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Sixteen

 

February 4

"Aaron, Marian, it's time—hey, come back here!"

Neither had any intention of doing so because it had been Nurse Ames who had yelled. As soon as they'd seen the blue Lexus, they both took off.

The snow on the ground from an early-February storm slowed them, but they pushed harder, running across an untrampled open area and across a street and toward another building with a steep roof. The outing to get away from confining walls and shadows of Myra's death suddenly had gone real sour.

Aaron glanced back.

"They—they haven't left that other lot yet. Go for the main entrance."

They dashed between a couple of school buses idling in the driveway. The sidewalk here had been cleared of snow, making it easier to slip past the statue of a dinosaur and through the front doors. More dinosaur models leered at them inside the open foyer, including one with a huge wingspread diving from the ceiling. Aaron just glanced at them as he looked wildly around for a corner, a niche, to hide in.

"This way." Marian led him around a corner behind one of the displays, where they had a clear view of the front entrance.

"They'll be here any second," she said between pants. "Blocking all the doors."

"I know. We've got to get back to Ken and the others. Somehow."

"How are we going to get out?"

"I don't—" An explosion of sound cut him off, young voices, expanding in volume as the ranks kept swelling: Kids of all sizes, from high school to about their height, jabbering, laughing and playfully pushing each other.

Aaron turned to Marian and grinned. "Camouflage."

Marian grinned back, pulled out her bonnet. As she gathered her hair, he took off his jacket and reversed it so red replaced blue. He pulled his soft cap down farther.

They waited until the flow was at its greatest, then stepped out behind two stocky young men in jackets with "Matadors" printed on their backs. They were outside before they saw Nurse Ames trying to buck the tide. They slipped to the right, keeping the Matadors between them and Ames. Aaron began to angle between two yellow buses—of which there had to have been a dozen—and into the parking lot. However, he spied Slick Suit scrutinizing the students as they passed.

"Into the bus," he said quietly. The bus was filling with loud kids about their—age? Hardly, he thought. Size, yes. Aaron tried to keep a watch out windows on both sides. Once he caught a glimpse of Nurse Ames stretching to see in.

"Down," he whispered, and both sank into a crouch.

"Hey, you guys aren't assigned to this bus." A boy in military-style overcoat looked down at them from his seat.

"Uh, no, we aren't even assigned to this school. We're from out of town."

"You wanta transfer?" Scattered laughter greeted the remark.

"Perhaps. We're hiding, actually. A coupla guys out there are after us."

"Why? You drug dealers or something?" A girl with short hair and rings on every finger said. "You got some?"

"No to both questions. One of those guys made a trashy comment to my fr-sister M-Suzie, then tried to grab her and pull her into his car."

"Really? Molesters?"

"I guess. He was pretty crude about what he wanted to do to her."

"Ms. Briggs!" The girl's shout pierced right through the noise—and Aaron's ear.

A woman with short brown hair, long green coat and jeans stepped over. "Yolanda, was that you shouting again?"

"Yeah, these kids are in trouble."

Aaron went through his concocted story again.

"Well, we'd better call the police."

"I imagine our parents will. They're over at the other museum. If we could, uh, maybe ride your bus over there, I'm sure we'll find them. We could dodge the bad guys, too."

Ms. Briggs looked at Aaron a long moment, then at Marian. Shouldn't have said "bad guys."

"All right. Stay crouched so they won't see you."

"Thank you," Marian said.

Aaron couldn't see out so he had to take her word that's what she told the bus driver to do. He heard the engine rev and tires crunch through snow and felt the bumps of motion, and by the time he chanced to look out, it already was turning into the other parking lot. He spotted Virginia and Ken standing near a curb. Aaron pointed. "That's them," he said to the teacher.

The two watched in confusion as the bus pulled up to them and Aaron and Marian tumbled out.

"Mom, Dad," Marian said.

Ken looked confused.

"Da-ad!"

"Oh, M-honey, where have you been?" He kneeled, put an arm around Marian. Virginia came over and embraced Aaron.

"Why did you run off like that, son?"

