𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒

008. lullaby, say goodnight, sleep through class and don't die

NAOKI GLARED AT THE THREE KIDS BEFORE HER. Kasper Daniels lay on the floor, unconscious. 

They were in a classroom, the door locked and the shades drawn, the lights lowered to dim. Xandra and Paris were sitting on top of the desks, and Dexter had pulled a chair out next to them. The second all five of them had gotten inside, Naoki had whipped around, smiled apologetically at Kasper, then slammed her fist into the side of his head and knocked him out cold. 

Now she was glowering at them like they'd murdered her grandmother and danced atop her coffin in neon high heels. 

"Do you see what you've made me do?" she demanded, pointing at the snoring body at her feet.

"But he's a Puppet!" Paris protested. 

"Oh, gee, I guess we should just kill him off too then, yeah?" Naoki said sarcastically. "Kasper's still going to wake up with a lump the size of Texas on his skull and an eye blacker than your morals, not to mention a broken arm, but it doesn't matter because he's a Puppet!" 

Paris shrank. "Sorry." 

Naoki sighed, leaning against the door. "No, I am. I'm sorry. Especially to you and Dexter," she shut her eyes. "It's been... a long week. And I'm sure you guys are feeling just as overwhelmed." 

"I'm sure it's hard for you, too," Dexter said kindly. 

"You're doing your best," Xandra acknowledged grudgingly. 

"Yeah it flat out sucks here, not gonna lie," Paris crossed his arms. 

They glared at him. 

"I know Illias and I haven't been the shining models of Keepers that we should've been, either," Naoki continued, ignoring them. "But I promise, I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep you all safe. Relationship problems aside." 

Dexter smiled encouragingly at her. 

"But I need you guys to work with me too," she said seriously. "I know you're new to this, relatively, but we spent a week training almost non stop. You guys are capable, I know you are. So don't lose your heads. Stick to your training. Follow your gut, but not too much."

"So what's our next move, then?" Paris asked. 

Naoki nudged the sleeping Kasper on the ground. "When Kasper wakes up, Xandra is going to follow him to his house. Once you get there, knock him out again with those sleeping pills I gave you. I don't care if you have to force it down his mouth. We're going to wipe his memory anyway." 

Xandra nodded, accepting the small packet of sulphur-yellow pills that Naoki passed her. 

"Once you incapacitate him, get to Illias' house. Here's a key, his apartment is the penthouse. Just go straight up, and feel free to use the bedroom to the left, across from the master bedroom. That's my room. Take the pill yourself. When you get to Mirage, we'll meet you there.

"Paris, you and Dex and I are going to enter Mirage, and do the usual. Once Xandra knocks Kasper out and tells us where he lives, we'll all get there and kill the Damia. Kasper will be saved, and then we can wipe his memory of this whole disaster, and pray to all the holy gods that Kiernan doesn't find out," she said grimly. "Got it?" 

"Got it," they chorused. 

"Perfect. I'm sending Kasper home now. Xandra, follow him from a distance. Paris, you and Dexter are going to clean desks until I get the message from Xands," Naoki folded her arms. "We have to at least convince Brady we did some disciplinary work." 

"So Xandra gets to be a spy, and I have to be a- a- a maid?" Paris spluttered. 

Naoki threw a rag at him, and it splatted clean onto his face. "Get to work, Cinderella."