I ran with ragged breath, huffing and puffing until my lungs gave out. The labyrinthine corridors diverged, spiraled out of my control into every which way, and then merged into an oddly thought out mystery-box of a chamber-room. The hallways split and bended as if designed by a child playing with a ball of yarn.
Pipes snaked above my head, just a hair's breadth outside my vision. Their hisses tickled the back of my neck. Bundles of wires hugged the walls. I found myself running through a concrete jungle.
A piercing whiff of battery acid perforated the canvas of scents painting the odd building. Like dollops of neon green in a sea of dull browns and pale yellows.
I tripped. I caught a railing and pulled myself up.
I was in a factory. Its strange layout must have stood out in my mind because the general framework and blueprint reminded me of David's apartment complex. But, where that factory was stripped of its steel and copper intestines to make room for cheap lofts, this one reveled in the esoteric nature that bled through metal veins and creeping water stains. It was another planet--another animal. A real architectural beast.
The factory breathed as I ran. Shouts chased after me. My captive's call-outs became veiled in abject confusion. Even they seemed unfamiliar with the strange environment. It was as if I fell into another world entirely.
Their throats howled like faint ghosts until eventually silence followed. I was too far away now for them to track me by noise alone.
I stopped and leaned over to catch my breath. "Damn," I huffed. "They can run." Now where to?
I shook off my nerves. Think. Its layout was a little familiar. Maybe there was some way I could use that to my advantage.
I continued down the path. The echoes of my feet followed me closer and closer to a stairwell. It reminded me of the one in the complex. My feet guided me down partly on their own.
Once I reached the bottom I heard a door open into the stairwell above.
"Downstairs! Go! Go! Go!" A flurry of footsteps trickled down the staircase and echoed throughout the building. My heart sank.
I slammed through the exit to the stairwell and arrived in a dark hallway. I had no phone to light my way, so I relied on my instincts to lead me back towards the front of the facility. My pursuer's footsteps increasingly softened the further I went.
I came across a red door marked EXIT that led me into another dark hallway. I began to drag my feet. The trickle of a leaky pipe echoed at the end of the corridor.
This was a dead place. I became astutely aware of the fact that I wandered the husk of a dead industrial animal with no way of concretely knowing where I was going. Unfamiliar machinery and rooms passed me by.
I found myself in an empty concrete vein. At the edge of the room was a closed industrial overhead door. A feeling that this was my ticket out took hold of me. I was close to kissing this bizarre turf war goodbye.
I struggled to lift the closed overhead door. My fingers searched underneath the metal lip for a reasonable grip. After finding enough leverage I tried to pull the door up, but it would not budge.
"Come on," I pleaded. "Please open."
I strained and I strained, kicking every muscle in my body into gear. Note to self: I needed to add barbell squats to my work out routine. Seeing as I wasn't making any progress, I dropped it.
I stood up and placed both my hands on the metal door. "One more time," I said aloud. I channeled the power through my arm into my hands and into the tips of my fingers. It came more easily now.
The energy fanned out across the metal door and it began to bubble. I stepped back.
The door burst open.
A column of smoke slammed straight into my face. I coughed and choked on it.
Cool wind flowed through the opening, dissipating the smoke, and clearing the way for my escape.
Someone waited for me outside.
"How the hell did you do that?" the captain asked. She crossed her arms.
I shrugged. "I was an atom bomb in another life."
She scoffed. "Maybe a sparkler--but an atom bomb?" She shook her head. "I don't think so."
"Any chance you just let me go home?"
"Fat chance," she said. She realized what she implied and changed directions. "As in no chance. Not a big chance…fuck, you get it."
I hesitated. She really wanted that information.
"Brady May," I said. "He's calling the shots."
Her eyes softened for only a moment before she steeled them again. She asked, "What else can you tell me about him?"
"I know he has a lot of pull in the Saints," I said. I flexed my hand behind me. Hot blood flushed through them. Should I…?
She said, "Okay. Your turn."
My turn? "What?"
"Your turn," she repeated. She reached out her hand as if beckoning me. She expected me to spew out something. "Tit for tat."
Think about it, Monty. Just get her talking.
"How about what's your name for starters."
She raised her eyebrow. She probably expected me to ask something serious first. I had to make sure this deal would be worthwhile.