"Some guy tried to pull Suzie into a car. We ran and they chased us all the way over to the other museum." It struck Aaron that he might sound too young; how did the current crop of ten-year-olds talk, how sophisticated were they?

"Oh, my God. And these people helped you escape?"

"Yes, this is Ms. Briggs, of . . . some school or other."

"Thank you very much."

"I would call the police."

"Damn straight we will."

Ms. Briggs gave Virginia an odd look. "Well, look, we can't stay. We have to get back to the school before it lets out. I'll give you my card. If the police need to talk to any of us, we'll be available." She pulled a card from her pocket.

"I can't thank you enough," Virginia said, taking the card. "You can't trust anybody these days."

"True. You never know. Good-bye, Suzie, and—"

"Uh, Frank," Aaron said.

"Frank." She gave him and Marian one last lingering look, then glanced first at Ken, then Virginia. Finally, she climbed aboard the bus.

"She's suspicious," Aaron said as it pulled away.

"She saved your asses," Ken said.

"Yeah, 'Dad,'" Marian said.

"Come on, let's get inside," Virginia said. "We'll wait for the city bus in there. I can't see them."

More school buses were pulling out of the other lot, but no sign of a blue Lexus.

"Ken, find Leo and Kilkenny."

"Right."

"They're off looking for you," Virginia said. "Told us to stay put in case you showed up. We didn't know you'd gone clear across the street."

Black King Leo was angry.

"Played us for fools," he scowled.

After assuring himself they were OK, Leo stayed outside with Kilkenny, scanning for the car. When the city bus rumbled up the driveway, he gave a signal and the rest of the group dashed out and into the bus. As they waited to drop their quarters in, Leo whispered, "Take a quick look at the other passengers."

Only three sat scattered along the seats and none were familiar. They sat together in one of the seats facing the aisle near the mid-bus doors. The trip was slow because many of the streets hadn't been plowed or sanded. The bus itself had no trouble, but the driver had to dodge a constant stream of sliding cars. At each stop, new passengers were given careful scrutiny as they knocked slush off their shoes and brushed new-fallen flakes off their shoulders.

"All right." Leo crouched in front of the seat. "I'm not positive we shook those people. They're smart and determined. Kilkenny."

The young man slid off the seat, bright eyes anticipating adventure.

"Kilkenny, you get off at Fifth. Go to Grid Manor. Don't dawdle. Find Tontine. Tell him we're in trouble. We'll get off at Second as usual. Understand?"

"Off at Fifth," he said. "Don't dawdle. To Grid Manor. Get Tontine. You off at Second. We meet you."

"Right." He slapped the young man's shoulder. "Good show."

Kilkenny grinned as he took his seat again.

Leo stood, grabbed a pole. "See anything, Ken?"

"Nada."

"They knew where we were," Marian said. "Exactly where and when."

Leo nodded. "Someone ratted."

Aaron frowned. "But how did they make contact? How did those assholes find someone who knows about us?"

"Homeless have a network, too," Leo said. "We wander all over, observe, tell each other what's goin' down. Some of us know this city better than the legits who run it. News travels pretty much on its own until the proper connection is made. Monetary inducement often diverts a wanted piece of information to those eager for it. The talker at the manor likely will be someone needing artificial help to make it through one day, much less a life."

Leo made sense, of course, but that also was the longest speech Aaron had ever heard him give.

As the bus approached Fifth Street, they all craned necks looking for the car. No sign, and Kilkenny jumped off almost before the doors had opened. By the time the bus was rolling again, he was out of sight.

As they stepped off at Second, Aaron found his heart pumping a little harder in his chest. At least I don't have to worry about heart attacks.

"Stay together," Leo said. Virginia took up a post to Marian's left, Ken to Aaron's right, Leo in front. The first block passed uneventfully. Snowflakes fell softly but in profusion, tickling Aaron's nose as they landed and melted. At every step, their boots crushed the crystal piles into hardened lumps impressed with brand names on the soles.

