dlbchap1

"So she was actually inside of Copper's room?"
Cynthia set down her screwdriver, casting the English girl a frown. For once, her reason for her absense was justified, for she was fixing together some broken equipment and had enrolled her solid light hologram to do the task, for she knew Aaron was otherwise engaged at the music company till late. She was growing fond of Sadie, and had almost resolved to tell her the truth about Cynthia's identity, but all thought of that had left her head when the fair girl had hurried down the stone steps, and had blurted out what she had seen.
Sadie nodded.
"Yes. I don't know what she was doing there and I don't want to say anything in case, well, in case it's above board and everything." she sighed. "I wanted your advice. I know we don't know each other very well yet, but you're so level headed and smart and I figured you know Copper and the rest better than I do."
Cynthia's holographic cheeks touched pink at this praise, and she smiled.
"I think you are correct to be suspicious." She agreed. "And I don't think that this should be left alone. Equally, however, it's not something that can be blurted out as an accusation. Jewel do not need a scandal, and if she is the spy, she has carefully covered her tracks."
In the corner, the mainframe computer whirred and clicked, making Sadie jump, and Cynthia crossed the floor to it, skimming down the monitor and keying in the name "Bryony Richards."
"Last time I looked up connections with press." She murmured. "This time I will look up other connections."
"Connections? Such as what?"
"Well, the tabloid press are not the only people in Los Angeles out for Jewel's secrets." Cynthia responded. "You know, I think, that there is fierce rivalry between Misfits Music and Rebel Records?"
"Yes."
"I wonder." Cynthia mused, then keyed in another word. The computer whirred again, then a new page flashed up on the screen and Cynthia let out an exclamation.
"Got it! You were right, Sadie! That girl is up to no good - look at this!"
"What am I looking at?" Sadie stared at the monitor, non-plussed. "I don't see..."
"Rory Llewelyn." Cynthia jabbed the screen with her nail. "He runs Rebel Records. He also, according to this genaealogy of California website, has a second cousin who just happens to be called Bryony, and with the last name Richards. I think we have our connection. Riot put up his own cousin as competitor to try and get to Jewel's secrets. I think we need to stop this, before something major happens."
From upstairs there was the sound of a door, followed by a car engine. Cynthia frowned.
"I think we might be too late. I suspect that was the guests taking their leave." She murmured.
Sadie looked troubled.
"What if we're wrong, though, and it's coincidence?" She asked. "I mean...well...we shouldn't just judge this Bryony girl just because her background maybe isn't perfect for a prospective Jewel, right? Maybe..."
"No, Sadie, you do not know Rory Llewelyn." Cynthia shook her head. "It is possible that the girl is being forced to spy and is not doing it of her own free will, but doing it she is and at his behest." She grabbed Sadie's arm, pulling her towards the stairs. "Come on. We must tell the others, and as soon as possible, so that we can work out a plan of action to trap her."
Cynthia was right. The two visitors had indeed left and the four members of Jewel were sitting in the main lounge, discussing the night's events. At Cynthia and Sadie's entrance, all looked up and Topaz frowned as she interpreted the expressions on both girls' faces.
"What?" She murmured. "Cyn, what's happened? Is something up?"
"Yes." Cynthia took a seat, and Sadie followed suit, inwardly hoping to be left out of whatever was to follow. "I believe I might know who your spy is."
"You do?" Sylva stared. "Who? How?"
"She's a relative of your friend Rory Llewelyn." Cynthia said darkly. "Copper, I advise you to go to your bedroom and ensure that nothing there is missing."
"Me?" Copper's eyes became big with anxiety and horror. "Why me? What do you mean?"
"Trust me." Cynthia told her. "Please, Copper. Go and see - but do not touch anything more than you have to."
"Ooookay." Copper looked nonplussed, but she did as she was told. Silence reigned until she returned, and when she did, Cynthia knew at once that her suspicions were right. Copper was pale and anxious, and she sat down without a word, taking a sip of her drink and setting it down, her hand shaking slightly.
"What's up?" Nancy demanded.
