World Revolver

by Gina Ranalli

  -So many books to read.

  Luna talks casually, as if she didn’t just drop a dude with at least sixty pounds on her.

  -But I bet Hoop hasn’t spent his time in here wisely. Have you, Hoop? Did you partake of all the wisdom that can be found in these old tomes?

  -Go fuck yourself.

  Circe tsks.

  -That’s just rude, man.

  Luna crosses her legs and continues.

  -What can you tell us about Halleck, Hoop? He’s taking Satellite. We know that much. What else is there?

  Hoop folds himself into a sitting position on the floor and continues to rub his throat.

  -I have no idea what you’re talking about, Kat.

  My eyes shift over to Luna, who has no reaction, so I decide to be adventurous.

  -Kat?

  Luna absently swings a booted foot up and down.

  -My real name is Kathleen. I used to go by Kat.

  -Huh.

  This is interesting information, I think.

  -So, then…why Luna?

  -It’s the name Atropos gave me.

  -Oh. I see.

  I don’t really see, of course. I think it’s weird. Like Atropos is her mother or something.

  Circe elbows me.

  -Bet you can’t guess my real name.

  I think about it.

  -Cock gobbler?

  He gives me a fake grin.

  -Funny. You’re a funny guy.

  -Okay, I give up. What’s your real name?

  -I’m not gonna tell you now. Asshole.

  -Whatever. Did Atropos name you too?

  -Yep. She gives nicknames to all of us who are worthy. Not dickless though.

  He points at Hoop and whispers to me.

  -If she gave him one, it would probably be Vag.

  I frown.

  -How come I don’t get a nickname?

  -You’re obviously not worthy, little man.

  Circe snickers, happy with himself.

  -Or maybe I’m higher up the ladder than you. Maybe only peons get nicknames.

  A quiet knock on the doorjamb alerts us all and we turn to see Atropos standing in the doorway. I’m starting to think she does this kind of thing a lot.

  Her blue eyes find mine.

  -Your name is Ringer.

  I blink.

  -Huh?

  Even though I apparently am worthy of a nickname, I’m not worthy of any further response. She comes into the room and looks down at Hoop.

  -What do you know about the trigger?

  He tries to play it tough but I’m pretty sure I see fear in those brown eyes.

  -I don’t know anything about it.

  -You know what I can do to you if you don’t cooperate. What I can do with you.

  This threat puzzles me for a moment, but then I remember her somehow jumping into Hoop’s body and making him walk up to this very room. Just the idea of someone else controlling my body like that gives me the willies.

  Atropos continues talking in her calm voice.

  -I can dig around in your mind until I find it myself, but the chances are very high if I do that, your mind will become irreparably…scrambled. I have no desire to hurt you. You know this.

  To my shock and amazement, Hoop begins to cry, pressing a fist to his mouth and using the other hand to wipe away the fast forming tears.

  Atropos crouches down beside him.

  -You can rejoin the fold whenever you wish. You know this too.

  Circe scratches his neck and says exactly what I’m thinking.

  -He can?

  Without taking her eyes off Hoop, Atropos replies.

  -Of course he can. He was brought into it to begin with for the same reasons you all were. For your potential to repair what’s about to go very wrong.

  Licking my lips, I glance over at Luna, who seems fully engrossed in what Atropos is saying. I wonder again if I’ve inadvertently gotten involved in some kind of cult. Their devotion to this strangely beautiful teenager is unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed before, and that includes a junkie’s devotion to his or her drug of choice.

  Hoop sniffles loudly, wiping his nose on his sleeve.

  -Halleck developed something else. Another drug. A better drug. He calls it Sol.

  Silence permeates the room, all of us too stunned to speak. Finally, Atropos asks Hoop a question.

  -And this new drug does what I can do?

  Hoop nods and continues to sob.

  Rising up, Atropos regards us all gravely.

  -There can be no more tests. We have to go now.

  Confused, I say,

  -What? We? Where do we have to go?

  Without missing a beat, Atropos replies.

