{"id":367,"date":"2014-12-30T07:03:40","date_gmt":"2014-12-30T07:03:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/?page_id=367"},"modified":"2022-01-01T19:28:09","modified_gmt":"2022-01-02T01:28:09","slug":"part3","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/episodes\/episode10\/part3\/","title":{"rendered":"Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

Episode 10: \u00a0Catch Her If You Can<\/em><\/strong><\/h3>\n

Part 3<\/strong><\/h4>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cSo, why are we splitting up for this? Why can\u2019t we all just go together?\u201d Nick asked — not that he wanted to go with everyone, but there had to be some reason they were dividing up.<\/p>\n

\u201cHere\u2019s the thing: There have been other thefts of priceless books in China, Australia, and Peru. We\u2019re beginning to think they\u2019re connected,\u201d K explained. \u201cWe need to go to the places the books have been stolen from and see if we can find any clues as to who\u2019s doing this and why. I want you all to go down to Pearl\u2019s lab; you\u2019ll find out there why we\u2018re separating you all into teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t just tell us now?\u201d Nick whined impatiently.<\/p>\n

K blanched but quickly covered it with a stern frown. \u201cGo to Pearl\u2019s lab, Carter. And quit whining; you\u2019re acting like a child.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick rolled his eyes and followed the others out of the room. They filed into the lab and crowded around Pearl and the computer monitors.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you have for us, Pearl?\u201d Jay asked, leaning in close to the screen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I was able to get into the FBI\u2019s database, lousy security and all\u2026\u201d Pearl started.<\/p>\n

Nick smirked. \u201cIt\u2019s a wonder they\u2019re able to keep anything a secret.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl grinned before turning back to the monitor. She opened a few folders and pulled up a passage of text.<\/p>\n

Jay squinted at the writing. \u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s some kind of clue that the FBI found inside the National Library.\u201d<\/p>\n

They all leaned in closer, looking at the writing.<\/p>\n

HRYTONAHARA AT,L RPOKARAGAAN,SOLL IEANITARA OINC OTA,A AG-SASNA OA OTAD ALSRI. ‘BCNCMMRSNF\u00c8NCII A A MC -TAHD ‘PINELADRHDS GSDR I HIED AR’ UGENBN AHARAU R\u00d2GC ULARCAIGACRI ELC.AR INDD I ”IE EGIHO I ULIN AI EUL ER I ‘ADOAHBIEG ‘TIH\u00d2D I ‘DRSD RSACO-H\u00c0D A \u00d2A U A I HI UMRMRIDIIHASEC OA ENTAT OCAA,AU AAARDERAHHRYSLIHA ONCBSI GSEDESAHASI I HRN ‘HOSBAAH<\/em><\/p>\n

Nick frowned. \u201cWhat the hell is that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo idea. I\u2019m not sure if it\u2019s trying to tell them something or if it\u2019s just something random to throw them off. Though I can\u2019t imagine it\u2019s just random\u2026 you don\u2019t write something out in a different language or code or whatever this is without trying to make some kind of point. It looks, though, like the FBI are trying to connect it back to you, Opal, because there\u2019s no prints or DNA evidence or anything,\u201d Pearl finished, looking over at Opal. \u201cDo you recognize that language?\u201d<\/p>\n

Opal rubbed her forehead for a moment before shaking her head. \u201cIt\u2019s not a language. It\u2019s definitely a code; the letters are rearranged. I should be able to break it, but it\u2019s going to take time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pearl nodded her head. \u201cSo\u2026 that\u2019s why you guys are splitting up. We need one group to find out if there are more clues and the other group to check out the crime scenes in other countries. We can try to get everything taken care of faster with two groups instead of one large group investigating one lead at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Everyone nodded and started chatting amongst themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve got Opal, so we\u2019ll work on the clues,\u201d Jay decided. \u201cOpal, how long you think it\u2019ll take to crack it?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say,\u201d replied Opal. \u201cIt\u2019s a matter of finding the right key to the code. And even once we decipher what it says, we still may not know what it means.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, then I have a thought. K mentioned three other countries where similar crimes have been committed — China, Australia, and Peru. Maybe we should both start investigating the crime scenes until Opal can crack this thing. We may find more evidence that will help.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll go Down Under,\u201d Nick immediately volunteered. He winked at Styx. \u201cGood surfin\u2019, mate!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we\u2019ll start in China,\u201d said Jay. \u201cI\u2019ve always wanted to get an authentic Chinese character tattooed\u2026\u201d he added, patting his arm. \u201cYou never can tell if they really mean what the tattoo artists here tell<\/em> you they mean.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoll up your sleeve; let me see,\u201d said Opal. Jay pushed back his sleeve to expose his right forearm. She took a minute to study the three Chinese characters inked there. \u201cIt looks like\u2026 \u2018crazy bear\u2019?\u201d She raised her eyebrows at Jay. \u201cIs that what you wanted it to say?\u201d<\/p>\n

