She’s a Runner Read online

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m an orphan. I don’t know who I really am. But I already told you I’m Calix Griffon.”

  “I kind of know how that feels. I mean not entirely,” I spoke in a hushed tone. “I have my parents, but I don't really know who or what I am either. Don’t think I ever will without your help.”

  Calix nodded his head shallowly. I had the urge to rub his head again, and with the intensity of our situation simmering down, I couldn’t help myself. “Can I rub it?” I blurted. “Your hair, I mean, can I rub your hair?” Oh for fuck sakes I sounded ridiculous.

  I saw his chest rise and fall on a silent laugh. “I haven’t had anyone ask me that since highschool.”

  I took that as a yes and started brushing over the close shave, and shaking my head in wonder at how little prickly strands could be so soft.

  When I finally stopped I could have sworn I heard him whimper from the loss of contact. I wasn’t going to point it out though.

  I’d had a question floating around for awhile and figured now was as good of a time as any to ask it. “Hey Calix, if you weren’t done your training, why did they send you out into the field?”

  Calix’s sigh was heavy, and laced with a story, I could tell.

  “It’s not a for sure explanation but I have a theory.” he responded.

  “So far your theories are my only lifeline, and I’ve got time. What’s your theory?” I prodded.

  “Well I suppose it starts with my adoptive parents. They were perfect, too perfect, like their lives were all an act. It had always been that way. Making perfect appearances, working angles that would move them along politically, or in the community, never whispering a bad words about anyone else in public, never doing anything that could make whispers turn on to them. I always thought it was suspicious, but when they finally came clean about the Guild, my suspicions turned to more, and now that we think we’ve confirmed I’m either a descendant of Ladon or Chrysaor, it makes even more sense..” he explained.

  “What do you think?”

  “Well, I think my birth parents, my real parents were murdered, and I was taken.”

  “Wait,” I turned my head to the side and examined Calix. He was completely serious. “You mean you think the Guild, murdered your parents? Why let you live, take you in, and raise you as their own?”

  “That was my main question too, but I’ve been thinking. If my mother or father had the blood of the Orders, and they were protectors, they could have had a charge, they could have been killed doing what they were born to do. As for raising me into their own I don’t know for sure. A sick joke? And experiment? Either way I don’t care. I’m never going back.”

  I wasn’t entirely sure if he was saying it as a declaration, or if he was resigned to the fact Andreas wanted him dead. “I’m not going to let them kill you, you know. I don’t know what we’re going to do about this whole mess, but I won't let them do that, I promise.”

  Calix smiled at me like he was thanking me for the effort, but he had no faith I could make it happen, and that just pissed me right off.

  “If he doesn’t do it, they’ll find me, and they’ll do it. I can’t be trusted anymore. They can’t know you haven't turned me. They wouldn't take the chance.”

  My jaw felt as if it hit the floor. His own parents, the ones who raised him, would shoot him down for assumed treachery, without questioning, or hesitating? He might think his mom would like me in a different life time, but I was pretty sure I’d shove her stupid face into cow shit in every lifetime. What a cunt.

  “Anyway, I believe that the Guild caught wind of me digging into my past somehow and decided the joke had gone too far, or the experiment had failed, and it was time to get rid of me. I think they were hoping your protectors would kill me, or you would. I think the whole mission was for that sole purpose. They didn’t even make an attempt on you, did they?”

  I shook my head. Besides the little bit of spying that Andreas had caught them doing from the corner, no one had made a move at me at all.

  I could see Calix making more connections in his head and his anger rising on his face. “They perverted my birthright, all so they could have a soldier that wouldn't be affected by your curse! They turned me inside out. I was meant for something so much more,” he hung his head as he lost steam.

  “That’s awful Calix. Maybe, maybe after this is all over, and I’m safe again, we can help you find out what happened to your parents. We have this great investigator, well I don’t know if you’ll meet him, but he would do it for me, I’m sure.”

  Calix retreated inside his mind. I sat in silence waiting to see if I’d overstepped my boundaries. Maybe this guy didn’t want my help. Maybe when he was no longer useful to us, and we let him go, he would run hard and fast, to as far away from me as possible.

