Operation Tenley Read Free Page B

‘B.’” Pennie double-checked her ticket.
    “That’s not possible.”
    Pennie pursed her lips.
    An Administrator appeared behind the window.
    “Finally,” Laraby groaned.
    Dark circles underlined the Administrator’s eyes and a dustnut crumb stuck to his chin. He looked exhausted and angry, like every other Administrator. No longer eligible for Fair One status or equipment manufacturing, usually due to one crime or another, and never even considered for Fair Force, these descendants of fairies had no choice but to remain stationed as Administrators. Unless of course they wanted to join the sipLips, a filthy, ragtag group of scavengers that refused to be anything else.
    “Tickets,” the Administrator mumbled.
    Laraby handed his over directly. Pennie placed hers on the counter. “There’s been some mistake,” Laraby said. “We seem to have the same citation numbers.”
    “Well, let’s take a little look-see.”
    Pennie thought she saw a quick roll of Laraby’s eyes. Administrators were not always the sharpest tool in the shed.
    “Identities?”
    “ penn 1 .”
    “ lara b3 .”
    The Administrator clucked his tongue and typed into his hologram keyboard. A floating report appeared in front of him, which neither Pennie nor Laraby could see.
    “No mistake. Same illegal use of Renegade Weathers.”
    “I beg your pardon?” Laraby said. “I did no such thing. I’ve never seen this Fair One before. And I’ve never enlisted the help of a Renegade Weather.”
    The Administrator replied with a blank face.
    Laraby turned to Pennie.
    “Don’t look at me, I didn’t use one either,” she said.
    Laraby crossed his arms and stared at her.
    She lifted her shoulders and dropped them again, defiantly.
    Satisfied, Laraby turned back to the Administrator. “So. There you have it. Clean slate?”
    The Administrator entered something into the hologram screen. “Nope. According to Fair Force, you’ve both received a red flag and an official warning. One more infraction, you lose a tool. Good day.”
    “Listen, Sir ,” Laraby clenched his jaw. “I guess you didn’t hear what we just said . Neither one of us used a Renegade Weather.”
    The Administrator grinned. “What’s that now? You want two red flags? Done.” He tapped on his keyboard.
    Laraby grabbed the Administrator’s arm through the window. “You can’t do that. I have a perfect record.”
    Pennie snuck a look up at the Fair Force in their posts. “Let him go,” she warned.
    Laraby loosened his hold. The Administrator extracted himself from his grip.
    “Please,” Laraby said evenly. “Take those warnings off my record. Or I’ll report you .”
    The Administrator interwove his fingers together. “I’m sorry. But I do not have the authority—”
    Laraby reached for his arm again. “You just added one without authority. Now take them both off .”
    Above, one of the Fair Force was watching them.
    “Come on.” Pennie tapped Laraby’s shoulder. “We’ll come back later.”
    Laraby shrugged Pennie off. The Administrator glared at him. “If you don’t walk away right now, Fair One, I will call Fair Force.”
    “ lara b3 . Don’t. It’s not worth it,” Pennie pointed upwards. “They’re watching.”
    Laraby took in a deep breath—just before snapping up the Administrator’s keyboard and yanking it out through the window
    The security alarm blared. Two Fair Force dropped from the ceiling with stun guns drawn.
    “Take them to Room Thirty-three,” the Administrator ordered.
    “But I didn’t—” Pennie started to argue.
    “ Both of them.”
    The Fair Force nodded, and in an instant Pennie and Laraby were lifted through the ceiling.

6
     
    Fair City
     
     
    Room 33 was empty but for two plastic chairs in the middle and a long white countertop with two elaborately decorated thrones behind it.
    A recorded voice sounded: “Please take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly.”
    Laraby started for the plastic chairs. “It’s