Episode 106

(San Bernardino, September 13, 2019)

Finn had been quiet, as if ruminating on something.

“I don’t massacre humans,” he protested. “I massacre evil humans.”

“Because that is what you choose to do today,” Alana snapped. “Just admit it, this is one of your fads.”

“It matters to me,” he insisted.

“That’s quite all right,” Rin replied. “Your motives are immaterial to me. I don’t care why you do what I say, as long as you do what I say. You will continue to massacre evil humans. The only difference is that I will define ‘evil’ for you.”

Regardless of her vehement protests and attempts at haggling, Alana had made her decision the moment Rin offered a reprieve — temporary though it may be. This wasn’t merely the most logical thing to do, it was the only thing to do. Any idiot could see that.

Any idiot except Finn. He completely misread her reason for drawing things out. Despite the conversation’s tenor, Alana’s goal wasn’t to wrest concessions from Rin or decide whether her terms were acceptable. It was to glean her true intentions. Often, the best way to elicit information was to shut up and let the other person speak. She wished Finn could grasp such a basic principle, but that would be asking too much.

None of this really mattered, though. Alana had little doubt that Rin was fully cognizant of what was going on. If the woman was indulging them, it was because she had intended to all along. They were getting no more from her than she had planned to feed them. However, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t force them to work for those morsels.

All in all, Alana was pleased with the deal. The most important consideration was to remove, or at least defer, any imminent danger, and Rin’s proposal accomplished that. Life presented boundless possibilities until extinguished, and its immediate preservation was of paramount importance. Time would buy them the possibility of escaping Rin’s scythe altogether. Not certainty or hope or expectation, just possibility. But possibility was enough.

However, Alana couldn’t shake the sneaking suspicion that it was their turn on Rin’s list, and that she was merely toying with her prey. Maybe there was no deal. Perhaps she played a similar game with all her victims, pulling the rug from under them just as they thought safety was in sight. She even had hinted at the folly of assuming they were safe.

They could try to run, but that would be futile. Even if Alana could somehow signal Finn to do so, they already had been lured within easy striking range. Rin had them right where she wanted them. Despite the woman’s relaxed demeanor, Alana had no doubt that she was fully poised to act.

Whatever Rin intended to happen would happen, at least today. Alana simply had to hope and pray that Rin was being honest. This did little to comfort her. Hope was for fools and prayers were for idiots. As the head priestess, she knew this better than anyone.

The immediate problem was Finn. Alana had expected Rin to struggle with him, grow frustrated, and resort to baser threats. Then his sister would step in and bring Finn around, placating Rin — who would begin to count Alana an ally rather than mere prey.

The word sent a shudder down her spine. When had she become prey? Somewhere in the turbulent stew of Alana’s feelings, shame competed for space with anger and fear and lust for her former paramour and protege. Pushing all this aside, she prepared to intervene on Finn’s behalf.

Instead, his face lit up and he smiled at Rin. “Yes, I suppose that makes sense.”

Both women stared at him in disbelief. Then, Alana sighed. Had Rin discovered the key to Finn’s current persona? In Alana’s experience, everybody had one, though not every key turned so cleanly. Some needed an excess of lubrication.

She suspected that Finn was just looking for an excuse to agree to Rin’s terms. This wasn’t from ego or the desire to save face. She knew her brother’s secret. Whatever costume he wore at the moment, whatever ideals he boasted or ideas he espoused, there was only one Finn. And that Finn loved doing certain things.

Alana had seen him go through countless phases. In every incarnation, Finn jumped at the opportunity to champion a cause, whether an invented virtue or something he had read or romanticized. He lived a carefully chosen fiction. If Rin’s cause played into his current tale, then all the better. She apparently had managed to accomplish this, whether by penetration or chance. Alana certainly didn’t mind seeing her brother manipulated by the woman. If anything, it made her own life easier.

Now that Finn had signaled his willingness, there was no reason to drag things out.

Alana looked at Rin. “Let’s say we agree to your terms. If you don’t want our help destroying our own kind, what do you want? And why us?”

“Because you have no qualms about doing what needs to be done. You keep to the old ways.”

Alana bristled less at the disdain in Rin’s words than their truth. However ‘modern’ she aspired to be, she could not deny her proclivities.

Rin kissed her on the mouth. “And I did miss you so.” She turned to Finn. “You, not so much. You’re part of the package, just like back then.” Before he could summon a retort, she added, “But, for this sort of business you are ideal.”

Finn grinned. “I’m glad somebody appreciates my skill.”

Rin laughed. “Oh no, quite the opposite. The task I have in mind is quite unskilled. But it may also get rather messy.”

