Dreamweaver, page 24
Aro tapped his fingers on the table. “I need to know where the entrance to the Run is these days. I know it moves every so often and I haven’t had an ear to the ground here in a while.”
“Mmm.” Gene scrubbed at his cheek, contorting his face in thought. “Let’s see, let’s see… I know it’s not over in Edenmark anymore. Just moved from there. Cecilia—you remember Cecilia’s line of business—ahem, well, anyway, she made mention that it had moved to somewhere near Hindstreet.” He scratched at his head with the pen that had been resting behind his ear. “I can’t recall hearing anything more specific than that.”
“That narrows it down enough that I can find it.” Aro rose to his feet. “Thanks, Gene. We had best be off. Give my well wishes to your wife and sons.”
“Wait! Do you want to take anything for the road? On the house, of course.”
“I wouldn’t impose on your generosity like that. Take care!”
Aro hastily swept us all ahead of him, out of the squid stall and into the street, before turning west and marching his way down the walkway.
Anessa sniffed at her shirt, made a face, but blessedly kept silent.
Aro scanned the area, though I wasn’t sure what he was searching for. Finally, Dane tapped him on the shoulder and pointed down towards a dead end of the walkway, where several shops had been closed, signs posting them as for sale. We slipped behind a boarded up, abandoned building. There, in the puddle-ridden alleyway, we converged in a circle.
“Alright, what exactly is happening?” Anessa asked in annoyance. “I get that the Run is the name for this black market you’re trying to find, but how do you plan on locating the entrance? All we got was the name of a street that’s three miles long.”
Aro chuckled. “Gene had the answer in front of him without realizing it. Cecilia owns a few businesses, some of which aren’t exactly socially acceptable. What he doesn’t know is that one of her businesses is a particularly popular nightclub on Hindstreet. Forgot the name of it, but that’s not important. What’s important is that we need to blend in, as if the nightclub is our destination, when in fact we will be using its entrance into the Run.”
“You’re not saying what I think you’re saying,” I deadpanned. There were very obvious reasons I had never entered a nightclub, and the fact that I was going to have to do so now was going to cause misery for me.
Anessa’s entire face lit up eagerly. “Now that’s something I’m happy to help with.”
“What about all of this?” Norie asked, lifting a strap of her backpack.
Dane looked to the empty shop behind us. “I guess we’re going to be adding breaking and entering onto our list of crimes.”
Aro nodded. “We can hide our things here and return for them when we’re done.” He scratched Poppy Muffin behind an ear. “You’ll have to stay too, sweetums.”
“Can I stay here too?” I asked feebly.
“No can do. I need your help. There’s only one currency that’s accepted on the Run, and that’s pure, unregistered essence.” He flicked one of the beads in my hair, knowing just as well as I did, that we needed to keep every ounce of energy that we had; there would be no forfeiting any of our beads for this task. “I need you to Harvest in order to trade for our weapons, given that you are currently the only one who can do so without it being an extremely difficult task.”
Well, shit.
Dumping her bag to the ground, Anessa bounced on her heels, clapping her hands. “Leave it to me. I know exactly what we need.” She nearly sashayed away. “I’ll be back before you know it. Everyone message me your sizes. Come on, Cay!”
Muttering something that sounded suspiciously like he would rather eat Gene’s cooking than help on a shopping trip, her brother shed his bag too and trailed after her, his fists jammed into his pockets.
The rest of us turned to eye the abandoned shop.
Kenji pulled a knife from his belt and approached the door hinges.
“There’s no way. There is no flipping way. Dayja—”
“Don’t panic. You look great. I don’t know why you’re so upset.”
Easy enough for her to say, standing there in a sheath, velvet blue dress that showed off exactly how effortlessly stunning she was, gracefully poised in gray high top wedge sneakers that added four inches to her height. Her short hair coiled around her head in a perfect halo.
I looked down at myself again, to the black heeled boots that stretched clear to midthigh, effectively hiding my brace from the world. I tugged on the burgundy tube dress that Dayja had somehow convinced me to put on. Anessa had pinned part of my braids up in a swooping structure that cascaded down my back and they thudded between my shoulder blades now as I spun around. “I can’t do this.”
Dayja took hold of my hands, stretching my arms wide. “Look at you. You look great! You’ve got this.”
Gulping, I looked over to where Anessa was using the reflection from the shop window to put on her lipstick. She sparkled in a short, sequined black jumpsuit that made her legs look a mile long. Near her, Norie was lacing up her olive-green combat boots, her reflective chrome cami dress throwing off a shimmery rainbow. Finished, they both stepped out of the shop to the alleyway, where the men of our group were waiting.
With a groan, I let Dayja link her arm with mine and drag me out.
The night air slipped across my exposed skin, making me shiver, and I looked towards the neon solarlights burning along the walkway, outlining buildings and doorways. The puddles by my feet reflected back the brightness, doubling it.
“You all look great,” Anessa gushed, busily straightening Kenji’s yellow tie over his baby blue button-up shirt. I had no doubt he had hidden his knives somewhere in his navy-blue trousers. “Roll up those sleeves and you’re good to go.” She moved on to her brother next, insisting he tuck in the red t-shirt he had on beneath his leather jacket into his gray jeans, but he batted her away. Pouting, she fussed over Venny’s black denim shirt and tan pants, which he took resignedly, like a child having to swallow down their medicine.
