Chapter Eighty-Eight: A Snit

“You got knocked out by a-,”

“Finish that sentence Teej and I will hurt so you so badly the DVM will be jealous.”

“So no dicking around-,”

“SAMMY!”

Daniel would never hear the end of it. His fellow Knights of the Last Order found his plight simply hilarious, especially now that the threat was gone. The Presidents Entrusted National Intelligence Service had cleared out, the last part of their mission forever failed. The group was at Bills restaurant, waiting for their meals.

“I'm just thankful Peter and Thomas are okay. They could have gotten really screwed up.” Sunny added the last part slyly.

“Will you all stop with the puns?” Daniel grumbled. “You all know how bad Carbon Power is. These two were MONSTERS!”

“Chill out mate, we're all just having fun.” Charlie said, using a rather miffed Belle as a back-rest.

“Fun, huh?” She snapped at him. “Like your Dad did pretending to be DEAD?”

“It was a JOKE, Belle-Belle.” Charlie rolled his eyes at her. “Relax, you've been tense since we got to Brisvegas.”

“WHY WOULDN'T I BE TENSE CHARLIE?!” Belle suddenly jumped up and yelled. “MY FATHER SOLD OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED FOR IT IF YOUR FATHER HADN'T BEEN NEARLY FATALLY INJURED! PLEASE TELL ME WHY I SHOULD BE ALL RELAXED LIKE YOU?!”

And with that Belle stormed out of the room and into the back kitchen to sulk.

“Well SOMEONE is moody.” Charlie also began to sulk.

“You're not gonna run off to Awesomica again are you?” Sunny asked slyly.

--

“He's such a MORON!” Belle grumbled at home later than evening after ranting for two hours, fifteen minutes and twenty seconds about how horrible her best friend and his father were.

“Him or his father?” Peter said with a slight hint of bitterness.

“ALL OF YOU!” Belle flopped to the sofa.

“Belle, I know you're a bit mad still over the whole Ruby Suit issue-,” Lara started.

“Leave it.” Belle snapped.

“You do NOT speak to your Mother that way!” Peter fired.

“SHE'S NOT MY MOTHER!” Belle stormed upstairs. Where on earth had THAT come from? Biologically they might not have been related, but it was accepted fact now that Lara Masters nee Vargus was the Mother of Belle Masters, especially by Belle herself.

Belle sighed, before jumping out of her window, shimmying down the tree and heading off for a much-needed walk. The whole business with the Ruby Suit had certainly thrown her for several loops.

--

“Where's Belle? I want to talk to her and apologise. I've been a bit rough on her recently.” Charlie poked his head into the Masters kitchen a hour later.

“She WAS in her room. Now she's gone walkabout.” Peter told him. “She's in a snit alright.”

“Between you and Dad and I we've really gone and done it. Why on earth did you steal the Ruby Suit?!” Charlie asked.

“I didn't STEAL the Ruby Suit, I just fixed it up behind their backs.” Peter told him.

“UGH!” Charlie stormed off in search of his best friend.

“Why would she be over here? She's not particularly fond of us at the moment.” Thomas said when Charlie went back home to check for Belle there.

“She's not here, although to be honest if I were her I wouldn't want you near me either.” Sunny looked down her nose at him when he checked at her place for his best friend.

“She's not here.” Daniel's place.

“Hasn't been here all week. Want some cake?” TJ and Petunitas.

“Not since she borrowed my sparkly blue nailpolish.” Tammys.

“Nope.” Sammys.

“Why the HELL would she be here Begly?!” Judith Jofrey chased him out of her apartment.

“She must be really mad at me.” Charlie slumped as he walked back home. He was just turning into the street when he saw his sister Izzy walking the baby Masters, Madeleine.

“What's up Charlie?” Izzy asked him.

“Charlie!” Madeleine waved her hands at her sisters best friend.

“Hi.” Charlie mumbled.

“Aww, c'mon, what's up?” Izzy asked.

“Belle-Belle!” Madeleine answered.

“Ah, you're still upset that you haven't been taking your best friend seriously and now you're angry because she's not around when you want to apologise.” Izzy smirked. Suddenly Madeleine let out a wail and grabbed her eye. “Sorry! She's still doesn't fully understand being Claused yet.” Izzy picked the toddler up out of the pram and began to soothe her.

