The First Ones Read online

  Jet quickly ducked back behind the logs and looked at Ursula, “That’s him, huh?”

  Ursula never looked at Jet. She just nodded back her confirmation.

  Jet ran a hand through his hair, “Of course it is,” and his words dripped with irony before he went into professional mode again. “All right, how dangerous is this guy going to be for us?”

  “Very.”

  The single word sent butterflies through Jet’s core as he nervously asked, “When you say ‘very,’ exactly what does that mean?”

  Finally, she looked back at Jet, “He’s probably the meanest, most dangerous and unpredictable…” Her words broke off in mid-sentence as she glanced past Jet, looking around the area where they had come in.

  “Jet?” Ursula’s voice was streaked with panic, “where’s Aurora?!”

  Jet spun around and saw that the child wasn’t with them, but in the moment that he had his attention on the ominous figure across the room, the child had silently slipped away.

  Ursula had turned back to the open room and the figure welding on the far side, when her breath caught, “Oh my God!” she gasped, seeing Aurora casually walking up to the ex, having already covered nearly two thirds of the distance.

  Jet saw the child as well and asked, “Um, he wouldn’t hurt the child, would he?”

  Ursula’s look of uncertainty nearly froze the breath in Jet’s lungs, and he immediately turned back in order to run after the girl, when Ursula caught his arm and held him back.

  “No!” She was whispering urgently now, “he may or may not react poorly to the child, but he will definitely kill you.”

  It only took Jet a moment to realize he couldn’t break free of her grip on him. He didn’t like it, but he relaxed until Ursula gently released him. She reached into the backpack and pulled out the Desert Eagle before whispering, “I’ll cover her, just be ready to move.”

  Jet had no real idea what he was supposed to do, but he nodded and turned back to examine the man at the table as Ursula aimed her weapon.

  The big man must have been intent on whatever he was working on because he never noticed the little girl as she walked up next to him. Jet could see that her mouth was moving as if speaking to him, but the sound of the welding torch and the blaring music apparently drowned out whatever she had said.

  Aurora looked over to the music player, which was turned up to full volume and blasting out what Jet guessed was an Italian aria sung by Luciano Pavarotti or Andrea Bocelli. In reality, it could have been Bob Smith from Idaho for all he knew as he was no connoisseur of opera to profess any way of distinguishing the who, what or where of the songs.

  Aurora made her way over to the stereo and studied it briefly before reaching a small hand out and changing the tuning dial.

  The music abruptly died as she turned the dial to a more contemporary station, one with the deep base of a modern dance song that began to reverberate and echo off the warehouse walls.

  The man lifted his head slightly, raised the torch and the welding rod from whatever he was working on, as the change in the music registered in his ears.

  He stood abruptly to his full height, which Jet guessed couldn’t have been much under seven feet, and spun towards the stereo, while still holding the blazing torch ominously to one side.

  The medieval looking welding mask he wore over his face made him look even more monstrous than just his size alone would have imparted, and he stared down at little Aurora, who still had her attention on the stereo.

  Then she raised her two tiny arms above her head and jumped in that uncoordinated way that only a two-year-old can, before dancing to the music. The man seemed to stand up even straighter in surprise at the sight of the little girl and he glanced around the warehouse in confusion. When his head turned back to Aurora she was laughing and doing a “dance” that consisted almost completely of shaking her little rump and jumping up and down.

  If Jet wasn’t so worried he would have broken out laughing at the cuteness of the sight. It was as adorable as anything that ever won the big money on those home video television shows... the ones he would never admit he ever watched.

  The man lowered the torch, and with a flick or his thumb, extinguished the flame. Now only the music could be heard as Aurora’s tiny size was even more diminished as she danced around next to this giant of a man

  Aurora started to turn as she danced until she faced the man staring down at her. She was smiling and completely unafraid as she walked over and patted his leg.

  “Danz!” she called out as she started shaking her little butt again completely out of time with the music.

  Jet heard Ursula take in a quick breath, and turned to see her eyes wide and tearing up as she whispered, “That’s Aurora.”

  Jet looked at the child, “Of course it is...”

  Ursula shook her head quickly, “No Jet, that’s my daughter, not the First One.”

  Jet looked back and realized that the child wasn’t under the influence of the First One at the moment. She was just a regular two-year old and…

  …Wait a damn minute!

  “Did you say your daughter?!” Jet spoke while making every effort not to have the words burst out, “I thought you were her Guardian, or whatever.”

  Ursula suddenly realized what she had unintentionally revealed and looked worriedly at him, “Sorry, I wasn’t going to tell you,” she looked back to the child and the giant, “but if you want to live through this night...” she pointed at the giant, “... then that’s another thing he can’t know.”

  Jet considered her words and the seriousness behind them.

  The big man inclined his head slightly, like a dog might when confused, before he righted himself, scanned the room again, then shrugged his shoulders and started slightly shifting his weight while bobbing up and down, as if the rhythm of the music had gotten the better of him.

  Ursula let out a small squeak at the sight, and the serious expression on Jet’s face turned to one of complete bamboozlement, as he watched the ridiculous scene.