  “Sure Medoe, why not? If I stop planning for tomorrow, than I’ve given up on life, and I won't wear that failure around my neck. I have something to fight for now. Thank you. You’re right, I’ll trust you, and hope you are as capable as you seem. Maybe I will live through this.”

  “Right, always plan for tomorrow.” I felt like such a hypocrite. I never planned for more than today, never knowing where I was going, or what I was doing on any given day, but I felt like he needed something to hold on to.

  We talked quietly about random things, life in general, our dreams, and childhoods, until the sun was well over the horizon, and the boys started to wake.

  When I heard Andreas groan, I knew it was time for me to take my leave. I flashed Calix a secret smile and tip toed off into the bathroom.

  When I came back out Andreas was at the range in the kitchen. “So do you always cook a hearty breakfast?” I asked.

  He looked up surprised, but where else could I have been? He would have seen I wasn’t in my chair when he walked by, he had to have known I was awake.

  “I’m a growing boy you know.” he replied and it brought a happy warmth to my stomach. This felt so normal.

  “You stopped growing a long time ago, and thank the Gods. You’re big enough as it is.” I pulled out a stool and sat at the nook to watch Andreas chef it up.

  “You have no idea how big I really am, little minx.” Andreas winked at me. If he were close enough I’d punch his pervy arm. It was times like this I was reminded of that bright red V-card badge I still wore on my forehead. “I seem to recall a promise of productivity between you and I today while coffee boy is out.”

  “Yeah I didn’t mean produce offspring, either.” I countered.

  He flipped the first pancake that he had poured into the pan. “I’ll wear you down.” he half joked. I could hear the acceptance of the challenge in his voice.

  “You should go wake him up,” Andreas pointed his spatula to Silas on the couch. “These are the best pancakes this side of the river, he’ll want them hot.”

  I was surprised by how big of a turn on it was that Andreas was such a wizard in the kitchen. Oh well, I pushed the surprise down. Who knows what kinds of kinks were hiding in this disturbed mind. I was sure I would find out worse about myself than that.

  I trudged over to the dropped living room like a zombie dragging ass. I was tired now that my second wind from the adrenaline had worn off.

  I woke Silas up, and crawled into his warm spot on the couch when he left for the bathroom. Snuggled under the warm blanket I almost fell asleep when Andreas deposited a plate on the coffee table in front of me, and the smell of maple syrup entered my nose.

  I was up and sitting, legs crossed, in seconds. The plate balanced on my lap, and fork in hand. I didn’t care if I was acting like an animal. I hadn’t realized how hungry I’d actually been. I spoke with a mouthful of syrupy cake, stopping Andreas on his way back to the kitchen. “You got-ta member t’feed Calix.”

  Andreas shook his head as if to say no - but he was really just laughing at me - and turned back towards the kitchen.

  I swallowed the mouthful I’d been speaking ar
ound. “And I really think we should get him a change of clothes. I hate looking at that uniform, and it kind of stinks.”

  “I’ll call in the personal shopper.” Andreas said as nonchalantly as possible.

  I placed my fork on my plate. “Personal shopper? Are you freaking kidding me?”

  Andreas poured another pancake into the pan. The sizzle broke the silence in the air. “I’m not actually. It’s hard to look this good.” Man, he was in a good mood this morning. I wondered briefly if he was on his best behaviour to ‘wear’ me down.

  He pulled his cell out of his pocket, and dialed a number quickly. Putting the phone to his ear, Andreas leaned his hip against the stove. “Yeah Dahlia, I need you to do an unscheduled pick up. Use the gold card. Mhmm, yes please. Oh no they're not for me this time. I’m going to need a selection both male and female. I don’t have them… Yeah use Alverez, they're about the same size. The other? Oh, um ...” Andreas put down the phone from his ear and covered the microphone.

  He whispered, “Have any size preference?” He turned back to the stove and flipped the pancake.

  I whispered back forcefully. “You’re not buying me clothes.”

  He strode away from the stove and back towards me on the couch. “Yes, I am. Silas told me the state of your choices. We need to blend in right now. So, be a good girl, and give me those measurements.”

