Author Topic: Duty Calls Chapter 31: Vanquishing the Enemy (Completed)  (Read 25255 times)

Offline Magz from Oz

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Duty Calls Chapter 31: Vanquishing the Enemy (Completed)
« on: November 08, 2012, 07:25:16 AM »
Duty Calls - Chapter 1: The Search for Adam

Hi there, I’m Brandon and I’m looking for my errant brother who has neglected his duties to the family dynasty and skipped town.  We got a call from Ms Andrews, an investigative journalist my father hired to trace Adam.  She believes one of the new people to take up residence in Sunset Valley may be my missing brother.  Actually Adam’s my twin brother but as he is older by 43 minutes, he’s the first born and the dynastic duties rest with him.  But we are identical twins and as we look the same, our father suggested I personally go to Sunset Valley and ask if anyone has seen Adam.  So dad arranged through Ms Andrews to acquire a little cottage which would be a suitable base for me.  It is a nice little seaside cottage with a great view, but frankly, it’s not what I’m used to.

After a quick look through the house, I immediately set about finding news of Adam.  It’s early Sunday morning and there doesn’t seem to be too many people up yet.  I asked this guy who seemed to be taking no delight in playing the third wheel to an elderly couple!  I’m sure he said he name was either Alexander or Zander but he mumbles a bit.  He wasn’t unfriendly but there was just something about him that told me he is more than just a little bit shady and probably not all that well acquainted with the truth.  But I had to start somewhere so asked him if he knew Adam or at least, had seen another man who looked quite a bit like me?



He told me he didn’t personally know any Adam in this town but thought he had seen a guy who looked like me around.  He suggested I check with City Hall.  Why didn’t I think about that, I can at least check the Electoral Roll for the district.  After all Adam is old enough to vote.  So I thanked him and approached City Hall.



Oh what disappointment!  The town clerk told me that they do indeed have a list of registered voters but due to privacy laws, are unable to disclose its contents to non-locals.  Instead she suggested that I check out places in town where he might be.  What a great idea, Adam loves to fish and thanks to our father, I inherited the Angler trait as well.  I could get some fishing in while I’m looking.  If I find the best fishing spots, I’m sure to run across Adam if he’s here, as he never could resist the lure of the rod and reel for too long. 

So I tried Summer Hills Springs first, it was easiest to get to.  The fishing was okay but not exceptional.  So next I tried a place called Stoney Falls, which was also quite easy to get to.  Although spectacular, there were only two decent fishing holes, there, and no sign of Adam.  No sign of anyone!



Then I tried Pinochle Pond which is quite close to Stoney Falls but it was quite a hike across country.  Pinochle Pond also only had two decent fishing spots and disappointingly, no Adam.  So then I tried the most remote fishing lake at Crystal Springs.  It had four good fishing holes and a decent range of fish, but alas... no Adam.

Down hearted I went to the beach across from my new house as Adam likes salt water fishing but again... failure, no Adam.  I guess I was a bit too optimistic thinking I’d find Adam on the first day in town.



I met a young lad who seemed to be very knowledgeable about the people in this town.  He had an air of ‘old money’ about him.  He said he was sure there was no Adam in town but there was one fellow who goes by his online nickname but he couldn’t be sure what he looked like as the man hid behind dark glasses even at night.  He said there were always new people in town but he’d only met the lady who works at the Military Base.  He hadn’t met any others yet.

But I’m now too tired and hungry to look further tonight.  I’m sure there is a halfway decent restaurant in a town this size.  The lad told me there was the Bistro just at the top of the hill in front of the library.

I found the Bistro which is really just a short stroll up the hill.  Okay... the food was pretty ordinary but the locals seemed nice.  I’m sure some of these people might know Adam.  So I asked and struck out again.  No one there had heard of him.  They did suggest that I check out the other places in town. .This nice lady in black did tell me that the Bistro is the top restaurant in town but to check out the paper for hot spots where the in-crowd gathered.  Sure Adam is friendly, and from all accounts by the ladies in our hometown, he’s a great kisser but he’d generally not one for the dance clubs.  They’re too tame for his liking.  Anyway I think I’ll check out the other restaurants.  Since Adam and I are natural cooks, a trait we inherited from our mother, maybe he works at one of the other dining places in town.



