by Sandra Elsa
He laughed out loud. "Damn if you're not right. I've never felt so alive in my life."
"Having somebody trying to kill you, will do that."
"They weren't..." His face lost a little of its animation. "They did try to shoot us didn't they?"
"I suspect he was being overzealous in carrying out orders, but I doubt everybody that's after us knows why they're after us, or even who they're after. Yeah he was trying to kill us." I glanced at the spider-webbed glass right in front of me. At a minimum they were trying to kill me.
"You're amazing, Frankie."
"You're not so bad yourself."
He was smart enough not to gloat over my compliment. "Now what?"
"Let's hope we get to the thirties intersection before they can get more folk out here. Head down that way, we'll spend a couple hours wandering Thirty-two. They have a couple of interesting museums there. We'll get the fender and the windshield fixed. I know a guy I'm pretty sure I can count on for discretion."
"Maybe we should paint the car too."
"Good idea. I might even be able to get Jerry an ident kit if he wakes up for a photo. We'll head home tomorrow."
"Why don't you do his kit, like you did yours?"
I shook my head. "If I can, I'll have mine done by a professional too. I can create something passable, but it won't hold up to close inspection and doesn't have some key ingredients like a bank account in the new name. Herm's out of the question. I think he was taking a good long look at the reward money when I saw him yesterday afternoon. Since we're cruising the thirties, we might stop at District Thirty-nine after we get the car fixed. I know somebody else there. We'll have to get Jerry some contact lenses too."
Harrison's eyes twinkled as he looked over at me. "Little action wound you up tight as a spring. Mind functioning top-notch. You've gone from what the hell do I do with him, to full speed ahead."
"Get used to it. I think the adrenalin flushed the pain meds. This is how I normally operate."
"I like it."
"Unfortunately, I think I still need them." I turned around and dug in my tote, coming up with the Plastipak and popped a pill. I looked up in time to see a four way intersection flash by. "Turn right back there."
We arrived at District Thirty-two without further incident, pausing long enough to put the rifle away before the picket challenged me over it. We drove to Bob's Auto Restoration shop.
Bobby greeted me with a hug. "Frankie! Haven't seen you in something near forever. How the hell you been?"
"Keeping life interesting.” I returned his hug. “You?"
"Fantastic. Me and Carrie are getting married."
"Knew you two would get along. How's business."
"Just great. It really has been my year, and I owe it all to you." Bobby had helped me rescue Carrie from a rejected boyfriend/kidnapper last year. They’d hit it off straightaway and Bobby gained a minor celebrity from the whole affair bringing in more business than he knew how to handle.
"Glad to hear it. I need a favor."
"Anything, Frankie."
"We need our car repaired without reporting the accident to the watch."
"What have ya got? Didn't kill anybody in the accident?" We walked out to the lot and he looked over the Subaru.
"No. But my fiancé and I have a lot of people after us who don't think I'm good enough for him."
"You're getting married? Never thought I'd see the day." He turned and stared at Harrison. "Guess if anybody was going to catch your eye, it'd be somebody that looked like that. So what's his family's problem? You're the catch of the century, Frankie."
I grinned at him. "I love you too, Bobby."
"So, besides being good looking, are you sure he's worth the hassle?"
"Feeling a lot better about it after this morning. Held his own in a tight spot. We actually worked pretty good together."
Bobby assessed the damage to the vehicle as we talked, he got around the far side and looked in the window at Jerry. "Who's sleeping beauty?"
I laughed. "My fiancé's cousin."
"Is he on your side?"
"We'll find out when he wakes up. Got a cot we can drop him on while you work on the car?"
"Is he gonna stay out?"
"Until tomorrow morning."
"All right, there's a couch in the waiting room."
"Get any calls to rescue a bunch of guys with blowouts?"
"Watch called. That many in one place, I didn't figure I wanted to get involved. Told them I was too busy."
"Good, then they'd have to call Tony in Thirty-seven."
"Is there anybody you don't know Frankie," Harrison's voice held amusement.
"Nobody worth knowing," I answered.
Bobby beckoned to one of the guys on break outside the shop. He hurried over. "Let's get Frankie's car inside before somebody comes looking for it. Dump the passenger in the waiting room."
"Sure thing, Bobby." Before handing him the keys I opened the rear door and Harrison grabbed the wheelchair without being told what I was after.
The mechanic took the car away and Bobby said, "So do I get to know who Mr. Frankie is?"
"Sorry. Of course. Bobby, meet Harrison."
Bobby held out his hand, "Nice to meet you, Harrison."
Harrison grasped his hand firmly. "Pleasure's mine."
"So what makes you special? How'd you get to Frankie? I've never even known her to date anybody? Not that I see her that often out here."
"Just lucky I guess."
Harrison wrapped an arm around my waist.
I leaned into him. Damn he felt good. My cheeks warmed gently at the thoughts in my own head. I snatched myself back to business at hand. "So an estimate on time and cost, Bobby?"
"Have it for you in two hours."
"Can you paint it too?" I seated myself in the wheelchair.
"Lighter green?"
"Sounds good. Not like my last car though."
"You wanted something nobody'd notice."
