Beyond the Stone, page 14
“Well, we just have to find out what the reason is. There has to be an answer, Bane, and it’s usually staring at us right in the face.” She gave his shoulder a squeeze. “In the meantime, we have some work to do.”
“What?” Bane looked at her with a question in his eyes.
“You have to be the model.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Claude has the uniforms all ready. You and I and Claude are going to model them for Edwards.”
Bane shook his head. “No way, absolutely not.”
“Bane, we have to keep this charade going. And you never know, we may learn something new. Maybe pretend like you want to sleep with Edwards or something.”
“But I don’t want to sleep with Edwards.”
“Bane, I know that. Who fucking would? But pretending wouldn’t hurt, would it?”
“I don’t know if I can pretend without throwing up.” He made a gagging motion by sticking his finger in his mouth.
“Well, buckle up cowboy, you got a fashion show to put on.”
***
“You’re fucking kidding, right?” Bane said.
He looked at himself in the mirror, at the outfits that Claude had designed. They were made out of tight black leather and spandex and, to Bane’s mind, they were very reminiscent of superhero outfits. Madison’s outfit was a black leather catsuit and was all curves and smooth lines, making her look as if she had lost twenty pounds. She wore high-heeled boots that made her legs look longer than they were.
The men’s outfit was in black leather and spandex as well, and they accentuated Bane’s muscles and all of his curves...including his genitalia. Claude had paid particular attention to making that stand out, even putting a codpiece outline on the front of the outfit done in silver studs.
As if that weren’t enough, both of the male and female outfits had nipples worked into the outfit. Bane turned to look at Claude. “Nipples? Nipples, Claude? Fucking nipples?”
He gave Bane a shrug. “I love nipples. You would know that if you went on that coffee date.”
“Why? Do you bring up nipples on the first date?”
“Well, you usually talk about what you’re into and what you like on a first date, right?”
“That sounds more like a fuck date than a coffee date. Hello, my name is Claude. My turn-offs are fluffy hair, bikini waxes, and shaving my armpits. My turn-ons are giant fucking nipples that act like springs when you flick them with your finger.”
Madison tried not to laugh and covered it with a snort while Claude just looked kind of hurt. Bane sighed. “We look like a gay superhero brigade. Not a task force to rid the world of mortals behaving badly.”
“I don’t know what your problem is, Bane,” Madison said. “I thought all men liked showing off their nipples.”
“I don’t. Besides, these monstrosities are merely the idea of nipples. They aren’t the real thing.” Bane looked at Claude. “Why would you put nipples on these things?”
“What can I say?” He grinned. “I know what I like!”
“Well, I love my outfit. It’s so sleek and sexy,” Madison said.
“Oh, wait a minute,” Claude said. “I forgot something.” He reached into the bag that the costumes had been in and pulled out a little leather skirt. Much like the male outfits that had metal studs that decorated the areas of their crotches, there were metal studs all over the skirt, so that when it moved, it jingled.
“Hells no,” Madison said, as Claude tied it on around her waist. “Why would you do this?”
“The metal studs make it so that the skirt will twirl better when you do a pirouette,” Claude said, proudly.
Madison put both hands on her hips. “And do I look like a woman that wants to do a pirouette?” She held up a finger when Claude went to answer her. “Think through your answer very carefully.”
“Um, yes?” Claude said. “And look, that’s not all it does!”
Claude flicked a switch on the side of the skirt and two lines of lights went down the garment. They looked to be pointing to her private area. A soft jingling noise, like bells being strummed by the wind, played from somewhere in the front of the skirt.
Bane started laughing while Madison just looked pissed off. “Why would you think this was a good idea?” she asked, softly, almost sweetly. “Please tell me what was going through your mind, Claude.”
“Well, I figured that men get easily lost, so if you were wearing lights and there was music, we could find you as women have a better sense of direction than men.”
Madison almost wore a demure but constipated look on her face. “That’s true and lovely, but why does it have to jingle?” Madison asked, in a whisper. “Aren’t tasks forces supposed to be, um, quiet?”
“Because music is soothing?” Claude said. “I think it is.”
“Do you know what that reminds me of?” Bane said.
“No,” Madison said. “But you’re going to tell us, right?”
“It looks like a runway for planes,” Bane said, trying to keep in his laughter.
“No, it doesn’t.” Madison glared at him.
“Yes, it totally does! It’s like the lights are saying ‘come here boys, follow the pretty lights to your salvation!’” He couldn’t hold it in any longer. Letting out a roar of a laugh, he gave Claude a wide grin. “Gods, thank you for that. You’re going to die, so I hope you’re okay with that, but it was good knowing you just for this.”
“Why am I going to die?” Claude said.
Madison punched Claude in the stomach, hard. Claude wore a shocked look on his face and couldn’t say a word, the air in his body having just left him.
“Fucking asshole,” Madison said. “Okay, the lights and the fucking jingle bells have to go. We’ll keep the skirt but replace the bits of metal with knives that I can take out and throw. Okay?”
Claude said nothing. He was still doubled over. Madison reached down and grabbed his crotch and squeezed. “Okay?”
