For a silent moment, Carter, who had taken his place like the other day, stared at the plate before him, unable to think of what to say. Finally, he breathed deeply. “Aqua, for the longest time I’ve been worrying that I’m taking your concentration off the situations at hand. Making it difficult for you to focus on your ultimate goal when you’re under pressure, worrying about me. I don’t want you to worry about me. I can take care of myself, I have all my life. Just because I look small and weak, and I’m not quite as old as you in body, I’m not something to take lightly.” He picked up the fork beside his plate. “But I’ve noticed a lot of strange things. Before even meeting you. I would venture close to town, and notice odd characters about. It was odd, but people in general were strange to me. I just brushed it off. I’m sorry about the argument too, but my mind was set. I didn’t want to anger you, so I didn’t press the issue even though everything within me screamed to follow you.” He poked at and tore the egg into pieces. “I don’t care about the rewards of the job, all I care about is the job itself. And looking after the people I care about when they need an extra set of eyes.”

Aquarius knodded and finished eating. She at least heard him out this time. Then are you in? You going to be a part of this? I honestly wasn't even thinking about you once I reached Stantonville. You didn't make me less aware or take away my concentration. Once I am in a mission, I get super focused and in what sports players call "the zone." It isn't that you are distracting me. It is more than something big is happening or going to happen. The bad guys have leveled up so to speak. She sighed and looked out the patio doors. She wondered exactly what was going on behind the scenes. Something was causing all the headache of the last few days.

For a while, Carter ate his egg in silence, a thoughtful gaze letting his eyes wander. Of course he was ‘in’, Aquarius shouldn’t have to ask, he hadn’t made that point any clearer the other day. But he had to think about the two who’d always come to him for assistance, his commissions paid in clothing. They wanted him to work for whatever organization they were for, but they’d never mentioned who or what they’d worked for. “Aquarius.” Carter said at last, staring down.. “Of course I’m not about to turn down this opportunity, I’d never do that. But wouldn’t you consider that, perhaps, one of the dark guilds has set up in or near town? Think about what I said about those two men who kept coming back for ocean items, namely, the floral items you use for your teas. I’m assuming they’re against the Council, I can’t doubt it anymore. They’ll be back at my beach in a few days, three days, at noon. If I were to agree to join them as an interrogator and human lie detector, I’d be included with their secrets, their information, and I’d be able to thread those to the true of heart. No one suspects a kid, Aquarius, you should know this by now. I’m small, I’m eleven years old, I seem weak and useless. I can pull off a good image of a useless, timid little thing, and be brushed off as just that. But... I’d have to be trusted. By not only you, but the ones you work for. I’d need to give them this information. And before these three days are up.” He glanced up, taking a breath.

Aquarius studied him. Of course she didn't want him to. However, he was perfectly capable of doing so. Being a spy. Reluctantly she knodded her assent. Let's head to the library and talk to my contact there. This is going to be an interesting day." She got up and started to clean up the kitchen.

Carter let a smile wipe away any worry he’d had about his being a burden or bother. He was finally coming to be of use, and he jumped at the chance. He got up and helped Aquarius clean up the kitchen. Before he went upstairs to grab a change of clothes, he paused and looked to the two guns he’d salvaged from the night before. They were taunting him, sitting calmly as though they couldn’t hurt any living thing, but he’d felt their power. With a deep breath, he picked one up and took it with him, intending not to use it, but feeling reassured at its presence. The silencer still on its barrel would keep it quiet, but as he read in one of his many Internet searches, wouldn’t do well for far-off shots because the bullet had been slowed and sent off balance.

Whoever the contact was they were meeting, he would probably have to prove himself. Webbed hands or not, he would show he was something to be reckoned with despite his overall appearance.