“You are SMITTEN with that baby!” Charlie had to smile.

“If proper respect is given, then age should be no deterant to friendship!” Izzy poked her tongue out at him. “It's okay Madels, you're a smart girl yes you are!”

“Anyway, HAVE you seen Belle?” Charlie asked as Madeleine started giggling again.

“Nope. Have you tried calling her phone?” Izzy said dismissively.

Charlie blinked.

“Anyway, we gotta go, Sam is picking me up for a movie tonight and I need to be ready.” Izzy grinned. “We're going on a double-date with Tammy and her girlfriend.”

“Sounds good. Just don't scare Tammys date off.” Charlie brushed her off as he dialled Belle from his own phone. He vaguely thought that Izzy was as smitten with Sammy as she was with the baby Madeleine as the phone rang out. “DAMN!” He cried.

Belle must be totally livid if she wasn't answering her phone. Charlie couldn't stand it. He remembered the pain he had felt the day that Belle had woken up after her grandfather Joe died. She hadn't forgiven him then either.

He HAD to make this right. He was going to keep on calling until he got an answer. He called again. And again. And again.

After about the sixth time he finally got an answer. A cold voice simply said “She won't answer.” and hung up.

Charlie felt his blood run cold.

Belle Masters had been kidnapped!

Chapter Eighty-Seven: Chuckles and Giggles vs the Presidents Entrusted National Intelligence Service

“Belle, you're driving like a maniac, calm down!” Charlie tried to stop Belle from getting the both of them killed on the Warry-Go Highway.

“I have to get back! What if they do something to my Dad?!” Belle cried.

--

Peter put his phone down. “Bloody hell. I have to go into the office, Scavie wants a file sent that can't wait until tomorrow.”

“I'LL GO WITH YOU!” Everyone one of the Noble Knights of the Last Order cried.

“Guys...I don't need a guard. I've been fine up until now, and I will continue to be fine.” Peter picked up his car keys. “Someone's used these to open something.” He wiped something off the key that looked suspiciously off.

“Pete, you STOLE GOVERNMENT PROPERTY, furthermore that property WAS A TOP SECRET WEAPON.” Sunny cried. “They're going to be after you!”

“If anything, it's Lara who's in danger, you should be protecting her!” Peter shot back. “She's the government employee!”

“Look, here's how it's gonna happen.” Daniel held up his hands for calm. “I'm going with Peter. If all of us go, it's too conspicuous. Sunny, you, Petunia and TJ are staying here with Lara. The twins are gonna go patrol.”

“Only two of us on patrol?” Sammy asked.

“I reckon it will be the last calm patrol before the fallout begins.” Peter told them. “Demon is going to be furious at the Masters clan, plus at the Haunted Maze Troupe for causing trouble while the Presidents Entrusted National Intelligence Service was here. The Mobsters are gonna be frothing at the bit to cause trouble again. Once Chuckles and Giggles get back, it's gonna be on for young and old.”

“Oath.” Sammy looked at Tammy, who nodded at him. Both of them headed to the tip to suit up and ship out.

“Don't you think I should come with you to protect Peter? Three of us here is a bit overkill.” TJ pointed out to Daniel.

“We'll be fine, we're just going to get a file.” Peter stood at the front door. “Can we go now?”

Daniel and TJ shared a worried look.

--

“BELLE THERE IS ALREADY SOMEONE IN THAT LANE! BELLE SLOW DOWN!” Charlie screamed in terror as Belle took the exit towards the Wastelands where Pleasantville sat.

“No time! We're still half an hour away!” Belle said, pedal to the metal as she swerved past a family in a station wagon.

--

“I can't believe I agreed to this.” Peter grumbled as Thomas drove him and Sir Lionheart to the Council Building.

“Well, you didn't want a full security detail, so we brought the Improbability Clause with us instead.” Sir Lionheart told him.

“Swell.” Peter groaned.

“Cheer up Petey. This'll be quick, there'll be no need for the Clause.” Thomas grinned.

They pulled into the carpark and headed into the building.

“See? Simple.” Thomas said as Peter went through the filing cabinet to get the file he needed to send.

