Techtiggers' Soapbox

Flash Fiction – Home Sweet Home October 9, 2009

This story is part 2 of a series.  Click Here to read the first episode.

“We’re being followed.”

“Yep.”

“Friends of yours?”

“Nope.”

Ahead of them the real estate agent prattled on, oblivious to the conversation behind him, or the danger that they were in.  They were touring a fairly modern industrial park, one of three properties they were scheduled to visit. When Nox had invited the church grimm to work with her she hadn’t counted on how much space he would take up.  Most times he was like a ghost, but when he did materialize he wore the shape of a massive, six-foot tall hound.  One careless wag of a tail (and the resulting blast from the chemicals he had knocked over) was all it had taken to convince her go looking for a bigger workshop.  She was still cleaning up the mess a week later.

 “..accoustic dampening to keep any noise from bothering your neighbors, a modern ventilation system…”

Grimm’s rumbling mental voice overlayed the sales pitch.  “How exactly did you get an entire cult after you?”

 “I did my father a favor.” She said, a wry smile on her face. “He asked me to defuse a biometric bomb that was keyed to take out one if his political allies.  It wasn’t too sophisticated, I was even able to trace the energy signature back to its maker.  Turns out it was the leader of that ‘New Dawn’ cult. Nice man, put a death mark on my head.” 

(“Top notch security on all of the doors, windows, and every means of access is covered by closed circuit cameras…”)

 Grimm tilted his head a little to one side, the canine equivalent of a raised eyebrow. “I can’t believe your mother let you take that job.”

“Ambassador Serenna was off on another round of peace talks.  I’m sure that’s why father offered to transfer your bond to me.  He didn’t want her to kill him when she got home.”

“I could have done more to protect you if you had accepted it.”

“Just because my father is a hypocrite doesn’t mean I have to be one.  He’s kept you enslaved for centuries, despite all his speeches about ‘universal freedom’ in the Assembly.  I set you free because I happen to believe in that ideal.”

“And if your ideals cost you your life?”

She smirked. “Then there will be two ghosts making a mess in my workshop.” 

 (“And from the office you can see the lovely views of the downtown area…”)

“Lucien isn’t a hypocrite, there were reasons…” Grimm stopped abruptly, ears pricked forward, then shoved Nox into the broker.  “Get  down!”

Glass shattered as a hail of bullets ripped through the windows.  Grimm stood between them and their attackers, his growl making the air shimmer like a heat mirage. Nox watched, fascinated, as the bullets slowed down part way through the sonic shield before dropping to the floor.  She had heard Grimm could do some pretty amazing things, but she had never seen him in action before.  The broker was still babbling. “I’m so sorry miss, I’ve sold commercial properties in this area for years and never had anything like this happen. It really is a nice neighborhood.” 

She shook him to get him to shut up. “Where’s the nearest exit?”

He pointed with a shaky hand towards a stairwell. “Down there. Through the spacious loading docks.”

“Sounds lovely. You got that Grimm?”

“Get ready to run for it.”  The hound let out a sharp bark, and a visible soundwave slammed the gunmen into a wall. 

“Nice shot!”  She grabbed the arm of the broker and pulled him along with her. Her aura crackled as it expanded out to cover them.  “I’ll handle the shields, you focus on the bad guys.” 

Bullets and barks fly back and forth as they ran, Nox’s shield making a funny poing sound every time a shot bounced off it.  The noise in the stairwell was deafening.   Fortunately Nox could still hear Grimm clearly in her mind. 

“Stop here.” Grimm said.  They huddled close again on the landing just before the loading bay. “There’s more of them waiting up ahead.  They’re trying to herd us.”   He cocked an ear to one side, then stared intently at a small door in the wall next to them.  “Looks like the former owner used this to anchor a portal. Think you can open it?”

“No sweat.”  Nox put a silver ring on her finger and spun the tiny bands that wrap around it.  They whirred like the dials of a slot machine, one by one slowing to a halt. When the last one clicked into place, the portal unlocked and opened out into another deserted office building. 

Grimm sniffed at the opening. “All clear, go on through.  Not bad, short stuff.  You might just be as good at technomancy as you claim to be.”

She smirked again.  “Damn straight I’m good. And I’m not short, I’m petite. Puh-teet!” 

The hound gave her a big doggy grin as they hurried through the portal. He was enjoying having a friend to tease.   His ears flicked back and forth, but there was no sign they had been followed.   

Nox grinned back at him. “Get that out of your system before we get home, furball.”  She pointed to his tail, which was wagging happily again.   

He had a home.  A friend and a home.  Suddenly, his half-life was looking pretty good.

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