by Sandra Elsa
"With magic. I'd never have escaped those restraints or blown that window open without magic."
"There's a time and place for everything," I conceded. "I'm not saying magic doesn’t have its place. It just annoys me when it's flashed around with intent to impress. See, I was impressed at the use of magic and the ability to hide like that, but if you use that trick to impress people and be Mr. Popular at a party, the next time the watch is looking for you, they'll just get out a WetVac and start sucking up all the puddles. I was impressed until you expected me to be. You're just another, see-how-mighty-I-am Sevener, no matter if you do want a vacation right now."
Firm disagreement set his jaw. "I'm not. I don't want to go back. Ever. I want to learn how to live outside."
I snorted. Unbelievable. What a line of crap. Seveners treated themselves like gods. What was his game? "So when it's your turn to rule the world you have a better grasp on the people?"
Frustration. Or was that anger I saw? "I don't want to rule the world! I just want to rule my own life. God, from what I saw of you yesterday I thought you would understand that. Obviously I'm on my own. Just let me out at the next stop." Tears glimmered in his eyes.
"So are the tears real or something you learned as a little boy to gain sympathy?"
"I don't want you to help me out of pity. I apologize if you dislike a man who cries. Father always used to beat me when I did. I'm under a little stress here and I had hoped you might help. This is frustration, not a plea for mercy."
"Given what you've been through I don't disrespect you for a few tears. I just meant are they real or are they part of your magic. You can turn your whole body liquid, a few tears rolling down your face shouldn't be that difficult."
The tears stopped. "For someone who's not impressed by and doesn't like magic, you're awfully curious."
"The more I know, the more prepared I am for what can be thrown my way."
"So that's part of living outside District Seven? Preparing to fight against magic?"
"You think your neighbors didn't plot how to WetVac you if it came down to a battle for dominance? I'm a survivor. The best way to survive is to be prepared for anything." The light ahead of me changed to red and I pushed the button to keep the doors locked as he reached for the handle. Against my better judgment I was intrigued. It didn't hurt that he was easy to look at.
"Then will you teach me. I don't want people to look at me and think, the boy needs to go home where Daddy can protect him."
"No."
Anger raised his voice. "Why not?" It was better than his hopelessness anyway..
I returned it. "Because you won't listen to me. You've been treated like the heir to the world for so long you think you know better. I set up an appointment for us to talk and you couldn't even abide that decision. Whether it's lack of trust, or the inability to believe somebody else might know more, you don't listen. And if you won't do what I say, when I say it, you'll get us both in deep shit."
"I listened back at the hospital."
"After you turned around to make sure you needed to. Twisting your head and staring at them before disappearing makes them notice you. Staring at someone too long makes them feel your attention. I can't begin to tell you how often the hair on my neck stood up yesterday. I knew someone was following us after we left my apartment."
"I'll try harder." The anger faded to desperation. "I'll leave now. Meet you whenever and wherever you want me to. Just please... I don't know where else to turn."
"Why me?"
He shrugged. An expansive gesture, then dropped his hands to his lap. He looked down at them and interlaced his fingers as he spoke. "I don't know. I was hiding in a crappy hotel across from Minale's when you got there. Didn't know where to go, what to do, figuring maybe I should just go home. Something made me notice you. Drew me off the bed and forced me to stop wallowing in self-pity. At first I thought it was just that you were so beautiful, and then you ducked into a market to avoid the watch. Thought you might be a kindred spirit." He looked up and stared at me. I had the feeling he was leaving out bits. "I waited near your car. Then you came out with the watch and I decided maybe we weren't so kindred after all. But it was too late by then. My pulse raced just to look at you, and a voice in my head kept telling me to stay with you."
"In your head, huh?" I snorted in my most unladylike manner. "So you hound me, destroy my office and my home, toss me out like a chew toy for your father and the watch, all because you can't see a woman you think is pretty and keep it in your pants?"