“I know that, and you know that, but the Knights seem to think otherwise.” Peter walked to his desk to get an envelope out. “Security let us in no problem, it's quiet and no one is getting on my nerves.”

That's when watched his best friends face fall.

“Sir Lionheart?” Peter called out. Silence. “LIONHEART?” He tried again. “Darn it Tom, you told me no Clause!”

“We have to go and find him, he could be in – LOOK OUT!” Thomas cried as Richard Dickson threw the Hedgehogs Quill Dagger at Peter from the shadows!

“Don't worry about the Knight, Testy and Ball took care of him quite quickly.” Dickson smirked as the knife landed in the wall next to Peters head.

“Maybe I SHOULD have had a full security detail.” Peter gulped.

The door to the office opened, and Testy and Ball walked through. Ball had Sir Lionheart over his shoulder.

“Perfect, we'll unmask him when we get back to base and get all the details we need from him.” Dickson said before aiming the Speedy Two at Peter. “Once we know who Chuckles and Giggles are, we can sort things out in Pleasantville.”

“You faked being bad with those weapons to get us to lower our guard. You're more competent than we thought.” Thomas growled.

“A simple ruse, but so very, very effective.” Dickson smirked. “Now Mr. Masters, to deal with you.”

“PETE NO!” Thomas rushed to defend his best friend. Dickson fired, narrowly missing both men with the first bullet.

“You make this too easy.” Dickson fired again.

If Giggles hadn't jumped through the window at that moment, knocking over Dickson, the bullet would have struck Peter Masters down where he stood.

Instead, it hit Thomas Begly close to his throat.

“TOMMY!” Peter cried, rushing to his best friend side.

“Gentlemen, deal.” Dickson got ready to finish the job while Testy and Ball took care of Giggles.

“Not so fast!”

Dickson was sent flying by a punch from Chuckles, which cut open Dicksons face with an Arm Scythe.

“Darn it, there's three of them, and according to Daryl, two of them have in-built Carbon Power!” Giggles groaned.

“Well, you have in-built immunity!” Chuckles shoved her towards Testy and Ball, while he went after Dickson. Dickson growled and pulled with his hand. The Hedgehogs Quill, which was attached to a thin string, came back to him and he used to to block another offensive. Unfortunately for him, Chuckles was relentless, leaving him unable to reload the Speedy Two.

Sure enough, when Ball threw his Amethyst Blast at Giggles, she was able to dissipate it easily. With the Lucky Seven Gun, she was able to keep the pair away from the battling Dickson and Chuckles.

“Fall back!” Dickson regrouped with Testy and Ball, who were happy to get away from Giggles and her guns.

“Get out of Pleasantville and don't you EVER come back!” Giggles warned.

Dickson glared at her for what seemed like a long time. Finally, he turned around and walked out of the room.

“You're gonna just walk off?!” Testy asked incredulously.

“Fall back.” Dickson growled.

The two men followed him out of the room, and out of Pleasantville. Both of them shot parting filthy looks at Chuckles and Giggles, who weren't particularly bothered.

Chuckles ran to his father.

“Dad?!” He looked at his fathers lifeless body.

“I...I...couldn't stop the blood...he...was...my...best...friend...” Peter could barely speak.

Chuckles understood. He'd been here before.

He covered his face as Giggles came over and took his arm. She looked at him quizzically.

“Are you...laughing?” She said quietly to him.

Suddenly Thomas lurched forward with a roar, scaring Peter and Giggles.

I did say it was CLOSE to the throat. Probably more near the shoulder. Peter refused to talk to him for three weeks.

Chapter Eighty-Six: The Truth if You Will

“Something's not right.” Belle packed her bag as fast as she could. “If they're after the Ruby Suit they might decide to get rid of Dad or Lara too!”

“There's no sense killing yourself trying to get there, otherwise who will protect Peter? Relax!” Charlie carefully folded his underwear.

“Dad's put himself in danger. I can't believe he blabbed about the Ruby Suit!” Belle shoved her clothes into the bag. “I mean, what was he thinking? Driving out to Fallsville wasn't going to save him at...CHARLIE NO I DON'T NEED THE CLAUSE RIGHT NOW!” Belle cried as a familiar expression crossed her best friends face.

