by E. J. Larson
She grabbed the toolbox, slung the small backpack with her carry-on over her shoulder, and ran after Kate. The engine of the red pickup on the side of the road was already running when she stepped out. Her brown suitcase lay on the bed of the truck, but she preferred to keep the precious tool close. Quinn got in on the passenger side, put the aluminum suitcase between her legs, and took the backpack on her lap.
Kate gave her an appraising look.
"Is this comfortable? You'll have to sit like that until Cheyenne." Quinn made a throwaway hand gesture. That it might be uncomfortable was pretty much her last concern on the ride to the airport. Wistfulness spread through her heart as she waved once more through the open window to her family, who had also stepped outside. "Are we going?"
"Yeah, I'm ready," Quinn gave the signal to leave. One of her favorite Taylor Swift songs blasted from the radio, which Kate usually sang along to loudly with the windows down. Today, she was silent. Her gaze was fixed on the road and Quinn knew her friend well enough to know she was trying her hardest not to cry.
"You really need to talk to Logan," Quinn recommended to her forcefully. "The kid won't look at anything unless you tell him. Look, he obviously likes you!"
"You really think so?" The tear-veiled glint in her eyes gave way to excitement.
"Yes, absolutely!" Quinn confirmed. That Kate was in love with Logan, Quinn had known for years. He, however, wasn't one to let his guard down easily. When it came to emotional matters, her brother had always been cagey. Even if he ever had a girlfriend, her mother and her were usually the last people to know. Never in a million years would he have admitted that he was in love with her best friend.
Still, it was possible. Kate was his type visually, and Quinn was convinced she'd be a good match for him character-wise, too, but feelings couldn't be conjured up. Kate was going to have to take the plunge at some point and just confront him if she ever wanted to know how he felt about her. "What's the worst that could happen?"
"If he laughs at me and I run into him again every day," Kate replied as if shot out of a gun. "That would be the horror."
"Then now is definitely the time to take the risk because you won't have to see him every day for the next 12 months," Quinn tried to make it as easy as possible for her friend. "When I get back, I'll probably move into my own place anyway. Maybe we'll move in together. So if you're not living with Logan by then."
Her words gave Kate enough hope to turn up the music and hum into the next song. With conviction in her voice, Quinn belted out the lyrics to Alannah Myles' eighties hit Black Velvet until her friend laughed out loud.
"I'm going to miss you so much." Kate sighed.
"Miss you, too," Quinn affirmed as the Cheyenne Regional Airport came into view and her mind began to wander.
What was it like to live in Fairfield? She prayed she could manage in the big city and not feel completely lost, but only time would tell, I guess. If Jonah was as nice as he sounded, it would work out, she told herself encouragingly.
"I really envy you. This is a hell of an opportunity. You're going to learn an incredible amount and meet fascinating people." The friends said their goodbyes in the holding area outside the terminal with a heartfelt hug. The flowery scent of Kate's favorite perfume rose to Quinn's nose, evoking so much nostalgia that tears now threatened to well up in her eyes. "I can't wait to see what you experience. It's going to be great for you. You'll see."
Betrayed, Quinn nodded, pushing back the rising sadness. It was only for a year.
"I hope you're right."
Actually, she had made the decision for that very reason, but she was also afraid. Afraid of being alone. Afraid of losing her focus and getting distracted. The big city, with all its temptations, might not have been the best location for the last intensive study before she became independent. Still, it was the place where she was given that chance.
"Absolutely. I'd love to go, but I can't do that to Logan." She smirked at her renewed optimism. "You have to tell me everything you experience, promise?"
"I'll call you as soon as I land," Quinn promised as she reached for her bags. Her best friend waved her off. Then the automatic doors closed behind her and Quinn found herself in the air-conditioned terminal.
Only 6 hours until her new life began.
3. Tyler
"I DON'T UNDERSTAND why you're doing this." The accusation in her words was unmistakable even across hundreds of miles. His mother's pale blue eyes would have frowned at him had he been standing in front of her at. Perhaps that was one of the many reasons Tyler hadn't told her face to face about his impromptu move. Another was that she was the only one who could have changed his mind. He knew it wasn't fair to her, but he had to do it.
For himself. To finally live an independent life, he owed it to himself.
"Ma, I'll catch up with you," he promised as he inspected one street sign after another. Slowly, he rolled the borrowed van through the strange city in a strange end of the world. It wasn't until his last break on the trip that he had finally connected his phone to the van's speakerphone to tell his mother about his plans. At that point, he'd driven too far to turn back. He had to go through with it now.
"You're not the first man to promise me that and not deliver, so keep your empty words to yourself," she huffed and hung up.
Her own wounds had always been the argument she used to knock down anything that went against her. But for once, this wasn't about her. Explaining that to her, however, would be wasted effort. It hurt that she didn't agree with his decision, but he'd seen just that coming. She would calm down.
In two weeks at the latest, experience had shown, he would be able to talk to her normally again and explain his motives.
In the meantime, he steered the vehicle through a downtown area that was completely foreign to him. It was good that he had finally gotten the conversation with his mother about the move over with, because he now needed all his concentration to find his way around. When he found the right street, he let his eyes wander over the houses. The facades were clad in exquisite materials and free of graffiti and other scribblings.
