by Nyssa Renay
“With your abilities, I wouldn’t think you’d need to worry about anyone around here being able to collect,” Allie scoffed, “unless you’ve managed to wind up on the FBI’s most wanted list. Then, you might have a problem.”
“Well, I don’t have to worry about that.” Joseph laughed. “Your president loves me. Besides, without me, your government would never have been born in the first place. If I hadn’t have convinced most of the Founding Fathers to work together, they would never have stopped arguing long enough to sign the Declaration of Independence. They were so stubborn. Most of the arguments were over whose estate to gather at to sign the damn thing.” He shook his head in frustration. “I swear, some men will fight to the ends of the Earth, just to win bragging rights.”
“So, you’re saying that you were actually there,” Allie said mockingly.
“Yes.” Joseph nodded. “But in the end, I had to make sure that George Washington was the only one to remember who I was. I’ve always managed to keep my existence a secret between myself and whoever the presiding president is.”
“Why?” she asked.
“You never know when I might need a favor.” Joseph grinned. “Anyway, your current president can’t help me with the bounty on my head because the people who are hunting me are from other planets. Contrary to what television and movies tells you about space, it’s a nightmare out there. You’re just lucky no one has invaded this insignificant rock already.”
“But what does any of that have to do with me?”
“There are currently three bounty hunters on this planet,” Joseph admitted. “I had to be sure you weren’t associated with any of them.”
“Trust me, I’m not.”
“I know.” Joseph smiled. “But now, I think I’ve put your life in danger. The events at the bank have been noticed, but I’m not sure by whom.”
“Wait a minute!” Allie snapped. “A moment ago, you said you had no problem killing me because I remembered you, but now you’re telling me the real reason I’m still alive is because you feel guilty about helping me in the first place?”
“Yes.” Joseph nodded, grinning sheepishly. “If I hadn’t have stopped that greedy little prick in the alley, none of this would be necessary.”
“Then why the hell did you bother to help me at all?” Allie fumed. “Why not just walk away?”
“Let’s just call it a moment of weakness,” Joseph admitted. “I shouldn’t have gotten involved. Perhaps, I’ve started to feel at home on your planet…I don’t know.”
“Wow! You are such a dick! You really can’t help it, can you?” Allie sighed as she pushed her own feelings aside, trying to uncover the real reason why Joseph had brought her to the diner. “All right…look. You know I’m grateful to you for helping me in the alley and the bank, but I know you didn’t just bring me here to bear your soul. What is it you actually want from me? And please, just tell me the truth.”
“Fine.” Joseph forced a smile. “I need to use you as bait to help me figure out who the bounty hunters are.”
“See?” Allie scoffed. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?”
“This isn’t a joke,” he replied flatly. “These hunters are extremely dangerous. They don’t care who they have to kill to get to their target.”
“And you don’t seem to care who you sacrifice to keep yourself alive!”
“That’s not the same thing, and you know it,” Joseph snapped.
“Are you sure?” Allie argued, leaning back in the booth and crossing her arms. “Because from my point of view, it seems to be exactly the same.”
“At least I’m giving you a choice,” he grumbled.
“And what kind of a choice is that?” Allie mocked. “Either I help you and get killed, or I wait for some alien bounty hunter to find me and kill me first…some choice.”
“I never said it was a good one,” he replied solemnly. “But I just wanted you to know that I’m truly sorry about getting you involved in all of this.”
“So basically, you just want me to volunteer to help so your conscience is clear if I die in the process. Do you see how messed up that sounds?”
“Maybe you’re right.” Joseph sighed heavily. “I’ve been on the run for so long that I never really thought about it like that. Maybe it’s time to stop…to stop running and let it all end.”
“I didn’t say that.” Allie sighed. “But you want to stay alive, right?”
“Right,” Joseph replied, slightly intrigued about where she was heading.
“Good,” Allie smiled. “Now, this is what’s going to happen. I’m going to help you, but in return, you’re going to give me five million dollars for risking my life. I saw your account balance, back in the alley, so I know you’re good for it. Otherwise, no deal.”
“Blackmail?” he raised his eyebrows.
“No. Compensation,” Allie clarified. “I figure if I’m going to risk my life, I might as well get paid for it, right? And logically, it’s already too late anyway. If those bounty hunters are onto you because of the bank, then they’ll start going after the witnesses. And since I can’t forget you now, they’ll probably try to use me to find you.”
“That’s sounds about right.”
“So, we have a deal?”
“Yes,” Joseph answered.
“Good,” Allie said assertively. “What do you need me to do?”
“I want you to help them find me.” He grinned.
“How? I barely know anything about you.”
“I’m going to be handling a problem for a close friend down at the docks around five o’clock. I believe that one of the bounty hunters is posing as a detective.” Joseph pulled out the picture Christoff had given him. “I think this is the guy, but I’m not certain. I need you to go down to precinct seventeen’s police department and let them know you were a hostage at the bank. Say you remember something, but you don’t know quite how to explain what you saw. Just make sure to use the word supernatural several times during your explanation. I guarantee that within twenty minutes, your farfetched story will spread around the station like a bad joke. They’ll all think you’re bat-shit crazy and probably just ignore you, but once the bounty hunter catches wind, he’ll make sure to get you somewhere private to talk.”
