by Sarah Noffke
Liv pressed her ear to the accordion barrier she’d helped Alicia to put up earlier that day. It was made out of simple tin, but it was enchanted with a time ward spell. Together the two combined to keep Liv safe from what Shitkphace could do with the remote. However, it wouldn’t last, and it wasn’t meant to.
A moment later, she heard splashing on the other side of the barrier. She was suddenly grateful for the rising water, which would make it easier to have Shitkphace follow her, although she was already soaked to the bone.
As she had practiced, Liv ran, kicking off the side of the building and grabbing the shutter on the opposite wall. She pulled herself up to the second story and continued climbing to the top as she heard the barrier being pushed out of the way.
“Damn it!” Shitkphace said from below. “This is Alicia De Luca’s doing.”
Liv managed to soundlessly climb all the way to the rooftop. From there, she spied Shitkphace kick the barrier. He really had a bad attitude, which was going to make this more fun.
“Hey, Shitface!” Liv yelled, holding up the pink flamingo. “Are you looking for this?”
He grimaced up at her, his eyes narrowed. “My name is Shitkphace.”
“You say potato, I say Shitface,” Liv said, smiling down at the magician.
He lifted his hand, holding a remote. “You’ll pay for this.”
“Not yet, I won’t,” Liv said, knowing she was far enough away that the remote shouldn’t be able to work. She and Alicia had tried to think of everything.
Shitkphace realized a moment later that it wasn’t going to work.
“Oh, are you trying to pause me? Rewind me? Make me come back down?” Liv asked.
“I’m going to punish you!” Shitkphace declared.
“Cool, but first, you’re going to have to catch me,” Liv sang.
“Damn it to hell,” Shitkphace said, then he rose off the ground.
Oh, hell. He’s floating. No, flying. Whatever he’s doing, it was making his climb up to the third story much faster than Liv’s. She took off at a sprint, hoping to make the next station before he caught up with her.
Alicia choked back tears as the robotic panda and lion marched out of the shadows.
“Plotting Panda! Laidback Lion!” Alicia rejoiced, running over and dropping to her knees. “I thought Shitkphace had destroyed you!”
Like two puppies excited to be reunited with their owners, the little metal creatures pressed lovingly into Alicia as she pulled them into her arms. “I thought I’d never see you two again!”
“We hid,” Laidback Lion said, pointing to the other robot when he was released. “It was his idea.”
Alicia laughed, wiping away a tear brought on by the unexpected surprise. “Plotting Panda, that was quick thinking.”
He bowed slightly. “Thank you. And Laidback Lion kept me quiet while we hid from those gremlins.”
“You two really are good for one another,” Alicia stated, looking the robots over for any signs of wear and tear. They had been her first projects and were still her favorites. She’d created the robots from scratch, even painting the designs on their metal bodies, making Plotting Panda look like a cuddly bear, and Laidback Lion like a courageous cat. Unlike mortal robots, these could do more than menial tasks. They had been her right hands in the shop, helping her with every project.
“Are you okay, Dr. De Luca?” Laidback Lion asked.
She nodded. “But I’ve got to get straight to work on building an electromagnetic device that will broadcast a signal all over the island.”
“But that will stop all magic-tech devices from working,” Plotting Panda blurted, suddenly worried.
“I know,” she said remorsefully. “Which means you two will be incapacitated. But once we get rid of Shitkphace, I’ll turn off the device and bring you two back. I promise. Will you please help?”
Without hesitating, the two robots started forward.
“Absolutely!” Laidback Lion said. “Just tell us what you need done.”
“I’ll gather the supplies,” Plotting Panda added.
Alicia smiled. Before, building the device for the signal in time was going to be cutting it close. Now, with her two best friends, she had a chance. She just hoped Liv held Shitkphace off long enough.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Of course, Shitface could fly, Liv lamented as she sped across the rooftop, water, from the last rain, flying into her face with each stomp of her boots.
Alicia had said he was incredibly powerful, using the magic-tech she’d created to hone his skills and add to his strength. Flying wasn’t something she’d mentioned, though. Liv only hoped he’d further depleted his reserves with that little stunt.
“Stop where you are!” Shitkphace commanded.
Liv halted, peering over the edge of the building. According to the plan, she was supposed to have a little bit longer to scale back down the building. However, in that plan, Shitkphace was supposed to climb up after her, not fly.
“Do you know if your little wind-up toy is waterproof?” Liv asked, holding up the pink flamingo.
Shitkphace’s eyes widened. “Don’t throw it in the canal. Just tell me what you want!”
“Throw it in the canal?” Liv asked. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” She took a step onto the ledge, really doubting if what she had in mind would work.
“Give it to me,” Shitkphace ordered, taking a step toward her, his hand on the remote.
Liv was out of time. She had to take the plunge before he paused her. Figuratively. And literally.
“Like I said before, if you want it, come and get it.” Liv took a casual step off the side of the building and plunged over the edge.
Plato was nearly at the end of his mission. Popping up in front of the gremlins at every other turn and unknown to them, getting them to follow the path he’d chosen, had been boringly easy.
