"Don't drink the water!" Detrina yelled at the top of her lungs.
Peter put the cup down and looked at her.
"Where did you go?" he asked. "I was just about to call security and have them look for you."
"I saw Eglo and Bymen leaving," she replied. "I think they did something to the water."
"I know one way to find out for sure," declared Peter. "I'll call security and have them analyze the water."
"Security, this is Peter Buckwell from Earth," Peter reported. "I have reason to believe my water has been tampered with. I also have reason to believe they'll try to do the same thing to Gammeid from Terni."
"Stay right where you are," ordered security. "We'll get you some fresh water right away. Do you have any idea who tampered with your water?"
"My trainer saw Eglo and Bymen from Altair 7 leaving the area," Peter replied.
"Did you say Eglo and Bymen?" inquired security. "They're not listed for Altair 7 or any other planet competing in the galactic olympics. Could you describe them for us?"
Peter gave a brief description of the two men. He also told them about their first encounter and how they had tried to get Gammeid to return to Altair 7.
"Thank you for your help," said security when he was finished. "We'll keep in touch with you and let you know if we find them."
"We should have told security about them at the very beginning," grumbled Detrina. "They could have taken care of things for us and this situation never would have occurred."
"Security can't go after anyone without proof," Peter reminded her. "Star Colony #8 is fairly small and so is their security force. They can only tighten security so much. Eglo and Bymen must be good at eluding security or the Ruler wouldn't have picked them to be his assassins, and even if they are captured the Ruler probably has another assassin hiding somewhere."
"If their security is so small how did they manage to get the olympics," wondered Detrina.
"I didn't mean their security is small," corrected Peter. "I just meant it was small compared to other planets in the galaxy. Their security is enough for a major sporting event under normal circumstances, but they did not expect trained assassins to show up. That is why we are needed. We're the only ones who know how to deal with them."
"Speaking of security, here they come with plenty of water!" exclaimed Detrina.
Peter immediately took the water and drank to his heart's content. One of the security officers took the plastic cup of water to the lab to be analyzed. The rest of them stayed with Peter and Detrina in case Eglo and Bymen returned.
"I never did find out what my time was," Peter suddenly realized.
"You completed the medium run in 28 minutes 17.9 seconds," announced Detrina.
"I've never run that fast in my life!" gasped Peter. "I haven't even come close to running that fast. I knew I had good time, but I had no idea it was that good."
"The shake you drank gave you extra energy," explained Detrina.
"Like steriods?" snapped Peter. "Isn't that cheating?"
"Not as long as everybody has an equal chance," Detrina continued. "The Galactic Olympics isn't taken quite as seriously as your olympics. At the olympics on Earth, everybody comes from the same planet and has about an equal chance of winning. At the Galactic Olympics, certain planets dominate certain events. Aquarius dominated swimming, Frigida dominated what you would call the winter events, and so on. They do keep score, but only Terni and the more powerful planets are concerned with it. The others just try to do the best they can do and if they think that drinking a special shake will help, it's totally legal."
"Are all drugs legal?" asked Peter with some concern.
"They do have their limits," admitted Detrina. "but they'll accept anything within reason."
Detrina looked up at the scoreboard which had just flashed the results of another event.
"Terni won an event!" shouted Detrina. "They've moved into fifth place overall."
"Triax might have some competition this year after all," smiled Peter. "If Terni can beat Aquarius in swimming and Frigida in the winter events, they should have no trouble winning the Galactic Olympics."
"Laugh if you want," Detrina told him. "but Terni has won the Galactic Olympics before and they can win it again."
"I never said they couldn't," conceded Peter.
TIME : 2:00 P.M. (14:00)
PLACE : Security Headquarters
When Peter and Detrina were called to Security Headquarters, they knew it could only mean one thing. The water had indeed been poisoned. When they got there, they were immediately greeted by Gammeid and the Chief of Security.
"They found poison in one of my water cups too," said Gammeid. "Thank you for saving me."
"It wasn't my doing," confessed Peter. "Detrina was the one who discovered it."
Detrina blushed slightly. She wasn't used to receiving credit for doing something heroic. The honors normally went to Peter.
"I am Phybliana, Chief of Security," she began. "We found traces of poison in the water cups of both Peter and Gammeid. The water was to be consumed by them right after they finished running. The type of poison is new to us. We don't even know its name, but we do know it's made from chemicals only found on Altair 7. Unlike most poisons which take hours or even days to kill someone, this poison works instantly. It took us several hours to discover it because it is remarkably similar to water. If you drank it, we would have assumed you died of natural causes."
"We need to be more careful with our water supply," observed Gammeid.
"Since we have identified the poison, we should be able to detect it in the future," continued Phybliana. "You should have no more problems with that particular type of poison. However, they might use a different type of poison or a different strategy altogether."
"Peter, I know you're from M.W.G.D.. Why don't you tell me what you're doing here. Maybe we can help you."
"We're here to protect Gam-" started Detrina before Peter cut her off.
"We signed a contract with M.W.G.D. promising secrecy," Peter explained. "We're not allowed to confirm or deny any theories about what M.W.G.D. is doing. If there's a way we can help you without giving away top secret information, we will; but we can't discuss anything about M.W.G.D. with you. I'm sorry."
"You're making our job much harder," complained Phybliana. "I don't want your with the Ruler interfering with the Galactic Olympics. As long as you're here we have to protect you, but I don't like the fact that you're here. Your presence only causes trouble."
"If it weren't for us, Gammeid would be dead and you would have to explain to the press how you let an assassin slip by you," argued Peter.
