Hidden in the Shadows -One Piece-

Chapter 4

"He must be interesting if he has caught your attention...Know anything else on him?" he said as he read the information. Ashlee could tell he was now trying to pry some information out of her, so she decided it would be a good time to be going. She picked up her pack and hung the strap off one shoulder.

"Well, I would love to stay and chat, but I'm currently on a tight schedule, so I'll be taking my leave now. I'll send word in a few weeks," Iceberg nodded his head as she gave a small bow, and walked to the large double doors.

She was opening one when a thought came to mind. It was about the storm that wreaked Rook's fishing ships. 'It's too soon for it… But it's possible.''

"Iceberg-san," she kept her back to him, "also, the Aqua Laguna might be coming at around the same time I do. It would be wise to start preparing,"

"Nma… Thanks for the heads up Lee-chan."

"It's no problem," she nodded her head, walking out of the room, letting the doors close behind her.

"AH! Lee-san! What are you doing here?" Kalifa, who was walking to Iceberg's office, asked when she saw Ashlee.

"Thanks for the job info. I'll going to go and get supplies and leave tomorrow. I'll be back in a few weeks. Boss' orders," 'Lee' replied rather coldly when she walked past the woman. Not that she had a very good reason for acting as such. What Ashlee had been doing for the past three years, lying and digging up information, was no different than what Kalifa and the others had been doing.

'Maybe it's because they were able to pull the wool over my own eyes for nearly a year," Ashlee grudgingly though as she walked through the building and through the front doors.

At that time the marines, and more importantly, the CP9, had hired her for some information in a personal business meeting, which is where she learned the true identities of the four people she thought she knew and a few others.

'As long as they don't put the pieces together about 'Lee' and the 'Shadow Informant' are the same person I will be alright…'

Luckily, even before she knew of their identities of the CP9, something had always 'rubbed her wrong' about the secretary, so her attitude had always been on the cold side towards her, even if it was uncharacteristic if the 'happy-go-lucky' Lee.

---

'Lee' fiddled with the coils of rope hanging off her rolled up jeans as she walked around the city , seeing as she now had the rest of the day off to get supplies. She still smiled, waved, and laughed with people who passed by and chatted with her, but her thoughts kept con circulation back to the final thing she said to Iceberg,

'Aqua Laguna huh...' a troubled expression fell onto her face when people had finally become too busy to notice her. The thoughts of the giant tidal wave always made her uneasy, and knowing that the rest of the citizens here at Water 7 were for the most part alright with living on a slowly sinking tourist island slightly bothered her even more so. As much as she liked living staying here, Ashlee knew sooner or later she would have to leave,

'Maybe Sabaody. I have a good flow of Intel coming from that island already, and it would be easier to try and access the New World info if I set up there. Plus then I will no longer have to fear falling into the water every few steps, or about any annual giant tidal wave,' Ashlee thought as she leaned over a vendors fruit display, picking out the ones she would take along. She waved the merchant good bye and continued walking. For a few seconds it sounded like a good idea, but she then frowned as she placed her fresh oranges, apples, limes, and bananas in her pack. 'No, not Sabaody. Marines, Nobles, and Pirates with personal vendettas against me are crawling all over there and that's one of the first islands they check to see if that's where I hide. For now, Water 7 is my best bet. Besides, right now I have some amazing assets here… Though I would rather die than say that to his face. He has enough of an ego as is,' she was thinking that, walking down the main street with people everywhere, when she felt the hairs on her arms go up the tiniest amount. Taking a quick peek through her peripheral vision also confirmed what she thought, seeing the people all around stop, stare, gap or glare at something, or one behind her.