Nodding his head, Claude let out a very high-pitched, “Okay!”
“Good,” she said. “I’m glad we could have this little chat.” She stood up and wiped at her arms as if wiping away dust that was not there. “Are we ready, boys?” Madison smiled. “Time to make pretty for Edwards.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Edwards looked like a kid in a candy store.
His eyes looked hungry as he took in the three of them. Madison, happily holding onto knives with the skirt taken off and the glittering lights left aside, Claude somehow looking as if he had very huge junk (Bane thought that Claude had found a way to insert a codpiece into his suit) and Bane, looking like the punisher come from the grave. He had to admit it, he looked good in black, even if he did have nipples.
Eyeing them hungrily, Edwards took in the sight of all three of them and actually smiled. “Yes, yes I see that you three have been working hard these costumes are wonderful and they will keep you protected and unseen when you’re trying to infiltrate the black market.”
Bane almost snorted. Who was he kidding? These costumes would make them stand out like a lighthouse in the dark.The fucker actually licked his lips. Bane grimaced. He didn’t even know what they were supposed to be doing. Wasn’t the whole idea to blend in? Why were they dressed like circus freaks anyways?
“I really like what you’ve done here with the uniforms very form-fitting and sleek yes I am sure they will do you very nicely so now you can make some more for those of you that are left in your troop.” He moved around so he could look at their asses. Bane felt a little dirty and he bet that Madison was wishing she had kept the skirt on.
“Now can you tell me what you’re going to do I mean how are you going to shut down the black market how are you going to destroy it?”
A chill ran up Bane’s spine. Not that he wanted to hear more of Edwards’s voice, but he supposed needs must. “I’m sorry, fucktard?” Bane said. “What did you just say?”
“I really must find out what this fucktard is. Is it something exotic I do so love exotic things in fact did you know—”
“You didn’t answer his question,” Madison said. Bane looked at her and knew that she could see exactly what he wanted, could even see the words he had said shining between them because Madison could see the thoughts behind them. “Could you please repeat the question, sir?”
Madison had always approached Edwards with something approaching hilarity, as if she couldn’t understand how a man like him had been able to take on a position of power or how a wet, sad man like Edwards could control the power of lightning.
Edwards let out a little laugh. It was the one that he normally used when he was feeling nervous, but he didn’t look nervous now. He actually smiled at them, an honest smile and he didn’t look like a limp dick. Edwards looked like a different man.
“I’m sorry, Madison, did you want to hear my question again why do you look so afraid do I frighten you?” His smile deepened. “Why do you think we had you doing all this to get ready to infiltrate the black market? Did you really think it was just to keep them from making any money?” He let out a little laugh. “I’m surprised that you believed any of that bullshit.”
“We knew it was bullshit. Why take out the leaders of the black market? What would that achieve? And to look at the spending habits of the mortals in the black market? Again, what kind of shit was that?” Bane said.
“So, you’ve questioned it the entire time?” he asked. “You are very good, Bane, very good we never had any idea that you saw through any of that we assumed you were just stupid.”
“So, you want us to destroy the black market?” Claude asked. “Why would you do that?”
“Because mortals are going there!” Edwards said, fiercely.
“We go there too,” Madison said.
“I know you do, Madison, we all do but the board of directors has decided this must end because the black market is taking money away from them but that’s not the worst of what they do there you wouldn’t believe the atrocities that they commit there.”
“Try us, will you?” Bane said. “You’ve been making us make fucking costumes and fucking budgets and you’re feeding us fucking lies.” Bane tried not to let the anger seep into his voice, but he couldn’t help it. He hated being lied to. “So how about you get straight with us for once?”
“Funny I would have assumed that getting straight would be difficult for you, Bane,” Edwards said, with a wide and sinister smile.
“Now how about you just fuck right off and tell us what’s really going on?”
“Oh, now you don’t think I’m actually going to tell you, do you? No, I won’t tell you but your good friend Myko certainly will oh yes I think he will.” He looked at all three of them and smiled so that his teeth showed. “Why don’t you go pay him a visit? Better make it quick because the governors want the black market shut down and as soon as can be. I mean to see it done.”
He made a motion with his hand as if he was shaking something at them. “Be gone now and we’ll see you soon, hmm?”
***
“What the fuck was that?” Madison whispered, as if she were afraid they were being listened to. Bane thought that they probably were.
“Not here,” Bane said. “Outside.”
For his part, Claude remained silent. He just kept shaking his head and rubbing the nipples of his new outfit. He kept shaking his head, as if his voice wanted to break out of him but he could not let it.
The three of them walked back into the main part of the office. Lucille and Darcy were waiting for them and when they saw Bane, Madison, and Claude, they moved towards them. Fuck, Bane thought. They want to have a meeting right here in the office? Why are people such fucking idiots? Bane immediately put a stop to it. “Not here. Not anymore. Meet me tonight at the black market.”
“I’ve never been,” Darcy said. “I have no idea where it is.”
“Fine, meet me at my place and we will make our way there,” Bane whispered, fiercely. “It’s no longer safe for us here, for what we’re doing. I want you to all go home and check on loved ones, belongings, that kind of thing. Make sure that everything is okay.”