"I don't want Gammeid here either," Phybliana insisted. "If you know the Ruler is after you, you should keep out of sight."
"I'll try to be as inconspicuous as I possibly can," Gammeid assured her. "but I am competing in the Galactic Olympics."
"We're on your side," Detrina reminded her. "We want to protect the athletes too. As long as we're here, we're going to have to work together. Let's try to put our differences aside and work together. We both need each other's help if we're going to have a chance against the Ruler."
"I know," snapped Phybliana. "That's why I want you to tell me what your mission is. I don't want you here, but if I know why you're here I can minimize the damage."
Detrina looked at Peter who shook his head.
"If it were up to me I'd tell you," sighed Detrina. "but Peter outranks me and he doesn't want me to tell you. I'll have to obey him."
"Understood," frowned Phybliana. "I'll try to work with you, even if you won't cooperate. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."
Peter, Detrina, and Gammeid said good bye and returned to their various activities. Phybliana made sure they were gone before contacting the Ruler.
"Eglo and Bymen have failed," she reported. "Security is searching for them even as we speak. I told them where to hide and told security to search other areas, but it won't be long until they are found."
"Have you talked to them yet?" inquired the Ruler.
"Yes," replied Phybliana. "I talked to all three of them."
"How did it go?" asked the Ruler.
"Gammeid and Detrina trust me completely," she smiled. "Peter is being more cautious, but I don't think he suspected anything."
"You need to separate Peter from the others," commanded the Ruler. "Then you can lead Detrina and Gammeid into a trap. Take your time. You have thirteen days to work with. However, if you fail me I will be forced to use plan C."
"What is plan C?" wondered Phybliana.
"That is for me to know and you to find out," the Ruler answered coldly.
The Ruler broke contact leaving Phybliana to figure out what he meant. Whatever it was, she had to succeed with plan B. The Ruler wasn't very tolerant when it came to failure.
TIME : 6:30 P.M. (18:30)
PLACE : The Terni Training Facility
Peter and Gammeid were once again drinking energy shakes, this time vanilla flavored, while Detrina enjoyed a full meal. Peter was beginning to get use to the effect the shake had on his body shortly after he drank it. He looked enviously at Detrina and her plate full of food.
"Next year you can be the athlete and I'll be the trainer," said Peter.
"I'll pass," smiled Detrina. "Just watching you is enough to tire me out. If it's any consolation to you, you can start eating regular food in six days. Gammeid has to wait until the olympics is over."
"I've been drinking shakes for so long I've forgotten what regular food tastes like," declared Gammeid. "As soon as I get through with one event I have to start training for another, but I enjoy it. It's what I like to do."
"As long as you're happy with it," agreed Peter.
Suddenly, a member of the security team walked in.
"I have a message for Peter, Detrina, and Gammeid," he announced.
"That's us!" shouted Gammeid.
The security guard walked over to them and stood beside them.
"Would you like to sit down?" asked Peter.
"That won't be necessary," answered the security guard. "My message is brief. Eglo and Bymen have been captured by the security. They admit they were sent by the Ruler to assassinate Gammeid, but haven't told us anything else. We hope to get more information out of them soon. Details will be brought to you as soon as they occur."
The security guard left as suddenly as he arrived.
"I don't think our troubles are over yet," Peter stated grimly.
"Why don't you tell security about your suspicions," suggested Detrina.
"I'm not sure security can be trusted," considered Peter. "They have hundreds, maybe even thousands of people. One or more of them might be working for the Ruler. If security could handle the situation by themselves, Shawn wouldn't have sent us."
"We've had a busy day," Detrina told them with some excitement in her voice. "Let's take it easy tonight. Gammeid, why don't you show us some more of the city. I'd like a chance to be by ourselves without any races to keep track of or assassins to catch."
"It will be my pleasure," Gammeid responded. "and if the assassins decide to follow us, we'll be ready for them."
TIME : 11:00 P.M. (23:00)
PLACE : Star Colony #8 Prison
"How could you let them capture you?" demanded Phybliana. "I told you to stay where you were."
"They didn't listen to your instructions," insisted Bymen. "If we hadn't left the area, they would have found us."
"You'll have to stay in jail for a few days, but I promise you'll get another chance," Phybliana began. "Just remember most of the Ruler's assassins don't get a second chance."
"What do you want us to do?" Eglo inquired.
"For the moment, nothing," snarled Phybliana. "You success is dependent on my success. If I fail, the Ruler has a backup plan, one that doesn't include us."
"Are you going to tell us your plan?" wondered Bymen.
Eglo gave him a punch in the ribs to tell him he should have kept quiet. Bymen painfully rubbed his ribs and waited for a reply.
"The Ruler wouldn't tell me his plan, so I won't tell you ine," snapped Phybliana. "Not only did you fail the Ruler, you also made my job much more difficult. It will be harder to deceive them now that they're expecting trouble. If I didn't need you, I'd let you rot in there."
As she left, she turned out all the lights leaving them in the dark.
"This is all your fault!" complained Eglo. "When the Ruler told us to work together, I should have asked for a different partner. I'd be much better off without you."
"You give me all the dirty work so you can blame me if anything goes wrong," retorted Bymen. "I had to sneak up on them and pour the poison in the water. All you did was give the order. Without me, you'd have to do the dirty work yourself. If I'm worthless, you're less than worthless."
"Stop trying to make excuses!" shouted Eglo. "You can't accept the fact that you're a failure."
"I'm not the one making excuses, you are!" insisted Bymen.
The two of them argued well into the night.
Copyright MCMXCV, MCMXCIX