"My letter from the hospital is gone...the one with the doctor about my new appointment at the fertility clinic to recheck, well, everything." Copper murmured. "I know it's gone because the letter rack is all disturbed and I never leave it like that! It was sticking out but now it's not there. Cynthia, what do you know! For heaven's sake, stop playing and tell me! That letter is important - if anyone gets a hold of it it will be all over the papers that I can't have children and..." She bit her lip as tears threatened. "And I don't want the world to know." she admitted softly. "It's my b...biggest wish, to have a f..f..family and I can't bear everyone knowing that I might never have the chance."
"Shh." Nancy came to perch on the arm of the chair, hugging her friend a little awkwardly. "Cyn's gonna tell us and we'll fix it. Won't we, Cyn?"
"Indeed, I hope so." Cynthia's voice was grim. "The girl you want is Bryony Richards. She is the spy."
"Bryony?" Nancy stared. "But...why? Why Bryony? I thought..."
"Casey is just what she seems. Gregarious and a flirt." Cynthia shrugged. "Bryony is Rory Llewelyn's cousin. After Sadie told me what she'd seen..."
"Sadie? Are you involved in all this too?" Topaz asked.
"I saw Bryony go in and come out of Copper's room." Sadie admitted slowly. "I don't think she saw me. She went into the bathroom afterwards, then went back to join you."
"She did leave the table to touch up her makeup." Sylva remembered. "But then she came back with it touched up, so I wasn't suspicious."
"She went in Copper's room? Just like that?" Topaz demanded. "Sadie, why didn't you ask her what she was doing?"
"Sadie did right, Topaz. Her paperwork is not yet official and it would be a coup indeed for Bryony as the spy to find you were harbouring someone who was here illegally." Cynthia responded. "Besides, she came to me because she was unsure if you had sent Bryony upstairs on legitimate reasons and did not want to make an accusation. I checked other avenues and I discovered her link with Rory. In my mind, it is the only possibility."
"Then I say we go nail her." Nancy's eyes narrowed.
"How?" Copper demanded. "We can't burst in there and accuse her without proof!"
"We've a witness! Sadie!"
"Who as Cynthia said, isn't legalised yet." Topaz sighed. "Okay, so what do we do?"
"I think it is simple." Cynthia said softly. "We will use Synergy and we will make her confess. Listen. She either has that letter, or she has passed it on to someone else, we presume Rory Llewelyn. It is late and I doubt that, if we strike tonight, she will have had time to provide proof, whatever she might have said by phone or email. Riot is not such a fool as to get an article in print without hard proof in case of a legal suit."
"What do you have in mind?" Nancy asked.
"Well, if Bryony has the letter, and we know - though cannot use Sadie herself - that she was seen going in and out of Copper's room, that is evidence enough to suggest there might be...well...other evidence. Fingerprints, perhaps." Cynthia responded. "Sadie, Bryony did not wear gloves when you saw her, did she?"
"No." Sadie shook her head.
A smile crossed Cynthia's pretty face.
"Then maybe she will get a visit from the police." She murmured.
"I thought you didn't wanna make a big fuss!" Sadie looked startled.
"No, but I did not mean the real police." Cynthia replied. "Sadie, there is more to Synergy than you realise - she and I...we are very closely linked." She laughed. "I told you Synergy was a holographic computer and I said she was built by my father. That is true, but not exactly as you understood it. You see, Sadie, I...Cynthia...am one of Synergy's holograms. Synergy and I are one and the same - I am just a projection of the computer's will."
"You...you are a hologram?" Sadie stared, then, "Oh! The knife!"
"Yes. That is why the knife did not cut me." Cynthia nodded. "I am sorry to have deceived you, but now I know we can trust in you and you are on Jewel's side, well, now you can know my secret." She smiled. "And tonight I intend to use that secret. I can turn myself into anyone or anything, Sadie, I can become a police officer with badge and gun in a twinkling of an eye. And that is what I intend to do. Copper and I will go to Bryony's hotel, and there we shall confront her. We'll call her bluff...and see if she doesn't confess."
