by Sandra Elsa
"There are other things I'm going to do. I don't need you knowing the people I hope will help me." Most especially I hoped Charlie, from District Eight would help, and Harrison didn't need to know any of the watch would help me against any commands from HQ.
"You don't trust me. I understand that. Just...I'll try to change--keep my impulsive tongue from flapping. I will shut my mouth when told to shut my mouth. Back off when it's obvious I'm stomping on a nerve. I can't help but want to know all about you, but I'll wait until you're ready to tell me. Promise me you'll come back."
"I promise I'll think about it, as long as I don't get so much as a mental whisper that you are anywhere close to me for the rest of the day."
"What if somebody else follows you?"
"I have a handle on you now. I'll know if you're close." It bothered me how true that was.
"Do you need your meds?" He held up the plastipak.
"I suppose I had better take them. Good to have them as soon as I'm done with business."
He leaned into the Subaru and pulled out a pair of sweatpants, a t-shirt, my toothbrush and some shampoo.
I stuffed it in my tote bag then turned to face him. "You'll make someone a good wife someday."
"Thank you, God. That was a joke, right? Jokes are good with you, right?"
"I joke with my friends. That was serious."
"You can't let me get a handle on you. Can you? If I knew when I did something right, I could try to do it more often. You keep me in limbo, never sure if you're happy or mad."
"Did I pull a gun on you?"
He hesitated. "Not since we were on the road."
Knife?
"No."
"Did I tell you to kiss my ass and hop away as fast as I could?"
"No."
"Then you're on the right track."
"Well then...stay safe. And please, come back. Want me to put the chair in the back?"
"Take it back to the house--No. Go ahead and put it in. No telling." I slid in the driver's side door as he folded the chair and put it in the trunk.
He came back to my window. "If you come back, are we still getting married?"
"Why is that important to you? I understand the reasons you've given. And I'm the one who found that bit about nulls and their children. But I don't get the feeling your father is aware of that little bit of information. Yet."
"He will know. And when he does, he'll raise the demons from hell to find you, create the perfect heir, a copy of him, with the power of a null."
"And how would he coerce my participation?"
"Drugs if he had to."
"So the whole marriage thing is for my benefit."
"I'd like to believe if you were my wife, he'd leave you alone. It's no guarantee but it's a better possibility than if you're still unmarried."
"I'll give you my answer when...or if, I get back."
"Since it wasn't a definitive no; I'm going to go for a drive, some district far away and get the marriage license. That should distract father from whatever you're doing." He looked as though he expected to be told he was an idiot.
"That's a good thought, just use the Daniel Bromer at all times except when you're actually filling out forms."
"I may need your ident too. I've never even looked into what's needed for a marriage license before."
I handed him my ident.
"What will you use?"
I reached under my seat and pulled out a packet of papers that had been wedged in the springs of the cushions. After thumbing through them, I decided it was time for Angela to be resurrected. I reached under the passenger seat and pulled out the blank ident kit and began feeding information into it. When I was through I showed him, Angela Landis. If Mage Jallahan turned out to be who and what he claimed, he would appreciate the jest. "So the marriage is to rescue me?"
"No." His tone was resolute. "Francesca Leone doesn't need rescuing. The marriage is to save the world."
Chapter 21
"Well now, how can a girl turn down a proposal like that?" I turned the key, hoping it'd start after being parked in this dank hole for two days. It reluctantly agreed to run and I decided I'd find someplace for lunch to give it some time in the sun before I demanded much of it. "You hungry?"
Harrison looked startled. "I left half my sandwich on the sundeck when you stormed out." Warily he said, "I could eat."
"You brought all my stuff. Do you have your handheld?"
"Sure."
"Good, I'm going to stop at the first place that looks like it has edible food. Let my car charge and transfer a couple thousand to my chip. Never know who I'll have to bribe to get my stuff out from under the watch."
"Yeah, sure." To his credit, he tried hard not to let his happiness shine.
I put the car in drive and glanced in the rearview mirror as I pulled away, keenly aware that once again I couldn't hold my suspicions against Harrison. I stopped at a Little Gobble and ordered a turkey burger, water and french fries. Tables were filled. Reckon people checking out of the hospital would be eager for something unhealthy.
I stood in line and ordered my food as Harrison walked up behind me. He leaned over my shoulder and asked, "What's good?"
"Let me guess, poor little rich kid never ate at a Little Gobble before."
"Saw a couple in District Three. Never went in."
"So where did you stay the first couple weeks you were out of Seven?"
"Apartment rented for me by Mrs. Ludovissy."
"What District?"
"Three."
"Keeping you close?"
"Looking back on it she probably figured there was less chance of losing me if I didn't have to go in and out of different Districts."
The plump unhappy looking woman behind the counter placed my food on the tray and looked past me and smiled at Harrison as though having dealt with me I was now beneath her notice. I grabbed his hand and ordered him a burger, water, and fries, then threw in a salad, just in case he wanted something healthy too. He paid for the food I ordered for him without comment, then raised the hand I was still holding to his lips. His fingers tightened around mine as though holding me in place while he kissed the back of my knuckles . When his food joined mine, he let my hand go and picked up the tray.
