by Heather Wood
Rae felt her nebulous anxiety grow, but Sam clucked approvingly.
Because she had worked on Sam many times before, she usually would have allowed herself even a few chuckles at Sam’s babbling, but she was preoccupied with the wackiness of recent events… and if Sam didn’t look so much like she could throw swords as well as knives…
But hey, she tipped well.
There was a ring of the cowbell as someone entered the shop. Rae could tell by the size of the shadow that this was the Flint guy. Or was it Flynn?
She looked up to see the tall man fill the (recently repaired) door frame. His hands were on his hips. His muscles bulged through his black T-shirt. His wave of lavender hair settled over his eyes as if just stirred by a thoughtful breeze.
He certainly got Sam’s attention.
“I’m ready to pierce skin and puncture body parts,” Finch announced.
“Just finishing up,” Rae told him.
“You will be impressed with my skill and fervor,” continued Finch.
“One sec,” said Rae, holding up a finger, as she carefully covered Sam’s new art in plastic wrap.
Realizing he looked like the early guy to a party, Finch sat down on the stool by the counter.
It seemed like he might crush the spindly seating apparatus.
Finch spun slowly on the stool. His shock of lavender hair followed him wherever he looked.
Samantha trained her eyes up and down Finch and did calculus in her head.
Uh-oh.
Rae deflected.
“Okay, we are done,” she said to her potentially dangerous customer, injecting cheerfulness into her voice.
It sounded about as natural as spray cheese in a can.
Too late- Sam had locked onto Finch.
Sam stood up slowly, liquidly, like a cat. Rae was barely able to finish sealing up her artwork before Sam was across the floor.
I still can’t tell if she’s a killer or a stripper, Rae thought.
Samantha stood nose-to-nose with Finch.
“So, you pierce, do you?” Sam asked.
Finch stood tall so Sam was now nose-to-chest.
“I am the best piercer in the land,” claimed Finch.
A slow smile spread across Sam’s crafty face. She licked her lips as she looked into the man’s deep violet eyes.
“He’s not hired yet!,” Rae called out.
“Then I shall prove my worth,” intoned Finch.
“Yes, you will,” said Sam.
There was a whoosh through the air as Sam pointed at her tongue.
“Can yu du THITH?” she challenged.
Rae stood frozen, either by gravity or self-preservation.
Finch’s voice was low, rumbling. “I can do this-“ There was a swoosh as he pointed at her tongue, “-and this.”
Out of nowhere, Finch ran his huge frame up the wall, crushing the photos that Rae had just put up again, and did a full backflip, landing on his feet like a very large cat.
Rae thought she saw a quick purple flash right before he landed.
Sam looked about ready to have kittens.
Breathlessly, she sat on the stool.
“Do it, McPurple,” she said.
Rae raised a hand in the air.
"Whoa. Now just hold on a tick."
Rae pulled a sheet of paper out of the drawer under her station's counter.
"You need to be aware that this man is not my employee; you are doing this at your own risk, and I need you to sign this waiver to that effect."
Sam sneered.
"Give me a pen."
She signed with a flourish, and Rae gave Finch a wary nod.
Fanning out his long trench coat like a cape, he reached into the inside pockets and retrieved a chrome plated case. With uncanny panache, he had it opened and the contents spread across the counter within seconds.
Rae's eyes widened. Maybe this character knew his shit.
He snapped on latex gloves and raised his hands in the air like an orchestra conductor. Using a tiny spray bottle, Finch sanitized his needle, then grasped Sam's nose with authority.
She was not prepared for this plan of procedure, but coughed, as Finch knew she would. As soon as her mouth was opened, he grasped her tongue with tongs he held in his other hand. Then like a flash, he plunged the needle through the pink muscle, and followed it with a sterling silver piece of jewelry, the likes of which Rae had never seen before.
In seconds, he had the gloves off and tossed, the case repacked, and was bowed low to the floor.
"Voila."