I grinned at him. "And I can't argue with that success. I didn't even like looking at it. But once I got noticed, it made me stand out. Traded it to a friend for some help. Just keep this bright and pleasant to look at. Take your time. We'll be here until dark. I do need to know how much."
"It'll need new panels and a windshield. I can probably get the dent out of the door without replacing it. Gonna have to charge you seven hundred."
"That's it? You're the best, Bobby. Message me when it's ready. I'm not answering my phone these days."
"Got it." He looked at Harrison. "Anything happens to our girl, you're gonna have to answer to the rest of the world."
"If anything happens to her, I'll place the sword in your hands, and kneel before you, neck bared."
Bobby gave a curt nod. Harrison had just passed with flying colors. "You two behave. Let me get back to work, couple other cars in the shop."
We wandered toward the high-rise buildings to the south. It was a two mile walk to the museum section of the district. I wasn't in a hurry, but I left the decision up to Harrison. He was, after all, the one who actually had to walk.
"I'd just as soon stroll. Like you said, we have all day. Besides, while my father imagines himself to be president, and in charge, the longer I stay with you...the more people I meet that you know...it becomes evident that in actual fact, you are Queen of the World. I want everybody you know to see us together, even if it's an act. I kneel at your feet, m'lady."
"Wow you're just coming up with the chivalrous, smarmy, answers today. What the hell did you read last night?" I twisted to watch his expression.
He grinned. "Tales of the Arthurian Age."
"That would explain it," I muttered as I spun back to the front. "So tell me, what animals do you have hopes of returning to life after you grow me a world to rule?"
"You sound like you had something in mind?"
"Dee and I were talking last night. It occurred to us, we wouldn't necessarily be limited to animals that actually exi
sted. I mean if scientists can manipulate genetic traits to create a null, why should we be restricted to just growing cattle and horses. Or maybe buffalo would be a better bet than the farm raised cows."
He walked several paces in silence.
“Did I say something wrong? Usually I can’t get you to shut up.” I twisted to look at him again
His eyes were fastened on me. He brought the chair to a halt and came around to squat in front of me. "Who told you your ancestors were grown in a lab?"
"Who's the head of research and development at the mage university?"
His hand rubbed at the short growth of hair on his chin. "That almost makes sense--not that he would tell you; that makes complete sense--what he said though. It's not something I knew and it's my field of study. So what's your heart's desire?"
I grinned at him. "A unicorn. You add magic and intelligence to a horse. Find the genetic structure for the narwhal and add in a horn--instant unicorn."
He grabbed my hand and kissed it, then dropped it in my lap and walked behind the chair. "Don't know about instant, but it sounds feasible. So what does Frankie want with a unicorn? You know you have to be a virgin to get near one."
I bit my lip, contemplating telling him. Nope. More than he needs to know. "Dee suggested while we were tinkering, we could turn that feature off. Especially since as far as I've been able to find out they weren’t real to begin with, so that feature wouldn't be there."
"It's an interesting possibility. If I had access to my lab, I'd work day and night to give you a unicorn, if that's what you want."
"No more King Arthur for you."
"I'm not allowed to want your every whim granted to you?"
"No. You're supposed to be a self-centered idiot I can at least dislike, if not hate."
He gave a deep throated laugh one equates with mad scientists in tri-Ds. "My evil plan is working."
"What would that be? Kill me with kindness?"
"Kill...never. You know what I want, Frankie."
"You're sure putting a lot of effort into a piece of ass."
We stopped moving and I looked over my shoulder at him. He frowned down at me. "That's hardly the extent of it."
. "Are you telling me that's not what--and I quote--I'd like to get to know you intimately-- means?"
"Yes and no. That's exactly what it means, and yet there is so much more to you than just a body. I want to know who Frankie is. What makes her tick? What makes her happy? What her favorite color is. Food? What does she do for fun? What do I constantly do wrong that I don't seem to be able to make her see me as a man instead of a pain-in-the-ass client? How do I get admitted to the Fans of Frankie club where one day you'll feel safe enough around me that you can hug me like you do your friends and not recoil in horror?"
I grabbed the wheels on the chair and attempted to move away.
He held fast to the handles, feet planted. "That's your response?"
"What do you want me to say? If you were half as attentive as you act, you should already know, my favorite color is--"
"Green."
I conceded the point with a nod. "My favorite food is--"
"Pizza."
"Good guess and it's up there, but no. I adore Italian food of all sorts but I most frequently eat oriental food. I'm particularly fond of anything hot and spicy."
He started walking again. "What makes you happy?"
"Winning. Solving a case."
"What do you do for fun?"
I deadpanned, "Shoot people."
"And we were doing so good." I could hear the laughter in his voice. I didn't have to turn around to know he shook his head.
"Your turn," I said.
"Didn't think you cared to know anything about me."
"Maybe I'm warming up to the idea that we'll be spending a lot of time together. Let's see. Color is also green. Food--most of your life you've eaten vegetarian, soy burgers, tofu...but since you've been out of Seven, you're warming to pasta and turkey burgers. What makes you happy? Defying your father. And what do you do for fun? This morning was more fun than you've ever had in your life."
