S.P.E.C.T.O.R – [A Sci-fi space adventure with fantasy elements]

“What the fuck?” Billie cursed as the stream froze and they all saw James Fleming’s caller ID pop up.

“Why is James calling you?” Emily asked as she looked at Joanne with a raised eyebrow.

“No idea,” Joanne replied as she ignored the call before resuming the stream while saying dismissively, “Probably wants to hire me or something.”

“Doesn’t look like we missed anything important,” Millie said in relief as they saw that Adam and was still carrying Revi while they flew through the air.

“It was paused for like five seconds,” Joanne replied before asking in a teasing tone, “Can’t you avoid seeing him for even five seconds?”

Millie was about to reply when the stream paused again because of James Flemming calling again.

“Holy fuck, doesn’t this guy know how to take a hint?” Billie asked.

“Well, Joanne has only rejected his call once,” Jeanie remarked.

“Not like that will stop him,” Emily said with a sigh as she reached into her purse and pulled out her own phone to show the girls while saying, “He’s been calling me nonstop since I left without him last night.”

“Holy shit, eight missed calls?” Billie said in surprise.

“Yup and that’s only while I’ve been talking with you girls,” Emily replied.

“I guess he was disappointed he didn’t get some last night and thinks he still has a shot with you,” Millie remarked.

“Perhaps he would have gotten some if he had played his cards right,” Emily replied with a wink.

“The guy just missed out on Earth’s most beautiful woman; he must be kicking himself,” Joanne said with a chuckle as she ignored James’ call again and resumed the stream.

“You think that’s why he’s calling you?” Jeanie asked before adding, “Because he’s heard you’re here with Emily?”

“Possibly, this hotel does belong to the Flemmings after all,” Joanne replied.

“They arranged it for me since I was originally supposed to perform at the celebration,” Emily replied just as another call from James paused the stream for a third time.

“Doesn’t this guy know that desperate men aren’t attractive?” Millie asked in annoyance.

Joanne ignored the call again and resumed the stream before holding her hand out to Emily and saying, “Lend me your phone.”

“You want to call him back using mine?” Emily asked as she instantly understood Joanne’s reason for asking.

“It’s either that or he keeps interrupting the stream,” Joanne said in annoyance.

“Fair point,” Emily replied as she unlocked the phone and called James before handing the phone over to Joanne.

“She ignored my call again,” James Flemming said in surprise as he sat opposite Isabella Flemming, who sat behind her large, ornate desk while looking over some papers.

“Perhaps she’s busy, don’t spam the girl,” Isabella replied without looking up before adding, “Desperate men are not attractive.”

“Right,” James replied as he remembered how he had been spam-calling Emily since last night.

Isabella glanced up at her grandson and gave him a knowing look before shaking as she resumed looking through the papers, just before James’ phone rang.

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After seeing the caller ID, he quickly answered before asking in excitement, “Emily?”

“True again, lover boy,” Joanne replied in a cold tone that made James’ smile fade and Isabella, who heard the response, look up curiously.

“Oh, Miss McClain, my apologies,” James said apologetically while putting the phone on speaker as he added, “I thought you were Emily since you’re calling from her phone.”

“Why would you think that when you just spam-called me three times and you probably already know we’re together?” Joanne asked coolly before adding, “Has no one ever told you that women find desperate men unattractive?”

As James heard her question, his face blanched slightly while he heard giggles come from the other end of the phone and Isabella smiled at him in a way that said, ‘told you so.”

“You’re both together, I had no idea,” James replied.

“Stop lying,” Joanne snapped before adding, “We’re sitting here in the restaurant of one of your hotels, how could you possibly not know where Emily is since you’ve been spam calling her since last night?”

Isabella sighed and shook her head after hearing Joanne’s reply.

“I honestly had no idea since I was trying to reach you,” James hurriedly lied.

He, of course, knew that Emilly was currently dining with Triple Trouble and had planned to use the opportunity to speak with her after his grandmother had spoken with Joanne.