Suddenly, Charlie started packing faster than Belle!

“Okay fine, Clause me.” Belle grumbled.

“Belle, think about what's out at Fallsville. Your father didn't make that call.” Charlie shoved as much as he could into his suitcase.

“There's nothing out at Fallsville, it's a dump. A rural town with only one landmark and that's March Hill...oh NO!” Belle began packing faster, getting her clothes messed up with Charlies.

“That's right. It looks like Crusader Roger is getting his revenge on Revolver by trying to oust the DVM from the Council.” Charlie groaned. “And he thought he could use the government to do his dirty work for him.”

“And instead all he's done is make my father a target!” Belle cried. “Demon's gonna come after my Dad, I just KNOW it! And that's if Dickson doesn't get to him first!”

--

“I can NOT believe I let you guys talk me into this.” Sunny sighed as she walked up the Masters driveway.

“Hey, Belle herself said the more we know the better.” Sammy pointed out. “Actually, her last message sounded quite panicked...”

“The point is, if we're to protect Peter, we need to know the full story.” Daniel strode forward.

“No, we don't.” Sunny glared at him.

“Trust me, it's better this way.” Petunia put a hand on Sunnys shoulder.

Sunny groaned, and knocked on the door.

“We don't want any...Sunny? Since when did YOU guys start knocking?” Lara opened the door.

“We need to talk to you and Peter. About the Ruby Suit and why Dickson is here.” Daniel pushed himself forward and looked Lara dead in the eye.

Sunny facepalmed.

“I'll get Pete. You guys can wrangle Ozzie and Madeleine.” Lara said.

Inside, the two younger Masters were chasing each other around with pillows.

“PILLOW FIGHT!” Sammy cried, and joined the frockling children.

“I swear, he's only 15 minutes younger than me.” Tammy rolled her eyes at her brother.

“He's good with children though, you have to admit.” Sunny looked impressed as Sammy had the two little Masters laughing.

Tammy and Petunia shared a look, before giggling.

Lara returned with Peter. While Sammy took care of Ozzy and Madeleine the others all headed into the dining room to talk.

“We need to know what you did.” Daniel got straight to the point. “Why is the government after the Ruby Suit?”

Peter sighed. “It was after Giggles debuted the Backpack with it's carbon technology.” He began to explain. “The government sent Lara to find out about it.”

“Government? I thought Lara was in family law!” TJ looked confused.

“I am, for the most part.” Lara told them. “But on the side, I'm a government agent. They use my family law employment as a good cover for what they need me to do.”

“So Lara got in touch with me and we reconnected. At the same time, she got me in touch with a government lab and they got me to work.” Peter continued. “I did a lot of work on the Carbon Power project, also known as Project 40.

“It took me a while but eventually I came up with a prototype suit, the Carbon Suit, which wasn't very good at all and flooded whomever wore it with Carbon Power. I deemed it a failure, but the government decided they wanted to continue with human experiments. I think they called it Project 42.”

“Daryl said something about Dicksons two goons wearing a Project 42 shirt.” Sunny said.

“I'll have to follow up on that.” Peter grimaced. “Anyway, when they scrapped Project 40 I stole the Carbon Suit and fixed it up into the Ruby Suit. Then I gave it to Beauty so she could be Ruby Giggles. I never thought that anyone would think to stab her with a Ruby Weapon but Johannas did so...”

“You STOLE the Ruby Suit from the government?!” Lara cried. “You told me that they were fine with you taking it! No wonder Dickson is here now!”

“Belle told us you might become a target.” Tammy said quietly. “She was right, you're in big trouble for sure.”

“It also explains how you had the Ruby Suit made at all.” Daniel mused.

“I HAD always wondered about that.” Sunny nodded.

“I made sure never to let the government know I had it, so I don't know why they're after it now. They rarely pay attention to anything that happens in Pleasantville.” Peter groaned, burying his head in his hands.

“How'd they know about the Backpack then?” TJ asked.

“Oh that's easy, I put in a patent for that when Beauty was fifteen.” Peter told them. “It was about a year after that when they started looking into it.”

“Which is when Belle became Giggles.” Sunny breathed out. “Oh boy, what a mess.”

“You're telling me.” Peter rubbed his face. Then his phone went off.