  -Wherever you’re taking us next.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX—The Guard

  I never held a gun before I got this job and I pray to whoever there is to pray to that I never have to pull the trigger. But the money is good and being out in the middle of nowhere is helpful to my mental health.

  The blonde woman, Luna, recruited me right off the street one day when I was hanging around waiting for Sennacherib’s to open. Just walked up and asked me if I wanted a job. I was skeptical at first but when she told me what they were paying and that it was a live in gig, I bit back my better judgement and crossed my fingers I wasn’t going to be fed to some millionaire with an excessive appetite for man flesh.

  She taught me how to use the AK and how to be alert. Those were her words: be alert. See anything out of the ordinary and just take aim. Questions would have to come later.

  I’m outside on gate duty, freezing my balls off with another dude named Dylan, on a Tuesday night and everything is as calm and quiet as a tomb. Dylan offers me his pack of smokes, but I shake my head. Yet another vice I gave up a long time ago. The longest ago. I quit the cancer sticks before the drugs and even before the alcohol. I thought I’d live longer, as much of a joke as it sounds like now.

  Something rustles in the bushes and Dylan freezes, his zippo ready to set his long hair on fire.

  -Cat.

  I try to stifle a smile. Dylan’s greener than me. He lights his smoke and snaps the zippo closed, pocketing it fast so both hands can be on his weapon again, the cigarette clamped tightly between his lips.

  -Lots of cats around here.

  I’m hoping he’ll stop being quite so jumpy.

  -Which is good on account of the rat infestation.

  He pulls the smoke from his mouth.

  -The fuck? I hate fucking rats.

  I shrug.

  -They’re not that big. Don’t sweat it.

  -I had a rat chase my dog once. I tried telling Penguin it was supposed to be the other way around. He was supposed to chase the rat, but he was the biggest pussy dog on the planet. Great Dane. Scared of his own shadow.

  I give him a sidelong glance.

  -You named your dog Penguin?

  -Yeah. So what?

  Unable to help it, I crack up. It’s not all that funny, really, but not much is funny anymore and I take the laughs wherever I can find them.

  The sound of clacking footsteps coming up behind us makes me choke on my laughter and both Dylan and I whirl, weapons ready.

  Three people are walking towards us through the dark, coming down the walkway from the house. If it wasn’t for Luna’s blonde hair, I might have been further alarmed.

  -Easy, boys.

  The voice drifts to us, masculine and somehow taunting. I know the voice. It’s that douchebag Circe.

  The three of them reach us: Luna, Circe and Hoop. The last guy I only know by sight and name. I’ve never had a single conversation with him before now but he is the one to speak.

  -Take a break, Dylan.

  Dylan doesn’t question it and I have to admit I’m kind of envious of his type. The kind who just take orders without question. He would have been a good soldier probably. Me—not so much.

  When Dylan is out of earshot, Luna tells me something I’m not expec
ting to hear.

  -We need to talk to you about Atropos.

  I don’t say anything. I’ve heard of Atropos—I know she’s the reason we’re all here—but I’ve never met her. In fact, most of the other guys I’m working this gig with have never met her either. We’ve never even seen her. There’s been talk that maybe she doesn’t exist. Not as a person anyway. Maybe she’s something else. A code name for something. A secret project maybe. The damn house is so big, they could be doing anything in there and those of us on the ‘staff’ would never be the wiser. We’re only allowed in rooms on the first floor. We can go to the second floor but we’re always made to stand outside doors, never allowed inside rooms.

  -How would you like to meet Atropos, Eon?

  The question comes from Hoop, his bald head gleaming in the frozen moonlight.

  -Meet her? What for?

  -It’s better if she tells you that.

  -But there is one thing.

  Luna speaks again, her voice low and sexy, and I’m reminded of the first time I met her in front of the bar. How I’d hoped she was just stopping to talk because she dug how I looked, because I sure as shit dug how she looked. Still do.

  -What is it?

  -You’ve heard of the drug Satellite?

  I’m slow to answer.

  -Yeah…

  -You’ve done it?

  No sense to lie.

