Glass and Shadow
Part Five -- Closer
We're in an ordinary neighborhood standing in front of an ordinary house where we're planning to swipe an ordinary twelve-year-old with enough power at his fingertips to turn us into cosmic fondue. Neither of us has got much of a plan. It was hard to think on the drive over. Shalene's '57 Karmann Ghia convertible is a beautiful machine, but there was no peace in the ride thanks to Shalene's habit of singing along to top volume Crystal Gayle. Shalene's got a voice like a rusty screen door. So we're standing on the walk in front of this ranch-style house with fake spanish tile shingles with no plan at all how to approach this. The smoke from Shalene's cigarette billows upwards into a sky with no clouds. I turn to her and say, "So. Middle of the day. Nice neighborhood. Kid with colossal powers. I don't think the typical snatch-and-run is gonna work."
"Were you thinking of bustin' up in there, throwing some voodoo dust at an A-class and hopin' his protector spirits are allergic to your cologne?"
"Something like that," I answer, "You got a better idea?"
"Any idea's better'n suicide. Although cologne of yours is rank. How about we try and be diplomatical about this and talk to the kid before we try and tie him up and put him in the trunk."
I shrug, "Suits me. Going in with guns blazing was never my style. Seems we've lost the art of conversation these days."
"I think people'd just rather shoot you than listen to your bullshit."
"You sure this is the right house?"
She stares at me, "Can't you feel it? Of course this is the right house. More ectoplasmic resonance coming from out here than Graceland and Disneyland combined."
"Disneyland? Nevermind. So, we just walk up to the door like a nice pair of kidnappers. Then what?"
"Then we see," Shalene marches up the walk and rings the doorbell. The door swings open after a couple of seconds and out stares the kid from the file. Wide, innocent eyes, curly hair. He's got a sweet face, and I almost wonder if we got it wrong, when the a wind whips up from nowhere and the sky turns dark. A bitter rain starts falling. The hair on my arm stands up and I'm ready to be chicken fried by a blue-white bolt of lightning when the kid yells, "Stop this at once!"
And the clouds and the wind start behaving. The boy looks at us and says, "Please, come inside. And I'm sorry that Mr. Saturday was rude. I skipped school today because I was expecting you."
Shalene, for once, has nothing to say. And we go inside the house. It's a cozy place. There are commemorative plates neatly displayed on shelves and pictures of relatives hanging in the hall. The kid leads us into the living room and we sit down on a couch that was probably stylish twenty years ago. He lays his head down on his palm and gives us a thoughtful look before saying, "I'm glad that you are the first to get here. Neither of you want to hurt me, and that's a good thing. I'm sorry, can I get you something? Milk? Juice?"
"Nothing for me, thanks," I say, "But how did you know we were coming and what do you mean by trying to hurt you."
The kid says, "Oh, I've known for years. I just didn't know who would get here first. I was hoping it would be you, but I knew you'd be here too late if she didn't come along with you. I'm glad it's not the lady in gray?"
"Lady in gray, honey? Who's that?" Shalene asks, staring at something I can't see.
"The worst of the people sent after me. She wants to kill me, and she'll stop at nothing. I don't know if I can defend against her yet, not even if Mr. Saturday and Cora work together. And they never work together."
"Mr. Saturday is the tall man with the bright smile standing behind you. Cora's the lady giving him the cold shoulder sitting next to you," Shalene says, without asking.
"Yes. The other one is Davis. He's my best friend. But he's the weakest. Mr. Saturday keeps threating to eat him," the kid glares over his shoulder, "But I'll do anything to stop that. I'm glad you're the first. I'm already packed."
Shalene and I stare at each other. I try not to stammer, "You mean you're going to go with us?"
The kid shrugs, "Why not Ale-- I'm sorry, Rick. Or do you prefer Mr. Hutchence? I'm not safe here, and even though you both plan to cash me in, neither of you are trying to hurt me. The sooner I get away from here the safer my family is."
He almost called me Alex. Not even Shalene knows that name and she's known me since third grade. I try not to bite on my nails. Could be this kid knows a lot more about what's going down than either of the two of us grown-ups. Couldn't help to ask, "So, do we have time for you to tell us what's going on? Seems like you're hipper to the truth than we are."
The boy smiles. He brushes the hair back from his forehead with one hand, "Well, for starters, you're not the only Avery sent after me. And his name isn't Avery and he's not even a human. It's hard for me to see some things, but I can break through when I have to. The man he works for is kind of a collector. He's really rich. I made a mistake when I was just a kid, about nine or so, and showed off when I got mad at some other kids at school. I made the ground turn into water. Avery's boss learned about me then and has been searching. Cora and Mr. Saturday have been helping hide me, but there's only so much they can do. So, shall we leave? I can tell you what else I know in the car."
I sigh, "Kid, I don't know what you've seen, but I ain't a nice guy. I'm dead broke and your my key out of the hole I got myself in. I'm not out to save anyone's neck but my own."
He grins at this, as if I've just told a joke, "You're a better person than you think. And I think tonight will turn out different than you both think. Better, for one."
The kid runs off and grabs a small plaid suitcase. He puts on a baseball cap. Shalene raises an eyebrow at me. I shrug. All three of us leave the house and get in the car. When Shalene starts the engine the kid says, "Oh, and don't worry, Clover's not working for Avery or his boss. He's in it for himself, so they won't be sharing information. Where are we going?"
Shalene pulls away from the curb and asks, "Don't you know?"
"No. I only know that going with you was by far my best chance. Too many ripples after that."
"We're going to hole up in my place. All three of us will talk. You'll be safe enough for a while. Me and Shalene are gonna go meet Clover at this Roller Derby tonight while you keep mum and watch tv or something."
The kid says, "Avery will be there tonight, as well."
"Good, I got more than a few burning questions to ask him."
No one talks for the rest of the trip.
part of the wordmongers' masque