"You are on probation for not following rules." A voice announced in a monotonous tone over his phone.
“Rules?” Reeves didn’t understand. “I don’t get it, I messed up rules?”
"You have qualified for High Paladin and have been given the title, but you have not followed any of the extra standards for it," the voice over the phone explained.
“Oh.” Reeves understood it now. “I was never sent anything about additional standards. No one even told me that I qualified for High Paladin.”
"Information is always kept in your profile; it is your responsibility to check it. Your standards have now been sent. Once received, follow directions until further correspondence is necessary to inform us of your standards compliance." The voice stopped, and the phone beeped a dial tone.
“THE TOWER AND EQUIPMENT are theirs, and I could not leave with anything I bought with 'Paladin credit',” Reeves finished. “Do you have a sleeping bag at least?”
“Reeves, you're on probation?” Marcus had to ask. “Why are you still wearing your shades then?" Everyone noticed the look Reeves gave him. "Oh, I mean, does that mean you can’t help anyone?”
“Oh no, I can still help,” Reeves insisted. “Anyone can help people. Just, not everyone can be paid for it.” He looked at his old clothes. It had been ten years at least since he wore them. He had liked Paladin credit much better than government credit. He could buy whatever he wanted or needed, in a pinch. There were no forms, no account to watch, nothing.
“Sorry about that.”
Reeves looked over at Seraphina who was lying on the floor. “Oh, it’s not your fault. I fell through the cracks I guess.”
“No, it is,” Seraphina yawned. “Well, Tracy’s. I’ve no doubt she found that crack for you. She is technically a villain. She waved her hand out. “Semi-villain.”
“Couldn’t be,” Reeves disagreed. “Few people can see my profile.”
“Trust me, it was her.” Seraphina began to stretch. “Tracy can get into anything, your profile wouldn’t be a big deal.”
“It is a huge coincidence,” Rebecca reasoned, “that both of you would end up homeless in the same day.”
“Ah, ah, I am not homeless,” Reeves corrected her, “I am on probation until I accomplish these new standards.”
“Are they that hard?” Marcus had to ask. “How long will this take?”
Reeves looked at the list he printed out before he left. “It’s basic, and it shouldn’t take more than two days.”
“We don’t really have much room,” Marcus gestured in the living room. “We don't have a huge house, but you are welcome to what we do have.”
“Thanks Marcus, I really appreciate it.” Reeves laid his pillow and blanket on the floor. Not the best place to get sleep, but it would do for now. Especially if it was next to Seraphina. “Don’t worry about housing, I got that sorted out before I got on probation. It’s temporary, but a couple of more nights and you’ll have a bed again, Seraphina.”
Seraphina groaned and faced the ceiling. “Sorry. I told you Tracy wouldn’t pull any punches. Now she’s going after you so that you’ll end the bet.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Reeves looked at the ceiling too. “I won't give in and neither should you. We made this bet together and we’ll keep it. You have the right to the last week and I won’t change that.”
“Reeves? I . . .” Seraphina confessed. “I am maybe, sort of, thinking about leaning to no medication. I want it. I like living this way, but I don’t know what to do about Tracy. She knows how to get rough to get what she wants.”
“I admit, if it was her behind all of this?” Reeves took a deep breath. “She's smart. I won’t give up though, especially after that confession." He bopped her playfully on the nose. "Even if she figures out some bizarre way to get me fired, I'd never give in.”
“Reeves?” Seraphina groaned. “I feel miserable. I can’t think of one good thing anymore.”
“Emotional balance will come and go,” Reeves informed her. “If you are sinking now, you'll be ready to go in the morning. Now, don’t worry about your sister, my job, your home, my tower or anything else. All we must worry about is going to sleep. Okay?” He looked over and realized Seraphina had already gone to sleep. Good. He was a stubborn one too. Her sister wasn’t going to make him turn away. No matter what, Tracy wasn’t taking this away from her.
She wasn’t taking Seraphina away from him either.
REEVES OPENED HIS EYE as his cell phone rang. The only thing he was allowed to keep on probation in case of emergency contact. He reached over beside him to answer it, still feeling tired. “Hello? What request?” Reeves was confused as he listened to the person on the line. He sat up as he tried to wake himself up. “Sidekick? I don’t need a sidekick. I didn’t send out an email."
