Espial (15 page)

     “You are
destined for great things, Sol,” said Dax with a nasally lisp. “So please, at the
very least, accomplish these things in style.” Dax gave my hand a quick pat,
then fluttered out of my apartment. I smiled as I watched her leave.

     I didn’t
leave the apartment for three solid days as I took everything in. I spent most
of my time trying new recipes given to me by Glinda. She came over with an old,
tattered recipe book and began showing me how to make some of her favorite
dishes.

     “This one’s
called spaghetti and meatballs.” She boiled water on my stove and poured in
many long, yellow hard strands. “This is the spaghetti part.”

     “But it’s
hard,” I commented, scrunching my face. “How could anyone want to eat something
so hard?”

     “Ah just
you wait and see!” Glinda then opened a package that contained a red meat. She
placed the meat in a large bowl and added several spices. After mixing
everything together, Glinda then place the little balled meats in a frying pan
on the stove, making the apartment smell wonderful. “This is how you make the
meatballs.”

     I watched
as she gave the spaghetti a stir and noticed that they became soft and wiggly.
She turned the meat over once, and after a few minutes, she poured a red sauce
on top. Covering the meatballs, I ran to get some plates. “I’m inviting
everyone over. This smells too delicious to enjoy by ourselves.”

     “Excellent!”
she exclaimed. “A dinner party hosted by Sol!” She lowered the fires under each
pot and began placing fancy linens from my linen closet on the dining table.

     “Oh that’s
what those are for,” I said, realizing that she was setting the table.

     “Yes. We
have to make a good impression since this is the first party you’re hosting.”
She set beautiful crystal wine glasses onto the table near the plates. The
stems were vines with leaves that crept up the glass. “Honey, pass me the
bottle on that rack that says pinot grigio.”

     I went over
to the small wine rack on the wall next to my refrigerator. I read each label
until I found the one she requested. Glinda removed one of her pink daggers
from her bosom, drove it into the stopper of the wine bottle and yanked it out.

     “That’s how
you show the cork who’s boss!” she said, giggling. She poured wine into each
glass. I counted the place settings.

     “So I
should invite six more people?”

     “Yes. Go
ahead and send a message out to your mother, Rider, Div, Luke, Victoria, and
Flash. Tell them to be here in twenty minutes”

     “Why
Flash?”

     “Why not?”

     I had no
reply, so went to my desktop and sent them the invitations. When I returned,
Glinda had finished setting up. The lights had been dimmed and candles adorned
the center of the table. Glinda then entered the room, her hair pulled into a
tight bun. She was adjusting her pink stud earrings when she noticed me.

     “Oh honey,
go put on one of Dax’s pieces. Red would suit you, so see if there’s anything
that will work.”

     “Actually,
I think Dax did send me a red top with a matching skirt.”

     “Perfect!
Go put it on. Your guests should be here in ten minutes.”

     Just as I
turned to change, there was a knock on my door.

     “Don’t
worry, I’ll keep everyone entertained. Hurry and get dressed!”

     I ran down
the hall into my walk-in closet. I quickly spotted the red outfit and changed
into it. I found red sandals with shiny rhinestones and wore those as well. My
hair had been in a tight bun all day, so I let it down, natural platinum curls
falling to my shoulders. When I walked back into the dining area, I saw that
everyone except Flash had arrived.

     “Thank you
all for coming. Just know that Glinda did all of the cooking.”

     Everyone
laughed and I took a seat at the head of the table. We all chatted and laughed
as Glinda put the finishing touches on our meal in the kitchen. A knock
sounded, so I rushed over to answer. There stood Flash, filling out a nicely
tailored tan double-breasted suit jacket, waistcoat and slimming jeans.

     “Hi, Sol,”
he said gently. “You look stunning.”

     “Thanks,
Flash, so do you.” I stepped back to let him in before closing the door.
Victoria’s chair screeched as she pushed it back and she stood abruptly.

     “Oh Flash!
Come let me give you a hug!” She ran over, bumping into the table. Several wine
glasses sloshed over, spilling onto the table. Everyone held back snorts and
giggles as napkins were passed around. She pulled Flash into an awkwardly tight
hug. “I’ve missed you so much!”

     “You just
saw me at the contest the other day, Vic,” he replied, gasping for air.

