by D. N. Leo
“What? You don’t like the song? It’s my favorite,” said Peter.
“What?”
“Arik, I thought you were cultured. You played in a band when you were young, didn’t you? What do you listen to these days? Dido?”
“So you’ve been listening to those blues songs all day long?”
“Yes. I hate grading papers. The legendary songs keep my spirits up.”
Arik shook his head, flopped down in his chair, and laughed. He wasn’t going insane after all. “No, it’s all good, Peter. And thanks for picking up the phone when Grace called.”
“No problem. What’s with the accident?”
Arik shrugged. “It was nothing. Students playing truth or dare.”
“Really? What students?”
“The New Theater group.”
“Nah, can’t be.”
“Why’s that?”
“They broke up last year and didn’t renew this year.”
Arik nodded.
Peter raised his mug of tea as a goodbye and walked away.
12
Dinah could feel the flesh on her backside melting. She had sat in the same spot for far too long. She looked down the long marble corridor of the mansion and wanted to pace, but her ankle was swollen to the size of a small orange, so she forced herself to abandon the urge. She had lost her wrist unit during the commission in town. So at the moment, she had absolutely nothing. No credits, no identification, and no way to call Cooper. The door at the end of the grand hallway slid open, and Ciaran and Madeline stepped out. Ciaran had regained his kingly aura and was as magnificent as always. Madeline must be pleased, she thought.
“Thank you for helping out before, Dinah,” Ciaran said. “I apologize for having doubted you. You mentioned you wanted to call Iilos?”
She shrugged. “I’ve lost my wrist unit. It’s not like I can just call a number. Without identification, no calls from me will go through. At least, that’s the system in Iilos.”
Madeline smiled and said nothing.
Ciaran said, “It’s the same in Eudaiz. And can you guess who designs and is in charge of the system there?”
“You. But Iilos and Eudaiz are two different universes. Unless you can hack…”
Ciaran stood and merely smiled.
“Oh my god, so you do hack systems!”
“It’s my favorite mental exercise. But first, let me fix this ankle.”
“Oh…really? Are you sure?”
Ciaran smiled and crouched in front of her. “When I was on Earth, I fixed a pig’s tail before. The pig survived.” He took her shoe off. “Relax.”
Madeline chuckled. “The pig survived. But he didn’t guarantee its tail was okay.”
“What?”
She heard a crack as Ciaran straightened her crooked ankle. “This should be better than the pig’s tail.” He smiled and held up a small pill. “I know you’re a walking talking chemical weapons and medicine cabinet, but this little pill will reduce the swelling very effectively.”
She took the pill and grunted out a thank you. She didn’t like being handled.
“Now we’ll get you to the computer room, where I’ll arrange a call for you. We also need to do some research there. And before I forget, I am interested in a sample of your weaponry clothing.”
“Are you trying to talk me out of my clothes?”
Ciaran laughed.
“I think she’d be very happy to take them off for you,” Madeline said and grinned.
“Hey! I told you not to peek into my mind!”
Madeline shrugged. “I’m protective of my man.”
Ciaran smiled. “You have considerable skills, Dinah. I’ll bet you know chemicals, computer programming, and hacking. And this weapon suit of yours is very effective. I can guarantee you a very attractive position in Eudaiz if you’re so inclined.”
Oh my god, a job offer Cooper would kill for! She cleared her throat. “I’ll think about it. But I’m very happy where I am at the moment.”
Ciaran nodded. “As you wish.” Then he scooped her up in his arms again and carried her with him to the computer room.
“I’m also interested in how you know that the chemical used on me was specifically targeted for Eudaizians,” he said as he walked.
“Sure, I can tell you.”
“Also, the formula of your antidote—”
“You’re asking for a lot, Ciaran.”
“Well, we make really generous offers to recruit talent.”
“I’ll wait until I see your offer.”
He smiled.
