Prey for Us

by Geoffrey Neil

  Morana hesitated.

  Clay’s widened his eyes at her. “Just do it. Don’t make him ask.”

  Morana pulled her phone from her bag and placed it in the bowl.

  As they crossed the garage toward Thane, Morana realized that the window coverings were nothing more than brown construction paper roughly taped in place, apparently for privacy.

  “We left our phones by the door. No photos, we swear.” Clay held up his hand, and his nervous laugh echoed.

  Thane nodded again, remaining engrossed in the papers that rested on what now appeared to be a cube of rock. Thane shuffled the papers and closed them into a folder.

  “Buddy, this is the woman I told you about,” Clay said, thumbing toward Morana. “She’s completely trustworthy. You can call her Mo.”

  “Hi,” Morana said. She stepped forward and reached out to shake, but Clay grabbed her arm again.

  Thane looked up and down Morana with no change of expression.

  Off to one side, a cat emerged from beside a cabinet. It was a Chausie cat, brown with a black tail and black pointed tufts on its ears.

  “That’s Gus,” Clay said to Morana.

  The cat stopped and inspected Morana and Clay, then strolled to Thane and rubbed against his leg before sauntering off to another part of the garage.

  A faint car horn sounded outside. Thane’s shoulders jerked, and he stood up straight.

  The horn sounded again, longer.

  Thane ran around the cube, running past Clay and Morana. “Don’t move,” he said as he raced out the entry door.

  “What the hell?” Clay said, looking at Morana.

  “I’d say he’s a little tense,” she replied. “Maybe he ordered delivery, and he’s very hungry.” She moved to the workbench to examine the tools.

  Clay went to the door and looked out. Dusk was deepening to night making it difficult to see detail, but he could make out Thane talking to a man midway up the driveway behind Clay’s car. From Thane’s gestures, the conversation seemed heated.

  Clay rejoined Morana beside Thane’s makeshift desk. A few moments later, Thane returned and closed the entry door behind him. “You shouldn’t have parked in the driveway,” he said.

  “I’m sorry, buddy. I’ll move it right now.” Clay headed for the door.

  “No!” Thane sidestepped to block Clay. “Don’t go out there. It’s fine this time. Leave it.”

  Morana had moved toward the wall, her hand concealed in her bag.

  “Do you have company?” Clay asked.

  “You saw them?” Thane looked concerned.

  Clay exchanged a glance with Morana and then said, “I couldn’t see clearly.”

  “Did they see you?” Thane asked.

  “I don’t think so. Would it be a problem if he did?”

  “Maybe—I don’t know.” Thane wrung his fingers, opened the door a few inches and looked out before closing it again. He locked the knob and deadbolt.

  “Buddy I didn’t mean to cause a problem,” Clay said.

  Morana came to stand beside him.

  Thane said, “It’s okay, forget about it.” He passed by them and returned to his cube desk.

  “I don’t like this,” Morana whispered.

  Clay flashed a frown and put his finger to his lips. “Relax, he has no idea who you are.” Clay cleared his throat and said, “Buddy, if you remember, we talked about a person that might be able to help us with your situation. I asked you to trust me. Do you remember that?”

  “Yes,” Thane said.

  “Well, this is her.” Clay put his hand on Morana’s shoulder. She shrugged it off.

  “I changed my mind,” Thane said.

  “What?” Clay said. “Listen, buddy, she keeps a secret better than anyone I know. You said that was important, right?”

  Thane looked at Morana and said, “Are you a lawyer?”

  Clay looked at Morana, coaxing her to answer.

  “I’m not,” she said.

  “Then you can’t help me,” Thane said.

  “No, you’re wrong about that,” Clay said, clasping his hands in a prayer sign. He looked like he might cry. “You asked for my help. She’s really good and trustworthy.”

  “I need a lawyer.”

  Morana watched the interaction between Clay and Thane, then tugged Clay’s arm. “I’m intruding. I don’t want to make him uncomfortable. We should go.”

