by Al K. Line
"We'll find out, you can be sure of that."
"How?"
"I think we should follow him. How come you haven't? A tough guy like you isn't worried about a little guy like him, right?"
"I didn't want to risk it. I figured something would happen here and... What, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Because if we are to be friends then we need to be honest with each other. If you think he killed your friend and pinned her murder on you why haven't you followed him?"
"Because I didn't want to get caught. You know what people think of me, you think I can just go wandering around in the open and nobody will notice? I'll be hunted like the animal they think I am."
He had a point. "Fair enough, but you didn't get seen earlier, did you?"
"No, guess not. But I never thought about that before."
"Blimey, trying to live up to the all brawn, no brain image are you? You men, I despair sometimes, I really do. Come on, just put your damn hood up again and keep your head down. Anyway, nobody will take any notice with it getting dark, it's just if we get close to people that we need to worry about a disguise."
"Fine, but if I'm seen it's on your head. I'm too beat to use magic or fight now, I just want to sleep."
"One of those, eh? A sleeper."
"Yeah, it takes it out of me and I just want to crash and sleep for days."
"I eat."
"I'm like that, too. Okay, come on before I need to be carried." Pumi pulled up the hood of the sweater and I gave a little of my magic again to hide his features, not that I had much ability left either now after the day I'd had. It was enough, and I looked in satisfaction at the face that was no face, a blur, and nothing you would look twice at.
As quietly as possible, we moved down the stairs of the building and waited beside the entrance, lost in the shadows of the interior. It was mere minutes before we saw the retreating figure of Levick, clearly having not got whatever it was he wanted.
Before he was lost to the city we stepped out and followed.
Stalking Fester
Strangetown was closing in on itself as we followed Levick through the streets. He moved fast, constantly searching the shadows, sometimes stopping suddenly and looking up as if he heard a noise. Then he'd be off again, brisk like he was late for work and would be reprimanded by his boss.
He was at odds with the streets; he didn't belong. The city itself seemed to mistrust him, and he kept to the dark, going out of his way to cross when people or Strange were close, sticking to places where the few working streetlights shone no light.
He wasn't going home, that was for sure, and the longer we followed him the more certain I was of where he was heading. Both Pumi and I were flagging, our conversation dried up. It was getting hard to stay alert and hidden yet keep an eye on him. Magic became harder to use, my hunger and lethargy taking over. Pumi said nothing but I knew he felt it too, and soon we would have to stop.
Levick was slowing as well, getting nervous and jittery, jumping at the slightest sound. Was it fear? Or was it just being cautious as he neared his destination?
As the air cooled and darkness settled like a silent blanket over Strangetown, I relaxed my magic and felt a little better. We kept going, but Pumi's breathing was becoming labored and I'm sure he actually fell asleep a few times even as we walked.
Finally, Levick seemed to have arrived, and I knew the place only too well. This was where the majority of elves had holed up, a place no human could enter, certainly not leave alive. The entire structure shone pale silver like a whisper of moonlight, beautiful and cold, just like most of their kind.
We stopped, hiding behind a truck, observing him through dusty glass. Levick shimmered, his whole body shaking like a dog just out of a freezing stream, and the sparks flew off him angrily like water.
"Shit, did you see that?" I asked, turning to Pumi.
He looked as freaked as I felt, nodded and moved to the side of the vehicle to get a better view. I joined him, peering over the truck's cab as Levick turned to the side, moved at a good pace down the street, then went up the steps toward the front of the old museum, body glowing purple for a moment as he walked straight through the magical barrier cast by adept elves to stop anyone or anything entering unless they were elf.
"He's a fucking elf," said Pumi. "You saw it, right?"
"I saw it. He morphed into an elf and there's no way in hell you can do that unless—"
"Unless you are one."
"This is seriously bad news. We've had an elf running the Justices for years, I mean hundreds of years. What the hell?"
"We need to get out of here. This is big, way too big to hang around and risk getting seen."
"Bit late for that, I'd say," said an elf that was too large to have been missed. It shimmered and all but disappeared, a magic camouflage allowing it to meld into the background like a chameleon.
"Oh, shit."
Pumi jumped back and I saw his jacket at the shoulder crumple a little moments before another elf appeared with its hand there and the other already hooking around Pumi's neck.
As I jabbed out hard at the closest elf throat, my strike slowing like it moved through treacle millimeters away from its skin, Pumi jabbed back hard with an elbow, the same issue arising with his attacker.
These guards were way too strong with magic to have such low-level jobs—it meant the elves were making a concerted effort to stop anyone getting anywhere near their headquarters.
Feeling the tug on the available Pool because of the elves inside the building and my tiredness, I knew this was not the time to try to win in a fight. Pumi was half gone, not up to it either, so I did the only thing I could think of, and said, "Hey, what's all this about? We were just having a peek, can we come in and have a look around? Please, pretty please?" I had to hope they had only heard the end of our conversation, or we were gonna be squished.
I felt dirty, but I batted my eyelashes at the elves who paused, studying us intently as they maintained positions ready to attack. I nodded slightly at Pumi who took up my cue. Robin would have been proud of me.
