Part 3

CoL Fan Community #The-Book-Club

Howl O' Ween Fangs - Today 11:03pm

Holy shit, Book's having a party????? :o

Residential Despot - Today 11:04pm

What?

Howl O' Ween Fangs - Today 11:04pm

This streamer I follow, Big Bucket, is broadcasting from Book's flat right now!!!! They're throwing a party for the finale of Book of Secrets or something! :o It's the middle of the night there, right???

Residential Despot - Today 11:05pm

Book's supposed to be in Austin so, yeah, should be night there. What's the party look like?

Howl O' Ween Fangs - Today 11:07pm

Honestly? Kinda dead x_x

Thought it would be more wild tbh

Everyone's just standing around talking??? It's like if my mum threw a party XD

Eugene actually looks like he got some sleep. He's wearing a clean shirt and suit, with a matching vest and tie. His hair's still a bit of a mess but at least it's clean.

We're heading to the same car dealership as yesterday and traffic is even worse than last time. There's even several helicopters flying around, which makes me think there must have been a massive pile-up on the freeway.

I really wish I wasn't in my Cooldown so I could help, I think to myself while letting out a sigh.

"Saw you had a party last night," Eugene says while staring at the rear end of the truck in front of us.

"Uh, yeah. It wasn't much of a party."

"Made the news," he says with his teeth clenched.

"I'm real sorry," I reply while sinking into my seat a bit. "I should just lay low or something."

"No, no, it's good," he says with a hiss. "It works perfectly with the plan."

"What plan?"

Eugene glances over at me, a pained smile on his face. "Our plan."

"Wait, wait, wait. What are you talking about, Eugene?"

"You noticed the helicopters and stuff, right?"

Of course, I did. I've been mentally beating myself up about not being able to help for the last twenty minutes we've been stuck in traffic. There's not a lot I can do at the moment with my powers to assist first responders due to my Cooldown period.

On top of that I don't want to trigger Eugene's DID.

"Yeah."

"Check the news on your phone, I'm sure they've got some cameras down at the dealership by now," Eugene says with a soft laugh. "Really thought you figured this out. I guess I lost that bet."

"The dealership?"

My heart sinks.

Shit.

I search the local news on my phone focusing on Ray's Used Cars. Sure enough the name pops up. There's a clip from one of the early morning broadcasts with a local reporter talking to the balding salesman. Ray has done his best to clean up his look with a freshly pressed pair of dark gray slacks, crisp white shirt, and tie. The shirt and tie look brand new. I wouldn't be surprised if he forgot to remove the tags.

"You said you've had to enlist law enforcement to direct traffic and for added security today for this event. Do you really think that's necessary?" The reporter asks.

"Absolutely. The safety of our patrons and the community comes first and foremost," Ray cheerfully explains. Gone is his beet red face. "I'm just honored to have such a high profile client choosing to shop at Ray's Used Cars, off I-35 here in Georgetown, Texas."

I pause the clip on my phone then look over at Windgate. He's calmly styling his hair to the side with a foldable comb.

"I hope you don't mind me driving," Lucas says. "And from the shocked look on your face it seems I won the bet."

"You guys set this up?"

"Of course," he says.

"I don't get it. Now I absolutely have to buy something from this guy and I'm gonna look like a greedy little monster."

"You will not look like a 'greedy little monster,'" Lucas says. "Just be yourself. Buy whichever vehicle you want, or none at all."

"I still don't get it."

"You've been having trouble finding a care facility for your mother, correct?" Lucas asks.

We inch forward in traffic a bit before I answer.

"Yeah. I'm not going to ask how you know that."

"I like to keep an eye on our friends. Now, last night you had a party and it was the most underwhelming event of the season," Lucas says. "Which is also excellent. It shows you're just another human and, frankly, a rather dull one at that. All of that helps. You've got an uphill battle to reclaim your identity. Everything we do here today is designed to whittle away at the false version of you, the terrifying monster, that lives in the public consciousness."

This plan is fucking genius.

"Really wish one of you told me earlier but I get it," I say. "What was the bet, anyway?"

"I bet Eugene that you would be too distracted by losing your powers and dealing with your family to realize what we were doing."

"And you won?"

"He has to clean the office," Lucas says with a pleasant smile.

