Previously...

    Alice had just finished cleaning up the mess Alexis had made with the pen she broke just before running from the room, when she heard the door open; she turned to see Alexis and Pamela enter the room looking much happier than they had when they left. Pamela had gone to see if Alexis was alright, or if Brenda was alright as Alexis was in disguise. Alice had been trying to work out what could have made Alexis act in such a way. The only thing that made any sense to her was the fact she’d agreed to have dinner with her parents, but Alice had planned to get Alexis invited from the minute she agreed to the dinner date. Alexis would be Brenda of cause.

     “Are you alright Brenda?” Alice asked with a little too much worry in her voice as she walked over to where Alexis was stood with their mother just inside the room.

     “Yes I’m fine Alice, and I’m sorry for walking out on you like I did.” Alexis said with a bow of her head.

     “No, I’m the one that’s sorry for snapping at you like I did Brenda. I’ve been in a foul mood all day, and I’ve been taking it out on you.” Alice said making a show of trying to be friendlier to her in front of their mother.

    Alexis’s mind was still spinning from the news her mother had just given her about her and her father working on getting Alex moved to a closer prison when he died. She wanted to tell Alice all about it, but couldn’t without their parents finding out about who she really was now, so she had to keep quiet and try to play the role of Alice’s chubby little assistant.

    Alice could see by the look in Alexis’s eyes, even if she was wearing glasses and had coloured contacts in to alter the way they looked. Alice still knew her sister well enough to see when something had happened while Alexis was out the lab with their mother. Alice’s worrying thoughts about what could have happened were broken when she heard her mother call her name.

     “Alice dear? I’ve invited Brenda to join us for dinner tomorrow evening. She has no friends in the area, and I would like to get a little more background on what you’ve been doing these past six years.” Pamela said to Alice in such a way as it was more her being told Brenda was coming, and don’t try to say otherwise.

     “I understand you wanting to spend some time with you parents Alice, so I will understand if you wish me not to come.” Alexis said giving Alice an opening to get her out of the dinner date.

    Alice took great pleasure in closing said opened door with her next words. “I think that would be a wonderful idea mother. No one knows me as well as Brenda does.”

    Alexis had to let go of Alice’s hand just in case she broke it like she had the pen earlier. She could see the playful smirk in her sister’s eyes, but couldn’t understand the reason behind Alice torturing her with spending more time than she needed to spend around her ex parents. Alexis was now working in the same lab as the parents that disowned her seven years ago, or who she thought had disowned her, and she had a dinner date to look forward to. A dinner date that would mean Alexis pretending to be Alice’s assistant and run off rehearsed stories of what Alice had done in the past three years since Brenda started working for her.

Now the story continues...

    Alexis was glad when Alice called it quits for the day. She wasn’t used to doing real work on a mission before like this, and it stretched Alexis to the limits of her knowledge trying to keep up with her sister and her parents, due to her not having the same education as them. Give her a room full of bad guys to beat on, and she’d be top of her class, but looking through data and playing nice with the parents who thought she was dead? Alexis wasn’t so good at.

    Alice could tell by Alexis’s walk that something was wrong, but she didn’t want to speak until they were in the car where Alexis could put their purses in the glove box and then seal the car so no one could hear them speaking. The car they were using now may not be Alexis’ beloved Mustang, but it was full of little gadgets to help them out on a mission.

    Bill and ted had designed the sound proofed glove box to mask all sound, but at the same time it pumped sound in from around the car to let anyone listening to any bugs that might be attached to the purses think that Alexis and Alice just weren’t talking to each other. With how much of a bitch Alice came across as, it wasn’t going to be a stretch for anyone to think Alice wouldn’t have much to say to her assistant.

    Alice let Alexis get the car door for her and then she sat and waited for Alexis to get behind the wheel and start the car.

     “I’m sorry about this afternoon in the lab Alice.” Alexis said sounding worried as she watched Alice open the glove box and place the purses in there.

     “I don’t want to talk about it Brenda. In fact I don’t want to talk at all, just drive the car, and try not to get us killed in an accident. You can take me for a drive around the city for a bit, I need some time to wind down.” Alice said just before she closed the glove box, setting up the reason for their not being anymore talking heard while they drove. It would also give them a reason for being in the car longer while they talked.

