Why ?

Interlude : A Faculty Caper

"Are you done yet Gunnar ? I thought you said it would take a while to decrypt." Cleo raises an eyebrow.

"I thought so, until a certain sheep came to me with her knowledge."

"You let Lambkins look at the relic?!"

"She was cleaning my office and accidentally saw the relic. I then ordered her to transcribe her knowledge to me which included the location of the second relic in a Viking fortress near Svalbard."

"Well, I guess you could say the little lamb has made herself useful. Perhaps her knowledge will finally come in handy." Bellum said as she looked up from her cat drawing.

"I was thinking of taking her to retrieve the second relic with me. I don't trust agents with a job like this and her knowledge could still be useful." Maelstrom said to the shock of the others.

"You're not thinking of that, are you ? A girl as wild and unpredictable as her should be kept in a place where she can be controlled." Cleo sits thinking at first of a tasteless joke.

"I think, on the contrary, it's a good opportunity to let Lambkins go out and get a little exercise. She's going to end up going crazy staying locked up in the same places, despite the drug use."

"And it would give me more data on her reactions and behaviour with us in a semi-public place."

"Should we resort to a vote ?" Maelstrom asks and Cleo sighs in defeat.

"I'll come with you. You may need protection and help in dealing with the little Lambkins."

Maelstrom nods to Coach and the two of them head outside to pack some stuff for the trip.

A few hours later

Coach enters Carmen's room and Carmen quickly kneels down. She feels Coach come forward and uncuff her.

"Get up !"

Carmen stands and follows the faculty member to their room. All were waiting at the double doors leading outside. Carmen stops at a respectable distance, fearing the electric shock if she gets close. Seeing her reaction, the Faculty smiled before Bellum spoke up.

"Your bracelet has been temporarily deactivated. You can come without fear little lamb."

Carmen holds back a sigh of relief and steps in front of them. Just as she was about to kneel down, Maelstrom grabs her arm and holds her up. He takes her left wrist and removes the black bracelet, which he gives to Bellum (the latter storing it in a box in her pocket).

"You're going to assist Gunnar and Coach Brunt in a caper Black Sheep. We expect you to be on your best behavior. If it fails you will take the blame. Have we made ourselves clear ?"

"Yes, Countess."

Carmen POV

Professor Maelstrom walks out as Coach grabs my arm and holds it tightly as we move forward to the faculty jet. Coach lets go of me once we are on board and goes to sit across from the Professor. The Professor waves me over to him and points to the floor. Understanding this, I kneel down to the right of his seat.

Hours pass and no one speaks. I am getting bored and I hold back my urge to move. I hear the door open and I look up to see who has entered. I barely see a guard with a cart, and I get an electric shock for looking up.

"Just because we're going out doesn't mean the rules become obsolete Lambkins."

"I apologize, Coach."

I see the guard's feet approaching with the cart pushed in front of him. After a few moments of expectation, the guard withdraws without giving me anything. I thought today the professors would finally let me eat...