She stood and faced them both. “As for what I want from you, it is less important than what I intend to do. I am going to war with this country we live in. They have something of mine, and I want it back.”

---

When they were alone, Alana rounded on Finn. “What the hell was that? Do you even grasp the severity of the situation? This isn’t just another one of your damned games.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he demanded.

“It means you need to put aside your pretend nonsense for a moment. You’re not a superhero, and neither am I. The game ends if we’re not careful. I was trying to negotiate our survival, and you blithely pledge fealty? That undermines me.”

Alana felt a little bad for berating Finn like this. She actually was pleased with his cooperation, but nonetheless wanted to drive home how crucial that cooperation was. The last thing she needed was another mercurial about-face in the name of some childish role-playing.

“I didn’t pledge fealty. I just thought what she said made sense.”

Alana’s face remained placid, but only through great effort. What was this idiot playing at? Was he really that stupid?

“Keep such thoughts to yourself,” she admonished, now adopting the patient-but-perennially-exasperated tone of a school teacher. “I was negotiating. If you show your hand when negotiating, then you have no hand. Do you not understand such a simple thing?”

It occurred to Alana that it would be understandable if he did not. When had Finn ever needed to negotiate anything? She always had managed such things for him, at least until his immortality made it unnecessary. She even had negotiated that, something he gave her frequent reason to regret.

She wondered whether this was her own fault. Perhaps her overindulgence had stunted the boy’s growth. Things which had become second nature to Alana, he never had any occasion to learn. As a result, he relied too heavily on being an Eight. This often irked her. Why use their protections when a few carefully chosen words would suffice? It felt sacrilegious to cheapen a divine gift this way, like driving a Bugatti to the grocery store.

Everything carried a price, even if it wasn’t immediately obvious. Alana always tried to play the weakest hand necessary. That was the way to keep in shape — and it had the additional benefit of hiding her true strength. There was no better friend than an enemy who underestimated her.

Finn had never grasped such fundamental truths, probably because he never had to. Now it was a problem, and now it was too late. Alana doubted she could teach him even the basics in such short order, let alone impart any real mastery. Hell, it would be enough if she could just get him to keep his mouth shut.

Finn shrugged. “What does it matter?”

Alana stared at him in disbelief. “Do you have any idea what we’re being dragged into?”

If Rin didn’t kill him, maybe she would. How had she been saddled with such an imbecile? Perhaps she should just walk away and leave him to fend for himself. He’d learn quickly enough then. But she couldn’t, and not just because Rin had recruited them as a pair. It ashamed Alana to have a weakness like Finn.

“That’s the nature of being dragged into something.” Her brother gave an uneasy laugh, clearly trying to lighten the mood. “If we had a choice, then it would matter.” He looked at her, his eyes suddenly earnest. “Do we have a choice? You know the bitch better than I do.”

After a few moments, Alana exhaled. “No, we don’t.”

Finn slumped back on the couch. “There you have it.”

“We can at least try to shape the nature of our role. I intend to take control of my destiny.”

“It looks like we have the same destiny, and there’s nothing either of us can do about it. What are you so worried about, anyway? Suppose we go to war. It’s not as if there’s anything they can do to us. I don’t see why you’re so worked up.”

Alana picked up a glass crack pipe. “I’m not as confident about that as you are, but it’s not humans that worry me. In this sort of situation, the devil is in the details. There’s nothing worse for a soldier than to have a fool as his general. We may be forced to do what she says, but we can at least try to keep her from putting us in an untenable position.”

“Can we?”

Another sigh, and Alana slumped next to him. “No, I guess we can’t.”

There was a long silence, during which each entertained their own thoughts. Every so often, Finn glanced at Alana and, dissuaded by her intensity of focus, said nothing. Finally, she looked up.

“Well there is someone we can ask, but I doubt he’ll want to speak to me.”

“How about me?” Finn suggested.

Alana’s sour look left little doubt what she thought of that idea.

“No, I suppose it’s unavoidable. And I think I know how to find him,” she grumbled to herself before preparing to rise.

“Then that’s settled,” Finn announced.

Alana stared at him blankly, as if noticing the man for the first time.

“Yeah,” she replied with a tart look.

Finn smiled at her and began unbuckling his belt.

“Are you insane?” Alana snapped.

“Why not? She’s gone, we’re safe for the moment, and the cops apparently aren’t going to show.”

“They may,” Alana replied without conviction.

“Who cares? It will be even more fun, now that mortal peril’s on the menu. Doesn’t that make everything more sexy?”

With a sigh, Alana unbuttoned her blouse.

“Immortal peril,” she corrected.