Calling what they had entered a computer room was an understatement. This was an arsenal of computers and related equipment that looked as if it could control a galactic war. If this was only a small station Ciaran had put on Earth, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like in Eudaiz. She could only dream of having this amount of resources to work with. She liked her job offer already, whatever it might be.
It took Ciaran precisely three seconds to hack her system in Iilos and put her call through to Cooper. Only three seconds to insult the system she had worked for a lifetime to earn enough credits to buy.
She called four times and couldn’t get a response from Cooper, so she gave up. But her concern was eating her up, and it grew worse by the second. Where is Cooper?
“Dinah?” Ciaran called out.
“Huh?”
“Which port did you use to search for Arik’s information?” He pointed at the monitor.
Her jaw dropped. He was inside her computer in Iilos and was hacking the police system from her computer. And he did this for sport. So much for multiversal data security! Or maybe he was truly a freak show.
“I can find out, but it will be much more efficient for you to tell me. Plus, I don’t want to stumble upon any information in your computer you don’t want me to see. I can see you hacked into the police database and Detective Tanner’s files. But I’m only interested in Arik and the multiversal apertures.”
“Fifty. Port fifty.”
He nodded. “Thank you.” Ciaran kept searching. His fingers flew across the keyboard. Then he stopped, stared at the monitor, and pushed his chair back. He looked at Dinah.
“What? I do that all the time. I sneak in for a bit of information to do my job. I didn’t misuse the information.”
He shook his head. “The system isn’t vulnerable.”
“It’s not good news, Ciaran?” Madeline asked.
He shook his head. “Dinah could see the information because someone let her see it.”
“Should I take that as an insult?” Dinah asked.
Ciaran sighed. “That part of the databank is incorruptible. Someone who has access to the system has Arik’s information and has been feeding it to others. You are not the only one who got the information. Every lead points toward the fact that Arik might have found the pattern of the apertures.”
“Why? What can someone get to make the multiverse hunt for Arik?” Madeline asked.
“It might be a red herring,” Dinah said.
Ciaran nodded. “There must be an incentive for killing jumpers.”
“I’m a jumper.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I’m a jumper myself.” She showed the mark below the nape of her neck. “I did that when I was like five. Kate and I were playing in the field outside our village. Then we saw something, like a rainbow. So we jumped without knowing what it was or what we were doing. I just found out a few years ago and told Kate. But the jump didn’t change us or make us any different. At least, in my case. I certainly didn’t grow any taller!”
“Are you sure?” Ciaran asked.
“My kills are trained. I don’t see any enhanced natural talent in my case. So killing jumpers like me isn’t going to benefit anyone.”
“What about Kate?” Madeline asked.
“She was even more normal than me. Strong, healthy, beautiful, and smart. She always was. And I’ve known her my whole life.”
/> “How did it happen, may I ask?” Ciaran said.
“We were supposed to have a girls’ night out. When I got to the theater, it had already happened. People said Kate fell as if she’d had a heart attack—and then she died.” She drew in a breath. “Judging by the photos of her body, the chemical was strong, nasty, and airborne. I don’t think anyone in Iilos could get their hands on a chemical with that kind of potency.”
“The package from the underworld had a Eudaizian tag on it,” Ciaran said.
“Really? It was sent from Eudaiz?” Dinah asked.
Ciaran shook his head. “No, it’s a fake tag. Carrying a Eudaizian tag would easily get the package past a lot of quarantine systems. But only an insider or someone who used to be an insider would be able to fake that.”
Madeline waved her arms in frustration. “No. If you’re thinking about him, it’s not possible, Ciaran. He died. I couldn’t sense a whiff of him here or in the multiverse.”
“Who?” Dinah asked.
“The worst kind, Dinah,” Ciaran said. Then he looked at Madeline. “I could think of one reason why someone would want to do this—to create chaos. Everyone wants to hunt Arik down because they think he knows when the next aperture will be. Jumpers will fear for their lives. Ordinary people will fear more attacks. And this fear will snowball. And then? Chaos. And who would benefit from that if not Hoyt, Madeline?”
