"I thought you were--" Linda started, then she turned and saw Ringo, "but then-- is he?"
James turned with a look of confusion to Ringo, who returned the look. Linda took this for a yes.
"Beg pardon," she said, turning to Ringo, and, clicking her right heel two times, she curtseyed to him.
"Well, let's get him back to our... house," James said.
"C'mon," replied Linda. She took James's hand, and walked him to a car. She curtseyed again to Ringo, and he sat in the back. Linda started the car, and began to talk to James. It was a rather one sided conversation, since James (not being who she thought he was) didn't know what she was talking about.
So Linda knew James... or.. the James of this world. But how? And James? James knew Linda, but not this Linda. What Linda did he know then? And Linda had bowed to himself. He was-- what exactly did she think he was--rather, who did she think he was? My head hurts... Ringo thought
"--I thought the situation was still unstable," Linda was saying to James.
"Ah... right," James replied, "it was unstable, so I had to come back."
"But... you brought," she lowered her voice to a whisper, "the prince back with you."
"Prince?" James asked.
Linda nudged her head in a backwards motion, to indicate Ringo.
"I didn't have much of a choice," James muttered truthfully, "rather, *he* brought me."
Linda reached over and flipped on a radio switch.
"The situation in Karlavanc is still very unstable, and troops are being moved in. As of this time, the Prince has been identified as missing. Some sources believe that the public is holding him, while others believe that he has been killed or injured and still in the wreckage of the Barshka Palace--"
"Well, it's as much a surprise to them as it is to me, thank heavens for small blessings," Linda interrupted
"--and throughout the confusion of the revolution, both Ganda and The Amagamated Provinces of Australia, two very powerful superpowers, refuse to become involved in the conflict. Sources close to this news station say that James McCartney, three time war hero, has been assigned the project of finding and securing the Prince. The government has refused to comment on this."
"This news station sure gets a lot of news from 'sources'," Ringo remarked.
So James was a war hero.. on a mission. And Linda thought that this James was him, already back. So that would make Ringo... the prince? He was a prince in this world? Ok. He could deal with that. There were worse things to be than a Prince. But apparently this Prince was...what had the news said...well, it couldn't be good to be a Prince during a revolution in your country. But at least he wasn't IN his country. Linda's reaction to James being here made that clear. This whole thing was becoming more and more strange.
"This is an amount of tension which hasn't been seen since the revolution of Mardigrass. It takes a revolution to make this kind of a war. Now we'll take some calls... Hello, you're on the air. So what do you think of this war?"
"I think it's all a bunch of crap really, I mean, what the heck are these guys revolting for anyhow?"
"It's called equality... Next caller."
"Hey, love the show. I've been wondering, who is the leader of these people. They have to have one. The attacks are very.. organized."
"That's something you, me, and the Prince would sure like to know."
"Ugh...these shows are terrible," Linda sighed, switching off the radio, "highest order civilization in the world, you'd think they could have a decent show hm?"
"Media is *never* sophisticated," James remarked, "It couldn't be. Then it wouldn't be... media."
"Of course," Linda laughed slightly, "whatever would we do if we couldn't be misinformed?"
"Well that would be a terror, hm?" James replied.
"Utter horror, chaos, to think what the public could do if they actually knew things," Linda responded.
"In fact, they might actually make moral progress," James gasped.
Ringo listened with interest to James and Linda banter. This was a side of James he hadn't seen yet. He had been acting different ever since they had met Linda. Something was bound to come of this.
They finally reached Linda's house.
"I don't suppose your highness had any time to pack," she said with a smile, "but don't worry about it, I thought this might happen, so I got some extra things. It's important that no one know that you're here so--"
"Shouldn't I give this speech dear?" James interjected, with a smile.
DEAR?? Ringo exclaimed mentally.
"Sorry," Linda said.
"Now, it's very important that no one know you're here. Try and keep a low profile. No one is aware of our whereabouts, but be careful just the same. We'll have a guard watching at all times, but it shouldn't be obvious," James said, with an air of superiority.
Ringo gave him a startled look.
"Sorry Lin, but there are a few confidential things I need to talk about with the Prince here," James said.
"Sure, here, why don't you go in the guest room. It's soundproofed," Linda offered.
They reached the room and Linda left. Ringo shut the door and then waited a few moments.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Ringo asked James, "You're no fuckin' war-hero! Are you trying to get us both killed, or just me?"
"Shut up. This is good enough. We've got a place. C'mon, think, it's not that hard to lie a little. You heard the radio, no one has any idea where the people she thinks we are are. They might be dead. No one will be the wiser for it all," James argued, "Besides, not a damn lot we can do about it now."
"All right," Ringo conceded, "but be careful!"
James turned and opened the door, "Watch your back."
It sounded more like a threat than a caution.
