Chapter 10

03-15-2031

Ash isn't happy about the experiment we performed today. He says he's never going to help with one like that ever again. He really doesn't like guns.

I'm fine, by the way.

He only shot my hand and I was able to heal the wounds without a problem.

I even caught one of the slugs.

BUT I guess I understand why he's upset. He's such a laid back and calm guy. I wonder if he was a priest before this? But then, where did he learn all the martial arts he knows? Army Chaplain? Dude's a mystery I really want to figure out but I won’t press it.

He said he needed some time to himself.

Don't we all?

- Personal journal of Page Simmons, volume 4, page 41

The night is cold, quiet, and dark.

It's calming to sit on the steps of unit 60's little porch with the lights turned off. The building's battery is fully charged. The lights work fine. I've had the heater running inside to warm it up the same as all the other tiny houses but I'm outside in the cold air anyway. I want to brood while I sip my red Sporterade, I guess.

I jump when my phone rings.

"Hello?" I ask quickly.

"Book, you didn't call. I wanted to give you an update, I hope it's not too late," Thunderskull says.

"Oh, no, it's fine," I reply. "What's the update?"

"The two locations I looked at today are no-gos," he says. "First one didn't believe I worked for you at all and the second one is sandwiched between a pet store and a daycare in a strip mall. Didn't think you'd want to run the risk of someone like your last client showing up there to you know...shoot you again."

"Good thinking. I still think an office building is a bad idea."

"I agree, you're too high profile for an office building. People will come by just to get a glimpse of you," Thunderskull agrees.

"This sucks so much," I groan with my head in my hands. I shift back to only having one set when I realize I'm still holding my drink and phone in my originals.

"What does?"

"Everything."

Thunderskull is quiet for a moment before he asks, "Do you...want to...talk about it?"

I let out a sigh.

"The only reason my sister was able to get our mom into a nursing home was because I stayed the hel away and stopped trying to help. I finally figured out what I want to do with my life and I can't do it because people are scared of Book and even friends think I'm a monster."

"I don't think you're a monster."

"You like being an eight foot tall skeleton with horns and flaming eye sockets," I point out.

"That is accurate," he replies happily.

"People can't be that scared of you or they wouldn't keep calling the number you set up for the office," he says. "I've had to tell seven people you're out of town the next two weeks and refer three of them to that Detective Windgate guy but he's also on vacation."

Detective Windgate is a great person.

Three great people, in fact.

Windgate is the DID System I worked with last year on the Ezekiel case. Eugene Windgate is the host, while Starling and Lucas are his Alters. Each of them is an excellent detective.

Not a lot of people know Windgate's a System.

Eugene and his alters have have been trying their hardest to help me with my public image on top of offering tips when it comes to setting up a detective agency. This month Eugene surprised me by having business cards printed with the new office phone number on them. I did not ask Windgate how he got that number. I figure it was Lucas doing some light to moderate hacking or just asking Thunderskull.

"I'm probably just stressing about things for no reason," I admit.

"No, there are plenty of reasons," Thunderskull says. "Hey, I've got to go. I'm babysitting Alma and she just finished eating dinner. Need to clean up."

"Say 'Hi' for me," I say.

"I need her to go to bed tonight. If she knew you wanted to say 'Hi' she would demand I call you back with video. Maybe one day, but not tonight," he explains.

"Have a good night, Thunderskull."

"You too Book, and...thank you for everything."

“WAS THAT BOOK?!” Alma squeals just before the call ends.

I slip my phone back into my pants pocket and get to my feet to stretch. To my right is Lake Mimir, a small artificially made lake that's a remnant of the time from when this property was a summer camp. I'm sure it had a different name back then. There are a variety of fish in it but I didn't bring a pole. I can think of ways to fish without one, some of which would even look halfway normal.

I watch the water for a little bit. Gaps in the clouds overhead offer glimpses of stars reflecting off the surface like dancing fireflies. A fish wouldn’t have to deal with any of this stuff.

I shouldn't ditch everyone to become a fish.

