ONE HUNDRED EIGHT: Canoe

ONE HUNDRED EIGHT: Canoe

108

The dead silent driver, who Alden was trying hard not to think of as the Mob driver, picked them up in the parking garage in a slightly different SUV with equally tinted windows.

Where are we going? Lute asked Alden as he buckled his seat.

I assumed you were going back to campus, said Alden. And I thought Id catch a bus from there down to F.

What kind of backup would I be from that far away? Ill ride with you. Lets use the secret car like its a proper secret car! Youll take us anywhere, right? As long as I keep paying the privacy company?

In the rearview mirror, the driver nodded once.

Alden couldnt think of any reason why taking a possibly private and definitely overpriced automobile would be worse than just taking public transport. The seat was more comfortable anyway.

Okay. He leaned forward to talk to the burly, suited man who definitely wasnt a mobster. Were going right down the road to CNH because I need to pick something up from my dorm. Then its down to F, to Milagro Lakeside Village.

The Miracle Lakes neighborhoods are so twee, said Lute.

You know the place?

Yes. Its an area with decorative ponds surrounded by themed housing and restaurants. Ive never been to Milagro Lake specifically, but one of my aunts took some of us to Kiseki Lake for Childrens Day once. I got to feed the koi.

As the driver set off, Lute was air typing enthusiastically.

Alden wondered what he was so excited about until twenty minutes later when, just as they were leaving campus with the courier-delivered letter from Alice tucked in his pocket, the driver rolled down the passenger window to let a small drone in the car.

Its for you, said Lute. For your digestion.

The driver took the injector from the drone and passed it back to Alden.

We could have just stopped to pick one up, Alden said with a sigh.

Secret delivery is better. Everyone knows that.

If you say so.

Lute reached into the seatback pocket and pulled out a ski mask. Look. Youve got a balaclava on your side, too. You can wear it to go meet the person youre helping.

Alden stared at him.

They come standard with the ride, Lute said defensively. Theres a bag with more stuff in the back. Anyway, youre in a hero program. You should get used to costumes.

Im going to visit her as myself. Besides, I think costumes that make me look like a stereotypical bank robber are unlikely to be in my future.

You never know. Peoples tastes in superheroes gets stranger every year.

It was sunset when the driver parallel parked them on a street near their destination. Alden was holding a ball cap and a pair of dark sunglasses from the cars supply of incognito wearmostly so that Lute would stop suggesting disguises to him. There was fake facial hair and glue, and Alden was sure they had only been one traffic jam away from his roommate insisting on a handlebar mustache.

This is it. You want me to go with you? Lute asked.

I think its better to have you here, right? Alden said. The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.

We havent really talked about it. Do you think this lady is actually going to try to beat you up?

No. Of course not. Its justyou know, in case.

Laura was a D-rank. But she was also a Strength Brute whod been mind controlled for years. Alden had no idea how she was going to react to seeing him. He thought theyd just have an uncomfortable conversation. But if she opened the door and cold-cocked him before he could say hello, someone needed to be safely out of reach and able to call for help.

Actually he said, wasnt there a jacket in the bank-robbing supplies?

A very large black puffer coat, Lute confirmed. You want it?

He was already reaching behind his seat for the bag of miscellaneous disguises.

Alden targeted him before taking the coat.

He was sure he was being overcautious. And he was also sure that if he died because someone who liked to cosplay as a French maid punched him hard enough to make his kidneys explode, his last thought would be about how stupid it was for a guy with a shielding skill to go out like that. Worrying about how hed look if he wore heavy winter wear out of season just wasnt a good enough reason. The puffer was slightly less of a fashion statement than the poncho, at least, since there wasnt a drop of rain.

He stepped out of the car wearing his supplies. A woman in a tank top walked past with a pair of leashed Dalmatians then turned back to stare at him.

Dont worry about her, Lute said with a grin. Shes just jealous of your style.

Alden shut the car door.

Hed only taken three steps down the sidewalk toward the arched gateway that said Milagro Village before Lutes video call came in.

He accepted it and minimized the display so that it was in his peripheral vision rather than directly in front of his face.

All right, said Lute, pressing a button to make his seat recline. Ill be your handler for today, Cottontail. Call me Odin.

Im not sure if youre being funny or unforgivably ridiculous right now.

Silence, Cottontail. Youre on a mission. Lute paused. And youre the one who decided to have a mission, of all things. I dont think the other hero hopefuls are doing missions this afternoon. Its only you. All ridiculousness that happens from this point on is your fault.

Its a neighborly warning, not a mission.

Also why does he get to be a Norse god when I have to be Cottontail?

He passed through the arch and walked beside a narrow road lined with flower beds full of carnations. Signs advertising the magical landscaping company that kept the flowers alive were picketed here and there among them. He caught a glimpse of the small lake between two buildings just ahead, but Lauras apartment wasnt on the water. Instead, he turned right and headed down a path that lead through more flowers and past six-story-tall buildings with wrought-iron balconies.

This place wasnt marked as a family neighborhood on his interface, but there was plenty of evidence that families with children lived here. Child-sized bicycles stood in the racks, and toys lay forgotten on some of the balconies. From the direction of the lake, he heard the faint sound of music.

Not the fanciest area Ive seen, but it seems really pleasant. Thoughhed yet to see anywhere on the island that looked sketchy or shabby to him. Even Boom Town, where the girls lived, had felt upscale. I might need to adjust my standards.