The Lexus flashed by just as they turned a corner and slid to a somewhat uncontrolled stop. A door flew open and Slick Suit jumped out while Nurse Ames carefully stepped out of the passenger's side.

"Aaron and Marian, now you must come with us." Nurse Ames pulled her coat around her as she stepped around the car. "You gave us quite the slip, but now it's time to go back. We have more data to gather."

"Fuck off, Ames," Aaron shouted from behind the wall of Virginia, Ken and Leo.

"Just get the hell into the car," Slick Suit shouted. "You don't have any choice. You belong to us. The Alden Commission says so, and in your case, your ex-wife agrees. Now come on." He opened the back door. "Get out, you."

A cowering man in torn overcoat half-fell out.

"Our quisling," Leo said.

"Yep," Ken said. "Wanted a drink, no doubt."

"Do I get my money now?" Like a child whining.

"Yes, yes, you get your reward." Slick Suit's long, goateed face frowned at the sniveling man beside him. He pulled out a money clip, pulled off a bill, then pushed the man aside. "Liquor store two streets down."

A thought nagged at Aaron's mind. Nurse Ames, Slick Suit . . . where was Dark Suit? He turned just in time to see the man rushing in from behind.

"Marian, look out!"

The warning gave her time to turn but not avoid the grasp. He grabbed her coat, then an arm.

"Stop the crap an—oww!" Aaron's boot heel clamping down onto his instep caused the howl. "You little shit! I've had enough of your crap!"

Aaron dodged but the kick got him square in the back. He felt himself flying forward and hit face first into snow. He rolled over quickly to see Dark Suit struggle with a kicking and twisting Marian. Leo jumped in front of him.

"Let her go," he said in a quiet voice.

"Fuck—"

"Now!" Leo swung a huge fist. The blow staggered the man, and if the street hadn't been icy, he might have recovered. He didn't; a leg slipped and he fell, pulling Marian down with him. Instantly, Virginia was on him, twisting fingers. He yelped until Marian broke free, scrambled to her feet and ran over to Aaron. Both stood together, snow clinging to their clothing. Her bonnet had been torn off and her hair covered part of her face. Ken stepped over and planted himself next to them. Dark Suit heaved and Virginia fell over into the street. Dark Suit scrambled to his feet and backed up two steps, eyeing Leo warily. Virginia got up and hurried to Marian's side.

"Ain't that sweet?" Slick Suit said. "The drunken bums defending the little bast—"

Something suddenly hurled itself against the car door, slamming it on Slick Suit. He yelped in pain, but before he could fall, hands grabbed him and yanked him upright.

"Fucking bastard!" Tontine growled. "Tell me who you are. Right now!" He slammed the man against the car, face first. Slick Suit grunted. "Who the hell are you?" Wham. Tontine grabbed his collar, put his face next to the goatee. "You shit-faced bastard. Who the hell gave you the right to experiment on humans? Answer me"—wham—"or I'll break every bone in your slimy body"—wham—"tell, me goddamnit!"—wham—

"Hey! Hey!" Dark Suit had pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Tontine, who immediately spun the groggy and whimpering Slick Suit around and pinned an arm behind. Tontine wrapped his arm around the man's neck, began pushing him forward.

"You point that thing at me, you'd better shoot, asshole," Tontine shouted. "Go on, shoot, shoot, you mangy son of a back-alley bitch! Brainless coward! Shoot! Shoot!"

Dark Suit let the muzzle drop and Tontine hurled Slick Suit at him. Slick Suit went down on his face, but Dark Suit was only staggered. Nurse Ames, meanwhile, had taken three steps, perhaps to try to assault Tontine, but she suddenly was pummeled by a bevy of snowballs, including three in the face at high velocity. They had to have stung. When she dodged another volley, she went down like a sack of potatoes. Aaron saw Kilkenny and Miguel among the hurlers.

Dark Suit snarled as he tried to find the pistol, which had fallen into the snow. Leo grabbed his collar, hauled him around and punched him hard. The man's head snapped around and blood spattered the snow.

