The Liberator

“Like a hibernating grizzly,” Valery answers, and I’m glad she knew the answer to my question.

“Hey, Valery,” Charlie says, “I like your trench coat.”

Red turns around in her seat. “Really? Been waiting for an excuse to wear it.” She nods toward the window at the fat purple clouds and the barren trees. “Not quite cold enough to warrant it, I don’t think. Even in December. But I’m making it work.”

“Can we go?” I ask. Valery glares at me in the rearview mirror as I pluck the gold-framed shades hanging from my shirt and slip them on. “Now, please?”

“You’re despicable,” she says, but she puts the car in drive, anyway, and heads toward the airport.

“How am I paying for my goodies in Denver?” I ask. “Papa needs play money.”

Valery reaches over, keeping her eyes on the road as she digs through her oversized, satin purse. “Glad you reminded me,” she says. “Here.”

I take the card from her and turn it over. “Pull over.”

“Why?” she asks. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m going to be freaking sick. That’s why.” I flick the card back into the front seat. It hits the windshield and plunks to the floor. “My name is Dante Walker, and I do not carry Discover cards. Discover is for senior citizens and budgeters.” I say the last word with a shiver.

Valery manages to reach down and find the card. Then she throws it into my lap. “You’re a liberator now, which puts you on a budget.”

“Oh, hell, no. I may have agreed to this assignment, but I’m used to a certain level of sweet, sultry excess,” I say. “Plus, why would I be on a budget while you’re driving a Benz?”

“It was a bonus for doing my job well.” Valery straightens her turquoise necklace. “Don’t be so dramatic, Dante. It’ll do you good to see what it’s like on the other side.”

I stick the Discover card into my back pocket and instantly feel like I’m covered in fleas and soot. Like I just got done cleaning some fart stain’s chimney, and I’m right about to beg for more porridge.

Valery’s phone vibrates in her purse. She yanks it out. In the rearview, I watch her face change from delight at limiting my spending to alarm.

I sit up straight. “What is it?”

She glances at me in the mirror, and her face relaxes. “Nothing. You may be surprised to learn I have a life outside of toting you around.” Red may be trying to pass off the text she read as something innocent, but when she punches the accelerator, I’m not so sure.

…

When we get to Birmingham Airport, my stomach is in knots. Charlie’s hand never leaves my knee, but I can hardly look at her. Somehow, between last night and today, I lost my confidence in being separated. I still have the ivory horn in my pocket, and I know she must have hers, because I can feel it. But it doesn’t seem to be enough.

Valery parks, and we walk toward the check-in area, the three of us. I’m not sure why Red feels the need to tag along for this part. Probably wants to make sure I follow through with my assignment.

The airport is bustling even at the crack of Sunday morning. Beneath the fluorescent lights, guys in business suits and kids with candy cane–stained faces hurry past, headed to who cares where. The sounds of rolling suitcases is deafening, only broken up by sporadic announcements by an airport attendant who sound like he’s moments from taking his own life. Ah, Christmas cheer.

There’s a horrendous snack stand with turd-colored coffee and flaky danishes that probably shouldn’t be flaky. But I’m hungry. I bypass the line and smile to myself when the peeps behind me mumble complaints. Telling their families and friends about “this dick in the snack line” will be the highlight of their day.

When my gut is reasonably satisfied, and there’s not much left to do besides check my bags, I turn and look at Charlie. “Hey, uh…,” I start. “Think I can talk to Valery for a sec?”

Charlie looks a little surprised but nods and smiles, anyway. “Just make sure I get the final send-off.” She motions toward some benches along a wall a short distance away. “I’ll be over there.” I want to tell her I know, that I’d sense her there even if she hadn’t told me. But I just walk over to Red, who was trying to give us space.

“Before I do this—” I begin.

“You’re not doing me any favors; this is your rear on the line.”

“Before I do this, I have some questions. For starters, I want to know if we’ve heard any word about Blue’s death, and about whether Big Guy’s going to seek vengeance.”

I can’t be certain, but I think I detect the corner of Valery’s mouth quirk upward. “It’s been handled.”

“Yeah?” I say, grinning and throwing punches in the air. “Did we send someone in to tear crap up? Show ’em not to mess with the big dogs?”

“So you’re a big dog now?”

“Always have been, girl. Ruff.”

She shakes her head. “I don’t think he wants war over what happened. But you never know. Things are shaky right now.”

“This is all from Kraven?”

Valery purses her lips as a man with a sad toupee nearly barrels into her. “Yes, from Kraven.”

“He who has all the answers,” I say, tucking my thumbs beneath my belt buckle. “Okay, what about Charlie’s soul? When can I turn it in?”

The hint of a smile I saw before vanishes. “Charlie’s soul is a special classification. He has to be sure they’re prepared for it.”

“And in the meantime I’m supposed to carry it around with me? How can that be safer than anywhere up there with Big Guy?”

“Do you have a problem carrying it?” she asks, stepping closer. “Because if you do, I’d be happy to take the burden.”

“No,” I snarl. “No one touches it but me.” Glancing up at the harsh lighting, I say, “It’s just that her soul feels different than it should.”

“You expect it to feel like all the others?” she asks, straightening her spine.

I know she’s probably right, but I needed someone else to challenge my thought that it should feel the same. Looking over at the benches, I glimpse Charlie on her cell, though I can’t imagine who she’s talking to. Her blond hair falls over one side of her face, and she neatly tucks it behind her ear. She’s right there, so close I could get to her in a heartbeat, but already she feels too far away for comfort.

“What if something happens to her while I’m gone?” I say. “What if the collectors return to finish what they started?”

Valery does something out of character. She puts a hand on my shoulder. “If the collectors ascend anytime soon, it’s not Charlie they’ll be coming for.”

I know what she’s saying. It’s something I’ve thought myself in the last few weeks, but never wanted to accept. “If I have her soul inside me, then it’s me they want.”

Valery hesitates and nods. Then she drops her hand from my shoulder and glances over at Charlie. “They won’t hurt her. Not yet. Not when they don’t have her soul. Because if they kill her now, her body and soul go to us.”

I shake my head. “It sounds like you’re talking about cargo.”

“You know that’s not what I mean.”

“If you knew they might come for me, why didn’t Big Guy send me on assignment away from Charlie right off the bat? Why wait until now?”

“Arrangements had to be made first.” Valery pulls a cigarette from her purse and lights it. I’m pretty certain she can’t do that here, but meh, what do I care?

“What kind of arrangements?” I ask.

Blowing out a puff of smoke, Valery looks past me. “I can’t discuss them with you.”

Rage rushes through me. “Then how about I stick around until you do tell me? Screw this assignment.”

Valery’s eyes connect with mine. “You’ll go. You’ll go because you know you shouldn’t have stayed. Because you know as much as you want to protect her yourself, you’re doing more damage by being nearby.”