by Michael Todd
Katie went back to her room and finished gearing up as Angie stood in the doorway watching. Katie clipped some extra magazines to her belt and glanced at the woman. “Are you cool with this arrangement? I didn’t mean to make you a full-time babysitter, but I gotta handle some shit, and I trust you to keep an eye on him.”
Angie smirked. “He’s a moron, but I think I can handle him. You scared the shit out of him with paperwork; I think I can come up with a few of my own. By the time you come back, he’ll be scared of the laundry monster, the dish brigade, and the killer mop-man. It’ll be shiny as hell in there.”
Katie laughed and put her bag across her chest. She gave Angie a hug. “You are the best. You need anything or anything goes down, call me immediately. If you can’t get through on my cell, call Timothy. He’ll be able to get me.”
Angie smiled. “Yep, I got it. Be safe, and try to relax on your flight. You are so high-strung, you gotta take every second of peace you can get.”
From across the hall, they heard Juntto curse loudly. Katie shook her head. “Good luck.”
Katie walked to the balcony and opened the doors, taking in the cool almost-fall air. She decided since the plane would need a second to get fully ready, she would take a flight around the city and clear her mind. She stepped outside and onto the railing, spreading her wings wide.
Pandora giggled. Look at your fan club down there. I think they scared off the haters.
Katie gave them a wave and leaped off the balcony, flapping her wings as she soared between the buildings. She took a loop around the city, flying over the river, across Central Park, and over to the 9/11 Memorial. She looked down at all the people visiting, putting their hands on the memorial wall, paying tribute.
She felt a slight ache in her heart. Ten years from now, you will see those memorials all over the world. People will be paying tribute to all the brave souls who fought hard against the demons.
Yeah, and sitting at the feet of a mighty statue of you and me—with wings, of course.
Katie smirked. I hope they don’t do it to actual proportions—the damn thing will tumble over, tits first.
Pandora laughed. Hell of a way to die. Crushed to death by Katie the angel/demon’s stone-hard tits. It’ll be a beautiful thing.
Katie laughed. They flew higher into the sky, waving at a few people who noticed her from the ground. The leaves of the trees scattered throughout the city were starting to change colors just slightly. Katie couldn’t wait to see the oranges, yellows, and reds of fall. It was her favorite season.
She banked right and did a quick loop around the Empire State Building. People working in the building pressed against the windows to get a better look and she waved at them all. Normally she felt ridiculous doing things like that, but it had been a while since the public had seen her outside of paparazzi videos. Just like the general had said, the world needed to know they weren’t backing down from anything. Katie also needed that moment to see all the innocent faces of the city and remember why she was fighting so hard against Moloch. She needed to make sure she wasn’t doing this out of revenge, but instead, from a need to protect the innocent.
It was times like that she wished she had Damian there to give her one of his insightful pep talks, but she knew he was playing an important role in London with the church. She turned and headed for the airport, waving at the tower guards as she flew past them. She lowered herself down to the ground, flapping her wings backward to slow down. She closed her wings and let them disappear, then jogged down the path to the hangar where her plane was waiting.
“Katie, we have everything prepared and ready for you, and the pilot said to let him know when you are ready,” one of the staff put in. He took her bag and accompanied her aboard.
Katie walked up into the plane and smiled at the donuts waiting for her. “I’m ready to go whenever he is. Thank you.”
Juntto walked down the street with his hands in his pockets, his face hidden under his ball cap. He had remembered what Katie had said about changing his clothes before he went out, but he refused to change his appearance. He liked Morpheus and felt comfortable in that form. Besides, he was not the type of being to fold under pressure—even if that pressure was coming from Pandora. As far as he was concerned, she could suck it.
The thought made him chuckle as he looked down at the GPS on his phone. Angie had taught him how to use the machine to guide him around the city so he wouldn’t get lost. Luckily, there was a GameStop on East Eighty-sixth Street, just a straight shot of eight or nine blocks from the condo.
