Amee opened the kitchen door, kicking her shoes off. She tossed her bag down by the kitchen island. Amee pulled herself onto one of the stools and smiled at Helen, their cook. She was a kindly lady, and boy could she cook.

“Hiya, Helen.”

Amee waved.

“Hello, Amee, what can I get for you?”

Helen washed her hands.

“You have any of that left-over roast beef?”

Amee perked up, she was starving.

“Anything for you, Amee, you know that.”

Helen dried her hands. She pulled out the roast beef and started putting together a sandwich. She slid it across the island.

“Don’t let your mother catch you with that, she said only salad.”

“There’s plenty of lettuce on this.”

Amee laughed. She heard Mischief meowing at her feet. The cat looked dreary-eyed and half asleep.

“Sure took you long enough.”

The cat meowed again and curled up on the stool that was next to Amee. Amee bit into her sandwich.

“Mmmm, Helen this is amazing.”

Helen shook her head with a soft chuckle and looked up, she gave Amee a look to tell her, that her mother was home. Amee winced and motioned Helen away. Amee’s mother walked up beside her, shooing the cat from the bar stool. She put her trench and notebook case down.

“Amee Elaine Morris, what have I told you about your snacks before supper?”

Amee shrugged taking another bite.

“Helen!”

Her mother called out. Amee swallowed the bite quickly.

“She didn’t do it, I made the sandwich, she told me she would have no part of it.”

Helen appeared in the doorway and Amee’s mother waved her away again. Amee finished the rest of her sandwich in a single bite.

“What does it matter anyway?”

“What does it matter?”

Amee’s mother gave her a stern look.

“First off, your health is very important to me, second off, I told you only salad, or celery or carrots when you got home from school, so you disobeyed me. Finally, you need to watch your weight.”

Amee rolled her eyes.

“Whats it going to be mother? A lecture, ten lashes, or a fat camp?”

Amee’s mother rubbed her temples.

“Your brother and sister never give me this much trouble.”

Amee laughed.

“That’s because they are mindless automatons.”

“They are your brother and sister, you might consider treating them like human beings.”

Amee’s mother put her hands on her hips. Amee shifted slightly, that was a bad sign.

“And I had a phone call from the school today, you were late again? And you didn’t complete your math homework, your teacher even said, ‘As usual’ afterwards.”

“It’s just, Mr. Thomas, being picky. It’s just math.”

Amee shrugged, she felt herself getting defensive.

“Do you know how embarrassing it is to have a teacher call me and say, Senator Morris, your child is making it a habit of being late for class, and not turning in homework? Do you have a clue how that looks? Amee I’m the Republican Presidential Candidate, image is everything.”

Amee’s mother looked furious.

“Is that all you care about, your image?”

Amee picked up her bag and stalked off towards her room, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Amee Elaine Morris! You get back here this instant!”

Her mother called after her. Amee ignored her and went to her room. Amee tossed her bag beside her door. She started to pull off her top when she noticed her computer screen was on. She moved over to her desk chair and spun it around.

“Hey! You are going to get me killed!”

Amee’s little brother tried to twist the chair back around. Amee was so furious she could barely form words for a few seconds. Then she screamed.

“Get out of my room, you rodent!”

“You get out, Mom said I could use it.”

Kyle tried to kick her. Amee jumped aside.

“I don’t care of god and the president said you could be in here, get the hell out now!”

“Make me!” Kyle stuck his tongue out.

Amee took a deep breath.

“Go, I won’t ask again.”

“What you gonna do?”

Kyle taunted her. Amee gabbed the chair and rolled it across the floor Kyle held on for dear life. She reached the hallway, she tipped it on its side. Kyle ended up sprawled on the floor face first. He landed in a heap.

“I’m telling mom!”

He stood up. Amee tugged her chair back and slammed the door in his face. She heard him banging on the door. She ignored him and moved her chair back to the desk. She noticed he had left an open bag of chips and a game box on her desk. Amee twitched slightly. She grabbed both and walked to her door. She calmly opened the door. She was about to hand the chips and game box to him, but then Kyle gave her a victorious look, as if he’d won.

“You forgot something you little punk. And by the way no food near my computer!”

She threw the game and chips at him. She slammed the door again. She heard the crinkle of chips underfoot as her brother tried to collect the pieces of his video game.

