Operation Tenley Read Free

doing your job too well?”
    “No.” Laraby shook his head.
    The two Fair Ones standing in front of them turned to each other. “It wasn’t a bad propeller. I distribute quality products,” the bigger Fair One with a bruised lower lip said.
    “Your product is flawed .” The smaller one poked him.
    Laraby turned back to Pennie. “I have heard they’ve started doing random reviews, though.”
    “You think we’re getting reviewed ?” Pennie felt dizzy again. “How can I be getting reviewed? I’m still in my rookie assignment. Plus, a review can take a few days . I can’t leave my client that long—”
    The bigger Fair One in front of them poked the smaller one back. “You’re dreamin’, old fairy.”
    “Oh so that’s what you do, make it everyone else’s problem?” The smaller one poked again.
    The two were about to come to blows until, “ Taking number 33,000,601, ” was called over the loudspeaker.
    “You got lucky,” the bigger Fair One mumbled, starting toward theservice window.
    “ You got lucky,” the smaller one said, hustling to keep up with him.
    A Fair One with a slushie cart passed through the space the two fighting Fair Ones had vacated.
    “I think I’ll get a snack while we’re waiting,” Laraby said, turning to follow him. Pennie noticed Laraby’s large-ish belly. If a Fair One could no longer fit into his tool belt, he was forced to trade in his sleek propellers for a heftier version that moved half as fast. Pennie’s belt was too big for her, even on the very last hole.
    A siren blared. Pennie covered her ears. The two furious Fair Ones were punching each other. Surrounding Fair Ones scrambled out of their way as three Fair Force with navy-blue tool belts and vests propelled downward from their posts in the ceiling, red lights swirling above their heads.
    In an instant, the Fair Ones were handcuffed and lifted up through a door in the ceiling.
    Laraby seemed unfazed when he returned with two blue slushies. “I got you one, just in case,” he smiled through blue teeth.
    “Thanks,” Pennie said. “I’m not thirsty, though.”
    “Try it. City Hall has the best slushies in all of Fair City.” Laraby took a sip from his spoon straw. “Plus, you get a free stroon.”
    Pennie tried a small stroonful. It was delicious, but her stomach was too nervous for more. She’d been gone from Tenley Tylwyth for too long. “Is it usually this busy in here?”
    Laraby nodded wide-eyed as he slurped another stroonful. Slushies always managed to improve his mood. “You wouldn’t believe how many Fair Ones aren’t followingthe Manual,”he raised his eyebrows. “Like the rules weren’t put in place for a reason, right?”
    Pennie nodded. But who was she kidding? Like most Fair Ones, she’d studied the Official Fair One Manual to pass the written exams, but hadn’t cracked it open since. In fact, she didn’t even know where hers was.
    Laraby took his last stroonful and threw the cup into the trash can. Keep Our Higher Courts Clean was written on yellow crime-scene tape all around the bin, which featured a picture of two perfectly coiffed redhaired Fair Ones and their shiny new propellers looking proudly down on Earth. Protecting Clients is Job #1 was written inside a floating bubble above them.
    The sunny pictures didn’t fool anyone, though. It was no secret that Mother Nature had been orchestrating natural disasters with record frequency. The Fairships claimed to have things under control but the Fair Ones knew better. Ever since the Superintendent of Planet Earth had failed to return from what was supposed to be a quick vacation, humans had been exposed to Mother Nature’s growing wrath. She refused to claim responsibility for the earthquakes, floods, and forest fires that had begun taking human lives in frightening quantities, but that was impossible to believe. She wanted revenge. Humans had been destroying her Earth for too long and now with the Super away, she had her chance.