     “I know and
it’s been too long since.” She finally released him. “Come, sit next to me.”
She had chosen a seat next to Glinda, who was at the opposite end of the table
from me. Everyone covered their giggles and snorts as she pulled his chair out
for him.

     “Uh thanks
Vic,” he said, clearly embarrassed.

     “Any time,”
she winked.

     Glinda
began serving our food. We continued talking amicably about our experiences in
the LARF. Flash took time to tell us about what he enjoyed most about living in
Los Angeles.

     “Firstly,
you can’t beat the weather. Sun and mild temperatures are the way to go.”

     “I agree,”
Luke chimed in. “It’s been really nice here since we’ve arrived.”

     I nodded as
I inhaled the food. The spaghetti was cooked perfectly and the meatballs were
unlike anything I’d ever tasted before. Complimentary spices greeted my taste
buds. The meat was delectable and practically melted in my mouth. I helped
myself to no less than ten.

     The evening
passed without incident. After dinner, everyone thanked me and Glinda for
hosting dinner. Flash gave me a hug before leaving, which caused Victoria to
grunt in disapproval. She hurried quickly after him as I closed the door.

     “That was
amazing Glinda. Thank you so much.”

     “You’re
welcome honey bee. Looks like everyone had a nice evening and Flash couldn’t
take his eyes off of you.”

     “I don’t
know about that, Glinda. After the mess with Alex, I think I’m going to give
myself a break from the opposite sex.”

     “I understand.
And you should always be cautious when it comes to matters of the heart. But
don’t let a truly good thing slip away, alright?”

     I nodded
and gave her a hug as she left. I began cleaning up and went to sleep
peacefully.

     The morning
after my dinner, Div set up a mounting rack for my sais above the mantle. She
handcrafted the wooden supports that displayed them, decorating them with blue
flowers in memory of Sacra. Seeing the mounting rack brought tears to my eyes
and I couldn’t stop thanking her. After she left, I reheated some of the
leftover food from the prior night. My passed by during the afternoon and
showed me how to make special bath soaps and lotions. They were all techniques
showed to her by Sacra. Some of my new friends from the dive-bomb contest
visited that evening and kept me entertained with stories about Bruno Viril.

     “When he
was younger, he had very few friends,” explained Lady Bug. “He wore glasses,
had a stutter and picked his nose in class.”

     “Exactly,”
chimed in Bitty. “It was sad, really. But he was such an awkward young boy that
no one played with him or befriended him.”

     “That is
sad,” I replied, unexpectedly feeling sorry for him.

     “When we
were all about to go through the unsheathing, he and his family disappeared.”

     “What do
you mean?”

     Lady
shrugged her shoulders. “They were seen by a few people packing their
belongings into a car and driving off. They didn’t return for a full year.”

     “Why?”

     “No one
knows except Bruno and his family. What we do know is that when they returned,
he was tall, handsome and had an arrogant attitude to match.”

     “I wonder
what changed him.”

     Bitty
cleared her throat. “I really don’t like spreading gossip, but rumor has it
that he and his family made some kind of deal with Sato.”

     “Do you
think it’s true?” I asked, curiosity pulling me.

     “Well
there’s no other plausible explanation for the changes he went through. I think
he might have agreed to work for Sato or something in exchange for good looks.
His family may have bargained other things as well.”

     “How so?”

     “His dad
started driving a fancier car,” said Lady, “and his mom started wearing
expensive dresses. She also began wearing a lot of jewelry with gemstones I’ve
never seen before. She’d get completely dressed up all of the time, even if it
was only to go shopping at the market.”

     “And in
school,” added Bitty, “he would automatically get high grades on all of his
assignments. The teachers even looked slightly afraid of him in class or when passing
him in the halls.”

     “That
sounds very suspicious,” I remarked, making a mental note to ask Rider about
Bruno.

     “Enough of
the spooky talk, let’s eat!” shouted Lady.

     We laughed
as she pulled out numerous bags of treats out of her purse. We stayed up late
gossiping and snacking. My first girl’s night was definitely one to remember.

