Searching for the Kingdom Key

by TylerRose.

  The closed sign was on the door, but she figured Jerome would have to count the money. Even if he was upstairs, she might be able to knock hard enough for him to hear. There was no bell that she could see. She banged on the thick glass with her knuckles, hand stinging from the force and the cold.

  “Warning. This building is protected by an aggressive security system.”

  She banged again, using the heel of her hand to get more force.

  “Warning. If you do not desist, the security system will arm itself.”

  “Yeah, yeah, whatever,” she muttered. “So long as he hears the alarm.”

  The door to the back room opened and she was relieved to see Jerome come through. He unlocked the door, the question on his face before he asked it.

  “What’s going on?”

  “Could you call me a cab?” she asked.

  He pulled the door open enough for her to come in out of the wind, grasped her jacket and pulled her into the store.

  “Hey, man! At least respect the leather!” she protested. “Shit. Twice now you’ve done that.”

  “What happened?” he asked, ignoring her outburst.

  “Crap happened. I have enough money for the cab, but not a quarter for the pay phone outside,” she said, trying unsuccessfully not to shake with cold as she stomped snow from her high tops onto the mat.

  “Is everyone okay? Did you get in a car accident?” he asked, locking the door.

  “No, nothing like that. Mark said something stupid and I won’t let him drive me home.”

  “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

  He took the steps up to the second floor three at a time and snagged his jacket off its hook.

  “Is this her?” he asked the alien mechanoid coming into the kitchen.

  “No. The one we are waiting for has red hair. This is a younger version of her. Before she found her telepathic abilities and left the planet,” Landra Arh replied. “She knows nothing about the impending invasion at this point.”

  “You can bring her up here,” L’Roc-ai said. “We can help her.”

  “No. It’s too dangerous to all of you,” Jerome denied. “You said yourself her dad works for the CIA. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

  “I will monitor you on the Torino’s comm system,” Landra Ahr said, already heading back to his command room while Jerome jogged down the steps again.

  She thoughtit strange to be alone in the dark store after closing. A stark contrast to the bright lights and movies playing on every screen. For all the merchandise, the room seemed empty and devoid of life. She stayed in one spot, glancing around and watching the snow, and was grateful for the warmth.

  Becoming aware of that particular sensation, she knew she was being watched again. She looked at the camera as she had earlier. No, not that one. She brought her gaze over her right shoulder, to the camera overlooking the registers. She hated being watched.

  “Tyler, come back here,” Jerome called after several minutes.

  Her guard went up. They seemed to be alone, except for the watcher at the security camera. She silently questioned his intentions, wasn’t usually wrong about people. She went to the door cautiously, noticing everything for possible reporting later. She stopped a good five feet from him and he pushed open another door that was pitch black beyond.

  “My car’s back here.”

  “I didn’t ask for a ride,” she said.

  “I’m not gonna have you waste your money on a cab. I have a perfectly good car in the garage.”

  Tyler’s anger rose again. Did he feel sorry for her? “I don’t want fuckin’ charity.”

  “Then you can fuckin’ walk,” he replied shortly. “The cabs aren’t out anyway, with all the snow. I’m tryin’ to be a nice guy here. It’s not something I do often. Do you want a ride or not?”

  He was right. Most of her cabbie friends didn’t work in weather this bad. No money in it. She had to get home tonight. Any other night wouldn’t have mattered. She shifted on her feet, hating that she had to accept.

  “Yeah,” she sighed.

  “Then let’s go.”

  She hesitated, not entirely comfortable with the situation. She had to take the risk, and entered the garage. If he killed her, all her problems would be over, wouldn’t they? At least the worst had a bright side.

  The garage was easily large enough for three vehicles but held two, a delivery van and a cherry red 70-something Challenger. Jerome passed up both to enter a thumbprint locked door on the left. The lights came on and Tyler saw a sweet 70-something—apparently he had a thing for cars from the 1970s— Gran Torino, painted matte black with wide wheels. Mint condition as mint condition could be.

