Ballqis and Molly, though they weren't sure they actually arrived at this juncture, crouched against a shelf full of books at the campus' main library, and tried to eavesdrop on a conversation held in a language that they don't understand.

But Molly was recording a video discreetly. Ballqis was noting all the movements carefully.

Nastia had locked herself in the Theses room without noticing their presence, and held a very serious phone conversation. Apart from 'comrade' and 'nyet', they understood nothing.

Her movement, however was super suspicious.

Her eyes were darting around, checking. Her steps circled near the window, scanning outside. She kept her left hand in her side pocket and the crouching duo could make out that she was holding something squarish, almost box-like thing inside that pocket.

She finished her phone conversation quickly and left the room.

"I got everything on video, but who could we show it to and get info from? I'm not sure if we could trust Andrei or Lev," Molly's elation was short-lived.

"Whatever that was... She's definitely on to something. I hope Aga and Iqball had good luck telling Mrs Jogh about her entering the lab using Aga's ID today," Ballqis replied.

"Let's go find them. Maybe they are still at the fish lab," Molly suggests.

They waited for a bit before leaving the room. In between, a couple of students came in searching for papers at the biblio listing.

Nastia was no longer in the library. The two girls ran all the way to the lab, only to bump into Mirna at the stairs at the lab building.

"I heard the lab got broken into. I have to go see Babyfish," she insisted without slowing down.

The girls made a beeline towards the lab.

Mrs Jogh was still at her workstation, talking to Aga and Iqball.

"This is serious accusation, should we proceed. This university and Gosu University in Russia have an over 30 year old relationship. This could be disastrous," Mrs Jogh was saying.

"I feel that I must tell you the truth of what I know, I didn't mean to accuse," Aga whined.

Ballqis cleared her throat, alerting Mrs Jogh of her presence.

"Ballqis, what brings you and your friends here?" Mrs Jogh asked. "Hi Mirna, long time no see," she added as she recognised the read head.

"Mrs Jogh, I need to tell you about that particular fish I told you once about. And this time you just have to believe me," Mirna quickly went on with her agenda.

Mrs Jogh's brows went up.

Mirna immediately approached the row of fish tanks.

T7 jumped a little at the sight of his friend.

Old friend!  He bleeped. Iqball and Ballqis smiled at each other.

"Yes, hi old friend. How are you? I heard you just became a father, congratulations," Mirna said cheerfully.

The fish swam around a couple of times.

"Mirna, we've been over this, the fish can't talk," Mrs Jogh said wistfully, not an ounce of annoyance in her voice, but a just a splash of pity.

Iqball and Ballqis nodded.

"He doesn't talk to everyone, Mrs Jogh," Ballqis interjected.

"And when he does, he talks telepathically," Iqball added.

Mirna and Aga's mouth dropped. Then Mirna smiled. Of course the fish would have to find someone to talk to when she had to leave the lab. Her smile widened as she realized the her fish was also talking to the Balls.  

"Yo Balls, are you guys talking about?" he breathed.

"Shhh ... " Molly said. "I'll fill you in later," she promised.

Mrs Jogh's eyes went golf-ball mode.

"Hey Babyfish, could you tell us what happened at the lab two days ago?" Mirna said.

Light-throw. It shocked us all.

"Is the fish ... saying anything?"

"He said, light throw," Ballqis said.

"He also said, it shocked us all," Iqball added.

"That's right! Iqball, Ballqis! You two could hear him too?" Mirna asked excitedly.

"Yes, he said we have a wavelength that he could tap into," Iqball confirmed.

"He was a bit sad that none of his offsprings could communicate with him like that," Ballqis added.

"What? Is that true Babyfish? You poor thing," Mirna said.

I now think it is better that way. My life is lonely, the fish admitted.

Ballqis' eyes teared a little. Mirna pressed her forehead to the tank forlornly.

"What? What it he say?" Molly, whose presence has yet to be explained, chimed in.

"He said in retrospect this is better as his life is lonely," Ballqis rehashed.

Mrs Jogh's hand flew to her mouth.

"I have to test this! Mirna, you stand there and talk to the fish. Come here Ballqis, you and Iqball shall whisper to me if you hear anything from the fish. I will compare the input from you both," she said, and asked Iqball to turn around to face the lab door while Ballqis was made to face her, Aga and Molly.

"Go ahead, Mirna."

Mirna, who was still sad about the fries, could not shake off the topic.

"How do you plan to connect with your babies, Babyfish?"

T7 swam to her side.

Fish talk. By how they move. They are smart.

"The fish said, fish talk, by how they move. They are smart," Ballqis whispered to Mrs Jogh.

Mrs Jogh quickly went to Mirna. Mirna whispered the same line. Mrs Jogh went to Iqball. The young man too repeated those lines.

Then next to Iqball, Mrs Jogh fainted.

***

The campus medical team took Mrs Jogh to the campus hospital, which was a modest building located at the south side of the faculty. It was near enough for them to simply carry Mrs Jogh, but Aga had quickly dialled the campus medical emergency number and three personnel came within 5 minutes.

"We haven't even got around to telling her about our Nastia video," Molly sighed as the sight of Mrs Jogh on a stretcher dimmed.

Aga swung his body to stand right in front of Molly.

"What Nastia video?"

"Bad news, Aga, we saw your new girlfriend acting suspiciously at the library. She was hiding something in her pocket. It may just turn out to be the device that was used to shock the fish at the lab, cliche as it may sound," Molly said harshly.

"She's not my girlfriend," Aga countered.

"Uh huh," Molly retorted childishly.

"She's not!"

"Ya huh," Molly dismissed him, not even bothering that the half Greek guy was bending down to see her eye to eye.

"She's ..."

"Guys!" Ballqis snapped them back into sobriety.

"Ballqis, would you and Molly show us the video? Let's all go for tea," Iqball suggested.

Mirna quickly put her arms around Aga and Molly and dragged them towards the cafe, which was just a 500 metre walk away. Iqball tugged Ballqis hand and they trailed the trio.

The senior bought iced banana milk tea to cool them off, especially Molly and Aga who were still exchanging glares. 

"Thanks Mirna, you didn't have to buy us all drinks," Molly apologised for acting so childishly.

"I have to, because ... Ballqis and Iqball are now my allies! You two have proven to Mrs Jogh that I am not crazy. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am. I owe you two so much. We shouldn't be here. We should be at that superb pasta place outside campus. We need to celebrate. I can't wait to see Micah's face ...."

"Why, did you miss me, Mirna? My, I'd never would guessed in a million years that of all the people in this university, it is me whom you'd kill to see ..." Micah's voice suddenly boomed from above.

Everyone at the table was so engrossed in the recent incident that nobody noticed his arrival.

"Have you checked on your aunt, Micah?" Mirna replied tersely.

Micah's brow jolted.

"Micah, Mrs Jogh fainted at the lab just now. She's at the campus hospital," Ballqis slowly told him.

Micah was gone in seconds.