Both women stared at him, gaping. Then Sam, uneasily at first, began to applaud. Rae looked at her, then him, then muttered, "Sure, why not", and joined in.
Finch straightened up, looking smug, then with a painfully false humility, he asked,
"Was my work satisfactory?"
Rae allowed a small smile.
"Indeed. If not a bit theatrical,” she said.
"Excellent. I will begin my employment immediately."
The door burst open, and a low voice followed it:
"Not yet. My turn.”
11.
Comet circled the airport for the third time. She knew she was being a jerk about paying to park, but dammit- that money could be spent on a Randy's Donut for the drive back up the 405.
Finally, she spotted her. All 5'2" and 'mom jeans' of her. Putting on her best smile, Comet pulled Rae's Vega to the curb. Mrs. Delancy scurried over, lugging a giant plaid suitcase.
"Hello, sweetie! My, don't you look nice! Did you just come from work?"
"Yes, I told them I'd have to leave early today since you were coming in." Comet bent down and hugged her mom, while she bit her tongue at her own lie. She had led her mother to believe that she was a middle manager at a brokerage house; she thought that might somehow be easier to stomach than a go-go dancer at Rage.
She noticed that the airport security officer was beginning to eyeball them, so she hustled Mrs. Delancy into the car, and they sped off.
"So! Did you have a nice flight?" Comet was determined to be pleasant. She had to be.
"I did! Well, to be honest, I slept, so I don't know if it was a good flight flight or not, but I was happy!" Mrs. Delancy said brightly.
"Let's grab a donut." Comet held the wheel tightly, knuckles pale, as she turned the car into Randy's parking lot, and they walked to the window.
Mrs. Delancy gabbed away, regaling Comet with all the stories of how life went on 'back home'. Comet gnawed at her cruller and nodded thoughtfully.
"And how's Dad?," she asked softly.
Mrs. Delancy sighed.
"You know your father. He's the same, only older...and fatter."
Comet's eyes widened; she'd never heard her mother say anything negative about Mr. Delancy. They stared at each other for a moment in silence. Then they simultaneously burst into laughter.
Comet reached over her half-finished donut and took her mother's hand.
"I'm glad you're here, Mama."
Mrs. Delancy's eyes filled.
"Me too, honey. Me too."
Let’s start building the REAL TROUBLE of this book, raising the stakes
◆◆◆
Back at the shop, the scene was not as warm and fuzzy.
Gno filled the doorway as Finch had moments before, his frame as tall and graceful as Finch’s was muscled.
The tension in the room was so strong that it was nearly visible...in fact, for a moment, Rae was certain that she saw SOMETHING in the air between Gno and Finch.
No, really, SOMETHING…
Something blue and bright. Like an electrified clothesline.
Knuffin's eyes blazed as Sam shifted in her seat, considering this new, rather attractive development.
"I picked the right day to come in here,” Sam whispered.
Locking his eyes on Sam, Gno strode to her chair purposefully.
"What can I put in you?"
Rae slapped her palm against her forehead, but S
am's eyes rolled back.
"Um, she has just been inked and pierced today, I think you'll have to wait for another customer to-"
Sam cut Rae off mid-sentence.
"No, no! I've been wanting to do more work; today's as good a day as any! I'm fine, ready to go! Soooooooo ready.”
She smiled coquettishly up at Gno.
"Could you do a cartilage piercing up here?" She gestured to the top tip of her left ear.
He bent down, brushed her hair behind her ear, then looked directly into her eyes.
"Yes."
Sam shuddered, then pulled off her top. Rae's eyes bulged. What was happening in her shop???
"Don't want to get blood on it," Sam explained smoothly.
Suddenly, as if he had been electrocuted, Finch leaped into the air and drew his sword.
Rae jumped. Her frayed nerves beyond destroyed. “Didn’t I say NO SWORDS??” she croaked.
But Finch’s eyes blazed as he stared down at the tattoo on Sam's ribcage.
"I should have known!"
Rae, Gno, and Sam all followed his glare to the triangle and rainbow on Sam's skin.
