Fugue in D Minor, Part 9: Preconciliation

Part One   
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Part Eight
[Part Nine]

      "Well, 's a good thing I happened across you two when I did," the driver drawled, "because my info says that Wasp and Butterfly were supposed to be heading north to an airport, not south to the border." He yawned.

     "Which we're getting close to, by the way."

     My appropriated watch read 1:24. The driver, who referred to himself only as Centipede, had been talking nonstop for half an hour. Ana rubbed her temples with mostly-dried hands as the cloudburst continued outside. "So, I'm Butterfly, right?"

     "Yes, ma'am."

     "What's with the bugs? The names, I mean."

     Centipede scratched his head. "Codenames, y'know. Protect your identity and all that." He glanced over his shoulder at me. "Unfortunately, protection can only do so much."

     “So I hear.” I rested my head in my hands. "How many of you are there?" I grumbled.
     "You mean 'us,' Wasp."

     "Yeah, Wasp, right. So how many?"

     He mumbled numbers to himself, eventually deciding on an answer. "Fifteen, but only eleven are field operatives. Other four are administrative or control or whatever you call 'em." He ticked the names off on his fingers as he ran through them. "There's you, Wasp, and me, and then Scorpion and Mantis are the rest of our squad, gonna meet us in Lazero whatsisface."

     I started talking before he could continue. "Do they know....about me? That I'm not going to be much use? I remember basic concepts, like driving, but details like names are all gone.”

Centipede cracked the knuckles he was counting with, but the sound was all but washed away by raindrops.

"Yeah, this car's bugged to hell, all however many layers of it. Seven, I think. Mantis and Scorpion have been listening in, although they may have dozed off while I was recapping for you two."

     "Anyway, that leaves the other seven. Widow, Anansi, Recluse, Katipo and Redback work together, they're doing something in Brazil right now, and then Afrur and Tamulus are off doing their own thing.”

    “Great. I love spiders,” mumbled Ana. “Butterflies and spiders mix real well.”

She rolled her head backwards. “By the way, your seat here is missing a headrest.”

     Centipede chuckled. “Yeah, you wouldn't believe what happened to it.” He stretched and twisted his neck, producing a series of increasingly unpleasant popping sounds. Ana grimaced. “Anyway, you're not going to be dealing with them,” he continued, “So don't worry about it.”

     “Color me relieved.”

     “Yeah, well, save your relief for later, once we're through Tijuana. After that, the real fun begins.”