by JM Bray
‘I’ve never seen finer weapons. May I move with them a bit?’ His lilting voice brought a raised eyebrow from Mr Brown.
‘Of course.’
‘Vincent, do you think that’s safe?’ Jule’s brows knitted.
‘Yeah, you might take off an ear or something.’ Flea said.
‘I’ll try to be careful, but you guys might want to back up.’
‘You don’t have to tell me twice,’ Knife said as he hurried to the far side of the room. After Jule, Flea and Mr Brown joined Knife, Vinni started working through various positions, slowly growing accustomed to the weapons. Strong Wall becomes Fisherman Casting becomes Upward Rending then Reaping Scythe and Striking Snake. One flowed to the next as his pace increased. The blades flowed around him, finding imaginary targets. He came to a stop, lowered the blades, and looked at the little group. Jule was clapping and hopping, her face gleaming. Flea stood with his mouth open in a perfect O.
‘Where did you come up with that?’ Knife asked.
‘They’re martial arts forms.’
Mr Brown said, ‘It seems they’re a good fit.’
‘They are,’ Vinni said.
‘Would you care to try them on a target?’
‘Sure.’ Vinni smiled.
‘Just a moment.’ Mr Brown opened a door nearby and stepped inside; a light flicked on, and a few moments later he returned carrying a short tubular stand and several rolled mats.
Those look like beach mats, Vincent told him.
Yeah, you lie on them in the sun.
Vincent sniffed back a laugh as Coleman’s feelings bubbled in him.
Mr Brown set the stand in the middle of the room, slipping one of the rolls over the short tube. ‘This can be knocked over by a poor strike, but a proper blow will slice through the mat without doing so.’
Flea told Mr Brown in a stage whisper, ‘We’ve never seen Vinni do something.’
Vinni smiled and shook his head.
I knew you would. What’s our plan here?
I like it.
Vinni breathed deeply, envisioning the process, and the room faded — all that existed was the target. He stepped smoothly into motion, spinning as he came, the blades blurred in his hands. The first piece flipped into the air and to Vinni’s increased perception, there was enough time to slice through the thick roll again. He no longer thought about the blades — only the mat that seemed to divide itself before him. He blinked and only a short stub remained.
Vinni turned to the group, but none of them responded; then he saw Jule’s eyes creep to a close, and he realized his time was not their time, so he walked to the wall and leaned against it, waiting until they caught up.
‘What happened?’ Flea shouted.
‘Where’d the mat go?’ Jule asked, wide-eyed.
Vinni pointed to the debris. ‘There.’
His three friends rushed to him, while Mr Brown strolled over.
Knife slapped him on the back. ‘You circled the mat — ’
‘I did?’
‘Yeah, but then it all became a blur.’
‘I could see you but couldn’t keep up with what happened.’ Jule shook her head.
Flea raised his hands, speechless.
Mr Brown offered the scabbards and Vinni slid the blades home, handing the left one to Mr Brown. ‘Vinni, thank you for showing me something I’ve never seen, and I’ve seen quite a lot.’ He rubbed his chin. ‘Something new. I didn’t think it was possible.’
‘How did you do that?’ Flea said.
Vinni smiled and patted his shoulder. ‘I just tried to cut it as many times as I could.’ He shrugged.
Flea gathered the sections. ‘Fourteen pieces in a couple of seconds.’
‘You’ll need means of carrying them,’ Mr Brown said. ‘I have several options.’ He gestured across the room.
As they walked, Flea pointed to the remaining piece of mat Vinni passed. ‘You left some.’
Vinni unsheathed the blade, and it streaked out. The stub sat unchanged.
Knife grinned. ‘You missed.’
He glanced at the stub then back at his friends and squatted, shaking his head. He looked up with a smile. ‘This makes fifteen pieces my friends,’ he said as he flicked his finger against the mat.
It didn’t move.
He’d missed.