Aqua checked herself in the mirror. Her hair was done up in a tight braid. Her makeup hid any damage done to her face. Her outfit was a smart, stylish business suit. She wore black boots instead of heels. Was easier to fight in. She tied on throwing knives on her arms. The suit jacket hid them nicely. Then she adjusting the pins in her hair, so that the blades on the ends of them wouldn't show. She was set. With a last dash of perfume, she headed out and downstairs to the living room. Checking her shoulder bag, she made sure she had everything she needed for a town trip. She smiled. Today was going to be a good day. She checked the sky. All clear and sunny. There was even a lovely breeze. She grinned. She loved how easily a simple breeze could change into something grander. Yep, it was going to be a good day.

Carter had noticed the suit Aquarius had bought him. It wasn’t something especially nice, nothing to meet the queen of England in, but it seemed a little too nice for someone like him, who could come off as a helper for Aquarius in her shop, no more. Pushing it aside, he settled on an easy-going black buttondown and dark blue jeans, which, he found, easily hid both the gun and his knife. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use either one again so soon. The gun only had a few more bullets anyway.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Carter ran to Aquarius’s side to keep her from waiting. “Today looks like a good day.” He said. “But lighthearted scenes can mask sinister happenings. Are we going to your shop first, or the library? Either way, you lead the way!” He stepped back, bowing and motioning to the door.

Aquarius laughed over his antics and headed through the door, "Library first. I want to make sure all info is passed on before going into a possibly deadly situation." They headed out across her yard to the road and turned north towards town. "We can ask our contact to leave supplies by the house tonight. I was thinking of letting him getting you more ammo instead of being seen buying it ourselves. That might leave the wrong impression that we are packing... and I rather not give that card away yet."

Aquarius was enjoying the breeze. Yes, it was a good day. It was easy now to put that confidence into her step. Acting graceful and in charge was an easy role for her and she slipped into it with a relief. Approaching town, she made sure they took a back alley to the library and slipped inside. Going to the back shelves where her contact was, she found him. "Hey Charles, this is Carter. He wants to join us. He is a good kid. He surprised me with his intensity against those who thrill on hurting others. He will make a fine addition, don't you think? Aquarius leaned closer, "Also, because of him I was able to be alive and well to deliver news. I learned a lot at Stantonville. There is another dark guild setting up camp there. Just as you suspected. However there are more thugs than anticipated and they are heavier trained. They are still in the early stages as the townspeople are not aware of their bullying nature yet. They would for the King of the Wastes. Just like the Black Heart Guard. So now we have two powerful and quickly growing dark guilds moving into this kingdom for no apparent reason under the payment of a king who is known for his... inhuman activities. Aquarius waited.

Charles knodded and listened closely. None of this would be repeated again. After getting that information down, he turned to Carter. "Well son, tell me a few things. What do you love the most? What are your pet peeves? Why do you want to help Aquarius? What do you think you can do for us?" He watched the lad closely. Looking for any signs of arrogance, deceit, anger, cruelty... anything that might point towards hidden motives and possibly bad intentions. Also, he had a special gift. He knew when something said to him was the truth. From here he could ask specific questions and know if he was being lied or manipulated.

Carter relished the sunlight and breeze. The light held no secrets, it showed everything to the watchful eye. But he kept his gaze down, mostly to the shoes of the passersby, some skipping, some running, others dragging along as though they carried the weight of the world. While their faces held no mention or notice of their discomfort, happiness, or anger, their footsteps said more than they did.

He breathed deeply when they entered the library. He would never tire of that smell, old paper and leather, bindings and glue, that faint scent of dust lingering among the quiet carpets. Now that he could read, he would probably spend a lot more time in the library. He stuck behind Aquarius when she approached her contact, head down and watching his feet as she relayed the information he needed. Charles, his name was, Carter caught that. When he was addressed directly, though, his head snapped up and his gaze focused intently on the man. What he said would seal his fate, and the truth was all he knew. Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath:

“I love to acquire knowledge.” He started. “I love to know things. Be it from reading or researching, or going right to the source, I have to know things. I love the ocean, it’s nearly mystical, in a way, and the sunset that shines over the water every evening. And the moonlight, I love night. It’s quiet and mysterious, a place full of strange things. And... I love to help. All my life I’ve been nothing more than a burden on everyone, a punching bag. No one has... ever known my true self. I want to help the people who need it the most.