"Melody," she said. "May. Melody May."
May? Mayday. Oh heeeeeeeell.
"You're Brady's sister?" I asked.
She nodded. "Sounds like you've already had the chance to meet him."
I certainly did not expect that. She did not seem to be lying either.
"Next…" I started to say. She cut me off.
"Tit for tat," she said. "What's your connection to the Saints?"
"Your brother tried to kill me and my friends."
She arched her brow. "My brother is a lot of things. But he's not a killer."
"Sounds like you don't know him very well."
She did not object.
"What are you planning?" I asked.
"We received intel from a source of ours that the Saints were in possession of some weapon. We're here to scope it out."
Melody turned her head. The patter of running feet exploded down the hall. Multiple people were on their way to our location. She turned back to me and said, "Next time we'll finish this conversation. Go."
After I left the facility I wandered through a few back alleys for a while, looking for any sign of where I was or where I was in respect to the rest of the ward.
I didn't recognize any of the street names I passed. I had no phone to check my location or cash on me to buy a bus ticket even if it still ran this late. I had no idea where I was. I had nothing on me to defend myself with…besides those taser-hands of mine.
Maybe I could knock on someone's door and ask for directions. Everyone's asleep, though.
I sat on the curb and caught my breath. The street remained still. Not a single car passed.
"Okay," I said to myself. "Go home, go back, or go somewhere else." I buried my head in arms, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. Yea, like hell I'm going back there. Those guys were crazy. For all I knew, Melody was just going to go and tell Brady she saw me.
"What do I do?" I asked myself. What could I do?
I raised my head and looked at my palm. Nothing. A couple scars from the scuffle with Mauler still remained, like white tiger stripes. But they were untouched otherwise.
Out of nowhere, a police siren blared.
I scrambled off the curb and rushed for an alleyway. The sirens echoed closer and closer. A police car turned the corner, and passed by in a blur of red and blue.
Reflected in the light I saw two people with yellow clothes dash into the dark. I did not even notice them before.
I followed my instincts deeper into the alleyway, stepping over trash and debris until I made it to the other side of the block.
Nearby a lone phone booth sat on a corner unattended. I stepped inside. A pile of ash and cigarette butts collected on the top of the receiver. The box reeked of sweat and booze. A couple of coins were left on top next to the cigarette butts.
I dialed David's number. It rang. And rang. And rang some more. The phone call went straight to voicemail.
"Shit," I said. My fingers hesitated on the numberpad. A sinking feeling gripped me. I tried to dial Cindi's phone number. It took a lot out of me.
The phone rang again.
Straight to voicemail.
"Shit," I cursed. "Shit. Shit. Shit." My fingers trembled. The next number I dialed took even longer to finish. I had to stop myself before pressing the call button. Is there a chance I could get Dharia in trouble? What if she's not back? I didn't know where she was. I'd rather check and see than leave it up to chance whether she was okay or not.
The phone rang for a few seconds. A click and a familiar voice at the other end of the line pulled me in.
"This is the Easttown General Hospital, how can I help you?" Nurse Sharon's voice was as poignant and elated as ever.
"Nurse Sharon? This is Monty Court. I was wondering if I could speak with Dharia Rhodes please."
"Oh Monty! It's nice to hear from you, though it is quite late. I think Ms. Rhodes is likely asleep in bed."
"Please. This is important."
"Monty…" She turned away from the phone. She said something to an attendee near her. "This isn't a good time…"
"Please. Please." More muttering came through the phone.
"Okay, Monty. Give us a moment." A minute or two passed before Sharon talked to another attendee.
Nurse Sharon seemed furious.
"Monty, do you have an explanation for this?" She asked. "Why is Ms. Rhodes out of her bed?"
My heart sank. "She's not back yet?"
"From what? Monty, this is serious. Tell me where she is right now."
"I--I don't know. You have to believe me."
"Monty, I don't know where the two of you could have possibly gone. You have to tell us--" I hung up the phone. The quiet that filled that deafened ringtone felt all the more loud.
I slammed my fist against the receiver. I thought I heard it click.
After that abysmal phone call, I walked outside. My feet carried me on their own.
I didn't know this street. Nor did I know this ward, this city. It was all a mess in my mind--just a collage of street-grids and blueprints. I never felt more out of my element than just trying to get a hold of someone.
