The Deviant Underground (Time Bandit) (18 page)

“Um, how am I supposed to . . .” Kathryn stopped. The people were smiling, and every so often one of them would take a sip from a glass. “Wait. It looks like they aren't talking at all.”

Charged beamed. “Ah, but they are. Telepaths. All three of them.”

Kathryn turned abruptly to Charge. “Wait. Are you telling me that they are reading each other's minds?”

“Yep, and probably the minds of half of the people in here.”

Kathryn stared at them. The woman laughed and shot one of the men a glance. The other seemed to snicker as he finished his drink.

“Wow,” Kathryn muttered. “Remind me not to go over there.”

“Why? You don't want your mind read?”

“NO.” Kathryn polished off her beer. She was ready for another. “No way.”

Charge laughed, set his empty bottle down, and signaled to Bea to bring them two more.

His eyes scanned the room. “See that guy over there?” Charge pointed to a portly brown-skinned man talking to a tall, beautiful woman. The woman was clearly smitten with him and flirted openly.

“Yeah.”

“Be careful of him. Don't engage him in too much conversation.”

“Why?”

“Serious powers of persuasion. He'll talk you out of your drawers or out of all your money in five minutes.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Yep.” They watched as the woman linked her arm with his as the two of them made their way to the exit. “Looks like he's got another victim.” Charge snorted.

Kathryn was too shocked to speak.

“Oh, and you see that woman?” Charge pointed to an overly made up red head wearing a patch over one eye and dressed in clothes that were a few sizes too small. “Be careful of her, too.”

“More powers of persuasion?”

“Mmm . . . sort of.” Two more beers floated down to the table as their empty bottles hovered away. “Thanks, Bea.” Bea shot Kathryn a glance but said nothing as she left. “Candy has . . .” Charge referred again to the red head, “ . . . the power of seduction, which she tends to use indiscriminately.” He paused. “I wonder what happened to her eye?”

“Power of seduction?” Kathryn was eager to continue the conversation. “Why should
I
worry about her?”

“Like I said. She uses her gift indiscriminately.”

Kathryn was puzzled for a moment. “Oh! She plays for both teams?”

Charge laughed. “Yeah, that's one way to say it.”

Kathryn looked at her again. The red head seemed to be awkwardly engaged in a conversation with a man and a woman, both of whom listened intensely to what she was saying. “Has she ever used her gift on you?”

“She tried. Thankfully, Susan came over and interrupted her.” Charge shuddered. “That would not have been cool.”

“I should say not.” The red head twirled her hair nervously and strummed her fingers on the table. The couple was still transfixed. “Man,” Kathryn said in amazement. “She sure doesn't look like the vixen type.”

“Oh, you can't go by looks, especially when dealing with deviants. Take Herc for example.”

“What about him?” Kathryn was curious as to what his gift was. It looked like he had a gift for finding clothes that were too big for him.

“I wouldn't want to piss him off.” Charge raised his eyebrows as he consumed more of his rapidly disappearing beer.

“Why?”

“He could kick my ass, that's why.”

“What?” Kathryn finished her drink. She was greatly enjoying herself and wanted another.

“That little guy is probably the strongest dude I know. That's why his nickname is Herc.”

“Huh? I don't get it.”

“Herc. Hercules. He’ll whip your ass in a minute. That's why he works the front door to the backroom. Nobody can get past him if he doesn't want nobody to get past him.” Charge caught Bea's eye and ordered two more drinks.

“Wow,” Kathryn whispered. “I never would have guessed.”

“Of course not,” Charge placed his hand on Kathryn's thigh and leaned in close. “None of us are who we appear to be.” The aroma of Charge's aftershave wafted around them, and the warm, tingly feeling began to start between her legs. He kissed her lightly, and Kathryn was ready to go home.

Susan burst through the crowd and plopped down on the couch next to Charge. “Hey you two, break it up!”

Charge drew back from Kathryn. “What did you find out?”

Susan reached for one of the fresh beers Bea had brought. “Plenty. But some of it’s rumor.”

“Yeah? Hold on. I see JT. I'm going to see if I can find out what's up.” Charge got up from the couch, leaving an empty, warm spot next to Kathryn. Susan filled it up by sliding next to her.

Her blue eyes sparkled. “So? What do you think?”

“Incredible.” Kathryn drank half of her new drink in one swallow. She was beginning to feel a light buzz in the back of her head. She sat back in the couch and let the feeling engulf her. “Just incredible.”

“I thought you’d like it.”

Kathryn took out her pack of cigarettes, lit one with her plastic lighter, and inhaled deeply. The nicotine went straight to her head and mingled with the beers. She leaned back and exhaled, enjoying the rush.

“So tell me.” She ashed her cigarette in the ash tray sitting on the table. “What's the story around here? What did you find out?”

“Well, I don't know how much of this is the truth, but I found out that someone brought somebody—”

“Hey, Susan. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?”

The sudden interruption made both of the them jump. Standing in front of them was the blonde guy she had seen earlier.

“Jesus, Flash! Don't do that.” Susan’s brows knit together. “You’re going to give me a heart attack.”

A mischievous grin spread across his face. “Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.” He steadied his dark blue eyes on Kathryn. They were framed with long, thick blonde eyelashes. A smattering of freckles peppered his nose, and his smile revealed a slightly crooked grin. He had to have been at least thirty, but his freckles and wry smile revealed a boyish charm. “So,” he repeated. “Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?”

“This is Kathryn,” Susan said without much enthusiasm. “Kathryn. Flash.”

“Nice to meet you.”

He grinned even wider. “The pleasure is all mine. Hey, can I buy you ladies a drink?”

Susan shrugged. “Why the hell not?”

“Great!” In an instant, Flash was gone.