On one side of the roadway were the buildings, on the other was the entrance to a huge park he hadn't expected to find in the city. His head suddenly felt as light as if a balloon had been filled with helium in its place. All his worries dissolved in the face of the wonderful sight. It was hard to believe that he was supposed to live here.
He steered the car into a parking bay, expecting to wake from his daydream at any moment. But the house number was right. This had to be it. The beige and brown clinker-clad building he parked in front of was his new home. Tyler ran a hand over his eyes. Finally he could close them without risking an accident.
Two minutes doing nothing. The perfect silence that spread once the car's engine fell silent sounded like paradise after this day. If he listened very closely, he could hear the chirping of birds from somewhere beyond the coach. There were no birds, no chirping, no singing in his old neighborhood - except for the quirky sounds of Mrs. Hoover when she baked, but he preferred not to remember that so closely.
The vibrations in his arms, which he had only vaguely felt at the beginning of the ride, had grown with him during the hours of driving. Still it felt to him as if they were vibrating. Dozens of needles pricked the area around his elbows, making it impossible to sit still any longer. He had to move. Tyler shook out his arms and focused his gaze into the distance. Slowly, this long day was drawing to a close. The sun was setting behind the tops of the trees beyond the park. When he opened his eyes again, it bathed the street in golden light.
He savored the moment while it lasted. Unfortunately, his arrival meant that his work for the day was far from done. First he had emptied his old apartment, loaded everything into the van, driven here and now he had to unload all the junk again. When he was done with that, he had to drop the van off at the local branch of the rental car company. If all went well, he would be done with it before the new
day began. But there was still no chance of a good night's sleep, because he would have to buy a bed first. For this night he only had a sleeping bag and his sleeping mat.
A knock on the side window jolted him out of his evening plans. A guy with dark brown skin and short black hair stood next to the driver's door and told him to lower the window. Was he parked in a no-parking zone? That was all he needed.
"Hey, are you Tyler?" The man asked in a strange southern singsong. Quick as a flash, Tyler shifted. Few people here knew he was coming.
"Um yeah, you must be Simon then,"Tyler realized.
"Yeah, nice to finally meet you. I've been waiting for you. Want me to help you unload? I'll be happy to show you around a bit of the city later if you'd like."
His winning streak seemed to have no end in sight. He had already mentally prepared himself to live with a grouchy nurse or a pedantic file clerk who lamented non-stop about the ills of the American health care system. But the friendly guy out there had nothing in common with this vision of horror at first glance. The only thing he knew about Simon was that he worked at the hospital, but wasn't a doctor. They hadn't exchanged anything more personal than that during their brief phone call a week ago. It was about an apartment, not love for life. If they didn't get along, one of them would find another place to live. And it would probably be Tyler who moved out again - it was that simple.
"Sure, I'd love to, if it's not an inconvenience to you," Tyler accepted his new roommate's offer.
"Nope, not at all. I'm happy to help. It's stressful enough handling a move like this with two of you, but all times better than doing it alone."
Simon stepped aside and let him climb out of the car. He jumped down the steps and enviously noticed that the other was several inches taller and wider than he was. How he wished he had such an imposing physique too. It would save him a lot when it came to proving himself.
"Okay, then let's get this done. I really don't feel like putting it off any longer. " He opened the door of the hold and thrust a cardboard box into the athletic man's hand. Then he grabbed a second one at random and followed Simon to the five-story apartment building. The clean facade was a mix of beige and brown clinker. Light of the setting sun flattered the street. Leaves of the street trees were everywhere, covering the pavement and collecting in the gutter, where they shimmered golden.
"Wait a minute," he asked his new roommate when he noticed the homeless man sitting down by the fence a few feet away. He set the box down next to the entrance and walked over to the man. It was such a beautiful day, but to him it was gray like any other. Tyler pulled out his wallet and calculated how much of its contents he would need for the day. He never carried much cash - just enough to get by if he needed to, if a credit card wasn't accepted somewhere. When he had it roughly totaled, he took the rest and pressed it into the homeless man's hand. It was just under twenty dollars - all he could spare today. "Here, man, have a good night."
"Thank you, sir," replied the wizened-looking man, whose age had to be somewhere between forty and sixty. It was hard to tell. "Thank you very much."
"If you need anything, let me know, okay?" Tyler looked at him urgently, trying to memorize the face well. When he registered the skeptical look, he repeated his sincere offer. "Just get back to me. I live here now and come by here every day."
He pointed to the stairway where Simon was waiting for him and made his way back. Life on the streets was a harder lot than anyone deserved.
"What were you doing there?" Simon asked curiously.
"I offered him my help."
Tyler shrugged and picked up his moving box again.
"I think that's good," Simon returned thoughtfully. "Maybe I should have done that a long time ago, too. I see so many fates in my job. Somehow I feel quite jaded by it already."
"I see a lot of crap too, Simon. A lot more than I can take, but I don't want to learn to ignore it, you know?"
"Yeah."