"Yeah, how about it, guys? We love you elves and thought maybe we could come in, get the tour? Hey, can we touch your ears?"
"No, you may not. What are you doing hanging around here, are you spies?" The elf was way too close, I could feel its sexual chemistry seeping into my mind and my loins, making me feel warm. I knew I was smiling at the thought of what we could do to each other.
"Haha, spies? No, we just wanna party. We've always wondered what it would be like to do it with elves, bet it's amazing." I was pushing it and Pumi frowned at me, less than keen to keep the charade up now. I nodded more forcefully—if he wanted to get out alive in his weakened state then he better be a damn good actor, and fast.
"That's right. How about it? Got any women in there? We could have a great time if you do. Where are they all, anyway, I never see the chicks? What time do you guys get off work, or can we come in now and get this party going? Oh, hey, I'm getting a hit of elf vibe goodness already." Pumi grabbed his crotch and gave it a jiggle, and that seemed to do the trick.
"Ugh, you dirty humans, you think we would debase ourselves with the likes of you? Filthy animals, always thinking about sex. How disgusting."
The other elf stepped back from Pumi and his crotch jiggling and looked first to me then his partner. "These two aren't worth the bother. Look at them. Pathetic, ugly creatures that they are. All that hair on the man, it's repulsive."
"Hey, I can shave it off if you want. Smooth as a baby's bum, then. Nice." Pumi wiggled his thick eyebrows. "How about it?"
"Get lost you filth. Don't try to seduce us with your intoxicating scent, we are trained to resist such things."
They were, I'm sure, but I could see the effect we were having on them. Elves are mostly bisexual, meaning Pumi's manly pheromones and sweaty body were having a serious effect—I got the feeling I added little at all to the sexual tension.
I
t was like a sexual attraction standoff so I chanced it and got up as close as I could to the elf nearest me. I pushed out my chest and said, "Are you sure? Looks like you want it as much as we do." I pointed at the growing bulge in his pants and he shoved me, hard.
Pumi got a rougher shove from the other elf and they sneered at us, their anger at being involuntarily aroused by us the same as mine when I feel that tug of their attraction even as I know they want to chop me up into bits.
"Get the hell out of here and don't come back. Move it, now."
Wasting no time, Pumi and I grabbed each other's hands and scarpered.
Time to Rest
"I feel dirty," said Pumi, shuddering and banging the side of his head with his hand as if it could dislodge the elf attraction.
"Me too. But I also feel alive, and that's a good thing."
"You're trouble, you know that." He glared at me, anger making his eyes shine even through the shadows of his hood.
"Me!? I'm not the one that got us caught."
"You trying to blame me? I thought you were keeping an eye out for them?"
"I thought you were." We sneered and snarled at each other but I think we were both too tired to remain angry, it was just us letting off steam after a close encounter. As adrenaline eased so my tiredness increased. The Pool felt fragmented, not truly whole, and it was my inability to focus that made it that way. Pumi was obviously feeling the same. Time to call it a day.
A few blocks away and we had to stop. We laughed. Nervous tension releasing in a way that was better than crying or fighting. For a minute we just laughed, quietly, lost in the ridiculous charade we had pulled off as relief flooded our systems.
"This is all crazy. What can we do?" I asked once I got a hold of myself.
"I don't know. But this Levick, he has to pay for what he did, and nothing's gonna stop that from happening."
I got close to Pumi, so close our bodies almost touched, then pulled back his hood so I could see him properly and he me. Nobody was around, the darkness that was descending was our friend.
"We'll deal with him, I promise, but we need to know what is happening. He's an elf, and that is seriously bad news. He's at the heart of magic in this city and has been for so many years I can't even imagine what he's done to our world, what I and other Justices have done not knowing any better. We need more information. We can't let him know about us yet and we sure as hell can't kill him until we know what he's up to."
"And how do you suggest we find out?" Pumi was itching for a fight, I could feel the tension in his body, overlaid with tiredness and sadness. This was one unhappy dude. There was an air about him, one of acceptance, like he was resigned to things never working for him—his world was one of struggle and rejection.
I wanted to cuddle him, stroke his head and tell him everything would be all right, but at that moment I knew he wouldn't allow it, would refuse the offer, so I kept to myself what he so sorely needed.
Either that, or he was a hard-as-nails monster that just didn't care any more and really did just want a fight. I have been known to be wrong about men in the past, usually ending up with me sad, and alone, again.
"Let me think. This has all happened too fast. Let's sleep on it and decide what to do tomorrow. Levick's going nowhere, and I assume you aren't, either?"
"Nope, I'm staying here until this is sorted. How the hell do we find out what he's up to, though? And how has an elf been here for so long and nobody knew? They weren't supposed to be able to stay, were they?"
"No, they were not. I don't have the answers, and I'm too tired to think right now. You want to stay at mine? There's plenty of room."
"No, but thanks."
We exchanged numbers, agreeing to meet the following morning but to call if plans changed.
And then he left, hood up, lost to the night, the darkness, and his loneliness.