“I detest those who would do violence on the innocent or weak. I hate to argue, I’d rather just find a solution to a problem quickly and without conflicting ideas. I hate mind-altering substances, alhocol and drugs. It makes you stupid, and someone you aren’t.

“Having been a useless bag of bones all my life, I’ve finally found a purpose. Aquarius didn’t send me away and treat me like a freak because of my... oddity. She saw me as a human, as someone to take the time to talk to rather than push aside. And because of that, because she sacrificed her time to let me prove that I’m something more, was a deed I couldn’t let remain unpaid. And I’ll never be able to repay what she’s done for me, but I can at least try.

“But of course, you may not see me as useful. My ears are especially sensitive, and I’ve been known to be a human lie detector. Though I look small, I’m very strong, I can use a gun and knife, and I can mask my emotions with the best of them. Not to mention, I have two dark guild or Black Heart Guard members, potentially, under my thumb. Recently they came to me and asked me to join them as, like I said, a human lie detector and eavesdropper.”

Carter straightened his back, squaring his jaw. It was an unconscious movement that prepared him for negative impacts.

Charles, calm and collected among the shelves of book, listened quietly with no facial expressions. He was used to keeping his muscles relaxed at all times. He listened to Carter closely, paying attention to his gift and waiting to see if either the kid lied or said something to indicate a tendency towards the evil side of life. His answers were surprising and he appreciated this kid for what Carter represented before him. He might just be a good fit.

"I think that having you on board would be okay. Always can use someone no one would suspect. You definitely fit that bill. Also your gift would be quite handy. You can sift through the passing comments and loud exclamations for what is bragging and lies... and what is truth and information. You can slip into bars, stores, harbors, anywhere. You would be invisible because you are the stereotypical person that people don't like or want to interact with except to bully. That works against them. You understand?

Charles looked in Carter's eyes. [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]"You are in. Just please, use your brain and think at all times. Never act out of anger. No matter how justified.[/COLOR]

Carter nodded. “Of course I understand. I always act upon thinking. I may be easy to anger once someone threatens those I hold dear or those innocent, but I never act without justification and thought.” He had proven that by not following Aquarius on her mission despite his heart nearly leaping from his chest to chase after her, yet it had ended badly. It showed his restraint in the face of trying situations, and that would certainly be taken into account. “I’d assume this settled.” He said. “With authorization, I will accept the proposition by these men come three days end. If I can get in with them, I’ll be able to completely siphon information out of them and to you.”

Carter looked around. The books of the History section were beckoning. “If I’m finished here, and Aquarius isn’t, you think I can go read while you finish up?”

Aquarius knodded to him, Knock yourself out. She turned to Charles and they began discussing what they knew about the Black Heart Guard and the Lucky Dice. Both were employed by King Goce of the Wastelands. All these groups were tough to the core. It wasn't adding up right. Something was missing. What the heck were they after? What could be gained? They weren't infiltrating any of the other kingdoms. Just this one. They would have to keep their ears open. She arranged for a bag of ammo for Carters handguns to be delivered that evening. Then she went in search of Carter. Time to make sure that the two girls working at her shop were okay. Also to see if they could locate the other men who must have been ahead of her on the road the night before.

Books, Carter realized, were so much more than he’d taken them for before being able to read. Until he had set himself in a chair near the history section and picked one up, more focused now than ever, he’d never known about the history of the very country he’d lived in. And so many conspiracy theories resounding about natural and unnatural disasters alike. So many prophecies of the end of the world, so far failed. Tide-turning attacks on the U.S. that changed everyone’s view of everyone else. Sad things, to Carter, how the image of an entire country can be changed by a few stupid people.

