6. The Agent
      Sylvie heard the knock on the door as she was fixing herself a bowlful of oatmeal. She looked up
from her mixing with a frown. Who could that be? Sylvie didn't think it was any of the neighbors. It was
still fairly early for most folks; many would be heading for their shops or dropping the kids off at school.
      Which reminds me, I've got to start to get ready for classes next week. Sylvie felt a momentary
pang of loss for the personal freedom she had been enjoying, but looked forward to seeing her friends
again.
      The knock came again. "Allright. I'm coming." She hollered. Setting the spatula down on the
counter, she started walking towards the door.
      "Who is it?" she called out as she hung out behind the door. She wasn't going to take any
chances. She wasn't expecting the answer.
      "Special Agent Jonathan Frakes, FBI. I'm looking for a Sylvie Mathison."
      The voice was firm and unyielding. Sylvie's heart hammered painfully in her throat. What was
the FBI doing looking for her? A second, even more unpleasant occurred to her. She had to be sure.
      "How do I know you're FBI?" she asked.
      "Well, for one thing I have this badge." Sylvie peeked through the peephole. Sure enough, there
was a badge that read FBI in front of it. Sylvie couldn't see who was holding it though.
      "Badges can be faked." She said. Good grief! She sounded almost accusatory there! If this guy
was the real deal she could be getting herself into real trouble.
      It was almost a relief when the guy chuckled. "Suspicious huh, good to know. Listen, how about
if I got you're police chief down here. Maybe that will convince you?"
      Sylvie was surprised that he would offer to bring Brodrick here. Maybe he was on the level after
all. Perhaps she should...No. Better to be safe than sorry.
      "I'll call him." She said firmly. Through the peephole, she could see the badge lowered and a
dark-haired man in a black suit walk down the drive towards a blue Mercury.
      Huh. Thought all them FBI guys drove around in black Chevy Tahoe's and stuff. Maybe this guy
ISN'T the real deal. Sylvie dialed quickly. As she waited for the Chief to pick up, she prayed he would
hurry.
       
      Sylvie watched the Police Chief's car pull up to the house. She was standing near the front
window watching the FBI's car closely. In her hands she held her Winchester casually pointed towards
the floor. She felt a bit foolish standing there like a silly goose, but the rifle gave her a sense of security.
      Chief Brodrick got out of his car. His tall frame towered above the other man's The FBI agent
walked forward and extended his hand. The Chief coldly ignored it and jabbed a finger at the other man,
clearly angry at him. Sylvie caught herself leaning forward; trying to hear what was being said. Idiot! She
scolded herself. Like you could hear anything through the glass! There was only one way to get what was
going on out there, but Sylvie didn't want to leave her rifle behind.
      How brave are you feeling? She glanced down at the exquisite piece of craftsmanship in her
hands. She wasn't feeling particularly brave at all. She took a deep breath.
       
      "?nd I don't care who your boss is. You don't come into my town and start questioning people
under my protection without giving me a Goddamn good reason! Preferably in writing!" The chief's face
was flushed and veins stood out on his neck.
      Sylvie stopped a good distance away and crossed her arms. She was unsure whether she wanted
to get any closer when the Chief was like this. She wondered how the other man could stay so unruffled
in the Chief's ire; he was standing their calmly like they were talking about the weather!
      Chief Brodrick finally ran down, chest heaving like a bulldog that had run a quarter mile. The
other man ventured to speak.
      "That was an impressive tirade, Chief...Brodrick was it?"
       The chief nodded curtly in response. The man nodded as if it had confirmed something, but
before Sylvie could ask what he continued on:
      "Listen, Chief. I'm sure this is all a bureaucratic mix-up. You were supposed to have been
informed of my visit this morning by phone."
      Brodrick's eyes took on a wary look. "I was out of the office on a case. Who did you talk to?"
      Frakes shook his head. "You misunderstand, chief. My boss was supposed to have called. You
can ask your deputies later. However, to get to the heart of the matter, my purpose here is simple. I'm
to take Sylvie Mathison, Taryn Grogan, Josh Lazarus, Cindy Aranziel and Megan Laslow into protective
custody." His voice was calm, but Sylvie rocked back on her hooves from the news.