    Once the glove box was closed, Alexis hit the navigation button and then keyed in a code to activate the special features that Bill and Ted had installed. A quick scan of the cars outer body revealed a tracking bug fitted to the underside of the car, but they had been unable to gain access to the interior to plant any bugs in there.

     “The car’s clean, so we’re free to speak.” Alexis said as she looked at Alice angrily. “What the hell were you thinking agreeing to the dinner date with them?” Alexis asked before Alice could say anything.

     “I don’t know sis. I just saw the look in mum’s eyes and thought if I said no again, it would hurt her.” Alice said as she looked shamed by what she’d done.

     “And why didn’t you take my opening to get me out of joining you on the dinner date?” Alexis asked with a growl.

     “I didn’t want to be with them on my own.” Alice said with a weak smile and a little nervous giggle. “What did you and mum talk about in the restroom?” Alice asked trying to change the subject away from her being foolish over the dinner date the next evening.

    Alexis knew what Alice was trying to do, but was eager to tell her sister about what their mother had said to her walking back to the lab, but first she wanted to see if Lana could find out if any of what her mother had said about them trying to get Alex moved to a prison closer to where they were living at the time was true or not.

     “Pamela told me that her and Paul were trying to get Alex moved just before he was stabbed.” Alexis said referring to her old male self in the third person due to it not being who she was now.

     “They were?” Alice asked looking shocked to hear what Alexis just said. “It’s news to me.” Alice added looking a little puzzled as she thought back to that time in her life, but it was all fuzzy, and she wasn’t taking much in at all during that time in her life. Then she got that phone call from Sarah saying that Alex had been killed in prison, and she’d been a basket case for the better part of a year until Lana saved her from stepping in front of a train.

     “I’m going to get Lana on coms and get her to look into it and see if it’s true or if it’s just a lie to try and get you back into their lives again.” Alexis said still not fully trusting her parents.

     “Why would mum lie to you about all that? It wouldn’t gain her anything.” Alice said looking on the positive side. “They still think Alex died in prison, so what difference does it make now?”

     “Alex did die in prison sis, but Alexis was born.” Alexis reminded Alice. “Mum and Dad would never understand any of this, even if we were able to tell them anything about it.” Alexis added just before she made the call to Lana using the computer Navigation touch screen. This also let Alice know that talking about their parents and the new information she’d just been told would have to wait until another time.

    “You’re on the air with Lana, tell me your troubles and I’ll give you advice.” Lana’s voice said like a cheesy radio DJ.

     “Sounds like someone is getting bored.” Alexis giggled.

     “You try sitting here in coms waiting for a call like this, and let me know if it’s boring or not?” Lana whined.

     “We did leave you with things to do at lunchtime Lana.” Alexis pointed out.

     “I know, and we have the computers trying to track down who Mr Blonde is, and Bill and Ted are having fun looking through the Diablo mainframe, but that still leaves me and Sarah sat here getting bored while you two have all the fun meeting people and doing exciting things.” Lana whined some more.

     “Yes, Alice and I are just overwhelmed with all the exciting data we’re scrolling through.” Alexis said sarcastically. “But I do have a little job for the two of you to have a look at for Alice and me.” Alexis added sounding more serious.

     “Name it Lexi.” Lana said sounding a little more excited now.

     “The old man said he’d been watching Alice for some time, and then Alex before all the trouble with Prison and what happened after that right?” Alexis asked Lana.

     “That’s what I was told, but I never really looked into the history of the project before I joined and was told to keep an eye on Alice.” Lana pointed out. “Why do you ask Lexi?” Lana asked sounding puzzled.

     “Just something Pamela said to me today that made it sound like Alex wasn’t as disowned as we might have first thought.”

     “What did she say to you Lexi?” Sarah’s voice asked.

     “She said her and Paul were trying to get Alex moved to a prison closer to where they were living at the time, so I need the two of you to look into it and see if what she told me today was true, or if it’s just some lie they made up trying to get Alice to like them again.” Alexis said sounding unsure of the truth in what she’d been told.

     “Do you really think they would do something like that?” Lana asked.

     “After six years of not speaking, I don’t want to leave anything to chance.” Alexis said as she took a quick look over at Alice before turning her head back to watching the freeway whiz past as they drove around the outskirts of the city.

     “Sarah and I will get right on it after we end the call with you.” Lana said. “What’s it like working with your parents anyway?” Lana asked.

