[pinkunicorn]

"are you alright maam"? The eldery woman smiled her thanks. What in heavens name was going on. The handsome young man called Carol Ann Carter, mom.
Ivalee and Carol had been friends since college and Carol could not have children.

The only family she had was a younger sister back East. And why would Carol need to confirm that Ivalee was epileptic and no one called Ivalee Aster "ivy", she particulalry hated that abbreviation of her given name.

This day had more questions than answers. And why was the police officer putting Carol and Jake, her medical alert dog, in the back of his unmarked car?

[Kimmistil]

'Get a grip on yourself!' thought Ivalee. Glancing one last time at the handsome Eric, Ivalee moved toward the police car. "Excuse me officer, but what is it you think your doing? That happens to be my dog, Jake AND my best friend, Carol. The police officer ignored Ivalee, closed the back door and turned to open the front door. "OFFICER!" Ivalee raised her voice, picking up her pace as the policeman got in the front seat and started the car. Ivalee had just reached the back of the police car when it abruptly sped away. With a bewildered look on her face, Ivalee turned to Eric and said, " how could the police take them away without a word? Especially my dog? I need that dog." With a thoughtful look on his face, Eric said "I don't think that WAS the police, I think that was......"

[pinkunicorn]

[SIZE=7]....and you young man, Ivalee interrupted. You called Carol "mom" and I know for a fact that she does not have children.

Eric grinned sheepishly, I'm sorry maam. But she was fighting me and I blurted MOM to get her attention.

She stopped squirming didn't she?

Hmmph! Ivalee was not going to be placated so easily.

I'm sorry young man, good manners prevent me from telling you what I really think; but never mind that now.

Carol Ann Carter has been a dear friend for years and I just don't know the woman in that car.

I have known Carol for almost sixty years and something tells me that ...

[chicmimi]

"... was someone else and that you knew them and I don't think they have your "Mom's" best interest at heart!" Just then the sound of a 50 Cent song started playing VERY loudly, "I'll take you to the candy shop..." "Excuse me for a sec,I need to take this" Eric said as he turned and walked to a distance of privacy. Ivy strained her ears trying to pick up on the conversation but all she could make out was "Yes sir, I know that....yes,of course you are right sir...no,I don't have it yet..." She was starting to feel the back of her neck burning, a sure sign that something was very wrong.Eric slid the expensive cel phone into his pocket but as he turned around and started walking back toward her, Ivy saw the glint of something in his right hand: he flashed that George Clooney smile at her and said "Now I know you are dying to get this party started hon, but I'm afraid your're just not invited...sorry, but in this case, the old saying that curiosity killed the cat might be more true than you know!" Ivy felt like her feet had grown roots...she was literally frozen in her shoes but as he casually reached up to remove his sunglasses, she reached down and removed one of her firmly-planted pumps and hurled it at his face with everything she had! His glasses shattered on impact and the shoe...well, it met it's mark and caught him right above his nose, between the eyes, and she screamed as he took one step back then dropped ungracefully to the ground! The lethal-looking serrated blade he had been holding did a jig as it skidded across pavement and landed in front of her. "Oh my God!!! What have I done???" Ivy was afraid to move but she slowly inched over to where Eric lay...he wasn't moving, but as she bent down to see if he was breathing, she saw.......

[pinkunicorn]

the glint of a badge, in the partially opened leather case. Oh my heavens, what have I done?

Rough hands wrapped themselves around her mouth and waist and she was dragged back into the foyer of the empty office building.

Biting down as hard as her dentures would permit, Ivalee simultaneously twisted and flung herself towards the circular entryway.

There she found herself trapped between Eric in front and the unknown assailant in back. They pushed and pulled and Ivalee was caught between them.

Ivalee braced herself and there she stayed in the revolving door between two unknowns.

[Ro]

and their dog.

Snarling the dog snapped at Ivalee.

"Go away you gastly brute!"

One of the assailants began to laugh, believing that she was yelling at him and not the dog.

But what he did not know about Ivalee was that she had the power to.....

[mamateri]

Ro, on Mar 24 2006, 02:45 PM, said:

and their dog.

Snarling the dog snapped at Ivalee.

"Go away you gastly brute!"

One of the assailants began to laugh, believing that she was yelling at him and not the dog.

But what he did not know about Ivalee was that she had the power to.....
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

communicate with animals. She able to instruct the dog to attack his handlers and was able to make her escape from the two men. Until she knew who to trust, she trusted no one.

With one shoe on and one shoe back where it at fallen when she threw it at Eric, she started away just as fast as she could.

Before she'd gone another block the vicious dog at caught up with her....