"All right, stop, that's enough." Slick Suit had managed to find the pistol and rose shakily to his feet. "I'll shoot the next idiot that moves. Enough of this crap." He pointed the pistol at Tontine barely two feet away. "As for you, I'm going to—"

"Curt, look out!"

The shout by Nurse Ames was too late; a burly figure clipped Slick Suit's feet out from under him and he fell on his side with a heavy grunt. The pistol bounced back into the snow. Dark Suit let fly another kick at the new arrival, but White King Sam merely grabbed the foot mid-kick, twisted it and Dark Suit yelped and fell flat. Sam grabbed the man by his coat, lifted him and carried him toward the car, blood dripping a trail into the snow. He tossed Dark Suit, who landed on a shouting Nurse Ames and both fell into a heap next to the car. Leo grabbed Slick Suit, dragged him over and shoved him on top of the other two.

After a few seconds of shoving and cursing, Slick Suit sat up and glared at the chess kings. Dark Suit also sat up, holding his bleeding nose. Nurse Ames tried to stand, but fell to one knee. She stopped, turned to see what the others were doing. Another surreal scene for Aaron, heightened by the snow swirling down, coating the figures even as they remained utterly motionless for a moment. Then Slick Suit began to struggle with something in his overcoat.

"We're taking those two brats," he said, "and there's"—he jerked at the balky item—"nothing you can—"

He stopped as Tontine bent over and slowly picked up Dark Suit's gun. His hand shook as he gazed at it.

"I . . . think I'd . . . uh, have to stop you."

Slick Suit sneered. "Is that so? Come on, you two, we can take that alky shaker. Just as soon as I get—"

Tontine suddenly dropped into a shooter's crouch and three sharp cracks sounded. For a split second, the suits stared at each other, then turned slowly to gaze at the car door, where three neat holes in a tight grouping had suddenly appeared—right between their heads.

"Damn," Tontine rasped. "My DI was right. Alcohol does throw off your aim. Lez'ee if I can't hit something this time." He pointed the muzzle directly at Slick Suit, who shouted and rolled under the car. "Ah, fuck," Tontine said, swinging the muzzle to Dark Suit, who suddenly had an urge to scramble to his feet and dive into the driver's seat. Nurse Ames grabbed the back door, yanked it open—and fell again. She was up in a flash and had climbed in by the time the other front door had opened and Slick Suit had clambered in, keeping his head low.

The Lexus's wheels spun as it backed, then the whole car spun completely around in the snow and slid slowly toward Tontine, who hadn't lowered the gun. He turned slightly so it pointed directly at the driver, who frantically turned the steering wheel. The car slowly turned aside, then moved forward. The muzzle of the gun was less than a foot away from Slick Suit's window; he was cowering in the seat, hands over head. The back end slid to one side, then swerved back and clipped a pickup parked at the curb. It whipsawed a half block, then turned about ten degrees less than completely sideways, still moving away.

"Turn into the skid, idiot," Tontine muttered, lowering the pistol.

The back end hit another parked car and the recoil sent it around into a more or less straight line as the car disappeared into the grayness of the falling snow.

Tontine let out a breath. "They ain't mafioso, and they ain't drug lords. I don't know what the fuck they were, but I wish I could've found out." He did something to the pistol. "Nine millimeter," he said to Sam, holding what Aaron guessed to be the cartridge. "Semi-auto." He removed the last bullet from the chamber and dropped the gun into the snow.

A warbling began echoing in the distance.

"Police," Sam said. "Too late, of course."

Miguel and another man Aaron recognized as Eddie from the manor came up to Tontine, the bleating man in torn overcoat between them.

"How much?" Tontine demanded.

The man just whimpered and stammered. Tontine reached into a pocket and yanked out a bill.

"Fifty bucks?"

"They were s-supposed to give a hundred," the man whined.

"Oh, well, that makes it all right then, doesn't it?"

"Pl-please, T-Tont, I d-didn't want to hurt them, I just wanted a drink. Thas a-all. I didn't w-want to hurt anyone."