Hey, is this a nice neighborhood? he asked.

Lute was examining the bottle of mustache glue. I think most people would call it middle class. Why?

Just getting a feel for things.

She looked Artonan.

She looked so Artonan that he had to actually stop and think about whether she was one or not. As far as facial features went, it wasnt strange to see a human who had a couple that called to mind the other speciess average individual. Prominent cheekbones, unusually wide-set eyes, narrow brows, a high forehead, small chinthey were common enough that even seeing the full combination on a human face wasnt shocking. But in this womans case, all of those features were pushed farther than they could be without registering as alien.

And there were other cues, apart from her face, that made him question his initial assumption about her species. Her skin was just a couple shades darker than he would usually have expected of a human with such strikingly pale hair. The ice blonde seemed to be natural. Her eyebrows matched anyway. Skin and hair were quite varied for both species, but this combo felt more unlikely for a human than it would have for an Artonan. Then there was the height. She was maybe five feet tall with the heels. Petite was normal enough, but when you added it to everything else

Even her hands, thought Alden. Was it his imagination or were the fingers wrapped around the large cell phone she was holding just a little long?

Still, she was human. Even if he disregarded the context of their current location, Artonan women were almost always flat-chested, and the woman whod just left Lauras apartment wasnt. Plus her skin had a honeyish undertone, rather than a purplish one.

Shes just a very rare looking person. Possibly one whod had a much more artful plastic surgeon than his old wordchain teacher. Or maybe shed asked the System to tune her Appeal in an uncommon way.

He didnt have to stare at her for long to take in her appearance and get over the surprise. She must have noticed him standing here, but she didnt seem interested. Her eyes were on the phone.

What do I do? What were she and Laura talking about?

Alden had heard just enough to think that things were not going the way hed hoped or expected. Laura had called this person instead of a healer. She wanted to be paid for pain and suffering?

So my message prompted her to do something, but I dont understand exactly what.

Still facing 515, he cut his eyes to see the woman again. She was pushing up the sleeve of her suit. She had a smart watch on her wrist and a second piece of tech in the form of a bracelet that was casting what looked like a lighted computer display across the skin of her forearm.

I cant just stand here silently. Thats the most conspicuous option.

Knocking on Lauras door right now, with this stranger checking her email or something just outside it, didnt seem like the right call.

Leave and come back?

Alden turned.

Youre leaving? Lute asked curiously. Is the person whos probably not a Mind Healer scary?

[Im just getting out of sight while shes here. Laura was complaining to her. And asking for compensation. And I think asking her to report how dissatisfied she is to a boss?]

Sweet! Theres a boss. Is the cult leader the boss, or is there a bigger boss?

[How should I know?]

If this woman worked for Manonthen Alden was at a loss. How did he help the boater members if their answer to finding out they were mind controlled was to call the mind controller? And ask for money.

He heard the click of high heels behind him as he headed for the stairs. Fast clicking. Hed been deliberately strolling at a leisurely pace in an effort not to look like he was running away. Now he had to fight the urge to speed up.

Dont be dumb. Your legs are way longer than hers, and you had a head start. And shes just walking down a hall, not running after the strangely dressed guy to stab him in the back.

He still felt relieved when he reached the door to the stairs.

Then considerably less relieved as a butt dressed in cargo pants backed through it. The man attached to the butt hada canoe.

Why is a canoe coming up the stairs at a time like this?!

Who hauls a canoe indoors? Lute asked. Who hauls a canoe up a staircase instead of using the elevator?

> the man asked Alden.

Sure, said Alden, holding the door open.

Maybe canoes dont fit in elevators? Im impressed he got it up the staircase really, said Lute.

Fine. This is fine. Now Im helping Mr. Canoe. That probably makes me look less suspicious.

I get that these people want to live the lake life, but cant they just rent boats if they

Lutes merry chatter stopped. His expression was shocked. And then his eyes widened even further as a look of horror transformed his face.

[Whats wrong?] Alden texted him.

The woman in heels had just reached him. She stopped a couple feet away. She couldnt get to the elevator because the canoeist was in her way as he maneuvered his vessel into the hall.

Alden, Lute said. Dont

Dont what? Alden wondered.

Dont look, maybe. Dont say anything. Or something more personal.

Whatever it was, it remained unsaid. And Alden did look. The woman didnt have herself name-tagged, but when she was standing this close, a special notification appeared beside her thanks to his interface.

He blinked at it in surprise.

[Shes not Avowed,] he reported to Lute. [Shes a regular human.]

Lute took a deep breath. You need to come back here. To the SUV. Dont say anything. Keep your sunglasses on. Shes not acting like shes recognized you, but she might if she gets a good look at your face.

Something in his tone made Alden freeze up. Literally. He activated his skill like he expected to be on the receiving end of an attack after all. The puffer coat stiffened around him.

He forced himself to drop it. Being unable to move your arms wasnt exactly subtle.

The canoe was finally through. > the owner called, hefting it over his head and trotting off toward his apartment.

The woman headed toward the elevator. Alden slipped through the door and took the stairs down quickly.

[You know her?] he asked, keeping up with the texting since Lute had made him even more nervous.

Yes, Lute said.

[Is she dangerous?]

Shes my mom.

*