      It's just as I feared. The government is going to take us all and experiment on us! We won't be
safe anymore, not here or anywhere. Nightshade was right.
      Sylvie backed away, ears trying to lay flat against her skull. She longed to have her rifle in her
hands, ready to take down this threat. However, all she could do was stand there.
      Chief Brodrick's eyes opened wide for a moment before narrowing immediately. He glared at
the government agent and practically spat.
      "You aren't going to arrest them. Too many people know about them, and there would be too
much of an outcry if you tried to take them."
      "You don't understand." The agent sounded annoyed. "We merely want to help."
      "What kind of help?" Sylvie asked suspiciously. She had a feeling she knew, and fear bubbled
like acid in her stomachs.
      The agent and Chief Brodrick looked at her. There was sympathy in the agent's eyes, and
curiosity. The chief regarded her warily, it was clear he thought her unable to care for herself. Sylvie felt
irritated, she wasn't a helpless child. She had survived capture and enslavement; surely she could handle
herself here.
      She would show them. Clearing her throat, she continued on. "Well?" she asked impatiently.
"What kind of help are you offering? The chief is handling the investigation, and we have been able to
care for ourselves."
      The agent glanced at the chief before returning his eyes to her face. "The government has more
resources available to you than what the Red Leaf Police Department can offer. Plus, we can give
medical evaluations to help discover what has happened to you, and turn you back to human."
      Sylvie stared. She had often thought about being able to change back, but she had never dared
believe that it was possible. But, "medical evaluations"? It sounded like they wanted to run experiments
on her. Yet...
      A new thought struck her. Perhaps she could help Taryn still. She was happy now, after all. She
had her family back, and her sta?boyfriend with her now. Sylvie was alone. Her parents were busy
rebuilding the town and prosecuting the gang members and whatever else they were doing. She could
go, on her own, with the agreement that no one else would go. She wasn't sure she would be able to
pull that off, but she was confident she could at least try.
      "All right, agent Frakes," she told him. "I'm willing to go along with you for now, but I've got
conditions."
      "Sylvie, what are you doing?" Brodrick asked nervously.
      "What conditions?" Frakes asked warily.
      "I'm doing what needs to be done." She told Brodrick firmly. To Frakes; "Yes. You get me. And
only me. No one else goes to your labs and...prisons. Just me."
      The agent's brows lifted clear to his hairline. He watched her closely for any sign of trickery or
mockery. Sylvie gave him a flinty stare. At last, Frakes nodded. "All right. Let me clear that with the
Director, and we can get started."
      Sylvie frowned, the question slipped out before she could catch herself, "Director?"
      His calm  brown eyes met hers. "The Director of the FBI, Robert E. Carter."
      Sylvie sucked in a breath. The head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation himself! What had she
gotten herself into?! Visions of secret labs, white-suited doctors and small white rooms filled her eyes,
and it was all she could do not to run in fear.
      The Chief moved next to her elbow and began whispering quietly.
      "Sylvie, do you know what you are doing?"
      "Of course I do." Sylvie answered with a bravado she certainly didn't feel. "I'm going to help
everyone out here. No one disappears but me, and I can help find a way to track down Roland and beet
the living daylights out of him for turning us in the first place."
      "You can do that here, you know. We've got the facilities, and good men and women who will
watch out for you."
      "I know that, Chief." She said quietly. She could read the concern and fear in his eyes. "This is
just something that I have to do."
      "Your stubborn, you know that? What about your Mom and Dad, they're not going to be happy
about this. They've done as much as they could to keep you girls out of their clutches, and now you're
going willingly over to them?"
      Sylvie gulped slightly. "I know. But what's the alternative? To be taken 'forcibly' in? To be
treated like criminals, all of us? Perhaps put in separate cells never to get out? I can't do that to Taryn,
she's just got her life back, and it's better than when she started. I've got nothing."
      "That's certainly not true, young lady." The chief hissed angrily, his ire rising. "I tell you?"
      He cut off as the agent came back. Frakes glanced curiously between them, but decided to leave
whatever it was alone. He faced Sylvie.
      "Well, I spoke to the director and he agreed to some of your conditions. But I think you're going
to like his counter-offer better anyway."