  “Wait!” Clay said. “She’s better than a lawyer. If you won’t accept her help, then can you at least show her, you know, the thing you showed me?”

  “She knows?” Thane asked suspiciously.

  “No—I swear!” Clay held up his hands. “I promised that I wouldn’t reveal it, and I haven’t.”

  “Show me what?” Morana asked.

  “It’s nothing,” Thane said.

  “I don’t know what Clay wants you to show me,” Morana said. “But I certainly don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” She turned to Clay and said, “We’re done here. Let’s go.”

  Thane moved to the opposite side of the cube desk so that it was between himself and them. He was about to speak when Clay said, “Buddy, I hate to pressure you, but I really think Mo could not only help you with your problem, but she’s a privacy and camouflage expert.” He looked around the space. “She could help you make your shop virtually disappear if you wanted her to.”

  Thane crossed his arms with his hands squeezed into fists. His lips tightened.

  Morana hit Clay with the back of her hand and said, “It’s obvious that he’s uncomfortable.” She looked at Thane and said, “I respect secrets. I wish you the best of luck.”

  “Thane, buddy, for God’s sake listen…” Clay moved closer.

  “Drop it, Clay,” Morana said. “Don’t nag him.” She turned to Thane. “I can see that you and I are a lot alike. I apologize for Clay’s pushiness.” She turned to Clay, “Let’s go.”

  “How?” Thane said.

  “I beg your pardon?” Morana said.

  “How are we alike?”

  Clay crossed his fingers behind his back.

  Morana looked around the shop. “Well, I don’t like my photograph taken. I often don’t trust technology. I despise a messy workspace—by the way—your shop is cleaner than any museum I’ve visited.” She pointed at Clay. “And we have a common friend who is easily excitable and doesn’t always know when to back off.”

  Clay rolled his eyes.

  Thane stared down, fidgeting with a pencil on the desk.

  Morana detected a hint of a smile. “And you are quiet,” she added. “My favorite people are quiet. I don’t know how long you’ve lived here, but the way you have prioritized your privacy, I love it.”

  “What do you do?” Thane asked.

  Clay cleared his throat.

  “I, uh, I’m between jobs,” Morana replied.

  “What did you do before?” He pushed the pencil aside and folded his hands.

  Morana glanced at Clay. He motioned for her to hurry and answer.

  “I was a manager—for an advocacy group that assisted the underprivileged.”

  Thane nodded, staring down at his interlocked fingers.

  Morana said, “If you don’t mind me sharing one suggestion…”

  Thane nodded.

  “Your solar panels in the backyard appear to be relatively new. The contrast between the clean solar array tucked out back in a yard that isn’t—forgive me—kept up, could lead to suspicion that you are powering something covert.”

  “People don’t see them,” Thane said.

  “Maybe not the neighbors, but satellites do. Images are high definition and available to virtually anyone.” Morana said. “You might consider replacing them with some more discrete solar shingles.” She pointed up. “Roof shingles are available in what they call flexible, non-translucent luminescent concentrator material. They’ll generate as much or more power than your current
array. From the sky and the street, your house will blend in perfectly with nobody knowing that you use solar power.”

  Clay grinned, pointing at Morana while looking at Thane and said, “See?”

  Thane slowly nodded, and then said, “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome,” Morana said, “I’m sorry for the unsolicited advice. It was nice to meet you.” She turned and walked toward the door.

  Clay mumbled, “Dammit,” and followed her. “I’ll give you a call, buddy,” he said over his shoulder.

  As they reached the door, Morana reached to retrieve her phone from the bowl.

  Thane whistled from across the shop, startling both of them.

  Morana and Clay turned. “Oh, my God!” Morana gasped.

  Clay said, “That’s it!”

  Chapter 4

  MORANA AND CLAY stood frozen, gawking at what they saw Thane doing.

  “What the hell?” Morana said.

  “What did I tell you?” Clay whispered.