     “It’s weird for me, but I can’t speak for Alice.” Alexis said as she looked at Alice deep in thought trying to think of the right way to say how she feels.

     “I’m finding it weird as well, but at the same time it is nice to be close to them again, just as long as I keep away from the subject of Alex with my father that is.” Alice said with some anger in her voice.

     “He still won’t talk about Alex then baby?” Lana asked with a sigh. Lana had sat talking with Alice in the early days about how pig headed her father was over the very mention of her brother’s name. It didn’t get any better when they all found out that Alex had been killed in prison. That was when Alice had had enough and she packed up her things and left. Alice had hit rock bottom and blamed herself for her brother’s death and was planning to end her own life on the day she was pulled back from the edge of the platform by Lana. It didn’t take long for Lana to fall in love with Alice, and Alice with Lana. They had tried to keep it a secret from the others, but as it later turned out, they already knew about it, and had for some time.

     “No he won’t, but mum seems willing to talk about him. She almost seems glad to have someone to talk to about him to be honest with you baby.” Alice explained.

     “Do you think you’ll keep in touch with them when the mission is over Alice?” Sarah asked.

     “Too early to tell yet Sarah, and we’re not sure if one of them is the one trying to sell the chip specs to the enemy yet either.” Alice pointed out.

     “Judging by what we’ve seen so far, I think they're as much in the dark as they think we are about it all, but I think that Brad Jones and Mr Blonde are involved.” Alexis voiced her opinion.

     “Looking at some of the flaws in the chip design today, I’m not so sure mum and dad are in the dark as much as you think sis.” Alice said as she started to work things out in her mind. “I noticed that dad had made a number of silly mistakes that most techs wouldn’t pick up on, but I just found it odd to see those sort of mistakes in our fathers work, and the fact that mother hadn’t picked up on it seemed even weirder.” Alice added with a frown.

     “Check with the old man and see if he can back track where the request for Alice to join this project came from.” Alexis suddenly said.

     “Okay, but what difference will that make Lexi?” Lana asked.

     “I’m just wondering if Alice being asked to join this mission was for someone to use her as leverage against our parents rather than the fact she’s a lot smarter than the two of them put together.” Alexis explained. “I always said you were too clever for your own good sis.” Alexis added with a giggle.

     “But I thought the mission came up after word got to Washington that the plans for the new chip were going on the black market?” Sarah asked sounding confused.

     “The mission did.” Alice said. “But I’d been asked a couple of times to take a look at the project. I just turned them down every time because of having to work with my parents, but Bob ordered me to accept the offer this time.” Alice explained.

     “You better get the old man up to speed on what we’ve found out, and what we think might be going on inside Diablo Tech, Lana.” Alexis ordered.

     “I’ll go and brief him right away, but he may want to pull the two of you out once he finds out that Alice could be in danger.” Lana warned.

     “He’ll just tell us to be mega careful, but carry on with the mission. We still need to stop them selling those guidance chip specs to the enemy.” Alexis pointed out.

     “You be careful Lexi, and make sure you keep my baby safe and sound at the same time.” Lana warned Alexis over the coms.

     “That’s the one order I will follow to the letter Lana, and you know it.” Alexis said looking seriously at her sister sat next to her. “We better see about heading over to the hotel and making a fuss over the conditions.” Alexis added with a sigh.

     “I don’t like the idea of either of you spending any time in a hotel room set up by those Diablo Tech people.” Lana said with worry in her voice.

     “Don’t worry baby. Lexi and I will only be there long enough to let them know we hate the place, and then we can book into one of the places you sent to the navigation computer here in the car.” Alice said as she brought up the list of best hotels in the city. “With a list this long, we should be able to keep moving, that should stop the bad guys from being able to set up any real surveillance on us away from the lab and Diablo Tech.” Alice added.

     “Just one more quick question before we close down coms.” Alexis said. “Have you heard from Maggie and the girls yet?” Alexis asked.

     “Yes we spoke to them earlier today.” Lana giggled. “Most the clinic thinks that Tammy and Melissa are some sort of pop group looking to have some work done, and the two of them are enjoying letting them all think that as well.” Lana added with more giggles.

     “Just make sure nothing ends up on the web about them.” Alexis warned. “The last thing we need is Tammy and Melissa’s cover blown before they ever get the chance to become agents.” Alexis added with a frown.

