"People are gonna die. I don't mean to be morbid, but next time it could be you or your girl. You've gotta prepare yourself for that, but that don't mean you have to let it consume you. It can't be the only thing you think about, else you will get yourself killed real quick-like," said Hayes.
"All the more reason for us to get out of here," said Vitus.
"You're gonna help us find Ivanovich, though, right?"
It had also never occurred to Vitus that running away with Jenn--just the two of them--was an option. It was like he was drowning before realizing the water was only a foot deep. He didn't need to be saved as much as he needed to save himself and the woman he cared about, but still he felt some responsibility for what Ivanovich had done and what he himself could have prevented if only he had been brave enough to pull the trigger on the man who had ruined his life.
"We'll help you, but only until we find Ivanovich," said Vitus.
It was well into the morning now, and Vitus still had not slept. Hayes had sobered up remarkably fast in the past few hours and took Jenn's place in the passenger seat as she napped in the back of the truck, where Philip was still rather unconscious.
"You're a good kid, Vitus," said Hayes, and Vitus was surprised that the grizzled captain had used his name for a change, in place of a variety of endearing nicknames. "You know, I wouldn't have left those men alive, if it were me, but you did good. They'll be in the hospital for a day or so, and then the police'll be on 'em for another solid day or two. At least until Rasputin's deep pockets gets 'em out of there, but by then we'll be long gone. We're off their radar for awhile, I imagine."
When Jenn woke up, she offered to take over driving duties so that Vitus could finally catch some well-deserved sleep. As he slid inside Hayes' sleeping bag, Hayes remained in the front cab with Jenn, and they passed the next few hours by trying to think up the perfect name for their newly formed team.
"I think we can rule out anything with League in the name," said Jenn
Hayes agreed.
"How about the Challengers?" she suggested.
"Taken, I think," said Hayes. "There's a Challengers of the Unknown, at least."
"The Champions?"
"Taken."
"I guess the Fantastic Four is out, too, huh?"
"Yup," said Hayes. "And any variation thereof. It'd just be tacky."
"How about the Doom Patrol? Nobody remembers the Doom Patrol anymore, and it's such an awesome name."
"I remember the Doom Patrol, and that's enough for me."
"Fine. Infinity Inc.?"
"Oh, now you ain't even trying."
Meanwhile, Vitus waited patiently for a sleep that just wouldn't come. He tossed and turned as the sleeping back slid along the entire length of the truck before giving up. He threw back the top of the sleeping bag, sat up, and leaned back against the thin metal wall. To his surprise, Philip was awake at the other end, also propped up against a wall.
"Rough night, huh?" said Philip. He was visibly nauseated but struggled to maintain his composure.
Vitus nodded. "You heard?"
"Hayes filled me in, though admittedly I was in and out of consciousness at the time. I know the basics, though."
"Yeah, rough night doesn't quite cover it."
"Vitus, I just wanted to say I'm sorry," said Philip. For the second time this morning, Vitus found himself surprised by the words of his new compatriots. From all he knew about Philip, he didn't exactly seem like the apologetic type. "You saw me at my weakest yesterday. You should just know that Mister Jacobi meant a lot to me, and I didn't take it well. Because of that, I could have gotten us all killed, so thank you, Vitus. Thanks for you and Jenn stepping up when we needed you most. I'm not much of a leader, I suppose. I'm sure as hell not much of a follower, either. Frankly, I don't know what I am."
"Welcome to life," said Vitus. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. We've still got a long way to go and a lot of work to do. If you're lucky, you'll figure out what you are by the time we're done. Then at least one of us will have a clue."
"You're having your doubts, too?"
"You people have flipped everything I thought I knew about this world on its ass. Hell yeah, I'm having my doubts," said Vitus. "I'm not sure where I belong anymore. I definitely can't go back to the way things used to be."
"At least you've got someone to lean on."
Vitus smiled, as he often did when he thought of Jenn Korova. "Yeah," he said. "I do."
With happier thoughts on his mind lay back down in the sleeping bag and drifted off to sleep.