“Then what?” she asked.
“You tell him exactly what you saw at the bank. Exactly.” Joseph’s expression turned cold and serious. “If I’m correct, he’ll be much more interested in me than anything you say about the robbery itself. Tracking me down is his number one priority. Tell him I’m threatening to kill you and your entire family if you don’t go to warehouse forty-eight down on the docks at precisely five o’clock to pick up a package you’re delivering for me. I know he’ll make sure you get there in time.”
“Okay, but what if this bounty hunter doesn’t show?” Allie asked nervously.
“Just give your statement, wait about an hour, and then go home…easy,” Joseph replied, grabbing his fedora and fixing the brim. Putting it on, he slid out of the booth and stood up, adjusting his purple-tinted glasses as he turned back toward Allie. “Most likely, they’ll throw your statement away the moment you leave and never bother you about it again.”
“Okay…but what about my money?” Allie asked shrewdly, thinking Joseph was trying to rush out of the diner before they’d settled the terms. “Whether this works or not, I still want to get paid.”
“I figured as much,” Joseph said, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a debit card. “This card is linked to an overseas account with ten million dollars in it. This is the only access card for that account, and the pin number is three-seven-eight-six. It only has a twenty-five thousand dollar a day limit, so try not to go too crazy.” Joseph smiled, tossing the plastic card on the table. “Good luck, Allison…and thank you.” He casually walked out of the diner.
“Left you to pay, did he?” Minny chuckled as she walked over to wipe the table.
>
“Yeah,” Allie replied, startled that people could once again see her. “I guess so.”
Suddenly, it occurred to her that the pin number was also her birthday: March 7th, 1986. She grabbed the debit card and flipped it over to read the name imprinted onto the card—Allison McCleary.
-8-
Allie left Rosabelle’s feeling empowered. When she stepped onto the sidewalk, her cell phone rang. She dug the phone out of her pocket.
“Hey, Patience!” Allie said happily as she started to walk down the street.
“How are you feeling today, hon? Any better?”
“Yeah, lots better.”
“That’s great!” Patience cheered. “I’m so glad to hear it. Listen, I was thinking I could close the shop early and keep you company this afternoon if you want me to.”
“I’d love that, but I’m not home right now.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I decided to go for a walk and get some fresh air,” Allie lied. “I stopped at that little diner on the corner of Penelope and Jefferson.”
“Rosabelle’s Diner?” Patience asked. “Isn’t that the cheap place where that loser, Brian, always took you?”
Allie groaned, remembering the countless times her ex-boyfriend had taken her to Rosabelle’s for free coffee refills and to split a cut-rate burger. She couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been about men in her younger years. “Yep, that’s the place.”
“You always had to pay for his food, the cheapskate,” Patience grumbled. “I couldn’t stand him, but I suppose those days are behind you, now that you’re dating a real man!”
Allie stopped dead in her tracks. She’d forgotten all about Kevin and the fact that everyone in the city now thought of him and his brothers as heroes. No one except Allie and Joseph knew the truth.
“Well…who knows,” Allie replied dismissively. “Now that he’s a big hero, I’m sure he probably won’t have time for me. He might not even want to go out with me again.”
“Why wouldn’t he want to?” Patience argued. “You said you two had a great time! Did something happen?”
“No. He’s probably too busy with all the parade stuff and being interviewed. Besides, who knows if he’ll still be into me with his new fame? I can’t compete with that.”
“You know I hate it when you talk about yourself like that,” Patience said somberly.
“Well, we’re just going to have to wait and see, right?” Allie said, trying to steer the conversation away from Kevin. “Anyway, I have to stop by the police station in an hour or so to give them a final statement.”
“I thought you already gave it to them.”
“I did, but—”
“Oh!” Patience gasped. “Did you remember something more about the robbery?”
“No,” Allie lied. “They called when I was eating breakfast and said I need to sign some paperwork or whatever. It’s no biggie. I was already out and about today, so I figured I’d head down there after I was finished eating.”
“Do you need me to pick you up when you’re done at the station?”
“No, I’ll be okay. You did more than enough for me yesterday, and I really appreciate it.”
“Okay, hon,” Patience said. “Just let me know if you need anything at all.”
“I will.” Allie smiled. It was nice to know that even with everything she was going through, Allie still had Patience to rely on. “I’ll try to make it to work early tomorrow.”
“No,” Patience argued. “I already told you I’ve got it all under control. Take tomorrow and the weekend off. I’ll see you on Monday, okay?”
“All right.”
“I love you, Allie.”
“I love you, too, Patience,” she replied, heading toward the police station to put Joseph’s plan into action.
***
It was almost noon when Allie walked through the front doors of the Seventeenth Precinct of the Bloodburg City Police Department. Instantly, she felt like she was entering a zoo instead of a place of law and order. It was noisy and chaotic. In all directions, there were handcuffed men and women being hauled around like cattle, officers shouting, and a packed waiting room full of lawyers and criminals.
