While Leon was up to his elbows in dirty dishes Captain Wilcox entered the galley. Immediately Leon saluted the captain and soapsuds went flinging off his hand clinging to the Captain's hat. The officer composed himself, wiped off the suds and said, "At ease  idiot."

Leon took a breath.

The captain crossed his arms. "What's your name son?"

"Leon Woods sir."

Holding out his hand the officer said, "Well Mr. Woods I want to congratulate you on the best food this outfit has ever tasted. Where did you learn to cook like that? It tasted as if your very life depended on it."

Tentatively Leon shook his hand. "Yes sir. It did sir."

"Stop with the sirs Leon, it gets on my nerves. Only one sir per sentence."

"Sir, yesss..." Leon swallowed the last sir.

Officer Wilcox meandered around the spotlessly clean kitchen. "You did all this yourself?"

"I've been here all day and night sir." It was after midnight.

"Well Woods, from now on you'll have help, for one more year at least. Meet your new assistant. Get in here old timer." Alfred nervously stepped through the galley door.

"Leon Woods meet Alfred Quest."

Neither one could say a word. There was a stunned silence. Leon's heart leapt with joy knowing how perfectly the Author had provided for him. He knew exactly what he needed before he even asked. Alfred was amazed at the coincidence as well. He marveled how the great Author worked and noted he seemed to enjoy giving surprises.

Wilcox asked, "Do you two jokers know each other?"

"Uh... no sir," Leon lied. "I'm just surprised he's between the age of twelve and seventeen."

Wilcox chuckled and smacked him hard on the back. "No my boy he's well past that. We just needed someone with a little more experienced. But after tonight's meal maybe you could do it alone."

Leon had to think of something fast. He needed his friend Alfred more than he needed air. "No sir. That was my lucky stew. In fact it's the only recipe I know sir."

"Why lookie here... We have us an array of recipes up here on this shelf." The officer reached for volume 7 of Family and Friends Cookbooks.

Behind the officer's back, Leon signaled to Alfred. He shook his head and bulged out his eyes. Alfred interpreted he shouldn't allow the officer anywhere near those recipe books.

Just as the officer was about to open the book Alfred interrupted. "Sir, I'm not only a cook but before Manhattan burned I worked at the Four Seasons."

"I've heard of that restaurant. You were a chef there?" Wilcox seemed impressed.

"The head chef sir." Alfred hoped the King would understand his string of lies.

Checking out his story Wilcox inquired, "When did you work there?"

Alfred glanced at Leon and told another lie. "When I was in my early thirties, sir."

"That was a long time ago..." Wilcox was a bit suspicious.

Leon nodded to encourage his friend. Alfred answered, "Sir a good chef never forgets."

Still interrogating, the officer pressed, "What was your specialty at the Four Seasons?"

"Beef Wellington sir."

Captain Wilcox blew a bit of dust off the book's cover then replaced it neatly on the shelf. "Well then head chef Woods I doubt you'll be needing these old things. I'm not sure we can provide actual cow for your Beef Wellington, however I'd imagine any sort of meat could be substituted."

As Alfred replied, "Yes sir," he saw Leon flinch.

Leon's eyes glanced towards the freezer. He wondered what his old friend would think of the kind of meat they served at Unity Camp.

Izzy, Tommy, Speed and Grace made their way back to the 7th Avenue Subway entrance. Izzy believed this spot had served them well in the past.  Fun-sucker Tommy reminded her that it was this very spot where all the trouble had begun in the first place. Izzy countered his negativity by reminding him it is where he was reborn and fell in love. Tommy seceded.  She duly noted he didn't object to being in love.

The foursome huddled up. Izzy the acting captain spoke, "Okay here's the plan. While I'm looking deranged, Tommy you find a military officer and ask him for help. Got it?"

"Yeah, but uh... what if I can't find someone?"

Izzy growled and stamped her foot. "Gee wiz Tommy it's your only job do you think you can do it without putting a damper on everything?"

Tommy broke free of the huddle. "Sorry Izzy but you smell bad and you look stupid. I don't like taking orders from a girl!" He walked away.

Izzy ran after him, "Well Thomas you're acting more like a girl than I am."

Speed snickered, "She's got you there pal."

Grace interjected, "How 'bout I sniff out a Camy for you?"

Tommy liked taking orders from a dog even less than taking orders from a girl. He asked, "What's a Camy?"

Grace spoke slowly, "It's slang for military personal, they wear camouflage."

"Great and now I'm being mocked by a dog!" Tommy sat on the curb and sulked.

Izzy boosted moral.  "Come on guys, let's just do this okay? We have to rescue the children, Grandpa and Bell."