“What’s wrong?” Seraphina moaned as she rubbed her eyes and sat up.
“I promise, I did not send any email,” Reeves continued arguing on the phone.
“Oh no,” Seraphina groaned and fell back down. “Reeves, is your email easy to get into?”
“No,” Reeves pulled the phone away to speak to her. “It’s not Hidden Secret like my profile, I used numbers. Oh, yes, yes, I am listening.” Reeves spoke on the phone again. “No, I am not trying to cause trouble. Yes, I am currently on probation, but that has nothing to do with this. I-no this isn't a trick. Okay.” Reeves sighed. “How long? I can’t be out for that long. Anything else?” He rubbed his eyes. “Fine, sidekick. Uh huh. Yes, okay. Yes, goodnight-” He looked at the phone as they hung up. “-to you too.”
Seraphina didn’t speak a word.
“I think I was hacked by your sister,” Reeves guessed. “They say I sent a nasty email demanding a sidekick.”
“Will that delay you?” Seraphina had to ask.
“Yeah.” Reeves lay back again. “More than a day. I must petition for no partner, which takes three months before they will even take me off probation now. I have no choice; I have to take one on for at least a month somehow.”
“Someone following you around, helping you?” Seraphina asked.
“No, Champion Paladins don't have those kind of sidekicks.” Reeves rolled his eyes. “I need a showoff sidekick, not a pro. Any of the kids who are strong enough might be able to pass it. They’ll follow me and tell people how awesome I am.” He rubbed his head. “It’s nothing more than praise, but it makes people feel like they are contributing.” He looked at his blanket. “A shadow, following my every move. I even have to slow down for them, so they can stay up.” He groaned. “Well, at least I like kids.”
“I know a ton of kids who’ll do it.” Seraphina chuckled. "Some adults maybe. Daryl?"
“They have to pass a small test. It gets harder with age. Usually, you train for at least a couple of months.” Reeves scratched his head. “Seraphina, I don’t mean to place blame on anyone, but do you think-“
“Yes, Tracy hacked into your email, I’m sure of it.” Seraphina sat back up. “You should change your password immediately, there’s no telling what else can happen.”
“Waking Rebecca up in the middle of the night to use her computer does not sound nice,” Reeves said. “I will change it first thing when we wake up,” he yawned. “Your sister is becoming a bit of a thorn.”
“Nice way of saying she’s a pain in the butt and making your life hard?” Seraphina laughed. “Sorry, didn't mean to cuss. I guess I need more sleep. We’ll get everything figured out in the morning.”
Reeves breathed the air, he loved the morning. Possibilities always seemed more real after a decent night's rest. He looked beside himself and caught Seraphina doing the same thing. They went for their morning run together When they came back, Rebecca was standing in Marcus’ doorway. “Hey, Rebecca.” Rebecca did not seem like her usual self. She looked off into the distance. “What’s wrong? Rebecca?” Rebecca shrugged her shoulders and went back inside. He followed her in with Seraphina and saw Marcus start to come in. “G
ood morning Marcus, how are you?”
“I liked Hidden Secret! It's not easy being one of the few responsible for everyone,” Marcus said firmly. “Frankly, I-I don’t care what you think, Reeves. Lost Secret has agreed to take us.”
“Lost Secret?” Reeves didn’t understand. He explained to Marcus that his account was hacked last night, but the damage had already been done. Tracy was more than a thorn, she was an entire rose bush full of pricks. Tracy had posed as Reeves and requested Marcus and Rebecca weren’t fit as a good match to Hidden Secret and had officially had them barred. In the meantime, Marcus had been working on getting another private colony to take care of them. In the loyal Secret fashion, Lost Secret stepped up to help another Secret sector in need. It would be similar to Hidden Secret. Same rules and regulations. Except, it wouldn’t be Hidden Secret.
Reeves didn’t know what to say. To undo what Tracy caused wouldn’t be possible. “I’m sorry, Rebecca. I’m sorry, Marcus.” He stomped his foot. Rebecca and Marcus would have to leave that day for Lost Secret. “Tracy.”