Well today wasn’t a total bust.  This town seems to be what dad would call a “target rich environment”.  The young ladies seemed to outnumber the young men almost 2 to 1.  Maybe Adam hasn’t neglected his duty after all, but has gone in search of a fresh face to broaden the family gene pool.  Well I’ll just have to keep looking.  After all tomorrow’s another day.



Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline sdhoey

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Duty Calls Chapter 1: The Search for Adam
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2012, 07:38:38 AM »
Sp Christopher is hiding a secret after all?? I like your background story so far. Good luck finding him.



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Offline RaiaDraconis

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 1: The Search for Adam
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2012, 01:21:18 PM »
Now this is unique and  interesting. I like the concept!

Louise56

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 1: The Search for Adam
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2012, 04:17:53 AM »
Very interesting story, I can't wait for more. :)

Offline Magz from Oz

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 2: The Search Continues
« Reply #4 on: November 09, 2012, 08:03:44 AM »
Duty Calls - Chapter 2: The Search Continues

Rise and shine.



It’s a new day and a new search method is needed.  Adam hasn’t accessed his bank account or used any of his credit cards, so I think he must have a job... and he probably has an alias since everyone is sure there isn’t any Adam amongst the new people in the town.  If I ask around all the work places in town, maybe I can strike it lucky.  He can change his name but not his face.  Someone must have seen someone who looks like me as no one can’t hide their face from their work colleagues forever.

But where to start?  I knew which careers Adam shouldn’t go into based on our family ancestry, but as he’d skipped town maybe he didn’t care to follow “The Rules”.  So logically there was no career or profession I could definitely rule out.  First of all, I’ll try the obvious, the diner and the new coffeehouse that everyone is talking about.  Not a good start and again failure is dogging my heels.  Neither eating houses employ him so it back to foot slogging around town and knocking on doors asking questions.



So I’ve tried the Police Station, the Sports Stadium, the Military Base, the Science Facility, the Business Office, the Spa, the Bookstore, the Grocery Store, the Hospital and even City Hall, although surely politics is not the career of choice for someone trying to hide from his family.  So again I asked at City Hall if I can check their register of self employed people for his name.  Again I got the privacy law run around.  It was a long shot anyway, as I firmly believe he is using an alias.

The helpful town clerk suggested that my brother could make a living from selling fish, especially deathfish from the graveyard, to the grocery store.  She also informed me he could make good money growing vegetables and selling his harvests to the grocery store.  Similarly he could paint, or sculpt or invent objects which he could sell through the Consignment Store or write novels for royalties.



She said another alternative to actual work was to collect things - rocks or gems, small animals, insects and butterflies, or he could train a pet to hunt those things which can be sold without any store involvement.  She then asked if he played any musical instrument as he could busk and earn good money from tips if he was a decent enough musician.  Another avenue for funds was to complete opportunities in various skills.  If he had a wide enough friend base, they could offer him opportunities to complete tasks and would pay him some money.  Also if he had some wealthy friends, he could mooch from them and gain enough Simoleons to get by.  If he was adventurous, he could make buckets of money collecting relics and doing adventures in China or Egypt or France.  So he didn’t need to be registered as self employed to earn a decent living in this town.  I thanked her for her time and left.



That was so overwhelming and my heart just plummeted.  I didn’t know there were so many ways to get money other than just a regular job.  Not that anybody in my family has actually needed to work for generations, simply learning just how many ways there were to make money in this little town was daunting...I need a coffee.



Then just when I thought my day couldn't get any worse. Dad phones!



Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler


Offline ApplesApplesApples

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 2: The Search Continues
« Reply #6 on: November 12, 2012, 06:15:42 PM »
Hmm, I'm intrigued!



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Offline Magz from Oz

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 3: Failure is NOT an Option
« Reply #7 on: November 13, 2012, 04:14:44 AM »
Duty Calls - Chapter 3: Failure is NOT an Option

When my luck is out, it’s waaaaaaaaaay out.  Well Adam was always supposed to be the lucky one (even though he doesn’t have the lucky trait).  Dad called and he wants results.  Now!  Pronto!  I try to tell him that no news is good news and Adam hasn’t yet broken “The Rules” against career or skills that I know of.  Dad says no news, no funds.  The clock is ticking and all that.  Adam must return home.  Dad has given me until the end of the week.  I have 3 days left to find Adam and convince him to return home.



