Adventures in Parodyverse:  Catch and Release Part 3


    Yuki Shiro leaned back the chair at Jay Boaz’ desk dangerously, and listened intently.  She borrowed his office while he was not there, and invited Anna in to listen to what she had to say.

    Anna sat across from Yuki in one of the visitor chairs in front of the desk.  Her head was lowered, and she sat almost hunched over, her entire body language saying that she was nervous and scared.

    And watching from the couch, one hand dangling over its back, Chiaki Bushido watched the exchange silently.  Her sword was lying on the cushions next to her.

    Finally, Yuki spoke up by saying, “I’m not surprised.”

    Anna looked up, surprised.  “You’re...not?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No.”  Yuki replied.  “It’s just the kind of thing SPUD would give you.  You were designed to destroy the Lair Legion, after all.  Your strength and speed, and the lasers would pretty much take care of all of us...except Hallie.  Since Hallie is highly portable, you had to be able to deal with her wherever she is in the mansion by disabling everything.  I always wondered what it would be.”

    Then Yuki smiled when she noticed Anna’s confused expression.  “We’re all made the way we are, Anna, and we all have choices.  You made some pretty hard choices, and I’m proud of you.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thank you.”  Anna whispered happily.

    Chiaki commented, “I told you it wouldn’t be so bad.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What about Jay?”  Anna asked Yuki.  “What if he--?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Oh he’ll probably freak out a bit.”  Yuki admitted.  “Then I’ll whack him on the back of the head, and he’ll deal.”

    Chiaki chuckled a little bit, quietly, trying not to let anyone notice.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Don’t hit him too hard,”  Anna suggested, “His hats won’t fit anymore.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“She’s got your sense of humor,”  Yuki laughed, directing her comment at Chiaki.  “I wish Hatty was here to hear that part.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Yeah, me too.”  Yuki replied.  “He’s taking care of personal stuff though, so he hasn’t been around lately.”

    But then to cheer up Anna, she also made a suggestion about testing her abilities in Al B Harper’s lab.


---


    Al B Harper was very excited to be testing Anna again.  Naturally, that meant Yuki Shiro was standing by to make sure he didn’t get too excited.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Maybe we shouldn’t be testing around all of this equipment.”  Anna worried as she looked at potentially millions of dollars worth of sensitive lab equipment and computers.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It’s perfect.”  Yuki commented.  “To see if we can test you safely, that is.  Think of it as motivation.”

    Anna sat down, wide-eyed with worry, in a chair in the center of the lab.

    They tested her to see if she could disable one device in the room.  Then another.  Then multiple devices at once, without harming anything nearby.

    She started to lose her worry when Yuki began to look enthusiastic about her performance.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“That was impressive, Anna.”  Al B Harper commented.  “As long as you have control of it, I’m not the least bit worried.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Me neither.”  Yuki added.

    But the context of that comment would change dramatically soon after - Flapjack came into Al B Harper’s Lair Mansion lab to notify Yuki that Dan Drury was there to visit.


---


    Sir Mumphrey Wilton entered Hatman’s office alone.  He took one look at Dan Drury, who was standing in the middle of the room, smoking a cigar, with one hand in his pocket.  He thought it was unusual that Drury didn’t bring anyone with him.

    Yuki asked Mumph to speak to Drury for two reasons:  She thought he might be just intimidating enough, and she was worried she might end up hitting Drury in the face, which wouldn’t have helped matters much.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Have a seat.”  Sir Mumphrey offered.  “And could you please extinguish that?  Asil informs me that this is a non-smoking office.”

    The old gentleman tried to remain serious, though it amused him that the last bit was spoken in a serenely calm but assertive tone that betrayed his more modern involvements.

    Without comment, Drury put out his cigar, and sat leaned back in front of Hatman’s desk.

    The old soldier didn’t smile.  He seemed more hesitant than usual.  “I thought I’d stop by in case you had any questions,” he said.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Chiaki and Anna told me all about what happened.”  Sir Mumphrey said.  “I have no reason to disbelieve their account.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I’m willin’ to bet they didn’t tell you everything.”

    Sir Mumphrey quickly rose to his feet.  “Now you listen to me, sirrah!  After what you’ve done to poor Anna, if I hear anything from you but the sound of your heels heading away from this place, by God, I’ll give you a thrashing your grandkids will tell tales about!”