     “Maggie’s keeping them well grounded in more ways than one.” Sarah pointed out. “She’s not letting them out of their apartment unless it’s to go and see the doctor, and even then there are three teams doing the work to Tammy, so no one team will have all the information, apart from the surgeon doing the surgery.” Sarah added.

     “I just hope everything goes alright for her.” Alexis said sounding worried when she thought back to all the pain she was in when she first had the SRS. “I wanted to be there for her.” Alexis added with a heavy sigh.

     “Tammy knows you’d be there if you could Lexi.” Sarah said. “I wish I could be there to give you a hug right now.” Sarah added with a pout in her voice.

     “I’ll give her one for you later Sarah.” Alice said. “A hug that is.” Alice added when she heard Lana and Sarah giggling back at command.

     “Your girlfriend has a dirty mind.” Alexis said to Alice.

     “Your girlfriend was giggling as well.” Alice pointed out.

     “I already know that my girlfriend has a dirty mind.” Alexis grinned.

     “I’m ending this call now!” Lana said just before the coms light went off, which told Alice and Alexis that they were now on their own again.

    Alexis had parked at the hotel where Diablo Tech had secured her and Alice rooms. Alexis had parked the car herself, saying she didn’t trust the valet parking not to scratch her car, but in reality she didn’t trust someone working for Diablo to not plant a bug in the car while they had access to it. The other thing Alexis wasn’t happy with was the rooms they had. Alice had a nice large penthouse, while Alexis had a normal room nine floors below, which meant she’d be too far away should Alice need her.

    Alice had walked around the penthouse suite for an hour picking faults with it before she finally had a full blown diva outburst and told Brenda she wanted to find another place she did like.

     “Get them up here to collect my bags Brenda!” Alice had shouted. “I can’t stay in a place like this.” She added as she waited for Alexis to make the call.

    The manager of the hotel looked quite put out when he had a very angry Alice tell him that he should be ashamed to call that suite a penthouse. He tried to offer her another room, but Alice just walked out the hotel and then waited for Alexis to bring the car over so they could load their bags and then go to one of the places Lana had found for them.

    Alice and Alexis were soon in another hotel where they had rooms next to each other. This made Alexis feel better, and she soon had some micro camera’s set up and linked to the free wifi, so Bill and Ted could keep an eye on their rooms while they were in the Lab back at Diablo Tech.

    They remained in character still, due to the bugs in their purses, but they didn’t feel like they were being watched now by anyone but Bill, Ted Lana and Sarah. If they wanted to talk to them back at command, Alice and Alexis would just find some reason to go out in the car.

    Neither Alice nor Alexis had slept well the night before with all the worrying about meeting their parents again after all this time, so they were soon ordering room service and having an early night, ready for another busy day tomorrow, and hopefully some answers to all the questions they had. Even thought they had their own rooms, the two of them still shared a bed to keep each other company. Alexis had gotten quite used to being with Sarah, as had Alice with Lana, so it just felt nicer having a warm body sleeping next to them.

    Alexis took a slow drive over to Diablo Tech the next morning so her and Alice could find out what Lana and the others had found out.

     “We finally have a name for Mr Blonde, and he’s a nasty piece of work that you will need to watch your back with Lexi.” Lana warned her. “His real name is Dillon Nash. He was a mercenary for a while, but he realised that he could make more money selling weapons to the other mercenary’s, so he became an arms dealer, and was rumoured to be the man behind the little operation that you shut down with Alice’s help earlier this year.” Lana explained.

     “Do you mean the mission where that asshole davenport hit me across the back of the head?” Alice asked with anger in her voice.

     “That’s the one baby.” Lana answered.

     “How did he get a job working at Diablo? And why didn’t he pop up on earlier checks?” Alexis asked.

     “He’s not on the books as being an employee at Diablo, and it looks like he went to college with Brad Jones, who you were right about, and is a partner with Nash in a number of shell companies that are fronts for arms smuggling.” Lana said. “All in Brad’s name with no ties to Mr Nash by the way.” Lana pointed out.

     “Any luck on finding out where our parents come into it all?” Alice asked with some worry in her voice.

     “It’s not clear yet, but they did book plane tickets a couple of months back, and looked at moving to another city, but it all stopped again, and they have stayed with the project.” Lana said as she read some information off the screen.

     “So you think they found something out, and then got forced to stay with the company?” Alexis asked.