“I’m telling mom!”

Kyle pounded on her door again. Amee pulled on her earphones and started a music player on her computer. Slowly the sounds of her brother’s yelling were drowned out by the music. Amee moved her mouse and clicked on her email icon. It opened showing five new emails, and three hundred new junk emails. She sighed and started going through the emails. Her cousin’s new baby delightfully ugly and alien looking. Reminder from Mrs. Hope that she needs to read Act 5, from King Henry IV for tomorrow. April has updated her blog.

“Wow, can’t believe that got through the junk filter.”

Amee said as she added the sender to her blocked list, and deleted an email full of pornographic material. She chuckled to herself.

“Should let mom see it, she’ll start a new crusade against the vile internet.”

She shook her head and closed her email. She opened her instant messenger program. Within seconds she had a screen full of hellos. She smiled. At least here she felt loved. She replied to most of them. The usual generic hellos, and hiyas. She blocked one.

“Good bye, creepy stalker boy.”

Hey, took you long enough.

She saw her best friend’s online name pop up. She always wanted to ask her about the deadkitten123 she used.

Mom found out I was late this morning, and Kyle was using my computer when I got home.

April responded with.

Kyle was probably surfing sites he shouldn’t have been. *lol*

Probably, mom has so many things on his computer to watch him he can’t get his games to run. Serves him right. I have to go, raid’s starting soonish.

See you at school, first thing right? :) April asked.

If I’m not in jail for killing my brother. >.<

Amee moved her mouse over to her current addiction, Daggerspine Online. She opened the game and waited for it to load. She leaned back in her chair with a heavy sigh. Finally she could lose herself from the real world for a while.

“Patch day, well that sucks.”

Amee stood up and started to get changed into her pj’s she relaxed back in her chair.

“Finally.”

She clicked on her character. It was a knight named Cerianna.

You’re all newbs! was the first line of chat that scrolled before her. She plugged in her headset and spoke over voice chat.

“What the hell is going on?”

“Gutnpeal lost an item and now he’s complaining. Threatening to take half the guild with him.”

She heard Armand’s heavy sigh.

“Glad you finally got here, Cerianna. I’m sure you can sort it out.”

Amee watched more chat scroll by in front of her, she rolled her eyes again. It didn’t take long for her limited patience to wear thin. She saw one too many derogatory terms spring up. Amee typed in, Everyone just cool it! The chat scrolled once more, but then nothing more came up. Good, I’ll look into the matter, let’s keep it off guild chat huh? And if I see one more person type in something offensive, I’ll boot them without a second thought.

“Thanks Ceri, I donno how you do it, I’ve been asking them to take to tells for at least half an hour.”

Armand said over voice chat.

“I just tune into my inner psychopath.”

Amee chuckled over voice chat. Amee spent the better part of a half an hour trying to sort out the sordid tale of, he said this, he said that, and she said that. She finally ended up removing three people from the guild. When one told her to stop pretending to be a girl, and it seemed to be the only thing they all agreed on, she tossed all three.

Amee typed. Okay guys raid starts in twenty minutes!

Amee rubbed her temples. Finally she could get on with having some fun. She started to make her way to a Darkhaven to sell some junk off she saw her mom waving her hand in front of her. Amee slipped her headset off. Amee looked up at her mother.

“What mom?”

“Amee turn the game off, we have something serious to discuss.”

Amee’s mother put a blank envelope on her desk. Amee kept making her way to the city.

“I can do both.”

“Amee this is very important.”

Her mother put her hands on her hips. Amee was oblivious as she clicked through her inventory and nodded to her mother at the same time.

“Amee there has been a threat made against you, your brother, and your sister. You are going to have a Secret Service escort for a while.”

She waved her hand in front of Amee’s face again. Amee pushed her mother’s hand away.

“Ya, ya Secret Service, got it. Do you mind mom?”

Amee’s mother tapped the envelope.

“Amee your life could be in danger. Make sure you read this.”

Amee nodded.

“Ya, read the thingie, I got it mom. I’ll get on it as soon as I finish.”

Amee’s mother walked out of her room, leaving her in peace. Amee muttered to herself as she stuffed the envelope in her school bag.

Amee typed, Forming raid groups in ten minutes, hurry up guys. Amee settled in to sort out the people into raids. She loved this part. The organization, the strategy, the leadership it required, all things she was incapable in her real life. Amee typed in the names for each group. And things started to get formed up.

