*Author's Notes:* Feedback: sweety167@yahoo.ca Rating: PG Disclaimer: Not my characters, but my idea Date Finished: June 29, 2001 Yves had come to us with some insider information on smugglers. According to her there was a small group of international businessmen who were trading experimental computer technology at a Karaoke Bar. We were all aware that she was the one who would profit from this, but the hope of a good story made us agree to help any way we could. Jimmy was, of course the most eager to help. His crush on Yves was becoming even more noticeable, with no real reaction from her. Either way Jimmy begged us to be included. So he and I went in posing as businessmen with /secrets to trade/. Frohike took a post as a waiter; ?I can keep an eye on everyone this way.? He liked being in on the action but not in the centre of it. It was easier for him to plan if he wasn?t a lead character. Yves had a role much like Frohike?s. Only she wanted to keep her eyes on us, ?I have a lot riding on this. I can?t afford to have anyone louse this up.? ?Yeah yeah,? Langly had heard this before, ?WE do the work and YOU get the profit.? He rolled his eyes as he continued to double-check the communication devices. We parked the van down the street from the Karaoke Bar. Yves had left her usual black cat suit at home. She wore a short black skirt and a white blouse; resembling a waitress, but not in the official uniform. Her hair was swept up and she almost looked like a normal woman with a normal job. She was helping Jimmy with his tie. We tried to fit him into one of mine, but had to resort to finding one his size. Frohike still had his ?universal waiter uniform? from Los Vegas. It?s come in handy a few times since then. Langly was connecting our communication equipment and complaining, ?Why don?t I ever get to go in?? ?Lose the hair and we?ll talk,? Frohike adjusted his earpiece. ?/The hair/ is who I am,? Langly looked at Frohike, ?YOU wouldn?t understand.? He replied with a dirty look and ?Damn hippie,? under his breath. I felt like I had to say something to keep Langly in a relatively good mood, if not he does pay as much attention to his work. ?If you went in, we wouldn?t have your?.ah?. technical brilliance.? That should make him feel needed. But it was true, ?But if you really want to, we could have Jimmy stay in the van.? Langly looked at the bigger man, ?there?s no way. The monkey does NOT touch the equipment.? Jimmy had heard the last comment and looked like he had just lost his puppy. Yves reassured him. Commenting on how good his suit looked and how much she appreciated him helping. ?Are we about ready to go?? I asked, noticing the time was getting past us. ?All systems go here chief,? Langly settled into his place in the van. ?Alright,? Frohike shirt the van door and turned to Yves, ?These men?ll want their drinks.? They walked to the back entrance, the kitchen. ?Show time,? I smiled at Jimmy. I wasn?t really comfortable with going under cover with him, but he didn?t have much to do. And it would be good practice for him. After the event when he posed as A.D. Skinner, he proved to need experience. KoKo Karaoke Bar 11:48 p.m. There were businessmen and women filling the room, most half drunk. One man was giving his rendition of ?Stairway to Heaven? that could make your skin crawl. Frohike and Yves had both passed as employees and were carrying out their roles. Jimmy and I took a table near the middle of the room. I brought a briefcase, which /held the information we claimed to have/. As we sat I checked the connection, ?Can you hear me Langly?? ?Loud and clear Byers man.? ?Frohike?? ?Uh huh,? he was walking over to other tables, taking orders. ?Good evening gentlemen. Can I get you anything?? It was Yves doing a real good impression of a seasoned waitress. ?What would you recommend?? I played along. But Jimmy seemed to think I didn?t know it was her. She leaned down a bit, ?The man in the corner, dark suit and hair. He has a large brief case.? I casually glanced over and nodded. ?He?s making a trade tonight.? ?Sounds good, A scotch than,? I smiled. Jimmy also smiled brightly, he had just caught on to the covert operations. ?Frohike, large case in the corner,? I made it appear like I was talking to Jimmy. ?Alright.? Langly yawned, ?Isn?t there anything interesting going on in there?? ?Would