Chương 16: Can I Help You?

Who can I bring this to? Simon? Seraphina thought, stepping out of the teleport and into the vestibule. Yeah, that would be about as helpful as talking to Shirley. She walked quickly through the winding halls of Fairy Central, eager to get back to her office so she could think. She knew she needed to send this up the corporate food chain, but she couldn't just blindly hand it off. Since the discovery of Little Miss, a little voice gnawed at her…

"Tell no one," it whispered. She had never given the prophecy much thought. It was something that she had always viewed as mythology. They were clever bedtime stories, campfire stories, the type of stories a grandfather would place you on his knee to tell. It never occurred to her that there was a shred of truth in them. They were just too fantastical to be based on reality. Now here she was, faced with the very real possibility they were living the tale. A voice called out from behind her.

"Seraphina?" Entrenched in thought, Seraphina continued on her way, oblivious.

"Seraphina!" the voice called out again. Louder and slightly out of breath this time. Seraphina turned, seeing Malina running to catch up with her. She stopped, giving the girl a chance to catch up.

"Yes, Malina, what can I help you with?" she asked, ice cubes in her voice. Malina stopped and did her best to catch her breath.

"Where have you been? I have been searching for you for hours!" she said between breaths.

"Excuse me?" Seraphina asked, annoyed by the blatant insubordination.

"And exactly when did I start reporting to you, Malina?" she added, her tone sharp and clipped. Malina shot her an exasperated glance.

"Let me rephrase that. Simon has been looking all over for you. For hours, I might add," she shot back, her tone laced with daggers.

"He wanted me to try to locate you before he sent security to track you down," she huffed.

"He is waiting in your office," she scoffed.

"And he seems pretty irate!" Seraphina's heart dropped. She looked past Malina wondering what to do next.

"Thank you Malina, but I will remind you that I am your superior and there are far better ways to speak to me, regardless of how urgent the situation may seem," she admonished.

"That will be all," she added. Seraphina turned on her heel and began walking quickly down the hall.

"Seraphina," Malina called out smugly.

"It appears you have a little something on your shoulder running down your back." Seraphina turned around.

"What, where?" she asked, looking from shoulder to shoulder.

"No, the other side, more toward the back," Malina said, pointing at the milky stain. Seraphina barely caught sight of the spit up on the back end of her shoulder and rolled her eyes.

"Thank you, Malina," she said matter-of-factly, not wishing to give the girl any further satisfaction. Seraphina held her head high and turned toward the ladies restroom. Of all the people that had to notice, it had to be her. That venomous little viper, if her nose were any further up Simon's butt, she'd be able to taste his brand of toilet tissue. You're not gonna move up that way Sweetheart, she thought as she pushed the door to the restroom open, almost slamming a coworker in the face.

Seraphina winced, then gave a sheepish smile.

"Oh my, I am so sorry, I don't know my own strength sometimes. I didn't get you, did I?" The startled co-worker looked at her blankly and laughed nervously.

"No, I'm fine. Seraphina, right?" the woman asked, a little too familiarly.

"Yes, do I know you?" Seraphina asked, puzzled.

"No, not yet. Let me introduce myself. I am Mrs. Tutworthy from the Division of Oracles and Prophecy," she said, extending a hand out to her. But of course, she is, Seraphina thought as she took the woman's hand, shaking it firmly. This day just keeps getting better and better.

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Tutworthy, is it?" she asked, looking the fairy in the power suit up and down.

"Will you excuse me for a moment? There is something," she paused looking at her shoulder, "I obviously need to take care of, in the restroom." Mrs. Tutworthy laughed.

"You mean the spit up on your shoulder?" she asked, half smiling at Seraphina's predicament.

"Come on, I'll help you get that off," she said, stepping aside and holding the door to the restroom open to allow Seraphina to enter. Seraphina's face flashed crimson.

"You noticed that, did you?"

"I don't work for the Division of Oracles and Prophecy for nothing," Mrs. Tutworthy said as she stuck her head out of the restroom, checking for strays. As the door slowly shut behind them, she let out a light-hearted laugh. Once deeper in the room, she began checking under the stalls.

"Okay. We are alone," Mrs. Tutworthy said, in a voice just short of a whisper. Seraphina looked befuddled. Who was this woman, and what on earth is going on? She asked herself, staring blankly at the mysterious woman.

"Mrs. Tutworthy…" she began.