He nodded. \u201cYep, that sounds right. Good to know.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy\u2026?\u201d Opal started to ask, but Jay cut her off.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone get ready; we leave tomorrow. Nick and Opal, will you stay behind a sec, please?\u201d<\/p>\n

As everyone else filed out, Nick and Opal looked at each other and then over at Jay. \u201cWhat\u2019s up, Jay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to get you two in disguise. Opal, I\u2019ll take care of your look, and Nick, I\u2019ve recruited someone special for you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Just then, Lancy walked in.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh no\u2026\u201d Nick moaned.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was the first one to volunteer, Nick. He\u2019s assured me he\u2019s good with this kind of thing. Besides, we need you to look totally different than how you normally do. Just go with it. Plus, it\u2018ll be easier for me to have someone to help; it\u2018ll take too long if I have to take care of both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lancy grinned. \u201cI\u2019m gonna work wonders on you, Nick. I\u2019ve got so many fabulous ideas and so many different things we can try. Just look at all the stuff I brought!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick sighed heavily, glaring at Jay.<\/p>\n

\u201cFeel free to use whatever you\u2019d like, Jay. What\u2019s mine is yours\u2026\u201d Lancy smiled.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Lancybassy; appreciate it,\u201d Jay stated, motioning for Opal to sit in one of the chairs as he looked through his beauty supplies.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, Jay, do you know what you\u2019re doing?\u201d Opal asked uneasily as she watched him pick up a box of hair dye.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely. It\u2019s one of my many hidden talents,\u201d Jay explained, holding the box up against her face to see how the color would go with her complexion.<\/p>\n

\u201cNick, honey, you sit right there. We\u2019re going to start with a nice facial scrub and exfoliation, and from there, we\u2019ll do your hair and clothes and\u2026 ohh, I\u2019m so excited!\u201d Lancy exclaimed.<\/p>\n

Nick\u2019s eyes widened. He looked over at Opal, mouthing the words \u201cHelp me!\u201d She winced, standing, as Jay pulled her out of the chair and into the bathroom. He turned to look at Lancy, who was once again staring at him as if he were a grade A steak.<\/p>\n

Lancy went to work on him at once, scrubbing, buffing, and polishing. When he finished, Nick\u2019s face felt surprisingly smooth and soft, which was a dramatic improvement from how it normally felt.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, you just look too good not to keep this up! I think we should schedule monthly — no, weekly<\/em> visits. I can come over to your dorm for a full facial treatment. We can do a facial peel and eventually work into a body peel and\u2026\u201d Lancy practically squealed, his eyes shining.<\/p>\n

Nick shook his head vehemently. \u201cNo, no, that\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAww, pretty please? With whipped cream on top?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s fine, really.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell\u2026 at least promise me you\u2019ll keep it up on your own, and if you ever need help, or if you have questions, call me!\u201d Lancy pleaded, licking his lips.<\/p>\n

\u201cUh, sure. Whatever you say,\u201d Nick stated, shifting in his chair.<\/p>\n

Lancy sighed. \u201cIt\u2019ll have to do. We\u2019ll get started on the hair. Come on, into the bathroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat about my hair?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to change it, of course. Anyone would recognize those luscious locks. I\u2019m just gonna give you a bit of a change, honey, darken it up a bit, frost the tips. You\u2019ll still be the man we all know and\u2026 love, of course — just a different you. A newer you. A\u2026 mmm\u2026 greater you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick cleared his throat. \u201cIs this all really necessary?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAbsolutely, sweetie. You just trust Mr. Lancybassy. You\u2019re gonna look like a billion bucks.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick smiled weakly. \u201cI think it\u2019s a million bucks. I\u2019ll look like a million bucks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, no, no, you already do. I\u2019m just taking it to another level.\u201d Lancy winked.<\/p>\n

