Chapter 9 –
As I pulled the last of our luggage out of the cab's trunk and slammed it shut I could hear Clara and her mom talking between themselves. Frisk gave me thumbs up through the back window and drove off. I watched until she turned a corner and had to turn my attention to my present situation. Seeing as we were in Arizona, it was much warmer and I wasn't wearing my coat, which left my skull open to scrutiny. One glance at the girls showed they were both looking at me. Clara looked a bit sympathetic while her mom looked like she couldn't believe her eyes. Great, just what I needed, a pity party. I bent down to grab mine and Clara's suitcases, but as I stood back up I was hit with a jasmine scented body making me stagger back a step.
"Oh honey, how we've missed you. Come in, please." Clara's mom stepped back and proceeded to grab two of the smaller bags and then took the handle of Clara's suitcase from me and walked up the sidewalk chattering nonstop. "You must tell me everything that has happened. I want to hear it all. You had to have had at least a few girlfriends." She chattered on. This was the woman who was supposedly scared for her husband who had been absent for days already? She seemed pretty chipper or was that just a façade.
Shaking my head, I grabbed my own luggage and followed her, not saying a word as she started to ramble about memories she had about us being kids and of how she missed my father. Once we were inside, I shot a glance at Clara and she nodded and somehow knew that we would need privacy. Maybe she was catching on. A shame but necessary.
She started moving around the house, closing curtains and I closed the front door behind me. Her mother was oblivious until the front curtains, the last ones in the house were pulled shut.
"Clara, what are you doing? We always leave the curtains open to let the cool air in. It's good for the mind and helps keep the house comfortable." She complained confused.
Hip jutting out one way and her back to the curtains with a scowl on her face, she looked her mother straight in the face and said exactly what I had been thinking. "What is really going on Mom? You message me that Dad has been gone for days and we show up unannounced essentially, yet you seem completely unfazed." Her dark gaze was enough to scare most anyone. I was glad I didn't have to be the one to breach that elephant in the room.
Her mother looked startled for a moment before her whole expression shattered and she seemed to crumble in on herself. "The men I messaged you about. They came again today and told me that you father is safe for now. They said that so long as I cooperated, no harm would come to him. I don't know what they want. And then I get a message from you saying you are in Phoenix. You only just left, I don't know whether to be relieved you are safe or worried for your safety now that you're back or to worry something happened back in New York." She was crying as she tried to explain. It had all been a brave face.
Looking back to Clara, I could see her face had softened back to it's normal look. "Mom, it's gonna be alright. I…"
Before she could finish I cut in. " Don't lie to her Clara, and don't offer false hope. You won't make it in the dark if you do. It just sets you up to break worse later."
Her mother, who had started to look a bit better looked at me startled, then back to her daughter. Clara for her part, was now glaring at me. I matched her glare easily. She broke first and with a huff threw her hands up and marched over to a close settee and plopped down. She was rightfully angry, but that's want going to change the reality of the situation.
I looked back to her mom. "Mrs. Cloud, this may be hard to take in, your daughter certainly didn't take it easy, but you husband has been taken by the largest gang in the country and we don't know why. We are here to try to get him back as well as to help right the order of power within the gang." I explained straight out.
"You couldn't find a better way to break that?" Clara was suddenly standing again and shouting at me.
"It's the truth." I snapped back. A look of fear flitted across her features before she corrected them. I narrowed my eyes. "What?"
"You never put your inhibitors back on. Please dismiss your magic right now." Her eyes never left me.
I held her gaze for a moment more before glancing at her mother who was white faced and then at my own hands. My hands, arms, and shoulders were alight with dangerous looking green magic flames laced with black. It took effort, but I slowly shoved the magic down and away. Digging in my pocket, I tried to pull out the inhibitors, but all I got was a few gems and some dust. "Well shit." I swore.
"What's that?" asked Mrs. Cloud, now that the danger seemed to have passed, for the moment.
"They were my inhibitors." I sighed and shoved the stones back on my pocket. Sans had said that I was lucky they hadn't broken yet. Guess I'm out again.
Clara noticeably paled, but her mom just looked confused.
