Theft of Light

by N. A. K. Baldron

  “You never knew me when I was your age.”

  Kandice opened her eyes. She couldn’t hold on to the dream with the sound of their voices.

  “She’s up.” Lance said.

  “How do you feel?” He asked Kandice.

  “Okay,” she said.

  All the pain was gone, but her panties were sticking to her. A hot shower sounded perfect.

  Lance reached under her and pulled the metal seal off her back. She shivered as his fingers grazed against her skin.

  “Are you sure? You look flustered.” Lance placed his hand against her forehead. “I think you might have a fever.”

  “I’ll be fine,” she said. It was time to go home, to her shower, and her bed.

  “Actually,” she said. “I need to get home. Where are my keys?”

  She patted down her pants, but there was nothing in her pockets.

  “They are here,” Slava said, picking them up from a bowl on the counter.

  “She’s in no condition to drive,” Lance said. “If you need to go that bad, I’ll drive you home.”

  “Oh, no,” she said. “That’s okay. I’m fine.”

  Being in a confined area with him wasn’t a good idea.

  “I insist,” he said.

  The look on his face said no was not an option. If she wanted to get home for a shower, he would have to drive her there.

  “Fine.” she said, throwing her hands up in surrender.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Slava packed her a small bag with an extra metal seal for her to put on before bed, a small bottle of vodka, and an herb pack for tea that would help her sleep. Lance insisted on helping her into the SUV. He seemed to not believe she could manage on her own, and it annoyed her a little. Chivalry is one thing, but no should mean no.

  The drive was awkward for Kandice, because he still smelled like barbecue to her, which made her hungry and horny. She’d never been so sexually frustrated in her life. Her mind was screaming, rip his clothes off and fuck him in the back seat now or else.

  When they got to her apartment, Lance walked her to her front door. She invited him in since it would seem rude not to.

  “We need to get you a car or SUV,” he said.

  The comment caught Kandice off guard. “Why?”

  “Well,” he said. “A moped isn’t safe. If you ever need to chase someone I doubt it could keep up if they got on a highway.”

  In the few times so far it came down to a car chase, her moped hadn’t kept up at all. “I don’t have the money for a car.”

  “I’ve told you. We’ve got plenty of money. Tomorrow, we’ll go pick a car out. We’ll use our guy, so he can make the fake registration. That way, if you ever need to ditch it, you don’t have to worry.”

  Kandice had forgotten they could make money out of thin air. They lived such a modest life style she kept writing them off as half-poor. The car idea made sense. An unregistered car would make things a lot easier for her if the cops ever got involved. She’d seen him and Slava change out cars so many times by now it had become normal to her.

  “Okay,” she said.

  “Do you have any vodka?” Lance asked.

  “There’s some in the bag on the counter.”

  “I don’t need any. You’ll need it later, though. You should have a drink about every two hours. It will keep the pain down, and it kind of helps with the urges.”

  “Urges?” she asked.

  “You know what I mean.”

  He looked her square in the eyes. “The urge to eat and fuck.”

  Her cheeks reddened. She hadn’t expected him to know, but then she realized he must go through the same thing all the time.

  “Do the urges ever go away?” she asked.

  “No,” he said. “They actually get stronger. It’s yet another reason Slava and I drink so much.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Would it have changed your mind?”

  “No.”

  “I didn’t think so. I didn’t say anything because I thought it would come off as me hitting on you.”

  “Oh,” she said. What a fool.

  Her thoughts flashed back to that night in the river, it had just been him changed. He didn’t actually find her attractive. If he had let her in on this, it would have helped her own feelings about him up until now.

  “It’s been hard enough,” he said. “It’s the main reason I have to drink so much around you.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “You’re fucking hot,” he said, not breaking eye contact with her. “It’s why I stopped to talk to you the first time we met. Slava scolded me afterwards. We couldn’t have known you could see everything, and he warned me to keep things in check.”

  “But why not say something after that?”

  “Well, we were getting to know you. Besides, you being able to help us was more important than my attraction.”

  Kandice grabbed the back of his head and forced his lips to hers. The heat between them was electric, her body screamed for more. It was everything she hoped it would be and more.

  Then, he pulled away. “No.”

  It took a moment for her to come back to reality. “What?” she asked. “You said-”

  “I meant it,” he said. “But this can’t happen. At least not right now.”

  “Why not?”

  “You’re new to changing. It will affect your sex life most of all. Trust me. After we kill the mayor, I’ll explain more. If you still want to then, well I’ll be lucky.”

  “I’m going to shower,” she stated. Her voice was cold, but her blood was hot.

  Not looking back at him, her clothes peeled off before she’d reached the bathroom. The mind games were too much. So many rules, so many secrets, it was enough for one day. He knew where the door was.

  The water was at maximum heat, but somehow it wasn't warm against her skin. She stood under the water, letting the steam build up around her.

  Of course, changing to fight better would come at the cost of sex. Life is a prick!

  Chapter Three

  Wednesday, September 21st

  Kandice’s phone chimed. There was a text.

