Odd Cases

Berserker caught up to me as I exited the house.

“Stay away from Penny,” he ordered.

“If you knew I was watching, then I suspect you know why. I’m trying to help her.”

“You’re trying to ruin her.”

“Sometimes you can’t do one without the other.”

He seethed.

“I think you know,” I said, “Deep down, that you don’t actually like her, and your real friends are in there,” I gestured behind me, “But if you insist on keeping me away from Penny, you’ll need to find an innovative way to kill me.”

He looked me up and down.

“I’ll figure it out.”

That made me scramble away. I had narrowed my time-window down significantly, I feared.

I startled from my food when a presence appeared in my car. I saw what seemed to be a man’s silhouette in the passenger seat.

“Listen kid,” I said, “I really don’t think you actually want to listen to Penny, and you seem more autonomous than her other devotees.”

“I do not want to listen to her,” the figure said in the Djinn tongue.

“Oh,” I left my defensive stance, “How did you get here?”

“My presence is required less as she sleeps.”

“Right. Is Berserker asleep?”

“I do not know.”

“Great.” I returned to my fries, “Do you know if he’ll try to kill me or not, because I’d like an idea of what protecting Penny from me entails.”

“Can he even harm you?”

I shrugged.

“Best not to test it. Why did you call on me?”

He steeled himself.

“You intend to take the bracelet.”

“Yes.”

“Become my master.”

“No!” I insisted, “I can’t risk my soul like that.”

“You have a stronger soul.”

I couldn’t argue that point.

“I don’t want a servant. I’ll probably try to free you in the meantime. It won’t work if I just tell you you’re free, will it?”

He shook his head. People usually weren’t so cruel as not to try.

“I don’t want to wait for freedom. I don’t need to always be active, just a chance to see sunlight, maybe even the moon.” He looked longingly through the windshield.

I was too much of a sucker, wasn’t I?

“I’ll see what I can do,” I said, “But your freedom and my safety is the priority. I haven’t lived this long just to die of Djinn-exposure.”

He laughed.

“That is more than I expected.”

“I’m dangerously kind,” I said, “At some point you’ll learn that’s a bad thing.”

“You are confident you can acquire the bangle?”

I shrugged.

“I’m confident that if I don’t get it soon, Penny’s assigned stalker is going to make my life hell, so I’m just going to try.”

“What are you trying?”

“I can’t tell you that, because for all I know, Penny sent you as a spy. In which case, tell her that at some point a soul with only one purpose cannot sustain a body forever, and every day with that bangle risks discovery of those limits.”

“You use a lot of words,” he said, “To say just one thing.”

“No, I use a lot of words to say a lot of things. You only recognized one of them.”

He laughed. I scowled.

“Many fates are in your hands,” he noted, “I hope that does not cause you harm.”

He disappeared, probably returning to the bracelet.

“Not my hands,” I corrected, “I’m just helping out.”

We watched the café.

“Does that work for you?” I asked.

Circe mulled it over. She’d vetoed a few plans.

“It will work.”

“Great.” Alyssa immediately stalked over to the café. I waited until she reached it, then followed. Circe remained in her seat.

Alyssa slammed her hand on the table in front of Penny.

“I challenge you to a duel.”

“What?”

“You stole my friend: I’m going to kick your ass, and take whatever I want from you, but I’ll let you choose the weapon first.”

Everyone laughed except Penny and Berserker, who was locked on me as I walked in.

“She’s going to ruin it,” he said, pointing.

Penny looked at me with disinterest.

“We could just fight,” Penny said, “But I hurt my ankle. Can I use a second?”

“Fine, Circe’s my second, but I don’t need her.”

“Berserker,” Penny said, “When’s a good time for you to fuck up this bitch?”

Berserker didn’t answer, flicking his gaze between Penny and Alyssa.

“Yeah, Berserker,” Alyssa said, “When can you let me kick your ass?”

“He won’t let you do anything,” Penny insisted, “How about you go outside and fight now.”

Berserker stood up immediately and began walking outside. I gave a sigh of relief, then got up to follow.

Circe had already changed seats without my noticing. I took a seat next to her.

“So why is this going to work?” I asked.

“Just because we’re protective of Alyssa,” Circe said, “Doesn’t mean she needs protection.”

Alyssa and Berserker bowed to each other, and as soon as they got up, Alyssa tossed Berserker to the ground.

“All the same Martial Arts classes,” Circe explained, “But one of them’s a better listener.”

The fight was disappointingly one-sided, and no one’s disappointment was greater than Penny’s.

Alyssa was not gentle with Berserker. It didn’t sound like she’d broken any bones, but it sure looked like there’d be some bruises.

“Is Berserker actually your friend?” I asked.

Alyssa seemed more like she finally got to beat up a bully than reluctantly fighting a friend.