"Oooh. Cloak and dagger, just like James Bond!" Sylva's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Yes, Syl. I'm sure he had a holographic computer too." Nancy said dryly. Sylva rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean." She said impatiently. "Besides, so long as we get Copper's letter back, everything will be okay, won't it?"
"I hope so." Copper glanced at her hands. "This is something very personal to me and I...don't like talking about it much, even with you guys, now you know. It makes me feel like I'm a failure, knowing that I might not be able to do the one thing which in the end we're all put here to do, right? It makes me feel like I'm useless...I don't want everyone else knowing and making me feel worse."
"They won't." Nancy told her. "You and Cyn will sort it out, and if I have to I'll tear that Bryony girl's tongue out myself."
"I don't think that will be necessary." Despite herself, Cynthia smiled. She held out her hand to Copper. "Come. We have a trap to lay."

****************************

The phone still lay off the hook.
From her bed, Bryony glared at it, as if daring it to ring now she had left the receiver hanging, for she was not looking forward to speaking to her cousin that evening. She glanced down at the letter that lay on her bedcover, and her heart felt heavy. What had she done now?
"I can never be a Jewel." She murmured to herself sadly. "Not knowing that I've been a part of this. Copper's voice shook when she was talking about family and children. I could never live with myself if they asked me to join the group after I'd made this public. But then, I would never be a Jewel if Rory had his way anyhow! I can't win, whatever I do."
She reached over to turn the sheet so that the words were no longer facing her. She did not want to read it again. She had violated Copper's private space and stolen - yes, stolen, that made it even worse - something which was deeply personal and which would cause great grief. She bit her lip, swallowing hard.
"I can't carry on like this." She muttered. "I don't want to be a spy and I don't want Rory controlling me but I don't want to hurt Jewel either."
She stared at the phone once again, then, her eyes narrowing, she made up her mind. Crossing the floor with quick, decisive steps, she scooped up the receiver, dialling a number and waiting impatiently for a response. She knew it was late, but she also knew it had to be done now, before she lost her nerve and chickened out.
She had barely set the phone down when there was a bang at her door and she frowned.
"Better not be Rory." She muttered. "Though I'd like to see his expression when I tell him what I just did."
She swung back the catch, pulling open the door and stopping dead, her face paling as she recognised Copper.
"Copper!" She exclaimed, trying to compose herself. "Is..was there something...?"
"I believe that you might have something that belongs to Miss Santiago." A smooth voice came from behind the drummer and Bryony's pallor became even more ashen as she registered the tall figure in police uniform.
"I don't understand..."
"Bryony, I know you have my letter." Copper said softly. "From the hospital? It was missing from my room and, well, we're very stringent on security."
"The fingerprints found where the letter was taken from matched the prints lifted from the glass you drank from tonight." Cynthia was enjoying her role, for, as a mistress of disguises, she was utterly unrecognisable as the slightly quirkly lighting technician Bryony had met some nights earlier. "It is a serious offence, particularly since Miss Santiago has also made me aware of other things, of...breaches of trust and information, and collusion to break and enter a studio belonging to Miss Santiago's housemate, Miss Pelligrini."
Bryony took a step backwards, shaking her head. Tears touched her eyes and she sank down on her bed.
"Now you find me out." She whispered. "Now I've done the right thing."
She reached for the letter, scooping it up and holding it out to Copper. "Here. Take it. Noone knows about it. I promise."
Copper took the proffered letter, checking it, then pocketing it.
"Why did you betray us?" She asked gently. "Weren't we good to you? Or did Rory Llewelyn ask you to come spy on us?"
"No...he...he blackmailed me to do it." Bryony buried her head in her hands. "He asked me...well, told me he'd tell the world we were related otherwise. I wanted this chance to be a star so much, I...I didn't want you all or...or Miss Gabor or Ms Pelligrini to know my mother was a Llewelyn and that I had his blood. And yes, you were good to me, which is why I hated doing it and why I did what I did tonight." She spread her hands. "I called Misfit Music and told them that for family reasons I have to drop out of the competition. I was...was going to mail the letter back to you, anonymously. It...was too personal, I didn't want to hurt someone so deeply when they'd only been good to me."
