by Josh Vogt
Destin’s cries turned pitiful as she gripped his hair and headed for the portal, dragging him behind like a scrap of toilet paper caught on her heel.
Ben stumbled after, off balance as he tried to adjust to running with one arm. Dani stared, then cursed and joined the chase, passing Ben and closing the gap with each stride. Destin saw her coming and groped for her.
“Please, Dani! I’m sorry. I’ll do anything. Just don’t let her take me!”
Filth glanced over her shoulder as Dani closed the gap. “Don’t worry. I’ll let him out to play every now and then.”
Dani lunged for the Chairman, arms outstretched.
Ben shouted. “Filth, now don’t you—”
Filth stepped through the portal with her prize, and Destin’s scream cut off as it snapped shut behind them. Dani grunted as she spread-eagled into the dirt.
Something poked her stomach, and she sat up to find one of Destin’s white shoes. She held it up for Ben to see.
His shoulders drooped. “For Purity’s sake. The Board ain’t gonna be happy ‘bout this.”
“Mama? Papa?”
As Dani stood, the hybrid tottered over and stared at where Filth’s portal had been. Then the kid bear-hugged her waist and nuzzled her stomach as he whimpered. She tried to pry him off, but he might as well have been welded on. At least the jumpsuit protected from direct skin contact for the time being.
“Uh, Ben? What do we do with him?”
Ben sighed, still watching where his old boss had vanished. “I guess we take him back to HQ and pray for some common sense and mercy.”
Dani snorted. “Yeah. No bet.”
“C’mon. Let’s see who’s still alive.”
O O O
They went to Francis first. The scrub-team leader lay frozen in a contorted position, his face a rictus of pain with one eyelid puckered shut. When Ben looked to her in question, Dani ducked her head.
“A little Carl got in his eye.”
Ben whistled. “Ooch, princess. Smart move, I gotta admit … but ooch.” He bent over and tapped the Ascendant’s temple. “Hey, buddy, hustle on out.”
Francis wept. The tears streamed down his face and congealed into a puddle, which Ben scooped up in his remaining hand.
With the hybrid latched onto her, Dani watched Ben from the side. She detected something off about him still. Despite his restored youth—something she would’ve rejoiced over—melancholy shaded his expression. Perhaps it was just the lost arm, but she sensed it went deeper than that.
The janitor helped Francis stand, and they exchanged silent looks, forearms clasped.
Ben waved at the hybrid. “You heard.”
“All of it,” Francis said. “Despite the agony inflicted on me, I believe I’m capable of filling out a detailed report for the Board. It should resolve matters well enough, though they’ll still want a full debriefing.”
“That’s it?” Dani said, scowling at the Ascendant. “No apology? No ‘Sorry for almost getting you guys killed’?”
Francis’ lips thinned. “I was—”
“Just doin’ your job,” Ben said. “Followin’ orders. I woulda done the same if our roles was reversed. Probably. We all make mistakes, ain’t that right, Francis? It’s only human.”
The Ascendant leveled an icy look at Ben, but then he sighed. His expression thawed, if slightly. “I suppose.”
Ben clapped the man’s shoulder. “Righto. Now all we gotta do is learn from ’em. So, whaddya think we oughta do with the kid?”
“Not for me to decide.”
Ben didn’t look satisfied with that answer, but let it lie while they rounded up the surviving Ascendants. As they dug out the three half-buried in the quicksand, Dani realized they still missed one of their number.
“Where’s Sydney?” she asked.
Ben and Francis looked around with her. After several minutes of searching, they uncovered no sign of the entropy mage except for scuff marks and a few footprints near where he’d been bound. Francis frowned at the tracks.
“While incapacitated, I glimpsed someone bolting through the portal you opened, but thought it an illusion caused by the water squeezing my eyeballs. If it was Sydney escaping, my guess is he didn’t wish to stick around for the aftermath. Wise, since I’d now be forced to take him back into custody.”
“He’ll be back,” Dani said.
“What makes you so sure?” Ben asked.