"No! Damn it. That's not it at all. I went through your office and your home because I really didn't want father to see those pictures Mr. Ludovissy bragged about. I didn't have a clue which private investigator he’d hired until you showed up. Asked some people about you, searched the net on my handheld and hopped a bus between districts while your friends waited for backup to arrive for the Ludovissy's private hellhole."
I drummed my fingers on the wheel as I turned onto Fifth Avenue. The shopping quarter spread out in front of us. On a normal day, I’d have stopped. My favorite gun shop was just around the corner. This would not be a good District to be found with him in my car though.
“When you ran from the wolves yesterday…How could you possibly stay ahead of them? And how did you disappear? They lost your scent--The puddle trick. Rollick said you were in a Zurn’s…” I needed to learn the extent of his abilities. I pondered if it was worth turning my life upside-down for a pretty face. He'd better have some gray matter too. I was already screwed. If I met his father he'd know what I was. If I chose not to meet him, he'd want to know why. Snarky and disagreeable only bought so much leeway if somebody really wanted to see you. "You've completely messed up my life. You know that, right? What the hell did you do to my safe?"
"Running is a very short term physical enhancement. Leaves me exhausted. And yes, transforming to a liquid state disperses scent. You have no idea what kind of crud is under the shelves in that department store. Your safe was a waste of energy. Jesus Christ, how many weapons does one woman need? "
"Depends what district I'm working in, and what sort of critter I'm going after."
"Nothing in there to use against a mage."
"Bullets usually work fine. If regular ones don't, silver ones do. And like I said, a taser works great." I patted my purse.
His eyes went back to his hands, straying from my face. "Any spell I've tried against you, fizzled and I've experimented enough since last night to know it isn't me."
"So you admit you've tried to use magic on me.” I’d felt two minor charges during this conversation. “See why I don't like Seveners? You probably don’t even think there's anything wrong with using magic to get your way. My protection against your sort doesn't stay in my safe or in my home. I carry it with me twenty-four seven."
He pressed his fingers to his temples, wincing as he touched a scratch. "There is no amulet or charm that's proof against a mage above a certain level."
I pulled the car over and pushed the button to open his door. "This is not about me. Please get out."
"What did I do?" He honestly sounded like he didn't have a clue.
"Get out."
"I just want to understand." His voice grew whiny. I wished-- not for the first time--that they put eject buttons in cars.
"No. You asked for my help. Having met with the client I don't believe he'll be able to meet my price."
"I can."
"Not without your father figuring out where you are."
"What do you charge?"
"I work on a variable scale. A mage is going to pay me two thousand a day."
"If I can come up with payment, will you help me?"
Tempting, but his line of questioning hit to close to my deepest darkest secrets. "I can't."
He closed his eyes. "I'm begging. That's got to mean something to someone who hates mages. I'm begging for your help."
"You persist in prying into me and my life. Sooner or later you'll gr
ow tired of playing renegade and go back to your father and where does that leave me?” Without giving him a chance to respond I said, "I'll tell you where it leaves me. I'd be the woman who not only refused to help the president find his son, but actively worked against him." It was a poor attempt at misdirection but it was the best I could come up with on short notice.
"He can persuade you to find me. He persuaded the world to elect him."
"I didn't vote for him. He's not as persuasive as he thinks."
He stared at me a moment, violet eyes holding mine as though he were judging me, or worse, drawing conclusions. "Which makes you very special, and my instincts dead on. In spite of having the survival skills and common sense of a ten year old, I can see I've antagonized you. If I show up when and where you want me to, with cash in hand, will you help me?"
I'd spent far too many days helping people like Janice Ellis and the District Eight Watch, and too few actually earning enough to pay the bills. "How many days do you think you can pay for?" I was a good long way from broke but I saw a bad turn coming from this mess.
"A week."
"And what difference would a week make in your life?"
"You could teach me how to survive. How to avoid the worst hazards, like siphons."
