Lari's Code

"If you cut off his leg, he'll give you butter?" That doesn't mean anything, Lari!

"Yes it does, it is a code!"

"How do you know?" Jeana sighed. Lari could be so weird. Both were twelve and been friends ever since the first day of grade school. Lari's father was a member of the NRI, and it was Lari's greatest hope to be just like him. Hence, her fascination with codes, detective stories and everything that remotely resembled her father's stories of different missions/situations. Jeana's father was the manager of a grocery, a profession Jeana had no intention of following.

"Wotcha doin?" Both girls turned and looked at the boy standing there.

"Hi, Keegan, I'm trying to convince Lari that that paper is a joke or something."

"What paper?"

"That one" Jeana pointed to the paper in Lari's hand.

"If it's a code, let's crack it" suggested Keegan. "I'm bored anyway. Where did you get it?"

Jeana growled as Lari retold her story.

"We were at the landing pad picking up my dad yesterday when this man walked next to me. He grabbed my hand. I was scared. He handed me this and was going to say something and then ran off. I think it's a code and I want to know what it means!"

"Why don't you give it to your dad?" asked Keegan.

"Because he won't believe me that it is a code. Will you help me? Please." Lari looked around at her two friends.

"Ok". "I guess.."

The three sat and thought. Jeana doodled on her writing pad. Keegan did a handstand.

"I think better upside down" "Ohh"

"I think I know what butter means!"

"What does it mean, then?"Jeana played along.

Lari's face was bright. "It means that little senator girl from Chad!"

"Her names not butter", Keegan looked confused and a bit superior.

"No, it's not. Her name is um, Margareene", said Jeana.

"Right, but in code, Margareene in close to margarine, which is kinda like butter. SEE?"

"Maybe", Jeana still was doubtful.

"His", "must be the man who took her", added Keegan.

"Right!" Exclaimed Lari.

"What's if you cut off his leg mean then?" wondered Jeana, in spite of herself.

"It must mean," Keegan thought out loud, "if you do something to cut off his something, then he won't have any choice, but to give up Margareene."

"We oughta give it to your dad now", Jeana said again.

"Maybe you really have to cut off his real leg", Keegan was still thinking aloud.

"Ewwwww!", both girls yelled.

"But my dad doesn't get home for two hours," said Lari.

"Then let's go swim or something, while we think about the code", suggested Jeana.

"Ok", said Keegan as he got up and headed for the door.

"I guess", said Lari. Jeana grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door.

Two hours later the three kids reentered Lari's room.

"Is your dad home yet?" asked Jeana.

"I think so, get dressed again and we'll go see."

"I've gotta go home, tell me how it goes, k? Keegan waved as he left.

"I will," Lari called after him.

The two girls entered Mr. Krede's home office, paper in Lari's hand.

"Hi there, Lari. Were you good today? And how are you, miss Jeana?" He smiled at them.

"I'm good daddy, and we have a code for you!" Lari beamed.

"I'm listening", her father grinned at her. Lari and Jeana shared everything with Lari's father, including what they thought the code meant. Lari's father look interested and when they had finished he took the piece of paper and told them he'd look into it.

"Tell me if it helps you find Margareene, won't you?" asked Lari.

"Of course", her father nodded.

Two standard days later, a holo-news special aired, giving the details of the senator's daughter's rescue. The NRI had received that last clue they needed and by tracking down its origin they had found the girl's kidnapper's hideout.
The head of the gang relied on something very peculiar, his cybernetic leg; into which was built several weapons and a communication nodule, along with a recording device. In the rescue, one of the task force cut off his leg, forcing him to either surrender or be killed.
Lari and Jeana and Keegan were very proud of their part in the little girl's rescue, though they didn't receive any public credit.

"See, I told you it was a code!"

"All right I'm sorry."

"I was right, they really had to cut off his real leg to get "butter"".

"I want another code!"

"Lari!"