It's not terribly late, only eleven thirty-five. There's not a lot to do out here. The fact that people are already preparing to sleep doesn't surprise me at all. Charles turned in about fifteen minutes ago. I can hear Neoni going to her tiny house up the hill from me. Ro and Rex are walking down the trail toward the Class S houses, about which Rex is not happy. Sounds like he's still worried about being crushed in his sleep. I wonder if I should offer to move his house further away from the rest or if speaking up will make things worse. Another set of footfalls is ahead of them on the path, approaching unit 60 where I sit.

"Can we talk?" Lock asks as he draws closer to my house.

I turn around. "Sure. We can go inside out of the cold if y'all would prefer. It's in the thirties out here."

"Sienna would rather we stay outside," Lock says.

"Right, tight spaces."

He nods.

"One sec," I say before opening my front door and flipping on the porch light. I toss my empty drink bottle inside, it bounces off the far wall and rolls along the floor back to me. I leave it, shutting the house back up. "Want to sit down?"

"We'll stand," Lock says.

I lean against the railing on the porch. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Sienna is the one who wants to talk. I've advised against it but she has questions I can't answer."

"I'm figuratively all ears," I say.

"Heh," Lock laughs before he shrinks down as Sienna takes over.

"You said you worked with another System before?" she asks while looking at the bottom porch step.

"I did, yeah."

"Doctor Hailu doesn't believe us, does she?" Sienna asks.

"She wants to do her due diligence."

"It's been hard for you since your identity came out," she says.

"That sums it up."

"Lock and I understand it won’t be easy for us. And we also understand if you don't believe us. But it's important we do this," she explains.

"You heard me talking on the phone, right?"

"What?"

"It makes sense y’all’ve been keeping an eye on me. You waited until after I was done with my call before approaching to talk. You also waited until after people started going to bed. It stands to reason that you heard most if not all of my phone call, not to mention my little blow-up at dinner. You wanted to talk in private."

"Ye- yes. We heard your conversation. I'm sorry I made us listen in like that."

"It's fine. Wasn't anything secret. Just talking to my secretary about finding a place to rent. He's been having trouble, in no small part because I am who I am," I say. "It's entirely possible you'll have difficulties like mine or worse if you join the study. I can survive being shot, but you're only Class A. It'd be more difficult if someone comes after you."

"You...," she looks up at me suddenly. "You believe us?"

I shrug. "If you are lying, it's an incredibly shitty thing to do. I don't see the benefit in making it up and pretending. I'd rather give the benefit of the doubt that you're telling the truth. Doctor Hailu, of course, wants and needs to be more careful, not just because the reputation of the CoL Lab would be on the line but also because if you are lying, your life would be ruined."

"And if we're telling the truth?"

"Your life will be ruined in other ways," I say as cheerfully as possible. "She's giving you the option to back out and remain a mystery. I can't tell you which choice to make. I'm notoriously indecisive. I couldn't even make up my mind enough to pick my own pseudonym."

Sienna lets out a little laugh. "Lokasenna."

"The poem? Where Loki starts that rap battle with the other gods?"

"It's what I want our pseudonym to be since it sounds like our names combined. I don't mean it to be an insul-"

The sharp report from a distant rifle echoes through the night. It scares some birds across the lake out of the trees.

"What was that?" Sienna asks. She shifts into Lock who looks around, ready for a fight.

"Sounded like a gunshot," I say. "Somewhere across the lake on the mountain, over a mile away from what I can gather. You're fine."

"Why would someone be shooting?" Lock asks sharply.

"I don't know. Maybe they saw a bear?"

He fixes his gaze on me and nods. "Yeah, that makes sense. I think we're done here. Sienna's tired. I'm taking her back to the main building so she can get some rest."

"Main building?"

"Doctor Hailu agreed to let us sleep in there. Sienna feels uncomfortable in these little houses."

"Understandable."

After they leave I go in to unit 60, turn off the porch light, then sit on the sofa downstairs searching for any information I can find online about Sienna or Lock Gutierrez. I don't plan to sleep tonight anyway, may as well use the time to look into them like Doctor Hailu asked.