#

     My next
week in the LARF passed with days filled with rigorous training from Div. Rider
occasionally observed our sessions or even took over as my instructor. His
favorite session seemed to be defensive flight strategies. While Div helped me
develop a sense of ease with flying, Rider showed me the importance of using
various maneuvers when being pursued. He met us outside one day as Div made me
practice dodging while in flight. She was tossing random objects into the air as
I followed a route she had created with balloons. After getting hit by a
baseball and a teapot, I came down and met them on the lawn outside the LARF.

     “You need
to have a better feel for your surroundings,” said Rider, clearly disappointed.

     “I’m
trying,” I replied, “but I can’t see every angle that she’s throwing from.”

     “It’s more
than just sight,” he explained. “You need to be able to sense their approach
long before you can actually see them. Here, watch.” He removed a silk cloth
from his pocket and tied it around his eyes. Div guided him to the start of the
flight route, where he flew up to the tops of the balloons.

     “Ready?”
called out Div.

     “Ready!”

     Div blew
into a whistle and he began flying forward very rapidly. Div flew below him
quietly, a basket of random items hanging from her waist. She threw the
baseball into the air without warning. Right when I thought it would catch his
leg, he made a sharp turn to his left, causing the baseball to soar off into
the distance. Rider turned back onto the course and flew even faster. Next, Div
threw a frying pan toward his torso. He immediately stopped short mid-flight,
the frying pan barely missing him. Rider then continued flying straight ahead.
Div reached into the basket and pulled out a rattlesnake. It hissed and
wriggled in her hands. She reached back and launched it toward Rider’s face.
Without missing a beat, Rider did a backwards somersault in the air, and then
continued flying down the path. Div giggled and unhooked the basket from her belt,
dropping it to the ground. She removed her sais, spinning both in her hands.
Right as Rider approached the end of the course, she released the sais, again
aiming right for his face. A moment before they sliced his face in two, Rider
reached out and grabbed them both by the blade. He spun them around once in his
hands, then threw them back down toward Div. She caught them and secured them
in her belt, laughing. They both came back down to the ground, smiling and out
of breath.

     “How were
you able to do that?” I asked, truly amazed at what I had witnessed.

     “It goes
back to one of the first things I ever taught you,” smiled Div. “Forget to
think. If you waste time thinking too much, you’ll miss the things coming right
at you.”

     Rider
nodded, removing the silk cloth from his eyes. “Once you master that, you’ll be
able to foresee a drop of rain before it even touches your head.” He turned and
said goodbye to Div, lightly brushing her shoulder before waving to me. We
watched him leave and I suddenly realized what had been there all along.

     “So,” I
started, cautiously, “you and Rider?”

     “You and
Rider what?” asked Div, not making eye contact with me.

     “The two of
you are together?”

     “What do
you mean?” She was fiddling with her belt, obviously uncomfortable.

     I smiled.
“It’s ok, Div. I won’t tell anyone.”

     She looked
at me for a moment. “Thank you.” She smiled and we both went inside for lunch.

#

     Div and I
parted ways after eating a light meal. For the first time in two weeks, I had
an entire afternoon and evening free. Having explored much of the LARF already,
I went to the roof. I sat on the edge, legs dangling over the side of the
building. Not too far away, I saw Fly playing with Gadget on the swings at the
playground. Watching angels and Espials walk or fly in and out of the building
was very entertaining. Few cars passed, dropping off or picking up Espials in
front of the entry. Wings of every color and pattern imaginable graced my sight
as angels bustled about. They laughed and mingled with one another, mostly
unaware of some of the gruesome things occurring in the east. I wished that
everyone could live so peacefully; free from worry and horror. As I sat there
observing and pondering my ability to help the situation regarding Sato, Flash
appeared beside me.

     “Angel
watching?” he asked with a bright smile.

     “Something
like that.”

     “Is
everything ok?”

     I looked
out at the setting sun. “For now yes. But it’s only a matter of time before
Sato comes here to destroy everything. Will any of us be ready for what he has
in store? Will I even be able to help?”

     “I can’t
predict the future, Sol. But what I know for sure is that in life, when things
bring us to our breaking point, we have two choices. Run away or face them head
on.” Flash took my hand. “From what I understand, you were phenomenal back in
New York when the ARC was ambushed. So I have no doubt that you’ll be amazing
when the time comes to fight Sato head-on.” He let go of my hand and brushed my
cheek. “You don’t have to worry about what to do. Your ancestry alone will
enable you to do what needs to be done at the right moment.”

