by Gary Jonas
We both stopped.
“You go,” I said.
“You first,” she said.
“No, I insist,” I said.
She hesitated. “You could always just leave town,” she said.
“And go where?”
“Anywhere.”
“My father will find me. He wants a son who can sign the accord. He wants a son who can pass the Magic Council’s test.”
“He told me he gave you a chance to leave.”
“He did?”
She nodded. “You’re here looking for sympathy.”
“A little, I guess. Truth is I have nowhere to go. And my father wants a son he can be proud of.”
She gave me a sad head shake. “Good thing Sabrina’s not here,” she said.
“Why?”
“She’d tell you not to end a sentence with a preposition.”
“That’s how we’re going to do this?” I asked.
“What is it we’re doing?”
“Saying our final farewell,” I said.
“You could just pass the damn test.”
“The other Brett studied for it his entire life.”
“You’ve come a long way,” Lakesha said.
“He’s the one my father wants. You like him better than me anyway. So does your damn cat.”
“He’s nice to us.”
“And I’m a total dick,” I said. “I get it.”
“What did I tell you about sympathetic magic?” she asked.
“Hell if I know.”
“I talked to you about it for hours back in August.”
“There’s your problem. You talked for hours. I tuned you out.”
“In six words or less,” she said and grabbed my wrists. She waited until I looked into her eyes. “Think resembles. Think imitation.”
“Think genuine,” I said.
“Exactly.”
I gave her a confused look, and she sighed. “Think about it.”
“You’re trying to tell me something.”
“I can’t say it directly,” she said. “Your father’s magic is too strong. But so is yours.”
“Fat lot of good that does me. Okay, I just wanted to say goodbye. And thanks for trying. I know I’ve been a handful.”
I pulled my wrists free and stood.
“I’m serious,” I said. She looked up at me and I held her gaze, staring deep into her eyes. “If I have any chance of surviving whatever’s coming, it’s because of what you taught me and I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you’ve done.” I took a deep breath, and maintained eye contact. “Thank you.”
She rose and grabbed me again. This time she pulled me into an embrace. Was she going through the motions for me because that’s what she was supposed to do in this kind of situation? I couldn’t tell if she wasn’t really feeling it. But she held me longer than she had to, and in her arms, I felt something inside me break. I fought to keep it under control.
“You’re a pain in the ass, Brett. Stubborn as the day is long.”
She pulled back and I tried to gaze into her eyes, hoping to see at least a touch of emotion there. Maybe the hint of a tear. Something? She didn’t meet my gaze. Instead, she stared at my chest and patted me before turning away.
She wiped her eyes. Were those tears? Did she care? Was she faking it?
“You be you,” she said, softly.
“Like I could be anything else.” I turned away and felt emotions well inside me, but I tamped them down because I didn’t want her to see me cry. I was the lazy guy who didn’t care about anything. I had a part to play, and I knew how to play it. I pointed at the cat. “Bye, Isis.”
The cat made a point not to look my way.
“I hate you too,” I said, and laughed because I couldn’t cry.
The cat licked a paw and ran that paw over her face. I didn’t matter because I was too far away to scratch and I wasn’t worth the effort to cross the floor.
“Right,” I said.
I left the shop.
Gideon waited with the engine running. I turned away from him and faced the building for a moment so I could dab at my eyes with my shirt sleeve. I sniffed hard, got myself under control. I took a deep breath, spun and walked over with a stoic expression because nothing was supposed to affect me. I wasn’t supposed to care about anything or anyone.
I climbed into the limo, trying to hide the fact that I did care. I didn’t know it until that moment. I had no illusions about Lakesha caring that much about me. I was a pain in her ass and I’d never given her a reason to care. But she put up with me. She had the human decency to hug me goodbye. Something she didn’t have to do. And it didn’t matter how she felt about me, because I cared about her. I wished I’d been nicer to her.
“All good?” Gideon asked.
I took a deep breath. “Sorry I wasted my time,” I said, hiding my feelings. “Let’s get this over with.”
Gideon drove out of the alley without giving me any shit about prepositions.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Moody Gardens closed at nine o’clock, and we pulled into the parking lot at ten. All three pyramids were lit along the corners with lines of light going straight up to the top creating glowing triangles. Gideon drove over to the largest of the pyramids. The employees had cleared out, and we were able to park close to the big structure. I’d never been inside, but I’d certainly seen the pyramids from the road. In the darkness, the big pyramid looked black, but I knew it was blue.
The Aquarium Pyramid held thousands of marine animals, including sharks. I didn’t want to be shark food, so I didn’t plan to go inside to tempt them with my tasty flesh. For all I knew, one of them would morph into a Mako Clansman and try to chomp my ass. The structure held something like one-and-a-half million gallons of seawater.
There was a slightly smaller pyramid that held monkeys, sloths, birds, otters, and other critters I didn’t want to see. They called that one the Rainforest Pyramid. Not my scene.