  -A couple times, yeah.

  -Well, we need you to do it a couple more.

  -What? Why?

  Hoop says again,

  -It’s better if Atropos tells you.

  -Why is that?

  -Because you won’t believe it if you hear it from us.

  -Come on, little man.

  Circe reaches for my arm but I take a step back.

  -I’m not supposed to leave the gate.

  -Dylan will be right back.

  -I’m not supposed to leave it for anything.

  -You can leave it for us,

  Luna says.

  -But it will be unmanned.

  -Tell you what.

  Hoop gives Circe a gentle push forward.

  -Circe will stay here until Dylan gets back.

  Circe glares at him in the dark.

  -Oh, I will?

  I interrupt them.

  -He doesn’t have a weapon.

  Pulling out an automatic, Circe waves it at me.

  -Trust me. I have a weapon.

  I can’t think of anymore arguments, so I just nod and follow them to the house, leaving Circe behind to grumble to himself.

  Once we’re in the house, Luna and Hoop lead me into the parlor where an old woman sits waiting.

  She smiles at me, her skin so translucent I can see the blue veins spidering their way through her temples. Her chocolate brown eyes regard me with curiosity as she rises to her feet.

  -Hello, Mr. Eon. I’m Atropos.

  She offers her hand and I take it. It feels like I’m holding a bird’s skeleton. I didn’t expect her to be so old.

  -Hi. Nice to meet you, ma’am.

  -Sit down, will you? Join me for a cup of tea?

  She looks at Hoop who immediately leaves the room, presumably to fetch the tea.

  I do as asked and sit down in an arm chair across from the sofa where Atropos sits.

  -You’re a very special man, Mr. Eon. Very unique. Did you know that?

  -Uh…no. But…umm…thank you.

  I have no idea how to respond to this situation. I’m not used to being around old ladies. There’s just not as many of them as there used to be.

  -You’re about to become even more unique.

  I shift in my chair.

  -Oh?

  Is she going to offer me a promotion or something? To be her personal bodyguard? No, it can’t be that. She has Luna and Hoop and Circe for that. And besides, I’m not a tough guy. If anything, I’m more apt to run away than stay and fight.

  -That’s not true at all.

  I snap back out of my thoughts.

  -Excuse me?

  -You’re not more apt to run, Mr. Eon. You think so little of yourself but it’s not true. You have within you the capacity for true heroism.

  Licking my lips, I’m wishing the tea would get here already. I’m suddenly incredibly thirsty. Did she just read my mind?

  Atropos smiles kindly.

  -I most certainly did. And I can do even more than that, Mr. Eon. I can see your heart.

  -My…heart?

  -Oh, yes. I can see your courage. Of which you have more than enough to get the job done, I can assure you.

  I’m starting to feel a bit spacy. Not an entirely unpleasant feeling but I think I need to keep my wits about me now, so it’s not the most welcome thing in the world either.

  -I’m sorry, ma’am—

  -Please call me Atropos.

  -Sorry. Okay. Um. I’m sorry, Atropos, but I have no idea what you’re talking about.

  Her smile spreads further.

  -Not here you don’t but elsewhere you do.

  -Excuse me?

  -In an alternate dimension.

  I stare at her.

  -We’re here because of your glow.

  -My what?

  -Hoop, Circe, Luna and myself. We followed your glow. I admit I had to do a bit of the steering to get us all here in one piece, but we don’t have time to go into that right now. What we have to do is give you more Satellite.

  I have no idea what this crazy old chick is talking about but I know one thing for sure: I need to get the fuck out of this house full of whack-a-doos and funhouse mirrors.

  -Not yet.

  Atropos’s smile wanes the slightest bit.

  -How are you doing that?

  -Reading your mind?

  -Yeah. Why do you even have to ask?

  -I’ve found it makes people feel a little better if I feign ignorance every so often. Freaks them out just a tiny bit less.

  To that, I have no response.

  Hoop enters the room carrying a silver tray with a teapot and cups with saucers.

  Atropos’s smile returns.

