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It's Dolly's Birthday
Chapter 15.
Meanwhile, back at The Lane...
Xe followed Callisto out into the hall and sauntered along behind her colleague, not even trying to keep pace with the younger dolly. Callisto charged down the stairs with renewed purpose and started bossing the Trolls around. The Trolls in turn viewed the young enforcer with tolerant, even affectionate, amusement and ignored her orders without exhibiting any insolence toward her.
As Xe reached the balcony railing at the top of the stair, she saw Callisto walk over to two potted plants near an inner wall where she bent over and picked up something from the floor. She straightened and dusted the something off on her leg, settling it on her head.
It was a baseball cap covered in green satin. Xe recognized it as a CFXS cap and by its color she surmised that it belonged to Gabrielle.
"Hey!" she said, not quite a shout, but louder than normal conversation.
Callisto looked up at her, a truculent pout forming on her features. She turned the cap backward on her head and pointedly looked everywhere but at Xe, who walked slowly down the stairs, never taking her eyes from Callisto.
"That's not yours. Give it back," she said when she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"I'm gonna," Callisto said. "To Gabrielle. When I rescue her."
"I kinda doubt you'll get the chance."
"Hey, it could happen."
"Whatever."
"I mean... She's my sister. We dollies gotta stick together. If we don't, we got nothin'. Right?"
Xe nodded. "Just... don't get your hopes up. OK?"
"Do you think we might not get her back?"
Xe laughed. "Hades forbid! Of course we'll get her back. The question is really whether or not you will have anything to do with it."
"How not?" Callisto asked, smiling a sly smile that was supposed to look shy and cherubic and only managed to exude mischief.
"Easy. I could send you back to Columbus in a cab."
"You wouldn't!"
"Maybe. Maybe not. Don't push me. Word to the wise. You've done enough damage for one day."
Callisto's smile faded and she hung her head. "So you think all this is my fault?"
"Of course not, silly ass! But you haven't done a whole lot to help solve things, either. I don't quite get how playing guard to a bunch of captive Meqs is quite living up to your full potential."
Callisto heard the compliment in that and allowed herself to preen with it, although she held it close. "Oh, that," she said dismissively. "Give me time. It's still early yet."
"Yeah, I know," Xe muttered. "We get into more trouble before Nine A.M. than most people do all day." Then she sighed and went in search of the Troll Team leader.
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