Enter the Janitor (The Cleaners) (Volume 1) (28 page)

Chapter Forty-one

After grabbing a sandwich and empty soup bowl from the cafeteria, Ben ate while registering for temporary quarters. Once assigned a room, he made his way through a series of window-portals to that section of HQ, found the proper door, and typed in the security code.

It opened and revealed a simple dresser, bathroom, and slab of padded concrete masquerading as a bed. Ben set the bowl on the dresser and then stripped down for a shower. While the water heated up, he took a few minutes to study what remained of his right arm in the mirror.

The stub was fleshy and pink, not a spot of black or gray marring the skin. It wiggled a bit when he flexed his shoulder. Ben poked and prodded, testing the sensitivity until he reassured himself that no trace of the Ravishing remained.

His attention turned to his face. A version of himself he hadn’t seen in five years stared back. Firm skin, no bags under the eyes, full lips. Hair in all the right places, instead of migrating from his head to his ears and nose. His chin didn’t even jiggle.

As the mirror steamed up, he abandoned the self-inspection and jumped in. Showering with one arm proved tricky until he figured out the best way to juggle lathering, rinsing, and shampooing. Once done and toweled off, he padded back into the bedroom and pulled a one-size-fits-all jumpsuit out of the dresser. It shrank to his lanky frame and faded to a dusty blue. Rubber boots from the closet fit snugly.

He sat on the bed, elbow on a knee, chin on his fist. Water swirled and foamed in the now-full soup bowl.

Ben grunted. “Ain’t I a pretty sight?”

Carl blurped, making Ben glare his way.

“Whaddaya mean it ain’t an improvement? Least I don’t got warts under my toenails anymore.”

The elemental slopped about.

“My sense of humor is just fine! Now don’tcha be givin’ me that look, you—” He sighed and leaned back against the wall. “A’ight, so mebbe I fibbed a bit, huh? Gettin’ kicked outta here don’t sit as pretty with me as I mighta made her think. I don’t wanna forget …” He waved his arm. “All this. But what’s a fella to do? What good am I now?”

The bowl wobbled as Carl almost tipped it over.

“I know you mean well, buddy, but we’ve always been honest with each other, ain’t we?” He rubbed the stump. “It’s like a second limb got chopped off along with the arm. You got any idea what that’s like?” At Carl’s sympathetic gurgle, he snorted. “Yeah, right. You don’t even got arms. Everythin’s all outta whack, inside and out. I can’t even sense you anymore.”

Carl shot up into a tiny fountain.

“Do I really wanna stay? What kinda question is that? Sure, things ain’t been a perfect puddle of puddin’, but since when did I ever expect it to be? Sure, the company’s got a few iffy policies, but it’s … it’s home.”

The water fizzed.

“Right. Not your home. Thank you for clearin’ that up.” He scratched his stubble. “So, whatcha think? After they gimme the boot, you gonna head back upstream? See the family?”

Tiny waves slapped the side of the bowl.

“Well, give ’em my regards. And my thanks, yeah? Wouldn’t ever have made it this long without—”

The door opened and Francis strode in. The new Chairman already held the air of command that Ben had associated with Destin. The look fit him.

“Ben.” Francis nodded at the bowl of water. “Carl.”

Ben stood. He winced in anticipation but his knees didn’t pop. Having a fit body again would take some getting used to. Of course, once they altered his memories, he wouldn’t remember ever being old in the first place, so perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.

“You’re gonna take care of Dani?” he asked.

“Your proclamation during your brief stint as Chairman still stands,” Francis said. “I’ll make sure no one within our organization causes her any grief. Obviously, I can’t watch over her every minute of the day when she’s on a job.”

“A’ight.” Ben forced himself to stand straight. Now was not the time to be a coward. “Let’s get this done.”

The Chairman showed a tight smile. “Yes, let’s.”

He drew a manila folder out of his jacket and handed it to Ben, who took it and stared.

“What’s this?”

“All the information I could dig up concerning your and Karen’s final job together.” Francis clasped his hands behind his back. “Unfortunately, from my cursory scan, it seems Destin only filled out a minimal account of events to satisfy the Board. Most major details seem to be missing or are blacked out. I can’t make sense of what little remains, but perhaps you’ll have better luck.”

Ben laid the envelope on the bed. His hand trembled as he undid the string keeping the flap closed. An upside-down shake dislodged a black-and-white photograph. He dropped the envelope and snatched the photo up.

It showed Karen as he last remembered her. Curly hair down to her shoulders, a laugh about to burst from her lips, eyes alight with the joy of her work. She stared off at some unseen focus. A peek in the envelope showed a sketched map of a sewer network, a stapled report, and a handful of notes.

He looked to Francis. “Why? I figured I was gonna be scrubbed out.”

“There’s no guarantee your loss of powers is permanent. It’d be a waste of valuable experience if we removed you from our ranks. That, at least, is the argument I presented to the Board. I’d like to think I possess a measure of decency the previous Chairman lacked.” He made an apologetic bow. “I regret following his orders so blindly. Ever since you contracted the Ravishing, you’ve fought your battles alone. No Cleaner should ever be forced to work under such circumstances again. It’s a blotch on our records I hope to erase.”

Ben found himself speechless.

“I know our dealings in the past have been less than amicable,” Francis said, “especially over the past few days. But give me a chance. I might surprise you.”

“You already have.” Ben slid Karen’s photo back into the envelope. “Problem is, I ain’t so sure I’m gonna be able to do anythin’ about this, even if I dig up some leads. Without my powers, all I’m gonna be able to do is knock Scum down with some nasty coffee breath.”

