White Witch of the Tower comes,

Four, Five and Six teams.

The Ordos Bay shall run full with bodies.

But the Star shall remain blood red – Profit Ascalon

Operation Menu: Phase Dinner (D-18 hours)

T.C. stood over a table adorned with a model of a star-shaped fortress. Finally, alone in the room with Whisper, he couldn't help but notice her intense gaze upon him. A blush crept onto his cheeks as his hand accidentally brushed against hers.

“I hope you're feeling better,” Whisper remarked, jabbing her hand playfully toward his arm.

“Oh, that? I'm feeling better after drinking the tea you gave me,” he replied in a hushed tone. “I hope my briefing will be more successful this time.”

“You'll do fine. Just remember, no stuttering. Sound confident and keep your brief... brief. You know how annoyed Boss Kitty gets,” Whisper advised.

She adjusted his jacket and tucked in his shirt. T.C. wanted to protest, but he found himself enjoying the attention. The door swung open, and Indigo and Tauru entered, followed by Triumph who enthusiastically sniffed everything. They pulled up rickety chairs close to the table, Triumph settling beside T.C., who then pulled out a few dog biscuits from his pocket.

“You're going to spoil him,” Indigo teased.

Estelle entered next, trailed by Heather. Spotting Estelle, T.C. rushed over and enveloped her in a big hug, exclaiming, “You're back! I'm glad the hospital cleared you.”

“I'm fine, though I'm more concerned about you,” Estelle replied, checking his eyes.

“Yeah, awesome opossum,” T.C. grinned as they hugged.

Heather ignored the exchange, walking directly to the table and looming over the map. When T.C. finally released his grip, he distributed leather pouches from beneath the table to everyone.

“Boss Kitty, as per your request, here you go,” T.C. announced cheerfully. “Tauru, I made the adjustments as you requested. Heather, I've tailored yours as well. Indigo, you've got the standard model.”

A sigh escaped T.C. as Estelle, Tauru, Heather, and Indigo inspected their bags. Estelle produced a silver coin, deftly flipping it between her fingers. Tauru held his golf-ball-sized Glitter Bomb, rolling it contemplatively in his hand. Heather attached the bag and saluted T.C.

"Now that the gift-giving season is over, let's begin," Estelle declared, checking the time.

“I got a message earlier,” Indigo interjected. “Shouldn’t we wait for Rescue Team X?”

“We begin at the appointed time, not at the whim of uninvited guests,” Estelle replied.

She twisted her hand, causing a black metal bracelet to jingle. She checked the symbols on the bracelet before settling into her wicker chair. The symbols emitted a soft white light that gradually faded.

“When are you going to tell your people how you imprisoned my soul, Little One?” Sabine's voice emanated from the bracelet.

“I’ll tell them when I tell them,” Estelle retorted, snapping her fingers. She stood up, pointing to her Brooch of the Spider.

“Please, make sure you're all recording,” Estelle instructed.

Tauru, Indigo, and Whisper groaned, tapping the sides of their heads.

“Always, Boss Kitty,” T.C. grinned.

“Big 10-4,” Heather added.

As Indigo gave Estelle a two-finger salute, the door swung open, revealing D.T. Jones, Webb, and Sidedragon entering the Thornewood basement planning room. Estelle gritted her teeth, and her right eye twitched. Jones smiled at Estelle, handing her a brown manila envelope sealed with wax. Estelle broke the seal and pulled out a document.

While Estelle scanned the document, Jones remarked, “I’m so glad the medical review board cleared you in time. I guess this operation is no longer under my authority.”

“Looks like you're attached to us only to locate missing prisoners of war?” Estelle inquired.

“Exactly. Now that we're all here, let’s begin,” Jones stated. “I’m happy we’re all here.”

Estelle waved her hand around, her eyes glowing bright purple before fading.

“I don’t need Witch Sight to recognize a lie when I hear it,” Estelle said icily.