Me, I gave myself a good talking to, told myself to keep it strictly business, and that this man was way too intense. Problem being, he was also hot as hell and made me want to get naked and jump on him, trace every scar on his ancient body and know the passion he had inside of him. A man that had fought in ancient Rome and had lived through every single year since our calendar began.
Muttering to myself about what an idiot I was, and trying to focus on Levick and figure out the whole sorry mess and what it meant, I walked through deserted streets, just me and Strangetown, feeling close to her, my city, now it was empty and quiet, readying itself for the battle of the day to come and trying to protect the lives contained within its borders.
We were the same, both exhausted from the day. It was time to rest.
New Day, More Trouble
I may have been in an unfamiliar place, but it didn't stop me sleeping like a baby all night, only waking once for a pee and to eat a quick bowl of budget cereal.
Thoughts of Pumi and of elves and of dead little girls crowded in as I ate, but I was so tired, so disconnected from the Pool because of my lethargy and hunger, that I fell asleep, only waking when I got a face full of soggy corn flakes.
I went straight back to bed and didn't wake until I heard Mack stomping about in the main church and the desire to eat again became overwhelming.
Struggling into clothes, knowing I needed a shower but hunger coming first, I headed out into my new home to see what the day would bring. Hopefully answers.
No such luck.
"Morning, Sis," said Robin, looking divine and as fresh as a daisy after a summer shower. Which made me sniff, and wish I hadn't.
"Morning. Don't suppose you brought any food with you?"
Robin smiled and stood aside, revealing heaven in a bag. "Your wish is my command. Thought we could have breakfast and you could tell me what you and the hunk of handsome discovered. He's not here, is he? Not hiding him in you bedroom, keeping him all to yourself?"
"As if! You know I don't do that kind of thing."
"Maybe that's the problem."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, just kidding. Don't get so touchy. How did it go? Was it Levick?"
"Let's eat and then I'll tell you. Um, Mack, what exactly are you doing?" Mack, basically an oversized human with a few extra bits, and without an ounce of fat on his dark red skin, making him look like an anatomy chart of horror, was, for some reason, stood with his back to us, arms folded across his chest so his lats spread wide, seemingly ignoring me on purpose.
"I'm being polite. This is what you do, isn't it, when you don't want to butt in? So that's what I'm doing."
"Looks like you're being rude and ignoring me. You haven't even said good morning."
"Oh," he said, turning. "I thought I was helping you have a private moment. What should I do, then?"
"Just be normal."
"So you want me to eat a human and then..."
"No, no, no, absolutely not!"
"Just you dare," warned Robin, knowing all too well what Mack did in his day, night, and eternity job in his own world.
"See, this is what I mean about you dudes, it's so hard to know what's right."
"Well, at least you're trying, that's the main thing. But turning your back on someone and crossing your arms is being rude. You excuse yourself and leave the room if you are being polite and know somebody wants privacy."
"Oh, okay." Mack squatted down and peered at us both from beneath his heavy ridge of a brow, red eyes scary as all hell. This close, I could see flames in his pupils, like a vision of his home world.
Robin and I shrugged at each other—Mack obviously still had a lot to learn about the ways of interacting with humans on a more personal level.
"What's in the bags, girlfriend?" he asked.
Robin was about to correct his use of the word but I shook my head—if we kept going like this I'd never get to eat or tell her what had been discovered.
"Breakfast rolls, you want one?"
"No thanks, think I'll skip it. Human food tastes too bland, it needs a little fire."
Eventually we got to eat, but I was surprised Zeno hadn't shown his face. I have to admit, it was nice him not being there. I felt like I could be myself, no having to control urges I didn't even want to have, just a relatively normal breakfast with my sister and a demon. Okay, not exactly normal, then, but I've had worse breakfast guests I can tell you that much.
After we'd eaten, me managing three breakfast rolls with eggs, sausage, and bacon, Robin being rather more careful about her heart attack in a bun, we finally got down to talking.
I explained what we'd seen the previous evening, the trailing of Levick, the way he acted, the fact he went to elf HQ and that we saw him change. How we got away, and I even shared my thoughts about Pumi, and that he genuinely seemed like a nice, if rather intense guy.
"We need to go smack that bitch about and make him sing like a canary," said Mack.
"Jeez, you really need to read more up-to-date stuff, Mack, you'll be calling us dames and molls next."
"I'm working my way through it all, but it's confusing," he said, scratching at his nose, pulling something out and eating it. I chanted silently to myself, "Ignore it, ignore it," and managed to keep my breakfast down.
I had to ask. "Mack, all these words you use, the mannerisms, how are you learning about humans and all this stuff? I don't see you reading or watching TV, and let's face it, you've been here for months and were a dormouse until yesterday. Spill it, mister."
Mack knocked over my cola. "What the hell? Oh, right. Never mind." I mopped it up. I definitely preferred him when he was tiny.
"I have it all in the Pool. Don't you?" Mack bent lower, studying us intently. His head is disconcerting up close, it's three times the size of ours and the horns add another six feet, plus they are as sharp as his teeth.
"In the Pool?" asked Robin.
"Sure, hot stuff. Got access to all you humans have done. It's kind of groovy. But the order is a little out of whack, so I never know what's current. And anyway, what's a few years matter?"