"Yeah, sure. Go buy your fifty bucks worth of shit." He jammed the bill back into a pocket, but grabbed the man by his collar and pulled his face close. "If I ever catch you within five blocks of Grid Manor again, I'll tear you apart." He jerked on the collar. "Got that, you sniveling bastard traitor?"

"Yes, y-yess, I-I p-p-promise—" the man gurgled.

"Sure you do. Until someone offers you another fifty. Just remember, I'll tear you to shreds." He pushed the man away. "Now get out of here."

Tontine turned away and crunched his way toward Aaron and Marian. He knelt down in the snow next to her.

"Are you two OK?"

"Fine," Marian said. "All we got was a little snow in our faces. You guys did the rest."

"Uh, good show," Aaron offered.

"You've seen the other side of me now, the dangerous, maybe psycho part. The part that sends me to the therapist. Still want to—"

"You don't fool me for an instant, Mr. Tontine whatever-your-name is," Marian said. "What you did here wasn't fueled by anger or alcohol. It was fueled by outrage." She stepped over, kissed him lightly on his stubbled cheek. "Thank you."

Tontine stared at her, an odd look in his eyes. Softer, as if all sorts of gates had been left open. Then he sort of laughed and stood up.

"Take them to the manor," he said to Ken. "Before the police get here. We'll take care of the rest."

"Right."

The snow kept falling on the trek back, softening the hard edges of the city.

"You broke through Tontine's facade," Aaron said as they approached Grid Manor's gate. "Congratulations."

She looked up, smiled. "I know."

They didn't say anything as they shook the snow off their coats and headed up the ramps. Miguel and Eddie ran ahead, then came back and affirmed all was safe inside.

In the great room, Marian stripped off her coat and tossed it on the couch. Aaron did the same, watching her out of the corner of his eye as he went to the space heater and turned up the controls. She knelt by the ottoman where Merlin lay in feline comfort.

"Hello, Merlin. How's the boy doing?" The animal answered with a quiet "mrow" as she stroked its fur.

Aaron knelt down beside her and saw what he had expected. All through the incident, she had been collected and brave. Now, though, her hands shook as she petted the cat. He took one hand in his.

Marian drew a deep breath but did not retract her hand. She put her forehead against the ottoman and a rush of air escaped, almost a sob. Aaron put his other hand on her hair, but didn't stroke it—too much like petting a cat, he suddenly felt.

She looked up at him, then gave him a small but lovely smile.

"Thanks for your part," she said.

"My part was rather limited because of my limited physical abilities."

"They were enough."

"Yeah."

After a moment, she withdrew her hand and said, "Aaron, this can't go on. We've endangered these people, and they're turning against themselves."

"Well, fine," he said. "But where, and who, and what?"

"Written to your sister lately?"

He looked away. "No."

"Uh huh."

He looked back at her. "And surely Shirley has heard from you, que no?"

Marian studied the cat as she massaged its neck. "No."

Aaron made a noise. "Aren't we the brave ones."

"After the way Myra died, do we really want to expose anyone else to danger? Your sister, perhaps?"

Aaron ran a finger along Merlin's paw. "My sister." He waited another moment, Marian eyeing him. "First, no, my sister doesn't deserve to be exposed to danger. She has two kids, a husband, six—at last count—Siberian huskies and a ferret."

Marian looked down. "And Shirley's out, too. She's a dear friend, but she would just fall apart." She shook her head. "God, we're pariahs."

"Also because we're chicken."

She blinked at him. "Pardon me?"

"We don't want to leave. We've found security, a soft bed, food to eat, a few friends. We don't have to put out an effort to do anything so we've just kind of melded into the structure."

"It's the only structure that would take us in."

"So we think. We haven't really tried to find out, have we?"

Marian twisted around, put a hand on a hip. "So where do we start?"

"There has to be someplace." He leaned in toward her. "We've got to start thinking and stop hibernating."

"Oh, the old capitalist is rising again."

"More than you know. It pained me right in the heart to watch Tontine shoot that lovely Lexus. Such delicate curves—aack!" She had pushed him, but because of the awkward position of his legs, he had to roll sideways.

He straightened, gazed at her.