  Lance: You need to get over here quick. Slava found the mayor’s phone.

  Kandice rubbed the sleep from her eyes and reread the text. She didn’t bother showering, but threw on some fresh clothes.

  The previous day, Lance picked her up to get her moped and they trained in the garage for a while. The changing process was less troublesome each time though her sex drive was at an all-time high. She’d been dreaming of passionate, and sometimes violent sex, ever since the first change.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Lance was waiting with the door open when Kandice pulled up. He wasted no time getting her into the living room. They had the mayor’s phone connected to the television and his emails were being displayed, his entire phone was at their disposal. Slava was scribbling notes on a pad of paper, so Kandice picked up a pad and pen and sat down.

  For ten minutes they sat in silence, writing everything possible, from events to contacts and other information that might be helpful.

  Then they lost access. The screen went black, and the phone would reboot but remained on the lock screen.

  “Fuck,” Lance said. “He must have realized he lost his phone. He’s locked us out.”

  “If he locked the phone,” Kandice said. “That means the phone is being tracked. My phone has that function, too.”

  “How do we get around it?” Slava asked.

  “I don’t know,” she said. “Blake might, though.”

  She pulled out her phone and called Blake. He agreed to come over right away. He told her they needed to turn the phone off, and place it in the microwave until he got there.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  It was almost an hour before Blake arrived. Kandice heard Lance greet him. “Thanks for coming,” he said. “We’re in the living room.”

  “How did you find the phone
?” Blake asked.

  “Yeah,” Kandice said. “I didn’t even think to ask.”

  “It’s all thanks to Slava,” Lance said.

  “I have been able to follow him,” Slava said. “He was in a bank this morning. I got it out of his coat pocket.”

  “That’s slick,” Blake said. “Where’s the phone now?”

  “We put it in the microwave, like you told us to,” Kandice said.

  “Good,” he said. “Leave it there for now.”

  Kandice brought Blake up to speed on the situation. They showed him the notes as well, other than Slava’s. His were in Russian, and not even Lance could read them.

  Blake took out his laptop from his backpack. He pulled out an antenna and plugged it into the laptop. He explained that he was boosting his Wi-Fi signal to find a neighbor’s signal. Mr. Shaffer’s password hadn’t changed from when they lived there, so Blake could use his Wi-Fi.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Kandice and Lance came back from the grocery store and cooked lunch. Blake was still online, trying to find someone who could access the mayor’s accounts. Since Lance had been smart enough to copy down the mayor’s email addresses, Blake wanted to find a hacker who would take payment to get in.

  Blake explained the biggest problem was the mayor was using two email accounts. The private account would be easier to get into, but his Gmail account would be the hardest. He might crack the private account himself, but he’d never be able to get around Google’s security.

  Kandice and Lance both nodded, but Kandice did not understand what the hell he was talking about. She knew how to use a computer, but was clueless for the higher-level security shit. Lance must have been in the same boat because he kept asking Blake if he had it under control. Not being in control of the situation must be a new feeling for him.

  They focused their energy on making lunch. Slava was in his room, taking a nap. He’d still been pulling night shifts to stalk the mayor and it had paid off. Kandice just hoped that Blake was able to pull off his part.

  Lance and her made mashed potatoes, steamed asparagus, and pan fried steaks. By time they set the table, Blake had found three people willing to take the job. The cheapest of which would be 8.3 Bitcoins.

  “What are those?” Kandice asked.

  “I’ve heard of these,” Lance said. “They’re online currency that criminals use.”

  “Sort of,” Blake said. “They are an online currency, but you can use them everywhere. Online, and in stores.”

  He explained there were several businesses around town that accepted Bitcoins, and that it was easy to sell them for actual money if you wanted. The problem was, 8.3 Bitcoins would run them about 5,500 dollars.

  “I wish I had that kind of money lying around,” Blake said.

  “Do you think that’s a fair price?” Lance asked.

  “The next lowest was a full 10 Bitcoins.”

  “Okay. How do we buy the coins?”

  “There’s several websites, but are you telling me you’ve got 5K lying around?” Blake took a bite of potatoes.

  Kandice took a bite of her steak. It was bloody, just the way she liked it.

  “No,” Lance said through a mouthful of food. “But we can get it quickly,”

  Blake coughed, almost chocking. He had to clear his throat before speaking. “I’m not going to be a part of some kind of bank robbery.”

  “It’s nothing like that,” Lance said. “I’ll just need to sell some gold.”

  “What do you mean?” Blake asked.

  Lance didn’t continue, so Kandice stepped in. “Can I tell him?” she asked Lance, and he grunted.

  She explained Lance and Slava's gold making abilities. He wanted to know if he could get some as a finder’s fee for new parts for his computer. They agreed that 800 dollars for a finder’s fee was fine.

  “We’ll also make some extra for your car,” Lance said.

  “You’re getting a car?” Blake asked.

  “It’s for work,” Lance said.

  She gave Blake a look to drop it, and they ate the rest of their meal in silence.

