Guardian Read online

  Ankita’s eyes widened. “I’d never do it to Mom or Dad… I’d get in so much trouble. I’d be grounded for like ever.”

  “Don’t be afraid.” Kirsten smiled. “I do think you should work with someone to learn how to control it.”

  Evan looked down at the floor, wobbling his right sneaker back and forth on the toe.

  Damn. Kirsten sighed in her thoughts. He thinks I’m going to cut our trip short and go to work right now. “I don’t think that man is going to try and harm you here where there are so many people. He wants to hurt people like us, not everyone else. You should be safe with your class, but I think your parents should report what happened.”

  “Okay. I didn’t mean to make Miss Martinez take me home. Am I have’ta gonna go to jail?” asked Ankita.

  “Nope.” Kirsten patted her on the shoulder. “You were scared and it happened accidentally. People with our gift have to be extra careful.”

  “He’s not gonna try to hurt me?”

  “I don’t think you’re in any danger here. That man wanted to hurt psionics. He won’t try anything in a crowd this big. I’ll have them send a patrol unit to your house, okay?”

  Ankita nodded. She looked to the side as the teachers started the process of collecting their charges from the false Mars surface. “Can I go?”

  Kirsten nodded and stood.

  Miss Martinez smiled at her. “Sorry for the trouble. Umm, what happened?”

  “Ankita has some abilities that she hasn’t learned how to control yet. When she is scared, they can sometimes manifest on a subconscious level. It should be nothing to worry about. She seems like a sweet kid.”

  The girl blushed.

  “Sorry to be a bother.” Miss Martinez guided Ankita away and rejoined the group.

  Kirsten flicked open her email client and got to typing in a request to send a patrol car to do a sweep of the area around the girl’s home, and talk to the parents about what happened.

  “Hey, check out that dumbass typing,” said a mauve-haired teen girl with black lipstick, four lip rings, and a black and white striped long-sleeved shirt. “Why don’t you catch up with the rest of the world and get a plug?”

  Her apparent boyfriend laughed.

  Evan glared at them. “Don’t make fun of my mom.”

  “That’s your mother?” The girl gawked. “Damn, what’d you have him when you were ten?”

  Kirsten stared at a mangled line of text… too many typos for even auto-correct to fix. She tried to focus on the meditative lessons Gabriel had been teaching her to channel anger. Not worth it.

  She left the two to their debate about how she had a boy that old at her age, and finished her email. Evan’s mood improved since it had become clear their evening wouldn’t be interrupted. By the time they reached the next station, all trace of worry had left him.

  He talked to the ‘original colonization crew’ for about a half hour. Naturally, Evan had to ask them how they coped with farts in a spacesuit. After, they made their way out the other end of the horseshoe past more exhibits dedicated to the workings of various spacecraft. The first detailed how the life support systems worked, next came an interactive map of the migratory breathable zones on Mars, and finally, Evan spent a while at a two-booth-wide section showing off what colonization efforts looked like in the modern age. New expeditions in 2418 were a world apart from what the Mars expedition had to live with. Between drop boxes for buildings and advances in suits, a viable colony could be set up on a new planet within months, even before the terraformers finished with it. Living among all those trees, plants, and ponds would’ve been almost tempting… if not for the any of a thousand unexpected ways to die.

  A wall of fragrance hit them when they emerged from the ‘space’ portion of the Science Center. Each breath brought something different: spices, sweet, Indian food, Chinese, searing steak, and buttery… something. Evan stood on tiptoe sniffing the air. He grinned, grabbed her hand, and pulled her along the central concourse around a slow-motion battle playing out between full-size dinosaur skeletons. Some sixty yards later, past several souvenir shops and media stores, he led her into the food court.

  Two steps past the end of black gloss exhibit floor to somewhat slippery dull red tile, he stopped. “Can we eat?”

  “I’ve been starving for the past hour.” She winked. “Wherever you want.”

  He looked around. Numerous food vendor counters lined the walls of a large rectangular chamber. The two far corners had doors leading into sit-down restaurants: Japanese hibachi place on the left, and a ‘Kowboy Kut’ steakhouse on the right.

