Fort Lupton

by Christian, Claudia Hall

“Let’s eat,” Tink said.

  She sat down next to Rodney. Everyone settled into doctoring their oatmeal. After a few minutes, Tink jumped from her seat.

  “It’s on fire,” Tink said.

  Tanesha’s computer was shooting flames. Everyone jumped to their feet. Jeraine ran to the kitchen for the extinguisher. Heather grabbed Mack and Tink and pulled them away. Tanesha picked up Jabari and they went into the back. By the time the fire was out, the room was full of smoke and fire extinguisher foam.

  “Why don’t we go out to breakfast?” Rodney asked. “My treat.”

  They turned to look at him.

  “Good thinking,” Jeraine said.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Tuesday morning — 9:12 a.m.

  Phoenix, Arizona

  “Where did you get this?” Agent Angie asked.

  Standing in her office, she was reading a few sheets that she’s pulled out of the manila envelope.

  “Someone gave it to me last night,” Yvonne said.

  Yvonne repeated what she and Dionne had agreed to say. Agent Angie gave her a long, hard look.

  “Someone?” Agent Angie asked.

  “It was a woman, I think,” Yvonne said with a shrug. “I almost left it in the locker room — you know, after my massage?”

  “Her memory is really not that great,” Dionne leaned forward to say in a low tone.

  “It’s better than it was,” Yvonne said.

  “That’s not really saying much, is it, honey?” Dionne gave Yvonne her practiced nurse-to-sick-patient look.

  Yvonne nodded and did her best to look embarrassed.

  “And you weren’t there?” Agent Angie asked.

  “I was still in my massage,” Dionne said. “I came out, and Yvonne had the envelope. Well, I insisted on opening it.”

  “You looked at this?” Agent Angie said.

  “We did,” Dionne said. “But like Yvonne said, we couldn’t make heads or tails out of that mess. Can you?”

  Agent Angie nodded and looked at the sheet for a few minutes.

  “Do you know what this says?” Agent Angie asked.

  “No,” Yvonne said.

  “As I said before, we looked at it, but it didn’t make sense to us,” Dionne said.

  “They are setting up a whole new business and a new website,” Agent Angie said under her breath. “Right now! Right this minute they. . .”

  She tossed the envelope and pages down on her desk and went to her computer. Yvonne looked at Dionne, and she nodded. After clicking around for a few minutes, Agent Angie leaned back in her chair. She scowled and picked up the phone and dialed.

  “Yes, that’s right, I. . .” Agent Angie looked up when Max Hargreaves came into her office.

  “I understand that you have new information regarding the creation of a new pornography business using the data and content from the last business,” Max said.

  He was so serious and extreme that Yvonne almost giggled. Agent Angie’s mouth dropped open. She glanced at Yvonne and Dionne before looking back at Max.

  “You needed a way to get the information into the system without a trail of where it came from,” Agent Angie said.

  “Answer the question,” Max said.

  “What question?”

  “Do you or do you not have information regarding the creation of a new company. . .” Max started.

  “You can go.” Agent Angie looked at Yvonne.

  “No, I can’t,” Yvonne said.

  “It’s done,” Agent Angie said.

  “No, it’s not,” Dionne said. “How are you going to catch these sons of bitches without us?”

  Dionne gave her a nod. Agent Angie gave Dionne a mild, but irritated look before turning back to Max.

  “What did you have in mind, Agent Hargreaves?” Agent Angie asked.

  “We catch them in the act,” Max said.

  “And how are we going to do that?” Agent Angie asked.

  Max smiled. Agent Angie looked from Max to Yvonne and then at Dionne. She scowled for a minute.

  “And if I don’t go along with this?” Agent Angie asked.

  “You really like that crummy apartment you’re living in?” Dionne asked.

  “I don’t owe anyone anything,” Agent Angie said.

  Max set his briefcase down on her desk and opened it. He took out an envelope. He looked at it before handing it to Agent Angie.

  “Your house payout,” Max said.

  “What?” Agent Angie snatched the envelope from Max and ripped it open. She read the amount on the check and looked up at him. “What?”

  He opened his briefcase again and took out another envelope.

