Chapter 30

February 18, 2001

She stood in the middle of the EBEE main meeting room, with Andrew to her right. She didn't want to be there, she knew that it meant trouble. She focused on steeling her mind, harder than she ever had to, harder than she did when facing Lord Meozo. Her mind went to Frank and she wondered if it wouldn't be better to break up with him. She knew Princess Veronica could handle herself, but she also didn't want more trouble coming her way: she didn't want more attacks on the royal vampire family and wondered if it was related to her.

"Blue Thunder, it was brought to our attention that your contract with The Northerners had been renewed for another 3 years. Is that correct?" said Phraton.

"Yes, it is correct. I told you that my flyball career wasn't going to end at the end of this season. When I agreed to start an apprenticeship with the European Bureau of Elemental Energy, I made it very clear that my flyball career was going to be my main focus, until it would be time to end it. That time hasn't come yet."

"Very well. We will be discontinuing your partnership with Eva Suri of the Canadian Ministry of Mythical Affairs and will be assigning you local cases instead," said Rolland.

"It was also brought to our attention that you were in Chicago with Princess Veronica this past Wednesday and intervened when a group of elves attacked The Bloody Velvet. Why were you there and why didn't you tell us your version of the events?" said Phraton.

"In all due respect, elders, my apprentice does not have to tell you anything regarding how she decides to spend her free time. If she wishes to see Princess Veronica when off work, she does not need to obtain your approval first. As far as I know, the members of the royal vampire family of Chicago aren't our enemy, I fail to see how this is a problem," said Andrew.

"The attack occurred in Chicago, in an establishment owned by King Matthew. It was a local vampire affair involving elves and I wasn't there on official business. I am an apprentice for the European Bureau of Elemental Energy: it is not my place to decide for King Matthew whether he wants you to know."

"Chicago is under the jurisdiction of the American Elemental Enforcement Agency, not ours. If my apprentice is to get into any sort of trouble, it would be for not telling them. However, like I just said a minute ago, she was there in her own free time. If there is nothing else, we shall take our leave."

"One last thing," said Phraton, "are you planning on ending your relationship with Princess Veronica?"

"I have not decided yet on that matter."

Andrew grabbed her right hand and led her out of the room.

"Never ever let them lecture you on what you decide to do when not on official business," said Andrew once out of the EBEE compound. "I do not know what they got up their sleeves, but something does not smell right. Whatever you do, make sure to stay close to the Chicago vampires."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks for having my back."

"I know I didn't want you as my apprentice at first, but you turned out to be the best decision that the EBEE had ever made for me, and I'm truly honoured to be your mentor. That being said, I will go back to Lalima before they send me to some random places."

They both jumped on their stick and flew away, in different directions. Coralis took off in Montreal's direction. Once she was beyond the British skyline, she turned her hologram on and set it on satellite phone mode to call Prince Hendrick.

"Hey!" she said when he picked up the phone. "I've got some juicy news for you, you're alone with a few minutes to spare?"

"Hold on, I'll be all ears in a minute," he said and walked out of the meeting room he was in. "Spill."

She told him about the meeting she just had with the EBEE elders.

"Hmm, if not mistaken, this Phraton is an elf, right?"

"Yes, he is. If they want to end my partnership with the CMMA, I can only assume that it is their way to force me to divide my time between Mirabel and London, leaving me no time to come to Chicago, or no reason to."

"Thank you for letting me know about this development. I was in a meeting with my dad, Charlie and some advisors, but I'll wait for it to be over before I tell my dad. He needs to know about this, but at this point, I can't say that I trust his advisors. If I can convince my dad to send Veronica to pay a visit to some local fay moguls, do you wanna accompany her?"

"If I don't have a game, I will gladly go with her."

It was 9:05, Montreal time when she landed on her rooftop. She was hoping that Erik and Henry were still there. She shifted into Cheetah, jumped down and her balcony, and up on the window's ledge. She was glad to see them in the kitchen, making breakfast while Victoria was brewing coffee. She scratched the window.

"Welcome back sis," said Henry, as he opened the window to let her in.

Coralis shifted back and told them about why she had to go to London. She also told them about the previous one she had this week, as she hadn't seen the twins for the past 2 weeks.

"Holy gods from above, this got quite a snaky smell," said Erik. "I have to agree with you on it, better if they think you and Princess Veronica are a couple."

"Yeah, but now I'm starting to think that I should end things with Frank. I really like him, but I can't drag him into this mess. Right now, the EBEE thinks that I'm with Veronica, but I think they'll be watching me closely and make sure I've got no free time. I can't risk them finding out about him, I don't even wanna think of what they would do if they find out the truth."

"Don't think like that sis, I think he's good for you. You know what, I am going to tell mom all about him and you know she is going to want to meet him," said Henry with a devious smile.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she insists that we take our next summer vacation in Montreal, just so she can meet him, so you better be sure to keep him around until then," said Erik, giving a high-five to his brother.

"Sis, you do know that Gus got his own web security firm and that he does some work for the EBEE? Bet he can find out if the EBEE got eyes on you and twist some stories around," said Henry.

"We told you we'd help you to keep him safe, although I think you might have to reveal yourself to him sooner than later," said Erik.

Erik and Henry left before lunchtime. After they left, she decided to call Sonylla, a CMMA agent with whom she trained with a few times in Winnipeg, to see if she was available for a spar session. Sonylla was a fire mage the same age as Coralis. She was on her way to Winnipeg to train with Panjik, a spirit mage who was responsible for agents' training at the CMMA, and agreed to spar with her.

Coralis got there mid-afternoon. While fighting with Sonylla, she told her about the EBEE decision to end her partnership with Eva. Panjik was listening, and so was High Mage Finnas.

Coralis' pager went off. She turned her hologram into satellite phone mode, thinking she'd have to find one that could be turned into a human cellphone, and dialled the number on it.

"Oh joy," she said as she ended the call and set the device back to hologram mode. "The MI6 wants to meet with me and Eva. Thanks Sonylla for the spar session, I needed it, but I gotta go."

High Mage Finnas indicated to Panjik to follow him and left the training room. Panjik followed him to his office, where he saw High Fay Ellya standing near an oval meeting table by the windows.

"Tell me, Panjik, what do you think of Blue Thunder?" asked High Mage Finnas.

"If it was up to me, I would seek to hire her as an agent if she ever gets let go by the EBEE, and officially pair her up with Eva Suri," said Panjik.

"You have been working with her a few times in the past few months, do you have any idea of why the EBEE would want to terminate her partnership with Eva Suri?" said High Fay Ellya. "Finnas mindlinked me of what he heard. Lately, the wolves have been specifically asking for us to send them agents Blue Thunder and Eva Suri. It seems that Blue Thunder is the only elemental they trust on their cases."

"I cannot fathom why they would want to do that. Blue Thunder is a highly skilled warrior, I can understand why the EBEE may be looking forward to the day her flyball career ends. However, with the rise of new extremist groups, more than ever, I believe that we must closely work with all mythical factions, before a war erupts within the supernatural world. That partnership between Blue Thunder and Eva Suri is doing a wonderful job in bridging mythical communities," said Panjik.

High Mage Finnas looked at High Fay Ellya, and their eyes turned white for a few seconds. She nodded to him and he smiled.

"The EBEE needs us more than we need them. I'm going to put some pressure on them: if they insist on foolishly pulling agent Blue Thunder from her collaborations with us, I will pull ALL of our agents working on European soil."

"They don't want to lose the pixies," added High Fay Ellya.