room had gone from a state of utter chaos to neat, tidy, and clean once again. Jeffrey had not done so much looking as he had cleaning. McKale sighed, shaking a little,” This is ruddy awful, Jeffrey. Here I've gone and gotten Yaidom all set up for Winquist and I've lost the watch." "Or it was stolen, sir, that is still a possibility." McKale frowned at the thought. Finally, he let out a long sigh and hung his head,” Do I have any clean suits, Jeffrey?" "Yes, sir,” he turned to the closet and produced one, a deep navy blue, nearly black, and handed it over to his employer. "Thank-you Jeffrey,"McKale stood and slipped into the bathroom,” I don't understand how you do it, you know." "Sir?" "I mess up the place for a week, and you pop in for twenty minutes and it's like you never left, what? You even got the congealed pancake mix of the wall without me noticing! You're a marvel, Jeffrey, you really are." "Thank-you, sir." He eyed the spot about the stove. That had been a tricky task. "But no watch." "No, sir." "I'll have to ask Bress if he saw it. You don't really think he took it, did you?" "It is not my place to say, sir." "I thought you might say that,” he stepped out of the bathroom, sporting the suit, black gloves, and a fedora to top it all off. Jeffrey eyed McKale's sockless feet,” Sir...?" "Oh, very well, Jeffrey. Toss me some socks." "Thank-you, sir." "And then up to your apartment, what? I'm still mad at you, after all." Jeffrey nodded and handed him a pair of plain, black socks,” Very good, sir." "Toodle-pip, Jeffrey!" "Good-bye, sir."