The quiet was nice. It was a bit unnerving, his ears tried to work overtime, catch any odd noise, a shift or loud breath, a creak or howl of wind. The rustle of the pages turning sounded more like a giant bird taking off. His own breathing filled his ears, echoed in his head. When Aquarius’s footsteps sounded and started becoming louder, he looked up and closed the book. “Aqua! We’re going to your shop now, then?” He stood, going to put the book away and making himself quieter. “We’ll have to be careful. I hope your girls who work there are all right, if someone were there to intercept you and caught them instead.”

"I think they would be okay. Otherwise they would become witnesses to the underworld of crime that most normal citizens are not privy to. However, we can never be too careful. So let us go and be cautious about it." Aquarius led Carter out and out the back alley. They made their way slowly through the neighborhood. Carter would easily pick up if they were being tailed or targeted, so she focused more on taking the best route possible. She thought about her shop. It was a quiet store with stores on either side of it. The back opened into an alley. Across the street was small houses so the late afternoon light wasn't blocked.

The house right across the street was vacant, so it would be the perfect place for someone to canvass the neighborhood. Especially her store. There was probably one or two there. Carter would be able to tell. Then there was the back alley. It had the stores on the west side and a tall stone wall on the east side. So if someone was watching the alley, it would be easier to spot them. Perhaps hiding in a dumpster or a frequent amount of joggers or something. Maybe there would be someone at each end of the alley. She didn't know.

Reaching the block of houses, she paused and stayed in the shadow of some trees in a yard. Just around the corner was the street her shop was on. And there were probably thugs waiting. Turning to Carter she said, "Your turn. You can tell better who is where. What do you suggest?"

Carter followed his dear friend without a word of objection. She knew her way around better than he did, certainly, and he could keep his ears out for recurring footsteps that would note someone following. Indeed, there weren’t, but it didn’t stop him from worrying. Someone could be nearby, trained so well in the art of tailing he or she made no sound with their fleet feet. So he glanced back every few moments, keeping close to Aquarius to not lose her.

Letting out a pent-up breath when they stopped under some trees, Carter was taken aback by Aquarius turning her gaze on him and asking such a thing from him. He shook his head, looking around. “Well... Er, I mean, they haven’t seen me with you.” He said. “They wouldn’t know we were connected in any way. And I used to use the open-ended alleys every day when I went to school, it let me avoid the... general population. I’d be able to go through the tunnel without giving suspicion, then, once I got what I needed from the scene itself, act as if I’d forgotten something and come back to you.” He looked up. “That’s the only plan I got that doesn’t expose you to potential danger.”

Aquarius listened closely. He sure was worried about her being in danger. However, she was bruised so maybe he had his head on straighter than she had hers on. It didn't matter. She wanted to make sure her girls were okay, then finish this. "Go for it. I'll wait here and see if I can see anything suspicious or reoccurring" that isn't normal. She handed him a magazine... "Charles had a spare. Might come in handy if your low on ammo."

Carter took the magazine and studied it for a moment. It looked as though it were the right type. Slipping it into his spare pocket, he ran off, across the street and toward the alley that would lead him close to Aquarius’s shop, but not right beside it. No one seemed to be around in the alley, other than a couple rats and a cat chasing them, an old dumpster, and a few empty trash cans. He passed by a stack of boxes a little warily, being enough to hide a full-grown man. But no one was near. In front of him, the streets showed random people, oblivious to the obvious dangers they might be walking by.

Carter put his hands in his pockets. It was something he’d done a lot in the past, to hide them. He stopped before reaching the sidewalk, moving a little closer to the wall to his right and glancing out. For a moment all seemed well enough, no one to see that could have been suspicious, until he rested his eyes on the bench outside Aqua’s shop. Two men, in black, sitting and appearing normal to anyone else, reading magazines. But every once in a while, they quickly glanced up and looked around, as though waiting for someone to show themselves.

Carter drew back, gritting his teeth. They were conspicuous enough to let Aquarius know about. Indeed, they resembled the three Carter had fed to the sharks just yesterday.