At their next stop, Hayes volunteered to drive and give Vitus and Jenn some time alone in the back of the truck. Of course, he also said this while nudging Vitus with his elbow, but the antique-dealer was just happy to spend some quiet time with his partner. They sat together quietly for the largest portion of their time, Jenn leaning her head against his shoulder again, and they were content beyond words.
When it became perfectly clear that night had dawned, Jenn rummaged through some of Hayes' bags and pulled out his flashlight. In the process, though, she also found a small crowbar that seemed to call her name in a non-crazy sort of way. She looked from it, to Vitus, back to it, and then back to Vitus, the light from her flashlight jumping back and forth between the two.
"You want to?" she asked him.
"What? Open the crate?"
"Yep."
"Yes," said Vitus, "I very much want to."
Vitus realized that this sort of impulsiveness was uncharacteristic, but he also realized he was undergoing a process that would completely alter the person he was. He embraced his newfound feelings, took the crowbar from Jenn's hands, and began prying off one end of the crate. As the plywood side tumbled to the floor, Jenn pointed the flashlight further into the crate, illuminating the settee within.
"So that's what it looks like," said Jenn. Vitus pulled it from the crate and set it against the wall, giving Jenn a better chance to examine it.
The wood was apparently red oak, smoothed and polished. The cloth-covered cushions were embedded into the wood, and delicate designs were carved into the arms and feet. Jenn pulled Vitus along with her as she sat down, and Vitus sat beside her. They waited quietly for a moment, as if expecting some sort of miracle to sweep in, ripping the roof from the truck and whisking them away to salvation. Nothing happened.
"Are we supposed to do something?" Jenn asked. "Like make a wish or something?"
"I think we're just supposed to hope," said Vitus. "Then if Jacobi was right, things will work out the way we want them to. We just have to keep hoping and wait for it to happen."
"I hope we get out of this alive," said Jenn. "I hope we find that cozy little villa, where we can settle down and start all over again."
"Me too," said Vitus.
"Oh! I've got it! How about the Revolutionaries?"
"No."
"You're no fun."
Vitus smiled. They settled themselves on the settee for the next few hours. He wrapped his arm around her, and she lay against his shoulder. They sat there quietly, dreaming without sleeping. They sat, and they waited, and they hoped.
"All the more reason for us to get out of here," said Vitus.
"You're gonna help us find Ivanovich, though, right?"
It had also never occurred to Vitus that running away with Jenn--just the two of them--was an option. It was like he was drowning before realizing the water was only a foot deep. He didn't need to be saved as much as he needed to save himself and the woman he cared about, but still he felt some responsibility for what Ivanovich had done and what he himself could have prevented if only he had been brave enough to pull the trigger on the man who had ruined his life.
"We'll help you, but only until we find Ivanovich," said Vitus.
It was well into the morning now, and Vitus still had not slept. Hayes had sobered up remarkably fast in the past few hours and took Jenn's place in the passenger seat as she napped in the back of the truck, where Philip was still rather unconscious.
"You're a good kid, Vitus," said Hayes, and Vitus was surprised that the grizzled captain had used his name for a change, in place of a variety of endearing nicknames. "You know, I wouldn't have left those men alive, if it were me, but you did good. They'll be in the hospital for a day or so, and then the police'll be on 'em for another solid day or two. At least until Rasputin's deep pockets gets 'em out of there, but by then we'll be long gone. We're off their radar for awhile, I imagine."
***
When Jenn woke up, she offered to take over driving duties so that Vitus could finally catch some well-deserved sleep. As he slid inside Hayes' sleeping bag, Hayes remained in the front cab with Jenn, and they passed the next few hours by trying to think up the perfect name for their newly formed team.
"I think we can rule out anything with League in the name," said Jenn
Hayes agreed.
"How about the Challengers?" she suggested.
"Taken, I think," said Hayes. "There's a Challengers of the Unknown, at least."
"The Champions?"
"Taken."
"I guess the Fantastic Four is out, too, huh?"
"Yup," said Hayes. "And any variation thereof. It'd just be tacky."
"How about the Doom Patrol? Nobody remembers the Doom Patrol anymore, and it's such an awesome name."
"I remember the Doom Patrol, and that's enough for me."
"Fine. Infinity Inc.?"
