Ben Archer

by Rae Knightly

  Ben blushed and shook his head.

  “All righty! Looks like we’ll be doing some shopping as well, then!” He clapped his hands together.

  Ben’s nose curled automatically, making Bob laugh. “Oh, come on!” he said, wrapping an arm around Ben’s shoulders and directing him towards the elevator. “It will be fun! Just you and me. Men only.”

  Ben grinned. “Thanks, Uncle Bob. I’d like that.”

  CHAPTER THREE

  Beetrix

  Over a hearty breakfast, Bob chatted about life in Toronto. He told Ben how he successfully launched and ran three nightclubs and that he was a big fan of professional ice hockey. He promised he’d take Ben to a game.

  But Ben wanted to know about his dad.

  Bob shrugged, “Sorry, squirt. I can’t say much. I left home pretty young and backpacked around the world for several years. Then, I figured I needed to settle down someplace–do something with my life–and Toronto seemed as good a place as any.”

  His eyes became distant. “Your dad and I weren’t that close. I’m sorry to say he was a pretty irresponsible guy and probably would have continued down that road if things hadn’t ended the way they did.”

  He leant his arms on the table and bent forward to be eye-level with Ben, who was sipping on his milkshake. “Now, I will tell you this: he and I, we had the magic touch when it came to hockey passes. You should have seen him on the ice! He was the best! A natural skater with loads of potential.”

  Ben’s eyes widened as he imagined his dad sliding on an ice-skating rink, dressed in hockey sportswear. “Really?”

  Bob pulled back and grinned. “Yes, really!” He knocked with his knuckles on the table as if to indicate that their conversation had ended and searched for a waitress to pay the bill.

  Ben continued to daydream as they left the restaurant and crossed the street to a triangular-shaped park.

  “What about you?” Bob interrupted his thoughts.

  “Huh?”

  “Yeah, what about you, squirt? You haven’t told me anything. What types of things do you like?”

  Ben swallowed. “Hum, I like dogs, I guess.”

  “Dogs?” Bob said with a touch of amusement. “Ah, well. These are the types of dogs that I like.” He stopped walking, and Ben bumped into him.

  They were standing in front of an impressive, two-tiered fountain. Spouts ejected water from the base up, the majority of these originating from a dozen statues placed around the fountain.

  In a different life and a different time, Ben would have found these statues quite comical, but not so at this very moment, because the figures happened to represent dogs of all kinds. Some were placed outside the fountain, others, inside, and out of their snouts, water arched in clean lines into the basins above.

  “We’re in Berczy Park,” Bob explained. “And this is–you’ll never guess–Dog Fountain.” He chuckled. “I thought you might like it.”

  Ben knew he was waiting for some kind of sign of approval, as any typical boy would have, but he couldn’t do it. He offered Bob a forced smile. “Cool,” he said, struggling to contain his pained heart, then sighed. “Can we go, now?”

  Bob pouted his lower lip and shrugged, “Sure.”

  They walked towards busier streets and glanced absentmindedly at store windows.

  “So,” Bob said with his hands in his pockets. “Who’s this Mesmo guy, anyway? Your mom’s boyfriend?”

  Ben poofed, then bit his lower lip to get a hold of himself. “No.” He giggled, then thought the better of it. “He’s a good friend, though. We’re supposed to meet him here.”

  He shut his mouth, wondering if he was saying too much, then suddenly remembered Kimi’s surprised face when she had found out that her mother, Maggie, and their host, Thomas, had revealed that they had feelings for each other. Was he missing something similar between Laura and Mesmo?

  Adults can be weird in that way.

  His thoughts were interrupted when Bob led him into a clothing store and began fishing out jeans, shorts and sweaters. Before long, Bob shoed him into the dressing rooms, his arms laden with clothes. It took Ben a while to sift through the mound.

  “Are you ok in there?” Bob called after a long while.

  “Humph, I think this shirt is too small.” Ben pulled open the curtain to show him.

  Bob checked the price tag for the size, then clicked his fingers. “Off with it. I’ll get you a bigger size.”