"Do you want me to explain everything to her or are you going to? We can't afford for her to be ignorant anymore and even if you try to protect her, they are going to look to her soon anyway. Remember they said they were looking to promote both your parents."
Clara just glared at the floor. "I don't like any of this." Was all she muttered.
I just pinched the ridge above my nasal cavity and sighed. A habit I had picked up from Lucy.
"A promotion? Who are they?"
Seeing that Clara wasn't forthcoming with information right now, I cast around for a place to sit and chose a bar stool that was near a window, shifting a few books off it first. "Mrs. Cloud,"
"Jenny." She interrupted. "Please call me Jenny."
Nodding, I restarted. "Jenny, since you left New York a lot has happened there. First thing you should know is that my father, Gaster Sr., has been incarcerated, and I have been living on the streets for literally years. At some point, the man you and Clara remember disappeared. He became brutal and controlling. He was part of the New York mafia, and by relation, I am as well. I have tried to leave it behind to no avail."
Her expression ranged from disbelief to horror as understanding of what I was about to relay dawned upon her.
"Shortly after meeting your daughter again in New York, we received a message that told us to come down here. Upon arrival she got your message and we were taken to meet the higher-ups of the mafia in this city. These two incidents are related, I'm sorry to say. Your husband was offered a promotion recently, but it came with strings and he was likely told about them. He refused the promotion and now he knows too much. The mafia overstepped their bounds by trying to recruit him and now they are likely trying to force him to join them. I was called down due to my familial connections to the mafia to try and help straighten things out, she was called down because it involves her family and if he and you accept the promotions, she will become entangled in this as well. This is bigger than any of us."
Our eyes never broke contact and I could see her putting pieces together and puzzling over everything. I gave her time to digest it all. Getting introduced to the underground was never easy. "So you're telling me that if he had just accepted the promotion, he would be home right now and you two would still be up in New York, but he would be a part of a criminal organization? How do you go from a medical position to mafia with a promotion?" She finally asked confused.
I dropped my head into my hands in defeat and missed the faint smile Clara shot me for my action. What was wrong with these women. I tell them they are mixed up in the mafia and they take it in stride and ask the complete opposite questions of what I would ever expect. Maybe they belong in the mafia!
"Pretty much, yeah." Clara answered her mother, "And apparently they own like, all the big corporations and about half the city. According to his grandfather they don't only do criminal activity, but a big contributors in helping those in need, at least in this city. In New York things are a lot darker and more along the stereotypical end of things." She sounded a bit depressed, but at least she was accepting it now.
"Can't say I'm surprised." Jenny replied, causing me to turn my head slightly to look at her through one of my palms. "The higher ups always kept information on promotions above a certain level pretty hush hush. Figures that they would have some big secret to keep." Clapping her hands on her legs, she levered herself up and started toward another room in the house. "Anyone want anything to drink?"
Clara got up as well and followed, saying she'd like some juice if they had any. I seconded the motion and after a moment, got to my feet and followed as well.
"So was that everything, or was there more to your story?" Jenny asked after pouring all the drinks and putting the juice back in the fridge. She even added ice to all the glasses.
Bless this woman. I was getting hot. I was about to say that was all but Clara cut in before me.
"Well, there is the small bit of how I managed to meet him so quickly. Still dark, but a bit amusing as well." she offered with a laugh.
"If we are getting into lighter subjects, maybe we can open the drapes again then? It is gettting a bit stuffy in here" Jenny asked. She clearly wasn't a big fan of the dark.
"Sure." Clara said with a shrug.
I did my part in helping with reopening the curtains in the front room. They were the highest ones and the girls were shorter than me so it was only fair. Shortly we were all seated back in the living room and with a window open in the front of the house and a few open in the back, a wind-tunnel effect was created, making a nice breeze that helped make the heat a bit more bearable.
Clara explained about the small building she had managed to lease and how business had not been too hard to pick up since she had picked an area where there were not too many other shops that offered services like hers. Then some tall dark stranger showed up, the very first person who had come by for magical interest and it just ended up being the one she had gone looking for. She explained about what my situation had been and then started explaining about stuff I had no clue on. A lot of magic theory I think. Her mother seemed to understand what she was saying and looked at me in interest more than once, but I just kept sipping my juice and trying to make sense of what she was saying. Not exactly easy with all the jargon she kept spouting.
