From alt.pub.dragons-inn Tue Mar 28 11:06:18 1995 Xref: netcom.com alt.pub.dragons-inn:8221 Path: netcom.com!ix.netcom.com!howland.reston.ans.net!math.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!csn!utulsa.utulsa.edu!seebass From: seebass@hpserv.keh.utulsa.edu (marc s seebass) Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn Subject: Interlude 18-11 [Fire and Lupin] Date: 24 Mar 1995 05:28:34 GMT Organization: The University of Tulsa Lines: 135 Message-ID: <3ktla2$kb7@utulsa.utulsa.edu> NNTP-Posting-Host: hpc3.keh.utulsa.edu Part 8: Revelations "Ok, gang. Here we are, the windy city." Lupin announced. Fire stood back and gasped. She had heard something of about high tech societies but nothing prepared her for the reality. Huge towers of steel tall as mountains. "So, Fire. What do you think?" Lupin asked casually. "Ahhhh..." Fire stared open mouthed at the vast skyline "Bright lady, it's huge." "Geez, good thing we didn't go to New York, huh, boss?" Jiigen said. "I don't think it would have made that much difference. Welcome to the Windy City." "Okay guys, here's the plan. Fuji, Fire, and I will case out the museum, while you get ahold of your friend." "Boss, Fire doesn't know much about this world, won't she, well you know, stick out like a sore thumb" Jiigen asked. "I'm a ninja," Fire responded hastily, "It's my job not to stick out." At this point both Goemon and Lupin turned to Fire. Jiigen had the presence of mind to keep his eyes on the road. After a moment of intense, deafening silence Goemon was the first to speak. "I think you had better explain yourself." Fire sighed deeply and heavily "Maybe Toshima was right. If I blurt something like that out, maybe I'm not ready for the 'real world'" She paused an instant before speaking, "Because I'm not in my own world, I guess my secrets won't mean that much to you. Our oath only requires us to avoid compromising the secrets of our school, we can tell them to those who will not or cannot use them against us. I think you fit under both categories...." Fire voiced flatened as she began to recite a speech "I am a member of the Ninja clan know as Kitsune, the nickname of our sensie. We our taught in the way of the Kitsune, subterfuge and cleverness our are weapons, but we are not without honor. We are not trained as thieves, scouts, and spies..." Fire voice quivered a bit "You may not believe this, but one of our first tenants is never to kill unless absolutely nesissary. I've, I.. I saw too many friends die on the streets to take life casually." Goemon stared into Fire's eyes, his stare unsettled her. After a few seconds that seemed like hours to Fire, Goemon raised his hand in a gesture, that Lupin seemed to recognize. "Let's change the subject to something a bit more cheerful. Like how well be getting the pictures." ---------- Part 9: The Opposition In a small hotel room in Chicago, a man in a hat and trench coat speaks on the phone. "Hello, Mamm, this is Inspector Zenigata. I'm in Chicago tracking Wolf, I need more men." "Yes mam, I understand that Wolf is a thief, I realize we're short handed, but I just need a few more men." "I know Shadoloo has Interpol's first priority, but this is only going to be for a few days." "Mam, yes I guess I can make do with what I have." "Yes Miss, Li, I'll see to it." He hung up the phone with some force and frustration -------- Part 10: "Hello Mr. Tenison," the stoic man in the trench coat spoke revealing a badge of identification "I'm Inspector Zeningata of the International Police Force. I'm here about a rumor that the international thief known as Wolf has chosen your display as his next target." "I don't think he will be much of a problem. The display is covered by state of the art passive sonar motion detectors along with infrared motion detectors as backups. All on an airtight security system. The infrared lasers take up the whole wall. Even Spider-Man couldn't get in here. And the sensors, set off not just alarms, but hardened steel walls that slam down, trapping any would be thief inside." "How about camera's?" Zeningata asked. "Oh, we use them as backup only, we don't really have the place actively monitored, we found that the humans staring at a screen for hours on end tend to make more errors, and are next to useless." "I see your point," Zeningata answered, "but I still like to post several of my men nearby, just in case." "By all means then, do." Mr. Tenison answered "Nice meeting you." After taking a few steps outside, the man in the trench coat spoke in a different voice. "You can come out now, Fuji, Fire." "They fell for it hook line and, well you know the routine." "I wouldn't get so cocky if I were you," Fujiko was the first to walk out of the shadows, "last time you were, Zeningata ended up getting you and Jiigen down to your skivvies." "Hey!" Lupin's voice was tinged with indignation "how did you find that out?" "Oh, women have there ways." Fujiko replied, as laughter came from out of the shadows. Both turned to look for the source. Fire emerge slightly off off from there search. "Fuji, I like your sense of humor. Let's get going. I'm hungry." -------- Part 11: Meanwhile "Hello, it's me, Jiigen is Bean in?" The voice on the other line came over "Don't know any Jiigen? You sound like Dan Dunn to me." "Aaagggghh, I hate that alias." "What's the matter Dan." "Okay, I'm sorry I called you Larry. It was a joke, Japanese pronunciation and all, messing up Ls and Rs. Larry get it." "Okay Jiigen. Bean's not in right now, but we have the date set, a group has approached Bean for help in a 'gig' at a bank cross town from the museum. We should provide as much of a distraction as you are." "That's all I needed to know. Thanks." as he hung up, Fire, Fujiko and Lupin returned. "The fools were so cheap they don't even have a night watch man." Lupin laughed. "But the outside perimeter is nearly impossible to breach, I don't think even you could get in the Museum." Fujiko responded. "Oh, getting in isn't a worry, all we need to do is find a way to get to the painting." Lupin jotted down a rather long list in a very short period of time and handed it to Fuji. "Would you stop by a hardware store and a Radio-shack and pick these up for me, oh and take Fire with you, she needs to get used to the big city." Fujiko blinked for a moment "Sure, I guess so. Long as I get my share of the loot." "Come on, trust me..." Lupin smiled. "I would like another look at the city," Fire spoke. "And your, whatever that two wheeled thing is, seems more like a horse than the contraption I have been riding." "Okay girl, lets go then." Fujiko snatched the list and headed out with Fire. "You surprised me boss, It's one thing to send Fujiko off on errands, but sending both beautiful women off at once. It just isn't like you." "Oh that, I have my reasons. I'm going to have to place all my concentration on this device I'm designing, if I'm going to create it in time, and I still need to work on a sculpture." ---------