Sidedragon snickered, covering his mouth. Jones and Estelle locked eyes in a tense standoff.

Jones rested her hands atop her extendable police baton and flexed while Estelle relaxed, crossing her arms.

Tauru, sensing tension, remarked, "Oh, fuck, Boss Kitty’s in her fighting stance. We need to do something."

Webb and Tauru positioned themselves between Jones and Estelle, prompting Webb to intervene, "Okay, enough of the dick-measuring contest; we've got a brief to go over."

Tauru added, placing his hands on Estelle’s shoulders, and offering a reassuring squeeze, "One team, one fight."

Despite the attempt at diffusing the tension, Estelle remained aloof, turning her nose up and crossing her legs. Jones, realizing the need for reconciliation, extended an apology, "For what it’s worth, I’m sorry about the other day."

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Estelle, however, ignored the gesture, choosing to sit back in her chair. Meanwhile, Sabine, observing from the sidelines, couldn’t shake the feeling that Jones was hiding something.

As the team refocused on the mission, Estelle instructed Tunnel Cat to proceed with the brief. T.C., running his fingers through his hair, placed a box of blue and red chips on the table. He detailed the plan, marking locations on the map and explaining the infiltration of Fort Carré.

“Heather will be positioned by the Ordos River,” T.C. said as he placed a chip by the river. “At 06:43 before the changing of the guards. Heather will send a fog down the plateau, here. Then between the Kyber pass and into Fort Carré. After that, I will enter through the sewer system.”

T.C. pointed to a few points on the map then down to the fortress.

“Once I’m in the rest of us will scale the walls and enter in by 07:00,” T.C. said.

Jones coughed and cleared her throat. Then she moved closer to T.C. In a loud and booming voice, she asked, “How are we going to deal with the additional units assigned to the fort? Like the Dead Reds or the…”

“The Suicide Kings?” That’s easy because…” T.C. stated to say, as a bead of sweat ran down his forehead. Jones interrupted, “And the Eastland Posse who volunteered?” T.C. adjusted the collar on his shirt. “Or that foul-mouthed brat with the rabbit? Should I mention that your intelligence on the units is at least 48 hours outdated? The team captain, Marshel Neusilber, you know him, right?”

Jones said pointing to the fortress. T.C. shook his head no. Whisper and Sidedragon raised their hands.

“Well, the short version is,” Jones said glancing at Estelle. “He has more military experience than all of us combined. While the Suicide Kings and Eastland Posse may have been pushovers, under Neusilber’s command and augmented by his Blood Battalion, T.C. you better bring you’re A-game.”

Webb added, “Should I mention that Fort Carré has been under Red control since the early days of season one? And that Neusilber probably knows that place better than he knows his wife.”

“Neusilver is divorced,” Whisper said interrupting. “But we get the point, but the battle is tomorrow. Are you suggesting that we postpone it?”

Jones opened her mouth, but Estelle waved her hand in front of Jones to stop her. Then she wrapped her fingers around her wrist.

Estelle said and gestured with a wave of her hand, "The proposed strategy shall be implemented accordingly, incorporating the inclusion of our three new guests. Their presence will facilitate a diversion of supplementary forces from the fortress. Once the additional units are neutralized, Rescue Team X will move into the Fortress to conduct rescue operations.”

“And what are you going to be doing exactly?” Jones asked, her voice raising in intensity.

“What I always do,” Estelle said wigging her fingers in front of Jone’s face. “Walk inside and kindly ask the current tenants to vacate the property.”

“That’s typical Boss Kitty,” Tauru said snickering, as he ruffled Estelle’s hair.

***

T.C. entered his bedroom and flung himself onto the assortment of blankets strewn across the floor. Grabbing a pillow, he covered his face and unleashed a muffled yell into it. After venting a few well-chosen words, he flipped onto his back and let out a deep sigh.

"I completely botched the brief," T.C. lamented, punctuating his frustration by kicking a pillow across the room.