  Ben pulled the shirt over his head, then winced. He stared at his chest and found the black mark near his heart–a painful reminder of where Tike had been hit. He removed the shirt with more care and handed it to Bob, but found the man staring at him with deep worry lines on his forehead.

  He saw the wound!

  “Um…skiing accident in Alberta,” Ben muttered.

  “Ah,” Bob said as he accepted the shirt. “That looks bad. Maybe we should have it checked…”

  “Oh no, that’s fine.” Ben jumped in a little too quickly. “I’m much better already.” He closed the curtain in a hurry and shut his lips tightly so he wouldn’t burst into tears.

  From then on, the mood between them changed, and even though Bob bought him a cupboard-full of clothing and sneakers, Ben couldn’t quite get that frown off his uncle’s face for the rest of the morning.

  “Do you want to get some ice cream at the lake?” the man asked after they were done shopping. It was almost noon.

  Ben wanted to go home, but at the same time he didn’t want to darken his uncle’s mood further, so he accepted.

  They ended up at the edge of a lush park called Tommy Thompson Park, which formed a curious web-like net of paths straight into Lake Ontario. The Canadian/US border ran through the middle of it. Ben squinted, hoping to spot the other side of the vast body of water, but the US shore was too far away.

  He sat and rested his back against the trunk of a tree while Bob went to get their ice creams from a local vendor. He stroked the grass with the palm of his hands and enjoyed the occasional ray of the sun on his face.

  I wonder if Kimi is eating ice cream, too?

  “There’s an ice cream truck that sells the best bubblegum flavour in the world. You’ll see.” Her voice echoed in his head, and he wished he could have stayed in Canmore long enough to taste it.

  If you crush me, I’ll sting you!

  Ben gasped. He looked down and found his hands glowing. He glanced around to make sure no-one had noticed, then stuffed his hands hurriedly in the pockets of his new, hooded sweatshirt.

  A gentle humming reached his ears, and when he searched through the grass with his eyes, he found a rather large bee lumbering around the green stems, close to where his hand had been.

  Oops! Sorry!

  It seemed proper to apologize. Remembering what Mesmo had taught him, Ben presented himself.

  I am Benjamin Archer. May I speak with you?

  There was no immediate answer, but rather, a wave of desolation brushed at his mind. Ben quickly set up a mental barrier between his and the bee’s feelings.

  Hello, Benjamin Archer. I am Beetrix. Yes, we may talk.

  Ben smiled briefly at the bee’s name, but at the same time knew instinctively that something was wrong.

  What’s the matter?

  The insect brushed at its antennas.

  I can’t find my hive. My children won’t make it without me.

  Ben frowned.

  Why?

  Beetrix buzzed her wings.

  Because I am their queen.

  Ben’s mouth dropped.

  No wonder she seems bigger than an ordinary bee.

  The thought escaped before he could hold it back, but she heard him anyway. She did not seem to mind, however.

  I am larger than the others because I am the mother of a thousand children. They are lost without me–if we are not lost already…

  What do you mean?

  An illness has spread in our midst. I cannot identify it. I had hoped that, by moving m
y hive, we would find a healthier home. But that is when we got sepa…aah!”

  A gigantic foot stepped on Beetrix, rendering everything dark in Ben’s mind.

  Bob stood right beside him, plastering the grass with his shoe.

  “Get off!” Ben cried, jumping to his feet and pushing the man aside forcefully.

  An ice cream cone slipped out of Bob’s hand, its contents splattering to the ground. “Whoa!” he yelled. “Take it easy, squirt!” He gestured toward the grass. “Those things sting!”

  “No!” Ben said vehemently. “Not this one.” He crouched and searched the grass with his mind.

  Beetrix?

  A tiny movement indicated she was still alive.

  Ben let out a breath of relief.

  Beetrix buzzed angrily a couple of times and climbed to the top of a grass stem.

  Are you hurt?

  She tested her wings.

  I am fine. But tell that giant troll to watch where he puts his paws!

  Ben fought a smile.