I wrapped my arms around me. It was so cold I could see my breath as it bloomed in front of my nose.
A closed down bookstore with wide glass windows leaned over the sidewalk at the edge of the street. Posters and fliers covered its window like the thin scales of a colorful reptile. One of the fliers, a black and white mosaic, showed an image of Lynn and Brady's band.
The flier read: COME SEE MAYDAY @ THE SKATEPARK. OCTOBER FIFTEENTH. It was an older flier. The edges were torn, as if time itself tried to peel it off the building with its fingernails.
Melody, the woman that interrogated me, stood behind Lynn. Her hands held two drumsticks.
A bitter feeling sat on the tip of my tongue.
"Ugh." I reached out and tore the poster down. Its silhouette stood out against the rest of the fliers, even while gone, like a chalk outline at a crime scene. The bare glass stared back at me. It was too dark to see my reflection, but I could feel his eyes staring through me.
I placed my hand on the glass. The cold enveloped my fingers and cradled my palm. I pulled it back. However, the cold did not recede.
I still felt his eyes staring through me.
A shadow, quick like a raven, dashed across the fliers.
I turned around.
Nothing. Just a silent, lonely road.
I turned back to the window and see a figure clad in black staring back at met. His face was obscured in the dark.
"You were there that night," I said. My legs trembled; not visibly.
"So I was," he said. I thought he must have been smiling, though I could not see it. "And so I'm here now."
"Why? What do you want?"
"Ever the curious one. Always asking questions."
"Not you too. I'd rather ask than leave them on the table."
"You don't seem surprised."
"I should be," I said. The cold receded a little; Enough that I could feel it slip. "But I've had to deal with a lot today. I'm exhausted."
He was not Paradigm. I knew that for certain. His words carried a different kind of weight with them.
"I need you to go back to the warehouse, Monty."
"Oh hell no! Regardless of whether or not I can find my way back to that shitshow, why would I ever want to go back there? I don't have a death wish."
"I think you know why. You've forgotten something."
"If Mauler is still there…" His teeth, white and red, sunk into my thoughts, like a vampire draining my energy. "...He's going to kill me."
"I doubt he stuck around," the figure said. "Did you see the way he turned tail and ran once that woman showed up? He was practically a wet cat."
"Who are you? Why would I help you?"
"Really? I thought that was obvious."
"This is the second time I've met you. The first was back on the wharf."
"Hmm," he hummed. "Okay, then. Let me make this easier for you."
He reached out his closed fist. As he opened it, sparks flew out. Tendrils of bright light split and unwound in the palm of his hand, like a ball of yarn unraveling. I glanced down at my own hands, which were expectantly drab.
"So you're who I have to thank for that mess?"
"Please, I'm not that shallow."
"Are you the reason why everything's going to shit?"
"Do what I say and I'll answer whatever you want."
"No," I demanded. "I'm not doing this shit again. It was already enough to deal with Mel. I can't keep running around like this because someone claims they know something I don't."
"And what do you hope to achieve by shrugging me off?" he asked. "I am both your doing and undoing."
"I got this far without you." My hands warmed. "You're not real," I said, not entirely sure.
"So you say," he said. "Then see for yourself." The man in shadow shimmered and waned. His mischievous grin retreated back into the dark as the visage in the window faded. I was alone again.
Police sirens blared. Their red and blue lights flickered around the corner. I sat on the curb in front of the phonebooth, having exhausted my last bit of change trying to call a taxi.
They parked right in front of me. The sidewalk became bathed in the glow of their lights, like a runway at night. Two men stepped out of their police car and began to speak.
"What are you doing all alone out here?" The older of the two spoke first. His tone was measured, prodding. Something about it set off my radar. "What's your name?"
"Monty," I said.
The other officer asked, "You deaf? What are you doing out late?" He is younger than his partner--maybe mid twenties. His hand hovered over his hip.
"I'm just hanging out," I said. It's hard for me to act nonchalant. I was technically not even doing anything wrong. I "I'm a bit of a nighthawk."
"It's two in the morning, kid," The older policeman said, as if I should care what time it was. I did not. But, David would care. That was why I cared. But I didn't really care.
"So?" I asked.
"So?" The policeman parroted. "So, It's a little late to be out here. Where do you live?"
