XVII. Early meetings.

      Redactor Billy Flenagan wasn't into his best mood, when
he entered his office at the begin of working day. His
secretary look at him wondering but try keep silent and
unnoticed. In fact, she can't remember time in last month, when
he was happy, as he get all time pressed between owner, who
wanted profit, and reality, that by raising price or cutting
staff he will get newspaper without readers.
      Secretary Alexandra Steel too know that. And for that
reason she don't appear at work into miniskirt and wear minimum
of cosmetics to avoid anger attacks, boss sometimes had. And
she also had been as effective as only possible.
      It had had some unsuspected side effect to her. Her last
boyfriend had leaved two days ago, accusing her for being too
busy to look at him. So she too was into bad mood. But, instead
of boss, she hadn't anyone to spill it out over. She need hide it.
      Two mins after redactor was left in his cabinet, the
signal bell start ring. Alexandra jump up and fastly walked in.
      "Yes, mister Flenagan?"
      "Syril returned?" redactor coughted and get a glass with
water. At least, he pretended, that it was water. But redaction
staff all know, that he used to drink whiskey with soda - "to
calm nerves". After few small gulps he regain breath.
      "Yes. She was here yesterday morning. I dont see her
personally, but guard on entrance telled me, that she was back."
      "Send her to me."
      "She isn't here at moment..."
      "What?!" William jumped up to feets and bellowed into his
low voice. So doing, he really resembled his nickname -
'bullfrog'.  "Where is she?!"
      "She left, when found out, that you will be only at
afternoon. Said, she will be back, but yesterday don't
reappear." 'Same as you' she added mentally.
      William crossed room into fast steps and stand before big
painting. It was like window to city, window, that was
impossible two levels under ground.
      "When arrives, send to me. Straight! I want her story at
morning printout!"
      "Yes, ser," Alexandra made quick note into her notepad.
      "Who is responsible for all catastroph and crime column?"
      "Syril, ser."
      Feeling that there will be another outburst of anger,
Alexandra quickly added: "And into her absence, Blansh."
      "Send Blansh to me. Now."
      Alexandra turned, then stopped.
      "Will there be another orders?"
      "If will, i will call you! Go!"
      Alexandra disappear from room and silently clossed door.
Walking to her workplace, she pulled cork from talking tube.
      "Blansh Schwartz, to boss. Quickly."
      Saiding that, she fall back into her seat.

      After min or two main office doors opened, and in timidly
step black and white coloured mouse.
      "Hi, Alex."she said.
      "Hi, Blansh," Alexandra reply weakly.
      "Bad mood?" Blansh whispered, pointing with head at
closed doors to inned office.
      "Worse that usual. Yelled. And start drink as soon as
went in."
      "Ok, wish me good luck."
      Alexandra open different talking tube.
      "Blansh is at me. Send her in?"
      Roar of reply was so loud, that even Blansh hear it -
over all room.
      "Go in," Alexandra said.
      Blansh look like rabbit going into cage with big and
hungry pithon, when she stepped through the doors.

      Redactor still stand at the big painting of city at
evening, when Blansh entered room.
      "Ser," she timidly asked.
      "Aaa... Mis Schwartz... Staff of crime and catastrophs
column at last get enough time to arrive..." William said
slowly.
      Blansh try look unafraid, yet her hearth jumped as mad,
near out from the mouth. All the redaction staff perfectly know
states of their boss mood. If he talk so slow, there was really
bad news.
      "Yes, ser. I..."
      "This morning i have a meeting. With our owner..."
William said in same slow temp and tone. "With millionaire
Harold III. And what you think he said to me? Do you know?"
      Blansh shaked her head energically.
      "He said : "YOUR PAPER IS BORING!!!!!" " William yelled.
      Blansh winced.
      "Yes, boring! And that means, that if we don't change
something soon, we get closed! We all get thrown out!!! Where
is sensations? Its your job to dig out any sensational things
to print about! Where they are?!"
      Blansh gathered, what remain from her will after that
outburst, and start defending.
      "Ser, we do as much as possible! Here is todays printouts
- "Wolcano eruption at Hawaii. Ten wictims reported, two
hundreds lost without tracks, presumebly dead." "Row of wild
robberies stopped without any seeing reasons..." "
      "Yes, thats the root of problem!" William yelled to her.
"'Unknown reasons'! Who cares about unknown reasons! Readers
want rewealings!"
      "But its facts! There is even photos from Havaii. Our
correspondent sent them to us through Internet..." Blansh said
weakly.
      "And stories! What a lame words!"
      "You personally ordered, that we don't press indecent
stories..." Blansh whispered in shock.
      William pull in air, to say what he thinks about the
indecency, but there appear sound from speaking trube.
      "Mister Flenagan. Syril Statsey is entering at main door.
When you want her to you?" said voice of Alexandra.
      "Send her to me NOW!!" William roared into tube and then
turn back to Blansh.
      "And now, miss 'r-reporter'..."