"Guess you are good at your job. If I'm such an open book, why don't you trust me?"
I only hesitated a moment before answering. "Because you're still a mage. A mage who wants more than I'm ready to give. To anybody."
"Do I have to ask your father's permission to court you?"
"Go right ahead. You know him better than I do."
I looked up as we crossed Ander’s street. A woman in the window of Charming Spells, a small shop I’d done business with, waved and stepped around to the door. “Frankie?”
“Hey Darlene. What’s up?”
“What did you do?” She waved at the wheelchair before lifting her eyes to Harrison. “And does he come with the wheelchair?” Her tone was deeply appreciative.
“Broke my leg out in District Eighty-six. And he,” I hoisted my thumb over my shoulder, “is mine.” Damn it. Hadn’t meant it to sound quite that possessive. “Darlene, meet Harrison, my fiancé. Harrison; Darlene, owner and proprietor of one of the best damned amulet shops in the Founding Two-Hundred.”
“Well…Damn…Frankie…Never thought I’d see the day. Where the hell did you find him, and does he have a brother?” She extended a hand to Harrison who clasped it then released as though afraid to maintain contact too long.
“No brothers,” I said. “And I found him while working a case.”
“Guess I can quit trying to sell you an amulet to attract a mate then. You did more than all right on your own. Last time I saw you I couldn’t even talk you into a double-date. How‘d he get under your guard?”
I shrugged feeling my cheeks warm. “Approached me like a bedraggled puppy needing help. You know what a sucker I am for lost causes.”
“That doesn’t look like a lost cause to me.”
Harrison rested his hand on the nape of my neck and I turned my head to kiss his wrist. “He did clean up pretty nicely.”
An elderly woman walked into the shop and Darlene said, “Good morning Mrs. Elvra. I’ll be right with you.”
“You take your time dear, chat with your friends. Such a lovely young couple and so in love.” She walked into the shop.
Darlene said, “That’s the final word on that. Mrs. Elvra is District Thirty-two’s version of a matchmaker and she has declared you in love, so I guess I’ll just say congratulations. But I’ve got to get back to work. Nice seeing you Frankie. Don’t be a stranger. Pleasure to meet you, Harrison.” She followed Mrs. Elvra back in the shop as I said good-bye.
Harrison didn’t speak until we’d covered another block. “Why do all your friends sound surprised that you’re with somebody?”
“Dating was never high on my list of things to do.”
"You planned to go on a date with Sergeant Wallin. How did he earn that privilege?"
"By spending over a dozen years as my friend. The majority of which he was married. I knew him well enough to know he would never cheat on somebody. He was steady and honest and he proved himself over and over."
Another block passed in silence before he asked, "What would it take for me to prove myself without spending a dozen years doing it?"
"I'm certain the path we're on will offer ample opportunities to prove yourself. Like this morning. Unlike Wally, you've firmly made your interest known. Are you in such a god-awful hurry you can't give me time to decide how I feel about that without being pressured?"
He leaned over and kissed my hair. "I can wait. I had the impression I'd already been rejected."
"Explain what you said to your mother?"
"I said a lot of things."
"What talent do you possess that you detest? You said you have to figure out how to make it happen. Do you see the future like your cousin?"
"No."
"Hiding it is not going to secure my trust."
"Come on, Frankie. It's embarrassing."
I paused while we crossed Bradley on the l
ight with three other people. Once we were on the other side I pursued my line of questioning. "What could be that embarrassing?"
"The fact that every other person known to possess the talent seems to be a perennially overweight, middle-aged or elderly woman."
"I never knew talent divided along gender lines."
"Apparently it doesn't. But if there are other males out there with it, they hide it too."
"And why middle-aged?"
"Probably because when they're younger they're not confident enough to mess with peoples’ lives. By the time they're middle-aged they've seen their guesses work often enough, their confidence builds to where they feel secure pushing it along a bit."
I laughed at him. "Could you admit to being a matchmaker any more obliquely?"
"Nope. And you're laughing.. See why I don't mention it."
I stopped laughing. "There's a lot you haven't mentioned about your magic. Probably a good part of why I can't trust you. What was it your dirty-little-secret showed you that finally gave you reason to appreciate it?"
"You've already stopped laughing. You must have guessed."
"So confirm."
"Fine. It was that blasted talent that pulled me out of bed in District Eleven and made me look out the window to see you. It was the first time I ever looked at a woman and knew she was the one destiny had selected for me."
I pursed my lips and thought about what he was saying. He pushed my wheelchair another half-block before I said, "I suppose you've never been wrong before?"
"On occasion. When I was younger. Never when the call was that strong. I've waited most of my adult life to find the perfect woman for myself. And when I do, I haven't got a clue how to approach her. She's bold and outgoing, so I tried to be bold and forthright, tell her I was interested and that got me slapped down. I tried to be tender and caring, and that made me look weak and beneath her respect. I'm a mage. The one thing she hates above all others, and I've no idea how to get around that. She makes it plain she wants nothing to do with me, but I know we're destined to be together so I continue to make a fool of myself. Clinging to the hope that one day destiny will cut me some slack so she turns around and sees more than a mage."