  I huffed and threw my chin in the air like a snotty child.

  I heard Andreas laugh as he walked away, and put the phone back to his ear. “Yes, I’m here. She’s about five foot five, or shorter. Maybe a 34-26-38.”

  Andreas looked over his shoulder at me. I wanted to stick my tongue out like a child. He was spot fucking on. How did he do that?

  “And Dahlia, that dress you tried to get my date to wear to the new club opening about 6 months ago? I want that.”

  The image of Andreas in a dress almost made me drop my syrupy square of yum. I continued on listening to the one sided conversation. Silas left the bathroom, droplets of water falling from his hair, a towel around his waist. He winked at me with a smile, “Forgot my bag.” He leaned in really close, his arm reaching down in front of me, his eyes never leaving mine, and grabbed his staybag. With another devilish smile he was gone, disappearing back into the only door covered room in the place.

  I finished off my plate and left it on the coffee table. Andreas brought it to me, he could take it back. I walked over to Calix, who was pretending to sleep, and nudged him with my foot. His green and blue eyes shot open and the veins of yellow gold that bled from around his pupil sparkled in the daylight. “I need you to get out of those stinking clothes. We have new ones on the way.”

  He looked at me confused. “And how am I supposed to do that?”

  I looked over my shoulder at Andreas. He rolled his eyes and joined me. Pulling a set of keys from his pocket he released Calix. “If you make one move, one move that I don’t like, cuffs will be the least of your worries.”

  Calix nodded silently, and started removing his clothing. The leather jacket’s zipper was so loud, I could tell it hadn’t been properly broken in. Under that he worse a simple black cotton t-shirt which he ripped off and threw in the pile.

  He looked up to me. “Pants too?”

  “Pant’s too.” I confirmed. I turned to Andreas. “Umm, this Dahlia ...is she going to bring underwear too?”

  “Dahlia is a magic worker, if we need it, she’ll have it.” A pang of jealousy ran through me, and I wondered if they had ever been together. I pushed the thought away. That was none of my business.

  “Calix, you can leave your underwear on if you want until Dailia gets here.”

  “One problem miss.” Calix pointed out as a blush rose up his cheeks.

  “Oh right…” I had totally forgot that during my ice torture I had learned he wasn’t wearing anything under those leather pants. “Right, well keep the pants on for now then.”

  Andreas looked at me questioningly but I just shrugged it off. He didn’t need to know our captive was hanging free.

  Andreas took the rejection for what it was, a ‘not gonna tell’ kind of moment, and went to clear away my plate. I went to go pick up Calix’s t-shirt and coat, when I accidentally stepped on the coat sleeve, and heard a loud destructive crunch.

  I looked down to the floor. The button on the cuff of the sleeve - the only two buttons on the whole leather ensemble - was cracked, and what looked like an electronic chip laid between the two pieces. I bent down to examine what I’d found.

  Silas chose that moment to stroll back out of the bathroom, and join me on the floor. He snatched the device, circuit board, or whatever that little doohickey was, from my hand. “What’s this?”

  I snatched it back. “This is something that I found. Me, all by myself. Now shoo.” I bumped my hip against his and ran off towards the kitchen to talk to Andreas. Silas, followed not far behind me. I dropped the chip on the counter. “What’s this?” I asked, just as Silas had asked me.

  Andreas bent over the counter and eyed the contraption. “I can’t be sure, but it looks like some kind of computer chip. I’ll send a picture of it to Jacques. He’ll be able to figure it out.” Andreas took a photo with his cell and went to work sending it to his PI. When he was done he dialed Jacques number.

  Silas took the chip and laid it in his flattened palm. Using the tip of his finger he rolled it from one side to the next as if he could get answers out of it by staring it down. He looked over his shoulder at Calix, who stood where he had been cuffed before, not moving from what had been his prison.

  “When did he get uncuffed? Why is he half naked?” Silas growled.

  I placed my hand on his arm. “Silas, I needed to get him out of those leathers, they were starting to smell. Andreas has called in his personal shopper to bring in some new stuff. He’s not going anywhere.”