Without warning and making us all jump, my phone went off. I glanced at the number and the Caller ID said it was Sans. "Hello? What's up?" I asked cautiously. I hadn't expected to hear from him so soon, but it was about the time that the darker side of the mafia got active.
"You have some inbound not-so-friendlies. Thought I'd give you a head's up. That subordinate I mentioned earlier caught wind that I brought some help in. Deal with them as you see fit, but please don't raise a fuss if you can avoid it." With that he hung up. The call was just short enough to avoid being tracked.
I looked up an met the eyes of the two women. "We have company." Clara looked puzzled, but Jenny went pale. Something told me this wasn't the first time that company had come calling on her. I looked directly to Clara, "He wants me to deal with them. By doing that, it will be a sure sign of who we are sided with and may make things harder in the long run. I'm also going to have to use magic. By the sound of it, there is going to be a lot of them."
"Wait, you mean that the mafia is attacking us?!" Now Clara paled. That was more a proper reaction. "I am so tired of them interfering already!" Or not, she had paled in rage, not fear. These chicks were nuts.
"As my teacher, do I have your permission to use my magic? I'm gonna need it and I can already tell you that my control is not going to be fine point," I asked more out of propriety than actual caring. I was going to use it either way.
Clara looked at me and for a moment I actually thought she was going to say no, then her face softened. "Try not to kill them, okay?"
"I won't try to kill them, how does that sound?" I countered.
Bouncing her head side to side, she finally nodded as she came to the same conclusion as I had that that was about as good a compromise as we could get right now with my magic being mostly out of control. "Good enough."
"Right. So for now, we don't do anything rash, but I can almost guarantee that this won't end well, but for security and appearance, we are going to have to try and handle this civilly. They will likely come up to the door like good businessmen and ask to chat. They may not even know yet that we are here, they just know we are in the city somewhere." I turn to look at Jenny. "When they come and knock on the door, I know it may be hard, well, maybe not, you are a tough woman like your daughter, but you are going to have to invite them in. Once they are inside they will try to convince you to work with them. We will be around to help. I saw a closet behind the door, I'll stay in there until they come in. Your daughter being here shouldn't be a problem, so she could probably stay anywhere but the people coming may be more defensive if there is someone here they are not expecting, so maybe she should stay in the kitchen until they get settled at least."
Jenny was starting to look slightly worried and Clara was looking angrier by the second, but both were tempered with determination. Pushing herself back up, Jenny waved for me to follow her and I assumed she meant to stash me now, which wouldn't be a bad idea since we didn't know when they would be coming, only that they were on their way. Once we were about two rooms away though, she spun and nearly put me to the wall. If I hadn't reacted, she might have actually broke my collar. As it were, we were suddenly face to face, me holding her arm three-quarter way through a swing and her glaring daggers into my sockets. We stood like that for several moments, frozen and waiting for the other to submit. I nodded just slightly, not breaking eye contact, but enough to show I acknowledge her strength. We released each other at the same time and she stepped back to lean against the opposite hallway wall.
"We cool?" I asked warily. Having my head bashed in once was enough for me. I wasn't looking to repeat the experience again.
In a few seconds her face went from determined to looking old and worn, the face of someone who was tired and ready to give up. "Protect Clara. Please, whatever you do, protect her." she told me quietly.
"I fully plan to. She didn't mention it, but I will. I have no recollection of our time together when we were younger. Everything I am doing and have done up to this point today is based on what I have come to know since meeting her two weeks ago." I paused, letting her absorb that and understand what I was saying before continuing. "I also plan to protect you and to get her father back. She needs you both." That last line broke her and she started to tear up. Unfortunately at the same time I heard a car door slam out on the street.
Looking outside through a pane of glass in the door I could make out at least five identical cars on the street. That wasn't conspicuous at all, especially when people got out of all of them at once and all moved toward the house in unison. There was no hesitation between them, no conversation, no gathering or comradery. Something was very wrong.
