She laughed at his enthusiasm and headed to the alley. Walking quietly but confidently, she slipped to the back door and listened closely. Hearing nothing, she quietly unlocked the door and opened it. There was no one in the back room. She locked it again and searched the places that could hide cameras. There were none. Taking off her disguise, she peeked out into the main room to see if Carter had gotten in yet.

Carter left the alley behind a rather large man as he passed by, moving slowly to put some distance between them before he approached the entrance to the shop. The men were still sitting outside, now speaking with one another quietly. He only glanced at them, not showing much interest as he went to the door and pushed it open. Mentally, he braced himself for anything, especially an attack. The storefront wasn’t brightly lit, but that seemed to be the norm. Looking around, he saw nothing really out of the ordinary. When someone moved, though, his hand went to his pocket, until he recognized Aquarius in her regular clothes. He ran to her.

“Aqua, I just realized something.” He said, voice low. “We can’t ambush the guys outside, even if we figure out whether or not they have a base set up here.” He looked behind him. “If the two I’m meeting in a couple days are involved with them, I’d be able to get in without suspicion and lead you to the entire operation, even if it’s a small one, and we’d probably be able to get answers out of who we discover and be led to a larger one, then it’s a chain reaction after that.” He looked down. “But... What would you say to that?”

She thought about it and then knodded. "I talked to my two workers and told them to take the rest of the day off. I gave them money for ice cream. Since the ice cream place is faster to get to going the back way, I sent them that way. So they are safe. I can lock up here. Since we won't have to fight anyone right now, we don't have to capture and interrogate them. Let's just simply follow them. I'll slip up to the door, turn the lock and the closed sign, and slip away. When they turn around they will find the shop mysteriously closed and assume the girls were lazy and left early. She looked around and went over to an air vent. Deftly she pulled out a small camera and slid it between the vents. I set one in the back room too. You can monitor both from your laptop. Now we will have a backup plan for next time if there is one.

Carter bit his tongue, watching Aquarius move. "Y'know, I'm just worried. I mean, I've never had any kind of responsibility put on me before, especially not of this magnitude. I guess worried isn't the right word... Nervous is better. I can get by with my lying ability, but I'm never sure about it." He twisted his hair. Others tend to comment that its original color was blonde before he dyed it green-blue. Often it was the kindest thing he'd ever heard someone say about him. "I don't know the history of the Council, you know, but I'm being trusted by you. Maybe by others. Do you really think I can pull off being a... a double-agent, for lack of a better term? Because, you know, I'm just a... kid." He sighed. He hated his age. It did his intelligence and abilities no justice.

Aquarius blinked at him and then started giggling. Covering her mouth, she slipped to the door and locked it. Turning the sign to closed, she backed away. Grinning and shaking her head, she snickered some more while walking towards him. Then grabbing him arm she dragged him into the back room. All mirth vanished and she glared at him. Let me see... I went off to Stantonville on my own after fighting with you over whether you were a child or not and should be a part of this or not. Do you remember which side of that argument you were on? What your reasons were at the time? Carter, listen to yourself now. We've switched sides. That in itself is ironic and funny, but not the point.

Listen to me. You are not a child. Definition of a child would be someone who is learning basic skills of living and getting along with others. A child cannot take care of themselves, protect themselves, and is in need of schooling in the basics of society. You know the basic skills of living and you have done remarkably well at getting along with those who invade your beach. You do take care of yourself. You know where and how to find shelter, get food, and even found a job of sorts with both those two weird men and myself. Good for you by the way. Keeping going on this though, you are a quick learner and know your basics. Everyone has room for improvement and there are always new things to learn. You know a lot of stuff I don't know and vice versa. You can protect yourself. You have done so before. You can do more than that though, you can protect others.