  She squinted at it. Why do they always think spelling stuff stupid will sell more crap? Tables and chairs took up the middle of the room, arranged around hexagonal planters with exotic trees that looked stolen from rainforests. Four-inch holographic ships flew about in a simulation of interplanetary trade, docking with physical model space stations hung on wires from the ceiling.

  Evan seemed most drawn to a large cartoony panda over a food vendor that smelled about as Chinese as the steakhouse. Kirsten followed him, fingers crossed his nose sensed something her eyes didn’t. He sidled up to a metal trackway used to slide trays past the vendors, and peered through the glass partition at the food.

  “Hi, welcome to Happy Panda,” said a youngish teen girl who appeared at least partly Chinese.

  Evan ignored her and made faces at the food, as though he couldn’t decide if he wanted it.

  Kirsten didn’t pay much attention to the girl until she waved at him and frowned. “Sorry, kid, are you visually or hearing impaired?”

  Evan leapt back and yelped. “It spoke to… Oh, crap. She’s, uhh, not a doll.” He blushed. “Sorry. I thought you were a doll.”

  True enough, surface thoughts did swirl around in the clerk’s head… about how sick and tired she was of being mistaken for an android. Kirsten flashed a conciliatory smile. “I’m sorry… I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen a real person working a fast food place.”

  “It’s okay.” The girl rolled her eyes. “I get that a lot. The museum has this thing about ‘taking it back to an older time’ or something. Hard to get in here… so many kids, so few jobs. Apparently, dumping food on plates is educational.”

  Evan shot Kirsten a shocked stare, still blushing. “Uhh, can I have the sweet and sour chicken please?”

  “Sure,” chirped the girl. She looked at Kirsten. “Can I get you something?”

  She eyed the serving bins behind the glass, most of which contained the ‘cardinal eight’: Chicken with Broccoli, Lo Mein, Sweet and Sour, Pepper Steak, Mei Fun, Fried Mustard Wings, Chinese Spareribs, and General Tso’s chicken.

  “Lo Mein for me.”

  “You both have a choice of soup.”

  Evan and Kirsten said “Wonton” at the same time.

  “Do you want to add any meat to your noodles?” The girl’s smile seemed more genuine. “Chicken, Pork, Beef, or Shrimp.”

  “Is the meat real too?” Evan gawked.

  “Vat grown actually…” The clerk struck a proud pose.

  “Chicken please,” said Kirsten.

  The tab came to Ͼ156. Ouch. Bit steep for a hot buffet, but I guess the museum gets a cut. Evan led the way to a table set in a patch where a dense jungle tree offered some shade from the glaring overhead lights. He sat under branches that would’ve rested on Kirsten’s head, leaving her the seat facing the tree. Hunger got the better of both of them for a few minutes. Despite the look of it, the food tasted far better than she’d expected. While the noodles were a tad mushy―no doubt from sitting―the chicken had been cooked to order and she savored it.

  Evan made faces while gnawing on a tough bit of sweet and sour.

  “Is that chicken or pork?” Kirsten tilted her head.

  He shrugged. “Can’t tell. It’s fried.”

  A faint rustle in the leaves made her glance up. A bright green snake, as big around as her arm, dangled out of the tree, its snout
less than an inch from Evan’s right ear. She set her fork down and raised her hand in a slow, controlled motion.

  “Evan. Don’t move.”

  He kept eating. “It’s not a real snake.”

  The snake chuckled. “Hello.”

  Kirsten leaned her left elbow on the table and her forehead in her hand. “Synthetic.”

  “Of course.” The snake made a tsk tsk sound. “I’m afraid Morelia viridis has been absent from this country for over two centuries now. Live animals in this area are quite rare, and usually pets.”

  Kirsten pictured her eyebrows joining in a cavewoman unibrow. “Huh?”

  “Green tree snake,” said Evan. “And of course it’s synthetic. They wouldn’t have live snakes in the food court. Besides, even if he was real, they’re not venomous.”

  “Would you like to know about me?” asked the snake. “And technically, I’m a python.”

  Kirsten smirked. Technically, you’re plastic and silicon.

  “Okay.” Evan shoveled rice into his mouth.

