Luminary (Expanded Edition)
Chapter 20: Progress
“This is an outrage!” Wicus sputtered. “Those knuckleheads don’t know what they’re doing. If the council was going to set a bloody deadline they should have said so from the onset!”
He stomped around the room, aggravated, talking to himself, venting. Inwardly worried. “They could have given us an explanation for it,” he muttered.
Now the primary and the secondary had to be finished within the council’s time-frame. With all the extra measures that he’d taken with Josh, it meant that he had less time to work on Charlie. Haste makes mistakes, he thought, not wanting any more of those.
His pacing took him back to his desk where he resumed his seat.
Before being alerted by portal about the changes and tramping about the office in a mini-rebellion, he’d been preparing an updated glowing report about his retrofitting activities for the council.
The august body or knuckleheads as he currently thought of them -- wanted to be kept in the loop about the alterations to ensure that all guidelines were being met. They'd been cracking down lately and had been highly critical of Paragons who were choosing candidates that required too many adjustments.
Wicus wondered if that somehow factored into the new deadline.
His thoughts beginning to form a plan. He looked through his notes. Even though the magical monitor floating in his office kept track of all the adjustments in real time, being nearly three thousand years old, he was set in his ways. Recording his own observations about how each candidate was handling the process.
The retrofitting was proceeding as quickly as Wicus dared. At first he'd alternated his time between both candidates during the same night. Now that headway had been made -- he rotated nights -- trying to give them more time to recover. He could see the toll his efforts were taking on both.
There were two hallmarks left to modify on Josh. Grueling as the task had been, all the physical connections between the memories of his late wife and his soul were severed. Nudging them apart had been a painstaking effort.
Working on the secondary was by comparison easier. Although performing the complex modifications was not a job he had any intention of rushing through. A craftsman at heart, he took pride in his work. There were only two soul markers left to retrofit on Charlie.
This new deadline would surely complicate--
"Wicus you're going to want to watch this," Waxine called out, rushing into his office interrupting his train of thought. “Plug open a portal on Emily's favorite Starbucks,” she instructed her attachment in a breathless tone.
Wicus scowled briefly, not happy about the interruption. Running a hand through his curls, no doubt leaving them scattered in an unruly, if not clownish line across his head.
At least judging by the note of humor in Waxine’s gaze. Her eyes darted to the top of his head before turning away as the corner of her lips curled up.
Moments later he felt them snap back into place. He got up from the desk.
A massive piece of furniture rather like a rhino’s body with four sturdy legs and numerous drawers. In lieu of an animal hide, it was built out of the same gossamer material as his display cases.
He knew that Waxine admired it. She’d often questioned him about what secrets it held. He allowed her to speculate, nothing more. Intensely private, he wasn’t going to give anyone access to it. It contained his notes and reports from some of this most trying cases. Waxine was loyal to him, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t snoop. To protect against her rather large curiosity he kept a special enchantment on it, keeping anything too important safe from prying eyes, even his companion’s.
What current crisis has captured her attention now? he mused.
Wicus stepped over and complied with her request, surveying the newly constructed portal. Fighting to keep his mouth from twitching at the candelabra’s obvious eagerness. While some might view Waxine as bossy, he rather enjoyed her candor.
She was a natural extrovert -- excessively frank. When she got excited she was prone to talking so fast that only a Paragon could keep up with her. He wondered briefly how the immortal she once lived with ever did. From the expression on her face -- today could be one of those speedy conversations days. Her metallic gaze was now riveted back on the window into the human world. Her hollow body faintly vibrating with barely contained excitement.
* * * * * *
Josh Taylor was sitting in one of the four overstuffed leather chairs by the window in the corner of the eatery, drinking a Cafe Americano. His sunglasses were on the little wooden side table between two of the chairs.
Putting down the cup, he pinched off another chunk of banana bread, popping it into his mouth. Chewing slowly, he savored the taste before swallowing. Sighing with pure bliss.
He loved banana bread. In an odd way, it reminded him of Julia's baking fiascoes. She burned more than a few loaves and meals too for that matter. He was far better in the kitchen than she had been. Somehow thinking about those memories didn't hurt as much anymore, he thought.
Finishing his snack, he licked the tip of his middle finger and thumb. Grabbing the cup and the pink paper bag, Josh got up from the chair. Time to get to work.
A young barista, her hair in of a series of elaborate braids, walked his way carrying a round tray filled with small plastic cups topped with whipped cream. She had a round face and a genial smile.
"Do you want to try our Peppermint Mocha?" she offered.
"As appetizing as that sounds...I'm good," Josh smiled ironically.
He walked past her and dropped off his trash in the bin located near the door.
It was overcast outside as he put his helmet on, strolling to the Softail. Eyeing the clouds through the open visor he hoped the downpour would hold off until he got to the station. Not wanting to stop and drag out the rain gear.
Tossing a leg over the seat, straddling it upright, he turned the key and the engine roared to life. Settling his weight on the mechanical beast, Josh maneuvered the Harley out of the lot. Judging by how gray the sky was, he didn’t have much time.