by Jon Chaisson
*
Alec Poe, her Alien Relations Unit partner, arrived soon after the shockwave subsided, and let himself into Caren’s apartment. Together, the three of them stood in front of the wide living room window, staring at the unnatural halo now surrounding the Mirades Tower. They stood there wordlessly for a good long while, trying to make sense of what had just happened. The sanguine glow bathed her face…it was warm, like fire, and just as radiant in its energy. Almost comforting in its own strange way. There was no defined edge to the cloud, and she couldn’t tell exactly where it had originated, but it seemed to have kept itself within Main Street Sector, halfway up the Tower. She stared at it both in fascination and horror…it looked like the sky had begun to bleed. Instincts kicked in: this had to be energy fallout…someone had released something dangerous.
Finally she exhaled. “One of All Sacred...”
“Something like that,” Poe said, and lit up a cigarette. The glow of the lighter caught his unshaven face at an angle, highlighting his strong jaw line and making his hazel-blue eyes sparkle. She nearly scolded him for smoking in her apartment, but the alien glow outside made her think otherwise. The point would have been moot. His own nerves must be shot right now. She didn’t like his smoking habit, but it was his one stress release. She dug up an old coffee mug from the breakfast nook across the room and handed it to him. He graciously nodded, flicked fresh ashes in, and smiled.
She looked at her hands; they were trembling. Her whole body trembled. She couldn’t make herself stop...this was her fear. And the last thing Caren wanted was for Denni to see her this way…she couldn't let Denni down. Taking a deep breath, she put on a brave face and glanced at Poe.
“What the hell happened out there?” she asked.
“Mass Awakening Ritual, but I figure you’d guessed that already,” he said. “Farraway called me soon after it happened. Thought I'd offer you a ride to headquarters since you were on the way.” In reality, her apartment was in the exact opposite direction. But they were partners, and if he came to pick her up, personal safety was a concern. It was better for her to be in his car than alone on her motorbike. He gave her a look that meant there were more things he had to explain, but not in front of Denni. She understood and nodded.
“Swell,” she said behind a yawn, and started gathering her uniform together. She wouldn't make too big a deal out of this either, at least not until they were on the road. “So what do you think — is it being contained, or is this cloud working its way somewhere? I mean, I'd like to know whether or not I should put my belongings in spatial storage.”
Poe grinned at the weak joke. “No, it's contained.” He looked out the window again. “Interestingly enough, it pretty much contained itself.”
She stared at him. “Really? How does that work?”
“It contained itself two miles away from the Tower at all points.” He flicked ash into the coffee mug and made a circular gesture. “A perfect circle. Like it was deliberately stopped before it could expand any further. Or hit a barrier.”
She frowned. Not what she wanted to hear. “Casualties?” she asked.
He shot a quick glance at Denni, weighing his words. “I, uh...I don’t know that yet.”
She grunted, pursing her lips in frustration, and headed into the bathroom to change into her uniform. It only took a few moments, but she deliberately took her time so she could think everything over. It was one thing to feel the aftershock of a major awakening ritual, but it was quite another for it to cause spiritual bleedover. It had been one hell of a strong energy blast, strong enough for the shockwave to hit her apartment nearly seven miles away and as hard as it did. This was definitely going to be a bitch of a case. She continued preparing herself for her job with a determined sense of purpose, even at this time of night and with so little sleep. Despite her frustration and exhaustion, she would never permit herself to be on duty without her heart in it. She checked her utilities, adjusted her overcoat, and returned to the living room. She loved this city, despite everything she loathed about it. It was her community, her life. And she did this most of all for her sister.
Ah, Denni…Caren’s heart broke every damn time she had to do this. She pulled on her long overcoat and stepped back out into the living room. She gave Poe a look that meant he and his disgusting cigarette had better retreat before she threw him out. “Right,” she said quietly. “Just give me a minute here.”
Poe nodded and stepped out into the hallway, closing the apartment door behind him.
“You have to go,” Denni said flatly.
Damn it all, the attitude wasn’t helping. “Yeah, I do.”
Denni glanced at the window, the reddened sky reflected in her eyes. “Do what you have to do.”
She bristled, stung by her words. “Den, I —”
“Sis, it’s okay,” Denni said, facing her again with a forced smile. “I know the drill. I’ll be okay. I can take care of myself.”
Caren finally gave in, nodding. Denni was growing up. She was fifteen already and extremely self-reliant for her age. She’d stopped being the precocious five year old brat ages ago, and had matured considerably since their parents died. She could be just as angry, just as lost and frustrated as Caren herself, and she also knew how to make the best of a bad situation. She pulled her close into an embrace, kissing the top of her head.
“Go back to bed, kid,” she whispered. “I’ll call in the morning.”
“'kay,” she murmured.
She pulled away, but could not let go of her, not just yet. “Be good.”
Denni smirked at her. “Oh, please.” She pulled away and stumbled over to the couch. “When do you think you’ll be back?”
Way too damn late, by the looks of it. She refused to look to look out that damn window to hazard a guess. “I really don’t know...late morning, midafternoon, I hope. I’ll call if it’s going to be longer.”
Denni stretched and began sinking down onto the pillows. “’kay,” she said, stifling a yawn.
She watched her sister stretch out lazily, surprised and perhaps even a little worried. Perhaps she was exhausted by this rude awakening, but she couldn’t help but think there may have been more to it. She didn’t have time to think about it though, not with Poe waiting for her. “Take care, kid,” she said.
“You too,” she mumbled, slumber already beginning to take over. “Love you, Caren.”
“Love you too, honey.” She leaned over and gave Denni another peck. She smiled and took Caren's hand, squeezed it, and let go as they parted. She turned off the overhead light and shut the door quietly, and with a heavy heart and shaky breath she walked away, closing and locking the apartment behind her. Poe was at the elevator doors, staring at his feet and wringing his hands. She knew he hated to tear them apart like that. Any other time and Denni would have come first, no matter what, and he always stood by that. And she silently thanked him for it.