I read the paper every day to see if he’s up to anything because Ms Andrews has assured us that she’ll write anything that’s relevant in her column.  So far nothing about Adam or whoever he now calls himself.  It looks like I’ll still have to do all the leg work myself.  Adam will need an income, even I’m raking up the bill living here.  By using the process of elimination, I can only positively rule out Adam mooching off friends, he hasn’t the trait.  So he could be doing any of a dozen things to make money and stay under our father’s very powerful radar.

Of all the options given to me by the lady at City Hall, my guess would be that he’s fishing at the graveyard for deathfish or he has a dog trained to hunt.  Whether he’s selling at the grocery store or out of his inventory is difficult to tell.  Gus, the guy at the grocery store was no help.  I’m not certain he’s got both oars in the water.

I am quickly running out of ideas.  I’ve been everywhere and spoken to just about everybody I can find in this town and that's quite a lot!  No one will admit that they know Adam but several have reported seeing someone who looks like me around the park or at the Bistro or at the beach.  But I just can’t be in two places at once and he’s never there when I get there.  Nor can I continue chatting to everyone indefinitely, not on dad’s dime anyhow.  Dad expects results.  I wonder if I can ditch this cell phone to stop his incessant progress report calls.  That probably wouldn’t work, because great-grandpa Andrew was in the military and I’m sure he knows people who can track any phone.  Also since I am a product of generation Y, I couldn’t live without my cell phone.  I’m getting lots of calls from the people in Sunset Valley already.  I’ve even been to a couple of parties just so I can talk to more people.



But the more I talk to people the friendlier they are getting.  Maybe a bit too friendly.  I’m constantly running into Agnes, the lady in black who seems to be everywhere I am.  I’m sure she is hitting on me!  And my phone rings a lot but it is not from people with information about Adam, if it’s not dad demanding an update, I’m fending off requests for a date.  Even from Ms Keaton.  Have you seen her husband for goodness sake, he’d murder me!  What can she be thinking?  And I’m sure Agnes is stalking me.  Last night at the coffee shop she was almost pawing me and I sensed she wants to get to know me really well.



So does Emma who works at the Bistro.  I met her again at Mick’s Karaoke tonight when I was checking it out.  Since there was no Adam, I just hung around hoping he may come later.  When Emma suggested we sing a duet, I’m certain she was disappointed when I decided one song was enough. 



I wanted to get home and sleep a bit so I can check out the graveyard later.  But next time Agnes calls for a date, I think I’ll accept as there is some mystery about her.  It may or may not be connected to Adam.  I’m sure she has connections to people in high places, so it’s probably worth my while cultivating her as a contact. 

You wouldn’t believe this but that was Agnes on the phone just now.  Asking for a date and at this time of night!  Well, I’ll never never know if I never never go.*  But why are we meeting at the newly relocated Fire Station just along Sun Song Avenue from my house?  Does she work there?  No, she wants to look at the stars.  I guess that can’t hurt.



That accidental touch of the hand was no accident surely.  Nor is the whispering of sweet nothings in my ear.  I do sense a real loneliness about her that is intriguing.  She has such beautiful eyes and a nice smile.  Whoo, hold on boyo, wait a minute, where do you think this is going.  I’m only here to do a job, not to look for a relationship.  Before I can explain this to Agnes, she says she’s tired and disappears in a nice easily detectable white coupe.  Oh heck, I need to clear my head but I’ve got to get some sleep first so I can go fishing at the graveyard tonight.  Oh look at the time, I have to hurry off to the graveyard now and I am really tired.



I only caught two nice deathfish because the resident ghosts just kept annoying me and putting me off my game.  Whew!  Do those ghosts pong!  The only good news I can glean from this situation, is that if the ghosts are this annoying to me, they will be for Adam.  I guess I can probably rule out fishing for deathfish as a way to make a good living after all.  Now to bed!

Why does my phone ring all the time?  Emma wants a date!  At this time of night!  At the Equestrian centre?  Seriously?  This better be worth it.  I’m way past tired.