  “Your retirement fund,” Max said.

  “Did you keep these?” Agent Angie asked.

  “I convinced those involved to release the funds,” Max said.

  “Why would you bother?” Agent Angie asked.

  Max shrugged.

  “You want this situation resolved,” Agent Angie said.

  “Don’t you?” Max asked.

  “I. . .” Agent Angie looked at Yvonne and Dionne. “Yes, sir, I’d love to catch these fuckers, but. . .”

  “But?” Max asked.

  “What about you?” Agent Angie asked. “In my experience, if there’s a man in the room, he gets the credit.”

  “I don’t exist,” Max said.

  “You look pretty real to me,” Agent Angie said.

  Max smiled and nodded to the computer. Agent Angie tapped away for a few minutes. She scowled and continued typing.

  “How do I know you?” Agent Angie asked. “Why do I know you?”

  “You met my sister,” Max said.

  “She has a file,” Agent Angie said.

  “She definitely has a file,” Max said.

  “So I get to bag and tag them,” Agent Angie said.

  “All yours,” Max said.

  “And if you screw me?” Agent Angie asked. “Take my house? My retirement?”

  “You’ll call my sister,” Max said with a shrug.

  Agent Angie gave him a wide smile. She looked at Yvonne and Dionne.

  “Ladies?” Agent Angie asked. “We have some work to do.”

  Yvonne gave a little cheer, and Dionne laughed.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Tuesday morning — 9:12 a.m.

  Denver, Colorado

  “Why are you here?” Charlie was in so much pain he could only sneer at Ivy.

  “Tink has a meeting at school,” Ivy said. “They threatened to kick her out forever if she didn’t show up and make a plan for being out of school.”

  “That makes sense.” Charlie rolled his eyes. “Go to school so you can make a plan not to go to school.”

  “I know,” Ivy said.

  “What about you?” Charlie asked.

  “I’m at the Marlowe School,” Ivy said. “I’ll stay there when they open the new one.”

  Charlie looked away from Ivy.

  “I thought you’d want to see me.” Ivy’s voice was small and sad.

  Charlie groaned at himself. He rolled onto his side to look at her.

  “Pretty pathetic, huh?” Ivy asked. “I can’t keep it together anymore.”

  Charlie gave her a soft smile.

  “Why did you smile?” Ivy asked.

  “You’re talking,” Charlie said. “You used to just talk to Jeffy about this stuff.”

  “That’s what I mean,” Ivy said. “I can’t keep it together.”

  “Telling people how you feel means you’re getting better, Ivy,” Charlie said. “Not worse.”

  “Oh,” Ivy said.

  Charlie didn’t say anything for a minute.

  “You sure?” Ivy asked.

  “Pretty sure,” Charlie said.

  Dale appeared in the doorway.

  “Who’s your friend?” Dale asked at the same time Ivy said, “Some dude’s here.”

  “This is my dear friend, Ivy,” Charlie said. “She’s like a sister to me.”

 
“Any almost-sister of Charlie’s is an almost-sister of mine,” Dale said. He held his hand out. “Dale. Nice to meet you.”

  “His girlfriend was killed by Saint Jude,” Charlie said.

  “I met that dude,” Ivy said.

  “Sorry,” Dale said.

  Ivy nodded.

  “Charlie here needs to get in the pool to do his PT,” Dale said. “You wanna go in too?”

  “Sure,” Ivy said. “Wait, pool?”

  “It’s warm,” Dale said. “For Charlie. I don’t have a suit for you. Do you care?”

  “No,” Ivy said. “Plus, Charlie’s seen me before.”

  “Pervert,” Dale said to Charlie. “She’s a little kid.”

  “Not like that,” Charlie said at the same time that Ivy laughed.

  “We were homeless together,” Ivy said.

  Dale nodded.

  “You wanna help?” Dale asked.

  “Sure,” Ivy said.

  “We’ve got to get Charlie into this wheelchair.” Dale gestured to the wheelchair in the corner. “He says he’s in terrible pain, but mostly I think he’s a whiner.”

  “Pan never whines,” Ivy said.

  “Pan?” Dale laughed.

