"Norm"

[Tarina]

The Passing

Parting Words

As I go from hence
Let this be my parting word,
That what I have seen is unsurpassable.

I have tasted of the hidden honey of this lotus
That expands on the ocean of light,
And thus am I blessed to have lived
---Let this be my parting word.

In this playhouse of infinite forms
I have had my play
And here have I caught sight
Of that which is causeless.

My whole body and my limbs
Have thrilled with the touch that is beyond touch;
And as the end comes here, let it come
---Let this be my parting word.

(GrandMaster West’s parting words)

Tears arrived in Austin's and Tarina's eyes.

They let them flow.

As they held each other, giving each other strength, and receiving it too., they remembered and were filled with love, and sorrow-but rejoice, he is with god, and at peace...

[Tarina]

FOR MY BELOVED AUSTIN

I Interupt Norm For An Important Announcement:

I have belonged to ToeQuest for only a short time in comparison to most of you Long-Timers.
My message is this, your Loyal friend, and fellow Questor
Has suffered a dreadful loss
I do not feel it is right that I say whom
but perhaps you might
offer him some condolences
That is all at this time,
Thank You
Tarina

[Tarina]

Questor and Top Secret were entering their 3rd cavern. They cautiously creaped forwards. The sound of dripping water echoed throughout the cavern. There was a distinct odour inside of the cave, Top Secret was trying to put her finger on the scent, it was familiar, very familiar. Ahhhhh ha! Top Secret said we are not alone in here, the scent was none other than Chanel #5. Up ahead in the distance they saw a shimmering light, they were in their specialised camo gear which rendered them invisible. (As mentioned before) Questor took up the lead while Top Secret happily looked at his rear. The light was becoming brighter but it still had this shimmer to it. As they shared a look at each other-puzzlement was clearly etched on their faces.
All of a sudden there coming straight at them was a couple of barking, frothing black blurs. Quickly a hand appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and the dogs went for it. Instead of the "floating hand" being torn to shreds it opened up and the dogs quickly gulped the delicious meaty snack off of it. the hand became invisible again. Top Secret and Questor quickly backed up a few feet as the dogs snorted and sniffed at the ground. Then one of them started to fall, the other looking at his mate like Huh?
Until she too dropped. Because their specialised camo gear they were invisible, but not un-scentable so they had the drugged chunks of food inside their suits for moments just like this. They now had a problem, the dogs were visible and would break their cover. Since there was no cover to hide the dogs they started ahead again, and quickened their pace.
Up ahead they heard cursing, in German. They slowed and split up, one on each side of the tunnel. On they went, around a corner...And to their surprise there stood in a woman, hauling a navy blue steel (it looked heavy) lockbox. Top Secret and Questor looked at each other, and looked back at the woman. She was grunting while she jerked on the box. It moved only a few inches at a time. Just then she loudly cursed again. She stood up and wiped perspiration off of her face with a hankerchief. The scent of Chanel #5 filled the air. Just then she started towards them, Top Secret and Questor backed against the sides of the cavern. The mystery lady then hollered out a couple names in German. Puzzled, she called again. Hmmmph! She went. She then turned around and came back, just then Top Secret quickly stepped over to her and pressure pointed her until she collapsed. The two agents carried her to the cleft they had seen and gently put her down.
They went to check out the lock box. With a simple press of a button, a laser appeared and the lock on the box was dispatched. Slowly they lifted the lid, inside was the dull butter coloured bars of gold. They counted and the box contained four. they checked the stamp on the side of the gold bar, and saw a bird with out-stretched wings. BINGO! They had found some of what they were after.
Just then Top Secret Felt a cold hard object being held against her skull. She figured Questor must be in the same boat as her. She wondered to herself just how did they find them when they were invisible?

[Tarina]

Top Secret knew that she had to act, and right now. She reached up behind her and gripped the weapon, at the same moment she stood up and with the force of her entire being she pulled, lifted over her shoulder and flipped her assailant flat on the ground, as she stomped a little extra hard for good measure her foot on her assailant's back she took aim, and saw no one else.
As she dragged her assailant over to the cleft where the woman was still unconcious, she sat him down (judging by his bulk)and put his gun to his head and grinned at him while she said "You and I are going to have a little fun. First of all who do you work for, how many of you is there and where the hell is my partner?" Top Secret then noticed a dark stain growing out from his rear, and said "All you have to do is talk, and I'll let you go, unharmed okay?" "Okay....I..I..work for her. Name? Franzy Openheimer. I am the only one with her, and what partner?"
Just at that moment Questor appeared with an identically clad thug in his grip. Top Secret gave a good swift kick in the ribs to the dude on the floor.

[Tarina]

Now Top Secret was pissed. "Apparently you seem to take me for an idiot. This friend of yours here, I'm sure he'll be more than happy to oblige me"
"I don't think so, this one's mine. Little ***** cold-cocked me, and nearly got me down. I found out where there little hide-away is. It will serve us nicely I think my Dear! First let's get the gold, and...wait. How much gold did you find in there?" One box with 4 gold bullion bars. It's the Nazi's loot, the Falcon is stamped on the sides. So what to do with these three? Hmmmm.... Top Secret whispered something in Questor's ear, he smiles. The crooks were tied up, and with a phone call to the local police, and a bar of gold bullion between them-they were going to be out of the agents way for awhile to come. The agent's gave a wave to their foes, and quickly went back to the correct cavern.
They watched the police take away the small time gangsters, and sat and discussed their options. After the "Smoke" cleared, they headed to a new Hotel for the night.

[austintorn@aol.com]

In the new hotel, they made new dreams and traveled right on until morning, following the evening star into its fiery depths.