“Shit,” Lucille said. “I have two kids; do you think they are in trouble?”
“Where are they during the day?”
“With my mother.”
“Then check in with her. We have to assume that we’re all being watched. I will explain more when I see you all tonight, but it looks like that revolution that Myko wants so badly will happen sooner than I thought it would.”
“Do you really think so, Bane?” Darcy sounded worried. Sparks flew from his fingertips and Bane’s stone skin responded in kind, rippling over his body. “Do you really think it has to come to that?”
“Well, we have one last thing that we can try. I don’t know why we didn’t try it before.”
Bane looked at Madison. “Could you and Jackson look into Edwards to find out what they are planning?”
Madison shook her head. “We’ve already tried to look. It’s like that black fog you described. All we see is nothing.”
He nodded, though he hadn’t expected a different answer. He knew that Madison and Jackson would have done everything in their power to find out the secret that Edwards and the Clocktower district were hiding.
“Then I guess we have no choice,” Bane said.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bane tried to let himself be comforted.
Jackson was massaging his shoulders, trying to work out some of Bane’s knots. He had been waiting for Bane when Bane had left the building and, taking his hand, had teleported them back to Bane’s house. The muscles started to relax, but only a little. “It’ll be okay,” Jackson said.
Bane shook his head. “We don’t know that. All of you could be in danger.”
“I’m worried about you, too. You’re my heart.”
“And you’re mine,” Bane said. “But I feel responsible for all of you, Madison, Lucille, Darcy, hell even Claude. Myko and everyone at the black market. My mother and you. We’ve all been thrown together in this and I have no idea how it will end.”
Jackson said, “No one has any idea how it will end. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t try.”
“What if something happens to any of you?” Bane asked, the stone rippling across his skin.
“So? What if it does? We all know the risks, Bane. We all know what we signed up for.”
“But how could you? I don’t even know what is going on. Secrets and lies, threats against us by people in power and magic that none of us understands. How will this end well? There is no way that all of us will make it out alive.”
Jackson stopped massaging Bane and came around to face him. He took Bane’s head in his hands and leaned forward to kiss him softly. “What’s gotten into you?” Jackson whispered. “Why are you so worried?”
“How can you not be?” Bane whispered back. “We’re going to stand against many different foes and we have no idea what we’re doing.”
“And there were lots of people that fought wars and had no idea what they were doing, and they won. We’ll do the same.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because every time I try to see what is in the murky fog of the future, all I see is you. It’s always been you. You look back at me and you’re smiling. That’s all I see,” Jackson said. “How can that be a bad thing?”
Bane shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m just worried.”
“You always were a worrywart, my darling Asher of the ashes.” His mother appeared carrying a tray of drinks and a plate of cakes. “Look what I made for you, Asher of the ashes, the phoenix that rose from the greyness and shines so brightly.” She held up the tray for him to take a closer look. “I made fairy cakes. I tried looking for Gabriella and Justine as they so love fairy cake and helping me place them at the cracks in the baseboards that the fairies like to come in by.” She shook her head in wonder and, along the walls, her shadow sent sparkles into the recesses of the room that were not touched by the setting sun. They shone as if they each contained a wish and all Bane and Jackson had to do was grab hold of them. “I don’t know where they got to.” She set the tray down and when she stood, Bane saw that Eliza was moving more gracefully than she had in a long time. “You burn so brightly, my beautiful Asher, prince of ashes, you need these.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
“No thanks needed, Asher Bane Clarke. You were always my beginning, and you will be there at my ending.” She held out a fairy cake for him. “Don’t worry so much. It dims your fire.” She made a fluffing motion at his shoulders, as if she were pumping up the strength of the fire. “There now, that’s better. Mind you both don’t eat all the fairy cakes and ruin your dinner. I’m making beef stew tonight.”
She went back into the kitchen and started to sing. The shadows began to dance along the walls in rhythm and they watched as the sparkles that had flown to the corners of the room floated along the walls towards her.
Bane and Jackson looked after her and the shadows that were moving across the walls in her wake and neither of them said very much for a while. They just listened to the voice of Eliza singing from the kitchen.
Finally, Jackson said, “She certainly knows how to make an entrance and an exit.”
“Yep. She’s always been like that, even when she was well.”
They were silent for a few more moments and then Jackson turned to Bane and said, “So, Asher Bane Clarke,” Jackson said, teasingly.
“Shut up.” Bane knew where he was going with this.
“Your initials are A. B. C.?” Jackson couldn’t help the grin spreading across his face.
“I said shut up.”
“Did you use your name to learn the ABC’s?” Jackson said, laughing. “Do you have any other names, like Derrick, Edward and Frank?”
Bane took a fairy cake and smushed it into Jackson’s face.
***
They all met under the cover of darkness.
Well, darkness and the pulse and throb of the music coming from the black market. Eliza and Madison stood with Jackson. It felt like now was the moment that things would change and, after talking to Jackson and his mother, Bane felt better about what would come and what was waiting for them.