"Explain that!," thundered Finch.
But Sam was already up and crouched in a fighting stance on the seat of her chair.
"YOU explain," she hissed. "I should have known they'd send one of you for me. You almost blinded me with your masculine wiles, but I'm ready now...You'll never take me alive!"
With that, she hurled a Chinese star across the shop, which Finch expertly blocked with his head.
“A CHINESE STAR??” Rae crackled.
Furiously, Finch growled as strange violet blood began to ooze down his face. He tore the sharp object from his head and cast it to the ground.
"So we begin."
The two charged each other.
Gno sighed.
"Here we go..."
He pulled nunchucks from his back pocket and dove into the fray.
Rae was angry now. “NUNCHUCKS?!”
But the room was in full-blown chaos. Breaking glass, yelling warriors, and clashing weapons created such a din that Rae could barely hear her own voice screaming over it,
"WHAT THE FUCK!!!???"
Suddenly, from the back office, a whirring sound came to her ears, followed by that unmistakable battle cry:
"POOOOOOKKKKAAAAA!!!!!!"
Rae had forgotten that she'd even brought him along. Comet had gone to fetch her mother from the airport, and so she'd offered to watch him until she could explain him properly to Mrs. Delancy. But forget the Pook, how would she explain THIS???
Outside, the streets had begun to fill with happy Halloween revelers. Elaborate costumes and loud music reminded Rae that it was October 31st. "SHIIIIITTTTT!!!!"
She raced (as fast as Rae 'raced' anywhere) to the door and locked it. She couldn't have anyone else involved in this melee.
"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
As if catapulted, Sam flew across the room, murder in her eyes, as she grasped Finch's lavender locks with both hands, and pulled him into a forward roll. The Pook was everywhere at once; knocking things off the walls, knocking furniture over, gnashing his tiny, sharp teeth. In his path, Rae was launched into a countertop, taking the wind out of her and landing her on her ass.
"PPPPPPOOOOOOOKAAA!"
Then it happened. Again.
Time, space, vision seemed to slow down before Rae. She saw Sam launch Finch over her back as if it were a ballet movement. Gno, kneeling across from her, was so still he seemed in prayer. The Pook sailed by like a giant, pink, furry Pac-Man, his shriek slowed and lowered in pitch so that he sounded like a Pook possessed:
"PoooookIShallDestroyYourSoulsProtectTheSeerKaaaaaaaaaaaa"
Finch landed on his back with a sickening thud. A small, glittering sphere was ejected from his pocket; it shuttled across the room and landed on an as-yet unfinished electrical socket. Sparks burst forth, and Rae yelped as the nearby curtain caught fire. Reverie shattered, she shook her head and leaped to her feet.
"Nooooooo!!!!"
She tried to beat the flames out, but whatever that silver sphere was, it had a highly flammable composition, which kept adding new bursts of fire to the quick-spreading blaze.
Rae made it to the door and unlocked it; rushing outside, she tried flagging down some help, but between the noise and the drunkenness of everyone on the street, it was hopeless.
Re-entering the now smoke-and-flame-filled shop, she screamed again,
"YOU ASSHOLES ARE GOING TO DIE AND BURN DOWN MY SHOP!!!"
Gno's head snapped up. Uncharacteristic tears were spilling down Rae's cheeks, and, even though the inferno had no effect on him, he could see the danger for her. Finch and Sam fought on, insensible and uncaring of the peril around them, as, with a crash, they plunged through the front plate-glass window. Out on the sidewalk, Sam had latched onto Finch's nose with her teeth, and blood from her piercing was pouring into his nostrils, making for a gruesome scene.
Gno dashed across the shop, picked up Rae as if she were no more than a doll, and carried her through the flames and out the back door, into the alley. He set her on her feet gently.
"Are you hurt?"
Dazed, with tears running down her cheeks, Rae answered softly, "No..."
Without another word, Gno dove back into the shop, leaving Rae agape.