[chicmimi]

"Okay...enough is enough!!!" Ivy was fed up with the current situation: her silk-stockings were in shreds (a real lady never wore pantyhose...) and her pink-painted pedicure was showing the effects of a bad toe day! She started muttering a sort of mantra under her breath," Please oh please oh please, please, please!"as she frantically pulled on the handle of the Ford Tarus parked to the left...the saints were on her side as the door opened and Ivy threw herself inside! Many summers spent on her grandfather's farm had taught Ivy more than a few useful "tricks"...she made a few quick moves under the steering wheel and repeated her mantra as she held the two wires together "Please oh PLEASE!!!!!" The sparks flew, the car started up, and Ivy screetched away as the beast outside whimpered in pain..."You had it coming for messing up my toe-paint!!! she yelled to no one in particular. She was too afraid to even glance in the rear view at that point, she must make tracks! "Carol girl....you owe me BIGTIME for this mess! You'd better have some fast answers and you'd better still be in one piece!!!" Ivy glanced at the fuel gauge: it was almost full. She started to formulate a "plan" of sorts and then she realized that in spite of her best efforts, she couldn't remember how to...

[Kimmistil]

"Ronald, you're jumping around in the story." Candi sighed. "Try to keep the storyline straight. Am I going to have to smack you up the side of the head?" She laughed. "Sorry dear" Ron mumbled. 'Okay now, in spite of her best efforts Carol couldn't remember how to......'

[katiekat]

Candi interupted again..."Ronald maybe you should take a rest" Ronald looked down slightly dejected. He knew by now he was sporting the writers hair...then discheveled kind that almost sticks straight up from running your fingers through it. Candi knew he had been at it for days...he really did need a break. "Why don't you let me look it over and I will try to help with the order and a few suggestions, it might help get your momentum going again?". "Are you sure?" Ronald ask looking at the last words he had written. "Alright Candi, you take a crack at it. I am going to go relax maybe go for a drive." Ronald looked in the mirror and slicked down his hair with some water from the tap. It looks ok he thought to himself. He grabbed the keys to the volvo. "Hey Candi" "Umm hmm" she said looking up from the manuscript. "How does chinese takeout sound?" Ronald asked "Just get me Combo K with the mongolian beef, oh and exchange the pork for chicken" she looked back down. "Yes dear" and he left. Candi sat there reading over what Ronald had written....dear dear she thought. She half chuckled when she scanned over the crossed out parts about girl scouts....or at the parts where he would get confused and take up the first story. Ronald did have tendencies to vacillate. Maybe she could write....how hard could it be...she took some paper out of the printer and sat down with her red correction pen.

She began: It was June when it all began the sun baked the whole of the small town like a bug under a magnifying glass.

[pinkunicorn]

[SIZE=14][COLOR=purple]the attendant visibly discomfited as the elegant brunette slid into place at the conference table across from his other passenger advised the couple to prepare for takeoff.

"It was clearly a case of the lunatics running the asylum," Bryce asserted.
But alls well that ends well. Your aunt Carol is being transported to one of our facilities where she will recover from the stroke she suffered three weeks ago.

And because the personnel at Havenhurst work for the company, any question of a supposed doppelganger will be put to rest.

Medici has been recalled by the Brazilian government and Treasury agents will take George Rich into custody as soon as he tries to leave US jurisdiction.
Federal prosecutors were given a truebill by a special Grand Jury in DC today.

Jake will be returned to dear, sweet Mrs. Ivalee Aster as soon as they can retrieve the spycam from his harness.

And you and I my dear are enroute to Ponta Pora on the Brazilian, Paraguay border where you will be debriefed and Orca will give you your next assignment...

[Kimmistil]

Candi looked at what she had written. 'Sheesh, I'm gettin as bad as Ronald! Guess I'll go with the Carol story, since that seems to be stuck in my head.' She just started to write again when Ronald walked in the door with the takeout. "What are you doing?" He asked. Coming up behind her he read what she had written. "Hey, that's pretty good, I could work with that. Secret agents huh? Move over and let's work on this together." Ronald set the food down and started typing.

Carol slowly opened her eyes and looked around the room. It was noisy and her head was pounding. What were all these machines connected to her? The last thing she remembered was being at the mall. Ivalee was supposed to meet her for lunch. She was waiting in line to pay for her new purse and then she was going to meet Ivalee at the food court. Looking around the room, she spotted the purse sitting on the window sill, next to her shoes. 'What kind of hospital is this? That stuff should have been put away.' She wondered. 'Anyone could walk away with it.'

Just then, the door opened and in walked a man wearing scrubs and a labcoat. "Well, look who's awake! NURSE!" he yelled out the door. "She's awake" he whispered as she came in the door. "You were supposed to keep her sedated. "Sorry doctor. "she whispered back. Going over to the bed, she pulled a syringe out out her pocket. Carol watched mutely, barely able to move, as the nurse inserted the needle into the port on the IV line. The last thing she heard as things got really fuzzy was.........

[pinkunicorn]

[SIZE=7]Ivalee's hushed voice, "can she hear me doctor" Please dear, try to remain calm. Your niece gave permission for your medical care. You are going to be fine.

Carol, George has been arrested. Treasury agents turned him back at the Canadian border.