            XVIII. "Dont try outsmart me, dear!"

      Desire slowly walked down the street. She use
canalization tunnels to cross busy streets, but immediately
resurfaced after, and again step close to house walls. The
smell down there was too bad for her nose.
      Up here was some movement too. It was midmorning, and
many humans walked here - some to work, some from work, some
simply wandering around. Desire carefully avoided being
squashed under some of feets. Usually mices used the roads at
nights and dawns, when traffic was less.
      De Lury walked fast, near running. For sure, there wasn't
any reason for her to rush - there wasn't a time pressing.
Except that she get fun from it. As she had a 'tail'.
      She had expected that. These rats will be stupider that
rainworms, if they will trust her immediately. But one thing was
tail, who know his work, and completely different - amateur one.
      Stopping a moment at shop's glass window, Desire lazily
peered aside and back. Yes, he still was here. Jonny. Also
called 'Lucky'. Bad choice, as later today he will be anybody
but lucky one, Desire grin, resuming her walk.
      Jonny was into white shirt and black pants, and even had
a kerchief. He will regret dressing that too, Desire's grin
grow wider. It will cost her some sweet, but it will be worth
it to teach Jonny a lesson, she thinked, turning wrong way.

      Hour later, she still walked. She was tired, legs ached,
but the look over shoulder satisfied her. Jonny now for full
reason may be called 'unlucky'.
      Desiree smiled by himself, remembering past hour. She had
used it well. She had walked on feets four city blocks. She had
stopped at women shop and little rest, while her 'tail' need
bake out into sun rays near entrance. Two times she had jumped
into passing busses, and poor 'tail' get really worried about
not losing her. In fact, last time he failed, and Desire need
return and let her be 'found'. And only now they had reached
city park, what was their target from beginning.
      By now, she see new promising chance of teasing. Someone
had dropped near untouched waffle with ice cream. Desiree
usually dont eat leftovers, she was raised into aristocratic
traditions, but she get grounded long from that time. And one
lesson, she had learned, was, that no traditions was worth
staying with empty stomach. Fast rip with nails, and dirty
waffle reveal insides. It was strawberry - her favorite.
      Eating, Desire time from time looked at her follower.
Jonny seemed interested into participiating, but don't come
closer.
      "Spite yourself, dear," Desire grin without anger. Jonny
had now removed his kerchief and his shirt was half opened. He
look like ready to blow up any moment - tired and angered.
      Okey. Time to end this.
      "Desire. Each De Lury need always know, that any joke is
joke only for some time. After that, it becomes bad joke, and
noone laughs more..." Desire imagined the voice of her old 'pa'
still talking with her. Good old 'pa'... He will turn over into
his grave, seeing his small girl turning out into something she
was now.
      Desire finished her dinner and smiled. Then into few fast
steps she reached Jonny. 'Tail' get caught off-guard before he
get chance to run and escape.
      "I see you following, Jonny." Desire said into rats face.
"Think, you calculed that by now himself. Then why stay
pretending we dont see each other? Why dont stop and have some
food, while i relax near?"
      Jonny looked at her, saying nothing. Close he look even
worse - sweated, tired and angered.
      "I figured that after that woman shop, you hid into," he
said after some silence. "I only dont understand, why? You look
as tired as i am."
      "To teach you a lesson, Jonny. Next time, you think about
following me, get someone who knows his job better."
      "Next time i will hire few flies to do dirty job," Jonny
said sharply.
      "Or put a better mouse into it," Desire smiled warmly.
Jonny tried resist, but soon smiled back.
      "Okey, i think, we both get orders from same boss. Lets
don't get angry one at other." Desire said. Jonny bowed head,
agreeing. "O, God, how low i get falling - im making friends
with rats," Desire mentally sighted, but her face remain
smiling.
      "Fine from me, unless you dont repeat that trick on me."
      Desire pressed out her most charming smile and waved with
hand toward half-eated ice cream.
      "Dont you like..?"
      "Ok, if you can wait!"