"My parents are at the hospital," I lied. "I was hoping I could take a bus into town."
"Hmmm." The officer scratched his chin. "Why don't you hop in the back and we'll drop you off?"
The younger officer sneaked a glance at his superior before his gaze returned to me. His hand was still on his hip, like he was reaching to scratch his ass.
"You know, I might just go to a friend of mine's house to spend the night," I said. "Thank you for offering, though."
"No really, I insist," he said. His voice lowered. He continued to stare at me with steel-gray eyes. I was suddenly conscious of the sheer height the two of them had on me.
"Well," I said. "If you really insist."
The inside of the police car was uncomfortably cold and constrained. The interior closed in on me, caging me. It smelled like it was never washed. Hundreds of people had ridden in this thing, sweating, kicking and thrashing around in the back. The window that separated us had phantom finger prints plastered all over it. The back seats were riddled with tears and holes in the cushioning. It was a warning, a subtle insinuation.
The two policemen drove for a while. During so, I watched as stumpy brick and mortar buildings pass by. The streetlights flickered and I forgot that I was in the city; it felt more like the outskirts of a suburban small town. We were not in the inner city quite yet.
The car door window felt frozen to the touch. The seats peeled like rotted leather. Stuffing poked out of the cracks.
"Cold out, isn't it?" The senior police officer said.
"A little," I said quietly.
"Huh?" said the younger. "Speak up, will you?"
"I said a little." He was trying to rile me up. I couldn't play into their hands. No matter what.
"Yea it's damn cold out. Winter's a bitch."
"So is summer," the other officer said.
"So damn much to complain about with this city. It's sick, I tell you."
I didn't say anything. I looked forward over the dashboard at the road ahead. A few familiar buildings passed by in a blur. I recognized the window of flyers. One empty square of black glass taunted me.
"There's something, like a cancer, eating away at it," one of the officers said. The other nodded in agreement.
"Places all over Easttown are getting bought up. Shops are closing. Canals are drying up. An all-around clusterfuck."
"Hmm-mmm, and you got all this shit about people 'splodin. Like damn, what's this city come to?"
"We need a strong mayor. Someone who can really get a handle of everything. Who'll take this city by the horns and turn stuff around. Unlike that lazy-lib in office."
"What do you think kid? This city is shit, right?"
I hesitated to say something. I felt like if I made the wrong choice, I'd find myself in a very wrong part of town. I simply said, "Yea, I guess."
"Then you got that stuff about the missing people in Lenox. Serial killer, newspapers are saying."
"That's right. The 'Sunset Slasher'. That's what ACN called him."
"You know, us cops are really getting the shit-end of all this. Working overtime. Media and reporters always riding our asses. Things are more and more dangerous now and we are expected to just be able to handle it all."
"The nerve of some people," The younger officer said under his breath.
"Kid, if we asked you some questions, can we rely on you to help us out a little here? Make our days a little easier?"
"Yea kid."
"We heard there were some gangbangers who moved into the area. Kids probably your age, maybe a little older. See anything? Anyone tried to chat you up, give you rides?"
"No."
"No…?"
"No sir," I said, hoping he wouldn't suspect me of colluding with the Royals. Was it possible they already knew? Did they see me talking to Melody? Was the door locked? Could I even open the car door from back here? A hundred questions flew past me.
Even if I could escape, there's no telling how far I'd get. Of course, If I cooperated then there was a chance that they would believe me.
"Okay then. Do you have any questions?" he asked the other officer.
"Yea, I might have one…" He breathed in slowly, through flared nostrils. He looked up into the review mirror. Expecting to meet his eyes, I recoiled instinctively. I see the shadowed figure from before instead of him. He smiled grimly. "What do the Saints want with a kid like you?"
Fuck. Even the cops were compromised.
I yanked on the door handle. The locks clicked into place.
"Hold on kid. You could get hurt."
I tried to yank the handle some more. Since it wouldn't budge, I threw my shoulder into the door.
I placed my hand over the lock. I felt it burn.
"Calmed down?" His partner asked over his shoulder. "Wait, what the f--"
The car door exploded open. Sparks flew into the the window. The car swerved around the empty road and the weight of the metal launched it to the side. Electricity crawled up the seat and frame grazing my hair and knees.
