there’s a car waiting for us. It’s a big, battered looking thing, but that just means it matches its driver, who’s huge. He’s built like a football player, and looks like the suit he wears is uncomfortably small. When Jack sees him, he raises an eyebrow.
“Louis? You’re here to drive us?”
“That’s right.” The man’s voice is almost unnaturally deep.
“There’s no need,” Jack says. “I can do it.”
“Instructions,” the big guy replies.
Jack looks uncomfortable, and takes out a phone. “I’ll call Sebastian. Get this sorted out.” He jabs a number into his phone. “Sebastian, it’s Jack. Yes, we’re here. Yes, hes ris met us. There’s really no need… yes, I understand, but… yes, sir.”
Jack hangs up, and it’s clear that the big man is driving us after all. We get into the car, with Grayson and me in the back, while Jack takes the passenger seat. The driver, Louis, doesn’t say much as he rolls out of the airfield. Now it’s clear that we’re close to the Underground. There’s desert around us, and the roads are very empty. We drive for a little way before Louis brings the car to a halt for no apparent reason.
“Need to take a leak,” the big man grunts, and gets out of the car, striding off a little way. To my surprise, Grayson decides that he needs the same, and heads off after him.
That leaves me with Jack. We haven’t spoken much after the kiss on the plane, and I’m not sure I know what to say. Things are obviously going to change now. If we’re going to the Underground, anything could happen. I might not see Jack again. If their memory device works this time, I might not even remember that he exists.
Jack seems to sense that this might be our last chance too, because he moves around from the passenger seat to join me in the back. He pulls me to him for a quick kiss.
“I’ve always enjoyed this part, Celes,” he says. “I wasn’t supposed to, but I have. And that could be a problem. I’ve come to care for you more than I should. It’s as though we’ve always belong together. It sounds stupid, but I feel as though I’ve known you before, that we’ve spent centuries together, always together.”
It doesn’t sound stupid. In fact, it sounds perfect. I lay my head on his chest. “I know. Me too, Jack.” I smile up at him. “Maybe it will work out. Maybe you’ll still be a part of my life somehow.”
“I know, I…”
“Help!” I recognize Grayson’s voice instantly, and I’m out of the car before I even realize it. Jack’s out there too, probably from the urge to follow me more than from one to help Grayson. I sprint over in the direction Grayson and Louis have gone, and quickly find them. What I see makes me recoil.
They’re struggling, with both of Grayson’s hands locked on the big man’s wrist. In that hand, Louis holds a knife. He isn’t striking Grayson, just pushing that knife inexorably forward.
Even Jack seems shocked by that. “Louis? What are you doing?”
The driver looks disgustedly at Jack. “That’s exactly what I want to know with you.”
Grayson takes advantage of the momentary distraction, kicking out at the driver. “Don’t listen to him. We have to get him before he takes us to that place. You know what they’re going to do there? They’re going to erase my memories of you, Celes!”
That possibility hadn’t occurred to me. I had thought about what might happen to my memories, but not about what the Underground might do to Grayson. For now though, there’s the more immediate question of a man who’s trying to kill him.
“Jack, you have to stop this,” I say, but Jack is already moving. For all that he doesn’t seem to like Grayson much, he doesn’t seem willing to stand by and let him be stabbed. He pulls his pistol out from the inside of his jacket, and presses the muzzle of it to the big man’s skull.
“Drop it, Louis, or I drop you.”
“You should be putting a bullet in him ,” the driver
“Louis? You’re here to drive us?”
“That’s right.” The man’s voice is almost unnaturally deep.
“There’s no need,” Jack says. “I can do it.”
“Instructions,” the big guy replies.
Jack looks uncomfortable, and takes out a phone. “I’ll call Sebastian. Get this sorted out.” He jabs a number into his phone. “Sebastian, it’s Jack. Yes, we’re here. Yes, hes ris met us. There’s really no need… yes, I understand, but… yes, sir.”
Jack hangs up, and it’s clear that the big man is driving us after all. We get into the car, with Grayson and me in the back, while Jack takes the passenger seat. The driver, Louis, doesn’t say much as he rolls out of the airfield. Now it’s clear that we’re close to the Underground. There’s desert around us, and the roads are very empty. We drive for a little way before Louis brings the car to a halt for no apparent reason.
“Need to take a leak,” the big man grunts, and gets out of the car, striding off a little way. To my surprise, Grayson decides that he needs the same, and heads off after him.
That leaves me with Jack. We haven’t spoken much after the kiss on the plane, and I’m not sure I know what to say. Things are obviously going to change now. If we’re going to the Underground, anything could happen. I might not see Jack again. If their memory device works this time, I might not even remember that he exists.
Jack seems to sense that this might be our last chance too, because he moves around from the passenger seat to join me in the back. He pulls me to him for a quick kiss.
“I’ve always enjoyed this part, Celes,” he says. “I wasn’t supposed to, but I have. And that could be a problem. I’ve come to care for you more than I should. It’s as though we’ve always belong together. It sounds stupid, but I feel as though I’ve known you before, that we’ve spent centuries together, always together.”
It doesn’t sound stupid. In fact, it sounds perfect. I lay my head on his chest. “I know. Me too, Jack.” I smile up at him. “Maybe it will work out. Maybe you’ll still be a part of my life somehow.”
“I know, I…”
“Help!” I recognize Grayson’s voice instantly, and I’m out of the car before I even realize it. Jack’s out there too, probably from the urge to follow me more than from one to help Grayson. I sprint over in the direction Grayson and Louis have gone, and quickly find them. What I see makes me recoil.
They’re struggling, with both of Grayson’s hands locked on the big man’s wrist. In that hand, Louis holds a knife. He isn’t striking Grayson, just pushing that knife inexorably forward.
Even Jack seems shocked by that. “Louis? What are you doing?”
The driver looks disgustedly at Jack. “That’s exactly what I want to know with you.”
Grayson takes advantage of the momentary distraction, kicking out at the driver. “Don’t listen to him. We have to get him before he takes us to that place. You know what they’re going to do there? They’re going to erase my memories of you, Celes!”
That possibility hadn’t occurred to me. I had thought about what might happen to my memories, but not about what the Underground might do to Grayson. For now though, there’s the more immediate question of a man who’s trying to kill him.
“Jack, you have to stop this,” I say, but Jack is already moving. For all that he doesn’t seem to like Grayson much, he doesn’t seem willing to stand by and let him be stabbed. He pulls his pistol out from the inside of his jacket, and presses the muzzle of it to the big man’s skull.
“Drop it, Louis, or I drop you.”
“You should be putting a bullet in him ,” the driver
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