This whole idea of being a double-agent. That is your choice, your call. You can play it however you want. I won't stand in your way for whatever you decide. You decide not to, that is okay. You decide to, then I will support you because I know you can do it. Remember, your good at acting. You fooled me and you have fooled others. That combined with your ability to stay alive... combined with your ability to better understand if your being lied to... you would do the best that anyone could expect from anyone else.

Carter, do you understand what I am saying here? Yes, you can feel nervous. No, you can't feel doubt. You must remember the facts about yourself and the situations around you. Emotions, though useful, can be used against you. Remember how that first attack at the house when you were dumping the two men at the cliff? How the one we interrogated tried to turn you to his way of thinking? You stayed true with what you believed and knew. Do so now. Fact: You are not a child anymore and haven't been for years. Fact: You are a skilled fighter and actor. Fact: You are my partner and I will support you in whatever you do as long as you are not hurting the weak and innocent... or yourself.

She sighed, and thought about how little he knew of the Council. Maybe a quick history lesson was in order. If he had that, then she could add to it and build off of it later. He just needed something simple for now. History of the Council. Your bright and smart. Hear me here. About 10 years ago, there was an assassin and henchmen for our blessed king. He worked hard and did as commanded intimidating those the king wanted to bully to his own way of thinking or just killing those who deserved or didn't deserve death. Our assassin didn't like his job and often confided in our blessed king's chief of intelligence. One day the two of them went together on a mission and the assassin couldn't go through with it. So the chief of intelligence returned to the king and told him that the assassin went rogue.

That isn't the end of the story, but the beginning. The chief of intelligence quietly fed information to the assassin when the king was going to bully someone. The assassin then found ways to thwart the assignments if possible. Most times it went well, sometimes it didn't. Over time, a few of the intelligence men the chief of intelligence trusted joined in on the scheme. A few friends in the calvary, army, and navy joined. A few craftsmen and healers joined. Slowly but committed, they came to call themselves the Council. Over time, a salon owner would be recruited when his sympathies were understood. An innkeeper, a farmer, a merchant, all of the common people. Those who have nothing to gain except justice.

The safety of the Council lies in no one knowing of its existence. However, the group we traced in Stantonville to here know about the Council. We have to kill them as they aren't good or innocent to begin with on that alone. They are loose ends that could put our entire mission at risk. If the king knew of our existence... it can't happen.

The Council meets in a group that is composed of the assassin, the chief of intelligence, and key representatives. They then go pass on the ideas and head meetings of their own in their respective districts. Districts used to be just areas of the capitol. Then it expanded to parts of the country. Now there are areas of other nearby countries as well. You want world peace? This Council, as long as it has a common goal to unite everyone, is the answer.

She looked away from Carter and let go of his arm. This was a big deal and made up her goal in life. To protect the weak and innocent by doing what no one else wanted or should do. She would be the bad guy in society to keep the evil guys at bay. It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. She looked towards Carter wondering if he would be okay. Self-doubts had their place, but she wasn't sure how to address them. Maybe success over time would raise his understanding and assurance of himself.

Carter sighed. The long-winded speech rang in his head, falling away like leaves from the trees and littering about him. Though he was a child in body, he didn’t have the same expectations thrown on him, to grow up, or to learn the basics of survival and life. But he was still a child, and would have to work harder than anyone to prove that he was someone that could keep up with even the most experienced adults. And indeed he could, he knew his way around the world, the dangers and beauty alike, though they could easily intersect. He closed his eyes.

Aquarius was the only one who ever put real faith into him. The first one to ever show true kindness to him. He vowed to himself, he remembered, that he wouldn’t leave or take advantage of her because of her kindness and generosity, and the moment he doubted himself, he was throwing away the confidence she gave him. He wouldn’t let his low self-esteem affect his ability to work, to protect the weak or innocent, a job he knew he could do, but had to prove it.

“I won’t leave you.” Carter said quietly. His gaze was stuck to the ground. “I won’t doubt myself anymore. That doesn’t do justice to you, or to me, and hinders our progress. Come three days’ passing, I’ll accept the job offer handed to me by the two potential dark guild members and get into their house. I’ll give you and... Charles, was it?... the information I collect, and I’ll keep my doubts to myself and work over them.” He sighed. “I’m not helping anyone by clouding my own judgment.”