     “Seems that way to me Lexi.” Lana said with worry in her voice. “And when they still wouldn’t play ball, they, whoever they are, then managed to get Alice involved as some sort of leverage against them.” Lana added with anger this time.

     “If that is the case Lana, then they know nothing about Guardian, and are just trying to keep an eye on Alice, so we can use what we know against them and form a plan to get our parents out of there.” Alexis had anger in her voice this time. “What did the old man have to say about it all?” Alexis asked as she tried to calm herself back down again. She may have had problems with her parents in the past, but she wasn’t about to see them get dragged any deeper into the arms dealers scheme if she could help it. Alexis also needed to see about keeping Alice safe as well.

     “He agreed with what you said, but also said to be careful and keeping Alice safe is your first priority.” Lana said, sounding to be in full agreement with Bob on this one.

     “That goes without saying, but I need clearance from the old man to do what it takes to get my parents out as well, but it may mean them finding out about Alex and Alexis.” Alexis warned. “I’ll need some items delivered to me as well, but I’ll make a list and get back to you with it.” Alexis added as they approached Diablo’s main gate.

     “Just get the list to us Lexi and we’ll get the items to you ASAP.” Lana replied.

     “Thanks Lana. We better end this now; I can see Brad Jones stood just outside the main building looking for Alice’s arrival. I bet he’s a little pissed that Alice checked out the hotel and found another one.” Lexi said with a smirk.

     “Okay Lexi, Alice. Be careful in there.” Lana warned before coms went dead again.

    Alice removed their purses from the glove box just before they reached the main gate to stop whoever it was listening in on them working out that they couldn’t hear them talking in the car. Not hearing the guard on the main gate asking for ID’s would be a dead giveaway.

    Alexis pulled the car into Alice’s parking space and then got out and ran around to get the door for her and then retrieved Alice’s briefcase from the trunk of the car, which was also sound proofed just in case they managed to get a bug on that as well.

    Brad Jones walked over to meet them half way looking a little upset about something. “Alice, is everything alright? I’ve just found out about you moving to another hotel, was something wrong with the one we sorted out for you?” Brad said with a sweet sickly smile as he pushed Alexis out the way to walk beside Alice.

    Alexis found herself wondering if Brad would have treated her the same way if she wasn’t disguised as a slightly plump woman that looked a little older than Alice, but then Alexis thought it would freak this asshole out if he saw what she really looked like.

     “I’m sorry if I worried you Brad, but I just didn’t like the place very much.” Alice said in a blunt tone. “The colour of the suite was all wrong, and it was just too big.” Alice pointed out some of the things she’d said while in the room the night before. “And my assistant was too far away from me as well. I like to take notes as I think of them, and it wouldn’t have been fair on Miss Cliff to have to keep coming all that way to take them for me.” Alice said as she kept walking towards the main building, but she did take a couple of quick looks over to make sure Alexis was still close by.

    Alexis had stepped back and then took the empty spot on Alice’s other side, much to the annoyance of Brad, who looked to be trying to get Alice on her own.

     “I’m most sorry to hear that Alice. Let me sort this out and get you moved back to the hotel and into a suite you do like, and we’ll make sure that your assistant has a room a little closer.” Brad said with a smile, but his eyes when he looked over at Brenda said he was anything but happy.

     “Please don’t worry yourself with it Brad.” Alice said with a smile as she waved off his worries. “I’m very picky when it comes to where I stay, and I’m not sure I’ll be stopping where I am now for very long, so don’t worry about it. Miss Cliff knows what I like, so she will find the perfect place to stay eventually.” Alice added just before they entered the building and made their way to the lab.

    Brad suddenly looked interested in Alexis now he knew that it was her he’d need to get close to if he wanted to find out more about Alice. “I’ll get Sasha to sit with you later in the day, so she can help you look for a place then Miss Cliff.” Brad said with the same smile.

     “That would be very kind of you Mr Jones.” Alexis said with a bow of the head. She felt like calling him Brad, just to see the look on his face, but she was trying to blend into the background and not come across as a threat to anyone.

    Brad never responded to what Alexis had just said, he just went back to talking to Alice about other things. “I hear that you’re going out for a meal with your parents this evening? Are things getting better between you and them?” Brad asked.

     “Not really, but I thought it would be nice to try and smooth out some of the troubles I have with them, and doing it over dinner would be better than trying to do it while sat in a lab.” Alice explained.