Moments later, sirens cut through the blare of the KC and the Sunshine Band cover act on the street, and soon hoses and men in suspenders were everywhere. Once the flames were out, a burly firefighter, who looked like he'd just walked off the set of Magic Mike, began questioning Rae about what had happened.
She grew evasive; how could she explain the events of the night? She cut the fireman off mid-query:
"Is everyone alright? Did you save them?"
He looked perplexed.
"Who's that, ma'am?"
Exasperated, Rae blurted, "The two ninjas and the assassin!"
Immediately, she regretted that sentence.
Magic Mike looked at her sternly.
"Ma'am, have you been drinking this evening? There was no one in that shop. You're the only one here. So I'll ask you again- What happened tonight?"
Rae slid down the outside wall and put her hands over her face.
"I don't know."
A now-familiar quaking overtook her hands.
She looked up, and there stood Comet and Mrs. Delancy looking down at her, shocked and speechless.
Comet spoke first.
"Girl, every time I leave you alone you wreck this damn shop."
That was it.
Rae dissolved into tears, silent, hot, gasping tears of exhaustion, confusion and pain.
Mrs. Delancy crouched down next to her.
"Now, don't you fret, sweetheart..." She looked through the back door into the blackened, broken, soaked tattoo parlor.
"I'll get some paper towels,” she finished.
12.
Rae hadn’t said much since the police left.
“Are you sure you don’t want a ride?” Comet whispered.
Rae shook her head.
“I’ll follow you home. I just need some quiet,” She answered.
After more attempted cajoling, Comet herded her mother out the door (if it could be called a “door” at this point) and shot Rae a worried look before leaving.
“If you are not home within five minutes of me, I will freak out,” warned Comet.
Rae patted her friend on her broad shoulder.
She remembered the last time Comet ‘freaked out.’ It had gotten the 6’2” blonde onto the government watch list. The Secret Service now called Comet before any Presidential visit to Los Angeles to make sure the agency knew her location.
Rae felt a tightness in her throat as her boots crunched broken glass on the floor.
Samantha had forgotten her jacket. Rae did a check and noticed, however, that Sam had taken her weapons out of the pockets.
“How did she do that?” Rae murmured.
/> She stepped over the threshold and locked the door of the tattoo parlor, wondering why she bothered. Everything was damaged beyond repair. There was a person-shaped hole in the wall. Even the window of the door was broken. Thieves might save her time; they could clean the place out for her.
Rae heard thumping music over on LaCienega. The Halloween Carnivale concert was in full swing.
She turned around to see Finch studying her worriedly.
Rae jumped about a foot in the air.
“Dammit! Gah!”
Rae dropped her keys.
She almost bonked heads with Finch as the two of them dove to grab the key ring off the ground.
“What are you doing here?” Rae demanded.
“I’m here to protect you.”
Rae's mouth dropped open.
“Look at my place! It’s destroyed! I’m probably getting sued by the neighbors! Get out of my life immediately!” She snatched the keys from his hand and spun to run directly into Gno. She dropped her keys again.
“He’s not lying,” said the dark-haired man as he stooped to retrieve the wayward keys.
“Yes. Even Knuffin is supporting me, which is extremely unusual, so you must take that into account,” asserted Finch.
Gno closed his eyes, sighed in exasperation, and shook his head.
Rae stared at the both of them so long that it got awkward.
“I’m going home.”
Then she spoke so low that the men had to resist the temptation to bend forward.
“If you follow me, Comet will destroy you.” She glared at both of them. Hard. As she put the keys in her purse, her fingers found her pepper spray keychain (disguised to look like a Japanese lucky cat).
She walked away, and out the door, onto the crowded sidewalk, glaring at them over her shoulder. The men followed.
She halted mid-step, causing some feathered revelers to trip over their $500 shoes.
“Stop it,” she ordered the hunks.
“But-“ started Finch.
Rae held up her hand, silencing Finch. The big man looked like he had swallowed a cricket.
“This is your last warning,” Rae growled. As she did, she caught the scent of something familiar: some kind of hair product, but it was faint.