you mind staying awake out there.? ?Yeah, yeah,? he turned up the volume on the receiver so he could here background noises and conversations. Nothing really happened. A pair were singing ?I?ve Got You Babe?, but only caught some of the words from the screens. The man in the corner hadn?t moved and no one had joined him. At one point another /gentleman/ had slapped Yves on her backside asking if he could ?Order some of that?? Jimmy?s eyes narrowed and he looked like he could have and wanted to rip the man?s head off. ?Jimmy relax,? I motioned for him to stay seated. ?But you saw what he just did. You don?t do that to a woman,? His innocent morals shone through him. Of course he was right, ?No, he shouldn?t. But Yves can handle it.? Which she did. In her cold stare she poured a drink on his lap, ?I don?t think your wife would appreciate you ordering out.? The women applauded her and Jimmy smiled at this. He watched her gracefully moved to other tables. After ?Sunny and Cher? no one had gone up to sing. I was beginning to enjoy the silence when Jimmy stood up. ?What are you doing?? ?We?re supposed to fit in right?? he had a look of innocent determination. ?Right.? ?than I?m gonna go sing,? he said it like it was the most logical action. I rested my head on my hand and shook my head as he made his way to the stage. Seeing Jimmy move Frohike spoke, ?What is he doing?? Langly seemed to wake, ?What is the big lug doing?? The music started and the questions were basically answered; Jimmy was singing. He was better than the others were, but not by much. Yves turned and took notice of him. The song wasn?t one from my listing list, but I did recognize it. ?True Colours? made notable by Cydi Lauper. Jimmy met Yves? eyes as he sang, ??.I see your true colours shinning through, I see your true colours and that?s why I love you?.? I saw the first real smile form on Yves face. ?It appears that he?s sing to Yves,? I observed and accounted to the others. ?Oh brother,? Frohike didn?t find as much humour in it as Langly did, who started laughing hysterically. ?Oh, I would love to see this! Man I wish I rigged this for visual. What?s happening now?? Frohike continued, ?Well, Romeo is going into his second blood curdling verse?.and even more unbelievable, our Juliet seems to be quite taken.? And she did seem to be taken. She was watching Jimmy intently. It seemed like they were in their own world. I would have left them in it if I hadn?t noticed the man in the corner getting up, ?Guys?.subject is on the move.? ?Which way?? Frohike tugged at Yves arm to remind her why we were there. She listened and looked in the direction he was pointing. She nodded and followed the man, but not before she stole one more look and smile at Jimmy. ?Go with her,? I instructed Frohike. I wanted to have the events transmitted to the van to be recorded. ?Langly you there?? ?Uh huh,? he was just getting over Jimmy?s debut. I signalled Jimmy off the stage and reluctantly he left before the final verse. By the time Jimmy and I walked out into the corridor the man was gone and Yves and Frohike were just standing there. ?He get away?? Jimmy pouted. Yves nodded and I turned to Frohike for an explanation. ?It?s a bust,? is all he said to Langly. But he didn?t seem convinced. As we walked back to the van Yves and Jimmy had broken off. He gave her his jacket. She must have said she felt cold. At this point Frohike took the opportunity to tell me what he really thought, ?I think she got to him and pocketed the stuff.? ?In the short amount of time you weren?t with her?? ?I lost them,? he confessed, ?She found me just before you and Don Juan joined us.? I shook my head, ?Do we at least have enough for a story?? THE END Next Skin designed by Sally Anderson All comments, postings, and stories are property of their posters, all the rest is © 2003-2009 by me . None of the television series, books, characters, movies, or their associated characters, settings, or concepts appearing on this site are the property of the site owner or of the various authors. These belong to their various creators and distributing agencies, and have only been borrowed for entertainment purposes. The site owner and authors are recieving no payment for the work on this site, and have borrowed these characters/situations only out of deep and reverent love for them.