“Be careful of him,” Susan whispered.

“Why?”

“He can be . . . charming, but—”

“I hope you ladies like tequila.” Flash set down three shot glasses rimmed with salt and garnished with a lime wedge.

“Absolutely.” Kathryn reached for hers.

“On the count of three,” Flash said as he picked up his drink. Susan grabbed hers. “One. Two. Three!”

Kathryn licked the salt off of the glass, threw back the shot, ate the lime, and the slammed the empty glass on the table.

“Whoo hoo!” Flash cheered. “A regular pro you are.”

“Yeah, well, I've had a lot of experience.” She chased the tequila with the remainder of her beer.

Flash scooted his way onto the couch next to Kathryn. Susan grunted at having to move over. “So, I haven't seen you around here before.”

“This is my first time here.” Kathryn noticed that Flash had his arm around the back of the couch, and his leg was pressed up against hers.

“Hey, Flash,” Susan warned. “You'd better be careful. She's Charge's girl.”

“Oh, really?” Kathryn nodded. “Well, it's a good thing I'm not afraid of Charge.”

Susan snorted. “You should be,” she muttered into her beer.

“So, tell me about yourself.”

“Um, what do you want to know?”

“Well, obvious question first. What's your gift?”

“Teleportation.” Kathryn was amazed at how easily that came out. “And I can freeze stuff.”

“Get outta here. Teleportation? Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“Show me.”

Without hesitation, Kathryn teleported from her seat to the other side of the couch where she sat casually on the arm.

Flash's mouth hung open. “Holy shit. You’re faster than I am..”

“No, Flash.” Susan set her empty bottle forcefully down on the table. “No one is quicker than you are.”

Flash turned his back on her. “And what's your other thing? Freezing? Like making shit cold?”

Kathryn laughed. “No. Like pausing things.” Flash still looked confused. “Um . . . like stopping time.”

“Show me.”

Kathryn picked up one of the empty bottles on the table and dropped it. It hung suspended in the air a few feet off the ground.

“Awesome.” Flash grabbed the bottle out of the air and examined it before placing it back on the table. “When they were handing out gifts, you got in line twice.”

Kathryn shrugged. She felt a little embarrassed by the attention, and she was also beginning to feel a little drunk. She wanted another drink and started looking around for Bea.

“Hey, do you want another?” Flash asked.

“Yeah, I do.”

“I'll get it,” and in an instant, he was gone. Kathryn slid up next to Susan.

“You had sex with him, didn't you?”

Susan sighed. “Unfortunately.”

“Why unfortunately?”

“Yeah, well, they don't just call him 'Flash' because he
walks
quickly.”

Kathryn laughed heartily but tried to stifle it upon Flash's return. “Here you are ladies.” He set down three more shot glasses. They did another round, and Kathryn reached for another cigarette. She lit it, inhaled, and felt her buzz really beginning to take off.

“So where are you from, Kathy?” Flash put his arm around the back of the couch again and moved in a little closer.

“Kathryn. Chicago.”

“Chi-town. Nice place.”

“You been there?” Kathryn took another drag from her cigarette.

Flash moved the ashtray over closer to her. “Yep. Been out there a couple of times for work.”

“What do you do?”

“I am computer engineer. I design processors.”

“Wait.” Kathryn's head swam as she tried to focus on what Flash was saying. “Are you telling me that you make computers go faster?”

That boyish grin spread across his face. “I do. How ironic is that?”

Kathryn laughed. “Get the hell outta here.”

“No, I'm serious.”

Susan put her hand on Kathryn's shoulder, and Kathryn was aware of the fact that she had her back turned to her. “Hey, Flash.” Susan's eyes narrowed. “You seriously better cool it. Charge will kick your ass.”

“Why?” Flash's dark blue eyes blinked innocently. “I'm not doing anything. I'm just talking.”

“Yeah, right.” Susan threw her arms around Kathryn and whispered, “Be careful of him. This is how it starts.”

Kathryn hugged Susan affectionately, if not a bit awkwardly. “It's all right. I can handle him.”

“Okay.” Susan stood up and stumbled a bit in the process. “I'm going to get another drink. Do you want one, Kathryn?”

“Yes, please.”

“Make that two,” Flash added.

Susan glared at Flash, said nothing, and disappeared into the crowd.

The alcohol was making Kathryn feel a bit bold. She turned to Flash, “So what's the deal with you two? Booty gone wrong?”

“Ha! No. No, we just had a little misunderstanding.” Flash ran his hand gently up Kathryn's arm. She grabbed it.

“And just so that
we
don't come to a misunderstanding. I'm with Charge.” She put his hand down in his lap.

“That's cool. I got it.”

Susan returned with three bottles in her hand. Flash and Kathryn took two from her.

“Thanks,” said Kathryn. Susan squeezed in next to her. Kathryn realized that Flash had slowly inched his way closer and closer to Kathryn. Susan's return now put him almost on top of her.

“And what to you do for a living?” Flash's face was mere inches from hers.

“Back up.” She shoved him lightly. He shifted in his seat but didn't put any distance between them. “I'm a professor.”

“A professor? Like college?”

Kathryn leaned away from him. “Yep. Like college.”

“Oh, shit. A smart girl.”

Kathryn stubbed out her cigarette. “That's what they say.”

“That's nice.” Flash gently touched Kathryn's arm and leaned in a bit closer. “I like smart girls.” She went to grab his hand again and—

“GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF MY GIRL.” Charge stood above them glaring down at Flash, who jumped back at the booming sound of Charge's voice. Kathryn could almost see the electricity in his eyes. Flash vacated his seat in a blink, keeping a safe distance.

He smiled nervously. “Sorry man. No harm, no foul. We were just talking.”