by Ryan, Matt
“Now,” Travis sat on his chair, “you said you needed my help?”
Poly took a bite of the sandwich. She looked at it, surprised at how good it was. She chewed slowly, trying to think of what Harris wanted out of Travis. “We could use your support in the senate and with access to Marcus.”
Travis crossed his arms and leaned back in his black leather chair. Poly looked behind him and saw a new display, two throwing blades in a lit glass case next to the picture of Maya. Travis watched her eyes.
“Those are the ones you used to beat me in the duel,” he said.
“Why would you display them?” Julie asked with her mouthful.
“It isn’t very often I get bested. I keep this as a reminder to never underestimate someone.”
“My arm still hurts.” Poly touched her shoulder.
“Sorry for that,” Travis bowed his head. “If we have time, I would like to see what else Compry showed you. I see you still have the sword. I hope it has served you well.”
“You have no idea.”
Travis smiled. “Good to hear. I prefer if these weapons were used for more than show.”
Poly grinned, she saw Julie looking back and forth from her to Travis.
“Yes. Well . . . we need to get moving pretty quick on this,” Julie prompted.
“Whoa. Hold on, I didn’t agree to anything, and if it wasn’t for Poly, I would’ve already sealed you in my dome below and wrapped you in a bow for MM.”
Travis looked dangerous. Poly saw this same look in their first encounter. She cleared her throat when Travis’s stare at Julie lasted longer than she felt comfortable with.
“I assure you, we are for real,” Poly said.
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Travis replied. He pushed the button on his desk. “Gladius, can you please set up a room for our guests on level sixteen.” He released the button. “I need to think on this. I can turn you over to Max, I can send you away,” he raised an eyebrow in a playful way, “or maybe I can hide you here in my tower.”
A hundred responses filled her head, but she pushed them out. Poly’s eyes narrowed as she stood. She hated the feeling of needing to get something from someone. But, she had to get over it if she wanted to get Joey back. “Thank you for the sandwich, Travis.” Poly put emphasis on his name to get his attention. It worked.
He looked back to her, saw the sincerity plastered on her face, and smiled. “You’re quite welcome.”
Gladius opened the door. “Come with me.” She turned and strutted away.
Poly followed Gladius, and as she reached the door, she heard Travis call out, “Poly, I want to see you tomorrow morning. You can bring your friend as well.”
“Julie,” Poly said, not turning around. “Her name is Julie.”
Julie stomped past Poly into Gladius’s reception room.
“Come on, girls,” Gladius said in a harsh tone.
Poly tried to keep her confident walk across the room to the elevator. She passed Gladius’s doll, Gem. It crossed its arms and stood next to Gladius, glaring at Poly with its shiny eyes. Poly frowned at the doll. It creeped her out. If it started speaking, she’d already picked out a special knife for it.
Poly took the far side of the elevator from Gem and Gladius. Gladius noticed her distance and gave her a dirty look. Julie stood uncomfortably in the middle.
“You’re that blade girl,” Gladius said.
“The sword on my back give me away?” Poly regretted saying it, she didn’t like sarcasm. Gladius didn’t seem to take offense.
“I’ve been training Gem to use a dagger.” She leaned over and pet Gem’s hair.
Poly recoiled. She couldn’t think of anything worse than a doll using a blade. Gem looked at her with her glass eyes and blinked. The red box hat swayed as Gem moved her head.
The elevator dinged and Poly escaped into the hallway. Gladius and Julie walked casually behind her.
“Here’s your card. Room sixteen thirty-two.” She pointed down the hall, walked back into the elevator and held the door for Gem.
“Thanks,” Julie said.
Gladius glared at them as the door closed.
“That thing creeps me out,” Julie said, standing in front of the closed elevator doors.
“I know, right? Who keeps something like that around them?” Poly said. “Though, I liked the red dresses.”