She didn't say anything, just kept petting the cat. "Ah, Merlin, your life is so uncomplicated. Sometimes I envy you."

"Mrow."

She started to say something but was distracted by the entrance of Virginia, Ken, and Tontine, the latter's hair still damp.

"Hi, everyone," she said as they jumped up and headed toward them. "How'd it come out with the police?"

"The police didn't find a thing," Virginia said. "Except the gun. We placed it so it'd be found. But everyone had disappeared, so there's nothing to investigate."

"No witnesses?"

"Maybe. Fortunately for us, the snow obscured everything."

"You mean you slipped away without telling them anything?" Aaron said.

"Yes," Tontine said.

"I'm not sure I like the moral ambiguity here."

Marian fixed him with a sharp gaze. "As if you've never run into moral ambiguity. Or been the force behind it."

"For your information, Ms. Smartypants, I was an honest trader. I suppose you never ran into an ambiguous situation."

"I smoked pot."

"Oh, lord." Aaron put his hand over his eyes. "All this time I've been consorting with a dopehead."

"That doesn't—" She stopped, turned to the others. "What's wrong?"

"Uh, actually, it was something we were going to bring to your attention anyway," Virginia said. "Before the, uh, incident . . ."

"What?" Marian said.

"Something, we, uh, found," Tontine began.

"Hell, just give it to them," Virginia said.

"Cold turkey?" Ken asked.

"Yeah. Give it to them, Ken."

"So the delivery boy can get whupped?" He pulled something out from under his jacket. "We, uh, we found this on the newsstand."

"You know, at the grocery check-out," Virginia said.

"Among the UFO reports," Tontine said.

With a puzzled look, Marian took the item, a National Sensation, a hyperactive tabloid and one of the few newsprint holdouts. STARTLING PHOTOGRAPHS OF POSSIBLE "ALIENS" screamed the headline.

"Hey, that's Linda Rithen," Aaron said, stepping up next to her. "Nude as a baby."

"More photos, page ten through sixteen," Marian read, stomach beginning to clench. She turned to the inside, and sure enough—

"Charles Romplin, Sandra Mellinfield, and—oh, God." She stared at herself standing arms wide, back against wall, hair pulled back so a flat, small chest could be seen unobstructed. She let go of the paper and turned away. Aaron snapped the next page over. "Yup. There I am in all my glory. And there's Earl. Look at the headline." He held the paper up. She glanced over. HUMAN OR MADE TO LOOK HUMAN?

She dug her hands into her front pockets, turned away again.

"All here, even Harold and Alisa, Charlie and Myra," Aaron said. "All seventeen of us, in bright four-color display. Naked as the day we were born."

"What are all these?" Virginia said.

"The doctors or whatever took them," Aaron said. "Close-ups of every part of our bodies. You know, I asked them if I was posing for child porn. I guess I know the answer now." He waved the paper.

Marian grabbed at it and managed to come away with part. She ripped it in half, then again and again, ripping and tearing. "How dare they! Bastards! First I'm made into a child and then presented as meat for pedophiles. Damn those bastards!"

Aaron ripped his portion of the paper, and both grabbed the shreds and tore them into smaller shreds and scattered them. She kicked and stomped the pieces, started jumping up and down; Aaron joined in and they jumped and stomped as they shouted obscenities, pieces flying everywhere. Marian couldn't stop the rage from screaming out of her, couldn't stop the desperate urge to jump, stomp, hit, smash something, but ended instead by bumping hard into Tontine, who placed a hand on her shoulder. She stopped, gasping for breath, pushing slightly upward to heighten the pressure of the touch, and focused on it. She wiped a sleeve across her eyes as hot tears burned them. The hand she leaned against pulled her gently against him, like a father comforting a daughter. Marian didn't look up, but she found solace in the gesture, allowing the rage and hurt to be subsumed.

"What a life!" Aaron shouted in the meantime. "What a goddamn fucking life!" He kicked at the footstool Merlin had been on, sending it tumbling. The cat, however, wisely had abandoned it long ago.

 

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