As he approached the building, he pulled out his wallet and looked at the plastic card inside. Angie had taught him how to use it. “Put card in machine, punch in code 1313,” he mumbled.
He grabbed the door handle and went inside, keeping his head down as he entered. He walked to the wall with the green Xbox sign over it and started to look through the games. There were many to choose from, and lots that looked absolutely badass. There were guns and big soldiers on almost every single one.
“Welcome to GameStop. Can I help you find something today?” The sales associate beamed as he approached Juntto, then gasped. The kid almost vibrated with excitement.
Juntto looked up, ready for anything.
The kid looked around nervously, then whispered, “Are you…”
Juntto let out a breath. Right. He was wearing a famous face. He shook his head. “He’s my cousin.”
The kid nodded and gave Juntto a big cheesy wink, not really believing him. “Okay, gotcha. What can I do for you today?”
Juntto picked up the Halo Master Chief compilation case and looked at it. “I am here to get the new Xbox, and Halo. But I think you will show me some more games like that.”
“I can do that.” The guy nodded. “First-person shooter games. Nice. Well, there is Destiny, which is actually created by Bungie. They were the original producers of Halo before they sold it to 343 Industries. It’s similar, but definitely not the same. If you like Halo, most likely you’ll like Destiny. Personally, I’m a Halo guy, but I like the storyline better than Destiny.”
Juntto nodded. “Okay, I take. What else?”
The associate pulled the Far Cry Four box off the shelf. “This is a good one, too. Different from Halo, but still a killer game. This is probably one of the most popular games right now.”
Juntto was amused by the guy on the cover. “I’ll take this too. I like that guy’s style.”
The associate laughed. “Pagan Min is his name. He is a ruler in the game, but he got there by slaughtering the heir to the throne. He is very flamboyant and out-there, for sure.”
Juntto hefted the armful of games. “I was told I cannot take these by force. I will pay.”
“Uh. Great. I can ring you up over here.”
Juntto followed the kid up to the counter. “How much do I owe?”
The associate started ringing everything up. “Are you a GameStop rewards member? You get rewards, extended returns, party invites for new releases, and a copy of the monthly magazine. I just need your address.”
“Not right now. I wait on that.” Juntto wasn’t sure what his address was but didn’t want to tell the kid that.
The associate typed on the computer. “And did you want to buy the warranties?”
Juntto thought about it for a second, remembering that Angie had told him to get them. “Yes, all the warranties.”
“Good choice, man. Did you want a pair of Turtle Beach so you can really hear the sounds on the game and talk to other players?”
“Turtle Beach?” Juntto didn’t know if he was being made the object of fun. He knew what turtles were, and didn’t think they belonged in this store.
The associate pulled a box with headphones in it off the wall. “Yeah, awesome headphones. The best, in my personal opinion.”
Juntto nodded. “I’ll take them. I can trash-talk those little assholes on the game better. I was playing computer-style on my Alienware, but now I try the
Xbox.”
The guy nodded. “I love computer games. Taking it old school. Of course, nothing seems old-school on an Alienware. I personally have a desktop. An Acer for gaming.”
Juntto had no idea what the guy was talking about, so he just nodded and swiped his card. He typed in his PIN, then stuck his wallet back in his pocket. The guy put everything in two bags and handed them over. “Enjoy, man, and stop by next Saturday. We’re having a gaming tournament.”
“Thank you, I will do that.” He smiled.
Juntto left the store, overjoyed by his purchases. He pulled out his phone and turned the GPS on. He saw there was a side street ahead that would cut some time off his walk. He was stoked to get back and hook up his Xbox. He wasn’t even sure how to play the thing, but he figured Angie would help him like she did with the computer.
As he passed a hot dog stand, he stopped and reached in his other pocket, pulling out a twenty. The guy gave him a hot dog with everything, and Juntto waved. “Keep change.”
He took a huge bite of his dog, juggling his bags as he turned down the side street. “Mmm, Angie not kidding. Dogs are delicious.”