Flea slapped him on the shoulder. ‘Ya can’t get ’em all.’
His friends chuckled while he stood with a grin, shaking his head. He’d been sure he hit it.
‘There’s a lesson, Vinni.’ Mr Brown wielded his pipe in slashing motions. ‘We’re never so good that we can’t get better.’
Jule patted his arm and smiled up at him. Her eyes held a familiar twinkle. ‘That’s okay. It keeps you humble.’
‘Besides,’ Knife said, ‘that stub was moving really fast.’
True to his word, Mr Brown had a variety of harnesses, clips, and belts for the swords; constructed of everything from supple leather to high-tech webbing. None of them allowed him to conceal the weapons, and most would inhibit Vincent’s acrobatic abilities. They finally settled on a simple black leather belt with two garter-like straps. The scabbard attached in two places on the straps, one a few inches below the belt, and another at the bottom. The lower one attached around his leg, making the whole apparatus resemble a western gunslinger. This held the blades securely against his thighs, with the grips ending just above the belt line.
‘That doesn’t stand out too much, especially if you wear dark, loose clothing,’ Knife said.
Jule knelt beside him, attaching the lower straps. ‘How about black military cargo pants? You could add a long coat to it,’ she said.
‘Do you still have that long trench coat you used in the play last year — what was the name of it?’ Knife asked Flea.
‘All Quiet on the Western Front. I do, but it’s just a thin cotton stage version.’
‘That’s even better. Real ones are too warm for this climate,’ Jule said, tightening the right strap. ‘Will this allow you to move properly?’
‘I think so,’ Vinni said. ‘Mr Brown, is there any way these blades can slip out?’
‘No, they require a distinct turn, and are very secure. Let me demonstrate.’ Vinni unsheathed the left wakizashi and handed it to him hilt first. ‘Look here.’ He indicated a small indentation on the back of the blade near the round guard. ‘Kunisuke-san designed the sheaths as well, and this little impression seats under a ridge in the scabbard. A turn locks it firmly in place.’
‘Ingenious,’ Knife said as he looked on.
‘Let’s try it then. All tight, Jule?’ Vinni asked.
She smiled. ‘You’re good to go.’
‘Thanks.’
He started with basic kicks, progressing to high kicks and jumping moves. Hang on, Coleman. Bolting forward a few steps, he dove, flipping forward in midair, landing on his feet and immediately reversing direction in a series of back handsprings. The swords remained intact.
How about something harder?
He looked at the high ceiling and the corner on the far side of the room.
He ran at the corner in an arc and leapt when he neared it, planting his foot on the casing of a metal door. Pushing off and up, he repeated the process, pushing from wall to wall nearly to the ceiling then shoved off in a long back flip. When his feet hit, he let his knees take the shock, rolling backward and came to his feet.
He tapped the top of the blades as he turned. ‘It works great.’
‘Okay,’ Flea said. ‘Forget the save-humanity stuff; let’s take this act on the road.’
Vinni smiled and walked to the group. ‘So, how much will these beauties cost?’
‘Unless you’re independently wealthy, they are probably beyond y
our means. However, I will accept another form of payment.’
‘Yes?’ Vinni raised an eyebrow.
‘Watching you tonight has been a wonderful down payment. For the rest, I require two things. Tell me of your Travel here, and life beyond the Shroud. Not all at once, mind you; come for coffee now and then, and we can chat. Secondly, keep me apprised of how things progress.’
Vinni extended his hand and smiled. ‘Done and done.’
‘Come to think of it, there is another thing.’ He took Vinni’s hand. ‘If you ever need assistance of any kind, you contact me. As you can see, I’m not without resources.’
Vinni knew he had another trustworthy ally. ‘Without hesitation.’
They locked eyes for a moment. ‘Wonderful. Let’s have a bit of refreshment before you depart.’ He started locking the cabinets. ‘By the way, Vincent, how did those beyond the Shroud find you?’