  The serpent rambled on about its usual habitats in what used to be Florida, as well as New Guinea and Australia, including how rumor had it a few surviving biological ones remained in more remote jungles. It spoke of its behavior and diet, of being popular pets before the price of a real one rivaled that of a car. Despite never having heard of the animal before, Kirsten couldn’t find interest in it. After giving its speech, it looped itself over a low-hanging branch to ‘rest.’

  “You okay, Mom?” Evan leaned down to get a better angle at making eye contact. “You look sad.”

  “They only gave me a month.” She pushed half a plate of noodles around. “I’ve got to report tomorrow.”

  “I know.” He stabbed his fork into a piece of sweet and sour. “It’s not like you’re going to disappear off the planet.”

  She exhaled. “I like having the whole day to be with you.”

  “Me too.” He smiled.

  “I hate it when I’m caught late and you get stuck.”

  He held a finger up while he finished chewing. “It’s okay. People need help. You’re like the only one who can help with the spooky stuff.” Evan gulped iced green tea. “And the, umm, un-Harbingers picked you, right?”

  She let off a wistful chuckle. “Yeah… something like that. Seraphim.” Not going to be talking about that any time soon… they’ll think I’ve cracked.

  “I’m glad the spirits were quiet. You didn’t get called back early.” He grinned. “And Sam’s pretty cool. Are you gonna get married?”

  A sharp intake of air led to her failing in her experiment at breathing lo mein. She pounded her fist on her sternum until her throat cleared, and wiped tears from her eyes. “I don’t know. I suppose it’s always possible, but I’ve only known him a little while and something like that shouldn’t be rushed into.”

  Evan leaned close. “I like him. Sam’s a lot nicer than that old man. He was creepy.”

  Kirsten dropped her fork. Goodbye appetite.

  “Uhh, sorry.” He stared down for a few seconds. “You acted all funny around him. Didn’t feel like you were you.”

  “I’m so sorry.” She reached across the table and took his hand. “I don’t understand how he did it, but that bracelet made me… it made me feel, I dunno… helpless without him. Like some weak little girl who couldn’t do anything without a man holding her up.” She scowled. “You were right. He was a liar.”

  “Did he wanna hurt us?” The worry in his eyes made her want to kill Konstantin all over again.

  “I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ll ever know. He wanted me close, probably to watch.”

  Evan gasped. “He’s the one who made all the demons.”

  “Yeah.” She grimaced. “More called than made.”

  He nodded, his mouth curled into an imperious frown of admiration. “I’m glad you kicked his ass.”

  She burst out laughing, drawing several glances. Her appetite decided to come out of hiding. “You don’t have to worry about him ever again. Well”―she glanced at her NetMini―“it’s almost one. The school wanted me to make sure you spent at least an hour in the botanical wing.”

  He seemed a few shades less than thrilled. “Plants are boring, but okay.”

  “After that, I have something special in mind for our last day of vacation.” She winked while twirling noodles on her fork.

  “There isn’t a new Monwyn vid out?” He furrowed his eyebrows, deep in thought.

  She shook her head.

  “Funzone?”

  “Nope.”

  Evan tapped the fork on his chin. “Uhh, Lunar tour?”

  She examined her fingernails. “Nope. Not enough time. That’s like an eight hour flight, so that would be a weekend trip.”

  He whined, swinging his feet back and forth. “Not a movie?”

  “Nope.”

  “Are you taking me somewhere?”

  “Yep.”

  “Fun?” He tilted his head. “Or mushy?”

  She giggled. “Oh, you’ll probably think it’s fun.”

  Evan all but vibrated in his seat out of frustration.

  She took an extra-long time chewing a mouthful of lo mein. “I booked a two-hour reservation at Penumbras VR.”

  His jaw hung open. “Two hours!?”

  “Mm hmm. And I’m going to try playing too.”

  He bounced in his chair. “That’s gonna feel like… like… eight or nine hours in Monwyn! Oh, you gotta take Asura the Huntress. You look like a Sun Elf.”

  She blinked. Damn network people call me an elf all the damn time. “What does that mean?”

  Evan grinned. “Elf women are short, thin, and really, really pretty.” Her cheeks went hot. “Sun Elf ‘cause you’re blonde. Moon elves have black or white hair, and the ones from Penumbras Forest have purple, blue, or black hair―and glowing eyes.”

