Kyer picked up the phone and called the Knighties’ headquarter. This of
course didn’t go unnoticed by LaCountess, not just because her room was
right across Kyer’s, but also because ever since her arrival and talk with
the CotK leader, and the eventual discovery of the fact that they both
were hot-blooded Knighties, and had their teeth sharpened for Sir
Nicholas, she had developed this paranoia that Kyer knew the blond vampire
personally and was going to set up a private date with him without telling
any of the other warmongers. That thought alone caused her to feel jealous
to the bone. So she had her antennas set on the squirette, and watched her
every move especially if it had anything to do with the loft or anywhere
even remotely close to 101 Gateway Lane. As soon as she heard her talking
on the phone, she sharpened her ears.

“Yeah,…,hm, I…Katrinka…message, I’m not sure…ok!”

Darn it! She spoke so fast Sunny couldn’t even catch a word. “Oh my god,
what if she’s talking to Nick?” She hated herself for being a newbie. Now
this pioneer Knightie would go to the loft and meet the knight of her
dreams while she and the others will probably sit around the cottage
watching the cacti grow in the garden.

“Gather around everyone, it’s time to go to the loft!” it was Kyer’s voice
coming from the corridor.

All the cousins of the knight poked their heads out of their rooms like
little bunnies peaking out of their holes. Two of them, Diane and
LaCountess seemed very happy about this, thinking that at least they were
going to meet Nick. They smiled at each other.

“And we are not going to see even a hair of Sir Knight de Brabant. We’re
just going there for and pick up the surcoat, that’s it.”

Twin looks of disappointment shown on the Knighties’ faces. They got back
to their rooms to get ready when Kyer’s voice reached them again, “And
Diane! Get Upiddy ready.”

~~~~~Flashback—Friday July 6th

The others looked wary as their leader grinned to herself like... well,
like Dark Squirette was in control.

"This is sooo cool!" Kyer cackled. "Katrinka's going to get me Nicholas'
surcoat on temporary loan and all I have to do is make sure that that
screwy nutcase goes to get beat up in time. Isn't life great?"

"What's a sure coat?" Sunny asked.

Kezia smirked as she answered for the Fractured Knightie. She knew all
about medieval fashions. "A surcoat. The chain mail 'tunic' that Nick wore
during the Crusades. He'd have worn it over his--"

"In this case think of it as a 'sure bet', Kyer practically drooled over
the thought of Nick in 'Killer Instinct-style' natural homespun, but
caught herself in time. (Must be something I caught from touching that
Nunkies lover. Huh. A good dousing in anti-NA soap is called for as soon
as I got home. Maybe take a spritz bottle with me when I accompanied KC to
her doo..er, her match.) "As in, its a sure bet that I'm going to come out
of this the best of the three. They get bruises; I get Grade A bruise
protection gear for my job at home." She rubbed an elbow. "You wouldn't believe how painful it can be getting
around some stupid pallets in a back storeroom. And those manaics called
shoppers during Christmas time? Oy."

Diane was shaking her head. "I can't believe you want us to help you
Nick's surcoat. You should at least have asked for something easier to manage and
that we could have divied up between all of us", she said dreamy eyes,
"like locks of his silky soft hair!"

"Black PJ's" LaCountess piped up from where she was squashed between Kezia
and Jenieve. "Those are silky and soft too."

"Naah. Got enough hair of my own." Only half listening to her mates, Kyer
frowned as she absently referred to her ever growing ponytail. "But darn
it, I should have asked for the broadsword! That would have been great for
fending off annoying customers. At any rate, I'm only going to borrow the
thing for awhile until I can have a copy made. Do I look like a thief?"

Nobody answered.

Kyer scowled at them all. "Thanks a lot. And I was going have
commemorative
links made for each of you, too." She lowered her voice. "Now, Katrinka
I'm
thinking, is going to need a distraction so's she can slip me the surcoat
on the sly when I go to the loft. And I don't want to take Jenieve's car
again---someone might recognize it. Any suggestions?

“Stephano! The Italian cabby!” Sunny blurted out. Soon she was on the
phone calling the man whom she had both adored and confused at their first
meeting.

~~~~~End Flashback---

The cab showed up at the Cottage’s door a few minutes later. Two cabs in
fact, as Sunny had told Stephano to ask another one his colleagues to help
them since it was simply too many of them to fit into one car.

"Ciao, signorina! Looks alike we meet again. Now were is the mafia going
to battle tonotte?" He said in a cheerful voice. Sunny just smiled and got
into the cab sitting next to him. After they all got in, the two cabs
drove toward the loft with Diane riding behind them on her horse Upiddy.

TBC~~