He reached into his pocket and retrieved the die. ‘Do you remember this little thing...?’
Chapter 25
An Unhappy Meeting
They stepped into the fog around 11 p.m.
‘Oh pl — ease, you can’t drive,’ Jule said. ‘It’s not safe yet. Maybe in a few days, after Coleman is more accustomed to our world.’
The four of them walked across the darkened street toward the white Celica. She was right, and he knew it. ‘Well, I don’t want to scare you.’
Flea sighed in relief.
‘So let’s try something else out.’
‘What are you thinking?’ Knife asked.
‘Since I can’t drive,’ he glanced at Jule, who stuck her tongue out at him, ‘let’s see how fast I can sprint.’
‘Now that I can get behind.’ Jule grinned.
‘Wah-da-da-da, Nah-nan-na, Chu-chu-chu. Steve Austin, a man barely alive...’ Flea said.
It’s a TV show we grew up with. Umm, it’s like a play. Remind me to show you TV.
‘You guys get the car, and I’ll stretch.’
Jule kissed him on the cheek. ‘Be right back.’
He watched her saunter off. Man, she has a nice wiggle to her walk.
Nah, it’s a pretty obvious trait.
There’s a fashion trend we need here.
A horn beeped. ‘You gonna stand there all night?’ Jule asked.
He grinned. ‘Hey, babe, wanna race?’
‘What do I get if I win?’ she asked in a sultry voice.
‘You keep talking like that, and I’ll stand here all night.’ He shook his legs. ‘The street’s narrow here; let’s go down a block.’
‘See you there,’ she said, as they pulled away.
After what happened in the shop, his heart pounded with anticipation as he ran easily behind the Celica. This would be fun. At the stop sign, Vinni trotted up to the driver’s side and looked in at Knife.
‘I’ll run over here, and if I need to avoid traffic I’ll get behind you.’
‘Sounds good.’ Knife nodded. ‘You want me to call the speeds?’
‘No, tell me after. I don’t want the distraction.’
‘Okay...you ready?’
‘Let’s go,’ Vinni started slowly then shot forward, forcing Knife to accelerate. Vinni’s pace plateaued. Knife brought the car alongside. Come on, faster. Come on! Vinni pushed for more, but felt topped out. He dropped behind the car, and they pulled to the curb. His pulse was thumping powerfully, but he felt fine as he walked to the window. ‘How’d I do?’
‘You’re no cheetah, but you hit twenty-six miles per hour.’
‘Really? Is that all?’
‘Is that all? Did he just say, “Is that all”?’ Flea asked.
‘Okay, sorry.’ He smiled. ‘After Mr Brown’s, I thought I’d be faster.’
‘That makes sense,’ Knife said. ‘Hop in; we’ll talk about it on the way back.’ Vinni got in the back with Flea then Knife pulled away from the curb. A car skidded passed, narrowly missing them, and lost control. It came to a stop sideways across the street.
‘What the — ?’ Jule yelled.
‘I didn’t see him!’ Knife said. ‘He came out of the fog.’
‘Hurry. Let’s see if they’re okay,’ Flea said.
Knife and Jule rushed to the stalled car, while Vinni and Flea climbed from the back seat. Knife went to the driver’s window.
Jule rounded the front of the car and bolted back toward them. ‘Vinni,’ she shouted. He saw two men who looked like bikers get out of the big sedan. They both had baseball bats and weren’t looking for a game. The driver came around the back of the car and strolled toward them. Vinni couldn’t see Knife.
Yep.
‘Flea, get the wakizashi.’
Flea ran back toward the car just as Jule got to Vinni. She went around behind him. ‘Jule, get in the car please,’ he said softly.
‘Knife’s on the ground by the door.’
‘Okay, please get to the car.’ He never took his eyes off the men.
‘On my way.’ She left then called to him, ‘Vinni.’
‘Yes?’
‘Try not to kill them.’