By the time we finished eating, I'd transferred enough money to my chip to bribe half the watch in District Two. And he grudgingly admitted maybe he should have tried eating at a Little Gobble earlier. "Maybe I have been raised as a snob. I can't believe there aren't any of these in District Seven." Then he went and got serious, stretching over the table and placing his hand over mine. "I don't regret what I said earlier. At least you know where I stand. But I respectfully back the fuck off. You're in charge of our relationship be it personal or professional. If you hold my hand, I'll assume there's another reason for it and try not to let it encourage me."
It sounded funny to hear him use a cuss word. "Careful, I'm rubbing off on you. And holding your hand doesn't mean much of anything. Everything I do in public is a performance."
"And am I allowed to reciprocate in kind?"
"As long as you don't escalate."
"So kissing your hand...Not permitted?"
"Did I stop you?"
"No. Which confuses the hell out of me."
"My job here is done." I was confused by my own actions so it was only fair if he was too. Holding his hand had been telling that fat bitch to stop smiling at my fiancé. As if that meant anything.
"Does that mean I'm allowed to act like we're together in public?"
"Do me a favor?"
"Anything."
I pondered a snarky answer like jump off a tall building, but ended up saying, "Don't analyze."
Frustration masked his face. "I need some rules, so I don't mess up."
"Fine. In public you can act like we're together as long as it doesn't include a full body slam, or you trying to suck my face off."
"I wouldn't consider doing either in public." Wasn't he just the
proper young man?
I'd seen more than that done in public. "We're good then."
"Why do you even want to act like a couple?" He seemed embarrassed by the mention of the possibility.
Hmmm... So I could put him off as far as things personal went. "Keeps the rest of the world at a distance."
"Got it. So can I claim you with a ring? You are my fiancée."
"Just as long as you realize I won't wear it all the time."
"Because you don't trust me and think I might put some kind of spell on it?"
"Are you always this damn sensitive? My life is never going to be all about you. There are places I go and people I see who wouldn't understand a ring on my finger. You have access to everything else I own. If you wanted to put a spell on something, why would I believe you'd make it as obvious as a ring you yourself gave me?"
"Good point."
"OK, I gotta get going. Things to do before I decide if I want to see Jallahan."
He followed me out the door. Beside my car he stretched a hand toward my hip, then let it drop to his side. "Take care of yourself, Frankie."
"You too. Don't get caught." I got in my car and pulled out of the parking lot as he stood and watched me go.
Chapter 22
On the road I turned south, heading for District Eleven. The picket on the gate nodded and waved me through with a grin. Like District Eight, I was on good terms with most of these guys. Once through the gate, I headed down to Minale's restaurant. I hadn't even started cursing when a man helped me get the chair out of the hatch. I thanked him, then wheeled myself in to park beside a table, and order a glass of wine while I sat and waited for the first person I hoped to do business with. The stench hadn't completely dissipated, but the recyclers were huffing along, working hard to clear the atmosphere.
Gyros came out to my table as I sat waiting. "Frankie! We didn't think we'd see you again after the shithead from Seven paraded through here yesterday."
"No way! He came down here? Wait. We're talking about Drover, right?"
"Sure thing. Is there a bigger shithead in any of the districts? What'd you do to get under his skin, girl? He's offering a ten-thousand dollar reward to anybody who turns you in."
"Remember the guy I was looking for two weeks ago?"
"Your client, or your Movie-Star?"
"Movie-Star. Found him. Or more accurately he found me. Guess who his daddy is."
"You're kidding me?"
"You've been here a long time, Gyros, you remember a pro named Nan? Nan Kendrel. You'd probably have been bussing tables for your father when she worked Eleven."
Gyros drummed the table muttering, "Nan, Nan, Nan…" He looked up with a big smile. "Yeah. Nan come in here with her clients from time to time. Your Mum knew her too. Blonde hair, heart shaped face. Green eyes… She your Movie-Star's mum?"
"Yep. He doesn't want to return to Seven. Begged me to keep him away from his father."
"And you, being you, just had to take on a lost cause. For someone who spent so long staying away from anything tied to Seven, you just stepped in it, girl."
"I know. Met Drover out in Eighty-six, broke my ankle hurtling up the mountain to the suppression generator, but he already figured I had some talent. Lied my ass off about knowing where his son was and they let me leave. Made me walk back down myself, by the time I got to the hospital I was good and truly pissed. Missed the first several phone calls telling me I needed to come in and register, by the time I answered the phone I figured, in for a penny. He wanted to know who was helping me so I told him his son was. Rollick said he was frothing at the mouth."
Gyros shook his head and laughed. "So what brings you back here?"
"What else? I need help."
"Who ya waiting for?"
"Thought I'd see if Cynthia was up for a night off. Need somebody to get in my office and collect my weapons, or rather, to distract the trooper they've posted there while I get in the office."
"Cyn should be in shortly, but I gotta tell you she was pretty friendly with the shithead when he came through. Walked right up to him and wanted to know if there was anything she could offer him. If I were you, I'd ask Dee. She's already out on her corner. She could use the cash too. It's been hard on a lot of the girls the last couple nights since that room was found down the alley."
