Episode 102

(San Bernardino, September 13, 2019)

Talk about bad timing. Alana rolled her eyes and picked up a nearby MAC-10. Yep, it still had ammo. Why did drug dealers always carry this cheap shit? It’s not like they were short of cash.

“We’re out back at the barbecue,” Finn called out amiably.

The door cracked open, and a face peeped in, followed by the associated body.

“Oh, you can…,” the woman began, before being interrupted by a spray of bullets. She toppled backward behind the doorframe.

“Sorry, it’s nothing personal,” Alana offered to the newly departed.

“Getting your brains blown out seems kind of personal,” Finn observed. “But who gives a crap how she feels about it? She’s dead.”

“What happened to the whole defender of justice shtick?” Alana huffed as she re-buttoned her blouse.

Finn shrugged. “Justice is an abstract concept. Besides, we do good on average.” He noticed how flustered Alana seemed, and smiled. “What are you doing? We’ve still got time.”

“That woman’s dead because you couldn’t keep your dick in your pants,” Alana snapped. “For all we know, she was just here to borrow some milk.”

“I’m lactose intolerant,” the woman noted. She was standing in the doorway.

Finn and Alana looked at one another for a moment, then bolted for the door in unison. The woman lazily raised her arms to block them, but they deftly slipped under and around her. The two were halfway to Alana’s VW reboot, when the intruder called out to them.

“Wait, please, I just want to talk. I’m not here to hurt you.”

The couple hesitated but kept moving.

“I never expected you to be such a fucking coward,” the woman called out, followed by a name. Alana stopped. It was her original name, correctly pronounced and in the casual mode. The latter gave her pause. She had been well known back in the old country, but how many people would have dared pretend to such familiarity? This narrowed the woman down to one of … Alana wasn’t sure, but at most a dozen and probably a lot fewer by now. Or she could be acting on behalf of one of those people. Either way, it was worth hearing more.

Alana turned, despite a firm tug on her arm.

“It’s her, you dumb bitch,” Finn hissed. Alana brushed away his arm with disdain and cautiously looked the woman over. Finn gave his sister a dirty look but remained by her side.

“Who are you?” Alana demanded.

“It’s much cozier inside,” the woman explained. “Who wants to yell back and forth from a door stoop? It’s so … urban.”

“Do we look that stupid?” Finn demanded.

The woman gave him a blank look. “Frankly, yes. I tell you what. I’m happy to go anywhere you prefer. If you’re so terrified of your own shadow, you pick the place. I just want to keep our discussion private.”

“Are you worried about something?” Alana asked, watching the woman closely. “What are you worried about? The door stoop suits me just fine.”

“With all your protections, I imagined you’d show a bit more spine,” the interloper replied. “Especially since you fancy yourselves superheroes.”

Alana shot Finn a wry look, then returned her gaze to the woman. She realized the absurdity of the whole situation and started laughing. What could this woman possibly do to them? It was a just rebuke. They were being cowards, invulnerable beings panicking over a silly, impossible rumor. Finn uneasily joined in her laughter, though he clearly had no idea what was funny. Alana felt embarrassed for him, but this was nothing new.

“Who are you?” she asked again, though in an easier voice.

“I’ll explain, but please come in. I have no desire to conduct this conversation in front of half the neighborhood.”

Alana gave a dismissive shrug. “If anyone hears, we can kill them afterward.” Finn gave her a look of annoyance, and she felt like smacking him. Now he was the defender of justice?

“That’s what I want to avoid,” the woman explained. “You have my word that I will do you no harm today.”

Alana raised an eyebrow. “Today?”

The woman smiled. “Would you believe me if I promised otherwise?”

“I suppose not.”

“Do you have to suppose?”

Alana sighed. The woman had seen right through her, which narrowed the possibilities considerably. In fact, she was fairly sure who it was. There was no reason to belabor the matter. The moment the woman had called out her name, curiosity had decided the rest. She already was halfway to the door, with Finn haltingly in tow a few steps behind.

“I tell you what,” the woman suggested, “you made it past me easily enough the first time. I’ll seat myself farthest from the door, and you can run at the first sign of trouble. No doubt, your fear will lend you speed. Nobody can overtake the craven.”

This seemed to satisfy Finn, and he hastened to Alana’s side.

“I’m not sure what exactly you expected me to do to you,” the woman said as they followed her in.

Once inside, the woman snorted a few lines of cocaine with great relish, then deposited herself on the couch as promised.

“You can feel it?” Alana asked, astonished. Then she relaxed. Finn must have had the same thought, since he too looked relieved. If the woman could be affected by drugs, she must have only weak protections. This woman was a Four at best, and one who could feel pain. They really had no reason to fear her, though Alana remained on guard. Having no reason to fear someone didn’t mean there was no reason to fear her.

Even if she was a low number, the woman had known her name. She could very well be a harbinger of someone more dangerous, of which there was only one. Or two, if the rumors were true. Of course, that assumed a great deal about what could or could not happen, and Alana had long since learned that the inconceivable wasn’t necessarily impossible. She and Finn were living proof of that. They could not afford to be careless.