Nick sighed.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

An hour later, Nick emerged from the bathroom. His hair had been colored brown with blond tips, and he wore green contacts over his blue eyes. He looked at his clothes; some awful skinny jeans with a salmon-colored shirt and blue tie completed the ensemble. It looked nice, but it so wasn\u2019t his style. He adjusted the fake glasses on his nose and turned to look at Lancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou look FAB-U-LOUS!\u201d trilled Lancy, doing jazz hands. \u201cThey say clothes make the man, but honey, they haven\u2019t seen you<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick nodded. \u201cYeah\u2026 uh, thanks, Lancy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew that carnation pink shirt would look great on you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cActually, it\u2019s not pink; it\u2019s salmon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, well, look at you, Nick.\u201d Jay smiled, making his way out of the women\u2019s bathroom.<\/p>\n

Nick glared at him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the hair, I have to say, and the clothes\u2026 well, it looks like you just stepped off the runway.\u201d Jay nodded his approval.<\/p>\n

Lancy beamed and clapped his hands. \u201cHe does, doesn\u2019t he? I thought I\u2019d go for something a bit more modern\u2026 more hip. He really does look great.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt takes a real man to wear pink, ya know,\u201d Jay chuckled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not pink! It\u2019s salmon,\u201d Nick growled.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, sure, whatever you say, man.\u201d Jay laughed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyway\u2026 where\u2019s Opal?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRight here,\u201d she said, making her way out of the bathroom behind Jay.<\/p>\n

Nick\u2019s eyes widened. \u201cWhoa!\u201d<\/p>\n

Her dark brown hair had been lightened to golden blonde and swept up into a simple yet elegant bun. Her exotic green eyes were now blue. Dressed in a pencil skirt and blouse, she looked like a lawyer — the kind of lawyer who made you want to file a lawsuit just to seek her representation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWow, you look great,\u201d Nick sighed.<\/p>\n

She smiled. \u201cWell, thanks. It\u2019s not me, but for now, it\u2019ll have to do. You don\u2019t look too bad yourself; I really like the pink shirt.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nick frowned. \u201cIt\u2019s not pink; it\u2019s\u2026 ya know what? Never mind.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Jay was tired and desperately wanted to be done with this interview so he could get back to the hotel and finally get some rest. It seemed days ago that K had assigned the groups, and Lancy had put Nick in that ridiculous pink shirt. The three-hour flight to New York followed by a fourteen-hour flight to Beijing had not made things easier.<\/p>\n

Leaning his head forward, Jay rubbed the back of his neck and sighed in frustration. He had lost count somewhere along the way, but he was sure this was quite possibly the thirtieth interview he\u2019d conducted. Whoever this thief was, they were ballsy enough to steal an item from a heavily populated building, and it seemed everyone wanted to give their version of what had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you see?\u201d Leo asked. Jay was surprised at how relaxed and undeterred he seemed after hours of interviews.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if it\u2019s any help, but I saw a woman sneaking around doors marked \u2018personnel only.\u2019\u201d Jay sat up straighter, surprised to hear his interviewee speak with an American accent. \u201cI brought my Nai Nai here to work out some governmental problems she was having with the location\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSir, I hate to interrupt, but can we get back to the woman?\u201d Jay interrupted, anxious to get something from this person that might actually be useful.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. She was wearing a red trench coat and a wide-brimmed hat. The bright color made her stand out to me, but I also thought it was strange since, you know, the weather here is very balmy, and she was inside — everyone else removed their hat when they passed through the doors, but not her.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all you can tell us?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI watched her go through a door and then appear maybe fifteen minutes later from the same door. Her trench coat appeared to be bulging this time. I would have said something, but our number was called, and my Nai Nai was moving towards the entrance.\u201d The man folded his fingers together and sat looking at the two agents. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I couldn\u2019t be of more help.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jay nodded and pulled out his laptop as Leo dismissed the man. \u201cWell, that was the most information we got all day, and it was next to nothing.\u201d Leo groaned as he watched Jay log onto the video conference feed with K and Nick. He hoped that Nick would have more to bring to the table with his investigation in Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat were you able to determine, 003?\u201d K\u2019s voice echoed through the interview room they\u2019d been allotted at the National Library of China in Beijing, from which the most complete surviving copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia had been stolen. Written during the Ming Dynasty in the 1400s, it had been one of the earliest and the largest general encyclopedias.<\/p>\n