  The solid cube of rock that Thane used for a desk hung suspended in midair, its base level with Thane’s shoulders. He spread his fingers and with a slight push, the massive block slowly rotated. After allowing it to make a full turn, he placed his hand on it pressing against the rotation, guiding it to a stop.

  Morana covered her mouth, while Clay grinned, looking back and forth between her and the block. “Buddy, is it okay for us to approach?”

  Thane nodded.

  Morana followed Clay, and they moved closer. A faint hum came from somewhere above them. Thane pointed to an area on the floor a few steps away, directing them to stand there.

  Morana bent down to look underneath to confirm that the block had no other connections.

  Thane pressed two fingers against the corner of the block. Again, it rotated with the smoothness of gliding on ice. Only a thin, limp wire attached to the bottom corner wound its way to the wall behind Thane. Nothing else appeared to be connected to the block.

  Behind Thane, high atop a cabinet, Gus looked down at them, the black tufts of his ears resembling sharp little horns. He didn’t share their amazement.

  Thane moved to the opposite side of the block, and it descended slowly to within ankle-height of the floor, and then walked around it, coming back to them as he slid his open hand on its surface.

  “Is this magic?” Morana asked.

  Thane looked at her and shouted “No!”

  The block dropped. Upon impact, its weight shook the garage’s foundation and rattled the windows. Dust shot out from the rock’s base.

  Morana and Clay jumped back.

  “Geez!” Clay gasped.

  Thane scowled at Morana and raised his finger to her. “It’s not an illusion.”

  “Don’t even suggest that again,” Clay said to her.

  “I’m sorry,” Morana said quietly. “I didn’t mean to offend you. It’s just that I’ve seen so many things that seem—”

  “This is real,” Thane said. “According to Newton’s third law of motion, to every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction. Magician’s want you to believe they’ve dodged this law, but they can’t. No one can. And neither have I in this case.”

  “I understand,” Morana said. “Please accept my apology.”

  Thane went to a closet at the side of the room and pulled out a broom. He returned and swept the dust from the base of the cube.

  Clay said, “Thane, are you open to some questions?” he asked.

  Thane’s expression softened. Morana’s apology and the sweeping seemed to have settled him. He gave a slight nod, then returned the broom to the closet.

  “Good. Go ahead,” he said to Morana. “Ask anything about the science of it.” He pointed to the block.

  “How much does that block weigh?” she asked.

  On his way back to them, he said, “This one is 4,059.19 kilograms or 8,948.98 pounds,” Thane said. He leaned onto the block with both hands. “It’s composed of coral limestone, which has a density roughly equal to 3,474.48 pounds per cubic meter. This block is precisely 1.81 cubic meters.”

  Morana leaned to see the wire that ran from the bottom corner of the block to the wall. “What lifted it?” she asked.

  “Me and the earth.”

  Morana and Clay exchanged a confused glance.

  Thane spread his fingers on the rock again. The faint hum resumed. Thane guided the rock with his hands as it lifted again. He raised it higher this time, elevating it above his head.

  Morana and Clay were already clear of the rock but stepped back further.

  “Please don’t drop it again,” Morana said.

  “I won’t,” Thane said. He lowered the block gently, bringing it to rest on the floor.

  “How did you learn this?” Morana said.

  “Master Edward Leedskalnin.”

  “Who is that?” Morana said.

  Thane puffed a laugh as though Morana should have known. “He was a true geomancer.”

  Morana looked at Clay for help.

  Clay said, “From what Thane has taught me, a geomancer has a special understanding of the earth and its gravitational fluctuations based on patterns they can see in the ground. Edward Leedskalnin had this gift and moved tons of rock using simple tools. When he passed away, he left his writings and Thane, here, has studied them, right buddy?”

  Thane nodded.

  “Amazing,” Morana said. “Can you help me understand the physics involved?”

  “Probably not,” Thane said.

  Morana laughed and said, “I’m not insulted!”

  “You shouldn’t be,” Thane said. “It requires a certain… aptitude.”