The small-brained creatures were not only incredibly predictable, but their fearful reaction was always the same when they encountered a panther, a leopard, or whatever other form Plato decided to take.
Preparing for the last phase of the plan, Plato stared at the train station. The last transport of the night was about to head off, right on time. Three frightened gremlins who were being terrorized by a shapeshifting cat would jump that train in a second, desperately wanting to be as far from this haunted island as possible.
Plato heard the ragged breath of one of the creatures as he crouched in the shadows. One last show, and then he could swoop in to check on Liv. He didn’t think she actually needed his help. She generally didn’t. But he still preferred to keep an eye on her, just in case.
There had been the incidents on the Matterhorn and with the mermaid where he found himself useful for once. Liv probably would have gotten away in both instances without his intervention, but he had been happy to save her.
The truth was that she’d saved Plato a thousand times. Not from death, but from himself. From loneliness. From the monotony that went with being immortal.
He and Papa Creola understood each other better than anyone ever would. They both had incredible skills, the weight of the world resting on their shoulders and an unshakeable feeling that it would never ever be enough, no matter how hard they tried. Liv made those melancholy feelings disappear for Plato, or at least they receded.
When he was sure the gremlins were just around the corner, Plato sprang out in the form of a cheetah. He growled, his eyes glowing brightly.
As he expected, the two gremlins sprinted toward the train, not daring to look back.
Plato’s victory was short lived as he scanned the alley.
There had been three gremlins… Which begged the question of where the third was.
Working with Plotting Panda and Laidback Lion again was just like old times. Seamlessly, they built the electromagnetic device together, Alicia supervising while the two robots did most of the work.
As usual, Plotting Panda was working furiously, soldering wires in
to place and checking the fit of the different joints. Meanwhile, Laidback Lion casually looked over the design, unhurried by the panda’s never-ending excitement.
“How much longer until Shitkphace is back?” Plotting Panda asked.
Alicia eyed her watch. According to what she’d heard on the spyware last, Liv was on schedule, about to climb back down the other side of the building. It sounded as though everything was going according to plan. “We need to have this up and broadcasting a signal in less than two minutes.”
“I think we can do it,” Laidback Lion stated.
Plotting Panda grabbed a small wrench out of his hand. “Not if you don’t work faster.”
Alicia hid her smile. She’d created the two robots to complement each other. In actuality, they butted heads constantly, but still, the sentiment had worked. One kept her motivated while the other kept her balanced and relaxed.
They continued to work until the telltale sound of someone at the door made all three of them look up. The door handle jiggled, and there was a slight scratching on the wood. And then in the window, two ears appeared, followed by the face of a gremlin.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Liv’s stomach jumped into her throat when she took the plunge over the side of the building, landing in the canal seconds later.
The water was cold and tasted of salt. Thankfully it smelled fresh, but still, she didn’t plan on spending much time in the canal.
She glanced up as Shitkphace peered over the edge of the building.
Liv held up the pink flamingo, a teasing look in her eyes. “I’ve still got it. Let’s hope it still works.”
He pointed the remote at her, but she dove just in time, kicking hard and swimming in the direction of the Grand Canal. She’d have to get out of the water before then. Otherwise, swimming in the canal was about like playing in the streets at night. She’d risk getting mauled by a propeller if she wasn’t careful.
When she was almost out of air, Liv came up to the surface. She caught sight of Shitkphace descending from the roof of the building as casually as if he were taking an elevator, his arms crossed over his chest and a madder-than-hell expression on his face. He hadn’t spotted her yet, but from the way his eyes were scanning the water, he would soon.
Liv climbed onto the street, grateful that the rising tide made it easier. She was thoroughly soaked, but she was still alive. All she had to do was distract Shitkphace for another minute, and then she could take him down properly.
Once she was on her feet, Liv ran like hell down the closest alley. Shitkphace’s head flipped up and he dropped to the pavement, pointing the remote at her.
Liv had to get to the next barrier in time, but it was at the far end of the alleyway and he was directly behind her. Too close.
He pointed the remote. Pressed a button. She froze.
“The gremlins!” Alicia said, fear in her voice.
Plotting Panda hurried over to the counter, using impressive acrobatic skills to jump back and forth between the walls until he arrived at the top. He peered through the window. “Just one,” he corrected. “But he seems really mad.”
“Yes, we sort of tricked them,” Alicia stated. “Reinforce the door. We can’t allow him in here.”
Alicia’d had to take down the wards to get into her shop. Without those up, there was little to stop the conniving, slippery gremlin from getting back in. Then they’d have their hands full, and there’d be little hope of building the electromagnetic device in time.
“I think if I stand guard at the door, I can keep him out,” Plotting Panda said.
“And I’ll continue to help with the device,” Laidback Lion said.
Alicia nodded, going back to work. However, she couldn’t help but notice the grief-stricken expression on the panda’s face. “What is it?”
“Nothing…” he lied. “At least, I don’t think it’s anything.”
“What is the gremlin doing?” she asked, as she worked furiously.
