Chapter Ten [Believe it or not... Thank Raven]:In the Morning

A/U Ok, yeah, it's really short, but that's all I can get written tonight, and I wanted to post something before I went out of town. I promise I'm... going to REALLY try to write the next chapter as soon as I get back... Or the day after... Or the day after that..., but you know. At least this is something- compared to the usual nothing. ~cough~
So- remember how Jericho barged into Timothy Curtis's house Israel, Kal, and Raven were deciding what to do, and Israel got a phone call from that all-knowing most wonderful and magical person known as Skyril? Mm-hmm... You remember... I'm sure you do... At least a tad, right??

Jericho Matteus

  A bell rang. Well, a doorbell. Harris-the-butler opened the oaken door of the study. There was a gun to the back of his head... A double barrel sawn-off shotgun, in fact. I admired the choice.

"Friends of yours, I presume, Master Matteus?" Israel smacked the back of Harris's head and asked for some rum.

"I'm afraid we do not have rum, sir. If you desire strong spirits there are selective choices over there. Now if you'll excuse me, I have other things to do today besides be threatened by young men with guns." Harris replied. Israel waved his shotgun around, but Harris walked past, ignoring him. He shrugged, holstering the it.

"Rude of him, if you ask me. I mean... I asked nicely! ish...! Anyway! Hey, Jericho, what's up? Any leads? I have a one, quite a good one, in fact if you ask me! I think I just said that. Did I just say that? Yes, I did. But you should probably ask since you're kind of part of our... er... escapade... adventure... detecting squad- not squad; squad is a silly word. Legion? Legion's a good word... No, I'll just go with gang. Nice, universal term...."

Raven walked past him into the study. "Please do ask him, Jericho. He won't tell us."

Kallista seemed to appear out of the shadows of a bookcase. "Ooo! He has the Bloody Jack Adventures! Love those books, I do.... Yeah, I even offered Israel a specially Kallista-made cupcake... But he turned me down, if you can believe it! I was even planning on making my especially special recipe!" She leaned forward, hand on one side of her mouth, and whispered in conspiratorial tones, "Blackberry and tomato!"

I cleared my throat, "Well, Israel, although I do not know why you came in here... What did you find out?"

"Oh, I can't tell you. "

Raven looked at him deadly, "Seriously?"

"Yes, well, I'll tell you in the morning. Travis! Travis Curtis is it?"

"No."

"No?.... Um... Really? Ok, because that kind of completely messed up my-"

"It's Timothy."

"Oh Timothy right, riiiighhht. I knew it started with a T... Travis, Terry, Turkish delight..." He poured himself some whiskey. "Well, then Jericho, what has he said so far?"

"Mm... nothing particular. Something about a job. I- we, I suppose- track down this... artifact. It let's one see.... memories. Sounds downright invasive, to be honest."

"Ah, how interesting. Well then! Mr. Curtis," Israel gulped his whiskey, slamming the glass down, "-not as strong as I'm used to, but- if you will excuse us, we need to gather some information, and we'll see you in the morning."

Raven asked, "We will?"

"Sure, sure, to accept his job. Sounds beneficial, don't you think? And besides, I like having... options."

Strangely, after all this chatter, a moment of silence ensued.

A minute later, Timothy Curtis stood, once again, from his seat. "Very well. However, if you do not return on the 'morrow as you have said, I will have someone... looking for you."

"Oh, no worries! We'll be back... Another for the road?" He asked, and poured another whiskey, walking out the door before anyone answered.

I shrugged at Raven and Kallista, and followed him out.

***

Nights Raven

  "What on earth was that all about?" I asked once we cleared the building

"I'll tell you in the morning!"

"Ok. No, why in the morning? What on earth is so important about a Wednesday morning?"

"Actually, Rae," Kallista inputted, "tomorrow's Thursday. Today's Wednesday... What? I'm just saying."

"-Thursday morning then."

"Well, nothing at all! Nothing's important about a Thursday morning. It's the fact that tomorrow is tomorrow that's relevant."

"...Are you really going to make one of us ask?" Jericho questioned.

"Well, I did have an excellent response to a stated question. I mean... I guess question's can't be stated can they?"

"Ask Skyril." Kallista suggested.

"Good advice. But I'll do it in the morning."

I finally exploded, "Why in the morning?"

"Thank you, Raven, for asking me that. Because, my dear archer, tomorrow is the day the real Travis Curtis-"

"Timothy."

"-whatever- as I was saying, the real Taggart Curtis returns from his vacation, at which point, we show up, question the fake Travis Curtis, arrest the real Terry Curtis and... what do the American's say? Wilbur's your uncle?"

"It's Bob."

"Right! Bob's your uncle!"

  "What does that have to do with," Kallista questioned, "calling Skyril about whether a question can be stated- the stated question of the day?"

"Ah- well- where do you think we're headed? As much as I like... um... creepy swamps and all," he said, looking at the background of my borrowed phone, "I seriously miss my Serenity. I need a new phone."

"Serenity?" Jericho looked at him with somewhat of an unidentifiable expression, sort of between disbelief and suspicion.

"Yeah, haven't you seen Firefly?"

"Uh... no, I haven't. I have heard good things, though."

"Good heavens. We are definitely watching Firefly when all of this is over." He downed the whiskey, tossed the cup over his shoulder, and strolled onward. I winced at the sound of shattering glass, and shook my head at his departing back.

Kallista's eyes lit up, " Watch Firefly... And eat Hellboy cake..." she smiled as we followed Israel down the street- hoping he actually did know where he was going in the somewhat unfamiliar city.... I figured starting my phone's navigator would be wise to do sooner... rather than later.