  He came up to the bed and held his arms out. Charlie grabbed his hands.

  “That’s his name!” Ivy said.

  “Try not to cry like a baby this time, Pan,” Dale said.

  “You’re not being very nice,” Ivy said.

  “Nice isn’t going to help him,” Dale said. “Let’s go Panny-boy.”

  Dale pulled while Charlie sat up. With Ivy’s help, they moved his legs so they hung off the side of the bed.

  “No casts?” Ivy asked.

  “Just these braces,” Dale said. “He heals fast, but he needs movement to get better.”

  Dale picked him up, and Charlie whimpered. Dale set Charlie into the wheelchair.

  “Good job,” Dale said. “Ivy? You wanna get the door?”

  Ivy opened the door, and Dale pushed Charlie’s wheelchair through the den area and out into the backyard. It was dumping spring snow and rain. Dale jogged to get across the yard fast. Inside what was once the carriage house, Dale helped Charlie to the bathroom where they changed, into pool shorts. Ivy waited on a bench.

  Ivy was sitting by herself when Maresol came in.

  “Ivy?” Maresol asked. She held up a cute one-piece bathing suit. “I got this yesterday when I heard you were coming over.”

  “I can’t swim,” Ivy said.

  “Time you learned,” Maresol said.

  She gestured and they went into a small room to change. When they came out, Charlie and Dale were in the pool. Charlie was attempting to move his legs. Not sure of what to do, Ivy sat down on the side of the pool. Maresol got in the pool and gestured to her.

  “What do I do?” Ivy asked.

  “I’ll show you,” Maresol said.

  “But. . .” Ivy started.

  “I taught swimming lessons all the way through high school,” Maresol said. “I was on the swim team in high school. College too.”

  “Oh,” Ivy said.

  Maresol got out and walked to the side of the pool. She grabbed the girl by her sides and put her in the water. Ivy squealed with surprise. Charlie and Dale stopped working to gawk at Maresol.

  “Why did you do that?” Ivy asked.

  “Because sometimes, with some people, you just need to show that you see them,” Maresol said with a smile and got in the pool. “I see you, Ivy.”

  Ivy nodded. They stood in the water together for a moment.

  “Well?” Ivy asked with a smile and a shrug.

  Charlie and Dale laughed. Maresol smiled.