Whisper, perched on a nightstand in the corner, chimed in, "It wasn't the worst dressing down I've witnessed. To be more accurate, it was more like an ass nibble than a real ass chewing. I've been through some harsh critiques myself."

As she spoke, Whisper opened her pocket notebook, jotting down notes. Her long dress concealed her legs, and T.C.'s attention drifted to her black-painted lips and soft facial features. His heartbeat quickened as she brushed her hair behind her ear. Even in the dim room, he could discern her eyes darting back and forth as she continued writing. Gaining courage, he began to initiate a more intimate conversation when...

"Do you think Boss Kitty was behaving unusually again?" Whisper asked, pausing for a moment. "More so than usual, I mean."

"Like all the crazy hand gestures tonight?" T.C. asked.

Sitting up, T.C. rubbed his chin, attempting to recall her actions.

"Now that I think about it, Boss Kitty did mention 'bracelet' in sign language, I believe," T.C. remarked, leaning against the wall.

Whisper gracefully descended from the nightstand, moving on all fours toward T.C. He averted his gaze as he caught a glimpse of her cleavage accentuated by the snug black dress. Halting in front of him, she settled into a seated position with crossed legs. Taking his hands in hers, she placed one hand facing up and the other palm down. T.C. felt his heart move to his throat.

"Humor me for a moment; I want to try something. First, close your eyes," Whisper instructed softly.

T.C. complied.

"Recall in your mind every moment up to the point where Boss Kitty instructed us to record," she continued.

The implanted technology within his mind rewound to the commencement of the briefing. Upon reaching that point, he paused the mental recording and nodded.

"Now, exclude everything except instances when she made hand movements," Whisper directed, her fingers subtly twitching. "Now, link your recording with mine."

After a few minutes of editing the transcription and synchronizing their mental videos, they played back the scenario in their minds.

In sign language, Estelle conveyed: "Guillotine, aka Sabine Queen, has her soul bound into my bracelet to prevent her from dying. If Upper Management is aware of all her crimes, games will be shut down. Keep info in-house until a plan is made. Delete this recording – Boss Kitty."

T.C. blinked a few times, clearing his vision.

"Wow, that's..." T.C. began, rubbing his forehead.

"Typical Boss Kitty," Whisper remarked, grinning.

***

Heather stared at her Tarot cards spread out on a battered wooden desk.

“Well…we’re all going to be banned, now that you dragged us into your next bad idea,” Heather thought and slumped in her chair.

***

Triumph stared back at Indigo with puppy dog eyes.

“What would you have done?” Indigo asked as he deleted the modified transcript.

Triumph continued to stare back at Indigo.

“Me too,” answered Indigo.

***

Tauru reclined on the couch, his feet extending over the edge. They swayed rhythmically, seemingly dancing to an imperceptible melody. As he shuffled his Tarot cards, the Eight of Swords appeared, followed by the Tower, slipping out of the deck. Tauru scrutinized the cards, their symbolism tangible in his calloused hands. A depiction of a woman, bound and blindfolded, stood beside eight swords thrust into the ground. He then shifted his gaze to the next card which was of an image of a tower being struck by a bolt of lightning.

"Such a rebel, Boss Kitty," Tauru remarked, returning the cards to his deck.

***

Estelle had arranged a collection of pillows in a stack on the floor, tucked into the corner of the room. A lone black candle adorned a chipped plate, its flickering flame casting an ambient glow as she fixated on its dance.

"Do you think they’re smart enough to decipher your message, Little One?" Bee asked.

Estelle responded with a soft "mmmhuh" before cocooning herself in a fluffy white blanket. Delving between the pillows, she retrieved a stuffed bee, cradling it tightly against her. Drawing the bee close to her chest, she closed her eyes.

"I will destroy you," Bee's voice said.

"As will Team Red if we fail tomorrow. Goodnight, Bee," Estelle retorted, extinguishing the candle.

***