“Forgive my grandson, Miss McClain. It appears his father failed to teach him the proper way to treat a lady, something I will rectify in the future,” Isabella stated.

“Please do, Lady Flemming,” Joanne replied as her cool tone vanished and was replaced with a more professional one as she added, “I apologise for letting you hear that. I had no idea you were with Mr Flemming.”

“It’s perfectly fine; I was the one who asked James to get in contact with you after all,” Isabella said calmly before adding, “Though I had no idea he would do it in such an ungentlemanly manner.”

“I’m sure you, of all women, can understand how men can get when they like a woman,” Joanne replied before adding, “Unfortunately, I fear his actions last night have ruined his chances with Miss Daniels.”

“Is that so? Such a shame,” Isabella replied as James’ face seemed to drop even lower after hearing Joannes’ words.

“But pray tell, what did you mean by ‘you of all women’?” Isabella asked curiously.

“I have heard tales of all the suitors you had in your youth, Lady Flemming. Your family pedigree plus your beauty, which you still retain today, made you the ideal catch for any man,” Joanne replied.

“Yes, there were indeed a few,” Isabella said with a chuckle before adding, “Unfortunately, as the oldest and most gifted child of my father, my position as the family head was set in stone, as was my arranged marriage.”

“So what can I do for you, Lady Flemming?” Joanne asked before adding, “If this is protecting a member of your family, I’m afraid I’m currently protecting another client.”

“Yes, the three members of Triple Trouble, from what I hear,” Isabella replied before adding, “No matter, that wasn’t the reason I wished to speak with you.”

“Then might I assume it’s to do with how I know that it was, in fact, Adam Spencer who attacked properties of the five families and not a group of terrorists you would have us all believe?” Joanne asked calmly.

Isabella raised an eyebrow in surprise before saying in an impressed tone, “How astute of you. Might I ask how you figured that out and why you don’t seem to fear the five families’ retribution for knowing the truth?”

“I know because Mr Flemming asked me something similar back at the celebration; unfortunately, Triple Troubles manager, Mr Pak, interrupted before I could answer,” Joanne replied before adding, “As for why I don’t fear the five families’ retribution, as you put it, well, that’s because you all fear Adam Spencer.”

“Excuse me?” Isabella asked in surprise as James stared at his phone in similar surprise.

“Are you aware, Lady Flemming, that Adam Spencer is in fact a streamer and that he streams his adventures all over the universe, including here on Earth?” Joanne asked.

“I was not aware that he did such a thing,” Lady Flemming replied before signalling for James to look into this, to which James nodded before accessing a laptop that was on the ornate desk.

“Judging by the clicking sounds that just started, I’m guessing you instructed Mr Flemming to search for Adam Spencer’s stream,” Joanne said in amusement before adding, “Allow me to save you the trouble of wasting your time and tell you that you won’t be able to find it.”

“What do you mean?” Isabella asked with a frown.

“Adam Spencer’s stream is rather… unique. Instead of having the stream open for anyone as a way to gather viewers and make money, his stream is restricted to invite-only, I guess, because he doesn’t need Earth money.”

“I have never heard of any streamer who didn’t want more viewers,” James suddenly said in surprise.

“Yes, well, it seems to be something his ship’s AI set up, though we, the members of his chat, are still trying to figure out exactly why that is,” Joanne explained.

“So what you’re saying is that you know the real reason behind the attacks because you witnessed it yourself?” Isabella asked.

“That’s correct, Lady Flemming,” Joanne replied before adding, “I also must commend you on making the right choice in handing your grandson over to Adam Spencer. We all saw what he did to the Keita family when Ayana Keita refused to hand over Kareem Badawi.

“You seem to know everything,” Isabella said in surprise.

“I wouldn’t say everything, but more than most people on Earth,” Joanne replied before adding, “Such as how Dana Ansari might have saved the Keita family from extinction.”