As he walked down the empty street, he could sense someone behind him. At first, he didn’t look. New York was filled with people. There were more beings in this one place than he had ever seen on his planet. He could sense all of their emotions and intentions roiling throughout the city, and tried to block them out most of the time. He finished his hot dog and tossed the trash to the side of the street as he walked.
“You should put that shit in a trash can,” one of the guys behind him yelled.
Juntto slowed down. He could hear them continuing forward, and he counted their footsteps quickly. He slowly turned around and wiped his face on his shoulder. There were three men in thick boots. All were smaller in size, and one was carrying a gun. Juntto realized he was being robbed.
“Oh man, you are older than I thought.” one of the guys laughed as they stopped a few feet away from him. He wore aviator glasses and was grinning maniacally.
“Yeah, you heading back to the Matrix or something, bro?” another asked. He had a head full of dreadlocks, which Juntto quite liked.
Juntto just tilted his head to the side, a smirk on his lips. He was waiting for the third guy, the one with the gun, to make his move. The third guy licked his lips and ran his eyes over the bags. “Looks like Pops just bought the new system and some games. You rolling in the dough, buddy? I mean, you did make all those movies.”
Juntto shook his head. “Trust me, just walk away.”
The three guys burst into laughter, then fell silent. The guy with the gun held his piece out. His other hand was holding his baggy pants up. “Why don’t you just hand over that loot and we might let you walk out of here alive?”
Juntto laughed. “You want this stuff?”
“Yeah,” the guy replied, grinning.
Juntto’s face got serious, and he set the bags on the ground in front of him. “Come take it, newbies.”
14
“Ow, man, let me go,” the guy with the cool dreads yelled.
Juntto did not. Instead, he twisted the would-be thief into a headlock and asked, “Do you rob people often?”
The guy grimaced. “Just trying to make a living here, man. What the fuck?”
Juntto narrowed his eyes and punched the guy hard in the stomach, and Dreadlocks wheezed. Juntto tossed him into the wall. He landed with a thwack and slid down into a pile of garbage, grunting and holding his stomach.
Juntto walked toward the guy with the gun, the leader, and smacked it out of the guy’s hand. The leader yelped but stepped back into something like a fighting stance, his fists up in front of him. “Stay back, dude. I know jujitsu. I’m serious.”
Juntto put his hand to his chin. “Is that karate? I’ve always wanted to learn.”
The leader grabbed his pants so they wouldn’t fall, spun, and kicked Juntto in the side, grimacing as his foot slammed into what felt like a brick wall. Juntto moved like a snake. He grabbed the leader’s ankle and twisted hard, spinning him sideways in a circle and releasing. The guy slammed his head into the ground and groaned, trying hard to pick himself back up.
The third guy ran for Juntto, jumped onto his back, and began pounding his fists against the Leviathan’s shoulders. Juntto turned in a circle, trying to see the guy. Finally, he roared and reached back with both hands. He grabbed the guy and threw him off. The guy hit the ground hard, skidding through a puddle. His aviator shades were cracked, but he was still wearing them.
The leader was digging through trash, looking for his gun when Juntto stepped over him. He leaped back to his feet and came at Juntto. “Eat my jujitsu, bitch!” He punched him in the stomach and then slammed a left across his jaw. When the leader’s fist connected with Juntto’s face, something cracked. It wasn’t Juntto’s jaw. The thief grabbed his hand and yelled in pain.
Juntto grabbed the guy by the wrist, yanking him forward. He punched him twice in the gut—carefully so as not to break him—and pushed him to his knees. “You like the view down there, scumbag?”
Fear floated across the guy’s face. Juntto pushed him over and kicked him in the stomach. “That is not how I play this game, fucker. Stay down, or I will put you down.” Juntto rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I am not supposed to kill unless it is absolutely necessary.” He brightened. “But I am free to cripple you.”