As the car swerved, the police slowed down. Seeing my chance, I jumped from my seat and curled up, protecting my head.
I landed on the asphalt, cutting up my knees and elbows real good.
The police car continued a little more before coming to a stop several blocks away. Smoke flared out through the empty door frame and billowed in the sky.
Before I was even on my feet, the siren began to echo again. I took off for a metal fence and climbed it before the two policemen could get closer. They had left the still smoking vehicle and were getting ready to chase me.
I dropped down on the other side of the fence and watched them dash from the wreckage, hands at their hips.
"Stop!" they shouted. "Or we'll shoot!"
I turned down the alley and ran for a street corner. I heard a pop, like fireworks, but I was too afraid to turn around and just kept running.
Even the cops were compromised. I wasn't safe.
As I ran toward the corner, I heard a car veer into view. It's wheels made a screaming, siren-like sound. It sent a shiver down my spine. I thought that I was found by Mauler's crew.
Instead of their beat-up car, a blue truck drove into view. A man with golden blonde hair sat in the front. A baseball bat sat in the passenger's seat next to him.
"Monty!" Jesse shouted. "Get the fuck in!"
The passenger-side door swung open. Another popping sound bellowed out. A hole opened up in the side of the truck, near the gas fuselage.
I jumped inside and we rode off, cops stopping in their tracks, and collapsing on the street corner in exhaustion as they watched us drive away. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and leaned back in my seat as streetlights danced over the dashboard.
My eyes opened again as the Octoberfaire tenements slid into view. Jesse's eyes were on the road. His head swiveled constantly, checking around every corner.
"How did you find me?" I asked.
"Mel texted me," he said. "Said you were on your own."
"How do you know Melody?" I asked.
He laughed. "Long story. I'll save it for another time though. You look like you're about to fall apart. How the hell did you get caught up with the cops?"
I sat up. "They're working for the Saints."
He shrugged. "Sounds about right."
"What do you mean by that?"
"It pays to have the law look the other way. They're probably sliding info to the saints under the table too."
"So now I've got to worry about cops too?"
"Just, lay low. You'll be fine."
"I almost got fucking shot! What do you mean 'just lay low'?"
"Like I said. Lay low. It's not hard. Just stay home and read comics. Catch up on Weekend Warriors. The current run's not bad."
"Can't believe you're joking."
"Better believe it bud."
"Go ahead," I said. "Ask."
"Hmm?" He glanced at me through the corner of his eye.
"Ask about the police car," I said.
"Why, what happened to the police car?"
"You saw, didn't you?" Thinking back to where he picked me up, he could have heard, or seen, what happened. Even if he didn't, he could have seen the wreckage when we drove off. He hasn't looked at me once. Is he afraid? I know I would be.
"I saw a police car without one of its doors. Is that your doing?" he asked.
"Yup."
"Just don't try that with my truck," he said. He slapped the top of his dashboard. The stereo-system purrs emphatically.
I laughed. "Okay, I'll try not to."
He smiled. "Good. Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"No really…but." I told him about what happened tonight. The meeting at LAZAR-US. Our first run-in with Mauler. The warehouse. Melody. I gave him the full story, fully expecting him to blow up at me. He's Cindi's friend. I allowed her to get caught up in my trouble and I did nothing to keep Mauler's attention off of her. I was a coward. After giving him the full spiel, I waited for his scathing criticism.
"It's okay, Monty," Jesse said. "You didn't do anything wrong."
"How could you say that?" I said. "You don't know what it's like to be chased around by someone bigger than you. You're like six-fucking-foot."
That gave Jesse a good cackle. "You did the best you could. That's all anyone can hope for."
"And it wasn't enough." I rested my head on the cool window. "Now I don't know what's happened to Cindi, Dharia, or Lynn. My cousin David too."
"Just take it one step at a time."
"Cindi could be in danger now."
"She's smarter than you give her credit for."
"Doesn't matter with that monster running around."
"You said she has a power too, right? If you could figure out yours quickly, then I'm sure she did too."
"You don't know that."
"Maybe, but I know her. I know that she made the best decision she could make. And I'm sure she regrets it just as much as you do."
I looked at Jesse through the reflection in the windowpane. His side-glance melted through the cold glass. For the first time tonight, I was hopeful.