  Come with me. I’ll help you find your hive.

  Beetrix considered the offer for a second, then clambered onto Ben’s sleeve and nestled in the boy’s hoody.

  When Ben stood again, Bob was staring at him with his nose curled and one eyebrow raised. “Are you serious?” he said, licking at his ice cream.

  Ben grinned. “Yep.” He carefully checked that his hands weren’t glowing too much, then picked up the shopping bags with his new clothes inside.

  “I’m allergic,” Bob warned as they headed out of the park.

  “It’s ok. I’ll tell her not to sting you.”

  Bob paused the fraction of a second, before biting into the sweet dessert. “You’re a weird kid,” he said.

  “I know.”

  “And I’m not getting you another ice cream,” he added, a drop of white vanilla landing on his beard. “’Diz is mine.”

  Ben laughed. “That’s ok. Sugar is bad for kids my age anyway.”

  They walked, side by side, the dark mood between them having lifted somewhat.

  “Uncle Bob?”

  “Hm?”

  “You know bees like ice cream, don’t you?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Suspicion

  “Hi, Mom!”

  Laura heard Ben greet her as she stepped out of the bedroom. But he didn’t stop to talk to her. He dropped shopping bags on the floor and headed straight for the balcony.

  She pulled on a sweater and followed him. “Hi, honey. Where have you been?” She wanted to give him a hug, but he said, “Careful!” She pulled back and watched him remove a bee from his hoody with extreme care. His hands glowed a soft, blue colour. He placed the bee on a decorative shrub, then spoke to it, “I’ll get you something more comfortable in a bit.”

  Only then did he turn his attention to Laura. “Her name’s Beetrix. She lost her hive. I’m going to help her find it.”

  Laura smiled and ruffled his hair.

  “Oh! And Uncle Bob took me shopping. He bought me tons of clothes and these sneakers.” He pointed at the clean, new shoes on his feet.

  “Really?” Laura said thoughtfully. “That’s nice of him.”

  Ben nodded, checking up on his new insect friend. “Yeah. He took me for breakfast and everything!”

  Laura stopped stroking his hair and stared at him, but he seemed to be in a genuinely good mood.

  She let out an inward sigh of relief.

  Bob didn’t tell him.

  “Ben,” she said. “Have you heard from Mesmo?”

  Her son’s face darkened as he shook his head. “I tried contacting him this morning,” he said, tapping his wristwatch with the alien spirit portal in it.

  Laura’s heart thumped loudly, but she didn’t want Ben to notice her worry. He had enough on his mind. Her thoughts had been on the alien ever since she had seen him last, standing on a snowy ledge, his spirit almost transparent from the effort of having saved them repeatedly on the Kananaskis Mountains. That had been four days ago.

  Way too long.

  “Keep trying, ok?” she said.

  Ben nodded. They both automatically glanced inside the apartment, where Bob was busying himself unpacking Ben’s clothes.

  “I’m going to stay here for a bit,” Ben said, indicating his glowing hands.

  “And I’m going to look for a job,” Laura said. “Will you be ok on your own?”

  He nodded, and they gave each other a quick hug.

  Laura entered the apartment and found Bob staring at them as he drank from a bottle of water. He had an unreadable look on his face.

  She forced a smile. “Ben said you took him shopping?” She went through the clothing that lay on the edge of the couch. “Thank you,” she added, not sure yet if she approved. Hadn’t she always been Ben’s provider?

  He nodded briefly.

  Laura tried to fill the silence between them. “I’ll pay you back as soon as I can. I was on my way to look for a job. Do you mind if Ben stays here in the meantime?”

  He took her gently by the wrist, still with that serious look on his face. “Come,” he said. “We need to talk.” He led her to the kitchen counter and invited her to sit on the high stools.

  What now?

  “Look, baby,” he began. “Why do you need to look for a job? I told you already, I run three successful nightclubs. I’m opening a fourth location in three months. I’m always looking for people…”

  She lifted her hand firmly. “I’m not working night shifts again, Bob.”