“I can’t offer any more assistance than this,” Francis said. “For now, at least. The Board is already displeased by my decision to keep you on payroll.”

“Yeah, well, since when are they ever happy with anythin’?” Ben reached up to massage the loose skin of his face, then remembered he didn’t have to do that anymore and dropped his hand. “What now? Where you gonna fit me in?”

“I’m sure we can work something out.”

O O O

Dani tried to eat her meal in the cafeteria after a kindly maid showed her where it was in the first place. She sat alone with a bowl of spicy chili, sensing the stares and whispers around her. She focused on the spoon, checking for spots or films.

Salmonella. E. Coli. Diphther—

With a snort, she lowered the utensil.

Get over it, Dani. You’re in the Cleaners’ HQ. I’m sure they do the dishes.

She dug in, but after just a few mouthfuls, her appetite fled. Shoving the meal aside, she rose and stalked out to wander the halls of HQ, letting herself get as lost as she felt.

It wasn’t fair. How could the people who ran this company, supernatural or not, be so concerned about the fate of the world and everyone in it, yet be so inhumane when it came to dealing with one of their own? It didn’t make sense. In the normal world, when someone did a good job they got recognition for it. A raise. A party. Maybe a small plaque.

Here, when a guy uncovered a source of rogue manifestations and helped depose a Corrupt boss, he got wiped out as if he never existed. Could she really work for these people? Despite her promise for the sake of the hybrid, she wrestled with the impulse to run out the door the first chance she got.

Dani sighed as she turned a random corner. Underneath all her objections and fuming lay the fact that the Cleaners fascinated her. She didn’t think she could ever fully cut herself off from this side of existence. And what of Sydney’s prediction that all their struggles were hopeless? She refused to believe it. She had to prove him wrong somehow.

Still. It wasn’t right.

“Ms. Hashelheim!”

She looked up to see Francis striding toward her. How he’d tracked her down with her aimless wandering, she couldn’t guess. She waited until he stopped before her and then burst out.

“What’d you do with Ben?”

His eyes widened, and in them she saw the guilt she feared. It was too late then. They’d already removed him. He’d be as ignorant of her existence as her parents.

“Ms. Hashelheim, I—”

“Couldn’t you even give me a chance to say goodbye? How can you be so heartless? I don’t care what you do to me, I’m going to get him back. Where’d you send him?”

“Right here, princess.”

She spun to see Ben standing behind her, a mirthful light in his eyes and a cardboard box tucked under his remaining arm.

“They didn’t … you’re …”

He grinned. “Yup. Francis and I had a little chat. I’m gonna be brought on as a consultant. Extra pay. Flexible hours. Expense account. All the free bagels I can stuff my yapper with. Figured I’d give it a shot.”

She grabbed him into another tight hug, not caring how unprofessional it might look. He returned it for a few moments, then shuffled free and motioned for her to take the box. She did so and looked inside.

Tetris cocked his head and poked a stubby tongue out as if to say,
Where ya been?

Dani barely suppressed a squeal of glee as she scooped the lizard out and gave him a gentle squeeze. The rows of spines along his sides pricked her palms in their comforting way.

“Stewart handed him over when Francis’ team brought him in,” Ben said.

“I’m still not forgiving that rat.” Dani tickled the lizard’s nose until Francis coughed. She returned Tetris to his box and looked to the Chairman. “Something else?”

“Just to notify you that you are free to contact your family and acquaintances again, though I’m sure you understand the necessity of keeping them ignorant of your true line of work. Also …” Francis handed her a slip of paper.

“What’s thi—” Her mouth dropped open.

“We’re covering the rest of your tuition upon your return to school. Consider it payment for services rendered.”

She triple-checked the amount. “Uh … thanks. Wow.”

A white smile split his face, the first of his she’d seen. “In the meantime, I believe Janitor Benjamin would like you to accompany him to the garage.”

She narrowed her eyes at them. “Why?”

Ben laughed and waved for her to follow. “C’mon and see.”

O O O

She scrutinized the white van Ben had led her to. Its front and back fenders were dinged, and a series of scratches over the back doors looked disturbingly like claw marks. Cracks laced the windshield and one of the side mirrors had been torn off. No doubt the engine sputtered and the brakes were spongy, but the van emanated a solid presence that already had her wanting to run it over the first gnash that got in her way.

Ben tossed her a set of keys. “Your first company car. Proud yet?”

“Do I get reimbursed for gas?”

“For work-related trips, yup.”

“Goodie.”

She slid the side door open and stuck Tetris’ box on one of the empty shelves. Ben looked over her shoulder.

“You gotta visit Supplies and pick out tools and equipment. And you might wanna arrange for some lessons in handlin’ different parts of your power.”

“Thanks,” she said. “I’ll consider it.”

She walked around the vehicle, noting every dent and scrape. Once she stood on the other side, where Ben couldn’t hear, she patted the chassis and whispered, “I am so painting you pink.”

When she finished the circuit, Ben slammed the side shut and waved for her to get in.

“Why don’tcha take her for a spin?”

With a grin and a bouncing step, she tugged open the driver’s door. She and Ben froze. They looked at each other and then back at the black rose and white glove waiting on the seat. A lacy red card had been propped up against the thorny stem, reading:
A memento to keep me in your thoughts until our paths once more unite, dearest.

Dani groaned. “Oh, for ****’s sake.”

***