"First, please stop calling me Mrs. Tutworthy. My name is Regina, and I am about to become your new best friend." She cut in, sponging the spit up off Seraphina's shoulder with a damp towel. The little hairs on the back of Seraphina's neck suddenly rose.

"Mrs. … eh, I mean Regina, I'm not sure what you are talking about." With a quiet, steady look, she whispered, "Seraphina, I know." Seraphina stiffened.

"I'm not quite sure what you are talking about, Regina. Know what?" she asked, realizing that this chance encounter was no accident.

"You have the child," Regina said, point blank.

"What child?" Seraphina asked, feigning ignorance. Regina stopped sponging the spit-up off Seraphina's back and moved around to face her.

"You know which child, Seraphina. Don't play dumb. It's beneath you." This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"I'm sorry, Regina, but I truly don't have the slightest inkling as to what child you are referring to." Seraphina smiled wearily, taking a step back. Regina glanced at Seraphina's wet shoulder. Seraphina followed her gaze, then met Regina's eyes.

"Oh, the spit up is from my daughter Zena's baby. She brought her here earlier and, well, I just used my super grandmother powers to get a particularly tough bubble out." Regina turned toward the sink and looked at Seraphina through the mirror as she began washing her hands.

"Seraphina, I know you are lying. Just tell me where the child is and everything will be fine." Goosebumps appeared on Seraphina's arms as a shiver crept up her back. Something is wrong here; I can feel it in my bones.

"Well, as far as I know, my daughter took her home," she replied, not missing a beat.

"If you will excuse me, Regina, I have my boss waiting for me in my office. I really must be going. You know how it is. What the boss wants, the boss wants. I wouldn't want to get myself into trouble," she said, turning to leave. Regina grabbed Seraphina's arm, twirling her back around.

"Seraphina, it would be in your best interest to stop the games and tell me where the child is. I will find it with or without your cooperation." Regina's words left little room for interpretation. The implied threat came through loud and clear. Panic began to rise in Seraphina's gut when the door suddenly opened.

"Seraphina, are you in here?" Malina called out.

"Simon is becoming more incensed by you. He told me to tell you that if you are not in your office in the next three minutes, you're fired." Seraphina, for the first time ever, found herself relieved to hear Malina's snarky voice. Oh, don't you wish he'd fire me, you little… she thought, as Malina's words began to register.

"Coming!" Seraphina called out before turning back to Regina.

"Excuse me, Regina, but I really must be going," she said, pulling her arm away from Regina's grip.

"Hang on, Malina, I'll walk with you." Seraphina quickly made her way out of the restroom, knowing all too well that Malina was probably halfway back to Simon by now. Bile began rising in her throat. She wasn't sure who that woman was or how she knew about "Little Miss," but she knew for certain she was not with the Oracle and Prophecy Division. Her heart thudded wildly as she rounded the corner. She had no answers. Just questions, and a mounting sense that danger had already arrived.

Her heart pounded violently in her chest while she snaked through the corridor. She looked over her shoulder, her fight-or-flight instincts trying to take hold. The questions swirled in her mind like a cyclone. Were Celestia and the child safe at her house? Who was that woman? How did she know about the baby? She suddenly stopped, leaned up against the wall, placed her hands on her knees, and took a deep breath. That's it, breathe. Deep breath in, hold it, now let it out slowly, she told herself. Relax.

You can't think rationally while your heart is sprinting. She let out another breath before standing upright, feeling more in control. She had to meet with Simon. He was exhausting on a good day, and she just didn't have it in her to deal with his flair for the melodramatic today. Why had he been looking for her anyway? Did he forget how to turn the computer on again? Couldn't find the report he filed? Forgot his password? He generally didn't seek her out when she was not in her office.

The hairs on her arm stood at attention. Then again, she generally didn't go missing in the middle of the workday either. She opened the door slowly, unsure of what to expect.

"Where have you been, Seraphina?" Simon asked, his face flooding with relief. What was going on? she asked herself. Simon's unusual care and concern took Seraphina completely off guard. Generally speaking, Simon was not one to concern himself with anyone but Simon.

"I had to run an errand," she said, half smiling and casually walking toward her desk.

"Simon, everything is fine. I should have let you know I was leaving for a bit. I apologize." She looked at him guiltily.

"Family emergency. It took a lot longer than I had anticipated." Simon's nose wrinkled as he processed her explanation.