Aquarius shook her head. She sent him the wrong message. Hugging him, she whispered "Carter. I agree with not letting your self-doubts cloud your judgment. However, don't bottle them up either. Talk to me when you need to. Just remember one thing. Your the dark guilds' worst nightmare and rightly so. With that she moved to the back door and quietly motioned him to follow. They best get out and where they could observe the men. Maybe pick up more clues before they figured out the store had mysteriously closed. I told the girls to take the week off. So the shop won't be open for awhile giving us time to get a better understanding. I'll open up next Monday like normal. That gives us a week to get prepared for whatever happens..

Carter felt numb. It was too much emotion to take in at once; a love and gratefulness to Aqua for all she’d done in the past few days, anger at the dark guilds and all who would hurt those innocent or vulnerable, sadness at knowing he could possibly let everyone down, anticipation and worry, fear... It was all mixed together in a boiling pot. He was only accustomed to feeling one or two at a time, and now, they all bombarded him as he was led out the back. Without taking in much of what Aquarius said, he forced himself to nod in acknowledgment.

Aquarius knew her way around town better than he did. Being away for two years, it was best he keep his eyes open and know the place he would most likely be spending more time in. Unlike the forests and underwater worlds, the town didn’t change. Different cars and people may walk the sidewalks and use the roads throughout the days, but nothing was ever different. And when it was, it was gradual, so others knew what was happening, rather than immediate and without warning. “Er, Aqua, where would we go to watch them?” He asked at last. “If we were in public, it’d be obvious we were keeping an eye on them and they might catch on. Would we use a building instead, something nearby that keeps your storefront within sight?”

As they slipped back down the alley, she whispered back to him "Let's go back towards that tree at the end of the block. The row of houses across the street has a vacant house among them. It is right across from the store. We can keep an eye out there. Only the guys from Stantonville know what I look like, and I am assuming that these two are the only ones from Stantonville. So they are my only lead and I am their only lead." She led the way quietly out and around to the other block. Then they headed to the backyard of the vacant house. Jumping the fence, she reached and unlocked the gate for Carter with a wink. "After you" she said with a bow.

Carter was listening, but watching around them. People were nearby, and he never liked that. Especially now, since everywhere he looked he seemed to see an enemy, or an extra-watchful eye staring at his hands. It sounded like a good idea, they wouldn’t be in public that way and exposed from every side to potential danger.

He half smiled, hurrying through the gate and closing it for Aquarius, locking it once more. “I could’ve followed you up.” He said, noting that the gate wasn’t too high, and he was a master at climbing anyway. “But thanks.” He added quickly. It was nice having someone to look out for him, even though he wasn’t accustomed to it.

She smiled and they crept up to the back door. She easily picked the lock and was inside so smoothly that even if someone had been watching, they wouldn't know anything was amiss. She locked it behind them. "Do you hear anyone in the house? she whispered. His sensitive ears sure were handy.

Carter paused. He let the sound of his heartbeat and breathing fall away from him, and suddenly everything became so much more vivid. From another room he could hear a refrigerator running, buzzing out into the still silence. "Nothing but the house settling." He said at last. "And your breathing. We'll be safe here as long as no one comes to inspect the place." He glanced up to Aquarius to confirm his words as truth, and stepped a bit farther into the room. He took in the air of the place, that slightly musty smell that fell about a house in desolation.