She slanted her head as she turned to Dane, who raised an eyebrow in return, leaning against the shop’s wall in a kaki blazer over a white shirt and black pants. She flapped a hand dismissively. “You’re fine.”
“Everyone ready?” Aro asked. If he was intimidating before, Anessa had certainly played on that to make him incredibly so now. He was in an entirely suave black suit.
“No,” I mumbled.
“Let’s go,” Anessa demanded.
The plan once we arrived was to break off into smaller pairs to bring less attention to ourselves. When Aro pointed out the nightclub among the crowded row of businesses, he sent Anessa and Cay first through the swarming masses that were out to enjoy the evening. Shortly after, Venny and Kenji strolled casually after them, Norie tucked in safely between the two.
“See you soon,” Dayja whispered to me, before she hooked her arm through Dane’s, and they left too. He said something to her, causing her to tilt her ear to better listen. Whatever it was made her laugh, the sound bright and playful. They were striking together.
My chest hurt watching them.
But I plastered a smile to my face, looking to Aro. “Lucky me, I get the best-looking partner in the bunch.”
He gave me a wink. “Don’t you forget that. Come on, it’s our turn.”
I held onto Aro's arm like a lifeline as we wove our way down the street to the nightclub's entrance. The name 'Delirium' was emblazoned in neon red across the top.
My skin pickled the entire time we were in line, and I leaned sideways in time to catch sight of Dane turning from the doorman as he gestured for the entrance, sweeping Dayja along while she gave the bouncer a sunny smile.
Before long, we stood at the front, and I bristled as the doorman glanced me over, looking entirely unimpressed, but he gestured us in anyway. Aro pulled me through the door as it was announced behind us that the club was full, and no one else would be allowed in. The door swinging shut cut off the shouts of protests and moans of disappointment from the other people still in line.
The interior overwhelmed me for a few moments as strobe lights flashed and music pounded through the room, so loud it practically caused the floors and walls to pulse. People clumped together in a throng on the dance floor and around the bar that wound from one corner to the next. Others were sprawled on the chairs and lounges built into the side, littering the small tables with glasses in various stages of being emptied. Mist billowed down from overhead, creating a foggy atmosphere.
I gaped like a fish out of water at the neon spheres hanging from the ceiling, realizing there were actual, live people dancing inside of them. Wearing nothing but a multitude of glowing hoops strategically placed around their bodies.
“Cecilia always fancied the shock factor,” Aro said into my ear. “Come on, let’s find the others.” He began to shove his way forward to our predetermined meeting spot, easily creating a way through for himself, but I had to stay right on his heels as the gap slipped closed almost as quickly as he formed it.
Anessa was easy enough to spot, entertaining herself by dancing with two men at once. After spotting us, she extricated herself reluctantly, hurrying to join up with the others. They had settled on a circular lounge, spread casually. I envied how completely at ease they all seemed, comfortable in their own skin no matter where they were.
“Everyone scatter and keep your eyes open,” Aro said. “You’ll be looking for a symbol that looks like this; marks where the entrance to the Run is.” He wiped a finger along a glass, using the condensation to draw a blocky image of crisscrossing lines on the surface of the table. “If you find it, meet back here to let everyone know.”
The last thing I wanted to do was delve into the mob behind me, but I dutifully dug in. If this entrance was an unofficial open secret for those who knew where to look for it, I figured I could steer away from the more populated spots in the club and check out the hidden nooks and crannies that looked plausible to lead out to somewhere else.
Someone looped an arm around my waist, catching me off guard, and I found a set of teeth gleaming at me as a man drew me close. “Hey babe, wanna dance?”
“Nope.” I peeled his fingers from my waist, trying not to look like I was fleeing for my life. That wouldn’t exactly project confidence.
“Come on,” he wheedled. “It won’t hurt you to give me one dance.”
“I said no.”
“Bitch.” He dismissed me instantly, and I lost him from view as he went to scope for another target.
Bullet dodged, I made for the sectionals by the VIP lounge, sectioned off by velvet purple ropes. Ignoring the antics of those occupying the shiny red couches, I scanned around as surreptitiously as I could. If anyone asked what I was doing, I’d pretend I was looking for a bathroom or a friend I lost sight of.
“—telling you, it’s real,” a girl was saying, smirking at her fascinated audience. She swirled her cranberry vodka, clicking the glass with her long pink nails. “My roommate, she knows someone whose best friend went there on a dare. He didn’t come home.”
“You’re such a liar,” another girl said, words slurring together. She rolled the sucker in her mouth around, grinning ear to ear.
“I am not,” the first girl insisted in a whine, sitting up straighter. The guy hanging off her shoulder snorted. “I’m not. There’s a reason those stories get passed around, you know. They started from somewhere. People have been just plain disappearing from Carved Gulch for, like, years.”
I had passed the group by, straining to keep listening as I made for the edge of the bar.
Which is when I spotted it.