    Drury took the cigar out of his mouth and faced down the Lair Legion’s former leader.  “Fine, I’ll go.  But I’m not the kinda guy you want to make enemies of.”

    Sir Mumphrey quickly corrected him.  “You’ve done a fine job of that without my help.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“By the way.”  Dan Drury quickly added, as he pulled a folded letter out of his jacket.  “You might want to read this after I’m gone,”  he said.  “Might be the last thing I get to say.”

    Intrigued by what Drury said just before he walked out, Sir Mumphrey pulled out his reading glasses and put them on.  He unfolded the paper.  It was a copy of a very short letter that lacked an address, but was presumably aimed at the directors of SPUD, and written by Dan Drury.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Please consider this my resignation from my post, and from SPUD.  A very smart woman I met told me that I don’t feel.  I’ve been hearing her words every waking moment since.  I’ve been hearing the android’s wails as well.  I have to live with enough bad decisions already.  Therefore I cannot in good conscience continue serving the organization.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Hrrmph.”  Sir Mumprey commented.  He looked up, and saw Anna standing in the doorway.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thank you for standing up for me.”  she whispered.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Any sensible man with a conscience would have done the same.”  Sir Mumphrey replied.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“You would be surprised,”  Anna said, “how little so many people think of me because I’m an android.”

    Mumph walked over to Anna and gently took both of her hands.  “Anna, don’t let bastards wear you down.  Don’t ever.  You’re better than quite a lot of so called people I’ve met.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thank you.”  she nodded, and gently let her hands slip free of his.  “What was in the letter he gave you?  I mean um...if it’s any of my business, that is.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Dan Drury appears to have tendered his resignation.”  Mumph truthfully told her.

    Anna’s smile disappeared.  She looked confused instead.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“It appears you had quite an impact on his conscience.”  He chuckled loudly.  “If you’ll excuse me now, I have other work to attend to.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“No, go ahead.”  Anna quickly stepped out of his way, and watched him exit the office.  After he left, she picked up the letter and read it.  Could it be true?  Or was it a ruse to mislead?

    She had to find Yuki, she knew the purple-haired Legionnaire was a detective.  She would be able to figure out the answer to that question.


---


    Ã¢â‚¬Å“SPUD has been in turmoil for a long time now.”  Yuki replied in answer to Anna’s question.  “It’s been doing some weird stuff while it tries to justify its existence to the powers that be.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Why would he do what he did to me?”  Anna asked sadly.

    Yuki smiled.  “Anna, you should know the answer to that.  He’s a military man, and central to their training is to always follow orders, or follow your directive.  It sounds like someone decided the purpose of SPUD is to balance out those with super-powers.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“And...because I hang out with the Lair Legion,”  Anna finished, “Capturing me fulfills two objectives at once.”  She looked at Yuki, and her eyes widened.  “So it might not be his fault?”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I believe a person is always responsible for their actions.”  Yuki replied with a shrug.  “Orders are not a good excuse.  But maybe Dan Drury never learned that.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“What do I do if he comes back?”  Anna asked.

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Make him prove himself, of course.”  Yuki suggested.  “Or I will, if you prefer.”  Then she laughed.  “No, seriously...it’s up to you, Anna.  If he does come back, it will probably be hat in hand, looking for someone to forgive him.  If not...I’ll be kicking him out, maybe from a third floor window.”

    Anna giggled.  “I’ll be more vigilant next time I go shopping alone,”  she promised.  “Just in case.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I wouldn’t mind going with you.”  Yuki offered.  “And maybe Chiaki would too.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Thank you,”  Anna replied, “But this is something I have to deal with.  I can’t be afraid to leave the mansion without a guard.”

    Yuki raised an eyebrow.  “Don’t go all Hatman on me, Anna.  Sometimes you need a little help for a while.  Don’t be shy asking for it.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“I promise.”  Anna said, “If I’m the least bit afraid I’ll ask.”

    Ã¢â‚¬Å“Good.”  Yuki reached over and gave the android a one-armed hug.  “I feel like you’re part of my family.  I wouldn’t want to lose you.”


TO BE CONTINUED?
    

-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2010 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
--  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
--  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin