The Natural Spy

It's not easy getting lizard blood off a sheet of paper.

Particularly if there are multiple choice questions on the paper.

Luckily, the answer boxes have not been filled in yet.

Gaius goes to the sink, and picks up his blue dish cloth. 

Vello sniffs. 

I wouldn't use that cloth, says Vello.

A clean one would leave no traces, says Roo-kai. 

You are a natural spy, says Vello.

Am I a natural spy? asks Terence.

No, says Gaius. But Roo-kai is your parrot. Be happy with that.

Gaius takes a clean dish cloth from a drawer, wets it lightly, and wipes it over the paper.

How does it look? asks Vello.

A consistent beige, says Gaius. That's a lot better.

I suppose it will have to do, says Vello. 

Are you going to post it? asks Arthur.

The less you know the better, says Vello. However, I could take a photo, and send that.

You can always turn up the brightness, says Arthur. 

Which means I have wasted a dish cloth, says Gaius. 

First things first, snaps Vello. Roo-kai must fill in the answers.

Roo-kai gets to work.

A, B, A, B, A, C, D

and so on.

Until finally the form is completed.

Vello takes a photo. Checks it. Turns up the brightness. You'd never guess that it wasn't white paper.

Why did you use your own phone? asks Gaius. Wouldn't it be more efficient to use the spy camera that Roo-kai was issued? It has the submarine photos and other evidence on it.

Who's in charge here! says Vello. 

Nevertheless he picks up the tiny camera, and photographs the paper. Tclick!

Good, says Vello. That was more efficient.

My thoughts exactly, says Gaius. 

Do you have one of those Express Post bags? asks Vello. 

No, says Gaius. 

Then I'll have to go back to the office, says Vello.

I'll go with you, says Roo-kai.

No need, says Vello.

This is my future at stake, says Roo-kai. 

Come on then, says Vello. 

Off they go together, Vello shoving the tiny camera in his pocket.

Do you have a bad feeling about this? says Arthur.

I didn't, says Gaius. 

But he does now.