He turned out to be as inept a smuggler as he was a broker. But in order to divert suspicion from himself he had all his assets transferred to you.

Carol, you are now.....

[Kimmistil]

Everything went black...... When she woke up again, Ivalee was sitting at her bedside, smiling, with Jake beside her. " How are you feeling dear?" she asked. Carol tried to say that every limb had a lead weight attached, but all that came out was a hoarse croak. "Here, try some of this," Ivalee said as she held a glass of water to Carol's mouth. "Better?" Carol nodded and tried again. "What happened?" she croaked.

"You had a stroke dear. It wasn't too bad, just a warning one really, but then your good old boss decided to make himself some money. Apparently the government stepped in and asked the doctor to keep you sedated for a few days, while they set up a sting to catch George in the act." Carol looked confused, so Ivalee said, "okay let me start from the beginning. About three months ago, Tom cooked up a scheme to"....

Winding up the story, Ivalee said, "I guess you didn't hear what I said when I walked in here. In order to divert suspision from himself, George had all his assests tranferred to you. You'll have to give the government what George earned from his smuggling operation, but the rest is yours, including his half of the business and the mansion. You're a very rich woman now. And we'll be partners. What do you think of that?"

Carol sat up slowly on the bed, stunned. "I'm rich? But what about George's wife and son?" Ivalee smiled, "they were all in it together, it's all yours." The door opened and the doctor Carol remembered seeing before walked in. "Good, you're awake, I'm Doctor Highandmighty. As soon as you've had something to eat and you've walked around alittle, I'll let your friend Ivalee take you home." Carol heard the sound of raised voices coming fromed the hallway. As they got closer, she could here them saying.........

[scrappin_twin_mommy]

"I don't care what Doctor Highand mighty said, I'm going to talk to her", a man said with an obvious Brazilian accent.

Carol could her the nurse explaining a little louder this time that the patient needed her rest. Whoever this was thought it was quite urgent to talk to her. She just didn't know if she had the strength right now. But something about him intrigued her. In the back of her mind she thought she should know that voice but couldn't place it anywhere. Just then the door opened and. . .

[Kimmistil]

"Mr Ambassador, you simply cannot go in there." The nurse said grabbing the Brazilian ambassador's arm as he tried to enter the room. Maxamillian Importanto shook off the nurses hand and proceeded to cross the threshold. "Carol, my dear, what dreadful business this has all been. Are you all right? Look who I brought with me. Your beautiful neice." A voice spoke quietly from behind the ambassador. "Hi Aunt Carol" Just then the phone rang. As Ivalee picked up the receiver, everyone in the room could hear someone on the other end yelling......

[pinkunicorn]

[SIZE=7]can you hear me...we have a really bad connection. This is Delane Langner, Miss Carter's niece. Please let my aunt know that I was recalled to my post by the State department.

I just wanted to let you know that the newly appointed Brazilian ambassador, Don Demetrio Asunzolo wants to arrange for my aunt to receive recognition from the Brazilian government.

She will be presented with the medalla d' or for her contribution to the ....

[gdsjoy]

international cookbook of Green Eggs and Ham. I wish I could be there myself, but unfortunatly....well, you know how life goes."

Bewildered Carol looked at the phone as the floor in the room shuddered from under their feet.

"Hit the floor"

"Take cover"

"It's a.....

[Kimmistil]

"A bomb!!!!!!!!" Carol's neice, Delane yelled. Waiting for the room to stop shaking, Ivalee looked across the room and said, "if you're Carol's neice, then who was that on the phone?"

Pandamonium erupted in the hallway as the shuddering stopped. Ivalee grabbed Carol's clothes out of the closet and threw them to her. "Get dressed and let's get out of here!" Suddenly the door burst open and ........

[pinkunicorn]

two burly policemen rushed in and pinned the two impostors. Jimmy the hook and Sadie Sevens, aren't you two reaching a little high these days Officer Clancy of the bunco squad boomed.

A couple grifters too dumb to know that Portuguese is spoken in Brazil and not spanglish.

Clancy's partner chimed in, and a diplomatic mission doesn't travel on motorcycles with a side car.

Ivalee and Carol were both laughing so hard they didn't see....

[Kimmistil]

'The giant spaceship in the sky outside, slowly obliterating all life on earth. That first explosion was just the preliminary volley of shots. THE END.' typed Ronald. "Ronald" Candi laughed, "what an ending."

"I had to end it somehow." Ronald said defensively, "our publisher Ro, wants the rough draft in two hours and I need a shower before I meet with her. I could always change the ending later. Would you shut the computer off after it gets done printing?"

Candi sighed, "okay honey," she said, "at least you have a few good storylines there." Ronald walked out of the study, while Candi waited for the last few pages to print. Gathering them up, she shut off the computer and turned off the light.........

[Ro]

Game over! I'll announce the winner in tomorrows newsletter.

Thanks for playing!

Ro