     “I thought it would be a wonderful time for me to treat you and your parents to a meal, and get to find out a little more about you myself.” Brad said.

     “That’s a kind offer Brad, but I would like to spend some time alone with my parents if you don’t mind?” Alice replied.

     Alexis and Alice had spoke the night before about how to play their parts and what to do if Brad or anyone else did or said things to either of them. They would know Brad was in on the sale of the guidance chip specs if he insisted on coming to the meal that evening.

     “I’m sorry Alice, but I must insist on coming along. I know next to nothing about you or your parents, and I’m sure you’ll have lots of time to have more private meals with your parents as you work together.” Brad said it with a smug edge to his voice that Alexis didn’t like the sound off.

     “Not as much time as you might thing Brad. The guidance chip isn’t as far off track as I was led to believe.” Alice said. This was another response her and Alexis had come up with, to see how he reacted to hearing that piece of news.

     “Really?” He replied a little too excitedly for Alice and Alexis’s liking. “Our board members will be happy to hear that.” He added with that same smug smile.

    Alice and Alexis wondered if by board members he means Dillon Nash his partner. Alexis did note a hint of relief in his voice as well, so she was beginning to wonder if Brad was a partner, or just someone that answered to another person. Mr Blonde, or Dillon Nash if you wanted to use his real name, seemed to act much cooler the day before, more than Brad was doing now, and after reading some of the things Lana had put up on the screen in the car, Alexis thought Nash to be the brains behind the operation. Brad was just the face that would take the rap if the shit hit the fan.

     “Yes it should only be a matter of days before we’re ready to start simulations.” Alice said in a matter of fact way like she’d done on hundreds of other missions. “So that should really make your board happy.” Alice added with a smile.

     “In that case I must insist on joining you and your parents then. I won’t get another chance.” Brad said it like he knew for a fact that he wouldn’t. Something that wasn’t missed by Alice and Alexis, who gave each other a quick look to make sure the other one, picked up on it as well. They both had, and now knew that Nash planned to kill Alice and her parents to cover his tracks once the chip was finished.

    Alexis wondered if Brad realised that Nash would kill him as well to hide the fact he was the real mastermind behind the plan. That way Nash would just walk away with the chip specs and all the money he would make from the sale of it on the black market, giving the enemies of the United States the next generation guidance technology to use against them.

     “As you wish Brad. Miss Cliff and I will be glad of the extra company to talk to.” Alice said, pointing out that her assistant would be joining them.

     “I’m sure that with me being there, Miss Cliff would much rather go and do something else now instead.” Brad said looking a little put out by this piece of news.

     “My mother was the one that told her to come, if I say she can get out of it now, Pamela will think I had something to do with it, so she comes.” Alice said it with an edge that told Brad there would be no more talk of it being any other way.

    Alexis looked up at Brad with a sad smile that said ‘thanks for trying to get me out of it’ This seemed to relax Brad a little, as it made it look like going for dinner with Alice and her parents was the last place she wanted to be. Part of Alexis was thinking that, but not for the reason Brad was thinking.

    They reached the lab and Alice and Alexis waited for Brad to use his ID to let them into the room where Alice and Alexis placed their purses in the trays again before going into the lab itself. Pamela and Paul were already in there working, and Mr Blonde was stood looking over Paul’s shoulder.

    Mr Blonde stepped back and then nodded to Brad before leaving the room without saying a word to any of them. Alexis was sure that he was the one in charge now, as she saw Brad’s shoulders relax a little, like he’d just found out his boss was happy with something he’d done.

     “I’ve informed Alice about me joining you this evening for the meal, and she’s fine with it, as is Miss Cliff.” Brad added the last bit sounding a little upset about not being warned sooner that Alice’s assistant would be joining them. “Well I won’t keep you any longer; I can see you all have work to do.” Brad added just before he spun around and left the room.

    Alice and Alexis noted the sad look on their parents faces when they found out that Brad joining them hadn’t put Alice off wanting the meal. They were soon busy going through the code again, but Alice and Alexis could tell that something had happened to stop their parents wanting to chat as much as they had wanted to the day before. Alexis thought it must have had something to do with the fact Nash was in the lab when they got there.

    The morning went slow with no one saying much, other than to question something to do with the work they were doing. Alice had tried to ask Paul and Pamela where they were living now, but all they said was in an apartment here at Diablo. Brad had been worried about people spying on them.

