1.8 Assassins Part 4

I look at my communicator. It says Laura the one calling me. I guess I should take it.

“Hello Laura,” I say, “Have you got any news on Nightblade?”

“I managed to track his payer to the same person behind the bounties on you, the warehouse tip off, Hall and Edison’s guns and the revealer of Britannia’s identity. ” replies Laura, “He was paid to kill Britannia’s family and heroes who got in the way. But his employer paid him even after he failed so he’s not going after them anymore. Why someone wanted to kill them in the first place, but then not be bothered when that doesn’t happen worries me frankly. We’re either dealing with an idiot or, more likely given his past known actions, our foe’s goals in this matter were fulfilled. Not that I can figure them out. I just wish it didn’t involve doing what they did to Britannia. But that’s not all I want to talk about.”

“So what else?” I ask.

“First you might want a bit of information your friend Mia Robinson, the captain of the Dust Corsair,” replies Laura.

“Definitely,” I say.

“She’s settled back down into her family and a normal life,” says Laura, “A bit of trouble respecting authority and she is still unusual. Mia is gotten on good terms with the Defenders of the Bush. Basically, she’s weird, but otherwise Mia is fitting in.”

“I’ll relay that to Darrac,” I reply.

“One last thing,” says Laura, “A personal favour.”

“A personal favour,” I repeat surprised.

Laura rarely asks for a personal favour. When she does, they usually consist of asking for information, using one of our contracts or getting some free equipment.

“What is it?” I inquire.

“You know my kids,” says Laura.

“Yeah.”

Laura has four kids. Her oldest daughter is called Bellona and is sixteen. Her second eldest daughter is fourteen and called Alexandra. Her third child is eleven year old boy called Halvard while her youngest is a nine year old girl called Lorica. All have been trained to take over from Laura when they’re old enough.

“It is to do with Alexandra,” explains Laura, “You know how she has never been the most eager for a fight. Well, she doesn’t want to follow in the family footsteps and I’m not going to force her to. But I’m not sure what to do with her now. I’m kind of hoping she could stay with the League. Not, part of it, but just live the base like Narszara does.”

“That’s doable,” I reply, “It would be good for Narszara to have a housemate and it shouldn’t cause any problems. Alex can be trusted like all of your family.”

“Alex will be pleased,” says Laura, “I’ll tell her the good news. Thanks.”

Laura ends the call and Charlie raises an eyebrow at me.

“Just offered to let someone else stay at the base without asking or telling the others?” says Charlie.

“In fairness to me, I do actually own the base when it comes to the paperwork,” I reply in joking tone, “And granddad built by himself and he gave it to me when he died.”

“True, true,” grins Charlie, “So are we putting some weapons into the Bulk armour.”

“Yup and the Sentinel armour too,” I reply.

“Good,” replies Charlie, “I got to go now. See you later.”

***

“Daniel!” calls Mum from downstairs as I sit at the desk in my bedroom, “Dinner!”

“Coming Mum!” I reply as I take off my headphones.

I’ve been doing research for a school project in addition to my one of my other Sentinel projects. I’ve been trying to work on a way for quick and efficiently take a normal person down at range. For non-lethal crowd control.

At the moment I was thinking about a sort of laser-taser hybrid that uses lasers to artificially create ionised paths for the electricity to path. Trying to figure that out is as hard as it sounds.

It is a simply meal that Mum is dishing up, chicken goujons and hash browns. Lily is having chips instead of hash browns. She has never really been keen on them much to my annoyance as I have always preferred hash browns to chips.

I’m digging into my first goujon when Lily starts talking.

“Did you hear about the news this morning?” inquires Lily.

“What part?” asks Mum, but I already know what Lily is referring to.

“About Britannia’s identity,” answers Lily excitedly.

“I don’t why people seem to think that’s a good thing,” I cut in, “Her life has been changed beyond her control and not for the better. She has to live full time with people knowing she’s a superhero and can no longer live a normal life. Plus a superpowered assassin was able to go after her family because of it. And who knows how many more villains will try to after her family to get to Britannia.”

Not expecting my vigorous reply, Lily looks ready to launch an argument for the sake of it when Mum steps in, seeing the potential disaster in the making.

“Talking about families, remember that the Moors are coming to visit tomorrow,” says Mum, “Daniel, I expect you to spend time with your cousins instead of keeping to yourself all day.”

“Usually hang out with friends,” I protest, “I don’t hide away all day.”

“My point still stands Daniel,” says Mum sternly.

I sigh as I know I’m not going to win this one.