  “Now we learn to swim,” Maresol said.

  ~~~~~~~~

  Tuesday morning — 12:12 p.m.

  “Well. . .” Heather said.

  “You’ll tell us eventually, so why not tell us now?” Sandy asked.

  She, Heather, and Jill were sitting around the table in Sandy’s back room. Tanesha was at school listening in on her cell phone.

  “It’s complicated,” Heather said.

  “Try us,” Tanesha said.

  “How do you know about the Sea of Amber?” Jill asked.

  “Everyone knows about the Sea of Amber,” Heather said.

  “I don’t,” Sandy said.

  “You did,” Heather said. “You just forgot.”

  “So only kids know about it,” Jill said.

  “I guess,” Heather said.

  “You’re being really weird,” Tanesha said. “Just spit it out. What is the Sea of Amber?”

  “It is what it sounds like,” Heather said. “It’s a sea of liquid amber.”

  “Where is it?” Jill asked.

  “It’s everywhere and nowhere,” Heather said.

  “What?” Tanesha asked.

  “I told you that you wouldn’t like it,” Heather said.

  “No,” Sandy said. “We don’t dislike it. We just don’t understand.”

  Sandy looked at Jill, and Jill nodded. Tanesha could tell by the tone of Sandy’s voice that she was going to take the lead.

  “How do we find the Sea of Amber if it’s everywhere and nowhere?” Sandy asked.

  “You have to have someone like me,” Heather said.

  “A half-goddess?” Jill asked.

  “Or a full,” Heather said. “We can find them, we just can’t go there.”

  “Okay,” Sandy said. “Who can go there?”

  “Anyone,” Heather said.

  “What?” Tanesha asked. “That makes no sense.”

  “I know.” Heather nodded.

  “What happens if you go there?” Sandy asked.

  “I’d get stuck like Jake and everybody,” Heather said.

  “Okay, we’re getting somewhere,” Jill said. “You can find the Sea of Amber, but you can’t go there or you’d get stuck.”

  “Right,” Heather said.

  “Who can go there and not get stuck?” Sandy asked.

  “A human,” Heather said.

  “Like me?” Jill asked.

  “Not like you,” Heather said.

  “Like me?” Sandy asked.

  “Like you and Aden and Sam, Dionne, not Bumpy or Jeraine, or Mike, of course,” Heather said. “Blane, Tink, Honey, MJ, um…”

  “Aden and I can go?” Sandy asked.

  Heather nodded.

  “And you can guide us?” Sandy asked.

  Heather nodded.

  “But?” Jill asked.

  “Right, there’s got to be a ‘but’ here,” Tanesha said.

  “What are you going to do when you get there?” Heather asked.

  Chapter Three hundred and twenty-six

  Pink sparkly pen

  “What do you mean?” Sandy asked.

  “I can’t go there, but I know where it is,” Heather said. “You can go there, but you can’t do anything about what goes on there.”

  “If I try?” Sandy asked. “I mean, we have to try!”

  “You’ll get caught in the amber,” Heather said.

  “So humans can go to the Sea of Amber, but they can’t do anything there,” Tanesha said.

  “Who can?” Jill asked.

  “No one knows,” Heather said.

  The women fell silent while they were thinking.

  “Who created the Sea of Amber?” Tanesha asked through Sandy’s cell phone.

  “We all create it,” Heather said. “All the time.”

  “And that means?” Jill asked.

  Heather sighed. She shook her head and scowled.

  “How come this Sea of Amber isn’t in the books?” Tanesha asked.

  “What books?” Heather asked.

  “Greek mythology.” Jill reached into her purse and pulled out a thick, hardback book of Greek Literature. “We’ve been reading.”

  Sandy pointed to a thick, tattered library book in the cubbyhole with her telephone and appointment book.

  “You’r
e reading those?” Heather blushed.

  “Of course,” Sandy said.

  “We want to know our girl,” Tanesha said.

  Heather’s eyes welled with tears.

  “They don’t talk about the Sea of Amber in any of our books,” Jill said.

  “They don’t talk about a lot of stuff in those books,” Heather said. She looked down at her hands for a moment and then sighed. “The Sea of Amber is made by our unconscious, stuck thoughts.”

  “Gods and goddesses or . . .” Sandy asked.

  “Everyone,” Heather said. “Animals too. You know — ‘You can’t do it’ or ‘Don’t bother’ or whatever. They’re so familiar that they’re like a warm bath.”

  “So Jake’s not in any pain?” Jill asked.

  “No,” Heather said. “They are comfortable, warm, even cozy.”

  “But?” Tanesha asked.

  “But what?” Heather asked.

  “There’s always a ‘but’!” Tanesha said. “They’re cozy and warm but . . .”

  “Oh, I see what you mean,” Heather said.

  “And?” Sandy asked.

  “But they’re dying,” Heather said. “Slowly suffocating on the toxicity of the stuck thoughts. The brain repeats the thoughts until there’s nothing else to think. They wither and die.”

  Heather gave her horrified friends a sad nod.

  “We have to do something,” Jill said.

  “What?” Heather asked.

  “What can we do?” Sandy asked.

  “I don’t know,” Heather said.

  “Who does?” Jill asked.

  “I would have said your father or maybe Delphie, but they seem to be stuck in the Sea of Amber too,” Heather said.

  “What about Paddie’s sword?” Jill asked.

  “The Sword of Truth?” Heather asked. “Nah, it’s been tried.”

  “What if I heal it?” Jill asked. “That’s worked with these kind of things before.”

  “How are you going to do that?” Heather asked. “Once you’re there, you’ll get sucked up.”

  Heather looked from face to face.

  “I’m sorry,” Heather said. “This is one of those situations where the logic goes around and around and around. If you’re human, you can go there. If you do anything, you’re absorbed by the amber. If you’re any other kind of being, the amber sucks you up.”

  “And what are you going to do about it?” Heather raised her hands in frustration. “I mean really, it’s not like people are going to stop thinking their stuck thoughts!”