    Alexis thought it sound more like house arrest to stop them speaking to someone about what they were doing, but it would have been the good guys getting the call. Alice had looked over at Alexis with the same thought she’d had.

    It was just before lunch when Sasha showed up in the lab wanting to join Brenda for lunch, so they could have a look at finding Alice a suitable place to stop while she helped her parents.

     “Miss Farrey says she’s fine where she is for the time being Sasha.” Alexis pointed out.

     “Mr Jones asked me to sit with you over lunch and show you some of the other properties we own, just in case Miss Farrey might be interested. I thought it might be nice for us to grab a spot of lunch together as well.” Sasha said looking hopeful.

     “Is it alright if I go for lunch with Sasha Miss Farrey?” Alexis asked.

    Before Alice could answer her, Sasha spoke up again. “Mr Jones said he’d be having lunch with you today Miss Farrey. He said you talked about it yesterday.” She added with a puzzled look.

     “Yes, very well, but keep your phone with you, and answer if I call.” Alice said as she moved her calculator on the desk a couple of inches. The calculator wasn’t a normal one though. Bill and Ted had designs it to be a panic button for Alice to use if she got in trouble while working at Diablo. They knew that they wouldn’t be able to take phones or other electronic stuff like MP3’s in, but a calculator would be fine.

    Alexis knew what Alice meant when she said about calling her if she needed anything was code for she’d call if there was trouble. Alexis wasn’t sure if Sasha was in on the plot to sell the guidance chip specs or not, but the two of them would have to spread out and investigate as much as they could. Alice would work on Brad during lunch, and Alexis would see how much Sasha knew.

     “Yes Miss Farrey.” Alexis said as she left the room with Sasha and stopped to get her purse on the way out.

     “I thought you might be glad of some time away from the geeks.” Sasha said as they walked down the hallway.

    Alexis wanted to slap Sasha across the back of the head for calling her sister a geek, but as Brenda she had to smile and agree with her. “Thanks for that. I’m sick of looking through computer code for errors.” Alexis whined.

     “I hear the ice queen is beginning to thaw out and is letting you call her Alice now.” Sasha said with a grin.

    Alexis knew something was wrong now and the lab was bugged, because Alice had only agreed to that in the lab the day before, and only their parents would have known about it and neither of their parents were the type to gossip. Not wanting to tip Sasha off though, Alexis agreed with her. “Yes her mother made her do it.” Alexis knew she’d need to be careful what she said in front of Sasha, but at the same time Sasha was treating Alexis, or Brenda the person she was pretending to be, like a bit of an idiot. This was something Alexis planned to use against her.

     “Next thing you know, she’ll be platting your hair and painting your toenails.” Sasha giggled. She started giggling even more when she saw the worried look Brenda gave her.

     “You really don’t have any idea what Alice is like, do you?” Alexis whispered, as she placed her chubby little hands on the table and leaned across trying to make sure no one else overheard their conversation.

     “I don’t think anyone knows anything about Alice Farrey. She’s a bit of a hermit by the looks of it.” Sasha whispered back.

    So Sasha’s on a fact finding mission for her boss then? Alexis thought to herself. That means our covers safe then. Alexis was relieved to find that out.

     “There isn’t much to tell about her. She doesn’t go out much, hate’s going to clubs, and is much happier stopping in and reading a book when not working on some problem.” Alexis gave Sasha some insight into who Alice really was, or the version she wanted Sasha to know about.

     “How long have you worked with Alice then Brenda?”

     “To long I think sometimes.” Alexis giggled in her cute little Brenda voice. “I think it’s just under three years now, but feels much longer because of all the time I spend with her.” Alexis added. Even though Alexis and Alice had sat and worked out their back story for Brenda, Alexis knew that coming up with the right answers on the spot was a dead giveaway. Sasha had already made a number of mistakes by knowing information she shouldn’t. Like the fact that Alice was now letting Brenda call her by her first name. Alexis also thought Sasha was being a little too friendly for a couple of women that had just met the day before.

     “I feel the same way about working for Brad.” Sasha said with a roll of her eyes. “I wonder why they get to sit in the big posh office looking important, while people like us run around doing all the work?” Sasha added with a hint of real anger showing on her face.

     “How long have you worked for him Sasha?” Alexis asked in a matter of fact way.