Dreadlocks climbed to his feet. He stumbled for a moment, then pulled a silver rod from his pocket. The rod was little more than a handle. He flicked his wrist and a two-foot length of steel extended outward. He held it like a baseball bat and slammed it across Juntto’s back. Juntto grunted and fell to one knee, then lowered his head. Dreadlocks chuckled and raised the rod high over his head, ready to strike Juntto again. As the metal bar fell, Juntto reached up and caught it without looking. He slowly stood and ripped the rod from Dreadlocks’ hand, then easily bent the bar in half. The guy stumbled, pressing his back against the wall.
Juntto looked at the metal bar, anger building in his chest. Normally all three of them would be dead by that point, but he had to follow the rules Katie had laid out for him. He threw the bar to the ground and stomped forward, then gripped Dreadlocks’ shirt with both hands and lifted him off the ground, growling. The kid’s eyes opened wide as Juntto blinked rapidly, his eyes changing from one color to another.
Dreadlocks let out a high-pitched scream and wiggled his legs. Pee soaked the front of his jeans. “How the fuck are you… What the fuck are you?”
Juntto gave him a nefarious smile. “Your worst nightmare, bitch.”
He dropped the guy to the ground and pinned him to the wall, his forearm shoved under Dreadlocks’ chin. “I’m going to let you go, although normally I would pull your fucking spleen out through your neck. You will never hurt anyone ever again. I might not understand how to use the Xbox controller, but I know how to inflict maximum pain when it is deserved. Do you understand?”
Three shots rang out in the alleyway and Juntto grunted. He let go of the guy, and when he reached around to touch his shoulder blade, his hand came away bloody. He puzzled over the blood dripping off his fingers, then he saw the leader grinning like a jackal behind his gun. The thief had shot him three times in the back, but the bullets were just a pinprick to Juntto. A pinprick that made him want to rip the leader’s head off his shoulders.
Juntto walked steadily forward and the leader fired again wildly, missing Juntto entirely. The frost giant grabbed the gun and twisted it from the guy’s hand. He looked at it for a moment and then at the leader, who was staring at him with wide eyes. Juntto stood up straight and rolled his shoulders, twisting his back. Three bullets popped from the wounds in his back and clinked to the ground. They rolled along the alley, coming to a stop at the leader’s feet.
“Shit.”
Juntto gritted his teeth and grabbed the leader’s hand. Instead of ripping the guy’s arm off, he shoved the gun back into
his hand. The guy was baffled.
“My master said I shouldn’t kill unless I’m being harmed. You shooting me gives me permission.”
The guy’s hand was shaking as Juntto held the gun there.
Juntto narrowed his eyes and stepped back, leaving the gun in the leader’s hand. “But I hate the idea of paperwork.”
He stared at the guy for several moments, and Juntto’s eyes became a hazy gray. The guy looked confused, unsure what to do. Suddenly his eyes hazed over as well, and he stood up. His eyes were half-closed as if he were asleep. Slowly his hand began to curve up, and he pressed the barrel of the gun to his own temple.
The guy with the aviators pulled them off and stood. “What are you doing, man? Stop!”
Juntto’s lip curled up. “No.”
The leader stared at Juntto for a moment with his hazy eyes and pulled the trigger, blowing his brains all over the alley wall.
Juntto’s eyes returned to brown, and he took a deep breath. “Now it is suicide, and I have no paperwork.”
He turned around to deal with the other two, but they had taken off running in the other direction. He smiled, knowing he didn’t need to chase them. They wouldn’t be doing anything stupid for a long time. He kicked the leader’s leg with the toe of his boot. Yes, the guy was dead. He walked over and picked up his bags. He pulled out his phone, turned the GPS back on, and started walking down the alley, whistling to himself as he went.
Not a soul had seen the event that he knew of, and Juntto was happy to have followed the rules. He would be glad once he was home playing his new games. The thugs had taken enough of his time. He had aliens to kill and controllers to learn how to use.
Angie climbed out of the taxi with her arms loaded with bags. She had gotten a few things for the pair of condos. She had neglected many things while trying to take care of Juntto, so she figured it was time to take care of old business. She pulled out her wallet, tipped the taxi driver, and turned to walk in the building. She paused slightly as she walked, seeing the cop car pulled up to the curb in front.