Allie cautiously approached the reception area where an irritable old woman sat flipping through the mounds of paperwork on the desk. “Can I help you, miss?” she grumbled, not bothering to look up.
“Yes,” Allie replied nervously. “I’m here about the bank robbery yesterday—”
“Oh, dear Lord!” The gray-haired woman snapped, glaring at Allie over the brim of her bifocals. “If you’re a reporter, the case is closed, and no one here has any more time to waste on it. I’m sorry.” She went back to work, ignoring Allie.
“That’s not why I’m here,” Allie argued. “There was another man involved in the robbery. I’m here to give you a description so you can arrest him.”
“Bill!” the old woman shouted.
“What?” Detective Baker spat from an office near the back of the station.
“Witness statement!” she barked. “Come take care of it!”
“Tell ‘em to wait! I’m in the middle of something!” Bill replied.
“Have a seat, miss,” the old woman said dismissively. “He’ll be with you as soon as he can.”
“Thank you,” Allie replied, holding back the urge to make a sarcastic comeback. She knew her wait would only be longer if she complained.
Allie hesitantly sat in a chair. Some of the men stared and made lewd expressions. This was one of the most uncomfortable situations she’d ever been in, but she knew she couldn’t back out now.
After waiting for what seemed to be an unbearably long time, but was likely twenty minutes, Bill finally approached the front desk. “Doris…witness statement?” he snapped impatiently at the old woman while tapping his clipboard on the corner of her desk.
“Over there,” she said gruffly, pointing a leathery finger at Allie.
“Hello, miss. I’m Detective Bill Baker,” he said with disdain as he approached Allie. “You’re here to make a witness statement. Is this correct?” He lifted his clipboard and began writing.
“Yes,” Allie answered.
“Name?”
“Allison McCleary. I was a hostage at the Bloodburg Federal Bank yesterday.”
“Ma’am.” He sighed. “That case has been closed. We’re not taking any more statements. I’m sorry.” The detective lowered his clipboard and turned away.
“No, wait!” Allie yelled, jumping up and grabbing his arm. “You have to help me.”
“You need to let go of my arm,” Bill said with an angry stare.
Allie took her hand off him. “You don’t understand. There was another man there! He said he would kill me if I told anyone. You have to help me, please!” Allie pleaded, knowing an officer of the law couldn’t just ignore a death threat.
The waiting room became quiet and even more uncomfortable as Allie became the center of unwanted attention. The red flush of embarrassment crept across her face as she gazed around the room.
Detective Baker sighed heavily. “Fine…follow me.”
He led Allie past Doris’ desk to his office.
“Have a seat.” The detective motioned to a metal chair at the side of his desk. “Now, you said someone is threatening to kill you. Is this correct?” Bill asked before he sat down and eyed the paperwork on his clipboard.
“Yes,” Allie affirmed.
“What did he look like? Can you give me a description?”
“He was an older man…maybe late-fifties…white…about six feet tall. He wore a long tan coat over…like a…a three-piece burgundy suit…sort of old timey…and he had on a black fedora.”
Bill stared at her blankly. “You just described half the men in this city. Is there anything special about this guy that might make him stand out in a crowd? Tattoos…weird physical traits…anything? Help me out here, lady,”
he moaned.
“He wore these really old-looking glasses with purple lenses…if that helps. Oh! And he said his name was Joseph.”
“Got a last name?”
“No,” Allie lied sheepishly.
“That’s not a lot to go on, hon,” he admitted. “And besides; the guys that stopped the robbery never mentioned a third man at the crime scene.”
“That’s because Joseph used some sort of magic to make everyone forget he was there.”
“Magic? What, like a magician?” Bill chucked, leaning back in his chair. “Joseph the Magician. So, did he just disappear in a puff of smoke?” he scoffed.
“No! He wasn’t like a magician,” Allie argued. “He was more like…you know…like a wizard. He had these supernatural powers. He deflected the bullet right back at the gunman.”
“So now he’s a superhero?”
“No! He has this ring with some sort of supernatural power to reflect whatever harm someone tries to do to him right back at them. The gunman ended up shooting himself in the head when he tried to shoot Joseph.”
“A magic ring,” Bill said dismissively, shaking his head. “What about the other guy? Did Joseph use this ring on him, too?”
“I don’t know. I blacked out before he got shot,” Allie replied somberly. “But I did see Joseph conjure vines out of thin air and wrap around the guy’s legs with just a wave of his hand.”
Bill stared blankly at Allie, appearing to be on the verge of kicking her out of his office for wasting his time. “So, let me get this straight. Some old guy in his late fifties managed to deflect a bullet with a magic ring, take out a heavily-armed thug with some magic vines he created out of thin air, and then make everyone forget he was even there at all?”
“Yes.” Allie knew how impossible the truth sounded. She’d felt the same way in her own life whenever Patience tried to teach her about the connection between crystals and the supernatural. Allie had never respected Patience’s beliefs, and she’d certainly never believed any of it could possibly be true. But, as she sat before the detective and declared the truth about what she saw—now fully believing everything she’d seen Joseph do to be real—Allie felt guilt and regret wash over her about how she’d reacted to her sister.