  “Ya know, I never believed you won the lottery before now,” she said, glancing around to the shiny tools and heavy mechanic’s equipment.

  The contents of the garage were worth more than the house she lived in.

  “Million a year for the next two decades,” he smiled, opening the passenger door for her. “But investing it gets me far more.”

  She searched for the seat belt and had it locked by the time he got into the car.

  “You gotta be pretty smart,” he said, flipping a row of switches on the dash. “Most people have to ask how to do the seatbelt.”

  Tyler remained silent, watching with interest as he reached under the bottom edge of the dashboard with his left hand. The engine started. No key? Intriguing.

  “Is this some sort of prototype?”

  “No, why?”

  “Because that kind of ignition system doesn’t exist unless you made it or it’s a prototype.”

  “Where do you live?” he asked instead and pulled out of the building.

  “East side. Raymer just before Nevada, across from the school.”

  She expected the car to slide as it turned onto Heatherdowns, with so much wet snow. She was pleasantly surprised at the smooth ride. Snow seemed to be no problem for this car.

  “How’d you get a boyfriend way out here?”

  “He’s not a boyfriend. We just hang. Mind if I smoke?”

  “You didn’t ask in my office. Why are you asking here?”

  “Because this is an enclosed space and I do not see ashes or butts in the ashtray. Just because there was one on your desk doesn’t mean you are the smoker. Except for weed. I smell that.”

  Jerome smiled wide. An interesting little girl she was. “Yes, I smoke. So fire up what’cha got. I don’t suppose you want to talk about it.”

  “About what?” she asked, never one to assume she knew to what someone else referred.

  “Why you’re not with your friends.”

  “Mark is an asshole.”

  “You break up over Marcy?”

  Tyler took a big breath. “We weren’t a couple. In the car, he said he understood why Mother’s husband beats her—if she’s anything like me.”

  “Ah. So much for love.”

  Tyler snorted a laugh. “Not with him. I prefer older guys.”

  “Not very inhibited are you?” Jerome more stated than asked.

  “Only on a few subjects. Why? Should I be?”

  Silence for a moment.

  “So…how is your mother tonight?”

  Tyler hadn’t expected this question and it darkened her mood even more.

  “She has a fresh black eye. Probably a few other bruises in various places by now,” she said in her detached objectivity.

  “It’s got to be hard to live like that.”

  Tyler knew he never had, if he could make such a statement. “I can’t wait to get out.”

  Which will be tomorrow, she continued to herself.

  “How old are you?”

  “Be 18 in June. I’ll be gone before then, though.” Let’s see where this goes.

  “Gonna go live with a relative?”

  She almost said yes, just to fuck with him, but decided not to lie this time.

  “No.”

  “Running away won’t solve anythi
ng, Tyler.”

  She knew it! He was exactly like every other adult.

  “Save the cliché lecture. I’ve heard it all. On numerous occasions from various people.”

  “But it’s true.” He paused. “Where would you go?”

  “Don’t know yet,” she lied. She knew exactly where she was going and how she was going to get there.

  “How you gonna live?”

  ”Don’t know yet.”

  Another lie. She’d been working off and on through a temp agency and could easily pick it up on the other end. There were branches all around the country. She only had to go to their office and tell them she was ready to work.

  “Anyone else know what you intend to do?”

  “No.” Another lie. Rox knew she was going, just not when or to where. “Do you tell everyone your secrets?”

  He was silent and she knew she’d gotten her point across. All of a sudden she was aware of an overwhelming wave of paranoia creeping along under her skin. It started in her shoulders, worked down her arms and back until she jerked with a hard shiver. She looked around the streets for where it might be coming from. No one was following them. The streets were all but deserted thanks to the snow.

  “What’s wrong?” Jerome asked.

