Jay Posey - Three

Cass and Wren exchanged a look. Three waited expectantly. Finally Cass explained.

“Wren said there were ‘others’. He thought maybe he’d made them go away.”

“Sounds about right. Whatever happened, Jackson’s up and about down there. Gettin’ cleaned up. And we’ve got some work to do. You remember where the Treasure Room is?”

The last was addressed directly to Wren, who nodded his head emphatically.

“Then why don’t you show me around.”

Wren led the way down the twisting stairs, eager to get another glimpse of the so-called Treasure Room. Cass and Three trailed behind, and as the trio entered a corridor, Cass felt Three’s hand close firmly around her forearm, drawing her close. He leaned in, eyes still on her son.

“We’re not done talking yet,” he said in a low voice.

“I know,” Cass answered, nodding.

“How long till you need to dose again?”

“About negative eighteen hours.”

He grunted a wordless curse. Wren padded ahead oblivious.

“Do you still have any more of your synth?” she asked, wishing she hadn’t sounded so needy.

“Not enough. Your body’s already figured out that ain’t what it really needs. And at the rate you’re burnin’, same dose would be half as effective. Less.”

He let go of her arm, pulled away. Shook his head. He was thinking it through, and it didn’t seem as though he liked the conclusions. But he’d found ways before when there’d been no way. She hoped he could do it again. No. Believed it.

“Here it is,” Wren said.

Three motioned Wren on in. “Lead the way, soldier. Let’s see what we’ve got to work with.”

Wren smiled, puffed up by Three’s words. Cass didn’t understand it, but she couldn’t deny that Wren was reacting differently to Three, now. Normally her son would shrink from attention; with Three, he seemed to revel in it no matter how small.

She moved to follow Wren inside the Treasure Room, but Three stopped her with a hand light on her belly.

“No way we’re gonna find quint between here and Greenstone. Any other chems buy you some time?”

“Duff would work, if it’s just to maintain. I can’t boost off it, though. And Trivex, if the dose is big enough.”

“If we don’t have any luck here, I’ll have to raid medical.”

Cass just nodded. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d already done that. He stared for a too-long moment. Hand still on her stomach.

“We’ll figure it out, girl.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than her. She nodded again.

“I know.”

“Oh, cool,” a voice called from inside. “Mama, look at this!”

Three held his hand out in an “after you” motion. Cass slipped in and found Wren standing at one of the many low tables, holding up a clear flexiglass ball, perfectly round, perfectly smooth.

“What is it?” Wren asked.

She’d never seen anything like it before.

“I have no idea, sweetheart.”

“It’s a strobe. Old miltech. Thing’s probably older than your mom is.”

“How does it work?”

Three walked over to Wren, dropped to a knee. It suddenly struck Cass how often Three did that, and how rarely other adults did. The man making himself the same height as her son. Almost equals. Three held his hand out, and Wren dropped the ball into it.

“You take it like this,” Three said, wrapping one hand horizontally around the ball, as if it were a drink. “Then, you press the top and bottom, like this.” He motioned with the thumb and middle finger of his other hand, pinching the air, but not actually activating the device. Then he handed it back.

“Like this,” Three said. He helped form Wren’s tiny hand around the strobe.

“How do you know what’s the top and what’s the bottom?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Three answered. “It knows how you’re holding it. Then, pinch.”

“Can I try it?”

“Sure, just close your eyes first. If it’s still workin’, it’s bright as a star.”

Wren closed his eyes, and Three guided the boy’s other hand into position, shielding his own eyes with his shoulder.

“Might wanna look away, Mama,” Three said.

Cass had just barely shut her eyes when her lids suddenly flared in white-blue, dazzlingly bright.

“It still works!” Wren shouted, as if trying to be heard over the brightness. The strobe pulsed, a stabbing flash followed by a momentary reprieve. Cass turned her back and was amazed to discover she could still see the flashing reflecting off the walls, even with her eyes closed.

“How do you turn it off?” she called over her shoulder.

There was no verbal response, but a moment later, the pulsing stopped. She turned back, after-images floating in her vision.

“Can I keep it?” Wren beamed.

“Ask your mother.”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. Jackson might want to hang on to it.”

Wren looked disappointed. Three cocked his head slightly, dipped his eyebrows. Two against one.

“Alright. For now,” she said, relenting. “But let’s make sure Jackson doesn’t mind.”

“Mind what?” Jackson said quietly from the door. Instinctively, Cass stepped to shield Wren from him. She felt Three move beside her, calm, as he stood and smoothly moved to the midpoint between Jackson and her. He faced them both, leaning back against one of those sturdy tables, like a careful negotiator refusing to take sides. Making himself the bridge, Cass thought. Or maybe setting himself in place to be the wall, if it came to that.

Cass could only see half of Jackson sticking into the Treasure Room. He hadn’t committed fully to coming inside yet. From what she could see of him, though, it was clear he’d spent some time getting himself cleaned up. He’d bathed, put on fresh clothes that actually seemed to fit him, maybe even cut his hair. His fingernails were trimmed to a normal length, and for the first time he actually seemed to be standing still. She hadn’t really noticed it earlier, but now that she saw him it occurred to her just how much he had fidgeted before. He lingered in the doorway, seemingly uncertain as to whether or not he was welcome.

“If there’s something you want, you can take it. That’s what it’s here for.”

“How you feelin’?” Three asked, though it sounded more like a statement.

“Good. Real good.”

Cass felt Wren close behind her. He slid up next to her, pushed himself between her hip and arm, so that her hand naturally fell to his shoulder.

“Hey,” Three said, “you have any old blankets?”

“Sure. Most of that type of stuff’s in that back corner.”

“Firebricks?”

That one threw Jackson for a second, and Cass too for that matter. Not a whole lot of use for open flames these days.

“Uh, maybe,” Jackson answered. “If so, probably around the same place as the blankets.”

“You can come in, you know,” Three said. “Your place more than ours.”

Jackson half-smiled at Cass, then looked to the floor as he came in and slowly circled around one of the many tables. He hadn’t cut his hair after all, just pulled it back in a loose knot at the base of his skull. Cass noticed he was careful not to look at Wren.

“If you’re headed to Greenstone, you should probably load up, yeah?” he said. “I don’t think you’ll find too many friendly shops down there.”

“But… you’re coming too, aren’t you?” Wren asked, pulling away from Cass’s side. Jackson glanced at Wren and smiled, though there was no cheer there.

“No, little one, I don’t think so.”

Cass looked to Three, wondering if he’d talked to Jackson about it before, but Three had already moved towards the back of the Treasure Room, and was scanning the various tables laid out there.