"Jenny." I kept my voice low but the warning tone in my voice certainly got her attention and I felt her lean into me as she also tried to look out the window. I felt her stiffen as they all got closer.
"They don't look natural." she whispered.
"No, they don't. I suggest we move. I don't think they are going to listen to anything we might say." I pulled back slowly from the door and guided her down the hall. Once we were clear of the hall I was reminded that we had opened all the curtains again, and so was she. With the lights on in the house and all the curtains open, our movements would be easily tracked.
The sound of breaking glass cut the silence like a knife followed by a shriek from the back of the house. Neither Jenny nor I hesitated, we dashed through to get to Clara. A quick glance behind me noted that the encroaching things had picked up speed.
"Clara?" I yelled. "Clara, are you alright?" I caught a doorway and spun into the kitchen expecting the worse and my magic already summoned for a fight. Instead I ran into Jenny, tripped, and landed in a puddle of juice and glass. "What the fuck?"
"Uh, are you guys okay?" Clara was really confused. "I just dropped my glass and it startled me. Sorry?"
Groaning I pushed myself up and heard Jenny explaining to her daughter the situation even as heavy banging was heard on the front door. "Tell me this place has a back way out." I begged.
"Yeah, but it is blocked. We never use it so there is a bunch of stuff stored on both sides of the door." Jenny explained, white-faced.
"Just great." I muttered to myself. "Guess I should go say hi to the guests then." More banging was heard, from the force of it, I didn't think that the door was going to hold up much longer. I let my magic roll over me. It felt controlled at the moment. It wasn't fighting me, but I wasn't paying attention to that. These things were threatening my friend and teacher. Because of all the problems they were causing I was being forced to come back into the underground and leave the light that I was finally starting to get a purchase in. I was pissed.
I was just about to open the door when it finally gave and what looked like sets of rockets came flying through, making mini explosions as they blew up against the wall beyond it. They seriously had been using explosives? That. Was. It. I stepped out from behind the door frame, flicking on the front lawn light beside the door flooding light over our attackers. They looked like manikins. Poorly made ones at that. "Bad idea. You just messed with the wrong family." I snarled.
Their faces momentarily looked startled and unsure, but then they set up for another barrage.
Before they could loose them though, I released my own explosions behind each of them, sending them all flying. They never saw the magic form as it was completely black now and had formed in the shadows behind them. The second the bursts went off, the entire block went dark. I was thankful for the clear night and nearly full moon. It clearly illuminated the yard for me and allowed me to see everyone. They were down for the time being, but for how long I wasn't sure.
"Clara, does your phone still work?" I called, not taking my eyes off our downed assailants.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah it does." She called as she and her mom started to navigate to the front of the house using their flashlights on their phones.
"Good, call that cabbie. We need to move. I don't care where right now, but we can't stay here." I called back. I looked over my shoulder for them when I heard movement. At just that moment they turned into the hall and I nearly got blinded. If it weren't for my magic being so thick I probably would have.
"Uh, sure...you okay G?" she asked, voice getting shaky.
"No, no I am not." I growled. Looking out to the yard I saw two of the manikins starting to try and get up. I flicked two more spheres into existence beside them and set them off. Maybe they were just a bit stronger cause I could actually feel the wind from their detonation.
Seconds later I heard the clicking of her typing on the phone and began to relax a little. We could make it out of this. As I relaxed just a bit, my magic began to fade from black to green laced with a few streaks of sapphire occasionally racing through it. It also began to let off more light with the change in color. I could now tell that both my arms were completely encased in the magic and wisps were all over the yard and along the hall. There was even one between the girls.
"Don't worry, it won't hurt you unless I want it to." I let them know as they both froze and stared at it. Seeing them freeze up actually made me smile and laugh a little inside as I remembered going through something similar with Henry not too long ago. The green bled into a purple as I remembered him tripping on air, falling over the coffee table, and practically landing on my lap, startling me so much my magic activated and whips like these appeared all over, including one on top of his head.
"It really does change colors." Breathed Jenny as if we weren't in a weird peril.