Still, tired and irritable, Jay couldn\u2019t help but wonder, What would the thief want with an old encyclopedia written in Chinese?<\/em> Out loud, he answered, \u201cThe only viable description of the thief we received has her looking like Carmen Sandiego.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell then, be on the lookout for V.I.L.E. henchmen, and make sure your Almanac is up-to-date,\u201d Nick joked.<\/p>\n

\u201cWere you able to ascertain anything different, 008?\u201d K said, not missing a beat, unaware of the \u201cjoke\u201d Nick had made.<\/p>\n

Nick, who had started humming the all-too-familiar \u201cWhere in the World is Carmen Sandiego?\u201d theme, cleared his throat and answered, \u201cJay got more information with his Carmen Sandiego look-alike than I was able to get. Nobody saw anything. In fact, nobody knew they were missing for quite some time as it appears our thief swapped the originals for copies. It wasn\u2019t until the Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell, came through with a group of students from the seminary that they were identified as fakes. We have no clue how long the originals have been missing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on with the investigation into Opal?\u201d Leo asked, unable to keep silent any longer.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s still going strong. My sources tell me they\u2019ve been investigating every location she\u2019d been assigned to and checking her travel log with the timeline of events as they know them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHave I been named a suspect yet, or am I still just a person of interest?\u201d Nick asked with a smirk on his face, obviously pleased that the United States government was inept at even figuring out what to classify him as.<\/p>\n

\u201cBe thankful they\u2019re not more suspicious, 008. Last thing we need is government agents trying to delve into the secrets of HimTak. If some of our clients found that out, we would no longer be in business.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jay nodded in agreement. \u201cHow\u2019s Brian holding up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s doing everything he can to keep himself busy and his mind off of Opal. There isn\u2019t much he can do since the Feds don\u2019t want him to get involved. The CIA is actually cooperating and put him on a pretty lowbrow case, which is not getting his full attention. He\u2019s distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI can imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSee what else you can discover. Maybe Opal has deciphered the code. I\u2019ll keep you informed of any changes on this end. Contact me if you make any progress.\u201d With that, K signed off.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t even say goodbye.\u201d Nick sniffed.<\/p>\n

\u201cGoodbye, Nick.\u201d Jay smiled and severed the connection.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe should get back. It\u2019s late, and I doubt the Chinese government will be willing to let us poke around in the bowels of the library all night.\u201d Jay stood up, grabbed the laptop, and cuffed Leo\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t a long trip back to the hotel, but Leo wanted to stop for some food. Jay couldn\u2019t argue; he was hungry, too, and he was sure Opal would be thankful. Bogged down with food cartons, Leo almost dropped their dinner when he felt his phone vibrate in his pants. Juggling the items carefully, he was able to pull his phone out and flip it open.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello?\u201d he asked, unsure of who could be calling him now.<\/p>\n

\u201cLeo, I got it!\u201d a woman\u2019s voice screeched into the phone.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpal?\u201d Leo asked. \u201cWhat are you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI figured out part of the clue!\u201d she interrupted, too excited to wait for Leo to finish his sentence. \u201cIt\u2019s a code, of course, but every code-breaking technique I employed only came up with gibberish. Well, I was staring at it with some movie on the TV playing for background noise when I looked up to see what was going on and noticed the subtitles were on in Chinese!\u201d She paused, expecting Leo to understand where she was going with this. \u201cIt hit me — the clue is in another language<\/em> and encoded! Now that I\u2019ve figured that out, it\u2019s just a simple matter of solving the code and seeing if the words make sense in any language spoken.\u201d Opal sighed, pleased with herself.<\/p>\n

\u201cOpal, that\u2019s great, but you used your cell phone?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, of course; the hotel phone would charge long distance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOpal, your cell\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026is being tracked\u2026 shit.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

The J. Edgar Hoover building was just starting to buzz with activity, but the two FBI agents working on the Ashavari Desai case had pulled an all-nighter.<\/p>\n

They were desperately trying to catch a lead, afraid to go to their superior to tell him that any trace of the wanted woman had gone cold after they\u2019d visited Brian Littrell\u2019s residence. For a while, they\u2019d thought they had a hot streak and would catch her in only a matter of time, but as the hours wore on, they started grasping at straws.<\/p>\n

\u201cI still think we need to investigate that Carter kid.\u201d The man wearing a military-style haircut looked up and over at the man lounging back in his chair with his fedora hat over his eyes. \u201cHank!\u201d the man yelled out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d The other man stretched, allowing the hat to fall to the floor.<\/p>\n

