In new ways

Electra liked her work, her colleagues, and she always found her tasks interesting and motivating. But as she left the Bond twins and their old friend at the station, she felt, that something was odd. She didn't want to leave the little group. She was curious where would they go, and what kind of adventure they would experience. Electra suddenly felt a strong desire to be the part of those adventures. She was a regular in this world from her early childhood with her aunt, but she never discovered too much of the island. Although she was traveling a lot throughout the kingdoms, but all of them was business trips, with strict routine. The nun had never felt any urge to see more of the kingdoms, but these kids had made her realize, that in her heart she really wanted to travel freely and discover those things, she had learned. Maybe was she starting to burn out?

She shook her head, as she arrived to her temple. Nobody was waiting for her, but she didn't take it to the heart. It was in the middle of the day, her colleagues, pardon, subordinates were probably working. The nun called back her quad into her hand device, and stepped in. The corridors were also empty, so she was heading towards the main hall. When she entered to the hall, all of her colleagues had been there. She immediately noticed the tenseness in the air. Moreover, there weren't any trace of food or drinks, so the people obviously didn't gather to celebrate.

"Hello everybody!" Electra smiled to them. "What's new? How did you do without me?"

"We managed." Will, her assistant answered, with a serious tone.

"And?"

"We managed better, than with you."

The people were in silence. This silence was awkward. Everybody avoided to see into Electra's eyes.

"I acquired a big project! A really huge one, with a lot of money it it! You have never could get it! Thus the group have chosen me, as a new leader." Will stated.

"Understood." Electra nodded. She didn't know what project had been Will talking about, but it was suspicious.

"So, I am the leader now. Please pass the keys, the codes and the documents. After that, it would be best for everyone that you leave the church."

"Don't rush, Will." Electra lifted her hand up to stop her ex-colleague. "You are hurrying. Changing leader is only allowed by the consent of investors and owners." She smiled at Will. "So until the vote, I am the leader."

"But..."

"If any of you do not like the procedure, I will accept it if you go on leave or resign." She said in warning tone. "This also applies to you, Will!"

Nobody said a word to her, and all of the people were still avoiding to look at her.

"Now, you come to MY office, and report what has happened in the last 6 days! The others, return to your work!"

Electra turned tail and headed for her office. Will followed her. Not too willingly, but he did it anyway.

The nun was angry, disappointed, and frustrated, but she didn't let these feelings out. She couldn't, or she would kill her assistant. So in the next few hours they were immersed in work. Will had to report of the previous days, and he really got a big work to the temple. Electra didn't like the project, because two of the temples went already bankrupt because of that. She asked him, to leave the papers at her, and started to discuss about everyday tasks. She made some changes in the work schedule, what Will had previously made. She knew her colleagues well enough to not force them over their boundaries. The man disagreed.

"Why don't you let them try to be better?" He asked. "They need some challenge to improve! Don't push them back to the mediocrity!"

"Okay, do as you like." Electra stood up. She was tired, and didn't feel like to argue with the man.

"If you have no more questions..."

"No, I have no more questions."

"Then, I am leaving."

"Good night."

"Good night." Will said and quickly left. He was glad, because of his winning over his future exboss.

The woman sighed, and stepped out to the veranda. She opened a chocolate bar, and watched as the air darken. Her thoughts were wondering to the kids and the old man. She wondered if they had had a good time in the Salt Pan. They probably used up the credits of her permission to buy something pretty for themselves. Her heart ached a bit… much. She would rather wanted to be there, in that old, worn out caravan with the kids, and waiting for the next surprise than dealing with a daydreaming assistant. Electra wanted to be a kid again.

She sighed. An adult couldn't return to the childhood again. She had to work. At least until Will takes her place. Electra went back to her office, and began to read the papers of Will's project. Two hours later she was frozen from fear. Will jumped into something very dangerous. He was always reckless and thoughtless. The money was generous, but the contract was strict. And the conditions could only be met with strenuous work. Almost unachievable. Almost. They would lose everything, if they couldn't complete the task. The way out of this contract was only one: going to bankrupt.

Electra was thinking hard until past midnight. She could find only one solution to avoid the bankruptcy and save this temple, and the asses of her employees. But she had to act quickly, there was no time to postpone the inevitable. She looked around in her office, and in her room. There weren't too much personal things in them. Electra sighed, and pushed the button on her hand device. Her personal belongings were vanished into the device one after the other. She caressed the furniture, and the walls. Those were so precious to her in the last five years. She didn't cry. It was a silent farewell. In the end she got out a piece of paper, and wrote down a few things.

"Are you really leaving then?" She heard a voice, when she left her office.

"Rock..."

"Not all of us support Will."

"I am just going on a holiday. That's all."

"Holiday? You have never went on a holiday." He said surprised.

"That's why I have collected 23 weeks of paid holiday." Electra sighed. " So now is the right time to relax and take a biiig trip over the Island."

"When will you come back?"

"After the New Year's Eve. If I will be needed."