Aquarius watched Carter take off, then slipped behind one of the houses. A friend lived there who was similar in height and build. She knocked gently on the back door to signal her friend she was there, then turned to the pantry door and let herself in. She through on work clothes her friend used at the docks, then a wig of blonde hair. Now she didn't look like Aquarius. She headed back upstairs and out to the tree. No one looking would see anyone but recluse lady known as Heartfillia. She figured Carter would figure out eventually it was her. He was too smart to be put off by disguises. In case he didn't though, she had her bag with her. He would recognize that.

Carter took a moment to consider what to do as he rested in the dumpster. It was empty, and didn’t look as if it’d been in use for a year or two, and the perfect place to crouch as he decided what could be done. He had a feeling Aquarius would have an idea, considering they’d known someone would be in or around the shop. And he doubted the men would attack them in public like that. He checked the gun in his pocket. Two rounds left. If he would have to use it, he would have to be a perfect shot. Shaking his head, he ejected the magazine and clicked in the full one, turning the near-empty one into his pocket before hauling himself out of the dumpster and back to Aquarius.

For a moment his heart skipped a beat. The blonde, oddly-dressed young woman in Aqua’s place completely threw him off until he saw the handbag at her side. He shook his head at the moment of near-panic he’d felt. “Wow, I thought I left a woman named Aquarius here.” He said as he closed the gap between them. “You her sister? Anyway, there’s two outside the shop, looks like they’ve been waiting for a while. I don’t know about inside, though. You got a back entrance, or you intend to use that disguise to your advantage?”

Aquarius grinned at him, "Surprised you didn't I. No worries, I knew you would figure it out." She thought a moment. Just two? That was very possible since three had been behind her. However, the might be one more inside. "I'll go on in the front. You take the back. Do you know how to pick a lock? I could find a way to open it possibly, but if there are others there then I don't want to tip my hand. If the girls are there, I don't want them to know that their boss is someone more than I appear to be. This is my cover for safety reasons too you know." She couldn't think of a better way to play this. Maybe they could just wait until it was time for the shop to close? No, now during daylight when possible witnesses were around to curb the violence was best. She sighed and looked at Carter to see what he thought of her plan so far.

Carter almost nodded his agreement to the plan, but when he looked back at her, he shook his head quickly. "I don't know." He said. "I've learned to pick a lock, tried it out the other night while waiting for you, but that's not what's on my mind. I wouldn't like you going into the shop through the front entrance. There are aspects of your body you can't control, that would probably alert the men outside. They would follow you in, and grab you, maybe, or they wouldn't even pause to grab you or give you a chance to react, they'd just kill you there. And I wouldn't have time to even see what happened from the back. I'm more inconspicuous, I could go in the front and the two outside wouldn't even think of it, because they've never seen me." He paused to catch his breath.

"Well I suppose. Though I fooled you didn't I? Okay, so if you went through the front, then I would take the back. And no picking locks necessary. I have a key." She winked at him and held up her ring of keys. "Of course I am referring to regular ones"

Carter wrinkled his nose. "That was thirty feet away." He noted. "You'll be walking right by them if you go through the front." He eyed the keys. "Well, good." He said. "Then I'll get going through the front." He started off, but paused as a question entered his mind. "If the men out front don't follow, should we just leave them at that?"

Aquarius thought about it for a few moments. "If they don't follow, then let's let them be for now. If there is anyone inside, I'll find a way to send the girls out the back. Then take care of them. If possible, I want to follow those men outside. Either get them later in a less public place, or find a way to follow them to any safe houses they might have here. What do you think?" She looked towards the two men, wondering if they were expanding here or not.

Carter bit his lip. “Sure. I guess that’d work. I mean, you won’t be in direct line from the two outside, and if we need to follow, I could stick close and listen to whatever conversations they have and you can stick to the side, a little back and to the side so it’s not as though you’re directly following them, but walking with them. And if I can listen to where they might be going or if they’ve got a place around near, I can let you know, and we’ll take care of whatever setup they’re running and probably get more information!” He jumped in place. “That sounds good. I’ll get in though the front now.” He started off, hurrying along the alley again and falling into a calm, relaxed pace halfway down.