Tumbledown

Chapter 9

It seemed that Dylan had not been able to reach his contact and he told Maddie that he would keep trying.

"You have not even attempted to contact Patrice, why are you lying to her?"

Lysette may not have liked the idea of running around the country with the two outsiders but she liked the idea of lying to them even less.

"You know I don't like my conversations with Patrice, I guess I was just putting it off as long as I could."

Dylan was not too thrilled at Lysette leaving either and that could be put off forever as far as he was concerned.

"If you don't talk to him then I will leave with them anyway so do it now or we leave tonight."

Dylan was well aware that his conversations with Patrice were becoming more strained but he felt he could not let Lysette and the other's go without knowing if it was safe to do so.

The thought of losing Lysette was unbearable and he could not let that happen.

"It is good to hear from you Dylan."

Dylan could not say the same but felt he needed to go with Patrice on this.

"Thank you for the info on the missing uniform, I know it must have been difficult for you."

The response from Dylan's old comrade was immediate and emphatic.

"You do not need to thank me and I am only too pleased to help you whenever you need me to."

"It seems that whenever I call it is because I want something and I am afraid this time is no different."

Again the response was immediate and positive.

"We served together, we sweated together, we are brothers and I like most of those that served under you would refuse you nothing."

Dylan though gratified by these words felt a pang of guilt at leaving his comrades behind.

"You know I had to leave Patrice, I could not stay after what happened and there is no going back for me now."

Patrice sounded regretful and sad as he replied.

"Let's not talk of things that will not change and tell me what it is that you are in need of?"

Dylan wanted to explain his actions further but he knew that Patrice would never understand.

"I am sending Lissa and some friends to visit a work village......"

The abrupt interruption caught Dylan by surprise.

"Not now, I would give it a while, we are on high alert at the moment."

Dylan thought he knew why but wanted to confirm that he was right.

"I have noticed more activity from the outer Academies, what is going on?"

With Dylan's knowledge of the system he knew that for it to reach the 50th someone senior was taking things seriously.

"It is nothing apparently a girl attacked a Cadet and we should all run for cover. I think it is a huge fuss over nothing but apparently the Imps are making this girl into something."

Dylan never for a moment doubted John's word but his training informed him that it was Imperative to question the integrity of his information.

"What is known of this girl?"

"Nothing much, it seems that she dresses strangely and the parents of the Imp she helped thought she was a little different."

A direct question to Patrice seemed like a good idea and Dylan thought there was little to lose by asking it.