  When Jet turned to look at Ursula she was tearing up.

  “What?” he asked.

  Ursula quickly wiped tears from her eyes, “Nothing. It’s just, I don’t remember him ever having a sense of humor, and I always thought he hated kids.”

  Chapter 16: Welcome to My Home

  Jet watched the antics of the dancing pair in the distance for another moment before asking, “So, I’d guess that it’s safe now?”

  Ursula had wiped her face clean and shook her head, “I don’t know, but now is as good a time as any. Let’s just take it slow.”

  The giant had apparently danced his fill and was in the process of leaning over and reaching a hand up to the welding mask, probably with the intention of removing it in order to speak with the child, as Jet and Ursula took their first couple of steps around the logs. The big man noticed their movement, quickly straightened up, dropped the torch, grabbed something from his workbench and smoothly hurled it in their direction. Ursula pulled Jet aside as the geological hammer’s spiked end sank deeply into the wood of a log where Jet’s head had been.

  The big man stepped protectively in front of Aurora, slammed a fist down on the boom box stereo shattering it to pieces and silencing the music from it forever.

  “Benjamin, it’s me!” Ursula shouted as the man charged forward, the sight of which shot fear through Jet every bit as much as what he had felt when he faced down the Craig-thing.

  “Benjamin” stopped his charge and skidded to a halt when he heard Ursula call his name. The welding mask moved to look from Ursula to Jet then back to Ursula before the big man raised his hands and slipped it off his head.

  The face that was revealed under the mask surprised Jet, although he wasn’t really sure what he had been expecting, but Benjamin had a pleasant face that looked more suited to smiling than expressing the angry scowl that currently creased his eyes and lips. Wisps of gray hair were flecked through a well-trimmed moustache
and full beard, hiding what could have been a sharp and chiseled chin, were Jet able to see him clean shaven.

  He dropped the mask to the floor and sighed, “Hello, Ursula.”

  “Benjamin,” Ursula replied coolly.

  “Benjamin?” The big man repeated and raised an eyebrow, “So formal of you to use the long version of my name.” Benjamin turned to Jet, “Is this the flavor of the month?”

  Jet knew the jibe was childish at best, however, it also served to confirm his earlier assumption about Ursula going through various love interests like normal humans might go through pet dogs or cats. Of course, it was also something that a jealous ex-boyfriend might bring up, just to intimidate a new man in Ursula’s life and Jet found himself speaking before he could think to otherwise stop.

  “The jury’s still out on that.”

  Benjamin regarded him almost hungrily, “Is it now?”

  Before the situation could decline any further Ursula said, “Ben please, we don’t have time for this.”

  “Time for what?” Ben asked.

  “Time for you being... well... you. We’re in trouble and need your help.”

  Benjamin considered them for a minute and then frowned, “You both stink of dog.” Ben suddenly whipped his head toward Aurora and then back at Ursula and Jet. His face covered in a shocked and apprehensive expression, as he continued to look from Ursula to Jet and back again repeatedly.

  “Is…?”

  Ursula quickly held up her hands, “No!” then she patted the air as if to calm both Benjamin and Jet down, “she just got caught up in the middle of my troubles,” Ursula inclined her head to Jet, “same as my friend Jet.”

  Benjamin’s eyes squinted as if he didn’t quite believe what Ursula had said and he turned back to look at Aurora again. The child was sifting through the pieces of the smashed stereo and stacking them up like building blocks.

  Turning back to Ursula, Benjamin said, “I thought you wanted nothing to do with me anymore.” The big man tossed the welder’s mask onto the table where he had been working, “You were actually very clear about that when you left, and now you want my help?”

  “Benjamin, please?” Ursula began, but Benjamin held up a hand, saying…

  “Just tell me what you did to piss off the dogs.”

  Jet blurted out, “How did you know…?”

  Ursula spun and shot him a warning look to control his tongue.

  Benjamin looked at Jet, “How is it I know… what?” Ben looked over to Ursula and then nodded, “Ah, I see. Well, just so you know, I can smell them on you. I believe I said that you both stink of dog.”

  Jet frowned and raised an arm up to his nose. He sniffed his clothing and realized that there was indeed a faint, unusual scent coming from his clothing. He hadn’t noticed it before, but he did smell like a combination of wet dog, blood and…something earthy, like fresh mushrooms. It was as unique a scent as anything that he had come across, and he knew he could easily associate its source, if he ever came across it in the future.

  Ursula stepped closer to Aurora, almost as if positioning herself between Benjamin and the child, “Benjamin we need your help. We need your helicopter to escape the Akhlut.”

  Benjamin looked shocked, “You want my helicopter?”

  Jet looked shocked, “He HAS a helicopter?”

  Ursula was undeterred, “Please Benjamin, I need to get these two to safety. I got them in between myself and the Akhlut and now they’re in danger as well.”

  Benjamin frowned, seeming to consider her worlds before saying, “Just have them take a flight out of Vancouver in the opposite direction you are going. That will get the Akhlut off their trail.”

  “Maybe,” Ursula insisted.

  Benjamin shrugged, “It’s the best chance they have. Staying with you is the same as keeping them in harm’s way.”