"If it helps, I'm pretty sure the people responsible for those bodies are dead. One of them was deceased in the room, killed by his own greed. The other was an unlicensed siphon the watch arrested. She killed herself so unless there are more of those shadow things, it should be safe enough. In fact it should be safer than it has been in years. Just nobody knew about the danger, so nobody worried about it. What the hell did Cyn think she had to offer Drover?"
"She was your friend. How much does she know about you and your mum?"
"Not much. Probably knew Mom's original name, but there aren't many people I’d trust with anything else."
"Stories still fly about when Drover used to come down here and spread his money around, maybe she thought she could attract him. Whatever her reasoning, I wouldn't trust her."
"She doesn't have anything he's interested in." She was completely, one hundred percent untalented. Unless you listened to her johns, who sang her praises. "Your word's always been good for me, Gyros. Let me see if Dee is unoccupied."
"You stay safe, Frankie." He waved me off as I asked for my check. "Your money's no good here."
I wheeled myself out the door and headed down the street. Four streets north, I crossed to the east side of Main and went down a block. Three girls and two queens huddled on the corner swapping stories waiting for business to pick up as shadows lengthened. They saw me coming. I wasn't exactly inconspicuous. Tom-Tom ran down the street and grabbed the handles of the wheel chair and raced back to the group. "Looky what I found girls."
Hettie, Carol, and Beth wrapped their arms around me. Dee stood back and watched them. She was a better looking woman than any of the others. Too bad for many would be clients she was born a he. Not that she ever lacked for company. When the others backed away she came up and kissed me on the cheek. "What have you been doing with yourself, Francesca?"
"Stirring up trouble, pissing people off. The usual."
"Not quite the usual, sweetheart. The grand high muckety-mucks been crawlin' under rocks lookin' for you."
"Yeah they don't care for my latest fling."
"You don't have flings, girlfriend. Ain't nobody ever seen you out on a date, so what are you really up to?"
I grinned at her. "Hoping I can pay for your services to distract a member of the watch in District Two while I clean out my office."
"We can do that. But what's got them lookin' at you so hard?"
"My current client is Drover's son. He ran away and doesn't want to go home, and since he's thirty-three years old, I reckon he should have that option."
Dee whistled. After a moment the crowd laughed and began throwing excited questions at me. We talked awhile and settled on a price for Dee's services.
I examined the streets before venturing down Main to where I'd left my car parked. Dee grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and pushed me down the sidewalk. She stopped a block away from my car and let me examine not only the streets but the surrounding buildings. Bringing my car had been a risk, but even if I completely trusted Harrison, there was no point to bringing the new car out where it could be seen and its owner, Daniel Bromer, investigated.
The street appeared to be clear and we made a dash to the car. Dee flung open the passenger side door and helped me in.
"Frankie!" I whipped my head around as Cynthia stepped out of Minale's.
"Just get in, Dee. Hurry."
Cynthia strode across the street, the only thing preventing her from running, I suspected, were her pink, strappy, five inch spike heels.
Inserting the key in the ignition, I turned it as Dee slammed the driver’s side door shut. She grabbed the wheel and put the car in drive.
&nb
sp; "Frankie!" Cynthia's voice carried over the squeal of tires. I looked forward as a pedestrian jumped out of the way. He leaped and pointed at the car, looking dismayed when nothing happened. A mage. People scattered as we raced through the streets. I really hoped the watch was still out of the loop. A shiny black Buick pulled into the street in front of us and Dee swerved into an alley. She raced behind Minale's dodging the dumpsters in the narrow street. The larger buick clipped one and slowed down, backing off far enough I began to grow concerned about how many other cars were pursuing us up on Main Street.
Dee continued down the alley until she spotted another vehicle coming at us from the front. She cranked the wheel left as we passed another street and sped up on the wider road. We crossed Main again amidst squealing tires, picking up two blue Tauruses in pursuit. They were fast. Faster than a strictly solar engine should have been and only the narrow streets and Dee's superior knowledge of the roads kept us ahead of them. I turned around and focused on the lead car, seeking out the spell that enhanced its drivetrain.
Found it. Squashed it. The car slowed to a crawl, the vehicle behind it, unable to pass in the narrow alley. Dee reached over and grabbed my thigh, a smile ear to ear. "I haven't had this much fun in years, girlfriend."
"Well we have to figure they'll be waiting for us at the gate, even if they haven't called the watch in. I don't suppose you have a car?"
"I don't, but I know where we can get one."
She hadn't slowed down at all and five streets on she took an abrupt left into a parking garage and parked up three levels. "You stay right here, Francesca. Just got to run in and get the key." Dee took off at a run. I barely had time to wonder if I'd see her again, or if she'd call the mages when she returned wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants and dangling a set of keys. She popped the hatch and transferred the wheelchair to the blue Prius we were parked next to. She sat in the driver's seat and scrubbed at the makeup on her face with a wash cloth she'd brought out of the building with her. With the makeup gone, loose clothes and black driving gloves covering the manicure, Dee became David. He put on a pair of sunglasses and started the car.