“I owe him a date.” Ben and Francis’ brows rose, and she sighed. “Don’t give me that. You’re just jealous. Oh,” she turned to Francis, “I’m going to probably need a night off whenever he gets in touch. Want to run the paperwork on that for me?”
He coughed. “I sincerely doubt taking a comp day to fraternize with an entropy mage will be approved. A bit of conflict with the company’s interests, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Francis …” Ben shook his head wearily. “Just process it for her, a’ight?”
They finished rousing and retrieving the Ascendants. Dani at first feared some of them might try to finish what they started, but they were too well-trained. A bark from Francis, and they regrouped until further commands were issued. One or two glared at Dani and the hybrid attached at her hip, but none so much as cleared their throats aggressively.
Once the scene had been cleaned up as much as possible, Francis went to the portal. A swipe of his hands, and it blinked out of existence. His aura knifed into the space where the first portal had stood. A new hole appeared, revealing the stark interiors of HQ.
The Ascendants marched through first, Francis on their heels. Dani chewed her bottom lip, wondering at the wisdom of returning to the Cleaners’ center of operations. They had no assurances of safety. Whatever authorities took over in Destin’s absence could decide to imprison her and Ben all over again, take the hybrid captive, or try to kill them all outright.
Ben put his hand on her shoulder. Confidence brimmed from him, and she took courage from it.
“I’ll go first,” he said. “Gimme a few minutes to smooth things over, then trot along behind.”
“Ben, be careful.”
A chuckle. “What’re they gonna do? Fire me?”
With a wink, he jogged through and vanished. The teen whimpered again. Dani shushed him and patted his head. “It’s okay,” she said, trying to make herself believe it. “You’re safe with us. We’ll take care of you.”
He looked up at her with shining gold-and-black eyes, and she hoped his trust in her wasn’t about to be proven wrong. After counting off the time, Dani stepped through the portal with the hybrid clinging to her arm. Her vision blurred for a moment. When it cleared, she drew in a sharp breath.
Neither Ben nor Francis greeted her. Instead, a white-masked welcoming committee filled the room before her.
***
Chapter Forty
The hybrid buried his face in Dani’s shoulder. She stood as still as possible while taking in the scene.
The square room offered one door to her right, but with no obvious handle or latch. A dozen people crowded the space before her, each identical to the rest. White masks covered their features and they wore white robes with the hoods up. She couldn’t differentiate between male and female, and their eyes all had an odd gloss that hid their true colors.
They stared at her, unmoving, silent. Sweat beaded on the nape of her neck and trickled down her spine.
“Uh …” She swallowed. “Can you point me toward the showers?”
Shouting came from behind the door. It burst open, and Ben shoved his way through, trailed by two Cleaners who fussed over his stunted arm. Francis trotted in behind, also harried by a pair of attendants.
“I ain’t needin’ no examination,” Ben growled. “I toldja I ain’t goin’ nowhere before she gets here.”
He and the others halted as they noticed the masked crowd. Ben scowled and strode onward, while the attendants hastily retreated. Francis shut the door and stood before it, arms crossed over his broad chest.
Ben came up beside Dani so the hybrid huddled between them.
She whispered out of the side of her mouth. “Ben, who are these people?”
“The Board,” he muttered back. “Twitchy little pricks. Figure they can just waltz in after the storm’s blown over and act like they own the place.”
“We hear you, Janitor Benjamin. And we do own this place.”
Dani jumped as all the masked figures spoke at once. Only slight fluctuations of tone and volume provided a distinction between their voices.
“Your actions over the past few days have been noted, and Ascendant Francis has already relayed a summation to us, pending his full report. Unless further events and facts warrant, you are no longer considered threats to this company. The death-sentences on your names have been revoked.”
“Ain’t that a big relief,” Ben said. “I’m gettin’ teary-eyed over here.”
“Your sarcasm is noted.”