Madeline shook her head. “He’s dead.”
“Why don’t we just go tell Arik. Wouldn’t that be the first sensible step?” asked Dinah.
Ciaran nodded and stood up. “It’s a sensible step if he’s sensible enough to listen.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Dinah asked.
Ciaran shook his head. “You’ll see.”
13
The trendy bar was crowded with people enjoying pre-dinner drinks. Ciaran looked at his wrist unit to confirm the address. “He’s here,” Ciaran said to Madeline on his right and Dinah on his left. Dinah was still limping, but the swelling had gone down considerably.
They crossed the front of the bar to a less crowded area that seemed to serve as the dining area. A group of young people on a hen night rushed past, pushing everyone aside. They laughed and rushed away.
A girl from the group was left behind, clumsily picking up the hem of her long dress and struggling across the polished floor on her ridiculously high heels. She tripped on her dress and fell forward into a tall shelf full of glasses and bottles. The shelf toppled and was going to fall on top of Dinah. She knew she couldn’t get out quickly enough with her sore ankle. As he had done before, Ciaran scooped her up in his arms and swiveled away from the crash.
He stumbled over a small drink cart and stopped suddenly. Dinah's legs swung with the momentum. One of her shoes slipped off and flew through the air, landing gently on a table where she could now see Arik and Grace about to have dinner.
Arik and Grace looked at Ciaran standing there with Dinah in his arms.
Arik stood, picked up the shoe, and approached them. He slid the shoe onto Dinah’s foot. “It’s a pleasure to see you again, Dinah. I can see you now have a partner for your show.”
Arik and Ciaran locked eyes with each other. Ciaran put Dinah down and reached his hand out for a handshake. “Good to see you, Arik. You look well.”
Arik cast a glance at Ciaran then turned on his heel. He went back to the table, grabbed his coat, and escorted Grace out of the restaurant.
Ciaran turned and followed him outside. Madeline and Dinah followed. Across the street, they caught up with the couple. “We need to talk, Arik.”
Arik ignored Ciaran and kept walking.
Madeline stepped forward. “Arik, I don’t know what happened between you two, but it’s important that we talk. People’s lives—and your life—are at stake.”
Arik turned around. “Thank you for your concern, but what happened between us is none of your business.”
“You’ve just addressed my wife. What happens to me is her business,” Ciaran snarled.
“Your wife? Which one?”
Madeline smiled. “If you want to bring Juliette into the conversation to cause friction between us, then you are mistaken, Arik. She was his wife. His past. I know her, and I accept the fact that he had a life before me. Any more remarks?”
Ciaran approached and wrapped his arms around Madeline’s shoulders. “It’s not worth it, Madeline. Let’s go. Let him die.”
Madeline didn’t turn away with Ciaran. Arik approached, looking her up and down. “What’s your name?”
“Madeline.”
“Madeline, I guess you know we were like brothers until my girlfriend fell for his pretty face and married him. Which was fine. She was a free woman. But she didn’t last long inside that secret house of his. When she died, I was banned from her funeral.”
“I didn’t stop you from coming!” Ciaran snarled.
Arik flipped his shirt up, revealing a long scar above his waist. “You hoped I died in that dark alley like a dog, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t do this!” Ciaran was obviously upset. He looked at Madeline. “I didn’t know anything about this,” he said.
“Oh, so you didn’t know your family was a bunch of corrupt mafia members?” Arik said.
Ciaran punched Arik in the face. “Don’t you ever accuse my family of anything. I said I didn’t do it. That means no one in my family did it.”
“You don’t know jack about your people, so don’t guarantee their actions!”
“If people betray me, they are no longer my people. So I’ll say it again, no one in my family hurt you.”
“You think I brought this on myself?”
“You weren’t exactly innocent, Arik. Juliette didn’t leave you for me. She wanted to save herself!”