Despite her anger, Copper's compassion won through and she came to sit beside the wretched girl.
"I'm glad you realise that it can't carry on." She said softly. "But it hurt Syl too, you know, to have her problems with Jack printed and her rather silly comments quoted in black and white. It hurt Nancy to have her studio attacked, and Topaz to have people prying once more into the father of her baby. It hurt us all, Bryony...you have to know that. I'm disappointed in you - I liked you and you know, I think the others did too. I think, if not for this, you might have been the one we chose."
"I know I don't deserve you to be kind to me." Bryony swallowed. "But please, you won't press charges on me, will you? I mean, you won't...won't make this public? I..."
"We intend to let it go." Copper murmured. "So long as I got my letter back tonight, and you understood that you had to drop from the race. You've done so - so that's all right. I'm glad you realised it off your own bat and didn't have to wait for me to get here and make you. It makes it easier for me to forgive you."
"I really am sorry." Bryony whispered. "Tomorrow I'm going back to San Diego, I'm gonna tell my Mom straight for once what kind of guy her cousin is and then I'm going to focus on getting myself somewhere, properly. Thank...thank you for understanding."
"Thank you for my letter back." Copper responded. She glanced at the waiting Cynthia. "Don't worry, Bryony. My...friend here will not press charges if we tell her not to. So long as it ends here...no more will be said."
"I swear." Solemnly Bryony crossed her heart. "I'm just glad it's over. It stopped being fun when Rory got involved. I don't want it that way."
"Fame at any price is too high a price to pay." Copper mused. She stood. "Well, I got what I came for. Goodbye, Bryony."
"Bye." Bryony echoed softly, watching the redhead and her escort leave. Then she buried her head in her pillow, allowing the tears of relief and anger to come. It really was over...but maybe somehow it would be a new beginning.
"And if nothing else, Rory is not going to get the last laugh with me." She muttered fiercely. "Whatever happens, I'm going to be a star one day, with or without his backing!"

Chapter One: Conference
Chapter Two: An Unexpected Houseguest
Chapter Three: The Wannabes
Chapter Four: Sadie Confides
Sadie's Diary: September 6th, 2013
Chapter Five: A Spy
Chapter Six: Inspiration
Sadie's Diary: September 7th, 2013
Chapter Seven: Cynthia Lends A Hand
Sadie's Diary: September 8th, 2013
Chapter Eight: Into The Lion's Den
Sadie's Diary: September 9th, 2013
Chapter Nine: Latisha Admits
Chapter Ten: Dinner At The Starlight
Chapter Eleven: Truth Will Out
Chapter Twelve: The Newest Jewel

DISCLAIMER: PLEASE NOTE
Copper, Nancy, Sylva, Anna, Blade, Raesha, Sirena, Topaz, Aaron, Sophie, Justin, Elliot, Rosita, Luis and any other characters in this fiction which do not appear in the animated Jem series are copyrighted to me (E.A Woolley) as of January 2002 <unless otherwise specified> and are not to be reproduced without permission ANYWHERE. Jetta, Pizzazz, Stormer, Roxy, Raya and all other original Jem characters are the copyright of Hasbro Inc, Sunbow, Christy Marx and the other writers of the Jem series. The future world of Pizzazz, Raya, Jetta, Roxy, Stormer, Clash, Synergy, the fate of Jem and her memorial are all copyrighted to me. The future world of Kimber and Shana is copyrighted jointly to myself and Gemma Dawn.
The concept of 'Jewel' is entirely my own, and any apparent link with any fictional or actual person or persons of this name is entirely coincidental. Equally the characters in this fiction are not based on any real life individual.
The concept behind the future world of Danse, Aja and Craig, the idea behind Jerrica's futureworld and the split of the Holograms is copyrighted to Gemma Dawn, whose Teenangel Outsiders fiction is directly twinned with Just a Dream. The character Sammi and any of the other Teenangel Outsider characters mentioned in this fiction are entirely copyright to Gemma Dawn and appear here only with her permission.
Pay her page a visit!