“Ames?”

Amee heard her sister call her name.

Amee gave her sister an angry look.

“What? I’m sorta busy right now.”

Amber looked around Amee’s room.

“Whatever, Amee. This place is a mess. Ever heard of laundry, or a garbage bag even?”

“Did you come to mock my room, or is there an actual point to you being here?”

Amee turned back to her computer. Just because she’s Miss Perfect, perfect hair, perfect blue eyes, perfect everything. Amee started giving orders to her guild.

“Don’t forget to put your cloths in your bag for tryouts tomorrow.”

Amber leaned on the doorknob.

“Ya, cloths for tryouts.”

Amee nodded.

“Amee do you have a date for the Halloween dance yet?”

Amber asked hesitantly. Amee nodded right along with whatever Amber said. Amber smiled and bounded over beside her.

“Oh, who you going with?”

Amee looked up at Amber.

“Huh, Going to what with who?”

“Amee do you want to be an anti-social freak?”

Amber looked down at Amee’s screen.

“I’m not anti-social, I’m talking with about thirty people right this moment.”

Amee motioned towards her monitor.

“I mean real people, besides that freak April I don’t see you speaking to anyone.”

Amber waved her hand at the screen dismissively.

“They are real people!”

Amee got defensive, what gave Amber the right anyway.

“Get serious Amee, You’re starting to worry mom and dad, and me a little bit.”

Amber frowned.

“Thanks for the lecture, mom, now get out!”

Amee pointed towards her bedroom door.

“Just thought you’d want to know Gabrial asked me if you were going to the dance and if you had a date yet.”

Amber closed the door shaking her head. Amee barely noticed she left. Amee pulled her headset back up.

“Hey everyone, we ready to go?”

She got a bunch of yes answers from the voice chat.

“Lets go!”

Amee looked at the clock, half an hour late. She sighed.

“Okay guys, this is our first try, so if we wipe don’t get demoralized. Just do your jobs and we’ll get through it.”

Amee lead the raid group towards their objective. A dragon that was terrorizing one of Darkhaven’s surrounding farming villages. Amee’s chat text scrolled up, Armand had sent a private message, Hey Ceri, everything okay?...You sound a bit stressed. You want me to take over the raid let you rest?

Amee typed back, No, it’s okay I need to raid, it’ll calm me down.

The group spent several hours clearing the area of minor dangers, but could not find the dragon. Then came the words everyone had been waiting for.

“I found the dragon, it’s east, just above the ridgeline.”

“Excellent, everyone knows what to do, Mages take positions under it, we’ll try to push it to the edge so you can target it. Knights with me!”

Amee said charging up the ridge. She was at the foot of the massive dragon, her lance ready to pierce it, and then her screen went black.

“What the-”

Amee was interrupted.

“Do not finish that sentence.”

Amee’s mother held the plug to her power bar in her hand.

“It’s after midnight. You didn’t come down for supper, and you ignored me calling you. I think it’s deserved.”

Amee narrowed her eyes.

“I was almost done!”

“No, you are done. Get to bed or I promise you, this computer will be missing when you get home tomorrow.”

Amee’s mother looked around her room and then looked at her school bag.

“You didn’t do your homework tonight!”

“I did it at school on my free period.”

Amee lied.

“Amee, I’m starting to get worried about you, all you do is spend your nights up here playing video games. Is there something wrong?”

Her mother sat on the corner of Amee’s bed.

“Oh, it’s a little late to ask that isn’t it, it’s after midnight I have to go to bed.”

Amee tugged the sheets over herself.

“Amee, if there is something wrong you can tell me, I won’t judge you.”

Her mother actually looked concerned for once.

“Is it drugs?”

Amee fluffed her pillows angrily.

“Ya, lots of drugs and I’m a prostitute, there now you know so you can cover it up and it won’t show up on the news!”

“Amee be serious. We are talking about you, not my campaign.”

Amee said nothing.

“If you are late again tomorrow you are grounded from your computer, do we have an understanding?”

Amee glared at her mother.

“You wouldn’t, I need it for homework!”

“And the computer in your father’s office will work fine for that.”

Her mother smiled.

Amee continued the glare, that computer could barely run a word processer.