She knodded and looked around. It had been awhile since she had been in here. She had done a stakeout here once before to get a feel for the neighborhood. At the time, she had been looking for a place to set up shop. Once she knew what was normal for this area, she felt more comfortable having a business here. She let Carter look around while she double-checked the downstairs windows and door. Confident everything was clear and secure, she headed up the stairs. The building had been built solid. The stairs didn't creak as they would have in some houses. That was why she had made friends with the owner, and convinced her to not put a 'for sale' sign in the yard. It was a quiet retreat for a select few who needed a place to hide for awhile. Yet it would always seem vacant to anyone passing by. At the top, she went quietly and slowly to the middle bedroom and slipped inside. Edging up to the window, she glanced out. The two goons were human after all. They were bored and becoming lazy. She grinned. You could always count on human error. She sat and waited. It was going to be a joy for them to find out that the shop was locked with no one in sight. She wondered absent-mindedly if they were superstitious. It would be fun to have people in one place one moment seemingly to just disappear. If seen later, they could claim no memory of the next few hours and that they 'awoke' someplace without anything amiss. She grinned at the thought.

Carter watched Aquarius go upstairs. She would keep an eye on the men, he had faith in that. Glancing around the living room, he found a couch in the corner and threw himself down on it. By far his favorite article of furniture, when his parents left him alone in the house, he tended to gravitate to the couch in the living room and sprawl out on it, hands behind his head, staring at the smoke-stained, cracked and cobweb-draped ceiling.

His mind went to the beach again. Sunny, rushing waves, soft sand. Always his mind went back there. He didn’t particularly miss the place, but he loved remembering it. That was where he belonged, he was a creature of the water, the sand, even his human form showed that. But when he remembered the ocean, he remembered the two men. They tended to return to the beach even when they didn’t want to talk to Carter, and he had his answer ready for them. If he went back to the ocean that day, or the day after, he would most likely see both of them.

It wasn’t odd for him to change his mind, or act strange around them. They wouldn’t find it suspicious he changed his mind and wanted to accept their offer immediately. It’d been five days already anyway. He nodded at that decision, ready to tell Aqua that he would go to the beach after their job in town was done, and closed his eyes.

The afternoon slowly slipped by. Finally the men muttered and shuffled and got up. One glanced at the shop and froze. Quickly the two started looking through the glass and getting animated in their hand motions. Then like the morons they were, they turned and started walking quickly down the street. Of course they would go back to report to someone. They didn't know what else to do. She grinned and leaped up. Running down the stairs she called out to Carter, The idiots finally figured out the shop is closed. I'm going to follow them!

Carter bolted up. “What...!? Oh, okay, I’m going to the beach to see if those creeps are around.” He jumped to his feet, walking out of the room and retracing his steps, going back down the alley and across the street, taking off the way they had come that morning. The sun was high in the sky now, afternoon setting in a bit deeper around them.

He didn’t even know their names. He called them Stranger and Creeper, a bit childish but useful all the same. They certainly did look odd. But he worried for Aquarius. That wouldn’t change, he figured, ever, he cared too much about her. But now, he would have to be more careful himself, if he didn’t want to worry her. He slowed down as the town fell away from him, replaced by the quiet paved road that would lead quickly to the beach. He vowed that if she wasn’t back by the time the sun started setting over the ocean, he’d be up and after her.

She knodded as they split different directions. She followed behind in the shadows, keeping an eye out for more shadows. They went to the local motel. The doors were on the outside, so they couldn't leave without her seeing. She picked a local coffee shop and sat where she could watch the door they went into. She ordered supper and waited. Finally a third came out and left. He returned with pizza. So they worked in teams of three. The youngest appeared to be the errand boy. She headed towards home, stopping by the library to let Charles know the location that needed tails. Charles would probably arrange for a wiretap too.

She headed back down the road, and breathed a sigh of relief once in the countryside. She got home and bypassed the house heading into the back yard. She kept walking into the trees and further, until she reached the cliff. There she sat and watched the sun set. It wasn't quite down when she rose and headed back to the house. There wasn't anything more pretty than the ocean, especially with the rising or setting sun... or occasional thunder storm. She grinned at the thought.