The third and smallest was the Discovery Pyramid, where they gave shows on science and such. If not for the educational value, I could see going in there. No sharks to eat me, no birds to use me for target practice for their nasty white bombs.
The other Brett pulled up in his yellow Lamborghini. He climbed out of the sports car and approached the limo carrying a small overnight bag.
Gideon jumped out, and opened the door so Brett could get into the back with me.
“Greetings and salutations,” he said, dropping the bag on the seat between us.
“Blow me,” I said.
“You’re in a mood.”
“You’re a piece of shit. Don’t bitch about my language. No kids here.” I gestured around the back of the car to make my point.
“Yes, well, it’s test time, and I’m exceedingly nervous.”
“You’re a moron.”
“I’m half-tempted to switch places with you, Brett,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know that I want to be a full wizard in the Council. I’ll have to answer to our father.”
“Which reminds me, you’re a liar.”
“What do you mean?”
“You said he was dying. Brain cancer. Six months to live. All that nonsense.”
He gave me a sheepish grin, and adjusted his collar. He wore a nice suit, but no tie. I wore jeans and a t-shirt. “Well, I was trying to get you to take my place for the shows.”
“Where people tried to kill me.”
“And I warned you.”
“But again, you lied. You said I’d crumble to sand.”
“But you didn’t believe me.”
“And you tried to say you’re the real Brett Masters.”
“I am the real me,” he said.
“You’re the double.”
“Whatever,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Sabrina and Michael should be here soon.”
“Why?”
“Sabrina is a witness. Michael
is hoping that our great-great grandmother can cure his vampirism. She can’t, but I wanted him here for moral support.”
“You lied to him.”
“I implied and he inferred.”
“Right,” I said. “You can change the subject all you want, but you’re still the double. The tattoo proves it.”
“The one that says I’m genuine?”
I rolled my eyes. “Dad gave you that so he’d be able to tell us apart.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You had to keep your hair styled like mine. You got the same tattoo of the Tarot that I did, only mine actually works because mine is legit. You never even met Solomon King.”
“Who’s that?”
“Tattoo artist wizard dude,” I said. “Total dick.”
“I got the tattoo due to Father’s magic. And it’s interesting because every now and then, the Tarot card changes.”
“Proof that you’re the duplicate. I got the actual tattoo. I can ask questions and the cards answer. Okay, answer might be pushing it because it’s not that useful, but those are all original to me.”
He laughed. “You’re such a moron,” he said. “Father had me studying. He didn’t subject me to tattoos and such. He had me keep your hairstyle so I could step in when the time was right. Now your life is mine, only I made it better.”
“Your idea of better is debatable.”
“Regardless, your silly idea about you being the real me does not make any sense. I was the one under protection. I was the one gaining knowledge.”
“You were the one being Daddy’s good little boy.”
“You’re just jealous because he never liked you.”
“And you think he likes you?”
He spread his hands. “Like might be pushing it, but in your case, he kept feeding things to you to magic you up so when you died, he could have your body brought to me and I could assimilate what little magic and essence you have.”
“Why would he need my body?” I asked.
“Because the rest of the magic I need to pass the test is inside you.”
“If you were the real me, you wouldn’t need that magic.” But as I spoke the words, I realized that if the magic he needed was in me, maybe the magic I needed was in him.
Headlights interrupted our argument, as Michael pulled up in his black Dodge Charger. He and Sabrina got out of the car and approached the limo.
Brett opened the door and we got out, too. I had to toss the overnight bag out of the way.
“Are you ready?” Sabrina asked.
“I’m nervous,” Brett said.
“When will the Matriarch be here?” Michael asked.
“Matriarch?” I asked, playing dumb.
“Our great-great grandmother. She’s the Grand Matriarch, ruler of the Magic Council.”
“I knew she was high up, but I didn’t realize she was the boss.”
“Has been for a hundred years. Will be for another hundred at least.”
“She’s amazing,” Sabrina said. “I’ve always wanted to meet her.”
“She’s a bitch,” I said.
“Don’t let her hear you say that,” Brett said.
“I’ll tell her that to her face,” I said. “Still, she and I agree about one thing.”
“What’s that?” Brett asked.
I grinned. “That Dad’s an asshole.”
“He prides himself on that,” Brett said.
Michael stared at me and my twin. He shook his head. “Other than your wardrobe choices and vocabulary, you guys are identical. It’s weird.”
Sabrina laughed. “Lazy Brett has a tan, but you can’t tell that in this light. Still they’re easy to tell apart. The way they carry themselves is totally different. Look at lazy Brett’s posture, for instance.”
“Very funny,” I said, trying to straighten up a bit.
Sabrina nodded. “See?”
Brett and I looked each other up and down.
“How does the test work?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I don’t know, but we need to get ready.”
“I’m ready.”
He shook his head. “Sabrina is right. We can’t get to where she won’t be able to tell us apart, because she’s spent too much time with each of us. But we should be able to fool the others. There’s a change of clothes in the bag. We need to be dressed exactly the same, so I took the liberty of bringing an extra suit.”