“It’s Tracy and Timothy.” Seraphina sniffled. “My own friend is helping to make people’s lives miserable with her! Oh!” She landed on the ground and started to weep. “Timothy, how could you? Oh, I feel so betrayed!”
“Her emotions are still running wildly,” Rebecca noticed.
“Not a good time for this,” Reeves bent down to Seraphina. “It’s okay, things aren’t as bad as you think. You’re emotional, but it's alright, okay? They will be fine.”
“My sister took everything away, she’s interfering with you, and now she’s coming after the residents. How can I go on? I should give up.”
Now was clearly not the time for emotional swinging. “Trust in me, everything will be okay. You'll see, Timothy still likes you as a friend, and he'll learn to tolerate whatever you decide.” He better, or after all this conspiring, he’d be barring Timothy from seeing her again.
“No, it won’t.” Seraphina fell into his arms. “The world is out for blood.”
Reeves patted her back. “There, there, it’s not the whole world. Only your sister.”
“Timothy too,” Seraphina could barely control herself. “It’s everyone. All of Cambria hates me, my own mother hates me, and now my sister hates me. No one likes me.”
“I like you,” Rebecca tried to help out, even though she was probably the one who really need comforting right now.
“I like you too,” Marcus patted Seraphina’s head. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have let you stay the night.”
"Everyone likes you," Reeves added. "You're a likable person. There's not anyone in Hidden Secret that's met you and doesn't like you."
“No, you don’t.” Seraphina pushed herself away and launched herself to the ground. “No one likes me, everyone hates me.”
“Is this a bad time?”
Reeves looked up and saw someone new to the sector. He had a feeling he knew who he had been.
“I’m Mister Delgado. Let’s get started, where’s your sidekick?” Mister Delgado looked at his watch. “I don’t have all day.”
“Sidekick?” Rebecca looked at Reeves. “What’s he talking about?”
“Reeves never sent that,” Seraphina cried out to the man. “His email was hacked by my sister because she hates me and she doesn’t want me to be happy. She wants me miserable, forever. I can’t tell you her name, or she could go to jail, and I can’t do that to her because I love her, even if she doesn’t love me.”
Mister Delgado stared at Seraphina. “Tell me that you’re not it. Please.”
“I don’t have one yet,” Reeves confessed. “Anyone who wants to try out can.” That’s the best he knew to do. Once no one was physically fit enough to make it, he should be off the hook. Hopefully. He liked kids, but he wasn’t into showoff sidekicks.
“What? All this trouble, for someone with no proper training and just a bunch of kids?” Mister Watch was far from in a good mood. “Sending us email, lying about hacking, on probation and making us drop everything to deal with a sidekick issue?” He brought out some paper and wrote down on it furiously. “Well Reeves, I’ve got to say this has unquestionably made you look amateurish. You are going to need a refined, shiny record for at least the next five years to regain any kind of moral reputation back.” He glared over at Reeves. “After this whole thing, you had better add recommendations next year along with interviews and you’ll be sure to have mystery Paladins coming back and forth to check your progress more often.”
Well, at least he wasn’t fired.
“Oh.” Seraphina looked sadly at Delgado. “Poor Mister Delgado. Do you need a hug?”
Mister Delgado watched as Seraphina started to hug him. “A hug is not getting Mister Reeves off the hook.”
“Of course not, it’d take more than a little hug to do that.” Seraphina chuckled as she touched his nose.
Reeves tried not to roll his eyes. He was about to apologize for Seraphina when Mister Delgado talked instead.
“I see,” Mister Delgado actually smiled.
Maybe he was in a better mood now? “I’m sorry about all this.”
“No need, forget it.” Mister Delgado hugged Seraphina back. “Your ‘apology’ will work fine.” He touched Seraphina’s nose. “So where is your house?”
Reeves realized why Mister Delgado was suddenly happy. He quickly pulled Seraphina away. He simply shook his head at him.
“Of course, I was joking. I was also joking about forgetting this offense,” Mister Delgado said as he put his papers away. “I’d even suggest a test watch day to see exactly how well you are helping in such a small, pitiful colony sector before you are off probation. If you ask me, you should be out in the rainforests or around the oceans on Earth, advocating safety, like a regular Paladin. That will be my recommendation. Good day.”