"Uh, Clara? Cab? Please?" I asked as I glanced back at the yard and saw a few of the manikins starting to come to again. I really didn't want to dust anybody and the fact that they could summon magic like they had before told me they were just another kind of monster, which meant that they would be pretty easy to Dust if I wasn't careful.
"Oh, right." The dial tone, followed by a ringer was heard down the hall as I focused and set up some smaller explosives next to the rising figures in the yard. In the distance I saw a few more lights go out as I wiped out a few more blocks. Whoops.
"Uh, is Frisk available? We were told to call this number for a cab?" I heard Clara asking on the phone behind me.
I glanced down the hall once more to check on the girls and noticed our luggage was still sitting in the hall. Good, maybe we would be able to grab that before we left, but Jenny didn't have anything packed that I knew of. "Jen...if you have anything you will need, grab it now." I yelled down to her.
"Oh, right. I should have a case in the closet behind you." She called back.
Seriously, why were these people ready to move on a moments notice when the lived here?
"Got it! Cab is already on the way. You're grandfather apparently sent one." Clara shouted as I let off another set of mini explosions. At the same time a small cab screeched around the corner.
It was like something out of a crappy movie if I were honest. Not taking too much time to think, I reached into the closet behind me and grabbed the suitcase in there, yelling at the girls to grab the stuff in the hall and move. We booked it across the yard and thankfully the cabbie already had the trunk popped so we whipped everything in real quick before piling into the car. I could see our assailants getting up and racing to their own cars. Taking a steadying breath, I set up and detonated spheres within the engines of each of their cars...I may have blown an extra car as well. Oops. We didn't stick around to find out. Dark houses blew by as our driver floored it and took us uptown.
"Why is it so dark? How far did that power outage spread and I wonder what caused it." Jenny tried to fill the silence with small talk.
Seeing as I was sitting between both her and Clara, they both felt me flinch.
"Echo, how much did you knock out?" Clara sounded worried.
"Echo? Wait, he knocked out the power? Magic is only supposed to have a minor interference with electricity. How'd he knock out this much power?" By now we had gone several blocks and still no sign of power in the streets.
"I wanna say maybe half the city? Maybe less, I hope." I hunched in on myself, conscious of the fact that I had messed up again, but it was necessary this time at least. Then my phone went off. There was a scramble to dig it out of my back pocket, and a lot of accidental elbow digs as everyone tried to shift out of the way. Finally I got it out just before it went to voicemail. "H-hello." I yelped into it as we hit a pothole the cabbie hadn't seen and Clara's elbow slammed my half-missing rib.
"I thought I told you not to raise a fuss! Over half the city is dark. What did you do, wipe out a city block?" Sans sounded annoyed but also like he was laughing. What the heck was with these people. Everyone was weird.
"No, I just set off a few small explosions, mini firecrackers more or less and blew up a few cars. I told you I didn't have much control." I snapped back.
"Okay, okay. You got out of there though, right?" He checked.
"Yeah, the cab you sent couldn't have shown up at a better time." I assured him. "Where is it taking us?"
Silence. "I didn't send a cab."
"Okay, we will see you there then." I said easily.
"Be careful. If you can get to my hotel, I'll do what I can to shelter you." He instructed.
"Right. Thanks. Talk to you later." I ended the call and knocked on the glass in front of us. "Yo, you work for the second, right?
I heard Clara take a sharp breath even as the cabbie nodded. "Yeah. If he's got your back then you are in pretty good hands. I had no clue I'd be driving into a full on fight though. That was pretty cool. I'm pretty new to all of this and that was my first time seeing magic. Way awesome dude." He was chatterbox, definitely new.
"Any chance I could sway you to drop by somewhere else first? I need to have a word with someone else, the big boss. I was just on the phone with him." I figured I could try to pull power over power. This kid seemed gullible enough.
"Sure, the radisson, right? That'll be easy enough." They nodded and I relaxed. Easy as pie.
I smiled, feeling a bit unstable as my adrenaline died down and offered a hand to each of the girls. The returned it and grasped my hands, each of us reassuring the other. I didn't even notice when I passed out.