"Oh, now you ain't even trying."
***
Meanwhile, Vitus waited patiently for a sleep that just wouldn't come. He tossed and turned as the sleeping back slid along the entire length of the truck before giving up. He threw back the top of the sleeping bag, sat up, and leaned back against the thin metal wall. To his surprise, Philip was awake at the other end, also propped up against a wall.
"Rough night, huh?" said Philip. He was visibly nauseated but struggled to maintain his composure.
Vitus nodded. "You heard?"
"Hayes filled me in, though admittedly I was in and out of consciousness at the time. I know the basics, though."
"Yeah, rough night doesn't quite cover it."
"Vitus, I just wanted to say I'm sorry," said Philip. For the second time this morning, Vitus found himself surprised by the words of his new compatriots. From all he knew about Philip, he didn't exactly seem like the apologetic type. "You saw me at my weakest yesterday. You should just know that Mister Jacobi meant a lot to me, and I didn't take it well. Because of that, I could have gotten us all killed, so thank you, Vitus. Thanks for you and Jenn stepping up when we needed you most. I'm not much of a leader, I suppose. I'm sure as hell not much of a follower, either. Frankly, I don't know what I am."
"Welcome to life," said Vitus. "You don't have to have all the answers right now. We've still got a long way to go and a lot of work to do. If you're lucky, you'll figure out what you are by the time we're done. Then at least one of us will have a clue."
"You're having your doubts, too?"
"You people have flipped everything I thought I knew about this world on its ass. Hell yeah, I'm having my doubts," said Vitus. "I'm not sure where I belong anymore. I definitely can't go back to the way things used to be."
"At least you've got someone to lean on."
Vitus smiled, as he often did when he thought of Jenn Korova. "Yeah," he said. "I do."
With happier thoughts on his mind lay back down in the sleeping bag and drifted off to sleep.
***
At their next stop, Hayes volunteered to drive and give Vitus and Jenn some time alone in the back of the truck. Of course, he also said this while nudging Vitus with his elbow, but the antique-dealer was just happy to spend some quiet time with his partner. They sat together quietly for the largest portion of their time, Jenn leaning her head against his shoulder again, and they were content beyond words.
When it became perfectly clear that night had dawned, Jenn rummaged through some of Hayes' bags and pulled out his flashlight. In the process, though, she also found a small crowbar that seemed to call her name in a non-crazy sort of way. She looked from it, to Vitus, back to it, and then back to Vitus, the light from her flashlight jumping back and forth between the two.
"You want to?" she asked him.
"What? Open the crate?"
"Yep."
"Yes," said Vitus, "I very much want to."
Vitus realized that this sort of impulsiveness was uncharacteristic, but he also realized he was undergoing a process that would completely alter the person he was. He embraced his newfound feelings, took the crowbar from Jenn's hands, and began prying off one end of the crate. As the plywood side tumbled to the floor, Jenn pointed the flashlight further into the crate, illuminating the settee within.
"So that's what it looks like," said Jenn. Vitus pulled it from the crate and set it against the wall, giving Jenn a better chance to examine it.
The wood was apparently red oak, smoothed and polished. The cloth-covered cushions were embedded into the wood, and delicate designs were carved into the arms and feet. Jenn pulled Vitus along with her as she sat down, and Vitus sat beside her. They waited quietly for a moment, as if expecting some sort of miracle to sweep in, ripping the roof from the truck and whisking them away to salvation. Nothing happened.
"Are we supposed to do something?" Jenn asked. "Like make a wish or something?"
"I think we're just supposed to hope," said Vitus. "Then if Jacobi was right, things will work out the way we want them to. We just have to keep hoping and wait for it to happen."
"I hope we get out of this alive," said Jenn. "I hope we find that cozy little villa, where we can settle down and start all over again."
"Me too," said Vitus.
"Oh! I've got it! How about the Revolutionaries?"
"No."
"You're no fun."
Vitus smiled. They settled themselves on the settee for the next few hours. He wrapped his arm around her, and she lay against his shoulder. They sat there quietly, dreaming without sleeping. They sat, and they waited, and they hoped.
No comments:
Post a Comment