“Ooohh,” Seraphina chuckled. “Poor guy. He’s not happy anymore.” She smiled at Reeves. “What is it, Reeves?”
Rebecca watched the scene and looked back at him. “Reeves? Is he going to make you leave Hidden Secret too?”
Chapter 20
Reeves sat on the stoop of Rebecca’s house. No credits, no tower, probation, a bad report, and now they might make him leave Hidden Secret. It sure was a busy day.
“It’s okay.” Seraphina patted him on the back, “I’m sorry,” She chuckled. “Yeah. How come he didn’t like my hug?”
Reeves stared at her. He couldn't get angry at her. It wasn't her fault. “You made it sound not so innocent.”
“What do you mean?” Seraphina laughed and waved him off with her hand. “That makes no sense.”
Reeves looked over at his other side and saw Rebecca. No way was he going to explain that around her. “It’s in the past now. I have to believe that I'll have a decent person supervising me.”
“Well, if we prove you didn’t cause any of that email business, you’ll be off the hook,” Seraphina stretched. “It’s just that they’ll arrest my sister and it doesn’t seem like something I should do.”
“It’s not,” Reeves agreed. “I couldn’t do that, not for only protecting her sister. I know she knows that too.” Reeves looked at his funky clothes. At this rate, he might be in them for awhile.
“Hello, Seraphina.”
Seraphina, Rebecca, and Reeves turned to see Tracy and Timothy.
“Tracy,” Seraphina waved. “You know, you haven’t been nice.”
“That’s not something you should be saying,” Tracy cocked her eyebrow. “Why are you smiling?”
Reeves eyes narrowed at her. “She has imbalanced emotions right now, and it takes much more than the usual grief to make her stop smiling. More than losing her home, her means of continuing to survive, kicking permies out of their homes, or trying to get me fired from my job.”
“Well at any rate, sane or not sis, it’s still nice to see you,” Tracy said to Seraphina. “So, I came up to see if you changed your mind yet? I know people and I might be able to h
elp you and your friend back out with repairing your lives again.”
“Yes. Too bad that whole ‘you’re out of Hidden Secret’ thing happened.” Timothy said to Reeves. “I’m sure we’ll never be the same without you. When is your last day?”
“You hear news fast,” Reeves forced his own smile. “I might not have to leave, we’ll have to see what happens.”
“Well, I see.” Tracy groaned. “Still not ready to give in? Just cancel a bet and get your whole reputation back, along with your tower and Hidden Secret. Sounds like a good deal to me, you should take it.” She looked over at her sister. “Well, Seraphina?”
Seraphina just smiled. “It’s okay, I’m still fine. You have such a pretty dress today, I like that color.”
“Great. A waste of time trying yet.” Tracy took a deep breath. She bent down next to Seraphina. “I wish you’d stop making me do this, Seraphina. You’re my sister, and I don’t want to use power against you. Against enemies is kind of fun, but not you. Can’t you see the obvious truth anymore?” She glared at Reeves. “I already lost one sister, and you aren’t taking the other.”
Reeves couldn’t comment to that one without thinking first. “I assume you’re worried about your sister, but this isn’t the way to go. It’s her choice and no one else’s.”
Seraphina watched Timothy and Tracy take off with Sammy. “I should want to hurt him. When I get back to feeling more like myself,” she chuckled. “Will I want to?”
“I can’t answer that.” Reeves said. “Only you know yourself.”
“That’s right,” Seraphina sighed, “You should have faith. Everything always works out, nature always has a plan for your destiny.”
“Well,” Rebecca shrugged, “I guess if Seraphina can still stay in Hidden Secret without money, a job, a house, then maybe you’re right. Reeves? What about yourself?”
“I will have to share the housing.” Reeves looked over at Seraphina. “Is that okay with you?”
“I don’t know. I just, he’s mean, but I can’t seem to hate him. Even when my head clears, I can’t seem to hate.” Seraphina leaned herself backward on the porch. “Tracy’s right, I am insane.”
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