“Let’s get to our room.” Julie walked down the hall stopping at the room labeled 1632. Julie opened the door and Poly entered the room behind her. “Wow, this is not the same room we got last time.”
Poly eyed the space, questioning why Travis set them up in a massive suite. There was white leather furniture, black cabinets in the ample sized kitchen, thick white carpet and white marble covering the floors. But Poly got most excited when she saw the city beyond the floor to ceiling windows covering an entire wall. She darted to the windows.
The city below sparkled with activity. Cars zoomed by on elevated roads winding through sky scrapers. The whole city appeared to be a large circle with rings as roads, all winding toward the center, where a large, cubed building glowed with white light. She soaked in the city like it was a living thing, pulsating with blood and inviting her in.
“Beautiful,” Poly said.
The two-story buildings of Preston didn’t prepare her to see the towering wonders in front of her. The sunlight danced and flicked around the city. She put her hands on the glass and imagined being down there. She watched tiny people walk down on the sidewalks below. She resisted the urge to run out of the room and cannonball into the big city.
“So glad you’re enjoying it.” The tone of Julie’s words made Poly spin around to face her. She looked defiant with her arms crossed and foot tapping.
“What?”
“Exactly. You don’t even know.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You were so eager to sign us up for this,” Julie raised her arms and looked around the room, “that you never even asked me.”
Asked her? Poly’s mouth hung open, flabbergasted. How could there be any other thing to do than to get their friends back? What could they have possibly discussed? Then it hit her and Poly looked to the floor. “I just thought you wanted to do anything to get them back.”
“I do, but look at us. We’re more separated now than ever before. Lucas and Hank are gone. It’s just us in a world we barely know.”
Poly struggled to find arguments. She’d never thought of anything but getting back her friends, and maybe getting back at Max for taking Joey away. She made eye contact with Julie. “I’m sorry, but if you didn’t want to come, why didn’t you say something?”
“Because I wanted to go, it’s just you didn’t even care enough to ask me.”
“You’re right. I’m so sorry, I should have talked with you about it.” Poly took a few steps closer to Julie. She needed Julie there with her. “If we’re going to get through this, we need to be on the same page.”
Julie sighed. “Yeah, but next time you volunteer us, discuss it with me first. I feel like we just jumped into this without a clue about what’s going on. If we spent more time with Harris, we could have figured out more.”
“Deal.”
Their door rattled with a few taps. Poly turned her attention to the door. She looked at Julie who shrugged. Poly darted to the door and opened it. Leaning out and looking down the hallway, there was no one around.
“There’s a package on the floor,” Julie said.
“Oh.” Poly picked up the white box wrapped with a large red bow. She carried it to the glass coffee table in front of the couch.
“What do you think it is?” Poly asked.
“It’s a gift. I think we know from whom. Here, there’s a card.” Julie pulled a white card out from under the red bow and handed it to Poly.
Poly’s heart beat faster. She wasn’t used to getting gifts in such fancy boxes. She felt as if something was attached to the gift, a bomb or worse, a Gem doll with b
lade skills.
Dear Poly,
I know I said I would see you tomorrow, but I would love to take you and Julie out for a trip around my city tonight. Enclosed are some local clothes I thought you two would like.
Travis
“What’s with this guy?” Julie tossed the card on top of the box.
“What should we do?” Poly asked.
“Open it.”
Poly pulled the red bow until it became a single strand and pulled it loose, letting it fall to the white carpet. She nudged the lid off and pulled back the white sheet paper, revealing a red dress. She lifted the dress out of the box and held it out in front of her.
A simple, solid red dress with black lines worked in at the fringes. “He heard me talking about Gladius’s dress. This one is even nicer.” She turned the dress around and felt the soft fabric.
“There’s another dress in here,” Julie plucked a black dress from the box. Julie gawked at the box shoulders and pulled at the black box hat attached to the back of the dress. The bottom of the dress sparkled with what looked like glitter.
“That’s cute.” Poly held the red dress against her chest.