As she studied them, all at once Dani saw what she’d missed before. They didn’t wear masks. Whenever they spoke, the lips moved. Cheek muscles twitched. Whatever faces the Board once possessed had been wiped clean, leaving each with the same blank features.
“What are they?” she asked.
“We are human.”
“Barely,” Ben said. “You’re finger puppets of the Pantheon. You spend so much time tryin’ to be perfect, there’s hardly any room left for a bit of spit and gristle. Nothin’ but logic and calculation left in your tidy little minds.”
“Your insolence is also noted.”
“Sure it is. Don’t even pretend you get offended anymore, you twits.”
“Why are you here?” Dani asked.
Their arms raised and pointed at the hybrid. “He is to be scheduled for termination. We are here to escort him to the incinerator. Our power shall bind him so none are in danger along the way.”
As if understanding their pronouncement, the hybrid dug his fingers into Dani’s arm so hard she grunted at the pain. But protectiveness overrode the urge to loosen his grip.
“He’s part-human,” she said. “He deserves a chance to live.”
“He is saturated with Corrupt energies,” the Board said. “Even now it twists his mind and desires. He will grow up a malignancy, a disease that infects all he touches.”
“You ain’t as sure of that as you want us to think,” Ben said.
“The possible outcomes have been calculated. There is a ninety-eight point seven percent chance he will culminate as we have envisioned.”
“He could still turn out all right,” Dani said.
“We do not foresee any such factors that might allow for such developments.”
“What about mercy?” Ben asked. “Why not try showin’ some compassion, get him some clean clothes, a square meal, and then sittin’ down and explainin’ to him why it ain’t in his best interest to follow in the footsteps of mommy dearest? We got a chance to salvage some good outta this mess.”
“There is no Chairman present to advise us on such matters any longer.”
“So get one.”
“We shall. The position is offered to you, Janitor Benjamin.”
Ben stuttered, and Dani could tell they’d caught him fully by surprise. His eventual laugh sounded forced. “Seein’ how well you did with Destin, why would I even give it half a thought?”
Several of the Board came forward and spoke in turn.
“You have no power within you,” one said.
Ben’s grin faltered.
“You are nothing but flesh and blood,” said another.
“You have been stripped of all potency,” said a third. “Purity has abandoned you. You need us more than we need you.”
To Dani’s dismay, Ben’s confident expression cracked and crumbled.
“Ben?”
“Well, they got me there,” he said softly. “When the kid sucked the Ravishing out and my Pure energies fixed me up, it … well, it kinda burnt me out. I ain’t got a drop of magic left.” A swallow bobbed his Adam’s apple. “I’m just a plain ol’ janitor.”
“We can restore you.”
“If you take up the mantle.”
“Of Chairman.”
“Shut up,” Dani shouted. “Stop trying to distract him. Give us some time to recover and think this all through. We’re exhausted and starving.”
“Our calculations predict your responses will not be affected by any passage of time. We do not see the necessity of such measures.”
Dani looked to Ben, at a loss. He remained fixed on the Board, like a wild animal pinned by a bright light. She could almost feel the thoughts churning in his head, considering the potential he might wield.
“Ben, don’t. You told me yourself what that kind of power does to people. I don’t want to see that happen to you.”
He licked his lips. “You don’t understand, Dani. There’s gotta be a Chairman. Without one, the Board ain’t got nobody keepin’ them connected to things like emotion or instinct. They can calculate every angle and balance the budgets of small countries without breakin’ a sweat, but they can barely relate to us any more than a computer can.”
“But it doesn’t have to be you!”
“We offer it to none other,” the Board said. “Our choice of Destin was an error. His flaws led to his downfall.”
“Nobody’s perfect,” Dani said. “If you expect that, you’ll always be disappointed.”
“Think of it,” Ben said. “If I step in, think of what I could do. Really whip things into shape. Keep you and the kid protected.”
“Don’t think about me here,” she said. “You can’t take their offer just because you want the authority to get revenge for Karen, either.”
A dark cloud seemed to drop between them and she knew she’d lost him.