     We sat in
silence for a while, watching the sun set lower on the horizon. The remnants of
building foundations shone in the twilight.

     “Where do
Espials come from?” I asked as I watched a woman walk into the LARF. She looked
up, briefly spotting us on the ledge. She gave a quick wave and continued
inside.

     “An Espial
is someone who has angel ancestry. They are able to see angels and demons, but
don’t have wings or auras.”

     “And how do
angels come into existence?”

     “When the
earth was created, angels were formed to protect mankind. Initially, angels
never had children. As evil grew strong, it was clear that more of us were
needed. Eventually, angels were miraculously able to conceive. Though rare,
these children were superior beings and became known as arch angels. They began
developing their wings and auras around the age of fifteen.”

     “Which is
why Sato created Oculation.”

     “Exactly.”

     I nodded
quietly. We both sat on the rooftop, watching the sun slowly set in the
distance. Fewer angels and Espials were out now. I watched Fly gather Gadget’s
toys and make her way toward the building. Gadget skipped happily behind her.
“If you don’t mind me asking, is your mother around?”

     “Unfortunately
no. She passed away giving birth to me.”

     “Oh that’s
right. I’m so sorry,” I frowned.

     “No it’s
ok. Like I said, angel births are rare, and what happened to her is pretty
common. It would have been nice to know her though. I can tell dad loved her
very much.”

     “Do you
think he misses her?”

     “In some
ways, yes.  But I don’t think he’s suffering from grief or anything. And I see
the way he looks at Div, so I think he’s more than ready to move on.” Flash
smiled to himself.

     “Well Div
is an amazing angel. She has done so much for me. She does match Rider, in a
way.”

     Flash
nodded. “I just want him to be happy. And if Div makes him happy, then we’re
all fine.”

     Just then a
black, four door sedan pulled up slowly in front of the building. The windows
were dark and it was difficult to see if there was any movement from inside.
Suddenly a woman with long, blonde hair came running from the playground. She
yanked open the driver’s door.

     “Flash are
you seeing this? Flash?” I looked over and he was gone. I then realized he had
softly descended down the side of the building, watching the vehicle from
behind a bush. I carefully made my way down next to him.

     The blonde
pulled a man out of the driver’s seat. He was fully masked and dressed in
all-black. He ran around the front of the car and slipped into the passenger
seat. The blonde ducked into the driver’s seat. The car revved and speedily
drove off. Flash and I moved out from behind the bushes.

     “Why was
she in the playground?” I asked, recalling Fly’s encounter with a woman similar
to the one we had just witnessed.

     “I think
she’s keeping tabs on Fly. But I’m not sure why.” Flash glanced at his watch.
“Let’s go find my father and let him know what happened.”

     We found
Rider talking to Christian, who had replaced Victoria at the reception desk.

     “Dad,
something just happened.”

     “What’s
wrong?”

     “We saw the
blonde woman run from the playground into a black car, immediately after Fly
left with Gadget.”

     “I think
Fly’s being stalked,” replied Rider. “I think it’s best that we place her and
Gadget in hiding, at least until we know for sure who this woman is and what
she wants.” Rider left the hall, leaving us with Christian.

     “Christian,
could you please ask Div if she could come meet me for more training?”

     “Sure.”
Christian quickly sent a message out to Div’s apartment.

     “Nervous?”
asked Flash.

     “A little.
But mostly because I know that I’m not fully ready. That lady came too close
for comfort.”

     “I know
what you mean. I’ll go see if my father needs help. See you later.” Flash ran
off toward Rider’s office. Div appeared soon after, holding a few random
objects in her hands.

     “Telekinesis
time.” Div laid out a spoon, a book, a sword and a wine glass on the reception
desk. They suddenly began moving on their own. The spoon scooped up the book
while the sword elevated and dropped its handle in the wine glass. I smirked.

     “I want to
know how to do that.”

     Div smiled.
“Let’s start. It’s a little tricky to understand at first, but once you get it,
it’s fun and useful. Look at the spoon.”

     I focused
my attention on the silver spoon. Ordinary and simplistic, I could see why Div
selected it first.