The woman smiled. “I just like to immerse myself in my surroundings. Do you know why you get to enjoy life but cannot be harmed by it?”

The two said nothing, and she continued.

“If you merely wore some impenetrable armor or perfect suit, the outside world would pass, observed but unremarked and unremarkable. The most terrifying tornado would be indistinguishable from a light breeze. If you were an ordinary person, that tornado would tear you apart, but you also would enjoy the light breeze, and — for better or worse — experience the many things in between. The world tries very hard to kill us, and there is a tiny range of conditions in which a person can exist, let alone thrive.”

“The question is whether to expose yourself to the world’s malice but also enjoy its pleasures or to shield yourself and feel nothing. However, it need not be just one or the other. The trick is to draw the right balance. You do not wish to wear a blindfold, but you also do not wish to be blinded by the sun. You wish to feel the crisp breath of a winter wind but not freeze to death. It’s a fine line. Sensation arose from the need to detect damage and prevent harm.”

“What’s your point?” Finn snapped. “We didn’t come here for a lecture. What the hell do you know about protections? You’re just a goddamned Four.”

The woman shrugged. “Perhaps, but what’s one got to do with the other? The point is that we wish to remain who we are, creatures of flesh and emotion, but protected. There is no perfect choice. Some favor more risk and more experience, others favor survival at all costs. You can’t have everything, but you do have almost everything. Aren’t you impressed?”

Alana gave a derisive snort. “With your knowledge?”

The woman smirked. “With my craftsmanship.”

“Who are you?” Alana asked for the third time. A growing suspicion gnawed at her. “You know my name and act like you know me, but I do not know you.”

“Can’t you guess?”

Alana narrowed her eyes. “I knew her. And you are not her.”

“Is it so surprising that the millennia have played tricks on your memory. Human memory is such a fickle thing.”

“My protections do not allow …,” Alana began before Finn told her to shut up. She looked at him in surprise, then felt ashamed. Every now and then he did have his moments. She ordinarily would never have allowed herself to be goaded into revealing her protections. She took a breath. Why had she behaved like an addled teenager? Was it the mention of her dear protege, or perhaps anger that someone would pretend to be her?

The woman examined a nearby beer bottle, then tossed it aside. “You should listen to him. Never tell somebody your protections.”

Finn looked the woman over.

“I don’t remember her,” he confessed after a few moments. “But Alana knew her well, and if she says you’re not her, then you’re not her.”

The woman grinned. “How admirably devoted.” She looked away and sighed. “I too have a protection. Would you like to know what it is?”

Alana quietly nodded, puzzled that the woman would so quickly disregard her own advice.

“But, names first,” the woman bubbled. She held out her hand. “I’m Rin. What do you two call yourselves these days?”

Neither made a move to shake her hand, and, after an awkward few moments, she withdrew it. “I wouldn’t shake it either. But I do need to know what to call you.”

“You already know my name,” Alana replied.

“Yes, but I’m not going to go around speaking the old tongue. Besides, do you really want me bandying your name about? There was a time when this was frowned upon.”

“We’re in a different time,” Alana grumbled, then reconsidered. “But you’re right, and I thank you for the consideration. Call me Alana.”

“And I’m Finn,” her brother chimed in.

“Glad to meet you both again,” Rin announced.

Finn stared at her. “You knew me?”

“Indeed. I remember you both. I also happen to remember all your protections. I don’t always, so aren’t you lucky?” Rin smiled sweetly at them.

Alana tensed, ready to spring for the door.

“Oh, don’t be such a wimp. If I wanted to harm you, I’d have done so already. Eights are a pain, but I’ve already dealt with several.”

Finn’s calm vanished.

“But, as promised, first things first. The reason you can’t recognize me is because of my protection. It translates to something like ‘I cannot be revealed.’ Basically, nobody can recognize me after a month or so apart. I’ve never quite figured out precisely how it works, but if I walk out the door now and you don’t see me for long enough, I’ll appear a complete stranger to you.”

“You still do,” Alana observed.

“It has to be a name you associate with me. Knowing how I currently style myself won’t help unless I’ve identified myself that way to you before. Since you don’t know me as Rin, telling you that name conjures no memory. I’m still a complete stranger to you. But if I told you my old name, you’d know me.”

“You would change?” This sounded like a load of malarkey to Alana. All the protections were impossible, but this one seemed particularly implausible. What exactly was this woman playing at?

“That’s not what I said. I look the same as I always have, though I admittedly do dress a lot worse these days. You just don’t recognize me. More precisely, you can’t recognize me.”

“That makes no sense,” Alana objected. “Recognition is a complex mental process, not something simple and physical. And what about video cameras?”

“Like everything else, the protection takes care of it,” Rin explained. “That’s the fun thing about technology. The world advances, but the protections remain inviolable. They adapt as necessary. They deal with all those pesky details, so we don’t have to strain our brains figuring them out.”

“So, you claim to be the crafter?” Alana confirmed, almost rhetorically.