      Sylvie knew she had to tread warily. Her father had always told her that bargaining with
politicians was like sticking your head in a mountain lion's den. If you were lucky, the lion wasn't home.
If your weren't... "What kind of offer?"
      "Simple really. The government will lease one of the buildings here in the downtown area. You
will come in once a week with everyone and the docs will run tests, psych evals, a full battery. Should
take about six hours, and then you go home until the next week."
      Sylvie's eyes narrowed. When something sounded too good to be true, it usually meant it was.
"What's the catch?" she asked suspiciously.
      Frakes laughed. "You've been watching too many shows, young lady. The government isn't
some big, evil conglomerate bent on suppressing the will of its people. We merely want to understand
what has happened to you, how it happened, and how we can stop it from happening in the future." His
eyes took on a more serious cast. "What Roland did has been classified as domestic terrorism, and
several agents have already been assigned to take him down. We appreciate your assistance in this
matter."
      Sylvie snorted. "Good luck with that. How can you catch someone that isn't there, except when
he wants to be?"
      Frakes smiled. "We're very good." He said confidently.
      It sounded like bravado to Sylvie. After what she had seen of Roland, she doubted any agent
could take him down, and as for an assault team? Roland would probably turn them into frogs or
something. She doubted the agents could handle Roland, but would she rather see the chief get hurt
trying himself? Or any of her friends in the effort?
      Sylvie felt sick inside as she explored the thought more. Was she actually going to trade other
peoples' lives, just to protect her friends? Of course not. It just wasn't in her. If anyone could take
Roland down, it would have to be her. After all, he had already transformed her. What more could they
do to her? Best not to let him know that, though.
      Keeping her face composed was a challenge, but one that Sylvie was able to handle. "Well, I
certainly can't argue with that." She said as levelly as she could. Inside though, her hearts were
hammering like hammers. "However, you said nothing about the experiments only being done on me."
      "That's correct." Frakes admitted. "The Director doesn't think we'll get a big enough sample
with just one subject. He would like you to see reason on this. We can't mend a broken bone with a
single band-aid!"
      "No." Sylvie said firmly. "It's me, or nothing."
      Frakes raised an eyebrow. "I could get a court-order to the contrary." He said levelly.
      "But you won't." Sylvie answered him just as levelly.
      "What makes you so sure?" he asked softly, a knife being slid from its sheath. He was trying to
intimidate her, Sylvie realized, and she wasn't going to have any of it!
      "Because, it's much easier to get results with willing test subjects than hostile ones. Even I know
that from my lab class." Sylvie answered matter-of-factly.
      "True." Frakes agreed. "However, I don't think you realize the gravity of the situation..."
      "Oh, I think I have a fairly good grasp of it." She said dryly, gesturing to her back half.
      "Yes, er...quite." Frakes admitted, blushing slightly. Sylvie was fascinated at the way the red
tinge appeared at the base of his neck before traveling up to his cheeks.
      "Besides." Sylvie said cheerfully, "I'm sure they can get all they need from me. After all, I was
changed by the same costume!"
      "But there might be variations in the...energy...used to...transform...you than your friends."
Frakes picked his words carefully, like he was desperately trying to avoid the word "magic". Sylvie
giggled at the thought.
      "Of course." Sylvie said after bringing her giggling back under control. Frakes seemed slightly
annoyed with himself. "But the offer still stands as it is. I would be more than happy to take you up on
your offer of having the lab here in town, though!"
      Frakes nodded. "And if the others want to come on their own?" he asked quietly.
      Sylvie leaned forward with a snarl. "You will do nothing at all to tell them what's happening.
These...experiments," and the word was an epithet in her mouth, "will be on me, and only me. You will
not hurt them, got it?"
      Frakes had surreptitiously placed his hand next to his coat when she leaned forward, and by the
time she had finished he had his hand on his gun and was staring worriedly at her. He still listened
though, and took his hand off his gun when she moved back.  He glanced at the chief, but saw only a
stone visage.
      "All right, then. We'll play it your way for now."
      Frakes went back to his car and started the engine. In moments the car had pulled out of the
driveway and headed back towards the city. Sylvie watched it go and turned to find Brodrick right
behind her.
