“Clover, get down here before I melt you into the little puddle of slime that you are!” Jozel whispered angrily. He was afraid.

Clover was crouched on a roof top of an old, abandoned one-story house inside the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City was on the southwest border of the kingdom of Bastel. No one in their right mind ever went into that city. It was too risky to get caught in there if you’re not from that country and you never know who to trust.

“Come on Clover! We’ve heard enough!” Fear had swept through him.

Clover kept listening to the voices coming from down inside the house.

“Please,” he begged, his voice barely audible.

“Shh!!” Clover put a finger to her lips. “They’re finally exchanging their top secret information now.” She lowered her head and pressed her ear down on the roof’s shingles. She was using one of her super powers, her ability to hear sound clearly through walls and other big objects.

Inside the house the two men sat talking.

“We’ve only got a little time to reveal our plans to you Sir Iazo,” the prince said.

“Are you kidding me?” Iazo spoke, “we’ve got all the time in the world.” He gave the prince a smirk.

He sat along one side of the long table in the abandoned kitchen and Sir Iazo sat at the other. Neither one trusted the other but they both knew they had to in order to survive.

The prince had been kicked out of the royal family in the country of Lirah—the rotten country. All her people were so cold hearted, from the tiny starving peasant to the fat ugly king. No one knows why he was exiled and will probably never know.

Sir Iazo, a prideful knight, was sent by King Zulken of Lirah to destroy the leader of the Freedom Fighters so that his entire plan will finally work the way it was intended to. Sir Iazo left the country at once and set on his search to find and kill the Freedom Fighter’s leader. After about 5 months when he started to loose hope in his search, he found the prince with his men and practically begged the prince to help him with the search. The prince, of course, had wanted to know what was in it for him and Iazo deceitfully told him that if the prince would help him then he would do his best to get the prince back into the kingdom again. The prince didn’t fully believe him and decided if the whole agreement was a lie he’d tell his father, the king, of Iazo’s weakness in that he had to ask for a teenager’s help.

The prince returned the smirk with a cold glare. “I don’t have a time for your stupid jokes.”

“Neither do I have time for yours.”

The prince tightened his fists. He wanted to stay calm but it was so hard sometimes.

“So what news do you have to bring me?”

“Nothing that I’d tell you, without an apology first!”

“What do you want me to apologize to you about this time?” He said annoyed. He paused and then chuckled. “You big sensitive baby.”

The prince shot up from his chair and slammed his fists onto the table.

“Enough of this foolishness! I’ve had it!” He headed for the door, stomping his feet with fury as he walked.

“Wait!” Iazo said, running to him.

The prince turned around. His lips curved into a controlling smile. Iazo depended on him. The prince could do and say whatever he wanted to because when it came down to it, Iazo needed his information and was willing to risk suffering some of his dignity for it.

“Yes?” He gave Sir Iazo a sly smile.

“You know what I want.”

The prince just stared at him, waiting.

Iazo sighed. “I apologize—there, I said it. Now let’s sit down and talk this all over.” He motioned to the table and walked over there. The prince vehemently followed.

The prince sat down in dead silence.

“Now, will you please tell me what you have found out?”

“I have—,” He stopped. “What was that?” He looked up.

“You’re extra powerful hearing ability?” Iazo asked.

The prince nodded.

“It’s probably just a bird or something.”

“No, I hear voices—not just movement. There are people out there.” He paused with annoyed apprehension. “And they’re on the roof.”

---

“Clover I think we’ve been discovered,” Jozel exclaimed.

Clover knelt still and silent on the rooftop in shock. She didn’t budge. Not that she was afraid; she just didn’t except to be discovered so quickly—if at all.

“Clover!” Jozel called from the ground. The door opened. Jozel ran and hid in the nearest bushes.

The prince stepped outside and Sir Iazo followed. He and the knight walked around to a different side of the house. He motioned Iazo to stop as an evil smile crept upon his lips. Sir Iazo looked up to see what the prince was smiling at and smiled too when he saw the small, blue-haired girl crouched on the rooftop.

“Well, well, well, what a pleasant surprise.” The prince eyed Clover coldly.

“Yes, how pleasant.” Clover returned his glare. She climbed halfway down the house and jumped the rest of the way down, landing in a frog-like position. She stood up and smiled viciously at him. She was ready for what would happen next.

Sir Iazo was taken aback that she would come down rather than stay up there and cower like many spies he knew had done. The prince, on the other hand, was a little more prepared for anything unexpected to happen.

Clover folded her arms across her chest. “What are you doing here?” She demanded.

The prince widened his eyes briefly. That was not a question spies usually asked.

“I should be asking you the same question,” he said, drawing his sword with alacrity. Iazo followed his motion and drew his sword too.

“I wouldn’t bother with putting up a useless fight,” Clover smirked, pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the prince.

“I hate you.” The prince turned and walked away quickly. He knew it was a hopeless fight. Although the girl didn’t appear to have the guts to pull the trigger at him, he still didn’t want to take any chances.

Sir Iazo, thinking the Prince a coward, took a few steps toward her, pointing the sword at her.

Clover lowered her pistol and let out a shot, purposely missing the knight’s feet.

Iazo took a step back and glared at her, knowing his defeat. He spat in her direction and turned around, walking away. Another blast sounded behind him. He picked up his feet and ran out fast.

Clover blew the smoke off the end of her gun, smiling confidently. Those fools knewbetter than to mess with me! She heard a rustle in the bushes and walked over to them.

“Come on out of there you big chicken.” She chuckled.

Jozel crawled out of the bushes and looked up to see Clover standing there so dauntlessly. What a brave one she was. Jozel stood up and brushed the dirt and leaves from his pants, while waiting for Clover to make the next move.

“How come you’re always telling me what to do and then later on, wait for me to make the next more?” Clover teased him.

“I do no such thing!” Jozel insisted, embarrassed.

Clover laughed.

“Come on,” she said, “let’s get back to headquarters.”