\u201cI said I think we need to investigate that Carter kid.\u201d The Boston accent in his voice was apparent as he spoke. \u201cI get the feeling he\u2019s hiding something.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTom, you think everyone is hiding something.\u201d Hank rubbed his nose and searched his desk for a coffee cup with any of the caffeinated liquid left inside.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026they really scraped the bottom of the barrel\u2026\u201d Tom mumbled to himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d Hank asked.<\/p>\n

Tom did not answer. Instead, he busied himself punching something into his computer and focusing on that. Hank shrugged and went to the coffee maker, grabbing another cup and a jelly doughnut. He took a bite, dripping red jelly down his front. \u201cDamn…\u201d he muttered as he wiped at it pointlessly with his napkin.<\/p>\n

\u201cShit, I don\u2019t believe this.\u201d Tom stared at his screen. \u201cGotcha!\u201d He sat back and punched more keys on his keyboard.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d Hank asked, mouth full of doughnut.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a hit on her cell phone GPS. The gal must have turned it on and, even better, used it without thinking. We got a hit.\u201d His fingers furiously flew across the keyboard, honing in on the location of the cell tower that had caught the signal used by Ashavari\u2019s phone. Hank watched as Tom\u2019s face moved from stoic to slightly less so; it must have been good.<\/p>\n

\u201cI hope you have an overnight bag packed, Hank. Grab your passport; we\u2019re headed to China.\u201d Tom stood, grabbing the coat off the back of his chair and making his way to the exit. Hank continued to sit in disbelief that he was being asked to give up his doughnut and coffee this early to go to China, of all places. Sensing his hesitation, Tom turned back to the man assigned to work with him. \u201cThey do have coffee at the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n

Groaning, Hank stood and followed Tom out of the office, knowing he was going to regret the actions that had led him to be assigned this case.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Leo walked through the hotel\u2019s lobby with a paper bag in his arms, holding the take-out dinner that he, Jay, and Opal had ordered. He looked closely at every person he passed by, careful not to draw any attention to himself but still observant enough to watch out for any threats. He stopped in his tracks as he heard some familiar words — although in a mostly foreign language to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcuse me, miss, but we\u2019re with the United States government,\u201d<\/em> a man\u2019s voice said in broken Mandarin to the young woman at the reception desk Leo was in the midst of passing. He calmly and quickly walked over to the closest of the large decorative columns and hid behind it, still listening in on the conversation. Leo silently praised himself for at least beginning to learn Mandarin Chinese, the only knowledge that helped him discern the words \u201cUnited States Government\u201d<\/em> from the man\u2019s introduction.<\/p>\n

\u201cHello, sir, how may I help you?\u201d<\/em> the girl replied courteously with much smoother pronunciation.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you seen this woman?\u201d<\/em> the man asked, and Leo could tell he was showing the girl a picture of Opal.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, sir, no girl like that has been here,\u201d<\/em> the girl answered.<\/p>\n

The men sighed, and Leo took this opportunity to pull out his cell phone and call Jay.<\/p>\n

\u201cJay here,\u201d the agent answered.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s Leo. The Feds are here; they\u2019re asking at the front desk about Opal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShit!\u201d Jay muttered, and Leo heard Opal\u2019s voice in the background asking what was going on. \u201cHow did they get here so quickly?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy guess is they\u2019re field agents,\u201d Leo replied, still watching the agents out of the corner of his eye. They seemed to be asking the girl to search the guest database for recent check-ins, with very limited success. \u201cThe FBI has offices all over the world. All the U.S. office would need to do is make a call, and the field office could send someone out right away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo, what\u2019s our escape plan gonna be?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t recommend coming down here right now. There\u2019s one guy at the front desk, and I think there\u2019s another one going around asking guests if they\u2019ve seen anything. Not sure how many others could be around here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDamn it,\u201d Jay cursed under his breath again before a solution struck him. \u201cI think I have an idea how to get rid of them. Just meet us outside and keep an eye out. We\u2019ll meet you there just after the agents leave.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow are you gonna–?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cJust trust me. We don\u2019t have many options, and this one has the best chance of working. We\u2019ll be there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOkay\u2026\u201d Leo replied uneasily. \u201cSee you in a few.\u201d He waited until Jay hung up and then casually exited the lobby, keeping a keen eye out for any sign of his traveling companions.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, up in the hotel room, Jay filled Opal in on the details she missed while he pulled the bedspread off the bed and fashioned it into a disguise. Opal watched in amazement as he wrapped it around her, ripping off pieces that were just the right size and tying them in just the right spots. When he was done, she appeared to be wearing a kimono, and after rummaging through the bathroom, he was able to find the supplies he needed to decorate her face to make her look like a geisha. Jay then guided her to the bed, just in time for someone to knock impatiently at the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cKinda busy in here!\u201d Jay called, whispering a stage direction in Opal\u2019s ear quickly, so as not to spook her too much when he climbed on top of her. Moments later, the door burst open. Two men in suits stood in the doorway. \u201cJeez, can\u2019t you guys wait a few minutes?!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on in here?\u201d one of the two men asked, startled.<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t it a bit obvious?\u201d Jay replied with a nod at Opal, who widened her eyes to silently express her surprise. \u201cLook, unless my watch is broken or something, would you guys mind clearing out? I paid her upfront for the hour, and my time is almost up. Can you at least let a fella finish?\u201d<\/p>\n