When he got to the edge of the beach, Carter was surprised to see Stranger and Creeper already there, meandering around shoeless around the water. “Hey!” He yelled at them, waving one hand to get their attention. “What are you two doing here?”

The two looked around. The larger of the two, Stranger, with his buzzed haircut and squared shoulders, took a few steps forward, out of the lapping waves. “Hey, Cart.” He said, pulling the other one with him. “Been looking for you. Sorry ‘bout cutting it short, but we’d really like an answer now.”

“Oh, I got one for you.” Carter chuckled, stopping halfway down the beach. “I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever you need me to do and you’d damn sure better not get in my way when I say so. I want answers when I ask questions, and I’ll know if you’re lying. That’s my angle.” He crossed his arms, lowering his face and letting his natural glare do the rest of the talking.

“S-sure, anything!” Creeper, the small, wiry one with scraggly hair and dark eyes, nodded quickly. “But that was a fast decision. You really think about this, or what?”

“I thought about it.” Carter turned. The sky was starting to darken, and when he looked back, he saw Aquarius walking back to her house. “That’s my answer. If you don’t like it, find someone else. I’ll come back tomorrow at noon, be here.” He walked away, trying not to look too eager to get going. If they sensed anything other than complete confidence from him, they would know something strange or suspicious were going on. But once behind a couple small trees and a few bushes, he ran across the road, back to Aquarius’ house and through the door just moments after she vanished behind it.

Aquarius saw Carter come in and smiled over at him. Good news. We know where they are staying. They have only one other guy with them, an errand boy. Got surveillance and a tail on them. I have the rest of the week off. How was your trip to the beach? She was busy setting a tea pot on the stove to start heating up. Opening the freezer, she pulled out some microwaveables and started to prep them for the microwave. Nothing like a quite meal. She was just excited that this dark guild would be simple to shut down here. Then they would have to tackle the group back in Stantonville. Well, not her necessarily. Others from The Council were already on their way. The three here would be dealt with by the end of the week. And hopefully Carter would get intel on the two guys from the beach and who they were.

Carter returned the smile Aquarius cast over as he closed the door behind him, taking his shoes off to not track sand and leaving them beside the door. With a sigh, he went to the table near where Aquarius worked and set himself down, pressing his balled up hands into his eyes and watching the light burst forth form the pressure. “Found the two I’d been talking about.” He said. “Never thought to ask their names, damn it... Bah, anyway, I gave them my answer and I’ll have to go back to the beach tomorrow around noon, maybe a bit before. I don’t want them seeing me come from anywhere but out of the water, which is normal for me. I’m pretty sure they’re part of a larger branch of the dark guilds, maybe part of the guards you talk about. But I might be taken with them to wherever their base or meeting point is, so I don’t want you worrying about me, okay? I’ll get out, then tell you everything I see.”

He puffed out a breath, holding it for a while. “I’m tired.” He muttered, letting his head hit the table and putting his hands on his hair. “Swimming into a shark’s hunting ground would be more predictable than this.” He didn’t want Aquarius seeing him run down, but the events of merely the past week had been more than he’d ever experienced. Perhaps not as much as his time in school, bullied, tripped in the halls, cornered on the playgrounds and in the darker areas of the school corridors, day after day by kids larger than him. But now his life was in danger, and he had someone else to care and worry about whose life was also in danger. Maybe not constant danger, but it was still present.

Aquarius knodded. It had been a long day. Being tired was natural. I don't have to do anything tomorrow. Do you want to go sleep down in my cave? I could stay there or stay here. Eat some supper and then you should probably head to bed. Hmmm... you haven't actually stayed in your bedroom upstairs yet have you? That settles that. Eat and then I am personally tucking you in. She quickly put food and tea in front of him and beamed. He had worked hard and was so eager to prove his worth. She wondered if he had what it took to hang in there? It didn't matter. Whatever he couldn't handle, she would be there to lend her own strength.