Keep her around?
The men stopped about thirty feet from him. The driver gestured, trying to make the other guy go first.
‘Vinni,’ Flea called.
‘What?’
‘You might want to see this.’
Through the fog he made out another car blocking the street behind them. He ran to Flea, took the offered grips, twisted, and drew the weapons. ‘Get in the car, Flea.’ He nodded at the advancing men. ‘The curb is low on the left side; get past them, circle around the block, and wait near the church. I’ll get to you with Knife, somehow.’
Flea started the car and gunned it straight at an advancing biker. The man ran and dove over a low wall as Flea went over the curb at an angle. The sidewalk was just wide enough for the Celica as they slipped around the sedan and sped into the night.
Four other men exited the second car and started forming a circle around him.
Can we keep from killing them?
‘Is this all of you?’ Vinni asked. He stood relaxed, the blades against his legs. ‘I can wait while you go get more.’
They looked at one another, frowning, and the circle stopped closing.
‘Unless someone brought a gun? Then you might have a chance.’ He giggled maniacally.
How’d you guess?
‘Don’t need no guns fer a punk-azzed college kid,’ the driver said.
A voice came from behind, ‘Gotta watch costs.’
‘That’s a good thing.’ Vinni eased away from where Knife lay.
‘Huh?’ a man in a leather vest asked.
Vinni focused on him, still grinning wildly. ‘Your hospital bills are gonna be huge.’
The man held up a hand and the circle stopped.
Vinni said, ‘It’s time to start taking limbs, and I think I’ll start with...’ He tilted his head, letting his hair cascade around his face then pointed a blade at the vest wearer. ‘You.’
He came at the man, pulling them away from Knife. His psycho act made the man retreat, and the circle moved with him then Vinni changed direction and attacked. The man raised his bat defensively while the rest yelled and closed in on him.
The men’s movements seemed to slow drastically. Vinni shifted his attack, coming in low and lashing out with his right blade. He turned his wrist and the back of the wakizashi slammed into the man’s shin, six inches from his foot. Th
e bone snapped like a tree limb breaking, and erupted through the skin as the man stepped forward. He toppled to the ground, his scream of pain an elongated ‘Oh...’ as Vinni turned left.
A bat came down where Vinni had been a split second before. Vinni struck upward with the ridge of his blade and two new joints bent the attacker’s forearms downward. He whipped past the man’s back, into two spinning leaps toward the third biker. Vinni’s right heel arced down, slamming into the base of his skull and the biker fell, poleaxed. Launching across the circle, Vinni snapped his leg out powerfully in a flying sidekick. His shoe crushed the nose of a snarling, gold-toothed enemy, knocking the man into the fog. Spinning to his left, Vinni struck the fifth thug on the forehead with the flat of the blade. His head rocked backwards and his feet flew from under him; then he floated to the ground unconscious. Only the leader remained.
That went well.
How about that axe kick?
The man’s anger turned to confusion as time decompressed like a cracked whip.
‘I tried to warn you.’ Vinni stood in the center of the human wreckage.
‘But...you...’
‘I know. I said you were first.’ He shrugged. ‘Combat involves deception.’
‘What...are you?’ The leader stumbled backward, caught his heel and sat down hard.
‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.’ Vinni brought the wakizashi to the man’s chin.
‘Please...don’t...don’t kill me.’
He tilted his head, holding the man’s eyes. ‘If I wanted your souls...’
Shhh, I’m being dramatic.
‘...my blades would have them.’
‘I...I...’
‘You. You. Are going to tell me why you did this?’ He flicked his wrist, nicking the man’s cheek and a trickle of blood ran down into his beard.
‘We...were out for some fun.’ The man’s eyes darted wildly.
‘Fun? This was just fun?’ Vinni clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to slit the man’s throat and rid the world of him.
‘I...we...’ He shakily held up his hand and a small rectangular object fell from it.