“Berserker doesn’t want her to hold back.”

These kids might have been weirder than I thought.

Alyssa was holding Berserker in a tight grip against the pavement. She was glaring at Penny.

“I yield!” Berserker suddenly yelled. Alyssa released him immediately.

“Your bracelet,” she told Penny, “I’m taking it.”

“Which one.”

Alyssa walked up, Penny’s friends backing away as she approached. Even Penny seemed afraid for her life. She yanked Penny’s right arm, and put her fingers around the bangle.

“This one.”

“No—”

The bangle flew off and into Alyssa’s hand. Penny screeched, jumping to grab it, but Alyssa easily backed away before handing it to me.

“Thanks for your help,” she said, “I don’t want this thing.”

“I accept your payment,” I said, “You might want to apologize to your friend.”

Berserker was still on the pavement.

“He’s going to stay there until he’s processed everything.”

At that, Berserker popped up like toast from a toaster.

“See?” Alyssa said.

Berserker ran over and hugged Alyssa from behind, while staring at Circe.

“I never want to be controlled again,” he said.

“This was a special circumstance,” Circe promised.

“Yay!” He buried his face in Alyssa’s hair. She didn’t seem to be paying attention to him.

“Want some donuts for the road?” Alyssa asked, “I’ve got a discount, and I’d feel bad if all I paid you in was the bracelet that destroys your soul.”

Berserker nodded, face still hidden in hair.

“Yeah,” I said, “I’ll take some donuts.”

I had an array of donuts cut in half. My new Djinn companion didn’t need to eat or drink, but it wouldn’t actually hurt him, and misery loves donuts, especially misery about not being able to enjoy the world.

“Apple tastes terrible,” he insisted.

I took a defiant bite of the apple fritter.

“Apple is the best fruit created on Earth. Why do you think so many varieties have been made?”

“Maybe you need to be from Earth.”

“I grew up in Magek, so that doesn’t work.”

“But you are part human.”

I shrugged.

“Maybe. My parents were both only half-human, if that, so I can’t say for sure what my genetics are made of.”

I slid a Bavarian Creme over to him.

“Significantly better,” he confirmed.

At least his sense of taste wasn’t completely shot.

I slid the jelly-filled toward him as Val Hunter walked into the shop.

“What’s with the donuts?” she asked.

“Good Morning, Ms. Hunter,” I said, “Where are your manners?”

“I save those for clients and my mother,” she explained, before gesturing at the Djinn, “Who’s your Romeo here?”

“Romeo?” he asked, “That’s a good name. What does it mean?”

“In this context, it’s referencing a play where Romeo is the lover of Juliet, my name. She’s implying we’re in a relationship.”

“We are: Master and Servant.”

“That’s not what she means.”

“It is a good name though,” Val said.

“No, the fuck, it’s not.”

I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s more convenient than my given name,” he said, “I shall go by Romeo, unless you intend to stop me, master.”

“Don’t call me master.”

“Is that an order?”

“I told you I don’t want to order you around.”

“So you will call me Romeo.”

I made an annoyed hissing noise in the back of my throat before covering my face with my hands.

“Yeah, sure, Romeo.” I turned to Val, “I’m going to kill your ass. I know you’ll survive.”

“Before or after I pay for your help?” she asked.

“Depends on why you need my help and how you’re paying.”

“I need someone with an understanding of Magek, and I pay cash.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“I can live without cash, but I don’t have a good weapon on me right now to kill you with.”

“Once I close this case, I will give you my gun so you can shoot me.”

“Deal. What’s the job?”

“I can be of great assistance,” The Djinn—Romeo—said.

“The assistance doesn’t need further assistance,” I told him.

“What kind of great assistance?” Val asked.

“I know other’s emotions, and can even manipulate them.”

Val recoiled.

“You’re running with an empath? Now I’m glad you hate his new name.”

“What’s wrong with empaths?” Romeo and I asked.

“Lots of things. Don’t give him too much freedom if you can help it.”

Val wasn’t usually the judgmental kind, and I admit the intrigue is what really sold me.

“He can man the shop while I’m out. What do you need me to find?”

“Apparently, I need to find a missing wizard.”

I was wary of wizards. Assuming this was the trained kind, then they’d probably grown up in Magek.

“A wizard from an Atlantis.”

I was even warier of water.

“I’m—”

“He went missing on land. I just need you to find where he left from and if it was across worlds, or he’s still on Earth.”

More tolerable. I could deal with a flight.

“He’s banished,” she further assured, “So if he went off-world, it becomes their problem.”

“Banished from where?”

“Magek.”

That wasn’t necessarily a punishment. If a mage became too dangerous, they’d just be executed, or tortured until they no longer had the will to live if execution didn’t work.

Damn my curiosity.

“A deal’s a deal,” I accepted.