“And your Queen,” Rin pointed out. “But we needn’t stand on formalities. I won’t demand a tax from you, but you technically still are my vassals.” She pouted. “It was rude of you not to make the customary obeisance.”

“As I said, it’s a different time now,” Alana grumbled.

Rin laughed. “I can see that from your dress. Very modern.”

This brought a chuckle from Finn, but a cold look from his sister wiped away his grin.

He turned to Alana. “This sounds like utter bullshit. If all she has to do is say her name, why doesn’t she? It wouldn’t take much to prove herself.”

Sometimes, Finn astonished Alana with a rare moment of clarity. She was about to say something, but Rin spoke first.

“You may not remember it, but we were very good friends once.” She smirked. “Much more, in fact.”

Alana affected a scowl, but her eyes spoke volumes.

“And me?” Finn clearly resented being left out.

“You were not a friend, good or otherwise,” Rin replied with an air of distaste. “You were a favor. A big favor. To your sister.”

Alana blushed.

“And mine,” Rin added perfunctorily. A moment passed before she turned to Alana and smiled. “How would modern times feel about that? Fucking your own brother?”

Finn gave an awkward laugh. “What of it?”

“I’m not one to judge. Though if anybody could judge, it would be your Queen.”

“You’re not our goddamned Queen,” Alana shouted.

“Oh no, my love. I’m so much more. Your student, your acolyte, your lover.”

“Then why do you look younger than me?” Alana demanded. “I don’t remember you being that young.”

“Some of us age better than others.” Rin laughed, narrowly dodging a pack of cocaine that Alana flung at her. It exploded in a cloud of dust behind her head.

Rin looked annoyed. “It’s going to take a week to get all that crap out of my hair. And it wasn’t even done to cover an escape. This old, and you’re still vain about your looks. Jesus, if you’re going to do something like that, at least do it for a reason.” She sighed. “You haven’t changed a bit. You forget, I am much younger than you. It’s easy to misremember these things. After all, what is several thousand plus or minus a few? Back then, it made all the difference in the world. Back when you were my age and half again. It probably also helps that I don’t dress like … that.”

As she spoke, Rin walked over and stood before Alana, taking her hands. To Finn’s surprise, his sister didn’t recoil or tense. Rin leaned over and whispered in her ear, and Alana gasped. Then Rin looked at Finn. “Right, I probably should tell you too.” She spoke her old name aloud, and Finn stared at her like a befuddled child.

Without warning, Rin kissed Alana on the lips. It was a much longer and deeper kiss than either had expected. When she noticed Finn’s shocked expression, Rin gave him a quick peck on the mouth too.

“Just this once,” she snapped at him, before returning to the couch.

“But how?” Alana finally managed to choke out. “You were a Four.”

Rin shrugged.

“I don’t understand,” Alana muttered.

“Nor are you meant to.” Rin sported a winning smile. “But I think no less of you because of it.”

Unsure whether this was a veiled insult, Alana eyed Rin suspiciously. “And what else should we know about you?”

Rin rubbed her chin contemplatively for a few moments. “Oh, I’m sure there’s a thing or two. But let’s catch up later. Now that we’ve all been reacquainted, let’s get down to business”.

“And what would that be?”

Rin planted herself between Alana and Finn on their couch, draping her arms over their shoulders. “I’d joke that it was ending you, but I’m worried you will think I’m serious and make a run for it.”

“Is it a joke?” Alana asked, suddenly tense.

Rin scrunched up her face for a moment. “There has been somebody doing that lately hasn’t there? I’ve heard rumors but…” She shuddered, then grinned at them each in turn. “Well, at least I feel safe with you two.” She gave them a big squeeze.

Neither said anything, and Rin gave a pout. “I thought you would ask how I found you. I’m quite proud of it.” She looked at Finn. “A superhero should ask those sorts of questions, you know.”

This actually seemed to embarrass the man, and to both women’s surprise he hastened to explain the oversight. “We had to ascertain the threat first, then we’d interrogate you and find out your method.”

Rin almost doubled over with laughter. “Yes, please, interrogate me.”

“And make it … rough,” she added in a sultry voice.

Alana signaled Finn to shut up.

“So, what do you want?” she asked.

“Boy, the cops really do take forever around here,” Rin noted, glancing at the window. Then she turned back to Alana and Finn. “I was hoping I could see you in action if we talked for long enough. No big deal, though. I’ve seen your handiwork enough times, even if you didn’t know it.”

Alana gave Rin an impatient look. “Okay, we get it. You can find us. We don’t believe in hiding anyway.”

“That’s apparent. Yet, you seemed so skittish before. What about this person who is hunting Proteges down? Aren’t you worried?”

“Proteges?” Finn asked.

“Immortals,” Rin clarified with more than a little impatience.

Finn shrugged. “Don’t expect us to know what you’re talking about if you make up your own words.”

“What about her?” Alana asked, ignoring their little exchange.

“How do you know it’s a ‘her’?” Rin wondered aloud.

“Because she’s sitting right here.”