Sell you a Bridge chapter 53

Shadowcrest July 20th 2010 8:00 PM EDT

Fun  fact about being an effortless genius in stealth and subterfuge, able  to blend into the foliage and vanish into the shrubbery. It hurts. Being  a genius at avoiding breaking branches and rustling leaves doesn't make  not doing those things feel good, not does it make sitting motionless  in a bush for literal hours suck any less. However, I had to stay this  far away to avoid tripping the wards I could now obviously see in my  aura vision.

Shadowcrest was, in  point of fact, even more terrifying in the magical spectrum than it's  creepy looming appearance would suggest. Just looking at it was making  me twitch, and it really drove home how monstrous Jim was at what he did  that he'd walked us right through this fucking minefield and we had  barely noticed it. This was the fucking Mona Lisa of magical defenses,  and even with my skills as they were it would take me at least five  years to be able to crack defenses this good, and that was with my  thieving skills growing at the same rate as they had so far.

Luckily  for me, I didn't actually need to do that. I had a way through the  defenses, and inside man. Or woman as the case may be. However I had to  sit and wait for daddy Zatara to leave before I could call and ask her  to let me in. Furthermore I had to hope she would actually do it, which  was far from a guarantee based on previous interactions. Still, this was  the only way I could think of to talk to Zee without Annabel possibly  finding out. No way that crazy bitch could get in here without a full  scale siege now that Morgana was gone.

Unfortunately  Zatara was a workaholic hermit with no fucking life, so I had to sit  around and case the edges of the wards for fucking eight hours before he  left. I couldn't even wait in shadow form, which would have been much  more comfortable, because I had blown all my points on finally getting  and actual combat style before I left at noon. Sixty five points down  the drain and I wasn't due for a top up for another four hours. All I  could do was sit here like an asshole and suffer in silence.

As  soon as I saw Zatara leave though I called Zee. She picked up on the  first ring "Hey stranger, haven't heard from you in a bit. Was beginning  to think you didn't like me anymore." There was a playful pout in her  voice and imagining those full lips of hers pouted in disappointment  drew a hard swallow from me. She giggled at the silence "Just messing  with you Rand, what's up? You timing is pretty good actually, daddy just  left so I'm free to talk for a few hours. Can you catch me up on your  super secret thief adventures or is that against the code?"

It  actually was against the code, Jim had been very clear that regardless  how sexy, sweet, or generally trustworthy you friends or partners seemed  you absolutely could not give them details of your crimes. Aside from  being stupid it could even put them at risk if someone else found out.  But we were well past that point now, Zee was in genuine danger from  Annabel and needed to know it. "Funny you should mention timing. I  called because I saw your dad leave, I'm actually outside. I really need  to talk to you. Can I come in?"

I  tried my best to convey with my tone how serious this was, but I was  still worried she would send me away. Like I had been afraid of she  hissed a bit but didn't respond for a minute. "I...I don't know Rand.  That's kind of a big ask. I mean you know I like you...like, as a friend  I mean, I like you as a friend, not that I'm not interested in you in  other ways but we don't know each other that well yet and..." She was  babbling and nervous, but she finally took a deep breath to calm down  and got her sputtering under control "Anyway you know what I mean, but  you're an unapologetic magical thief and my house has one of the largest  collections of magical object in this hemisphere."

I  gritted my teeth, I needed to tell her what was going on, but she was  right. It was crazy not to expect me to rob her blind. I wasn't planning  to of course but our relationship didn't really preclude the  possibility. I needed to offer her something as a sign of trust.  Something that showed I meant it when I said this was a big deal. I knew  what I could offer, it was something I had been hesitant to hand out  because I'd been burned before, but this was an emergency. "This is  important Zee. It's literally a matter of life or death. I know just  saying that won't convince you though. So if you let me in. I'll tell  you who I am."

She  paused. I could tell was hesitating so I continued "You don't have  anything conclusive linking me to any past crimes aside from the mask  that could be anyone's, but if I show you my face and tell you who I am  before I come in you can report me to the police if I take anything. I  trust you enough to believe you'll keep this secret for me. Do you trust  me enough to let me inside?" My voice was raw, this was the only way I  could think of to get her to let me in and I had to pray it worked. I  couldn't live with myself if Annabel changed her mind and killed her  later because she felt like it.