Emma says she has seen my brother and he goes by another name.  Well duh, I guessed that.  For a kiss, she’ll tell me his new name.  For an unflirty girl, she sure is coming on strong.  Strewth!  Okay, a quick kiss.  Hmm... I could do worse.  So his new name is Christopher and he lives on Skyborough Boulevard.  Emma also warned me to stay away from Agnes as she has the Hopeless Romantic trait and will twist me around her little finger before I know it.  Definitely going to take that advice.

So now I know his new name and approximately where he lives.  Tomorrow is going to be interesting.  Wait it’s already tomorrow.  Make that, today is going to be interesting...


* For those who want to know... the Never Never is a term given to the Northern Territory in Australia.  There was a fairly famous ad campaign that "you'll never never know if you never never go".  I went for my 50th birthday, Uluru, Kakadu, Darwin, Katherine Gorge and The Ghan.  Total magic. 
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline RaiaDraconis

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 3: Failure in NOT an Option
« Reply #8 on: November 13, 2012, 06:55:43 AM »
This is very amusing! I can't wait to see the inevitable confrontation between brothers. :)

Offline sdhoey

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 3: Failure in NOT an Option
« Reply #9 on: November 13, 2012, 08:28:52 AM »
Face to face with the brother!! Can't wait to see this.

Offline Magz from Oz

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 4: Tally Ho - The Hunt is ON!
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2012, 06:37:17 AM »
Duty Calls - Chapter 4:  Tally Ho – The Hunt is ON!

Okay I’m awake, I think.  Good lord look at the time.  Make that a quick shower and no time for breakfast.  I’ll eat an apple on the run.  May as well grab that paper too I’ll read it later.  Maybe not.  I hope I won’t have to read it at all.  I’m off to Skyborough Boulevard and door knocking.



As it turns out, Skyborough Boulevard is a fairly long street but there are not that many houses on it.  I’ll check out these out systematically.  Well of course, as it’s a week day there are not too many people at home.  I shouldn’t have slept in but I had a very very late night.  But it was so worth it to get this information on Adam.



Well that’s all the houses and no one is home except for that fruit loop, Gus.  He’s definitely working with an unformatted disk.  He’s singing to a tree.  I wish I had my cell phone handy to video a picture of that but as soon as he saw me, he stopped.  I could have scored a million hits on Youtube.  So what do I do now?  Loiter around the neighbourhood and hope for a glimpse of my elusive brother or come back later when people have returned from work?  Later will probably work best.  Maybe I’ll go fishing for more Angelfish to catch a few more Deathfish.  I could use the money.  I sure don’t want to go cap in hand to dad again, until I’ve got Adam on the plane home!

Hmm, Summer Hills Springs is fairly handy.  It’s a beautiful day, I think I’ll jog.  I see trees of green, red roses too.  Oh dear God, now I’m singing to the trees.  My mood is so light, I’m almost giddy with the thought of all this being over.  Oh my lucky stars, who is that at Summer Hills Springs and I think to myself... what a wonderful world (cue the music).  Get a grip boyo.



He turns and watches as I approach then turns back to reel in a minnow.  I go right up to Adam and I just don’t know what to say.  I’m standing there and I am so excited I can’t hold a thought in my head.  I don’t think I ever imagined it would be difficult to talk to him.  I’m relieved and angry and for the first time in my life, tongue tied.  I don’t know whether to hug him or Gibb’s slap him.  He says nothing, not even hello.  I want to Gibb’s slap him.



As I try to gather my thoughts he puts away his fishing rod.  “I can’t believe he sent you”, he says.

Yep, I definitely want to slap him.  “So, what did you expect? I asked.

“I thought he might have sent mum”, he said.

“Mum’s busy”, I replied.  “Did you know she was an architectural designer now?”  This has got to be the most inane conversation I’ve had (besides talking to Gus Hart).  “We have to go home.  YOU have to go home.  You’ve got so much to do and so little time and you’ve lost 10 days.”

“Not gonna happen”, he says matter-of-factly.  “I’m going nowhere.  I’m not completing any stupid Dynasty.  It’s all moot now anyway.  It’s too late, I’ve left the lot.”  Then he jabs his finger at me “And you’ve left the lot.  And I got a tattoo...”.

I don’t think a slap will help things but I’m willing to give it a try.  But for mum’s sake, I take a deep breath and try another tack.



“Adam, it’s your destiny...”

“Don’t call me that!” he interrupts, “I’m Christopher now.



“Whatever!  You have to go back.  Everyone’s worked so hard all this time to get to this point...” and again he interrupts.