Nodding steadily, Simon climbed the steps of the elegant wooden staircase in front of him to the second floor. To his great relief, the new apartment was already there. He placed his cardboard box in the entrance door to keep it open while his new roommate continued to march down the hall.
"Then there's only half a marathon waiting for us. We should be able to do that quickly - I hope you're as fit as you look," he joked.
"Don't worry about my fitness for a change," Simon returned with a wink. "Your room is that one."
He pointed to a closed door leading off the open kitchen-living room. As if remote-controlled, he stepped toward it and took a peek into his new life. A bright, bare room awaited him. Just as empty as his plans for the future. The only thing he knew about the next few months was that he would now be here following his calling. With whom he did so and what happened to him in the process was written in the stars.
In Detroit, the Martini case had put an abrupt end to his investigative career. He had solved it and had been commended for it, but his reputation was ruined. No one would let him loose on society there again. He had made powerful enemies because he had relentlessly pursued all leads - even those that his bosses would have liked to cover up.
To his great good fortune, an unknown middle-aged red-haired woman had approached him after the case was closed and offered him a job in her agency. He had recommended himself with his outstanding work, she had said.
Tyler had had no idea what exactly that meant, because nationally his name had not made headlines up to that point. Why she had come to Detroit and taken notice of him therefore remained a mystery to him. It was one of those little mysteries which, for reasons of his own personal curiosity, he would have liked to have cleared up. But for the moment he was content that she should present him the chance he needed. At her offer he had broken down all tents and gone to Fairfield, where the setting sun now shone in his face.
His new room had its own balcony, from which he could overlook part of the park. In a forum for public employees, he had become aware of the ad behind which this apartment was hidden. The fact that he was sharing it with someone was not only in his financial interest. He also liked the idea of already knowing someone when he left for duty on his first day.
"Shall we continue?" Simon asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.
With a nod, he left the room and walked down to the car with his helper. After all, he couldn't leave him standing by the road with the doors open forever and seriously expect his junk not to get legs. He hadn't become a cop because he believed in the good in everyone, but to put evil in its place. With each walk to the van, his legs grew heavier and the hold emptier. The homeless man was gone.
Simon was just on his way up with the penultimate box when he balanced the last box on his knee and slammed the sliding door shut with a flourish. He had miscalculated and put too much momentum into the movement. The carton sailed toward the curb and hit hard. Its contents scattered less than decoratively over at least two square feet of pavement. He gathered up his belongings on his hands and knees, exasperated.
"Oh, Remsberg? A real classic," a soft voice addressed him. He fixed his gaze on its source and held his breath. An elf. Quite somber for an elf, but clearly an elf. Her delicate form was cloaked in black clothing. Millions of wild, dark curls stood out in all directions from her head. Her face showed the innocence of an angel and at the first glance into her bright eyes, he was smitten. Why he was convinced he was looking at an elf at that sight, he couldn't rationally explain.
What was it she said again?
She placed the book she held in her hands in the battered box and looked at him out of those impossibly gray eyes.
"Whatever," she followed up with a shrug. "Welcome to Fairfield."
Tyler gazed breathlessly after her until she disappeared around the next corner. He'd never been the type to hit on women. But not being able to get a word in edgewise when a stunning woman stood in front of him was something he'd never done before. Maybe his move to Fairfield hadn't been
the worst idea in his life. Even if his mother didn't agree with it, he'd found a job here and maybe the city held a lot more in store for him. Shaking his head, he packed up the last of the lost items and marched into the apartment.
"Okay," he concluded this part of the evening's program. "I still have to move the car now. Should I get us some food on the way back? I'm really hungry."
Simon was lying in a corner of the huge sofa in the living room, watching the news on the television with moderate interest. He looked up and finally nodded.
"Yeah, man, let's go." Still perplexed by his encounter with his personal dark elf, Tyler had completely forgotten that Simon was going to accompany him. His roommate grabbed a black leather jacket and paused in mid-motion. "Better take a jacket too, it gets a little chilly fast after the sun goes down."
"If I knew where that was..." Tyler waved it off, shaking his head. "I'll survive it all right."
"Do you want one of mine?"
"I'm sure that's nice of you, but it makes me look even shorter than I am." Objectively speaking, 5’8” really wasn’t small, but when this body was in clothes for a 6’3”, it almost looked tiny. "I'd rather freeze a little."
4. Jasper
THIS COULDN'T BE happening. Jasper hurled the gamepad onto the couch. Grumbling as he watched the black plastic casing bounce across the cushions, he stood up and stretched. There were cracks everywhere, as if he hadn't moved in hours. Wait, he glanced at his wristwatch. He hadn't moved in hours. Other than his fingers on the pad, he hadn't moved a thing and had just sat rigidly on the sofa, staring at the oversized screen.
There, the hero of his game had frozen in mid-battle and, no matter which button Jasper pressed, nothing managed to change that. Either the console had now reached the end of its lifespan or the game wasn't a beta at all, as his buddy Carter had assured him. It seemed like an alpha full of elementary bugs. Jasper would never have knowingly gotten involved with that. Maybe that was why Carter hadn't told him about it beforehand. He rather left him to believe that he was getting an executable beta from which only the last teething problems needed to be ironed out.