      Jumping back slightly, she uneasily tried to get by. I'm going to hear all about it now, she sighed.
There wasn't anything for it, however. It was the right thing to do, she knew. People needed to know
how this costume stuff worked and how to track it, trace it, whatever it was they did. If she was really
lucky, they might even find a cure, though it was highly doubtful.
      She was surprisingly successful in getting around him, but he fell in step beside her as they
headed back into the house. Ben waited until they had walked the living room and had shut the door
before erupting.
      "Alright, you want to tell me what in tarnation you're up to?" he struggled to keep his voice
level. "Last week you were vowing to stay as far away from labs and doctors as you could, and now
you're willingly going to the government?"
      "I know chief," Sylvie said quietly. "But I don't think I really had a choice in the matter anyway.
He would have brought us in with or without our consent. This way, the others can stay away and live
normal lives, and only I go."
      "What do you mean? I could have stopped him." The argument sounded weak, and it was clear
he knew it and was not happy about it.
      "How chief?" Sylvie said reasonably. "You'd have to put us in protective custody yourself and
turned the station into Fort Knox with the FBI surrounding the building. No, this is the best way."
      The chief looked strangely at her. "Since when did you think these things through to such
detail?" he asked. He sounded...impressed and suspicious.
      Sylvie paused and pondered. "Guess after talking to Taryn." She shrugged. "We both knew the
government was going to be after us, Nightshade practically guaranteed it. This way, only one of us
loses."
      "You're not losing, damnit." The chief roared. "You've won! Nightshade is in jail, he can't get to
you."
      Sylvie shook her head. "Are you so sure about that chief?" All of a sudden she felt more tired
than she had since the circus. "He told us this would happen, and he said that others were after us as
well. Research labs and eco-groups and others that wanted to use us for their own purposes. The only
way we kept ahead of them was by moving. Well, that ain't an option here. All we can do is hope the FBI
can keep the others away. I'm tired of running, and I'm tired of being so scared all the time. I just want it
to end." She finished in a whisper. Sylvie hung her head, feeling tears sting at her eyes. She wasn't going
to cry, she sniffed to herself. She wasn't.  
      The chief wrapped her hand in his massive paw. "Listen to me, Sylvie." He said gently. "I cannot
tell you if this is ever going to end. To be honest, my department and Greg's office has been flooded
with emails and calls about you two. I haven't heard a peep from Anna, but I'm sure her office is just as
bad. We've been handling them on our end. There's no reason why we can't continue this way."
      "And if they send another Big John after us?" she smiled wanly. "I'm not going back to slavery,
chief. I'll die first."
      "That isn't going to happen." He protested. "I've got officers monitoring all you guys at all times.
You've probably seen them patrolling the neighborhood frequently. And at the range, everyone there is
keeping an eye on you. Although," he chuckled slightly, "If anyone has ever seen you shoot that rifle of
yours, they wouldn't want to get within a thousand yards of you."
      Sylvie felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. "Thanks chief." She said softly.
      "Well, I can see you've made up your mind." The chief sighed. "There is one thing I'd like to
know though. How are you going to break this to your parents?"
      Sylvie felt the bottom plummet out of her stomach. She gulped. "I have no idea." She admitted.
"I don't even know if they'll be home tonight, they've been so busy." She shook her head. "I'll probably
be midway through the appointments before they slow down enough to find out what's going on."
      "I wouldn't be so sure of that, if I were you." Ben said. "You've got to tell them Sylvie. There's no
other way. I'll bring them both down here. You've got about an hour to rehearse what you're going to
say."
      He strode for the door. Putting his hand on the handle, he paused. "Did you want me to bring
Taryn?" he asked.
      "No!" Sylvie yelped. "I don't want her to find out. Please, don't tell her. She'd probably insist on
going herself. She's so happy, I don't want to trouble her." She babbled.
      The chief gave her a reproachful look. "You should tell her." He said slowly. "But I'll leave the
choice up to you." He left.
      Sylvie watched him go for his car before collapsing in the middle of the floor. "My parents." She
moaned. "What am I going to tell them?" Sylvie stared at the ceiling as the sun started to wan, and
could find no answer.