Julie raised an eyebrow and looked at the red dress. “Let’s try them on.” The hint of enthusiasm from Julie made Poly all the more excited.
Poly followed Julie to the bedroom. Flinging off her clothes, she tossed them and all the attached knives onto the bed.
“Jesus,” Julie said looking at the bed. “You really do keep a lot of knives on you.” Poly looked down at the various garments holding her knives. “You putting those knives on with that dress?”
“Some of them.” Poly shrugged, then added, “I never know when I might need to get stabby.”
Poly slid into the red dress and asked Julie to zip it up for her. She ran her hands down the smooth fabric and gazed into the mirror at the young woman in a beautiful red dress. She turned around and looked over her shoulder. “I look good in this dress.”
What a difference from just the day before. She looked like a war-torn victim with a soot face and haunted eyes. Now the person in front of her looked ready for anything life could throw at her. She just needed to strap a few knives to her thigh and it’d be complete.
Julie struggled with her boxy black dress, but managed to get it on. The hat dangled on her back.
“Let me get the hat on for you.” Poly smiled as she pulled the black box on her head.
Julie scowled.
“What?” Poly asked.
“Look at your dress and look at mine.”
Poly studied Julie’s dress with a serious face, holding back any hints of a grin. “You look great.”
Julie adjusted the hat and let out a huff. “This is something Gladius and Gem would wear.”
“Yeah, but they don’t rock it like you do.” Poly laughed.
Julie pulled the hat off and picked up her Panavice off the bed. “We’ve got a bit of time before it’s night. I’m going to crash on the couch and see what their TV stations are like, if I can sit in this thing.”
Poly watched Julie leave the room. She admired the fine red dress in the mirror for a few seconds and then joined her friend on the couch.
An hour passed and they had watched a strange show involving cat herding, and a game show where contestants did various things, like spin plates and balance pencils. Poly looked at the golden sunset and got anxious for a night out on the town. She wanted to be in that city. The closest she’d ever been to a big city was New Vegas, and she wanted to wash that city memory from her mind.
There was a loud knock on the front door.
Poly rushed over and opened it. Travis stood at the doorway, looking handsome in his stylish clothes. She stood in silence, staring at Travis for what felt like an awkward amount of time. She tore her eyes away. He’s like four hundred years old.
“Hello, Poly.” Travis took in Poly’s whole dress and then glanced briefly at Julie. “Julie.”
“Hey,” Poly said.
“You ladies ready to go?”
“Where are we going again?” Julie asked.
“Thought I would show you my city,” Travis said. “Don’t worry, no tricks this time.” He had a wicked smile.
Poly felt the heat coming from Julie at Travis’s insensitive comment, but she let it go. The idea of going into the city she had admired from afar, excited her. She glanced back at the lights peeking through the glass windows and wanted to get closer, to feel their heat and hear their soft hums of electricity. She grabbed Julie’s hand and pulled her toward the door. Julie looked at her sideways, but let her pull her into the hallway.
“Lead the way,” Poly said to Travis.
He bowed, then walked next to Poly and held out his arm for her to receive. Poly hesitated, but slid her arm around his as they walked toward the elevator. Harris said they needed Travis to get Joey back. She could endure some social time with Travis, if it brought her closer to that goal.
“Oh, and I must say you two look beautiful. I hope you liked the dresses.”
“They are fantastic,” Poly said.
“Yeah, thanks.” Julie pulled at one of the boxes on the bottom of her dress.
They exited the front of the building and the sound of the city came to life. Cars hummed by and aircrafts floated around in the sky. The faint smell of the ocean mixed with concrete and metal. A long black car pulled up next to the sidewalk.
“A limo?” Poly asked. She always wanted to rent one for prom, but they never had the money.
“Of course.” Travis opened the door for them.