  -You can quench your thirst now, Mr. Eon. And by doing so understanding will come to you. Of course, you won’t be here when it does, but that’s a whole other matter you needn’t concern yourself with.

  Hoop pours tea into one of the cups and hands it to me. It’s drugged. I know this as sure as I know my own name. But I know one other thing as well. I know that whatever is happening here is exactly what’s supposed to be happening and I know it because Atropos is telling me so. Her voice is in my head and it’s the most comforting thing I’ve ever heard. So I drink.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN—The Junkie (14)

  The first thing I ask when I come out of it this time is if Atropos can read minds.

  It seems like a silly question when I say it out loud, but being violated in such a way trumps feeling silly.

  -Sometimes.

  Is the answer Luna gives me.

  -Like when?

  -When she’s at her strongest.

  Impatiently:

  -Which is when?

  -Are you being dense on purpose? This is the least of our worries.

  I suppose she’s right. But I’m beginning to wonder what’s real. I was just, after all, in this same room with almost all of the same people. Hoop and Atropos aren’t here at the moment but I can hear voices in the next room, which means they were either just here or are about to be here.

  Probably.

  -We were all together. In the spin.

  Luna nods.

  -Yes.

  -But that alternate me…

  I trail off, not knowing what I want to say.

  -Had yet to be initiated.

  She offers.

  Circe is over by the windows, peering out at the night from between the curtains.

  -I’m starting to wonder which one of me is real.

  -All of you. All of us are real, regardless of which dimension we’re in. How could you not kno
w that by now?

  I don’t have time to answer. Atropos and Hoop enter the room and I’m surprised to see them holding hands.

  -Atropos…

  I’m not sure what I want to say to her. Something about her staying out of my head, but I’m also curious about the other her. The old white woman who oozed kindness while this version, while kind enough, lacks…shall we say…warmth?

  -Why are you the only who isn’t the same?

  I finally put one of my thoughts forward.

  -That seemed like a fine dimension, didn’t it?

  She has chosen to ignore my question and is addressing everyone as a group, asking her own.

  Circe turns away from the window.

  -As good as any other, I guess.

  -We need to make a decision. Luna?

  Luna remains silent, but thoughtful for what is probably close to a minute. Finally, she speaks in a soft voice, more gentle than her usual one.

  -I don’t know. We just don’t know enough about it. We never left the mansion.

  -But we were there. We know what our alternate selves know. I sensed no fear. No urgency. Did you?

  -No, but…we were in a secure mansion.

  Atropos changes the subject.

  -We need to keep Ringer safe.

  There’s a long moment where I’m frowning. Ringer? And then I remember. She’s not calling me Mr. Eon anymore. Not here anyway.

  I fiddle with the cuff of my sleeve, buttoning then unbuttoning it.

  -Because of my…uh…glow?

  -Precisely. I can sense it even now. You’re no longer safe here. I suspect others will be arriving soon.

  -Others?

  -If we can go to them, then obviously they can come to us. And they will.

  -But, why?

  -To destroy you. You’re the revolver.

  -But I haven’t found the trigger. Halleck. Wouldn’t that be of more interest to them?

  -They don’t want you to find it, Eon.

  Luna looks guilty for a second.

  -I’m sorry. Ringer.

  I don’t care about the slip. I doubt I’ll ever be Ringer in my own head anyway.

  From across the room, Circe speaks up.

  -You can’t find it. If you find it and use it, the cylinder will spin and one world will be used up, shot off into nonexistence.

  All three of us look at Circe as if he’s lost his mind, but he’s already pulling out a gun. I blink in confusion at the round black eye of the muzzle as it swings towards me. It all happens in slow motion, just like in the movies. There’s a flash of light and a deafening bang and the upper part of my arm seems to disintegrate in a red mist and I’m knocked off balance, as though a truck just plowed into my left side. I hit the floor hard and Atropos is suddenly on top of me, shielding my body and above us there’s more explosions and yelling, but it sounds muffled and faraway. Atropos yells something in my face but I don’t think it’s English or any other language I’ve ever heard.