A man leaned against the counter, pulling a rum and coke towards himself. His face was half hidden by the cowboy hat he wore, which was an item I had never seen in person, so outdated was the fashion, long gone like the animals they referenced. On his finger was a beaten copper ring, hosting the very symbol that Aro had showed to us.
It seems the entrance had been hidden behind a person.
I made my way back to the far end of the room and sat down to wait until the others noticed I was there.
To my shock, the man with the cowboy hat slid into the seat next to me.
He ignored my surprise, stretching out his legs, sliding an arm behind me. “Now why would a nice-looking girl like you be so interested in a little ol’ ring like this?”
I shrugged. “It’s unusual. So is the getup.”
He smiled, pushing at the brim of his hat. “I like the attention it brings me. Usually, people focus on the hat and not this.” He plucked the ring from his finger, twirling it around. “So, I’ll ask again: why are you so interested?”
“A few of us are, actually,” Cay said, stepping right over the top of the lounge and plopping down. “Quit playing coy and tell us where to find the entrance.”
“Well, you certainly know how to make friends,” the stranger said.
“What’s your name?” I asked him as Anessa and Norie showed up.
“Who cares?” Cay questioned.
The man held his hand out to me, and I shook it while he said, “My name is Owen. I go by O.”
Anessa folded her arms and sat back. “That’s a bit pretentious, isn’t it?”
O shook his head conspiratorially at me. “Welcoming bunch you hang around with.” He jumped when a large hand clapped down on his shoulder before Aro stepped around, presenting himself.
O’s eyes widened. “I know who you are.”
“Good.” Aro sat down, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. “Then you know that I like information given to me quickly. I’d like to know how to enter the Run.”
O clicked his tongue. “There’s a price for that.”
Aro blew out his breath. “Didn’t use to have a cost of entry.”
O gestured to himself. “It does now. Think of it as extra security for people who only want to be found by the right people.”
Pinching my lips together, I looked towards the crowd, wondering where the others were.
“What is your cost?” Aro asked tensely.
O bobbed his head side to side, opening his arms wide.
Aro shot a glance to me, a silent question held there. I nodded, knowing there was no other choice.
“Not here.” O stood up, straightening his sleeve cuffs. “Meet me around the back in five. Be discreet.” And he stepped away, disappearing into the flashing of lights and fake fog.
Cay shot me an annoyed look and I realized my right knee was bouncing anxiously. I tried to still it, chewing on the inside of my cheek instead. “Where is everyone else?”
Aro said, “Molt, go to find those who are missing and bring them outside. The rest of you, follow after me.”
Cay nodded, heading the opposite direction that Aro led us towards the exit at the back of the nightclub. It dumped us out onto a narrow service road, meant for deliveries to supply the businesses here. O was waiting for us off to the side, sitting atop a locked storage case.
“Which one of you is the Harvester?” he wanted to know, lightly knocking the heels of his boots against the metal storage box.
“I am,” I said.
He sucked his teeth for a second. “What is your essence of choice, hmm?”
“Dreams.”
That made him rear back, clutching at the edge of the box. “No kidding? Well then, show me what you’ve got. Give me some essence—” he pulled open his jacket, revealing a row of beads sewn into its lining— “and I’ll send you all on your way to the Run.”
Blowing out a breath, I unfurled my senses, closing my eyes against the glare of all the lights on the walkway so I could concentrate. I picked up a few slumbering forms here and there in the apartment buildings nearby, not quite deeply asleep enough to be of use to me. I continued scanning.
“En?” I heard Dayja’s arrival, and her footsteps running my way, before they were pulled to a stop.
There. A young girl was asleep, clutching her pink teddy bear, thumb in her mouth. Her dream cuddled her, giving her images of playing in the sun. I hesitated, reluctant to take it from her. But I couldn’t sense any other dreams close by, and everyone was waiting for me.
O hadn’t said exactly how much essence he required…
Holding out a hand, I let my Harvesting rise, the orange glow shining behind my eyelids.
I trimmed the very edge off the dream, twisting it towards me, calling it down. It spiraled through the air, whistling as it did, glittering. I opened my eyes and directed it to O, handing over enough to fill up two of his beads.
His brow furrowed as he scowled. “That’s it? That’s the best you’ve got? I know of Harvesters in training that have more oomph than that.”
Dane appeared at my side, stepping past me, partially blocking O’s view of me. “I suggest you take what you are given and make good on your end of the bargain, dipshit.”
O let his jacket fall back into place. His eyes bounced from Dane to the rest of the group and back. “Fine. Off we go, then.” He jumped from the storage box. “If you’re stupid enough to want in on the Run, far be it from me to keep you from it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Behind the last block of businesses, large drain craters collected rainwater from the walkways, creating a river that passed through a large grate, its final destination the central water plant for the city. O disregarded the fencing around the halfpipe and jumped into the drain, splashing his way down the line.
Anessa whimpered, casting a final look at her outfit in its pristine form before she followed the rest of us into the stream.
O wrestled with the grate for a bit before finally popping a section at the left side off, setting it down to lean against the drain side. “In you go. Half a mile straight down, there will be a tunnel on your left. That will take you into the Run.”