  “I got a feeling like I’m being watched from real close. I know there was someone watching me in your store. Cameras were on me every second.”

  “Well, that’s not possible. No one can see inside the car.”

  “I know. I just get weird feelings now and then.”

  “I think everyone does.” The car turned left onto Anthony Wayne Trail. “When are you going?”

  “I don’t know that I will,” Tyler sighed, resettling into the seat with that feeling evaporating fast. “Big dreams are great; but rarely are they realized. I’ll probably end up movin’ out when I turn 18. Rox and I talk about getting a place together.”

  “Why don’t you do it?”

  “Because I’m the only one with money saved and Rox isn’t always dependable. There are hundreds of dumb blonde jokes; but I honestly think they’re truer of brunettes.”

  “You a natural blonde?”

  ”Unless I dye my pubic hair.”

  In the light of a street lamp, she saw him grin.

  “I’ll never find out,” he said.

  “You’re probably right there.” Not that I would mind, she continued in her thoughts.

  “How ‘bout I come in for a cup of coffee? I’d like to meet your stepfather,” Jerome said with meaningful intonation as they pulled up to the red light at the intersection of Cherry and Summit.

  Tyler hesitated, wanting to say yes more than he could ever know. But she knew what would happen afterward.

  “I don’t think so. Mother’s husband doesn’t take well to strangers intruding upon his domain.”

  “An interesting choice of words. I tell ya, two minutes alone with me and he’d never lay a finger on your mother again.”

  A good boast but she knew better.

  “Yeah he would. Broken bones heal. She’d only get it worse in the end. It’s better if you leave it alone, trust me.”

  “He ever hit you?” Jerome asked, sounding like he was daring her to say yes.

  “No. He pretends to have dominion over me; but I can shut him down with a few well-chosen words. He tried to grab me today. I gave him an elbow to the ribs and left. Mark pulled up, so I got away.”

  “What if he’d caught you?”

  “I’da killed him. I won’t think twice about killing that fucker. One of these days, I’m going to do it.”

  “You’re serious.”

  “I been waiting for the right opportunity. If I do it when he’s going after Ma, I risk prosecution for manslaughter. If he comes directly after me, it’s self-defense. Given his history with the courts, and the number of calls to the house, no court would convict me. I also have a very good lawyer.”

  “How do you know so much about law? Gonna be a lawyer?”

  “Hell no! College is right next to marriage in the back of my mind. A friend gave me a butterfly knife—“

  “Bali sung,” he interrupted.

  Tyler had never heard that term before. “Huh?”

  “Its proper name is Bali Sung, not butterfly knife. He teach you how to use it?”

  She recalled the first lesson Dicer had given her eight months earlier and the subsequent tests since. Dicer had made it look so easy.

  “Yeah. I can do it right handed and left handed, but have trouble switching hands during the motion.”

  “Which way on Raymer?” Jerome asked as they stopped for the light at Starr Avenue and Main Street. “I don’t know this neighborhood.”

  Tyler startled, realizing how close she was to home. It wasn’t safe to go home yet.

  “I don’t want to go home,” she barely whispered.

  “Where do you want to go? A friend’s house? You got a grandparent or something nearby?”

  “No.” There was nowhere else she could go. Not tonight.

  “Have you eaten today?” he asked as the light turned green.

  A free meal?

  “Not since three. But I’m not hungry.” Too much on my mind to eat.

  “I’ll bet you are. You just don’t know it yet or won’t admit it.”

  Won’t admit it. But she didn’t object when he turned left at the first cross street. Heading away from home to cross Front street, he pulled into the Frisch’s restaurant opposite Waite High School.

  “Come on. My treat,” Jerome said as he got out of the car.

  “Separate checks,” she shot back, following him through the snowy lot. I’m not destitute.”

  “Nope.”

  He spun back, pulling the door open for her. A gentleman, he was.

  “Tell ya what. I’ll buy yours to pay you back for the ride home.”