“That’s the thing,” he said, craning his head to look to the side through the window. “He’s disappeared.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Liv was frozen. Paralyzed. Her eyes didn’t even blink. She could think in her head, but even that felt strangely delayed.
Alicia hadn’t gotten the signal broadcasted yet. Things weren’t going to plan now.
Angry footsteps splashed through the water as Shitkphace approached. He ripped the pink flamingo from Liv’s hands, standing over her with an air of superiority.
“I don’t know who you think you are, making me go after you, but you’ve messed with the wrong magician,” he said, spittle flying out of his mouth and landing on Liv’s face. He really needed to learn how to talk without drenching people in saliva.
Holding up the remote, he waved it in front of Liv’s face. “Do you know what I can do with this, little girl?”
If he’d unpaused Liv, she could have answered. Apparently, it was a rhetorical question because he didn’t grant her the opportunity to speak. “I can rewind you so we never meet. So you never annoy me with your presence.” He dared to step in closer, breathing on her frozen face. “I can rewind you until you never exist. Would you like me to do that, little girl?”
Again, there was no answer from Liv. It was a totally one-sided conversation.
“Or how about I fast-forward you until you’re old and gray? Would you like that?” Shitkphace asked.
Liv thought these questions sort of answered themselves. How many people would jump up and down and say, “Yes, please, erase my existence with a push of a button.”
“Although it’s fun fast-forwarding people until they are no more, it doesn’t really have the same payoff as watching an enemy suffer,” Shitkphace said. “One moment they are here, and then poof! They are a bag of bones on the floor. For that reason, I think I’ll handle you differently than my last.”
Liv didn’t know what that meant for her, but she wasn’t excited to find out.
Unfortunately for her, Shitkphace wasn’t wasting any time all of a sudden. He pulled back his fist and launched it into her gut, making her nearly topple over from the assault she could neither stop nor defend herself against. She had to merely stand and take punch after punch as the magician with too much ego let off steam.
“What do you mean, he’s gone?” Alicia asked, racing over to the window.
Plotting Panda glanced around nervously. “He was here, and now he’s not.”
Alicia shook her head, hurrying back over to the workstation. “Well, then he’s gone to fetch his master or something else. I have to focus on getting this ready. I just need another minute.”
“I went ahead and fastened the loose wires,” Laidback Lion said.
“Thanks,” Alicia muttered, trying to figure out where she’d left off.
Something clunked on the roof, and her eyes darted to the side. “That was the wind, right?”
Both robots nodded mechanically.
Another loud clunk.
“The gremlin might be on the roof, then,” Alicia said matter-of-factly. “But really, how can he get in?”
“I’m sure he can’t,” Laidback Lion stated.
“I’ve calculated at least three possible entrances from the roof,” Plotting Panda related.
Alicia glanced up at the ceiling. “Does one involve a skylight?”
The gremlin had his face pressed to the glass, a crazed expression in his large eyes.
Plotting Panda nodded.
“Well, I can’t concern myself with him,” Alicia said. “I’ve got seconds to get this working.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure he can’t get in here,” Laidback Lion said.
And then glass rained down from overhead, making Alicia cover her head as the gremlin fell straight into the middle of the room.
“Keep working,” Plotting Panda ordered. “We’ve got this.”
He flashed an urgent look at Laidback Lion, who brandished the wrench he was holding and no
dded. “It’s time for payback for the last several weeks.”
Plato knew Liv was in trouble. He could feel it in his bones, the same way he felt his own aches and pains.
They were connected in strange ways.
He knew without knowing how that she was paralyzed. Being assaulted. Out of options.
In cheetah form, he raced through the streets of Venice, sliding around corners. He would have transported to her side, but there was a strange cosmic force at work in Venice that made doing so with any accuracy nearly impossible. This was an odd place for many reasons.
Tourist turned and pointed as they looked out their balcony windows at the large cat splashing through the streets. They’d dismiss him as an overweight alley cat or make up another excuse.
He heard the blunt sounds of skin meeting skin as he veered around the corner. There she was, teetering back and forth after being punched in the face.
A growl full of Plato’s vengeance and fury ripped through the night air just before he raced forward.
Alicia had never worked so fast before. She didn’t even know if she was assembling everything the right way. There was no time to second-guess herself or check her measurements.
She tried not to look up when she heard a crash, but too often she did, catching a blur of black and white mixed with gray as Plotting Panda’s front rolled into the gremlin. Or orange mixed with gray as Laidback Lion dove off a box, delivering a flying punch to the evil little creature.
Alicia knew Liv was out there racing around Venice, trying to buy her time. She’d hoped to get an update, but the spyware had gone silent, which wasn’t good. Either something had happened to Liv, or it was soaked through, which also meant something had happened to Liv.
Taking a steadying breath, Alicia tried to focus as she completed the last part of the electromagnetic device. This was the most crucial step. Fusing the spigot into place was what made this magical tech. It wasn’t so much science as it was spell work, and yet it was so much of each that Alicia had to rely on both parts of her: the analytical and the magical.