  “What about Xiana, the sorceress?” She entertained a not-so-fond memory of running around Konstantin’s manor house in nothing but a black silk robe, mind-blasting people.

  He shook his head. “No way, Mom. She’s like evil and stuff. An’ she’s not a playable character anyway.”

  “Are there any girl wizards?”

  “There’s Izra, but she’s not really a wizard. She’s an elementalist. Most of her spells are combative, but she’s got a couple shields and walls in Earth.”

  “Hmm.” Kirsten finished off her lunch. “I suppose I’ll pick something when we get there. Don’t forget you’re gonna have a quiz on the botanical stuff, so pay attention.”

  “Okay.” He jumped to his feet and gathered his trash.

  Kirsten couldn’t help but eye the crowd looking for a man similar in appearance to that little girl’s distorted memory while they walked out of the food court. Dread at going back to work tomorrow ebbed and surged. I gotta get back into my stride. Maybe a month off was too much? He’s going to get sick of having me around. She grinned.

  At the entrance to the botanical sciences exhibit, he stopped and whirled to face her. “Mom? If I get a hundred on the quiz, can we go back to the VR place again?”

  “Okay, Ev. You got yourself a bet.” She smiled.

  ne advantage of the new apartment―two bathrooms. Kirsten teetered at the precipice of sleep while standing in the autoshower, smiling at the weak echo of Evan reciting lines from one of the Monwyn movies coming out of the drain. Her bedroom’s attached bath must’ve shared plumbing with the shower unit in the hallway bathroom. Gravity started to pull her over backward, but she grabbed the handrail to steady herself.

  Ugh. Theodore could walk in on me and I’d barely notice. She yawned.

  A plastisteel ring slid up and down the outer wall of the clear plastic tube, rotating as it sprayed her with warm water, rinsing the soapy morass away from her body. She leaned back, trying to sneak a few more seconds of sleep on her feet, closing her eyes as the fans in the base whirred to life. In seconds, her hair whipped around amid a tornado of hot air, standing s
traight up. After the dry cycle died down, she stepped out of the tube―and straight into Theodore.

  His scraggly, permanent-wet hair hung in a curly mess down to the middle of his chest, matted to his prewar olive drab trenchcoat. A black tee shirt and greenish fatigue pants dripped water, though at least he’d masked the bullet wounds that took his life.

  Kirsten drew in a breath to scream, mostly out of being snuck up on. Her arms flew to cover her chest and groin. “Dammit Theo!” She fumed, and balled her hands into fists at her sides. “You scared the shit out of me.”

  He leaned to the side and eyed the floor. “Not quite.”

  Grumbling, she stormed to the white box on the wall and pulled a set of plastic-wrapped underwear from the bottom slot. Warmth swam over her face, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of showing how mortified she felt at having a man (even a dead one) staring at her nakedness. “Something wrong, or are you back to your old self?”

  Theodore chuckled and sauntered over to the mirror, examining his face. “Scarin’ ya was a little happy surprise… I just wanted ta check up. Knowin’ tis yer first day back.”

  She gave him a sidelong glance, wondering what had possessed Theodore of all ghosts to afford her a modicum of privacy by not staring at her. After stepping into her panties, she pulled them up and the waistband auto-adjusted to her size. “I haven’t been this nervous since I was sixteen and Lieutenant Prost said ‘here’s a badge and an E-90, you’re active now; and oh yeah, we have a paranormal serial killer out there you need to stop.’”

  Theodore laughed. He waited for her to wriggle into the snug-fitting sports bra before peering over. “Crazy bastards givin’ a laser to a teenaged girl. My sister barely let her kid have a cell phone at that age.”

  Kirsten glanced at him before walking out into the bedroom. “Cell phone? Is that some kind of primitive implant that worked on human tissue?”

  His laughter echoed behind her. “No, kid. It’s a… aww hell, Google it.”

  “That sounds dirty.” She sighed at her uniform laid out on the bed. “I’m not googling anything when there’s a ghost around to watch.”

  A meaty slap accompanied his hand meeting his face. “Ugh. Never mind. I keep forgetting how much the Internet has changed in 400 years.”