"I'd need to know where the money came from."
"Why?"
Why the hell did he think? "I thought I made it pretty clear, I don't trust you. Anybody who can lay his hands on fourteen thousand dollars isn't destitute and friendless."
"Fine. If I can come up with it, I'll show you where it came from. I don't like you holding all the cards."
"Then walk-away. I don't like dealing with mages."
"Romanelli's. District seventeen. Twelve o'clock." He looked around before stepping out of my car.
"One last thing," I said as he bent back down to look in the window. "You said you stayed near my car in District Eleven?"
"Didn't sit on it, but yeah, pretty much kept it in sight."
"Did you see anybody go near it?"
"Not until your watch buddy came back from the alley."
"No one?" What did that imply? And who was lying to me now?
"Is there a problem?" His tone was flat, as if uncertain if he was allowed to be curious? Good. He might be teachable. My number one rule was stay out of my life.
"Nothing I can't deal with. I have some things I need to straighten out. I'll see you at noon." I took out my cell and called HQ before I realized Rollick wouldn't be in yet. I put the car in drive and headed for the gate. Pickets waved me through.
At the gate to District Twelve I was stopped, my credentials checked, and asked the purpose of my visit. Numerous members of the watch lived here and they were testy about outsiders in their space without appointments.
"I need to see Trooper Rollick on a personal matter."
Chapter 10
"Let me call him. Make sure you're invited." The picket picked up the phone in his hut and dialed a number. After a brief conversation he said, "Rollick’ll meet you at Bobb's. Have a good-day, Miss Leone."
I made it to Bobb's Coffee Shack before Rollick and ordered a latte and a black then sat at a table where I could watch the door and the street through the big glass panels. Rollick wore jeans and a t-shirt. As he entered he glanced between the counter and the table where I sat with two bio-degradable cups of coffee.
He came over and sat down. "What can I do for you Frankie?"
"Tell me about the bomb in my car."
He flushed gently. "Wasn't much to it. Hurry up job."
"Do you know how many friends I have in District Eleven?"
The color in his cheeks deepened. "Too many?"
"Nobody saw anybody near my car. I spoke to somebody who was waiting for me to show back up and he claims he stayed near my car."
"Are you sure he didn't do it?" He took a swallow of his coffee. His expression said he didn't expect me to believe it. He was buying time, trying to come up with a story.
"He's begging for my help, so I seriously doubt it."
Rollick looked like he had a leg in a trap. Finally he shrugged. "Look, Frankie, I didn't mean any harm by it. You were never in any danger. Sarge has been crazy about you for years and you treat him like everybody else. Figured if he had a chance to play the hero you might look at him as more than a friend. After you busted his wife he spent quite a few hours in the parking lot in front of your house."
“He told me.”
Rollick leaned back in his chair and stared at me, disbelief written in bold letters on his furrowed brow. “Did he tell you why?”
“Said something about contemplating all the things he‘d like to do to me for ruining his life.”
Rollick picked up his coffee and took a long slow swallow. “Let me say this before you blow up at me Frankie. He may have been contemplating the things he wanted to do to you, but he wasn’t pissed, and his marriage had been over a long time before you gave him the proof to walk away without giving her everything. Wally's liked you since long before the thing with his wife. But he’s scared to upset the balance of your relationship. Afraid that if he asks you out, you’ll turn him down and then even your friendship will suffer. I just wanted to nudge him. Figured if he was worried about you, he'd be braver about trying to protect you."
"Did he know about the bomb?"
"No! No…Don't blame him. God, please don't tell him. He'd beat me bloody for telling you he likes you. Probably shoot me for setting him up."
"Where the hell did you come up with a bomb on short notice?"
"Quick stop at District Eleven's evidence room. You were never in any danger." He took another long swallow.
"Damn it Rollick, leave Wally alone. I have enough trouble right now without worrying about a friend who wants to date me. I like our relationship just the way it is."