The men looked at each other and exchanged annoyed looks. \u201cSorry, sir. Um, enjoy your\u2026 entertainment,\u201d the second of the two men said as they each tipped their hats and left the room.<\/p>\n

\u201cBelieve me, I will!\u201d Jay called, waiting until the door clicked shut behind them and he estimated they were at least halfway down the hall before he quickly jumped off the bed, causing it to bounce a bit.<\/p>\n

Opal giggled in amusement as she carefully removed the makeshift kimono. She laid it out on the bed and admired it for a few moments. \u201cRemind me to call on you the next time I have a wardrobe emergency\u2026\u201d she remarked with a smirk.<\/p>\n

\u201cHappy to help, doll,\u201d he told her, pulling back the curtains on the large window and grunting as he struggled to slide the window open. \u201cBut right now, I could use a hand so we can escape before they figure us out.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

As they walked down the hall to return to the lobby and resume their line of questioning at the front desk, the FBI agents laughed at the awkward situation they had just found themselves in.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut hey, man, that geisha was quite a pretty one. Wonder where he found her\u2026\u201d the agent in the brown hat commented. He gave his partner a confused look as he abruptly stopped before getting into the elevator that had just opened in front of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, me too\u2026 since we\u2019re in China, and geishas are from Japan\u2026\u201d he said slowly as the agents turned to face each other for a moment before tearing down the hall, nearly passing the door they needed before they stopped and kicked it open.<\/p>\n

They sighed as they saw the wind blowing the curtain. The window was open, the kimono was on the bed, and the couple they\u2019d had in their grasp for the briefest of moments was gone.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Opal thanked Leo as he helped steady her once she and Jay had reached the ground. Jay was thankful he\u2019d been wearing his leather grappling hook belt, which he had used to help himself and Opal repel down the face of the building quickly. There was some kind of festival happening in the city, and with a parade going on in the street below, no one had noticed the people practically climbing down the side of a large hotel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, aren\u2019t you just full of fashionable surprises,\u201d Opal complimented Jay.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t ever let anyone tell you that you can\u2019t be prepared and<\/em> look sexy at the same time,\u201d Jay said with a wink.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s great, but I think we better find ourselves some new disguises or a fast way to get out of here before we get caught,\u201d Leo advised. The trio looked around frantically for any sign of a cab or bus that they could sneak onto and make their great escape, but to no avail — traffic was blocked due to the parade. Then Opal spotted something right before her very eyes that was perfect.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoys, I think I\u2019ve solved both of our problems\u2026\u201d She grinned as she pointed at the long dragon puppet dancing down the street, at least a dozen pairs of legs peeking out underneath it as the performers walked it through the parade. They chuckled as she pulled them along, waiting until the perfect moment to slide under the creature and use it to march along to safety.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Part 4<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Episode 10: \u00a0Catch Her If You Can Part 3   \u201cSo, why are we splitting up for this? Why can\u2019t we all just go together?\u201d Nick asked — not that he wanted to go with everyone, but there had to be some reason they were dividing up. \u201cHere\u2019s the thing:\u2026<\/p>\n

Read more<\/span><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":145,"menu_order":3,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"templates\/template-onecolumn.php","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-367","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P5xaHX-5V","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=367"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/367\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":989,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/367\/revisions\/989"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dreamers-sanctuary.com\/00carter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}