I  could hear the sound of her breathing and not much else for almost a  whole minute before I heard a loud swallow. "Ok Rand. Take your mask off  and meet me on the steps out front, just outside the wards. But this  better not be a trick. I'm putting a lot of trust in you here." Without  another word she hung up, ending the call before I could even respond.  Despite her cutting me off I smiled down at the phone, my eyes misting a  bit. It meant a lot that she was willing to believe me even with all  the reasons she had not to.

Like  I'd said I would I removed my mask. I rubbed my cheeks a bit, frowning.  Now that I'd come this far I found I was embarrassed for Zee to see my  face. I hadn't gotten around to making myself better looking yet. I'd  always had other stuff to do. My face wasn't ugly or anything, just  plain, and with my muscles and the flawlessly tailored suit it might  even be considered above average. But Zee was...Zee was a goddess. Her  face looked like it was sculpted by Aphrodite herself during a "What I  wish I looked like" contest.

She  was so beautiful it almost hurt to look at her, and being just "above  average" wasn't enough. Still, I headed for the front of the house, face  exposed, relying on my new martial art to keep calm. The martial arts  technique I picked up this time was called the Doom Fist. It was very in  line with my current power set, despite the absolutely absurd name,  because the Doom Fist was one hundred percent made for killing, though  it could be used non lethally as well. The technique capitalized on the  pressure point knowledge from my ninja skills too and was very  synergistic.

The  Doom in the Doom Fist (which was an even more ridiculous name than it  seemed because it was a finger technique) Came in two forms. First off  was the ability to utilize a combination of brute force and pressure  points to sever nerves with the fingers. The limb affected was "doomed"  because it would be numb and useless for at least a few hours and  potentially forever depending on my intentions. It would be incredibly  useful against people I wasn't planning to kill like heroes.

The  second part was the scary one though. The Doom fist specialized in  focusing force into strengthened fingers, not only could my fingers not  punch holes in flesh I could hyperfocus all my strength and impale a  person right through the chest, ripping out their heart (or other  organs) through their back with a single thrust of a hand. The entire  technique focused on channeling all my power into precise blindingly  fast strikes that basically turned my fingers into fucking daggers.  Combined with my reflexes and my ninja pressure point knowledge I would  be able to take Talons apart like tissue paper.

Despite  that dangerous new ability however, I didn't feel any less terrified,  even if the book my new skills were written in came with some nice  breathing exercises to help me calm my nerves. I was going to be facing  Zee for the first time with my real face. I had no clue whatsoever what  she was going to do. When I came into sight I saw her waiting for me,  and I once again couldn't believe how gorgeous she was. It was like  looking at a crowdsourced image of the perfect girl. I felt my mouth go  dry.

She was  wearing a purple tye dye t-shirt with a butterfly on it and a pair of  beat up jeans. Her hair was up in a messy ponytail and she had her arms  crossed. She was chewing her lip and her brows were furrowed in worry.  She looked perfect. I cleared my throat and offered her a smile and a  wave "Hey there. I'm Morgan O'Malley. Nice to meet you." My heart was  pounding like a drum in my ears as I spoke but my breathing exercises  helped me keep my cool enough that I didn't think she noticed.

When  I spoke though, she seemed to untense. I think part of her was worried  this was some crazy plan to rob her house again or something, but seeing  me own up to my side of the deal, or at least appear to since I showed  my face and told her a name (ostensibly my name though she had no way of  knowing if that was true) helped her accept what was happening. She  worried on her lip for another minute or two before she heaved a long  sigh and said "Tel Mih Retne" There was a flash of amber light and the magic in my aura sight shifted to create a path for me.

I  smiled and stepped forward, hands in my pockets. I was glad that aside  from my mask i hadn't worn my costume because I would have looked  ridiculous. Before entering though I looked at Zee in confusion. "Why  did you decide to trust me? I mean don't get me wrong, I'm glad you did,  but you had plenty of reasons to doubt my intentions." I honestly  hadn't expected the face reveal to work, I'd been sure she would just  refuse to let me in, and even taking into account that she was a heroine  I was shocked.

She  gave me a shy smile that set my heart fluttering and shrugged. "I've  never had a friend before, but I'm pretty sure you're supposed to give  them the benefit of the doubt." Then she turned and strolled down the  path she had made me. I stared blankly after her before hurrying to  catch up. Zatanna really was my friend, and knowing that felt so good  after everything with Annabel. Sure she was a gorgeous friend I had  confusing and non platonic feelings for, but I could work with that. She  was one more person I could count on, and I didn't have many of those.  Now I just had to hope she didn't hate me when I told her why I was  here.