[Tarina]

Over coffee they discussed a plan of action for the day. They figured they would start with the gold bars they had in their possession. It would be sent to the centre for evaluation.
There job was to locate the rest. And once they got Intel back on who the two goons and the "Ma" were, they could figure it out from there, or so they thought.
Austin, looking over his newspaper at Tarina happened to notice something odd. He put his paper down and gently kicked Tarina under the table. As she looked at him, he looked behind her, and lifted his eyebrows. Trouble had walked in, sheathed in silk and wool. Austin made a motion with his hands on the table, Tarina understood, weapons at the ready, hidden. The couple approached, ballsy a-holes thought Tarina. Tarina dug in her purse, and thought oldest trick in the book.... Albert honey, I have to go to the ladies room, can you order me some coffee to go? As she got up she showed Austin what she had in her palm, he visibly blanched. Tarina got up and as she slid out of her seat she turned to walk and stumbled, reaching out to steady herself, she grabbed the closest thing, the man in the wool suits shoulder (she also stuck a microscopic transmitter to his coat). "Oh my goodness, excuse me sir!" Tarina strode away to the ladies room, and quickly turned the other way. She waited for a couple minutes and there he came, the two of them took their leave in the van.
They were on the road for a short time when they noticed their friends were on their tail. So predictable. "So honey what mode of transportation do we have this time?
We have the special gunner-gliders, I've been dying to try them out!" Questor sped up, they had to get a sufficient lead in order to stop and get the gliders out. Questor pulled over. They quickly ran to the back doors, put the ramp down and rolled out two gunners, as soon as they were strapped in they started up the motors, and straight up they shot! Questor gave out an exilerated shout, with Top Secret squealing in delight not far from him in the air. There next job was to gun down their enemy, with their helmets on Tarina shouted out, "Let me, let me!" Austin replied "Okay, but I get the next ones!" Tarina spun her glider around and was shocked to see a missile coming straight for her, she swooped to the right, and said "Questor, missile alert, let's get the bastard". The two of them made short work of the enemy.
They flew on, and as they were drawing near Tarina's locater started to beep, and with that she thought oh crap. "Questor, our target from the Inn is still kicking, and apparently, at our location ahead of us. How did he do that?"

[austintorn@aol.com]

"Magic?"

"No."

"They are twins?"

"Negatory."

"Triplets?"

"No sireee!"

"Helicopter?"

"Nope."

"I give up."

[Tarina]

As they finished up their breakfast, the two agents were hunkered over the table whispering when the shaking started. Tarina's face was a mask of shock and horror, while Austin quickly whisked her up and towards the doorway. Through the screams, and debris dropping around him, Austin dodged left and right, Tarina right behind him.
They bursted out the doorway and ran to the van. As Austin took the wheel, Tarina started to get their gear out from the hidden compartments, as she strapped on the belt she loaded weapons for them both and equipped Austin's belt while they were on the fly. The shaking seemed to have stopped but now their main concern was that of collapsed caverns. Austin pointed out the window at a house on the hillside, broken in half, and squashed as if a big hand had just hit it like a gavel hitting it's mark.
They pulled off of the main road and drove up the hillside, as far as the vehicle would take them. Coming to a stop the two of them put on the rest of their gear and went to the back of the van, Tarina pulled out the ramps and locked them into place, as Austin backed out first one, then two of the giant mosquito looking machines. Tarina pulled a long zippered bag out of the van and they each proceeded to lock their ultralight blades into place. They quickly went over their plan of attack, if needed, they were hoping that this lucky turn of events was going to work in their favour. They mounted and started up, after a pre-flight check they were off. The advantage was going to be short lived they had to reach their destination as quickly as possible.
They were in the air, looking a lot like prehistoric mosquitos, with some firepower. They had all of the usual gadgets plus a few that were brand new. Austin told Tarina that they were reaching the caverns, but they were going somewhere different this time. As they flew over the site of their last shinanigans, they took note of the enemy. There was one truck, and two automobiles. They flew on.
Tarina said "There we are my Dear, the mansion of the Baron Manchusen. I think we should go down before we get noticed. Questor, I have the geotransducer, it'll pick up any entrances that could be hidden. We are going in through the bowels-and I do hope we don't have to smell any farts!" Sharing a laugh they stashed their "Bugs" in the bushes. They heard the first of the barking mutts coming at them. They decided to use the stun-ray. As they waited, they heard a chopper start up, and there came the dogs. Questor pointed the ray and squeezed the trigger, down went #1, and then #2.
While Questor had been dealing with the dogs, Top Secret was searching for the underground tunnel with the geo-gun. She picked up a reading that showed an opening, but strangely enough it wasn't there! She then realised why, Questor, over here! As they both were looking at what she had found they heard the chopper getting closer. With no time to spare, they quickly moved the man hole cover aside, and flash-helmets donned, down they started. Questor pulled the man hole cover and a clump of sod with it, over to the opening, and thunk! It was back in place.
It was then that they heard the chopper, still? Through steel? Questor poked Top Secret's arm and motioned down. As they looked, they saw blades going around faster and faster. Top Secret looked at Questor with fright in her eyes. Survival thought Tarina, we can do this. She quickly reached for Austins stun-ray, and coupled it with her pulse weapon, then she motioned Austin to plug his ears. She pointed, jammed a pebble into the trigger to make it stick and quickly plugged her own ears. As they watched it seemed the blades were slowing down, but no, they were speeding up. They looked at each other, and Tarina had tears in her eyes. The blades were going faster and faster, and then they smelled something burning, like Wiring! Yes!
They were going to be okay it seemed.

[austintorn@aol.com]

Maybe we should retire to Tahiti again, dear. Do we need this gold? This is really getting dangerous for our health.