Strength. It was true she was really strong. Her only weakness really was water. When it came to friends, bad guys couldn't use them against her. She had always chosen to follow through with her plans even if it meant sacrificing someone she cared about. But what about Carter? He was a quick learner and a mean fighter. Deadly if you messed with him or, now that she was around, his friends. His strength was in his speed and acute hearing. What if his hearing was turned against him? She thought for a moment of flash bang grenades. That would not be good. The only thing she could do was simply provide him her support and strength the day he needed it. And right now, that would be rest.

Carter stared at the food in front of him before what Aquarius said really hit him. “What...?” He narrowed his eyes and thought. His parents never really bothered to see if he even stayed in bed. They just sent him off, and if he didn’t make noise, they didn’t care to know if he was around. And indeed, he hadn’t stayed in his room; the water was his bed, a constantly-moving, flowing bed that sifted through warm and cool, allowing one to relax easily if they were in a safe place. poking at the low-quality but quick food, a combination of sliced carrots, what looked like mashed potatoes, and a main of unidentifiable meat, he wondered if he could even adapt again to the concept of a bed.

He also didn’t think he would be able to sleep anyway. Having a meeting with possible killers or terrorists of the innocent in less than twenty-four hours would most likely keep Carter awake late. Thinking about that, he stuck his tongue out at the food before him, quickly losing the will to eat. But he pulled the tea cup close and took in the easy, floral scent. It eased the brewing headache a bit.

She raised an eyebrow when he stuck out his tongue at the food. Yep, he was a child. She waited while he drank the tea. Then encouraged him to eat just a little bit more. She couldn't help but worry about his health. At least he would sleep a deep, dreamless sleep. The tea would take care of that. She decided to not say anything about that though. She would carry him up easily enough if need be. Anything, to make sure he was at his best shape. She glanced at her own food, shrugged, and quickly finished it up. They were quite the mix and it was her goal to protect everyone she could, innocent and those who should be but didn't have a choice.

Carter dwelled over his nearly-empty cup, one elbow on the table, hand supporting his head. He didn’t want to sleep. But he didn’t want to be useless when he was finally doing something right. It made his thoughts wander to his parents. He hadn’t seen them in the two years he’d been thrown out, but back then, he didn’t amount to much more than an urchin. He knew his power, what he was, and how he could become that elusive second being, someone completely different in look, much stronger and faster. He had to wonder what the expressions on their faces would hold when he showed them how much he was, without them around and holding him back.

Instead, Carter looked up to Aquarius. “Hey, Aqua...” He muttered, feeling his eyelids grow heavier with each passing minute. “If you want, I can show you the flowers that secrete that special nectar. The stuff that makes you... smarter. I can get it for you, tomorrow at sunset...” His heart was beating slower, the way it did when he forced himself to stay awake for more than two days. Lightheaded, he glared at the teacup. “Not again...” He breathed, and fell to the floor in a pile, dead to the world around him.

Aqua looked over her tea cup at his sagging body. Then when he fell, she put it down and stood. Walking over to him, she carefully picked him up and carried him up the stairs to his room. He needed sleep badly. She tucked him in bed and let a small light on in his bathroom. She used the clock in his room on the nightstand beside him to set an alarm. It was easily early enough. Then she quietly left the room. Making her way back downstairs, she cleaned up supper and put things away. Then she retired to her bedroom and went to bed herself. There was no point in getting worn out herself. She fell asleep quickly.

Out in the ocean an old friend was swimming towards her cliff. Someone she had secretly met since coming to land. Normally this friend met her in town, but tonight she was headed to Aqua's cave. Trouble was brewing and Aqua was going to need all the friends she could get.

Aqua dreamed that night. A strange dream. Lucy, a longtime friend who also had a key like hers, had seen some boys bullying a kid. Aqua had stayed out of the way, but Lucy had angrily walked up to them and let them have a piece of her ability. They had not fared the ordeal so well. However, Lucy's quick temper had helped whoever the little kid had been. The look on her face to this day remained with Aqua.