  Chapter Four

  Friday, September 23rd

  It took a couple days for Lance to find all the supplies they needed to make the gold. Kandice insisted they let her watch, and to her delight Lance agreed without his usual resistance. She headed over to their house first thing in the morning.

  They used the garage to keep the fumes out of the house, and Lance explained it would look like they were cooking meth if the neighbors saw. There was no smell, which made the process dangerous. They wore masks during the whole process as a precaution.

  Slava led the process, and Lance did as directed. Aside from grabbing a few bottles for Lance, Kandice wasn’t given a job. Slava said it was a one or two-man job.

  She did her best to keep track of the recipe, but Slava did all the measurements by hand. Lance explained that even he didn’t know the exact formula.

  “This is art,” Slava said. “Not science.”

  Kandice didn’t know if he was being serious, or obtuse.

  The chemicals were all mixed in a large steel pot, then placed into the freezer. Slava opened the garage door and ran a giant floor fan strong enough to push Kandice when she tried to walk in front of it. After a couple minutes, Slava took his mask off.

  “Better safe than sorry,” Slava said. “It has to freeze for six hours.”

  “Damn,” Kandice said. “Why so long?”

  “You’ll see,” Lance said. “But until then, it’s time to train. We’re going back to the park today.”

  Kandice said okay, but was not at all pleased. It was hot as fuck, and the hour drive to get there annoyed her. After learning to change, being in proximity to Lance was unbearable.

  ♦ ♦ ♦

  Sweat poured from Kandice, and there was a shimmer on Lance’s forehead that told her he was sweating too. She was glad to see him having to try.

  Their sparring rounds lasted about four to five minutes each. They had to try to grapple the other’s seal off. She won the second round, but Lance won the next two. She was stronger than him, but Lance was quicker. Every time she got close to snatching his seal, he’d spin away, or turn her to pin her against him.

  The sun was high in the sky, and the exhaustion crept over her. She drank from her water bottle, glad they remembered to stop and buy extra this time. They’d already gone through three bottles each.

  “You’re getting better,” Lance said. “You need to stay focused, though. You’re watching what I’m doing too much.”

  “You’re too fast,” she said. “You’re always just an inch away when I lunge.”

  “Didn’t you ever fight faster opponents in Taekwondo?”

  “Yes, but none of them were able to dance circles around me. You’re bigger than me, you shouldn’t be faster.”

  “When you change, you’re larger than me.”

  The effects of the seals made no sense to her. Lance hadn’t been able to explain the seals different effect on each person. He thought it had something to do with personality.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Five more minutes,” she said.

  They started off needing twenty minutes to recover from the rounds. The constant changing and unchanging every time they spared was wearing on her. It had already been forty minutes this time. Kandice didn’t understand where he was getting his endurance from. It felt like she weighed an extra fifty pounds, and her heart wouldn’t stop racing. Every breath was labored.

  She raised her arms up and put her hands behind her head, to try to breathe a little easier. But her arms kept feeling like they would fall any second; she laid down on the ground and straightened her back out. It felt better as air flooded her lungs and her back stretched.

  After the five extra minutes, Lance was ready to go. “Get up. We need to keep going until you can get the seal again.”

  Kandice wanted to just fall asleep if she kept her eyes closed for
another minute it would have happened. “Okay,” she said, and struggled to her feet. They each held their seals up and took five steps back from each other. On the count of three, they slammed the seals against their skin.

  Kandice lunged first. She caught Lance by the shirt, but he spun out of the grip as fast as she had gotten it.

  Each time she came close to locking him in a hold, he’d either spin out, or slide down and under her feet. She managed to keep him from getting her seal by punching him. With each punch, Lance moved back several inches. Kandice saw the pain on his face as he bared his teeth, but no matter how hard he kicked or punched, Kandice felt nothing more than slight pressure. Her scales protected her from the strongest of Lance’s hits. He tried biting her arm to pin it behind her, but she was able to fling him off like a rag doll, and there wasn’t so much as a scratch on her.

  After a couple minutes of the back and forth, Kandice was heavy on her feet, she stood still waiting for Lance to make the next move. When he came in for the attack, she grappled him into a bear-hug with his back against her chest. She used the opening to grab at his seal. Just as her nail touched the corner, Lance spun - they were face to face.

  They grabbed at each other’s seals and fell to the ground with Kandice on top of him. They tied. Kandice saw a smile spread across Lance’s face.

  “What?” she asked.

  “A tie doesn’t count as a win,” he said. “We’ll have to go again.”

  Kandice couldn’t believe what he was saying, and his smile grew larger from the shock on her face. She shoved his hands against the ground above his head and kissed him. He didn't resist, but when Kandice freed his arms, Lance pushed himself away and out from under her.

  “We can’t,” he said.

  “Tell me you don’t want to.”

  “Of course I want to. But you’re only driven by the changing.”

  “No. I know what I want and knew before I ever changed.” She rolled towards him.

  “Stop. Even if we both want this, it’s not the right time. We have to stay focused on killing the mayor.”