"Will is a very strong and powerful leader."

"Yes. He is."

"Is it the cause, that you are sneaking out in the middle of the night, like a thief?"

Electra was watching the sad face of her former colleague. She really like him, as a dedicated engineer, but she was unable to tell him about Will's mistake. Electra really wished that the people of this temple could fulfill the requirements of the new project. Probably Will would manage it. Although Electra hated Will at that moment, she didn't want to nullify the chances to the others by telling them about the other temple's bankruptcy.

"I am going on a holiday. This gives you time to decide whether you want to work with Will, or not." She said in the end.

"I want to work with you."

"Rockwell..." Her voice trembled. She treasured the genius engineer, despite his attraction to analog systems. His steampunk hobby gave them special solutions to problems, so they could fulfill special projects. He was the ace of this temple, and he wanted to work with her! It was heartwarming.

"Do you go back to those kids?" Rock asked.

"Yes, They wanted to leave the upper station early, so I am in hurry." Electra smiled to her former colleague.

"In this case, you will need this!" He said, and handed an old, pink hand device to her.

"Thank you, Rock!" She said, and hugged the man.

"I turbocharged with a bit of old parts and memory. I hope that girl will like it."

"Sure."

"I hope she will pay you a fair amount for this device. They made a lot of money in the Noble race. We have heard."

"Yes, they are rich. But they are kids, and don't aware, how rich they are!"

"What do you mean?"

"Children can't deal with that amount of money, they have. I will manage their finances, so they could live freely from the pressure of owning a lot of money. They are only used to manage their pocket money, so they need someone, who does the work with their remaining amount. So the twins simply can't do a thing with this amount of money, don't even know how to. They are kids, and there's no meaning to force them to grow up before they reach the proper age. I just want to see them freely exploring, laughing and enjoying the treasures, the Island gives us. It's all they need now."

"You will be a good mother!" Rock said, and sucked on his nose. "You were also a very good boss!"

"You know my number, Rock! Call me, if you need me! Anytime!"

Rockwell hugged her, and said goodbye. Electra stepped out of the gate of the temple, and didn't look back. She couldn't see so much anyway, it was a dark night. In more than one meaning. Electra was walking until the end of the street, not wanting to wake up the sleeping people, then called her quad, and pushed the accelerator pedal.

***

K.O. woke up early, with the first sign of the dawn. He decided on laying a bit more, not to wake up the kids. The previous evening was a bit stressful of him. He had seen the twins quarrel, but not so much a quarrel yet. Conrad wanted to examine his crystal, and Valerie became bored. So the girl provoked her brother, and they were crying and roaring for an hour. Like an old couple. K.O. sighed. He almost felt himself too old to guide these kids alone. They were obedient in th Kingdom of Hydrogen, but it could be from the shock, they had had. Now, they were too lively, like normal kids, and he had no experience with dealing two children at once. Maybe they would calm down, when they start working again. But it would be nice to have someone next to him!

A soft tap was heard on the door of the van. K.O. got out of the bed, and opened the door.

"What a nice surprise!" He greeted the nun of the Lithium temple. "Sister Electra!"

"I have just brought it to Valerie!" Electra showed him the hand device. " It was mine, but my former engineer refurbished and tuned up a bit. And I am no longer a nun." She informed the old man.

K.O. took a look at the former nun from head to toe.

"Do you want an ear?" He asked.

Electra nodded, and they both sat down to the stairs of the caravan. She told him about her assistant's betray and her sudden leave.

"So you also have a lot of pressure on your shoulder." He said, and gave a chocolate bar to the woman.

"Yes. "She nodded, and accepted the chocolate. "Thank you."

"Do you have any plans for your holiday?" K.O. asked her, while she was nibbling the bar.

"No. Nothing. Really. Everything happened too quickly, so I couldn't make any plans for the holiday, just coming here. But I feel, I want to explore the Island more. I have never done that before, and now I have time. I thought I'd ask you if I could accompany you."

"You are welcome!" K.O. said with a wide smile. "I don't know where will you sleep, but the more the merrier."

"I have a camping mat with blanket, if you could find me some place."

"We will solve it. I'm glad you're here with us. Let's wake up the twins, and leave to the Kingdom of Carbon!"

"Do we really have to wake them up? They are so cute, in their sleep!" Electra asked the old man in a low voice.

"I agree. They were not so cute yesterday evening. I thought they would never fell asleep!" K.O. laughed. "But we have to leave, if we want to mine some coal today afternoon. Wake them up, please!"

Electra sat down next to Conrad, and began caressing the twin's shoulders.

"Hello! It is time to wake up!"

Valerie and Conrad were murmuring something, and pulled the blanket over their heads.

"Hey, kids! Wake up!" K.O. cried. "Look, who's come!"

The twins woke up slowly, but they were sitting up, and both of them rubbed their eyes.

"Good morning!"

"Sister Electra!"

The kids were happy to see their friend, and erupted in cheers, when they were informed about that Electra would accompany them.

"Don't you have to work?" Conrad asked worried.