“Oh, I can’t, huh?” He looked to the Board, hand on the teen’s shoulder. “If I say yes, are you gonna give him a chance?”
Those who had moved forward now stepped back and rejoined the others. Their voices wove together again.
“So long as you accept the title of Chairman, the child shall be spared. So we swear.”
“A’ight. I accept.”
“Ben!”
He shrugged Dani off and approached the Board. At their gesture, Ben knelt. The Board circled him and each member laid a hand on his head. Energy sparked between their fingers and crowned Ben with a circlet of power. The room shook, and Dani hid the hybrid’s face so he wouldn’t see what came next.
Light poured into Ben from the Board and he glowed white-hot. For a moment, she imagined seeing his bones through his flesh. Then a flash blinded her. When the spots faded, the Board had stepped away, hands tucked once more into their sleeves.
Ben rose and a golden aura flickered into being around him. He breathed deep, as if he’d been held underwater all this time and only now came up for air.
Dani groaned. “Ben, what’ve you done?”
His face and eyes shone with power, and his grin had a cold edge to it that made her shiver. The teen shrank against her as well.
When he spoke, he’d lost all of the grumpy … well … charm wasn’t the right word. But his voice had been comfortable, like a spongy old chair that fitted one’s contours perfectly. Now his words were stamped in steel and knocked into her mind with unforgiving authority.
“Danielle Hashelheim, as Chairman of the Cleaners, with the power invested in me by the Board of Purity, I hereby state the completion of your training.”
She blinked. “What?”
“Through your actions against Corruption,” he said, “plus your willingness to sacrifice your own safety for the wellbeing of others, you have demonstrated the bravery, strength, and devotion to Purity the Cleaners seek to embody. You are an asset to this company, and the lucky S.O.B. who trained you oughta be given a medal of commendation.” Some of Ben’s old voice slipped back into this last statement, but evaporated as he continued. “Do you accept this judgment of your abilities and status?”
“I … I do.”
“Then you are to be henceforth considered a free agent of the Cleaners, with all the benefits, vacation time, and lunch breaks your position is entitled to.” Another hard look, daring her to argue. “Is this acceptable?”
“It is.”
Ben turned to the Board. “Satisfactory?”
The Board nodded as one. “It is heard, recorded, and so shall be,” they intoned. “None will dispute her place among us.”
Ben wiped a hand over his face. “Phew. Then I figure it’s about time I resign.”
Their heads tilted as one. “We do not understand.”
Glee bumped Dani’s heart rate up as Ben’s aura vanished. Despite his smooth face, she glimpsed an older man peering out through his eyes. While he might not have as many wrinkles and liver spots, one didn’t go to the brink of death and return unchanged.
Ben walked over and slapped Francis on the back. “It’s all yours, pal.”
Francis looked as if he’d been punched in the gut.
“We have not offered this title to Ascendant Francis!”
Ben swung around and jabbed a finger the Board’s way. “You sure got short memories. You just gave me all the rights and powers of this office. One of my duties is choosin’ a successor should I deem myself unfit for further duty. And so I am, and so I’m gonna do, whether you like it or not.” He smiled at Francis, who held back. “Oh, c’mon. You’ve been shuckin’ it under Destin for years now. He did a shoddy job, so now you get to take a swing. ’Sides, I ain’t ever been good at sittin’ at a desk all day, signin’ papers and all that other upper management dribble. You’re perfect. Whaddya say?”
Francis eyed Ben sidelong. “I question this hasty decision. Shouldn’t you take some time to reconsider?”
Ben thumbed over his shoulder at the Board. “Hey, they shoved it down my throat. I’m just passin’ on the joy. Mebbe you oughta take some personal notes when you draw up that report and figure out some way to avoid a situation like this in the future.”
Francis removed his fedora, revealing black curls. “Very well.”
Ben placed his hand on the Ascendant’s forehead. Both men shut their eyes. After a moment’s concentration, a fiery cloud passed from Ben to Francis. The Ascendant shuddered, eyes closed as he absorbed the power.