“Forget it.  Read my lips, Bran.  NO.  NOT going to happen.  I’m not going back.  I’m not going to be an elder who hangs around the park or the library or watches TV for an eternity.  I’m not going to watch my wife die because she can’t be immortal and I have to be!  I’m not going to have a daughter who can’t get married and has to suffer the shame of having a child out of wedlock, because she has a houseful of old foggies who won’t die.”

“That’s the rules, Adam... um... Christopher and don’t call me Bran, you know I hate it!”  I’m losing my cool and I should have rehearsed what I needed to say so I don’t blow this opportunity.

“Why don’t you want this anymore?  You used to be excited about it when we were younger.”

He heaved a heavy sigh.  “Look Brandon.  When we were kids, it all sounded glamorous.  You’d be there to help me achieve my goals.  I had a place in history, a date with destiny and all that rubbish.  It seemed so important to get that Hall of Fame entry.  But then I grew up.  I understood what it all means for the people I love.  I realised that I don’t want to live forever.  I want a normal life with a wife and half a dozen kids.  You do realise that while I can get married, I can’t have my daughter until either you or mum dies.  Then she can’t have a child until my wife dies.  And I’m not going to be that person...” He abruptly turns away.  I think there are tears in his eyes.


I’m gobsmacked.  I never imagined he say something like that.  I thought he was just being selfish.  There I stood totally deflated.  All that self righteous anger and resentment evaporated.  I’m at a total loss.

“Why didn’t you tell me?  We could have talked this over with mum.  I knew the score.  She knows the score too.  We accepted that we can’t live forever.  But I never thought about how you’d feel for a daughter you don’t yet have.  But I can see your point.  There’s a chubby lady next door to me on Sun Song Avenue who has a baby and no husband.  I never see her with the kid but I hear it cry sometimes.  I also hear what people say about her and I wouldn’t want that for my daughter either, even though it’s the rules.”

The next thing he says has me scratching my head, “Those rules are for the watchers but we, the Sims have to live them.  I can’t be that Sim, I have to be me.  This is my life now, there’s a lot of new worlds and a lot of new Sims.  Sunset Valley is old news, and nobody comes here much anymore.  This is where I need to be.  I want that obscurity, to be left in peace, living my life and no dynasty obligations!”

Then he hugged me.  I didn’t cry but it was a near thing.  He was my big brother again and we talked and talked.  I told him about my experiences in Sunset Valley and about Agnes stalking me.  He gave me the same warning that Emma did.  I don’t think it’s warranted because I’m sure no one can coerce me into any relationship I don’t want.  Does everyone think I’m a few bits short of a byte?



We talked so much I didn’t notice the sun going down or how late it was.  I didn’t even notice the rainbow in the night sky until this gleaming white unicorn approached us.



I stood transfixed and just watched it.  I’d heard about them but never seen one before.  I turned around to share my delight with Adam... um... Christopher but I hadn’t noticed that he had slipped away.



Adam's Chris has gone again, and I still don’t know which house on Skyborough Boulevard is his.  And wouldn’t you know it, the confounded phone rings!  Oh crikey, it’s dad!  What am I going to tell him now!


NB:  A Gibb's slap is a light slap to the back of the head.  It's a wake up call.  From the TV show NCIS.
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline RaiaDraconis

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 4: Tally Ho - The Hunt is ON!
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2012, 01:59:29 PM »
I actually teared up when Chris explained his side of the story. You have a fantastic knack for writing and convey their emotions well, and I love the little light-hearted bits (Gus the fruit loop :P). This is a very enjoyable read!


Offline Magz from Oz

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 4: Tally Ho - The Hunt is ON!
« Reply #13 on: November 17, 2012, 12:06:02 AM »
Sorry forum, my link with photobucket seems to be glitched.  I'll rectify as soon as I can.

Magz
Where there is love - there is life. -- Mahatma Gandhi

My Stories:
1. Duty Calls
2. Duty Calls Sequel: Islands of Sunset Valley
3. The Lady of the Lake
4. The Secret Time Traveler

Offline ApplesApplesApples

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Re: Duty Calls Chapter 4: Tally Ho - The Hunt is ON!
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2012, 08:44:12 AM »
I wonder what Brandon will tell his father?

 

anything