Bell's name made it crystal clear to Tommy. For once in his life he wanted to be the hero. He looked over at Izzy and saw her squirming on the ground, drooling and convulsing.

Grace nudged her with his nose, "Izzy dear, not too much or else a Camy may just shoot you on the spot. They don't want any spoiled meat if you catch my drift." Speed snorted at the obvious joke.

Izzy cut out the drooling and cooled down the wriggling to a twitch. She asked, "How do I look?"

"Perfect, doll face." Grace crossed to their lookout and asked, "Smell anything Speed?"

"Camies are approaching. Should be here in one minute and twenty-eight seconds."

"Speed you're such a show off." Grace ran back to Izzy who now appeared catatonic with eyes rolled to the back of her head. "Nice touch Izzy... Listen, Speed and I have gotta split. For some reason the Author is sending us on assignment in Woodsburg. You ever hear of it?"

Before Izzy could answer, two Camies appeared with weapons drawn. Immediately they recognized their AWOL attack dogs. The first Camy yelled, "Halt Sting! Stay Motley!" However, the dogs kept on running. Grace and Speed never looked back.

The second Camy crossed over to Izzy who was now sitting on the ground rocking and mumbling to herself. He poked her with his gun. "Hey girlie what's wrong with you? Did those dogs hurt you?" She continued to rock, twitch and drool.

Tommy ran over and began his performance. "Hello officers. Boy am I ever glad to see you. Uh... this here is uh... Myrna.  Something's wrong with her. She hasn't eaten in a really long, long, long time..."

As Izzy rocked she thought, Okay Tommy pull back. And what's with naming me Myrna?

"And what would your name be son?" The first Camy lowered his weapon.

"It's Rocky... Rocky Roads."

Sure give yourself a manly sounding name and give me the worst name ever. You jerk!

The second Camy seemed skeptical, "Well Rocky Roads, how do you and Myrna here know each other? She your girlfriend or something?'

Tommy was appalled. "No way!"

Okay Mr. Roads you don't need to sound insulted.

Tommy driveled, "Myrna here is my sister... yeah that's it... my little sister."

Izzy didn't like her role at the moment. You just wait until I'm done playing a psycho. Your little sister is gonna tear you up your Rocky Road butt!

The first Camy got nose to nose with Tommy. "Well then what are you and your little freaky sister doing out after curfew?"

Izzy was wishing they had role-played earlier.

Tommy was awful at improvisation. She never knew what a bad actor he was. Then she remembered how they had read the parts of Romeo and Juliet in the 7th grade and she shuddered.

"We uh... you see..." Tommy was at a loss for words (which would surprise anyone who knew him well.)

Izzy decided to give him some clues... As she rocked she mumbled repeatedly, "Mommy dead, Daddy dead..."

"Yes my freaky little sister is right. Our parents are both dead, deceased, gone, kicked the bucket, gone paws up..."

Pull up Tommy!

The second Camy crossed to Izzy who was still repeating, 'Mommy dead, Daddy dead.' He kicked her in the side to shut her up. "So where you two orphan-freaks been living?"

As much as he and Izzy didn't get along Tommy wasn't about to let a man kick her. "Sir, please don't hurt her. I know she's annoying but she doesn't deserve to be treated like a dog."

The second Camy shoved the barrel of his gun in Tommy's mouth. "Never tell me what to do. Do you understand boy?"

With the barrel of the gun still in his mouth Tommy cried a muffled, "Yes sir."

The officer withdrew his gun, crossed to Izzy and kicked her in the head. She acted as if she didn't even feel it. There was no way she'd ever give this monster the satisfaction.  "You see this piece of garbage?" He grabbed Izzy by her dirty, spiky hair. "She wishes she were a dog. At least then she'd be of some use to the human population. Dogs can learn to attack or even fetch.  Why this thing isn't even fit for breeding. Who knows what monstrosities this creature would pop out?"

Izzy eyes watered from the pain and her head was bleeding from the heavy boot. Still she remained silent. She knew if she were to cry out Tommy would defend her and then they'd both be shot.

The first Camy crossed to the enraged officer and pulled him off Izzy.  "Tone it down Mohan. She's just a kid. Let's just bring 'em to Fat Camp and be done with it."

"No!" Mohan pulled away. "This one..." he yanked Tommy up by the neck. "He comes with me to Unity Camp. I personally wanna train this creep myself. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger punk. Well I plan on killing you!" He dropped the gasping boy to the ground. "But before basic training is done I'm gonna make certain you get some government issued Grade D Myrna meat."

-End of Chapter 10-

Author's note: So much is happening! Do you think Ella will enter the story again? Would you want her to?
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