"I'm sorry Frankie. Thought I was helping. What kind of trouble do you have now?"
"It all stems from yesterday. Did Wally tell you you're reporting early today?"
"Said we needed to be in at two o'clock."
"Well I won't steal his thunder if he hasn't told you why."
A canine tooth hooked his lower lip. "Guess I can wait."
"Guess you'll have to wait. I'm between a rock and a hard place right now and if I hadn't been so involved yesterday, half my problems wouldn't exist. I'm not pleased with you at this moment in time." I looked up to see a familiar pair of broad shoulders come through the door. "Damn!"
Rollick guiltily spun to the door, then back to me. "Please don't treat him any different, Frankie."
"I'm not the problem." I stood up and waved. "Sergeant Wallin. Come to join the party?" He turned with a smile that froze as he saw Rollick with me.
"Be there in a minute, Frankie." He went to the counter and ordered a drink and a bagel then came over and sat down. "What's going on?"
"Brought a puppy gift for Tina. Had a few questions for Rollick about the bomb in my car. Ran into somebody who thinks he saw the guy that did it. Had nothing to do with yesterday's mess." I settled on redirecting the conversation to safe ground. Work. "I was also hoping to run into you. Have some information about that room full of bodies. Got it from a reliable source who refuses to come forward, that mess is the work of Ron and Ivy Ludovissy."
"Then how'd Ron end up in it, as a victim?"
"I believe if you examine his body, you'll discover he was killed by the concussion of an explosion of magic."
"How could you possibly know that Frankie? Those bodies haven't been seen up-close by anybody but our forensics techs, and they just called to tell me exactly that."
"Girl's gotta protect her sources." I nearly batted my lashes at him. Thought better of it. Harmless flirting wasn't harmless if the flirtee was interested in the flirter.
"Jesus, Frankie I only dropped you off three hours ago. Have you solved the riddle of the mystery of life yet?"
I grinned. "Working on it, Wally. But I did ID one of the John Does from the L
udovissy's apartment. My eight o'clock was looking for her boyfriend, disappeared after proposing, last seen wearing a brown and beige pinstripe jacket."
"Did you notify HQ?"
"Figured the hospital would take care of that. The water's well over my knees and closing in on my neck. Staying out of HQ seems like a pretty good plan to me."
"Is he gonna live?"
"Looks a lot better since his girlfriend showed up to hold his hand. Talent's probably gone, but he might just survive and I think that's all she really cared about."
"So…a good morning's work"
"Yeah, it felt good. Unfortunately I have this afternoon to look forward to."
"What's going on this afternoon?" Rollick asked.
"You didn't tell him?" Wally looked over at me.
My stomach churned. "I don't even like thinking about it, much less talking about it." A brilliant idea started to form in my mind. I knew exactly where I’d meet the president.
"Didn't you have another appointment this morning?" Wally's question forced my focus back on our conversation.
"Yeah, but when I realized I'd have to go to the hospital with Janice, I postponed. Supposed to meet him at twelve."
Wally grinned. "If you solve all my cases for me, give me a call first."
I shook my head. "Don't think I’ll be accepting this case. I doubt he's good for the money and it's not something I’d do out of the goodness of my heart, which, as you know, is a limited resource."
"What's the case?" Wally's lips pressed into a thin line. What was going on behind those honest brown eyes?
"You know me better than that, Wally. Girl tells a man some secrets he thinks he gets to know them all."
"I worry about you, Frankie. You're too damn hardheaded for your own good."
"I made it to thirty, all on my own. Reckon I'm good for another thirty at least. Like I told you last night, I have my skills. I worry more about anybody who gets close to me, than about myself."
"So…no future Mr. Leone?"
I grinned at him, trying for the same easy camaraderie we had just this morning. Rollick had a big mouth. "You volunteering?" I turned to Rollick. "Did you know he could cook?"