"A few things have changed since I left this Kingdom." Electra answered. "I am not a nun anymore so I could go whenever I want."

"Why aren't you a nun anymore?" Valerie asked.

"Because my assistant was chosen to be the priest of the temple, so I fell out of the title of nun. I am free now."

"How do we call you now?" Conrad asked hesitantly. "You are not a Sister anymore."

"Call me Elie!" The woman smiled to them.

"So, Conrad, Valerie and Elie! Wake up, because we should leave as soon as we can!" K.O. rumbled.

The little group quickly tidied up, and sat down into the seats of the caravan. K.O. pulled up the anchor, and the balloon slowly rose up to the air. The houses became little, watching from above, and the green mattress of grass and flowers began moving. He kids called out candies and chocolate bars, and all of them were eating silently, as the scenery under them was changing. Slowly at first, but when they had reached a speed, the changing fastened.

"Hey look!" Valerie pointed to a place. "Cacti! Could we take a closer look?"

Everybody looked at the cacti, and when they realized, what did Valerie see as cacti, the adults fought hard to suppress their laughs.

"We have arrived to the Kingdom of Beryllium! Those are not cacti, although the shapes are really look like cacti." K.O. told her, and put his goggles onto the girl's head. "Take a closer look!"

Valerie pulled down the googles to her eyes, and started to adjust the spyglasses.

"Whoaa! Those are really not cacti! Those are green crystals! They are beautiful! Very very beautiful!"

Conrad was also curious, and since Valerie was not intended to pass the goggles to him, he simply tore the off from his sister's head. The twins fought a bit for the goggles, but Conrad won.

"They are different shape, than the Lepidolite and Spodumene, we saw in the Salt Pan!" He said, after he, himself watched the field of crystals.

"Those are Emerald crystals." Elie told him, while consoling Valerie.

"Emerald? I want one!" The girl stated, and she stopped crying.

"We don't have time to stop!" Conrad riposted.

"We have! K.O., Elie! Tell him! He has a big Lepidolite crystal, I want an Emerald!"

"Sorry, Valerie." Elie said, and rubbed the girl's back. "We can't stop and get one. Not because of the time."

"The Emeralds under us is belong to the Kingdom of Beryllium, and you need a special permission to buy one." K.O. told her. " Moreover this kingdom, and the next one is very dangerous."

"Dangreous?" The two kids asked in unison. "Why?"

"The atoms of beryllium and boron are very aggressive. They want electrons anyhow, and don't see where those electrons come from. So they steal and rob others."

"Are they criminals?" Valerie asked astonished.

"They are close to be criminals. It depends on the little ones from whom the electron is torn. The people, who live in these kingdoms, wear special clothes and weapons."

"Like knights?" Valerie was amazed. "I want to take a break here! I want to see them! Please, please, please! Pretty please!"

"Did you forget about the tent, you want to buy?" K.O. asked the hyped girl.

"Ooooh." She said disappointed. "Yes."

"So, which one? Tent or knights?"

"Tent." The girls said in a sad voice after some time of thinking.

"Don't worry!" Elie consoled her. "You could come back here later. Moreover in the everyday life we could call beryllium and boron poisonous."

"Are we using it for anything at all?" Conrad asked disappointed.

"Take those goggles, and look up to the sky." Elie told him on a mysterious voice.

Conrad obeyed, and started to examine the sky above the balloon.

"I don't see anything!"

"Be patient, and search for more. Look the air above that town!"

"Airplanes!" He said, amazed. "And rockets, and drones!"

This time Valerie was the inpatient one, and get the goggles back. She also wanted to see the objects. Since they started to fight again, Elie sat between them.

"The Beryllium is used for making these vessels. That's why this country is under military control. More than, the Kingdom of Lithium. But this kingdom is richer, because of the semi-precious stones."

"Why are they just semi-precious?" Valerie asked, and since she was bored watching the satellites, she gave back the goggles to her brother.

"Emerald and Aquamarine are not too expensive gems. There are relatively a lot from them."

"But Emeralds are beautiful." Valerie stated. "I don't care about their price. They are beautiful anyway."

The adults laughed.

"What's that wall?" Conrad suddenly asked, and pointed out to a big, visible wall, made of stones. "It would look like the Big Wall in China, but this one is covered a lot of greenery."

"That's the wall of BAt!" Elie answered in a frightening tone. "Don't go near that, or else the bats will..." She made a scary face, like a Halloween witch.

"Don't scare the kids out of their socks, Elie!" K.O. warned her, after watching the shocked children, and laughed.

"But the bats are frightening!" Conrad stuttered.

"Don't worry, there aren't any living bat in the island! I am sorry to scare you!" Elie apologized.

"The bats usually eat insects, so not any bat would eat you, not even in the real world." K.O. added. "They are useful animals."

"Aren't they vampires?" Conrad still stuttered.

"There are one or two kinds of them, which is drinking blood, but they attack only animals. Most of the bats are eating insects, so you are safe, either ways."