     “Eight months, but like you, it feels like much longer.” Sasha whispered as she did a fake look around to make sure no one was listening to them.

    Alexis now knew that Sasha was part of the plan to sell the chip designs, because it was around eight months ago when her and Alice’s parents started living in the Diablo Tech apartment under a form of house arrest. Alexis gathered that Nash must of had Sasha brought in to keep a close eye on Brad. Alexis was betting that if she got Lana to look into what might have happened to Brad Jones previous personal assistant, she would have died in a mugging, or car crash.

     “Alice really is a genius though Sasha. It’s just the normal day to day stuff she struggles with.” Alexis pointed out.

     “How did you end up working for her in the first place?” Sasha asked.

     “I got recruited to a think tank in LA, but they soon realised I wasn’t as smart as they first thought, but I had formed a bond with Alice, so they kept me around to help her get around and do all the day to day stuff she seemed to forget about when working on a project.” Alexis did her cute little Brenda giggle for effect. “I guess I’m the closest thing to a friend she has.” Alexis added looking sad.

     “Why is that? I thought Alice would have people falling over themselves to be her friend?” Sasha asked in a whisper.

     “She had some trouble back in high school that led to her brother going to prison or something like that.” Alexis said with a shrug. “She’s never really spoke about it, but her mother filled in some of the blanks I had. Alice has just never tried making friends since then.” Alexis added with a sigh.

     “She seems to have a friend in you Brenda.” Sasha pointed out.

     “What you see is what you get with me, so I guess I’m just easy to like.” Alexis giggled. “I’m not what you’d call a threat am I?” She added. Alexis found herself wondering what Sasha and her cohorts would think if they knew what Alexis was really capable of, and what they were really here for.

    Sasha asked a number of other questions why she fished for the truth and maybe trying to catch Alexis out. Alice had entered the dining room and was sat in a much nicer looking section with Brad and their parents. Alexis gathered that Brad would be grilling Alice, so he could meet up with Sasha later and compare notes to see if the stories tied up. Alexis knew they would, because Alice and Alexis had Perfect memories to make their cover work.

    Once they had finished eating and a waitress in the dining room had come and taken away the plates, Sasha pulled out a work tablet and started showing Alexis some of the apartments they had available for her and Alice to use.

    Alexis pulled out her smart phone and made a note of the details, and also got Sasha to email them to her, so she could look at them more closely later, and see if she could convince Alice to move into one of them, but Alexis did warn Sasha that Alice only ever did what Alice wanted to do, a fact that Sasha had already seen for herself.

    Alice and her parents were already back in the lab when Alexis got back there. She looked at Alice to make sure everything was alright and felt relieved when Alice gave her a little smile just before she launched into her for taking such a long lunch break.

     “So you do remember where the lab is then Brenda?” Alice snapped at Alexis.

     “Sorry Miss Farrey.” Alexis said putting some fear in her voice to make it sound like Alice scared her when she shouted like this. “I was just going over some apartment ideas with Sasha.” Alexis stuttered out.

     “Well I’m happy where I am for the time being, so it was a waste of time, or was it?” Alice asked casting a critical eye over the plump assistant stood before her.

     “I told Sasha that Miss Farrey, but she gave me the details anyway.”

     “We better not waste anymore time had we?” Alice said as she let out a sigh and then wrote down some things she wanted her assistant to look out for in some data sheets. What no one realised was that as well as the strings of code Alice had Alexis looking for, there were also some messages going back and forth.

    By the time Alice called it a day so they could go back to the hotel and get ready for the dinner date with their parents and Brad. Alice had let Alexis know that Brad had been fishing for information just like Sasha had been doing with her. Alexis had also let Alice know that she wanted to get this mission rapped up and their parents to safety as soon as they could, due to her not liking the way they were penned in on all sides.

    Alexis needed the final go ahead from Bob to extract their parents when the mission was over, not that Alexis planned to leave them behind to get killed by the bad guys. She may have issues with her parents over what they did, but they were still her parents and whether Bob gave them the green light or not, Alexis was going to get them to safety one way or another.

To Be Continued Next Sunday  

Story by SaraUK

Edited and Posted by SamanthaK

    EDITORS NOTE: Please Comment and/or leave Kudos and let Sara know you like her work please, Any comments on spelling, grammar or the layout of the story please PM me “Samanthak” not Sara. Thank you