  Morana crossed her arms and said, “Try me.”

  “Alright,” Thane said, “The physics at play in what you’ve observed involves vortex energy. Exploiting our unique position on one of the earth’s diamagnetic vortex points provides an anomaly of telluric grid dynamics.” Thane rested his hand on the block. “In essence, I have harnessed a function of linear, geometric magnetic flows at the atomic level by manipulating their convergence with diamagnetic gravity vortexes. This interaction allows adjustment to the resultant magnetic flux, effectively subjugating this object’s centripetal acceleration which attenuates its gravitational constant.”

  Morana raised her hands. “I give.” She laughed.

  Thane didn’t.

  “Let’s keep the questions simple for now,” Clay said. “Tell her how large a rock you can lift.” He nudged Morana with his elbow.

  “Theoretically, from this location, I could lift between 7.3 and 7.4 kilometers square of coral limestone,” Thane said.

  “Unbelievable,” Clay said, grinning.

  Thane went to a cabinet on the back wall and retrieved a green file folder and brought it to Clay. “This is the information you asked for about the accident.”

  Clay took it and thumbed through a few of the documents inside. “Okay, buddy, but I really think you should reconsider letting—”

  Thane cut him off. “You can show her.” He pointed to Morana.

  “Thank you. I promise she’s trustworthy,” Clay assured him.

  “I hope so,” Thane said. He looked at Morana and said, “Please keep all of this secret.”

  Morana raised her right hand. “I swear. Thank you for trusting me.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “May I touch the block?” Morana asked.

  Thane stepped back and motioned for her to help herself. She slid her hand along the porous surface that had the texture of 20–grit sandpaper. Its edges and corners were cut perfectly square with amazing precision and showed no visible chip of any size. She tried and failed to move it with both hands, but couldn’t nudge it at all. The rock felt every bit as heavy as Thane claimed.

  When she finished walking a complete circle around the block, Thane went to the entry door. Gus followed him. Thane unlocked the door, opened it, and l
ooked out. When he stepped aside, Gus raced outside.

  “I have some work. Maybe you should go now.” Thane said, opening the door wider.

  “Oh, of course,” Clay said. “Let’s go, Mo. Buddy, I’ll be in touch after we have a chance to look through this information.” He and Morana went to the entryway and retrieved their phones from the bowl. Thane held the door open for them as they exited.

  Morana poked Clay’s arm. “You never told me how cute he was.”

  Thane blushed as he closed the door and locked it.

  Chapter 5

  MORANA SAT QUIETLY staring out the passenger window on their ride back to Clay’s apartment. Several times, she blurted, “Oh, my God,” as her head gently swayed with the car’s movement.

  Each time she said it, Clay replied, “Right?” unable to stop grinning as they considered what they had witnessed in Thane’s garage.

  While stopped at a traffic signal Morana said, “It’s incredible. And you swear it’s not magic?”

  “You heard the man, Thane hates magic! He’s a scientist. I knew you’d be blown away,” Clay said.

  “All that physics stuff he said is a real description?”

  Clay held up his right hand and said, “One hundred percent authentic and accurate nerd-speak, I swear to God.”

  Morana slapped her leg and said, “I wish I could’ve recorded what he said. So tell me what you’re thinking. What do you think this is good for?”

  “Are you kidding me? Thane has figured out some anti-gravity mechanism, hasn’t told a soul and you’re asking me what it’s good for?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “The better question is: what couldn’t you use it for? Movers, construction, civil engineering, hell, we could reroute rivers by building enormous dams in a matter of hours. And we’ll finally be partners.”

  “So, why am I involved?”

  “Because I’m generous and I wanted to include you.”

  “Don’t bullshit me, Clay.”

  “What?” Clay feigned being insulted. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Because you’d make twice as much on whatever scheme you’re planning if I wasn’t involved. So why did you bring me into this?”

  Clay cleared his throat. “Thane won’t tell me anything about it—at all. In the way I see it, he never will.”