Arik punched Ciaran. The two men lunged at each other and traded blows. Madeline grabbed Ciaran, and Grace grabbed Arik, pulling them apart.
Grace asked, “When was this?”
“A lifetime ago,” Ciaran snarled.
“When?” Grace asked Arik.
“Six years. About that time,” Arik said as softly as he could.
Grace stepped backward. “Why can’t I remember any of this?” Tears rolled down her face. She walked away.
Arik rushed after her. “It was before your time with me.”
“I don’t believe you…” She looked at him then moved away again. “I have no memories at all. It’s not possible.”
“Someone has a skeleton in the closet. It should be a good one to be worth the fuss,” Ciaran said.
Arik growled and wanted to attack Ciaran again, but he thought better of it and followed Grace. She whirled around and snapped, “Don’t follow me.”
He recoiled. “I can explain.”
“No. And even if you could, it shouldn’t have taken six years.” Then she walked away.
Arik turned and looked at Ciaran. “There’s a brick wall across the road.” He pointed. “I’m not going to be your punching bag.”
“All right, now you two can talk like two civilized adults,” Madeline said and turned to leave.
“Someone didn’t exactly clean all of his own skeletons out of the closet!” Arik said.
Ciaran turned and was about to respond to Arik. But then he thought better of it and followed Madeline.
“Madeline!” Ciaran called out.
“If you need to fight, feel free to do so. I’m not getting in between you two. Remember, you’re no longer in your twenties. Don’t make fools of yourselves.” She pointed at Dinah. “I am going to take this lady shopping. She needs some better clothes.”
“Madeline…” Ciaran tugged at her elbow.
“Do you need clothes, too, Ciaran?”
“No.” He released her arm. “Please be careful?”
Her eyes softened. “All right. You too.”
14
The waitress approached with a gracious smile on her face. “What can I get you?” she asked as she put the menus on th
e table.
Dinah sat opposite Madeline in a small booth at the café. She grabbed a menu and glanced at it. She shouldn’t eat any Earth food without knowing the exact ingredients and the effects the food combinations would cause. She still regretted eating the sushi with raw fish on her trip to Japan.
“Do you have ice cream other than this?” Madeline asked, pointing at an item on the dessert list.
The waitress frowned. “That’s the rainbow ice cream. It has seven flavors.”
“It’s freezing outside, Madeline,” Dinah said.
“Okay, get me a tub of each flavor.”
“Do you mean a scoop of each?”
“I mean a tub!” Madeline said.
“All right then. And you, ma’am?”
“I’ll share with her…if you don’t mind, Madeline?”
Madeline shrugged. The waitress scurried away.
Dinah leaned back in her chair. “I’m offended, Madeline.”
“Why? Because I offered to buy you new clothes?”
“Well, I offered to take my clothes off for your drop-dead gorgeous husband, and you didn’t even blink. But now the fumes of jealousy are oozing out of every pore on your body, eating you up and making you want to swallow an entire universe of iced sugar. And simply because someone mentioned the name of your husband’s ex. Of course, I feel offended!”
“I’m not jealous.”
Dinah snorted. “So you didn’t know Ciaran had to fight for Juliette and ditch his best friend for her, right?”
“You don’t know what we’ve been through regarding Juliette. Don’t even try to guess.”
“So tell me.”
The ice cream was delivered, and the tubs took up the entire table.
Dinah picked up a spoon and dipped it into a tub containing pink ice cream. “It looked like you didn’t know as much as you thought you did,” she said.
Madeline shook her head. “I’m on this mission because of my psychic ability. But I can’t read Arik’s mind. There are very few people I can’t read. But Ciaran didn’t know I couldn’t read his mind. Did you see the look on his face when Arik mentioned a fact he didn’t know about? That’s the fear of uncertainty. He didn’t know how much more Arik knew. And that I could read all of the information he didn’t want me to know. Ciaran is always in control of his information. But at that time, he wasn’t, and he didn’t like it at all.”
