Malcolm sighed. He couldn’t take Tapestry’s power even if he’d wanted to. He needed to keep Danny’s heat manipulation. He told himself that it was to keep up the identity he’d established for himself. But really, it was all he had left of his brother.
His train of thought seemed compelled to continue in that direction, sulking and feeling sorry for himself. Malcolm honestly didn’t feel like he had the energy for it. He spread out on his mattress, pulled a thin sheet over himself, and fell asleep.
CHAPTER 10
Heavy pounding woke Malcolm up the next morning. It took him a couple of seconds to recognize that it was coming from outside the hatch, rather than within his own skull.
He assumed it was Rose at first, but realized immediately that she would have just opened the hatch and climbed down without knocking. He felt a chill run down his spine as he considered what that meant. Someone had found his hideout.
But… They’re also taking the time to knock. They could have just set up a trap for me outside, if they’d wanted.
Malcolm pulled on the hat and sunglasses he still had left for a disguise. He pulled on his torn jacket, wincing as his painful and swollen shoulder slid into it. He walked over to the ladder and took a breath.
“Who is it?” he asked, gruffly.
“Someone with a mutual interest.”
He recognized the voice, even muffled as it was, through the hatch. It was Shield Maiden, a spryte who had been part of the faction belonging to his former foe, Rain Dancer. Rose had told him that her militant rhetoric had lessened since his death, either because of grief, or perhaps from finally being free from the lunatic’s influence.
Still, he didn’t trust her. It didn’t make sense for him to, not after what had happened. Shield Maiden had been romantically involved with Rain Dancer, though it hadn’t seemed that serious. There was a chance that she had to come to take revenge on him for his death.
Or was there? She wasn’t there to see Wind Runner, who had been the champion who’d defeated Rain Dancer. She was there to see the Gifted Vigilante, a new arrival to the chaotic Vanderbrook.
“I’m opening the hatch,” said Malcolm. “I’ll come outside. Wait outside the warehouse, and don’t try anything stupid.”
“I don’t intend to,” said Shield Maiden.
Malcolm waited a couple of seconds before awkwardly climbing up the ladder. It was far more difficult than he’d expected, with only one arm. Entering the combination into the lock was even more challenging, but somehow, he managed it.
Shield Maiden stood in the morning sunlight in the concrete lot outside. She was a pretty spryte, with skin that had the patterning of a tabby cat and the purple and pink colors found on top of an oil spill. Her exotic, attractive body contrasted sharply against the plain blue summer dress she wore, which was patterned with small, yellow flowers.
If she recognized him at all, she didn’t let it show in her face. Malcolm kept his arms out to the side as he approached her, knowing that if she wanted to, she could put him in a shield bubble before he could attack.
“Well?” he asked. He put in extra effort to disguise his voice.
Shield Maiden smiled. There was a genuine, almost flirtatious quality to it. She pushed a few strands of her unnaturally pink hair out of her face and looked him in the eyes.
“You’re the Gifted Vigilante,” she said. “I’m glad that my information on your location was accurate.”
Malcolm licked his lips. He wanted to know where that information came from, but felt like he could probably guess.
Rose. Either she let it slip, which is unlikely, or Shield Maiden is tracking her movements.
He resisted the urge to ask her about it, opting to leave that bit of intrigue uninspected.
“And you are?” asked Malcolm. “It would be a shame for us to not be properly introduced.”
He smiled at her and offered a small bow. It was as much a part of his disguise as the sunglasses and hat. The more he created a persona for the Gifted Vigilante, instead of just acting like himself in another set of clothes, the more convincing he’d be to the world.
“Flattery,” said Shield Maiden. “That’s not something I expected from someone with your reputation.”
Malcolm took several slow steps toward her, reducing the space between them to just a couple of feet.
“Well, you’re more than welcome to come to your own conclusions firsthand,” he said, in a deep, sultry voice.
In truth, inviting Shield Maiden down into his hideout was something he would never even consider. Malcolm expected her to rebuff him, and in doing so, hopefully reveal more of her true intentions. Instead, Shield Maiden smiled and leaned toward him.
“Shield Maiden,” she said. “You can call me Shield Maiden.”
“Do you remember what your name was?” asked Malcolm. “Before you turned?”
Shield Maiden blinked. She looked caught off guard. Malcolm tried to keep his satisfaction over that to himself.
“I do,” she said. “But it’s not something I give out to strangers. Especially not strangers in disguise.”
Malcolm nodded and licked his lips.
“You might as well get to the point then,” he said. “Why are you here?”
“Because we have a common enemy. And I’d like to give you some information that will help you fight against them.”
Malcolm kept his expression steady, although a frown tugged at the edges of his mouth.
“If you mean the Champion Authority, I have no intention of fighting against them,” he said. “Even weakened as they are, it’s still too dangerous.”
“I’m talking about Multi.”
Malcolm tried not to let his surprise show on his face. He folded his arms and glanced away from her for a moment.
“The last I heard,” he began, “You were allied with him. There’s still footage that plays on the local news every now and then of you, Rain Dancer, and him at a protest rally.”
“That was then,” said Shield Maiden. “The last few weeks have been chaotic. He’s operating on his own, now.”
Malcolm shook his head.
“I’m not sure I believe you,” he lied.
Rose had told him about how Multi had withdrawn from what remained of Rain Dancer’s faction. From what she said, it seemed as though Multi had been more interested in an alliance with Rain Dancer than with the sprytes who followed him. Shield Maiden, Fantasy, and Rose were all powerful, but none of them held a candle to what the electric demon had been capable of.
Malcolm knew all of this, but he wanted Shield Maiden to convince him, and in doing so, hopefully reveal more information that might be useful to him. Shield Maiden gave a small shrug and tilted her head in a thoughtful gesture.
“I think you do believe me,” she said, with a small smile. “But regardless if you do or not, I’ll still give you some info I think you might find useful.”
“I’m listening.”
Shield Maiden’s smile broadened. She was pretty when she smiled, and the coloring of her skin swirled around the edge of her lips, creating the illusion of intricate, surrealist face paint.
“Multi is planning more suicide bombings,” said Shield Maiden.
“Yeah, obviously,” said Malcolm. “Is that it?”
“He gets the electronics he needs to make the triggers from Edward’s Tech on Ballroom Avenue.”
Malcolm knew the store. He nodded slowly, committing the fact to memory.
“Anything else?”
“There’s a fertilizer truck that runs a weekly route through the farms northwest of Vanderbrook,” said Shield Maiden. “When he was still working with us closely, he brought up the idea of capturing that truck at the start of its deliveries, and using the fertilizer to make more bombs.”
“When’s the next time it’s going to be on the road?” asked Malcolm.