“I don’t want an apology, Malcolm,” said Tapestry. “How… am I supposed to be able to trust you, if you don’t tell me anything?”
Her green eyes were full of emotion, the kind that Malcolm knew would burn long after the two had finished talking. He sighed and stared down at the locker room’s tile floor.
“I’m trying, Tapestry,” he said. “I’m just trying my best. To help people.”
Am I helping other people? Or am I just helping myself?
She shook her head slowly and turned away from him.
“That’s not enough,” she said. “I don’t think you have a bad heart, Malcolm. But you’re involved in something. And until you tell me what…I’m not taking my eye off you.”
Malcolm smiled
“I wouldn’t expect you to,” he said. “But no more random acts of shower violence. Promise?”
Tapestry looked over her shoulder at him, frowning slightly.
“Fair enough.”
“Not that I’m opposed to you hopping into the shower with me naked,” said Malcolm.
“You’re a child,” she said. Malcolm watched as her expression brightened slightly. He noticed that there was still a suspicious gleam in her eye.
“Seriously, though,” said Malcolm. “It’s like you said, I don’t have a bad heart. Can you at least trust that I’ll do my job and have your back?”
Tapestry hesitated for only a moment before giving an almost imperceptible nod. Her shoulders relaxed a little, as though his question had brought pragmatism back into her perspective.
“You’re capable,” she said. “And we do have bigger things to worry about, right now. Speaking of which, it’s late. I should get moving.”
Tapestry finished getting dressed, and the two of them headed out of the locker room. She offered him a ride back to his apartment, but Malcolm turned it down, feeling a bit uneasy about sleeping there on his own, after what had happened with Rose.
“That’s probably for the best,” she said. “I’ll be back early tomorrow morning. Multi claims to have a plan that’s going to take all of the local champions to put into action.”
Malcolm frowned, unsure of whether he liked the sound of that.
“Did he tell you anything more about it?” he asked.
“Just to be back here first thing tomorrow,” said Tapestry. “I’ll see you later.”
She waited for a second, staring at him in the hallway, and then turned and headed off toward the entrance. Malcolm made his way through the base slowly, finding the dormitories and securing an empty bunk.
He slept soundly through the night, his body needing sleep far more than he’d realized. He woke up the next morning to the sound of someone clearing their voice next to him, loudly and deliberately.
“Wind Runner,” said Multi. “Get up.”
Malcolm blinked his eyes open, fighting the urge to swear his way into trouble. He was surprised to see that the Multi standing next to his bed wasn’t the one he was used to taking orders from.
It was the bald Multi, the one he’d seen in the office the day before, and the one who stood out so much from the rest. Malcolm had slept with his clothes on, so all he needed to do was pull on sneakers before standing up to face him.
“Multi?” asked Malcolm.
“Call me… Wax,” said the Multi. “But yes, I am a Multi. Just one of the earlier ones, with more freedom.”
“What’s going on?” he asked. “Am I needed somewhere?”
“Not yet,” said Wax.
Malcolm shook his head, annoyed.
“So you woke me up for fun?” he asked. “That seems a little cruel.”
“Let’s walk and talk.”
Wax led Malcolm down the hallway, away from the command center. Malcolm was surprised when they continued through HQ’s front door and stepped outside. It was a nice day, with a slight chill in the air, unusual for the time of year.
“You’re confused,” said Wax. “Aren’t you?”
That’s kind of a weird question.
“Do you mean just in general, or about why I’m standing in the middle of the woods right now?” asked Malcolm. Wax was leading him down a narrow trail that cut through the forest surrounding the base. A blackberry bramble scrapped at Malcolm’s pant leg, and he pulled it loose.
“We’ve heard about groups like the Awakened Children before,” said Wax. “I know that they probably tried to sell you on their beliefs during your time among them.”
Malcolm gave a small nod.
“They did,” he said. “But… in the end, I made a choice.”
It was the truth. Even before watching Rain Dancer torture and kill Teddy, Malcolm had made a choice about their beliefs and their cult. It wasn’t something he could support, not in the way it was organized. Like many religious groups and churches, the foundation was fundamentally hollow to him, even if he agreed with them on the need for peace.
“I’m glad.” Wax pulled out a cigarette. He offered one to Malcolm, who refused. “The Champion Authority isn’t perfect, Malcolm, but it’s better than the alternatives.”
Malcolm nodded slowly, finding it a little odd that he was having the conversation now, instead of when he’d first gotten back to base.
“I consider it to be the lesser of two evils,” said Malcolm. “We kill sprytes and demons. It’s… not as though I see what we’re doing here as something clean.”
“Some of them we capture,” said the bald Multi. “Some of them we kill. Some of them we ignore entirely, either because they aren’t threats, or because their free existence serves a purpose for us.”
Wax stared into Malcolm’s eyes. Malcolm stared back, wearing his poker mask more seriously than he ever had before in his life. Multi cleared his throat.
“Anyway…” He took a drag on his cigarette. “Did they happen to run any tests on you while you were their prisoner?”
Malcolm frowned, considering the question. He shook his head.
“No,” he said. “At least, not any that I was aware of.”
“They didn’t play doctor with you at all?” asked Wax. “No blood samples, or mouth swabs, or anything?”
“No,” said Malcolm. “Why?”
Wax shrugged. He took another long drag off his cigarette and gestured for Malcolm to follow him back toward HQ.
There’s something more here. I can feel it.
Wax stomped out his cigarette by the door, and the two of them headed back inside. The bald Multi took his leave, and Malcolm headed into the cafeteria, considering what he’d said to that first question.
He did consider the Champion Authority to be the lesser evil, compared to the Awakened Children. What he’d seen Rain Dancer do to Teddy was part of it, but there was more than just that. It was the general vibe, the ethos of their organization that made him deeply uncomfortable.
Malcolm walked into the cafeteria, smelling the food and watching the other champions eating. Anna and Greenthumb were setting at a table together, engaged in lively, flirtatious conversation.
Tapestry was at a table on her own, talking on the phone with someone, probably Melanie, if Malcolm had to guess. And Melt stood leaning against a wall in the corner, rubbing a red stained rag over a knife that had brass knuckles built into the grip.
Eh. Not everybody can be well adjusted.
Malcolm grabbed some eggs, toast, and ham from the serving table and sat down next to Tapestry. She was still on the phone, but nodded and wiggled her fingers at him in greeting.
He ate his food, feeling like something, or rather, someone, was missing. Rose had told him once that she’d been a champion before turning into a spryte. Malcolm let himself dare to wonder what it would be like if she was allowed to be there, in the cafeteria, with him.
Would it even be the same Rose that I know? Or someone else, with her own memories and a different purpose?