“I’m glad you understand.”

Amee’s mother stood up and left the room, closing the door behind her. Amee felt Mischief jump up on the bed and cuddle beside her.

“At least you don’t yell at me.”

Amee rubbed Mischief’s head. Mischief purred for her.

*****

Douglas Shaw always considered himself a consummate professional. A brilliant trial lawyer, a go getter, someone who knew the halls of power, and would walk them one day. This could be his day. Born in London, England to an aristocrat and his wife, he moved to the United States to make his mark. The phone call he awaited this evening from Albert McDonald, an eccentric Canadian, who was richer than most small nations, would change his fortunes indeed. He’d received an odd package via a courier two days ago, it outlined a young woman that Mr. McDonald had wanted to recruit. She was fifteen, and high profile, the daughter of a presidential candidate no less. This of course made the situation all the more difficult.

Douglas looked down at his office phone and straightened his tie nervously. He wasn’t used to being nervous, usually he was the one in control. He glanced down at the photographs arrayed before him. She was quite an attractive young woman, and according to her records highly intelligent. He glanced at her list of interests, classic literature. That caught his eye. “Intriguing, a girl with those interests and barely fifteen.” He was jolted out of his thoughts when the phone rang at precisely 8pm, as had been mentioned in the package delivered to him. He paused his finger stroking the back of the receiver he had purposely ensured his secretary would be out of the office for this call. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then picked up the receiver.

“Hello, Douglas Shaw, Law offices.” He forced himself to sound calm, but he was shaking with excitement this was it, the big time.

“Good evening, Mr. Shaw, my name is Albert McDonald.” The man’s voice sounded old and weathered, much as Douglas had pictured it.

“Hello Mr. McDonald, I was expecting your call, I’ve reviewed the package you sent me. Though I’ll admit I wasn’t sure why you chose me for this, we aren’t really a recruiting service.” Douglas used his best sugar coated voice.

“I can understand the confusion, however your services come highly recommended from Senator Humphrey. He expressed your ability to ensure a job gets completed, and that you are quite discrete.” Douglas knew he was talking to a real power player, the subtle intonations of the voice told it all.

“Well yes of course, Sir, however this is a little bit more difficult than the Senator’s situation, the child of a presidential candidate is under quite a lot of scrutiny, not to mention the difficulties her mother could make for me if she dislikes our approaching the girl.” Douglas, tapped his pen on the desk, it was a dangerous ploy, but everything he knew about men like Albert McDonald told him that he should bargain.

“Quite understandable, Mr. Shaw, as I indicated in my letter, I can be very generous. In fact, if you acquire this young lady for me, I will pay you two hundred and fifty million dollars, US currency of course, I will also put at your disposal any resources I have available to make this happen.” Douglas nearly broke his pen, the package had contained a ten thousand dollar certified check just to read the file. He hadn’t even imagined that kind of money would be involved.

“I find the terms acceptable Mr. McDonald. I’ll approach her tomorrow.” Douglas forced himself to keep his voice level and calm, like this sort of business deal happened every day.

“Oh and Mr. Shaw, I do not accept failure in those I employ. It is quite unacceptable to start something and not finish it, I hope you agree.” Albert’s veiled threat, was so veiled, Douglas could hear the undertones in his voice.

“I do not fail at anything Mr. McDonald, I’m sure the references you spoke with assured you of that.” Douglas was used to threats from powerful people, it was their stock and trade.

“Yes, you come highly recommended, just understand you may be called on to do some unethical things, and I expect you to be ruthless, do you still accept my proposal?” Douglas’s stomach lurched, some small part of his conscience still existed, but two-hundred and fifty million dollars was more than enough to wash away any hesitance.

“I understand, who do I talk to about gaining access to these resources you mentioned?” Douglas reached for a pad and readied his pen to write.

“You will contact 807-334-9999, you will deal directly with me and I will ensure you get what you require, I warn you do not disturb me lightly, your ability to deal with this situation will determine whether you have a future with me or not. Good evening, Mr. Shaw I will await your report.” Albert disconnected the phone call as Douglas scribbled down the last of the phone number. Douglas glanced back down at the photographs of Amee Morris, pondering what a man like Albert McDonald would want with her. She was very smart, but she wasn’t smart enough to be worth two-hundred and fifty million dollars.