"I hadn't realized my absence would cause such havoc. What did you need?" Seraphina asked, sympathetically.

"Well, I didn't need anything and I'm glad to hear that everything is all right, but I have it on good authority that, well, you may be in danger," he said, his deep brown eyes showing genuine care and concern. The middle-aged man's pudgy frame waddled toward her. With each step Simon made, his cologne hit her like a perfume cannon, and her eyes began watering in defense. Seraphina did her best to get upwind of Simon. The smell was just too much to withstand.

"Simon, I assure you, I am fine. I don't understand, though." she said, taking a seat behind her desk.

"What do you mean that I may be in danger?" Simon turned to her.

"I was contacted by the OPD, and although they did not provide me with any specifics, they said it was imperative you go to their office. They have a matter of the utmost urgency that they need to discuss with you," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"I have her card." He reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a small handwritten card and handed it across the desk.

"It all sounded very cloak and dagger to me," he said, wriggling to stuff himself into the small chair in front of her desk.

"When I told her I would send you over to the office, she said not to. She wants you to contact her directly at the number on the card." Seraphina did her best not to smirk at the sight of this man trying to fit his rather abundant backside into a chair that was obviously too small to accommodate it.

"Funny you should mention the OPD. A woman claiming to be from there just cornered me in the ladies room," she said, looking down at the card.

"Simon, wouldn't someone from our OPD actually have an official card? Not one handwritten." At that, Simon looked visibly panicked. He began wiggling his backside to extract himself from the chair. His face morphed, the panic turning to genuine fear when he realized he may be physically stuck. With a great deal of effort, he freed his backside and stood up. He looked down at the chair reproachfully before his face squished in thought.

"I was told to call her when you arrived, but Seraphina, I don't think she was who she said she was." Seraphina gave him a look that said, ya think, there, boss man?

"You know you may be right, Simon. I don't think she was from OPD either," she said, in her most professional tone.

"What do you think she was after?" Simon asked, intrigued.

"I don't know, Simon, what do you think?" Seraphina said, interested in his take on things.

"I'm not sure, but I think you should use the EPTS to get over to their office," Simon said, rubbing his temple as if the thought hurt.

"You know, the Emergency Protective Teleport Service," he added, seemingly proud that he knew what EPTS stood for.

"Yes, Simon, that's a great idea," she replied, in her best, oh my, you are just the smartest man I've ever known voice.

"I never would have thought to do that on my own."

"Well, you should probably be on your way then," he said. On his way to the door he turned and added, "I have arranged for the FPS to escort you. You know the Fairy Protection Service." Does he honestly find me so dim that I don't know our fundamental workings? she asked herself. The condescending twit probably had to look it up.

"Thank you, Simon, I appreciate it. Did you call CRT? What about the SFT to change things to Level 3? Or how about the DIC or the STD? I'm sure they need to know what is going on, or even the ABC or NOD? I mean I am sure they will want to know our current situation and where we stand on it." Simon looked at her, perplexed.

"The CRT?" he asked.

"You know, I will leave all that up to you. You are the head of this department, and I feel that notifying those other departments should be left to your capable hands." Simon, now obviously flustered, quickly made his way to the door. Seraphina watched him walk out the door before she began to giggle. The STD? she snickered. O h my God, he really was clueless! How does he not know that I made up every one of the departments?

Just goes to show you that those in power aren't as knowledgeable as they pretend to be, she thought, shaking her head. The gravity of the situation hit Seraphina like a slap in the face. Her boss's incompetence was an excellent source of humor, but it did not diminish the threat that loomed far too close by. She got up from her desk and locked her office door. She did not need or want any more surprises.

Simon had said that he had arranged for an escort to the OPD office, but after the run-in with Regina, she was unsure of who she could trust. How did this Regina woman even know about "Little Miss"? The only two who knew about the child were her and Celestia. Something was off. She could feel it in her bones. But what? Seraphina sat behind her desk contemplating too many scenarios. Desperation and urgency crept up her back like icy hands. You need to get them out of there and you need to do it quickly.

They are coming for her, a nagging voice called out from the recesses of her mind. Trust no one, the voice in her head screamed. No one can know of the child's existence, not even the higher-ups. Seraphina learned to trust that voice in the back of her mind. It had served her well in the past and now it was screaming so loudly it was all she could hear. She sprang up from her chair and headed out of her office, not stopping for anyone or anything along the way.

She made her way back to portal M621 and directed Shirley to take her home.