  “They’re my responsibility,” Ursula said softly, and Benjamin seemed surprised by the determination in her voice.

  “Really?” Benjamin looked at Jet then turned to look at Aurora, “How very unlike you Ursula.”

  Ursula didn’t respond and Jet thought that it might be best if he followed suit, despite a burning need to defend Ursula and tell the big man off.

  After a minute Benjamin said, “All right, come clean yourselves up. There’s fresh juice and deli meat in the fridge, help yourself to some food while I get cleaned up.”

  Ursula’s whole body seemed to droop with relief, “Thank you Ben.”

  Benjamin turned his back on Ursula, and was walking toward a different portion of the warehouse, when he said, “Anything for you Ursula,” then he stopped and looked back at Jet and continued, “and, of course, your friends.”

  Chapter 17: Big Ben

  The food that Benjamin kept in his refrigerator was exquisite. The “deli meat” turned out to be artisan cured meats and cheeses, along with freshly squeezed orange, apple and grape juices that were more than fortifying, making Jet realize just how famished he had become. Ursula insisted that he eat his fill, saying that Ben would replace everything, simply by taking a trip into the enormous farmer’s market on Granville Island, after they left.

  “Isn’t this stuff expensive?” Jet asked.

  “Very,” Ursula confirmed, “but Ben can easily afford it.”

  Jet looked around the warehouse and took in the sights of what appeared to be a person living in relative squalor, “So, he can afford it and he’s got a helicopter as well?”

  Seeing Jet’s confusion Ursula smiled and said, “Ben is very wealthy, but he chooses to live here because people leave him alone, and the city doesn’t put any restrictions on what he wants to work on in this part of town.”

  Jet could see a look in Ursula’s eyes that appeared like pride when she spoke of Benjamin. Crap, he thought, she still loved the guy. He wondered why she had left him. He really wanted to ask, but it didn’t seem like his place to do so.

  Ursula walked over to the workbench and something caught her eye. She moved a couple of dirty work rags aside, revealing a laptop computer underneath the debris.

  “This is new,” Ursula said as she rested a hand on the laptop, and then gently opened it. The screen immediately illuminated and the home page of YouTube materialized into view. The top of the screen listed the username “Dirtlover” and a list of “subscriptions” was stacked to one side.

  Ursula used the touch pad and directed the cursor to the “favorites” section, as Jet said, “Ursula? That might not be such a good idea.”

  “Why?” she responded.

  Jet said uncomfortably, “It’s kind of…prying.”

  “It’s YouTube,” Ursula dismissed, “Not like I’m going to stumble on his porn stash in here.”

  “No, I suppose not, but…”

  Ursula waved a hand, “I can’t even imagine he has a computer, much less that he’s tuned in to YouTube. I just want to see what he might be watching, although my guess would be that it’s a bunch of ‘how to’ stuff.”

  The favorite’s page flashed and a list of over one hundred favorites were stacked to one side of the screen.

  “W…What?” Ursula stammered.

  Jet heard the surprise in Ursula’s voice, “So, not what you expected.”

  “No…” Ursula’s voice was weak as if she might start crying again.

  Jet moved next to Ursula and read the headline of the first video that Ben had saved to his “favorites” section.

  “The Raymond’s find out they are going to be first time Grandparents.”

  The next video headline read:

  “Surprise engagement on Christmas morning.”

  And the next:

  “Soldier surprises kids at school after coming home from Iraq.”

  Jet regarded the headlines and marveled, “That mountain sized man is a fan of family reaction videos?”

  “I…I guess so,” Ursula managed.

  Jet went down the list of headlines and found that there were a disproportionate number
of “new grandparents” videos, as compared to the rest. Jet understood. He liked those videos too. They were filled with such joy, that it could even make the most depressed soul hopeful. New grandparent reaction videos had that effect, with soldiers returning home to their kids being a close second.

  “So,” Jet chuckled, “the big guy’s really a softie at heart?”

  Ursula didn’t respond. Instead she clicked on the first video. It was a scene at the dinner table with the camera centered on the future grandparents as they each opened a small present. Clearly having received the presents had been a surprise on their own, in the way the elderly couple chuckled nervously and seemed confused by the gifts. Then they opened the boxes inside to reveal a newborn-size onesie with, ’I love my grandma’ or ‘I love my grandpa’ embroidered accordingly. The new grandmother screamed and burst into uncontrollable tears as she got up from the table and ran to hug the expectant mother. The soon to be new grandfather beamed with a smile that looked as though it would be plastered on his face for the next decade as he too got up from the table and tried to find a way to get in on the hug. The video continued with the grandmother finally getting herself under control until the future father brings over the ultrasound pictures, sending her into yet another round of tears and screams of “She’s so beautiful!” while the new grandfather looked over her shoulder and said, “Actually, she looks like a lima bean.”

  Grandma punches grandpa on the shoulder, and the video ends with the sounds of the soon to be parents laughing in the background.

  As the video ended Jet turned to Ursula with a huge smile on his face. He was such a sap for these sickeningly sweet videos, but the look on Ursula’s face made his smile fade away.