I clapped Brett on the shoulder. “Good thinking.”
He looked at me like I was an idiot, which told me he didn’t sense the magic. I hid my grin as I got into the limo to change clothes.
The bag contained shoes, socks, pants, coat, shirt, and belt. All exactly like the other me wore. I stripped and got dressed in the clothes he provided.
When I stepped out of the car and stood next to him, it was like looking in a mirror.
Michael shook his head. “Wow.”
“They are genetically identical,” Gideon said.
“There are still a few differences,” Brett said.
“Sabrina, Gideon, Michael,” I said. “Turn around.”
“Why?” Sabrina asked.
“So we can test your skills at identifying us.”
“This is stupid,” Sabrina said.
“Humor me,” I said, and motioned with a twirl of my finger for them to turn the other way.
They turned.
I walked around Brett a few times. I smoothed out our suits. He gave me a weird look when I brushed his pants. We shook our hair. I adopted a more effeminate pout, and he swatted at me.
We stood side by side.
“Okay,” I said. “Which of us is which?”
They turned around and looked at us.
Whenever my twin shifted his body weight, I did the same. When he changed an expression, so did I. When he tried to signal Sabrina with a wink, I did the same.
If he winked on the other side, I simply ignored it because I knew it wouldn’t matter. Any real shift, I’d notice.
“Line up in front of the real Brett Masters,” I said.
“I’m the real one,” Brett said.
“I’m the real one,” I said with the exact same tone.
“Fine,” he said. “Line up in front of the more sophisticated Brett Masters.”
“But realize that the ramification of your choice could be detrimental to the test,” I said.
“Don’t talk like me,” he said.
“Don’t worry about it. They’ll recognize me without much difficulty.”
“They should recognize me.”
“Indeed,” I said.
He looked at me. I looked at him.
Sabrina frowned.
Michael shook his head.
Gideon nodded, possibly impressed, possibly bored. It was hard to tell.
“Walk for me,” Sabrina said.
“This will show you,” I said and walked from the limo to the Lamborghini.
“No, this will show you,” he said and followed me.
I mimicked his walk as best I could, and moved around to the driver’s side. “And as proof of the pudding,” I said with my nose in the air, “I shall separate us instantly.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out the basic key fob I’d stolen from the other Brett when I brushed his pants.
“Hey,” he said. “That’s mine.”
“Nice try, Brett,” I said.
Sabrina looked from him to me. “You have the key, but you wouldn’t have it if you were the lazy Brett.”
“He stole it from me,” Brett said.
“Right,” I said. “Because I would have the skills of a pickpocket. Don’t be ridiculous.”
Michael studied me, glanced at the other Brett. He pointed to me. “You’re the sophisticated Brett. The Brett I knew couldn’t steal a key fob without getting caught.”
Sabrina hesitated.
“Choose me, my dear or I’ll tell the good folks at A Brand New You that you detest the spa.”
“Show me your t
attoo,” she said.
“Yes,” Gideon said. “Show us your tattoo.”
The other Brett folded his arms and grinned.
I smiled, slipped off my jacket and tossed it into the Lamborghini. I unbuttoned my shirt, peeled it down to reveal my left shoulder, which now sported Brett’s genuine tattoo complete with pentagram and fire.
“Cheater,” he said and pulled off his jacket. He threw it on the ground, unbuttoned his shirt enough to peel over his left shoulder and revealed unblemished skin.
“That settles it,” Sabrina said and moved to me.
“What the hell?” Brett said, staring at his shoulder. “How did you do that?”
“Father marked me when we were separated so he could tell us apart,” I said.
“But that’s seriously controlled magic.”
“Are you saying Father doesn’t have the skill to mark one of us with a tattoo?”
Gideon studied us then stepped over to his Brett. He pointed at him. “This is my Brett,” he said. “Nifty little trick, though.”
“Oh, Gideon,” I said. “I’m disappointed in you.”
He smiled and focused his magic.
I felt a pull on my entire body and I slid across the asphalt toward him.
“You forget,” he said. “I have your blood in all my rings.”
“His blood should be the same!”
“It is, but I’m focused on you.”
“Then that proves nothing because you’d be able to pull him across the parking lot, too.”
“Too late, napper boy,” Gideon said. “You gave yourself up. As such, you fail that part of the test.”
“The test hasn’t started yet.”
Gideon laughed. “You moron, the test has been going since you first arrived in Galveston a year ago. And you have a lot of failures on your report card.”
“Thank you, Gideon,” the other Brett said.
“Don’t thank me, Brett. You just failed to represent yourself as the real Brett to people who know you. You failed to prevent him from passing himself off as you. He even had me going until I saw your reaction to the missing tattoo.” Gideon winked at me. “Nice touch, that.”
“What happens now?” I asked.
“I told you what you need to do, and I do like your acting abilities, so you will take my Brett’s place for the dangerous part, and when that’s finished, you will sacrifice yourself and he’ll finish up with the magical skills test.”