Inside were black leather seats, pin-hole lights on the ceiling, and a tub of ice with a bottle wedged in the middle. Poly slid down the bench seat, holding her dress, making room for Julie. Julie struggled to get into the car, her hat hit the door and when she finally managed to get in, her boxes wanted to lift up, she pushed against the dress as she slid next to Poly.
“This freaking dress is the most impractical thing ever made.” Her hat sat askew on her head.
Poly turned her head so Julie couldn’t see her holding her laughter back.
Travis ducked into the limo and sat across from them. He adjusted the ends of his sleeves and took the bottle from the ice, pouring the bubbly liquid into a tall, thin glass and handed it to Julie.
“I’m not old enough to drink,” Julie said.
Travis looked at the glass questioningly. “Please, pardon me if I offend you, but how old are you?”
“We’re both eighteen,” Julie said.
Travis stared at them, moving his eyes from one to the other. “Eighteen?” He drank from the glass he held, emptying it. “I’m sorry, it’s just in the world I live in, age is something of a mystery and we assume everyone is old. I’m four hundred and twenty-seven, and I look like I’m twenty-five.”
Poly took a deep breath, she knew the people of Vanar were old, but it was always shocking to hear the numbers spoken out loud. Julie gawked at Travis.
He pushed the bottle back into the ice. “I have some water back here.” He lifted a flap and pulled out two bottles of water. Julie took the bottles and handed one to Poly.
“Thank you,” Julie said.
“So polite, it’s refreshing,” Travis said. “Oh, we’re coming up on the Splegg building.” Travis pushed a button on his Panavice and the top of the car became clear glass. The city buildings rose high above them. An airship flew just overhead, Poly ducked and then felt foolish. She saw Travis watching her, smiling.
“It’s the green one coming up behind me.”
Poly saw it as they approached, an emerald building, not as tall as the others, but the entire surface shimmered in the city lights. At the top, spires lit up with brilliant, white lights at the tips. It was more fantastic up close than she’d hoped for, she wanted to see more. She looked behind her, deep into the center of the city. The road slightly curved in, as they moved closer to the center of the circular city, like a funnel.
“You built t
hese buildings?” Julie asked.
“The beautiful ones.” That wicked smile spread across his face—a mixture of confidence and arrogance. Poly never met a man like him before.
Every time Poly glanced at Travis, she saw the same smile across his face as he watched them. What was so amusing? She frowned, looking at the small stores lining the road. She thought of the stores with the funny names in Ryjack. She wished she could get rid of those thoughts, all of them. They felt like a thorn she couldn’t pull out, always there, no matter how happy she felt.
“This is a lot better than Ryjack,” Poly said.
“Yeah,” Julie said and shot Travis a scowl. She pushed against her dress and adjusted her hat.
“I think I’ll be apologizing for that for quite some time.”
“And it’ll never be enough.” Julie grabbed at the box on her shoulder and shoved it away from her face.
“We can get you a different dress, Julie, if you want,” Travis said.
“No, no. It’s just difficult to ride in a car with.”
“Don’t worry, we’re stopping right up here.”
The car slowed down and Poly peered ahead, looking for a distinguishing landmark of any kind, but each building looked similar. The car stopped and Travis slid to the door and opened it.
Poly climbed out of the limo and onto the sidewalk. A man walked by in shiny pants. She was about to give the man a friendly gesture, but he kept his stern expression straight ahead, and never looked at the people exiting the limo. Julie slid from the car, inflicting another blow to her box hat, crushing it on one side.
“Ladies.” Travis stood between them, holding out an elbow for each of them to take.
Julie slid her arm around his and Poly did the same. Travis led them down the sidewalk to a black building with no signs, no lights, and no windows. He released Poly’s arm and pulled a Panavice from his pocket, typed into it, and a white light appeared on the wall.
“You like dancing?” Travis asked.
“I guess,” Poly said. She danced in her room, danced in a school play, and danced at a few school dances . . . Yeah, she was totally a dancer.
“Not really,” Julie said.
“Stick close to me.” Travis pushed on the white light and a door opened.