***

I haven't gotten to talk to Lucas a lot. Even when Windgate and I were working on the Ezekiel case I was mostly dealing with Starling and Eugene. Lucas popped in for a bit to do some impressive hacking that cracked the case wide open. He reminds me of Sherlock Holmes in a non-asshole sort of way and without the British accent.

"Are you ready?" Lucas asks after finding a place to park a couple miles away from the dealership. We're outside the police perimeter on a side road that's part of a neighborhood.

I take a deep breath. "I'm not invisible, right?"

"You are not."

"Then I'm as ready as I'm going to be."

I'm about to get out of the car when Lucas puts a hand gently on my shoulder. "Your clothing, is it shift-ready?"

I turn toward him. Eugene told me to get better clothes. Last night I spent some time digging out a pair of slacks and a simple black button-up shirt. They're both inexpensive shift-ready clothing. If I were to get taller or something they'd stretch with me. I could probably change them into something else but if I try to do anything too extreme they'll shred. Since my powers are still closest to a Class B I figure there's not much I could do that would hit that limit, unless I tried to make them into something too far from their original state, then they'd shred like rice paper in a windstorm. The only thing I'm wearing that's not shift-ready is my jacket, which is black denim and a couple sizes larger than I need at the moment.

"Mostly. Why?"

"Given your status it's probable Ray or someone with the media will request you shift in some way. Please know you can do that around me without trouble," Lucas says.

"Thanks."

I get out of the car and Lucas does the same.

We walk about a block and a half before I ask, "Will you be alright walking this far?"

"Absolutely, Starling sees to it that our body is physically fit. He goes to the gym regularly." He pulls his phone out of his pocket. "I will be calling ahead to let Ray know we're on the way."

"Sounds good."

"Hey there, Ray," Lucas says into the phone. "Yeah, yeah, we're on the way. Traffic was hell. What? No, of course they didn't back out. They're here with me. Say 'Hi' Page."

He holds his phone toward me.

"Uh, hi?"

He puts the phone back up to his ear. "See, I told you they were here. We're a few blocks away right now. This is a real circus, you know that? What?" Windgate looks at me before continuing. "Yeah, I think they'd be up for that. Just make sure the cops know they're coming. We don't want anyone getting trigger happy, do we? Yeah. They'll be right there. Fly in over the building? Sure. I'll see you in a bit. Like hell I'll have Page carry me. Bye Ray."

Windgate stops walking and slips his phone back into his jacket pocket. He puts his hand on his hip and tilts his head to the side. "You are able to fly, at the moment, correct?"

"What?"

"You can presently fly, no?"

"No, I can't. I'm barely a Class B right now, Lucas. I can't fly."

"Damn. I miscalculated," Lucas says as he purses his lips.

I admit, I was taken aback by Lucas mimicking Eugene over the phone. Otherwise I would have mentioned that I couldn't fly while he was still talking to Ray.

"Call him back and tell him I can't fly," I say.

Lucas sighs as he dials. "Hey again, Ray. Bit of a snag. Turns out they can't do that. You already told people they're flying in? Well, too bad. What? Fine, sure."

I take the phone when he hands it to me. "Hello, this is Page Simmons."

"What the fuck do you mean you can't fly? You're a fucking Class S," Ray hisses. I can hear muffled sounds in the background. He's either in a closet or a small office.

"I'm in my Cooldown period. I'm barely a Class B right now," I reply calmly. "Not a lot I can do."

"Saw a clip from your party, you got big and buff and shit and you're telling me there's not a lot you can do?" Ray quietly shrieks.

"That was only for a moment and it's by far not the same as flying," I explain. "But I have an idea as to how to make an entrance. Like Windgate was saying, make sure no one shoots me. I'm pretty sure a bullet would actually kill me right now."

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about it. You'll like it," I say before hanging up.

I really hope I don't give this guy a heart attack in a few minutes.

"I take it you have something in mind and that was not a bluff?"

I hand Lucas his phone.

"Yeah," I say while emptying my pants pockets into my jacket. "You'll have to meet me there with my jacket and stuff. Please don't lose any of it."

"Oh, I see," Lucas says with a smile. "And if you do get shot?"

"Then it was nice knowing you, Lucas."