  He cocked his head. “Who said anything about night shifts? Hear me out, for once! My accountant is going on maternity leave next month. I need someone I can trust to replace her. She could teach you. It’s a nine-to-five job, five days a week. The wage is above average. I treat my staff well, believe it or not.”

  Laura listened to him with a slight frown. He was speaking with a stern voice that was new to her.

  Must be his business voice.

  She found herself liking this grown-up side to him. She couldn’t help seeing Ben’s face in his, only, it was the adult version of the one she’d fallen for so many years ago.

  “And there’s another thing,” he continued, pulling her back into the conversation. “I may not know much about kids, I’ll give you that. But I know this boy should be in school right now. There’s a private school not far from here. Very well rated. I know the Principal. I could get him registered in a heartbeat.” He kept talking, but unexpected feelings washed over her again.

  I fend for Ben!

  She struggled to push back the emotion.

  In less than five minutes, Bob had solved two of her biggest issues: money and keeping Ben occupied. She didn’t like it, something in the back of her mind resisted for no sound reason.

  Don’t be so selfish! It’s only until I find Mesmo.

  She waited patiently for Bob to finish talking, then said, “All right, I accept. Thank you, Bob.”

  He gaped, his hand still raised before him as if he was preparing for another round of convincing. “Oh,” he said, leaning back. “It’s that bad, then?”

  She frowned. “What do you mean?”

  He sighed and stroked his beard. “The Laura I knew wouldn’t have accepted that easily.”

  She lowered her head. “I guess we all have to grow up sometime.” She cleared her throat and stood. “I still need to get some clothes. Don’t worry, I’ll pay for them myself,” she added quickly.

  He grabbed her wrist again and bore his eyes into hers. “I don’t know what’s going on with you two, but I’m not blind.” He glanced at her wrist, which still had the mark of Bordock’s handcuff on it. “I won’t accept anyone hurting you or Ben. Your dad said not to ask questions, but I hope you’ll smarten up and spill the beans.” He let her go and sat back. “When you feel up to it, that is.”

  His eyes were glued to her, making it extremely hard to maintain her composure. She took a few steps back and nodded unsteadily. “Yes. When I’m
ready.” She turned before he could say anything else and entered the elevator, letting out a shaky breath as she did so.

  ***

  Inspector James Hao stared fixedly at an invisible point on the opposite side of the room. The concrete wall of the Dugout infirmary was dull, to say the least, but after its hasty construction, painting the walls a clean or cheerful colour hadn’t exactly been on anyone’s mind.

  He pouted in concentration, oblivious to his surroundings or the throbbing pain of his broken leg, which lay tightly wrapped in a cast before him on the hospital bed.

  Doctors and nurses slid by his open door, going about their business, which suited him fine because right now he was burning with anger. He had placed a lid on his feelings, concentrating solely on getting better so he could get back to work as soon as possible.

  A shadow stopped before the crackled glass of the window that separated his room from the corridor. Then a man stepped into the doorframe and leant on it nonchalantly.

  “Hi, partner,” Connelly said with his hands in his pockets. “I thought I’d check up on you.”

  Hao set his jaw, the lid on his inner cauldron sliding off to reveal burning coals.

  Connelly entered, checking the room with vague interest. He stopped by Hao’s bed and tapped the cast lightly with his fingers. “That looks painful,” he said. “Did they tell you how long you’ll be in here for?”

  Hao signalled for Connelly to approach, which he did. Then, with lightning speed, Hao grabbed him by the collar and pulled him close, so their faces were inches apart. “You saw me!” he growled. “You saw me, buried in the snow under your feet. And you left me there!” Every word was laden with fury and disbelief.

  Connelly struggled to release himself from Hao’s grip. He pushed against Hao’s shoulders, but Hao wasn’t going to let him go so easily. Connelly’s hands slid closer to his throat.

  “Hey! What’s going on here?” A woman’s voice shrieked down the corridor, “I need assistance!”

  There were thudding feet, then several hands tried to unlock the two fighting men from each other. Arms appeared around Connelly’s chest, and a doctor yanked him away.