  “No. Save your money,” he said, following her into the restaurant.

  She spotted the restrooms to her right. “Gimme a minute.”

  The cold was doing a serious number on her bladder. She’d been holding it since she got out of Mark’s car. Restroom break also gave her a chance to smoke the second half of her joint. She spent a moment at the mirror with a paper towel, wiping the smeared liner from under her eyes. While it wasn’t as bad as she had thought, she still looked like hell. She combed her hair and felt much more presentable.

  Walking into the dining area, she saw Jerome in a secluded corner, well away from other customers. He was going to give her the Big Talk. Joy of joys. She glanced around as she slid into the booth. Dim lights. Quiet. Nearest customers…at least twenty feet away. And he took off the dark glasses again, to let her see his eye. He wasn’t afraid to show her his soul—if he understood how deep she was able to see. His jacket was off, folded neatly in the corner of his seat.

  Feeling the chill from the windows, Tyler kept her leather on for now. They both lit a smoke, sitting in silence for a moment.

  “So when you gonna run?” he asked with no particular emotion.

  Tyler shrugged and opened her menu. “I’m not running. I’m very deliberately walking away. Why do you care?”

  “Because I’ve been where you are.”

  She had to grin. Everybody thought they understood. “Yeah, right.”

  “I have. I was fifteen, totally alone, pissed at the Universe, not caring what anyone thought, fighting my way through every day and night. I understand what you feel, kid.”

  She glared at him, hating to be called that.

  “Linear age is irrelevant. Old souls like ours are not kids. I have a name.”

  “Sorry. Didn’t realize it was a touchy thing with you. So where is your dad?”

  Tyler shrugged, reading the menu again. “He don’t care.”

  “I don’t think that’s true.”

  “How would you know?” she said under her breath.

  “Does he know what’s going on with your stepfather?”

  He seemed determined
to find out all about her. It was beginning to annoy her.

  “He didn’t believe me. I don’t even know where he is right now. Haven’t seen him in weeks. He don’t call an’ he don’t write an’ he ain’t been home.”

  She would know. She’d been by his apartment twice in as many weeks.

  The waitress brought two glasses of cola and placed an ashtray on the table. Ordering commenced.

  “I thought you weren’t hungry,” Jerome said with a cocky grin when the waitress left the table.

  “Changed my mind.” Tyler flicked the ash off her cigarette, hoping her stomach wouldn’t growl.

  She caught herself staring over his shoulder and averted her eyes toward the lobby. A cigarette machine.

  “So, how ya doin’ in school?” he asked.

  “I graduated a few days ago with a 3.95, third in my class, and was in the Honor Society. Could you do me a favor?”

  “Depends.”

  “Get me a pack of smokes from the machine? I have a twenty, which is a good deal of buying power; but it’s worthless to me right now. Besides, I’m not old enough to use the machine.”

  “A twenty dollar bill is worthless?”

  “When the machine only takes quarters, yeah. Interesting concept, huh? A bill that will pay for both our meals is utterly useless in a hundred other situations. It’s hard for me to fathom that a piece of paper is money. Used to be, a hundred or so years ago, that you could take your dollar bill and go to a building and they’d give you an equal amount of gold. Every dollar was backed with tangible gold or silver. Can’t do that now because there’s not enough gold in Fort Knox to cover all the paper money in circulation. However, you can go to a jewelry store and buy gold, but it’s at a ridiculous mark up and not worth as much unless you insure the item and then it gets stolen. You can buy gold bars, but they’re useless because the price doesn’t rise much except in the long term. Such contradictory concepts.”

  And I’m buzzed, she realized, shutting up.

  That stupid grin. She saw it on Mickey every time she was rambling. Tolerant amusement.

  “What brand?” Jerome asked, getting out of the bench seat.

  Oh, yeah…I wanted smokes. Damn, that’s good pot.

  “Two fifty a pack. Can you believe that shit?” he said when he came back.