  “Well he’s out of the stinking clothes, and now we’re distracted. I don’t like it.”

  Calix sat down on the floor, hearing Silas, and attached the empty cuff to his ankle, and the other end to the bottom metal post of the bar. “”I’m secure. You can stop acting like a child now.”

  Silas started to move toward Calix but I tightened my hand around part of his bicep. “Not now, and plus he’s kind of right. Andreas uncuffed him, and read him his rights. Plus he doesn't have access to the elevator key card. He couldn’t leave if he wanted to.”

  Silas calmed for a moment, but it was short lived. Andreas had ended his call and slammed his phone on the counter. I winced. I'd be surprised if it weren’t broken. The sound caused Silas and I to whip around in his direction.

  Andreas face was a flush of fury. “It’s a fucking tracking device.”

  Nothing I could say or do would have stopped Silas’ rampage.

  Poor Calix, if only he hadn’t just chained himself down. I shook my head and ran after Silas. He was fast. Fast enough that he had reopened the cut above Calix’s eye, and busted his nose before I could get him off of him. Even then, I was only successful because of Andreas’ help.

  Silas spun on me. “That’s why he’s been so calm about his capture. He knew they would follow that damn tracker right back to us, rescuing himself, and getting the target all in one!”

  Andreas started to follow Silas’ train of thought, and went to give Calix his own round of pummeling when I yelled. “Everyone just FUCKING stop for a minute!”

  I walked to Calix who was flat out on the floor, a moan falling from his lips. “Calix, did you know they were tracking you?”

  His head swayed from side to side like he was seeing double of me, and tried to reply. “Don’t ...think. New coat, rents gave to me for my first...mission.”

  “I believe him.” I stated. I looked back down to Calix, I wasn’t sure how much more his face could take before something worse like brain swelling started happening. “And the next one to try and pummel this man’s face, is more monster than I care to associate with. Do,” I looked at Silas. “You
,” I looked to Andreas. “Understand?” I placed my hands on my hips and looked between them both.

  Neither looked obliged to answer me. I really didn’t think they got it - that they got me - at all. I had an aversion to killing. I had killed by accident at a very sensitive time in my life, and it had ruined everything, it had ruined me. If they forced more blood onto my hands, I didn’t know if I could ever forgive them.

  “I said! Do you understand me? His face and brain cannot take days upon days of brutal attack. If you kill him, after I’ve made it clear we are NOT killing him, how do think that’s going to end. I swear neither of you will ever see me again. I will ghost on the tempest winds, and you will never find me.”

  For some reason that shook them from their tempers. I couldn’t believe how different, and alike these two really were.

  Silas had the decency to look a smidge ashamed of himself, but not Andreas. “Medoe, they know where he is. This place is compromised.”

  “Andreas,” I retorted, if we were using names to mark seriousiousness now, I could play. “Dear, darling, Mr. Drakos, the chip is ruined. That is one thing I am sure of. My fat ass stepped on the bastard turning it into this,” I pointed to the chip in Silas’ hand. “So any intel they could have would now be unconfirmed, and outdated. Secondly, if they wanted to get him back they would have come by now.” I looked over my shoulder at Calix’s prone body sprawled on the floor.

  He had taken a small snooze, forced or not, I didn’t blame him. When I looked back Andreas had his thinking hat on - figuratively, of course, but I was starting to learn the nuances of his facial expressions - he approached me slowly and cupped my cheek almost as if he thought I would slap his hand away.

  “What do you know, Little Minx?”

  I looked back to Calix again. This may be the only chance I had to soften the boys up just a little. I didn’t really want to tell Calix’s story without him, or his permission, but I had to do it.

  I explained to Andreas and Silas what Calix had told me early this morning. About how he was orphaned becuase of a murder, not an adoption agreement gone bad or abandonment. How he believed the Guild knew he had learned of their involvement in his parents' deaths, and how he believed the Guild had sent him out that night to die, to cover their tracks. I spilled it all. I couldn’t help myself. I had a hunch that I was supposed to help Calix, and he was going to help me. I needed these guys on my side.