      Desire patiently sit and wait for Jonny to finish remains
of ice-cream. Raf devoured it with fascinating speed, don't
caring much about getting his hands messy and his moustashe
coloured white with cream. Another thing, she don't like into
rats. They was less careful about their outlook. Jonny was
better that rest of gang, but not much.
      She looked at her own hands. Carefully cleaned and
polished claws, and no stains of cream, even after good meal.
      "Okey, im ready."
      Jonny's voice returned her to reality. Rat had eat all
ice and even some waffle, and now clean his snort with upper
side of hand.
      "Where we will walk?" he asked.
      "Its few steps from here."
      Yes it was close now - tree, on what lived Vinny.

      Vinny Woodpecker lived into old bird house. For original,
it was created for starlings, but Vinny changed it little, and
with his beak pounded his rights into heads of previous owners.
      He for sure may easily make a much better and larger
house for himself. If not his only disadvantage - his lazyness.
      Desire can't count, how many times Vinny had arrived
late, or even fully forget about his settings. First try to
lift that bad-luck chair from museum had been vandalized mainly
by Vinny not arriving at time. Desire imagined Kid's face into
similar situation and smiled by herself.
      They climbed up easily - after Fatty had fall and need
spend two weeks to cure his broken shoulder, she had demanded
Vinny to cut some improvised ladder into tree bark. Poor
Fatty... He always was little slow on reacting...
      But house was empty.

      "And where he is?" Jonny sigh.
      "Maybe spending his share of loot at closest bar?" Desire
guessed, looking over room.
      "Ok, whats now?"
      "I will leave him a letter. To go to the woodsaw as soon
as possible and wait for me. And then we will go to second."
      After minute writing she folded paper and drop it at
Vinny's bed.
      "Now, there remain only ShortTail. We had three hit-mens,
but Fatty get crushed under car recently," Desire explained,
walking toward river.

      ShortTail's house was only few steps from Vinny's. In
theory, he may always chech for friend, but in practice lizard
refused to climb up tree. He was afraid of heights, he said,
and all.
      Lizard lived into cave, between rocks at river shore.
Alone. As opposite to Vinny, who changed girlfriends twice a
day, when managed. If he may, he will be keeping a harem.
      Cave was one, no one in his/her own mind will look for.
Small and wet, and into winters could as hell. But ShortTail
sleep through the winters and dont feel any needs to improve
his living place.
      Desire pulled doorknob to her. Closed.
      That mean nothing. Even if ShortTail was more accurate
that Vinny, he had another disadvantage. He was sleepy.
      Desire knocked once, then repeat louder. Still no answer.
      "And what now?" Jonny asked, fanning himself with oak leave.
      "We will go in and leave similar message as for Vinny."
      "Through locked door?" Jonny raised eyebrow.
      "Just look and learn."
      Desire pulled out one of her hairpins and kneeled to
lock. Few secs of manipulating, and Jonny heard tiny 'clikt'.
      "Voila!*" Desire smiled, pushing door open.
      "You have many talents," need admit Jonny, following her in.
      Inside of house was long time no cleaned, but there was
marks of recent living.
      Desire looked over shelves, get paper and wrote similar
note as for Vinny. Placing it to bed, she turned to Jonny.
      "We will..."
      Door creaked.
      "Okey, creeps!" angry voice stated from outside. "Whoever
is in, come out!"

* - Voila (fr.) - See now!